and degrees, and that not only in the greater cities, but in the villages and hamlets, insomuch that the temples of the heathen gods were almost deserted, and their solemn rites for a long time discontinued." So evident and undeniable was the demonstration of the divine authority of the Christian religion, that it was able to overcome the strongest prejudices of so great a number of people, and make its way through all dangers; and this was acknowledged by the greatest and wisest historians of those times. So that, upon the whole, there cannot be a better or clearer evidence for what we most assuredly believe to have been done; and one may as well suspect the truth of any or all the histories of the world, as that of the holy Scriptures; and therefore, as we believe any thing before our time, so we have most reason to believe the history of the holy Bible, and particularly the New Testament.

After all, some may say, it seems plain enough that there are sufficient grounds for our undoubted belief of the truth of Scripture, as to matters of fact there recorded; but how does it follow, that the doctrine delivered in the Scriptures is divine, and came from God? It is answered,

Thirdly, The doctrine itself contained in the holy Scriptures, and its tendency to holiness, peace, and true happiness, sufficiently shew it was no contrivance of man, but that a wise and good God was the author of it; so for the New Testament, in particular, the Christian doctrine was not suited to humour any order or condition of men, as it would have been if it had been a contrivance of the Apostles; for, as hath been already intimated, it directly crosses the notion which the Jews had of a triumphant and princely Messiah, when the founder of it, the true Messiah, was declared to be Christ crucified. It also further enraged the Jews, because their ceremonial law was cried down, and the

Gentiles were declared to have an equal title with them to God's favour. And the Gentiles themselves were as highly offended, because they were accused of idolatry, and the impurities of their religious rites laid open and condemned. The Christian doctrine does not comply with the ambitious man's desire of honour, nor the miser's hunting after wealth, nor the voluptuous or debauched in their pleasures and vicious enjoyments; but crosses all such appetites, by enjoining humility, contentedness under the cross, (which is declared the portion of a Christian,) despising the world, sobriety, chastity, and temperance. Further, the New Testament teaches the most sublime truths, and the most perfect rules, such as are most worthy of God to lay down, for all states and conditions of life; and the most powerful motives to practise accordingly. Again, the Christian laws are such as any wise man would choose to live by, since they are adapted to the happiness and well-being both of particular persons and societies; being such as promote in an eminent manner holiness and peace, health and reputation, happiness, comfort, and safety; forbidding all excess of indulging the natural appetites, which would destroy health; and all vice and impiety, which rob us of our ease of mind and of reputation; and enjoining every one to be exactly just; to deal as he would be dealt with himself; to be affectionate and kind one to another; to succour and help the needy; to comfort the distressed; to be meek and patient, gentle and tender-hearted, in imitation of the perfect goodness that is in God. Christ indeed said, that he was come to send fire on earth; and not to give peace, but rather division'; but that is not spoken concerning the natural tendency of his doctrine, than which nothing can more promote peace and happiness; but that, by reason of

i Luke xii.

the corrupt nature of mankind, he foresaw that such would be the consequence of his doctrine, that men would quarrel and divide about it.

The Christian doctrine does also afford the most solid comfort, teaching us, that a wise, powerful, and good God is our Father; and therefore, that all things in the end shall work for our good. In the mean time, if we suffer, it is, like Christ, to suffer for a little while, and to be glorified and happy for ever. I say, these, although not clear demonstrations, are yet plain tokens, that not a wicked or deluded spirit, nor the politic contrivance of men, but the wisdom of God, delivered such a doctrine to the world and supposing it to be of divine revelation, we could not asonably desire better signs of its being actually and truly so. But then,

Fourthly, There are other evident marks, that shew the holy Scriptures are the word of God, such as prophecies and miracles: which (as the primitive defenders of Christianity observe) afford a demonstration proper to it; and that so divine, as Paganism cannot pretend to. There are many prophecies in the Old Testament, especially of the captivity of Israel and Judah, and of the birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, which were foretold a long time beforehand, and were exactly accomplished: and in the New Testament, Christ foretold his own death', his resurrection", and the descent of the Holy Ghost". Again, the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple was foretold by Christ, and that with the remarkable circumstances of it°, and afterwards by his Apostles, (when the Jews were secure, and had no such apprehensions,) which came to pass accordingly; as also did that other prophecy of Christ, when he was low and despised, that his Gospel

k

Orig. contra Celsum fere ad initium. Matt. xx. 19. m Matt. xvi. 21. a Luke xxiv. 49.

• Matt. xxi,

should be propagated over the world, and that the gates of hell should not prevail against it, notwithstanding the violent opposition he foretold should be made. Now that foreknowledge could not be attained but by a revelation from God, because those events depended not on the course of nature, but the will of God; as the captivity and destruction of the Jews were the effects of God's displeasure, in punishing them for their sins, (the very commission of which, depending on the free determination of their own wills, could be only foreseen by the Searcher of hearts,) and the redemption by Christ, with all the particular circumstances and ways of effecting it, was the gracious and merciful intention of God to save mankind. Nor could any one, except by revelation, foretel any changes in the natural order of things, (such as were foretold and effected by Moses and the Apostles :) for since God himself, who first established the course of nature, has alone the power of varying it, it cannot be foreseen when he will interpose. By this argument God himself expostulated with the Jews, and upbraided their reliance upon idols, because they could not shew what shall happen, neither the former things, nor could declare things to come hereafter. As for the oracles of the Heathen, though their predictions did sometimes prove true, (as being grounded on natural causes, known to the spirits by long experience,) yet they failed frequently, and were often given out in very ambiguous terms, which by degrees brought them into contempt.

r

In the next place, the miracles that were done by those who spoke or wrote such words, in testimony of the truth of them, and of the authority of those

P Matt. xvi. 18. and xxiv. 14. and x. 17. q Isaiah xli. 22, 23. See Dr. Jenkins on the Reasonableness of the Christian Religion, vol. i. part iii. chap. 3.

who wrote and preached, are a sufficient evidence that they are from God. Not that every strange work, barely considered in itself, is a proper evidence of the truth of any religion; but such as are wrought with a declared purpose and designs to establish such a religion in the world by God's appointment, as were the miracles we read of in the Old and New Testament'. So that we are not only to attend to the miracles themselves, but also to the end and design of them; it being the end of miracles to confirm the doctrine to be of God. We do not indeed know the essences of things, nor the utmost extent of the power of nature, how far it goes, or where the supernatural power of God begins; yet we do certainly know the nature of many things by their marks and properties, and the usual regular course of God's providence so far, that we can easily discern what is miraculous: thus, although we know not the power of fire in its utmost extent, yet we know it is contrary to the property or the usual effects of fire not to burn; and therefore, when the three children in Daniel walked in the midst of a burning fiery furnace unhurt, we know it was miraculous. So we know it is not the force of two or three words that raises the dead, and heals diseases.

Again, although it be granted, that evil spirits may, through God's permission, perform some works that appear very wonderful and miraculous; insomuch that the holy Scripture warns us against lying wonders"; yet we cannot believe that the providence and goodness of God would leave us without some proper method of distinguishing between the effects of divine power, and the delusions of the devil. If

Ea proprie Miracula vocant Arabes, quæ propheta ad prophetiam suam confirmandam edit. Pocock. Specimen Hist. Arab. p. 186. t See Exodus iii. 12, 20. and iv. 1-10. John v. 20, 36. Acts ii. 22, 36. and v. 12. u Deut. xiii. 1, &c. Matt. xxiv, 24. 2 Thess. ii. 9.