be true or false as they are favourable or disagreeing to them Carnal persons fortify every Objection that may render the Mysteries of Godliness unlikely and incredible and will be partial for Sensuality Of this we have a great instance in the first rejection of the Gospel The Jews expected the Messiah would come with pompous Wonders and external Magnificence that he would deliver them from the Roman Yoke and found an Universal Monarchy for them and according to those carnal fancies they would understand the Promises concerning him Now though JESUS CHRIST approved himself to be the Son of God the true Messiah by the Sanctity of his Life the Rectitude of his Doctrine and the Divinity of his Miracles yet for the poverty and meanness of his Condition being without any sensible shew of Greatness and Glory they despised him as most unworthy that Divine Relation and Office Tho in him all the Characters of the Messiah were conspicuous and the Scriptures declare expresly that the Messiah the Prince should be cut off but not for himself but to make reconciliation for Iniquity and to bring in everlasting Righteousness yet they were so prepossest with the Ideas of a Terrene Felicity that they would interpret all the Scriptures by that measure as if the Messiah should come into the World to repair no other ruines but of their Temporal State and Liberty Therefore they spake of him with scornful titles as for this Fellow we know not from whence he is And is not this the Carpenter Shall the glorious Prophecies of the Messiah be accomplish'd in him Shall he have Dominion from Sea to Sea and from the River to the ends of the Earth Shall all Kings bow down before him and all Nations serve him There was nothing to satisfie their sight in his outward appearance and Retinue and his Miraculous Condescention so much below their expectations was more powerful to harden them in unbelief than all his supernatural Operations to induce them to believe in him And as the Jews from their affection to Secular things were enemies to the Gospel so the Heathen Philosophers from Spiritual Pride for they vainly affected the praise of Knowledge and Vertue as the fruit of their own mind and the product of their own will They did not consider God as the Fountain of Truth and whether the Ray of his Knowledg comes directly and immediately into us or by reflection from others the glory of it is entirely due to him Besides the great Mysteries of Godliness not being suitable to their first Opinions were rejected with disdain as foolish Impossibilities And in every Age since even in the pale of the Church there are some secret Infidels that esteem the Gospel a Fable and some who peremtorily deny the fundamental Articles of Christianity Those who are slaves to their eyes and appetites will raise Clouds to obscure that Truth that forbids their dear Lusts upon pain of Damnation The pretended difficulty of Belief is but a thin transparent pretence the difficulty of Practice is the true cause of their rejecting the Gospel They would not have the Precepts of it to be their duty and therfore are unwilling to acknowledg the Doctrines of it to be true And those who set up a Tribunal in their own Understandings to which Divine Revelation must submit will not believe what is above their presumptuous Reason But that the Soul exempt from passions and prejudice has no just temptation to disbeleive the Christian Doctrine is evident in that so many Persons in whom the concurrence of Wisdom and Vertue was equally flourishing and excellent after the most exact discussion imbrac'd it as the Heavenly Truth If there were falseness in its Principles or weakness in its Proof how could it scape their discovery And that they were sincere in their belief is above all doubt for they willingly sacrificed all that is valuable and dear in this life for the profession of it Now was it ever known that any person would knowingly choose an Errour so destructive The Will seduc'd by Sense imbraces sometimes that that is condemn'd by Reason but it never adheres to those things that are contrary both to Reason and Sense By this it appears that Infidelity has no just plea from the insufficiency of the proofs of the Christian Religion which have fully satisfied the wisest the most considerate and sincere part of Mankind A corrupt Heart is the spring and principle of the illusions of the mind in things that concern Salvation 2. The Gospel propounds to us the most proper and powerful motives of love to God In the visible World there is a Representation so conspicuous and full of his Divine Majesty Power Wisdom that form'd and regulates all things that 't is not possible but the attentive regarding of it will make impressions of reverence and fear will raise our esteem and admiration But those are dead sentiments without Love And that in the guilty Creature fearful of God's Wrath must be first excited by the hopes of his Pardoning Mercy Now the Love and Kindness of God our Saviour appear'd to Man in his Redemption in the most eminent manner Though in that blessed Work the Divine Perfections are relucent in various effects Wisdom design'd it Power accomplish'd it Holiness and Righteousness was gloriously declar'd in it yet as 't is applied to the benefit of Man 't is the sole effect of Wise Almighty Holy Tender Love Mercy soften'd God's Bowels open'd Heaven sent down his Son to be one with us in nature that he might exchange his Merits and Blessedness for our guilt and misery Miraculous Love to make his only begotten Son our Brother to humble him to the condition of a Servant that we most unworthy to be his Servants should be advanc'd to be his Children Nay to expose him to the death of a Malefactor equally ignominious and painful that we Malefactors might obtain Life and Glory If ever Love deserv'd the title of Excess 't is this for though not without Reason yet 't is without all bounds and measure 'T is so far above our thought that 't is hard to have a firm belief of it What the Psalmist speaks of the temporal Deliverance of the Church is more justly applicable to its Spiritual Eternal Deliverance When the Lord turned again the Captivity of Sion we were like to them that dream As if a poor man fancying in a dream that he is a King adorn'd with the Ensigns of Royalty and between hopes and fears should enquire of himself Am I awake and in my right mind Is this Scepter this Robe this Crown real Or is it all the pleasant deceit of Imagination And how can we reflect upon the amazing Grace of God that brings Salvation but such thoughts will arise Is it true that God did not spare his most innocent and dear Son to absolve us guilty Rebels Did he dye for his Father's Enemies and his own Unparallel'd Love only to be fully conceiv'd by an
to servitude imports only a continuance to the Jubile so that those Rituals were to continue in their vigour during that intire period and to be determin'd after the coming of the Messiah the great Jubile of the World And that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah is most evident in that his coming was exactly as he was designed and was to be expected that he had the power of working Miracles to authorise him to change the externals of their Worship and Service Briefly Judaism now is but the Carcass of a dead Religion and the obstinate adherers to it are become so sottishly blind as to believe the most prodigious fables as divine Revelations Their Talmud so reverenc'd by them contains intolerable follies nay Blasphemies against God It regulates his hours in the day It relates that he spends three in studying the Law and three more in the instructing Children that dyed in their minority and that he employs three in taking the accounts of the World and in the three last diverts himself with Leviathans and that the night being come for they imagine that the Sun sets in Paradise he ascends a Chariot drawn by the swiftest Spirits the Cherubims and visits the eighteen thousand Worlds he created I shall not instance in any more of their extravagant tales not to be defended by the pretence of solemn Mysteries and by strained Allegories This is sufficient to shew that by the Righteous Judgment of God for their rejecting the Truth of the Gospel they are given up to believe Lies Since the comeing of Jesus Christ Mahumetanism has overspread a great part of the Barbarous World But this carries in it such apparent and certain marks of falsity that it can be no temptation to any person in whom there is but a spark of good Hence whether we consider 1. The Authour from whom it was derived a robber one drencht in sensuality and therefore utterly unqualified to be the revealer of the Will of the Holy God to Men. 2. The quality of its doctrines some are ridiculous and extravagant above the vanity of a feaverish dream some are pernicious flattering both the lower Appetites the concupiscible by loosing its natural restraints from exorbitant fleshly pleasures the irascible by commending the violent oppression of others for the advancement of Religion 3. The means by which it had its rise and was propagated It sprang from imposture Mahomet erected an Oracle in his own Fancy and pretended that the Holy Ghost descended there to give his inspirations Thus he seduc'd at first but having got a strong party Force succeeded Deceit The Sword cut its way through many Countries And is it strange that the People so fiercely taught should follow the Religion of the cruel Conquerour Thus it was planted thus it increas'd and is still maintain'd by the same causes 4. The quality of those who received it They were Barbarous Nations and absolutely forbid to make an inquiry into the matters of Religion And how easie is it to make an impression on the rude lump of the multitude what wonder is it that pleasant follies should usurp the belief of the ignorant vulgar 5. It promises in the future life a Paradise fit for Swine most unworthy the glorious Rewarder God and the excellence of Man This is so evident that Avicen a Saracen Philosopher and Mahumetan in profession speaks with abhorence of those dreggy low delights and on the contrary asserts that the heighth of happiness is in the perfections of the Soul united to God and thus vertually condemns their Faith as repugnant to the dictates of clear Reason CHAP. II. The Christian Religion directly considered Previous Considerations That there was such a person as Jesus Christ who converst in the World and instituted that Religion is most credible from the uniform testimony of Christians in all Ages 'T is equally certain the Books containing the Doctrine of Christ are transmitted without material alteration The proofs of Christian Religion though not equal in clearness to sence or science yet are sufficient to convince unprejudiced minds of its truth The intrinsick Excellencies of the Christian Religion considered The Doctrines of the Gospel illustrate Natural Truths concerning God and reveal what is further necessary for his Glory and Man's Happiness The intire Agreement between them The Gospel discovers the misery of Man in its causes and degrees and the means of his recovery It represents a full and glorious Image of God's Perfections in the manner of our Restoration Therefore 't is worthy of all acceptation The Christian Religion sets before us a Rule pure and perspicuous in nothing superfluous or defective The Promises of the Gospel are worthy of God and suitable to the wants and desires of Men. They offer the pardon of Sin upon the condition of Repentance and Faith The supernatural Assistance of the holy Spirit The supply of our temporal wants and support under Afflictions The reward of Eternal Life I Will now consider the Christian Religion directly in it self It has this noble prerogative above the rest the more one searches into it the more its Divinity appears Whereas other Religions may please a sudden Eye but cannot endure a serious tryal Some things are to be premised 1. I shall suppose it as a Principle above all doubt there was such a Person as Jesus Christ who conversed in the World consign'd the Christian Doctrine to the Apostles and by them 't is conveyed to us in the New-Testament For in asserting it we have the uniform deposition of all that profess this Religion from its rise till the present Age and in all parts of the World Though in other things of different opinions yet they agree in this that Jesus Christ was their Founder Now who can better know the Author of an Institution Ecclesiastical or Sâ—cular than those who were admitted into its beginning and those who have succeeded in that order from age to age without interruption Besides we have the consenting and constant testimony of Jews and Heathens the obstinate opposers of the Christian Religion that its name as well as original was derived from Christ. We may with more Reason suspect there were never such Philosophers as Plato and Aristotle or that the Books which from their times by universal persevering fame have been attributed to them were made by others and put forth under false titles than to question what is so generally receiv'd concerning the Author of the Gospel 'T is the perfection of folly and madness to oppose such evidence 2. 'T is equally certain that the Books of the New-Testament are transmitted to us in their original purity without any material alteration For it is incredible that the societies of Christians should neglect the preserving incorrupt and intire those Writings which they esteemed a most sacred treasure on which they built their hopes of eternal blessedness It cannot be suppos'd they would transmit them to their Children whose Salvation must have been dearer to them than the
errour does not lessen its benign influences still it shines and causes the Spring and Autumn 'T is of little importance that a Philosopher is deceiv'd in his search after the principles of mixt bodies for notwithstanding his mistake Animals still live and move and perform all the Functions sutable to their Nature But in Judgments that respect matters of Fact if the Truth cannot be known by testimonys the civil felicity cannot long subsist For the unjust distribution of Rewards and Punishments is necessarily ruinous to the Being of the State And is it credible the Divine Providence that reaches to the smallest parts of the World in such an admirable manner should leave the conduct of humane affairs even of the greatest moment to a deceitful Light And that after the most diligent search and caution has been used the result should be only wavering Conjectures This imagination is extreamly injurious to his Wisdom and Goodness In particular if we consider the Number and the Quality of the Witnesses of Christ's Resurrection and the Circumstances of their Testimony we shall have so clear conviction of its truth as may induce us most firmly to believe it I do not now speak of a Divine Faith that supernatural Light that makes us acquiesce in things because God has reveal'd them but of a rational humane Faith grounded on just and powerful motives which is preparatory for the Divine 1. The Law admits two Witnesses as a competent number in Causes of greatest moment Of this there were many The approved Integrity of a Witness gives weight to his Testimony as on the contrary a known Lyar forfeits his Credit so entirely that he is not believed when he speaks true When Demades the Orator addrest himself to the Athenians I call all the Gods and Goddesses to witness the truth of what I shall say The Athenians often abused by his impudent Lyes presently interrupted him And we call all the Gods and Goddesses to witness we will not believe you The bare word of an Honest Man in an important matter perswades more than the most exquisite Oaths and far-fetch'd Imprecations by which a Lyar would give credit to his Imposture Now we have strong proof of the Integrity of the Apostles If an inflexible Fidelity and constant Truth were qualities so remarkable in the Community of the Primitive Christians that the Pagan Judges themselves were constrained to acknowledg it certainly they were found more eminently in those by whose Doctrine and Example they form'd themselves And as it is impossible to possess this Vertue so strictly united to Justice in an excellent degree without having all the others so 't is evident they were adorn'd with all moral Vertues For their lives were above the least reproach and charge of their implacable enemies so that they were fain to make express Laws against their Profession to render them guilty in Appearance Besides the circumstances of their Testimony make it very valuable 1. 'T was not built on the report of others Mere hear-say is very deceitful and often like a Contagion passes from Ear to Ear and blasts the Reputation of the Innocent with easy and credulous persons But a Testimony from sight makes impression on the belief of wise considering Men. Now we have undoubted Assurance of Christ's Resurrection from the clear and concurrent deposition of their Senses What we have heard and what we have seen with our eyes and what we have handled of the Word of Life saith the Apostle St. John 2. The uniformity of their Testimony renders it convincing If any material contradiction be between Witnesses 't is an infallible mark of their Forgery But the Apostles agreed not only in the substance but in the particularity of the Fact In vain Porphiry and Julian rack'd their Wits to find some contrariety in their Relations An impartial Inquirer must acknowledge all their Objections to be mere Cavils and effects of Malice 3. There were no motives to corrupt them For the humane will is naturally moved either by attraction of some Good or aversion from some Evil. A Fiction is not maintain'd for pure love of it self but with respect to either of those objects whether real or in appearance The Roman Histories report that Julius Proculus solemnly swore that he saw Romulus ascend to Heaven but the motive of his Imposture is visible for it was to prevent a great disorder among the People But 't is very evident that nothing desirable in the World had the least influence upon the Apostles Nay on the contrary whatever was terrible to Nature discourag'd them They suffer'd all temporal evils even Death it self for this Testimony And this last proof confirms all the others They are called Martyrs by way of excellency who have seal'd the Truth with their Blood Now what can be added to give us full and entire Faith in their Testimony In great and difficult Cases suspected Persons are put to Torture for the discovery of Truth The Apostles were tryed by the sharpest Sufferings yet declar'd the Resurrection of their Divine Master with unfainting perseverance What shadow of doubt can remain after such clear evidence of their sincerity Let sober Reason judge whether the matter is capable of proof more strong and convincing If it be said they were deceived with an Illusion either being distemper'd or in a dream both the pretences are most absur'd and incredible For the operations of the External Senses may be infallibly discern'd by their proper caracters from those of the Imaginations Indeed if the mind be in disorder either from some more fixed and tenacious cause or from sleep the influences of Reason are suspended or only some faint rays appear and are suddenly extingush'd so that it can make no true judgment of things In this state the Imagination draws all the vigour of the Soul to it self and the Phantasms are made so bright by the heat of the Spirits in the brain that those painted Scenes seem to be as real as the substantial objects we see hear and touch But sound Reason can reflect upon it self and extend its veiw to the operations of all the other faculties and observe the just and certain difference between Chimaeras in the imagination and things really existant It comprehends distinctly and with assurance that it is not disturb'd and that the Internal and External Senses are dispos'd for their regular operations It considers that the Pageants of Fancy moving in a dream vanish in a moment upon waking But real effects perceiv'd by the Senses in their full exercise are more constant and durable One may be wounded in a dream yet feel not loss of blood or strength when he is awake But the wounds received in a Combat are sometimes rebellious against the most potent remedies Now to apply this to the present subject Is it in the least degree probable that a vain shadow in a dream should make an indelible impression on the memories of the Apostles and their waking thoughts should
spreads abroad This happy and stupendous success of the Disciples of Jesus Christ consider'd in it self is an unanswerable proof that the Christian Religion came from Heaven For it was only possible to the Divine Power 'T is no wonder the Religion of Mahomet extended and establish'd its Conquests in many Countries For that Seducer perswaded the barbarous People by force of Arms they must be his Disciples or Slaves And can the Mind form a clear Judgment or the Will make a free Choice when under a tyrannous necessity of Compliance or losing all the Comforts of Life Can Violence and Cruelty produce a Rational Faith That may force them to a counterfeit complyance but cannot make Men sincerely believe 't is apt to breed Form without and Atheism within Now that a Persecuted Religion should live and flourish in the midst of flames is as truly admirable as if a little Stream should pass through an Arm of the Ocean retaining its Freshness and Purity in the midst of Salt and Turbid Waters That when the Minds of Men were prepossest with inveterate Opinions contrary to its supernatural Mysteries and their Wills over-ruled by Carnal Affections utterly averse from its Holy Precepts the World was captiv'd to the belief and obedience of it is the most noble effect of Omnipotence For other Miracles though above the Laws of Nature yet were on the lower order of creatures without life and sense but this internal Miracle was wrought on the Minds and Hearts of Men. To raise the Dead to calm a Storm to suspend the force of Fire to change Waters into Blood is not so glorious a work as the converting Rebellious Souls to God and making them a willing People to his holy Laws And if we further consider the Prophecies so many Ages before concerning it and observe the Harmony betwixt the Works and Word of God there results a Demonstration as clear and strong as is possible The Prediction and Accomplishment are equally divine The success justifies the truth of the Prophecy and the truth of the Prophecy justifies the Divinity of the Christian Religion For by the Apostles and their Successors the Heathens were turned from Idols to the Service of one God the Creator of the World which was foretold by the Prophets not only as a thing that should arrive but to be performed by the Power of God To ascribe then this glorious Work to humane Artifice as if his Providence had been prevented by others from doing that that he promised should be done by his own Power is so directly contrary to his Wisdom and his Truth that common Reason abhors the thoughts of it Therefore the Christian Religion is Divine having God for its Author Thus the Truth of the Gospel is victorious over the Jewish or the prophane Infidel It may be argued against the Jews that their God foretold his Messiah should convert the Nations No other but one authorised from above could do it Iesus Christ has done it therefore he is the Messiah And consequently they are either blind with prejudice or maliciously deny the known truth To prophane Infidels it may be urged none but the Divine Providence could foretel so great and marvellous a change of the World none but the Divine Power could effect it therefore 't was the true God that made the project and event so exactly to correspond in all things Add further that by comparing the Prophecies of Christ and his Kingdom with their accomplishment the two sorts of enemies against the Gospel are made useful to convince one another The Pagans by the Jews that these things were foretold the Jews by the Pagans that these things were fulfil'd St. Austin relates that the Heathens seeing the exact agreement between the Prophecies in the Old Testament so clear in words and their accomplishment in the New so clear in the Effects had nothing to reply but that they were written after the things were done and feigned to be Predictions of antient date As Virgil weaving Fables of Aeneas feign'd him to be in the Elisian Fields and to receive from Anchises a Prediction of his Descendents in a long succession and order of Men and Times which was the story of what was actually past when he wrote it In answer to this pretence he breaks out with wonder and joy O Gloria Regis nostri the Cause is gain'd and the Victory of Truth could not be more glorious For whereas the many Nations in Europe Asia Africa subdued by the Arms of the Romans were compelled to observe the Rites of their Religion The Jews only were permitted to enjoy their Sacred Books and their own Worship and were dispers'd into all Countries And thus by the admirable Counsel of God they give credit to the Gospel among the Gentiles For if we consider the reverence they bore to the Writings of the Prophets that with the greatest care they have preserved them as the most precious Inheritance left by their Fathers and their mortal hatred of Jesus Christ and his Gospel that willingly they would spend their Blood to deface the Memorials of it it is an invincible Argument that the Predictions concerning the state of the Christian Church recorded in their Scriptures are sincerely delivered and of Divine Authority This their Malice is an advantage to the Faith of the Gospel and by constraint they are the great Confirmers of it This is sufficient to reduce the Heathens to silence and confusion And the Pagan being convinc'd by the Books of the Jews the Jew may be convinc'd by the Testimony of the Pagans for if the Records so jealously kept by that Nation were from Divine Inspiration if they contain Antient Prophecies which the Heathens see verified in the Gospel and the Christian Church why do not the Jews acknowledge Jesus Christ to be the promised Messiah If the Vail were not taken from Moses's face and laid on their hearts they must clearly see that the Light of the Gentiles is the Glory of Israel 'T is equally unreasonable to doubt with the Atheist that the Messiah was ever promised or to believe with the Iews he is yet to come CHAP. V. The Testimony produc'd by St. John for the proof of Christianity briefly consider'd The Witness from Heaven the Father Word and Spirit The Witnesses on Earth the Spirit Water and Blood conspire in declaring JESUS CHRIST to be the Son of God and Saviour of Men. An Answer to Objections against the Doctrines of the Trinity the Divine Incarnation and the mean State and Sufferings of the Son of God in the World The Conclusion The Gospel so proved deserves our firmest Assent and Adherence to its Doctrines Carnal or spiritual Lusts hinder the belief of it It sets before us the most powerful Motives to love God We are obliged by the strongest Reasons to obey its Precepts THe Sum of all that has been said is comprised in the Testimony that St. John produces to prove that Jesus Christ is the Son of God
THE DIVINITY OF THE Christian Religion PROVED By the Evidence of Reason AND Divine Revelation By WILLIAM BATES D. D. LONDON Printed by J. D. for Brabazon Aylmer at the three Pigeons in Cornhil over against the Royal Exchange 1677. The Divinity of the Christian Religion Proved by the Evidence of Reason and Divine Revelation CHAP. I. Religion is necessary for the honour of God and happiness of Man Among the variety of Religions in the world 't is the highest point of Wisdom to consider which is pleasing to God God alone is to prescribe the way of his Worship He has revealed it The truth of Christian Religion is made evident by comparing it with all other Religions Gentilism convinc'd of falsity by its contradicting Natural Light in mistaking the object of Worship and in the manner of it The Idolatry the impure and frivolous Rites the cruel Sacrifices of the Heathens considered Philosophy was ineffectual to redress those evils Judaism consider'd The ceremonial part of that Religion contains nothing morally good 'T was of impossible performance to all Nations 'T was enjoyn'd the Jews for special reasons The carnal Law was to expire at the coming of the Messiah and give place to the Christian Religion that is all life and spirit The falsness and absurdity of Mahometism discovered by the quality of the Author and its nature by the fraudulent and violent means whereby 't was propagated by the quality of those who received it ignorant barbarous Nations by the quality of the Reward it propounds neither becoming God to bestow nor Man to desire HAving in some former Discourses establish't and clear'd the Foundations of Religion I shall proceed to raise the Superstructure That God is the Maker of the World that he observes our moral Actions and will require an Account of them in the future state and distribute eternal Recompences accordingly has been proved by such invincible Evidence that Reason cannot resist It follows therefore that Religion is necessary both for the honour of God and in order to the happiness of Man For we cannot conceive but that the wise Creator in making all things design'd his own Glory both in the manifestation of his own Perfections and that they should be acknowledg'd and reverenc'd loved and prais'd by intelligent Creatures This is a natural duty to which Mankind with an unforc'd consent agrees For as Honour in the general is the homage paid to conspicuous Excellencies and specially to beneficent Vertues so Religion that is the highest Honour is justly due to God the most Sovereign Being in all Perfections and our Sovereign Benefactor And 't is equally clear that the happiness of Man depends on Religion For if God regards the Actions of Men not to have a naked speculative knowledg of them but with an Eye of Providence and Judgment if He will accept and reward our services not as profitable to Him but as the just expressions of our love thankfulness and obedience to Him 't is requisite our prime care should be to serve Him In this the greatest Duty and supream Interest of Men are inviolably united for what obligation can possibly be equal to that of pleasing our Maker and Preserver and what is comparable to the Interest of Eternity From hence there is a general inclination in Men to worship the Deity imprest from the Author of Nature but the ways are diverse Religion changes its shape in several Countries and the Rites that are observed by some Nations as sacred are rejected by others as impious or vain Now in this variety of Religions and every one contrary to the other 't is necessary to consider which is that special Way of serving God that is only pleasing to Him If a Traveller be distracted between several Wayes he will enquire which leads to his Journeys end and not go on with uncertainty And is it not infinitely reasonable to do that in the most important Affair which any person will do in the most ordinary To be indifferent in a matter so deeply concerning us is prodigious above all wonder For if the means we use to obtain the Favour of God provoke his Anger our misery is remediless But alas no rashness is so common as that of Men's preferring one Religion before another How many false Religions are defended by whole Nations with that Zeal as if they were the most assured Persons when the Foundations of their Belief and Adherence are so weak that did they call Reason to Counsel they must be convinc'd of their Errors They are led by vain respects to their Progenitors from whom their Religion is deriv'd and what they receive at first without discerning they never distrust As if the first Instructions were alwayes true They resign up their Judgments to their Princes And if humane Authority were a sufficient motive in this case then every Religion will be saving in the Country where 't is establish'd by Law Nay the Christian Religion though shining with an extraordinary luster which justifies it to every one that will but open his eyes to consider it yet is as injudiciously and carelesly received as the vainest Religion in the World Innumerable are Christians in title without any solid conviction in their minds or divine change in their hearts the effects of its truth and goodness They are Disciples of Christ as the Turks are of Mahomet by the sole impression of Example In the discussing this matter I shall proceed upon such Principles as are evident to the humane understanding 'T is a common Principle acknowledged by all Men That God alone is to prescribe that Way and Order of Service wherein He will be honoured For this Reason those who in any Nation introduc'd a Form of Religion always pretended to have Divine-Direction for it Now that God has signified his Will to Men in this most important Matter 't is most reasonable to believe The Philosopher observes that such is the providence of Nature that the most necessary Arts for the support of life are easily learnt of all In the rudest Ages men were skilfull to cultivate the Earth to govern their Flocks to dress their Provisions for food But those Arts that were onely for delight not absolutely useful as Musick Painting Perfuming Embriodery c. required more study and skill and therefore were more modern And if the Divine Providence has such a tender care of Man as to make the knowledge of such things easy as are requisite for the Temporal life 't is reason to believe he has not left him destitute of those means that are necessary for the obtaining Eternal Life Now that the Christian Religion alone is true will fully appear 1. By comparing it with other Religions that upon trial are convinc'd of open falsity or that they are infinitely excelled by the Christian in those things wherein they have any resemblance or degrees of Truth and Goodness 2. By considering it directly as to its intrinsick excellencies and those External Supernatural
World otherwise than they received them This were to charge them with the most supine carelesness and unnatural cruelty Besides the great number of Copies disperst through all places and translated into many Languages and read in all Christian Assemblies make the attempt to falsifie them in things of moment to be morally impossible This will be more clear if we consider that among Christians there have been so many persons wise and good of excellent learning and vertue and of diverse Countries that by their office were establish't the Depositories of those precious Writings And is there any colorable pretence to imagine that they should suffer any notable alteration in them much less conspire to make a change in any Doctrines of Faith or Life therein deliver'd To give reputation and credit to a lye intitling it to Divine Revelation especially in matters of Eternal consequence is such a black crime that none can be presumed capable of but one that has utterly lost his Conscience I shall not here urge that the Immortal Providence of God is eminently interested in preserving the Scriptures in sufficient purity It were a vile imputation upon his Wisdom and Goodness to believe that he would permit them to be undiscernably corrupted in points important to his own Glory and Mans Salvation Thus a snare would be laid without possibility of prevention and the embracing Error instead of Truth would be innocent But this Argument though incomparably the best supposes that the Christian Doctrine descended from Heaven the proofs of which are to be considered 3. I will not insist on the proofs of all the mysterious points of the Christian Faith singly consider'd but propound the Arguments that evince the truth of that Religion wherein they are expresly and clearly contain'd and from thence conclude that 't is most reasonable to believe them As in besieging a Town the Assailants do not attack every particular House but vigorously press on to possess themselves of the Citadel that commands the whole and with that all the Houses are conquer'd That Divine Revelation is infallible is an acknowledg'd Principle by all Men for natural Reason dictates that unerring Wisdom and infinite Goodness are essential perfections of God so that he cannot be deceived nor deceive those that trust in his Word 4. The proofs of the truth of Christian Religion are of a moral nature and though not of equal clearness with the testimonies of Sense or a Mathematical Demonstration yet are so pregnant and convincing that the considering dispassionate spirit fully acquiesces in them A Mathematical Demonstration brings so strong a Light that the Mind cannot suspend its assent but is presently overcome by the naked propounding of the Object And hence it is that in Mathematical matters there are neither Infidels nor Hereticks But the motives of Faith are such that although the Object be most certain yet the Evidence is not so clear and irresistible as that which flows from Sense or a Demonstration And 't is the excellent observation of ‖ Grotius God has wisely appointed this way of perswading Men the truth of the Gospel that Faith might be accepted as an act of Obedience from the reasonable Creature For the Arguments to induce belief though of sufficient certainty yet do not so constrain the mind to give its assent but there is prudence and choice in it Not that the Will can make a direct impression upon the Mind that it should comply with its desire and see what it does not see It cannot make an obscure Object to be clear to its perception no more than it can change the colour of visible things and make what appears green to the Eye to seem red But the mind enlightned by sufficient Reasons that the Christian Religion is from God represents it so to the Will and the Will if sincere and unbiast by carnal affections commands the Mind not to disguise the Truth to make it less credible nor to palliate with specions colours the pretences of Infidelity And thus the belief of it results from conviction and love This moral evidence is as convincing as is requisit to make us steadfastly believe and obey the Gospel Moral Arguments produce as satisfying certainty though not so palpable as those drawn from Sense When there is a concurrence of Reasons proper to the nature of things and the strongest they are capable of by their united light they dispel all doubts and fear of the contrary For after the Understanding has deliberately and impartially compar'd the Motives and Arguments in favour of the truth of a thing and those that contradict it and finds the most weighty moments of Reason in one scale for it and in the other nothing but Air and emptiness it concludes without hesitation or suspence that such a thing is real And as it is impossible that a Physical demonstration concerning the existence of a thing should be deceitful because the two parts of a contradiction as of the being and not being of a thing cannot be true so there is as it were an equal repugnance that a moral Demonstration form'd upon the best Arguments the matter will admit should deceive the Mind It presents the object without a cloud so that the Understanding has an undoubted assurance of it To proceed the intrinsick excellencies of the Christian Religion will appear by considering the Doctrines Precepts and Promises it contains which are the essential parts of Religion And of them in general we may observe 1. The Gospel illustrates and establishes all the natural Principles of truth and goodness that are common to mankind the rule of moral actions and reveals all supernatural things requisit for the Glory of God and the supreme happiness of Man that rectified Reason upon the discovery must acknowledg it came from Heaven and infallibly leads those who believe and obey it to Heaven 2. There is such an intire agreement between all the parts of the Christian Religion for the accomplishing its great end as affords a clear conviction 't is no humane invention but from God As the Harmonious Composition the beautiful order and uniform preservation of the World is a sensible demonstration that it proceeds from a most wise powerful and good Cause In particular the Doctrine of the Gospel contains besides what may be known of God and of Man by Natural Light two principal points An account of the corruption and misery of mankind in its first causes And his Redemption effectually accomplish'd by the Son of God The discovery of both is equally necessary to Man The first makes him understand the depth of his guiltiness that he is incomparably more wretched than he feels himself clears the Purity and Justice of God in his dealings with Man and prepares him by the afflicted sense of his condition for Mercy And the knowledge of the Divine Redeemer powerful to restore him is as necessary in order to his Duty and Happiness For without it he would be always tormented with
shall we goithou hast the words of Eternal Life CHAP. III. The External proofs of the truth of Christian Religion considered Miracles are only perform'd by God Why Christianity was confirm'd by them The number of Christs Miracles the manner of his performing them and their certainty consider'd The Miracles done by Christ to confirm his Doctrine are an authentick Testimony that God approved it The pretence of Libertines that the Heathen Religion was confirm'd by Miracles clearly disprov'd The rational assurance we have that the Apostles were sincere and certain of the Miraculous things related by them of Jesus Christ. His Resurrection attested by sufficient evidence VVE are next to consider those external proofs of the truth of Christianity the works of God himself that seal our full assurance of it I shall instance in two Miracles and the accomplishment of Prophecies 1. A Miracle is a supernatural work that requires an extraordinary Divine Power to effect it For none can derogate from the Universal Laws of Nature prescribed from the beginning of things and time but the Author of it Indeed we do not exactly know the compass of that Circle wherein the spirits of darkness excercise their power They may by the application of natural means unknown to us produce things that may astonish or by lying Wonders deceive Men but a true Miracle is a work reserv'd to God and possibly to no less than Infinite Power Whether it be a first or second Creation the forming a new Eye or the giving a visive power to that that was naturally blind it can only be done by his hand If we respect Omipotency there is the same facility if the thing done there is the same difficulty in the performance If the Devils had such a power they might create a separate Kingdom and reign there Now Miraculous Testimonies were given to confirm Christianity that there might be a just correspondence between its Doctrines and their Proofs The mysteries of the Gospel in their existence are above all natural power and in their belief above the natural understanding All that Nature can do or know does not make them credible Therefore 't was requisit those things should be confirm'd by the Divine Power that transcend the comprehension of humane Reason Besides as the Mysteries of the Gospel are sublime so the Rewards are future and that the Gentiles might not pretend that the Preachers of the Gospel feign'd another World and a Heaven and a Hell wherein the Souls and Bodies of Men shall be glorified or tormented according to their actions in this life supernatural Evidence of the truth of those Promises and Threatnings was necessary In short herein the Divine Goodness appeared That as the true Religion is necessary to the Salvation of all Men so 't was discernible by such signs as may convince all For upon the sight of those Divine Works the simplest people were led by the outward Sense to an inward firm Faith in Jesus Christ. These things being premised I will take a brief view of the Miracles wrought by our Saviour to give Faith to his Doctrine 'T is recorded of Moses who was a type of Christ that after his familiar converse with God as a Man with his Friend descending from the Mount his Face shone with such an excessive brightness as it were by reflection from the Face of God that coming to the Israelites to deliver to them the Divine Laws he was fain to cover it with a vail yet some rays of that miraculous splendor were visible through that mysterious Vail to assure them it was Moses himself that directed and govern'd them according to God's Will Thus when the Son of God came down from the Heaven of Heavens to instruct the World he shaded the light of the Deity with a vail of Flesh yet he was not so absolutely concealed under his humanity but that from time to time some beams of the Divine Nature appear'd in works so proper to God that the Apostle says We saw his Glory as the Glory of the only begotten Son of God In the representation of our Saviours Miracles by the Evangelists we may consider their number and variety his manner of performing them and the certainty of them 1. Their number and variety He went about all Galilee healing all manner of sicknesses and diseases even the most incurable the Blind the Deaf the Lame the Paralitic the Hydropic the Leprous the Lunatic were cured He rais'd the Dead and cast out Devils Besides his miraculous feeding so many thousands his commanding the enraged Winds and Seas to be still and a great calm followed His Transfiguration before his Disciples when the Beauty of Heaven descended on his Countenance to be there more beautiful discover'd the sensible Presence of the Deity in him 2. The manner of his performing them is very considerable They were done in an instant by absolute dominion over Nature Thus when he said to the Leper I will be thou clean immediately his Leprosy was cleansed Thus when the faithful Centurion addrest himself to him only speak the word and my Servant shall be healed He answered Be it done unto thee as thou believest and his Servant was healed c. both expressions of Command and Empire And his words to the Blind-Man Receive thy Sight had the same creating efficacy with those Let there be Light and there was Light Thus with Authority he commanded the unclean Spirits even the most furious and obstinate and they were expelled from those Mansions wherein they had revelled a long time Thus by the mere Act of his Will he revers'd the order of Nature When the Widows Son was carrying to the Grave He only said Young Man I say unto thee Arise and he that was dead sate up and began to speak Now in this respect the power of Miracles in Jesus Christ was transcendent above that that either Moses or the Prophets or the Apostles had 'T was derived to them by favour and commission from an extrinsick superiour principle the Omnipotence of God but 't was inherent in his Person the natural proper Attribute of his Deity and prov'd Him to be the Son of God the Lord of Nature visible in humane flesh In all places this blessed Vertue proceeded from Him 3. The certainty of his performing them was so great that no shadow of suspicion could remain about it Vitruvius the Master of Architects gives advice to those who built Temples to Aesculapius or any other of the Heathen Deities that were invocated by the Sick that they should choose such places as were open to the most favourable Aspects and Influences of the Heavens where there was a well-temper'd Soil clear Air pure Springs of Water that Diseased-Persons coming from unhealthyplaces might obtain Recovery and what was the benefit of Nature might be attributed to the Divine Vertue of Aesculapius Thus that Idolater counsel'd for the honour of his false Gods But in this he judged aright that the power of the Deity was believed
and the Redeemer of the World This I will briefly open There are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy-Ghost and these three are one And there are three that bear witness in Earth The Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one All the Divinity gave testimony of this important Truth The Father not only by the Miracles wrought by his Power to confirm the Mission of Christ but which is here principally intended by a voice from Heaven First at his Baptism This is my well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased And at his Transfiguration before some of his Disciples a Shining Cloud the sign of the Divine Presence encompast them and a voice came forth of the Cloud This is my well beloved Son hear him Upon this glorious Voice they were struck with such an impression of fear that they fell on their faces And when our Saviour near his Passion prayed Father glorifie thy Name a voice came from Heaven I have glorified it and will glorifie it Now can there remain any doubt after such an high attestation from the most Soveraign Authority The Son also besides the perfect holiness of his life the exquisite Wisdom of his Doctrine the Wonders of his Works his Resurrection from the dead that were authentick proofs of his Celestial Person and Calling after his Ascension gloriously appear'd from Heaven in diverse Visions to the Preachers of his Gospel To Saul in his Journey to Damascus calling to him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me It is hard for thee to kick against the Pricks This is an unexceptionable testimony that he is the Son of God being risen from the dead and returned to Heaven from whence he thus discover'd himself Now that this was real and no fantastick illusion is evident by the marvelous effects of it Those who were companions in the journey were seiz'd with great terror and himself struck blind by the overpowering splendor of the Apparition But especially the effects of it upon his Soul are convincing who it was that spake to him For Saul was by Sect a Pharisee that of all others most passionately adher'd to the Jewish Religion by Temper hot and violent by Profession a persecutor of the Christians One that breathed forth Threatning and Slaughter that excited the Fury of the High-Priests sollicited their Cruelty In short a fierce spirit that envied Nero the title of the first Persecutor of the Church Yet this Man by this Vision and Voice from Heaven of a furious Persecutor in an instant became a zealous Apostle of a Wolf became a Pastor He presently exprest his entire submission Lord what wilt thou have me to do There is nothing so hard to do nothing so dreadful to suffer but I will readily undertake for thine honour and the propagating thy Truth Now from whence came this Change so strange so new in a person confirm'd in the opposite party from whence this resignation of will so entire and perfect so unexpected and sudden What gave him courage to contradict to their faces the High-Priests whose instrument he was and declare that Jesus whom they called a Deceiver was the Son of God and their Judge What animated him to appear before Kings and Emperours to testifie this dangerous Truth What made him with unparallel'd activity with the most ardent affections propagate the Gospel and after a thousand perils by Sea and Land a thousand disgraces and injuries at last to confirm the Faith of Christ with his Blood It is therefore past all contradiction that he had the greatest assurance that the Son of God spake to him Another Vision of the WORD from Heaven was to St. John when he was pleas'd to reveal to him the future state of his Church its Combats and Victories He then appear'd in a form expressive of his Majesty Power and Providence requisite for the ordering all the great Events that should befal it And said I am the first and the last I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I live for ever and have the Keys of Hell and of Death wherein he appropriates to himself the incommunicable titles of the Deity and then declares those two astonishing Miracles that the Prince of Life that had an Eternal Principle of it in himself was dead and that one who had been dead was alive This Riddle the Gospel unfolds The Son of God was made Man and by that admirable union allied Eternity and Time Life and Death together As 't is a common form of speech that a Man dies when the Body is depriv'd of Life though the Soul be immortal So it was true the Son of God died when his Body was crucified though he was uncapable of the least diminution of his Divine life And after three days he rose by the Divine Power to enjoy an Immortal Life And have the Keys of Hell and Death The irresistible force of Death all Men must yield to and from the Grave there 's no redemption by finite power But Jesus Christ has Soveraign Authority and Power to open the Grave and raise the Dead to an happy Immortality This glorious Appearance made St. John to fall as dead at his Feet and could not recover himself till assured by the reviving words of his favour The Spirit also appear'd from Heaven to give Testimony concerning the divine Person and Office of Christ First by descending as a Dove on him when he was baptised This was the completion of the Prophecy The Spirit of the Lord is upon me He has anointed me to preach the Gospel to the Poor to publish Deliverance to the Captives And in the second of the Acts the Spirit descended in the form of Fiery Tongues upon the Apostles to qualifie them for preaching the Gospel to the World And 't is worthy of observation that the Apostles were before this very defective in Wisdom and Courage so that their Divine Master though Goodness it self yet tax'd them for their stupidity and in his Sufferings they all forsook him But after the effusion of the Spirit upon them they were endowed with that admirable Wisdom and Resolution that nothing could gainsay and overcome They presently spake in various Languages the things concerning Iesus Christ that the World was astonish'd and many converted by this Testimony from God for the honour of our Saviour and others confounded in their obstinacy Now since this miraculous descent of the Spirit was to ratify the Promise that he made to them If I go away I will send to you another Comforter What more clear and valuable Testimony can we have that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the World If Infidelity should reply If we had heard these Voices and seen those glorious Visions we should be convinc'd but what assurance have we there is no deceit in these Relations I answer There never was clearer Grounds of the belief of any thing done without the compass of our own senses than of what
the Apostles testify as hath been evidently proved before And certainly as those who saw and heard those things were by the Divine Characters in the external Objects and by their efficacy on their Spirits fully perswaded they were not deceived so we have as strong proofs that they did not deceive us in their Reports I shall briefly consider the other Testimonies And there are Three that bear witness in Earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these Three agree in one The Spirit is to be considered in two different manners in the Testimonies attributed to him either in respect of those Representations by a Dove and Fiery Tongues or in respect of his Vertues and Influences communicated to the Christian Church The first was his Testimony from Heaven The second his Testimony on Earth And these were his Extraordinary Gifts so liberally dispens'd at the first preaching of the Gospel To one was given by the Spirit the Word of Wisdom to another the Word of Knowledge to another Faith that is extraordinary confidence in the Divine Power for the producing Miraculous Effects to another the Gift of Healing to another the working of Miracles to another Prophecy to another Discerning of Spirits to another divers kinds of Tongues to another the Interpretation of Tongues Now because these Operations more eminently declare the Presence and Power of the Spirit than his ordinary Graces they are called by that name For understanding the second Witness the Water two things are observable 1. That in the Rituals of Moses's frequent Washings were enjoyned for the purifying of the Iews from Legal Pollutions contracted by them And as those Corporal Stains were Resemblances of the vitious habits of the mind so the cleansing by Water was typical of sanctifying Grace that purifies the heart And for this Reason under the New Covenant to represent the sanctification of Christians by an outward sign Baptism in Water was appointed 2. The Apostle John in the Narrative of the Sufferings of Christ tells us that a Souldier pierced his Side with a Spear so that Blood and Water came out This is not recited by S. John merely as a circumstance of the History or as a certain proof of his Death but the following words He that saw this testifies it and his Testimony is worthy of belief and he knows that he says true that you may believe declare it to be of singular consequence And accordingly he says that our Saviour came by Water and Blood with respect to that which was done at his Crucifixion which was so ordered by Divine Wisdom for high ends that is the Water issuing out of his Side was a fit Emblem of that Sanctifying Grace that is given to all that have Communion with him in his Death 3. For the Testimony of the Blood 't is also to be observed that by the Mosaic Institution daily Sacrifices were offered up and a most solemn one by the High-Priest in the day of Atonement to expiate the guilt of Ceremonial Uncleanness and to restore those who for that were excluded from external Communion with God in the Sanctuary Now as that legal guilt arising from those outward pollutions and the separation of those who were so polluted from the Service of God was a representation of the Moral Guilt and Punishment that follows the vitious habits and actions of Men so the shedding the Blood of the Sacrifice and Offering was typical of the true Propitiation that was to be made by the Blood of Christ. And this is peculiarly remark'd by the Apostle that Iesus came not only by Water but by Water and Blood and 't is the Spirit that testifies of it and the Spirit is the Truth By which we must understand something distinct from the former i. e. that the flowing of his Blood signified the reconciling efficacy of his Death by satisfying Divine Justice and consequently the remission of Sins given to those who believe in him Now briefly to shew the force of their conspiring Testimony that Jesus is the Son of God and our Redeemer These things may be considered absolutely in themselves or as the accomplishment of the Prophecies concerning the Messiah In the last respect they affor'd us a great assurance of this Truth For all was expresly foretold And it shall come to pass in the last days saith God I will pour out of my Spirit upon all Flesh and your Sons and your Daughters shall prophesie and your young Men shall see Visions and your old Men shall dream Dreams And on my Servants and Hand-Maidens I will pour out in those dayes of my Spirit and they shall prophesie This promise was universally acknowledged to refer to the coming of the Messiah For that of Water that is Sanctification not only the washing under the Law were figures of it but 't was also clearly prophesied of in many places and most expresly in Ezekiel I will sprinkle clean Water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness will I cleanse you A new Heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes And for the third Testimony besides that the typical Blood of the Messiah ran down from all the Sacrifices it was also foretold expresly by Esaiah what his Sufferings should be and the Benefits accruing from them Now if we compare the Oracle with the event who can justly doubt that the Messiah is come But if we consider the things themselves they afford an uncontroulable Testimony of Christ's Divine Mission Compare the Primitive Church either with the Jews or the Gentiles and see the difference between them The Spirit that was communicated but as it were in a few drops to the Jews after the Ascension of Christ fell in a main showr upon the Christian Church inriching them with supernatural gifts some favoured with Revelations of Sublime Truths above the discovery of the human Understanding some foretelling things to come that were beyond the discovery of the most sharp sighted Reason some speaking diverse Languages wherein they had never been instructed some having such an extraordinary Faith in the Divine Power and Goodness that innumerable Miracles were done by them in the name of Christ. If we look into the state of the Gentiles how thick and prodigious was the darkness that overspread that Chaos of Impiety In the Roman Empire that compriz'd the flower of Wit and Learning what foolish and extravagant opinions of the Deity were cōmonly received What Idolatries what Impurities what Abominations were freely practised But by the preaching of the Gospel how clearly were the minds of Men instructed in the true Knowledg of God And what a change was made in their Lives ' The World that was as a barren Desart was suddenly chang'd into a Paradise fruitful in all good works Innocence Humility Purity Justice Charity Love to God Resignation to his Will were eminently visible in all
perfect Humility to the World 'T is the special Character of his Religion that distinguishes it from all other Institutions that it preserves the Divine Glory entire that it makes the profoundest impressions in the hearts of Men of their meanness and vanity and inspires them with an humble sense of their infinit distance from God And for the holiness of his Life I shall produce a Testimony that can be liable to no exception 't is of Porphiry a Platonic Philosopher who excelled as in Learning and Eloquence so in Malignity the most furious Enemies of Christianity yet he was by irresistible evidence compell'd to acknowledge That Jesus Christ was a most pious and Excellent Person and that after his Death he ascended into Heaven And is it credible that the same Person whose Life was a glorious Example of Holiness and Righteousness should be guilty of the most transcendent Wickedness 'T is not possible for an unprejudic'd mind to entertain such a suspicion 4. That the Son of God was here below in a mean state that he was expos'd to the most cruel and ignominious death if we consider the great end of his condescending goodness it will appear to be most worthy of him and that there is no contradiction in the things themselves but in the perverse minds of Infidels For First He was to redeem the World not in the way of Majesty but by humble Obedience and Sufferings Thus it was ordered by Divine Wisdom for the honour of God's Attributes and Government Now if he had appear'd in sensible Glory the design of his coming had been frustrated who would have dared to condemn him to the infamous death of the Cross who would have shed his Blood the price of our Redemption And 't is very observable that our Saviour made no use of his Supernatural Power when the doing a Miracle before Herod would have struck him with the reverence of him as a Divine Man and might have preserved him from Death Nay when the glittering Host of Heaven all the Orders of Angels were in Arms ready upon his least Call to have come swifter than Lightning for his rescue yet he meekly yeelded himself up a bloody Sacrifice to God and an ignominious Spectacle to Men. For thus it became him to fulfil all Righteousness Secondly Another great End of his Coming was to found a Spiritual Eternal Kingdom He was constituted a new Adam to regenerate Men to an holy blessed Life that were condemned in the first Adam to Death and Misery Therefore his Life was a continual exercise of Self-denyal a pattern of Innocence and Patience of doing good and suffering evil Thus he convinces us that nothing is valuable in God's account but Holiness Thus by his own Example he instructs us in the divine Philosophy to despise the good and evil things here in order to our everlasting happiness He ascended to Heaven by the way of sufferings and calls us to follow him The fruit of Blessedness is ingrafted on the thorns of Poverty and Persecution for his Name-sake The Laws of his Kingdom are inscribed on the Body of his Cross and must be copyed in the Hearts of his Subjects And for this Reason when the Apostles who after his Resurrection had some reliques of their carnal conceit that the Kingdom of GOD should come with observation for its external splendor ask'd him Lord wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom of Israel to raise their Thoughts and Affections above Earthly things he answered The Holy-Ghost shall come upon you and ye shall be Witnesses of me both in Jerusalem and in Judea and in Samaria and unto the utmost ends of the Earth Their preaching his Life and Death should be attended with the power of the Spirit to dispense a vigorous Influence into the hearts of Men for his Imitation And certainly his Example is of admirable use and profit For thus he sweetens and makes honourable those Vertues the exercise of which were very difficult and unpleasing either in respect of their quality being contrary to fleshly lusts or as they expose to Contempt in the opinion of the World For who can refuse or be asham'd to practise the most severe Self-denyal when in that he is made a Copy of so Divine an Original as the Son of God Now considering what an influence his Afflicted state has to procure Eternal Happiness for fallen Man and to prepare Man for it was it unbecoming him to descend thus low Is it unbecoming that God loves as God that as infinite Wisdom and Power appear'd in the Creation so Infinite Mercy appears in our Redemption What is more Divine than infinitely to exceed all the Ideas we can frame of Perfect Love To do greater things for his Enemies than Men are willing to do for their dearest Friends and where Sin abounds that Grace superabounds Thus the Eye of Reason clear'd by Revelation sees that the voluntary Humiliation of the Son of God for a time is so far from diminishing that it exalts his Majesty This is the great Argument and Motive of the Adoration and solemn Praise that Reasonable Creatures shall for ever pay unto him wherein his derivative Glory consists From what has been discours'd we may see the just grounds of our firm Assent and perfect Adherence to the Doctrine of the Gospel There are not only sufficient but abundant Motives to induce our belief so that it is an extreme Wonder that any to whom it is revealed should not see the Truth so illustriously visible The only account of such Infidelity is given by the Apostle The God of this World hath blinded the eyes of them which believe not lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine upon them The love of some Lust fleshly or spiritual render Men averse from receiving it The Mysteries of Godliness are not confin'd to the speculative mind but are for moral ends to regulate our lives From hence it is that the cordial belief of them very much depends on the temper and disposition of the Soul The sincere humble Enquirer has an eminent advantage in the discovery of the truth and spiritual excellencies of the Gospel above those who are over-rul'd by corrupt habits For the carnal heart either wholly turns the mind from thinking on those most sacred and concerning objects or weakens its intention that it does not seriously and duly consider them Men will studiously apply themselves to secular Arts and can discern the truth of abstruse Mathematical Theorems that are not distastful to their evil affections yet though the Principles of Christian Faith are as unquestionable as the clearest Propositions in Geometry they will not ponder those things that may convince and perswade them to believe what is directly opposite to their Lusts. Besides as corrupt humours vitiate the palate and make what is pleasant bitter to the taste so vicious desires darken and deprave the mind and incline it to judge of Doctrines to
set all their Affections their Loves Desires Hopes Joys in present perishing things and not in everlasting to come to labour for the Riches of this World as if they were eternal Inhabitants on the Earth and not strangers and pilgrims in the way to Heaven These are worse Enemies of our Saviour than the Heathens that do not know him or the Jews that deny him For wearing the Livery of his Servants they defame his most holy Profession obscure his Glory and blaspheme him in their lives If Infidels that never heard the sound of the Gospel should see their conversation what judgment would they make of the Excellence of Christ and the holiness of his Law They would blaspheme his Goodness without defence Unholy Christians are the most guilty Sinners in the World And their punishment will be heightned accordingly For they exasperate Mercy and make the Blood of Atonement to cry for Vengeance against them If it be extreme perversness to disbelieve the Gospel after so clear a Revelation from God what degree of folly and wickedness is it for those who believe its Truth to contradict the evidence and design of it in their lives as if there were no doubt of its falsness FINIS Books sold by Brabazon Aylmer at the three Pigeons over against the Royal Exchange in Cornhil THe Harmony of the Divine Attributes in the accomplishment of Man's Redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ. Or Discourses wherein is shewed how the Wisdom Mercy Justice Holiness Power and Truth of God are glorified in that great and blessed Work By W. Bates D. D. in Quarto Two Sermons of the late Learned Dr. Isaac Barrow D. D. Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majesty and Master of Trinity Colledg in Cambridg The Reconcilableness of God's Prescience of the Sins of Men with the Wisdom and Sincerity of his Counsels Exhortations and whatsoever other means he uses to prevent them In Octavo ‖ Arist. MeÌ„tap Tanta Gentium in rebus frivolis plerunque Religio est Plin. ‖ Magis ex alieno jecore Sapiebant quam ex suo ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Protrept Jsa 1. Psal. 50. Psal. 40. Psal. 110. Mat. 22. 42. Heb. 5. 5. * De verit Rel Christ. Nullam Virtus aliam mer cedem laborum periculorumque desiderat praeter hanc laudis gloriae quae quidem detracta quid est quod in hoc tam exiguo vitae curriculo tam brevi tantis nos in laboribus exerceamus Cicer. per Arch. Vereor ne ille plura tribuit virtuti quam natura patiatur Cicer. lib. 4. Acad. Quaest. Titus Imperator febrim nactus cum lectica transferretur suspexisse dicitur dimotis plagulis Coelum multumque Conquestus Eripi sibi vitam immerenti neque enim extare ullum suum factum poenitendum excepto duntaxat uno Sueton. Dulces voluptates Epicurus interdum sic extenuat ut Curium loqui putes interdum ita laudat ut quid praeterea sit bonum neget se posse suspicari Cic. lib. 2. de fin ‖ Quaedam arcana apud se habuisse neque se permittere Omnibus Sympos ‖ Pet. Mart. Hist. Ind. Cum enim ex Pestilenti in salubrem locum corpora aegra translata fuerint à Fontibus salubribus aquarum usus sub ministrabuntur celerius convalescent Ita efficietur ut ex natura loci majores auctasque cum dignitate Divinitas excipiat opiniones Lib. 1. cap. 2. That Eclipse might be caused in some other extraordinary unknown manner * Plin. in Epist. Praevidens Dominus Iesus impios quosdam futuros qui miraculis ejus calumnientur Magicis artibus tribuendo Prophetas ante praemisit Numquid si Magus erat Magicis artibus fecit ut coleretur mortuus Magus erat antequam natus O Homo mortue vermiscendo calumniose Prophetas audi Propâ—â—tas Lege Tract in Joan. Dan. 9. 26. Zech. 11. 12. Psal. 22. Isa. chap. 52 53. * Philost vit Apoll. lib. 6. Deut. 28. Gen. 49. 10. Deut. 32. 21. ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys. de laad Paul 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. * Aliquando Pagani faciunt nobis hujusmodi quaestionem cum vident quae scripta sunt sic impleri ut negari omnino non possint Audent ut dicant videstis ita fieri tanquam praedicta sint conscripsistis Serm. 67. Divers Sparsi sunt ubique Judaei portantes codices quibus Christus praedicatur Si enim in uno loco essent terrarum non adjuvarent testimonio praedicationem Evangelii quae fructificat toto orbe terrarum Serm. 67. Div. Ambos inde convinco Judaeum quia id prophetatum et impletum Ego cognovi PaganuÌ„ quia ego hac non convici Aug. Epist. 5 Volus. Demus DeuÌ„ aliquid posse quod nos fateamur investigare non posse In talibus rebus tota ratio facti est potentia facientis ‖ Quare quicquam nobis insolitum est quia naturam oculis non ratione comprehendimus nec cogitamus quid illa facere possit sed tantum quid fecerit Natur Quaest. lib. 6. * Aut forte qui verbum est significationem verbi ignoravit et qui veritas est loqui vera nescivit et qui sapientia est in stultiloquio erravit qui virtus est in ea fuit infirmitate ut non possit eloqui quae vellet intelligi Hilar. lib. 8. de Trinit Paulin. Arist. Rhet. ‖ Quae cum ita sint magna videlicet praerogativa de nomine Christianitatis blandiri possumus quia ita agimus ac vivimus ut hoc ipsuÌ„ quod Christianus populus esse dicimur opprobriuÌ„ Christi esse videamur * Aestimari de cultoribus suis potest ille qui colitur Quomodo enim bonus Magister est cujus tam malos videmus discipulos 2 Salv. De Gubern lib. 4.