The Grounds of the Christian Faith, Table of contents
THE CONTENTS.
BOOK I.
CHAP. I. The obscurity and defect of Ancient History.
THE knowledge of truth proved to be the most natural perfection of the rational soul; yet error often mistaken for truth, the accounts of it. Want of diligence in its search, the mixture of truth and f…lshood: Thence comes either rejecting truth for the errors sake, or embracing the error for the truths sake; the first instanced in Heathen Philosophers, the second in vulgar Heathen. Of Philosophical Atheism, and the grounds of it. The History of Antiquity very obscure. The question stated where the true History of ancient times to be found, in Heathen Histories, or only in Scripture? The want of credibility in Heathen Histories asserted and proved by the general defect for want of timely records among Heathen Nations; the reason of it shewed from the first Plantations of the World. The manner of them discovered. The Original of Civil Government. Of Hicroglyphicks. The use of letters among the Greeks no elder then Cadmus, his time enquired into, no elder then Joshua, the learning brought into Greece by him. page 1
CHAP. II. Of the Phoenician and Aegyptian History.
The particular defect in the History of the most learned Heathen Nations. First the Phoenicians. Of Sanchoniathon, his Antiquity, and Fidelity. Of Jerom-baal, Baal-Berith. The Antiquity of Tyre. Scaliger vindicated against B…chartus Abibalus. The vanity of Phoenician Theology. The imitation of it by the Gnosticks. Of the Aegyptian History. The Antiquity and Authority of Hermes Trismegistus. Of his Inscriptions on Pillars, transcribed by Manetho. His Fabulousness thence discovered. Terra Seriadica. Of Seths Pillars in Josephus, and an account whence they are taken. pag. 25
CHAP. III. Of the Chaldean History.
The contest of Antiquity among Heathen Nations, and the ways of deciding it. Of the Chaldean Astrology, and the foundation of Iudicial Astrology. Of the Zabi…, their Founder, who they were, no other then the old Chaldees. Of Berosus and his History. An account of the fabulous Dynastyes of Berosus and Manetho. From the Translation of the Scripture history into Greek in the time of Prolomy. Of that translation and the time of it. Of Demetrius Phalereus. Scaligers arguments answered. Manetho writ after the Septuagint, proved against Kircher; his arguments answered. Of Rabbinical and Arabick Authors, and their little credit in matter of history. The time of Berosus enquired into, his writing co-temporary with Philadelphus. pag. 40
CHAP. IV. The defect of the Graecian History.
That manifested by three evident arguments of it. 1. The fabulousness of the Poetical age of Greece. The Antiquity of Poetry. Of Orpheus and the ancient Poets. Whence the Poetical Fables borrowed. The advancement of Poetry and Idolatry together in Greece. The different censures of Strabo and Eratosthenes concerning the Poetical age of Greece, and the reasons of them. 2. The eldest historians of Greece are of suspected credit. Of Damastes, Aristeus, and others; of most of their eldest Historians we have nothing left but their names, of others only the subjects they treated of, and some fragments. 3. Those that are extant, either confess their Ignorance of eldest times, or plainly discover it. Of the first sort are Thucydides and Plutarch; several evidences of the Graecians Ignorance of the true original of Nations. Of Herodotus and his mistakes, the Greeks ignorance in Geography discovered, and thence their insufficiency as to an account of ancient history. page 56
CHAP. V. The general uncertainty of Heathen Chronology.
The want of credibility in Heathen History further proved from the uncertainty and confusion in their accounts of ancient times; that discovered by the uncertain form of their years. An enquiry into the different forms of the Aegyptian years; the first of thirty dayes, the second of four Months; of both instances given in the Aegyptian history. Of the Chaldaean accounts, and the first Dynastyes mentioned by Berosus, how they may be reduced to probability. Of the Aegyptian Dynastyes. Of Manetho. Reasons of accounting them fabulous, because not attested by any credible authority, and rejected by the best Historians. The opinion of duplicate page duplicate page Scaliger and Vossius, concerning their being cotemporary, propounded and rejected with reasons against it. Of the ancient division of Aegypt into Nomi or Provinces, and the number of them against Vossius and Kircher. Page 73
CHAP. VI. The uncertain Epocha's of Heathen Chronology.
An account given of the defect of Chronology in the …ldest times. Of the Solar year among the Aegyptians, the original of the Epacts, the antiquity of Intercalation among them. Of the several Canicular years; the difference between Scaliger and Petavius considered. The certain Epocha's of the Aegyptian history no elder then Nabonasser. Of the Graecian accounts. The fabulousness of the Heroical age of Greece. Of the ancient Graecian Kingdoms. The beginning of the Olympiads. The uncertain Origines of the Western Nations. Of the Latine Dynastyes. The different Palilia of Rome. The uncertain reckoning Ab. V. C. Of impostures as to ancient histories. Of Annius, Inghiramius, and others. Of the characters used by Heathen Priests. No sacred characters among the fews. The partiality and inconsistency of Heathen bistories with each other. From all which the want of credibility in them as to an account of ancient times is clearly demonstrated. page 89
BOOK II.
CHAP. I. The certainty of the Writings of Moses.
In order to the proving the truth of Scripture-history, several Hypotheses laid down. The first concerns the reasonableness of preserving the ancient History of the world in some certain Records, from the importance of the things, and the inconveniencies of meer tradition or constant Revelation… The second concerns the certainty that the Records under Moses his name, were undoubtedly his. The certainty of a matter of fact enquired into in general, and proved as to this particular by universal consent, and settling a Commonwealth upon his Laws. The impossibility of an Imposture as to the writings of Moses demonstrated. The plea's to the contrary largely answered. page 107
CHAP. II. Moses his certain knowledge of what he writ.
The third Hypothesis concerns the certainty of the matter of Moses his history; that gradually proved: First, Moses his knowledge cleared, by his education, and experience, and certain information. His education in the wisdom of Aegypt; what that was. The old Aegyptian learning enquired into, the conveniences for it of the Aegyptian Priests. Moses reckoned among them for his knowledge. The Mathematical, Natural, Divine, and Moral learning of Aegypt: their Political wisdom most considerable. The advantage of Moses above the Greek Philosophers, as to wisdom and reason. Moses himself an eye witness of most of his history: the certain uninterrupted tradition of the other part among the fews, manifested by rational evidence. p. 119
CHAP. III. Moses his fidelity and integrity proved.
Moses considered as an Historian, and as a Lawgiver; his fidelity in both proved: clear evidences that he had no intent to deceive in his History, freedom from private interest, impartiality in his relations, plainness and …erspicuity of stile. As a Lawgiver, be came armed with Divine authority, which being the main thing, is fixed on to be fully proved from his actions and writings. The power of miracles the great evidence of Divine revelation. Two grand questions propounded. In what cases miracles may be expected, and how known to be true. No necessity of a constant power of miracles in a Church: Two Cases alone wherein they may be expected. When any thing comes as a Law from God, and when a Divine Law is to be repealed. The necessity of miracles in those cases as an evidence of Divine revelation asserted. Objections answered. No use of miracles when the doctrine is setled and owned by miracles in the first revelation. No need of miracles in reformation of a Church. pag. 134
CHAP. IV. The fidelity of the Prophets succeeding Moses.
In order of Prophets to succeed Moses, by Gods own appointment in the Law of Moses. The Schools of the Prophets, the original and institution of them. The Cities of the Levites. The occasion of their first institution. The places of the Schools of the Prophets, and the tendency of the institution there to a Prophetical office. Of the Musick used in the Schools of the Prophets. The Roman Assam…nta, and the Greek Hymns in their solemn worship. The two sorts of Prophets among the jews, Lieger and extraordinary. Ordinary Prophets taken out of the Schools, proved by Amos and Saul. pag. 149
CHAP. V. The tryal of Prophetical Doctrine.
Rules of trying Prophets established in the Law of Moses. The punishment of pretenders. The several sorts of false Prophets. The case of the Prophet at Bethel discussed. The tryal of false Prophets belonging to the great Sanhedrin. The particular rules whereby the Doctrine of Prophets was judged. The proper notion of a Prophet, not foretelling future contingencies, but having immediate Divine revelation. Several principles laid down for clearing the doctrine of the Prophets. 1. That immediate dictates of natural light are not to be the measure of Divine revelation. Several grounds for Divine revelation from natural light. 2. What ever is directly repugnant to the dictates of nature, cannot be of Divine revelation. 3. No Divine revelation doth contradict a Divine positive Law without sufficient evidence of Gods intention to repeal that Law. 4. Divine revelation in the Prophets was not to be measured by the words of the Law, but by the intention and reason of it. The Prophetical office a kind of Chancery to the Law of Moses. pag. 165
CHAP. VI. The tryal of Prophetical Predictions and Miracles.
The great difficulty of the trying the truth of Prophetical predictions from Jerem. 18. 7, 8, &c. Some general Hypothe…es premised for the clearing of it. The first concerns the grounds why predictions are accounted an evidence of divine revelation. Three Consectaries drawn thence. The second, the manner of Gods revelation of his will to the minds of the Prophets. Of the several degrees of Prophecy. The third is, that God did not alwayes reveal the internal purposes of his will unto the true Prophets. The grand question propounded how it may be known when predictions express Gods decrees, and when only the series of causes. For the first, several rules laid down. 1. When the prediction is confirmed by a present miracle. 2. When the things foretold exceed the probability of second causes. 3. When confirmed by Gods oath. 4. When the bl…ssings fore-told are purely spiritual. Three rules for interpreting the Proph…cyes which respect the state of things under the G…spel. 5. When all circumstances are foretold. 6. When many Prophets in several ages agree in the same predictions. Predictions do not express Gods unalterable purposes, when they only contain comminations of judgments, or are predictions of temporal bl…ssings. The case of the Ninivites. Hezekiah and others opened. Of repentance in God, what it implyes. The jewish obj…ctions …bout predictions of temporal bl…ssings answered. In what cases miracles were expected from the Prophets, when they were to confirm duplicate page duplicate page the truth of their religion. Instanced in the Prophet at Bethel, Elijah, Elishah, and of Moses himself; Whose divine authority that it was proved by miracles, is demonstrated against the modern Iews, and their pretences answered. p. 177
CHAP. VII. The eternity of the Law of Moses discussed.
The second case wherein miracles may be expected, when a Divine positive Law is to be repealed, and another way of worship established in stead of it. The possibility in general of a repeal of a Divine Law asserted; the particular case of the Law of Moses disputed against the Iews: the matter of that Law proved not to be immutably obligatory; because the ceremonial precepts were required not for themselves, but for some further end; that proved from Maimonides his confession: the precepts of the Ceremonial Law frequently dispensed with while the Law was in force. Of the Passover of Hezekiah, and several other instances. It is not inconsistent with the wisdom of God to repeal such an established Law. Abravanels arguments answered. Of the perfection of the Law of Moses, compared with the Gospel. Whether God hath ever declared he would never repeal the Law of Moses. Of adding to the precepts. Of the expressions seeming to imply the perpetuity of the Law of Moses. Reasons assigned why those expressions are used, though perpetuity be not implyed. The Law of Moses not built upon immutable reason, because many particular precepts were founded upon particular occasions, as the customs of the Zabii; many ceremonial precepts thence deduced out of Maimonides; and because such a state of things was foretold, with which the observation of the Ceremonial Law would be inconsistent. That largely discovered from the Prophecies of the old Testament.
CHAP. VIII. General Hypotheses concerning the Truth of the Doctrine of Christ.
The great prejudice against our Saviour among Iews and Heathens, was the meaness of his appearance. The difference of the miracles at the delivery of the Law and Gospel. Some general Hypotheses to clear the subserviency of miracles to the Doctrine of Christ. 1. That where the truth of a doctrine depends not on evidence, but authority, the only way to prove the truth of the Doctrine, is to prove the Testimony of the revealer to be infallible. Things may be true which depend not on evidence of the things. What that is, and on what it depends. The uncertainty of natural knowledge. The existence of God, the foundation of all certainty. The certainty of matters of faith proved from the same principle. Our knowledge of any thing supposeth something incomprehensible. The certainty of faith as great as that of knowledge; the grounds of it stronger. The consistency of rational evidence with faith. Yet objects of faith exceed reason; the absurdities following the contrary opinion. The uncertainty of that which is called reason. Philosophical dictates no standard of reason. Of transubstantiation and ubiquity &c. why rejected as contrary to reason. The foundation of faith in matters above reason. Which is infallible Testimony; that there are wayes to know which is infallible, proved: 2. Hypoth. A Divine Testimony the most infallible. The resolution of faith into Gods veracity as its formal object. 3. Hypoth. A Divine Testimony may be known, though God speak not immediatly. Of inspiration among the Iews, and Divination among the Heathens. 4. Hyp. The evidences of a Divine Testimony must be clear and certain. Of the common motives of faith, and the obligation to faith arising from them. The original of Infidelity.
CHAP. IX. The rational evidence of the Truth of Christian Religion from Miracles.
The possibility of miracles appears from God and providence; the evidence of a Divine Testimony by them. God alone can really alter the course of nature. The Devils power of working miracles considered. Of Simon Magus, Apollonius. The cures in the Temple of Aeseulapius at Rome, &c. God never works miracles, but for some particular end. The particular reasons of the miracles of Christ. The repealing the Law of Moses, which had been setled by miracles. Why Christ checked the Pharisees for demanding a sign, when himself appeals to his miracles. The power of Christs miracles on many who did not throughly believ…. Christs miracles made it evident that he was the Messias, because the predictions were fulfilled in him. Why John Baptist wrought no miracles. Christs miracles necessary for the everthrow of the Devils Kingdom. Of the Daemoniaeks and Lunaticks in the Gospel, and in the Primitive Church. The power of the name of Christ over them largely proved by several Testimonies. The evidence thence of a Divine power in Christ. Of counterfeit dispossessions. Of miracles wrought among Infidels. Of the future state of the Church. The necessity of the miracles of Christ, as to the propagation of Christian Religion: that proved from the condition of the publishers, and the success of the Doctrine. The Apostles knew the hazard of their imployment, before they entred on it. The boldness and resolution of the Apostles notwithstanding this, compared with heathen Philosophers. No motive could carry the Apostles through their imployment, but the truth of their Doctrine▪ not seeking the honour, profit or pleasure of the world. The Apostles evidence of the truth of their doctrine lay in being eye-witnesses of our Saviours miracles and resurr…ction. That attested by themselves; their sufficiency thence for preaching the Gospel. Of the nature of the doctrine of the Gospel; contrariety of it to natural inclinations. Strange success of it, notwithstanding it came not with humane power: No Christian Emperour, till the Gospel universally preached. The weakness and simplicity of the instruments which preached the Gospel. From all which the great evidence of the power of miracles is proved. pag. 252
CHAP. X. The difference of true miracles from false.
The unreasonableness of rejecting the evidence from miracles▪ because of impostures. That there are certain rules of distinguishing true miracles from false, and Divine from diabolical, proved from Gods intention in giving a power of miracles, and the providence of God in the world. The inconvenience of taking away the rational grounds of faith and placing it on self-evidence. Of the self-evidence of the Scriptures, and the insufficiency of that for resolving the question about the authority of the Scriptures. Of the pretended miracles of Impostors and false Christs, as Barchochebas David el-David and others. The rules whereby to judge true miracles from false. 1. True Divine miracles are wrought to confirm a Divine testimony. No miracles nec…ssary for the certain conveyance of a Divine testimony: proved from the evidences that the Scriptures could not be corrupted. 2. No miracles Divine which contradict Divine revelation. Of Popish miracles. 3. Divine miracles leave Divine effects on those who believe them. Of the miracles of Simon Magus. 4. Divine miracles tend to the overthrow of the devils power in the world: the antipathy of the doctrine of Christ to the devils designs in the world. 5. The distinction of true miracles from others, from the circumstances and manner of their operation. The miracles of Christ compared with those of the H…athen Gods. 6. God makes it evident to all impartial judgments that Divine miracles exceed created power. This manifested from the unparalleld miracles of Moses and our Saviour. From all which the rational evidence of Divine revelation is manifested, as to the persons whom God imployes to teach the world. pag. 334
BOOK III.
CHAP. I. Of the Being of God.
The Principles of all Religion lie in the Being of God and immortality of the soul: from them the necessity of a particular Divine revelation rationally deduced; the method laid down for proving the Divine authority of the Scriptures. Why Moses doth not prove the Being of God, but suppose it. The notion of a Deity very consonant to reason. Of the nature of Idea's, and particularly of the Idea of God. How we can form an Idea of an infinite Being. How far such an Idea argues existence. The great unreasonableness of Atheism demonstrated. Of the Hypotheses of the Aristotelian and Epicurean Atheists. The Atheists pretences examined and refuted. Of the nature of the arguments whereby we prove there is a God. Of universal consent and the evidence of that to prove a Deity and immortality of souls. Of necessity of existence implyed in the notion of God, and how far that proves the Being of God. The order of the world and usefulness of the parts of it, and especially of mans body, an argument of a Deity. Some higher principle proved to be in the world then matter and motion. The nature of the soul, and possibility of its subsisting after death. Strange appearances in nature not solvable by the power of imagination. pag. 360
CHAP. II. Of the Origine of the Universe.
The necessity of the belief of the creation of the world in order to the truth of Religion. Of the several Hypotheses of the Philosophers who contradict Moses: with a particular examination of them. The ancïent tradition of the world consonant to Moses: proved from the fonick Philosophy of Thales, and the Italick of Pythagoras. The Pythagorick Cabbala rather Aegyptian then Mosaick. Of the fluid matter which was the material principle of the universe. Of the Hypothesis of the eternity of the world asserted by Ocellus Lucanus, and Aristotle. The weakness of the foundations on which that opinion is built. Of the manner of forming principles of Philosophy. The possibility of creation proved. No arguing from the present state of the world against its beginning shewed from Maimonides. The Platonists arguments from the goodness of God for the eternity of the world answered. Of the Stoical Hypothesis of the eternity of matter; whether reconcilable with the text of Moses. Of the opinions of Plato and Pythagoras concerning the praeexistence of matter to the formation of the world. The contradiction of the eternity of matter to the nature and attributes of God, Of the Atomical Hypothesis of the Origine of the Universe. The World could not be produced by a casual concourse of Atoms proved from the nature and motion of Epicurus his Atoms, and the Phaenomena of the Universe, especially the production and nature of Animals. Of the Cartesian Hypothesis, that it cannot salve the Origine of the Universe without a Deity giving motion to matter. pag. 421
CHAP. III. Of the Origine of Evil.
Of the Being of Providence. Epicurus his arguments against it refuted. The necessity of the belief of Providence in order to Religion. Providence proved from a consideration of the nature of God and the things of the world. Of the Spirit of nature. The great objections against Providence propounded. The first concerns the Origine of evil. God cannot be the author of sin if the Scriptures be true. The account which the Scriptures give of the fall of man, doth not charge God with mans fault. Gods power to govern man by Laws, though he gives no particular reason of every Positive precept. The reason of Gods creating man with freedom of will, largely shewed from Simplicius; and the true account of the Origine of evil. Gods permitting the fall makes him not the author of it. The account which the Scriptures give of the Origine of evil, compared with that of heathen Philosophers. The antiquity of the opinion of ascribing the Origine of evil to an evil principle. Of the judgment of the Persians, Aegyptians and others about it. Of Manichaism. The opinion of the ancient Greek Philosophers; of Pythagoras, Plato, the Stoicks; the Origine of evil not from the necessity of matter. The remainders of the history of the fall among the Heathens. Of the malignity of Daemons. Providence vindicated as to the sufferings of the good, and impunity of bad men. An account of both from natural light, manifested by Seneca, Plutarch; and others. pag. 470
CHAP. IV. Of the Origine of Nations.
All mankind derived from Adam, if the Scriptures be true. The contrary supposition an introduction to Atheism. The truth of the history of the flood. The possibility of an universal deluge proved. The flood universal as to mankind, whether universal as to the earth and animals; no necessity of asserting either. Yet supposing the possibility of it demonstrated without creation of new waters. Of the fountains of the deep. The proportion which the height of mountains bears to the Diameter of the earth. No mountains much above three mile perpendicular. Of the Origine of fountains. The opinion of Aristotle and others concerning it discussed. The true account of them from the vapours arising from the mass of subterraneous waters. Of the capacity of the Ark for receiving the Animals from Buteo and others. The truth of the deluge from the Testimony of Heathen Nations. Of the propagation of Nations from Noahs posterity. Of the beginning of the Assyrian Empire. The multiplication of mankind after the flood. Of the Chronology of the LXX. Of the time between the flood and Abraham, and the advantages of it. Of the pretence of such Nations, who called themselves Aborigines. A discourse concerning the first plantation of Greece, the common opinion propounded and rejected. The Hellens not the first inhabitants of Greece, but the Pelasgi. The large spread of them over the parts of Greece; Of their language different from the Greeks. Whence these Pelasgi came; that Phaleg was the Pelasgus of Greece, and the leader of that Colony proved from Epiphanius: the language of the Pelasgi in Greece Oriental: thence an account given of the many Hebrew words in the Greek language, and the remainders of the Eastern languages in the Islands of Greece, both which not from the Phaenicians as Bochartus thinks, but from the old Pelasgi. Of the ground of the affinity between the Jews and Lacedaemonians. Of the peopling of America. pag. 533
CHAP. V. Of the Origine of the Heathen Mythology.
That there were some remainders of the ancient history of the world preserved in the several Nations after the dispersion. How it came to be corrupted: by decay of knowledge, increase of Idolatry, confusion of languages. An enquiry into the cause of that. Difficulties against the common opinion that languages were confounded at Babel. Those difficulties cleared. Of the fabulousness of Poets. The particular ways whereby the Heathen Mythology arose. Attributing the general history of the World to their own Nation. The corruption of Hebraisms. Alteration of names. Ambiguity of sense in the Oriental languages. Attributing the actions of many to one person, as in Jupiter, Bacchus, &c. The remainders of Scripture history among the Heathens. The names of God, Chaos, formation of man among the Phaenicians. Of Adam among the Germans, Aegyptians, Cilicians. Adam under Saturn. Cain among the Phaenicians. Tubalcain and Jubal under Vulcan and Apollo. Naamah under Minerva. Noah under Saturn, Janus, Prometheus and Bacchus. Noahs three sons under Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto. Canaan under Mercury, Nimrod under Bacchus, Magog under Prometheus. Of Abraham and Isaac among the Phaenicians. Jacobs service under Apollo's. The foreign from Bethel. Joseph under Apis. Moses under Bacchus. Joshua under Hercules. Balaam under the old Silenus. pag. 577
CHAP. VI. Of the Excellency of the Scriptures.
Concerning matters of pure divine revelation in Scripture: the terms of Salvation only contained therein. The ground of the disesteem of the Scriptures is tacite unbelief. The Excellency of the Scriptures manifested as to the matters which God hath revealed therein. The excellency of the discoveries of Gods nature which are in Scripture. Of the goodness and love of God in Christ. The suitableness of those discoveryes of God to our natural notions of a Deity. The necessity of Gods making known himself to us in order to the regulating our conceptions of him. The Scriptures give the fullest account of the state of mens souls, and the corruptions which are in them. The only way of pleasing God discovered in Scriptures. The Scriptures contain matters of greatest mysteriousness, and most universal satisfaction to mens minds. The excellency of the manner wherein things are revealed in Scriptures, in regard of clearness, authority, purity, uniformity, and perswasiveness. The excellency of the Scriptures as a rule of life. The nature of the duties of Religion and the reasonableness of them. The greatness of the encouragements to Religion contained in the Scriptures. The great excellency of the Scriptures, as containing in them the Covenant of Grace in order to mans Salvation. pag. 599