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
all shall be Man's happiness after this life SEeing then the Soul is of a nature that in it self hath no ground or cause of its own corruption and seeing also that God hath given us many signs and tokens whereby we ought to understand that it is his will the soul should survive the body what more noble end can be propounded to Man than the state of eternal happiness which in effect is the same that Plato and the Pythagoreans spake of saying that it were good for man if he could become most like unto God SECT XXV Which to obtain Men must get the true Religion NOW what this happiness is and how 't is to be attained Men may search by probable conjectures but if any thing concerning this matter be revealed by God that must be held for a most certain and undoubted truth which since Christian Religion pretends to bring unto us above others it shall be examined in the next Book whether or no Men ought to give credit thereunto and assuredly build their faith thereon The Second Book OF THE TRUTH OF Christian Religion SECT I. To prove the Truth of Christian Religion IT is not our purpose in this Second Book to handle all the Points of Christianity but after our hearty Prayers made to Christ the King of Heaven that he would grant us the assistance of his holy Spirit whereby we may be enabled for such a Work we shall only endeavour to make it appear that the Christian Religion it self is most true and certain Which I thus begin SECT II. Here is showen that Jesus lived THAT there was such a Person as Jesus of Nazareth who lived heretofore in Judaea when Tiberius was Emperor of Rome is not only most constantly professed by all Christians who are scattered over the face of all the Earth but acknowledged by all the Jews who now are or ever wrote since those times Nay the very Pagan Writers that is such as are neither of the Jewish nor Christian Religion namely Suetonius Tacitus Pliny the younger and many more after them do testifie the same SECT III. And was put to an ignominious Death THAT the same Jesus was nailed to a Cross by Pontius Pilate Governor of Judaea is confessed also by all Christians though it might seem very disgraceful to them to be the Worshippers of such a Lord. The Jews also do the like though they are not ignorant that upon this account they are very odious to Christians in whose Dominions they live because their Ancestors were the Men that moved Pilate and perswaded him to pass the sentence of Death upon Jesus The Pagan Writers also now named have delivered the same to Posterity Yea the Acts of Pilate were extant a long time after from whence this might have been proved to which Christians never made their Appeal For neither did Julian himself nor any other adversaries of Christianity ever make doubt hereof So that hence it appears that there was never any more certain story than this which we see may be confirmed not only by the testimonies of some few Men but also by the approbation of several Nations otherwise disagreeing and jarring among themselves SECT IV. Yet afterward was worshipped by prudent and godly Men. ALL which though it be most true yet we see how that thorowout the remotest parts of the World he is worshipped as Lord and that not in our days only or those which are lately passed but ever since the time that this was done to wit ever since the Reign of Nero the Emperor when many People that professed this worship of Christ and Christian Religion were for that cause tortured and put to death as Tacitus and others do witness SECT V. The cause whereof was for that in his life time there were Miracles done by him NOW among such as professed Christianity there were always many Persons who were both judicious and not unlearned Such as to say nothing now of the Jews Sergius Governor of Cyprus Dionysius Areopagita Polycarpus Justinus Irenaeus Athenagoras Origen Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus with divers others who almost all being brought up in other religions and having no hopes of any Wealth or Preferment by Christianity yet became worshippers of this Man that died so ignominious a death and exhibited due honour to him as God Of which no other reason can be given but this alone that they made diligent enquiry as became prudent Men in a matter of greatest moment and found that what was bruited abroad concerning the Miracles wrought by Christ was true and relied upon firm witnesses As the curing and that with his word only and before all the People divers grievous and inveterate Diseases the restoring of Sight to him that was born blind the multiplying of a few Loaves more than once for the feeding many Thousands who could testifie the truth of it the recalling of the Dead to Life again and many more of the like kind The report of which things had then such a certain and undoubted original that neither Celsus nor Julian when they wrote against Christians durst deny there were some Prodigies done by Christ and the Hebrews in the Talmudical Books do openly confess it 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. THAT these wondrous Works were not wrought by any Natural Power it is manifest by this very thing that they are called wonders and miracles Nor is it possible by the force of nature that any grievous Diseases and Infirmities should be cured meerly by a Man's voice or by the vertue of a Touch and that even upon a suddain And if such Works could have any way been ascribed to a Natural efficacy it would have been said before now either by those that were professed enemies of Christ while he lived upon Earth or by those that have been Adversaries of his Gospel since his death By the like Argument we may prove that they were not jugling delusions because they were done openly in the sight of all the People amongst whom divers of the Learned sort did malign and bear ill will unto Christ not without envy observing all that he did Add further that the like Works were often iterated and the effects thereof were not transitory but permanent and durable All which being duly pondered it must needs follow as the Jews have confessed that these Works proceeded from a more than Natural or Humane Power that is from some Spirit either good or evil That they proceeded not from any evil Spirit may be proved because that the Doctrine of Christ for the confirmation whereof these Works were wrought was quite opposite and contrary to bad Spirits For it prohibits the worshipping of evil Angels and disswades Men from all uncleanness of affections and manners wherein such Spirits are much delighted And this is also plain for that wheresoever the Doctrine of the Gospel was received and established there followed
thing that was accompanied with perils troubles torment and death unless we have a mind to follow the sound of words without the sense of things Wherefore they placed Man's chiefest happiness and end in such things as were delightful and pleasing to sense But yet this opinion also was disproved and sufficiently confuted by many as being prejudicial to all honesty the seeds whereof are rooted in our hearts by nature as also because it debases Man who is advanced to a higher pitch and throws him down into the rank of Beasts which stoop down and pore upon nothing but what is on the Earth With these and such like uncertainties and doubtings was Mankind distracted at that time when Christ brought in the true knowledge of the right end who promised unto his followers after their departure hence a life not only without death without sorrow and trouble but attended with the highest joy and happiness and that not of one part of Man alone to wit of his Soul the felicity whereof after this life partly by probable conjecture and partly from tradition was hoped for before but also of his Body and Soul together And this most justly that the Body which for the Divine Law must often suffer grievances torments and death may not be without a recompence of reward Now the reward and promised joys are not vile and base as good chear and dainty fare wherewith the more carnal sort of Jews feed their hopes or the embraces of beautiful Women which the Turks expect to enjoy after death for both these sensualities are proper to this frail life at the best being but helps or remedies of mortality the former of them conducing to the preservation of every particular Man or Beast and the latter for the continuation of the same creatures by succession in their kind But by the happiness aforesaid our Bodies shall be indued with constant vigour agility strength and more than a starlike beauty In the Soul there shall be an understanding without errour even of God himself and his Divine Providence or whatsoever is now hid from us And a will freed from all turbulency of passions busied chiefly about the sight the admiring and praising of the Almighty In a word all things much greater and better than can be conceived by comparison with the best and greatest things in this World SECT XII Answer to an Objection that Bodies once Dead cannot be revived again BESIDES the doubt but lately answered there is another difficulty objected against this Doctrine of the Resurrection nakely how can it be possible for humane bodies once dissolved into dust and corruption ever to be united and set together again But this relies upon no reason For since it is agreed among most Philosophers that howsoever things be changed there remains still the same matter capable of divers Species or forms who dare say that either God doth not know in what places though never so distant the parts of that matter are which belong to a humane Body or that He wants power to reduce them and set them together again and do that in his Universe which we see Chymists do in their Fornaces and Vessels gather together and unite things of the same nature though scattered and dispersed And that a thing also may return to the form of its original though the species be never so much altered we see an example in the nature of things as in the Seeds of Plants and living Creatures Neither is that knot impossible to be unloosed which is tyed by many concerning those humane bodies which pass into the nourishment of wild Beasts or Cattle who being fed with them become again the food of Man For we must know that the greatest portion of such things as we eat is not converted into integral parts of our bodies but either turned into excrements or humours of the body as Fleam and Choler yea much of that which becomes our nourishment is wasted away either by diseases or by inward natural heat or by the Air about us All which being so he that so carefully regards all kinds of bruit Beasts that none of them perish the same God with a more special providence can also provide for humane bodies that so much of them as becomes the food of other Men shall no more be converted into the substance of those that eat them than are poisons or physical potions and the rather because it is in a manner naturally apparent that humane flesh was not intended for Man's food Or suppose it were not so but something which hath made an accession to the latter body must be taken from it again this will not make it not to be the same body for even in this life there happen greater changes of particles than this comes to Yea we see that a Butterfly is in a Worm and the substance of Herbs or Wine in some very small thing from whence they may be restored to their former just magnitude Surely since both these and many other things may without any inconvenience be supposed there is no reason that the restitution of a Body dissolved should be reckoned among impossible things which learned Men Zoroaster among the Chaldaeans almost all the Stoicks and Theopompus among the Peripateticks believed not only might but should be SECT XIII The excellency of holy Precepts given for the worship of God THE second thing wherein Christian Religion excels all others that are or ever were or can be imagined is the great holiness of Laws and Precepts both in those things that appertain to the Worship of God and in those that concern other matters The holy Offices of the Pagans throughout almost the whole World as Porphyry shows at large and the Navigations of our times have discovered were full of cruelty For it was the usage in a manner every where to appease the Gods even with the Sacrifice of Humane Blood Which custome neither the Greek learning nor the Roman Laws took away as appears by what we read concerning the Victims made to Bacchus Omestes among the Greeks and of a Greek Man and Woman and a Man and Woman of Gaul which were sacrificed to Jupiter Latiaris at Rome Those most holy Mysteries also whether of Ceres or of Liber Pater were as full as ever they could hold of filthiness and obscenity as appeared when the secrets of this Religion were once laid open and began to be divulged of which Clemens Alexandrinus and others have given us a large account Those Festival days also which were consecrated to the honour of the Gods were celebrated with such spectacles that grave Cato was ashamed to be present at them But in the Jewish Religion there was nothing unseemly nothing dishonest or unlawful Howbeit lest the People that were prone to Idolatry should decline or fall back from the true Religion it was loaded and burdened with many precepts concerning such things as in themselves were neither good nor evil such were the sacrificing of Beasts the
Circumcision an exact rest from labour upon the Sabbath and the prohibition of eating sundry kind of meats Some of which customes the Turks have borrowed from them adding further a prohibition for drinking Wine But the Christian Religion teacheth that as God is a most pure Spirit So is he to be worshipped with pureness of mind and Spirit together with such works as in their own nature without a precept are most laudable and honest Thus the professors thereof are not to circumcise the flesh but their carnal lusts and desires not to keep Holy day by a rest from all kind of work whatsoever but only from that which is unlawful Nor are we to offer unto God the bloud and fat of Beasts but if need be even our own bloud for the testimony of the truth And what bounty or liberality soever we bestow upon poor and necessitous persons to look upon it as given to God himself We need not now abstain from any kind of meat or drink but may and ought to use them both with moderation so that our health be not thereby impaired sometimes notwithstanding subduing our Bodies to our minds by fasting that they thereby may be the better fitted and prepared for more chearful devotion But the chief point of this Religion it is every where apparent lies in a pious confidence by which being composed to a faithful obedience we rely wholly upon God and stedfastly believe the performance of his promises Whence there arises a good Hope and a true Love both of God and our Neighbours which makes us obey his Precepts not in a base servile manner for fear of punishment but that we may please him and have Him out of his great goodness our Father and Rewarder Moreover we are taught to pray not for riches or honours or such things as many times do hurt to those that wish much for them but first and chiefly that which tends to God's glory then for our selves so much of these perishing things as nature desires leaving the rest to Divine Providence and satisfying our selves that all shall be well which way soever things go But for eternal things it teaches us to pray with the most earnest desire viz. for pardon of our sins past and the assistance of his Spirit in time to come whereby being strengthned against all terrors and allurements we may constantly persist in a pious course of life This is the true worship of God in Christian Religion than which nothing can be invented more worthy of Almighty God SECT XIV Concerning the Offices of Humanity which we owe unto our Neighbour LIKE to these are the duties we owe unto our Neighbour As for Mahumet's Religion being hatcht in Wars it breaths nothing but Wars and is propagated by Wars and Hostility Thus the Laws and Statutes of the Lacedaemonians which among the Greeks were most applauded even by the Oracle of Apollo Aristotle notes and blames them for it were wholly directed to warlike force And yet the same Aristotle maintains War against Barbarians to be natural when on the contrary it is certain that Men were by nature made to friendship and society For what is more unjust and unequal than for single Murders to be punisht but to vaunt and triumph in the slaughter of whole Nations as in a glorious exploit And yet that so much celebrated Roman Common-wealth how did it come by such a Name but by Wars which oft-times were manifestly unjust as they themselves confess those were against Sardinia and Cyprus And truly generally as the best Historians have committed to memory most Nations thought robberies and plunders without the bounds of their own Country to be no disgrace at all to them The exacting of revenge Aristotle and Cicero make a piece of vertue To behold Sword-players cut and slash each other was one of the publick recreations of the Pagans And nothing more ordinary than to expose their Children Among the Hebrews indeed there was a better Law and more holy Discipline but yet to a People of an impotent anger some things were connived at and some things indulged As a violent seizure upon the seven Nations who had deserved it with which not contented they prosecuted all that differ'd from them with a cruel hatred the signs and marks of which yet remain in the prayers which they conceive against us Christians But to prosecute him that hurt them by rendring like for like and to kill by their own private hands him that had slain any of their Kindred was permitted by the Law it self Whereas the Law of Christ forbids us to revenge any injury that is done us either in words or deeds lest that wickedness which we condemn in others we should again allow by its imitation It would have us do good to all to the good indeed chiefly but to the wicked also after the Example of God who bestows the benefit of the Sun the Stars the Rain the Winds and Showres in common upon all Men whatsoever SECT XV. Of the Conjunction of Man and Woman THE Conjunction of Man and Woman whereby Mankind is propagated is a thing most worthy of the care of Laws Which part of them it is no wonder the Pagans neglected when they told such lewd stories of the Whoredomes and Adulteries of the Gods which they worshipped Nay the filthy and abominable use which one Man made of another was defended by the example of their Gods Into whose number upon that account Ganymedes was anciently put and afterwards Antinous Which flagitious wickedness is now most frequent among the Mahometans and is thought lawful by the Chineses and other Nations Yea the Philosophers of Greece seem to have made it their business to find out an honest Name for that most filthy thing Among which Greek Philosophers the most excellent commending community of Women what did they do else but turn a whole City into one common Brothel-house A most unworthy thing for since there is among some mute Animals a certain conjugal League or Covenant how much more equal is it that so holy a Creature as Man should not be born of uncertain seed with the extinction of all those mutual affections which are naturally between Parents and their Children The Hebrew Law indeed forbad all filthiness but both allowed one Man to have more Wives and gave the Husband also a right for any cause to put away his Wife Which the Mahometans at this day use and the Greeks and Latines anciently with such licence that the Lacedaemonians and Cato even lent their Wives to other Men to use for a time But the most perfect Law of Christ penetrates to the very roots of Vices and holds him who only attempts upon the chastity of any Woman or looks lasciviously upon her to be guilty before GOD the Judge and Searcher of the Hearts of that crime which though not acted yet was desired And since all true friendship is perpetual and insoluble He would deservedly have that to be such which with
follows that we consider by what means this Christian Religion had its augmentation and increase that therein it may be comparable and preferred before others We see it commonly true of most Men that they will easily follow the examples of Kings and Potentates what way soever they go specially if Law and Penalties compel them to it Hereby were the Religions of the Pagans and of Mahumet propagated But they that first taught the Christian Religion not only wanted all civil power and authority but were of mean condition no better than poor Fishermen Weavers and the like Yet by such Mens pains and industry that doctrine within the space of Thirty Years or thereabouts was published not only thorowout all the parts of the Roman Empire but also among the Parthians and remote Indians Nor was it thus only in the beginning but for almost three whole Ages together this Religion was so promoted by the endeavours of private Men without any threatnings without any worldly thing to invite Men to it yea against the will and the most violent opposition of those who then had the Imperial Power that before Constantine professed Christianity this was become very near the greatest part of the Roman World Amongst the Grecians that taught morality divers there were that commended themselves also very much by their skill in other Arts. As the Platonists were famous for the study of Geometry the Peripateticks for the History of Plants and living Creatures the Stoicks for Logical subtilty the Pythagoreans for knowledge of numbers and harmony many also were admirable for eloquence as Xenophon Plato and Theophrastus But the first Doctors and Teachers of Christianity were endued with no such art but used the plainest language without inticing words only after a bare manner or naked form of speech pronouncing their precepts promises and threatnings Which having no efficacy in themselves proportionable to such a progress as Christianity made we must needs confess it was either attended by Miracles or by God's secret power assisting the business or both together SECT XXIII What great impediments there were that might terrifie Men from the embracing or the professing hereof HEreunto may be added another thing considerable namely that they who received Christianity from those Teachers had not their minds void of a certain form and rule of Religion and so were not by that means ductile and easie to be drawn as they were who first received the Paganish worship and Mahomet's Law much less was their minds prepared for it by some antecedent institution as the Hebrews by Circumcision and the knowledge of one God were made fit to accept the Law of Moses But quite contrary were filled with Opinions and Customes which are a kind of another nature repugnant to those new Institutions being educated viz. and confirmed by the authority of Laws and of their Parents in the Paganish Religion or the Jewish Rites Besides this there was another impediment to wit the most grievous evils which they who undertook Christianity must expect to suffer or had reason to fear upon that account For seeing that humane nature abhors such evils it must needs follow that the causes of those evils cannot be admitted of without much difficulty A long time were the Christians deprived of all honours and dignities and likewise much afflicted with divers penalties with confiscation of goods and banishments which notwithstanding were all but flea-bitings for they were condemned to dig in the Mines and to suffer torments than which more cruel could not be devised And such multitudes of them were put to death that there never was a greater number of Men at one time swept away and devoured either by famine or pestilence or war as the writers of those times do testifie Their manner and kind of death also was not ordinary but some were buried alive others crucified others endured punishments of the like kind which cannot be read or thought of without the greatest horror and yet this savage cruelty which continued without much intermission and that not every where till almost the time of Constantine in the Roman World and in other places endured longer was so far from diminishing the number of Christians that quite contrary their Blood might be called the Seed of the Church there sprang up still so many in the room of those that were cut off Now let us herein also compare other Religions with Christianity The Greeks and the rest of the Pagans who are wont to magnifie their own things above measure yet give us in but a very short Catalogue of such as suffered death for the sake of their Doctrine Some Gymnosophists Socrates not many more are all they can number And in those eminent Men it can scarce be denied but that there might be some desire of transmitting their fame to Posterity which had a hand in the business But amongst those Christians that suffered martyrdom for their faith there were very many of mean rank of the common sort of People such as were scarce ever taken notice of or known to their Neighbours that lived hard by them There were Women also Virgins and young Men such as had no desire nor any probable hope of getting renown in future times by their sufferings According as in the Books of Martyrs we find the Names but of a few in comparison of the whole number of those that were put to death who are only registred in gross To which we must add that by a small compliance and simulation suppose by casting a little Frankincense upon the Altar most of them might have freed themselves from such punishments Which cannot be said of those Philosophers who whatsoever they might think secretly in their hearts in all their apparent actions conform'd themselves to the vulgar customes So that to have suffered death for the honour of God cannot well be attributed to any other but only the Jews and Christians And not to the Jews neither after the times of Christ nor before them but to a few if they be compared with Christians More of which suffered for the Law of Christ in some one Province than the Jews ever did whose patience in this kind may all very near be reduced to the times of Manasses and of Antiochus Wherefore seeing Christian Religion in this particular also so vastly excels all other it ought justly to be preferred before them And from such a multitude of all kinds and sexes of People distinguished by so many several places and ages as did not stick to dye for this Religion we may well gather there was very great cause of such constancy which cannot be imagined to be any other but the Light of Truth and the Spirit of GOD. SECT XXIV Answer to them that require more forcible Reasons FInally if any yet be not satisfied with these arguments abovesaid but desire more forcible reasons for confirmation of the Christian Religion let such know that according as things are divers they must also have divers kinds of Proofs
he ought to be acknowledg'd as King who should be our King indeed and that he was to come out of the East who should have dominion over all We read in Porphyry of the Oracle of Apollo which saith that other Gods are aerial Spirits but the God of the Hebrews is only to be worshipped which saying if the worshippers of Apollo obey then they must cease to worship him if they do not obey it then they make their God a Iyar Add further if those Spirits had respected or intended the good of Mankind above all things they would have prescribed a general Rule of life to Mankind and also given some certain assurance of a reward to them that lived accordingly neither of which was ever done by them On the other side oftentimes in their Verses we find some Kings commended which were wicked men some Champions extol'd and dignified with divine honour others allured to immodest and unlawful love or to the seeking after filthy lucre or committing of Murder as might be shown by many Examples SECT X. Paganisme decayed of its own accord so soon as humane aid ceased BESIDES all that hath hitherto been said Paganisme ministers to us a mighty argument against it self because that wheresoever it becomes destitute of humane force to support it there straightway it comes to ruine as if the foundation thereof were quite overthrown For if we take a view of all the Kingdoms and States that are among Christians or Mahumetans we shall find no memory of Paganisme but in Books Nay histories tell us that even in those times when the Emperors endeavoured to uphold the Pagan Religion either by violence and persecution as did the first of them or by learning and subtilty as did Julian it notwithstanding decayed daily not by any violent opposition nor by the brightness and splendor of lineage and descent for Jesus was accounted by the common sort only a Carpenters Son nor by the flourishes of learning which they that taught the Law of Christ used not in their Sermons nor by gifts and bribes for they were poor nor by any soothing and flattering speeches for on the contrary they taught that all worldly advantages must be despised and that all kind of adversity must be undergone for the Gospel's sake See then how weak and impotent Paganisme was which by such means came to ruine Neither did the doctrine of Christ only make the credulity of the Gentiles to vanish but even bad Spirits came out of divers bodies at the name of Christ they became dumb also and being demanded the reason of their silence they were compelled to say that they were able to do nothing where the name of Christ was called upon SECT XI Answer to the Opinion of some that think the beginning and decay of Religions depend upon the efficacy of the Stars THERE have been Philosophers that did ascribe the beginning and decay of every Religion unto the Stars But this star-gazeing Science which these Men profess to be skilled in is delivered under such different rules that one can be certain of nothing but only this that there is no certainty at all therein I do not here speak of such effects as follow from a natural necessity of causes but of those that proceed from the will of Man which of it self hath such liberty and freedom that no necessity or violence can be impressed upon it from without For if the consent of the will did necessarily follow any outward impression then the power in our soul which we may perceive it hath to consult deliberate and chuse would be given in vain Also the equity of all Laws of all rewards and punishments would be taken away seeing there can be neither fault nor merit in that which is altogether necessary and inevitable Again there are divers evil acts or effects of the will which if they proceeded of any necessity from the Heavens then the same Heavens and Celestial Bodies must needs receive such efficacy from God and so it would follow that God who is most perfectly good is the true cause of that which is morally evil And that when in his Law he professeth himself to abhor wickedness which a force inserted by him into things themselves will inevitably produce he doth will two things contrary one to the other that the same thing should be done and not be done and also that a Man offends in an action which he doth by divine instigation They speak more probably that say the influences of the Stars do first affect the Air then our Bodies with such qualities as oftentimes do excite and stir up in the mind some desires or affections answerable thereunto and the will being allured or inticed by these motions doth oftentimes yield unto them But if this should be granted it makes nothing for the question we have in hand For seeing that Christian Religion most of all withdraws Men from those things which are pleasing unto the body it cannot therefore have its beginning from the affections of the body and consequently not from the influence of the Stars which as but now we said have no power over the mind otherwise than by the mediation of those affections The most prudent among Astrologers exempt truly wise and good Men from the dominion of the Stars And such verily were they that first professed Christianity as their lives do shew Or if there be any efficacy in learning and knowledge against the infection of the body even among Christians there were ever some that were excellent in this particular Besides as the most learned do confess the effects of the Stars respect certain Climates of the World and are only for a season but this Religion hath now continued above the space of one thousand six hundred years and that not in one part only but in the most remote places of the World and such as are under a far different position of the Stars 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 BUT the Pagans have the less to object against Christian Religion because all the parts thereof are of such honesty and integrity that they convince Mens minds by their own light In so much that there have not been wanting Men among the Pagans also who have here and there said every one of those things which our Religion hath in a body all together As to give some instances true Religion consists not in Rites and Ceremonies but in the mind and Spirit he is an adulterer that hath but a desire to commit adultery we ought not to revenge injuries one Man should be the Husband of one Wife only the league or bond of Matrimony ought to be constant and perpetual Man is bound to do good unto all specially to them that are in want we must refrain from Swearing as much as may be And as for our Food
sight The distinction of meats the Sabbaths and feast-days were but types and shadows of things which exist in Christ and in Christians In like manner by occasion of Mahumetisme these Admonitions are given that our Lord Jesus foretold that after his time there should arise false Christs and false Prophets which should lye and say they were sent of God But suppose that an Angel should come from Heaven yet we may not receive or entertain any other doctrine than that which Christ hath left us confirmed by so many testimonies For God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake unto the godly that lived in times past hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son the Lord of all things the brightness of his Fathers glory and the express Image of his substance by whom all things are created that ever were or shall be who upholdeth and governeth all things by his power and having purged our sins is now set at the right hand of God and hath obtained a dignity above Angels and therefore nothing can be expected more magnificent than this Law-giver Upon the same occasion Christians are remembred that the weapons of Christ and of their Christian warfare are not such as Mahumet used but spiritual able to cast down strong holds and every thing that exalteth it self against the Knowledge of God For our buckler we have the shield of faith whereby we may repel the fiery darts of the Devil For a brest-plate we have righteousness or integrity of life The hope of eternal salvation is a helmet which may cover the weakest part And for a Sword we have Words delivered from God which pierce into the most inward parts of the Soul After this follows the exhortation to mutual concord which Christ at his departure so solemnly and with such earnestness commended unto his Disciples There ought not to be many Masters and Doctors amongst us but we must have one Master even Jesus Christ All Christians are baptized unto one name wherefore there ought to be no Sects or Divisions among them for the cure and remedy of which evils those Apostolical sayings are suggested as let no man think more highly of himself than he ought to think but let Men be wise with sobriety according as God hath dealt to every Man the measure of faith If any do not so well conceive and rightly understand all things as they ought then their weakness must be born with that so without any brawlings or fallings out they may be sweetly united and knit together with us If any do excel the rest in understanding it is but meet also that they surpass them in love in holy affection and endeavours to do them good And as for those that in some points are of different opinion from such as hold the truth God's leisure must be waited for until it please him to reveal the same truth that yet lies hid from them and in the mean while those things which are agreed upon must be stedfastly kept and duly practised We know now in part only but the time shall come when all things shall be known most plainly and after a perspicuous manner This also I beg of every one that they do not unprofitably detain the talent committed to them upon trust but that they endeavour by all means possible to win others unto Christ For which purpose we must not only use good exhortations and wholsome speeches but also the example of good life that so the goodness of our Master may appear by his servants and the purity of the law by our landable actions Lastly my Discourse returning thither where it began I intreat such Readers as are my Country-men that if hereby they reap any good they would give thanks to God for it And if any thing be less pleasing to them they would have a regard both to the common infirmity of man's nature that is prone to errour and to the time and place wherein this work was rather hastily brought forth than elaborately composed THE SEVENTH BOOK OF THE TRUTH OF Christian Religion Against the Present ROMAN CHVRCH The Seventh Book OF THE TRUTH OF Christian Religion SECT I. An Introduction showing what makes the Addition of another Book necessary IF those Apostolical Exhortations which conclude the last Book had been carefully followed there would have been no need of saying any more for the confirmation of Mens minds in the belief of the Truth and Certainty of the Christian Religion But the unhappy differences which are among Christians and which are maintained with unspeakable animosities and hatreds nay with anathema's also which one part pronounces against the rest have made many Men doubtful which of these hold the true Christian Faith for which the Apostle exhorts us most earnestly to contend and in this doubtfulness there are some who embrace none at all For we see the Eastern Church disjoynted from the Western and the Western divided into three great parts every one of which condemn the other two and all of them are subdivided into several little parties by variety of opinions for which they contend with the same zeal that they do for the Faith of Christ Which is thereby disgraced and reputed by some to be of no greater certainty than those dubious opinions SECT II. Divisions among Christians no such objection against Christianity as is imagined BUT to a considering Man this will be no occasion of scandal but rather confirm him more in the true Christian Faith which every one of us ought to preserve with the greatest care as a most inestimable Treasure For as this is common to every Religion to have many disputes about it and different opinions in it and as Christ and his Apostles foretold there would many false Christs and false Apostles and false Prophets arise as was said before in the end of the foregoing Book who would lye and say they were sent when they were not introducing false doctrines and calling them by the Name of his Religion and as they give us a good reason also why it should be so that Mens probity and sincerity might be tried and brought hereby to the touchstone and that their diligence and care in preserving themselves might be exercised So blessed be our Lord the true Christian Religion is still retained and kept intire every where by all these disagreeing Parties notwithstanding the fierce quarrels they have one with another As appears by this which is a short easie and certain way to our satisfaction in this matter that the Faith into which they are all baptized is one and the same without any variation That is they all enter into the Church at the very same gate and upon the same terms and conditions neither more nor less are made members of Christ and have a title given them if they live according to this Faith unto Eternal Salvation SECT III. As appears even in the Roman Church which hath given the greatest scandal THE Church of Rome it self which
The Christian's Work and Reward Matth. 11. 29 30. Take my yoke upon you learn of me For my yoke is easie my burthen is light Revel 2 10. Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life 1 Cor. 9. 24 25. So run that ye may obtain Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things now they do it to obtain a corrupible crown but we an incorruptible THE TRUTH OF Christian Religion IN SIX BOOKS Written in Latine BY HUGO GROTIUS AND Now Translated into English With the Addition Of a SEVENTH BOOK By SYMON PATRICK Dean of PETERBURGH and Chaplain in Ordinary to His MAJESTY LONDON Printed for Rich. Royston Bookseller to His Most Sacred Majesty at the Angel in Amen-Corner MDCLXXX To the Right Honorable WILLIAM Earl of BEDFORD Knight of the Most Noble Order of the GARTER c. My very Good Lord and Patron My Lord IAm so desirous to express my thankfulness to Your Lordship as for all the rest so especially for the last Favour you have done me in contributing so freely to the giving me some ease from that burden which grew too heavy for me that I make bold to prefix Your Lordships Name to this Book of a great Man in another Nation which I have Translated and will live I believe as long as Learning and Religion shall last among us VVhereby your Lordship will see that I have only exchanged not given over my Labours and that I intend not to be less diligent in my station than when I preached more but rather study industriously to serve the Publick good some other way VVhich that I might promote I have augmented this VVork of Grotius by the Addition of another Book not equal indeed in strength of reasoning and variety of reading to the foregoing but in brevity and perspicuity I hope nothing inferiour And being a building relying in great part upon his Foundations will stand as firm and unshaken as those which excel it in beauty and neatness of contrivance Such as it is I humbly present it to your Lordship and praying God that the whole VVork may have some effect for the reclaiming those that are irreligious or the setling those who are wavering and doubtful and the exciting us all to hold fast the Truth as it is in the Lord Jesus I remain My Lord Your Lordships most Humble and obliged Servant S. PATRICK A PREFACE Giving some Account of the Author and of this Work THE Name of this Author hath been so illustrious in these Western parts of the World that as there are few persons who read Books to whom it is not known so there needs no more to recommend this Work and procure it entertainment with all those that have heard of him In which he hath faithfully laid out those great Talents of reason and learning wherewith God blessed him above most other Men in the defence of his most holy Religion Which he hath served very much in other works of his but in none more than this because it is of such General use and so satisfactory that it may alone merit those titles of honour which the Men of learning have bestowed on him though they be as high as well can be devised There is nothing more ordinary in our Selden than vir Maximus vir summus the greatest the chief of Men when he speaks of Grotius Upon whom Salmasius bestows the Title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most excellent and as if he were in a rapture when he thought of him cries out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O most admirable or wonderful and supereminentissime most supereminent Grotius to whom he wished much rather to be like than to be the most eminent person for riches and honour in the whole World I shall only add the character which Baudius gave of him very early 1612. in a Scazon he made upon him where he thus admires him Vir magne vir mirande vir sine exemplo In English O thou great Man thou wonderful Man a Man without example Yet as great a Man as he was he fell into disgrace in his own Country and was thrown into Prison every body knows in the Castle of Lupstein In which strict confinement he meditated many profitable Works especially in things Sacred For during his long Imprisonment he found by a happy experience as he writes to Barlaeus a great while after there was a wonderful power in the holy Doctrines to support the mind and to keep it erect against all calamities And therefore for his own solace in the first place as he tells another Friend he set himself to write this little Book which he intimates both in the beginning and in the conclusion of it was then composed or rather hastily put together when his Mind was more free than his Body And therefore when after several Editions he set it forth with Annotations 1640. he calls it in an Epistle to Sarravius Partum doloris quondam mei c. The child of my grief in time past now a Monument of my Thanksgiving to God And as it was written originally in his own Language so it was in Verse that it might be more popular and more easily committed to memory by the rudes people such as Mariners for whom he chiefly intended it He tells us as much in the Preface but we may learn it more fully out of a Letter to him on this subject from Inter Epist Praest vir p. 630. Episcopius Who says that the oftner he read over those Rythmes the more he was rapt both into love and admiration of them There being nothing in them which was not most necessary to be known and was able to incline the hardest heart to embrace this holy Religion For it was hard to determine he says whether the Majesty of the things or the clearness and sweetness of the expressions were most to be commended the Majesty of the matter not at all hindring the clearness of the Verse nor its being tyed to Verse at all diluting or enervating the Majesty of the matter Such a strife there was between these two with equal success that it became a question whether it was more divine to be able to have a solid and distinct conception in his mind of things so difficult and sublime or having conceived them to cloath them in such comely and perspicuous words that at the first glance every Reader understood his great sense though bound up and fettered within the laws of verse Which way I suppose he chose because it was the ancient manner of delivering the most useful things as he himself observes in his Prolegomena to Stobaeus his Florilegium which was written not long after this Book Where as a proof of it he alledges that of Homer who says Clytaemnestra did not incline to vice till she had lost him that was wont to sing to her For precepts of wisdome so taught are exceeding charming to the minds of Youth being not only
from hence also that in the Conclusion of this Work of the Truth of Christian Religion he doth not interpret those words i. Hebr. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the present tense making a purgation or expiating our sins as Socinus doth but in the past time expiatis peccatis nostris having expiated or purged away our sins How they come to be otherwise Translated in his Annotations on that place put forth since his death I can give no Account And in like manner I suppose he satisfied another doubt about a passage in this Book which Sarravius desired him to resolve though I cannot find his Answer to it For he gives a punctual Answer afterward to a Question propounded by a Minister of Rouen who askt him where he had that of Rabbi Nechumias who made that publick Declaration mentioned in the Fifth Book Sect. 14. concerning the appearing of Christ 50. Years before our Saviour to this effect That the time which Daniel had prefixed for the coming of the Messiah could not be prolonged above those Fifty Years Which he tells Sarravius * Epist Claud. Sarrav p. 52. is to be found in the Talmud in the Title Sanhedrin as he remembred and he thought also in Abenada upon Daniel This was in the Year 1640. when he first put out this Book with Annotations containing the Testimonies of those Authors in words at length whom he had alledged but had forgotten it seems to set down where he had this passage of Rabbi Nechumias Nor is it now to be found among the Annotations and therefore they that next Print the Book so inlarged will do well to supply it from hence out of Sarravius Who was the first Person * Epist ad Gallos p. 460. to whom he made a present of it after it came out with the Addition of Testimonies desiring to be admonished by him if in the midst of much business any thing had escaped him which was less exactly spoken while he studied to serve the Christian cause To which He replies immediately That as he could not but esteem it a very great honour to be acknowledged and beloved by the Coryphaeus of all Learning both Sacred and profane so he esteemed this as a Golden Book wherein Grotius had joyned Learning together with Piety consulting that is the Disease of the Age to whose Palate Piety of it self had little savour And as for the immense collection of Testimonies then added he made it appear by them that in all his studies the glory of Christ had alway been before his eyes his holy diligence and industry having discovered so many and such things which had escaped the sagacious eyes of others And not long after he propounded some doubts according to his own desire and mentioned some exceptions as was noted before which some who had no good will to him took at this Golden Book as he again calls it and notwithstanding the harsh censures of some Learned Men this excellent Person still persisted in his high esteem of the worth of this Author and believed all unprejudiced Men would ever look upon him with great Veneration So he tells Salmasius Five Years after * Epist Claud. Sarrav p. 146. 1645 Whether they will or no Grotius will alway be accounted a great Man by you and me and by all that love Equity and Goodness for he is full of envy who denies due praises to such a Hero And a little while after hearing of the news of his death he most sadly bewails it * Ib. p. 171. as the extinction of the bright Star of that Age whose Name would be great as long as either Books or Learning were in honour And while he had breath he saith he would glory in this that he once had familiar acquaintance with a Man who was re nomine Magnus no less great indeed than his Name imported This affection he seems to have carried with him to his Grave and honoured his Memory at such a rate that in the Year 1648. he still says he was proud of the Friendship of that Man by whom to have been known was glorious and who would be reverenced in all future Ages In conclusion he calls him that Blessed Soul even after he himself had pronounced this sentence against Grotius * Ib. p. 196. that he favoured the Papists and not only yielded too much to them in his later Writings but expressed too much disaffection to the reformed in those Countries All this he candidly passed over with this censure * Ib. p. 146. He is the best Man who hath fewest faults for there is no body to be found without some And the same favourable judgment I suppose all serious and considering men will pass upon him now and not be hindred by any prejudices which may have been taken up against him among our selves from reaping that benefit which they may receive by reading this excellent Book Which I present again to the view of the English World and have in a manner made a new Translation of it the former which came out near 50. Years ago being so defective that there were few Paragraphs in it which stood not in need of some amendment and in a great number the sense was quite mistaken Who the Translator was I am ignorant but it is certain he either did not understand the Latine Tongue or did not attend to what he was about as appears by innumerable Instances But one may suffice in the Third Book Sect. 3. where he Translates altera Petri the one Epistle of Peter Besides there is plain Arianism in his Translation Book V. Sect. 21. for he says the Son was not uncreate as the Father is when in Grotius the words are the Son is not ingenitus unbegotten as the Father is Yet where the Translation was passable I have let it go as it was that I might not seem to be too curious a Censurer of other Mens labours And I have added such passages as were not there the Book it self having been inlarged by Grotius since that old English Translation I know not how necessary it might be at that time when it was first put into our Language but now I think nothing can be more And to make it of larger use I have added also a Seventh Book of my own In which out of those Principles chiefly which Grotius builds upon in his Six Books I have shown that Christian Religion hath suffered very much by the Church of Rome and that we need not go thither to be assured of the Truth of that Religion but shall be better informed in our own Church by the Holy Scriptures and such works as these I have not quoted all my Authors no more than Grotius did in the first Editions of his Book And it would have made the Work also too long I thought to Translate his Testimonies and add the like of my own Nor would it have been so useful to common Readers who do but perplex themselves
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
found or have anciently been found consenting with the Books of the Hebrews touching Joshua and others seeing that whosoever gives credit unto Moses which to do no Man can without great impudency refuse the same must needs confess that there were indeed wonderful Miracles anciently wrought by God which is the thing we here chiefly go about to declare As for the Miracles of after Ages suppose of Elijah and Elisha and others there is the less reason to think them counterfeit because in those times Judaea was both more known than formerly and upon the account of diversity of Religion was extreamly hated by their Neighbours Who might have very easily blasted the fame of such Miracles if they had been lies as soon as it began to be spred abroad The History of Jonah who lay three days in the Whale's belly is to be read in Lycophron and Aeneas Hazous save only that in stead of Jonah they have put the name of Hercules whom they so much honoured that to make him appear the more illustrious they were wont as Tacitus and Servius and others have noted to report of him whatsoever magnificent things they heard of in any other places Certain it is that Julian who was an enemy of the Jews as much as of Christians was forced by the evidence of History to confess that such Men lived amongst the Jews as were inspired with the holy Spirit of God and that Fire descended from Heaven upon the Sacrifices of Moses and Elias And verily 't is well worth our observation that amongst the Hebrews there were not only grievous punishments appointed for such Men as did falsly assume to themselves the Prophetical Function but also many Kings and great Men that might have by that means purchased authority to themselves and likewise very many learned Men as was Esdras and others that never durst arrogate to themselves this dignity nor any Man else for divers Ages before the times of Jesus SECT XVI The same is proved by the Oracle and Predictions BUT more unlikely it is that so many Thousand People should be imposed upon in the avouching of a perpetual and publick Prodigy as we may call it to wit the holy Oracle which after a resplendent manner shined from the brest-plate of the High-Priest The truth whereof was so strongly believed by all the Jews to have continued until the destruction of the first Temple that out of all doubt their Ancestors had certain knowledge concerning the same Like to this from miracles there is another argument as forcible and effectual to prove GOD's providence taken from those predictions of future events which among the Hebrews were many and manifest Such was that prophecy of his being made Childless who should attempt to re-edifie Jericho and that of the overthrow of the Temple at Bethel by a King named Josiah foretold above Three Hundred Years before the thing came to pass So likewise the very name and chief acts of Cyrus foretold by Esaiah the event of Hierusalems siege by the Chaldeans foreshown by Jeremiah So also Daniel's prediction touching the translation of the Empire of the Assyrians unto the Medes and Persians then from them unto Alexander of Macedon whose Empire should afterward in part be divided among the Successors of Ptolomy and Seleucus And what evils also the Hebrew Nation should suffer from all these but especially from Antiochus Epiphanes which were so clearly foretold that Porphyry who compared with these Predictions such Grecian Histories as were extant in his time could no otherwise tell how to shift them off than by saying that those things which were fathered upon Daniel were written after such time as they came to pass which is all one as if one should deny that that was written in the time of Augustus which hath been published in Virgil's name and was always reputed for Virgil's work For there was never any more scruple made of the former amongst the Hebrews than of this latter amongst the Romans To these things we may add very many and most famous Oracles among the People of Mexico and Peru which foretold the coming of the Spaniards into those Countreys and the calamities which should thereupon follow And hither also may be referred not a few dreams so exactly agreeing with the events which both in themselves and in their causes were wholly unknown to them that dreamed that they cannot without great immodesty be referred to chance or to natural causes of which kind Tertullian in his Book Of the Soul hath collected illustrious examples out of the most approved Authors Spectres also or apparitions belong to this head which have been not only seen but heard to speak as those Historians relate who are the farthest from superstitious credulity and is reported by Witnesses of our own Age who have lived in China and in Mexico and other parts of America Nor are publick trials of innocence by touching of red hot Plow-shares to be despised which the Histories of so many German Nations and the Laws themselves have remembred SECT XVII The Objection is answered why Miracles are not now to be seen NEITHER is there any reason to object against such Miracles because there are not the like to be seen in these days neither the like predictions heard of For 't is a sufficient proof of Divine providence that such things did come to pass at any time which being once granted it will follow that God may be believed with as much providence and wisdom now to cause them to surcease as anciently he used the same Neither stands it with reason that those Laws which were given to the Universe concerning the natural course of things and uncertainty of future events should be lightly or always transgressed but only at such a time when either there was a just cause as when the worship of the true God was almost banished out of the World residing only in a little part thereof to wit in Judaea where it necessarily was to be as it were fortified with new aids against the impieties wherewith it was compassed about or when Christian Religion whereof by and by we shall speak more particularly was first by God's decree to be published thorowout the whole World SECT XVIII And that now there is such liberty in offending THERE are those who are wont to doubt of the Divine Providence because they see so much wickedness hath like a Deluge overspread the face of the whole Earth which Divine Providence they contend if there were any would have made its chiefest business to restrain and suppress But this is easily answered considering that when God had created Man with freedom to do good and evil reserving absolute and immutable goodness to himself it had not been reasonable to have put such a stop to evil actions as should have been contrary to that liberty Howbeit to keep Men from sin God useth every kind of means which is not repugnant to the liberty aforesaid Such is the ordaining and publishing of the
the downfal of the worship of Daemons and of Magical Arts and one God was worshipped with a detestation of Daemons whose power and authority Porphyry acknowledges was broken by the coming of Christ Neither is it to be thought that any wicked Spirit is so ignorant and foolish as to effect and often bring to pass things that are causes of its own hurt and disgrace and no way conducing to its honour or benefit Besides it stands no way with the wisdom or goodness of God himself to believe that he would suffer so harmless and innocent Men such as feared him to be deceived by the delusion of Devils and such were the first followers of Christ as is plain by their innocent life and by the many calamities which they endured for conscience sake But on the other side if thou affirmest that those works of Christ proceeded from some good Spirits which are inferiour to God in so saying thou dost confess that the same works were well pleasing unto God and did tend to the honour of his name forasmuch as good Spirits do nothing but what is acceptable and glorious unto God To say nothing now of some of Christ's works which were so miraculous that they seem to have God himself for the author of them and could not have been done but by the immediate finger of an omnipotent power as specially the restoring divers Persons from Death unto Life again Now God doth not produce any Miracle nor suffer any such Wonders to be wrought without just cause For it becomes not a wise Maker of Laws to forsake and depart from his own Laws unless upon some good and weighty reason Now no other cause of these things can be given than that which was alledged by Christ himself namely that hereby his doctrine might be verified and confirmed And doubtless they that were Spectators of his Works could conceive no other reason thereof amongst which since there were as was said many godly Men piously and devoutly affected it is horrible impiety to imagine that God did work these things only to delude and deceive them And this was one cause why very many of the Jews who lived about the time of Jesus even such as could not be perswaded to relinquish or omit one jot of Moses his Law such as those who were called Nazarenes and Ebionites did notwithstanding acknowledge that this Jesus was a Doctor or Master sent from Heaven SECT VII Christ's Resurrection proved by credible Reasons BEsides the Miracles that Christ wrought to confirm his Doctrine another like Argument may be taken from his wonderful Resurrection to Life again after that He was Crucified Dead and Buried For the Christians of all Ages and Countries alledge the same not only for a truth but also as the most strong ground and chiefest foundation of their Faith which could not be unless those that first taught Christianity did perswade their Auditors that the thing was so for certain And yet they could not induce any wise Man to the belief hereof unless they could verily affirm that themselves were eye-witnesses of this matter For without such an ocular testimony no Man in his wits would have given credit unto them especially in such times when to believe them was to expose themselves to the greatest mischiefs and dangers But that this was their constant assertion both their own Books and other Writings do testifie For out of their Books it appears that they appealed unto Five hundred Witnesses that had beheld Jesus after he was risen from the Dead Now it is not the fashion of lyars and dissemblers to appeal to so great a number of Witnesses Neither could it possibly so fall out that so many Men should agree and conspire together to bear false witness Or suppose there had been no other witnesses save those twelve known Apostles the first publishers of Christian doctrine yet this had been sufficient No Man is wicked for nothing And honour for their lying they could not expect in regard that all kind of dignities and promotions were then in the hands of the Pagans or Jews from whom they received nothing but reproach and ignominy Neither could they hope for any Wealth and Riches because this profession was oftentimes punished with the loss of goods and possessions or if it was not yet the Gospel could not be taught by them unless they omitted or neglected all care about worldly goods Neither could the hope of any other worldly advantage move them to utter untruths seeing that the very preaching of the Gospel did expose them to labours hunger thirst stripes and imprisonments To get credit and reputation only among their own Country-men was not so much worth that they poor simple Men whose life and doctrine was abhorrent from all pride should therefore run upon so great inconveniencies Neither again could they have any hope their doctrine would make such progress as to win them any fame being opposed both by the nature of Man which is intent to its own advantage and by the authority of them who then every where governed unless they had been some way animated and incouraged by the promise of God To which we may add that they had no reason to promise themselves that this fame such as it might prove would be durable since they expected God on purpose concealing his counsel in this matter the end of the whole World as nearly approaching which both their own Writings and the writings of those Christians that followed them make most evident It remains therefore that we say if they did lye it was for the defence of their Religion which cannot with any reason be laid to their charge if the thing be rightly considered For either they did sincerely believe that this Religion which they professed was the true Religion or else they were of a contrary mind If they did not believe it to be true nay if they thought not that it was absolutely the best they would never have made choice hereof and refused other Religions far more safe and commodious Nay further though they conceived it to be true yet they would not have professed it unless they had been fully perswaded that the profession thereof was necessary specially for that they might have easily foreseen and partly they could tell by experience what troops of Men would be exposed to death for this profession which without just cause to occasion was no better than plain robbery or murder But if we say they believed that this Religion was true and the very best and by all means to be professed and that after the death of their Lord and Master surely that could no way be so if their Masters promise concerning his Resurrection had deceived them and not proved true For that had been enough to make any Man in his wits disbelieve even that which he had already entertained Moreover all Religions and Christianity more than any other forbids lying in bearing false witness especially in divine things wherefore they could not
for the love of Religion and that such a Religion be induced to tell untruths Besides these Men were of an upright conversation their life was spotless and unblameable even in the judgment of their adversaries who had nothing to object against them save their simplicity which of all other dispositions is the most unlikely to forge a lye Nay there were none among these Primitive Christians whereof we speak who did not suffer grievous torments for professing that Jesus was risen and many of them were put unto most exquisite pains of death for bearing testimony of the same Now granting it to be possible that a Man in his wits may be content to endure such things for some opinion which he hath conceived and really believes in his mind yet that for a falshood which he knows to be so not only some one Man but a great many Men who are like to gain nothing at all by making that falshood to be believed should consent to suffer such cruel torments is a thing altogether incredible Now that these were not Mad-men both their conversation and their writings do abundantly testifie Likewise what is spoken of the first Apostles may also be said of Paul who openly taught that he saw Christ sitting in Heaven who also was not inferiour to any in the Jewish Religion nor might he have wanted dignities and preferments if he would have followed the foot-steps of his Fathers Whereas on the contrary by taking upon him the profession of Christianity he became liable to the hatred and malignity of his kinsfolks and ingaged himself to undertake difficult dangerous and laborious travels thorough the World and last of all to undergo a disgraceful death and torment SECT VIII Answer to the Objection that the Resurrection seems impossible SUCH and so great testimonies no Man can disprove or gainsay unless some will reply that the thing it self is impossible to be done for so are those things which imply a contradiction as they speak Howbeit that cannot be affirmed of this matter It might indeed if one could say that one and the self same Man lived and died at the self same time But that a Man may be restored from death to life especially by the power and vertue of him who first gave life and being unto Man I see no reason why it should be accounted for a thing impossible Neither hath it been thought impossible by wise Men For Plato writes that this was done to Eris an Armenian And the like is related of a certain Woman by Heraclides a Philosopher of Pontus of Aristaeus by Herodotus and of another by Plutarch all which whether true or false do shew that in the opinion of learned and wise Men the thing was conceived to be possible SECT IX The Resurrection of Jesus being granted the Truth of his Doctrine is confirmed NOW if it be neither impossible that Christ should return to Life again and it doth sufficiently appear by great testimonies wherewith Rabbi Bechai a Master of the Jews was so convinced that he acknowledged the truth of this thing and this Christ himself also as both his Disciples and others confess did publish a new Doctrine as by a Divine commandment truly it necessarily follows that that Doctrine is true For it doth not consist with the divine Justice and Wisdom to honour Him after so excellent a manner who had committed the crime of falsifying in so weighty a matter Especially considering that before his Death He had foretold to his Disciples both his Death and the kind of it and his Resurrection to Life again adding this withal that these things should therefore come to pass that they might testifie and confirm the truth of his Doctrine And thus much for the Arguments which arise from the facts themselves which were done Let us proceed to those which arise from the nature and quality of his Doctrine SECT X. Christian Religion preferred before all others AND here truly we must say that either all kind of divine worship whatsoever must be rejected and utterly banished from among Men which impiety will never enter into the heart of any one that can believe there is a God who takes care of all things and withal considers how Man is endued with excellency of understanding and liberty to chuse what is morally good or evil and upon that account is capable as of reward so of punishment or else this Religion is to be admitted and approved of for the very best not only in regard of the outward testimonies of works and miracles aforesaid but also in consideration of such inward and essential properties as are agreeing thereunto namely because there is not neither ever was there any other Religion in the whole World that can be produced either more honourable for excellency of reward or more absolute and perfect for precepts or more admirable for the manner according to which it was commanded to be propagated and divulged SECT XI For excellency of reward FOR to begin with the reward that is at the end propounded to Man which though it be the last in fruition and execution yet is it the first in his intention If we consider the institution of the Jewish Religion by the hand of Moses and the plain or express covenant of the Law we shall find nothing there promised save the welfare and happiness of this life as namely a fruitful Land abundance of Corn and Victual victory over their Enemies soundness of Body length of Days the comfortable blessing of a hopeful Issue and surviving Posterity and the like For if there be any thing beyond it is involved in dark shadows or must be collected by wise and difficult reasoning Which indeed was the cause why many in particular the Sadducees who professed themselves to be followers and observers of Moses his Law had no hope of enjoying any happiness after this life As for the Grecians who received their learning from the Chaldeans and Aegyptians and had some hope in another World after this life was ended they spake thereof after a very doubtful manner as appears by the disputations of Socrates by the Writings of Tully Seneca and others And the Arguments they produce for it are grounded upon uncertainties proving no more the happiness of a Man than of a Beast Which while some of them observed it was no wonder if they imagined that Souls were translated and conveyed from Men to Beasts and again from Beasts into Men. But because this opinion was not confirmed by any testimonies or grounded upon certain reason and yet it was undeniable that there is some end proposed to Man's actions therefore others were induced to think that vertue was the end or reward of Mens endeavours and that a wise Man was happy enough even though he were put into that tormenting brasen Bull made by Phalaris Howbeit this fancy was justly distasteful and improbable to another sort who saw well enough that Man's happiness especially the highest could not consist in any
the society of minds contains also a conjunction of Bodies Which without all doubt is most profitable also for the right education of those Children that are the fruit of that Conjunction Among the Pagans some few Nations were content with one Wife as the Germans and the Romans Which the Christians now follow that the mind of the Wife being intirely given to the Husband may be compensated with an equal retribution and the government of the Family may the better proceed under the direction of one Ruler and divers Mothers may not bring in discord among Children SECT XVI Touching the use of Temporal goods AND now to come to the use of those things which are vulgarly called Goods we find that thefts were permitted by some Paganish Nations as the Aegyptians and Lacedaemonians and they that did not allow this to private Men did publickly little else as the Romans Who must have returned to their Huts and Cottages the Roman Orator said if they should have been bound to restore to every body his own The Hebrews indeed had no such custome yet their Law that it might sute it self in some measure to the humour of that People permitted them to take usury of strangers amongst other things promising the reward of riches to them that observed the Law But the Law of Christianity for bids not only all kind of injustice towards all sort of Men but also prohibits us to take any carking and excessive care for these transitory things because our mind is not able diligently and duly to attend unto two several matters either of which are enough to take up the whole Man and oftentimes draw us into contrary thoughts and counsels Besides the excessive care both for getting and keeping riches is accompanied with a kind of bondage and anxiety which spoils that very pleasure which is expected from riches Whereas those things that nature is content withall are both few and easily acquired without much labour or charge yet if God bestow any overplus upon us so that we have somewhat to spare we are not commanded to cast the same into the Sea as some Philosophers unadvisedly have done neither must we keep it unprofitably or lavish it out wastfully but rather therewith we ought to supply the wants and exigencies of other Men either by giving or by lending to them that would borrow as becomes those that look upon themselves not as Lords and Masters of the things they enjoy but as Stewards and Dispensers under God Almighty the Father and Master of all knowing also that a benefit well bestowed is a treasure full of good hope which neither the wickedness of Thieves nor the variety of casualties can in the least diminish A rare example of which true and unfeigned liberality we find in the primitive Christians who sent relief as far as from Macedonia and Achaia to the poor that lived in Palestine as if the whole World had been but one Family And here in the Law of Christ this caution is added that the hope of being paid again or getting credit by it do not deflowre our bounty whose beauty and grace is quite lost with God if it have respect to any thing but him And that no Man may pretend for a cloak of his covetousness that he fears he may have need of all that he hath when he grows old or falls into any calamity the Law promises a special care of such Men as observe these Precepts And to work in greater confidence in them puts them in mind of the conspicuous Providence of God in feeding the wild Beasts and Cattle and in adorning the Herbs and Flowres and represents withall what an unworthy thing it would be if we should not believe so Good and so Powerful a God but deal with Him as if He were a bad Creditor whom we will not trust any further than while we have a Pawn or pledge in our hands for our security SECT XVII Of Swearing THERE are other Laws that forbid Perjury but this Law of Christ will have us to refrain also from all kind of swearing unless we be lawfully called thereunto upon necessity Nay enjoyns such faithfulness and sincerity in all our words that there may be no need to exact an Oath of us SECT XVIII Of other Matters MOreover there can nothing be found commendable and praise-worthy either in the Philosophical writings of the Grecians or in the sayings of the Hebrews and other Nations which is not contained in the Precepts of Christianity and that also established by Divine authority as namely concerning modesty temperance goodness decent behaviour prudence the office of Magistrates and Subjects Parents and Children Masters and Servants Man and Wife between themselves and chiefly the eschewing those vices which among many of the Grecians and Romans went under the name and colour of honesty such were the desires of honours and glory And to be short admirable is the substantial brevity of these precepts comprehended in these few words that we ought to love God above all things and our Neighbours as our selves that is we must do as we would be done unto SECT XIX Answer to an Objection touching the Controversies abounding among Christians BUT here peradventure some will object against this which we speak concerning the excellency of Christianity and tell us of the great diversity of opinions amongst Christians whereupon there have sprung so many sects and factions as do now abound in the Church For answer whereunto we may observe that the like diversity of opinions happens almost in all kind of Arts and Sciences to wit partly through the weakness of humane apprehension and partly because Man's judgment is hindred and intangled by his affections Howbeit this variety of opinions is contained within certain bounds and limits for there are some common principles agreed upon by all and whereupon they ground their doubts Thus in Mathematicks 't is questioned whether a circle may be made quadrangular but not whether after the taking away of equal parts from equal the residue will not remain equal The same may be seen in natural Philosophy also in the Art of Physick and in other Disciplines In like manner the difference of opinions that is amongst Christians doth not hinder the common consent and agreement in those fundamental principles for which chiefly we have commended Christian Religion the certainty whereof appears in this namely that those which out of mutual and deadly hatred sought all the occasion and matter of contention they could durst not for all that proceed so far as to deny that these Precepts were commanded by Christ no not even those that refuse to frame their lives and actions according to that rule But if there be any Man that will contradict these Principles he is to be accounted like to those Philosophers that denied the Snow to be white For as these are confuted by sense so are those convinced by the unanimous consent of all Christian Nations and of the Books which were written by
the first Christians and by those next to the first and by the Doctors which followed afterward even those that witnessed their faith in Christ by their death For in the opinion of any indifferent Judge that must needs be reputed the true doctrine of Christ which so many have successively acknowledged and professed like as we are perswaded that was the doctrine of Socrates which we read in Plato and Xenophon as also that of Zeno the Philosopher which we find held by the Stoicks SECT XX. The excellency of Christian Religion is further proved from the dignity of the Author THE third thing wherein we said Christian Religion excelled all others that are or can be devised was the manner whereby it was delivered and divulged Where first we shall speak of the Author They that were authors of the wisdom among the Grecians confessed that they could not affirm almost any thing for certain in their doctrine because quoth they truth lies bid in a deep Pit and our minds are no less dazeled in the contemplation of divine things than the eyes of an Owl in beholding the bright shining of the Sun Besides there was none among them but was notoriously guilty of some vice or other For some were flatterers of Princes others addicted to the impure love of Boys or Harlots others gloried in a Dog-like impudence And that they all envied one another their scolding about words or matters of no moment is a great argument as this is of their coldness in the worship of God that even they who believed one God set him aside and not only worshipped others but such as they knew were no Gods making that only the rule of their Religion which was commonly received and practised in publick Touching the reward of godliness they determined nothing for certain as appears by the last farewel disputation of Socrates at his death Mahomet the Author of a Religion that is spred very far his own Followers do not deny to have been a Man that abandoned himself to lust throughout his whole life But gave no assurance at all by which Men may be satisfied that there shall indeed be such a reward as he promised consisting in banqueting and in venery since they do not so much as pretend that his Body was raised to life again but it lies buried at Medina to this day And as for Moses the Founder of the Hebrew Law though he was an excellent Person yet he cannot be freed from all blame since he could scarcely be perswaded with much rejuctance to undertake the Embassy which God charged him withal to the King of Egypt and expressed also some distrust of God's promise for bringing water out of the Rock as the Hebrews themselves confess And he did scarce partake of any one of those promises which by the Law he made unto the People but was perplexed with continual mutinies and seditions in the Wilderness neither was he permitted to enter into that blessed and pleasant Land so much desired But Christ is described by his Disciples as a Person without all sin nor did others ever produce any testimony to prove that He was guilty of the least but whatsoever He prescribed to others He performed Himself For there was nothing that God gave Him in charge which He did not faithfully perform being most simple and void of guile in his whole life most patient of injuries nay of cruel torments as He showed in suffering even the punishment of the Cross most loving and kind to all Men even to his Enemies yea those Enemies who put Him to death on whom he had such compassion that he beseeched God to forgive them As for the reward which he promised unto his Disciples it is both said and proved by undoubted arguments that He himself is made partaker thereof after a most eminent and excellent manner For after he was risen from the dead there were many that beheld and heard and handled and felt Him He also ascended up into Heaven in the sight of his Twelve Disciples where He obtained the highest power as was evident in that according to his promise made at his departure he endued them that were his Followers with ability to speak those Languages which they had never learnt and with other wonder-working Powers which will not let us doubt either of his faithfulness nor of his Power to bestow upon us the reward which he hath promised And thus we have shown how that this Religion is more excellent than others in regard that Christ the Author of it hath himself performed what he commanded as also in his own person obtained and already enjoyeth the happiness that he promised SECT XXI Also from the wonderful spreading of this Religion LET us in the next place descend to the effects of this doctrine brought by him to the World which if they be well weighed will appear to be such that if God have any care of humane affairs this doctrine cannot but be believed to be Divine It was very agreeable to Divine Providence to make that which was best to be of the greatest and largest extent Now such was the success of the Christian Religion which we see published and taught through all Europe not excepting the most Northern Provinces and no less through all Asia even the Islands of it in the Sea through Egypt also and Aethiopia and some other parts of Africa And lastly through America Nor is this only done now but was so anciently as is witnessed by the Histories of all times by the Books of Christians the acts of Synods and by that old Tradition at this day preserved among the Barbarians concerning the Travels and Miracles of Thomas Andrew and other Apostles Clemens Tertullian and some Ancients besides have noted how far the name of Christ was known amongst the Britains Germans and other most remote Nations in their times And certainly there is no other Religion comparable hereunto for ample and large extent Paganisme indeed is one name but cannot be said to be one Religion since that it was neither agreed upon by the Professors thereof what one thing they should worship but some adored the Stars others the Elements and a third sort reverenced their Cattel others such things as have no subsistence Nor was this worship performed by vertue of the same Law nor from any common Master The Jews indeed are dispersed and scattered up and down yet remain one people Howbeit their Religion had never any notable growth or increase after Christ's Ascension and their Law was not so much made known by them as by Christians Then for Mahumetanisme it is possessed of Land enough but 't is not alone for Christian Religion is also professed in the same Countries where in some places there are greater numbers of Christians than of Turks who on the contrary are not to be found at all in most parts where Christianity is planted SECT XXII Considering the meekness and simplicity of them that first taught this Religion IT
lived in those times and was present when the things were done In like manner it ought to suffice us that whosoever wrote the Books we speak of both lived in the primitive Age and were endued with Apostolical gifts For if any body will say that these qualities might be feigned as the very Names might be in other Writings he says that which is not credible viz. that they who every where press the study of truth and piety would for no cause at all make themselves guilty of the crime of forgery which is not only detestable among all good Men but by the Roman Laws was to be punished with death SECT V. These Pen-men writ the Truth because they had certain knowledge of what they writ THIS therefore must be allowed that the Books of the new covenant were written by those Authors whose Names they bear or by such as bear sufficient witness of themselves To which if we farther add that they were also well acquainted with the matters whereof they wrote and had no purpose to lye or dissemble it will follow that the things which they committed to writing were both certain and true because every untruth proceeds either from ignorance or from a wicked desire to deceive As touching Matthew John Peter and Jude they were all of the society and fellowship of those Twelve whom Jesus did chuse to be witnesses of his Life and Doctrine so that they could not want notice of those things which they did relate The same may be said of James who was either an Apostle or as some think the next a-kin to Jesus and by the Apostles consecrated Bishop of Hierusalem Paul also could not erre through lack of knowledge about those Points which he professeth were revealed to him by Jesus himself reigning in Heaven nor could he or Luke either who was an inseparable companion to him in his travels be deceived about those things which were done by himself This Luke might easily know the certainty of those things which he writ concerning the life and death of Jesus For he was born in the places next adjoyning to Palestina through which Countrey when he travelled he saith he spake with such persons as were eye-witnesses of the things that were done For doubtless besides the Apostles with whom he had familiarity there lived many others at that time who had been cured by Jesus and had seen him both before his Death and after his Resurrection If we will give credit to Tacitus and Suetonius in those things which happened a long time before they were born because we are confident that they diligently enquired into the truth thereof how much more ought we to believe this Writer who saith that he received all the things which he relates from them that had seen the same It is credibly reported of Mark that he was a constant companion with Peter so that whatsoever he writ are to be lookt upon as dictated by Peter who could not be ignorant thereof Besides the same things that he writes are almost all extant in the Writings of the Apostles Neither could the Author of the Apocalypse be deceived or deluded in those Visions which he saith were sent unto him from Heaven Nor he that writ the Epistle to the Hebrews erre in those things which he professeth either to be inspired into him by the Spirit of God or else taught him by the Apostles SECT VI. As also because they would not lye THE other reason we spake of to prove the truth of the said Holy Writers because they had no will to tell an untruth is twisted with that which we handled above when in general we proved the truth of Christian Religion and of the history of the Resurrection of Christ Those that will accuse any Witnesses for the pravity of their will must produce something by which it may be thought credible their will might be diverted from uttering the truth but this cannot be averred of the said Authors For if any do object and say that they acted in their own cause and did their own business we must see why this should be thought their cause and interest Not that they might get any thing by it in this World or thereby avoid any danger when for the sake of this profession they both lost all the goods of this World and ventured upon all manner of dangers This therefore was not their cause and interest but only out of reverence to God which sure doth not perswade Men to lye especially in such a business whereupon depends the everlasting Salvation of Mankind Such an impious piece of villany we cannot believe they could be guilty of if we consider either their Doctrines every where most full of piety or their life which was never yet accused of any wicked deed no not by their greatest Enemies who objected nothing to them but their want of learning and unskilfulness which did not qualifie them sure for inventing falshoods And indeed if there had been the least spice as we speak of fraud and cheating in them they would not themselves have recorded their own faults and preserved the memory of them as of their all forsaking their Master when he was in danger and Peter's denial of him three times SECT VII A Confirmation of the Fidelity of these Authors from the Miracles which they wrought ON the other side God himself gave illustrious testimonies of their Fidelity by working wonders which either they or their Disciples with great boldness publickly avouched adding also the names of the persons places and other circumstances So that the truth or falshood of their assertion might easily have been discovered by the inquisition of the Magistrate Amongst which it is worthy our observation which they have most constantly delivered both concerning the use of Tongues which they had never learned among many thousand Men and their curing the diseases of the body upon a suddain in the sight of the People Neither were they any whit dismayed with fear either of the Jewish Magistrates of those times whom they knew to be most maliciously set against them or of the Romans who were far from having any good will to them and they were sure would lay hold on any thing on which they might ground a charge of their being inventors of a new Religion And yet neither Jews nor Pagans in the times immediately following durst ever deny that wonders were wrought by those Men. Yea the Miracles of Peter are mentioned by Phlegon in his Annals who lived under Adrian the Emperor Moreover the Christians themselves in those Books that contain a reason of their faith which they exhibited to the Emperors to the Senate and to the Governors do relate these things as most manifest and unquestionable truths yea they openly report that there continued a wonderful vertue of working strange effects at their Sepulchers for some Ages after their Death which if it had been false they knew that to their shame and punishment the Magistrates could have confuted
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
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
the keepers of these Books For first of all the Ten Tribes were led away captive by the Assyrians into Media then afterward the two other Tribes And many of these also after Cyrus granted them liberty to return setled themselves in foreign Countries The Macedonians invited them with great promises to come into Alexandria The cruelty of Antiochus the civil Wars of the Maccabees together with those of Pompey and Sossius from without did disperse and scatter abroad many of them The parts of Africa about Cyrene were full of the Jews so were the Cities of Asia Macedonia Lycaonia and likewise the Isles of Cyprus Crete and others Also what a number of them there was at Rome may be learned out of Horace Juvenal and Martial Now it is not possible that such Multitudes so far distant one from another should be cozened in this kind neither could they ever accord all in the coining of an untruth Add moreover that almost Three Hundred Years before Christ at the appointment and care of the Kings of Egypt those Books of the Hebrews were translated into the Greek Tongue by those that are called the Seventy Interpreters So as then the Grecians had the sense and substance of them though in another Language whereby they were the less liable to be changed Nay more these Books were translated both into the Chaldee Tongue and into that of Jerusalem that is the half Syriac a little before and a little after the time of Christ Other Greek translations afterward there were as namely by Aquila Symmachus and Theodotion all which Origen compared with that of the Seventy Interpreters and after him others also who could find no diversity of history or of any matter worth speaking of Philo lived in the Reign of Caligula and Josephus survived the times of both the Vespasians which two Writers alledge out of the Hebrew Books the same things that we read at this day Now in these very times began Christian Religion to be more and more propagated being professed by many of the Hebrews and by sundry Persons that had learned the Hebrew Tongue who if the Jews had falsified in any notable part could have quickly discovered it by comparing more ancient Copies and so have made it publickly known But they are so far from doing this that on the other side they alledge many testimonies out of the old covenant to the same sense and meaning that they are used by the Hebrews which Hebrews may sooner be accused of any other fault than I will not say falshood but of so much as negligence about these Books which they have so religiously and exactly described and compared that they know how often any one Letter is found therein The last though not the least argument to prove that the Jews did not purposely corrupt or alter the Scripture may be because the Christians out of the very Books which are read by the Jews do evince and as they trust very strongly that their Lord and Master Jesus is that same very Messias which was anciently promised to the Jews their Forefathers Which above all things the Jews would have taken care should not have been done when the controversie arose between them and the Christians if ever it had been in their power to have changed what they listed The Fourth Book OF THE TRUTH OF Christian Religion SECT I. A particular Confutation of the Religions opposite to Christianity THE Fourth Book beginning with that pleasure which many Men are wont to take in beholding the danger wherein others are while they are in none themselves shows that it ought to be the greatest pleasure of a Christian Man in this life not only to rejoyce and bless himself that he hath found out the Truth but to lend his help also to others that wander up and down in the Labyrinths of Errour and to make them partakers of so great a benefit Which we in some measure have indeavoured to do in the former Books the demonstration of that which is true containing in it self the confutation of what is false yet in regard that all kinds of Religions which oppose themselves to the Christian Viz. Paganism Judaism and Mahometism besides that which is common to all have certain errours proper to every one of them and their peculiar Arguments which they are wont to oppose us withal it will not be amiss to make a particular Disputation against every one of these First beseeching the Readers to free their judgments from leaning to a Party and from long custome and prejudice as impediments of a good mind that with the greater indifferency they may take cognizance of what shall be said SECT II. And first of Paganisme 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 TO begin then against Pagans If they say that there are divers eternal and coequal Gods we have confuted this Opinion before in the first Book where we taught that there is but only one God who is the cause of all things Or if they by the name of Gods do understand the created Spirits which are superior to Men they then either mean the good or the bad if they say the good first they ought to be well assured that such are so indeed otherwise they commit a dangerous error in receiving enemies in stead of friends and Traytors for Ambassadors Then it were but reason that they should in their very worship make an evident difference between the most high God and those Spirits And likewise be satisfied what order there is among them what good may be expected from each of them and what honour the most High is willing should be bestowed on every one of them All which being wanting in their Religion it is plain from thence how uncertain that Religion is and how it were a safer course for them to betake themselves to the worship of one Almighty God which even Plato confessed was the duty of every wise Man specially for that to whomsoever God is propitious and favourable to them these good Angels must needs be serviceable and gracious being the Ministers and Servants of the most High SECT III. Evil Spirits adored by Pagans and how impious a thing it is BUT it was the bad not the good Spirits which the Pagans did worship as may be proved by weighty reasons first because these adored Angels did not throw off their worshippers unto the service of the true God but as much as in them lay laboured to abolish the same or at least in every respect required equal honour with the Almighty Secondly because they procured all the mischief they could to the worshippers of the one most High God by provoking both Magistrates and People to inflict punishments upon them For when it was lawful for Poets to sing of the murders and adulteries committed by the Gods and for the Epicures to take away all divine Providence and any other Religion though never
a kind of God over them SECT VII Against worshipping of things that are no substances WE find also that the Grecians Romans and others worshipped those things which have no subsistence but are meer Accidents of other things For to omit those uncouth Deities the Fever dame Impudence and the like let us name the better sort such were health which is nothing but a right temperature of the parts of the body good fortune which is an event that is correspondent to a Man's desire The affections also such as love fear anger hope and the rest which proceed from the consideration of something that is good or evil easie or difficult are certain motions or passions in that part of the mind which is united to the body by the blood especially not having any absolute power of themselves but are subordinate hand maids to the commands of the will their Mistress at least in their continuance and direction Then for Vertues whose Names are divers Prudence in chusing what is profitable for us Fortitude in undertaking dangers Justice in abstaining from that which is another Man's Temperance in the moderation of pleasures c. they are certain inclinations and propensions in the mind unto that which is right grown up by long exercise and practice Which as they may be augmented in a Man so may they by neglect be diminished nay quite lost and abolished As for Honour whereunto we read there were Temples dedicated it is other Mens judgment or good opinion concerning one whom they supposed indued with Vertue which is often bestowed upon bad men as well as good by the natural proneness there is in Men to erre in their judgment These therefore having no subsistence and therefore not to be compared in dignity and worth with things that do subsist nor having any understanding of Mens prayers or veneration it is most absurd and unreasonable to worship them as Gods when for this very thing He is to be worshipped who can both give and preserve them SECT VIII Answer to the Argument of the Gentiles taken from Miracles done among them THE Pagans for the commendation of their Religion are wont to alledge Miracles but such as in many things may be excepted against For the wisest Men among the Pagans rejected many of these as supported by no testimony of any credible witness but plainly counterfeit and fabulous Other Miracles which they said were done hapned in some secret place in the night before one or two whose eyes the craft of the Priests might easily delude by false shows and appearances of things And there are others which raised great admiration and passed for wonders meerly because they met with those who were ignorant of natural things especially of hidden properties As for instance such a thing might happen if one should draw Iron with the Loadstone among People who knew nothing of its vertue in which arts Simon Magus and Apollonius as many have recorded were very skilful I do not deny but some things greater than these were seen which by Man's power alone could not be drawn out of natural causes and yet did not need a power which was truly divine that is omnipotent but might be performed by Spirits that are placed between God and Men. Who by their celerity efficacy subtilty and diligence can easily carry things far distant from one place to another and compound things that are very different to the working of such effects as shall strike Men with astonishment But that the Spirits whereby this was effected were not good and therefore neither was the Religion good appears already from what hath been said before And from hence also that they said they were compelled to do things even against their wills by the power of certain charms when the wisest of the Pagans agree that there can be no such vertue in words but only a power of perswasion and that no other way than by their signification And it is another token of their wickedness that they undertook to allure and draw this or that body though never so backward to it into the love of such or such a Person Wherein they were injurious to them either in their vain promises or in effecting what they promised for this also is forbidden by humane Laws as a piece of Sorcery Neither need any Man wonder why God suffered some marvels to be wrought by evil Spirits among the Gentiles seeing they deserved to be cheated with such illusions who so long time had forsaken the worship of the true God Moreover this is an argument of their weakeness and impotency that their works never brought any considerable good along with them For if any seemed to be called back to life after they were dead they did not continue alive neither could they exercise the functions of living Creatures Or if it happened that any thing proceeding happily from a divine power did appear to the Pagans yet the same was not foretold should come to pass for the confirmation of their Religion and therefore there might be other causes and far different reasons which the divine efficacy propounded to it self in the doing those things As for example if it was true that Vespasian restored sight to one blind this was done that he being thereby made more venerable might the more easily obtain the Roman Empire to which he was chosen by God that he might be a Minister of his Judgments upon the Jews More such like causes there may be of other wonders which had no relation at all to their Religion SECT IX And from Oracles THE very same likewise in a manner may serve for answer to that which they object concerning Oracles especially what we have said that these Men did worthily deserve to be deluded for contempt of that knowledge which reason or ancient tradition suggested to every one of them Then again the words of the Oracles for the most part were ambiguous and might easily receive an interpretation from any event whatsoever Or if there was any thing more expresly foretold by them yet it is not necessary that it should proceed from an all-knowing mind For it was either such a thing as might be foreseen by natural causes then existing as some Physicians have foretold Diseases that are a coming or else some probable conjecture might be made by that which commonly falls out and usually comes to pass as we read of some persons well skill'd in civil affairs that have made notable guesses at future events Again suppose that amongst the Pagans God sometimes used the ministery of some Prophets to foretel those things which could have no certain cause besides the will of God yet this did not approve or confirm their heathenish Religion but rather overthew it Such for instance are those things in the fourth Eclogue of Virgil taken out of the Sibyls verses where unwittingly the Poet gives us a lively description of the coming of Christ and his benefits So in the same Books of the Sibyls it was that
and Apparel we ought to content our selves with so much as will suffice nature and the like Or if happily there be some points in Christianity hard to be believed yet the like also is found amongst the wisest of the Heathen themselves as before we have shewn concerning the immortality of Souls and of the Resurrection of Bodies Thus Plato as he learned from the Chaldeans distinguished the Divine nature into the Father and the mind of the Father which he calls also the branch of God the Maker of the World and the Soul or Spirit which keeps together and preserveth all things Julian as great an enemy as he was of Christians thought that the Divine Nature might be joyned to the humane and gave instance in Aesculapius whom he imagined to have descended from Heaven to the end he might teach Men the Art of Physick The Cross of Christ offendeth many But what do not the Pagan Writers tell of their Gods that some of them waited upon Kings and Princes others were Thunder-struck others cut in sunder And the wisest of them say that the more it costs us to be honest the more joy and delight it affords us To conclude Plato in the second Book of his Common-wealth as if he had been a Prophet saith for a Man to appear truly just and upright it is requisite that his vertue be bereaved of all outward ornaments so that he be by others accounted a wicked wretch and scoffed at and last of all hanged And indeed that Christ might be the Pattern of greatest Patience could no otherwise be obtained The Fifth Book OF THE TRUTH OF Christian Religion SECT I. A refutation of the Jews beginning with a speech unto them or prayer for them JUST like that glimmering between light and darkness which appears to those who by little and little are endeavouring to get out of a dark Cave or Dungeon such doth Judaism present it self to us who are stepping out of the thick mist of Paganism of which we have been discoursing as a part and beginning of Truth I request the Jews therefore not to be averse to hear us We are not ignorant that they are the off-spring of holy Men whom God was wont to visit both by his Prophets and by his Angels Of this Nation sprang our Messias and the first Doctors of Christianity It is their Tree whereinto we are ingraffed they are the keepers of God's Oracles which we do reverence as much as they and with St. Paul sigh unto God for them and pray that the day may quickly come when the Vail being taken away which hangs over their Faces they with us shall see the fulfilling of the Law And when as it is in their Prophecies every one of us that are strangers shall lay hold on the Cloak of him that is an Hebrew desiring that we may together with a pious consent worship the only true God who is the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. SECT II. The Jews ought to account the Miracles of Christ sufficiently proved FIRST of all then we must intreat them not to think that to be unjust in another Man's case which they judge to be just and equitable in their own If any Pagan demand of them why they believe that Miracles were wrought by Moses they can give no other answer save that there was always so constant a report thereof among their Nation that it could not but proceed from the testimony of such as had seen the same Thus that the Widows Oyl was increased by Elisha that Naaman the Syrian was suddenly cured of the Leprosie that the Womans Son in whose House he lodged was restored to life and other such like are believed by the Jews for no other reason than because witnesses of good credit have recorded to posterity that such things were done And they believe Elias his taking up into heaven only for the single testimony of Elisha as a Man beyond all exception But we produce twelve witnesses of unblameable life to testifie that Christ ascended up into Heaven And many more that saw him upon the Earth after his death Which things if they be true then necessarily Christs doctrine is true also and indeed nothing at all can be alledged by the Jews for themselves which by equal right or more just title may not be applyed to us also But to omit further testimonies it is the confession of the Authors of the Talmud and other Jews themselves that strange wonders were wrought by Christ which ought to suffice for this particular For God cannot any way more effectually gain authority unto a doctrine published by Man than by the working of miracles SECT III. And not believe that they were done by the help of Devils THESE Miracles of Christ some said were done by the help of Devils But this calumny hath been confuted before when we shewed that wheresoever the doctrine of Christ was taught and known there all power of the Devils was broken in pieces Others reply that Jesus learned Magick arts in Egypt but this slander hath no more nay not so much colour of truth than the like accusation by the Pagans framed against Moses whereof we read in Pliny and Apuleius For that ever Jesus was in Egypt doth not appear save only out of the Writings of his Disciples who add further that he was an Infant when he returned thence But it is certain by his own and others report that Moses lived a great part of his time after he was grown to Mans estate in Aegypt Howbeit the Law as well of Moses as of Christ frees them both from this crime plainly forbidding such arts as abominable in the sight of God And without all question if in the time of Christ and his Disciples there had been either in Egypt or any where else any such Magical art whereby Men might have been enabled to do the like marvels as are related of Christ to wit giving speech to the Dumb on a suddain making the Lame to walk and the Blind to see then would Tyberius Nero and other Emperors have found it out who spared no costs and charges in the inquiry after such like things Nay if it were true which the Jews relate how that the Senators of the great Council were skill'd in Magick arts that they might convince them that were guilty of that iniquity then surely they being so mightily incensed against Jesus as they were and envying the honour and respect which he obtained chiefly by his miracles would either themselves have done the like works by the same art or by sufficient reasons would have made it appear that the works of Christ proceeded from no other cause SECT IV. Or by the Power of Words and Syllables MOreover that is not only a meer fable but impudent lye which some of the Jews have invented concerning the Miracles done by Christ which they ascribe to a certain secret name which as they say being placed in the Temple by Solomon was preserved safe by two Lions
least to the diminution or lessening of the glory of God the Father from whom this power of Jesus doth proceed to whom it must return and to whose honour also it ministers and serves SECT XXIII The Conclusion of this part with Prayer for the Jews BUT it is not our purpose in this Work to make any further curious inquiry into these matters neither had we spoken hereof but only to shew that there is no wicked or absurd point in our Christian doctrine which any one can pretend why he should not embrace a Religion which is beautified and confirmed with so many wonders commands such honest things and promises such excellent rewards For he that hath once received and embraced the same must for further instruction in special and particular questions consult those Books wherein as we have formerly declared the points of Christian Religion are contained which that it may come to pass we beseech the Almighty to illuminate the hearts and minds of the Jews with the brightness of his truth and to make those prayers effectual which Christ himself uttered for them even while he was hanging upon the Cross The Sixth Book OF THE TRUTH OF Christian Religion SECT I. A Confutation of Mahumetanisme the beginning of it THE Sixth Book which is opposed to the Mahumetans in stead of a Preface deduces the Judgments of GOD against Christians unto the very beginning and rise of Mahometisme showing that is how that sincere and simple piety which flourished among Christians even when they were most grievously vexed and oppressed began by little and little to wax cold from the time that by the favour of Constantine and the following Emperors that profession was become not only safe but also honourable the World being as it were thrust into the Church For first of all Christian Princes would needs continue fighting and make no end of their Wars even then when they might have enjoyed peace and quietness Among the Bishops also there were most sharp Contentions about the Chiefest Sees And as at the beginning the greatest mischiefs insued upon the preferring of the Tree of knowledge before the Tree of Life even so then also was curious Learning more regarded than a godly Life and Religion turned into an Art The consequent of which was that after the example of those who built the Tower of Babel a rash affectation of things out of their reach bred jarring and confusion in their Language together with discord one with another Which the common People observing and not knowing oft-times which way to turn themselves they threw the blame upon the holy Scriptures and began to avoid them as hurtful and dangerous Religion also began every where to be placed not in purity of mind but as if Judaism was brought back into the World in Rites and Ceremonies and in such things as contain rather an exercise of the body than any amendment of the mind and in an eager zeal for that Party and side which they had once chosen Till at length it came to pass that there were every where many Christians in Name but very few in Deed. GOD did not wink at these Vices of his People but out of the innermost parts of Scythia and Germany poured forth like a Deluge immense swarms of Barbarous People into the Christian World And when the vast slaughters which they made proved not sufficient to correct and amend the lives of those that survived Mahomet by God's just permission sowed a new Religion in Arabia and that directly opposite to the Christian Religion but which in words expressed in a manner the life of the greatest part of Christians This Religion was first entertained by the Saracens who had revolted from Heraclius the Emperour and by their Arms subdued in a short space Arabia Syria Palestine Egypt Persia and afterward possessed themselves of Africa and beyond the Sea of Spain also But the power of the Saracens was abated as by others so chiefly by the Turks a Nation also very Warlike which after long combates with the Saracens being invited to Peace easily embraced a Religion suited to their manners and transferred the Majesty of the Empire to themselves The Cities of Asia and Greece were taken and by the growing success of their Arms they came into Hungary and the Borders of Germany SECT II. The overthrow of the foundation of Mahumetanisme in denying inquiry into Religion THIS Religion altogether contrived for the shedding of blood delights much in Rites and Ceremonies and would be believed without all liberty of enquiry thereinto whence the Vulgar are prohibited to read their Books that are accounted holy Which thing is a manifest argument of the iniquity thereof For justly may that Merchandise be suspected which is obtruded upon this condition that it be not lookt into It is true indeed there is not in all Men a like capacity or knowledge and quick in sight into all things many being led into error by pride others by inordinate passion or affection and some by custome But the divine goodness forbids us to think that those Men cannot know and find the way to eternal salvation who seek it not for any by-respect of profit or honour but with submission of themselves and all they have unto God imploring his assistance for the obtaining of the same And since that God hath implanted in the mind of Man the power and faculty of judging there is no part of truth that better deserves the imployment thereof than that of which we cannot be ignorant without the danger of losing eternal salvation SECT III. A Proof against the Mahumetans taken out of the Books of the Hebrews and Christians which are not corrupted IT is granted by Mahomet and his followers that Moses was sent of God and Jesus also and that they were holy Men which first of all published the doctrine of Jesus But in the Alcoran which is Mahumet's law many things are recorded plain contrary to what is delivered by Moses and by the Disciples of Jesus Thus to give one example for many all the Apostles and Disciples of Christ with one consent do testifie that Jesus was crucified that the third day he was restored to life again and after that was seen of many But Mahumet teacheth quite contrary namely that Jesus was privily conveyed into Heaven and not himself but something in his likeness was nailed to the Cross and consequently he did not die but the sight of the Jews was deluded and deceived This Objection cannot be put off unless Mahumet say as he doth that the Books of Moses and of Christ's Disciples have not remained as they were at first but have been corrupted But we have confuted this fiction before in the third Book Without doubt if any Man should say that the Alchoran is corrupted the Mahumetans would deny it and say that were an answer sufficient to those that could not prove the contrary But they cannot moreover for the integrity of their Book alledge such arguments
as we do produce concerning the several Copies that were in a short space dispersed thorowout the World and that not as the Alchoran in one Language which Copies were preserved by the fidelity of so many Sects that varied much about other matters The Mahumetans are perswaded that in the fourteenth Chapter of St. John where mention is made of sending the Comforter there hath been something registred concerning Mahumet which the Christians have razed out But here let me ask of them whether they think this depravation of Scripture was committed since the time of Mahumet or before That it happened not after the coming of Mahumet is plain because ever since that time there have been in the World very many Copies not only in the Greek Language but in the Syriac Arabick and in parts far distant from Arabia the Ethiopick and Latine Tongues of divers translations all which do so agree in that place as there cannot be shown any diversity at all And before the time of Mahumet there was no cause of alteration For no Man could know before his coming what Mahumet would teach Yea if the doctrine of Mahumet had contained nothing contrary to the doctrine of Jesus the Christians would have made no more difficulty to receive his Books than they did to receive the Books of Moses and the Hebrew Prophets Or suppose there had been nothing written either of the doctrine of Jesus or of Mahumet It is but equity that that be received for the doctrine of Jesus which all Christians generally agree upon and that for the doctrine of Mahumet which all Mahumetans do allow of SECT IV. By comparing Mahumet with Christ in their Persons IN the next place let us compare the adjuncts and qualities of both their Doctrines to the end we may see whether of the two is to be preferred before the other And first let us consider the authors As for Jesus Mahumet himself confesseth that he was the Messias which was promised in the Law and in the Prophets whom the same Mahumet calls the word the mind and the wisdom of God saying also that he had no Father of Mankind But Mahumet as his own Followers believe was generated and begot according to the ordinary course of nature The life of Jesus was altogether unblameable there being no crime that could be objected against him But Mahumet a long time was a Robber and always effeminate Jesus ascended into Heaven as Mahumet confesseth but Mahumet lies yet intombed in his Sepulcher Who then sees not whether of them is to be followed SECT V. And in their Deeds NEXT the dignity of their Persons consider we their acts Jesus gave sight to the blind health to them that were sick and made the lame to walk yea by Mahumet's own confession he raised some from the dead But Mahumet saith of himself that he was sent not with miracles but with Arms. Howbeit some of his Followers ascribe to him miracles also But what kind I pray Only such as may either be done by humane art as that of a Dove which came flying to his ear or such as had no witnesses as that of a Camel which is said to have had some conference with him by night or lastly such as are confuted by their own absurdity as that a great part of the Moon fell into his lap or into his sleeve which he to restore roundness to that Star sent back again to it Now who will not say that in a doubtful case we ought to adhere to that Law which hath the surer and more certain Testimonies of Divine approbation SECT VI. Also such as first embraced both Religions NEXT let us see who and what manner of Persons they were that first received these several laws They that first embraced the law of Jesus were such as feared God Men of a plain and innocent life Now it stands not with the goodness of God to suffer such men to be gull'd and cheated either by bewitching speeches or by an appearance of Miracles But they that first received Mahometism were Thieves and Robbers Men estranged from all humanity and piety SECT VII The manner how both their Laws were propagated IN the next place follows the manner how both these Religions were propagated and spread abroad As for Christianity we have shown more than once that it was enlarged and amplified by the miracles not only of Christ but also of his Disciples and those that succeeded them as likewise by the very patient enduring of the torments and punishments that Christians suffered But the Doctors of Mahumetism wrought no miracles at all neither did they suffer any grievous persecutions or cruel kinds of death for their profession But it is a Religion which follows where Arms go before of which it is an accessary and nothing of it self Nor do they themselves bring any better argument for the truth thereof than their good success in their Wars and the largeness of their Empire than which nothing in this point is more deceitful and uncertain They condemn the worship and services of the Pagans and yet we know what great victories were won by the Persians Macedonians and Romans and how ample their Dominions were Neither have the Mahumetans themselves had always good success with their Armies The slaughters and great overthrows that they have received in many places both by Sea and by Land are not unknown They are now banished quite out of all Spain There is nothing that is liable to such uncertain alterations nothing that may be common both to good and bad which can be a certain note of true Religion much less can their Arms which are so unjust that oftentimes they fall upon people that do not any way molest or offend them nor are known to them by any injury in so much that all the pretence they have for their Arms is only Religion which is most irreligious For there is no true worship of God but what proceeds from a willing mind And the will is to be wrought upon by good instruction and gentle perswasion but not by threats or violence He that is compelled to believe doth not believe at all but plays the hypocrite and feigns himself to believe that he may escape and avoid some danger or punishment And he that by threats or sense of punishment will force another Man's assent shows by that very proceeding that he distrusts his arguments Again they themselves destroy this very pretence of Religion in that they suffer any people that live under their Dominion to use what Religion they please yea and sometimes they will openly acknowledge that Christians may be saved by their own Law SECT VIII The Precepts of both Religions compared FUrthermore let us compare the several commandments of both Religions the one whereof commandeth patience yea and love even to them that hate us But the other revenge In the one the bond of matrimony is kept firm and inviolable between the married parties by a mutual bearing with one
anothers humors But in the other there is licence granted to depart and be divorced Here the Husband performs himself what he requires of his Wife and by his own example teacheth her to fasten her affection upon him alone But there they may have Wives after Wives there being still new incentives and fresh provocations to lust Here Religion is planted within and rooted in the very heart and Soul that it being well cultivated may bring forth fruit profitable for Mankind but there Religion spends almost its whole force in Circumcision and in some other things that of themselves are neither good nor bad Finally here in Christianity a moderate use of Meats and Wine is allowed of but there in Mahumetism Men are forbidden to eat Swines flesh and to drink Wine which notwithstanding is a great gift of God beneficial both for body and mind if it be soberly taken And truly it is no wonder if some childish rudiments were taught before the most perfect law as that of Christ is But after the promulgation thereof to return again to types and figures were preposterous Neither can any just reason be given why after Christian Religion which is far the best it should be fit that any other should be brought forth SECT IX Answer to the Mahumetans Objection concerning the Son of God THE Mahumetans tell us they are not a little displeased with us for saying that God hath a Son seeing he useth not a Wife As though the word Son could not have a more divine signification in God But Mahumet himself attributes many things as dishonorable and ill-beseeming God as if he should be said to have a Wife Thus he saith that God had a cold hand which himself knew by experience that God was carried in a chair and the like Howbeit when we say that Jesus is the Son of God we do but signifie the same thing that he means when he calls him the word of God For the word is after a sort begotten of the mind Add further that he was born of a Virgin only by the operation of God supplying the vertue or efficacy of a Father that by the power of God he was carried up into Heaven all which being confessed even by Mahumet himself do shew that Jesus by a singular prerogative and peculiar right may and ought to be called the Son of God SECT X. Many absurd things in the Books of Mahumetans BUT on the other side it would be long to relate how many things there are contrary to the truth of history and many things very ridiculous in the writings of the Mahumetans Such is that fable of a fair and beautiful Woman that learned a solemn charm or Song of some Angels that were drunk whereby she was wont to ascend into the Sky and likewise descend again and ascending once a great height into Heaven she was caught of God and there fixed and made that Star which is called Venus Like to this is that of a mouse in Noah's Ark that was bred of an Elephant's Dung and a Cat of the breath of a Lion More specially that most notorious fiction concerning Death to be changed into a Ram that must remain in the middle space between Heaven and Hell And the Fable of sweating out their good chear in the other life When likewise they imagine there shall be whole troups of Women assigned to every Man for pleasure of carnal copulation All which are so very egregious absurdities that whosoever believes them deserves to be stupified and given over to a reprobate sense for his iniquity specially such a one as lives where the light of the Gospel shineth SECT XI A Conclusion directed unto Christians admonishing them of their duty upon the occasion of what hath formerly been handled AND thus having ended this last disputation against the Mahumetans there follows a conclusion of the whole not to aliens or strangers but to all sorts of Christians of what Name Nation or Quality soever they be Showing briefly the use or application of what hath hitherto been delivered to the end those things may be followed and sought after which are good and on the contrary the evil eschewed First of all that they lift up pure hands and hearts unto that God who of nothing made all visible and invisible things having sure confidence in him that his providence and care watcheth over us seeing that without his permission not so much as a Sparrow falls to the ground And let them not fear those which can only kill the body but rather let them fear him that hath like power both over soul and body And let them not only trust in God the Father but also in Jesus Christ his Son since there is no other name upon Earth by which we can be saved And this they may rightly do if they be verily perswaded that eternal life is prepared not for such as in word only call God their Father and Jesus their Lord but for such as frame their life according to the will of Jesus and their Father which is in Heaven Furthermore Christians are admonished faithfully and with due care to preserve the doctrine of Christ as a most precious treasure And for this cause let them often read and meditate the Books of the Holy Scripture whereby no Man can be deceived unless first he deceive himself For the Authors and Pen-men of those Writings were more just and full of Divine Inspiration than that they would deprive us of necessary truths or cover and conceal the same with any clouds Howbeit for the right understanding hereof we must bring a mind disposed and prepared to obedience which if we do then nothing shall be hid from us which ought to be believed hoped for or done by us And by this means that holy Spirit will be cherished and excited in us which is given us for a pledge and earnest of our future happiness Moreover I deterr Christians from imitating the Pagans first in their worship of false Gods which are nothing but vain names which evil Daemons use to alienate our minds and affections from the worship of the true God Wherefore we cannot possibly participate with them in their services and expect to receive benefit by the Sacrifice of Christ Secondly neither may Christians imitate the Heathen in their licentious and dissolute manner of life having no other Law than what is suggested by lust and prompted by sensual desire from which Christians ought to be far removed who should not only far excel the vitious and prophane Pagans but likewise the Lawyers and Pharisees among the Jews whose righteousness consisting only in some outward performances could never bring them to the heavenly Kingdom Circumcision that is made with hands is now nothing worth but it is the inward Circumcision of the heart the keeping of Gods commandments the new creature faith that is perfected in love which make Men known to be true Israelites and mystical Jews that is praisers of God and commendable in his
now makes the greatest differences in the Christian World requires nothing more at this day to be believed by those that are by Baptism received into the Church of Christ but only those things which are contained in the Creed commonly called the Apostles This Creed is recited there by the Priest and this alone when he comes to the Font and he interrogates the Persons to be baptized if they be adult or their undertakers if they be Infants about no other belief Upon the profession of which he bids them enter into the holy Church of God that they may receive the Celestial blessing from the Lord Jesus Christ and have a part with Him and with his Saints And having again examined adult Persons asking them Do ye believe in God the Father Almighty c. and mentioning no other Articles of Faith he baptizes them and declares them to be regenerate and to have remission of all sins And so do we do here nor is there any different practice in any other part of the Christian World but every where it is sufficient to consent to this Creed which is nothing but a brief explication what we are to believe concerning the Father the Son and the Holy-Ghost in whose Name we are baptized If there were any thing beyond this which we are necessarily bound to believe it should have been then propounded when we were admitted into the state of Christianity For Baptism gives us a right and title to Salvation if we do not forfeit it afterward by Apostasie or by a wicked life and this Faith with a promise to live according to it gives us a right to Baptism Herein indeed the Roman Church contradicts it self in decreeing many other Articles of belief without which it declares Men cannot be saved and yet receiving Men at Baptism into a state of Salvation without demanding their consent to any such Articles But so they do in many other things and cannot avoid it while they forsake the ancient Universal Rule and set up their own private Authority to impose what they please under pain of Damnation SECT IV. But both contradicts it self and departs from the Ancient and truly Catholick Church FOR that no such things as they would now oblige all Christians to believe were anciently exacted it appears most manifestly by Irenaeus and Tertullian to name no others in several places Who call the Creed now mentioned the Rule of Truth and the Rule of Faith which the Church throughout all the World saith Irenaeus though it be dispersed to the most extream parts of the Earth received from the Apostles and their Disciples and believes as if there were but one Soul and one Heart in so many Men and with a perfect consent preaches and teaches and delivers these things as having but one mouth For though there be divers Languages in the World yet one and the same Tradition prevails every where For neither the Churches in Germany believe otherways or deliver any thing else nor they in Spain nor they in France nor they in the East nor they in Egypt nor they in Libya nor they that are founded in the midst of the World But as the Sun is one and the same in the whole World So is the preaching of the Truth inlightning all Men who will come to the knowledge of it And neither he who is most eloquent among the Governours of the Church preaches any thing different for no man is above his Master nor doth he that is weakest in speech lessen in the least this Tradition For there being one and the same Faith he that hath most to say cannot inlarge it nor he that hath least diminish it Thus they declared their minds in those early days when there was no Catholick Man or Woman in the World required to believe any of those Doctrines now in controversie between us and the Roman Church and set down in the Creed of Pope Pius IV. as necessary to Salvation but they all contented themselves with the simple belief of those things which the Apostles have delivered in their Creed the greatest Men in the Church delivering no more nor the meanest saying less And with this wise and good Men satisfied themselves in times succeeding as appears by this remarkable passage of St. Hilary in his little Book which he himself delivered to the Emperour Constantius Where he thus complains Faith is now enquired after as if we had none Faith must be set down in writing as if it were not in the heart Being regenerated by Faith we are now taught what to believe as if that regeneration could have been without Faith WE LEARN CHRIST AFTER BAPTISM AS IF THERE COULD HAVE BEEN ANY BAPTISM WITHOUT FAITH IN CHRIST SECT V. Christianity therefore is not there in its purity but much corrupted WHICH is a sufficient Argument to prove that the Christian Religion is not sincerely preserved in that Church and ought to with-hold us from joyning with them in imposing thus upon the Christian World and thereby breaking the bond of Unity and turning Men away from the Faith by the palpable falsities and absurd mixtures which are brought into it and that as necessary parts of the Faith of Christ To the adulterating of which we ought by no means to consent but maintain it in that purity wherein the Apostles delivered it to their Successors as we find it set down in the Works of a great many following Doctors of the Church whose Names I forbear but are ready at hand to make good what I quoted just now out of Irenaeus Who acknowledges him for a sincere Christian who holds fast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Epiphanius recites his words which were then extant in Greek that Rule of Faith which he received in Baptism firm and unmoveable He cannot be a Heretick who thus believes on the Son of God in the sense wherein the Nicene Creed not adding any new Article of Faith but only declaring what was believed from the beginning hath explained the Word But they are Schismaticks who call him so and will not admit him into their Communion unless he consent to other things and hold them to be equally certain and necessary with the Ancient Rule of Faith SECT VI. Answer to an Evasion from the force of the foregoing Argument TO pretend that all those Articles of Faith which they now impose though not expresly mentioned in the Creed yet are contained in one Article of it Viz. in the belief of the Holy Catholick Church is in effect to make all the rest of the Creed unnecessary and to establish this sole Rule of Faith in the room of it For if by believing the Catholick Church we are to understand as they would have us whatsoever the Catholick Church propounds then it had been enough to have said to those Catechumens that came for Baptism Do you believe in the Holy Catholick Church and to add any more had been utterly superfluous But the vanity of this further appears in that
none of the ancient Doctors who have expounded the Creed and there are many of them have given any such sense of that Article of the Catholick Church Nay it was not in the most ancient forms of Faith nor doth the Church truly Catholick teach any thing as necessary to be believed to Salvation but what is contained in the Creed For we do in their own sense believe the Catholick Church but not the Roman Catholick Church which their Creed will have to be the Mother and Mistress of all Churches because to omit many other absurdities which are in it there was a Catholick Church before there was a Roman and to say that they believe the Catholick Church meaning thereby the Roman is nothing more than to say they believe themselves SECT VII Their absurd Explication of the Unity of the Catholick Church NOTHING therefore can be further from the Truth than that Explication of the Vnity of the Catholick Church which is delivered in the Roman Catechism published by the Authority of the same Pope Pius IV. in pursuance of the Council of Trent Wherein the Catechumen is taught to believe and profess that the Catholick Church is one not only because of one Faith and other reasons mentioned by the Apostle Ephes iv and because it is subject to one invisible Governor which is Christ But because it is subject also to one visible Governor who holds the Roman Chair the legitimate Successor of St. Peter Concerning whom it is the unanimous opinion of all the Fathers that this visible Head is necessary to constitute and conserve the unity of the Church And to this Head or Pastor Christ hath given the authority of ruling and governing the whole Church as the Vicar and Minister of his Power Thus that Catechism teaches in the First Part the IX Article n. 11 12 13. Which besides that it is confuted by the plain demonstration now mentioned that Christ had a Catholick Church which had unity in it self when there was no Roman Church is directly contrary to the constant Doctrine not only of the Scripture but of all the Fathers whose consent they falsly boast of and of many Popes of Rome and of Councils also both General and particular even of the Councils of Lateran and Trent which by approving the Five First General Councils who condemn this Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome do in effect condemn it themselves SECT VIII Which forbids us to joyn in Communion with them upon such Terms TO that Church then we ought to adhere which hath kept the Rule of Faith once delivered to the Saints simple and unmixed with humane inventions Which if we admit as necessary to Salvation we betray the truth of Christ and are false and unjust to innumerable Christian Brethren who by Baptism are admitted into a state of Salvation but hereby unmercifully cut off from the Body of Christ though they have that Faith which makes them true Members of it This is the Great Crime of the Roman Church and may suffice instead of all other demonstrations to prove that they have corrupted themselves and departed from the simplicity that is in Christ For this very Article alone which is a part of their Faith that there is no Salvation but by union with the Roman Catholick Church and that by subjection to it thrusts out of Heaven not only the ancient Christian pious Emperors who refused such subjection But many of their ancient Popes who acknowledged their subjection was due to the Christian Emperors together with the ancient Patriarks and Fathers assembled in many Councils and the most famous Christian Churches the most glorious Martyrs and Saints of Christ that the best times of Christianity have known and to say nothing of after Ages the present Christians of Greece Russia Armenia Syria Ethiopia who by this Article of subjection to the Catholick Roman Church are all excluded from Christian communion and must perish everlastingly For Bellonius says that in his travels he met with Nine sorts of Christians at Jerusalem Eight of which Nine know nothing of this Universal Bishop or do not regard him and of the Ninth there is scarce half that acknowledges his Authority And yet there are Men among them of no mean note and number who have the confidence to tell us that by the Catholick Church which we are bound to believe is to be understood the Bishop of Rome whose Declarations when he will determine any thing to be of Faith we all ought to receive And though we are assured as much as are that there was such a Person as St. Peter that Christ never gave him much less his Successors any Authority at all over his whole Church Yet now to deny the Pope's Supremacy is such a Heresie that let a Man be never so Orthodox in all other points of the Catholick Faith this alone is sufficient to make him be excommunicated and cut off from the Body of Christ Witness our King Henry VIII who was excommunicated and his Kingdom given away for no other fault by a Bull of Paul the Third who affirms in the beginning of that Bull that herein he acted by Divine authority which according as God saith in the Prophet Jeremiah had set him over Nations and Kingdoms to root up and destroy as well as to build and plant having the supreme power over all Kings and People throughout the whole Earth Which certainly is such new Language never known in the Church for many Ages that they who are not convinced thereby of the corruption of Christian Religion in the Roman Church have their Eyes blinded with the Worldly Splendor of it SECT IX But on the other side not to slight Episcopal Authority YET on the other hand it must be acknowledged that this enormous power which they have usurped is a very strong proof of the high Authority of Christian Bishops in the Church and of the great reverence that was paid to them by Christian People Who otherways would never have thus submitted to their will and pleasure had not the obedience which they had been wont always to yield to their authority disposed them to be brought by little and little under an absolute subjection Nor would there have been reason for those Cautions which St. Peter gives to the Governors of God's Church not at Rome but elsewhere 1 Pet. 5. 2 3. not to Lord it over them if they had not been invested with a power which all Christians reverenced so much that it might more easily be abused than contemned and sooner perswade People to follow them with a blind obedience than to slight their judgment and refuse to conform to their Injunctions And therefore whosoever they are that now despise all Ecclesiastical Authority we may be sure they have swerved from the true Principles of Christianity and they also are altogether inexcusable who shake off the Episcopal Government and refuse to be subject to it under a pretence that there ought to be an equality among Christ's
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
hand I now take into my hands to present unto thy Majesty under the form of Bread and Wine Him thou canst not reject nor me his Priest who offer Him unto Thee c. Or some such like words more befitting their present notions than desiring an Angel may carry what the Priest offers and present it unto GOD. But we find quite contrary which is the last thing I shall observe that in conclusion the Priest acknowledges that by Christ Jesus God always creates and sanctifies and quickens and blesses making a cross upon the Host and the Chalice at every one of those three last words all these good things Which can be meant of nothing but the Bread and Wine consecrated to the commemoration and representation of Christ's body and bloud sacrificed for us For Christ's own very natural body and bloud cannot in any tolerable sense be said to be continually created and quickned or made alive unless you will suppose him to have been dead before nay not to have been at all For creation implies the thing not to have been and vivification not to have been then alive when it was quickned Yet this fancy of Christs real presence in the Sacrament by Transubstantiation against which there are such numerous Testimonies in their own Communion Service is now become the main Article of their Religion For we all know to our great grief and astonishment that when the publick Authority of this Realm was on their side subscription was not urged to any Article of their Religion upon such violent and bloudy terms as unto this of the Real Presence The Mystery of which iniquity as a great Man of our own said in the Age before us cannot be better resolved than into the powerful and deceitful working of Satan who delights thus to do despite to our Lord and to his Religion by seducing his professed Subjects into a belief of such things as make them and Him ridiculous unto unbelievers and ingage them in the worst kind of Rebellion he could imagine by worshipping Bread and Wine instead of their Saviour and all this upon the least occasions and shallowest reasons SECT XIII Other Instances of it BUT besides these plain confessions of that Church against it self there are many other things which I shall but just name wherein we have the testimony of several of their own learned Men ready to be produced for our and against their belief proving clearly that the present is not the old Religion of that Church but that they have brought into it many Innovations by adding to the Canonical Books of Scripture by making their vulgar Latine Translation of the Bible about which they themselves cannot agree authentical by forbidding the People to read the holy Scriptures in their own Language and by denying them the publick Prayers in a Language they understand by giving the Pope not only a new Title of Universal Bishop but an authority and jurisdiction which was never heard of for many Ages by increasing the number of Sacraments and altering their nature by taking away the Cup from the People and turning the Sacrament of Christs body and bloud into a proper expiatory sacrifice by celebrating the Eucharist without any body to communicate by setting up Images in Churches and ordaining Religious Worship to be given to them by invocating Saints and Angels as was said before and by the Doctrine of Purgatory and Indulgences and many other together with a vast number of strange ceremonies in the making holy water consecrating bells c. For which no antiquity can be pretended The woful effect of which is this if we may speak the plain Truth that by pressing upon Mens belief a great deal too much and placing great vertue in trifles they have tempted Men to believe nothing at all As is apparent from hence that where and when as an excellent Writer of our own speaks this Religion hath most absolutely commanded there and then Atheism or Infidelity hath most abounded And how should it do otherwise when as he observes so many lying Legends have been obtruded upon Mens belief and so many false Miracles forged to justifie them as are very likely to make suspicious Men question the truth of all And so many weak and frivolous ceremonies devised and such abundance of ridiculous observances in Religion introduced as are no less apt to beget a secret contempt and scorn of it in witty Men and consequently Atheism and Impiety if they have this perswasion setled in their mind which is indeavoured to be rooted in them from their childhood that if they be not of that Religion they were as good be of none at all And when a great part also of the Doctrines now mentioned so apparently make for the temporal ends of those who teach them that sagacious Men can scarce forbear thinking they were on purpose devised to serve those designs That particular doctrine also of Transubstantiation being so portentous that joyned with the forenamed perswasion of No Papists no Christians it hath in all probability brought more than Averroes to this resolution since Christians eat that which they adore let my Soul be among the Philosophers And lastly the pretence which is so common that there is no ground to believe the Scriptures but their Churches infallibility and yet no ground to believe their Churches infallibility but some Texts of Scripture being too plain a way to lead those who discern the labyrinth wherein they are to believe neither Church nor Scripture SECT XIV Whereby they have spoil'd Christianity as the Pagans did the Natural Religion THESE things which have been already urged by the Writers of our Church for the conviction of those who are capable of it I repeat here again because they seem to me very powerful for the preservation of those who are not already tainted or too far gone in that delusion Which is so great that to summ up all belonging to this Head we may safely say Popery is just such a depravation of the true Christian Religion as Paganism was of the Natural Religion There cannot be a righter conception of it than this which appears too plainly in the absurd doctrines and opinions which they have mingled with the Christian Faith in their multiplied superstitions in their fabulous relations of the Saints wherein they have surpassed the very Poets themselves and to pass by the rest in their prostrating themselves before Images and giving religious worship to Men departed Which last instance furnished the Pagans of Cochin with this answer to the Jesuits as Christoph Borrus one of that Order relates when they pressed upon them the belief of one God and no more We do believe it said they but those whom you see us worship in their Images were Men of great Sanctity whom pious People therefore worship according to their merit just as you give to the Apostles and Martyrs and Confessors divers degrees of honour and religious service as you know them to have excelled in vertue
and piety And that they might confirm this to be their sense of the Divinity they bid the Jesuites observe one part of the Altar in their Temple to be void of Images and to be hid in an obscure and dark place which they said was the proper seat of the most high God the Maker of Heaven and Earth who could not be represented in any form and shape and that the Images which stood about that place were the representations of their Intercessors with Him who having great power with the most high God did obtain many gifts and blessings for those that invocated them How this differs from the notions of the Roman Church I do not see unless it be in this that they have sometimes adventured to represent God himself in a shape Otherwise the worship is the very same the dead Men who are the objects of it only changed and may very well justifie us if we say and therein we speak very moderately that their worship is an Image at least of the ancient Idolatry And moves them to make the resemblance more perfect unto the very same rage and violence which was in the Pagans against all those that differ from them and cannot consent to worship God in that way prosecuting them with all manner of cruelty as if they were utter enemies of God and of all Religion By which we may certainly know that they are so far from being the only true Christians that they are a very degenerate part of Christs Church wanting that great mark of his faithful Disciples to love one another even as Christ loved us To which they are such strangers that quite contrary they not only hate and persecute but endeavour as I said to root out those from the face of the Earth who obediently believe all that they can find our Lord and his Apostles have delivered and profess they are ready with all their hearts to receive and do whatsoever any body can further teach them to be his mind Nay are very desirous and diligent to know it sparing no pains to understand the whole Truth as it is in Christ Jesus SECT XV. Answer to what they say about Miracles THEY pretend indeed abundance of Miracles wrought in their Church as a sufficient condemnation of those who obstinately refuse to invocate Saints to worship their Images and the consecrated Hoste to believe Purgatory and all other things for the proof of which these wonders are alledged But herein also they imitate the Pagans who were guilty of the like deceit and the same answer will serve here which Grotius gives there L. iv Sect. 8. in his confutation of the old Idolatry For First the wisest Men among them have rejected many of these Miracles as not supported by the testimony of any credible witnesses nay as plain fictions Others also of them which are pretended to be of better credit hapned in some private place in the night before one or two Persons whose eyes crafty Priests as he speaks might easily delude with false shows and counterfeit appearances of things And further there are others which only raise admiration among People ignorant of the nature of things and are no true miracles I deny not but there may have things been done among them which no humane power could effect by the strength of natural causes and yet no Divine that is omnipotent Power be needful to their production For those Spirits which are interposed between God and Man are able by their nimbleness cunning activity and strength to make such strange application of things very distant one to another as shall astonish the Spectators with wonderful effects But there is too great reason to think they are not good Spirits that do these feats because they revive hereby the ancient superstition or uphold the Image of it still in the Christian World to the great dishonour of our Saviour and the indangering the Souls of his People Who have been so far misled as not only to fancy great Virtue in the Images of the Saints and to cry up also some Images particularly of our Lady of Loretto for instance as indued with some singular power and vertue which is not to be found in others but to honour them so highly as for one Miracle said to be done by a Crucifix to report a hundred to be wrought at such or such a Shrine of hers It is very considerable also to omit the rest which he notes in the V. Book out of the Law of Moses that it supposes God might permit some wonders to be done only for their trial whether the People would persist in the worship of the true God which had been confirmed by undoubted and far greater and more numerous Miracles Read Deuteron xiii 1 2 3 c. This is excellently expressed and with advantage by a great Man of our own in these words or to this effect The Doctrine which we believe that is the Bible hath been confirmed as is confessed on all sides by innumerable supernatural and truly Divine Miracles and consequently the Doctrine of the Roman Church which in many points is plainly opposite to the Bible is condemned by them I mean the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles And therefore if any strange things have been done in that Church they prove nothing but the truth of Scripture which foretold that God's Providence permitting it and the wickedness of the World deserving it strange signs and wonders should be wrought to confirm false doctrine that they which love not the Truth might be given over to strong delusions So that now we have reason rather to suspect and be afraid of pretended Miracles as signs of false Doctrine than much to regard them as certain arguments of Truth Neither is it strange that God should permit some true wonders to be done to delude those who have forged so many wonders to deceive the World SECT XVI Answer to another Objection BUT it is not likely they say that Religion should be thus depraved in the Roman Church because their Ancestors were Men of greater vertue and honesty than to suffer the least alteration Which is the very thing that is alledged by the Jews why they should not believe our Saviour was unjustly condemned and his Religion rejected by their Priests and Elders as Grotius observes in the Vth. Book Out of which I might produce several things as I have done out of the foregoing to prove the vanity of the Romish Traditions as well as of the Jewish and show also how they have brought back Judaism in a great measure by the vast burden of Rites and Ceremonies wherewith they have incumbered Christian Religion But I shall wave all this because I would make this Book as short as the rest and only observe in answer to what was now pretended that whosoever shall consider as he speaks of the Ancestors of the Jews what kind of Men for several Ages sate in the Chair of Rome and how ignorant the People generally were he
cannot wonder at the corruption of which we complain Let him but read First the censures which their own Authors have passed upon several Popes as meer Epicures and Men void of all Religion c. And then the bitter complaints which St. Bernard himself makes and that while he wrote to a Pope of the Vices which were then annexed even to the very Papacy and further the description which such Men as Marsilius of Padua make of the Church of Rome the whole Body of which he saith was so infected by the plenitude of power which is allowed to the Pope that it might be more truly called a shop of Traffique nay a Den of Thieves than a Church of Christ and to come nearer to our own times the forwardness of their People even since the Reformation to worship Men as Saints before they were canonized by the Pope and he will not think there hath been always such care and caution used about that and such like matters as they would have us believe We have a memorable instance of this thing last mentioned to meddle with no other in the Founder of the Jesuits Order Ignatius Loiola by whose merits People recommended themselves to God if we may believe the Pope himself before he was declared to be a Saint So Urban VIII informs us in his very Bull or Decretal Letters for his Canonization where several miraculous Works are said to have been done for those who fled to his help and religiously worshipped his Image and commended themselves to him as the words are with all their heart He was made indeed a Beato by the preceding Pope But the like stories are told of Xavier one of Ignatius his Companions unto whose intercession the People applied themselves and hoped in his merits as the Bull for his Sainting tells us even before he was made a Beato So exceeding prone they have been of late to run into Superstition as they were more long ago in the days of St. Martin who broke down an Altar which had been set up by former Bishops themselves in honour of a Martyr as the People called him who proved to be no better than a Highway-man as St. Martin discovered that had been executed for his Robberies and there buried SECT XVII Popery and Mahometism had the same Original WE may safely therefore affirm that the account which Grotius gives in the beginning of the VI. Book of the rise of Mahometism may serve as well for the Original of Popery Which took its rise from the great decay of true piety and the vain jangling that fell out among Christian People by imploying their time in curious Questions which made the vulgar at last not know what to believe and to lay the fault upon the Scriptures nay to avoid them as hurtful and dangerous And then it was easie to lead them any whither when they had for saken the Light which showed them their way and began also to place Religion not in purity of mind but in Rites and Ceremonies and to content themselves with such things as served rather to exercise the Body than to amend the Soul In short that false Prophet Mahomet and an Universal Bishop sprang up both together very near the same time as Treason and Idolatry setled themselves also together at the same time in the Age following For the Pope under the pretence of retaining Images which the Constantinopolitane Emperour destroyed revolted from him denyed him the tribute that was wont till then to be paid him even out of Rome it self as well as other places and denying him all obedience plainly thrust him out of Italy This account Zonaras and others give of Gregory the II.'s proceeding against Leo Isaurus and thus the Bishop of Rome by his Papal Authority became the first Author of defection from a lawful Prince upon the account of Religion SECT XVIII And supports its self by the same means IF we look further into what was said before about Mahometism we shall find that Popery stands and upholds it self by the very same shameful means which keep up the Religion of that false Prophet By force that is and violence compelling Men where they have any power to consent to what they say or rather to feign a consent to what they do not believe Which discovers the weakness of that Religion and of the reasons of those that profess it For he that extorts assent as was said in the Book foregoing by sense of pain or fear of punishment plainly confesses by that very proceeding that he distrusts his Arguments At the best they require belief of Men without all liberty of inquiring into Religion For the vulgar just as in Turky are prohibited to read the Books which are accounted holy which is a manifest sign of its iniquity as he there speaks of the Turkish Religion for justly may that merchandize be suspected which is obtruded upon this condition that it must not be lookt into not examined This is the way of the grossest deceivers who will not submit themselves to a trial and refuse to give any account but will have us submit to their Authority and take what such Men as they say upon trust Which is the Method of the Roman Church who are wont to put doubting of any part of their doctrine among mortal sins And so for fear what the issue may be will not suffer their People to try their Religion with indifference that is with true liberty of judgment and with a resolution to doubt of it if the grounds of it appear upon examination to be uncertain and to leave it if they prove apparently false It is true indeed as it there follows there is not in every Man the like capacity of knowledge and quicksightedness to discern between truth and falshood Many also are carried away into error by pride others by inordinate passions or affections and some by custome and imitation or by the weakness of their understandings and forwardness to judge without due consideration or advice with their proper Guides But those very Books which the Roman Church pretends may mislead Men and therefore will not let them use teach them in the first and principal place to purge themselves from all naughty affections and then to be sober-minded and not too forward to determine things on their own heads but to reverence their judgments who are over them in the Lord and not to pretend to Religion nor imagine they can judge a-right till they be humble and meek and without any other design than this alone of saving their Souls Now the Divine Goodness forbids us to think that such Men shall not be able to find the way to eternal Salvation who seek for it in God's own Word and in this manner without any by-respect to honour or worldly advantage and with intire submission of themselves and all they have to Him imploring his assistance that they may attain it Which are in effect the very words of Justin Martyr and Origen And
delivered from the heavy Yoke of Rites and Ceremonies that lay upon them But if they would admit of the Commandments of Christ which are full of all goodness easily permitted them to follow what course of life they pleased in matters of indifferency provided they would not impose the necessity of observing them upon others SECT XXV Conclusion of all UPON these terms we are ready to agree with them and I conclude all with this memorable Proposal which Erasmus made in a Letter to Johannes Slechta a Friend of his in Bohemia at the very beginning of the Reformation MD XIX This would reconcile People to the Church of Rome if all things were not so particularly defined and made a matter of Faith which we would have to belong to it but those only which are evidently expressed in the Holy Scriptures or without which we do not see any way to be saved To this purpose a few things are sufficient and a few things may be sooner perswaded than a great many Now out of one Article we make Six Hundred some of which are such that without indangering Piety we may either be ignorant or doubt of them And such is the nature of Mankind that what is once defined we hold tooth and nail and will by no means part with it But when all 's done the summ of Christian Philosophy lies in this That we understand all our Hope to be placed in God who freely gives us all things by his Son Jesus by whose Death we are redeemed into whose Body we are planted by Baptism that being dead to the lusts of this World we may live according to his Doctrine and Example not only abstaining from all evil but indeavouring to deserve well of every Body assd that if any adversity happen we bear it couragiously in hope of a future reward which without all doubt waits for all pious Persons at the coming of Christ and that we make such progress from vertue to vertue as notwithstanding to arrogate nothing to our selves but to ascribe all the good that is in us or that we can do unto GOD. These things chiefly are to be inculcated and beaten into the minds of Men so that they become as it were their Nature But if any will search into those things which are more abstruse about the Divine Nature the Hypostasis of Christ or the Sacraments that they may raise their minds the higher and draw them from things here below let them do so provided that every body be not compelied presently to believe what seems good to this or that Person For as out of large Deeds arise sooner Law-suits so are differences begotten by very many definitions And let us not be ashamed to answer to some things God knows how it may be done it is sufficient for me to believe that it is done I know that Christ's pure Body and Blood is to be purely received by those that are pure and that He would have this to be a most holy token and pledge both of his love to us and of our Christian concord among our selves And therefore I will examine my self and make a strict search whether there be any thing in me that ill agrees with Christ whether any discord with my Neighbour But how the Ten Predicaments are there how the Bread is Transubstantiated by the mystical words or as He explains himself in the latter end of his Book upon lxxxiv Psal how the body of Christ is there whether under the substance of Bread or under the species of Bread and Wine and such like doth not much conduce in my judgment to proficiency in piety c. By these and other such innumerable disputations in which some triumph the minds of Men are called away from those things which alone are to the purpose To conclude it will be of great moment to establish the concord of the World if all secular Princes and especially the Bishop of Rome would abstain from all appearance of Tyranny and of Covetousness For Men easily start back when they see slavery is prepared for them when they see they are not invited to piety but inveigled to be made a prey If they perceive us to be harmless to be beneficent they will most easily credit us and intrust themselves with us Thus He. It would not be very hard to make a longer Book on this Subject But this is sufficient as Grotius speaks in the beginning of this Discourse about the Truth of Christian Religion to convince those whose understandings are rightly disposed and are not pertinaciously set against all further information But no Arguments can be found of force enough to convince a froward will and perswade perverse affections which make Men uncapable of Moral Truth most of all of Divine Which will not enter as the Wise man speaks into a malicious Soul nor dwell in the Body that is subject unto sin For the Holy Spirit of Discipline will flee deceit and remove from thoughts that are without understanding and will not abide when unrighteousness cometh in THE END A RECAPITULATION OF THE Principal Things handled IN THIS WORK According to the several Sections of each Book The Contents of the first Book THe Preface shewing the occasion of this Work Sect. I. Proving there is a God p. 1 Sect. II. That there is but one God p. 5 Sect. III. That all Perfection is in God p. 7 Sect. IV. God is Infinite p. 8 Sect. V. That God is eternal omnipotent omniscient and absolutely good p. 9 Sect. VI. That God is the Author cause of all things ib. Sect. VII Answer to that Objection concerning the cause of evil p. 15 Sect. VIII Against the Opinion of two Principles or causes of things p. 16 Sect. IX That God doth govern the whole World p. 17 Sect. X. Yea sublunary things p. 18 Sect. XI This is further proved by the preservation of Empires p. 19 Sect. XII And by Miracles p. 21 Sect. XIII Specially among the Jews wherunto credit may be given by reason of the long continuance of their Religion p. 22 Sect. XIV Also by the truth and antiquity of Moses his story p. 24 Sect. XV. And by the Testimony of many Gentiles p. 25 Sect. XVI The same is proved by the Oracle and Predictions p. 34 Sect. XVII The Objection is answered why Miracles are not now to be seen p. 36 Sect. XVIII And that now there is such liberty in offending p. 37 Sect. XIX Insomuch that good Men are oppressed p. 39 Sect. XX. The same argument is retorted to prove that the Soul survives the Body p. 40 Sect. XXI Which is proved by Tradition ib. Sect. XXII Against which no contrary reason can be brought p. 41 Sect. XXIII Many reasons may be alledged for it p. 44 Sect. XXIV Whence it follows that the end of all shall be Mans happiness after this life p. 45 Sect. XXV Which to obtain men must get the true Religion ib. The Contents of the second Book Sect. I. TO Prove the
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