Thus is there one way in Mathematicks another in Physicks a third in matters of advice and counsel and lastly another kind when a matter of fact is in question wherein verily we must rest content when the testimonies are free from all suspicion of untruth Otherwise down goes not only all the use of history and a great part of the art of Physick but all the piety also that ought to be between Parents and Children which cannot be known other ways And indeed it is the pleasure of Almighty God that those things which he would have us to believe so that the very belief thereof may be imputed to us for obedience should not so evidently appear as those things which are apprehended by sense and plain demonstration but only be so far forth revealed as may beget faith and a perswasion thereof in the hearts and minds of such as are not obstinate That so the Word of the Gospel may be as a touchstone whereby Mens dispositions may be tried whether they be curable or not For seeing these arguments whereof we have spoken have induced so many honest godly and wise Men to approve of this Religion it is thereby plain enough that the fault of other Mens infidelity is not for want of sufficient testimony but because they would not have that to be had and embraced for truth which is contrary to their affections and desires It being that is an hard matter for them to make no great account of honours and other worldly advantages which they must do if they receive what Christ hath taught and so become ingaged to observe his Precepts Which is discovered to be true by this very thing that they take many other Historical Narrations to be true which notwithstanding appear to be so meerly by authority and not by any such foot-steps of them remaining at this day as the History of Christ hath partly in the confession of the Jews who are now in being and partly in those things which are every where found in the Assemblies of Christian People of which it must needs be granted there was some cause Lastly seeing the long duration or continuance of Christian Religion and the large extent thereof can be ascribed to no humane power therefore it must be attributed to miracles or if any deny that it came to pass through a miraculous manner this very getting so great strength and power without a miracle may be justly thought to surpass any miracle The THIRD Book OF THE TRUTH OF Christian Religion SECT I. To prove the authority of the Books of the New Covenant AFTER that a Man is once perswaded by the reasons abovesaid or is induced by any other arguments to believe that this Religion which Christians profess is the truest and absolutely the best if he desire to learn all the parts thereof then must he have recourse unto the most ancient writings that contain the same Religion which commonly we call the Books of the New Testament or rather new covenant For he is very unreasonable who denies this Religion to be contained in those Books as all Christians affirm Since it is but equity to believe every Sect be it good or be it bad when it says its opinions are to be found in such or such a Book as we believe the Mahometans that the Religion of Mahomet is contained in the Alcoran Forasmuch then as we have before proved that the Christian Religion is most true and it is manifest withal that it is contained in these Books if there were no other ground yet this alone is sufficient to prove and avouch the authority of those Books But if any body requires a more particular demonstration of it I must first lay down this Rule which all indifferent Judges will allow that it is incumbent upon him who will impugne the authority of any writing received for many Ages to produce Arguments which prove that Writing to be false which if he cannot do that Book is to be defended as in possession of its Authority SECT II. Here is shown that such Books were written by the Authors whose names they have prefixed WE say then that those Books which are not in question amongst Christians and carry before them a certain Name are the very Works of those Authors whose names they bear Because those primitive Fathers Justin Irenaeus Clemens and others after them do quote those Books under these very names As also because Tertullian witnesseth that there were Original Copies of some of those Books extant in his time And besides all the Churches received those Books for authentical before there were any common publick Meetings Neither did ever the Pagans or Jews raise any controversie about this as if these were not the works of those Men whose they were said to be but Julian himself plainly confesseth that those were the writings of Peter and Paul Matthew Mark and Luke which Christians under those names have read and received For as no Man in his wits can doubt that those Writings which go under the names of Homer and Virgil are truly theirs because the one hath been so long time received among the Latine and the other among the Greek Authors in like manner it were more absurd to bring the Authors of those Books in question which are granted almost by all the Nations in the World SECT III. Some Books were anciently doubted of IN the Volume of the new Covenant there are some Books indeed now received which were not so received from the beginning as the second Epistle of St. Peter that of St. James and Jude two of St. John the Elder the Revelation and the Epistle to the Hebrews Yet this is certain that they were acknowledged by many Churches which appears sufficiently from hence that the ancient Christians use their Testimonies as Sacred Which makes it credible that such Churches as from the beginning had not those Books either were ignorant of them or doubtful Yet afterward when they were better informed touching the same they admitted them into the Canon as we now see according to the example of other Churches Neither can any good reason be given why any Man should counterfeit those Books since there is nothing comprised in them neither can ought thence be collected which is not abundantly expressed in other Books unquestioned SECT IV. The Authority of such Books as have no Titles is proved from the quality of the Writers AND here let no Man mistrust the verity of the Epistle to the Hebrews because the Writer of it is unknown nor doubt of the two Epistles of St. John and the Revelation because some Men do question whether the Author of them was John the Apostle or some other of that name For the name is not so much to be regarded as the quality or condition of Writers Hence it is that we receive many Books of History whose Authors are to us unknown As that concerning the Alexandrian War by Caesar because we may perceive that whosoever writ the same
out or added But it is an unjust thing to bring in question the truth of such a Book or evidence only because in so many ages there could not but be great variety of Copies since both custome and reason requires that what appears in the most and most ancient Copies be preferred to the rest But that either by fraud or any other way all the Copies were corrupted and that in point of doctrine or some remarkable piece of history will never be proved for there are neither any evidences nor any witnesses of those times which attest it But if as was said before there be any thing urged in much later times by those who bare an implacable hatred to the Disciples of these Books that ought to be lookt upon as a Reproach not as a Testimony And this truly which we have said may be well thought a sufficient Answer to those who object a change in the Scripture for he who affirms that especially against a writing which hath been long and in abundance of places received ought himself to prove his charge But to make the vanity of this Objection more fully appear we will show that what they feign neither was nor could be done We have proved before that the Books were written by the Authors whose Names they bear which being granted it follows that other Books were not foisted into their room nor was any notable part of them changed For since that change must needs have some design that part would notoriously differ from the other parts and Books which were not changed which cannot now any where be discerned nay there is an admirable agreement as we said in their Senses Besides as soon as any of the Apostles or Apostolical Men published any thing there is no doubt to be made but Christians with great diligence as became their piety and care to preserve and propagate truth to Posterity took from thence many Copies for their use Which therefore were dispersed as far as the Christian Name through Europe Asia and Egypt in which Places the Greek Language was spoken And more than this the Original Copies also as we said before were preserved till Two Hundred Years after Christ Now it was not possible that any Book diffused into so many Copies and kept not only by the private diligence of particular Persons but the common care of the Churches should be altered by the hand of any falsifier Add further that these Books in the following ages were translated into the Syriac Ethiopick Arabick and Latine Tongues which translations are yet extant and do not differ in any thing of moment from the Greek Copies themselves Besides we have the Writings of those Men who were taught by the Apostles themselves or by their Disciples wherein many places are cited out of these Books to the same sense and meaning which now we read them Neither was there any in the Church of so great authority in those times as to have met with obedience if he would have changed any thing As is plain enough by the free and open dissent of Irenaeus Tertullian and Cyprian from those that were most eminent in the Church After which times there succeeded many other men of great Learning and Judgment who having first made diligent inquiry thereof received these Books as retaining their original purity Hitherto also may be referred what but now we said of divers sects of Christians all which at least such as acknowledged God to be the Maker of the World and Christ to be the Author of a new Law did receive and use these Books accordingly as we do the same And if any had attempted to alter or put any thing new into any part thereof they should have been accused by the rest for forgery and false-dealing therein Neither was there ever any Sect that had the liberty at their pleasure to alter any of these Books for their own turns For it is manifest that all of them did draw their arguments one against another out of the same And as for that which we touched concerning divine providence it belongs no less unto the chiefest parts than unto the whole Books namely that it is not agreeable to it that GOD should suffer so many Thousand Men which sincerely desired to be godly and earnestly sought after eternal life to be led headlong into that error which they could no way avoid And thus much shall suffice to be spoken for the authority of the Books of the new covenant whence alone if there were no other helps we might be sufficiently instructed concerning the true Religion SECT XVI For the Authority of the Books of the Old Testament NOW forasmuch as it hath pleased God to leave us also the writings and evidences of the Jewish Religion which was anciently the true and affords no small testimonies for Christianity Therefore it will not be amiss in the next place to justifie the authority of the same First then that these Books were written by the same Men whose Names they bear is manifest in like manner as we have proved of ours before of the new covenant These Authors were either Prophets or other very faithful and credible men such as was Esdras who is thought to have collected the Books of the Old Testament into one Volume during the life time of the Prophet Haggai Malachy and Zachary I will not here repeat again what is said before in the commendation of Moses Both that part of history which at first was delivered by him as we have shown in the first Book and that also which was collected after his time is witnessed even by many of the Heathen Thus the Annals of the Phoenicians have recorded the names of David and Solomon and their Leagues with the Men of Tyre Aswel Berosus as the Hebrew Writers makes mention of Nobuchadonosor and of other Chaldean Kings He whom Jeremy calls Vaphres King of Aegypt is termed Apries by Herodotus In like manner the Books of the Grecians are replenished with Narrations concerning Cyrus and his Successors until the times of Darius And many other things concerning the Nation of the Jews are related by Josephus in his Books against Appion whereunto we may add what before we have touched out of Strabo and Trogus But as for us Christians we cannot in the least doubt of the truth of these Books out of every one of which almost there are testimonies extant in our Books which are found likewise in the Hebrew Neither do we find when Christ reprehended many things in the Doctors of the Law and Pharisees of his time that ever he accused them of forgery committed against the Writings of Moses or the Prophets or that they used counterfeit Books or such as were changed Then after Christ's time it cannot be proved neither is it credible that the Scripture was corrupted in matters of any moment if we consider rightly how far and wide over the face of the earth the Nation of the Jews was spread who every where were
Truth of Christian Religion p. 47 Sect. II. Here is showen that Jesus lived p. 48 Sect. III. And was put to an ignominious death ib. Sect. IV. Yet afterward was worshipped by prudent and godly Men. p. 49 Sect. V. The cause whereof was for that in his life time there were Miracles done by him p. 50 Sect. VI. Which Miracles were not wrought either by the help of Nature or assistance of the Devil but meerly by the Divine Power of God p. 51 Sect. VII Christ's Resurrection proved by credible Reasons p. 55 Sect. VIII Answer to the Objection that the Resurrection seems impossible p. 60 Sect. IX The Resurrection of Jesus being granted the Truth of his Doctrine is confirmed p. 61 Sect. X. Christian Religion preferred before all others p. 62 Sect. XI For excellency of reward p. 63 Sect. XII Answer to an Objection that Bodies once Dead cannot be revived again p. 66 Sect. XIII The excelency of holy Precepts given for the worship of God p. 69 Sect. XIV Concerning the Offices of Humanity which we owe unto our Neighbour p. 72 Sect. XV. Of the Conjunction of Man and Woman p. 74 Sect. XVI Touching the use of Temporal goods p. 76 Sect. XVII Of Swearing p. 79 Sect. XVIII Of other Matters ib. Sect. XIX Answer to an Objection touching the Controversies abounding among Christians p. 80 Sect. XX. The excellency of Christian Religion is further proved from the dignity of the Author p. 82 Sect. XXI Also from the wonderful spreading of this Religion p. 86 Sect. XXII Considering the meekness and simplicity of them that first taught this Religion p. 88 Sect. XXIII What great impediments there were that might terrifie Men from the embracing or the professing hereof p. 90 Sect. XXIV Answer to them that require more forcible Reasons p. 94 The Contents of the third Book Sect. I. TO Prove the authority of the Books of the New Covenant 〈◊〉 Sect. II. Here is known that such Books were written by the Authors the Names they have prefixed p. 99 Sect. III. Some Books were anciently doubted of p. 100 Sect. IV. The authority of such Books as have no Titles is proved from the quality of the Writers p. 101 Sect. V. These Pen-men writ the Truth because they had certain knowledge of what they writ p. 102 Sect. VI. As also because they would not lye p. 104 Sect. VII A confirmation of the fidelity of these authors from the Miracles which they wrought p. 106 Sect. VIII The Truth of the Writings confirmed from hence that many things are found there which the event hath proved to be divinely revealed p. 108 Sect. IX As also from God's care in preserving his People from false writings p. 109 Sect. X. Answer to the Objection that divers Books were not received by all p. 110 Sect. XI Answer to an Objection that these Books seem to contain things impossible p. 113 Sect. XII Or things contrary to Reason p. 114 Sect. XIII Answer to an Objection that some of these Books are repugnant to the other p. 116 Sect. XIV Answer to an Objection taken from outward testimonies which make more for these Books p. 118 Sect. XV. Answer to the Objection that the Scriptures were changed p. 119 Sect. XVI For the authority of the Books of the Old Testament p. 123 The Contents of the fourth Book Sect. I. A Particular Confutation of the Religions opposite to Christianity p. 129 Sect. II. And first of Paganism that there is but one God Created Spirits are good or bad the good not to be honoured but as the most high God directs p. 131 Sect. III. Evil Spirits adored by Pagans and how impious a thing it is p. 132 Sect. IV. Against the worship which in Paganism is exhibited to men after their death p. 135 Sect. V. Against worshipping of Stars and Elements p. 136 Sect. VI. Against worshipping of Bruit-beasts p. 137 Sect. VII Against worshipping of things that are no substances p. 139 Sect. VIII Answer to the argument of the Gentiles taken from Miracles done among them p. 141 Sect. IX And from Oracles p. 144 Sect. X. Paganism decayed of its own accord so soon as humane aid ceased p. 146 Sect. XI Answer to the Opinion of some that think the beginning and decay of Religions depend upon the efficacy of the Stars p. 147 Sect. XII The chief Points of Christianity are approved of by the Heathen and if there be any thing that is hard to be believed therein the like or worse is found among the Pagans p. 150 The Contents of the fifth Book Sect. I. A Refutation of the Jews beginning with a speech unto them or prayer for them p. 153 Sect. II. The Jews ought to account the Miracles of Christ sufficiently proved p. 154 Sect. III. And not believe that they were done by the help of Devils p. 156 Sect. IV. Or by the Power of Words and Syllables p. 158 Sect. V. The Miracles of Jesus were divine because he taught the worship of one God the Maker of the World p. 159 Sect. VI. Answer to the Objection taken from the difference between the Law of Moses and of Christ where is shown that a more perfect Law than that of Moses might be given p. 160 Sect. VII The Law of Moses was observed by Jesus who abolished no Commandements that were essentially good p. 163 Sect. VIII As the Sacrifices which of themselves were never well-pleasing unto God p. 167 Sect. IX The difference of Meats p. 172 Sect. X. And of Days p. 174 Sect. XI Also of outward Circumcision p. 177 Sect. XII And yet the Apostles of Jesus were gentle in the toleration of these things p. 179 Sect. XIII A Proof against the Jews from the promised Messias p. 180 Sect. XIV Who is proved to be already come by the limited time of his coming which was foretold p. 181 Sect. XV. Answer to that which some conceive touching the deferring of his coming for the sins of the people p. 184 Sect. XVI Also from the present state of the Jews compared with those things which the Law promiseth p. 185 Sect. XVII Jesus is proved to be the Messias by those things which were foretold concerning the Messias p. 188 Sect. XVIII Answer to that which is objected of some things that are not fulfilled p. 190 Sect. XIX And to that which is objected of the mean condition and death of Jesus p. 192 Sect. XX. And as though they were honest men that put him to death p. 197 Sect. XXI Answer to the Objection that many Gods are worshipped by the Christians p. 200 Sect. XXII And that a humane nature is worshipped p. 201 Sect. XXIII The Conclusion of this part with Prayer for the Jews p. 203 The Contents of the sixth Book Sect. I. A Confutation of Mahumetanisme the beginning of it p. 205 Sect. II. The overthrow of the foundation of Mahumetanisme in denying inquiry into Religion p. 208 Sect. III. A Proof against the Mahumetans taken out of the Books of the Hebrews and Christians which are not corrupted p. 209 Sect. IV. By comparing Mahumet with Christ in their Persons p. 212 Sect. V. And in their Deeds p 213 Sect. VI. Also such as first embraced both Religions p. 214 Sect. VII The manner how both their Laws were pro pagated ib. Sect. VIII The Precepts of both Religions compared p. 216 Sect IX Answer to the Mahumetans Objection concerning the Son of God p. 218 Sect. X. Many absurd things in the Books of Mahumetans p 219 Sect. XI A Conclusion directed unto Christians admonishing them of their duty upon the occasion of what hath formerly been handled p. 220 The Contents of the seventh Book Sect. I. AN Introduction showing what makes the Addition of another Book necessary p. 229 Sect. II. Divisions among Christians no such objection against Christianity as is imagined 230 Sect. III. As appears even in the Roman Church which hath given the greatest scandal p. 232 Sect IV. But both contradicts it self and departs from the ancient and truly Catholick Church p 234 Sect. V. Christianity therefore is not there in its purity but much corrupted p. 236 Sect. VI. Answer to an Evasion from the force of the foregoing Argument p. 237 Sect. VII Their absurd explication of the Vnity of the Catholick Church p. 239 Sect. VIII Which forbids us to joyn in Communion with them upon such terms p. 240 Sect. IX But on the other side not to slight Episcopal Authority p. 243 Sect. X. Arguments enough in the foregoing Books to prove the true Christian Religion not to be sincerely preserved in the Roman Church one is their way of worship p. 244 Sect. XI Another is the way of promoting their Religion p 248 Sect XII The Romanists themselves overthrow their own Religion p. 250 Sect XIII Other Instances of it p. 256 Sect XIV Whereby they have spoil'd Christianity as the Pagans did the Natural Religion p. 259 Sect. XV. Answer to what they say about Miracles p. 262 Sect. XVI Answer to another Objection p 265 Sect. XVII Popery and Mahometisin had the same Original p. 268 Sect. XVIII And supports its self by the same means p. 269 Sect XIX And refuses to be tried by Scripture p. 272 Sect. XX. The Vanity of their appeal to Traditions p. 277 Sect. XXI And their guilt in what they say about the holy Scriptures p. 279 Sect XXII It is our wisdom therefore to adhere to the Scriptures p. 283 Sect XXIII Which have more manifest notes of certainty than the Church p. 284 Sect. XXIV The great incouragement we have to do so p. 287 Sect. XXV Conclusion of all p. 294 THE END
in abundance of quotations and must after all believe that we report them truly and therefore may as well believe us when we say that they are ready at hand to attest every thing which is here affirmed from their Authority Since the finishing of this little Labour I was informed by a Friend that Mr. Clement Barksdale had translated part of this Work into English and upon search I found the three first Books among some other Discourses Printed 1669. And I am told further by another Friend that he hath lately added though I have not seen it the three last Books Which if I had known sooner it might have saved me I believe most if not all of the pains I have taken But I was perfectly ignorant of it as I perceive he was of any former Translation before his For in that Edition of his Discourses where he hath added the Third Book of this Work concerning the Authority of the Scriptures he saith it had not been till then in English But it will do no hurt though the same good thing be reached out to us by more hands than one and so I leave it to Gods Blessing upon the Readers serious perusal S. P. A CHRISTIAN PRAYER FOR THE Adversaries of true Religion O Merciful God who hast made all Men and hatest nothing that thou hast made nor wouldest the death of a sinner but rather that he should be converted and live Have mercy upon all Jews Turks Infidels and Hereticks and take from them all ignorance hardness of heart and contempt of thy Word And so fetch them home blessed Lord to thy Flock that they may be saved among the remnant of the true Israelites and be made one Fold under one Shepherd Jesus Christ our Lord who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Spirit one God World without end Amen To the Honourable Hieronymus Bignonius The KING'S Advocate in the Supreme Court of PARIS Sir YOU are wont very often to ask me who am sensible how highly you have deserved of your Country of learning and if you will permit me to add that of me also what the Argument of those Books is which I wrote in my own Country Language in the behalf of Christian Religion Nor do I wonder you should make such a question for you who have read and that with so great judgment all that is worth the reading cannot be ignorant what pains hath been already taken in this matter by Raymundus Sebundus with Philosophical subtilty by Ludovicus Vices with variety of Dialogues but especially by your Mornay with no less Learning than Eloquence For which cause it may seem more profitable to translate some of them into the vulgar Tongue than to begin a new Work upon this subject But what other men will judg of this matter I know not my hope is that before you Sir who are so fair and easie a Judge I may be absolved if I say that having read not only those Authors but what the Jews have written for the old Judaical and Christians for our Religion I thought good also to use my own judgment such as it is and to allow that freedom to my mind which when I wrote it was denied to my body For I thought that Truth was not to be contended for but only with truth and with such truth also as I approved in my own mind knowing it would be but a vain labour to go about to perswade others of that which I had not first perswaded my self to believe Omitting therefore such arguments as seem'd to me to have little weight in them and the authority of such Books as I either knew or suspected to be counterfeit I selected those both out of the ancient and modern times which appeared to me to have the greatest force in them And what things I fully assented unto those I both cast into an orderly method and expressed in as popular a manner as I could invent and likewise included in verse that they might be the better committed to memory For my intention was to do some good service hereby to all my Country-men especially to sea-faring men that in their long Voyages wherein they have nothing to do they might lay out their time and imploy it rather than as too many do lose and mispend it Wherefore taking my rise from the commendation of our Nation which for diligent skill in Navigation much excels the rest I stirr'd them up to use this Art as a Divine benefit not meerly for their own gain but for the propagation of the true that is the Christian Religion For they would neither want matter for such endeavours when in their long Voyages they commonly met either with Pagans as in China and Guinea or with Mahometans as under the Turkish Empire the Persian and the Africans or with Jews who as they are now profest enemies of Christians so are dispersed through the greatest part of the World and there would always be store of impious men who are ready upon occasion to vent the Poison which for fear they keep concealed Against which mischiefs I wisht that our Country-men might be sufficiently armed and that they who are more ingenious than others would use their utmost endeavours to confute Errours and the rest would at least be so cautious as not to be overcome by them And that I might show Religion is no frivolous thing I begin in the first Book at the ground or foundation thereof which is that there is a God Now that I attempt to prove after this manner The First Book OF THE TRUTH OF Christian Religion SECT I. That there is a GOD. THat there are some things which had a beginning is clear to common sense and by the confession of all howbeit those things were not causes to themselves of their own being For that which is not cannot produce any thing neither had it power to be before it was therefore it follows that the said things had their beginning from some other thing different from themselves Which may be averred not only of such things as now we see or ever have beheld but of such also as gave original unto these and so upward until we come to some prime cause which never began to be and which as we say hath its existence by necessity and not after any contingent manner And this what ever it be whereof by and by we shall speak is that which is meant by Divine Power or God head Another reason to prove that there is some such divine Majestie is taken from the most manifest consent of all Nations such I mean as have not utterly lost the light of reason and good manners and become altogether wild and savage For since those things which proceed from Mans pleasure and appointment are neither the same among all Men and are often subject to change and yet there is no place where this notion is not found and it is not changed by the alterations of times as Aristotle himself notes who was
For this is confuted first by such a vast multitude of Men who wanted no wit learning or wisdom as have followed the authority of these Books ever since the first times And then all those things which were shown in the first Book to be consonant to right reason for instance that there is one God who alone is absolutely perfect infinite in virtue life wisdom and goodness of whom all things that have any being were made whose care and providence reacheth over all his works especially unto Men and who can after this life bountifully reward all them that obey him and that we ought to bridle our sensual appetites that amongst Men there is kinred and alliance and therefore they ought to love one another with sincere affection All these you shall find most plainly delivered in these Books But to assert any thing for certain beyond these either about the nature of God or about his will by the mere conduct of humane reason the contrary resolutions not only of the Schools among themselves but of particular Philosophers may teach us how unsafe and fallacious it is And it is no marvel for if Men do so far disagree in their opinions when they dispute about the nature of their own Soul then they must needs much more dissent when they go about to determine any thing not revealed concerning the highest mind and the most supreme Spirit which so far transcends our weak apprehension If as prudent Men are wont to say to enquire into the Counsels of Kings be dangerous and not to be attempted or attained by us who then is there so sagacious that he should hope to be able by his own conjecture to find out what God's will is in those things which he may will freely as he pleases Wherefore Plato said very well that none of these hidden mysteries could be known without an Oracle Now there can no Oracle be proved to be an Oracle indeed by any clearer testimonies than those that are contained in the said Books of the new covenant It is so far from being proved that it is not so much as asserted that God did ever reveal any thing to Men concerning his nature which was repugnant to these Books nor can there any later signification of his will which is credible be produced For if there was any thing otherwise commanded or permitted before the times of Christ in such matters as are either plainly indifferent or not at all in themselves due nor plainly dishonest it makes nothing against these Books since that in such matters the later Laws annul the former SECT XIII Answer to an Objection that some of these Books are repugnant to the other THERE are those who are wont further to object against these Books that there is sometime a certain disagreement in their sense But quite contrary whosoever will judge of this matter with an indifferent mind shall find this also may be added to the arguments for the authority of these Books that they do most manifestly and apparently agree about such things as concern any weighty point of doctrine or history Which consent and accord cannot else-where be found among any other Writers that are of one and the same sect or profession whether we consider the Jews or the Greek Philosophers the Physicians or the Roman Lawyers All which do not only differ much among themselves yea even those that are of the same sect as Plato and Xenophon but oftentimes one shall find the same Writer to affirm now one thing then another as if he were forgetful of himself or knew not what to resolve upon But these Writers of whom we speak do inculcate and express the same points of faith they deliver the same Commandments and as for their narration of the life and death and resurrection of Christ the Sum and substance in them all is the very same As touching some small circumstances which make nothing to the main matter they might happily have admitted a very easie reconciliation though we now do not know it because of the likeness of things done at divers times the ambiguity of names or more names than one of the same Man or place and such like things Nay this very thing ought to vindicate and free these Writers from all suspicion of falshood it being usual with those that would have lies and untruths credited to relate all circumstances by compact and agreement so as there shall not appear any colour or shew of difference Or if it be so that for any small difference which cannot so exactly be reconciled a whole Book shall lose its credit then we must believe no Books at all specially those of history yet we see that Polybius Halicarnassensis Livy and Plutarch for the substance of them are esteemed authentical and true though in some circumstances they do not agree Which makes it the more equal and just that no such thing should destroy their credit who we see by their very Writings were always most studious of Piety and Truth SECT XIV Answer to an Objection taken from outward Testimonies which make more for these Books THERE remains another way of overthrowing a Testimony which is by producing contrary Testimonies out of other Authors But I dare boldly say that there are no such testimonies to be found unless a Man will produce the sayings of them that were born a long time after and of such also as did so openly profess enmity against Christianity that they could be no fit Witnesses in this matter Nay on the contrary if need were we could alledge many testimonies to confirm divers parts of the history which is delivered in the said Books Thus both Hebrews and Pagans report that Jesus was crucified and that sundry miracles were done by him and his Disciples Those most famous Books of Josephus which were set forth about Forty Years after Christ's Ascension do make mention of Herod Pilat Festus Felix John the Baptist Gamaliel and of the destruction of Hierusalem at large Herewithal agree that which the Authors of the Talmud have recorded concerning those times Tacitus relates how cruelly Nero used the Christians And anciently there were certain Books extant not only of private Men as of Phlegon and others but also some publick Acts whereunto the Christians appealed for that in them there was mention made of the Star that appeared at Christ's Nativity and also of the Earthquake and Eclipse of the Sun against the course of Nature it being then full Moon at the time of Christ's Passion upon the Cross SECT XV. Answer to the Objection that the Scriptures were changed NOW what can be farther objected against these Books I see not unless it be said that they remained not altogether the same that they were from the beginning And indeed it must be granted that what is common to other Books might happen nay did happen to those namely that by the carelesness or the perverse care of the Transcribers some Letters syllables or words might be changed left
consists in an exact refraining from all kinds of other labour The former was given from the beginning which doubtless those godly men before the Law did obey to wit Enoch Noah Abraham Isaac and Jacob. The last of which though they travelled much as we read yet there is no where the least sign or remembrance of their intermitting their journey for the Sabbath which after they came out of Egypt you shall always meet with For after that the People were brought out of Aegypt and had happily passed over the red Sea the next day they celebrated a Sabbath of rest and safety wherein they sang a Song of triumph and rejoicing from which time that exact rest upon the Sabbath was commanded which is first mentioned upon occasion of gathering the Manna Exod. 16. 23. Exod. 35. 2. Levit. 23. 3. And in this sense the deliverance from Aegypt is made the reason for the Law of the Sabbath Deut. 5. 15. By which Law provision also was made for servants against the severity of those masters that would not grant them any rest or relaxation from daily labour as may be seen in the places aforesaid It is true indeed strangers were bound to observe this Law because it was meet there should be one form of rest among all the People but this Law of so exact resting upon the Sabbath was not given to other People as may appear by this that in many places it is called a sign and a special covenant also between God and the Israelites as in Exod. 31. 13. 16. Now we have proved before by the promise of far greater benefits that the ordinances which were instituted for a memorial of the coming out from Aegypt were not such as ought never to cease Add moreover if the Law concerning the rest upon the Sabbath had been given from the beginning and in that sense that it never might be abolished then surely that Law had prevailed over other laws when there was a clashing between them which we find was quite contrary by its yielding to them For it is evident that Infants were rightly circumcised upon the Sabbath like as during the time that the Temple stood there were Beasts killed for sacrifice as well upon the Sabbath as upon other days Yea the Hebrew Masters themselves shew the mutability of this law when they say that by a Prophet's appointment and command a work may be rightly done upon the Sabbath-day And this they prove by the taking of Jerico upon the Sabbath according to the commandment of Joshuah And some of them not unfitly shew that the distinction of days shall be taken away in the time of the Messias from that place in Isaiah lxvi 23. where it is prophesied It shall come to pass that the worship of God shall be perpetual from one new Moon to another from one Sabbath to another SECT XI Also of outward Circumcision IN the next place let us come to Circumcision which certainly is Elder than Moses For it was given in command to Abraham and his Posterity Howbeit the commandment thereof was the introduction or beginning of the covenant published by Moses For thus we read that God spake unto Abraham Gen. 17. saying I will give unto thee and to thy Seed after thee the Land wherein thou art a stranger all the Land of Canaan for an everlasting possession and I will be their God And God said unto Abraham Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore thou and thy Seed after thee every man-child among you shall be circumcised But now we know by what hath been already said that in the place of this covenant a new covenant was to succeed which should be common to all People For which cause the necessity of that note of distinction ought to cease Besides in the precept of circumcision there was a mystical and more excellent signification contained which the Prophets do plainly shew in that they command the circumcision of the heart which all the commandments of Jesus aim at Wherefore the promises also annexed to circumcision are in like manner to be referred to some greater thing As that of earthly possessions to the revelation of a possession truly eternal which was never made more manifest than by Jesus So that promise of making Abraham a Father of many Nations hath reference to that time when not a few but an infinite number of People dispersed thorowout the whole World should imitate Abraham's Faith and confidence in God which is so often mentioned in Scripture and this never came to pass but in the time of the Gospel Now it is no marvel if the shadows of an intended work be taken away when the matter it self is accomplisht Lastly that the grace of God was not tied to this sign we may easily discern because not only the more ancient but Abraham himself having not as yet received circumcision pleased God The Hebrews also during all the time of their journey through the Desarts of Arabia omitted circumcision and yet God found no fault with them for it SECT XII And yet the Apostles of Jesus were gentle in the toleration of these things NO doubt but the Hebrews had cause to yield many thanks to Jesus and his Ambassadors for that by Christ they might be freed from that heavy yoke of ceremonies and be assured of this their freedom both by gifts and miracles such as were not inferiour to those that were wrought by Moses And yet the first Publishers of our Christian doctrine did not exact so much of them as to acknowledge this their happiness But if they would admit of the Commandments of Christ which were full of all honesty they easily suffered them to follow what course of life they pleased in matters of indifferency Yet so that upon strangers to whom this law of rites was never given they should not impose a necessity of observing them Which one thing is sufficient to make it plainly appear that the Jews do unjustly reject the doctrine of Christ under that pretence of the ceremonial Law Having then answered this Objection which chiefly is alledged against the miracles of Jesus we will now come to other arguments which may fitly serve for the conviction of the Jews SECT XIII A Proof against the Jews from the promised Messias IT is agreed upon between us and the Jews that in the predictions of the Prophets above many other authors and donors of great good things to the Hebrews there was one man promised far more excellent than the rest whom they call by a Name common to others but in the highest sense of it belonging to him alone the MESSIAS This Messias we say is come long ago but they expect him as yet for to come It remains then that we seek for a decision of this controversie out of those Books the authority whereof we both do joyntly acknowledge SECT XIV Who is proved to be already come by the limited time of his coming which was foretold THE Prophet Daniel to whom
Ministers Which as it is against the practice of the whole Church for many Ages from the beginning So directly opposes the Institution of Christ who set his Apostles in a superiority to the LXX as his Apostles set such Men as Timothy and Titus in a superiority over the Presbyteries of those Churches which they could no longer attend themselves SECT X. Arguments enough in the foregoing Books to prove the true Christian Religion not to be sincerely preserved in the Roman Church one is their way of worship IT would be easie to show how much the Roman Church hath deviated from the Rule of Faith by considering particularly the falsity of every one of those Doctrines which they have added to the ancient Creeds But it will be more proper in so short a Treatise as this only to bring to the Readers mind some Principles in the foregoing Books which direct us as plainly to reject Popery and upon the very same ground as those false Religions for whose confutation he alledges them And First let the Reader again weigh his Arguments against the worship of the Pagans and he will find them in several things as strong against the worship of the Roman Church whose practices it will hereby appear are no less faulty than their Faith As for example in the worship of Angels and Saints For the former They should not only as he discourses there Book IV. in their very worship make an evident difference between the most high God and those Angels to whom they commend themselves which they do not do in the Roman Church but quite contrary in the external acts of adoration have none that are appropriated to God alone but are all common to him with others as adoration invocation burning incense nay offering the Sacrifice of the Mass in their honour and making vows to them but be satisfied also what order there is among the Angels what good may be expected from each of them and what honour the most high God is willing should be bestowed upon every one of them All which being wanting for there is nothing revealed about such matters it is plain from thence how uncertain that Religion is and how much safer it would be for them to betake themselves as we do to the worship of Almighty God alone Especially for that to whomsoever He is favourable to them the holy Angels must needs be kind and serviceable though no Petitions be made to them being the Ministers and Servants of the most High who hath revealed this to us that He hath made them all subject to Jesus Christ to be sent forth by Him for the good of those who shall be heirs of Salvation In the number of which they above all others have reason to hope to be who have so great a respect to His Majesty and confidence in his Goodness that for fear of offending Him they dare worship none but Himself alone resting assured He will deal well with them even for this reason because they have such a regard to Him as not to presume without his warrant and authority so much as to recommend themselves to Him by any Angel in Heaven though never so great but by his only begotten Son Jesus Christ alone who is the Head of them all and whom He hath consecreated to be our perpetual Intercessor with Him The like we may say of the Worship of Saints to whom all Prayers are fruitless and vain unless they be able to do something for their Supplicants Of which they have no certainty nor is there more ground to say that they can than that they cannot but rather less ground since it is inconceivable how they should be able to hear and assist so many as address themselves to the same Saint in several far distant parts of the World without supposing them to be equal to our blessed Saviour for they have as many if not more Supplicants as He by such an union as He hath with the Divinity They worship also which is still worse such for Saints as never were in being and others whose Saintship there is too much reason to question being apparently guilty of such crimes as are inconsistent with it For instance our Thomas à Becket by whose bloud they have prayed our Lord Christ that they may ascend into Heaven and do still pray upon Decemb. 29. that they who implore his help may have the saving effect of his petitions whom our Forefathers even in the time of Popery lookt upon as a perjured Person and as a Traitor being not only called so by the King but in Parliament accused of Treason the Bishops as well as others being present and the Bishop of Winchester pronouncing the sentence against him In short the Devotions of the Roman Church are so like the ancient Idolatry that the cunningest Man in the World cannot find any difference without a great many nice and subtil distinctions which in practice make no difference at all SECT XI Another is the way of promoting their Religion THERE is this Argument also against it as Grotius speaks of Paganism Book 4. Sect. 10. taken from the Religion it self that if it be not supported by humane power or policy immediately it falls to the ground For as the Church of Rome it hath been observed by wise Men of our own got and increased its absolute Authority over Mens consciences by obtruding on the World supposititious Writings and corrupting the Monuments of former times by false Miracles and forging false stories by Wars also and Persecutions by Massacres Treasons and Rebellions in short by all manner of carnal means whether violent or fraudulent so take away these supports and that Religion cannot stand by its own strength And truly his reason in the Third Section of the same Book against the Paganish worship that it was from evil Spirits because they instigated their Worshippers to destroy them that worshipped one God holds good still if there be any force in it to prove the Roman Church not to be acted by the good Spirit of God because they would not let those live had they sufficient power who worship only one God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and content themselves with the Belief before mentioned into which they were Baptized not presuming to superadd any thing else as necessary to Salvation And which is worse while they have been most cruel to those who for fear of offending God dare not allow the worship they give to Saints which they think belongs to him alone nor fall down before the Sacrament and adore it as very God Himself They have tolerated such without any censure who have raised St. Francis into an equality with if not superiority unto our blessed Saviour and made the blessed Virgin a kind of Goddess nay called the Pope the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords giving him such a power over all Kings and Kingdoms as sober Men among themselves are ashamed to own Which is just after the example of the
truly since GOD hath implanted in Mens minds the power and faculty of judging there is no part of truth that better deserves the imployment of this faculty about it than that of which we cannot be ignorant without hazard of our Salvation After this whosoever inquires with a godly mind he shall not dangerously erre And where should he enquire after it but in God's most holy Word without which we cannot know whether there be either Church or Priest or any thing else wherein they would have us trust SECT XIX And refuses to be tried by Scripture IT is a manifest sign therefore of imposture that when they cannot for shame but sometimes suffer their Religion to be tried yet they will not have it tried by the holy Scriptures In the reading of which as was excellently said in the conclusion of the foregoing Books no man can be deceived but he who hath first deceived himself For the Writers of them were more faithful and fuller of Divine Inspiration than either to defraud us of any necessary part of Divine Truth or to hide it in a Cloud so that we cannot see it Why then should any body decline this way of trial unless they see themselves so manifestly condemned by the holy Scriptures that they dare not let their cause be brought into so clear a light Which hurts indeed sore eyes but comforts and delights those that are sound showing us so plainly what we are to embrace and what to refuse and being so sure and so perfect a Guide in all such matters that S. Hilary not only commends and admires the Emperor Constantius for desiring a Faith according to what was written But saith He is an Antichrist who refuses this and an Anathema that counterfeits it And thereupon calls to him in this manner O Emperour thou seekest for faith hearken to it not out of new little Papers but of the Books of God There we must seek for it if we mean to find it and if they be silent and can tell us nothing says St. Ambrose who shall dare to speak Let us not therefore bring deceitful ballances they are the words of S. Austin in his second Book of Baptism Chap. vi wherein we may weigh what we list and as we list after our own liking saying This is heavy that is light But let us bring the Divine Ballance out of the holy Scriptures as out of the Lords Treasures and in that let us weigh what is most ponderous or rather let not us weigh but acknowledge those things which are already weighed by the Lord. Yes say they of the Church of Rome we will be put into that Ballance and tryed by the Scriptures but not by them alone Which is in effect to refuse to be tried by them for they give testimony to their own fulness and perfection and plainness too in things necessary and so do all other Christian Writers that succeeded the Apostles who do not send us to turn over we know not how many other Volumes but tell us here we may be abundantly satisfied In so much that the first Christian Emperor Constantine the Father of Constantius now mentioned admonished the Bishops in the famous Council of Nice to consult with these heavenly inspired Writings as their Guide and Rule in all their Debates because they perspicuously instruct us as his very words are what to believe in divine things and therefore they ought he told them to fetch from thence the Resolution of those things which should come in question To which Cardinal Bellarmine indeed is pleased to say that Constantine truly was a Great Emperour but no great Doctor But as herein he speaks too scornfully of him so he reflects no less upon the understanding and judgment of those venerable Fathers assembled in that Council which as Theodoret tells us in his Ecclesiastical History was composed of Men excelling in Apostolical gifts and many of them carried in their bodies the marks of the Lord Jesus and were for the far greater part a Multitude of Martyrs assembled together who all consented unto and followed this wholsome counsel of the Emperour as he there testifies knowing he did but speak the sense of the truly Catholick Church Which did not meerly bid Men hear it and bring all doctrines to its touchstone but confessed plainly that even the Church it self must be tried by the Scriptures It is the express sentence of the same S. Austin in his Book of the Vnity of the Church Where in the second Chapter he saith the question then was as it is now where is the Church Now what shall we do says he seek for it in our own words or in the words of our Head our Lord Jesus Christ I think we ought to seek it rather in his words who is the Truth and best knows his own Body And in the beginning of the third Chapter thus proceeds Let us not hear thus say I and thus sayest thou but let us hear thus saith the Lord. The Lords Books there are certainly to whose authority we both consent we both believe we both yield obedience there let us seek the Church there let us discuss our cause And to name no more the Author of the imperfect work upon St. Matthew carrying the name of S. Chrysostome declares this so fully that it leaves no doubt in us what course they took for satisfaction in this business Heretofore says he there were many ways whereby one might know what was the true Church of Christ and what was Gentilism but now there is no way to know what is the true Church of Christ but by the Scriptures Why so Because all those things which belong properly to Christ in truth and reality those heresies have also in show and in appearance They have Scriptures Baptism Eucharist and all the rest even Christ himself like as we have Therefore if any one would know which is the true Church of Christ how should he know it in such a confusion of multitude but only by the Scriptures which he repeats over again a little after he therefore that would know which is the true Church of Christ how should he know it but by the Scriptures To them let us go and in them let us rest and if you are the Disciples of the Gospel may we say to the Romanists as Athanasius does to the Followers of Apolinarius in his Book about the Incarnation of Christ Do not speak unrighteously against the Lord but walk in what is written and done But if you will talk of different things from what are written why do you contend with us who dare not hear nor speak beside those things which are written Our Lord telling us if you abide in the word even in my word you shall be free indeed What immodest frenzy is this to speak things which are not written and to devise things which are strangers to piety To which if we faithfully adhere there is this to be added for our incouragement that though we
which are plainly and perspicuously enough set down in the Scriptures without the help and assistance of the Churches infallible authority which the Scriptures cannot be supposed to teach but by places far more doubtful SECT XXII It is our Wisdom therefore to adhere to the Scriptures TO this Rule then let us stick keeping those words of our Saviour always in mind iii. Joh. 21 22. He that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved But he that doth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God Let that be his Guide who would not go astray in dangerous Paths into which he cannot fall who keeps close to the directions of the Holy Books wherein all necessary Truth being set down as the most ancient and best Doctors unanimously agree we are certain every way by believing them to believe all necessary Truth and if our lives be accordingly without which they tell us our belief will be vain it is impossible we should fail of everlasting Salvation To these alone as St. Austin speaks for himself in his Book of Nature and Grace we owe an absolute consent without refusing any thing they propound to us Whatsoever it be as his words are in his CXII Epistle that is confirmed by the perspicuous authority of the divine Scriptures those viz. which are canonical in the Church it must be believed without any doubting But as for any other witnesses or testimonies to which thou art perswaded to give credit thou mayest believe them or not believe them according as thou perceivest them to deserve or not deserve to be relied on A great reverence is due to the Church and its testimony though less to the present Church of Rome than others because it hath so grosly abused the World by false records and forged Miracles and such like things yet only as to an humane Testimony which cannot equal that of the Holy Scriptures SECT XXIII Which have more manifest notes of certainty than the Church FOR if we take their own way and method to assure our minds that we follow an infallible Guide there is no note which they give of the true Church which they say ought to be our Guide but pleads far more strongly for the Holy Scriptures that we should rather follow them and give an undoubted credit to them I shall not run over all those Notes nor examine the certainty of them but only briefly name some of them and show that if they prove any thing it is the Authority of the Scriptures above the Church First they say the very name of the Catholick Church is venerable and ought to be regarded But as that Name is not proper to them alone so if there be any power in Names to make us respect any thing what more awful than the Name of the Word of God and the Sacred Scriptures which were always given to these Books to which we advise all Christians to adhere The next Note which is Antiquity is on the side of the Scriptures also which more justly claim to be ancienter than all other Books which pretend to any Divinity than the Catholick Church can claim to be ancienter than all other Societies which call themselves by the Name of a Church Nay the Doctrine contained therein must be supposed as I have shown to be before the Church which is made by belief and profession of that Doctrine and the Old Testament certainly written long before the Church was made Catholick As for unity in that the Church is not comparable to the Scriptures whose agreement and consent of parts is admirable And if we speak of the surest bond of true Catholick Vnity it is as manifest as the Sun that the Holy Scriptures lay the foundation of it and preserve us in it if we adhere to them by keeping us close to one Lord one Faith one Baptism but the Church of Rome which hath usurped the Name of Catholick makes this blessed Unity impossible For there being but two ways to it either that we all agree in our Opinions about Religion or that while we differ it be no hinderance to Communion they have made the latter as impossible as the former because they make it absolutely necessary to communion and salvation to believe in every thing as they do The like might be said of Holiness and efficacy of Doctrine which depends upon the Churches speaking according to the Scriptures sanctity of the authors of our Religion which cannot be known but out of the Scriptures the glory of Miracles the light of Prophecy and all the rest but I shall only touch upon one more the Amplitude and Universality of the Church in which they make their boast But herein the Scriptures most evidently excel their Authority being there sacred where the Church of Rome whose Notes these are is not known or not regarded For all Christians in the World of whatsoever Sect they be believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God whereas they alone say that they are the only true Church of God All Christians besides who know any thing of this pretence of theirs absolutely deny it and maintain the Divinity and Authority of the Scriptures against all their Cavils SECT XXIV The great incouragement we have to do so BY following the Scriptures then we follow the surest Guide by their own confession For first by following the Scriptures we are certainly led by God but by following the Church we are only led by Men. And consequently the Faith we build upon the Scriptures is a Divine Faith but the Faith we build upon the authority of the Church meerly can be no more than humane For the Scriptures are fully and amply proved to be of Divine Authority by all those Arguments which are alledged in the Third Book of this Work the like to which cannot be produced to prove the infallible authority of the Church Which cannot so much as pretend that God hath bid us believe it but by sending us to the Holy Scriptures from whence it derives all its Authority Which is the second thing to be considered and here I will take the liberty to transcribe part of the discourse of a great Man on this Subject with some Additions that by following the Scriptures we follow that which they themselves are forced to follow as was noted before and on which they intirely depend for the proof of their own authority on which they would have us intirely depend Who have reason rather to rely on that which they rely and in so doing tacitely confess the Scriptures are of greatest authority and that they are surer of their Truth than of the Churches Infallibility And Thirdly by following the Scriptures we follow that which must be true if their Church which they would have us follow have any truth in it for their Church cannot but give attestation to them whereas if we follow their Church we must follow that which
it very easily But there were such multitude of Miracles wrought at the Sepulchres I spoke of and so many Witnesses of them that they extorted even from Porphyry a confession of it SECT VIII The Truth of the Writings confirmed from hence that many things are found there which the event hath proved to be divinely revealed THESE things ought to suffice but there are other Arguments which we may heap upon these to prove the truth and fidelity of these Authors Writings For many things are therein foretold which were impossible for Men by their own power to know or bring to pass yet we see the truth thereof wonderfully confirmed by the event Thus it was foretold that this Religion should upon a sudden have a large and ample increase that it should continue for ever and though it were rejected by most of the Jews yet should it be imbraced by the Gentiles Thus likewise was foretold what hatred and spight the Jews would bear against them that professed this Religion and what grievous Persecutions they should undergo The siege also and destruction both of Hierusalem and of the Temple together with the miserable Calamities of the Jewish Nation SECT IX As also from God's care in preserving his People from false writings BESIDES this if it be granted that God out of his providence takes care of humane affairs specially such as belong to his honour and worship then it cannot be that he should suffer so great a multitude of Men who had no other design but to worship God after a holy manner to be cheated with lying Books And forasmuch as since the time that so many Sects have sprung up in Christianity there hath not been one that received not either all or the most of those Books excepting some few that contain no singular matter differing from the rest it is a great argument that no material thing could be objected against these writings specially since the said Sects were so partial and spitefully bent against each other that what one approved others rejected even for this reason because it was there approved SECT X. Answer to the Objection that divers Books were not received by all THERE were some indeed though very few among those that would be called Christians who rejected all those Books which they saw contradicted their peculiar Opinions Such for instance as out of hatred of the Jews reviled their God the Maker of the World and the Law which he had given them or on the other side such as for fear of the evils which Christians were to undergo chose to lurk and lye hid under the name of Jews who had liberty without any danger to profess their Religion But these very Men were renounced in those times by all other Christians throughout the World when as yet all that differed in their opinions with the safety of piety were tolerated by the order of the Apostles with great patience As for the former kind of these adulterate Christians I think they have been sufficiently confuted both by that which we have said before when we proved that there was but one only true God the sole framer of the whole World As also by those very Books which that they might have some semblance of Christians they did admit of specially the Gospel of Luke wherein is evidently shown that the same God whom Moses and the Hebrews worshipped was preached by Christ And the other sort we shall more fitly confute when we come to oppugne those that both are and would be called Jews For the present only this I say that their impudence is wonderful great who slight and extenuate the authority of Paul seeing there was not one of all the Apostles that founded and taught more Churches than he did and his Miracles were at that time reported to be exceeding numerous when as e're while we said there might easily have been trial and inquiry made of the truth of the matter If then it be true that he wrought wonders why may we not believe him concerning his Heavenly Visions and instruction received from Christ himself to whom if he was so dear it cannot be that he should teach any thing inglorious or ingrateful unto Christ as falsities or untruths would have been And as touching that particular which is the only thing whereof they accuse him namely his doctrine of the liberty and freedom which was purchased for the Hebrews from those Rites and Ceremonies that were formerly commanded them by MOSES He had no reason at all to teach it but only the truth of the thing which he asserted For he himself was both circumcised and did also of his own accord observe very many things which the Law enjoyned And then for the sake of the Christian Religion he both did more difficult and suffered harder things than the Law required or could be expected upon the account of the Law and taught also his Disciples to do and suffer the like Whence it appears that he uttered no flattering or enticing speeches unto his auditors who were taught in stead of the Sabbath to keep every day holy for divine worship and in stead of the little expences which the Law required to suffer the loss of all their goods and in stead of the bloud of Beasts to consecrate their own bloud unto God And further Paul himself plainly affirms that Peter John and James in token of their consent with him gave him the right hands of fellowship which he never durst have spoken if it had not been true because the same Men being then alive might have convicted him for a lyar These therefore of whom I have now spoken being excluded as scarce deserving the name of Christians the most manifest consent of so many Congregations of Christians who received these Books added to what hath been spoken of the Miracles which the Writers of them wrought and the singular care which God takes about matters of this kind ought to be sufficient to induce any indifferent Men to give credit thereunto specially considering that they are wont commonly to credit any other Books of History which have no such testimonies unless they see some plain reason to the contrary which cannot be said of any of those Books whereof we have spoken SECT XI Answer to an Objection that these Books seem to contain things impossible FOR if any body say that some things are related in these Books which are impossible to be done the Objection vanishes when we consider what hath been before discoursed that there are things which cannot indeed be done by Men but are possible with God such that is as include in themselves no repugnancy or contradiction as we speak and that in the number of such things are even those Miraculous Powers which we most of all admire and the recalling of the Dead to Life again SECT XII Or things contrary to Reason NEITHER are they to be more regarded who say that some doctrines are comprised in these Books which are disagreeing to right reason