Origines sacræ, or, A rational account of the grounds of Christian faith, as to the truth and divine authority of the Scriptures and the matters therein contained by Edward Stillingfleet ...

CHAP. IX. The rational evidence of the truth of Christian Religi∣on from Miracles.

The possibility of miracles appears from God and providence; the evidence of a Divine Testimony by them. God alone can really alter the course of nature. The Devils power of work∣ing miracles considered. Of Simon Magus, Apollonius. The cures in the Temple of Aesculapius at Rome, &c. God ne∣ver works miracles, but for some particular end. The particular reasons of the miracles of Christ. The repealing the Law of Moses, which had been setled by miracles. Why Christ checked the Pharisees for demanding a sign, when himself appeals to his miracles. The power of Christs mi∣racles on many who did not throughly believe. Christs mi∣racles made it evident that he was the Messias, because the predictions were fulfilled in him. Why John Baptist wrought no miracles. Christs miracles necessary for the overthrow of the Devils Kingdom. Of the Daemoniacks and Lunaticks in the Gospel, and in the Primitiv•• Church. The power of the name of Christ over them largely proved by several Testimonies. The evidence thence of a Divine power in Christ. Of counterfeit dispossessions. Of miracles wrought among Infidels. Of the future state of the Church. The necessity of the miracles of Christ, as to the propaga∣tion of Christian Religion: that proved from the conditi∣on of the publishers, and the success of the Doctrine. The Apostles knew the hazard of their imployment, before they entred on it. The boldness and resolution of the Apostles not∣withstanding this, compared with heathen Philosophers. No motive could carry the Apostles through their imployment, but the truth of their Doctrine; not seeking the honour, profit or pleasure of the world. The Apostles evidence of the truth of their doctrine lay in being eye-witnesses of our Saviours miracles and resurrection. That attested by them∣selves; their sufficiency thence for preaching the Gospel. Of the nature of the doctrine of the Gospel; contrariety of

it to natural inclinations. Strange success of it, notwith∣standing it came not with humane power: No Christian Em∣perour, till the Gospel universally preached. The weak∣ness and simplicity of the instruments which preached the Gospel. From all which the great evidence of the power of miracles is proved.

OF all rational evidences which tend to confirm the truth of a Divine Testimony, there can be none greater then * 1.1 a power of working miracles for confirmation that the Testi∣mony which is revealed is infallible. The possibility of a pow∣er of miracles cannot be questiond by any who assert a Deity and a Providence; for by the same power that things were ei∣ther at first produced, or are still conserved (which is equiva∣lent to the other) the course of nature may be altered, and things caused which are beyond the power of inferiour cau∣ses: For though that be an immutable Law of nature as to Physical beings, that every thing remains in the course and order wherein it was set at the Creation; yet that only holds till the same power which set it in that order shall otherwise dispose of it; granting then the possibility of miracles, the subject of this Hypothesis is, that a power of miracles is the clearest evidence of a Divine Testimony, which will appear from these following considerations.

God alone can really alter the course of nature. I speak * 1.2 not of such things which are apt only to raise admiration in us because of our unacquaintedness with the causes of them, or manner of their production, which are thence called won∣ders, much less of meer juggles and impostures, whereby the eyes of men are deceived; but I speak of such things as are in themselves either contrary to, or above the course of nature, i. e. that order which is established in the universe. The Devil no question may, and doth often deceive the world, and may by the subtilty and agility of his nature, perform such things as may amuse the minds of men, and sometimes put them to it, to find a difference between them and real miracles, if they only make their s••nses judges of them. And such kind of wonders, though they are but spa∣••ingly done, and with a kind of secrecy (as though they

were consulting with Catiline about the burning Rome) yet the Devil would have some (especially when Ignorance and Superstition are Ascendents) to keep up his interest in the world. Or else when he is like to be dispossessed and thrown out of all, he then tryes his utmost to keep as many to him as may be; thus when the Spirit of God appeared in the mi∣racles of our Saviour and his Apostles and the Primitive Church he then conjured up all the infernal powers to do something parallel, to keep possession of his Idolatrous Temples, as long as he could. Thus we find Simon Magus dogging the Apostles (as it were) at the heels, that by his Magick he might stagger the faith of people concerning the miracles wrought by the Apostles: after him Apolloni∣us appeared upon the Stage; but his wonders are such pit∣tifull things, compared with those wrought by Christ or his Apostles, that it could be nothing but malice in Hie∣rocles to mention him in competition with Christ. But those things which seem a great deal more considerable then either of these, were the cure of a blind man by Vespasian in Egypt, * 1.3 mentioned by Tacitus and Suetonius, wherein there was a palpable imitation of our Saviours curing the blind man in the Gospel; for the man told Vespasian, restituturum ocu∣los si inspuisset, that he should receive his sight by his spittle; so Spartianus tells us of a woman that was cured of her blind∣ness by kissing the knees of the Emperour Adrian; and Box∣hornius hath produced an old Fable in the Temple of Aes∣culapius at Rome of several diseased persons that were cured there. A Blind man in the time of Antoninus was cured by this oracle; he must come to the Altar, and kneel there; from the right side he must turn to the left, and put five fingers upon the Altar, and then lift up his hands and touch his eyes, and so was cured. Another called Lucius cured of the pain of his side, by mixing the ashes of the altar with the wine, and applying it to his side; another cured of spitting of blood by the kernel of a pine apple, and honey used three days; a fourth cured of * 1.4 blindness by the blood of a white Cock and honey, used three days upon his eyes. These are the most considerable of all the pretended mir••••les done about that time, when the noise of the Christian miracles were spread so far and done so fre∣quently,

that they challenged the Heathens again and again to bring forth any person possessed with a Devil, if he did not confess to them that he was a Devil, though he made the Heathens believe that he was a God, they were contented to leave their blood in the place.

For thus Tertullian speaks in his Apology to them. E∣dat * 1.5 ur hic aliquis sub tribunalibus vestris, quem Daemone agi constet: jussus à quolibet Christiano loqui spiritus ille, tam se Daemonem confitebitur de vero, quam alibi Deum de falso: aeque producatur aliquis ex iis qui de Deo pati ex stimantur, qui aris inhalantes numen de nidore concipiunt, qui ructando curantur, qui anhelando praefantur. Ista ipsa virgo coelest is pluviarum pollicitatrix, iste ipse Aesculapius Medicinarum demonstrator, aliàs de morituris scordii & denatii & Ascle∣piadoti subministrator, nisi se Daemones confessi fuerint, Chri∣stiano mentiri non audentes, ibidem illius Christiani proca∣cissimi sanguinem fundite. Quid isto opere manifestius, quid hâc probatione fidelius? simplicit as veritat is in medio est; vir∣tus illi sua assistit, nihil suspicari licebit, magia aut aliqua fallacia fieri. Dictis non stetis, si oculi vestri & aures per∣miserint vobis. In these very daring words, we see how the Christians appealed to their senses, even with the hazard of their own lives, that they would make even Aesculapi∣us himself confess what he was, and by whose power all the cures were wrought upon the dreamers in his Temples. And for the manner of the Devils cures, the same Author ex∣plains it thus, Laedunt primò, dehinc remedia praecipiunt ad miraculum nova, sive contraria, post quae definunt laedere & * 1.6 curassecreduntur. They first possess the bodies themselves (as Daemoniacks were common in those times) and affect it with various distempers, afterwards upon using the strange reme∣dies prescribed by Aesculapius, they forsake their station, and the person is cured. And for the cures performed by the Emperours, those who consider what various artifices were about that time used to procure an opinion of Divinity in the Emperours, will not much wonder that such reports should be spread of them, or that any persons should fain these distempers to give themselves out to be cured by them•• But granting somewhat wonderfull in these, what are they,

compared with those done by Christians? and whoever would lay down his life to attest any of them? So that though the Devil by his subtilty may easily impose upon Spectators eyes, yet it was impossible for him by any power of his own to al∣ter the course o•• nature or produce any real miracle. For every true miracle is a production of something out of no∣thing (which cannot be done by less then an omnipotent arm) and that either in the thing it self, or the manner of produ∣cing it. In the thing it self when it is of that nature that it cannot be produced by any s••cond causes as the raising of the dead; in the manner of doing it, when though the thing lyes within the possibility of second causes, yet it is perfor∣med without the help of any of them, as in the cure of dis∣eases without any use of means, by a word speaking, the touch of a garment, &c. Now that all those miracles which were wrought in confirmation of the Christian doctrine were such true and proper miracles, will be discovered after∣wards.

God never alters the course of nature, but for some very * 1.7 considerable end. For otherwise when he did it, it would not be taken notice of, nor thought to be an alteration of the order of nature, but only some rare contingencies which lye hid in the order of causes, but only break out at some times: of which sort are all those things which the igno∣rant World is apt to account as Prodigies. Of all which rare contingencies in nature, I say, as the Roman Orator doth, Si quod raro fit, id portentum putandum est, sapientem esse * 1.8 portentum est; saepius enim mulum peperisse arbitror, quam sapientem fuisse. If all rare contingencies be accounted pro∣digies, a Wise man is certainly the greatest prodigy. But these are quite of another nature from true miracles, which are immediatly produced by a Divine power, and intended for a confirmation of some Divine Testimony. There are now several weighty reasons which might make miracles ne∣cessary in the time of our Saviour, as an evidence of his Di∣vine Authority and power.

That he came to take down that way of worship which had * 1.9 been at first setled by a power of miracles in Moses. God would not be so much wanting to the faith of that people

which had received their Law by signs and wonders from heaven, but that there should be as strong an evidence gi∣ven to them, that the fulness of time was come when that dispensation was to have an end, and to give place to one more perfect, which was to be established instead of it. Up∣on which account the Iews might rationally enquire after a sign where any new revelation was discovered, which might null the obligation of any former Law: And when they en∣quire so much after a sign, our Saviour doth not reject the enquiry as in its self unreasonable, but as made in an unrea∣sonable manner; for they would not be contented with the miracles which our Saviour wrought, which sufficiently manifested a Divine power; but all that they desired was a sign from heaven, i. e. such as were done at the giving of the * 1.10 Law, the thundring and lightenings there, or as the raign∣ing of Manna in the wilderness; now our Saviour justly checks this demand as importune and impudent; partly as knowing upon what account they asked it, meerly to tempt him, and not out of any real desire of satisfaction; and partly because of that abundant evidence which was given in the miraculous cures which were wrought by him, which were more suitable to that design of doing good in the world, then all the Thunderclaps on Mount Sinai were; neither were the people in a condition to be fed by Manna as they were in the wilderness, God graciously suiting the discove∣ries of his power to the peculiar advantages of the people which they were made to, and the dispensation they ushered in. Those terrible signs at Mount Sinai being very suitable to the severity and rigour of the Law; and the gracious miracles of our Saviour, to the sweetness and grace of the Gospel. And on this account our Saviour charged the Iews with hypocrisie in requiring a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as something above 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a prodigy rather then a miracle; An evil and adul∣terous generation seeketh after a sign, and there shall no sign * 1.11 be given it but that of the prophet Ionas, i. e. this people which are so far from the faith of Abraham, (and therefore are supposititious Children) that no miracles which I do, will convince them, but they seek only to have their humours gratified more then their faith confirmed by some prodigy

from heaven, shall not by me be thus gratified; but having done enough already to perswade them, if they had any heart to believe, instead of a sign from heaven they shall have only one from the earth, and that not so much intended for the conversion of such wilfull unbelievers, as for the testi∣fying my Innocency to the world, viz. his resurrection from the dead. And so elsewhere when the Iews demand a sign, it was upon the doing of that, which if they had attended to, had been a sufficient sign to them, viz. his driving the buy∣ers and sellers out of the Temple. Which being a thing per∣mitted * 1.12 by the Sanbedrim and the Priests, how could they think so mean a person, in appearance, as our Saviour was, could ever have effected it, had it not been for a Divine Ma∣jesty and power which appeared in him. It was not then the expectation of miracles which our Saviour rebuked in the Iews, but being unsatisfied with the kind and nature of our Saviours miracles. It was their hypocrisie and unbelief which Christ condemned, notwithstanding the frequent mi∣racles which he wrought among them: For we plainly find our Saviour very often appealing to his miracles as the evi∣dences of his Divine Commission: If I had not done the * 1.13 works among them, which no man else did, they had not sin, i. e. in not believing me. Whereby Christ both sets forth the necessity of his working miracles in order to the c••nviction of the wo••ld, and the greatness of the miracles which he wrought; he did those no man else had done, no not Moses and Elias, in curing all manner of diseases by the word of his mouth; and those miracles which they had done, he ex∣ceeded them in the manner of doing them. Moses fed them with bread from heaven, but Christ multiplied on earth some few loaves and fishes, to the feeding of many thousands: E∣lias indeed raised one from the dead; but Christ raised more, and one after he had been four days in the grave. And upon this very evidence of our Saviours miracles we find many believing on him. And even of those who were not so far wrought upon as to become followers of Christ, as * 1.14 the only Messias, yet we find them so far perswaded by the power of his miracles, that they looked upon him as a great Prophet, or one that was sent from God: So Nicodemus,

who came first to Christ more as a rational enquirer then a believer, yet we see he was perswaded that he was a teacher come from God, because no man could do * 1.15 the miracles which Christ did, unless God were with him. And before him many of the Iews at Ierusalem believed in his * 1.16 name when they saw the miracles which he did; yet these per∣sons Christ would not trust himself with, because he knew their hearts were not subdued to his doctrine, though their understandings were convinced by his miracles. And after this others of the Iews that looked not on him as the Mes∣sias, yet it is said they believed on him on the account of his miracles. And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles then these which this man hath done? Although herein they were most unrea∣sonable in believing the evidence, and not the truth attested by it, in believing Christ to be one sent from God by his mi∣racles, * 1.17 and yet not believing him to be the Messias, which was the thing attested by them. Not that meer miracles would prove the person to be the Messias who did them, but the miracles proved the testimony to be Divine; now that which Christ delivered to them as a Divine Testimony, was his being the Messias, and therefore by the same reason they believed him to be one sent from God, they ought to have believed him to be the Messias; for one sent from God could never falsifie in the main of his message, as this was of our Saviours preaching. And thence it is observable, our Sa∣viour did not shew forth his Divine power till he entred up∣on his office of preaching, thereby making it appear he in∣tended this as the great evidence of the truth of the doctrine which he preached to them. And herein the blind man in the Gospel saw more truth and reason then the whole Court of Sanhedrin, before which in probability he was convented about his cure by Christ; for when they sought to get something out of him in disparagement of our Saviours person and miracle, he sharply and roundly tells them, when they said they knew God spake to Moses, but for this fel∣low, we know not from whence he is. Why herein, saith he, is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and

yet he hath opened mine eyes. If this man were not of God he * 1.18 could do nothing (as though he had said) is it not plain that this man is imployed by God in the world by the miracles which he doth? for otherwise God would not so readily as∣sist him in doing such great works; for we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, * 1.19 and doth his will, him he heareth; i. e. If this man pretend∣ed a Commission from heaven falsly (whereby he would be the greatest of sinners) can we think God would so miracu∣lously assist him? but we know by our Law, if one comes with a Commission from God, and draw men not to Idola∣try, which is meant by a worshipper of God, such a one God is present with, and we are bound to believe him. And for this very miracle, of curing one born blind, was the like ever heard of before? did ever Moses or the Prophets do it? Thus we see what strong rational evidence there was in this miracle of Christ in the judgement of this blind man, which he uttered with so much reason before the Court of Sanhedrin, when he knew how like he was to be excommu∣nicated for it; and yet this very person was as yet ignorant that Christ was the true Messias, as appears by the sequel of the chapter; but upon Christs revelation of himself to * 1.20 him, he presently believed on him. How strangely irratio∣nal were the Iews then in rejecting our Saviour when his * 1.21 miracles not only exceeded those of Moses both in number and quality; but which was more, they saw themselves the miracles which Christ did, but they received those of Moses only upon the credit of their Fathers. And from the strength of the evidence arising from the power of miracles it is that St. Peter tells the promiscuous Assembly, Acts 2. 22. That Iesus of Nazareth was a man approved of God among them, by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of them, as they themselves also knew. He appeals to their own knowledge, which he would not certainly have done, had it not been in a case beyond all dispute among them. Which was a thing so notorious among them, that we find the Pharisees themselves confessing it, What do we? For this man doth many miracles: Now then in a Nation * 1.22

whose religion had been established by miracles, and the certainty of the truth of it, among those who then professed it, did depend so much upon the constant credit which the report of the miracles done at the setling of their Law had among them; what could be a more rational convincing way of proceeding, then for our Saviour to manifest by a greater power of miracles in himself the undoubted cre∣dentials of his commission from heaven; and that he was the true Messias, which was foretold by their own most sacred and authentical records? Which will appear more,

Because the power of miracles did evidently declare that he was the very person promised. For if the exact correspon∣dency * 1.23 of the event to the predictions in a Nation owning them as Divine, be an undoubted evidence that they are exactly fulfilled, our Saviour was most certainly the person so often spoken of in the Old Testament. For many of the Prophecies of the Old Testament concerning the Messias, if they were not fulfilled in Christ, in the conditions the Iews have been in since their dispersion, (which fell out ex∣actly according to the prediction of Christ) it is impossible they should be fulfilled at all. So that either the predictions must lose their Divine authority, or they must be accom∣plished in our Blessed Saviour. For as Tertullian sharply sayes to the Iew, Redde statum Iudaeae quem Christus inve∣niat, * 1.24 & alium contende venire; let the people of the Iews be in their former condition, and then plead for a Messias to come. For can any thing be more plain then that the Messias was to be born in Bethlehem of Iudea? but where is that now, and how long since the Iews enjoyed any civil Polity there? what is become of the second Temple in the time of which the desire of all Nations should come? Is not Ierusalem alrea∣dy destroyed, and the oblation there long since ceased, which was to come to pass so soon after the Messias, and did ac∣cordingly? Is not the Scepter yet departed from Judah, and the Lawgiver from between his feet, and is not Shiloh yet come? What strange unintelligible weeks were those of Daniel, if they were extended to so indefinite a space of time as the Iews pretend? and if indefinite, what certain ground could from thence be gathered of any time wherein their

accomplishment was to be expected? but not to expatiate on those things which are already so largely proved beyond all possibility of contradiction, by the antient and modern learned writers against the Iews: To insist therefore on our present business; are not the Prophecies concerning the miracles which the Messias should work exactly fulfilled in Christ? Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the * 1.25 deaf shall be unstopped; then shall the lame man leap as an Hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing. He must be a great stranger in the history of the New Testament that is to seek for an exact fulfilling of this Prophecy. Nay, and the Iewish Midrasch upon Psal. 146. 8. saith that when Messias comes, * 1.26 he should open the eyes of the blind; and the Iews themselves often speak of the great miracles which the Messias should do when he appears; and therefore out of their own mouths will they be condemned, when the miracles of Christ make it so evident that he was the true Messias. Hence when Iohn Baptist sent his Disciples to Christ for them to be fully sa∣tisfied concerning him, Christ gives this answer to them; he bids them tell him the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, and the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the * 1.27 dead raised up, &c. as though the mentioning of these mira∣cles was sufficient to make it appear to them who he was whom they came to enquire after. And therefore it is ob∣servable that Iohn Baptist himself, though greater then the Prophets, nay then whom there was not a greater born of wo∣men * 1.28 by our Saviours own Testimony; yet of him it is said, that he wrought no miracle: of which no account can be * 1.29 given so probable and rational, as that God in his infinite wisdom was pleased so to order it, that the evidence of our Saviours being the Messias might be made more clear by the miracles which he wrought; that the minds of people might not be distracted between Iohn and Christ; he therefore reserved the glory of miracles wholly to the name of Christ, that there might be no pretence of a competition between iohn and him.

Another reason of the necessity of miracles in our Savi∣our by way of rational evidence, is, the overthrowing the * 1.30 power and Kingdom of the Devil in the world. For which

purpose it is observable that the Devil had scarce ever greater power over the bodies of men as well as their souls, then at that time; thence we read of such a multitude of Daemoniacks in the Gospel. For it seems very harsh to in∣terpret those meerly of Epilepticall and Lunatick persons, both because the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 * 1.31 are mentioned distinctly, and that it appears by the primi∣tive Church afterwards how frequent it was to eject the Devil out of possessed persons. Nay so far am I from think∣ing that the Daemoniacks were meer Lunaticks, that I rather think with Vossius that the Lunaticks were truly Daemo∣niacks, only they were not constantly under the power of * 1.32 the Devil, but as their paroxysmes returned upon them, the Devil loving to fifh in such troubled waters. And thence * 1.33 the same person is called a Lunatick in one place, who is called a Daemoniack in another; because he did ruere in prin∣cipiis lunationum, as the Arabick version expresseth it; or as Rusticus Elpidius more fully explains it,

Repserat in medium rabies horrenda furoris * 1.34 Daemonis afflatu, propria qui peste nocivus Allidit captas foedo discrimine mentes, Menstrua deciduos cum Luna recolligit ignes.

Theophylact is of opinion, that the Iews in the time of our Saviour supposed, that the souls of dead men became Daemons, and thence we read in Scripture of the Daemoniacks * 1.35 among the Tombs: but it is far more probable which Grotius conceives, that the Iews were of opinion, that the souls of dead men did hover up and down about their bodies, and that these were so long under the Devils power, which many of the Iews to this day believe and make use of the instance of the Pythonisse raising Samuel; on which account the Devils to favour an opinion so advantagious to their interest, might appear with greater terror and fury about their burying places, as we see they did in those possessed persons. But on whatever account it was, we finde it evident that about the time of our Saviours appearance, and some time after, the truly 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 were very frequent; whether it were that

the Devil by such frequent possessions of persons, and making them do such strange things, might thereby endeavour to invalidate the evidence of our Saviours miracles (from whence it is probable the Pharisees raised their calumny, that Christ did miracles by Belzebub, because they saw so many strange appearances caused by possessed persons) or whether it were through the admirable providence of God, which might give Satan the greater liberty at that time, on purpose to heighten the glory of our Saviour in dispossessing of him, and thereby to give the highest rational evidence, that his power was of God, which tended so much to the destruction of the Kingdom of Satan.

And hence the Primitive Christians did so much triumph, and as it were insult over the Devil where ever they found * 1.36 him, making him to remove his lodgings from possessed persons, by a writ of ejection from the name of Christ. Thence Origen rationally concludes that Christ had his power given him from above, because at his very name the Devils forsook the bodies which they had possessed. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. * 1.37 And he else∣where tells us, that even the meanest sort of Christians with∣out any ceremony, but meerly by their prayers, did ordinarily eject the Devil out of mens bodies: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. * 1.38 Ordinary Christians, saith he, most commonly do this, the grace of Christ by its word thereby discovering the contemptibleness and infirmity of the Devils, that in order to their ejection they did not so much as want any learned or experienced Christian. And for this they appeal to the Heathens themselves, as appears not only by the challenge of Tertullian already mentioned, but by the Testi∣mony of almost all of them who have writ against the Hea∣thens in vindication of the Christian religion. Thence Mi∣nutius Felix, Haec omnia sciunt plerique, Pars vestrum, ipsos * 1.39 daemonas de semetipsis confiteri, quoties à nobis torment is ver∣borum, & orationis incendiis de co••poribus exiguntur. Ipse

Saturnus & Serapis, et Iupiter, et quiequid daemonum colitis, victi dolore quod sunt eloquuntur, nec utique in turpitudinem sui, nonnullis praesertim vestrum assistentib••s, mentiuntur. Ipsis testibus eos esse Daemonas, de se verum confitentibus credite; adjuratienim per Deum verum et solum, inviti, miseri cor∣poribus inhorrescunt; et vel exiliunt statim, vel evanesount gradatim, prout fides patientis adjuvat, aut gratia curantis aspirat. Can we now think the Devil should not only forsake his Tyranny over the bodyes of men, but let go so ad∣vantagious a pillar of his tyranny over the consciences of men in Idolatroius worship, as the concealing himself was, had he not been forced to it by a power far greater then his own? So Cyprian ad Demetrianum, appeals to him being the Proconsul of Africa, about the same thing (who had written sharply against the Christians) for speaking of the Devils whom they worshipped in their Idols. O si audire eos velles et * 1.40 videre, quando à nobis adjurantur et torquentur Spiritualibus flagris et verborum tormentis de obsessis corporibus ejiciuntur, quando ejulantes et gementes voce humana, et potestate divina flagella et verbera sentientes, venturum judicium confitentur; veni et cognosce vera esse quae dicimus: and a little after, vide∣bis sub manu nostra stare vinctos, et tremere captivos, quos tu suspicis et veneraris ut Dominos. Did ever any of the Hea∣then Magicians (of which there were good store) extort such things from the Devils as the Christians did meerly by their prayers, and invocations of the name of God and Christ? did they ever make them confess to be what they were, not only in possessed bodyes but in their Temples too? that was beyond the power of their Ephesian letters, or any of their Magical incantations. Did the Devils ever dread so much the name of Socrates or Aristides as they did that of God and of Christ? Of which Lactantius thus speaks, Quo audito * 1.41 tremunt, exclamant, et urise verberarique testantur, et in∣terrogati qui sint, quando venerint, quando in hominem irrep∣serint, confitentur sic extorti, et excruciati virtate divininu∣minis exulant; propter haec verbera et minas, sanctos et justos viros semper oderunt. And even Apollo himself at the name of Christ trembled as much as ever the Pythian Prophetess did in her greatest furies; so Prudentius tells us,

Torquetur Apollo Nomine percussus Christi, nec fulmina verbi * 1.42 Ferre potest; agitant miserum tot verbera linguae, Quot laudata Dei resonant miracula Christi.

To these we may add what Firmicus saith to the same pur∣pose, Ecce Daemon est quem colis; cum Dei et Christi ejus nomen audierit, contremiseit, et ut interrogantibus nob is re∣spondeat * 1.43 trepidantia verba, vix se colligit; adhaerens homini laceratur, uritur, vapulat, et statim de commissis sceleribus confitetur. By which Testimonies it appears what power over Satan, when he was in his Kingdom, the Christians by the power of Christ had; not as though the bare name of Christ had so great an efficacy in the ejection of Devils, as Origen seem•• to be of opinion (in a discourse about the efficacy of names, unworthy of so great a Philosopher) but that God * 1.44 might manifest to the world the truth that was contained in that name, he did give a power to such as made use of it, of working miracles by it. And thence we read in Scripture, that some who were not throughly Christians, but yet pro∣fessed the truth of the Gospel, and that what they did was for the honour of Christ, had a power of casting out Devils and do∣ing many wonderful things through his name.

By these and many other testimonies which might be * 1.45 produced out of the Primitive Church, we finde an exact accomplishment of our Saviours promise to his Disciples when he took his leave of them: And these signs shall follow * 1.46 them that believe, In my name shall they cast out Devils, &c. This power then in the Primitive Church had a twofold argu∣ment in it, both as it was a manifestation of the truth of the predictions of our Saviour, and as it was an evidence of the Divine power of Christ, when his name so long after his ascension had so great a command over all the infernal spirits; and that so evidently that at that time when the Christians did as it were Tyrannize over Satan so in his own territo∣ries, yet then the greatest of his Magicians had no power to hurt the bodyes of the Christians, which is a thing Origen takes much notice of. For when Celsus saith from Diogenes

Aegyptius that Magick could only hurt ignorant and wicked men, and had no power over Philosophers, Origen replies, first, that Philosophy was no such charm against the power of Magick, as appears by Maeragenes who writ the story of Apollonius Tyaneus, the famous Magician and Philosopher, who therein mentions how Euphrates and an Epicurean (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 no vulgar Philosophers) were catched by the Magick of Apollonius (and although Philostratus dis∣owns this History of Maeragenes as fabulous, yet he that thinks Philostratus for that, to be of any greater credit, is much deceived, of whom Lud. Vives gives this true character, that he doth magna Homeri mendacia majoribus mendaciis * 1.47 corrigere, mend one hole and make three) but saith Origen as to the Christians, this is undoubtedly true: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. * 1.48 This, saith he, we are most certain of and have found it by experience true, that those who according to the principles of Christianity do worship God over all, through Iesus, and do live according to the Gospel, being constant in their solemn prayers night and day, are not obnoxious to the power of any Magick or Devils whatsoever. Now then if the Devil who had then so much power over others, had none upon the true followers of Christ; and if in stead of that they had so great a commanding power over the Devil even in things which tended most to his disadvan∣tage, not only dislodging him out of bodies, ••••t out of his Idolatrous Temples; what can be more evident, then that this power which was so efficacious for the overthrowing the Kingdom of Satan, must needs be far greater then the power of Satan is? For it is an undoubted Maxime in natural rea∣son, that whatever is put out of its former place by force and violence, is extruded by something stronger then its self; for if the force on either side were equal, there could be no disposses sing of either; if any thing then be cast out of its former possession unwillingly, it is an undenyable proof there was some power greater then his who was dispossessed. Now we cannot conceive, if there be such malignant spirits as by

many undeniable proofs it is evident there are, that they should willingly quit their possessions to such a doctrine which tends to the unavoydable ruine of their interest in the world; if then the power of this doctrine hath overthrown the Devils Kingdom in the world, whereever it hath been truly enter∣tained, it must necessarily follow, that this power is far above the power of any damned spirits. Now what folly and mad∣ness was it in the Heathens to worship those for Gods, which they could not but see, if they would open their eyes, were under so great slavery to a power above them, which could make them confess what was most to their disadvantage in the presence of their great adorers?

Neither ought the many counterfeits and impostures which have been in the world in this kind since the establishment of * 1.49 Christian Religion (among the advancers of particular inte∣rests and designs) make us suspect the truth of those things which were done in the first Ages of the Church of Christ. For first it stands to the greatest reason, that the strongest arguments for the truth of a Religion ought to be fetched from the ages of its first appearance in the world; if then the evidence be undoubted as to those first times, we ought to embrace our Religion as true, whatever the impostures have been among those who have apparently gone aside from that purity and simplicity of the Gospel, which had so great pow∣er. Then secondly, if all that hath been done in this kind of ejecting Devils, where Christianity is owned, be ac∣knowledged for impostures; one of these two things must be supposed as the ground of it; either that there was no such thing as a real possession by the Devil, or else there was no such thing as a dispossessing him: If the first, then hereby will be seen a confirmation of our former argument, that where Christia∣nity is owned, by the power of that, the Devil is more curbed and restrained, then where it is not, or else is much over∣run with ignorance and superstition. Of the latter, the ages of the Christian Church, from the 10. Century to the be∣ginning of the 16. current, are a clear evidence: Of the first, all those who have been conversant in the places where Pa∣ganism or gross Idolatry do yet reign, will bring in their cre∣ditable testimonies, how tyrannical the power of the Devil

is yet among them. If it be not so then, where careful endea∣vours have been used for retriving the ancient p••rity of Chri∣stian doctrine and worship, we ought to impute it to the pow∣er of him who is stronger then Satan, who whereever he comes to dwell, doth dispossess him of his former habitati∣ons. If the second then be entertained as the ground of con∣cluding all things as impostures, which are accounted dispos∣sessions of Satan, viz. that he never is really dispossessed, then it must either be said, that where he is once seized, there is no possibility of ejecting him; which is to say, that the De∣vil hath an absolute and infinite power, and that there is no power greater then his, which is to own him for God; or else that God suffers him to tyrannize where and how he will, which is contrary to divine providence, and the care God takes of the world, and of the good of mankind; or else lastly, that those persons who pretend to do it, are not such persons who are armed so much with the power of Christ, nor possessed with such a due spirit of the Gospel, which hath command over these infernal spirits. And this in the cases pretended by the great Iuglers and Impostors of the Chri∣stian world, the Popish Priests have been so notorious, that none of their own party of any great faith or credit would stand to vouch them. And we have this impregnable argu∣ment against all such Impostures, that the matters which they by such actions would give an evidence to, being so vast∣ly different from, if not in some things diametrically opposite to the first delivery and design of the Christian faith, it is inconsistent with the way used for the confirmation of Christi∣an Religion in the first publishing of it, to attest the truth of such things by any real miracles: For so it would invali∣date the great force of the evidences of the truth of Christi∣anity, if the same argument should be used for the proving of that which in the judgement of any impartial person was not delivered, when the truth of the doctri••e of Christ was confirmed by so many and uncontrouled miracles. But here∣by we see what unconceivable prejudice hath been done to the true primitive doctrine of the Gospel; and what stum∣bling-blocks have been laid in the way of considerative per∣sons, to keep them from embracing the truly Christian faith,

by those who would be thought the infallible directors of men in it, by making use of the broad-seal of Heaven (set on∣ly to the truth of the Scriptures) to confirm their unwrit∣ten and superstitious ways of worship. For if I once see that which I looked on as an undoubted evidence of divine power, brought to attest any thing directly contrary to divine reve∣lation; I must either conclude that God may contradict him∣self by sealing both parts of a contradiction, which is both blasphemous and impossible; or that that society of men which own such things, is not at all tender of the honour of Chri∣stain doctrine, but seeks to set up an interest contrary to it, and matters not what disadvantage is done to the grounds of R••ligion by such unworthy pretences; and which of these two is more rational and true, let every ones conscience judge. And therefore it is much the interest of the Christi∣an world to have all such frauds and impostures discovered, which do so much disservice to the Christian faith, and are such secret fomenters of Atheism and Infidelity. But how far that promise of our Saviour, that they which believe in his name, shall cast out Devils, and do many miracles, may extend * 1.50 even in these last ages of the world to such generous and pri∣mitive-spirited Christians, who out of a great and deep sense of the truth of Christianity and tenderness to the souls of men, should go among Heathens and Infidels to convert them only to Christ (and not to a secular interest, under pre∣tence of an infallible head) is not here a place fully to en∣quire. I confess I cannot see any reason why God may not yet for the conviction of Infidels, employ such a power of miracles, although there be not such necessity of it, as there was in the first propagation of the Gospel, there being some evidences of the power of Christianity now, which were not so clear then (as the overthrowing the Kingdom of Satan in the world, the prevailing of Christianity notwithstanding force used against it; the recov••ry of it from amidst all the corru∣ptions which were mixed with it; the consent of those parties in the common foundations of Christianity, which yet disagre•• fro•• each other with great bittern••ss of spirit) though I say it be not of that necessity now, when the Scriptures are con∣v••yed to us in a certain uninterrupted manner; yet God may

please out of his abundant provision for the satisfaction of the minds of men, concerning the truth of Christian doctrine, to employ good men to do something which may manifest the power of Christ to be above the D••vils, whom they worship. And therefore I should far sooner believe the relation of the miracles of Xaverius and his Brethren, employed in the con∣version of Infidels, then Lipsius his Virgo Hallensis and Aspre∣collis, could it but be made evident to me that the design of those persons had more of Christianity then Popery in it; that is, that they went more upon a design to bring the souls of the Infidels to heaven, then to enlarge the authority and jurisdiction of the Roman Church.

But whatever the truth of those miracles, or the design of those persons were, we have certain and undoubted evi∣dence * 1.51 of the truth of those miracles, whereby Christianity was first propagated, and the Kingdom of Satan overthrown in the world; Christ thereby making it appear that his pow∣er was greater then the Devils, who had possession, because he overcame him, took from him all his armour wherein he tru∣sted, * 1.52 and divided his spoils; i. e. disposs••ssed him of mens bo∣dies, and his Idolatrous Temples, silenced his Oracles, nonplust his Magicians, and at last, when Christianity had overcome by suffering, wrested the worldly power and Empire out of the Devils hands, and employed it against himself. Neither may we think, because since that time the Devil hath got some ground in the world again by the large spread of Mahometism, & the general corruptions in the Christian world, that therefore the other was no argument of divine power; because the truth of Christianity is not tyed to any particular places; because such a falling away hath been foretold in Scripture; and there∣fore the truth of them is proved by it, and because God him∣self hath threatned that those who will not receive the truth in the love of it, shall be given up to strong de'usions. Doth not this then in stead of abating the strength of the argument, confirm it more, and that nothing is fallen out in the Chri∣stian world, but what was foretold by those whom God em∣ployed in the converting of it? But we are neither without some fair hopes even from that divine revelation which was sealed by uncontrouled evidence, that there may be yet a

time to come when Christ will recover his Churches to their pristine purity and simplicity; but withall I think we are not to measure the future felicity of the Church by outward splendor and greatness (which too many so strongly fancy) but by a recovery of that true spirit of Christianity which breathed in the first ages of the Church, whatever the out∣ward condition of the Church may be: For if worldly great∣ness, and ease, and riches, were the first impairers of the purity of Christian Religion, it is hard to conceive how the restoring of the Church of Christ to its true glory, can be by the advancing of that, which gives so great an occasion to pride and sensuality, which are so contrary to the design of Christian Religion; unless we suppose men free from those corruptions, which continual experience still tells the world the Rulers as well as members of the Christian society are subject to. Neither may that be wonderd at, when such un∣eveness of parts is now discovered in the great Luminaries of the world, and the Sun himself is found to have his ma∣culae, as though the Sun had a purple feaver, or as Kiroher expresseth it, Ipse Phoebus, qui rerum omnium in universo naturae Theatro aspectabilium longè pulcherrimus omnium opi∣nione * 1.53 est habitus, hoc seculo tandem fumosa facie, ac infecto vultu maculis prodiit; diceres eum variolis laborare senes∣centem: I speak not this as though an outward flourishing condition of the Church were inconsistent with its purity; for then the way to refine it, were to throw it into the flames of persecution; but that the advancement of the flou∣rishing condition of the Church, is not meerly by outward pomp and grandeur, and that the purity of the Church is not inconsistent with a state of outward difficulties, which the ex∣perience o•• the Primitive Church gives an irrefragable de∣monstration of. Thus much may serve to shew the necessity of a power of miracles, conjoyned with the Christian Do∣ctrine, to manifest the truth of it by overthrowing the Kingdom of that great Antichrist the Devil, who had usurped so much Tyranny over the world.

The last reason why a power of miracles was so necessary * 1.54 for confirming the truth of the Gospel, is, because the Gospel was to be propagated over the world without any other ratio∣nal

evidence then was contained in the miracles wrought for the confirmation of it. Now the admirable success which this do∣ctrine found in the world, considering all the circumstan∣ces of it, doth make it clear what certainty there was that the miracles which were wrought were true, and they were cer∣tain evidences that the doctrine attested by them was from God. Now this will appear from these two things.

That no rational account can be given why the Apostles should undertake to publish such a doctrine, unless they had * 1.55 been undoubtedly certain that the Doctrine was true, and they had sufficient evidence to perswade others to beleeve it.

That no satisfactory account can be given, considering the na∣ture of the doctrine of Christ, and the manner of its propaga∣tion, why it should meet with so great acceptance in the world, had there not been such convincing evidence as might fully per∣swade men of the truth of it.

I begin with the first, from the publishers of this doctrine * 1.56 in the world: All that I here require by way of a Postula∣tum or supposition, are onlythese two things, which no man right in his wits I suppose will deny: 1. That men are so far rational agents, that they will not set upon any work of moment and difficulty, without sufficient grounds inducing them to it; and by so much the greater the work is, the more sure and stedfast had the grounds need to be which they proceed up∣on. 2. That the Apostles or first Publishers of the Christi∣an doctrine were not men distracted, or bereft of their wits, but acted by principles of common sense, reason, and under∣standing, as other men in the world do: Which if any one should be so far beside his wits as to question, if he have but patience and understanding enough to read and consider those admirable writings of theirs which are conveyed to us by as certain uninterrupted a Tradition as any thing in the world hath been; and by that time he will see cause to al∣ter his judgement, and to say that they are not mad, but speak the words of the greatest truth and soberness. These things supposed, I now proceed to the proving of the thing in hand, which will be done by these three things: First, That the Apostles could not but know how h••zardous an employment the preaching of the Gospel would be to

them. Secondly, that no motive can be conceived sufficient for them to undertake such an employment, but the infallible truth of the doctrine which they preached. Thirdly, that the greatest assurance they had themselves of the truth of their Doctrine, was by being eye-witnesses of the miracles of Christ.

First, That the Apostles could not but understand the hazard of their employment, notwithstanding which they cheerfully un∣dertook it. That men armed with no external power, nor cried up for their wit and learning, and carrying a doctrine with them so contra••y to the general inclinations of the world, having nothing in it to recommend it to mankind but the Truth of it, should go about to perswade the world to part with the Religion they owned, and was setled by their laws, and to embrace such a religion as called them off from all the things they loved in this world, and to prepare themselves by mortification & self-denial for another world, is a thing to humane reason incredible, unless we suppose them acted by a higher spirit then mankind is ordinarily acted by. For what is there so desirable in continual reproaches & contumelies? what delight is there in racks and prisons? what agreeableness in flames and martyrdoms to make men undergo some, nay all of these rather then disown that doctrine which they came to publish? Yet these did the Apostles cheerfully undergo in order to the conversion of the world, to the truth of that do∣ctrine which they delivered to it. And not only so, but though they did foresee them, they were not discouraged from this undertaking by it. I confess, when men are upon hopes of profit and interest in the world, engaged upon a de∣sign which they promise themselves impunity in, having pow∣er on their side, though afterwards things should fall out contrary to their expectation, such persons may die in such a cause, because they must, and some may carry it out with more resolution, partly through an innate fortitude of spirit, heightened with the advantages of Religion, or an Enthusi∣astick temper. But it is hard to conceive that such persons would have undertaken so hazardous an employment, if be∣forehand they had foreseen what they must have undergone for it. But now the Apostles did foreknow that bonds and im∣prisonment, nay death its self must be undergone in a violent

manner, for the sake of the doctrine which they preached; yet not withstanding all this, they go boldly and with resolution on with their work, and give not over because of any hard∣ships and persecutions they met withall. One of the chiesest of them, S. Peter, and as forward as any in Preaching the Gospel, had the very manner of his death foretold him by Christ him∣self, * 1.57 before his Ascension; yet soon after we find him preaching Christ in the midst of those who had crucified him, and tel∣ling them to their faces the greatness of their sin in it, and appealing to the miracles which Christ had done among them, and bidding them repent and believe in him whom they had crucified, if ever they would be saved: And this he did, * 1.58 not only among the people who gave their consent to the crucifying of Christ, but soon after, being convented ••oge∣ther with Iohn, before the Court of Sanbedrin (probably the very same which not long before had sentenced Christ to death) for a miracle wrought by them, with what incre∣dible boldness doth he to their faces tell them of their mur∣dering * 1.59 Christ; and withall, that there was no other way to salvation but by him whom they had crucified! Be it known unto you all (saith Peter to the Sanhedrin) and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Iesus Christ whom ye have crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. Neither is there salvati∣on in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. What an heroickfree∣dom of spirit appears in these words! what magnanimity and courage was there now in that person, who durst in the face of this Court tell them of their murder, and that there was no salvation but by him whom they had crucified! Well might they wonder at the boldness of the men, who feared not the same death which they had so lately brought their Lord and Master to.

Neither was this singly the case of Peter and Iohn, but all * 1.60 the rest of the Apostles undertook their work with the same resolution and preparation of Spirit to under go the greatest hardship in the world sor the sake of the truths they Preach∣ed. And accordingly as far as Ecclesiastical history can ascer∣tain us of it, they did all but Iohn (and that to make good * 1.61

the prediction of Christ) suffer violent deaths by the hands of those who persecuted them meerly for their doctrine. And which is most observable, when Christ designed them first of all for this work, he told them before hand of reproaches, persecutions, all manner of hardships, nay of death its self which they must undergo for his sake. All that he gave them * 1.62 by way of encouragement, was, that they could only kill the body and not the soul, and therefore that they should fear him only who could destroy both body and soul in hell; all the sup∣port they had, was, an expectation in another world, and that animated them to go through all the hardships of this. Where do we ever read of any such boldness and courage in the most knowing Philos••phers of the Heathens? with what saintness and misgiving of mind doth Socrates speak in his famous dis∣course suppo••ed to be made by him before his death? how * 1.63 uncertainly doth he speak of a state of immortality? and yet in all probability Plato set it forth with all advantages ima∣ginable. Where do we finde that ever any of the great friends of Socrates, who were present at his death, as Phaedo, Cebes, Crito, and Simmias, durst enter the Areopagus, and condemn them there for the murther of Socrates, though this would be far short of what the Apostles did? why were they not so charitable as to inform the world better of those grand truths of the being of God and immortality of souls, if at least they were fully convinced of them them∣selves? Why did not Plato at least speak out, and tell the world the truth, and not disguise his ••iscourses under feigned names, the better to avoid accusation and the fate of Socra∣tes? how doth he mince his excellent matter, and playes as it were at Bo-peep with his readers, sometimes appearing and then pulling in his horns again? It may not be an improbable conjecture that the death of Socrates was the foundation of the Academy; I mean of that cautelous doctrine of withholding assent, and being both pro and con, sometimes of this side, and sometimes of that: for Socrates his death had made all his friends very fearful of being too dogmatical. And Plato himself had too much riches and withall too much of a Courtier in him to hazard the dear prison of his soul, viz. his body, meerly for an aethereall vehicle. He had rather let his

soul flutter up and down in a terrestrial matter, or the cage it was p••nt up in, then hazard too violent an opening of it by the hands of the Areopagus. And the great Roman Orator among the rest of Plato's sentiments had learnt this too; for although in his discourses he hath many times sufficiently laid open the folly of the Heathen worship and Theology, yet he knows how to bring himself off safe enough with the people; and will be sure to be dogmatical only in this, that nothing is to be innovated in the religion of a Common-wealth, and that the customs of our Ancestors are inviolably to be ob∣served. Which principles had they been true as they were safe for the persons who spake them, the Christian religion had never gained any entertainment in the world; for where ever it came, it met with this potent prejudice that it was looked on as an innovation, and therefore was shrewdly suspected by the Governours of Common-wealths, and the Preachers of it punished as factious and seditious persons; which was all the pretext the wise Politicians of the world had for their cruel and inhumane persecutions of such multi∣tudes of peaceable and innocent Christians. Now when these things were foretold by the Apostles themselves before their going abroad so plainly, that with the same saith they did believe the doctrine they Preached to be true, they must be∣lieve that all these things should come to pass, what courage and magnanimity of spirit was it in them thus to encounter dangers and as it were court the slames? Nay and before the time was come that they must dye, to seal the truth of their doctrine, their whole life was a continual peregrination, wherein they were as so many Iobs in pilgrimage, encounterd with perills and dangers on every side; of which one of the most painful and succesful, S. Paul hath given in such a large inventory of his perils, that the very reading of them were * 1.64 enough to undo a poor Epicurean Philosopher, and at once to spoil him of the two pillars of his happiness, the quietness of his mind and ease of his body. Thus we see what a hazar∣dous imployment that was which the Apostles went upon, and that it was such as they very well understood the di••••i∣culty of before they set upon it.

Secondly, We cannot find out any rational motive which * 1.65

could carry them through so hazardous an employment, but the full convictions of their minds of the undoubted truth and cer∣tainty of the doctrine which they delivered. We find before that no vulgar motives in the world could carry them upon that design which they went upon; Could they be led by ambition and vain glory who met with such reproaches where ever they went; and not only persecutions of the tongue, but the sharper ones of the hands too? we never read of any but the Primitive Christians who were ambitious of be∣ing Martyrs, and thought long till they were in the flames: which made Arrius Antoninus being Proconsul of Asia when Christians in multitudes beset his tribunal and thronged in to be condemned, say to them, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. O miserable people, had not ye wayes enough to * 1.66 end your lives at h••me, but ye must croud for an execution! This was a higher ambition by far then any of those mancipia gloriae, those Chamaeleons that lived on the breath of applause, the Heathen Philosophers ever reached to, who were as Ter∣tullian expresseth it, homines gloriae & eloquentiae solius libi∣dinosi, unsatiable thirsters after the honour and eloquence of * 1.67 the world; but the Spirit of a Christian did soare too high to quarry on so mean a pr••y. When the more sober heathens had taken a stricter notice of the carriages and lives of the Preachers of the Gospel and all their genuine followers, they instead of the common and rude name of impostors, gave them a more civil title of Philosophers, and looked upon their doctrine as a sublimer kind of Philosophy, non utique divinum negotium existimant sed mag is Philosophiae genus, as Tertulli∣an * 1.68 tells us, because the Philosophers pretended so much to moral vertues which they saw the Christians so excellent in; but as Tertullian there replies, nomen hoc Philosophorum Dae∣monia non fugat, The Devil was never afraid of a Philoso∣phers beard, nor were diseases cured by the touch of a Philo∣sophick pallium. There was something more Divine in Chri∣stians then in the grave Philosophers; and that not only in reference to their lives, and the Divine power which was seen in them, but in reference to the truth and certainty of their doctrine, it being a true character given of both, by that same excellent writer in behalf of the Christians of his time:

Veritatem Philosophi quidem aff••ctant, possident autem Chri∣stiani; what the Philosophers desired only, the Christians enjoy, * 1.69 which was Truth: and as he elsewhere more fully speaks, mimicè Philosophi affectant veritatem, & affectando corrum. punt, ut qui gloriam captant; Christianieam necessariò ap∣petunt * 1.70 & integri praestant, ut qui saluti suae curant. Truth is the Philosophers mistress which by courting he vitiates and corrupts, looking at nothing but his own glory: but truth is the Christians Matron whose directions he observes and follows, because he regards no glory but that to come. And to let them further see what a difference there was between a Christian and a Philosopher, he concludes that discourse with these words, Quid adeo simile Philosophus & Christianus? Graeciae Discipulus et coeli? famae negotiator et vitae? verborum et factorum operator? rerum aedificator et destructor? amicus et inimicus erroris? veritatis interpolator et integrator? furator ejus et custos? As much distance (saith he) as there is between Greece and Heaven, between applause and eternal glory, be∣tween words and things, between building and destroying, be∣tween truth and error, between a plagiary and corrupter of truth, and a preserver and advancer of it; so much is there between a Philosopher and a Christian. The Heathens might suspect indeed some kind of affinity between the first Preachers of the Gospel and the antient Sophists of Greece, because of their frequent going from place to place, and pre∣tending a kind of Enthusiasm as they did: but as much difference as there is between a Knight Errant and Hercules, between a Mountebank and Hippocrates, that and much greater there is between a Greek Sophist and an Apostle. Socrates in Plato's Euthydemus hath excellently discovered the vanity and futility of those persons under the persons of Euthydemus and Dionysodorus, and so likewise in his Prota∣goras; their intent was only like the retiaries in the Roman Spectacles to catch their adversaries in a net; to intangle them with some captious question or other; but how vastly different from this was the design of the Apostles who ab∣hord those endless contentions which then were in the Hea∣then world; and came to shew them that Truth which was revealed with an intent of making them better men!

We see the Apostles were not carried forth by any mean * 1.71 and vulgar motives, neither did they drive on any private ends of their own; all that they minded was the promoting of the doctrine which they preached. Nay they accounted no hazards comparable with the advantage which the world enjoyed through the propagation of the Christian Religion. This shewed a truly noble and generous spirit in them which would not be hindred from doing the world good, though they found so bad entertainment from it; yea they rejoyced in their greatest sufferings which they underwent in so good a cause; wherein those Primitive Christians who were the genuine followers of the Apostles, did so far imitate them, that, etiam damnati gratias agunt, they gave the Iudges * 1.72 thanks that they thought them worthy to lose their lives in a cause which they had reason to triumph in, though they died for it. And when any of them were apprehended, they discovered so little fear of punishment, ut unum solummodo quod non ante suerint paeniteret, that nothing troubled them so much as that they had been Christians no sooner, as one of * 1.73 their number speaks. And when the Heathens usually scoffed at them and called them Sarmentitii and Semaxii because they were burned upon the Cross, one of them in the name of the rest answers, hic est habitus victoriae nostrae, haec palmata vestis, tali curru triumphamus; the Cross was only * 1.74 their triumphant chariot which carried them sooner to Heaven. Now this courage and resolution of spirit which was seen in the first planters of Christianity in the world made all serious and inquisitive persons look more narrowly into those things. which made men slight so much the com∣mon bug-bears of humane nature, sufferings and death.

Quis enim non contemplatione ejus concutitur, adrequirendum * 1.75 quid intus in re sit? quis non ubi requisivit accedit? ubi accessit patiexoptat? These sufferings made men enquire; this enquiry made them believe; that belief made them as willing to suffer themselves as they had seen others do it before them. Thus it appeared to be true in them, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 q••••que cru∣delitas, illecebra magis est sectae; plures ••fficimur qu••••ties me∣timur a vobis; semen est sanguis Christianorum; The cruelty of their ••nemies did but increase their number; the harvest of

their pretended justice was but the seed-time of Christianity, and no seed was so fruitful as that which was steeped in the blood of Martyrs. Thence Iustin Martyr ingenuously saith of himself, that while he was a Platonick Philosopher, he de∣rided and scoffed at the Christians; but when he considered their great courage and constancy in dying for their profession, he could not think those could possibly be men wicked and voluptuous, who when offers of life were made them, would rather choose death then deny Christ. By which he found plainly that there was a higher spirit in Christianity then could be obtained by the sublime notions and speculations of Plato, and that a poor ignorant Christian would do and suffer more for the sake of Christ then any of the Academy in defence of their master Plato. Now since all men natu∣rally abhor sufferings, what is it which should so powerfully alter the nature and disposition of Christians above all other persons, that they alone should seem in that to have forgot humanity, that not only with patience, but with joy they endured torments and abode the flames? What! were they all p••ssessed with a far more then Stoical Apathy, that no sense o•• pain could work at all upon them? or were they all besotted and infatuated persons that did not know what it was they underwent? ••t is true some of the more blind and wilfull Heathens derided them as such; but who were the more infatuated, let any sober person judge; they who slighted and rejected a doctrine of so great concernment, which came attested with so much resolution and courage in the professors of it; or they who were so far perswaded of the truth of it, that they would rather die than deny it? dicimus & palam dicimus, et vobis torquentibus lacerati et cruenti * 1.76 vociferamur, Deum colimus per Christum. They were not ashamed to believe in the blood of Christ even when their own blood ran down besore their eyes, and confess Christ with their mouths when their bodies were upon the rack. Certain∣ly then there were some very powerfull and convincing ar∣guments which buoyed up the spirits of true Christians in that deluge of sufferings which they were to swim through; it must be a strong and well grounded faith which would hold out under so great tryals, and they could not be to seek for

the most perswasive motives to faith, who were so ready to give an account to others of the hope that was in them, and to perswade all other persons to the embracing of it. With what face and confidence otherwise could they perswade men to embrace a doctrine so dangerous as that was, had there not been motives sufficient to bear up against the weight of susferings, and arguments perswasive to convince them of the undoubted certainty of that doctrine which they encouraged them to believe?

Now that which appears to have been the main ground of satisfaction to the Primitive Christians as to the truth and * 1.77 certainty of the doctrine of Christ, was this, that the doctrine of the Gospel was at first delivered to the world, by those persons who were themselves eye-witnesses of all the miracles which our Saviour wrought in confirmation of the truth of what he spake. They were such persons who had been them∣selves present, not only to hear most of our Saviours admira∣ble discourses when he was in the world, but to see all those glorious things which were done by him, to make it appear that he was immediately sent from God. Let us now appeal to our own faculties, and examine a little what rational evi∣dence could possibly be desired, that the doctrine of the Gospel was true, which God did not afford to the world? What could the persons who were the auditors of our Saviour desire more as an evidence that he came from God, then his doing such things which were certainly above any created power either humane or Diabolical, and therefore must needs be Divine? What could other persons desire more who were not present at the doing of these miracles, but that the report of them should be conveyed to them in an undoubted manner by those persons who were eye-witnesses of them, and made it appear to the world they were far from any intention of deceiving it? Now this makes the Apostles themselves in their own writings (though they were divinely inspired) appeal to the rational evidence of the truth of the things in that they were delivered by them who were eye-witnesses of them. There St. Peter speaks thus to the dispersed Iews, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 * 1.78

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. For we have not followed cunningly devised fa∣bles, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his Ma∣jesty. The power and coming of Christ which the Apostle speaks of, was not as some improbably conceive, either his general coming to judgement upon the world, or his particu∣lar coming upon the Nation of the Iews; but by an Hendy∣ades, by his power and coming is meant his powerful appear∣ance in the world, whereby he mightily discovered himself to be the Son of God. Now this saith the Apostle, was no 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, not like the Heathen Mythology concern∣ing the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of their Gods among them (which were so frequently believed among them that Dionysins * 1.79 Halycarnassaeus condemns the Epicureans, because they did deride 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the appearances of their Gods in the world) now saith the Apostle, assure your selves this is no such appearance of a God on earth as that among the Heathens was; for saith he we our selves who declare these things were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, we fully understood this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 this great my∣stery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh, for we saw his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that great majesty which attended him in all which he spake or did; we saw all those 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the great * 1.80 things of God, which were manifest in him, all those mir••∣culous operations which were wrought by him. Therefore as this was a great confirmation of the faith of the Apostles themselves that they saw all these things, so we see it was of great concernment to the world in order to their belief that the Gospel was no cunningly devised fable, in that it was delivered by such who were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 eye-witnesses of what they declared. To the same purpose St. Iohn speaks ad concilian∣dam fidem, to make it appear how true what they delivered was, in the entrance of his Epistle; That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with * 1.81 our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us) That which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you. We see what great force and weight the Apostle layes upon

this, that they delivered nothing but what they had seen and heard; as they heard the doctrine of Christ, so they saw the miracles which he wrought in confirmation of it. St. Luke likewise in the beginning of his Gospel declares that he in∣tended to write nothing but what he had perfect understand∣ing of from such persons who had been 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 eye-witnesses, * 1.82 and instruments themselves in part of what was written, for that is meant by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: and those things which were written, he saith were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, things which are abundantly proved to be true; for being matters of ••act, there could be no stronger proof of them, then by such who were eye-witnesses of what they spake. And this we find the Apostles themselves very cautious about, in the choice of a new Apostle in the room of Iudas. Wherefore of these * 1.83 men which have companied with us, all the time that the Lord Iesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day, that he was taken from us, must one be ordained to be a witness of his resurrection: For, because Christ was mightily declared to be the Son of God by his resur∣rection from the dead, (as that which was the great Seal of our Saviours being the Son of God) therefore we find the Apostles so frequently attesting the truth of the resurrection of Christ, and that themselves were eye-witnesses of it. This Iesus, saith Peter, hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. And again, And killed the Prince of life, whom * 1.84 God hath raised up from the dead, whereof we are witnesses; and both Peter and Iohn to the Sanhedrin; For we cannot * 1.85 but speak the things which we have seen and heard. And the * 1.86 whole Colledge of Apostles afterwards, And we are his wit∣nesses of these things, and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God * 1.87 hath given to them that obey him. In which words they give them that twofold rational evidence which did manifest the undoubted truth of what they spake; for they delivered no∣thing but what themselves were witnesses of, and withall was declared to be true by the power of the Holy Ghost in the miracles which were wrought by and upon believers. After∣wards we read the sum o•• the Apostles Preaching, and the manner used by them to perswade men of the truth of it, in the words of Peter to Cern••lius and his company, How God

annointed Iesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good, and healing all that were * 1.88 oppressed of the Devil, for God was with him: And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Iews and in Hierusalem, whom they stew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly, not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. And he com••anded us to ••reach unto the people, that it is be which was ordained of God to be the Iudge of quick and dead. By all which we see what care God was pleased to take for the satisfaction of the world in point of rational evidence, as to the truth of the matters which were discovered concerning our Saviour Christ, because he made choice of such persons to be the preachers and writers of these things who were the best ab••e to satisfie the world about them, viz. such as had been eye witnesses of them.

Now in order to the making it more fully evident what * 1.89 strength there was in this Testimony given by the Apostles to the miracles of Christ, we shall more fully manifest the ra∣tional evidence which attended it in these following proposi∣tions. Where the truth of a doctrine depends upon a matter of fact, the truth of the doctrine is sufficiently manifested, if the matter of fact be evidently proved in the highest way it is capa∣ble * 1.90 of. Thus it is in reference to the doctrine of Christ; for the truth of that is so interwoven with the truth of the story of Christ, that if the relations concerning Christ be true, his doctrine must needs be Divine and infallible. For if it be undoubtedly true, that there was such a person as Christ born at Bethlehem, who did so many miracles, and at last suffered the death of the Cross, and after he had lain three dayes in the grave rose again from the dead, what reason imaginable can I have to question, but that the Testimony of this person was certainly Divine, and consequently what ever he preached to the world was most certain and undoubted truth: So that if we have clear evidence as to the truth of these passages concerning our Saviour, we must likewise believe his doctrine, which came attested with such pregnant evidences of a Divine commission which he had from God to the world:

No Prince can think he hath any reason to refuse audience to an Embassador, when he finds his Credentials such as he may rely upon; although himself doth not see the sealing of them; much less reason have we to question the truth of the doctrine of the Gospel, if we have sufficient evidence of the truth of the matters of fact concerning Christ, in such a way as those things are capable of being proved.

The greatest evidence which can be given to a matter of fact, * 1.91 is the attesting of it by those persons who were eye-witnesses of it. This is the Foundation whereon the firmest assent is built, as to any matter of fact; for although we conceive we have reason to suspect the truth of a story, as long as it is conveyed only in a general way, by an uncertain fame and tradition, yet when it comes to be attested by a sufficient number of credible persons who profess themselves the cye-witnesses of it, it is accounted an unreasonable thing to distrust any longer the truth of it; especially in these two cases. 1. When the matter they bear witness to is a thing which they might easily and clearly perceive. 2. When many witnesses exactly agree in the same Testimony.

1. When the matter it self is of that nature that it may be fully perceived by those who saw it: i. e. if it be a common object of sense. And thus it certainly was as to the person and actions of Iesus Christ. For he was of the same nature with mankind; and they had as great evidence that they conversed with Iesus Christ in the flesh, as we can have that we con∣verse one with another. The miracles of Christ were real and visible miracles, they could be no illusions of senses, nor deceits of their eyes; the man who was born blind and cured by our Saviour, was known to have been born blind through all the Countrey, and his cure was after as publike as his blind∣ness before, and acknowledged by the greatest enemies of * 1.92 Christ at the time of its being done. When Christ raised up the dead man at Naim, it was before much people, and such * 1.93 persons in probability who were many of them present at his death. But least there might be any suspition as to him, that he was not really dead, the case is plain and beyond all dispute in Lazarus, who had been to the knowledge of all persons thereabouts dead four dayes; here could be no deceit at all * 1.94

when the stone was rowled away, and Lazarus came forth in the presence of them all. And yet further the death and pas∣sion of our Saviour was a plain object of sense done in pre∣sence of his greatest adversaries. The souldiers themselves were sufficient witnesses of his being really dead when they came to break his bones, and spared him because they saw he was dead already. At his resurrection the stone was rowled away from the Sepulchre and no body found therein, al∣though the Sepulchre was guarded by souldiers, and the Dis∣ciples of Christ all so fearful, that they were dispersed up and down in several places. And that it was the same real body which he rose withall, and no aëreall vehicle, appears by Thomas his serupulosity and unbelief, who would not believe unless ••e might put his hands into the hole of his sides, and see * 1.95 in his hands the ••rint of the nails; now our Saviour conde∣seending so far as to satisfie the incredulity of Thomas, hath made it thereby evident that the body which our Saviour rose from the grave with, was the same individual body which be∣fore was crucified and buried in the Sepulchre. And we sind all the Apostles together upon our Saviours appearance to them after his resurrection, so far from being credulous in embracing a phantasm instead of Christ, that they susp••cted that it was either a meer phantasm, or an evil spirit which appeared among them; upon which it is said, they were ter∣rified * 1.96 and affrighted, and supposed they had seen a spirit. Which our Saviour could not beat them off from, but by appealing to the judgement of their senses, Handle me and see, for a spirit * 1.97 hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have, and afterwards more fully to convince them, he did eat in the midst of them. Now the more suspitious and inc••edulous the Apostles themselves * 1.98 at first were, the greater evidence is it how far they were from any design of abusing the world in what they after preached unto it, and what strong conviction there was in the thing its self, which was able to satisfie such scrupulous and su∣spicious persons.

2. When many witnesses concurr in the same Testimony. Nothing can disparage more the truth of a testimony, then the counter witness of such who were present at the same actions, but when all the witnesses fully agree not only in the

substance, but in all material circumstances of the story, what ground or reason can there be to suspect a forgery or design in it; especially when the persons cannot by any fears or threat∣nings be brought to vary from each other in it! Thus it is in our present case, we find no real dissent at all mentioned ei∣ther as to the birth, miracles, life, death, or resurrection of Iesus Christ, all the witnesses attest the same things, though writing in different places, and upon different occasions; no alteration in any circumstance of the story, out of any de∣sign of pleasing or gratifying any persons by it. Most of our Saviours miracles, not only his Apostles but the people and his very enemies were witnesses of, whose posterity to this day dare not deny the truth of such strange works which were wrought by him. And for his resurrection, it would be very strange that five hundred persons should all agree in the same thing, and that no torments or death could bring any of them to de∣ny the truth of it, had there not been the greatest certainty in it.

There can be no reason to suspect such a testimony which is given by eye-witnesses, but either from questi••ning their know∣ledge * 1.99 of the things they speak of, or their fi••elity in reporting them. Now there is not the least ground to doubt either of these, in reference to those persons who gave testimony to the world concerning the person and actions of our blessed Sa∣viour.

For first, They were such as were intimately conversant both with the person and actions of Iesus Christ; whom he had * 1.100 chosen and trained up for that very end, that they might be sufficiently qualified to acquaint the world with the truth of things concerning himself after his resurrection from the dead. And accordingly they followed him up and down wheresoever he went, they were with him in his solitudes and retirements, and had thereby occasion to observe all his actions, and to take notice of the unspotted innocency of his life. Some of his Disciples were with him in his transfiguration, others in his agony and bloody sweat, they heard the expressions which came from his mouth; in all which he discovered a wonderful sub∣mission to the will of God, and a great readiness of mind to suffer for the good of the world. Now therefore the first

thing cannot at all be questioned, their means of knowing the truth of what they spake.

Neither secondly is there any reas••n to suspect their fidelity * 1.101 in reporting what they knew: For, 1. The truth of this do∣ctrine wrought so far upon them, that they parted with all their worldly subsistence for the sake of it: Although their riches were not great, yet their way of subsistence in the world was necessary; they left their houses, their wives and children, and all for Christ, and that not to gain any higher preferments in this world (which had they done, it would have rendred their design suspicious to the curious and inquisitive world) but they let go at least a quiet and easie life, for one most troublesom and dangerous. So that it is not, how much they parted withall, but how freely they did it, and with what chearfulness they underwent disgraces, persecutions, nay death its self for the sake of the Gospel. Now can it be ima∣gined, that ever men were so prodigal of their ease and lives, as to throw both of them away upon a thing which themselves were not fully assured of the truth of? It had been the high∣est folly imaginable, to have deceived themselves in a thing of so great moment to them, as the truth of the doctrine which they preached was; because all their hopes and happi∣ness depended upon the truth of that doctrine which they preached. And as Tertullian observes, non fas est ulli de suâ religione mentiri; for, saith he, he that sayes he worships any thing be sides what he doth, he denyes what he doth worship, and transfers his worship upon another, and thereby doth not worship that which he thus denyes: Besides, what probability is there men should lye for the sake of that Religion which tells them that those which do so shall not receive the reward which is promised to those who cordially adhere unto it. Nay, they declared themselves to be the most miserable of all persons if their hopes were only in this present life. Can we now * 1.102 think that any who had the common reason of men, would part with all the contentments of this world, and expose them∣selves to continual hazards, and at last undergo death its self for the sake of something which was meerly the fiction of their own brains? What should make them so sedulous and indu∣strious in preaching such things that they could say necessity

was laid upon them, yea wo was unto them if they preached not the * 1.103 Gospel, when yet they saw so many woes attending them in the preaching of it, had there not been some more powerful attractive in the beauty and excellency of the doctrine which they preached, then any could be in the ease and tranquillity of this present world? Thus we see the fid••lity of the Apostles manifested in such a way as no other witnesses were ever yet willing to hazard theirs. And therefore Origen deservedly * 1.104 condemns Celsus of a ridiculous impertinency, when he would parallel the relations of Herodotus and Pindarus concerning Aristeus Proconnesius with those of the Apostles concerning Christ: For, faith he, did either of those two venture their lives upon the truth of what they writ concerning him, as the Apostles did to attest the truth of what they preached concern∣ing our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ?

2. The fidelity of the Apostles is evident in their manner of * 1.105 reporting the things which they deliver. For if ever there may be any thing gathered from the manner of expression, or the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 concerning the particular temper and dispo∣sition of the person from whom it comes, we may certainly read the greatest fidelity in the Apostles from the peculiar manner of their expressing themselves to the world. Which they do,

1. With the greatest impartiality: not declaring only what was glorious and admirable to the world, but what they knew would be accounted foolishness by it. They who had sought only to have been admired for the rare discoveries which they brought to the world, would be sure to conceal any thing which might be accounted ridiculous; but the Apostles fixed themselves most on what was most contemptible in the eyes of the world, and what they were most mocked and de∣rided for, that they delighted most in the preaching of, which was the Cross of Christ. Paul was so much in Love with this, which was a stumbling block to the Iews and foolishness to the Greeks, that he valued the knowledge of nothing else in comparison of the knowledge of Christ and him crucified. Nay * 1.106 he elsewhere saith, God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of Christ. What now should be the reason that they should rejoyce in that most which was most despicable to the

world, had not they seen far ••reater truth and excellency in it, then in the most sublime speculations concerning God or the souls of men in the School of Plato or any other heathen Philosophers? That all men should be bound in order to their salvation, to believe in one who was crucified at Hierusalem, was a strange doctrine to the unbelieving world: but if the Apostles had but endeavoured to have suited their doctrine to the School of Plato, what rare persons might they have been accounted among the Heathen Philosophers! Had they only in general terms discoursed of the Benignity of the Divine nature, and the manifestations of Divine goodness in the world, and that, in order to the bringing of the souls of men to a nearer participation of the Divine nature, the per∣fect Idea of true goodness, and the express image of the per∣son of God, and the resplendency of his glory had vailed him∣self in humane nature, and had everywhere scattered such beams of light and goodness, as warmed and invigorated the frozen spirits of men with higher sentiments of God and them∣selves, and raised them up above the faeculency of this ter∣restrial matter to breath in a freer air, and converse with more noble objects, and by degrees to fit the souls of men for those more pure illapses of real goodness, which might alwayes sa∣tisfie the souls desires, and yet alwayes keep them up till the soul should be sunning its self to all eternity under the im∣mediate beams of Light and Love: And that after this In∣carnate Deity had spread abroad the wings of his Love for a while upon this lower world, till by his gentle heat and incu∣bation he had quickned the more plyable world to some degree of a Divine life, he then retreated himself back again into the superiour world, and put off that vail by which he made himself known to those who are here confined to the prisons of their bodies: Thus, I say, had the Apostles minded ap∣plause among the admired Philosophers of the Heathens, how easie had it been for them to have made some considerable additions to their highest speculations, and have left out any thing which might seem so mean and contemptible as the death of the Son of God! But this they were so far from, that the main thing which they preached to the world, was, the vanity of humane wisdom without Christ, and the

necessity of all mens believing in that Iesus who was crucified at Hierusalem.

The Apostles indeed discover very much, infinitely more then ever the most lofty Pl—tonist could do, concerning the goodness and Love of God to mankind; but that wherein they manifested the Love of God to the world, was that he gave his * 1.107 only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. And that herein was the Love * 1.108 of God manifested, that while we were yet sinners, Christ dyed for us. And that this was the greatest truth and worthy of all * 1.109 acceptation, that Iesus Christ came into the world to save sin∣ners. They never dreamt of any divine goodness which should make men happy without Christ: No, it was their design to perswade the world that all the communications of Gods goodness to the world were wholly in and through Iesus Christ, and it is impossible that any should think otherwise, unless Plato knew more of the mind of God then our blessed Saviour, and Plotinus then Saint Paul. Can we think now that the Apostles should hazard the reputation of their own wits so much as they did to the world, and be accounted bablers, and fools, and madmen, for preaching the way of sal∣vation to be only by a person crucified between two thieves at Hierusalem, had they not been convinced not only of the truth but importance of it, and that it concerned men as much to believe it, as it did to avoid eternal misery? Did Saint Paul preach ever the less the words of truth and soberness, because he was told to his face that his Learning had made him mad? But if he was besides himself, it was for Christ; and what wonder was it if the Love of Christ in the Apostle should make him willing to lose his reputation for him, seeing Christ made himself of no reputation, that he might be in a capacity to do us good? We see the Apostles were not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, because they knew it was the power of God to salvation, and therefore neither in their preaching or their writings would they omit any of those passages con∣cerning our Saviours death, which might be accounted the most dishonourable to his person. Which is certainly as great an evidence of their sidelity as can be expected; which makes Origen say that the Disciples of Christ writ all

things 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 with a great deal of candour and * 1.110 love of truth. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; not concealing from the world those passages of the life of Christ, which would be accounted most foolish and ridiculous.

2. With the greatest plainness and simplicity of speech. Such whose design is to impose upon the minds of men with some cunningly devised fables, love as much ambiguity as ever Apollo did in his most winding oracles, of whom it is said,

Ambage nexâ Delphico mos est Dco Arcana tegere.

Servius tells us, that Iupiter Ammon was therefore pictured * 1.111 with Rams-horns, because his answers had as many turnings and windings as they had. But the horns which Moses was wont to be pictured with, did only note light and perspicuity (from the ambiguity of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which notes the sending forth of rayes of light like a horn) and yet Moses himself was vailed, in comparison of the openness and plainness of speech which was in the Apostles. Impostors cast a mist of many dark and cloudy words before them, but when they are once brought into the open light, their vizard falls off, and their deformity appears. Such persons delight in soaring quite out of the apprehensions of those who follow them, and never think themselves better recompenced for their pains, then when they are most admired and least understood. But never was Christianity more dishonoured, then when men brought it from its native simplicity and plainness, into a company of cloudy and insignificant expressions, which are so far from making men better understand the truth of it, that it was certainly the Devils design by such obscure terms to make way for a mysterie to be advanced (but it was of iniquity) and soon after, we see the effect of it in another oracle set up at Rome instead of Delphos, and all the pretence of it, was the obscurity supposed in Scripture. What! darkness come by the rising of the Sun! Or is the Sun at last grown so beggarly, that he is fain to borrow light of the earth? Must

the S••ripture be beholding to the Church for its clearness, and Christ himsel•• not speak intelligibly, unless the Pop•• be his Interpreter? Did Christ reveal to the world the Way to salvation, and yet leave men to se••k which was it, till a Guide never heard of in the Scripture come to direct them in the Way to it? What strange witnesses were the Apostles, if they did no•• speak the truth with plainness? How had men been to s••••k as ••o the truth of Christianity, if the Apostles had not declared the d••ctrine of the Gospel with all evidence and perspicuity? Whom must we believe in this case, the Apostles or the Roman oracle? The Apostles they tell us they speak * 1.112 with all plainness of speech and for that end purposely lay aside all exc••llency of words and humane wisdom, that men might not be to seek for their m••aning in a matter of so great moment; that the Gospel was hid to none but such as are lost, and whose eyes are blinded by the god of this world; that the doctrin•• revealed by them is a light to direct us in our way to heaven, and a rule to walk by; and it is a strange property of light to be obscure, and of a rule to be crooked. But it is not only evident from the Apostles own affirmations, that they laid aside all affected obscurity, ambiguous expressions, and Philosophical terms, whereby the world might have been to seek for what they were to believe, but it is likewise clear from the very nature of the doctrine they preached, and the design of their preaching of it. What need Rhetorick in plain truths? or affected phrases in giving evidence? How incon∣gruous would obscure expressions have been to the design of saving souls by the foolishness of preaching? For if they had industriously spoken in their preaching, above the capacities of those they spake to, they could never have converted a soul without a miracle; for the ordinary way of conversion must be by the understanding; and how could that work upon the understanding, which was so much above it? But saith the Apostle, we preach not our selves, but Christ Iesus the Lord, and our selves your servants for Iesus sake. If they had sought themselves or their own credit and reputation, there might * 1.113 have been some reason that they should have used the way of the Sophists among the Greeks, and by declamatory speeches to have inhanceed their esteem among the v••lgar. But

the Apostles disowned and rejected all these vulgar artifices of mean and low-spirited men; they laid aside all those enticing words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the way of the Heathen Sophists, and declared the T••stimony of God with spiritual evidence; * 1.114 they handled not the word of God deceitfully, but by ma∣nifestation of the truth, commended themselves to every mans * 1.115 cons••ience in the sight of God: Now what could be so suite∣able to such a design, as the greatest plainness and faithfulness in what they spake? We find in the testimony of the Apo∣stles 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as Ori∣gen * 1.116 speaks, nothing that is spurious or counterfeit, nothing sa∣vouring of the cunning craftiness of such as lie in wait to de∣ceive; and saith he, it is impossible to think that men never bred up in the Sophistry of the Gre••ks, nor experienced in the Rhetorical insinuations used among them, could ever be able so suddenly to perswade the world to embrace that which had been a figment of their own brains. The truth is, the Apostles speak like men very confident of the truth of what they speak, and not like such who were fain to fetch in the help of all their Topicks, to find out some probable arguments to make men believe that which it is probable they did not believe them∣selves, which was most commonly the case of the great Ora∣tors among the Heathens. We find no pedantick flourishes, no slattering insinuations, no affected cadencyes, no such great care of the rising and falling of words in the several senten∣ces, which make up so great a part of that which was ac∣counted eloquence in the Apostles times. These things were too mean a prey for the spirits of the Apostles to quarry up∣on; every thing in them was grave and serious, every word had its due weight, every sentence brim-full of spiritual mat∣ter, their whole discourse most becoming the Majesty and Authority of that spirit which they spake by. And therein was seen a great part of the infinite wisdom of God in the choice he made of the persons who were to propagate the Doctrine of Christ in the world, that they were not such who by reason of their great repute and fame in the world, might easily draw whole multitudes to imbrace their dictates, but (that there might not be the least foundation for an implicit faith) they were of so mean rank and condition in the world, that in all

probability their names had never been hard of, had not their doctrine made them famous. To this purpose Origen excel∣lently speaks, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. I am of opinion, saith he, that Iesus did purposely make use of such preachers of his doctrine, that there might be no place for suspicion that they came instructed with the arts of Sophistry; but that it be clearly manifest to all that would consider it, that there was no∣thing of design in those who discovered so much simplicity in their writings, and that they had a more divine power which was more efficacious then the greatest volubility of expressions, or ornaments of speech, or the artifices which were used in the Grecian compositions.

3. The Apostles delivered their doctrine with the greatest openness and freedom of spirit; they did not give out one thing to the world, and another to their private Disciples; but with great freedom and boldness declared their doctrine in the most publick places, and before their greatest enemies. They knew they were looked on as deceivers by the world, but yet they knew themselves to be true, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. This is * 1.117 the usual requital good men have from the world, that they are looked on as the greatest deceivers of it; if it be so with others, they have much less cause to wonder at it, when even he, who by one Prophet is stiled the desire of Nations, is * 1.118 by another said to be despised and rejected of men; and when Christ was in the world he was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the deceiver; no wonder, then if his Disciples were accounted such, although they manifested their veracity by their open carriage and free speaking to the faces of their greatest adversaries. The Apostles neither feared the Iews skill in their Law, nor the wisdom and subtilty of the Greeks: Saint Paul preacheth Christ openly among the Iews in their Synagogues, and among the Athenians he encounters the Epicureans and Stoicks, and preacheth to them Iesus and the resurrection. * 1.119

If the Apostles had any thing of deceivers in them, as to the things they related concerning Christ, they would not cer∣tainly have spoken with so much confidence concerning Christ in the presence of those who had been his murderers, but we see they appealed to themselves, as to the miracles which he had wrought among them, and for his resurrection they were ready to lay down their lives in giving testimony to the truth of it. That his body was gone, was evident; that the Apostles should take it away was impossible, considering what a guard of souldiers they had set upon it, and how timerous and fearful the Apostles were, that they fled upon Christs being apprehended. Now what could it be, could make such fearful persons afterwards so couragious and resolute as they were, had there not been some more then ordinary power to con∣vince and encourage them?

4. The Apostles deliver their Testimony with the greatest particularity as to all circumstances. They do not change or alter any of them upon different examinations before several persons; they all agree in the greatest constancy to themselves and uniformity with each other. As to matters of indiffe∣rency, we find the Apostles very yielding and condescending, but as to any thing which concerned their testimony, most constant and resolved. Had the Gospel been some cunningly contrived fancy, it had been impossible but so many different persons, in such different places, and under such different con∣ditions, would have varyed as to some material circumstance of it: Or else they would have been so wise as to have de∣livered it in general terms, without insisting much on such particular circumstances, which if they had been false, might have been very easily disproved: but with what par∣ticular enumeration of circumstances do the Apostles preach Christ to the world? Peter tells the Iews that it was Iesus * 1.120 of Nazareth whom he preached; and lest they should think it was not the same person who rose again, with great boldness and freedom of spirit he saith to them, Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same * 1.121 Iesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Yea that same individual person who was conversant in the world, and dyed upon the Cross, is now become a Prince and Saviour to * 1.122

give repentance to Israel and remission of sins. If there had been any ground of suspition as to these things, who had been so able to disprove them, or so ready to do it, as those persons who had crucified him? For we cannot conceive but those who had a hand in his death, would endeavour by all possible means to disprove his resurrection from the dead. For what a case were they like to be in, if those things which the Apostles so confidently preached were true? If Christ had all power now in his hands, and there were salvation in no other name, but only in his whom they had crucified, they were like to be in a most desperate condition; therefore if any men can be supposed inquisitive after the truth of these circum∣stances, no doubt these were; and if they could have found the least flaw in their testimony, the world would soon have ringed of it; and the Iews who were then so much dispersed abroad, would have divulged it into all parts, the Apostles would have been told of it as they preached Christ in the Synagogues. And can we in any reason think, but those Iews who persecuted Paul as he preached in the Synagogues of Asia, and afterwards impeached him so openly at Ierusa∣lem, would there enquire into all the circumstances concern∣ing Christ, and all the other Iews would write to their Friends at Ierusalem to be fully informed of those strange things which were told them openly in all places in their Syna∣gogues by men of their own Nation and language, concern∣ing one Iesus who was crucified and rose again from the dead. Had there been now any so much as plausible pretext that any of these circumstances were not true, can we think but that a people so unmeasureably given to their own wayes and traditions, would in all places have vented any thing that might have tended to the disparagement of Christ and his Apostles? But we see malice its self could not find any flaw in the Apostles testimony; for if it had, we should certainly have heard of it, either from the Iews, or from the great op∣posers of Christianity among the Heathens, who pretended to be curious and inquisitive persons, such as Celsus, Iulian, Hierocles, and Porphyrie were. What reason can we have then in the least to suspect such a Testimony which passed so uncontrouled in that time when it was alone capable of being

disproved, and mens interest and design would put them so much upon it? The strength of which will appear from the next proposition, which is,

No Testimony ought to be taken against a matter of fact thus * 1.123 attested, but from such persons who had greater knowledge of the things attested, and manifest greater fidelity in report∣ing them. It is easie to make it appear, that supposing any persons at that time had contradicted the Testimony of the Apostles concerning our Saviour, yet there had been no reason in the world to have hearkned to their Testimony in opposition to that of the Apostles; and that on these accounts. 1. The Apostles witnessed the Affirmative, which is more capable of being attested then any negative can be. 2. The Apostles were more conversant with Christ then any other persons were, because they were chosen for that very end by him to be constantly with him; could any therefore be more capable of knowing the truth of all particulars concerning Christ then these were? Had there been any ground of suspicion concerning the design of Christ, why could not the Iews prevail with Iudas to discover it as well as to betray his person? Iudas had done but a good work if Christ had been such an impostor as the Iews blasphemously said he was; what made Iudas then so little satisfied with his work, that he grew weary of his life upon it, and threw himself away in the most horrid despair? No person certainly had been so fit to have been produced as a witness against Christ, as Iudas who had been so long with him, and had heard his speeches and observed his miracles; but he had not patience enough to stay after that horrid fact to be a witness against him; nay he was the greatest witness at that time for him, when he who had betrayed him came to the Sanhedrim when consulting about his death, and told them that he had sinned in betraying innocent blood. What possible evidence * 1.124 could have been given more in behalf of our Saviour then that was? when a person so covetous as to betray his Master for thirty pieces of silver, was so weary of his bargain that he comes and throws back the money, and declares the person innocent whom he had betrayed? And this person too was such a one as knew our Saviour far better then any of the

witnesses whom afterwards they suborned against him, who yet contradicted each other, and at last could produce nothing which in the judgement of the Heathen Governour could make him judge Christ worthy of death. 3. The Apostles were freer from design then any counter-witness at that time could be; we have already proved the Apostles could not possibly have any other motive to affirm what they did but full con∣viction of the truth of what they spake; but now if any among the Iews at that time had asserted any thing contrary to the Apostles, we have a clear account of it, and what mo∣tive might induce them to it; viz. the preserving of their honour and reputation with the people, the upholding their traditions, besides their open and declared enmity against Christ without any sufficient reason at all for it: now who would believe the testimony of the Scribes and Pharisees who had so great authority among the people, which they were like to lose, if Christs doctrine were true, before that of the Apostles who parted with all for the sake of Christ, and ventured themselves wholly upon the truth of our Saviours doctrine? 4. None ever did so much to attest the negative, as the Apostles did to prove their fidelity as to the affirma∣tive. Had sufficient counter-witness been timely produced, we cannot think the Apostles would have run so many con∣tinual hazards in Preaching the things which related to the person and actions of Christ. Did ever any lay down their lives to undeceive the world if the Apostles were guilty of abusing it? 5. The number of such persons had been in∣considerable in comparison of those who were so fully perswad∣ed of the truth of those things which concern our Saviour; who were all ready (as most of them did) to seal the truth of them with their lives. Whence should so many men grow so suddenly confident of the truth of such things which were contrary to their former perswasions, interest; education, had they not been delivered in such a way, that they were assured of the undoubted truth of them? which brings me to the last proposition, which is,

Matters of fact being first believed on the account of eye∣witnesses, and received with an universal and uncontrouled * 1.125 assent by all such persons who have thought themselves concern∣ed

in knowing the truth of them, do yeild a sufficient foundation for a firm assent to be built upon. I take it for granted that there is sufficient foundation for a firm assent, where there can be no reason given to question the evidence; which that there is not in this present case will appear from these fol∣lowing considerations.

1. That the multitudes of those persons who did believe these things, had liberty and opportunity to be satisfied of the truth of them before they believed them. Therefore no reason or motive can be assigned, on which they should be induced to believe these things, but the undoubted evidence of truth which went along with them. I confess in Mahumetisme a very great number of persons have for some centuries of years continued in the belief of the doctrine of Mahomet; but then withall there is a sufficient account to be given of that, viz. the power of the sword which keeps them in aw, and strictly forbids all the followers of Mahomet to dispute their religion at all, or compare it with any other. Therefore I can no more wonder at this, then I do to see so great a part of the world under the Tyranny of the gre••t Turk: Neither on the other side do I wonder that such a multitude of those professing Christianity should together with it, believe a great number of erroneous doctrines, and live in the practice of many gross superstitions, because I consider what a strange prevalency education hath upon softer spirits and more easie intellectuals, and what an aw an Inquisition bears upon timerous and irresolved persons. But now when a great multitude of persons sober and inquisitive shall contrary to the principles of their education, and without fear of any humane force, (which they beforehand see will persecute them) and after diligent enquiry made into the grounds on which they believe, for sake all their former perswasions, and resolvedly adhere to the truth of the doctrine propounded to them, though it cost them their lives; if this give us not reason to think this doctrine true, we must believe mankind to be the most miserable unhappy creatures in the world; that will with so much resolution part with all advantages of this life for the sake of one to come, if that be not undoubtedly certain, and the doctrine proposing it infallibly true. It is an

observable circumstance in the propagation of Christian Re∣ligion, that though God made choice at first of persons generally of mean rank and condition in the world to be Preachers of the Gospel, God thereby making it appear that our faith did not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God, and therefore chose the weak things of the world to con∣found * 1.126 the strong; yet soon af••er the Gospel was preached abroad in the world, we finde persons of great place and repu∣tation, of great parts and abilities engaged in the profession of the Christian faith. In the History of the Acts we read of Sergius a Proconsul, of Dionysius the Areopagite converted to the faith, and in the following ages of the Church many persons of great esteem for their excellent learning and abili∣ties; such was Iustin Martyr, one who before he became a Christian, was conversant with all sects of Philosophers, Stoicks, Peripateticks, Pythagoreans, and at last was a pro∣fessed Platonist till he was converted from Plato to Christ, and then found that true which he speaks of in his Dialogue with Trypho, that after all his enquiries into Philosophy, speaking of the doctrine of Christ, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, I found this at last to be the only sure * 1.127 and profitable Philosophy. And when Trypho after derides him as a man of very easie faith, who would leave the doctrine of Plato for that of Christ, (for it seems by him the Iews then had a more favourable opinion of the state of Platonists then Christians) Iustin is so far from being moved with such reproaches, that he tells him he would undertake to demon∣strate to him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that the Christians did not give credit to empty fables, and un∣provable assertions, but to such a doctrine as was full of a Divine spirit and power, and flourished with grace: The proving of which is the subject of that discourse. At Alex∣andria we meet with a succession of excellent persons, all which were not only embracers themselves, but defenders of the Christian faith; for setting aside there Abilius, Iustus, Cerdo, Eumenes, Marcus, Celadion, Agrippinus, Iulianus, Demetrius and others who flourished about the second Century, I shall only fix on those persons who were famous

enquirers after truth and noted for excellency in Heathen learning; yet these persons after all their inquiries found no∣thing to fix on but the Christian faith, and valued no other discovery of truth in comparison with that. Such was Pan∣taenus, who as Eusebius tells us, was an excellent Stoick before he became a Christian, and was after so eminent a one, that in imitation of the Apostles he wen•• into India to convert the inhabitants to the Christian faith, and at his return was made Rector of the School at Alexandria; which as the same author tells us, was much frequented by such who were * 1.128 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, well skild in humane as well as Divine learning. How excellent Pantaenus was in * 1.129 humane learning may appear in that Origen and Hierome both make his example their plea for the studying of it. After him succeeded Clemens Alexandrinus, Pantaenus his Schollar, a person of great depth of learning and exquisitly skild in all Heathen Antiquities, as appears by his remaining writings. The Learning of Origen is sufficiently known, which was in such great reputation in his own time, that not only Christi¦ans * 1.130 but Philosophers flocked to his Lectures at Alexandria as Eusebius tells us, wherein he read the Mathematicks, and other parts of Philosophy as well as the Scriptures; and the same author informs us that the Philosophers did dedicate their books to him, and sometimes chose him as arbitrator between them in matters of dispute; and Porphyrie himself in his books against the Christians vouchsafed a high encomium of Origen for his excellent learning. In Origens time Heraclas a Presbyter of Alexandria for five years together frequented the Schools of the Philosophers, and put on the Philosophick pallium, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and * 1.131 was very conversant in the books of the Grecian Learning. Besides these we read of Pierius and Achillas two Presbyters of Alexandria who were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 * 1.132 as Nicephorus Callistus speaks, persons well skild in the Grecian learning and Philosophy. If from Alex∣andria we go to Caesarea, there we not only meet with a School of learning among the Christians, but with persons very eminent in all kinds of learning; such were the famous Pamphilus and Eusebius so great an admirer of him, that

ever since he is called Eusebius Pamphili. At Antioch was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as Nicephorus * 1.133 speaks, a person versed in all kind of ingenuous literature. Anatclius Bishop of Laodicea one versed in Geometry, Astro∣nomy, and all kind of Philosophy as well as in the doctrine of * 1.134 Christ. Thus we see how in those early dayes of the Greek Church what excellent persons many of those were who were zealous Professors of Christianity; and concerning those of the Latin Church, I shall only mention that speech of St. Austin who was himself an instance of the same nature and a star of the first magnitude among them. Nonne aspicimus quanto auro & argento & v••ste s••ffarcinatus exierit de * 1.135 Aegypto Cyprian••s Doctor suavissimus & Martyr beatissi∣mus? quanto Lactantius? quanto Victorinus, Optatus, Hilarius? ut de vivis taceam: quanto innumerabiles Graeci? quod prior ipse fidelissimus Dei servus Moses fecerat, de quo Scriptum est, quod eruditus fuerit omni sapientia Aegyptio∣rum. To whose catalogue of learned persons, among the Latin Christians Tertullian, Arnobius and several others may be deservedly added. But as St. Austin there well observes, though the Israclites went rich out of Aegypt, yet it was their eating the Passover which saved them from destru∣ction; so though these were accomplished with those perfe∣ctions and riches of the soul, the ornaments of learning, yet it was their eating the true Passover which was Christ, by their adhering to his doctrine, was that which would be of more advantage to them, then all their accomplishments would be. Now then since in the first ages of the Christian Church, we find not only innumerable multitudes of persons of great integrity and sobriety in their lives embracing the doctrine of Christ, but so many persons that were curious enquirers after the truth of things, we can certainly have no reason to distrust such a Testimony which was received in so unanimous a manner by persons as able to judge of the truth of things, and as fearful of being deceived in reference to them as any now in the world can be.

2. As this testimony was received by persons in••uisitive after the truth of things, so the doctrine conveyed by it was a * 1.136 matter of the highest moment in the world: and therefore we

cannot conceive but persons ordinarily inquisitive about other things would be more then ordinarily so about this, because their eternal welfare and happiness did depend upon it. All persons that are truly religious, must at least be allowed to be persons very inquisitive after the state and condition of their souls when they shall be dislodged from their bodyes. And if we do but grant this, can we in any reason think that such a multitude of persons in so many ages should continue venturing their souls upon a Testimony which they had no assurance of the truth of? And that none of all these persons though men otherwise rational and judicious, should be able to discover the falsity of that doctrine they went upon, if at least any upon consideration of it can imagine it to be so? It is not reconcileable with the general presumption of humane nature concerning Divine providence and the care God takes of the welfare of men, to suffer so many persons who sincerely desire to serve God in the way which is most pleasing to him, to go on in such a continual delusion, and never have it at all discovered to them. If all then who have believed the doctrine of Christ to be the only way to salvation have been deceived, either we must deny altogether a Divine Providence, or say the Devil hath more power to deceive men then God to direct them, which is worse then the former, or else assert that there are no such things at all as either God or Devils, but that all things come to pass by chance and fortune; and if so, it is still more inexplicable why such multitudes of rational and serious men, and the most inquisitive part of the world as to such things should all be so possessed with the truth and certainty of these things; and the more profane, wicked, and ignorant any persons are, the more prone they are to mock and deride them. If such men then see more into truth and reason then the sober and judicious part of mankind, let us bid adieu to humanity and adore the brutes, since we admire their judgement most who come the nearest to them.

3. The multitude of these persons thus consenting in this Testimony, could have no other engagement to this consent, but only their firm perswasion of the truth of the doctrine conveyed by it; because those who unanimously agree in this thing are such persons whose other designs and interests in this world,

differ as much as any mens do. If it had been only a consent of Iews, there might have been some probable pretence to have suspected a matter of interest in it; but as to this thing, we find the Iews divided among themselves about it; and the stiffest denyers of the truth of it, do yet inviolably preserve those sacred records among them, from which the truth of the doctrine of Christ may be undoubtedly proved. Had the Christian Religion been enforced upon the world by the Roman Emperours at the time of its first promulgation, there would have been some suspicion of particular design in it; but it came with no other strength but the evidence of its own truth; yet it found sudden and strange entertainment among persons of all Nations and degrees of men. In a short time it had eaten into the heart of the Roman Empire, and made so large a spread therein, that it made Tertullian say, Hesterni sumus, & vestra omnia implevimus, urbes, insulas, castella, municipia, conciliabula, castraipsa, tribus, decurias, * 1.137 palatium, senatum, forum; sola vobis relinquimus Templa. We have but newly appeared, saith he, & yet we have filled all places with our company but only your Temples; and before speak∣ing of the Heathens, Obsessam vociferantur civitatem, in agris, in castellis, in insulis Christianos, omnem sexum, aeta∣tem, conditionem, etiam dignitatem transgredi ad hoc nomen * 1.138 quasi detrimento moerent. All sorts and conditions of men in all places, were suddenly become Christians. What common tye could there be now to unite all these persons together, if we set aside the undoubted truth and certainty of the do∣ctrine of Christ which was first preached to them by such who were eye-witnesses of Christs actions, and had left sacred records behind them, containing the substance of the doctrine of Christ and those admirable instructions which were their only certain guides in the way to heaven?

4. Because many persons do joyn in this consent with true Christians, who yet could heartily with that the doctrine of Chri∣stianity were not true. Such are all those persons who are sensual in their lives, and walk not according to the rules of the Gospel, yet dare not question or deny the truth of it. Such who could heartily wish there were no future state, nor judgement to come, that they might indulge themselves in

this world without fear of another; yet their consciences are so far convinced of, and awed by the truth of these things, that they raise many perplexities and anxieties in their minds which they would most willingly be rid of; which they can never throughly be, till instead of having the name of Chri∣stians, they come to live the life of Christians, and become experimentally acquainted with the truth and power of Reli∣gion. And withall we find that the more men have been ac∣quainted with the practice of Christianity, the greater evi∣dence they have had of the truth of it, and been more fully and rationally perswaded of it. To such I grant there are such powerful evidences of the truth of the doctrine of Christ by the effectual workings of the Spirit of God upon their souls, that all other arguments, as to their own satisfaction, may fall short of these. As to which, those verses of the Poet Dantes, rendred into Latine by F. S. are very pertinent and significant; for when he had introduced the Apostle Peter asking him what it was which his faith was founded on, he answers,

Deinde exivit ex luce profundâ Quae illic splendebat pretiosa gemma Super quam omnis virtus fundatur.

i. e. That God was pleased by immediate revelation of himself, to discover that divine truth to the world whereon our faith doth stand as on its sure foundation; but when the Apostle goes on to enquire how he knew this came at first from God, his answer to that is,

larga pluvia Spiritûs Sancti, quae est diffusa Super veteres & super novas membranas, Est syllogismus ille qui eam mihi conclusit Ad••ò acutè, ut prae illâ demonstratione Omnis demonstratio alia mihi videatur obtusa.

i. e. That the Spirit of God doth so fully discover its self both in the Old and New Testament, that all other arguments are

but dull and heavy if compared with this. It is true they are so to a truly inlightened conscience which discovers so much beauty and glory in the Scriptures, that they ravish the soul, although it be unable to give so full an account of this unto others who want the eyes to see that beauty with, which a heart truly gracious hath. We see ordinarily in the world, that the attraction of beauty is an unaccountable thing; and one may discern that which ravisheth him, which another looks on as mean and ordinary; and why may it not be much more thus in divine objects which want spiritual eyes to discover them? Therefore I grant that good men enjoy that satisfa∣ction to their own Consciences, as to the truth of the Doctrine of Christ, which others cannot attain to; but yet I say, that such do likewise see the most strong, rational, and convincing evidence which doth induce them to believe; which evidence is then most convincing, when it is seconded by the peculiar energy of the Spirit of God upon the souls of true Believers. But yet we see that the power and force of the truth of these things may be so great, even upon such minds which are not yet moulded into the fashion of true goodness, that it may awe with its light and clearness, where it doth not soften and alter by its heat and influence. Now whence can it be that such convictions should stick so fast in the minds of those who would fain pull out those pier••ing arrows, but that there is a greater power in them then they are mnsters of, and they cannot stand against the force whereby they come upon them; nor find any salve to cure the wounds which are made within them, but by those weapons which were the causes of them? And therefore when wicked persons under conflicts of consci∣ence, cannot ease themselves by direct Atheism, or finding reasons to cast off such convictions by discerning any invalidi∣ty in the Testimony whereon the truth of these things de∣pends, it is a certain argument that there is abundant truth in that Testimony, when men would fain perswade themselves to believe the contrary, and yet cannot.

5. The truth of this consent appears, from the unanimity of it among those persons who have yet strangely differed from each other in many controversies in Religion. We see thereby this unanimity is no forced or designed thing, because we see

the persons agreeing in this, do very much disagree from each other in other things. And the same grounds and reasons whereon they disagree as to other things, would have held as to these too, were there not greater evidence of the cer∣tainty of these things then of those they fall out about. It hath not yet become a question among those who differ so much about the sense of Scripture, whether the Scripture its self be the Word of God, although the very accounts on which we are to believe it to be so, hath been the subject of no mean Controversies. All the divided parts of the Christi∣an world do yet fully agree in the matters of fact, viz. that there was such a person as Iesus Christ, and that he did many great miracles, that he dyed on the Cross at Jerusalem, and rose again from the dead; now these contain the great foun∣dations of Christian faith; and therefore the multitude of other controversies in the world ought to be so far from weak∣ning our faith, as to the truth of the doctrine of Christ (which men of weak judgements and Atheistical spirits pre••end) that it ought to be a strong confirmation of it, when we see persons which so peevishly quarrel with each other about some inferiour and less weighty parts of Religion, do yet unanimously consent in the principal foundations of Christian faith, and such whereon the necessity of faith and obedience, as the way to salvation, doth more immediately depend. And this may be one great reason why the infinitely wise God may suffer such lamentable contentions and divisions to be in the Christian world, that thereby inquisitive persons may see that if Religion had been a meer design of some few politick persons, the quarrelsom world (where it is not held in by force) would never have consented so long in the owning such common principles which all the other controversies are built upon. And although it be continually seen that in divided parties, one is apt to run from any thing which is received by the other, and men generally think they can never run far enough from them whose errours they have discovered, that yet this principle hath not carryed any considerable party of the Christian world (out of their indignation against those great corruptions which have crept into the world under a pretence of Religion) to the disowning the foundation of

Christian Faith, must be ••artly imputed to the signal hand of divine providence, and partly to those strong ••vidences which there are of the truth of that Testimony which conveyes to u•• the foundations of Christian Faith. Thus we see now, how great and uncontrouled this consent is, as to the matters of fact delivered down from the eye-witnesses of them, con∣cerning the actions and miracles of our blessed Saviour (which are contained in the Scriptures as authentical re∣cords of them) and what a sure foundation there is for a firm assent to the truth of the things from so universal and uninterrupted a tradition.

Thus far we have now manifested the necessity of the mi∣racles * 1.139 of Christ, in order to the propagation of Christianity in the world, from the consideration of the persons who were to propagate it in the world; the next thing we are to con∣sid••r, is, the admirable success which the Gospel met with in the world upon its being preached to it: Of wh••ch no rational ac∣count can be given, unless the actions and miracles of our Saviour were most undoubtedly true. That the Gospel of Christ had very strange and wonderful success upon its first preaching, hath been partly discovered already, and is withall so plain from the long continuance of it in these Eu∣ropean parts, that none any wayes conversant in the history of former ages, can have any ground to question it. But that this strange and admirable success of the doctrine of Christ should be an evidence of the Truth of it, and the miracles wrought in confirmation of it, will appear from these two considerations. 1. That the doctrine its self was so directly contrary to the general inclinations of the world. 2. That the propagation of it was so much opposed by all world∣ly power.

1. That the doctrine its self was so opposite to the general inclinations of the world. The doctrine may be considered either as to its credenda, or matters of faith, or as to its agenda, or matters of life and practice; both these were con∣trary to the inclinations of the world; the former seemed hard and incredible, the latter harsh and impossible.

1. The matters of faith which were to be believed by the world, were not such things which we may imagine the

vulgar sort of men would be very forward to run after, nor very greedy to imbrace. 1. Because contrary to the principles of their education, and the Religion they were brought up in * 1.140 the generality of mankind is very tenacious of those principles and prejudices which are sucked in in the time of Infancy. There are some Religions one would think it were impossible that any rational men should believe them, but only on this account because they are bred up under them. It is a very great advantage any Religion hath against another, that it comes to speak first, and thereby insinuates such an appre∣hension of its self to the mind, that it is very hard removing it afterwards. The understanding seems to be of the nature of those things which are communis juris, and therefore primi sunt possidentis; when an opinion hath once got pos∣session of the mind, it usually keeps out whatever comes to disturb it. Now we cannot otherwise conceive but all those persons who had been bred up under Paganism and the most gross Idolatry, must needs have a very potent prejudice against such a doctrine which was wholly irreconcileable with that Religion which they had been devoted to. Now the stronger the prejudice is which is conveyed into mens minds by the force of education, the greater strength and power must there needs be in the Gospel of Christ, which did so ea∣sily demolish these strong holds, and captivate the understand∣ings of men to the obedience of Christ. To which purpose Arnobius excellently speaks in these words to the Heathens; Sed non creditis gesta haec. Sed qui ea conspicati sunt fieri & sub oculis suis viderunt agi, testes optimi certissimique aucto∣res, * 1.141 & crediderunt haec ipsi, & credenda posteris nobis haud exi∣libus cum approbationibus tradiderunt. Quinam isti fortasse quaeritis? gentes, populi, nationes, & incredulum illud genus humanum. Quod nisi aperta res esset, & luce ipsa quemad∣modum dicitur clarior, nunquam rebus hujusmodi credulitatis suae commodarent assensum. An nunquid dicemus illius tem∣poris homines usque adeò fuisse vanos, mendaces, stolidos, bru∣tos, ut quae nunquam viderant vidisse se fingerent? & quae facta omninò non erant falsis proderent testimoniis aut puerili assertione sirmarent? Cumque possent vobiscum & unanimiter vivere, & inoffensas ducere conjunctiones, gratuita susciperent

odia & execrabili haberentur in nomine? Quod si falsa ut dicit is historia illa rerum est, unde tam brevi tempore totus mundus ista religione complet us est? Aut in unam coire qui potuërunt mentem gentes regionibus dissi••••ae, ventis coelique con∣vexionibus dimotae? Asseverationibus illectae sunt nudis, in∣ductae in spes cassas, & in pericula capitis immittere se sponte temeraria desperatione voluërunt, cum nihil tale vidissent quod eas in hos cult us novitatis suae possit excitare miraculo. Imo quia haec omnia ab ipso cernebant geri & ab ejus praeconi∣bus qui per orbem totum missi beneficia patris & munera sa∣nandis animis hominibusque portabant, veritatis ipsius vi victae, & dedërunt se Deo, nec in magnis posuëre despendiis membra vobis projicere, & viscera sua lanianda praebere. The sub∣stance of whose discourse is, that it is impossible to suppose so many persons of so many Nations to be so far besotted and infatuated, as not only to believe a Religion to be true which was contrary to that they were educated in, but to venture their lives as well as estates upon it, had it not been discover∣ed to them in a most certain and infallible way by such who had been eye-witnesses of the actions and miracles of Christ and his Apostles. And as he elsewhere speaks, Vel haec saltem * 1.142 fidem vobis faciant argumenta credendi quod jam peromnes terras in tam brevi tempore & parvo immensi nominis hujus sacramenta diffusa sunt; quod nulla jam natio est tam barbari moris, & mansuetudinem nesciens, quae non ejus amore versa molliverit asperitatem suam, & in placidos sensus assumpt â tranquillitate migraverit; quod tam magnis ingeniis praediti Oratores, Grammatici, Rhetores, Consulti juris ac Medici, Philosophiae etiam secreta rimantes, magisteria haec expetunt, spretis quibus paulò ante sidebant, &c. Will not this perswade the world what firm foundations the faith of Christans stands on, when in so short a time it is spread over all parts of the world? that by it the most inhumane and barbarous Nations are softned into more then civility? That men of the great∣est wits and parts, Orators, Grammarians, Rhetoricians, Law∣yers, Physitians, Philosophers, who not? have for saken then former sentiments, and adhered to the doctrine of Christ. Now, I say, if the power of education be so strong upon the minds of men to perswade them of the truth of the Religion

they are bred up under (which Atheistically disposed per∣sons make so much advantage of) this is so far from weak∣ning the truth of Christianity, that it proves a great con∣firmation of it, because it obtained so much upon its first Preaching in the world, notwithstanding the highest pre∣judices from education were against it. If then men be so prone to believe that to be most true which they have been educated under, it must argue a more then ordinary evidence and power in that religion which unsettles so much the prin∣ciples of education, as to make men not only question the truth of them but to renounce them, and embrace a religion contrary to them.

Especially when we withall consider what strong-holds these principles of education were backed with among the * 1.143 Heathens, when the doctrine of Christ was first divulged among them, i. e. what plausible pretences they had of con∣tinuing in the religion which they were brought up in, and why they should not exchange it for Christianity; and those were.

1. The pretended antiquity of their religion above the Chri∣stian; the main thing pleaded against the Christians was * 1.144 divortium ab institutis majorum, that they thought them∣selves wiser then their fore-fathers; and Symmachus, Liba∣nius and others plead this most in behalf of Paganisme; ser∣vanda est tot seculis fides, & sequendi sunt nobis parentes qui secuti sunt feliciter suos; their religion pleaded prescription against any other, and they were resolved to sollow the steps of their ancestors wherein they thought themselves happy and secure. Caecilius in Minutius Felix first argues much against dogmatizing in religion, but withall sayes it * 1.145 most becomes a lover of truth, majorum excipere disciplinam, religiones tradit as colere, Deos quos à parentibus ante imbutus es timere; nec de numinibus ferre sententiam sed prioribus credere. So Arnobius tells us the main thing objected against * 1.146 the Christians was novellam esse religionem nostram, & ante dies natam propemodum paucos, n••que vos potuisse antiquam & patriam linquere, & in barbaros ritus peregrinosque tra∣duci. And Cotta in Tully long before, laid this down as the main principle of Pagan religion, majoribus nostris etiam nulla * 1.147

ratione reddita credere, to believe the tradition of our Fathers although there be no evidence in reason for it: And after he hath discovered the vanity of the Stoical arguments about religion, concludes with this as the only thing he resolved his religion into, mihi unum satis erit, majores nostros it a tra∣didisse, It is enough for me that it comes by tradition from our fore-fathers. Lactantius fully sets forth the manner of * 1.148 pleading used by the Heathens against the Christians in the point of antiquity. Hae sunt religiones, quas sibi à majoribus suis traditas, pertinacissime tueri ac defendere persiverant; nec considerant quales sint, sed ex hoc probat as atque veras esse confidunt, quod eas veteres tradider••nt; tantaque est auctoritas vetustatis, ut inquircre in eam scelus esse dicatur. The English is, they accounted tradition infallible, and knew no other way whereby to find the truth of religion but by its conveyance from their fore-fathers. How like herein do they speak to those who contend for the corruptions crept in∣to the Christian Church? who make use of the same pre∣tences for them; viz. that they were delivered down from the Fathers; tantaque est auctoritas vetustatis, ut inquirere in eam scelus esse dicatur; who are we who will see further then Antiquity? But it is no wonder if Antiquity be accom∣panied with dimness of sight; and so it was undoubtedly as to the Pagan world, and as to the Christian too, when such a mixture of Heathenism came into it. And the very same arguments by which the pleaders for Christianity did justifie the truth of their religion, notwithstanding this pretended antiquity, will with equal force hold for a reformation of such inveterate abuses which under a pretence of antiquity have crept into the Christian Church. Nullus pudor est ad * 1.149 meliora transire, saith Ambrose in his answer to Symmachus, what shame is it to grow better? Quid facies? saith Lactan∣tius, majores ne potius an rationem sequeris? Sirationem ma∣vis, * 1.150 discedere te necesse est ab institutis & auctoritate ma∣jorum: quoniam id solum rectum est, quod ratio praescribit. Sin autem ••ietas majores sequi suadet: sateris igitur & stul∣tos illos esse qui excogitatis contra rationem religionibus ser∣vierint; & te ineptum qui id colas quod falsum esse conviceris. Where reason and meer authority of forefathers stand in

competition, he is more a child then a man that knows not on which side to give his suffrage. But with the greatest strength and clearest reason Arnobius speaks in this case. * 1.151 Itaque cum nobis intenditis aversionem à religione priorum, causam convenit ut inspiciat is, non sactum, nec quid relique∣rimus opponere, sed secuti quid simus potissimum contueri. When you charge us, saith he, that we are revolted from the religion of our forefathers, you ought not presently to condemn the fact but to examine the reasons of it; neither ought you so much to look at what we have left, as what it is we have em∣braced. Nam simutare sententiam culpa est ulla vel crimen, & i veteribus institutis in alias res novas voluntatesque migrare, criminatio ista & vos spectat, qui totics vitam con∣suetudinem que mutastis; qui in mores alios, atque alios ritus priorum condemnatione transistis. If meer departing from the religion of our ancestors be the great sault, all those who own themselves to be Christians, were themselves guilty of it when they revolted from Heathenism. If it be here said that the case is different, because there was sufficient reason for it, which there is not as to the corruptions of the Christi∣an Church; if so, then all the dispute is taken off from the matter of fact, or the revolt, to the causes inducing to it; and if the Protestant be not able as to the causes of our separation from Rome to manifest that they were sufficient, let him then be triumphed over by the Romanist, and not before. I affert then and that with much assurance of mind, that the principles of the Reformation are justifiable upon the same grounds of reason, which the embracing Christianity was, when men of Heathens became Christians; and that the arguments made use of by the Romanists against our separa∣tion from them, are such as would have justified a Pagan Philosopher in not embracing Christianity. For if it be un∣lawful for any party of men to divide from others in a matter of religion which pretends antiquity and universality, it had been unlawful for a Philosopher to have deserted Paganism, as well as for a Protest••nt to depart from Rome. For accord∣ing to the principles of the Romanists, the judgement in the cause of the separation and of the truth of religion lies in that party from which we depart; if we do now but apply this to

the old Roman Senate or Emperors in the case of Christian religion and dividing from Heathen worship, we shall quickly see how easie a matter it will be to make Christianity its self a Schism, and the doctrine of Christ the greatest here sie. But as strong as those pretences were then, or have been since, the power of the doctrine of Christ hath been so great, as to conquer them, and thereby to manifest that it was of God, when such potent prejudices were not able to withstand it. Of which Antiquity is the first.

2. The large and universal spread of Pagan religion, when Christianity came into the world; there was never so great Catholicism as in Heathen worship, when the Apostles first appeared in the Gentile world. Inde adeo per universa im∣peria, provincias, oppida, videmus singulos sacrorum ritus * 1.152 gentiles babere, & Dcos colere municipes, saith Caecilius in Minutius Felix. The great charge against the Christians was Novellism, that they brought in a strange and unheard of religion. The common Question was, Where was your religion before Iesus of Nazareth, as it hath been since, Where was your religion before Luther? and the same answer which served then, will stand unmovable now, there where no other religion is, in the Word of God. For this was the weapon whereby the Primitive Christians defended themselves against the assaults of Paganism, and the evidences they brought that the doctrine preached by them and contained in the Scriptures was originally from God, were the only means of overthrowing Paganism, notwithstanding its pre∣tended universality.

3. Settlement by Laws of Heathen worship. This was so much pretended and pleaded for, that as far as we can finde by the history of the Primitive Church, the pretence on which the Christians suffered, was sedition and opposing the established Laws. The Christians were reckoned inter illicitas factiones, as appears by Tertullian, among unlawful corporations; the * 1.153 Politicians and Statesmen were all for preserving the Laws; they troubled not themselves much about any religion; but only that which was settled by Law, they sought to uphold, because the acting contrary to it might bring some disturbance to the civil state. There were several Laws

which the Christians were then brought under, and con∣demned for the breach of. 1. The Law against hetaeriae, or conventicles as they were pleased frequently to stile the meeting of Christians together; thence the places where the Christians assembled for worship, were commonly called Con∣venticula; * 1.154 it a appellabant loca, saith Heraldus, ubi congre∣gabantur Christiani oraturi, & verbi divini interpretationem accepturi, ac sacras Synaxes habituri: but Elmenhorstius more shortly; Conventicula loca sunt ubi Christiani Con∣gregati orare consucverunt. The places where the Christians did meet and pray together, were called Conventicles: in Basi∣••ica Siciunini ubi ritus Christiani est conventiculum, saith * 1.155 Ammianus Marccllinus; cur immaniter conventicula dirui? saith Arnobius; qui universum populum cum ipso pariter conventiculo concremavit, as Lactantius likewise speaks. Now * 1.156 the reason of the name was, because the Heathens judged these assemblies of Christians to be Illegal Societies. For which we are to understand that in the time of the Roman Emperours when they grew suspicious of their own safety, they severely prohibited ail those Sodalitia, or Societies and Colledges, which were very much in use in the Roman Commonwealth, in imitation of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the Cities of Greece. These were such societies of persons, which volun∣tarily confederated together either for some particular design, or for preserving Love and Friendship among each other, and thence had their frequent meetings in common together. Now the more numerous these were, and the more ••losely they confederated, the more jealous eye the Roman Emperors had upon them, because of some clandestine designs, which they suspected might be carried on for disturbance of the publike peace in such suspitious meetings. Thence came out many particular edicts of the Emperours against all such kinds of societies.

Now when the Christians began to be somewhat nume∣rous, and had according to the principles of their Religion frequent Assemblies for Divine worship, and did confederate together by such Symbols, of being washed with water, and eating and drinking together (which was all the Heath••ns apprehended by their use of baptism, and the Lords Supper)

the Proconsuls and other Magistrates in their several Pro∣vinces bring the Christians under these Edicts, and so puni∣shed them for the breach of the Laws. Which as appears by Pliny his Epistle to Trajan, was the only account on which * 1.157 the wiser Heathens did proceed against the Christians; for we see he troubled not himself much about the truth and evidence of Christian Religion, but such persons were brought before him, and after he had interrogated them whether they were Christians, or no, several times, if they persisted, he then punished them not so much for their Religion, as for their obstinacy and contempt of authority. For so much is im••lyed in those words of his, Neque enim dubitabam, qual••∣cunque esset quod faterentur, pervicaciam certè, & inflexi∣bilem obstin••tionem debere puniri: that whatever their Reli∣gion was, their obstinacy and disobedience deserved punishment. That which the Christians now pleaded for themselves, why they should not be reckoned among the factions of the people, was that which they gave in answer to Pliny, that all their fault was, Quod essent soliti stato die ante lucem convenire, carmenque Christo quasi Deo dicere secum invicem; seque sacramento non in scelus aliquod obstringere, sed ne furta, nelatrocinia, ne adulteria committerent, ne fidem fal∣lerent, ne depositum appellati abnegarent. That they were wont upon their solemn days to meet together for divine wor∣ship, and to Covenant with each other only for the practice of those things which were as much for the good of mankinde as their own, viz. that they would not wrong and defraud others, as to their bodies or estates. And Tertullian approves of the Law against factions, as de providentia & modestia publica, nè civitas in partes seinderetur, as wisely intended to pre∣vent * 1.158 Seditions; but withall pleads, that the society of Chri∣stians could not be reckoned inter illicitas factiones; for, saith he, haec coitio Christianorum merito sane illicita si illi∣citis par; merito damnanda si quis de ea queritur eo titulo quo de factionibus querela est. In cujus perniciem aliquando convenimus? Hoc sumus congregati quod & dispersi; hoc universi quod & singuli; neminem laedentes, neminem contri∣stantes; quum probi, quum boni coëunt, quum pii quum casti congregantur, non est factio dicenda sed curia. If, saith he,

the societies of Christians were like others, there might be some reason to condemn them, under the head of factions: but as long as we meet together for no mans injury, that whether divi∣ded, or assembled, we are still the same, that we grieve and injure no body; when such a company of good men meet together, it is rather a Council then a faction.

2. Another Law the Christians were brought under, was, that against Innovations in Religion; thence it was laid so much to the charge of the Christians, that they did 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, go contrary to the established Laws; as Porphyrie said of Origen, because he was a Christian, he did, * 1.159 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and when he speaks of Ammo∣nius revolting from Christianity to Paganism, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, he turned to the way of life, which was agreeable to the established Laws. Now Christia∣nity was every where looked on as a great Innovation, inso∣much that the Christians were accused to be legum, morum, * 1.160 naturae inimici, as enemies to mankinde as well as the Laws, because they drew men off from that way of Religion which mankinde had generally agreed in. Thence Aemilianus the * 1.161 Praefect of Aegypt, when he bids the Christians return to Paganism, he useth these expressions, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. to return to the common sense of mankinde, and to forget what was so much against it, as he supposed Christianity to be. When Paul preach∣ed at Athens, his first accusation was, that he was a prea••her of strange Deities, because he preached to them Iesus, and the resurrection. And Demctrius at Ephesus knew no such po∣tent * 1.162 argument against Paul, as that his Religion destroyed the worship of Diana, whom all Asia and the world worship. * 1.163 So that the primitive Christians were then accounted the Antipodes to the whole world, on which account they were so severely dealt with; most Commonwealths observing the counsell of Mecaenas to Augustus, in Dio, to be sure to have a watchfull eye upon all Innovations in Religion, be∣cause they tend so much to the disturbance of the Civil State.

3. The Law of Sacriledge. Thence Lactantius calls their Laws, Constitutiones Sacrilegae, Quin etiam sceleratissimi

homicidae contra pios jura impia condiderunt; nam & consti∣tutiones * 1.164 Sacrilegae, & disputationes Iurisperitorum leguntur injustae; and as he tels us, Domitius Ulpianus had collected all those Rescripta nefaria together, which concerned the Christians; from hence it was, Christianity by Pliny, is cal∣led amentia, by Tacitus exitiabilis superstitio, by Suet••nius * 1.165 Superstitio nova & exitiabilis; so much did these three great men agree, in condemning the best Religion in the world for madness, and new, and detestable Superstition; the ground of the great pique was, the emnity declared by Christians against the Idolatrous Temples, and worship of the Hea∣thens.

4. The Law against Treason; for sometimes they pro∣ceeded so high, as to accuse the Christians laesae Majestatis, and thence they are commonly called publici hostes, enemies to all civil Government. Which they infer'd from hence: * 1.166 1. Because they would not sacrifice for the Emperors safety; Ideo committimus, saith Tertullian, in Majestatem Impera∣torum, * 1.167 quia illos non subjicimus rebus suis; Quia non ludi∣mus de officio salutis eorum, qui eam non putamus in manibus esse plumbatis. The accusation for treason lay in their refu∣sing to supplicate the Idols for the Emperors welfare. 2. Be∣cause they would not swear by the Emperors Genius. Thence * 1.168 Saturnius said to the Martyr, Tantum jura per genium Cae∣saris nostri, if he would but swear by the Genius of Caesar, he should be saved. Yet though they refused to swear by the Emperours genius, they did not refuse to testifie their Allegiance, and to swear by the Emperors safety. Sed & ju∣ramus, saith Tertullian, Sicut non per genios Caesarum, it ae * 1.169 per salutem corum quae est augustior omnibus geniis. 3. Be∣cause they would not worship the Emperours as Gods; which was then grown a common custom. Non enim Deum Impe∣ratorem dicam, vel quia mentirinescio, vel quia illum deri∣dere non audeo, vel quia necipse se Deum volet dici si homo sit, as the same Author speaks. Nay the primitive Christians * 1.170 were very scrupulous of calling the Emperours Dominus, hoc enim Dei est cognomen, because the name Lord was an attribute of Gods, and applied as his name to him in Scri∣pture. The reason of this Scrupulosity was not, from any

question they made of the Soveraignty of Princes, or their obligation to obedience to them (which they are very free in the acknowledgement of) but from a jealousie and just su∣spicion that something of Divine honour might be implyed in it, when the adoration of Princes was grown a custom. Therefore Tertullian to prevent misunderstandings, saith, Dicam plane Imperatorem Dominum, sed more Communi, sed * 1.171 quando non cogor ut Dominum Dei vice dicam. They refused not the name in a common sense, but as it implyed Divine honour.

4. Because they would not observe the publick festivals of the Emperors in the way that others did, which it seems were observed with abundance of looseness and debauchery by all sorts of persons; and as Tertullian smartly sayes, malorum * 1.172 morum licentia piet as erit; & occasio luxuriae religio deputa∣bitur? Debauchery is accounted a piece of loyalty, and in∣temperance a part of religion. Which made the Christians rather hazard the reputation of their loyalty, then bear a part in so much rudeness as was then used, and thence they abhorred all the solemn spectacles of the Romans; nihil est nobis, saith the same author, dictu, visu, auditu, cum insania Circi, cum impudicitia Theatri, cum atrocitate arenae, cum * 1.173 Xysti vanitate. They had nothing to do either with the mad∣ness of the Cirque, or the immodesty of the Theatre, or the cruelty of the Amphitheatre, or the vanity of the publick wrestlings. We see then what a hard Province the Christi∣ans had, when so many Laws were laid as birdlime in their way to catch them, that it was impossible for them to profess themselves Christians and not run into a Praemunire by their Laws. And therefore it cannot be conceived that ma∣ny out of affectation of novelty should then declare them∣selves Christians, when so great hazards were run upon the professing of it. Few soft-spirited men, and lovers of their own ease, but would have found some fine distinctions and nice evasions to have reconciled themselves to the publick Laws by such things which the Primitive Christians so unaenimously refused, when tending to prophaness or Idola∣try. And from this discourse we cannot but conclude with the Apostle Paul, that the weapons whereby the Ap••stles and

Primitive Christians encountered the Heathen world, were not * 1.174 fleshly or weak, but exceeding strong and powerfull, in that they obtained so great a conquest over the imaginations and carnal reasonings of men (which were their strong holds they secured themselves in) as to make them readily to forsake their Heathen worship, and become chearful servants to Christ. Thus we see the power of the doctrine of Christ which prevailed over the principles of education, though backt with pretended antiquity, universality, and establish∣ment by civil Laws.

But this will further appear if we consider that not only the matters of faith were contrary to the principles of edu∣cation, * 1.175 but because many of them seemed incredible to mens natural reason; that we cannot think persons would be over forward to believe such things. Every one being so ready to take any advantage against a religion which did so little flatter corrupt nature either as to its power or capacity; in so much that those who preached this doctrine, declared openly to the world, that such persons who would judge of the Christian doctrine, by such principles which meer natural reason did proceed upon (such one I suppose it is whom the Apostle calls 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 one that owned nothing but * 1.176 natural reason whereby to judge of Divine truths) could not entertain matters of faith or of Divine revelation, because such things would seem but folly to him that owned no higher principle then Philosophy, or that did not believe any Divine inspiration; neither can such a one know them, because a Divine revelation is the only way to come to a through understanding of them: and a person who doth not believe such a Divine revelation, it is impossible he should be a com∣petent judge of the truth of the doctrine of Christ. So that the only ground of receiving the doctrine of the Gospel is upon a Divine revelation, that God himself by his Son and his Apostles hath revealed these deep mysteries to the world, on which account it is we are bound to receive them, although they go beyond our reach and comprehension. But we see generally in the Heathen world how few of those did believe the doctrine of Christ in comparison, who were the great admirers of the Philosophy and way of learning which

was then cryed up: the reason was, because Christianity not only contained far deeper mysteries then any they were ac∣quainted with, but delivered them in such a way of authority, commanding them to believe the doctrine they preached on the account of the Divine authority of the revealers of it. Such a way of proposal of doctrines to the world the Philoso∣phy of the Greeks was unacquainted with, which on that account they derided as not being suited to the exact method which their sciences proceeded in. No doubt had the Apo∣stles come among the Greeks 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 with a great deal of pomp and ostentation, and had fed mens curiositi••s with vain and unnecessary speculations, they might have had as many followers among the Greeks for their sakes, as Christ had among the Iews for the sake of the loaves. But the matters of the Gospel being more of inward worth and mo∣ment, then of outward pomp and shew, the vain and empty Greeks presently finde a quarrel with the manner of proposing them; that they came not in a way of clear demonstr••tion, but stood so much upon faith as soon as it were delivered. Thence Celsus and Galen think they have reason enough to reject the Laws of Moses and Christ, because Celsus calls them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Galen Christianity 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, * 1.177 that they were such doctrines which require faith and obedi∣ence without giving mens reason an account of the things commanded. As though the authority of a Legislator suffi∣ciently manifested, were not enough to enforce a Law, unless a sufficient account were given of the thing required to the purblind reason of every individual person acted by passions and private interests, as to the justice and equity of it. And so the primary obligation on mans part to faith and obedience, must arise not from the evidence of Divine authority, but of the thing it self which is revealed, to the most partial judge∣ment of every one to whom it is proposed. Which those who know how short the stock of reason is at the best in men, and how easily that which is, is fashioned and moulded according to pr••judices and interests already entertained, will look upon only as a design to comply with the carnal desires of men, in that thereby none shall be bound to go any further, then this blind and corrupted guide shall lead them. Now these

being the terms on which the Gospel of Christ must have expected entertainment in the Gentile world, how impossible l••ad it been ever to have sound any success among men, had there not been sufficient evidence given by a power of mira∣cles, that however strange and incredible the doctrine might seem, yet it was to be believed because there was sufficient means to convince men that it was of Divine revelation.

Neither were the matters of saith only contrary to the * 1.178 inclinations of the world, but so were the precepts of life or those things in Christianity which concerned practice. There are two things which are the main scope and design of Chri∣stianity in reference to mens lives, to take them off from their sins, and from the world; and of all things these are they which mens hearts are so bewitched with. Now the precepts of the Gospel are such which require the greatest * 1.179 purity of heart and life, which call upon men to deny them∣selves, and all ungodliness, and worldly lusts, and to live sober∣ly, and righteously, and godly in this present world; that, all that name the name of Christ must depart from iniquity; that, * 1.180 all true Christians must be cleansed from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and must perfect holiness in the fear of God. And the Gospel enforceth these precepts of holiness with the most terrible denunciations of the wrath of God on those who disobey them; that, the Lord Iesus Christ shall be revealed from * 1.181 heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking venge∣ance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of Iesus Christ. That, the wrath of God is revealed from hea∣ven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who * 1.182 hold the truth in unrighteousness. That, no persons who live in the habitual practice of any known sin, shall inherit the * 1.183 Kingdom of God. That, no man should deceive them with vain words, for because of these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience; that men do but vainly flatter themselves when they seek to reconcile unholy lives with the hopes of future happiness; for without holiness, no man shall see the Lord. And then in reference to the things * 1.184 of this present life which men busie themselves so much about, the Gospel declares that, they who love this world, the love of the Father is not in them; that, the friendship of this world * 1.185

is enmity with God; and whosoever will be a friend of the * 1.186 world, is an enemy to God: That, Christians must not set their affections on earth, but on things in heaven; That, the conver∣sation of true Christians is in heaven. That, we ought not to lay up our treasure on earth, but in heaven; That, we must not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. Now the whole design of the doctrine of Christ being to perswade men to lead a holy and heavenly life while they are in this world, and thereby to be made meet to be partakers of the inheritance with the Saints in * 1.187 light, can we think so many men whose hearts were wedded to sin and the world, could so suddenly be brought off from both without a divine power accompanying that doctrine which was preached to them? And therefore the Apostle saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, I am not ashamed * 1.188 of the Gospel of Christ; i. e. though the Gospel of Christ be the only true mysterie, yet I do not by it as the Heathens are wont to do with their famous Eleusinian mysteries which were kept so secret by all the mystae and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; but, saith he, I know no reason I have to be ashamed of any thing in the Gospel, that I should labour its concealment to advance its ve∣neration; but the more publike the Gospel is, the more it manifests its power; for through it God is pleased mightily to work in order to the salvation both of Iew and Gentile. And of all the success of the Gospel, that upon the hearts and lives of men deserves the greatest consideration.

The great efficacy and power of the Gospel was abundantly seen in that great alteration which it wrought in all those who were the hearty imbracers of it. The Philosophers did very frequently and deservedly complain of the great ineffi∣cacy of all their moral precepts upon the minds of men, and that by all their instructions, politiora non meliora, ingenia fiunt, men improved more in knowledge then goodness; but now Christianity not only enforced duties on men with great∣er power and authority: For the Scriptures do, as Saint Austin speaks, Non tanquam ex Philosophorum concertationi∣bus strepere, sed tanquam ex oraculis & Dei nubibus intonare, * 1.189 not make some obstreperous clamours, like those tinkling

Cymbals the Philosophers, but awe the souls of men with the majesty of that God from whom they came. Neither was it only a great and empty sound which was heard in the preach∣ing of the Gospel, but when God thundred therein, he broke down the stately Cedars, and shook the Wilderness, and made the Hinds to Calve, (as it is said of Thunder, called the voice * 1.190 of the Lord in Scripture) he humbled the pride of men, unsettled the Gentile world from its former foundations, and wrought great alterations on all those who hearkened to it. The whose design of the Gospel is couched in those words which Saint Paul tells us were spoken to him by Christ him∣self, when he appointed him to be an Apostle, to open mens * 1.191 eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which were sanctified by faith in Christ. And the efficacy of this doctrine in order to these great ••nds, was abundantly seen in the preaching of that Apostle, who was so instrumental in converting the world to piety and sobriety, as well as to the doctrine of Christ. What strange persons were the Corinthians before they became Christians! for when the Apostle had enumerated many of the vilest persons of the world, he presently adds, And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but * 1.192 ye are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus, and by the spirit of our God. The more dangerous the distemper is, the more malignant its nature, the more inveterate its continuance, the greater the efficacy of the remedy which works a cure of it. The power of grace is the more seen in conversion, the greater the sins have been before it. It is an easie matter in comparison, to remove a disease at its first onset, of what it is to cure it when it becomes Chronical. The power of the Go∣spel wrought upon all sorts and kinds of persons, to manifest to the world there was no distemper of mens souls so great, but there was a possibility of a remedy for it; and not only so, but pregnant and visible instances were given of the power and efficacy of it. For they themselves shew of us, saith the Apostle, what manner of entring in we had among you, and how ye turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true * 1.193 God, and to wait for his son from heaven, whom he raised

from the dead, even Iesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. Now that which manifests the exceeding great power and excellency of the Gospel, was, that it not only turned men from one way of worship to another, which is a matter of no great difficulty, but that it turned men together with that, from their lusts and sensuality, to a holy and unblame∣able life. For being more in love with their sins then with their opinions, it must needs be a greater power which draws men from the practice of habitual sins, then that which only makes them change their opinions, or alter the way of worship they were brought up in. This is that which Origen through∣out his books against Celsus triumphs in as the most signal evidence of a divine power in the doctrine of Christ, that it wrought so great an alteration on all that truly embraced it, that of vitious, debauched, and dissolute, it made them temperate, sober and religious. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. * 1.194 The doctrine of Christ did convert the most wicked persons who imbraced it, from all their debauche∣ries, to a life most suitable to nature and reason, and to the practise of all vertues. Therefore certainly the Gospel could not want that commendation among all ingenuous Moralists, that it was the most excellent instrument in the world to re∣form the lives of men, and to promote real goodness in it. When they could not but take notice of so many persons con∣tinually so brought off from their follies and vain conversati∣ons, to a life serious, sober, and unblameable; nay and some of the Christians were of so much integrity and goodness, that their greatest enemies were forced to say that their only fault was that they were Christians. Bonus vir Cajus Sejus, tantum quod Christianus. A very good man, only a Christian. But one would think this should have made them have a higher opinion of Christianity, when it did so suddenly make so many good men in the world. Especially when this power was so manifest on such persons who were supposed uncapable of being reformed by Philosophy, young, illiterate, and mean-spirited persons; therefore it may be justly supposed that it was not by the strength of their own reason that this alte∣ration was wrought within them, but by that Divine power

which was able to tame the most unruly, to instruct the most ignorant, to raise up the most sordid persons to such a gener∣ous temper as to slight the good things of this life, in compa∣rison with those to come. And so remarkable was the diffe∣rence of life then between those who were Christians, and those who were not, (as there is still between true Christi∣ans and meer pretenders) that Origen dares Celsus to com∣pare them in point of morality with any other Societies in the world. * 1.195 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; For the Churches of God, which are discipled to Christ, being compared with other Societies, shine among them like lights in the world. For who can but confess, that even the worser part of the Christian Churches exceeds the best of the popular Assemblies? For, as he goes on, the Church of God which is at Athens, that is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, very quiet and peaceable, because it seeks to approve its sels to God; but the popular Assemby at Athens that is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, seditious and quarrelsom, and in nothing com∣parable to the Church of God there. So it is, if we compare the Churches of Corinth and Alexandria with the Assemblies of the people there. So that any candid enquirer after truth will exceedingly wonder (how such fair Islands should appear nantes in gurgite vasto, in the midst of such a Sea of wicked∣ness as was in those Cities) how these Churches of God should be planted in such rude and prophane places. So the same Au∣thor goes on, to compare the Churches Senate with that of the Cities, the Churches Officers with theirs, and appeals to themselves, that even those among them who were most luke-warm in their office, did yet far exceed all the City Ma∣gistrates in all manner of vertues. From whence he rational∣ly concludes, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; If these things be so, how can it but be most rational to adore the Divinity of Iesus, who was able to accom∣plish such great things. And that not upon one or two, but upon such great multitudes as were then converted to the

Christian faith. We read of one Phoedon, and one Polemon brought from their debaucheries by Socrates and Xenocrates; but what are these compared with those who were turned from their sins to God by the Gospel of Christ! 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, * 1.196 &c. The twelve Apostles were but the first fruits of that plen∣tiful harvest of converts which followed afterwards. And al∣though Celsus (like an Epicurean) seems to deny the pos∣sibility * 1.197 of any such thing as conversion, because customary sins become a second nature, that no punishments can reform them; Yet, saith Origen, herein he not only contradicts us Christians, but all such as were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, who owned any ge∣nerous principles of Philosophy, and did not despair of reco∣vering vertue, as a thing feasible by humane nature; and gives instances ad hominem, to prove the possibility of the thing from the antient Heroes, Hercules and Ulysses, from the two Philosophers, Socrates and Musonius, and the two famous converts to Philosophy, Phoedon and Polemon. But yet, saith he, these are not so much to be wondered at, that the eloquence and reason of the Philosophers should prevail on some very few persons, but that the mean and contemptible language of the Apostles, should convert such multitudes from intemperance to sobriety, from injustice to fair dealing, from cowardise to the highest constancy, yea so great as to lay down their lives for the sake of vertue; how can we but admire so divine a power as was seen in it? And therefore, saith he, we conclude, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 That it is so far from being im∣possible, that it is not at all difficult for corrupt nature to be changed by the Word of God. Lactantius excellently manifests that Philosophy could never do so much good in the world as * 1.198 Christianity did, because that was not suited at all to common capacities, and did require so much skill in the Arts to pre∣pare men for it, which it is impossible all should be well skilled in, which yet are as capable of being happy, as any others are. And how inefficacious the precepts of Philosophy were, appears by the Philosophers themselves, who were far from

having command by them over their masterless passions, and were fain sometimes to confess that nature was too head∣strong to be kept in by such weak reins as the Precepts of Phi∣losophy were: But, saith he, what great command divine pre∣cepts have upon the souls of men, daily experience shews. Da mihi virum qui sit iracundus, maledicus, effrenatus; * 1.199 paucissimis Dei verbis, tam placidum quam ovem reddam. Da cupidum, avarum, tenacem; jam tibi eum liberalem dabo, & pecuniam suam plenis manibus largientem. Da timidum doloris ac mortis; jam cruces, & ignes, taurum contemnet. Da libidinosum, adulterum; ganeonem; jam sobrium castum ••ontinentem videbis. Da crudelem, & sanguinis appetentem, jam in veram clementiam furor ille mutabitur. Da injustum, insipientem, peccatorem, continuo & aequus & prudens, & innocens crit. In which words that elegant writer doth by a Rhetorical Scheme set out the remarkable alteration which was in any who became true Christians, that although they were passionate, covetous, fearful, lustful, cruel, unjust, vitious, yet upon their being Christians, they became mild, liberal, couragious, temperate, merciful, just and unblame∣able; which never any were brought to by meer Philosophy, which rather teacheth the art of concealing vices, then of healing them. But now when Christianity was so effectual in the cure of those distempers which Philosophy gave over as beyond its skill and power, when it cured them with so great success, and that not in a Paracelsian way, for them to relapse afterwards with greater violence, but it did so throughly un∣settle the fomes morbi, that it should never gather to so great a head again; doth not this argue a power more then Philo∣sophical, and that could be no less then divine power which tended so much to reform the world, and to promote true goodness in it?

Thus we have considered the contrariety of the doctrine * 1.200 of Christ to mens natural inclinations, and yet the strange success it had in the world, which in the last place will appear yet more strange, when we add the almost continual opposi∣tion it met with from worldly power and policy. Had it been possible for a cunningly devised fable, or any meer contrivance of impostors to have prevailed in the world, when the most

potent and subtile persons bent their whole wits and designs for suppressing it? Whatever it were in others, we are sure of some of the Roman Emperours, as Iulian and Dioclesian, that it was their master-design to root out and abolish Christi∣anity; and was it only the subtilty of the Christians which made these persons give over their work in despair of accom∣plishing it? If the Christians were such subtile men, whence came all their enemies to agree in one common calumny, that they were a company of poor, weak, ignorant, inconsiderable men! and if they were so, how came it to pass that by all their power and wisdom they could never exterminate these persons, but as they cut them down, they grew up the faster, and multiplyed by their substraction of them! There was something then certainly peculiar in Christianity, from all other doctrines, that it not only was not advanced by any civil power, but it got ground by the opposition it met with in the world. And therefore it is an observable circumstance, that the first Christian Emperour (who acted as Emperour for Christianity) viz. Constantine (for otherwise I know what may be said for Philippus) did not appear in the world till Christianity had spread its self over most parts of the habitable world. God thereby letting us see, that though the civil power, when become Christian, might be very useful for protecting Christianity, yet that he stood in no need at all of it as to the propagation of it abroad in the world. But we see it was quite otherwise in that Religion which had Mars its ascendant, viz. Mahometism; For like Paracelsus his Daemon, it alwayes sat upon the pummel of the sword, and made its way in the world meerly by force and violence; and as its first constitution had much of blood in it, so by it hath it been fed and nourished ever since. But it was quite other∣wise with the Christian Religion; it never thrived better then in the most barren places, nor triumphed more, then when it suffered most; nor spread its self further then when it en∣countered the greatest opposition. Because therein was seen the great force and efficacy of the doctrine of Christ, that it bore up mens spirits under the greatest miseries of life, and made them with chearfulness to undergo the most exquisite torments which the cruelty of Tyrants could invent. The

Stoicks and Epicureans boasts that their wise man would be happy in the Bull of Phalaris, were but empty and Thra∣sonical words which none would venture the truth of by an experiment upon themselves. It was the Christian alone, and not the Epicurean, that could truly say in the midst of torments, Suave est & nihil curo, and might justly alter a little of that common saying of the Christians, and say, Non magna l••quimur, sed patimur, as well as vivimus; the Christians did not speak great things, but do and suffer them. And this gained not only great r••putation of integrity to themselves, but much advanced the honour of their Religion in the world, when it was so apparently seen that no force or power was able to withstand it. Will not this at least per∣swade you that our Religion is true, and srom God, saith Ar∣••••bius? Quod cum genera poenarum tanta sint à vobis propo∣sita * 1.201 Religionis hujus sequentibus leges, augeatur res magis, & contra omnes minas, atque interdicta formidinum animosius populus obnitatur, & ad credendi studium prohibitionis ipsius stimulis ••xcitetur?—Itane istud non divi∣num & sacrum est, aut sine Deo, corum tantas animorum ficri conversiones ut cum carnisices unci, aliique innumeri cruciatus, quemadmodum diximus, impendeant credituris, v••luti quadam dulcedine, atque omnium virtutum amore cor∣repti, cognitas accipiant rationes, atque mundi omnibus rebus praeponant amicitias Christi? That no fears, penalties, or torments, were able to m••ke a Christian alter his profession, but he would rather bid adi••u to his life then to his Saviour. This Origen likewise frequently takes notice of, when Celsus * 1.202 had objected the novelty of Christianity; the more wonderful it is (saith Origen) that in so short a time it should so largely spread its self in the world; for if the cure of mens bodies be not wrought without Divine Providence, how much less the cure of so many thousands of souls which have been converted at once to humanity and Christianity, especially when all the pow••rs of the world were from the first engaged to hinder the progress of this doctrine, and yet notwithstanding all this opposition, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The Word of God pr••vail∣ed, as not being able to be stopt by men, and became master over all its enemies, and not only spread its self quite through Greece, but through a great part of the world besides, and converted an innumerable company of souls to the true worship and service of God. Thus we have now manifested from all the circumstances of the propagation of the doctrine of Christ, what evidence there was of a divine power accompanying of it; and how useful the first miracles were in order to it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Sect. 1. Hyp. 5.
• * 1.2

  1.
• * 1.3

  Sucton. Vesp. c. 7.
• * 1.4

  Qu••st. Rom. q. 7.
• * 1.5

  Apol. cap. 23.
• * 1.6

  Apql. c. 23••
• * 1.7

  Sect. 2. 2.
• * 1.8

  Ciccro de Div. l. 2.
• * 1.9

  1.
• * 1.10

  Matth. 12. 38. 16. 1.
• * 1.11

  Matth. 12. 3. 9.
• * 1.12

  Joh. 2. 18.
• * 1.13

  Joh. 5. 36. 10. 25.

  Ioh. 15. 24.
• * 1.14

  Ioh. 1. 49. 3. 11.
• * 1.15

  Ioh. 3. 2.
• * 1.16

  Ioh. 2. 23.
• * 1.17

  Joh. 7. 31.
• * 1.18

  Ioh. 9. 29, 30. ver. 33.
• * 1.19

  ver. 31.
• * 1.20

  ver. 36.
• * 1.21

  ver. 38.
• * 1.22

  John 11. 47.
• * 1.23

  Sect. 3. 2.
• * 1.24

  C. Judaeos c. 13.
• * 1.25

  Isa. 35. 5, 6
• * 1.26

  V. Grot. in Joh. 9. 32.
• * 1.27

  Mat. 11. 5.
• * 1.28

  Mat. 11. 9, 11.
• * 1.29

  ••oh. 10. 41.
• * 1.30

  Sect. 4. 3.
• * 1.31

  Mat. 4. 24.
• * 1.32

  De Idolatr. l. 2. c. 19.
• * 1.33

  Mat. 17. 14 Luk. 9. 39.
• * 1.34

  Lib. 5.
• * 1.35

  Mat. 8. 28
• * 1.36

  Sect. 5.
• * 1.37

  Orig. c. Cels. l. 3.
• * 1.38

  Lib. 7.
• * 1.39

  Pl 31. cd. Ouz.
• * 1.40

  AdDemetr: s. 12.
• * 1.41

  De justitia lib. 5. c. 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.42

  Apoth••os.
• * 1.43

  De errore pro••. relig.
• * 1.44

  I.. 1. c. C••ls.
• * 1.45

  Mat 7. 22. Sect. 6.
• * 1.46

  Mark. 16. 17.
• * 1.47

  De trad. disc. l. 5.
• * 1.48

  Cont. Cels. l. 6. p. 302.
• * 1.49

  Sect. 7.
• * 1.50

  Mat. 16. 17.
• * 1.51

  Sect. 8.
• * 1.52

  Luke 11. 21, 22.
• * 1.53

  Propyl. A∣gonist. ad Oedipum. cap. 2.
• * 1.54

  Sect. 9.
• * 1.55

  1.
• * 1.56

  2.
• * 1.57

  Joh. 21. 19
• * 1.58

  Acts 2. 22, 23, 38.

  Acts 3. 14, 15, 16, 19.

  Acts 4. 5.
• * 1.59

  Acts 4. 10, 12.
• * 1.60

  Sect. 10.
• * 1.61

  Joh. 2••. 22.
• * 1.62

  Matth. 10. 17, 18, 21, 22, 28.
• * 1.63

  Pl. u. Phaed.
• * 1.64

  2 Cor 6. ••. 5, 8, 9.
• * 1.65

  Sect. 11.
• * 1.66

  Tertul. ad Scapul. c. 5.
• * 1.67

  Apolog. c. 47.
• * 1.68

  Apolog. c. 46.
• * 1.69

  Ad. Natio∣nes. l. 1. c. 4.
• * 1.70

  Apol. c. 46.
• * 1.71

  Sect. 12.
• * 1.72

  Tertul. Apol. c. 46.
• * 1.73

  Miautius Felix.
• * 1.74

  Tertul. Ap. cap. 50.
• * 1.75

  •• 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 ••
• * 1.76

  Tertul. A•• cap. 2••
• * 1.77

  Sect. 13.
• * 1.78

  2 Pet. 1. 16.
• * 1.79

  Antiq. l. 2. pag. 128.
• * 1.80

  Acts 2. 11.
• * 1.81

  1 Joh. 1, 2, 3.
• * 1.82

  Luke 1. 1, 2, 3.
• * 1.83

  Acts 1. 21, 22.
• * 1.84

  Acts 2. 32.
• * 1.85

  3. 15.
• * 1.86

  ••. 20.
• * 1.87

  ••. 32.
• * 1.88

  10. 39, 40, 41, 42.
• * 1.89

  Sect. 14.
• * 1.90

  Prop. 1.
• * 1.91

  Prop. 2.
• * 1.92

  John 9. 26.
• * 1.93

  Luke 7. 12.
• * 1.94

  Joh. 11. 39.
• * 1.95

  John 20. 25, 27.
• * 1.96

  Luke 24. 37.
• * 1.97

  39.
• * 1.98

  43.
• * 1.99

  Sect. 15. Prop. 3.
• * 1.100

  1.
• * 1.101

  2. 1
• * 1.102

  1 Cor. 15. 19.
• * 1.103

  1 Cor. 9. 16.
• * 1.104

  1. 3. C••••∣sam. p. 127
• * 1.105

  Sect. 16.
• * 1.106

  1 Cor. 2. 2. Phil. 3. 8. Gal. 6. 14.
• * 1.107

  Joh. 3. 16.
• * 1.108

  Rom. 5. 8.
• * 1.109

  1. Tim. 1. 15.
• * 1.110

  L. 3. c. Cels.
• * 1.111

  In 4. Ae∣n. id.
• * 1.112

  •• Cor. 3. 12. 1

  Cor. 2. 1, 4. 1

  Cor. 4. 3, 4.
• * 1.113

  2 Cor. 4. 5.
• * 1.114

  1 Co••. 2. 4.
• * 1.115

  2 Cor. 4. 2.
• * 1.116

  Orig. c. Cels. l. 3. p. 135.
• * 1.117

  2 Cor. 6. 8.
• * 1.118

  Hag. 2. 7.

  Isa. 53. 3.

  Mat. 27. 63.
• * 1.119

  Act. 17. 18.
• * 1.120

  Acts 2. 22.
• * 1.121

  2. 36.
• * 1.122

  5. 31, 32.
• * 1.123

  Sect. 17. Prop. 4.
• * 1.124

  Mat. 27. 5.
• * 1.125

  Sect. 18. Prop. 5.
• * 1.126

  1 Cor. 2. 5. 1 Cor. 1. 27.
• * 1.127

  Dialog. cum Tryph. p. 125. ed. Par.
• * 1.128

  Hist. Eccl. l. 5. c. 10.
• * 1.129

  Euseb. l. 6. c. 20.
• * 1.130

  Hist. l. 6. cap. 18.
• * 1.131

  E••seb. l. 6. cap. 20.
• * 1.132

  Hist. Eccles. l. 6. c. 35.
• * 1.133

  Lib. 6. c. 35.
• * 1.134

  Lib. 6 c. 36.
• * 1.135

  A••g. de doctr. Chri∣stiana. l. 2. cap. 40.
• * 1.136

  Sect. 19.
• * 1.137

  ••polog. ••p. 36.
• * 1.138

  ••pol. c. 3.
• * 1.139

  Sect. 20.
• * 1.140

  1.
• * 1.141

  Arnob. ••. gentes l. ••.
• * 1.142

  C. gentes lib. 2 p. 44.
• * 1.143

  Sect. 21.
• * 1.144

  Tertul. ad Nat. l. 1. cap. 10.

  Symmach. cp. l. 10. ep. 61.

  Liban. oral. de Templis.
• * 1.145

  Minul. F•• lix. p. 6.
• * 1.146

  Arnob. ••. gent. l. 2. pag. 90.
• * 1.147

  De nat. De∣orum l. 3.
• * 1.148

  Lactant. de orig. error. l. 2. c. 6.
• * 1.149

  Ambros. ep. c. Symmach.
• * 1.150

  De orig. err. l. 2. c. 6.
• * 1.151

  C. gent. l. 2.
• * 1.152

  Minut. i•• Octavio. pag. 6.
• * 1.153

  Apolo. c. 38.
• * 1.154

  Observat. in Arnob. l. 4.
• * 1.155

  Histor. l. 27 Arnob. l. 4.
• * 1.156

  Lact. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. l. 5. c. 11.
• * 1.157

  L••b. 10. ••p. 97.
• * 1.158

  Apolog. cap. 38.
• * 1.159

  Apud Eu∣seb. l. 6. Eccl. hist. cap. 19.
• * 1.160

  Tertul. A∣pol. c. 4.
• * 1.161

  Apud Eu∣seb. Eccl. hist. l. 7. cap. 11.
• * 1.162

  Acts 17. 18.
• * 1.163

  19. 27.
• * 1.164

  Lactant. l. 5. cap. 11.
• * 1.165

  Plia ep. l. 10. cp. 97.

  Tac••. An. l. 15.

  Sucton. in N••. one.
• * 1.166

  Tertal. Ap. c. 27. c. 35.
• * 1.167

  Apol. c. 29.
• * 1.168

  Herold. in Tertul. Apol. cap. 29.
• * 1.169

  Apol. c. 32.
• * 1.170

  cap. 33.
• * 1.171

  Cap. 34.
• * 1.172

  Cap. 35.
• * 1.173

  Cap. 38.
• * 1.174

  2 Cor. 10. 4, 5.
• * 1.175

  Sect. 22. 2.
• * 1.176

  3 Cor. 2. 14.
• * 1.177

  Orig. l. 1. c. Cels. Gal. de d ffer. puls. lib. 2. c. 4.
• * 1.178

  Sect. 23.
• * 1.179

  Matt••. 58. 16. 24.

  Tit. 2. 12.
• * 1.180

  2 Tim. 2. 19.

  2 Cor. 7. 1.
• * 1.181

  2 Thes. 1. 7, 8.
• * 1.182

  Rom. 1. 18.
• * 1.183

  1 Cor. 6. 9, 10.

  Gal. 420.

  Eph. 5. 5, 6.
• * 1.184

  Heb. 12. 34.
• * 1.185

  •• Joh. 2. 14.
• * 1.186

  James 4. 4.

  Col. 3. 1, 2.

  Phil. 3. 20.

  Mat. 6. 20.

  2 Cor. 4. 18.
• * 1.187

  Col. 1. 12.
• * 1.188

  Rom. 1. 16.
• * 1.189

  August. de Civit. Dei, l. 2. c. 19.
• * 1.190

  Psalm 29. 5, 8, 9.
• * 1.191

  Act. 26. 18.
• * 1.192

  1 Cor. 6. ••. 10, 11.
• * 1.193

  1 Thes. 1. 9, 10.
• * 1.194

  C. Celsum l. 2. p. 78, 85. lib. 1. p. 21.
• * 1.195

  Orig. c. Cels. l. 3. p. 128.
• * 1.196

  Orig. l. 1. p. 50.
• * 1.197

  Orig. l. 3. p. 150.
• * 1.198

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. ac salf. sap. l. 3. c. 25.
• * 1.199

  ••ap. 26.
• * 1.200

  Sect. 24.
• * 1.201

  ••〈1 line〉〈1 line〉••.
• * 1.202

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. c. Celsam ••. 21. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••. 110.