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IT is certain at first view, that there is no Reason to doubt but the Gospels, Acts and Epistles of the Apostles, are wrote by those whose Names they bear, and that there's no cause to doubt of the Authors of all the rest, for there is no∣thing, the truth of which can be established by more Ancient, and more Authen∣tick Monuments; to wit,
1. By the Testimony of Authors, who wrote a little time after, and who have quoted them, as being without doubt the Works of those whose Names they bear.
2. By the Testimony of the Christian Churches spread through the Earth, who did at all times unanimously own those Writings as Authentick and True.
3. By Inspecting into the Books themselves, which have no mark of being sup∣posititious or Counterfeit, but on the contrary have all the Marks of Truth and Antiquity that any Authentick Monuments can have. Here is nothing contrary to History. It is manifest that the Authors wrote whilst Jerusalem was in being, and whilst the Jews carried the face of a Republick: This evidently proves that those Books are of that time wherein it's agreed the Apostles liv'd. It appears that the Authors of those Books are plain-hearted upright Men, who had neither the Parts, nor the Malice to forge or impose those Works upon the World. Not one thing has escap'd them contrary to History, or to the Circumstances and Customs of the Time, which would have been hard for them to have avoided, had they been Impostors. They agree with one another as to the Matters of fact they relate, but so nevertheless as 'tis evident, that it is not one Author who wrote those different Works, and that those who wrote them did not agree together to say all one thing. Their Stile is different, which makes it plain they are different Authors, and there are betwixt them seeming Contradictions and Diversities, which demonstrate plainly that the Writers did not concert those Works together. In fine, there is in those Works a certain Character of Ge∣nuinesse and Truth, which make it evident that it is not the production of an Impostor, but an Authentick and True Work.
Where is there any profane Work of the Ancient Greeks and Latin Authors of whose Truth so many Authentick proofs can be brought? For the most part they satisfie themselves with the Testimony of an Author that liv'd some Years after the Work is thought to have been Compos'd: Many times they gave their Judgment upon the Conformity of the Stile alone, or by the Title found in some Manuscripts, which are for the most part not very Ancient. Nevertheless they tell us with Confidence and Moral Certainty, that those Works were wrote by those whose Names they bear. With how much more reason may we say so of the Gospels, the Acts and Epistles of the Apostles, which are supported by much stronger Evidence, and a far greater Certainty? Let it be considered that those Gospels and Epistles were published in the time of the Apostles, not only in the Churches for which the said Gospels were Compos'd, or to whom those Epistles were directed, but also in the Neighbouring Churches, and that those Writings were publish'd every where in a little time. It was easie then to know the Authors of 'em, nor could they be deceiv'd, the thing being publick and certain: That the Persons who wrote those Works, those for whom, and to whom they were wrote, and the Churches who had receiv'd and own'd them, who read them, and made use of them for their Instruction, gave 'em such an Authentick Testimony, that no body doubted but they were the Writings of the Apostles. That there were Copies of 'em in all the Churches; that all the most Ancient Orthodox Authors have quoted and own'd them to be true; that when the Hereticks did afterwards Counterfeit the Works of the Apostles, or falsifie those that were true, they were immediately convicted of it, by Authen∣tick Testimonies: That their Writings were disown'd and rejected by the Dis∣ciples of the Apostles, and by the Apostolical Churches; and that in fine, all the Churches have at all times unanimously receiv'd, the Body of the Books of the New Testament, which they considered as their Law and Infallible Rule; and that they Repealed the others, as false, or as not having the same Authority. If I say we give but a little heed to those things, we cannot but be convinc'd in common sense, that the Books of the New Testament are really the Works of those whose Names they bear. This is the first Truth we had to demonstrate.