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

THE REASONABLENESS AND CERTAINTY OF THE Christian Religion. (Book 1)

BOOK I. (Book 1)

PART I.

IN Discoursing of the Reasonableness and Certainty of the Christian Religion, I shall use this Method: I. I shall shew, That from the Notion of a God, it ne∣cessarily follows, That there must be some Divine Revelation. II. I shall enquire into the Way and Manner by which this Reve∣lation may be suppos'd to be deliver'd and preserv'd in the World. III. I shall shew,

That from the Notion of a God, and the Nature and Design of a Divine Revelation, it follows, That the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are that Divine Revela∣tion. IV. That no other Books or Doctrines whatsoever can be of Divine Revelation. V. I shall from hence give a Resolution of our Faith, by shewing, That we have the same Evidence for the Truth and Divine Au∣thority of the Scriptures, that we have for the Being of God himself; because it follows, from the Notion of a God, both that there must of necessity be some Divine Revelation, and that the Scriptures are that Divine Re∣velation. VI. Having done this, I shall, in the last Place, endeavour to clear such Points as are commonly thought most liable to Ex∣ception in the Christian Religion; and shall propose some Considerations, which may serve to remove such Objections, and obviate such Cavils as are usually rais'd against the Holy Scriptures.

CHAP. I. That from the Notion of a God, it ne∣cessarily follows that there must be some Divine Revelation.

IN the first Place, I shall shew how Rea∣sonable and Necessary it is to suppose, That God should Reveal himself to Man∣kind: And I shall insist the rather upon this, because it is not usually so much consider'd in this Controversie as it ought to be; for if it were, it certainly would go very far towards the proving the Divine Authority of the Scriptures; since if it be once made appear that there must be some Divine Revelation, it would be no hard Matter to prove that the Scriptures are that Revelation: For if it be prov'd that there must be some Revealed Religion, there is no other which can bear any Competition with that contain'd in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament. My first Business therefore shall be to shew, from the Consideration of the Attributes of God, and of the Nature and State of Man∣kind, that in all Reason we cannot but believe that there is some Revealed Religion in the World.

There is nothing more evident to Natural Reason, than that there must be some Begin∣ning,

some first Principle of Being, from whence all other Beings proceed. And no∣thing can be more absurd, than to imagine that that wonderful Variety of Beings in the Heavens and Earth and Seas, which all the Wisdom of Man is not able in any Measure to understand, or throughly to search into, should yet be produc'd and continu'd for so many Thousand Years together, without any Wisdom or Contrivance; that an unaccount∣able Concourse of Atoms, which could never build the least House or Cottage, should yet build and sustain the wonderful Fabrick of the whole World; that when the very Lines in a Globe or Sphere cannot be made with∣out Art, the World it self, which that is but an imperfect Imitation of, should be made without it, and that less Skill should be re∣quir'd to the forming of a Man, than is ne∣cessary to the making of his Picture; that Chance should be the Cause of all the Order, and Fortune of all the Constancy and Regu∣larity in the Nature of Things; and that the very Faculties of Reason and Understanding in all Mankind, should have their Original from that, which had no Sense or Know∣ledge, but was meer Ignorance and Stupi∣dity. This is so far from being Reason and Philosophy, that it is down-right Folly and Contradiction.

From a Being therefore of infinite Per∣fection must proceed all things that are be∣sides,

with all their Perfections and Excel∣lencies, and among others, the Virtues and Excellencies of Wisdom, Justice, Mercy and Truth must be deriv'd from him, as the Author of all the Perfections of which the Creatures are capable. And it is absurd to imagine that the Creator and Governor of the World, who is infinitely more Just, more Wise and Good and Holy than any Crea∣ture can be, will not at last reward the Good, and punish the Wicked. For, Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do Right? Is it to be suppos'd that the Wise and Good God would create Men only to abuse themselves and one another? To live a while in Sin and Folly here, and some of them in the most ex∣travagant and brutal Wickedness, and then go down to the Grave, and so there should be an end of them for ever? What is there worthy of the infinite Wisdom of God, in so poor a Design as this! Doth not the Voice of Nature it self teach us, and has it not been the general Belief and Expectation of all Ages and Nations, that the prosperous Sinner, who is subtle and powerful to do Mischief, must suffer in another World, for what he has done amiss here? And, that all is not to pass away with us in Sport and Ex∣travagance, in Laughter and Noise, in Riot, or in Violence and Cruelty, as some Men are willing to believe; as if the World were made for the Wicked, and they to abuse it.

It appears likewise, from the common Belief and Experience of Mankind, that as there is a God of infinite Goodness and Ho∣liness; so there are wicked and malicious Spirits, which are ever contriving the Mis∣chief and Ruine of Men. For besides the Evi∣dence of this from Scripture, which we must be allow'd here to alledge in the Nature at least of an History, it is Folly to imagine that all the Oracles and Prodigies of the Heathens could be meer Forgeries, and that there was no Ground nor Foundation for such a Belief as universally obtain'd in all Nations and Ages of the World, and for the Customs and Practices, which follow'd upon this Belief, that there are Daemons, or Spirits, of an evil and malicious Disposition and Power. I shall instance only in the unnatural Cruelties which the Heathen World, even the Greeks and Romans themselves, were continually put upon, by the Instigation of these malicious and wicked Spirits. For the Heathen Na∣tions offer'd up Multitudes of innocent Men and Women, and even their own Children, in Sacrifice to their false Gods; which is as sure an Evidence that there are such Beings which requir'd these Cruelties from them, as it is, that there are Tyrants and Persecu∣tors, when they cause innocent Men to be murther'd, and Children to be torn from the Arms of their Parents, and slain in their sight. And though the Dominion of Satan

be now restrained by the over-ruling Power of the Gospel, we have as great Evidence from all History that there are such Beings as Devils, as we have for any other Matter of Fact whatsoever. There have been, indeed, many false Stories concerning Spirits, as well as in other Matters of History; but doth this prove that there are none True? Or could the Historians of all Times and Places be perpetually imposed upon, or conspire to impose upon others? There is no ancient History but gives some Instance or other of these things; and all the Modern Histories of Heathen Nations are full of such Relations as confirm this Truth to us; and even among Christians, those who have by unlawful Arts put themselves under the Power of wicked Spirits, have been convinced that there are such Beings; which is proved not only by the publick Confessions of Witches in all Na∣tions, but by the private (a) 1.1 Acknowledg∣ments of divers learned Men, both Physicians and others who have made attempts to disco∣ver the truth of this matter, in different places, and were Persons neither timorous nor superstitious. But the Apparition of Spirits is Praeter-natural; and therefore, that Good Spirits, who live in perfect Obedience to the Divine Will, and in Conformity to the Or∣der of their Nature, should appear, is now no more to be expected than any other Mi∣racle: But there are frequent Apparitions of

Bad Spirits in Countries where the Christian Religion is not receiv'd; and where it is re∣ceiv'd, they appear to such as are willing to com•• under their Power, but very rarely to others. And if the Devil, after so much Hu∣mane Blood as he has caus'd to be spilt in his Sacrifices, and after so many Oracles and Im∣postures, can yet perswade same Men that there is no such Being; this is one of his subtilest Stratagems of all, and proves how great Power, though in a different kind and manner, he still retains over the Minds of Men.

Since therefore it is most certain, That there is a Being of insinite Power and Wis∣dom, and Justice and Goodness; and that there is likewise a malicious cruel Spirit, ever watchful and industrious to abuse and destroy Mankind: It is highly reasonable to believe, that a Being of such infinite Perfe∣ctions, after he had created Man, would communicate himself to him, would set him a Rule by which he ought to live, and pre∣scribe him Laws whereby he might answer the Ends of his Creation, and attain to that Happiness, which he was made capable of, and design'd for by his Maker. We cannot suppose that the God of all Goodness and Wisdom would create Man, and then leave him to himself, to follow his own Inven∣tions, and to live at random, without any Law or Direction to frame his Actions by, and to be expos'd to all the Assaults of an

implacable subtile Enemy, without any Cau∣tion and Instruction given him, or any Help and Assistance afforded for his Defence. Man, in his Innocence, was not thus to be left to himself. And we have all the reason in the World to believe, though we had not the express Word of Scripture for it, that the God of infinite Goodness would not disregard this corrupt State of Mankind, but would use some Means to reclaim them from the Error of their Ways, to bring them to a Knowledge of themselves, and of the Divine Majesty, to inform them of their Duty, and direct them to Happiness.

How Man became so prone to all Evil, we can know only by Revelation; and there∣fore those who reject all Revelation, must suppose that Man was first created in this State of Sin and Misery; which is a very heinous Imputation upon the Goodness and Justice of God; but to suppose him plac'd in this Condition, without all help or re∣medy, is to charge God still more foolishly. But how Men became so, is not here the Matter of Enquiry; it is evident that Man is of himself in a miserable and helpless Condi∣tion; and considering the great Ignorance and Wickedness which have been from the Fall of our First Parents visible continually in the Word, and still reign in it; considering, I say, the notorious Wickedness and gross Ignorance of Men, which, from the earliest

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Records of Antiquity, have continued down to our own Times, nothing is more rea∣sonable than to think that a Being of Infinite Perfection would take some care to rectifie the Mistakes, and reform the Manners of Men. Can we believe it consistent with Infinite Truth, never to manifest it self in the World, but to suffer all sorts of Men, of all Nations, to be exposed to all the Designs and Delusions of Impostors, and of seducing and Apostate Spirits, without any sufficient Means afforded them to undeceive and re∣scue themselves? Can we suppose that God of Infinite Majesty and Power, and who is a Jealous God, and will not give his Honour to another, should suffer the World to be guilty of Idolatry, to make themselves Gods of Wood and Stone? Nay, to offer their Sons and their Daughters unto Devils, and to commit all manner of Wickedness in the Worship of their False Gods, and make Mur∣ther, and Adultery, and the worst of Vices, not only their Practice, but their Religion? Can we imagine that the True God would behold all this, for so many Ages, among so many People, and yet not concern himself to put a stop to so much Wickedness, and to vindicate his own Honour, and restore the Sense and Practice of Vertue upon Earth?

I shall, in due place, prove at large, That Mankind have in all Ages had the greatest

necessity for a Revelation to direct and re∣form them; and, That the Philosophers themselves taught abominably wicked Do∣ctrines, who yet were the best Teachers and Instructors of the Heathen World. And we have no true Notion of God, if we do not believe him to be a God of Infinite Power, and Knowledge, and Holiness, and Mercy and Truth; and yet we may as well believe there is no God at all, as imagine that the God of Infinite Knowledge should take no notice of what is done here below; that Infinite Power should suffer it self to be affronted and despised, without requiring any Satisfaction; that Infinite Holiness should behold the whole World lie in Wickedness, and find out no way to remedy it; and that Superstition and Idolatry, and all the Ty∣ranny of Sin and Satan, for so long a time, should enslave and torment the Bodies and Souls of Men, and there should be no Com∣passion in Infinite Mercy, nor any Care over an erroneous and deluded World, in the God of Truth.

Would a wise and good Father see his Children run on in all manner of Folly and Extravagancy, and take no care to reclaim them, nor give them any Advice, but leave them wholly to themselves, to pursue their own Ruine? And if this be unworthy to suppose of Natural Parents, how much more unreasonable is it to imagine this of God

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himself, whom we cannot but represent to our selves with all the Compassions of the tenderest Father or Mother, without the Weakness and Infirmities that accompany them in Humane Parents? How unreasonable is it to entertain such a Thought of Almighty God, infinite in Goodness and Mercy, as to suspect that he would suffer Mankind to make themselves as miserable as they can, both in this World and the next, without putting a Stop to so fatal a Course of Sin and Misery, or interposing any thing for their Direction, to shew them the Way to escape Destruction, and to obtain Happiness! The Fall of our First Parents is known to us only by Revelation, and therefore is not to be taken into Consideration, when we argue upon the meer Principles of Reason. But I consider Mankind, as we find it in Fact, (setting aside the Advantages of Revelation) Wicked, and abandoned to Wickedness, in the Snares of the Devil, taken captive by him at his will, unable to work out their own Sal∣vation; lost and undone, without Power or Strength, without any Help or Remedy. And in this State of the World, however it came to pass, is there no Reason to believe that infinite Goodness should take some Course, and not disregard all Mankind lying in this Condition.

The great Argument of the Scoffers of the last Days, St. Peter tells us, would be

this, That all things go on in their constant Course, and that God doth not meddle or concern himself with them. Where is the Promise of his Coming? For since the Fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the Creation? 2 Pet. iii. 4. And if no Promise had ever been made, they would have had some Reason in their Arguing. For that which rendred the Heathen without Excuse, was, That they did not make use of the Na∣tural Knowledge that they had of God, to lead them to the Knowledge of his Revealed Will, which they had frequent Opportuni∣ty of becoming acquainted withal, and had many Memorials of it amongst them in every Nation; but, they did not like to retain God in their Knowledge. And this is the Force of St. Paul's Argument, Act. xvii. & Rom. i. (unless this latter Chapter were to be understood, as Dr. Hammond interprets it, of the Gnostick Hereticks,) That the Gentiles ought not to pervert and stifle those Natural Notions which God had implanted in their Minds, but from the Law of Nature to proceed to find out the Written Law; and for this Reason, the Bounds of the Habitation of other Nations were determin'd and appointed by God, according to the Number of the Children of Israel, that they might seek the Lord, and might be able to find and discover the True Religion and Way of Worship among that People to whom he had reveal'd himself,

Deut. xxxii. 8. Act. xvii. 26, 27. They might have been less vicious than they were, with∣out the Knowledge of a Revelation; and therein they were inexcusable, that though they could not free themselves from the Power of Sin, yet they might not have given themselves so wholly up to it, as to become excluded from the Grace and Salvation to be obtained by the Revealed Will of God. And when God has revealed himself, all who will not use the Means, and by a due Im∣provement of their Reason endeavour from Natural Religion to arrive at Revealed, be∣come inexcusable for their Negligence and Contempt of God, and the Abuse of those Talents and Endowments which God has bestowed upon them. For when God has once given Men warning, and directed them in the way of Salvation, and they will not regard it, they must be wilfully ignorant if they will not consider, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day; and it is Argument of his Patience and Long-suffering, that he doth not bring speedy Vengeance upon a disobe∣dient and rebellious World: The Lord is not slack concerning his promise (as some men count slackness,) but is long-suffering to us ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. Now this is very well consistent and exceedingly agree∣able

with all the Divine Perfections, that he should give Men Warning of the Evil and Danger of Sin, and afterwards leave them to their own Choice, whether they will be Righteous and Happy, or Wicked and Mi∣serable; and then that he should not take the first Opportunity to punish them, nor lay hold of any Advantage against them, but give them time for second Thoughts, and space for Consideration and Repentance; but if they abuse so much Patience and Loving-kindness, that he should at last come upon them, when they least think of him, with a mighty and terrible Judgment, and with a sudden and unexpected Fury. But to stand by and look on unconcern'd, and then to take Men upon such a Surprize, without giving them any notice of it before-hand, is a thing impossible to be accounted for, and can never be reconcil'd with the Divine Attri∣butes. St. Athanasius (b) 1.2 insists at large upon this Argument, and carries it so far as to prove the Necessity of the Incarnation of the Son of God from it: He urges, That it would have been unworthy of the Goodness of God to suffer all Mankind to be destroy'd by the Fraud and Malice of the Devil, or by their own Fault and Negligence; and that it had been more consistent with his Wisdom and Goodness, never to have created Men, than to have suffer'd them thus to perish:

An Earthly King (says he) when he has

planted a Colony, will not carelessly suffer his Subjects to become Slaves to a Stranger, or to revolt from him; but he will, by his Proclamations, admonish them of their Duty, and oftentimes will send Messages to them by his Friends; and if there be a Necessity for it, will go to them himself, to awe them by his Presence, and recall them to their Obedience. And (as he there adds) shall not God much rather be so mindful of his Creatures, as to use some Means to reclaim them from their evil Ways, and regain them to his Service? Especially, when they must be utterly undone for ever, unless he take care of them.

It is plain then, that though we had never heard of such a thing as a Miracle, or a Prophecy, or of reveal'd Relgion; yet from the Consideration of the State of the World, and the great Ignorance and Corrup∣tion of Humane Nature, it would be reaso∣nable to expect that God should some way make known his Will to Mankind; and we cannot reconcile it to his Attributes, nor conceive how it should be consistent with them, for him to be an unconcerned Spe∣ctator of so much Folly and Wickedness, without taking any care to remedy it, God cannot be oblig'd to force Men to obey his Commandments, and comply with his Will, but rather to leave it at their own Choice,

whether they will be Happy or Miserable: but it was necessary to propose the Terms of Salvation to them, to offer them their free Choice, to set before them Life and Death, Blessings and Cursings, and so to leave the Obstinate without all Excuse.

And this is all which I am here concern'd to prove, That it is reasonable to suppose that God would reveal himself to Mankind, and that it is not conceivable how it should be consistent with the Divine Attributes for him not to do it. To own the Being of a God, and yet to deny a Providence, is so great an Absurdity, that none of the Philo∣sophers, but Epicurus, were guilty of it; and this was look'd upon, in him, as amount∣ing to the Denial of the Divine Existence. And to grant both the Being and the Provi∣dence of God, and yet to confine the Divine Care and Providence to the Bodies only, and Outward Condition of Men, and to imagine that the Spiritual and Immortal Part of Man is disregarded or neglected by him, is no less an Absurdity than wholly to deny his Pro∣vidence or his Existence; because this is to deny the most considerable and inestimable Part of Providence, which concerns our Souls, and our Eternal State; and therefore it is, by Consequence, to deny the Attributes of God, and to represent him not as he is in himself, but Unwise, Unmerciful, and Un∣holy. To say that there is no such thing as

a Divine Revelation, is no better, in Effect, than Atheism: For whoever can be of this Opinion, must believe only the Being of such Gods as Epicurus own'd, that never con∣cern'd themselves with Humane Affairs; which was only, in other Words, to say that they were no Gods at all.

It has therefore been the constant Belief and Opinion of all Nations, that their Gods did in some way or other Reveal themselves to Men; and though so great a Part of the World have worshipp'd False Gods, and have been mistaken as to the particular Revela∣tions, which they receiv'd for Divine, yet it must proceed either from Ancient Tradi∣tion, or from the Reasonableness of the thing it self, or from both, that the World should expect that the Divine Being should by some Means communicate himself to Men, and declare his Will to them.

CHAP. II. The Way and Manner by which Divine Revelations may be supposed to be Delivered and Preserved in the World.

MAnkind had so corrupted themselves, that the Will and Laws of God could not be effectually made known to them, but by some extraordinary way of Revelation. God had manifested himself in the Creation of the World, and by the Preservation of all things from the Beginning, according to their several Natures: For the invisible things of him, from the Creation of the World, are clearly seen, being understood by the things which are made, even his Eternal Power and Godhead, Rom. i. 20. But Men had corrupted them∣selves even in the plainest and most funda∣mental Points of all Religion, and acted against all the Dictates of Natural Reason, in worshipping the vilest Parts of the Crea∣tion▪ rather than God himself, and in Con∣tempt and Defiance of Him, had set up even four-footed Beasts and creeping Things instead of Gods. How then could the Power and Authority of God be asserted, but by some extraordinary way of Revelation; since the ordinary and constant Methods of God's re∣vealing

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and manifesting himself by his Pro∣vidence, in the Preservation and Govern∣ment of the World, had been so far perverted and abus'd, as that Men were seduc'd to the Worship of any thing, or of every thing, rather than of God? Mankind had neither the Will nor Ability to reform themselves, and had by their own Fault brought them∣selves under an utter Incapacity of being re∣form'd but by some extraordinary Revelation. Natural Reason might have taught them to be less Wicked, but nothing could make them Righteous but a Revelation; and the gross Errors and Crimes which the wisest Men had fall'n into, shews the Necessity of an ex∣traordinary Revelation from God, to instruct and inform the World. And the Ways of extraordinary Revelation are but these two, either God's immediate Revelation of him∣self to particular Persons; or a Power of working Miracles, and of Prophesying and Foretelling future Events, bestow'd upon some, to convince others that they are In∣spir'd, and come with a Commission from God, to instruct them in what he has re∣veal'd.

But it cannot seem requisite, that God should immediately Inspire or make an im∣mediate Revelation to every particular Per∣son in the World: For either he must so powerfully influence their Minds and Affe∣ctions, as to take away their Choice and Free∣dom

of Acting, which would be to offer Violence to Humane Nature; or else Men would, for the most part, have gone on in their wicked Courses still, and would have deny'd God in their Lives, though their Un∣derstandings were never so clearly and fully convinc'd of his Will and Commandments, as well as of his Eternal Power and God-head. For, as St. Paul testifies, the Heathen them∣selves were not ignorant of the Being of God; but when they knew God, they glorify'd him not as God▪ No Man can be more certain of any Inspiration which he can receive, than he is of the Being of that God, from whom he receives it; and therefore he who denies the Being of God, must, by Consequence, deny the Truth of any such Inspiration, unless it have that powerful Impulse upon his Mind, as both to convince him, and force him to an Acknowledgement at once of the Being of God, and of the Operation of his Spirit upon his Soul. And it is hard to conceive how any Inspiration which doth not over-rule the Will and Affections, as well as convince the Understanding, should be of more Efficacy upon the Minds and Lives of such Men, than the Notion of a God is. For if Men can so stifle the Notion of a God in their Minds, as to doubt whether there be any God or no, or at least to act as if there were none; no Reason can be given why they might not as well act against any Conviction which they

might receive by Inspiration, or any other way of immediate Revelation, (unless it had an irresistible Effect upon them,) and either take it all for Fancy and Delusion, or else so harden themselves against it, as not to be re∣claim'd by it: And of this we have Balaam for an Example, who, notwithstanding the Revelations he receiv'd from God, loved the Wages of Ʋnrighteousness, 2 Pet. ii. 15.

But, above all Men, the Prophane and Ob∣stinate Unbelievers can have least Reason to expect that God should vouchsafe them an immediate Revelation. (c) 1.3 The Jews have observ'd, That the Spirit of Prophecy rested only upon Men of regular and pure Affections, of gentle and meek and tractable Dispositions. For the Lord will be found of them that tempt him not, and sheweth himself to such as do not distrust him; for froward Thoughts separate from God, into a malicious Soul Wisdom shall not en∣ter, nor dwell in the Body that is subject unto Sin. For the Holy Spirit of Discipline will flee De∣ceit, and remove from Thoughts that are without Ʋnderstanding, and will not abide when Ʋn∣righteousness cometh in, Wisd. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. And to the same Purpose (d) 1.4 Philo speaks. And for this Reason, when Joseph had the Interpretation of Dreams revealed to him, (e) 1.5 the Word of the Lord is said to try him, or to purge, to clear and justifie him; it being evident, that God would not in that Man∣ner Inspire one who had been guilty of the

Crimes which Joseph was accus'd of. It is not to be imagin'd that God should further reveal himself to all such in particular, by an immediate Inspiration, who have rejected all the Manifestations which he has made of himself, in the Creation and Government of the World; but, that he would reserve these immediate Revelations, as peculiar Favours, to his faithful and obedient Servants. God has sometimes, indeed, made use of wicked Men, Baalam, Caiaphas, &c. as his Instru∣ments both in Prophecies and Miracles, to shew that they are at his Disposal, and pro∣ceed from his Bounty, not from any Worth or Merit of Men; and that he can over-rule the Designs and Intentions of the worst of Men, and make them serviceable to him, even against their Will, whenever he pleaseth: But then these are peculiar Cases, in which these Gifts were afforded for particular Ends, and for the Benefit of others, and the Men themselves were never the better for them. But as for the Disobedient, St. Paul acquaints us how, in the general Dispensations of his Providence, God dealt with them; God gave them over to a reprobate Mind, Rom. i. 28. and he there sets down a Catalogue of those Sins which were the Consequence of this Reprobation. The Apostle all along maintains, that they had so much Knowledge of God, as to render them without Excuse; and that they would make no Improvement of it, to

the attaining the Knowledge of the Laws of Nature first, and then of his Revealed Will; and it was the just Judgment of God to give them up to their own hearts lusts, to abandon them to the Tyranny of their Sins, since they would take no notice of his Works, and would not abide his Counsels; and it must needs have been highly inconsistent, to send immediate Revelations, or afford particular Inspiration to all such Men as are there de∣scrib'd. God's Spirit will not always strive with man; but he withdraws his ordinary Grace from those that abuse it, and there∣fore it can never be presum'd he should con∣fer higher Favours upon them.

If Men will believe upon reasonable Mo∣tives, they have sufficient Means of Salva∣tion allow'd them; but if they will not be∣lieve without some immediate Revelation, they are never like to have that in this World, but in the next God will Reveal himself with Terror and Vengeance upon all the workers of iniquity. God doth, both by Nature and by Revelation, provide for the Necessities, for the Welfare and Happiness, but never for the Humours and Peevishness of Men; and those who will not be sav'd, but according to some new Way and Method of their own Inven∣tion, must be miserable without Remedy. I doubt not, but the greatest Infidels would own, that if Christ should personally speak to them in a Voice from Heaven, or appear

to them upon Earth, and grant them that Conviction which he once granted to St. Tho∣mas, or St. Paul, they would believe in him, as these Apostles did. But they would do well to consider what Reason there can be, why so much Favour should be shewn to those who reject with Scorn and Derision all the Tenders of Grace, and Means of Salvation; and what Obligation God can be under, to save them in such a Manner as themselves shall prescribe, who will not be sav'd in his Way, and ac∣cording to the Terms of the Gospel. And if God should vouchsafe to make some im∣mediate Revelation of himself to these inso∣lent Offenders, and Blasphemers of his Name and Authority; how can we be assur'd that they would be converted? Would they not rather find out some Pretence to perswade themselves that it was no real Revelation, but the Effect of natural Agents, or of Me∣lancholy, and of a disturb'd Imagination? For those who have so long not only rejected (that were a modest thing) but derided and revil'd Moses and the Prophets, nay, the Apostles, and our Saviour himself, would not believe, though one should rise from the dead. They might be terrify'd, perhaps, for the present, but they would soon stifle those Ap∣prehensions with their accustomed Argu∣ments for Atheism and Infidelity. I hope to prove, in this Discourse, That all but Atheists must he convinc'd of the Truth of the Reve∣lations

deliver'd down to us in the Old and New Testament, if they will but take the pains to consider them: And Atheists could never be convinc'd of any Revelation what∣soever; for Men must first believe that there is a God, before they can believe that he reveals himself either to themselves or o∣thers.

But besides their being ineffectual, and never to be expected by such as this Conceit must be calculated for; this Supposition, of immediate Revelations to every Man in par∣ticular, would fill the World with continual Impostures and Delusions. For if every one had a Revelation made to himself, every one might pretend to others what he pleas'd; and we know, from the Example of the Pro∣phet who was sent to prophesie against the Altar at Bethel, that a Man may be deluded by the Pretence of a Revelation made to ano∣ther, against an express Revelation made to himself; and we may conclude that this would often happen, from what we every day experience: For if Men can be perverted by the Arts and Insinuations of others, against their own Reason and Judgment, they might as well be prevail'd upon to act against a Re∣velation made to them, though Revelations were as common and familiar a thing amongst Men, as Reason it self is.

So that immediate Revelations to every particular Man would have been needless and

superfluous; they would have been unsuitable to the Majesty and Honour of God; and they would have been ineffectual to the Ends for which they must be suppos'd to be design'd, and would have given many more Pretences to Impostures than there are now in the World.

But there were many Considerations, even in a wicked World, to move the Compassions of Infinite Mercy towards Mankind: Though all were under the Dominion of Sin, and un∣able of themselves to become righteous, yet some were more wicked than others; great Numbers of Men were carry'd away to com∣mit heinous Impieties, through their own Ignorance, and the Example of others; and though the Heathen were never without Ex∣cuse, yet they were chiefly inexcusable, be∣cause God had always a Revealed Will, which he would by some Means or other have brought them to the Knowledge of, if they had liv'd according to their Natural Know∣ledge of him, and of their Duty towards him; and though the Heathen had many Opportunities of becoming acquainted with the Revealed Will of God, yet much Al∣lowance was to be made for the Times of Ig∣norance before the Gospel. God was pleas'd to reveal himself from time to time; and at last by the Gospel, in a more wonderful and evident Manner than ever he had done be∣fore, and to afford Men fuller Means of Con∣viction,

and greater measures of Grace to comply with it, and work out their own sal∣vation. And God has made these Revela∣tions of his Will, by enduing certain Men with a Power of Prophesying, and working Miracles, who were to declare his Will to others, and to certifie the rest of the World that it was indeed his Will and Command∣ments which they deliver'd.

And this was the most proper Method, and most worthy of God. For, as I have prov'd, God would not create Mankind, and then take no further Care of them; since, in the State of Innocence, they better deserv'd his Care, and have ever after stood in so much need of it, and could at no time be happy, either in this World or the next, without it: And it cannot with any Reason be objected, by those who have never so great a Mind to cavil at the Terms and Means of Salvation by the Gospel, That God should apply himself to every Person by a particu∣lar Revelation; both because so much Con∣descension and Indulgence would be ill be∣stow'd upon those who have so little deserv'd it; and because it would have no better Effect than Prophecies and Miracles have had towards the Conversion of Men; but a very ill one, in affording Pretences to all sorts of Impostures: And where two several Means are alike suitable to any End, no Man, surely, will presume to prescribe to Almighty

God, and say, that he ought to have us'd one rather than the other; much less when one is inconvenient, and the other the only proper Means to be us'd.

II. I proceed therefore to shew, That Prophecies and Miracles are the most sitting and proper Means for God to discover and reveal himself to the World by. It is evi∣dent, that they are not accompany'd with those Inconveniences with which immediate Revelations would have been; there is no Prophecy, nor Miracle, but it has the de∣sign'd Effect upon many Persons; the Ma∣jesty and Honour of God is not expos'd to the Scorn of every prophane and obstinate Of∣fender; and there is as effectual Care taken to prevent Impostures, as possibly could have been. And as Prophecies and Miracles have none of the Inconveniences which imme∣diate Revelations would have had; so I shall shew, that they have all the Advantage and Usefulness which it can be suppos'd that im∣mediate Revelations would have had, if they had been granted to every Person in parti∣cular. All that any immediate Revelation could do, is to afford Men the Means of Con∣viction, and Assurance that the Revelation proceeds from God, as certainly as that God himself is: And this Prophecies and Miracles do.

1. Concerning Prophecies, it is observable, That the Oracles and Lying Divinations

with which the Devil has impos'd upon the World, shew, That it is natural for Men to expect that God should reveal himself by Prophecies: Which made them so prone to receive false Prophecies from their false Gods. And this may teach us, that true Prophecies are to be expected from the True God. Many Prophecies are of that Nature, that none but God Omniscient could be the Au∣thor of them; and these, in their Accom∣plishment, must carry an indisputable Evi∣dence of Divine Revelation along with them. Such are the Predictions of Things to be fulfilled many Ages afterwards, which, in the fulfilling, depend upon the Counsels and Determinations of free Agents; and Pre∣dictions of the Sins of Men, which they could not be determin'd to, but by their own Choice. It is above the Capacity of Humane Under∣standing, to conceive how it is possible that Things should be foreseen so long before either the Actions or the Agents themselves have any Existence, or how Contingencies can be the Object of Infallible Prescience: And therefore for God to foretell Things of this Nature by his Prophets, is a most proper and certain Way of Revelation; because it is a∣bove the Power of any finite Being to do the like. It is the Prerogative of him that formeth the Mountains, and createth the Wind, to de∣clare unto Man what is his Thought: The Lord, the God of Hosts is his Name, Amos iv. 13.

For which Reason the False Gods are chal∣leng'd to foretell these Things, Shew the Things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are Gods, Isai. xlii. 23.

But because Things foretold may some∣times come to pass by Chance, or it may be in the Power of Evil Spirits to foretell them when they are in Design and Agitation, and just ready for Action; or to discern Things done at distant Places, and to make probable Guesses, which may prove true, from the va∣rious Circumstances of Affairs which they observe in the World: We may therefore be assur'd, from the Consideration of the Di∣vine Attributes of Goodness and Truth, that God will not suffer false Religions to be im∣pos'd upon the World, under his own Name, by Diabolical Predictions, without affording Means to discover them to be such. When a Prophet speaketh in the Name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the Prophet hath spoken it presumptuously, thou shalt not be afraid of him, Deut. xviii. 22. This is the Mark of Distinction between a False and a True Prophet, That what∣ever the latter foretold in the Name of the Lord, should come to pass; but whatever the first foretold in his Name, should not come to pass; which implies, that God will disappoint such Predictions, and not suffer them to come to pass; otherwise the coming

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to pass of Things foretold, could be no cer∣tain Mark of a true Prophet, because they might come to pass by Chance. The Prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the Prophet shall come to pass, then shall the Prophet be known that the Lord hath truly sent him, Jer. xxviii. 9. But if the Prophecy were not pretended to be in the Name of the True God, but were given out with a pro∣fess'd Design to entice Men to the Worship of False Gods; then God might suffer it to be fulfill'd, to prove his People, Deut. xiii. 1, 2, 3. For this was consistent with God's Truth and Goodness, especially after Warning given, and after so clear a Revelation both by Pro∣phecies and Miracles: If any Man, in this Case would be seduc'd by any Wonder, or Prophecy, to follow other Gods, it must be great Perverseness in him. But when Pro∣phecies are deliver'd by many Prophets, in divers Ages, and different Places, all teach∣ing the same Doctrine, and tending to the same End and Design in their several Revela∣tions, and that End is the Discouragement of all Wickedness, and the Maintenance of all Vertue and true Religion, these Prophecies have all that can be requisite to assure us that they are from God; and God, by suffering them to pass so long in the World, under his own Name, and with all the Characters of his Authority upon them, has given us all possible Assurance that they are his, and en∣gag'd

us, in Honour to his Divine Attributes, to believe that they really are by his Au∣thority.

And the Certainty of Prophecies being thus grounded upon the Divine Attributes, besides the direct Evidence which they afford to whatever is deliver'd by them, they add an undeniable Confirmation to those Miracles which have been foretold, and are wrought at the Time, and in the Manner, and by the Persons foretold by the Prophets; and the Prophecies likewise receive as great a Confirmation from such Miracles. For Prophecies and Miracles, which are singly a sufficient Evidence of Divine Revelation, do mutually support and confirm each other; and hereby we have all the Assurance that can be expected of any Divine Revelation: And therefore, as Prophecy is in it self a most fitting and proper way of Revelation; so, in Conjunction with Miracles, it is the most certain way that can be desir'd.

2. The Suitableness and Efficacy of Miracles, to prove a Divine Revelation. It is an ex∣travagant thing to conceive, that God should exclude himself from the Works of his own Creation; or, that he should establish them upon such inviolable Laws, as not to alter them upon some Occasions, when he foresaw it would be requisite to do it: For unless the Course of Nature had been thus alterable it would have been defective in regard to

one great End for which it was design'd; viz. it would have fail'd of being serviceable to the Designs of Providence upon such Oc∣casions. The same Infinite Wisdom which contriv'd the Laws for the Order and Course of Nature, contriv'd them so, as to make them alterable, when it would be necessary for God, by suspending the Powers, or inter∣rupting the Course of Nature, to manifest his extraordinary Will and Power; and by the same Decree by which he at first establish'd them, he subjected them to such Alterations as his Wisdom foresaw would be necessary.

We can as little doubt, but that He who made the World, has the sole Power and Au∣thority over it; and that nothing can be done in it, but by his Direction and Influ∣ence, or at least by his Permission; and that the Frame and Order of Nature which he at first appointed, can at no time be alter'd, but for great Ends and Purposes. He is not given to change, as Men are, and can never be disappointed in his Eternal Purposes and Designs. But when any thing comes to pass above the Course of Nature, and contrary to it, in Confirmation of a Revelation, which, for the Importance and Excellency of the Subject of it, and in all other respects, is most worthy of God, we may be sure that this is his doing; and there is still further Evidence of it, if this Revelation were pro∣phesy'd of before, by Prophets who fore∣told

that it should be confirm'd by Miracle. As, when Men Born blind, receiv'd their Sight; when others were cur'd of the most desperate Diseases, by a Touch, or at a Di∣stance; when the Dead were rais'd, and the Devils cast out; these were evident Signs of a Divine Power and Presence, which gave Testimony to the Doctrine deliver'd by those by whom such Miracles were wrought, and the Divine Commission and Authority was produc'd for what they did and taught. For what could be more satisfactory and convincing to Men, or more worthy of God, than to force the Devils themselves to confess and proclaim his Coming? To cause the most insensible things in Nature to declare his Power, by giving way, as it were, and start∣ing back in great Confusion and Disorder, at his more immediate and particular Presence, to inform Men that the God of Nature was there? This gave Testimony to the Things reveal'd, and challeng'd the Belief of all Men, in a Language more powerful than any Humane Voice, whilst God shew'd forth his Glory, and made known his Will, by exercising his Sovereignty over Nature, in making the whole Creation bow, and tremble, and obey. All which was perform'd accor∣ding to express Prophecies concerning Christ, that there might be a visible Concurrence both of Prophecies and Miracles in Testi∣mony of him. And this Dispensation of Mi∣racles

was admirably fitted to propagate that Religion which concern'd the Poor as well as the Rich, the Unlearned as well as the Learned. Miracles were suitable to the Sim∣plicity of the Gospel, and to the universal Design of it: For they are equally adapted to awaken the Attention, and command the Assent of Men of all Conditions and Capa∣cities; they are obvious to the most Igno∣rant, and may satisfie the wisest, and con∣fute or silence the Cavils of the most Cap∣tious or Contentious.

And this is what all the World ever ex∣pected, That God should Reveal himself to Men, by working somewhat above the Course of Nature. All Mankind have be∣liev'd that this is the way of Intercourse be∣tween Heaven and Earth; and therefore there never was any of the false Religions, but it was pretended to have been confirm'd by something miraculous. We may appeal to the Sense of all Nations for the Authority of Miracles to attest the Truth of Religion: For whenever any thing happen'd extraordi∣nary, they always imagin'd something super∣natural in it; they expected that Miracles should be wrought for the Proof of any thing that had but the Name of Religion; and no false Religion could have gain'd Belief and Credit in any Age or Nation, but under the Pretence of them.

The only Difficulty therefore will be, to know how to distinguish True Miracles from False; or those which have been wrought for the Confirmation of the True Religion, from such as have been done, or are pre∣tended to have been done, in Behalf of False Religions.

But here it must be observ'd, That it is not necessary, in this Controversie, that we should be able to determine what the Power of Spirits is, or how far it extends, and what Works can proceed only from the immediate Power of God: It is sufficient that we know, that God precides over all; that Good Spi∣rits act in constant Subjection and Obedience to him; that Evil Spirits act for Evil Ends; that Good Spirits will not impose upon Men, and that he will not suffer the Evil to do it, under any Pretence of his own Authority, without affording Means to discover the De∣lusion. And the Question here is not con∣cerning any strange Work whereof God is not alledged to be the Author, but concern∣ing such as are wrought with a profess'd De∣sign to establish Religion in his Name. Sup∣pose then that there have been many Won∣ders wrought in the World, which exceed all Humane Power, and which yet we know not to what other Power to ascribe: This makes no Difficulty in the present Case; be∣cause here, not only the Works themselves, but the Design and Tendency of them is to

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be consider'd. For Instance, Whether the Miracles reported to have been done by Vespasian, were true or false, by a Divine or a Diabolical Power, they are of no Conse∣quence to us; he establish'd no new Do∣ctrine, and pretended to no Divine Autho∣rity, but doubted the Possibility of his work∣ing them: And supposing them true, and by a Divine Power, the most that can be said of them, is, that as God mention'd Cyrus by Name to be the Deliverer of the Jews, so he might by Miracle signalize this Prince who was to destroy them. But the Miracles of our Saviour and his Apostles were wrought with this declar'd Purpose and Design, That they were to give Evidence to the Religion which they were sent from God to introduce, as necessary to the Salvation of Mankind.

Having premis'd this, I must resume what was before observ'd concerning the Means by which false Prophecies might be detected. It has been already prov'd, from the Notion of a God, that there must be some Divine Revelation; and it has been shewn, That Prophecies and Mi∣racles are the most fit and proper way of Revela∣tion, and that way which Men have ever ex∣pected to receive Revelations by. If then there have been False Prophecies and Miracles, they must be suppos'd to have been either before, or at the same time, or after those Prophecies and Miracles, by which the True Religion was deliver'd; if before, or at the same time,

then the same Divine Wisdom and Goodness which obliges God to reveal his Will to Man∣kind, must oblige him to take care that the Impostures of those false Prophecies and Mi∣racles by some Means might have been dis∣cover'd. But there is great Reason to believe that true Revelations should be first made to Men, before God would suffer them to be tempted with false ones; and if the false were after the true Revelations, then the true Revelations themselves are that by which we ought to judge of all others.

But to speak more particularly of Miracles, which are the present Subject. It is incon∣sistent with the Infinite Truth and Honour, and Goodness and Mercy of God, to suffer Man to be deluded by false Miracles, wrought under a Pretence of his own Authority, with∣out any possibility of discovering the Im∣posture: And therefore if we should suppose there had past any time before the Disco∣very of his Will to Mankind, he could not suffer Men, but through their own Fault, to be impos'd upon by such Miracles; but ei∣ther by the false and wicked Doctrines which they were brought to promote and establish, as Idolatry, Uncleanness, Murders, &c. or by some other Token of Imposture, they might have been undeceiv'd; and both in the Old and New Testament God has given us Warning a∣gainst false Miracles, Deut. xiii. 1. Mat. xxiv. 24. Gal. i. 8. so that we may be assur'd that we

are to give no Credit to any Miracle that can be wrought to confirm any other Doctrine than what we find in the Scriptures; and if we can but be certify'd that they were true Miracles which gave Testimony and Evidence to them, we need concern our selves about no other.

And the Miracles by which the Scriptures are confirm'd and authoriz'd must be true; because there is no precedent Divine Revela∣tion which they contradict, nor any immoral or false Doctrine which they deliver, nor any thing else contain'd in them whereby they can be prov'd to be false: And in this Case, that which all the Wit and Understanding of Men cannot prove to be false, must be true, or else God would suffer his own Name and Authority to be usurp'd and abus'd, and Mankind to be impos'd upon in a thing of infinite Consequence, without any Possibility of discovering the Imposture, which it is con∣trary to the Divine Attributes for him to permit; but either by the Works themselves, or by the End and Design of them, or by some Means or other, the Honour and Wis∣dom and Mercy of God is concern'd to de∣tect all such Impostures. If Miracles be wrought to introduce the Worship of other Gods, besides him, whom Reason, as well as Scripture, assures us to be the only True God; if they be done to seduce Men to immoral Doctrines and Practices; if they

be perform'd to contradict the Religion al∣ready confirm'd by Miracles, in which no∣thing of this Nature could possibly be disco∣ver'd; if never so astonishing Miracles be wrought for such ill Designs as these, they are not to be regarded, but rejected with that Constancy which becomes a Man who will act according to the Principles of Na∣tural Reason and Religion. But when Mi∣racles were perform'd, which, both for the End and Design of them, as well as for the Manner and Circumstances of their Per∣formance, had all the Credibility that any Miracle could have, if it were really wrought by God's immediate Power to confirm a Re∣velation; if these Miracles have been fore∣told by Prophecies, (as, on the other side, the Prophecies were fulfill'd by the Mi∣racles,) if they were done publickly before all sorts of Men, and that often, and by many Men successively, for divers Ages to∣gether, and all agreed in the same Doctrine and Design; if neither the Miracles them∣selves, nor the Doctrines which are attested by them, can be discover'd to have any De∣ceit or Defect in them, but be most excellent and divine, and most worthy of God; in such a Case we have all the Evidence for the Truth of the Miracles, and of the Reli∣gion which they were wrought to establish, that we can have for the Being of God him∣self. For if these Miracles and this Religion

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be not from God, we must suppose either that God cannot, or that he will not so re∣veal himself by Miracle to the World, as to distinguish his own Revelation from Impo∣stures: Both which Suppositions are contrary to the Divine Attributes; contrary to God's Omnipotence, because he can do all things, and therefore can exceed the Power of all finite Beings; and contrary to his Honour and Wisdom and Goodness, because these require both that he should reveal himself to the World, and that he should do it by Mi∣racles, in such a manner as to make it evi∣dent which is his Revelation. But if he both can and will put such a Distinction between False Miracles and True, as that Men shall not, except it be by their own Fault, be se∣duc'd by false Miracles, then that Religion which is confirm'd by Miracles, concerning which nothing can be discover'd to be either impious or false, must be the true Religion. For we have seen, that there must be some Reveal'd Religion, and that this Religion must be reveal'd by Miracle; and we have the Goodness and Truth and Justice of God engag'd, that we should not be impos'd upon by false Miracles, without being able to discern the Imposture: And therefore that Religion which both by its Miracles and Do∣ctrine and Worship appears to be Divine, and could not be prov'd to be false, if it were so, must certainly be true; because the Good∣ness

and Honour of God is concern'd, that Mankind, in a Matter of this Consequence, should not be deceiv'd, without their own Fault or Neglect, by Impostures vented under his own Name and Authority. Upon which account, the Sin against the Holy Ghost, in ascribing the Miracles wrought by Christ, to Belzebub, was so heinous above all other Crimes, this being to reject the utmost Means that can be us'd for Man's Salvation, and in Effect to deny the Attributes and very Being of God. The Summ of this Argu∣ment is, That though Miracles are a most fit and proper Means to prove the Truth of Religion; yet they are not only to be con∣sider'd alone, but in Conjunction with other Proofs; and that they must necessarily be true Miracles, or Miracles wrought to esta∣blish the true Religion, when the Religion upon the account whereof they are wrought cannot be discover'd to be false, either by any Defect in the Miracles, or by any other Means, but has all the Marks and Characters of Truth. Because God would not suffer the Evidence of Miracles, and all other Proofs, to concur to the Confirmation of a false Re∣ligion, beyond all Possibility of discovering it to be so.

3. How Divine Revelations may be sup∣pos'd to be preserv'd in the World. It is reasonable to suppose that Divine Revelations should be committed to Writing, that they

might be preserv'd for the Benefit of Man∣kind, and deliver'd down to Posterity, and that a more than ordinary Providence should be concern'd in their Preservation. For what∣ever has been said by some, of the Advan∣tage of Oral Tradition, for the Conveyance of Doctrines, beyond that of Writing, is so notoriously fanciful and strain'd, that it de∣serves no serious Answer. For till Men shall think it safest to make Wills, and bequeath and purchase Estates by Word of Mouth, ra∣ther than by Instruments in Writing, it is in vain to deny that this is the best and securest way of Conveyance that can be taken: So the common Sense of Mankind declares, and so the Experience of the World finds it to be in things which Men take all possible Care about; and it is too manifest, and much to be la∣mented, that Men are more sollicitous about things Temporal, than about Eternal; which affords too evident a Confutation of all the Pretences of the Infallibility of Oral Tradi∣tion, upon this Ground, That the Subject Matter of it are things upon which the Eter∣nal Happiness or Misery of Mankind depends. Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come, for ever and ever, Isa. xxx. 8.

4. It is requisite that a Divine Revelation should be of great Antiquity: Because, upon the same Grounds that we cannot think that God would not at all Reveal himself to Man∣kind,

we cannot suppose that he would suf∣fer the World to continue long under a State of Corruption and Ignorance, without taking some Care to remedy it, by putting Men into a Capacity of knowing and practising the Duties of Vertue and Religion.

5. Another requisite of a Divine Reve∣lation, is, that it should be fully promulg'd and publish'd to the World, for the general Good and Benefit of Mankind, that it may attain the Ends for which a Revelation must be design'd.

THE Reasonableness and Certainty OF THE Christian Religion.

PART II.

FROM what has been already Dis∣cours'd, it appears, That these Things are requisite in a Divine Revelation: I. Antiquity. II. Promulgation. III. A suffi∣cient Evidence, by Prophecies and Miracles, in Proof of its Authority. IV. The Do∣ctrines deliver'd by Divine Revelation must be Righteous and Holy, consistent with the Divine Attributes, and suitable to their Con∣dition to whom it is made, and every way such as may answer the Design of a Revela∣tion.

CHAP. I. The Antiquity of the Scriptures.

AS it is evident from the Divine Attri∣butes, that God would not so whol∣ly neglect Mankind, as to take no Care to discover and reveal his Will and Com∣mandments to the World; so, when there was so great a Necessity of Divine Revelation, in order to the Happiness of Mankind, both in this World and the next, it is not to be believed that he would defer it so long, be∣fore he made known his Will, as till the Date of the first Antiquities amongst the Heathen. It cannot be deny'd, that some Books of the Seripture are much the Ancientest Books of Religion in the World; for it were in vain to pretend that the Works in this kind (or indeed in any other) of any Heathen Author can be compar'd with the Pentateuch, for An∣tiquity. And the Antiquity of these Books is one considerable Circumstance, whereby we may be convinc'd that they are of Di∣vine Revelation. For if God would not suffer the World to continue long in a state of Ig∣norance and Wickedness without a Revela∣tion, we may conclude, that he would not suffer the Memory of it to be lost; and there∣fore a Book of this Nature, which is so much

the ancientest in the World, being constantly received as a Divine Revelation, carries great Evidence with it that it is Authentick. For the first Revelation, as hath been proved, is to be the Criterion of all that follow; and God would not suffer the ancientest Book of Religion in the World to pass all along under the Notion and Title of a Revelation, with∣out causing some Discovery to be made of the Imposture, if there were any in it; much less would he preserve it by a particular and signal Providence, for so many Ages. It is a great Argument for the Truth of the Scriptures, that they have stood the Test, and received the Approbation of so many Ages, and still retain their Authority, though so many ill Men, in all Ages, have made it their endeavour to disprove them: but it is still a further Evidence in behalf of them, that God has been pleased to shew so re∣markable a Providence in their preserva∣tion.

The Account we have of Divine Revelation, in the Writings of Moses, is from the Crea∣tion of the World; for he relates the Inter∣course which from the Beginning past be∣tween God and Man, and this might be de∣livered down either by Writing or by Tra∣dition, till Moses's time. For Methuselah living with Adam, and Shem with Methuselah, Isaac with Shem, and Amram the Father of Moses living with the Patriarchs, the Sons of Jacob,

the History of the Creation, and of the Ma∣nifestations which God had been pleas'd to make of himself to their Fore-fathers, could not be unknown to that Age: Such a Poste∣rity could not but be zealous to preserve the Memory of so great Honours and Blessings; and their living in Goshen, separate from the Aegyptians, did much contribute to the Pre∣servation of their Antiquities; for there they liv'd in Expectation of a Deliverance, and of seeing the Prophecies fulfill'd that were made to their Fore-fathers concerning it. The famous Prediction made to Abraham, Gen. xv. 13. could not be forgotten in so few Generations: for the coming out of Aegypt, was, as it was there foretold it should be, in the Fourth Generation, reckoning from Isaac, the first of the promised Seed, to Moses, ex∣clusively, Exod. vi. 16.

Moses seems to referr to some things that happened near the Beginning of the World, as well known in his own time, as Gen. iv. 22. where he says, the sister of Tubal Cain was Naamah: For no probable account can be given, why Naamah should be mention'd, but because her Name was then well known among the Israelites, for some reason which it doth not concern us to be acquainted with, but which served to confirm to them the rest of the Relation. Some have delivered, that Naamah, by her Beauty, enticed the Sons of God, or the Posterity of Seth, to commit

Idolatry, Gen. vi. 2. And so Gen. xi. 29. we read, that Haran was the Father of Ischa, as well as of Milcah; and Gen. xxxvi. 24. this was that Anah that found the Mules (or the Hot-Baths, or that fell upon the Emims, or Giants, mention'd Deut. ii. 10, 11. however the word be understood) in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father: These and such like Particulars, must have been preserved, and commonly known among the Israelites, and were therefore inserted to serve as Epocha's, and notes of Remembrance, for the better understanding the rest of the History. The Story and manner of Life of Nimrod was conveyed in a Proverb; Wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord, Gen. x. 9. And the Remembrance of Abraham's offering up his Son, was re∣tained both by the Name of the Place, and by a Proverbial Saying; And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen, Gen. xxii. 14. And there is no doubt to be made, but that there were other the like Remembrances of the most remarka∣ble Transactions.

Josephus has proved, that Authors of all Nations agree, that in ancient Times Men lived to the Age of about a Thousand Years; and some are known to have lived to a very great Age in latter Times. But however, it had been more serviceable to Moses's purpose, if

he had had any other design but Truth, that Men should not have been so long lived. For when he had so much scope for his Invention (if it had been an Invention of his own) he would never have fix'd the Creation of the World at the distance of so few Generations from the time in which he wrote, but would rather have made the Generations of Men more, and their Lives shorter, that so he might the better have concealed his Fictions in obscure and uncertain Relations, which must be supposed to be delivered through so many hands down to that Age. The distance of Time from the Flood to Moses was more than it is from the Conqust to the present Age, but half of this time Noah himself was living: and therefore allowing for the greater length of Mens Lives in those Ages than in ours, the time when Moses wrote cannot be computed at so great a distance from the Flood, as we are at from the Reformation. But is it possible to make any Man of tolerable Sense, amongst us, believe that Henry VIII. was the first King of England? that he lived above Seven hundred Years ago? that there was a Deluge since his time which swept all the Inhabitants away of this Island, and of the whole World besides, but some seven or eight Persons, and that all whom we now see were born of them? And yet this, as ridi∣culous as it seems, is not more absurd than Moses's Account of the Creation and the

Flood must have been to those of his own Time, if it were false.

For it is very reasonable to think, as Jo∣sephus informs us, that Writing was in use before the Flood: And it is not improbable, as some have conjectured, that the History of the Creation, and the rest of the Book of Genesis, was, for the substance of it, de∣livered down to Moses's time in Verse, which was the most easie to be remembred, and the most ancient of all sorts of Writing, and was at first chiefly used for Matters of History, and consisted of plain Narration, without much of Art or Ornament. We read of In∣strumental Musick, Gen. iv. 21. before the Flood; and Vocal Musick being so much more natural than Instrumental, it is likely that Poetry was of as great Antiquity, both in their Hymns and Praises of God, and as a help to their Memories, which are the two Ends to which Moses applies his own Songs, or Poems, Exod. xv. Deut. xxxii. If it be thought that there was no Writing before the Flood, because there is no Account of the Invention of it, tho' the Inventors of other infe∣ferior Arts be mention'd; this rather proves the contrary, and that it was coaeval with Man∣kind, or was the Invention of Adam. It is not probable that in so long a Life, he should find out nothing for the use of himself and his Posterity, though no Invention be attri∣buted to him; and Writing is so necessary,

that the World could very ill subsist without it for above Fifteen hundred Years. The Grecians, and other Nations, have recorded the first Inventors, as they supposed, of Let∣ters, as those who best deserved a Memorial in History; and since there is no other men∣tion amongst the ancientest Jewish Writers, but that they were before the Flood, some of them also ascribing them to Adam, this im∣plies that they were of the greatest Anti∣quity, and the Time of their Invention is no more known than that of Ploughing and Sowing, and other necessary Arts, which were from the Beginning of the World.

But though it should be supposed, that be∣fore the Flood, they had not the same Con∣veniencies for preserving the Remembrance of things past, that we have had since, yet things of this nature could never be imposed upon the generality of Men; and if they had less Means of conveying things past to Po∣sterity, they had fewer things to convey; and all their Histories being concerning the Ancestors of their own Families, they were easily remembred; and however short and imperfect, they could not be so defective, as that Men should generally be so grossly ignorant as to swallow such Impostures: They had One Day in Seven purposely set apart for the Praise and Worship of God, and the Commemoration of his Mercies vouch∣safed to Mankind; and they, who had Pro∣verbial

Remembrances of Nimrod, the third from Noah, could not be ignorant of Noah himself, and of the Flood in his time.

In so few Generations of Men as had past, by reason of the long Lives of the Patriarchs, it was impossible for Moses to impose upon those of his own Age in things so memorable as the Creation of the World, and the Flood, and the Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, &c. But when, so long after the Flood, the Sons of Noah were dispersed into so far distant places of the Earth, and their Manners and Customs were different, and their Lives shorter, it became necessary that a true and lasting Account of those things should stand recorded in a Book of infallible Credit and Authority, for the benefit of future Ages, lest, in process of time, the Remembrance of them should become obscure and confused, and fabulous Stories should be imposed upon the World for Truth, in Matters of so great importance. For it has been observed by divers learned Men, that the most ancient Histories, as well as the Philosophy and Theology of the Heathens, contain many things concerning the Creation of the World, the first Propagation Mankind, the Flood, and other particulars; which have so plain an agreement with what we read in the Book of Genesis, that they are supposed to be taken out of it: but they are obscured and dis∣guised under other Names and Characters,

to conceal from whence they were originally taken, and to gain them the better accep∣tance amongst those for whose use the Books containing them were designed by their Au∣thors. And when the Remembrance of God's Dealings with past Ages began to fail, and the ways of Humane Conveyance were so uncertain, it was requisite that some infallible Account should be given of Gods Dispensa∣tions, and his Communications of himself in the first Ages, which might be transmitted down to Posterity, unto the End of the World.

CHAP. II. The Promulgation of the Scriptures.

THE End and Design of a Revelation from Heaven, must be for the Good of Mankind, and therefore it was necessary that it should be known and promulged in the World; and that Revelation which has been known to most Nations, and farthest divulged, carries another Evidence of its Di∣vine Authority. For since it is necessary there should be some Divine Revelation, it is like∣wise necessary that it should be sufficient to the Ends for which it was designed; and it

was revealed, not to be concealed, or con∣fined to a few Persons, but to rectifie the Mistakes, and regulate the Manners of Men; and therefore that which has been most known, and farthest propagated, we have reason to think to be a true Revelation. If every thing else concurr to prove it true, the very Promulgation of it is a considerable Evidence in proof of its Divine Authority: Because it is not to be supposed that God would either suffer his own Revelation to be so stifled and surpress'd, as to become of little or no use and benefit to the World, or that he would permit false Revelations to be more known and divulged; either of which would very ill consist with the Intention of Reveal∣ing his Will to Mankind.

It has been already proved, That it is not to be expected that God should Reveal him∣self to every Man in particular; and it could not be requisite that he should afford a con∣stant and standing Revelation in all Nations of the World. For if Mankind be sufficiently provided for in the Necessaries of Salvation, this is all which in Reason can be expected from a Just and Good God to sinful and per∣verse Man. If Men be put in the Ready Way of Salvation, and have sufficient Means al∣lowed them to attain it; all beyond this is the meer arbitrary effect of Infinite Good∣ness, and depends wholly upon the good Pleasure of God, being more than we could

promise our selves from his Justice, or, by Reason, foresee from his Mercy it self. And his Wisdom so orders and disposes the Effects and Emanations of his Mercy, as to render them consistent with his Justice and Honour, as He is Governor of the World.

And if, in the first Ages, Revelations were frequent, and generally known amongst all Mankind, till by their own fault and neglect they were with-holden from them; it was the great Mercy of God, afterwards, to con∣tinue to those Nations, who had despised and rejected him, an opportunity of knowing his Will revealed to others: And this God was pleased to do, by appointing a chosen Seed, and selecting to himself a peculiar People to bear his Name before the Nations; and, by the various Dispensations of his Providence, he so disposed of that People, that all Na∣tions might be instructed in the things re∣vealed and delivered to them.

First then, I shall shew, That in the first Ages of the World, the Revealed Will of God was known to all Mankind.

Secondly, That in succeeding Ages there has still been sufficient Means and frequent Opportunities for all Nations to come to the Knowledge of it.

1. In the first Ages of the World, the Re∣vealed Will of God was known to all Man∣kind. And here we must have recourse to

the History of the Bible; since it is acknow∣ledged by all learned Men to be so much the ancientest Book, which can give us an Account of Religion, in the World. For unless we will reject all History, and believe nothing re∣lated of Ancient Times, we must take our Accounts from such Books as treat of them: And till, by the Method proposed, I have proved the Bible to be of Divine Authority, I shall alledge it only as an Historical Rela∣tion of Things past; in which respect, it would be unreasonable to deny it that credit which is allowed to other Books of that na∣ture. And this is all that is now desired, in order to the clearing of what I am at pre∣sent upon; which is to shew, That nothing requisite to a true Revelation is wanting to the Scriptures; and therefore, that they have been sufficiently promulged and made known to the World.

In the Beginning of the World, God was pleased to create but one Man, and one Wo∣man, and to People the Earth from them; which must exceedingly tend both to the pre∣servation of Order and Obedience amongst Men, and to the retaining of the Knowledge of God, and of his Ways and Dealings with the first Parents of Mankind. But if Multi∣tudes had been created, and the Earth had been peopled at once, the natural effect of this had been Ambition and Strife, Confusion and Ignorance: For as the Inhabitants of the

World multiplied, so did all Sin and Wicked∣ness encrease; though all descended from the same Parents, and these Parents lived to see many Generations of their Off-spring, and to instruct and admonish them; which, if any thing could have done it, must have kept up a sense of God and Religion amongst Men. Adam himself performed the Office of a Father, a Priest, and a King, to his Children; and the Office and Authority of these three descended upon the Heads of Fa∣milies, in the several Generations and Suc∣cessions of Kingdoms amongst his Posterity: For that the same Person was both King and Priest in the earlier Ages of the World, we learn from the best Antiquities of other Nations; and it was so likewise amongst the Jews, till God had appointed an Order and Succession of the Priesthood in one Tribe: and therefore Esau is stiled a profane Person, for selling his Birth-right; * 1.6 because the Priest∣hood went along with it, Heb. xii. 16.

By all the Accounts we have of the World before the Flood, we are assured, that God was pleased, at first, to afford frequent Com∣munications of himself to Mankind; and even to the Wicked, as to Cain, whose Pu∣nishment it afterwards was to be hid from the face of the Lord, and driven out from his pre∣sence,

Gen. iv. 14, 16. And when the Wicked∣ness of Men had provoked God to drown the World, he revealed this to Noah, and respited the execution of this Judgment an Hundred Years; and Noah, in the mean time, both by his Preaching, and by pre∣paring an Ark, warned them of it, and ex∣horted them to Repentance: by preparing of an ark to the saving of his house, he condemned the world, Heb. xi. 7. and he was a preacher of righteousness to the old world, 2 Pet. ii. 5. He made it his business, for above an Hun∣dred Years together, to forewarn the wicked World of their approaching Ruine; which he did by all the Ways and Means that a Wise and Great Man could contrive, proper for that End.

Noah lived, after the Flood, Three hundred and fifty Years, Gen. ix. 28. and it was be∣tween One and Two hundred Years before the Division of Tongues, and the Dispersion of the Sons of Noah. And when all the Inha∣bitants of the Earth were of one Language, and lived not far asunder, Noah himself living amongst them; the Judgment of God upon the wicked World, in overwhelming them with the Flood; his Mercies to Noah and his Family, in their preservation, when all the rest of the World perished; and the Com∣mandments which God gave to Noah at his coming out of the Ark, with his Promises and Threatnings respectively to the per∣formance

or trangression of them, must be well known: and the sin in building the Tower of Babel, for which the Universal Language was confounded, and the Race of Mankind dispersed, could proceed from no∣thing but the heigth of Presumption and Perverseness. After the Confusion of Lan∣guages, and the Dispersion of Mankind, they could not on the sudden remove to very di∣stant and remote Places, by reason of the unpassable Woods and Desarts and Marshes, which, after so vast an Inundation, must be every where to be met with, to obstruct their passage, in those hot and fruitful Coun∣treys, when they had lain uninhabited for so many Years. This we may the better un∣derstand, from the slow progress which was made in the Discoveries of the West-Indies. For the Spaniards, in those places where they found neither Guide nor Path, did not enter the Country ten Miles (f) 1.7 in ten Years. And in those Ages they could not but be ill provided, either by their own Skill, or by convenient Tools and Instruments, with fit means to clear the Countrey which they were to pass; and they were likewise unpro∣vided of Vessels to transport any great num∣bers of Men, with their Families, and Herds of Cattle, which were for many Ages their only Riches, and absolutely necessary for their Sustenance: for Navigation had never had so slow an Improvement in the World,

if it had so soon been in that Perfection as to enable them for such Transportation.

And as for these Reasons, the Dispersion of Noah's Posterity over the Earth must be gradual, and many Generations must pass, before the remoter Parts of it could be inha∣bited; so the several Plantations must be sup∣posed to hold Correspondence with those to whom they were nearest allyed, and from whom they went out; they must be sup∣posed to own some sort of Dependance upon them, and pay them such Acknowledgments as Colonies have ever done to their Mother-Cities. It is natural to suppose that they first spread themselves into the neighbouring Countries; and (as Sir Walter Rauleigh has observed) the first Plantations were gene∣rally by the Banks of Rivers, whereby they might hold Intelligence one with another; which they could not do by Land, that being overspread with Woods, and altogether unfit for travelling. And the great affinity which is observable between the Eastern Languages, proves that there was a continual Correspon∣dence and Commerce maintained between the several Nations, after the Dispersion.

All which, considering the great Age that Men lived in those times, must, without a very gross Neglect and Contempt of God, preserve a true Notion of Religion in the se∣veral Parts of the World: For Noah himself lived Three hundred and Fifty Years after

the Flood; his Sons were not soon dispersed; their Dispersion was gradual, and they held a Correspondence after their Separation, and lived long to educate and train up their Children in that Knowledge of God, which they had received and been instructed in themselves; and besides, they had little else to discourse upon, but such things as would necessarily lead them to it: The History of their own Nation and Family is that which Men are naturally most fond of; and in these Ages the Particulars could be but few, and those very remarkable, and almost within the memory of some yet living; and every Occurrence must bring to their remembrance what they had heard and had been taught concerning God, and his Dealings with them and their Forefathers.

Moreover, there was the special Hand of God, and a particular Over-ruling Providence, in the Dispersion and Division of Nations: For, when the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people ac∣cording to the number of the children of Israel, Deut. xxxii. 8. He determined the bounds of their habitation, that they should seek the Lord, if haply, they might feel after him, and find him, Act. xvii. 26, 27. This was the reason of the Division of the Nations, according to the number of the children of Israel. There was a particular regard had to the Number

of the Chosen Seed, that they might bear a fit proportion to the rest of Mankind, and might be as so much Leaven to the whole Mass, as a quickning and enlivening Principle to ex∣cite and maintain due Apprehensions of God, and his Worship and Service in the World: And this is the Reason given, why Poly∣gamy was permitted them; That they who were the peculiar People of God, and were to teach his Commandments to the rest of the World, might sufficiently encrease and multiply. For though it appears by our Registers (g) 1.8, that here more Males are born than Females, to a considerable disproportion, and that therefore Polygamy amongst us would not tend to the multiplication of Man∣kind, but rather to the contrary; yet in Judaea it might be otherwise; or the Captive Women, whom they were permitted to marry, might raise the number of Females above that of the Males; or their perpetual Wars lessen'd the number of Males to a degree beneath the Females. However, this is the reason al∣ledged by learned Men, why Polygamy, which was not permitted from the Begin∣ning, should be allowed the Israelites: for, indeed, it was of great cousequence that they should multiply so as to have a due propor∣tion to the rest of the World; and for the same reason, the surviving Brother was to raise up Seed to the deceased. Barrenness was a Reproach; and to die Childless, a

Curse; and a numerous Off-spring, a Bles∣sing, so often promised, that it is evident that many Dispensations of the Divine Providence depended upon it.

And the better to revive and keep up a Sense of Religion amongst Men, those who were most eminent for Piety were employed to be God's Heralds and Embassadors to the rest of the World, as the whole People of Israel are appealed to as his Witnesses, Isai. xliii. 12. and xliv. 8. The Jews have a Tradition, (b) 1.9 That Abraham refusing to wor∣ship the Fire the God of the Chaldaeans, was thrown by them into it, and was delivered out of it by Miracle: And therefore they understand it, not that he went forth from Ʋr of the Chaldees, as it signifies a Place, but from the Fire of the Chaldees; Ʋr in the Hebrew Tongue signifying Fire. But we have no need of recourse to such Tradi∣tions: This is certain, Abraham was sent, by God's Command, out of Chaldaea into Canaan; and there he had no fix'd or settled Habitation, but journeyed going on still towards the South, Gen. xii. 9. till a Famine happening in that Countrey, the Providence of God so disposed of Things, that He and Lot went into Aegypt. And when he was there, he was by a very remarkable Accident taken great notice of by Pharaoh himself. For Pharaoh admiring the Beauty of Sarah, Abra∣ham's Wife, takes her into his House: for

which, great Plagues were inflicted on him and his Houshold; and Pharaoh perceiving the reason of it, sends him away, with his Wife, and all that he had. By this it be∣came notorious to Pharaoh and his Princes, that Abraham was under God's peculiar Care and Providence, and that therefore it con∣cerned them to regard what he professed con∣cerning Religion, and the Worship of God. Abimelech likewise, King of Gerar, sent and took Sarah: Upon which God appeared to him in a Dream; and declared to him that Abraham was a Prophet, and that he should pray for him; and this Abimelech told to all his servants, Gen. 20.7, 8. and he calls upon God, by his Name Jehovah, ver. 4. which shews that he had Knowledge of the True God.

After Abraham and Lot were returned into Canaan from Aegypt, upon some disagreement between their Herds-men, they parted from each other, Lot going towards Sodom, and Abraham to the Plain of Mamre, in Hebron. And it came to pass, that there was War be∣tween Nine Kings of that Countrey, four being Confederate on the one side, and five on the other. But the King of Sodom and his Confederates being defeated in Battle, Lot, who dwelt in Sodom, was, with all his Goods, carried away by the Enemy: Of which when Abraham was informed, he armed his Servants, and with no more than

Three hundred and eighteen Men, gained a signal Victory, retook Lot, and brought him back, with all his Family and Goods. And at his return he is met by the King of Sodom, and by Melchizedeck King of Salem, who being the Priest of the most high God, in a most solemn manner blesseth Abraham, who gives him the Tenth of all his Spoil: Which whole Action must needs render Abraham mightily renowned in all that Country. So much Mercy did God extend to the Canaanites, who, after they had filled up the measure of their Iniquities, were to be rooted out, to make way for the Israelites to possess their Land; that Abraham, and Lot, and Melchi∣zedeck, and their Families, were appointed as Monitors and Instructors to them in the ways of Righteousness and Piety: And when all this was ineffectual to their Amendment, Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by a most miraculous and visible Judgment, with Fire from Heaven, after God had declared, at Abraham's Intercession, that if there had been but Ten Righteous Persons in those Cities, he would have saved the rest for their sakes. Lot, with his Family only, escaped this dreadful Judgment; and his Wife looking back, out of fondness for the Place she had left, was turned into a Pillar of Salt; which were so strange and so remarkable Judgments, that it must be a pro∣digious obstinacy in Sin, not to be reclaimed and brought to an acknowledgment of God's Power and Authority by them.

The Moabites and the Ammonites were descended from Lot, and therefore it must be through their great Sin and Negligence, if they did not retain a true Notion of Re∣ligion: They had Possession given them of the Land they dwelt in, by God himself, by whom the former Inhabitants, a wicked and formidable Race of Giants, were de∣stroyed before them, as the Canaanites after∣wards were before the Children of Israel, Deut. ii. 9, 19. Our Saviour was descended from Ruth the Moabitess. And the Ammo∣nites are distinguished from the Heathen, Ezek. xxv. 7.

But as Abraham has the peculiar Character given him of, the Friend of God, and the Fa∣ther of the Faithful; so his Power and In∣fluence was very great. He is said, (i) 1.10 both by Justin, and Nicolaus Damascenus, to have been King of Damascus; and the latter fur∣ther adds, that in his own time the Name of Abraham was famous in that City, and that a Village was nominated from him, being called Abraham's House or Palace. He was a mighty Prince among the children of Heth, and was respected as such by them, Gen. xxiii. 6, 10. The Saracens, and other Arabians, were descended from Abraham; and Circum∣cision, which was practised by so many Na∣tions, being a Seal of the Covenant, and a Rite of Initiation, must be supposed to have some Notion of the Covenant it self commu∣nicated

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together with it. For there is no pro∣bability that Circumcision, used as a Religious and Mysterious Rite, could have any other Original among Heathen Nations, than from Abraham; and the only Reason brought to prove that it had another beginning amongst them, is, because it was used upon a Natural Cause, and varied in the Time of Admini∣stration: but the Time might happen to be changed by some unknown Accident; and it was always, I think, used upon a Religious account, whatever Natural Causes might be likewise assigned; and such the Jews them∣selves were (k) 1.11 wont to assign, as well as that of their Religion; and it is possible, that in some places, the Religious cause of its Obser∣vation might be forgot, and the Natural only retained.

Besides the other Sons of Abraham, which were many, Isaac and Ishmael must have been very instrumental in propagating the true Religion; and we can suppose none educated under Abraham, or belonging to him, but they must have been well qualified for that purpose, and must more or less retain the Impressions they had received from him: this being the Character which God himself gives of Abraham, I know him, that he will command his children and his houshold after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, Gen. xviii. 19. The Jews make particular mention of the care which both Abraham

and Sarah took in instructing Proselytes; and Maimonides [de Idololatr. l. 1.] writes, that Abraham left a Book behind him upon that Subject. Ishmael was the Son of an Aegyptian Mother, Gen. xvi. 1. and his Wife was an Aegyptian: his Sons were Twelve in number, and of great Power, being styled Princes, and their Dominions were of a large extent, Gen. xxv. 16, 18. Isaac was to marry none of the Daughters of Canaan, but one of his own Kindred; and a Messenger is sent into Mesopotamia, to bring Rebekah from thence, God directing and prospering him in his Jurney: Which Alliance and Affinity re∣newed with the Chaldoeans, could not fail of a good effect, for the preservation and ad∣vancement of Religion in those Countreys. But a Famine being again in the Land, Isaac removes to Abimelech King of the Philistines, unto Gerar, and by him the Beauty of Rebekah was admired, as Sarah's had been by Pharaoh in Aegypt, and here by Abimelech: but tho' he had said she was his Sister (as Abraham said likewise of Sarah) meaning in that latitude of the word usual in those Countries, whereby Women were call'd the Sisters of all to whom they were nearly related; yet the Providence of God so order'd it, that no Attempts should be made to her Dishonour, but the King of the Philistines had a great regard and reverence for Isaac and his Wife: the Blessing of God was vi∣sible in all his Undertakings; he became much

mightier than the Philistines, and therefore they envied him; which occasion'd his re∣move to Beersheba, whither Abimelech, with his Friends and Attendance, came to enter into a strict League and Covenant with him, professing that they saw certainly that the Lord (that is Jehovah, the True God) was with him, and declaring him to be the blessed of the Lord, Gen. xxvi. 11, 14, 16, 26. And for the same reason, the Philistines had for∣merly desired to make a Covenant with Abraham, saying, God is in thee with all that thou dost, &c. Gen. xxi. 22.

Esau, at the Age of Forty Years, marry'd two Wives of the Daughters of the Hittites, Gen. xxvi. 34. which, tho' it grieved Isaac and Rebekah, who would have had him marry with their own Kindred, yet must give the Hittites further Opportunities of acquainting themselves with the Religion and Worship of the Hebrews; but he marries besides a Daugh∣ter of Ishmael, Abraham's Son, Gen. xxviii. 9. which confirmed and strengthned the Alli∣ance between true Believers. Esau was the Father of the Edomites, and of a numerous Off-spring of Dukes or Princes, Gen. xxxvi. 9. And according to the Custom and Design of the Book of Genesis, the Generations descended from Esau had not been so particularly set down, unless they had retained the Knowledge and Worship of the True God. The Edomites, as well as the Moabites and Ammonites, were

put into possession of their Countrey by the same Divine Power by which the Israelites became possest of the Land of Canaan, and the Children of Israel were not to meddle with them, Deut. ii. 5.

Jacob is sent to Padan-Aram, to take to Wife one of the Daughters of Laban, and with him he abode twenty Years, Gen. xxxi. 38. and all which he took in hand prospered so, that there was the visible Power and Blessing of God in it, as Laban confessed, Gen. xxx. 27. Isaac was not to leave the Land of Canaan, but was forbid to remove into Aegypt, when there was a Famine in the Land, Gen. xxvi. 2. and he was not upon any account to return into Chaldaea, or to go out of Canaan, Gen. xxiv. 6, 8. but Jacob went out of it, when there were enough of Abraham's House besides to keep up a sense of the true Religion among the Canaanites.

Afterwards God manifested himself to the Aegyptians by a various and wonderful Pro∣vidence: for the Children of Israel dwelt in Aegypt Four hundred and fifty Years, till at last, by Signs and Wonders, and dreadful Judg∣ments; by Judgments upon their First-born, and upon their Gods, Num. xxxiii. 4. they were brought out from thence; and the nations heard the fame of it, and all the earth was filled with the glory of the Lord, Num. xiv. 15, 21.

Thus Chaldaea and Aegypt, the most famous and flourishing Countreys in those Ages of

the World, had the true Religion brought home to them by the Patriarchs, who were sent from place to place to sojourn, to be a Pattern and Example to the rest of Mankind. And Men who travell'd so far, and conversed with so many Nations, and were so zealous for God's Honour, and had such frequent Re∣velations, and the immediate Direction of God himself in most of the Actions of their Lives, and who were so Great and Powerful, and so Numerous, must needs mightily pro∣pagate Religion where-ever they came, and leave the Idolaters without excuse; and it cannot be doubted but that they had great success in all places; for even out of Aegypt, where they endured the greatest hardship, and were in such contempt and hatred, yet a mix'd multitude went up also with them, be∣sides the Native Israelites, Exod. xii. 38.

And as Chaldaea and Aegypt were famous for Learning and Commerce, and proper Places, by their situation, from whence the Notions of Religion might be propagated both towards the East and West, to other Parts of the World; so I must again observe, that God's Mercy was particularly manifested towards the Canaanites before their Destru∣ction: The Example of Melchizedeck, who reigned among them, and the sojourning of Abraham, and Lot, and Isaac, and Jacob, not to mention Ishmael and Esau, with their nu∣merous Famllies, afforded them continual In∣vitations,

and Admonitions for their Instru∣ction and Amendment; especially the Judg∣ment upon Sodom and Gomorrah, and the miraculous Deliverance of Lot, was enough to strike an Awe and Terrour into the most Obdurate. But when they would not make any due use of these Mercies, when they persisted still in their Impieties, and pro∣ceeded in them till they had filled up the measure of their Iniquities: God made them an Example to others, after they would take no Warning themselves; yet still executing his judgments upon them by little and little, he gave them place of repentance, not being igno∣rant that they were a naughty generation, and that their malice was bred in them, and that their cogitation would never be changed, Wisd. xii. 10.

How much the true Religion prevailed by these Dispensations of Providence, among other Nations besides the Hebrews, we have an illustrious Instance in Job and his Friends, who were Princes in their several Dominions; they had knowledge of the Fall of the Angels, Job iv. 18. and of the Original Corruption of Man, which is expressed with this emphasis, that he cannot be clean, or righteous, who is born of a woman; because by Eve's Transgression Sin came into the World, Job xiv. 1. xv. 14. and xxv. 4. Adam is mention'd, chap. xxxi. 33. the Resurrection is described, chap. xiv. 12. and it appears that Revelations were vouch∣safed

to these Nations, chap. xxxiii. 15. It appears, that the Fundamentals of Religion were known Doctrines amongst them, and are therefore mention'd both by Job himself, and by his Friends, in as plain terms as may be, and as fully as can be expected in a Book which is. Poetical, the nature whereof re∣quires that known things should be alluded to, but not so particularly related as in History. And there is no doubt but the Propagation of Religion, in other parts of the World, would be as evident, if the Scriptures had not oc∣casionally only, and in the Course of other things, but of set purpose treated of this mat∣ter; as me may gather from the footsteps to be found in Heathen Authors, of what the Scriptures deliver to us, and from the several Allusions and Representations in the Rites and Ceremonies of their Religions, expressing, though obscurely and confusedly, the chief Points of the Scripture-story, as has been shewn by divers learned Men.

2. In succeeding Ages, after the giving the Law, when the Jews, by their Laws con∣cerning Religion and Government, may seem to have been wholly separated from the rest of the World, and the Divine Revelations con∣fined to one Nation, there still were sufficient Means and frequent Opportunities for all Nations to come to the Knowledge of the Truth. And here I shall shew, (1.) That the Law of Moses did particularly provide for

the Instruction of other Nations in the Re∣vealed Religion, and that the Scriptures give frequent Commandment and Encouragment concerning it. (2.) That the Providence of God did so order and dispose of the Jews in their Affairs, as to offer other Nations fre∣quent Opportunities of becoming instructed in the true Religion, and that multitudes of Proselytes were made of all Nations.

1. The Law of Moses did particularly pro∣vide for the Instruction of other Nations in the Revealed Religion, and the Scriptures give frequent Commandment and Encourage∣ment concerning it. The Strangers or Pro∣selytes, amongst the Jews, were of two sorts: for either they were such as became Circum∣cised, and obliged themselves to the Observa∣tion of the whole Law of Moses, who were styled Proselytes of Righteousness, or of the Covenant; or they were such as believed in the True God, and professed only to observe the Precepts given to Noah, which comprised the Substance of the Ten Commandments; and these were called Proselytes of the Gates, because they were permitted to live amongst them, within their Gates; these are the Stran∣gers in their Gates, mention'd Deut. xiv. 21. who might eat of such thing's as the Israelites themselves were forbidden to eat of.

If any would be Circumcised, and undertake the Observation of the whole Law, they had full liberty, and the greatest encouragement

to do it. At the first Institution of Circum∣cision, not only Abraham and his Seed, but his whole Family, and all that were bought with money of any Stranger, were to be cir∣cumcised, Gen. xvii. 12, 27. and at the Institu∣tion of the Passover, the Stranger is command∣ed to observe it, as well as the Natural Israelite, Exod. xii. 19. God made no distinction in the Institution of both these Sacraments between the Jews and those other Nations that dwelt amongst them, and were willing to conform themselves to the Observation of the Law; but first to Abraham, when he appointed Circumcision; and then to Moses, when the Passover was instituted, particular Order is given concerning Strangers or Proselytes, who would betake themselves to them, one law shall be to him that is home-born, and to the stranger that sojourneth among you, Exod. xii. 49. Deut. xxix. 11. And as the receiving the Seal of Circumcision was an admission into Covenant with God, and implied an Obligation to ob∣serve the whole Law, and a Right to the Privi∣leges of it, which was confirmed and renewed by their partaking of the Passover: so it is to be observed, not only that God did in general admit Strangers and Aliens to the same Wor∣ship with the Jews, but that throughout their whole Law frequent mention is made of them, and care taken for their Reception and Beha∣viour: for though what is but once said in Scripture, is a sufficient Proof of the Will and

Pleasure of God in any matter; yet when a thing is often mention'd, and every where inculcated, it is an Evidence to us, that God would have the more notice taken of it, and has laid the strictest Obligation upon all to observe it. But we find express mention made of the Stranger at the appointment of the Yearly Feast of Atonement, Lev. xvi. 29. The Stranger was obliged to bring his Sacrifice to the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congrega∣tion; and in the Prohibitions of eating Blood, he is particularly forbidden it, ch. xvii. 8, 9, 12, 15. All the Laws relating to Marriage, and concerning unlawful Lust, are equally en∣join'd the Stranger and the Israelite, ch. xviii. 26. he was to be stoned, if he gave any of his Seed unto Moloch, chap. xx. 2. and he was obliged to all the same Laws concerning Sacrifices, chap. xxii. 18. and was to be stoned for Blas∣phemy, chap. xxiv. 16. The Sabbath was ap∣pointed to the Stranger within their Gates, Exod. xx. 10. & xxiii. 12. Lev. xxv. 6. Deut. v. 14. The Stranger was to hear the Law read in the Solemnity of the Year of Release, chap. xxxi. 12. And the Covenant is expressly made with the Stranger, chap. xxix. 12. Josh. viii. 33, 35.

And as the Strangers or Proselytes were thus join'd, in the very Design and Institution of the Law, with the Native Israelites them∣selves, as to all the Acts and Privileges of Religious Worship; so God had a particular regard to them in their Civil Statutes and

Ordinances, to free them from Oppression, and every thing that might give Strangers any discouragement from living amongst the Israelites, and becoming Partakers of their Religion with them: Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him; for ye were strangers in the land of Aegypt, Exod. xxii. 21. Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger; for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Aegypt, chap. xxiii. 9. It seems, one reason of their being so long detained in Aegypt, was to teach them Humanity and Compassion to Strangers: Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates, Deut. xxiv. 14. And care is taken of the Stranger, that he be not brought into want, or suffered to perish in his Distress; for the Gleanings of the Har∣vest and of the Vintage were his Portion: Thou shalt leave them for the poor and the stran∣ger: I am the Lord, Lev. xix. 10. & xxiii. 22. All manner of Kindness and Affection is in most express and ample terms commanded to∣wards all Strangers: And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him: But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born amongst you, and thou shalt love him as thy self; for ye were strangers in the land of Aegypt: I am the Lord your God, Lev. xix. 33, 34. And Moses, repeating the peculiar Favours which God had bestowed

upon the Children of Israel, put them in mind, that God loveth the stranger, in giving him food and rayment. Love ye therefore the stran∣ger; for ye were strangers in the land of Aegypt, Deut. x. 18, 19. The Widow, the Stranger and the Fatherless are usually mention'd toge∣ther in Scripture, as being jointly the care of God's more peculiar Providence, and he re∣commends them to the charity of his People; and to oppress the Stranger is reckoned the highest aggravation of wickedness: They slay the widow and the stranger, and murther the fatherless: yet they say, The Lord shall not see; neither shall the God of Jacob regard it, Ps. xciv. 6, 7. The people of the land have used oppres∣sion, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy; yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully, Ezek. xxii. 29. And to the same purpose, Psal. cxlvi. 9. Jer. vii. 6. and xxii. 3. Zech. vii. 10. Mal. iii. 5.

Though their Bond-men and Bond-women were not to be of the native Israelites, but of the Heathen that were round about them, and of the Strangers that dwelt amongst them, Lev. xxv. 44. yet an Israelite might sell him∣self to a Stranger, and become his Servant; but he might be redeemed again, either by himself, or by his near Kinsman; and was to be released at the Year of Jubilee, ver. 47. The Cities of Refuge were provided for the Stran∣ger and the Sojourner, Num. xxxv. 15. Josh. xx. 9. The Judges were particularly commanded to

execute righteous and impartial Judgment to the Stranger, Deut. i. 16. A caution is given, that neither the Edomites nor the Aegyptians were to be abhored by them, but their Chil∣dren were to be received into the Congrega∣tion of the Lord, in the Third Generation; that is, after any Edomite or Aegyptian had lived amongst them as a Proselyte of the Gates, their Children of the Third Generation might be capable of Circumcision, and be admitted to the Observation of the whole Law, ch. xxiii. 7. And though the Ammonite and Moabite were excluded, even to the Tenth Generation, from the Congregation of the Lord, by reason of their inhumanity to the Israelites, at their coming out of Aegypt, ver. 3. yet neither were they of the preceding Generations de∣barr'd from becoming Proselytes of the Gates, and undertaking the Observation of the Pre∣cepts of Noah.

A Promise is made, that the Stranger shall rejoice in the good things of the Land, chap. xxvi. 11. and the Israelites are threatned, that upon their Disobedience, the Stranger should be more prosperous than they, ch. xxviii. 43, 44. King Solomon, at the Dedication of the Temple, makes such particular mention of the Stranger, in his Prayer, as shews both the design of building it, and of all the Jewish Worship to be such as that other Nations might share in it, and withal, he foretells what the event should be: Moreover concerning ••

stranger that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far countrey, for thy names sake; (for they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm) when he shall come and pray towards this house: Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, and do accor∣ding to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built, is called by thy name, 1 King. viii. 41, 42, 43. 2 Chron. vi. 33. This was the House of Prayer for all people, Isa. lvi. 7. Mar. xi. 17. And the Prophets, in their Prophecies concerning the return of the Jews out of their Captivity in Babylon, and in their Predictions of the Messias, did not omit to insert peculiar Expres∣sions of God's Love and Favour to Strangers and Proselytes, to shew that the Promises did extend to them, as well as to the Native Jews themselves, Isa. lvi. 3. Ezech. xlvii. 22, 33.

From all which, it is evident, that Stran∣gers were equally capable of the Priveledges and Advantages in the Jewish Worship, as the Jews themselves were; and that they were debarr'd of very little in their Civil Rights: and all Encouragement imaginable was given to Strangers to come and dwell amongst the Jews: The Law joins them together with the Natural Israelite, both in the Curses it de∣nounces, and in the Blessings it promises; it severely threatens all that should oppress or

defraud them; it commands the same charity towards them, as towards the Fatherless and Widow, the greatest Objects of Humane Com∣passion, and of the merciful Care and Provi∣dence of God: And the Prophets, with the utmost severity, rebuke the Jews for any op∣pression or abuse of them. The Proselytes were not excluded from their Sacrifices, their Pray∣ers and Sacraments; and if they refused to take upon them the Observation of the whole Law, yet they had free leave and great en∣couragement to live amongst them, believing only in the True God, and obeying those Precepts which were given to all the Race of Mankind after the Flood: They might share in all the Rights of their Religious Worship, and were invited to do it, but if they would not submit to this, yet they were not there∣fore rejected, but might partake of their Civil Privileges, and live under the protection of their Government: And it is observable, that where the same Laws are repeated in several places of Scripture, the Stranger is no where omitted; but what relates to him, is con∣stantly repeated with the rest, as a necessary and essential part of the Law. So that never any Government had so particular regard for Strangers, or was so peculiarly contrived for their encouragement to live under it. Other Governments, as those of Sparta and China, have been so jealous of Foreigners, that, by their Original Constitution, they have forbid

any Dealings with them, and would not suffer them to abide in their Cities. And the Ro∣mans (l) 1.12 had some Laws to the same effect; which Tully, indeed, says was an inhumane thing. The Freedom and Priveledge of a Ci∣tizen of Rome was purchased at a great Price, Act. xxii. 28. and in their Leagues (m) 1.13 with divers Nations, the Romans inserted this ex∣press Condition, That none of them should be made Free of the City. The Athenians (n) 1.14 had a Tax call'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to be paid Yearly by all Foreigners, both Men and Women; and they were so severe in exacting it, that those who were unable to pay it, were sold. But the Jewish Government, on the contrary, was so adapted and contrived for the reception of foreign Nations, that if they would but com∣ply with their Laws, they made little or no distinction between the Natives and Stran∣gers; and the owning the True God, and pro∣fessing to obey and serve him, entitled them not only to all the Rights of Humanity and Kindness, but to a more peculiar Care and Providence of God himself.

If the Jews did not always shew so much Humanity to Strangers as their Law required, this is to be ascribed wholly to their own fault; and it is not the only Law which they were too prone to disobey: yet in the cor∣ruptest state of the Jewish Church, the Gentiles had a Court to worship in at the Temple: And the Jews always taught, That it was

their Duty to relieve the Heathen with their Alms (o) 1.15; and that it was lawful to converse with the Gentiles, if they did not eat with them, nor go into their Houses. But what effect this abundant provision of the Law, for the Conversion of other Nations, had, falls under the next Head. It is more proper to consider, in this place, an Objection which comes in our way; That the Israelites were to make no Marriages nor Covenants with the Seven Nations of the Land of Cannaan, nor to shew them any Mercy, but utterly to destroy them, or drive them out, Exod. xxiii. 31. Deut. vii. 2.

To which I Answer, That this was a pe∣culiar and excepted Case, and therefore sup∣poses that they were not thus to deal with any others, except the Nations there expresly named, but they might enter into Marriages and Covenants with all other Nations: And besides what has been already observed, of the great Mercy which God vouchsafed to these Nations, in sending the Patriarchs to sojourn amongst them; and that wonderful Judg∣ment upon Sodom and Gomorrah, to bring them to Repentance, and prevent that De∣struction which was at last brought upon them: after so long and great Provocations, these Nations were not unavoidably to be ex∣tirpated; but the Israelites were, in the first place, to profer Peace to them; and if they refused to accept of Peace, then they were to

proceed against them in the utmost extre∣mity; which appears from Deut. xx. 10, &c. For after a general Command to offer Terms of Peace to the Cities which they should go to fight against; and if they refused it, to smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword, ver. 13. it is added, ver. 15. Thus shalt thou do to all the cities that are very far from thee, which are not of the cities of these na∣tions. But of the cities of these people, which the Lord thy God doth give thee for an inheri∣tance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breath∣eth; but thou shalt utterly destroy them, &c. where it is evident, that what concerns their making Proposals of Peace, was to be under∣stood in general of all Nations with whom they should at any time have War. But then in their dealings with them upon a Victory, after their refusal of the Peace offered, they were to distinguish between the Canaanites and other Nations: for the Canaanites were to be utterly destroyed, if they should reject Terms of Peace; but all, except the Males, were to be spared of other Nations, though they were overcome, after they had refused to make Peace with them: And the Terms of Peace to be proposed, were, That they should become Tributaries, and Proselytes, so far as to own and worship the True God, and then the reason for their extirpation ceased; which was, That these Idolatrous Nations might not teach thé Children of Israel to do after all their abomi∣nations

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which they had done unto their gods, Deut. xx. 18.

When the Men of Israel tell the Gibeonites, Peradventure ye dwell among us, and how shall we make a league with you? Josh. ix. 7. this is to be understood of a League with them upon equal Terms, not of a Peace, whereby they might become Tributaries, Deut. xx. 11. and therefore the Gibeonites immediately answer'd and said to Joshua, We are thy servants, Josh. ix. 8. that is, Do with us as you please, at least grant us our Lives, though not upon any other Terms of a League, yet on Conditions of Servitude: and we find the Peace and the League distinguished, Josh. ix. 15. But this fraudulent way of getting into a League with the Israelites, if it had not been for the Oath, which secur'd their Lives to them, had forfeited that Right which otherwise they might have had to their Lives, by a Peace fairly obtained; and they lost all other Advantages of the League, but only the securing their Lives. But that the Canaanites, if they had submitted and owned the God of Israel, were not to have been destroyed, but to have been received to mercy, is evident from Josh. xi. 19, 20. There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gi∣beon; all other they took in battel: For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battel, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no

favour, but that he might destroy them, as the Lord commanded Moses. Which necessarily supposes, that if God, in his just Judgment upon them, for their heinous Provocations, had not hardned their Hearts, but they had submitted themselves, and sought Peace of the Children of Israel, they ought to have had fa∣vour shewn them. It doth therefore sufficient∣ly appear, that the Canaanites themselves, after all their Provocations against both the Mercy and Justice of God, were not excluded from all the Benefits of Strangers and Proselytes a∣mongst the Jews; and that all other Nations were encouraged and invited to become Par∣takers of the Privileges of the Law of Moses, and acquaint themselves with the Service and Worship of the True God, is notorious, and as evident as any thing in the Law and the Prophets. But after the Canaanites had fill'd up the measure of their Iniquities, God mani∣fested his Almighty Power and Justice upon them; and he was pleased to do it by the Sword of the Children of Israel, rather than by Pestilence, or any other Judgment, both to raise the greater abhorrence of Idolatry in his own People, and in the neighbouring Na∣tions; and because those rude and warlike Nations could observe the Power of God no where so much as in the success of War, they chiefly implored their own Gods for success in their Wars; and when they were over∣come by any People, they concluded that the

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Gods of that Nation were too hard for their own Gods, 1 King. xx. 23. 2 King. viii. 34. whereas, if they had been destroyed by Famine or Pestilence, they would have ascribed these Judgments no more to the God of Israel, than to any of the Heathen Gods. But God got him honour upon these Nations, as he did upon Pharaoh and upon all his host, when Jethro said, Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods; for in the thing wherein they dealt proud∣ly, he was above them, Exod. xviii. 11. from whence he is so often styled the Lord of Hosts, in the Old Testament.

2. The Providence of God did so order and dispose of the Jews, in all their Affairs, as to afford other Nations frequent opportunities of becoming instructed in the true Religion, and multitudes of Proselytes were made out of all Nations. Moses dwelt in Midian, and there marry'd an Aethiopian Woman, Exod. ii. 15. Num. xii. 1. his Wife's Father, Jethro the Priest of Midian, and his Family, became converted. And the Deliverance of the Chil∣dren of Israel out of Aegypt, magnify'd the Power of God in all Countries where the Re∣port of a thing so wonderful and notorious came. The miraculous Victories which the Israelites gained over the Canaanites, where∣ever they came, struck a mighty Terror into all those Nations; as we see by the Fear of Balak, Num. xxii. and from the Speech of the Gibeonites, Josh. ix. 9, 10. who were glad

to make use of any Pretence, as an Expe∣dient to save themselves. Rahab, with her Family and Kindred, and the Gibeonites, were early Accessions to the Israelites; and Rahab was marry'd to a Man of Israel; and the Babylonian Gemara (p) 1.16 reckons up Eight Pro∣phets, who were likewise Priests, descended from her: This is certain, that our Saviour himself was pleased to derive his Genealogy from her. The various Successes of the Israe∣lites in the land of Canaan, their Victories and their Overthrows, and the miraculous Power of God visibly appearing either in their Defeat and Punishment, or in their Conquest or Deliverance, must need raise a mighty Fame and Admiration of the God of Israel in all those Countries: for they pro∣claimed a Religious War upon these Nations; they destroyed their Images and Groves and Alters where-ever they came; and the People plainly perceived that their Gods, could not help them. The Taking of Jericho, not by Storm, but only by the meer Sound and Alarm of War, the Lengthning of the Day, to favour their Conquests, and the Destru∣ction of so many Kings by Moses and Joshua, were undeniable Evidences of a Divine Power, and must awaken Men to make enquiry into that Religion which could inspire such Cou∣rage, and work such Wonders. And these Nations among whom the Patriarchs had sojourned, and so many Wonders and Judg∣ments

had been wrought, were dispersed in Colonies over all Parts of the World, as Bo∣chart has proved at large, in a most learned and elaborate Work;) some them (if we may believe Procopius) erecting a Pillar in Africk, as a Monument of Joshua's Victories, with an Inscription declaring that they were driven out of their own Countrey by him: And S. Augustine says, (q) 1.17 that in his time, the Country People about Hippo called them∣selves Canaanites.

After the Death of Joshua, the Israelites were in subjection to the King of Mesopotamia eight Years; to the King of Moab eighteen Years, Judg. iii. 8, 14. to Jabin King of Ca∣naan, chap. iv. 1. to the Midianites seven Years, chap. vi. 1. to the Philistines forty Years, chap. xiii. 1. And still it was because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord, that they were given up into the hand of their Enemies: and upon their Repentance, a Deliverance was wrought for them, 1 Sam. xii. 10. And when they were so often and for so long a time subdued by their Enemies round about them, for their Idolatries, and other Transgressions; and then again, upon their Repentance, were rescued from their oppression by Gideon, and Jeptha, and Samson, all raised up for that purpose; this must give great occasion and opportunity to all the bordering Nations to know and consider that Religion, the observation or neglect whereof

had such visible Effects upon its Professors: for under their Affliction, and in the time of their Repentance, the Israelites declared the cause of their Misery, and made known the Power of their own God, and the Vanity and Sinfulness of Idolatry. And therefore their being so often and so long time under the Oppression of their several Enemies, was a merciful Providence to the Nations who had them in subjection, as well as for the Punishment and Amendment of the Israelites themselves. What good use was made of these Methods of the Divine Pro∣vidence doth not appear to us, but in all probability it had a good effect upon very many; as we find it had in one remarkable Instance of a little Maid, who being taken Captive, was the occasion of the Cure of Naaman's Leprosie; and of his Conversion to the Worship of the True God, who before was known to him by his Name Jehovah, 2 King. v. 11. The Prophet Elisha was well known by the Syrians to be a Prophet, and Ben-hadad sent to enquire of the Lord by him, chap. viii. 8. Rabshakeh speaks in the Jews Language, and pretends a Commission from the Lord, that is, from Jehovah, the God of the Jews, when he came against Jeru∣salem, Isa. xxxvi. 10, 11. God himself appeals to the knowledge of Sennacherib King of As∣syria; Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, and of ancient times, that I have

formed it, Isa. xxxvii. 26. And Rabbi She∣maiah and Rabbi Abtalion are (r) 1.18 said to have been Proselytes of Righteousness, of the Posterity of Sennacherib. Pharaoh Necho, King of Ae∣gypt, alledges God's Command, when he came to fight against Carchemish, 2 Chron. xxxv. 21, 22.

But our present Enquiry is not so much what the Effect was, as what Means were afforded of Salvation: For though it be re∣quisite that the True Revealed Religion should be published to the World; yet it is not necessary to prove the Truth of a Reli∣gion, to shew that obstinate Men have taken notice of it, so far as to consider and be∣lieve it; because it is not necessary that God should force his Laws upon Men, but only that he should discover them, and afford Men sufficient Means to know them, and become the better for them.

To proceed then: The Philistines were in a wonderful Consternation, when they understood that the Ark was brought into the Camp, 1 Sam. iv. 7, 8. And when it was taken by them, it was more terrible to them, than the Enemy, if he had conquer'd them, could have been; they were tor∣mented with Diseases and Plagues, where∣soever the Ark was carried; and their God was so little able to help them, that he fell down before it, and was broken in pieces; whereof they retained a Memorial in the

Worship of him ever after, in not treading upon the Threshold of Dagon, in Ashdod, be∣cause he had lost the Palms of his Hands, by falling upon it, 1 Sam. v. 4, 5. The Phili∣stines, at last, received a miraculous Over∣throw by Thunder, 1 Sam. vii. 10. And these were so remarkable Judgments, that they must be left without all excuse, who did not forsake their Idolatries, and turn to the Living God who had thus manifested himself amongst them.

The Ʋrim and Thummim (s) 1.19 was consulted upon any great Undertaking, whereby God returned his Answer, and often-times, be∣fore the Battel, gave assurance of Victory; which was so well known among the Heathen, that they called it the Oracle. (t) 1.20 Josephus says, the Answer was returned, by the shining of the Stones in the High-Priest's Breast∣plate, in such a manner, as that it was vi∣sible to all the People standing by.

The miraculous Victories of Saul, and Jo∣nathan, and David; and David's stay with Achish King of the Philistines, at Gath, and the Favour and Confidence which he gained with that King, gave the Canaanites still re∣peated Opportunities and Motives to Con∣version and Repentance; and we may ob∣serve Achish, in discourse with David, men∣tioning the Name of the Lord, or Jehovah, and swearing by his Name, 1 Sam. xxix. 6. Which shews the infinite Mercy and Com∣passion

of God towards this People devoted to Destruction, in that he would not take them away suddenly, but by little and little, giving them space for repentance; and turn∣ing that, which might seem to rash Judges a hard fate, into a Means of Salvation both to themselves and others.

David extended his Conquest far and near, and was renowned throughout all those Coun∣treys: And the fame of David went out into all lands, and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations, 1 Chron. xiv. 17. and when God had delivered him out of the hand of all his Enemies, he makes this Resolution, Therefore I will give thanks to thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and will sing praises unto thy name, 2 Sam. xxii. 50. Psal. xviii. 49. Declare his glory among the heathen, his won∣ders among all people. Say among the heathen, that the Lord is King, Psal. xcvi. 3, 10. He knew this to be the Design of God, in the Dispensations of his Providence; and accor∣dingly he made this Use of it, with so good effect that in the beginning of Solomon's Reign, the Strangers or Proselytes in the Land were found to be an hundred and fifty thousand, and three thousand and six hundred, 2 Chron. ii. 17.

In Solomon's Reign, the Kingdom of Israel became yet more famous and flourishing; Hiram King of Tyre held great Correspon∣dence with Him, and Kimchi after him.

Dr. Lightfoot (u) 1.21 understands by 2 Chron. viii. 2. that Hiram gave Cities to Solomon in his own Land, who placed Israclites in them; and He, in like manner gave Cities to Hiram▪ in Galilee, 1 King. ix. 11. in Confirmation of the League between them. The Letters which passed between Solomon and Hiram (x) 1.22 were extant in the time of Josephus; and from his time, down to Theophilus Antiochenus. Hiram blesseth the Lord God of Israel, that made heaven and ••arth, 2 Chron. ii. 12. 1 King. v. 7. which shews that he had a true Notion and Sense of Religion. And Tyre was a place of great Trade and Commerce, Ezek. xxvii. from whence the Jews were afterwards sold to the Graecians, Joel iii. 6. there was no place of greater Traffick, nor that sent out more Colonies, or greater, or into more distant Parts of the World; and therefore none could be more proper to establish a Correspondence with, from whence Religion might be better propagated. The Queen of Sheba came to see the Glory of Solomon's Kingdom, 1 King. ix. 10. and blesseth the Lord his God chap. x. 9. who, according to (y) 1.23 Josephus, was Queen both of Aegypt and Aethiopia. His Wisdom was every where magnified: Ard there c••me of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom, chap. iv. 34. All the earth sought to Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart, chap. x. 24. His Dominions

were exceeding great: He reigned over all the kings from the river (Euphrates) even unto the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Ae∣gypt, 2 Chron. ix. 26. The Trade and Cor∣respondence of the Israelites with foreign Na∣tions was mightily advanc'd in his time; their Trade extended as far as Tarshish and Ophir. Tarshish is translated Carthage, by the Septua∣gint, Isa. xxiii. 6. but is supposed to be Tar∣tessus, in Spain, though St. Jerom (z) 1.24 thought it to be in the Indies. And Ophir was as many learned Men think, in the Indies, beyond the River Ganges, in Pegu, or at least, Solo∣mon's Merchants did traffick with the Indian; that came from those Parts; others have ima∣gined Ophir to be Zephala, or Cephala, in Africa, towards the Cape of Good-Hope: some think it to be Ceylon, or Sumatra: some are of opinion that it was in America: all are a∣greed that it must be in some very distant part of the World; and where-ever it were the Traffick and Dealings which the Israelites had there, was a great opportunity to the Heathen to become instructed in the True Religion.

The Traffick and Voyages by Sea, and Ex∣peditions by Land, in Solomon's Reign, ren∣dred the People of Israel highly renowned, and caused their Laws and Customs and Re∣ligion to be much observed and enquired into; and even the Marriages of Solomon with Pharaoh's Daughter and other Strangers, que∣stionless,

through the Mercy of God, might prove an happy occasion of divulging the True Religion, and regaining many from Ido∣latry, in Aegypt, and other Parts of the World: For all his Wives were made Proselytes (a) 1.25 be∣fore he married them, (as Samson's likewise had been,) though afterwards they not only fell away to their former Idolatries, but seduced Solomon himself into them.

The Gentiles were so forward to become Proselytes, (b) 1.26 in the Reigns of David and So∣lomon, that their Sincerity became suspected; and the Jews tell us, that the Sanhedrim would admit no Proselytes, in the days of David, lest they should be induced to it by Fear; nor in the days of Solomon, lest the Glory of his Kingdom should have been the motive to them to profess the Religion of the Israelites. Ne∣vertheless, great numbers were received pri∣vately by Baptism, the Sanhedrim neither re∣jecting nor admitting them.

It is the Observation of Theodoret, and of St. Jerom, upon Exek. v. 5. that God placed Jerusalem, the Seat of the Jewish Government, in the midst of the Nations, that it might be a Direction to the Heathen in matters of Re∣ligion; from whence, as from the Centre, Light might be communicated to the farther Parts of the Earth. But the Divisions and Calamities of the People of Israel, the De∣struction of their City, and Dispersion of their whole Nation, contributed as much to

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the propagation of Religion, as their greatest Prosperity could do.

The Division of the Ten Tribes, after the death of Solomon and the erection of the King∣dom of Israel, distinct from that of Judah, with the many Leagues and Wars which these two mighty Kingdoms had with the Kings of Aegypt, and Syria, and Babylon, and with other Nations, could not but exceedingly conduce to the divulging the True Religion in the World, and give opportunity to the Prophets to declare their Prophecies, and work their Miracles among the Heathen; as we find they did in many Instances. One of the greatest Cities of the World was conver∣ted by Jonah's Preaching. Hezekiah being distressed by Sennacherib, prayed to God for deliverence out of his hand; that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only: and his Prayer was answer'd not only in the Deliverance, but in the manner of it; which was so won∣derful, that all must know and be astonished at it; for that very night the angel of the Lord went out and smote in the camp of the As∣syrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand, 2 King. xix. 19. which was the fulfilling of the Prophecy of Isaiah, delivered to Heze∣kiah, in a Message to him from God, in An∣swer to his Prayer: and afterwards Embassa∣dors came from the King of Babylon, to en∣quire of the Wonder, or Miracle, that was

wrought in his Recovery from his Sickness, 2 Chron. xxxii. 31. and at last, the Captivity of the Jews, for Seventy Years, in Babylon, made their Religion almost as well known there, as in Jerusalem it self. Jeremiah had foretold the Captivity of the Jews, and the Conquest of all the adjacent Countries, so long and so plainly, before-hand, that all the neighbour Nations must be sensible of it, as Nebuchadnezzar himself also was; for which reason, he gave a strict charge concerning Jeremiah, to Nebuzaradan the Captain of the Guard, who declares the reason of their Captivity to be, their sins against the Lord, or Jehovah, Jer. xl. 3. and, as the Jews say, he became a Proselyte. God professes, that he had a regard to the Honour of his Name among the Heathen, in his Mercies vouch∣safed to the Children of Israel, or else he had utterly consumed them, Ezek. xx. 9. and xxxvi. 22, 23, 36. and the Judgments upon the several Nations prophesied against, were to this end, that they might know him to be the Lord, Ezek. xxv. 7, 17. & xxvi. 6. & xxviii. 22, 23, 24. & xxix. 6. & xxxv. 9. & xxxvi. 23. & xxxvii. 28. I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen, Mal. i. 14. The Jews, in their Captivity, are commanded to make an open Declaration against the Heathen Gods; and because they understood not the Chaldee Tongue, the Prophet Jeremiah supplies them

with so much of the Language as might serve them for that purpose; Thus shall ye say unto them, Jer. x. 11. that is, Ye shall speak to them in their own Language, and in the words which I now set down to you, to bid Defiance to their False Gods. Thus did he fulfil his Commission and Character, who was sanctified and ordained a Prophet unto the nations, Jer. i. 5. And Jeremiah was put to death in Aegypt, and Ezekiel in Babylon, for ap∣pearing against the Idolatry of those Places.

During the Captivity, Jehoiachin was re∣conciled to the King of Babylon, and in great favour with him: His throne was set above the throne of the kings that were with him in Ba∣bylon, 2 King. xxv. 28. The Jews were in great Esteem, and in Places of great Honour and Trust; and their Religion was extolled and recommended by Publick Edicts to all under that vast Empire. The Almighty Power of God was manifested with Miracles, and by the Interpretation of Dreams and Prophecies; and his Majesty and Honour was acknowledged and proclaimed in the most publick and solemn manner, throughout all the Babylonian Em∣pire, at the Command of Princes who were Idolaters, and were forced to it by the meer convictions of their own Consciences, wrought in them by the irresistable Power of God, Dan. ii, iii, iv, v, vi.

Daniel had acquainted Cyrus (as Josephus says) with the Prophecy of Isaiah, in which

he was so long before mention'd by Name: However, the Lord stirred up the Spirit of Cyrus, by this or some other means, to ac∣complish the Prophecy which he had made both by Isaiah and Jeremiah, concerning the Restoration of the Jews, after a Captivity of Seventy Years; and Cyrus sent forth his Pro∣clamation, declaring that he had received his Kigdom from God, with a charge to re-build the Temple at Jerusalem 2 Chron. xxxvi. 23. And this Decree of Cyrus was reinforced by Darius and Artaxerxes, Ezra vi, vii. Now so many several Decrees put forth in favour of the Religion of the Jews, and the miracu∣lous Power and Wisdom which gave occasion to them, and the Advancement of Daniel and others, and the long life and continuance of Daniel in that Power and Esteem, must leave all the Eastern part of the World without any excuse, who were not converted to the Know∣ledge and Worship of the True God. The Advancement of Esther and Mordecai under Ahasuerus, and of Nehemiah under Artaxerxes, gave the Jews great Authority, and great op∣portunites of propagating their Religion from India even unto Aethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces; for this was the ex∣tent of the Dominions of Ahasuerus, Esth. i. 1. and the Jews were dispersed in all the Provinces of the Kingdom of Babylon, chap. iii. 8. And they wanted no Care nor Diligence to im∣prove every Opportunity; as we learn from

the Books of Ezekiel, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther; and the very Names of such Persons is enough to convince us, that that part of the World could want no means of Conversion: Confess him before the Gentiles, ye Children of Israel; for he hath scattered us among them: there declare his greatness, and extol him before all the living; for he is our Lord, and he is the God, our Father for ever. In the land of my captivity do I praise him, and declare his might and majesty to a sinful nation, Tob. xiii. 3, 4, 6. This was the Practice of Pious Men among the Ten Tribes, of whom some were likewise in great Place and Autho∣rity, chap. i. 13, 21, 22.

And as the Ten Tribes were first carried away Captive; so, upon the Restoration of the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin, all but a few, in comparison of the other Tribes, re∣mained in the places of their Captivity; and many (c) 1.27 of those Two Tribes also chose ra∣ther to continue in Babylon, than forsake the Possessions which they enjoyed there: It is supposed, that not much more than half of them returned; and there were afrerwards three celebrated Universities (c) 1.28 of the Jews in Babylon, Nehardea, Pombeditha, and Soria, besides several other Places famous for Learn∣ing. The Jews relate, (e) 1.29 that the Ten Tribes were carried away not only into Media and Persia, but into the Northern Countries beyond the Bosphorus; and Ortelius finds them

in Tartary. The Odomantes, a People of Thrace, were Circumcised; and the (f) 1.30 Scholiast of Aristophanes says that they were reported to be Jews.

The Restoration of the Jews by Cyrus, who had been so long before appointed and named by God himself for that Work, was ordained for this end, that they might know, from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is no God besides him, Isa. xlv. 6. And it is observable, that after the Captivity, the Jews were never given to Idolatry; and tho' they were bofore too much addicted to it, yet this gave occasion to Prophecies and Mi∣racles to withdraw them from it; and these with the Judgments of God which befell them for their Iniquities, gave continual Manifesta∣tions to the World of the Truth of their Re∣ligion.

When the Ten Tribes were carried from Samaria, and strange Nations were trans∣planted thither in their room, God would not suffer his Name and Worship to be quite neg∣lected and forgotten amongst them, but they were forced to send for a Priest back again, to teach them the fear of the Lord, 2 King. xvii.

And after the Taking of Jerusalem by Ne∣buchadnezzar, and the Death of Gedaliah, who was set over them that were left behind in the Land of Judah, all the People that were not before carried to Babylon, fled into Aegypt, Jeremiah being forced along with

them, who there prophesied against Aegypt, and foretold its Destruction by the Babylo∣nians, Jer. xliii. and at last suffer'd Ma••yr∣dom. Their going into Aegypt, was indeed contrary to the Word of the Lord by Jere∣miah; but the Providence of God so order'd things, that Jeremiah should be carry'd thi∣ther with the rest, to testifie against their Wickedness and Obstinacy, and to denounce God's Judgments upon them, and upon the Aegyptians, in whom they placed their con∣fidence, rather than in the Living God, and then to die in testimony of the Truth of what he had delivered.

Cyrus and Darius desired the Prayers and Sacrifices of the Jews, in behalf of themselves and their Kingdoms. Alexander the Great, P••olemaeus Philadelphus, Augustus, Tiberius, and Vitellius, sent Victims to be sacrificed at the Temple of Jerusalem (as we learn from Philo and Josephus.) The Jews constantly offer'd Sacrifice and Prayers for the Kings and Emperor under whom they lived, and for their Allies and Confederates, 1 Maccab. vii. 33. & xii. 11. and it was expected of them: for the omission of this, contrary to their known and approved Custom in all former Times, was the thing which hastned their final Destruction by the Romans.

The course of Alexander's Victories was so unexpected, so sudden and every way so wonderful, that it alarm'd the World: And

no Man can believe that this was designed by Providence only to gratifie the Ambition and Vanity of a rash Youth, but to open a way for a communication between the seve∣ral Parts of the Earth, to the benefit of Man∣kind in the improvement of all useful Know∣ledge; and when this Work was done, he was no longer the same Man he had been before, but soon resigned his Conquests with his Life.

Alexander is said, by (g) 1.31 Josephus, to have been mightily encouraged in his Enterprise against Persia, by the Prophecy of Daniel: He remitted the Tribute of every Seventh Year, in which, by their Law, they were obliged not to sow their Ground, (h) 1.32 which was afterwards remitted to them likewise by the Romans: He granted the Jews, who in great numbers listed themselves in his Army, the free Exercise of their Religion, and pro∣mised to grant the same to the Jews of Ba∣bylon and Media; and those of Sanballat's Faction, who followed him into Aegypt, he placed in Thebais.

Hecatoeus, who lived in Alexander's time, wrote (i) 1.33 a Book concerning the Jews, in which he took notice of their great Zeal for their Law; which he proves by this Instance, That when Alexander repaired the Temple of Belus, at Babylon, his Soldiers, who were Jews, could by no means be brought to help forward that Work; and at

last the King excused them. He related, that Hezechias the High-Priest of the Jews, a Ve∣nerable Man of about Sixty six Years of Age, of great Prudence and Experience, and withal very Eloquent, whom he knew, and had conversed with, was one, amongst others, who followed Ptolemaeus Lagi after the Battle at Gaza; in which he overcame Demetrius Poliorcetes. He mention'd likewise, that Mo∣sollamus, a Jew, marching with him; when the rest made a stand, by reason of a Bird, which the Augur said portended ill Luck to them, if they should march on, shot that Bird in the sight of them all, and defended what he had done by Argument. And in∣deed, the Jews wanted neither Zeal, nor Wit, nor Courage, upon every occasion, to appear in behalf of their own Religion, a∣gainst the Superstitions and Idolatries of the Heathen. This Book of Hecataeus was extant in the time of Josephus, and he referrs his Reader to it; and he appeals to the Let∣ters of Alexander the Great and of Ptolemaeus Lagi, and the Kings of Aegypt his Successors, in favour of the Jews.

When Ptolemaeus Lagi (k) 1.34 took Jerusalem, he transplanted the Jews in great multitudes into Aegypt, putting many of them into his Garrisons, and allowing them equal Privi∣ledges with the Macedonians; by which En∣couragement, many, besides those whom he transported, voluntarily went to dwell

there. And the Captives of that Nation, set at liberty by Ptolemaeus Philadelphus, were above 110000. And besides the signal Fa∣vours and Honours bestowed upon the Jews, by Ptolemaeus Philadelphus (who likewise caused the Holy Scriptures to be translated into the Greek Tongue, which was an ex∣ceeding great furtherance to the Propogation of Religion, Seleucus Nicanor granted them the freedom of Antioch, and of the Cities which he had founded in Asia, and the Lower Syria; and these Priviledges remained to them till Josephus's time, after all which the Jews had done to deserve to be de∣prived of them.

Antiochus the Great sent forth his Letters and Edicts, which are to be seen in (l) 1.35 Jo∣sephus, in favour of the Jews, more-espe∣cially in what related to their Religious Worship. And Seleucus, Son to this An∣tiochus, after his Father's Example, out of his own Revenues, bore the Cost belonging to the Sacrisices, 2 Mac. iii. 3. Antiochus Epi∣phanes himself at last, under the avenging Hand of God upon him for all his impious Cruelties, acknowledged himself punished for his Sacrilege and other Mischiefs com∣mitted at Jerusalem, 1 Mac. vi. 12, 13. & 2 Mac. ix. 17.

Antiochus Pius, when he besieged Jeru∣salem. (m) 1.36 not only granted a Truce for Seven Days, during the Feast of Tabernacles,

but sent rich and noble Presents for Sacri∣fices; and the City being delivered into his hands upon honourable Conditions, with regard particularly to Religion, Hyrcanus accompanied Antiochus in his Parthian Ex∣pedition; and the Feast of Pentecost falling the Day after the Sabbath, Antiochus stopt his Army those two Days, for the sake of the Jews.

The Lacedaemonians claimed (n) 1.37 Kindred with the Jews, and both They and the Athenians and Romans enter'd into Leagues with them, which from time to time were continued and renewed. Josephus mentions a Pillar then standing at Alexandria, con∣taining the Priveledges (o) 1.38 granted to the Jews by Julius Caesar. And when no other Religion was tolerated, except those estab∣lished by the Laws of the Empire, the Jews only had Allowance for a free Exercise of their Religion even in Rome it self; and for this and many other Edicts and Decrees of the Senate in favour of the Jews, Jose∣phus (p) 1.39 appeals to the Tables of Brass then extant, and preserved in the Capitol, and other places in which they were en∣graven.

The Sufferings and Martyrdoms under the Maccabees and the Resolution and Con∣stancy which they shewed upon all occa∣sions, in defence of their Religion, rendred the Jews renowned over all Nations: and

besides, their Conquests were very consi∣derable, and the Advantages which accrued to Religion by reason of them. In the time of Hyrcanus, (q) 1.40 all Idumaea embraced the Jewish Religion. Aristobulus having con∣quered great part of Ituraea, caused all their Males (r) 1.41 to be circumcised, and to observe the Law of Moses, as Strabo testifies. Un∣der Alexander Father to Hyrcanus, (s) 1.42 the Jews took twelve Cities from the Arabians, and became possessed of many Cities in Syria, Idumaea, and Phenicia, all which they brought over to the Possession of their own Religion, and demolished Pella, for refusing to em∣brace it.

The (t) 1.43 Temple built by Sanballat, for Manasses, who had married his Daughter, was an occasion of the Samaritans leaving their False Gods. And after the building of the Temple in Aegypt, the Babylonian Talmud says (u) 1.44 that the Jews there were double the number of those that came out from thence under Moses. The Zeal of the Scribes and Pharisees, though they were Hypocrites, did exceedingly conduce to the propagation of their Religion; for they compassed sea and land to make one Proselyte, and so far they were to be commended; but then they made him two-fold more the child of hell than themselves, Mat. xxiii. 15. yet still they taught the necessary Points of Doctrine, though in Hypocrisie, and with the mix∣tures

of Superstition; and our Saviour commands his Disciples to observe and do what they bid them, but not to do after their works. And it was required of the Fathers of the Sanhedrin, (x) 1.45 that they should under∣stand many Languages; that the Sanhedrin might hear nothing by an Interpreter; which qualified the Scribes and Pharisees, who aspi∣red to that Dignity, to be the better able to make Proselytes.

The Jews were dispersed all over the World, but chiefly seated themselves in Rome, and Alexandria, and Antioch, the three chief Cities of the Empire; in all which they had great and peculiar Priviledges; and in Alexandria they had Magistrates of their own, (y) 1.46 and lived under a peculiar Govern∣ment by themselves. Never any other Na∣tion had such various Changes and Revolu∣tions, to mix them with the rest of the World; and never any People were so indu∣strious and zealous, and so succesful in the propogation of their Religion. They had their Proseuchae, and their Synagogues for Divine Worship, and for Reading and Ex∣plaining the Scriptures; which Men of all Religions were admitted to hear, in all places where-ever they dwelt; and in Aegypt they had a (z) 1.47 Temple like that at Jerusalem, built by Onias, which continued for the space of Three hundred and forty three Years, till the Destruction of Jerusalem by Titus;

and in the Synagoges the Scriptures were read in the Greek Tongue, which was the most universal Language then in the World. Some have affirmed that as much of the Scriptures as was written in Solomon's time, was then translated into the Syriac Tongue; and there is little doubt (a) 1.48 but that at least part of the Bible was translated into Greek before the time of Alexander the Great: but the Version of the Septuagint was soon dis∣persed into all hands, which was made at the Command of Ptolemaeus Philadelphus; to whom likewise, and his Father, (b) 1.49 Aristo∣bulus dedicated an Exposition of the Law of Moses.

By all these means, vast multitudes of Proselytes were made to the Jewish Religion in all Parts of the World. What numbers there were at Rome of this Religion, we know from the Roman Poets and Historians, and we have as good Evidence of the spreading of it in other Places. Not to repeat what has been already related, nor to mention particular Persons of the greatest Note and Eminency, nor particular Cities, as Damascus, (c) 1.50 where it more remarkably prevailed, it is evident what numbers of Persons, in all Nations, professed this Religion from the incredible Treasures which Crassus found in the Temple of Jerusalem, being Ten thousand Talents, amassed there by the Summs of Gold sent from all Places by the Jews, and such as

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became Proselytes to their Religion: And for the Truth of this, Josephus cites Strabo's Authority, who says, (c) 1.51 that the Jews were every where dispersed, and every where gained Men over to their Religion; and that in Alexandria they had their Ethnaychae, or proper Magistrates, by whom they were governed. And another Proof of the mul∣titudes of Proselytes made to the Jewish Re∣ligion may be had from the great num∣bers assembled (e) 1.52 at their Passovers, and at the Feast of Pentecost, out of every Nation under Heaven.

Thus mightily prevailed the Religion of the Hebrews, till the City and Temple, by a Divine Vengeance, as (f) 1.53 Josephus often confesses, was destroyed; and the Law it self, with the Utensils of the Temple, was carried among the Spoil in Titus's Triumph. And when the Jewish Religion had its full Period and Accomplishment, the Christian Religion, which succeeded in the room of it, and was prefigured by it, soon spread it self into all corners of the Earth, and is at this day preached among all Nations.

But before I proceed to consider the Pro∣pagation of the Christian Religion, it may be requisite, (1.) To produce some Testimo∣nies of the Heathens, concerning the Jews and their Religion. (2.) To shew, That there have been always remaining divers Memorials of the True Religion among the

Heathen. (3.) To consider the Authority of the Sybilline Oracles.

I. As to the Testimony of Heathen Au∣thors, it were no more an Objection against what has been alledged, though they had taken no notice of the History of the Jews, than it can be supposed to be an Objection a∣gainst the Truth of the Taking of Troy, or the Building of Rome, that the Scriptures make no mention of either of them. The Greek Historians were so ignorant of Foreign Affairs, as (g) 1.54 Josephus has observed, that Ephorus, one of the best of them, thought Spain to be but one City: and neither Herodotus nor Thucydides, nor any Historian of their Times, made any mention of the Romans. The Roman Authors are but of a very late date, in com∣parison: and the Greeks, besides their igno∣rance in Antiquity, and in the Affairs of other Nations, are known to have been a vain Peo∣ple, who despised all besides themselves, ac∣counting them Barbarians, and taking little notice of Rome it self, before they fell under its Power.

Yet many of the Heathen Writers, as Jo∣sephus shews, have made famous mention of the Jews; though others have given a wrong and malicious Account of them, whom he proves to contradict one another, and some∣times themselves. Some, again, have omitted the mention of the Jews, though they had never so much occasion for it; of which he

gives a remarkable Instance in one Hieronymus, who though he were Governor of Syria, and wrote a Book of the Successors of Alexander, and lived at the same time with Hecataeus, yet never vouchsafed to speak of the Jews, of whom Hecataeus wrote a particular Book: But the Works of him, and of many other Greek Authors, are now lost, which were written concerning the Jews, the Fragments whereof are still to be seen in Josephus, Clem. Alexandrinus, Eusebius, and others. Of those whose Works remain, Herodotus, relating the Victory of Pharoh Necho, in the Battle at Megiddo, calls Jerusalem, Cadytis; by a small variation, as (h) 1.55 Dr. Lightfoot has observed, for Kedosha, that is, the Holy City, the usual denomination of that City. Strabo mentions Moses and the ancient Jews with commenda∣tion. Diodorus Siculus names Moses amongst the chief Law-givers of ancient Times. Pliny says, Jerusalem was the most famous City, not only of Judaea, but of the whole East. Tacitus himself gives this testimony of the Jews, That they worshipped the Supreme, Eternal, Immutable Being. But above all, Varro, (i) 1.56 the learnedest of the Romans, much approved their way of Worship, as being free from that Idolatry which he could not but dislike in the Heathen Religion. And it is ge∣nerally agreed by all, that the Religion of the Jews was received all over the World; and, as Seneca (k) 1.57 express'd it, Victi victoribus leges dederunt.

II. There have been always remaining di∣vers Memorials and Remembrances of the True Religion amongst the Heathen. The Flood of Noah and the Ark (l) 1.58 were generally taken notice of by Heathen Historians; and the Flood of Deucalion was (m) 1.59 plainly tran∣scribed from that of Noah. Jove is a plain depravation of the word Jehovah; and Dio∣dorus Siculus said (n) 1.60 that Moses received his Laws from the God 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which is another variation from it. And this proves the Anti∣quity of the Heathen Tradition concerning the True God; since the Jews of latter times would not speak the name themselves, much less communicate it to others. Appollus Clarius being consulted to know who the God Jao was; answered, That he is the Supreme God of all, (as Macrobius (o) 1.61 informs us, from Cor∣nelius Labeo:) which both shews, that the Heathen had knowledge of the God Jehovah, and that the Oracles themselvs were some∣times forced to confess Him to be the Supreme God, though obscurely, and under some dis∣guise, to amuse those to whom their Answers were returned; as here Apollo would have him beleived to be Bacchus. The Tetra∣grammaton, or Jehovah, is likewise supposed to be meant by the Tetractis of Pythagoras; and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a word used in Songs and Accla∣mations, has a plain allusion to Alleluia, e∣specially with the addition of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

From a learned and large Account of Mr. Selden's (p) 1.62 upon this Subject, it appears, that there was a general Observation amongst the Heathen, of one Day in Seven; though length of Time and corruption of Manners had greatly obscured or quite blotted out the remembrance of the Original Institution; or Superstition had by degrees assigned other Reasons for it: and this is sufficient to recon∣cile Josephus and other Authors with what he brings, which seems to imply the contrary. It has been proved by several, and is generally agreed by learned Men, that many of the Rites among the Aegyptians and other Nations were the same with those appointed by the Law of Moses, or very like them. But some would have it, that Moses took these Rites from those Nations, without any Proof, or possibility of Proof, that I can perceive. For how should it be proved when we have no Writings or Memorials of these Nations so an∣cient as those of Moses by many Ages? And we read in the Scriptures, that several Laws were enjoyn'd the Jews, because they were contrary to the Idolatrous Practices of the Heathen, but never find the least intimation that any were given them in imitation of the Gentile Worship: and it is unreasonable to imagine that they should have Laws appointed in contradiction to the Idolatrous Worship∣pers, and others at the same time in compli∣ance with them, when they were by a mira∣culous

Providence separated and distinguished from the Idolatrous Nations, and kept forty Years in the Wilderness, to hinder them from all communication with them, and to cure them of the proneness which they had to imitate them. If it be supposed, that the Jews, who were hated and despised by other Nations, would be very unlikely to be imi∣tated by them: it may be observed, that they were not always thus despised, nor among all Nations, but they were better esteemed till the latter Ages of their Government; and then the reason of their being ill thought of, was, because they were singular in the prin∣cipal Points of Worship: and resolute and zealous in the observation of it, and would make no compliances with the Heathen World; for they preserved themselves free from all Idolatry after their Captivity in Ba∣bylon. But however hated and contemned they might be; yet the same Authors who acquaint us with it, express their own sence, rather than the sence of the rest of Mankind: for at the same time they tell us, that they gained every where Proselytes. The Greeks were likewise ever despised by the Romans, but ever imitated; and we have now an Ex∣ample of a neighbour Nation, which is gene∣rally both imitated and spoken against. And there can be no other reasonable account given of the Agreement of so many other Nations with the Jews, in their Rites and

Customs, but that these Nations, in the times of Solomon, or some time after, during the flourishing estate of the Kingdoms of Judah and Israel, or perhaps after the Captivity, and since the Dispersion of the Hebrews, had conformed themselves to them.

A Tradition, of the manner of the Passage of the Israelites through the Red Sea, was re∣tained among the People of Heliopolis, related by (q) 1.63 Artapanus. Miracles were sometimes wrought among the Heathen, by the Invoca∣tion of the God (r) 1.64 of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; and these and other Hebrew Names, as Ze∣baoth, and Adonai, were commonly used by the Gentiles, in their Incantations and Exor∣cisms, which they retained by Tradition, though they knew not the meaning nor ori∣ginal of them. Those who first travell'd into China, (s) 1.65 found Hebrews there, who called themselves Israelites, but knew not the Name of Jews; they were dispersed in divers Pro∣vinces, and read the Pentateuch in the He∣brew Tongue, in their Synagogues, without Points. The observation of New Moons, Years of Jubilee and Circumcision, was found among the Americans, and an infinite number of Cere∣monies and Customs (says (t) 1.66 Acosta) which re∣sembled the ancient Law of Moses. They had likewise (u) 1.67 a Tradition of Noah's Flood. Hor∣nius acknowledgeth (w) 1.68 that the Name of Joseph was in use among the Americans, and that they frequently mention'd the word Al∣leluia

in their Songs, and us'd Circumcision; and he shews, that in their several Languages they have many Words from the Phoenician or Hebrew Tongue. The People of Bengala retain'd the Name of Adam; and in Mada∣gascar they (x) 1.69 had the Names of Adam, Eve, and Noah. So that there is no Nation but has still had some Memorials of Reveal'd Religion. And it has been shewn by Clem. Alexandrinus, by Eusebius and Theodoret, and by Modern Authors, that the Philosophers had generally some knowledge of the Religion of the He∣brews, (as it was particularly affirm'd by Numenius the Pythagorean) that the Brach∣mans also of India were not unacquainted with it, and that the Laws of the Wisest Heathen Nations were taken from the Laws of Moses.

III. The Oracles ascrib'd to the Sybils are so plain and so particular, that if they should be admitted for genuine, not only the Reve∣lations made to the Jews, but all the Myste∣ries of the Christian Religion must be fully discover'd to the Heathen; but their Plain∣ness has been the Cause why their Authority has been much question'd; which yet ought not wholly to be rejected, since the Sibylline Oracles were preserv'd in the Capitol, till the Reign of Honorius, when they were burnt by Stilico: And it is not to be imagin'd, that Justin Martyr, and other Christians, would cite Oracles which were in the Possession of

those against whom they cited them, unless they had been able to make good their Au∣thority. This is a Subject which has ex∣ercis'd the Pens of many Learned Men. I shall here set down what appears to me most probable upon the Question, as briefly as I can.

1. It is evident from Virgil, that in the Verses of the Sibyl of Cuma, the Birth of some Great Person was foretold; and from Tully, that this Person was to be a King: Though both in Tully and Virgil, the Pro∣phecy be misapply'd to a wrong Person. The Fourth Eclogue of Virgil contains the Sense of the Sibyl; and however it were design'd by him, is in most things much more applicable to our Saviour, than to the Person whom he describes.

In Cataline's Conspiracy, Lentulus flatter'd himself with the hopes of being a King, from (y) 1.70 the Sibylline Oracles. And from the same Oracles, as well as from the Scrip∣tures, it is probable, the Expectation of a King, who should arise out of Judaea, which both Suetonius and Tacitus mention, (z) 1.71 was spread throughout the East.

What Tully says, [lib. 2. de Divin.] in Disparagement of this Oracle, is not much considerable in the Case; because that whole Book is written with a Design to disparage all Divination in general: For being an Academic, as he professes throughout his

Books of Philosophy, he acknowledg'd no more of any Part of their Religion, than was just necessary to comply with the Laws, as he owns himself in divers Places. How∣ever, from him it appears that a Sybylline Oracle was alledg'd to the Purpose there mentioned; and that being in Favour of Caesar, and of Monarchy, if there had been no other, was Cause enough for Tully to reject it, and turn it to ridicule.

2. Tho' the Verses of the Sibyl of Cuma were burnt with the Capitol, A. Ʋ. C. DCLXXI. yet Virgil expresly naming Cuma, this Sibyl's Verses must be still remaining, or suppos'd to be so; unless what he writes, became some way or other known before the Burn∣ing of the Capitol, and was deliver'd after∣wards down by Tradition. Tully quotes Sibylla Erythraea, [lib. 1. de Divin.] and if he means the same Sibyl in the 2d. Book, Martianus Capella says, (a) 1.72 that Sibylla Ery∣thraea and Cumana were the same. And in the Search which was made for the Sibyl∣line Oracles in Italy, and in all other Places where there was any Probability of finding any Remains of them, after the Burning of the Capitol, it is likely her Verses might be recover'd. For (b) 1.73 Valerius Maximus says, that M. Tullius (as he calls him, not Attilius) was put to Death by Tarquinius, for suffering Petronius Sabinus to transcribe the Sybil's Verses; and whether they were dispers'd

in divers Copies before it was discover'd, so as not to be suppress'd, it is not known: But if they were the Verses of some other Sibyl, which went under the Name of the Sibyl of Cuma, after her's were burnt with the Capitol, it is not much material; how∣ever, the Romans certainly thought they had the Oracles of the Cuman Sibyl: For, as Lactantius says, (c) 1.74 they allow'd the Verses of all the other Sibyls to be copy'd out and publish'd, though they would not suffer those of Cuma to be read, but by Order of the Senate.

Notwithstanding all this Care, they could not keep them conceal'd; for we meet them often quoted. Indeed, the Oracles in the Capitol (c) 1.75 were only Copies taken from Originals, which were left in those Places, from whence the Romans had their own Co∣pies transcrib'd; and the Originals might be read, and other Copies taken, how carefully soever the Romans kept their own.

3. It being known that the Sibylline Oracles contain'd things which concern'd the Kingdom of the Messias, and the Verses themselves being in divers Hands, this gave Occasion to some to make many more Verses, under the Name of the Sybil's, relating the whole History of our Saviour, &c. But if the Sibyl's Verses had been all burnt or lost, or if they had been kept so close, that

no Body could possibly come to to the Know∣ledge of them, without Leave from the Se∣nate, there could have been no Pretence for any Imposture, nor would the Christians ever have alledg'd them as genuine. Celsus objects only, (e) 1.76 That many things were added to the Verses of the Sibyls: Not that they were all Counterfeit, or that the Christians had no Means of coming by the True: Which was an Advantage that an Adversary much less subtile than Celsus would not have omitted, if there had been any Ground for it. Origen replies, That it was a malicious Accusation, and that he was able to bring no Proof of it, by producing Ancient Copies more genuine than those which the Christians made use of.

And if the Sibyls had deliver'd nothing relating to these Matters, why should any one counterfeit Verses in their Name, ra∣ther than under the Title of any other Oracle; There must be some Ground and Foundation of Truth, to give any Opportu∣nity or Pretence to the Counterfeiting of it: And the Prophecies of the Sibyls concern∣ing Christ, must be the Occasion of all the additional ones, which were falsly ascrib'd to them.

4. Isaac Vossius thought that great Part of these Oracles were compos'd by the Jews. And indeed, Pausanias says (f) 1.77 one of the Sibyls was by the Jews call'd Sabba;

the same, I suppose, who is mention'd by * 1.78 Aelian; and by Suidas, said to be descended from Noah, and nam'd Sambethe, call'd the Chaldaean, and by some the Hebrew, and also the Persian Sibyl; whom † 1.79 Alexander ab Alexandro calls Sibylla Judaea.

But if these were only Heathen Oracles, yet there is Reason to believe that the Pre∣dictions concerning Christ were very plain, though not so particular as those now set down in the Sibylline Books; both because the Heathen having but few Oracles of this Nature, and so many of a quite contrary Nature, it was the more necessary that these should be plain; and because we find, that when God, in his Infinite Wisdom, saw it fitting to reveal himself to others, he did it in as plain a Manner, and sometimes in a plainer, than he did to his own People in any one Prophecy.

Thus Balaam's Prophecy is as plain as any Prophecy of that time at least; and our Saviour discover'd himself more plainly to the Woman of Samaria, than he had yet done to any of his Disciples, John iv. 26. Not to mention the Dreams of Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar, or the Message of Jonah to the Ninevites. And as Balaam, an Inchanter, or Sorcerer, deliver'd a true and famous Prophecy of Christ, and the Devils were forc'd to confess him to be the Son of God; so it is reasonable to believe, that God

might ordain, that these Celebrated Prophe∣tesses, whose Oracles were otherwise the Devil's Instruments to promote his Ends, should foretell our Saviour's Coming: And yet St. Augustine assures us, (g) 1.80 that the Sibylla Erythraea, or Cumana, had nothing of Idolatry in her Verses; but spoke so much against it, that he believ'd her to belong to the City of God.

5. The Difference which there is between Virgil's Fourth Eclogue, and the Translation of it into Greek, in Constantine's Oration, is rather an Argument for the Authority of the Sibylline Oracles, than against it. For Con∣stantine was wont to compose his Orations and Epistles in Latin, and they were Tran∣slated into Greek by some whom be em∣ploy'd in that Service: And the Author of the Translation, Translated only what was properly Virgil's; but when he came to what was by Virgil borrow'd from the Sibyl, he wrote down the Original Greek, not tran∣slating the Variations which Virgil had made from it, to apply the Prophecy to his own Subject.

It is well known that the Ancients took as great a Liberty as this, in their Transla∣tions, and it was the more allowable, when there could be no Design or Likelihood of Deceit in the Translation of so Famous a Poem as that Eclogue of Virgil. This was but to point out the Alterations which

Virgil had made, and to shew how easily these Parts of his Poem might be supply'd from the Original Greek: And perhaps this was a known Translation of that Eclogue, which had been made with this Design.

It were no difficult Matter to answer all the other Objections which are wont to be brought against the Sybilline Oracles, so far as the Notion here propos'd is concern'd in them. For though the Books which we have now, contain manifest Falsifications and Forgeries; yet there must have been some∣thing real, to give a Pretence and Counte∣nance to so many elaborate Forgeries of this Nature, and that was the Sibylline Oracles mention'd in Tully, Sallust, Virgil, &c. We may therefore conclude, That the True Religion receiv'd a considerable Promulga∣tion from these Oracles, which serv'd to awaken in the Gentiles an Expectation of a King to be born in Judaea.

As soon as the Gospel appear'd in the World, like the Rising Sun, it diffus'd its Divine Light and Influence into all Parts of the Earth; its Propagation was it self a Miracle, and answerable to that Miraculous Power of Languages, and other Means by which it was accomplish'd. Tertullian ac∣quaints us, (h) 1.81 that it was soon propaga∣ted beyond the Bounds of the Roman Em∣pire;

he speaks of the Northern Parts of Britain: and we know it received as early a Propagation in other Places more remote, being preached by St. Bartholomew (i) 1.82 to the Indians, by St. Thomas to the Parthians, and to the Scythians by St. Andrew.

In St. Augustine's time (k) 1.83 the Christians were more numerous in all the known Parts of the World, than the Jews and Heathens together: And we have reason to believe, that the Zeal of the Apostles, and their im∣mediate Disciples and Followers, had car∣ried the glad Tidings of the Gospel farther than either Ambition or Avarice it self, till of late years, had made any Disco∣very; which Tertullian likewise sufficiently intimates.

The Cross was found to be in use among the Chineses, by those who first went from Europe (l) 1.84 into China; and a Bell was seen there, which had Greek Characters engraven on it: And those who honour'd the Cross were in so great numbers in the Northern Provinces, that they gave Jealousie to the Infidels. The Christians there were call'd Isai, from the Name Jesus: And from the Chaldee Books which were found upon the Coasts of Malabar, it appears that St. Tho∣mas preach'd the Gospel in China, and foun∣ded many Churches there. The Passages which prove this, may be seen in Trigautius and Semedo, translated out of those Books.

Nicolas de Conti (m) 1.85 saith of the Chinese, that when they rise in the Morning, they turn their Faces to the East, and with their Hands joined, say, God in Trinity keep us in this Law.

The Gospel was preach'd in China (n) 1.86 by some who came from Judaea, and seem to have been Monks, A. D. DCXXXVI, as it appears by a Marble Table erected A. D. DCCLXXXII, and found A. D. MDCXXV. This Monument contains the principal Articles of the Chri∣stian Faith: the substance of the Inscription may be seen in Le Compte's Memoirs, and the whole is translated by Semedo. Hor∣nius (o) 1.87 indeed rejects this Inscription; (which was likewise produced by Kircher,) as counterfeit; but without any cause, that I can perceive: For if it were a Fraud, there is no reason to think that we should not find all the Points of Popery inserted in it.

Osorius writes, (p) 1.88 that the Brachmans believed a Trinity in the Divine Nature, and a God Incarnate to procure the Salva∣tion of Mankind; and that the Church of St. Thomas was esteemed most Holy among the Saracens, and other Nations, for the re∣port of Miracles wrought there.

The Gentiles of Indostan (q) 1.89 retain some Notion of the Trinity, and of the Incarna∣tion of the Second Person, though corrupted with fabulous Stories.

The People of Ceylon (r) 1.90 do firmly believe the Resurrection of the Body.

The Indians in America (s) 1.91 worshipped a God, who, they said, was One in Three and Three in One. They Baptized (t) 1.92 their Chil∣dren, and used the Cross in Baptism, having a great veneration for the Cross, and think∣ing it a preservative against Evil Spirits: they believed the (u) 1.93 Resurrection of the Body; they had Monasteries, Nunneries, Confessors and Sacraments: And the Mexi∣cans, (x) 1.94 in their ancient Tongue, called their High-Priests Papae's, or Sovereign Bishops, as it appears by their Histories.

It is a remarkable Relation which Lerius gives (y) 1.95 of the People of Brasil, That when he had discoursed to them concerning Religion, and endeavoured to persuade them to become Christians; one of their ancient Men answer'd, That he had declared excel∣lent and wonderful things to them, which put him in mind of what they had often heard from their Fore-fathers, That a long while ago, many Ages before their time, there came a Stranger into their Countrey, in such an Habit, and with a Beard, as they saw the French wear, (for these Americans wear none) who preached to them in the same manner, and to the same effect, as they had now heard him do; but that the People would not hearken to him. Upon which Lerius observes, that Nicephorus writes, That

St. Matthew preached the Gospel to Cannibals; and he thinks it not improbable that some of the Apostles might pass into America, that the Sound of the Gospel might go into all the earth. And it is observable, that he found many words in the Brasilian Language taken out of the Greek Tongue.

Hornius (z) 1.96 owns, as every Man else must do that considers it, that there are manifest Tokens of the Rites and Doctrines both of the Jewish and Christian Religion among the Americans, as of Circumcision, Baptism, the Trinity, the Lord's Supper, &c. but then he is for bringing the Jews and Christians thi∣ther his own way, and will have the Jews come in company of the Scythians; and the Christian Rites to be brought in with the Turks and Tartars, or from Japan and China: Though he likewise approves and confirms the Relation which Powel and Hackluyt give of a Colony transplanted into America, by Madoc, from Wales.

Several Usages which are observed to be among the Natives, by the Missionaries, both in the East and West-Indies, and to have a near resemblance to their own Rites, seem to prove that there have formerly been Christian Monks amongst them; rather than that this proceeds (as the Missio∣naries imagined) from an ambition that the Devil has to Ape, as they say, what is done in God's Service; or that we may

conclude, as some Protestants have done a little too hastily, that this it self is a suffi∣cient Argument that the Devil is the Au∣thor of such Rites, because they are found amongst his Worshippers. If we consider the vast numbers of Monks, in ancient Times, in the Eastern Parts of the World, who were Men of an active and indefati∣gable Zeal, it may well be supposed that some of them might find the way into those Countreys which have been but lately disco∣vered to the rest of the World.

It is evident from the unanimous Testi∣mony both of Protestants and Papists, that there are manifest Tokens, in all Parts of the World, that the Christian Religion has been preached amongst them. And it must, in common Justice, be confest, that the lat∣ter Missionaries have preached the Gospel among the Indians with great zeal and suc∣cess. A King of Ceylon (a) 1.97 received Baptism, and was very zealous to bring over his Sub∣jects to the Christian Faith; and one of their most learned Men became a Christian at the same time; but the King was deposed by his Idolatrous Subjects. Some of the Kings of Congo (b) 1.98 have been converted. The King of Monomotapa (c) 1.99, reigning A. D. MDCXXXI. was a Christian. And in Japan (d) 1.100, A. D. MDCXIII. there were Four hundred thousand Christians, who were all destroyed (e) 1.101 by the Persecution

raised, through the Covetousness of some Dutch Merchants, and their malicious Plots and Contrivances, to engross the Trade of those Islands to themselves. And indeed, by the Accounts which we have of those Parts, the Lives of the Europaeans have been so scandalous, and so contrary to their Re∣ligion, that besides the guilt of the sins themselves, they have a great deal to answer, for that hindrance which they have thereby given to the progress of Christianity among those poor People, who have generally shewn a good inclination and forwardness to be instructed; and in times of Persecu∣tion, ••••th from Mahometans and Idolaters, even Children have born all sorts of Tor∣ments (f) 1.102 with wonderful Courage and Patience.

Several Kings of Japan (g) 1.103 have been converted: And in China, many of their principal Mandarines, or Governors, have been eminent for their zeal in the Christian Religion; and though the Chineses are na∣turally very timorous and cowardly, yet in all times of Persecution, they have been observed to continue firm and stedfast in the Faith. We are told, that the Mother, the Wife, and the Eldest Son of the Emperor of China, were formerly converted, and that there is lately an Edict publish'd in favour of the Christian Religion in China; that a Prince of the Blood is be∣come

a Christian; and that the Emperor himself has caused a Church to be erected in his Palace, and lodges the Missionaries near his own Person. And in the West-Indies, Cortes wrote to the Emperor, That the People of Mechoacan (h) 1.104 sent to him for an Account of his Religion, being weary of their own, for its cruel and bloody Rites.

It is observable, That Christianity has been still professed in those Parts of the World where there has been most Learning and Commerce; where they have been most able, and have had most opportunties to instruct other Nations. To which ••nd, the vast extent first of the Greek, and Latin, and Syriac, and since of the Sclavonian and Arabick Tongues, has been very advanta∣geous; the Scriptures of the New Testa∣ment being written in the first, and tran∣slated into all the rest. And though, by the Just and Wise Providence of God, Ma∣humetans and Idolaters have been suffered to possess themselves of those Places, in Greece, Asia and Africa, where the Christian Religion formerly most flourished; yet there are still such remianders of the Christian Re∣ligion amongst them, as to give them oppor∣tunity to be converted; and when their sins shall not hinder, to restore the Gospel to those Countries, as before. For, by Mr. Brerewood's Account, (i) 1.105 in the Do∣minions

of the Turk, in Europe, the Chri∣stians make two third parts at least of the Inhabitants; and in Constantinople it self, he reckons above Twenty Christian Churches, and above Thirty in Thessalonica, where the Mahometans have (or had) but Three Mosques. Which, by (k) 1.106 Sir Paul Ricaut's Account of the present state of the Ottoman Empire has not been without very consi∣derable effect: For a Sect among the Turks, called Haietti, hold, that Christ is Eternal, that he was Incarnate, and that he shall come to Judge the World at the Last Day. The Students in the Grand Signior's Court generally maintain, that Christ is God, and the Redeemer of the World; and this is a common Tenet in Constantinople; the Professors of it are styled Chupmessahi, or the Good Followers of the Messiah, and some have suffered Martyrdom in maintenance of this Doctrine. And the Turkish Soldiers, in the Confines of Hungary and Bosnia, read the Gospel in the Sclavonian Tongue. It is also observed lately, by (l) 1.107 a learned Author, that the Christians had better Terms from Mahomet himself, than any other of his Tri∣butaries; and that there is no Mahometan Countrey where the Christian Religion is not esteemed the best, next their own; and the Professors of it accordingly respected by them, before any other sort of Men that differ from them.

In Africa, besides the Christians living in Aegypt, and in the Kingdom of Congo and Angola, the Islands upon the Western Coasts are inhabited by Christians; and the vast Kingdom of Habassia, or Abassinia, supposed to be as big as Germany, France, Spain and Italy taken together, (according to Mr. Brere∣wood's computation) is possess'd by Christians. And till less than Two hundred Years ago, Nubia, a Countrey of a great extent, lying between the Aequator and the Northern Tropick, continued, as it's believed, from the Apostles times, in the Christian Religion. In Asia, he says, most part of the Empire of Russia, the Countries of Circassia and Mengrelia, Georgia and Mount Libanus, are inhabited only by Christians, besides the dispersion of them into other Parts, under the denomination of Ne∣storians, Jacobites, Maronites, and Armenians, the last of which are a People exceedingly addicted to Traffick (m) 1.108, and have great Privileges gran∣ted them by the Turks, and other Mahometans; they are found in multitudes in most Cities of great Trade, and are more dispersed than any other Nation but the Jews; and the Jacobites are reported to be dispersed into Forty King∣doms. In the Promontory extending it self into the Indian Sea, are the Christians of Saint Thomas; so called, because first converted by him, who is believed to lie buried at Maliapour, and they have continued in the Christian Re∣ligion from his time. It must be confess'd,

that in Mengrelia, and other Countries, the Doctrines of Religion are much corrupted, and their Practice very different from the Profession of Christians; but however, they retain the Gospel among them, and it is every Man's own fault, if he make not a good use of those Means of Salvation which God in his Providence has afforded him. Of late, the New Testament in the Malayan Tongue, and Grotius his excellent Book of the Truth of the Christian Religion in Arabick, have been translated and printed, at the Charge of the Honourable Mr. Boyle; and the first disperst over all the East-Indies, where the Malayan Language is used; and the latter, into all the Countries where Arabick is spoken. He also contributed to the Impression of the New Te∣stament, which was made by the Turkish Com∣pany, in the Language of the Turks. In Ame∣rica, it is notorious, that the Christians are sufficiently numerous, and have sufficient op∣portunities to instruct the Natives, if they were but as careful to improve them to so good an end, rather than in pursuit of their own Gain.

The summ of all is this. Before the Flood, Revelations were so frequent, and the Lives of Men so long, that no Man could be igno∣rant of the Creation, and of the Providence of God in the Government of the World and the Duties required towards him. And in the first Ages after the Flood, God's Will

reveal'd to Noah, and the Precept given to him at his coming out of the Ark, must be well known to all the surviving World; and as soon as the Remembrance of them began to decay, and Men to fall into Idolatry, Abraham and the other Patriarchs were sent into divers Countries, to proclaim God's Command∣ments, and to testifie against the Impiety of Idolaters, where-ever they came. For, to publish the Reveal'd Will of God, and make it generally known in the World, God was pleas'd to chuse to himself a peculiar People, and to send them first out of Mesopotamia into Canaan, and, upon occasion, back again into Mesopotamia; and then several times into Ae∣gypt; and from thence, after they had dwelt there some Hundreds of Years, into Canaan again; at what time he appointed them Laws, admirably fitted and contriv'd for the receiving of Strangers and Proselytes. After many signal Victories, and after other Capti∣vities, they were carry'd away captive to Babylon, and were still deliver'd and restor'd by a Wonderful and Miraculous Providence, and had vast numbers of Proselytes in all Parts of the known World, and many Footsteps and Remainders of the True Religion are found in the remotest Parts of the Earth. And when, by the just Judgment of God upon the Jews, for their Sin, in rejecting the Messias, they were rejected by him, from being his People, they were dispers'd throughout the World, for

a Testimony to all Nations, that Moses and the Prophets deliver'd no other thing than what God had reveal'd to them; since they continue to maintain and assert those very Books which plainly foretell all that Ruine and Destruction that has befallen them for their Infidelity and Disobedience. They are a standing Evidence, in all Parts of the World, of the Truth of the Christian Religion, bearing that Curse which their Fore-fathers so many Ages ago imprecated upon themselves and their Posterity, when they caus'd Christ to be cru∣cify'd. And the Gospel has, by its own Power and Evidence, manifested it self to all People dispers'd over the Face of the whole Earth. To which might be added, That the Maho∣metans owning so much of the Religion re∣veal'd both in the Old and New Testament, afford some kind of Testimony to the Truth of it, in those vast Dominions of which they are possess'd. All the most remarkable Dispensations of Providence, in the several Changes in the World, have had a particular Influence in the Propagation of the True Re∣ligion. Cyrus, Alexander the Great, divers of the Roman Emperors, and of latter Times, Tamerlain, and several other Princes, were great Favourers of it; and the worst of Men, and the most unlikely Accidents, have con∣tributed towards the Promotion of it.

If it be Objected, That notwithstanding all which has been said, great Part of the

World are Ʋnbelievers. Let it be consi∣der'd,

1. That there is no Nation but has great Opportunities of being converted; and it is evident, from what has been produc'd concern∣ing the Chinese and the Americans themselves, that the Christian Religion had been preach'd among them, tho' the Knowledge of it was lost, through their own Fault before the late Discoveries of those Parts of the World. And as Christ came into the World in the fulness of time; so, in the fulness of time, that is, at the most fitting season, he reveal'd himself to the several Nations of it. God, who is infinitely gracious to all, and knows the Hearts and Dispositions of all Men, might defer the re∣storing his Gospel to the Chinese, for Instance, till that very time when he saw them best prepar'd for it: And it is remarkable, That the Discovery of the Indies happen'd about the time of the Reformation; that those poor People might have the Purity, as well as the Truth of Religion, if Christians had been as little wanting to them in their Charity, as God has been in the Disposals of his Providence. He stays till they have filled up the measure of their iniquities, before he punishes a People; and for the same Reasons, of Mercy and Good∣ness, he waits for the most proper seasons to impart his Revealed Will to them; and to have it preach'd to them before, would be only to encrease their Condemnation. And it

is not only Just, but Merciful, for him to with-hold the Knowledge of his Reveal'd Will from those who, he forefees, would reject it, and abuse the Opportunities which should be offer'd them, to the Aggravation of their own Guilt and Punishment. Especially if it be observ'd.

2. That as to particular Persons, we have reason to believe, that God, who by so won∣derful a Providence has taken care that every Nation under Heaven might have the True Religion preach'd in it, and who has the whole World at his Disposal, and orders all things with great regard to the Salvation of Men; we have abundant cause to think, that he would, by some of the various Methods of his Providence, or even by Miracle, bring such Men to the knowledge of the Truth, who live according to their present Knowledge, with a sincere and honest Endeavour to im∣prove it. When St. Peter was by Revelation sent to Cornelius, he made this Inference from it, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation, he that feareth him, and worketh Righteousness, is accepted with him, Act. x. 34, 35. From whence, what less can we conclude, than that every Man, in any part of the World, who is sincerely good and pious in the Practice of his Duty, so far as it is known to him, shall rather, by an express Revelation, have the rest disco∣ver'd to him, as in the Instance of Cornelius,

which gave occasion to these words of S. Peter, than that he should be suffer'd to perish, for want of a true Faith, and sufficient Knowledge of his Duty? And it is Just with God, to punish those Heathens who sin without any Reveal'd Law, for their Sins against Natural Reason and Conscience, and for neglecting to use and improve their Reason, and to em∣brace the Opportunities afforded them of be∣coming Christians. We may likewise be cer∣tain, that besides Natural Reason and Con∣science, God in his Goodness is not wanting to afford such inward Motions and Convi∣ctions of Mind to such of the Heathen as are not wilfully blind and stupify'd by their Vices, as may prepare them for the reception of the Gospel, which, by his Providence, he gives them so many Opportunities of becoming ac∣quainted withal: And if once they do discern the Defects and Faults of their own Religions, which are so grosly against Natural Reason and Conscience, they may make enquiry of Christians concerning their Religion, as some of the Americans did of Cortes's; and the Chri∣stians (some of them at least) however neg∣ligent they be in propagating it, would never refuse to instruct them in it. And it must be remembred, that among those who have not receiv'd the True Religion, yet many Points are taught and believ'd which had their Ori∣ginal from Revelation, as is evident not only of the Mahometans, but of several Heathen

Nations; which Points are so many Steps and Preparatives towards the Reception of the whole Truth, if they be not wanting to themselves, in pursuing them in their imme∣diate Tendency and Consequences.

I shall not say, That the Merits of Christ, and the Salvation of the Gospel, do extend to those who in the Integrity of their Hearts dye under an invincible Ignorance of it; I be∣lieve rather, that God suffers no Man so qua∣lify'd and dispos'd, to remain in invincible Ignorance. But it is sufficient to vindicate God's Justice and Goodness, that all Nations have had such Opportunities of coming to the Knowledge of the Truth; and great Al∣lowances may be made at the Last Day, for the Ignorance and unhappy Circumstances of particular Men. It was well said, That when God hath not thought fit to tell us how he will be pleas'd to deal with such Persons, it is not fit for us to tell Him how he ought to deal with them. But if it be difficult for us now, to think how it will please God to deal with the Heathen, it would be a thou∣sand times more difficult to conceive how the Gracious and Merciful God could Govern and Judge the World, if all Mankind were in the State of Heathens, without any Divine Revelation.

What will become of the Heathen, as to their Eternal State, is not the Subject of this Dis∣course, nor doth it concern us to know;

some of them will have more to plead for themselves, in point of ignorance, than o∣thers can have; and they are in the hands of the Merciful Creator and Saviour of Man∣kind, and there we must leave them. But it must be acknowledged, that it is much more agreeable to the Goodness and Mercy of God, to reveal his Will, and to give so many Opportunities to the World to be in∣structed in it, though never so many should neglect the Means of Salvation; than it is to suppose him to take no care to reduce Mankind to the sense and practice of Vertue and Religion, but to let them continue in all manner of Idolatry and Wickedness, without giving them any warning against it. I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth. Look unto me, and be ye saved all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: Isa. xlv. 19, 22. & xlviii. 16.

Having proved, That the Scriptures want nothing requisite to a Divine Revelation, in regard either of the Antiquity or Promulga∣tion; I proceed to shew, That they have sufficient Evidence, both by Prophecies and Miracles, in proof of their Authority.

This Evidence depends upon Matter of Fact, which concerns either the Prophecies

and Miracles themselves, in their several cir∣cumstances, as we find them stand Recor∣ded; or the Lives and Personal Qualifications of those by whom they were performed, or by whom they are related in the Scriptures. For if we can be assured both that they are truly related, and that, if they were done as they are related, they could proceed from none but a Divine Power; we have all the Evidence for the Truth of the Scriptures that can be had for a Revelation.

CHAP. III. Of Moses and Aaron.

THat Moses was a very Great and Wise Man, is related by several of the most eminent Heathen Writers; and I think it has never been denied by any Man. But it is no less evident, that he was likewise a very Good and Pious Man. He frequently declares his own Failings and Infirmities, Exod. iii. 11. & iv. 1, 10, 13. Num. xi. 10. & xx. 12. & xxvii. 14. and never speaks any thing tending to his own Praise, but upon a just and necessary occasion, when it might become a prudent and modest Man, especially one Divinely Inspired: For all the Praise of

such an one doth not terminate in himself, but is attributed to God, whose Instrument and Servant he is; and in such cases where God's Honour is concerned, it was a Duty to set forth the Favour and Goodness of God towards him, though some Honour did re∣dound to himself thereby. The greatest Masters of Decency have not thought it al∣ways improper for Men to commend them∣selves, either because they supposed some oc∣casions might require it, or because it was a more usual thing in ancient Times, when Mens Lives and Manners were more natural and sincere; and they oftner spoke as they thought both of themselves and others; yet we no where find Men speaking so freely in disparagement of themselvs as in the Holy Scriptures: Which shews, that Moses, and the rest of the Inspired Writers, little re∣garded their own Praise or Dispraise, but wrote what God was pleased to appoint; it being a thing indifferent to them, so God might be honoured, whether they lost or gained in their own Reputation by it. But what we read of Moses, Num. xii. 3. that he was very meek above all the Men which were upon the face of the Earth, which is the only commendable Character that Moses gives of himself, may be translated, that he was the most afflicted Man, (according to the Mar∣ginal Reading;) and if he mentions his own Meekness, he mentions also his great Anger,

or heat of Anger, Exod. xi. 8. and his being very wroth, Num. xvi. 15. But if Moses had not had more respect to Truth, than to his own Reputation, he would never have left it upon Record, That he so often declined the Message and Employment which God appointed him to undertake, Exod. iii. 11, 13. & iv. 1, 10, 13, 14. and that God was angry with him upon other occasions, and for that reason would not permit him to enter into the pro∣mised Land: He would certainly have ascri∣bed Balaam's Prophecy, and Jethro's Advice, to himself; at least he would never have Recorded, That by Jethro's Counsel, he took up a new and better Method for the admi∣nistration of Justice: If he had been led by Ambition and Vain-glory, he would have endeavoured, by these things, to adorn his own Character; and would never have les∣sen'd it, by telling his own Infirmities at the same time, when, to the diminution of him∣self, he publishes the Excellencies of others. The Wonders of the Magicians of Aegypt are not concealed by him: and being to give an account of his own Genealogy from Levi, he first sets down the Families of Reuben and Simeon, the two elder Brothers, lest he might seem to arrogate too much to himself, and his own Tribe. Some have observed, that Moses relates his own Birth to have been by a Marriage contrary to the Laws afterwards by himself established: which indeed is

doubtful, by reason of the latitude of signifi∣cation in the word Sister in the Hebrew Lan∣guage: yet it is certain, he was not careful to avoid the being thought to have been born from such a Marriage; as he would have been, if his Laws had been of his own contrivance, lest his own Reputation, or the Authority of his Laws, or perhaps both, might have suffered by it, Exod. vi. 14, 20. He sets forth the Ingratitude, Idolatry, and perpetual Revolts and Murmurings of his whole Nation, and relates the Failings and Faults of their Ancestors the Patriarchs, and particularly of Levi, from whom he was descended, Gen. xxxiv. 30. & xlix. 6. He spares neither his People, nor his Ancestors, nor himself, in what he relates; and these are all the Characters of a faithful Historian, and a sincere Man, that can be desired.

And as Moses was not ambitious of Praise, so neither was he ambitious of Power and Dominion. For besides that he entered upon such an Undertaking, as no sober Man would have attempted without a Revelation, it ap∣pearing otherwise impossible to accomplish it, his whole Conduct shews, that he had no design of advancing his own Interest or Dominion. If he had been never so Ambi∣tious, he needed not have gone into the Wilderness to seek his Preferment, amongst a wandring and stubborn People, when he had been bred up to all the Honours and the

Pleasures that Aegypt or Pharaoh's Court could afford: but he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteem∣ing the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Aegypt, Heb. xi. 24, 25. He undertook to lead the People of Israel, for Forty Years, through a barren Wilderness; where he could promise himself but a very uneasie and inglorious Reign, if that had been his Design; and, by the course of Na∣ture, he could not hope to out-live that period of Time: and tho' he was preserved, in his Old Age, in the full strength and vi∣gour of Manhood; yet, upon their entrance into the promised Land, he meekly resigned himself to death, in the very sight and Bor∣ders of Canaan; knowing before-hand that he must not be suffered to possess the Land which he had been so many years, in so great dangers, leading the People of Israel to enjoy; though he doth not conceal how desirous he was to pass over Jordan, Deut. iii. 23, &c. The History of his Death is like that of his Life, related with a peculiar kind of native simplicity: He is not said to be taken up into Heaven, as Enoch and Elijah were, and as the Romans feigned of Romulus; but to die; and his Sepulchre was hid, to prevent the Superstitious and Idolatrous Ve∣neration which might have been paid to the

Remains of so great a Person. And tho' he had Sons, yet they were but private Men, no otherwise known to us, than as they were his Sons; the Government he conferred upon Joshua, one of another Tribe. Moses therefore was the furthest of any Man from Vain-glorious, or Ambitious and Aspiring Designs; and could propose no other Ad∣vantage to himself, but the fulfilling the Will of God, in delivering his Command∣ments to the People of Israel, and following his Directions in his Conduct and Govern∣ment.

Aaron was of a different Temper from Moses, and was envious of him, and both Aaron and Miriam murmured against him. It is so notorious, that there could be no Contrivance between them to deceive the People; that it was the immediate and vi∣sible Power of God, which kept Aaron, as well as the rest, in Obedience to Moses. Upon Moses's Absence, Aaron complied with the People, in making a Golden Calf; and his two eldest Sons offered strange Fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded; for which they were both destroyed by Fire miraculously issuing out from the Presence of the Lord: And Aaron held his peace, know∣ing that this Punishment was inflicted by God himself, and having nothing to reply to Moses, when he declared to him the Justice of it. And both Aaron and his other two

Sons are forbidden, upon pain of Death, to mourn for them, Lev. x. 1, 2, 3, 6. At last, by the Commandment of God, Aaron goes up into Mount Hor, to die there, not being permitted to enter into the Land of Promise.

Thus Moses and Aaron were sometimes at disagreement, Aaron envying Moses: Aaron lost two of his Sons, by a signal Judgment from Heaven; and Moses advanced neither of his; and both Moses and Aaron died by the particular Appointment and Command of God, for their Offences against him, ne∣ver enjoying, nor, for a long time before, ex∣pecting to enjoy the Land of Promise. And therefore, as they could never have performed what they did, but by the Almighty Power of God; so they could have no Motive or Inducement to attempt it, but his Command and Promise of Assistance revealed to them.

CHAP. IV. Of the Pentateuch.

AS the Books entitled to Moses are con∣fessed by all to be of the greatest An∣tiquity; so we have it confirmed to us, by the Authority of Heathen Writers themselves, that the Books which go under his Name,

are indeed of his writing; besides the una∣nimous Testimony of the whole Jewish Na∣tion, ever since Moses's Time, from the first writing of them: Which is infinitely better Proof of their being Authentick, and entitl'd to the true Author, than can be pretended for any Books but the Holy Scriptures. Divers Texts of the Pentateuch imply, that it was written by Moses; and the Book of Joshua, as well as other Books of Scripture, import as much; and though some Passages have been thought to imply the contrary; yet this is but a late Opinion, and has been sufficiently confuted by Learned Men.

It is observable, whoever wrote these Five Books, that there is no Partiality shewn to any one whomsoever. Noah is said to be overcome with Wine, and expos'd to the Mockery of one of his Sons. Lot is describ'd not only to have been drunken, but to have lain with his own Daughters. Abraham him∣self denies his Wife twice; and Isaac imitates him in it. Jacob gets the Blessing, by Fraud and Subtilty, from his Brother Esau. Jo∣seph's Brethren sell him into Aegypt; and he, when he is there, learns to swear By the Life of Pharaoh. The Faults of Aaron, and of Moses himself, (as I have already observ'd) are not conceal'd. On the other side, par∣ticular Notice is taken how Melchizedeck bless'd Abraham, and receiv'd Tythes of him: And without all contradiction, the less is blessed

of the better, Heb. vii. 7. The Advice of Jethro is recorded; and the Prophecies of Balaam himself are punctually set down. It was no Design of the Sacred Pen-Man to write a Panegyrick upon any Man, but to represent the Failings and Infirmities, as well as the Excellencies of each Person; and to shew by what various Methods the Pro∣vidence of God brought to pass his gracious Designs; how he turn'd Evil into Good, and made use even of the Infirmities and Sins of Men, to accomplish his Purposes.

In the Book of Genesis we have a short Account of the most Memorable and Re∣markable Things which had past to the Times of Moses; as the Creation of the World, the Institution of the Sabbath, the Fall of Man, the Promise of the Messiah, and the Custom of Offering Sacrifices as Types of his Death: Who first committed Murther, and who first brought in Polygamy; the Inventon of divers Arts, the Flood, the Confusion of Tongues; the Original of the several Nations of the World, with the Chro∣nology of the whole; all which is compre∣hended in a little Compass, but a larger and more particular Account is given of Abraham and his Family: For here the Scene begins to open to the main Design of the Work, the Book of Genesis being as an Introduction to the rest of the Pentateuch, and containing such things as were requisite to be premis'd.

And in the beginning of the History of Abraham, it is noted, that the Canaanite was then in the land, Gen. xii. 6. even at that very time when Abraham erected an Altar to the Lord, ver. 7. this being a great En∣couragement to the Israelites, to excite them to follow the Example of their Father Abraham, who worshipp'd the True God, in a publick and solemn Manner, in that Land which they were now going to possess, and amongst that People which they were now to drive out, and which, at that time when the Land was promis'd them, were the In∣habitants of it; and God, who had pro∣tected Abraham in so signal a Manner, would no less assist them.

And if we consider those things particu∣larly, wherein Moses himself is concen'd as an Agent, as well as an Historian, there can be no Pretence for any Man to doubt, but that at least the principal Points of the Hi∣story of Moses are true; that is, that Moses was the Governor or General of the People of Israel, who conducted them out of Ae∣gypt; that they travell'd for many Years in the Wilderness; that they fought divers Battels with the several Nations who oppos'd their Journeying into the Land of Canaan; and, that Moses gave them the Laws which we find there recorded. These are the chief Points of the History of Moses, which are, as it were, the Foundation of all the rest;

the rest being but as Circumstances to shew the Manner of doing it, and the Power by which all this was done. And that these main Points are true, it was never deny'd by those Heathens themselves who most re∣proach'd and vilify'd the Jewish Nation: They acknowledg'd that Moses was the great General and Law-Giver of the Israelites; they own'd that the Israelites came out of Aegypt; they could deny nothing of the History it self, but only gave wrong Ac∣counts, partly out of Ignorance, and partly out of Malice and Design, of the Manner and Means by which this was effected, and the Reasons and Occasions upon which it came to pass. From the Books of Josephus against Apion, in which he gives an Account of what the most Ancient Authors of other Nations have deliver'd concerning the Jews; and from what the latter Heathens, Strabo, Tacitus, Justin, and others; after the Jews became so odious and contemptible in the eyes of all Nations, have written; it is evident, that the great and fundamental Points, as to the Matters of Fact, are confess'd; and the only Dispute is concerning the Manner in which they were brought about, and the Means whereby all was effected.

Now we take the Histories of all other Na∣tions, rather from themselves, than from Foreigners and Strangers to their Affairs, or professed Enemies; and it were extreme Par∣tiality

to admit the Accounts we have of the Jewish Affairs, from Authors who liv'd so much too late to have any certain Informa∣tion of the things they write about, and who, upon every Occasion, shew such Dis∣affection to their Name and Nation, and contradict each other, and themselves too, as Josephus shews; it would, I say, be no∣torious Partiality to follow such Authors, rather than credit the Jewish Records attested and deliver'd down to us by the unanimous Approbation and Testimony of the whole Nation.

And when I come to consider the Mi∣racles wrought by Moses, I shall prove, That they were of that Nature, and perform'd in such a Manner, as that they could not be feign'd or counterfeit at first, nor the Ac∣count given of them in the Pentateuch falsi∣fy'd afterwards; and therefore these Five Books of Moses must be Genuine, and of Divine Authority, being written by him who had so many ways given Evidence of his Divine Commission.

CHAP. V. Of the Predictions or Prophecies Con∣tain'd in the Books of Moses.

IT was foretold by God himself, upon the Fall of our First Parents, That the seed of the woman should bruise the serpem's head, Gen. iii. 15. Maimonides is observ'd to take particular Notice, That it was the Seed of the Woman, and not of the Man; and the Jews, in their Targum's, are observ'd to apply this Text to the Messias, which was fulfill'd in our Saviour Christ, who was born of a Woman, that was a Virgin, and had no Man to his Father: And therefore this Prediction, express'd thus precisely con∣cerning the Seed of the Woman, could be fulfill'd in no other Person; and no other Person ever gain'd such Victories over the Enemy of Mankind, who had so long tyran∣niz'd over the Sons of Men. God reveal'd the precise Time of the Flood to Noah; who thereupon built an Ark, and foretold the De∣struction of the World to that wicked Genera∣tion, and was a Preacher of Righteousness and Repentance to them, Gen. vi. 3. After the Flood, Noah, by a Prophetick Spirit, foretold the Fate and Condition of the Posterity of his three Sons, Gen. ix. 25. That Canaan should

be Servant to Shem; which was accom∣plished, when the Children of Israel, the Po∣sterity of Shem, subdued the Canaanites, and possessed their Land, about Eight hundred Years after this Prophecy: That Japhet should dwell in the Tents of Shem; which was fulfilled in the Greeks and Romans, descen∣ded from Japhet, when they conquer'd Asia: That Canaan should likewise be the Servant of Japhet, as well as of Shem. Upon which Mr. Mede observes, (n) 1.109 that the Posterity Cham never subdued the Children either of Japhet or of Shem; though Shem hath sub∣dued Japhet, and Japhet hath conquer'd Shem: which made (o) 1.110 Hannibal, descended from Canaan, cry out, with amazement of Soul, Agnosco fatum Carthaginis.

God promiseth Abraham a Son, in his old Age, by Sarah his Wife, who was likewise of a great Age; and declares, that his Po∣sterity, by this Son, should be exceeding numerous; that they should inherit the Land of Canaan, after they had been afflicted in a strange Land Four hundred Years, Gen. XV. 13. and that then they should come out of that Land with great substance, but that God would judge the Nation that had oppressed them, or that he would procure their Deliverance by signal Judgments upon their Oppressors; and that in the fourth generation they should be brought back again to the Land of Pro∣mise, ver. 16. which agrees exactly with the

Deliverance of the Children of Israel out of Aegypt, computing the Years from the time that the Promise was made to Abraham, (Exod. xii. 40. Gal. iii. 17.) and reckoning the Four Generations to be betwixt Isaac the Son promised to Abraham, and Moses, in whom the Prediction was fulfilled. This Promise made to Abraham and his Seed, was renewed several times, and repeated again to Him, and to Isaac and Jacob, Gen. xxvi. 3. & xxviii. 14. and was all along depended upon by the Israelites. God foretold of Abraham, That all the nations of the earth should be blessed in him, Gen. xviii. 18. which was fulfilled in that God made Abraham' Posterity his Messengers to communicate his Will to the rest of Mankind, and more especially in that Blessing which all Nations received in the Birth of Christ. This is a remarkable Prophecy concerning the greatest of Blessings, and is often repeated.

The Prophecy of Isaac, concerning Esau and Jacob, Gen. xxvii. 40. first, That the Posterity of Esau should serve Jacob's Poste∣rity, was fulfilled, in David's Victories over the Edomites, 2 Sam. viii. 14. 1 King. xi. 15. 1 Chron. xviii. 13. and by Amaziah, 2 King. xiv. 7. and then that part of it, That the Edomites should break the yoke from off their neck, was accomplish'd, 2 King viii. 20. 2 Chron. xxi. 8. Joseph's own Dream, and his Interpretation of the Dream of Pharaoh,

when none of the Magicians or Wise-men of Aegypt were able to interpret it, had re∣markable and publick Circumstances, that could neither be mistaken nor forgotten in the accomplishment. Jacob describes the Borders of their several Possessions in the Land of Canaan, though it were so many years after divided among the Tribes by Lot, Gen. xlix. 13. He foretold the different state and condition of the rest of his Sons, and particularly prophesied, That the scepter should not depart from Judah, until Shiloh came; And upon the fulfilling of this and other Prophecies in the Pentateuch, not only the Jews, but the Samaritans, who received no other Prophecies as they did these, expected the Messias at the time in which our Saviour appeared in the world; and believed on him because they saw the Prophecies fulfilled in Him, Joh. iv. 25, 29, 39, 42. Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence, Gen. l. 25. which they did ac∣cordingly, Exod. xiii. 19. Jacob had desired to be buried in the Land of Canaan; inso∣much that he caused Joseph to swear to him that he would bury him there, and not in Aegypt; and Joseph and his Brethren went into Canaan to bury their Father, because that was the Land where Abraham and Isaac had been buried, and the Land which their Posterity was afterwards to Possess: but

Joseph, as a further token of Assurance to the Israelites, that they should inherit that Land, would not have his own Corps carried thi∣ther, at his death, but ordered his Bones to be kept, and carried up by their Posterity, at their leaving Aegypt; and in the mean time, they were a perpetual Monument and Representation to them of the Promise made to their Fore-fathers, and a Ground and Mo∣tive for their Trust and Confidence in God for the Accomplishment of it.

The Remembrance of Balaam's Prophecy was preserved in the East; and the Wise∣men, upon the appearance of the Star, know∣ing it to be fulfilled, came to Jerusalem, to enquire where they might find the King of the Jews, then newly born, Num. xxiv. 15. Mat. ii. 2. He prophesied likewise of Agag by Name, saying of Israel, And his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted, Num. xxiv. 7. thereby foretelling the Destruction of Agag, by Saul; who being the first King that ever Israel had, overcame Agag King of the Amalekites, 1 Sam. xv. 8. The same Balaam foretold the Conquests of Alexander, in these words, And ships shall come from the coasts of Chittim, and shall afflict Ashur, Num. xxiv. 24. By the Coasts of Chittim, are to be understood the Coasts of Greece, from whence Alexander's Army was transported into Asia; for Alexander came out of the Land of Chettim or Chittim, 1 Mac. i. 1.

and Perseus was King of the Citims, or Ma∣cedonians, chap. viii. 5. These several Pro∣phecies we have recorded in the Books of Moses, and ascribed to others; and the last, comaining so many remarkable things, is from the mouth of an Enemy.

Moses himself foretold, That the Children of Israel should, after Forty Years, come into the Land of Promise; That they should prove Victorious over the Canaanites; and, That their Country should, by the Divine Care and Protection, be preserved in safety, whilst they went up to worship at Jerusalem, thrice every Year: Thrice in the year shall all your men-children appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel: For I will cast out the na∣tions before thee, and enlarge thy borders; net∣ther shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God, thrice in the year, Exod. xxxiv. 23, 24. Here is the Promise of a constant Miracle to be fulfilled to the Israelites thrice every Year as long as their Government stood; all their Males were to go up to Jerusalem, at three set and known times, every year; and yet their Enemies round about them, whom they had so many ways provoked, were, by the Almighty Power of God, restrained from taking any advantage of this opportunity, which was frequently and notoriously given them, of Invading their Countrey. The very Nature and Constitution of the Jewish

worship, made it impossible for their Govern∣ment to subsist in the observation of their Religion, without a Miracle wrought three times in a Year for their preservation. And the fulfilling of this Promise, which God had made to them by Moses, and the pre∣serving of them in the performance of that Worship which he had appointed them, was a continual Confirmation of his Law, and a repeated Assurance that it was from God.

By the Law of Moses likewise, every Se∣venth Year they were Permitted neither to sow their Land, nor to prune their Vine∣yards, nor to gather any Corn or Fruits that grew of their own accord: which was a Law that must have brought them under great extremities, and the observation of it had been impracticable, if the extraordinary and miraculous Blessing of God had not supplied this constant want of the seventh year's Pro∣duct, with as constant an Overplus in the preceeding years. For as God, by Moses, foretold, That on the Sixth Day there should fall Manna enough to supply them on the Sabbath-day; so they had a Promise of Three Years Fruits precisely every Sixth Year, to supply that want which the Sabbatical Year must otherwise have reduced them to: And if ye shall say, What shall we eat the seventh year; behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our encrease: Then I will command my blessing

upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years. And ye shall sow the eighth year, and eat yet of old fruit, until the ninth year, until her fruits come in, ye shall eat of the old store, Lev. xxv. 20, 21, 22. Which is another clear Instance, that the People of Israel could never have subsisted in the observation of their Law, but by the constant and miraculous accomplishment of the Prophecies, which contained the Pro∣mises made to them for their Preserva∣tion.

In blessing the Twelve Tribes of Israel, he foretold the peculiar state and condition of every distinct Tribe, Deut. xxxiii. He foretold to them all in general, That they should have miraculous success against the Canaanites; That they should possess them∣selves of their Land; That they should set Kings over them; That they should have a peculiar Place of Worship, whither they should all resort; and that they should have the Divine Oracles, and a succession of Pro∣phets, for their direction in all Matters of great importance and difficulty. And Joshua appeals to the Experience of the children of Israel, whether all had not been fulfilled which was promised, as far as his time: And be hold this day I am going the way of all the earth; and ye know in all your hearts, and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God

spake concerning you: all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof, Josh. xxiii. 14. The extent of the Domi∣nions of the children of Israel, after they came to be setled in the Land of Canaan, is foretold, Exod. xxiii. 31. and fulfilled, 2 Sam. viii. 3. Ezra iv. 20. And Solomon at the Dedication of the Temple, declared in the audience of all the People. That there had not failed one word of all God's good pro∣mise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant, 1 King. viii. 56.

Moses also foretold, that besides a con∣stant succession of Prophets, for many Ages there should arise a Prophet of extraordinary Power and Authority; and whosoever would not hear that Prophet, should be destroyed Deut. xviii. 18. This Prophet was the great expectation of the Jews at the time of out Saviour's coming, Joh. 1.21. & vi. 14. & vii. 40. and the Apostles prove our Saviour to be him, Act. iii. 22. & vii. 37. Lastly, Moses foretold the Disobedience and the Re∣volt of the children of Israel, the Judgments that should befall them for their Iniquities and their Deliverance upon their Repentance he foretold so many Years before they had any King, That they, and their King whom they would set over them, should be carried into Captivity; and that at the same time, when they were taken Captive by the Assy∣rians, who are described in the very same

words that the other Prophets use concerning them, the remainder should be carried into Aegypt, Deut. xxviii. 36, 49, 50, 68. and we see it came accordingly to pass, Jer. xliii. And the Siege of Samaria by the Assyrians, and of Jerusalem both by them and the Ro∣mans, is particularly described to the very circumstance of their eating the flesh of their sons, and of their daughters, Deut. xxviii. 53. which is a thing that has scarce ever happen'd in any other Siege but those of Samaria and of Jerusalem, Lam. ii. 20. & iv. 10.2 King. vi. 29. This monstrous and dreadful thing was twice known in Jerusalem; first, when it was besieged by Nehuchadnezzar; and a∣gain, when it was destroyed by the Romans under Titus: And such a circumstance could not be foretold so long before, but by a Di∣vine Prescience; and that so strange and un∣natural a thing should befall the Children of Israel three several times, according to the express words of a Prophecy, could have no∣thing of Chance in it.

Thus we see, that besides the Prophecies concerning the other Nations of the Earth, every State and Condition of the People of Israel, from their first Original, to the De∣struction of Jerusalem, was the Perpetual Fulfilling of express Prophecies contained in the Books of Moses.

CHAP. VI. Of the Miracles wrought by Moses.

IF it be once proved, That Moses did what is related of him in the Pentateuch; it will unavoidably follow, That he did it by a Divine Power, and that he was God's Ser∣vant and Minister; and that therefore what∣soever he did or wrote, as by his Direction and Command, was really so. For if there ever were or can be any such thing as a Miracle, it must be confessed, that the Works performed by Moses were such; and there∣fore the only Enquiry will be, Whether they were really performed by Him; since it is absurd to think, that God may not, upon great Reasons, alter the course of Nature.

And I shall undertake to prove, supposing only that there was such a Man as Moses, and that the Jewish Law was given by him, That it is of Divine Authority, and stands confirmed by all the Miracles which are re∣lated in the Pentateuch, to have been wrought by Moses. And that there was such a man, and that he delivered the Law to the Israe∣lites, is affirmed by the best Heathen Au∣thors, as Diodorus Siculus, Strabo, and others and was never yet, that I have heard of question'd by any Man: For those who will

not acknowledge that Moses wrote the Books which contain it, yet confess that the Law it self was of his prescribing. But if it should be question'd, whether there ever was such a Man, who gave them their Law; how ab∣surd is it to imagine, that a new and bur∣thensome Law, which at first was so very uneasie to them, and which nothing but a full persunsion of its Divine Authority could ever have made them so zealous for, should be received by any Nation, merely upon a feigned and groundless Report, that Moses had, at some time or other, deli∣vered it, in such a manner, and in such cir∣cumstances, if there never had been such a Man, or such a Law-giver in the World? Could any one, or more Men, persuade a whole Nation to this? or could a whole Na∣tion conspire to deceive their Posterity with a belief of it? What mighty Charm could there be in a Name never heard of before, and in a Story newly invented, that a whole Nation should presently grow fond of it? They must consider Humane Nature very little, who can fansie any thing so unna∣tural.

I shall therefore take it for granted, that there was such a Man as Moses, and that the Jewish Law was given by him: And if it be once proved, that the Matters of Fact, or Miracles related of him, were indeed per∣formed, as they are related to have been;

no rational Man can doubt but that they were brought to pass by an Almighty Power, I shall now therefore consider the History of the Jews barely as National Records, not as written by an Inspired Author: For it will appear from them, considered only as an Ac∣count of Matter of fact, that Moses was a Person inspired and assisted by God, and both wrote and did all by God's express Will and Appointment. And if we question the Authority of the Books of Moses in this matter, when they are considered but as National Records, it must be upon one of these accounts: Either, (1.) Because the Matters of fact contained in them, as they are there related to have been done, were not at first sufficiently attested. Or, (2.) Be∣cause the Records themselves are seigned, and therefore the Relations there set down are not to be depended upon. For if the Miracles be sufficiently attested, supposing the Truth of the History; then, if the History be true, the Miracles must be so too.

1. The Miracles and Matters of fact con∣tained in the Books of Moses, as they are there related to have been done, were at first sufficiently attested. The permission of Polygamy amongst the Israelites, for the encrease of that People; the peculiar Fruit∣fulness of the Climate of Aegypt, where the Women are observed to bring forth often

two or three, sometimes more Children at a birth; the long Lives of Mankind in those Ages; and above all, the Promise of God, made to Abraham, That he would bless and multiply his Posterity in Isaac's Line, Gen. xxii. 17. caused the Children of Israel to be exceeding numerous, in a few Generations after they came into Aeygpt: A Syrian ready to perish was their father; and he went down into Aeygpt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty and populous, Deut. xxvi. 5. The fighting-Men, from twenty years old and upward, that were numbred in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the second year after they came out of the Land of Aegypt, were Six hundred thousand, and Three thousand and five hundred and fifty, besides the Tribe of Levi, Num. i. 1, 46, 47. And the Males of the Levites that were numbred, from Thirty Years old to Fifty were Egtht thousand and five hundred and four∣score, Num. iv. 47, 48. And the number of Males, from Twenty Years old and upward, which was taken in the Plains of Moab, was Six hundred thousands and a thousand seven hundred and thirty, besides the Levites; and those that were numbred of them, were Twenty and three thousand, all males from a month old and upward, and not a man of these was numbred before in the wilderness of Sinai chap. xxvi. 51, 62, 64. And those of the other Sex must be supposed to have been

about the same number, when both these Accompts were taken: In all, reckoning Men, Women, and Children and Servants, the Number is computed at three Millions.

And all this People, the Parents, and the Children, who, as they died, grew up in their stead, were conducted for Forty Years together, by a constant course of Miracles wrought continually in their sight. God took him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched∣out arm, and by great terrours, Deut. iv. 34. They could not be ignorant, whether there were Miracles wrought to procure their De∣liverance out of Aegypt; these were publick and notorious both to the Israelites and the Aegyptians; the Magicians were not able to do the like with their Inchantments, but were forced to confess, This is the finger of God, Exod. viii. 19. and they were of that nature, and of such mighty consequence, that they could not fail of being particularly taken notice of, when two Nations were so much concerned in the Effects and Events of them. The Children of Israel had been Witnesses of Ten Plagues inflicted successively upon the Aegyptians, in the most remarkable manner that can be conceived, to procure their Deliverance; and when Pharaoh pursued them, as they were going away, it was im∣possible for them to escape from him but by

Miracle; the People were in the greatest con∣sternation; they wished themselves again in Ae∣gypt, and made such Expostulations with Moses as it was natural for Men in that condition to make, and such as shewed, that, upon the first opportunity, they would have been ready ••o deliver up Moses, to secure themselves and mal•••• their peace with Pharaoh: And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Aegypt hast thou taken us away to die in ••he wilderness? Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Aegypt? Is not ••his the word that we did tell thee in Aegypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Aegyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Aegyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness, Exod. xiv. 11, 12. But the Israelites were purposely brought into this Distress, by God's express Will and Com∣mand, that he might get him honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his dost, upon his cha∣riots, and upon his horse-men, ver. 17. And ••he Sea being divided at Moses's lifting up his Rod, the Children of Israel went in the midst of it upon dry-ground, and the waters were a wall unto them on the right hand, and on the lest, ver. 22. And could they be ignorant whether they walked in the Water, or upon dry Land? whether they were the Men that had escaped, or whether they had been all drowned? The words are express, that the Waters were on both sides of them, in their

passage▪ and that they were separated to make way for them; which could not fall out by any ebbing of the Sea, for then they would have had Water but on one side of them, whereas now the Waters stood equally on both hands. And nothing can be supposed more absurd, than it is to imagine that nei∣ther the Aegyptians nor the Israelites should understand the nature of the Red-Sea, but that the course of the Tide should be known only to Moses.

At the giving of the Law, the whole People of Israel had warning given them three days before, that they might sanctifie and prepare themselves to make their Ap∣pearance before the Lord, All the people saw the thunderings, and lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and beheld the mountain smoak∣ing: and the Lord spake, in the audience of the whole Assembly, the words of the Ten Com∣mandments; and they were struck with such a terrour, that they removed and stood afar off, and desired Moses that he would acquaint them with what God should be pleased to give him in command concerning them, that they might no longer hear God speaking to them, lest they should die, Exod. xx. 18. Deut. v. 22. The clond of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys, Exod. xl. 38. whether it were two days, or a month, or a year that the cloud

tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed, Num. ix. 22. From the time of their escape out of Aegypt, the Pillar of the Cloud by day, and the Pillar of Fire by might: the Manna with which they were ••fed, during the whole time of their journey∣ing in the Wilderness, till the very day after they had eaten of the corn of the land of Can••••n, Exod. xvi. 35. Jos. v. 12. and their Gar∣ments lasting for so long a time, without any decay, Deut. xxix. 5. these were constant and perpetual Miracles for forty years together; and it is the most impossible thing in the world to suppose, that a People consisting of so many Hundred Thousands, should for so long a time be imposed upon in things of this nature, their Eves, and Taste, and all their Senses were Witnesses, that they were conducted and fed and cloathed by Miracle, for Forty Years together.

Indeed, it was impossible to lead so great a Multitude, through a vast and barren Wil∣derness, by so long and tedious Journeys, without the help of Miracles. If they had been under no other distress but want of Food, in so barren a place, it had been im∣possible for any number of Men, and much more for so vast a multitude, to subsist for any time, without a Miracle: but they were sed with Manna from Heaven; not with such

as the Manna is which is now any where to be found, which is a kind of Honey-dew; but with Manna which was fit for Nourish∣ment, not for physick, and so hard as to be ground in Mills, and beaten in Mortars, and baked in Pans, Num. xi. 8. and yet it was melted by the Sun, and bred Worms and stunk, if it were kept but one night, except it were on the night before the Sabbath; though again, when it was to be preserved for a Memorial to future Generations, no∣thing was more lasting; and it fell on every Day of the Week but the Sabbath: The Manna therefore which is now, of what sort soever it be, is of quite a different Nature from this Miraculous Manna, (though it have its Name from it,) as a learned Physician (p) 1.111 has proved. Their Water was as miraculous as their Food, and their Cloathing as either; neither their Raiment decayed, nor their Bread and Water failed, till they arrived in the pro∣mised Land.

The March of the Greek Army out of Asia under the Conduct of Xenophon, after the death of Cyrus, is looked upon as a thing scarce to be equalled in all humane Story, though that was but for one Year, and three Months and the Difficulties they met with were nothing, in comparison of those that beset the Israelites on every side, in that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery ser∣pents, and scorpions, and drought, Deut. viii. 15.

a land of desarts. and of pits, of drought, and of the shadow ••f death; a land that no man pas∣sed through, and where no man dwelt, Jer. ii. 6. Nothing but a Power of Miracles could have sustained them, and nothing but the Sense of it could have kept them within any Bounds of Duty and Obedience.

We see how froward and rebellious they were upon all occasions, notwithstanding the wonderful Power and Presence of God conti∣nually manifest amongst them; they would have been content with the Aegyptian Slavery, and the Aegyptian Gods too, rather than en∣dure the Hardships of the wilderness. Moses complains, that they were almost ready to stone him, Exod. xvii. 4. and out of despondency prayed, that God would kill him out of hand rather than lay so great a burden upon him, Num. xi. 15. And whoever can believe, that Moses, by his own Skill and Management, could lead such a Multitude through such a Wilderness, so many Years Journey, can, it seems, believe any thing rather than the Scrip∣tures: for this is one of the most incredible things that can be conceived; but it is not in the least incredible, that he might do it by the Divine Power and Assistance.

The Children of Israel tempted God ten times, by their Murmurings, and their distrust of his Power and Care over them, Num. xiv. 22. for which, many of them were puni••h'd with death; till at last, the whole number of

Men that were Twenty Years old and up∣wards, had this Judgment deno••nced against them, That, for their Murmurings▪ but two of them by name, Caleb the Son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the Son of Nun, should be suffered to enter into the promised Land, and the rest should all die in the Wilderness; but that after Forty Years wandring in the Wilderness, their Children should be brought in to possess it: I the Lord have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be con∣sumed, and there shall they die, Num. xiv. 35. And the Men who were sent out to search the Land, and brought the evil report upon it, died forthwith by the plague before the Lord, ver. 37. and these Men were the Heads of the Children of Israe••, a Man of every Tribe be∣ing chosen out, every one a Ruler amongst them, chap. xiii. 2, 3. and but two of them agreed in giving the true Account of the Land; so great an aversion they had to proceed any farther in their way thither: And all the con∣gregation lifted up their voice and cried: and the people wept that night. And all the chil∣dren of Israel murmured against Moses and a∣gainst Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Aegypt, or would God we had died in this wilderness. And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were

is not better for us to return into Aegypt? And they said one to another, Let us make a cantain, and let us return into Aegypt. And all the Congregation were for stoning Joshua and Caleb, if they had not been hindred by the glory of the Lord appearing in the tabernacle of the congregation, before all the children of Israel, Num. xiv. 1, 2, 3, 4, 10. Now, upon so ge∣neral a d••f••ction, to pronounce peremptorily, That but Two by name, of so many Thou∣sands, should go in to inherit the Land of Promise, and that all the rest should die in that very Wilderness which they complained so much of, and that no less than Forty Years were to be spent in that wandring condition, which they were already so weary of: This is such a Method of quelling so general a Discontent and Mutiny, as never was heard of before nor since, and which could pro∣ceed from nothing less than a Wisdom and Authority which could check and controul the most combined and inveterate Perverse∣ness of men; and a Power which struck the Spreaders of this false Report with immediate death, before their eyes, for an Example of that Vengeance which they must all expect would fall upon them, sooner or later, within the space of Forty Years. So that hereby was taken off all prospect of Advantage, and ••ll hopes of any Reward for what they now, with so much regret and impatience, under∣went; and from henceforth they were led

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meerly by Conviction of the Divine Power and Presence amongst them, and of the Ter∣rours of those Judgments, which, in all Re∣volts, seized upon the Disobedient. And now being restless and uneasie in their present condition, and past all hopes of remedying it, like desperate Men, they were upon every little occasion thrown into violent Commo∣tions, but were as soon controlled and ap∣peased by visible Judgments upon the chief Authors of them.

For when we read, soon after, that a Re∣bellion was raised against Moses, by Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; God gave such evident Tokens of that Authority which he had in∣vested him withal, and so signally manifested, that what he had done amongst them, was by his Power and Commission, that it was impossible for any of them to be deceived in it, or to doubt of it. Though the truth of it is, they had never from the very first doubted of God's Power amongst them, but were acted now with a Spirit of Rage and Despair, like the Men described by the Prophet, fret∣ting themselves, and cursing their king, and their God, and looking upwards, Isai. viii. 21. Ko∣rah, of the Tribe of Levi; and Dathan, and Abiram, and On, of the Tribe of Reuben, be∣ing Principal and Leading Men of these two Tribes, with Two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown, gathered themselves together against

Moses and Aaron, charging them. That they took too much upon them. And to clear himself of this Accusation, Moses implores God to vindicate his Innocency, before all the People; and, by agreement Korah and Aaron appeared before the Lord, with Censers in their Hands, and Two hundred and fifty Men besides with their Censers likewise. Korah, at the time appointed, gathered all the Congregation a∣gainst Moses and Aaron, unto the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation. So that here was the most solemn Appearance of the wh••l•• People, who had entertained great Jealousies against Moses and Aaron, and were now met together, to see whether they could give sufficient Proof of their Authority, which they challenged over them. The Time and Place was appointed, and they came enclined and prepared to receive any farther ill im∣pressions concerning Moses and Aaron, if they could not have made out their Pretensions, in the most remarkable and astonishing man∣ner, to the utter confusion of all their Ene∣mies. First the Glory of the Lord appeared un∣to all the congregation; and then Moses, at God's Command, charges the Congregation to depart from the Tabernacles of Korah, Da∣than, and Abiram, and declares, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works: for I have not done them of mine own mind. If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visi∣tation

of all men; then the Lord hath not sent me. But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord. And it ca••e to pass, as he had made an end of speak∣ing all these words, that the ground clave asun∣der that was under them: And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation▪ And all Israel that were round about them, sled at the ••ry of them: for they said▪ Lest the earth swal∣low us up also. And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense, Num. xvi.

Thus Moses vind••cated himself, and proved his Divine Mission and Authority in such a manner, as it was impossible but that the whole People of Israel must be convinced of it: They were very suspicious and jealous of him, tho' they had had so much experience of his Favour with God, and of all his mighty Works done in the midst of them: but when this dreadful Vengeance fell upon his Ene∣mies, before the whole Congregation, who were met together on purpose to see whether God would declare himself for him; when

the Earth divided it s••lf ••o swallow some of these Men, and a Fire from H••a••en devoured others, there was not a Man of all the Con∣gregation but must be an Eye-witness to this Judgment; and there could be no Deceit nor Mistake in a thing of this nature: For Men may as well doubt, whether those whom they see live, are alive, as, whether those whom they see taken away by so terrible and so vi∣sible a death, are dead; and unless they can know this, there can be no Knowledge nor Proof of any thing. They saw the Earth first divide it self, and then close it self again upon these wicked Men; they saw them go down alive into the pit; they heard the Cry of them, and fled away ••o•• fear; and they saw be∣sides a Fire from the Lord consume no fewer than Two hundred and fifty Men, and these the Men that offer'd Incense, in opposition to Aaron; Princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown, whose death was very remarkable, upon the account of their Persons, as well as for the Manner of it. So many Men of that Rank and Character being taken away at once, was a thing that would have been much observed, and strictly enquir'd into, if they had fain by any other death: but their dying in this manner, was so wonderful, and so plain a declaration of the Divine Justice, that it could neither be unknown nor forgotten by any Man in the whole Con∣gregation.

Yet their Discontents against Moses still continued; for He and Aaron were charged with killing the people of the Lord, ver. 41. and the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron: and behold, the cloud co∣vered the tabernacle of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord appeared. And God's Wrath was so hot against the People, for their St••bbornness and Disobedience that notwith∣standing the Intercession of Moses and Aaron in their behalf a Plague from the Lord raged so much amongst them, that they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hun∣dred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah, ver. 49. And there were, probably many Families in every Tribe, which bore the marks of God's Displeasure, and of the Truth of Moses his Mission: and then Aaron's Rod alone blossom'd of all the Rods of the Twelve Tribes; but by this time the people were weary of their contumacy, and cried out, ••••hold, we die, we perish, we all perish: Shall we be consumed with dying? Num. xvii, 12, 13. And thus was an end put to a Sedition, which was the greatest and the most dangerous, as Josephus well observes, that was ever known among any People; and such, as that so dread∣ful a succession of Miracles was necessary to deliver Moses out of it. And I would know of the greatest Infidel, whether, if he had lived at that time, and had been in the Wil∣derness with Moses, and had been of Korah's

Conspiracy, (as it is most likely he would have been,) I would know of him, I say, whe∣ther he could have done any thing more, to put Moses upon the utmost tryal of his power and Authority received from God, than these rebellious Israelites did; And if he could not, (as he must needs confess he could not) then he ought to be satisfied in the Authority of Moses, as they themselves afterwards were, unless he has an ambition to shew, that some Christians can be more refractary than Jews.

Yet again, when they wanted Water, the Peopled quarell'd with Moses, and said, Would God that we had died when our brethren ••ied before the Lord. And Moses brought Water out of the Rock, before the whole Congregation, in so great plenty, that the whole People and their Cattle, just ready to perish with thirst, was satisfied with it, Num. xx. 3, 10. At another time, after a signal Victory over the Canaanites, they made the same Complaints again; and for their Murmurings, were stung by fiery Serpents, and many died; till a Brazen Serpent being erected, as many as looked on it, were miraculously cured, Num. xxi. 6.

And if the delivering the Law in so con∣spicuous and wonderful a manner; if so re∣markable Judgments upon those that que∣stioned and opposed Moses his Authority, and that transgressed his Law, by committing Ido∣latry; if a continual course of Miracles, for

Forty Years, done before the eyes, and ob∣vious to every sense of so many thousands of People, be not a plain demonstration, that the Matter of Fact, in all the circum∣stances of it necessary to prove Moses to have acted by God's immediate Authority and Commission, was at first sufficiently attested, it is impossible that any thing can be cer∣tainly testified.

We see how impossible it was for Moses to impose upon the People of Israel in things of this nature; it he could have been so far for∣saken of all Reason and common Sense, as to hope to do it. But if he had designed to put any deceit upon them, he would certainly have taken another course; he would have done his Miracles privately, and but seldom, not in the midst of all the People, for Forty Years together: he would never have made two Nations, at the first, Witnesses to them; and then have proceeded in such a manner, as that every Man among the Israelites must have known them to be false, if thy had been so: he would have chosen such Instances to shew his Miracles in, as should have provoked no body; not such as must have enraged the whole People against him, by the death of so many thousands, so often put to death, if they had been slain by any other means than by the Almighty Hand of God. And indeed, what could destroy so many, so irresistibly, so suddenly and visibly, but the Divine Power?

And what could be the Design and Intent of such Miracles, but to fulfil the Will of God and make his Power to be known, and his au∣thority acknowledged, in the Laws which were delivered in his Name, and which were so often affronted and transgressed by these Sinners, against their own Souls? At their going out of Aegypt, by a miraculous Provi∣dence, there was not one feeble person among their trib••s; but upon their transgressions, they were punished by Diseases as miraculous.

We have other Evidence (as I have before observed) that Moses had no design to delude the People of Israel, from the Meekness of his Disposition, from his discovering his own Faults and Infirmities in his Writings, and from his not advancing his Family, but leaving his Posterity in a private condition, and put∣ting the Government into the hands of Joshua, one of the Tribe of Ephraim. But when all the People of Israel were Witnesses to so many Miracles wrought by him, and particularly to so strange a Judgment as the cleaving asunder of the Earth, and the Fire and Plague by which so many thousands perished; we need not insist upon any other Proof to shew that the Miraculons Power and Divine Authority by which Moses acted and wrote, was as well attested, and as fully known to the whole People of Israel, as it is possible for any Matter of Fact to be known to any single Person.

2. Having shewn, That the Matters of fact and Miracles contained in the Books of Moses as they are related to have been done, were at first sufficiently attested; and that, if we may credit that Relation, all the Miracles there mention'd were certainly wrought by him; since they are of that nature, that the People of Israel could not be deceived in them: I now proceed to shew, That the Relations there set down, are a true Account of those things, and such as we may depend upon. For if these Matters of Fact or Miracles are either feigned or falsified; this must be done either in Moses's his time, or afterwards, and if in his time, then either by Moses and Aaron with others who were concerned in carrying on the Design, or by the whole People of Isra••l together. And if it were done after Moses his death, then again it must be done either by some particular Man, or by the contrivance of some few or more together; or it must have been by the joint Knowledge and consent of the whole Nation. I will therefore prove, (1.) That the Miracles could not be feigned by Moses and Aaron, and others concerned with them in carrying on such a Design. (2.) The Miracles could not be feigned, nor the Books of Moses invented or falsified by any particular Man, or by any Confederacy or Combination of Men, after the death of Moses. (3.) The Miracles could not be feigned, nor the Books invented or fal∣sified

by the joint Consent of the whole Na∣tion, either in Moses's time, or after it.

1. These Things could not be feigned by Moses and Aaron, and others concerned with them in carrying on such a Design. It is plain, that they could never invent such an Account as that of their miraculous Escape out of Aegypt, and their Travelling in the Wilder∣ness, under the conduct and support of the same miraculous Power, and then impose it upon the People of Israel for Truth. For the People are supposed to be chiefly concerned in the whole Relation. Moses appeals to their own sense and experience; The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even with us, who are all of us here alive this day, Deut. v. 3. And know you this day: for I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the Lord your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched-out arm, and his mi∣racles, and his acts which he did in the midst of Aegypt, unto Pharaoh the king of Aegypt, and unto all his land; and what he did unto the army of Aegypt, unto their horses, and to their chariots, how he made the water of the Red-sea to over flow them as they pursued after you, and how the Lord hath destroyed them unto this day; and what he did unto you in the wilderness, until ye came into this place; and what he did unto Da∣than and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben; how the earth opened her mouth and

swallowed them up, and their housholds, and their tents, and all their substance that was in their pos∣session in the midst of all Israel, But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the Lord, which he did, Deut. xi. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Here is a Recapitulation of all the Miracles that had been wrought, with an Appeal to their Senses for the Truth of them: And Moses would never have made such Appeals as these, if they could possibly have disproved him; they could never be persuaded that they ••ame out of Aegypt, after so many Plagues inflicted up∣on the Aegyptians, to procure their Deliverance, if there had been no such thing, or that they were so long time in the Wilderness, and that so many and so great Miracles were wrought in their sight, if they had never been done before them. Though Men may, perhaps, be persuaded to believe, that their Ancestors, a long time ago, saw and heard things which they never saw nor heard, yet a whole Nation was never supposed to have been persuaded out of their Senses at once: and Moses could not attempt to make so many Men believe what they must all have known to have been false, as well as himself, if it had been so; but he would have lard the Scene at a greater di∣stance of time, and not have brought those in as chiefly concerned in the whole business, who were then alive and present to convince him of falshood: And therefore, if the Par∣ticulars set down in the Pentateuch be false,

and as ancient as Moses his time, they must be invented with the knowledge, and received by the consent of the whole Nation. For Moses and Aaron could never so far delude so many thousands, as to make them believe such variety of Matter of fact, in so many and so wonderful Instances set forth, and with such notorious Circumstances, and appeal to the Senses of those whom they deceived, whe∣ther they had not seen and perceived, and had the experience of what had been done for so many years if it had been all but Fiction.

2. The Miracles could not be feigned, nor the Books of Moses invented or falsified by any particular Man, or by any confederacy or combination of Men, after the death of Moses. If the Miracles were feigned after the death of Moses, either the Laws must likewise be invented or altered after his death, and the Miracles inserted to procure them Autho∣rity; or the Laws remained as they had been delivered by him, and the Miracles only were added. For the Books of Moses may be considered either as containing the Laws de∣livered by him, or as relating the Miracles by which these Laws were ratified and esta∣blished; in each of which respects there could be no Forgery or Falsification. For,

1. The Laws themselves could not be in∣vented, nor altered or falsified: because the whole Jewish State and Policy was founded upon them, and could not subsist without

them; and therefore they must be as ancient as the Jewish Government, which is confess'd on all hands to have been first erected by Moses. For not only their Religious Wor∣ship, but their Civil Rights and Interests, depended entirely upon the Laws of Moses; their Publick Proceedings, and their Private Dealings one with another, were all to be regulated and governed by these Laws: and when any Laws are brought into constant use and practice in any Nation, it is ridicu∣lous to imagine that they can be altered and falsified, and a new System of Laws intro∣duced instead of them, without the know∣ledge of the People governed by them, or any remembrances of it left amongst them. No material Alterations can be made in Laws which are of continual use, and which con∣cern every Man's Interest, but they must be taken notice of and discovered by such as shall find themselves aggrieved by such Alte∣rations. But this was less practicable amongst the Jews, than amongst any other People.

1. Because the Distinction of their Tribes, and the Genealogies which were kept of every Family, made them have a more separate and distinct Interest in every Tribe, and a more exact Account of Times and perfect Know∣ledge of things in every Family; and there∣fore they were not so capable of being im∣posed upon in things of this nature, as the People of other Nations might be, where

Marriages and Inheritances are promiscuous, and no occasion is given for the like emula∣tion and watchfulness over one another, and where no such Remembrances and Notices of the Transactions of Affairs are to be con∣sulted by any one of every private Family: In the wilderness of Sinai, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Aegypt, Moses and Aaron assembled all the congregations together, and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of their names, from twenty years old and upward, by their poll, Num. i. 1, 18. and this was done again in the Plains of Moab, at the end of Forty Years, chap. xxvi. And these Genealo∣gies we preserved, not only during the Cap∣tivity, Ezra vii. and down to the Reign of Herod, but even to the time of Josephus, who (in his First Book against Apion) says, That they had the Genealogies of their Priests then still extant for two thousand Years.

By which means it came to pass, that every Tribe had a kind of separate Interest; which was the occasion of Korah's Sedition against Moses. And every Man amongst their Tribes might certainly hereby know how many Generations he was removed from those who first took possession of the Land of Pro∣mise; and might find the Names of his An∣cestors registred, who were in the Wilderness with Moses, or came with Joshua over Jordan▪

And this must make the memory of their Ancestors more dear and familiar to them; and it must make them have a greater regard for any thing they had left behind them, especially for a Book upon which their Rights of Inheritance, and the Title they had to all they enjoyed, depended: This was the Deed by which they held their Estates; and the Last Will and Testament, as it were, of their Ancestors, amongst whom the Land was di∣vided. But it is certain, Men are more care∣ful of nothing, than of the Writings by which they enjoy their Estates; and there is no great dauger, when a will is once come to the hands of the right Heir, that it will be lost or salsified, to his prejudice: but if the Books of Moses were altered, it must be upon the account of some advantage to such as must be supposed to make the Alterations; and consequently to the disadvantage of o∣thers, who therefore would have found them∣selves concerned to oppose such Alterations. But as the Books of Moses were in the nature of a Deed of Settlement, to every Tribe and Family; so they were a Law too, which all were obliged to know and observe, under the severest Penalties: And being so generally known, and universally practised, it could no more be falsified at any time since its first Promulgation, than it could be now at this day. For,

2. Another thing which made the People of Israel less capable of being imposed upon in this matter, was, That they were by their Laws themselves obliged to the constant study of them; they were to teach them their Children, and to be continually discoursing and meditating on them; to bind them for a sign upon their hand, that they might be as front∣lets between their eyes; to teach them their children, speaking of them when they sate in their houses, and when they walked by the way, when they lay down, and when they rose up; to write them upon the door-posts of their houses and upon their gates, Deut. xi. 18, 19, 20. Nothing was to be more notorious and fa∣miliar to them, and accordingly they were perfectly acquainted with them, and (as Josephus says) knew them as well as they did their own Names, they had them con∣stantly in their mouths, and thousands have died in defence of them, and could by no Me∣naces or Torments be brought to forsake or renounce them. And to this end, One Day in Seven was by Moses's his Law set apart for the learning and understanding of it. The Jews have a Tradition, That Moses appointed the Law to be read therice every Year in their publick Assemblies: And Grotius (q) 1.112 is of this opinion. However, the Scripture in∣forms us, that Moses, of old time, had in every city them that preached him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath-day, Act. xv. 21. It

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is indeed the common opinion, That there were no Synagogues before the Captivi∣ty: But then, by Synagogues, must be under∣stood Places of Judicature, rather than of Divine Worship; for there is no reason to question but the Jews had their Proseuchas or Places of Prayer from the Beginning; since it is incredible, that those who lived at a great distance, and could not come to Je∣rusalem on the Sabbath-days, and other time of Divine Worship, (besides the three great Festivals, when all their Males were bound to be at Jerusalem) should not assemble for the Worship of God in the places where they dwelt: nay, they were by an express Law obliged to it on the Sabbaths: The seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings, Lev. xxiii. 3. They must therefore have places in all their Dwellings to resort to, where they held their Convocations or Assemblies; and these they went to on the New Moons, as well as on the sabbaths, 2 King. iv. 23. which made the Psalmist lament, that the Enemy had burnt up all the synagogues of God in the land, Psal. lxxiv. 8. And being met together, there is as little doubt to be made but that they read the Law; which was to be read by them in their Families, and much more in their Publick Assemblies, on their solemn Days of Divine Worship. The Books of

Moses therefore were ••ead in their Synagogues in every City, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from ancient Generations, or from the first settlement of the Children of Israel in the Land of Canaan.

And then at the end of every Seven Years the Law was read in the most publick and solemn manner in the Solemnity of the Year of Release, in the Feast of Tabernacles. Moses wrote a Book of the Law, and commanded it to be put in the side of the Ark, Deut. xxxi. 29. as the Two Tables of Stone were put into the Ark it self, chap. x. 5. and this he deli∣vered to the Priests, and to all the Elders of Israel, and commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, when all Israel is come to appear before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall choose: thou shalt read this law before all Israel, in their hearing. Gather the people together, Men, and woman, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: And that their children which have not known any thing, may hear and learn to fear, the Lord your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it, Deut. xxxi. 10, 11, 12, 13. How is it possible that any more effectual care could have been taken to secure a Law from being depraved and altered by Impostures? Every seventh Day, at least, was

set apart for the reading and learning it, in their seveval Tribes, throughout all the Land; and then once in seven years it was read at a publick and solemn Feast, when they were all obliged to go up to Jerusalem. And for this purpose, Moses wrot a Book of the Law: which was put in the side of the Ark, that it might be there for a Testimony against them, if they should trangress it, much more, if they should make any Alterations in it, And out of this Book the King was to write him a Copy of the Law, Deut. xvii. 1••. and this Book of the Law was found by Hil••iah the High-Priest, in the House of the Lord, 2 Cron. xxxiv. 14.2 King. xxii. 8. For after all that the wicked and idolatrous Kings could do to suppress the Law of Moses, and draw aside the People to Idolatry, the Authentick Book of the Law, writen by Moses himself, was still preserved in Josiah's time, besides the several Copies which must be dispersed throughout the Land, for the use of their Synagogues, and those which must be remaining in the hands of the Prophets, and other pious Men. And there is little reason to doubt, but that this very Book written by Moses, was preserved during the Captivity, and was that Book which Ezra read to the People. It is by no means credible, that the Prophets would suf∣fer that Book to be lost, much less that they would suffer all the Copies generally to be lost or corrupted; which indeed, considering

the number, was hardly possible. Is it proba∣ble that Jeremiah would use that favour which he had with Nebuchadnezzar to any other pur∣pose, rather than for the preservation of the Book of the Law? The Jews say the Ark was secured, in the burning of the Temple, at the time of their Captivity: but it is much more probable that the Book of their Law was se∣cured, it being both more easily conveyed away, and not so tempting a Prey to the E∣nemy. We find the Law cited in the time of the Captivity, by Daniel, Den. ix. 11. by Ne∣hemiah, Nehem. i. 8, 9. and in Tobit, who be∣long'd ••o the Ten Tribes, Tob. vi. 12. & vii. 13. And it is not to be doubted, but that these and other pious Men had Copies of it by them, and were very careful to preserve them. Mai∣monides (r) 1.113 says, that Mises himself wrote out Twelve Books of the Law, one for each Tripe, besides that which was laid up in the side of the Ark; and the Rabbins teach, that every one is obliged to have a Copy of the Penta∣teuch by him: And Ezra and Nehemiah (s) 1.114 are said to have brought Three hundred Books of the Law into the Congregation assembled at their return from Captivity. It is certain there were Scribes of the Law; before the Captivity, and in the time of it, Jer. viii. 8. Ezra is stiled a ready Scribe in the law of Moses; and the Scribe, even a Scribe of the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of his statutes to Israel: And by Artaxerxes, in his Letter, he

is called a Scribe of the law of the God of heaven, Ezra vii. 6, 11, 12. By which it appears that there were Scribes of the Law during the Captivity, who were known by this solemn Stile and Character, and whose care and em∣ployment it was to study and write over the Law, of whom Ezra was the principal at the time of their Return. It is most probable then, that the Book of the Law was preserved in Moses's own Hand, till the coming of the Jews from Babylon; besides the Copies that were preserved in the hands of Daniel, Nehemiah, Ezra, Zechariah, and the other Prophets, who were not only of unquestionable Integrity, but wrote themselves by Divine Inspiration.

3. Nothing is more expressly forbidden in the Books of Moses, than all Fraud and Deceit; and it cannot reasonably be suspected that any Man would be guilty of a Fraud of the highest nature imaginable, to introduce or establish a Law that forbids it. Moses had forewarned them against all such practices, both in his Laws in general, and by an express Prohibi∣tion: Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, Deut. iv. 2. And all who had any regard to the Observation of his Laws, would observe this, as well as other parts of it; for this pre∣served the Authority of all the rest inviolable: And if they had had no regard to the Law, but had altered it as they pleased, they would cer∣tainly have made such Alterations as would

have gratified the People, and would have taken great care to leave nothing which might give offence; but the Laws of Moses are such, as that without a Divine Authority to enforce them, they would never have been complied with, but would have been grievous to a less suspicious and impatient People than the Jews were. If it be said, That the Prohibition a∣gainst Alterations might be added amongst other things; there is no ground of probabi∣lity for it, but so much odds against it, that a Man might as well suspect that the whole Five Books had been forged, as to pitch upon that particular Verse, and say that it is not genuine. Besides, why should Impostors in∣sert such a Clause as would hinder them from changing any thing in the Law ever after? why should they not rather reserve to them∣selves a liberty of changing and adding as often as they thought fit?

2. As the Laws themselves could not be invented nor altered, after Moses's time; so neither could the Account of the Miracles wrought by him, be inserted after his death, by any particular Man, nor by any Confedera∣cy or Combination of Men whatsoever. For if the Miracles, by which the Law is supposed to be confirmed, were afterwards inserted, they must be intended as a Sanction, to give Authority to it, and keep the People in awe, when they were become uneasie and disobe∣dient under the Government of those Laws.

But it must needs be much more difficult to introduce Laws at first, than to govern a Peo∣ple by them, after they have been once intro∣duced, and are setled and received amongst them. Indeed, it is incredible, how Laws, so little favourable to the ease or advantage of a People which were so expensive and burthen∣some in there Ceremonies, and which where purposely designed, in many things, to be con∣trary to the Customs of all the Nations round about them, and to the Customs which they had been themselves acquainted with in Ae∣gypt, in so many Instances, could be at first introduced, but by Miracles: but if they could have been once introduced without Miracles there is no reason to think, but that when the People were used and accustom'd to them, there would have been no need of any pre∣tence of Miracles, to keep them in obedience to them; and as little reason there is to ima∣gine that they would have been over awed by a Report of Miracles, which must be supposed never to have been heard of, till the People gave occasion for the Invention of them, by their Disobedience.

The Books of Moses were read (as I have shewn) in the Synagogues, or Religious As∣semblies, in the several Tribes, at least every Sabbath-day, and were appointed to be solemn∣ly read, in the audience of all the People, at the Feast of Tabernacles, every Seven Years: and if they had had no knowledge of the Laws

of Moses, but from the Rehearsal of it at the Feast of Tabernacles; yet can we conceive that the Body of the Jewish Nation should be so stupid and forgetful, as not to remember when these Miracles must be supposed to be first read to them, that they had never heard them be∣fore. But how impossible is it, that they should be thus imposed upon, when they heard the Books of Moses read every Week to them, and had them besides in their own keeping to read them at their leisure? The Miracles now make up great part of the Books of Moses; they are every where interspersed and intermix'd, throughout the History; and they are of such a nature, as is most apt to make impression upon the Memories of Men: And can we imagine, that Miracles, so often repeated, and every were inculcated, could be inserted by any contrivance, and imposed upon a People who were all wont to hear the Law publickly read in a solemn Assembly once every Seven Years and heard it read in their Synagogues besides every Seventh Day; Would they not be infi∣nitely surprised, the first time they heard the Relation of the Plagues inflicted on the Aegyp∣tians, of the Judgment upon Korah and his Company, and of the miraculous Punishments which befell the Idolatrous and Disobedient in the Wilderness; Would they not soon have found out so obvious a Deceit as this must have been, if it had been one; If we can think that such Insertions could pass without disco∣very;

why may we not as well believe too, that as many more might be made now, and not be discovered? Would not the whole Body of the People have been able to testifie that all this was counterfeited, and inserted into the Law; for no such thing was read to them in their Synagogues upon the Sabbaths, nor had been read at the end of the last Seven Years, but it was all now added to terrifie them and keep them from following the Customs of other Nations; Would not this have been the worst contrivance that could have been thought of, to keep a People in awe, to tell them of such things as every Man of them could disprove, that was of Age, and had but Understanding and Memory enough to know what he had heard so often read before, and to distinguish it from such things as are so re∣markable, that they could hardly escape any one's Memory, who had ever heard of them.

They had Books of the Law for their pri∣vate reading; and besides the reading of it in their Weekly Assemblies, they had a solemn Publication and Proclamation of their Law once every Seven Years, as it were purposely to prevent any Design of falsifying it: And to have read any thing so remarkable, as the Miracles of Moses are, in all their circum∣stances, so often repeated and insisted upon, if the People had not found them in their own Books, and had not been used to hear them read to them, from the time of the giving the

Law by Moses, had been only for the Proje∣ctors to proclaim themselves Impostors, but could never have deceived any Man.

And besides the care that was taken for the Preservation of the Books of the Law, there were publick Memorials of the principal Mi∣racles enjoined; such was the Feast of the Pass∣over, in remembrance of the Angel's passing over the Israelites, when he slew the first-born born of the Aegyptians; and the Feast of Tar∣bernacles, in remembrance of their dwelling in Tents in the Wilderness; and such were the Brazen Serpent, the Ark, and the Taber∣nacle: These were things seen and observed, or known by all; and they could not be in∣troduced after Moses's time, because there could be no pretence for it; since they who introduced them, must suppose them to have been before, at the very time when they de∣signed first to introduce them. The Ʋrim and Thummim was both a constant Miracle, and a constant Attestation to the Law, by which it was ordained. And it appears, that the Priests who were to examine and judge of Leprosie either in Persons or Things, were se∣cured from the Infection of it, though it were infectious to all others: And their constant Service could not be performed without a (t) 1.115 miraculous Dispensation.

Thus it is evident, That there is all the Proof which it is possible to bring in any case of this nature, that the Books of Moses could

not be falsified by any Man, or Party of Men whatsoever; since the Nature and Institution of the Law it self did effectually provide against all Impostures; and the Jews had all the assu∣rance that it is possible for any People to have, that the Books of Moses are the same which he wrote and left behind him. And this in∣spired them with such a zeal for their Law, as to sacrifice their Lives in vindication of it; whereas there was no Book whatsoever, as Josephus observes, amongst the Heathens, which any Man amongst them would not rather a thousand times see destroyed, though it were in never so much esteem with them, than he would suffer for it: Which shews that the Jews were fully convinced of the Divine Au∣thority of their Law, from all the Evidence above-mentioned: and were persuaded, that it is the same which Moses delivered, and left behind him.

3. The Pentateuch could not be invented nor falsified by the joint Consent of the whole Nation, either in Moses's time, or after it. For how is it possible that such a thing should have been concealed from all other Nations? and, that a whole Nation should know of the Impo∣sture and no Man ever discover it, nor no Apo∣state ever divulge it, but they and their Poste∣rity should always profess, that they believed the Law to be revealed to Moses by God him∣self, just as we now have it in the Peutateuch; that under all Afflictions and Adversities, they

should impute their Sufferings to the viola∣tion of the Law; and that so many should die, rather than depart from it;

Upon the Revolt of the Ten Tribes, Jero∣boam would certainly have discover'd it, if he had but suspected any such thing as an Impo∣sture, or could but have hoped to make the People believe that the Laws of Moses were not of Divine Institution, but of Humane In∣vention and Contrivance, but he supposed the Truth of its Divine Original, whilst he temp∣ted the People to the transgression of it; Be∣hold thy Gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Aegypt, 1 King. xii. 28. he sup∣poses them brought out of the land of Aegypt, and brought out by a Divine Power; and en∣deavours to persuade them, that the two Calves which he had set up in Dan and Bethel, were the Gods who delivered them, and by whose Authority the Law was given them; and that therefore either of those Places was as pro∣per to sacrifice in, as Jerusalem: which how∣ever absurd it were, yet he did not think so absurd, as to endeavour to make them believe that their Law it self was no better than an Imposture: he had some hopes to succeed in this Project; and the Event shews, he under∣stood the Temper and Principles of the Peo∣ple he had to deal with; but the other was too gross for him to attempt. The true Prophets of Israel were ever as zealous for the Law of Moses, as the Prophets of Judah, and the False

Pophets of either Kingdom, never durst deny its Authority: these False prophets affronted and contradicted the Prophets of the Lord, but they ever owned the Law, and pretended to speak in the Name of that God who had de∣liver'd it to Moses. And this Division of the Ten Tribes made it impossible afterwards for either the Kingdom of Israel, or of Judah, to make any Alterations in the Books of Moses; because there was so great emulation and en∣mities betwixt the two Kingdoms, that they could never have agreed to insert the same Corruptions; and if either of them had at∣tempted such a thing, it would soon have been discovered by the other; and therefore the agreement of the Samaritan with the Hebrew Pentateuch, is a plain argument that they are but different Copies of the same Book, and that it is undoubtedly genuine. The Children of Israel, notwithstanding their great prone∣ness to Idolatry, never cast off the Law of Moses, as they would certainly have done, being so often brought into bondage by their neigh∣bour-Nations, if they had not been well assured of the Authority of that Law which they transgress'd; but they were reduced to the Obedience of the Law, by the Oppressions of Iolatrous Nations; they hoped for Delive∣rance upon their Repentance, according to the Promises made in it, and could by no Tempta∣tions or Torments be persuaded or forced to renounce it: But the long Captivity in Ba∣bylon

wrought a perfect cure in the Jews, as to their inclination to idolatry; which could never have been, unless by their own expe∣rience, in seeing the Prophecies fulfilled, and by other Arguments, they had been sully con∣vinced of the Truth of their own Religion be∣yond all others.

If it had been of their own invention, the People would have made their Law, in every respect, more favourable to themselves; they would not have cloyed it with burthen some Ceremonies, to distinguish themselves from the neighbour-Nations, whose Idolatries they were so long prone to, and which these C••re∣monies were designed to restrain them from. They who were for a long time so fond of the Idolatries of the Heathen, would never have invented Laws so uneasie to themselves, and so contrary and odious to other Nations; they would never have framed them them∣selves, and then have pretended a Divine Re∣velation for those Laws which they were so little pleased with, They would never have ex∣posed themselves to the whole World, thro' all Ages, as a stubborn and rebellious People, notwithstanding so many and so convincing Miracles so long wrought amongst them. The Miracles which I have mention'd, were most of them Judgments upon the Israelites, for their Disobedience, and they would never have set down these Miracles, but would ra∣ther have lest them out, though they were

true, as disgraceful to their Nation. For thus Josephus has omitted some things to avoid the Scandal, which he was a ware, would have been given to the Heathen, by a full and pun∣ctual Relation of the whole History of the Jews, as it is described in the Books of Moses. And they could be as little ignorant as Jose∣phus, what would prove disgraceful to them, and what would make for their Honour and Renown; and when the design of these sup∣posed Forgeries and Falsifications must have been to advance the Glory of the People of Israel, they would never have made such as these. No, if they had made any Alterations, it would have been, to strike out those nume∣rous Passages which are so reproachful to their Nation, and to have inserted others, which might raise the Fame and Glory of Them∣selves, and of their Ancestors; and to have changed those Ceremonies that were so bur∣thensome and so singular, for those which would have been more easie to themselves, and might have recommended them to the good opinion and esteem of the neighbour Nations. But when so refractary a People became so zealous for such a Law, so uneasie at first, and so distastful to them; it is an un∣deniable argument, that they had the greatest Assurance of its Divine Original, and that they would neither falsifie it themselves, nor sufter others to falsifie it.

The People of Israel must be supposed to be unanimous to a Man, in the making these Laws, if they were of their own making; for if any one had dissented, he could not fail of Arguments to draw others after him. In making Laws, the Interests and Conveniencies of the Law-makers are always the Motives for the enacting them; and besides the Publick Honour and Welfare of the Nation, which too often are less considered, the particular Inte∣rest of every single Man would have made him concerned to put a stop to such Laws. No People can be supposed to consent to the making Laws, by which they are forbidden to sow their Land every Seventh Year, and are commanded to leave their Habitations, and go up to the capital City, from every part of their Country, thrice in a Year: no Peo∣ple could agree to enact such Laws of their own contrivance; because none could subsist in the observation of them, without a Mi∣racle. How can we conceive it possible for any People to subsist by such Laws, if they had been of their own making? or, that any Nation should agree in the enacting such Laws as must provoke all their neighbour Nations to make War against them? nay, by which they actually declared an irreconcileable War against seven Nations at once? For one Na∣tion to distinguish themselves, by their Laws and Constitutions, from all other People; to lay the very Foundations of their Govern∣ment

in the disgrace and infamy of all their neighbour Nations; to report, that after so many loathsome and grievous Plagues, inflicted upon Pharaoh and his People, they came out of Aegypt, and at last, by the destruction of him and his whole Army in the Red-Sea, made their escape, and that they forced their way thro' all the other Nations that withstood their pas∣sage into Canaan, and vanquished and de∣stroyed them as they went; and then to pro∣claim a sacred War against all the Nations whose Land they were to possess, and many of whose Posterity were remaining in Solomon's time, and probably long after, and might have been able to confute great part of what the Israelites affirmed of themselves, if it had been false, and of a late invention: for any People, I say, to invent such Accounts of Themselves and their Ancestors, and then to make such Laws, and to have the one believed, and the other obeyed, is altogether incredi∣ble: When they had enraged all the neigh∣bouring Nations to their destruction, they ob∣liged themselves, by their Laws, to leave all their Borders naked, thrice every year, and to give them an opportunity to destroy them; and no People could have lived half an Age, in such a condition, under such Laws, unless they had been protected by God himself, the Author of them.

It appears therefore, that as neither Moses himself, nor any Party of Men either in his

time, or after it, could either invent, or change and falsified the Books which are under his Name; so it is still more extravagant (if pos∣sible) to conceit, that the whole People of Israel should either in Moses's time, or after∣wards be conscious to such an Imposture; and yet that no man should ever discover it, but it should to this day be concealed from all other Nations: and that neither at the time of the Division of the Ten Tribes, when Je∣roboam was forced to set up Altars in other Places, to keep the People from going up to Jerusalem to worship, nor upon any other occasion, this Secret, if that may be called so, which must be known to so many thou∣sands, should ever come to light. Besides that, they could never have invented those Laws, by unanimous consent amongst themselves, which they were so hardly brought to obey; and if they had not been disobedient, they would never have pretended they were, and have invented Miracles to make it believed; and if they had been never so forward in their obedience, they could not have lived in the observation of the Law, without a perpetual Miracle.

If then the Miracles of Moses, and conse∣quently the Divine Authority by which he gave his Law to the Israelites, be sufficiently attested, supposing the Matters of Fact to be true, which are contained in the Pentateuch; and if neither Moses himself could feign the

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Matters of Fact, nor any other Person or Per∣sons either in his time or afterwards, could in∣sert them, or change the Law; and the whole Jewish Nation could not at any time conspire in such a Fiction and Imposture: We have all the Assurance that it is possible to have, and all that any sober Man can desire, both of the Truth of the Miracles wrought by Moses, and of the Divine Authority of the Books penn'd by him. And it will be found, that after all the Reflections made by Infidels, up∣on the Credulity, as they esteem it, of others, there are none so credulous as they; for they reject the most certain, to believe the most incredible things in the World.

The Divine Mission and Authority of Moses being sully proved; from thence it will fol∣low, (1.) That God having instituted the Jewish Government, was in point both of Wisdom and Honour concerned in the admi∣nistration of it, and that a more especial and peculiar Care and Providence must he watch∣ful over this holy Nation, and peculiar People. (2,) That whatever befell them, either by Prophesies or by Miracles, and the extraor∣dinary Appointments of God, according to the Revelations made in the Law of Moses, has, besides its own proper and intrinsick E∣v••dence, the additional Proof of all the Mi∣racles and Prophesies of Moses. So that the Proof of the Divine Authority of Moses his Books, is at the same time a Proof of all the

other Books of Scripture, so far as they are in the Matter and Subject of them consequent to these. (3.) That the Pentateuch, and the other Parts of the Old Testament (not to men∣tion the New Testament in this place) recipro∣cally prove each other, like the Cause and the Effect: the Pentateuch being the Cause and Foundation of These; and these the Effect and the Consequence of the Pentateuch, and the fulfilling the several Predictions of it.

CHAP. VII. Of Joshua, and the Judges, and of the Miracles and Prophecies under their Government.

IT is generally agreed, that Joshua himself was the Author of the Book under his Name, and some who are of another opinion, yet acknowledge that it must be written by his particular Order, in his life-time, or soon after his death. The nature of the thing it self required, that the Division of the Land of Canaan amongst the several Tribes, should forthwith be committed to Writing: for no People can be named, who had the use of Let∣ters, that trusted the Boundaries of their Lands to Memory; and there is no delay to be used in such cases: Joshua therefore, who did by

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Lot set out the Bounds of the Tribes, at the same time put them down in Writing; which he lest upon Record to Posterity, to prevent Disputes, and to be appealed to, in case any Controversie should arise. But the bare Di∣stribution of the Land was not to be trans∣mitted, without an Account of the miracu∣lous Conquests of it, which might dispose them to be con••ented with their several Lots, and remind them of their Duty, in the posses∣ssion and enjoyment of a Land which they were settled in, thy the immediate Hand of God. The Book of Joshua appears to have been writ∣ten during the life-time of Rahab, Jos. vi. 25. and to have been written (in part at least) by Joshua himself, and annexed to the Law of Moses, chap. xxiv 26. But the five last Verses, giving an Account of the Death of Joshua, and of what followed after it, were added by some of the Prophets, probably by Samuel, who, according to the Jewish Tradi∣tion, is the Author of the Book of Judges, where we find the same things repeated con∣cerning the Death of Joshua, Judg. ii. 7. The Book of Judges is reckon'd among the Books of the Prophets, Mat. ii. 23. Judg. xiii. 5. and It seems to be entitl'd to Samuel, Act. iii. 24. where Samuel is mention'd as the first of the Prophets, that is, the first Author of the Books written by them: That the Book of Judges was pe••n'd before the Taking of Jerusa∣l•••••• by David, we may learn from Judg. i. 22.

After the death of Moses, Joshua undertakes the Government and Conduct of the People of Israel, according to God's Appointment, and his Investiture to it by Moses, Num. xxvii. 22. who also foretold the great Success that after∣wards attended him, Deut. i. 38. and at his first entrance upon the Government, God gave to him the same Divine Attestation that had before been given to Moses, in their Passage through the Red-Sea: And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnifie thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee, Jos. iii. 7. And for a certain Demonstration that the li∣ving God was among them, and would give them Victory over the Seven Nations, and Possession of their Land, the Priests did, by God's Appointment, bear the Ark before the People; and as soon as their Feet were dipt in the brim of the water, in the time of Harvest, when the River Jordan is at the highest, and overflows all its Banks, the Waters divided themselves; those above stood on one side in heaps, and those below were cut off and sailed, the Priests standing with the Ark in the midst of the River, upon dry-ground, till all the People were passed over, and until every thing was finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua, Josh. iv. 10. Now, it is an undoubted Tradition among the Jews, (u) 1.116 That the Tents of the Israelites

in the Wilderness, contained a Square of Twelve Miles, and that the Host took up the same space, whilst they passed Jordan. How∣ever, this is certain, that they kept at the di∣stance of about Two thousand Cubits from the Ark, when it stood in the midst of Jordan, Josh. iii. 4. so that the Waters must be with∣drawn for many Miles in the passage of the whole Army over the River, if they passed it in a Regular March, and in such Order of Battle as to be able to oppose the Enemy; or if they marched in a narrower Body, they must be so much the longer in their passage: which way soever it were, it was a very great and manifest Miracle. The People being all gone over, and every thing performed which God had commanded, the Priests with the Ark came out of the channel of the River, where they had all this while stood, and as soon as their feet were lift up unto the dry land, beyond the Waters which stood then on an heap, and did not flow down as at other times, they resumed their course, and returned to their place, and flowed over all the banks as they did before, Josh. iv. 8. And as a Memorial of this Miracle to all Posterity, Twelve Stones were set up in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood, ver. 8, 9. and Twelve Stones more were taken out of Jordan, whilst it was dry, by Twelve Men chosen out of the People, one out of every Tribe, and were

pitched in Gilgal, ver. 20. Thus did the Lord magnifie Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life, v. 14. Here was a Miracle wrought in the most remarkable manner, which the whole People were Witnesses to, and effectual care was taken to keep up the Remembrance of it. The Waters of Jordan were cut off, for the passage of the Children of Israel into Ca∣naan, as the Waters of the Red-Sea had been divided, to procure their escape out of Ae∣gypt; and such an Experiment was not to have been made twice, if it had not been a true Miracle.

They were no sooner come into the promised Land, but all the Males were Circumcised, (that Rite having been omitted in the Wilder∣ness) and were thereby disabled for War: which had been a strange Policy, for the In∣vaders of a Country to wound themselves, and render themselves unfit for fight, as soon as they arrived in the Coasts of the Enemy, if the Canaanites had not been restrained by a miraculous Awe and Power from setting upon them, as the Sons of Jacob did upon the Shechemites, Gen. xxxiv. before they were recovered of their soreness, after Circum∣cision.

The Walls of Jericho were thrown down, only by marching round it seven Days, and blowing with Trumpets; and this was accompanied with a Prophecy, That whoso∣ever

should attempt to re-build Jericho, should lay the foundation thereof in his first-born, and in his youngest son should he set up the gates of it, Josh. vi. 26. which was fulfilled in the Reign of Ahab, when Hiel the Beth-elite lost his eldest Son Abiram, upon his laying the Foundation of it, and his youngest Son Segub, upon his set∣ting up the Gates, 1 King. xvi. 34. These Mi∣racles, and the standing still of the Sun and Moon, whilst the Israelites pursued and van∣quished their Enemies; and the prodigious Hail-stones cast down from Heaven, which slew more of them than the Sword could do; and a continued course of Victories, never inter∣rupted but for Achan's Offence, struck such a mighty terror into the Canaanites, that some of them sought out ways to make their peace with the Israelites, by submission, and others fled into foreign Countries. And to shew that they conquered by a Miraculous and Divine Power, not by any carnal Force or Strength; Joshua, by God's Command, destroyed the Horses and the Chariots that he took from the Enemy, Josh. xi. 9. which had been a strange Action in Humane Policy, but by such unlike∣ly means he subdued one and thirty Kings of the Canaanites, chap. xii, and then divided the Land, not yet conquered, amongst the Tribes of Israel, being as certain of it, as if they had it already in possession, chap. xiii. 2, 7.

Joshua, after so many Victories, and so ma∣ny Miracles, when the Land of Canaan came

to be divided among the Children of Israel, took no more for his own Inheritance, than they were willing to spare him, after the Land had been divided among the Tribes, ch. xix. 49. and at last, as Moses had done, he appeals to their own Experience, and to their very Senses, for the Truth of all the Wonders and Delive∣rances, and the mighty Works which God had wrought amongst them, chap. xxiv.

After the Death of Joshua, God raised up Judges out of several Families and Tribes, with an immediate and extraordintry Commission to govern and protect his People: so that there could be no private Ends, or politick Designs carry'd on, under the pretence of a Divine Commission. But upon their Disobedience and Idolatries, they were, from time to time, pu∣nished with Slaughter and Captivity; and, upon their Repentance were, as constantly de∣livered; Judges being purposely raised up to be Conquerors and Deliverers, and never fail∣ing of success.

But besides these who were impowered by God, upon extraordinary Occasions, they had other Judges, or Chief Magistrates, to admi∣nister Justice, and to preside over the Publick Affairs, for the welfare of the People: such were Eli and Samuel. Eli was a great Example, how much Fondness, and Natural Affection, may prevail over good and wise Men: but he was more afflicted to hear that the Ark of God was taken, than at the death of both his Sons:

that gave him his mortal Wound, and he could not out-live the Hearing it, 1 Sam. iv. 18. Samuel's Sons were wicked, as well as Eli's, and he doth not conceal their faults, but plainly says, That they turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. chap. viii. 3. but he appeals to the whole People for his own Integrity, who solemnly declare him free from any Oppression or Injustice. He resigned the Government, though he had the Power in his hands to appoint two Kings successively, and by Gods Commandment raised both Saul and David out of their obscu∣rity to a Throne. Samuel says plainly, That when the Elders of Israel came to him to ask a King, the thing displeased him, 1 Sam. viii. 6. and he who could make Two Kings of Two different Tribes, and of no Interest in their respective Tribes, might as well have made himself King, if he had acted upon Humane Considerations, and by Humane Power and Means. The Divine Power therefore was visible in the Government of the Children of Israel, from the time of Moses and Joshua to Saul; for they were constantly governed by Persons of God's appointment; their Govern∣ment was a Theocracy, being administred by God's immediate Direction, the Lord their God was their King, 1 Sam. xii. 12.

CHAP. VIII. Of the People of Israel, under their Kings.

AFter a standing Regal Government was settled among the People of Israel, they were either happy or miserable at home, and either a Defeat or Victory attended their Ar∣mies abroad, as they proved obedient or dis∣obedient to the Law of Moses, and to the Word of the Lord, delivered by his Prophets. Upon the Revolt of the Ten Tribes, when Two Tribes only remained in the obedience of Re∣hoboam, and in the true way of Worship, this had been the time, (as already has been said) if there had been any Imposture hitherto car∣ried on, to discover it; for they had all the Temptation, and all the Opportunity to do it, that could possibly be given. But after the Division of the Ten Tribes, Jeroboam durst not so much as attempt to draw them off from an acknowledgment of the Divine Authority of that Law by which they were obliged to go up to Jerusalem to sacrifice, though he per∣suaded them to change the Place of their Wor∣ship, and to go no longer up thither. And God had his Prophets in Israel, who were as zealous for the Law, as the Prophets of Judah; for in both Kingdoms they had still Prophets to ad∣monish them, and to direct them in all Mat∣ters of great importance. Tho' the Ʋrim and

Thummim, and the Shechinah, were confined to the Aaronical Priesthood, and the Ark of the Testament; yet the other kinds of Prophecy were vouchsafed to Israel, as well as Judah: and the Captivity both of Judah and Israel by the Assyrians, and the Deliverance of the Jews out of it, befell them according to express Pro∣phecies; and both during the Captivity, and at their Return, they had Daniel, Zachariah, Malachi, and other Prophets amongst them; and for so many Ages, from their first coming out of Aegypt, the whole People were made continually Witnesses of the manifest Power and Presence of God amongst them. This will be evident by making some Observations concerning the Prophets and their Writings, and concerning their Prophecies and Miracles.

CHAP. IX. Of the Prophets, and their Writings.

THe kinds of Prophecy among the Jews; were, (1.) The Shechinah. (2.) The Ʋ∣rim and Thummim. (3.) Revelation by Visions and Dreams, or by Inspiration; for I shall not here distinguish these ways of Revelation, to consider them apart. And when these kinds of Prophecy ceased under the Second Temple, the Bath Kol, or Voice from Heaven, was the only way of Revelation: but of this there is little or nothing certain to be relyed upon.

1. The Sechina, was the sitting, or dwelling of God between the Cherubims, on the Mercy-Seat or Cover of the Ark, Psal. lxxxi. 1. and xcix. 1. from whence he gave out his Answers by an Articulate Voice, Exod. xxv. 22. and xxix. 42. Num. vii. 89.

2. The Ʋrim and Thummim upon the Breast∣plate of the High-Priest, Exod. xxviii. 30. was another standing Oracle, to be consulted upon all great occasions, Num. xxvii. 21.1 Sam. xxviii. 6. xxiii. 9. xxx. 7. Ezra ii. 63. and the Answers were returned by a visible signification of the Divine Will: and this Oracle was not only venerable amongst the Jews, but was famous amongst the Heathen (as Josephus assures us) for its infallible Answers, Mr. Mede (x) 1.117 thinks Ʋrim and Thum∣mim to have been in use among the Patriarchs, before the Law was given; because the making of it is not spoken of amongst the other things of the Ephod. The common opinion is, that this Oracle was delivered by the shining of such Let∣ers of the Tribes Names, engraven on the Priests Breast-place, as express'd the Answer: but the same learned Author thinks, that the Ʋrim and the Thummim were distinct Oracles; the Thum∣mim shewing when their Sacrifices were accep∣ted; and the Ʋrim answering such Questions as were proposed upon any important occasion.

3. Revelations by Visions and Dreams, or by Inspiration, were the Revelations which proper∣ly denominated those, the whom they were made Prophets. For the Prophets were Persons sent

by God, with an extraordinary Commission, to declare his Will; and they were not confined to the Tribe of Levi, or to any one particular Tribe, but sometimes taken out of one Tribe, and sometimes out of another: for tho' the Jews had Colleges and Schools to prepare and qua∣lifie Men, by a vertuous and religious Educati∣on, for Divine Illuminations; yet divers others, who had not been educated in this manner, were endued with the Spirit of Prophecy; and some of them were but of very mean Employ∣ments, and others again of Royal Blood.

They reproved both their Kings and their Priests with a fearless and undaunted Free∣dom and Authority: and this Plain-dealing, such as became Men who spake and acted by a Divine Impulse, without Design, and without any Disguise, sometimes commanded great Re∣verence towards them from Princes, not easie to be well advised or directed. Rehoboam, a willful and rash Prince, at the head of an Army of an Hundred and fourscore thousand chosen Men, upon the Word of the Lord, deliver'd to him by Shemaiah, return'd home without attempting any thing, to regain the Tribes that had revol∣ted from him to Jeroboam, 1 King. xii. 21. Ahab, though an exceeding wicked King, after a signal Victory, bore the reproof of a Prophet, who de∣nounced a Judgment upon Him and his People for letting Ben-hadad go, and was much con∣cerned at it, 1 King. xx. 42, 43. and the same Ahab rent his Cloaths, and put on Sackcloth,

and fasted at the reproof of Elijah, 1 King. xxi. 27. Amaziah, by the admonition of a Prophet, dis∣miss'd an Hundred thousand mighty men of valour, whom he had hired of the Israelites for an Hun∣dred Talents, being content to lose so many Talents, and to want their help in the War, and to venture the ravage that such an Army, who looked upon themselves as affronted, made in his Country; upon the Prophets assuring him, that God would give him the Victory if he would dismiss them, but not otherwise; and telling him, The Lord is able to give thee much more than this: and the Event proved the Truth of the Prediction, 2 Chron. xxv. The Children of Israel likewise, at the word of Oded the Prophet, sent back Two hundred thousand Persons of the Kingdom of Judah with great spoil, which they had taken, 2 Chron. xxviii. So ready and so ge∣neral a Compliance, in such cases, could arise from nothing but a certain Belief and Experience of the Truth of what the Prophets delivered; but at other times they were despised and per∣secuted; And the Truth of their Prophecies was not only attested by Miracles, and justified by the Event, and confessed by the Deference and Respect both of the Kings and People; but it was asserted by their Sufferings, and sealed by the Blood of the Prophets, and was at last ac∣knowledged by the Posterity of those who had slain them; they being most forward and zea∣lous to adorn the Tombs of the Prophets, whom their Fore-fathers had killed; and to die, in vin∣dication

of those Prophecies, for which they had been slain. There was a constant succession of Prophets, from the time of Moses, till the re∣turn of the Jews from their Captivity in Baby∣lon: some prophesied for many Years; Jere∣miah, for above One and forty Years; Eze∣k••el, about Twenty Years: the least time as∣signed to Hosea's Prophesying, is Forty three Years; Amos prophesied about Six and twenty Years; Micah, about Fifty; Isaiah, Jonah, and Daniel, a much longer time; so that they lived to see divers of their own Prophecies fulfilled; and to have suffered as False Prophets, if they had not come to pass. And though many Pro∣phecies were not to be fulfilled, till long after the death of the Prophets who deliver'd them; yet they wrought Miracles, or they foretold some things, which came to pass soon after, ac∣cording to their Predictions, to give evidence to their Authority, and confirm their Divine Mi••••ion.

The Prophets committed their Prophecies to writing, and left them to Posterity, Isa. xxx. 8. Per. xxx. 2. & xxxvi. 32. Hab. ii. 1, 2. And the wri∣ting of the Histories of the Jews belong'd to the Prophets, 1 Chron. xxix. 29. 2 Chron. xii. 15. & xiii. 22. & xx. 34. & xxvi. 22. & xxxii. 32. And both in their Prophetical and Historical Books they deal with the greatest plainness and sin∣cerity; they record the Idolatries of the Na∣tion, and foretell the Judgments of God which were to befall it upon that account; and they

leave to Posterity a Relation of the Miscarriages and Crimes of their best Princes; David, Solo∣mon, and others, who were Types of the Messias, and from whose Race they expected Him, and looked upon the Glories of their several Reigns to be presages of His, are yet described not on∣ly without flattery, but without any reserve or extenuation. They write as Men who had no regard to any thing but Truth, and the Glory of God, in telling it.

The Prophets were sometimes commanded to seal and shut up their Prophecies, that the Ori∣ginals might be preserved till the fulfilling of them, and then compared with the Event, Isai. viii. 16. Jer. xxxii. 14. Dan. viii. 26. & xii. 4. For when the Prophecies were not to be fulfill'd till many Years, and, in some cases, not till seve∣ral Ages afterwards, it was requisite that the Original Writings should be kept with all care; but when the time was so near at hand, that the Prophecies must be in every one's memory; or that the Originals could not be suspected or supposed to be lost, there was not the same care required, Rev. xxii. 10. It seems to have been customary (y) 1.118 for the Prophers to put their Writings into the Tabernacle, or lay them up before the Lord, 1 Sam. x. 25. And there is a Tra∣dition, (z) 1.119 That all the Canonical Books as well as the Law, were put into the side of the Ark.

It is certain, that the Books of the Law, and the Writings of the ancient Prophets, were care∣fully preserved, during the Captivity, and are

frequently referr'd to, and cited by the latter Prophets: The Pentateuch has been already spo∣ken of; and this is as evident of the Books of the Prophets. The Prophecy of Micah is quoted, Jer. xxvi. 18. a little before the Captivity; and un∣der it, the Prophecy of Jeremiah is cited, Dan. ix. 2. and all the Prophets, v. 6. and so the Prophets in general are mention'd, Neh. ix. 26, 30. And Zechariah not only cites the former Prophets, Zech. i. 4. but supposes their Writings well known to the People: Should you not hear the words which the Lord hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited, and in prosperity? chap. vii. 7. The Prophet Amos is likewise cited, Tob. ii. 6. and Jonas, and the Prophets in general, chap. xiv. 4, 5, 8. There can then be no reason to question, but that Ezra, Nehemiah, Daniel, Ze∣chariah, and the other Prophets in the time of the Captivity, were very careful to keep the Books of the former Prophets; for they fre∣quently cite them, and appeal to them; and ex∣pected Deliverance out of their Captivity, by the accomplishment of them. And perhaps, from the Originals themselves, or however, from Copies taken by Ezra the Scribe, or by some of the latter Prophets, or at least acknowledged for genuine, and approved of by them, the an∣cient Prophecies, and other Inspired Writings, were preserved; and those of the latter Pro∣phets were added to them; and all together, make up the Book of the Prophets, mention'd, Act. vii. 42. which was read, as well as the Law,

every Sabbath-day, Act. xiii. 27. The Books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings, have the Title of the former Prophets, in the Hebrew Bibles, to distinguish them from the Books which they set out under the Title of the latter Prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, &c. The Books of Joshua and Judges have been already spoken of. The Books of Samuel, were written by Samuel, Nathan, and Gad, 1 Chron. xxix. 29. from whence we may conclude that the first Book of Samuel, to the 25th. Chapter, was written by Samuel himself; and the rest of that, and the whole Second Book, by Nathan and Gad: but Samuel being a Person so much concerned in the former part of the History, and having written so much of it, out of respect to him the whole Two Books go under his Name: though, indeed, the Jews anciently reckon'd both the Books of Samuel as one Book; and Aquila (as Theodorit has observed) made no distinction between the First and Second Books of Samuel, following the Hebrew Copies of his time: and in our Hebrew Bibles, though they are distinguished, yet they are not distin∣guished in the same manner as the two Books of Kings and of Chronicles are: and it is no won∣der that a Book begun by Samuel, and continued by other Prophets, should bear the Name only of Samuel. From 1 Chron. xxix. 29. we may like∣wise learn, that the beginning of the First Book of Kings must be written by one of these Pro∣phets. Both the Books of Kings, as far as Heze∣kiah's Reign, were written before Josiah's time;

for, 2 Kin. 18.5. it is said of Hezekiah, That he trusted in the Lord God of Israel: so that after him was none like him of all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him: And of Josiah, it is said, 2 King. xxiii. 25. That like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, &c. For it is evident, that Josiah, in his Reformation, exceeded Hezekiah; and from hence it appears, that the History of Hezekiah must be written before Josiah's time; or else it could not have been with truth, said of Hezekiah, That there was no King after him who was like him, or equalled him, of all the Kings of Judah. From 1 Chron. iv. 43. it ap∣pears, that it was written before the Captivity; though the Genealogies were transcribed after∣wards out of the Records, as we learn from 1 Chron. ix. 1. That the Second Book of Chro∣nicles, as well as the First Book of Kings, was written before the Captivity we may conclude from 2 Chron. v. 9. 1 King. viii. 8. for the Ark was not remaining after the Captivity. The last Chapter of the Second Book of Kings, gives so particular an account of the manner of car∣rying them away Captive in every material circumstance, that it seems to have been writ∣ten at that very time; and is an argument, that Memorirs were constantly taken and pre∣served of all that happened. The Second Book of Chronicles concludes with the First Year of Cyrus, in the same words with which the Book of Ezra begins, being added by him at the time

when Cyrus gave out his Proclamation: for the Prophets, from time to time, made Continua∣tions to the Histories of their Predecessors, by inserting what related to their own Times; and it was no unusual thing, among the Ancients, (as Grotius observes) to begin one Book with the Conclusion of another.

The Psalms are quoted under the Title of the Prophets, Mat. xiii. 35, & xxvii. 35. and from the first penning, they were used in the Publick Ser∣vice of God, 1 Chron. xvi. 7. 2 Chron. v. 13. & vii. 6. & xx. 21. Jer. xxxiii. 11. Ezra iii. 10, 11. This was known, even to their Enemies, in their Capti∣vity, Psal. cxxxvii. 3. and some of them were written by the Prophets under it. And Lessons out of the Law and the Prophets, with Hymns out of the Psalms, and Prayers, made up the Jewish Form of Worship. Moses and the Pro∣phets, are put for the whole Old Testament, Luke xvi. 29. Acts xiii. 15.

And if both the Law and the Prophets, com∣prehending all the Books of Scripture written before the Captivity, were still extant, and well known, and made use of by Pious Men, during all that time, and the People had Copies of them, or had means and opportunities of being acquainted with them, as the Prophet Zecha∣riah supposes, Zech. vii. 7. there is no reason to imagine, that they had not sufficient knowledge of the Hebrew Tongue at their Restoration, many being still alive, who were first carried a∣way Captive: and the Writings of the Pro∣phets,

during the Captivity, shew that the Peo∣ple did understand it; for they all wrote in the Hebrew Language, except upon some particular occasions, where their Prophecies more imme∣diately concerned the Babylonian Affairs. Both Men and Women could understand Ezra, when he read the Law; And the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law, Neh. viii. 3. And it was not the Language, unless in some Particulars, which in all Languages will want explication to the Vulgar, who are Natives, but the Sence and Meaning, that was interpreted, ver. 7, 8. And in the same manner, the Letter of Artaxerxes was both written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue, Ezra iv. 7. Nehemiah particularly complains, that the Children of those who had married strange Wives, could not speak in the Jews lan∣guage? which supposes that the Children of other Parents, as well as the Parents themselves, were taught to speak the Hebrew Tongue, Neh. xiii. 24. And the Decree of Ahasuerus in favour of the Jews, was written unto every province, according unto the writing thereof; and unto every people, after their language; and unto the Jews, according to their writing, and according to their language, Est. viii. 9. which seems to im∣ply, that the Jews still retained not only their Language, but their manner of Writing it, or the form and fashion of their Letters, under the Captivity.

Not long after the Captivity, the Scriptures were translated into the Greek Tongue; and were dispersed into so many hands, among the Jews and Proselytes, that the Copies could not be destroyed, either in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, or at any other time, by the malice of Perscutors, or any other accident. And though the Jews were so fond of their Tradi∣tions, as to make the Word of God of none effect by them; yet they never added any Books to the Canon of Scripture, in favour of those Tra∣ditions which they were so zealous for; but when they had no longer any Prophets among them, they durst not place any other Books in the same Rank and Authority with those which the Prophets had left behind them. All the Canonical Books were written by Inspired Authors, and have been in constant use among the People of the Jews, in their private Houses, and publick Assemblies, even from the first writing them; for they were preserved during the Captivity, and both understood and used by the People: but their other Books, written under the Second Temple, though never so useful and pious, were never received with the like esteem and veneration; they pretended to no more than Humane Composition, and were never ranked with those of Divine Au∣thority.

CHAP. X. Of the Prophecies and Miracles of the Prophets.

THe False Prophets prophesied in the Name of Jehovah, 1 King. xxii. which supposes that True Prophecies were wont to be deliver'd in his Name, or else they could never have hoped to deceive by it. And in the Historical Books of the Old Testament, in which the Pro∣phecies and Miracles of the Prophets are rela∣ted, reference is frequently made to the Records then extant in the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah and Israel; most of the Prophecies and Miracles being of that Publick Nature, and so intermix'd with the Affairs of State, that they must be recorded together with them.

Josiah (a) 1.120 was prophesied of by Name, Three hundred sixty one Years before he was born: Behold a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name, 1 King. xiii. 2. and this was foretold by a Prophet who came out of Judah, purposely to denounce the Judgments of God upon the Priests of the Altar, and upon the Altar it self, which Jeroboam had newly set up at Bethel, when Jeroboam stood by the Al∣tar to burn Incense: and his Prediction, at the same time, was confirmed by Two Miracles; one wrought upon Jeroboam himself, by drying up his hand, which he stretched forth against

the Prophet, and which, by the Prophet's Prayer, was restored again whole to him, as it was before; the other Miracle was wrought upon the Altar, by rending it, and pouring out the Ashes from it. And a Prophecy delivered in the presence and to the face of an enraged Prince, against the Religion of his own setting up, to secure to himself the Kingdom he so lately became possessed of, at the very time when he was offering Incense upon his New Altar: And this Prophecy, confirmed by an imme∣diate Judgment both upon the King himself, and his Altar, in the sight of so numerous an Appearance as must be present on so solemn an occasion, and these Enemies to the Prophet, who came from Judah, and to his Religion; a Prophecy thus delivered, had all the Cir∣cumstances to make it remarkable and noto∣rious, in all the Tribes both of Israel and Judah then at hostility with each other, that can al∣most be conceived: And yet the strange Death of the Prophet of Judah, for transgressing, by his own confession, the Word of the Lord to him, and his Sepulchre, with its Title or Inscription still remaining at Bethel, when Jo∣siah demolished the Altar there, gave a further confirmation to it.

The fulfilling of this Prophecy by Josiah, was no less remarkable, 2 King. xxiii. 15. Jo∣siah was the Son of a very wicked King, and born at a time when the People were exceeding∣ly corrupted by the Idolatry of his Grandfather

Manasses; and his Sons likewise proved wicked: so that he was so singular in his Piety, and so wonderful an Example of it, that no Man of his own Age could have imagin'd that of him, which had been fo retold so many hundred years ago. In all humane appearance, this was a very unlikely time to see that Prophecy fulfil∣led; and that which had been wonderful in any Age, was much more wonderful in this: and in so wicked an Age, this good King set a∣bout the Work of Reformation very young, to shew that it was not of Men, but of God.

The Deliverance of Judah, at Jehoshaphat's Prayer, was foretold by Jahaziel in the midst of the Congregation; and was accomplished ac∣cordingly, by their Enemies destroying one a∣nother, 2 Chron. xx.

Elijah foretold, that the Dogs should lick Ahab's Blood in Jezreel, where they had licked the Blood of Naboth: which, as (b) 1.121 Josephus says, was objected by Zedekiah, one of the False Prophets, against Micaiah, who foretold that Ahab should be slain at Ramoth-gilead; but he was brought home in his Chariot from Ramoth∣gilead to Samaria, and there the Dogs licked his Blood in Jezreel, 1 King, xxii. 38. so that both the Prophecy of Elijah and Michaiah was ful∣filled. And when one Prophet seems contrary to another, one foretelling the principal thing, and another some accidental circumstance, which those that were present, and most concerned in the Action, could not imagine, till it happened:

and False Prophets, in the mean time, watch the Events, to take all Advantages from it, a∣gainst the True Prophets, and can find none: nothing more can be desired, to assure us of the Truth of any Prophecy. The same Prophet foretold the like Judgment upon Jezabel, and that the House of Ahab should be like the House of Jereboam, and like the House of Baasha; the Destruction of both which had been foretold by other Prophets, and their Prophecies fulfil∣led, as this of Elijah's also was.

Elijah, by a Writing sent to Jehoram King of Judah, foretold his Death, and the strange manner of it, viz. That after the loss of his Children, and his Wives, and all his Goods, he should be afflicted in his Bowels, and that his Bowels should fall out by degrees, 2 Chron. xxi. 12. The same Prophet not only foretold the Death of Ahaziah, but caused Fire twice to come down from Heaven, upon those who were sent to Ap∣prehend him, 2 King. i. And at his Prayer, Fire descended from Heaven, and consumed the Sa∣crifice, in the sight of Baal's Prophets, being Four hundred and fifty; to whom Elijah, who was the only Prophet of the Lord there present, had made this Proposal, The God that answereth by fire, let him be God: And when Baal, not∣withstanding all their hideous Cries, and the cutting themselves, did not hear them; then, upon Elijah's Prayer, the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the

water that was in the trench, 1 King. xviii. 38. which was the same Miracle, repeated in the midst of Idolaters who were so enraged and pro∣voked against the Prophet Elijah, that had been before wrought in the sight of the People of Israel, in the time of Moses, Lev. ix. 24. and of David, 1 Chron. xxi. 26. and at the Dedication of Solomon's Temple, 2 Chron. vii. 1. (c) 1.122 And this Miracle of Elijah, in bringing down Fire from Heaven, to consume the Sacrifice, and that of Moses in like manner, were both confessed to be true, by Julian the Apostate himself.

The miraculous Cure of Naaman's Leprosie, must be notorious throughout the Kingdoms both of Syria and Israel, 2 King. v. The won∣derful Deliverance of the Israelites, when the Syrians heard a noise of Horses and Chariots, and therefore raised the Siege of Samaria, and the Plenty which followed, was foretold by Elisha, with a Judgment upon that Lord, who doubted of the Truth of his Prediction. The same Prophet foretold the Death of Ben∣hadad King of Syria, and that he should neither recover of his Sickness, nor die a Natural Death. And the Reign of Hazael, who succeeded him, is describ'd in such true and dreadful Characters, that Hazael thought it impossible for him to be guilty of so much cruelty, 2 King. vii, viii.

The Leprosie inflicted upon Ʋzziah, for pre∣suming to burn Incense unto the Lord, which it was lawful for the Priests only to do, was a per∣manent Miracle; for his Leprosie continued

till his death; and for that reason, he lived separately, and his Son, from that time, had the administration of Affairs, 2 King. xv. 5. and this Miracle of the Leprosie was accom∣panied with a terrible Earthquake, mention'd Zech. xiv. 5. Amos i. 1. and the (c) 1.123 Ruines which were caused by the Earthquake, re∣mained as a perpetual Memorial of the Judg∣ment.

An Hundred fourscore and five thousand of the Assyrians were slain by an Angel of the Lord, in one Night, 2 King. xix. 35. and this Deliverance was foretold by Isaiah, when the Assyrians were in the height of their Pride and Blasphemy, and the People of Judah in the extremity of Danger and Despair, Isai. xxxvii. At the Prayer of Isaiah, the Sun went back ten Degrees, for a Sign to King Hezekiah of his Recovery: and the Princes of Babylon sent Embassadors to enquire of this Wonder, 2 King. xx, 11. 2 Chron. xxxii. 31.

It was impossible there should be any mi∣stake in Miracles of this nature, which have the same Evidence that those of Moses him∣self had, having the joint Testimony of a whole People to prove the Truth of them.

Isaiah prophesied of Cyrus by Name, (e) 1.124 Two hundred and ten Years before the accom∣plishment of his Prophecy; and foretold the Re-building of the Temple, an Hundred and

forty Years before it was demolished. The expressions are so plain and full, that, as St. Jerom (f) 1.125 observes, the History of Cyrus, by Xenophon, is an admirable Comment upon this Prophecy of Isaiah, That saith of Cyrus, He is my sh••pherd, and shall perform all my pleasure, even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. Thus saith the Lord, to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue na∣tions before him: He shall build my City, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the Lord of hosts, Isai. xliv. 28. & xlv. 1, 13. And this Cyrus himself, tho an Heathen Prince, was so sensible of, that he acknowledge it in his Proclamation which he put forth for the Building the Temple: Thus saith Cyrus King of Persia, All the King∣doms of the earth hath the Lord God•• of heaven given me. and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah 2 Chron. xxxvi. 23. Ezra i. 2. And the same Prophet who foretold the Empire of Cyrus the Persian, foretold likewise, That the King∣dom of the Chaldaeans should be destroyed by the Medes, Isai. xiii. 17. which was prophe∣sied of too by Jeremiah, Jer. li. 11, 28. And this is the more remarkable; (g) 1.126 because tho' Darius Medus conquer'd Babylon, yet he dy∣ing soon after, and Cyrus succeeding him, the Fame of Cyrus who was, at the taking of Babylon, but General of his Army, so obscured

the Name and Memory of Darius, that Histo∣rians have taken no notice of him; though he is found mention'd by the Scholiast upon Aristophanes, who says, that a Darius, who was before him, who was Father of Xerxes, gave Name to the Pieces of Coin call'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, who must be Darius Medus. So much better were Transactions known to the Pro∣phets before-hand, than to Historians after∣wards. The Judgments which were to befall divers other Nations, were also foretold by Isaiah, and described by particular Circum∣stances. The Destruction of Nineveh (h) 1.127 was foretold by the Prophet Nahum, an Hundred and fifteen Years before-hand.

The Prophet Jeremiah foretold the Con∣quests of Nebuchadnezzar, and the Captivity of the Jews by him, in so remarkable and solemn a manner, that it was notorious to all the neighbouring Nations: For, according to the Custom of delivering Prophecies by some visible Signs, as well as in Words, he sent Bonds and Yokes to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Am∣monites, and to the king of Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon, by the hand of the messengers which came to Jerusalem (from these several Kings) unto Zedekiah king of Judah; and foretold, That all these nations should serve Nebuchadnezzar, and his son, and his sons son, Jer. xxvii. 3, 7. And the Jews put him in Prison, for this Prophecy; where he was kept

when Nebuchadnezzar took the City, and set him at liberty. And when the Chaldaeans had raised the Siege, by reason of Pharaoh's Army, which was coming to the Relief of Jerusalem, Jeremiah told the Jews, that Pharaohs; Army, should return into Aegypt, without effecting any thing; and that the Chaldaeans should came again, and take the City, and burn it with sire, Jer. xxxvii. 5. He likewise prophe∣sied against Aegypt, which the Jews made their Refuge and Sanctuary; and pointed out the very Place where Nebuchadnezzar would pitch his Tent, by taking great Stones, and hiding them in the Clay, at the entry of Pharaoh's House Tahpanhes, in the sight of the Men of Judah; declaring, that his throne should be set upon those stones, and he should spread his royal pavilion over thim, Jer. xliii. 9, 10. And the accomplishment of his Pro∣phecy concerning Pharaoh, chap. xliv. 30. is to be seen in (i) 1.128 Herodotus.

The Prophet Jeremiah was opposed and contradicted by several False Prophets, who prophesied deceitful and flattering Delusions to the People, persuading them, that no evil should come upon them; of whom Jeremiah foretold, That Hananiah should die that same Year in which he vented his false Prophe∣cies, chap. xxviii. 16, 17. and, That Ahab the Son of Kolaiah, and Zedekiah the Son of Maaseiah, should be taken Captive by Nebu∣chadnezzar, and slain in the sight of the People

of Judah, and roasted in the fire, chap. xxix. 21, 22. And thus distinctly foretelling the Time and Manner of the death of those False Prophets, he vindicated his own Prophecies, which were at first so unwillingly believed, beyond all contradiction.

But that which seemed most strange, and was most objected against in the Prophecies of Jeremiah, was, his Prophecy concerning the Death of Zedeckiah; for in this, (k) 1.129 He and Ezekiel were thought to contradict each other. Jeremiah prophesied in Jerusalem, at the same time when Ezekiel prophesied in Babylon, and concerning the same things; and Jeremiah's Prophecy was sent to the Captives in Babylon, and Ezekiel's to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem. But Jeremiah said, Thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and thou shalt go to Babylon. Yet hear the word of the Lord, O Ze∣dekiah king of Judah, Thus saith the Lord of thee, Thou shalt not die by the sword; but thou shalt die in peace: and with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings which were before thee, so shall they burn odours for thee; and they will lament thee, saying, Ah Lord! for I have pro∣nounced the word, saith the Lord, Jer. xxxiv. 3, 4, 5. But Ezekiel prophesied in these words; I will bring him to Babylon, to the land of the Chaldaeans: yet shall be not see it, though he shall die there, Ezek. xii. 13. Now these two Prophets writing of the Captivity of

Zedekiah, reckon up all the Circumstances of it betwen them, in such a manner, as that they were believ'd to contradict each other; and thereby the expectation and attention of the People was the more excited to observe the Fulfilling of their Prophecies. Jeremiah said, That he should see the King of Babylon, and be carried to Babylon: Ezekiel, That he should not see Babylon. Jeremiah, That he should die in peace, and be buried after the manner of his Ancestors: Ezekiel, That he should die at Babylon, and if we compare all this with the History, nothing ever was more punctually fulfilled: For Zedekiah saw the King of Babylon, who commanded his Eyes to be put out, before he was brought to Babylon; and he died there, but died pea∣ceably, and was suffered to have the usual Funeral Solemnities, 2 King. xxv. 6, 7. And therefore both Prophecies proved true in the Event, which seemed before to be incon∣sistent. And so critical an Exactness in every minute Circumstance, in Prophecies deli∣vered by two Persons, who were before thought to contradict each other, was such a conviction to the Jews, after they had seen them so punctually fulfilled, in their Capti∣vity, that they could no longer doubt, but that both were from God.

Jeremiah foretold also, That the Kingdom of the Chaldaeans should be destroyed, and that the Jews should be restored, after a Cap∣tivity

of Seventy Years: these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years: And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are ac∣complished, that I will punish the King of Ba∣bylon, and that nation, saith the Lord, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldaeans, Jer. xxv. 11, 12. For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word towards you, in causing you to return to this place, Jer. xxix. 10. And this Prophecy of Jeremiah the Jews depended upon, under the Capti∣vity, Dan. ix. 2. Zech. i. 12. and it was ex∣actly fulfilled to them. The Generations of Nebuchadnezzar's Posterity, that should suc∣ceed him, till the Destruction of that Mo∣narchy, are foretold, Jer. xxvii. 7. The Destruction of Babylon, with the manner of Taking the City, as it was foretold and de∣scribed by the Prophet, agrees punctually with the Account of it by (l) 1.130 Herodotus. One post shall run to meet another, and one mes∣senger to meet another, to shew the king of Ba∣bylon that his City is taken at one end, and that the passages are stopped, and the reeds they have burned with sire, and the men of war are affrighted. And this was declared in a memorable and solemn manner, by writing it down, and by casting the Book into Eu∣phrates, Jer. li. 31, 32, 62, 63.

The Destruction of Tyre and Zidon, and of Aegypt, was foretold by the Prophet Eze∣kiel;

and the Restoration of the Aegyptians, after Forty Years, Ezek. xxviii. 19. & xxix. 12, 13. The Prophanation of the Temple and of the Sanctuary, by Antiochus Epi∣phanes, with the Death of Antiochus, and a Description of his Temper, and of his very Countenance, was clearly delivered by Daniel Four hundred and eight Years (m) 1.131 before the accomplishment, Dan. viii. Daniel likewise described the Fate of the Four Monarchies, the Restoration of the Jews, and the Re∣building of their City? and the Birth of the Messias, with the precise Time of it. And Alexander the great is said (n) 1.132 to have been encouraged by Daniel's Prophecy, in his Ex∣pedition. Indeed, his Prophecy, and the History of the Four Monarchies, are so ex∣actly parallel, that Porphyry could find no other evasion, but to say, That the Book of Daniel was writen after the Events: which, as Grotius observes, is as absurd, as if a Man should maintain, that the Works of Virgil were not written under Augustus, but after his time: For the Book of Daniel was as publick, and as much dispersed, and as univer∣sally received, as ever any Book could be.

Lastly, Haggai and Malachi prophesied, That Christ should come before the Destruction of the Second Temple, Hag. ii. 7, 9. Mal. iii. 1. And Hosea foretold the present state of the People of Israel, in those remarkable words, They shall be wanderers among the nations Hos. ix. 17.

Not to insist therefore upon other Miracles and Prophecies, which were concerning things of lesser moment, or less remarkable in the eyes of the World; these may suffice, which were of that Publick nature, that there could be no deceit or mistake in them: multitudes of Men whom Prejudice or Malice had pre∣pared to make the utmost Discoveries, were Witnesses to the Miracles; and both the Pro∣phecies themselves, and the Fulfilling of them, were notorious to other Nations, as well as to the Jews, to whom they were delivered, and in whose hands they have ever since been, be∣ing read in the Synagogues every Sabbath-day. The Jews had as good Evidence, for Instance, that Elijah wrought his Miracles, as they could have, that there was such a Man in the World. And when the publick Transactions and Coun∣cils of Princes, the Fate and Revolution of Em∣pires, with the Prefix'd Time and Place, and the very Names of the Persons, were so par∣ticularly foretold, Two or Three hundred Years before the Things came to pass; we may as well question the Truth of all History, as the Certainty of these Revelations. For, indeed, they are the History of Things that were to come, set down in the very Circum∣stances in which they afterwards were brought to pass. And yet if a Man should dispute whe∣ther there ever were such a Man as Elijah, or such a Prince as Josiah, or Cyrus, he would but make himself ridiculous; but if he deny that

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Elijah wrought such Miracles, or that Isaiah spoke of Cyrus, and another Prophet of Josiah, by Inspiration, perhaps he may be thought to have made some great Discovery, and to know something above the rest of Mankind, and shall be likely to meet with Applause, instead of that Contempt which such Pretences de∣serve: so strangely partial are Men for any thing which is but against the Authority of the Scriptures. For I think it will be hard for Men to bring better Proof, that there were such Men as Elijah and Josiah, and Cyrus, than may be brought to shew, that the latter were by Name prophesied of long before their Birth, and that the first wrought all the Miracles related of him; or to produce clearer Evi∣dence, that there was such a City as Jerusalem before the Reign of Cyrus, than we have, that the Destruction of the City and Temple, and the Captivity of the people, with their Re∣storation after Seventy Years, was foretold by Jeremiah.

The prophets did their Miracles in the most publick manner; and their Prophecies were delivered not in corners, but openly, before all the People; not in obscure and ambiguous Words, but in plain Terms, with a particular Account of Persons, and Time, and Place: they were kept, they were read and studied by that very People who at first as little re∣garded them, as any Man now amongst us can do, but slew the prophets themselves,

and rejected their Prophecies with rage and indignation; but were afterwards, by the Event of Things, so fully convinced (which was likewise foretold, Ezek. xxxiii. 33.) of their Divine Inspiration and Authority, that they wholly depended and relyed upon them, and lived in an uncomfortable Exile, upon the sole Hopes and Expectations of seeing the rest of their Prophecies fulfilled. And their∣fore the Posterity of those who had slain the Prophets, had the Highest veneration for the Memory of these Prophets whom their Fore∣fathers had killed; they built and ador∣ned their Sepulchres, and chose to die any Death, rather than renounce the Authority of their Books, or part with them, even when they had forsaken their Doctrine, and changed their Religion for vain Traditions, and superstitious Observances; and when it was so reproachful to them to erect Monu∣ments of perpetual acknowledgment, That they were the the Children of them which killed the Prophets, Matth. xxiii. 31. they referred themselves to these Prophets for the Autho∣rity of their Religion, and acknowledged, that they had neither Prophecies nor Miracles after the Captivity.

CHAP. XI. Of the Dependance of the several Parts of the Scriptures upon each other; and that the Old Testament prove the New, and the New again proves the Old, as the Cause and the Effect.

IT is a thing altogether incredible, that the Inhabitants of so small a part of the World as Judaea is, should lay a Design of imposing upon the rest of Mankind, which could prove so successful for so many thousand Years together; and that they should be such Masters of Deceit, and the World so fond of receiving Revelations from them, that at last, though the greatest part of that People dis∣claimed the Books which some few, and those the most unlearned among them, would im∣pose for Inspired Writings; yet the Autho∣rity of these Books should be more acknow∣ledged in all Parts of the World, than those had ever been, in which they all unanimously agreed, and the rest should be received for the sake of these, more than ever they had been upon their own account: which is the case of the Books of the Old and New Testament. If the Jews (even the meanest and most igno∣rant of them) could do this merely by their own Wit and Device, they must have a Genius

superiour to that of all Mankind besides. For what imaginable Reason is there, why the Oracles of all the Heathen Nations should never be much regarded, and now, in a manner, utterly lost, and that the Books of the Jews should still be preserved in their full Authority; but the power and Advan∣tage of Truth in these, and the want of it in them?

And the Evidence of this Truth is most observable, in the mutual Dependence which all the Parts of the Scriptures have one upon another. They were penn'd by Men of dif∣ferent Countreys, different Ages, different Conditions and Callings and Interests, from the King to the poor Fisherman; and yet all carry on the same Design: They are not like the Oracles of the Heathen Gods, which must stand or fall by themselves; but there is an admirable Series and Connexion between all the Writings of the Holy Scriptures, by which the several Parts of them give a mutual sup∣port and attestation to each other. The Pen∣tateuch and Moses contains the first Lineaments and evident Types and Prophecies of all that is contained in the rest: He foretold, That a succession of Prophets should arise, and that at last the Great Prophet should be sent, who is Christ; and he foretold all that was to befall the Jews, from his own time, to the Destruction of Jerusalem. And as Moses has given us the general State of the Jews, for

all Generations; so the several Prophets, who were sent from time to time, according to his Predictions, foretold particular Events and more-especially they foretold and de∣scribed the Times of the Gospel. This was the great Design of all Prophecies, and the thing that God had spoken by the Prophets, which have been since the world bigan, Luk. i. 70. For in Christ was the Accomplishment of all the Types and Prophecies in the Old Testa∣ment.

And this Dependance and Coherence be∣tween all the Parts of the Scriptures, in the Matter and Design of them, which is as great as the dependance of one part of any Book written by the same Author can be upon ano∣ther, gives great strength and confirmation to the whole; since it is an Evidence, that it was all Inspired by the same Infallible Spirit; and if one part of Scripture be proved to be true, all must be so: for besides the particu∣lar Evidence which may be brought for any part separately, we must consider the Con∣nexion which it has with the rest, and the Evidence which is derived upon it by this Connexion, if the Pentateuch be once proved to be of Divine Authority, than the Pro∣phets who succeeded Moses must be Divinely Inspired; because he foretold the succession of such Prophets; And if the Prophecies and Miracles of the Prophets were Divine, the Pentateuch must be so; because they all along

acknowledged and appealed to it, as contain∣ing God's Covenant with his People the Jews, and being therefore the ground and founda∣tion of their own Mission. if Moses and the Prophets be from God, the Gospel must be from him, if that be foretold by them: And if the Prophecies and Miracles of our Saviour and his Disciples prove their Divine Autho∣rity, the Writings of Moses and the Prophets must be likewise of the same Authority; be∣cause they acknowledge them for such, and prove their own Authority from them, as well as from the Miracles that they them∣selves wrought. And if the Prophecies and Miracles either of Moses or of the Prophets, or of our Saviour and his Apostles taken by themselves, and apart from the rest, be suffi∣cient, they must needs be more convincing, when they are considered together, in their united Force and Light.

I might further observe, That Miracles without Prophecies, or Prophecies without Miracles, or that one evident Miracle, or one evident Prophecy; at least, That either the Miracles or prophecies of some one Person, in the several Ages in which so many Pro∣phets lived, would have been a sufficient ground of Faith, and that therefore they must all be much rather so in conjunction: But I shall only desire it may be remembred, That whatever Evidence has been brought in proof of the Divine Authority of the Books of

Moses, and of the Prophets, doth recipro∣cally prove both the one and the other; and that therefore whatever is brought from ei∣ther of them, in Proof of the Gospel, has the Evidence of the whole; and that the Gospel in different respects doth prove them; and is proved by them, both deriving Authority from the Books of the Old Testament, and communicating its own Authority to them: For as the Cause may be proved by its Ef∣fect, and the Effect by its Cause; so both Predictions prove the Things foretold; and the accomplishment of the Things foretold, verifie the Predictions; and Miracles wrought in consequence of Prophecies concerning them, have doubly the Divine Seal and At∣testation. Now, the Messias is the Scope and Centre of the whole Old Testament, as the Jews them selves ever understood it; and what ever Testimony is produced from thence, brings with it the Evidence of the whole: And a like Evidence is again reflected upon the whole Old Testament, by the Accomplish∣ment of any part of it in the New, and by the appeal which our Saviour and his Apostles constantly made to it.

CHAP. XII. Of the Person of our Blessed Saviour.

THat in the reign of Tiberius there lived such a Person as Jesus Christ, who suffered (a) 1.133 under Pontius Pilate, is ex∣presly written by Tacitns: and that he cured Diseases and wrought other Miracles, was never denied by the worst Enemies to the Christian name and Doctrine. So that the substance of the History of the Life and Death of our Saviour, is acknowledged by our very Adversaries, and the Power, by which he wrought his Miracles, is the thing which was in dispute between them and the Primitive Christians. And there∣fore I shall take the observations which I make concerning our Blessed Saviour, from that account which the Evangelists give of him, which is in great part confessed by the Jews and Heathens, and which de∣serves at least the same credit that all o∣ther Histories do, till it can be disproved, and in the following Chapters I shall shew, that it is infallibly true.

The Divine Nature of our B. Saviour is of another consideration: we are in this place to consider him, according to the Appearance he made in the World: and

this was such as shewed him to be void of all ambitious and aspiring thoughts, and to be meek and humble, and perfectly vertuous and holy: his Miracles were wrought without vanity and ostentation, and never out of Revenge, or to shew his Power over his Enemies, but always with a gracious and merciful design: he avoid∣ed all opportunities of Popularity; he would not intermeddle in private affairs, when he was appealed to; and made his escape, when the people would have ta∣ken him by force to make him a King, af∣ter they had seen the Miracle of the Loaves; by which it appeared that he, who was able to sustain so many thousands in the Wilderness, might have raised and main∣tained what Army he pleased, and might have made himself as great as he would, notwithstanding any opposition.

He dealt freely and generously with his Disciples, not deluding them with vain hopes, nor promising them great Matters, but checking their aspiring Thoughts and telling them truly and plainly, that they were to expect nothing but miseries in this World from the Profession of his Doctrine; he put it to their own choice, whether they would take up their Cross and fol∣low him; and when he was betray'd by one of those very Disciples, he uses no up∣braiding or reproachful Language, but

bespeaks him with a Divine Patience and Meekness: Noman ever suffer'd with so much injustice and cruelty, nor ever any man with so great compassion and cha∣rity towards all his Enemies.

He lived a mean and despised Life, and never was in such a condition as could tempt any man to flatter him, or to con∣ceal any fault, if he had been guilty of any: and he had always many Enemies, who endeavoured to fasten the worst ca∣lumnies upon him, but their malice tended only to render his Innocence the more manifest and illustrious.

The person who betray'd him, and de∣livered him into the hands of his Enemies, was one of the Twelve, one of his own Dis∣ciples and Apostles, whom he had sent out to gain Proselytes, and had commit∣ted to him a Power of working Miracles, and of doing whatsoever was requisite to gain Reception for his Religion in the World. Judas was one of the Twelve, who were nearest to him, and were admitted to all the secrets of his Kingdom, and were entrusted with the most hidden Mysteries, and obscure Doctrines of his Religion; what∣soever was spoken to others in Parables, was explained afterwards to them in pri∣vate: nothing was with-held from them, which it was convenient for them to be ac∣quainted withal, or which they were capable

of knowing. Nay, Judas seems to have had a particular mark of Favour plac'd upon him, in that he was the keeper of the Bag; for it was an Office of some Trust and Confidence; however, it gave him an opportunity of knowing, whether his Master had any such ambitious designs, as he was accused of. For if he had perverted the Nation, and forbidden to give Tribute to Caesar, and had endeavour'd to set himself up as King of the Jews, which was the charge laid against him before Pilate, such a Project could not have been carried on without amassing a great Treasure, which therefore, if any such thing had been in hand, Judas had been best able to give an account of. But when one who had constantly at∣tended upon him and was so intimately ac∣quainted with all the secrets of his Life and Doctrin, had nothing to alledge against him, after he had betray'd him, what could make more for his Justification, or be a clearer De∣monstration of his Innocence? When men are once prevail'd upon to turn Traytors they seldom do things by halves, but if there be the least pretence or colour to be found, they will be sure to lay hold of it to justify their villany. And it is the most undeniable proof our Saviours's Innocence, that Trea∣chery it self could discover nothing to fasten upon him: but tho' Judas had been suborned by the chief Priests to betray his Master for thirty pieces of Silver, yet nei∣ther

that nor a greater sum, (which we may be confident would not have been denied him) could prevail with Judas himself, to undertake to appear as a witness against him.

When one of his own Disciples was per∣swaded, or rather had offer'd of his own ac∣cord to betray him, it could not be imagin'd, but that the Chief Priests would urge him to come in, as a witness to the Accusations which they had framed against him; this had been a much a more acceptable service to them, than barely to deliver him up; for what could have brought a greater disgrace upon his Person, or more discredit upon his Religion, than for one of his own Disciples to witness against him, that the had committed things worthy of Death? Men, who were at such a loss for matter to charge Christ with and at last could not make their Witnesses agree together, would never, we may be sure have omitted such an opportunity as this of loading him with infamy, and stifling his Doctrine in his death. And he who was so ready and forward to betray his master wou'd never have stuck at accusing him, if he had had any thing to say against him; and no other reason can be given why he did not do it, but that he was over-awed by that Innocence and Holiness, which he knew to be in him, and was seiz'd with that remorse of Conscience and terrour of Mind, as not to be able to bear up under the guilt of what he had

already done. For Judas, who had be∣trayed him, when he saw that he was con∣demned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of Silver to the Chief Priests and Elders, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood: And they said, What is that to us, see thou to that; And he cast down the pieces of Silver in the Temple, and went and hanged himself, Matt. xxvii. 3, 4. How could the Chief Priests themselves have contrived a better way to vindicate our Saviour's Innocence, if they had never so much endeavour'd it, than for one of his own Disciples after he had betrayed him, instead of witnessing against him, which it was natural to suppose he would have done, to be so far from that, as to come before them all, and fling down the Money in the Temple, which they had given him as the hire of his Treache∣ry, and declare publickly, that he had betrayed the Innocent Blood; and then to give a further proof of all this, out of meer anguish and horror of Mind, to go imme∣diately from them, and hang himself?

If our Saviour had done any thing, whereby he could deserve to be put to Death, Judas must needs have known it, and when he had once betray'd him, it cannot be supposed he would forbear to discover any thing he knew of him. But when on the contrary he was so far from

accusing him, that as soon as he saw him condemned at the Accusation of other false Witnesses, he could not bear the Agonies of his own mind, but went and made away with himself; this is as evident a proof of Christ's Innocence, as any of the other Apostles themselves could ever give; and Judas is so far an Apostle still, as to proclaim his Master's Innocence in the face of the Sanedrim, and then to Seal that Testimony with his Blood.

It has been thought by some, that Judas, as wicked as he was, had never any de∣sign to cause his Master to be put to Death, or to be any way instrumental towards it, but he supposed that Christ would be secure enough against the Chief Priests in his own Innocence and Holiness, or that they would not dare to hurt him for fear of the People, which had been a restraint upon them in their former attempts; or that he could easily make his escape from them, as he had formerly done, and therefore his Covetousness tempted him to believe, that though he should betray his Master, yet he would come to no harm by it. How∣ever, it is certain, that Judas himself clear∣ed our Saviour's snnocence by betraying him more than any other man could have done, who had not been his Dlsciple, and his making that confession, and then his dying upon that account, and in that manner,

may afford us that evidence, which we must have wanted, to certify us in the Truth of the Christian Religion, if Christ had not been betray'd, or had been betrayed by any but one of his own Disciples.

When he was condemned and crucify'd one of the Thieves, who was crucified with him, made an open Profession of him; when there could be no Temptation of flattery, nor leisure or patience for a man in that condition to speak in that manner, but by the special Providence and Grace of God, and to give an early instance of the great efficacy of his Cross, and of the Mercy, which it reacheth forth to all re∣penting Sinners, our Saviour assures him, that that very day he should be with him in Paradise. A strange discourse upon the Cross! To speak of Kingdoms, and pro∣mise Paradise, under so much infamy and torment! That one should have the Faith to ask, and the other the Power to pro∣mise so great things in that condition! Who could have had the courage to pro∣mise so much upon the Cross, but he, who was able to perform it?

And as no ill could ever be proved a∣gainst him, but all circumstances concur∣red to confirm his Innocence; as Herod dis∣missed him, and Pilate often declared him to have committed nothing worthy of Death: so the Devils themselves, during

his Life here upon Earth, confessed him to be the Son of God, and after his Death, (b) 1.134 by their Oracles acknowledg∣ed him to have been an holy person, whose Soul was translated into Heaven.

And this person, thus Innocent and Ho∣ly both in his Life and Doctrine, was pro∣phesied of many Ages before his Birth, and all the Prophecies concerning the Messias were exactly and in a wonderful manner fulfilled in him. These Prophecies con∣cern either his Birth, or his Life, or his Death, or his Resurrection and Ascension.

1. The Prophecies concerning the Birth of the Messias were fulfilled in our Saviour. For his Birth was prophesied of in all the circumstances of the Time, and the Place of it, and the Person of whom he was born.

1. As for the Time; by Jacob's Pro∣phecy, Gen. xlix. 10. The Messias was to come about the time of the Dissolution of the Jewish Government. The Scepter was not to depart from Judah, that is, the Pow∣er and Authority of the Jewish Govern∣ment was not to cease, until Shilo came, which the ancient (c) 1.135 Jewish Interpreters expounded of the coming of their Messias. To (d) 1.136 which purpose it is held by the Jews, that the great Sanhedrim sat in the Tribe of Judah, tho' but part of the Court in which they sat was of that Tribe, and the rest in the Tribe of Benjamin. And

the Jews among all their objections, never objected against the time in which our Sa∣viour came into the World, but many of them have confessed that the Messias was born at that time, but say, that because of their sins he has (e) 1.137 concealed himself ever since. And the latter Jews have, by a great many stories, endeavoured to make it believed, that there is a Kingdom still of their Nation, in some unknown part of the world; tho' if this were true, it could prove nothing to their purpose, the pro∣phecy being concerning their Power and Authority in the promised Land.

It is certain, that soon after our Savi∣our's coming, Jerusalem was destroyed, and the Jews dispersed, and upon severe Penalties forbidden to come to their de∣solate and ruined City, or so much as to look upon Zion, the City of their Solemnities, unless it were once every year to lament their calamity; and they have ever since been a wandring and despicable People. And several times, when they have at tempted to re-build their Temple, they have not been suffered to do it; particu∣larly, when they had the favour and en∣couragement of Julian the Apostate, who, out of malice to the Christian Name and Doctrine, was forward to promote the work, they were hindred by an Earth∣quake, and a miraculous eruption of Fire

bursting out from under the foundation, which burnt down what they had erected, and destroyed those that were employed in it; and this we have attested not only from Christian writers, who lived near that time, (f) 1.138 but by an eminent Heathen Historian of the same Age. Now it was foretold by the prophets Haggai and Malachy, that Christ should come before the destruction of the Second Temple, and the destruction of this Temple was fore∣told by Daniel, with the precise time of our Savour's coming; and to manifest to the world that Christ is come, and that therefore the Jewish Worship and Govern∣ment is utterly at an end, as the Prophets had foretold, God has been pleased in so mira∣culous and terrible a manner to shew, that he will not suffer their Temple to be re∣built, and whereas the Messias was to come to the Second Temple, now for so many hundreds of years, they have had no Tem∣ple at all for him to come to.

2. As the time of Christ's Birth was foretold by the Prophets, so was the place likewise, and that was Bethlehem, a small City, and therefore the more unlikely in all humane account to have that honour bestowed upon it, to become the Birth place of him, who, the Jews expected, should be a Temporal Prince: yet this when so well understood by the Jews of

that time, notwithstanding their mistaken notion of a Temporal Messias, that when Herod gathered all the Chief Priests and Scribes of the people together, and demanded of them, where Christ should be born, they answered him with one consent, in Beth∣lehem of Judaea, and quoted the Prophecy of Micah for the proof of it, Matt. ii. And many believed that Jesus was the Messias or the Christ, which they then were in expectation of; others made this objecti∣on, that he could not be the Christ, be∣cause he came out of Galilee: but hath not the Scripture said, that Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the Town of Beth∣lehem, where David was? This was the great objection against our Saviour, that he could not be the Christ, because he did not come out of Bethlehem, but out of Ga∣lilee: for they thought he had been born at Nazareth in Galilee, not at Bethlehem in the Tribe of Judah, whereas he was in∣deed born at Bethlehem, and that by so strange and particular a providence, as doth evidently prove him to be the Christ.

For it came to pass in these days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed, and registred according to their Families; and all went to be taxed, every one into his own City, into the City, which belonged to his

Lineage and Family. And Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the City of Nazareth into Judaea unto the City of David, which is called Bethlehem (because he was of the House and Lineage of David) to be taxed with Mary his espoused Wife, being great with Child; and so it was, that while they were there the days were accomplished, that she should be delivered, Luke ii. 1, &c. Here we see, that their going from Nazareth to Bethlehem was not in the least designed by the Virgin Mary and Joseph, but they were obliged to go thither by a new and strange decree of the Emperor, and accordingly they went in Obedience to this Decree. If the Blessed Virgin had dwelt at Bethle∣hem, though the Prophecy had been fulfilled, yet there had been nothing in the circum∣stances extraordinary; if she had gone thither of her own accord, or if some pri∣vate business had called her thither, this might have been looked upon as a contri∣vance, and a design to be thought the Mother of the Messias; if God himself had by an immediate Revelation sent her thi∣ther, yet this still had been liable to cavils, and might have been suspected of impo∣sture. But when at the Command of an Heathen Prince, and such a command as had never been given out at any time be∣fore, the Virgin Mary was forced upon a long and tedious Journey, at an unseason∣able

time of the year, being then great with Child, and therefore very unfit for such a Journey, and not in a condition to have the least inclination or thought of un∣dertaking it, when she was obliged by so unexpected and unwelcom a command to repair to Bethlehem, and was at that very time delivered of her Son; all these cir∣cumstances so wonderfully concurring, have something more convincing in them, than can well be express'd.

And 'tis observable, that this Tax or Register was designed and begun in some parts of the Empire 27 years before, but was hindred by disturbances, which hap∣pened, upon which account anciently the Spaniards begun their Aera 27 years before the computation of other Christians, sup∣posing that the Taxing mentioned in St. Luke, had been at the same time, that it was begun amongst them so many years be∣fore; but the divine Providence so order∣ed things, that it should not be carried on then, but should be deferred till that very time when Christ was to be born, that by this means Bethlehem might be the place of his Birth.

And by the same special Providence it came to pass, not only that this Prophecy was fulfilled concerning his being born at Bethlehem, but that it should be registered in the Publick Records of the Empire, to

which Justin Martyr and Tertullian appeal in their Apologies for the proof of it; and St. Chrysostom mentions them, as extant at Rome in his time, near four hundred years after the Birth of our Saviour. And his being born there, proves that he was of the Seed of David, as it was prophesied that the Messias should be: for the Decree required that all should resort to the City of their Lineage or Family, and Bethlehem was the City of David. So that from our Saviour's being born at Bethlehem, and that by so re∣markable a Providence, without any hu∣mane foresight or design: we have two evident proofs that he is the Christ, he was of the Seed of David, and was born at Bethlehem, and this was attested by the Publick Records, or Censual Tables at Rome, which were often appealed to for the Truth of it, and were remaining to be con∣sulted for several hundred years afterwards. (g) 1.139 And the Jerusalem Gemarists do con∣fess, that the Messias was born at Bethle∣hem before their times.

3. The person of whom our Saviour was born, had been likewise foretold. For not only the time of his Birth, that it was to be before the destruction of the Tem∣ple, and the Place, that it was to be at Beth∣lehem, but the Tribe of which he was to be born, the Tribe of Judah, and the Fami∣ly, the Family of David, and the very

person, that she was to be a Virgin: all were particularly foretold by the Pro∣phets, and accordingly expected at that time by the Jews.

Concerning the Tribe and Family of which our Saviour was born I shall ob∣serve, that effectual care was taken by the Law of Moses to keep a perpetual distincti∣on of their several Tribes and Families: for by the Law of the Inheritances, no in∣heritance could pass out of a Family ei∣ther by sale of Lands (for every fiftieth year was a year of Redemption, and every man returned to his own Possession, and eve∣ry man to his own Family, Lev. xxv. io.) Or by defect of Heirs Male; for if there were Daughters, they were to inherit, and if there were no Daughter, it was to Pass to the nearest Kinsman, Numb. xxvii. and the Daughters who were Heiresses, were obliged to marry to one of the Family of the Tribe of their Fathers, Numb. xxxvi. 8. But if a man died without Children, his Brother, or his next Kinsman was to raise up Seed unto the deceased, and the First born was to succeed in the name of him that died without issue, Deut. xxv. 5, 6. Ruth iii. 12. So that he had a Natural and a Le∣gal Father, the names of both which must be enroll'd in their Registers, to intitle him and his Heirs to their Inheritance. All which was appointed with a peculiar re∣gard to the Messias, that the Prophecies

concerning his Tribe and Family might be known to be fulfilled at his Birth. The Genealogies of the Jews therefore were of two kinds, one of their Natural, and the other of their Legal Descent and Parentage; and we have both these Ge∣nealogies of our Saviour set down the one by St. Matthew, and the other by St. Luke, which must be exactly the same with the Registers of the Genealogies then extant, which both in their publi••k (h) 1.140 Records, and in their private Books, were kept with great care and exact∣ness, their expectation of the Me••••••as ob∣liging them to it, and the constitution of their Government necessarily requiring it: for all the Title and Claim they could have to their Inheritances entirely be∣pended upon it, and they were so care∣ful herein, that their Genealogies were preserved to the destruction of Jerusalem; and if the Genealogies in St. Matthew and St. Luke had been different from those in the publick Registers this had for ever silenced and extinguished all pretences to our Saviour's being the Messias; but they being exactly the same, did prove that the Prophecies concerning the Messias were fulfilled in him. For the Virgin Mary being the only Child of her Father, it was lawful for her to be espoused to none out of her own Family, and there∣fore

the Pedigree of Joseph, as was cu∣stomary in such cases, is set down, this shewing her Lineage and Family, as cer∣tainly as her own Pedigree could have done: for the poorest amongst the Jews observed the Law of Inheritances, as strict∣ly as the rich, and even in exile it was observed, as well as when they were in possession of their Inheritances, Tob. vi. 10, 11.

Isaiah had prophesied, that the Messias should be born of a Virgin and (i) 1.141 so his Prophecies had been constantly under∣stood. And that a Virgin should bear a Son can seem to no man incredible who will but consider, that the God of Nature cannot be confined to the Laws of his own Institution, and that to make Man of the Dust of the Earth, or by other means than by natural Genera∣tion, as the first Man and Woman must certainly be made, whatever Hypothesis be admitted is as unaccountable, and as wonderful as this can be. But to make this Conception of the Blessed Virgin the more easily believed, the Birth of Isaac, when his Mother Sarah was old, and had been barren, and other Births of the like nature, were both Types of Christ's Birth, and an evidence of the power of God above the course of Nature; particularly St. John Baptist, being born of a Mother,

who was both old and barren, was in this as well as in other things, the fore-run∣ner of Christ.

But this Virgin was to be espoused to Joseph, a just and good man, both that he might be a security and protection to her, and might be assisting to her, in her care and tenderness for the Blessed Infant; and likewise that he, who was most concern∣ed to make the discovery, if it had been otherwise, might testify to the world, that an Angel from Heaven had satisfied him, that she was with Child of the H. Ghost. Jealousy, the wise man says, is the rage of a man, therefore be will not spare in the day of vengeance: he will not regard any ransom, nither will he be content, though thou givest him many gifts, Prov. vi. 34, 35. And the Jewish Law in this case was as severe, as any could well be: For a Virgin betroth∣ed, who had been thus found guilty, was to be stoned to Death, Deut. xxii. 23. And though Joseph not being willing to make her a publick example was minded to put her away privately, yet this shews, that if it had prov∣ed, as he at first suspected, he was not a man, that would have been insensible of the Injury; and it is a good evidence that there was nothing to be objected, when there was nothing that jealousy could object; and no Testimony could possibly have satisfied those, who will not

be satisfied though Joseph himself testified, that the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a Dream, saying Joseph, thou Son of David, fear not to take unto thee, Mary thy Wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And his carrying the In∣fant into Egypt at another appearance of an Angel, and all his Behaviour shews, that as he was the most competent person to deliver this Message of the Angel to the world, so he was the most zealous and forward as∣serter of this Article of our Faith.

And besides his first suspicions, his other prejudices and discouragements must be so great, that nothing but a clear and un∣doubted Revelation could possibly remove them; he could expect nothing but trou∣ble and danger to himself; he could not hope to be reputed the Father of the Messias, since the Prophets had fortold, that he was to be born of a Virgin; and nothing could be more contrary to the expectation the Jews had of him than that he should be a Carpenter's Son, this was thought by them a sufficient reason to reject both his Doctrine and his Miracles. And Joseph had no cause to flatter himself that it would be otherwise: Simeon pro∣phesied of Christ, that he was set for a sign, which should be spoken against, and He∣rod presently seeks to take away his Life by a terrible Massacre: yet Joseph was so

well satisfied of the Angels Revelation to him, and was so well assured of the cer∣tainty of it, that he willingly exposed himself to all the inconveniencies and dan∣gers, which he could not but see must be the necessary consequence of it, and which he soon saw come so thick and violently upon him. A Sword was to pierce through the Virgins own Soul also: but all the hazards and the sorrows, which were foretold them, and which accordingly they under∣went, may abundantly convince us, that they could have no design or prospect of any advantage, but of declaring the Truth, and of that Salvation, which was brought to them and to all Mankind by it.

Thus we see that both the Time and Place of our Saviour's Nativity, and the Person of whom he was born, are evi∣dent proofs of his being the Christ. He was to be born whilst the second Temple stood, he was to be born at Bethlehem, and he was to be born of a Virgin of the Tribe of Judah, and of the Lineage of David; all which most exactly agree in the Birth of our Saviour.

II. The Prophecies concerning the Life of the Messias, were fulfilled in our Savi∣our. The meanness and obscurity, and sorrows of it are exprest, Isa. liii. 23. For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant,

and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness: and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and we hid as it were our faces from him, he was despised and we esteemed him not. His meekness and patience are described, Isai. xlii. 2, 3, 4. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the Street; a bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoaking flax shall he not quench; he shall bring forth judgment unto truth; he shall not fa•••• nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth, and the Isles shall wait for his Law. His abode was to be chiefly in Ga∣lilee, Isai. ix. 1. Matt. iv. 14. And according∣ly he was brought up at Nazareth, and dwelt at Capernaum.

His miracles are every where inculcated by the Prophets, and this was so well un∣derstood by the Jews of that time, that many of the people believed in him upon the account of his Miracles, and said when Christ cometh, shall he do greater Miracles than these, which this man hath done? Joh. vii. 31. And when St John Baptist sent two of his Disciples to enquire of our Saviour, whether he were the Christ, he gives them no other answer, but that they should ac∣quaint John with what things they had seen and heard, how that the blind saw, the

lame walked, the lepers were cleansed, the deaf heard, the dead were raised, to the poor the Gospel was preached, Luke vii. 22. which was the literal fulfilling of that Prophecy, Isaiah xxxv. 5, 6. and it was the very character all the Prophets had given of the Messias. St. John Baptist, whom Josephus gives a high commendation of, and whom all men looked upon as a Prophet, Matt. xxi. 26. had before declared Jesus to be the Christ, though he now sent two of his Disciples to enquire of him, not for his own, bu•• for their satisfaction, that they might be wit∣nesses, how the Prophecies were fulfilled in him. And both the Preaching and Baptism of John, was preparatory to that of Christ, and was foretold by the Prop∣phets, Isa. xl. 3. Malach. iv. 5.

But besides the Record of John the Holy Ghost gave witness to Christ, visibly descending upon him at his Baptism, with a voice from Heaven, pronouncing the words prophetically delivered before con∣cerning the Messias, which were always understood by the Jews to be meant of him, Matt. iii. 13. and this voice was a gain repeated, though not so publickly as before at his Transfiguration, Mat. xvii. 5.2 P••••. i. 17. and at a third time there came a voice to him from heaven, in the hearing of all the people, Jo. xii. 28. By the Ho∣sanna's of the Multitude, and even of the

Children, and by his driving the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple, several known Prophecies concerning the Messias were fulfilled in him, Matt. xxi. 16. Jo. ii. 17.

III. The Prophecies concerning the Death of the Messias were fulfilled in our Saviour: His Death was foretold both in the writings of the Prophets, and by seve∣ral Types or Actions, which did represent and prefigure his Death with the manner and circumstances of it, and this was one kind of Prophesying, by the resemblance of Actions and Things, as well as by de∣scriptions in words. Thus Abraham's of∣fering up Isaac was a Type of Christ's be∣ing offered upon the Cross, and Isaac's carrying the Wood on his Shoulders, was a Type of Christs carrying his Cross. The listing up the brazen Serpent in the wilder∣ness was a Type of Christ's being lifted up, and the Paschal Lamb was a plain. Type of the Sacrifice of Christ; and our Saviour Christ was sacrificed upon the Cross, a•• the very time of the Passover. A bone of him was not broken which was typified of him in the paschal Lamb; the breaking of his Legs was prevented by his volunta∣ry giving up the Ghost, when he had so much strength and vigour after all his pains, as to cry out with a loud voice, which by the course of nature, a person

who had endured so much before, and had hung bleeding and languishing for three hours at least upon the Cross till he expired by the force and extremity of his Torments, could not have done, and his being dead sooner than was expected, and sooner than the Malefactors were, caused the fulfilling this prophetical Type, a Bone of him shall not be broken, Exod. xii. 46. Numb. ix. 12. (k) 1.142 He died likewise in the year of Jubilee, (as Dr. Lightsoot proves) by which the release and redemption, which he purchased for Mankind was ty∣pified: And as the fulfilling of these several Types concurred in our Saviour, so the fulfilling of them was brought to pass by the malice and cruelty of his Enemies, and of those very Jews, who had ever under∣stood these Types to relate to the Mes∣sias.

The Prophecies in like manner were fulfilled in him, not by any design or con∣trivance of his own, but by the mere envy and malice of his Murtherers. The thirty pieces of Silver, for which he was betray∣ed, were by the Chief Priests given to buy the Potters Field, by which wa•• ful∣filled a noted Prophecy, that stands re∣corded in the Book of Zachariah, but be∣cause Jeremiah had Prophesied of the same thing before him, or for some other rea∣son, it was better known among the Jews

by the name of Jeremiah's Prophecy, un∣less, as some suppose, Jeremy be put for Zachary by a mistake of the Transcriber, which was obvious enough in transcribing the Abbreviation of the name of Zachary, as it is now to be seen in some of the Ancient MSS. z. not much differing from I. Ou•• Saviour was buffeted and spit upon ac∣cording to a Prophecy of Isaiah, Is. l. 6. He had Vinegar given him to drink ming∣led with Gall, and his Garments were parted amongst the Souldiers by casting of Lots, both which were foretold Ps. xxii. 18. lxix. 21. They pierced his hands and his feet, Ps. xxii. 16. They that pass'd by reviled him in the very words of the Psalmist, and in his Agony he cried out in the words of the same Psalm, v. 1.7, 8. His death was voluntary, for though it was in the power of his Enemies to crucify him; yet his Life was in his own power, which he resigned in the words of another Psalm, Ps. xxxi. 5. and he caused another Pr••∣phecy to be fulfilled by dying at that very point of time, which, if his death had been deferred a little longer had not been ful∣filled; for the Soldiers broak the Legs of the two other that were crucified with them, but finding him de••d, they broak not his Legs, though one of them suspecting that he could not be so soon dead, pierced his side, to try whether he were really

dead or not, by which that Scripture was fulfilled, which saith, they shall look on him, whom they pierced, Joh. xix. 34. Zach. xii. 10. which (l) 1.143 Text the Ancient Jews inter∣preted of the Messias. The liii. Chapter of Isaiah is a clear description of our Sa∣viour's Passion almost in every circum∣stance of it. He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; he was wounded for our Transgressions and bruised for our Iniquities; he was oppres∣sed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he was brought as a Lamb to the Slaughter, and as a Sheep before her Shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth; his Si∣lence being taken special notice of by Pi∣late himself, and his meekness towards Ju∣das, his most ungrateful Disciple, is won∣derful beyond all example. He made his Grave with the Rich in his Death, though he died in that shameful manner, under the imputation of so much wickedness, yet Joseph of Arimathea, an honourable Coun∣sellor, was suffered by Pilate to bury him, which he did in his own new Tomb. He was numbred with the Transgressors; and in that sense made his Grave also with the wicked, being crucified between two Thieves; and so was not only reputed a Malefactor, and underwent the punish∣ment of Transgressors, but was executed at the very time and place with them, and

buried when they were. He made inter∣cession for the Transgressors, for the Penitent Thief in particular, whom he promised, that he should be with him that day in Paradise, and for his Persecutors them∣selves, praying that they might be for∣given. The Prophecies of this Chapter are so very plainly and directly fulfilled, that I have known a Child apply them to the Passion of Christ.

One of the most glorious Characters, by which the Messias was described by the Prophets, was, that he should be their Prince and King, and this led the Jews into that fatal mistake of a Temporal Messias: for Messias or Anointed, signifies King as well as Prophet or Priest, (in which three Offices Unction was used, and they were all united in our Saviour, who was the Messias anointed and inaugurated by the descent of the Holy Ghost upon him in a visible shape, and with a distinct and au∣dible voice declaring him to be the Son of God. And that all the world might know our Saviour to be the King of the Jews, that Title was fixt upon his Cross in three several Languages, the most vulgar Tongues then in the world, that no Nati∣on might be ignorant, that Christ the King of the Jews was then crucified. For Pilate would not alter the Inscription; but though they had frighted him before by

observing to him, that it was Treason against Caesar to call any one King besides him, yet when they would now have had him change the Inscription, and have written only, that he said, I am King of the Jews, Pilate gave a short and resolute An∣swer, what I have written, I have written. How much soever it were at his Peril to provoke a malicious people, in a point wherein they thought the honour and safe∣ty of their Nation so much concerned, and in a point, which could not but be exceeding tender to so jealous an Emperor as Tiberius; but Pilate had suffered himself to be carried too far already against his own Conscience, and had shewn great a∣version to their proceedings, in the whole management of his Tryal; and the same providence, which had ordered every cir∣cumstance to the manifestation of the Truth, and the conviction both of the Jews and Gentiles, now so disposed this remarkable particular, that the last period of his Life, in opposition to all the spight of the Jews, should be adorned and dig∣nified with his true Title and Character, under which he had been foretold by the Prophets, in Capital Letters upon his Cross.

Thus were the Prophecies concerning the Birth, and Life, and Death of the Messias, exactly fulfilled in our Blessed Sa∣viour,

which were so many, that they could not be fulfilled by chance, and the fulfilling of them depended so much upon the words and actions of others, and even of his worst Enemies, that it could pro∣ceed from no design or contrivance of him or his Disciples: They were fulfilled in him by the malice chiefly of his Enemies, and according to the interpretation which they themselves were wont to give of them.

IV. His Resurrection likewise and Ascen∣sion were the fulfilling of express Prophe∣cies, as the Apostles proved to the face of his Crucifiers, Act. ii. And these were such Accomplishments of Prophecies as depend∣ed upon the sole Will and Power of Al∣mighty God, and yet as certainly came to pass, as the Birth, and Life and death of Christ did. As shall be proved in due Place.

CHAP. XIII. Of the Prophecies and Miracles of our Blessed Saviour.

AS our Blessed Saviour was Prophesied of by all the Prophets who were be∣fore him, so he was himself the Great Pro∣phet that was to come, and was at the time of his being in the world expected of the Jews; and he fulfilled that Prediction by the many eminent Prophecies which he spake. He foretold the Treachery of Judas, and knew from the beginning who it was that should betray him; he foretold the manner of his own Death, that it was to be by cru∣cifixion, though the Jews often sought op∣portunities to put him to death privately, and that was a kind of punishment which the Jews could not inflict, but if they had killed him themselves, and had not brought him to the Roman Judicature, they would have done it by stoning, as they murther∣ed St. Stephen. He foretold all the cir∣cumstances of his sufferings, that he should be delivered unto the Chief Priests and unto the Scribes, and that they should condemn him to death, and should deliver him to the Gen∣tiles, and that they should mock him, and should scourge him, and should spit upon him,

and should kill him, and that he would rise again the third day, Mark x. 33, 34. which his enemies took such notice of that they used all their vain endeavours to prevent it. He assured his Disciples, that his Go∣spel should be preached over the whole world, and that one particular action, which they were offended at, of the Wo∣man who anointed his head, should never be omitted, wheresoever it should be preached, Matt. xxvi. 13. He declared that his Religion should prevail against all the opposition which it would meet with∣al, and continue to the end of the world. He foretold the denial of St. Peter, and the manner of his Martyrdom, and both were foretold to St. Peter himself, and his denial, but a very little while before it came to pass, when St. Peter looked upon it as a thing impossible, who alone could have it in his power to hinder it. He pro∣phesied of the destruction of Jerusalem which came to pass about forty years af∣ter his own Death, within the compass of that Generation, as he had foretold: the very foundations of the Temple and City were destroyed, and the ground plowed up, so that one stone was not left upon a∣nother of all the magnificent Buildings of the Temple, which the Disciples so much admired, when our Saviour told them that this should be the Fate of that glorious

Pile, Matt. xxii. 2. And as I have already observed upon another occasion, when Juli∣an with a design (a) 1.144 to defeat this Prophecy; endeavoured to have it rebuilt, both the Works and the Workmen were miraculous∣ly destroyed by a fire bursting out of the ground. The Inhabitants fell by the edge of the Sword, and were led away captive into all Nations, Luke xxi. 24. the chiefest place of security was the mountainous part of Judea, which our Saviour foresaw, when he advised his Disciples to flee to the Mountains, Matt. xxiv. 16. And Cestius Gallus compassed Jerusalem with his Ar∣my, which was a warning to the Chri∣stians to depart, and then by raising the Siege, gave them an opportunity to es∣cape to Pella, in the Mountains of Perea, exactly according to Luke xxi. 20, 21. And what Dion Cassius relates in the Reigns of Claudius, Nero, Vitellius, and Titus, may serve as a comment upon our Saviour's Pro∣phecy; for there were famines and pesti∣lences, fearful sights and great signs from Hea∣ven, and great Earthquakes, the Sea and the Waves Roaring, xxi. 11, 25. The Sun was darkned, and the Moon did not give her light, Matt. xxiv. 29. Mens hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which were coming on the Earth, Luke xxi. 26. and there was so terrible an eruption of Vesu∣vius, that the Ashes were carried by

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the winds into Africk, and into Egypt and Syria, with so great smoak and darkness, that it was thought the world had been at an end.

Our Saviour's Miracles verified the Pro∣phecies, which had been concerning the Messias; for the Jews expected that the Messias should manifest himself by Mira∣cles to the world, as they concluded from the ancient Prophets: and therefore St. John Baptist did no Miracles that he might not be mistaken for the Messias, of whom Mi∣racles were a principal Token to know him by. His Miracles were wrought in the midst of his Enemies, and extorted a con∣fession from the Devils themselves of his Divine Power; they were of that nature, that it was impossible for them before whom they were wrought, to be imposed upon by them, and as impossible for them to be performed but by the immediate Power of God. The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes was twice done, and the Persons who were Witnesses to it, were at one time five thousand men, besides Women and Chil∣dren, Matt. xiv. 21. and the other time four thousand men, besides Women and Chil∣dren, Matt. xv. 38. a Miracle wrought at two several times, and obvious to all the sences of so many thousand Men, besides Women and Children, who being hun∣gry, found themselves filled and satis∣fied

with this miraculous food in the barren Wilderness, where it was impossible for them to be supplied by natural means, was impossible to be mistaken. The Miracles of our Saviour were so many, and so pub∣lick and undeniable, that St. Peter appeals to the Jews themselves, declaring that Jesus of Nazareth was a man approved of God among them by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of them, as they themselves also knew, Acts ii. 22. The Nobleman's Son was cured at a distance, and the multitude were Witnesses to the re∣quest he made to our Saviour, and to our Saviour's answer upon it, and the Nobleman's Family were Witnesses that the cure was effected at that very time. He cast Devils out of one known to have been a long time possess'd, and then suffered them to go into the Swine, to make it appear, that they were indeed evil Spi∣rits, which had possess'd the Man contrary to the Doctrine of the Sadduces, who believ∣ed no such thing as Spirits. He cured the Leprosy and sent the cured to the Priest, as the Law required, that he by inspection might examine, whether it were a perfect cure or no. He gave sight to one born Blind, and this was upon examination attested to the Pharisees themselves. Laza∣rus was raised to life again, after he had been dead four days, before so many Wit∣nesses,

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that the Scribes and Pharisees were not able to contradict the Truth of it, but were mightily enraged against him for it, and consulted to put Lazarus to death, be∣cause many were induced to believe on Christ, by reason of so great and manifest a Miracle. Some who had been cured, and others who had been raised from the Dead by our Saviour, were living for many years after, (b) 1.145 as Quadratus testified of his own time, in his Apology to Adrian the Emperor. The circumstances of these, and the rest of our Saviours Miracles, shewed that they were really performed, and they were wrought with this intent and design to prove him to be the Christ. The nature therefore and end of them shews, that no∣thing less than a Divine Power could have effected them: For God would never have suffered them to be wrought to vouch an Imposture to the World under his own Name and Authority. (c) 1.146 A ••earned Phy∣sician has Written a Treatise to shew, that according to the Principles and Axioms of the best Physicians, all the Diseases, which our Saviour cured, were incurable by natu∣ral means, and it is evident to every man that many of them were so. But I shall insist more particularly upon the Resurrecti∣on of our Saviour, this being the most won∣derful, and a confirmation of all his other Miracles, and of the whole Gospel to us.

CHAP. XIV. Of the Resurrection of our B. Saviour.

THE Resurrection of our B. Saviour was Prophesied of by David, Psal. xvi. 8. Act. ii. 27. And it was prefigured by the Type of Isaac's deliverance, when he had been offered up by Abraham, who both be∣lieved that God was able to raise him up even from the Dead, and received him also from thence in a Figure, Heb. xi. 19. and it was also prefigured by the Type of Jonas, his be∣ing three days and three nights in the Whale's Belly, Matt. xii. 40. Our Saviour was three days and three nights in the Grave, (that is three 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or three natu∣ral days) according to the computation of the Jews in the eight days, which they rec∣koned for the circumcision of their Children, and in their other accounts: for they com∣puted inclusively any part of the day, in which the Child was born for the whole: thus the a 1.147 Romans computed their Nundi∣nae and their Calends, &c. And the Olypmiads among the Greeks contained 5 years inclu∣sively; and thus we call that Tertian Ague, which has but one days inter∣mission.

But the Resurrection of Christ which was the Accomplishment of these Types and Prophecies being matter of fact, must be proved, as all other matters of fact are, by Witnesses: and the Apostles in a body offered themselves as Witnesses to testify this great Article of our Faith. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are Witnesses, Act. ii. 32. The thing therefore to be con∣sidered, is, whether they were effectually qualified to be Witnesses in this matter, and to prove that they had all the qualifications which can be required in any Witness, I shall shew, 1. That they had certain knowledge of the thing which they were Witnesses of, and could not be deceived themselves in it. 2. That they would not deceive others, having no temptation to it, but acting against all the Interests and ad∣vantages of this world. 3. That they alledge such circumstances, as made it im∣possible for them to deceive those, to whom they testified the Truth of Christ's Resur∣rection, though they had had never so much mind to do it. And when Men testify things which they have such means and opportunities of knowing, as make it im∣possible for them to be mistaken in them, when they can have no advantage but by telling the Truth, and can expect no∣thing but sufferings from it in this Life, when they produce such circumstances as

put it out of their own power to deceive; and such as those, before whom they speak, may know to be false, if they be so; this certainly is all that can be desir∣ed in any Witness.

I. The Apostles, who were Witnesses of our Saviour's Resurrection, could not be deceived themselves in it. They were e∣ver far from being credulous, and easy of belief, as they shewed upon all occasions, and particularly they never could be brought to believe the Doctrine concern∣ing the Resurrection of Christ, till their own senses had convinced them, but be∣fore they had wrong notions and appre∣hensions of it, and either misunderstood and misapplied all that had been said to them about it, or whatever they knew, or believed concerning it before, they had no expectations of it when he was once dead.

Our Saviour had in express terms fore∣told his Resurrection upon the third day several times, Matt. xvi. 21. xvii. 23. xx. 19. But his Disciples did not rightly ap∣prehend, or throughly consider what he said to them, though he exprest himself in the plainest words: For they were whol∣ly taken up with great thoughts and expe∣ctations of an earthly Kingdom and of tem∣poral Power and Honour; at one time Peter took him, and began to rebuke him,

saying, Be it far from thee, Lord, this shall not be unto thee, Matt. xvi. 22. and at ano∣ther time just before his passion, our Savi∣our had no sooner done speaking to them of his Crucifixion, and his rising again the third day, but the two Sons of Zebedee Petitioned, that one might sit on the right hand, and the other on the left in his Kingdom, and the rest of the Disciples were moved with indigna∣tion against them for preferring such a Re∣quest; and it appears from our Saviour's discourse to them upon it; that their minds were all bent upon the thoughts of temporal Glory and Dominion, Matt. xx. 20. And after our Saviour had told them, that he must be put to death, and rise again the third day, St. Luke adds, that they understood none of these things, and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken, Luke xviii. 34. and we find the same expression before, Luke ix. 45. Even after our Saviour had eaten the Passover with them, and instituted the Sacrament of his Body, which was just then to be given up and to be Crucified; and of his Blood which was to be shed for them they were still intent upon Temporal things and had expectations of being advanced to places of Authority and Preheminence. And there was a ••i••fe amongst them which of them should be accounted the greatest, Luke xxii. 24. At his passion as one of them denied him thrice, so all the rest forseek him and fled.

The Apostles and Evangelists write with∣out any design, or any end to serve but that of telling the truth; and therefore they conceal nothing of their own failings and faults, though they might prove ne∣ver so disgraceful to them; they acquaint us that they were ambitious, and had a vain prospect of Temporal Grandeur, that they were timorous, and of little Faith, till the descent of the Holy Ghost upon them; which appears in nothing more than in this point of the Refur∣rection. They were Men of no great na∣tural Capacity, or quick apprehension, and they had sometimes found themselves mi∣staken in understanding that literally, which was spoken to them in Parables; and it is natural for Men to run from one ex∣tream to another, and usual for ignorant and unlearned Men to imagine difficul∣ties, where there are none: and this meet∣ing with their wishes and longings after tem∣poral Greatness, made them take all that was said to them concerning the Passion and Resurrection of Christ, in some such sense as might answer their hopes and de∣sires of temporal Felicity: but when his Crucifixion had undeceived them in this conceit, they were in such confusion and consternation of mind, as not to be able ••o recollect themselves, or to promise them∣selves any thing by his Resurrection, which

they had no hopes or expectation of. The Spirits of Men are commonly as low as their Education, and their condition and station in the world is, and are easily sunk and depressed much lower by any great and sudden calamity: and Men, who were born in so mean a condition, and had en∣tertained a conceit of great and vain hopes, and then as unexpectedly fell from them, must be so dejected at it, that it is no wonder that they thought of nothing but their sorrows, and had little heart to ima∣gine any possibility of relief from the re∣viving of him, whom they had seen in that infamous and cruel manner put to Death. They were so possest with an o∣pinion of a temporal Kingdom, that when they had been convinced of the truth of his Resurrection, and had afterwards con∣versed a long time with him, they could not put it out of their minds, Acts i. 6. and thetefore it is no strange thing, that when they saw him Dead and in the Grave, they were forsaken of all their for∣mer hopes of the Redemption of Israel by him, Luke xxiv. 21. which before they had imagined to themselves, was to be per∣formed by his raising himself from that meanness to a Throne, not by his restor∣ing himself to Life again, after he had been buried three days The notion which the Jews had of a Resurrection, was only

that of the last day, John xi. 24. and whate∣ver was said of any other Resurrection, they looked upon it to be meant only in allusion to that: they questioned one with another what the rising from the Dead should mean, they un∣derstood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him, Mark ix. 10, 32.

The Apostles therefore and other Disci∣ples were so far from being credulous, or forward to believe the Resurrection of Christ from the Dead, that they were not only inquisitive and careful not to be imposed upon, but they were exceeding diffident. The Women that went to the Sepulchre, were so far from expecting to find him risen from the Dead, that they carried with them a preparation of Spices to embalm his Corps, Mar. xvi. 1. and not finding the Body of the Lord Jesus, they were much perplext at it, not remembring the words, which Jesus had spoke to them concerning the Resurrection, till the two Men, who stood by them in shining Gar∣ments, had put them in mind of them, Luke xxiv. 4.8. But when they returned from the Sepulchre and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest, their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not, verse 9, 11. And Mary Magdalen her self, though she had seen this vision, yet went to them with this complaint, they have taken away the Lord out of the Sepulchre,

and we know not where they have laid him, Jo. xx. 2. Then Peter ran unto the Sepulchre, and stooping down beheld the Linen clòths laid by themselves, and departed wondering in himself at that which was come to pass, Luke xxiv. 12. St. John ran to the Sepulchre at the same time, and going into it saw and believed, but he declares, that as yet they knew not the Scripture, that he must rise again from the Dead, Jo. xx. 8, 9. Mary Magdalen stands without still weeping, and complains to the two Angels, who asked her the cause, they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him, v. 13. and again to our Saviour him∣self, not knowing him, but supposing him to have been the Gardner, Sir, if thou have born him hence tell me where thou haste laid him, and I will take him away, v. 15. And after she was her self convinced of the Re∣surrection, when she told his Disciples, they believed not, Mark xvi. 11.

When our Saviour appeared to the two Disciples in the way to Emaus, he found them reasoning and talking together of all those things which had happened, and they were sorrowful at the thoughts of them, and when he enquired the reason, they give him such an account, as shews the doubtful and desponding apprehensions they had of their present condition, in∣somuch that he answers them with a se∣vere

rebuke, O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken, Luke xxiv. 25. And afterwards when these two were convinced themselves, and told the rest what had happened, neither believed they them, Mark xvi. 13. And when immediately upon this, Jesus stood in the midst of them, they were yet only ter∣rified and frightned, and supposed, that they had seen a spirit, and when he spoke to them, and discoursed with them, why are ye troubled, and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I my self, handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have, and then shewed them his hands and his feet; yet still after all this, they be∣lieved not for joy but wondered, and were not settled in their Belief of what they had seen and heard, till he took meat and did eat it before them, Luke xxiv. 36. and then he opened their understandings, that they might understand the Scriptures, and declared them the Witnesses of his Re∣surrection. And ye are Witnesses of these things, v. 48.

After all these Proofs, St. Thomas, one of the Twelve, not being with them when Jesus had appeared to them, the other Disciples told him, they had seen the Lord; but he was peremptory and resolute in it, that he would not believe him to be alive

again, except he should see in his hands the print of the nails and put his finger in∣to the print of the nails, and thrust his hand into his side. After eight days Jesus came to them again, and to convince St. Tho∣mas, and take away all possible pre∣tences of incredulity for the future, he grants him the satisfaction he desired, and says unto him: Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands, and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side, and be not faith∣less but believing: and St. Thomas, who be∣fore was so doubtful, is now fully con∣vinced by this infallible evidence, and breaks out into this confession, My Lord and my God, Joh. xx. 27, 28.

Thus did Christ shew himself alive to his Apostles after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, Act. 1.3. and not of them only, but of a∣bove five hundred brethren at once, 1 Cor. xv. 6. But the Apostles were his chosen Witnesses, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the Dead, Act. x. 41. And when he ascended into Heaven, he was taken up while they were in his presence, and conveyed in a Cloud out of their sight; and whilst they were looking up after him stedfastly into Heaven, two An∣gels stood by them, and assured them, that as he ascended into Heaven, so he shall in like mannner come down from thence

to judge the World. And he afcended not alone, but with a great multitude of the Saints and Heavenly Host, as we learn from a passage in a discourse of the Apo∣stle (b) 1.148 St. Thaddaeus preserved by Eusebius, After his Aseension he was seen not only by St. Stephen to comfort and support him at his Martyrdom; but by S. Paul, who was thereby stopt in the full speed of his Persecutions: his conversion was so sudden and so powerful, that that alone might be thought sufficient; but to give him the compleat qualifications of an Apostle, to become a Witness of Christ's being risen from the Dead, and ascended into Hea∣ven, he was pleased to appear to him from thence.

All circumstances therefore concur to shew, that the Apostles had sufficient op∣portunity fully to inform themselves in all particulars; that they used all means to do it with their utmost care and dili∣gence; that they were suspicious and di∣structful; and that nothing but the clear conviction of all their senses, could have satisfied them. The Apostles had con∣versed with our Saviour for some years, and had seen his Miracles, and had been enabled by him to do the like, and they were never credulous, but always back∣ward and slow of belief; and the Resur∣rection of Christ was a surprizing thing to

them: For though he had often plainly foretold it to them, yet the disappoint∣ment of their hopes of a Temporal King∣dom, and the great terrour and conster∣nation that his Death had put them into, had quite broke their Spirits, and thrust all hopes or thoughts of a Resurrection out of their minds, and they were very hard∣ly brought to a belief of it. But he o∣vercame their unbelief, and satisfied all their scruples by such ways as must be con∣vincing, or else we can never be convinced, that there is any real man besides our selves in the World, and that all the rest are not mere Shadows and Ghosts; they did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead; they all beheld the marks in his hands and in his side, and one of them, who would not otherwise be perswaded to the belief of his Resurrection, did thrust his fingers into the Print of the Nails, by which he was fastned to the Cross, and his hand into the wound of his side, which was made by the Soldiers Spear, just be∣fore he was taken down from it; so that they knew him as certainly to be risen again as they had ever known him to be a∣live before his Death.

The Apostles were so diffident, that our Saviour upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them, which had seen him after he was

risen, Mark xvi. 14. But it is observable, that as St. Thomas was at first absent, and was suffered afterwards to be so very dif∣ficult of Belief; so it is said of the two Disciples, that were walking to Emaus, that their eyes were holden, that they should not know him. It was purposely so or∣dered by the Divine Providence, that they might not readily know and ac∣knowledge him, but that the manner of his Manifestation of himself to them might be an invincible argument against all oppo∣sers, that no Man might have any thing to object, when every circumstance was as narrowly examined, and with as great caution and circumspection and diffidence, as it could have been done by himself, if he had been there. For I think, we may challenge the boldest and subtilest Ad∣versary to say, what he could have done more to discover the Truth, if he had been then living, and amongst the Apostles, than was done by them. That, which we have heard, says St. John, which we have seen with 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—) that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, 1 Joh. 1.2, 3. which is all that is possible for any witness to say, as to any matter of Fact; and they, who could speak and write

in this manner, must be competent witnes∣ses; if no other exception can lye against them, they certainly speak home to the purpose and all that any Witness can be de∣sired or supposed to speak.

II. As the Apostles could not be deceived themselves, so they would not deceive o∣thers, having no temptation to it, but acting against all the Interests, and ad∣vantages of this world. And those, who had denied or forsook Christ when he was living, would never have been so zealous and resolute to suffer for him after he was Crucified, if they had not been ful∣ly assured of his Resurrection. It is not to be imagined, they would have suffered all manner of Torments and Deaths, only to bear Witness to a thing, they had known to be false; and it has been already proved, that they could not be deceived in it, but must have known it to be false, if it had been so; and therefore it must be true that Christ is risen from the Dead, or else we must suppose the Apostles to have been of so different a nature from all the rest of Mankind, as to delight in the things, which all others fear and abhor, even in Bonds and Imprisonments, in infamy and tor∣ments, and all the punishments that can be inflicted: he that would endure all these for the sake of what he knew to be false, must surely not be of humane na∣ture;

and we may as well doubt whe∣ther the Apostles were Men, as we are, as whether Christ did rise from the Dead.

III. They alledged such circumstances, as made it impossible for them to deceive those to whom they testified the Truth of Christ's Resurrection, though they had had never so much mind to do it. They declared that that Jesus whom the Jews had caused to be Crucified, and had then placed a Guard of Soldiers to secure his Sepulchre, lest his Disciples should take him away, was notwithstanding all their care risen from the Dead; and that that Report of the Jews, that his Disciples came by night and stole him away while the Watch slept, was utterly false; nay that it was a suborned story, and that the Chief Priests had given the Soldiers Money to say it. Now if Christ had not really been risen, how easily had all this been dispro∣ved, and what a Provocation was this to the chief Priests to disprove it? If they could, their Honour and Reputation, and their Interest with the People, was highly concerned to vindicate the Truth of the Report, which they had hired the Souldi∣ers to give out; and if there had been no such Report, what reason could St. Matthew have to pretend there was? And if against all Reason and common

sense, he had pretended such a report, when there had been none, it must have been the greatest disservice to his Cause, that could have been thought of. But when there was such a report amongst the Jews, that his Disciples had stoln him a∣way by night, if this could have been made good against them, would his Dis∣ciples so soon after in the very City where he had been Crucified, declare to the Face of the Chief Priests assembled in Counsel, the God of our Fathers hath raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a Tree, him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, and to give repentance to Is∣rael, and forgiveness of sins, and we are his Witnesses of these things, Acts v. 30, 31, 32. Was not this as much as could be said, to challenge them to produce those Soldiers, to confront them? But besides the sense∣less story, that Men should be able to know what was done, when they confess them∣selves to have been asleep; the Apostles could soon have confuted that calumny by the Miracles, which they wrought by virtue of his Resurrection: if the Soldiers had been asleep, when the Body was ta∣ken away, yet the Jews were certainly a∣wake, when they invented and spread the report, and when they saw the Miracles, and heard the strange Languages, by which the Apostles proved it to be false▪

and declared, that Christ was risen by the Omnipotent Power of God.

Besides, St. Matthew writes, that the Graves were opened, and many bodies of Saints which slept, arose and appeared unto many, Mat. xxvii. 52, 53. Many saw them, who are appealed to as Witnesses of their Resurrection. And the miraculous events at the Death of our Saviour, which were so many certain presages and fore-runners of his Resurrection, as the Earthquake, and the darkness of the Sun for three hours toge∣ther, in the midst of the day, contrary to the course of Nature, the Moon being in the full; the rending the veil of the Tem∣ple, and the like; these were things which must be notorious, and which could not have been pretended to have happened, but the whole People of the Jews must be ap∣pealed to, as Witnesses of them.

And it being a custom for the Deputies of Provinces to certifie the Emperor of whatever happened considerable under their Government, the Resurrection of our Saviour, with the Miracles which ac∣companied it, were so remarkable, that Pontius Pilate gave an account both of his Miracles and his Resurrection to the Em∣peror Tiberius; who thereupon proposed it to the Senate, to have him taken into the number of their Gods, and made it punishable to accuse any Man for being a

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Christian during his Reign. And this in∣formation of Pontius Pilate was entred up∣on Record at Rome; to which Justin Mar∣tyr appeals, in his Apology to the Empe∣ror Antoninus Pius, and the Senate; and Tertullian in his Apology, which was likewise presented to the Senate of Rome, or at least to the Governours of the Pro∣vinces. They both lived in the next Age and were both educated in a different Religion, and upon these and such like Proofs, became Christians, and they were Men of excellent Learning and Judgment: but no Man, who could write an Apolo∣gy, can be supposed to have so much confidence, and so little understanding, as to appeal to that account which Pilate sent to Tiberius, concerning the Resurrection of Christ, in Apologies dedicated and pre∣sented to the Roman Emperor himself, and to the Senate, or the chief Magistrates of the Empire, if no such account had ever been sent, or none had been then extant to be produced. But, by the special Pro∣vidence of God, both the Birth and the Resurrection of our Saviour were inserted into the publick Records at Rome, and were to be seen there for a long time after; and the Heathens in whose custody they were, are desired by the Primitive Christians to consult them: for they were content to put the matter upon this issue, (d) 1.149

that if they were resolved not to believe what the Christians said, yet they would at least credit their own Records.

Upon these Proofs and Reasons, by the clear evidence and power of Truth, the word of God mightily grew and prevailed, a∣gainst all that Prejudice and Malice, and every Vice could do to oppose it, in Rome and in Jerusalem it self: for in this very Ci∣ty, where our Saviour had been Crucified, and where it had been impossible to have made Proselytes, if his Resurrection had not been evidently proved beyond all possi∣bility of a confutation, great numbers were daily added to the Church. A Church was forthwith sounded at Jerusalem, and a Bi∣shop appointed by the Apostles, and both the body of the People, and their (e) 1.150 Bi∣shops, being xv. in number, to the final Destruction of Jerusalem by Adrian, were Jews by Nation.

We see then, that as the Testimony of the Apostles is in it self beyond all excep∣tion, so it is of such a nature, as to make it impossible for them to deceive, if they had intended it; but indeed no Men could have proceeded in that manner, or would have endeavoured it, who had had any intentions to deceive; and the event shewed, that it was the direct and plain evidence, and force of Truth, which sup∣ported it self, notwithstanding all the pre∣judices

and advantages, which its worst Ad∣versaries had against it.

CHAP. XV. Of the Apostles and Evangelists.

THE Principal Articles of the Christi∣an Faith being matters of Fact, as the Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ, upon which the rest depend; the great thing to be enquired into is, whether the Apostles had all the qualifi∣cations requisite to become Witnesses of matters of Fact. This has been already shewn as to the Resurrection, and if in general we examine whether we may safely rely upon that credibility where∣with they Preached the Gospel to the world, the enquiry will fall under these heads; I. Whether they were Men of suf∣ficient Abilities to discern and understand what they testified II. Whether they had sufficient means and opportunities to know it. III. Whether they were Men of In∣tegrity, that without Artifice or Design, truly declared what they knew.

I. That the Apostles were Men of suffi∣cient understanding to become Witnesses of a matter of Fact, was never doubted by

any one, nor can it be questioned by such as peruse their Writings: and indeed who is there of any common sense, that is not a competent Witness of what he sees, and hears, and has the experience of, for so long time together? For,

II. By their conversation with our Savi∣our, both before his Passion, and after his Resurrection, the Apostles had such oppor∣tunities of knowing what they attested, that it was impossible for them to be de∣ceived in any part of it. It was a neces∣sary qualification of all the twelve Apo∣stles, that they should have conversed with our Saviour before his Death, and have seen him after his Resurrection. For when one was to be ordained in the room of Judas, to be a Witness with the rest of Christ's Resurrection, he was to be one, that had companied with them all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among them, beginning from the Baptism of John unto that same day, that he was taken up from them, Act. i. 21, 22. They saw his Mira∣cles, and heard his Doctrine, and knew his manner of Life, and had all the opportu∣nities, and used all the means to inform themselves that it was possible for Men to do: they were eye-witnesses of His Majesty, 2 Pet. i. 16. they had heard, and seen with their eyes, and had looked upon, or beheld and dis∣cerned for a long time together, and their

hands had handled that, which was the sub∣ject of their Testimony, 1 Joh. i. 1, 2, 3. They had made all the search into it, and had used all the exactness that could be, and were as distrustful and as hard of belief, as any Men could have been, who are most suspicious and jealous of being imposed upon. And of these Apostles, two wrote the Life of our Saviour, and all bore wit∣ness to the Truth of what these wrote, and Preached the same things, where ever they came: Of the two other Evangelists, St. Mark had his information from St. Pe∣ter, whose Disciple and Companion he was, and St. Luke wrote his Gospel from the ac∣count he had of those who were Eye-wit∣nesses and Ministers of the word, Luke i. 2. And he was the Companion and Disciple of St. Paul, who was such an enemy to Christianity before his Conversion, that nothing less than a miraculous Power could have made that sudden change in him; he probably must have seen our Saviour before his Passion, and then saw him again at his Conversion, and heard him speaking to him from Heaven: So that St. Paul, as well as the other twelve Apostles, had seen and heard our Saviour, and they were all convinced by their own senses of what they delivered to others; and be∣sides these, he was seen after his Resur∣rection by many others, both Men and

Women, and at one time was seen by above five hundred together, 1 Cor. xv. 6. Of all the writers of the Books of the New Te∣stament, there are but two who were not Eye-witnesses to what they relate, and these two had their Relations from the Apostles and others, who were eye-wit∣nesses.

III. The Apostles were Men of integri∣ty, and without any Artifice or Design tru∣ly declared what they knew. 1. They had no worldly Interest to advance by their Testimony, but suffered by it, and had a certain prospect of suffering. 2. There are peculiar marks of sincerity in all their wri∣tings.

I. They had no worldly interest to serve by their Testimony, but suffered by it, and had a certain prospect of sufferings. They could propose no advantage to themselves of Gain, or Honours, or Pleasures; but on the contrary, underwent a voluntrary Poverty, and Infamy, and Torments, which was all that they met with in this world for their Pains, and all that they could expect to meet with. They forsook all which they had; St. Matthew a gainful Employment, and St. Paul who wrote the most of any of the Penmen of the New Testament, lost the favour of the Chief Priests, and the preferments, which a person of his Learning and Zeal might

promise himself from them. St. Luke, a Physician by his profession, left an employ∣ment both of Honour and Advantage, and the rest lost all they had and can any Man lose more? All of them left an honest and secure livelihood, and exposed them∣selves to the hatred and contempt of all their nearest Friends and Relations, whose love and esteem, both by nature and edu∣cation, they must be enclined most to de∣sire: and they became obnoxious to all the affronts, and outrage, and torments, which a furious zeal could inflict upon them. All which was no new or unex∣pected thing to them; they saw what their Master had suffered, and could hope to fare no better than he had done. They were often forewarned by Christ long before hand, what must befal them, they were told that they must take up their Cross and follow him, and could be his Disciples upon no easier terms. He had set forth the reception which they must expect to meet with in the world, just in the same manuer as they found it, under the most frightful appearance that words could represent. And this they soon found as punctually true, as all the rest that he had foretold to them: but though they found it so, and sometimes were dismissed with a severe charge to desist from Preaching the Gospel, and at other times escaped, and

had an opportunity given them to avoid any further danger by Preaching it; they ever perservered in it with the greatest zeal and constancy, despising all dangers, and all sorts of torments and deaths, and glorying still and rejoicing, that they suffered in so good a Cause; and at last they sealed their Doctrine with their Blood.

St. Paul was in great reputation with the Chief Priests and Scribes and Pharisees be∣fore his conversion, and was employed by them in persecuting the Church, and as often as he appeared before them, they had no∣thing to accuse him of but his profession of a Religion which obliges all Men to the strict∣est justice and holiness. If the Apostles had not been the best, they must have been the worst of Men for imposing upon the world, under the pretence of a Divine Mission and Authority; and yet this they must do with no other design, but to promote virtue and holiness; which no ill Man could design, to his own certain loss and destruction in this world and the next: and the less Men be∣lieve of the next world, the more fond they are to make sure of this.

Ambition, and a desire of Fame, and a Name after Death, rarely happens to Men of obscure Birth and mean Education; and it was naturally impossible, that it should now befal so many of them, without any ground or reason to expect it, when in all

humane consideration they had a certain prospect of nothing but infamy after death, as well as of disgrace, and want and tor∣ment, during their lives. And no Man could resolve upon attesting any thing on such terms, unless he had been absolutely certain of the Truth of it, much less could so many set upon such a design together: for as they could have no arguments to perswade one another to enter upon such an Attempt, so if they had once conspir'd in it, they would soon have deserted and discovered each other, when they lay un∣der all the disadvantages and difficulties imaginable, and had nothing to support and unite them, but the truth and reality of what they delivered. And it is further observable, that in the first Ages of the Church, and the nearer Christians were to the Apostles, the more zealous they were to live according to the Gospel of Christ, and to die in defence of it: for they had then greater opportunities of informing themselves of the Imposture, if there had been any, and had therefore the greater means of being certified that there was none. And Men of great parts and Ac∣complishments, such as Sergius Paulus, Governour of Cyprus, Dionysius the Areo∣pagite, Justin Martyr, Tertullian and others, who were inquisitive Men, and able to make a true judgment of things, upon a

full examination of all particulars, be∣came early Converts to the Christian Re∣ligion.

II. There are peculiar marks of sinceri∣ty in all the writings of the Apostles and Evangelists. They were not ambitious of being known to the world by their wri∣tings, but wrote only as they were (a) 1.151 by necessity drawn to it, for the further pro∣pagation of the Gospel. And upon all occasions they declare their own frailties and faults, and many times such as could never have been known but from them∣selves. St. Matthew had spent the former part of his Life in no very creditable em∣ployment, but among Publicans and Sin∣ners, as he says himself: for he leaves re∣corded to all Posterity, the censure of his own Life, saying, that he sat at the receit of custom, Matt. ix. 9, 10. and stiling him∣self Matthew the Publican, Mat. x. 3. Euse∣bius observes that none of the other Evange∣lists have mentioned a thing so reproach∣ful of him, as his having been a Publi∣can, but St. Matthew only has written it of himself: For it was the opinion not on∣ly of Eusebius (b) 1.152 but of Origen, and of Heracleon, that St. Matthew and Levi men∣tioned, Mark ii. 14. Luke v. 27. were two different persons; and Grotius is of the same opinion. Or if Matthew and Levi were the same person, St. Mark writes,

that Jesus sat at meat in Levi's house; and St. Luke, that Levi made him a great Feast in his own house; but St. Matthew says only, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, not mention∣ing in whose house, though he omits no∣thing that the others set down, but the men∣tion of his own Hospitality.

In St. Mark's Gospel, (c) 1.153 which was written from the account, that that E∣vangelist had from St. Peter, when St. Peter answered our Saviour, that he was the Christ, no further is said of our Savi∣our's reply, but that he charged them that they should tell no man of him, Mark viii. 30. St. Peter, omitting that honourable cha∣racter given him by our Saviour, and the Power of the Keys bestowed upon that occasion, which is at large related by St. Matthew, Mat. xvi. 16. But immediately after St. Peter's behaviour towards our Sa∣viour is fully related; which was so un∣seemly, as that he began even to rebuke Christ for speaking of his sufferings, and extorted that severe rebuke from meek∣ness it self, Get thee behind me, Satan. This St. Peter has left written of himself by St. Mark, who wrote by the approbation and direction of St. Peter; but the honou∣rable part is past over in silence, though belonging to the same time and place So again, the Denial of St. Peter is related in all its circumstances of aggravation, by

St. Mark as well as by St. Matthew: and St. John, Matt. xxvi. Mark xiv. John xviii. He acquaints us, that without any Tor∣ments or Menaces, or the least compulsi∣on, at the bare question of a poor Maid, he denying his Master, and that he deni∣ed him thrice, and the last time even with Oaths and Imprecations. A Man, that de∣livers these things of himself, plainly shews, that he is so far from all vanity and seeking his own praise, that he can be sup∣posed to have no other aim or design, but to declare the Truth to the Glory of God, and the benefit of Mankind, tho it prove to be never so much to his own disgrace. And they relate, that as soon as our Savi∣our was apprehended, all his Disciples for∣sook him and fled, when they might have been able to have Witnessed in his behalf, and to have confronted Judas, who they might well believe, would have turned his Accuser, after he had betrayed him. But St. Peter soon repented, and both he and St. John took courage and returned to see what became of their Master, and both St. Peter's denial, and their leaving their Master thus in his distress, might never have been known, unless they had disco∣vered it themselves.

The Reproofs, and sometimes very se∣vere Reprehensions, which were given them by Christ, could never have come to

our knowledge but by their own infor∣mation, as that they were blamed for hav∣ing little Faith, Matt. xvi. 8. no Faith, Mark ix. 19. that our Saviour upbraided them with unbelief and hardness of heart Mark vi. 52. viii. 17. xvi. 14. for being foolish and slow of heart, to believe all that the Prophets have spoken, Luke xxiv. 25. They declare, that they were ambitious, and emulous, and fond of Temporal Ho∣nours; that they had very wrong Noti∣ons of Christ and his Kingdom, and they set forth at large how timorous, and how difficult they were of belief, and how very scrupulous and diffident of Christ's Resur∣rection.

St. Paul, the great Apostle of the Gen∣tiles, as St. Peter was the Apostle of the Circumcision, by his Disciple and Compa∣nion St. Luke, has likewise left an account of himself, which none but a sincere ho∣nest Man, regardless of his own praise, would ever have suffered to be given of him, St. Luke says, that the Witnesses a∣gainst St. Stephen, laid down their cloaths at a young mans feet, whose Name was Saul, Acts vii. 58. and that he was consenting to St. Stephen's death, which he repeats twice, and once from St. Paul's own mouth in his Speech to the Jews, Acts viii. 1. xxii. 20. He says, that St. Paul made havock of the Church, Acts viii. 3. and breathing ou••

threatnings and slaughter against the Disci∣ples of the Lord, went unto the high Priest, and desired of him Letters to Damascus, Acts ix. 1. These are not the words of one, that had a design to dissemble or extenu∣ate in favour of any one. And out of a deep sense of this offence, though it were committed ignorantly in unbelief, St. Paul declares himself to be the least of the Apo∣stles, and not meet to be called an Apostle, because he had persecuted the Church of God, 1 Cor. xv. 9. and at another time stiles himself less than the least of all Saints, Eph. iii. 8. and chief of sinners, 1 Tim. i. 15. a∣scribing all to the Power and Grace of God. St. Luke relates, that there was a sharp contention between St. Paul and St. Barnabas, Acts xv. 39. and St. Paul tells the Galatians, that he had withstood St. Peter to the face, Gal. ii. 11, 14. So plain it is that they did not act by any con∣federacy between themselves, and that the Truth was dearer to them than any thing besides. In the mean time the Apostles have left behind them little or no account of their journeyings and labours and suffer∣ings, only St. Paul, mentions some things of himself upon a necessary occasion; the rest we have from St. Luke, and he speaks chiefly of St. Paul, and of him only till his first coming to Rome, and of St. Peter ve∣ry little in comparison; of the rest of the

Apostles scarce any thing in particular: so little design had they of propagating them∣selves a name to posterity.

St. Paul used all lawful compliances, and he, who when the honour of Religion was concerned, made so stout opposition to St. Peter himself, at other times, when he might safely do it, became all things to all men. And he joyns others together with himself in the beginning of many of his Epistles, 1 Cor. i. 1.2 Cor. i. 1. Gal. i. 1. Colos. i. 1. 1 Thess. i. 1.2 Thess. i. 1. Phi∣lemon i. which was a great condescensi∣on, and a kind of communicating his Au∣thority to them, whom he took, as it were, into commission with himself. But when through the malice and insinuations of false Apostles he was forced to speak in his own defence, he does it with great unwillingness, and calls it folly and consi∣dence of boasting, 2 Cor. xi. 1, 17. and if he must needs glory, he will glory in the things which concern his infirmities, 2 Cor. xi. 30. And at the same time he confesses there was given to him a thorn in the flesh, the Messenger of Satan to busset him, lest he should be exalted above measure, and de∣clares himself to be nothing, 2 Cor. xii. 5, 7, 11. He gives all the Glory to God, mag∣nifying his Office, and the Grace, which en∣abled him in the administration of it: and as upon all other occasions he speaks with the

greatest abasement of himself: so when the importunate malice of his Enemies con∣strained him to it, and the Glory of God and the Salvation of Men required him to speak something less submissively of himself, he discovers his great humility in that he used so much caution, and put in so many lessening and abating Clauses, that the Glory might redound to God and not to himself: insomuch that it appears to have been one of the greatest instances of the Humiliation and self-denial of so truly humble and holy a man, to be forced to speak things which might seem boasting, and make him incur the censure of Pride and Folly. But he was willing to be count∣ed vain and proud for the sake of the Gos∣pel, and had so far mortified all pride and vain Glory, as to be contented upon so just an account, to incur the disgrace of being supposed guilty of it. For there can be no higher instance of a truly humble and pious mind, than to forego the esteem and repu∣tation of being thought so, when the Glory of God and Charity to the Souls of Men re∣quire it; he is not throughly humble, who in such a case would not be thought proud, but his very Humility is matter of pride to him, and it is the last degree of vanity, which an humble Man can part with, to be desirous not to be esteemed proud. The Truth is, if it were not for the

pride of Men, there would be no need of greater caution and reservedness, when we speak of our selves, than when we speak of others, but men would speak the truth of themselves and others with the same free∣dom and plainness. So that this was an infal∣lible argument of the integrity and sinceri∣ty of the Apostles, that they spoke always what was proper and seasonable to be spo∣ken, the praise or dispraise of themselves, or others was not their business, but the Glo∣ry of God and the good of Men.

They write no Encomiums upon one ano∣ther, nor upon their Master himself, and they write no invectives upon their worst Enemies, Judas and Herod, and Pontius Pilate, but set down plain Truth and Matter of Fact, whoever is concerned, with the same simplicity, with which they tell their own faults.

What qualifications then can be desired in any witness, which do not all concur in the Apostles and Evangelists? The Apo∣stles shew by their Writings, that they were Men of understanding sufficient to apprehend the things they attest and write about, and indeed, what Man of any un∣derstanding is not capable of witnessing that to be true, which he sees and hears, and perceives with every sense? They had all the advantages and opportunities that ever any witnesses could have, to know

what they said to be true; and they were plain men without Art or Disguise, bred up most of them to mean and laborious Cal∣lings, and they had no expectations of any thing but sufferings in this Life, and there∣fore were as far from any Temptation as from any possibility of imposing upon the World, and they set down their own faults upon all occasions as particularly, as they do whatever else they relate, having no regard to any thing but Truth.

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) 1.154 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) 1.155 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) 1.156 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) 1.157 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) 1.158 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) 1.159 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) 1.160 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) 1.161 The Edicts of Maximianus and Maximin to this purpose are to be

seen in Eusebius: and (i) 1.162 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) 1.163 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) 1.164 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) 1.165 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.

CHAP. XVII Of the Writing•• of the Apostles and Evangelists.

IT is justly esteemed a sufficient reason for the credibility of any History, if it be written by men of Integrity, men who have no suspicion upon them of dis∣honesty, and have no Temptation to de∣ceive, and who relate nothing, but of their own Times and within their own knowledge, though the Authors never suf∣fered any loss, nor run any hazard in as∣serting what they deliver. But the Histo∣ry of Christ has this further advantage, that many of the most considerable things in it were done in the sight of his ene∣mies, and that which is an History to fu∣ture Ages, was rather an Appeal to that Age, whether the things related were true, or not.

The History of our Saviour's Life and Death, and Resurrection, and Ascension, as it hath been proved, was attested by his Apostles, to the faces of his very Cru∣cifiers; and they all remained upon the place, where what they witnessed had been done, for several years afterwards, declaring and preaching to all people, the

things which they had seen and heard. And soon after his Ascension, when all the proceedings against him were fresh in me∣mory, they committed the same to writing in Greek, which was the most common language, and generally known at that time. St. Matthew, who first penned his Gospel, is said to have written it in Hebrew or Syriack, (tho it was soon after translated into Greek) so that whover of the Jews did not understand the Greek tongue, might read the Gospel in their own Language. Not long after the other Gospels were penned, and they were all in a short time dispersed into the several parts of the world, and translated into all Languages. It is particularly related, (a) 1.166 that St. John's Gos∣pel, and the Acts of the Apostles were soon translated into the Hebrew tongue.

The Evangelists give such an account both of the Birth and Death of our Savi∣our, as must suppose them recorded at Rome. For there the censual Tables were kept, where, by St. Luke's account, the name of our Saviour must have been registered; and his Death and Resurrection were so remarkable, as they relate them, that ac∣cording to the custom used in the Go∣vernment of the Roman Provinces, the Emperor must have a relation sent him of them, and (as I have shewn) both Justin Martyr and Tertullian appeal to the Ro∣man

Records for the truth both of the Birth and Resurrection of our Saviour. The memory of the Massacre of the In∣fants by Herod is preserved to us by a say∣ing of Augustus concerning Herod upon it (b) 1.167, which is mentioned in Macrobius a Hea∣then Author. For Augustus was told, that among others, Herod had caused his own child to be slain; which, whether true or no, gave occasion to the Emperor to make this observation, that it was better to be Herod's Swine than his Son. Tacitus men∣tions our Saviour's suffering under Pontius Pilate, and Tertullian in his (c) 1.168 Apology tells the Heathens that the miraculous E∣clipse of the Sun, which was at Christ's Death stood upon Record in their own Registers; whether it were for the strange∣ness of the thing, it being contrary to the course of Nature, or that their superstiti∣on had made it customary to register all the Eclipses which happened.

The dumbness of Zacharias till the Cir∣cumciston of his Son John the Baptist, was a notorious publick thing, and the people who waited for him, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the Temple, perceiv∣ed at his coming out, that he had seen a Vision, and all things relating to that Histo∣ry were noised abroad through all the hill coun∣try of Judea, Luke i. 21. That the wise men came from the East at the sight of the

Star; that Herod heard of this, and was troubled at it, and all Jerusalem with him; That he gathered all the Chief Priests and Scribes together, and demanded of them where Christ should be born; and that they answered, At Bethlehem of Judea, citing the Prophecy of Micah; That Herod, when he had enquired of the wise men concerning the Star, and enjoyned them to bring him word where the young child was, being disappointed by their returning home ano∣ther way, slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under; these are things of that publick nature, that it was impossible they should be feigned, when St. Matthew's Gospel was first published. If they had not been true, thousands must have been able to contradict them, and discover the salse∣hood of them. When matters of fact are related, with so many manifest and publick circumstances, it is an appeal to the world for the Truth of what is written; and no man of common sense would contrive a false story with such publick circumstan∣ces, as that every Reader may be able to disprove it. If any man should affirm, that in such a City or Village in England, at the command of such a King, and at such a time, within our memory, all the Infants, from two years old and under, were murthered, he must scarce expect to

be believed, or to confirm any thing else he has to deliver, by such a Fiction to intro∣duce it.

The Triumphant shouts and Hosanna's of the multitude at Christ's entrance into Je∣rusalem, whereby all the City was moved, Matt. xxi. 10, 11. immediately before the Passover, when there was the greatest con∣course of people, was a thing that could not soon be forgotten: at the same time he drove out all that sold and bought in the Temple, and overthrew the Tables of the Mo∣ney changers; and when he was in the Temple, the blind and the lame came to him and he healed them; and the chief Priests and Scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the Children crying in the Temple Hosannah to the Son of David, and they were sore displeased at it. The Evangelists would never have brought in the Chief Priests and Scribes themselves, with the whole peo∣ple of Jerusalem, and the vast numbers of Jews and Proselytes out of all Nations, assembled at the Passover, as spectators and witnesses of these things, if they had not been so certain of them as to appeal to them all for the truth of what they relate so lately, and so solemnly and publickly done.

The darkness of the whole earth for three hours together in the midst of the day, the veil of the Temple's being rent

from the top to the bottom, the Earth∣quake, and the rending of the Rocks, and the opening of the Graves, are things that must have been generally known, and could not be feigned; or if any man can be so vain as to imagine they might; let him but consider, whether such things could now be imposed upon any people, by the writings of a few men, as done in the Metropolis of a Nation, at a so∣lemn time, within the memory of thou∣sands yet living, who are able to contra∣dict them from their own certain know∣ledge. If a man should pretend, that but a few years ago in the chief City of any King∣dom or Nation, one part of the principal Church was rent from the bottom to the top by an Earthquake, which tore asunder the Rocks, and opened the Graves of the dead, and that at the same time, the Moon being in that position, that the Sun could fuffer no Eclipe, the Sun was darkned from twelve at Noon to three in the After∣noon, could he hope to gain any credit or belief to any Doctrine he had to propa∣gate, by feigning such circumstances, as would put it into the power of every man that heard of them to disprove him? Would not this be the readiest and the most effectu∣al way he could possibly invent, to expose himself and his Cause?

The Death of Judas, and the cause and manner of it, which is so clear a vindica∣tion of our Saviour, and so plain a proof that he is the Christ, was known unto all the dwellers of Jerusalem, insomuch as that field was called in their proper tongue Aceldama, that is to say, the field of Blood, Acts i. 19. Matt. xxvii. 8. If this field had not been so called, and this had not been well known at Jerusalem, would any man have written in this manner?

And besides the XII. Apostles, and the LXX Disciples, who all believed and at∣tested the truths contained in the Evange∣lists, many persons of Authority and Note among the Jews are mentioned, who would have found themselves concerned to dis∣prove what is related, if it had been false. Nicodemus is said to have come to Christ by night, who was a Pharisee and a Ruler of the Jews, John iii. 2. vii. 50. xix. 39. and to put this mark upon him three several Times, That he came to Jesus by night, and durst not own his coming to him, was no flattering character, or such as might engage Nicademus or his friends to dissemble the injury, if it had not been true that Nicodemus was his Disciple. The like is said of Joseph of Arimathea, a rich man and an honourable Counsellour, Matt. xxvii. 57. Mark xv. 43. that he was Dis∣ciple of Jesus, but s••retly for fear of the

Jews, John xix. 38. Herod and Pontius Pi∣late, Annas and Caiaphas: and several other persons particularly named, and most of them with no commendation, but with that Character, which the Truth of the Histo∣ry required, would be concerned them∣selves, or their Friends and Relations for them after their decease, to expose any fals∣hood, that could have been discovered in the History of our Saviour.

The other Books of the New Testament are explicatory and consequential to the Gospel or History of Christ; and besides they contain many memorable and publick Facts, as the speaking of all sorts of Lan∣guages, and working all kinds of Miracles at the solemn Feast of Pentecost; and the conversion of many thousands thereby, the frequent examination of the Apostles be∣fore the Council at Jerusalem, their Preach∣ings and Miracles in the most publick pla∣ces, as in the Temple, in the Streets, &c. these are things that could not be imposed upon the world in that very place, and in defiance of that very people, before whom they are said to have been done. Gamali∣el, Dionysius the Areopagite, Sergius Pau∣lus, Simon Magus, Felix, King Agrippa, Tertullus, Gallio, and others, were Names of too great Note and Fame to be used in a false story, in which they are so much concerned. And all their Proceedings in

the Courts of Judicature were kept upon record, and therefore could not be pre¦tended, (without being discovered) by those, who always had so many Adversa∣ries.

The Miraculous power bestowed upon the Apostles was chiefly employed in cur∣ing Diseases, and for the health and preser∣vation of Mankind, but they had a power of inflicting Diseases likewise and death it self upon just occasions, as in the case of Ananias and Saphira, Act. v. of Elymas the Sorcerer, Acts xiii. and the incestuous Corinthian, 1 Cor. v. And when this was done by private men and divulged to the world, with the names of the persons who inflicted diseases and death it self, and of those, on whom they were inflicted, this is an evidence both of the truth of the mat∣ter of Fact, and of the power by which it was done: for no Author could think to serve his Friend or his Cause by relating things of this nature, unless they had been evidently done in a miraculous manner, and by a Divine Commission and Autho∣rity.

The Conversion of St. Paul was a thing so memorable, both for the manner of it, and for the business he was going about, and the persons that employed him, and for his known zeal at other times in persecu∣ting the Church, that St. Paul appeals to

King Agrippa, as one, who could not be ignorant of a thing so notorious, Acts xxvi. 26. and it was the great providence and wisdom of God, that a man so well known and esteemed by the Pharisees and Chief Priests before his conversion, should be the greatest instrument both by his Preaching and writings for the propagation of the Gospel; and both his Epistles and the o∣ther Books of Holy Scripture have the same proof from the observations already mentioned, concerning the names and cha∣racters of persons, and other circumstan∣ces. And they were always read in the As∣semblies of Christians, and were appointed to be read in them, Coloss. iv. 16.1 Thess. v. 27. And the writings both of him, and of the Evangelists, and the other Apostles, are cited by Authors contemporary with the Apostles, by Barnabas an Apostle him∣self, and by Clemens Romanus, Ignatius, Po∣lycarp, &c. and they have been acknow∣ledged to be the genuine works of those whose names they bear, both by Jews and Heathens, and particularly by Tryphon the Jew, in his Dialogue with Justin Martyr; and by Julian (e) 1.169 the Apostate. It is e∣nough in this place to observe, that (ex∣cepting some very few Books, of which an account shall elsewhere be given) the Books of the Scriptures of the New Testa∣ment have been received as genuine from

their first appearance in the world, during the Lives of their several Authors, and have been delivered down for such through the several Ages of the Church. In the main they have been so unanimously re∣ceived, and so fully attested by Christi∣ans, that the Jews and Heathens them∣selves never denied them to be genuine, nor ever pretended the principal matters of Fact to be false or doubtful. * 1.170 Many of the Eye-witnesses to the Miracles of our Savi∣our and his Apostles lived to a great Age, St. John himself above an hundred years, and he Preached the Gospel above seventy years. Simeon the Son of Cleopas, lived to an hundred and twenty years, and Polycarp the Disciple of St. John to fourscore and six, of whom (f) 1.171 Iraenaeus in his Epistle to Flo∣rinus a Marcionite declared, that he remem∣bred exactly what he had heard Polycarp discourse, concerning the account of the Miracles and Doctrine of our Saviour, which he had received from St. John and others, who had conversed with Christ, and that it differed in nothing from the Scrip∣tures.

And besides the inspired Writings, the chief points of the Christian Religion were testified in Apologies written from time to time to the Heathen Emperors themselves. (g) 1.172 Qudaratus, Bishop of Athens, in his A∣pology to Adrian declared, that persons

who had been healed by our Saviour, and others that had been raised from the dead by him, were still living in his time. Ari∣stides presented an Apology to the same Emperor. Justin Martyr wrote two Apo∣logies, the first dedicated to Antoninus Pius and his two Sons, and the Roman Senate; the latter to M. Antoninus and the Senate; (h) 1.173 Melito Bishop of Sardis, and Apollinaris Bishop of Hierapolis, likewise wrote a Vin∣dication of the Christian Religion to M. Antoninus: Athenagoras offered his Apology to M. Aurelius and Commodus, (i) 1.174 Meltiades to Commodus, or to the Deputies of the Provinces. (k) 1.175 Apollonius, a Roman Sena∣tor, made a publick defence of the Christian Religion in the Senate of Rome, and Tertullian presented his Apolo∣gy to the Senate, or to the Governors of the Provinces. And the Apologists did not dwell only upon generals, but descended to such particulars, as to appeal to the publick Records for the truth of what they deli∣vered concerning the place of our Saviour's Birth, and the manner of his Death and his Resurrection: so that the principles and foundations of the Christian Religion, were from the beginning asserted in publick Writings, dedicated and presented to the Heathen themselves, who were most concerned and most capable of dis∣proving it, if it had been false.

(l) 1.176 And though the Acts which were forged under the Emperor Maximin, and pretended to be Pilate's, were by his command sent into all the Provinces of his Empire, and publish∣ed in all places, and ordered to be taught Chil∣dren, and to be learnt by heart by them, yet all this malicious care and contrivance was ineffectual to the suppressing the Truth of the History of our Saviour, which wa•• so well attested, and so fully published a∣mongst all sorts of men, that it was impos∣sible to extirpate the belief of it. And this Emperor himself (as I before shewed) was by miraculous Diseases inflicted on him, for∣ced to retract by a publick Edict, his pra∣ctices against Christianity, and to acknow∣ledge that his sins and blasphemies against Christ, were the just cause of his Punish∣ment.

CHAP. XVIII. Of the Doctrines contained in the Holy Scriptures.

THE Scriptures must be acknowledg∣ed by all considerate men, to contain excellent Rules and Precepts for the Go∣vernment of our Lives, and it cannot be denied that it is to these we owe the Peace and Happiness we enjoy, even in this world. It is therefore the interest of every good and prudent man to wish the Christian Religion true, though it were not so, and there can be no cause to wish it false, but our own sin and folly. And this of it self is a good argument that it is true, because it is for the benefit of Man∣kind that it should be so, and upon that account it carries the visible Characters of Divine Wisdom and Goodness in it: for it is certain, that the Religion, which God has established in the World, must be of this nature, that none but wicked men can dislike it, and that all sober and good men must be well satisfied with it, and mightily enclined to believe it, nay even the worst men must be forced to confess, that they owe their own safety and pro∣tection to the Doctrines of it. And that

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such is the nature of the Christian Religi∣on, will be evident, if we consider that, I. It teacheth an universal Righteousness both towards God and Man. II. It layeth down the only true Principles of Holiness. III. It proposeth the most effectual Motives. IV. It affords the greatest helps and assistances to an Holy Life. V. It expresseth the greatest compassion and condescension to our infirmities. VI. The propagation of the Gospel has had mighty effects towards the Reformation and Happiness of Man∣kind. VII. The highest mysteries of the Christian Religion are not merely specu∣lative, but have a necessary relation to Practice, and were revealed for the ad∣vancement of Piety and Virtue amongst men.

I. The Christian Religion teacheth an Universal Righteousness both towards God and Man. It teacheth us the nature of God, that he is a Spirit, and therefore ought to be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth, and gives us an account of the Power and Wisdom and Goodness of God in the Creation of the World, and in the various dispensations of his Providence in the pre∣servation and Government of it, and espe∣cially in the wonderful work of our Re∣demption. God is represented in the Scriptures, as slow to anger and great in

Power, and who will not at all acquit the wicked, Nahum. i. 3. and we are required to love and serve him with all our Abili∣ties both of Body and Mind, Deut. vi. 5. Matt. xxii. 37.

The Duties of men towards one another are no less strictly enjoyned, than our duty towards God himself. For the Scriptures oblige all men to the Conscientious perform∣ance of their several Duties, in their re∣spective capacities and relations. They teach Wives and Children, and Subjects and Servants, Obedience, not only for Wrath but also for Conscience sake; and they teach Princes and Husbands, and Fathers and Masters, a proportionable care and kind∣ness and affection; they check and restrain the rich and powerful from violence and oppression, and command them to relieve those that are in want, and to protect all that are in distress: and to root up the very seeds, and principles of Vice in us; they regulate our desires, and give Laws to our words, and looks, and thoughts, they command an universal Love and Charity towards all Mankind, to hurt no body so much as in a Thought, but to do all the good which is in our power; they oblige men to do as they would be done unto in all cases, to consider others as men of the same nature with themselves, and to love and respect them accordingly upon

all occasions. I may add (what Grotius has not omitted) that more favour and equity is extended to one half of humane kind by the Christian Religion, than ever had been by any other: for among Infidels Women are esteemed but as slaves to the Lusts of men, who may have as many Wives as they please, and change them as often as they think fit.

II. The Scriptures propound to us the on∣ly true Principles of Holiness. For they teach us to perform all Duties both towards God and Man, upon Principles of Love and Charity, which are the only Principles that can make men happy in the performance of their respective duties, and that can cause them to persevere in it. What men do upon Principles of Love they do with de∣light, and what men delight in they will be sure to do, but fear hath torment, and men will use all Arts to get rid of their fears, and of that sense of Duty, which proceeds only from an apprehension of Punish∣ments, and therefore is perpetually griev∣ous and burthensom to them: Rewards themselves may become ineffectual, by proposals of contrary Rewards: for smal∣ler advantages, which are present and in hand, may be more prevalent, than never so much greater, which are future, and looked upon only at a distance. But a sense of Love and Gratitude and Charity

can never fail of its effect, because this brings its reward with it, and makes our duty a delight. He who loves God will certainly obey him; and he that does not love him, never can truly obey him, as he ought, but will be ever repining at his Duty, and will be for seeking all pre∣tences to excuse himself from it. He who doth not love his Neighbour, will be for taking all opportunities of pursuing his own advantage against him; but he who loves him as himself, will never do him any injury. He that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law: For this thou shalt not com∣mit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not covet; and if there be any o∣ther commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour, therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law, Rom. xiii. 8. The Love of God and of our Neighbour comprehends the whole duty of man, which is a Doctrine no where to be met withal, but in the Holy Scriptures, all the Wisdom of Philo¦sophers could never discover this Doctrine, which sets before us the only infallible prin∣ciples of obedience. And it must be a most gracious and wise Law, which makes Love the Principle and Foundation of our whole duty both towards God and Man.

III. The Christian Religion proposeth the most effectual motives of Obedience and Holiness of Life. The moral Reasons and Arguments for a vertuous Life are so great and evident, that those who live other∣wise, are generally convinced that they ought not to do it: but because the Argu∣ments from Reason are to faint and life∣less, to oppose to sense and passion; there∣fore the Christian Religion is purposely fitted to every faculty, and presents us with greater objects of fear, and love, and desire, than any thing in the world can do. And as God will be served by us, upon no other Principle but that of love, so the chiefest Motive to our Obedience express'd throughout the Scriptures is the Divine Love. They represent to us all the me∣thods which God has been pleased to use, as necessary to reclaim the world by his mer∣cies and his judgments, by sending his Pro∣phets at sundry times and in divers man∣ners, and at last by sending his own Son. He saw the fondness that men have for this World, and for the pleasures and sins of it; how subject they are to Tempta∣tions, and how prone to comply with them; and therefore he has been pleased to pursue us with the endearments of his Love, and with such condescentions of Grace and Favour, as must needs migh∣tily affect the most obstinate sinner, who

has but the sense and gratitude of a man left in him to consider them: and then he has denounced his wrath and venge∣ance against all such, as will not be led and persuaded to their own happiness by the infinite love of Christ. He was born, he lived, he died for us; he has procured our pardon, he proffers us his grace and assistance, he promises us eternal happiness with himself in heaven upon our obedi∣ence; and last of all, he threatens us with eternal misery, if we will not be happy; thus forcing us, as it were, to happiness, if we will not be perswaded to it: for this is all the force that free Agents are capable of. And if all that infinite Love could do to excite our Love, if all the re∣wards that infinite Mercy and Goodness could propose, and the severest punish∣ments that Almighty Vengeance can in∣flict, will not prevail with men to follow Vertue, and refrain from Vice, nothing can possibly prevail with them. Love is most apt to produce Love, and hopes of Reward have a mighty effect upon men of any good temper and disposition; but the fears of punishment are wont to work upon the very worst men: and where infinite loving kindness, eternal Rewards, and eternal Punishments, do all concur to bring men to the practice of Vertue, no motive can be wanting, by which human Nature is

capable of being wrought upon.

IV. The Christian Religion affords the greatest helps and assistances to an holy Life. God, who is a Spirit, and is the Au∣thor of the Being, and of the Life and Motion of all things, doth more especially act upon the Spirits and Minds of Men, by putting into them good desires, and by inclining their hearts to keep his com∣mandments, and perform his will. And this Grace and Favour of God towards us, this spiritual aid and strength is sufficient to enable us to conquer sin, and over come Temptations. And we are exhorted to come boldly to the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find Grace to help in time of need, Heb. iv. 16. which we are assured shall be bestowed upon us for Christ's sake, through his Merits, and by vertue of his Mediation and Intercession. All the world has been sensible of the great proneness in humane nature to evil, and backwardness to what Reason it self seems to dictate as good and fit to be done; but the Christian Religion only has provided a Remedy to cure this great cor∣ruption of our Nature, and assist us in the performance of our duty.

V. The Christian Religion expresseth the greatest compassion and condescention to our infirmities. Christ died to make sa∣tisfaction for our sins, and to procure ac∣ceptance

with God for us upon our re∣pentance; he interceeds for us, and pleads the Merits of his own Death and Passion in our behalf, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins, though they be never so great and heinous, if we do but truly repent of them and forsake them. And the sins of ignorance, and surprize, and infirmity, are not inconsistent with the terms of Salvation; but a general hu∣miliation and repentance, with a constant and sincere endeavour to serve and please God, will, through Christ's Merits, be ac∣cepted of by him; for such sins as we have no sufficient means or ability of knowing to be sins, and for such as by reason of the frailty of our Nature, we cannot live whol∣ly free from. Nothing is required of us, but a sincere and honest diligence to do what we can, and a lively Faith to rely upon Christ's Merits, for the pardon of what sins we are not able wholly to avoid.

Men are forward to complain of the un∣easiness of the Christian Yoke without any true experience and trial of it, and without considering the Principles and Mo∣tives, and Helps, and the condescending and gracious Terms which the Gospel proposes. Indeed, to lay some injunctions and re∣straints more than are absolutely necessary, is but what all Lawgivers have done. For

some things are to be forbidden as a pre∣vention and a preservative from the com∣mission of sin, and others commanded as preparatory qualifications and dispositions to vertue, and to make the practice of it more easie and certain to us. And if men are allowed in all Governments to have this Authority, certainly God, who has an absolute Power over us, and perfectly knows what is necessary for our good, and for the ends of his Government, has an undeniable right to forbid or command us some things, which by the Law of na∣ture we might have been allowed or ex∣cused from. But these are very few, and all things considered, no Religion ever was so compassionate and easie as the Christian Religion.

VI. The Propagation of the Gospel has ever had great effects towards the reforma∣tion and happiness of Mankind. What could be more beneficial to the world, and more for the peace and happiness of all Mankind, than to be taught to live un∣der a perpetual sense and awe of the love and fear of God, and to be constrained to perform our several Duties to each o∣ther, in our respective capacities and rela∣tions, with the utmost fidelity and integ∣rity; and to have this enforced upon the Consciences of Men by the hopes and ter∣••ore of a future Judgment, and an eternal

state of happiness or misery, as they shall prove obedient, or disobedient? These then must be acknowledged to be Do∣ctrines most worthy of God, and the proper subject of a Revelation. For however, men may wish as to themselves in particular, that they had not been abridged their sinful pleasures, yet in respect to the common good of Society, it must needs be confess'd by the most inveterate Enemies of Christia∣nity, and by those who will believe no∣thing of another life, that if the Christian Religion were as generally practised, as it is professed, it would make mankind as happy as it is possible for men to be in this Life, through the belief and expectation of a Life to come. And as much as the Pra∣ctice of the Christian Religion has been neglected, it is so far from being a specu∣lative notion only, that it has a real and perpetual Influence for the good of the world, even in the worst and most dege∣nerate Ages.

We are not at this distance of time easily made sensible, how great Blessings the Christian Religion brought to mankind, in that Reformation which it soon introduced into the world. For upon their Conversi∣on there became such a visible alterati∣on in the Tempers and Lives of men, that they seemed to have changed their very Natures, and to be born again, and be∣come

new Creatures; from whence Con∣version is stiled Regeneration. This the A∣pologists generally insist upon, that the Converts to Christianity became quite o∣ther men, and practised all kinds of Ver∣tue with incredible zeal, though they had been never so vicious and profligate be∣fore. The Christians are represented as an innocent, devout and charitable sort of men by Pliny, Lucian, and Julian the Apostate himself; * 1.177 by those who had most narrow∣ly enquired into their Doctrines and Pra∣ctices, and were worst affected to them. And by these means the Christians became as so many Lights in the world, to guide and direct others in the ways of Vertue: for by their example and doctrine they soon reformed even the Heathen world to a great degree. Morality was taught by the Philosophers in much greater perfection than ever it had been before; and they became so much ashamed of the grossness of their Idolatrous worship, that they sought out all arts to refine and excuse it. And those vices, which made up so great a part of their Idolatrous Mysteries appeared too abominable to pass any longer for Re∣ligion. The Oracles soon ceased, and the seducing Spirits confessed, that they were hindred from giving out their Answers by the Power of Christ, and all that Julian the Apostate could do, was ineffectual to

bring the Heathen Oracles into reputation again. These are things before insisted up∣on, and so notorious in History, that they cannot be denied to be solely owing to the Power and Influence of the Christi∣an Religion.

I shall mention but one instance more, and that is, the barbarous cruelty of the Heathen Religions, which the Gospel has delivered the world from. For they were wont to offer up innocent Men and Chil∣dren in sacrifice to their false Gods, and that frequently, and in some places daily, and in times of great danger, and upon extraordinary occasions, they sacrificed so great numbers of men at once, that it would be incredible if we had not the Authority of the best Historians for the truth of it. And this custom of sacrificing men to their Gods, prevailed not only here in Britain, and in other Countrys, which were accounted barbarous, but all over Greece, and in Rome it self. It may well seem strange to us now, that such a pra∣ctice should so generally prevail in the world, yet nothing is more certain from all History, than that it did prevail, and that men were with difficulty brought off from it. For when Mankind was thus cruelly tyrannized over by bloody Daemons no∣thing but the omnipotent mercy of God could rescue them. And for this purpose

the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil, 1 John iii. 8. which he soon did, Beasts and Idols were no longer worshipped, and men were no longer made Sacrifices, when once Chri∣stianity began to appear in its full power and efficacy in the world. The plain and humble Doctrine of him that was laid in a Manger, and died upon a Cross, was in a short time more effectual to reform Man∣kind, than all the Precepts of Philosophers, and the Wisdom and Power of Lawgivers had ever been.

Those Enemies to their own Souls, who are so fond of little cavils against the Gos∣pel, as if they were resolved not to be sav∣ed by it, yet owe the happiness of this pre∣sent Life in great measure to its influ∣ence: they would not have been so safe in their Bodies and Estates, nay, perhaps they might have been sacrificed to some cruel Daemon long before this, if that Re∣ligion which they resolve to despise, but will not be at the pains to understand, had not been believed by wiser and better men. Of so great advantage has the Gospel been to those, who will not be reclaimed and converted by it, it has destroyed the works of the Devil, and has dispossest him of that Tyranny, which he held over mankind; it has made the uncon∣verted world less vicious, and has banish∣ed

all the profess'd Patrons and Deities of wickedness from amongst men; it has made Idolatry less practised, and reduced it to narrower bounds, confining it to the re∣moter parts of the Earth: and every where upon the first approach of the Gospel; the evil Spirits are disarmed of their power, and flee away before it, as we learn from the History of Lapland, and other Countries. So general a Blessing is the Gospel of Christ, that even unbelievers are the better for it in this world, tho they exclude themselves from the benefit of it in the next And the Chri∣stian is the only Religion against which the common objection concerning the prejudi∣ces of Education in favour of it cannot be urged: for as it first prevailed in the world by conquering all the prejudices of Educati∣on, so it still maintains it self against all the opposition that corrupt nature and a vicious Education can make to it.

Indeed it may seem a needless thing to have been thus large in the proof the excel∣leney of the practical Doctrine contained in the Scriptures; when God knows this is the greatest exception, that most men have a∣gainst them; and if the precepts were not so strict and holy, but they might be allow∣ed to live in their sins, half the evidence we have for the Authority of the Scriptures would satisfy them.

VII. The highest Mysteries of the Chri∣stian Religion are not merely speculative, but have a necessary relation to practice for the advancement of Piety and Vertue amongst men. As there is nothing in the practical Duties taught and enjoyned by the Scriptures, but what is most excellent and worthy of God, and which has raised and improved the Nature of man beyond what could have been attained to without it: so the speculative Doctrines have as evi∣dent Characters of the Wisdom and Good∣ness of God. They all tend to the ad∣vancement of our Nature to make us bet∣ter, more wise and more happy; and are not designed to gratify a vain and useless curiosity, but to excite in us the Love of God, and a care and concernment for our own happiness. They set before us the O∣riginal and Creation of all things, the in∣nocence in which man was first created, and God's love and compassion to him after his Fall, how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are concerned in our Redemption, that the Father sent his Son, that the Son was born, that he lived a despised and persecuted Life, and at last underwent for us a most shameful and grievous death; that he rose again and ascended into Heaven, and there conti∣nually interceeds for us, and that he sent the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, who sup∣ports

and assists us under all temptations and dangers in our way thither, and will, if we be not wanting to our selves, safe∣ly conduct us to Heaven, there to reign with Christ in Eternal Bliss and Glory both of Body and Soul, but if we will be disobedient and obstinate to our own ru∣ine, we must be eternally tormented with the Devil and his Angels.

The Apostles, who without Learning or Philosophy, taught the most sublime and useful Truths more plainly than the wisest Philosophers ever had done, must derive their knowledge from a higher Principle than they did. It is impossible for the wit of man to contrive any thing so admirably fitted to procure the happiness of Man∣kind, as their Doctrines are; no precepts can be more righteous and holy, no re∣wards more excellent, nor punishments more formidable, than those of the Gos∣pel; and which is above all, no Religi∣on besides ever afforded, nor could all the reason of Mankind ever have found out, such powerful Motives to the Love of God, which is the only true principle of Obe∣dience. Our Religion contains no dry and empty speculations, but all its Mysteries are Mysteries of Love and Mercy: Others may fear God, but it is the Christian only that can truly love him, and trust in him, and in all conditions, in Life and in

death look up to him, as his Father, his Sa∣viour, and Comforter. This Religion places men in the presence of God, and entitles them to his peculiar favour and care; it de∣clares God to be their Friend and Protector here, and their everlasting Rewarder after Death; it promises and assures us of all the happiness both in Body and Soul, that we are capable of: which is the utmost that can be expected, or wished for from any Reve∣lation, and the proper and peculiar reason, why God should establish Religion in the World.

It appears from this whole discourse, that nothing is wanting in the Books of the Old and New Testament, which can be expect∣ed in any Revelation. They are of the greatest Antiquity; and have been Preach∣ed throughout the World; and have abun∣dant evidence both by Prophecies and Mira∣cles, of their Divine Authority, and the Do∣ctrine contained in them is such, as God must be supposed to reveal Mankind, hav∣ing visible Characters in it of the Divine Goodness and Holiness, and having exceed∣ingly conduced to the reformation of the world.

THE Reasonableness and Certainty OF THE Christian Religion.

PART III. That there is no other Divine Revelation, but that con∣tained in the Holy Scrip∣tures of the Old and New Testament.

THat there is no other institution of Religion besides that delivered in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, which has all things necessary to a Divine Revelati∣on, may be shewn in the several Parti∣culars necessary to a Divine Revelation,

as that no other Religion ever was of like Antiquity, or had equal Promulgation; that no other had sufficient evidence of Miracles and Prophecies in proof of it; and lastly, that there never was any other, which did not teach many Doctrines that are unwor∣thy of God, and contrary to the Divine Attributes, and therefore impossible to come from Heaven. This I shall prove first of the Religions of the Heathens; secondly of the Mahometan Religion.

CHAP. I. The Novelty of the Heathen Religions.

THE Novelty of the Religions amongst the Heathens (whom we have any certain account of from their Writings) in respect of the Scriptures is so notorious, having been so often proved by learned men, and is so generally acknowledged, that it is needless to insist much upon it. The Heathens generally were strangers to every thing of Antiquity, and therefore must be unable to give any proof of the Antiqui∣ty of their Religions.

The pretences which the Egyptians made to Antiquity, so much beyond the times re∣corded in the Scriptures, proceeded from their reckoning by Lunar years, or (a) 1.178 months: but they had so different accounts however of Chronology, that, as Diodorus Siculus says, some of them computed thir∣teen thousand years more than others, from the Original of their Dynasties to the time of Alexander the Great. And the Solar year, in use among the Egyptians, who were most samous for Astronomy, was so imperfect, that they said the Sun had several times changed (b) 1.179 his Course since the beginning of their Dynasties, im∣puting the defect of their own computa∣tion for want of intercalary days, to the Sun's variation; or else affecting to speak something wonderful and extravagant. The earliest Astronomical observations to be met with, which were made in Egypt, are those performed by the Greeks of Alex∣andria less than CCC years before Christ, as (c) 1.180 Mr. Halley has observed, (d) 1.181 The Chaldaeans supposed the Moon to be a lu∣minons Body, and therefore could have no great skill in Astronomy; besides, they wanted Instruments to make exact obser∣vations. 'All we have of them, says the same learned (e) 1.182 Astronomer,

is only se∣ven Eclipses of the Moon, and even those but very coursely set down, and the old∣est

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not much above DCC. years before Christ; so that after all the fame of these Chaldaeans, we may be sure, they had not gone far in this Science: and though Ca∣listhenes be said by Porphyry to have brought from Babylon to Greece observa∣tions above MDCCCC years older than Alexander; yet the proper Authors mak∣ing no mention or use of any such, ren∣ders it justly suspected for a Fable.

So little ground is there for us to depend upon the Accounts of Time, and the vain boasts of Antiquity which these Nations have made. He farther observes, that

the Greeks were the first Practical Astrono∣mers, who endeavoured in earnest to make themselves Masters of the Science; and that Thales was the first who could predict an Eclipse in Greece, not DC. years before Christ; and that Hipparchus made the first Catalogue of the fixt Stars not a∣bove CL. years before Christ.

According to that known observation (f) 1.183 of Varro, there was nothing that can deserve the name of History to be found among the Greeks before the Olympiads, which were but about twenty years before the build∣ing of Rome. And whatever Learning or Knowledge of ancient times the Romans had, they borrowed it from the Greeks. For they were so little capable of trans∣mitting their own affairs down to Poste∣rity,

with any exactness in point of time, that for (g) 1.184 some Ages they had neither Dials nor Hour-glasses to measure their days and nights for by common use, and for three hundred years they knew no such things as hours or the like distinctions; but computed their time only from Noon to Noon: so that it is no wonder, that their Calendar was in such confusion till Caesar regula∣ted it.

The pretensions of the Chineses to Anti∣quity appear equally vain, and upon the same grounds: For they understood little or nothing of Astronomy, or else the Mis∣sionaries by their Skill in that Art would not have been able so much to insinuate them∣selves with the Emperors of China. Indeed the Chineses themselves (h) 1.185 confess that their Antiquities are in great part fabulous, and they acknowledge that their most an∣cient Books were in Hieroglyphicks, which are not expounded by any who lived nearer than MDCC. years to the first Author of them, that the numbers in computation are sometimes mistaken, or that Months are put for Years. But of what Antiquity or Authority soever their first Writers were, there is little or no credit to be gi∣ven to the books now remaining since that general destruction of all ancient Books by the Emperor Xi Hoam ti, who lived but a∣bout two hundred years before Christ: he

commanded upon pain of death all the Mo∣numents of Antiquity to be destroyed, relat∣ing either to History or Philosophy, especi∣ally the Books of Confucius, and killed many of their Learned men: so that from his time, they have only some fragments of old Authors left. The Chinese are a people vain enough, and love to magnify themselves to the Europeans, which makes them endea∣vour to have it believed, that their Antiqui∣ties are sufficiently entire, notwithstanding this destruction of their Books: and for the same reason they described the Emperor's Observatory as the most compleat, and the best fitted for the uses of Astronomy, that could be imagined; but upon the view it appeared very inconsiderable, and the In∣struments were found useless, and new ones were placed in their room, made by the di∣rection of Father Verbiest. This people af∣ter all their boasts of skill in Astronomy, were not able to make an exact Calendar, and their Table of Eclipses were so uncor∣rect, that they could scarce foretel about what time that of the Sun should happen. And in a Petition, which the Emperor of Chi∣na, in favour, it seems, to the Missionaries, had privately drawn up to be presented by them to himself in publick; it is said, that Father Adam Schaal made it known to all the Court, that the Rules of the Coelestial Moti∣ons established by the ancient Astronomers of

China were all false. And not only the com∣mon people of China, but the chief Manda∣rines are so ignorant and superstitious, that when they see the Sun or Moon under an Eclipse, with Sacrifices and other Rites, and with great noise and clamor they apply themselves to rescue them from the Dog or Dragon, which they imagine is like to de¦vour them.

So little credit is to be given to the pre∣tences, which the several Nations among the Heathens have made to Antiquity, without any ground from History, but up∣on wandring discourses of observations in Astronomy, which they had little or no skill in. And it has been made evident by di∣vers learned men, that the most ancient, and the very best of the Heathen Gods were but Men, whom the Scriptures mention as worshippers of the True God, such as No∣••h, Joseph, Moses, &c.

CHAP. II. Of the Defect in the Promulgation of the Heathen Religions.

THe Propagation of the several Religi∣ons profest among the Heathens has been very inconsiderable. For they were never extant in Books to be publickly read and examined, but their Mysteries were kept secret and concealed from the world; and all the knowledge the people had of them was from the Priests. Every Coun∣try had its peculiar Deities and ways of Worship, which were seldom received or known, but in those places where they were first set up. The (a) 1.186 Romans rejected many foreign Religions as abominable; and none of their Religions ever prevailed, but where they had the temporal Power to up∣hold them. And they lost ground daily by the propagation of the Gospel, whilst the greatest part of the Empire made it their business to oppress it, and to maintain the Heathen Religions against it.

It is to be observed, that the Christian Religion is at this day Preached in all parts of the Heathen world, and has been ever since its first propagation, as the Jewish Re∣ligion was before: but where Christianity

has prevailed, Heathenism has been never able to maintain its ground; and there are hardly any but Christians (excepting some few Jews) to be found in Christian Coun∣tries: which makes a great abatement in the disproportion, that Heathenism in general may seem to have in its numbers above Christianity. But if we examine the parti∣cular Religions of the Heathens, there is no comparison; and the only thing here to be enquired into is, whether any particular Re∣ligion of the Heathens exceed or equal the Christian Religion in point of Promulgati∣on: for who ever can imagine, that all, or any great number of the Heathen Religions are of Divine Revelation, must suppose God to reveal contradictions. The Question be∣fore us, is not whether Heathens are more numerous than Christians, but whether any of their Religions has been as fully pro∣mulged as the Christian: One Herald is e∣nough to promulge a Law to many thou∣sands; the City of Nineve was converted by one Prophet, and there is, perhaps, no Nation in the world but has more Christi∣ans in it, than the first Preachers of the Gos∣pel were.

CHAP. III. The Defect of the Prophecies and Mira∣cles of the Heathen Religions.

IT cannot be denied by any man, who is not resolved to reject the Authority of all History, but that many wonders have been done by Magicians, and that many things have been foreshown and foretold among Heathens by Dreams and Prodigies, and Oracles, which did actually come to pass: but then all that can be gathered from hence is, that there are invisible Pow∣ers, and that Devils and wicked Spirits are able to do more than men can do, and to know more than men can know: for which reason in former Ages there was no more doubt made, whether there be Spirits, than whether there be men in the world; for they were continually sensible of the Opera∣tions and Effects of invisible Beings, which made them exceedingly prone to Idolatry, but not enclined to Atheism. And the case is the same now in Heathen Countries, where Apparitions and Delusions of evil Spirits, are affirmed by all Writers to be ve∣ry frequent.

But if at any time evil Spirits, by their subtilty and experience, and knowledge of

affairs in the World, did foretel things which accordingly came to pass, they were things that happened not long after, and commonly such as themselves did excite and prompt Men to: Thus when the conspira∣cy against Caesar was come just to be put in Execution, and the Devil had his Agents concerned in it, he could foretel the time and place of his Death. But it had been foretold to Pompey, Crassus, and Caesar him∣self before, as (a) 1.187 Tully informs us, from his own knowledge, that they should all die in their Beds, and in an honourable old Age. Some Oracles might possibly take their An∣swers from the Scriptures, as that of Jupi∣ter Hammon concerning Alexander's Victo∣ries, if it were not meerly a piece of flattery, which proved true by chance. E∣vil Spirits might likewise be able to in∣form Men, at a great distance, of Vi∣ctories, the same day they were won, as it is related (b) 1.188 of several, and in parti∣cular of the Conquest of Perseus King of Macedon, by Paulus Aemilius, when P. Vatienus, to whom this was discovered the same day, was Imprisoned, till the News of the Victory was confirmed, and then he was rewarded with an Estate, settled upon him by the Senate. But they could not foretel things that de∣pended upon the choice of free Agents, and which were not to be fulfilled till

many hundred years after the prediction; this is peculiar to God himself, who would never suffer the World to be imposed upon by Oracles of this nature, if it had been possible for the Devil to give them out. And though their predictions of future events did sometimes prove true, yet they very often failed, for which no reason can be given, but the want of Know∣ledge or Power in the evil Spirits and the over-ruling Providence of God to disap∣point and discover the Delusions. He frustrateth the Tokens of the Liars, and mak∣eth Diviners mad; he turneth Wisemen back∣ward, and maketh their knowledge foolish, Isa. xliv. 25. (c) 1.189 Their Gods would sometimes confess, that they foretold E∣vents by the Stars; that they were una∣ble to resist the Decrees of Fate; that the Temperature of the Air was the cause why they could not always make true Predictions, and therefore they would of∣ten forewarn, that what they answered was not to be credited, and that what they delared was by force and constraint. Force me to speak no more, says Apollo, for I shall tell you Lyes. And their most fa∣mous Oracles were glad to conceal their meaning in so ambiguous Terms, that they wanted another Oracle to explain them, for by this means they endeavoured to avoid the being discovered to be false.

Yet this Device would not keep up their Reputation, but most of the Sects of Phi∣losophers had little or no regard for them; and (d) 1.190 O Enomaus, a Cynick Philosopher, finding himself deceived by the Oracle of Apollo, wrote a particular Treatise to disco∣ver the Imposture of Oracles. Demost∣henes observed that the Delphian Oracle was bribed by Philip of Macedon; and di∣vers instances, of (e) 1.191 the corruption and subordination of Oracles, are to be found in Herodotus, Plutarch, and other Authors. In Tully's time, nothing grew more con∣temptible than the Oracles; for, as Men became wiser, they were less regarded, and began to cease, till by the power of the Gospel they were quite silenced; which put the (f) 1.192 Heathen upon great Enquiries, to find out what reason could be given why they should fail. The cessation of Oracles was not all at once, but by degrees, as the cessation likewise of true Prophecies and Miracles was, which were to oppose and abolish them. Their false and ambiguous Answers had brought them into contempt before, as we learn from Tul∣ly de Divin. lib. ii. in many places; and up∣on the Revelation of the Gospel their Power was still less, and they every day became more despicable; and then they were upheld chiefly by human Artifice and Imposture, till they were wholly subdued and decryed.

The Devil could not always foretel what was to come to pass, and therefore his A∣gents had need of their Vaults and hollow Statues, and other Artifices, to conceal their ignorance, and help them out, when their Arts of Conjuration failed. But we have no reason to think that the Devil, who is so industrious to promote his evil ends, by all possible means, would omit such an opportunity as was given him by the o∣pinion which the Heathen had of their O∣racles. And the Trials which Croesus and Trajan made, are sufficient to prove that there was something Supernatural and Dia∣bolical in them. (g) 1.193 Croesus sent to have many Oracles consulted at a set time, and the Question to be put to them was, what Croesus himself at that time was doing; and he resolved to be employ∣ed about the most improbable thing that could be imagined: for he was boiling a Tortoise and a Lamb together in a brass Pot, and yet the Oracle of Delphi disco∣vered to the Messengers what the King was then about (h) 1.194. Trajan, when he was going into Parthia, sent a blank Paper, sealed up, to an Oracle of Assy∣ria, for an Answer; the Oracle returned him another blank Paper, to shew that it was not so to be imposed upon. And there is no doubt to be made, but that the Em∣peror would contrive his Seal as skilfully

as L••tian could do, who says, That he had sometimes sealed his Notes, which he sent so carefully, that all the ways and tricks, which he mentions in his Pseudomantis, could not open them without discovery, when they were to be again returned to him, with the Answer to his Questions. But tho things of present concernment were discovered, both to Croesus and Trajan, beyond all hu∣man Power to know, yet both were impo∣sed upon by ambiguous Answers, when they consulted about things future, which the Devil could not attain the knowledge of.

(i) 1.195 Many of the Heathen Priests them∣selves, upon examination, publickly con∣fessed several of their Oracles to be Im∣postures, and discovered the whole con∣trivance and management of the Deceit, which was entred upon Record. And in the rest, the Power of the Devil was al∣ways so limited and restrained, as to af∣ford sufficient means to undeceive Men, though many of his Predictions might come to pass.

(k) 1.196 The presence of Christians at the Heathen Sacrifices, when they signed them∣selves with the sign of the Cross in token of their Christianity, though this were unknown to the Priests that sacrificed, would hinder the Daemons from making those discoveries of the Events, by the

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entrails of the Beasts, which they were wont to do. And as the Devil was for∣ced to declare our Saviour to be the Son of God, by the Mouths of those whom he had possess'd, so he was constrained to confess and commend him, by his most noted Oracles, as one of the greatest ene∣mies of the Gospel (l) 1.197 Porphyry himself has informed us. And when Julian the Apostate hoped to bring Oracles into re∣quest again, Apollo told him, (as I have mentioned before) That he could return no Answer to any thing which was asked him, till the Bones of the Martyr Baby∣las were removed; and when that was done, God was pleased to suffer the Ora∣cle of Daphne, and others, to give out their Answers, but so notoriously false, that they exposed them as much as their si∣lence had done before; for when all the Oracles were consulted, to know (m) 1.198 whe∣ther Julian, Uncle to the Apostate, should recover of his sickness, and they all agreed that he would recover, he died while the Answers were reading that foretold his Re∣covery.

For the sins of Men against natural Con∣science, and the contempt of the Divine Revelations made to Mankind, and so often promulged amongst all Nations, God might permit the Devil to delude the World with such Signs and Predictions, as

either were indeed true, or could not be discerned to be false, but by the Doctrines and Practices which they were brought to countenance and establish. There is no doubt but that evil Spirits may be able to de∣lude and impose upon men, and to do many things by their sagacity and cunning, which may be above the power of man not only to perform, but to understand or find out: but their Miracles were never wrought to confirm any sound and useful Doctrine, nor had they been plainly foretold by ancient Prophecies, as the Miracles of our Saviour and his Apostles had been. And the power by which our Religion was attested and established was so much superiour to any power in the Heathen Gods, that when they were adjured by Christians, they were for∣ced to confess themselves to be wicked and seducing Spirits, as the Primitive Christians declare in their writings, and appeal to the Heathens of their own times for the truth of it, and undertake upon pain of death to prove it before them. This Tertullian un∣dertakes in (n) 1.199 his Apology, (as I have be∣fore observed) written to the Emperor and Senate of Rome, or at least to the proconsul of Afric, and the Governours of the several Cities and Provinces. And St. Cyprian af∣firms the like, in his Treatise to Demetria∣nus a Judge of Carthage, or as some think, the Pro-consul: to the same purpose like∣wise

speak Origen, Minutius Foelix, and o∣thers of the Primitive Christians. And we cannot imagine that men of common sense would ever have made such publick and re∣peated Appeals, if their pretences had been false, to the hazard of their own lives, and the utter disgrace and extirpation, of their Religion, which they endeavoured to plead for by such confident and bold discourses, so easie to be disproved, if they had not been true. Men, who have the wealth and pow∣er of the world on their side, may perhaps sometimes make large boasts and high pre∣tences, when they can easily hinder others from bringing them to the Test, but men that had all the power and policy of the Em∣pire against them, would never have offered any thing of this Nature in defence of their Religion, unless they had been able to make it good to the faces of their worst Enemies, to whom their Apologies were directed.

CHAP. IV. The Defect in point of Doctrine in the Heathen Religions.

IT is undeniable that the Doctrines of all the Heathen Religions have been wick∣ed and contrary to the Unity, and Good∣ness, and Purity of God, and to the ver∣tue and happiness of Mankind▪ This might be made out at large by particu∣lars, as

I. The Theology of the Heathens was so confused and absurd, that the only E∣vasion which the Philosophers could find, who undertook the defence of Paganism against Christianity, was to expound their Theology by Allegories; but this Philo (a) 1.200 Biblius censures as absurd, and main∣tains that it was a mere abuse and innova∣tion in their Divinity, in proof of which he alledges the au∣thority of Sanchoniathan; and Eusebius besides makes good the charge. (b) 1.201 Zeno first be∣gun this way of Allegorizing, in which he was followed by Cleanthes, Chrysippus, and other Stoicks. (c) 1.202 Varro makes three sorts of Heathen Theology

in the Fabulous, invented by the Poets: The Physical, or that of the Philosophers; and the Civil or Popular, being such as the seve∣ral Cities and Countries had set up (d) 1.203. The Greek Theology was thus distinguished. 1. God, who rules over all. 2. The Gods, who were supposed to govern above the Moon. 3. The Daemons, whose jurisdicti∣on was in the Air below it: and 4. The Heroes or Souls of dead men, who were imagined to preside over Terrestrial affairs; which gives some account of the prodigious multitude of their Gods, (e) 1.204 whereof Hesi∣od computes thirty thousand hovering in the Air (unless he be to be understood of an indefinite number.) Orpheus reckoned but 365 (f) 1.205 and at his death in his Will assert∣ed only one: (g) 1.206 Varro reckoned up three hundred Jupiters, and the Gods of Mexico (as the Indians reported to the Spaniards) were two thousand in number. Varro, Tul∣ly, and Seneca, and most sober and discreet men were ashamed of the Heathen Gods, and believed, that there is but one God, to which purpose the verses of Valerius Sora∣nus (h) 1.207 are produced and expounded by Varro.

The worship of their Gods and of their Images or Idols, was so gross amongst the ancient Heathen, and is to this day in China and in both the Indies, that one would al∣most think it impossible for men to be so

far deluded by the Devil: they worshiped not only the Ghosts of dead men, but Birds and Beasts, and creeping things, and the Devil himself under Images of such hi∣deous forms and shapes, as are frightful to look upon. The wiser Heathens were a∣shamed of these Idolatries (i) 1.208 and Varro par∣ticularly commends the Jews for using no Images in their Divine Worship, which he fays, were not in use at Rome till above one hundred and seventy years after the Foun∣dation of the City; (k) 1.209 for Numa, the con¦triver of their Religion, forbad Images: which makes it the more strange, that the (l) 1.210 Romans should afterwards erect Tem∣ples and Altars to the most unlikely things, to a Fever, and to ill Fortune, as the (l) 1.211 A∣thenians did to contumely and Impudence: but it is still more amazing, that they should deify the worst of men, the very Monsters and reproaches of Mankind: and whilst the Christians suffered for refusing Adorati∣on to their Emperors, they had divine Ho∣nours paid them by the gravest Heathens, such as (m) 1.212 Quinctilian, not only through fear of death, but out of compliment and base flattery.

2. All manner of Debauchery and Lewd∣ness made up so great a part of the Heathen Religion, that it is too shameful and too no∣torious to relate. (n) 1.213 The Romans, when they received the Gods of other Nations,

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did not worship them after their man∣ner, and yet the Rites of the Romans themselves in the worship of Cybele, Flo∣ra, Bacchus, &c. were very scandalous and wicked. And all their sports and specta∣cles (which had nothing surely in them, that could be proper for Divine Wor∣ship) were invented and performed in ho∣nour of their Gods, (p) 1.214 whence Quinctili∣an says, the Theatre might be stiled a kind of Temple.

3. But besides their bloody Spectacles, where men were exposed to be killed by Beasts, or by one another, their Altars themselves were not free from humane Blood. For the barbarous cruelty of the Religions amongst the Heathens was such, that they were obliged to offer up inno∣cent Men and Children in Sa∣crifice to their Deities. Some of the Rabbins have been of o∣pinion that Jephtha sacrificed his Daughter, but others deny it (q) 1.215, and all are agreed, that if he did sacrifice her, he sinned in doing it: and we know, that Abraham was hindred by a Mi∣racle and a voice from Heaven, when he was about to slay Isaac. But it was a custom among the (r) 1.216 Phoenicians and Canaanites for their Kings in times of great calamity to sacrifice one

of their Sons, whom they loved best, and it was common both with them and the Moabites and Ammonites to sacrifice their Children. The Egyptians; the Athenians, and Lacedaemonians, and generally all the Graecians; the Romans and Carthaginians, the Germans, and Gauls, and Britains, and in brief all the Heathen Nations through∣out the world, offered up men upon their Altars, and this not on certain emergen∣cies, and in imminent dangers only, but constantly, and in some places every day; but upon extraordinary Accidents multi∣tudes were sacrificed at once to their Bloo∣dy Deities, (s) 1.217 as Diodorus Siculus and others relate, that in Africk two hundred Children of the principal Nobility were sacrificed to Saturn at one time. And (s) 1.218 Aristomenes sacrificed three hundred men together to Jupiter Ithometes, one of whom was Theopompus King of the Laced••e∣monians. And the same custom is found practised amongst the Idolatrous Indians of offering whole Hecatombs of humane Sa∣crifices to their false Gods. (t) 1.219 In Peru, when their new Ingra was crowned they sacrificed two hundred Children, from four to ten years of Age: And the Son was wont to be sacrificed for the Life of the Father, when he was in danger of death. Sometimes the Mexicans have sacrificed above five thousand of their captives in a

day, and in divers places above twenty thousand, as Acosta writes out of the in∣formations he had from the Indians. (u) 1.220 Livy makes mention of Humane Sacrifi∣ces at Rome, and (w) 1.221 Plutarch says, they continued in his time, and it was not till about the time of Constantine's Reign, that A final stop was put to so strange and Abo∣minable a Practice; for tho it abated very much under Adrian, yet it was used, when Minutius Felix wrote, and (x) 1.222 Lanctan∣tius mentions it, as not laid aside in his time. Notwithstanding it is so much against humane Nature, as well as contrary to the Divine Mercy and Goodness, yet it made up so great a part of the Heathen Religi∣on, and was become so customary, that it was hard to bring men off from it; which at the same time demonstates both how false such Religions were, and that men had a most undoubted experience of in∣visible Powers, or else in so many Nati∣ons both the Kings and People would ne∣ver have sacrificed their own Children to their false Gods, to avert the evils which they were threatned withal.

The Persons that introduced the Heathen Religions, were either Men of Design, who established themselves in their Power and Authority by it, as Numa, or Men of Fan∣cy and Fiction, as the Poets, whom Plato would have banished out of his Com∣mon-wealth.

And the Gods of the Hea∣thens, who must be supposed to reveal these Mysteries and Ways of Worship, were al∣ways more wicked than their Votaries, whose greatest Immoralities consisted in the Worship of them: the gross Enormities not only of Venus and Bacchus, but of Sa∣turn and Jupiter, are too well known to need any particular relation.

There was no Body of Laws, or Rules of good Life, proposed by their Oracles; but on the contrary, they were in com∣mendation of lascivions Poets, or they flat∣tered Tyrants, or they appointed Divine Worship to be paid to such as won the Ma∣stery at the Olympick Games, or to Inanimate things; or they promoted some other ill, or vain and unprofitable design, as Oenomaus the Philosopher observed, and proved by particular instances recited out of him by (y) 1.223 Eusebius. The Laws of (z) 1.224 Lycurgus were approved of, and confirmed by the Delphick Oracle, and yet Theft, and a Community of Wives, and the Murder of Infants, was allowed by these Laws.

This is enough to shew, that the Heathen Religions could not be from God, since they taught the Worship of Idols and of Devils; and the Mysteries and Rites of them were utterly inconsistent with the Goodness and Purity of Almighty God. And whoever doth but look into the Religions at this day

amongst the Idolatrous Indians, by their ri∣diculous and cruel. Penances, and other Su∣perstitions, (besides the sacrificing of Men, and sometimes of themselves, as the Wo∣men, who offer themselves to be burnt with the Bodies of their dead Husbands, and the like) will soon be convinced that they cannot be of God's Institution. The Chineses themselves, who have so great a Reputation for Wisdom, are like the rest, both in their Idolatries, and in many of their Opinions and Practices.

It is evident therefore, that none of the Heathen Religions can make any probable claim to Divine Revelation, having none of the Requisites to such a Revelation, but being but of a late Original, not far divulg∣ed, supported neither by Prophecies nor Mi∣racles from God, and containing Doctrines that are Idolatrous, Impure, Cruel, and eve∣ry way wicked and absurd.

CHAP. V. Of the Philosophy of the Heathens.

BUT besides the Religions of the Hea∣then, divers of the Philosopherss pre∣tended to something Supernatural, as Pytha∣goras, Socrates, and some others, and there∣fore it will be proper here to examin∣likewise the Justice of their Pretensions. And indeed, whatever the Original of the Heathen Philosophy were, whether from their Gods, or from themselves, if the Precepts of Philosophy amongst the Hea∣thens were a sufficient Rule of good Life, there may seem to have been little or no necessity for a Divine Revelation. But I shall prove, 1. That the Heathen Philoso∣phy was very defective and erroneous. 2. That whatever was excellent in it, was owing to the Revelations contained in the Scriptures. 3. That if it had been as ex∣cellent, and as certain, as it can be pretend∣ed to be, yet there had been great need of a Divine Revelation.

1. The Heathen Philosophy was very defective and erroneous. It was desective in point of Authority. Socrates, though he would be thought to be inspired, or supernaturally assisted, gave Men only his own word for it. Pythagoras indeed, pre∣tended

both to Prophecies and Miracles, but he was a great Magician, in the o∣pinion both of (a) 1.225 Xenophon and Plutarch, and therefore whatever he did or foretold, must be ascribed to that Power, which, as it has been before declared, the Devils may have, to do strange things, and to know things done at a distance, or some time after; and his Predictions and Miracles, (even as they are related by Jamblichus) were such, as that a bare recital of them were enough to confute any Authority, which could be claimed by them. His Impostures may be seen in Diogenes Laer∣tius. And (b) 1.226 Aristotle says, Epimenides foretold nothing, whatever others relate of him. And as the Philosophers had no Divine Authority for what they deliver∣ed, so their own was but of small account; they were generally rather Men of Wit and Humour, than of sound Doctrine or good Morals. And whoever reads the Lives of the Philosophers written by Dio∣genes Laertius, and the Lives of the Caesars by Suetonius, would believe the World might have been as soon reformed by the one as the other. As to the Philosophers, who after the Christian Religion appear∣ed in the World, pretended to Miracles, it is a hard matter to think the Writers of their Lives in earnest, when they re∣late them: For a Man may as well be∣lieve

the Fables of Aesop or Lucian to be true History, as the Stories in the Life of Apollonius Tyanaeus written by Philostra∣tus, or those in the Life of Isidorus writ∣ten by Damascius, an abstract whereof we have left preserved (c) 1.227 in Photius.

The Heathen Philosophy was defective likewise in point of Antiquity and Promulga∣on. Philosophy, as far as we have any account of it, was but a late thing; so it is styl∣ed in Tully (d) 1.228, neque ante Philosophiam pa∣tefactam, quae nuper inventa est. (e) 1.229 Sene∣ca computes the rise of it to be less than a thousand years before his own time; but the moral and useful part of Philo∣sophy, had no ancienter Original than So∣crates. And Philosophy of all kinds, has always been a matter of Learning, and confined to learned Men: There never was any one Nation of Pythagoraeans, or Platonists, or Stoicks, or Aristotelians; the greatest part of the Nations of the World, never heard so much as of the Names of the most celebrated Philosophers, and know nothing at all of their Do∣ctrine.

That philosophy was defective in its Doctrines is notorious: For, as Lactanti∣us observes, the very Name of philosophy (invented by Pythagoras, who yet would be thought to have had some supernatural assistance) implies a confession of Igno∣rance,

or imperfection of their Knowledge, and a profession only to search after Wis∣dom. And (f) 1.230 Pythagoras gave this very reason why he styled himself a Philoso∣pher, Because no Man can be Wise but God only, and yet this vain Man some∣times pretended himself to be a God. So∣crates was the first of all the Philosophers that applied himself to the study of Mo∣rality; and (*) 1.231 he, who first undertook to render philosophy useful and benefi∣cial to Mankind, professed to know no∣thing at all certainly, but to disprove the Errors of others, not to establish or disco∣ver Truth: In which he was followed by Plato; * 1.232 and before him, Democritus, Anaxagoras, Empedocles, and almost all the ancient Philosophers, agreed in this, tho they agreed in few things else, that they could attain to no certain knowledge of things. So that, as Tully says, Arcesilas was not the Founder of a new Academy, or Sect of Philosophers, who professed to doubt of all things, for he taught no more than what the ancient Philosophers had ge∣nerally taught before him, unless it were that Socrates profess'd to know his own ignorance of things, but Arcesilas would not own himself certain of so much as that. Indeed the notions of Philosophy were so little convincing, even in the plainest matters, that many of the great∣est

Wits took up in Sceptiscim, or little better. No man had studied all the Hy∣potheses of Philosophy more, or understood them better, or had better explained them than Tully, and yet at last all concluded in uncertainty, as he often professes: the like may be said of Varro, Cotta, and o∣thers.

The Doctrine of Philosophy concerning God and Providence, and a Future State, was very imperfect and uncertain, as So∣crates himself declared just before his death: but what could be certain to him, that profest to doubt of every thing; (g) 1.233 Varro computed near three hundred Opinions con∣cerning the Summum Bonum; they were so far from being able to give any certain rules and directions for the Government of our Lives, that they could by no means agree in what the chief happiness of men consists, or what the aim and design of our Actions ought to be. Plato taught the lawfulness and expediency of mens hav∣ing their Wives in common; and both Socrates and Cato must hold a community of Wives lawful, as we learn from their Practice: for they lent out their Wives to others, as if it had been a very gene∣rous and friendly Act, and the very heighth and perfection of their Philosophy. (h) 1.234 It was a practice both among the Grceks and Romans, to part with their Wives to o∣ther

men; though Mercer thinks the Ro∣mans were divorced from their Wives be∣fore others took them; because Cato is blam∣ed for taking his Wife again after the death of Hortensius, without the solemnity of a new Marriage. Fornication was so far from being disallowed by the Hea∣thens, that it was rather recommended (h) 1.235 as a remedy against Adulteries by Cato himself. Many of the Philosophers held self-murther lawful, and did them∣selves set an example of it to their Fol∣lowers. The exposing of Children to be starved, or otherwise destroyed, was pra∣ctised amongst the most civilized Heathen Nations; and it being foretold half a year before the Birth of Augustus, that a King of the Romans would be born that year, the Senate made a Decree, (i) 1.236 Nequis illo anno genitus educareter. (k) 1.237 Plutarch him∣self says, that he could find nothing unjust or dishonest in the Laws of Lycurgus, tho Theft, community of Wives, and the mur∣thering of such Infants, as they saw weak and sickly, and therefore thought they would prove unfit to serve the common∣wealth, were a part of those Laws.

Revenge was esteemed not only lawful but honourable, and a desire of popular Fame and Vain Glory were reckoned among the Virtues of the Heathens, and were the greatest motive and encitement they had

to any other Vertue. (l) 1.238 Plutarch tells us of Aristides so famed for Justice, that tho he were strictly just in private affairs, yet in things of publick concernment, he made no scruple to act according as the present condi∣tion of the Common-wealth seemed to re∣quire. For it was his Maxim that in such cases Justice must give way to expediency: and he gives an instance, how Aristides ad∣vised the Athenians to act contrary to their most solemn contract and oath, imprecating upon himself the punishment of the perjury to avert it from the Common-wealth. Tully, in the Third Book of his Offices, where he treats of the strictest Rules of Justice, and proposes so many admirable Examples of it, yet resolves the notion of Justice only into a principle of Honour, upon which he concludes, that no man should do a dishonest Action, though he could conceal it both from God and Men, and determines that an Oath is but an Appeal to a man's own Mind or Consci∣ence. Cum vero jurato dicenda sententia sit, meminerit Deum se adhibere testem, id est (ut arbitror) mentem suam, qua nihil homini dedit ipse Deus divinius.

The Indians themselves, whatever may be thought to the contrary, have natural∣ly as good Sense and Parts as other peo∣ple; which (m) 1.239 Acosta sets himself to prove in divers instances: but they had

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less communication with those, who retain∣ed revealed Religion; and by their own vices and the subtilty of the Devil, the No∣tions, which they had received from it, were lost or perverted.

The Egyptians, who were so famous for their Learning, are a great instance how poor a thing humane Reason is without the Assistance of Divine Revelation: for all their profound Learning did but lead them to the grossest Idolatry, whilst they conceived God to be only an Anima Mandi, and therefore to be worshipped in the seve∣ral parts and species of the Universe. The Stoicks in effect held the same Er∣ror, and taught (n) 1.240, that there is nothing incorporeal▪ But when the excellency of the Christian Morals began to be so gene∣rally observed and taken notice of, the last Refuge of Philosophy was in the Mo∣ral Doctrines of the Stoicks▪ For almost all the latter Philosophers were of this Sect, which they refined and improved as well as they were able that they might have some∣thing to oppose to the Morality taught, (and practised too) by the Christians (o) 1.241. But the Ancient Stoicks had been the Pa∣trons and Advocates of the worst vices, and had filled the Libraries with their ob∣scene Books.

II. The Stoicks first sprang from the Cy∣nicks, that impudent and beastly Sect of Philosophers, and they refined themselves but by degrees. Zeno, who had as great Honour done him by the Athenians, as ever any Philosopher had, under the No∣tion of his Vertue, taught that men ought to have their Wives in common, and would have been put to death by the Laws of most Nations for sins against Nature. (p) 1.242 Chrysippus taught the worst of Incest, as that of Fathers with their Daugh∣ters, and of Sons with their Mothers; and besides his opinion for eating humane Flesh, and the like; his Books were filled with such obscene Discourses, as no modest man could read. Athenodorus a Stoick, be∣ing Library-keeper at Pergamus, cut all such ill Passages out of the Books of the Stoicks, but he was discovered, and those Passages were inserted again. But these Philosophers might do as they pleased; for they pretended to be exempt from sin, and the stoical Philosophy in the Origi∣nal fundamental Doctrines of it is nothing, as Tully observed, but a vain pomp and boast of words, which at first raise admi∣ration, but when throughly considered are ridiculous; as that men must live without love or hatred, or anger, or any other passion; that all sins are equal, and that it is the same Crime whether a man mur∣ther

his Father or kill a Cock, (*) 1.243 as Tully says, if there be no occasion for it. And it is no wonder that Plutarch and others wrote purposely to expose the stoical Philosophy, upon its old and genuine principles: but the latter Stoicks being very sensible of the many defective and indesensible parts of their philosophy endeavoured to mollify what seemed too harsh and absurd, that they might bring their own as near the Christian Doctrine as they could. Quin∣ctilian will not allow, that Seneca was any great Philosopher, but says that his main talent lay in declaiming against vice, (q) 1.244 in Philosophia parum diligens, egregius tamen vitiorum insectator suit. It was ra∣ther the Art and Design of Seneca, who knew wherein the strength and defects of his Philosophy lay, to endeavour to give it all the advantage he could, and to re∣commend it to the world by exposing the Follies and Vices of men, rather than by in∣structing them in the Notions of his own Sect. But (r) 1.245 this notwithstanding was one of his Rules, nonnunquam & usque ad ebrie∣tatem veniendum, and when he had expos'd the cruelties, the filthiness, and the absurdi∣ties of the Religions in use amongst the Heathens, in a Book written upon that sub∣ject; yet, says he, (s) 1.246 quae omnia sapiens servabit, tanquam legibus jussa, non tanquam Diis grata. And Tully likewise in divers

places, when he has reasoned against the ab∣surdities of their Religion, resolves the obli∣gation to observe it into the Duty which men are bound to pay the Laws of the Go∣vernment, under which they live: their Philosophy, it seems, taught them, that we must obey Men rather than God. But they held no more than (t) 1.247 Socrates had taught and practised before them, Epictetus him∣self, who has set off the Heathen Morality to the best advantage, cannot be excused from as great errors and defects. He teach∣es also, that men should follow the Reli∣gion of their Country, whatever it be. Enchirid. cap. xxxviii. He allows too great indulgence to lust, cap. xlvii. And when he proposes Rules of Vertue, and cautions to arm men against Vice and Temptation, how much short doth he fall of the Christi∣an Doctrine? If any man, says he, tell you, that such an one hath spoken ill of you, make no Apollogy for your self, but answer,

He did not know my other faults, or else he would not have charged me with these only, cap xlviii.

This is a sine saying, a pretty turn of thought, but what is there in it comparable to that aweful and sacred Promise, Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you—rejoyce and be exceeding glad, for great is your re∣ward in Heaven, Mat. v. 11, 12. Again,

when a man values himself, says Epicte∣tus,

for being able to understand and ex∣plain the Books of Chrysippus, say you to your self, unless Chrysippus had writ∣ten obscurely, this man would have had nothing to boast of. But what do I design? To study Nature, and follow it?

cap. lxxiii. This is no ill Satyr upon the va∣nity of men; but is there any thing in it like that Piety and Authority, with which St. Paul reproves the same vice? 1 Cor. viii. 1.2, 3. The best thing that can be said of the Heathen Philosophers is, that most of them frequently confest the great imperfection of their Philosophy, and pla∣ced their greatest wisdom in this, That they were more sensible than others of their ignorance: and Socrates profest that to be the Reason, why the Oracle of A∣pollo declared him to be the wisest man, because he knew how ignorant he was, better than other men did. As to the Chinese Philosophy we know little of it, their (u) 1.248 Books of Philosophy being all de∣stroyed at the command of a Tyrant, who reigned about two hundred years before Christ: from the Fragments which were af∣terwards gathered up, and yet remain a∣mong them, we can only perceive that Confucius, and the rest of their best Philo∣sophers taught no more than what they had learnt by Tradition from their Ancestors; and when they forsook this Tradition they

fell into the grossest errors, which are main∣tained by the learned men amongst them at this day.

II. Whatever there is of excellency in the Philosophy of the Heathens is owing to Revelation. It is generally supposed, that humane Reason could have discovered the more common and obvious Precepts of Mo∣rality, contained in the Scriptures; but it is more probable, that it could not have disco∣vered most of them, if we may judge by the gross absurdities, which we find as to some particulars, in the best Systems of Heathen Philosophy, and from the gene∣ral practice of offering up men for sacri∣fices to their Gods, and of casting away and exposing their Children in the most civilized Nations. But it is evident from what has been already proved at large, that the Heathens were not left destitute of many helps and advantages from the Scriptures, which divers of the Philoso∣phers had read: and many things, which seem now to be deductions from natural Reason might have their Original from Revelation: for things once discovered seem easie and obvious to men, which they would never have been able to dis∣cover of themselves. We wonder now, how men should ever suppose there could be no Antipodes, and are apt to admire how America could lie so long concealed,

rather than how it came at last to be discovered: and the case is the same in many other Discoveries, especially in mo∣ral Truths, which are so agreeable to Rea∣son, that they may seem the natural Pro∣ductions of it, though a contrary custom and inclination, and the subtlety of Satan working upon our depraved Nature might perhaps have made it very difficult, if not impossible, without a Revelation, to discern many Doctrines even of Morality, which now are most common and fami∣liar to us: What Maxim is more agree∣able, and therefore, as one would think, more obvious to humane Reason, than that every man should do to others, as he would have them do to him? And yet Spartianas an Heathen Historian says, that Alexander Severus had this excellent rule of natural Justice and Equity either from the Jews or Christians. There is no Book of Scripture which seems to contain plainer and more obvious things, than the Proverbs of Solomon, and (x) 1.249 yet an Au∣thor of great Learning and Judgment has given an Essay, how a considerable de∣fect of Learning may be supplyed out of this very Book, producing such cautions, instructions, and axioms from thence, re∣lating to the business and government of humane Life, in all varieties of occasion, as are no where else to be met withal.

No man can tell, how far humane Rea∣son could have proceeded without Reve∣lation, since it never was without it, but always argued from those Principles, which were at first delivered by God himself to Noah, and were propagated amongst his Posterity throughout all Ages and Nati∣ons, though they were more corrupted and depraved in some Ages and Nations than in others.

(y) 1.250 Plato derives the Original of all Laws from Revelation, and the Doctrines of Morality of the most ancient Philoso∣phers were a kind of Cabbala, consisting of general Maxims and Proverbs without argument or deduction from Principles; and it is the same thing at this day in those Countries, where Aristotle's Philosophy has not prevailed, who was one of the first that undertook to argue closely from Principles in Morality. And in other parts of Phi∣losophy, I shall prove by some remarkable instances, that humane reason failed them in the explication of things which were generally received and acknowledged. The existence of God is clearly and un∣answerably demonstrated by Tully, and (z) 1.251 the Unity of the God-head is as plain∣ly asserted by him; with what strength of Reason, with what plainness, with what assurance doth (a) 1.252 Balbus the Stoick speak concerning the existence of the Dei∣ty,

but when he would explain the Divine Nature, he describes a mere Anima Mundi, and exposes himself to the scorn and laugh∣ter of his Adversary; which shews, that humane Reason could go no further, than to discover the existence of God, and that we can know little of his nature but by Revelation, and that whatsoever true and just notions the Heathens had of the Di∣vine Nature must be chiefly ascribed to that.

That the world was created, the Philo∣sophers before Aristotle generally asserted, and that Water was the first matter out of which it was formed, is acknowledged by (b) 1.253 Aristotle, to be esteemed the most ancient opinion; but when he set himself to argue the point, he concluded the world to be eternal, which, according to modern Philosophy, is as absurd and im∣possible as any thing that can be imagi∣ned

The Doctrine of the Immortality of the Soul, was delivered down from all Antiquity, as Tully assures us, but the Antients gave no reasons to prove it by, they only re∣ceived it by Tradition: Plato was the first who attempted to prove it by Argument: for though Pherecydes Syrus, and Pythago∣ras had asserted it, yet they acquiesced in Tradition, by which they had received it from the Eastern Nations; but Plato,

(as it is generally supposed) conversing with the Jews in Egypt, or at his com∣ing into Italy, being there acquainted (c) 1.254 with the Doctrine of the Souls immorta∣lity amongst other notions of the Pytha∣goreans, began to argue upon it, but not being able to make it fully out, has on∣ly shewn how far reason could proceed upon those grounds, which were then known in the world from Revelation. Se∣neca, (d) 1.255 tho he sometimes asserts the im∣mortality of the Soul, yet at other times doubts of it, and even denies that the Soul has any subsistence in a separate State. And yet this Doctrine of the Immortality of the Soul, which the greatest of the Heathen Philosophers could not certainly prove from reason, was firmly believed even amongst (e) 1.256 Barbarians.

(f) 1.257 Confucius, the famous Chinese Philo∣sopher, profest himself not the Author, but the Relater only of the Doctrine which he taught, as he had received it delivered down from all Antiquity, and (g) 1.258 Aristotle has declared, that the Ancients left many Tra∣ditions, which their Posterity had corrupt∣ed, but from the remains of those Traditi∣we know that they were originally derived from Revelation. The first of the Philoso∣phers that taught the immortality of the Soul was (h) 1.259 Pherecydes and he left his Writings to Thales, from whence he had the

notion, that all things were produced from water. Pythagoras was a Scholar of Phere∣cydes, and Pythagoras, Plato and Aristotle conversed with the Learned Jews. (i) 1.260 So∣crates disputed of a future State from Tra∣dition, and (k) 1.261 profest that he always fol∣lowed the Tradition which had descended from Antiquity, and that he was at a loss whenever that failed him. (l) 1.262 And this Tradition could not have its Rise from the Greeks, who were confest to understand lit∣tle or nothing of Antiquity. The notions in Philosophy of the latter Heathens, were much improved by Ammonius, a Christ∣ian and a Teacher of Philosophy at Alexan∣dria. And we find that upon the propa∣gation of the Gospel, Moral Philosophy in a few years attained to greater per∣fection than ever it had done before, as we may see in the works of Seneca, Epictetus, Plutarch, M. Antoninus, Maximus Tyrius, and others.

We may therefore reasonably conclude that the Precepts and Rules of Morality, which Philosophers all along taught, had their original from Revelation, rather than from the strength and sagacity of their own reason; because they err in things no less obvious to natural reason, and it appears that they had opportunities of becoming acquainted with the Scriptures, and that they spared no pains either by reading or con∣versation,

in their own, or in foreign Countries, in their search and enquiries after truth.

III. If the Heathen Philosophy had been as certain and excellent, as it can be pretend∣ed to be, yet there had been great need of a Divine Revelation. For, 1. The rules of Philosophy lie scattered up and down in large and learned works, mixt with many wrong and absurd notions, and therefore must be in great measure useless; how cer∣tain and excellent soever they may be in themselves, they can be no rule of Life to us. No perfect rule of Manners is to be found in any one Author; and if it were possible to compile such a rule out of them all, yet what man is able to collect them? (m) 1.263 Lanctantius is of opinion, that if all the truths dispersed up and down among the several Sects of Philosophers could be collected together into one System, they would make up a Body of Philosophy a∣greeable to the Christian Doctrine, but then he concludes it to be impossible for any man to make such a collection, without a supernatural Assistance. And if there were no other reason for it but this, it is no won∣der that we find (n) 1.264 the XII Tables pre∣ferred before all the Writings of the Philo∣sophers. If there be nothing so absurd, as Tully says, but the Philosophers have taught it, then it is necessary that men

should not be left to the uncertainties and absurdities of Philosophy: for tho some few of them might be free from such ex∣travagancies, yet their Notions were no Rule or Standard to the rest, and the best were not without many great Er∣rors.

2. The Rules of Philosophy were no better than good Advice, and carried no Authority with them to oblige men in Con∣science; they had not the force of a Law, and failing in this necessary point, what∣ever their intrinsick worth had been, they never could have had that effect upon the Lives of men, which Revealed Religion has. Vertue was propounded by Philoso∣phers rather as a matter of Honor and De∣cency, than of strict Duty; those were esteemed and admired indeed that observed it, but such as did not, only wanted that commendation. Some Philosophers spoke great and excellent things, but they past ra∣ther for wise sayings, than for Laws of Na∣ture: their own Reputation, which was greater or less with different sorts of men, was the only Authority they had: it might be prudence to do as they taught, but there appeared no absolute necessity for it. They commonly represented Vertue as very lovely, with many very great and powerful charms, and all that were of another mind, did not know a true Beauty, and that was

an intolerable disgrace: the Sanction of Re∣wards and Punishments in the next Life was little insisted upon by them. They recommended Vertue for it's own sake, not as it is enjoyed by God, and will be re∣warded by him, and the contrary punished; and those, who could not soar to their Heights, were rather the worse than the better for such Doctrines, which they look∣ed upon as the impracticable speculations of some, who had a mind to speak great things. And they often spoke the Truth indeed, which they had from Tradition, or from the excellency of their own Wit and Genius, but they were not able to make it out by any such Principles, as are wont to influence and govern humane Actions. Accordingly we find, that as the several Sects of Philo∣sophy suited to the Tempers and Humors of particular men, so far they prevailed, and no farther. The curious and inquisitive be∣took themselves, to the Academicks, the soft and effeminate to the Epicureans, and the Morose to the Stoicks; men applyed themselves to what ever opinion they liked best, and found most agreeable to their Na∣ture and Disposition. Thus a severe and haughty Gravity made up the Composition of Cato; it had been hard for him to avoid the being a Stoick, and he might probably have founded that Sect, if it had not been known in the World before. The Philosophers

had no Authority to promise rewards or to threaten punishments upon the ob∣servation or neglect of their Precepts, and therefore every man was at his li∣berty to chuse or to reject what they taught, and divers of them were sensi∣ble of this unavoidable defect in all hu∣mane Doctrines, and therefore pretended to Revelation.

There is no inconvenience therefore in supposing, that many of the Precepts contained in the Proverbs, and other Books of Scripture might be known without a Revelation: for there is not∣withstanding very good Reason, why they should be inserted into the Scrip∣ture; Because the Scriptures have the Authority of a Divine Law, and are to be looked upon, not as a System of Ethicks, or a Collection of Moral Precepts, but as a Body of Laws given out upon Divers occasions and as Rules of In∣struction, which at the same time both shew us our Duty, and command our O∣bedience. It is not expected that Kings in their Laws shouid argue more profound∣ly than other men do, but they should command more effectually than others can teach; they do not dispute, but pro∣nounce and dictate, what their subjects must take notice of at their peril. And it is no diminution to a Princes Authority

to command the most known and obvious things, though it may be a fault in the sub∣ject to need such commands. And God in his word did not design to furnish us with a Treatise of Philosophy, to gratify our cu∣riosity, with strange and new notions, and make us profound Scholars; but to speak to the necessities of men, and put them in mind of known Duties, to appeal to their own Consciences, and to enforce those notions of Good and Evil, which natural reason perhaps might suggest to them, by the authority of a re∣vealed Religion, and a Divine Law, established upon Rewards and Punish∣ments.

3. Though the Philosophers were able to discern something more than other men, yet they durst not openly declare what they knew, but were over-born with the errors and vices the Times and Countries in which they lived, even to the Commission of Idolatry, and the worst of vices, and therefore their Do∣ctrines whatever they were, could do but lit∣tle good towards the reformation of the World. I shall not enquire into the Re∣ports concerning Socrates and Plato, Sene∣ca and Cato himself, but only observe that Socrates, who was the only Martyr among the Philosophers, for the truth, yet when he comes to die, speaks with no assurance

of a Future State, and ordered a Cock to be sacrificed to Aesoulapius, which can hard∣ly be reconciled to that Doctrine, for for which he is supposed to die. And after his Death, how did his Friends and Disciples behave themselves? Did they openly and courageously vindicate his in∣nocence, and teach the Doctrine for which he suffered? Did they not use all means to conceal and dissemble it? But Man∣kind stood in need of a perfect example of Virtue, and of such instructors, as should both teach and practise the Do∣ctrines of it at their utmost peril, and of a succession of such Men, as should bear Testimony to their Doctrine, both by the Miracles wrought during their Lives, and by the constancy of their Deaths.

4. As the Heathen Philosophy wanted the Authority of a Law, and the exam∣ple of those who taught it; so it wanted principal Motives to recommend the pra∣ctice of it to the Lives of Men. The Philosophers teach nothing of the exceed∣ing Love of God towards us; of his desire of our happiness, and his readiness to as∣sist and conduct us in the ways of Virtue. They owned no such thing as Divine Grace and Assistance towards the attainment of Vertue, and the perseverance in it.— (o) 1.265 Virtutem autem nemo unquam acceptam Deo retulit, nimirum recte: propter virtutem e∣nim

jure laudamur, & in virtute recte glo∣riamur, quod non contingeret, si id donum a Deo, non a nobis haberemus—nam quis, quod bonus vir esset, gratias Diis egit un∣quam—Jovem{que} optimum maximum ob eas res appellant, non quod justos, temperatos, sapi∣entes efficiat, sed quod salvos, incolumes, opu∣lentos, copiosos. This occasioned those (p) 1.266 insolent Boasts of the Stoicks, equaling themselves to the Gods, and sometimes e∣ven preferring themselves before them, be∣cause they had difficulties to encounter, which made their conquests of vice, and their improvements in virtue more glori∣ous, than they supposed the like excel∣lencies to be in their Gods, who were good by the necessity of their own Na∣ture.

Wherefore, tho the Rules of Philosophy had been never so perfect, yet they must needs be ineffectual, being so difficult to find out, and so unactive and dead, when they were discovered, without that Authority, and Life, and Energy, that may be had from Divine Revelation, which there was a necessity for, not only to supply the imper∣fections, and correct the errors of Philoso∣phy, but to enforce the Doctrines of it, tho they had been never so true and perfect.

CHAP. VI. The Novelty and Defect in the Pro∣mulgation of the Mahometan Re∣ligion▪

THE Novelty of the Mahometan Re∣ligion, in respect both of the Old and New Testament, is past all dispute. And this Religion, notwithstanding all its sensu∣al allurement, owes its Propagation solely to the ••ower of the Sword. For though the Alcoran has been translated into most of the Languages in use amongst Christians, yet it has never been known to make any Proselytes, but by force of Arms. At first this Religion had many circumstances for its advantage, which might, in humane probability, gain it success in the world. It was begun in Rebellion, and in a fi∣nal Revolt from the Emperor Heraclius, and besides this popular and seducing Temp∣tation of Licence and Violence, Mahomet added the enticements of Lust and Sensu∣ality; he forbad Men indeed some things, but such as he could easily see they would part with for the free and un∣bounded enjoyment of others: then he pretended to sound his Doctrine on the Authority of Moses and of Christ, saying

that Christ had promised to send him; all which made his Religion find the more easy entertainment amongst both Jews and Christians. 'Twas but like the Heresy of the Gnosticks at the first, and not altogether so gross, and this must needs encline all of Seditious and lewd principles to come in to him, being glad of such a colour for their wickedness; and it had the ad∣vantage of Power and Force to make it more lasting, than other such Blasphe∣mies have been.

Christ on the contrary forbad Resistance of the supreme Power upon any terms whatsoever; he asserted the Authority of Moses, but so, as to abolish the ceremonial part of the Law, which was what the Jews were most fond of: so that this very thing made the Jews the most implacable enemies of Christianity, and brought Christians in∣to contempt among the Heathen: for no∣thing could make the Gospel of less ac∣count in their esteem, than to deduce its Authority from the Books of the ••ews, who soon after the Crucifixion of Christ became vile and contemptible in the eyes of all the World. It can be no great wonder to see men drawn into those vices under the pre∣tence of Religion, which no Laws nor Punishments can restrain them from; but for a Religion that forbids all vice under the severest penalties, to prevail in a

vicious world is truly miraculous. Besides, it is Death, by the Law of Mahomet, to con∣tradict the Alcoran, men are forbid all dis∣putation and discourse about Religion, they are charged to believe none but Mahome∣tans, and to look upon all others as unwor∣thy of all manner of conversation. So that the Sword in the hands of furious and igno∣rant Zealots is the only way by which that Religion was designed to be propagated.

But nothwithstanding all these complian∣ces with the Lusts and Passions of men, if we take in all Ages since the Incarnation of Christ, the Christian Religion (not to men∣tion the Jewish) has had a much larger pro∣pagation than ever Mahometanism has had; and has at all times been taught in more parts of the world, and even amongst Ma∣hometans themselves. And the Alcoran it self asserting the Divine Authority and Mis∣sion both of Moses and Christ, serves in some measure to propagate the Faith of the Old and New Testament; so far, I mean, as to give an advantage and opportunity for men to make enquiry into them, and become ac∣quainted with them.

CHAP. VII. The want both of Prophecies and Mira∣cles in the Mahometan Religion.

MAhometanism is grounded neither up∣on Prophecies nor Miracles. Ma∣homet indeed calls himself Prophet very so∣lemnly, but we have but this one instance of his Prophetick Spirit. (a) 1.267 When the Pro∣phet went to visit one of his Wives, God re∣vealed to him, what she desired to say to him; he approved one part and rejected the other: when he told his Wife what was in her will to speak to him, she demanded of him, who had revealed it to him. He that knoweth all things hath revealed it to me, that ye may be convert∣ed; your hearts are inclined to do what is for∣bidden; if ye act any thing against the Pro∣phet, know that God is his Protector. Here is not one circumstance to make the story credible.

Mahomet pretended to no Miracles, but when he has raised that objection, (as he often doth) that the world would not be∣lieve in him, unless they saw some Mira∣cle, he answers (b) 1.268, I am not sent but to Preach the Word of God? Tho afterwards he mentions that ridiculous story of the Moons being divided, in these words:

(c) 1.269 The Day of Judgment approacheth, the Moon was divided into two parts, nevertheless Infidels believe not Miracles, when they see them; they say that this is Magick; they lye, and follow but their Passion, but all is written.

Here is no proof, nor any pretence to it, but only a confident assertion of a thing ri∣diculous. And yet unless we will believe this Prophecy, and this Miracle, there is no∣thing in the whole Alcoran either of Mira∣cle or Prophecy, to give it any Authority, except that must be accounted one, which he so often boasts of, viz. Its wonderful Doctrine and Eloquence, for (d) 1.270 he chal∣lenges all the world to produce any thing like it, protesting (e) 1.271 that he could neither write nor read, and therefore must needs have it by Revelation. And he introduc∣eth God swearing to the Truth of it, al∣most in every Chapter; and this is all he of∣fers, in answer to the suspicions which he so frequently suggests men then had of his be∣ing an Impostor.

CHAP. VIII. The Alcoran is false, absurd, and im∣moral.

I. THE Alcoran is false; as when it makes (a) 1.272 the Virgin Mary Sister to Aaron; when it asserts that (b) 1.273 Christ was not Crucified, but one like him, in Contradiction to the Testimony of Jews, Christians, and Heathens; and that Christ (c) 1.274 Prophesied of him by Name, without the least proof or ground for it, but against all the evidence that can be, to the con∣trary.

II. The Alcoran contains things absurd and ridiculous: as in that story of the sleep∣ers, (d) 1.275 the Infidels say they were five, and that their Dog was the sixth; they s••eak by opini∣on, but the true Believers affirm them to be se∣ven, and their Dog to be the eighth. And (e) 1.276 in the story of Solomon's Army, composed of Men, Devils, and Birds; of the Queen of the Pismires; and Solomon's discourse with the Bird called the Whoop, who brought him tydings of the Queen of Sheba.

III. The Doctrines of the Alcoran are impious and immoral. Mahomet makes all the Angels worship Adam, in several parts of his Alcoran; and his sensual Paradice is

well known, and his allowance of many Wives; but perhaps his injustice is not so generally taken notice of, (f) 1.277 in permit∣ting the professors of his Religion to take a∣way their Slaves Wives from them.

The Law of Mahomet proceeds from a savage and cruel spirit, obliging those that embrace it to destroy all that are not of it; however the Mahometans have not always acted according to the cruelty of their Re∣ligion, humane Nature not being always able to act so much contrary to it self. But this is Mahomet's Doctrine, (g) 1.278 God loveth not the unjust, he forgiveth sins to those that believe and extirpate Infidels. (h) 1.279 If they for∣sake it (the Law of God, pretended to be set down in the Alcoran) kill them, where you find them. Be not negligent to pursue the In∣fidels. And this the (i) 1.280 Faquirs at their re∣turn from Mecha are very mindful of, with a furious zeal killing all they can that they meet, who are not Mahometans, till they are killed themselves, and then they are reput∣ed Saints, and Prayers are made at their Graves.

Such is the Alcoran as we now have it, and yet it is not now as it was at first written by Mahomet; (k) 1.281 many alterations have been made in it by inserting some things, and striking out others, and taking some of the absurdities away: Mahomet the Second particularly is said to have made

great alterations and additions (l) 1.282. But the Persians, the followers of Haly, charge Abu-Beker, Omar, and Ozman, whom the Turks follow, with falsifying the Alco∣ran.

CHAP. IX. Of Mahomet.

AFter this account of Mahomet's Alco∣ran, there will be no need to say much of his Person: the general Doctrines of the Alcoran shew him to have been lust∣ful, proud, fierce and cruel; but as if that were not enough, he has taken care to insert such particulars concerning himself, as to suffer no man to be ignorant of the Spirit and Temper, by which he was guided in penning it. He blasphemously introduceth God thus speaking to him (a) 1.283 O Prophet, we permit thee to know the Women, to whom thou hast given Dowry, the Women Slaves, which God hath given thee, the Daughters of thine Ʋnkles, and of thine Aunts, that have abandoned with thee the company of the wicked, and the true believing Wife, that shall be given thee, if thou wilt marry her, and that she be not the Wife of a true Believer. It seems he gave himself the liberty to take away the Wives of any

that were not of his Religion. Thou shalt retain whom of thy Wives thou shalt desire to retain, and shalt repudiate such as thou shalt desire to repudiate, and shalt lye with them that shall please thee. By this means his Family of Wives became pretty numerous, some say they were fifteen, others say, one and twenty, beside Concubines▪ and therefore it was fit he should take some care to keep them true to him, and so he bespeaks them after this manner (b) 1.284 Oh! Ye Wives of the Prophet! Such of you as shall be unchaste, shall be punished doubly more than other Women; this is a thing easy to God: Such among you as shall obey God and his Prophet, and shall do good works, shall be rewarded more than other Wo∣men, an exceeding great reward is prepared for you. Oh, ye Wives of the Prophet! Ye are not like other Women of the World, fear God, and believe not in the discourse of such as have a design to seduce you; speak with civility, abide in your Houses, go not forth to make your Beauty appear and to make a shew as did the ignorant of old. This explains what was mentioned before, of a Revelation Mahomet pretended to have concerning something that one of his Wives was to say to him, he had a mind to make them believe that he knew whatever they did or said, that so he might keep them in a we, that they might not dare to prove false to him.

His Pride is evident in this which fol∣lows, (c) 1.285 Ye that believe, enter not into the Houses of the Prophet without permission, ex∣cept at the hour of Repast, and that by chance, and without design; if ye are invited enter with freedom; when ye shall have taken your repast, depart out of the house, and tarry not to discourse one with another, this molesteth the Prophet, he is ashamed to tell you the truth. But this is not all, his number of Wives made him incurably jealous, and therefore he adds, you ought not to importune the Pro∣phet of God, neither to know his Wives, this would be a most enormous sin.

The fierceness of Mahomet's Spirit may be seen by this one saying, (d) 1.286 He that is angry that God giveth Succour and Protection to Mahomet in this World, let him tye a Cord to the Beam of his House, and hang himself, he shall see if his choler will be allayed. It is noto∣rious, that he set up his New Doctrine in oppressing his own Country-men, who would not submit to his Imposture first, and in Rebellion against the Emperor Heraclius, then at War with the Persians, afterwards; and his Alcoran is fit only for a Saracen Camp, Preaching Lust to his followers, but blood and destruction towards all others.

This may satisfie any Man, that there is nothing in the Author of the Mahometan Religion, nor in the Religion it self, which

may incline him to believe it to be of Di∣vine Revelation. But whoever would know more of this vile Imposture, may see it fully displayed in the Life of Mahomet, lately published by the Learned Dr. Pri∣deaux.

THE Reasonableness and Certainty OF THE Christian Religion.

PART IV.

CHAP. I. That there is as great certainty of the Truth of the Christian Religion, as there is of the Being of God.

FROM what has been discoursed, the Truth of the Christian Religion is e∣vident by all the arguments, by which any Religion can possibly be proved to be Di∣vine; and if there be any such thing as true Religion, the Christian Religion must beit: and if this be made appear, it is all that need be said in defence of the Christian Re∣ligion, to any one but an Atheist.

The Scriptures are defective in nothing that is requisite in a Divine Revelation, but have all that can be required in the highest degree; to instance here only in Miracles, and in those only of our Saviour and his A∣postles. Our Saviour wrought his Miracles in the midst of his Enemies, and extorted a Confession from the Devils themselves of his Divine Power. And if the Apostles had not been well assured, and absolutely certain of his Resurrection, they would never have had the confidence, and the folly, (for it could have been no less) to maintain so soon after his Death, in Je∣rusalem, the City where he was Crucify'd, that he was risen from the Dead; they would never have chosen that, above all places, to Preach this Doctrine, and work their Miracles in, if they had not been true: at least, they would never have done it, at the great and solemn Feast of Pentecost, to provoke the Jews to expose them to all the World for Impostors; no, they would have taken time to have laid their design with some better appearance and contrivance: to be sure, they would have avoided Jerusalem as much as they could, and, above all times, at so solemn a Festival as that of Pentecost, they would have gone rather to the remotest corners of the Earth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 have told their story, than have run the hazard of such a

discovery. But when they stood the Test of all that the Jews could say or do to them; when in that very City, where he had been so lately Crucify'd, they told the Jews to their face, and before that numerous concourse of People, which was then met together at Jerusalem, that they were Murtherers, that they murther'd their Messias, but that he was risen from the Dead, and that by vertue of his Resurrection they spoke those Languages, and did those Works, which they then saw and heard. This was plain and open dealing, and there could be no de∣ceit in it; if any thing of this could have been disproved they had been for ever silenced, but their worst enemies were so far from being able to disprove what they said, that about three thou∣sand Converts were made on the day of Pentecost.

The innocent and Divine Life of our Sa∣viour, the holiness and excellency of his Doctrine, the simplicity, and meekness, and constancy of his Disciples, the continuance of Miracles for several Ages in the Church, the wonderful Propagation of the Gospel by a few, poor, ignorant, despised, and persecuted Men, every passage, every cir∣cumstance, in the whole dispensation of the Gospel, is full of evidence in proof of it. But thus much in this place shall suffice, all

particulars having been largely insisted up∣on in their proper places.

And since, as sure as there is a God, there must be a Revealed Religion; if any Man will dispute the Truth of the Christian Re∣ligion, let him instance in any other Religi∣on that can make a better Plea, and has more certainty that it came from God; let him produce any other Religion that has more visible Characters of Divinity in it, and we will not scruple to be of it; but if it be im∣possible for him to shew any such, (as has been proved) then he ought to be of this, since there must be some Revealed Religion; and if that Religion which has more evi∣dence for it than any other Religion can be pretended to have, and all that it could be requisite for it to have, supposing it true, and which it is therefore impossible to disco∣ver to be false if it were so. If this Religi∣on be not true, God must be wanting to Mankind in what concerns their eternal In∣terest and Happiness; he must be wanting to himself, and to his own Attributes of Goodness, Justice, and Truth. And there∣fore he, that upon a due examination of all the Reasons and Motives to it, will not be a Christian, can be no better than an Atheist, if he discern the consequence of things, and will hold to his own Principles, for there can be no Medium, if we rightly con∣sider the Nature of God, and of the Chri∣stian

Religion; but as sure as there is a God (and nothing can be more certain) the Gos∣pel was revealed by him.

CHAP. II. The Resolution of Faith.

HAving proved the Truth and Cer∣tainty of our Religion, I shall in the last place, upon these Principles, give a Resolution of our Faith, which is a sub∣ject that has caused such unnecessary and unhappy Disputes amongst Christians in these latter Ages; for in the Primitive Times, this was no matter of Controversie, as indeed it could not then, and ought not now to be.

1. Considering the Scriptures only as an History, containing the Actions and Do∣ctrines of Moses and the Prophets, and of our Saviour and his Apostles, we have the greatest humane Testimony, that can be, of men, who had all the opportunities of knowing the truth of those Miracles, &c. which gave Evidence and Authority to the Doctrines, as Revealed from God, and who could have no Interest to deceive

others, but exposed themselves to all man∣ner of dangers, and infamy and torments, by bearing Testimony to the Truth of what is contained in the Scriptures; whereas Impostures are wont to be in∣vented, not to incur such sufferings, but to avoid them, or to obtain the advan∣tages and pleasures of this world. And so this Testimony amounts to a moral certainty, or, as it is properly enough cal∣led by some, to a moral infallibility, be∣cause it implies a moral impossibility of our being deceived by it: such a certainty it is, as that nothing with any reason can be ob∣jected against it. We can have as little rea∣son to doubt, that Christ and his Apostles did, and suffered, and taught, what the Scriptures relate of them, in Jerusalem, An∣tioch, &c. as that there ever were such places in the world; nay, we have that much better attested than this, for many men have died in Testimony of the Truth of it.

II. This Testimony being considered with respect to the nature of the thing testified, as it concerns eternal Salvation, which is of the greatest concernment to all mankind, it appears that Gods Veraci∣ty and Goodness are engaged, that we should not be deceived inevitably in a matter of this consequence: So that this Moral Infallibility becomes hereby Abso∣lute

Infallibility: and that which was be∣fore but Humane Faith becomes Divine, being grounded not upon Humane Testi∣mony, but upon the Divine Attributes, which do attest and confirm that Hu∣mane Testimony; and so Divine Testi∣mony is the ultimate ground, why I be∣lieve the will of God to be delivered in the Scriptures; it is no particular revealed Testimony indeed, but that which is equi∣valent to it, viz. the constant Attestation of God by his Providence. For it is re∣pugnant to the very notion of a God, to let men be deceived, without any possible help or remedy, in a matter of such im∣portance. And so we have the ground of our Faith absolutely Infallible, because it is evident from the Divine Attributes, that God doth confirm this Humane Testimony by his own.

III. The Argument then proceeds thus: If the Scriptures were false, it would be impossible to discover them to be so, and it is inconsistent with the Truth and Good∣ness of Almighty God to suffer a deceit of this nature to pass upon mankind, without any possibility of a discovery; therefore it follows, that they are not false. Here is, 1. The object, or thing to be believed, viz. that the Revelation delivered to us in the Scripture is from God. 2. The

Motive or Evidence to induce our Belief, viz. Humane Testimony. 3. A confirma∣tion of that Testimony, or the Formal Principle and Reason of our Belief, viz. the Divine Goodness and Truth. The object therefore, or thing believed is the same to us, that it was to those who saw the miracles by which the Scriptures stand confirmed, viz. the revealed Will of God: and the Ground and Foundation of our Be∣lief is the same that theirs was, viz. the Divine Goodness and Truth, whereby we are assured, that God would not suffer Miracles to be wrought in his own Name, according to Prophecies formerly deliver∣ed, and with all other circumstances of credibility, only to confirm a Lye. The only difference then between the resolution of Faith in us, and in the Christians who were Converted by the Apostles themselves is this, that tho we believe the same things, and upon the same grounds and reasons with them, yet we have not the same im∣mediate motives or evidence to induce our Belief; or to satisfie us in these reasons, and convince us, that the Revealed Will of God, contained in the Scriptures, is to be believed upon these grounds; that is, to satisfie and convince us that the belief of the Scriptures being the Word of God is finally resolved into the Authority of

God himself, and is as well certified to us, as his Divine Attributes can render it. For they were assured of this, from what their own senses received, but we have our as∣surance of it from the Testimony of o∣thers.

The Question therefore will be, whe∣ther the motives and arguments for this Belief in us, or the means whereby we be∣come assured, that the Revealed Will of God is contained in the Scriptures, be not as sufficient to produce a Divine Faith in us, and to establish our Faith upon the Divine Authority, as the motives and ar∣guments which those had, who lived with the Apostles, and saw their Miracles, could be to produce that Faith in them, which resolved it self into the Divine Authority. And this enquiry will depend upon these two things: 1. Whether we may not be assured of some things as certainly from the Testimony of others, as from our own Senses. 2. Whether this be not the pre∣sent case, relating to the resolution of Faith. I shall therefore consider in the first place the certainty which we have for the matters of fact, by which the Authority of the Scriptures is proved and confirmed to us, compared with the evidence of sence, and will then apply it to the resolution of Faith.

I. In many cases men seem generally agreed, that there is as much cause to be∣lieve what they know from others, as what they see and experience themselves. For there may be such circumstances of credibility, as equal the evidence even of sence it self; no evidence can satisfie sence so much indeed, nor perhaps so much af∣fect the passions, as that of sence; but there may be other evidence, which may give as clear conviction, and altogether as good satisfaction to our Reason, as that which is immediately derived from our sences, concerning the Being of Objects, or the Truth of matters of fact. Thus those who never travelled to the Indies, do as little doubt that there is such a place, as those who have been never so of∣ten there; and all men believe, there was such a man as Julius Caesar, with as little scruple as if they had lived in his time, and had seen and spoke with him. I sup∣pose no man in his wits makes any more doubt, but there are such places as Judoea and Jerusalem, from the constant report of Historians and Travellers, than if he had been in those places himself, and had lived the greatest part of his Life there: and the greatest Infidel that I know of, never pretended yet to disbelieve, that there was such a person as our Saviour Christ. But all men think themselves as

well assured of things of this nature, upon the credit of others, as if they had seen them themselves. For how doubtful and intricate soever some things may be, for want of Knowledge or credit in the Re∣laters; yet there are other things delivered with that agreement and certainty on all hands, that to doubt of them would be as unreasonable, as to doubt of what we our selves see and hear.

And if our Saviour's Resurrection, for instance, be of this nature, we can with as little reason doubt of it, as if we had liv∣ed at that time, and had conversed with him after his Resurrection from the Dead. But we have as great assurance that he was alive again after his Crucifixion, as that he ever lived at all; and we have at least all the assurance that there was such a Person as Christ, that we can have, that there once lived any other man at that distance of time from us. We can no more doubt that our Saviour was born in the Reign of Augustus Coesar, and was Crucified under Tiberius, than that there were once such Emperors in the World; nay, we have it much better attested that Christ was Born, and was Crucified, and rose again, than that there ever were such Princes as these two Emperors: for no man ever made it his business to go about the world to certifie this, and to testifie the truth of

it, at his Death. But the Apostles them∣selves, and their Disciples and Converts, and innumerable others ever since, from the beginning of Christianity, have assert∣ed the particulars of the Life, and Death and Resurrection of our Saviour, under all dangers, and torments, and deaths; and have made it their great aim and design, both living and dying, to bear Te∣stimony to the Truth of the Gospel. So that a man may as well doubt of any mat∣ter of fact that ever was done before his own time, or at a great distance from him, as doubt of these fundamentals of the Chri∣stian Religion; and yet there is no man, but thinks himself as certain of some things at least, which were done a long time ago, or a great way off, as if he had been at the doing of them himself.

Indeed, in some respects we seem to have more evidence than these could have, that lived in the beginning of Christianity; for they could see but some Miracles, we have the benefit of all; they relyed upon their own sences, and upon the sences of such as they knew and conversed with; we upon the sences of innumerable People, who successively beheld them for the space of Divers hundred years together: so that whoever will not believe the Scriptures, nei∣ther would he believe, though one rose from the Dead; that is, though the greatest Mira∣cle

were wrought for his conviction. This was said of the Old Testament, and there∣fore may with greater reason be said of that and the New both.

And we have besides, one sort of evi∣dence, which those that lived at the first planting of Christianity could not have; for we see many of those Prophecies ful∣filled, which our Saviour foretold con∣cerning his Church; we know how it sprung up and flourished, and from what small unlikely beginnings it has spread it self into all corners of the Earth, and con∣tinues to this day, notwithstanding all the malice of Men and Devils to root it out and destroy it. The continuance and suc∣cess of the Gospel under so improbable circumstances was matter of Faith chief••y to the first Christians, but to us is matter of Fact, and the object of sense: they saw the work indeed prosper in their hands, but their Faith only could tell them, that it should flourish for so many Ages, as we know it has already done. This is a standing and invincible proof to us at this distance of time, and has the force of a two∣fold Argument, the one of a Power of Mi∣racles, the other of Prophecies: we know that a miraculous power has been mani∣fested in conquering all opposition, and in a wonderful manner bringing those things to pass which to humane wisdom and

power are altogether impossible. And the fulfilling hereby of Prophecies is a vi∣sible confirmation to us of the truth of those Miracles, which by the Testimony of o∣thers we believe to have been done by the Prophets, whose Prophecies we see ful∣filled. And since it must be acknow∣ledged that things may be so well attested, that we may with as much reason doubt of the truth of our own sences, as of the Authority, by which we are assured of the truth of them, and must turn Scepticks or worse, if we will not believe them; we may conclude as well upon the account of these Prophecies, which we our selves see fulfilled, as upon all other accounts, that the Historical evidence in proof of the Christian Religion, amounts to all the certainty that a matter of Fact is capa∣ble of, not excepting even that of sense it self.

II. Let us now apply all this to the Resolution of Faith, and give an account how a divine and infallible Faith may be produced in us. Humane Testimony is the Motive, by which we believe the Scrip∣tures to contain God's revealed Will: this certifies us that such Miracles were wrought, and such Prophecies delivered, as give to the Scriptures the full evidence and au∣thority of a Divine Revelation. If there∣fore it be enquired, why we believe the

Scriptures to be the word of God? the An∣swer is, upon the account of the Miracles and Prophecies, which concurring with all other circumstance requisite in a Revelati∣on, confirm the Truth of them. If it be asked, how we know that these Prophe∣cies and Miracles are true and effectual, and not feigned, or insufficient; I answer, because we have them so related and at∣tested, that considered barely as matter of Fact, they have all the credibility that any matter of Fact is capable of, and therefore may as safely be relied upon, as any thing which we do our selves see, or hear. If it be further urged that for all this I may be de∣ceived, since all men are fallible, and no man is infallibly assured that there is such a place as Rome, who never saw it; though no man neither can any more doubt of it, than he can doubt whether there be such a place as London, who lives in it. I acknow∣ledge that there is a bare possibility of be∣ing deceived in all humane evidence, but yet I deny that we can possibly be de∣ceived in this case, because, though the e∣vidence it self be humane, yet the things which it concerns are of that Nature, that God would never suffer the World to be thus long imposed upon in them, without all possibility of finding out the Truth. So that here we resolve our Faith into the Di∣vine

Authority, by reason of the same Mi∣racles, by reason whereof the Eye witnes∣ses of them did resolve theirs into it, but they believed these Miracles as seen by themselves, and we believed them as seen, and witnessed by others, but both they and we believe them as the works of God him∣self.

It might have been alledged, if we had seen those Miracles that we might possibly be decived; and so indeed we might, if we could not have securely relyed upon Gods Truth and Goodness, that they were de∣signed by him to confirm the Doctrine, for the sake of which they were wrought, and we may with equal security rely upon the same Truth and Goodness for the certainty of the History of them, as we could have done for the sufficiency of them to the pur∣pose for which they were wrought, tho they had been performed in our sight, since it is as impossible to find out any deceit in the account given of them, as it would have been for us to find any in the Miracles themselves at the time of their performance.

Humane Testimony is the conveyance and the means of delivering the Truths contained in the Holy Scriptures down to us; and we, who could neither see the Mi∣racles nor hear the Doctrines at the first hand, have at this distance of time the

truth of them ascertained by a continued successive Testimony, till we arrive at such as were immediate witnesses of them. Now those that saw and heard all things which are delivered to us in the Scriptures, could not esteem their sences infallible, but they notwithstanding believed our Saviour and his Disciples to be so, of whom yet their senses only could give them means of as∣surance that they were infallible. They knew their senses might deceive them, (or that they might be mistaken concerning the objects of sence) but nevertheless they believed that our Saviour and the Apo∣stles could not deceive them, upon this only ground, that their sences, or their reason by deduction from sence told them so. There was not one man of them per∣haps but had often observed his senses misrepresent objects to him, and yet in this case upon the sole Testimony of their senses they grounded an infallible Faith: because, though their sences had misre∣presented objects, yet it was in a wrong medium, at an undue distance, or by rea∣son of some indisposition of the sense it self, and still their sences, or rather their reason by the help of their sences disco∣vered that their sences had led them in∣to mistakes. But in the present case, when the Object was placed in open and frequent view, to the greatest advantage,

when it was publick and exposed to mul∣titudes, when all agreed in the same o∣pinion concerning it, and when the matter was of infinite importance, here they had reason to conclude, that the God, who fram∣ed their Sences, would not suffer them to be so hurtful to them, as they must needs have been, if they had been deceived by them. In like manner, in the Testimony, which descends to us from former Ages, we see with other mens eyes, and hear with o∣ther mens ears; and though the Testimo∣ny of others may often fail us, and is sub∣ject to a double inconveniency, through the incapacity and unfaithfulness of witnesses, yet, as in the former case, so here, when all circumstances are weighed and consi∣dered, and after the utmost tryal, no rea∣son can be found to with-hold our assent, but all things stand undisproved, and no just scruple appears, but only a bare pos∣sibility of being deceived; and this arising not from any defect, but that of hu∣mane nature it self, here Gods Goodness and his Truth must needs interpose, to take away that only impediment, which otherwise must unavoidably hinder any thing from ever being known to be in∣fallible.

The only certainty which we can have that our sences are true, is this, That God will not suffer them to be deceived, where

the disposition of the medium, and di∣stance of the Object, and all other circum∣stances are rightly qualified: because that would be inconsistent with his Attributes of Justice, Goodness and Truth; but it would be inconsistant with these Attri∣butes, not upon the account of our Bo∣dies; for they would be provided for as well, though our sences were deluded; we should see, and hear, and taste just as we do now, though we were never so much deceived in these sensations: therefore the Truth, and Goodness, and Justice of God are engaged not to suffer us to be de∣ceived, in respect to our Souls, not in re∣gard to our Bodies: and if we have no certainty that our sences do not deceive us, but because God would not suffer such a cheat to be put upon us, as we are intelligent and rational Beings; we have the same and much greater reason to conclude, that he would not suffer us to lye under such a delusion in reference to our eternal Interest. If God would not suffer our minds unavoidably to lye un∣der a temporal delusion of no great conse∣quence, have we not much more reason to conclude, that he would not suffer us una∣voidably to be deceived by any means what∣soever, in reference to our eternal Interest? For in this case, to be deceived is to be de∣stroyed, and to suffer it, is a thousand times

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worse, than if he should suffer all Mankind at once not only to be deceived by their sences, but to be poisoned by that deceit: and therefore the special Providence and particular care of God must be concerned to prevent it. If we have nothing to object but the imperfection of human nature, we may rely upon God that this shall never mis∣lead us, in a matter of such consequence, whether the imperfection be in our own sences, or in the Testimony of others. In short, the Miracles related in the Scriptures will as effectually prove a Divine Revelati∣on to us, as they could to those that saw them, but the difference is, that they be∣lieved their sences and we believe them, and all things considered, we have as much rea∣son to believe upon their evidence, as they could have to believe upon the evidence of their sences.

Let us consider History as a medium, by which these Miracles become known to us, and compare this medium with that of Sight. If a man would be sceptical, he might doubt whether any medium of Sight be so fitly disposed, as to represent objects in their due proportion, and proper shape, he might suspect that any Miracles which he could see, were false, or wrought only to amuse and deceive him, and there would be no way to satisfy such an one, but by tel∣ling him that this is inconsistent with the

Truth and Goodness of God. So in this o∣ther medium of History, which to us sup∣plies the want of that of Sight; a man may doubt of any matter of Fact if he Pleases, notwithstanding the most credible evidence, but in a matter of this nature, where our Eternal Salvation is concerned, we may be sure, God will not suffer Mankind to be de∣ceived without all possibility of discovering the deceit. The circumstances have all the marks of credibility in them, and therefore, if they be duely attended to, cannot but be believed, and the Doctrine which they are brought in evidence of, being propounded to be believed▪ under pain of Damnation, require that they should be attended to, and considered: and that, which is in its circum∣stances most credible, and in its matter is supposed necessary to Salvation, must be certainly true, unless God could oblige us to believe a Lye. For not to believe things credible, when attended to and known to be such, is to humane nature impossible; and not to attend to things proposed as from God, of necessity to Salvation, is a very hei∣nous Crime against God, and to think that God, will suffer me to be deceived in what I am obliged, in Honour and obedience to him, to believe upon his Authority, is to think he can oblige me to believe a Lye. But it may be objected; if this be so, how comes it to pass that they are pr••nounced

blessed, who have not seen, and yet have be∣lieved, John xx. 29. Which seems to de∣note, that a peculiar Blessing belongs to them, because they believe upon less evi∣dence. I answer, that they are there pro∣nounced Blessed, who had so well consider∣ed the nature and circumstances of things, the Prophecies concerning the Messias, and what our Saviour had delivered of himself, as to believe his Resurrection upon the re∣port of others; not because others might not have as sufficient Grounds for their Be∣lief, as those who saw him after his Resur∣rection, but the evidence of sense is more plain and convincing to the generality of men, though Reason proceeds at least upon as sure and as undeniable Principles. A de∣monstration, when it is rightly performed, is as certain, as the self evident Principles upon which it proceeds, though it be so far removed from them, that every one cannot discern the connexion. Demonstrations may be far from being easie and obvious, but are oftentimes, we know, very difficult and in∣tricate, which yet, when they are once made out, are as certain as sense it self. The Blessing is pronounced to him, who be∣lieves not upon less evidence, But upon that which at first seems to be less, which is less observable, and less obvious to our consideration, but not less certain, when it is duly considered. For which

reason our Saviour after he had wrought many Miracles, that were effectually attest∣ed by sufficient witnesses, required Faith in those, who came to be healed of him, because the Testimony of others was the means, which in Ages to come, was to be the motive of Faith in Christians, and he thereby signified to us, that there may be as good Grounds for Faith upon the report of others, as we could have from our own sences, and generally those who came in unbelief, went away no better satisfied: Wherefore it is said, that in his own Country because of their unbelief, he could do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick Folk and healed them, Mark vi. 5. He could not do his mighty works, because they would be in∣effectual, and would be lost upon them, and he could do nothing Insignificant or in vain; if they would reject what had been so fully witnessed to them, they would not believe whatever Miracles they should see him do.

It is very remarkable, that amidst all his Miracles, our Saviour directs his Fol∣lowers to Moses and the Prophets, and ap∣peals to the Scriptures for the Authority of his very Miracles, and that even after his Resurrection, he instructs his Disciples, who saw and discoursed with him, out of the Scriptures, to confirm them in the

truth of it. Luke xxiv. 26, 27. He requires the Jews to give no greater credit to his own Miracles, than that which he implies, they already gave to the wrirings of Moses, so as firmly and stedfastly to believe that he came from God. And we having all the helps and advantages which the Jews had to create in them a Belief of the Scriptures of the Old Testament, and many more and greater Motives (if it be possible) to be∣lieve these of the New, must therefore have sufficient means to excite in us, that Faith which our Saviour required of those who saw his Works, and heard his Doctrine; which certainly was a Divine Faith, and all the Faith, which, if it be accompanied with sincere and impartial obedience, is re∣quired in order to Salvation.

Upon the whole matter I conclude, that the Truth of the Christian Religi∣on is evident even to a Demonstration: for it is as Demonstrable that there is a God, as it is that I my self am, or that there is any thing else in the World; because nothing could be made without a Maker, or created without a Crea∣tor; and it is as Demonstrable, that this God being the Author of all the perfections in men, must himself be infinitely perfect; that he is infi∣nitely Wise and Just, and Holy and Good, and that according to these

Attributes he could not suffer a false Re∣ligion to be imposed upon the world in his own Name, with such manifest Tokens of credibility, that no man can possibly disprove it, but every one is obliged to believe it.

FINIS.

Notes

• (a) 1.1

  See Mr. Boyle's Excellency of Theology, &c. § 1.
• (b) 1.2

  S. A∣than. de In∣carnatione Verbi Dei.
• (c) 1.3

  Vid. Smith of Prophecy, c. 8.
• (d) 1.4

  Quis rerum di∣vinarum Haeres sit. Philo, p. 404.
• (e) 1.5

  See Dr. Ham∣mond on Psal. cv. 19.
• * 1.6

  —Omnes{que} primogeni∣tos Noe, donec sa∣cerdotio fungeretur Aaron fuisse Pontifices (Hebraei tradunt.) Hieronym. Quaestion. seu Tradit. Hebraic. in Genes.
• (f) 1.7

  See Sir W. Rau∣leigh, l. 1. c. 8. §. 3.
• (g) 1.8

  See Graunt on the Bills of Mortality.
• (b) 1.9

  S. Hie∣rom. Quaest. in Genes. S. August. Quaest. in Genes. l. v. qu. 25.
• (i) 1.10

  Justin. l. 36. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 2. Nic. Damas. apud Joseph. Antiqu. l. 1. c. 8.
• (k) 1.11

  Philo Moimonid.
• (l) 1.12

  Tull. Offic. l. 3.
• (m) 1.13

  Tull. pro Balbo.
• (n) 1.14

  Menag. Observ. ad Diog Laert. in Xenocrat.
• (o) 1.15

  Docter Lightsoot on Act. x. 28. and Hebr. and Talmud Ex∣ercitat. on Mat. vi. 2.
• (p) 1.16

  Light∣foot Hebr. and Tal∣mud Exer∣citat. in Mat. i. 5.
• (q) 1.17

  Aug. Exposit. E∣pist. ad Rom.
• (r) 1.18

  Light∣foot Harm. Luke iv. 15. p. 612.
• (s) 1.19

  Judg- i. 1. & xx. 18, 23, 26. 1 Sam. xviii. 6. & xxiii. 9. & xxx. 7, 8.
• (t) 1.20

  Joseph: Antiq. l. 3. c. 10.
• (u) 1.21

  Light∣foot Choro∣graph. De∣c••d. on St. Mark, c. 6. § 2. p. 311.
• (x) 1.22

  Theoph. ad Aut••lyc. l. 3. p. 254.
• (y) 1.23

  Joseph: Antiq. l. ••. c. 6.
• (z) 1.24

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. in ••••. c. 1. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• (a) 1.25

  Mai∣m••••••d. de 〈◊〉〈◊〉. §. 1••, 1••.
• (b) 1.26

  Mei∣m••••d 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• (c) 1.27

  Joseph. Antiq. l. 11. c. 1. Mede's Dis∣course 20. p. 75.
• (c) 1.28

  Lightf. Harm. N.T. p. 335. Exercit. on Acts, p. 681, 799.
• (e) 1.29

  Hier. in Zech. x.
• (f) 1.30

  Ari∣stophan. A∣charnens. Act. 1. scen. 4.
• (g) 1.31

  Joseph. Antiqu. l. 11. c. ult.
• (h) 1.32

  Ibid. l. 14. c. 17.
• (i) 1.33

  Joseph. contra Ap. lib. 1. pag. 1048, &c.
• (k) 1.34

  Joseph. Antiqu. l. 12. c. 1, 2.
• (l) 1.35

  Joseph. Antiquit. l. 12. c. 3.
• (m) 1.36

  Ibid. l. 13. c. 16.
• (n) 1.37

  1 Mac. viii, xii, xiv. 2 Mac. xi. Joseph. An∣tiqu. l. 13. c. 9, 13. l. 14. c. 16. Justin. lib. 36. c. 3.
• (o) 1.38

  Joseph. contr. Ap. l. 2.
• (p) 1.39

  Joseph. Ant. quit. l. 14. c. 16. l. 16. c. 4, 5, 10. l. i9. c. 4, 6.
• (q) 1.40

  Joseph. Antiquit. l. 13. c. 17.
• (r) 1.41

  Ibid. l. 13. c. 19.
• (s) 1.42

  Ibid. l. 13. c. 23. l. 14. c. 3.
• (t) 1.43

  See Mr. Mede's Discourse 12.
• (u) 1.44

  Lightf. Harmon. p. 205.
• (x) 1.45

  Lightf. Excercit. on 1 Cor. xiii. 1. p. 783.
• (y) 1.46

  Joseph. Antiquit. l. 14. c. 12.
• (z) 1.47

  Joseph. Bell. Jud. l. 7. c. 30.
• (a) 1.48

  Clem. Alexand. Strom. l. 1. Euseb. Prae∣par. Evang. l. 13. c. 12.
• (b) 1.49

  Euse.b. Eccl. Hist. l. 7. c. ult.
• (c) 1.50

  Joseph. de Bell. Jud. l. 2. c. 25.
• (c) 1.51

  Joseph. Antiq. l. 14. c. 12.
• (e) 1.52

  Joseph. de Bell. Jud. l. 7. c. 17. Act. ii. 5.
• (f) 1.53

  Ibid. cap. 24. pag. 979.
• (g) 1.54

  Joseph. contr. Ap. l. 1.
• (h) 1.55

  Light. Chorog. on St. Mark c. 3. §. 6. Strab. l. 16. Diodor. Sic. l. 1. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 14. Tacit. Hist. l. 15.
• (i) 1.56

  S. Aug. Civit. Dei, l. 4. c. 31.
• (k) 1.57

  Ibid. l. 6. c. 11.
• (l) 1.58

  Joseph. Antiquit. l. 1. c. 3.
• (m) 1.59

  Lucia•••• de Dea Syr.
• (n) 1.60

  Diod. Sic. l. 1.
• (o) 1.61

  Macrob. Saturn. l. 1. c. 18.
• (p) 1.62

  Seld. de Jur. Nat. & Gent. l. 3. c. 15.
• (q) 1.63

  Apud Euseb. Prae∣par. l. 9. c. 27.
• (r) 1.64

  Orig. ••mtra Cels. l. 1, & 4. Vid. Gret. ad Matth. xii. 27.
• (s) 1.65

  Trigaut. de Christ. Exped. a∣pud Sinas, l. 1. c. 11.
• (t) 1.66

  Jos. A∣costa Hist. l. 5. c. 27. & l. 6. c. 2.
• (u) 1.67

  Ler. Hist. Navig. in Bras. c. 16. Pet. Mart. Dec. 6. c. 4.
• (w) 1.68

  Horn. de Orig. Americ. Praef. & l. 2. c. 10. & l. 4. c. 15.
• (x) 1.69

  Voyage de Jean Struys, Tom. 1.
• (y) 1.70

  Tull. in Catalin. Orat. 3. Salust. Bell. Catilin.
• (z) 1.71

  Tacit. Hist. l. 5. Sueton. in Vespas. c. 4.
• (a) 1.72

  Mar∣tian. Capel. Nupt, Phi∣lolog. l. 2.
• (b) 1.73

  Valer. Maximus, l. 1. c. 1.
• (c) 1.74

  Lactan. de Falsa Re∣lig. c. 6.
• (c) 1.75

  Diouys. Halicar. l. 4.
• (e) 1.76

  Origen contra Cels. l. 7.
• (f) 1.77

  Pausan. in Phocic. p. 328.
• * 1.78

  Aelian. l. 2. c. 35.
• † 1.79

  Alexand. ab Alex. l. 3. c. 16.
• (g) 1.80

  August. Civ. Dei, l. 18. c. 23.
• (h) 1.81

  Tertull. adv. Judoe∣es, c. 7.
• (i) 1.82

  Euseb. Hist. l. 3. c. 1. & l. 5. c. 10.
• (k) 1.83

  St. Aug. de Ʋtilit. Credendi, c. 7.
• (l) 1.84

  Trigaut. de Christ. Expedit. a∣pud Sinus, l. 1. c. 11. Alvar. Se∣medo Hist. of China, part 1. c. 31.
• (m) 1.85

  Purch. part 1. l. 4. c. 16.
• (n) 1.86

  Le Compte's Memoirs, p. 348. Semedo, ib.
• (o) 1.87

  Horn. de Orig. A∣merican. l. 4 c. 15.
• (p) 1.88

  Hierom. O••r. de Rebus E∣man. Lusi∣tan. Regis. l. 2.
• (q) 1.89

  Conti∣nuat. of the History of M. Bernier, Tom. 4.
• (r) 1.90

  Capt. Knox his Hist. of Ceylon, part 3. c. 5.
• (s) 1.91

  Jos. Acost. Hist. l. 5. c. 28.
• (t) 1.92

  Pet. Mart. De∣cad. 4. c. 8. & Decad. 8. c. 9.
• (u) 1.93

  Lerii Navigat. in Bras. c. 16.
• (x) 1.94

  Acost. l. 5. c. 14, 23, 24, 25.
• (y) 1.95

  Lerius Navigat. ibid.
• (z) 1.96

  Horn. de Orig. A∣meric. l. 3. c. 2. & l. 4. c. 15.
• (a) 1.97

  Tavern. Voyage de Perse, l. 3. c. 4.
• (b) 1.98

  Varen. de diversis Gent. Relig. id. Voyage de Perse, c. 14. & Osor. de re∣bus Eman. l. 3, 8, 10.
• (c) 1.99

  Taver. ibid.
• (d) 1.100

  Ibid.
• (e) 1.101

  Varen. de Relig. in Regno Ja∣pon c. 11.
• (f) 1.102

  Varen. ibid.
• (g) 1.103

  Varen. de Japan. c. 6. Semed. Hist. of China, part 2. Bell. Tartar, Le Compte, p. 480.
• (h) 1.104

  Jos. A∣cost. l. 5. c. 22.
• (i) 1.105

  Brere∣wood's En∣quir. c. 10〈…〉〈…〉
• (k) 1.106

  Ri∣caut's Hist. of the Ot∣tom. Emp. l. 2. c. 11, 12.
• (l) 1.107

  Doctor Prideaux's Life of Ma∣homet.
• (m) 1.108

  Brere∣wood's En∣quir. c. 24.
• (n) 1.109

  Mede, Book 1. Disc. 28.
• (o) 1.110

  Liv. l. 27.
• (p) 1.111

  Jo Chrys. Magnen. de Manna, c. 2.
• (q) 1.112

  Grot. ad Matth. xv. 2.
• (r) 1.113

  Huet. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Prop. 41.
• (s) 1.114

  Dros. d•• ••••••th. Sect. l. 3. c. 11.
• (t) 1.115

  Vid. Lightfoot's Prospect of the Tem∣ple, c. 34. p. 2030.
• (u) 1.116

  Lights•• Chorograph. Centur. c. 48. p. 46.
• (x) 1.117

  Mede's Discourse 35.
• (y) 1.118

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 An••••quit. l. 11. c. 1. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 l. 6. c. 5▪
• (z) 1.119

  Epi∣phan. de Ponderib. & Meas•••• c. 4.
• (a) 1.120

  Joseph. Antiquit. l. 10. c. 5.
• (b) 1.121

  Joseph Antiquit. l. 8. c. 10.
• (c) 1.122

  Cyril. contra Ju∣lian. l. 10.
• (c) 1.123

  Joseph. Antiquit. l. 9. c. 11.
• (e) 1.124

  Joseph. Ant quit. l. 11, c. 1.
• (f) 1.125

  ••ieron, ad 〈◊〉〈◊〉. c. 44.
• (g) 1.126

  See Sir W. R••. leigh, l. 3. c. 2. § 2.
• (h) 1.127

  Joseph. Antiquit, l. 9. c. 11.
• (i) 1.128

  Hero∣dot. Enterp c. 169.
• (k) 1.129

  ••••••••ph 〈◊〉〈◊〉 l. 10. 〈…〉〈…〉 Ez•••• 12.
• (l) 1.130

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••o∣do••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉, c. 191.
• (m) 1.131

  Joseph Antiquit. l. 11. c. 11.
• (n) 1.132

  Ibid. l. 11. c. 8.
• (a) 1.133

  Tacit. Annal. lib. 25.
• (b) 1.134

  Por∣phyr. a∣pud Eu∣scb. De∣monstr. Evang. lib. 3. c. 6.
• (c) 1.135

  See Bp. Pearson on the Creed.
• (d) 1.136

  Light∣foot's Pro∣spect of the Temple, c. 21.
• (e) 1.137

  Mun∣ster de Messiâ.
• (f) 1.138

  Ammi∣an. Mar∣cellin. lib 23. c. 1.
• (g) 1.139

  Lightf. Choro. Graph Cen∣tur. c. 51,
• (h) 1.140

  Ligh••f. on Mart. i. 1.
• (i) 1.141

  See Bp. Pea••so•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Cr••••••.
• (k) 1.142

  Ligh. Harm. N. T. Sect. lix. p. 243.
• (l) 1.143

  See Bp. Pearson.
• (a) 1.144

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Sozom. lib. 5. c. 21.
• (b) 1.145

  Enseb. Hist. lib. iv. c. 13. Hieron. Catalog.
• (c) 1.146

  Guil. Ader me dici enar∣rationes de a grotis & morbis in Evan∣gelio.
• a 1.147

  Annum ita divise∣runt, ut nonis mo∣do di••bus urban••s re usu. parent reliquis vii ut rura colerent. Va••de Rust. lib. ii. Prait. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Dionys. Halicarn. Antiqa. Rom. lib. vii.
• (b) 1.148

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Euseb. Hist. lib. 1. c. ult.
• (d) 1.149

  Justin. Apol. ii. Tertul. A∣pol. c. iii. & xxi.
• (e) 1.150

  Euseb. Hist. lib. 4. c. 5.
• (a) 1.151

  Euseb. Eccle. hist. lib. iii. 23.
• (b) 1.152

  Euseb. Demonst. lib. iii. c. 5. Orig. con∣tra Cels. lib. i. He∣raci. apud Clem. Alex. stro. lib. 4. Grot. ad Mat. ix. 9.
• (c) 1.153

  Ter∣tull. adv. Marc. lib. iv. c. 5.
• (a) 1.154

  Sue∣ton in Claudio & Dion. Cass.
• (b) 1.155

  Euseb. Eccl. Hist. lib. iii. c. 36. lib. iv. c. 18. lib. v. c. 7.
• (c) 1.156

  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) 1.157

  Minut. Faelix. Lactant. lib. ii. c. 15. &c. 21.
• (e) 1.158

  Apo∣log. c. 23.
• (f) 1.159

  Cicer. de Divi∣nat. Plutarch. de Oracul. Defecta.
• (g) 1.160

  Am∣mian Marcellin. b. xxiii. c. 1.
• (h) 1.161

  Euseb. Hist. lib. viii. c. 17. ix. c. 10. Lactant de Mortib. Persecut. c. xxxiv. 49.
• (i) 1.162

  Hie∣ron. in Hab. c. iii.
• (k) 1.163

  Euseb. Hist. lib. ••. o. 18.
• (l) 1.164

  Euseb. Hist. lib. viii. c. 1.
• (m) 1.165

  So∣zom. lib. v. c. 16.
• (a) 1.166

  E••i∣phan. Hae∣r••••. Ebion.
• (b) 1.167

  Ma∣crob. Saturnal. lib. ii. c. 4.
• (c) 1.168

  Tertul. Apol. c. 21.
• (e) 1.169

  Apud. Cyril. lib. x.
• * 1.170

  Euseb. lib. iii. c. 29.
• (f) 1.171

  Id. lib. v. c. 20.
• (g) 1.172

  Euseb. Hist. lib. iv. c. 3. vid. Irenae. lib. ii. c. 56, 57.
• (h) 1.173

  Euseb. lib. iv. c. 26.
• (i) 1.174

  Euseb. lib. v. c. 17.
• (k) 1.175

  Hier. Catai. Euseb. lib. v. c. 21.
• (l) 1.176

  Euseb. lib. ix. c. 5. & 10.
• * 1.177

  Plin. E∣pist. ad Trajan. lib. 10. E∣pist. 97. Lucian de Morte Pe∣regrini. Julian E∣pist. 44.
• (a) 1.178

  Dio∣dor Sic. lib. i. Plu∣tarch. in Numa. Var. apud Lactant. de Orig. Error. lib. ii. c. 12.
• (b) 1.179

  Herod, Euterp••.
• (c) 1.180

  Mr. Wotton's Reflecti∣ons upon ancient and mo∣dern Le••r••ing, c. 23.
• (d) 1.181

  Vitru••, 〈…〉〈…〉 4.
• (e) 1.182

  I•• Mr. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Reflect. ib.
• (f) 1.183

  Cen∣sorin. de Die Nata∣li, c. 21.
• (g) 1.184

  Id. c. 23.
• (h) 1.185

  Mar∣tin Hist. Sin. lib. i. ii. & Atl. Sinic. Praef. Phi∣lip. Cou∣plet in Confuc. Proen. Declar. & Praef. ad Fab. Chro∣nol. Sini∣cae Monar∣chiae Le Compt's Memoirs p. 64. 71. 464.
• (a) 1.186

  Valer-Max. de Peregrina Relig. re∣jecta lib. 1. c. 3.
• (a) 1.187

  Tull. de Divin. lib. ii.
• (b) 1.188

  Ib.
• (c) 1.189

  Euseb. Praepar. lib. vi. c. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
• (d) 1.190

  Cited by Euseb. de Praepar. lib. v. c. 19, 20.
• (e) 1.191

  Vid. Van Dale de Oracu∣lis Ethni∣corum.
• (f) 1.192

  Cic de Divin. Plut. de defect. Oraculo∣rum.
• (g) 1.193

  Hero∣dot. lib. i. c. 47.
• (h) 1.194

  Ma∣crob. Sa∣turn. lib. i. c. 23.
• (i) 1.195

  Euseb. Praepar. lib. iv. c. 2.
• (k) 1.196

  La∣ctant. de vera Re∣lig. c. 27. de mort. Persecut. c. 10.
• (l) 1.197

  Euseb. Dem. lib. iii. c. 6. Aug. de civit. Dei lib. xix. 23.
• (m) 1.198

  Philo∣storg. lib. vii. c. 12.
• (n) 1.199

  Ter∣tul. Apol. c. 23.
• (a) 1.200

  E••se••. praepar. lib. i. c. 9, 10.
• (b) 1.201

  Magnam molestiam suscepit & minime ne∣cessariam primus Zeno, post ••••eanthes, deinde Chrysippus, commenti∣tiarum—balarum red••ere rationem. Ci•• de Nat. Deor. lib. iii.
• (c) 1.202

  Tertull. ad Na••. lib. ii. c. ••. Aug. Civ. De•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 6. c. 5.
• (d) 1.203

  Euseb. praepar. lib. 4. c. 5.
• (e) 1.204

  Hesiod. oper. & Dier. lib. i. v. 250.
• (f) 1.205

  The∣op. ad Autol. lib. iii.
• (g) 1.206

  Ter∣tul. Apol. c. 14. Gages sur∣vey of the W. Indies, c. 12.
• (h) 1.207

  Aug. de Civ. Dei lib. iv. c. 31. vii. 9.
• (i) 1.208

  Aug. Civ. Dei lib. iv. c. 31.
• (k) 1.209

  Plut. in vit. Nu∣mae.
• (l) 1.210

  Cic. de Nat. De∣or. lib. iii. de legib. lib. ii.
• (l) 1.211

  Cic. de Nat. De∣or. lib. iii. de legib. lib. ii.
• (m) 1.212

  Quint Inst. lib. Prooem.
• (n) 1.213

  Euseb. Praepar. lib. ii. c. ult. ex Dionys. Halica••••. lib. ii.
• (p) 1.214

  Quin∣til. Insti∣tut lib. iii. c. 8.
• (q) 1.215

  Utcun{que} autem seres ea habuerit id certum puto esse, non reperiri apud Magistros, qui ex jure aliquo immolan∣dam eam esse affirma∣ve••it. Selden▪ de jure Nat. & Gent. lib. iv. c. 2. The ••aughters of is∣rael went yearly to la∣ment, or to talk with 〈◊〉〈◊〉, as it is in the Mar∣gin, Judg. xi. 40.
• (r) 1.216

  Grot. ad Deutr. xviii. 10.
• (s) 1.217

  Diodo. Sic. apud Euseb. de laudib. Constant. c. xiii. Lanctant. lib. i. c. 21. ex Piscen∣nio Festo.
• (s) 1.218

  Euseb. Praepar. lib. iv. c. 16. Macrob. Saturn. lib. i. c. 7. Alex. ab Alexand. lib. 6. c. ult
• (t) 1.219

  Jos. A∣cost. Hist. lib. 5. c. 19, 21.
• (u) 1.220

  Liv. lib. xxii. c. 57.
• (w) 1.221

  Plu∣tarch. in Marcello, initio.
• (x) 1.222

  Lact. lib. 1. c. 21.
• (y) 1.223

  Euseb. Praepar. lib. v. c. 34, 35.
• (z) 1.224

  Plu∣tarch. in Lycurg.
• (a) 1.225

  Xe∣noph. Epist. ad Aeschinem Plutarch. in Numâ.
• (b) 1.226

  Arist. Rhet. l. iii. c. 17.
• (c) 1.227

  Phot. Cod. ccxiii
• (d) 1.228

  Tull. de Divin. lib. i.
• (e) 1.229

  Apud Lactant. de fals. sa∣pient. c. 16.
• (f) 1.230

  Diog. Laert. in Pythag. Jemblich. vit. Py∣thag.
• (*) 1.231

  Tull. Acad. Qu. lib. i.
• * 1.232

  Vid. Diog. Laert. in Pyrrhon.
• (g) 1.233

  Aug. de Civ. l. 19. c. 1.
• (h) 1.234

  Alex. ab Alex. lib. l. c. 24.
• (h) 1.235

  Horat. Serm. lib. i. sat. 2. Cic. pro. M. Coelio.
• (i) 1.236

  Sueton. August. c. 94.
• (k) 1.237

  Plu∣tarch in Lycurg.
• (l) 1.238

  Plut. in Aristide.
• (m) 1.239

  Jos. Acost. Hist lib. iv. c. 1.
• (n) 1.240

  Tull. Acad. Qu. lib. i.
• (o) 1.241

  Theo∣phil. ad Autolych. lib. iii.
• (p) 1.242

  Diog. Laert. in Zenon. & Chrysipp.
• (*) 1.243

  Tul••. pro Mu∣raena.
• (q) 1.244

  Quint. l••st. lib. x. c. 18.
• (r) 1.245

  Seu de Tranqu. Animi. c. 15.
• (s) 1.246

  Aug. Civit. Dei lib. vi. c. x.
• (t) 1.247

  Xeno∣phen. Me∣morab. lib. 1.
• (u) 1.248

  Con∣fuc. lib. iii. Par. 4. p. 36. & Philippi ••••uplet Prooem. Declar.
• (x) 1.249

  Ld. Bacon Ad∣vance of Learning B. viii. c. 2.
• (y) 1.250

  Plat. de Legib. Dialog. 1.
• (z) 1.251

  Tull. de Legib. lib. 1.
• (a) 1.252

  Tull. de Natur. Deor. lib. 2 ii.
• (b) 1.253

  Arist, de coelo lib. i. c. 10. Metaphys. lib. i. c. 3.
• (c) 1.254

  Tull. Tusc. Qu. lib. i.
• (d) 1.255

  Epist. 54.102.
• (e) 1.256

  Grot. de verit. lib. i. Anot.
• (f) 1.257

  Con∣suc. lib. iii. Part. 4. p. 36.
• (g) 1.258

  Arist. Metaph. lib. xii. c. 8.
• (h) 1.259

  Tull. Tusc. Qu. lib. i.
• (i) 1.260

  Plat. Phaed.
• (k) 1.261

  Plat. Phileb.
• (l) 1.262

  Plat. Timae.
• (m) 1.263

  Lact. de vit. Beat c. 7.
• (n) 1.264

  Tull. de Orat. lib. i.
• (o) 1.265

  Tull. de Nat. D••or. lib. iii.
• (p) 1.266

  Sen E∣pist. 53.
• (a) 1.267

  Alco∣ran c. 66.
• (b) 1.268

  Meor. c. 13.
• (c) 1.269

  Ib. c. 54.
• (d) 1.270

  Ib. c. x, xi. xvi.
• (e) 1.271

  C. vii.
• (a) 1.272

  Ib. c. xix.
• (b) 1.273

  Ib. c. iv.
• (c) 1.274

  Ib. c. lxi.
• (d) 1.275

  C. xviii
• (e) 1.276

  Ib. c. xxvii.
• (f) 1.277

  Ib. c. iv. & xxiii.
• (g) 1.278

  Ib. c. iii.
• (h) 1.279

  Ib. c. iv.
• (i) 1.280

  Tavern Voyage de Ind. lib. iii. c. 24.
• (k) 1.281

  Sandys Trav. lib. i. p. 54.
• (l) 1.282

  Ricauts Hist. of the Ot∣tom. Empire lib. ii. c. 10.
• (a) 1.283

  Alcor. c. xxxiii.
• (b) 1.284

  Ib.
• (c) 1.285

  Ib.
• (d) 1.286

  Ib. ic. xxii.