prove the fulfilling of the Promise as I have said already but they deserve a Chapter by themselves CHAP. XIV Wherein are produc'd several Passages of Scripture which shew that the Sacred Writers of the New Testament have declared that they were inspir'd in their Writings 'T IS now time to pass to particular Proofs which are to be found scatter'd here and there in the Writings of the New Testament The Enemies of their Inspiration set a high Value upon the Objection which they fetch from hence that the Apostles never begin their Discourses as the Prophets do by saying The Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it and are so daring as to assert that the Sacred Writers of the New Testament never thought nor desired it should be thought that there Writings were inspir'd I must confess that the Apostles do not say in express Words The Mouth of the Lord hath thus spoken For in regard that the Prophets did not enjoy the Benefit of Inspiration but by Intervals there was some kind of necessity that those Holy Men should declare what things those were which they had learn'd by Revelation It was not the same thing with the Apostles in regard they were assur'd that the Holy Ghost assisted 'em always according to the Promise of Jesus Christ in Matters of Religion More especially it ought to be observed that it is not true that the Prophets always began their Prophetick Writings with these Words The Mouth of the Lord hath spoken Let 'em read the Five Books of Moses and they shall find several Proofs of what I affirm That Legislator without any more ado begins with these Words In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth Nor is the Book of Exodus signaliz'd with any other better Character of Inspiration Nevertheless 't is known that those Two Books are no less inspir'd than the Prophesies that command Attention with these Words at the Beginning The Mouth of the Lord has spoken Let 'em not therefore have a worse Opinion of the Writings of the New Testament under pretence that these Words are not there In the Old Testament that which was merely Historical was not introduc'd with this Preface The Mouth of the Lord has spoke This is usually reserv'd for parts that are purely Prophetick wherein the Spirit of God had a singular Concern Now I affirm that the New Testament in those parts that contain some Prophecies marks out their Original as distinctly as if the Apostles had said The Spirit of the Lord has spoke it As for the Historical Parts and such as undertake Argument 't is not to be thought strange if we do not there meet with the same Character That is common to both Testaments they never expresly attribute to God any more than his Oracles But that is no Obstruction but that what those Holy Men either wrote or thought under the Guidance of the Holy Ghost may not be in some measure inspir'd I shall discourse of that more distinctly in the Series of this Treatise I have said enough to shew that the Old Testament has no advantage over the New in respect of Inspiration and that they are in the wrong who deny this Truth under pretence that the Prophets say sometimes The Mouth of the Lord hath spoken but the Apostles never make use of that Expression As to what they add that the Apostles never pretended to Inspiration and that they have not mention'd any thing of it in their Writings it is easie to be discern'd that nothing stands upon a weaker Foundation than this Objection In short the Apostles let us know that they had receiv'd from Heaven what we call Prophetick Parts sometimes it was in Vision sometimes by the Suggestions of the Spirit As to other Parts besides that I have already observ'd that the Works which compose the New Testament are written by Authors which the Holy Ghost had invested with Endowments necessary to make that Book the Foundation of Truth I could wish that something of Attention might be given to some express Passages of the New Testament S. Paul assures the Corinthians that he had the Mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in another place after he had given his Judgment upon several Scruples that arose in point of Marriage he says that he speaks by permission not by command Chap. 7. and that he gives his Judgment as one that has obtain'd Mercy of the Lord to be faithful Is not this of as great Force as if he had said all these Instructions which I have given you were inspir'd into me by the Holy Ghost The Thing speaks it self S. Paul affirms that what he wrote to the Corinthians touching Marriage was the Work of the Holy Ghost For these Words Now I believe that I have the Spirit of God either signifie nothing where they are placed or else they signifie that what the holy S. Paul had wrote was by the Guidance of the Holy Spirit 'T is the general Intention of this Apostle that he should be look'd upon as a person in whom the Spirit of God resided to render him capable to instruct others The good thing that was committed unto thee 1 Tim. 1.14 2 Cor. 13.3 1 Thess 4.6 says he by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us since ye seek a Proof of Christ speaking in me He therefore that despiseth despiseth not man but God who hath also given unto us his Holy Spirit If any man thinketh himself to be a Prophet or Spiritual let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the Commandments of the Lord. All which Passages clearly shew what Opinion it was that S. Paul desired Men should have of his Writings S. Peter is no less positive This Second Epistle beloved I now write unto you That ye may be mindful of the Words which were spoken before by the Holy Prophets 2 Pet. 3.1 and of the Commandment of us the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour S. Peter in these Words designs two Things which are proper for our Subject 1. He parallels that Epistle with the Writings of the Prophets 2. He puts a great Value upon that Epistle because it was written by an Apostle of Jesus Christ Will any Man say that a person who thus expresses himself did believe that the Writings of the Apostles were not inspir'd In the same Chapter S. Peter gives an Authentick Testimony in favour of the Epistles of S. Paul Even as our beloved Brother Paul also according to the Wisdom given unto him 2 Pet. 3.15 16. has also written unto you as also in all his Epistles speaking in them of these Things in which are some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures These Words furnish us with two convincing Arguments in favour of the Inspiration of the Epistles of S. Paul 1. They were written according to the Wisdom which S. Paul had receiv'd
go about to inform my self of the real Design which the Author had in composing a Work so injurious to Scripture but I thought it necessary to prevent the evil Consequences of such a dangerous Book Monsieur Witsius of Holland and Mr. Lowth a Divine of Oxford Father Simon and Father Le Vassour have set forth Answers to it which I have read But in regard it was their only Design to trace their Adversary step by step and not to handle this matter throughly there is therefore still room left for a new management of it The English Divine indeed in my Opinion has gone somewhat farther than the rest but I shall take the liberty to say that he might have built the Inspiration of the Holy Writings upon better foundations that he has not so sufficiently explained the nature of it as he might have done and that he has ventur'd to advance some things which in my judgment need a great deal of softning I hope he will be pleas'd to pardon me the Expression without which I could not be able to justifie my Design of writing after him In his Preface he acknowledges that the matter is nice and new and after he has besought the Readers not to censure him as if he intended to betray the cause which he defends he invites them to uphold it themselves According to this Invitation I shall make some steps in order to it If my Example should excite some other more Learned Pen to write upon the same Subject the Publick will be oblig'd to me for it I shall be well satisfied with my weak endeavours provided they may give occasion to the publishing any Treatise that shall maintain the Inspiration of the Holy Writings as effectually as the truth of them hath been asserted It will be found that I have tied my self to consider only the Writings of the New Testament there was no medling with the Books of the Old Testament without cutting out too much work for my self in a time when the Public receives not well any but small Treatises especially in matter of Divinity Therefore that I might accommodate my self to the Palate of the Age I was enforc'd to shorten my Subject After I had taken this Resolution it was no difficult thing for me to chuse which of the two Parts of Scripture it behov'd me to handle So that I determind in favour of the New Testament as being that Part upon which there has least been said We have several Books in defence of the Inspiration of the Prophets and their Writings because they have been so often attacqu'd But the Writers of the New Testament having peaceably enjoy'd the Honour pay'd them by the uninterrupted belief of their Inspiration Authors have not made it so much their Business to examine the nature of it or if any Libertine has attempted to contest it with them they have altogether relied upon the belief which the Church has had of it from time to time Besides this I may say that by maintaining the New Testament I defend the Old The Apostles have given such honourable Testimonials of the Writings of the Prophets that no Man can better maintain their honour than by demonstrating that Men inspir'd by the Holy Ghost have given Testimony to them But the chief Reason which made me chuse to defend the Writings of the New Testament is this because it is properly the Book that makes us Christians It is our Duty indeed to read the Writings of the Prophets there are to be seen those Oracles the Accomplishment of which is of glorious Consequence to the Gospel there we are inform'd of a great number of Actions wherein God appears magnificent in his Works and thence may be drawn Instructions effectual for the Sanctification of the Heart all these things were written for our Instruction but still a Christian must chiefly repair to the Writings to the New Covenant there it is that he ought to be most intent and stedfast from thence it is that he is chiefly oblig'd to receive his Faith and his Instructions in order to put himself into a state of Salvation The New Testament is that Book which God deliver'd as a Legacy to Mankind in these later times 'T is our Duty to cherish as much as in us lies the Respect which is due to that Sacred Book and to prevent it from being reckoned in the Catalogue of Common Writings for fear the Religion which it teaches us should be look'd upon as a Piece of Human Invention THE HOLY SCRIPTURES Inspir'd c. CHAP. I. The State and Importance of the Question and Division of the Work IT being my design to treat of the Inspiration of the Sacred Books of the New Testament I cannot forbear exactly to set down the state of the Question Which being done it will be found that all my Arguments aim at the same Mark and that I have made it my business not to amuse my Reader with any unprofitable Digression In the first place then the Reader is to be admonish'd that the Dispute is not here which are Canonical Books and which Apocryphal We suppose that those with whom we Contend agree that there is no contradiction to be made against the Canonical Authority of the New Testament according as we enjoy it at this day but that those Sacred Books were actually written or dictated by the Authors whose Names are affixed to ' em 'T is agreed that these Holy Men both saw and heard the matters of Fact which they relate and which they have written with extraordinary Fidelity and Sincerity Which being granted the Work begun is already in so great a forwardness that there is no need at all of entring into the discussion of several Difficulties which concern the Question relating to the Apocryphal Books By this means also we are freed from the trouble of proving that the Sacred Books were written by Men who were Witnesses of all the matters of Fact which are contain'd in the History of Jesus Christ or who themselves wrought great Miracles by which it appear'd that their Mission was Celestial In a word we are agreed upon the truth of these Books so that nothing remains farther to be known but whither they are inspir'd The Verity and the Inspiration make two different Questions of which the first is decided the Sacred Books of the New Testament are stedfastly and undeniably true at least so far as concerns Essential Things The main dispute is whether they are inspir'd or no So that there are some who let 'em alone with the Honour of being true but ravish from them that of Inspiration 'T is against these Innovators that I undertake the defence of the New Testament of which I maintain'd alike and equally assert both the Inspiration and the Truth even to the meanest Circumstances I could wish with all my heart that I might be able to handle this Question without chusing any certain Adversary My aim was to examine this important Matter without having any
an assistance I cannot repose upon Commentators who setting aside the Succour of the Holy Ghost were less learned and of less Abilities than many Doctors at this day Moreover had the Apostles always distinguish'd what they knew by Revelation from what they spoke of their own Heads there would be less difficulty in the thing but they present us almost all the whole Bulk in a Mixture where it is a hard matter to discern what is Divine from what is not My Conscience cannot be satisfied with this Method I am always in doubt whether I ought to argue after the Apostles or whether I ought to appeal from their Decisions to my own Reason I can never be able to stop the Progress of Error if after I have found a Passage which utterly and clearly destroys it it shall be reply'd upon me this comes from the Apostle not from God and thus there will be never any thing of Certainty But most assuredly God has not made Choice of a Means that authorises our Doubts for a Rule of our Faith Of Necessity therefore all the Parts of Scripture must be divinely inspir'd to the end the Scripture may render the Man of God accomplish'd in all good Works CHAP. IX Wherein the Inspiration of the Sacred Books of the New Testament is demonstrated by the manner of their Composition It is a difficult Thing to conceive that the Sacred Books of the New Testament should be inspir'd by the Holy Ghost and yet that there should appear no Footsteps in it of that Inspiration and this is that which I design to examine I do not pretend by any means to prove that every Page or every Line of the Holy Scripture carries imprinted in it a sensible Character of the Splendor of the Holy Ghost that inspir'd it Take the best Book if you pull it to pieces you lessen the Value of it 'T is only esteemed for the happy Assemblage of Words and Things of which it is compos'd After you have destroy'd the Proportion and the Symmetry you will no longer find what caus'd it to be admir'd Let the whole Scripture be but duly consider'd and it will be found to be a Work worthy of Heaven There are some Peices of it without question which being considered apart cease not however to deserve our Admiration But there are others which being remov'd out of their proper place will appear very common Let us look upon the Scripture in that Point of Perfection as the Holy Ghost represents it to us and we must needs acknowledge it to be his Work It were to be wish'd some will say that the Holy Ghost had manifested himself more distinctly in the Writings of the New Testament How would ye that the Holy Ghost should not have spoken the Language of Men I confess indeed that he might have spoken the Language of the Third Heaven but it would not have been intelligible to us who are not there as yet Since he spoke to Men to the end they might understand him 't was necessary he should conform his Style to human Apprehension He was oblig'd to take upon him our Manners our Words our Shape and our Air to convert us To that purpose he made choice of Men made as we are after they were sufficiently instructed in what they had to say to us and he was to guide their Pens for fear they should make any false step Had the Holy Ghost either sent an Angel or form'd a Voice in the Air to settle the Doctrine of Heaven such means had appear'd more extraordinary but they were not fit for Instruction It was the Wisdom of God to prefer Useful before Miraculous The only Difficulty is to know which way to find out that they who wrote like other Men were guided by the Holy Ghost There are two Ways whereby to attain to this Knowledge the One is the Attestation of the Apostles strengthened by the Proofs which they have given of their Sincerity and by the Miracles by which they made it appear that they were Men who were sent from God The other Way is to search into the Composition it self of the Sacred Books for Proofs of their Inspiration As to the first way 't is not our Intention at present to call it in question As to the Second I shall conclude in a few Words 'T is a strange thing to consider the various Oppositions of human Wit This Book wherein some behold the Finger of God by others is look'd upon as a Piece of human Workmanship Let us impartially examine the Matter The profane must acknowledge that they are prepossessed in their Judgments which they make of the Scripture for when they read another Peice that is but a little study'd according to the Rules of Art they are charm'd with it they cry 't is all divine they affirm that there is nothing great without Inspiration Nihil magnum sine afflatu divino But when they come to the Scripture they are quite of another Opinion they despise what they would have admir'd in another Book Nevertheless it has so happen'd that upon some Occasions the Force of Truth has extorted several Approbations in favour of Moses the Prophets and S. Paul The World has found that there was something extraordinary in those great Men. But if we would but search into the Original of the Scripture without prepossession we should soon confess that it is a Work of Heaven This does not appear perhaps upon the first Reading Read it again and the more you read that Book the less you will be weary of reading it nay it will appear more lovely the last time than the first Had I to do with Christians only that with delight have read over and over again the New Testament I would refer 'em to their own Experience and ask 'em whether their Hearts ever found that Satisfaction in any other Book which they found in this But it behoves us to speak something which may be more generally satisfactory Was ever known a Doctrine more sublime or Instructions of a purer Extraction 'T is true that there are in the World certain People who have so disguis'd this Doctrine as to make it appear low and mean Now I consider it such as it is in it self in this Prospect I dare say that Men never saw any Book so much worthy of their Admiration This Argument is not proper but for persons that have absolutely declared themselves against the Christian Religion M. N. will say that the Question whether it be inspired or no is not the Subject of the Dispute He grants that Jesus Christ was divinely inspir'd and in regard it was by him that his Evangelists and Apostles were instructed 't is clear that the Religion which they preach'd bears the Character of its first Author I must confess that the Question between M. N. and my self chiefly concerns the Manner how they publish'd those Truths which they learn'd from the Lord. Our Author believes that in that respect they
Case the Words of Moses have been apply'd to ' em When a Prophet speaketh in the Name of the Lord Deut. 22. if the thing follow not nor come to pass that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken but the Prophet has spoken it presumptuously thou shalt not be afraid of him 'T is not without Cause that I have alledg'd the Example of the End of the World for that some Authors have drawn from thence an Argument which in my Opinion dishonors the Infallibility of the Apostles They have no way mistaken upon this Subject I do not say that they were acquainted with the last Hour the Son of God himself as he was the Son of Man was ignorant of it Infallibility does not consist in knowing every thing but in saying nothing but what is certainly true So long as we either say nothing or that we affirm nothing touching those things of which we have no Knowledge we cannot be accus'd of Mistake This Infallibility of the Apostles is no way wounded by the Scandal thrown upon 'em in reference to the End of the World A Reproach grounded upon Passages ill-understood the greatest part of which are to be explain'd of the End of the City of Jerusalem according to the Prediction of Jesus Christ or of the End of every Man with whom as to his own particular the World is at an end when he dies This suffices in answer to the Objection which is made against the Apostles under pretence that they believ'd the End of the World was at hand However to strengthen this Objection they quote several of the Ancients that were under this Mistake But what is that to the Apostles if what they uttered concerning the Destruction of Jerusalem were afterwards apply'd by other Doctors to the End of the World The Mistakes of succeeding Ages ought not to reflect upon the Apostles I set apart a Place wherein Grotius and some others pretend that S. Paul has expresly declar'd that the World was to last but a few years his Words are these 1 Thess 4. For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with 'em in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air c. From whence they conclude that S. Paul believ'd that the End of the World was nigh at hand but it is an easie thing to demonstrate that this Interpretation is no way to be made out 1. S. Paul himself declares in express Terms that he was not of that Belief nor can we have a better Interpreter 2 Thess 2.1 Now we beseech ye Brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him that ye be not soon shaken in your first sentiments nor be troubled neither upon the credit of any Prophetick Spirit nor by Word nor by Letter as from us that the day of Christ is at hand Now we may see by that Passage whether S. Paul believ'd that the End of the World was at hand He denies it in express Terms he protests that he had no such thought and to render this Protestation more solemn makes use of the Name of the Lord Jesus We beseech you Brethren c. Does he tell the Thessalonians that he was deceived in his first Epistle to them but that being better inform'd he had a mind to disabuse ' em Nothing at all of any such thing but he disowns all Epistles which affirm that the End of the World is at hand Had we nothing more than that Protestation it were sufficient to convince us that S. Paul was never of that Opinion which is imputed to him 2. The Declaration which he makes upon it is accompanied with some Circumstances which present us with a new Demonstration After he had removed from the Minds of the Thessalomans the Error that was crept in among 'em under his Name he marks out the Events which are to forerun the End of the World Let no man says he deceive you by any means Verâ— 3. for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be reveal'd the son of perdition Which Man of Sin is character'd forth soon after as one affecting Divine Honors and counterfeiting Miracles Grotius will have this to have been accomplish'd while S. Paul liv'd in the person of Caius Caligula and because that was not sufficient to supply all that S. Paul says touching the Man of Sin that Author brings in Simon the Magician to complete his System But to give some plausible Colour to his Conjecture he must have antidated several years the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians which the Learned Men of both Communions have all alike dislik'd Besides this Consideration which is of great moment I add that Grotius goes about to bereave S. Paul of sound Judgment in making him argue thus The last day is a great way off be you assuredly convinc'd of it for it shall not appear till you have seen Caius Caligula and Simon Magus If those Men of Sin were then just ready to break forth into all their Impieties as must be granted according to Grotius's Systeme how could they have any share in S. Paul's Argument whose intention it was to shew that the Day of Judgment was far remote S. Paul had not seen yet all the Events which according to his knowledge were to precede the End of the World Did he not know that Jerusalem was to be destroy'd that the Gentiles should receive the Gospel and that the Jews should recover from their lost Condition These are Truths which are dispersed up and down in S. Paul's Epistles Had he had no other Lights but those of common Sense he would have seen that those Events and Revolutions were not at hand and consequently that the End of the World was not so near before which those Revolutions were to happen 3. In the same Chapter we meet with Expressions which are the Ground of another Argument which is no less strong than the two former I undertake to prove by S. Paul himself that he neither believ'd nor taught that the End of the World was at hand Is it not a certain proof of this same Truth that in the same place where the Apostle denies the End of the World to be at hand he engages the Thessalonians to persevere in the Doctrine that had been taught 'em both by Writing and by Word of Mouth Instead of telling 'em I was deceiv'd in my First Epistle but I have received New Lights about the Time that the World shall come to an End therefore do not believe what I said he speaks quite another Language Therefore Brethren says he stand fast and hold the Traditions which ye have been taught whether by Word or our Epistle Is this the Stile of a Man that recants 4.
whatever befalls the one whether Good or Evil is the Concern of the whole Body we are Prisoners with the Prisoners we are whatever the Faithful are we are seated in Heaven with those who are there already we shall live in those that shall survive at the last day The Figure is bold it may be for a common Style but it naturally agrees with those Ideas of which S. Paul was full in reference to the Union of the Faithful By means of this Explanation 't is easie to see that he never thought himself exempt from death and that what he says in the First Epistle to the Thessalonians no way contradicts what he teaches in the Second Let it then be allow'd for certain that this Example is no Obstruction but that this Apostle and his Colleagues were infallibly directed by the Holy Ghost But it behoves us to return to those things that are only Concomitants of the Doctrine and see whether the Infallibility of the Apostles went so far CHAP VIII Wherein is examined what influence the Direction of the Holy Ghost had over those things that were only Concomitants of the Doctrine I Call Concomitants of the Doctrine certain things which without making any part of the Evangelical Doctrine are join'd with it nevertheless for Illustration sake or for some other Reason as Proverbs the particular affairs of the Apostles Quotations or if there be any thing else of the same Nature As for Proverbs S. Paul cites one to render more sensibly perspicuous what he had spoken concerning the misery of Relapses But it is happen'd unto them according to the true Proverb the Dog is returned to his Vomit again Such is that moral Maxim which S. Paul Cites in the Epistle to the Corinthians Evil Company corrupts good Manners Now according to the Principles that I have already set down these Passages were not inspir'd but laid by way of Direction We are not to seek for any other Infallibility of the Proverbs quoted by the Sacred Authors than that of Aim and Design which consists only in the applications and Consequences Though among these Proverbs there should be any one that it would be a hard matter to make good which however I make it not my Business to examin the Authority of the Holy Ghost would be in no danger for all that provided the use made of it were good and the Consequence true That suffices to keep up the Honor of the direction of the Holy Ghost I speak not here of Philosophic Notions for I do not find that the Holy Ghost permitted the Apostles to make any use of 'em though it may be supposed that they might have learn'd some by Hearsay and for that St. Paul had studied at Tarsus and Jerusalem that is to say in the Schools where Philosophy was in request A Spanish Author Vales de sac Phil. who has diligently over-run the whole Scripture to take notice of such Passages wherein it asserts some Physical Truth observes nothing in the Apostolic Writings unless it be what Saint Peter speaks of the dissolution of the Elements at the last day But this Example wherein it is clear that the thing in dispute is about a reveal'd Doctrine has nothing in common with natural Philosophy neither does it hinder us from asserting that the Apostles religiously abstain'd from touching upon natural Questions The Holy Ghost had no design to make them Masters of Philosophy We find in the Writings of the Apostles that they speak sometimes of their own particular affairs as when S. Paul sends for his Cloak and his Parchmins Now upon those the Direction of the Holy Ghost is no farther concern'd than to take care that the Apostles write nothing indecent and what is contrary to sound Sence When their Pens confin'd themselves within these Bounds he let them alone but if it went astray he took care to reduce it We may expect from this direction that when these Holy men wrote any thing concerning their own affairs they should let nothing escape them unworthy the Gravity of the first Ministers of the Gospel There is a little more scruple to be made in reference to Quotations and some slight Circumstances of matters of Fact related in the New Testament Some think that the Apostles were sometimes mistaken in both these Cases yet without any injury to the infallibility of things in respect of their main and most important Verity I must acknowledge that the Apostles might be mistaken in the Quotations of Authors or in Circumstances of little importance and yet that no solid argument can be drawn from thence against the Fundamental truth of their History But I find nothing strong enough to oblige me to agree that these sorts of Errors are to be met with in the Apostolic Writings I have great reason rather to believe that the Holy Ghost one of whose cares it was to corroborate the Memory of the Apostles would not suffer them to be defective in the exercise of a Faculty which he undertook to strengthen I cannot imagin that a Spirit which had enrich'd the Apostles with such excellent Gifts would abandon his Ministers upon such an occasion Such a Desertion would have been of greater Consequence that it appears to be For though in the Opinion of men of Judgement slight Faults are no way prejudicial to the Doctrine of the Gospel yet considering the great variety of mens Humors and Dispositions such slips make very untoward impressions Let us suppose that the Apostles in citing the Authors of the Old Testament should have quoted Moses instead of Joshuah David instead of Solomon or that they had made a confusion among the Names of the Prophets Let us suppose that these Holy men had contradicted themselves in the relation of the Circumstances of all the Evangelical matters of Fact would not this have imprinted into the Jews a strange Idea of the Apostles an Idea sufficient to have utterly ruin'd the Grand design of the Gospel Now in regard it behoves us to be convinc'd that it was the intention of the Holy Ghost to labour the propagation of the Gospel by the Ministry of the Apostles 't is no less evident in my Opinion that the wise Director did not relinquish them to any such disorder These Considerations are not well weigh'd in the minds of some Authors no more than the Examples which they cite On the other side M. N. has picked up all the Authors he could think of to support his Sentiment touching the faults of memory which he attributes to the Apostles But all this Enquiry could produce no more than three or four Authors viz. St. Jerome Erasmus Episcopius and Capel Upon which I shall make several Observations that bereave M. N. of all the advantage which he reaps by the use he makes of those Authors 1. Let us a little examin the nature of of their Testimony We are not to reckon that of Saint Jerome for M. N. acknowledges that that same Author contradicts himself upon