that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of IESUS Acts V. 41. Certain then it is that as they prosessed Their exhortation was not of deceit nor of uncleanness nor in guile neither did they at any time use flattering words nor a cloak of covetousness as they call'd God to witness neither of men sought they glory 1 Thess. II. 3 5. No 't is plain they could not propound to themselves any worldly advantage Well then either they did believe what they preach'd and wrote to be true or they did not If not then did they for the sake of a known and unprofitable Lye forsake all that seems good in this World even whilst they hoped for nothing in another and then they must be no longer thought cunning and crafty men but the sillest fools that ever were and very mad-men If they did believe themselves and chearfully endured all these things for persuading others to believe what more can we desire to shew us that they were honest and plain-dealing men Fifthly If it be said That tho they were men of good sense and competent understanding yet as honest well-meaning men are easily deceiv'd so might they be by his cunning whom they follow'd and being seduced by him might in simplicity of mind endeavour to deceive others This will appear a vain Conceit when 't is consider'd that he whom they follow'd was JESUS a Person well known whilst on Earth for his Life and Conversation among men He taught openly and what he taught notwithstanding his Divine Authority to command belief upon his bare word he did not bid them simply believe but try and examine The Iews to whom he preach'd had all along received the Scriptures of the Old Testament as the Word of God and for what he taught of himself he appeals to those Scriptures Search the Scriptures saith he for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testify of me John V. 39. And this is not all but he appeals for the truth of his Doctrine to the Works which he wrought before their eyes The works saith he which my Father hath given me to finish the same works that I do bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me John V. 36. If I do not the works of my Father believe me not but if I do though ye believe not me believe the works that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in him John X. 37 38. He was then a man approved of God among them by miracles and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of them as they themselves also knew Acts II. 22. And after all he himself suffered death for the confirmation of his Doctrine and therefore could have no worldly end in deceiving his Disciples But what greater evidence could they or the World desire that he did not deceive them than this That as he taught them to understand his Doctrine so he gave them power to do the same kind of works as he had done for the confirmation of it according to his promise Iohn XIV 12. He that believeth in me the works that I do shall he do also and greater works than these shall he do because I go to my Father They saw then what he did and they felt in themselves what he had enabled them to do in his Name Yea many others saw and felt in themselves the power and vertue of those works which they did These works were done in the Streets and Market-places in the Temple and in the Synagogues at their solemn Feasts and in their most full Assemblies So that the people hearing Christ were astonish'd saying Whence hath this man these things And what wisdom is this which is given unto him that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands Mark VI. 2. And the Priests and Rulers of the Iews when they heard Peter and Iohn and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men they marvelled and they took knowledge of them that they had been with IESUS And seeing a Miracle done by them they confessed it saying That indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Ierusalem and we cannot deny it Acts IV. 13 16. Lastly Seeing 't is said these men might be deceived by JESUS and so deceive others let it be farther consider'd What hopes either He or They could have that such a Delusion should prevail Had they such hope or had they not If not would they suffer as they did and as before-hand they knew they must merely to promote and carry on a Delusion which they had no hope would ever succeed Will any one lose all he has endure all pains and miseries and a cruel death too only to have the satisfaction of attempting what he thinks it in vain to attempt Had they such hope And whence had they it Could they hope that the mighty Princes and the great Scholars and Wise-men of the World could be deluded by them Could they hope that all or many would give so much Credit to a few mean and unlearned Men as for their sakes to change their Opinions which they had suck'd in with their Mother's milk wherein their Ancestors had lived and died yea and cast away their Gods too whom they had so long worship'd and by whom they thought themselves protected and made prosperous They could never dream of such a thing and 't is plain that they built not their hope on their own Credit or Reputation If they had done so they would have set themselves out to the eye of the World in their best colours they would have carefully conceal'd and hid their own Infirmities and every thing which might lessen their Reputation among men But they were very free in laying open to publick view their own Blemishes and Failings their Ignorances and their Sins And certainly this is not the custome of Deceivers or of men that would be believed on the stock of their own Reputation It is therefore plain That the hope they had of having their Doctrine received was wholly founded on the Excellence of the Doctrine it self and on the Power of him from whom they had it They doubted not therefore to leave it to shift for it self and to be tried by its own apparent goodness They fear'd not but he who sent them to preach it would own it and give it acceptance where it pleased him it should be embraced and finally recompence them abundantly for all their Sufferings These things all consider'd no man can have reason to doubt of their honesty And they being found both knowing and honest they wanted nothing to qualify them for writing these things And therefore we can have no cause to distrust them telling us that they wrote the word of GOD. 3. And now if after all this we find that these mens writings are such as have all the Characters of Divine Truth what more can we desire
in the World than now it doth And therefore there never was more need of a Reformation of mens Lives and Manners than now there is But in vain are all Endeavours to that purpose so long as men do not believe that there is a GOD over them to whom they owe a Duty and are accountable for their whole behaviour Till men be convinced of this tho they may possibly by force be kept from doing some sorts of Evil they can never be Reformed or persuaded to be good But if they may once be throughly convinced of this it may also be hoped That they may be persuaded to account it both their Duty and their Interest to live a godly life and as St. Paul speaks Col. I. 10. To walk worthy of GOD unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work But supposing such Discourses needful yee will some say what need was there of this sceing there are already so many both larger and learneder on the same subject In answer to this I have no more to say but these things First I do very readily and with all due thankfulness both to GOD and the learned Authors acknowledg That there be many both larger and learneder Discourses on this subiect than this is But Secondly even for this very Reason that they are so large and learned they are the less serviceable to that sort of People for whose use this is principally design'd As men of strong Reason and good Learning can make good use of long and learned Discourses and receive much benefit by them So men of weak Understandings and of little or no Learning stand in need of short and plain Discourses such as they can from their necessary Business get time to read and such as reading they are able to Understand For their sake it is that I publish this and therefore have I used as great plainness of Expression in it as possibly I could and yet I am very sure of it no more than is needful to make them understand it No man can deny but such people ought to live Religiously as well as others and therefore ought to be well grounded in the first Principles of Religion And they must be taught in such a way as they are able to learn is we design to teach them any thing and therefore in teaching them we must use both such Arguments and such Language as are not too hard for them or we lose our labour and they all the benefit they should reap by it If this be not enough to excuse me at least for Publishing this Discourse and for Writing it too with so much plainness as if I be not deceiv'd I have done I will only add this That I had rather be blamed for being impertinent by them who either need it not themselves or see not the need that others have of it than bear the rebuke of my own Conscience for not doing what I am verily persuaded to be very needful in the best manner I could do it tho not half so well as another might have done it THE FOLLY OF ATHEISM WE find Wicked men or such as have no Religion by the Holy Ghost himself in Scripture frequently called Fools And how hard soever it may be to make such a fool understand or acknowledg his own Name we are very sure he deserves it because the Spirit of Truth as the Holy Ghost is called Ioh. 16. 13. hath given it him The Man of a wicked Life if he have any thoughts at all of GOD must think either That there is a GOD or That there is none If he thinks That there is a GOD he must needs be a fool for living wickedly and wilfully provoking GOD's Wrath and indignation against himself which he knows himself unable either to withstand or indure If he thinks That thire is no GOD the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David hath told us twice over for our better assurance That he is a fool for that The fool saith he hath said in his heart There is no GOD Psal. 14. 1. 53. 1 And indeed the truth of what He hath told us is as clear to every one who hath Reason and will use it to any good purpose as the Light it self can be to him who hath and will make use of his sight To make this plain to the meanest capacity is my present business and to this end in the first place I desire that these three things may be consider'd in the words of the Holy Ghost which I say contain so clear a Truth 1. What is said There is no GOD. 2. How 't is said In his heart 3. Who hath said it The fool hath said 1. That which is said is this There is no GOD. Doth he who saith this understand what he saith If he do not he is a fool for saying he knows not what Doth he know what the word GOD signifies If he do not he saith he knows not what GOD is He that made the World and all things therein the LORD of Heaven and Earth who giveth to all life and breath and all things in whom we live and move and have our being Acts 17. 24 25 28. This is that which all the World hath ever meant by this word GOD The First of all Beings who is of himself from all Eternity without beginning which gave being to all things that ever were and in which as in the first Fountain is all Being and Life and Power and Wisdom and Goodness Of whom and through whom and to whom are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen Rom. 11. 36. This then is it which is said Tho there be a World yet it had no Maker As much as to say Tho' there be a stately a useful a richly furnished and wisely contrived House yet it had no Builder Tho' there be many things yet was there no first Cause of their Being Tho' all things are disposed in a very wonderful wise order yet was there no wise Orderer of them We Men who were not always came into this World no body knows how We are provided for here no body knows by whom We are dayly going hence no body knows whither We have no Maker to whom we owe our being no Owner whose we are no Preserver whom we are to thank for any thing no LORD or Governour whom we are to obey to whom we must be accountable whose favour or displeasure we need to regard We may do what we will with our selves and all we can to any other whether it be good or hurt We may get whatever we can by any means for our selves and from others we may do what we will with it when we have got it All Religion is a vain thing and Civil Government is but a crafty contrivance of Men. We are under no Laws but such as we please to make to our selves Who is Lord over us Psal. 12. 4. This is it that is said in saying There is no GOD. And surely there does
be known unto men And therefore if he have all these ways manifested himself unto us he is a Fool that doth not own him I. It must be granted very reasonable to expect That if there be a GOD who is our LORD and GOVERNOR he should give us such significations and tokens of his Being and Will as we may know him and how to behave our selves towards him And if it be such an evidence of him that the Atheist would have for his satisfaction I say he hath it in that which we call GOD's WORD in the Holy SCRIPTURE If he say He would believe there is a GOD because of his WORD if he were sure that it is GOD's Word I ask What he means by saying so Is it this That he would believe there is a GOD because of his Word were he first sure that there is a GOD whose Word it may be This is all one as to say That what he calls for as an evidence of a GOD can be no evidence for he cannot be persuaded 't is his Word till he be first sure that He is This is to play the Fool downright He will not believe there is a GOD till GOD hath revealed himself by his Word GOD reveals himself by his Word and he will not believe it to be his Word because he is not sure there is a GOD. If he say he means no more but this That what you shew him for the Word of GOD is not such as may be thought worthy of GOD or has not enough in it to convince one that it is not a Forgery of man If this be his meaning then I ask him What is wanting to it to make it appear worthy of GOD and not to be a Forgery of man If he cannot shew this and yet excepts against it he 's a Fool for either that evidence wherein no defect can be discover'd must be a sufficient evidence or there can be no such thing as a sufficient evidence in the world Well then We say GOD hath revealed Himself and his Will by clear significations of both in his Word And this Word we have now written in a Book which we call the Bible and the Scripture If this Scripture or Writing be true then is it the Word of GOD for so much it affirmeth of it self The Truth of it therefore is the only thing we are to inquire into And to make this Enquiry as short as may be let it be considered That this Book is made up of divers smaller Books whereof some are called The Books of the Old Testament others of them The Books of the New one And we need do no more but inquire into the Truth of the latter of these at present for if what is written in these be true then is that so too which is written in the former For these bear witness to the Truth of those Our Saviour in the New Testament approves of the Law of Moses and of the Prophets and of the Psalms which make up the Old Testament Luke 24. 44. And of the same St. Paul saith All Scripture is given by inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3. 16. And St. Peter That the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost â— Pet. 1. 12. And the Apostle to the Hebrews saith That God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unâ—o the fathers by the prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son Heb. 1. 1 2. If then the Writings of the New Testament be true the Books of the Old Testament contain the Word of GOD. And to satisfie our selves that they are true we need but to understand Three Things 1. That there were such men as are said to have written these Books and that these are their Writings 2. That they were sufficiently qualified for writing these Books 3. That what they have written hath all the Characters of Divine Truth 1. There were once such men as are said to have written these Books and these Books were written by them If any one doubts whether there were once such men as St Matthew Mark Luke Iohn Paul Peter Iames and Iude or that the Books which bear their Names were written by them how would he have it proved These men died about Sixteen hundred Years ago and therefore he will not surely be so unreasonable as to say Shew me the Men or I will not believe that ever they were But look what reason he hath to believe any thing that was before he was was born and now he seeth not the same he hath to believe that these men once were and that they wrote these Books Histories make express mention of them one Generation to another from their time to this hath preserved their Memory and the Books we have are their lasting Monuments We have the Testimony of all Christians of all Ages since their time who have own'd these Books as theirs who have commented on them and written in defence of the Doctrine contained in them recorded their Travels and the Churches which they planted And these Witnesses are no inconsiderable Persons but the most learned of their times and such as made the most diligent search into the truth and were so well satisfied as to shed their blood in vindication of it and ventured their Salvation upon it Neither is this all but we have the testimony of their Enemies of those who persecuted them unto death and wrote against the Truth which they deliver'd Now what can any one desire more than this to satisfy him That there were such men and that they wrote these Books We have the Books in our hands and all sorts of Historians Friends and Enemies making mention of them and all Christian Churches being the best most learned and most civilized part of the World acknowledging receiving and even unto death maintaining them Have we not the faith to believe that there were once such men as Cyrus Darius Alexander or Iulius Caesar Do not we believe that Cicero Demosthenes Homer and Virgil once were and that we have their Books Believe we not that we have had Kings of this Realm in former days and that we have now Laws which they enacted Nor yet that we had Grandfathers and Great-Grandfathers and Inheritances derived from them And what better Reasons can we have to believe any of these things than such as we have to believe that these men were and wrote these Books Truly he that will not believe that once a thing was when all the evidence of its having been is given him which can be given of any thing past must needs be a very unreasonable Fool and not to be discours'd withal but laugh'd at For at this rate nothing that ever was and is not now can be believed without better evidence of it than can be given if it was which is impossible 2. These men were sufficiently qualified for writing these
Books For all that can be thought necessary to qualify them for writing these Books is First Sufficient knowledg of the things whereof they wrote and Secondly Honesty to write no other things than what they certainly knew 1. We cannot in any reason suspect them to have wanted sufficient knowledg because they had all opportunities of well informing themselves They write either of the Life and Deeds of JESUS CHRIST whereof they were Eye-witnesses or of his Doctrine and Preaching which they were Ear-witnesses of Or else of the Deeds and Sufferings of themselves and their Fellows whereof they were either Actors and Sufferers or Spectators That which they had seen and heard declared they unto us and that in writing as St. Iohn saith 1. Ioh. I. 1 2 3. They have delivered these things to us which from the beginning were eye-witnesses and Ministers of the word And it seem'd good unto them having had perfect understanding of all things from the beginning to write unto others that they also might know the certainty of these things as we gather from St. Luke chap. I. v. 2 3 4. Now that there was such a Person as JESUS CHRIST that he was born in the Reign of Augustus Caesar and was Crucified in the Regn of Tiberius Caesar being sentenced to death by Pontius Pilate and that he had such Disciples and Followers not only the Testimony of Christians but that of Iews and Heathens bitter Enemies to Christianity assures us And what should hinder these men to have sufficient knowledg of what they write 2. We have no less reason to believe they were honest men who had no design to deceive the World For First It is to be seen in their Writings by all who read them that they professed and taught Sincerity Truth Simplicity plain and upright Dealing condemning all Hypocrisie Lying and Guile as odious to GOD and damnable in men denouncing the heavy wrath and indignation of GOD against the Practicers of these Vices And as they taught so they lived and for this they durst appeal to all who knew them Ye are witnesses saith St. Paul and God also how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved our selves among you 1 Thess. II. 10. We have renounced saith he again the hidden things of dishonestry not walking in craftiness not handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending our selves to every man's conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. IV. 2. Secondly For the truth of the chief matters of fact which they relate they were bold to appeal to the knowledg of great multitudes then living who might easily have disproved them had they told any falshood They told them of the wonderful Birth and Life of JESUS mentioning the very time of his Birth the place the manner his manifestation to the Shepherds to the Wise-men of the East his Persecution by Herod with all the remarkable Circumstances thereto belonging His Doctrine and Preaching his Miracles some whereof thousands at once tasted of his Death without Ierusalem notorious to all his Resurrection witnessed by his appearing to hundreds his visible Ascension into Heaven his sending the Holy Ghost on the Day of Pentecost to the astonishment of many who heard the Apostles by him enabled to speak to every one in his own Language and many more things of this kind concerning some of which St. Paul was not afraid to tell Festus the Governour in the presence of King Agrippa The king knoweth of these things before whom also I speak freely for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him for this thing was not done in a corner Acts XXVI 26. How easie now had it been for the Iews to have proved these men Lyars had they been so And would they not have done it if they could Thirdly They were men but of a very mean Education most of them and of no leâ—â—ning and cannot reasonably be thought able to contrive and invent what they write of their own heads and when they had done to defend it so bravely as they did for real truth It must needs be supposed they were instructed well in their business and had a Teacher wiser and more powerful too than themselves or indeed as it will appear than all the World besides And this was well known to be JESUS CHRIST the Eternal Wisdom of GOD and his Holy Spirit of Truth which He according to his Promise sent upon them Acts II. to guide them into all truth Joh. XVI 13. 'T was He alone who could as he had promised give them a mouth and wisdom which all their adversaries were not able to gainsay or resist Luke XXI 15. Indeed it appears whatever their Education had been they were when they preached to the World and wrote men of good sense and understanding who could teach a Religion which now for above Sixteen hundred years hath prevail'd over the most learned part of Mankind who could dispute with the Learned Grecians Acts IX 29. And though the Scribes and Pharisees the most Learned Iews Though they of the Synagogue of the Libertines and Cyrenians and Alexandrians of Cicilia and Asia disputed with them Acts VI. 9. Tho the Philosophers of the Gentiles the Stoicks and Epicureans encounter'd them Acts XVII 18. yet were none of these able to resist the Wisdom and the Spirit whereby they spake Acts VI. 10. Fourthly Supposing them men of Wit enough for such a Contrivance yet can they not at the same time be thought such Fools too as to contrive such things without any rational motive or inducement to it surely they must have some great things to propound unto themselves as the end for which they did this They well foresaw that what they did would expose them to all the Evils of this World And therefore when they first undertook it they voluntarily left all they had in this World to follow CHRIST They were taught by him to deny themselves and to take up the cross Matth. XVI 24. And told that they must be sent as Sheep in the midst of Wolves be deliver'd up to Councils and scourg'd in the Synagogues and hated of all men for his name's sake Matth. X. 16 17 22. That in this world they should have tribulation John XVI 33. and be persecuted Joh. XV. 20. Put out of the Synagogues and killed Joh. XVI 2. All this they knew and expected They went forth to preach a Doctrine which by the Wise-men of the World would be accounted foolishness 1 Cor. I. 23. And look'd on themselves as men set forth of God as it were appointed to death and made a spectacle to the world 1 Cor. IV. 9. They hungred and thirsted were naked and had no certain dwelling-place Being reviled they blessed being persecuted they suffer'd it being defamed they intreated they were made the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things 1 Cor. IV. 11. 2 Cor. IV. 8. They constantly and stoutly indured all that befell them rejoycing
he hath been seen and heard both so as any one can conceive that he could be seen and heard that is in visible and audible significations and tokens of his Divine Presence Thus did GOD call upon and talk with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden both before and after they had sinned Gen. II. 15 c. III. 9 c. Thus he appeared and spake unto Abraham as Gen. XV. 1 c. XVII 1 c. XVIII 1 23 c. Thus did he appear and speak unto Moses in a Flame of Fire in a Bush Exod. III. 2. And so he did to the Israelites from the Mount in fire and smoke the noise of a trumpet with thundrings and lightnings Exod. XIX 18 19 20. I need not say how often and how many ways GOD hath so manifested himself speaking unto men But it may be the Atheist will say If he himself could see or hear GOD speaking he would believe it to be His Word which he heard And truly if he be of this mind that he will believe nothing but what he himself sees and hears he is too great a fool to be reasoned into any thing and therefore not to be discours'd with at all It has been already shew'd what reason we have to believe that these men speak Truth who tell us all this of GOD. And if he will not believe upon the best evidence that can be given of a thing tho it was he cannot believe at all However suppose he should himself see or hear what Abraham and Moses heard and saw Or suppose he should see the Church fill'd as the Tabernacle and Temple of old with a Cloud or Smoke or hear a Voice from the Altar as that from between the Cherubims over the Mercy-Seat or suppose he should hear and see such a Voice and Glory as those at the Baptism of CHRIST Luke III. 22. Or at the Conversion of St. Paul Acts IX 3 4. Or at the Transfiguration of our Blessed Saviour on the Mount Matt. 17. 5. Or suppose he should hear GOD calling upon him as he did upon Samuel by his name 1 Sam. 3 4. Would he not as that Child did before Eli better instructed him think it the voice of some other or account of it but as a Dream or a Fancy If he say again He would be satisfied thus and otherwise he cannot then I answer That it is not in the power of man to say any thing that may satisfie him and it is much to be fear'd that GOD will not give him any other satisfaction For is it reasonable to expect that GOD should merely to humour every obstinate Fool shew himself every day or as often as a wicked man pleaseth and just in such a manner as he would have him and for no other cause but because he is sullen and unreasonable and will not believe any thing that GOD hath formerly said or done to satisfie him Why should GOD have such hard measure from him above all others Will he not believe he hath his Father's Will and Testament unless his Father himself whenever he requires it come from the dead to tell him so And why must GOD who hath given him his Will in writing sufficiently attested appear as he pleaseth to confirm it anew unto him 2. Much of the Word of GOD has been given unto us by way of Prophecy foretelling things to come which are within the compass of His Knowledge only And the Prophecies in the Scripture have been notoriously and undeniably fulfilled I mean so many of them as were to be fulfilled before the days wherein we now live and if these have been so fulfilled we can have no cause to doubt but all the rest will be so too when the time shall come Now things to come are acknowledg'd not to be within the compass of man's knowledge especially such as depend not necessarily on Natural Causes or are not wont to follow one another in the ordinary course and order of Nature We are all of us very sure That we know not what shall be on the morrow James IV. 14. We cannot tell what a day no not what the next hour or minute may bring forth Prov. XXVII 1. Nay we know not certainly whether or no there shall be another day or who shall live to see it or in what condition it will find us We are not only ignorant of such future things as are of least concernment to us which we have little desire to know or see no reason to enquire after but of the things which we most long to know and would account it a very great satisfaction to be assured of We know not whether we shall be at ease or in pain sick or in health alive or dead the very next day or hour We know not whether we shall be rich or poor or have any meat to eat or be able to eat it if we have it so uncertain are all future things to us Yet we are sure there have been Prophecies of things to come and very true ones too Men have foretold things many hundreds of years before-hand which came to pass in all Circumstances of Time Place and Manner as they had been foretold Some indeed have been bold enough to foretel things by human Art and Skill but have only befool'd thereby both themselves and all that trusted to them If any of them have sometimes guess'd right 't was either First By Chance as he that guesseth a Thousand times has ill luck if he guess not right once or twice tho he knows no more when he doth so than when he guesseth wrong Or he saves his credit by Craft and Cunning as most of the old Oracles and our Astrologers who utter their Predictions in ambiguous Expressions which are capable of a double Sense and Construction If things happen as you understood their words they have got Credit without any reason for it and if things fall out otherwise than you understood them they can tell you You were mistaken in their meaning and they meant as it hath hapned 'T is true also That when men will not hearken to the Truth of GOD he may give them up to Delusion and may suffer a Deceiver to hit on a Truth to make way for the belief of a Lye as a very just Punishment of an unreasonable Infidelity But they only whose Knowledg of Things Future they themselves confess'd to be of GOD and not acquired by Human Art and whose design it was to draw men off from Idolatry and every evil thing to the Worship and Service of the True and Living God have constantly and without failing foretold things truly and the Event hath always verified their Predictions And who but GOD alone who governs and disposeth of all things according to his own Eternal Decree and Council could make them so knowing In the Holy Scriptures we have many such Prophecies As concerning the Carrying of the Iews Captive into Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar their Restoration to their own