Vindication of the Truth of the Christian Religion, Religious treatise · Section 3 · Chapter 9
CAHP. IX. Wherein we ſhall yet farther produce from the Epiſtles of St. Paul, St. Peter, and St John, ſeveral Texts very proper to make us truly ſenſible of the Divinity of the Chriſtian Religion.
Epiſtle to the Romans.
CHap. I. 1, 2, 3, 4.
Paul the Servant of Jeſus Chriſt, called to be an Apoſtle, ſeparated unto the Goſpel of God, &c. Concerning his Son Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, which was made of the ſeed of David according to the Fleſh, and declared to be the Son of God with Power, according to the Spirit of Holineſs, by the Reſurrection from the Dead. Men generally inſert all their Titles in the Epiſtles they write; but St. Paul inſerts the whole Goſpel in his: And what was the reaſon of it? Becauſe his Mind and Heart were ſo full of it, that he could not ſpeak of any thing elſe. Jeſus Chriſt was his Alpha and his Omega, his Beginning and his End.
Verſ. 7.
To all that …e in Rome, beloved of God, called to be ſaints; Grace be unto you, and Peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Did ever Man before him write in this ſtile? He directs his Diſcourſe to thoſe only that were called to be Saints: He does not vainly complement them after the uſual way of the World, but wiſhes them the Peace and Grace of God. Certainly he would not have wrote thus, had he been an Impoſtor, or an Enemy to his Country Men, who endeavoured to render them odious throughout the World, by accuſing them of an imaginary Crime.
Verſ. 16.
For I am not aſhamed of the Goſpel of Chriſt; for it is the power of God unto Salvation, to every one that believeth, &c. How ſtrongly perſwaded muſt that Man be of what he ſays, who expreſſes himſelf after ſo pathetical a manner! And how well does the fulneſs of his mind appear by all theſe manifold and multiplied expreſſions?
Chap. VIII. 37, 38, 39.
Nay in all theſe things we are more than conquerours, through him that loved us▪ For I am perſwaded that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, &c. An immoveable Conſtancy indeed! and a Divine confidence which he ſo naturally ſet down▪ and which could not poſſibly ariſe from the Soul of an Impoſtor!
Chap. XI. 28, 29.
As concerning the Goſpel, they are Enemies for your ſake; but as touching the Election, they are beloved for the Father's ſake. For the Gifts and calling of God, &c. Why did St. Paul here ſpeak ſo movingly and tenderly of the Jews? And why did he earneſtly endeavour to ſoften and mitigate the Minds of the Gentiles towards them? Whence comes that inclination both of his Heart and Affections to favour thoſe implacable Enemies, who ſought nothing but his Deſtruction and Ruin? Certainly a Man that had forſaken his own Nation out of ſpight, or a deſire of revenge could not be of ſuch a Temper.
Chap. XII. 2.
And be not conformed to this World; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, &c. We have here a Man who having been wholly changed, having acquired new Knowledge, new Habits, and new Affections, ſpeaks of nothing but of being transformed, renewed, and becoming a New Creature, &c. A Man who having been enlightned in his way to Damaſcus ſpeaks of nothing but of illumination, of a Light that ſhone from Heaven, of a Kingdom of Light. A Man in fine, who having had mercy ſhewn him in the midſt of the fury of his perſecutions, ſpeaks of nothing but Pardon and Grace. Tis an eaſy matter to collect his Hiſtory from his very expreſſions.
Verſ. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.
Be kindly affectioned one to another, with brotherly love, in Honour preferring one another: not ſlothful in buſineſs, fervent in Spirit; ſerving the Lord: Rejoycing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing inſtant in prayer; diſtributing to the neceſſity of Saints; given to hoſpitality. Bleſs them which perſecute you: bleſs and curſe not; rejoyce with them that do rejoyce, &c. Can we ſuppoſe theſe to be the words or thoughts of an Impoſtor?
Chap. XIII. 5.
Wherefore ye muſt needs be ſubject, not only for wrath, but alſo for conſcience ſake. Religion as it were Cements the good and welfare of a State, and Piety ſeems inſeparable from the publick good of a Society; becauſe God, by whoſe appointment Kings reign, is the prime Author of Religion.
Verſ. 12, 14▪
The night is far ſpent, the day is at hand, &c. But put ye on the Lord Jeſus Christ, and make no proviſion for the Fleſh, to fulfil the Luſts thereof. This Author's words continually follow and expreſs his thoughts. He conſidered the Goſpel as a Light that diſſipated all the erroneous Darkneſs and Ignorance of his Mind; he conſidered Chriſt as one that ſupplied all his wants and neceſſities. He was therefore obliged to make uſe of ſuch unuſual and ſurpriſing expreſſions.
Firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians.
Chap. I. 13.
Is Chriſt divided? Was Paul crucified for you? or were you baptized in the name of Paul? A ſingular and uncommon piece of Humility! ſince Men are not by nature diſpleaſed and diſquieted at thoſe, who endeavour to pay them too much Honour.
Chap. II. 4.
And my ſpeech and my preaching was not with inticing words of Man's wiſdom, but in demonſtration of the Spirit and of power. It is beneath a King, to ſtudy how to adorn his Diſcourſe, and make uſe of the Charms of Eloquence, when he goes about to ſpeak to his Subjects to whom he ſhews mercy, and preſcribes Obedience. Such a way of dealing would be much more beneath the Holy Ghoſt. Wherefore Paul oppoſes the power of the Holy Ghoſt, which ſerves him to confirm the Goſpel, to the Eloquence of the Men of his Age, which he abſolutely contemns and deſpiſes. For the latter may, but the former can't be ſuſpected.
Chap. III. 5.
Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but miniſters by whom ye believed? Thoſe Men were not like Simon Magus, Cerinthus, S…turninus, Baſilides, Menander, &c. who poſitively affirmed themſelves to be the power of God, the Word, and the Prophet, and who ſtrove to excel one another in extravagant Vanity.
Chap. IV. 11, 12, 13, 14.
Even unto this preſent hour, we both hunger and thirſt, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place; and labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bleſs: being perſecuted we ſuffer it: being defamed we intreat: we are made as the filth of the World, and are the offſcouring of all things unto this day. I write not theſe things to ſhame you, but as my beloved Sons I warn you. Did Paul imagin he could eaſily impoſe upon thoſe he wrote this Epiſtle to, in thoſe matters which muſt have been ſo publickly known? Or did he think he could incite them to emulate his Patience by ſuch narrations as every body knew to be utterly falſe?
Verſ. 19, 20.
But I will come to you ſhortly, if the Lord will, and will know not the ſpeech of them which are puffed up, but the power. For the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. By theſe words it appears that the extraordinary and miraculous Gifts of the Holy Ghoſt juſtified in thoſe days the miſſion of the Paſtors of the Church; and indeed what can be leſs liable to ſuſpicion than ſuch a mark and ſign of them?
Chap. V. 5.
To deliver ſuch an one unto Satan for the deſtruction of the fleſh, that the Spirit may be ſaved in the day of the Lord Jeſus. The Apoſtles teſtified of the Goſpel by their works, and not their words only.
Verſ. 11.
If any Man that is called a Brother, be a Fornicator, or Covetous, or an Idolater, or a Railer, or a Drunkard, or an Extortioner, with ſuch an one, do not eat. What ſtrange Severity was this! What amazing and wonderful effects, what ſurprizing changes in Men were produced by the Goſpel! Believe it, if you can, after what has been ſaid, that this was a Society of Deceitful Impoſtors, as it muſt need be confeſſed, ſuppoſing their Teſtimony falſe.
Chap. VI. 9, 10, 11.
Be not deceived: Neither Fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor Adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abuſers of themſelves with mankind, &c. ſhall inherit the Kingdom of God. And ſuch were ſome of you: but ye are waſhed, but ye are ſanctified, but ye are juſtified in the name of the Lord Jeſus, &c. Had the Teſtimony of Jeſus been a meer Impoſture, how could he have ſanctified Mankind? And what could be the deſign of the Apoſtles, in deceiving Men to make them righteous, in making a falſe Belief ſerve to lead them to the practice of all Virtues? For ſuch notions as theſe our Incredulous Adverſaries muſt neceſſarily entertain.
Chap. XII. 28, 29, 30.
And God hath ſet ſome in the Church, firſt Apoſtles, ſecondly Prophets, thirdly, Teachers, after that Miracles, then Gifts of healing, helps, governments, diverſities of Tongues. Are all Apoſtles? are all Prophets? are all Teachers? are all workers of Miracles? have all the gifts of healing? do all ſpeak with Tongues? It appears that the Apoſtle by this enumeration of the miraculous Gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, ſuppoſes them to have been very common in the Church, as being a matter of fact publickly known. Was he then out of his Senſes to talk thus? We have ſeen Men who falſly boaſted they could work many Miracles: but we never heard of any that pretended to make a numerous Society believe, that they alſo could work Miracles, when they had not indeed the power to perform any.
Verſ. 31.
But covet earneſtly the beſt gifts: and yet ſhew I unto you a more excellent way. He preferred Charity before Miracles themſelves, and all the miraculous Gifts of the holy Spirit. How different then was his opinion from the Vanity, Ambition and Superſtition of the World!
Chap. XIV. 24, 25.
But if all propheſy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all. And thus are the ſecrets of his Heart made manifeſt; and ſo falling down on his face, he will worſhip God, and report that God is in you of a Truth. This was the Gift of knowing the ſecrets of Men's Hearts, which this ſame Author ſpeaks of in another place, ſaying, tho I have the gift of prophecy, and underſtand all myſteries, &c. Was there ever any Seducers ſeen, who to prove their miſſion pretended themſelves able to know the ſecrets of Man's heart? How comes this Author then to ſpeak of it curſorily, and as a thing generally known to them all?
Chap. XV. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19.
But if there be no Reſurrection of the Dead, then is Chriſt not riſen. And if Chriſt be not riſen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is vain alſo; yea, and we are found falſe witneſſes of God; becauſe we have teſtified of God, that he raiſed up Chriſt; whom he raiſed not up, if ſo be that the dead riſe not, &c. And if Christ be not raiſed, your faith is vain, ye are yet in your ſins. Then they alſo which are fallen a ſleep in Chriſt are periſhed. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men moſt miſerable. Nothing can better acquaint us with the perſwaſion of our Apoſtle than theſe words. For I pray obſerve after what manner he relates the Opinion of thoſe men, who thought there was no Reſurrection of the Dead. He ſeems very much ſurpriſed to ſee them prepoſſeſſed with any ſuch Opinion, after what they had known of Chriſt's Reſurrection, of their Happineſs that ſlept in him, and the Afflictions they endure in this Life, which they could not endure without ſome reaſon, ſome hope, and expectation of future Happineſs.
Verſ. 32.
If after the manner of Men, I have fought with Beaſts at Epheſus, what advantageth it me, if the Dead riſe not? Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we die. Since the beginning of the World, Men of wordly Minds and carnal Appetites, who aim only at the good things of this Life, have always argued thus; and indeed they would have a great deal of reaſon in arguing thus, and purſuing their reaſons, were there no Reſurrection of the dead.
Chap. XVI. 21.
The Salutation of me Paul with mine own hand. If any Man love not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, let him be Anathema Maranatha. He begun ſtill, and ended with Chriſt, which evidently ſhews the ſtrong perſuaſion of his Mind.
Second Epiſtle to the Corinthians.
Chap. I. 8, 9.
For we would not brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble, &c. That we ſhould not truſt in our ſelves, but in God which raiſeth the dead. By theſe words we perceive what troubles they underwent, and what hopes they had to ſuſtain them in their Sufferings.
Chap. II. 14, 15, 16.
Now thanks be unto God, which always cauſes us to triumph in Chriſt, and maketh manifeſt the ſavour of his Knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a ſweet ſavour of Chriſt, &c. To the one we are the ſavour of Death unto Death; and to the other, the ſavour of Life unto Life: and who is ſufficient for theſe things? And who is ſufficient to expreſs all the force and energy of theſe words, unlike the falſe Charms of humane Eloquence, yet ſuch as are eaſily diſcerned by an Heart rightly diſpoſed?
Chap. IV. 6.
For God who commanded the light to ſhine out of darkneſs, hath ſhined in our hearts, to give the light of the Knowledg of the glory of God, in the face of Jeſus Christ. The Eloquence of Men which is generally above the thing it repreſents, has uſually but one Idea to repreſent one ſingle object: But if that Idea be a complex one, then it is compoſed of ſeveral others, proportionable and agreeable to it. There cant well be in this ſort of Eloquence a mixture of various Ideas and different Metaphors together in one and the ſame Period. But on the contrary, the Eloquence of the Holy Ghoſt which is always inferiour to thoſe Objects it lays before us, makes uſe of ſeveral different Images and Ideas at once, becauſe a ſingle one could not expreſs what it endeavours to repreſent: As for inſtance in theſe expreſſions, M…l. 4. 2. Luke 1. 78.The Sun of righteouſneſs with the healing of his wings, has viſited us through his tender mercies; as alſo in this place, where the Apoſtle thought he could never ſay enough, this is a light which ſhineth; which ſhineth into the heart, which giveth the light, the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jeſus Christ. For a Man to expreſs himſelf thus he muſt really be very ſtrongly perſwaded of what he could ſay. The Orators of this World are uſually Maſters of their own Thoughts; but this Writer here was as it were filled, and wholly taken up with the greatneſs of the Object he was about to repreſent.
Verſ. 15.
For all things are for your ſakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. Thankſgiving, Gratefulneſs, Acknowledgement, Glory of God, Charity, Confeſſion of their Frailties, Prayer, Exhortation, &c. are the only Subjects that all the Writings of thoſe pretended Impoſtors are full of.
Verſ. 17.
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. No Writer ever ſpoke with ſo much energy, becauſe no Writer was ſo ſtrongly perſwaded of the Truth of what he delivered.
Chap. V. 17.
Therefore if any man be in Chriſt, he is a new Creature. What Teachers ever required ſuch things of their Diſciples? What mean theſe Words, and this ſtrange Exhortation?
Chap. VI. 1, 4, 5, 6.
We then as workers together with him, beſeech you alſo, that ye receive not the grace of God in vain, &c. but in all things approving our ſelves as the miniſters of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in neceſſities, in diſtreſſes, in ſtripes, in impriſonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in faſtings, by pureneſs, by knowledge, by long-ſuffering, by kindneſs, by the Holy Ghoſt, by love unfeigned. Do ſuch Exhortations uſually come from the Men of this World, or rather do they not proceed from the Holy Ghoſt himſelf?
Chap. VIII. 18.
And we have ſent with him the brother, whoſe praiſe is in the Goſpel, throughout all the Churches. He ſpeaks of St. Luke in this place; and what he ſays of him is ſufficient to make us underſtand that the Goſpel according to St. Luke was read even in thoſe days in all the Chriſtian Churchès, which overthrows all ſuſpicion that that Goſpel had been filled with ſham Stories of certain matters of fact, in a time when every body had yet freſh in their Remembrance, all that came to paſs in thoſe days.
Chap. XII. 12.
Truly the ſigns of an Apoſtle were wrought among you in all patience, in ſigns, and wonders, and mighty deeds. St. Paul wrote theſe things to ſeveral numerous Churches, and to whole Societies. And can we ſuppoſe he could perſwade them that he wrought ſo many Wonders and Signs among them, when he wrought none?
Chap. XIII. 5.
Examine your ſelves, &c. prove your own ſelves, &c. how that Jeſus Chriſt is in you. What mean theſe Expeſſions? We are in Jeſus Chriſt, Jeſus Chriſt is in us. And whence come they? Who firſt eſtabliſhed ſuch a ſtrange Language? And who did the Apoſtles learn this Stile from, a Stile till then unknown to the World? Had Men ever ſaid before that time, Ceſar is in us? No ſurely, becauſe they had never received the Spirit of Ceſar, But the Diſciples had received the Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt
Epiſtle to the Galatians.
Chap. III. 4, 5.
O fooliſh Galatians! &c. Have ye ſuffered ſo many things in vain? If it be yet in vain. He therefore that miniſtreth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doth he it by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith? What means this Interrogation, If the Miracles and the miraculous and extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghoſt had been only meer Fictions? Is it poſſible we ſhould not perceive the Truth of that matter of fact, by the ingenuous ſimplicity wherewith this Author takes it for granted, when he makes it a Principle of his Arguments, and takes an occaſion from thence to cenſure the Galatians after ſo ſharp and ſevere a manner?
Chap. VI. 12, 14, 15.
As many as deſire to make a fair ſhew in the fleſh, they conſtrain you to be Circumciſed; only leſt they ſhould ſuffer perſecution for the Croſs of Chriſt, &c. But God forbid that I ſhould glory ſave in the Croſs of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by whom the World is crucified unto me, and I unto the World. For in Chriſt Jeſus neither Circumciſion availeth any thing, nor uncircumciſion, but a new Creature. Great indeed was his Faith! for he would not ſubſcribe to their Maxims, who conſtrained the faithful to be Circumciſed, tho he might have thereby avoided a ſharp Perſecution. But he ſhews us that the Circumciſion of the Heart only was acceptable to God; that none but the New Creature could be for the future agreeable to him: A Circumciſion indeed infinitely more painful than the firſt, and a New Creature eſtabliſhed upon the Ruins of the World, the pleaſures of which are ſo dear to us▪ Certainly it is impoſſible this Doctrine ſo ſpiritual, ſo holy, and ſo neceſſary in it ſelf, ſhould have proceeded only from Fleſh and Blood.
Epiſtle to the Epheſians.
Chap. III. 17, 18, 19.
That ye being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Chriſt, which paſſeth all Knowledge, &c. Had the Apoſtles been ſuch Deceivers as the Incredulous would have them to be, what mean thoſe tranſports of admiration as often as they reflect on the mercy of God, which every Page of this Book is full of? Were they then deceived? No ſurely, becauſe they could not be impoſed upon in ſuch certain matters of fact. Had they then a mind to deceive other people? That could not be neither, becauſe their Writings ſeem to be deſigned only to induce Men to fear God.
Chap IV. 24, 25.
And that ye put on the New man, which after God is created in Righteouſneſs and true holineſs. Wherefore putting away lying, ſpeak every Man truth with his neighbour, &c. A ſtrange and ſurpriſing Diſcourſe indeed! but which would have been much more aſtoniſhing ſhould it have been uttered by the mouth of an Impoſtor.
Epiſtle to the Philippians.
Chap. I. 29.
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Chriſt, not only to believe on him, but alſo to ſuffer for his ſake. The Stoicks, who had ſo much diſtinguiſhed and raiſed themſelves above all other Men by their ſublime Morality, had ever imagined that the Wiſe man might very well preſerve a tranquil and ſedate Mind in the midſt of his Afflictions; and they were ſo much intoxicated with Pride, that they were altogether inſenſible of any Pain or Torment. But the Diſciples of Chriſt went yet higher. They looked upon the moſt cruel Sufferings as upon ſo many Benefits, and ſo many cauſes of Joy, and Peace, and Ineffable Conſolation and Comfort. They cried out, I rejoyce in my ſufferings, &c. I delight in Stripes, in Afflictions, &c. Nay more than this, they returned Thanks to God for having been thought worthy to ſuffer for his Name's ſake. Their Afflictions gave riſe to their Gratitude. And all this, becauſe they were ſupported by a Divine hand, and were moſt certain to obtain an everlaſting Reward. A ſtrange thing indeed, that this Certainty only ſhould be abſolutely requiſite to demonſtrate the truth of Religion! The Apoſtles could never have entertained any falſe hopes of reward, becauſe their hopes were grounded on what they had ſeen, and on the miraculous Gifts of God they had both received and often imparted to others. We can't then doubt, but that they had the hopes of a future Reward in proſpect, unleſs we will be wilfully Blind and Ignorant. So blind muſt the Incredulous be, who wilfully ſhut their Eyes, and refuſe to be convinced of ſo evident a Truth.
Firſt Epiſtle to the Theſſalonians.
Chap. I. 4.
For our Goſpel came not unto you in word only, but alſo in power, and in the Holy Ghoſt, &c. By theſe words it appears that the miraculous Gifts of the Holy Ghoſt continually teſtified of the Goſpel.
Chap. III. 4.
For verily when we were with you, we told you before, that we ſhould ſuffer tribulation; even as …t came to paſs, and ye know. The Diſciples of Chriſt had been prepared by him, and had prepared themſelves, nay prepared their Succeſſors alſo to ſuffer patiently according to the Words of this Apoſtle, who ſays in another place, 2 Tim. 3. 12. All that will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus ſhall ſuffer perſecution. Twas therefore in cold Blood, with their own choice and free deliberation they ſuffered ſuch Torments.
Chap. V. 27.
I charge you by the Lord, that this Epiſtle be read unto all the holy brethren. St. Paul feared not in the leaſt his being contradicted, or convinced of any Falſity he had advanced concerning his Afflictions, and the Gifts of the Holy Ghoſt. And therefore he commanded that his Epiſtles ſhould be read to all the holy Brethren.
Firſt Epistle to Timothy.
Chap. III. 16.
And without controverſy great is the mystery of Godlineſs; God was manifeſt in the fleſh, juſtified in the Spirit, ſeen of Angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the World, received up into glory. This myſtery can't be invented only by Humane underſtanding, for ſeveral Reaſons. 1. Becauſe it is ſo great and ſublime, that Men tho never ſo learned and quick ſighted in other things, yet would never have been able to find it out of themſelves, barely by the Scrutinies of their Reaſon. 2. Becauſe they were only poor Fiſhermen that preached it. 3. Becauſe this ſo ſublime and magnificent Object proceeds, if I may ſo ſpeak, from the Death and Sufferings of a Man, who was condemned and puniſhed with the moſt rigorous Puniſhments that could be thought of. For twas only after the Paſſion of Chriſt, that the Diſciples went about preaching every where the wonderful works of God. 4. And laſtly, becauſe the contemplation of it depends upon Experience it ſelf; and altho this myſtery appears at firſt view infinitely exalted above the reach of our capacity, yet it muſt have been both ſeen and touched by the Diſciples. They certainly ſaw Chriſt, and beheld his glory as the Glory of the only Son of God, full of Grace and Truth. They ſaw with their Eyes that Fleſh in which corporeally dwelt an intire fulneſs of the glorious Godhead. They were fully convinced of the extraordinary excellence of his Myſteries and the perfection of his Holineſs. They themſelves received the Gifts of that ſame Spirit in which God himſelf was juſtified. They ſaw Angels aſcending and deſcending to miniſter unto him. They preached it themſelves to the Gentiles, and ſo compelled the World to believe in him by their Patience and Preaching, which was continually attended with the Demonſtration of that Spirit and the Evidence of thoſe Miracles performed by them in the Name of Jeſus. Laſtly he aſcended into Heaven in their ſight. So that theſe are all ſure and certain proofsof the Truth of that great Myſtery which can't in the leaſt be ſuſpected.
Second Epistle to Timothy.
Chap. III. 15, 16.
And that from a Child thou haſt known the holy Scriptures, &c. All Scripture is given by inſpiration. There is no maintaining falſe Religions in the World but by the help of Ignorance, Negligence, and a blind Submiſſion. But the Christian Religion can't be ſuſpected of any ſuch defects, becauſe it is wholly founded upon Inſtruction and Knowledge. Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal Life, John 5. 39.
Chap. IV. 7, 8,
I have fought a good fight, I have finiſhed my courſe, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteouſneſs. St. Paul was drawing nigh toward his latter end; and the words of a dying Man are always to be regarded. Whence then comes that chearful Joy, the Apoſtle ſo naturally expreſſes in this occaſion? His Hopes, had they been of this World, muſt have been ſoon buried with him in his Grave, and his Happineſs too at an end. Whence then derived he that great Confidence which he ſeems to have had? Was it from the inward ſenſe of a guilty Conſcience, which reproach'd him for having betray'd the Synagogue, blemiſhed his Country Men, deceived Mankind, teſtified of a Seducer, and forg'd ſuch fictitious Viſions by the moſt ſignal Impoſture that ever was? Let any one believe it if he can.
Firſt Epiſtle of St. Peter.
Chap. I. 3.
Bleſſed be the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively Hope, by the reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt from the Dead. The Mind of thoſe Writers was ſo full of the Salvation that was revealed to them, that they were never weary of returning thanks to God for it.
Chap. II. 17, 18, 19, 20.
Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the King. Servants be ſubject to your Maſters, with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but alſo to the froward, &c. For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye ſhall take it patiently? But if when ye do well, and ſuffer for it, ye take it patiently; this is acceptable with God, &c. It is a ſtrange thing, we ſhould be deſired to own that a mutual Agreement of Malice and Falſhood, which really is a wonderful Agreement of Piety, Charity, Obedience, and Righteouſneſs. Paul expreſſed himſelf like Peter, and Peter ſpoke like Paul. They both acted and ſuffered alike; nay they bore the very ſame Teſtimony, being endowed with the ſame Patience, practiſing the very ſame Virtues, and diſcovering one and the ſame Wiſdom in all their words. Now what have we any reaſon to ſuſpect in all this?
Second Epiſtle of St. Peter.
Chap. I. 16, 17, 18.
For we have not followed cunningly deviſed fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, but were Eyewitneſſes of his Majeſty. For he received from God the Father, Honour and Glory, when there came ſuch a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my well beloved Son in whom I am well pleaſed. And this voice which came from Heaven, we heard when we were with him in the holy Mount, &c. This is a Witneſs who ſpoke of what he had ſeen; who ſuffered Death in defence of the Truth of his Teſtimony; who ſaw it not alone, for ſeveral others had ſeen the ſame thing; who ſpoke not out of any principle of Intereſt, or concealed what he knew through any fear, or apprehenſion of Death; and who for all that did his utmoſt endeavours to ſanctifie Mankind, and beſtowed all his Time, his Labour and his Life in advancing ſuch an extraordinary work, which is ſo little to be ſuſpected. And if ſo, what Man is there that can reaſonably miſtruſt him?
Firſt Epistle of St. John.
Chap. I. 1, 3.
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have ſeen with our Eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of Life, declare we unto you, &c. If you ſhould doubt whether the Apoſtles did really go about teſtifying every where that they had ſeen with their Eyes, both the Miracles and Reſurrection of Chriſt, 'tis but learning it from their Epiſtles, and their own words too.
Chap. II. 1.
My little Children, theſe things write I unto you, that ye ſin not. But what was it to him whether Men ſinned, or not? Did ever the deſign of ſanctifying Mankind and contributing to their Salvation at the coſt of ones Blood, ones Liberty, ones Life, enter before into any Man's Heart but theirs?
Theſe and the like Reflexions are of themſelves ſufficient to give the Reader a reliſh of thoſe Truths, and incite him to make ſome of his own, as ſhall more effectually inſtruct, and convince him: For my part I have made ſeveral, which perhaps ſatisfy me better than they would any body elſe. And no queſtion but he will alſo make ſeveral of his own that will convince him far better than thoſe of another. In the mean while let us paſs on to the conſideration of the Subſtance of that Religion which Chriſt himſelf did bring into the World. For after having conſidered the outſide, tis very neceſſary to look into the inward part of the Building.