Christ assured them a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Tom. 5. Orat. 2. in Bab. p. 442. they should out do those many miracles which He himself had wrought Ioh. 14.12 which was a promise of so strange a nature that never any person did pretend the like nor could it be fulfilled according unto what these Records have delivered without the greatest demonstration of Christs power or fail of being so without the ruine of that faith which he had planted the rejection of those Histories which spake of its exact completion But let it be considered 2ly That Jews and Heathens their most malitious and subtile enemies confess the thing Act. 4.16 That indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell at Jerusalem and we cannot deny it say the High Priest and Rulers of the Jews The Heathens tell us that they were the greatest 11 Juglers and had 12 received from our Saviour Books which did instruct them in these arts and made them able to derive the cheat unto their followers Nay they 13 acknowledge that at their very Sepulchers were many wonders done 3ly Agreably to these predictions and confessions we are told in the forementioned Records that God confirmed the word of his Grace Act. 14.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 19.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 8.13 Act. 4.23 Act. 9.40.20.10 by doing signs and wonders by the Apostles hands and that these Miracles were not mean ordinary things but mighty that with great power gave the Apostles witness to the Resurrection and that great grace was upon them all The dead were raised by them Tabitha by Peter and Eutychus by Paul and Irenaeus tells us that in his time by the prayers and fastings of the Church the dead were frequently restored to life a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iren. l. 2. c. 56. c. 57. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hereticks saith he for all their boast of miracles they cannot raise the dead as Christ and his Apostles did and as many of the Brotherhood when the necessities of the Church required it have by their prayers and fastings often done Their miracles were wrought at distance and by unlikely and inconsiderable means by Handkercheifs and Napkins which obtained this virtue of doing mighty cures only by being sent from an Apostles hand b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost St Peters shadow healed all that were afflicted with evil Spirits throughout all Ierusalem and all the Cities round about it Their very Sepulchers were instrumental to the working of so many and such apparent Miracles that as their Enemies were forced to confess them so Christians did often 14 plead them with the greatest confidence they were such as conquered and amazed the Conjurer Acts 19.18 19. such as prevailed with the Magicians to burn their Books and make confession of their Practises and own that Doctrine though with the hazard of their Lives which pronounced them guilty of contracting with the Prince of darkness 3ly These Wonders were perform'd by Christians throughout all places of the World in which the Gospel did obtain and flourish St Paul assures us that from Jerusalem Rom. 15.19 and round about unto Illyricum the Gospel had been preached by him with mighty signs and wonders and by the power of the Holy Ghost and both the reason and the necessity of the thing assure us that what was done by him must be done also by the rest of the Apostles and especially by those who were preferred above him by the Church of Corinth and Galatia The Records of the Churches and the Apologies of Christians writ from each corner of the World the Conversion of so many by the Apostles Preaching in every quarter of it Joel 2.28 the Promise of the Holy Spirit to be poured out upon all flesh Acts 2.29 and given to as many as the Lord should call all these and many other Circumstances confirm us in the Truth of this Particular Fourthly This Power of working Miracles was still retained in the World for divers Centuries For the Apologies and Records of the Christians in their respective Ages still avouch and plead them against the Heretick the Jew the Heathen for confirmation of their Faith Irenaeus writing against the Gnosticks Carpocratians and Valentinians asserts That if they truly did what they pretended only yet was it not to be compared with the Miracles of Christ and his Disciples And then he adds a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iren. l. 2. cap. 57. It is impossible to reckon up all the miraculous Gifts which the Church throughout the World receives and exerciseth to the benefit of the Heathens Origen in commendation of the Christian Faith above the Jews Pretensions tells them That b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orig. in Celsum l. 2. p. 62. since the coming of a Saviour they were left destitute of all the signs of Gods especial Presence with them they had no Prophets nor any Wonders done amongst them whereas the Christians were plentifully endowed with these Gifts of Miracles and Prophesie c Quanti honesti viri de vulgaribus enim non dicimus aut à Daemoniis aut valetudi nibus remediati sunt quando non Geniculationibus Jejunationibus nostris etiam siccitates sunt depulsae Tertul. ad Scap. c. 4. How many Men of reputation for we speak not of the vulgar sort have been freed from Devils by us when is it that our Prayers and Fastings do not cause their dearths to cease So Tertullian Of this miraculous Power the second and third Ages give us instances innumerable Of its continuance in the fourth Century Eusebius and 15 Cyril Theodoret and 16 Augustine are sufficient Witnesses If therefore these were matters which the Jews and Heathens who persecuted Christ and his Disciples do confess if Christians of all places through divers Ages of the World pretended and appealed to them using no other method to convince the World If their Apologies and Disputations with their Adversaries which were so mightily prevailing did bottom on the truth of these Particulars and if those Writings which contained them were universally acknowledged as Divine and absolutely true then must the Miracles recorded in them be Divine and such as they are held to be by Christians Besides the Apostle Paul assures the Church of Rome Rom. 15.15 18 19. he would not speak of any thing which Christ had not performed by him and yet he adds 2 Cor. 11.6 12.12 That he could glory of the grace given to him to make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed through mighty signs and wonders by the power of the Spirit of God And to the Church of Corinth he writes thus That he had given them full proof of his Apostleship that he had fully been made manifest among them in all things that he did not come behind the very chief of the Apostles Which is sufficient to evince that not St
not Sow and Plant and trade only in hopes of an encrease and should not then the hopes and probabilities of infinite eternal Happiness provided for the pious Christian engage us to obey Gods Precepts and to resist all those Temptations which flesh and blood suggests against them If thus to seek the false uncertain Mammon be the great Wisdome of the world can it be Folly to pursue with equal diligence and vigour but with better Hopes the true lasting Riches If then it be but probable that all the world throughout all Ages did not embrace the Doctrine of a Providence without some plausible Inducement so to do If all the primitive Martyrs and Confessors did not suffer for the Name of Christ and all succeeding Generations did not embrace or continue in the Profession of the Faith of Christ without all reason motive or even probable inducement If any of those probabilities we have amass'd together in the close of this Discourse deserve to be esteemed such or any of those Arguments which in this Treatise we have urged be probable then must the Folly of the Atheist be exceeding great and clear beyond exception 3. It must be Folly to renounce that Faith which hath been Generally owned by men of strongest Parts and most discerning Judgments in very many Nations and through many Generations and which delivers matters of so great Moment and Concern that our eternal Happiness or Misery depends upon them till we have used the Greatest diligence to search into the Reasons which induced them to believe it true Let then the Atheist say what he hath done to satisfie his judgment in this great Concern whether he ever did peruse the writings and Apologies of Antient Fathers or the most eminent Divines who have discoursed upon this Subject to the Satisfaction of the knowing World Whether he ever did consult with Persons of the best abilities propound his scruples and consider of the Answers given before he ventured to scoff at and renounce his Faith If not this is sufficient to convince him of the greatest Folly in the World If any that pretends to have used all this diligence and all these Endeavours continue still to question and suspect the truth of Christian Faith and of the Doctrine of a Providence let me intreat him to consider 1. Whether those motives which induce him to renounce a Providence or Christian Faith will not compel him to renounce those things of which he hath the evidence of Sense and Reason to convince him if so we have as great assurance of the falshood of those motives as Sence and Reason can afford If then you do reject a Providence because you are not able to conceive Gods Omnipresence or any other Attribute on which this Providence depends if you renounce the Mysteries of Christian Faith because you cannot apprehend them have you not equal reason to reject the Notions of Infinite unbounded space of an Eternal Flux of Time or an Indivisible Eternity which yet your reason must acknowledge Must you not question the Existence of the Souls of Men and Brutes as being not sufficient to conceive that Spirits if confined to points can performe any of those actions which we ascribe to them or that they can diffuse themselves through Bodies receive impressions from them or make impressions on them or that meer matter should perceive reflect and reason or have any sense of pain and pleasure Lastly must not this Principle oblige you to Question the Existence of all material Compounds For who is able to conceive that Indivisibles can be united or that a Grain of Sand can be for ever divisible and have as many parts as the whole World If you do question or dispute the truth of any Miracle Revelation or Prediction because you are not able to perceive the manner how it was or may be done this will oblige you to denie the Ebb and Flowing of the Sea till you are able to acquaint us with the true Causes of it and to distrust that ever you were born because you never can explain the manner of your own production For as thou knowest not the way of the wind nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with Child even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all things Eccl. 11.5 If you are tempted to disown these Revelations because you are not able to conceive Gods Ends and Reasons in them Why he who hath proclaimed Himself the God of Mercy should threaten an eternal punishment to finite transitory Sins why he should leave the World so long in Darkness and the like Might not a Subject on the like account reject the precepts of his Soveraign because not able to perceive the Wisdome of them or the necessity of all the Sanctions he annexeth to them Is it not certain that if there be a God he must be infinite in his perfections and so incomprehensible and then his Wisdome must exceedingly transcend the reach of finite Apprehensions the Secrets of it must be double to that which doth appear to us and there must be such depths both in his Judgments and his Acts of Mercy as we can never fathome So that unless the Notion of an Infinite and all-wise Being includes a contradiction in the Terms we cannot doubt but that he may reveal what we can never apprehend Besides we cannot understand the Beauty or Wisdome of Divine Transactions but we must be acquainted with the Ends and Motives the Tendence and result of all he doth for otherwise what seems absurd to us may admirably comply with the Designes of Providence what seems confused in the Beginning may conclude in Order and the Greatest Beauty Since then we do not know the minde of God since we are not acquainted with the Designes and Purpose nor are we able to look forward to the Results of Providence it is sure we cannot pass a Judgement on the Wisdome of them If you are tempted to disown the Christian Faith because you are not able to reconcile it to your shallow reason and infirm Conceptions This will oblige you to denie the Being Propagation the Swiftness or Continuation of all Motion it being certain we are not able to give an Answer to all the Arguments produced against the different degrees of Swiftness or the Continuation or the very Being of it or to conceive how Motion can be propagated It is acknowledged that an immediate plain indisputable Contradiction cannot be matter of our Faith or of a Revelation from the God of truth But seeing it is also evident that all matters infinitely great as infinite Duration Power Space and infinitely little as the indivisible parts of Space Time do as much bafle and confound our understandings as do the Attributes of God and do abound with difficulties as stubborn and unweildy as any Revelations of the Gospel do afford it must be rashness to reject these Revelations as inconsistent with the Dictates and Apprehensions of
not endeavour to impose upon the World Not Christ For 1. He could have no temptation to fulfil those Prophesies of the Messiah which concerned his ignominious poor and miserable life and his accursed death 2. He could have no expectation of his own Resurrection or of the sending of the Holy Ghost or of the destruction of the Jewish Nation or of the famishing of the Heathen Deities or of the propagation of his Gospel throughout the World or the performance of those mighty Deeds which were expected from the Messiah of the Iews 3. No hopes this should be done by Men so timerous so dull so ignorant as were the twelve Apostles 4. His Disciples must be acquainted with the Impostures of their Lord and so have greatest reason to disown him 5. If so John Baptist who obtained so great a reputation from the Iews must have been guilty of the same endeavour to delude them 2. Not Christs Apostles as is argued from their simplicity Sincerity Interest The things they did or were obliged to pretend 3. Not their immediate Successors for the same and many other reasons The assurance which we have of what these Arguments suppose Coroll That what they have delivered to the World must be related bona fide and with a full conviction of its Truth p. 77 78. CHAP. III. Sect. II. Proleg 5. That Christ and his Disciples could not be deceived in their pretensions to the things they spake of and presumed they did and yet prevail upon the World to own and to assert their Doctrine p. 107. CHAP. IV. Proleg 6. That we may safely take an estimate of Christian Doctrine from what we find recorded of it in the Books of Scripture those Writings not being corrupted nor yet containing any thing repugnant to the Christian Faith Corol. concluding that those Scriptures which we daily read must be the Works of those Apostles and Evangelists whose names they bear p. 113. CHAP. V. The Truth of Christian Faith asserted from the Gifts and Operations of the Holy Ghost in general and more particularly from the Gift of Prophesie and from the Gift of Tongues p. 131 CHAP. VI. The veracity of the Christian Faith concluded from the deportment of the Christians under sufferings the patience and undaunted Courage of the weaker sex from the kindness of the Christians to their persecutors and those Indignities they suffer'd from them from Gods miraculous assistance of them under sufferings great deliverances from them For had they not been assured of the truth of Christian Doctrine 't is both impossible they should and inconceivable they would have suffer'd after such a manner An Objection from Instances of the like nature answered p. 139. CHAP. VII Sect. I. That from the fulfilling of things future and contingent we may reasonably infer the Being of an over-ruling Providence which interests it self in their completion The truth of Christian Faith evinced 1. From those Predictions which concern the Person Birth Life Actions and Passions of our Lord and Saviour The confirmation of this Argument 2. From those Miracles which his Disciples wrought agreeable to our Saviours promise prediction and commission for they healed the diseased and ejected Devils according as our Lord foretold p. 163. CHAP. VII Sect. II. The Truth of Christian Faith evinced from those Predictions which concern the ruine of the Jewish Temple Discipline and Nation the authors time and manner the Greatness and Duration Concomitants and Attendants of it as the Scripture mentions them and the wonderful completion of them all A confirmation of this Argument from the attempt of the Apostate Julian to rebuild the Temple and the miraculous frustration of it p. 191. CHAP. VIII Sect. I. Arg. 4. Evincing the truth of Christian Doctrine 1. From the Miracles wrought by Christ suitably to his Design and to the Prophesies of the Old Testament and to the expectation of the Iews These Miracles were many mighty and they had most remarkable Effects upon the Hearers and Spectators of them They were avouched with greatest confidence by his Apostles who by those means converted thousands and whose Records of those things became the rule of Faith unto the Christian Converts The confirmation of this from the Miracles wrought by Christs Apostles who affirm Christ gave commission to them whilest abiding with them to work the greatest Miracles which they accordingly performed And that this Power was more abundantly conferr'd upon them after the Resurrection of their Lord is argued from the promise of Christ from the Confession of Jews and Heathens from the Records of Scripture Like wonders were performed by Christians in all places of the World and the same Power continued in the Church for divers Centuries The confirmation of the second Argument The result of these Particulars p. 215 216. CHAP. VIII Sect. II. Arg. 3. Proving the truth of Christian Doctrine from the speedy Propagation of it through the World by inconsiderable and unlearned Men against those many prejudices which did attend it The avowed Principles on which this Argument depends A further Confirmation of it by comparing its Effects with those of Heathen Wisdom or Philosophy p. 241. CHAP. IX An Answer to some Objections 1. Touching the Miracles of Simon Magus Apollonius and touching those Predictions Miracles and gifts of Healing to which the Heathen Oracles and Deities pretended And that 1. From the issue of them for they were blasted and confounded And 2ly From the Designs they aimed at which were all unworthy of a Deity They were controuled by Providence They were such whose deceit 't was no Mans interest to detect Obj. 2. Touching the general rejection of Christianity by the Jewish Nation An account of their rejection of it 1. From the temper and disposition of that People From the danger to which it exposed them From the Prejudices they conceived 1. Against the Person of our Saviour And 2ly Against his Doctrine p. 267. CHAP. X. Arg. 5. Concluding for the truth of Christian Doctrine from the excellency of its Precepts in order 1. To the publick Welfare of Man-kind 2ly To the perfection of humane nature 1. By the clearest Informations of Man's understanding in matters which concern the knowledge of God and of Virtue and Vice And 2ly by tendering the most prevailing Motives to engage the Will and the Affections to obedience And 3ly The most strong engagements to seek the welfare of our Brothers Soul Heathen Philosophy and their receiv'd Theology destructive of Religion and fitted to promote the Interest of Satans kingdom This proved from their conceptions both of God and of his Providence and of his Attributes and their uncertainty in matters of this nature and from their want of Precepts to direct them in or promise to encourage to the performance of their duty and from their doubtings of a future State and their denyal of all future Punishments and from the false Conceptions of the rise and fatality of Sin That these Opinions are destructive to the service
that for such which they believed not to be so they being Men whose Holy Lives as well as Sufferings made a full proof of their exact Integrity If neither they could universally conspire to effect this thing nor can it be suspected that Providence should suffer them to do a thing so contrary to its great design of love unto Mankind If lastly it is morally impossible that since the second Century those Writings should be either forged or accidentally corrupted in matters of concern and moment they must remain sufficient Records of the Christian Faith Corol. Hence it follows That those Writings must be the very Works of those Apostles and Evangelists whose Names they bear since no Man could pretend they were so had they not really been such but they must put a cheat upon the World and substitute their own Inventions for the Word of God Indeed they have been handed down for such by a more general Tradition and of a firmer Credit then any of those Books of Virgil Cicero or Martial which we indisputably own as theirs For it was a Tradition of the whole 12 Christian World which owned and cited and received them for such from the Apostles days as is apparent from the Epistles of St Clement Barnabas Ignatius Polycarp the Works of Irenaeus and Justin Martyr whil'st others which pretended to the same Original were universally rejected by them Besides they did attest them so to be by many Sufferings which they had no Temptation to endure besides the truth of their Assertion and many Wonders to confirm their Testimony It was a Tradition which concern'd things of the highest moment and which it was their greatest Interest to be well assured of they being the sole ground and matter of their support at present under the sharpest Tryals and of their future hopes and therefore Writings they were concern'd to get and hear and read and keep Books written to whole Churches Nations yea the whole 13 World of Christians who could not have received them easily had the Apostles by whom they were at first converted given no Intimations of them Books of the greatest opposition against the Superstition both of Jews and of Gentiles and which denounced against them the greatest Plagues and Judgments such as obliged them to search as much as it was possible into the Truth of what they said And yet these Books were not denyed to be the very Works of those Apostles and Evangelists whose Names they bare Books which no cheat could be concern'd to forge nor could obtain that belief which was not due to them without the greatest Forgery Books which could not be spread abroad as they were in the Apostles Names whil'st they were living unless the Apostles had Endited them nor be esteemed as if they were the greatest Charter of the Christian Faith and the Apostles be so forgetful of them as not to let those Persons know it for whose sake they were written Books which pretended to a Commission from the Holy Jesus to leave a rule of Life and Doctrine to Mankind which was intrusted in the Hands of none but the Apostles and Evangelists all others still pretending to deliver what they received from them Lastly They being written partly to confirm and to ascertain to us the story of Christs Birth Life Passion Resurrection and partly to engage us to believe partly to put an end to Contentions and rectifie those Errors which had crept into the Church in the Apostles days and which did need a speedy Reformation partly to justifie themselves against false Brethren and to assert the Truth of their Apostleship and partly to preserve their Proselytes from such as did pervert the Faith and partly to instruct them how to bear up in Fiery Tryals and to support the Soul under those Miserie 's the Christians suffered and therefore on those Grounds which did require their quick dispatch on that Errand and to those Churches unto which they did intend them it is evident the Apostles must intend that early notice should be given of them and so accordingly commit them to their new-born Proselytes and Babes in Christ and so the Records of our Saviour his Life Death Resurrection Miracles must be divulged throughout Iudea whil'st the far greater part of Men were able to disprove them if they had been false ANNOTATIONS On the 4th Chapter 1. TErtullian tels us Percurre Ecclesias Apostolicas apud quas ipsae authenticae earum literae recitantur sonantes vocem repraesentantes uniuscujusque 2 Collected and consigned by S. John Veteres narrant Johannem Asiaticarum Ecclesiarum rogatu Germanum Scripturae Canoncm constituisse Euseb 3 Those many wavering Spirits nutant enim plurimi maximè qui literarum aliquid attigerunt Lact. l. 5. c. 1. 4 Those Hereticks who upon other motives did renounce the greater part of the New Test Cerinthus allowed only the Gospel of S. Mark Valentinus only that of S. John Iren. l. 3. c. 11. Marcion onely that of Luke Tertul. cont Marcio c. 4. Epiph. Haeres 42. Iren. l. 3. c. 11. the Ebionites rejected all the Epistles of S. Paul and embraced only the Gospel of the Nazarites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orig. in Cels p. 274. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 3. c. 27. vid. Valesium in locum Ejusdem farinae erant Severiani Tatiani ex quibus conflati sunt Encratitae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euscb Hist Eccl. l. 4. c. 27. Hieron catal script Eccl. in Tatiano De Encratitis vid. Theod. haeret fab l. 1. 5 Soe universally acknowledged and consented to Euseb calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hist Eccl. l. 3. c. 25. 6 Soe generally dispersed for even the passage of S. Irenaeus which tells us of some barbarous Nations Qui fidem crediderunt sine literis sine charta sine atramento scriptam habentes in cordibus suis salutem doth shew plainly that other places not deemed Barbarous enjoy'd them as also doth the question following Quid autem si neque Apostoli quidem scripturas reliquissent nobis 7 Multiplyed into divers versions Cum enim fides Christiana ab ipsis Apostolorum temporibus recepta est nec sine scriptur is esse potest Ecclesia probabile est à primis nascentis Ecclesiae incunabilis harum versionum originem accersendam esse Walton Proleg in Bib. Polygl Of the innumerable latine versions that were extant in S. Augustine's daies we have one styled by S. Jerom. in Esaiam c. 14 49. Communis vulgata and by S. Gregory Epist ad Leandrum Vetus probabile est inquit Waltonus ipsam ab ipsis Ecclesiae primordiis in usu fuisse cum Ecclesia Latina sine verfione Latina esse non potuit eamque Ecclesia Romana in communi usu reciperet Of the Syriack version he speakes thus Ab Apostolicis viris factam concedo quod praeter generalem Ecclesiarum Orientalium traditionem cui multum in hoc loco tribuendum cum nulla
being things attested by the general consent of Writers Seventhly That the ruine of the Temple compleatly answered our Lords Prediction is evident from what 17 Josephus hath recorded viz. That Titus did command his Souldiers to dig up the City and the Temple which was so fully done that they who saw it judged it never would be built again yea the Jews Talmud speaks the same and a Maim Taanith c. 5. Apud Josephum l. 7. c. 7. vocatur Terentius Rufus Maimon gives the very Moneth and Day when Turnus Rufus the Captain of the Army left by Titus did with a Plough-share tear up the Foundations of the Temple in order to the completion of the Prophesie Ier. 26.18 Sion shall be ploughed as a field After all this when Julian the Apostate sent the Jews to build again the Temple St 18 Cyril Bishop of Ierusalem did confidently tell them this Prophesie of Christ should be most signally fulfilled by them which came accordingly to pass for b Sozom. Hist Eccles l. 5. c. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they in preparation to their intended Temple digged up purg'd out and took away the Reliques of the old Foundation the work being thus begun an Earth-quake comes and casteth up the remnants of it and the adjacent Buildings Eighthly As for the greatness of the Judgement 19 Josephus gives us an account thereof just parallel to that of Matthew assuring us 'T was such as never City suffered nor ever City more deserved Ninthly The 20 manner of the Siege was such as Scripture had foretold for as Iosephus tells us The Roman Army built a Wall 39 Furlongs in compass and having 13 Castles on it which did enclose the City And here I cannot but observe with him * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioseph Bel. Jud. l. 6. c. 13. That they were instigated to the work by a Superior Power and as if the same Power had assisted them 't was built with an incredible celerity Tenthly Gods Providence towards the Christians and that Salvation he vouchsafed to them when the Confusion was spread upon their Enemies Dr. Hammond in Matt. 24. Not. G. for when Gratus who besieged Ierusalem had on a suddain no other cause appearing that could move him to it raised the Siege the Christians presently did quit Ierusalem 21 being admonished so to do by Revelation from Heaven as Eusebius tells us Lastly For the continuance of this Desolation not to dispute whether it shall be perpetual as many of the 22 Fathers taught and held or whether the Jews shall be converted and brought back unto Ierusalem and have a Glorious Appearance there whether the times of the Gentiles will ever be fulfill'd and God provoked by their Sins will cast them off and re-assume the Jews into his favor as 23 H. Grotius thinks the Words may signifie or whether these Words import the final desolation of the Temple State and People of Ierusalem as Dr. Lightfoot thinks vid. Harmony of the New Test p. 195. I say not to insist on this Dispute 't is sure the Jews have oft in 24 vain endeavor'd to rebuild it Their last attempt was under Iulian who to convince these Prophesies of Falshood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sozom. l. 5. c. 21. Theodor l. 3. c. 17. gave them a Commission to rebuild the Temple but the immediate hand of Providence soon forced them to desist from that unhappy Enterprise The Story is very signal remarkable for many Circumstances As 1. The Persons that relate it who are many and very considerable Authors Gregory Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Ambros Ep. 29. ad Theodos Chrysost orat 3. adv Iud. Ruff. l. 1. c. 38 39. Men that flourished in that very Age and writ when the attempt was fresh and as Theodoret assures us was frequent in the mouth of every one to omit Socrates Theodoret and Sozomen who writ the Story within the space of fifty Years after the thing was done a Ambitiosum quoddam Templū apud Hierosolymam sumptibus immodicis instaurare cogitabat negotiumque maturādum Alypio dederat Antiochensi cum itaque rei idem fortiter instaret Alypius juvaretque Provinciae Rector metuendi Globi flammarum propè fundamenta crebris insultibus erumpentes locum exustis aliquoties operantibus inaccessum fecere hocque modo Elemento obstinatius repellente cessavit Inceptum Am. Marcel l. 23. ab initio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 B. p. 83. Ammianus Marcellinus a Heathen who flourished in those very Times gives us the story thus That Iulian endeavored to rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem and gave it in charge to one Alypius of Antioch assisted by the Rector of the Province and a vast Treasure from the Emperor to hasten and promote the Work which undertaking to perform he was soon forced to desist from this his Enterprise by Balls of Fire which issuing from out of the Foundations did terrifie and burn those Persons that were engaged in the Work To this Nazianzen Chrysost Socrates Sozom. and Theodoret adde That an earthquake did tear up even the reliques of the Foundation Secondly The Evidence of the thing is most unquestionable Nazianzen tells us It was believed by the very 25 Atheist Theodoret That it was common in the mouths of all Men * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 H. Eccl. l. 2. c. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrates That it was done in the presence of exceeding many and that the Fame thereof brought many far and near unto the Place Sozomen assures us That it was a thing believed of all and adds That if to any it should seem incredible it would be attested by many yet living both of them who were present and of them who received it from the Mouths of them who were present at it Thirdly The 26 Effect of it in the Confession of the Jews that Christ was to be worshipped and adored And secondly In their Conversion to the Christian Faith For a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sozomen and Nazianzen tells us That many upon this occasion were added to the Church and were Baptized and did endeavour by their Hymns and Supplications to this Jesus to appease his anger for their attempts against him Now to conclude If this Relation be a Truth 't is an abundant confirmation of the Christian Faith If false How came it to obtain so great and uncontrouled Credit How came it to be left on record by the Adversaries of Christianity and to force such clear Confessions from their mouths and to be a means of converting many of them to the Christian Faith How great must be the Impudence of those Historians who durst so confidently relate a lye so gross and palpable and having done so appeal unto so many Living Witnesses for attestation of what the World must know to be a lye and how prejudicial must these Pretences have been to the Christian Faith These things considered I may conclude with that of our 27 Eusebius He that doth
in the Church for divers Centuries The confirmation of this second Argument The result of these Particulars FOURTHLY Arg. 4 Those Miracles which Christ and his Apostles wrought in confirmation of the Christian Faith are a most signal Demonstration of its truth and certainty as will appear if we consider 1. The Design on which our Saviour came into the World For it was requisite that he who came to baffle and pull down the Devils Kingdom should shew his Power over those evil Spirits which upheld it Needful it was that he who taught the World to slight and to detest those Heathen Deities which had so long obtained in the World and had confirmed it in their service by seeming Miracles vid. Not. in cap. 9. num 5 6 7 8. Predictions gifts of Healing and the like should by more powerful works convince the World he was more worthy of their Adoration And it was also requisite that he who gave it out that he came down from God to manifest the will of heaven to the world should by unquestionable signs of Gods assistance prove the truth of his Commission from him And lastly It was requisite that he who came to null that Law of Moses which was established or by the Jews conceived to be established by many Miracles should give a greater proof of his Commission from the God of Heaven then were the Miracles of Moses Secondly This will be farther evident if we consider that the Jews expected great and many Miracles from their Messiah They tell us Midrash Coheleth in Eccles 1.11 that the Miracles of Moses should not be remembred by reason of those greater Miracles which their Messiah should perform That the signs of the Messiah should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 substance vid. Raymund Pugfid p. 610. whereas the signs of the departure out of Aegypt compared with them should be only accidents And this their Expectation was grounded upon these Predictions of their Prophets that their Messiah should make the blinde to see the deaf to hear Isaiah 35.6 the dumb to speak the lame to walk Thirdly The Jews and Heathens did in effect confess that sutably to these Predictions of the Prophets and to the expectation of the Jews they did work Miracles For to ascribe them to 1 Shem Hamporash or to the Arts of 2 Magick as Jews and Heathens did is to confess that they were done by Christ since nothing but the evidence of Fact could tempt his most malitious Enemies to use such slight Evasions and to confess as did the Pharisees and the Chief Priests that Christ did Miracles so many and so powerful that if he had been let alone Joh. 11.48 all men would have believed on him The wiser Heathens as 3 Celsus 4 Porphyry 5 Hierocles and 6 Julian confess'd the thing 7 Pilate who lived upon the place where his Disciples tell us that all his Miracles were done and who passed Sentence on him gave such a large account to Tiberius both of the Wonders of his Life and Death and Resurrection as made the Emperor 8 propose him to the Senate as one fit to be admitted among the Roman Gods And this account the Christians frequently appealed to and sent the Romans to their own Archives to be convinced of its truth Others conclude that he did his Wonders by that Art of Magick which he had learn'd from the 9 Aegyptians vid. Annot in cap. 9.1 and think it is sufficient to oppose against him an 10 Apollonius or an Apuleius as Men of equal Fame for working Wonders which had the truth of what the Christian Records do affirm concerning them been questionable they could have had no reason and no temptation to have done it being sufficient for their purpose to have questioned or disproved what was delivered by those Records But fourthly His Apostles do affirm his Miracles were very many and done in many places They tell us that he compassed all a Matt. 4.24 18.16 9.35 Galilee and all the cities and villages of Iudea preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and healing all diseases and all sicknesses among the people He b Mat. 12.15 15.30 19.2 healed many that were sick of divers maladies All the diseased throughout Syria Great multitudes yea all that could be c Luke 4.40 brought unto him He d Mark 1.34 cast out many devils and e Matt. 8.16 healed all that were possessed of the devil And then they adde that there were many other f John 20.30 signs which Iesus did which were not written by them From which compendious Repetition of them we may well infer his Miracles were more than they were able to recount particularly or more than they thought needful so to do Fifthly The same Apostles tell us they were mighty deeds for he rebuked the winds and g quell'd the ragings of the sea and h Matt. 8.26 14.25 walked upon it He i Mark 6.42 satisfied 5000 with two loaves and with five little fishes he gave sight unto the blinde and life unto the dead he cast out devils and knew the secrets of the heart He wrought his Miracles by inconsiderable means Matt. 8.3 16. Mark 8.7 13. Joh. 4.50 for he cast out the evil spirits and healed diseases with a word or by such means as were as insufficient by any natural Virtue to produce the Cure He raised the dead only by touching of the Bier on which they lay Luke 7.14 15 16. 18.54 John 11.43 45. or taking of them by the hand His word made Lazarus come forth though bound with Grave-cloathes and his Word made the Fig-tree wither Lastly The Wonders of his Death were as remarkable as were the Actions of his Life For then the Heavens were over-spread with darkness Matt. 27.49 52. the Temple vail was rent the Earth trembled the Rocks rent the Graves opened many dead Bodies did arise and shew themselves to many living in the holy City which when the People saw some of them being forced by remorse of Conscience Luke 23.47 smote upon their breasts and said of Christ Truly this was the Son of God this was a just and upright man and so notorious were these things that Heathens have recorded them But sixthly His Apostles tell us That he performed these things in publick and in the presence of the Pharisees Luke 5.17 6.17 18.19 Matt. 14.35 36. and Doctors of the Law of every Town of Galilee Judea and Jerusalem and from the Sea-coast of Tyre and Sidon which came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases That he did nothing privately but in the Synagogues Temples John 18.20 21. where his Accusers were still present And seventhly they affirm That these his Miracles had most remarkable Effects upon the Hearers and Spectators even the most perverse and spiteful of them Both Pharisees and Lawyers throughout Judea Jerusalem Luke 5.17 26. and Galilee when their
be highly probable and if it ought to be embraced upon the Probability of any one the Probability of all these Circumstances must give an ample confirmation to it and make it needless to insist farther on this Argument § 3. AND now that this discourse may have that Influence upon the Reader which matters of this moment ought to have let me intreat him to consider how much his interest and Wisdome doth oblige him to improve the certainty of Christian Faith into a Christian conversation that soe his knowledge may not aggravate his future doom and render all his wilful Disobedience against the Christian precepts inexcusable The speculative Atheist may have some colour of a plea that his miscarriages were the Result of ignorance not of contempt and wilful disobedience whereas the man who owns the certainty of Christian Faith but lives a contradiction to his knowledge and by his practise gives the lye to his profession he I say can have no shadow of Excuse He must confess his full acquaintance with his Masters pleasure and that his Reason did commend those precepts to him which Christianity enjoyned as things most excellent and certain and infinitely to be preferr'd before those vile affections which stood in competition with them and those enjoyments he preferr'd before them His conscience must accuse him dayly of most strange ingratitude in acting his rebellions against the Majesty of heaven and his dearest Lord it must convince him of his stupidity and folly not only in neglecting of so great salvation but in running headlong to his owne destruction and being at such cost and pains to purchase to himselfe damnation He must acknowledge at the dreadfull day his life was spent in a contempt and full defyance of the holy Jesus and that he still maintained that contempt in opposition to and in despight of the convictions of his conscience the striving of the Holy Spirit and all the motives of his present and eternal interest and then how miserable must is condition be how dreadful but how just his doom The sorest judgments that ever happened to the Gentile world those derelictions which betray'd them to the most brutish and unnatural lusts were the result of sin committed against conscience and truth detained in unrighteousnes Rom. 1. and if to sin against the dim and gloomy light of Nature became so fatal to the Gentile how dismal will the doom of Christians be who sin against the clear Meridian shine of Gospel Revelation For if Christianity be true the disobedient and unbelieving person will be convinced by sad experience of the assured falshood of his infidelity his flattering hopes and false imaginations and be depriv'd for ever of Gods blisfull presence and those comfortable relations which he beares unto his creatures and all those glories pleasures and perfections which the Saints hereafter shall enjoy His soul shall be exposed to that incensed justice 2 Thess 1.8 which shall come in flaming fire to take vengeance on it and to that God who will then stir up all his wrath 9. Rom. 22 23. and make the Greatness of his power known upon such vessels fitted for destruction and he shall find no rest by day or night Rev. 14. xi as being still tormented by that worm which never dyeth and suffering the vengeance of that fire whose smoak ascends for ever this being the avowed doctrine of the first a Cent. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clemens Rom. Frag. Epist 2. Ed. Patricii Junii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Barnabas Ed. Vossii p. 251. Cent. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iren. lib. 1. c. 2. Et l. 3. c. 4. de norma fidei veteri Apostolorum traditione loquens haec habet venturus est scilicet Christus judex eorum qui judicantur mittens in ignem aeternum transfiguratores veritatis contemptores Patris sui adventus ejus Poena damnatorum apud Justinum Mari. dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 41. 46. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 71. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 57. Cent. 3. Post inexpiabile malum saeviens ignis aeterna scelerum ultione torquebit Cypr. l. de laude Martyrii Servantur cum corporibus suis animae infinitis cruciatibus ad dolorem idem lib. contra Demetr Tormentis nec modus ullus aut terminus Minutius p. 39. Si. quis occisionem carnis atque animae in gehennam ad interitum finem utriusque substantiae arripiet non ad supplicium quasi consumendarum non quasi puniendarum recordetur ignem gehennae aeternum praedicari in poenam aeternam inde aeternitatem occisionis agnoscat tunc aeternas substantias credet quarum aeterna sit occisio in poenam Absurdissimum alioquin si idcirco resuscitata caro occidatur in gehennam uti finiatur quod non resuscitata pateretur Tertull. de resurr Carnis Illud tamen scire oportet quoniam sancti Apostoli fidem Christi praedicantes de quibusdam quaecunque necessaria crediderunt omnibus credentibus etiam his qui pigriores erga inquisitionem divinae scientiae videbantur manifestissimè tradiderunt Origenes in Proaemio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Omnis turba impiorum pro suis facinoribus in conspectu Angelorum justorum perpetuo igni cremabitur in aeternum haec est doctrina sanctorum Prophetarum quam Christiani sequimur Lact. l. 7. c. 26. Vide Theophilum ad Autolycum l. 2. pag. 79. Ages of the Church and that which did expose them to the worst of sufferings and the b The derision of their heathen adversarys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin Mart. Apolog. 1. p. 47. Hoc errore decepti beatam sibi ut bonis perpetem vitam pollicentur caeteris ut injustis poenam sempiternam Caecilius apud Minutium p. 11. Haec est nostra sapientia quam isti qui vel fragilia colunt vel inanem Philosophiam tuentur tanquam stultitiam vanitatemque derident quia non defendere hanc publicè atque adserere nos solemus Lactant. l. 7. c. 26. Vide Origen in Celsum p. 408. 409. vide not 52. in c. 10. p. 357. derision of their adversaries Besides if Christianity be true then all the blessings it hath promised to the pious and obedient Person must be accomplish'd in their season by the advancement of our weak vile mortall bodies into a state of incorruption power Philip. 3.21 and glory and into the likenes of Christ's Glorious body and by the exaltation of the soul to a capacity of seeing God as we are seen of God 1. Joh. 2.2 and being like to him whose happines is infinite for when he doth appear wee shall be like him by the participation of a superlative exceeding and eternal weight of Glory and the enjoyment of those blessings which neither eye hath seen 1. Cor. 2.9 nor ear hath heard of nor hath thought conceived As therefore c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Gorgiâ p. 312. Ed. Ficin Plato doth conclude his disputation on this subject with this resolution viz. Being convinced of a future state of bliss and misery I bid adieu to the caresses of the world and to the vain applauses of the vulgar and have no other care but how I may appear before my Judge with a soul pure and spotless how I may live the best of men and dye secure of happines So let the Christian Reader be perswaded to improve the confirmations and convictions of the truth of his Religion into a fixed Resolution and sincere endeavour of obedience to the Christian precepts that so he may avoid those dreadful torments and everlasting miseries it threatens to the disobedient and may enjoy that more exceeding weight of Glory which is prepared for the upright Christian FINIS ADDENDA AD pag. 23. l. 16. after as we find this was add Prodigiorum sagacissimus erat somniorum primus intelligentiam condidit nihilque Divini Juris humanique ei incognitum videbatur adeo ut etiam sterilitatem agrorum ante multos annos providerit periisset que omnis Aegyptus fame nisi monitu ejus Rex Edicto servari per multos annos fruges jussisset tantaque experimenta ejus fuerunt ut non ab homine sed â Deo responsa dari viderentur Justin Hist l. 36. cap. 2. Ad Not. 6. p. 34.35 add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damascius in vitâ Isidori Philos apud Photium Bibl. p. 1038. Errata in the Chapters P 29. l. 14. 1630. r. 1600. p. 96. l. 8. artificers r. artifices p. 107. l. 11. which r. with p. 115. l. 26. master r. matter p. 272. l. 19. want r. wave p. 274. l. 12. religions r. religion In the Annotations P. 124. l. 4. adde faciem l. 9. mutant r. nutant p. 148. l. 6. puris r. punis p. 157. l. 21 22. dele cemma primum tertium quintum p. 181. l. 24. adde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 256. l. 4. unde r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 261. l. 22. impium r. Imperium p. 262. l. 8. quis r. qui. There are other small saults which the understanding Reader will easily discern and correct and besides it must be confessed that the references to the Annotations are not always exact but yet you will find the note within one or two figures of the direction