alwayes impart they were cloathed with the Holy Spirit neither did they need to prepare themselves to prophesie but were alwayes disposed and in a readiness to deliver such Truths of God as could no way be known but by the free Influx of the Divine Mind upon theirs i. e. by Prophecy had not all this been true it would be very hard to conceive how without any premeditation they could possibly have had a Mouth and Wisdom which all their Adversaries were not able to gainsay nor resist had not the Divine Spirit been alwayes present with them it had been impossible for them on all occasions even before Kings and other Rulers so to speak as that all their Adversaries could not with any shew of truth make any opposition against it and had it not been true that so they did it is altogether unlikely that their Adversaries would have burst out into such Rage and Passion such Cruelty and Inhumanity as we find they often did against them it seems therefore the degree they had of Prophecy was no whit inserior to that of Moses But whether it were or no is a Question that I am not solicitous about From what I have discoursed concerning the Nature of Prophecy in general it may not obscurely be collected that if Christ and his Apostles were men who by immediate influence from God upon their Minds and Faculties did attain to such knowledge of his Mind as by their Natural Abilities would be unattainable it is as much as I mean and contend for in the word Prophet Now that such Knowledge they had together with Commission from God to teach it it is the primary design of this Treatise to prove Yet that is not mine ultimate aim therein but besides that I have done mine endeavour as much as I could within the bounds of the proposed method to conciliate our most excellent Religion to our Reason and to settle it as much as in me lies upon its true foundations In order to this end I have in the fourth Chapter discoursed somewhat more largely than perhaps otherwise was requisite about the transcendent Wisdom of Christianity and have added the sixth Chapter almost on purpose to shake the sandy Foundation of bare Humane Authority whereon Mr. Hobbs and his Complices would have it wholly to depend I do most freely acknowledge that the Authority of the Civil Magistrate is very great about matters of Religion and that the Church of God is exceedingly obliged to those Christian Princes who by good and wholsom Laws are become its Nursing Fathers yet can I not believe there is nothing of obligation in Christianity besides what it receives extrinsecally from the Laws of Civil Sovereigns the reasons the Leviathan gives of this position I endeavour to ansâ—er and expose To this undertaking it is I hope nothing but a just resenâ—ment of the Affronts Mr. Hobbs hath cast and Injuries he hath done to our Religion thereby I can hardly think any man worthy the name of a good Christian much less of a Minister of Christ that can read such pernicious Principles and perverse disputings against the Honour of his Religion without something of Indignation for to make Religion so to truckle under Civil Sovereigns as in and of it self to have nothing of obligation what is it less than to clip the wings of all true Devotion towards God and render it unable to fly higher than the Thrones and Scepters on Earth yea also and to null the Authority of the Lord that bought us For though all Power be given to him in Heaven and in Earth yet this opinion makes him so far from being the Prince of the Kings of the Earth as that he is at best but their Counsellour modestly proposing his Advice which it seems they are not bound to take because that neither he nor his Apostles had a Kingdom and so could make no Laws for which reason such as it is the Leviathan affirms that the Commands of the Gospel are but Precepts or Invitations of men to receive it and Invitations we know we may accept of or refuse as we think fit and yet without sin so that our Acceptance is an act of Civility rather than of Duty and our Refusal an act of Unkindness and not at all of Disobedience Had not Civil Sovereigns done Christianity the kindness to imbody it into their Laws we had been under no obligation to be Christians We might have been Turks or Jews Pagans or Atheists and yet without Sin and what would a Laodicean desire more How kindly doth it cajole his Lukewarmness and how fairly doth it promise him security from danger by being against Christ in his Heart and Life as long as he is with him in his Profession Thus doth it turn Christianity into Hypocrisie and makes us to serve God for fear of Men. But if we are not so berest of Reason as to think that God borrows his Authority from his Lieutenants then the Philosophical Rudiments of that Epiâ—urean whereof the Author of the late Reflexions on Philosophy saith Thomas Hobbs is one of the boldest of these last Ages have taken care to corrupt our Religion another way and that is by perswading us to think that the obligation of yielding God obedience lies upon us by reason of our weakness This converts Religion into Superstition for it makes us to serve God not out of love to his Goodness but only for fear of his Greatness if we could resist him and escape harmless it were no matter it seems if we did but since we cannot we must obey Thus are we dragged to Obedience by the force of meer Omnipotence and when we are so it is evident we are acted by such dreadful and terrible Apprehensions of the Deity as debauch our Religion and make it a meer slavery utterly inconsâ—stent with that Charity or Love of God without which the most liberal Alms-deeds and Martyrdom it self much less inferiour acts of Worsâ—â—p will find no Acceptance this therefore I look on as another most pernicious Principle and for that cause I have made a long digression to prove that Gods Dominion is not founded in his sole irresistable Power but that he hath a right to Rule us from his great Mercy and Goodnesâ— to us in his works of Creation Providence and Redemption and forasmuch as it is requisite for all Christians rightly to understand this latter which was at first made known unto us by the Spirit of Prophâ—â—y in Christ and his Apostles I have sâ—â—ar enlarged the Digression as to giâ—e an account of it that from thence we may see what obligations â—herefrom do arise upon us to keâ—p the Commâ—nds of the Gospel and therewâ—â—h I put an end to this Treatise Wherein perhaps the Reader may find a coinâ—idâ—nce of expression and it may be of Matter also if he be inquisitive after the occasion of it he may please to know that it was written temporibus successivis which often were so
their fault if they do not receive benefit by them The Miracles of Christ and his Apostles are so sufficiently attested as that were it not for Prejudice or Laziness Inadvertence or one such Vice or other I verily think there neither is nor ever was any considering Man in the World but either he was or might thereby have been câ—nvinced of the Truth of their Doctrine and so blessed by the excellencies of their Religion as that his mind should no longer be blinded with Superstition or Fluctuate in Uncertainties but should know assuredly where to have the most perfecting Objects of all His faculties How great then I say is the goodness of these Miraclâ—s that confirm such a â—reasure unto us how plainly doth it shew their descent from the Essential and Eternal Goodness viz. God Himself For who but an Almighty Goodness can be Author of such Productions Such unparalleled Instances of Love and Kindness such inimitable Beneficence so Immense and immixt a Goodness from whom can it come but from God who is Love and Goodness it self In mine apprehension therefore the Goodness of these Miracles shew as plainly that they were the Works of God in Testimony to His Word as the Image and Superscription on the Money did that the Coin was Cesars Let 's then Lay all these things together viz That Christ and his Apoâ—â—les did take upon them the Office of Prophets and that having the Antecedents to or Concomitant Attendents on the Prophetick Spirit they therein neither were deceived nor had a design to deceive others and by their Predictions exactly accomplished it appears that they had such certain Fore-knowledge as no Man by any Art or Science whatever could possibly have of Gods Eternal Purpose concerning future Contingences And besides this Supernatural knowledge to confirm their Doctrine or Demonstrate their Mission from God to Teach it they wrought such Miracles as in the Truth and Reallity of their Nature and the incomparableness of their Number greatness and goodness did most Evidâ—ntly and Eminently appear to be the Works of God and consequently Christ and his Apostles who did them being Teachers of such an excellent Wisdom as the World knew not before were therein inspired by God and so Prophets CHAP. VI. Some Use that may be made of this Doctrine THUS have we passed through the several parts of the proposed Mâ—thod and in so doing have I hope found the Truth of our Assertion sufficiently evinced And if so it be then thence surely we may see the Divine Authority of Christian Religion and of the Holy Scripture the insufficiency of Humane Reason and the Reasonableness of Christian Faith Hope and Practice Sect. 1. 1. The Divine Authority of Christian Religion It is not of so base and low an Extraction as to spring from an Opinion of Ghosts or ignorance of second Causes Devotion towards what Men fear or the mistake of things Casual for Prognosticks but it is an Heaven-born thing it descends from the Father of Lights it derives its Pedigree from God Himself and hath the Image not only of his Wisdom and Goodness but likewise of his Dominion and Lordship instampt upon it in so much that it brings its own Obligation along with it and makes it not only convenient but nâ—cessary not only Prudence in us but Duty to receive it for Christ and his Apostles being Prophets did not only Teach it by Gods commandement and direrection but also in so doing they laid the highest Obligation that can be on all to receive it God we know is the Supreme Lord the Fountain of all just Authority is in Him as therefore Watâ—rs drink sweetest out of a Fountain so those Laws that come as the word of prophecy doth immediâ—tly from God have the highest Majestie and Authority Instampt upon them For this Cause the Jews when they were Assured of any mans Calling to the Prophetick Office thought Themselves obliged and bound to obey him in all things except Idolaâ—ry yea though he required the omission of the Affirmative or the doing of the Negative Precepts of their Law Notwithstanding their mighty zeal for their Law and the profound Reverence they had for Moses their Master yet they Judged it their indispensable Duty in all things to obey the Prophets and whosoever would not they held Worthy and Guilty of Death by the immediate hand of Heaven This is the opinion of their Wise men in the Talmud where they say in all things except Idolatry if a Prophet say unto thee transgress the Law thou shalt obey him and good Reason too for a Prophet being Gods spokes-man to the people his Herauld to Proclaim his Laws there is good Reason he should be heard and attended to whosoever else be neglected the Reason is because the word of Prophecy coming immediately from God is cloathed with his Authority and if where the word of a King is there be Power much more methinks is there where the Word of Him is by whom Kings Reign had not this been the dictate of Natural Reason Numa Pompilius and other antient Lawgivers among the Heathens had been very Foolish as well as False in pretending to have received their Laws from the gods but Mens Natural Reason telling them that the Highest Authority of Man is far inferior to that of God this Politick pretense was thought a very effectual Engine to make Men obedient to their Laws and this Engine we see was to stand upon the ground That God above all is to be obeyed Since then Christ and his Apostles were Prophets those are no good subjects unto God yea they are worse than Jews or Heathens that deny the Religion that they have Taught us to have Power of binding us to receive it Yet the Leviathan would have it in and of it self to have none for it faith expresly the Preceâ—ts Repent be Baptized keep the Commandements believe the Gospel come unto Me Sell all that Thou hast give it to the Poor and follow Me are not Commands but Invitations and Callings of Mâ—n to Christianity like that of Esay Ho every man that thirsteth come ye to the waters come and buy Wine and Milk without money The difference between Precepts and Commands especially in point of Obligation I am hardly so subtle as to understand I have Read indeed that the Jews put a difference between Laws Statutes and Judgments but hardly ever that either they oâ— the Gentiles found any between Precepts and Commands but this is a matter too trivial to be debated whether therefore it be a profound piâ—ce of Subtilty or a Contradiction I shall not now take upon Me to determine but letting it pass as a Specimen of that Extraordinary Wit which the Treatise of Humâ—ne Reason observes in that Author we shall enquire why he â—aith so viz. Why he â—aith that the Precepts of the Gospel or its callings of Men to Christianity have not the Obligations of Commands in them his Reasons are
can admit of no demonstration but that of the Spirit and this indeed is made à posteriori yet not from the constant and ordinary Phaenomena of Nature but from things Novel and Anomalous such as Predictions and Miracles purposely designed for that end and this is the way of proving the Gospel to be Divine far more decent and proper than any other because it becomes the Majesty of God and conciliates Authority to his Word by making our Faith to stand not in the Wisdom of men but on the Power of God Now to shew that this Demonstration was abundantly made by the Spirit in Christ and his Apostles is the great design of this Treatise which being written on an occasion of a Command laid on me by your Lordship was by me humbly offered to the Honour of your Lordships view and having attained thereunto your Lordship it seems was pleased to condescend so far as to read over as much as your Lordships time would give leave and then to return it with many thanks to me for my good pains as your Lordship was pleased to call them wisely placed on so worthy a Theme together with such other expressions of your Lordships Approbation as neither I did expect nor as I fear doth the Treatise Dâ—serve But I submit to your Lordships Judgmâ—nt and had I not so done this Treatise had been buried in obscurity with its Author but having that encouragement I thought my self sufficiently armed against all elation or dejection of mind at the various censures that may possibly be passed upon it if it should come abroad because I neither know nor am like to mâ—et with any more able to judge of such matters or impartial in Judging than your Lordship Hereupon I gave my consent to its being made â—ublick and for its freer passage among men in this declining age of Christianity I am humbly bold to let the World know that your Lordship is thus far concerned therein and forasmuch as it contends for that Faith which was once delivered to the Saints which is at this day God be thanked most excellently established and most mercifully preserved in the Church of England whereof also your Lordship very deservedly is one of the Chief Ministers with all humble confidence I perswade my self that for so doing your Lordship will either not be offended at or will easily pardon Your Lordships very much obliged in all Duty and humble Observance W. H. TO THE READER IN this Treatise you will find Christ and his Apostles put together in one Proposition the meaning whereof is not either that our blessed Lord Jesus was no more nor no other than a Prophet or that the Humane Nature of Christ had no higher a degree than the Apostles had of immediate Illumination for being Hypostatically united to the Divine it is reasonable to believe it had such communications of Knowledge therefrom as are vouchsased to no other man whatever But the meaning is that the Eternal Son of God having graciously been pleased to take our Nature upon him made of a Woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law found it expedient in order to this end for him to execute the Office of a Prophet and to inspire his Apostles with the Spirit of Prophecy That so he did lies we know at the bottom of our Christian Faith whoever believes the Gospel to be of God doth in a sort suppose it and take it for granted for whatever Religion is Divine must needs be either Natural or Revealed if Revealed then the first Preachers of it were Prophets because Prophecy is the only way whereby revealed Truth either is or can be dispensed unto us for very evident it is that the Positive Truths of God besides or above what is Natural can no way be made known unto us but by a free influx of the Divine mind upon ours since therefore as all agree that though Christianity doth most highly befriend Natural Theology yet it self if it be of God is Revealed it must be concluded that Christ the Author of our Faith and his Apostles the first Preachers of it were Prophets Yet among the many good Books that have either heretofore or lately been written to prove the Truth of Christianity I have neither seen nor ever heard of any purposely written and directly designed to make good this Principle I could not but somewhat wonder at it and wish it were well done and this my desire did at length vent it self in a Sermon on the Text you find prefixed to this Treatise and this Sermon I resolved on an occasion given me by a Person of great Learning and Authority in the Church to transcribe and enlarge in that method which is there proposed and you will find here observed from this undertaking the slenderness of mine acquaintance with Oriental Language and Learning did a long time deterr me but considering that besides mine own satisfaction and diversion from less pleasing Imployments I wrote it only for his Lordships perusal who I knew had goodness enough to pardon my Defects as well as Learning to discover them I reassumed my former resolution and in order to the performance of it I looked more narrowly than formerly I had done into those Books which I had that were likely to acquaint me with the customs and methods of the Jews in the tryal of Prophets and by so doing have I hope found and pitched upon the principal Means and Methods observed by that People in that Affair and this way of procedure even before I had that Idea of it which you will find in this Treatise I did conjecture must needs be very rational because it was not only projected but practised and that as far as we find without controul for many Ages among God's peculiar People and that I was not mistaken in this Conjecture the fifth Chapter of this Treatise doth I hope make manifest by shewing the strength and force of the preceding Arguments to prove that Christ and his Apostles were Prophets Now if any man ask what degree of Prophecy it is which I ascribe unto them he may be pleased to know his curiosity exceeds mine yet for an answer I referr him to that Prophecy of Moses wherein he told the Jews that the Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Proâ—het from the midst of thee of thy brethren like unto me unto him shall you hearken This Prophecy I find by St. Peter applyed to our Blessed Saviour in particular and by St. Stephen to the Evangelical state in general and from thence perhaps we may gather not only that this Prediction did more especially pertain to the dayes of the Messias but also that it speaks not of one single Person only but of an Order of Prophets like unto Moses and therefore though it were most eminently fulfilled in Christ yet was it also accomplished in those that he sent as the Father had sent him viz. the Apostles Whether
as makes us with David to have respect to All Gods Commandments and careful to keep them as well as we can Although for the Glory of God and Honour of his Laws for the patefaction of his most Holy Nature and most Just Dominion over us I say that although for these and such like great ends the Gospel hath made the most perfect unsinning Obedience to be our Duty yet not that but only sincere Obedience is indispensably necessary in order to our Salvation For Thirdly Those Sins which are really inavoidable the Gospel doth not impute to us for our Condemnation I would not be mistaken that that I say is that though according to the Rigour and Severity of the Law as a Covenant of Works the wages of every Sin be death yet such is the Mercy of God in the Gospel of Christ as that those Sins which to us are really and truly inavoidable shall not be imputed to us for our Condemnation Hereof one Reason is because the Gospel puts us into a state of Trial and Probation in this Life in reference to another after it Surely therefore there is no inavoidable guilt thereby charged upon us to our eternal Condemnation it is not imaginable it should so Tantaliâ—e us with hopes of Heaven in the Confines and Power of Hell However evident it is Fourthly That the Gospel doth promise that our known Sins as well as others how heinous soever they be either in their Nature or their Aggravations yet if they are timely retracted by true Repentance and Humiliation Contrition and Confession change of Mind and amendment of Life they shall be forgiven us No mans Sins are either so many in Number or so heinous in their Quality but on these terms they may be forgiven insomuch that to me it seems most probable that the Sin against the Holy Ghost is impardonable not for want of Grace in the Gospel but for want of repentance in the Sinner Let then our modern Scoffers add these things as they ought to that against which they level their Objection and then let them tell us what Impossibility there is in obeying the Gospel so far forth as is necessary to Salvation Is it impossible to do what we can or to repent when we have done amiss I suppose not espâ—cially while we have those Motives and Assistâ—nces which the Gospel gives us to keep the Commandments Since the nature of reasonable Creaâ—ures is to be drawn by the Alliciency of those Proâ—itâ—râ—icks that present themselves to it we may well wondâ—r at our own Disobedience For so many and so great are the Motives the Gospel gives to keep its Commandments as that there is no active Vertue in us but may receive the highest Incitement therefrom What entertainment so fit for the Mind as Truth and what Truth so sweet as that that is eternal What so desireable to the Will as Goodness And what Goodness so great as that that is Infinite And where can you find Eternal Truth and Infinite Goodness so clearly revealed as they are in the Gospel Where can the Affections have the like Motives to set us a doing Hath not the Rule of our Life the highest Majesty and Authority instamped on it Are we not promised the greatest Reward that can be desired in case we walk by it And are we not threatened with the greatest evil that can be feared in case we neglect it Are we not assured of a suâ—â—iciency of Temporal Blessings and Spiritual Graces in this World if we will seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness i. e for Glory and Honour and Immortality in the other Is it not then strange that being thus besieged with Motives to do well we should be so prone to do ill Although we know very well the Commandments are such as that it is not more our Duty than our Interest to do them we promote our own Good as much as Gods Glory by Obedience to them for they are apt not only to enlighten our Minds and perfect our Understandings to refine our Natures and sublimate our gross Affections to amend our Lives and purifie our Conversations but also to prâ—serve our Estates and advance our Fortunes to secure our Reputation and promote our Honour and that in all Conditions and Capacities whatever insomuch that their own Goodness might be their own Eternal obligation How admirable then are that Wisdom Justice and Goodness which impose them on us and require Obedience of us Especially considering the Assistance provided for us to have in well-doing and truly 't is more than a little we do or should receive in our Childhood by being brought up in the nurture and admoâ—ition of the Lord for a Child being led by little of it self but a Chain of Imaginations Education hath the force of a Natural Agent rather than a Moral hence it is that Children of the same Parents are sometimes like Lycurgus his Whelps of the same litter whereas one ran to his dish the other after the Hare because he had brought them up so to do which Experiment he made in the sight of his Subjects on purpose to teach them to train their Children in the way they should go and that when they were old they would not depart from it But if they do the Gospel hath sufficiently provided for their reduction for it doth not only encourage brotherly Admonition and oblige us to pray for each other but it hath also ordained a Sacred Function for the perâ—ecting of the Sâ—ints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Now not only Men on Earth but also the Angels of Heaven are obliged to afford us their assistance Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of Salvation And besides the assistance of Angels we may have that of the Eternal Spirit also to help us For the Fathers of Flesh here on Earth are not so ready to give good Gifts unto their Children as our Heavenly Father is to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him and this it seems he doth so abundantly in the dayes of the Gospel as that it is called by his Name and the ministration of the Spirit and the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus which makes men free from the Law of Sin and Death Whereby it seems that though the History and Outward Communicatioâ—s of the Gospel be to us in Scriptis yet we are not to look upon it as a meer piece of Book-learning but as a Vital quickening thing able to give Life to those that are Dead in Trespasses and Sins to beget them again in Christ Jesus and to form divine Goodness in the Souls of Men and by so doing to help their
these qualifications as we have also seen took away all cause of suspition that the Prophets either were deceived or had a design to deceive others in their Prophecies And besides that either by Predictions or Miracles they gave such evidence of a Prophetick spirit as could possibly come from none but God and therefore in Motives of credibility a Word of Prophecy doth far exceed a Voice from Heaven because for ought we know the Prince of the power of the Air may deceive us with something like it or the pretended hearers of it were it may be themselves deceived or had a design to deceive others Since then Christ and his Apostles as we have largely proved were a sort of Prophets that most eminently had all the qualifications requisite to the spirit of Prophecy and both by Predictions and Miracles gave thâ— clearest evidence that ever the World had of it we have the highest reason whereof a Revelation is capable most firmly to believe the doctrine that they have taught us What though the mystery of Godliness be as without controversie it is very great yet the Theists of our Age have no reason on that account to disbelieve it for though peâ—haps it is reasonable to expect that our Religion should befriend our Reason yet not so far as to make it the Rule and measure of Divine Revelation the reason is because the divine Intellect is infinite and ours finite although therefore without an experiment or other demonsâ—ration there seems to be no obligation on us firmly to assâ—nt to any thing in Philosophy yet are we not permitted to be such Virtuosâ— in Religion The reason is because things in themselves uncapable of a demonstration are revealed with a command to beliâ—ve and we ought not to make them a râ—morâ— to our Belief for as after all our Searches into Nature and greatest Discoveries of things therein we are forced to confess there may be more in her dark bosome than we can discover and we on that account have no reason to deny the Being of Nature so also in things revealed if after all our hardest study we cannot comprehend them we thereupon have no reason to deny the Being of them because God who hath made may also reveal things that pass our Understanding if therefore there be evidence sufficient to convince the Understanding as in the case now before us there is that the Revelation came from God there is no reason on the account of its mysteries to reject it And indeed the mysteries of Christianity are so far from giving just occasion of Unbelief as that they are apt to strengthen our Faith in it for the Gospel teaching us to glorifie God in our Spirits as well as Bodies it is very reasonable and convenient that it should require us to honour Him by the Submission of our Understandings to indemonstrabâ—e Revelations as well as by the Obedience of our Hearts and Lives unto his Laws and therefore as it is fitting for us to obey the divine Law though our Wills reluct never so much against it so also is it for us to believe whatever God hath revealed thoughâ— never so improbable to our Understandings for unless we do so we shall undoubtedly fall short of our Duty which in this Case without dispute is to tread in the steps of our Father Abraham who gave Glory to God by being so strong in Faith as to believe that That was impossible in Nature and therefore incredible unto Reason If we will believe no more than what we can demonstrate to be true our Assent is not Faith but Science for it is not built upon the Foundation of Gods Testimony but on Demonstrations from the Nature of the things testified and so it honours not God at all because it receives not the Truth for His sake but Him for the Truths sake and so it pays no respect to his Word but only to our own Ratiocination But forasmuch as the mind assents to Testimony as well as Reason and the divine Prerogative extends it self to the whole Man that Religion that becomes God and it is suitable to Man must have somthing in it to exercise this his innate Power about and for this Cause the Mysteries of Christianity ought to be looked on as a Motive to believe rather than to reject it for were there no Mysteries in it we should have some Reason to entertain a Temptation to think that it is not of God because whatsoever else we are assured there is hath somthing in it that exceeds the reach of our Reason yea and Conjecture too for if we contemplate the Works of Creation things that we dayly see and handle which â—eem to lye level with our Understandings yet after our most accurate Researches into their nature we shall find that the most piercing Judgment or profoundest Reason is not able to solve all the Phaenomena or attain to a perfect knowledg of them And who is there that observes well the Dispensations of divine Providence but may therein find such Riddles as his Reason cannot unfold Such Mysteries as baffle his Understanding and confound his Curiosity in his enquiring after the cause of them The Ends and Reasons of Gods proceedings with Men although always most Just and Righteous yet very often are so secret and hidden as that they convince us his Judgments are unsearchable and his ways past finding out And from the Works of Creation and Providence results a Natural Religion the chief Principle whereof we know is That there is a Being Infinite in all Perfections this is the Dictate of Reason as well as Conscience yet Reason cannot fâ—thome the depth of it for it hath only a Negative conception of Infinity and whatever there is that it hath no Conception of doth undoubtedly surpass its reach and Comprehension so that Natural Theology as well as revealed hath its Mysteries if therefore Christianity had none how unlike would it be to all things else in the world that have God for their Authour How just a prejudice would this be to the reception of it as divine Truth and Revelation Who would believe it to be of God when he sees nothing that surpasseth Man in it How decent then and useful are the Mysteries of Christianity Since they make it like to all things else of Gods making they beautifie and adorn it with fairer Characters than otherwise it would have of Gods Image on it and the fairer the Characters of His Image are upon it the more Legible is his Truth in it for infiniteness of Truth is inseparable from right Reasons Idea of Deity and where there is infiniteness of Truth there is no possibility of a Lye Mistake or Deceit and where these are excluded there is no room for Hesitance or doubting but the strongest Reason imaginable to believe Since therefore our Chriâ—â—ian Faith hath the impression of Gods Image on it and the Word of Prophecy revealed it it is most highly reasonable to believe it Sect. 5.
to the Churches Tradition concerning those of Christ himself and his Apostles For 't is not possible that he who granted this Power to his Disciples should want it himself and next to an Impossibility it is that in his Circumstances he should never make use of it nor is it at all probable that he would confer it on his meanest Disciples in private capacities and that when his Gospel was every where planted and deny or withhold it from the chief of his Followers those whom he chose to be his Witnesses and Founders of his Faith throughout all Nations That this should be the oeconomy of his dispensations it 's an astonishment to Reason to imagine but that it was not is most highly agreeable insomuch that with Confidence we may conclude there is no matter of Fact whatever although of a far less distance of whose Truth we have more or indeed so much reason to be perswaded as we have of the Churches Tradition that Christ and his Apostles wrought many and great Miracles Yet if we may believe St. Austin that he who still requires Prodigies that he may believe is himself a great Prodigy it is to be feared there are more than a few such Prodigies in our Age for an admired Author asks the Question How can one that saith those things he saith or teachâ—th were confirmed by Miracles be believed unless that he also himself hath done a Miracle The reason of this Question such as it is he subjoyns in another For if a private man be to be believed without a Miracle why among those that teach diverse things is one to be believed rather than another Because there are other Motives of Credibility besides Miracles why else should this unlucky Author be believed in any thing he saith that 's different from others but whether it be fit he should or no I shall not now enquire but only observe First That Miracles have been done may be believed upon the Credit of Testimony without the doing of any Miracle to confirm it The possibility of Miracles I now take for granted and so also I might this Observation had it not been for this Authors sly insinuation that without the doing of a Miracle it cannot appear credible that ever there were any But why so is there any thing in the Nature of a Miracle that renders the Attestation of it incredible It seems not for the same Author else where defines a Miracle to be a Work of God besides his Operation by the way of Nature ordained in the Creation done for the making manifest to his elect the Mission of an extraordinary Minister for their Salvation Whether a Miracle be a Work of God only besides and not also above his Operation by the way of Nature ordained in the Creation and what precious ones this Authors Elect are it doth not at present concern me to enquire but only to observe that whosoever they are the designed end of a Miracle according to him is to make manifest unto them the Mission of some extraordinary Minister for their Salvation Be it so that this as in Part at least it undoubtedly is the End and Scope of real and true Miraclâ—s I would fain know of this Author how a thing that is incredible can make manifest a thing that is not The Mission of an extraordinary Minister although not hastily to be bâ—lieved yet is not incredible but a Miracle it seems is how then can it make it manifest But if this be impossible or unintelligible whence comes it to pass that God makes choice of such a thing to make manifest another doth this Author think the Wisdom of God so short or his Power so weak as to lay and effect his Designes no better if so he may change apprehensions with Epicurus as wretched as he thinks his and yet be no looser by the bargain But whatever he thinks of God I cannot think him so void of Reason as to deny that that which makes manifest must it self be more manifest than that which it makes so manifest therefore I take it to be that if the end of Miracles be to make manifest they themselves must needs be so and if manifest then credible and if credible why may they not be done before credible Witnesses And why may not those Witnesses report them truly to other credible Persons And why may not this Report be transmitted to Posterity And why may not Posterity bâ—lieve it as well as it doth those concerning Alexander Julius Câ—â—sar c What Impossibility Immorality or Imprudence is there in so doing If there be none then Secondly It is needless to demand the doing of Miracles to prove that there have been some done the Reason is manifest because this Assent may be built upon another foundation viz. Testimony of credible Witnesses transmitted or delivered down throughout all Ages to Posterity the sufficiency of this foundation to bear that Superstructure will be evident by the firm Assent that men build upon less credible Testimony whereof they give evidence in almost all affairs of humane Life The Nobleman claims his Peerage the Gentleman his Estate the Merchant ventures his money and the Traveller takes his Journey the honest Lawyer Pleads and the just Judge pronounceth Sentence upon the credit of Testimony and such is the necessity of Testimony as that the Child cannot learn his Letters nor the Scholar attain his knowledge in the Sciences nor the Mechanick skill in his Trade nor indeed can we our selves know our own Names without assenting to Testimony yet so firm an Assent do we yield unto it as that there is nothing more ridiculous and hardly accomplished than perswasion of us out of our Names Most firm Assent therefore we see is yielded to Testimony and that such as is not more perhaps less credible than that whereby the knowledge of Christs Miracles is conveyed unto us for it hath not Antiquity Universality and Consent of all Parties as this hath to avouch its Credibility most firm Assent therefore may and in reason ought to be given to it for where there is certain Credibility in the matter propounded and also in the Testimony that propounds it there doth arise upon men an obligation to believe as appears by the Law of Nature concerning Converse which would serve to very little or no purpose if the motives of Credibility do not induce an obligation to believe It seems therefore that the Testimony or Tradition whereby we understand that Christ and his Apostles did many and great Miracles we not only may but also we ought to believe because there is a certainty of Credibility both in the Matter propounded and also in the manner of its proposition to our consideration and if this renders it a Duty to believe then Thirdly It is both wicked and absurd to demand a Miracle to induce our Assent unto it It is wicked because it not only hinders the performance of our Duty but also meerly to gratifie
an unreasonable Humour it importunes Almighty Power and Wisdom without any necessity to change the course of Nature or at least to act besides it and what affront more petulant and saucy can we easily offer to Divine Majesty It is also absurd as well as wicked for suppose a man in this Age should really work a Miracle if the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles may not be received on Testimony then neither may that how then shall the knowledge of it be conveyed to all that are concerned in it why they themselves must both see it done and use all means possible to consider whether it be such as no man can do the like by his Natural Power but that it requires the immediate hand of God It seems then if what one saith was confirmed by Miracles be of concern as Christian Religion is to all People in all Ages and places of the World there must be almost as many Miracles wrought to confirm this saying as there are single Persons how else should each Person concerned therein see one done and then Miracles would be no Wonders they would change their Nature and lose their Efficacy and besides that every one must then be a diligent searcher into Nature how else can he use all means possible to consider whether the pretended Miracle be such as no man can do the like by his Natural Power No saith the Author that is needless Herein also they must have recourse to Gods Lieutenant It seems then at last they must be assured by Testimony but why may not the Testimony or Tradition of the Holy Caâ—holick Church strengthened by the concessions and suffrages of its Enemies be believed as well as the word of Gods Lieutenant but I shall say no more hereby it is plain enough that this Author and his Followers seek not for Truth and Certainty but to palliate their Atheism or Infidelity And pity it is that their suggestions should disturb any ones reliance on the Pillar and ground of Truth the House and Church of the Living God by whose Testimony and Tradition we are so very well assured of the truth of our Saviour and his Apostles Miracles as that we have little or no reason to envy either the Jews or Gentiles whose eyes were blessed with the sight of them For to what purpose did their eyes then serve them Was it not to convey those their Credentials to their Understandings Yes doubtless they therein had little other benefit by the use of them And is not this abundantly supplied unto us by the Tradition of the Church Which if well considered will be found as incapable of Deception as our Senses For ought I know mine Eyes may as soon be deceived in an Object of Sight as the whole Church in this its Tradition however if Christ and his Apostles did not do Miracles it certainly is a Miracle that the World should receive their report without them and a lying Wonder much more incredible than what we plead for that the whole Church throughout all Ages should so confidently believe and teach that they did them Although therefore the sight of Miracles might perhaps make deeper Impressions on the Fancy and Affections yet the Tradition of the Church is full out as convincing to our Reason and Judgment that Christ and his Apostles wrought many and great Miracles CHAP. V. The Strength and Force of the Preceding Arguments NOthing now therefore râ—mains of my promise but the last Part which is to show that this way of proving Christ and his Apostles were Prophets is very sufficient and Rational And this it will appear to be on the account both of its Removal of all suspition that they were not and of its positive Evidence that they were All just Suspition that they were no Prophets must be Founded on a Probability either that they pretended not to the Spirit of Prophecy or if they did that they therein were deceived or else that they had a design to deceive others but by the preceding Arguments it is manifest that neither of these is true For 1. It is hardly possible for men to have the Antecedents or Concomitants and Consequents of Prophecy and to use them as they did â—n Order to the Propagation of Doctrine and yet not pretend to the Spirit of it Had their mouths been perfectly silent their Actions would have declared plainly to what they pretended Their Doctrine they Taught to be the Word of God and not of man In the Propagation of it they made Evidence of that Wisdome Fortitude and Vertue which attended the Prophets in the discharge of their Function and for the Demonstration of their Mission to Teach it they Foretold Future Contingences and wrought many and great Miracles And how could all this be without a pretense to the Spirit of Prophecy and the Office of Prophets and if this be Evident by their Actions without their Words much more so is it in conjunction with them for as a mans Actions may either Enervate or strengthen the credibility of his protestations and pretensions so his Words protestations or Declarations may very much Illustrate the purport of his Actions they remove all doubt that otherwise might be made concerning them Since then Christ and his Apostles did not only take upon them to do the Work of the prophetick Office but did also say that they were Prophets it is very Evident that they took themselves or at least pretended to be so 2. And that they were not deceived in taking themselves to be Prophets will hence also be Evident if we consider that this was hardly possible without Enthusiasme the Spirit of Divination or some such other Fantastick delusions but Enthusiasts or Diviners it is Evident they were not because they were wise Men of sound minds and discerning Intellects which were so great preservatives against the delusions of Enthusiasme and Divination as that in the Opinion of Plutarch prudence doth Repell and oftentimes Extinguish them hereof he insinuates a reason viz. Because Prudence doth cherish that modesty and sobriety which are destructive to those Calentures and Inâ—lammations which are requisite to the Being of them And these usually were therein so great and fervent as that during the prevalence of Enthusiasme or Divination Men had not the use of reason nor indeed could they because these things being in themselves such as partake not of reason they could rise no higher than the fancy where dwelling like storms and tempeâ—â—s in the middle Region of the Air they did disturb and disorder the Phantasmes and present them tumultuously to the Understanding and by so doing they did Eclipse its Light and hinder its influence in so much that either as Maimonides saith nothing of the rational Faculty could pass fâ—rth into Art or else at least it could pass no true Judgment on things so represented to it Hence no doubt it is that all sorts of Writers concerning them viz. Heathens and Jews as