Vindication of the Truth of the Christian Religion, Religious treatise · Section 3 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
Of the Natural Temper, Diſpoſitions, and Inclinations of the Diſciples, and what ſort of prejudices they were poſſeſſed with, when Jeſus Chriſt manifeſted himſelf to them.
WE cannot better diſcover what Impreſſion the matters of fact related in the Goſpel may have, or ought to have wrought upon the minds of the Diſciples, than by conſidering what ſort of prejudices they were till then poſſeſſed with. We ſhall therefore begin this third Section with the examination of them.
Since the Diſciples of Jeſus Chriſt were originally Jews, they muſt needs have been poſſeſt with theſe five following prejudices. I. They were fully perſwaded that the Kingdom of the Meſſias was to be attended with temporal Proſperity. II. They imagined that the Meſſias would reſtore the Kingdom of Iſrael to its former Glory, and once more raiſe up the houſe of David out of that diſgrace, and almoſt oblivion it had lain under, to its ancient Power and Majeſty. III. They believed their Law to be of an eternal duration. (Now by their Law I do not here underſtand the Moral Law only, but the Ceremonial one too, or rather the whole body of it in general, containing both the Moral and Ceremonial Law.) IV. They eſteemed their Sacrifices to be the moſt ſacred and moſt inviolable Duty of their Religion, and they were far from imagining that thoſe Sacrifices enjoyned by their Law ſhould on a ſudden ceaſe, as ſoon as one Man was put to Death. V. And laſtly, they could not conſider the Gentiles but as an unclean and abominable ſort of people in compariſon to themſelves. For beſides the ſin of Idolatry (which the Jews accounted ſo capital a crime as to deſerve that God ſhould for ever caſt them off who were guilty of it) the Heathens were variouſly polluted and defiled according to the notions the Jews had of their Law, ſince they uſed none of thoſe Ceremonies that were abſolutely neceſſary to their external Sanctification, by avoiding all uncleanneſs and legal Impurities.
As to the firſt prejudice, it can never be doubted but that the Jews expected a temporal Proſperity from their Meſſias. For beſides that the Prophets ſeem'd to have diſpoſed them thereto by ſo many excellent and noble Prophecies utter'd concerning him, who knows but that they might look upon Herod the great (tho born an Idumean) as the true Meſſias who was to come, being ſurpriſed at the noiſe of his Victories, the pomp of his Triumphs, and that conſtant Proſperity that continually followed his Reign?
Nay it ſeems very probable, that Herod himſelf had a deſign to be taken for the true Meſſias, and therefore cauſed the Temple of Jeruſalem to be demoliſhed, on purpoſe to re▪build it after a more glorious and magnificent manner; ſince it was the received opinion of the Jews of thoſe days that the Meſſias was to have been the glory of that Houſe, according to all the Predictions of the Prophets.
But whether there be or no any grounds for that conjecture, 'tis true at leaſt that his ſurpriſing victories and proſperity had made ſo great an impreſſion upon the minds of the Jews, that a very conſiderable number of them imagined, that Herod was the Meſſias whom the Prophets had promiſed, and who was to raiſe their Nation to the height of Happineſs and Proſperity. For this opinion gave riſe to the Sect of the Herodians that is mentioned in the Goſpel.
And we ought not to wonder at it, ſince the corrupt heart of man delights in nothing ſo much as worldly grandeur and temporal proſperity. Therein conſiſt the pleaſures of great as well as mean Perſons; and he that ſhall but conſult the Hiſtory of Mankind▪ will find that from the beginning of the World, thoſe Societies which were diſtinguiſhed from others by the ſplendor of honours, or enjoyment of temporal proſperity, ſtill prevailed over all the reſt.
The Second received opinion of the Jews was, that their Meſſias was to reſtore the Kingdom of Iſrael to its former glory. For on one hand their Prophets had taught them that the Houſe of David ſhould reign, and endure as long as the Sun and Moon; And on the other they were ſenſible that the Houſe of David was partly extinguiſhed, and partly fallen into diſgrace and humiliation. They expected therefore from the Meſſias, that he would reſtore it again. And altho' the people had for a long time been governed by ſeveral Kings not deſcended from the Tribe of Judah; yet they ſtill fed themſelves up with that imaginary hope.
But above, all the Jews were firmly perſwaded of the perpetual Duration of their Law, that is, that people ſhould continually come up from all parts of the World to worſhip in Mount Sion, and offer up variety of ſacrifices in the Holy Land. 'Twas this Law they had heard ſo often mention'd in their infancy, which their Parents, their Elders and their Teachers had ſo often entertained them with in their common diſcourſe.
They heard every body ſpeak of Jeruſalem with a great deal of reſpect, and 'twas reputed a great oath among them to ſwear by the City of the great King. They conſidered the Levites as ſo many Sacred Perſons; and the Prieſts as the Viſible Miniſters of an inviſible God that was pleaſed to dwell among them. They ſent yearly to Jeruſalem the tenth of their goods; and brought an infinite variety of victims to be there offered up to God. They thought they could neither be acceptable in the ſight of God nor man, unleſs they practiſed all the Cuſtoms their law preſcribed them, touching their purity and external ſanctification.
They had ſeen the greateſt ſeverities inflicted upon the infringers of that Law: and the four ſorts of puniſhments ordained by the Law againſt the Violaters of it (viz. that they ſhould be ſtrangled, or cut off by the Sword, or Burnt, or ſtoned to Death, according to the enormity of their crime) were continually before their eyes, and almoſt daily executed upon thoſe that were guilty in breach of the Law; ſo that they could not but look upon the preſcriptions of the Law as ſacred and inviolable duties, they were obliged to perform. Now 'tis obvious to every one how great an impreſſion theſe puniſhments muſt neceſſarily make upon the minds of the meaner ſort of people▪
They were filled with the thoughts of their Feſtivals and Solemnities, which were ſo very proper to fix and ſtay their minds by that great number both of Ceremonies and Circumſtances they were attended with. Thrice every year they were enjoyned to go up to Jeruſalem, during ſuch certain ſacred times, which they were obliged to obſerve with a particular devotion; and it was forbidden them to diſcourſe any thing elſe during the Paſſover, but of the ſorrowful Captivity which the antient Iſraelites endur'd in Egypt, Exod. 13. 8. Neither were they permitted to eat any thing for ſeven days together but unleavened Bread, in token of that Bread of affliction which their Forefathers had eaten. They were commanded to kill as many Lambs as there were Families dwelling in Jeruſalem, in token of the antient paſſage of the deſtroying Angel over the Houſes of Iſrael. The Feaſt of Pentecoſt was to be commemorated with no leſs ſolemnity, at which time they were obliged to offer up to God the firſt fruits of the earth▪ It was a part of their Duty to obſerve yearly a ſolemn and general Faſt the tenth day of September, as alſo to reſt from all manner of Labour the firſt and laſt day of the Feaſt of the Paſſover, as well as the day called Kipur, in which they were not ſuffered ſo much as to eat, or drink, or anoint, or waſh themſelves. They were obliged to dwell ſeven days together in Tents during the Feaſt of Tabernacles, which Ceremony was particularly deſigned to commemorate the abode of the antient Iſraelites in the Wilderneſs.
Now every one knows that the greater number of Feſtivals and Solemnities there is in any Religion, the more impreſſion they make upon the minds of the people, who are apt to think that Religion chiefly conſiſts in external Rites and Ceremonies.
'Tis certain that the great number and variety of ſacrifices preſcribed in the Law of Moſes, and duly performed by the Jews, was capable enough to produce this effect in the minds of the people. For they thoght every thing was to be offered to God. They offered him men, which was called Conſecration. They offered him the fruits of the Earth, which was called Oblation. They offered him their Liquors, which was termed Libation. They offered him Spices which were burnt in his preſence, and that was called Burning of Incenſe. Laſtly, they offered him four-footed Beaſts, which was more properly called Sacrifice. They offered him alſo Burntofferings, and other ordinary Sacrifices. They offered Sin-offerings, and Peace-offerings. They offered ſome ſet ſacrifices, and others accidental and occaſional. They offered two daily, one in the morning, and the other in the evening; as alſo an extraordinary one every week, and another extraordinary one every month, and new ones on every ſolemn feaſt day. They offered them either for the ſins of the people in general, or for thoſe of private perſons in particular. But on the day of the ſolemn expiation, they offered then two ſacrifices, the one which the High-Prieſt offered for himſelf and his whole Family at his own proper charge, and the other he offered at the charge of the people, for the ſins of the people. Then they choſe two he-Goats, one whereof was offered as a ſacrifice for ſin, and was burnt out of the Camp, or City, and the other was ſent into a deſart near a mountain called Hazazel, where it was caſt down head long. Which being done, the High-Prieſt cloathed in white Raiments, enter'd into the moſt holy place, holding a Cenſer in his hands full of hot burning Coals, on which he would ſprinkle all ſorts of ſpices, the ſmoak whereof made a kind of cloud, which covered the Mercy-ſeat all over, on which he would then power the Blood of the he-Goat that had been ſlain in the Porch. This being done, the High-Prieſt pull'd off his ſacred Robes, and having put on again his uſual Garments, return'd back to his own Houſe, accompanied by all the people, who ended the day with feſtivals and rejoycings, becauſe the High-Prieſt was come out from the preſence of God ſafe and ſound. So great a number therefore and variety both of Ceremonies and Sacrifices, could not but naturally have a great power over the minds of thoſe, who from their infancy had had all thoſe objects continually before their eyes.
We ought to make the ſame judgment on their different kinds of purification. For as Cuſtom and Education only make us think Nudity a ſhameful and unbecoming ſtate for any man to be ſeen in; ſo Cuſtom, Education and Religion, which is often of more force than either, made them eſteem all thoſe unclean, who had contracted any legal impurities. The camp of the Iſraelites in the deſart, and afterwards the City of Jeruſalem was divided in three parts: the firſt was the place or habitation of God himſelf, who dwelt either in the Tabernacle, or the Temple. The ſecond was that of the Levites, who dwelt round about the Sanctuary: and the third was that of the people, which was ſeparated from the Temple by that of the Levites. In like manner they diſtinguiſhed three ſorts of unclean perſons: The firſt ſort were only excluded from the Temple or Dwelling place of God; ſuch were all thoſe who had touched any dead Carcaſs, or were uncircumciſed: The ſecond being look'd upon as more unclean than the firſt, were ſhut out both of the firſt and the ſecond habitation, viz. out of the Temple and the Habitation of the Levites, that is, they were entirely excluded out of Mount Sion, ſuch were all Women after Child bearing, or all men and women that had any natural or accidental impurities: Laſtly, the third, the moſt unclean of all were excluded out of thoſe three Habitations, and utterly ſequeſtred from the Society and Communion of the people. Such were all Lepers who were not only looked upon as defiled, but alſo as perſons who might eaſily defile other people, and who to diſtinguiſh and make themſelves known in thoſe very places where they lived a part by themſelves, were obliged according to the Hebrew Tradition to wear torn garments, to let their hairs grow, and walk about with their faces covered with a vail, as if they were capable of defiling other men by their very looks, or as if other men were afraid to contaminate their eyes by looking upon them, as it appears by the alluſion of the Prophet Iſaiah to that cuſtom, in the prophecy contained in his 53. Chap. v. 3. We hid as it were our face from him, that is, as the Comment imports, as one hideth his face from a Leper.
It is certain that ſo many cautions being required of them to avoid the contracting of any legal impurities, to caſt out from among them the unclean perſons, to purify themſelves either by Waſhing, or Sacrifices, or the Aſhes of a red Cow; as alſo the prejudices which this Cuſtom ſupported by Education, and ſtrictly enjoyn'd by the Law of God, ſo naturally ſuggeſted in their minds; I ſay it is certain that all theſe motives were the original cauſe of that invincible averſion the Jews had both for the Gentiles, who were in divers reſpects very unclean in compariſon to them, and for every new Religion that might either permit, or not at all inſiſt upon thoſe corporeal and external Impurities.
Add to this the profound reverence they had for the Temple, which the Antient Iſraelites us'd to call with ſuch tranſports of Admiration, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord; The reſpect they had for the Levites, to whom God had commited the care of the Temple, Numb. 18. and the Prieſts in whomwas required ſo much purity, that they were never to perform their Sacerdotal office without having firſt waſhed their Hands and Feet, who were to bleſs the People, to burn Incenſe and offer the common and ordinary offerings, and who alſo were anointed as well as Kings and Prophets, to ſhew how acceptable they were in the ſight of God.
Add alſo to this, the great care their Lawgiver had taken to engrave their Religion on their Walls, and even upon their Garments, which latter were to have the Law, or at leaſt the greateſt part of it, written upon them, as alſo the pious care that ſame Lawgiver had taken to ſanctify the Eſtates of the Rich, in teaching them how to conſecrate them to God, and to comfort the poor in their neceſſities, by enacting ſuch admirable Laws deſigned only for their Subſiſtence, Levit. 19. Deut. 15. 7, 8, 24.
Laſtly, To all this you may yet further add thoſe wonderful Laws of Equity and Juſtice, whereby their Lawgiver had ſo prudently determined what Judgments ſhouldbe executed in the midſt of that people: thoſe Laws which ſeemed to be only the firſt and moſt juſt determinations of the Law of Nature, and which may and ought to ſerve for an example to all Civil and Political Laws eſtabliſhed in the World.
Now from all this it neceſſarily follows; Firſt, That the Diſciples could not look upon Jeſus Chriſt as the Meſſias who was to come, and whom their Nation expected with ſo great impatience, without expecting from him a Temporal Happineſs and Proſperity. This plainly appears by the requeſt which the Mother of Zebedee's Children made to Jeſus Chriſt when ſhe came to him, ſaying, Lord grant that theſe my two Sons may ſit, the one on the Right Hand, and the other on the Left in thy Kingdom, Mat. 20. 21. The Diſciples therefore muſt neceſſarily be ſtrangely offended to hear that their Maſter was not come to command, but to ſerve, and give his Life as a Ranſom for many; that he ſhould be the greateſt in his Kingdom who was moſt humble; and that the greateſt was to be as the leaſt, and as one that ſerveth.
Beſides, how ſtrangely muſt their hopes be croſs'd to ſee that nothing but Miſery, Poverty and Afflictions, continually attended the profeſſion they had embraced, of following Jeſus Chriſt.
They muſt have certainly found ſomething or other in their Maſter, which recompens'd the loſs of that Temporal Proſperity they ſo eagerly thirſted after, and made them patiently endure all ſorts of Afflictions; and that recompence could be nothing elſe but the Doctrine or Miracles of Jeſus Chriſt. Yet 'twas not his Doctrine, becauſe they underſtood it not for along time, as is evident by ſo many vain, frivolous, abſurd and ridiculous queſtions that were offenſive, and ſavoured of little reſpect to their Maſter. Beſides, what was moſt holy and moſt proper to perſwade men to embrace his Doctrine, was that part of it which was moſt ſpiritual, and that part was hid from them, and they could not underſtand it, becauſe their minds were filled only with groſs and carnal Ideas of the World, as it appears by their Diſcourſes to their Maſter, which they themſelves relate after ſo ſimple and ingenuous a manner. They muſt then neceſſarily have found in Jeſus Chriſt ſuch miracles as ſerved them inſtead of all their o…her deſires. And 'tis by them chiefly that Jeſus Chriſt proved the truth and Divinity of his Calling to them. He told them that the Father had not left him without a witneſs, but that the works which he did, teſtify'd that the Father had ſent him. And on another occaſion he ſolemnly declared that there was a greater witneſs than John the Baptiſt, adding that the works which the Father had given him to do, were thoſe that ſhould teſtify of him.
But perhaps it may here be objected, that John the Baptiſt could draw a great multitude after him, and be eſteemed a Prophet among the Jews, without having wrought any Miracles, at leaſt none that we know of, or meet with in the Goſpel, and conſequently that it's no wonder if Jeſus Chriſt as well as John the Baptiſt drew a great number of Diſciples after him, not ſo much upon the account of his Miracles, as his extraordinary Piety, and the promiſes he made them of an Eternal Life. To this I anſwer Firſt, that tho' we read of no kind of Miracles that John the Baptiſt wrought himſelf in the whole Courſe of his Life, or of his Miniſtry, yet it is ſufficient that his Birth was ſignalized by a very ſurpriſing Miracle, which was ſufficiently known by all his Nation, to make them expect great and wonderful matters from him. Secondly, I ſay that as John the Baptiſt wrought no Miracles, ſo neither was he looked upon as a Prophet that was to have done any. He was not that Meſſias of whom it had beeen foretold that he ſhould be the deſire of all Nations, that he ſhould be called the God and Saviour of the World, at whoſe coming God would ſhake Heaven and Earth, the Sea, and the dry Land. He was no more than his forerunner: He was the voice of one crying in the Wilderneſs, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his Paths ſtraight, Matt. 3. 3. Thirdly, John the Baptiſt declared only to them the coming of the Meſſias, which could not but very much pleaſe the Jews, and which perfectly well agreed with their Hopes and Opinions. His Miniſtry had nothing but what was very grateful and pleaſant. And it was not requiſite he ſhould work any Miracles to exhort the Jews to receive the moſt wellcome tidings they could ever hear of. But it was not ſo with Jeſus Christ, who was obliged to ſhew the Meſſias in his own Perſon, and him too ſo contrary to that Idea they had framed to themſelves of him, even from their infancy. So that he could not chuſe but exaſperate them againſt him. And to this (if I may mention it by the way) we ought to refer the different ſucceſs of the Miniſtry of John the Baptiſt, and that of Jeſus Chriſt, which was ſignified in the predictions of the prophets, who foretold that John the Baptist ſhould reconcile the Hearts of the Parents to the Children, but on the contrary, that Jeſus Chriſt would be a ſtumbling block, and an offence to Iſrael.
Since the Jews ſo eagerly expected the coming of the Kingdom of the Meſſias, they framed a very agreeable Idea of him to themſelves, as they do ſtill to this day. They inveſted him with all the Splendor and Glory they could poſſibly wiſh to themſelves. They painted him (if I may ſo ſpeak) in Colours ſuitable to their own Pride and Ambition. They expected they ſhould ſpeedily have Kings of the Earth for their nurſing Fathers, and Queens for their nurſing Mothers, nay they imagined no leſs than to have them immediately for Man Servants and Maid Servants. Theſe things they had been told of from their Infancy; and that Carnal and Temporal Meſſias they fancied, was as it were the Idol of their Hearts. Soon after John Baptiſt appeared in the World, who ſetting forth the Kingdom of the Meſſias in ſuch terms as the Prophet Daniel had made uſe of before him, publickly affirmed that the Kingdom of Heaven was at Hand, Mat. 3 2 At the report of this agreeable voice, all the people ran in crouds to hear it from Jeruſalem, from Decapolis, from Judea, from Galilee, and from the Cities beyond Jordain. John preached Repentance to them as a neceſſary preparation to become partakers of all the Benefits they were to expect under the Meſſias: and they willingly hearkened to his preaching. He exhorted them to be reconciled to one another, and ſo to become Subjects of the ſame Heavenly King: they renounced then all their differences and quarrels, the dear expectation they had of their Meſſias ſtifling in their hearts all Paſſions and Reſentments. But when John the Baptiſt had as it were led them by the Hand to Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, they were ſtrangely ſurpriſed to find in him nothing of what they expected. They found in him Poverty, where they thought to have found Riches, Shame and Afflictions, where they thought to have met nothing but great Splendor and Temporal Glory. For this Reaſon therefore they rejected him with Horrour and Abomination; all their thoughts being on a ſudden changed into indignation and anger againſt him, in whom before they had fixed all their imaginary hopes.
But tho' the generality of his Nation caſt him off, there were yet a certain number of perſons who were willing to follow him; and that number daily increaſed in proportion as Jeſus Christ's ſufferings and afflictions increaſed. There were at firſt but twelve whom he called to his Service. Then ſent he ſeventy others abroad, who were ſucceeded by a great may others after his Death. And their number further increaſing with the fury of the Sanhedrin, there were at length many ſeen who teſtify'd in behalf of that crucified man.
But how come thoſe Diſciples to follow a Meſſias ſo contrary to their firſt Ideas and receiv'd opinions? How is it poſſible they ſhould not have been diſcouraged at his Croſs, unleſs Jeſus Chriſt had promiſed them to do ſigns and wonders? How could they have been with him night and day for three Years and an half, without inquiring into that important matter of fact, or knowing whether he were really able to do Miracles or not? Or how is it poſſible when they found their miſtake, that Jeſus Chriſt was but an ordinary ſort of a man, uncapable of working any ſigns or wonders, they ſhould not have forſaken him as a Whymſical Impoſtor? How could their minds be ſo ſuddenly changed, as to look on Humiliation and Meanneſs, Miſery and Afflictions, as upon the true and real Character of the Meſſias, they I ſay, whoſe minds Education had filled only with carnal Ideas of the flouriſhing Kingdom of the Meſſias? But above all, how could they be preſent at the Crucifixion of their Maſter, without being reduced to the laſt greateſt Conſternation and Confuſion?
So that the ſecond Conſequence which may very well be drawn from theſe principles already eſtabliſhed, is that the Diſciples having always imagined with their Fathers and Mothers, their Brothers and Siſters, their Teachers and Elders, and in general with their whole Nation, that their Meſſias ſhould have reſtored the Kingdom of Iſrael, and having underſtood thoſe words in a literal ſenſe, it is impoſſible but that they ſhould be extreamly offended to ſee him wearing a Crown of Thorns upon his Head, when he was nailed on the Croſs, and a Reed inſtead of a Scepter in his Hand: Nay more than this, 'tis morally impoſſible but that this object muſt have rooted out of their Hearts all thoughts of Pride and Ambition, and all pretenſions to Greatneſs and Temporal Proſperity, which their Blindneſs had cauſed them to conceive upon this mans account; unleſs there had happened ſince his Death ſuch ſupernatural and extraordinary things, as were able to revive in their Heart ſuch great hopes as theſe.
Thirdly, We ſhall conclude from the Principles we have already eſtabliſhed, that the Diſciples as well as all other Jews, being as it were ty'd to their Religion by what they had Seen and Heard, by their Inclination and Ʋnderſtanding, by their Intereſt and Piety, by their Cuſtoms and Education, and by the Advantage wherewith they might well flatter themſelves of being diſtinguiſhed from all other Nations of the World, and being further as it were wedded to it by that great number of Ceremonies and Cuſtoms, the Juſtice and Holineſs of which they could no way doubt of, ſince they had been ſo exactly preſcribed them by the Law of God himſelf; it cannot be ſuppoſed but that they imagined their Law to be of an eternal Duration, and that being extreamly averſe to every new ſort of Worſhip which was contrary to that of Moſes; they could not have ſo ſuddenly altered their opinion, nor could there have happened ſo ſtrange a revolution in the Hearts and Minds of ſo many perſons united, and as it were link'd by ſo many reſpects to the Law of Moſes; that in ſo ſmall a period of time the Souls of all thoſe Jews ſhould have been ſo entirely changed, as that they ſhould begin to look upon the Jewiſh Religion as upon a Diſpenſation granted with a proviſo, and which was to come to an end, and for the future be conſidered only as a thing altogether uſeleſs and out of Date.
I confeſs that this principle was not firſt of all approved of in the World without great conteſt and difficulty, and that there were for a while certain Judaiſing Chriſtians who taught others that the Law of Moſes was ſtill in force, and that it was neceſſary to Salvation, to joyn the Doctrine of Jeſus Chriſt with the Ceremonies of the Law: But then it is well known they were only either ſome of Chriſt's Enemies who ſtarted theſe queſtions out of a particular deſign to make a diviſion in the Chriſtian Church, or ſome Jews turned Chriſtians, as yet very weak and not fully ſtrengthened in their belief, whoſe ſcrupulous Zeal and blind Superſtition cauſed all thoſe Controveſies. But however, 'tis evident that the true Diſciples of Jeſus Chriſt, and eſpecially the Apoſtles, were not long in an errour as to this point. They affirmed that men were juſtify'd only by the Faith of Jeſus Chriſt without the works of the Law. And 'tis manifeſt that in the firſt Council held at Jeruſalem, the Diſciples of our Lord aboliſhed the Cuſtoms and Rites of the Ceremonial Law.
But at laſt it is of no great moment, whether the Ceremonial Law or Religion of Moſes was aboliſhed, ten years ſooner or later. Still it is certain that it was ſometimes aboliſhed, or rather to ſpeak more exactly and truly, it was fulfilled by the Goſpel, and ſo the obſervation of it ceaſed.
Now I demand how it is poſſible that thoſe men who were ſo devoted and bigotted to that Law, who made it the object of their thoughts and moſt common diſcourſe, ſhould ſo great a number of them, and in ſo ſhort a time, with one common conſent renounce that Law which Piety made ſo venerable, and Honour and Intereſt ſo valuable in their Eſteem? Whereas ſo many ages elapſed before the coming of Jeſus Chriſt into the World could not wear out of their minds that profound eſteem and reſpect they had for that Law. For tho' they had often broke it in ſeveral reſpects, yet it may be ſaid in their behalf they almoſt always look'd upon it as inviolable. And can we ſuppoſe that ſo many ages as have paſſed ſince the Death of Jeſus Chriſt, could not remove that perſwaſion ſo deeply rooted in their Mind, that their Law was to be eternal: and yet that a few years ſhould perſwade that great multitude of Diſciples, converted by the preaching of the Apoſtles, that all thoſe Rites and Ceremonies were become invalid by the Death of a Man, whom the Sanhedrin had condemned to be executed as a Malefactor, without any extraordinary or ſupernatural accident intervening, which ſhould occaſion the framing to themſelves ſuch Ideas ſo particular, and ſo contrary to their firſt Prejudices?
Certainly we may very well affirm, that our Incredulous Adverſaries have too great a value for impoſture and ignorance, when they imagin that an univerſal deluſion, and unanimous conſent to a Lye, could convert Nations, Sanctify Mankind, and ſpread the Knowledge of God throughout the World, according as it was foretold by the Scriptures; or that a few ſimple and ignorant Fiſhermen, whoſe knowledge extended no further than their Employment, ſhould diſcover the defects and imperfections of the Ceremonial Law, and introduce inſtead of it a Spiritual worſhip, as really more conformable to the Nature of God who is a Spirit, and more worthy of man who is a Spirit, and more worthy of man who is a Reaſonable Creature; that thoſe ſimple and ignorant men ſhould diſcover the Sacrifices under the Law to be only Types of the Death of a man, who was condemned to be executed as a Malefactor; that they ſhould attribute this thought to John the Baptiſt, and make him expreſs it only in theſe words, Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the ſins of the World, John 1. 29. Words ſo full and comprehenſive, that they contain the whole ſum of Chriſtan Religion: And Laſtly, That they ſhould invent Myſteries ſo very different from mens ordinary Thoughts and Conjectures, and ſo far above the Capacity of the moſt judicious and learned, that it may deſervedly be ſaid of them, that they are ſuch things which Eye has not ſeen, nor Ear heard, neither has it enter'd into the Heart of Man to conceive them, 1 Cor. 2. 9.
Laſtly, Experience tells us how difficult it is for perſons already advanced in years, to renounce the Common practices generally approved of in the World, eſpecially when authoriſed by Religion and Education. How hard would it be for us Chriſtians to live as the Jews? And yet it would be more difficult for them to live as we do. Becauſe we look upon all their Cuſtoms as things very indifferent in themſelves, whereas they always look'd upon our Practices as ſcandalous and unlawful. How then was it that not only one or two Jews, but thouſands who had embraced Chriſtianity, no longer in the leaſt ſcrupled to converſe with the Gentiles, nay to to live with Heathens, who before were an Abomination in their eyes?
You will ſay this was not without many conſiderable difficulties, and was the cauſe of ſeveral great Animoſities and Diſputes. I grant it; but yet it appears the Ceremonial Law was utterly aboliſhed preſently after the Death of Chriſt; the Apoſtles having determined that it had been accompliſhed in his Death, and that it was not Lawful to joyn the Carnal Ceremonies of the Law with the Spiritual worſhip of the Goſpel. And I ſay, that had not the Apoſtles both teſtify'd the Miracles and Reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt, and wrought very great wonders themſelves, it was naturally impoſſible they ſhould have executed ſo great a deſign, eſpecially in ſo ſmall a time.
For certainly if we conſider the Diſciples as born Jews, they muſt neceſſarily have been very much devoted to their own Law.
If we conſider them as poor and mean people, they could not but have been paſſionately fond of that Law which gave ſuch wonderful precepts for the Adminiſtration of Juſtice, and the relief and comfort of the Poor.
If we conſider them as ſimple and ignorant men, they could not but have a blind love and obedience for their Law, as all ignorant People have for the external objects of Religion.
Laſtly, Should we conſider them as prepoſſeſſed with the uſual prejudices of their Nation, they muſt neceſſarily have expected a Glorious and Triumphant Meſſias, who inſtead of aboliſhing the Law of Moſes, ſhould have eſtabliſhed it throughout the World.
Yet we need only conſider the event to clear the truth of this matter. We ſhall not inſiſt upon all the Reflections we might eaſily make hereupon; It's ſufficient to have taken notice of thoſe things by the by, becauſe they may ſerve in ſome meaſure to illuſtrate the particular examination we ſhall make of the Miracles of the Goſpel.
We have already conſidered them in general, ſufficiently to convince all reaſonable Perſons. But it may not be amiſs to inſiſt more particularly on them, that we may confound the Obſtinate and Incredulous, and make them at leaſt truly ſenſible of their Errour, tho' perhaps we cannot reclaim them from it.
To do this better, we ſhall lay down four miraculous matters of fact, which ſhall be as ſo many centers of the Truth we enquire into, becauſe there are ſeveral lines and degrees of Evidence and Light which neceſſarily lead us to the Truth of each of theſe matters of fact, and then we ſhall joyn them all together, the better to form a full and perfect Demonſtration of them.