Vindication of the Truth of the Christian Religion, Religious treatise · Section 2 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV.
Wherein we ſhall examin thoſe Difficulties which may probably be raiſed againſt the foregoing Truths.
TRuth is an Enemy to all ſhifts and tricks: let us therefore briefly conſider what doubts we may poſſibly entertain in the foregoing Truths. Let us give full ſcope to our imagination to frame what ſuſpicions we can as to the perſons of Jeſus Chriſt and his Apoſtles, their Miracles, the Reſurrection of our Lord, and the extraordinary and miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, which were imparted to mankind by the hands of the Apoſtles themſelves.
And I. to begin with the Perſon of Jeſus Chriſt, there are ſome who believe that Jeſus Chriſt was an Eſſene, and that he borrowed from that Sect the purity of his Morals and the ſoundneſs of his Doctrine. And indeed it appears from the Deſcription which Philo, and Joſephus gave us of that Sect, that the Eſſenes lived among themſelves in a perfect union, that they poſſeſſed all things in Common; that they looked upon one another as ſo many brethren, and that they had very rational and ſound Ideas of God and Religion. All this pretty well agrees with the Nature of Chiſtianity. Beſides it does not appear that Jeſus Chriſt ever oppoſed their Doctrine, when he pronounced ſo many woes againſt the Scribes and Phariſees. And if it be true that Jeſus Chriſt borrowed his Doctrine from that Sect, we ſhould have leſs Reaſon to be ſurpriſed at his extraordinary Morality and Holineſs of life. But 'tis eaſy to refute this notion if we conſider that there was no ſuch Sect as that of the Eſſenes in Galilee, which was the native Country of Jeſus Chriſt; that the Eſſenes avoided all correſpondence with other men, as looking upon them as impure and prophane, and for that reaſon dwelt not in any great Cities: Whereas Jeſus Chriſt travers'd Towns and Villages, taught multitudes, Preached in the Synagogues, &c. Beſides the Eſſenes abhorr'd Matrimony: whereas Jeſus Chriſt made choice of ſuch Diſciples as were Married; and laſtly, that he had ſeveral Fiſhermen to attend him, but none of them were Eſſenes.
But II. May we not think that Jeſus Chriſt ow'd his knowledge to his Education? But how could that be? For as much as he was bred up in the ſhop of a Carpenter, as his Enemies themſelves confeſs in their reproaches of him.
III. Some will object, that 'twas out of ſpite to the Scribes and Phariſees and other Rulers of the Jews, that he firſt exclaimed ſo much againſt them, and after invented on purpoſe to thwart them a Religion quite oppoſite to theirs. But what had the Son of Mary to do with all thoſe Teachers, ſince he neither was Prieſt, nor Levite, nor pretended to any ſuch dignities? What ſhould make him come in competition with them? Beſides it is not ſufficient to aſſert that Jeſus Chriſt ſeemed very much exaſperated againſt their Doctrine and Behaviour, it muſt alſo be conſidered, whether he had not a great deal of reaſon to be ſo.
IV. 'Tis objected that perhaps he was ambitious of being thought a Prophet; or it may be not rightly underſtanding certain Oracles, which ſeemed to determine at that time the coming of the Meſſias, he really thought himſelf to be that Meſſias.
But nothing of this is true. For Jeſus Chriſt could not have thought himſelf to be the Meſſias out of meer ſimplicity and ignorance, nor have endeavoured to make the World believe it out of malice or deceit. We have no reaſon to believe the former, if we conſider his Morality and Doctrine; and his holineſs of life gives us no occaſion to imagin the latter. The incredulous will ſoon be reduced to an evident abſurdity, if they aſſert that Jeſus Chriſt was the moſt ignorant, or moſt wicked of men; the moſt ignorant, if he thought himſelf to be the Meſſias, without being really ſo; or the moſt wicked, if he endeavoured to make other men believe it, when he believed it not himſelf: becauſe one muſt be wilfully blind not to perceive that the Chriſtian Religion proceeds both from a very clear principle, and a good foundation too.
V. But may we not ſay the ſame of Mahomet? The incredulous compare them often together. They pretend that Jeſus Chriſt and Mahomet might have been animated both with the ſame Spirit. But of all the ſhifts of the Incredulous this is certainly their weakeſt: and 'tis a plain demonſtration that they have no manner of Idea of the things they ſpeak of, when they inſiſt upon this compariſon.
For we can here produce ſeveral eſſential differences betwixt Jeſus Chriſt and Mahomet. Mahomet never pretended to Eſtabliſh his Religion by working miracles, although ſeveral have been imputed to him: Whereas Jeſus Chriſt deſired no belief but upon the teſtimony of his extraordinary Miracles; being willing thereby to convince the eyes and ſenſes of his Diſciples by ſenſible matters of fact, and ſuch miracles as he gave them alſo power to work themſelves; when he ſent them forth to preach abroad his Reſurrection and Miracles, at the ſame time he threatned them with Death and eternal Damnation, in caſe they ſhould endeavour to deceive any body with fictions, or even diſguiſe the Truth it ſelf. Mahomet left no ſuch prophecies behind him, as have been accompliſhed: whereas we have ſeveral of Jeſus Chriſt which have been clearly explained by their event. Neither the Books of the Old or New Teſtament bear the leaſt record of Mahomet; whereas the Prophets had foretold the coming of Jeſus Chriſt as of a Meſſias, that was to unite the Jews and Gentiles, and to carry the Covenant of God unto the ends of the World. Mahomet eſtabliſhed himſelf in the World by force and violence; but Jeſus Chriſt only by patience and ſufferings. The former was environ'd with Soldiers, the latter was attended with Martyrs. The one put men to Death, but the other received Death for our ſakes. Mahomet's ambition, who eſtabliſhed ſuch a flouriſhing Empire, was preſently ſeen in the ſucceſs he had in his undertaking. But Jeſus Chriſt was far from ſelf Intereſt or Ambition, ſince he withdrew himſelf when they would have made him King, and declared his Kingdom was not of this World. Inſtead of encouraging the carnal prejudices of his Diſciples, he took care to undeceive them, and to foretell all the Evils they were to expect. And tho' any ſhould preſume openly to diſpute all theſe matters of fact, ſtill they appear by the end and ſucceſs of the Goſpel, the deſign of which was to ſanctify the heart, and calm the diſorderly paſſions of the Soul. Mahomet invented ſuch a Religion which agreed only with corrupted Reaſon, and the looſe inordinate deſires of the heart. He made the ſcandal of the Croſs to give place to the magnificence and grandeur of the World; he took away the moſt ſpiritual and difficult matters of Morality, to fill the minds of his Diſciples with carnal and ſenſual Ideas. But not ſo did our Saviour act, who propoſed his Croſs to the minds of men as an aſtoniſhing Paradox, and a continual cauſe of Mortification and Repentance. Mahomet Eſtabliſhed his Religion by the help of Ignorance and Darkneſs, by ſuppreſſing ſuch Books as might have enlightened mens Underſtandings, and by requiring a blind ſubmiſſion from them. Jeſus Chriſt on the contrary would not have them believe his Doctrine, but as they found it conformable to that of the Prophets, Search the Scriptures, ſays he, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, John 5. 39. Mahomet eſtabliſhed himſelf in the World by diſſembling and diſguiſing his thoughts: He promiſed in the beginning a toleration of all Religions; carried it fair to the Chriſtians, but afterwasds did his utmoſt endeavours to extirpate them utterly. But Jeſus Chriſt declared at firſt his intention and deſign which was to ſave mankind, and overthrow Superſtition it ſelf. Nor he, nor his Diſciples uſed any Policy or Circumvention in this reſpect. Mahomet died, but never roſe, nor pretended to riſe again from the dead, thereby to ſhew he was approved of God. Jeſus Chriſt died, but it was believed he roſe again from the dead, upon the teſtimony of thoſe who had ſeen him after his Reſurrection, and teſtified of the Truth of this matter of fact to all the World, at the expence of their lives, and effuſion of their blood. Mahomet's Religion was invented, maintained and ſupported by Policy, but that of Jeſus Chriſt was at firſt offenſive to all the Princes upon earth, and was eſtabliſhed in the World notwithſtanding all their endeavours to the contrary. Mahomets's Religion appear'd at firſt view to be as it were the Triumph of Humane Induſtry and Covetouſneſs; but the Religion of Jeſus Chriſt ſhew'd that of integrity and juſtice in their full perfection, and Natural Religion in that proper purity and ſimplicity that was reſtored to it by Charity. Mahomet laid the foundation of a particular Monarchy, and eſtabliſhed ſuch Laws as, humanly ſpeaking, are ſerviceable only in thoſe places wherein he has ſettled his Dominion: but Jeſus Chriſt has given us new Principles of union and intelligence, very uſefull to the good of publick ſociety in general, and very fit to cement the union of all men together by making the ſpirit of Charity reign in the World. The coming of Mahomet did not ſanctify mankind: but that of Jeſus Chriſt was attended with an innumerable Company of perſons, who all renounced the World, meerly by the Faith they had in him. 'Twas not Mahomet, but Jeſus Chriſt who exactly fulfilled the Oracles concerning the calling of the Gentiles, becauſe Mahomet derived all his knowledge of the true God, from Jeſus Chriſt, as we have already ſhewed. Laſtly, Temporal Proſperity was the true Character of the Religion of Mahomet, and it might be very well affirmed that Mahomet was a Man of God, if it were true that all thoſe who enjoy the greateſt Proſperity in the World, that is, all Tyrants, wicked, and unjuſt men are the favorites of God. But the Character of the Religion of Jeſus Chriſt is patience, ſelf-denial, innocence and a ſimplicity of manners; and certainly he was approved of God, if God approves of vertuous, patient, humble, and charitable men. It concerns now the Incredulous to anſwer all theſe differences, if they would have us allow of this Compariſon; for otherwiſe we ſhall ever reject it, as being very ridiculous and extravagant.