heal'd Or that like things at diff'rent times abound Or Names ambiguous do the Mind confound Or had one Man or Place Names more than one And such-like circumstances now unknown But this them from imputed fraud may free Who lie by compact will in all agree If some slight disagreement still appear Which will no Reconciliati'on bear We ought not therefore all these Books suspect Unless we will all History reject For we as much may of that kind perceive In those which we without dispute receive Polybi'us and Herodotus to name Livy and Plutarch Authors of great fame How much more equal is it not to doubt When it appears the Writers were devout And thought it criminal things false to tell We by extrinsick Proofs might such refel XIV Answer to an Objection taken from outward Testimonies where 't is shewn that they make more for these Books But I affirm none such are to be found Unless our doubts on later times we ground Where Enemies the Christi'an Name would wound We cannot such for Witnesses receive Nay foreign Proofs confirm what we believe That Jesus suffer'd Jews and Heathens taught And that he and his Follow'rs Wonders wrought Some forty years from Christ Josephus wrote Who does in Terms the most perspic'ous own What was by Herod Pilate Festus done Foelix John Baptist and Gamali'el names And how Jerusalem expir'd in Flames The Talmudists the same fully relate Tacitus tells th' effects of Nero's hate When he against Christi'anity did rage And several Books were extant in that Age Such was old Phlegon's we before did name And publick Records menti'oning the same To which the Christi'ans commonly appeal'd Nor was the Star pointing at Christ conceal'd They name the Earth-quake and Eclipse o'th'Sun Against the Course in which Nature had run When yet the Moon at Full felt not the loss About the time when Christ was on the Cross No other difficulty I can name XV. Answer to an Objection about the Scriptures having been changed But that the Writings are not still the same To fate of other Writings we must own To have betided these may here be shown The Copier's Neglect or faulty Will If not his want of necessary Skill In Letters Syllables or Words might wrong By change omission some of them too long But these things should no Controversy raise Being but incident to length of days But that by fraud or any other ways In Doctrinals all Copies vicious were Or where they memorable Facts declare Don't or by Books or Witness of those times appear What ever of that kind is offer'd since Must pass for Railing not for Evidence This may be thought enough to silence those Who for Mutations holy Writ oppose On whom it lies not to object but prove Since they 'd a settled Reputati'on move But we their vain pretence may soon detect Who what ne'er was nor can be here object Before we prov'd to any equal Mind The Books were their's whose Names affixt we find It follows then there was no change of Books And if to every part of them one looks No change of part materi'al can be found Some end who made the Change must needs propound That where the Change was made should differ more From those remaining what they were before Than here the sharpest search could e're explore Nay as before was in this Tract observ'd A wonderful Consent's throughout preserv'd Besides when any of th'Apostles wrote Or Men who Apostolical were thought Sincere Professors of the Christi'an Name As their concern for Truth it well became Must needs have us'd all diligence to gain The valu'd Transcripts of what they maintain Through Europe Asia Aegypt these diffus'd For the Greek Tongue among all these was us'd Could not but spread as far as Christ was known Consider farther as before was shown That some Originals were seen to last Until the second Century was past A Book of which so many Copies were Preserv'd not only by a private care But by whole Churches which did Christ obey No Man to have been counterfeit can say Add that 't is evident the sacred Text Was read in sev'ral Tongues i'th'Ages next The Syriac Aethiopic Arabic And Latin too agreeing with the Greek In all those weighty things of which we speak Farther their Writings to our hands are brought Whom the Apostles or their Follow'rs taught Who many Passages from them do quote Agreeing with that Sense which now we note Nor in the Church was any Man possest Of such Authority above the rest That they 'd comply if he a Change had prest This Irenaeus and Tertullian shew The Cyprian too who without fear withdrew From those who then were most reputed sage And if we come to the succeeding Age We find Men of best judgments greatest parts Wh'had run their Stages thro' the lib'ral Arts After the utmost search these to receive And of Orig'nal Purity believe In proof of this divided parties joyn All who believe the World a work divine And Christ the Founder of a sacred Law Each against changing would the other awe Nor yet did any Sect that licence take That to have chang'd them for their side would make Which hence is seen that when e're they dispute Each would from thence his Opposite confute What 's urg'd of Providence concern'd for all To every part of these alike will fall Nor ought it of our God to be believ'd That he would suffer Men to be deceiv'd In what 's of greatest moment to the Mind Who had his Honour above all design'd And next the way to Happiness would find For many thousands such as these to run Into those Errors which they could not shun This may be thought sufficient to maintain What the New Testament does there contain And there at large is our Religion seen Yet since th' Almighty's Pleasure it has been XVI For the Authority of the Books of the Old Covenant The Truths the Jews believ'd should now appear Which no small Light to our Religion bear 'T is not amiss to shew their Credit here What prov'd those other Books were titled right Will serve for these where any shall deny 't The Authors of those Books the Jews receiv'd Were Prophets or most fit to be believ'd Such Esdras was thought to have joyn'd in one Those scatter'd Books which went before alone When at that time some Prophets were alive Who would against an Impositi'on strive Such Haggai Malachi Zach'ry were known To pass what was in praise of Moses shown Pagans confirm not only what he wrote But what of later times the Jews were taught So the Phoenician Annalists proclaim David and Solomon so great in Fame And they their Treaties with the Tyri'ans Name Nebuchadonozor with others joyn'd Who Caldees rul'd we in Berosus find Aegyptian Vaphres Jeremy does name And Aphri'es in Her'odotus are the same Of Cyrus and who follow'd in his charge Until Darius Graeci'ans speake at large And in those Books Josephus did endite When Appian to
Regal Pow'r maintain'd In which the Legislative is contain'd This (s) Dan. 7.13 c. Daniel saw in his Prophetick view Who after Syria ' and Egypts Fate did shew The last of which was while Augustus sway'd That unto one all Pow'r should be convey'd To whom tho in his outward habit (t) Vid. Comment Filius hominis Hebraeis vilitatem quandam significant low All Nations of the Earth should ever bow That part besides of the Mosaick Law Th' obedience unto which Christ did withdraw Had nothing honest in it self alone But things indiff'rent mutable thence known If of themselves they necessary were Would God but to one People them declare And that not till two thousand years and more While Abel Enoc Noe who liv'd before Melchis'dech Abram Isa'c Jacob too And Job all dear to God hone of this knew Or what from nothing hardly was remov'd Yet was their Faith never the less approv'd Large were the marks that them th' Almighty lov'd Moses on Jethro did not urge those Rites Nor Jonah on repenting Ninivites Nor others writing to the Moabites To those of Caldee Egypt Zidon Tyre Any account concerning these require When to a reck'ning all their Sins they call These Precepts therefore were not general But either to keep off some Sin design'd To which the Jews were known the most inclin'd Or else that People so stiff-neck'd to try How far they 'd with the Will of God comply If not to typify some future things And this no greater cause of wonder brings Than if a King all Borough-Laws repeal That one may flourish thro' the Commonweal Nor any thing the face of Proof has gain'd That God from changing has himself restrain'd What tho he sometimes these perpetual call The like does often human Laws befal As different from temporary Laws Made for a certain time and transient cause Yet what does hinder but new may be made When publick benefit does so perswade Thus God the Jews did variously command When in the (u) Exod. 27. Wilderness and (w) Deut. 12.1 holy Land By Laws perpetual those God therefore meant Which were to stand till his reveal'd Intent Which way of speaking all the Nations use And should the less move wonder in the Jews With whom as such that (x) Exo. 21.6 Leit 25.10 right and service past Which but from Jubilee to Jubilee did last Then the Messiah's Coming they agree To be the finishing great (y) Esa 61.2 Jubilee The Jewish Prophets too plainly foretold Of a new Cov'nant promis'd long of old And full of this does (z) Jer. 31. Jeremy delight Where God does promise to (a) Ib. v. 31. infuse the Light That none need farther groap in baleful Night While Truth inscrib'd on ev'ry Breast appears Besides a gen'ral Amnesty declares Not much in this unlike a mortal King If we such low Similitudes may bring Who after a defection from his Pow'r While Subjects one another would devour The better to establish lasting Peace Them from some loads of Impositi'ons frees And on a perfect Law lets them depend Who for the future promise to amend What is already offer'd may suffice Yet take their Law as in its parts it lies And 't will appear that nothing there displac't Could please God in it self or always ought to last VIII As their Sacrifices which of themselves never pleased God Their Sacrifices first themselves present Which ev'n some Jews thought Men did first invent Them fond of various rites we plainly find Whence against many Gods they are enjoin'd Perhaps but requisit their minds to wean From what they had living in Egypt seen When Sacrifice was with their Offspring come To take up in Religion too much room As if 't would in it 's self th' Almighty please And him provok'd unto the heighth appease Without a Reformation in their Lives Then it of Reputation God deprives Psalm 50. Of this he tells them ' He makes no account ' How high soe're their Holocausts may mount ' While Flocks and Herds they on each other ' heap ' Bullocks Goats mingled with harmless Sheep ' With these they would propitiate him in vain ' Since they but render back his own again ' 'T is his what feeds on Mountain or on Plain ' No Beasts or Birds says he my notice flee ' And should I hunger need I tell it thee ' Mine is the Vniverse with all things there ' Dost think the Blood of Bulls or Goats my fare ' Offer to God the Sacrifice of Praise ' And pay those Vows which thy distresses raise Some Jews still to this ancient Rite enclin'd Think the Reproof not against that design'd But th'off'rer's pravity of Life and Mind Yet who what here is cited well has weigh'd Will find that Victims on the Altars laid As of themselves cannot th' Almighty please This in the Series of the Psalm one sees For to the pious he directs the Speech Whom there he does after that manner teach That such are call'd together there we find Immed'iately hear yea my People 's joyn'd After the Passage we above did quote We may a (b) Psal 50.16 But unto the wicked God saith c. Psalm 51. diff'rent form to th'impious note In other places the like Sense is found ' What tho with Holocausts the Altar's crown'd ' 'T is not the Sacrifice that pleases thee ' But th' Heart that 's humpled its offence to see ' For tho O Lord dost not that Heart despise ' Which broke and contrite at thy Footstool lies Elsewhere ' The Sacrifice does not delight Psalm 40. ' And the Burnt-off'ring's nothing in thy sight ' Me thou hast mark'd for thine nor dost require 'A warm Oblati'on with piac'lar Fire ' Then said I I am here to do thy Will ' In which my own chief pleasure I fulfil ' Not meerly as an hireling this I do ' But to th' Impression on my Heart am true ' My inward pleasure streams forth in my words ' The transports of my Soul my Tongue records ' The Contemplation of thy Mercy this affords ' Thy Nature so veracious and benigne ' I ev'ry where proclaim as 't is divine ' Thy Faithfulness and large Compassion shown ' I loudly in the Congregati'on on own Thus does our God Esaiah represent Esa 1.11 c. ' Why are so many Sacrifices spent ' Your Holocausts of Rams have tyr'd me quite ' Nor do I in the richest Fat 's delight ' The Blood of Bullocks Goats or tender Lambs ' Pleases no more than di the toughest Rams ' Who bids you thus my sacred Courts profane And Jer'my has a passage no less plain Nor does th'Interpreter the meaning strain Jer. 7.21 c. Thus says the God of Angels Israel's Lord ' What tho ye heaps of Holocaust afford ' Eat them your selves for all the good they bring ' Freeing your Fathers from th' Egyptian King ' Nothing of any Sacrifice I said ' This for the necessary Rule
the Jews for what bore Daniel's name Did not oracular Predictions shew What Mexico should feel and rich Peru Which the relentless Spaniards should subdue To this those many Dreams we may refer Which to Events full Correspondence bear Events which they who dream't could ne're foreknow From any thing observable below These to ascribe unto some casual hit Or nat'ral cause can't thinking Men befit Of these Tertulli'an writing of the Soul Brings many Instances beyound controul Of Sp'irits assuming vehicles of Air Which Men not only did discern but hear Authors by no means credulous declare Such Spectres in America have been In Mexico and Sina often seen And those fire Ord'eals with old Germans known As in their Histories and Laws are known Prove an Almighty Power the just does own If less exertions of the Power Divine XVII The Objection that Miracles are not now seen answered For Miracles and Prophecies now shine The force of what is prov'd it can't impair Since 't is enough that once such things there were If they have been less frequent than before God in great Wisdom these his Works forbore Nor is it fit to violate the Laws Printed on Nature but for weighty cause As when the Jews in a small Corner clos'd Were to maintain a Worship all expos'd Or that the Truths in Christian Doctrine found Were to enlighten all the World around Such times are well becoming God to show That Nature 's but his Hand-maid here below XVIII And Wickedness obtains such licence Some question whether Providence presides Seeing how Sin flows in with mighty Tides As if 't would deluge all the World again Which Providence if any should restrain But th'answer's easy since Man's Will is free And God alone good by necessity To bridle and keep in our Sins by force Were to make Man no better than an Horse Bate that of freedom we are not bereft No proper means are unattempted left A Law is made our wild Desires to chain And none for want of Knowledg can complain Inward and outward Admonition's joyn'd And Threats and Promises to bend the Mind That very Wickedness that 's suffer'd here Has limits set by God's o're-ruling Care In vain it strives to swell beyond its bound To force th'enclosures of the sacred Ground His Church hem'd in with the tempestuous deep His Pow'r does from an Inundation keep Civil Societies his Influ'ence share Else the mad Multitude no Laws would bear And ev'n that Mischief which does license get Has some good end by his appointment set To punish or correct those Souls that stray Out of the Paths of Vertue 's narrow way Or else a glori'ous is Specimen to give How nobly the Adult in Vertue strive ' Gainst those Temptations which in Crouds arrive While Pati'ence does its perfect work maintain And constancy unto the last remain And they whose Punishment has been delay'd For this forbearance have large int'rest pay'd Thus they who disobey'd th' Almighty's Will Against their own his purposes fulfil If Wickedness unpunish'd long appear XIX That the Just are often opprest The weak still suffer'd Violence to bear In sorrow long to draw their hated Breath And die at last an ignominious Death As if their Innocence had no regard Man is not therefore from God's Care debarr'd For no Man knows how God exerts his Pow'r In inward Blessings th' ill can ne're devour Besides before was prov'd an Aid Divine Wherefore we with the wise in the belief should joyn That since God knows our Acti'ons and is just XX. This Argument is retorted to prove that Souls survive the Bodies Yet sometimes seems to authorize distrust A future Judgment needs must be behind Where Sinners their due Punishment may find And all egreg'ious Vertue here unblest Exalted to a state above the rest May meet full Recompence for all its Pain For this we must believe that Souls remain XXI Which is confirmed by Tradition When loosned from the Body's cumbrous Chain And this belief so general is known That we it's rise must from first Parents own This Homer sings in Verses ever new And this the Gauls as well as Grecians knew Their learned Druids this most fully taught And this the Brachmans with the Indians thought Aegyptian Thracian German Sages all Upon this Truth with one consent do fall For proof we might unquestion'd Authors call In Strabo Plutarch and Laertius see How the Aegyptians Indians too agree In the expecting of the Day of Doom After this Life is to its period come Histaspes and the ancient Sybills spake What Conflagrati'ons shall the World o're-take Ovid and Lucan both this thought pursue This at Siam the savage Ind'ians knew Of this Astronomers a Proof have found In that the Sun draws nigher to the ground Parts farthest off at first discov'ry prove That we can no where from these Truths remove Canaries yield this Fruit the Western Shoar Largely enriches with this Golden Oar. XXII Nothing in Reason against it Nor can one Argument in Nature found This old Tradition so extensive wound For if we any thing observe to fail 'T is either that what 's mighti'er does prevail In its own Nature contrary to that As Cold does through the force of Heat abate Or the removing that in which it stands As when a Glass is fallen from our hands And into several little peices broke The form is perisht which at first it took Or else 't was from deficience in the cause As Light does vanish when the Sun withdraws But none of these can of the Soul be said For nothing contrary to that was made In this does its peculiar b'eing delight Things to each other the most opposite At once it 's intellectu'al Pow'r receives This for the first The second who believes For on what Subject can the Soul depend If we for this the Body should commend How happens it that when the Body 's tyr'd The Soul to farther Action still is fir'd Without least lascitude from thence acquir'd An Object also that too much excels All the weak forces of the Body quels And thus the feeble Organs of our sight Cannot endure the Sun's prevailing Light The nobler Objects entertain the Mind Its force is stronger Pleasure more refin'd As when its Thoughts from matter it abstracts And about lofty Universals acts The Body's forces cannot but embrace Things which are circumscrib'd by time and place For that 's the Body's Nature while the Mind To what 's eternal and immense is joyn'd Since then the Body don't its Acti'ons give It 's Essence how can it from thence receive The Natures of the things we ne're discern We can but by their Operations learn Nor more to this can we ascribe the way Mention'd the last as reason of decay For no efficient cause we can invent Which failing all the reasoning Pow'r is spent For this the Parents you can ne're assign For then their Deaths would cut off all their Line No other cause 't is
Since part of what he writes the Author plainly was So since the Authors of the Books we cite Liv'd in the very times of which they write And as they add themselves partakers were Of Gifts which fell to an Apostle's share It is enough our full belief to gain If any say these qualities they feign And to some Books fictiti'ous names did give They urge what none that think can e're believe As if who preach up Truth and Piety Should venture without any cause to lie Which not all good Men only would refuse But to forbid by Law the Romans chuse The Books which the new Cov'nant then V. That the Pen-men wrote the Truth because they had knowledg of the things which they wrote declare Were doubtless wrote by them whose Names they bear Or such at least as they themselves profess And what there is like reason to confess The things of which they wrote the Authors knew Nor could desire to mix what was untrue For Falshood we no other grounds receive Than Ign'rance or intention to deceive Matthew John Peter Jude were known of those Whom Christ t'attest his words and Actions chose And therefore needs must know the things they tell And this to James may be apply'd as well Be'ing an Apostle or to Christ of kin And Bishop of Jerusalem had bin Advanc'd by the Apostles to that See St. Paul from Error must have been as free When what he learn'd from Christ he did declare Being rapt above the Regions of the Air To him or Luke who always clos'd his side For what Christ did Faith ought not be deny'd That Luke did know 't is easy to suppose What of our Saviour's Life and Death he shows Being born hard by and having travell'd o're The places Christ had visited before And had Eye-witnesses of what he writes Often consulted as himself recites Many with whom he Friendship did contract Besides Apostles could attest the Fact Some whose Diseases at Christ's word had fled Who saw him living after being dead If Tac'itus and Suetoni'us are believ'd In things which happ'ned long before they liv'd Because they 're diligent Enquirers thought Rather should one esteem what Luke has wrote Of Mark a constant Fame is known to pass That he Companion to St. Peter was And what he wrote should have the like esteem As if St. Peter dictated to him And farther hardly any thing is there But what th'Apostles Writings do declare Nor could the Writer of the things (a) Apocal. reveal'd When God large folds of Providence unseal'd Have been impos'd upon in what he saw Or he who wrote (b) Author to the Hebrews to them o' th' Jewish Law In what he says from th' holy Spirit came Or the Apostles witnessing the same That they to cheat with Lies could not design VI. And because they would not lie Mention'd before we always should subjoin When we would reinforce that Law divine Which from our preaching King at first was spred With his return to life from being dead Who Witnesses of ill intent'ion blame The grounds of such their ill intent'ion name Here can be none If any say they feign That they the cause they manag'd might maintain For such a cause why should they so contend Which no advantage here could recommend Nor did they any dangers thereby shun For that alone they did all hazards run And as to wordly Goods were quite undone No Man can therefore think they chose this cause But in obedience to God's holy Laws Which would not have encourag'd Falsities Chiefly in that wherein Salvation lies So ill a charge these things with strength oppose The pious Doctrines which they did propose Their Lives unspotted and so free from blame That their worst foes their Ign'rance only name No proper Parent of invented tale To shew their faithfulness this should not fail That their own faults they leave upon record That all forsook and Peter thrice deni'd their Lord. But God himself did witness to them bear VIII A Confirmation of the Fidelity of the Authors from the Miracles they wrought Whilst he by Wonders did their Truth declare On which since they and all Men of their way Such mighty stress with such assurance lay And to the Publick Scrutiny advance The Times and Places ev'ry Circumstance The Magistrates concern'd did they so please The truth or falshood might have learnt wth ease This too th'assisting of Heav'n do's shew That many spake the Tongues they never knew And Pains fled suddenly in publick view Nor were they terrifi'd from what they prest To think the ruling Jews were foes profest Nor were the Romans less enclin'd to close With what might them for Novelties expose Nay Jews and Pagans of the Times most nigh That these had Wonders wrought durst not deny St. Peter's Mir'cles Phlegon does report An Annalist o' th' Emp'rour Adrian's Court And Christians pleading before any State Urge all these facts as being past debate That at the Tombs of Martyrs there remain'd A wondrous Pow'r they publickly maintain'd And that throughout some Ages it did last Which if untrue they might with shame be cast When they were put to justify their Cause Before Dispensers of the Civil Laws So frequent were the Prodigies there wrought Of them such uncontested Proofs were brought As even Porphiry himself confest With what 's already said we well might rest Yet there 's an heap of Arguments behind Which may commend those Books to 'a serious mind VIII The Truth of the Writings comfirm'd in that they contain many things which the Event has prov'd to be reveal'd from Heaven In them are many things plainly fore-shown Which no Man could by nat'ral skil have known Th' event declaring them for God alone As the (a) Mat. 13.33 c. John 12.32 large sudden-spreading of that way And that (b) Luke 1.33 Mat. 28.20 John 14.16 no Age should see its pow'r decay That it should (c) Mat. 21.43 c. be rejected by the Jews While Gentiles far remote obedience chuse That 't would the hatred of the (d) Mat. 10.17 Jews procure What Cru'lties for Christ's Name Men should endure The (e) Mat. 10.21.39 23.24 siege and dismal ruin to invade That (f) Mat. 23.37 38. Luk. 21.20 24. City where the Jews their Worship paid That there the Temple should be left forlorn With the (g) Mat. 23.35 c. Calamities still to be born Add here if God regard our mortal state Chiefly in what t' his Worship does relate He cannot suffer Errors to abound Where nothing but his Honour Men propound But for the sacred Books this proof supplys IX As also from the care becoming God in preventing supposititious Books That of all Christian Sects did e're arise Scarce any has been found that these denys Some the whole Volume for authentick take And they who doubts concerning any make Others receive which do with them agree When yet we such warm differences see That