[a) For in If'riters, &c.] It minis. D. de Lege Cormlia; had been more proper to fay and Paul, Book V. ^ent, ^(it.
in ItWitings^ or Books, which XXV. Se6t. \ o, and 1 1. See is the Meaning of Grotius, as Examples of this Purifhment, appears from what follows, at the end of rhe Books of /^4- Le Clerc lerius Maximui, and in Capito- \b) But nvas funijhid <iviih linui in Pertinax. Death, ice] See I. Falfi No- L Sect.
146 Of the Truth of Book III.
Si eTv V. That thefe Authors wrote what wastrue^ becaufe they knew the Things they wrote about, ICt is certain therefore, that the Books of the New Teflament, were wrote by thofe whofe Names they bear, or by fuch Perfons as they profefs them- felves to be \ and it is moreover evident, that they had a Knowledge of Things they wrote about, and had no Defire to fay what was falfe; whence it fol- lows, that what they wrote muft be true, becaufe every Falfity proceeds either from Ignorance, or from an ill Intention. Matthew^ John^ Peter^ and Jude^ were of the Company of thofe Twelve, which Jefus chofe to be Witnefles of his Liife and Dodrines: {a) So that they could not want the Knowledge of thofe things they relate: The fame may be faid of J antes ^ who either was an Apoftle, or as others would have it, (h) a near Relation of Jefus, and made Bifhop of Jerufalem by the Apo- illes. Neither could Paul be deceived through Ignorance, concerning thofe Dodrines which he profefTes were revealed to him by Jefus himfelf reigning in Heaven; neither could he be deceived, in the Things which he performed himfelf; no more could Luke^ who was his (c) infeparable Companion in his Travels. This fame Luke could cafily know what he wrote, concerning the Life and Death of Jefus; becaufe he was born in a neigh- bouring Place, and had travelled through Palejii?ie^ [a) So that they could not phus alfo. {Add to thefe Eufe- Kvant the Kfio^ledzey^Q.'] John biiis^ H. E. Book II. Ch. i.
XV. 27. alfo r Epiji.l. Ads and 23.)
\b) A near 'Relation of Jefus, &c.] ^z&ASis XX. and the &c.j So others, and they not following. Colof IV. 14. 2 a few, think; and St C^ry- TViw, IV. \\> PhiUm. 24. fcfoni every where, ^ee Joft- Sed:. 5, 6. the Chriflia?! Religion. 147 where, he fays, {a) he fpake with them who were Eye-Witnelfes of thefe Things. Without doubt there were many others, ( befides the Apoftles with whom he was acquainted,) who were then aUve, having been healed by Jefus, and who had {t^n him die, and come to Life again. If we beheve Tacitus and Suetonius^ concerning thofe Things which happened long before they were born, be- caufe we rely upon their diligent Enquiry •, how much more reafonable is it, to believe this Author, who fays he had every Thing from Eye-Witnefles? {b) It is a conftant Tradition that Mark was a con- tinual Companion o^ Peter •, fo that what he wrote, is to be cfteemed as i^ Peter himfelf, who could not be ignorant of thofe Things, had didated it: Be- fides, almoft every Thing which he wrote, is to be found in the Writings of the Apoflles. Neither could the Writer of the Revelations be deceived, in thofe Virions which he fays {c) were caufed from Heaven % (d) nor he to iht Hebrews^ in thofe Things which he profeffes he was taught, either by the Spirit of God j or /fey the Apoftles them* lelves. I ^^^ ^^^^ ^^ btyli^^vvj 1^v^'-'■?!^ibf^jiO' ^^:^^^T:p'^lf.,4nd hecaufe they wguM not fay what The oth^r Thing vireaffiriiied, viz* that they would not fpeak an Untruth •, belongs to what was before treated of, when we fiiewed the Credibility of [a] Hefpah 'with them, &c.] i,<fO ^^^^ caufed from Bea- In the Preface of his Gofpel <V€n,.^.c^ R&v. 1. i, 2. IV, Hiftory. 1. and the following, XXII.
&c.] Irenaus, Book III. ch. i.^..(^) -^'^^" ^^ ^'^ theHcUews, 148 Of the Truth of Book III.
of the Chriftlan Religion in general, and of the Hi* ftory of Ghrift's Refurredion. They who would difprove WitneiTes in this Particular relating to the Difpofition of their Mind and Will, muft of necefii- ty allege fomething to make it credible, that they fet their Mind againft the Truth. But this cannot be faid here; For if any one fhould objedl that their own Caufe was concerned j he ought to examine upon what Account it was their Cauft; Certainly not for the fake of getting any Advantage, or fhunning any Danger j when, on the Account of this jProfeflion, they loft all Advantages, and there was no Dangers which they did not expofe them- felves to. It was not therefore their own Caufe, unlefs out of Reverence to God, which certainly does not induce any Man to tell a Lye; efpecially In a Matter of fuch Moment, upon which the Eternal Salvation of Mankind depends. We are hindred from believing fuch a wicked Thing of thern, both by their Dodrines, which are in every part ia) full of Piety \ and by their Life, which was never accu fed of any evilFadl, no, not by their Enemies, who only objeded their Unfkilfulnefs againft them, which is not at all apt to produce a Faifity. If there had been in them the leaft bilhonefty, they would not have fet down their own Faults to be eternally remembred; {b) as in the [a] Full of Piety, Zi.c,'] And which are his own, and thofe abhor Lying, JohnXW^ 17. which are the Lord's, i Cor.
XV. 26. XVL 13. XVIL 17, VIL 10, 12. how cautious in 25. Rom. I. 2y2^ke/. IL 20. ther he faw them in the Body, 1 John I. 6, 8 ir. 4, 21. 2 or out of the Body, 2 Cor. Xil.
Colof, IIL 9. Rev. XXIL 15. [b) As in the Flight of them Sedl. 6, y. the Chrijlian Religion. 149 the Flight of them all, when Chrift was in Danger \ and {a) in Peler's thrice denying him.
Sect. VII. The Credibility of thefe Writers further confirmed'^ from their being famous for Miracles, But on the contrary; God himfelf gave remark- able Tefl-imonies to the Sincerity of them -, by working Miracles, which they themfelves and their Difciplcs (b) publickly avouched with the highefl AfTurance; adding the Names of the Perfons and Places, and other Circumilances y the Truth or Falfity of which AfTertion, might cafily have been difcovered by the Magiftrates Enquiry; amongft which Miracles, this is worthy Obfervation, (c) which they conftantly affirmed, viz. their fpeaking Languages they had never learned, before many thoufand People; and healing in a Moment Bodies that were difeafed, in the Sight of the Multitude j nor were they at all afraid, tho' they knew at that Time, that the Jewifh Magiftrates were violently fet againft them v and the Roman Magiftrates very partial; who would not overlook any Thing that afforded Matter of traducing them as Cn mi nals, and Authors of a new Religion y nor did any' of the Jews or Heathens in thofe neareft Times, dare to deny that Miracles were done by thefe Men: Nay, Phkgon, who was a Slave of the Emperor Adrian^ (d) mentions the Miracles of Peter in his Annals: ^/wif, Sec] ' Mai. XX Vf 6t). quotea feefore.:':. VV ' and the following; Mark XIV.,' ' [4] lUntion\thf^ Kf tracks ef 66. and the following; Luhe Peter, &c.] Book 5^111. As XXII. 54. and the following. Ongen^zy^ in his lid Booiv a- [b) Publickly avouched. Sec] gain ft C^////^. This i.s ^l^t See the Afts of the Apoflies Fhlegon, whofe Remains vie throughput, and 2 CorXll, 12. have yet, concerning ^^lirjicks, {c]lVhi€h they conjlantly af- and long-lived Men.
L3 ISO Of the rmtb of Book IIL And the Chridians themfelvesin thofeBooks, where- in they give an Account of the Grounds of their Faith, before the Emperors, Senate, andRuk'rs [a) Ipeak of thefeFadls, as things known to every Body, and about which there could be no Doubt: More- over, they openly declare, that the wonderful Power ©f thertn {b) remained in their Graves for fome Ages; when they could not but know, if it we're falfe, that they could eafily be difproved by t|ie Magiftrates to their Shame and Punifhment., A'i\d, thefe Miracles, now mentioned at their Sepulchres, were fo common, and had fo many WitnefTes, (fj- that. they forced Porfbyry_ to confefs the Truth fa) Speak of thefe FdiTi ii' thtHgs, &c.] The Places are very many, efpecially in Ori- gin. See the whole Vlllih Chap, of Augnfline\ XXlId Book of i\i^ Gity of God.
[h)Rtinained In their Gra'ves, &C.J The Miracles at the Se- pulchres ^^ holy Men, then begab-^6 be boafted of, when the • iChrJftians having the Power in their Hands, began to make an Advantage of the dead Bodies of Martyrs and others, that were buried in their Churches. Wherefore I would not have this Argif- mcnt made ute of, left we di- minifh from the Credibility of certjuh Miracles, by thefe doubtful or fi£\itious ones. Every one knows, how many Stories are related after thelVth Cen- tury, about this Matter. But Origen dOes not mention any fuch Miracles: but in his Vllth Book againft Celfm fays, Very many Miracles of the Holy Spirit nuere manifejledat the Beginn^.
ing bfJifus^sVoSiritfey andofter his Afc\nfiqn^ hut afiei^va>:ds. theyiverefenver; howcd'er there are nO'VJ fame Tootfeps of them in fome few, njoh-oft Minds are purified hy Reafon, and their ASlions agreeable thereto. Who can believe that fo many Mi- racles fliould be done in cM^e or two Centuries after Origen^ when there was le5 need of them? Certainly it \> as rea- fonable, to derogate from the Credibility of the Miracles of the iVth and Vth Centuries, as it would be impudent to deny the Miracles of Chrlft and'hii Apoftles. Thei'e Mi- racles could not be aflerted without Danger; thofe could not be rejefled without Dan- ger, nor be believed without Profit to thofe who perhaps forged them; which is a great Difference, he Clerc.
(c) That they forced Por- phyry, &c.] See CyriTs Xth Book againrtyW/^w, 2it\AJerom againft a Book of VigUantius, Seft. 7, 8, 9. the Chrijiian Religioju 151 of them. Thefe things which we have now al- leged, ought to fatisty us: But there are abun- dance mgre Arguments, which recommend to us the Credibility of thefe Books.
Sect. VIII. 4i^d of their Writings \ hecaufe in them ^^re contained many things^ which the Invent proved yto he revealed by a Divine Power.
■^ For we find in them many Predictions, concern- ing things which Men could not pofiibly know of themfelves, and v/hich were wonderfully confirmed by the Event; {a) fuch as the fudden and univerfal Propagation of this Religion; {h) the perpetual Continuance of it; {c) that it fhould be rejected by very many of the Jews^ (d) and embraced by Strangers; {e) the Hatred of the Jews againft thofe who profefTed this Religion; (f) theieverePunifh- ments they fhould undergo, upon the account of it; (g) the Siege and Deftruclion oijerufakmy and the' Temple, and {h) the fore Calamities of the J^wi.
Sect. IX. And affo from theCare that it *wasfit God fhould take, that faff e Writings fhould not he forged.
To what has been faid may be added, that if it be granted, that God takes care of human Af- {a) Such as the fudden, &c.] aka il/^.-.VIII. 2.- 3cil.-.2I.
Mtf/. XIII. 33. and follow iag XXi. 43.. ^,., • Verfes. Luke X. 18. John^W. -{e) The Hatred of it^t Jews, of it, Sec] lukel. 33. Mat^ SccJ^M^t,'^ zi\7Pi^:^^lll, [c] That it fjould he rejeSied^ (^) The Siege OftdDe^^mBion^ &c.] Mat. XXI. 33. and foU &c.] Mat, XXIII. 58. XXIV.
lowing Verfes; XXII. at the *6. Luk^ XIII, 34- XXI. 24: • Beginning. Luke X.'V. 11. and {h) And the fore CaloTfiitiis [d) And e?nb raced byStrangers, 33. and following. "Verfei.
&c.] Ift the fame Places,, and XXIIL 34.. XXIV.-^jo..-,.. - L4 152 Of the ^1'ruth of Book III.
fairs, and efpecially thofe that concern his own Honour and Worfhip; it is impolTible he fhouid fuffer fuch a Multitude of Men, who had no other Defigrt than to worfhip him with Sincerity, to ba deceived by falfe Books. And, after there did arife feveral Seds in Chriftianity, there was fcarce any ^tbund, who did not receive either all, or moft of thefe Books, except a few, which do not contain any thing particular in them -, which is a ve^y good Argument why wc ihould think, that nothing irj thefe Books could be. contrad idled; becaufe thofe Sed:s Were lb inflamed with Hatred.again ft each Other, that whatfoever pleafed one, for that very Reafim difpleafed another.
1 '-There were indeed amongft thofe who were .willing to be called Chriftians, a very few, who rejected all thofe Books which feemed to contra- dict their particular Opinion; fuch as they, who out of Hatred to the JewSy {a) fpoke ill of the God of the Jews^ of the Maker, of the. World, and of the Law: Or, on the contrary, out of fear of the Hardfhips that the Chriftians were to under- go, (^) llieiteredthemfelves under theName oijews^ rtiiy ihat they might profefs. their Religion, with- 'fhejeivsy &c.] Ste JnTic^us, their Religion, Szcl W^s IX, l^ook I. chap. 29. Tertu/Iian 20, XIII. ahd many times in againfl: Marcion, and Epipha- that Book. Philo againft ^lacfiius concerning the fame. cus; and concerning the Em- {b)^heUeredthemfel<ves under hajjy, Jofephus every where.
tW Name, Sec ] See Gai. II. To which may be added L.
2. VI. 13, 14. Philip III. Generaliter, D. de Decurionil3. Iren^usfBodk III. Chap, hus^ and Lib. L C. de JuJais.
28. i?^/^i'a«;:^J concerning the TertuUian, in his Apology, Ebioniies, fays. Bat the Jeivs read their Laiu SfeHt. 'lo. theChrtfticm Religion. 15'^ out Punifhment. (a) But thefc very Men were difowned by all other Chriftians every where, {b) in thofe times, when all pious Perfons that differed from one another, were very patiently borne with, according to the Command of the Apoftles. The firft fort of thefe Corrupters of Chriftianity arc, I think, fufficiently confuted above, where we have ihewn that there is but one true God, whofe Work- manlhip the World is: And indeed it is fuffi- ciently evident, from thofe very Books which they, that they might in fope meafure appear to be Chriftians, receive; [c) fuch as the Gofpel of St Luke in particular: It is, I fay, evident, that Chrid preached the fame God, -which Mofes and the He- brews worfhipped. We (hall have a better Op- portunity to confute the other fort, when we come to oppofe thofe who are Jews, and willing to be called fo. In the mean time I Ihall add only this; that the Impudence of thofe Men is very fur- jprifing, -who undervalue the Authority oi Pauly when there was not any one of the Apofties who founded more Churches; nor of whom there were fo many Miracles related v at that timewhen^ as was before obferved, the Fadts might be eafily inquired into. ' And-^af we believe-';.liis;i Miracles, Litw opghif%' ' iiey 'gemra^''^ ttr -al ihe Erxf oP the Vlth fur chafe Lea've by a Tribute y Book. Add alfo Irena^uis Envhich they gather upgn all piftle to the ViSIory and what Sabbath Days. ••■ ■ \.Jfrom writes, concerning it -/ \a) But thife'very Men kvere mhis Catalogue; and Cyprian difonjcnedy &c.j Tertullian^ in ix\')a\sJfricanCo\xnQi\. Judging his Ift againft Marcion, fays, no Man, nor remomng any one Tou cannot find any Church of from the Right of Conwtunion, ApQJlolical Ordery iK>ho are not J'er his differiug in Opinion.
Chrifita^ns.mt ofre^firdjo the (f) ^uch as the Gofpel of St (b) In tUfe timeSy&:.Y^^^^ VJth Book againft Marcion, what will be faid of this Mat- makes it appear very plainl/.
154: ^f ^^^ Truth of Book III, what Reafon is there, why we lliould not believe him in his heavenly Vifions, and in his receiving his In ft ructions from Chrift? If he was fo beloved of Chrift-, it -pannot pofTibly be, that helhould teach any thing difagreeable to Chrift, that is, any thing fatfe-, and that one thing, which they find fault with in him, namely, his Opinion concerning the Freedom procured to the Hebrews^ from the Rites fprmerly injoined by Mofes j there could be no Reafon, for his teaching it, but the Truth;. (a) for he was circumcifed himfelf, (b) and obn ferved moll of the Law of his. own apcord; And? for the fak,e of the Chriftian Religion, {cj he per- formed things much more difficult, and underwent things much harder than the Law commandedj QC that: he had Reafon to exped upon the Account of.it; \d) and he was the Caufe of his Difciples doing and bearing the fame things: "Whence it is evident, he did not deliver any thing, to pleafe the Ears of his Hearers, or for their Profit; when he taught them, {e\ inftead of the Jewijh Sabbath., to fpend every Day in Divine Worftiip; inftead of the fmallExpence the Law put them to,. (/) to bear the Lofs of all their Goods -, (g) and inftead of offerino; Beafts toGod, tp oifer their own Blood [a] For he njoas circumcifgd, hc.\.A3s X^. 29: Kom. W^..i {b) And oh fern) 8 d mo fi of tU wj.j 8.' II. 4- VI. ^. \ Tbef.l, {c\ He performed things, ix j i 'Tim. V. £;. 2 Tim. I. 3. 2 Cor. XL 2.3. and the follow- ff) To hear ihe lofs x)f alf, ing Verfes; and every where &c.] 2 Cor. VI. 4. XIL 10. i\\ t\it ASis. 6ee alfo i Cor. 1 cr ) And inftead af offering {d) And he was the Caufe, Sed. 10, II. the Clmjli an Religion. ic;^ to him. And Taiil himfelf openly aflures us, {a) that Peter^ John and James^ gave him their right Hands, in Token of their Fellowfhip with him; which, if it had not been true, he would not have ventured to fay fo, when they were aUve, and could have convided him of an Untruth. Except only thofe therefore, which I have now mentioned, who fcarce defcrve the Name of Chriftians; the manifeft Confent of all other Affemblies, in re* ceiving thefe Books ^ befide what has been already faid, concerning the Miracles which were done by the Writers of them, and the particular Care of God about things of this Nature; is fufficient to induce all impartial Men, to give Credit to thefe Relations; becaufe they are ready to believe many other hiftorical Books which have not any Tefti- monies of this kind; unlefs very good Reafon can be given to the contrary j which cannot be done here.
Sect. XL An Anfwer to the OhjeElion^ of fome things being contained in thefe Books ^ that areimfoffible.
For if'any one fhould fay, that there are fome things related in thefe Books, that are impoflible to be done; ijb) we have before fhown, that there are fome things which are impofTible to be done by Men, but are poflible with God; that is, fuch as do not include any Contradidion in themfelves; amongft which things, are to be reckoned thofe, which we account moft wonderful, the Power of working Miracles, and calling the Dead to Life again \ fo that this Objedion is of no Force.
(^z) T^/ 'peter, John, and [h) We have he/ore Jhenvn, James, &c.] Gai. U. 9. And &c.J Book II. XII. II.
Sect, '^.r.'^ Sect. XII. Or difagreeahk to Reafon.
Nor is there more Heed to be given to them, who fay, that there are fome Dodrines to be found in thefe Books,, which are inconfiftent with right Reafon. For firfl, this may be difproved by that great Mukitude of ingenious, learned and wife Men, who have relied on the Authority of thefc Books, fro hi the 'Very Beginning: Alfo, every thing that has been fhewn in the firft Book, to be agree- able to right Reafon, viz. that there is a God, and but;one, a moft perfedb Being, all-powerful, loving, wife, and good -, that all things which are, were rriade by him; that his Care is over all his Works, particularly over Men; that he can reward thofe that obey him, after this Life; that we are to bri41^ fenfual Appetites; that there is a natural Re- lation betwixt Men, and therefore they ought to love one another: All thefe we may find plainly delivered in thefe Books. To affirm any thing ^?ipre' than this for certain, either concerning the Nature of God, or concerning his Will, {a) by the mere Dire(5lion of hurr)an Reafon, is an un- fafe and fallible thing-, as we may learn frQcp> the many Opinions pf the Schools different from one ■another,' and of all the Philofophers.' Nor is this kt dl to be wondered at •, for it they who difpute ^^) abbUtth^ Nature of their own Minds, fall intP fuch "widely different Opinions •,. muftit not hecef- farily bQ.much more fo with them, who would de- termine any thing concerning the Suprertie Mind, Which is placed fo rnXich^gut pf, our Reach? If liS^\M^t.. X£. 27. rRuin. 'XI. Works, Book IV. orthe'Opi- \b) About thi Nature of their StobauS*tV^y{izk^, Chap. XI.
Seft. 12. the Chri/iian Religion. i^y they who underftand human Affairs, affirm it dan- gerous {a) to pry into the Councils of Princes, and that therefore we ought not to attempt it -, who is fagacious enough to hope, by his own Conjectures, to find out which it is, that God will determine of the various kinds of thofe things that he can freely will? Therefore P/^/^ faid very well, that(i») none of thefe things could be known without a Re- velation: And there can be no Revelation pro- duced, which can be proved truly to be fuch, by greater Tellimonies than thofe contained in the Books of the New Teftament. There is \o far from being any Proof, that it has never yet been afferted, that God ever declared any thing to Man, concerning his Nature, that was contradidiory to thefe Books; nor can there be any later Declara- tion of his Will produced, that is credible. And if any thing was commanded or allowed, before Chrift's time, of thofe fort of things ' which are plainly indifferent, or certainly not at all obligatory of themfelves, nor plainly evil; this does not op- pofe thefe Books; (r) becaufe' in fuch things _the (a) To pry'Utit tht Qiunifts '^^uti^ytn/^^yii}, iff lalfer of Princes t &c ] Tacitus lays fii are i/iore' binding than the f or- in the Vlth of his Annals. mer. And in hisAppiogy; Tt [b] None of thefe things could Lb and he-vj do^wn ■ the ancient he knoix)n^ kc ]. The Place is and foul Wood of tl^^ Lanus, by in his Fhadon^ and alfo in the nea.v Axes of the Decrees Tim^7ts. It was well laid by 'iind Edieis of the Princes. And Ambrofe. Whojhould I rather concerning Baptifm. In all belie<ve concerning Gedt (^/flfi,,f^i'?gi "^'-^e are determined by the Qod himfetfP > ^^'^r^^ Utter ^ the latter things are more {c]Becaufeinfuchtbrngs;Stc!] 'binding than thofe that ivent The latter Conjiitutions are more before. Plutarch, Sympof. IX.
njalid than the former. It is a In Decrees and Lazvs, in Com* Saying of Mode/iinusy L Ulti- pa^s and Bargains, the latter may D. de Conflitutionihus Prin- are c/ieemcdf ranger and firmer cipum. Tertallian, / think, than the farmer, fays he, that in human Conjii- Sect.
Of the Truth, of Book III.
Sect. XIII. An Anfwer to this OhjeEfion^ that fome ^Things are contained in thefe Books which are inconfifient witl> one another* I T is objeded by fome; that the StrSo. of thefe Books, is fometimes very different: But whoever fairly examines this Matter; will find, that on the contrary, this is an Addition to the other Argu- ments, for the Authority of thefe Books; that in thofe Places which contain any Thing of Moment, whether in Do6trine or Hiflory, there is every where fuch a manifeft Agreement, as is not to be found in any other Writers of any Se6l -, (a) whe- ther they be JewSy {b) or Greek Philofophers, (c) or Phyficians, {d) or Roman Lawyers; in all which we very often find, that not only they of the fame S^diy contradidl one another, {e) as Plato and Xeno- fhon do, (f) but very often the fame Writer fome- times afierts one Thing, and fometimes another 5 as if ^^K{a) Whether they he Jews, &c.] The different Opinions amongft whom, as they are to be feenin other Place?, fo like- wife in Manajjfes the Son of Ifrael^ a very learned Man in this fort of Learning, in his Books of the Creation and Re- furredliftn.