The reasonableness and certainty of the Christian religion by Robert Jenkin ...

CHAP. XVI. Of the Prophecies and Miracles of the Apostles, &c.

THere had been a long cessation or inter∣mission both of Prophecies and Mira∣cles in the Jewish Church till the coming of Christ, but by the Descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles, the Prophecy of Joel was fulfilled, and the Spirit of God was poured out in greater abun∣dance, than ever it had been before, in bestowing the gifts of Miracles and of Prophecy in a more eminent manner, and to greater numbers of men, and those of all Nations, than had ever been done at a∣ny time before: for these were the latter

days, the last distinction of Time, or the last period of the World, in which God had purposed to reveal himself; and this being the last was in all respects the fullest and most perfect Revelation.

I. A Spirit of Prophecy was bestowed upon the Apostles and others. A Famine (a) taken notice of by Heathen Authors, which happened throughout all the world in the days of Claudius Caesar was prophesi∣ed of by Agabus, Acts xi. 28. and the same Prophet, both by Actions, and in express Words signified, that St. Paul should be bound at Jerusalem, and delivered to the Gentiles, Acts xxi. 11. which was likewise foretold by others, even in every City where that Apostle came, Acts xx. 23. St. Paul himself foretold his own afflictions, 1 Thes. iii. 4. He foretold to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus, that men would soon a∣rise even from among themselves, who would divide and disturb the Church, Acts xx. 29, 30. and he foretold the same, 1 Tim. iv. 3. 2 Tim. iii. 1. St. Peter de∣clared that in the last days there would come Scoffers walking after their own lusts, 2 Pet. iii. 3. which Prophecy St. Jude saw fulfilled in his time, Jude 18. and God knows, we see it fulfilled in ours. For the Scoffers at Religion would do well to consider, that all their mockery and affronts are so far from doing any prejudice to Religion,

that they by that very means fulfil a Prophe∣cy and add a confirmation to it, when they think themselves most successful against it. St. Paul forewarns the Thessalonians of the lying wonders and strong delusions and notorious wickedness, which would break in upon the Church at the coming of An∣tichrist, 2 Thess. ii. 3. and that this accord∣ingly came to pass St. John witnesseth, say∣ing, that even then there were many An∣tichrists, 1 John ii. 18. iv. 3. 2 John 7. And though it be variously disputed, who is the Antichrist, 1 John ii. 22. 2 John 7. supposed to be the Beast, Rev. xiii. Yet that the Prophecies concerning the Delu∣sions, and the impieties and cruelties of Antichrist express'd in the Texts now mentioned, and more fully described in the Revelation of St. John, have been in great measure already accomplished, will admit of no dispute; and the gradual and re∣peated accomplishment of them in divers Ages, and in so many instances, is that which has caused so much variety of o∣pinion in this matter. Learned men easi∣ly mistaking some of these many Anti∣christs for the Beast, or the great Anti∣christ. In the Revelation of St. John we have the state and events in the Church described, and many things contained in it we know to be come to pass, as what concerns the seven Churches of Asia, &c.

and the obscurity of other places is elsewhere to be accounted for. (b) Quadratus had this gift of Prophecy, and it continued in the Church to the time of Justin Martyr, and of Irenaeus.

II. The Miracles wrought by the Apo∣stles were according to an express promise of Christ to them, that after his Ascension they should do even greater Works than he had done himself, John xiv. 12. that is, they should do works that would be more eminent and observable in the eyes of the World, though not more excellent and divine; for nothing could be greater in that sense than to raise a man from the dead. Which promise was fulfilled to them at the Feast of Pentecost, when men from all parts of the world were made wit∣nesses to it. For they were commanded by our Saviour not to depart from Jerusa∣lem, but to wait for this promise, and he assured them, that they should be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days after his being taken up from them into Heaven, and that they should receive power after that the Holy Ghost was come upon them, and should be witnesses unto him both in Jerusa∣lem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the Earth, Acts i. 4, 5, 8. And this miraculous power was visibly bestowed not only upon the Apostles themselves, but upon the

(c) hundred and twenty mentioned, Acts i. 15.

I have already shewn that the Apostles were effectually qualified to be witnesses of what they delivered concerning Christ, and that they could neither be deceived themselves in it, nor could propose any advantage to themselves by deceiving o∣thers; and that if they had designed any deceit, they alledged such circumstances as made it impossible for them to have past undiscovered. All which will be exceed∣ingly confirmed by considering the mira∣culous Gifts, which the Apostles received by the descent of the Holy Ghost, ac∣cording to this promise of our Saviour. I shall therefore shew how the Apostles were enabled by the descent of the Holy Ghost upon them to become witnesses to Christ. 1. By the Miracles which they wrought themselves. 2. By that power which was conveyed by them to others of working Miracles. 3. By their superna∣tural Resolution, Courage, and Patience under their sufferings.

I. The Apostles were enabled to become witnesses to Christ, by the Miracles which they wrought themselves. This power of Miracles qualified them most effectually to be witnesses of the Resurrection and Ascen∣tion, and other Articles of our Faith: for they could neither deceive nor be deceiv∣ed

in these miraculous Gifts, which were bestowed upon them, to be an assurance to themselves, and an evidence to others, that it was the Cause of God in which they were engaged, and his truth which they delivered.

They could not be deceived them selves undoubtedly in a thing of this nature, they could not be ignorant, whether they were real Miracles, which they wrought or not; they must needs know whether their own pretences were true or false; and whether they could speak the Languages, and do the Wonders, which the world believed them to do and speak; and they could not but know by what power and means they were enabled to perform all their mi∣raculous Works.

And these works were of that nature, and done in that manner, that they could impose upon no man by them; they could not make men believe that they spoke all kinds of Languages, if they did not speak them, nor that they cured all sorts of Dis∣eases, if they had not cured them: nothing is more easy than for a man to know a Lan∣guage that he understands, when he hears it, or than for men that were sick to know that they are recovered, when they feel themselves well. And the manner o•• their performing these Miracles, was the most publick and notorious in respect of

the time and place, and the persons on whom they were wrought.

Our Saviour had been crucified at the Feast of the Passover in the sight of the Jews and Proselytes, who were met toge∣ther from all parts of the World at that Solemnity: and but fifty days after at the next solemn Festival of the Jews, in the very same City where he had been Cru∣cified, in the presence of multitudes of peo∣ple of all Nations and Languages, which came to keep the Feast of Pentecost, the Apostles declared to them in all their seve∣ral Tongues, that this same Jesus was by the Almighty Power of God raised from the dead, and that they were impowered by him to speak all those Languages. The Apostles were at the same time taken no∣tice of to be Gallileans, men of low Birth and of new Education. St. John in parti∣cular was known to the High Priest him∣self, and the rest were all known to many that heard them; their Parentage, and place of Abode, and manner of Life might easily be enquired into: for they were no strangers, nor in a far Country: and from all these it appeared that it was impossible that they should be capable of speaking a∣ny of these Languages but by inspiration, and to speak all Languages, is a thing which no man ever could hope to arrive at by study or conversation, though he

should make it the whole business of his Life: and therefore this could least of all be suspected of men of mean Employments, and who got their Livelihood by their daily labour and industry.

The Miracles which the Apostles wrought were likewise in the most publick places of the City, and in the most publick manner, upon persons who had been most remarka∣ble, and generally taken notice of for their Infirmities. St. Peter, by pronouncing on∣ly these words, In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk, cured a man of above forty years of Age, who was known to have been lame from his Birth, and was carried and laid daily at one of the Gates of the Temple, where there was wont to be the greatest resort of people, to ask an Alms of them, that entred into the Temple; and this man being immedi∣ately cured, went with St. Peter and St. John into the Temple, and all the people saw him walking and praising God, and they knew that it was he, which sat for Alms at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, Acts iii. 9, 10. And the Rulers of the Jews en∣quired into the matter, and upon exami∣nation, when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were un∣learned and ignorant men, they marvelled, and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus, and beholding the man which

was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it, but confessed among themselves, that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them, is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it, Acts iv. 13, 14, 16.

By this and other evident and publick Miracles the miraculous Power of the Apo∣stles became so much admired and mag∣nified by the people, that they brought forth the sick into the Streets, and laid them on Beds and Couches that at the least the sha∣dow of Peter passing by, might over-shadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the Cities round about unto Jerusa∣lem, bringing sick Folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits, and they were healed every one, Acts v. 15, 16. And in this manner the Apostles continued several years in Jerusalem, doing Miracles upon all occasions, and before all people. And the same miraculous power manifested it self at Ephesus, where God wrought special Mira∣cles by the hands of Paul, so that from his Body were brought unto the Sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them, Acts xix. 11, 12. So impossible was it for the Apostles to deceive those, before whom their Miracles were so frequently and pub∣lickly wrought. And yet it must be much more impossible, if any thing more impos∣sible

can be supposed to deceive those, upon whom their Miracles had the effect of re∣storing to them the use of their feet, their sight, and their health, and even of raising them again from the dead.

And indeed none of the Adversaries of old of the Christian Religion ever denied, but that Miracles were wrought by the A∣postles; they only disputed the Power, by which they were wrought; they never questioned the reality of the Miracles them∣selves. The Books of the New Testa∣ment, which gave an account of these wondrous works, were written soon after the things related had been done, and these Books were in the hands of Heathens and Jews as well as Christians; and nei∣ther the Jews nor the Heathens could deny but that such works had been done, they on∣ly cavilled at the Power and Authority, by which they were wrought, which, how groundless and unreasonable soever it were, yet was the only evasion they could have, when there were so many Christians, if they had denied the matter of fact, who did the like Miracles every day to confute them. For,

II. The Apostles not only wrought Mi∣racles themselves, but conveyed to others a power of working them. Thus when St. Peter was sent for to Cornelius, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word,

and they spake with Tongues, and magnifi∣ed God, Act. x. 44, 46. And so at E∣phesus, the Holy Ghost came on those whom St. Paul had laid his hands upon, and they spake with Tongues and Prophesied, Acts xix. 6. And this miraculous Power was in that evident manner received by the lay∣ing on of the hands of the Apostles, that Simon Magus offered them Money to pur∣chase it, Acts viii. 18. Now as the Apo∣stles could neither be deceived themselves in the Miracles which they did, nor deceive those, before whom they were performed, and upon whom they were wrought; so certainly they could never deceive such as they conferred this Gift upon. When they not only did all sorts of Miracles, and spoke all Languages themselves, but con∣veyed a Power likewise upon others of speaking and doing, as themselves did, this was still a further evidence that all their pretences were real beyond all possibility of Deceit.

Deceivers would never have done their Miracles so openly, and so frequently, at such a time and place; they would never have pretended to a gift of Tongues at a Festival, where men from all parts of the world were met together; so that they could attempt to speak in no strange Lan∣guage, but some present would have dis∣covered them, if they had not been able

to speak it. But they would least of all have pretended to enable others in an in∣stant, to work the same wonders, and speak the same Tongues, only by laying their hands upon them▪ Men that would attempt all this, though they were unable to perform it, must be so far from being capable of discoursing and writing as the Apostles did, that they must be void even of common sense: and if they could suc∣ceed in their designs, and make the world believe that they did act and speak in this manner, when they did not, they must have a Power over the understandings and senses of all with whom they conversed; which is as strange even as this Miracu∣lous Power it self. They must work Mi∣racles either upon the objects of sence, or upon the sences themselves: for in this case they could never have been able so much as to deceive without a Miracle; and since God would never have empowered them to work Miracles to deceive, we are certain that their Miracles were all wrought for that intent and purpose, which they made profession of, and to confirm that Doctrine which they taught.

And this Power of Miracles, which now descended from Heaven upon the Apostles, and was conveyed by them to others, con∣tinued for some Ages in the Church, and approved it self to the worst Enemies of

our Religion in such instances, as must make them most concerned to examine it. (d) Several of the Primitive Writers wit∣ness, that nothing was more notorious, than that the Devils were wont to cry out for very anguish and torment, when they were adjured by the true God, (e) and Tertullian made publick challenges to the Heathens, that if they would but ad∣mit them this Tryal, the Christians would undertake to make their most famous Dei∣ties acknowledge the Power of Christ, and to make their very Gods confess them∣selves to be wicked and seducing Spirits, or else they would be contented to be slain upon the place; and this he wrote under persecutions, and in Apologies de∣dicated and presented to their Persecutors themselves.

And indeed the Oracles in all parts of the World soon began to fail, so as they had been never known to do before: for their Power began to abate and decay up∣on the approach of our Saviours Birth in∣to the World, till by degrees they quite ceased, which the Heathens wondered at, and were much perplext about it, as we learn from what (f) they have left writ∣ten upon that subject. And though Julian the Apostate used all the ways that he could think of, to bring them into credit again, he was never able to elect it, but

the most famous of them confess'd to him, when he consulted it, that a miraculous and Divine Power residing in the Remains of a Christian Martyr after his Death, would suffer no answer to be given. And it is so remarkable, that I must mention it once more, that when the same Apo∣state Emperor, in hatred and despight to the Christian Religion, became a great Pa∣tron of the Jews, and encouraged them to re-build their Temple, great balls of fire broke forth under the foundation, and destroyed both the work it self and the persons employed in it. And this we have related, not only by several Christian Writers that lived about that time, but by an (g) Heathen Historian, who was then living and wrote the History of those times, and has shewn himself in no respect over favourable to the Christians, but was a Soldier under Julian, and had no incli∣nation to say any thing that might seem to diminish his Character. The Judgments also which befell several of the greatest Persecutors of the Christian Religion, were so miraculous and so terrible, as to extort a confession from some of them of God's Justice in their Punishment, and to force them to re-call their persecuting Edicts and change them for others in favour of Chri∣stianity. (h) The Edicts of Maximianus and Maximin to this purpose are to be

seen in Eusebius: and (i) the Judgment upon Julian was so sudden and so remark∣able, that some of the Heathen cavilled, that the God of the Christians had not shewn that Mercy and forbearance, which they reported of him in it.

And when the Power of Miracles, which came down on the day of Pentecost upon the Apostles, and was continued in the Church after them, thus manifested it self in op∣position to the pretences both of the Jews and Heathens, in such a manner, as must provoke them to make all the discoveries they possibly could, concerning it, when it thus triumphed over all the Gods of the Heathens, whilst its poor and persecu∣ted Professors were under the feet of the Heathen Emperors, and lay continually exposed to their cruelties, and at the pe∣ril of their Lives proffered in publick A∣pologies by a miraculous Power, or, as the Apostle speaks, by the Power and De∣monstration of the Spirit, to prove their own Religion true, and theirs salse, and its cruelest Persecutors were by miracu∣lous Judgments forced to become its Pro∣tectors; this was all that could be desir∣ed towards the fulfilling the Promise of our Saviour to his Apostles, that they should become his Witnesses to all Nati∣ons. But,

III. The Gospel could not have been thus propagated unless this Power of the Holy Ghost had been still further manifest, by the courage and resolution, and pati∣ence of the Apostles under their sufferings. Our Saviour tells them, that they should receive power after that the Holy Ghost was come upon them, to become witnesses unto him, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria; these were the places where our Saviour himself had wrought his Miracles, and where he had been hated and perse∣cuted, and at last crucified; and there is reason to believe, that the Apostles went not from Jerusalem and the parts adjacent, (k) till twelve years after his Ascention: and when they had testified his Resur∣rection, and Preached his Gospel to the Jews, their work was not yet an end, but they were to be his Witnesses unto the uttermost parts of the Earth, and even thither several of them went, fearing no dangers, and being discouraged at no sufferings.

There is a natural boldness and courage in some men, by which they are often car∣ried both to do and to endure a great deal more than others: but it was not so with the Apostles, they were naturally very ti∣morous and faint hearted, they all forsook their Master and fled, when he was first ap∣prehended, and then were very back∣ward to believe his Resurrection; and

when they and the rest of the Disciples were convinced of it, they did not preach is to others, but after he had been seen of them forty days, and discoursed with them of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God, they still had mistaken notions and expectations concerning it: when they therefore were come together they asked of him, saying, ••ord wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel. And when Christ was taken up from them, into Hea∣ven, they stood gazing up after him, not knowing what to think of it, till two Angels admonished them, that it was in vain for them to stand looking thus any longer: and after his Ascention they staid ten days before they ventured to publish any thing of what had come to pass, till on the day of Pentecost in a visible and audible manner, the Holy Ghost descended upon them, and quite changed their tem∣per, and of the most timorous made them the most couragious and resolute, inspiring them with a Divine Vigor and presence of mind.

For of all their Miracles few seem to have been more wonderful than that firm∣ness and constancy of mind, which men so low and mean and abject, and before so fearful, as the Apostles were, now shew∣ed upon all occasions When our Saviour spoke to these his poor Disciples, and

commanded them to go and teach all Nati∣ons, Matt. xxviii. 19. it was such a com∣mand as no King nor Law-giver ever pre∣sumed to give, in the height of all his Power and Greatness: and when God himself sent Moses to the Children of Isra∣el only, Moses feared the success, and would fain have declined the Message. And how might the Disciples have replyed to our Saviour, how shall we Preach to the Ro∣mans, and dispute with the Graecians, and discourse with the most remote and bar∣barous Nations, who have been bred up in the knowledge only of our own Native Tongue? How can we compel all Nations to forsake the worship of the Gods of their several Countries, and to observe all things whatsoever we are commanded to teach them? With what force of Eloquence are we fitted for such a design? What hope can we have to succeed in an attempt to set up Laws in opposition to the Laws e∣stablished for so many Ages in behalf of their own Gods? What strength can we have to overcome such difficulties and to accomplish such an Enterprize? But they made no objections, our Saviour had con∣versed with them forty days, after his Re∣surrection, and now tells them, that all Power is given unto him in Heaven and in Earth, and he commands them not to depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of

the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me, Acts i. 4. And when the Holy Ghost was come, they were endued by him with a courage and resolution almost as wonder∣ful, as the Miracles they wrought, to per∣perform the great work which lay before them: they were not in the least daunted at any dangers, or torments, or deaths, but went on courageously in their Duty, by the power and assistance of the Holy Ghost, by whom they were enabled to bring the world to the obedience of the Gospel of Christ: They opposed themselves to all the assaults of Men and Devils: Nothing could now discourage them, who before were so timorous and unbelieving, the coming of the Holy Ghost down upon them, wrought a mighty change in them, who were to work as great an alteration in all the world besides. St. Peter standing with the Eleven lift up his voice, he spoke with wonderful Resolution, and the rest stood by to bear witness to the Truth of what he said. They stood now undaunted by, to testify that their Master was again a∣live, who had forsaken him as soon as he was apprehended, and he that before so shamefully denied him thrice, being startled and affrighted at the Question of the High Priest's Maid, now speaks aloud in a vast concourse of people, with so much sted∣fastness, that this alone was a sufficient e∣vidence

of the truth of what he delivered. They were not in the least concerned at the mockery and abuses that were put up∣on them, the Spirit had descended on them, and raised them above such mean and fool∣ish apprehensions, they were now full of the Holy Ghost, and no worldly thoughts could move them, they acted with the force and vigor of the Wind and Fire, in which the Holy Ghost came upon them, and with as much unconcernedness, as if they had had no difficulties to encounter: the world they very well knew, and found was against them, but they had the assur∣ance of his help, who had overcome the world. They were pressed on every side, with want and disgrace, and all manner of hardships; some mocked and reviled them, others tormented them; the rage, the tu∣mults, the conspiracies of whole Cities and Countries broke loose upon them, all the malice and contrivance of Men and Devils was joined against them; and yet with what freedom doth St. Peter speak? Ye men of Israel hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by mira∣cles, and wonders, and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye your selves also know: him being delivered by the determinate Counsel and fore knowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain, whom God hath raised up, whereof

we all are witnesses, Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having re∣ceived of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear, Acts ii. 22, 23, 24, 32, 33. And in the third Chapter, The God of A∣braham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our Fathers hath glorified his Son Jesus, whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But ye denied the Holy one, and the just, and desired a murtherer to be granted unto you, and killed the Prince of Life, whom God hath raised from the dead, whereof we are witnesses, Acts iii. 13, 14, 15. And before the Council, O ye Rulers of the People and Elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Je∣sus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought by you Builders, which is become the head of the cor∣ner, neither is there Salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven giv∣en among men, whereby we must be saved, Acts iv. 8, &c. And again, The God of our Fa∣thers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, and hang∣ed on a Tree: him hath God exalted with his

right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins, and we are his witnesses of these things, and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him, Act. v. 30, &c. With what freedom and authori∣ty doth he now speak, how unlike is he now to the man he was before, when he thrice denyed his Master whilst alive? And what could make such an alteration in him after his Masters death but a supernatural Power? What could cause him thus fre∣quently and earnestly to make an open confession of him in the midst of the peo∣ple, and before their Council, if he had not known him to be risen from the dead, and had not done all his Miracles by ver∣tue of that Power, which was bestowed upon him and the rest of the Apostles, af∣ter Christ's Ascension?

And the same constancy and greatness of mind appeared in St. Stephen, and the rest of the Disciples; which yet was accom∣panied with equal humility and meekness. Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you, more then unto God, judge ye: for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard, Acts iv. 19, 20. You may do your pleasure, but we must do our duty. Nothing of fury and vio∣lence, nor of wildness and extravagancy, but a constant composedness and gravity,

and a rational sober zeal appeared in all their behaviour. They told a plain truth, and then wrought Miracles to confirm it, and afterwards suffered any torments ra∣ther than they would renounce it, or de∣fist from Preaching it. Though they could cure all Diseases, and dispossess Devils, and raise men from the dead, or take a∣way their Lives with a word speaking, as in the case of Ananias and Saphira; yet they were not exempted from sufferings, because we must then have wanted one great argument for the confirmation of our Faith. And the Gospel was to be founded upon principles of Love and Goodness, not of Fear and Astonishment; and there is something in the sufferings of good men, which is apt mightily to work upon the affections, and upon any seeds of good nature in us: and therefore when by their Miracles they had raised the admi∣ration of the Beholders, and convinced them of the Power by which they were wrought, their patience under sufferings not only confirmed them in the truth of Religion, but laid the foundations of a Re∣ligious Life, in gaining upon the inclina∣tions and affections, and in calming the spirits, and preparing them by so great examples of patience to endure all the ca∣lamities incident to men. Who is there, that is not more affected with the meek

and humble courage, and invincible pati∣ence of the Apostles, than with all the great Acts of the mighty conquerours and de∣stroyers of Mankind? A few, poor, un∣armed, defenceless men stand before armed Multitudes, and speak with as much Autho∣rity, as if all the Power of the world were in their hands; and indeed all power was in their hands, in as much as he assisted and inspired them, who is above all. They speak to Multitudes with as much freedom as to one man, and to all Nations with as much ease, as to one people.

And the same Holy Spirit, who descend∣ed upon the rest of the Apostles on the day of Pentecost, descended upon St. Paul at his conversion, and gave that great Apostle so much confidence and resolution, so much pa∣tience and zeal under his sufferings which were so severe and terrible, that we can scarce read them with so little horror, as he underwent them.

Thus did the Holy Ghost fit and prepare the Apostles to be witnesses to Christ by in∣spiring them with all that courage and pati∣ence, which was necessary for men, that were to declare an ungrateful and despis∣ed truth amongst those, who would think themselves so much concerned to oppose and suppress it. If they had wrought no Miracles, their courage and resolution might have pass'd for a groundless confi∣dence,

and if they had not had the cou∣rage to stand so resolutely to the truth of what they delivered, their Miracles them∣selves might have become suspected; but acting by a Divine Power, and being sup∣ported in all their sufferings by a supernatu∣ral constancy and greatness of Mind, and being so suddenly changed and raised above themselves in all they did or suffered, and working the same change in others; they gave all the evidence and certainty of the truth of the Doctrines they taught, that it was possible for men to give.

And as a power of working Miracles was derived from the Apostles down upon their Disciples, so was the spirit of meek∣ness and patience under afflictions com∣municated to them. And it is observable, that God was pleased not to raise up any Christian Emperor, till above three hun∣dred years after Christ, that he might shew that the Religion which came from heaven, could need no human aid nor be suppress'd by any human force; and that he might recommend the great vertues of meekness and patience to the world by the exam∣ples men as eminent for these, as for the Miracles they wrought, and might in∣struct mankind in a suffering Religion. For to assure the world of the truth of it, he would not grant it protection from Christi∣an Emperors, till most of the Empire was

become Christian, and Christianity had diffused it self into all the known parts of the Earth. For before the last Persecution, begun by Dioclesian, (l) the Church flourish∣ed as much, and had the favour of the Court, and of great men, in as high a de∣gree almost, as under Constantine himself; till their Prosperity caused their sins, and these brought Persecution. But at last the persecuting Emperors were forced by a di∣vine power, manifested in miraculous dis∣eases inflicted on them, to restore the Chri∣stians to their former liberty, in their wor∣ship of God; that so it might appear to all the world, that the Christian Religion needed no Patronage of men; for God would compel its worst Enemies to be∣come its Protectors, when he saw it fit∣ting. And (m) when Julian made it his great aim and business to restore Paganism again in the world, he saw, to his grief, how ineffectual all his endeavours proved; he observed that the Christian Religion still retained a general esteem and approbation, and that the Wives and Children and Ser∣vants of his own Priests themselves were most of them Christians.

If any one then, upon a serious conside∣ration of all circumstances, can withstand the conviction of so great evidence; I would only ask him, whether he believes any History, or relation of matters of fact,

which he never saw, and desire him to shew what degrees of certainty he can discern in any of them, which are are not to be found here: and besides to consider, that if in a vi∣cious and subtile Age, a Doctrine so contra∣ry to flesh and blood, by so weak and in∣competent means, could obtain so universal∣ly amongst men of all Tempers, and Pro∣fessions, and Interests, in all Nations of the world, against so violent opposition, with∣out the help of Miracles; this is as great a Miracle as can be conceived: either there∣fore the Christian Religion was propagated by Miracles, or it was not; if it was, then the Miracles, by which it was propagated, prove it to be from God; if it was not pro∣pagated by Miracles, the Propagation it self is a Miracle, and sufficient to prove it to be from him.

Notes

• (a)

  Sue∣ton in Claudio & Dion. Cass.
• (b)

  Euseb. Eccl. Hist. lib. iii. c. 36. lib. iv. c. 18. lib. v. c. 7.
• (c)

  Mon∣strabatur locus, ubi super cen∣tum vi∣ginti cre∣dentium animas spiritus sanctus descend∣isset. Hie∣ron. Epi∣taph Pau∣lae. vid. Dr. Light. exercit. on Act. ii. 1. p. 643.
• (d)

  Minut. Faelix. Lactant. lib. ii. c. 15. &c. 21.
• (e)

  Apo∣log. c. 23.
• (f)

  Cicer. de Divi∣nat. Plutarch. de Oracul. Defecta.
• (g)

  Am∣mian Marcellin. b. xxiii. c. 1.
• (h)

  Euseb. Hist. lib. viii. c. 17. ix. c. 10. Lactant de Mortib. Persecut. c. xxxiv. 49.
• (i)

  Hie∣ron. in Hab. c. iii.
• (k)

  Euseb. Hist. lib. ••. o. 18.
• (l)

  Euseb. Hist. lib. viii. c. 1.
• (m)

  So∣zom. lib. v. c. 16.