Of the Reasonableness of Christian Religion, Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
The Grounds of Chriſtianity, or the Reaſons upon which men embrace Chriſtian Religion in the groſs, all of it together.
Sect. 1 IN lieu of the many grounds (or ſeveral branches, and improvements of the ſame one complicated ground) which *H. Grotius, and Phil. Morney du Pleiſſe, &c.other men have very rationally enlarged on, This preſent diſcourſe (which deſires not to expatiate, nor to ſuppoſe the Reader to have renounced his Chriſtianity wholly) ſhal confine it ſelf to theſe two heads: Firſt, the Teſtimony on which Chriſtianity is built: Secondly, The advantages that thoſe, which embrace it, ſhall reap by it. The firſt will render the belief rationall, and conclude it impious to doubt of it. The ſecond will render the belief gainful, and conclude it moſt uncharitable to our ſelves, yea, and unſafe, and treacherous not to adhere to it. The firſt will pronounce it, with the Apoſtle, a faithful ſaying; the ſecond, worthy of all acceptation. The firſt will reconcile it to our brains, the ſecond to our hearts: The firſt will give it poſſeſſion of our underſtandings; the ſecond will raviſh our wills with the beauty and luſter of it.
Sect. 2 The Teſtimony on which we beleive Chriſtianity, i. e. on which we beleive that Chriſt was ſent from God, to reveal his Fathers will unto us, and to be beleived in all that he delivered to the World, (which, when it is beleived, it neceſſarily follows, that all and every part of Chriſtian Religion is infallibly true, and capable of no farther doubting) is the moſt important, and convincing of beleif, or faith, which can be imagined.
Sect. 3 For if the Apoſtle had not ſaid it, it is yet in it ſelf moſt evident to common ſenſe, That Faith commeth by hearing, i. e. that I cannot believe any thing to be true on any better, nay on any other ground, but onelyonly that I hear it thus affirmed: And as the affirmation is, ſuch is the belief: If the affirmation be from a fallible perſon, from a meer man, the belief muſt be a fallible belief, but if the perſon affirming be infallible, then is the beliefe infallible alſo.
Sect. 4 That infallible affirmer is but one, viz. God, of whoſe nature it is, to be veracious, to be able to do any thing, but to lie, which was alſo affirmed by Chriſt out of the Principles of common nature. Let God be true, and every man a lier, i. e. though no infallibility of teſtimony can be attributed to any meer man, yet whatſoever is teſtified by God, doth certainly deſerve to be fully credited.
Sect. 5 And therefore if God ſhall teſtifie the truth of any thing, there can be no farther ſcruple or poſſibility of doubting, or ſuſpecting the truth of what is ſo teſtified, then there is actuall doubt, whether the God of Heaven be God, or whether the God of truth, be the father of lies: which as it is a degree above the denying of Chriſt, and above the infidelity either of the Jew, or Mahemetane, or even of Heatheniſm it ſelf, in that notion, wherein it ſignifies the aforeign.acknowledgment of more gods then one, (for all that have adoted any deity, have acknowledged that God, or gods to bforeign.ſpeak nothing but truth) ſo is the pretending to it peculiar to very few ſince the beginning of the World. There being not many that appear in ſtory to have affirmed that there is no God at all, and thoſe not able to perſwade others, that they did believe themſelves when they ſo affirmed.
Sect. 6 Now this affirmation or teſtiſication of God, that Chriſt was ſent from him, to declare his will to us, &c. (upon which being once ſuppoſed, the truth of all Chriſtian Religion truly ſo called, is immediately and infallibly founded) hath more then one way been authentically interpoſed. Such are the many repeated teſtimonies of the Prophets in the Old Teſtament (which finding a perfect completion in Chriſt, and none but Chriſt, do amount to a divine teſtimony.) Such was the coming of the Angel to Mary the Mother of Chriſt, and to Elizabeth the Mother of Iohn Baptist, in the New Teſtament; as alſo the Star which lighted the wiſe men of the Eaſt unto him. (and of which the *Eſt quoque alia vencrabilior & ſanctior hiſtoria, que perhibet ortu ſtellae cujuſdam inſolitae non morbos moréſque prae untiatos, ſed deſienſum Dei venerabilis ad humanae ſervationis (without queſtion foreign in the Greek, though that be not extant) rerumque morialium gratiam, quam à Chaldais obſervatam ſuiſſe teſtantur, qui Deum ſuper natum mor eribus venerati ſunt. Calcidius in Plat. Timaeum, p. 219.Heathens themſelves have affirmed, not onelyonly that it was an eſpecial Star, that never before appeared in the Heaven, but alſo that it had a portentous ſignificancy, pointing at the deſcent of a venerable God, for the ſalvation of men, and the good of Mortals) So again that of the Miracles wrought by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, which are another kinde of Gods ſpeaking to us in men, and upon Earth (particularly that of raiſing the dead) and are by the Apoſtles ſtyled, what in reaſon they are, demonſtrations, Acts 2. 22. and teſtifications of God himſelfe, Heb. 2. 4. But above all his own Reſurrection out of the Grave, after he had been Crucified by them. God by thus raiſing him is ſaid (moſt truly according to the dictates of reaſon) to have aforeign, Acts 17. 31.given to all men Faith, i. e. an argument of full conviction, that he was what he pretended to be, and ſo to gforeign. 1 Pet. 1. 21.ſet him out as the perſon to be believed on, hforeign, Rom. 1. 4.being powerfully and determinately pointed out, by that great act, to be the Son of God. But becauſe all of theſe would much lengthen this diſcourſe above the deſigned proportion, and becauſe each of them are largely inſiſted on by others, and becauſe no teſtimony is ordinarily deemed more Authentick, then that of audible voice, I ſhall therefore chooſe principally to inſiſt on that one ordinary way of Gods teſtifying to men, known to the Jews by the title of foreign, the daughter of voice, or of thunder, i. e. a revelation from Heaven, delivered in (or coming out of the midſt of) thunder, which, ſay the Jews, was the ſpeciall way of Gods revealing himſelf under the ſecond Temple.
Sect. 7 And by this God three times gave teſtimony to Chriſt. Firſt, immediately after his Baptiſm, Behold, the Heavens were opened to him, i. e. viſibly and miraculouſly parted aſunder, and he, i. e. John that baptized him, ſaw the Spirit of God deſcending like a Dove, and coming upon him, i. e. deſcending, as a Dove deſcends upon any thing, viſibly hovering, & lightning on them, And behold, a voice out of the Heavens ſaying, i. e. as the Heavens parted aſunder, a clap of thunder came out, and with it a voice delivering theſe words, This is my beloved Sonne, in whom I am well pleaſed, i. e. this is my Son, whom I have ſent, his comming to the world, and his undertaking is perfectly agreeable to, and hath its original wholly from my wil: From which teſtimony of Gods, it is conſequent, That whatſoever he teaches, comes from God, and is to be embraced, as that which is perfectly his Will, and Law. And it is obſervable that in one of the old prophecies of the Meſſiah, where it is fore-told, that Gods Spirit ſhould deſcend upon him, it is affirmed almoſt in the very words, which were here ſaid to come out of the thunder, that this was Gods beloved, in whom his ſoul (i. e. he) was well pleaſed.
Sect. 8 So again a ſecond time, in the preſence of three ſober men (which was the number, by which the weightieſt matters were authentically teſtified) Peter, and James, and John, being all with him in a mountain, Behold, a lightſom cloud overſhadowed them, and a voice out of the cloud, ſaying, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleaſed: Hear him. Giving an unqueſtioned authority to all, that ſhould ever come from him after.
Sect. 9 Thirdly, At a time, not long before his death, when he was a praying to his Father, to glorifie his Name, A voice came frō Heaven, ſaying, I have both glorified it, and will glorifie it again. And of them that ſtood by, ſome ſaid that it thundred, others, that it was an Angel that ſpake to him: From both which, it is eaſily concluded, That God, whether by, or without the Miniſtery of an Angel, was heard to ſpeak to him out of the Thunder.
Sect. 10 What was thus done perſonally to Chriſt, was with ſome ſmall variation promiſed, (and ſo by John Baptiſt firſt foretold) that it ſhould be performed (after his departure) to his Apoſtles, or Diſciples, who were to preach his Doctrine, and what they knew of him, after his going out of this world; and accordingly, in the very manner which was fore-told, it came to paſs, as all other things foretold by him, did punctually follow. For as they were all together; there was ſuddenly a noiſe from Heaven, as of a violent wind, and filled the whole houſe where they ſate. And ſo this (ſtyled the iActs 1. 5.Baptizing them with the Holy Ghoſt, i. e. Receiving them with a far higher Ceremony then that of Baptiſm, viz. with a ſhining glorious deſcent of the Spirit of God upon them) did at once give them their Commiſſion from Heaven, and was a teſtimony of God himſelf, That what they ſhould teach from Chriſt, was the very doctrine, which God required to be embraced by the World.
Sect. 11 And of this ſort there was yet farther one moſt eminent paſſage. A known and eminent Jew, one Saul, who by his Sect (a Phariſee) and by his extraordinary warmth, and zeal to the Jewiſh Law, in oppoſition to Chriſtianity, had intereſſed himſelf profeſtly in the perſecuting of it, had a principall hand in the putting St. Stephen to death (as appears by the witneſſes, laying their garments at his feet, Acts 7. 58.) and was engaged in a moſt vehement, bloody deſigne againſt the Chriſtians in Damaſcus, and having gotten Letters of Commiſſion from the High Prieſt to that purpoſe, Acts 9. 1. was now very rageful upon his way thither; This man thus breathing out threatnings, and ſlaughters againſt the Church, and as he was cloſe to Damaſcus, his journeys end, on a ſudden a light from Heaven ſhone about him, like lightning flaſhing about his ears; and falling to the ground, by that means he heard a voice ſaying to him, Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou me? In words ſo convincingly delivered, that he knew aſſuredly, that it was God, that by an Angel thus appeared, and ſpake to him; and thereupon he gave anſwer immediately, Who art thou Lord? The voice replyed, I am Jeſus whom thou perſecuteſt, with the addition of other words, which ſtruck him into ſuch a horror, that immediately trembling, and in agony of Paſſion, He ſaid, Lord what wilt thou have me to do? And was again anſwered, what he ſhold do, Go unto the City, and there he ſhould receive particular Directions. Which accordingly happened, and this perſon became immediately a prime Apoſtle, or Preacher of Chriſtianity. This thing was not done privately, but every circumſtance of the ſtory was publickly known at that time; his Letters from the High Prieſt were known to the Sanhedrin; and before he came to Damaſcus, the news of them was come thither, ſo far, that Ananias a Chriſtian there, that in a viſion from God was bid to go to him in ſuch a houſe, made this objection againſt obeying the command, That this was the man, that had done ſo much miſchief, and was now come with ſuch a Commiſſion to apprehend all that profeſt the worſhip of Chriſt in that place. And beſides, there was company with him on the way, when the prodigy befel him, and all they heard the voice, and ſaw no body, Verſ. 7. 'Tis true indeed, that in one relation of that paſſage, Acts 22. 9. it is ſaid, That they heard not the voice. But that (as all other ſeeming contradictions of the Scripture) is eaſily ſalved by obſerving, that the word foreign in Hebrew, which ſignifies a voice, ſignifies thunder alſo, as Hebr. 12. 26. Whoſe voice, i. e. Thunder ſhaketh the earth, and ſo very often. And ſo where it is ſaid, That they heard the voice, the ſenſe is, That they heard the thunder, which was joyned with the lightning that flaſht about him; and when it is ſaid, They heard not the voice, it is expreſt in the place, what is meant by it, They heard not the voice of him that ſpake to him, i. e. The voice of Chriſt immediately appearing from Heaven, and calling unto him, Saul, Saul, &c. but onelyonly ſaw the lightning, and heard the thunder: but what was ſaid to him, he onelyonly heard that was concerned in it, but by the effects, his anſwers, and conſequent change, they eaſily diſcerned that alſo, though they heard it not. This ſtory did this man alwaies avow as a notorious Truth, whenſoever he was called in queſtion by Jews or Romans, for Preaching Chriſt; and there was never any queſtion made of the truth of it: And this went for his Commiſſion to be an Apoſtle of Chriſt; and he never ſought for any other: And after doing more ſervice in the Church, then all the reſt of Chriſts own (regularly choſen, and deſigned) Apoſtles, he at laſt laid down his life for the teſtimony of that Truth, which before this he had ſo ſharply perſecuted.
Sect. 12 This is not all yet; for at the beginning of the diffuſion of the Goſpel to the Gentile World, and for the declaring of Gods Will in that particular, there was not onelyonly a viſion to Cornelius, and an extaſie, and an audible voyce from Heaven to Saint Peter, in theſe words, Ariſe Peter, kill and eat, (the obſcurity of which words, and of the repreſentation, to which they belonged, was preſently interpreted by the effect.) But beyond both theſe, it follows, That at the Preaching of Peter to Cornelius, and the reſt of his company of Gentile believers, the Holy Ghoſt fell on all that heard the Word, i. e. probably came down upon them in ſome way of viſible appearance, (the like aActs 10. 44. See Acts 15. 8. & 11. 15. &. 17.as before had befaln the Apoſtles,) or if not ſo, yet in ſuch manner, as evidenced it ſelf by giving them power of ſpeaking ſtrange languages, and other gifts, and graces, ſitting them for ſeveral conditions in the Church: And this was ſeen by the Jews, that were very far from being inclinable to believe ſuch a thing of Gentiles, and being convinced by the evidence, bVerſ. 45.were aſtoniſhed at it, rapt with admiration at the ſtrangeneſs, but no way doubting the truth of it: And it ſo fell out, that Peter afterwards being called in queſtion by other Jews, for what he had then done in Preaching to Gentiles, (which they thought utterly unlawful) by this relation of the deſcent of the Holy Ghoſt upon thoſe Gentiles, cActs 11. 15. & 18 Acts 19. 6.he ſatisfied them; which ſure he could not have done, if there had remained any doubt of the truth of it. And the ſame fell out again to the Epheſian Diſciples, and the truth that it did ſo, was evidenced, by their ſpeaking all ſtrange languages (which they had never learned) and prophecying. Two gifts, which were ſo conſtant conſequents of that coming of the Holy Ghoſt on any, that they teſtified it convincingly to thoſe, that had no evidence of the fact.
Sect. 13 The propriety of this deſcent to this turn, and to that other grand one of giving Commiſſions (and authorizing, and ſo teſtifying the truth of all that ſhould be taught by them, on whom the Spirit thus deſcended) may perhaps be better underſtood, by remembring the customs appointed by God among the Jews. Thoſe that were, among them, called to be Prophets out of their Schools, were aſſumed, and conſecrated to it by anointing, (a ceremony of advancing to ſome eminent office; and therefore the Chaldee Paraphraſe for unction, reads ordinarily foreign advancement.) Now for many yeers, before this coming of Chriſt, Prophecy had failed among the Jews: Under the ſecond Temple, ſay they, there was no Oyl, nor any aGradus Revelationis Divinae quatuor, Neſuah prophetia per viſionem, & ſpectra. Ruach Hacadoſh, afflatus Spiritus Sancti, qui erat ſinc iſtis, ut in David, &c. Urim & Tummim in pectorali judicii (ſplēdeſcentia pectoralis, ſeu Hoſchen praenuntians Judaeis victoriam, quod ceſſavit ſplendeſcere. An. 200. antequam ego ſcriberem, inquit Joſephus, cum Deus iraſceretur ob tranſgreſſiones Legum, vid. Suid. in voce Ephod) & Bath Col. i. e. vox coelitus audita, & haec ultima erat ſub templo ſecundo, &c. vid. P. Fagium in Targum Pentat. Exod.way of Revelation, ſave only that of the voice from Heaven. Now therefore when God was thus pleaſed to ſend His Son, to reveal his compleat Will unto the World, and from him to continue the ſame, by his Apoſtles, and others after him; in ſtead of that ſolemn Ceremony of Ʋnction, is this viſible deſcent of the Holy Ghoſt on him, and on them, in a ſhining fiery cloud, and with it theſe words of conſecration to Christ, This is my Beloved Son, &c. and in lieu of that voice, the gift of Tongues, to the Apoſtles, and others. This was foretold by one of the Jewiſh Prophets long before, That the Lord ſhould anoint him to Preach, and that the Spirit of the Lord ſhould be upon him, i. e. that he ſhould be anointed, i. e. ordained to this office of Preaching Gods Will, not by material oyl, but ſpiritual unction, by the real deſcent of the Spirit of God upon him. And accordingly one of his Diſciples, Saint John, being to confute a ſort of Antichriſtian Hereticks of his time, which denied Chriſt to be come really in the fleſh, uſeth no other Argument (to fortifie them, to whom he writes) but onelyonly the mention of this Testimony from Heaven, this deſcent on Chriſt and the Apostles, and others, who had inſtructed them in Chriſtianity; which he vails under the title of the Ʋnction, viz. that unction vulgarly known among them by that name; the unction from the holy One, as he calls it, i. e. from God in Heaven, 1 John 2.by which (as by their Teachers it had been communicated to them) they knew all things (i. e. were ſure that the Doctrine they had been taught, was true) and needed not to be taught by any, i. e. wanted no more Arguments to confirm this truth unto them: That unction, as he farther addes, teaching them of all, i. e. giving them ſufficient inſtructions in that matter, and in all other ſuch fundamental truthes of the Chriſtian Doctrine, teſtified to them by thoſe who had been thus anointed immediately from Heaven, authoriſed to teach them Truth: This ſame again, as far as concerned Chriſt, is by another aActs 10. 38.Evangelical writer joyned with his working of Miracles, and called Gods anointing him with the Holy Ghoſt, and with power, (as in bActs 4. 27.another place Gods anointing him, alone) which is directly the ſame with that other phraſe uſed by Saint Paul, the cCor. 2. 4.demonſtration of the Spirit, and of power, the deſcent of the Spirit, and working of Miracles: The two things, which he urged to the Jews or Heathens, whereſoever he preached, (as things, which he was ſure, they could no more contradict, then demonstrations themſelves, there being ſo many then alive, that could witneſs the truth of them.) In which reſpect, he after tells them, of Gods having confirmed them into Chriſt, and anointed and ſealed them, all in the ſame ſenſe, to ſignifie Gods having afforded them theſe convincing teſtimonies of the truth of Chriſtianity, preached to them by thoſe, on whom the Holy Ghoſt had deſcended and who wrought Miracles among them.
Sect. 14 That this was a very competent confirmation of the Doctrine of Chriſt, may yet farther appear by conſidering, firſt the perſons to whom this was to be done, the then Church of God, the people of the Jews, which were acquainted with his voices, and his Prophets, and his Oeconomies formerly among them: Secondly, the matter that was thus to be confirmed, no greater change, then to which this way of atteſtation may in reaſon be deemed abundantly proportionable. For the things to be beleived, onelyonly the real completion of ſome things, which had been before foretold, and the revealing ſome truths, which had been more obſcurely repreſented in the Old Teſtament; and then thoſe, how high and myſterious ſoever, yet being clearly revealed by Chriſt, and the Apostles in the New, and the explicit belief of them, no further required of any, then in proportion to the degree of the revelation of them, the revealing of them muſt be looked on, as the ſatisfying of an appetite, a deſire of more knowledg (which is naturally in all men, and is ſharpened by the having received ſome imperfect rayes of it) and conſequently ſhould not in reaſon be expected to be atteſted with ſuch a pomp of ſignes, and prodigies, as impoſitions of tasks, and exactings of obediences are wont to be. Then for the things to be done in Chriſtianity, the duties and obſervances; It is again conſiderable, that the change in that reſpect was not ſuch, as would denominate it a new Religion, but onelyonly the reforming and perfecting that which was before received among the Jews, and the making it more tolerable and eaſie to be received by other parts of the (Gentile) World. The worſhip of the one true God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, (contrary to the falſe worſhips of the many gods, and idols of the Heathens, and to all the unnatural luſts attending them) had been ſufficiently teſtified to the Nation of the Jews, by many voices from Heaven, and undeniable atteſtations of God himſelf (and indeed to other Nations by the fearful, miraculous judgments, ſhewn in Egypt, and on the Canaanites, under the conduct of Moſes, and Joſhuah, &c.) and by Gods continual reſiding among that people, and his atteſting that by the Ʋrim and Thummim. by the ſeveral Prophets ſent by him, and the other ways of revelations. And to thoſe that granted all this, it was foretold (ſo often that no Jew doubted of it) that there ſhould come days of Reformation, that there ſhould come a Meſſias. This was long ago promiſed through all paſſages of their ſtory; to Adam under the title of the Seed of the woman; to Sem, that God ſhould dwell or pitch his tabernacle in the Tents of Sem, take fleſh upon him in his family; to Abraham, to Judah, to David, and all along through the writings of their Prophets: Concerning this Meſſias, their carnal hearts had pre-conceived ſome miſtakes, as that he ſhould be a glorious King here, and make them again, (after their being ſubdued by the Romans) a moſt victorious, glorious people on Earth, and this, howſoever they demean'd themſelves, onelyonly by the priviledg of having Abraham (to whom great promiſes were made) to their father. At laſt this Meſſias (otherwiſe deſcribed by their Prophets, as one that ſhould come in a mean and lowly manner, no way deſireable to the eye of the world, Iſa. 53.) comes juſt as he had been fore-told, a forerunner being ſent before him, on purpoſe to prepare his way, to diſpoſſeſs them of their fond perſwaſions of their abſolute election (by having Abraham to their father) and pointing him out particularly as the Son of God, the Meſſias that was now to be received (as he had been ſo greedily, and ſo long expected) by them. This forerunner, that thus foretold, and after pointed him out, was (as they, that crucified Chriſt, confeſs) by all the *Matth. 21. 26.Jews taken for a Prophet. And moreover to this teſtimony of this acknowledged Prophet, comes in the addition of the miraculous deſcent of the holy Spirit, and the voice from Heaven, and all that hath been mentioned conſequent to that. And to thoſe, among whom this had always been acknowledged an authentick way of atteſting Gods will, nothing could be more required but this; Chriſt then (or God himſelf in humane nature, aſſumed of a virgin, and born after a ſupernatural manner) when he came to thirty yeers old (the age of a Doctor among that people) ſets to this buſineſs, which it was foretold he ſhould perform, tells them how the former law was to be reformed, (and eſpecially their former lives, from external obſervances to internall purities) and how to be filled up, and perfected in ſome particulars; and then lightly changes ſome ceremonies cuſtomary among them, and accommodates them to preſent uſe, removes the wall of diviſion, which had been between them, and all the reſt of the world, ſhews them, that that was meant onelyonly to keep them from imitating the Heathens ſins, and now that there was more need that Heathens, and they ſhould love one another, and joyn to reform both their lives, and practice Chriſtian virtues, then keep that ſupercilious diſtance from one another; and in a word, he brings the whole matter to ſuch a model, as all other men, but the Jews, like extremely better, then that which was before among them, and conſequently, come in, in ſholes, at the preaching of it: And the Jews, that doe not ſo, acknowledg the onelyonly reaſon why they do not, to be their zeal to their law of outward performances, and the perſwaſion of their abſolute election, that is, in effect, that they had no other quarrel to him, but onelyonly that he did not teach the doctrines that they liked, and were before imbued with, which if he had, he had by that very means done contrary to the prophecies by them allowed of, which foretold he ſhould work a reformation. Upon theſe unreaſonable terms, they crucifie him: And by their doing ſo, more wonderful atteſtations yet are given to all this. In his very death the Sun is miraculouſly eclipſed▪ at a time of the Moon, when by nature it was abſolutely impoſſible, and ſo far againſt all rules of Aſtronomy, that learned men in other places took notice of it to be a violence done to nature, which muſt ſignifie ſome great matter. Then a prodigy befalls the Temple, and that a very ſignificant one. Then the bodies of many dead men ariſe and go to Jeruſalem, and are ſeen by many. But above all, he himſelf riſeth from the dead, and Angels again are ſent to give notice of it: And thoſe that at his death had feared themſelves deluded (as adverſity is a great temptation, and by Chriſt himſelf, foretold to be ſo) are every one of them confirmed by ſeeing, touching, talking with him: And what is ſeen, and teſtified by them, was ſeen alſo by five hundred perſons at once, which lived many years to attest the truth to all that doubted it; And at length (which was the muſt immediate teſtification of the truth of all the former) he is bodily and viſibly taken up into Heaven, before their eyes.
Sect. 15 When that was done, there was but one imaginable method behinde, that, according as he had promiſed, while he was upon Earth, he ſhould, being himſelf departed, ſend the Paraclet, which by deſcending viſibly upon the Apoſtles, and by enduing them with the gift of doing Miracles, and of ſpeaking of all Languages, which they were known never to have learnt, ſhould enable them to convince the World, by the teſtimony of Chriſts Reſurrection, and Aſcention, and deſtroying of Satan by his death (the moſt improbable means of working victories) that he was the Meſsias foretold, that Seed of the Woman, that ſhould break the Serpents head. On ſtrength of this, they which ſo lately doubted, now cheerfully lay down their lives, in testifying of all theſe truths: And thoſe Jews that did not yet believe on him, were according to his diſtinct predictions, many times repeated, (they, their Temple, in which they truſted, their City, their whole Nation, and infinite multitudes of them, whereſoever they were found) moſt ſtupendiouſly deſtroyed by the Roman Eagles or Legions. All this (thus haſtily put together, ſo as neceſſarily to omit many weighty circumſtances under every head) is ſure prodigy enough to atteſt, and authorize no greater a change, then the clearer Revelation of ſome obſcurer truths, the confutation of ſome falſe Doctrines, and the Reformation of ſome ceremonies, and the perfecting and heightning of ſome Laws leſs perfect before, and the inſtituting of a few uſeful ceremonies in ſtead of many burthenſome ones, can be thought to amount to.
Sect. 16 This firſt gound of beleiving Chriſtianity being thus mentioned, is not capable of any diſpute from any reaſonable man, unleſs from him which ſhall queſtion, whether this be not fabulous in the relation, i. e. whether firſt there were ever indeed heard ſuch voices, or ſecondly, whether they were not deluſions of the hearers, or at leaſt the voice of ſome other, and not of God. And to him that ſhall make the former ſcruple, I ſhall be able to give as ſatisfactory an anſwer, as is poſſible to be given, of a matter of this nature, of any the lighteſt or weightieſt conſequence: To a matter of this nature, I ſay, i. e. of a matter of fact, (for ſuch it muſt needs be, that ſuch a voice was heard from Heaven) and that fact paſt ſo many hundred yeers ago: For firſt, that fact was of neceſſity to be confined to ſome determinate time and place, to be done ſomewhere, and why not in Judaea, where it is ſaid to be done? to be ſeen by ſome particular men, and by them of neceſſity (if it were to be known) to be atteſted to others; nay, if it had been done ſo as to be heard, and ſeen by the whole World then living, (though that this ſhould point out that one perſon Jeſus, would not be well reconcileable with that, becauſe his body could not be in every place) yet could not the next Age come to know this, but muſt be forced to make uſe of the atteſtation of men of that Age to reveal it to them, and ſo proceed by the very way that now is allowed us, that of faith or beleiving. For ſecondlly, ſhould there at this hour come the like voice from Heaven, in the hearing of any the moſt creditable honeſt men of this Age, what way would be expected to convince the Ages to come (who ſhould not be preſent to hear it) of the truth of this, but by the conſtant affirmation of thoſe, who are now ear-witneſſes of it, and by their committing all this to writing now, ſo that all that ſhould now live, and ſuſpect, or beleive it a forgery, might be able to examine and diſcover the truth of it; eſpecially, if to that they ſhould joyn the doing of the greateſt Miracles, which coming onelyonly from God, cannot be conceived to be by him allowed to aſſiſt the bringing a lie into the World.
Sect. 17 Beyond ſuch teſtimony of eye, or ear-witneſſes thus publickly and authoritatively proteſted, and conveighed to poſterity, there is no rational evidence imaginable, for thoſe that lived not in that age; nor doe men at any time exact or require any more authentick proofe of matters of fact, or ground of believing any thing. For as to the voice of God again from Heaven, (which alone can pretend to be above this) this is not at all commodious to this turn; for this were for God to multiply prodigies, improperly and unſeaſonably, 'tis ſure unneceſſarily, and to all that were not preſent, this would be again as queſtionable as the former.
Sect. 18 For the teſtifying an high important truth, which cannot otherwiſe be known, God hath been pleaſed thus perſonally to interpoſe his own power, and authority, and to ſpeak from Heaven, yea, and to repeat that again and again, that there may no matter of doubt remain concerning it: But when that hath been thus done by God ſufficiently, then are there ſufficient humane means to convey the truth or hiſtory of this fact to other men, viz. the teſtimony of thoſe, that ſaw or heard it. And as it were ridiculous to ſuppoſe, or expect from God, that he ſhould teſtifie from Heaven, that ſuch men did hear that former voice from Heaven, ſo the ſame Law of God, and Nature, which forbids lying, as ſinful, forbids alſo incredulity, as irrational, when a thing is by unſuſpected witneſſes, upon certain knowledg, with ſo many improvements and advantages, thus ſufficiently teſtified: And if God upon mans ſeveral incredulities, ſhould be ſtill obliged to give witneſs to his truths by his own voice, then ſhould he cut off that rule for beleif, which in all other things (agreeably to the dictates of reaſonable nature) he hath made ſtanding among men. And in this caſe to require any higher teſtimony, were the ſame inconvenient abſurdity, as not to beleive any thing upon any other ground, then that of ſight (which is indeed to miſtake knowledg for beleif, or evidence for adherence, and muſt neceſſarily leave nothing of virtue rewardable in that Faith, which is ſo violently and unavoidably produced) or to expect a voice from Heaven to give me daily aſſurance of all the paſſages, or relations of hiſtory, and not to beleive that there was ſuch a man as Alexander, or Caeſar, or William the Conqueror, or Elizabeth the late (but before our birth) Queen of this Kingdom, unleſs ſome voice of God from Heaven atteſt it to me.
Sect. 19 They that cannot beleive at any cheaper rate, then of a new minuitly prodigy from Heaven, for every act of beleiving a prodigy from Heaven, or (more plainly) they that will not beleive any thing, but what they know, muſt be fed alſo as well as taught by miracle, or elſe muſt be obliged to abſtinence (greater then any man inflicts upon himſelf) by continuing conſtant to that principle. For no man hath demonſtration, or infallibility, or evidence, for his ſafety in any bit of meat, that he eats, or the firmneſs of any floor he ſtands on; it being always poſſible, that what doth moſt nouriſh, and ſuſtain, might by ſome poyſonous mixture, ſmite and deſtroy; that the roof that covers, and protects, might minuitly overwhelm and bury us; yet are we not ſuch Hypochondriacks in theſe matters of daily uſe, (and in them that are▪ it is interpreted an eminent defect, or decay of reaſon, and not an higher pitch of it) as to deprive our ſelves of the benefit of food and raymen, upon conſideration of theſe remote poſſible dangers, nor to fear all things but what we know infallibly.
Sect. 20 And if it ſhall be ſaid that eating is neceſſary for the preſervation of life, and that that conſideration makes it reaſonable to truſt on thoſe grounds, becauſe by diſtruſting, we ſhould ſubject our ſelves to a certainly of that, whereof the other is at moſt but an hazard; I anſwer, Firſt, that this inſtance was produced onelyonly to ſhew, that we think it reaſonable, without fear, or doubt, to relie on ſome things, for which we have no demonſtration, or knowledg of the impoſſibility of the contrary, and that is ſtill proved by this inſtance, though it be granted, that eating is neceſſary; becauſe if the neceſſity of eating were the cauſe that made men venture that hazard, they ſhould never venture it, till they were neceſſarily to ſtarve without it; and when they did ſo, they ſhould do it with continual doubt, and fear of the poſſible danger; neither of which are thought rational, nor practiſed by conſidering men. And ſecondly, the interpretation of [being fed] in the inſtance, was [the whole courſe of men in feeding] which is not the proportioning of food to the neceſſities of life, or the Leſſian or Cornarian diet, but the free manner of feeding among men, ſuch as wa parallel'd to the ſtanding on a floor, that might poſſibly fall, that is, being in an upper room; which being not at all neceſſary to life, and withall poſſible in nature that it ſhall minuitly be our death, is yet made uſe of among all Wiſe men, with as much confidence, and fearleſneſs, as it is expected of us, that we ſhould beleive the Goſpel.
Sect. 21 This may be enlarged to the ſeverall buſineſſes of the World, wherein all men act moſt confidently; to that of Trafficking, and Trading, and all kindes of Merchandizing, which are really mixt with not improbable hazards; the whole life of the husbandman, is a continual example of thoſe, that think fit to adhere, and beleive, and act accordingly, without having received any demonſtration. And none of all theſe are ever counted irrational, even by thoſe who have fixed no thoughts beyond this life, and the thriving, and proſpering in it, and who conſequently are to loſe their chief, and onelyonly good, if it ſhould miſcarry, and who in all things of that nature are generally as rational, and wary, and hard to beleive without ſecurities, as the wiſeſt men in the World.
Sect. 22 And if we will in the buſineſs in hand (the beleiving of the Apoſtles relations concerning thoſe Teſtimonies given Chriſt from Heaven, wherein we have infinitely ſtronger grounds, to build our Faith on, ſecurities, and convictions incomparably more pregnant and vehement) allow it reaſonable for us to do that once, which in all other things we do confidently every minuit of our lives, viz. beleive, what we have all reaſon to beleive, without exacting of evidence or demonſtration, there will be no more required of us in this matter.
Sect. 23 That this is directly the caſe in hand, and over and above this, that the teſtifying of the Goſpel hath all imaginable advantages, wil appear by a bare application of the particulars.
Sect. 24 The voices from Heaven concerning Chriſt, are teſtified by the joynt-concurrence of all that were preſent at them, no one finding any cauſe of ſcruple, or interpoſing any doubt concerning them. Thoſe very perſons with the addition of many more, are allowed the favor of ſeeing him after his Reſurrection, of uſing all the moſt infallible means of ſecuring themſelves and others of the reality of this. Being thus aſſured, they make it the buſineſs of their whole lives after to communicate it to others, ſome in writings, all in preaching through all parts of the World, (whither they travelled on purpoſe to propagate this truth) agreeing in the whole matter of ſtory, and in every circumſtance of it. The truth of what they ſay, they again back with Miracles on one ſide, with completion of predictions, both of the Prophets of old concerning Chriſt, and of Chriſt, concerning them, and the ſucceeding Ages, (eſpecially that concerning his ſpeedy coming in vengeance againſt his crucifiers) on the other ſide: Both, Teſtimonies of God, to authorize their teſtimonies. In propagating this doctrine, as they uſe not ſtrength, or force, which hath been the engine by which all other Religions have received their growth, ſo they never endevour to diſturb States or Governments, for (or by) the planting this Doctrine, but always Preach ſubjection to the powers, which are any where eſtabliſhed, and without all reſistance, Profeſs (and by their actions demonſtrate) themſelves obliged to ſuffer, whatſoever their lawfull Magiſtrates inflict on them, and contend only with their prayers to God, that they may live quietly and peaceably under them, having ſtill their croſs in their hands, and many times on their ſhoulders, to follow Christ. And if this were not ſufficient to prevent, or to ſatisfie the jealouſies of Heathen Princes, yet, upon that very account, it is the greater teſtimony of the truth of their Doctrine, when they that propagate it, are ſo far from deſigning any temporal advantages to themſelves, which might bribe them to the depoſing an untruth, that they actually part with their very lives; and conſequently with all capacity of thoſe poſſible advantages, and acquire nothing but reproches, and torments and death it ſelf; and all this without any other imaginable reward, or payment, in commutation, or reparation for all this, ſave only the future expectation of that, for which they yet had no farther aſſurance, then the truth of that, which they thus confeſt; nay yet farther, when they have given this coſtly teſtimony to this truth, God again bears teſtimony to them, and by Miracles wrought at their Monuments, being dead, they yet ſpeak.
Sect. 24 That all this is thus true, is again it ſelf teſtified, not onelyonly by records ſtill extant under their hands, who wrote the Goſpels, and the Acts, and by footſteps and remainders of all others preaching, whereſoever they taught, but alſo by the like conſent of the whole Church, i. e. whole multitudes of that age, wherein this is pretended to be written and taught, who being convinced with the truth of what we now enquire after, readily gave up their names to the belief of it, and to the conſequent confeſſion of Chriſt, though the doing it, did in like manner coſt them very dear, the parting with their eſpouſed cuſtoms of livings, whether among the Jewiſh, or Gentile world, their pleaſures, their worldly wealth, and oft-times their lives alſo.
Sect. 26 Beyond all this, the ſucceſs which attended it, had ſo much of ſtrangeneſs in it (viz. that from ſuch mean and ſimple beginnings and inſtruments, without any kind of power, or earthly authority to back it, without one ſword ever drawn in defence of it, Chriſtianity ſhould ſoon obtain ſuch a victory over the heart of men, in ſo great a part of the world) that nothing but truth, which hath that over-ruling force in it, can be deemed to have been its Champion.
Sect. 27 Laſtly, that theſe are the writings, thoſe the tradition of thoſe eye-witneſſes, whoſe they pretend to be, and that they were by ſuch ſholes, ſuch multitudes of men of all Nations believed then, and that belief ſigned by the blood of many, by the hazards and adventures of moſt, by the profeſt non-reſiſtance of all, this is as fully teſtified to us, as any matter of fact can be ſuppoſed to be, by the concurrent teſtimonies of all of that age, which ſay any thing of it, and by a generall ſucceſſive atteſtation of all intervening ages, ſince that time, (the authority of *Among the foreign the confeſt writings of Scriptures, atteſted by all, and not foreign contradicted by any, foreign. Euſeb. Eccl. Hiſt. l. 3. c. foreign. The four Goſpels are firſt to be placed, and then the ſtory of the Acts of the Apoſtles.thoſe writings being never conteſted by any) i. e. by the ſame means of probation, upon which we believe thoſe things, which we leaſt doubt of, and againſt which men cannot feigne any ſound, or ſhew of proof, ſave onelyonly that teſtimonies are not demonſtrations; which exception will in like manner be in a like or far greater force againſt all other things, which we believe moſt confidently.
Sect. 28 I am not willing to leave any poſſible ſcruple unſatisfied in this matter, and therefore I ſhall proceed to that other bolder objection ſtill behind, That that which is pretended to be the voice of God, may not have been ſuch, but ſome deluſion of the hearers, or at leaſt the voice of ſome other, and not of God, as the devil in the oracle delivered himſelf by voice; and therefore though it be confeſt, that if this voice were Gods, it is infallibly creditable, yet there will need ſome certain way of diſcrimination, to aſſure it was his. To this I anſwer, That the perſon whoſe objection this may be ſuppoſed to be, is either a bare Theiſt, that acknowledges a God, but not the God of Iſrael; or elſe he that acknowledges what the Jew did, the truth of the Old Teſtament: I ſhall reply ſomewhat to each of theſe.
Sect. 29 To the former, That if this way of objecting would be of force, there could be no way for God to reveal himſelf to man, Veracity would be an empty attribute of God, of no ſignification to us; For it is not imaginable that there ſhould any greater aſſurance of Gods ſpeaking to men, then by the Heavens opening, and from thence the Spirit of God deſcending viſibly, and lighting on one, and out of the clouds a voice delivered; whatſoever elſe can be imagined or named will not be above this. And if all the ways that God can uſe, be not able to give aſſurance, that it is God that ſpeaks, what are we the neer for knowing that God cannot lie, as long as there is ſuppoſed for us no way to know, what at any time he ſaith? nay, to what uſe (as to this particular) is his omnipotence, if he cannot reveal himſelf to us in ſuch a way, that may be reaſonable for us to believe to be his, and not ſome deceivers voice? Nay, in this, God ſhall not be able to doe ſo much, as any ordinary man; for he can ſo reveal himſelf, or ſpeak, as no man that is preſent, and doth not ſtop his ears, ſhall be able to doubt of his ſpeaking.
Sect. 30 To the ſecond ſort of objecters, I anſwer, That the objection will loſe all its ſeeming force, if it be remembred; that although now among us, voices from Heaven, are not heard, and (therefore we are not at this diſtance ſo competent judges of the clearneſs or certainty, that ſuch, when they were, were not deluſions, and accordingly the aſſent required of us of this age, is but proportionable to the grounds of belief, which we enjoy) yet among that people of the Jewes, this was very ordinary. Gods Law was given to Moſes in that manner, and God lead that people by a pillar of cloud, and fire, which was anſwerable to this: And in after times under the ſecond Temple, they confeſs this the onelyonly way of Gods revealing himſelf to them. And therefore in this very matter it was allowed, and pleaded by ſome prime men of that people, that if the Spirit, or an Angel had ſpoken to Paul, the reſiſting him would be a fighting againſt God: And thereupon, Acts 23. 9. they confeſſed, that they found no harm in him; that God had thus ſpoken to him, thoſe men then thought probable, but did not avow the knowing it certainly, having no preſent evidence of the fact, ſave onelyonly the affirmation of Paul himſelf at that time. But had they had evidence of the fact, by being preſent at it, (as they that teſtifie the voice to Chriſt, were eye and ear-witneſſes of it) they would not then have thought reaſonable to make any farther queſtion, whether that, which they call the voice of the Spirit, or an Angel, were ſuch or no, and being ſuch, whether the reſiſting what was ſpoken by it, were the fighting againſt God. For the teſtifying therefore of the truth of ſuch pretended facts; and indeed to leave no place for rational doubt in this matter, there is yet a farther anſwer, That the power of miracles, and the gifts of tongues that attended theſe voices, and deſcents of the Holy Ghoſt from Heaven, were irrefragable teſtimonies, and evidences of the reality of them, and could not be the immediate effects of deluſions, being ſuch as could not be wrought by the power of the devil, nor ever were pretended the effects of his oracular reſponſes.
Sect. 31 Many other ways of diſcrimination there are, by which the voices of the devil, or deluſions magical might be diſtinguiſhed from Divine, as that of concordance with predictions, acknowledged to have come from God; and ſuch was the voice that was delivered at the deſcent of the Spirit upon Chriſt, the ſame that was foretold by the Prophet, and by him joyned with the mention of the deſcent of Gods Spirit upon him. And to the ſame belongs alſo the completion of the ſo many other things in him, which had certainly been foretold of the Meſſias, which Concordance with Divine truth, is moſt diametrically contrary to deluſion. And beſides, of the miracles which he did, moſt were to diſpoſſeſs, and caſt out divels, (to reſtore health, as they brought diſeaſes) who conſequently look on him as (and proclaim him) their enemy; and although this may be thought to be done by them for ſome greater advantage (as the Devil may ſuffer one charm to counter-work another,) yet could they not here be thought to have uſed thoſe endevours to raiſe Chriſt into that power of deſtroying them, or to aſſiſt their utmoſt, to give him an authority in the world. Indeed the whole doctrine of Chriſt was ſo directly contrary to that, which had been maintained by the Oracles, that it cannot be imagined to proceed from that principle, to which they pretend. And the ſtory is approved by Plutarch (and the effect hath made it not improbable, that there was ſome truth in it) that about Chriſts time, a voice was heard on the Sea, that the great God Pan was dead, and an huge bellowing, and roaring, as of infernal mourners, following it; and that this was probably the cauſe, acknowledgedly the forerunner of the Devils ſilence, and never ſpeaking in the Oracles any more.
Sect. 32 As for the manner of the Devils giving his Reſponſes in the Oracle, it is confeſt by all, that then lived, and knew them, that they were delivered conſtantly by a man, who was ſeen, when he did it, and was called the foreign, one that ſpake under the Oracle, out of the caverns of the Earth, (by the vapor of which Plutarch conceived him inſpired, and ſo turned Enthuſiaſt) which is a far different thing from a voice (no man being ſeen) which came in a clap of thunder, with a bright ſhining cloud from Heaven. This may reaſonably ſatisfie the importunity of that objection alſo.
Sect. 33 And ſo much for the firſt part of the ground of our Faith in groſs, the teſtimony on which it is built, which being an infallible word, derived and conveyed to us by the moſt creditable means, and which we have no temptation from Reaſon to doubt of, may ſure be concluded a rationall ground of belief.