Religions. These Miracles are a fatisfactory CHAP. Account of thofe Events: of which, no VII. other fatisfactory Account can be given; nor any Account at all, but what is imaginary merely and invented. It is to be added, that the most obvious, the most eafy and direct Account of this History, how it came to be written and to be received in the World, as a true Hiftory; is, that it really is fo: nor can any other Account of it be eafy and direct. Now, though an Account, not at all obvious, but very far-fetched and indirect, may indeed be, and often is, the true Account of a Matter; yet it cannot be admitted on the Authority of its being afferted. Mere Guess, Suppofition, and Poffibility, when opposed to historical Evidence, prove nothing, but that hiftorical Evidence is not demonftrative. Now the just Confequence from all this, I think, is, that the Scripture-history in general is to be admitted as an authentick genuine Hiftory, till somewhat pofitive be alledged fufficient to invalidate it. But no Man will deny the Confequence to be, that it cannot be rejected, or thrown by as of no Authority, till it can be proved to be of none; even though the Evidence now mentioned for its Authority, were doubtful. This Evidence may be confronted, by hiftorical Evidence on the other Side, if there be any: or general PART Incredibility in the things related, or InconII. fiftence in the general Turn of the Hiftory, w would prove it to be of no Authority. But fince, upon the Face of the Matter, upon a first and general View, the Appearance is, that it is an authentick Hiftory; it cannot be determined to be fictitious without fome Proof, that it is fo. And the following Obfervations, in Support of these and coincident with them, will greatly confirm the hiftorical Evidence for the Truth of Christianity. 2. The Epiftles of St. Paul, from the Nature of epiftolary Writing, and morever from several of them being written, not to particular Perfons, but to Churches; carry in them Evidences of their being genuine, beyond what can be in a mere hiftorical Narrative, left to the World at large. This Evidence, joined with That which they have in common with the reft of the New Teftament, seems not to leave fo much as any particular Pretence for denying their Genuineness, confidered as an ordinary Matter of Fact, or of Criticism: I fay particular Pretence, for denying it; because any fingle Fact, of fuch a Kind and fuch Antiquity, may have general Doubts raised concerning it, from the very Nature of human Affairs and human Testimony. There is alfo to be mentioned, a distinct and particular Evidence of the the Genuineness of the Epiftle chiefly refer-CHA P. red to here, the first to the Corinthians; from VII. the Manner in which it is quoted by Clemens Romanus, in an Epiftle of his own to That Church". Now thefe Epiftles afford a Proof of Chriftianity, detached from all others, which is, I think, a thing of Weight; and also a Proof of a Nature and Kind peculiar to itself. For, In them the Author declares, that he received the Gospel in general, and the Institution of the Communion in particular, not from the reft of the Apostles, or jointly together with them, but alone, from Chrift himself; whom he declares likewife, conformably to the History in the Acts, that he faw after his Afcenfion. So that the Teftimony of St. Paul is to be confidered, as detached from That of the rest of the Apostles. And he declares farther, that he was endued with a Power of working Miracles, as what was publickly known to those very People, fpeaks of frequent and great Variety of miraculous Gifts as then fubfifting in those very Churches, to which he was writing; which he was reproving for feveral Irregularities; and where he had perfonal Oppofers: Clem. Rom. Ep. I. c. 47- 1 Cor. xv. 8. He T PART He mentions these Gifts incidentally, in the way of Reproof to those who had them, for 2. It is an acknowleged hiftorical Fact, that Christianity offered itself to the World, and demanded to be received, upon the Allegation, i. e. as Unbelievers would fpeak, upon the Pretence, of Miracles, publickly wrought to atteft the Truth of it, in such an Age; and that it was actually received by great Numbers in that very Age, and upon the profeffed Belief of the Reality of these Miracles. And Christianity, including the Difpenfation of the Old Teftament, seems distinguished by This from all other Religions. I mean, that this does not appear to be the Cafe with regard to any other: for furely it c Rom. xv. 19. 10--28, &c. and 2 Cor. xii. 12, 13, Gal. iii. 2, 5. will not be supposed to lie upon any Perfon, CHAP. to prove by pofitive historical Evidence, that VII. it was not. It does in no Sort appear, that Mahometanifm was firft received in the World upon the Foot of fuppofed Miracles, i. e. publick ones: for, as Revelation is itself miraculous, all Pretence to it must neceffarily imply fome Pretence of Miracles. And it is a known Fact, that it was immediately, at the very first, propagated by other Means. And as particular Inftitutions, whether in Paganism or Popery, faid to be confirmed by Miracles after thofe Inftitutions had obtained, are not to the Purpose: So, were there what might be called Hiftorical Proof, that any of them were introduced by a fuppofed divine Command, believed to be attefted by Miracles; these would not be in any wife parallel. For fingle things of this Sort are easy to be accounted for, after Parties are formed, and have Power in their Hands; and the Leaders of them are in Veneration with the Multitude; and political Interests are blended with religious Claims, and religious Distinctions. But before any thing of this Kind, for a few Perfons, and those of the lowest Rank, all at once, to bring over fuch great Numbers to a new Religion, and get it to be received upon the particular Evidence of Miracles; this is quite another thing. And I think it will be See the Koran c. xiii. and c. xvii. A a allowed |