will but consider these following Particulars 1. Miracles are works done which are strange and amazing to us as being brought to pass out of the ordinary road and in a manner which we cannot comprehend and these are of two sorts 1. Such as exceed only the Power of Man to effect them and these we call signs or wonders And 2. Such as exceed the Power of any created Being whatsoever and these only are properly Miracles 2. Where-ever such Miracles are wrought as are of this last sort God alone must be the Author of them and therefore where-ever such are found they manifestly prove the Power of God co-operating with the Persons at whose word they are done and with whomsoever it doth thus cooperate it necessarily demonstrates their Mission from him and puts such an Authentick Seal to the Truth of the Doctrines which they teach as cannot be denied 3. Where-ever a creating Power is necessary to the effect produced or the stated Laws of Nature are altered there it is certain none but God himself can be the Author of the Work done For he alone is able to create and he having created all things according to his infinite Wisdom and given to each their proper Essence and Operations he allows none but himself to alter the Natures of them or change that Course which he hath put them into 4. But within the Laws and Powers of Nature there are abundance of things which exceed the Power of Man to effect and therefore seem as Miracles to us which may be produced by other created Beings and these are evil spirits as well as good 5. To the producing of these effects evil spirits as well as good are enabled two manner of Ways 1. By their greater Knowledge of the Powers of Nature And 2. By the greater Agency which they have to apply them to effect For 6. There are a multitude of things in Nature that those Spirits know the Nature of which we do not For their Abilities of knowing are vastly above ours as not working by the dull Tools of Earth and Clay as we do and their Experience exceedingly greater as having known the Works of God from the beginning and by long Observation pried deep into the Secrets of them If a Chymist or a Mathematician by his Skill in the Powers of Nature can do many things which to the ignorant and unlearned shall seem as Miracles as we often find how much more can those knowing Spirits do so whose Knowledge of the Powers of Nature is vastly more above all ours put together than the highest and perfectest of ours is above that of the most ignorant that lives among us But 7. As those Spirits have a vastly greater Knowledge of the Powers of Nature than we can have so also have they a vastly greater Power to apply them to effect For they are of a much greater agility in their motion of a much finer substance to penetrate into things and actuate them into operation and also of a much stronger agency or power to work than we have and which no doubt they are endowed more or less with according to the different orders and degrees in which God hath created them and by both these together that is their greater Knowledge of natural Causes and their greater Power to apply them to effect can they do a great many things within Nature's limits which exceed all the Powers of Men to effect and seem as miraculous and wonderfull unto us when ever brought to pass 8. Good Spirits never work those Miracles but in subserviency to the divine Will as they are necessary for the effecting of those things which God hath ordained by their Ministry to bring to pass And to them those Miracles mentioned in Scripture which exceed not the Power of such created Beings may be referred as the immediate Authors of them it not being likely that God would interpose his immediate Power excepting only in such cases as where there was need of it For why should the Lord himself put his hand to that work which may as well be discharged by the Ministry of his Servants 9. Evil Spirits having in a great measure the same Knowledge of Natural Causes as the good and the like Power to bring them to effect can also work the like wonders and by God are often permitted so to do both for the trial of Men and also for other good Causes which to him of his infinite Wisdom seem fitting and we have a plain instance of it in the Case of Job 10. Evil Spirits have not only this Power of working the like Wonders which Good Spirits do but also another which Good Spirits will never make use of that is by juggle delusion and deceit to imitate those true and proper Miracles which none but God himself can really effect And thus by the delusion of the Devil was a cheat put upon Saul in the raising of Samuel to him from the dead For really to raise Samuel from the dead none but God could and therefore that appearance which Saul saw was no more than a false appearance contrived by the Devil to put a cheat and delusion upon him And of this same sort may we reckon the Miracles which Jannes and Jambres wrought in imitation of Moses For to turn a Rod into a Serpent and Water into Blood or to cause Frogs to come up upon the Land in which three Particulars they did the same thing by their inchantments that Moses did by the hand of God are Works which if really done require the creating Power to bring them to effect which none but God hath and therefore in this case the Devil acted for them not by his effecting but only by his deluding Power And such Miracles the Scripture calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Lying or false Miracles which are not really wrought but only made so to appear by the juggle and delusion of Satan 11. Those cheats and delusions of the Devil whereby he imitates the true and real Miracles of God which he cannot work are only in transient Effects like those of Jugglers upon a Stage never in such as are lasting and permanent And where the Effect is totally transient God's Works are often so far above the Devil's Imitation that even in these there will be still a multitude of Particulars wherein he can have no power as much as by juggle or delusion to do any thing like unto them 12. Whatsoever signs or wonders are wrought by Magicians or false Prophets must be referred to one of these two Heads that is that they are either the Devil's Works or the Devil's Delusions and the Scriptures which tell us of Magicians and false Prophets working such signs and wonders do in many places referr them hereto 13. Those signs or wonders which are really wrought by the Devil and his Evil Spirits are to be distinguished from those which are wrought by the Power of Angels or Good Spirits by these following Marks 1. That Angels
a false Religion for the promoting of their own interest as that interest must have appear'd in the contexture of the Religion it self and in those Books in which it is written so also must their wickedness For Words and Writings being the outward expressions of our inward conceptions there is that connection between them that although the former may often disguise the latter they can never so totally conceal them but every accurate observer may still be able through the one to penetrate into the other and by what a man utters whether in speech or writing see what he is at the bottom do what he can to prevent it There are indeed some that can act the Hypocrite so cunningly as to dissemble the greatest wickedness under words writings and actions too that speak the quite contrary But this always is such a force upon their inclinations and so violent a bar upon their inward passions and desires that nature will frequently break through in spight of all art and even speak out the truth amidst the highest pretences to the contrary And there is no Hypocrite how cunningly soever he may act his part but must this way very often betray himself For wickedness being always uppermost in such a Man's thoughts and ever pressing forward to break forth into expression it will frequently have its vent in what that Man speaks and in what he writes do what he can to the contrary the care caution and cunning of no Man in this case being sufficient totally to prevent it Furthermore there is no Man thus wicked that can have that knowledge of Righteousness as thoroughly to act it under the Mask with that exactness as he who is truly righteous lives and speaks it in reality His want of experience in the practice must in this case lead him into a great many mistakes and blunders in the imitation And this is a thing which generally happens to all that act a part but never more than in matters of Religion in which are many Particulars so peculiar to the Righteous as none are able to reach them but those only who are really such And supposing there were any that could yet there will ever be that difference between what is natural and what is artificial and between that which is true real and sincere and that which is false counterfeit and hypocritical that nothing is more easie than for any one that will attend it to discern the one from the other And therefore were Jesus Christ and his Apostles such persons as this charge of Imposture must suppose them to be it 's impossible but that the Doctrines which they taught and the Books which they wrote must make the discovery and the New Testament would as a standing Record against them in this case afford a multitude of instances to convict them hereof That the Alcoran doth so as to Mahomet nothing is more evident a strain of Rapine Bloodshed and Lust running thorough the whole Book which plainly proves the Author of it to be altogether such a Man as the charge of Imposture must necessarily suppose him to be And were the first Founder of our holy Religion or the Writers of those Books in which its Doctrines are contained such Men as he both their Doctrines and their Books would as evidently prove it against them But here I must again challenge you and all other the Adversaries of our holy Religion to shew us any one particular in it that can give the least foundation to such a charge any one word in all the Books of the New Testament that can afford the least umbrage or pretence thereto Let what is written in them be tried by that which is the Touchstone of all Religions I mean that Religion of Nature and Reason which God hath written in the hearts of every one of us from the first Creation and if it varies from it in any one particular if it prescribes any one thing which may in the minutest circumstance thereof be contrary to its Righteousness I will then acknowledge this to be an argument against us strong enough to overthrow the whole Cause and make all things else that can be said for it totally ineffectual to its support But it is so far from having any such flaw therein that it is the perfectest Law of Righteousness which was ever yet given unto Mankind and both in commanding of Good as well as in forbidding of Evil vastly exceeds all others that went before it and prescribes much more to our practice in both than the wisest and highest Moralist was ever able without it to reach in speculation For 1st As to the forbidding of Evil it is so far from indulging or in the least allowing us in any practice that savours hereof that it is the only Law which is so perfectly broad in the prohibition as adequately to reach whatsoever may be Evil in the practice and without any exception omission or defect absolutely fully and thoroughly forbids unto us whatsoever may have but the least taint of corruption therein and therefore it not only restrains all the Overt-acts of iniquity but also every imagination of the heart within which in the least tends thereto and in its Precepts prohibits us not only the doing or speaking of Evil but also the harbouring or receiving into our Minds the least thought or desire thereafter whereby it so effectually provides against all manner of iniquity that it plucks it up out of every one of us by the very roots and so makes the Man pure and clean and holy altogether without allowing the least savour of Evil to be remaining in him and every one of us would be thoroughly such could we be but as perfect in our Obedience to this Law as it is perfectly given unto us And 2dly As to the commanding of Good its prescriptions are That we imploy our Time our Powers and all other Talents intrusted with us to the best we are able both to give Glory unto God and also to show Charity unto Men and this last not only to our Friends Relations and Benefactors but in general to all Mankind even to our Enemies and those who despightfully use us and persecute us and hereby it advanceth us to that highth of perfection in all holiness and goodness as to render us like the Angels of Light in our Service unto God and like God himself in our Charity to Man For it directs us in the same manner as the Angels to worship and serve our God to the utmost ability of out nature and in the same manner as God to make our goodness to Men extend unto all without exception or reserve as far as they are capable of receiving it from us And can any Man think it possible that a Religion which so thoroughly and fully forbids all Evil and in so high and perfect a manner prescribes us all Good could ever be the product of a wicked mind The fruit is too good to proceed from so corrupt
I desire to know among what sort of Men you will place them while you thus plead their excuse For they must be one of these three that is either Atheists Deists or Believers of an instituted Religion 1. If you say they are Atheists that word alone contains enough to prove them perfectly wicked whatever can be said to the contrary It is indeed agreeable enough to the Principes of this sort of Men that such an Imposture as we are treating of may laudably be made use of to a good End For they hold that all Religion is nothing else but a device of Politicians to keep the World in awe But if the Atheist be the deviser what intention of Good can the device carry therewith None certainly towards God since he utterly denies his Being or can it in this case have any towards Men since by denying him for whose sake it is that we are to do good to others he casts off therewith all the reason and obligation which he hath abstractive of his own interest of doing any such at all All the good therefore that such an one can aim at must totally center in himself to advance his own enjoyments and gratifie his own lusts in all those things which his corrupt affections carry him after and to enjoy these without restraint of Laws or fear of punishment being that alone which is the real and true cause that makes any Man deny that supreme and infinitely good and just Being whom all things else prove whoever is an Atheist must be perfectly wicked before he can be such and what is there which can while in that impiety ever give him a better character afterwards 2. If you say they are Deists such as you profess your selves to be your main Principle is against all instituted Religion whatever as if God were dishonoured and Man injured by every thing of this nature practised among us and can you then think that any who are thus persuaded can without being first corrupted to a great degree of Impiety as well as Hypocrisie ever become themselves so contrary to their own Sentiments on any pretence whatsoever the Authors and Teachers of such a Religion among us 3. But if you place them among those who are Believers of an instituted Religion they must abolish that which they believe to be true before they can introduce that by Imposture which they know to be false And this must be the case of Jesus Christ and his Apostles if they were such Impostors as you hold them to be For they were educated and brought up in the Jewish Religion which they believed to be from God and the whole Tenour of the Religion which they taught supposeth it so to be and that it was the only true way whereby God was to be worshipped by them till they delivered their new Revelations which totally abolished this Religion and established the Christian in its stead and therefore if those Revelations were not true and real as they pretended they were but all forged and counterfeited by them as you say they must abolish a Religion which they believed to be true to make way for that which they knew to be false and thereby become wilfully and knowingly according to their own belief the Authors of leading Men from saving Truths into damning Errours to the utter destruction of their Souls for ever and also of depriving God of that acceptable Worship whereby he was truly honour'd according to his own appointment to introduce in its stead a false superstition of their own devising which must be constant dishonour unto him as long as practised among us And if Jesus Christ and his Apostles were such Impostors as all this imports and such they must be if they were Impostors at all they must be guilty of that impiety towards God as well as that injustice towards Men herein as must necessarily suppose them the wickedest of Men before they could arrive hereto and therefore if they were not such wicked Men this abundantly demonstrates they could not be such Impostors as you charge them to be As to the second Objection That a Man may be an Impostour through Enthusiasm and Mistake and falsely impose things for divine Revelations not out of a wicked design to deceive others but that he is herein really deceived himself and that therefore there is no necessity that all Impostors should be such wicked persons as I have alledged my Answer hereto is 1. I do acknowledge that Enthusiasm hath carried Men into very strange conceits and extravagancies upon the foundation of a Religion already established as we have instances enough hereof in the Anabaptists of Germany the Quakers here with us the Batenists among the Mahometans and in some of the Recluses of the Church of Rome But that Enthusiasm could ever go so far as to fansie a divine Revelation for the establishing of a new Religion and upon such a fansie propagate that Religion in the World as if it came from God is that which I cannot believe and there is no instance that I know of that can be given hereof But 2dly Allowing it possible this Objection then as applied to the case in hand must suppose Jesus Christ and his Apostles to have been deceived by Enthusiasm into the Religion which they taught and that therefore although they were by no means such wicked Men as a wilfull Imposture must suppose them to be yet still they might be Impostors by mistake and being by Enthusiasm so far deluded as to think that to come to them from God by divine Revelation which had no other birth but from their own wild fancies might preach it to Men as such not out of a wicked design to deceive but that they were really herein deceived themselves But is it possible for any Man to conceive that so grave so serious and so wisely a framed Religion as Christianity is could ever be the spawn of Enthusiasm Whatsoever is the product of that useth ever to be like the Parent wild and extravagant in all its parts often disagreeing with all manner of Reason and often as much with it self But Christianity is in all its parts as rational as it is good giving us the justest Notions of God the best Precepts of our duty towards Him and the exactest Rules of living honestly and righteously with each other and hath a thorough conformity to it self in every particular of it on which account it hath been approved and admired for the excellency of its composure and the wisdom of its constitutions even by the best and wisest of those who never submitted thereto and therefore always carries with it Marks and Evidences enough in the very Nature of it sufficiently to prove it vastly above the power of such a Cause ever to produce it 3. The Founder and first Teachers of Christianity gave such evidences for the truth thereof as Enthusiasm could never produce For can Enthusiasm raise the dead to life again cure all manner of
in the World and had it not gone so far it could not have been such an Imposture as you would have Christianity to be or at all fit to be compared with it in the Argument now before us And 2dly How foul soever the Picture of Mahomet may be we have no reason from the nature of the thing ever to imagine that any other Impostor can have a fairer till you bring us an instance thereof And these two I hope may be sufficient to clear me from acting any way unfairly in this matter as if I had made choice of the Life of so wicked a person as Mahomet therein to picture out an Imposture unto you only to make it appear in the foulest dress it is capable of the better to advantage thereby that Cause which I handle But to the first of these Answers I fore-see this Objection will be made If Mahomet be the only Impostor that ever established his Imposture in the World how then hath it come to pass that there have been so many false Religions among Mankind To which I reply Not by Imposture such as Mahomet's was and such as Christianity must be if it be such an Imposture as your charge against it supposeth but by corruptions insensibly growing on from that Religion which was first true The first Religion which God gave unto Man was that Natural Religion which he imprinted on his very Nature when he first created him and as much of that as escaped that ruin with which the fall overwhelm'd him was that whereby God was worshipped and served by him afterwards only with this addition That whereas Man in his innocency addressed himself to God immediately of himself alone and in his own Name he could never after his fall from it have any more access unto him but through a Mediator God's infinite purity and greatness on the one hand and Man's infinite guilt and vileness on the other after that fatal miscariage of our first parents did put them at so vast a distance the one from the other that in the nature of the thing there could be no other way thenceforth of maintaining any Communion between them and therefore had not this way been found out again to bring Man to God he must totally have been estranged from him for ever after But God of his infinite Mercy having resolved not thus to cast us off he appointed us a Mediator as soon as we had fallen and promised to send him in his appointed time to take our Nature upon him and therein pay down that price of redemption for us by virtue whereof his Mediation should always be sufficient to obtain mercy and pardon and acceptance for us And this is that which was meant by God s promising immediately after the Fall that the seed of the Woman should break the Serpent's head which being farther explained by After Revelations the whole Religion of God's people after that was to offer up their Worship unto him through hope in this Mediator and all the Idolatry Polytheism and other false Worships which after arose in the Heathen World were all by such corrupt deviations therefrom as the superstitions of Men the unfaithfull way of transmitting divine Revelations by tradition only and the decay of all divine Knowledge occasioned thereby in process of time introduced among them For when Mankind began to encrease after the Flood and they were taught from Noah their Forefather thus to worship God through hope in a Mediator as the knowledge of those divine Truths which he delivered to them began to decay and Superstition to encrease among them they began to determine themselves to such Mediators as their own imaginations led them to phancy and some chose Angels and others Men deceased for this office and in process of time erected Temples and Images unto them and honoured them with divine Worship in order to render them the more helpfull and beneficent unto them The Babylonians or Chaldeans who were the first formed State after the Flood looked on Angels to have been the Mediator's God had appointed through whom they were to come unto him and for this reason directed their Worship to the Sun and Moon and the rest of the Planets which they fansied to be the Habitations where those Angels dwelt and also erected Images unto them into which they reckoned their influence and divine power did descend remain with them when those Luminaries themselves were set and disappeared in their Horizon so that their notion was to make their addresses thro' the Images to the Planets and through the Planets to the Angels that dwelt in them and thro' the Angels to God himself whom they acknowledged to be the one supreme Being who was the Creator and Governour of all things And this was the first Idolatrous Religion which was established in the World and long prevailed over a great part of it and is still preserved in the East among the Sect of the Sabians even to this day But the Persians not liking the Worship of the Planets by Images would endure no other symbol to represent those glorious Luminaries by but fire only of which they reckoned them to be Constituted and therefore where-ever they prevailed they destroyed all Images out of the Temples and placed fire in their stead And from hence the Magi or the Worshippers of Fire had their Original But from their having one Symbol they speedily came to the asserting but of one Deity represented by it which they would have to be Light and that of the mixture of this and Darkness all things in this World were compounded that Light was the cause or principle of all Good and Darkness the cause or principle of all Evil and therefore under the Symbol of Fire they worshipped Light as their God but detested Darkness in the same manner as we do the Devil And from hence Manes the Heretick had his two Principles which he would have introduced into the Christian Religion But above both these they acknowledged a supreme God in respect of whom their God Light was but an inferior Deity or a God Mediator by whom they were to have access unto him And this Religion obtained through all Persia and other Parts on the East of it and doth there remain even unto this day among the Persees in India and the Inhabitants of the Province of Kerman on the Southern Coast of Persia But the Practice of the Babylonians or Chaldeans in worshipping their Gods Mediators by Images obtained in all the Western Parts of the World For they holding that they were to have access to God through Angels as their Mediators and to the Angels through the Planets and to the Planets through the Images which they erected to them did give to those Images the names of the Plaâ—ets and under those names paid divine Worship unto them which Idolatry passing from Babylon or Chaldea into Arabia and from thence to the Egyptians and Phoenicians was by them carried into Greece and from