HAving in a former Discourse proved that there is a God; That this God has appointed us a cer­tain Rule and Order of Life; That he has obliged us to Conform to his Will and Appointments, by annexing Happiness to our Obedience, and Mise­ry to our Disobedience; That the Rule he has given us to go by, is whatever we can, upon our own Enquiry, or the Information of others, discover to be a­greeable to our purest and most unpreju­diced Reason; all which is comprehended [Page 2]under the Name of Religion: Having like­wise shewn that a general and exact Obser­vance of all the Duties of such Religion, would advance the Happiness of Man­kind to the highest degree, they are in this their Mortal Condition capable of; and from these Principles, together with the present Irregularity of things in the World, having made it appear that there must be a Future State, of Rewards and Punishments proportion'd to the different behaviour of Men in this: I have now farther undertaken to prove that, be­sides those Tokens and Indications God has given of himself, his Will and De­signs in the Nature and Constitution of things, which are discoverable by right well-exercised Reason; he has in a more extraordinary manner, viz. by Immedi­ate Revelation from himself made known his Mind to us; by which means he has given us a clear and intire view of the fore­mentioned rational Truths, render'd our knowledge of them more certain, plain, and particular, discovered a great many new Truths which the unassisted force of Human Faculties could not have found out, and established new Rules and Measures of Duty, over and above [Page 3]those our Reason was before, by its ut­most efforts, able to inform us of.

All which extraordinary Discoveries I affirm to be contained in the Books which go under the Name of the Old and New Testament: from whence I inferr that all the Doctrines, Precepts and Directi­ons delivered in the Old and New Testa­ment, are obligatory to us so far as they are there declared to be so; that is, they are to be believed and observed in the Way and Manner, and upon the Rea­sons and Motives there proposed; and consequently, that at present, the true and adequate Rule of Human Life, is what we call the Christian Religion.

But because, as 'tis plain from the na­ture of all Revelation, the truth of what is pretended to be revealed must depend upon the proof of Matters of Fact; I shall take this Method of establishing the Certainty of the Christian Revelation.

1. Having premised some things con­cerning those particular Facts I design to insist upon; I shall give a short Ab­stract or Summary of the Christian Scheme, as we find it delivered in the New Testament.

2. I shall prove by such direct Argu­ments as Matters of Fact are proveable by, that all the principal Matters of Fact related in the New Testament, are true.

3. I shall endeavour to make good the same Proposition indirectly, by shewing the Absurdity of a contrary Supposition, and the weakness of all the Difficulties and Objections raised against the truth of those Facts, or of Revelation in ge­neral.

4. I shall shew the sufficiency of such a proof as shall be given under the for­mer Heads to induce us to believe the Chri­stian Religion, and to render us inexcusa­ble if we do not.

As to what concerns those particular Facts I design to insist upon for the proof of the Christian Religion, there are these three things necessary to be observed.

First, I take all this for granted, viz. That there are such Books as those I call the Old and New Testament, that they are in the hands of a great number of [Page 5]People of different Countries in the World, and are with a very little varia­tion the same every where: That the greatest part of those in whose hands they are, who are called Christians, pro­fess to believe that the Matters of Fact there Recorded are true, and that the Doctrines came from God, and are ap­pointed by him as the Rule and Mea­sure of their Actions; but more especial­ly those delivered in the New Testament, which they look upon to contain a full Scheme of their Duty: That a large Sect of Men, called Jews, profess to believe the same of the Old Testament as the Chri­stians do, but reject the New, and make the former only the Rule and Measure of their Duty; and that a great many of these, both Jews and Christians, do really and sincerely believe what they profess, and endeavour to order their Lives accordingly. All which Matters of Fact are such as I have no manner of rea­son to suspect any body will deny me.

Secondly, I insist wholly upon the proof of those Matters of Fact which are recorded in the New Testament; not only because the Christian Religion, the Certain­ty [Page 6]of which I have undertaken to esta­blish, is fully confirmed by the truth of those Facts: But because the Old Testa­ment is supposed, and every where ap­pealed to in the New as true and authen­tick, upon which account, a thorough effectual proof of the latter, will be of it self a sufficient establishment of the former. Besides, many of the same Ar­guments that I shall make use of to sup­port the Christian Revelation, are in like manner applicable to the Jewish: And therefore I shall only consider the Old Testament as a Book that was extant long before the Christian Religion appeared in the World; and which was then, and had been long before esteemed by the whole People of the Jews, as a Book that contained the Revelations of God; and I shall concern my self no farther in the proof of these ancient Writings, than to defend them from the little Cavils and Objections raised against them by Modern Unbelievers, with a design to weaken the Certainty of Divine Revelation in ge­neral, and consequently to invalidate the proofs of the Christian Religion.

Thirdly, I distinguish all the Matters of Fact observable by us in the New Testament, into Common and Extraordi­nary; such as are conformable to those Facts we have often taken notice of be­fore, or to those Notions we have of the Natures and Powers of the Agents, which appear to be the immediate Au­thors of them; and such as exceed all our Knowledge and Observation of what we call Nature and natural Powers: which Extraordinary Facts mentioned in the New Testament, I distinguish further into two kinds; such as were immedi­ately perceivable by some of the Senses, of those before whom they were done, and such as were knowable only by rea­soning from the Natures of Things, and other concurrent or consequent Facts. Of the first kind, are Prophesies and Mira­cles; of the second, are Divine Assistance and Revelation. And thus I shall endea­vour to establish the Certainty of the Chri­stian Religion, by proving the truth of all the principal Matters of Fact contained in the New Testament, according to the Or­der and Distinction of them before men­tioned, viz. Common Historical Facts; [Page 8]Prophecies and Miracles; Divine Assistance and Revelation.

I. But, for a better and clearer prose­cution of my Design, I shall in the first place, before I enter upon this proof, give a short Abstract or Summary of the Chri­stian Scheme, as we find it delivered in the Books of the New Testament: Wherein I shall consider the Matter and Subject of these Books, and the Manner in which they are writ; with all the important Circumstances belonging to them, that offer themselves upon a careful and im­partial reading. Which general view of of all the Christian Facts, the truth of which I have undertaken to maintain, will not only prevent a great many in­convenient Repetitions, and shew the force of the subsequent Proofs in a stronger light, but give us such an Idea of the Christian Religion, as if carefully weighed and attended to, would render any fur­ther attempts to prove it unnecessary.

It is plain to any one that reads over the New Testament, that it contains in short, a History of the Publication and [Page 9]Propagation of certain Doctrines and Rules of living proposed to the Belief and Practice of Mankind; together with an Account of the several Discourses, A­ctions, Writings, Sufferings, and other remarkable Circumstances in the Lives of the first Publishers, and some of the prin­cipal Propagators of those Doctrines and Principles which make up the New Scheme of Religion here delivered.

But to take a more particular Survey of the New Testament, according to the several Parts or Volumes into which it is divided: In the first Four Books of it, call'd the Gospels, we find a very large and particular Account of the Birth of Jesus Christ, the first Author, as is there affirm'd, of that Religion which is now term'd Christian; and his Birth is related to have been after an extraordinary man­ner in all the Circumstances of it; viz. That he was conceiv'd by the Spirit of God, and the over-shadowing of his Power; That he was born of a Virgin; That his Conception was foretold, and his Birth proclaim'd by Angels; That his Coming into the World was signified by a Star, which brought Wise Men from the East to worship him; That mighty Things were immediately before and after his Birth [Page 10]said of him by Angels, and Just Persons, moved by the Spirit of God. From the Birth of Christ, 'till he was thirty years of Age, very little is mentioned of him besides some Discourse he held with the Doctors in the Temple at Twelve; but when he began to be about thirty, he was baptized by John, who is stil'd his Fore­runner that prepared the way for him; and at his Baptism the Heavens were opened, and the Spirit of God descended upon him like a Dove; and a Voice was heard from Hea­ven, saying, This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleas'd. The principal Things that are afterwards recorded of him, are his calling of Disciples and Apostles, his Ser­mons and Instructions to the People, his Miracles and Prophecies, and his Sufferings, Death and Burial, with some other remar­kable Passages that happened after his Death.

His Disciples and Apostles, but more especially Twelve of them, were favoured with a nearer and more intimate Con­versation than any of the rest he directed his Instructions to. These were the constant Companions of his Labours, and Wit­nesses of his most private Behaviour; These he instructed in a more plain and open manner than he did others, and [Page 11]communicated several things to Them, which he kept secret from his common Auditors and Followers: To these he gave a Commission to teach and instruct the Jews, and to do mighty things among them while he lived, and to preach to all Nations after his Death, and propagate his Doctrine with Signs and Wonders.

He himself is represented as preaching and teaching throughout all Judea, and several of his Publick Sermons and Di­scourses, as also many things which he said in private to his Disciples, are every where throughout the several Gospels re­peated; sometimes in short, and only the Substance of them, sometimes more at large, in the same Form and Manner in which they were delivered.

The Miracles, or wonderful Things, mentioned to be done by Christ, exceed­ing all the Observation and Power of Mankind, are these: Fasting Forty Days and Forty Nights together; turning Wa­ter into Wine; Stilling Tempests, walk­ing upon the Sea; telling the secret Thoughts of Men's hearts; curing the Blind, Lame, and Maimed; healing all manner of Diseases with a word, or touch of his Garment; casting out Devils and [Page 12]unclean Spirits, and restoring Men posses­sed with 'em to their former state of health and sense; feeding vast multitudes of People with a few small Loaves and Fi­shes; by his bare Word causing a Fig-Tree immediately to wither, great num­bers of Fish to be taken in a Net, and a single Fish to come to the Hook with Money in its mouth to pay his Tribute with; transfiguring himself before some of his Disciples, so that they saw the fashion of his Face alter'd, and his Rai­ment chang'd; raising the Dead, and ri­sing himself after his Burial; appearing to his Disciples after he was risen, and conversing with them Forty Days, some­times being known by them, and some­times not, according as he pleased; and at last in their Presence ascending up into Heaven.

The Matters we find in the Gospels foretold by Jesus Christ, were his own Passion, Death, Resurrection, Ascension, and Mission of the Holy Spirit or Com­forter, with several particular Circum­stances of them; the Persecutions and Sufferings of his Disciples; the Death of some of them, and the manner in which they were to dye; as also their future [Page 13]Glory and Office at the end of the World; the Rejection of the Jews; Vocation of the Gentiles; Success and Continuance of the Gospel, or Christian Religion; the Appearance of False Prophets and Tea­chers, and False Christs; the springing up of Heresies, and falling away of Pro­fessors; the Destruction of the Jewish Temple, and Constitution, and Dispersi­on of that whole People, with many strange and terrible Signs foregoing; and lastly, the second Appearance of himself in Glory to judge the World, which is set forth in a very large and pompous De­scription of the whole Scene.

As to his Sufferings, Death, and Burial, and what followed afterwards, which are the next things that challenge our Consi­deration, we read that he was betrayed by one of his Disciples, denied by another, and deserted by all the rest; that he was taken, and carried first before the High Priest of the Jews, and afterwards before Pilate and Herod; that he was scourged, mocked, spit upon, reviled, and, at last, upon false and frivolous Accusations, condemn'd by Pilate, contrary to his Conscience, only to please the Jews; and then crucified between Two common [Page 14]Malefactors, one of which reproached him, the other believed in him; while he was upon the Cross, the Sun was dark'ned, the Veil of the Temple was rent in twain, and the Earth quaked, and the Rocks rent, and the Graves were open'd, and many Bodies that slept arose, and came out of their Graves after his Resurrection, and appear'd unto many; his Body being taken down from the Cross unbroken, was laid in a Sepulchre hewn out of a Rock, with a Stone roll'd to the door of it; and the Sepulchre was made sure, by sealing the Stone, and set­ting a Watch; notwithstanding which he rose again the Third day after he was buried, and appear'd to his Disciples, and many others: But the Soldiers that were appointed to watch the Sepulchre, being affrighted by the appearance of an Angel, who descended from Heaven, and roll'd back the Stone from the door, came into the City, and shew'd the Chief Priests all the things that were done, and had Money given them to say his Disciples came by Night and stole him away; after this, the Disciple that betray'd him repented of the Fact, brought back the Money he had received for betraying him, and hang'd himself.

This is the summ of what is contained in the Four Gospels. In the next Book, call'd The Acts of the Apostles, we find the Eleven, who are peculiarly stiled Apo­stles, after their return from beholding the Ascension of their Master, assembled to­gether at Jerusalem with the rest of those who were more particularly distinguish­ed by the Name of Disciples; where they make choice of another Apostle to supply the room of Judas that had hang'd him­self. After which choice, the twelve be­ing all with one accord in one place, they were filled with the Holy Ghost, and spake with o­ther Tongues as the Spirit gave them utte­rance; which wonderful Gift of divers Languages was conferred upon them with very strange amazing Signs and Appea­rances, viz. a sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty Wind, cloven Tongues like as of Fire, &c.

Having received this extraordinary As­sistance, we find them wholly employ'd in preaching the things concerning Jesus; interpreting the Scriptures of the Old Testament with relation to him; bapti­zing in his Name; converting People to the Belief of those Facts recorded in the Gospels, and the Doctrines built upon [Page 16]them; exhorting Men to the Practice of the several Duties enjoin'd them by God, and delivered to them by the Ministers of the Gospel of Christ, and bidding them expect Salvation by Christ only; ordain­ing several Persons under different Cha­racters to assist in the Ministry; healing all manner of Diseases; raising the Dead; and doing many other Signs and Won­ders where-ever they come; and convey­ing the same Powers and Gifts to others they had received themselves: By which means we read that the Gospel was spread, and the number of Believers encreased, many Churches or Congregations were every where established, and the Mem­bers of them kept so united by those that were set over them; first in Judea, and Sa­maria, then in remoter Parts abroad where the Jews were scattered, after­wards in several Cities, Islands and Na­tions of Asia and Europe.

With the Progress of the Gospel or Chri­stian Religion, we have an Account like­wise of several Attempts made in many Places to hinder and oppose the Establish­ment of it, together with the Sufferings and Persecutions of the first Apostles, and others chosen afterwards to be Assistants [Page 17]to them in carrying on the same Work; many of which were beaten, imprison'd, and many other ways afflicted and di­stressed, and some were put to death.

But a more particular relation is given of the Conversion, Travels, and Suffe­rings of Paul; all which appear to be ve­ry extraordinary. Several Discourses of Paul, and other Apostles and Disciples of Christ are set down at large. Some Pro­phecies also are mentioned of Holy Men, who are represented as being filled with the Holy Ghost, and speaking by the Spirit of God; and some remarkable Judgments of God upon wicked Persons are there re­corded.

These are the principal Matters which compose the History of the Acts of the Apostles.

All the following Tracts or Volumes of the New Testament, are written in the form of Letters or Epistles, sent from such of the Apostles and Disciples of Christ, as we find mention'd in the Gospels and Acts, and directed, some of them to particular Persons, some to large Societies of Men, of several different Countries, who had embraced the Christian Faith.

In which Epistles are contained most of the same Rules and Precepts that are laid down in the Gospels and Acts, many large and particular Explications of several Do­ctrines there delivered; and several new Doctrines which we do not meet with in those Books, the Truth and Obligation of all which are frequently enforced by Arguments.

Most of the principal Matters of Fact recorded in the Gospels and Acts, are re­serr'd to in the Epistles, and alledged as Proofs of the Truth of the Doctrines there taught, and of the Authority of the Teachers. Here are likewise several new Matters of Fact incidentally mentioned which we do not find in those former Books; and some of the Facts there rela­ted are repeated here with new Circum­stances.

All the Epistles do abound throughout with Exhortations to a steady Belief of those wonderful things said and done by Christ and his Apostles, and to a constant Practice of the Duties enjoin'd by them. In several of them there are some Prophe­cies too intermixed with these other Mat­ters before taken notice of: And the last Epi­stle directed to the seven Churches in Asia, [Page 19]which is by a peculiar Title stiled The Re­velation, is almost wholly prophetical. Some of them also conclude with Saluta­tions to, and from several particular Per­sons therein named.

These are the most remarkable things that occurr to a Man upon reading the E­pistles.

Thus have I run through all the Varie­ty of Particulars treated of in the New Te­stament. But in order to form a juster and fuller Idea of the Subject of this Book, 'tis necessary to add some farther Conside­rations not formally express'd in any one particular Volume or Chapter, but fairly and evidently collected from the whole Composure, or from several plain Passa­ges here and there dispersed through the several parts of it: Such as are the Chara­cters of Jesus Christ and his Doctrine; of those that believed in him, and that assisted him in the publishing and propagating his Gospel; and of those that persecuted him, and all that bore Testimony to him, and oppo­sed the Establishment of his Religion.

As to the Character of Jesus Christ, so far as it can be collected from the several Writings of the New Testament, it is in [Page 20]short this: His Birth, Life, and Death, were attended with extraordinary Cir­cumstances of different kinds: Those who are called in Scripture his Parents, are said to be descended from the Family of David, the greatest King that ever reigned over Judah and Israel; but their present Con­dition when this Child was born, is set forth as very low, and the Employment that maintained them then, and after­wards, very mean; but they were Per­sons that feared God, and lived very con­formably to the Law of Moses.

The first Appearance of Christ in the World, was prepared, accompanied, and followed by Prophecies, Visions, Signs, and Wonders, Ministry of Angels, Ado­ration of Wise Men, Jealousies and Fears of a Great King; together with the Doubts, Ignorance, Amazement, Ne­cessities, and Flight of his Father and Mother.

His Education was fuitable to the mean­ness of his Birth. Thirty years were spent at home in Obscurity and Retirement, where he was subject and obedient to his Parents; but at the same time he waxed strong in Spirit, and encreased in Wisdom, and the Grace of God was upon him, to the Asto­nishment [Page 21]of all his Kindred and Coun­treymen, who could not imagine whence he had that Wisdom.

His whole Life afterwards was taken up in preaching, and instructing, and confirming his Doctrine and Authority by Signs and mighty Works, and by Ar­guments drawn chiefly from the Prophe­cies and other Passages of the Old Testa­ment. He went about every where teach­ing and doing Good: He taught in the Temple, and other publick Places of Je­rusalem; he passed through all the Cities and Villages of Judah and Samaria, and the Neighbouring Coasts, preaching and expounding the Scriptures to the People in their Synagogues: In the Fields, the Desarts, and upon the Sea-shore, we find him attended with great multitudes who heard him gladly.

Thus was he constantly employed, from the first discovery of himself and his Gospel to the World, 'till by Treachery and Malice he was apprehended and put to Death: In all which time that he pub­lickly convers'd with Men, we have a great many surprizing things related of him, which do very much distinguish [Page 22]his Character from that of any other Per­son.

He is represented as sensible of Human Passions, Appetites, and Infirmities; and yet free from all Sin, and endued with a Pow­er of not feeling and relieving those very wants he suffered.

He loved, grieved, and was angry; but these Affections were occasion'd in him by a just Concern for the Glory of God, and the Success of that great Work he came about, the Salvation of Mankind; and they never exceeded their due bounds.

He felt Hunger and Weariness, yet fasted Forty days and Forty nights together, fed vast multitudes, and heal'd all manner of Infirmities by his miraculous Power; and, when his Disciples brought him Meat, he refused it, saying, he had Meat to eat which they knew not of, and that his Meat was to do the Will of him that sent him.

He lived in extream Poverty and Want: He had not where to lay his Head; and was destitute not only of the good things of this World, but of all the lesser Conveni­ences of this Life: And yet we see when he sent for an Ass and Fole to ride into Jerusalem with, the Owners let them go; [Page 23]and when he ordered to have such a room prepared for him to eat his last Supper in, 'twas presently got ready for him; and both upon the bare Saying of his Disciples that the Master had need of them.

His Meekness, Lowliness, and Humility, are very conspicuous throughout his whole Conduct and Behaviour; and in several particular Instances; as his conversing freely with Persons of the meanest Rank, chusing such to be his constant Compa­nions, and most intimate Friends, decla­ring that he came to minister to others, and not to be ministred to, ordering those he cu­red not to publish what he had done for them, refusing to be King when the Peo­ple would have made him so, washing his Apostles Feet, &c. Notwithstanding which, in many other Instances, he disco­vers himself in very signal Characters of Greatness, Majesty, and Power: For, not to mention what we have before rank'd under the Stile of Miracles and Prophecies, he taught as one having Authority; so that not only the People, but their Rulers and Teachers were astonished at his Doctrine; he reproved the Scribes and Pharisees with Boldness; he enter'd into Jerusalem with all the highest Solemnities of Triumph, [Page 24]and drove out of the Temple all those that prophaned that Holy House, by applying it to common Uses; he spake the Word, and whoever he call'd immediately left all they had, and followed him; he took upon him to forgive Sins; and he gave his Di­sciples the same Power, as likewise a Power against unclean Spirits to cast them out, and to heal all manner of Sickness, and all manner of Diseases, to tread on Serpents and Scorpions, and over all the Power of the Enemy, so that nothing should by any means hurt them.

Besides all which, and many other Marks of Greatness, Power, and Authority, that appeared in the Actions of Christ, the things which he declares of himself, and which are attributed to him by his Disci­ples, give us a much higher Idea of him.

He says of himself, that he is greater than the Prophet Jonah and Solomon; he proves that David call'd him his Lord; he affirms that before Abraham was he is; that Abraham rejoiced to see his day, that he is the Christ, the Messiah expected and pro­phesied of, the Son of God, the Way, the Truth, and the Life; that all things are deli­vered to him of the Father, who was Lord of [Page 25]Heaven and Earth, and that all things which the Father hath are his; that he and the Father are one, that he is in the Father, and the Fa­ther in him; that he came forth from his Fa­ther when he came into the World; that he is the Bread of Life that came down from Heaven; that this Bread is his Flesh, which he will give for the Life of the World; that he has overcome the World; that no Man took his Life from him, but that he laid it down of himself, and had Power to take it again; and that when he leaves the World, he goes to his Father: He owns that he is a King, but that his Kingdom was not of this World; He tells us that all Power is given to him both in Heaven and in Earth; that hereafter he should be seen sitting at the Right Hand of the Power of God, and that he will come in his Glory, and all the Holy Angels with him to judge the World; that then he shall sit upon the Throne of his Glory, and before him shall be gathered all Nations, and receive their Sentence from him according to their Works. He assures his Twelve Apostles that he will send the Comforter to them, who shall teach them all things, and guide them into all truth, and show them things to come; that he himself will be with them always un­to the end of the World; that whatsoever [Page 26]they shall ask the Father in his Name, that he will do; that he will prepare a place for them in his Fathers House; and that, when he comes to judge the World, they shall sit up­on twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel. To all those that labour and are hea­vy laden he promises that they shall find rest; to those that sell what they have and follow him, that they shall have Treasure in Heaven; to those that love him, that they shall be loved of his Father, and that his Father and he will come and make their abode with them. Whosoever drinketh of the water that he shall give him, he says, shall never thirst, but that water shall be in him a well of water springing up in­to everlasting life; and whoso eateth his flesh, and drinketh his blood, hath eternal life, and he will raise him up at the last day. He tells one of the Thieves upon the Cross, That he should be with him that day in Paradise; and in general to all those that believe in him, and obey his Word and Commandments, he gives assu­rance of Salvation and Eternal Happi­ness in another World, besides many o­ther occasional Blessings and Assistances in this; and those that will not believe in him, and obey his Gospel, he threatens [Page 27]with Eternal Punishment in another life, and with many Troubles and Cala­mities while they continue here.

Agreeable to which Declarations made by himself, are the Language and Practice of his Disciples to him, and of him in his Life time and after his Death. They call him Lord, and God; Preach, Baptize, and Bless in his Name; and attribute a great many glorious things to him, which are in other places, in the same Manner and Ex­pression attributed to the One Only Supream God. They Worship him when alive, with all the external signs of Divine Adoration, and Pray to him after his Death, and ex­pect all manner of Grace, Assistance, and Spi­ritual strength from him here, and an Eternal Reward of their Labours, Sufferings and Obedience from him hereafter.

And as these are all Evident Marks and Tokens of an amazing Greatness and Power in Jesus Christ, so are all his Sermons and Discourses, his manner of Preaching and Conversing, and the whole Scheme both of his Life and Doctrine; manifest proofs of an extraordinary kind of Wis­dom.

It does not appear from the History of the Gospel, or any other parts of the New [Page 28]Testament, that Christ had read any other Book but the Old Testament, or that he had had the advantage of being in­structed in the meaning and sense of that by any Master or Teacher whatsoever: yet we find him Teaching, Reasoning, An­swering Questions that were put to him, and Expounding the Scriptures of the Old Testament in such a manner, that all that heard him were astonished at his Vnder­standing, his Doctrine and Answers.

His usual way of Teaching the People that believed on him, and reproving the Scribes and Pharisees, and others that were unbelievers, and sought occasion to find fault with what he said, was by Parables, which were such familiar Re­semblances of, or Allusions to the com­mon and most observ'd accidents of Life, as were more easily apprehended by or­dinary Capacities, better attended to and remembred, and not so liable to Censure and Misinterpretation as plain and pro­per expressions of the same Truths that were delivered this way, would have been: But sometimes he both taught and reproved openly without any disguise or reserve, and some of his Parables were such as were not understood even by his [Page 29] Disciples, till he was pleased in private to shew them the meaning of them, and acquaint them with the reason of this part of his Conduct.

His Answers to those that accused him of any crime, as of eating with Sinners, break­ing of the Sabbath, Blasphemy, and the like; or that sought to entrap him in his Discourse, and to find matter of Accusation a­gainst him, were very surprizing and unexpected; and such as always silenced and disappointed his Enemies.

His Exposition of some parts of the Scriptures of the Old Testament, and the Inferences he draws from them, seem'd wholly new to all the Jewish Teachers and Expositors that heard him, and yet we do not read that they confuted, or so much as opposed either his Comments or his Arguments.

And in fine, his whole Behavior and Conversation were so carefully and wisely ordered, that, though he was constantly watch'd and observ'd by cunning and malicious Men, of different Opinions, Designs, and Interests, yet no Man was ever able to convince him either of Sin or Ignorance, as is manifest from the An­swers he gave to those who Censured, [Page 30]or Despised him, or thought to puzzle him by difficult Questions, and from the whole Process against him when he was condemn'd to die.

Thus lived Jesus Christ a perfect Pat­tern and Example of the Religion he esta­blished, in all Holiness, and unblamea­bleness of Conversation, shewing in all the Actions of his Life recorded of him an entire Submission and Resignation to the Will of God, and exceeding great Cha­rity and Compassion towards Men.

And the same reason for which he came into the World, and was obedient to the Law of Moses; for which he pub­lished his Gospel, and upon that account endured the Contradiction and Persecu­tion of Sinners, was that also which made him lay down his Life, and submit to all the Indignities and Torments that accompanied it; the only Cause, Motive, and End of all these Actions and Sufferings of Christ was the love of Mankind. As he came into the World to save Sinners, so he gave his Life a ransom for many. To free Men from Eternal Misery, render them capable of Eternal Happi­ness, and to direct and assist them in the way of Salvation, was his sole Work and Design.

These are the largest and most remarka­ble lines in the Character of Jesus Christ, the first Author of that Religion we pro­fess and defend.

In the next place I shall endeavour to give a short draught or representation of his Doctrine or Gospel; or, as we now call it, The Christian Religion, so far as it is plainly delivered in the Writings of the New Testa­ment: But all Religion, as every one know, consisting of Faith and Practice, things to be believed, and things to be done in con­sequence of such Belief, I shall first consi­der the Christian Faith, and afterwards what concerns the Practice of a Christian.

The sum of the Christian Faith is to be­lieve in One God, such as he is in the New Testament set forth to us, and in Jesus Christ his only begotten Son our Lord, ac­cording to the History and Character be­fore given, or whatever else the Scrip­tures say of him: and by Faith in him, ac­company'd with a Sincere, Ʋniversal, and Persevering endeavour of Obedience to the Rules and Laws prescribed by him; and a hearty Repentance for the Sins and Frail­ties we do at any time fall into, to expect eternal, inexpressible Happiness; or, in case [Page 32]of Infidelity or Disobedience attended with Impenitency, to be assured of suffering Eter­nal, inexpressible Misery in another Life.

The particular Doctrines which give us an account of these things more at large, may be considered under these three Heads, God, Christ, and Man.

The God proposed in the New Testament to be believed in, is represented as a Spi­rit, Invisible, Incorruptible, Eternal, that is, that was, and is to come, Almighty, that knoweth all things, and yet whose Judg­ments are unsearchable, and his ways past find­ing out; Creator of the World and all things therein, who upholdeth all things by his Power; in whom we live and move, and have our being; of whom, and through whom, and to whom are all things: Most Holy, Just, Righteous and Perfect; who is to be wor­shiped in Spirit and in Truth, and with purity of Heart; no respecter of Persons, of great goodness and forbearance, and yet who will render to every Man according to his deeds, to them who by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for Glory and Immortali­ty, Eternal Life; but to them that do not o­bey the Truth, but obey unrighteousness, in­dignation and wrath: of whom it is further said, That he is the Father, the Father of [Page 33]our Lord Jesus Christ, and our Father; a Title he is frequently and peculiarly distinguish­ed by, all over the New Testament: That he sent his Son into the World to die for us, and by him reconciled us to himself; That the Sins of Ignorance he winked at; but that now at the appointed time, when Christ came into the World, he calleth all Men every where to repent: That at sundry times, and in divers manners, he spake in times past by the Prophets, but in these last days hath spo­ken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appoin­ted Heir, of all things, by whom also he hath made the World; that he foreknew, prede­stinated and Elected some in Christ, and adop­ted them for Sons, to be Heirs of Salva­tion, and to obtain a Heavenly Inheritance: all which are said to be Sanctified by the Spirit of God, who is often called the Ho­ly Ghost, or Spirit, and the Spirit of Christ and of the Son, in several places of Scrip­ture is joined together with the Father and the Son; and frequently talk'd of as a Person acting after such and such a man­ner, as God is in other places represented to do; and many of the same Titles, Characters, and Attributes, are ascribed to him as are ascribed to the One Only Su­preme God.

The principal things that are taught us in the writings of the New Testament, con­cerning Christ, besides what we have al­ready mentioned in his History and Cha­racter, are, That he came into the World, took upon him the nature of Man, was obedi­ent to the Law, offered himself a Sacrifice upon the Cross, was made a Curse, died, was buried, rose again, and is sat down at the right hand of God, that thereby he might redeem us from our Iniquities, and from the Curse of the Law, be a propitiation for our Sins, and reconcile us to his Father through his Blood, that our Trespasses might not be imputed to us, but that by his Obedi­ence we should be made righteous: That he might become the Mediator of a new and bet­ter Covenant between God and Man, than that which God made with the People of Israel when he brought them out of the Land of Egypt, and that he might abolish the Law of Commandments contained in Or­dinances, and break down the middle Wall of Partition between Jew and Gentile, that so both might be united in one Building, of which Christ was the chief Corner Stone, and all of us be Members of one Body or Church, of which Christ is the Head: That he might be an Advocate with the Father when [Page 35]we sin, and make continual Intercession for us, that so upon our Confession and Repen­tance, God might forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And lastly, That he might obtain a Kingdom, and by that means spoil Principalities and Powers, tri­umphing over them; destroy the works of the Devil, and put all Enemies under his feet; and, that when Death, the last Enemy, is destroyed, he might raise the Dead, and judge the World: Part of which he has already performed, and the rest he does, and will hereafter fulfil.

The most remarkable matters that oc­cur in the New Testament concerning the Nature, Condition, and Circumstances of Mankind, are these; Adam was the first Man, Adam was first form'd, then Eve; the first Man Adam was made a living Soul, the last Adam, by which is meant Christ, was made a quickening Spirit, which two different Expressions are distinguish'd as Natural and Spiritual, Earthly and Heaven­ly; by one Man Sin entered into the World, and Death by Sin; and so Death passed upon all Men, for that all have sinned: Adam was not deceived, but the Woman being deceived, was in the Trangression; notwithstanding she shall be saved in Child-bearing if they continue [Page 36]in Faith, and Charity, and Holiness with So­briety: Death reigned from Adam unto Mo­ses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam 's Transgression, who is the Figure of him that was to come: A Man is the Image and Glory of God, but the Woman is the Glory of the Man; not­withstanding which, all that are of the race of Mankind, are stiled and accoun­ted in the Scriptures sinners, ungodly, ene­mies of God, dead in trespasses and sins, ser­vants of sin and corruption, Children of the Devil, by nature Children of Wrath; of whom it is said further, That Sin dwelleth in us, and reigneth in our Mortal Bodies, that when we would do good, evil is present with us, and we find the Flesh lusting against the Spirit, and a Law in our Members warring against the Law of our Mind, and bringing it into Captivity to the Law of Sin: The Jews are represented as subject to Ordinances, and a Law which had only a shadow of good things to come; and as in bondage to weak and beggarly Elements; and all other Nations are reckoned as Aliens and Strangers from the Covenants of Promise, having no hope, and without God in the World.

This is the state of Mankind considered without relation to Christ; but by Christ [Page 37]we are cleansed from our sins, we are made free, we are justified by Faith in him, and by his righteousness we are saved.

But the advantages which accrue to Mankind by the means of Christ, and the change that is made in our Con­dition by him, will be more fully under­stood from these following passages. As by one Mans disobedience, many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous, as sin hath reigned unto death, so shall Grace reign through righte­ousness unto Eternal Life by Jesus Christ.

Cursed is every Man that continueth not in all things that are written in the Book of the Law to do them; the Man that doth them shall live in them; but this being impossi­ble, 'tis evident that no Man is justified by the Law in the sight of God; if there had been a Law given which could have given life, righteousness should have been by the Law, but the Scripture hath concluded all un­der sin, that the promise of Faith by Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe; In many things we offend all, but if we repent, and are baptized and believe, and shew our Faith by our Works, and persevere unto the end we shall be saved; but if we believe not the Truth, and have pleasure in unrighteous­ness, and repent not of the evils we have [Page 38]committed, we shall be damned. Those that have embraced and obeyed the Gospel of Christ, are said to have put off the Old Man with his Deeds, and put on the New Man, which is renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him that created him; Thus through Christ only we are to expect Salvation, there being no other Name given under Heaven whereby we might be saved; which Salva­tion if we neglect, we shall be condemned by God at the last day, when he comes to judge the World in Righteousness by his Son, whom he has appointed Judge of the quick and dead. Then shall we be raised from the dead by Christ, and receive every Man according to his Works. As in Adam all died, so in Christ shall all be made alive; and since by Man came Death, by Man came also the Resurrection of the dead. The dead shall be raised incorruptible, their mortal corrup­tible Bodies shall put on immortality and incorruption, and those which are alive at the coming of Christ, shall be changed in a moment, at the last Trump. As we have born the Image of the earthly Man Adam, so we shall also bear the Image of the heavenly Man Christ. Then shall they which have done evil be condemn'd to everlasting tor­ment and misery, and they which have done [Page 39]good, shall be rewarded with everlasting joy and happiness in the presence of God, and his holy Angels.

This is the substance of what is taught, and proposed to the Faith of Mankind in the New Testament; which I have express'd, as near as ever I could, in the very language of Scripture, as my design plainly obliged me to do.

The other Branch of the Gospel, or Doctrine of Christ which concerns the Practice of a Christian, and may properly be stiled Christian Morality, consists of such rules and measure of Action, as every one that believes in Christ, is obli­ged to conform his life to, and without which his Faith is dead and vain, he is still in his sins, and he must expect the Wages of them, Eternal Death.

The principal Heads of Christian Du­ty are these.

To love God, and the Lord Jesus, Christ with all our heart, and with all our power; to honour, praise, and worship God in Spirit and in Truth, with purity of heart and intention, to submit our Wills to his, and to aquiesce in all the dispensations of his Providence, with the [Page 40]utmost resignation of Mind and Judg­ment possible.

To love our Neighbours as our selves; to do unto all Men as we would they should do unto us; to forgive, and love our Ene­mies; to bless, and pray for those that de­spightfully use us and persecute us; to do good against evil; and to endeavour as much as in us lies to live peaceably with, to do good unto, and to promote the Salvation of all Men.

To deny our selves, and to mortifie all our Lusts and Affections, to take off our Affections from things on the Earth, and set them upon things above, and to have our conversation in Heaven; to live chastly and soberly in this present World, avoiding all manner of excess and intemperance; to bridle our Tongues, to take care that we offend not in word; and to bring every thought into Captivity to the Law of Christ; to think lowly of our selves, with all humi­lity preferring each other; to humble our selves in the presence of God, and when we have done all that we can, to say we are unprofitable Servants; to take up the Cross of Christ, and not only to bear Afflictions patiently, but to glory in them, and re­joyce that we are thought worthy to suffer.

These, and all other the particular Du­ties derived from them, we are requi­red constantly and sincerely to endeavour to perform, without a willful allowance of our selves, to offend in one point, or to do evil that good may come of it; and, whenever we have transgress'd any of these Rules of Life prescribed us to act by, we are immediately to break off our sins by repentance.

All which we are obliged to do for the Glory of God, in pure obedience to his Word and Command, in love and grati­tude for all the Mercies we receive from him, and in hope and expectation of en­joying Eternal Happiness, and escaping Eternal Misery in another life, and upon no other account or prospect whatsoever; these being the only true Ends and Mo­tives of Human Action, and the only Grounds of Duty and Obligation.

We have considered the Character of Jesus Christ, and taken a short view of the Gospel or Religion he taught and re­commended to Mankind: In the next place, let us see who, and what sort of Men they were that first believed in him, who assisted in the publishing and pro­pagating [Page 42]his Gospel; and who they were that opposed the Establishment of it, and persecuted Christ and all that bore Testi­mony to him.

Those that were any ways concern'd in the receiving, publishing, and propa­gating the Gospel of Christ, were John his Forerunner, his Twelve Apostles, other A­postles and Disciples, and such as were par­ticularly set apart for the Ministry, and Common Believers.

John, who is stil'd The Forerunner of Christ, and one that was to prepare the way before him, was born of Parents who were righteous before God, and walked in all the Commandments of the Lord blameless; his Conception and Birth were attended with many extraordinary Signs and Wonders; then it is said of him, That he grew and waxed strong in Spirit, and was in the De­sarts till the day of his shewing unto Israel, and his Rayment was of Camels hair, and his Meat was Locusts and wild Honey; after­wards he came Preaching in the Wilder­ness of Judea, saying, Repent ye, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, and many were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins: all he Preached to and baptized, he acquainted with the Character and near [Page 43]approach of Jesus Christ, whom in a parti­cular manner he preferr'd to himself, and and by that means satisfied them that he was not the Christ, which before they doubted of: Little more is record­ed of his Preaching or Discourses, but only some particular advice to some Per­sons that enquired of him what they should do, and his reproof of the Mul­titude that came to him, and of Herod; for which last he was put in Prison by him, and afterward beheaded. He did no Miracles, but the Austerity of his Life, the Authority of his Preaching and Baptizing, and the Holiness of his Con­versation, made him lookt upon by all People as a Prophet. Jesus Christ says of him, that he was more than a Prophet, and even Herod himself that beheaded him fear'd him while alive, and observ'd him, and when he heard him he did many things, and heard him gladly, knowing him to be a just Man and a holy.

The Twelve Apostles were all of them Persons of a low Rank and mean Occu­pations; all the time they followed Christ, they seem'd not to be fully acquainted who he was, or what he design'd; seve­ral of his Discourses they understood not, [Page 44]but wondered what the meaning of them should be; they were several times by their Master reproach'd for want of ap­prehension, and knowledge in the Scrip­tures, after the plain Discourses he had made of himself to them, and for want of Faith and Courage, notwithstanding the many Miracles and mighty Works he had done before them, and they themselves had done by his Com­mission; they lookt upon him as a Tem­poral Messiah or Deliverer, who was to re­store the Kingdom again to Israel, and they had several little Contests among themselves who should be greatest in the Kingdom they fancied their Master came to establish; they acknowledg'd him to be the Christ the Son of God, but they seem'd not to have rightly understood what they said; when he was apprehen­ded to be put to death, one of them betrayed him, all the rest were offended be­cause of him, and fled; but one of them that return'd after him, solemnly deny'd him, and immediately repented; and he that betrayed him repented, and hang'd himself: After his death we find some of them bewailing themselves as disappoin­ted in all the hopes and expectations [Page 45]they had conceived of him; and, when it was reported that he was risen again, none of them would believe it till they saw him themselves, and one of them was more remarkably incredulous in this point than the rest, till he had received the satisfaction he desired.

But after the Ascension of Christ, and the choice of another Apostle in the room of him that had hang'd himself, we find the Twelve Apostles maintaining a different Character from what they had in their Master's life-time: Now they appear per­fectly instructed in all things concerning Christ; whatsoever before seem'd strange to them either in his Actions or Discourse is all unriddled, and the Scriptures which before were difficult to be understood, are now made plain and manifest: And, as their Knowledge is enlarg'd, their Faith is strengthened; no doubts or distrusts are now entertain'd, but they Preach the Gospel of Christ with Authority and full Assurance, insomuch that we find many more converted at their Preaching, than at Christ's; they are endued with new Powers, which they had not whilst their Master lived, and which did not shew forth themselves in Christ; their whole [Page 46]lives are taken up in Travelling and Preaching, and labouring with their hands to maintain themselves; their whole Business and Design is to persuade People to embrace the Gospel of Christ; many are their Troubles and Sufferings upon this account, all which they un­dergo very chearfully, and never shew the least sign of fear or regret for any thing that happens to them; they ne­ver decline an opportunity of Preaching the Gospel, or converting People to the Belief of it upon any prospect of dan­ger whatsoever, and no Power or Au­thority of Rulers and Governors, no se­verity of Persecutors can discourage them in their Work.

The other Persons concern'd in the Ministry and Propagation of the Gospel of Christ, by whatever Names and Offi­ces distinguished, whether Apostles, Dis­ciples, Deacons, Pastors, Teachers, Prophets, Evangelists and Presbyters, Bishops, or Ru­lers, so far as we know any thing of them by the Scriptures, were, all of them, very near of the same Character with the Twelve, for meanness of Birth and Education, simplicity of Manners, [Page 47]Steadiness of Faith, and adherence to the Doctrines they taught, Piety and De­votion, Self-denial and Disinterestedness, Constancy and Resolution under con­tinual Sufferings, and a chearful pre­ference of a future expectation in another Life, to all considerations whatsoever which this World could afford.

But one of them, named Paul, is repre­sented to us under some particular Cir­cumstances, which make his Character very different from that of the rest. He was Educated in all the Learning of the Jews at the feet of one of their greatest Doctors; and by some passages we find in the Epistles ascribed to him, we col­lect that he was acquainted with the Heathen Greek Authors; he was at first a zealous Enemy of the Christian Do­ctrine, and a fierce Persecutor of all that called upon the Name of Christ; but be­ing in an extraordinary manner call'd by God, and by several wonderful Signs and Appearances converted to the Faith of Christ, he became a zealous Preacher of the Gospel, had a larger and fuller Commission of Apostleship granted to him than any of the Twelve, was exercised with a greater variety of Afflictions for [Page 48]the sake of the Gospel, laboured more a­bundantly in the establishment of the Chri­stian Religion in the World, and writ more for the Confirmation of those in the Faith, whom he had converted.

The generality of the first Common Be­lievers, who were not call'd to the Mi­nistry, were of the lowest sort of the Peo­ple, and several of them scandalous and notorious Sinners before their Conversion; but some there were of the better and richer sort, and some Rulers and Priests that believed in Christ, though but a ve­ry few that we read of. The Character of which Believers after the Ascension of Christ, and first Sermons of the Apostles, was this; That the Multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul, nei­ther said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things common; neither was there any a­mong them that lack'd, for as many as were Possessors of Lands or Houses, sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them at the Apostles feet, and distribution was made to every Man, ac­cording as he had need. In other places it is said of them that believed, That be­fore [Page 49]they were Servants of Sin, but after they had obeyed from the heart that Form of Doctrine that was delivered them, they were made free from sin, and became the Servants of Righteousness; that in times past, they walked according to the course of this World, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and mind, but now being created in Christ Jesus un­to good Works, did walk in them; that some of them, who were before Forni­cators, Idolators, Adulterers, Abusers of themselves with Mankind, Thieves, Cove­tous, Drunkards, Revilers, and Extortioners, were washed and sanctified by the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of God; many of them that believed, came and con­fess'd, and shewed their Deeds; many also of them which used curious Arts, brought their Books together, and burnt them before all Men. But, in process of time, when the number of Believers encreased, tho' the greatest part of them manifested their Faith by their Works, turn'd from the Vanity of Idols to the Living God, renoun­ced all the hidden Works of Sin and Darkness, and were ashamed of those things in which before they took pleasure; yet Offences and Heresies did spring up among Christians, notwithstanding all the care of those that [Page 50]first planted the Churches, and those that afterwards presided over them; and some there were that walked disorder­ly, that Preached Christ out of Envy, that taught other Doctrines than what they had received, that turn'd after Satan, that loved this present World, that put away Faith, and made Shipwrack of a good Con­science; but these bore no proportion to the numbers of the Faithful, whose Faith and good Works were spoken of throughout the World.

Such were the first Publishers and Be­lievers of the Gospel of Christ. And the Persons who endeavoured to discourage the Belief, and oppose the Establishment of it, by all the means they could, but especially by Contemning, Disgracing, Reviling, and Persecuting those who were any ways concern'd in maintaining or propagating this new Religion, were among the Jews, their Kings, Governors, Chief Priests, Elders, and Chief of the Jews; as also the Scribes, Pharisees, and Saducees, who were the Men of greatest Learning and Authority in the Jewish Nation, some of which are represented as very wicked Men, and notorious Hy­pocrites, [Page 51]and others as disbelievers of a Future State: And among the Gentiles, the Magistrates, Rulers, and Chief of the Cities, Philosophers, Sorcerers, Craftsmen for Idolatrous Shrines, and certain lewd Fel­lows of the baser sort; most of which were stirred up, and moved to what they did by the Jews that lived among them.

This is the shortest and plainest ac­count I could give of the Subject of the New Testament, or the Matters contained in that Book; which are such as every Body that reads it will find there, and consequently must subscribe to the truth of the Representation, however he may doubt of the reality of the Original.

The next thing to be considered in the New Testament, is the Way and Man­ner in which the several Matters before mention'd, are there related, with such other circumstances as referr to the Form or Composition of the whole Book, and the several parts of which it consists.

Now 'tis plain to any Man that reads over the New Testament with the same care, attention, and impartiality, as he does another Book, that it was not all writ by the same Person at one continued [Page 52]time, but by several Persons at different times, and upon different occasions; and that in general, 'tis writ with great plain­ness and simplicity of Stile, without Art or Affection, and with many extraor­dinary Marks of Sincerity and Truth.

But to be more particular; the four first Books, called Gospels, seem to have been Pen'd by so many different Authors, as appears, not only from several Ways and Manners of Expression observable in each of them, but also from the Subject; which being the same in all, and most of the same Matters of Fact being repeated in each Gospel, some of which are told with such a diversity of circumstances as occasions some difficulty to reconcile to­gether, it cannot be imagined that any one Man would write so many accounts of the same Story, so little different from one another in the main Branches, and so much, in some lesser particulars.

The Narration in all the Historical parts of the New Testament is very short, naked, and simple, nothing but bare Matters of Fact being related just as they happen'd, without any interposition of the Author: There is no Preparation of Events; no artful Transitions or Connexions; no set [Page 53]Characters of Persons to be introduced, or Reflections upon past Actions, and the Authors of them; no Excuses or A­pologies for such things as a Writer might probably foresee would shock or disturb his Readers; no Colours, Arti­fices, or Arguments, to set off a doubt­ful Action, and reconcile it to some o­ther, or to the Character of the Per­son that did it: The Faults and Infir­mities of those Persons, the Authors would seem to recommend, are fairly recorded without any mitigation or abatement, and the Crimes of their Enemies barely told without any aggravation.

The Epistles appear to be written with a great Air of Piety and Devotion; and the Authors of them seem to be acted by as warm and steady Zeal for the Glory of God, and the Good of Mankind; and to speak with mighty Assurance from a full Conviction of the truth of those things they so earnestly press and recom­mend. Whether any of them were writ­ten by the Authors of the Historical Books, and which of them were, and which not, we have nothing in the Writings themselves to judge by, but the difference of Style, which seems ve­ry [Page 54]distinguishable in some of them; but I shall not lay much stress upon that, because it may be disputed by Pre­tenders to Criticism.

The last Epistle which goes under the Name of the Revelation, is plainly of a different Character from all the other Books of the New Testament, though said to be written by one who was Author of a Gospel and some other Epistles; which difference arising wholly from the Matters contained in it, and the manner of their Conveyance into the Mind of the Wri­ter, upon this supposion, it may easily be allowed to belong to the same Au­thor that writ some other parts of the New Testament in a different Style from that of the Revelation, which is altogether Figurative and Mysterious.

All the several Books in the New Testament, excepting the Epistle to the He­brews, have Names of Persons prefixed to them as the reputed Authors of them; who are all the same that are mention'd in the Gospels and Acts, either as immedi­ate Apostles of Christ, or such as were chosen and directed by those that were so: But neither by the Titles, nor by any thing said in the Books themselves, does [Page 55]it appear, that any part of the New Testament was written by Christ himself, or that he writ any thing at all.

I have these things further to observe of the Books of the New Testament in ge­neral; that there are in divers places of them, a great many particular remarka­ble Notes of Time, to distinguish when the several Actions therein related hap­pened; all which are within the space contained betwixt the Death of Julius Cae­sar, and the Destruction of Jerusalem: That there are a great many Names of Persons and Places concern'd in these Actions, the greatest part of which are Jewish, Greek, and Roman: And that most of the chief Matters of Fact and Doctrines men­tion'd in any of the Books of the New Testament, are supposed by the several Writers of them, to be known and believed before those Books were writ.

The two former of these Observations are very evident upon the first, and most transient reading of the New Testament; and a very small degree of attention will serve to satisfie us of the latter.

All the Epistles are very absurd and unintelligible without this Supposition; for first, the Arguments and Exhorta­tions [Page 56]there made use of, with which they abound, are for the most part in­ferences from Matters of Fact taken for granted, and not newly told, as appears from the Way and Manner in which they are mention'd, the Facts being al­luded to only, and imperfectly hinted at, not related with all the Circumstances necessary to inform those that had ne­ver heard of them before: Then the Forms of Blessing and Salutation we find there, and the Titles the Writers give themselves, and those they write to, all necessarily imply the same thing: Besides there are several direct Expressions in ma­ny places of them, which do formally, and in plain terms, assert that the Per­sons these Epistles were writ to, had been before instructed in all the principal Truths of the Gospel.

'Tis plain also from the Acts of the Apostles, as well as the Epistles, that Churches and Congregations of Believers, are supposed to be established in several parts of the World, before any of these Books were writ; the manner and way of their establishment being the chief Subject of that Book called the Acts, as the fixing and confirming them in the [Page 57] Faith, is the chief Design of the Epistles.

Nor is it less manifest from the Gospels, that they all suppose the princi­pal Matters of Fact related of Christ, and most of the Doctrines delivered by him, to have been known and believed by a great many, at the the time when these Gos­pels were writ, and in the places where they were published. The manner of beginning each Gospel, is a very good proof of this Truth: St. Luke plainly, in express Words, affirms, That the Person for whom he more particularly writ his Gospel, had been before instructed in those things he was about to give him an account of in order, and that those things which others had before him set forth a Declaration of, were such as were most surely believed among them, even as they delivered them unto them which from the beginning were Eye-witnesses, and Ministers of the Word: And the Writers of the other Gospels begin so abruptly, and fall so im­mediately into the Story of Christ, with­out any Introduction or Preface con­cerning the Character of the Person whose History they writ, or the time or design of their writing, that it cannot be imagined they would address themselves in such a [Page 58]manner to Persons who were perfect Strangers to the Name and History of Christ. But, besides this way of begin­ning, we have several accounts in the Body of each Gospel, of multitudes of People that followed Christ, that heard his Sermons, and were Witnesses of his Miracles; of great numbers of Believers who were converted by his Discourses; and of a great many that opposed and prosecuted Christ, and objected several things to his Doctrine and Miracles; all which being told as happening in the life-time of Christ, most of the things concerning him must be supposed by those who pretend to have written pre­sently after his Death (as 'tis plain all the Evangelists do) to be generally known and freshly remembred at the time of their Writing; which Supposition further ap­pears from the short and disorderly Re­lation of several Matters of Fact in each Gospel; which, in such cases where we are not assisted with a fuller Account from the other Gospels or following Books of the New Testament, seem very obscure to us now, who are not acquainted with the rest of the Circumstances omitted.

This is what I thought fit to remark concerning the Subject and Form of that Book which we call the New Testament. And now that this Book does really con­tain such things as are before mention'd, and is writ in such a way and manner as I have here represented, I think, may be taken for granted, since whatever has been observed under this head, must necessarily appear too true to any one that will read over the New Testament, and is capable of making any Judgment of a Book.

II. Supposing then that I have given a just Account and Character of the New Testament, and the several Books or Vo­lumes it consists of, I shall from hence advance to the main Design proposed; which was to prove, That all the principal Matters of Fact related in the New Testa­ment, are really true; that is, did really happen out at the Times and Places, and in the Manner they are there recorded to have happen'd. This I shall endeavour, in the second place, to make good by a direct Proof, according to the distinction [Page 60]of the several Facts to be enquired into before laid down, viz. common Historical Facts, Prophesies and Miracles, Divine As­sistance and Revelation.

I. The first Step then I am to make in the proof of what I have before asserted, is, to shew that the common Historical Facts mention'd in the New Testament are true. The principal of which are these following, viz. That there was such a Person as Jesus Christ, of such a Cha­racter, who taught such Doctrines, pretended to such mighty Works, and was executed in such a manner as is re­presented in the New Testament; That there were likewise certain Persons who were Followers and Adherents of Christ, who after his Death, profess'd to believe the Miracles we find now recorded of him, and to do as great themselves, who taught the same Doctrines he did in his life-time, and many other things which they pretended to have received from him while he was alive, and from the Spirit of God afterwards, and who made is their business to propagate the Belief and Practice of what they taught through­out [Page 61]the World, whose Characters and Sufferings were such as are before de­scribed: That the Doctrine or Religion of Christ was accordingly propagated through all Judea, and most Parts of the Roman Empire; so that great Numbers of People every where own'd and pro­fess'd it: And that all this happen'd within that compass of Time included be­tween the Death of Julius Caesar, and the Destruction of Jerusalem.

Now these are such remarkable, no­torious Facts, have been so well proved by multiplicity of Evidence, and so little contested by the several Enemies of Chri­stianity, That I shall content my self by giving a summary Proof of them, with­out entring upon that great Variety of particular Arguments every general Branch of Evidence contains in it: Which Proof I shall cast into this Method.

First, I shall take an Account of the Original of Christianity; and shew, That this Religion must have came first into the World at the time assign'd for this Event in the New Testament.

Afterwards, I shall consider the state of Christianity at another Period of Time, [Page 62]when it will certainly be allowed, that all the principal Matters of Fact that stand now recorded in the New Testament were generally believed.

And then I shall prove, That the same Matters of Fact were likewise believed at, and immediately after, the Times in which they are said to happen, and so continually down to that particular Pe­riod fixed upon.

Which last Proposition I shall endea­vour to make out.

From the constant Tradition of such a Belief, together with many sensible, infal­lible Effects of it.

And from many other extrinsick Signs and Monuments remaining at that Time.

From which constant and universal Be­lief among Christians, of all the principal Facts in the New Testament, both common and extraordinary, continued down to such a Period, from the very first Times in which they severally happen'd: I con­conclude, That at least the common Mat­ters of Fact, such as I have just before in­stanced in, must be true.

First then, as to the Original of Chri­stianity; it is to be observ'd, That there is no Age of the World, no Portion of Time, since the beginning of Things at any great Distance from us, that we have a clearer, fuller, and more particular Ac­count of, than we have of that which past under the Twelve first Cesars, or Empe­rors of Rome; both Learning and Empire being then at the highest Pitch, and fur­nishing abundance of Matter for the Pens of that and the succeeding Ages.

And as the History of that time is the truest and best known of any, so no Mat­ter of Fact could happen within that Time which was more remarkable, or could more easily and certainly be conveyed down to Posterity, than the first Rise and Propagation of the Christian Religion. There's nothing so easy to be known of any Countrey, where we have the least Re­mains of History left us, as what Reli­gion was profess'd there, and what con­siderable Alterations were made in it: All the Laws, Customs, and Policy of a Nation, are intermixt with their Reli­gion; most of the Actions, Opinions, and Characters of particular Men, bear the Marks of it; and if we examin Things [Page 64]more narrowly, and trace them up to their Original, we shall find that Religion puts a greater Distinction betwixt one Nation and another, than any difference of Climate can do.

But, not to pursue that Speculation any further, 'tis very plain from all Hi­story what the Religion of the Jews was, and what Religion they had at Rome, and in other Parts of the Roman Empire, under the Reign of Augustus. There were no such Persons then to he heard of as bore the Name of Christians; no such Religion any where professed as that which is now call'd Christian, the Plan and Model of which we find in the Books of the New Testament.

But in the Time of Nero we find a great many Persons at Rome, Tacitus call'd Christians, put to Death, and several other ways persecuted and tormented, for be­ing so, by that Emperor; which Deno­mination, and whatever they thought themselves obliged to believe or do, up­on that Account, was then generally ac­knowledged by themselves, and others, to be derived to them from one Christ, who was sometime before crucified at Jerusalem.

Now the Time when this Christ, the first Author of this Sect of Men call'd Christians, began to publish his Doctrine to the World, is very particularly and circumstantially set down by St. Luke, in the Third Chapter of his Gospel, to be the Fifteenth Year of the Reign of Tiberius Cesar, Pontius Pilate being Governor of Judea, and Herod being Tetrarch of Galilee, and his Brother Philip Tetrarch of Iturea, and of the Region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the Tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the High Priests of the Jews.

And in the Book call'd the Acts of the Apostles, said to be writ by the same St. Luke, it is affirm'd, That the Disciples, by which Word is there meant all those that believed in Christ, and embraced the Doctrines taught by him, were called Christians first at Antioch: Which Matter of Fact is, by the Consent of all Christian Historians, recorded to have happen'd at the latter end of the Reign of Caligula, who was the next that succeeded Tiberius in the Empire of Rome.

And that this is the lowest Point of Time it can be fix'd at, appears from the same Place of St. Luke, where immediate­ly after the Words before cited, it fol­lows, [Page 66] And in these Days came Prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch, and there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit, that there should be great Dearth throughout all the World; which came to pass in the Days of Claudius Cesar. From whence I infer, That this Relation of Agabus, con­curring in Time with that other Account of the Disciples being first call'd Christians; and it being plain, from what is said con­cerning the Completion of Agabus's Pro­phecy in the Days of Claudius Cesar, That he first utter'd his Prophecy some time be­fore the Days of Claudius Cesar, the Time when the Disciples were first called Chri­stians must likewise be, sooner or later, before the Reign of Claudius; which Clau­dius being the immediate Successor of Ca­ligula in the Empire, the Matter of Fact in question must happen in the latter end of the Reign of Caligula, or at some time before.

Now from the Fifteenth Year of Tibe­rius, when Christ first published his Doctrine at Jerusalem, to the last of Caligula, when his Disciples were first call'd Christians at Antioch, is about Twelve Years; from whence to the Tenth Year of Nero, when the Christians were first persecuted at Rome, [Page 67]is a little above Twenty Years; within Five Years after which Jerusalem was de­stroyed, and an End was put to the Jewish Government and Policy. So that from the Fifteenth of Tiberius, when it is pre­tended that Christ first published his Go­spel at Jerusalem, to the first of Vespatian when Jerusalem was destroy'd, is about Forty Years, and no more.

If therefore these Matters of Fact con­cerning the Neronian Persecution, and the Destruction of Jerusalem, are true, as is constantly attested, by Heathen and Jewish, as well as Christian, Writers; 'tis more than probable, that those mention'd by St. Luke are so too. For before the Fif­teenth of Tiberius, no Signs or Footsteps of Christianity are to be found in the World, neither is it pretended by any of the Adversaries of this Religion that it was earlier; and the Destruction of Jerusalem falling in the First Year of Ves­patian, the Propagation of the Christian Religion from thence to other Parts of the World, must needs have had as early a Date of that. And therefore, if we find great Numbers of Christians at Rome in Nero's Time, both the Propagation, as well as Original, of the Christian Religion, [Page 68]must have happen'd not only before the Destruction of Jerusalem, but some time between the Fifteenth Year of Tiberius and the Tenth of Nero, and consequent­ly the Account before given by St. Luke, of these great Events, cannot well be imagin'd to be false; but 'tis certain the Mistake in Time, if there should be any supposed, cannot be considerable. From all which, I think I have reason to conclude, That the Christian Religion was profess'd at Rome in the Time of Nero, and was derived from one Christ, who was the first Author of it, and suf­fered Death at Jerusalem upon that Ac­count, toward the latter end of Tiberius's Reign, as I find it recorded by St. Luke, and the other Writers of the New Testa­ment.

The next view I shall take of the Chri­stian Religion shall be under Constantine, ano­ther Emperor of Rome, who upon some occasion or other was disposed to em­brace this Religion about 300 Years af­ter the first Publication of it by Christ, at which time it is very notorious that Christianity was the prevailing Religion in all the parts of the Roman Empire, [Page 69]the extent of which was then very great,

This manifestly appears from all the accounts we have of the History of this famous Emperor, and the State of the World under his Reign; in the Twen­tieth Year of which, was held a General Council, which was a Meeting or Assem­bly of a great number of Bishops, who came from all the different Provinces and Cities both of the Eastern and Western Empire, and were Persons that in their several Districts, govern'd and directed in Religions Affairs; the chief design of that Meeting was by Constantine, who called them together, declared to be for the decision of a Controversie, that had happen'd between certain Christian Pro­fessors concerning a particular Article or Doctrine of their Religion, which some affirm'd ought to be believed in one Sense, and some in another: These Bishops did meet accordingly to the number of about 300, decided the Matter they were call­ed about, by appointing a Form of Words for all Christians to express their Belief of that, and several other parti­culars in, which was unanimously ap­proved and subscribed by all but two: [Page 70]Besides which Form of Faith they made several Canons or Rules, with Relation to Discipline, which concern'd the Qua­lifications of such Persons as were to per­form Religious Offices, or to partake of the Effects of them; their manner of Acting upon such occasions, and their Behaviour to one another upon the ac­count of any Religious distinction.

But, in order to take a more particu­lar survey of the State of the Christian Religion under Constantine, from the ac­count that is given us of this Council by Eusebius and Athanasius, who were present at it, and other credible Writers who lived at, or near the same time, I shall draw these following Observations and Reflections.

I. Constantine was the first Roman Em­peror that profest the Christian Religion. There was no King, Consul, Dictator, Emperor, or any other, the chief Gover­nour of the Roman State before him, that ever departed from the ancient Institu­tion made upon the first Settlement of that Commonwealth, or publickly em­braced a new Religion, of a different Character from that established by the Laws of Numa.

2. There never was before this Council, any such General Meeting of Emi­nent and Learned Persons, who were Assembled together from so many diffe­rent quarters of the World, purely to settle some Controversies in Religion.

Which two surprising Circumstances must make this Council of Nice, one of the most remarkable Events that ever happen'd in the World.

3. The calling of this Council does plainly inferr, that Constantine look'd up­on the whole Roman Empire to have been at that time generally Christian: The Persons summon'd, the Places from whence they came, the occasion of their Meeting, do all prove this; For the Per­sons of which the Council was compos'd, were most of them Governors and Tea­chers of large Churches and Congrega­tions, they came out of all the greater and lesser Provinces, and from the most Populous and Considerable Towns under the Roman Government; and the reason of their coming, was to give their Opi­nion concerning a particular Doctrine which did suppose an antecedent Belief of the whole Christian Scheme.

4. The whole behaviour of this Coun­cil of Bishops while they sat together, and the business they did there, is a cer­tain proof, not only that they were Chri­stians, and that the Christian Religion was publickly and generally profest in the Places from whence they came; but that they all agreed in some common Faith, and that the Christian Religion profess'd in the several Places from whence they came, was every where the same, without a­ny other variation than what was groun­ded upon the different Conception of some Articles by particular Persons which were allowed by all alike in some general Terms, or different application of some ge­neral Rules about such Matters as Chri­stians were, by the whole tenour of their Religion left at liberty so to apply.

5. The reason of this general Agree­ment of all Christians, separated so far from one another in place, and never before this time united under one common Head or Governor, was, as we find by what pass'd in this Council, a firm and constant Belief that such and such Books, which they all had amongst them, were [Page 73]written by the immediate Followers and Disciples of Christ, and contained a true Account of his Life and Doctrine, and a full Scheme of their Religion. What ever was in any of these Books they lookt upon as Obligatory, and such they esteem­ed the Authority of these Writings, That they were not, upon any Account, in the least Passage of them, to receive any Addition, Diminution, or Alteration whatsoever. In the Decision of the pre­sent Controversy before them, these were appeal'd to on both Sides, and the Au­thority of them allowed by all; and the particular Canons they made, were found­ed upon the general Rules and Orders of Discipline laid down in these Scrip­tures.

6. As we find by what was done in this Council, concerning the Matter of Faith they came to settle, That all the Bishops there assembled were acquainted with several of the same Books of Scrip­ture, which we now have under the Name of the New Testament; and that they were perswaded they were delivered down to them from the Apostles, as a Rule of their Faith: So, by several of the [Page 74] Canons they made, we are assur'd, That, in all the several Places from whence they were assembled, the Customs of Baptism and the Communion were univer­sally and constantly used; That the First Day of the Week was observed as a Day set a-part for Religious Services, which were chiefly Prayers, and Reading the Scriptures; That there were a great many Men, in a particular Way and Manner appointed for the Performance of Religious Offices, in the Name and Presence of the People; And that some of these did, in a more emi­nent Degree, preside over all other, both Religious Officers and common Chri­stians, in such a District, under the Title and Style of Bishops.

Now the Truth of this Relation con­cerning the Council of Nice, and the State of the Christian Religion at that Time being supposed; in the next Place I shall undertake to prove, That the Christians we find in Nero's Time, were of the same Faith and Religion with those that lived under the Reign of Constantine; and, con­sequently, That all the principal Matters of Fact now recorded in the New Testament, were generally believed at, and imme­diately [Page 75]after, the Times in which they are said to happen, and so continually down to the Council of Nice.

This I shall endeavour to make out; First, From the constant Tradition of such a Belief, together with many sensible and infallible Effects of it.

From the Neronian Persecution to the Council of Nice is about 260 Years; which is so short a Period, That 'tis hardly pos­sible to imagine the Tradition of so im­portant a Fact, as the general Profession of the Christian Religion, in any consider­able Country or Nation, should, in the main Branches and Substance of it, be defective or corrupted within that Time; though there were no other remaining Monuments of it, but what were ob­vious to every Man's own Observation at the Meeting of this Famous Council. And therefore since the Christians of this latter Period did look upon it as a certain Truth delivered down to them, That the Christians who lived in Nero's Time professed the same Faith they did, as 'tis plain from the Account before given of their Religion they must, we may very well conclude, That the Matter [Page 76]of Fact was really so without further Proof.

But to remove all Doubts and Ob­jections so general a Conclusion as this may be apt to create, the Truth and Credibility of the Tradition shall be more clearly made out in the following Man­ner.

Several of those who were present at the Council of Nice might, of their own certain knowledge, be fully satisfied, That, for Fifty Year backward, the Chri­stian Religion had been the same it was then, in the Countries from whence they came; That all this Time they had had the same Scriptures among them; That these Scriptures had constantly been read, both in publick and private; and (as far as fell within humane Cognizance) as con­stantly, and in the same manner believed and esteemed, as they appeared then to be; That the Ceremonies of Baptizing and Communicating had been always universally used, at such Times, and upon such and such Occasions; That these, and several other Religious Performances, as Reading the Scriptures, Prayers, Exhortations, &c. had been constantly practised in publick, when Christians were assembled toge­ther; [Page 77]That Meetings, or Assemblies, for these Purposes were very frequent; That, besides other occasional Times, they al­ways observed the First Day of the Week, as a Portion of Time which they thought themselves obliged to set a-part for the Performance of Religious Duties, and especially in Publick; That there were a constant Succession of Men, by certain Cere­monies peculiarly appropriated to the Dis­charge of some Religious Offices, which they did not think it Lawful for others, not so distinguished, to be concern'd in; That it was the particular Business of these Men to teach and instruct the rest in the Knowledge of the Christian Religion, and exhort them to a steady and exact Submission to the Rules of it; That there were some of these styled Bishops, who were by some different Marks of Distinction known from the rest of their Brethren, and presided over all Christians, both Clergy and Laity, in such a District, go­verning and directing them all in Religious Affairs, and exercising certain Spiritual Powers of an extraordinary future Influence, in order to the preserving and inforcing the Belief and Practice of the Christian Re­ligion. Such Customs and Actions as these, [Page 78]in all which every Bishop must himself have bore a Share, must needs be infal­libly known to those Bishops assembled at Nice, who were of Age enough to re­member for so long together as Fifty Years, which may easily be supposed of several of them: And it may, with as much reason, be allowed, That these very Bishops might have, Fifty Years be­fore their Meeting at Nice, convers'd with those who could have as distinctly re­membred what was done for Fifty Years further backward, as they could remem­ber what had happen'd since the Time we supposed they convers'd with them; from whom they might have been cer­tainly inform'd, That all the foremen­tion'd Matters of Fact had continued the same, for Fifty Years before they could have an immediate Knowledge of them them­selves. And moreover, those who gave them this Information could have assu­red them, That they never saw, or heard of any Body, that lived since their Time, who knew it otherwise; and this, with the same Allowance as in the former Case, will carry the Thing Fifty Years higher still.

And so far, I think, however uncer­tain Tradition is justly accounted in the Conveyance of Doctrines and Opinions, the Tradition of such notorious Matters of Fact as these, so easily observed, so constantly present, so general, and so concerning, may be fully relied upon.

To make this plainer, by a like Instance in our Country, just about 150 Years ago, Edward the Sixth is reported to have been King of England; and the same Hi­story which tells us so, (which I will suppose to be but just now written) ac­quaints us, That, in his Time, the Chri­stian Religion was generally professed through all this Nation, and much after the same manner it is now: But, particularly, that the same Scriptures were acknowledg'd, and the same Religious Customs and Ʋsages obtained, which are before mention'd in the other Case, viz. Baptism and Commu­nion, Observation of the Lord's Day, Mini­stration of Priests, Government of Bishops, &c. just as they are at this present. The Truth of all which we might be very well as­sured of, if there were no History, or other Monuments, of what was done in the Reign of King Edward the Sixth ex­tant, down from his Time to this; be­cause, [Page 80]by the former Supposition, there have been a great many Persons, who, during the Course of their Lives, com­puted at no uncommon length, might have convers'd with those who liv'd in King Edward the Sixth's Time, and also with those who are now Living; and at such Ages of their several Lives, in which they may well be suppos'd capable of re­membring and judging of what they saw and heard: From which intermediate Per­sons, so many as are now Living, and convers'd with them, (which, I believe, are a great many) may have had sueh certain Information of the state of Religion in this Nation, during the Reign of that King, that they cannot possibly call in question. And if all these agree in their several Reports, without concerting with one another, the Evi­dence of the same Matters of Fact they thus agree in will be as strong, with respect to us who enquire these Things of them, and much stronger than to any of them themselves in particular, who have not made the same Observations concerning the Agreement of others be­fore them.

'Twould be no unreasonable Supposi­tion to imagine, That there are some now Living, who have immediately convers'd with those who lived in Edward the Sixth's Time; but these are so few, and of so un­usual an Age, that I shall not insist upon a Proof that might be made that way: But the other Case I have mention'd is easy and common, and lies open to every Body without a particular Computation of Time.

Upon which I shall further observe, That those, whose Testimony is allow'd sufficient for the Form and Kind of Reli­gion professed in England, under Edward the Sixth, are, so far as that Period reaches, as good and capable Witnesses of the Condition of its Being, with respect either to its Original then, or any consi­derable Alterations or Intermissions in it at any time since. Whether the Christian Reli­gion was first introduced into this Country by Edward the Sixth, or any Body else in his Time, all the Inhabitants of it having immediately before been Jews, Heathens, or Mahometans; or whether it had been re­ceiv'd and professed here, before he came to the Throne, must have been equally known, and in like manner conveyed down, by those [Page 82]from whom we derive the other Matters of Fact with which this is supposed co­temporary? And if any considerable Changes in the main Branches, or general and pub­lick Ʋsages of it, such as are before in­stanced in; or any Intermissions, either of the whole Profession, or of some of those publick Customs and Manners of Worship or Disci­pline, should have happen'd at any Time since, these being more remarkable Facts than the uninterrupted Continuance of the same state and form of Religion, and falling later than the first Date of what we al­low to be distinctly known and remem­bred, must be granted to be as easily and surely delivered down to us, as those Things which are acknowledg'd to fall earlier, and yet came safe to our Hands.

Now to apply all this to the former Case: These Bishops in the Council of Nice, who came from such or such a particular Province of the Roman Empire, might be as fully assured, That the Chri­stian Religion was professed 150 Years be­fore in that Province, in the same Manner, founded upon the same Scriptures, and at­tended with the same Customs, as it was at the Time of their assembling at Nice; as we of this Country can be assur'd, [Page 83]That our Religion, Scriptures, and Religious Customs are the same now, that they were in the Reign of Edward the Sixth, King of England.

What particular Christian Customs, I mean, in both Instances has been suffi­ciently expressed already; but what those Scriptures were, which I suppose the Ni­cene Bishops unanimously acknowledg'd for the Word of God, and Rule of their Faith, and believed to have been written by the First Apostles and Disciples of Christ, and consequently to have been the same 150 Years before they met in Council as they were then, has not yet been de­clared, and, by what was done in the Council, does not certainly appear: But, I think, there is no manner of Reason to doubt, but they were the very same which now go under the Name of the New Testament. For whether the Council of Laodicea, which was the first that made any Canon concerning the Books of Scrip­ture, was before this Council of Nice, as some imagine, or about Forty Years after, as others more probably conclude, we have Arguments and Authorities enough to convince us, That all the Books of the New Testament were acknowledg'd by the [Page 84] greatest part of the Nicene Fathers, and most of them by all.

'Tis plain, from all the publick Deci­sions and Orders of the Council, That they are grounded upon some or other of the Books of Scripture now in our Hands, if they may be supposed to have been written before that Time: And that they were Eusebius, one of the Bishops of this Council, is a sufficient Witness; who, in a History he has left us, gives us an Account of the Time when they were all writ, and the Authors they were writ by; which is another very good Ar­gument, That most of the Nicene Bishops had the same Bible: For Eusebius being not only present amongst, and conver­sing with several of them, but having a great Share in the Management of the Controversy they came to decide, and be­ing of a doubtful Faith in the main Point determined by them; or, as some suspect, a Favourer of the Side condem­ned, must have had occasion either in publick Debate, or private Conversa­tion, to have cited most of the Books he acknowledg'd for Scripture; and had any doubt arisen concerning the Authority of them, such a considerable and impor­tant [Page 85]Controversy as would have sprung from thence, would have produced a Determination of the Council upon it; or, to be sure, have been as much taken Notice of, and as faithfully Recorded, as any Thing else that was done there.

Besides, 'tis plain from the History we have of this Council, by Cotemporaries, and others of the Age immediately fol­lowing, That some Scriptures were ap­peal'd to, their Authority acknowledg'd, Forms of Expression drawn from thence, a Difficulty made of departing from Scripture-Terms till other equivalent Ex­pressions were found necessary, to distin­guish those who believ'd Scripture in a right Sence, from those who interpreted it wrong. And therefore, if Eusebius, or Athanasius, who were present at the Council, or any other Writer cotempo­rary, or near in Time to it, says any Thing of this Nature, he must be judg'd to mean, That the same Scriptures were acknowledg'd by the Nicene Council, which he himself owns: So that if Euse­bius, or Athanasius, own'd all the Books of the New Testament which we do, 'tis mani­fest, That when he talks of the Scrip­tures, in the Account he gives of the [Page 86] Nicene Council, he must mean the same that he does when he mentions them up­on any other Occasion. And the like will hold of other Writers.

But further, to put this Matter past all doubt, 'tis certain, That the Canon of Scripture was some time or other after­wards fixed, as we find it now, with all the same Books in the New Testament that we have at present. The Occasion of making such a Canon was, because it was doubted of some of the Books, Whether they were the genuine Works of those whose Names they bore; and, if they were not, Whether they were of equal Authority with the rest. Now the way that was taken to remove all Ob­jections, and fix the Authority of those Scriptures which were to be the unalter­able Standard of the Christian Religion, was, by examining the general Tradition of all the different Churches where Christianity was professed; upon which Examination, when it was certainly known, That such and such Books, which were doubted of by some, because they had been but lately received among the Christians of those Provinces and Churches to which they belong'd, had been constantly ac­knowledg'd [Page 87]under the same Style and Character with the rest, by the Genera­lity of the other Churches of Christians; these were likewise as universally re­ceiv'd as the other, and their Authority in the same manner allow'd. The Con­sent of so many different Churches in the same Opinion concerning certain Books, and, agreeably to their Opinion, in the same careful Preservation of them unal­ter'd, most of which Churches had con­tinued separate, and independent one of another, ever since the Date they ascri­bed to those Writings, and several of them at such a Distance as to have had no communication with one another since that Time; such a Consent, I say, as this, whensoever the Canon of Scripture was first determined in a general Meeting, was thought sufficient to establish the Authority of any Book that was doubted of, and accordingly the whole Canon we now have, was afterwards universal­ly acknowledg'd.

Since therefore we find, That all the Scriptures of the New Testament were uni­versally received some time after the Ni­cene Council; and, since the Establishment of the Canon, and universal Submission [Page 88]to it, were founded upon a general Tra­dition, so faithfully preserved in the far greatest part of Christian Churches, that all other Christians were fully satisfied of it: From hence it follows, That the greatest part of the Nicene Bishops must own the same Scriptures we do now, because the greatest part of the Churches from whence they came did.

But, not to insist upon this, we will consider only those Scriptures which were never doubted of by any Christians, and consequently must have been received by the whole Council of Nice. These were, according to Eusebius, who in his History gives us a Catalogue of them, the Four Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, the Thirteen Epistles of St. Paul, which have his Name to them, the First Epistle of Pe­ter, and the First Epistle of John. And Eusebius could not say this, had he known of any of his Fellow-Bishops of the Council, who denied either the Autho­rity or general Reception of any of these Books.

Supposing therefore, That these were the only Scriptures acknowledg'd by all the Nicene Bishops; then what was said before, concerning several Religious Cu­stoms [Page 89]and Practices there mention'd, will hold in like manner of those Books of Scrip­ture; and such or such a particular Bi­shop, that was present at this Council, might himself, by a short, easy, and un­questionable way of conveyance, be as­sured, That for 150 Years last past, the same Scriptures had been acknowledg'd, as well as the same Religious Customs pra­ctised in that Church and Province from whence he came, and consequently, That the main Scheme of Christian Doctrine, and the publick Profession of it, had been all that Time the same.

Now if we apply the foregoing Obser­vations to all the several Bishops of this Council, and suppose them all satisfied of the constant Tradition of the same Scriptures & Customs as are before specified, in the several Churches and Provinces from whence they came, as the History of these Times relates the Matter of Fact to have been; then is the unanimous con­sent of all these Bishops an infallible Ar­gument of the truth of what they testi­fie.

And, if there had not been such a con­stant Tradition in any of these Churches or Provinces as we suppose, then the [Page 90] Original Introduction, or Intermission of any of those Scriptures or Customs within the same compass of Time, would have been in the same Way and Manner, and with the same Certainty known to the Bi­shops of those Churches and Provinces, where such Introduction, or Intermission happen'd; and, what was first introdu­ced among them, might as easily and surely have been traced to the Country or Province from whence it was derived to them, and the Manner and Occasion of the Conveyance as certainly remem­bred, as the continued Tradition of the same State of things could have been; and, then the enquiry may be made in those Churches and Provinces which did not derive their Religion from any other, within the time before set of 150 Years; and so far the Argument from Tradition will most undoubtedly hold according to the former Supposition laid down.

But, however this be, whether we suppose that all the Countrys and Provin­ces from whence the Nicene Bishops came, had profess'd the Christian Religion for 150 Years before this Council met, or that some of them had received it later; the Tra­dition concerning the continued Ʋniformi­ty [Page 91]of the Scriptures and Religious Customs which I have before given an account of is equally to be relied on for that whole space of Time; for, the Tradi­tion of any thing being preserved by a Succession of Men, and not a constancy of Place, There was no Person at this Coun­cil, but was capable of informing him­self with great certainty, that the Chri­stian Religion had been in the World, and the same Scriptures and Religious Customs they then had in the Church he belonged to had been in like manner, constantly own'd and receiv'd by those that pro­fess'd the Christian Religion for 150 Years before that time, either in the Country he himself was then of, or in some other from whence that Religion, and those Scriptures and Customs were derived to them. The Succession of the Persons conveying such a Tradition is so very short, that no change of Place is sufficient to disturb or interrupt the Conveyance, and therefore, no Person that gave him­self the trouble of a faithful Enquiry, could be mistaken in it; and it must be allowed to have been the concern of all to enquire; and, since 'tis plain that all the Bishops did acknowledge these things [Page 92]to be of greater Antiquity, and of uninter­rupted continuance, as all pretences to the Christian Religion do necessarily in­ferr; it must also be supposed that seve­ral of them had taken particular care to satisfie themselves of the truth of these Matters, and that none of them had met with any contrary accounts that shock'd their Faith.

Thus does it manifestly appear from the certainty of bare Tradition only, with­out the assistance of any concurrent Mo­numents of a more fix'd and lasting signi­fication to strengthen it, that for 150 Years before the Council of Nice, the Chri­stian Religion was in the main Foundation and Substance, and in the principal In­stitutions of it, the same it was then, wheresoever it was profess'd at either of these times: And, by accounts written about this latter Period, by Persons that were present at the Council then Assem­bled, who could be sure of the Tradi­tion themselves in some Countrys, and could receive the like Information from the other Bishops Assembled with them, as to the Places they came from, it is likewise certain that in most, if not all the Provinces and Cities, any of the [Page 93] Nicene Bishops belong'd to, the Christian Religion had been established 150 Years before the Meeting of that Council, and in the same manner profess'd during that whole Term.

Taking it therefore for granted, that the Christian Religion was by large num­bers of Men profess'd in the greatest part of the Roman Empire 150 Years before the Council of Nice, in the same manner it was at the Meeting of that Council; this Agreement of so many several di­stinct Countries in the same Religion, ne­cessarily proves that that Religion must have been derived to them all from some common Original; and, since, as has be­fore been observed, the Chief Gover­nor of all these Provinces and Countries, was always, till the Person that then Reigned, of a Religion opposite to that which was then profess'd by so many of his Subjects, and consequently cannot be supposed by any Decree or Law of his, to have introduced this into all his Do­minions at once; it evidently follows from hence, that this Religion must have been published and entertain'd in some one Countrey or Province first, before it was heard of in any of the other; and in some [Page 94]particular Town or City of that Province, except we suppose a great many first In­ventors concerting a Scheme and agree­ing to publish it all at the same time, in several Countries, or several parts of the same Country, which is a very un­likely Supposition, will hardly be ob­jected here, and, if it was, would do the Objectors little service, as might easily be proved if there was occasion.

Whatever Country then we suppose the Christian Religion first published in, we must allow some time for its spreading through that Country, and being after­wards propagated and fix'd in so many other Nations of different Manners, Tempers and Languages as the several Provinces of the Roman Empire were, in which the Christian Religion was 150 Years before the Council of Nice esta­blished, and flourished, notwithstanding all the opposition a New Religion unsup­ported by Civil Power must meet with.

Now if we allow about Threescore Years for all this, and according to the natural progress of Things, 'tis incredi­ble the Christian Religion should from any one City or Province of the Roman Empire, in so short a time, be diffused so [Page 95]far, be embraced by so many, and be established so sare, under all the disavan­tages that such a Religion must be at­tended with; yet, allowing but Three­score Years or thereabouts for so won­derful an Event, this added to the 150 before accounted for, brings us to the time of Trajan. We are sure therefore, that the Christian Religion could not have a later Original than under the Reign of Trajan: Pliny. But 'tis plain from an Eminent Minister of his Court, that there were then vast numbers of Christians in the Roman Empire, and in Provinces very remote from Rome, as well as within the di­strict of Rome it self, and the account he gives of that Religion, manifestly shews that it was so far the same with what was found in the Scriptures, and profess'd by all Christians at the time of the Council of Nice.

Since therefore, as has before been proved, the Christian Religion was the same 150 Years before the Council of Nice as it was then; since in some of those very Provinces and Cities of the Roman Empire, where the same Christian Religion was profess'd 150 Years before the [Page 96]Council of Nice, we find that the Chri­stian Religion was likewise profess'd; and there were great numbers of Christians about Threescore Years before that time, under the Reign of Trajan; and the account we have of these Christians and their Religion by Heathen Authors, agrees exactly with the Character of the Chri­stian Religion which not long af­terwards, we find, generally maintain'd, then it follows from hence, that in those particular Places, the Religion was the same in the time of Trajan, it was Three­score Years afterwards; and consequently, that being but 150 Years before the Coun­cil of Nice, the same it was then: And, if the Christian Religion was as far spread in the time of Trajan, as it was Sixty Years afterwards, the same will hold as to all the Roman Empire; and, if it was not, it must be derived to those Provinces that wanted it, from those where it was profess'd, which amounts to the same thing; for, if the Christian Religion in the time of Trajan was not the same it was Sixty Years afterwards; no account can be given of so general and wide an Agreement then in so many diffe­rent Provinces, as has already been prov'd [Page 97]the same Christian Religion was profess'd in at that time, in all which, the Re­ligion then profess'd, must be supposed different from the Original it was de­rived from Sixty Years before, even in those very Provinces, where it had been so long ago established, as well as in those where it was later entertain'd, which is absurd to imagine.

And further, since by the account we have of these Times, it plainly appears, that the Christian Religion was very far spread under the Reign of Trajan, and consequently published long before; and since as far as it was then spread, it was the same it was Sixty Years afterwards, when, as we have already proved, the greatest part of the Roman Empire agreed in the same general Form or Scheme of Re­ligion which was profess'd at the Council of Nice, and in the same Religious Insti­tutions and Practices as were then in use; it follows from hence, and from what has been before advanced, that the Chri­stians we find in Nero's Time, were of the same Religion and Faith with those that lived at the time of the Council of Nice; and consequently, that all the common Historical Matters of Fact mention'd in [Page 98] the New Testament, respecting the Original of the Christian Religion, the Place where it first appeared, the Time and Manner of Pub­lishing and Propagating it, the Characters of those concern'd in the Work, and the Fortune that attended both them and their Doctrine, must necessarily be true, as I shall endeavour to shew more par­ticularly by summing up the whole Ar­gument in this manner.

It has been proved before, That the generality of Christians at the time of the Council of Nice, acknowledg'd all the same Scriptures that we do now, and that most of the Books of the New Testament were universally received then, and believed by all Christians of that Time, to have been so from their first appearance in the World. The Books which were thus universally received, were as universally thought to have been written by those Authors to whom they are ascribed, and to have been all written by their several Authors, at several times, between the end of Caligula 's Reign and the beginning of Trajan's. And indeed, if they believ'd the Scrip­ture-History, as 'tis plain the Christians, who received these Books, did, they must [Page 99]have believed likewise, that all the Books of the New Testament, being written by such Authors whose Names they bear, were writ within the compass of Time assigned for them; for from the Time and Manner of the Publication of the Chri­stian Religion, it appears that they could not have been any of them writ­ten sooner; and from the Age of the Authors, it is plain that they could not have been Works of a later Date.

This being the general Faith of all Christi­ans at the Time of the Council of Nice, must likewise, according to what has been al­ready proved, the universal Belief of Chri­stians 150 Years before this Council sat; and if the same Scriptures were in the same Manner received and acknowledg'd, in the great­est part of the Roman Empire, 150 Years before this Council of Nice, they must have been generally known and receiv­ed in the Time of Trajan, as far as the Christian Name then reach'd, they could not otherwise have been propagated so far and wide in less than Threescore Years time; And if the Christians in Tra­jan's Time knew and believ'd these Scrip­tures, then was the Christian Religion under Trajan the same it was under Nero: For in every Book of the New [Page 100]Testament the Author plainly supposes the Christian Religion established, and all the principal Matters of Fact, and Do­ctrines there recorded, believed before he wrote; and therefore, if all or any of these Books were received at Rome in the Time of Trajan (as the Epistle to the Ro­mans must have been when Sixty Years af­terwards it was believed by the greatest part of the Roman Empire to have been sent to them) then does it follow that all the Christians that received them must have certainly known that they be­lieved the same Facts and Doctrines which they found in those Books ever since they profess'd the Christian Religion; and that all others who were of the same Name, must have profess'd to believe the same things too, (the Nature of that Re­ligion so requiring) and consequently, that the Christian Religion at Rome was the same in the Time of Nero it was then, the Neronian Persecution being not above Thirty five Years before the Reign of Trajan; which is so short a Period, that several Christians of Trajan's Time, might have been Christians under Nero too, and must have known whether Chri­stianity then Preach'd to them, was the [Page 101]same with what they found written, supposing they were converted be­fore they had seen any of the Books of the New Testament; and if they were not, they might as easily have inform'd them­selves, whether that part of the Christi­an History they found in these Books respecting Rome, and particularly Nero's Time were true or not: And their Con­version to Christianity by the means of these Books necessarily proves them sa­tisfied of the truth of the Relations there given.

Now if most of the Books of the New Testament were received in Trajan's Time, and if Christianity was the same under Nero as under Trajan, and the same Preach'd as Written, then does it neces­sarily follow, not only that these Books were written by those Authors whose Names they bear, some time between the Death of Tiberius, and beginning of Trajan's Reign; but that all the common Historical Facts mention'd in the New Testament, and which I have undertaken to prove under this Head, are certainly true; otherwise they could not have been so generally and firmly believed, so near the Time they are there reported [Page 102]to have happen'd in. For the Chri­stians that lived in Trajan's Time, and received these Books as written by such Authors, must consequently believe that the first Promulgation of the Gospel or Christian Religion by Jesus Christ, happen'd but Seventy Years before, and that du­ring that space it was Preach'd through­out the Roman Empire, by such Persons, and in such a Manner, as is there related; that it was embraced by great numbers of People in all the considerable Provinces, and Cities of it, established by the Ʋnion of large Societies and Congregations under the same common Form of Discipline, and Witness'd and Confirm'd by the various Sufferings of the first Teachers, and mul­titudes of their Disciples; and the Chri­stians that lived in Nero's Time, must have believed most of this to have hap­pen'd in half that space.

Thus by the help of meer Tradition only, does it plainly appear, that the Chri­stian Religion was the same at the Time of the Council of Nice, as it was when it was first Publish'd and Preach'd to the World; and consequently, that all the principal Matters of Fact in the New Testa­ment, such as I have before given an ac­count [Page 103]of, were all along believed by those who Styled themselves Christians; and therefore all those common Historical Facts, the certainty of which 'twas my present business to shew, must be true.

All the Authority I have made use of to strengthen this Tradition, is the Testi­mony of some Heathen Authors of un­questionable Credit for the proof of this one point only, that there were a great many Persons Styled Christians, who were persecuted for what they be­lieved and did as such, at Rome, by Ne­ro, and in other remote Provinces of the Roman Empire by Trajan: Which two Matters of Fact happening at such parti­cular distances from the supposed Ori­ginal of the Christian Religion, I chose to mention rather for the better Illustra­tion of the Matter I was to prove, than for any distinct proof of it. For, taking it for granted that the Matters of Fact concerning the Council of Nice, and the State of the Christian Religion at that time, were such as I have represented; and, allow­ing further, what, I think, I have prov­ed, that the Christian Religion was pro­fessed in most, if not all the same Places from whence the Nicene Bishops came, [Page 104]and in the same manner, as to the Belief of the Scriptures, and use of those Religi­ous Customs and Institutions I have before instanced in, 150 Years before as it was then, it follows from hence, that, with­out the help of any particular Testimony of Heathen or other Writers, or any other Ancient Monuments of History, that all those common Matters of Fact which I have mention'd at the beginning of this Head, must needs be true. For, accor­ding to this Supposition, the greatest part of the Roman Empire, believing the Books of the New Testament 150 Years before the Council of Nice, must consequently believe that in less than 150 Years be­fore that Time, the Christian Religion was first published to the World at Jerusalem, there being no such Thing as a Christian before; and that, within that space of Time down from the first Publication of the Gospel to their present Belief of it, it must have been Preached and Pro­pagated through the greatest part of the known World, in the Way and Man­ner recorded in the Books of the New Testament, and that the same Persons who Preach'd it were the Authors of those Books; Copies of which had been dis­pers'd [Page 105]so far, and multiplied to so great great a variety, that most of the Peo­ple that profess'd the Christian Religion in every Country, had them in their Hands; which Matters of Fact, and other Particulars depending upon them, if they had not been true, could never have been so generally believed at a Time so near that in which they were supposed to happen, that the first and re­motest of all, was not 150 Years past, and the others must fall out much later.

But further, besides this proof that I have brought from Tradition, there are a great many other concurrent Authorities which do not only confirm the Certainty of the Tradition, but are of themselves a distinct and sufficient Evidence of the same Truths which we have already proved that way. For, at the same Period of Time wherein we have chosen to con­sider the State of the Christian Religion, and from whence we have traced it up to its first Original, and shewed the Constancy and Integrity of the Con­veyance, viz. At the Meeting of the first General Council of Nice, we find a great [Page 106]many fixt and standing Monuments of se­veral Ages and different Places, that eve­ry body might have recourse to, and exa­min when they pleased; all which did very exactly and fully prove the Antiquity and uninterrupted continuance of the Christian Faith, as to all the principal Matters of Fact related in the New Testament.

Eusebius, one of the Bishops of the Nicene Council, before mention'd, has writ a History of the Christian Reli­gion from its first appearance in the World down to his own Time, and the Book is now extant, warranted to be his by the Testimony of abundance of succeeding Writers, and question'd by none. Now in this History he gives us a very large and particular account of the State and Condition of Christianity in all the several Places of the World, wherever he could learn it had been entertain'd: which Ac­count consists of a vast variety of Mat­ters of Fact, beside those already in­stanced, in as preserved by Tradition, the Memory of most of which, was not on­ly preserved the same way, but was further secured by lasting Monuments and Records.

The most remarkable Matters in him, which I think sufficient to my present [Page 107]purpose to mention for the further Con­firmation of those Truths I have already proved, may be referred to these three Heads, Customs and Ʋsages; Relicks, Buil­dings, and other such like Monuments; Books and written Words.

And first it is to be observed that, at the time of the Council of Nice, besides those Religious Customs and Institutions be­fore instanced in, which were general and constant in all Ages and Countries since the first Original of Christianity, there were several other Customs and Ʋsages then Practised; some of which obtain­ed as generally as the former did, and others were confined to some particular Places: such were the Annual Feasts of Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost; stated times of the Year and Week for Fasting; Anniversary Commemoration of the Suffer­ings of Martyrs, and often Meeting at the Places where they Suffered; using the Sign of the Cross upon several occasions; calling Children by the Names of the first Apostles and Saints, &c. These, and many other such like Customs as these, are plainly found­ed upon, and suppose an antecedent Be­lief of Christianity, and particularly those [Page 108] principal Facts Recorded in the New Testa­ment, upon which the whole Christian Re­ligion turns. These therefore are both fresh proofs of the Truth of those Facts we have undertaken to prove, and do also strengthen and confirm the Tradi­tion of those other Customs and Insti­tutions we have before instanced in; especially if we consider what the same History, that gives us this account, informs us of, viz. that the Christian Customs now mention'd, were not look'd upon as such necessary parts of that Religion, nor of so early an Original as the other; and that both these and the former were in seve­ral Places and Ages practised after several Manners, with different additional Rites and Ceremonies; which general Reception of some Customs and general distinctions be­twixt Necessary and Ʋnnecessary, Sub­stance and Manner in all that were re­ceived, are certain Arguments of a sin­cere and well-examin'd Tradition.

Another Set of Testimonies which Eusebius furnishes us with, in behalf of the Christian Tradition, are Relicks, Buil­dings, and other such like Monuments; se­veral of which were remaining in his [Page 109]Time, and seen by him himself; such were Christian Burying-Places and Sepul­chres with the Names of Christians upon them; particularly those of Peter and Paul; Statues and Pictures, particularly the Statue of the Woman cured by Christ of the Bloody Flux; Pictures of Christ, Peter, and Paul, in colours: These were all seen by Eusebius himself, as was likewise the Episcopal Chair of James at Jerusalem, several Christian Libra­ries, and several Christian Temples, before they were pull'd down and destroyed by the Order of Dieclesian. These, and many other such like Monuments remaining in Eusebius's Time, whether all the Particu­lar Traditional Reports concerning them were true or false, might easily be per­ceived upon view, or divers other ways be known to be Ancient; and, whatever Age they were of, they must be good proofs of the Belief of the Men of those Times, and consequently of the truth of Christianity, so far as we are now con­cern'd to prove it.

But the Tradition of Christianity from its first Original, down to the Council of Nice, with all the principal Matters of [Page 110]Fact upon which it is built, is further and more especially secured to us, and the truth of all the foregoing Testimo­nies confirm'd by Books and written Re­cords: vast Numbers of which of diffe­rent Kinds and different Ages, written by several Men of different Countries, Cha­racters, Designs, and Religious Persuasions were extant in Eusebius's Time; a great many of which were generally known, multitudes of Copies of them being disper­sed throughout the World; and several of these Writings were carefully preserved in particular places, and either never communicated further by any Tran­scripts or Copies, to remaining there to be seen in their Primitive State after Transcription.

Now all these Writings, of what kind soever they are, whose Authority is made use of for the establishing the Christian Faith, I shall rank under certain distinct Heads, in order to shew what sense and weight they have in the proof of what they are brought to maintain.

The several Books and Writings then to be considered, are: Copies of the Holy Scriptures, viz. of the Books of the Old and New Testament; Publick Acts and [Page 111]Records belonging properly to Societies, and not to particular Authors; Genuine Writings of profess'd Christians, who by reason of their common Agreement in some certain Doctrines of Christianity are Styl'd Orthodox; Books writ by Hereticks, who were Men of particular Opinions diffe­rent from those commonly received by other Christians; Jewish and Pagan Books, containing such Things as have Rela­tion to Christianity; Forged and Suppositi­tious Writings of uncertain Authors, which do some way or other concern the Christian Religion.

As to Copies of the Scriptures found in the hands of Christians in Eusebius's Time, I have these Things to observe; that they were then multiplyed to so great a Variety, that hardly a Christian Fami­ly was without some of the Books; That they were Translated into several different Languages; That in those Coun­tries, where the Translations were of common use, a great many Copies in the Original Language were preserv'd; That in most of the great Cities and Epis­copal Churches, there was a Copy in the Original Language more ancient than the [Page 112]rest, from whence the other Copies were taken, and Translations made; That such Copies as these might not only by Tra­dition, but by several intrinsick Marks be known to be ancient, and their Age pretty nearly determined; That, upon comparison, there was a very great A­greement betwixt these ancient Copies pre­served in several very distant and remote Churches; That such care had been ta­ken in Transcribing and Translating from them, that the differences found between any Copies either of the Originals or Translations were very inconsiderable; That all Christians thought themselves con­cern'd to preserve the Jewish Canon of Scripture, as well as the New Testament; and therefore Copies of the Old Testament in the Original Tongue, and Translations of it into several Vulgar Languages were multiplied, carefully Transcribed, and kept together with those of the New; That up­on a diligent search into the Matter it was found, that, besides those Copies of the greatest part of the Books of the New Testament which were alike to be met with in all Christian Churches, there were others received in some Churches, and by a constant Tradition then vouch'd [Page 113]to be as early, and of as great Authority as the rest.

From all which I think I may safely inferr, That the Writings of the New Testament were as early as they are pre­tended to be, and that the Christian Reli­gion had its Original in Judea, at the time assigned it; which being less than 300 Years before Eusebius; and the Books of the New Testament, which give an account of the Christian Religion, and plainly suppose an antecedent Propagation and Establishment of it in a great part of the World, being writ some time after the first Publication, Eusebius, or any other Per­son of his Age, who throughly exami­ned the Matter concerning the Copies of the Scriptures then received, must needs be satisfied from this Considera­tion only, that the Books of the New Testa­ment had as early a Publication in the World as is now ascribed to them, and consequently that the Christian Faith was somewhat earlier and the same then as it is in these Books represented to have been.

This will further be made out from the next sort of Writings to be conside­red, [Page 114] viz. Publick Acts and Records, belong­ing properly to Societies, and not to par­ticular Authors: such were Catalogues of Bishops, Decrees of Synods, Letters from Churches and Societies of Men, general Re­cords of remarkable Matters, particular Acts and Monuments of Martyrs, Psalms, Hymns, Creeds, and Forms of Prayer.

The most famous Churches, especially those constituted by Apostles, kept the Succession of their Bishops with great care laid up in their Archives, recording their Names and days of their Death in a pair of writing Ta­bles: This Eusebius tells us was the Cu­stom of the Primitive Christians; and these Tables he assures us he diligently examined, and he was very exact in the Account he took of them, as particularly appears from what he says concerning the Church of Jerusalem, viz. That he found from Old Records fifteen Bishops, with their Names, who had succeeded in that Church, from the Apo­stles to the Siege of the Jews in Adrian 's Time; but could not find preserved in Writing the space of Time each Bishop spent in his Pre­sidency over that See. The like diligence and exactness are observable in the Ac­count he gives of the Succession of Bi­shops [Page 115]in several other Churches, most of their Names being set down, and the times of their several Succession, Pre­sidency, and Death punctually determi­ned, and Reasons given why he could not speak with the same certainty of the rest omitted.

There were likewise extant in his Time a great many Canons and Decrees, made by several Councils and Synods, convened at several times, in different Countries, and up­on different occasions; as also several Letters writ from Churches and Societies of Men such as were the Epistles of the Churches of Vienna and Lyons to the Churches of Asia and Phrygia, concerning their Mar­tyrs; Epistle of the Church of Smyrna con­cerning the Martyrdom of Polycarp; E­pistle of the Martyrs of Lyons to Eleuthe­rus Bishop of Rome; Epistles of the Bi­shops, and other Members of Synods, inforc­ing the Observation of the Canons they made, &c. All which were, according to the Nature and Designs of them, either dispersed far abroad, and to be found in several Countries, or else care­fully preserved in some particular places whither they were directed, and so re­main'd [Page 116]there to be seen by such as were pleased to consult them.

Besides such occasional Writings as these which, according to some particular Exi­gencies of the Church, were sent abroad and communicated from one Society of Christians to others, there were in seve­ral Places Publick Histories of all remarka­ble Affairs that happened in each Place, continued down for a considerable space of Time: several of which Publick Hi­stories or Records Eusebius consulted, as he himself assures us, particularly when he gives us that wonderful Relation of Agbarus King of Edessa, he says he took it out of the Publick Records kept at Edessa, wherein the Antiquities of the City and the Acts of Agbarus are contained: And a great many other Memorable Facts he came by the same way.

In this manner were more especially preserved the Acts and Monuments of such as had suffered Martyrdom upon the ac­count of the Christian Religion. The Names of abundance of Martyrs, the Times when they Suffered, the various sorts and kinds of Sufferings they endured, with all the other Circumstances re­lating [Page 117]to their Persecution, were largely set forth in Writing, and the Records of them carefully kept in many Countries, where the Cruelty and Violence of the several long Persecutions, which had raged at several distant Periods of Time, were most remarkable.

Other Publick Writings extant in Eu­sebius's Time, were Hymns and Psalms, Creeds and Forms of Prayer: Several of which, that were constantly used in the Publick Assemblies of Christians, were known to be of great Antiquity: And some of these ancient Forms of Wor­ship were the same in many Churches, and several of them more or less diffe­rent from one another.

Now 'tis plain to any one that examines any of these Publick Writings belonging to Societies of Christians, that, whensoever they were writ, and whether in all respects true or false, they are certain proofs of an antecedent Establishment and Belief of the Christian Religion, such as it was in Eusebius's Time, and such as it was, and is now found in the New Testament; and all the Accounts we have of the Age and other Circumstances of them, do [Page 118]concurr to strengthen the Evidence al­ready given of the Christian Tradition.

But the Truth of all those Matters of Fact related in the New Testament, which I have at present engaged my self to prove, will be more abundantly made out by a continued Succession of a vast number of Writings belonging to par­ticular Persons, distinguish'd by the Ti­tles of Orthodox Christians, Hereticks, Jews, and Heathens.

A great many of these Writings are mention'd by Eusebius, and had been with incredible industry read and exami­ned by him. Several he gives the Ti­tles of only, others he gives some Cha­racter and Account of, and Transcribes large Passages out of them; a great many Or­thodox Books he omits the mention of, for want of their Authors Names being prefix'd to them; others for want of be­ing able to distinguish when their Au­thors lived; and a great many he rejects the Authority of, though they made for the Cause of the Christian Religion which he maintained, because they had not sufficient Marks upon them, to prove they belong'd to the Persons and Times [Page 119]they pretended to. Some of the Writings he quotes were lost in his Time, and only Fragments of them to be found in others that were entirely extant; several that were then extant and mention'd by him, were seen by a great many later Authors, and all his Quotations out of them are confirm'd to us by their Writings, but the Originals of them are now lost; and a great many remain entire still, and are plainly the same he represented them to be, and so are the Fragments of more ancient Authors contained in them: All which are certain Arguments of the Diligence and Sincerity of this Historian, and the Antiquity of those Books, whose Autho­rity we are now to make use of.

In the next place then let us take a more particular view of these Writings, and consider the Age, Character, and other Circumstances of the Authors, the Subjects they treat about, and the Form and Manner in which they are writ.

As to the Age of those Christian Au­thors we call Orthodox, some small Treatises and Fragments we have of such as lived together with the Apostles, and were immediate Witnesses of the [Page 120]Doctrines delivered, and the mighty Works done by them; and several of these ancient Pieces are allowed to be Genuine by those whose Skill and Enqui­ry into the Matter, have rendred them capable Judges. The Authors of the next Age who declare they lived with those who convers'd with the Apostles, are more, their Writings much larger, and of more unquestionable Authority than the other, being confirmed by more numerous Testi­monies of following Writers, who in ve­ry near Periods of Time continually succeeded them.

The Character of all these Writers was in some respects very like, and in others very different. Some of them were Jews and Heathens converted to Christianity; o­thers were born of Christian Parents; ma­ny of them were Greeks and writ in that Language, and many were of Roman Co­lonies, and writ in Latin; but, though all the Authors we have, writ in one of these Languages, they were most of them of very different, and very remote Countries from one another: Several of the first Writers were Plain Simple Men, without the advantage of a Learned, Honourable, or Publick Education, others [Page 121]of them were Philosophers, and Men very well vers'd in all the Heathen Learning; some were of Honourable Families, and Publick Employments; many of them were Bishops of the Christian Church, and lived in the most considerable Cities of the Roman Empire, and by that means had great opportunities of being acquain­ted with the true State of Things in the World. In this they all agree that they were hearty Believers and zealous Asser­tors of the Christian Religion, that they bottom'd their Faith upon the Books of the New Testament, that they made it the chief Business of their Lives and Writings to promote the Christian Faith, and that they were ready to bear Testi­mony to the Truth of what they pro­fess'd by resigning their Lives; the sin­cerity of which disposition of theirs is confirm'd to us by the actual Martyr­dom of several of them, who lived in such Times and Places, as gave them op­portunities of manifesting their Faith and Christian Resolution this way.

But the general Character of these Wri­ters, as well as the Authority of what they say, will be further made out from the consideration of the Subjects they writ a­bout, [Page 122]the several kinds and sorts of their Writings, and the Manner in which they are writ. All which I shall endeavour to bring under one view, and raise such Observations from them as will plainly confirm the main Conclusion I am to establish.

The common Subject of all the Books and Writings of the first Orthodox Au­thors was the Christian Religion, though in several Ways and Methods discoursed of. Most of these concern the History of Christian Affairs, either expresly or occa­sionally: For, besides those Authors, who purposely designed an Historical Relation either of the Church in general, or of some particular Ecclesiastical Matter, there's hard­ly a Christian Writer within the Time of our present Enquiry, but has some occasion or other to mention several Historical Passages in almost every Book that he wrote, in order to some further end he proposed to himself in writing.

Now concerning the Writings of Chri­stian Authors, considered under this Cha­racter of Historians, I have these Things to observe.

First, That they do manifestly confirm the truth of all those Traditions and standing Monuments before mentioned. For we have frequent Proofs of the Antiquity of the Scriptures, and all those Religious Cu­stoms and Institutions in use amongst Chri­stians in Eusebius's time, and the General Tradition strengthen'd by abundance of New Circumstances; such were the great Controversies and Quarrels about some Christian Usages, (particularly Baptism, and the Feast of Easter) together with the Canons and Decrees that were made, and the Letters that were writ with relation to these Affairs. Here is likewise mention made of the same Christian Relicks and Mo­monuments, and the same publick Acts and Records which Eusebius saw, and the Ac­counts and Extracts of them in several Au­thors agree with what Eusebius himself was witness of.

In the next place 'tis very plain, that they give us an account of several other Customs, Monuments and publick Acts, and abuudance of other particular Historical Passages, besides those mention'd in Eusebius; the Truth of which, or the Antiquity of their Fiction be­ing [Page 124]proved, they are so many new Argu­ments in behalf of the Christian Tradi­tion, or the truth of those Facts we are now to prove.

Thirdly, I observe that most of these Authors, considered as Historians, were very Competent Judges and Credible Reporters of the truth of the Facts they relate. For either they were actual and immediate Witnesses of what they tell us themselves, or they took a great deal of care to in­form themselves right, or the Facts were of that nature that they could not be de­ceived though they did not examine them very strictly; and which way soever they came by them, they were Faithsul and Sincere in their Relation. Several things they tell us of their own Knowledge, others they quote their Authors for, and others they deliver only as Traditional Reports, which they distinguish also into Probable and Fabulous according to the Evidence that then appeared to them upon a diligent Examination. And several of them have given great Marks of their Diligence and Care in enquiring as well as Sincerity in reporting: as particularly Hegesippus, who gave an account of the Unity of Faith in [Page 125]several Cities, after having travell'd through them, and convers'd with the Bishops of them; Clemens who used all the care he could to inform himself of the Truth and Sincerity of the Christian Tra­dition from several Eminent Persons of different Countries; Irenoeus who care­fully remember'd the Conversation he had with Eminent Christians in his Youth, and was very much concern'd to have his own Writings deliver'd down faith­fully to Posterity: a proof of which first Remark concerning Irenaeus, we have in an Epistle of his to Florinus, quoted by Euse­bus, part of which I think worth the Transcribing, when reproving Florinus for some ill Opinions he held, he speaks to him in this manner: Eus. Ec. H. l. 5. c. 26. ‘These Opinions the Presbyters who lived before our times, who also were the Disciples of the Apostles, did in no wise deliver unto thee: For I saw thee (when being yet a Child, I was in the Lower Asia with Polycarp) behaving thy self very well in the Pa­lace, and endeavouring to get thy self well esteemed of by him; for I remem­ber the things then done better then what has happen'd of late; for what we [Page 126]learnt being Children increases toge­ther with the Mind it self, and is closely united to it, insomuch that I am able to tell where the Blessed Polycarp sate and Discoursed; also his goings out and comings in, his manner of Life, the shape of his Body, the Discourses he made to the Populace, the familiar Con­verse which he said he had with John, and with those who had seen the Lord; and how he rehears'd their Sayings, and what they were which he had heard from them concerning the Lord; con­cerning his Miracles, and his Doctrine, according as Polycarp received them from those who with their own Eyes beheld the Word of Life, so he related them, agreeing in all things with the Scri­ptures. These things by the Mercy of God bestowed upon me, I then heard diligently, and copied them out, not in Paper, but in my Heart; and by the Grace of God I do continually and sin­cerely ruminate upon them.’ And the same Irenaeus, at the end of one of his Pieces says thus. ‘I adjure thee who shalt Transcribe this Book, by our Lord Jesus, and by his Glorious coming to Judge the Quick and the Dead, that you compare what you shall Transcribe, [Page 127]and correct it diligently according to that Copy whence you shall Trans­cribe, and that in like manner you as­cribe this Adjuration, and annex it to your Copy.’ Which concern of Irenaeus for the faithful conveyance of Truths contained in his own Writings to Posterity, is a very good argument of his care in examining the Traditions and Writings that came down to him from elder times, respecting the same Impor­tant Truths.

A great many other such like Instances as these may be given, where the Primi­tive Christian Writers positively and ex­presly declare, that they had seen and con­vers'd with the immediate Successors of the Apostles, and with those upon whom several great Miracles had been wrought by them, & had themselves been Witnesses of a great many wonderful Gifts remain­ing in the Church in their time; as like­wise where they demonstrate by many sensible Marks and Signs, the great Care and Diligence they had taken in exami­ning the Informations they received from remoter Hands, and all other concurring Presumptions arising from Circumstances of Fact, and Rational Inferences.

And as they were competent Witnesses and careful Relators in General, so are they more especially to be relied upon, as to those two great and concerning Matters of Fact the Scriptures of the New Testament, and Persecutions of Christians.

The Truth and Authority of the Scriptures was with much enquiry and examinati­on Established: This every one made it his business to be well assur'd of; and a free disquisition concerning the truth of some or other of the Books of Scri­pture is every where to be found among the Antient Writers.

Then as to the Persecutions they were so many, they continued so long together, were so widely spread, were attended with so vast a number of very new and remarkalbe Facts, and so many of the Wri­ters lived in the heat of them, and had so large a share and concern in them them­selves, that 'tis impossible that the accounts they give of them, should not be, most of them at least, very true.

The Fourth Observation I have to make upon the Historical part of the first Christian Writers, is that there are so ma­ny Notes of time to be found in them, such a particular Designation of Places and Per­sons, [Page 129]and such a mixture of Jewish and Heathen Affairs with the Christian History, as rendred any Errours or Mistakes so li­able to a discovery at those times, when the several Books that treat of these Mat­ters were first Published to the World, that by not being confuted, they are, as to the main substance of what they de­clare, irrefragably confirm'd.

The other Writings of OrthodoxChristians of the first Ages, which do not concern the History of Christianity, are either Vindi­cations and Defences of the Christian Reli­gion against all the Objections and Calum­nies raised by any of the Enemies of it, or Explications of the Christian Doctrine, Government and Discipline, or Exhortations and Directions to Practise, or Animadversi­ons and Reproofs for Errours and Offences: All which are written under the form of Orations or Apologies, Letters, Disputations, Comments, &c.

Now it's plain from all these Writings, that the several Authors of them were throughly convinced of the Truth of the Christian Religion: This appears from the Zeal and Warmth with which many of them writ upon several occasions to one another, and to Hereticks; the readiness they testifie to [Page 130]quit all they have, and to lay down their Lives rather than do any thing contrary to their Profession; the concern they express for the continuance of their Fellow-Chri­stians in the same Faith, and the Conver­sion of others to Christianity; the Bold­ness and Courage they shew to Persons of Power and Authority, when the truth of their Religion, or their own Innocence is call'd in question, and from many other unquestionable marks of Honesty, Sinceri­ty, and a through Perswasion, visible almost in every Page.

'Tis manifest likewise that all these Authors believed the Scriptures of the New Testament, and Founded their Religion upon them. Several of them have writ Comments upon them, all quote them and confirm the Doctrines they deliver, and the Rules and Directions they give from them; and all their Writings plainly declare they were very well vers'd in them and influenced by the same Spirit that go­verns there, and distinguishes those Wri­tings from any other; and, when ever any Controversy happen'd in matters of Christian Faith or Practiced, the Appeal is constantly made to these Scriptures.

Several other Remarks and Observati­ons might be drawn from the Writings of those Christians call'd Orthodox; but these are sufficient for what I design to prove by them, and so I pass on to consider what we have written by Heretieks, Jews and Heathens, with relation to Christi­anity.

A great many things were written by Persons of these several Denominations in the Three first Ages of the Christian Aera, but very little of them that expressly concerns Christianity remains now, and a great many of these Writings were lost in Eusebius's Time; so that almost all we know of them is contained in the Ortho­dox Writers: In many of which there are several considerable Fragments yet to be found, and accounts of what is lost. From all which we may collect that none of the Enemies of the Christian Re­ligion, neither Hereticks, Jews nor Hea­thens, did at any time offer to disprove or contradict those Christian Facts I have been now Establishing, but did in seve­ral respects strengthen and confirm the truth of them,

We find by the Orthodox Writers, that there were in the most Primitive Times, and continually, in all the after-Periods of Christianity, a great many Hereticks of very different Characters and Opinions, who troubled the Peace of the Church, and en­deavoured to corrupt the Christian Doctrine and Tradition. Their Writings are full of the strange Opinions of Hereticks; they are oftentimes very large in giving a Hi­story of the Men, their vicious Lives, and wicked Designs; and in confuting their Absurd, and, for the most part, Blas­phemous Doctrines. From hence we find that several of these Hereticks, in order to justifie their Errors, made use of all the Arts and Shifts they could; and some de­nied one Book of Scripture, and some a­nother; some took upon them to reform the Scriptures, and added what they thought serv'd their turn, or took away what they did not like; Others made new Scriptures, and put them out in the Names of the Apostles; but none of them denied the principal matters of Fact con­tained in the New Testament, neither Mi­raculous nor Common, though their Cha­racter oftentimes allow'd, and their Cause requir'd such a denial, if the Evidence [Page 133]of those Facts had not appear'd to them so strong as to render all contradiction Vain and Ineffectual.

The Jews who writ against the Christi­an Religion, allow'd most of the principal matters of Fact Recorded of Christ in the New Testament, even his Miracles as well as the Common History of his Life; and when they deny the Reality they grant the Pretence, & are wholly concern'd to shew that Christ was not the Messias promised them, notwithstanding his extraordinary Character; because, as they thought, se­veral of the Prophecies in the Old Testa­ment, which were agreed on all hands to relate to the Messias could not be apply'd to Christ. In this consisted wholly the Con­troversie betwixt them and the Christians; and therefore are the Jews of these times censur'd by the Christian Writers, as cor­rupting the Old Testament in such Passages of it as seem'd to them to make most for the Christian Religion: Particularly Justin, in his Dialogue with a Jew, endeavors to evince, That several Testimonies of the Prophets which he quoted was cut out of the Bible by the Jews, which charge whe­ther true or false, proves thus much, that [Page 134]the Jews had no other way of resisting the Evidence of the Christian Religion, but by denying, or in some manner evading the Arguments drawn from the Prophecies of the Old Testament. Here they placed the chief strength of their Cause, and not in the Confutation of the Christian History; the greatest part of which is plainly grant­ed in the Arguments they make use of to overthrow the Faith built upon it, and the Inferences drawn from it. Particularly Josephus does comfirm the truth of several of the Facts related in the New Testament, and such as necessarily determine the Ori­riginal of Christianity.

The like account, in a great measure, may be given of the Heathens whose Wri­tings do any ways concern Christianity: For neither those of them that were In­strumental in the Persecution of Christians, nor those who endeavour to overthrow the truth of their Religion by Arguments, do deny any of those matters of Fact re­lated in the New Testament, which we have distinguished by the Title of Common Hi­storical Facts; and a great many of them are confirm'd by other Heathen Writers, who treat of their own affairs only, or [Page 135]mention Christian Matters occasionally, as they happen'd to be intermixt with those Things they designedly writ about. Nay, some of those that writ expresly against the Christian Religion, do not only allow that Christ pretended to Mira­cles, and that he did those Things Re­corded of him in appearance, (as was the Opinion of several of them) but that he did really work those very Miracles he pretended to: But then they endea­vour to lessen the Credit of them, and destroy the Doctrines built upon them, either by ascribing them (as many of the Jews likewise did) to Ma­gick and Evil Spirits; or shewing that several of their own Religion had done as extraordinary Things as any that were attributed to Christ and his Apostles.

A great many of these Heathen Wri­tings are quoted, some of them particu­larly Answer'd and Confuted, and se­veral large Pieces of them inserted in the Books of Christian Authors. There we find, besides a great many Passages out of Private Authors, and Common Tra­ditions, several Rescripts, Edicts and Let­ters of Roman Emperors, either mention­ed or transcribed; and several Publick Acts [Page 136]and Records compiled by the Authority of Heathens, and in their keeping, ap­peal'd to with the greatest Confidence and Assurance imaginable, as extant in the Writers Time that Cites them, and generally known: Particularly we meet with divers of these Heathen Monuments in the Christian Apologies, which were at several times, by different Writers, De­dicated to Roman Emperors, the Senate of Rome, and Governors of Provinces.

Many such Proofs and Evidences as these of the Christian Faith and History, are still to be found in the Christian Books which were writ before Eusebius, and are now extant: But there were al­so extant in his Time several of the same Heathen Books out of which those Testi­monies were taken, and others which gave the same Account of Christian Af­fairs; which was look'd upon by Euse­bius to be so notorious a Truth, that when he talks of the State of Christiani­ty under Domitian, he confirms what he says by the Authority of Heathen Writers, without thinking it necessary to name any particular Author: Eus. E. H. l. 3. c. 18. ‘So mightily (says he) did the Doctrine of our Faith flourish in those [Page 137]forementioned Times, that even those Writers who are wholly estranged from our Religion, (by which he plainly means Heathens) have not thought it troublesome to set forth in their Histo­ries both this Persecution, and also the Martyrdoms suffered therein; and they have also accurately shewn the very Time; relating that in the Fifteenth Year of Domitian, Flavia Domitilla, Daughter of the Sister of Fabius Cle­mens, at that time one of the Consuls of Rome, was, together with many o­thers, banished into the Island of Pon­tia, for the Testimony of Christ.’

There are likewise several Heathen Au­thors still separately extant, out of which may be Collected a great many Passa­ges, which give a concurrent Evidence of the Truth of the Christian History as Ta­citus and Pliny before quoted, and divers others; and there is nothing to be found in any of them that does, in the least, contradict any of the principal Matters Fact now to be proved.

But, besides these Writings which are acknowledged to be Genuine, and the true and proper Works of those Persons [Page 138]whose Names they bear, whether Or­thodox Christians, Hereticks, Jews or Hea­thens, there were a great many other in the Primitive Times of Christianity, written by uncertain Authors; and either purposely Published under false Names and Titles, with a design to promote the Be­lief of the Christian Religion in general, or to advance and defend some particular Notions and Practices which the Authors of them approved, and had a mind to re­commend to the World; or else by some mistake ascribed to those Persons to whom they did not really belong. Such were a great many false Gospels, Acts, Epistles and Revelations, and several other Histo­rical and Doctrinal Discourses, Published under the Names of Christ, the Virgin Ma­ry, the Apostles, and Eminent Christians of the succeeding Ages; such were also several Letters said to be Writ by Pilate, Seneca, and Lentulus, the Oracles of the Sybils, and several other Writings attri­buted to some considerable Heathens, a Passage in Josephus relating to Christ, &c. All which, supposing them all Forged, or only some of them so, some accidental­ly mistaken, and others doubtful; whoever were the Authors of them, so long as it [Page 139]plainly appears they were of such and such Antiquity, they are certain proofs of the general Faith of Christians, at the respective Times when any of them were Published, and consequently of the Truth of those Facts in question; forasmuch as they all evidently suppose an antecedent Belief of the Christian Religion, found­ed upon those Facts, as is visible by all the Remains we have left of them; and therefore are as good Arguments of the Truth of what I am proving, as the most Genuine unquestionable Writings of any other Author whatsoever, viz. That the common Historical Facts related in the New Testament are true.

Which Point, I think, is proved by such a multitude and variety of Evidence, that I may take it for granted, That Jesus Christ who lived and was Crucified at Jerusalem, in the Reign of Tiberius Ce­sar, was the first Author of the Christian Religion; That the Characters, Sufferings and Pretences of Christ and his Apostles, and the Doctrines taught by them, were the same we find represented in the Books of the New Testament, and that the Christian Religion there delivered, was [Page 140] propagated through the World, and those Books writ, according to the Time, Man­ner, and Circumstances there mention­ed, between the middle of Tiberius, and the beginning of Trajan's Reign; and consequently that the Christian Faith, as to the principal Facts and Doctrines con­tain'd in the New Testament, was always the same, from the Time of Tiberius to the Council of Nice, and from thence to the present Age; the greatest part of the Scriptures having been always acknowledged to be the Genuine Works of those whose Names they bore, and to contain the un­alterable grounds of the Christian Reli­gion; and the Sum of what Christians were obliged to believe.

2. In the next place then, I am to prove that those extraordinary Facts Re­corded in the New Testament, which we call Miracles and Prophecies, were really true, according the Relation there given of them.

That they were constantly believed to be true by all Christians ever since the Time in which they are first said to happen, has already been proved; but [Page 141]whether their Faith was well grounded, or not, is now the Enquiry: That it was, I shall prove by shewing that the Miracles and Prophecies Recorded in the New Testament, are related and attested in such a manner, that the Truth of them cannot possibly be called in que­stion.

But that the strength and validity of what I have to say upon this Head, may be better, and more clearly per­ceived, I think fit, by way of Intro­duction, to shew,

First, What I mean by Miracles and Prophecies; and,

Secondly, What kind of Evidence these Facts are capable of, and which way they are to be proved.

By Miracles, then, I would now be understood to mean only strange unusual Events, out of the common Road and Course of Things, which by all the Knowledge we have of Nature, we can­not tell how to bring to pass, nor ac­count for, when they have happened: And these are to be distinguished into such as are absolutely, at all Times [Page 142]strange, and not to be accounted for by what we know of the Power and Force of Nature, as the Resurrection of the Dead, &c. And such as are so only in consideration of some particular Circumstances; as healing the Sick, which is in it self no strange Thing, but only when 'tis done in a shorter Time than Medicines were ever known to operate, or without the assi­stance of any visible means, or the like.

By Prophecies, I here understand Rela­tions of such future Events, as have no perceivable connexion with the State of Things at the Time when they are ut­tered.

This is all I mean at present by Mira­cles and Prophecies; and every Body I am sure will allow me that there are a great many such Matters of Fact as these mention'd in the New Testament: How, and by what means they were done, whether they were Natural or Supernatural Effects; whether they were the Works of Art or Magick; whether God or Man, or some Good or Evil Spirit was the Autohr of them, is not my present business to enquire; that belongs to a­nother place: All that I have now un­dertaken to shew, is that they were some [Page 143]way or other really done, according to the Relation we have of them in the New Testament.

Now I know of no other way of proving this, but by the Number and Character of the Witnesses who attest the Truth of these Facts, and by the Na­ture and Circumstances of the Facts them­selves, according as they appear from the Account the Witnesses give of them. If the Witnesses are such, as we have no reason to think, could be deceived them­selves in what they relate, or would of­fer to impose upon others; and if the Facts are such as could not be represen­ted by the Witnesses otherwise than they were, without a certain discovery of the Falshood of their Relation, nothing more can be required to justifie our Belief of the Miracles and Prophecies Recorded in the New Testament.

This being premised, I shall endea­vour to shew that the Christian Miracles and Prophecies Recorded in the New Testament, have all the forementioned Characters of Truth belonging to them, and are therefore very reasonably and justly believed to be true; which is the [Page 144]Thing I have obliged my self to make good, and shall prosecute my Design in the following Method.

First, I shall consider the Miracles by themselves, and this according to the diffe­rent Periods in which they were done, and the different Persons they were done by.

Secondly, I shall consider the Prophe­cies apart according to the same distincti­on of Times and Persons, as I observe in treating of Miracles.

Thirdly, I shall make some general Reflections with Relation to the proof of the Christian Miracles and Prophecies taken altogether.

First, Then as to Miracles; 'tis very plain that a great many such Facts as these, that I call Miracles, are said to be done by Jesus Christ: This is every where asserted or supposed in the New Testament; and the Gospels give a very particular and circumstantial Account of several of them. 'Tis certain also, from the general Proofs before given of the History of the New Testament, that these Miracles were be­lieved by the first Christians, both by those that lived in Judea, and those that [Page 145]dwelt in other Countries; and the real Truth of them will as evidently appear, if we consider the Grounds and Reasons upon which they were at first believed.

The greatest part of the Miracles Re­corded of Christ, were done in the pre­sence of great Multitudes, at the most Publick Places in Judea, and at the most solemn Times of Meeting: Nay, he was so constantly imployed in Travelling and going about, and performing so many Signs and Wonders where-ever he came, and gave so many repeated instances of his Power in the same Places, that there were very few in that whole Country, who had not seen some of his mighty Works themselves; and therefore the sole Ground and Reason upon which the generality of the first Christians of Pa­lestine believed these Miracles, was the Testimony of their own Senses.

The Facts themselves were so level to their Capacities, and the manner of do­ing them was so open, and so easily and fully perceived, that they found no rea­son to distrust their Senses, and there­fore they readily concluded them to be true.

A great many of the first Believers of Christ's Miracles, had a further and more intimate perception of the Truth of them than the rest, viz. those upon whom some of the Miracles were wrought, or who were made to have a share in the Actions themselves: Such were all those that were healed or fed by Christ, that had Devils cast out of them, that had their secret Thoughts or private Actions revealed to them, &c.

Those who saw none of these mighty Works themselves, but believed upon the Testimony of others, were confirm'd in their Faith by an universal concurrence of all Persons their Curiosity or Concern disposed them to enquire of: For, as we read in the New Testament, all kinds of People believed the Miracles of Christ; not only those who reverenced his Per­son and Character, and imbraced his Doctrine, but even those who despised him and set him at nought, and reject­ed his Gospel.

The Scribes and Pharisees who were the most Powerful and most Zealous E­nemies of Christ and his Gospel, acknow­ledged his Miracles, but attributed them to Evil Spirits. Some of the Pharisees [Page 147]could not deny his wonderful Cure of a Blind Man, but would not allow that he was of God, because he kept not the Sab­bath-day; though others of them said, how can a Man that is a Sinner do such Mira­cles? None of the Jews, upon the strictest Examination, were able to disprove this or any other of his Miracles; but not­withstanding, they would not believe in Christ or embrace his Doctrine, because they were Moses's Disciples, and they knew that God spake unto Moses; but as for that Fellow who cured the Blind Man, they knew not from whence he was.

The Chief Priests and Elders never doubted of the mighty Works done by him, but only question'd his Authority in doing them. Among the Chief Rulers many believed on him, but did not confess him, lest they should have been put out of the Synagogue. His Country-men ac­knowledg'd that mighty Works were wrought by his hands, but were offended because so mean a Person did them, whose Birth, Relations and Education they knew. The Gergesenes were asto­nished at the wonderful Things he did, though they besought him to depart out of their Coasts: And the Devils confessed [Page 148]his Power before they were cast out, though he came to torment them before the time. A great many were convinced of the Truth of his Miracles, but did not hearken to what he taught, because none of the Rulers or Pharisees believed on him; and because they took him for a Galilean, and thought that no Prophet arose out of Galilee. Several would not believe on him, because they knew whence he was; and when Christ came, no Man they supposed knew from whence he was; though they were thus answered by others who be­lieved, when Christ cometh will he do more Miracles than these which this Man has done? Some were entirely satisfied of his Mira­culous Power, by being healed by him, as Nine of the Ten Lepers, and neverthe­less regarded him not. Abundance of People accompanied him where-ever he went, and were continual Witnesses of the Signs and Miracles done by him, and yet followed him not for the sake of them, but because they were fed by him. And many there were that believed in his Name when they saw the Miracles that he did; but Jesus did not commit himself to them, because he knew all Men. So that all these bore Testimony to the Truth [Page 149]of the greatest part of Christ's Mira­cles, as well as those who became his Disciples, and imbraced his Doctrine.

But other Miracles there are Recorded of Christ, which were done in the pre­sence of his Apostles and Disciples only, who already believed on him; some of which continually attended him, and o­thers of them were very frequently with him. Several of these Miracles were done in his Life-time; sometimes be­fore the whole Twelve, who are pecu­liarly Styled Apostles; sometimes before a Select Number of the Twelve; some­times before a promiscuous Company of his Apostles and Disciples together: After his Death, he appeared at several times to different Persons and different Com­panies; but his Resurrection, and what­ever he did or said during Forty Days Conversing upon Earth after he was ri­sen, his Ascension into Heaven, and Mission of the Holy Ghost, with many extraordinary Signs and Wonders, none were Witnesses of, but his own Disciples and Followers: and therefore the Truth of all these Miracles must prin­cipally depend upon the Credit of the Disciples of Christ that relate them.

Besides all these wonderful things im­mediately attributed to Christ himself, we meet with several others in the New Testa­ment, which are represented as done by some other Power, but are such as have a manifest relation to Christ, and are de­signed to confirm the truth of his Pre­tences: Such were the Appearance of Angels to Mary the Mother of Christ, Za­chariah the Father of John, and to the Shepherds; the appearance of a Star in the East to the Wise-Men; the Dumb­ness of Zachariah, and other Signs that attended the Birth of John and Christ; the Dove and Voice from Heaven at the Baptism of Christ; the Darkness, Earth­quake, Renting of the Vail of the Tem­ple, and Resurrection of dead Bodies at his Crucifixion. Several of these things could not be known immediately to the Evan­gelists that relate them, or to any other Di­sciples of Christ, but to those only whom they are told of, and upon their credit we must in a great measure rely for the truth of them; but several of them were very publick; and consequently the truth of these rests upon the Testimony of a great number of Witnesses besides those that relate them.

In this manner are the Miracles of Christ, and all the Wonders and Signs that ac­companied him, from his Conception to his Mission of the Holy Spirit upon his Apostles, Related and Attested in the New Testament.

But of the same Jesus Christ, who has so many wonderful things there reported of him, it is farther testified, that he con­ferred a power of working Miracles up­on a great many of his Followers, who believed in him; and that a great many Miracles were accordingly performed by their Hands. In his Life-time 'tis said, that he gave this Power to Twelve Apostles and Seventy Disciples, whom he sent out into all the Towns and Villages of Judea, with a Commission to Preach his Gospel, to cast out Devils, and to cure Diseases and they went about Preaching the Gospel, and Healing every where, and the Devils were subject to them through his Name. This we have their own Testimony for; and who­ever were Cured or Dispossessed by them, and all that saw what they did are so ma­ny more Witnesses of the Miracles they wrought, but none of the Particular Facts or Circumstances of them are men­tioned.

After the Ascension of Christ we read that the Twelve Apostles, being all with one accord in one place, received a larger power of working all kind of Miracles by the Mission of the Holy Ghost; who, accord­ing to the promise of Christ, was to be constantly with them, to guide and assist them in the whole course of their Mini­stry. This Power immediately shewed it self by their speaking in several diffe­rent Languages before unknown to them; the Witnesses of which Fact are not only these Apostles themselves, but a great many others that heard them; Parthians, and Elamites, and the Dwellers in Mesopota­mia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pon­tus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya, about Cyrene, and Strangers of Rome, Jews and Proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, who were amazed to hear Galileans speak in their Tougues the won­derful things of God. Those also confirm the truth of the Fact who foolishly impu­ted it to New Wine.

After this we read of a great many o­ther Miracles of different kinds perform­ed by several Apostles and Disciples, who received their Power immediately from Jesus Christ; and, by the account that is [Page 153]given us of them, we find that the particu­lar Facts were more numerous, more fre­quent, and more publick then those of their Master Christ himself. The time of Christ's Ministry was but Three Years or thereabouts, the Exercise and Manifesta­tion of his Power was confined to the Country of Palestine, and whatever mighty things he did, he did them in his own single Person: Whereas the Apostles and Disciples of Christ were a great many; all which were constantly imployed in Preaching the Gospel, and confirming it every where with Signs and Wonders, during the whole course of their several Lives; and they performed this Work with Diligence, not only in Judea and Sa­maria, but in divers other Cities and Countries throughout the whole Roman Empire.

By which Account it plainly appears, that most of the same Persons, who were Witnesses of those Miracles of Jesus Christ, were also Witnesses of those that were done by the Hands of his Apostles and Di­sciples; the truth of which was likewise owned and acknowledged by avast Multi­tude more, both of such as believed the Gos­pel, and of such as rejected and opposed it, [Page 154]and violently Persecuted the Teachers of it.

To omit the Testimony of true Be­lievers, thus it is Recorded concerning those upon whom the Gospel of Christ had no Power nor Influence: The Ru­lers, Elders, Scribes and High Priests a­mong the Jews, when they summoned Peter and John before them for curing a Lame Man, could not deny but that a no­table Miracle had been done by them, which was manifest to all them that dwelt at Je­rusalem. They were afterwards filled with Indignation, and took Counsel to slay them, because they could not restrain them from doing more Miracles in the Name of Christ; but they never questio­ned the Truth of the Facts. Stephen full of Faith and Power, did great Wonders and Miracles among the people; but he was ac­cused and condemned by the Council of the Jews, not for deceiving the People with false Miracles, but for speaking things against the Holy Place and the Law, for saying that Jesus should destroy that Place, and change the Customs which Moses delivered them; when at the same time it is said, that all that sat in the Council looking stedfastly on him, saw his Face as it [Page 155]had been the Face of an Angel: Neither had they any Thing to object against his Life or his Works. Simon, the Sor­cerer, to whom all the people in Samaria gave heed from the least to the greatest, looking upon him to be the great Power of God, was himself as well as those that were be­witched by him, Baptized by Philip, and believed when he beheld the Miracles and Signs that were done: But afterwards we find, by the wickedness of his heart, which he discovered to Peter, that he was an Ene­my to the true Doctrine of the Gospel. Elymas the Sorcerer, who was struck Blind by Paul, and yet not converted to the Faith, is another unwilling Wit­ness of the Power of the Apostles. The People of Lystra confirm the same Truth who took Paul and Barnabas for Gods in the likeness of Men, by reason of the Miracles they saw performed by them, and afterwards, by the Instigation of the Jews, stoned Paul. The Damsel possess'd with a Spirit of Divination, and her Ma­sters who saw the hope of their gains gone, by Paul's commanding the Spirit to come out of her, several Vagabond Jews Exor­cists, who took upon them to cast out Evil Spirits in the Name of Jesus, but [Page 156]suffered very much for the Impudence of their Pretences; and a great many other such like, were Witnesses of the Miracles of the Apostles, who by reason of some wicked or dishonourable Mo­tives rejected the Doctrine they taught; or profess'd to imbrace it upon ill De­signs; or, after they had received it made Shipwrack of the Faith: Great Complaints of all which sort of Men we find in the Epistles.

Thus are the Miracles of the first Apo­stles and Disciples of Christ declared and attested.

But moreover it is Recorded of them, that they had not only a Power of work­ing Miracles themselves, but that they were Authorized and Enabled by Christ and his Spirit to convey the like Power to others: And accordingly we find a great many Instances in the New Testament, where Miracles were wrought by private Christians, by Virtue of a Power they had received from the Apo­stles, which was conferred upon them by Prayer and Imposition of Hands: After which Actions of the Apostles they are immediately said to be filled with the [Page 157]Holy Ghost, and to have received the Gifts of the Spirit; which, according to the different exigencies of the Church, and the different qualifications of the Persons indued with them, were divers: And among these are reckoned the Gifts of Tongues and of Interpretation; the Gifts of Healing and of Miracles; which Gifts are said to be very common among the first Converts to Christianity, in all places where the Gospel was Preach'd; and the same is plainly implied by the fre­quent Rules and Cautions that are given by the Apostles concerning the due Exer­cise of them, and the fear and apprehen­sion they often express, lest the Chri­stians thus impowered, should, by co­veting one anothers Gifts, or being puft up with those they were severally pos­sessed of, neglect to apply themselves, as they ought to do, to the Edification of the Church of Christ.

This is the Scripture-Account of Mi­racles, and these were those wonderful Facts believed by the first Christians; their full assurance of the Truth of which was the chief Ground and Mo­tive [Page 158]of their imbracing the Gospel or Doctrine of Christ.

There were likewise other strange Matters of Fact called Prophecies, which were most surely believed among them, and which contributed very much to their re­ceiving the Gospel, and continuing in the Profession of Christianity without wavering; and these I shall consider in the same Way and Method I did Miracles. For there are several Prophecies Recorded in the New Testament as uttered by our Saviour himself, together with several other spoken with relation to him and fulfilled by him; o­thers there are mentioned as spoken by the Apostles and Disciples of Christ who had received the Power of Prophecy immedi­ately from him: 'Tis plain also from seve­ral Instances and Passages in the Sacred Writings, that the Spirit of Prophecy was conveyed by the first Apostles and Di­sciples to private Christians, and was very common among them.

The Prophecies spoken by our Saviour, were most of them delivered in private to his Disciples; some of which were not written till after the things happened, and the truth of these the Disciples are whol­ly answerable for; and some of them [Page 159]were Published in Writing before the things happened, and these might then, and may still be examined by the Cir­cumstances of them; others of them were spoken publickly and frequently before great Multitudes of People, as those about his Suffering and Resurrection, &c. and seve­ral, besides their being spoken openly, in the presence of many, were also spread abroad in Writing long before the Events actually happened, as particularly that remarkable one concerning the Destruction of Jerusalem.

Prophecies spoken of Christ in former times, with relation to his Person, Acti­ons, Sufferings and Doctrine, with the several Circumstances belonging to the whole Dispensation of his Gospel, are to be found written in the Books of the Old Testament, which were manifestly wrote long before his coming into the World, and are now Extant, and might then, and may still be compared with those E­vents related in the New, which are pre­tended to be completions of them: And some Prophecies there are concerning our Saviour, spoken by Holy Persons a little be­fore and after his Birth, and at his Presen­tation in the Temple, as also others con­cerning [Page 160] John his Forerunner; and all the Preaching of John was Prophetical of Christ.

The truth of all which Matters of Fact does not depend wholly upon the Credit of the Prophets themselves, but upon the Testimony of those also that heard them; and some of them were spoken before much Company; particularly what John said of Christ was very publick, and fre­quently repeated, and consequently there were great numbers of Witnesses of it.

The particular Prophecies of the first Apostles and Disciples, and other Christians, preserved in the New Testament, are but few, and most of the Events foretold, were so near the time of their Prediction, that we cannot certainly tell whether they were written before they were ful­filled; but some of them there were many Witnesses of, and consequently the truth of them does not depend wholly upon the credit of their Relation.

But what is frequently mentioned in the Scriptures of the New Testament concerning the Gift of Prophecy in the Church, (by which Expression is often signified an extraordi­nary Power of foretelling future Events as well as interpreting Scripture) is a plain Appeal to the Testimony of all Christans in [Page 161]general: For, according to the account there given, so many were indued with it, that 'twas an easy matter in any place where the Gospel was spread, to be sa­tisfied of the truth of the matter whe­ther there were any Christian Prophets or not.

Thus have I taken a short view of the Miracles and Prophecies Recorded in the New Testament, and shewn how they were all attested, and upon what grounds they were at first believed.

In the next place, I shall make some ge­neral Reflections upon the account here given, in order to evince the truth of these extraordinary Facts, and the reasonable­ness of those Grounds upon which the first Christians believed them.

It has been observed before, that when any Matters of Fact are attested by such Witnesses as cannot be imagined capable of being deceived themselves, or willing to de­ceive others, and the Facts related by them are such as could not possibly be represen­ted falsly without a certain discovery, no greater evidence can be required for the proof of them: And that the Miracles and Prophecies mentioned in the New Testa­ment [Page 162]are such kind of Facts, and so attested, will plainly appear from the following Considerations.

First of all 'tis certain, from the account before given, that Christ pretended to do a great many Miracles, and that vast Mul­titudes of People pretended to have seen a great many Miracles done by him, and to believe that what they saw was truly and really performed by his means; and some pretended further to have experienced the effects of this strange power in them­selves: From whence it evidently fol­lows, that all these Miracles so attested were true; because it was very easie for Christ to know whether he had such a Power as this or not, by an immediate Consciousness, and therefore he could not be deceived in pretending to what he had not; and the Sincerity, Innocence, and Integrity of his Life, the Disinterestedness, of all his Actions, the Humility and Up­rightness of his Carriage, and the many Troubles, Sufferings and Afflictions he was actually exposed to upon account of these Pretences, and which by his great Wisdom and Knowledge of Men he easily soresaw would happen to him; all these, I say, do sufficiently assure us that [Page 163]he would not offer to deceive others, by pre­tending to such Works which he knew he had not done, or could not do.

Then as to the Persons pretending to have seen, and, for that reason, to believe his Mi­racles, they could not be deceived; because the matters of Fact they are Witnesses of, are such as were the proper Objects of Sense, and were as easily, distinctly and fully perceivable, as any other the most common obvious Events dayly taken no­tice of; so that every one who had Ears to hear, and Eyes to see, was a capable Judge of what Christ said and did, and there wanted no great skill or capacity of un­derstanding to compare his Pretences with his Performances.

But those who felt the effects of this won­derful Power in themselves, had a more in­timate and more infallible preception of the truth of his Miracles, which gave them greater assurance of their not being deceived.

And when we consider the number of those who had all, at the same time, the same Preceptions, 'tis a further confirma­tion of the truth and reality of the Appea­rances; especially when we observed that a great many of these were possessed with [Page 164]violent Prejudices against the Person and Doctrine of Christ, and were unwilling to believe any thing that seemed any way to justifie his Pretences.

And as all these Witnesses of the Mi­racles of Christ, cannot possibly be ima­gined to have been mistaken themselves, in thinking they perceived what they did not really perceive; so neither was it possible for them to deceive others, by telling them such things were done in their pre­sence which they knew were not done: For, besides that 'tis utterly inconceivable how so great a Multitude of Persons of different Places, Degrees, and Opinions, as the first Witnesses of these Miracles were, should agree together to assert that they saw such Facts as were never done; and this constantly without any ones ever dis­covering the Cheat; besides this, I say the Characters of the Witnesses will not suffer us to think they could entertain a design of imposing upon the World; and the Manner and Circumstances of their first Declaration of their Belief of the Mira­cles, makes a Confederacy to deceive ut­terly impossible.

As to the Characters of the Witnesses, they were either such Persons as after [Page 165]they had seen, believed and imbraced the Gospel of Christ, or such as continued in the Religion they were before educated in, notwithstanding all the Miracles they saw: Most of the former sort were Per­sons of remarkable Probity and Integri­ty, and of great Simplicity of Life and Manners, who renounced all the Interests and Advantages of this present World, and exposed themselves to great variety of Troubles and Afflictions, for their con­stant profession of their Faith in Christ, and his Miracles; and it cannot be supposed of Persons of this Character, that they would invent, and industriously propagate what they knew to be false, if the agreement of so many in the same design had been possible: But, if so many People could be supposed capable of forming such a de­sign, and of putting on such a false Cha­racter for the better promoting of it, it is not imaginable that they should be able to continue their Plot, and preserve their Character so long as they did, with­out betraying themselves, when they lost and suffered so much for carrying on the Cheat, had no prospect of future success answerable to their present Sufferings, and might have been very well rewarded by [Page 166]the Enemies of Christianity for a seasonable Discovery.

But all the Witnesses of Christ's Mira­cles, who afterwards entertained his Gos­pel were not of the same Character with the former; some of them confessed him with their Mouth, but in their Works de­nied him; they acknowledged his Autho­rity, and admired his Doctrine; but be­ing led away by their Lusts, or distracted by the Cares of the World, they continued still in their Sins, and never lived up to those holy Rules he prescribed: These who never felt the power of the Christian Religion, could never be so concerned for the Interests of it, as constantly to vouch and maintain an unprofitable Lye in its defence; when 'tis very probable they might have had easier Consciences and better Fortunes for disproving the Pre­tences it was built upon: Others of them made Shipwrack of their Faith, and turn'd again unto those beggarly Elements or Idols they were freed from, neither can these be suspected of justifying what they knew to be false in behalf of a Religion they had forsaken: 'Tis more reasonable to suppose, had they been privy to any de­ceit, [Page 167]that they would have been very zealous in the discovery of it.

Then as to those who rejected the Autho­rity and Doctrine of Christ, and continued in the Religion they were at first Educa­ted in, notwithstanding all the Miracles they saw; who, as we find by the Hi­story of the Gospel, were frequently re­proached by Christ and his Apostles for their Infidelity, and obstinate adherence to the Religion and Traditions of their Fa­thers; the greatest part of whom, and those Persons of the greatest Dignity, Authority and Learning among them, made it their business to Persecute Christ and his Apostles, and all that professed the Christian Religion: 'Tis plainly as impos­sible to imagine that Persons of this Cha­racter should agree to own the truth of Christ's Miracles, which they knew to be false, as that honest sincere Christians who abhorred a Lye, and were throughly perswaded Eternal Misery was the certain Punishment of Lying, should conspire to deceive the World, by contriving, spread­ing, and continually supporting, what they were sure was the grossest Cheat imagi­nable.

But, without considering the Cha­racters of the Witnesses, the Manner and Circumstances in which they first gave Testimony to the truth of Christ's Mira­cles, makes a confederacy to deceive utterly impossible: For in many Instances of Publick Miracles in the New Testament, we find that, upon the sight of something done by Jesus Christ, the whole Multitude of Spectators immediately declared their Belief and Admiration by openly glori­fying God, or expressing their Wonder to one another: So that it plainly appeats from hence, that they were all severally convinced of the truth and wonderful­ness of what they saw before they could know one anothers Minds concerning it, and therefore the agreement of their Testimony could not be the effect of any antecedent concert among themselves.

Thus have I evidently proved the truth of the Publick Miracles of Jesus Christ; and whatever has been said upon this Sub­ject will hold with the same, or rather greater degrees of certainty, concerning the Publick Miracles of the first Apostles and Disciples of Christ, who received that Power immediately from their Master; and of all other Christian Believers to whom [Page 169]the same Gifts were conveyed by their Hands: For the Signs and Wonders Re­corded to have been done by any of them were as easily known and distinguished by vulgar Senses and Capacities as those of Christ; the Characters and Circumstances of the Witnesses, so far as concerns the credi­bility of their Testimony, was very near the same: But the number of those, who by an intimate consciousness of their own Power knew they performed such Works, of those who felt the Effects of this Mi­raculous Power in themselves, and of those who saw the External Signs and Ap­pearances of it in the Facts that were done, was very far greater than in the former Case; and the impossibility of a general agreement to deceive, more mani­fest here than there; and consequently the truth of all these Facts is as evident as that of the other before proved.

As to the more Private Miracles done by Jesus Christ himself in the presence of his Disciples only, and the Signs and Wonders imployed by some other Power for the manifestation of Christ to a few chosen Persons, we have these reasons to believe them true.

The Facts were of the same nature, and as easy to be known and discerned as the other before mentioned; the several Wit­nesses of these things which happen'd at several times, taken altogether, were a great many, which makes an agreement of them all to deceive, and a constant invincible Perseverance in a Cheat very difficult to imagine; the Characters of them, as far as appears from the History of the New Testament, were such as leave no room to suspect the Fidelity of their Relation; for they are all of them, the Apostles and first Disciples especially who are principally concern'd in the present Cause, represented as ho­nest, sincere, undesigning Persons, that feared God and loved Mankind; that were free from Pride and Vanity; and were so far from seeking their own Interest or Ad­vancement in this World, that they were despised, and set at nought, and evilly intrea­ted whereever they came, and were, as to this Life, of all Men most miserable, for con­stantly asserting the truth of the Re­surrection and Ascention of Christ, and such other Facts now in question; all which they were as firmly perswaded of, as of any of the Publick Miracles of Jesus Crrist; and [Page 171]several of them they Preach'd up as more necessary and impottant to be believed.

Besides all this, many of these Mira­culous Facts, which were fully discovered only to a few, were accompanied with several Circumstances more publickly known, with which they have so near, and almost necessary a connexion, that 'tis very difficult to imagine these Circum­stances should be true, and not the prin­cipal Facts also; as will easily appear from the Instance of the Resurrection of Christ.

In the account of which wonderful Fact we find, that it was known to the Chief Priests and Pharisees among the Jews that Christ had said, while he was yet alive, after three Days I will rise again; for which reason they make Application to Pilate to secure his Sepulchre, that his Disciples might not come and steal him away by Night, and take occasion from thence to give out he was risen from the Dead. The Sepulchre was accordingly made sure by rolling a great Stone to the Door of it, by Sealing the Stone and setting a Watch: But 'tis further said that, at the time appointed and foretold for the rising of Christ, there was a great Earthquake, and that then the Angel of the [Page 172]Lord descended from Heaven, and rolled back the Stone from the Door of the Sepulchre, and sat upon it; that his Countenance was like Lightning and his Raiment White as Snow; that the Keepers saw all these things, and, for fear of the Angel, did shake and be­came as dead Men: Afterwards we read that some of the Watch came into the City and shewed unto the Chief Priests all the things that were done; that the Chief Priests when they were Assembled with the Elders, and had ta­ken Counsel, gave large Money to the Souldi­ers, to say, his Disciples came by Night and stole him away while they Slept; which the Souldiers accordingly did, upon their Pro­mise to perswade the Governour if it should come to his Ears, and secure them.

Now if all these Circumstances were true, for the truth of all which the Chief Priests, Pharisees and Elders, Pilate, and the Souldiers that watch'd the Sepulchre of Christ, are cited as Witnesses, then is it certain that the Body of Christ was re­moved out of the Sepulchre by an extra­ordinary Power, agreeable to his own Prediction: The belief of which will render all the after-Accounts of Christ ve­ry easie and probable, and the sincerity of the Witnesses that relate them will [Page 173]take away all manner of doubt concern­ing the truth of them.

Which Sincerity of the Witnesses is manifest, not only from the constant set­tled Character of the Men, but from a great many peculiar Circumstances in the Relation it self that is given of this great and wonderful Event: Such as were the Ignorance of the Disciples of Christ, who knew not the Scripture that he must rise again from the Dead; their Fear and Flight when he was taken; their Sorrow and Disconsolate Dispair of seeing Israel Redeemed by him after he was Dead, as they trusted before it should; their A­mazement and Astonishment, Terrour and Trembling when he appeared to any of them; the Trouble and Distrust some of them shewed upon his discovering himself to them; the suspence of others from believing by reason of their Joy and Wonder; the difficulty of believing and hardness of Heart in all of them, and parti­cularly in Thomas, (who believed not them that had seen him after he was ri­sen) till they were convinced by the Testimony of their own Senses: All which Passions are expressed in such a manner, as none but honest sincere Per­sons, [Page 174]who were throughly perswaded of the truth of things, were capable of ex­pressing.

Several other Circumstances might be alledged, and all of them further inlarg­ed upon, to confirm the truth of what I have advanced; and the like might be done in many other Facts besides that of the Resurrection, as may be plainly seen in the Gospel-account of them; but this single Instance is sufficient to shew that the truth uf the Private Miracles of Christ, is supported by the Publick Circumstances with which they were attended, as well as by the Characters of the Witnesses that related them.

But the greatest Confirmation of the Truth of all these Private Miracles of Christ, and the chief Ground upon which the first Christians believed them, was the Power of working New Miracles, which was so manifestly and remarkably upon all occasions exercised by the Relatours and Publishers of them. The Publick Miracles of Christ were such, and so well known and attested as made it very easie to believe he might do the like, or as great, or greater privately, in the presence of a few: And the publick Miracles of the [Page 175]Apostles and Disciples of Christ, took away all Suspicion of their forging privates ones done by their Master; that extraordina­ry Power they were indued with, being reckoned a certain Argument of the Di­vine Favour to them, and consequently of their extraordinary Piety and Holi­ness, which are Characters utterly in­consistent with all Falshood and Lying Pretences.

But, if notwithstanding this wonder­ful Power and Appearance of Divine Aid, they were Persons of a contra­ry Character, and otherwise assisted; then is it utterly inconceivable they should be so much concerned to invent and propagate, and so earnest to persuade all People to believe what only made for the Honour of another, at the same time they knew it to be false; when they might better have served their own ends, whatever they were, in concealing it from the World, if it had been true. For, whatever farther Designs they had, 'tis certain they intended to have their own Miracles believed in order to compass them; and they could not possibly hope to make People believe they work'd M [...] ­racles openly and publickly in their pre­sence, [Page 176]by vouching some done by ano­ther, which they themselves only were Witnesses of: The difficulty of believing these was likelier to lessen than increase the Credibility of their own, the uncon­tested certainty of which, was the chief Thing that made the other believed.

This is sufficient to establish the private Miracles of Christ.

Whatever Miracles are Recorded as done by the first Apostles and Disciples of Christ, or any other Christian Believers af­terwards privately in the presence of a few; the Characters and publick Miracles of the Persons that did them, are, to those who were not Witnesses of them, a sufficient Warrant for the Truth of their Relation, or of any other Account not contradicted by them: And those few, who were Witnesses, had a more Sensible Conviction themselves, and were a fur­ther security for the Truth of the Re­lation of them to others.

What hath been said of the Miracles, will hold in like manner of the Prophe­cies Recorded in the New Testament; only there is one Thing to be observed, which is peculiar to Prophecies, and which makes [Page 177]the proof of them somewhat different from that of Miracles; though, I think, in no respect less, but in some instances rather greater.

This peculiar Character of Prophecies is, that every Prophecy consists of two Parts; a Prediction and an Accomplishment, which are commonly at some distance from one another; from whence it hap­pens, that the same Persons who are Wit­nesses of the one, may not be so of the other, which seems to take off some­thing from the Credibility of the whole Fact, that often depending upon the Agreement of several Persons, who were at different times Witnesses to several parts of it: But then, on the other hand, if we consider the Prediction only, as well Attested and Recorded in Writing before the appointed time of its Accomplish­ment, a Prophecy will have this advantage of a Miracle, that more People may have read the Prediction in Writing than can possibly be Witnesses of a Miracle at the time when 'tis done, and consequently, there may be often-times more Witnesses of the Accomplishment of a Prophecy than of the Performance of a Miracle; forasmuch as things Prophesied of are [Page 178]commonly Events of such a nature as have a more fixt and continued Existence, and a much wider compass of Appearance than Mi­racles have: And besides this, for a Per­son acquainted with the Prediction, to be satisfied of the Accomplishment, 'tis sufficient to know such an Event is any ways come to pass, without knowing any thing of the Power by which it was done, or perceiving any thing extraordi­nary or unusual in the manner of its hap­pening.

Thus for Example, the Destruction of Jerusalem, and Extirpation of the Jewish Na­tion, were Events of a wider and more lasting Congizance than Healing a Sick, or Raising a Dead Man; and a Person who knew the former were foretold by read­ing the Prediction in Writing, might be more easily and certainly satisfied of the truth of their Accomplishment, than one who was not an actual Spectator of the other Facts, could be of the truth of them: For to be assured that that Pre­diction was fulfilled, and that therefore it was a true Prophecy 'twas enough to know that Jerusalem was Destroyed, and the Jewish People driven out of their Country, whatever way this came a­bout; [Page 179]but to know that such a Man was Well, or such another Alive, or that the one had been Sick, and the other to all appearance Dead, is not sufficient to con­vince a Man of the truth of the Miracle in either case; and a Person who did not see the Manner and Circumstances in which each of these Facts was done, can receive no assurance of them afterwards, but from the Testimony of others; be­cause there are no visible Remains and Footsteps of the Miracle left after the Action is over; whereas, in the other In­stance of Prophecy, the Event is constantly the same it was at first, and equally con­vincing at all times to every one that will take the pains to satisfie himself.

And further, if a considerable time intervene between the Prediction and the Accomplishment, and the Record of the Prediction was very publick before the thing happen'd, the Persons who live af­ter the Accomplishment, and so were im­mediate Witnesses of neither part of the Prophecy, may be more easily and fully satisfied of the truth of a particular Pro­phecy, than of a particular Miracle, they were not Witnesses of themselves; be­cause both the Prediction and the Accom­plishment [Page 180]being Common Facts, considered in themselves, without any relation to one another, are less liable to suspicion than unusual Events of a more surprising Nature, and the truth of the latter Fact being often certainly cognizable at any time of inquiry, there is so much time supposed between this Accomplishment and the former Prediction, that 'tis easie to find out whether that really happened out be­fore this, which is all that is required for the truth of the whole Prophecy; the ex­traordinary nature of which arises from the comparison of both together in order to know the reason of their Connexion, and not from any thing in the Facts them­selves severally considered, as it does in Miracles, where the Facts themselves are wonderful, without any consideration of the Causes or Occasions of them.

Thus are the first Christian Miracles and Prophecies related and attested: These are the Grounds and Reasons upon which they were believed; and this is the summ of all the Evidence that is brought for them; which is capable of being illustra­ted and confirm'd by a vast variety of particular Observations; but my intended [Page 181]Method not allowing me to make such Inlargments, I shall conclude the Proof I was upon with this General Reflexion.

From the account that is given in the New Testament of the Miracles and Pro­phecies there Recorded, and of the man­ner of Preaching the Gospel, and Conver­ting People to the Christian Religion, it plain­ly appears that the first and principal Motive upon which any Persons believed in Christ, and imbraced the Doctrine taught by him and his Apostles, was some Miracle they themselves were actual Wit­nesses of; for Miracles were then so common every where, that there was hardly any Christian, even among the Gentile Con­verts, for above Threescore Years after the Promulgation of the Gospel by Christ, but was himself a Witness of some Mi­racle wrought by others: So that, tho' they might be further confirm'd in the belief of what was taught them by the Characters of Christ and his Apostles; the Testimony of Jewish Christians, who, upon the several Persecutions in Jerusalem and all Judea, were scattered and dispersed a­mong the Gentiles of all Nations; and the Accomplishment of Prophecies written in the Books of the Old and New Testa­ment, [Page 182]which they knew to have been written before the Events happen'd; yet the first and chief ground of their assent to the Miracles and Doctrines of the Gospel was some Miraculous Power they had themselves been Witnesses of.

When therefore we consider the vast number of Converts that were made to Christianity in the first Age of the Go­spel, and consequently the vast Multi­tude of seeming Miracles that must have been continually wrought for their Con­version in all Places, together with the steady and invincible Perseverance of Christians in the Faith, notwithstanding all the variety of Sufferings they indured for believing, 'tis impossible to imagine there should be a whole Age of Delusion and Deceit; that there should be such a long continued train and series of meer empty Appearances, without any reality un­der them; which produced such real Ef­fects, as remain till this Day; and Effects of such an extraordinory nature, as in a very short time gave a new turn to the whole Scheme of Affairs in the most con­siderable part of the World.

Since therefore all the common Matters of Fact mentioned in the History of the [Page 183]Gospel, as we find it delivered in the New Testament, are true, as I have shewed be­fore; and consequently, that among the rest, that the Miracles Recorded in the New Testament were believed, according to the relation there given of them; it ne­cessarily follows from hence, that there were such Facts as those, in appearance at least, otherwise there could have been no ground for believing them in that manner as 'tis said they were believed; and if there were all those appearances of something done, I shall take it for granted, for the reason just before given, that there were so many true real Facts.

And if the Miracles are allowed to be real, the Prophecies must be so too, as be­ing freer from all suspicion of wrong ap­pearance.

3. The next step I am to make in the proof of the Christian History, is to shew, that what is said in the New Testament con­cerning Divine Assistance and Revelation, is true.

Now 'tis frequently and positively as­serted there, not only that such and such Signs and Wonders were wrought; such [Page 184] Prophecies uttered and fulfilled; and such Doctrines preach'd; but that all these things were performed by the immediate Power and Authority of God: This is e­very where acknowledg'd and insisted upon by Christ and his Apostles, and all that were concerned in the Work and Mi­nistry of the Gospel. What they constant­ly affirm of themselves is, that they were sent from God; that they were authorized and ordained by God to Preach the Gospel; that they were doing the Work of the Lord; that the Doctrine they taught and preached came from God; that they had it by Revela­tion; that God shewed them things to come; that they spake by the Spirit of God; that the Power they had was from God; and that God was with them, continually assisting them and revealing himself to them.

Whether the Matters of Fact were really so as they affirmed, we have no other ways of knowing but these two, their own Testimony, and the nature of the things said and done by them.

As to the Testimony of those who declare all these wonderful things of themselves; their Condition, Character and Sufferings have been considered already, and found to be such as are a sufficient warrant to [Page 185]secure us from any fear or suspicion of their designing to impose upon us: But be­cause they do not require us to believe their own Witness, but bid us examine their Works, and inquire of their Doctrine, in order to know whether they were of God or not, we will take the Method they have prescri­bed us; though I cannot but observe by the way, that the Appeal they make, and the Directions they give, for a care­ful examination of their Pretences, is a very good Argument of their Sincerity, and full assurance of the truth of what they pretended to.

But, waving all Observations of this kind, I will confine my self to the conside­ration of the nature of the things said and done by Christ and his Disciples; and shew that they were such as neither they themselves who said and did them, nor those that saw and heard them, nor any body else that is any other way convinced of the truth of the Appearances, could be deceived in thinking they proceeded wholly from God.

The Matters to be inquired into, fall under one of these Three Heads, viz. Mi­racles, Prophecies, and Doctrines; concern­ing which we will inquire first whether [Page 186]the Persons themselves, who appeared to be the immediate Authors of them, might not be infallibly satisfied, that, whatever of this kind they did or said was from God alone, and not at all from their own Power or Skill.

This is certainly and undeniably possible, that God may, if he so please, reveal and discover something to a Man, which he did not know before, and something, which, without such discovery he could not have known at all, or not at that time when he first perceived himself to know it. He that made us and gave us the capacity of Perception and Under­standing, may as easily, when and how­soever he thinks fit, put into our Minds such thoughts as our own Labour and In­dustry had not yet, or could not have supplied us with. There needs no fur­ther proof of this to him that believes a God.

And, if God can reveal any thing to Man, 'tis likewise as certain that that Man to whom such discovery is made, may be undeceivably convinced that the Revelation came from God. The same God, who gave him the faculty of difcerning be­twixt Truth and Falshood in his acquired [Page 187]knowledge, can enable him to distinguish as certainly betwixt his own Attainments and Divine Communications: He may judge that such a thing was revealed to him by God, with the same Satisfaction and Acquies­cence of Mind, and with the same im­possibility of entertaining a doubt, not­withstanding all his efforts and endea­vours to distrust himself, as he judges any other Proposition is true in which the connexion of the simplest and most known Ideas is irresistibly perceived.

Evidence of Perception is the only Standard of Truth in all Cases: And though several Men may have been deceived in thinking some things were revealed to them by God which were not so revealed; this is no more an Argument that a Man cannot be certain of any Revelation, than 'tis an Argument for Ʋniversal Scepticism that some Men have been mistaken in what they thought self-evident Propositions and Demonstrations.

But not to enter further into that dis­pute, which I shall have occasion to con­sider in another place; besides the cer­tainty that a Man may have that God has revealed himself to him, from immediate consciousness, his Faith may be confirm'd, [Page 188]if any degrees of Evidence can be sup­posed wanting, by External Signs and Characters. God may, if he please, give a Man such a strong conviction of his Power to do such and such wonderful things, that he may be intirely satisfied, without so much as a desire to make any tryal of his Talent; and he may like­wise manifest himself to him in such a manner as leaves some room for Doubts, but such as must needs yeild to further Proofs ordained by God for the removal of them.

Thus, for Instance, a Man that is strongly perswaded God has given him a Power of performing such and such ex­traordinary things, but has some little distrust of himself lest he should mistake the Delusions of his own Fancy for the Re­velations of God, when, upon trial, he finds that such things are really perform'd by his Hands, all his doubts vanish, and he is throughly confirm'd that both his Power and former Perswasion were from God.

This in general must be granted, that a Man may take such a certain estimate of his own Capacities, Powers and Attainments, that he may be infallibly sure that he [Page 189]could not do or know such a thing of himself without some other Assistance; that he did not know such a thing before such a time; that he did not know it then by the help of his Antecedent Knowledge; and that he did not do such a thing by any Power or Force of his own, or by any Skill or Knowledge of the manner how it was done.

That I cannot now Cure the Sick, nor Raise the Dead, nor Speak the Syriack and Arabick Tongues, nor tell when the Jews shall be settled in their own Country again, I am as sure, as 'tis possible for me to be, that I can think, or speak, or move: And if I should hereafter Cure the Sick, or Raise the Dead by the word of my Mouth, if I should speak the Sy­riack and Arabick Languages, with­out reading any Books writ in those Tongues, or hearing them spoke, or should foretel the exact time of the Restoration of the Jews, I should then be also fully satis­fied and assured that I did not perform such Works, as curing the Sick, and raising the Dead by any Power or Skill of my own; that I did not understand such Languages, or know any thing of such an Event before I spoke the one and fore­told [Page 190]the other; and that all the know­ledge I had acquired before that time, was not sufficient to make me understand those Languages, and that Event, with­out some further and more extraordinary Assistance, exceeding all my Power and Knowledge. If I am capable of know­ing any thing at all of my self, I cannot be mistaken in these things; and the same Experience every other Man is alike ca­pable of.

But supposing Christ (whom I consider now only as a Man) and his Apostles and Disciples, were all severally satisfied, by a certain consciousness of their own Power and Knowledge, that the Miracles they performed exceeded their Humane Power, and the Prophecies and Doctrines they de­livered could not be the Results and Pro­ducts of their antecedent Knowledge, how could they be assured that God was the sole Author of them all, and not some other Being of Superiour Order to Men? Why the very same way they were convinced that they themselves were not.

God who made them after such a man­ner that they could by immediate consci­ousness perceive that such a thing did not proceed from themselves, could enable [Page 191]them in like manner to judge that such a thing did proceed from God only, and not from any other Being.

'Tis true indeed there may be, and we have several reasons to believe there are other Beings, besides God, of a Superiour Nature to Man; who 'tis probable may, and do, by some invisible unperceivable way act upon the Mind of Man, as we are sure Men act upon one another by the means of External sensible Signs; but, if God so please, we may distinguish as truly and certainly betwixt the Revelations of God and the Suggestions of other Spirits, as we can betwixt the thoughts arising within us from our selves, and those raised in us by other Men upon occasion of External Signs. And though some may have mistaken the Suggestions of other Spirits for the Voice of God, there is no more reason from hence for those who have had true Revelations to doubt of the certainty of them, than there is for me to distrust the evidence of my own Perceptions, when I judge such Ideas were occasioned in me by the real Voice and Presence of other Men, because some have imagined they heard such and such Words spoke by such Persons, when these Ideas came from [Page 192]their own Minds only, without any Ex­ternal Occasions to execute them.

From all which it necessarily follows, that Christ and his Apostles might be infalli­bly convinced that the Signs and Wonders they wrought were done by the Power of God; that the knowledge of future Events was communicated to them by God; and that the Doctrines they preached were de­livered to them by God: All this, I say, they might be infallibly convinced of by an immediate Consciousness, not only of their own Disability to do and say such things of themselves, without the assistance of some higher Power; but of God's express Reve­lation of himself to them in all these In­stances.

Which sort of Evidence and Satisfacti­on, though it reaches no further than the Persons themselves who pretend to have re­ceived any Revelation from God, yet is it of great use for the Conviction of others, by making way for such Proofs as are proper to that end, and which will not have any Force at all without it.

For, except it be supposed that Divine Revelation is possible, and that the Person to whom the Revelation is made may be certain of it, 'tis in vain to perswade [Page 193]any Man that he is obliged to believe and do such and such things, because they were revealed by God: For, if Revela­tion be impossible, 'tis plainly absurd to make that a foundation either of Faith or Obedience; and, if Revelation be possible; but no Man can be certain when any thing is revealed to him, and when not; there can be no Arguments found to convince another of the truth of a Reve­lation, which the Person that pretends to it cannot be satisfied of himself.

But, both these things being proved, we are in the next place to examine how other People can be satisfied that God revealed himself to Christ and his Apostles.

Now 'tis plain by the Account before given, that they themselves might be intire­ly satisfied by the immediate assurance of their own Minds, that God had given them a Power of saying and doing such things, and had made such things actually pre­sent to their Minds as could proceed from him only, and from no other Being: But, except they communicated what was given and revealed to them by External Signs, 'tis very plain that the Revelation could not be known to, or concern any [Page 194]other but themselves; and therefore the only way that others have of knowing the truth of the Christian Revelation, is from the External Signs and Appearances by which it was communicated to them from those who first received it; which, as has been before observed, may be considered under the style of Miracles, Prophecies, and Doctrines: So that, if it can be proved that the Miracles, Prophe­cies, and Doctrines, Recorded in the New Testament, did proceed from God, this is sufficient to convince us that God has spoken to us by Christ and his Apostles; and that we are obliged to believe and obey the Christian Religion, as delivered to us by Divine Revelation and Autho­rity.

The proof I shall give of this great and concerning Point, shall consist of these three parts.

First, I will indeavour to shew, that Christ and his Apostles, considered as meer Men, unassisted by any higher Power, could not be the Authors of the Miracles, Prophecies, and Doctrines Recorded in the New Testament.

Secondly, I will make it appear, not only that God might be the Author of them, but that they have such certain Marks and Characters of Divinity upon them, that we cannot be mistaken in attributing them to God.

Thirdly, I will prove that 'tis very im­proper and absurd to ascribe these things to Evil Spirits.

First, Then I am to shew, that Christ and his Apostles, could not by any Humane Skill or Power be the Authors of those wonderful things said and done by their Ministry.

'Tis said of Christ, that he spake as ne­ver Man spake; and he says of himself, that he did those things among the Jews that Man never did; which he uses as an Ar­gument to prove their unbelief in him in­excusable: The plain meaning of both which Phrases here is, not only that no Man could of himself speak like Christ, or perform such things as he did, but that no Man had ever spake like him, or done what he did, however assisted by any other Power. This appears from several other [Page 196]Passages in the New Testament, and parti­cularly from Christ's own Argument a­gainst the Jews: For he knew that they believed in Moses and the Prophets, and were perswaded of the truth of all the Miracles Recorded in the Old Testament; and there­fore he did not think it sufficient for them to believe in him for the sake of his Works, though he had done what no Man, without Divine Assistance, was able to do, if he had not also done greater things than Moses, or any other Person Divinely assisted, had done before. So much was necessary to convince the Jews, and supersede a former Revelation; but for the truth of Revelation in general, both Christ and his Apostles seem to make this the only Test, that what they said and did exceeded the Power and Wisdom of Men; from whence they immediately concluded that therefore it was from God. If this then be the Standard we are to judge of Revelation by, 'twill be easily made out that neither the Miracles, Pro­phecies, nor Doctrines of the New Testament, could be from Men, and therefore that they came from God who assisted and revealed himself to those Men that appeared to be the Authors of them.

It has been observed already that a Man may take such a certain estimate of his own Capacities and Powers, and of his Present stock of Knowledge, as to be infallibly sure that he cannot do or know such and such things, either at all, or not after such a manner. And, if we know any thing certain of the nature of Man in general, we may confidently affirm that we are made and fashioned with such re­semblance to one another, that, notwith­standing the great variety and dispropor­tion of Faculties and Attainments ob­servable among us, a Man may be able, by what he knows of himself, so far to determine the Limits of Humane Force and Skill, as to be firmly assured such and such things cannot possibly lye with­in the reach and comprehension of meer Man, unassisted by any other Being.

Thus for Example, to use the former Instances, we are fully and intirely assured that no Man whatsoever, barely by his own Power, without the Assistance or Application of any other Being, can Cure the Sick, or Raise the Dead, or Speak a Language he knew nothing of just be­fore he spake it, or foretell such Events as that of the Restoration of the Jews.

We may likewise be as fully sure that Persons of such an Education and Course of [...] could not possibly, of themselves, by the force of their own Capacities and Acquisitions, conceive, speak, write or do such and such things, in such a parti­cular way and manner as we can suppose, or may actually find.

Whoever therefore believes the Mira­cles, Prophe [...]s and Doctrines of Christ, and his Apostles, according to the History given of them in the New Testament, must have this assurance, that if these Matters of Fact were so as they are there delivered, 'tis impossible that those Men should be the Authors of them, as I shall shew more particularly by considering them apart.

To begin with Prophecies, which have been always reckoned the most unexcep­tionable Testimonies of an Intelligence ex­ceeding Humane Knowledge: If the Books of the Old Testament were writ long before Christ came into the World; and all those Passages out of them, which we find applied to Christ, and the Dispensa­tion of the Gospel in the New Testament, [...] a designed relation to those Events they are there applied to; 'tis impossible [Page 199]to imagine that either the Prediction or Accomplishment of them was the effect of meer Humane Knowledge and Power.

Such a multitude and variety of surpriz­ing Events, never before heard of in the World, that had no manner of perceivable connexion with the state of things when they were foretold, nor indeed at any other time before they happened, could not, by any force of Humane Wisdom, be so particularly and circumstantially fore­known.

Neither can it be supposed that Christ made all those Relations in the Old Testament pass for Prophecies by an Arbitrary Ap­plication of them to such Events, as were in his own Power to bring about in such a manner, as he thought would bear the nearest resemblance to those accounts of things he found already written; for 'twas manifestly impossible for Christ to order and contrive the time, place and manner of his Birth, and all the other Circumstances which attended his com­ing into the World; and yet these things are as particularly and remarkably expres­sed in the Writings of the Old Testament, as any other matters whatsoever applied by Christ to himself; and as certainly [Page 200]believed by the Jews to belong to the Mes­siah, before the Pretensions of Jesus Christ were heard of, as any other Prophecies that were ever thought by them to con­cern him.

If the Prophecies cited out of the Scrip­tures of the Jews relating to the Death, Resurrection and Ascention of Christ, the Mission of the Holy Spirit, Propagation of the Gospel, Rejection of the Jews, and Destruction of Jerusalem, and the success and continuance of the Christian Religion among the Gentiles were allowed by the Jews of that time to belong to the Messiah, when Christ applied them to himself, then are they certain Arguments of a know­ledge in the Prophets who uttered them exceeding all Humane Sagacity and Fore­sight: But if none of the Jews under­stood them in that sence, or would grant the Passages referred to, to be Prophetical of any thing, then must the Application of them to such and such future Events by Christ be reckoned as new distinct Pro­phecies, uttered first by himself, and so they will be equal proofs of an extraordi­nary and more than Humane Knowledge in Christ; because the Events foretold were such as 'twas plainly impossible for [Page 201] Man to foresee or accomplish by his own Power.

For, not to mention the vast unlikeli­hood there was, according to all Humane Measures of Judging, that Jerusalem should be utterly destroyed, and the whole Nation of the Jews rooted out, so soon after the time it was foretold this should happen, and in that very manner in which the whole Fact stood described; not to insist upon all the amazing Difficul­ties that might be urged against the suc­cess of the Gospel, which render'd it, in all Humane Appearance, a thing impractica­ble that Christian Religion should so migh­tily and suddenly prevail and spread by such means and instruments as is foretold it should be propagated by: Waving, I say, all Reflexions of this nature that might be made, which are a great many, this must certainly be granted, that 'twas utterly impossible for Christ by any Hu­mane Skill or Wisdom to know that he should rise again, and ascend into Hea­ven, and that afterwards his Apostles should receive such Knowledge, Courage and Power, as to Preach his Gospel bold­ly, indure Afflictions patiently, confirm their Doctrine by many Signs and Won­ders, [Page 202]and Convert great Multitudes to the Christian Faith. And if it was impossible for him of himself to know all these things, it must be accounted much more impossible for him to effect and accom­plish them by his own Power.

But, if it be said that all these great and wonderful Events were really fore­told in the Old Testament, though so darkly and obscurely exprest, that no Man, be­fore Christ, understood the method and way of applying them right, whence had he the Art and Skill of Interpretation? This is as great a Mark and Character of an extraordinary and more than Humane Wisdom, as Prophesying it self would be: But then, besides this wonderful Skill of Interpreting, he must be allowed the Ta­lent of Prophesying too, by reason of several new Circumstances and Particulars rela­ting to those great Events, which are plainly and expresly mentioned by Christ, and cannot be deduced from any Passages of the Old Testament; as will easily ap­pear upon a Comparison of the several Predictions of Christ, and the ancient Pro­phecies of the same Events referred to by him: Which Particulars foretold by Christ himself, and others afterwards by [Page 203]some of his Disciples and Believers are most of them such as could not be foreseen by any Labour, Art, or Force of Humane Understanding; because they are such Mat­ters of Fact as before they did actually happen, no Man, without an over-ruling Conviction could possibly perswade him­self to believe would ever happen at all, much less to expect that others should believe they would upon his Testi­mony.

From hence it evidently appears that most of the Prophecies Recorded in the Old and New Testament relating to Christ, and his Gospel must be the results of some Higher Knowledge than that of Man, because they are such as cannot possibly be accounted meer lucky Conjectures, nor skilful Prognosticks grounded upon the ne­cessary connexion and dependance of Na­tural Causes and Effects; which are all the ways of foretelling things that Men are capable of.

'Tis true indeed some general common Events, may sometimes by a luckly turn of imagination be foretold; such as Life or Death, Peace or War, Prosperity or Adver­sity, and the like; and therefore had Christ spake no other Prophecies but such as these [Page 204]that Peter should be Crucified, and John should out live the rest of the Apostles; there might have been some ground to think them casual conjectural Predictions; though a great many true Predictions even of this nature, without one mistaken guess, could not with any colour of reason or probabili­ty have been attributed to chance.

Several other Events likewise there are, which by a skill in this or that part of Knowledge, and by an immediate infor­mation concerning several antecedent Circumstances may be foretold: Thus does an Astronomer foretel an Eclipse, a Physician the Death of some particular Person, a Politician a National Calamity or Advantage; and thus does a Wise Man understand how such a Person, whose Temper and Principles he is well acquain­ted with, will behave himself upon such an occasion; and many other the like In­stances might be given. But the Prophe­cies of Christ and other Ancient Prophets before him concerning the whole Dispen­sation of the Gospel could not possibly be meer Guesses and Conjectures; because the things foretold were, most of them, such as the Persons who foretold them had ne­ver seen or heard of any Instances of be­fore, [Page 205]and so could have nothing to lead or determine their thoughts that way: And if the Ideas of such Facts could be supposed to have entered their Minds, they could not have positively and confidently affirmed that those Facts would really happen, with­out thinking it probable that they might so happen; and 'tis impossible that any Men in their senses should look upon such Events as probable, which they had had no manner of experience of before, with­out a deep insight into the nature and reasons of things, by which they were enabled to see such a train and connexion of Causes as would very likely produce such Effects.

But this cannot be pretended in the case before us, for several reasons.

For first of all our Knowledge of Na­ture and the Causes of things, is so very scanty and imperfect, that hardly any thing was ever foreknown by Man with­out an antecedent experience of some­thing of the same kind or nature that had already happen'd: Some Eclipses were observed before any were foretold, such a complexion of Symptoms had actually proved fatal before it was known to be a certain cause or sign of approaching [Page 206]Death, and the like will hold in all other Instances of Humane Prediction, by virtue of any natural or acquired Knowledge.

Besides, in none of these cases can any particular Event be foreseen by the most certain comprehension of all the Causes producing it, without a true and particu­lar information concerning the punctual and determinate Existence of those Causes, and all the Circumstances requisite to make their Influence effectual. If a Man be never so well acquainted with the Motions and Revolutions of the Hea­venly Bodies, he cannot tell that an E­clipse will happen at such a time without knowing the particular position of the Bodies contributing to an Eclipse at that time; nor can a Physician, by all his skill in the frame and structure of Humane Bo­dies foretel that such a particular Man, whose Constitution and Circumstances of Health he knows nothing of, shall at such a determinate time dye or recover of such a Disease.

But, supposing a Man knew the whole Oeconomy of the Corporeal World, was acquainted with all the Laws of Motion, and saw the necessary dependance of all the Parts of Matter upon one another, he [Page 207]could not be enabled from hence to foretel such things which depended upon the free Resolutions and Determinations of Intellectual Beings; nor is it possible for us, by what we know of the Temper and Dispositions of all the Persons we converse with, to foretel what Men will Live, and what particular Actions will be done by them at a great distance from us. The connexion of all Humane Actions is nor discoverable from the clearest view we can have of Humane Nature, and all the Principles and Motives Men act upon.

Now for all these reasons, 'tis impossible that those great and wonderful Events foretold by Christ and the Ancient Prophets, which we find mentioned in the New Testament, could be foretold by any Hu­mane Skill or Learning, the same way that we have seen other natural Truths Pre­dicted.

For several of them, 'tis plain, were such as the Prophets had never seen or heard of any Instances of before: As for Example, that a Person should come down from Heaven to save Mankind from their Sins; that a Virgin should conceive & bear a Son, &c. And indeed all those Facts we call [...] ­raculous, may be referred to this Head; [...] [Page 208]tho' some of the same, or alike kind were known to have happen'd before, yet the Prophets, who knew and believed them, look'd upon them as exceeding all Humane Power and Cognizance, and therefore could not foresee the like by any ordina­ry Natural way of Knowledge, because they had never had any Experience of such things happening according to the ordina­ry course of Things.

Several of the Matters prophesied of, if they had depended upon certain necessary Causes, and that dependance had been very well known to the Prophets, yet they could not have been foretold by them, for want of knowing some parti­cular Circumstances, which must concurr to their Existence: Thus, for instance, supposing a Man was able, by his extra­ordinary Skill in Nature, to explain how a Virgin might conceive, or the Dead rise, the Lame be made to walk, and the Sick be cured; he could not by the means of this Know­lede, foretell that, at such a certain time hereafter, such Facts as these should hap­pen, because he could not understand whe ther the State and Disposition of Things, at that time, would certainly be such that those Facts must ensue.

But these Reasons chiefly concern corpo­real Agents: Whereas, besides the diffi­culties arising from hence, all the Prophe­cies we are concerned to defend could not be fulfilled, without the concurrence of an infinite variety of Humane Actions, which were not the Results of irresistible Motives when they were done; nor was the Ap­plication of any Motives for the doing of them, nor even the Existence of the Per­sons that did them, necessary.

That such a Person as Christ should at such a Time and Place be Born, depended upon Ten Thousand Millions of the most contingent Determinations Humane Na­ture was ever sensible of; which must all happen in sucha manner, betwixt the time of the Prophesy and the Completion, or else the Event had never been: And the like might be shewn in all the other Christian Facts, and Events, prophesied of.

All which is abundantly sufficient to prove, that the Prophecies mentioned in the New Testament, were not conceived and uttered by meer Men, without the assi­stance of some other Being, of greater Knowledge and Wisdom.

And the same likewise may easily be made out of the Miracles there Recorded; that they were such Works as Man alone, by his own Power could not perform.

For some of them were such, that the Persons who did them had never seen or heard of before; as casting out of Devils, speaking unknown Tongues, &c. How came it then into their Minds to think of them? And when they did think of them, how had they the Confidence to believe they could do them, and venture upon a try­al?

Most of those they had heard of before, were by them themselves believed to sur­pass Humane Skill, and to have been done by a Higher Power; and therefore they could have no Inducement, or Incourage­ment from thence, to try their own Abili­ties upon them; nay, further, any indea­vours of this kind were utterly incon­sistent with such a Belief as is here sup­posed.

The Skill or Art of doing any of them, in a natural way, was never pretended to before, and was never known to any other Persons; Whence therefore had these Men their great unheard of Skill? Raising the [Page 211]Dead, Curing all manner of Diseases, and several other things Recorded to have been done by Christ and his Apostles, have always been lookt upon as impossible to be effected by any Humane Art, or Appli­cation of the Powers and Vertues of Bo­dies to one another: And, not to men­tion those other Miracles of Christ, and his Apostles, which seem more above Hu­mane Power, it cannot be supposed, but among those vast promiscuous Mul­titudes of Blind, Lame, Sick and Maimed, that were cured by them, there must have been some, such as were then, and always before, and would be now, accounted Incurable by the help of any known Re­medies.

But, allowing that the secret force of Nature is very great; that the Powers of Natural Bodies, and their Operations up­on one another, are very strange and won­derful; and that we cannot conclude such or such Effects are impossible, because we have never seen the like before; that there may be Medicines proportioned to every Disease; and that there may be an Uni­versal Remedy for all found out, as seve­ral Learned Men have imagined: Allow­ing, I say, all this; and supposing fur­ther, [Page 212]that Christ and his Disciples were ac­quainted with all these mighty Secrets; yet, if the History of the Gospel be true, as we have proved before it is; the won­derful Cures they did, could not be brought about in a natural way, such as is here intimated; because 'tis plain, by the account we have of these Matters, that they never made use of any manner of Applications of other Bodies to the Per­sons Cured by them; (excepting one in the case of a Blind Man) and, if they had, whatever the Medicines were which they used, no body could have been Cured by them, in the manner Persons are said to be Cured in the New Testament.

The first is plain from all the several Relations there given of the Cures that were done; it being every where almost positively affirmed that Persons were Cured by Christ and his Disciples immediatly; most of them upon their speaking the Word, without any kind of operation or pro­cess, some of them by a Touch of their Gar­ment, and some by their Shadow passing over them. And however ignorant we may be in the Nature of Bodies, we com­prehend the whole Force and Power, and all the possible Vertues of a Word, a [Page 213] Tonch of a Garment, and a Humane Sha­dow.

But, if the most powerful Medicines the World affords had been applied, 'tis demonstrable from the Nature and Laws of Motion, and the constant Manner of O­peration, observed in all other Natural Works, that the Cures performed by Christ and his Disciples, could not have been wrought in an instant, nor in any short time without such violent Agitations in the Bodies Cured as would have ap­peared in strange External Marks; which must have been taken notice of by all the Beholders, and consequently some of them would have been mentioned in the Accounts that were written of the Facts; whereas we find no such things in all the History of the New Testament; unless perhaps one Case of a Blind Man be thought an Objection to what is here ad­vanced: But this Instance, which is made use of by some to prove that this, and all other Miracles were brought about the same way, by the Application of proper means, is a very good Argument to the contrary; for besides, that the means here used had no particular fitness in them for the End designed above any other what­soever, [Page 214]this was the slowest Cure we read of, and took up the longest time in doing.

And, if these Observations hold true, as to the Cures wrought by Christ and his Disciples, they are of much greater weight, with respect to several other of the Mi­racles done by them. If the Sick could not be Cured by a Word's speaking with­out the use of Remedies, How could the Dead be Raised without any other Application? If no Application could Cure the Sick in an instant, what Force or Power of Natural Bodies could Raise the Dead immediately? And to what secret Workings of Nature can we ascribe the power of speaking several Langua­ges, which the Speakers were utterly ig­norant o [...], immediately before they spoke them.

Neither is it to any purpose to urge, that the Relation of all these Miracles in the New Testament is impersect, and seve­ral Circumstances omitted; which, if they had been Recorded, would have enabled us to explain how the Facts might have been brought to pass in a Natural, ordenary Way: For, if that Ac­count we have of them, or those Circum­stances [Page 215]that are mentioned are true, 'tis impossible, by the addition of any other Circumstances whatsoever, to make the Events appear such as might be compas­sed by Human Power.

If several Persons, who were unknown to Christ, and whose Constitution and Case he had no antecedent knowledge of, were Cured by him, immediately upon his first view of them, as soon as he had spoke the Word, as 'tis plain they were from a­bundance of Instances in the Gospel's; if Lazarus came out of the Grave imme­diately upon Christ's calling of him; if the Centurion's Servant was healed the self same hour Christ spoke that it should be done, without his going to the House where he lay; and if the Apostles were enabled to speak several Languages, which, the Day before they spoke them they knew nothing of; which things are all positively asserted in the New Testa­ment, let us imagine what other Circum­stances we please, and suppose Christ and his Apostles, indued with all the Know­ledge and Power that any Man ever was, or could be Master of, 'tis impossible to give such an account of these Matters, consistent with that Relation we have of [Page 216]them in the New Testament, as can satisfie any Man they were Effected by Humane Skill and Power; as does evidently appear from the Reflections before laid down.

But, if it be further Objected, not­withstanding the Evidence before given, which plainly proves the contrary, that all these things we call Miracles would have happen'd according to the Esta­blish'd Course of Nature, at the time, and in the manner they did happen, whether Christ and his Apostles had used such pre­vious Signs as made them appear to be the Authors of them or not; and so all the Facts are to be ascribed to other natu­ral Causes, tho' they could not be Effected by Man; if this, I say, should be urged, and the supposition allowed, then must all the Miracles, with respect to the pre­tended Authors of them, be resolved in­to Prophecies, and that will amount to the same thing: For the foretelling all those wonderful Events Recorded in the New Testament, as done by Christ and his Disciples, will plainly appear, by what has been already said upon the Subject of Prophecies, to be as much above the Power and Skill of Man as the doing of them would be.

The vast number of Miracles done, the multitude of Persons concern'd in them, the publick Manner of doing them, and the Times and Places in which they were done, take off all imaginable suspi­cion of Confederacy, if the Natures of the Facts would have admitted it, as 'tis cer­tain they would not; and therefore I shall not suppose that Objection, and no­thing more can possibly be urged.

And as the Miracles and Prophecies, which concern the Christian Dispensation, did certainly proceed from some Higher Power and Knowledge than that of Men; so likewise did the Gospel it self; by which I mean that whole Scheme of Doctrine de­livered by Christ and his Apostles, as we find it contained in the Books of the New Testament.

'Tis allowed on all Hands, that there never was so Just and Noble a Draught of Morality as the Christian; so full and consistent a Scheme of Humane Duty; laid down in so plain and simple a Manner, without any Art or Ostentation; and press'd upon Mankind with so much Earnestness and Authority; without any visible Interest or Advantage of the [Page 218]Preachers and Writers; and without any Worldly Dignity or Title that made them Superiour to the lowest of those they Preach'd and Writ to.

It must be likewise confessed that the Grounds and Reasons upon which the Pra­ctise of this Morality is inforced, by the Preachers of it, are very New and Surpri­zing; that the things they require Men to believe, in order to render their Practice of the Duties injoyned them effectual, are very shocking and repugnant to the common Opinions and Prejudices of Mankind, but especially those of that time in which they were first Published; and that the very Language and Forms of Expression, in which the great Articles of the Christian Faith are delivered in the Scriptures, are very different from what­ever we find used upon any other Occa­sion.

Now, these Things being granted, I cannot possibly conceive how any Man should at once invent such a System of Morality as the Christian, so very different from all others known before, and so con­trary to all the Passions and reputed In­terests of Men; nor how he should take upon him to injoyn several Duties as ne­cessary, [Page 219]whichnone of the Learned in these Matters had judg'd so before; as bearing and forgiving Injuries, doing Good for Evil, and the like; should possitively affirm some Things as certain, which were doubted of till then, as the Resurrection of the Body, and a future state of Happiness and Misery, &c. should command every thing he said to be believed, or done, un­der the severest Penalties imaginable; and all this barely upon his own Word and Authority, without consulting any other Principles, or Rules of Action, which had before obtained, or giving any Reasons to prove his own, were better, and there­fore ought to be submitted to.

But, if any Man can be supposed to have invented all the Christian Morality himself; what force of Imagination, what turn or agitation of Thoughts, could have helpt him to conceive that Set of Notions which make up the whole Chri­stian Faith, in the way and manner they are joyned together in the New Testament? If they had entered into his Mind, what Reason or Motives could he have to be­lieve them? And, had he believed them himself, how could he expect to make others assent to the truth of them? How [Page 220]could he imagine that these Opinions would recommend his Morality to the World? Why should he think himself obliged to propagate them; to insist up­on them as necessary; to make the dan­ger of disbelieving them as great, as ne­glecting the Duties of his Morality; and yet give no other Reason to the World for what he said, but his bare Say­ing it?

Besides, were all these Christian Do­ctrines, relating both to Faith and Pra­ctice, found out by meer Humane Sagacity; 'tis extreamly difficult to imagine, that neither the Contrivers, nor Publishers of them, should any where in their Preach­ing or Writing, arrogate any Thing to themselves upon this account; but should constantly renounce the Honour of the Discovery, and never betray any design of procuring to themselves Esteem, or any other Advantage of Life whatsoever, for obliging Mankind with so beneficial a Scheme of Things as the Gospel propo­ses.

And, to carry this Point yet farther; If it be so very hard to imagine how any Person whatsoever should frame such No­tions and Opinions to themselves, and af­terwards [Page 221]act upon such Motives, and ob­serve such a Conduct in the Publication of them; 'tis much more inconceivable how ignorant and unlearned Men, of very low Education, and constantly imployed in mean Affairs, should do all this: And 'tis particularly unaccountable how Jews should give such a Character and Repre­sentation of their Messiah, and his Office and Business in the World, so directly contrary to all the Opinions and Expecta­tions of that whole People; and upon that account so very unlikely to be entertain­ed or credited.

'Tis moreover impossible to conceive how so many Men, as were concern'd in the Preaching and Propagating Christiani­ty in several parts of the World, at the same time, should, before any thing was committed to Writing, all agree upon the same Set of Doctrines, use the same open, sincere, unartful Method of delivering them, and the same bold, authoritative way of inforcing them; and should all shew the same Courage and Resolution in maintaining the Truth of what they Preach'd, and in bearing all manner of Losses and Af­flictions for the sake of that Testimony: This, I say, is not to be conceived or [Page 222]accounted for, if they were not assisted by continual Revelations, and constant sup­plies of Spiritual Strength and Force, which proceeded from some more powerful and knowing Being than Man.

That they were all firmly persuaded they were thus assisted, is the least that can possibly be supposed; and how the inven­tion of the whole Christian Scheme, and the conduct of those that Publish'd and Preach'd it to the World, and Suffered for it, can be ascribed to Resvery and Enthusiasm (which must be the Case, if that Persuasion was ill grounded) is much more unintelligible; since, as has been proved before, these Effects are such as exceed the most im­proved Force, and most accomplish'd Wis­dom of Man.

'Tis certain then, from all that has been said, that the Miracles, Prophecies and Do­ctrines, contained in the New Testament could not be the Work and Contrivance of meer Man.

In the next place therefore, I am to prove that God was the Author of them all.

That God might, if he pleased, Reveal such Things to Men, by secret Impression [Page 223]upon their Minds, as they did not know before, and could not have found out of themselves, has been proved already; and therefore all the Prophecies mention­ed in the New Testament; all the Doctrines which peculiarly concern Christianity; the consciousness that Christ and his Apostles had, that they could do such Miracles as are Recorded of them; or a firm Persuasion that they would be done, upon their use of such external Signs; and several of the Miracles themselves, such as telling the private Thoughts and Actions of Men, speaking strange Languages, and the like, may all be accounted for this way.

And whoever believes a God, must like­wise grant, that 'twas possible for him to effect all the other Miracles, either by an ori­ginal Designation of such a chain and con­nexion of Events, or by an immediate in­terposition of his Power.

That it was not only possible, but very likely and probable, that God should reveal himself to Mankind in this manner, ap­pears from the common Opinion of Men in all Ages, that he had revealed something to the World, and their common Expecta­tion that he would manifest his Will to them in further Discoveries.

In all the Accounts of past Things we have left us, we find that every where what was Great or Good, was always ascribed to some Divine Power. Not to mention the Jews, whose Opinions in this respect, are sufficiently known and al­lowed; if any thing useful or beneficial to Mankind, was invented among the Heathens, the Gods had the Praise and Honour of the Discovery; if by Dreams or waking Suggestions, Men were put in mind of procuring themselves some Ad­vantage, or avoiding some Evil, the Gods were thank'd for it; many also were the absurd and the superstitious Opini­ons of the People, concerning the way and manner of the Gods discovering Things to them, by the means of exter­nal Signs; but this they were all most constantly and unanimously satisfied of, That their Religion came immediately from Heaven; and what we call Prophe­cies and Miracles were always esteemed proper Marks and Characters of Divine Power; especially if they any ways con­tributed to the happiness and welfare of Mankind.

This has been the constant Faith of the World at all Times; and so far as it con­cerns [Page 225] Divine Revelation in general, and the ways of conveying and confirming it by inward impressions upon the Mind, and by Prophecies and Miracles, I think, is very well grounded. For, first, That there has been such a Thing as Revelation in the World; and that there have been true Prophecies uttered, and true Miracles wrought to confirm it, seems to me very plain. For, not to insist upon that com­mon, but very true Observation, that all Pretences of this nature must be founded upon Realities, and that therefore it cannot be conceived how Revelations, Prophecies or Miracles should ever have been pretended to or believed, if there never had been any true ones of each kind; omitting, I say, this Reflection, it appears very un­accountable to me, upon a supposition that there never was any Revelation, how there could be any such Thing as Religi­on, Civil Government, or Learning in the World.

Learning certainly depends upon Go­vernment: When Men are not united to­gether in Society, and live securely un­der good Laws and Defences, no Im­provements of Knowledge are to be ex­pected; and I do not see how such a Union [Page 226]should be made without a good share of Religious Notions; nor how a loose divided Herd of Men, such as we must now sup­pose, living in a State of Want and Ig­norance, who are wholly imployed in providing themselves Necessaries, and securing what they have from others, and consequently who have but few Ideas, and no leisure or curiosity to get more; how, I say, such Men as these should be furnished with any Notions of Religion, or how they should be able to form a Re­gular Government and Constitution with­out, I cannot possibly imagine.

The present State of the Americans is an instance which confirms me in the Opinion I have laid down; for, I cannot help believing, that if this People should always continue divided from the rest of the World, and have no Commerce with other Men, nor any Revelation from God, they would constantly, as long as the World should indure, remain in the same stupid ignorant Condition we now find them in; or, if possible, worse, with­out any further improvement in Reli­gion, Policy or Learning.

This seems to me much more probable than that any Polite, Learned, and well-govern'd [Page 227]Nation, which once lived un­der the Advantages of Wise Laws and a Rational Religion, should in some few Ages become as Rude, Barbarous, and Ignorant as the present Americans; and yet this has been almost the Fate of ma­ny a Countrey, and would have been quite, if they had been deprived of the Assistance of better, and more inlightened Neighbours, as the poor Americans were.

And in general, from many Observa­tions 'tis evident, That Men are naturally so apt to degenerate, and fall into a State of Ignorance, Confusion, and Wildness, even till they become like the Beasts that perish, that all remains of natural Religion, seem purely owing to Tradition, and not to Study and Search; and if so, that Tradition must have had its Original from Revelation, the former set of Men being as unlikely to find out and culti­vate Religion of themselves, as the pre­sent.

So much is visibly owing to Revelation, That, had it not been for the Jewish and Christian Pretences, there had hardly been now any such Thing as Religion in the World, if we may judge what would have been in other Places, by what we [Page 228]find actually is in those Countries where the Jewish and Christian Revelation were ever heard of, or are now forgot. Nay, those obscure Notices of Religion we find among the Ancient and Modern Pa­gans, are, most of them, plainly derived from something contained in the Scrip­tures of the Old and New Testament.

And, as from these Observations con­cerning the general Opinion of Mankind about Revelation, and the different State and Condition of Humane Affairs where Revelation is supposed, and where none is pretended to, it appears very proba­ble, that there has been such a thing in the World; so likewise does it seem very a­greeable to the best and purest Notions our most improved Reason is now able to form concerning God, and our selves, and the Obligations we owe to him that God should reveal himself to us.

We cannot but think, however we came first by these Opinions, that 'tis highly suitable to the Nature of God, to give Men true Notions concerning himself; to acquaint them how and in what man­ner they ought to Obey and Worship him; and to direct them in the Know­ledge, and assist them in the Attainment of their Happiness.

We are very sensible of our own Ig­norance, Misery, and Impotence: We cannot by any Arguments of Reason find out how, or when we were made; what should be the occasion of that con­trariety of Principles and Inclinations we experience within us; why we should act contrary to what we our selves think our selves obliged to act, and be more disposed so to act, than otherwise; why we should be determined to pursue Hap­ness, and yet be Miserable; why the injoy­ment of several Pleasures we are inclined to, should be often attended with grea­ter degrees of Pain; and acting as our Reason approves and prescribes, should be oftentimes as prejudicial to our present Happiness; why we should look upon it as our Duty to serve God, and yet in se­veral Instances, indure more Trouble and Misery upon that account, than those who live in defiance of Religion; these are Things our Reason is puzled to ex­plain to us: And, if there should be a future State after this Life, as we have very good grounds to believe there is, how can we be sure our Religion or Pie­ty was acceptable to God? And, sup­posing our service was proper so far as it [Page 230]went, what assurance can we have, that the many constant violations of our Du­ty which our own Consciences accuse us of, may not render our small Ser­vice ineffectual? Besides, the Bounds and Limits of our Conduct and Behaviour, with regard to our selves, and one ano­ther, must be very uncertain and preca­rious, when we have no other Guide but our unassisted Reason; and no Man is obliged to submit to any other Judg­ment but his own; for in this Case, e­very Man, according to the difference of his Passions, Prejudices and Interests, must have a different Standard to regu­late his Actions by.

These are Things we are all sensible of now, and which, without allowing Revelation, we are not able to account for, or satisfie our selves about, notwith­standing all the improvements of Ratio­nal Knowledge we at present enjoy: And the expediency of being rightly in­form'd in all these Matters, is esteemed so great, that 'tis urg'd by some, as an Argument against the Truth of the Jewish and Christian Revelation, that they have not been Universal enough; it being look'd upon by the Objectors, as a Thing [Page 231]inconsistent with the Goodness of God, to suffer so great a part of the World, in all Ages, to live in a State of gross Igno­rance, Barbarity and Disorder, as An­cient History and Modern Experience in­form us of.

Since therefore we cannot but be sa­tisfied from Reflections upon our own Nature improved, and from Observa­tions upon the wretched State of a large part of Mankind who live in Ignorance, that the Difficulties which concern the Knowledge of Religion, are very great, that the Effects and Consequences of the want of Religion, are very Dismal and Calami­tous; and that Men in such a State of Igno­rance, as we find some whole Countries are, would very probably, never, by a­ny force of their own Faculties, with­out foreign Helps and Assistances, reach to that Knowledge of Natural Religion, that some Nations of the present Age are arrived to, which is manifestly owing to those Books they have among them, and which they look upon as communicated to them from God: Since we are fur­ther convinced, that Persons in such a State of Ignorance, as we now suppose, if they should be allowed to make some [Page 232]advances in the Knowledge of Natural Religion, could not, by meer Rea­son, without Revelation, proceed so far, as upon good grounds, to be fully assur­ed of the Truth and Obligation of what they knew, and the Advantages or Dan­gers that attended their Performance, or Transgression of the Rules they laid down; that they would never be able to explain any of the Difficulties before mentioned; and that, in a short Time, by the over-ruling prevalence of present Pleasures and Passions, working diffe­rently in different Men, they would re­lapse into their former State again: Up­on all these Accounts, it seems very expedient, that God should give Men a true and perfect Scheme of Religion, agree­able to the Reason, and fitted to all the Wants and Exigencies of Mankind.

However, I dare not venture to ar­gue that, because it appears so very expe­dient for us, and so suitable to the Na­ture of God, that there should be some Revelation made to the World; there­fore God has actually done it, because I cannot comprehend all the particular Reasons and Ends of God's acting with regard to Men here; nor what allowance [Page 233]he will be pleased to make in his Future Judgment upon them, in order to an o­ther State: But, if there be a Revelation pretended to, and I find, upon a strict Examination of it, that it has all the Marks and Characters of such a Revela­tion, as our Reason tells us Men wanted, and was very proper and becoming God to give, and such a one, as has been proved before, Man himself could not be the Author of, I must be convinced from hence that it came from God. And such a Revelation as this is the Christian.

There we find a very just and rational Account of the Nature and Attributes of God, of the Original Formation of the World, and particularly the Creation of Man, the change and alteration of his first Condition, and the unhappy Con­sequences of it; from thence we are ena­bled to explain these contrary Tenden­cies and Principles of Action we experi­ence in our selves, that unequal Compo­sition of Perfections and Weaknesses, Capacities and Wants we are sensible of, the Ignorance of which makes Man the most unaccountable part of the whole Universe; There we are acquainted with the most proper suitable way of Worship­ping [Page 234]and Serving God; There we have the truest draught of Morality, the best and most exalted Scheme of all the Du­ties which concern the Government of our selves, and our Behaviour to one ano­ther; By this Revelation we are assured, that the observance of Religious Duties in such a manner will be acceptable to God; all our Doubts about the Imper­fections of our Obedience are removed, and our Consciences intirely satisfied, a way being there shewed us how our Piety and Vertue may be rendred well pleasing to God, notwithstanding the many fail­ings they are accompanied with, the Wisdom and Kindness of which Expe­dient we cannot but acknowledge and admire; The same Revelation does like­wise fix and ascertain our Belief of a Fu­ture State, and proposes such Rewards and Punishments in another World as are proper and sufficient Motives to deter­mine us to the Practice of Religion in this, and gives us a satisfactory Explica­tion of all the present Inequalities of Providence in the conduct of Humane Affairs.

This is certainly a very rational Scheme of things, and very agreeable to all the [Page 235]Notions our Souls are able to frame of God; and therefore since it could not proceed from Man, as has already been shewn, we must ascribe it to God.

But moreover, besides the nature of the Things revealed, the Ways and Methods made use of to Communicate them to the World, and to Establish and Propagate the Belief of them among Men, are In­fallible Marks that the Revelation came from God. His Power and Wisdom are as Legible in this whole Dispensation, as in the Frame and Structure of the U­niverse, as will easily appear from a short view of the Progress and Conduct of this great Work of the Salvation of Man.

For, except the Hand of the Lord was in it, how came the Jews to have better and juster Notions of God, the Original of the World, and the Nature of Man than any other Nation under Heaven, when they had no manner of Learning among them, no gradual Improvements in Knowledge as we find other Countries had? How came the whole People to have these No­tions as well as the chief and most know­ing among them? In all the Periods of [Page 236]Learning among the Egyptians, Chaldeans, Greeks and Romans, the People were gene­rally Idolaters, and the Priests and Philo­sophers durst not propagate better Notions of God when they had found them out, tho' even their best had a ridiculous mix­ture of Fable and Superstition in them, How then came the People of the Jews to remain intirely free from Idolatry for so many Years, ever since they became a Nation? Or, if we believe their own Story, and they were as inclinable to Worship Idols, and imbrace absurd Opi­nions of God and Religion as any other Nation, How came they to recover them­selves again, and preserve the true Wor­ship of God among them? And how at last, when they were so wedded to the external form and manner of Worshipping the true God as to place all their Religion in it, to the neglect of Moral Duties, at a time when there was no other sort of Learning among them, how I say, came a perfecter Scheme of Morality and Religion to proceed from thence than from any other Quarter of the World; and such a Scheme as no body that professed it durst think of altering, adding to, or dimi­nishing, when no such respect was paid [Page 237]to any Philosophers Scheme by his own Sect or Party? To whom can we ascribe such a wonderful Preservation of true Religion but to God, who was able to bring Strength out of Weakness, and even of Stones to raise up Children unto A­braham.

If afterwards we consider by what parti­cular Hands this perfecter Scheme of Re­ligion was delivered to Mankind, and in what manner it was first Published and Preached to the World, here the Finger of God will plainly appear also. For all the Instruments and Ministers of this great Work were Persons of a low Rank and mean Occupations, Ignorant and Unlearned, and of no Reputation in the World, and their Preaching was plain and simple, without the enticing Words of Man's Eloquence; and yet, where-ever they came the Gospel prevailed, many were daily ad­ded to the Church, and, in a little time, they drew the whole World after them; this they did notwithstanding all the Opposi­tion that was made to them, by the Rea­sonings and Disputings of the Learned, and by the Force and Authority of Ma­gistrates and Men in Power; notwith­standing the Doctrine they Preached was [Page 238]everywhere spoken against, and the Preachers and Believers of it were everywhere Per­secuted and Afflicted with all the variety of Sufferings their Enemies could invent: And when we perceive it so ordered that the Foolish things of the World should Con­found the Wise, that the Weak and Base things of the World, and things which are despised, should Confound the things which are Mighty and in great Esteem, we cannot but ac­knowledge that God hath chosen them, and what is thus wonderful in our Eyes is the Lord's doing. Thus it became God Al­mighty to humble Men, and shew his Power in a way directly contrary to all the measures they would have imagined proper.

Was it not likewise every way worthy of God, and agreeable both to the Wisdom and Goodness of his Designs in giving Mankind a more perfect Model of Reli­gion than they were hitherto acquainted with, that he should convince them of the Beauty and Reasonableness, and in­courage them to the Practice of it, by ex­emplifying the whole Scheme in the Lives of the first Publishers and Preachers of this Religion? And where were such perfect Characters of Men ever heard of before, [Page 239]as those of Christ and his Apostles, and most of the first Christian Believers? What could more demonstrate the Force and Influence of the Christian Religion, and recommend it more Effectually to the World than this? As therefore the Know­ledge of a true and reasonable Service of God must be referred to him, so must likewise the power to will and to do, according to all those Rules and Measures he has been pleased to prescribe us.

But further, when such Doctrines as those of the Gospel which were Preached, Be­lieved, and Propagated in such a manner, and recommended by Persons of such Cha­racters, as is before specified, are con­firm'd by so many Prophecies and Miracles, and those of such kinds as we find menti­oned in the New Testament; it must be likewise allowed that God was the Author of all these Signs and Wonders. For, if it be possible, and sometimes expedient, for God to reveal something to Mankind, as has been already shewn, more infallible Tokens and Indications of himself he cannot give us, than such Prophecies, and such Miracles as those Recorded in the New Testament; no greater Instances of Know­ledge [Page 240]and Power, besides what appear in the Making and Governing the World, are conceivable by us; and what better deserved such an extraordinary and imme­diate Manifestation of these Attributes of God then the Gospel? To what nobler Ends could God imploy his Power than for the confirming and promoting the be­lief of such a just, reasonable, and bene­ficial Scheme of things as the Christian Religion?

But besides, these Prophecies and Mira­cles were not only certain Indications of Divine Revelation and Assistance in them­selves, and more undoubtedly so to us, for being made use of to confirm a Do­ctrine which deserved such Attestation; but they were also the properest and most suitable means that could be chosen for Establishing the belief of the Gospel, to which they were designed, and conse­quently must be imployed by God to that End: For, what was more becom­ing the Divine Wisdom, and what could be more effectual to convince Men of the truth of such future things as are Promised and Threatened in the Christian Religi­on, than by the Completion of Prophecies, spoken of at several distant Periods of [Page 241]time before the Events happen'd, to give them a sensible proof, that all things were manifest and open to the Eyes of God, and that a Thousand Years was to him but as One Day? And that the strangeness of the Christian Events relating to a Future State, upon the prospect of which the whole Religion is founded, might not shock the Faith of Mankind, what wiser and more convincing Method could be taken, than by various Instances of things actually done in their Presence, of as strange and surprizing a Nature as those foretold, and some of them of the very same kind, as the Resurrection of the Dead, Ascension into Heaven, &c. How, I say, could Men be better satisfied, than by such present Experience of the Divine Power that no­thing was impossible to God; and that there might be such things in a Future State, which Eye had not yet seen, nor Ear heard, nor had entered into the Heart of Man to conceive?

Thus have I proved in short, that the Prophecies, Miracles and Doctrines contain­ed in the New Testament, and consequent­ly the whole Christian Religion, which were before shewn to exceed all Humane Reach [Page 242]and Capacity, did certainly proceed from God.

After which proof the third thing pro­posed will be very easily made out, viz. that 'tis very improper and absurd to as­cribe these things to Evil Spirits.

All that we know of Good or Evil Spi­rits, without Revelation, is that there have been some Men unaccountably assisted by some invisible Power, to say and do certain things which they knew they could not have said or done without such Assistance; that, if what was said or done this way was serious and concerning, and seem'd to contribute any thing to the Good of Men, it was reckoned to pro­ceed from a Good Spirit appointed by the Supreme God for that End; if the things said or done were Trifling or Hurtful they were thought to come from Evil Spirits permitted by the Supreme God to Amuse or Punish Men; and that Sacri­fices and other Religious Rites were per­formed by the Persons particularly con­cern'd to express their Thanks to the One, or to appease the Other, these Good and Evil Spirits being esteemed as Gods of a Lower Order, who had different Offices assign'd them by the Supreme.

In the Scriptures of the Old and New Testa­ment, we have a more particular account of Good and Evil Spirits, the first occasion of their Distinction, and their different Of­fices and Imployments as such; and there we find that what was said or done by Angels, or Good Spirits, was by the express Order and Command of God, and is At­tributed to him in the same manner, as if it had proceeded immediately from him­self; and what was said or done by Devils or Evil Spirits, was by the Permission of God for the Trial or Punishment of Men.

The Power God suffered Evil Spirits to Exercise, and the Signs and Wonders he permitted them to do, in order to tempt Men from the Belief or Practice of those things he had injoined and com­manded them, were so easily distinguish­able from the positive express Manifestations of Divine Power, that any Man was justly to be Condemn'd for being deceived by them: For besides that Miracles done by the help of Evil Spirits, were, Pascal. as a Judicious Author well observes, always foretold, or outdone, or both, and consequently could never be of force e­nough to invalidate a Divine Revelation: [Page 244]Besides this, I say, the Works of the Devil, and the Doctrines of Devils, are so contra­ry to the Reason and truest Interests of Mankind, and so easily known to be so, especially when compared with the Do­ctrine of God and the Fruits of it, that no Miracles or Signs whatsoever can be sufficient to establish their Credit.

And therefore 'tis very absurd, and contrary to all that the Scriptures inform us of concerning Devils or Evil Spirits, to suppose that they should imploy all their Power and Cunning to promote a pure and holy Service of One God, and to destroy all the Pretences of Superstition and Idolatry: 'Tis contrary to all the Po­licy of the Kingdom of Darkness, as our Saviour argues, that it should be divided against it self, and that some Evil Spirits should disturb and oppose the rest, when they are all carrying on the same Work.

But neither Jews, Christians, or Heathens, ever entertained any such Notions of De­vils or Evil Spirits, as to make them the Authors of any thing that recommended and establish'd what they call'd Vertue in the World, or contributed to the Peace, Welfare, or Happiness of Mankind.

'Tis manifest then that such a Scheme, as we have seen the Christian Religion is, could not be Contrived, and Propagated through the World in such a manner by Evil Spirits; neither was it possible that the first Preachers and Professors of this Religion should derive their extraordi­nary Characters from the Possession and Influence of Devils. These are such No­torious Truths, that there is no need of further Inlargments upon this Head.

Thus have I finished what I undertook under my Second General, and by a full and direct Proof made it very Evident that all the principal Matters of Fact related in the New Testament are true.

III. I shall strengthen and confirm the same Truth by shewing the improbability and absurdity of a contrary Supposition, and the weakness of all the Difficulties and Ob­jections rais'd against the Scriptures, and the Matters contained in them; which is the third thing I proposed to make good, in order to my main Design, which is to establish a firm Belief of the Christian [Page 246]Religion, and all the Obligations of it.

It has been sufficiently proved already, that if all the common Matters of Fact re­lated in the New Testament, or only the principal of them, such as have been before mentioned are true, in the Manner and Circumstances there set down, it neces­sarily follows from hence that the Miracles and Prophecies there Recorded must be true also; and if the Miracles and Pro­phecies are true, they must certainly be the Effects of Divine Assistance and Reve­lation; and consequently, the Doctrines delivered by Persons so assisted must come from God: This, I say, has been fully made out beyond all possibility of a a reasonable Contradiction, and every thing that could be supposed, all the diffe­rent Accounts that could be given of these Matters, in order to invalidate the strength of the Inferences drawn from them, have been shewn to be false and groundless.

The next Pretence which the Enemies of Revealed Religion make use of in the behalf of Infidelity, is that the whole Bo­dy of the Scriptures of the New Testament are Forged and Suppositious, that all the principal Matters of Fact there Recorded, [Page 247]with all the Strange and New Doctrines built upon them, were purely the Inventions of Men; and that the Books were given out by the Contrivers of them, as containing the Revelations of God, in order to Establish their Credit and Authority in the World. This is the worst that the utmost Ma­lice of Scoffers and Unbelievers can sug­gest, but the Folly and unpresidented Absurdity of this Plea will easily appear upon a slight Examination of it.

For first, 'Tis very manifest from what has been said already, that it has been a constant and universal Tradition, in this part of the World, that most of the Books of the New Testament were written by those very Persons, whom we that are now called Christians pretend they were Written by, and that all of them were writ about the same time we now believe and affirm they were, and therefore there is the same reason to believe these Books to be true and genuine as any other of the same Standing and Antiquity, and, if we consider the importance of the Books, much greater.

In the next place 'tis certain, that in all the Accounts we have left us of the Hi­story of Christianity, it no where appears that any of the Ancient Adversaries of this Religion, either Jews or Heathens, Prophane or Revolting Christians, ever Ob­jected to the true Christian Believers, that the Books in which they pretended their Religion was contained were Forg'd and Supposititious, and consequently that their Faith was Vain and Ill-grounded: And if those who lived at and near the first rise of Christianity never made use of this Objection against it then, what strength can it have now, when urged by those who cannot well be more industri­ous Enemies of the Christian Religion, than their Unbelieving Predecessors were, and cannot possibly at this distance make out such a discovery as they pretend to, could we suppose the thing true and ne­ver detected before, by such as sought all occasions to lessen the Credit, and stop the growth of Christianity in every Age; which to me seems utterly inconceiva­ble.

I am likewise perswaded that no meer Man, by the strength of his own unassisted Ca­pacities, [Page 249]could have framed and contrived such a Book as the New Testament is. I cannot possibly prevail upon my self to believe that such Facts as are there Re­corded, such a Contexture of History, such a Scheme of Doctrines, such Characters of Men, and such a manner of Writing as we find throughout that Book, could be al­together the Issue and Result of Humane Sagacity alone.

But supposing it to be possible, that all these things might have enter'd into a Man's Mind; supposing likewise that notwithstanding the present appearance of Ʋniversal uncontradicted Tradition to the contrary, a Book now believed to be true, might some time or other have been in­vented without any ground for such a Work in the reality of things; allowing, I say, the possibility of these things, 'tis still upon many other Accounts manifest­ly absurd to imagine that the Writings of the New Testament, were the Work and Contrivance of Men, without a sufficient Foundation of true real Facts to support them.

This will more paticularly appear from these two Considerations.

1. That there is no End or Design ima­ginable sufficient to have determined the supposed Author of the New Testament to undertake such a Work.

2. That if the Principal Matters of Fact contained in the New Testament, both Common and Extraordinary, had not been true, 'twould have been utterly impossible that the Christian Religion should ever have been believed and propagated in the World, in the manner we find it is at present.

First then I am to prove that there is no End or Design imaginable sufficient to have determined the supposed Author of the New Testament to undertake such a Work.

All the Ends we can imagine the Au­thor of this Extraordinary Performance acted upon, must be either the Good of Mankind, his own particular Interest, or Reputation in the World, or purely the pleasure of deceiving, but none of these could have Influence enough to produce such a Work, and therefore we must ac­count for its Original some other way.

For first, it cannot be supposed that some Vertuous Good Man, who endeavour­ed, as far as he was able, to live up to those Rules we find delivered in the New Testament, should, out of pure Zeal for the Welfare and Interest of Mankind, Pub­lish such a Scheme of Living, as is there laid down, under the grossest form of Im­posture imaginable; it could never enter into the thoughts of such a Man as this, to recommend Simplicity, Truth and Inte­grity by the most solemn variety of Lyes and Falshoods that ever were invented: He that was concern'd to establish a Form of sound Words, who represents all man­ner of Lying, Deceit and Dissimulation as utterly inconsistent with that Model of Religion he was setting up, and who strictly forbids all Men to do Evil that Good might come of it; a Person, I say, of this Character, who was in earnest, and throughly perswaded of the truth of the Principles he recommended, cannot be imagined to have acted directly contrary to them himself, in order to have them Believed and Observed by others.

'Tis true indeed Fables and Parables have been often made use of as very [Page 252]proper and easie means of conveying good Instructions to Mankind; but the History of the New Testament is too Parti­cular and Circumstantial to be reckoned an Allegory, and therefore there is no occa­sion to prove it none; so that if the Princi­pal Matters of Fact Recorded in the New Testament are not true, according to the first obvious literal meaning of them, the whole Relation must be a downright For­gery, and consequently could not be the Work of an Honest Man invented by him merely for the good of Mankind.

The possibility of which Supposition can no ways be accounted for by the many Forged and Supposititious Writings, Published by some of the first Christians, in favour of that Religion; for, consi­dering only those which made for the Christian Religion in General, and may seem to have been contrived purely for the Propagation of it among such whose Con­dition was lookt upon as very Miserable, by reason of their Ignorance or Disbelief of Christianity; whatever of this Nature was Forged by any Christians was not really done upon any good Motive, but proceed­ed from too passionate a Concern for the Party they were of, and the Opinions [Page 253]they had undertook to defend: When the Enemies of their Religion stood out against all the true rational Proofs urged for it, an eager desire of convincing those they Disputed with, and doing Honour to their own Cause and Management of it, put them upon inventing such things as by the Temper or Concessions of their Adversaries were likelier to prevail with them. This I take to be the true Spring and Cause of most of those False and Spurious Writings which were designed for the advantage of the Christian Cause in General, the Forgeries that were contri­ved for the defence of some Particular Doctrine proceeding most commonly from a worse Original. But 'tis very evident, that the first Invention and Publication of the whole Christian Scheme could not be owing to the Influence of any such Prin­ciple or Motive as is before mentioned; and if it had, the Inventer and Publisher could not have been a Good Man, that was so Influenced, nor such a good Man as we suppose acted upon a pure disinter­ested Principle of Love to Mankind.

And if it should be further Objected, that 'tis very probable some honest well-meaning Christians were guilty of the like indirect [Page 254]Practices, as well as others, and that Purely out of Love and Compassion to Mankind for no other End and Design, but to bring over as many as they could to the belief of that Religion which they were per­swaded would make them happy; the Answer to this is very ready and obvious, viz. That these were very plain simple Men, as manifestly appears by those Circumstances whereby their Forgeries were discovered; their great Zeal for the Salvation of their Brethren was without Knowledge, and they were ignorant of the Nature and Power of that Religion they sought to Propagate, as imagining such well-intended Frauds allowable. But the Author of the New Testament, if the Work was wholly Humane, was certainly a wise knowing Man, his Forgery; if it was one, was so well laid and contrived, that no body has been yet able to find it out; and he cannot be thought to have been so ignorant of the Religion he made him­self, as to believe that to be lawful which he had expressly forbid; and therefore we may certainly conclude, that if the Scriptures of the New Testament were Forged, the Author of them was an Ill Man who acted upon some Private Mo­tive, [Page 255]and not out of a true generous Con­cern for the good of Mankind.

But what Principle or Motive can we imagine strong enough to have disposed an ill Man to frame such a Work? Not any Profit, Interest or Advantage that could accrue to him from it. He could not but foresee, that to impose a New Re­ligion upon the World, to change the Ancient Laws and Customs of Nations, to Condemn and Expose to Contempt, what the Wisest and most Powerful part of Mankind had in Veneration, to disturb Men in the Possession of Advan­tageous Errors and Prejudices, and to put a Restraint upon their most agreeable Passions and Inclinations: This, I say, he must needs foresee, would be an at­tempt too difficult to be manag'd with­out the most violent Opposition ima­ginable, and too great to be effected in his Days. 'Twas hardly possible, I think, for a Man of Common Sense, to perswade himself such a design as this should succeed at all; but much more inconceivable, that he should imagine Things should be carried on so smoothly and easily, that he should live to enjoy [Page 256]the Fruits of his Labour; and a future Re­ward in another Life, could have no ante­cedent Influence upon him, who is sup­posed to Invent the Notion, or at least, to inforce it upon others, without having any good Reason to believe it himself.

And as it must be acknowledged, 'twas very easie to foresee the many Troubles and Difficulties that would at­tend the Establishment of Christianity; so 'tis plain, that the Author of the New Testament, whoever he was, understood very well, what the Natural Consequen­ces of such an Attempt were, as appears by the large Representation he makes of the manifold Sufferings and Afflictions which befel all the first Publishers and Preachers of the Christian Religion, and those who embrac'd the Doctrines they taught.

It must be likewise confessed, That if any of those mentioned in the New Testa­ment, as concern'd in Publishing or Preach­ing what is there call'd the Gospel, did really Suffer such things as are there Writ­ten of them, for endeavouring to per­suade people to believe such Wonderful Facts and Doctrines as we now find Recorded in that Book, which some of them had before invented, and afterwards [Page 257]caused to be written, together with the Account of their own Sufferings: If this, I say, be supposed, then it must be grant­ed, That the Event was every way an­swerable to the Prospect which we have seen the Author of the Christian Scheme must have had before him when he was upon that Design; and which soever of these Persons we ascribe the Work to, we must be convinced, that he did, by no means, consult his own Interest in it.

But if some unknown Person was the Author of the New Testament, and the whole History of it is pure Fiction, as must be allowed in the Supposition we are at present concerned to disprove, then is it utterly impossible to find out what Advantage he could propose to himself by a Performance of this Nature. I can­not conceive, for the Reasons before gi­ven, that he should design any Interest of his own at all in it; and his being un­known, is no small Argument that the Advantages gained, whatever they were, were too inconsiderable a Recompence for such a noble, well-invented Scheme, as he has given us in the Scriptures of the New Testament.

'Twas not then for any Private Inte­rest or Advantage assignable by us, That any Person, who thought fit to conceal himself, could frame and contrive the New Testament; and much less can it be supposed, that a desire of Reputation put him upon such a Work, since he has ta­ken such effectual care to suppress his own Name, and attribute the Glory of his Invention to another.

Nothing therefore remains, but that we say 'twas purely the pleasure of deceiv­ing, which occasioned the writing that Book: But this is as unlikely and insuf­ficient a Cause of such an Effect, as any of the other before mentioned: For the secret Pleasure of deceiving, without the Reputation which is wont to attend an art­ful Deceiver, could never work so strong­ly, as to produce any thing of that excel­lent Skill and Contrivance in the making, and of such mighty tendency in the Consequences of it as the Christian Religion is.

Besides, when a Man acts for no other End, but to deceive, his De­signs can never be such as serve for the procuring and promoting the benefit of Mankind. The pleasure that an ill Man [Page 259]takes in deceiving, is always a malicious pleasure, which is raised and heightned by the prospect either of the Folly or Misery of the deceived. Had such an Impostor as this, contrived the Christian Religion, he would never have taken the pains to oblige the World with such a Rational Scheme of Life, as was never before exhibited, and could never since be mended; he would rather have chose to triumph over the Ignorance and Creduli­ty of Mankind by giving them false and pernicious Rules of Action, as well as mon­strous and improbable Articles of Belief; but those who considering the Christian Facts and Doctrines as meer Imposture, talk of them under that Style, are forced to allow, that the Christian Morality, whe­ther it be of Humane Invention, or Divine Revelation, is certainly the most perfect accomplish'd Piece that was ever declared to Mankind.

There is no other Motive imagin­able the Author of the New Testa­ment, if it be all a Forgery, could have acted upon; and the insufficiency of those alledged, has been already shewn, and might be further made to appear, if [Page 260]there were occasion for such an inlarge­ment; But the absurdity and impossibi­lity of the supposed Forgery, appearing more plainly from the following Head, I shall add but one Argument more for the Confirmation of what I have said ve­ry briefly upon this.

Now the Argument I shall insist upon, is this; That 'tis utterly inconceivable, that the supposed Author and Contriver of that Book, could have imagined that such a Scheme of Things, as we there find delivered, should ever come to be believed and established in the World; and without such a Thought and Per­swasion of this in the Author, we can ne­ver account for either the first Contri­vance or Publication of it. Whatever it was that determined him to frame the Christian Scheme; whatever End he pro­posed to himself from his Labour and Skill in making it, he must certainly de­sign that the whole Fiction should be believed by those it was communicated to; otherwise it was impossible for him to compass the End he aimed at: If there­fore 'tis certain, That the first Author and Publisher of the Christian Religion did de­sign and intend to have it believed; [Page 261]and if he was a Wise, Understanding Man, of great Reach and Sagacity, as the Enemies of his Religion allow, and is very evident from that Rational Draught of Morality the World is obliged to him for; then does it plainly follow, That Christianity is no Imposture, and that the Books of the New Testament are not Forged and Invented.

For how was't possible for a Wise Man to think, that such a Multitude of strange, unheard of Facts as are Recorded in the New Testament, and made the Foundation of the Christian Religion, should be believed without any manner of Proof, or Evidence, of the Truth of them? But if he did not distrust the cre­dibility of the Facts themselves, what could induce him to give such a particular circumstantial Relation of them, as sub­mitted them to every Bodies Enquiry and Examination, and made the disco­very of their Falshood easie and obvious? How could he perswade himself, that such New and Difficult Doctrines should be entertained, which no former Notions of Learning or Religion, prepared Men to receive, and which no Discovery or Revelation could make them fully com­prehend? [Page 262]And how was it possible for him to imagine, That such Doctrines and Facts as these, should set off and recom­mend his Morality to the World, which considered by it self, is granted to be un­exceptionable?

Had the principal Aim and Design of this supposed Impostor, been to establish the Christian Morality, he would rather have Published it alone, in the Name of some admired Prince or Philosopher; or have pretended, by some secret way of con­veyance, to have received it from Hea­ven. This, any Man of common Sense, would have judged a likelier Method of getting it believed, than the mixing and blending so many strange Facts and Do­ctrines amongst it, and laying the whole Work upon such a Foundation as he knew had no manner of Support from Reality.

And, on the other side, had it been his chief Intention to abuse the Credulity of Mankind, by making them believe so ma­ny strange and unaccountable Lyes, as are contained in the History and peculiar Doctrines of Christianity, if they are all False, he would have taken care to have made his Morality more easie and palata­ble, [Page 263]and more suited to the common Pre­judices and Inclinations of the generality of Mankind, that so the other parts of the Scheme might have been taken down readily, and without Examination, for the sake of this.

But taking the Christian Religion altoge­ther, as we now find it, 'tis not to be imagined, that a Wise Man should be­lieve he was able to bring People over to imbrace it, supposing it purely an In­vention of his own, which he knew had no Foundation in true Facts: And there­fore there could be no End or Motive suf­ficient to Influence him to contrive what he could not believe would ever be re­ceived so far, as to answer any End proposed.

But, supposing it possible that there should have been some Man, who was Wise enough to invent the whole Christian Scheme, as we now find it in the Scriptures of the New Testament, and who was at the same time so absurdly foolish, as to think it would be believed so far, as to recompence him for the pains of making, and the hazard of Publishing it: Sup­posing, I say, all this, which to me is perfectly unconceivable, yet the Books of [Page 264]the New Testament could not be forged: Because,

2. If the Principal Matters of Fact con­tained in the New Testament, both Com­mon and Extraordinary, had not been true, 'twould have been utterly impossible, that the Christian Religion should ever have been believed and propagated in the World, in the manner we find it is at present; which I shall endeavour to prove in the following Method.

That the Christian Religion, such as we find delivered in the Books of the New Testament, is at present own'd and profess'd in a great part of the World; and that, where-ever this Religion is profess'd, those Books are appeal'd to as the Rule and Standard of it, as to every thing therein contained, are Truths I shall take for granted.

It is likewise as evident, that there was a Time when there were no such Books, or Religion known or heard of.

The inquiry then will be when, and how, the Christian Religion came to be Esta­blish'd in the World? In answer to which, it must be allowed, that either the Books of the New Testament were written [Page 265]first, and the Christian Religion Propagated from them; or the Doctrines therein con­tained, were spread first by Preaching and Conversation, and afterwards com­mitted to Writing: But which soever of these Suppositions we take, the Publica­tion of the Christian History, and the Doctrines built upon it, cannot possibly be placed above the Times mentioned in the New Testament; because there are abun­dance of Names, and other Circumstances allowed to be true, which could not be known before without a Spirit of Pro­phecy, which Imposture has nothing to do with.

In the Account the New Testament gives of this Matter, the first Scene of the Im­posture, if the Christian Religion be ac­counted such, is laid at Jerusalem, in the time of Tiberius Cesar, and consequently the Period fix'd upon for first acquaint­ing the World with what is pretended to have happen'd then at Jerusalem must be at, or near that time, or at some distance since. Let us consider this great Event in all these different Periods, and see what the Success will be.

In the first place then, let us suppose the Christian Religion Invented and Published [Page 266]at Jerusalem in the Reign of Tiberius Cesar: 'Tis plain the way of Propagating the belief of it must have been by Writing or Preaching; if the Work was begun by Writing, it must be by some of the Go­spels, none of the other Books of the New Testament can be pretended to be then Written without Prophecy: But whe­ther it were by one or more of the Go­spels, or by Preaching the things contain­ed in them, 'twas absolutely impossible such a Scheme of Falshood should be belie­ved by those who by an Infallible Consci­ousness must know it to be so; or be spread, propagated and defended by those who did not believe it themselves, in places where every body was as capable and certain a Judge of the Cheat as they.

Was not there such a Man as Christ? Did he not, in all appearance maintain such a Character? Did he not pretend to such Discoveries, and Wonderful Works, and did he not really Suffer such things upon account of his Pretences, as we find Re­corded in those Books call'd the Gospels? All this must be granted in the present Supposition, which fixes the real Publi­cation of that Religion, we now profess, at the same date we find mentioned in the [Page 267] New Testament: And if it be allowed that these Facts were true, then does it certain­ly follow that all the Pretences of Christ were real, for otherwise they could never have been believed, as has been sufficiently proved already, and will more fully appear under another Head, where I shall shew the necessary Connexion betwixt the truth of the Common and the Extraordinary Facts mentioned in the New Testament. But if these Common Matters of Fact just now instanced in were false as well as the other, then must the whole Story be much more Ridiculous and Incredible.

If the Forgery be dated about Forty Years lower at some time near the De­struction of Jerusalem, then must we take in the Acts of the Apostles and the other Books of the New Testament into our Ac­count, which will render the difficulty of believing the Christian Religion much greater: For here we have abundance of New Matters of Fact to believe as strange as those in the Gospels, and as easie to be known and disproved, but vastly more Nu­merous, and more Publick, to the truth of which a great many more Cities and Na­tions are brought in as Witnesses, all which are supposed false and consequently [Page 268]could never obtain Credit in the World at that time.

If the Christian Religion was not heard of any where, till some time after the De­struction of Jerusalem, how could it possibly be then believed, when its chief Pretence was, that it had been Published, Believed, and Establisted in many places long before, which was palpably and notoriously false? Now that this must be the Pretence upon which the Christian Religion was first Founded, whatever Period we suppose, this Event happen'd in after the De­struction of Jerusalem, is very plain from the Nature of the Religion its self, and the Manner of its Publication, which are intirely built upon Matters of Fact; so that if the History of Christianity, or the Principal Matters of Fact contained in the New Testa­ment are false, the whole Religion must fall: And the Nature of those Facts 'tis built up­on is such, that 'tis imposible for any body to believe them at any distance from the time in which they are affirmed to hap­pen, if they were then first invented, when he is required to believe them.

For, let us fix the Period when we will, how can we imagine that the History con­tained in the Books of the New Testamen [Page 269]should be believed by those who are sup­posed to live after the Times of all the Transactions therein mention'd, and yet who had never before heard or read of any of them? Can it possibly be thought, that any People would change their Laws and Religion upon such a Story as this, without enquiring into the truth of it? And how could they be satisfied upon en­quiry when the supposition of an Im­posture makes all other Information, but that of the Publishers utterly impossible? And what reason could there be to believe him, who gives only a positive bare Rela­tion of Matter of Fact, done before his time, which he delivers without any pretence to Revelation himself, and with­out any Authority but his own to con­firm the truth of what he endeavours to impose upon the World? Would not these have been every Man's Questions? Why was not the Religion now offered to us imbraced when it was first prescrib­ed to Mankind, with all those wonderful Evidences of its Divine Original we are told of? Why were not those strange Facts believed by those that were the immediate Witnesses of them? If they were, and if the Christian Religion [Page 270]spread and increased upon the Credit of them (as is affirmed, and if the Miracles were true, must needs be allow'd) How came it to pass that neither We nor our Forefathers ever heard of these things, and that we have no History or Monu­ments of them remaining? How should such a New Religion as this, Establish'd upon the evidence of Sense, and Propa­gated by vast Multitudes of Professors, be quite lost and worn out of the memory of Men already? How came you that Publish it to be the only Person that could recover the Knowledge of it? What reason have you now to believe what has been laid aside by those, who, by being nearer the Original, were better Judges of the truth of it? And what Authori­ty have you to receive it, and enjoyn Mankind the belief of it? These were Questions which an Impostor could never give any Answer to; and without satis­faction in these Matters, so great and wise a part of Mankind as are now, and were formerly throughly perswaded of the truth of the Christian Religion could not voluntarily lay aside all their ancient Prejudices and Ingagements, and imbrace a New Religion, with all the dangerous [Page 271]Consequences that they knew must at­tend such a change.

It is therefore manifestly absurd, to suppose there ever were any Men Foolish and Impudent enough to Publish a false History of Matters of Fact, pretended to be done just before the Publication, and in the very Place where the Scene is laid, within the immediate Cogni­zance of all the People to whom the Relation is directed; and if there were any such Pretenders, 'tis impossible to think there should be any People so Stu­pid, as to believe they themselves saw and heard such Things as were never said or done among them, and this pure­ly upon the Information of others, with­out which they had remained intirely ig­norant of them; from whence it necessarily follows, that the Christian Scheme could not be Published at the Time 'tis dated at, if it were meer Forgery and Invention.

It is likewise very ridiculous and irra­tional to imagine, that a long series of Publick Notorious Facts, said to be done in the presence of great Multitudes of all sorts of Persons in different Coun­tries and Nations; the Consequences of which, are pretended to be very great [Page 272]and concerning to all Mankind; and which, by the Credit they had obtain­ed, and the Opposition that had been made to them, had occasioned mighty Changes and Alterations in the World: 'Tis very absurd, I say, to maintain that such Facts as these, which never happen'd at all, should at any distance, from the Time in which they are pretended to have happen'd, ever come to be gene­nerally believed, in, or near those Places they are appropriated to, barely upon the Authority of their Publication; when those that were supposed to believe them, can have no other Reason for their Faith but this, That some body had the confidence to Publish a strange, un­heard of Story: And if there be any absurdity in this supposition, 'tis impossi­ble the Christian Religion should have been first Promulg'd any time after the Period assign'd for its Publication in the New Testament; because it was impossible it should ever have been believed, as it now is, if it had.

A great deal more might be said to prove the Christian Religion no Imposture, and to expose the gross absurdity of such a Supposition; but I do not think it ne­cessary [Page 273]to inlarge upon this Point, both because I have, in a great measure, pre­vented my self in the direct Proofs I have before given of the Truth of the Christian Religion; which, with a different manner of Application, would serve the same purpose here; and because this is thought, by the Enemies of Christianity themselves, too weak a Post to defend, and is rarely insisted upon by them, any further than as Trick, Cheat, and Imposture are odious discre­diting Names, which serve to blacken the Cause they want Arguments to over­throw.

The chief strength of Modern Infidelity, or, as its Favourers and Professors de­light to call it, Deism, consists in a great many loose Objections, levelled against something or other in the Scriptures, without any certain aim, without any rela­tion to a Scheme or Hypothesis to account for all standing Appearances, and without any regular Deduction of Consequences from what is Objected, or Answer to contrary Proofs.

But, before I enter upon a particular Examination of these Objections, it is to [Page 274]be observed, that they are directed in­differently against any part of the Scri­ptures of the Old or New Testament; and therefore I shall think my self obliged to consider them only so far as they are made use of, or intended to lessen the certainty of Divine Revelation in General, or of the truth either of the Jewish or Christian Religion, both which we pre­tend, and undertake to maintain, did come from God.

I have not indeed given a particular Proof of the Jewish Revelation, because it is supposed in the Christian, and con­firmed by it; and therefore what proves the Latter must establish the Former: But if any Man will take a short view of the Jewish Revelation, as we find it de­livered in the Books of the Old Testament, and impartially consider the Nature, Vari­ety and Number of the Facts there Re­corded; the Relation and Connexion they have to one another; the Time and Man­ner in which they were Recorded; the Ways and Methods of preserving the me­mory of them; together with the Cha­racters and Circumstances of all the Persons concern'd in them; He will never be a­ble to doubt but the Principal Matters of [Page 275]Fact mentioned in the Old Testament were true; it being impossible to conceive they should have been Forged, either altogether or separately, since they are the Foundati­ons of all the Jewish Religion and Policy, and are of such a nature that we cannot suppose any time when the Forgery should begin without a discovery of it; which would appear more evidently if we applied all the Characters of Truth and Divinity, remarkable in the Christian Revelation to the Jewish; but such a Re­petition being altogether unnecessary in its self, and without the bounds of my Pre­sent Subject, I shall immediately pro­ceed to examine the Deist's Objections to Scripture and Revelation.

Now the summ of what they have to say, which has not been already particu­larly considered, tends to shew that the Miracles and Prophecies mentioned in the Scriptures (allowing the Accounts there given of the Facts to be true) are no Proofs of a Divine Revelation; and that there are a great many such Faults obser­vable in the other parts of Scripture as prove the whole to be a pure Humane Composure.

What they object against Miracles be­ing used as an Argument to prove a Doctrine Revealed from God is, that it De­rogates from the Nature and Perfection of God to work Miracles; and that the Re­gular Frame of the World, with a constant unalterable Connexion of Causes and Effects in it, gives us a truer and juster Idea of God, and is a better Argument of his Being, than any Extraordinary Interposi­tion of Providence, which alters and per­verts the course of Nature: To which I answer.

First, That I cannot see how it Derogates from God, to suppose his immediate Inter­position in some Cases, or how his working of Miracles is a perverting of the Course of Nature, any more than it Derogates from the Soul, or the Soul perverts the Course of Nature, when by a Thought it changes or stops the Motion of the Animal Spirits, which according to their usual course would have moved other­wise: When the Soul exercises this Power over the Body, the Sinews and Bones continue as they were, and so do the bulk and principal parts of Nature for all Miracles. God does not order Men to be born of Beasts, nor change Beasts [Page 277]into Men, nor create New Suns, nor annihilate any Systems of Matter to work Miracles; but by a Thought he separates or unites the insensible parts of Matter, he stops, retards, or quickens their Motion, or alters their Figures: This is God's common Method of work­ing Miracles.

But, in the next place, what if we should say that God did every thing by an imme­diate Will? What if we affirm'd that he often Created some Beings and Destroyed others, that he changed the Laws of Motion, and suspended the Effects of it? None of these ways of acting can Dero­gate from God, forasmuch as they can­not be proved, either to imply a Contra­diction in themselves, to be inconsistent with the Happiniss of God, or to be repugnant to the Goodness or Justice of his Dealings with his Intelligent Creatures. These are the true and only Measures of all the other Notions we frame of the Perfections of the Divine Nature: And therefore when we say God cannot act contrary to Nature, we must mean it in one of these Senses, either that he cannot act what is a Con­tradiction in it self, or what is contrary to his own Nature, or to the Nature he has [Page 278]given his Intelligent Creatures: But when any Changes or Alterations in Material Beings, consistent with the fore-mention'd Principles are said to be contrary to Nature, that is only a popular Expression which signifies that the course of things is diffe­rent from what it constantly appeared to us before: but no colour of reason can possibly be given either from the Proper­ties of Body, or the Constancy of Appearance, why such a change should not be made by God.

That Miracles are not, in their own Nature, a better proof of the Being of God, than the standing Frame and regular Order and Disposition of things is certain; but if the generality of Men are apt to forget God, notwithstanding they are sur­rounded with so many visible Evidences of his Being, Why is it not agreeable to the Wisdom and Goodness of God to raise and excite their Attention by new and surprizing Manifestations of his Power; the impression of which would be much livelier and stronger than those they re­ceived from a constant Repetition of the same appearances? But 'tis not to prove a God or Providence, or the first General Principles of Natural Religion, that Miracles [Page 279]are urged; these things are all so plain and easie, without such a confirmation, that they are altogether without excuse who do not believe them or act contrary to their belief; but when Men are lost and gone out of the way, and are become altoge­ther Corrupt; when through Blindness and Ignorance they know not how to serve God aright, and when those who use their en­deavours to do it can have no assurance of being accepted; if in compassion to this sad and distressed Estate of Mankind God is pleased to reveal himself to them, and acquaint them with a true and cer­tain way to Happiness, which they were not able to find out of themselves, what Perfections of God is it contrary to to make such a discovery to his Creatures? And how could he take a more effectual way to convince them of the truth of the Revelation than by Miracles, which are real Effects of Divine Power, and which Men are readily disposed to acknowledge as Infallible Signs and Indications of it? If these were the Works of God, and might certainly be known to be so, as has al­ready been proved in the former part of this Discourse, then were they very fit and proper Proofs that the Doctrine they [Page 280]were intended to comfirm came from God, though they were not brought about by an immediate Interposition, but were part of the General Scheme of Nature. And therefore, though it should be allowed to be a Derogation to God to make him the Author of those Works we call Mi­racles, by a present and immediate exercise of his Power; yet it can be no diminution to any of his Perfections to affirm, that ori­ginally at the beginning of the World, he ordered such Effects to proceed from the General Laws of Nature, at such a time, that they might be for Signs and Tokens to Mankind, that the Revelation which should then be given them came from him.

Another Objection made to the Argu­ment of Miracles is, that Miracles have been wrought by other Men, as well as Moses and Christ, and as great as those that were Recorded of them; from whence it is inferred, that the Doctrines they taught are never the truer for their Working Miracles: To which I An­swer, that the Matter of Fact is none of it sufficiently attested; a great deal or it manifestly false; and were it all true, [Page 281]the Inference drawn from it does not hold.

To make good this Charge, I shall instance in the Miracles attributed to Ves­pasian and Apollonius Tyanaeus, which have been particularly made use of by the Ene­mies of our Religion to lessen the Credit and Authority of it.

Of Vespasian it is Recorded, That he once cured two Blind Men; but the strange and wonderful Works of Apol­lonius, fill a Book writ on purpose to give an account of them. Now as to Vespasian's Cure of the Blind, 'tis but one single Miracle, and therefore is very un­justly compared with that Multitude of mighty Works that were wrought by the Hands of Christ; neither is it so well attested, but Reasons may be given why it should be false, notwithstanding the reality of all the appearing Circum­stances of it: Several Inducements might be alledged, that very probably disposed this Emperor to pretend to such a Mi­racle; 'tis very easie to conceive how his Design might be brought about in the Presence of a great many People without their discovering the Cheat; and, should any have found it out, 'tis [Page 282]very obvious to imagine why they did not Publish it: But nothing of all this would hold when applied to Christ, had he pretended to no more than the Cure of two Blind Men: A Man of his Cha­racter and Condition in the World, could not promise himself any Honour, Re­spect, or Advantage from such a Pre­tence; and should he have made this use of it, he would very probably have raised the Envy of all the People of the same Rank, and the Jealousie of his Superiors; upon these, and other Motives, as well as Natural Curiosity, a great many would have been very Industrious and Inquisi­tive in searching into the Truth of the Fact; and whom can we imagine so far concern'd for such a Pretender, as to be privy or assisting to his Cheat at the first, or to conceal his shame after they had found it out: But, supposing an Account could be given in one or two Instances, how 'twas possible for Christ to pretend to such Works as were never done; there are abundance still remaining upon Re­cord, that are manifestly incapable of such a Solution; which puts an unan­swerable difference betwixt the Miracles of Christ, and the Pretences of other Men.

As to the Story of Apollonius, the whole Credit of it depends upon the Testimony of one single Author, who lived too long after him to be a competent Witness of the Truth of what he Relates, and was too Credulous and Partial to be believed if he had lived at the same time with him. The strange unusual Things Related to have been done by this Apollonius, bear no Proportion to the Miracles of Christ, either as to the Number of the Facts and Persons concern'd in them; the Wonder­ful and Extraordinary Nature of them, the beneficial Design of them, or the pub­lick and hazardous Manner in which they were done; and a great many of these have been proved to be false upon exa­mination, from the manifest inconsisten­cies and contradictions in the Relation of them.

But supposing the Miracles attributed to Vespasian and Apollonius were true in Fact, what Reasons can we alledge, ei­ther from the Characters of the pretended Authors, the Ends and Designs they acted upon, the Consequences and Effects of the Pretences, or from any other Circumstan­ces of their Story, that the strange Things [Page 284]Recorded of them, were not done by the Ministry of Evil Spirits?

Let us suppose farther, That the Facts were not only real, but true and proper Miracles, performed by the express and immediate Assistance of God; What can be inferred from thence? Not that the Hea­then Religion was true; because these Miracles were not design'd or intended for a Confirmation of it: Not that the Christian Religion was purely Humane; because the whole End of Christ's work­ing Miracles was to prove that his Do­ctrine came from God. There may be se­veral Reasons given why it may please God sometimes to work Miracles indiffe­rently by the Hands of good or ill Men, Men of a true or false Religion; but it cannot possibly be supposed of God, that he should imploy Good Men, or concur with the Wicked, in working Miracles, in order to their deceiving Mankind, and establishing a Lye by such Evidence as cannot be disproved; and no Instance can be given where any one true Miracle was wrought by a Person that made use of it to prove any other Doctrine by, than what we have delivered in the Scriptures. By a true Miracle I mean such as is as well [Page 285]attested to have been done as those Re­corded in the Scriptures, and can no more be accounted for, without the Power of God, than they can; many of which I will allow to have been done upon other occa­sions, without any Application of them to the advantage of the Religion of those that performed them.

'Tis true indeed many Signs and Won­ders may have been wrought for the Confirmation of false Doctrines, and may have deceived many whom Simpli­city and Bigotry to the Cause they made for disposed to entertain them; but we have no Records of any such ill-intended Miracles left, which by the Nature, Cir­cumstances, Effects, or Attestation of them, can dispose a rational Man to ascribe them to God. And, whatever Pretences of this kind there may have been, 'tis a very good Argument that the World can distinguish betwixt the wonderful Works of God, and the little Feats of Men and Evil Spirits; That there are now no Opinions or Doctrines whatsoever re­maining, besides what are contained in the Jewish and Christian Revelations; nor any particular Explications of, or De­ductions from them, which were at first [Page 286]Believed and Propagated upon the Strength and Authority of strange and won­derful Facts publickly and really done for that end.

The next Intimation made use of to overthrow the Truth of the Scripture-Revelation concerns the Prophecies which make a great part of it: And this, as well as the first Objection against Miracles, is wholly new, the Invention of these lat­ter Days, wherein the Improvements of rational Knowledge have forced the Patrons of Irreligion upon new Absurdi­ties. Now the Argument, as far as 'tis capable of being expressed in such a form, is this, That the Prophecies of the Old Testament, upon which the Christian Reli­gion is principally built, proceeded from Impressions made upon the Imaginations of the Prophets; which Impressions were always agreeable to their several Tempers, Complexions and Opinions; from whence it must be inferr'd that such Visionary Scenes, and Figurative Expressions as these Prophecies are delivered in, could be attributed to God only in a popular way, as all other extraordinary and unusual E­vents were, and therefore cannot be [Page 287]made use of to prove a Divine Revelation, because they proceeded wholly from Na­tural Causes though unknown to us.

But, whatever of this nature is ad­vanced by Spinoza, or whatever Infe­rences are drawn from it by others, who apply it further than he durst openly assert, nothing can be concluded from his Account of Prophecy to the Prejudice of the Scripture-Revelation; were all his Observations upon this Subject true, as 'tis manifest to any one that reads the Bible, they are not. For supposing all he says upon this Head were true, viz. That the Prophets were Persons of livelier Ima­ginations than others, (as 'tis plain of some of them that they were not) That the Angry, Chearful or Melancholy Prophet always Prophesied things suitable to his particular Temper (as there are several In­stances to be given to the contrary) and that the Jews had a pious way of Attri­buting every thing strange or unusual to God, &c. What if all these things were so as Spinoza observes? The Knowledge which these Angry, Chearful, &c. Prophets, of lively Imaginations had of Future Things must be allowed to come from God, in a different manner from that whereby they [Page 288]received all their other Knowledge, as Spinoza himself plainly owns; and if it be so, 'tis a very good Argument that the Doctrines Preached by those Prophets were delivered to them by God also, in the same way that their Prophecies were; which is sufficient to inforce the Obligation of them upon us, whatever Natural Causes God was pleased to make use of in the Revelation; and that is all we contend for, or are concern'd to maintain.

This is all that either the Ancient or Modern Enemies of the Christian Religion had, or can have to object to the Miracles and Prophecies Recorded in the Bible; ex­cepting what has been already Answered in the direct proof that was given of the Truth of them.

The other parts of Scripture are charged with almost all the Faults which any Hu­mane Writing is capable of, viz.

Contradictions to Reason and Philo­sophy.

Contradictions of one part to another.

Mistakes as to the Authors of the Books, Connexion of the Parts, Chrono­logy, Geography, &c.

Ridiculous and Improbable Stories.

Absurd and Irrational Laws and In­junctions.

Trifling and Impertinent Reasons and Arguments.

Low and Unartful Language.

The Injustice of which Objections I shall shew very briefly, as sying very open and obvious.

As to Contradictions to Reason and Philo­sophy pretended to be in the Scriptures, no body has been acute enough yet, or sufficiently instructed in the true System of things to make good this Charge. We have lived to see several New Schemes, Hy­potheses and Theories of the World Con­futed and Exploded; but the Plainest, Simplest, and most Demonstrative Account of Nature that is now extant, is found to be the most agreeable to Scripture, and answers all the Ancient Blasphemies against Pro­vidence which were grounded upon false Hypotheses then in Reputation.

But, after all, the Scriptures were not written to teach us Philosophy: If this had been the Design of them, no doubt but we had had a truer Scheme of Knowledge than any Philosopher has been yet able to give us; but then 'tis certain we should have [Page 290]had much less Religion, if that and our Philosophy had been revealed to us together.

Had the Language of Scripture been every where adapted to the true Nature of Things, 'tis hard to conceive how it should ever have come to be believed. For, sup­posing these Notions to be true; That the Earth moves; That the Sun is a Hundred thousand times bigger than the Earth; That the Moon and the other Planets are inhabited; That Beasts are senseless Machines, and meer Clock-work, and the like: And supposing all the popular Expressions of Scripture con­cerning such Matters were changed, and suited to these Notions, would not all the Learned part of Mankind, who lived before these new Discoveries in Nature were made, have been apt to reject the whole Revelation as absurd, and unphi­losophical? But if some of the Learned had been so sensible of their Ignorance of Nature and the Power of God, as to make all the Prejudices of their Reason, Submit to their Faith, 'tis hardly possible to imagine how the People should ever have been induced to believe such Opi­nions as shock those Common Natural No­tions they have of Things, which come to them without teaching, and Opinions [Page 291]that will always seem to contradict their Senses. The greatest Evidence of Mira­cles would not be sufficient to convince the People of the Truth of such Notions as those before-mention'd; for though strange and wonderful Things which they actually and certainly perceive come to pass, may satisfie them, that as strange Things as these may happen hereafter; yet even such Signs and Wonders as these which they see, can hardly be supposed to con­vince them, that there are at present other strange Things which they do not see, and which they believe their Senses as ca­pable Judges of, as of those which they do see.

But whether the Scriptures were be­lieved in this Case by few or more, those who had not been disposed to like them, would have had greater, and more unan­swerable Objections to make to them from Reason and Philosophy, than our present Unbelievers have: How could a faithful Christian who lived before Copernicus and Des Cartes have defended the Philosophy of the Scriptures against such as rejected the forementioned Notions, and exposed them as ridiculous and absurd? The bare Authority of the Revelation without the [Page 292]Assistance of all our Modern Experiments and Observations, would have been less effectual to convince Gainsayers then, than it is now; because the Opinions contrary to the Doctrines of Scripture then would have been more easie and popular, than those contained in Scripture; and therefore if the Scripture Notions were not true, no Reason could be given why they should be there: For it could not then be said, as it is very justly and properly now in seve­ral Cases, that the Expressions of Scripture were suited to the common Notions of the People who were to read them: from whence it follows, that the appearing Fals­hood of the Opinions above-mentioned, if they had been found in Scripture, would have been a more puzling Objection to the Christians of former Times, than the allowed Falshood of the Common Vulgar Notions of Philosophy, which the Scrip­tures are at present charg'd with, can be to us.

And what we suppose of the Times be­fore Copernicus, would hold good of the present upon the like Tryal: For it is not to be contested, but there are a great many other true Notions in Philosophy hitherto unknown to us, which upon the [Page 293]first discovery, would appear as shocking, and contrary to all our former Know­ledge, as the Motion of the Earth, the Planetary Worlds, &c. did to our Prede­cessors; and were these delivered in our Bibles, as we have supposed the other to be, they would furnish as much matter of Cavil to our Modern, and all succeeding Scepticks, as those would have done to the Philosophers of former Ages, till further Experience had reconciled them to their Reason; which could never be expected in all Points: For, had every Thing the Scripture has occasion to mention, been expressed according to the true Philosophy of it, the whole Race of Mankind could never make Experiments and Observations enough to satisfie themselves of the Truth of all the Scripture-Notions, without the Authority of the Revelation, as long as the World indures.

But beside this general Defence of the Philosophy of Scripture, it may be said, that several seeming Contradictions to Reason, which the Enemies of our Religion have laid a great stress upon, have been prov­ed to be true and consistent by Learned Men, and some of them that were capa­ble of it, Mathema [...]ically demonstrated? As [Page 294]particularly the Capacity of Noah's Ark.

The same Thing may be answered to the next Objections made to Scripture, viz. That several Places which seem'd to con­tradict one another, have been plainly re­conciled, and several things which have been look'd upon as Mistakes, as to the Au­thors of the Books, Connexion of the Parts, Chronology, Geography, &c. have been clearly proved to be none, by those who have par­ticularly undertook the Examination of these Difficulties: And as to those Places which do not admit of such a Solution, all the Faults and Defects they are charged with, are wholly owing to the Tradition and way of Conveyance which was purely Humane, and were not in the Original Revelation which we say was Divine, and have proved to be so by many incontesta­ble Evidences.

Allowing therefore, that the Text of the Scriptures, like that of other Books, hath received some alterations by Time and variety of Copies; That some of the Rolls or Sheets of the Old Testament have been misplaced; that some Things have been inserted afterwards; Words and Sentences have been left out, Letters have been changed, and other Mistakes [Page 295]have been made by Transcribers: That some of the Books, or some parts of them are ascribed to wrong Authors; and that it has been much controverted, whether some of them should be admitted into the Canon: Should we, I say, allow all this, I do not see what use could be made of it, to the prejudice either of the Truth or Divinity of the Jewish and Christian Re­velations. For variety of Copies from whence all the alterations of the Text pro­ceed, are a very great Argument of the Sincerity and Importance of the Original, as being the best Preservative against all Corruption in the Substance and principal parts of it: And the Controverted Books only shew what care and faithful Exami­nation there was of every Book, before it was admitted into the Canon.

But, to give all the force and weight to these Objections which they can possi­bly have; should we reject all Controverted Books and Passages whatsoever, and should we establish any Reading we please where there is variety, only letting the authentick, undoubted Places be the Rule of Exposition to the doubtful (than which nothing can be more reasonable) in this Case I dare affirm, that not one Article of Faith or [Page 296] Rule of Practice, or any of the principal Facts our Religion is built upon, would be cut off, but might be as evidently proved from what remains uncontested as from the whole. It does not therefore follow from those Changes and Alterations that have crept into the Scriptures since they were deposited in the hands of Men to keep, or the Contests they have had a­bout the Authority of some parts of them, that what remains unaltered and uncon­tested, is not true and of Divine Original; because God has no where promised to exempt the Books, in which his Revela­tions to Man are preserved, from the ac­cidents common to other Books.

Nay further, should we allow what some have the confidence to assert, That the Sacred Writers themselves were liable to the same Mistakes as other Men are, in the Relation of Matters of Fact from [...] own Memories, or the Information of credible Witnesses; it cannot be concluded from hence, that any of the principal Facts which make a necessary part of our Reli­gion are false: Because these were all so very extraordinary and notorious, and so impossible to be believed, or pass'd by with­out Censure and Contradiction, if they [Page 297] could have been denied, that had the Authors of the Books of Scripture had no peculiar Assistance from God in the Composure of them, we can have no manner of Reason to disbelieve or question the Truth of any Thing of the Substance and principal Parts either of the History or Doctrine there deli­vered: For supposing those we call the Sa­cred Writers were not Divinely inspired (as we believe they were;) yet were they capable, and faithful Witnesses of what they writ; and did not this appear to us from their Way and Manner of Writing, and from the Testimony of others concerning them, yet are the Accounts they give us of such a Nature, and Writ at such Times, that 'tis impossible they should ever have been be­lieved, if they had not been true; from whence it follows, That the History of the Scriptures must be true, and the Doctrines they contain, given by Divine Inspiration, though the Persons that Recorded the wonderful Works and Revelations of God were not Divinely assisted in the same man­ner in the Writing, as they themselves, or others they write of, were in the first Preaching and Publishing the Will of God.

As to the remaining Objections to Scripture, viz. Ridiculous and Improbable Stories, absurd Laws and Injunctions, Im­pertinent Reasons and Arguments, low and unartful Expressions: All those will admit of one common Answer, and are easily and justly accountable for, from our Ig­norance of the Language in which the Scriptures, and especially those of the Old Testament were writ. Ancient Customs and Ʋsages in speaking and acting, and the Temper and Circumstances of the People where the Things were said and done.

The Wisdom of all Laws and Institutions, is to be judg'd of by the Temper and Circumstances of the Persons for whom they were made, particularly at the Time when they were made.

The Eloquence and Propriety at all Dis­courses, and the Force and Weight of Argu­ments depend likewise upon the Cha­racter of the Persons the Discourses were directed to, or intended for; and their peculiar Disposition and Circumstances at such and such Times.

Ridiculous and absurd are arbitrary and relative Terms, and vary according to the different Notions of the Persons that use [Page 299]them, there being several Things, which to some appear absurd and ludicrous, which considered by others in different Circum­stances, appear proper and grave.

From these Considerations, might all the particular Things objected under the forementioned Heads be answered, as a great many of them have been already, were we throughly instructed in those Matters which are absolutely necessary, in order to make any Judgment upon the Things in question, which at this distance from the first delivery of them, is in se­veral Cases impossible.

But in defect of such Information as is necessary to give a clear and particular Ac­count of all the Passages of Scripture excepted against by Prophane and Cavil­ling Men, 'tis sufficient to say in general what has been before unanswerably proved, that all the principal Matters of Fact Recorded in the Holy Writings, upon which the Certainty of the Revelation, and the Obligations of the Religion therein con­tained, are founded, are beyond all ex­ception true; for the Authority of these, will bear down and over-rule all other seeming difficulties that occur in Scripture, which are not manifestly inconsistent with [Page 300]the first Principles of our Knowledge up­on which all our Faith as well as Reason is grounded.

There are several Relations of Things, in the most approved Books, which I should not believe so readily if they were not supported by the Authority of the rest: But when I have unquestionable proof of the Veracity and Wisdom of the Writer in some things, I can easily believe other things which he says must be true and wise though they seem to me foolish and untrue. And therefore when I am certainly convinced, 'tis God that speaks, by Infallible Signs, and a great part of the Discourse appears to me worthy of God, I cannot doubt but all the rest must proceed from God, and be worthy of him, though it would not appear so without this support. Had the Bible came down to us with all the exceptionable Stories and Expressions put together, without the other parts of it, I could not have perceived it belonged to God, without many wonderful Signs to confirm it, and I should have been very distrustful of the Signs; but when I am throughly convinced of the Authority of a Testimony nothing but a downright Contra­diction would shock my Belief. Did Twelve Men of known Integrity to me, [Page 301]affirm they heard an Ass or Serpent Speak, or any such thing as is Recorded in Scri­ture, I should believe them without any manner of Scruple or Hesitation; and ac­cording to the Nature and Importance of what was said I should judge it proceeded either from the secret force of Nature, or from Evil Spirits, or from God.

If therefore we are satisfied by unde­niable Arguments, that the Substance and Principal parts of the Scripture-History are true, and consequently that the Bible is the Word of God; it necessarily follows, that all the questionable Places of it are capable of such a Solution as is very consistent with the Wisdom and Designs of God, and with all the Principles of our Reason, though we should not be able to give it: And indeed such Answers have been already made to several things which seemed most liable to Exception, that 'tis very easie to conceive how those that are yet unanswered might be Solved, were we furnished with all the Know­ledge requisite for such a Performance: But it has not pleased God to give us such Light, and it does not seem Repugnant to any thing in the Divine Nature to deny it us; and therefore the Difficulties of Scri­pture, [Page 302]as well as those of Natural Provi­dence, may be a proper Exercise of our Faith, but are a very unjust and unwar­rantable ground of Infidelity; since in both he has vouchsased us such plain and certain Manifestations of himself, as can­not be darkned by all that infinite abyss of Knowledge which is veiled and con­cealed from us.

I shall not therefore concern my self any further, to give a particular Answer to the many minute Objections that are made to Scripture; because if the Authority of the Holy Writings depended upon the Force or Invalidity of these Objections, in order to prove the Truth of those Writ­ings, every one of them must be distinct­ly and satisfactorily Answered; and that is plainly impossible, by reason that they cannot all receive their proper Solutions without a through insight into the whole compass of Humane Knowledge, which no Man, or Generation of Men, is capable of; and without such a Penetration into the Ways and Designs of God as is not attain­able but by Revelation.

But if it be urged that there are some particular Objections which do of themselves, without the assistance of any other Argu­ments, [Page 303]overthrow the Credit and Au­thority of the Scriptures, these having been never yet alledged, 'tis time enough to give an Answer to them when the whole Cause is put upon that Issue.

But, besides all this, a particular Answer to all or any Objections is a needless trouble, because the proof that has been given of the Christian Revelation is suffi­cient to Establish the Authority of it, not­withstanding any Objection that can be made to the Books of Scripture; which I shall endeavour more fully to make out under the next General Head of Dis­course.

IV. Forurthly then I shall shew the Sufficiency of such a Proof as has before been given by Matters of Fact, to induce us to believe the Christian Religion, and render us inexcusable if we do not.

Now the Matters of Fact I have under­took to prove, lying out of the reach of our own present Perceptions and Memories, and being not Communicated to us by Immediate Revelation from God, we can be informed and assured of the truth of them [Page 304]no other way than by Humane Testimony; the Connexion of present Appearances with former; and from the Nature of things either in General, or the Particular Facts in Question. If therefore it can be shewn that those Matters of Fact which make up the Christian History, and upon which the Christian Religion is Founded, are as well attested as any other distant Facts whatsoever; that there is as necessary a Connexion betwixt them and the present state of things in the World, as betwixt the present and any former Appearances; and that we have as much assurance both from the Nature of things in General, and these in Particular, that they are true, as we can have that any thing else is so at a distance from us: If, I say, it can be shewn that the Proof before given an­swers all these Characters, then does it evidently follow, that there is as much reason to believe the Christian Religion, as there can possibly be to be believe any Matters of Fact out of the Notice and Ob­servation of the Living; and that there are some such Matters of Fact as these, which deserve our assent to them, as well as any Truths concerning the real Nature of things, cannot be questioned.

1. First, Then as to Humane Testimony; What true Matters of Fact are there now believed in the World which are better attested than the Christian are? There is no History of former Times, now extant, confirm'd by such a Cloud of Witnesses, and there never were any Witnesses of such unquestionable Cha­racters.

We have a great many Authors now extant, who had themselves a Principal Concern in the Transactions they write of; They were all Persons of great Probity and Integrity, of a disinteressed, undesign­ing Simplicity of Manners, Men with­out Guile, and without Deceit; They were bred up in a different Religion from that they Recommended in their Writings; They were very much Preju­diced against the Pretences of their Master who came to instruct them in it; They were slow to believe the Account he gave of Himself and the Gospel he Preached; and the Meanness and Poverty of his Condition while he Lived, the Scandal of his Death, and the many Afflictions and Dangers his Disciples and Followers were exposed to after his [Page 306]Death, were very great Discouragements from imbracing his Doctrine.

The History these Persons acquaint us with, consists of such a multiplicity of Publick Notorious Facts, so easie to be known, so curious to be enquired into, and of such vast Consequence and Im­portance for all Persons to be rightly imform'd in, that every body might have disproved them if they had been False, and every body that did not believe them would have thought himself con­cern'd to have done it if he could.

After these first Christian Writers, we have a large Succession of other Authors, who Lived at different Times, during the space of Three Hundred Years, and in several distant Countries and Nations throughout the Roman Empire, who do una­nimously acquaint us, that Copies of those first Writers were carefully preserved in every Place; and who confirm their Characters, and the Truth of their Rela­tion; which they assure us were every where believed so firmly and heartily, that vast Multitudes of People, in all Places, forsook the Religion they had been bred up in, laid aside the old Laws [Page 307]and Customs they had lived by, restrain­ed the Inclinations, and denied the Ap­petites they had indulged, and conquered inveterate Prejudices and Aversions, in order to comply with the Doctrine and Institution of Christ, according as it was delivered in the Scriptures of the New Testament.

And in the same manner we are in­formed, that during these Three Hun­dred Years, all sorts of Christians were exposed to great Troubles, Losses and Sufferings, upon account of their Profes­sion; and that abundance of them indured various Tortures, and suffered Death and Reproach, for not renouncing their Faith; of which number were most of the Wri­ters of those Times, of whose Sincerity, Piety, and Diligent Enquiry into the Truth of the Christian History and Reve­lation, we have ample Testimonies re­maining: Several of them were likewise very Learned Men, of great Fame and Reputation for Philosophy, and who would not yeild to the Simplicity of the Gospel till over-ruled and bore down by the Irresistible Authority of Matters of Fact well proved and attested. All of them writ at such Times, and in such Places, [Page 308]when and where every body that read what they had writ, was as capable of imforming himself of the Truth and In­tegrity of the Christian Tradition as the Authors themselves were, there being a great many other Writers cited by them, and divers other Monuments and Records appealed to, which were then extant and publickly known.

It is moreover very remarkable, That, during this forementioned Term of 300 Years, while Christianity was new, and under Persecution, neither the Jews nor Heathens, those industrious Enemies and Opposers of the Gospel, who were every where mixt with the Christians, and were continually Disputing with them: This, I say, is a further confirmation of the Truth of the Christian Religion, that not one of all its Ancient Enemies, either Jew or Heathen, should ever deny or call in question the great and wonderful Facts 'twas built upon; but that several of them should corroborate the Christian Accounts by many Circumstances men­tion'd in their own Writings, as 'tis ma­nifest they have done.

Thus stands the first and earliest Proof of the Christian Religion from Humane [Page 309]Testimony; which is further confirmed by an innumerable and continually increa­sing Company of Writers, and the Con­stancy and Ʋniversality of Belief ever since, which, by reason of some Opposition or other, has been, in every Age almost examined over again, and stood the Test of the most Malicious Examination.

2. In the next place then, without con­sidering these Humane Authorities in parti­cular, let us examine what Connexion there is betwixt the present State of Christianity in the World, and the Ancient History of it.

That the Christian Religion is now own'd and professed in a great many Countries; that, where-ever the Christian Religion is believed, there the Scriptures of the New Testament are acknowledged also as the Rule and Standard of it; and that all the wonderful Facts therein Recorded, are believed by Christians to have really happen'd at the Times and Places there mentioned, are Matters of Fact which every Body may, by his own Observa­tion, find to be true, and I shall here take for granted.

This therefore being the present State of Things in the World, it necessarily follows from hence, That the Christian Religion had a Beginning: There was a Time when the Christian Religion was no where practised, nor any of those Facts, Recorded in the New Testament, believed. How then came it to pass, That any Body should Contrive and Publish such a Scheme as this? And how came any Body to believe it when Published, if it had not been true?

'Tis plain that the first Contrivers, Publishers, and Believers of the Christian Religion, whoever they were, must have been either Persons of no Religion at all before, or of a different one from the Christian; they must have been either Good Men or Ill Men, such as lived up to the Rules and Principles of the Christian Religion, or contrary to them: But which­soever of these Characters we suppose belong'd to the first Christians, I cannot possibly account for the Present State of Christianity, if the Principal Facts related in the New Testament were not true.

I cannot conceive that an Atheist, or a Wicked Man, that was bred up in different Notions of Religion, and whose Practice [Page 311]was contrary to the Christian Rules of Life, could invent such a Scheme as contra­dicted and condemned all his former Opinions and Practices, or would have been at the pains to do it if he could. And I can as little imagine that there was any Person before the appearance of Christia­nity in the World, who could, by the strength of his own Capacities, without any Divine Assistance, find out such a noble Plan and Model of Humane Life as that contained in the New Testament, and by the extraordinary force and good­ness of his own Disposition, live up to it himself before he recommended it to o­thers; and as impossible is it to suppose that such a good Man as this should throw off those contrary Sentiments and Im­pressions of Religion he had been brought up in, for being False and Ineffectual for the promoting a good Life; and at the same time forge a Set of the most unac­countable Lyes that were ever known, and make use of this Imposture to inforce the Belief and Practice of his new Prin­ciples, which are plainly and directly in­consistent with such Methods.

But could we suppose any Person ca­pable of framing such a Scheme as the [Page 312] [...], without the help of Re­velation for the Doctrines of it, or true History for the Facts 'tis built upon; What End or Motive could be imagined suffi­cient to determine him to do it? He could not propose any Profit or Advantage to himself from a Work which he knew would render all the Promoters of it liable to Reproaches, Troubles and Afflictions, and every thing that was hard and grievous in Life: For this, whoever Published the Christian Religion first, assures us was to be the Lot and Portion of those that imbraced it: This is one of the Prin­cipal Doctrines of the Gospel; where we are commanded to quit all we Possess; to renounce all the Pleasures and Enjoy­ments of the World; to expect Tribula­tion and Anguish, Ignominy and Death, and to suffer all manner of Persecution gladly for the sake of the Christian Pro­fession. How could a Man that made this a part of his Religion, and had foresight enough to know he should have occasion to practice it himself, think of advancing his Interest in the World by such an In­vention.

And how can we imagine any uncer­tain, doubtful Prospect of Future Re­putation [Page 313]after Death should be strong enough to bear him up against all the sure and sensible Discouragements he was to meet with while he Lived?

As this cannot well be imagined, so neither is it probable to believe, that the meer pleasure of deceiving should put a Man upon the contrivance of such a Scheme as was very unlikely to take, very hazardous to the Impostor, and very beneficial to all that were de­ceived.

It is moreover very unconceivable how any Man should think of advancing the present Interest and Welfare of Mankind by perswading them to believe all the Wonderful Facts and Extraordinary Doctrines of the Christian Religion, which have no manner of relation to it; and how he should come to be so mightily for their Happiness in a Future State, which he had no certainty of from Reve­lation: Neither is there any reason to be given why he should imagine the belief of those Facts and Doctrines neces­sary to their Happiness in a Future State, if he had been sure there was one; nor why he should pitch upon the grossest Forgeries imaginable, in order to pro­mote [Page 314]the practice of such Vertues among Men as are directly opposite to the means he used for this end.

We cannot therefore account for the contrivance of the Christian Religion from any End or Motive that was likely to put a Man upon such a Work, because it is very manifest from the whole Tenour of this Religion, that the Au­thor of it, if it had been an Imposture, could not have promised himself any kind of advantage from his Underta­king.

And upon further Enquiry and Exa­mination, it will appear, That if any Man had been wise enough to invent such a Religion, and foolish enough to have had some certain aim and prospect in effecting it, his Success could never have been answerable to his Expectation. For how could such a Religion as the Christian, have ever obtained so general a Credit in the World, as we find it now has, if it had been purely Humane Invention? The Morality of it is so Pure and Holy, so contrary to all the prevailing Inclina­tions and Interests of Mankind in this Life, that we find it the hardest thing in [Page 315]the World, by continual Care and In­struction, to bring Men to submit to it, who have been accustomed by Education to be­lieve it Revealed by God, and Established up­on the Conditions of Eternal Happiness and Misery in another World, who are con­firm'd in that belief by the concurrent Faith of all they know and converse with, and who are left without a possibility of dis­proving the Truth of the pretended Reve­tion, if it had been at first an Imposture: How then can we imagine that the Christian Laws and Rules of Life should have been so easily received at their first Publication, so widely Propagated after­wards, and so absolutely and intirely sub­mitted to, that they should become the standing unalterable Laws of so many different Countries and Nations as do now profess the Christian Faith; How, I say, could this have ever happen'd, if the first Set of Persons that imbraced this Morality had not been fully convinced that it had been expresly revealed by God, and injoyned Mankind under the Sancti­on of Eternal Rewards and Punishments? And how could any Man be perswaded of this without believing those wonderful Facts, upon the Credit of which the Truth [Page 316]of the whole Revelation is Founded? But if we suppose the first Christians that ever were, believed all those Matters of Fact, how can this be supposed of them except they were true? How can we possibly imagine that the Principal Matters of Fact related in the New Testament, which are now a necessary part of the Faith of all Christians should be believed by those in whose times the Scheme is laid, in contra­diction to all their Senses, or first obtain Credit among those who lived afterwards, without any proof of their being done or believed before? And if we suppose the Christian Morality Entertained and Esta­blished in the World, without the pre­sent History we have of it, the Forgery of that afterwards would have been wholly unnecessary, and the difficulty of getting such a Forgery believed, much greater.

From hence then it plainly follows that there could never have been such a state of things in the World as we now perceive, if all the Principal Parts and Substance of the Christian History, as it is at present gene­rally believed, were not true, and had some time or other really happen'd out ac­cording to the Relation we find given of them.

This does likewise further appear from the way and manner in which those Books that contain this History are Written; where we find so many extraordinary Marks and Characters of the Simplicity, Integrity, and undesigning Humility of the Writers, their hearty Belief of what they wrote themselves, and their great Zeal and Concern for the Good of Man­kind, as plainly shew them to have been Influenced not only by the force of well-attested Truth, but by some extraordinary and more than Humane Impressions.

3. These are in short the Reasons we have to believe the Truth of the Christian Religion: The Validity and Force of which I shall endeavour to make out more fully under the Third Head; where I am to shew the Sufficiency of the Proof that has been given of the Christian Matters of Fact from the Nature of Things, upon which the certainty of all Matters of Fact, as well as other Truths, is ultimately found­ed.

Now the chief and immediate Reason of believing most Facts, being taken from the Nature of Man, and there being nothing we are so well acquainted with [Page 318]as the common Original, Capacities and Powers, Inclinations and Aversions of Man­kind, and consequently their Ends and Motives of acting, it will be easie to shew from hence, that the proof of the Christian Religion before given, is not only sufficient to determine our assent to it, but does in Evidence, and Multiplicity of Conviction, far exceed the Proof any other Matters of Fact are capable of.

In the first place then, let us consider why we believe any Matter of Fact, which never fell within our own particular and immediate Cognizance? Why do we so firmly believe the Story of Julius Cesar, and William the Conqueror, that there is such a place as Italy or China, &c? Now the reason of this, upon examining our selves, we shall find to be, because a great many Men have acquainted us that there were for­merly such Persons who did such and such Things; and that there are now such Places in the World, &c. which Men were competent Judges of what they tell us, had sufficient Opportunities of knowing the Truth themselves, no Motives conceivable that could dispose them to lye to others, and are contradicted by no body of equal Autho­rity with them; these are all the grounds of [Page 319]Credibility, upon which Matters of Fact are generally believed; and no further Characters of Truth are required by one that is satisfied of these. But we have all these Reasons to believe the Common Mat­ters of Fact related in the New Testament, in the fullest Force and Extent of them, and several other besides, as the Incapa­city of the Witnesses to deceive, if they had been disposed to do it, the greater Motives they had not to say what they did, than to say it if it had been false, and the grea­ter Motives other Persons had to contradict them if they could have been disproved. Let us examine all these Characters of Truth, and see how far the Proof of the Chri­stian History exceeds that of other Matters of Fact; and how far the supposed Fals­hood of it, notwithstanding these Cha­racters, is consistent with that certain Knowledge we have of Humane Nature.

As to the first Character required for the Proof of Matters of Fact, the Num­ber of the Witnesses; there never was cer­tainly so vast a Multitude of Persons, all unanimously agreeing to assert the Truth of so great a variety of Matters of Fact, as there is in the Case before us; because the Progress of Christianity was so swift, [Page 320]that we cannot suppose more Persons could have been acquainted with the History and Doctrines of it in so short a time; and there never was such industrious Care ta­ken to propagate the Belief of any other Facts and Opinions that we ever read of.

It is likewise as certain, that the whole Multitude of the first Publishers, and Pro­fessors of Christianity were as competent Judges of the Matters they bear witness of, as 'tis possible for any Man to be of any thing else whatsoever. We will on­ly suppose now, that Christ and his Apo­stles and Disciples, pretended to such Things as are Recorded of them in the Scriptures, and consequently to believe their own Pretences; and that all others who pro­fess'd the Gospel of Christ, did declare their Belief of all those Things which are related as said or done by Christ and his Apostles: And surely a Man may infallibly know his own Thoughts and Imaginations; he can tell whether he believes such or such a Thing or no, or at least he can be certain that he thinks or fancies he believes it; and, if there be any Intercourse or Com­munication betwixt Men, one Man may know that another pretends to believe or [Page 321]do a Thing, whether he really believes or does it or no. If a Multitude of Men can be deceived in such Judgments as these concerning themselves and one another, 'tis evident that there is no such thing as Knowledge at all.

If therefore it must be allowed, that a vast Multitude of Persons did pretend to believe all those things that they are said to believe in the New Testament, it necessari­ly follows from hence, that they did really and truly believe them, or else they pretended to believe what they certainly knew to be false. But that they did not pretend to believe what they knew to be false will evidently appear from these further Reflections upon Humane Nature.

First, then 'tis certain that every Man must act for some End or Motive, and here is no End or Motive conceivable that could determine any of the first Pub­lishers or Professors of Christianity, to pre­tend to believe those Facts which they knew to be false. All the Ends and Mo­tives we can imagine any Man to act up­on in such a Case, we have reckoned up before; and we find, that if we put our selves into the same Circumstances with those first Witnesses of Christianity, it would [Page 322]have been impossible for us to have been influenced by any of them to make the same pretences, being infallibly assured at the same time, that they were utterly false and groundless; from whence we conclude, that neither did they, since all Men are so made and contrived, as to be determined by the same general Motives, though, according to the difference of the Objects that affect them, and the difference of the Imaginations of those that are af­fected, the Influence may be stronger up­on some than others.

If we consider the Power and Force of Truth in general, the natural Ease and Pleasure that accompanies Sincerity, and the Difficulty and Reluctance with which Men practise known Deceit and Falshood; we cannot but infer from hence, that it very rarely happens, that any Men come to find a pleasure in Lying, purely for de­ceiving sake, without any further End or Prospect; and all Observations upon the History of Mankind confirm this Con­clusion; and therefore we judge it con­trary to the Nature of Man to suppose there was a whole Age of such Deceivers as these, who pretended to believe a great number of unprofitable Lyes, which were [Page 323]to bring them in no other Pleasure or Sa­tisfaction than what every one found in deceiving others. But 'tis plain, that if Christianty was an Imposture, this must be supposed: For none of the first Christians ever pretended to any other Pleasures or Advantages of Life: They made it part of their Religion to renounce them all; and the World was not so kind as to force them to accept what they had voluntarily abandoned.

And if it be contrary to Humane Nature in General, to imagine that a vast Multi­tude of People of different Tempers and Incli­nations, should all conspire together to pretend a Belief of what they knew to be false, without any further prospect of Pleasure and Advantage, than what immediately resulted from such Preten­ces; much more repugnant is it when we consider the Characters of these Pre­tenders; the greatest part of which were Persons of such steady integrity before, that Lying must have offered the greatest violence imaginable to their Conscien­ces.

But further, supposing the first Christi­ans had some Motives sufficient to deter­mine them all to agree in the same false [Page 324]Pretences, notwithstanding that great contrariety of Interests such a Multitude is commonly govern'd by; whatever Ad­vantages they proposed to themselves, they found such mighty disappointments every where in their Hopes, and indured such unspeakable Troubles and Afflicti­ons for the sake of their Profession, that they had stronger Motives for their disco­vering and relinquishing the Cheat they had maintained, than they could have at first to begin it; and therefore, if none of them were induced to confess their Pretences false, in such occasions where other Men have been often temp­ted, or forced to disown the Truth, we must infer from hence, that they did really believe all they pretended to, or they were not like other Men, but of a strange Nature, different from whatever we have known or heard of.

This must be likewise said too of all the other People of that Age when Chri­stianity was first Published, who refused to believe the Christian Pretences: For how otherwise can we account for their not contradicting and disproving them when they had all those Motives and Reasons for discovering the Imposture, which were [Page 325]manifestly wanting for the Invention and Propagation of it.

From all which, I think we may with confidence conclude, that the first Authors, Publishers, and Professors of Christianity, did really believe all they declared and asserted: From whence it immediately and necessa­rily follows, that all the Common Matters of Fact which they believed to be true, were actually true, they having the same Evi­dence of Sense for them, as we have now, or any other Generation of Men ever had, for whatever fell under the Cogni­zance of their Senses; so that if they were deceived, we must call in question all our own Sensations, which are the Foundations of all our other Knowledge. And the same Evidence that they had for these Common Matters of Fact, they had also for all the Extraordinary Facts men­tion'd in the Christian History, so far as concerns the Things done, and the Pre­tences of the Authors; and as to the Power by which they were done, I am as sure they exceed all Humane Strength and Skill, as I am sure any thing else does. And then, according to the best and truest Notions we are able to frame of the Di­vine Nature, we cannot but judge they [Page 326]were very proper Marks and Indica­tions of his Power, manifest Tokens of his Goodness to Men, and so suited and adapted to their Capacities, that we can­not frame or imagine a way whereby God could have more effectually revealed himself to us, if he ever designed to reveal himself to us at all; and it ap­pears very agreeable both to his Wisdom and Goodness, that he should make such a Revelation as the Christian Religion is to us, as has been shown more at large be­fore.

If therefore there was an Age when the several Persons mention'd in the New Testament did pretend to do what is there Recorded of them, and all the principal Matters of Fact which make up the Chri­stian History were believed far and wide, according to the Relation there given, 'tis inconsistent with all the Principles of Humane Nature, and repugnant to the Nature of God, that they should be false, as far as we are able, by all the Know­ledge we have of the Nature of God and Man to judge.

That there was such an Age as this, we have the constant, universal, and uninter­rupted Testimony of all the succeeding Ages; [Page 327]and when a great many different Coun­tries and Nations do all Unanimously a­gree to assert, that their Immediate Fore­fathers did receive such a Religion, con­sisting of a great variety of Facts and Doctrines; and all these being contained in certain Books, and Copies of those Books being dispersed throughout these several Countries, the Faith is every where the same: In such a case as this, it is not to be doubted, but so far as the succeeding Generation of Men agree in their Testimony concerning the Faith of their immediate Predecessors, so far they were of the same Faith with them. If this be not allowed, 'tis impossible to know any thing beyond our own Time, and no Humane Testimony is to be admit­ted upon any occasion, a greater and more unsuspected Testimony then this being utterly inconceivable: But, if such E­vidence as this be certain and unquestion­able, as indeed it is, then is the present universal belief of the Scriptures of the New Testament an undeniable Argument that there was a time when the Principal Mat­ters of Fact there Recorded were pretended to be done, and were believed by vast Multitudes of those who lived at that [Page 328]time, to be really done in the way and manner in which they are now related to have happen'd; and if they were then believed, they must be true for the Reasons before given.

Thus far the Sufficiency of the positive and direct part of the proof of the Chri­stian Religion is manifested from the Na­ture of Things: And in the same manner it will appear, that what has been before offered to shew the absurdity of supposing the Christian Religion an Imposture, is suf­ficient to determine any Man to believe it.

For if we throughly and impartially consider the whole Christian Scheme, as de­livered in the Writings of the New Testa­ment, which we have before laid together in a short Draught and Representation of the Principal Parts and Characters of it; and if at the same time we take a just view of Humane Nature, we shall find it utterly impossible that such a Scheme as this should ever have been contrived or believed without any Extraordinary Inter­position of Divine Providence.

All the Notions we have of the Powers and Capacities of the Soul of Man, will [Page 329]not enable us to conceive how such a Set of Thoughts as compose the Christian Scheme, could be brought together by the meer unassisted Force and Agitation of the Soul, whatever Internal Springs we imagine that Force derived from.

But when we consider further, that if there had been any Man capable of such an Invention, there was no End or Motive sufficient to determine him to undertake it, and Conduct and Support him in the Management of the whole Work, we must conclude that it was not of Humane Composition. And this we are assured of, because there are but such and such Ends that Mankind can act upon, and none of these could have any influence in the Contrivance of the Christian Religion in the manner we find it delivered to us in the New Testament; for it is so Framed and Contrived in all its Parts and Circum­stances, that 'twas impossible for any one that could be the Author of it, not to perceive that all the Ways and Methods he took of Establishing his Invention would most certainly and effectually de­feat the End he aimed at, whatever we suppose that to be; and no Man could make use of such means for the obtaining [Page 330]an End which he knew would destroy it.

But besides the difficulties of the In­vention, which cannot be accounted for by all the knowledge we have of the Nature of Man, the Propagation of the Christian Religion does plainly surmount all Humane Art and Power. For supposing the first Christians never so well inclined to believe Christianity when it was proposed to them, 'tis impossible for Men to be­live what they will. The Evidence of some things is so great, that we cannot resist; and, on the contrary, there are some things of such a Nature, that no Byass or Prejudice whatsoever is strong enough to make us believe them without their pro­per Evidence; and such are all the Prin­cipal parts of the Christian History, as ap­pears from the Reflections before made upon them. But if we consider the first Christians, as being all strongly disposed to reject the Christian Religion before they imbraced it, as 'tis certain they were, whoever we suppose them to be, then was their difficulty of believing much greater: From whence it is necessarily inferr'd that if the Principal Matters of Fact contained in the Christian History had [Page 331]not been proved to be true, when they were first Published, they could never have been believed; and if they could not have been truly and really believed, 'twas full as impossible that great Multitudes of People should pretend to believe them when they did not; because all the Rea­sons and Motives that can be supposed for such Pretences, could have no more In­fluence in the first Profession then they had in the Invention of Christianity, and there they had none at all, as we have shewn before.

Thus does it plainly appear from the whole Frame and Texture of the Christian Religion, the Nature of the Facts and Doctrines contained in it, and the manner in which it is delivered to the World, compared with the Nature of Man, that the Christian Religion, as we now find it contained in the Scriptures of the New Testament, was Discovered, Published, and Propagated in the way and manner there Recorded: From whence I shall infer, that it certainly came from God, for the Reasons given in the former part of this Discourse, concerning the Nature of God, and Evil Spirits, which I shall not repeat here; because if the first Point be granted, [Page 332]this Inference, I believe, will not be dis­puted by any Man.

Now that the Arguments here taken from the Nature of Man have all the force and weight that is laid upon them, I shall further endeavour to make good, by shewing that we have as much reason to conclude that these are Just and True, as we have that any other Arguments drawn from the Nature of Things are Valid: In order to which end I shall take the liberty to go over the chief Proofs of the Christian Religion again, and con­sider them with this particular View.

Let us then examine what ground we proceed upon in our reasoning upon other Matters, and how we arrive at any cer­tainty concerning them. How come we to affirm that a Body of such a Density and Bulk is of such a Weight; that a Body of such a Weight, has such a force in Projection; that such a particular Body, in such and such Circumstances, will certainly pro­duce such Effects; that 'tis impossible that such a Body should exceed such limits in its Motion, and the like? Now the only reason we have to conclude such Proposi­tions [Page 333]concerning Bodies to be true, upon which all the fine Mathematical Demonstra­tions in Natural Philosophy, and all the useful Inventions in Mechanicks are grounded, is this, That all the Observations and Experi­ments that have ever been made upon these things do assure us, that they have always been after this manner; and the like will hold in our Reasonings from Humane Nature.

I can no more believe the whole Christian Scheme an Imposture of mere Humane Con­trivance, than I can believe that all the Materials which composed the City of Rome met together, and put themselves into that Form: For as I cannot see what should give those Materials a deter­minate Motion towards the building that City, no more can I comprehend what should influence or determine a Man to Frame and Contrive such a History and Religion as the Christian. And, as 'tis im­possible to believe that, if all the Ma­terials necessary for the Building of Rome had, by some extraordinary Motion, been carried to that Place, they would have fashioned themselves and fell into that exact Form we find that City built in; so likewise is it equally impossible to con­ceive, that if there was any End or Motive [Page 334]in Nature sufficient to determine a Man to invent such a Religion as the Christian, he should have made and contrived it, in all its Parts and Circumstances, just such as it is delivered to us in the Scriptures, and that so contrived it should have been Entertained, Propagated, and Fixt in the World upon lasting Foundations.

Now the reason why I conclude both these things equally impossible is, because there never was any thing like either of these Events ever known to have hap­pen'd in the World, and because upon the utmost stretch of Thought, ground­ed upon the most intimate Knowledge we can have of the Nature of the Things concern'd, and the greatest compass of Ob­servation that can be made upon the course of things in the World, it cannot be con­ceived or imagined that such Events as these should ever happen.

That there never was an Instance of any thing like the Christian Scheme, which was proved or allowed by any body in the World to be an Imposture, I shall take for granted, since none of the Enemies of Christianity have ever produced one.

As for Mahometism, which some have had the impudence to compare with [Page 335] Christianity; so far as both they and we allow it to be an Imposture, it can have no manner of place here as a Parallel In­stance. For it is on all hands granted that there was such a Man as Mahomet, who lived at the Time and Place 'tis pretend­ed by his Followers he did; 'tis granted likewise that he wrote the Alcoran, and pretended to the things there Recorded of him; and that his Religion prevailed, and was Propagated in the way and manner there related and described by him: But, in the present supposition of the whole Christian Scheme's being an Im­posture, it must be affirmed that call the Scriptures of the New Testament, and the whole History therein contained, are meer Forgery and Invention, without any Foun­dation of Truth in the Common Matters of Fact there Recorded, which makes the case of Christianity, in all the important variety of Circumstances and Events possible, unlike that of Mahometism.

And as no Instance of such an Imposture, as is here pretended, can be given out of the History of former times, so likewise is it utterly impossible to imagine that such an Instance as this could ever happen at all.

To give our selves a fuller and more sensible Conviction of this, let us take as exact and extensive a view as we can of the State of the World, just before we af­firm that Christianity was discovered, or at the latest Period of Time mentioned in the New Testament; Let us consider the General Temper, Inclinations, Opinions, and Interests of the Jews at that time, together with the highest Improvements in Learning and Religion then amongst them; Let us make the same Reflections upon the Roman State and Government, and the Principal Nations and Countries within that Empire: Then let us care­fully weigh and examine the Christian History and Religion contained in the Scri­ptures of the New Testament; let us repre­sent to our selves, in one continued Pro­spect, all the Principal Facts there Record­ed, drawn forth in all their variety of Circumstances, the whole System of Doctrines and Rules, in their just Depen­dance and Connexion, the Characters of the Persons concerned in the Publishing and Establishing them, together with the way and manner in which all these things are Written; and when we have done this, let us truly and impartially ask our [Page 337]selves whether we can possibly conceive how any Person could at that time Invent and Publish that whole Scheme of Things at Jerusalem, Rome, or any other part of the Roman Empire, without any ground of truth to build upon; and, supposing it Published, how it could be Believed so firmly, and Propagated so far and wide, that it should be fixt and continue in all this part of the World to this day, with­out any Footsteps or Motives remaining whereby we might be able to detect the Imposture. This, I say, appears to me as hard to conceive, as that Rome should build it self; and I am verily perswaded would appear so to any one else, that had as fully and impartially considered the Matter as I have endeavoured to do.

If we date the Imposture later, the same difficulty will attend the Invention and Propagation of it, and we shall be further puzled to account for all the Signs and Monuments of Christianity, which will ap­pear to have been before the Period assign­ed for its Original, wheresoever we place it.

But if we deal as fairly by Christianity as we do by Mahometism, and allow the Common Matters of Fact Recorded of it [Page 338]to be true; if we grant that there was such a Man as Christ, who lived at the Time and Place 'tis affirmed by Christians he did; that he and his Disciples pretend­ed to what is Recorded in the Scriptures of the New Testament of them; that those Books were written by the Persons whose Names they bear; and that the Christian Religion spread and prevail'd over the World in the way and manner, and by the means of those Pretences we have there an account of: Granting, I say, all these things, as by the general acknow­ledgement of all sorts of Persons, and the impossibility of their being false just before proved, they must be granted: From hence it necessarily follows that all the other Extraordinary Facts are true, and con­sequently that the Christian Religion came from God, and lays a necessary Obligation upon Mankind to believe it, and con­form themselves to it.

This is certain in the same way of Reasoning we used before, because there never was an Instance, and it cannot be conceived there ever should be one, where such Marks and Indications of Truth, as accompany these things, should all be­long to an Imposture.

Upon this account therefore it is that we affirm all these things to be impossi­ble; viz.

That Persons of such Characters, as Christ and his Disciples were represented to be, should invent and contrive the Christian Doctrine and Institution, or per­form those things that are Recorded of them, meerly by their own Skill and Power.

That Christ and his Disciples should pre­tend to have done such Extraordinary Facts as are attributed to them in the New Testament, if they were not the true and immediate Instruments by whom they were done.

That such Multitudes of Persons as we there Read of, should believe these Facts, and imbrace Christianity upon the Credit of them if they were not true, or should pretend to believe them if they were not really perswaded of their truth.

And if all the Principal Facts, both Common and Extraordinary, were certain­ly true, as far as the Persons concerned in bearing Testimony to them were ca­pable of perceiving their Truth; It is likewise impossible but the whole Christian Religion, and all the Conduct and Ma­nagement [Page 340]in the Discovery and Propaga­tion of it must come from God.

All these Propositions we are firmly as­sured of upon this ground, viz. because, if we suppose the contrary of any thing here alledged, no Parallel Instance can be given to prove the truth of what we sup­pose; and if we represent any of these Cases to our selves fairly in all its Cir­cumstances, we cannot possibly conceive it should ever happen.

'Tis true indeed there have been Per­sons of low Fortunes and mean Imploy­ments in the World, who have, by the meer force of their Natural Genius, spoke Wisely, and acted Gallantly, upon some Occasions; but 'twas never known, and 'tis impossible to conceive, that Persons of no Learning or Education, who knew nothing beyond the mean Affairs of their own Village, and never Converst with any of higher Improvements than them­selves; it is impossible, I say, to imagine that such Persons as these should be able, by the meer strength of their Natural Parts, to Compose such Poems as Virgil's, and such Orations as Tully's, and should likewise at the same time exceed all o­thers in the Skill of Explaining hard Au­thors, [Page 341]and in the Knowledge of Physick: But 'tis much harder to conceive, that Christ and his Disciples, being Persons of such Education and Character, as they are represented to us to be, could, by their own unasisted Capacities, Compose the Christian Religion, Interpret Ancient Prophe­cies, Foretel Future Events, Cure all manner of Sick and Maimed, and perform all those other Mighty Works that are Recorded of them.

We have heard of several Persons who have pretended to Revelations, to Prophe­cies, to Miracles, and to all of them falsly, without any ground for their pretences; but there never were any who pretended to such Revelations, such Prophecies, and such Miracles, as we find in the Scriptures of the New Testament, so many, and so publick, so far exceeding all the con­ceivable Power of Art and Confedera­cy, so liable to discovery and contra­diction, if they were false; so hazardous to the Undertakers, and so beneficial to the World, in such a continued Series, all of them concurrent to the same End, and accompanied with such other Circum­stances as these are related to be. Who­ever will be at the pains to consider all [Page 342]this wonderful Scheme of Things toge­ther, will find it impossible to contrive such another, though he has the Advan­tage of a Model before him, which the Author of this had not; and, supposing he had succeeded in such a Contrivance, he would find it impossible to prevail upon himself to pretend to act it over; there be­ing no Motives conceivable which bear any manner of Proportion to the plain and certain discouragements he must fore­see, supposing he knew all his Pretences to be false, as in the present Case must be supposed: And the same will hold with respect to the first Professors of Chri­stianity: 'Twould be equally impossible for them to pretend to believe all these Things, if they were not really and ful­ly persuaded of the Truth of them.

Lying and Deceiving are a pleasure to some Men, and the more notorious and gross the Deceit is, the greater is the Satisfaction: But then 'tis certain likewise, that there are very few of such a temper, as to be pleased with Lying and Forgery, without any other design or pro­spect; but that there should be a large Succession, and continual increase of such Men in divers Countries and Nations, [Page 343]is much more difficult to conceive, than that there should be an Age of Crookedness, and Deformity, when, in a considerable part of the World, the generality of Peo­ple of all sorts, had, of a sudden, by some strange unknown Influence, some parts of their Bodies distorted; and the Calamity was continually propagated all the time by an unusual sort of Infe­ction.

But if this were allowed; if all the first Christians were granted to be pure Decei­vers; 'twould be exceedingly more diffi­cult to imagine, that the pleasure of Deceiving was so strong, as to be able to support such vast Multitudes of Persons under all the other Losses and Sufferings Humane Nature is capable of. 'Tis possi­ble indeed, for Men to suffer all manner of Affliction, and even to die Martyrs for the falsest and most absurd Religion that can be devised; and frequent In­stances may be given of such as have done so; but then 'tis certain also, that they truly and firmly believed what they Suf­fered for. There never was, nor ever can be such an extravagant Army of Martyrs and Confessors, as did, or will renounce all the Comforts and Satisfactions of Life, in­dure [Page 344]Grief and Pain chearfully, and be ready, upon all occasions, to lay down their Lives for the Profession of such Matters of Fact, as they are all infalli­bly convinced are false, and which, they are sure all their Persecutors have the same Reason to know are false that they have: To affirm or imagine that any Men can act upon such disproportionate Motives as such Men must be supposed to act upon, is full as absurd and ridicu­lous, as to suppose that the Sea may be restrained with Bars, and that the Hills and Mountains are lighter than the Dust of the Balance.

But if it be granted, as we have shewn it must, that all those who pre­tended to say and do such strange Things as are related of them in the New Testa­ment, and those who pretended to be per­suaded of the Truth of what was said and done, did all really and truly believe what they pretended to; then is it impos­sible to conceive, that the Things thus believed to be true, should notwithstand­ing be false. There are, it is confessed, no Opinions so extravagant and absurd, but a great many Persons may be throughly persuaded of the Truth of [Page 345]them; but there never was an Instance of such Stupidity or Enthusiasm yet, where such Facts as those related in the New Testament, were by great Multitudes be­lieved to have happen'd within their own immediate Cognizance, when no such Things did really and truly happen at all: And 'tis impossible to conceive there ever should be such an Instance as this in the World, without a through change of Humane Nature, and all the Powers and Faculties of it: And we have no more reason to think it was so in the Case before us, than we have to believe that there was a Time when the Earth and all the Bodies belonging to it, did exist in the same State of outward ap­pearance we now perceive them without Motion, Figure, or Extension.

And, if all the Principal Matters of Fact, both Common and Extraordinary, were really true, or did really and cer­tainly happen, so far as Humane Percep­tions are to be relied on; it cannot be doubted but God was the Author of the whole Christian Scheme, because we have no Example of any such Scheme as this, that was ever made by any other Power but the Divine. We cannot, by the utmost [Page 346]Knowledge we have of all the Powers that be, conceive that any Power less than the Divine, could produce such an Effect; or that any other, besides such as were Commission'd by him would have produced it if they could. By what we know of the Nature of God, the Work appears very worthy of him, and very agreeable to all his Attributes; and we cannot possibly imagine what more proper and effectual ways God could have taken to manifest himself to us, if he was pleased to vouchsafe us that Fa­vour.

These are the Reasons upon which we conclude that the Christian Religion came from God, supposing all the Facts before­mentioned to be true, as I think they have been proved to be; which Proof being allowed, we have as much Rea­son to believe that the Christian Religion proceeded from God, as that the World was Created by him.

Thus does it plainly appear from the Nature of Things, that the Proofs before given of the Christian Religion, severally examined, were all very well founded. And now, if we take a just view of them, and consider them all together, we [Page 347]shall be obliged to make the following Conclusions.

1. That there never was any Thing discovered, or so much as suspected to be an Imposture, that had so many Marks and Characters of Truth upon it, as the Christian Religion has.

2. That there never were any true Mat­ters of Fact so well attested, or that were capable of such a Proof, as the Christian Facts are: There being no Ancient Facts which have so many sensible Monuments and Effects of them left, and in the Proof of which, Mankind was so nearly and necessarily concern'd.

3. That it is impossible to conceive, or frame any Notion how, or in what man­ner the Christian Religion might possibly have been an Imposture, notwithstanding all the present appearances of its being true.

And, if all these Conclusions are right, as I am throughly and irresistibly con­vinced they are; and, I think, have pro­ved them so to be; there can be no room left to disbelieve the Christian Religion, without distrusting all our Knowledge, and renouncing all pretences to Reasoning.

But, supposing these Conclusions were not any of them fully proved, and it could be shewn, That something else, which had once all the appearance of Truth that the Christian Religion now has, had afterwards been detected to be false; that some other Ancient Matters of Fact are as well attested and proved to be true, as the Christian seem to be; and that 'tis possible to imagine, which way the Christian Religion might come to ob­tain its present Credit in the World, not­withstanding it was at first an Imposture, none of which I am sure can be proved: Yet, even in this Case, the Proof that has now been given of the Christian Religion, is sufficient to build our Faith upon; be­cause the most that can be inferr'd from all these Arguments, is only this, That there is a bare possibility in the Nature of Things, that the Christian Religion may be false: But he that from hence should con­clude, that it was really so, without any other Reasons to support his Opinion, and in opposition to all that multiplicity of Proof that has been offered for the Truth of it, must not pretend Reason, but only Resolution for his Infidelity.

Such therefore is the Sufficiency of the Proof before given, whatever be the Na­ture or Kind of it; or however it may be thought to differ from, or fall short of the Demonstration used in other Matters, that we are utterly inexcusable, if we do not believe the Christian Religion upon it, and God may justly Condemn us for our disbelief, and that upon these two ac­counts:

1. Because we believe other Matters of Fact upon less Evidence; and,

2. Because we are obliged to believe such Facts as have these appearances of Truth, which the Christian Religion has, though they should really be false.

1. That we believe Matters of Fact upon less Evidence than the Christian Re­ligion is received upon, is manifest, by what has been before proved, that no Matters of Fact have or are capable of so great; and therefore, to confirm this Point, I shall only bring that one Instance of Mahometism.

Now 'tis certain that those who look upon the Christian Religion as an Imposture [Page 350]do at the same time profess to believe all the principal Parts of the History of Ma­homet: Such as his Pretences to Revela­tion, his Writing the Alcoran, and his Propagating the Belief of the things contained in it, in the way and manner therein mentioned: These, I say, they do not in the least question, notwith­standing that the Mahometan Religion pretends to a Divine Original as well as the Christian, and is in like manner ad­drest to Mankind under the Promises and Threatnings of Future Happiness and Misery; though it is withal a very absurd Composition in it self, and of very per­nicious Consequence to the World to be Believed and Established. It is there­fore very unreasonable for Men that be­lieve these things, to deny the Common History of Christianity; such as the Pre­tences of Christ and his Disciples to Reve­lations, Prophecies, and Miracles, the Writing of the Scriptures of the New Testament by those whose Names they bear, or at least by some of Christ's im­mediate Disciples; and the Propagation of the Christian Religion according to the Times, Places, Ways and Methods Re­corded in those Books: 'Tis very un­reasonable, [Page 351]I say, for Men who believe the History of Mahometism, to question the truth of these things; because they are attested by a much greater variety of Books and other Monuments, and a greater multiplicity of the Copies of the Scriptures; all which Testimonies we are sure, by a numerous succession of others, were extant nearer the date of the several Facts attested, and in an Age of Learning, among People of much higher Improve­ments than the first Mahometans were; and moreover because it is certain that the Pretences of Christ were more difficult to be Feigned by himself, or Forged by others afterwards; that the Promises and Threatnings of the Gospel are of more Concern and Importance to be enquired into; and the Establishment of Christi­anity, whether true or false in its Original, would so certainly contribute to the Hap­piness of Mankind, that 'tis one very good Argument of its being true, that it is impossible to make and contrive any other Scheme every way so suitable and agreeable to the truest Interests of Humane Nature.

From whence I conclude, that we can­not question the Truth of the History [Page 352]of Christianity so far as concerns the Com­mon Matters of Fact, without distrusting all the Knowledge we have of every Thing that happen'd at any distance from us: And if the Common Matters of Fact are true, all the other are plainly demon­strable from them; as far as we have any certain Knowledge of the Natures of Things; as has already been proved: We are therefore obliged either to believe the Christian Religion, or to renounce our belief of all other Facts whatsoever; be­cause whatever of this kind we believe besides, we believe upon less Evidence.

2. But Secondly, Whatever degree of Evidence other Matters of Fact may be supposed to have, we are absolutely ob­liged to believe the Christian Religion up­on that Evidence that is brought for it, because we are obliged to believe such Facts as have those appearances of Truth the Christian Religion has, though they should be really false.

We are to judge of Things by the Fa­culties God has given us, according to those grounds and measures of Truth he has suited and proportion'd to them: and therefore, when we have the greatest [Page 353]assurance of a Thing that we are capable of according to the present frame our Na­ture, and the State of Things in the World, it would be highly unreasonable in us to deny it whatever it was, barely upon a Suspicion it might be false, though it should afterwards really prove to be so; but, if what we had this apparent Proof of, was a Matter of concern and importance to us, upon the Belief or Disbelief of which, our utmost Happiness or Misery seemed to depend, and we should prefer a meer Suspicion to all the appearing Marks and Characters of Truth, God might as justly punish us for disbelieving a real Error upon such grounds, as for rejecting the Truth. It is not whether our Opinions are true or false, but whether we have judg'd well or ill, that we are accountable for; neither in Matters of meer Speculation is it of much concern whether we judge well or ill, because it is of no great moment whether we judge at all; but it is not indifferent to us whether we will be happy or no; Happiness is, and must be, the end of all our Thoughts, and the governing Principle of our Lives; upon this Account it is, as we have seen in a [Page 354]former Discourse, that we are necessarily concerned to know, whether there be a God, or no; whether he requires any thing of us, if there is; and whether he has appointed any Future State of Life for us. And these things our Reason has assured us are true, and fit to be believed, not­withstanding any Suspicions we may have to the contrary, because we venture all our Happiness by disbelieving them: And upon the same Score it is, that the Christian Religion challenges our Assent to it; because, if all the fore-mentioned Principles be true, we venture our Happi­ness as much in denying it. For, if this does not contain the Will of God, it is impossi­ble to know what is required of us; be­cause we can never give so strong, and certain a Proof of what our Particular Duty to God is without Divine Revelation, as we can that the Christian Revelation is true. We are therefore in as high a man­ner obliged to believe Christianity as Natu­ral Religion; because the Proofs of that are very near, if not quite as strong, as those that are brought for the other, and our Happiness is more certainly ventured here than there, for this reason; that, if [Page 355]the First General Principles of Religion should be false, he that denies them will suffer nothing for his denial; but, if those be true, and the Christian Religion should be false, he that rejects that, runs as great a hazard as if it had been true; be­cause God will certainly Judge him ac­cording to the Evidence, and not accord­ing to the Reality of things: And there­fore he that believes in God is obliged to believe in Christ also; since 'tis certain that the Christian Religion has a great many Extraordinary Marks and Characters of Truth to recommend it, and is pressed upon our Belief under the Considerations of Eternal Happiness and Misery, and we have nothing to oppose to all the appearing Evidence it is built upon, but barely a Suspicion, that notwithstanding what appears to us, it may possibly be false.

The two first of these Assertions are manifest; and the Truth of the latter will be very visible to any one, that will give himself the trouble of considering all the Objections that have ever been made to the Christian Revelation; which taken altogether, will not so much as make out the meer possibility of the Christian Schemes [Page 356]being false; but amount to no more than this, that something else, like something contained in the History of Christianity, has been proved to be false, therefore the Christian Religion is an Imposture.

For all that has ever been urged against the Truth of the Christian Religion is, in short, but this; that Histories have been false; Prophecies and Miracles have been counterfeit; there have been false Pretences to Revelation; Books have been forged; strange Things have been said and done by Men, and stranger by Evil Spirits: But it can no more be inferr'd from hence, that the Christian History and Revelation, and all the Christian Prophecies and Mira­cles are false, and the Scriptures of the New Testament are forged; than it can be con­cluded that all Men are mad or asleep, be­cause there have been several in these Conditions that have thought themselves awake and in their Senses; or that all the Arguments and Proofs made use of in Mathematical Knowledge are false, be­cause some pretended Demonstrations have been Undemonstrated and Confuted: And yet this is the utmost defence that Infidelity can make for it self, as has before [Page 357]been more particularly shewn. Where­fore they are utterly inexcusable, who­ever they are, who believe there is a God, and that he is a Rewarder of all those that diligently seek him; and yet reject so plain and evident a Revelation of himself as the Christian Religion is.

But there are very few, I believe, of this Character to be found in the Christian World: 'Tis more reasonable to think, that those among us, who will not have the Son of God to Reign over them, have as little regard for the Father that sent him; and that if they will not hear Moses and the Prophets, nor be perswaded by one that rose from the Dead, neither will they un­derstand the Eternal Power and Godhead by the things that are made. And if this be the Case of our Modern Deists and Ʋnbe­lievers; if their Minds are Blinded, and their foolish Hearts Darkned to such a de­gree that they cannot perceive God in any of the other ways he has took of Revealing himself to them, we must leave them to be convinced by the last Revela­tion that will be made of the Righteous Judgment of God, when they shall be forced to Believe and Tremble.