upon any Subject and then they trample with wonderful Scorn and Triumph upon that which they conceive is so miserably overcome but alass the Victory is over themselves nothing is either the more or the less true for their believing or disbelieving it and Religion is always the same how profanely soever it may be spoken of We have no design to impose upon any Man's Faith but if there be Reason in what we say it may well be expected from Reasonable Men that they should hearken to Reason Religion is Reason and Philosophy as the Fathers often speak the best and truest Philosophy And I am persuaded how much soever I may have failed in the performance that the Christian Religion is capable of being proved with such clear and full Evidence even to ordinary Understandings as to make all Pretences of Arguing against it appear to be as ridiculous as they are impious THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. Of Humane Reason THE Divine Authority of the Scriptures being proved in the First Book such Points are cleared in the Second as are thought most liable to exception in the Christian Religion But before Men venture upon Objections against the Scripture it is fit for them to consider the strength and compass of their own Faculties and the manifold Defects of Humane Reason p. 1. In some things each side of a Contradiction seems to be demonstrable p. 4. Every Man believes and has the Experience of several things which in the Theory and Speculative Notion of them would seem as incredible as any thing in the Scriptures can be supposed to be p. 12. Those who disbelieve and reject the Misteries of Religion must believe things much more incredible p. 24. CHAP. II. Of Inspiration ALL motion of Material things is derived from God and it is at least as conceiveable by us that God doth Act upon the Immaterial as that He Acts upon the Material part of the World and that He may act more powerfully upon the Wills and Understandings of some Men than of others p. 28. Wherein the inspiration of the Writers of the Scriptures did consist and how far it extended p. 31. Such Inferences from thence as may afford a sufficient Answer to the Objections alleged upon this Subject p. 41. The Inspiration of the Writers of the Scriptures did not exclude Humane Means as information in Matters of Fact c. p. 42. It did not exclude the use of their own Words and Style ibid. Tho' somethings are set down in the Scripture indefinitely and without any positive Assertion or Determination this is no proof against their being Written by Divine Inspiration p. 43. In things which might fall under Humane Prudence and Observation the Spirit of God seems to have used only a directive Power and Influence p. 46. This infallible Assistance was not permanent and Habitual P. 49. It did not prevent Personal failings p. 50. No Passage or Circumstance in the Scripture Erroneous p. 51. CHAP. III. Of the 〈◊〉 of the Holy Scriptures THE Grammatical Construction and Propriety of Speech p. 53. Those whch are look'd upon as Defects in the Scripture-Style were usual in the most approved Heathen Authors p. ib. Metaphors and Rhetorical Schemes and Figures p. 57. The Style different of different Nations p. 58. The Titles of Kings p. 59. What Arts were used by Orators to raise the Passions p. 60. That they sometimes Read their Speeches p. 62. The Figurative Expressions of the Prophets and their Types and Parables were Suitable to the Customs of the Places and Times wherein they Liv'd ibid. Several things related as Matter of Fact are only Parabolical Descriptions or Representations p. 64. The Prophetick Schemes of Speech usual with the Eastern Nations p. 66. The want of Distinguishing the Persons speaking has been a great cause of misunderstanding the Scriptures p. 68. The Antiquity and various ways of Poetry p. 69. The Metaphorical and Figurative use of Words in Speaking of the Works and attributes of God p. 71. The Decorum or Suitableness of the matter in the Style of Scripture p. 79. The Method p. 86. Some Books of Scripture admirable for their Style p. 89. Why the Style not alike excellent in all the Books of Scripture p. 93. CHAP. IV. Of the Canon of the Holy Scriptures ANy Controversy concerning the Authority of some Books of Holy Scripture no prejudice to the rest p. 96. The uncontroverted Books contain all things necessary to Salvation p. 97. The Dispute concerning the Apochrypha falls not here under consideration p. 99 No Suppression or Alteration of the Books of the Old Testament by Idolatrous Kings c. p. 100. The Book of the Law in the Hand-Writing of Moses found in the Reign of Josiah p. 102. No Books but those which were Written by Inspiration received by the Jews into their Canon p. 103. What opinion the Ten Tribes had of the Books of the Prophets c. p. 105. Neither the Samaritans nor the Sadduces rejected any of the Books of the Old Testament p. 106. Of the Books whereof mention is made in the O. T. p. 106. Why the Books of the Prophets have the Names of the Authors exprest and that there was not the same Reason that the Names of the Authors of the Historical Books should be exprest p. 108. A wonderful Providence manifest in the Preservation of the Books of the O. T. for so many Ages p. 109. The New Testament confirms the Old p. 111. The Caution of the Christian Church in admitting Books into the Canon ib. The Primitive Christians had sufficient means to examine and distinguish the Genuine and inspired Writings from the Apochryphal or Spurious p. 113. The Gospel of St. Matt. in Hebrew how long preserved p. 115. The Greek Version of it p. 116. The Canon of Scripture finished by St. John and the Books of the other Evangelists c. reviewed by him p. 117. The Testimony of the Adversaries of our Religion ib. Copies of great Antiquity still extant p. 118. How it came to pass that the Authority of some Books was at first doubted of p. 119. The Canon had been fix'd and confirmed in Councils in Tertullian's time p. 121. The Canon of Scripture generally received by Christians of all Sects and Parties p. 124. CHAP. V. Of the various Readings in the Old and New Testament AN extraordinary Providence manifest in the preservation of the Scriptures from such Casualties as have befaln other Books p. 126. The Defect in the Hebrew Vowels and the late invention of the Points no prejudice to the Authority of the Bible p. 127. The change of the old Hebrew Characters into that now in use is no prejudice to the Authority of the Hebrew Text p. 130. The Keri and the Ketib no prejudice to it ib. The Difference between the Hebrew Text and the Septuagint and other Versions or between the Versions themselves no way prejudicial to the Authority of the Scriptures p. 132. It is confessed by the greatest Criticks both Protestants and
question were not only dubious but certainly spurious the remaining Books which were never doubted of are sufficient for all the necessary ends and purposes of a Revelation and therefore this ought to be no objection against the Authority of the Scriptures that the Authority of some Books has been formerly matter of controversy I shall enter upon no discourse concerning the Apocryphal Books the authority whereof has been so often and so effectually disâ—roved by Protestants that the most learned Papists have now little to say for them but â—re forced only to fly to the authority of their Church which is in effect to beg the thing in question or to beg something as hard to be granted viz. the infallibility of the Church of Rome But I shall here engage in no controversy of that nature Both Protestants and Papists are generally speaking agreed that the Books of Moses and the Prophets in the Old Testament and the Writings of the Evangelists and the Apostles in the New are of Divine Authority and if this be so the Christian Religion must be true whether there be or be not others of the same nature and of equal authority These Books in the main have already been proved to be genuine and without any material corruption or alteration I shall now only propose such general considerations as may be sufficient to obviate objections The agreement between the Jews and Samaritans in the Pentateuch is a clear evidence for its Authority And tho there were many and great Idolatries committed in the Kingdom of Judah yet by the good providence of God there never was such a total Apostacy in the people nor so long a succession of Idolatrous Kings as that the Books either of the Law or the Prophets can be supposed to have been supprest or altered For three years under Rehoboam they walked in the way of David and Solomon 2 Chron. 11.17.12.1 and tho afterwards he forsook the Law of the Lord and all Israel with him his Reign was in all but seventeen years Abijam was a wicked King but he reigned no longer than three years 1 Kings xv 2. Asa the third from Solomon and Jehoshaphat his Son were great Reformers and Asa reigned one and forty years and Jehoshaphat five and twenty years 2 Chron. xvi 13. xx 31. The two next Kings in succession did evil in the sight of the Lord but their Reigns were short Jehoram reigned eight years and Ahaziah but one 2 Chron. xxi 20. xxii 2. During the interval of six years under the usurpation of Athaliah the people could not be greatly corrupted for she was hateful to them as Jehoram her husband had been before her and they readily joyned with Jehoiada in slaying her and in restoring the worship of God 2 Chron. xxii Joash the son of Ahaziah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada 2 Chron. xxiv 2. We are sure that he reigned well three and twenty years 2 Kings xii 6. and probably much longer for Jehoiada lived to a very great age 2 Chron. xxiv 15. Amaziah his son has the same character and with the same abatement that he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart 2 Chron. xxv 2. or yet not like David his Father he did according to all things as Joash his Father did 2 Kings xiv 3. Vzziah son to Amaziah reigned well and sought God in the days of Zachariah 2 Chron. xxvi 5. and after he was seized with the Leprosie for invading the Priests office the administration of affairs was in the hands of his Son Jotham vers 21. who imitated the good part of his fathers Reign Chap. xxvii 2. Ahaz was wicked and an Idolater but he reigned only sixteen years Chap. xxviii 1. and his son Hezekiah wrought a great Reformation who reigned twenty nine years Chap. xxix 1. Manasses was much given to Idolatry in the former part of his Reign but after his captivity in Babylon he was very zealous against it Chap. xxxiii 15 16. Amon imitated the ill part of his Father's Reign but his own continued no longer than two years Chap. xxxiii 21. The next was Josiah in whose time the Book of the Law was found in the Temple which must be the Book of Moses's own hand-writing for it is evident that a Book of the Law could be no such rare thing at that time in Jerusalem as to be taken so much notice of unless it had been that Book which was laid up in the side of the Ark and was to be transcribed by every King It seems that Book of the Law had been purposely hid to preserve it from the attempts of Idolaters who it was feared might have a design to destroy it for if it had only lain by neglected the finding of it could have been no such surprizing thing because the place in the Temple was well known where it was wont to be kept in the side of the Ark and where they might have sought for it but it was probably at that time supposed to have been utterly lost and its being found in the Ruines of the Temple which was built for the observation of it and where it ought to have been kept with the greatest care as a most inestimable treasure the veneration which Josiah had for so sacred a Writing and the happy and unexpected recovery of it when it had been disregarded and almost lost through the iniquity of his Predecessors these considerations could not but exceedingly move a mind so tender and affectionately pious as that Kings when he received the Law under Moses's own hand sent him as he believed by God himself and delivered to him as it were anew from Heaven Not long after his time was the Captivity in Babylon till which there were always Prophets frequent Reformations and never any succession of Idolatrous Kings which continued for a long time together very few Kings were Idolatrous throughout their whole Reigns and those that were reigned but a short time * Book 1. Part 2. c. 6. 9. It has been proved that the Pentateuch and the Books of the Prophets written before the Captivity were preserved amongst the Jews till their return and it is acknowledg'd by those who are of another opinion that Ezra who composed the Canon did it by a Prophetick spirit or had the assistance of Prophets in the doing it * Joseph Câ—nt Apion lib. 1. Josephus says that their Books after the time of Artaxerxes are not of equal authority with those before his time for want of a certain succession of Prophets And since the Jews admitted no writings as inspired into the Canon after Malachi's Prophecy this shews their sincerity and exactness in examining the truth and authority of such Writings as they admitted into their Canon of Scripture The Pharisees made the commandment of God of no effect by their Traditions but never durst presume to impose them under the notion and
of fact which are past an Author may easily be disproved if he relates what is false of his own times or of times whereof there are memorials still extant But the Credit of Prophecies concerning things to come a long time after to pass must depend upon the Mission and Authority of the Prophet only and therefore it was necessary that the Names of the Prophets should be annext that their Predictions might be depended upon when they were known to be delivered by men who by other Predictions already fulfilled had proved themselves to be true Prophets IV. The very preservation of Books of so great Antiquity thro so many changes and revolutions against all the injuries of Time and Ignorance against the violence of War and the malice of Adversaries and so many other Accidents which have destroyed most other Books of any considerable Antiquity is a certain indication of a wonderful Providence concerned for them and of that evidence whereby they were at first attested The Laws of the wisest Law-givers of the most flourishing and powerful Nations have been so little regarded by the people to whom they were given that they soon forsook the practice of them and readily delivered up themselves to be governed by other Laws upon any Revolution and all the pretences to Revelation which most of the Ancient Law-givers assumed to themselves could make them no longer adhered to nor so much valued as to outlive the fate of the particular Kingdoms and States for which they were contrived but most of them were changed or laid aside before and the rest given up and abandoned as out of date and of little use or esteem afterwards and all of them were so little able to withstand the destruction of time that we know not much more of them than that the best and most ancient were in great measure taken out of the Laws of Moses But the Books of Moses and the Prophets have continued entire and unchanged under all accidents and revolutions of affairs bearing this character as well as others of him who is immutable they have been still asserted against all the malice and opposition of Enemies by a captived and dispersed people who by the signal providence of God tho they reject their Messias yet still acknowledge those prophesies which foretold his coming and after their dispersion for so many hundred years are so far from renouncing them that they assert and maintain them and are zealous even to superstition for those Books which command that worship and appoint those Solemnities which they have so long been out of all possibility to observe as if those Laws which were once so uneasy to their Fore-fathers were now become natural to their Posterity or rather because they were revealed by him whose word shall never pass away till all be fulfilled V. The New Testament gives evidence and confirmation to the Books of the Old which are so often cited in it VI. The Christians were religiously cautious and circumspect in admitting Books into the Canon of the New Testament The * Hieron Catalog Eccl. Script Epistle to the Hebrews and the second Epistle of St Peter were at first scrupled only or chiefly upon the account of the style the style of the former being thought different from that of St Paul and the Style of the latter from that of St Peter The Epistle of St Jude was likewise doubted of for this reason because the Apocryphal Book of Enoch is cited in it Writings which went under the names of several of the Apostles were rejected and by general consent laid aside The genuine Epistle of St Barnabas who is stiled an Apostle Acts xiii 2. xiv 14. was never received but as Apocryphal and the First Epistle of St Clement of whom St Paul gives as high a character Phil. iv 3. as he doth of St Luke or as St Peter ever gave of St Mark was never admitted among the Canonical Books tho it was wont to be read in Churches But the Gospel according to St Mark and the Gospel and Acts of the Apostles written by St Luke have ever been received for canonical For which no reason can be given but that St Mark and St Luke were known to have written by inspiration since upon all personal and humane Accounts an Epistle of St Barnabas or St Clement must have carried as much Authority with it as any thing under the name of St Mark or St Luke †Unam ad aedisicationem Ecclesiae pertinentem Epistolam composuit quae inter Apochryphas scripturâ—s legitur Id. ib. St Jerom says that St Barnabas was the Author of one Epistle written for the edification of the Church which is read among the Apocryphal Books so that Books were styled Apocryphal not because it was uncertain who were the Authors of them but because it was doubtful whether they were written by inspiration or no. So careful was the Primitive Church to receive none into the Canon but Books certainly inspired It is well observed * Crit Hist of the N. T. Part. 1. c. 1. by F. Simon to this purpose that if we compare the Gospels and the other Books of the New Testament with the Liturgies that we have under the names of several Apostles to whom the most part of the Eastern Christians do attribute them we shall be convinced that the Gospels are truly the Apostles For all the Churches have preserved them in their Ancient Purity whereas every particular Nation hath added to their Liturgies and hath taken the liberty often to revise them The respect that hath been always had to the Writings of the New Testament without in serting any considerable additions therein is an evident proof that all people have looked upon them as Divine Books which it is not lawful for any to alter On the contrary they have been perswaded that the Liturgies tho they bear the Names of the Apostles or of some Disciples of Jesus Christ were not originally written by them to whom they were attributed And therefore it hath been left free to the Churches to add to them or to diminish from them according as occasion requires VII As the Primitive Christians were very jealous and cautious in admitting Books into the Canon so they had sufficient means and opportunities to examine and distinguish the genuine and inspired Writings from the Apocryphal or spurious The way of Writing and the hands of the Apostles were well known to those to whom they wrote as St Paul intimates of his own hand and manner of Salutation for when he used an Amanuensis yet he wrote the Salutation with his own Hand as his token in every Epistle 2 Thess iii. 17. They generally wrote to whole Churches but particular men are frequently named in their Epistles which was a great means to ascertain the Authority of them * Ago jam qui voles curiofitatem melius exercere in negotio salutis tuae percurre Ecclesias Apostolicas apud quas ipsae adhue Cathedrae
Apostolorum suis locis presidentur apud quas ipsae Authenticae Literae eorum recitantur Tertull de Praescript c. 36. Tertullian appeals to Authentick Books or the very Hand-writings of the Apostles themselves For tho it be acknowledged that the word Authenticus doth not always denote the Original Writing under the Authors own Hand but sometimes only the Original Language yet the words of Tertullian are express that the Original Epistles were in his times still extant for which Reason he refers the Hereticks to the Apostolical Churches where they were read viz. to the Church of Corinth of Phillippi Thessalonica Ephesus and Rome but the Epistles of the Apostles were read in Greek without doubt in other Churches besides these and the Reason why he refers them to the Apostolical Churches rather than to any other must be because the Originals under St Paul's own Hands were there still to be seen and he mentions that the Thrones or Seats of the Apostles were then also preserved as †Euseb Hist lib. vii c 19. Eusebius says that of St James was preserved to his time Justin * Apol. 2. Martyr ascribes the Gospels to the Apostles he transcribes the Christian Doctrine at large out of them and declares that they were read in the Christian Assemblies every Sunday †Irenae lib. 3 c. 2. St Ireneus a Disciple of St Polycarp who was made by Bishop St John gives a particular account of the Writings of the Four Evangelists and says there were Four Gospels and no more and that these were written by St Matthew and St Mark and St Luke and St John * Tertull. adv Marcion lib. iv c. 2 5. Tertullian undertook the Defence of the Four Gospels against Marcion And these Fathers frequently quote these and the other Writings of the Apostles so do likewise Clemens Romanus and Ignatius who lived and conversed with the Apostles themselves But in our Disputes with Infidels particular regard is to be had to the History of the Gospel for our Proof against them depends upon matter of Fact Both * Grot. Mat. F. Sim. Crit. Hist on the N. T. c. 7 8. Grotius and F. Simon have proved that the Gospel written in Hebrew by St Matthew was preserved to the time of St Jerom and Epiphanius and that tho the Nazarens had made some additions to it yet they had made no Alterations in the Original Text. F. Simon moreover says that the Gospel of St Matthew had been translated undoubtedly out of Hebrew into Greek before the Nazarens had inserted their Additions these being to be found in no Greek Copy The Ebionites had corrupted the Hebrew Copy which they used and had left out what they pleased but the Copy of the Nazarens Epiphanius †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphan Haeres 29. Num. 9. says was more entire only he is not certain whether they retained the Genealogy of Christ but it is most probable in F. Simon 's judgment that they did retain it tho the Ebionites omitted it So that tho there were some Additions made by the Nazarens yet as far as the proof of our Religion against Infidels is concerned the Hebrew Gospel in its Original Hebrew as it was written by St Matthew remained exactly perfect for divers ages Till the Sect of the Nazarens ceasing and the Hebrew Tongue growing out of use the Greek Translation only was preserved This Translation of St Matthew's Gospel is ascribed to one of the Apostles or Evangelists tho it be not certain to whom of them it belongs * Euseb Hist lib. iii. c. 39. Papias speaks of the times before there was any Authentick Version when he says that every one translated it as he could for his own use It appears from him however that there were Greek Versions of the Gospel of St Matthew made immediately upon its first publication and from hence we may be assured that St John revised and approved the present Version which is by some attributed to him by whomsoever it was made at first For this Gospel in the Greek Tongue being most in use and thereby preserved when the Original Hebrew has been so long ago lost it is not to be supposed that St John should have no regard to it in that Review which he took of the other Gospels that were written originally in Greek We read in †Phot. cod ccliv Photius that he revised the Gospels which were brought to him written in divers Languages the Versions as well as the Originals and therefore this of St Matthew's Gospel cannot be supposed to have been omitted One of the Miraculous Gifts was that of Discerning of Spirits whereby persons endued with it were enabled to distinguish true Revelations from Impostures 1 Cor. xii 10. And St John wrote his Gospel and his Epistles to confute those Hereticks who were the chief Forgers of counterfeit Books of Scripture or the most notorious corrupters of the true Books and his Life was by the Providence of God prolonged that he might be able both to vindicate and perfect the Canon of Scripture We find that †Hier Catal. in St. Luc. he discovered an Imposture which was framed concerning St Paul and * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Hist lib. iii c. 24. quod quum legisset Matthaei Marci Lucae volumina probaverit quidem Textum Historiae vera eos dixisse firmaverit Hieron Catal. in St. Joan. that he read and approved the Gospels which had been written before his own and there is no reason to doubt but he had seen all the other Writings of the New Testament and so finished the Canon of Scripture himself And the Scriptures of the New Testament were read in the Churches and Assemblies of Christians from the beginning as those of the Old Testament had been in the Synagogues of the Jews by which means they became so divulged and published that they could be neither lost nor falsified VI. The Books of the New Testament were acknowledged to be genuine by the Adversaries of the Christian Religion To say nothing of St Paul's Epistles which he frequently quotes the Gospels were allowed by Julian * Cyrill Alex. contr Jul. lib. x. the Apostate to belong to the Authors whose names they bear †Just Mart. Dial Trypho owns he had read the Gospels and makes no question or scruples about the Authors Celsus quotes the Scriptures frequently and Hierocles as * Lactant. Institut lib. v. c. 2 3. Lactantius who had heard him discourse says was as conversant in them as if he had once been a Christian yet neither of them moved any dispute concerning the Authors of the Books of the Scriptures but in referring to them upon all occasions shewed that they had nothing to object on that Head And when †Orig. cont Cels lib. 2. Celsus says that some of the Christians made alterations in the Gospels this is a confession that some only did it and Origen shews that they were
of Nice inasmuch as they are referred to by that Council and that they are styl'd Apostolical because they were made by Apostolical Men or such as lived next to the Apostles times and delivered in these Canons what they had received from the Apostles Dr Beverege thinks they * Bever Annot. ad Pandect Can. Cod. Can. Eccl. Primit vind Cave Histor Liter in clem Roman were collected into one Body by Clemens Alexandrinus and Dr Cave seemed inclined to be of the same judgment As to the Authority of the particular Apostolical Canon which contains the Canon of Scripture of the Council of Laodicea gives a sufficient Testimony to it so far as it concerns the Books of the New Testament and shews wherein it has been corrupted since All which very well agrees with that which I observed from Tertullian that frequent Councils were called in the first Ages and that they had the Canon of Scripture among other things under consideration which we find set down in the last of the Apostles Canons and from thence in the Canons of the Council of Laodicea no Book being omitted but the Revelation of St John which yet had been acknowledged and received as Authentick from the beginning of those who had most reason to know of what Authority it was but none were inserted into the Canon but such Books as were appointed to be constantly read in the Assemblies of Christians It appears then that the Canon of Scripture was finished by St John and that such Books as were not of Divine Authority were rejected by Councils held when there were living Witnesses to certify St John's Approbation of the Canon or at least those who had received it from such Witnesses the Gospels of the other Evangelists were translated into divers Languages in St John's Life time and we must in reason suppose the same of the other Books of Scripture this is certain that they were all very early translated into many Tongues and dispersed into so many Hands in so many Countries that it was impossible they should be either lost or falsifyed espeble cially since the several sects of Christians were never more jealous and watchful over each other in any thing than in this particular the several Interests and Pretensions of all parties being chiefly concerned in it and no Catalogue of Books could have been received exclusively to all others but upon the clearest evidence XII When it once appeared that the Books which had been doubted of belonged to the Canon of Scripture they were afterwards generally acknowledged and constantly received in all Churches every Sect has since used all Arts and Endeavours to reconcile the Scriptures to their own Doctrines few or none presuming to reject the Authority of any of these Books which they would never scruple to do if they suppos'd they could make out any plausible pretence for it Protestants have refused to admit of the Apocryphal Books as inspired but whoever have gone about to reject any part of the Canonical Scriptures have been universally declared against for it whereof no other reason can be given but the Evidence that is for the Authority of the Canonical Books of Scripture which is wanting for the Authority of the Apocryphal Books Papists own the Authority of the first Epistle to the Corinthians and of the fourteenth Chapter of that Epistle which is directly against praying in an unknown Tongue and they acknowledge the Epistle to the Galatians to be genuine tho the second Chapter be so clearly against the pretensions of the Church of Rome These Espistles indeed were never controverted but the Epistle to the Hebrews likewise is not rejected by the Socinians the Divine Nature of Christ and the Merit and Satisfaction of his sufferings are so plainly asserted in it and they dare not deny the Authority of the Gospel and Epistles of St John tho they are so hard put to it to expound them to their own sense that Socinus was forc'd to pretend to I know not what Revelation to help out one of his explications which he would not have done if he could have found out any colour for not admitting the Authority of a Text so directly contrary to his own Tenents that he could not expect that any thing less than a Revelation should procure any credit to his Interpretation And generally the case is the same with other Sects those that differ never so much one from another in the Interpretation of particular Texts yet agree in the acknowledgment of the Authority of the Canon of Scripture itself or can find out no sufficient pretence to disown it CHAP. V. Of the various Readings in the Old and New Testament IT is to be observ'd that an extrardinary Providence has in a great measure secur'd the Holy Scriptures from those Casualties which are incident to humane Writings For the great Antiquity of many Books of the Scriptures beyond that of any other Books in the World the multitude of Copies which have been taken in all Ages and Nations the difficulty to avoid mistakes in transcribing Books in a Language which has so many of its Letters and of its Words themselves so like one another the defect of the Hebrew Vowels and the late invention as it is generally now acknowledged of the Points the change of the Samaritan or ancient Hebrew for the present Hebrew Character the captivity of the whole Nation of the Jews for seventy years and the mixtures and changes which were during that time brought into their Language in short all the accidents which have ever happened to occasion errors or mistakes in any Book have concurred to cause them in the Old Testament and yet the different Readings are much fewer and make much less alteration in the sense than those of any other Book of the same bigness and of any Note and Antiquity if all the Copies should be carefully examined and every little variation as punctually set down as those of the Scriptures have been But tho from hence it may appear that a peculiar providence has been concerned in the preservation of the Books of the Scriptures yet from humane considerations and arguments we may likewise be assured that nothing prejudicial to the Authority of the Scriptures has happened by any of these means 1. The defect in the Hebrew Vowels and the late Invention of the Points is no prejuduce to the Authority of the Bible as we now have it Tho the Points which crititically determine the exact Reading of the Hebrew Tongue be of a later invention yet that Tongue was never without its Vowels For Aleph Vau and Jod and which some add He and Gnajm before the invention of the Points were used as Vowels as it is evidently proved from Josephus Vid. Walton Prolegom iii. s 49. Origen and St Jerom by the best Criticks in that Language It must indeed be confest that these Vowels could not be so effectual to ascertain the true Reading as the Points have since been but
Moses's time or after it p. 206. Of what Consequence the Proof of the Divine Authority of the Pentateuch is towards the proving the rest of the Scriptures to be of the same Authority p. 214. CHAP. VII of Joshua and the Judges and of the Miracles and Prophecies under their Government Joshua the Author of the Book under his Name p. 215. The Book of Judges written by Samuel p. 216. The Waters of Jordan divided p. 217. The Males circumcis'd at the first coming into Canaan and thereby disabl'd for War contrary to all Humane Policy p. 219. The Walls of Jericho thrown down and the Prophecy concerning them ib. The Integrity of Joshua p. 220. of Eli p. 221. of Samuel p. 222. CHAP. VIII Of the People of Israel under their Kings From the Revolt of the Ten Tribes an Argument for the Truth of the Law of Moses Prophets in the Kingdoms both of Israel and Judah p. 223 CHAP. IX Of the Prophets and their Writings The kinds of Prophecy among the Jews p. 224. The Freedom and Courage of the Prophets and the Reverence paid to them even by bad Princes p. 226. They laid down their Lives in Confirmation of their Prophecies p. 227. Many of their Prophecies fulfill'd during their own Lives p. 228. Their Prophecies committed to writing ibid. They as well as the Law were carefully preserv'd during the Captivity in Babylon p. 229. The Books of the former and of the latter Prophets the Books of Samuel by whom written p. 231. The Books of Chronicles and of Kings by whom written ibid. Of the Psalms Moses and the Prophets comprehend the whole Old Testament p. 233. The Hebrew Tongue sufficiently understood by the Jews when they return'd from Babylon ibid. The Scriptures could not be corrupted afterwards p. 235. CHAP. X. Of the Prohecies and Miracles of the Prophets Josiah Prophesy'd of by Name long before his Birth the Circumstances of that Prophecy p. 236. The fâ—â—filling of Elijah's Prophecies p. 238. The Confession of Julian the Apostate p. 240. Divers other Prophecies and Miracles ibid. Cyrus prophesy'd of by Name long before his Birth p. 241. Jeremiah's Prophecies of the Destruction of Jerusalem p. 243. The Contradiction which was then thought to be betwixt the Prophecies of Jeremiah and Ezekiel a manifest Proof of the Truth of the Prophecies of them both p. 245. Other plain Prophecies fulfill'd p. 247. These Prophecies and Miracles manifestly true p. 249 CHAP. XI Of the Dependance of the several Parts of the Scriptures upon each other and that the Old Testament proves the New and the New again proves the Old as the Cause and the Essect p. 252. CHAP. XII Of the Person of our Blessed Saviour Our Blessed Saviour's undeniable Innocence and Holiness of Life p. 257. Judas himself gave Testimony to it p. 259. The Prophecies concerning the Birth of the Messias fulfilled in him p. 265. The Prophecies concerning his Life fulfilled p. 277. The Prophecies concerning his Death fulfilled p. 280. And those concerning his Resurrection and Ascension p. 286 CHAP. XIII Of the Prophecies and Miracles of our Blessed Saviour Our Saviour foretold the Treachery of Judas and the manner of his own Death p. 287. The Destruction of Jerusalem with the circumstances of it and the Prodigies attending it ibid. His Miracles verified the Prophecies which had been concerning the Messias p. 290 CHAP. XIV Of the Resurrection of our Blessed Saviour The Resurrection of our Blessed Saviour prophesied of and typified p. 293. The Apostles who were Witnesses of our Saviour's Resurrection could not be deceiv'd themselves in it p. 295. They would not deceive others p. 306. They alledged such Circumstances as made it impossible for them to deceive p. 307 CHAP. XV. Of the Apostles and Evangelists The Apostles were Men of sufficient Vnderstanding to know what they testified p. 312. They had sufficient Means and Opportunities to know it p. 313. They were Men of Integrity and truly declared what they knew for they had no worldy Interest to serve by their Testimony but suffered by it and had a certain prospect of suffering p. 315. There are peculiar marks of Sincerity in all their Writings p. 319 CHAP. XVI Of the prophecies and Miracles of the Apostles c. Of their Prophecies p. 328. Of their Miracles p. 330. The Miracles wrought by the Apostles themselves p. 331. A Power of working Miracles communicated by them to others p. 336. Their supernatural Courage and Resolution p. 342. This likewise was communicated to their Followers p. 351 CHAP. XVII Of the Writings of the Apostles and Evangelists The History of our Saviour's Life and Death contains so notorious and publick circumstances that it was an Appeal to that Age whether the things related were true or not p. 354. The other Books of the New Testament are explicatory and consequential to the Gospel or History of Christ and besides these likewise contain many memorable and publick Matters of Fact p. 361. The Gospel and other Books of the New Testament cited by Authors contemporary with the Apostles and owned for genuine both by the Jews and Heathens p. 363. Many of the Eye-witnesses to the Miracles of our Saviour and his Apostles lived to a great Age p. 364. The chief Points of the Christian Religion were testified in Apologies written from time to time to the Heathen Emperors ibid. CHAP. XVIII Of the Doctrines contained in the Holy Scriptures The Christian Religion teacheth an universal Righteousness both towards God and Man p. 368. The Scriptures propound to us the only true Principle of Holiness p. 370. The Christian Religion proposeth the most effectual Motives to Obedience and Holiness of Life p. 372. It afferdeth the greatest Helps and Assistances to an Holy Life p. 374. It expresseth the greatest Compassion and Condescension to our Infirmities p. 374. The Propagation of the Gospel has ever had great effects towards the Reformation and Happiness of Mankind p. 376. The highest Mysteries of the Christian Religion are not meerly speculative but have a necessary relation to Practice for the advancement of Piety and Vertue amongst Men p. 382 PART III. THat there is no other Divine Revelation but that contained in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament p. 385. CHAP. I. The Novelty of the Heathen Religions The Pretences of the Aegyptians to Antiquity examined p. 387. Of the Chaldaeans ibid. Of the Chinese p. 389. CHAP. II. Of the Defect in the Promulgation of the Heathen Religions The Heathen Religions never extant in Books to be publickly read p. 392. Every Country had its peculiar Deities They prevailed only by the Temporal Power Though the Heathens more in Number yet the Religion of Christians more promulged p. 392 CHAP. III. Of the Defect of the Prophecies and Miracles of the Heathen Religions Of the Oracles of the Heathens p. 394. That they were uncertain and ambiguous p. 396. But they could not be all counterfeit p. 398. The cessation of Oracles gradual p. 399. Their Miracles never
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 passage into Canaan and vanquished and destroyed them as they went and then to proclaim 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 incredible When they had enraged all the neighbouring Nations to their destruction they obliged 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 possible to conceit that the whole People of Israel should either in Moses's time or afterwards 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 Jeroboam 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 thousands 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 consequently 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 Matters of Fact nor any other Person or Persons either in his time or afterwards could insert 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 upon 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 follow 1. That God having instituted the Jewish Government was in point both of Wisdom and Honour concerned in the administration of it and that a more especial and peculiar Care and Providence must he watchful over this holy Nation and peculiar People 2 That whatever befell them either by Prophesies or by Miracles and the extraordinary Appointments of God according to the Revelations made in the Law of Moses has besides its own proper and intrinsick Evâ—dence the additional Proof of all the Miracles 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 mention the New Testament in this place reciprocally 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 Letters 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 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 Distribution of the Land was not to be transmitted without an Account of the miraculous Conquests of it which might dispose them to be conâ—ented with their several Lots and remind them of their Duty in the possesssion and enjoyment of a Land which they were settled in thy the immediate Hand of God The Book of Joshua appears to have been written 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 Tradition is the Author of the Book of Judges where we find the same things repeated concerning 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 peâ—n'd before the Taking of Jerusalâ—â—â— 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
not distinguished in the same manner as the two Books of Kings and of Chronicles are and it is no wonder 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 likewise learn that the beginning of the First Book of Kings must be written by one of these Prophets Both the Books of Kings as far as Hezekiah'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 appears that it was written before the Captivity though the Genealogies were transcribed afterwards out of the Records as we learn from 1 Chron. ix 1. That the Second Book of Chronicles 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 carrying them away Captive in every material circumstance that it seems to have been written at that very time and is an argument that Memorirs were constantly taken and preserved 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 Continuations 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 Service 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 Captivity 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 Prophets are put for the whole Old Testament Luke xvi 29. Acts xiii 15. And if both the Law and the Prophets comprehending 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 Zechariah 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 away Captive and the Writings of the Prophets during the Captivity shew that the People did understand it for they all wrote in the Hebrew Language except upon some particular occasions where their Prophecies more immediately 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 language 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 imply 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 Traditions 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 Traditions 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 Authority 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 Prophecies and Miracles of the Prophets are related 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) Joseph Antiquit. l. 10. c. 5. 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
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 theirfore the Posterity of those who had slain the Prophets had the Highest veneration for the Memory of these Prophets whom their Forefathers had killed they built and adorned 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 Monuments 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 Authority 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 disclaimed the Books which some few and those the most unlearned among them would impose for Inspired Writings yet the Authority of these Books should be more acknowledged 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 ignorant 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 Advantage 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 different 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 support and attestation to each other The Pentateuch 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 described 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 Testament And this Dependance and Coherence between 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 another 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 particular Evidence which may be brought for any part separately we must consider the Connexion 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 Prophets 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 containing God's Covenant with his People the Jews and being therefore the ground and foundation 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 Authority the Writings of Moses and the Prophets must be likewise of the same Authority because they acknowledge them for such and prove their own Authority from them as well as from the Miracles that they themselves 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 sufficient 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 Prophets 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 reciprocally prove both the one and the other and that therefore whatever is brought from either 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 Effect 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 Attestation Now the Messias is the Scope and Centre of the whole Old Testament
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 Mankind as their Doctrines are no precepts can be more righteous and holy no rewards more excellent nor punishments more formidable than those of the Gospel and which is above all no Religion 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 Obedience 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 Saviour and Comforter This Religion places men in the presence of God and entitles them to his peculiar favour and care it declares 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 Revelation 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 expected in any Revelation They are of the greatest Antiquity and have been Preached throughout the World and have abundant evidence both by Prophecies and Miracles of their Divine Authority and the Doctrine contained in them is such as God must be supposed to reveal Mankind having visible Characters in it of the Divine Goodness and Holiness and having exceedingly 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 contained in the Holy Scriptures 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 Revelation may be shewn in the several Particulars 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 unworthy 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 Antiquity of their Religions The pretences which the Egyptians made to Antiquity so much beyond the times recorded in the Scriptures proceeded from their reckoning by Lunar years or (a) Diodor Sic. lib. i. Plutarch in Numa Var. apud Lactant. de Orig. Error lib. ii c. 12. months but they had so different accounts however of Chronology that as Diodorus Siculus says some of them computed thirteen 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) Herod Euterpâ— his Course since the beginning of their Dynasties imputing the defect of their own computation 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 Alexandria less than CCC years before Christ as (c) Mr. Wotton's Reflections upon ancient and modern Leâ—râ—ing c. 23. Mr. Halley has observed (d) Vitru◠〈…〉 4. The Chaldaeans supposed the Moon to be a luminons Body and therefore could have no great skill in Astronomy besides they wanted Instruments to make exact observations ' All we have of them says the same learned (e) Iâ— Mr. 〈◊〉 Reflect ib. Astronomer is only seven Eclipses of the Moon and even those but very coursely set down and the oldest 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 Calisthenes be said by Porphyry to have brought from Babylon to Greece observations above MDCCCC years older than Alexander yet the proper Authors making no mention or use of any such renders 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 Astronomers 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 above CL. years before Christ According to that known observation (f) Censorin de Die Natali c. 21. 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 building 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 transmitting their own affairs down to Posterity with any exactness in point of time that for (g) Id. c. 23. 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 regulated it The pretensions of the Chineses to Antiquity appear equally vain and upon the same grounds For they understood little or nothing of Astronomy or else the Missionaries by their Skill in that Art would not have been able so much to insinuate themselves with the Emperors of China Indeed the Chineses themselves (h) Martin Hist Sin lib. i. ii Atl. Sinic Praef. Philip Couplet in Confuc Proen Declar. Praef. ad Fab. Chronol Sinicae Monarchiae Le Compt's Memoirs p. 64. 71. 464. confess that their Antiquities are in great part fabulous and they acknowledge
have done p. 237. CHAP. XIII Of the Fall of the Angels and of our first Parents THE Fall of Angels how caused p. 243. The Fall of Man The effects of it Visible however the Thing may be disputed p. 244. No Preexistence of Souls ib. Eve beguiled by the Serpent p. 246. The Sin of Eating the forbidden Fruit p. 249. Many Circumstances omitted in the Scripture concerning the State of our First Parents in Paradise and relating to their Fall ib. Why a Commandment was given them concerning a thing of an indifferent Nature p. 250. The Curse upon the Serpent p. 254. The Curse of the Ground p. 255. The Punishment of our First Parents p. 256. The Fall not Allegorical p. 374. The effects of it upon all Posterity p. 376. CHAP. XIV Of the Eternity of Hell Torments THE Eternity of Hell Torments consistent with the Justice of God because 1 Rewards and Punishments are a like Proposed to our choice p. 383. 2 The Rewards are Eternal as well as the Punishments p. 384. 3 It was necessary that the Sanction of the Divine Laws should be by eternal Rewards and Punishments p. 387. 4 It is necessary that eternal Punishments should be inflicted upon the Wicked according to this Sanction p. 388. Objections obviated p. 359. The Eternity of Hell Torments consistent with the Mercy of God p. 362. CHAP. XV. Of the Jewish Law OF the Judicial Laws p. 369. Of the Ceremonial Laws p. 371. They were given to prevent Idolatry p. 341. To signify and represent inward Purity and Holiness p. 344. This shewn of Circumcision p. 345. Of Purifications p. 346. Of Abstinences p. 346. Of Sacrifices and Oblations ib. The Jewish Worship was Typical of Christ and his Gospel p. 347. This proved of Sacrifices p. 348. Purifications p. 350. Incense ib. During this Ceremonial Dispensation there was a sufficient Revelation of the Internal and Spiritual part of Religion p. 352. The Love of God and of their Neighbour ib. A Future State p. 353. the Resurrection p. 354. CHAP. XVI Of the Cessation of the Jewish Law THE Types of the Law fulfilled in the Messias p. 332. The strange Evasions and absurd Opinions of the Jews ib. It was foretold by the Prophets that the Law was to cease upon the coming of the Messiah p. 335. It was afterwards to become impracticable p. 323. How it is to be understood that the Mosaical Law was to endure for ever p. 324. CHAP. XVII Of the Sinful Examples recorded in the Scriptures SEveral Places of the Scriptures relating Evil Actions contain only matter of Fact p. 327. The Rules of Good and Evil by which we are to judge of Actions are plainly delivered in the Scriptures p. ib. The Relation of the bad Actions of Good Men may be of use 1. To shew the Sincerity of the Pen-Men of the Scriptures 2. To discover the Frailty of Humane Nature and the necessity of imploring the Divine Grace 3. To shew that God can bring Good out of Evil p. 328. 4. For the Glory of God's Grace and for a Warning to future Ages p. 329. CHAP. XVIII Of the Imprecations in the Psalms and other Books of the Old Testament MAny of these Expressions are used in reference to the Nations on whom God had Commanded the Israelites to execute his Judgments p. 331. David being a King was a Revenger to execute Wrath upon him that did Evil. p. 332. It is Lawful to Pray that Malefactors may be punished ib. The Jews might appeal to God as their Political Legislator and Governour p. 333. Those which seem Imprecations are oftentimes Predictions and Denunciations of Judgment p. 334. Divers Places are to be understood of Judas or of others like him p. 336. This supposition is implyed in Imprecations if they will persist in their Sins if they will not repent ib. What Charity was required under the Law and what was meant by the Word Neighbour p. 337. CHAP. XIX Of the Texts of the Old Testament cited in the New THe Apostles cited in the Scriptures of the Old Testament according to the Exposition of them then acknowledged by the Jews p. 340. A remarkable Passage from F. Simon to this purpose p. 342. The Epistle to the Hebrews much admired by a learned Jew for the sublime Sense therein given to the Texts of the Old Testament ib. CHAP. XX. Of the Incarnation and Death of the Son of God I THe necessity of the Incarnation of the Son of God considered p. 344. 2. Tho' it should be supposed that God could have pardoned the Sins of Men upon other Terms yet the Incarnation and Death of the Son of God is so far from implying any thing unworthy of him that no other way of our Reconciliation with him as far as we are able to apprehend could so much have become the Divine Wisdom and Goodness p. 345. 1. There is nothing in this whole Dispensation unworthy of God p. 346. which is proved by shewing 1 The unreasonableness of this Supposition that the Union of the Divine and Human Nature in Christ should cause the God head to suffer with the Manhood p. 347. 2 The Humiliation of the Son of God in affirming our Nature may be accounted for without supposing that the Godhead suffered p. 350. 3 The Satisfaction of Christ by Dying for our Sins may be explained without supposing it p. 351. 2. No other way as far as we can apprehend could have been so proper and expedient as the Incarnation of the Son of God to procure the Salvation of Mankind p. 357. 1 The Doctrin and Preaching of the Son of God was of more Power and Authority than the Preaching or Doctrin of a Man or Angel could have been p. 358. 2 His Example is of greater Perfection and Holiness p. 360. 3 His Mediation and Intercession is of greater efficacy p. 362. 4 The Incarnation and Death of the Son of God is the most effectual means to excite in us Faith Hope and Charity and to dispose and engage us to all Vertue and Piety p. 364. CHAP. XXI Of the Fulness of Time or the Time appointed by God for the Incarnation of our blessed Saviour GOd had before-hand used all other means to shew the necessity of sending his Son at last p. 371. The Reception of the Gospel had been much more difficult if it had not been foretold in so many several Ages by the Prophets p. 374. The Time of Christ's coming might depend upon the Duration of the World p. 376. The World was then prepared for his coming p. 378. The particular Temper and Disposition of that Age in which our Saviour was born made it the most seasonable p. 380. CHAP. XXII Of the last Days and of the last Day or the Day of Judgment THE last Days of the World seldom mentioned in express Terms in Scripture but under the Resemblances of other Events p. 384. The Destruction of Jerusalem Typical of the Day of Judgment p. 385. This appears from Matt. 25. ib. The
Eloquence as well as the Power and Prejudices and Vices of Mankind were combined against it and yet less elegancy and accuracy of style was employed by the Apostles and Evangelists than had been before used by Moses and th◠Prophets who yet had nothing which seemed so strange and wonderful to deliver Which is one great argument of the Power and Efficacy of the Gospel that it could prevail so much against all the opposition in the world only by telling a plain Truth and in the plainest manner For where the thing is evident the fewest and plainest words are best as in Mathematical Demonstrations it is enough if men make themselves to be understood this likewise was all that the Apostles aimed at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Hist lib. iii. c. 24. their Cause and Doctrine was so certain and demonstrable that any words which did but fully and clearly express their meaning were sufficient for their purpose their Rhetorick lay in the things themselves not in words there is no great Art required to prove that to any man which he sees with his eyes and therefore as the power of Miracles was greater under the Gospel than under the Law so there was less need of Eloquence in the New Testament than in the Old Yet it cannot be denied as a †Mer Casaub of Enthus c. 4. Learned Critick has declared that St Paul in some kind and upon some subjects is as eloquent as ever man was not inferiour to Demosthenes in whose writings he believes that Apostle had been much conversant or Aeschines or any other anciently most admired 3. It is reasonable to believe that the Scriptures may be written in the Words and Phrases of the Penmen of the several parts of them and that the Holy Ghost might permit them to use their own style so directing them still and over-ruling them in every word and sentence that it should infallibly express his own full sense and meaning and speak the Truth which he inspired And therefore tho there be divers styles in the Scriptures yet this is no prejudice to the Authority and Certainty of them Isaiah for instance being of the Blood Royal and educated at Court may write in a more refined and lofty style and Amos who was brought up among the Herdsmen of Tekoa may speak in a more humble strain and fetch his Metaphors from lower and meaner things and yet the sense and substance of both may be from the Holy Ghost and as exactly true and infallible as if every word and syllable were dictated by him But this has been already considered under its proper head CHAP. IV. Of the Canon of the Holy Scriptures WHatever uncertainty there can be supposed to be concerning the Canon of the Holy Scriptures or the Catalogue and Number of Books of Divine Revelation this ought to be made no objection against the certainty of Divine Revelation itself or against the authority of those Books of Scripture which are universally acknowledged and received by all Churches For if this be a true way of arguing then whatever we are ignorant of must be an argument against the certainty of what we know and by consequence no man can be certain of any thing since the wisest man is ignorant of so many things that he knows very little in comparison of what he is ignorant of And as to the matter in hand there is scarce any Author of great note and fame but that Criticks have had Disputes concerning the number of his genuine Works and yet this has never been thought any prejudice to such as are allowed by all to be genuine Would not that man make himself ridiculous who should reject the Philippicks of Tully or Virgil's Aeneis as spurious because other Books either doubtful or counterfeit have past under the names of these two Authors If some Books have been disputed the rest certainly are genuine beyond all dispute because they have never been called into question or doubt Now if these Books only were of Divine Revelation concerning which there has never been any Dispute they contain all things necessary to be believed and practised and as to the rest concerning which there has been any controversy tho they be exceeding useful to explain divers things which we find in these and perhaps to teach us some things not essential to our Religion nor necessary to Salvation which are not to be found elsewhere yet they are not absolutely necessary to be received because whatever Doctrines are absolutely necessary they are to be found fully and plainly delivered in those Books of Scripture which have ever been received without contradiction or dispute Many men were undoubtedly saved before the writing of these controverted Books nay before the writing of any Books at all Writings being no further necessary than as they are necessary to convey the knowledge of what is written when the things now written could be as well known without writing Books were not necessary and tho for after ages it became necessary that the Prophets and Apostles and Evangelists should consign their Doctrine to writing yet no more of their writings can be absolutely necessary to be known by us than what may be sufficient to instruct us in the ways of salvation It is the infinite Goodness and Mercy of God to afford us more than is absolutely necessary for our spiritual and eternal Life as he has done for our Natural and it is a great sin in any man to reject any means of Salvation or Instruction which God has been pleased to allow but still that man would sustain his Natural Life and Health who should think all that is not necessary to the support of it common or unclean and not fit to be used for food And if a man without any of his own fault or neglect should come to the knowledge only of the uncontrroverted Books he would find them abundantly sufficient to answer all the ends of Revelation and to procure his Salvation It cannot be denied but that one infallible Authority is as great a Security as never so many could be but the same Doctrines are taught in several places of Scripture and we ought to be thankful to God for it that he has been pleased to furnish us with so much more than is absolutely necessary and to repeat the same things in sundry places and in divers manners for our further instruction and confirmation in the Faith tho it would be absurd and wicked to say that he who believes all the points of necessary Faith upon the authority of any one Book of Scripture has no sufficient means of Salvation unless he likewise believe them upon the Authority of all the rest Not that I suppose any wise and good man can now find any cause to doubt of any Book in the Old or New Testament whether it be genuine or no but to suppose the most and the worst that can be supposed if those Books which at any time have been called in
character of a Book of the Scriptures The modern Jews in like manner never dared to pretend to new Books of Revelation but have constantly adhered to the old And what inducement could the Jews have to receive these Books into their Canon of which it consists rather than the Apocryphal Books but the evidence of their Divine Authority which is a thing more especially remarkable in some Books Why should they receive certain Books under the Names of Solomon Esther Daniel and Ezra but not admit into the Canon others going under the same names but because of the difference in their Authority Why should they receive the Books of those whom their fore-fathers had slain and those very Books for which they slew them but upon the clearest evidence It is certain they could be possest with no prejudice in their favour but with very many against the Books of such Authors To give another instance The Book of Ruth contains the affairs and transactions of a particular Family of no great consequence as one might imagine at first view and yet it has been preserved with as much â—are and as constantly received as the rest There is little reason upon human considerations why a relation concerning that Family should be inserted into the Canon of Scripture rather than one concerning any other But the lineage of the Messias is set forth in it and that was a sufficient reason why it should be inserted and therefore by the Divine Wisdom and Providence neither the emulation and envy of other Families nor any other cause or accident hindred its reception and preservation amongst the other inspired Books And in that History there is an account not very honourable for David's Family in deriving his descent from Phares of Thamar and shewing that his Great Grandmother was a Moabitess the Moabites being a people who had an indelible mark of intamy sixt upon them by the Law of Moses Dentr xxiii 3. II. As the Pentateuch was ever acknowledged by the People of Israel after their separation from the Tribe Judah so if they rejected the writings of the Prophets it must have been because all or most of them were written by Prophets who were of the two Tribes and all the Prophets of Israel owning the Temple of Jerasalem to be the true place of Worship the Isâ—aelites and Samaritans must have great prejudices against them upon that account and it cannot be expected that they should receive the Books of any of the Prophets in the same manner as they did those of Moses The Books of Samuel David and Solomon had less regard paid to them upon Reasons of State by the Tribes who followed the Revolt of Jeroboam yet when * Antiqu. Orient Eccl. pist 1. Joseph Scaliger sent to the Samaritans for the Canticles of the Book of Psalms in their Language as well as for the Book of the Law and of Joshua they promised to send him them And it is proved sufficiently by Dr †Hebr. Talmud exercit on Joh. iv 25. Lightfoot that neither the Samaritans nor the Sadducees rejected the Books of the Old Testament tho they did not admit the rest into the same veneration and authority with the Books of Moses nor read them in their Synagogues This is also proved by F. Simon * Crit. Hist V. T. lib. 1. c. 16. 29. Disquisit Crit c. 12. both of the Sadducees and the Karaei and †Epist 70. inter Antiqu Eccl. Orient Morinus likewise proves it of the Karaei who are generally taken for Sadducees F. Simon maintains the contrary and that they have wrong done them in being charged with the opinions of the Sadducces However this is not material to our present purpose since he shews that both the Sadducees and the Karaei or Caraites and all the Jews besides received the entire Volume of the Scriptures without any contradiction * Praefat. de Lipmanno Hackspan likewise has shewed that the Sadducees denied not the Authority of the Books of the Prophets III Concerning the Books whereof we we find mention made in the Old Testament either 1. They are not different from those which are now in the Canon but the same Books under divers Names Or 2. They were not written by Inspiration tho written by Prophets For we are not to suppose that the Prophets were inspired in every thing that they wrote any more than in all they spoke And this shews the care and integrity of the Jews in compiling their Canon that they would not take into it all the Writings even of the Prophets themselves but only such as they knew to be written by them as Prophets that is by Inspiration the Prophets themselves no doubt making a distinction as we find St Paul did between what they had written by the Spirit of God and that in which they had not his immediate and extraordinary direction and infallible assistance Or 3. They might not be written by Prophets For the office of Recorder or Remembrancer or Writer of Chronicles as it is explained in the Margin is mentioned as â—n office of great Honour and Trust and was distinct from that of the Prophets 2 Sam. viii â—6 2 Kings xviii 18. 2 Chron. xxxiv 8. Isaiah xxxvi 3 22. Besides the Hebrews called every small Writing a Book Thus Deut. xxiv 1. â—hat which we render a Bill of Divorcement â—s in the Original a Book of Divorcement the word being the same which Josh x. 13. and 〈◊〉 Sam. i. 18. is translated the Book of Jasher â—o Matt. xix 7. and Mark x. 4. it is in the Greek a Book of Divorcement the word is the same which the Septuagint had used it indeed may signifie a little Book but it often signifies a Book without that distinction and so it is rendered 2 Tim. iv 13. David's Letter to Joab is a Book in the Hebrew and in the Greek 2 Sam. xi 14 15. and Lettets are stiled Books by * Herod lib. 1. c. 124. lib. 6. c. 4. Herodotus Or 4. Tho it should be granted that some Books which were written by Inspiration are now lost it is no absurdity to suppose that God should suffer Writings to be lost thro the fault and negligence of men which were dictated by his Spirit Several things might by the Prophets be delivered by Revelation to the persons whom they concerned which were never committed to writing and others which were written but which were not necessary to the ends of Revelation in general but rather concerned particular times and places and the substance whereof as far as the world in general is concerned is to be found in the other Scriptures might by the carelesness of men never come to the sight and knowledge of Posterity And here I shall observe that the Books of Prophecy have always the Names of the Authors exprest and commonly they are often repeated in the Books themselves but in the Historical Books there was not the same reason for it because in matters
we can know nothing of the manner of it We know the Proposition which is to be believed tho we cannot make good the Proof of it in the way of natural Reasoning but only from the Authority of the Revealer which is of it self sufficient and ought to be instead of all other Reasons to us 2. Some parts of the Scriptures were fitted and accommodated to former Ages and were more proper and useful for them than if they had been written in such a manner as to be less obscure and difficult We may well imagin that many parts of the Scriptures must have been more peculiarly adapted to their use and advantage for whom they were immediately designed and the Learning and Wisdom of ancient Times consisted in Parables and Proverbs and obscure Forms of Speech in Prophecies in Subtil and Dark Parables and in the secrets of grave Sentences Eccl. xxxix 1 2 3. And it was foretold of the Messias in particular that he should speak in Parables as a matter of great excellency I will open my mouth in a Parable I will utter dark sayings of old Ps lxxviii 2. Matt. xiii 35. This was in Ancient Times the Language of Courts and the properest way of Address to Kings Nathan the Prophet and the woman of Tekoa came to David with a Parable 2 Sam. xii 1. xiv 4. And Jehoash King of Israel sent a Message of the same nature to Amaziah King of Judah 2 Kings xiv 9. and Cyrus * â—eâ—odot lib. i. c. 141. answers the petition of two Nations at once to him in a short Parable To understand a Proverb and the Interpretation the words of the wise and their dark sayings was the best description that Solomon himself could give of Wisdom Prov. i. 6. And * Joseph Antiqu. lib. viii c. 2. â— Solomon and Hiram are related by Josephus to have propounded Problems and Riddles or Parables to each other upon condition of a forfeiture to be paid by him who could not explain the Riddle sent him This would be looked upon now as a strange correspondence between Kings but then it was otherwise thought of many of their Epâ—â—â—â—s were preserved as he tells us to his time at Tyre and the Heathen Historians whose Testimonies he produceth thought it deserved their particular observation This custom of propounding Riddles was as old as Sampson's time Judg. xiv 12. and examples of the same nature are to be seen in Herodotus †Vid. Athenae lib. x. c 15. c. and other Authors Whether it be true or false that Homer died of grief because he could not explain the Riddle of the Fishers it shews that Riddles were in great request amongst the Ancient Greeks for otherwise there could have been no ground either for the Truth or Fiction of such a story Plutarch relates it as the true cause of Homer's death and when * Herod Plut. in Vit. Homer Herodotus denies this he owns the Report and by the Verses which he says Homer spoke upon this occasion it appears what opinion Homer had of this sort of Wit Hesiod is by †Quintil. institut lib. v. c. xi Quintilian thought the Author of the Fables which pass under the name of Aesop however this makes it probable that he did write Fables and perhaps there were few men of Learning and note in those times who did not Mythology was in the highest esteem amongst the Ancients and indeed all the Ancient Learning was of this kind The Aegyptians who were in great Reputation for Learning delivered their Notions in Hieroglyphicks as if they had resolved not to be understood And the Philosophers of old Pythagoras Heraclitus c. greatly affected obscurity Socrates himself and Plato and Aristotle purposely concealed their meaning in many cases from vulgar capacities and Thucydides took the same course in â—is History and was obscure out of design as Marcellinus has observed in his life The Books of the Old Testament for the most part seem to have been the most plain and the most easily intelligible of any Writings of ancient times and they could not have been more obvious but they must have been contemptible and useless to those for whom they were immediately designed The precepts and exhortations are always plain and obvious and the obscurity of other things is so far from being an exception to the Books of Scripture that it was necessary according to the Learning and Customs of ancient times The Parables of our Blessed Saviour are explained to us and there can now be no pretence of obscurity in them and in his Discourses with the Jews to whom they were not explained he alluded to those Proverbs and Customs which were best known and most in use among them to whom upon any occasion he spoke that thereby all who had ears to hear and were not by their sins hindred from attending to what they heard might be the more affected with them and the better inclined to give themselves up to his Instructions when they heard him make use of such Allusions as they knew according to the way of teaching amongst them had some excellent hidden meaning which they would be very desirous to become acquainted withal 3. Many places of Scripture which are obscure to us were not obscure in the ages in which they were written 1. Because the obscurity for the most part is rather in the form and manner of Speech than in the notions themselves so that that might be clear at first which is obscure to us who are but little acquainted with the Phrases and Idioms of the Language and the Eloquence of those Times and Countries For the Fashions of Speech vary as much as those of the Garb and Habit and the Eloquence and ways of Expression are as different as the Dialects and Languages of divers Ages and Nations 2. The names of Animals of Flowers and Plants and Minerals are very liable to be mistaken and especially whatever is peculiar to any Country must needs be difficult to be understood by Foreigners who have no such things among them and perhaps want words to express their Nature and can scarce have a true and exact notion of them The precise value of Coins and proportion of Weights and Measures used so long ago and in Countreys so far from ours can hardly now be known and must necessarily admit of great variety of opinions there is much uncertainty about these in all ancient History but the great Antiquity of the Jewish History above others may make us reasonably expect to find many more such difficulties in it and the different Names of the same Persons and of the same Places in the Scriptures is another occasion of obscurity The Names Coins Weights and Measures and Habits of ancient times afford the greatest work for Criticks which were so well known when the Authors who mention them wrote that it had been ridiculous for them to explain them These are difficulties of that Nature that they could not
instructed in the Rewards and Punishments of the Life to come and Temporal Rewards and Punishments were appointed by Moses as Pledges and Types to represent and prefigure to them those of a Future State For that Abraham and the Patriarchs before him had a true and full Notion of a Life after this we are certain from Heb. xi 10 13. And we have as great Certainty that Abraham did instruct his Children and his Houshold after him Gen. xviii 19. and Moses wrote of Christ Jo. v. 46. Gen. iii. 15. xii 3. xlix 10. Deut. xviii 15 18. These things were delivered in the Books of Moses and well understood by the Generality of the Jews in all Ages the Sadducees were singular in denying the Resurrection of the Dead and some other Doctrines in which all the rest were agreed But if there were any Obscurity or Difficulty in the Books of Moses they had besides the Priests a constant Succession of Prophets for many Ages to Interpret them and to maintain and inculcate those Fundamental Doctrines of Religionâ— The Rewards of Heaven are declared Psal xvi 11. xvii 15. Prov. xv 24. Eccles xii 14. Dan. xii 2 3. The Torments of Hell are asserted Psal xvi 10. Eccles xi 9. xii 14. Isai xxxiii 14. Dan. xii 2. The Resurrection of the Dead Psal xvii 15. Isai xxvi 19. Ezek. xxxvii 1. Dan. xii 2. Hos xiii 14. And in the Book of Job which is of the greatest Antiquity Job xiv 12. xix 26.27 In that Expression that David and others Slept with their Fathers is implyed not only the Imortality of the Soul but the Resurrection of the Body For it implies that there was not a total end of them but as they Slept so must they awake and rise again Psal xvii 15. And this Expression is taken from the Old Testament and applied to the same Sense in the New Our Saviour speaking of Regeneration says to Nicodemus art thou a Master in Israel and knowest not these things Joh. iii. 10. and he bids the Jâ—ws search the Scriptures of the Old Testament for in them says he ye think ye have Eternal Life and they are they which testify of me Joh v. 39. it was in them fore-told that a much clearer Revelation was to be made by the Gospel Jer. xxxi 31. When our Saviour by his Resurrection gave a fuller Manifestation of a future Immortal State than could be given by any other Means and brought Life and Immortality to Light thro' the Gospel 2 Tim. i. 10. Yet this it self was Typifyed in the Old Testament by raising Dead Men to Life again and the Translation of Enoch and Elijah into Heaven was for a Testimony and Assurance of a Future State both of Body and Soul The Doctrin deliverd by Moses and the Prophets was as effectual a Caution and warning to Men to keep them from the place of Torments as a Message from the Dead could have been Luke xvi 31. The Old Testament therefore is not deficient in any necessary Point of Salvation but the Ceremonial Law was enjoyned as a suitable Help and Expedient for the retaining those Truths which had been revealed before Which was so well known (x) Origen contra Cels lib. 2 that Celsus puts this as an Objection into the Mouth of the Jews whom he brings in Arguing against the Christian Religion that it taught them nothing but what they knew before concerning the Resurrection of the Dead and a future Judgment and a State of Rewards and Punishments in another World And it cannot be denied that the Apocryphal as well as the Canonical ' Books teach these things The Honour and Authority of our Religion amongst Men depends very much upon a right Knowledge and a due consideration of this Subject And those who profess never so great Veneration for the New Testament but have little esteem for any part of the Old understand neither the one nor the other as they ought They refer all along to each other and must stand or fall together for the one is but a Draught as it were or Model of the other all things being though obscurely yet sufficiently taught in the Old Testament which are fully and lively exprest in the New The Sum of all is this The Faith in the Messias to come and the Principles of Religion and Morality had been delivered down from the Beginning by Adam and Noah to their Posterity And when Moses by God's Direction and Appointment gave Laws to the Children of Israel the End and Design of these Laws was the preservation of this Faith and Practice amongst them And this was effected by visible Objects and sensible Remembrances the Jewish Dispensation was ordain'd in condescension to the Circumstances and Capacities of those Ages and that Nation in such a manner as was most suitable to their Condition and most Worthy of God the rest of the World had wholly given up and abandoned themselves to Carnal Ordinances and Superstitions and God who produceth Good out of Evil made use of this Fondness and Dotage of Mankind to the Preservation and Advancement of Truth and Holiness amongst Men. The Ceremonial Worship was no farther acceptable to God and no otherwise design'd by Him than to keep his People from running into Idolatry to which they had so great a Proneness to put them in mind of their own Sinfulness and Unworthiness to preserve a Sense of Moral Duties and of an inward and spiritual Service and to retain a Remembrance and Expectation of that Sacrifice Oblation and Satisfaction which had been foretold and was in the Fulness of time to be offered upon the Cross for the Sins of the World Thanks be to God that we are instructed to worship him in Spirit and in Truth without so many burthensome Ceremonies but in those Ages of the World nothing would have seem'd more strange and absurd than a Religion without some Pomp and Solemnity of Ceremonies And God appointed for his People those which were innocent to restrain them from all that were wicked and hurtful He appointed the Sacrifices of Beasts to be Types of Christ's Sacrifice and to withhold them from Humane Sacrifices which were practised in other Nations and enjoyn'd by other Religions he commanded them to abstain from certain Meats that they might not eat of Things offer'd to Idols and these innocent Ceremonies he made useful and serviceable to the Great Ends of Faith and Righteousness Nothing impracticable can be supposed to be prescrib'd by God to any People nothing which is above their Abilities and present Attainments and therefore would be of no use and benefit to them But rather the Divine Goodness would condescend to their Infirmities and comply with them in giving them such Laws as may be agreeable and convenient for them in their present State and may fit them for an higher and more excellent Dispensation Whatsoever we may think of it now nothing at the time when the Law was given would have look'd like Religion that had
been without abundance of Rites and Ceremonies And herein the Wisdom of God appears that to such a People and in such an Age he gave a Law so admirably proper and well contriv'd to preserve the Life and Substance of Religion under the Veil of Ceremonies and to prepare them for the coming of his Son when it was to be of no longer continuance The Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ Joh. i. 17. that is the Grace of the Gospel and the Truth and Reality or Substance of those Things which were prefigured by the Law CHAP. XVI Of the Cessation of the Jewish Law OUR SAVIOUR was the GREAT PROPHET who was to come as Moses had foretold and who was expected at the time of His coming and it was likewise expected that that Prophet should work Miracles as Moses had done whom he was to be like and he was to be a Lawgiver as Moses had been The Jews had a general Expectation that the Messiah would manifest Himself by Miracles Joh. vii 31. Miracles had not been for a long time wrought in the Jewish Church but it was receiv'd as a known and undoubted Truth that they were to be reviv'd by Him The (x) Maiman More Nevoch Part 2. c. 36. Rabbins still teach that the Gift of Prophecy is to return at the coming of the Messiah according to God's express Promise And the Samaritans themselves had this Notion of the Messiah that he was to give full Instructions in all things relating to the Worship of God Joh. iv 25. And the Prophecies concerning the Birth and Life and Death of Christ in all things necessary to prove him the true Messiah were litterally fulfilled in our Saviour and those things which concern the Nature of His Kingdom have been explain'd by Him and his Apostles So that it being fully prov'd that Jesus is the Christ by the Accomplishment in Him of the Antient Prophecies concerning the Messiah we ought to rest satisfied in his Authority both for the Cessation of the Law of Moses and for any Explication which He and his Apostles have given us of it But this is not all we are able to prove against the Jews from the Books of the Old Testament that their Laws was to cease when the Messiah was come The Gospel is so far from containing any thing contrary to the Law that it is the Fulfilling and Accomplishment of it The Moral Precepts are improv'd and advanced and the Ceremonial and Ritual Part was not properly abrogated and abolish'd but it continued for as long time as it was design'd to do and then expir'd of it self it serv'd these Ends for which it was instituted and afterwards must of consequence cease The Ceremonial Worship therefore was permitted to the Jews who became Converts to the Christian Faith till the Destruction of their City and Temple and then it was no longer practicable but must of necessity cease and the Cessation of the Law of Moses when once it had its Period and Accomplishment was as much the Will of the Legislator at its first Institution as its former Obligation could be The Jewish Law being Figurative and Typical it follows that it was to cease of course when the Things prefigur'd and typified by it should be brought to pass that is when the Messiah should come For then the Types and Figures being fulfilled could be of no longer use nor the Law which enjoyn'd them of any longer continuance when once this Principal Reason of it ceased and all other ends design'd by it might be better attain'd without it by the Worship of God in Spirit and in Truth And this Law was so contriv'd as not only to expire upon the fulfilling of it by the Messiah but to become impracticable and impossible to be observ'd afterwards I shall therefore prove the Cessation of the Jewish Law I. Because the Messiah is come in whom it was fulfilled II. Because it was foretold by the Prophets that the Law should cease upon the coming of the Messiah III. Because after the coming of the Messiah it was to become impracticable and impossible to be observ'd 1. The Messiah is come in whom the Law is fulfilled As the coming of the Messiah was prefigur'd in the various Types and Ceremonies of the Law which were therefore to receive their Accomplishment in him so it is manifest that our Saviour is the Messiah since the Prophecies concerning the Messiah have been all fulfill'd in Him This has been already prov'd at large and the Prophecies of Zechariah and Malachy are so very plainly and undeniably fulfilled that (a) Munster de stessia some of the Jews to evade them have been forced to say that the Messiah was born before the Destruction of the second Temple tho' he doth not yet appear but that he was seen at Rome and has ever since lain conceal'd as Moses did in the House of Pharaoh and that the time will come when he shall require the Dismission of the Jews from the Pope as Moses demanded of Pharaoh the Dismission of the Children of Israel But they say that he defers the Manifestation of himself by reason of their Sins and upon this account have made many solemn Humiliations to implore his Help and hasten his coming particularly A. D. MDII. they appointed a Publick Humiliation for Young and Old Men Women and Children in all Parts of the World for nigh a whole Year together (b) Just Martyr Dialog Trypho did not deny that Christ was born and might be somewhere unknown but said that he could not know himself to be Christ nor work Miracles till Elias had anointed him and manifested him to the World (x) Muâ—ster ib. Others have said that there is to be a Third Temple and during the time of the last the Messiah will come only because Abraham call'd the Place where the Temple stood a Mountain Isaaâ— a Field and Jacob an House Some are of Opinion that their Sins hinder his coming some again think that they are neither sinful enough nor righteous enough For say they he must come in a Generation altogether sinful or altogether righteous The Prophecy of Daniel's Weeks is so punctually in all its Circumstances fulfilled that not only (f) Joseph Antiqu judiac lib. x. c. 12. Secundum Scriptum Judai apud Limborch Josephus and the modern Jews apply it to the Destruction of Jerusalem by Titus but (i) Lud. Viv. de ver Fid. lib. 3. some of the Jews when they could not deny the Computation to be true and to agree exactly with the time of our Saviour's Birth have even dared to say that Daniel himself was mistaken in the Account others have confest that all the Terms of Time assigned for the coming of the Messiah are past and that now their only hopes of deliverance and redemption are to be placed in their Repentance and others lay a Curse upon such as presume to fix any particular Time for the
the performing any good Action Every good Gift and every perfect Gift is from above Jam. i. 17. 3. We learn from hence that God can bring Good out of Evil and doth often over-rule even the worst Actions to the accomplishment of the best Ends and putteth no Trust in his Saints Job xv 15. There is a Remarkable Instance to this purpose in the Case of Jacob and Esau when Jacob came by fraud and subtilty and depriv'd his Brother of the Blessing (p) Casaub in Athenae Lib. 1. c. 11. It was in Ancient times customary to offer that of which they were to eat in Sacrifice especially on so Solemn an Occasion as a Father's giving his final Blessing and as in this Case foretelling the Fate of his Posterity And therefore when Jacob had by subtilty got the Blessing of his Father Isaac could not recall it to conferr it upon Esau because what was done in so solemn a manner had a Religious Obligation amounting to that of an Oath and Oaths tho' obtain'd by fraud were Obligatory as we learn from the Case of the Gibeonites he had blessed Jacob before the Lord and the Prediction that the Elder should serve the Younger Gen. xxv 23. with Esau's despising and selling his Birth-right might now probably come into Isaac's Mind whereupon tho' he did not approve of the fraud by which the Blessing was obtain'd yet he knew it to be irrevocable and that the Divine Purpose and Prediction would be accomplish'd thereby and what he had by a Prophetick Spirit conferr'd it was not in his power to recall The Relation therefore of this Matter doth not justifie Jacob's behaviour in it but manifests the over-ruling Providence of God to make any Means whatsoever instrumental to his gracious Ends which can never be disappointed by any Actions of Men for if they depended upon humane Actions these would often fail them the best Men being subject to so much frailty and sin 4. Tho' God of his Mercy doth accept of the imperfect Services of the Righteous forgiving upon their habitual Repentance the Sins and Frailties which are mix'd with the best Actions and pardoning the worst Actions likewise after a particular Repentance and Amendment of Life yet these stand upon Record for the glory of God's grace in their Repentance and Forgiveness and for a memorial and warning to future Ages that Men may neither presume upon their own Righteousness nor despair of God's Mercy But because they are pardon'd they are not always censur'd And I think the ill Actions of Good Men are seldom or never mention'd with a mark of God's displeasure unless the Series of the History require it and then the reproof is mention'd which pass'd at the time of the Commission of them as in the Case of David of Hezekiah and St. Peter But where no such Censure was pass'd at the time of the Action the Action it self is barely related and nothing further said of it because the Crime being forgiven God forbears to shew any further displeasure against it such is his Mercy to Repenting Sinners And there could be no necessity as I have observ'd for any Censure upon the account of others who may know by the plain Rule of God's word what Actions are sinful tho' they are not always styl'd so in relating the Commission of them CHAP. XVIII Of the Imprecations in the Psalms and other Books of the Old Testament ONE of the greatest Excellencies of the Christian Religion is the Universal Charity which it enjoyns and we shall find that Charity was likewise the Doctrine of the Old Testament and that there is nothing in the Book of Psalms or any other part of the Old Testament contrary to this Doctrine which will appear if we consider the peculiar Reasons for those expressions which may seem to imply any thing contrary to it I. Many of those Expressions are used in reference to the Nations upon whom after signal Acts of Mercy and Forbearance on his part and repeated provocations on theirs God had commanded the Israelites to execute his Judgments and the Sins of the People of Israel were the cause that this was not accomplish'd and therefore it was lawfull for them to pray that they might have grace to repent and that their Sins might be no hindrance to them in the fulfilling his will but that God would enable them to execute vengeance upon the Heathen Ps cxlix 7. And it was lawful likewise to pray against all the other Enemies of God that he would abase their Pride and make them to know themselves to be but Men Ps ix 20. lxxiv. 22 23. cxxxix 21 22. II. David being King had the Sword of Justice committed to him he was the Minister of God a revenger to execute wrath upon him that did evil and therefore when his Rebellious Subjects were too strong for him as in the Rebellion of Absalom he might make his Appeal to God and beseech him to take the matter into his own hand If he might punish his Subjects he might pray to God that he would enable him to do it And in Foreign Wars if he might kill his Enemies he might pray for Victory and Success over them III. It is lawful to pray that publick and notorious Malefactors may be punish'd for it is lawful to discover them and bring them to punishment and it must needs be lawful to pray that that may be done which it is lawful for us to do It is lawful to seek redress of private Injuries and therefore it is lawful to pray that they may be redress'd for we may pray for success upon any honest undertaking If this be done out of a love to Justice and a necessary care of our own preservation not out of malice and a thirst after Revenge but with the most favourable construction that the worst Actions are capable of and with hearty Prayers to God for his Blessing upon the Offender in giving him the grace of Repentance and granting him whatsoever happiness in this World may be consistent with the honour of God and Justice towards other Men and the Salvation of his own Soul IV. God was the peculiar Law-giver and Political Governour of the Jews and Temporal Rewards and Punishments were the Sanction of the Laws which he had given them For the Mosaical Law is called the ministration of Death and the Ministration of Condemnation 2 Cor. iii. 7 9. because the promises of the Law as such belong'd only to this Life and a Curse was denounc'd against every one that continu'd not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them Gal. iii. 10 11. God had expresly threatned to inflict Punishment in this Life for the transgression of those Laws and therefore to pray to God that his Judgments might overtake Evil doers was no more than it is in other Governments to prosecute Offenders before the Magistrate they appealed to God to put his Laws in force against them and not to
astray thou shalt surely bring it back to him again If thou see the Ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burthen and wouldest forbear to help him thou shalt surely help with him And in divers other places of the Old Testament Charity towards Enemies is highly recommended and earnestly inculcated Job xxxi 29. Prov. xx 22. xxiv 29. Malach. ii 10. Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self we read Lev. xix 18. but thou shalt hate thine Enemy is no where to be found in the Old Testament and therefore Matt. v. 43. it is to be taken as a false gloss of the Interpreters of the Law which our Saviour rejects unless it be to be meant as Grotius understands it of that enmity which the Jews were to shew in all acts of Hostility towards the seven Nations of Canaan and the Amalekites Exod. xvii 16. xxxiv 11. Deut. vii 1. xxv 19. yet these very Nations were not utterly excluded from becoming Proselites and to me it seems very remarkable that tho' the Children of Israel had receiv'd such hard and cruel usage in Aegypt which is so often mention'd in the Law of Moses they were nevertheless by the same Law commanded not to abhor an Aegyptian but to admit the Children of Aegyptian Parents into the Congregation of the Lord in the third Generation Thou shalt not abhor an Aegyptian because thou wast a Stranger in his Land Deut. xxiii 7. Thou shalt not abhor him that is thou shalt not revenge upon him the injuries done thee but shalt relieve him in time of distress which (q) Lightf Hebr. Talmud Exercit. on Matt. vi 2. Charity the Jews ever held themselves oblig'd to extend to the Gentiles and there is reason to suspect that they have been wrong'd in the reports of their uncharitableness to all of other Nations but any thing is easily believ'd of a hated and despised People And I am not to vindicate their Practice but their Law (r) Philo Jud. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo Judoeus has an excellent Treatise in which he discourseth at large upon this Subject and shews to how great Humanity and Charity the Jews were oblig'd by the Law of Moses CHAP. XIX Of the Texts of the Old Testament cited in the New THO' the Apostles having prov'd their Divine Commission by so many and so undeniable Miracles had an infallible Authority to interpret and apply the Texts of the Old Testament in confirmation of the Gospel yet it is not to be doubted but that the Citations which seem to have most difficulty in them are such as that the Jews of that time against whom they were urged could not but acknowledge that the Apostles gave the true Exposition of them tho' they deny'd that they were truly apply'd to our Saviour and his Gospel For unless the Apostles had either made out their Citations from the Old Testament by Maximes and Principles then known and receiv'd among the Jews or had alledg'd them in such a sense as was then generally acknowledg'd it had been to no purpose to alledge them at all against them It is known likewise and observable upon this occasion that after the Captivity in Babylon tho' the Bible was read in the Synagogues in the Original Hebrew yet it was also Interpreted into the vulgar Language and the Interpreter did not always Translate the Text verbatim but often gave the sense of it in different words and with some latitude to render it the more intelligible This way of Interpretation was at length improv'd into a Chaldee Paraphrase containing with the Text a short explication of it according to the sense of the most Learned among the Jews tho' there must be supposed to have been many Notions current among them which would not be brought within the compass of that Exposition The Writers therefore of the New Testament might sometimes give such an Interpretation of the Texts of the Old Testament as was as well or better known among them for whom they wrote than the Greek or Hebrew Text was or they might take upon themselves the liberty of Interpreters the better to explain the Texts alledged and enforce their Arguments Thus for instance St. Stephen Acts vii would never have produc'd any thing out of the Old Testament before the Sanhedrim nor would St. Luke have Recorded it soon after if it had been capable of any disproof or confutation whatever difficulties at this distance of time there may appear to us to be in it And so in all other Cases we may depend upon it that the Apostles and other Disciples who had such demonstrative Evidence for the conviction of Unbelievers by a constant power of Miracles would never make use of any Arguments to the Jews from the Old Testament but such as they well knew their Adversaries could never be able to disprove or deny For there were then certain Methods of Interpretation as we learn from (s) Joseph Bell. Jadaic lib. iii. c. 14. Josephus which are now lost and they disputed from acknowledg'd Maxims and Rules the only difference and matter of dispute was in the application of them to their particular case however our ignorance of things then generally known may now make it difficult to reconcile some Texts of the New Testament with those of the Old from whence they were cited F. Simon (t) Sim. Crit. Hist of the N. T. Part I. C. xxi in his Critical History has a remarkable Passage upon this Subject The Book says he where the most of that sort of Citations are found is the Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews where we find nothing else but passages of the Old Testament explain'd in a manner that is altogether Allegorical and foreign to the Letter which has also given an occasion to some Writers to suspect that St. Paul was not the Author But it seems on the contrary that if we reflect upon the Pharisees Method in their expounding Scripture it cannot be attributed to any other than to that holy Apostle who having studied in Jerusalem under the Doctor Gamaliel did penetrate into all the most refined points of their secret and mystical Interpretations of the Bible And indeed after I had recommended the reading of this Epistle to a Jew who was well read in his own ancient Authors he having perused it freely declar'd that it must needs have been written by some great (u) A Man of Tradition Mekubal of his own Nation And he was so far from telling me that St. Paul had wrested the true sense of Scripture with his Allegories at pleasure that he extolled his profound Skill in the sublime sense of the Bible and always return'd to his great Mekubal of whom he never spake but with admiration Hoc in omnibus scripturis sanctis observandum est Apostolos Apostolicos viros in ponendis Testimoniis de veteri Testamento non verba considerare sed sensum nec eadem Sermonum culcare vestigia dummodò à senteniis non
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 Constantine was wont to compose his Orations and Epistles in Latin and they were Translated into Greek by some whom be employ'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 translating 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 Translations 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 something real to give a Pretence and Countenance 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 Promulgation 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 acquaints us (h) Tertull. adv Judoees c. 7. that it was soon propagated beyond the Bounds of the Roman Empire 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) Euseb Hist l. 3. c. 1. l. 5. c. 10. to the Indians by St. Thomas to the Parthians and to the Scythians by St. Andrew In St. Augustine's time (k) St. Aug. de Vtilit Credendi c. 7. 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 immediate Disciples and Followers had carried the glad Tidings of the Gospel farther than either Ambition or Avarice it self till of late years had made any Discovery which Tertullian likewise sufficiently intimates The Cross was found to be in use among the Chineses by those who first went from Europe (l) Trigaut de Christ Expedit apud Sinus l. 1. c. 11. Alvar. Semedo Hist of China part 1. c. 31. 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. Thomas preach'd the Gospel in China and founded many Churches there The Passages which prove this may be seen in Trigautius and Semedo translated out of those Books Nicolas de Conti (m) Purch part 1. l. 4. c. 16. 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) Le Compte's Memoirs p. 348. Semedo ib. 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 Christian Faith the substance of the Inscription may be seen in Le Compte's Memoirs and the whole is translated by Semedo Hornius (o) Horn. de Orig. American l. 4 c. 15. 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) Hierom. Oâ—r de Rebus Eman Lusitan Regis l. 2. that the Brachmans believed a Trinity in the Divine Nature and a God Incarnate to procure the Salvation of Mankind and that the Church of St. Thomas was esteemed most Holy among the Saracens and other Nations for the report of Miracles wrought there The Gentiles of Indostan (q) Continuat of the History of M. Bernier Tom. 4. retain some Notion of the Trinity and of the Incarnation of the Second Person though corrupted with fabulous Stories The People of Ceylon (r) Capt. Knox his Hist of Ceylon part 3. c. 5. do firmly believe the Resurrection of the Body The Indians in America (s) Jos Acost Hist l. 5. c. 28. worshipped a God who they said was One in Three and Three in One. They Baptized (t) Pet. Mart. Decad 4. c. 8. Decad. 8. c. 9. their Children and used the Cross in Baptism having a great veneration for the Cross and thinking it a preservative against Evil Spirits they believed the (u) Lerii Navigat in Bras c. 16. Resurrection of the Body they had Monasteries Nunneries Confessors and Sacraments And the Mexicans (x) Acost l. 5. c. 14 23 24 25. 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) Lerius Navigat ibid. 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 excellent 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
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 Knowledge of things in every Family and therefore they were not so capable of being imposed 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 emulation and watchfulness over one another and where no such Remembrances and Notices of the Transactions of Affairs are to be consulted 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 Genealogies we preserved not only during the Captivity 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 Promise and might find the Names of his Ancestors 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 divided But it is certain Men are more careful 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 others who therefore would have found themselves 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 frontlets 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 familiar 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 constantly in their mouths and thousands have died in defence of them and could by no Menaces 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) Grot. ad Matth. xv 2. is of this opinion However the Scripture informs 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 is indeed the common opinion That there were no Synagogues before the Captivity But then by Synagogues must be understood 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 Jerusalem 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 â—ead in their Synagogues in every City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 delivered 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
he had of those who were Eye-witnesses 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 besides these he was seen after his Resurrection 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 Testament 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-witnesses III. The Apostles were Men of integrity and without any Artifice or Design truly 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 writings 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 employment 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 themselves to the hatred and contempt of all their nearest Friends and Relations whose love and esteem both by nature and education they must be enclined most to desire 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 unexpected 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 before his conversion and was employed by them in persecuting the Church and as often as he appeared before them they had nothing to accuse him of but his profession of a Religion which obliges all Men to the strictest 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 believe 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 torment 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 under 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 Accomplishments such as Sergius Paulus Governour of Cyprus Dionysius the Areopagite 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 became early Converts to the Christian Religion II. There are peculiar marks of sincerity in all the writings of the Apostles and Evangelists They were not ambitious of being known to the world by their writings but wrote only as they were (a) Euseb Eccle. hist lib. iii. 23. by necessity drawn to it for the further propagation 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 themselves St. Matthew had spent the former part of his Life in no very creditable employment but among Publicans and Sinners as he says himself for he leaves recorded to all Posterity the censure of his own Life saying that he sat at the receit of custom Matt. ix 9 10. and stiling himself Matthew the Publican Mat. x. 3. Eusebius observes that none of the other Evangelists have mentioned a thing so reproachful of him as his having been a Publican but St.
became so much admired and magnified by the people that they brought forth the sick into the Streets and laid them on Beds and Couches that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might over-shadow some of them There came also a multitude out of the Cities round about unto Jerusalem 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 Miracles 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 publickly wrought And yet it must be much more impossible if any thing more impossible can be supposed to deceive those upon whom their Miracles had the effect of restoring 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 Apostles they only disputed the Power by which they were wrought they never questioned the reality of the Miracles themselves The Books of the New Testament 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 neither the Jews nor the Heathens could deny but that such works had been done they only 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 Miracles 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 magnified God Act. x. 44 46. And so at Ephesus 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 laying on of the hands of the Apostles that Simon Magus offered them Money to purchase it Acts viii 18. Now as the Apostles 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 conveyed 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 Language but some present would have discovered them if they had not been able to speak it But they would least of all have pretended to enable others in an instant 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 succeed 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 Miraculous Power it self They must work Miracles 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 continued 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) Minut. Faelix Lactant. lib. ii c. 15. c. 21. Several of the Primitive Writers witness 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) Apolog c. 23. and Tertullian made publick challenges to the Heathens that if they would but admit them this Tryal the Christians would undertake to make their most famous Deities acknowledge the Power of Christ and to make their very Gods confess themselves 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 dedicated 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 upon the approach of our Saviours Birth into 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) Cicer. de Divinat Plutarch de Oracul Defecta they have left written 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 Apostate Emperor in hatred and despight to the Christian Religion became a great Patron 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) Ammian
of Nature or that their superstition had made it customary to register all the Eclipses which happened The dumbness of Zacharias till the Circumciston 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 perceived at his coming out that he had seen a Vision and all things relating to that History were noised abroad through all the hill country 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 another 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 salsehood 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 circumstances 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 introduce it The Triumphant shouts and Hosanna's of the multitude at Christ's entrance into Jerusalem whereby all the City was moved Matt. xxi 10 11. immediately before the Passover when there was the greatest concourse 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 Money 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 people 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 Earthquake 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 solemn time within the memory of thousands yet living who are able to contradict them from their own certain knowledge If a man should pretend that but a few years ago in the chief City of any Kingdom 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 Afternoon could he hope to gain any credit or belief to any Doctrine he had to propagate 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 effectual 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 vindication 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 attested the truths contained in the Evangelists many persons of Authority and Note among the Jews are mentioned who would have found themselves concerned to disprove 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 Disciple of Jesus but sâ—retly for fear of the Jews John xix 38. Herod and Pontius Pilate 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 History required would be concerned themselves or their Friends and Relations for them after their decease to expose any falshood 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 Languages 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 before the Council at Jerusalem their Preachings and Miracles in the most publick places 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 Gamaliel Dionysius the
Areopagite Sergius Paulus 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 pretended without being discovered by those who always had so many Adversaries The Miraculous power bestowed upon the Apostles was chiefly employed in curing Diseases and for the health and preservation 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 matter 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 Authority 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 persecuting 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 other Books of Holy Scripture have the same proof from the observations already mentioned concerning the names and characters of persons and other circumstances And they were always read in the Assemblies 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 himself and by Clemens Romanus Ignatius Polycarp c. and they have been acknowledged 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) Apud Cyril lib. x. the Apostate It is enough in this place to observe that excepting some very few Books of which an account shall elsewhere be given the Books of the Scriptures of the New Testament 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 received and so fully attested by Christians that the Jews and Heathens themselves never denied them to be genuine nor ever pretended the principal matters of Fact to be false or doubtful Euseb lib. iii. c. 29. Many of the Eye-witnesses to the Miracles of our Saviour 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) Id. lib. v. c. 20. Iraenaeus in his Epistle to Florinus a Marcionite declared that he remembred 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 Scriptures 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) Euseb Hist lib. iv c. 3. vid. Irenae lib. ii c. 56 57. Qudaratus Bishop of Athens in his Apology 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 Aristides presented an Apology to the same Emperor Justin Martyr wrote two Apologies the first dedicated to Antoninus Pius and his two Sons and the Roman Senate the latter to M. Antoninus and the Senate (h) Euseb lib. iv c. 26. Melito Bishop of Sardis and Apollinaris Bishop of Hierapolis likewise wrote a Vindication of the Christian Religion to M. Antoninus Athenagoras offered his Apology to M. Aurelius and Commodus (i) Euseb lib. v. c. 17. Meltiades to Commodus or to the Deputies of the Provinces (k) Hier. Catai Euseb lib. v. c. 21. Apollonius a Roman Senator made a publick defence of the Christian Religion in the Senate of Rome and Tertullian presented his Apology 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 delivered 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 disproving it if it had been false (l) Euseb lib. ix c. 5. 10. 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 published in all places and ordered to be taught Children 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 waâ— so well attested and so fully published amongst all sorts of men that it was impossible to extirpate the belief of it And this Emperor himself as I before shewed was by miraculous Diseases inflicted on him forced to retract by a publick Edict his practices against Christianity and to acknowledge that his sins and blasphemies against Christ were the just cause of his Punishment CHAP. XVIII Of the Doctrines contained in the Holy Scriptures THE Scriptures must be acknowledged by all considerate men to contain excellent Rules and Precepts for the Government 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
Parodox that they are still for maintaining it I confess it agrees admirably with a Tradition of the Arcadians that their Ancestors were before the Moon and if any Man should pretend that this might very well be true according to the Cartesian Hypothesis by attempting to prove that Arcadia might be inhabited before the Moon of a Luminous became an Opake Body in so curious an Age he must have ill Luck if he should want his Applauders If some Object that the Originals of the Books of Scripture in the Hand-Writing of the several Authors are not still remaining doth this deserve to be answered till they can produce the Original Writings of all other Books Or at least of all or any that are as Antient as even the last written of the Books of the New Testament Would they have an Office erected to prove the Titles to all Estates by Original Deeds and upon what Period of time will they fix for the Date of them which will admit of any Comparison with the Date of the Manuscript Copies now extant of the Scriptures Some have alleged that the Sea through which the Israelites passed is not Red But they may be pleased to know that Religion is nothing concerned in what has been written on both sides upon this subject for it is not called the Red Sea in the Hebrew but the Sea of Weeds with which it abounds It has the denomination of the Red Sea from the Greeks however it came by it for the Criticks are not agreed about it and is best known by that Name which is therefore made use of by the Septuagint and in our own and other Translations which herein follow St. Luke and the Apostle to the Hebrews Men must call things by known Names if they will be understood whatever gave the first occasion to those Names As to many Objections let Men but do Moses the same Right which they would do Thucydides or Tacitus and we need desire no more tho' they should not allow for the great distance of Time between them Indeed they might live in the same Age for all that many of these Objectors know and be next Neighbours I have known divers Objections made which the looking only into the Bible would answer and many proceed from the want of being Conversant in it Some have supposed that they had great matter of Objection from Christ's Cursing the Fig-tree and causing it to wither away But never so little Reflection might serve any one to take notice how merciful a thing it was in the Son of God and how suitable to the Gospel which he Preach'd for him to shew his Power of punishing upon a Tree rather then upon a Man it was then and is at any time as easy for him to punish his Revilers as it was to Curse this Tree or as it can be for them to Revile him tho' they be never so ready at it But to manifest himself to be the Saviour not the Destroyer of mankind He Cured all manner of Diseases and raised the Dead but never took away the Life of any Man nor inflicted any Disease he spared his worst Enemies the Scribes and Pharisees and Punished their Hypocrisie in the Emblem only of a Fig-tree flourishing in Leaves before the Time and Season of Figs and thereby promising very much an Early Fruit but having none it made a show of Figs out of Season but had nothing to answer so fair an Appearance Other Objections which may seem more considerable have been confuted even to a Demonstration Cavils which have been raised concerning the (x) Tacquet Geometr Pract. lib. 3. c. 20. â—robl 2. quantity of Matter which will be required to Compose the Bodies of all Men at the Resurrection and concerning the (y) Sir Sam Morland's Vrim of Conse p. 95. Bottomless Pit have been demonstrated to be frivolous That the (z) Buteo de â—rea Noe. Kircher de Arc. Noâ— Sir W. Raleigh Hist lib. 1. c. 7. S. 9. Bishop Wilkin 's Real Character Part 2. c. 5. Capacity of the Ark was sufficient to contain Noah and his Family with the Beasts and Food for them and that the (a) Petav. Doctr. Temp. lib. 9. c. 14. Encrease of Mankind might extend to so great Numbers in no longer a Compass of Years than the Scriptures in any Instance Assign are things which have been often proved beyond any possibility of a Confutation and whatever force there may seem to be in Objections of this Nature they are to be reckoned among the Vulgar Errors and in that Number Sir Thomas Brown has placed some of them for Learned Men have been long ago ashamed to make them and this one would think should cause others to be more Modest and Cautious in their Objections against the Scriptures when such as have the Appearance of the greatest strength in them being once brought under strict Examination prove to be evidently false And if they find they have been mistaken and are willing to be undeceived this will go so far towards their Conviction that I cannot but hope that the Consideration here proposed may be of some weight with them Thus far methinks at least I may hope to prevail upon those who will not be convinced of the Truth of the Christian Religion that they will no longer imagine it Safe or Prudent to speak lightly and profanely of it Religion is too serious a thing and of too great Concernment to Mankind to be exposed to the Scorn of every one that thinks he can make a Jest And that which is too hard for their Reason will be in little danger of their Raillery but will rather receive an additional Confirmation from it The best and most sacred things are always most Capable of Dishonour and Affronts for to Affront and Abuse any Person or Thing is to endeavour to make it appear bad and it is the security of some things and some Men that they cannot be represented worse than they are It is in any ones Power to Affront the greatest Prince and a Man of the most eminent Vertue may be be most easily abused but no Treason can be spoke against a Beggar and it is the hardest matter to find out how to disgrace him of whom nothing can be said worse than he deserves It is a kind of Testimony given to Religion and an acknowledgment paid to Vertue when Men so industriously labour to villify it For how can that be disparaged which is of no Worth or Excellency Or why should Men endeavour to bring that into discredit which hath not at present a confessed Reputation Whether this be a deserved Reputation or no they may question if they think fit but then let them make it a serious question and not to be decided by the loudest noise But here is the mischief they have no Patience to attend to the Force of an Argument or to go on with a dispute but a Cavil is soon started and Objections are more easily raised than answered
Hereticks viz. the Marcionists and Valentinians and perhaps the Disciples of Lucanus or Lucianus for in this he could not be positive tho this Lucanus was a follower of Marcion IX There are still extant Copies of great Antiquity The Cambridge Copy in Greek and Latin containing the four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles and that which is supposed to be the second part of it containing St Paul's Epistles in the French Kings Library and another the like Copy which is in the Library of th Benedictines of St Germains * F. Simon Crâ—t Hist of the N. Test Part 1. c. 31. Mabil de Re Diplom lib. 5. Tabell 1. are concluded to be a thousand years old at least Morinus thought them to be ancienter than St Jerom's time The Alexandrian Copy is believed to have been written by Thecla above one thousand three hundred years ago Morinus †Epist 54. inter Antiquâ— Eccl. Orient acknowledgeth it to be of above twelve hundred years date Bishop * Prolegom ix 34. Walton supposes the Alexandrian MS. to be at least as old as that in the Vatican which is allowed to be twelve hundred years old There is †F. Sim. Crit. Hist of the N. T. part 2. c. 4. one Syriack MS. of the Gospels in the Library of the Duke of Florence of above a thousand years Antiquity and another not much less ancient A * Gruter Inscript p. 146. Gothick Translation of the Four Evangelists in the Abbey of Werdin is likewise of above a thousand years Antiquity And what ancient Books are there of which the Originals are still extant or of which there are so ancient Copies as of the Scriptures X. Sufficient reasons may be given to shew how it came to pass that the Authority of some Books was at first doubted of 1. The Epistle to the Hebrews had no name prefixt either because the Jews were prejudiced against St Paul or because the Gentiles were his more peculiar care or for some other reason unknown and in this it differs from the rest of St Paul's Epistles and the †Hieroâ— Catal. i Petr. Paul style is different which occasioned the first doubts about it as it happend likewise to St Peter's second Epistle upon the account of its style and then the Novatians alledging some Texts in the Epistle to the Hebrews in favour of their opinion this made the Orthodox the less inclined to receive a Book which before had been disputed and therefore tho it was received in the East it was questioned at Rome where Novatian begun his Schisms The second Epistle of St Peter might be scrupled on the same account and both that and the Revelation of St John being alledged for the Millennium by such as undestood it in a gross sense this caused the Authority of those Books to be called in question which is said * Euseb Hist lib. vi c. 25. expresly of the Revelation 2. Some Epistles were written to particular persons or directed to such as lived at a great distance and by reason of Persecutions arising the Authentick Epistles might not readily be produced 3. Some Books were not usually read in the Churches as the rest were All the Books of Scripture except the Revelation of St John are inserted in the Catalogue of the Council of Laodicea and this was omitted because by reason of the abstruse Mysteries contained in it it was not publickly read in Churches for that Catalogue was designed to shew what Books ought to be read in the publick Assemblies But the Revelation was long before acknowledged to be genuine by †Justin Mart. Dialog Tertull. de Resur c. 27 38. Adv. Marcion lib. ii c. 5. iii. c. 14. Euseb Hist lib. iv c. 18. v. c. 8. Hierom. Catal. in Johannum Justin Martyr by Irenaeus and by Tertullian and others both Justin Martyr and Irenaeas wrote a comment upon the Revelation of St John The Epistle to the Hebrews the Epistle of St James and the the second Epistle of St Peter are cited by Clemens Romanus in his first Epistle which was itself wont to be read in Churches 4. The Hereticks would use all their endeavours and subtilty to hinder the reception of those Books by which their Heresies were disproved and they might so far have effect as to make some doubt for a while of their Authority For instance Diotrephes an ambitious aspiring man who prated against St John with malicious words and had so much power as to cast the Brethren out of the Church would forbid the receiving of St John's Epistles as well as the receiving the Brethren of that Apostles Communion and that he did this St John himself intimates when he says I wrote unto the Church but Diotrephes who loveth to have the Pre-eminence among them receiveth us not Joh. Epist iii. 9. that is he received not St John's Epistle for that would have been to receive him as an Apostle or to acknowledge his Authority XI Tho the Authority of some Books hath been questioned by private men yet those Books were never rejected by any Council of the Church tho frequent Councils were called in the first Ages of Christianity and had this very thing under consideration * Tertull. de Pudicit c. 10. Tertullian after he had turned Montanist rejecting the authority of Hermas's Pastor as not being received into the Canon of Scripture says that it was reckoned amongst the Apocryphal Books by all the Councils of his Adversaries the Orthodox From whence it is evident that in Tertullian's time divers Councils had past their Censure upon the Apocryphal Books and that the Canon of Scripture had been fixt long before So that the time in which some of these Councils were held must probably be whilst St Polycarp a Disciple of St John was yet living whose Martyrdom by the earliest computation was not till A. D. cxlvii at least they must be held in Irenaeus life time who conversed with St Polycarp and lived at the same time with Tertullian Thus was the Canon of Scripture vouched by those who had received it from St John and Councils upon occasion were called which †Tertull. de Jejun c. 13. Tertullian elsewhere mentions as very numerous and frequent in Greece to give testimony to the Genuine Canon and censure Apocryphal Books It is manifest that the Canon of Scripture was settled before the Council of Laodicea which in the lixth Canon appoints that no Books * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conc. Laod can lix which are extra Canonem but only Canonical Books should be read in the Christian Assemblies and then subjoyns the Titles of the Canonical Books which Title they had as Zonaras and Balsamon observe because they were inserted into the Apostles Canons and all others were styl'd uncanonical And it is concluded after the strictest examination by the best Criticks that those which go under the Name of the Apostles Canons are the Canons of Councils assembled before the Council
Prophesies of him than in his Person Again Obscurity was necessary because some events could never have been brought to pass if they had been expressly and in plain terms foretold unless God would have forced men to the Accomplishment of his Predictions which must have taken away the Liberty of Human Actions For men would scarce have ventured upon such Actions as they knew before-hand must end in Affliction and great Calamity and perhaps in the ruin of themselves or of their Families or Nation and yet it may be necessary that these things should come to pass for the wise ends of Providence and for the Good and Salvation of Mankind Few would have shewn that Courage and Resolution which St Peter and St Paul did in preaching the Gospel if they had been told so long before as St Peter was that it must end in Martyrdom or if the Holy Ghost had witnessed in every City concerning them as he did of St Paul saying in express terms that bonds and afflictions did abide him most other men would have been moved tho he was not by any of these things Acts xx 23. For we find that the Disciples upon this account were earnest with him not to go up to Jerusalem So difficult is it for the best men in the best cause to resolve to meet certain and apparent Dangers The nature therefore of some things requires that they should not be more particularly described in the Prophesies concerning them For either they must have been obscurely spoken of or else they could not have been prophesied of at all because if they had been clearly foretold they could never have come to pass which implies a contradiction for it is impossible that what God declares by his Prophets should not be fulfilled If all that was to befal the Church of Christ had been set down with the circumstances of time and place and persons by St John in the Revelation so as to prevent the objections of those who except against the obscurity of that Book this certainly would have proved a great discouragement to many Christians in the performance of their Duty and must have hindred the bringing to pass the events unless God should have over-ruled the minds of men and forced them upon acting which had been to deprive them of their Freedom of Will 4. If Prophecies had punctually foretold the things to be fulfilled in all their Circumstances men would have purposely contrived to frame their actions in such a manner as to appear to fulfill many of them and whenever they had been fulfilled it might have been supposed to have been by design and contrivance Which would have been only to act a part or live by a rule and pattern described and set before them but when the obscurity is such that they become fulfilled without any Intention or Knowledge of the Person employed in fulfilling them this manifests the wisdom and providence of God If Prophecies had been less obscure men would have been the more prone to venture upon the commission of sin in order to fulfil them We find by experience how apt all Enthusiasts and such as perswade themselves that they have a clear and perfect knowledge of the obscurest Prophecies are to think any thing lawful to be done which may bring about those events that they fancy to be the Accomplishment of them And if the events of all Prophesies had been concealed under no obscurity of words and circumstances but had been obvious and visible to every Reader the number of such undertakers would have been much greater for it is a hard matter to make men distinguish between the accomplishment of Prophecies and the sin which is often committed in the accomplishment of them but when they can serve their Interest by it they are willing to believe the worst actions lawful which may fulfil a Prophecy and the clearer Prophesies had been the more occasion and pretence had been given to such dilusions to which none are now subject but such as think them clear and perswade themselves or would perswade others that they throughly understand them 5. Another reason is that sometimes a Prophecy may be delivered obscurely in mercy to the Instruments who are to bring about the event foretold by it For God foreseeing that some men notwithstanding the clearest Revelations would persist in their wickedness and become instrumental in accomplishing the prediction may in mercy to them forbear to discover the particulars of the event lest thiâ— should add to their guilt and prove a greaâ— aggrâ—vation both of their â—rime and punishmenâ— Our Saviour tho he knew from the beginning who it was that should betray him yet concealed it till his last Supper and then discovered it to Judas in the mildest manner to move him to Repentance if he had not hardned himself against it not to make him desperate upon the discovery of so wicked a design Again other Prophesies may be hid in obscurity for a judgment upon those who are obstinate and will not make a due use of the means afforded them of Salvation but harden their hearts and resolve to continue impenitent against all the methods which God has been pleased to use to reclaim them For of such our Saviour gives this reason why he spoke to them in Parables that seeing they might see and not perceive and hearing they might hear and not understand lest at any time they should be converted and their sins should be forgiven them Markiv 12. For when God has both by Miracles and other Prophesies unquestionably clear and plain admonish'd and forewarn'd 'em of the folly and danger of their ways and they will take no notice of it but reject his Revelations and just affront his mercy it is very for him to deny them that further Declaration and Manifestation of his Will and Power which might effectually produce a true Faith in 'em and bring 'em to Repentance especially when the obscurity of Prophesies may be conducing to the methods of his Providence and to his gracious designs of mercy towards other men who have not stood out in so bold a defiance of his other Declarations of himself God endureth with much long-suffering thevessels of wrath fitted for destruction he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth and therefore the obscurity of Prophesies may be in mercy to some to prevent the aggravation of their sins and for a judgment upon others to harden them 6. It is the Glory of God to conceal a thing but the honour of Kings is to search out a matter Prov. xxv 2. The obscurity of Prophecies may be designed to abate the confidence and confound the pride of some and to provoke the diligence and industry of others For as some men care to be at no pains to attain the most useful and necessary knowledge so others despise all that is obvious and have no satisfaction in the knowledge of such things as are easily known by others as