is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby the Heinousness of any sin is to be estimated Is it the denunciation of Future Vengeance The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking Vengeance upon Unbelievers and they shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the presence of his power Is it Old or New Past or present Instances of Vengeance Were not the body of this people newly cut off for unbelief And of ancient dayes whose were the Carcasses that fell in the Wilderness and to whom did God swear in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest but to them that believed not Consider but the story from whence the Exhortation of the Text arises How God was provoked through unbelief The text tells us that he was Moved he was Tempted he was Grived he was Provoeked till he sware in his wrath The words are taken out of the 95 Psalm to which the 78. is parallel They were saith the Psalmist a stubborn and rebellious Generation They tempted God and spoke against him Therefore the Lord heard this and was wroth So a fire was kindled against Jacob and anger against Israel Because they believed not in God and trusted not in his Salvation When God heard this he was wroth and greatly abhorred Israel he gave way to his Indignation wrath anger displeasure and Jealousy I conceive now the first Question to be stated viz. Whether according to the tenor of the Scripture Infidelity were sinful and dangerous in the time of the delivery of the Scriptures I proceed to the second Question viz. However it was in antient times 2. Whether Infidelity be not in such times as ours Excusable My meaning is this Whether speaking according to Scriptural grounds and reason Now that Miracles extraordinary gifts and Prophesies are ceased Infidelity be not become Excusable however it might be Sinful and inexcusable during the time when Prophesies and Miracles were in use The first verse of this Epistle to the Hebrews tells us what powerful and noble motives to believe God had afforded to the Fathers God himself was pleased to speak to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at sundry times and in divers manners In the Times of the Patriarchs Judges Kings and Prophets by the Wayes of Visions Dreams Voices â—imilitudes Vrim and by divers miracles and wonders So likewise for those that are here exhorted About the time of the Writing of this Epistle God had spoken to them by his Son the brightness of his Glory the image of his person And by the Apostles to whom also he bare Witness by mighty signes and wonders by divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost Now that Such men as these who had so great advantages to bring them to believe should be severely punished for Infidelity I am perswaded there is hardly any man but thinks it very just and reasonable That such as had seen the wonders of God in Egypt and the Wilderness so manifestly miraculous so often repeated and yet for all this would not believe that their Carcasses should fall in the Wilderness That Ananias and Sapphira who had known the miracles which had been done by the Apostles should think to Cousen the Apostles it deserved the Judgment that befell them As for our selves had we lived in the times of Miracles or Prophesies we doubt not but we should have believed Or as Philip said shew us the father and it sufficeth Could we but once see a miracle or talk with one returning from the dead it should suffice we would believe But seing it is now many hundreds of yeares Since these things are ceased and we have nothing left us Praeter miraculorum famam If we shall not believe the Gospel by some it is openly pretended and by many it is secretly iamgined that in this case we may be Excused I could wish that the time would serve Clearly to rid away this phantasm In order to it I shall briefly doe three things 1. Shew that this Phantastical imagination is no new invention but that it hath of old been the conceit of Abominable Hypocrites 2 ly I shall inquire a little into the grounds of this Conceit and shew the mistake of those suppositions into which it is resolved 3 ly I shall shew that our Saviour Knowing the thoughts of men hath taken particular care to prevent this Imagination and hath clearly decided the matter in Question I. Though the present age be fruitful in inventions tending this way yet this hath been Anticipated by the Wits of former times In the 11 of Luke 47. We finde the Scribes and Pharisees building the Sepulchers of the Prophets whom their fathers had killed If we would know what they pretendâ—d in so doing we shall find it in the parallel place of Matthew They said if we haâ— been in the dayes of our fâ—thers we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets That these men did not believe the Prophets it is manifest Christ tells them if they had believed the Prophets they would have believed him for they wrote of him But that they would have beleived the Prophets and not have murthered them had they lived in their times this they pretend and it is very probable they had that opinion Yes Verily had they lived in the dayes of Miracles and Prophesies they would have believed the very conceit wnich is now Pretended But the Truth is these men were abominable Hypocrites and the cause of their Unbelief was not the want of miracles and Prophesies but Carnal prejudice and interest and the Vile affections of their hearts Did not Christ work miracles Was not he that Prophet which was to come Yet they took him and with wicked hands they slew him and brought upon themselves the bloud of all the Prophets But 2 ly If we shall examine the bottom of this fancy and resolve it into its Principles we shall finde that it supposes these things 1. That the want of the sight of miracles is sufficient to Justifie unbelief 2. That to live in the very age of miracles is apter to create beleif then to be born and educated in a believing nation after the world hath been convinced by the miracles of former times which is our Case 3. That the bare sight of miracles is of it self alone sufficient to create belief in every person that should see them Of which suppositions the first is contrary to common Reason and the two later are contrary to Scriptural Reason and to the experience of the world 1. If the want of the sight of miracles were enough to justifie Infidelity then for every Dogma to be believed Every Individual person were to expect the sight of miracles which if it should happen the wonder would cease and miracles become No miracles by the frequency of the performances of them and so they would be inept
Testament was given by inspiration of God for on the day of his Resurrection falling into company of two of his Disciples going to Emmaus He began at Moses and all the Prophets and expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself And afterward when the Eleven were come together as a recapitulation of this his method and that he might instruct his Disciples in it he said unto them These were the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms in the Volume of Old Testament concerning me He opened their understandings and said thus it is written and thus it behoved And as a short Idea of whâ—t they were to do he tells them and ye are Witnesses of these things 2. In pursuance of this method we find the Evangelists very curious and very frequent in observing the accomplishment of the Prescriptions of the Old Testament reciting sometimes the speeches of Christ saying that he did such or such a thing to the end that the Scriptures might be fulfilled I will not eat of the fruit of the Vine till all things be fulfilled Sometimes in their own Persons observing the accomplishment of particulars and noting either particular portions of Scriptures which were fulfilled or the fulfilling of the Scriptures cited at large without any particular Quotation Thus the Evangelists writing of the Conception Nativity Name of Christ of his coming out of Egypt dwelling at Nazareth migration to Capernaum riding to Jerusalem Say that these things were done that the Scriptures or the saying of the Prophet at large might be fulfilled So likewise for the circumstances of his Passion the flight of his Disciples casting lots upon his Garments Vinegar given him to drink piercing his side bones remaining unbroken c. Other times they note the particular Prophet Christ healed Diseases spoke in Parables and that the saying of Isaiah the Prophet might be fulfilled When Herod slew the Children then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the Prophet Rachel weeping for her Children c. and once we find a quotation of the second Psalm and the like This for the Evangelists 3. Lastly the Divine Authority of the Old Testament is asserted by the Apostles Whom we find every where in their Writings citing the Testimonies of the Law and the Prophets and the Psalms appealing to them what saith the Scripture the Scripture hath concluded so or so Aâ—guing out of them oft times directly thus not only the Apostles but Apollos mightily convinced the Jews sometimes ab absurdo do ye think the Scripture speaks in vain In a word the Apostles followed the way and method which their Master taught them they asserted that the Gospel was promised by the Prophets witnessed by the Law and the Prophets by all the Prophets Affirming of themselves that they believed all things written in the Law and in the Prophets and that they continued testifying and saying no other things than the Prophets and Moses did say should come Finally lest any place should be left for doubting concerning any part of the Old Testament the Apostles have expresly asserted concerning the Law that it is holy just and good that the Prophets are holy and the Scriptures holy that they are the Oracles of God lively Oracles that God spake by the Prophets that holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Lastly in the Text that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein Timothy had been instituted by his Mother were given by inspiration of God This is the sense of the New Testament concerning the Old Testament supposing therefore the Truth of the New Testament the Divine Authority of the Old Testament is to be acknowledged contrary to the first Opinion of the Anti-scripturists II. The Second Anti-scriptural Opinion is of those who pretend to believe the Truth but they deny or doubt the Divine Authority of the New Testament either of the whole body of the New Testament or at least of that part which delivers the Speeches and Writings of the Apostles Of this sort there are said to be many who by the power and influence of their Education are restrained from denying or dis-believing the Truth of the New Testament and yet through the infelicity of corrupt conversation are fallen from that Veneration which is due to writings supposed to be of Divine Authority For the History of the New Testament they have the same respect which they have for Tacitus or Salust or some such other History for the Mystery of the Gospel the same which they have for some parts of Plato or remnants of Pythagoras For the practical parts the same which they have for some parts of Cicero or Seneca or Epictetus All which writings they believe to be true but no man believes them to be Divine And some there are who pretend a great veneration for the speeches of Christ but have a meaner esteem for the words and writings of the Apostles In opposition to these Opinions I shall shew that supposing the words of Christ and the Apostles to be True it will follow that they are to be esteemed to be of Divine Authority Because Christ and the Apostles did profess and declare that what they delivered to the world was of Divine Authority And because our Lord Christ did undertake not only for himself but for the Inspiration of his Apostles also 1. In the examination of the next Opinion I shall be obliged to lay before you some of the evidences of Divine Authority in Christ and his Apostles here it is sufficient to produce their assertions of it The time of our Lord Christs ministration betwixt three and four years was spent in preaching and working and his Authority was often questioned In Luke 20.1 and in the parallel places While he was in the Temple teaching the People and preaching the Gospel the Chief Priests and the Scribes and the Elders came upon him saying tell us by what Authority thou dost these things preachest to the people and who gave thee that Authority Knowing the perversness of their minds he was not pleased to gratifie them at that time with a direct answer but confounded them with a question concerning the Baptism of John But at Other times upon Other occasions we find the Divine Authority of his teaching abundantly declared and asserted by him I am the way the truth and the life The words which I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life The words which I speak I speak not of my self but of the Father which dwelleth in me My Doctrine is not mine but his that sent me I do nothing of my self but as my
of Paul at Jerusalem c. But the Instances of supernatural Power exercised in healing of Diseases raising the dead g confounding the Opposers of their Doctrine and in several other kinds by the Apostles and their Companions and Adherents the Preachers and Writers of the Doctrine of the Gospel are so abundantly delivered in the New Testament that I shall not offer at particulars In the 4. of the Acts we find all the Apostles praying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that God would stretch forth his hand to heal that signs and wonders might be done by the Name of his holy Child Jesus And immediately the place was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and with Power The particular Miracles of particular persons are recorded In one word they went and preached every where the Doctrines which are written in the Gospel the Lord working with them and confirming their words by mighty signs and wonders and gifts of the Holy Ghost This is the state of the matter of Fact as it is propounded in the New Testament I conclude therefore that supposing matters of Fact to be truly delivered in the New Testament there is no reason to doubt of the Doctrines delivered by Christ or his Apostles relating to faith or manners And I come to the consideration o◠the last and extreme Opinion of the Anti-scripturists IV. The last Opinion is of those who deny the truth of the Relation of matters of Fact delivered in the New Testament and in consequence reject the whole body of the Scriptures I could wish there were no such as these and that what I have yet to say were altogether needless for that reason But what means then the publick Rumors which we hear and whence is an Opinion gone into the world that some great Philosophers and men of generous reason are dissatisfied concerning the truth of Scripture and believe the Authority of it to be wholly derived from the Magistrate In reference to these I shall endeavour 1. Briefly to shew that the ground upon which these Wisemen and Philosophers reject the Scriptures is contrary to the Reason of mankind 2. To evince that the belief of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures is most agreeable to Reason 1. As for the Argument and ground of those amongst us Christians that reject the body of the Scriptures I do not remember to have heard of other than this They have often called upon Believers Pastors perhaps or Doctors in the Church for a clear and undeniable evidence of the truth of the story of the Gospel and they have not afforded it therefore they conclude the Scriptures are to be rejected But is this the reasoning of generous Wits and men of mighty deeds in Disputation of men pretending to the depths of Reason and Philosophy To give a man a clear and undeniable evidence of any thing there are but two ways viz. To convince either his Senses or his Vnderstanding the former whereof is to be done by Experiment the later by Demonstration Would they have now an Experiment whether such or such a thing were done 16 or 1700 years ago Would they have a demonstration of particulars in their nature indifferent to be done or not to be done depending upon the liberty of Causes Well were it for the world if these Beaux Esprits would have the patience and endure the fatigue of acquainting themselves with the ways of knowledge Experiment and Demonstration it would not then be troubled with the dangerous Impertinency of such Pretenders Then these men would not call for Experiment in a subject uncapable of it and being instructed that Demonstration is only of Vniversal Propositions in materia necessaria whose contrary Positions imply a contradiction they would know that to demand this kind of evidence of the truth of the story of the Gospel is to be absurdly injudicious and to act contrary to the Reason of mankind For seeing we may not with civility suppose this principle to be advanced only for the destruction of Religion and the ruine or at least undeniable hazard of the Souls of men We ought to believe that these Philosophers intend this as a general Maxim that in matters at least of moment men ought not to adventure to act but upon clear and undeniable evidence and speaking properly that wise men ought to believe nothing at all Wherefore let us suppose this for a general principle and consider what will follow Setting aside the knowledge of the Affections of a few Lines and Numbers is not all learning to be cast away Must not the Civil World of mankind be brought to swift confusion must not mankind it self in a few days come to an end Suppose a Subject should not yield his Obedience or a Tenant his Rent till Titles be made out by Experiment or Demonstration Suppose the Husband-man and the Merchant the Artificer the Souldier the Banker and the Judge should not adventure but stay for the assurance of Experiment or Demonstration would not the whole world be confounded Suppose men should not marry nor take Physick nor eat or drink till they should have clear and undeniable evidence that all these things are what they suppose and shall succeed according to expectation would not mankind quickly be spent and brought to an end If the management of all humane concernments Political Oeconomical Personal proceed upon the grounds of Belief and Hope and rational but not demonstrative inference If neither these Philosophers if they would consider nor any other Person either ever did or possibly could perform any one action upon such evidence as these men require concerning the truth of the stories of the Scripture then to reject them for want of such evidence is repugnant to the Reason of mankind I proceed therefore to my second assertion that the Belief of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures is most agreeable to reason That the Divine Authority of all the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are undeniably concluded from supposition of the truth of the Relation or History of matters of fact in the New Testament I have already shewn And that the rejection of all History is against the Reason of mankind is evident because all mankind receive some History or other wherefore I shall briefly shew 1. That the History of the New Testament hath all those advantages whereof any History is capable 2. That it hath greater advantages than any other History 1. The Arguments inducing men to the belief of any historical Relation are all of them Either Ab intra Internal from the 1. Credibility and Scibility of the Object 2. The Knowledge and Integrity of the Writers 3. The way and manner of writing Ab extra External The 1. Reception of it in the world 2. Concurrent testimonies of strangers 3. The Concessions of Adversaries and the like In all which particulars no History in the world can justly pretend any advantage above that of the New Testament 1. For the Credibility
Object and Cognoscibility of it 1. To say that instances of supernatural Power and Wisdom are impossible is to deny the power of God and his providence in governing the world And to say that such things are incredible as are and have been actually believed in all times and by all sorts of persons Jews and Gentiles Christians and Mahometans a few Atheistical persons only excepted is an absurdity The History that we speak of pretends to no Intrigues or Cabalistick Counsels or Mysteries of State but conteins it self within the limits of things Visible and Audible things that were done or spoken so that no History can have advantage over it respectu Objecti 2. As for Knowledge in the deliverers I shall shew it by a brief Induction The whole New Testament consists of the Books of the Revelation Epistles Acts of the Apostles and the Gospels The Authors of the Epistles and the Revelation in the Narrative parts of them deliver the things done or spoken to or by themselves and could not be ignorant of their own experiences The Book of the Acts contains some things done by or to the rest of the Apostles but chiefly the concernments of Paul and it was written by Luke who was an individual Companion of Paul and intimately conversant with the rest of the Apostles For the things Related in the Gospel of S. Luke he saith they were delivered to him by those who from the beginning were Eye-witnesses of the works and Ministers of the Word and his History agrees with the other Evangelists The Gospel of S. Mark hath nothing which is not in S. Matthew or S. John and was dictated by S. Peter the Head of the Apostles S. Matthew was an Apostle and S. John the Bosom Apostle of Christ. The Apostles were chosen by him for Witnesses of his Words and Actions they were with him from the beginning of his Ministry continued with him till his death conversed with him till his Ascension That which they had heard which they had seen with their Eyes which they had looked on which their hands had handled of the word of life that they delivered in writing to the World And more than this no Writer or Relater of History can pretend to 2. For Arguments of their sincerity they have left Precepts of Veracity and prohibitions of lying under pain of Hell torments the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone They have protested that they did not follow cunningly devised Fables that they did things sincerely as in the sight of God They have appealed to the searcher of hearts The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ knoweth that I lie not The things which I write unto you behold before God I lye not Gal. 1.20 saith S. Paul They have left behind them various instances of their simplicity and godly sincerity in representing their failings to the world and of candour and ingenuity in distinguishing the dictates of their own Reason from the inspirations of the Holy Spirit I speak by permission not by commandment of the Lord This say I not the Lord Thus it is according to my judgment c. 1 Cor. 7. But besides all this let the matter be estimated acccording to common reason If these men did devise a Fable and impose it upon the world what end could they propound to themselves in so doing was there any profit in being destitute of all things or pleasure in being persecuted afflicted and tormented or honour in being counted Fools and Mad-men Before they began to publish the Stories whereof we speak their Master was gone and all worldly hopes were gone away with him If they were not bound in Conscience and in Spirit what obligation had he laid upon them to labour and suffer for his honour as they did To omit the severity of his behaviour to them He called them off from their Vocations Peter and Andrew James and John from their Fishing Matthew from his Customers place the rest accordingly They forsook their Nets their * Ships their Relations and all their interests and followed him And this they did clearly and plainly believing that he was to be a Great Temporal Prince and in hopes of Preferment under him In this Expectation they continued to the last minute of his conversation with them upon Earth and he permitted them so to do Their last words to him were delivered in this question Lord wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom unto Israel Of the thing it self they never doubted they only desire to be informed of the time Now after so long expectation Consider his Answer His Answer was this It is not for you to know the times c. but ye shall receive power when the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses of me unto the utmost parts of the earth and immediately he vanished away Was this an answer to their Question or a satisfaction to their expectation Was this an Obligation laid upon them If he had not sent down the Holy Ghost this would have moved them indeed but it would have been to rage and indignation this would have obliged them indeed but it would have been to detest and abhor the name and memory of him that had abused them But for the honour of his name not their own they did and suffered all things and gloried in it An irrefragable argument of their sincerity in the things which they delivered 3. Of the internal Arguments for the belief of History there remains only the Consideration of the way and manner of writing Histories then carry their own credentials in them when the principal parts of them are delivered with such circumstances of times places and persons as may render them liable to Examination and Refutation if they contain any falshood in them And in this particular no History hath any advantage over that History whereof we are speaking as will be evident to him that considers it thorowout Concerning John the Baptist it is recorded that he was born some few Months before Christ that his Mother was Elizabeth that his Father was Zachariah a Priest of the Course of Abia that they lived in the Hill-Country He began to preach in the 15. of Tyberius Pilat being Governour of Judaea Herod Tetrarch of Galilee his Brother Philip Tetrarch of Iturea and of the Region of Trachonitis and Lysanias Tetrarch of Abilene Punctual and particular Soon after this he was Imprisoned and Beheaded by Herod for reprehending him about Herodias all which were matters of Fact very easie if false to have been refuted Concerning Christ his birth is stated to have been at a time the most remarkable that ever was when the whole world was taxed by Augustus in the days of Herod when Cyrenius was Governour of Syria the place easie to be enquired of it was in a Manger in an Inne in a Town that was a little one among the thousands of