heal'd Or that like things at diff'rent times abound Or Names ambiguous do the Mind confound Or had one Man or Place Names more than one And such-like circumstances now unknown But this them from imputed fraud may free Who lie by compact will in all agree If some slight disagreement still appear Which will no Reconciliati'on bear We ought not therefore all these Books suspect Unless we will all History reject For we as much may of that kind perceive In those which we without dispute receive Polybi'us and Herodotus to name Livy and Plutarch Authors of great fame How much more equal is it not to doubt When it appears the Writers were devout And thought it criminal things false to tell We by extrinsick Proofs might such refel XIV Answer to an Objection taken from outward Testimonies where 't is shewn that they make more for these Books But I affirm none such are to be found Unless our doubts on later times we ground Where Enemies the Christi'an Name would wound We cannot such for Witnesses receive Nay foreign Proofs confirm what we believe That Jesus suffer'd Jews and Heathens taught And that he and his Follow'rs Wonders wrought Some forty years from Christ Josephus wrote Who does in Terms the most perspic'ous own What was by Herod Pilate Festus done Foelix John Baptist and Gamali'el names And how Jerusalem expir'd in Flames The Talmudists the same fully relate Tacitus tells th' effects of Nero's hate When he against Christi'anity did rage And several Books were extant in that Age Such was old Phlegon's we before did name And publick Records menti'oning the same To which the Christi'ans commonly appeal'd Nor was the Star pointing at Christ conceal'd They name the Earth-quake and Eclipse o'th'Sun Against the Course in which Nature had run When yet the Moon at Full felt not the loss About the time when Christ was on the Cross No other difficulty I can name XV. Answer to an Objection about the Scriptures having been changed But that the Writings are not still the same To fate of other Writings we must own To have betided these may here be shown The Copier's Neglect or faulty Will If not his want of necessary Skill In Letters Syllables or Words might wrong By change omission some of them too long But these things should no Controversy raise Being but incident to length of days But that by fraud or any other ways In Doctrinals all Copies vicious were Or where they memorable Facts declare Don't or by Books or Witness of those times appear What ever of that kind is offer'd since Must pass for Railing not for Evidence This may be thought enough to silence those Who for Mutations holy Writ oppose On whom it lies not to object but prove Since they 'd a settled Reputati'on move But we their vain pretence may soon detect Who what ne'er was nor can be here object Before we prov'd to any equal Mind The Books were their's whose Names affixt we find It follows then there was no change of Books And if to every part of them one looks No change of part materi'al can be found Some end who made the Change must needs propound That where the Change was made should differ more From those remaining what they were before Than here the sharpest search could e're explore Nay as before was in this Tract observ'd A wonderful Consent's throughout preserv'd Besides when any of th'Apostles wrote Or Men who Apostolical were thought Sincere Professors of the Christi'an Name As their concern for Truth it well became Must needs have us'd all diligence to gain The valu'd Transcripts of what they maintain Through Europe Asia Aegypt these diffus'd For the Greek Tongue among all these was us'd Could not but spread as far as Christ was known Consider farther as before was shown That some Originals were seen to last Until the second Century was past A Book of which so many Copies were Preserv'd not only by a private care But by whole Churches which did Christ obey No Man to have been counterfeit can say Add that 't is evident the sacred Text Was read in sev'ral Tongues i'th'Ages next The Syriac Aethiopic Arabic And Latin too agreeing with the Greek In all those weighty things of which we speak Farther their Writings to our hands are brought Whom the Apostles or their Follow'rs taught Who many Passages from them do quote Agreeing with that Sense which now we note Nor in the Church was any Man possest Of such Authority above the rest That they 'd comply if he a Change had prest This Irenaeus and Tertullian shew The Cyprian too who without fear withdrew From those who then were most reputed sage And if we come to the succeeding Age We find Men of best judgments greatest parts Wh'had run their Stages thro' the lib'ral Arts After the utmost search these to receive And of Orig'nal Purity believe In proof of this divided parties joyn All who believe the World a work divine And Christ the Founder of a sacred Law Each against changing would the other awe Nor yet did any Sect that licence take That to have chang'd them for their side would make Which hence is seen that when e're they dispute Each would from thence his Opposite confute What 's urg'd of Providence concern'd for all To every part of these alike will fall Nor ought it of our God to be believ'd That he would suffer Men to be deceiv'd In what 's of greatest moment to the Mind Who had his Honour above all design'd And next the way to Happiness would find For many thousands such as these to run Into those Errors which they could not shun This may be thought sufficient to maintain What the New Testament does there contain And there at large is our Religion seen Yet since th' Almighty's Pleasure it has been XVI For the Authority of the Books of the Old Covenant The Truths the Jews believ'd should now appear Which no small Light to our Religion bear 'T is not amiss to shew their Credit here What prov'd those other Books were titled right Will serve for these where any shall deny 't The Authors of those Books the Jews receiv'd Were Prophets or most fit to be believ'd Such Esdras was thought to have joyn'd in one Those scatter'd Books which went before alone When at that time some Prophets were alive Who would against an Impositi'on strive Such Haggai Malachi Zach'ry were known To pass what was in praise of Moses shown Pagans confirm not only what he wrote But what of later times the Jews were taught So the Phoenician Annalists proclaim David and Solomon so great in Fame And they their Treaties with the Tyri'ans Name Nebuchadonozor with others joyn'd Who Caldees rul'd we in Berosus find Aegyptian Vaphres Jeremy does name And Aphri'es in Her'odotus are the same Of Cyrus and who follow'd in his charge Until Darius Graeci'ans speake at large And in those Books Josephus did endite When Appian to
The Church but with more living seed did fill And thus the more was scatterd more did spring If other Rites into the Scales we bring The Greeks and other Heathens us'd the most Of their admir'd Philosophers to boast Bate Socrates Gymnosophists a few Scarce others dying for their way can shew And who that thinks can well deny of these That in their Death 's the hope of praise did please They thought it glor'ous to survive in Fame And have Posterity their Deaths proclaim While many suff'ring for the Christi'an Name Were Men in Fortunes and Ambition low That such Men were their Neighbours scarce did know Women and tender Virgins gentle Youths With their last Blood bore witness to these Truths Who can believe of these a vain desire Or hope of lasting Fame to this should fire Besides our Martyrologies contain But a small part of those who thus were slain And rarely can the Jews a Martyr boast Beyond Antiochus his time at most Since Christ's Religion is for this the best Is it not to be chose before the rest When the vast Multitudes we duly weigh Who did their Lives for this Religion pay Each Sex each sort of Men in ev'ry Age We needs must think some pow'rful cause t' engage And what to so great constancy could move But Truth and th' holy Spirit from above If by the Arguments already brought In some Conviction is not wholly wrought Let them consider Proofs in sev'ral ways As is the nature of the thing one weighs One sort does with the Mathematicks suit Another when in Physicks we dispute One when for Action we would Counsel take Diff'rent when Fact does th' only question make And this is always yeilded by the Wise When no exception ' gainst the Witness lies And if we will not this for Proof admit We all the use of History must quit The most approved Med'cines we must loose That Piety too which does its self diffuse Where ever Parents are and Children known For want of Evidence must needs be gone It is the pleasure of the Pow'r most high The things wherein he 'd have our Faith to lie That our Obedience it's Reward may gain Should not appear so evidently plain As things which Sense or Demonstrati'on shew Yet as much Light should carry as is due For raising a most firm belief in those Who will not pertinaci'ously oppose Hence we the Gospel as a Touch-stone find To try and prove which is the upright Mind For since so many good so many wise Embrac'd so highly penal Verities It shews that other's Incredulitie Never from a defect of Proofs can be But that they would not have that pass for true Which their Affecti'ons did so much eschew That it was hard with a regardless Eye To suffer all that glitters here to lie Which needs must be if they for truth would hold All that has been concerning Jesus told And therefore would obey the Rules he gave An Evidence for this herein we have These many Histories for true receive Which they on bare Authority believe Of which no Foot-steps at this day are known As for the History of Christ are shown This in the Jews Confessi'ons we many trace And the Assemblies which these Truths embrace Of which some cause we cannot but assign Nor can't be any thing below divine No humane force could it so long maintain And such remote and spreading Conquests gain This could proceed from Miracles alone But if we are resolv'd them to disown That without them it should such force acquire Is what we ought much rather to admire LIB III. I. For the Authority of the Books of the New Covenant HE whom these Arguments or others move As true and best Christianity t' approve Would he the knowledg of it's Precepts gain Must search those sacred Scriptures which obtain The name of Testament or Cov'nant new Where we the whole of this Relig'ion view For this we should not scruple to receive What Christi'ans always hold that they believe To Men of ev'ry Sect we Credit pay As to the Books they shew us of their way And thus the Alcoran is justly thought To shew what Doctrines Mahomet has taught Since then the Truth of Christ's Religion 's known And that lies in the Books the Christi'ans own If any a more special Proof require We them t' admit this equal Rule desire That they who any Writing will oppose With which for sev'ral Ages Men did close Are bound those Arguments first to maintain Which may impeach the Credit that did gain Till which of full Authority it must remain The Books in which no Christians disagree II. That the Books which have any Authors Names to them were writ by them whose Names are prefixt To which some certain Names affixt we see To have been wrote by those whose Names they bear The Writers of succeeding times declare Thus Justin Irenaeus Clement shew With other Men of Ages that ensue That all the sacred Books were titled true Add farther as Tertullian does declare Some of th'Orig'inals in his time were fair And ev'ry Christian Church the same did own Ev'n before Councils to unite them known Nor did the Jews or Pagans ever doubt But they were theirs whose Names they bear about Julian confest in terms by no means dark That Peter Paul with Matthew Luke and Mark Were Authors of those Books which bear their Names Thus he but his own want of Wit proclaims Who doubts of what both Greeks and Romans thought T' have been by Homer or grave Virgil wrote More on that Evidence should we rely Which almost ev'ry Nation does supply III. The doubt remov'd from Books anciently doubted of Yet does the Volume now in use contain Books which at first did not like Credit gain Thus 't was with one which we St. Peter's call The same did those of James and Jude befal And thus with two which the like late consent From John the Elder sty'd supposes sent Th' Apocalyps as doubtful has been thought And the Epistle to the Hebrews wrote Howe'r that many Churches them receiv'd And sacred their Authority believ'd Appears in that Christi'ans who first did write Them as of such Authority do cite Which may in reason well be thought to shew Of some nothing at first some Churches knew Howe're the Truth being set in a clear light They did with others in their use unite Nor was there any cause in these to cheat For without them the System were compleat The self-same Doctrine they do but repeat IV. The Authority of such Books as have no Title prov'd from the quality of the Writers Nor should th'Epistle to the Hebrews wrote Or two reputed Johns be spurious thought Or the Apocalyps of doubtful Fame 'Twixt John th'Apostle and one of his Name The quality of Books is most esteem'd Some Histories have been authentick deem'd Whose Authors never did themselves declare Thus the Account o' th' Alexandrian War Does with a gen'ral Reputati'on pass
what one Party for their Rule have chose Others would shun if 't were but to oppose Indeed some Christians did those Books disown X. Answer to the Objection in that divers Books were rejected by some Which were against their darling notions known Either who out of hatred to the Jews Their God and Law did with reproaches use Or fearing Evils Christians were to bear Themselves deceitfully did Jews declare But by all Christians these abandon'd were While as they were by the Apostles taught No differences unkind Divisi'ons wrought So they did not from Piety withdraw These who adult'rate thus the Christi'an Law May meet Conviction in what 's said above Where that there is (a) Lib. 1. Sect. 1. one Deity we prove Who into being (b) Lib. 1. §. 6. the Creation spake Nay ev'n the Books they for authentick take Shew that the Hebrew God did all things make He was by Moses represented (c) Exod. 33.19 good But is thro' Jesus better understood The other sort of Men we will confute Where we against the real Jews dispute In the mean while this wonderful may seem That with these Men St. Paul has no esteem More Churches no Apostle did erect And those stupendous Works he did effect Were then by Christians publickly maintain'd When they might be discover'd if they feign'd If it be granted Miracles he wrought What colourable ground can then be brought We should his heavenly Visions disbelieve Or what he says he did from Christ receive But if on Christs he did so much attend That he would nothing teach him to offend Durst he have ventur'd with a lie t' impose His Doctrine most condemn'd who can oppose Where from their Ritu'al Jews discharg'd he shows Nothing but Truth its self could this procure He (d) Phil. 3.5 Circumcision did before endure (e) Acts 16.3 Some voluntary Proofs in him they saw Of def'rence pay'd unto the Jewish Law And to more (f) 2 Cor. 12.10 hardships did for Christ aspire Than did the Rigor of that Law require These things by no means pleasing to the Ear He did to all his Followers declare Instead of one the Jews no more afford To keep all days for (g) 1 Tim. 5.5 Sabbaths to the Lord (h) 2 Cor. 6.4 5. Instead of some small charge did them befal To bear with equal Mind the loss of all And for the Blood of Beasts they us'd to slay Our own an Offering to our God to pay Nay he affirms that hands with him were joyn'd By (i) Gal. 2.9 Peter John and James all of one Mind Had it been false he durst not this proclaim When they might have deny'd it to his shame Excepting then those we before observ'd Who scarce to bear the Christi'an Name deserv'd The manifest consent of all beside Who with these Books as sacred have comply'd Joyn'd to the Miracles their Writers wrought And God's (k) Sect. 9. peculiar care of such things taught Should be enough to quiet doubting Minds When for all Histories of other kinds Which are not of such Proofs as these possest No man will their Authority contest Unless some Reason do against them weigh Which none that well considers here can say If any say these Books such things contain XI Answer to the Objection that these Books seem to contain things impossible Which as impossible no Credit gain It soon appears that the Objection's vain W'have shown above the Pow'r of the most High In things that carry no (l) Lib. 2. Sect. 7. Repugnancy Tho they by far all humane reach exceed Such are the things that Admiration breed Those hidden Vertues Nature never knew And after Death seeing the Moon 's renew Nor is there greater weight in what they move XII Or things contrary to Reason Who somethings there would against Reason prove More Wit or Learning can such Men pretend Than did from the first times these Books defend What e're we with right Reason shew'd t' agree In lively Characters you there will see That God (m) Lib. 1. §. 1. exists and is in Essence (n) Sect. 2. one Possest of all (o) Sect. 3 4 5. Perfection ever known Pow'r Wisdom Goodness Life beyond degree That the whole (p) Lib. 1. §. 6. Universe he causâ—d to be That he alone (q) Ib. Sect. 10. preserves things what they are But (r) Sect. 11. chiefly Man his more immediate care That he both (s) Lib. 2. Sect. 14. can and will fully reward Those who him only as their End regard That we our (t) Ib. Sect. 16. loose Desires should bridle in That all the race of Mortals are of (u) Lib. 1. §. 6. kin From whence an Argument of force does prove That we should one another truly love Reason's a Guide deceitful very weak If to know any thing beyond we seek Or of God's Nature or his Soveraign Will What lew'd Dissentions all the Schools did fill While best Philosophers betray'd their want of Skill Nor need this be a wonder since we find They little understood of humane Mind And how can the Supream then be defin'd The Prudent know that it much danger brings To search into the purposes of Kings And that the search however would be vain But what Conjecture can expect t' attain To what th' Almighty freely does ordain That 't is not to be known Plato did hold Unless an Oracle that secret told But then no Oracle that ever was Had proofs so clear as the new Cov'enant has Nor ever yet did Man attempt to prove That any Revelati'on from above Did of God's Nature or his Will make known What is repugnant to what there is shown Some things of middle nature we may view Which of themselves claim'd no obedience due Or else in which no turpitude did stand Which before Christ had licence or command These Books for want of such are no less full Since later Laws may former disanul But some their doubts concerning them declare XIII Answer to an Objection that some things in these Books are inconsistent with each other Upon the disagreeing senses there Yet this should credit add with them that find How they for Faith and Doctrine are conjoyn'd So as in other Writings ne're was seen Amongst the Learn'd that ever yet have been Whether you Jews or Greeks or Romans name In ev'ry Science Men of greatest Fame Of ev'ry Sect some Men will disagree This we in Zenophon and Plato see Men from themselves are often diff'rent known Either forgetting what before had gone Or being doubtful what to fix upon But all those Writings which we Sacred call About those things to no division fall Which do the Rules of Faith and Life contain Or how Christ liv'd dy'd and liv'd again And they agree entirely in the main Indeed in circumstances of no weight We sometimes find occasion of debate But many things which lie from us conceal'd Might all these seeming diff'rences have