The Church but with more living seed did fill And thus the more was scatterd more did spring If other Rites into the Scales we bring The Greeks and other Heathens us'd the most Of their admir'd Philosophers to boast Bate Socrates Gymnosophists a few Scarce others dying for their way can shew And who that thinks can well deny of these That in their Death 's the hope of praise did please They thought it glor'ous to survive in Fame And have Posterity their Deaths proclaim While many suff'ring for the Christi'an Name Were Men in Fortunes and Ambition low That such Men were their Neighbours scarce did know Women and tender Virgins gentle Youths With their last Blood bore witness to these Truths Who can believe of these a vain desire Or hope of lasting Fame to this should fire Besides our Martyrologies contain But a small part of those who thus were slain And rarely can the Jews a Martyr boast Beyond Antiochus his time at most Since Christ's Religion is for this the best Is it not to be chose before the rest When the vast Multitudes we duly weigh Who did their Lives for this Religion pay Each Sex each sort of Men in ev'ry Age We needs must think some pow'rful cause t' engage And what to so great constancy could move But Truth and th' holy Spirit from above If by the Arguments already brought In some Conviction is not wholly wrought Let them consider Proofs in sev'ral ways As is the nature of the thing one weighs One sort does with the Mathematicks suit Another when in Physicks we dispute One when for Action we would Counsel take Diff'rent when Fact does th' only question make And this is always yeilded by the Wise When no exception ' gainst the Witness lies And if we will not this for Proof admit We all the use of History must quit The most approved Med'cines we must loose That Piety too which does its self diffuse Where ever Parents are and Children known For want of Evidence must needs be gone It is the pleasure of the Pow'r most high The things wherein he 'd have our Faith to lie That our Obedience it's Reward may gain Should not appear so evidently plain As things which Sense or Demonstrati'on shew Yet as much Light should carry as is due For raising a most firm belief in those Who will not pertinaci'ously oppose Hence we the Gospel as a Touch-stone find To try and prove which is the upright Mind For since so many good so many wise Embrac'd so highly penal Verities It shews that other's Incredulitie Never from a defect of Proofs can be But that they would not have that pass for true Which their Affecti'ons did so much eschew That it was hard with a regardless Eye To suffer all that glitters here to lie Which needs must be if they for truth would hold All that has been concerning Jesus told And therefore would obey the Rules he gave An Evidence for this herein we have These many Histories for true receive Which they on bare Authority believe Of which no Foot-steps at this day are known As for the History of Christ are shown This in the Jews Confessi'ons we many trace And the Assemblies which these Truths embrace Of which some cause we cannot but assign Nor can't be any thing below divine No humane force could it so long maintain And such remote and spreading Conquests gain This could proceed from Miracles alone But if we are resolv'd them to disown That without them it should such force acquire Is what we ought much rather to admire LIB III. I. For the Authority of the Books of the New Covenant HE whom these Arguments or others move As true and best Christianity t' approve Would he the knowledg of it's Precepts gain Must search those sacred Scriptures which obtain The name of Testament or Cov'nant new Where we the whole of this Relig'ion view For this we should not scruple to receive What Christi'ans always hold that they believe To Men of ev'ry Sect we Credit pay As to the Books they shew us of their way And thus the Alcoran is justly thought To shew what Doctrines Mahomet has taught Since then the Truth of Christ's Religion 's known And that lies in the Books the Christi'ans own If any a more special Proof require We them t' admit this equal Rule desire That they who any Writing will oppose With which for sev'ral Ages Men did close Are bound those Arguments first to maintain Which may impeach the Credit that did gain Till which of full Authority it must remain The Books in which no Christians disagree II. That the Books which have any Authors Names to them were writ by them whose Names are prefixt To which some certain Names affixt we see To have been wrote by those whose Names they bear The Writers of succeeding times declare Thus Justin Irenaeus Clement shew With other Men of Ages that ensue That all the sacred Books were titled true Add farther as Tertullian does declare Some of th'Orig'inals in his time were fair And ev'ry Christian Church the same did own Ev'n before Councils to unite them known Nor did the Jews or Pagans ever doubt But they were theirs whose Names they bear about Julian confest in terms by no means dark That Peter Paul with Matthew Luke and Mark Were Authors of those Books which bear their Names Thus he but his own want of Wit proclaims Who doubts of what both Greeks and Romans thought T' have been by Homer or grave Virgil wrote More on that Evidence should we rely Which almost ev'ry Nation does supply III. The doubt remov'd from Books anciently doubted of Yet does the Volume now in use contain Books which at first did not like Credit gain Thus 't was with one which we St. Peter's call The same did those of James and Jude befal And thus with two which the like late consent From John the Elder sty'd supposes sent Th' Apocalyps as doubtful has been thought And the Epistle to the Hebrews wrote Howe'r that many Churches them receiv'd And sacred their Authority believ'd Appears in that Christi'ans who first did write Them as of such Authority do cite Which may in reason well be thought to shew Of some nothing at first some Churches knew Howe're the Truth being set in a clear light They did with others in their use unite Nor was there any cause in these to cheat For without them the System were compleat The self-same Doctrine they do but repeat IV. The Authority of such Books as have no Title prov'd from the quality of the Writers Nor should th'Epistle to the Hebrews wrote Or two reputed Johns be spurious thought Or the Apocalyps of doubtful Fame 'Twixt John th'Apostle and one of his Name The quality of Books is most esteem'd Some Histories have been authentick deem'd Whose Authors never did themselves declare Thus the Account o' th' Alexandrian War Does with a gen'ral Reputati'on pass
heal'd Or that like things at diff'rent times abound Or Names ambiguous do the Mind confound Or had one Man or Place Names more than one And such-like circumstances now unknown But this them from imputed fraud may free Who lie by compact will in all agree If some slight disagreement still appear Which will no Reconciliati'on bear We ought not therefore all these Books suspect Unless we will all History reject For we as much may of that kind perceive In those which we without dispute receive Polybi'us and Herodotus to name Livy and Plutarch Authors of great fame How much more equal is it not to doubt When it appears the Writers were devout And thought it criminal things false to tell We by extrinsick Proofs might such refel XIV Answer to an Objection taken from outward Testimonies where 't is shewn that they make more for these Books But I affirm none such are to be found Unless our doubts on later times we ground Where Enemies the Christi'an Name would wound We cannot such for Witnesses receive Nay foreign Proofs confirm what we believe That Jesus suffer'd Jews and Heathens taught And that he and his Follow'rs Wonders wrought Some forty years from Christ Josephus wrote Who does in Terms the most perspic'ous own What was by Herod Pilate Festus done Foelix John Baptist and Gamali'el names And how Jerusalem expir'd in Flames The Talmudists the same fully relate Tacitus tells th' effects of Nero's hate When he against Christi'anity did rage And several Books were extant in that Age Such was old Phlegon's we before did name And publick Records menti'oning the same To which the Christi'ans commonly appeal'd Nor was the Star pointing at Christ conceal'd They name the Earth-quake and Eclipse o'th'Sun Against the Course in which Nature had run When yet the Moon at Full felt not the loss About the time when Christ was on the Cross No other difficulty I can name XV. Answer to an Objection about the Scriptures having been changed But that the Writings are not still the same To fate of other Writings we must own To have betided these may here be shown The Copier's Neglect or faulty Will If not his want of necessary Skill In Letters Syllables or Words might wrong By change omission some of them too long But these things should no Controversy raise Being but incident to length of days But that by fraud or any other ways In Doctrinals all Copies vicious were Or where they memorable Facts declare Don't or by Books or Witness of those times appear What ever of that kind is offer'd since Must pass for Railing not for Evidence This may be thought enough to silence those Who for Mutations holy Writ oppose On whom it lies not to object but prove Since they 'd a settled Reputati'on move But we their vain pretence may soon detect Who what ne'er was nor can be here object Before we prov'd to any equal Mind The Books were their's whose Names affixt we find It follows then there was no change of Books And if to every part of them one looks No change of part materi'al can be found Some end who made the Change must needs propound That where the Change was made should differ more From those remaining what they were before Than here the sharpest search could e're explore Nay as before was in this Tract observ'd A wonderful Consent's throughout preserv'd Besides when any of th'Apostles wrote Or Men who Apostolical were thought Sincere Professors of the Christi'an Name As their concern for Truth it well became Must needs have us'd all diligence to gain The valu'd Transcripts of what they maintain Through Europe Asia Aegypt these diffus'd For the Greek Tongue among all these was us'd Could not but spread as far as Christ was known Consider farther as before was shown That some Originals were seen to last Until the second Century was past A Book of which so many Copies were Preserv'd not only by a private care But by whole Churches which did Christ obey No Man to have been counterfeit can say Add that 't is evident the sacred Text Was read in sev'ral Tongues i'th'Ages next The Syriac Aethiopic Arabic And Latin too agreeing with the Greek In all those weighty things of which we speak Farther their Writings to our hands are brought Whom the Apostles or their Follow'rs taught Who many Passages from them do quote Agreeing with that Sense which now we note Nor in the Church was any Man possest Of such Authority above the rest That they 'd comply if he a Change had prest This Irenaeus and Tertullian shew The Cyprian too who without fear withdrew From those who then were most reputed sage And if we come to the succeeding Age We find Men of best judgments greatest parts Wh'had run their Stages thro' the lib'ral Arts After the utmost search these to receive And of Orig'nal Purity believe In proof of this divided parties joyn All who believe the World a work divine And Christ the Founder of a sacred Law Each against changing would the other awe Nor yet did any Sect that licence take That to have chang'd them for their side would make Which hence is seen that when e're they dispute Each would from thence his Opposite confute What 's urg'd of Providence concern'd for all To every part of these alike will fall Nor ought it of our God to be believ'd That he would suffer Men to be deceiv'd In what 's of greatest moment to the Mind Who had his Honour above all design'd And next the way to Happiness would find For many thousands such as these to run Into those Errors which they could not shun This may be thought sufficient to maintain What the New Testament does there contain And there at large is our Religion seen Yet since th' Almighty's Pleasure it has been XVI For the Authority of the Books of the Old Covenant The Truths the Jews believ'd should now appear Which no small Light to our Religion bear 'T is not amiss to shew their Credit here What prov'd those other Books were titled right Will serve for these where any shall deny 't The Authors of those Books the Jews receiv'd Were Prophets or most fit to be believ'd Such Esdras was thought to have joyn'd in one Those scatter'd Books which went before alone When at that time some Prophets were alive Who would against an Impositi'on strive Such Haggai Malachi Zach'ry were known To pass what was in praise of Moses shown Pagans confirm not only what he wrote But what of later times the Jews were taught So the Phoenician Annalists proclaim David and Solomon so great in Fame And they their Treaties with the Tyri'ans Name Nebuchadonozor with others joyn'd Who Caldees rul'd we in Berosus find Aegyptian Vaphres Jeremy does name And Aphri'es in Her'odotus are the same Of Cyrus and who follow'd in his charge Until Darius Graeci'ans speake at large And in those Books Josephus did endite When Appian to
prevail The Pow'r of Daemons totally did fail That Christ in Aegypt Magick-Arts did learn To have less shew of Truth we may discern Than the like Accusation Pagans raise To blemish Moses his less setled Praise As is in Pliny and Apuleius seen But that in Aegypt Christ had ever been Does only from his Follow'rs Books appear Who that he went an Infant thence declare Moses and other Jews expresly own That he resided there to Manhood grown But then the Laws Moses and Christ promulg'd Should stop the progress of this Charge divulg'd Since both of them against such Arts inveigh As hateful to that Pow'r all should obey But that in Aegypt such had ever Birth While Christ or his Disciples blest the Earth Or any other place who can believe To do what we as done by Christ receive The Dumb to speak the Lame to walk the Blind All of a sudden long-wisht Light to find The Emperors Tyberius Nero more Who spar'd ho Costs th' utmost of this t'explore Had th' Art thus far arriv'd had known 't before And if the Talmud we admit as true The Jewish Such'drim th' Art of Magick knew The better to convict the Guilty here And since to Christ they th' highest hate did bear Envy'ing that Pow'r his Miracles declare They would the like by the like Art have done Or shew'd them thence by Proofs which none can shun Some Jews ascribe the Miracles Christ did IV. Or by the force of Words and Sylables Unto a Secret by King Sol'mon hid Which for above a thousand Years had slept By two fierce Lions in the Temple kept That this was read by Christ a Fiction bold Since of those wondrous Lions nothing's told In any Book of the Old Testament Or by Josephus or the Romans sent Along with Pompey to the Temple's spoil But if the Jews confess the Fact the while V. It is shewn that Jesus his Miracles were divine because he taught the Worship of one God the maker of the Word It follows from their own Mosaick Law That none should from blest Jesus Faith withdraw Moses in (a) Deut. c. 18. Deuto'my expresly says God after him would other Prophets raise And that the People should obey them shews Denouncing Penalties if they refuse Of these are Miracles the certain sign Nor can we more illustrious ones divine If one a (b) Deut. 13.1 2 3. Prophet shall himself declare And make by Miracles his Title fair He bids them not to listen to his Speech If he to worship other Gods should teach For God will (c) Vers 3. such among his People bear To try if to his Worship they 'l adhere Hence their Interpreters rightly collect That as true Prophets they should all respect Who don 't the Worship of that God divide Who does unequall'd over all preside It being enjoyn'd that in this case alone They should not trust the greatest Wonders shown No Worship to false Gods Christ taught to pay Nay shew'd it penal unto such to pray Moses and foll'wing Prophets he requir'd To be receiv'd as Men of God inspir'd Against his Miracles then nothing lies That he and Moses differ can't suffice VI. Answer to the Objection taken from the difference between the Law of Moses and of Jesus where is shewn that a more perfect Law than that of Moses might be given For this their Rabbies as a Rule maintain That he who does a Pow'r for Wonders gain And proves himself a real Prophet thence With any sacred Precept may dispence Except the worshipping the Pow'r Supream 'T is clear as if 't were wrote with a Sun-beam What Legislative Pow'r with God did rest When unto Moses he his Will exprest In times succeeding he the same must have Who in his proper Right Laws ever gave Is not thereby hindred from making those Which do directly former Laws oppose To urge that God's immutable is weak Not of his Nature but his Works we speak The Light for Darkness Youth for Age does change Summer for Winter works with God not strange Adam (d) Gen. 2.17 had leave only one Tree deny'd To feast himself with ev'ry Fruit beside The killing Men in general God forbad Abram (e) Gen. 22.2 to slay his Son his Precept had Off'ring elsewhere than at th' appointed place Now he refus'd now (f) 1 Kings 18.38 blest of his free Grace Moses his Law besides tho good we own Dos't follow that a better can't be known With Children childish Talk the Parents use Nor to connive at faults of th' Age refuse But when adult they will correct the Speech And Precepts of the strictest Vertue teach How great the beauty of an honest Mind And what Rewards it shall hereafter find But that the Law did of (g) Heb. 8.7 Perfection miss This to be thought a Proof suffici'ent is That in those times some holy Men out-do Whatever by the Law they 're prompted to Moses Revenge does partly lawful make Partly the strictest Justice bids them take Yet (h) Nub. 12. v. 13. 14.2.10 19. being wrong'd in the most high degree Him praying for those Murmurers we see So his (i) 2 Sam. 18.5 Rebelli'ous Son David would spare And (k) 2 Sam. 16.17 11. bitterest Curses did with Patience bear We read not that good Men their Wives did quit Altho their Law did plainly this permit Laws are adapted for the major part Some things were to be past by there with Art To a more perfect Rule then to be squar'd When Men God's Spir'it in larger measure shar'd By which out of all Nati'ons God would draw A People subject to a purer Law Moses propounded plainly no Reward Beyond what does this mortal State regard Who then can question but there might have been A Law more perfect than what that is seen Which might eternal Bliss clearly propound And this is in Christ's Instituti'on found Here by the way we this Remark may chuse VIII That Moses his Law was observ'd by Jesus while he was on Earth nor were any Commandments after abolish'd but what had no intrinsick Goodness in them With what Injustice the coaeval Jews Christ tho obedient to their Law did use He had been (l) Luke 2.21 circumcis'd like them did eat His (m) Mar. 9.20 Habit too was Jewish as his Meat He to their Priest sent (n) Mat. 8.4 Mark 1.44 Luke 5.14 Lepers which he cleans'd Nor with one of their (o) Luke 2.41 John 2.13.23 John 7.8 Festivals dispens'd The Paschal and the rest observ'd with Zeal When he did any on the (p) Mat. 12.5 Sabbath heal Shew'd that their Law and Commentators too Allow'd Men on that day such works to do Some of their Laws then (q) Acts 10. Colos 2.14 first declar'd repeal'd After his Triumph over Death raveal'd He being into th' inmost Heavens receiv'd The (r) Acts 2.33 36. Apoc. 1.5 James 1.25 Holy Sp'rit adorn'd those that believ'd And thus he his full
Qualities of things new and strange But it must evidently be beyond all humane Power to know future things in their remote Causes the Causes themselves not existing till many Ages after nay where the Causes act arbitrarily and consequently the Effects are wholly contingent Whether the Instruments of conveying to Mankind the notices of such things were actuated by good or bad Spirits is not of any Consequence here since if they were bad it shews the influence of a superiour Being which makes the very Devils subservient to that Power which was to destroy their Kingdom And it cannot but be look'd upon as a great Mercy and Providence of God that he not only left witness of himself among the Jews Acts 14.15 in those Prophecies which sufficiently pointed out the Time Place Person and Character of the Messiah But that the Gentiles might have no pretence that these were Juggles and a meer Conspiracy against their ancient and establish'd Rites he so ordered it That the Roman Capitol should become a Sanctuary and Depository of these Divine Truths That there the Sibylline Writings which describe that pacific Prince who was to be born of a Virgin so clearly that thence is now taken the main Objection against their Authority should be preserved with that care which might prevent all manner of scruples with unbias'd minds against those mighty Testimonies to Christianity To those therefore the Primitive Fathers (a) Justin dedicates his Apology to Antoninus Pias who began his Reign A. Christi 139. the Apology supposed to be wrote about the year 150. vide Euseb Hist lib. 4. c. 12. Cluv. Epit Hist p. 281. Tallents Tables Justin Martyr (b) Clement finisht his Books under Severus who died A. C. 212. vid. Euseb l. 6. c. 5. Cluv. p. 294. Clement of Alexandria (c) Tertul. cotemporary with Clement Vid. Cluv. p. 294 Tertullian and Origen even the last of which was born within the second Certury appeal'd in their Disputes with the Heathens or Apologies for themselves (d) v. Origen lib. 7. pag. 369 edit Cant. Celsus his Objection That the Christians had inserted many and blasphemous things into the Sibyls Books is so far from an Objection that ought to weigh with us that it is a Confirmation of our Faith and that those Writings contained such things of one to be born into the World as the Heathens accounted it Blasphemy to ascribe to any but their Gods or the great Jove or Jehova Origen's Challenge for Celsus to shew what the Christians had inserted not being answered were of it self a sufficient disproof of this Calumny but 't is strange it should be taken up by Christians now especially by the Learned (e) v. Vossius de Sibyllinis Oraculis Isaac Vossius who in the main defends the Sibylline Writings for what ever may have been added through the officious or mistaken Zeal of any Christians since 't is highly improbable that it should have been so in Celsus his time or as long as the Capitol stood to which the Heathens would certainly have resorted to falsifie the Quotations made by the Christians if they had not been exactly true Not can it be imagin'd how the Christians should at any time after the birth of our Saviour till the (b) Vid. Twisden's Disquis touching the Sibyls p. 178. burning of the Capitol which was about the Year of Christ 395 be able to thrust in any spurious Copies among those which were received by the Heathens For before our Saviour's birth (c) Vid. Sucton in vitá Augusti Augustus had made a Collection of those Books of the Sibyls which upon examination were found authentick these were laid up in two gilded Hutches under the foot of a Pillar in the Temple of Palatine Apollo where they were preserved as the most (d) Dionys Halicarn lib. 4. Rom. Antiq. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Vopisci Aureliano juxta annum Christi 271. Vid. Formam Senatus consulti de inspiciendis fatalibus libris Cicero de Div. Non enim sicebat ullum Carmen Populo enuntiare nisi id Senatus decrevisset sacred Possession which they had And whereas at first two and after that ten were appointed the Keepers and Priests of those scatter'd Oracles which they had formerly gathered together fifteen had the Charge of this new Collection and in all Emergencies of State or portentous Accidents these Quindecemvirs consulted the fatal Books as they call'd them by the Decree of the Senate and without such Decree these Officers were not to acquaint the People with any Verse there Nay there was great care taken that they might not be cheated with new or false Copies when in Tiberius his time Corn. Tacitus in vitâ Tiberii lib. 6. p. 150 160. Ed. Plantini Caninius Gallus one of the Quindecemvirs press'd for a Decree of the Senate for having a Book then found treasured among the other Writings of the Sibyls whether there was but one or more Tacitus who relates it would not determine Tiberius tells him by Letter that he was ignorant what was the ancient Custom upon such a discovery which was to have every Verse read and weighed in full Senate before it was received and then the matter was to be left to the Priests that they might use all possible humane means for discerning the true from false That the Christians therefore could not cheat them in this matter and would have been disproved by authority of the Senate if they made any false Quotations cannot be doubted The only Question remaining is How the Christians could come by any of these Writings which were kept with so much caution that none were admitted to them but the immediate Officers intrusted with them nor could they publish them without a Decree from the Senate And further yet as it is in Tiberius his Letter mentioned by Tacitus Augustus made a Law Tacitus lib. 6. p. 160. Sanxisse Augustum quod infra diem ad Pretorem Urbanum deferrentur neque habere privatim liceret That whenever any Copy of such Writings should occur it should within a day be carried to the Pretor or Mayor of the City and that no private Person should retain any by him Notwithstanding all which it is easily supposable that the Christians and others might have made large Collections of those Predictions which were there treasured up And Augustus his Decree seems to concern only what look'd like Originals or were Copies from other parts of which they had nothing in the Capitol But in Tully's time the Sibylline Writings were in all peoples hands and some seem to have made a trade of (e) Cic. Divinatione lib. 1. f. 261. Ed. per de Planches Quinc Cicero speaking of the Erithraean Sibyl Cujus generis oracula etiam habenda sunt non quae aequatis sortibus ducuntur sed quae instinctu divino afflatuque fundutur Vid. Van. Dale p. 335. Sibyllarum sortes darae fere ubique occurrunt telling Fortunes by