\ 1 1 / H i»Ym,E°¥JMHYHIl£Sflinf' DISCOURSE Concerning the RESURRECTION O F JESUS CHRIST. In Three Parts. WHEREIN, I. The C O N S E Q.U E N C E S~ Of the Doctrine ¦a.vc Stated Hypothetically. II. The Nature and Obligation of MORAL EVIDENCE, are explain'd at large. III. The Proofs of the FA C T of our Saviour's Refurredion, are Propos'd, Examined, and fairly Demonftrated, to be Comlujive. -t, Together with An APPENDIX concerning the Impoflible Production of Thought-, from Matter and Motion : The Nature of Human. Souls ',> and of Brutes: The Ammo. Mundi, and the Hypothefis. of the TO HAN; as alfo, concerning Divine Frovidence, the Origin of Evil., and the Vniverfe in General. 'Hyi?Q» o Ku' that I ipropos?d to do nothing elfe in this Treatife, but to fet the great Argument of our Saviour's RefurreBion, in a fair Light before them ; to fhew them upon what unqueftiona- ble Principles, they may, if they will, allure themfelves that the Doctrine is true ; and fd leave it entirely to them, to make the Conclufion as they fhall think fit. Your Lordfhip very well knows, what fort of Anfwers ufe to be return"d, to all Undertakings of this kind ; which, as far as I could ever yet find, are reducible, either , to Banter and Ridicule, or (light Refection, upon Matter's remote from the grand Point in Difpute. By thefe Methods indeed, a Controverfy may be made Per- petual ; but then they who make ufe of them, plainly fhew, that it is neither A i their ^vi The Dedication. their Intereft, nor their Deftre to have it decided. I have, often thought, My Lord, how lucky it is for the Enemies of Chriftianity under Chriftian Governments, that the prudent Care of the Magiftrate, has made it unfafe for them to fay all, they pretend they have to fay, againft Reveal'd Re ligion. For by this means, they not only avoid the Difcredit of coming off pooriy, after very loud and infolent Boafts ; but alfo get the Reputation of -having fome very fhrewd Objections in Referee, which now 'tis alledg'd, they are forc'd to fupprefs, for fear of affronting the Puh* lick. This is a moft happy Co-incidence! And thofe Gentlemen may think them felves indebted to a Government, for fuch a Favour, as that of refufing them the Liberty, of Speaking and Writing, as free ly as they think. Nor does fuch a neceffary Reftraint as this, any more de- ferve the odious Name of Perfecution ; than Perfecution it felf, merits the glo rious Title, of pure. Zed for the Gof pel. However, My Lord, tho the very in decent Liberties that have been taken with Chriirianity, have juftly indue'd thofe, who have Power in t heir hands , to take The Vedicat'wi. vii <¦ take proper Meafures for its Defence, from open and rude Affaults ; yet I can fcarca perfuade my felf, that any Chriftian Pro- teflant State, would deny Unbelievers of Reveal'd Religion, who fhevfd a fincere De- fire of being better inform* d, the Liberty of propofing the real Scruples bf their Minds in a convenient, fober and modeft way. And till they have tried* to obtain fuch a Liberty, . and been folemnly refused it ; I think it is to no purpofe for them to pretend , 'that them Mouths are ftop'd by the Laws of the Country. For they may argue without Spleen and fcurri- lous Reflections ; and no impartial Perfon would be angry, to fee Men fairly en deavouring after a' fatisfa&ory Refolution of their Doubts, in a Cafe" wherein their Everlafiing Happinefs was fo nearly con- cern'd. May Your Lordfhip long continue, an Ornament and Support to True Religion and ufeful Learning, the fure Friend of the Poor and Diftrefs'd, and a vigorous Promoter of all that Concerns the Intereft and Glory of your Country. And may the Church of England ever have, as it has now, fuch Paftors at the Head of it, whofe chief Ambition it fhall be, to imitate the Sublime Ex- A 4. ample, viii The Dedication. ample, of the Great , Shepherd and Bifhop of Sauls. I am, My Lord, With all Humble and Sincere Refpedt, Your Lordship's Moft Obedient, and Devoted Servant, Humphry Dittos (") PR E F A C E T 0 T H E R E A D E R FTE R I had refolv'd upon this Un dertaking, and thrown the Materials of which it was to confift, into fome Order and Method ; the next thing was to cmfider, in what fort of Form and Drefs, it would be moft advanta geous to prefent it to the World : Whether I Jhould proceed all along in fo very ftriil, and abftratled a Way, as to fay nothing, but what fhould be either Lemma, Propofition, Scholium or Corollary ; or elfe Jhould take the agreeable Liberty, of mixing the Declamatory, with the ftrift way of Reafoning, in fuch Farts of the Difcourfe, where it fhould be to fome good and ufeful Purpofe, fo to do. , And I quickly concluded, that the latter Method would be the moft Ufeful and Advantageous in a De fign of. this Nature. For as all thofe who are Judges pf found Argument and Reafon would as eafily find it out, and trace it through all the Parts of a Dif courfe % The Preface. courfe composed after this manner^ as if all was put into the feverelt and moft rigorous Mathematical Form, that could be ; fo the doings of it that way, would infallibly have given it fuch a frightful and forbidding Look, that my main End and Scope in the Publication of it, muft necejfarily have been loft, with refpeiJ to the great eft Part of our Readers. The De fign I proposed to my felf, was to examine, and en quire into the Truth of this very important Dotjrine (the Refurredion of Jefus Chrift) in a ftrifl; and ac curate Way ; audat the fame time, to render that Enquiry truly ufeful to all Perfons whatfoever. And this End I could never have obtain d, had I tied my felf up, to the ftritt Form of Proportion, Lemma, &c. in every particular Thing I had occafion to fay. For as the Nature and Ufe of thofe Things, are known but to very few People, comparatively fpeaking ; fo when a Man is wholly confln'd to them, there's many an Opportunity loft, of urging and prefr fingan Argument home, and making fuch Applies*- tions of it, as tend much more to the enforcing it otf the Mind, than the bare propofing of it in a Theore- BSiatical Way, ever will or can do. Every Judicious and Intelligent Perfon knows, that ffri& Reafoning it felf, and the ftri&Form of Re a- fining, are two very different Things. They do by no means necejfarily fuppofe, or infer one another. Stricl Reafoning may as well be without the Form, ms the Form is often without the juft Confequence and Connection of Parts, which alone makes it ftriQ: Rea foning. A Declamatory Difcourfe may be fo fct together, that by a mere Change of the Drefs, it Jfiall hecome a rigorous Demonftration. As on the other hand, the latter, taken out of the Severities of its own proper Form, may be made to appear with all the foft and pleafant Airs of a Declamation, and yet at the fame time preferve the Chain of folid Argument and Truth, flrffl and entire. Jn The Preface. xi In th% following Difcourfe, I have made it my Bufinefs, to examine that great and fundamental Article, of the Chriftian Faith, which is the Subject of if, with the fame Impartiality and Care, that I would have done, had I not believed it at all', but been only an indifferent and unconcern'd Perfon, neither prejudic'd on on* fide in favour of it, nor on the other, with wrong Notions and_Diftike. Upon t hi f fcore, I have sot any where fcrupled, to make what Cancejfions appeared to me to be intrinftcally Juft and Reafonable, and agreeable to Truth and Matter of Fail. t have no where induftrioufly ftiJPd or fupprefs'd any Objections of the adverfe Party, which I was con- fcious ofy and really believ'd to deferve Notice. And as I have not concealed any Part of their Strength, to make them appear weaker than they are;/o neither have I represented aty Part of their Strength to a Dis advantage, or fet their Reafonings in a falfe Liqhf, with a defign to make them appear worfe Reafoner-s than they are. / have made ufe of no arbitrary pre carious Hypothefes, to build or eftablifh any Conclufions vpon', but on the other hand, have ftudioujly avoided arguing upon any fuch Topicks as are really doubtful and queftionable, and endeavour 'd all along to keep clofely to thefe two, as my MAIN FOUNDATIONS, viz. PLAIN MATTER OF FACT, AND THE LAWS AND CONSTITUTION OF HUMAN NATURE. And whatever Confequence} I have drawn, either againft the Deifts, or in favour of ^fhe Chriftians, / have drawn them only there, inhere according to the beft of my Judgment, the Eternal Laws of Nature and Reafon obliged me fo to do; and that without any forcing or ftraining of things, be yond thofe Bounds, to which the Genuine Scope and Ex tent of the Principles I argue from, would allow me to carry them. And xii The Preface. And for the Proof of this fair and equal Manage ment, I appeal to the Book it felf. They that will take the Pains to examine that* with unprejudiced judgment and Care, I am fure will acquit me; and they that will not do fo, cannot condemn me, without fixing a Reproach upon themfelves. I have no more any fort of Motives to byafs me to mifreprefent, and fet Things in a wrong Light ; than I havje Intereft to keep me from owning of Truth, when 'tis evidently made out to me> And therefore, I defire no better (Quarter than this, that the Book be read, and ma turely confider'd : Nor am I under Apprehenfions of any thing fo much, as I am of Ignorance, and rajh and hafty Judging. In the mean time, I'll offer a few things, to the Confideration of thofe Perfons), who being Unbelievers of the Dodrine here afferted, may probably read this Difcourfe with Prejudices, and perhaps with a Defign of quarrelling and contending. > / defire them therefore to take notice, in the firft Place, that towards the clofe of Part III. after I have fumm'd up all the Evidence, and concluded from thence, the certain Truth of the Fact of our Saviour's Refurredion ; I have likewife enu merated all the poffible juft ways, by which they can proceed to, attack the Argument, in order to fhew that.it does not conclude rightly and truly : by-which means, , I, have both Jhorten'd their Labour, in giving them a general View of all the Methods of oppofing me (that fo they may chufe which they think the moft effectual) and alfo fhewn how ready and wil ling I am to bring this Point to an Iffue with them, in a rational and fober way, if they think fit fo to do. Another thing is ; I muft defire, they will always remember to diftinguilh between the Argument it felf, and any Mode or Circumftance, of what kind or nature foever it be, which has not a dired and necef- The Preface. xiii neceffary Dependance upon, or which does not properly and immediately influence the Concln- fion. The fecond and third Parts of> the Book, are but one entire Chain of Reafoning ; the Former being only the General Premifes, which the Latter concludes from. If they can find any defecVor flaw in the Reafoning, that will make the'Conclufion to be un juft and wrong-, then they gain their Point : if not, as I never lov'd difputing upon trifling and frivolous Matters, fo they who have Time and Temper for fuch mean Exercifes, fhall, for me, engage in them by themfelves. • *> Again, / expect likewife, that whatever they have to propofe at any Time, be propos'd in an accurate, diftind and methodical way ; that they offer no pre carious Scrmifes and Conjedures, no mere Cr'iti- cifms, no Similies or llluftrations, inftead of plain downright Argument : but that they oblige themfelves to the bufinefs of Reafoning, a»4 not of making fiou- rrlhes^j and that when they have once fix'd upon a Point, they be fure to run it to a head, and not leave it inglorioufly, for a Subject of future Animadver- fions. I won*t fo much as offer at an Apology, for a Book of this kind; confidering the prefent ftate of Things in the Chriftian World. What is talked of more, and believ,d lefs, than the Doctrine here pro posed ? We call Jefus Chrift Lord and Saviour, we re peat the Articles of the Creed, and bow at his Name, with an hundred more fuch like Inftances of outfide Reverence and Devotion ; when at the fame time there are Multitudes amongft us that are fo far from either adoring hit Perfon, or believing his Gofpel, that 'tis a queftion whether the worft Enemies he has in the World, can outdo us in heinous Contempt of both. The Pro- fed] on of Chriftianity, is for the moft part nothing but mere Pageantry ; and People take it upon them out t xiv The Preface. out of a Compliment to their Country, and to be civil to the Govefhmtm under which they live. To call all Reveal'd Religion into queftion, is now- a-days almoft as neceffary a Step towards the compleatr ing of a Gen tlefilitot as nice Breeding and Behaviour, or a good Drefu And he that cant (at leaft) doubt and demur whether the Prophets and Apoftles were net mere^&eluded Enthufiafts, or wicked de- figning Imp oft or s;- makes as:lll a Figure in a genteel modifh Company, as he who wears a Habit, that has been out of ufe for two or three Centuries. A Wretch that can fcarce hammer out the Senfe of an Author of the Lowe ft Clafs (perhaps even in his own native Tongue) fets upnore^a-daysfor a Critick upon the Gof pel ; and every little Tyro, that is juft advancing to his firft Degree in Mathematicks, thinks he is able to demonftrate all to be a Cheat.. But furely, if the Great Matters and Patrons of Deifm, who were bet ter furnijh'd for all the Purpofes of Argument and Enquiry, could never carry their Oppofitions to^hrif- tianity higher than impotent Slander and Reproach : This inferiour Train of raw unexperiene'd Difciples (who, whatever, they have to fay, can never pretend), .. that their Reafon and Philofophy are affronted) ough\ never to attack Religion in infolent and pofitive Terms ; but, tho it were out of mere Complaifance and Regard, to the Examples of their Teachers, fhould be contented to make their Efforts againft Chrif tianity, in a way more worthy of themfelves, and let all Pretences to Argument and Reafon alone. Scarce ever was any Age fo degenerate as ours, where in People get Intereft, Favour, Credit, nay even a bare Livelihood and Subfiftence (as fome of our ex ploded Itinerant Deifts have done) and all this, upon the pure Merits of Infidelity. But the Cure of all thefe Diforders, we muft leave to the Care and good Providence of God Almighty. . While The Preface. xv While the Publication of this Book has been defer' d thro many unforefeen Interruptions and Avocations, I have been fur prized fometimes, to find how indif- creetly fome Perfons, who pretend to fiand by the DoFtrine here afferted, have talk'd of an Undertaking of this Nature. However, lean certify the Reader, that to the beft of my Knowledg, they were only fuch, to whom I was vaftly'more indebted for their Diflike, than I fhould ever have been for their Approbation, had they been any thing bufy in telling the World, how much they either approved the Defign, or valued the Author. There have not been thofe wanting, who have been fowife, as to think I muft rather betray, than vindi cate, the Doctrine of the Refurrettion ; becaufe I do not prove it all along from the New Teftament, as a Divine Revelation. And one particularly (who ought to have knojfii better things) could, mot pojfibly beat it out of hit Head, but the Refurredion was adually to' be demonftrated by Lines and Figures ; / fuppofe^ becaufe he had met with fuch unlucky hard Words, sas Scholium, Corollary, &c. m Sprinted Propofals : safrd did therefore very gravely declare that 'twas a Shame, an Article of the Chriftian Faith, . and one of fuch Conference too, jhtfuld ever be treated after fuch a manner. And tho Perfons thus rafts, are feldom much addicted to Blulhing, yet I won't put it to the Trial whether they can or no, by telling them, Who, and What Sort of Perfons, have been of a very different Opinion from them, not only as to the Defign, but the Performance too. As for my own Part, as I had nothing but the Ser vice and Advantage of a Caufe, of molt Important Truth, in view, and which I was fully certain could never fuffer, by being [et in the cleareft Light thai could be ; fo having taken fome Pains to do fo, [ have hopes that this Treatife may be of fome Ufe, to Know- xvi The Preface. Knowing, Candid and Unprejudic'd Readers of all Sorts ; and that they may find fome important Points relating to NATURAL RELIGION, fettled to their Satisfaction in the Appendix, as well as that Great one of> REJEAVD RELIGION, in the Body of the Book. THE ( > ) THE D E I S T's Concern To enquire into the TRUTH O F Chrift's Refurredion. Part I. The CONTENTS. The Argument, for the Truth pf the Chriftian Reli gion, drawn from the RefurrebtioH of Jefus Chrift ; proposed and confider'd. » What treatment the Doctrine of Chrift's Refurrection has met with in the World. The Cafe between the Chriftians and Deifts, fairly and fully ftated. The Confequences of the Doctrine of the Refurrection, as they affect each Party. B SECT, The Necetftty of enquiring Part I. SECT. I. jE that well confiders the Force of thofe Arguments, which are brought to eftablifh the Truth of Chriftian Religion; that fees how they all (tho drawn from different Topicks) confpire in the moft per fed manner, to convince the World of the Di vine Original of this Faith ; would fcarce think it poffible, that the Reafon and Underftanding of Mankind fhould ever oppofe it ; and therefore conclude, there is fomething more than pure Infidelity at the bottom, and that they are not mere Scruples of the Mind, which create fo long and violent Contention. If he thinks on the Excellency of the Precepts of the Chriftian Religion, he finds them of the fit- teft Nature poffible, to perfuade him to receive it as the Contrivance of Heaven : They are all fo worthy of God, fo beneficial and improving to Human Nature, and fo conducive to the Wel fare and Happinefs of Society. When he confiders the ftrange and fpeedy Propagation of this Faith through the World, with its triumph over the Wit and Policy, the Force and Malice of its formidable Enemies ; and all this accomplifh'd by fuch Methods, as the Reafon of Mankind would have pronounc'd the moft foolifh and abfurd : He fees here the over-ruling Hand of God, which alone could give it fuch aftonifhing Succefles ; by thofe very Ways and Means, from which its utter Confufion was to be expeded. The Seel:. 2. into the Truth, Sec. $ The exad Accomplifhment of exprefs and un- queftionable Prophecies, concerning the moft re markable Events of the World; is a folemn Appeal to all reafonable Nature, whether that Revelation be not truly Divine, which contains fuch plain and wonderful Predictions. Laftly, The Miracles wrought by Chrifi Jefus and his Apoftles, in Confirmation of this Faith and Dodrine, are fuch Proofs of the near Con cern which Heaven had therein ; that he who confiders them, and at the fame ,time calls Chriftianity an Impofture, muft either take pains to avoid knowing the Finger of God, when he fees it, or elfe do infinitely worfe, by afcribing the manifefi Effeds thereof to mean Artifice, or Diabolical Power. From thefe Topicks, the Truth of Chriftianity has been fo fubftantially argu'd, and fo clearly prov'd ; that by ail the Rules of right Reafon in ufe amongft Mankind, 'tis render'd plainly abfurd and irrational to rejed it. One need not wifh to fee an Adverfary redue'd to worfe Extremi ties, than one of there Arguments well-manag'd and prefs'd honx, would reduce him to ; pro vided he were^ept from Excurfions, and oblig'd to return noAnfwers but what were diredly to the Purpoft. SECT. II. HOwever, waving all thefe, as being more commonly and largely handled already, I fhall at prefent make choice of another Argument-, to eftablifh the Divine Authority of the Chriftian Religion, (one which will, with fome particular B 2 Ad van- \ The Heceffity of enquiring Parti. Advantages, anfwer the Defign I propofe to my felf in making ufe of it) and that is, The Refur- reition of Jefus Chrift, the Author of this Religion in the World. This is the great Doctrine of Chriftianity, which ferves as a Foundation to all the reft ; and from which alone, indeed, the Truth of all the reft may be infer'd. If this Article be taken from a Chriftian, he will find no difficulty in parting with any other you fhall ask of him : Of fo great Importance is it to his prefent Comfort and Satisfadion, and to his future Happinefs, both in Soul and Body. I am very fenfible how ridiculous a Topick this is, in the Opinions of thofe Gentlemen (the Deifts) with whom I am now concern'd. Tho few Articles of the Chriftian Faith meet with any fuch Treatment from them, as may be call'd civil -, yet This is treated with a par ticular Severity : And whatever 'fcapes them, this is fure to have no Quarter, in their free Difcourfes and Converfations about Religion. My Bufinefs here being to argue ^sith them, and not to make Refledions on their Conduct ; I fhall content my felf with only obfevving two Things. Firft, That befides the poffible Dangei of taking fuch Liberties with a Dodrine of fuch grand Confequence to them, as well as to us ; befides the Indifcretion and Ill-breeding of expofing, in Terms fo very malignant and in vidious (as they do fometimes) That which the Country they live in, owns as a Fundamental Article of its Faith, and which many Men, of no lefs Wifdom and Sagacity than thefe Gen tlemen, do lay the whole Strtfs of their Salva tion Sect. 2. into the Truth, &c. 5 tion upon: Befides all this (I fay) there is a Point of Honour to be confider'd, which one would think, fhould bear fome fway, and pre vail with them to take thofe Meafures, which Prudence, and a Senfe of Decency cannot. For thefe Gentlemen would do well to remember, that as free as they are of their Satyr and In vectives, they have hitherto been extremely {pa ring of their Arguments. It is with fo much cau tion that they conceal, and keep all kinds of reafoning to themfelves, that nothing fhort of Chriftian Charity (which always thinks the beft) can poffibly be genteel and good-natur'd enough, to pay them the Compliment of believing, they have Arguments as well as Raillery, to aflault Chriftianity withal. Now, I fay, 'tis ungene rous to play upon a Subjed with Wit (as fome People very guiltily call it) when it demands a fair Trial by Reafon and Argument. It looks but poorly for Men to ftand at a diftance, pelting Religion with little J efts and Reflections ; when they have liberty to come up as clofe as they pleafe, and end the Difpute in a more honou rable way. For where Men difcover Spleen and hearty Concern in oppofing a Caufe, thofe that ftand by, will naturally conclude (fince they fee them in ear- neft) that they exert their beft Strength, and do as much Mifchief as they can. But then another Confideration, which I think very much leflens the Honour of this way of proceeding, is, That, all the Wit that ferves to expofe Religion, is fo fcandaloufly cheap, and cofts a Man fo very little. I don't fay, but it may poffibly coft the Authors of it dearer here after ; but what I intend is, that it is not a very chargeable thing at prefent, fince a little of B 3 iri 6 The Necejfjity of enquiring Part I. it, with fuch good and frugal Management as they commonly beftow on it, will gox a great way. For let thefe Gentlemen but confider, That as Mens vicious Lives do too commonly make it their Intereft and Concern, that the Chriftian Religion fhould be a Cheat ; ib they are extreme ly ready and willing to believe it is really fo : And when once a Subjed is nicely futed to Peo ples Humours and Inclinations, there needs not abundance of Wit to make a Difcourfe of it very palatable, and bring the Speaker off with Reputation and Applaufe. The Mirth and Plea- fure of the unthinking Part of Mankind (which is by far the greateft Part) is almoft as blind and mechanical, as the very Motion of a Piece of Clockwork. They are ftir'd and delighted ; tho they fcarce know with what, or for what Caufe, or to what End and Purpofe. But if you ftrike them, they move as other Matter does; and that too, as long as the Impulfe lafts. Efpe- cially if the String of Religion be touch'd fomething roughly, by the hand of an Enemy ; wicked Nature, or Prejudice (like a Chord in Uni- fone) prefently dances to the Motion, and re turn^ the fame Sound. Men, whofe Under- ftandings are otherwife dull enough, can feel, by a fort of fympathetick Pleafure, when Chrif tianity is infulted and abus'd ; and perceive a rude Jeft pafs'd upon the Preachers of the Gofpel, tho they don't know Satyr from Complement, upon another occafion. And fo great is the Power of Prejudice and Averfion, even in fome who are matters of more Reafon and Sagacity than the common Sort, that manifefi Sophiftry frequently goes down with them for Demonftra- tion ; and the moft infipid Things (when level'd at Sect. 2. into the Truth, &c. y at Religion) pafs for Beauties and delicate Turns of Thought. Now thefe are but poor Triumphs ; becaufe 'tis not to the Reafon and Underftanding of Mankind, but to their Paffions and Appetites (whieh are pre-ingag'd againft Religion) that all this Talk is addrefs'd. Reafon is a nice and fcrupulous Thing, and will be pleas'd with no thing but what is folid and juft; but Paffion and Prejudice fwallow every thing that is offer'd, and you can't avoid gratifying them, provided you confult their Bent and Tendency, and do but fall in with them in the Way that they go. But then, as there is fome Satisfadion and Glo ry, in pleating the noble rational part of a Man ; fo methinks to footh and flatter the brutal Part, fhould be fcorn'd and defpis'd. A Man that confiders things well, would much fooner take it as a heinous Affront, to be charg'd with fay ing fuch fine things as thefe are ; than think it a Credit to him, for other People to fay, that he was the Author of them. However, as the Cafe flands, 'tis no great wonder that fo many who fet up againft Chriftianity, get the Re putation of being Wits. The Price of the Charader is not fo dear, but we may fuppofe multitudes able enough to lay it down. Yet it would mortify a thoughtful Man to con fider, that he fhould be beholden to the Vices and Follies of Mankind for a Reputation, and not to Judgment and fober Senfe: And that better Judges would very much queftion his Underftanding, upon the fcore of thofe very things which procure him the Name of a Wit, amongft People who either can't contradid him, or are fo devoted to him by a blind implicit Faith, that they could vouch for the Truth B 4 of 8 The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. of what he fays, even before he fpeaks it. Secondly, It may be farther obferv'd, That this way of ajjaulting Chriftianity, is not at all a new thing. The modern Deifts may perhaps have improv'd it confiderably •, however, their Pre- deceffors, in the more early Ages of Chriftianity, manag'd the Controverfy much after the fame manner. They banter'd the Dodrine of the Refurrettion, purfu'd it with * Scoffs and Laugh ter, inftead of fair Reafonings againft the Cre dibility of it. They did not think it enough to deny it themfelves, bat they endeavour'd to render it as infamous to all the World as they could : And therefore loaded it with the op probrious Names of -J- Abfurd, ^Abominable, and Impoffible : As if a Torrent of hard Words and Reproaches, without any Arguments, had been fufficient to bear down all the Credit of the Doc trine ; and perfuade thofe who had believ'd it, to treat it with the fame Contempt, that the pro- fefs'd Enemies of it did. ^ ¦;„ I am fenfible, that in the laft mention'd Paf fage out of Origen, the Criminator Celftu brings in fome Chriftians, as afperfing the Dodrine of the Refurrettion in thefe vile Terms ; and makes them talk after this manner, of the grand fun damental Article of their own Religion. But. this being fo far from all Probability, and only aflerted in general Terms, without particular Proof; and befides, the very Notion of a Refur rettion being (in the fame Place) fo abomina bly mifreprefented and perverted into quite another Senfe, than the Chriftians ever took it in : * MuriteK'!' yi'Ka^av r dm&iv. Orig. t ,Am'!fivsoi>£tM, £ dJtivajop. Celf. apud Orig. Lib. <. Pag. (mihi) 240. '¦ 'Tig Seel:. 2. into the Truth, Sec. 9 'Tis plain, that this was Celfus's own Calumny ; or at leaft 'twas what other Enemies (as invete rate, and as little converfant in what they oppofe, as he was) had vented, to render the Dodrine contemptible amongft Mankind. Nor were they more fparing of their Invedive againft that of the Refurrettion of Jefus Chrifi in particular. And therefore they reprefented the whole Scene, as mere Illufion and Dream ; and thofe who believ'd it, as Perfons poflefs'd with a pha- natical Fury, or under the Power of fome magical Incantation. The Appearances of Chrift after his Refurrec- tion, they compar'd to thofe of * Spectres and Apparitions, which, how much foever believ'd by the Vulgar, were notwithftanding only the Di- verfion of thofe, who had the Charader of be ing wife and fenfible Men. And fo they expos'd the Difciples, who affirm'd they had feen and convers'd with Jefus Chnffi ; if not as wilful Ly- ars and Impoftors, yet as weak crazy People, that made a noife of ftrange Things, which .had no exiftence but in their own Imagina tions. And thefe are fome of the fame Things, which our modern Deifts fay now. But Reproaches and precarious Affertions, are (as I faid before) of all the Arguments in the World, the leaft expen- five, both to thofe who oppofe, and thofe who defend a Cauf^. Now the Ufe which (I think) we may juftly make of fo early an Oppofition to Chriftianity, carried on after this manner ; is very confide- qydwffiv. Pag. 98. Ibid. rable, I o The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. fiderable, and ought not to be pafs'd by without notice. For did the Enemies content them felves with bare fcolding and railing, at that Time of the Day ? Did they go this way to work, when the Religion was fo young, when the main Matter of Fad was new and frejh in the World, when it was fo eafy to trace Things, and run them up to a Head, by careful and ac curate Enquiries? Was this all they thought fit to do fo near the very Time, and (as I may fay) upon the very Spot, when all Mankind were full of the Difcourfe, and the Thing lay open to every Body's Examination ; when the lear ned Greek and the invidious Jew, might both have had their fill of fearching, and the World would have thank'd them for the Difcovery of the Impofture ? What (I pray) could this be the Effed of, but only their having nothing elfe to fay? For would they have fpar'd Chrifiianity, had it lain at their Mercy ? Did they fhew fuch a Fondnefs for it by all their unwearied Malice and Calumny, that they would have forborn tel ling dangerous Truth, out of a concern for its Reputation? One fubftantial Argument that fhould fairly have fhewnv that our Saviour's Mi racles and Refurredion were nothing but mere Juggle, and the Apoftles a Company of Impof- tors, would have done the Bufinefs. Nay, an Argument that fhould (upon folid and rational Grounds) but have made out a jufi Sufpicion to' Mankind, that they were Cheats; would have done it to incomparably more Advantage, than all the falfe Philofophy, the bad Logick, and the WOrfe Rhetorick, that Celfm, Porphyry, Julian, or any of that Tribe employ'd againft Chriftia nity, ever did, or could poffibly do. And there fore, I fay, 'tis one good Confirmation of the Faith Sect. 3. into the Truth, Sec. \i Faith of a Chriftian, That the worft Enemies, in thofe Times when they Jhould and might have faid moft, faid only that which made it plain to all the World, that they had nothing to the purpofe to fay. SECT. III. HAVING premis'd thefe things, I fhall now proceed to obferve ; That this Argument drawn from the Refurrettion of Jefus Chrift, as 'tis concife, and brings the whole Controverfy into a very fmall Compafs ; fo it is very pofitive and decretory ; and will fo fully determine it, that there will be no room left for any farther Dif pute. To evince this, and at the fame time to per fuade each of the contending Parties to examine, with the utmoft Care, a Dodrine which fo near ly concerns them ; I fhall here enumerate thofe Confequences, which will affed either the Chrif tians or the Deifts, according as we fuppofe the Refurrettion of Chrifi to be either true or falfe. I am willing to put it both ways, that I may proceed in every ftep of this great Enquiry, in fo fair and impartial a Manner, that the Gentle men of the contrary Opinion may have no juft Reafon to objed any thing of unequal Pro ceeding, or a voluntary fly Concealment of what may feem to make for the Difadvantage of the Chriftian Caufe. I declare, that I know of no danger Chriftianity is in, by any Freedom which can be us'd, confiftent with Truth and Juf- tice: If I did, I would abandon the Profeffion of it. For no Religion which is Divine, can ever poffibly need Falfhood and Deceit to fupport it. Falfe 1 2 The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. falfe Colours, and pious Frauds, may poffibly be very ufeful or needful in the Management of fome Religions, that are, or have been in the World ; which, without fuch Helps, would dif cover themfelves too far, to attract the Zeal and Devotion of Mankind any longer. The Poet tells us, that fuch Services as thefe were * ac ceptable to his Jupiter ; and there would be a Time, , when the Doers of them would be -f- re warded. But Chriftianity neither needs or encourages any fuch Methods, nor would the Author of it think himfelf ferv'd by them. As his Religion is all plain and fincere, fo it needs nothing but Truth to defend it. 1 fhall therefore not fcruple at any time to make fuch Conceffions, be they what they will, as Juftice, Truth, and right Reafon require fhould be made. SECT. IV. IF the Refurrettion of Jefus Chrift be a Truth : Then it follows, Firft, With refpelt to the Chriftians ; (i.) That the great Difpute concerning the Divine Authority of the Chrifi'., v Religion, muft be decided entirely in favour of them. For if Chrift rofe from the Dead, then he was a Per fon fent from God, to do that Work in the World, which he pretended he came about: Becaufe the Majefty of Heaven would never have * 'Awlitt Jlx&ias in a/m^Tii 0EOV2. t "VivJtiv £i xgj&v 'itrO' 'i-mi T/ftf 0Eov2. JEfchyl. "Vid. Opufcul. Mytholog. D. Gale. fug. 730. given Sect. 4. into the Truth , Sec. 15 given an Impoftor fo glorious Credentials, as a Refurrettion from the Dead ; a Work which no thing but Omnipotency could poffibly accomplifh. For this would have been to have fet his own Seal to the Delufion, and have made it pafs for credible amongft Mankind, by the Authority of Heaven. If Jefus Chrift had a Divine Miffion, then all his Doctrine is true, and his Laws Obligatory to Mankind, where they are promulg'd and known. For a Mi- nifter from Heaven, who muft needs be a Perfon of perfect Sincerity and Truth, could not poffibly teach or impofe any thing on Mankind, but what fhould be exactly agreeable to the Mind and Will of Him that fent him. (2.) All the Promifes of the Gofpel, relating to the Enjoyments and Bleffings of a future Life, will certainly be fulfill'd to them. For the fure and certain Performance of thofe Promifes, will be infer'd from the Sincerity and Veracity of Him who made them : And he being (by the Hypo thefis, or what follows from it) a Perfon fent from God; 'tis plain, that whatever he has faid, may be depended upon and trufted to, as certain to come to pafs. (3.) From whence it follows, that the Chriftians are not only perfectly fecure, in fub- mitting to the Laws and Inftitutions of Jefus Chrift ; but they are alfo the wifefi Men in the World in fo doing. Becaufe, whatever Inconve niencies an honourable and faithful Difcharge of their Duty may be attended with at prefent ; they are fure of an abundant Recompence in a future State, where defpis'd or opprefs'd Venue •*nd Piety will be crown'd with all thofe Re wards, which are now promis'd in the Gofpel. In a word, the Refurrettion of Chrift is a com pleat Seen- 1 1 1 4 The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. Security to aWgood Chrifiians, for the enjoyment of fuch Privileges as are by far too great for all our Conceptions in this World, and therefore much more beyond Defcription. Secondly, With refpett to the Deifts. (i.) They do not only lofe their Argument and their Caufe, but are in danger alfo of lo- fing Eternal Happinefs in the next World. Be caufe, while they 'perfift in their Infidelity, they ftand liable to all the Threatnings which the Gofpel denounces againft the finally impenitent Defpifers of it; and which muft (upon this Hy pothefis) as certainly be executed, as the Pro mifes be fulfill'd. And this they ought to take notice of, that Jefus Chrift has not been more li beral in his Promifes of inconceivable Happinefs and BUfs, to all who fincerely love and obey him; than he has been fevere and pofitive in his threatnings of extreme Mifery, to thofe who flight his Authority, and the Method of Salva tion he has reveal'd. I do not determine any thing here concern ing the Gofpel, whether it be Divine Truth, or mere Impofiure : But this, I fay, that fince the Threatnings of it are denounc'd in fo dread ful and pofitive a manner as they are, Men ought to take care that they do not venture too far, and fhould therefore think with themfelves, that the Matter we are enquiring into, deferves the moft ferious Thoughts and Refledions they can poffibly beftow upon it. (2.) Again, if the Refurredion of Chrift be certain, then in order to free themfelves from all this Danger, thefe Gentlemen will be oblig'd to receive the Dodrines of the Gofpel as Divine Truths, and fubmit. to the Laws and InjundiVns of it; and therefore fhould fet themfelve* with all Sect. 5. into the Truth, Sec. 15 all the Zeal and Application they can, to throw off all thofe Prejudices and Averfions, which have hitherto hinder'd them from fo doing. They muft leave off all their Quibbling and Difputing, and take whatever they find plainly reveal'd in the Gofpel ; remembring, That tho in finite Wifdom and Goodnefs can never poffibly oblige them to believe any thing that is really abfurd and contradictory, or do any thing which is unreafonable ; yet they may be oblig'd to believe and prattife many things, which unconquer'd Prejudice may tell them are abfurd and unreafonable, and which they may think to be fo, by ufing themfelves to judg of the Ways of God too much by human Rules and Mea fures. Thefe Inferences, I hope, will be allow'd to be juft and good, upon the Hypothefis, that the Re furrettion of Jefus Chrifi is a certain Truth. N' SECT. V. ' O W from hence follows this Corollary : That 4 fince the Danger thefe Gentlemen are in (upon the Hypothefis of the Truth of Chrift's Re furrettion) isfo very great; they muft either have very clear and convincing Proofs to themfelves? that that Dodrine is neither true, nor even pro bable and likely to be true ; or elfe the Peace which they enjoy under an uncertainty about that mat ter, is not the Peace of wife Men. The Reafon is, becaufe otherwife their Eafe and Quiet have no Foundation that is truly rational, to fupport them. The Peace which wife Men enjoy, is a quiet and compos'd Temper of Mind, refulting from mature \ 6 The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. mature Thought, and a ferious Confideration of Circumftances. When all accounts being care fully ballanc'd, and things duly compar'd on e- very fide, a Man finds nothing that flicks, fuffi- cient to raife a juft Scruple, or caufe any degree of Pain or Remorfe ; this is a rational Repofe : And whatever Quiet proceeds not from this Caufe, deferves no better Name than that of Mechanical; as owing its rife either to Igno rance, or Contempt of Danger, or to fome Arts and Management of the Body, ufed to di vert the Mind from the Senfe of it. But how wretched a Shift is this ! Men muft be very hard put to it indeed, when things are brought to that pafs, that their Eafe and Quiet muft be the mere Effed of a voluntary Incapacity to judg of the Reafons they have to be uneafy. Methinks a Man who manages himfelf after this manner, is in no better a Cafe, than he whom the Power of Wine has thrown into a found fleep on the Top of a Precipice ; who is fecure for no other rea fon, but that he has loft his Senfes. 'Tis not difficult for Men, by tampering with the Machine, to induce a fatal Stupor or Liftleffnefs upon their Minds, and fo bring themfelves into a pleafing Infenfibility of all things that tend to frighten or difturb them, tho they are the moft neceffary in the World to be thought of: So a guilty Malefac tor, by the Charms of an Opiate, forgets the Hor rors of an Execution-Day, and enjoys all the Plea- fures of a Fool's Paradife, till Death comes to awaken him. But who reckons fuch a one any other than defperate, in all the falfe Pleafure he enjoys ? Or who thinks it a rational Repofe, for a Man in any Circumftance whatfoever, to banifh Thought and Fear, and give himfelf up to Mirth and Diver- Sect. 5 . into the Truth, Sec. 17 Diverfion, when his Cafe is doubtful, and there is but a Chance for his 'fcaping fome fearful- Calamity, which may furprize him the next Hour? And I cannot fee, but that the Gentlemen, who rejed the Chriftian Revelation, are very lia ble to be charg'd with the fame fort of Folly (tho in a Cafe of infinitely greater Danger, than any that can happen in the prefent World) unlefs they are able to prove, to the entire Sa tisfaction of their own Minds, That there is no Truth in this Hiftory of the Refurrettion of Jefus Chrift : For if it be true, they know what fol lows, if they perfift in their Infidelity to the laft. And if they have Reafons to prove it not true, and fuch as will bear Examination ; 'tis matter of fome wonder they were never fairly propos'd, and made out : Becaufe this might have been done with much lefs offence to the World, and difparagement to them felves, than what thofe bad Methods they have made ufe of, inftead of Argument, have been the juft Occafions of. If they have affronted the Religion of their Country, with Impunity ; they might have reafon'd foberly (like Men de- firous of Truth, and willing to be rightly in- form'd) with as little danger. Since therefore the Subjed is of fo much Importance; fince there have been fo many Occafions and Oppor tunities for arguing in the beft manner upon it; fince modeft and fair Reafonings would have been lefs obnoxious to Cenfure, and far more advantageous, with refped to the Con vidion of others, than Banter and Raillery can ever be fuppos'd to be: 'tis rational for. any Man to conclude, That they have no fuch Reafons, by which they can, with an entire Satisfaction, af- C fure 1 8 The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. fure themfelves, that the Refurredion of Jefus Chrift is not true. And this Cmclufion, which now is highly rational, I hope to make un doubtedly certain, by thofe Reafons which I fhall hereafter propofe, in order to fhew, that the Dodrine of the Refurrettion, is adually true. But farther, I fay, that if this Doctrine be but ever fa. little probable, thefe Gentlemen cannot be allow'd a rational Eafe and Repofe in that Cafe neither. For fo far forth as this is pro bable, it is alfo probable, That they are obnoxious to all the Punifhments threatned to Unbelievers in the Gdfpel. And is a bare probability of fuch Danger to be born with any eafe, by Me-n who are truly awake? Suppofe a Man fo far expos'd, that not only his Liberty. and Fortune, but his ve ry Life depended upon his Concealment : Do you think that fuch a Perfon would lie free from Pain, in a Place where it fhould be faid to him, Here you may be fecure, but yet 'tis pro bable you maybe taken? Would not this wretch ed likelihood of a Difcovery, produce anxious Thoughts in the Breafts of any of thefe Gen tlemen themfelves, if this were their own Cafe ? Would it not excite Fears and Cares, and paffionate Defires after a better and fafer Retreat? Nothing could be fo agreeable -to a Perfon in fuch a Circumftance, as a Certainty of efcaping, And is Uncertainty a tolerable thing, when Everlafiing Life and Felicity lie at fiake ? Let but thefe Gentlemen intermit their Mirth and gay Thoughts for a few Moments, while they confider how hard a Task they will have to prove, That lit is not at all probable, that the Hifiory of Chrift's Refurredion is true. The Diffi- Sect. 5. into the Truth, Sec. 19 Difficulty is fuch, that I dare venture to engage, whoever promifes to go through with it, is not as good as his Word ; and befides, runs into fome manifefi: Paralogifm, which his own common No tions and Opinions, in other matters, fhall fairly convid him of. I fhall not prevent my felf, by alledging any thing here, to evince the Probability of this Doctrine, which may afterwards be made ufe of (to much better purpofe) to infer the certain Truth of it. 'Tis fufficient to have put thefe Gentlemen in mind of the Work incumbent on them ; to free themfelves from the Imputation, of pairing their Days here in the World in a blind mechanical Tranquillity. If they think that the fame Argument i' have us'd againft them, may be as fairly turn'd againft the Chrif tians, and fhould therefore reafon after this man ner, That if the Refurredion of Chrift Jhould not be true, the Chriftians would be as much in Danger, as They Jhould be if it were true ; and confequently, can no more enjoy the Peace of wife Men, whilft un der an uncertainty about it, than they can be fuppos'd to do in the other Cafe ¦ I anfwer ; Firft, We fhall fee by the Sequel of this Difcourfe, whether or no the Chriftians have fuch Proofs tor the Truth of this Doctrine, as are fufficient to make it ftridly juft and rational for 'them co believe it. For if they have, then they iway in the mean time enjoy the Peace of wife Men. Secondly, I fhall by and by confider, in a very particular manner, that Danger which thefe Gentlemen objed to us, and bid us beware of, in cafe we are deceiv'd in the matter of Chrift's Refurrettion. And if it be fo, that they are fully determin'd to draw no pofitive Conclu- C 2 fions, 20 The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. fions, but where they have plain and evident Prin ciples to infer them from ; I am in fome hopes to prefent them with an Occafion of putting fo good a Refolution in pradice, by defpifing this Objedion for the time to come; as having no Foundations but what are perfedly arbitrary and precarious; and (to fay all at once) being no thing but mere Words and Sound, without any Force or Weight. We have hitherto confider'd the Confequences of the fuppos'd Truth or Probability of the Refurredion of Jefus Chrift : I fhall now put the Cafe the other way, and fee what will follow, as fairly and truly, upon that Suppofition alfo. SECT. VI. IF the Refurredion of Jefus Chrift be not a Truth : Then it follows, Firfi, That the whole Caufe of Chriftianity is to be given up ; as that which neither deferves, nor is capable of any farther Defence. For if that Doctrine (which is the Foundation on which all depends) be falfe and delufory, all the reft can be but Delufion ; and fo may ^ parted with, without any Scruple or Difficulty at all. And therefore, Secondly, As the Deifts have nothing to fear from the Threatnings, fo neither have the Chrif tians any thing to hope from the Promifes of the Gofpel : Becaufe neither Promifes nor Threat nings can (in this Cafe) fignify any thing ; the whole Contexture being (by the Hypothefis) a mere Impofture. Thirdly, Sect. 6. into the Truth, Sec. 2 1 Thirdly, Upon the prefent Hypothefis, it muft be granted likewife, That thofe Perfons who reject the Chriftian Revelation, are much wifer and happier, in many refpetts, than thofe who embrace it. To fpeak of things according to the Rules of ftrid and impartial Reafon ; Wifdom and Hap pinefs are not to be meafur'd by prefent Circum ftances and Appearances, but by the laft Iffues or Refults of Things. That is beft, which ends beft : He is the moft prudent and happy Perfon, that provides the moft durable Felicity for himfelf. Now if the Refurrettion of Chrift were cer tainly true, and the Gofpel (confequently) a Divine Revelation, whofe Promifes are all fure to be fulfill'd ; then in whatever Circumftances the Chriftians are fuppos'd to be in the prefent World, they would yet be the Wifeft and Hap- pieft of all Men. The Happieft, becaufe they would be in the way of receiving all thofe glorious Rewards, which fincere Faith and Obe dience are entitl'd to in a future State : And the Wifeft, becaufe it would be an infinitely more juft and rational Courfe, to endure fome prefent Inconveniences, and be oblig'd to the moft laborious Duties, upon fuch a Profped hereafter ; than to hazard the Lofs of a ne ver-ending Felicity, for the fake of a fhort-liv'd Pleafure, or fome little Freedom here in the World. But if the Doctrine of the Refurrettion of thrift, and the Religion founded thereon, be nothing but mere Cheat and Impofture ; and by confe- quence there be no Hopes nor Profped of that tranfcendent Blifs in the next World, which the Chriftians make, ufe of, to encourage them felves to a. chearful Submiffion to all the Laws C 3 of 2 2 The Neceffity of enquiring P ar 1 1 . of the Difpenfation they are under : Then, I think, it is evident, that (in general) they have a much harder Fate of it, than the Gentlemen on the other fide ; who by feeing through the Impofture, and wifely avoiding being caught by it, do by that means fecure their Repofe, and make them felves perfedly eafy, during the fhort Period of Human Life. For the Proof of this, let us confider ; SECT. VII. Firft, '"I"' HE Miferies and Sufferings of all forts, J. attending the Profeffion of Chriftianity in the World. Our Saviour Jefus Chrift (who deluded no Man by little Artifices into the Profeffion of his Religion) fairly told his Difciples at firft, what they were to exped upon that account. He let them know in very plain and exprefs Terms, that a fincere and ftedfaft Adherence to him, would coft them very dear, by drawing the Hatred and Malice of the whole World up on them. This we find in feveral places up and down in the Gofpels- And the Apoftles afr terwards continu'd to inculcate the fame thing in all their Sermons and Writings ; declaring, there was no worldly Gain or Reputation to be expeded from the Profeffion and Pradice of Chriftianity; but fo far the contrary, That all thofe who would live Godly in Chrift Jefus, muft fvffr Perfecution. And we find accordingly, that thefe Predidions have been abundantly fulfill'd ; tho the fulfilling of them has been as terrible, ss it has been pundual and exad. Whatever could Sect. 7. into the Truth, Sec. 25 could be accomplifli'd by a Confederacy of fuch Paffions, which (when they prevail) fpread Con fufion and Plagues amongft Mankind, and make the Earth a Pidure of Hell ; has been done a- gainft the Difciples of Chrift. NO fooner was Chrifiianity planted, but the jealous World took the Alarm ; ftorm'd at the Encroachment, and fet to the rooting of it out. All forts of Men put their Hands to the Work, and made it their Bufinefs to render this Profeffion infa mous and wretched to the laft Degree. The Men of Power and Grandeur oppos'd it with open Force and Violence. The Men of Wit and Learning affaulted it in their own Way : The Philofophers, by crafty and fubtle Difputations : The Orators, by Harangues full of malicious Elo quence : The wife Politicians and States-men, by cruel and fevere Decrees. So that what by one way and the other, what between the Perfe- cutions of the Sword and the Tongue ; it has been the moft deplorable Cafe in the World for a Man to be a Chriftian. Indeed the latter of thefe two Perfecutions, tho very grievous and trou- blefom in it felf, was yet never capable of producing fuch frightful Effeds as the former. Sarcafm and Reproach are very great Trials of Mens Patience and Refolution ; hut not near fo great as Tortures and Executions. And here I may fafely fay, that Human Invention has fcarce ever been fo luxuriant in any one In ftance, as in contriving ways to fhed Chriftian Blood. Nor would any Art be fufficient to paint out Images of fo much Horror, in Co lours that fhould bear any tolerable Proportion to the Life. 'Tis enough, and inftead of all Descriptions, to fay, they fuffer'd. But Qh ! With what Charms of Meeknefs and good C 4 Tern- 24 The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. Temper, with what admirable Patience and Com- pofednefs of Mind? They foftned the Rage of their moft favage Perfecutqrs by Prayers and For- givenefs : They rejoic'd in Him for whofe Name they endur'd all, and concluded all their Tri umphs in this World, with triumphing over Death it felf. All thefe things are fo well known to be true, that there is no need of Authorities to fupport what 1 fay. A good part of the Hiftory of 1 7 Centuries, is fufficient proof for it, and at hand for every one to confult. However, it may not be amifs (for the fake of thofe, whofe Faith goes no farther than a Roman or Greek Writer) to mention * one, who -has fpoke freely enough on this Subjed, and I am fure can never be fufpeded of any thing of Par tiality in favour of the Chriftians. *Tis true, this Author (who, tho an excellent Hiftorian, plainly enough fhews himfelf to have been a Man of Spleen and Paffion) reprefents the Chriftians as a wicked and flagitious fort of People. But the Account he has given (in another -j- part of bis Writings) concerning the Jews, and their Journy out of Egypt, under the Condud of Mofes ; is, I think, a fufficient proof, that his Word may well be queftion'd, as to what he here reports of the Chriftians. Now this being the true State of their Cafe, one may eafily conclude, that no Men eiidow- * Ergo abolendo Rumori, NERO fubdidit reos, fy quafitifi- mif pxnit affecit, quos per flagitia invifos Vulgus CHRIST JA WS appettabat Et pereuntibitt addita. Ludibria, ut ftrarum tergit contefti, laniatu Canum interirent, aut Cmcibus affixl, aut flammandi . atque ubi defeciffet dies, in ufum Mtlurni Luminis t(rerentnr. Tacit. Annal. Lib. 15. f Tacit. Hiftor, Lib. 5. ed Sect. 7. into the Truth, Sec. 2 5 ed with common Senfe and Prudence, or thofe Prin ciples of Self-love and Prefervation which Nature has put into all other Creatures, would ever ren der themfelves obnoxious to fuch Miferies as they have done, were it not upon the Profped of a future Recompence. But where is this Reward, if the Dodrine of Chrift's Refurrettion be not true ? 'Tis this Doc trine which proves the Truth of the Gofpel, and fecures the Performance of the Promifes made therein. So that if this be a Delufion, all is wrong ; and thefplendid Defcriptionsof a future Happinefs given there, to encourage Mankind to Patience and Conftancy in Sufferings, are but Jeft and Cheat, or mere enthufiaftical Amufement. The Heaven of the Chriftians, is every whit as imaginary, as that of the Poets; and on both fides no more than con ceited Elyfiau Shades and Groves, if we are out in this Article of our Chriftian Faith. How fad a difappointment then muft thofe Perfons meet with, who have undergone fuch Calamities in this World, for the fake of an Impofture ; and been led by the hopes of mere fancy'd Blifs, to make themfelves the moft wretched of all Men ? To exped Salvation from one who is not a Saviour, and depend upon Rewards that fhall never be beftow'd ! To pafs the few Moments of Life in Pain and Sorrow, rejoicing in hope of a bright Scene of Glory, to make up for all in the next World ; and then to find all vanifn, and their beft Expedations fruftrated for ever ! Who are deplorably unhappy, if thefe Perfons are not ? And with what reafon did St. Paul (a Writer whom the Chriftians believe to be di vinely Infpir'd) conclude, That if in this Life only they have Hope in Chrift, they are of all Men the moft miferable ? 'Tis 2 6 The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. 'Tis true, the Scene is chang'd, and Chriftia nity \ is not now a-days that perfecuted thing it formerly was, being under the Protedion and Encouragement of the Secular Powers. But what then ? 'Tis the fame Religion ftill, and there's the fame Enmity in the World againft it; and this Enmity would produce the very fame Effeds, if He who fti/ls the raging Sea, and bridles the Fury and Madnefs of the People, did not fet Bounds to it, by his wife all-govern ing Providence. Farther, Thofe who believe the Gofpel, are bound (by a general Law) to exped and prepare for Sufferings: Nor is any Man (whatever he pretends) a real Difciple of Chrift Jefus, till he has in fome meafure learnt that great. Leffon, of denying himfelf, taking up his Crofs and following him, through what rugged or dangerous Way foever he fhall be led. And therefore, if we take all this into the Ac count, I cannot fee but the Argument may very well be prefs'd in the general ; tho the Chriftians fometimes live in Sunfhine, and enjoy the Smiles of the World. SECT. VIII. Secondly, A S the Chriftians, by owning the Di- £\ vine Authority of the Gofpel, are thus expos'd, fo they are bound alfo to perform all the Duties, and fubmit to all the Discipline, which the Gofpel enjoins: Whereas the Deifts (by their very Principles) efcapeall thiSToiland Labour, and keep themfelves free from any fort of Impofitions, that would clog and confine them in the prefent World. As Sect. 8. into the Truth, Sec. 27 As much Wifdom and true Reafon as there is in the Chriftian Inftitution, which would effedually recommend it to all that fhould examine it with unprejudic'd Judgment and Care ; yet 'tis no won der that it appears fo hard and fevere to the great- eft part of the World, who look fuperficially in to it, and never confider whither its grand De fign and Tendency is. The Laws of Chrift Jefus command a ftrid Government of our Thoughts and Paffions, as well as of onr outward Adions and Behaviour. Thofe fecret Motions of our Souls, which are beyond the Cognizance of any earthly Tribu nal, are curioufly infpeded, and impartially cen- fur'd here. To contrive Sin, is Sin, in the Senfe of the Gofpel, as well as to execute it. Cove tous Defires are Injuftice ; and revengeful Thoughts, a Degree of Murder, Calumny and Reproach ; Backbiting and Slander are rank'd amongft the blackeft Works of the Flefh. To wound the good Name of our Neighbour, is as great an Injury, as by Force or Fraud to de prive him of his Right. To deny our Selves, and that in very difficult inftances, is a funda mental Duty, without the Pradice of which, no Man can be admitted into the Number of Chrift's Followers. And what a Task is it, to filence clamorous Paflions, and make Flefh and Blood truly quiet after injuries and Affronts? How hard is it to baulk the Appetite of Re venge, when 'tis in our Power to fatisfy it ; to do Good for Evil; and with relenting Bowels of Charity, embrace the Objed which Nature fhuns and ftarts at ? But more than this, Chrif tianity requires a great and generous Temper of Soul, which is diredly contrary to all the Prin ciples of that bafe and ftingy Self-love, which we 2 8 The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. we are fo prone to indulge. By the Gofpel- LaWs, our Thoughts and Cares are not to be centred folely in our Selves ; but a Share of both to be allow'd to our Neighbour, whom we are oblig'd to love as our Selves ; and therefore to re joice in his Good, to confult and promote his In tereft ; and help either to deliver him from his Burdens, or put our own Shoulders to the bear ing of them. Nor is it lefs to live above the prefent World, as the Gofpel obliges us, and to be equally unfha- ken by the Terrors and Allurements of it : To ftand intrepid in the midft of Dangers, and defpife the lofs of all things, even the moft near and dear to us ; when Fidelity to our Lord, and a good Confcience, can't be preferv'd to gether with the Enjoyment of them. On the other hand, to guard our Affedions from the pernicious influences of thofe enticing Objeds that furround us, and pafs through all the Scenes of worldly Pomp and Pleafure here pre fented to our View, with the Unconcernednefs of Strangers and Pilgrims, whofe Defires are towards another Country. In fhort, how fub- lime a thing is it, to live by Faith, and not by Senfe? To depend ur>~:i a Promife of things unfeen, under a thoufand Difcouragements and Temptations to Infidelity ? To fubmit our Un- derftandings with a becoming Humility, to Myfte- ries that are iutirely above them ; our Wills to the Divine Pleafure and Difpofal ; and make it our Delight to do, and to be in all Cafes, juft what infinite Wifdom fhall think fit to de termine. And tho there's no Man that comes up to fo ftrid an Obfervance of thefe Evangelical Pre cepts, as he ought to do ; yet every Man i§ oblig'd Sect. 9. into the Truth, Sec. 29 oblig'd (under the fevereft Penalties) to do his utmoft ; and with an undiffembled Zeal and Re- folution, to prefs towards Perfedion, as far as the unavoidable Infirmities of Human Nature will permit. Not that Men are hereby oblig'd to endeavour to diveft themfelves of the paf fions and Inclinations of Human Nature ; or to run into a fullen Contempt of the ufeful and innocent Enjoyments of Life; affeding fuch Se verities, as would render Religion frightful to Mankind : But to make all their Pleafures, for Kind and Degree, fuch as the Rules of the Gofpel allow of; to chufe Objeds with religious Judg ment and Prudence, and give no more loofe to the Paffions when employ'd about them, than what is truly confiftent with the great End of all earthly Comforts ; which is only to refrejh us, while we are in purfuit of better. SECT. IX. BU T now as all thefe fublime abftraded Du ties are plainly calculated for, and adapted to, the great End of preparing us for a future Happinefs, fuch as the Gofpel reveals ; fo if the Gofpel be an Impofture, and all the Re wards it promifes come to nothing, then thefe Duties themfelves (lofing their main End and Ufe) become burdenfom Impofitions on Man kind. 'Tis true indeed, the Chriftian Religion (be it a Truth or a Fidion) is fo contriv'd, as to be in all refpeds admirably ferviceable to the Ends and Purpofes of a temporal Felicity. For thofe Principles of generous Love and Charity, that 3 o The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. that fuperiour Temper of Mind, that devout and awful Regard to God, and a future Life, which it tends to infpire Mankind withal; thefe are contrary, in the higheft degree, to all thofe mean and bafe Affedions, which are the fole Difturbers of the Peace and good Order of the World. If Pride and Envy, if Covetoufnefs and Ambition, if Malice and Revenge, if Falf- hood and Deceit ; if fuch Paffions as thefe are the true Caufes of all thofe Calamities and Mif- fortunes which Men make fuch heavy Complaints of: then the Gofpel, which ftrikes fo diredly at all thefe, even in Mens Hearts and Tempers, as well as Converfa'tion and outward Behaviour, does undoubtedly lay the fureft Foundations pof fible for a quiet and comfoi table Life in the pre fent World. Add to this : That the Gofpel of Chrift ftrengthem the Obligations of the Law of Nature. It furnifhes Men with far nobler Motives, to perform all the Duties of that Law ; and threa tens feverer Punifhments, for the Breach of it : and thus it highly conduces to the Welfare of Society and Government, and difpofes Men of all Ranks and Stations, to be duly obfervant of, and beneficial to one another. But when all is faid and done, what fhall we fay to thofe fublime and retir'd Duties, of abfolute Refignation to the Divine Will, of crucifying the Flefh, and living by Faith; if Chriftianity be a Cheat, and there be no future State of Rewards ? This is the Point I am en quiring into. Of what Significancy would thefe be, upon the prefent Hypothefis ? I do not think a Man is the lefs qualify'd for publick Bufinefs and Employment, or for the private Offices of Life, by being intimately converfant in thefe Duties. Sect. 9. into the Truth, Sec. 31 Duties. But what I infift on, is, That */ Chriftianity be an Impofture, the Advantage re dounding from thefe Duties, will not anfwer the Cofi and Pains Men mufi be at, before they acquire an Habit of performing them, in that manner, which the Gofpel obliges the Chriftians to. For there muft be a great deal of Application, Care and Watchfulnefs, and a Man muft make it the commanding Bufinefs of his Life, or he will be able to do but very little good at it. And when all is done, 'tis certain, it is what is abfolutely unneceffary with refped to any mere temporal Felicity or Advantage. An exad and pundual difcharge of Moral Duties, will be fufficient to preferve all Socie ties in a happy and flourifhing Eftate ; and to eftablifh a Man's own private Peace and Repofe in the World. If you fuppofe the Gofpel to be true, and fuch a fort of Happinefs as it re veals, to be certain hereafter; then indeed all this Difcipline of Chriftianity, prefently becomes neceffary in the higheft Degree ; and at the fame time, appears to be the moft wife and excellent Contrivance, that can poffibly, be ima- gin'd. Upon the Suppofition of a glorious Life in the World to come, 'tis plain, why Faith and Mortification and Self-denial, fhould be fo ftridly enjoin'd in the prefent Life ; namely, becaufe by the Pradice of thefe Duties, Mens Minds are difingag'd from the bafe and fordid Objeds of this World, and brought to a Relifh fuitable to the Nature of the heavenly State, where all their Joys and Delights will be pure, and no Ob jeds will ever be prefented to entertain them, but what are truly noble and fublime. But if you make the Gofpel a vile Cheat and a Fie- tion, and take away the Hopes of that bleffed Life, 32 The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. Life, to prepare Men for which, thefe inward and abftraded Duties of Chriftianity are (in their very Nature) plainly calculated ; then they are all of them apparently ufelefs and infignifi- cant, as to any valuable End or Purpofe : And therefore (being fo very difficult to perform) they are a heavy Load, and a mighty Difadvan- tage on the fide of thofe Perfons, who believe themfelves bound to live in the conftant Prac tice of them. Nor is this at all inconfiftent with what I afferted before, viz.. That Chriftia nity (whether true or falfe) does exceedingly con duce to the temporal Welfare and Felicity of Man kind. For the Principles which this Religion puts into Men, may be, and ('tis plain) adually are fuch as tend to make all the World eafy and lecure : and yet at the fame time, the Difcipline and the Duties of it, may be very hard upon thofe, who have given themfelves up to the Prac tice thereof. To conclude then : Who are the happy Men, (upon the prefent Hypothefis) Thofe who live free from the fevere Labours and Toils of a multitude of very coftly Duties, giving their Paffions and Appetites all the Scope that the Law of Nature will fairly allow ; or thofe who are thus bridled and confin'd, and fpend pre cious Time in the Duties of a rigorous Service, which will never be of any Advantage to them? Surely Eafe and Freedom, in conjundion with Safety, are enough to make Mens Lives truly happy. And (upon the prefent Hypothefis) thefe Gentlemen are as fecure, as they are free • provided they do but keep within the Bounds^ prefcrib'd by the eternal Law of Nature and Reafon. Becaufe, how much foever they tranf- grefs the Rules of the Gofpel, yet they have no Sect, i o. into the Truth, Sec. 3 2/ no danger to apprehend upon that fcore ; fince the Authority of all the Gofpel-Laws, vanifhes with the Dodrine of Chrift's Refurrettion. So that it is paft all doubt, the Deifts have by much the Advantage, of thofe that believe the Gofpel, with refped to the prefent World ; if it be fo, that the latter lie under a Delufion, as to this great Article of their Faith. SECT. X. I Hope what I have advanc'd here, will not be mifunderftood ; and that no Man will think, I am for throwing off all Regard to the Laws of Na ture in the prefent Life, upon the Suppofition, that we have no Rewards to exped hereafter : That Men may be as extravagant and licentious as they pie afe, and live like Beafts while they are here ; if all views of future Happinefs and Immortality be taken away. The very Thoughts of this ftrike a Man with Horror ; and no Chriftian (to be fure) will ever en tertain, much lefs ftand by fuch a fort of Notion. For my own part, I declare, I am far from imagining, That our Obligations or Encouragement to any of the common Duties of Morality and Natural Religion, would, upon this Suppofition, be either weakned or taken away. For, Firft, 'Tis in it felf eternally fit and reafonable, that we fhould own the Sove reign Author of our Being, and thank him for the innumerable Benefits we receive in the prefent Life, even without Expedations of future Re wards from him. We owe him Praife and Ac knowledgment for the Good we adually receive at his hands ; and a Profped or no Profped of more Mercies behind, has nothing to do with our thank- D fui 3 4 The N&ceffity of enquiring Part I. fui Returns for thofe that are prefent. 'Tis true, if we foaye a View of more Bleflings coming to us, we may be more chearful and enkrg'd in our Thanks givings to fo kioda Benefador. But however, by receiving from biro, we become infinitely indebted to him ; and therefore to praife him Cor what we have, is our indifpenfibie Duty. Thefe Dude* therefore, which are founded upon God's Qrtar tion, and Prefervation of us", and providential Difpofal of the Bleflings of the prefent Life, are of a fure and lafting Obligation ; and while Hu man Nature continues^ they muft needs be of Force. And the taking away the Hope of a fu ture Reward, can no more take off our Obliga* tions to the Pradice of thefe, than the haying ng Profpgd of a fecond or third Mercy, can difctoar@§ us from the Duty of being thankful for a firft, which we now adually enjoy. And then, Secondly, as for the Pradice of mo ral Vertues; a Man's own temporal Felicity, and the Well-being of Human Society, do neceflarily require a nice and ftrid Obfervance of thefe. For example ; Temperance is abfolutely neceffary, both to our longer Enjoyment of the Comforts of the World, and to our fweeter and more exqnifite Reiifh of them. Without Prudence and Difcre- tion in the Management of the Affairs of Life, we can neither fecure our felves in the Pofleffion of any Good we enjoy, neir make the beft of it, to improve it as Opportunity fhall offer, for a farther increafe of our Happinefs here : In a word, withr out this, we can neither avoid Dangers, live free from Abufes and Impofitions, nor with any toks rable Reputation amongft Men. To be affable and courteous in our Deportment towards others, is the way to gain an univerfal Affedion and Efteem, and to engage Men to be ready to do us any good Offices Sect, i o. into the Truth, &c. 3 5 Offices that lie in their Power, when we may have an urgent Occafion for them. To be juft and righteous in our Dealings with all Men, is the way to be free from Injuries and Affaults, and never to make any of our Fellow-Creatures our Enemies : And confequently, there's no living fafely and quietly in the World without it : Since there's no Man whatfoever, fo mean and little, but if provok'd by had and unjvft Ufage, may, fome time or other, have it in his Power to give very coftly and dangerous Proofs of his Refentments. And fato have due Reverence, and a loyal Regard for our Superiors, is what even good Breeding,. Honour, Intereft, and Self-prefer- vation, will oblige- us to. We can't tranlgrefs due Bounds here, without apparent Hazards ; and to be good Subjeds (if there were no other Reafons for beingfo) is the diredeft way, either to make or mend our Fortunes in the World. And the fame Principles" will engage us, not only to be quiet and faithful", but alfo ufeful and indu- ftrious Membersof the Communities in which we live; zealous to promote their Good, and care ful to prevent all Mifchief that threatens them, as far as we can. For our own private Interefts and thofe of the Publick, are very clofely link'd together ; and when the whole Body fuffers, 'tis much if each Member has not its fhare in the common Calamity. 'Tis true, that Men who have dar'd to be guilty of fuch unnatural Bafenefs and Trea chery, as to intrigue with Enemies, and facrifice the Interefts of the Publick to them, may have fometimes come off without their defi-rv'd Punifh- ment. But this rarely happens : And fuch Crimes are fo hateful both to God and to Mankind in ge neral, and even to thofe who can be glad to make ufe of them to ferve their own Turn ; that they moft commonly come home, either fooner or la- D 2 ter, 3 6 The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. ter, with fufficient Vengeance to the Commit ters of them. Divine Providence, which difpo fes all Men in the World, where they fhould be ufeful and ferviceable in their Places, rarely fails to find fuch out ; and the very Tempters to the Treafon, often become the Difpenfers of a juft Punifhment to the Traitors. So that without any Profped of future Re wards, here are ftrong and undeniable Obligations to the Pradice of all thefe moral Duties. As long as the prefent State of the World lafts, and Men live together in Communities, there will be urgent Reafons why fuch Rules fhould be carefully ob ferved, both in their Management of themfelves, and their Deportment towards one another. SECT. XI. THUS we have feen, what Circumftances, both of Duty and Danger, the Chriftians axe plac'd under in the prefent World, in confequence of their Adherence to the Religion taught by Chrift Jefus. I fiall now make two or three oeneral Reflections, upon what has been difcours'd under this Head, con cerning the Nature of the Chriftian Religion. Firft, 'Tis plain, that this Inftitution is in it felf admirably well adapted to the Defign of redifying all the Diforders of Human Nature, and the improving it with all fuch Vertues and Qualifications as are necefTary (in the Very Na ture of the thing) to render ft truly beautiful and excellent. Nor would I be underftood here, to fpeak only of what the Chriftian Religion it felf makes to be Vertue or Vice ; but of that, which the common Senfe and Reafon of Mankind pro nounces Sect. 12,13. into the Truth, Sec. 37 nounces to be fo, abftrading from all Revelation or pofitive Law, either to approve or condemn it as fuch. SECT. XII. Secondly,"^ HAT it will appear to every Man, 1 who confiders it impartially, to have a dired Tendency to fit and qualify us for a future blefled State ; Such a one, as we our felves, if rve think any thing worthily of God, Jhall judg it the moft confonant to his Perfections, to prepare for rea fonable Creatures, whom he delights to make happy : And that this is the great Drift and Scope of all the Gofpel-Difcipline and Precepts, how ufeful fo ever they are otherwife, to promote a temporal Felicity. And tho this may be infer'd eafily e- nough, from that fhort Account before given, of the Nature of the Chriftian Inftitution ; yet I think it worth while to illuftrate it a little partial* larly, by a brief Rationale of the three principal Duties enjoin'd therein. SECT. XIII. AN D, Firft of all, as to a Life of Faith. If its be fo, that we are defign'd for ano-r ther State hereafter, fo very different from that we are now in, and where we fhall be difpos'd of forever ; then how fit and reafonable is it, that we fhould accuftom our felves to ferious Thoughts of it before-hand ? That our Minds fhould be tjiorowly convinc'd in general, of the certain D 3 Truth, 3 8 The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. Truth and Reality of fuch a State i, and particu larly, of the glorious and happy Circumftances, which righteous and holy Perfons are plac'd in there ? For fuch a Conviction of the Mind is the moft natural way to fet all other good Principles at work ; and thereby to bring us to fuch a fort of Tem per and Converfation, as may be in fome meafure con formable to the Manner of Life we Jhall live in that World. The Underftanding muft always be perfuaded, before we can proceed to any juft and regular Adioh : And therefore, whether the Gofpel-Re- velation be true or no, that Dodrine of the Chrif tians is certainly true ; That Obedience and good Works are the certain Corollaries of a found and true Faith. Befides, a Habit of ferious believing Medita tion, is the propereft means that can be, to make the future State familiar to us, arid fo to wear off the frightful gloomy Apprehenfions, of paffing into a World wholly unknown. And is not this infinitely better, than taking a Leap in the Dark (with our modern Unbelievers) or going off the Stage in a Fog of Doubts, whether Annihilation, or fome new and ftrange Mode of Being, will not be the very next Step to dying here? I do not fay, but Chriftians, as well as other Men, have, and may die under Doubts and Fears. For fup pofing that the Gofpel is a Divine Revelation ; yet it is not prefently neceffary, that all thofe who believe it, fhould be as different from other Peo ple in their Dying, as the Precepts of it, if fiddly obferv'd, would make them to be in their Living. But what I fay, is, that if the Gofpel be a Divine Revelation, we have then a fure Provifitfn made for Dying fafely, and a fufficient Antidote too a- gainft Dying uncomfortably. And if matters ever happen Sect, 14. into the Truth) Sec. 39 happen other wife with a Sincere Chriftian (as for many Reafons, both natural and: moral, it may be,» by the Sufferance of Divine Providence) yet there is enough in the Promifes of the Gofpel, to anfwer for all that, and fecure a Man, that he fhall be no lofer by it in the World to come. SEC T. XIV, Secondly,"! T cannot be imagin'd, that in a State X where God defigns to make Men per fedly happy", They pall ever be taken up in mean and pitiful Converfations with things of fo vile and unfa- tisfying a Nature, as they are employ' d about here in this World. And therefore, that Human Nature (when put into the Poffeffion of fuch a Felicity) fhall not retain any of thofe bafe ignoble Paffions, which tend fo much to the Difturbanceof a happy Life both in Publick and Private ; and fet thofe who are Slaves to them, upon a level with the Beafts themfelves. If we can find any Reafons to perfuade our felves, that the Author of our Beings will make us happy in another Life ; we may be fatisfy'd that he will never do it in fo fordid and inferior a way, as fuch Objects and fuch irregular Affections would make it to be. How reafonable a Duty then is Mortification ? What is this but curbing the Extravagancy, and altering the Bent of finful Difpofitions ? And is it not the right Way to begin now ; fince our In clinations muft be fo refin'd, and our way of Con- verfe and Fruition fo chang'd hereafter ? Let us but think in what manner we fhall live Above S Subftantial Truth will be the Repaft of our Minds, and every Ad of Love and Defire beftow'd on; D 4 fuch; 40 The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. fuch things, as will be worth the Attention of a rea fonable Soul, and fill it with a lafting Satisfaction. But then our Tempers muft be fitted and propor- tion'd to this before-hand. The Songs of Angels would be but unpleafant Mufick, to a Man that never lov'd or thought of God in this Life. That quick and chearful Difpatch of Duty, that ready Obedience to the Divine Commands, which muft be the great Delight of all the heavenly Inhabi tants ; how fhocking and ungrateful would this be to the Humour of a vicious Perfon, who had always made his own Will his Law, and never known any fori of Pleafure, fuperior to that of gratifying his Lufts ? To promote this Thought a little ; let us but con fider, How ftrangely uncouth and difagreeable fome particular Converfations and Modes of living here in the World are to Men, whofe Interefts, Tempers, Edu cations or Endowments, have given them quite another turn, and difpos'd them the contrary way. Nay, tho fuch Methods of Living are in reality ever fo much better than others are, yet they are infinitely worfe to thofe Perfons who have been always us'd to manage themfelves after a different manner. All the Learning and good Manners, the gen teel Cuftoms and noble Exercifes of the moft po lite Nation upon Earth, would afford no Enter tainment to a wild unhewn Savage, brought out of the Herd by mere Force, and pining with De fire to be there again. Nor would a Sinner, un- prepar'd by the Grace of the Gofpel, have more pleafing Senfations, were he to be fet down with all his irregular Paffions and Difpofitions, in that bright and holy Affembly above. Every thing would be out of his Sphere, and quite befide hisTafle and Relifh. He would be iick of thofe Divine Plea- fures, and tormented with not knowing how to behave, and where to bellow himfelf. - And Sect. 1 5. into the Truth, Sec. 4 1 And therefore, fince we cannot fuppofe, that God will ever bring us to fuch a Place as Heaven, to make us uneafy and miferable there ; how juft and fit is it that we fhould now mortify all thofe flefhly Affedions, which are fo incompatible with it, and cannot (in the very nature of the thing) every be carry'd thither along with us ? SECT. XV. N D, Thirdly, The Exercife of that univer fal Love and Charity, which the Gofpel ob liges us to, has likewife a dired Tendency to the great End we are fpeaking of : Becaufe this na turally tends to carry off all that Sournefs and Malignity of Temper, that bafe andfelfifh Dif pofition, which is fo contrary to the heavenly State. By the Pradice of thefe Vertues our Souls are enlarg'd, and our Difpofitions render'd fweet and benign. We become more like to God our heavenly Father, whofe Mercy and Goodnefs are over all \ns Works. We are conformed more to the Spi rit and Genius of that World, where we fhall be united by the ftritteft Bonds of Love, to all that Jhare with m in the fame Felicity. For whatever evil Affedions reign in our . Breafts, and break forth amongft us, to the Difturbance of Peace and bro therly Love, and our very great Eftrangement from one another in this World ; 'tis certain, we. fhall live together in a far better Underftanding in the next. There all Jealoufy and Sufpicion, Envy and Emulation, Wrath and Contention, will ceafe, for ever. 'Twill be the delightful Work of all that come thither, to rejoice in God, and one another's Happinefs; and confpire together in, the 41 The Neceffity of enquiring Parti. the moft perfed manner, to obey and glorify Him. And what then, fhould any thing of a bafe and fordid, or a four invidious Temper do in fuch a State, and amongft fuch Company ? And how Jhould we ever be freed from the prevalence of fuch Principles and Habits, as plainly tend to ren der us uncapable of this bleffed Life ; but by being train'd up under the Gofpel-Difcipline, which does both enjoin and teach us, how to fubdue and get rid of them ? SECT. XVI. Thirdly, "Tj1 R O M what has been difcours'd of the \_ Nature of the Chriftian Religion, arifes a very plain and eafy Account of the Origin 0/Deifm. All that the incredulous People fay, and all that they do, by way of Oppofition to the Chriftian Religion, will follow fb naturally from one fimple Principle (which no body can make a difficulty of allowing) that one would almoft be tempted to conclude, without any further Inquiry, that this muft be the true and genuine Caufe of all. For only fuppofe a Perfon to go fo far, as to make fuch a Conclufion as this with himfelf: I will endure no Curb nor Reftraint upon me, in the Profecution of my Defign of being happy in this World; but whatever I fhall at any time believe to make for my Repofe, or the Entertain ment of my Paffions (by what Names foever other People may call it, whether allowable or forbid den) I will endeavour to gratify my felf with the Enjoyment of it, to the utmoft of my Power. Now all the Phenomena of Deifm will be folv'd by this, without any more ado. For from hence in pre- Sect. i6\ into the Truth, Sec. 43 prefently follows, That whatever ftands in the way to crofs this Refolution, muft be vigtiroufly and hear tily oppos'd. Let it otherwife be ever fo rational and juft, yetif it thwarts the grand Defign, of a free and uninterrupted En joym ent of the prefent World ; it muft be treated as: things always are, which pretend to deprive Mei 1 of what is moft grateful and agreeable to them'. ; that is, be ex- pos'd in all refpeds, as far as poffible. And therefore the Gofpel, which pretends to abridg Men of fo much Liberty, and obliges them to a ftridly abftemious and felf- *5 J>aW£«* ?&K*\ Opufc. My- thol. Pag. 715. roiavrw 'ixc-t J'tatpof^.v >ij •wKntvLu, a<& Jbnetv v'oyuf (MVty 'iimi, ?uV« H (/«• Ariftot. Ethic. I. 1. c. 1. either Sect. 23. into the Truth, Sec. 55 either by way of Difpenfation, Abrogation, Ex- pofition, or Accommodation to a prefent Cafe. Now methinks, as the larger Government of Kingdoms and Countries, which are thus admi- niftred, are by all People juftly call'd Tyrannical and Arbitrary ; fo there is as much Reafon for the Ufe of the fame Terms, when the Government of a Man's Life and Paffions ftands upon the fame precarious Foundation. It may well be call'd an Arbitrary one, becaufe it is left entirely to a Man's own Pleafure, how he will behave and dif pofe of himfelf. Nor can I fee why People fhould pretend to cry out againft fuch Forms of Government amongft Mankind ; why they fhould argue fo freely againft the Danger and Unreafonablenefs of them ; and at the fame time fet up for abfolute unlimited lawlefs Monarchs over themfelves, and approve fuch a Regimen in their own Breafts, as they ab hor and condemn in the World. Now tho it muft be granted, that Men (who are willing to tranfgrefs) may abufe written as well as unwritten Laws, and expound them fo as may beft ferve their own Turn upon Occafion ; yet it muft be allow'd, that in the nature of the thing Revelation is a better Guard, than a bare Scheme of Principles without it. For Men muft take more Pains to conquer the Senfe of a ftanding written Law, which is ready to confront them upon all Occafions ; they muft more induftrioufly tamper with their Paffions, and bribe their Underftandings, before they can bring themfelves to believe what they have a mind to believe, in contradidion to theWords of an exprefs and formal Declaration of God Almighty's Will ; than there can be any Pretence or Occafion for, when they have no more than their own Thoughts E 4 and 5 6 The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. and Ideas to manage. Thefe are flexible Things, and a Man may much more eafily turn and_ wind them as he pleafes, than he can evade a plain and pofitive Law ; which determines the Kinds andMea* fures of his Duty, and threatens Difobedience in fuch Terms as require long Practice and Experience, to make handfom Salvos and Difiinttions to get over- SECT. XXIV. ON the other hand, if we confider the ftate of the Cafe with refped to the Chrifiians, we fhall find a very great difference. For, as to the Law of Nature : Firft, They believe it be a * Di vine Impreffion on the reafonable Nature of Man, by which he is inform'd what is good and evil, and direded how to behave himfelf after fuch a manner, as a Creature fo made and endow'd as he is, ought to do. Now when 'tis look'd on as a Law of God, fuch a Senfe of it is more likely to awe Men into a ferious regard to' it, and to pro duce good Effeds in their Lives and Conven tions, than that flight Opinion of it before men- tion'd. Secondly, They believe this Law to have a Sanc tion of Rewards and Punifliments, which refped not only This, but a future Life alfo : And this is a Confideration of infinitely greater moment, than that of all the temporal Advantages or Difad- * This was the Notion of fome of the rvifer Heathens, as well as of the Chriftians. Archytas, [peeing of Man (in Libr. Supientice) W/)» Advantages above aH the rejl of the Creaturesy adds thefe Words ; 'Eks^'^s >y imoyfjL&vdlo ii 0E~ION *WT, iBTatretfloi h-oyn si'STHMA. Opufc. Mythol. Pag.7^2, vantages. Sect. 2 5 . into the Truth, Sec. 5 7 vantages, which can poffibly redound from a Man's Obedience or Difobedience thereto. Thirdly and Laftly, It is exprefly written in a Book, which they efteem as a Divine Revelation ; and therefore can't be fo eafily eluded, nor ren- der'd fubjed to fuch Management, as a wandring Notion in a Man's Mind may be. SECT. XXV- BU T, Secondly, Suppofe thefe Gentlemen to take the Law of Nature in that Senfe, which of all others will give it the moft Autho rity over them ; that is, to believe it a Divine Law: Yet ftill the Obligations of it are much ftronger on the Chriftians, than they caq poffibly be onthem. For the Law of Nature is it felf taken into the Body of the Laws of Chrift Jefus, and compofes one Part of that Inftitution which the Chriftians have receiv'd from him, and believe to be of Divine Authority. Befides^all thofe fub lime Dodrines and Precepts, which are fpecificaily diftind from, and fuperlatively tranfcendent to thofe of the Law of Nature ; the Gofpel contains the entire fubftance of that Law it felf, together with divers excellent Improvements and Expli cations thereof, made by Jefus Chrift, and en forced and urg'd by him, upon all that embrace his Religion. So that over and above that Obli gation, which is common to others with them, confider'd merely as Men ; here's a new one re flating from their Belief and Acknowledgment of the Gofpel-Revelation : Infomuch that the Du ties enjoin'd even by the Natural Law, are now to be perform'd by them, out of a devout regard to 5 8 The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. to God, not only as the Author of Nature, and the bountiful Benefador of Mankind ; but alfo as the Author and Fountain of all thofe inexpreffible Benefits, which (as Chriftians) they believe they are made Partakers of by Jefus Chrift. Now in the Nature of the thing it felf, the ftrength of all Obligations does increafe proportionably to the Value and Moment of thofe things, which are the Foundations of them ; and confequently, this new Obligation which lies on the Chriftians (as fuch) muft be as much more powerful than that which refpeds them and others, confider'd only as Men ; as the Bleflings of Redemption purchas'd and be ftow'd by Jefut Chrift, are fuperior in their No tions to the common Bleflkigs of Nature. And therefore this Obligation added to the former* muft have as much more force to engage the Chriftians to a ftrid and confcientious regard to the Law of Nature, than the Former alone can have to produce the fame effed on thofe Gentle men who rejed the Gofpel : As much more (I fay) as the Benefits of Redemption added to thofe of Nature and Providence, do tranfcend the Latter taken by themfelves. So that, even allowing thefe Perfons to receive and obey the Law of Nature as a Law of God, and out of a Senfe of Duty to him (which Coneeffion notwithftanding may be more kind than juft) yet ftill their Obligations fall ex ceedingly fhort of thofe which the Chriftians lie under. But if they have no regard to it as a Law of God, but perform Natural Duties from fuch Principles only, as Education, Cuftom, Intereftj Affedation, Fear, Gratitude, or the like : Then, I think, the Odds are almoft beyond Comparifon ; and it cannot well be exprefs'd, how much more firmly the Chriftians axe bound to thefe Duties, than thofe who difown the Gofpel-Revelation. SECT.. Sect. 16. into the Truth, Sec. 59 C SECT. XXVI. lOroll. 1. There is a better Security for the » exad and pundual Difcharge of all moral Duties, from thofe who believe the Gofpel of Chrift, than from thofe who do not. For there muft needs be the beft Security (in Reafon, and the Nature of the thing) where the ftrongeft Obliga tions lie : And 'tis apparent, that they lie on the fide of thofe, who own the Gofpel to be a Divine Revelation. I don't fay here what Chriftians ac tually are, but what by their Principles they ought to be, and what may rationally be expeded from them, as jaft and due by virtue of their Pro feffion. Many indeed, who call themfelves Chrif tians, do fcandaloufly tranfgrefs the Laws of Na ture and the Gofpel too. But (by their own Prin ciples) their Obligations to do otherwife, are un changeably fix'd *, and they run infinite Hazards, by being guilty of fuch Enormities ; for their own Law condemns them to everlafting Punifliments, without true Repentance and Amendment. 1 Now what Men cannot do without expofing themfelves to the laft degree of Danger and Inconvenience, they may be faid (in a Moral Senfe) not to be able to do. And therefore, whatever Duties I ex ped the Performance of, from Men in any Place or Station ; I may be more fecure of them, who muft expofe and endanger themfelves to fo high a degree, if they— are falfe and unfaithful ; than I can of thofe, who have no fuch Principles to be a Guard upon them, and prevent the Breach of their Duty and Truft. If they are fincerely fuch as I take them for, their Principles will govern them 5 60 The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. them ; and the Danger they are expos'd to, will be a Guard upon them, to keep them from habitual Excurfions: If they are not fuch, they don't fall within the Bounds of the prefent Queftion. Nay, tho I make the Suppofition, that the Chrifiians are, deluded, in taking the Gofpel for a Divine Reve lation, yet the Argument will proceed all one as before. For fince the Belief, that it is a Divine Revelation, is fo firmly rooted in their Minds ; then till the contrary is plainly demonftrated to them, they muft needs difcharge all Duties and Offices whatfoever, juft in the fame manner, and with the fame care, as they would do, if the Cafe were otherwife, and they were not deceiv'd at all. CoroU. 2. As far as the ftrongeft Engagements to the Pradice of Moral Duties, can be fuppos'd to have an Influence on the Peace*and good Order of the World, or the Welfare of any particular Society ; fo far is it likely, that thofe who em brace the Chrifiian Religion, fhould be better Mem bers of Society, and more ufeful in all Relations, than thofe who difown the Divine Authority thereof. SECT. XXVII. I Have now fhewn in the foregoing Particulars^ all that I think will follow without Exception ; upon the Hypothefis, That the Chriftians are deceiv'd as to the Matter of Fact of Chrift's Refurredion. The Deifts (1 know very well) go farther yet, and draw another Inference, which is very much to our Difadvantage, viz.. That the Chriftians wilt be liable to as fevere and terrible Punijhments if the Gofpel Jhould be found to be an Impofiure at laft; as thef Sect. 27. into the Truth, Sec. 6 1 they themfelves, on the other fide, fhall be, if it fhould prove to be a Divine Revelation. For fay they, If it Jliould be fo, then here you have affronted the Majefty of Heaven to a very high de gree, in believing him to be the Author of fo vile dn Impofture, as your whole Religion in that Cafe muft be : Befides, you have paid Divine Honours, and given religious Worfiaip to Jefus Chrift, who was never invefied with any Authority by God Almighty, nor had any Commiffion from him, either to teach thofe Doc trines, or efiablifh that Difcipline in the World which you have receiv'd as Divine, and laid all the Strefs of your Salvation vpon. And therefore, as you have reflected on the Attri butes of God, and robb'd him of his Glory to fuch a degree, by embracing this Delufion as his Contrivance and Appointment ; fo to vindicate the Honour of his injur' d Perfections, and exprefs his infinite Abhorrence of fuch Crimes, he can do no lefs than fever ely punijh thofe who have committed them. 'Tis well known, that thefe Gentlemen do talk after this rate; and this is their ftated Anfwer now-a-days, to a Man who urges the dangerous Confequences of Infidelity upon them. There was no manner of Reafon why I fhould conceal or dif- femble any part of what they fay upon this Oc cafion. For as 'tis but giving them fair play, fo the Caufe of Chriftianity can't fufier any Prejudice by it ; nor will any of its Profeffbrs, I believe, be fcar'd, to hear thefe Gentlemen bid them exped the moft difmal Punifliments in the next World that Almighty Juftice can in Aid, if the Doctrine of Chrift's Refurredion be not true. SECT. 6 1 The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. SECT. XXVIII. HOwever, as thefe Gentlemen feem very fond- of this Notion, and objed it with a Brisk- nefs, that argues they efteem it a Difficulty not eafily to be folv'd ; 'tis reafonable that we beftow a little Pains upon the Examination of it: That we may fee whether it carries any thing of ftrid and juft Argument along with it, or whether it be fomething ftarted, purely to evade the force of the Argument, drawn from the Confideratibn of, the Danger thefe Gentlemen are in ; and fo to amufe thofe People, who otherwife might be in- clin'd to think, that the Chrifiians reafon with too much Advantage upon that Topick. There are three things therefore, that are to be reply'd (in the general) to this Objedion of theirs. Firft, That fuppofing it to be ever fo certain and true, it is nothing at all to the purpofe. Secondly, That it is (as to them) abfoluttly Doubtful and Precarious ; becaufe they have no Prin ciples to make any pofitive Inference from. Thirdly, That it is (in it felf) palpably Falfe and Wrong, as will appear upon an exad comparifon of the Circumftances of the Cafe on both fides, ac cording as we fuppofe the Gofpel to be either a mere Fidion, or a Divine Revelation. SECT. Sect. $61 into the Truth, 8ec. 6$ S E C T. XXIX. Firft,T Say, ThatffcwV Objection of Danger to the JL Chriftians, is nothing at all to the purpofe. For in the way of Argument, nothing is to the purpofe, but what has a real Tendency fome way or other to help or benefit the Caufe of that Par ty, who have a Difficulty prefs'd on them ; either by fhewing that it is not fo far expos'd, as the Adverfary's Argument makes it to be, or elfe that the Adverfary cannot argue in that manner he does, in making the Aflault upon it. Now pray, how does this any way help the Caufe of the Deifts (who are evidently in very great Danger, if the Refurrettion of Chrift be true) that the Chriftians axe obnoxious to as much Punifhment, if the Refur rettion be not true ? Suppofe what they alledg to be granted, does it render their Condition lefs miferable and perplex'd? Does it take off any thing from the Force of what the Chriftians fay, or hinder them from concluding what they in tend ? If it does not, to what End do thefe Gen tlemen talk thus ? Is this a Subjed to be trifled with ; and fhould not Men fpeak to the Purpofe (if they ever intend to do it) when their Souls are concern'd in the Argument ? Were a Difpute to be manag'd purely for a Trial of Skill ; then to fliufne and digrefs from the Matter in hand, fo as by any means whatfoever to blunder an Adverfary, and flop the Progrefs of his Argument, were a more pardonable piece of Folly. But in a matter fo grave and ferious as this, to talk off from the Point, and urge what can neither help on one fide, nor hinder on the other ; is ading a Part, that I am 6 4 The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. am fure all the right Reafon and Prudence in the World muft neceffarily condemn. SECT. XXX. B Elides, I muft fay,thatthis Proceeding of theirs i-> as difingenuous, as it is foreign to the Bufinefs in hand. For the Cafe ftands thus. The Chrifiians fhew how very terrible and pe remptory, the Threatnings of the Gofpel are a- gainft the finally impenitent Defpifers of it : and they do this, not with a defign to frighten thefe Gentlemen into Bigotry and Superftition, as they pretend to imagine; but to excite them to a due Care of themfelves, that they may efcape that poffible Danger, of which the Gofpel gives them fo very difmal a Profped. Now the moft prudent and ingenuous way for thefe Gentlemen to go to work, after fuch warning, would be to argue and enquire, and bring the matter to a ftrid Exami nation ; that fo, if they found the Chrifiians had good Grounds and Reafons for what they fay, they might fet themfelves to the Ufe of proper Means, in order to make all things fafe and fe cure on their own Side ; or if not, then indeed having prov'd all to be mere Juggle and Delufion, they might boldly charge the Fallacy upon the Chrifiians,and defpife the Danger they were threat- ned with, as the mere Bugbear of an Impofture. Whereas, inftead of this, they immediately re tort a Charge of Idolatry and Irreligion upon us ; and tell us, that if we are miftaken, our Damna tion will be as fevere as theirs : As if they could be contented to be liable to be damn'd, upon one Hypothefis, fo the Chrifiians be but as much expos'd upon Sect. 3 o. into the Truth, Sec. 6 Arrows of the Almighty, with Coals of Juniper, can they exped, who have fhut their Eyes againft the brighteft Manifeftations of God's Will, that they might expofe them with more Confidence in the Dark? And if the for mer Guilt alone will be fo exceedingly heavy, what will it be when added to this, which is of fo much more heinous and complicated a Na ture ? When the Sentences of Law and Gofpel, fhall 74 The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. fhall both confpire to condemn a Man to Punifh- ment ; fuch Condemnation muft needs be fad, and fuch Doom intolerable! And tho thefe Gentlemen have yet time before them to pre vent all this, nay and time to render their Con ditions truly happy, if they will themfelves; yet 'tis neceffary to be thus plain and free with them, that they may fee in what pofture their Matters will ftand, upon the Hypothefis of the Truth of the Gofpel. SECT. XXXVI. NO W on the other hand, if the Chriftians be miftaken, and the Gofpel be not a Divine Revelation, they can be accountable by no Law, but that of Nature only. For tho, if the Go fpel were true, they muft then ftand or fall, according as their Behaviour has been conforma ble or difconfbrmable to the Tenour thereof; yet if it be a Delufion, 'tis moft certain that it will never be made the Rule of Divine Judg ment. And therefore, I fay, that upon this Hypothefis the Chriftians are entirely upon the. Foundation of the pure Law of Nature : and the great t Enquiry that will proceed at laft with refped to them, will be, how they have dif- charg'd their Duty with refpett to the Injunctions of that Law. So that the very miftake of re ceiving the Gofpel as a Divine Revelation, when it was not fo ; and all the Confequences of that Miftake, in the feveral Rites and Services they have perform'd ; together with whatever Guilt they have incur'd by tranfgreffing the Rules' of the Gofpel, which they erronepufly believ'd they were Sect 3 6* . mto the Truth, Sec. / 75 were indifpenfably oblig'd to obferve : All thefe will fall under the Cognizance of the Natural Law ; not only for the Caufe above mention'd, that the Gofpel ( in the prefent Sup pofition) can have nothing at all to do m the try ing and judging of Men ; but alifb, becaufe 'tis what the Law of Nature does properly and im mediately confider ; in that all depends upou the juft Ufe of a Man's Reafon and Underftan ding, and runs up to this Queftion at laft, Whe ther he has behav'd himfelf as a Creature, endow' d with a Principle of Judgment and Choice, ought to have done. For when a thing is propos'd as a Revelation from God, it ought to be carefully confider'd and examin'd, whether it carries a ftamp of Divine Authority along with it or oo, which is not the Work of Faith, but of Reafon and Thought. And when afterwards a Man's Confcience is convine'd, and he has adually em- brae'd a Dodrine or Difpenfation as from Hea ven, he is oblig'd (tho thro Ignorance he be miftaken in it) to conform himfelf to the Rules of it: and he is guilty of an Abufe of his Con fcience and Reafon, when he does not, as long as the Convidion of his Mind continues; becaufe he fubverts the Order that God has eitablifh'd in the reafonable Nature of Man, by offering Violence to a Power fet up by God himfelf, to be a Guide to, and a Guard upon our Adions. So that 'tis as clear as any thing can be, that the Chriftians upon one Hypothefis, are accoun table only by the Law of Nature ; and there fore, have a much lefs perplex'd and dangerous reckoning to make, than thefe Gentlemenhave, who upon the other Hypothefis, muft anfwer whatever Charges are brought in againft them, both by Law and Gofpel too. SECT. 7 6 The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. SECT. XXXVII. Secondly, '"T^HE RE are fome heinous and very A aggravating Circumftances attending the Incredulity of the Deifts, which are wholly impof fible in the Cafe of the Chriftians : And therefore the Danger they are expos'd to, is proportiona- bly greater. They can't but be confcious to themfelves of what I mean, fince they know well enough, what horrid Work has been made amongft them, with all things that relate to the Gofpel of Jefus Chrift. I fhall not need to tell them, how far they have prefum'd to go in their Remarks, upon the Birth and Life, the Death, Refurredion and Afcenfion of our" Bleffed Saviour ; the Miffion of the Holy Ghoft, and the Infpiration of the Apoftles, to gether with all the Miracles wrought to feal the Truth and Divine Authority of the Chriftian Faith. In fome of thefe Articles I believe, they have out-done the very Scribes and Pharifees. However, I make no doubt to fay, that in Chrif tian Countries Chrift has fuffer'd, at leaft as much as from thofe that crucify'd him. Thefe in deed nail'd his Body to the Tree; but that dire ful Adion was committed but once, whereas the others repeat the Crime, crucifying him to themfelves afrefh every Day, and putting him to open fhame. The Mahometans, who honour him with the venerable Titles of the * Word and Power of God ; would not hear, without an Ex- cefs of Horror, how he is treated by thofe who * Elmacin. Hijl. Saracen. C. 7. P. 3. Edit. Ludg. Batav. are Sect. 37. into the Truth, Sec. 77 are baptiz'd into his Name. And tho they be lieve very differently from what we do, yet their own Prophet has taught them fo much Refped, and fo high an Efteem for ours; that fhould they be witneffes to the Affronts we offer him here, they would be ready to revenge them up on us. This is certain, that the Enemies of Chrift Jefus muft not talk of him to thofe Peo ple at the rate they do to one another. And 1 think 'tis very hard, that Turks and Arabians, that Moors and other People, upon whom we fo freely beftow the Name of Barbarians and In fidels, fhould need to be call'd in for Monitors, to teach Men (that call themfelves Chriftians) good Manners in fuch a Cafe as this. Now thefe Gentlemen fhould confider, That if they happen to be in the Wrong, here's all this, over and above the grand Miftake, to be accounted for. It is not only the bare Deception, that will be laid to their Charge ; that is, taking the Gofpel for an Impofture, when it was indeed a Divine Revelation, and believing Chrift Jefus to be a Deceiver, when he was in reality the Saviour of Mankind : But befides that, there's the Spleen and Malignity of their Unbelief, the virulent Satyr and Reproach with which they have per fecuted his Name and Charader, and blafted the Religion he has eftablifh'd in the World. They have not been contented to deny the Divine Au thority of the Gofpel themfelves, but have pro pagated their Prejudices in the moft invidious and difgraceful manner, made Parties to flout and feoff at Chriftianity, and open'd as many Mouths to rail at the Author of it, as they poffibly could. Now this is flagrant, beyond all poffibility of Excufe. Men may be Enemies to an Opinion, without Rancour and laborious Malice ; 7 8 The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. Malice; and an Error is prodigioufly heightned^ by being accomp&ny'd with fuch CkciHnfta>nces a confider'd too, That the Chriftians (upon the Hypothefis that they are deceiv'd) have never made any Ad vantage by their Miftake, with refped to the pre fent World; but inftead of gaining more Pleafure and Liberty, have exposed themfelves to incompara bly greater Sufferings, and endur'd more ungrateful Confinements than any other fort of Men. But Mat ters are quite otherwife with the Deifis ; for they make their Belief that the Gofpel is an Impofiure, turn to a very good Account, and ferve them to many ufeful Purpofes in the prefent Life : And this makes their Cafe much lefs compaffionable, if the Gofpel fhould prove to be a Divine Revela tion, than that of the Chriftians, if it fhould be an Impofture. For thofe that have been mife rable under a Miftake, are vaftly greater Ob jeds of Pity, than thofe who have made ufe of that Error, to enjoy a World of Pleafures, which without it they could never have done. SECT. XXXIX. BUT to conclude, the great Point that fhould employ our belt Thoughts and Cares on both fides, is, Who have the moft folid and ra tional Grounds to fupport the Belief they adhere to ; whether they who take this Dodrine for a Delufion, or _ we who receive it as a Divine Truth ? For this Rule muft be laid down as a thing of the utmoft 8 o The Neceffity of enquiring Part I. utmoft Confequence both to them and to us, viz.. that by the eternal Laws of Juftice and right Reafon, which the Author of all things (who is abfolute effential Reafon and Juftice) will obferve in dealing with all his Creatures, the Punifliments inflided on Men, for their bad Condud in the Matters of their Salvation, will be proportion'd to their want of Care and Di ligence to inform themfelves aright, and to ar gue rationally upon thofe Informations. And therefore, that thofe Perfons are certain to fare the worft, who have examin'd things the leaft, made the leaft obvious and natural Dedudions from them ; and who have gone the fartheft out of the way, of all the Methods of Reafon ing univerfally receiv'd amongft Mankind ; either to believe what they ought not to have believ'd, or to make themfelves Unbelievers, in a Cafe where their Faith was requir'd. From whence we'll draw this Coroll. That if the Chriftians have a more fair and rational Plea to make at lafi, before the Divine Tribunal, for their Belief of the Refurredion of Chrift (fuppo fing it to be a Fiction) than the Deifts can make for their Infidelity, (fuppofing the Refurredion to be a real Truth) Then thefe Gentlemen will be more fadly expos'd if the Refurredion of Chrift he a Truth, than the Chriftians can be if it prove to be otherwife. Therefore, what remains for them to do, is, to enquire with all poffible Care, into the Grounds of their Denial of this fo important a Point, the Refurrettion of Jefus Chrifi : And, compa ring thofe Reafons with the others, upon which the Chrifiians are -perfuaded to believe it, to fee whether they don't deviate vaftly more, from all the Methods of Reafoning univerfally ap- prov'd Sect. 39. into the Truth, Sec. 81 prov'd and eftablifh'd among Men, by their De nial, than the Chrifiians do by their Affent : For if they do, their Danger is as much greater, as the Irrationality of their Proceeding is more. And if the Chrifiians in believing this Dodrine, are found to argue upon thofe fure Principles, which the unprejudic'd Reafon of Mankind,- and the Laws of the World we live in, do both confpire to juftify; then fince thofe Gentlemen cannot poffibly proceed upon the fame Principles, to disbelieve it, 'tis plain, that they are moft defperately expos'd, as long as they continue in their Unbelief. Let them therefore bring this matter that I propofe to a fair Trial, and do it with infinitely more Zeal and Application, than they would fearch after any Truth in Phi- lofophy, from the Difcovery of which, they could exped the greateft Glory, and the Applaufe of all the learned World. And I hope the fol lowing Difcourfe may be of fome ufe, to help them to make this great Experiment without Prejudice ; and as becomes Men, who have only Truth in view, and believe it is a Matter of fome Importance, to find it out in the prefent Cafe. The End of the Firft Tart. Part ( 82 ) Part the Second, Containing the General Trinci- pies, on which the Doctrine of Chrift's Refurrecfion is eftahlijtid. CONTENTS. The Nature of an Evidence, which is Obligatory to Human 'Underftanding, fiated and demon- flratcd. Concerning Moral Evidence and Certainty. The Differences between this and Mathematical Certainty. The Obligatory Nature of Moral Proofs. The abfurd and intolerable Confequences, that follow upon the taking away, or difowning fuch Evi dence. SECT. Sect. 1 1 8j SECT. I. AVING hitherto prepar'd the way to our great Defign, by fome fhort Difcourfes on fuch Heads, as feem'd fit to poffefs both Chrifiians and Deifis, with a juft Senfe or the Im portance of the Matter in Difpute : I fhall now proceed to fhew thefe Gentlemen, what Principle 1 intend to make ufe of, in order to evince to them, the unqueftionable Certainty of the Refurrettion of Jefus Chrifi. And this Principle, in general is, The Evi dence afforded for it, from whence the Truth of this Doctrine may be fairly and juftly infer 'd. And therefore in the firft Place, I argue thus, That there is fuch an Evidence for the Refurrec- tion of Jefus Chrift, as actually induces an Obli gation on all Men (to whom that Evidence is fairly propos'd, and who are capable of arguing upon it, after a due and regular manner) to give their Affent to it as a certain Truth. Having laid down this Propofition, my next Step is to the Confideration of the infinite Perfedions of the great Author and Governour of the Vniverfe ; which thefe Gentlemen (by their Principles) are no lefs forward to own and adore, than the Chriftians themfelves are. And here I muft advance this Propofition, That 'tis utterly impoffible, that the Supreme Governour of the World (whofe juft and wife Providence prefides over all things, and more efpecially over the. Affairs, and Concerns of reafonable Beings) fiatuld ever countenance a notorious Faljhood, with G 2 fuch 84 The Conditions of an Part II. fuch an Evidence, as Jhould lay an in difpenfible Ob ligation on rational Creatures, to give their AJjent to it, as a real Truth. SECT. II. NOW from both thefe together, we fhall be able to infer the main Conclufion, with all the Force and Perfpicuity that can be. For if there be fuch an Evidence, for the Refurrec- tion of Jefus Chrifi ; and if the Perfedions of God Almighty will not "fuffer or allow, that a Delufion fhould be recommended to the World with fuch an Evidence : It will fairly follow, That this Doctrine of Chrift's Refurredion, is not a Delufion, but a certain Truth ; or that it was un doubted Matter of Fad, that he did rife from the Dead. For if it had not been Matter of Fad, it had been impoffible, that a Being of in finite Truth, Juftice and Goodnefs (fuch as the Deifts tell us they believe God to be) fhould ever have fuffer'd it to pafs amongft Men, with fuch an Evidence, as by all the Laws of Human Na ture, and the World wherein we live, Jhould lay an indifpenfable Obligation on every capable Subject (to whom- this Doctrine is reprefented, with its pro per Evidences') to receive it as a certain Truth. This is the Scheme I intend to proceed upon, and the Confcquence of it will be this ; That if .1 produce folid and truly rational Proof, for the Propofitions I have laid down, thefe Gen tlemen will be oblig'd, either at once to throw off all Natural Religion, and rank themfelves among thofe Unbelievers of the lowefl Form, who deny the Being and Perfedions of a God ; or SecSt. 2. Evidence which obliges, Sec. 8j or elfe by granting thefe Propofitions, to grant the Conclufion likewife, and fo admitting the Truth of this Dodrine, give us an Occafion of rejoicing with them, upon the fcore of the happy Change of their Minds. To fet this Argument therefore in a clear and convincing Light, thefe four things muft be dif- tindly done. Firft, To Jhew what is meant by fuch an Evi dence, as does infallibly oblige every capable Subject to whom it is juftly and duly reprefented, to receive a thing as Truth and Matter of Fact, for the Proof of which, fuch Evidence is a/ledg'd. Secondly, To demonftrate, that an Evidence fo aualify'd, as I Jhall now explain, and reprefented in fuch manner, and to fuch a Subject, as I have al ready fuppos'd ; does actually oblige, to a full and firm Belief of a thing propos'd, as real Truth and Matter of Fact. Thirdly, That 'tis impoffible the Divine Provi dence Jliould ever countenance an Impofture (or which is the fame, thing, permit or fuffer it to be countenanc'd) with an Evidence of fuch a Na ture as this. Fourthly, That there is actually fuch an Evidence for the Refurredion of Jefus Chrift, as does fully come up to all the Characters and Conditions of an Evidence, which directly obliges Human Vnder- fianding to yield its Affent. 1 fhall allot this Se cond Part of this Treatife, to the three firft of thefe Heads ; and beftow the third entirely, up* On the fourth and laft of them. G'3 SECT. 86 The Conditions of an PartIL SECT. III. TJOR the Firft, The Evidence I here intend, J7 may be thus defcrib'd. 'Tis fuch, as being impartially weigh'd and confider'd, by the free Ufe of a Man's Reafon, in all the common and allow'd ways of ufing it; does not only more powerfully perfuade him to a Belief of the Thing propos'd, than any Ob jedions to the contrary, when duly ftated and fet in a fair Light, can diffbade him from the Belief of that thing; but alfo fuch, which if a Man fhould difown and rejed, he muft neceffa- rily be forc'd upon fuch fort of Confequences, as the genuine and difinterefted Senfe of Man kind would condemn as Abfurd and Wrong ; and which even the Perfon himfelf concern'd (without making ufe of fome bad Arts, by which his, Underftanding may be fuppos'd to be ma- nag'd, contrary to its native Tendency) would not be able to digeft, when he came to examine and refled upon them, in a cool and well-dif- pos'd Temper. So that upon a juft and cau tious ballancing of the Momenta on both fides, viz.; The Force of the Evidence, and that of the Objections ; a Man finds the former fufficient to furnifh all thofe Reafons for the Affent of his Mind, that the Nature and Conditions of the Cafe propos'd will admit of; and that the lat ter are not fufficient to take off or invalidate ought of thofe Reafons : and that therefore, in a fair and regular way of Proceeding, without Sophiftry, Prejudice, or any unnatural ftraining for a Conclufion, he may proceed to conclude matters Sect. 4. Evidence which obliges, Sec. 87 matters to be in reality, according as the Evi dence propounded does reprefent them to be. In a word, Whatfoever Evidence in any Cafe, affords all thofe Media, which are neceffary to make a perfpicuous natural Conclufion, and to folve whatever Difficulties occur, upon fuch Prin ciples as (in all refembling Cafes) Mankind uni verfally agree, to argue themfelves into a juft Affurance and Satisfadion by : Such an Evidence, I fay, does adually oblige every Perfon, who is duly inform'd of the Nature of it, and is ca pable of arguing in a juft and regular manner thereupon ; to affent to the thing propos'd, as real Truth and Matter of Fad. SECT. IV. AS to the Evidence I have here defcrib'd, there are thefe things to be obferv'd con cerning it. Firft, That this is not the Evidence which accom panies ftritt and perfect Demonftration ; as Demon stration is underftood by the Logicians or Mathe maticians. For tho all accurate Demonftration muft neceffarily have fuch Properties as thefe; yet every kind of Proof that has thefe Proper ties, is not accurate Demonftration : Becaufe compleat Demonftration does in its own Na ture, involve and require fome peculiar Condi tions, which can by no means agree to fome o- ther forts of Proof, which yet may come up to all thofe Conditions, that the Evidence I have defcrib'd does comprehend. G 4 SECT* 88 The Conditions of an Part II. SECT. V. Secondly, A ND therefore, an Evidence of this /i. Nature does not force or extort the Affent of the Underftanding, as that of rigid De monftration does. How the Mind is influene'd by Demonftra tion, and how by other fort of Proof; I fhall difcourfe more at large by and by : In the mean time, this muft be laid' down as an un doubted Rule, That fome Proofs may oblige us to yield the AJfent of our 1)nd.crft andings, which yet do not extort that Affent from us ; or (fpeaking in the common Senfe of the Philofophers) inevita bly compel us to yield it. Every one will know what fort of Compnlllon it is that I do, and muft intend here : It is fuch as the Underftanding fffcrs, when a juft and accurate Demonftration is propounded to it. The Power of fuch Proof as this is plainly irrefiftible. It will not fuffer the Mind to remain in doubt or fufpence, but with a fuperior Authority exads its affent, and re duces it to a Compliance. Inftead of exerting a contrary Ad of Diflent, we cannot abide in different in fuch a cafe as this ; but yield we muft, even tho it be ever fo contrary to our In- clinitions. The Reafon of this is, from the fpecifical Nature of thofe fort of Proofs we call Demonftrations; which proceeding from fuch Principles as are moft deeply radicated in our Minds, and perfedly congenial with them, they affkult us with fomething drawn from the in- moft Recedes of our own Conftitution, and fo make their way into us with infinite Speed and Facility. Other Sect. 5 . Evidence which obliges, Sec. 8 9. Other Proofs there are, whofe Principles, tho ftridly congruous- -and futable to our rational Natures, yet are not fo near a-kin to them as the former; and therefore do not infinuate them felves into us with that wonderful Eafe and Ad vantage, that thofe of ftrid Demonftration do. From whence it comes to pafs, that there is more fcope left us to argue and enquire about them ; to examine the Congruity and juft Con-v nedion of the Premifes-one with another, and., their Tendency to infer a convincing legitimate Conclufion : which Difquifition is incomparably abridg'd, and even almoft quite prevented, in the Cafe of rigid Demonftration, by the na- turalnefs of the Principles, and the bright eafy way of difpofing and linking them with one another. However, thefe other Proofs (I will not fay may perfuade, for that is not the Cafe, but) may peremptorily oblige the Affent of our Minds; tho they do not command it in that magifterial way, that fcientifical or de- monftrative Ones' do. For they may prefent Truth to us, by fuch a concatenation of Steps and Confequences, as may render it abfolutely Juft and Rational for us to acknowledg and re ceive it as fuch ; tho the Procefs be different from thofe, which are form'd by the ftrid Rules of Logick or Mathematicks. And if they may do this, they may oblige : For we are under an eternal Obligation to ad juftly and rationally. I have hitherto fhewn (in thefe two Particu lars) what is not intended or aflerted in the Evidence mention'd. To fhew therefore what I do intend by it ; I fay, sect: i ^'^mwf, nthlav r cttyfiuivl*, ich'6bliges, Sec. 99 put it 6iit of all doiibt wfth fhem: Tho I muff add, That aU that the Poets fay upon this Head, as irfeff as feveral others that ttiakt d very beauti ful Figure in thtir Gompofitions, ate plain Tran- fcriptio'ns from Mofes, the moft antient Hifto- rian in the Univerfe. And this Juftin MaVtyY has perfpicuoufly made out ; and' in the1 fame Difcourfe as plainly afferted and1 prdv'd (to Hisl Countryttferi tn'e* Greeks) the' *' Antiquity of the Mofaict Writings, before thofe of all their own Hiftdfiaffs; Poets, fmlffophm, or tegifiators what- foeVeY. However, to pafV by' thefe things at prefent., I am' concern'd' o'rily in the fuppofition of fome Firft Man ; not caring1 iri v^hat' manner, or how long ago he was created', or what his Name was: tho Juftin refers the Greeks to one of their own f Oracles, which Call'd1 him by the Name Of Adam, as" Mofep had done long before. Now the Queftion I would prbpbfe here, is, Whether this firft Parent of Mankind was created with Difpofitions and Inclinations to exert his Facul- -MbVok oP' \oi&. mo~(m>io avtufla.' Orph. apud Juft.. de M'onar. P. 1 56. ' E«- r'ar< ctknQetdunv,- eft \&V ®io(, Or icy.vw 7iTdi^, ly Talav n&x.(y.v, &c. Sopboc. uti apud Juftin. in Cohor. ad Grscos. P'. 83. Et de Monarch. P*. 1^4. — — lva yvarz on WcTtaf r waf' v/j.u>, erti etxpav, tsoKKu either never come to rational Conclu- fipns and Determinations at all, or (if we pleafe) when we have made them, not put them in pradice. The eftablifh'd Order of Nature is, That the Will Jhould always att, in a juft and re gular fubordination to the Dictates of the Vnder- ftaniing: That the Mind as a fore Guide fhould go before, determining what is fit to be done and purfo d, or omitted and avoided ; and by that means, dired and lead on the Operations of this Faculty, which ought to chufe or re- fufe accordingly. And the Underftanding be ing fuppos'd to be rightly inform'd, we always ad rationally and well, when things go on in this Courfe; the Mind duly preforming, and the Will fweetly yielding to its Prefcriptions, each Power keeping its proper Place and Office. But whether the Mind be duly inform'd or no, the fame Law pf Nature muft always take place- Spine fort of Conclufions muft be made (whe~ ther they be juft or unjuft ones ; whether plain and exprefs, or only tacit and by Corifequence) before the Will formally cpnfents, and gives Orders to the executive Powers to exert them felves, Qtherwife the Will of Man were not a noble rational Appetite, but a blind irra tional one. For therefore we call it Appetitus Rationalis, becaufe it is made to, ad fyjo. duetts Rationis. However, the Refolutipns of the Under-ftan- d'lng, even the moft found and pofitive ones, impofe no manner of Neceffity on the Will, For even the laft Dictate it felf, is bu,t one of the Prerequisites to Adipn, and leaves the Will an intire and perfed Dominion over its own Ad ; which it may therefore either proceed to exert, i o 8 The Conditions of an Part II. exert, or may fufpend and forbear, by its own formal native Liberty; Nay, except only in thefe two Cafes, viz.. When the Objed under Confideration, is either Univerfal Good, or the Supreme and Chiefeft Good (Bonum in Communi, or, Summum Bonum) the former of which is the Adequate, and the latter the Principal Objed of the Will : I fay, in all other cafes but thefe, where the thing propos'd is any particular or fubordinate Good, not neceffarily conneded with that which is the Supreme ; our Liberty extends here, not only to ading, or not ading, but alfo to the exerting of fpecifically different, or contrary Ads : we can chufe or refufe, chufe this or the contrary, as well as chufe or fufpend the act. of Choice. And this is what the Schoolmen, in their way of talking, mean by their diftinc- tion of Liberty, into Libertas Contrarietatis, five Specifications, & Contradictionis, vel Exercitii. The Terms perhaps may feem obfcure (as moft of theirs do) but they are juft ; and we all know by confulting our felves, that there is fomething in our Natures that has really laid a Founda tion for the Ufe of them. But to proceed; When the Underftanding, well inftruded and inform'd of the feveral Cir cumftances of a Cafe, has drawn fuch Conclu fions from them, as are convenient and proper for us to manage our felves by, it has then done its Office ; and what ought next to follow, is a futable compliance of the Will and Paf fions. But inftead of this, the Decrees of the Mind are too often flighted ; the Will anfwers by A verfion and Reludancy, and prompts the inferior Powers to finifh a Rebellion, begun by its own Obftinacy. The Underftanding is made to fhift and alter its Refolutions, to pafs from one Sect. 1 6. Evidence which ohliges, Sec. 109 one Sentence and Opinion to another, till it has fix'd on fome one that will be grateful and pleafing. So that altho it be the eftablifh'd Law in Human Nature, that the Didates of this Faculty fhould ftill precede the Motions of the Will ; yet in fuch Cafes, the Underftanding ,ads its part, as a Guide under abfolute Com mand, who muft lead that Way only which is pointed out to him by another. SECT. XVI. IF it be enquir'd, how it comes about that we ad after fo prepofterous and diforderly a manner? That the Underftanding which fhould govern, comes to be thus govern'd and impos'd upon ? I anfwer, By the ill Ufe of our Liberty ; by the undue Encouragements we can give, if we pleafe, to the brutal Powers, our Paffions and Affedions ; which were defign'd to be the Ser vants, and not the Matters of our Reafon. The cafe lies here, we can give our felves more fcope than we ought to do, in our relijh of fenfible and corporeal Impreffions. We can be more pleas'd and affeded with them than we fhould be ; and thereupon give a greater loofe to the Paffions, than is confiftent with the Rules of that Go vernment which we ought to keep up in our felves. By this means the Authority of the Mind is weakned, its Tafte vitiated and depra ved ; and 'tis difpos'd to a tame and eafy Com pliance, with whatever is agreeable to the Bent of the ignobler Powers. The Confequence of all is, That by fuch Encroachments as thefe, the Paffiom i ( o The Condition* of an Part II. tafftotts gfdtb upon us, and Work themfetl/ii nfdn and more beyond due Bounds and Government. They importuneand foflicit againft the Refolve* of the debilitated Mind ; and by thofe unaccoun table, tho powerful Charms, come tP ttiike' tfre? Underftanding of a Party with then*, arid bribe it to pronounce on their fide. So that tho the Underftanding, upon" doe de liberation in the Cafe' proposed, dPCs at frrfi- make a juft and right Conclufion, Ex. Gr. This thing in the prefent Circumftances ought to be done, and the other fiiould be forlorn ; yet by the fecret Influences of thefe Powers, which will recoil a- gainft the wholefom Determinations of right Reafon, and reverfe them too, if not carefully aind vigoromly defended ; it comes to pafs", that the former rational Sentence begins to lofe its' Authority, comes to be more faintfy and lan guidly made, and is at laft entirely drop'd ; be ing exchang'd1 for another, more favoorabte on the fide of the Paffions. SECT. XVII. FROM what has been faid, we may gather fome ufeful Corollaries. Corol'l. 1 . 'Tis plain from hence; how Men may be faid to offend againft Light and Knowledg. To hate Truth as Truth ; that is, purely and formally under that Notion, is to be fure,, im poffible to any Rational Nature (even the Dia bolical Nature, is not to be excepted in this cafe ; at the bottom of all whofe oppofition to God and Goodnefs, eternal Falfhood and Delu fion lie.) But to hate Truth, as it may be very contrary Sect. 1 7. Evidence which ohliges, Sec. 1 1 1 contrary to a Man's particular Interefts and Af fedions, is not only poffible, but very eafy and common. And when Men fuffer fuch Averfions as thefe to get ground in them, which they ought not to fuffer, and which by a better ufe of their Liberty, they may prevent ; when they ren der their Paffions infolent and unruly by faulty Indulgence, or flackning the Reins of Govern ment; and fo debauch their Judgments into a corrupt and partial way of pronouncing, con trary to all foregoing found Conclufions made concerning their Duty, when their Thoughts were ferene and cool, and Reafon maintain'd its Authority in their Souls : This, I fay, is finning againft Knowledg to fome purpofe. And the Guilt of it lies here, that 'tis fo much in a Man's power to take other Meafures: He can think, he can look over and confult the folemn Decrees of an enlightned Pradical Judgment, regiftred in his own Breaft, from whence his Duty may be clearly known, whenever the Per formance of it is difputed. There is no quef tion, but the Aggravations which attend fuch Pradices, are in fome certain Cafes, exceedingly more heinous than in others ; fo far, that accor ding to the Scripture-ftile, Men may be faid to ad malicioufly, and in a peculiar Senfe to fin wilfully, after they have receiv'd the Knowledg of the Truth. However, this is in fome degree, more or lefs, the true State of the Cafe, with refped to all Men, who proceed in any vicious Courfe, contrary to the fober Didates of their own Minds, or to any written or reveal'd Law of God. They are all wilful Sinners againft the Truth. And the Source of all the Mifchief is from hence, That they will betray their Vnder- ftandings, to the Infults and bafe Management of the 112 The Conditions of an Part II. the inferior Powers. Hence all the contradidion of their Adions to their ftated Principles, their continual baffling and confuting themfelves, fay ing one thing and doing quite another : Video Meliora, Proboque, Deteriora Sequor. Things become Good and Evil to them by turns; and what they are forc'd to condemn at one time, they find Reafons to approve and chufe at another : That is, tho there are no Reafons in the nature of the thing, yet the manag'd Judg ment muft make Reafons for the prefent Occa fion ; and when its own Deterius is the Melius of the Paffions, muft alter its Vote, and pro nounce Melius too. Coroll. 2. The caufe of all the wrong fteps vtc make in Practice, is Immediately an erroneous Sen- fence of the Underftanding ; but Originally and Prin cipally, the ill Vfe of Liberty, or the Power of the Will'. Coroll. 3; From hence appears, the Danger of not checking the Violence and Importunity of the fenfi- tive Powers, in the firft Affaults tending to a breach of Duty. SECT. XVIII. C Or oil. 4. The only Method to prevent or re medy thefe Evils, is an Habit of ferious Thought and Confideration. Not barely to think, but to dwell upon thofe things that tend to imprefs the deepeft Senfe of Duty and Danger upon the Mind. The negled of Sect, i 8. Evidence which ohliges, Sec. 1 1 j of this, is certainly the moft fatal and perni cious Diftemper of Mankind ; that which creates all their Trouble and Uneafinefs, brings on all their Danger, and fometimes terminates in ab- folute irretrievable Mifery in this World, what ever happens in the next. Now the performance of this great Duty, is the Joint-Bufinefs of the Underftanding and the Will. To confider, is a proper Ad of the Un derftanding; but a Man cannot confider, without being willing to do fo. 1 don't fpeak of occafio- nal or accidental Thought, but of folemn Me ditations, fuch as the prefent Affair requires. Here, to be fure, the Will is deeply concern'd. A Man muft both purpofe and defign it, and be difpos'd and enclin'd to it too. He muft fee juft Reafons for doing it, and then fubmit to thofe Reafons ; that is, chufe and embrace the Work; after which he adually applies to the Performance of it. So that the Underftanding, firft rouz'd by proper Motives, reprefents the Reafonablenefs, and preffes the Neceffity of the Duty ; but then 'tis by a good Ufe of our Li berty, that we are determin'd to. the doing of the thing it felf, and break thro all the Difficul ties that lie in our way. Now 'tis a plain cafe, that we have a Power to do this : We can engage our Underftanding^ in ferious Contemplation, if we will ; that is, we can determine and fettle our felves to think, provided our Wills are difpos'd and inclin'd that way. And this appears from hence, That if we begin to think of a Subject, we can flop, and put an end to that particular Contemplation when we pleafe. And if we are purfuing one Thought, we can break off, and immediately divert to another very different from the former- This we all know I to 114 The Conditions of an Part II. to be true, and 'tis an Experiment that we can try at any time : However, as common and as cheap as it is, it fhews us the command we have of our Minds, and to how good as well as how ill a Purpofe we may manage them, if -we think fit. And therefore, I fay, fince by exerting our felves as we ought to do, we may bring our felves to a Habit of ferious Confideration ; how juft and reafonable a thing is it that we fhould fet to it, when the Advantages of fuch a Prac tice, as well as the Inconveniences we prevent by it, are fo many and fo great? For Confi deration impreffes the Arguments to Duty, and makes them fink deep into the Mind ; and therefore, by this means, we encreafe the Force, and ftrengthen the Authority of the governing Faculty ; which, to be fure, muft be of vaft ad vantage. Whereas on the other hand, theneg- led of this difarms the Mind, renders it heed- lefs and incautious, and fo prepares the way for all thofe Mifchiefs that follow upon its Subjec tion to the bafer and inferior Powers. SECT. XIX. BY what has been faid upon this fecond Head, it appears, how capable we are of ufing our Minds otherways than we ought to do, as Ra tional Beings. If we are not capable of variety of Adion, it could not be prefs'd upon us as matter of Duty and Obligation, to ad after this or that particular manner : But 'tis in our Power to manage our felves as we fhould not do. For God has made us free, as well as in telligent Sect. 20. Evidence which ohliges, Sec. 1 1 5 telligent Creatures. But I come now to the laft Head propos'd, viz.. Thirdly, To fhew, That 'tis perfectly agreeable to that original Law or Order which God has efia blijh'd in our reafonable Natures (with refpett to the Operations of our Minds) and to the very De fign of fuch a Faculty as Vnderfianding is ; that we Jhould receive thofe things as true and real, for the Proof of which, fuch an Evidence as that before defcrib'd, is alledg'd. SECT. XX. IN order to the making out of this Propofi tion, let us firft confider, What our own Know ledg and Experience of our felves, affures m to be plain Matter of Fact in this cafe. We know, that where Proofs of this Nature, and of thefe Conditions, are ofter'd to evince the Truth of things to us, we do adually re ceive thofe things as true, and reft in them as fuch : And that it is not only by Accident, or upon extraordinary Occafions that we do thus; but 'tis our ftated Pradice, and the Pradice of Mankind univerfally. We are confcious to our felves, of foch an Aptitude or Difpofition to ad after this manner, that we make our felves calm and eafy, by yielding and giving way to it. It produces fuch a pleafing fort of Tran quillity in our Minds, as ought to arife, and does arife from all fuch Ads, wherein we con form our felves duly to the Impulfes of pure unadulterated Nature. On the other hand, we feel that fuch Evidence of Truth is not to be withftood without Pain and Remorfe. There I 2 are 1 1 6 The Conditions of an Part II. are fome Principles within us, which will re coil upon us, when we fet our felves to baffle it : 'Tis fwimming againft the Stream, labour ing againft Biafs and Conftitution, the Reluc- tancies of which fhew the very Attempt to be faulty and injurious. Farther, we know very well, that we are not taught nor train' d up, to this way of ufing and exer ting of our Minds. 'Tis true, that we are taught particular Methods of fearching out, and pro ving Truth. But we have never any need of being inform'd in the general, that when things are clear, as made out by that fort of Proof which agrees to their Nature, we fhould affent to the Truth of them ; or that we fhould not doubt, when after accurate Searches, we find nothing to be a juft Caufe of doubting, in the Nature of things, abftrading from all our own Notions and Hypothefes. No Parent or Tutor ever infus'd thefe Principles; tho they may (and ought to) inculcate and improve them. The earlieft difplays of Human Nature, evidently fhew, that they are lodg'd within, before any of our Inftrudors begin the kind Office of our Education. And for the proof of all this, I appeal to Human Nature and common Experience, of which every Man is a Judg: So that the cafe is as eafy to be thorowly fifted and examin'd, as any can poffibly be. 'Twculd be a Crime to be fo- licitous about anfwering fuch Perfons, as fhould bluntly deny what I have here faid, to be Mat ter of Fad. I would beftow the fame Pains up on their Convidion, that 1 would in a rational Confutation of that Man, who fhould tell me in good earneft, that Ice and Fire are the fame fort of Bodies ; or that 'tis dark Night in that very Sect. 2 1 . Evidence which ohliges, Sec. 1 1 7 very Place, where my own Eyes and thofe of all other Men upon the Spot, fee the Sun in his Meridian Lufire. The refult of the Argument therefore is this : Since (by what has been faid here) it appears, that there is a difpofition in Human Nature to ad after this manner, fuch as does not, not can not proceed from Inftrudion and Education, but is moft certainly inbred and congenial with it: Alfo fince (by what was fhewn before) it muft of neceffity be granted, that there is fome certain Law or Order eftablifh'd in the reafon able Nature of Man, which fhould difpofe him to ufe and exert his Mind, after a manner be coming an intelligent Creature, upon proper Motives and Inducements : It follows, That to act after this manner ; that is, to yield the Affent of our Vnderfi an dings to fuch Evidence of Truth, is plainly to act in Conformity to the Tenor of that Law. SECT. XXI. Secondly, T T muft needs be our wife Creator's 1 Purpofe and Intent, in endowing us with fuch a Power as Vnderfianding, that we Jhould affent to thofe things as true, which are recommen ded to our Belief, by an Evidence of this Nature. And that we may be the more thorowly apprized of the Truth of this, let us trace this matter from the very Original. 'Tis plain, That we have a Power, by which we .ire enabled, to believe, or affent to fome Propofitions^ as true. I 3 And l : 8 The Conditions of an Part II. And as 'tis certain, that the infinitely wife Author of our Beings, would not give this or any other Principle or Power for nothing ; that is, not intending it fhould ever be exerted or brought to ad : fo 'tis as certain, he could ne ver defign that it fhould be brought into ad by nothing ; or that it fhould exert it felf arbitrari ly, and fortuitoufly, or out of pure Spontaneity, without the Influence of fome preceding Mo tives to rouze and excite it thereto. For o- therwife, a rational Creature would be a mere whimfical unaccountable fort of Automaton. That which we call the beft Workmanfhip of God Almighty, in the vifible Creation, would be fram'd with infinitely lefs Prudence and Skill, than the meaneft pieces of Art here amongft our felves, which are made to obferve elegant Order, and to ad from fixed Laws and Prin ciples. Since then 'tis neceffary, that fome fort of Motives or Reafons, fhould always lead on the Operations of this Power of believing, or aflen- ting to things as true; the next Queftion is, Of what Kind and Nature they ought to be ? What ought to be the exciting Principle to fuch a fort of Adion, as that which we call Belief? It cannot be Obfcurity and Confufion in the Things or Propofitions -we confider ; or Doubt and Un certainty in our own Minds. It could never be de fign'd, that thefe fhould be the Foundations of our Belief and Affent. For this cafts ftill a more heinous Refiedion upon the infinite Per fedions of God, to imagine him to have made Man fo aukward and perverfe a Creature ; a thing of fo crooked and contrary Difpofition, that Obfcurity fhould excite his Faculties, and Un certainty it felf fhould determine him to Adion. W Sect. 2 1 . Evidence which ohliges, Sec. 1 1 9 And therefore, it muft needs be his Purpofe and Intent (fince we cannot doubt but he has fram'd our Natures with the moft exad Wifdpm and Counfel) that we Jhould exert this Power upon fuch Motives or Confiderations, as Jhould fet Mat ters in a fair and clear Light before us, and be fufficient to prevent all rational Doubt and Vncer« tainty about them. Not only that confus'd pre carious Evidence fhould not procure the Affent of our Minds ; but alfo that all Evidence of a contrary Nature, fhould do it. For fince the plain Ufe of that Faculty we call Underftan ding, is to fubfcribe and affent to Truth ; it would be as monftrous and irregular, to fuppofe the Author of Nature had fo fram'd it, that bright and unexceptionable Reprefentations of Truth fhould not excite it to yield that Affent ; as it would be to imagine, that he had made Darknefs natural to it, and fitted it to be wrought on, only by the Motives of Intricacy and Confufion. But now, we are under an ab- folute Neceffity of receiving many things as true and real, where we can neither have the Tefti- mony of Senfe nor accurate Demonftration, to affure us of the Truth of thofe things. We muft believe them, and yet cannot have the Proof of them by either of thefe ways. And there fore it follows, That an Evidence of fuch a Na ture, as was before defcrib'd, does lay a direct and pofitive Obligation upon us, to yield our Affent in all thofe Cafes, wherein we cannot have fenfible or demonfirative Proof. I 4 SECT-' t2o The Conditions of an Part II. SECT. XXII. WE have hitherto profecuted the firft Ar gument, drawn from the Conftitution of Human Nature, to prove the Obligatory Nature of the Evidence before defcrib'd ; which Argument has this Advantage, That there is plain and obvious Matter of Fact: in our felves to fup- port it. And I hope, that which follows, will not be without fome peculiar Advantages likewife. Secondly, The difowning an Evidence of this Na ture, has a direct tendency to take away all Moral Certainty, and leaves no room for our Belief of any thing, but what is either an Object of Senfe, or Matter of pure Demonftration. And therefore, we are bound not to rejeft it, but to affent to thofe things as true, for the Proof of which, fuch Evidence is propounded to us. To fet this Argument in a clear Light, two things are to be done. Firft, To fhew, That the rejecting of an Evi dence of this Nature has a direft Tendency to take away all Moral Certainty ; or to render Moral Evi dence, from whence that Certainty arifes, wholly ufe* lefs and infignificant in the World. Secondly, To fhew, That Moral Evidence is not to be taken away, nor thinas to be brought to that pafs ; that fenfible or demonfirative Proof jhould be rcquir'd or given, for every thing that is to be re lied on as Truth amonaft Men. It neither can be fo, nor ought to be fo : Tis neither poffible or convenient, according to the Conftitution and State of the World we live in. From Sect. 2 3 . Evidence which ohliges, Sec. 121 From both thefe together, the Reafon of the Confequence will appear, viz.. That therefore an Evidence of this Nature, makes it firictly juft and rational for us to yield the Affent of our Minds. SECT. XXIII. THE firft of thefe Propofitions, is eafily made out. For there is no more neceffary, in order to the highefi Degree of Moral Certainty that we can attain to ; than an Evidence of fuch Qualifi cations and Conditions, as I have already explain' d. Let any one confider the Defcription given of it, and fee whether there can be any thing far ther requir'd, to give us a compleat Satisfadion of the Truth of any thing, in a Cafe where De monftration is wanting, or our own Eyes are not to be us'd to convince us thereof. And af ter a fober Examination of the Matter, 1 make no queftion but he will find, that fuch a Proof is fufficient to give us all the Affurance, that we can rationally defire, or really need to have, or that the very Nature of fuch Cafes will al low of. Therefore I infer, All forts of Evidence requifite to produce Moral Certainty, will be fure to fall within the Limits determin'd in that Defcrip tion. And therefore, if the Evidence we have de fcrib'd, may be rejeded in any one Cafe pro pos'd ; by a Parity of Reafon, all other Proofs of the fame kind may, and muft be rejeded too, if we ad confiftently with our felves. For when things are alike, and in their own Natures do not allow any Difference to be made ; if we make a Difference, it muft be refolv'd intirely into 1 2 2 The Nature, Sec. Part II. into Humour and Self-Will. Therefore upon this Hypothefis, all Moral Evidence and Certainty are at once thrown out of the World, and we muft never believe nor depend upon any thing as true, but what is fairly demonftrated to us, ¦ cr attefted by our Senfes. Now if the grofs Abfurdity and Falfhood, if the wretched and intolerable Con fequences of fuch a Suppofition be well demon ftrated ; 'twill be certain beyond Difpute, that wc are firmly oblig'd to acquiefce in an Evidence of the forcmention'd Characters. SECT. XXIV. I Come therefore now to fhew, Secondly, That Moral Evidence is not to be taken away ; or that Proofs of this nature, are of the utmoft Confequence and importance to the World. and carry fomething along with them, which is highly fatisfattory and convincing to the Vnderfianding of Mankind. And in order to the clearing of this, I fhall do thefe two things diftinftly. Firft, Enquire into the Nature of Moral Evi dence ; fee what, and whence the Obligation of it fprings ; how far it 4nay be compar'd with Mathematical Evidence, and does agree therewith, in producing the very fame Effeds on our Minds. Secondly, Confider the Ufefulnefs and Necef fity of thefe forts of Proofs in the World, and the horrible Confequences that would follow up on the Suppofition, That Men were not to be govern d by them. Firft, Prop, i . of Moral Evidence. i 2 3 Firft, I fhall comprife the Subftance of what I have to fay upon the former of thefe Heads, (viz.. Concerning the Nature of Moral Evidence and Certainty) in the following Propofitions. PROP. I. THERE are certain Jlated Laws and Rules of Action, which Men, confi der'd not only as rational Agents, hut as Members of Society, as Jlanding in ¦various forts of Relations, and tied by many Bonds One to another, have Vniverfally a Jlrift and neceffary Regard to. Affe&ion, Inclination, Temper, Endowments, Intereft, External Circumftances, and Condition in the World ; are general Motives which fail not to influence Mankind, to ad in their feve ral Places, after this or that manner, upon pro per Occafions, as they have Power and Oppor tunity. That thefe things are fo in Fad, we are af- fur'd by all our Knowledg and Experience of the World. 'Tis as plain, that Men are aded and influenc'd by thefe Principles in all their Con vention and Affairs, as that they exift, or move, or do any thing here. Why fuch Principles as thefe (which 1 have mention'd ) fhould be eftablifh'd, as the grand Springs of Motion in the Rational World ; why Men fhould be prompted to ad and move by thefe, and not by others of another Nature : This is to be refolv'd intirely into the wife and 1 24 The Nature, Sec. Part II. and fovereign difpofals of our great Creator. He knew perfedly well, how to adapt the World and Human Nature to each other, after the beft and fitteft manner. He knew how to eftablifh Laws for Men to proceed by, that their ading in fuch or fuch a fort, fhould be the moft beau tiful for Creatures of their Frame and Make, in fuch a State, and under fuch Circumftances, as he defign'd to place them here. Whatfoever we are fure is true in Fad, with refped to the general Laws and Conftitution of the World, we may be certain was moft wifely confulted and determin'd. And confequently, that thefe Laws and Principles we fpeak of (which do obtain in Fad) are the fitteft and moft futa ble, to the Nature and Circumftances of Man kind, in the prefent State. But I muft add ; It was neceffary, that fome cer tain Laws and Principles of Action or other, Jhould be efiablijh'd in the rational World, as well as in that of Matter. And that, when thefe were once exadly ad- jufted by infinite Wifdom and Prudence to Hu man Nature, in all its Relations and Capacities in the prefent Life; it was requifite they fhould always be maintain'd, and fhould ftatedly influ ence Men throughout their whole Pradice, when they ad as reafonable and fociable Creatures. For a "World of intelligent Creatures, a&ing from no ftated Laws and Principles, would have been as poor an Argument of Wifdom and Coun fel, as a rough ill-fhapen Lump of Matter, or a vaft Syftem of Bodies tumbling about each 0- ther, in the utmoft Hurry and Confufion, in ftead of a beautiful and well-order'd Fabrick. Nor is the Honour of the wife, great, and good Governour of the Univerfe, a jot lefs concern'd Prop. 2^ of Moral Evidence. 125 concern'd in preferving and keeping up a general Order and Decorum amongft reafonable Beings; than in preferving Method and Regularity in the Works of Nature, or in appointing them at firft- And therefore, what Motives and Prin ciples of Adion, he in his infinite Wifdom thought fitteft for Men to proceed by, ought to be ftanding and lafting : So that they fhould not be mov'd uncertainly and precarioufly, fome times by one fet of Principles, and at other times by thofe directly contrary, or which have no manner of Affinity or Relation to them ; but always from the fame general Grounds and Rea fons, and for the fame general Ends and Purpo fes ; whatever different Appearances the Adions of different Men may feem to make in the World. This is like the Difpofal and Contrivance of an infinitely knowing and prudent Being. Where as, the other way of proceeding, would repre fent him as a Being void of Counfel and Penetra tion, and make as if he had fet the World to gether as well as he could ; tho not well enough, to demonftrate the high and glorious Perfec tions of his own Nature. PROP. II. BT virtue of thefe Laws, fo confiantly and univerfally obtaining in the reafonable World, it follows, that fuch and fuch things mill of Courfe be brought to pafs ; and on the contrary, that others as certainly will not. We deduce the certainty of Phyfical Events and Appearances, from thofe fix'd and eftablifh'd Laws n6 The Nature, Sec. Part II. Laws of the Natural World, by the means of which they are to tie brought about, and which muft be fufpended or violated, if they are not brought about. And tho the Author of Nature, who has eftablifh'd thefe Laws, can with infinite Eafe, whenever hepleafes, put a ftop to them, and turn things out of their ordinary Courfe ; and moreover, tho we cannot demonftrate, or by any other found Proof affure our felves, that thefe Appearances fhall proceed and go on for the time to come, after the fame manner as they have done for the time paft : Yet fince we know of no Reafons, to induce us to believe that things will be put out of their ufual Order; we exped and depend upon them as certain. Accordingly, when we fee the Sun fet at Night, we affure our felves without Demonftration, that he will rife again the next Morning. We make no doubt, but Vapours will afcend up into the Atmofphere, that Rains and Dews will fall, that Vegetation will go on, that the feveral Seafons of the Year will regularly fucceed one another ; tho he that firft imprefs'd, and there fore continually preferves all thefe Motions (by which our World is maintain'd in this happy Order) can with a word fpeaking, make all ceafe again, and we are at no time Mathematically certain that he will not do fo. Now if we are rationally, tho not demon- ftratively fure, of thefe Events in Nature, up on the account of the eftablifh'd Laws on which they depend; we may be rationally, tho not demonftratively fure, of fuch or fuch Events in the Moral or Rational World, upon the fcore of the ftated Laws, on which they depend, and by virtue of which they are to be brought to pafs. Upon Prop. z\ of Moral Evidence] i 27 Upon what pretence can I think or imagine, that Men will negled purfuing what they be lieve to be their true and real Intereft, in fuch Cafes where they muft fee and know, that their Intereft is nearly concern'd ? Why fhould I be lieve, that they will lay afide all the common Paffions and Inclinations of Human Nature, and take Meafures quite contrary to thofe, which Mankind always proceed by in the like Cafes ? If I find matters to be fo, that here are all the proper Inducements, that ufe to ftir and engage Men to ad after this or that manner, and ne ver fail to produce the Effed ; I muft fuppofe after a very arbitrary and precarious manner, if I fuppofe them to forget, what is fo much rooted in Human Nature, and is fo confonant to all the Laws and Modes of Human Adion ; by going out of the common Road, and ading juft the Reverfe of what Men ordinarily do. Nor do Men ever do thus, while they keep in the right mind; unlefs they have fome fuperior pre dominant Reafons for fo doing. And in that cafe, to facrifice a lefs Intereft, for what they really believe to be a greater, is ftill acting by the fame general Law, that always did, and ever will govern Mankind. To go contrary to Temper, Inclination, and all the apparent Obligations of worldly Cir cumftances, upon weighty and valuable Confidera tions of another Nature ; is only changing a Man's Motives and Inducements, and proceeding upon the fame common Principles as before. But where I find no Appearance of any fuch Reafons, as fhould fufpend or alter the ufual Courfe of Mens Adions ; 1 have as juft ground to exped that the fame Effeds will come to pafs, which always do in the like Cafes ; as to believe, that Night and Day, Summer and Winter, will come 128 The Nature, Sec. Part II. come on in their wonted Order, when I fee no ill Symptoms in Nature, that threaten the contrary. Coroll. Hence may be underftood, the Nature and true Origin, of what we call Moral Certainty and Impoffibility. When I find matters to be fo, with refped to any cafe propos'd, that fome grofs Abfurdi- ties or Inconfiftences, fome plain and manifeffc Contradidion to thefe eftablifh'd Laws of the World, muft neceffarily be involv'd, if fuch and fuch Effeds do or do not come to pafs amongft Men : I am then morally certain, that they will not or will come to pafs; being affur'd that the ftanding Laws of the World, do prohibit fuch Repugnances or Contradidions, and there fore are a fufficient guard to fecure me in my Belief, that things will work, according to the rational Conclufions I have drawn concerning them. And upon the fame fcore, we juftly and properly ufe the Term Impoffibility in thefe cafes ; ndt meaning a fimple abfolute Impoffibility, no more than a fimple abfolute Certainty: But ex Hypothefi, upon fuppofition that Men are in- fluenc'd, in their Adions, by the fame Princi ples and Motives, which never fail to govern them, where plain and extraordinary Reafons for their doing otherwife, do not interpofe; And this is the very fame fort of Impoffibility in the Rational World, with that which we call Phyfical, in the World of Nature. The one is as ftrid and proper as the other, with refped to the Laws on which it depends. And there fore, for example, fpeaking of fome extraordi nary great and publick Event, we make no fcru- ple to fay, 'tis impoffible that the Memory of it .fiiould Prop. 3. of Moral Evidence] 129 Jhould be totally loft : Or that an Impofture, where* in a whole Nation, or many Nations are concern'd, Jhould be carry' d on fuccefsfulty in the Face ofThou- fands of the mofi inveterate Enemies, who have Polity, Sagacity, Power and Opportunity, to do all things, that can be imagin'd neceffary for the Dif covery of it. Or that a Party or Society of Men, having all Advantages in their Hands, to eftablijh their own moft valu'd Intereft, and (without any Danger or Prejudice to themfelves) effectually to ruin that of their Adverfaries, which is fundamen tally deftruttive of theirs ; Jhould yet neglect to do this, and make Way for the others to over -top and cruft them. Thefe things are impoffible. Not that they involve any thing of pure Phyficdl Contradidions ; but Political Confiderations, working on the Tempers and Paffions of Men, Will make them ad otherwife. Common Inte reft, is Political Good. And Political or Civil Good^ bears the fame proportion to Societyj that Natural Good does to an Individual. Nor is it a jot lefs abfurd, to imagine a Community or Body of Men, thus ading againft (or ror ading for) their darling Intereft,, when 'us in their Power to do fo ; than to fuppofe a Man as an Animal, or a Rational Agsnt, fhunnirig the Good, and embracing the Evil, which re lates to him in either of thofe Capacities. PROP. III. IN fome Cafes j where there is only Human Tejlimony alledg'd to evince the Truth of things ; thofe univerfal Laws of the World be- K fore 130 The Nature, he. Part II. fore mentioned, may be fo far concern'd, and from the very Nature of the Cafe, it may be neceffary to have fo great a regard to them ; that we may have full fecurity of the Truth and Reality of thofe things, as made out to us by Human Teftimony alone, without any o- ther Proof. Teftimony is undoubtedly a neceffary Article, in the Bufinefs of Moral Evidence; but we con clude wrong, when we make it to be the whole of that Evidence, or that which gives it its main Force and Strength. To ftate the matter fairly ; Teftimony, in its regard to Moral Evi dence, is as one Propofition towards a Syllogifm, which requires two* either exprefs or imply'd, in order to the making of a Conclufion. I do not affirm this, of every trifling inconfi- derable Cafe that happens in the World ; but I do of Multitudes that frequently occur in Faft, and of others, whofe Circumftances may be fimi lar to thefe. Now here, I fay, that to compleat a Proof of this kind, and do the Argument that Juftice, Which (in the Nature of things) ought to be done it ; befides bare Authority or Teftimony, we are to argue upon Human Nature, and the Laws which Mankind obferve, in their feveral Relations and Obligations to each other. So that thefe fort of Proofs, to reprefent them as they ought to be, do indeed run after this manner : Ex. Gr. If in this cafe propos'd, Circum ftances be really thus and thus ; then this or that Effect will certainly follow . But Circumftances are realty fo • . — There fore, &c. In Prop. 3 ^ of Moral Evidence] 1 3 1 In this Argument, the Sequel of the Major Propofition, is grounded upon the aforefaid ge neral Principles. For becaufe I know the Difpo- fitions and Tendencies of Human Nature, and what the ftated Pradice and Methods of Pro cedure amongft Mankind are; therefore I know, that fuch and fuch Effeds will follow regularly, upon certain Suppofitions made. The Minor Propofition, I take as Teftimony ; I am certified by another Perfon, that Circum ftances are really fo and fo. Now tho the Truth of my Conclufion , depends partly upon the Truth of this Propofition, and I cannot affure my felf of the one, unlefs I am perfedly fatisfy'd of the other; yet the Cafe may be fo, that I may have fuch a Degree of Security, of the Truth of my Minor Propo fition, as to be free from the leaft imaginable doubt of the Truth of my Conclufion ; and that upon fuch Principles, as are abfolutely unexcep tionable. For befides the Honour and known Veracity of the Perfon teftifying, fuch Circumftances as thefe may alfo concur. There may be an utter Impoffibility of any manner of Advantage, re dounding to this Perfon, by impofing a Falfhood on me: So that I can be fure, he could have no /kind of Motive or Temptation, to incline him to ad fo fraudulent and difhoneft a part* Again, matters may be fo, that the Cheat muft infallibly be difcover'd, by fome other Methods quickly after, in cafe he fhould abufe me, by a falfe Reprefentation of things at prefent. I can not perhaps, be long without knowing the right of the matter, whether this Perfon tells it me or no ; and if he does not, he draws (it may be) a thoufand Cenfures and Reproaches upon K 2 him- \\i The Nature, Sec. PartIL himfelf, and makes himfelf odious and contemp tible to all Mankind, that have any Knowledg of him. Now where the Cafe is fuch, that thefe (and it may be, other weighty and convincing) Circumftances do plainly concur ; tho I ground one of the Propofitions of my Syllogifm, upon Human Teftimony, yet I am at no Uncertainty at all about the Truth of my Conclufion. For I know, that all Men are influenc'd in their Adions by fome Motives or other. And I know, that they naturally abhor fuch Effeds as Hatred, Shame and Contempt, from the reft of their Fellow-Creatures. And there fore, when matters are brought to that pafs, that I muft either contradid thefe plain No tions, and proceed upon fuch as are the very Reverfe of them ; or elfe receive a Teftimony that is alledg'd, as what gives me a true and fincere account of things : I am then determin'd to admit that Teftimony as true ; and I forfeit all Pretentions to right Reafon, and even to com mon Senfe and Underftanding, if I do not. Coroll. 'Tis plain therefore, that we are oblig'd to confider fomething more in many Cafes of Tefii- mony, than the bare Word and Report of him, who delivers that Teftimony. Becaufe (by the very Circumftances of the thing) we may be oblig'd to confider, the Au thority of the Speaker or Writer, in conjundion with all thofe Reafons, founded upon the gene ral Laws of the World ; by which we may ar gue our felves into a juft Affurance, of the Truth of what is thus reported to us. PROP; Prop.4. of Moral Evidence] 1 3 3 PROP. IV. STRICT and perfect Demonfiration, pro ceeds from fuch Premiffes (and fuch only ) as are true, frjt, immediate, more known, prior to, and Caufes of the Conclu fion. By this J mean, what we commonly call the Demonfiration, iS %' 5/ww; iv amm tois Kopn \mtyrmim. Ariftoc. Ethic, ad Nicomach. Lib. i. Cap. i. Edit. Aurel. Allobrog. 1606. TLA eT' ax&CoKoyctv t\jit \M^ntjJ\i%\m s« lr «,mo- -x - ) bai, ; This is all loft, as far as it depends upon the Credit and Teftimony of other Men ; and there fore Geography, Chronology^ and a good par,t of Natural Hiftory (which are little elfe but a Se ries or Concatenation of Teftimonies) bepome all as ufelefs as mere Fable and Romance, and fhould be thrown out of our Libraries as fuch. In fhort, no fort of /Difcovery, no. Experi ment or Obfervation that a Man does not,oiake himfelf, or fee with, his own Eyes;,; nay, nor j no demonftrable Truth neither, which a Man is not able to demonftrate himfelf; is ever to be admitted, or made ufe of, either, by way of -Argument in Difcourfe,' or as a Premiffe in, any Demonftration, in order, either to Theory or Pradice: E very-Man -muft ftand -upon- the Bafis- of-his own proper Knowledg, without Light and In formation, without HTfits^and Suggeftions from other Perfons; being neither Phyfician, Fhilofo- ,">pher, Cofmdgrapher, :&Otr :Hifiorian, any, '.fajttper i- than he is rbeholden to pure Nature'and Induf- *. try, to good Luck or Chance, or. to all tpge- ther. And I muft fay, that were matters brought to this -pafsj. that Men were to make a Figure in the World, with thofe Ornaments only, which, they themfelves had thus fairly and legitimately acquir'd : Should every Author that • has contributed to the dreffing of them up, ap pear again upon the Stage,., each to pluck, off i ." . his Se&.2^ of Moral Evidences 181 his' Own*Feather; the: Shew would be much lefs fine and pompous than now it is; and Multitudes who have drawn the admiring Eyes of- Mankind after them, would be- left in the • fame bare Condition, with the ridiculous Bird in the Fable. * " ff ,\ ¦ All that I fhall infer from the "prefent Head, IS this: That fince we take fo many things in Cafes of this Nature, for granted, and receive them as true, upon1 no other Proof, than the Teftimony of o- ther Men; when we meet with other things, which upon a juft comparing of Circumftances, appear to be in all .refptBs as well attefted, arid to have (at leaft) as good an Evidence, as thofe which we or dinarily receive, without the leaft Scruple; when we find all the Marks of Sincerity and Veracity, all the Agreements and Coincidence's of things, that Freedom from reafonable Exceptions, and that Pro- fpeB of unanfwerable Difficulties^ attending the re- fufal of our Affent; which are the Motives that commonly determine us to yield it in thefe Cafes : That then, I fay, we ought not to rejeB fuch Teftimony, but receive it, ax we do other Teftimo ny, propos'd under the like Circumftances of Evi dence ; or elfe, if we difown that on one fide, to difown all on the other likewife. Much lefs fhould we ever make ufe of Tef timony, in order to expofe and run down the Credit of Teftimony ; or quote Authorities, to prove other Men Fools for depending upon them. To cry up at one time, and explode at ano ther, the very fame fort bf Argument, atten ded with the fame Advantages, and prefs'd un der the fame Conditions ; is a Pradice fo ai bi- trary and inconfiftent, and fhews fo much Hu mour and Self-will ; that no Man can be guilty of it, without declaring plainly, that it is not : N 3 Truth, 1 82 TheNatMi8t£\ ParbtL Truth, but Tome-' other Intereft that /has the A&endant over him. : ID ¦->;k; SECT. XXX. ¦'\ HAVING thus finifhM what I thought ne ceffary to be faidi here* concerning the Nature and Vfe of Moral Evidence; I fhall now fubjoin one general Corollary, to the whole Dif courfe : And then propofe -feme few things-, which (if well confider'd) may* I hope; be fer viceable, as well to prevent or remove Diffi culties, as to fet us right-in our Thoughts-,, and dired us in all our Enquiries: into Subjefts," where this fort of Evidehce muft be depended upon. -And1 with this I fhall conclude the Second of thofe four general Heads, which I propos'd , to go thro, at the Beginning of this part of. the Boo)c : viz.. The Demonftration of the obligatory: Nature of an Evidence, that comes up to the Cha- raBers which were before defcrilr'di Coroll. From what has been faid, we may fee how much thofe Men, who expofe Moral Evidence as a precarious, uncertain, deceitful thing, do a- bufe the World by fuch fort of Suggefiions ; and what Enemies they are to the Peace and Happinefs thereof. I take in here, all thofe forts of People, who agree in the fame common Defign and Practice of ridiculing this kind of Evidence ; how diffe rent foever the Mtthods may be, which they take to accomphm their End.' Some S&&3 0^ of Moral Evidence. 183 Some (who Imuft confefs, are the moft brave and generous Adverfaries of the two) ufe no manner of Ceremony at all in the matter ; but talk openly and bluntly, and thereby put us out of all poffible doubt of their meaning, and what they would be at. They don't ftick to fay, in plain intelligible Language, That thefe forts of Proofs are fit for none but Fools and 'Bigots, to be perfuaded by— That we can be fure of nothing, we take for Truth this way ——— And that all that we have to depend upon, is only our being told fo and fo, by Men who may as probably have been Knaves, and put an egregious Cheat upon us, as not. There are others; who go more warily to work, and make the Attack by Queries and Sur- mifes, by little Doubts and Jealoufies, ftarted about the Uncertainty of all thofe Reafonings, that do dot come up to ftrid and perfed De monftration. rhefe Gentlemen, who, to be fure, are deeply concern'd for the Welfare of Chriftianity, feem to be in pain for it, when they confider, how little Credit it meets with in the World; and how flightly fome People (whom they fear to be very bad Men) will talk of the Evidences that are offer'd, to recommend it to the Belief of Mankind. — —There, is no doubt, but Chriftia nity is fufficiently well prov'd -? And no rational confidering Man, ever offer'd to difpute the Truth pf it— — But There are thofe, who will talk very oddly fometimes, of the Doubtfulnefs of Human Tefiimony ; and intimate, as if fome things were wery questionable upon that fcore> -They will nop allow us to ha-ye any more, than a Peradventure, or a May-be, for the Truth of all things which reft upon Moral Proof r*rrr But alas ! Infidejity and N 4. $eef9 1 84 The Nature, Bee. Part II. Scepticifm, do much prevail in thu wicked Age— — And People are mighty apt to doubt, in Cafes where they have not Demonftration to make them fure. i Admirably well argu'd indeed! The Chrifti an Religion is very much beholden to thefe Gen tlemen, for their great Care, to fupport the Credit of it, in an Age of prevailing Scepticifm and Infidelity. Such fort of Infinuations are like to do it fervice ; or rather to inftil the moft inveterate Prejudices againft it, into the Minds of Men, and prepare them for a more found and thorow Inftitution in Deifm. A Man that openly raves and ftorms at Reli gion, calls it Impofture and Prieftcraft, and ex preffes himfelf in all the rough Terms, com monly us'd by the lefs well-bred ^ Enemies of Chriftianity ; is nothing in comparifon to thefe mafquerading People, that talk modeftly and calmly^ and (while they feem to be fpeaking handfomly on the behalf of Religion) are_ try ing to undermine the very Foundations of it; The former Perfon fairly founds an Alarm, threatens what he will do, and bids you be ware of him. Tho he intends only to expofe, yet in effed, he ferves Chriftianity by his very Calumny and Reproaches : becaufe he tells the World plainly, he has no Arguments againft it, but what are of this difreputable kind ; and that if he had Reafons, he would not Tail to make ufe of them. But the others, infinuate themfelves into a Man before he is aware, work him off from his Guard, tindure and feafon him with the moft pernicious and deftrudive Principles ; and have in effed, run down and made all Chriftianity a Cheat; by that time a Man comes to fufped or imagine, they hari any Defigns againft it, For Sed. 1 1 1 of Moral Evidence*. \ 8 5 For in fhort, do but artfully pdflefs Men with a Notion of the doubtful and precarious Na ture of Moral Evidence, and you may eafily bring them to believe what you pleafe, about the Gofpel of Jefus Chrift. That is, do but re prefent Matters to them, under falfe and deceit ful Colours ; give them crude undigefied Notions, and a mere fuperficial Account of things ; and by this means, you may make them fit to fet up a- gainft the Chriftian Religion. An odd way of inftituting and accomplifhing Men ! But that this is the true State of the Cafe, will plainly appear upon a little Examination of it. SECT. XXXI. THE great Cry amongft thefe Gentlemen, is You can't be fure You muft needs be under miferable "Uncertainties in all Cafes of this Nature &c. Now I would fain know* what they mean by this : for 'tis certain, that if they would but explain themfelves, the Cafe is fo obvious, that either they or we, muft prefently be run up to fome grand Abfurdity, if we ftand fairly to the Argument on both fides. Firft, Do they mean (by our not being fure) that we cannot be Mathematically Certain ? If they do, Who ever fuppos'd, or talk'd of Ma thematical Certainty (or fuch fort of Certainty, as that which refults from ftrid Demonftration) in thefe matters ? We fay indeed, that in innumerable Cafes of this kind, we have an Affurance or Satisfadion of Mind, arifing from Moral Proofs, equivalent to \ 86 The Nature, Sec. Part II. to that which arifes' from perfed ^ GeomeMical Demonftration it felf : Arid this is fairly- demon ftrable. See PROP. IX. But I dare fay, that no Man ever fancy'd, much lefs afferted a Certainty of the falmekiiiid, with that in Mathtmatkks; and the contrary is exprefly fhewn, with the Reafons of its, at Schol. PROP. IV. So that if they mean this* they mean that which no body ever faid or thought of; and therefore, is nothing to the purpofe.. Or, Secondly, Do they intend (by talking thus) that we have no folid and fubfiantial Grounds, up* on which we may fafely proceed, to argue our felves into a Belief of the Truth of thingi r? Do they mean, That there are no valuable Confiderations in the Nature of things, which are fufficient to male it firiBly juft, rational, and neceffary for us, to yield the Affent of our Minds, in fuch Cafes as thefe are ? If this be what they would have; I muft needs' fay, that I think they are oblig'd, by all the Rules of Honour and good Breeding in the World, to ask pardon of thofe Perfons- (on whom they impofe fuch abfurd and manifeft Untruths) for complimenting of them, with fo little Senfe and Underftanding. For every Man that has any Degree of either, is able to fhew, that this is wrong in Fad, from his own Knowledg of the World. And if thefe Gentlemen muft needs divert themfelves, with making unjuft Reprefentations of things; one would think, they might have chofen their Subjed a little more prudently, and not have fix'd upon one, which lies fo much within the reach of all common Obfervation and Expert ence, which may be produc'd to confute them Se&. $ i. o/. jtefordf. Evidence. i 87 every Day, nay, and by which, they are eter nally confuting and contradicting themfelves. So that whatever they mean (fince it will be hard to pitch1 upon any meaning, that will nqt be reducible to one of thefe two Heads) I think I may fairly conclude, that it is either manifeftly wrong in point of FaB, or elfe nothing to the pur pofe. And this being the true and impartial State of the Cafe, they may (if they think it wife fo to do) go on with the cry of You cannot be fure. SECT. XXXII. TO conclude, I would defire thefe Gentle men to Confider the following Argumen tation. We can be fure, That Order and Government, Society and Commerce, muft be preferv'd in the World, as long as there is a Race of reafonable and fociable Creatures therein. And therefore, That fomething muft be credible between Man and Man. From hence we can be fure, That there muft neceffarily be fome juft Marks of that Credibility. And therefore, That we are bound to have a due regard to them, wherever they appear. Not only, becaufe it is equitable and ratio nal, in the Nature of the thing fo to. do; but al fo, becaufe intolerable Inconveniences would cer tainly follow, upon our difowning the Truth of things, the Evidences for which come up to thofe Charaders. From hence we may be fure (if we are not antecedently refolv'd to live in Doubt and Un certainty) That we are oblig'd, by all the Laws of Human 188 The Nature, &c. Part II; Human Nature, and the World 'wherein we live, to yield the Ajfdnt of our Minds in all fuch Cafes, where we Jhould infallibly run upon fome of thofe fprementiori'd Inconveniences, provided we refufe it. And becaufe the Author of Nature has not made the World after fuch a manner, ridr can not permit that we fhould be deceiv'd, in Cafes where it is made ftridly1 jtift and rational for us to yield the Affent of our Minds : Therefore, we can be fure, That in all Cafes (efpecially in thofe of great Importance) where the Evidences come up to thofe Conditions ; we fhall not be deceiv'd, in affent ing to ih'eTruth of things, as made out to tu by thofe Evidences. And from all this, we can fairly conclude, That the Foundations of Moral Evidence (and con fequently the Reafons of our dependance upon it) are not precarious and uncertain, but moft fe- curely laid, in the Nature and Order of things. Q. E. D. SECT. XXXIII. LET me now add fome few Rules or Direc tions, tb Perfons of fincere and honeft Minds, in order to the inforcing what has been faid upon this Subjed, and the better preparing of them to defend it, againft whatever they may hear at any time advanc'd, by way of oppofi tion to it. Firft, Remember that there is no Argument ever to be drawn, againfi the Goodnefs and Sufficiency of Moral Proofs, from the Confideration of that Cor ruption, Treachery, and Falfhood, which is fo com mon in this degenerate World. And therefore, if "this; $t&j£4- of Moral Evidence. 1 8 9 this fhould be infilled on, you may fafely allow the, Objection to jbe true (viz.. That there is, and always has been, abundance of Fraud and Deceit in the World) and at the fame time, deny the Con fequences that are infer'd from it ; if they are carry'd ^b fary-as-to- conclude-generally, That Moral Evidence is fallacious, and ought not to be depended upon. S E C Tr XXXIV. Secondly, \f OU fhould not , be ftartled, when -, , 1- -"'. .-•. 1 you- hear, People? tell you^ That Moral Proofs do^riot, Jhew you.j that thfngs, cannot poffibly be ptberveiffe than, jthey, are- prov'd to be; or ..that jhey do nof sjlteigr, ;tbat things muffi neceffarily *be fo as thefe Proofs do make them \ou\t to be ; and confequently,': thaft'yw ca/t have: no\.fatisfaBion in ^depending upon them.'- ¦»-.. -,:¦¦¦:¦ ;.t Fpr this is manifeftly. a Paralogifm. It does not follow,, that a Proof which ^does not fhew . a Man* that things cannot poffibly be otherwife (or, muft ^in the ftrideft Senfe*; ¦neceffarily be fo as they are reprefented to be) ^muft therefore leave him , under Doubt and Uncertainty. It is not true ; it is contrary.. to^plain Fad and, Experience in teri thoufand Cafes? that we are cpnfcious of our felves. And therefore, here I refer to PROP- VII. and VIII. with the Co rollaries of. the feme9 for farther fatisfadion. : . And becaufe, this is a Point of great Impor tance, and fuch as; if a Man. thought ferioufly and deliberately of, he, would (I dare be confi dent) prefently fee thro, and demonftrate the iShallownefs of the moft (feemingly) frightful Objec- 190 The Nature, tec. • Partljf. Objedions againft Moral Evidence : I 'flail there fore (in purfuance of what 1 have deliver'd at Coroll. 2. of PROP. VII.) add this farther Di- redion. S EC T. XXXV. Thirdly, T N aH 70UT ATguings-foT, or hearing 1. other Peoples Arguings againft Moral Evidence ; be fure 40 keep to that, which in reality is your true Scope and Dejign? and the Point you ought mainly toibe concern'd abMt.' Remember that your great End in making ufe of this fort of tProofs, is, to be well fatigfy'd, of the Truth \nd of things ; to know that they are fo in Fad, as they are reprefented* to be, or that they are Cafe propos'd, in the moft careful and deliberate manner that you can. Do not let your Thoughts be employ'd upon things of little moment, while you pafs by thofe that deferve your beft Attention, and moft fe rious Regard. Seled all thofe Circumftances, and thofe only, which are material with refped to the Conclufion ; and when you have done fo, give them their due Force and Weight: And let them influence your Underftanding accor ding to what they plainly appear to be (in your moft abftraded Views of them) and not as_ they tend to carry the Conclufion, either this or Chat particular way, whether for or againft Sed.4rJ42' of Mml Evidence". r£f againft1 the Notions' you have' hitherto' enter- tain'd. SECT. XLI. Fifthly, tJfAVf&G thus accurately; weigh'darfd' JTjL confider'd the' Circumftances of the' Cafe, Make fuch" Inferences from them, as your fo- berefi Reafon, without any Art or Management, does it felf freely prompt you to make. Conclude in fuch a manner, as to leave your Mind truly ferene and compos'd under what you have done ; arid* that uf>on cool Refledions, it may tell you afterwards, you have drawn a Con clufion, reafonable and fit to ftand by. sicr. xlii. Z<*J?7y,T70U ought to make and keep to this \ Refblufibn, Not to drop the Enquiry till you have brought it to fome determinate Iffue ; e- ven tho you meet with confider able Difficulties in ihe way. For tho you may not" be able to pafe a clear and fatisfadory Judgment, atone time; yet yoti may at another, when the Mind is" more dif pos'd to be fix'd and attentive, and the Body (perhaps) in better Temper. We all know, by every Day's Experience, that we are not at all times equally capable or ready Judges, even of the very fame things. There are fome lucky Seafons, wherein Difficulties do, as it were, ex plain themfelves to us, which at other times O 2 would 196 The Nature, Sec. Part II. would not yield to the greateft Labour and Im portunity. As fometimes on the other hand, things that are not very myfterious, will force a Man to give over his fearch, and wait a more favoura ble Opportunity. And therefore, we are not prefently to throw afide fo neceffary and important a Work as this is, becaufe we do not at the firft or fecond At tempt (it may be) bring it to fo happy a Con clufion as was expeded. SECT. XLIIL TO this I may add alfo (as another very ne ceffary piece of Advice) That if you cannot come to a fatisfaBory Conclufion by your felves, you would not fcruple to confult thofe, who may be able to put you in the right way of doing fo. It is not unlikely, that fome People, who have been us'd to think of a particular Subjed, fhould be able to reafon with more Eafe and better Method upon it, than thofe who are perfed ftrangers to it. And it is no more fhame to a Man to make ufe of the Counfel and Affiftance of others, in fuch a Cafe as this, where the Peace of his Mind is concern'd ; than to ask the Advice of a Phyfician, in order to the Removal of any bodily Diftemper. SECT. Se&.44>47* °f Moral Evidence. 197 SECT. XLIV. IT will be objeded perhaps, That it -will coft a deal of Time and Pains, to put thefe Rules in PraBice ; and that Men will rather be frightned from, than encourag' d to the PraBice of fo difficult a Work- Anfw. Firft, Confider how little you are difcou- rag'd, at the ProfpeB of a vafl deal of Pains and Labour, in other Affairs which are of infinitely lefs Moment. You can rife early, and fit up late, to contrive for a worldly Intereft, without any of thefe Complaints. You can bend your Thoughts, even to the endangering of your Life or Health, and flave and drudge without Intermiffion, up on any little matter that is to fet you off, and purchafe you a Reputation amongft Men. And if you can be 'fo indefatigably diligent and re- folute in thofe Concerns, and muft prefently be tir'd and difpirited in Affairs of this nature, upon every Difficulty that lies in your way ; the Reafon is plainly, becaufe you will not apply your felves to them, and therefore, all the ill Confequences of the NegleB, muft lie intirely at your own Doors. SECT. XLV. Secondly, TT7Hatever Pains it cofts you, to VV go thro this Work, you ought to remember, That if you ever make your Mind eafy, you muft be forc'd to proceed after this, or fom; fuch way as this is. For in the very Nature O 3 of 19? Tfa&aW** &£• ParHI. of the thing, there is no other way to come to a Certainty, but this .of diftinguifhing, examjn.- ing, and making juft and natural Inferences, from the Circumftances of a Cafe- SECT, XLVh BUT, Thirdly, Is there not enough in the ,%r? cefs and good Effeffs pf the Enquiry, to re- compepfe yoif for all the Pains you are at in the Waking of ft ? Co .fider, that to manage this Affair well, is. what is abfolutely neceffary, in order to your forming a right 'Judgment of things, and to. prevent your running into inconveniences, which may make you uneafy in this Life, and per haps miferable in the next. And would not eyery wife Man therefore, re folve to think and argue as clofg as poffible, an(J run Confequences as far as they will fairly go ; when the Refult of his doing thus, tends fo much to his prefent Peace and Quiet, as. well as his Everlafting Security ? SECT. XL VII. YO U will be ready to ask noi^, Suppofe a Man to have gone this way to work, with all the Care and Caution imaginable, what will- be {he? lffue of it, and what rriay he depend upon at laft for his fatisfaBion ? Anfw. If after fuch faithful and diligent Ma,-* nagemeut of the Enquiry (which lies before you) Se£t.48. of Moral Evidencf. 199 you) you find your felf fairly induc'd, to con clude, The Evidence to be of fuch a Nature, as obliges the Vnderfianding of a rational Creature to yield its Affent : I fay, you may fafely yield your Affent thereto, depending upon it, that you fhall not find your felf deceiv'd in fo doing. But then obferve, that it lies upon you your felf, to be at a Certainty about thefe two Points. Fiift, That you have carefully obferv'd the foremention'd Rules, in your Enquiry and Exa mination of things. Secondly, That you have taken Care to fee, whether the Evidence in the prefent Cafe, comes up to the CharaBers and Conditions of fuch an Evidence, as was before demonftrated, di rectly and pofitively to oblige Mankind to yield their Affent. For if you are uncertain about either of thefe particulars, we cannot pretend to anfwer for the Confequence; otherwife we dare affure you, that you may be eafy in the Conclufion you draw. SECT. XLVIII. Queft. TyVT upon what juft Grounds may a Man D be ajfur'A, that he Jhall not be deceiv'd in paffing fuch a Judgment ; fuppofing thefe ttto things you fpeak of, to be dene ? Anfw. The Grounds you have for fuch an Af furance, are thefe. Firft, That the bountiful and wife Author of Nature, has furnifh'd ytm (as a rational Agent) with Faculties, by which you are enabl'd to difiin- gvjjh Right from Wrong, and Truth from Fatjhood, in ai Cafes that are of real Concern to you. O 4 For 200 The Nature, Sec. Part II. For without fuch a Power as this, 'tis utterly impoffible, that you fhould ever behave your felf as an intelligent Creature ought to do. Be caufe, to ad in due Order and Decorum, necef farily requires a Capacity of knowing and diftin- guifhing things. And therefore, if you are def titute of fuch a Capacity, you are under no Moral Obligations either to God or Man. For you cannot be oblig'd to impoffibilities : And 'tis abfolutely impoffible to ad rightly, unlefs it be by mere Accident, without knowing what [is Right, and what is not. So that the Confequence will be this, viz. That you muft either ceafe to own your felf a ra tional intelligent Being (and be content to be rank'd with fome lower Species of Animals, for the future) or elfe you muft ftand by this as a certain Truth, That God has made fuch a Provifion in the Confti tution of your reafonable Nature, that you are there by made really capable of doing what I fay. SECT. XLIX. Secondly, \70Umay be certain likewife, That J. God Almighty is not, nor cannot be, the' Author of any of your Delufions or Miftakes. He will neither deceive your Faculties with falfe and wrong Objeds ; nor miflead them in their Operations, about right and proper Ob jeds. He will not prefent Impofture to you, under the fpecious appearance of Truth; nor alter the Nature and Order of things, on purpofe to make you out in your Conclufions about them- If Se<5t. 5 o . of Moral Evidence. 2 0 1 If you do not firmly believe thefe things of your Maker, you cannot believe his Moral Per fedions. And if you deny thofe (or any of his) Perfedions, you deny his Exiftence. And if you believe no God, it is not to be expeded, that you fhould believe any thing elfe. And if you once come to fuch a Degree of Scep ticifm, you are indeed out of the reach of this Argument, and of all others whatfoever. SECT. L. Thirdly, /~\Bferve now from hence, What affu- V-/ ranee you may have with refpett to' the matter we are fpeaking of. For if you are qualify'd with fufficient Abilities, for the Search and Difcovery of neceffary Truth ; alfo if the Author of Nature, will be neither the Caufe or Occafion of your running into any Miftakes : It follows, That you may come to a determinate Conclufion, about the Truth or Faljhood of a Cafe, wherein you are deeply concern'd ; provided you be not wanting to your felf, and will ufe a regular Method in the Enquiry. And confequently, when you are come to fuch a Conclufion, you may be at a certainty, as to the Point of your own De ception. For you will never be deceiv'd by any thing elfe, if you do not deceive your felves, but take care to ufe the Helps^ and exert the Powers which God has given you, in fuch man ner as you are bound to do, and are capable of cloing. : SEC To 202 The Nature, Sec. Part II. SECT. LI. Fourthly, TWT OR will the acknowledged Falli- X\ bility of Human Nature, or its Liablenefs to Deception, or the adual Miftakes and Deceptions of People at any time, in En quiries of this nature; be any juft Ground at all, for you to pretend, you cannot be at a Cer tainty, and fo by that means think to excufe your felf from the Labour of trying. For the Cafe plainly terminates in this fhort Dilemma, one fide of which you muft of necef- • fity chufe. Either the Fallibility of Human Nature is really fuch, that you are confirapri'd thereby to remain al ways doubtful of the Truth of the Conclufions you, draw: Or it is not. If you fay it is, Then you either difown all Ob ligations to any fort of Duty, which a reafonable Creature fhould perform: Or elfe, You fall foul up on the PerfeBions of God, in fuppofing him to have. bound you to the difcharge of various Duties ; and yet to have made you incapable of fuch an Exer cife of your Faculties, as is abfolutely neceffary in order thereto. If you confefs it is not, Tnen all the DefeBibi- lity, or Liablenefs to Deception, that is in Human Nature, can never be a Reafon, why you Jhould pre tend to be always in fufpence about the Conclufions you draw ; but will only be a Reafon, nthy you Jhould vfe your utmost Care and Caution in the drawing of them: Which is the very thing that we moft earneftly perfuade you to. And. Se&.5*» of Moral Evidence. 203 And then, as to the adual Miftakes that fome People may have made in Dlfquifitions of this, kind, or the grofs Delufions they may have been led into, by depending upon the Truth of things, as made out to them by Moral Evidence : Thefe fur? cannot be Stumbling-blocks in the way of any Man, that is not willing to lay hold of every flight Occafion, to deter himfelf from the dping pf his Duty. That foine People who have trufted to Mo ral Evidence, have been deceiv'd in fo doing, f hope you think no more an Argument againft Proofs of this nature in general; than you think; Blunders and Paralogifms, to be a Scandal to the Nature of Demonftration ; or the Intemperance of fome particular Perfons, an Argument againft t-he Ufe of thofe neceffary Bleflings of Life, which th,ey fo faultily abufe. SECT. LII. BUT being now upon this Head, i,t may perhaps be of fome ufe, to point out in concife Terms, the more general Caufes and Springs of Miftake in matters of Argumentation ; or to ffiew by what means it is, That Men become ac% ceffary to their own Delufions, in the Conclufions, t^ey draw, as the Refult of their Enquiries into things. js[6w this may be, Firft, By arguing with Media, which in their own Nature are not juft, or proper to afford a pofi tive Conclufion to be drawn from them. And therefore a Man may be miftaken this way, if he argues with Data, which are either— Foreign andit»per-tintni to the Bufinefs in hand. Or 204 The Nature, Sec] Part II. Or too fete and defeBive; and therefore, infuf- ficient to furnifh him with matter for a fair Conclufion. Or more than are needful ; by which means the Mind is perplex'd and confounded, and a Man is fometimes led into Conclufions which contra- did one another : in which Cafe 'tis very likely, that he fixes upon that part of the Contradic tion, which moft favours his own prejudic'd and miftaken Notions, and fo comes to impofe upon himfelf. SECT. LIU. Secondly, ASa Man may be deceiv'd (as to his J_\ main Conclufion) by arguing even truly and juftly, from Data that are unjuft and improper ; fo he may likewife go as wide of the Truth, by arguing after an irregular manner, upon Data which (in their own Nature) are ever fojuft, adequate, and pertinent to the Matter which is en quired into. The moft obvious Caufes of this, are Igno rance, Inconfideration, Precipitancy, Partiality (ari- fing from prejudicate Notions and Opinions) and whatever elfe may be redue'd to, or are cognate with thefe. Nor is it a Jot more ftrange, for Men to draw wrong Conclufions, from juft and natural Pre miffes, than to infer things from fuch Princi ples, as will never fairly afford them any. Con clufion at all. However, it may be fufficient, in order to the end of our going Right, in thefe fort of En quiries, to have fhewn as well the general Cau fes Se£t.54' °f Moral Evidence. 205 fes of Miftakes, as a plain and pradicable Me thod, by which we may avoid them. SECT. LIV. TH E third general Head propos'd, was the Confideration of the Impoffibility, That Providence Jhould ever countenance, or fuffer any fort of Impofture to be countenanc'd, with an Evi dence of fuch Qualifications and Conditions, as we have been hitherto difcourfing of. And this can need no Proof to thofe who pretend to believe the Exiftence of fuch a Be ing, as he that made and governs the World, muft neceffarily be : So that this Labour is fa- ved. All that can conclude, That God is Eternal Truth, infinite Love and Goodnefs, unfpotted Juftice and Holinefs ; that he could not make Creatures to delude and tantaliz.e, nor give them Faculties, which Jhould never be of any ufe to them : All I fay, that can conclude this (as all may, that can conclude that God is) may alfo from thence prefently infer, the fimple abfolute Impoffibility, of his ever dealing after this manner, with a Race of reafonable Creatures. So that nothing remains for me to do upon this Head, but only to deduce a few Corollaries ; and fo conclude the Second Part of this Dif courfe. SECT. lo6 The Nature] Sec Part If. » h»«« M . SECT. LV. IF Delufions" and Irtfpofttires can never be pafs'd upon Mankind, with Evidences of fuch i Nature as has been defcrib'd ; Chen it fo'lfowsj Coroll. r . Wherever we can be fate of aft EvU dence thus qualify'd, there we may be fitre; we flfatf wet be deceiv'd, in giving our Affent (hereto. CorofT. 2. Where the Events of things do not attfwet to our Schemes of Reafoning upon them ; the Evidences Upon ¦which toe proceeded to argUe in thofe Cafes, were not, in their Nature, fufficient to afford lit fuch a Cmclufion. m that fome Fallacies OY Miftakes, muft Be cbmmitted ; tho not then perceivM or fufpede'tf fey us. Coroll. 3. Where we are fare of aft fffipdflur% by the plain and undeniable Marks of it ; there we can he certain y that the Evidences offe/d fo perfuade Men of the Truth of it, mould, if thorowly exa^ mind, appear to be weak and frivolous'. Cord. 4, Where things of great importance* are to be believ'd by Mankind, we may be cer tain, That Divine Providence will order the mat ter fo, that they Jhall be propos'd to us with fuch Evidences, as will be fufficient to oblige our Vnder- fiandings (as we are reafonable Creatures) to af fent" to them as true. Tho this does not follow diredly from the PR. OP. it felf, yet it follows immediately from that Se£t. 5 5 i of Moral Evidence. 2 07 that which is- the grand Reafon of the PRO P. vit. The infinite PerfeBion of the Supreme Author of the Ztniverfe* For the Divine Mercy and Goodnefs, are every whit as much concern'd, to give impor tant Truths, a Degree of Evidence, fit to re commend them to us, as every way proper Ob jeds of Belief; as thofe, and other Divine Per fedions are, to deny fuch Evidence to Impof- tures, that they may not be believ'd by us* And therefore, I infer, That as for all things^ which any way relate to the Salvation of Mankind, and are to be prov'd by Moral Evidence ; we fhall be fure to find, upon Examination, that they have a Degree of Evidence, proportional to the imrinfkk Weight and Importance of them,, and in all refpeBs fufficient to convince our Judgments of their Truth and Reality. And I fhall now proceed to enquire (accor ding to the fourth and laft Aiticle of the Me thod propos'd) whether there be not fuch an Evi dence as this, for the RefurreBion of Jefus Chrift* The End of the Second r %£?W Inns C?°S dvig, 'ayt a.vS'gc/L dv\ov Kiy.iv Xfij. '"He jii r^gi^ay 'i^yuv mtn- 7JK, v t ecA»9i» QiSo/JjJav. K&/ • K«n a.wmv wJV ^M]iji/Miiu> r@- TIiKdm, a^ «zrawac7° 6/ r tn^a. VI d-}a-r,. n. Pag. 30. Edit. Parif. 1659. Z'm vita Ti- berii.] We have the fame Teftimony recorded and quoted by Nicephorus Callifius, Hiftor. Ecclef. Lib. 1. Cap. 39. Pag. 84. & 85. Edit. Parif. 1 574. And SoTcomen introduces it with a par ticular Elogy of Jofephus himfelf, Hiftor. Ecclef. Lib. 1. Cap. Pag. 399. Edit. Par. 1668. Kai idwivQj 9 0 /xaTfli's 0 ieptvs, cSvvip , isH d-rta^WKTi ii, t»t' kyf^-^ac, i'm^Mioiv^.odai, e/Y av (XVUX. T hpiav H-yixty. What put Suidas upon fearching Jofephus, to find whether it were true, that he had thus afferted, That our Saviour facrific'd with the Priefts in the Temple ; this, I fay, may be feen in the foremention'd place. The Story is remarkable, as well for the very plain and par ticular manner in which it is told, as for the fub jed Matter of it. However, being a very long one, and not diredly to my purpofe, I fhall for bear inferting it here ; tho I think it well worth every curious Man's reading. And thus much may fuffice, as to this cele brated Teftimony of Jofephus. My Bufinefs was, to relate Matter of Fad, as 1 have found it. Every Man may draw what Conclufions from thence, he thinks fit. At the fame time, I fhall take the liberty to offer what appears reafona ble 224 Some General Part III. ble to me in this matter ; which others may either affent to, or diffent from, according as they find juft caufe. Firft, There are fewer Difficulties, in fuppofing this Tefiimony to have been fome time or other, firuck out of fome Copies by the Jews ; than in fuppofing, that it was ever deceitfully foifted into any, by the Chriftians. Secondly, That it is (at leaft) as eafy to an fwer that Queftion (which fome feem to lay fo much ftrefs upon) viz.. Why Jhould thofe Copies of Jofephus, which Origen, &c. made ufe of, want the Tefiimony concerning Chrift, and have that of James ; when our Copies want that of James, and have that concerning Jefus Chrift ? as\it is to anfwer the following Qiieftion : — — f Why fhould fo many credible Writers, who dp not appear to have taken the thing upon Truft from one another, and fome of whom muft needs have expos'd the Caufe they maintain'd, to the laft degree of Infult and Contempt, by alferting a thing which all Mankind could have confuted them in : Why, I fay, fhould they all agree, in appealing to an Author, arid that in the moft particular manner that can be, for fuch or fuch a Paffage ; if they had not re ally found thofe words in him, which they re cited ? SECT. VIII. TO the foremention'd Teftimonies concer ning Jefus Chrift, we may add thofe of fome of the Pagan Writers themfelves. Sucto- Sedh 8: Conceffions, Sec. 2 2 j * Suetonius takes notice of him, under a Name better known to the Latins and Greeks, than Chriftus was ; and therefore, inftead of that, we find him call'd in this Author's Hiftory, by the Name of, Chreftus. The Account we have from -f- Tacitus, is much more exprefs and particular ; for he, mentions the Death of Chrift, as alfo the Emperor Tibe rius, and the Governor Pontius Pilate, under whom he fuffer'd. || Pliny, who takes no notice of thefe things, fhews however, what Divine Honours were paid to Jefus Chrift, by the Chriftians in his Days ; whofe Manners he makes to be ftridly regular and in- offenfive ; their worft Fault, being only an invin cible Obftinacy in adhering to their Religion. But (leaving thefe which are more vulgarly quoted upon this Occafion) we find the Fad of the Crucifixion of Jefus Chrift, exprefly taken notice of by ** Lucian, who jears both him and the Chriftians his Worfhippers, on that account: t 3 oivi<7fioKo'7n(T{A.(vov cv^avov avbisvv, &c. This Man feem'd to reckon it an unaccountable piece of Nonfenfe and Stupidity, that they fhould have no regard to fuch a pompous Train of Gods and Goddeffes, as he and his Greeks (a wife and lear ned People) ador'd ; but inftead of that, fhould turn all their Devotion, to a Perfon, who was diftinguifh'd from the reft of Mankind, by an infamous and accurfed Death. ... * Sueton. in Claudio. f Tacit. Ann. Lib. 15. || Plin. Lib. 10. Epift. 97. ad Trajan. ** Lucian. de Morte Peregrini, Pag. 996. Edit. Par. 161 5. Speaking of the Chriftians Qiit j% ii( 'E\- flwiMi «OTifcwozai/Tcu, £ tTs dviQ-yuikaTno'iMw ly.ttyov Qofif la? dwrft" in&o-KVvSei, x} xp t« wteSV* v'o^{ @iafi. Q, Julian I 226 Some General Part III. Julian (who had reafon to know more of Chrift and Chriftianity, than Lucian did) goes much be yond him, in his Accounts of this matter. In ftead of ridiculing Chrift's Death and Paffion, he endeavours to leffen the Reputation of his Life and Miracles; * But how does he do this ? Why by telling the World, That Jefus Chrift did nothing worthy of Note all the while he was here up on Earth (after all the Noife that was made about him) except a Man will reckon it a great Work, to open the Eyes of the Blind, to reftore Limbs to the Lame, and deliver Perfons poffefsd, from the Power and Enchantments of Devils. Thefe were but trifling things ; and Jefus Chrift did nothing worth talking of. But how came it about, that Julian fet fo light by thefe Works of our Saviour, which the greateft part of Mankind would undoubtedly call mighty and wonderful ? Why, becaufe he pretended (at leaft) to believe, that fome of his Heathen Vir- tuofo's could do as ftrange Feats as thefe ; and (if occafion were) beftow a pair of Eyes or Legs upon them that wanted them ? So that Chrift did nothing but what could be match'd by fome of them, and therefore deferv'd no more notice than what they did. A pretty Account ! But, how did Julian come to be af- fur'd of the Truth of thefe Fads ? for 'tis no- torioufly plain, that he takes them all for granted. There can be no other reply made than this, That the Evidence was fuch, as extorted that Con- * 'Efyaotlufy©- r&ttf oy '4£n yfjvw, tfpv iAv dyjmi afyav, tt pi 77; oiijai ris xvhhx; ^ tvSKks MoaSrai, it, Jkt- lia,v<£vm< upopyj^-v c* BoSa-ai'Ji -^ i9 BtifWia rdis kuimu, ? pi-ictcv l^av ihej. Cynl. Alexamlr. centra Julian. Lib. 6. fa*. 151. Edit. Par. 1638. fiffion Sed.8. Conceffions, Sec. il? feffion from him. If fo, 'tis certain, That there was the fame Evidence for other Fads, as for thefe. The fame Proof that aflur'd Julian it muft needs be true, That Chrift cur'd the Poffefd, Blind and Lame ; would alfo fatisfy him, That he rais'd the Dead to Life, and fed feveral Thoufands, with what would not have been a competent Allowance for fo many Scores. Nay, fome of thofe moft miracu lous Adions of our Saviour, being alfo the moft open and publick ones ; have a far more con vincing Evidence to go along with them, than many others of lefs Fame. But the Bufinefs lay here: Thefe Problems of Raifing the Dead, &c. were infinitely too fub lime for any of the Emperor's juggling Philo- fophers, even to pretend to meddle with. For there was no room for Legerdemain and Trick in fuch Cafes as thefe, fince the World muft pre fently difcover it; and all Natural Arts and Skill could fignify nothing to the Produ&ion of Effeds of fo grand a Nature. So that the only way was, never to make any mention at all of thefe Works' of Chrifi Jefus, but pafs them by in filence. Whereas thofe which Human Art could fhew fome fort of Refemblances of, fucli as making the Blind fee, and the Lame walk," &c. thefe^ that crafty Adverfary of Chriftianity (fince he muft own fomething) thought it ad- vifaUe enough to take notice of. For at the fame time, that he paid a little kind of Compliment to manifeft Truth ; he took care to own no more than what he could have the Advantage of com paring, to fome effeds of curious Knowledg and Skill, abroad in the Heathen World. No won der then, he gives fo flight an Account of the Miracles of Chrift Jefus. Indeed* all the fmar- ter Enemies of Chriftianity, were well aware of Q. 2 thf 228 Some General Part III. the Neceffity there was, to make thofe Miracles appear as little as poffible. And one way to do that, was to make them cheap and vulgar, by pretending many other Perfons, who could or did doithe fame things. And therefore it was, That Philoftratus and Hierocles, not being able otherwife to eclipfe the Glory of Chrift'j Miracles, fet up Apollonius Tya- naeus againfi him. And we know the Jews were arriv'd to that pitch of Extravagancy, as to fay, That he did all his wonderful Works, by virtue of the facred Tetragrammaton. In fhort, what ever furprizing things were reported to be done by any of the Heathen Sages; were they but fairly to be compar'd, with the fame fort of Operations dene by Jefus Chrifi : I make no quef tion, but it would appear to every one of com mon Senfe and Judgment, That at the fame time, that they aBed the Parts of good Phyficians or Chi- rurgeons ; he behav'd himfelf as the Lord of Nature, and aBed like one, who not only underftood her, but could command and difpofe of all her Motions at Pleafure. And thus much for Julian's Conceffions. But above all the reft, Celfus makes the lar geft' and moft particular Conceffions, about Jefus . Chrift ; as confeffing the Truth of his Nativity, his Journy into iEgypt, his pajfwg from Place to Place with his Difctples, the FaB of his Miracles, . his being betray'd, and laftly, his Death and Paf- fion. 'Tis true, thefe Conceffions are all made, in order either to pure Scoff and Ridicule, or to vain and impertinent Jangling. However, made they were, and the things- were fo evi- dent, that they could not be denied. But as for Celfus's railing or jelling with any of them, that is little to the prefent Purpofe; and his Cha&iiex- Origen, has fufficiently expos'd him up on Se&.9. Conceffions, Sec. 229 on all thofe Accounts ; tho not in his own way, but that of plain Reafon and Argument. I fhall not need to refer to the particular Pla ces, where thefe things are to be found ; they being obvious to every one, who has that Au thor in his hands. SECT. IX. Secondly, "OEfides thefe Particulars, concerning JD the Life and Paffion of Jefus Chrift ; I believe, it will be granted likewife, without much difficulty, That quickly after the Death of Chrift, there was a Party of Men, in that fame Country of Judasa, who pretended he was rifen again ; which thing they teftified with the utmoft Affurance, and in the moft publick manner, to all forts of Per fons wherever they came, even to the Jews themfelves, the profefs'd and moft inveterate Enemies of this Je fus and his Followers. I am not here offering any thing to prove the RefurreBion of Chrift to be true, or to juftify thefe^ Men, in the Report they made thereof; but only relate a thing as a bare Point of Hiftory, which I think will not be deny'd, viz.. That there were fuch People in thofe Days, who did fpread abroad this ftrange DoBrine in the World ; That that very Perfon, who was cru cify' d before the Eyes of fo vafl a Croud of People at Jerufalem, did a few Days after rife again, and cenverfe in the World for fome time, amongst thofe "who had perfeBly well known him before. Q.3 SECT, %yo Some General Part III. H SECT. X. ' O W this account we have from thofe Pri- , mitive Writers of the Chriftian Affairs, whom the Chriftians themfelves commonly call by the Name of Evangelifts and Apoftles. 'Tis true, thefe Perfons are look'd upon by thofe whore-? ceive the Chriftian Faith, as Men who were di vinely infpir'd, and their Writings as from God, and puhlifh'd to the World by his Authority. However, I fuppofe nothing of all that at prefent ; but appeal to them barely as the Works of fome antient Hiftorians, telling upon their ownKnow- ledg, that fuch and fuch things concerning Chrift Jefus, were very pofitively afferted, and no lefs firmly believ'd, by vaft multitudes of People in their days. All that I have therefore to be fa- tisfy'd in, is, Whether thefe Writings be really theirs or no? Whether the Books we attribute to them, and which we find to bear their Names, contain a fincere and genuine Account, of what they firft declar'd to the World concerning thefe great Matters ? If we can perfuade our felves, upon fure and undoubted Principles, that it is fo ; then we may make fome very good ufe of the Relations they give us, in the after Procefs of the Argument. But if the World be merely impos'd upon, with fpurious and fuppofititious, pr corrupt and adulterated Pieces, inftead of the true and native Compositions of thefe original Chriftian Writers, from whence we might be in form'd, what their genuine Sentiments were ; then they are of no. fignificancy at all, in the prefent Enquiry, but muft be e'en laid by and ceglede^dj Secft. 1 1 . Conceffions, Sec. 2 3 1 negleded, as other falfe and illegitimate Pieces ufe to be, when known and difcover'd to be fuch. SECT. XI. NOW in order to the attaining a juft and reafonable fatisfadion in this Point, let us fee the Impoffibilities that attend the contrary Hypothefis, and at once give a fair Demonftra tion of the Truth of our PROP. V. Part II. Firft, The firft Teachers of the Chriftian Faith, who would not fail of ufing the moft effedual Means, for the propagating and perpetuating a Dodrine, which they fo zealoufly efpous'd them felves (whether becaufe they knew it to be from God, or for any other Reafon, I do not here inquire) would not upon that fcore, negled fo dired and neceffary a Method, for obtaining their End ; as that of committing their DoBrines to writing, muft in common Reafon be allow'd to be. This indeed, is what may be rationally ex- peded from the Policy and Care of the firft Founders of any SeB ; as being a ftep fo Fun damental, in order to the Prefervation and Pro gress thereof, that without it (things being left intirely to reft upon the precarious bottom, of" Memory, Tradition, Fancy and Humour, in re- prefenting thofe things, which were firft de liver'd ) nothing could follow but fuch Jangling and Confufion, as would foon terminate in the utter Ruin and Diffipation of that SeB. I need not fay, that all the SeBs we know of, that have ever made any Figure in the World, have fufficiently plain, by comparing the utmoft they can pretend to prove, with what we make no fcruple of granting. For when I fpeak of thefe Writings being ge nuine and uncorrupt, I don't intend hereby, that they have undergone no Alteration or Corrup tion, Seel:. 1 8. Conceffions, Sec. 24 1 tion, in trivial Matters ; that is, in things which are not of the Subftance of them. I don't fup pofe, that every Letter, Syllable, or Word, is exadly the fame, as when the laft Hands of tfyeir refpedive Authors were fet to them. The Learned know well enough, that there are mul titudes of ways, by which Books may be abus'd, and that perhaps no Book in the WTorld, of any moment, has ever fcap'd this Fate, but had its ihare of Corruption (the common Calamity) at one time or other, either more or lefs. They know how Writings may be worn out, and defac'd by Time, the great Confumer of all things ; as well as to what Injuries they may be expos'd, by the other ordinary Accidents of Life : How eafy 'tis for Miftakes to arife, from the bare Omiffion of Points of DiftinBion ; or from the Vfe of Symbols and Characters, or any fort of Con tractions and Abridgments^ in Writing: How he that didates to another, may poffibly not judg rightly of feveral Letters, whofe Beauty is either loft by Age, or perhaps were but bafely written at firft : How we may miftake thofe Let ters, which are of a refembling Figure and Shape, one for another : How unaccurately and im- perfedly he may pronounce his Words, and fo lead him who tranferibes into an Error; or perhaps feeing the very fame Word or Words, various Times repeated, might heedlefly skip from one to the other, and fo leave out all in the Author, that was between them ; or per haps, for want of Skill and Judgment in the matter he is concern'd in, may transfer ordinary Notes and Gloffes from tjie Margent, into the Text or Body of the Book. The Learned know like- wife, that thofe who write, as well as thofe who didate, may fall into many forts of Blun- R ders 241 Some General Part III. ders and Miftakes. They may hear what is dic tated to them, imperfedly and by halves ; they may be more intent upon fome Notions in their own Minds, than the Bufinefs lying before them ; and fo write, not fo much what they hear, as what they are at that time thinking of; or at leaft, may poffibly fhape and modify what they hear, too -much according to their own way of fpeaking and thinking; but above all, by want of Skill in Grammar, and efpecially the Knowledg of the antient Orthography (by which means, all the changes in the Forms of Letters, would be unknown to them) 'tis not unlikely that many fuch Errors fhould be committed, as would re quire fome Skill and Judgment to difcover and corred afterwards. 1 need not add, that the Careleflhefs of thofe who have the Infpedion of Libraries, the rafh and prefumptuous Attempts of Criticks, the fly and villanous Pradices of Impoftor s (in fome Circumftances) may be the occafion of Mifchief and Diforder this way. All thefe things muft be allow'd, becaufe they are certainly true in Fad, as might eafily be prov'd, if this were a proper place for it. Now, upon thefe and fuch like Confiderations, I very eafily allow, that the Writings of thefe old Chriftian Authors, might in procefs of Time, be expos'd in fome meafure, to the ordinary Fate of the World. I mean, that fome fuch c-q>xK/A.cSoc may have crept into them, as are very poffible, and likely to arife from fome or other of the foremention'd Caufes. But what will any Man infer from this ? We all agree, that this derogates nothing from the Credit and Authority of any Writing. We don't rejed a Book as fpurious, becaufe we have fome Proofs of Seel:. 1 8. Conceffions, Sec. 243 of its having fuffer'd in matters of lefs moment. For if we fhould proceed upon that Principle, ,'tis demonftrable in Fad, That we Jhould leave our felves no Authors to read or quote ; but muft abandon them by whole Catalogues to the Flames, even thofe whofe Authority we now lay the greateft Strefs upon, and think it infinitely ridiculous to queftion. 1 muft therefore make a ftand here, with this Conclufion, before I proceed any farther, viz. That we muft either not rejeB the Writings of the Evangelifts and Apoftles, as fpurious, or fundamen tally corrupted ; upon the account of fuch Faults as we find to be common with them, and the Works of other Authors, which we receive as genuine : Or elfe, We muft agree to rejeB both one and the o- ther ; and fo, together with the New Teftament, deny the Credit of all Books, that we cannot demon ftrate to have been lefs abus'd, than that Syftem of the Chriftian Religion has been-. And if fo, I be lieve I may fafely ask the Criticks, and all thofe Men, whofe Learning lies only in great Reading: What is become of all your boafted Knowledg, and to what purpofe have you fpent your Time, in poring upon a parcel of old Authors, which you are perfedly cheated in, and who never talk'd any of thofe things, which you fo much value and admire in them ? So that therefore, laying all thefe matters to gether, the many ways that there are, by which Writings may come to contrad Faults, as alfo what has adually come to pafs in the certain Abufe and Corruption of Books, which celebra ted Men of Old * have fo freely own'd, and fo much * ¦RtChirnmhisu iivis TPA*ET2I ATA0I2 jtf»V&"«> ^ ia dtTiQdhhtj/Tiu &c. Strabo [peaking of the Works of R 2 Arifto- 244 J%e Authority bf Part III. much complain'd of: It would be an indifcreet and ridiculous piece of Zeal, to fay, that every Letter and Word of thefe Evangelical and A- poftolical Books, had been preferv'd in the fame good Order and Purity (with which they were at firft compos'd) thro all the fucceeding Ages and Revolutions of the World, down to the prefent Time. On the other hand, I am very ready to allow, That they may in length of Time, have fuffer'd fome of thofe common Misfortunes, which Booh have always been expos'd to, ever fince there have been Books in the World. But then, what I affirm is this, viz. That thofe Writings, which are now in our Hands, are ihe very Writings which the Apoftles and Evan gelifts left behind them ; and that not only as to the main Matter and Sub fiance of them; but alfo as to all Circumftances of neceffary Moment, to Chriftian DoBrine and PraBice : So far are they from being the Inventions of other Perfons, impos'd vpon the World in their Name and Stead. And this appear'd to be fuch plain and un deniable Matter of Fad, in fome of the paft Ages of Chriftianity, that the moft virulent Ene mies then in being, cou'd not poffibly refufe granting it ; or at leaft intimating it in fuch manner, as evidently fhew'd they took it for a certain Truth. Thus * Julian (who feem'd de- firous to fay fomethijag, that might render the Ariftotle <«i<£Theophraftus, and the Abufes they had fuffered. Lib. 13. Pag. 419. De Latinis vero [Libris] quo me vertam nefcio, ita MENDQSE & fenbuntur, & veneunt. Cher, ad Fra- rrem Quintum. Lib. 3. Epift. <,. * Toe ySv Thcki' «ts riauA©- \~nhimov> ilweiv @ibv, ktS W.cnQai©-, bts Axyjf,<, ktS Ma'jjt©-, *AA' 0 Xfnsis ladyviK, &c. Cyril, contra Julian. Lib. io. Pag.^2j. Divinity Se&. 1 8. the Writings, Sec. 245 Divinity of Jefus Chrift fufpeded) argues, That neither Matthew, Mark, Luke, nor Paul him felf, ever prefum'd to call' him God; but 'twas St. John (0 xgi^S iffldcvvHs) that talk d after this manner. Now how wrong foever he was in his Obfervation, yet his Conceffion deferves to be particularly taken notice of. For he lets us know here, that he took thofe Writings, which in his Time bore the Names of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, to be the genuine Produds of thofe Authors ; or elfe there had been very lit tle Senfe, in his quoting them, to the purpofe that he does quote them in this Paffage. Now the Emperor was no Fool, whatever other ill Charaders he juftly deferv'd ; and he was cer tainly very fenfible, that the Evidences for the Genuinenefs of thefe Books, were at that time of day in the World, fo very clear and convincing, that it would have been plainly fcandalous for a Man to have call'd them in queftion : Or elfe he had run upon the Chriftians after another man ner, and inftead of citing^thefe Books in fo tame and innocent a way as he has here done, he would have expos'd them as fo many Pieces of horrid Impofture, and the Chriftians as the worft of Fools for thinking otherwife. All that I fhall remark upon what has been faid, is only this, viz- That if thefe Boohs were look'd upon as Authentick, even by the fmarteft and moft induftriom Enemies of Chriftianity, at that time (which was about the middle of the fourth Century) there is lefs Reafon to fufpetl, their be ing either counterfeited, or fundamentally corrupted fince. Becaufe, as there have been fewer Perfe ctions, and much lefs profefs'd Enmity to the Chriftian, Religion in the World, fince that time, £han was before ; fo there have been more Oc- R 3 canons 246 The Authority of Part III. cafions for Mankind to fearch and enquire into them, as well as better Opportunities to vindi- 7 " " cate and defend them. SECT. XIX. I Know the idle Curiofity of fome People, prompts them to argue here, from the com mon Opinion of the Chrifiians, concerning the Divine Authority of thefe Writings. Don't you think that Providence fhould have preferv'd Books of fuch a Charader, as you fay thefe are, free from all manner of Corruption ? Should there not have been a Guard fet upon them, that they might have pafs'd pure and fincere, thro all the Accidents and Revolutions of the World, even to the laft Generation of Men ? Other Books are of no Importance to the Salvation of Mankind, as 'tis pretended thefe are ; and therefore one would think, thefe fhould ne ver have been fuffer 'd to be treated fo rudely as the reft, but have fhone always in their own native Luftre and Purity, convincing the World thereby, of God's Care of them, and confequently of their Divine Original. Anfw. I confefs indeed, this Objedion looks plaufible ; but a Man would abufe it highly, that fhould complement it with the Name of a ra tional one, as reafonable as it appears. Providence, I allow, would be concern'd to preferve a Divine Revelation, from all fuch Ble- mifhes as fhould reprefent it vnmrthy of God, ox reader it unfit for the Service of Mankind, by abuiing and difguifing it fo, that the Divine Will and their Duty, fhould not be known and colleacd Sed. i pi the Writings, Sec. 247 colleded from thence with fufficient Plainnefs and Certainty. But when this is faid and gran ted, there is all. I hope thefe Gentlemen do not fuppofe, that God is oblig'd to be always working new Mi racles, to do that which may be done in an or dinary way, by the bare Induftry and Care of Mankind. The firft Publifhers of a Divine Revelation to the World, ought to be infpir'd from Heaven ; but that Infpiration was not to be continu'd to every Librarian or Amanuenfis, to prevent their making Blunders, and Humbling upon one Letter, or Word, or Sound, inftead of another. For Men may avoid thefe things of themfelves, if they will but be Thoughtful and Diligent ; and if they are not, 1 prefume, we are not to throw their Faults upon Providence, and blame that, becaufe thefe Men have negleded, either to ftudy Languages, or to learn to read and write well, or to look after the Books commit ted to their Cuftody and Management, as they ought to have done. Infinite Wifdom having adjufied and fettled the general Laws of the World, and refolv'd upon fuch a Chain of Events, as fhould be the moft beautiful and agreeable; permits things to go on, according to the ordinary Tenor of thofe Laws, without any miraculous Interpofitions, ex cept where it is requifite fo to be, in order to the obtaining of fome very valuable End, which cannot otherwife be obtain'd, or would be beft obtain'd by the way of Miracles. And there fore, it was not neceffary, that all thofe who fhould didate or tranfcribe the Copies even of Divine Writings themfelves, fhould be render'd infallible : That the Parchments they were writ- R 4 terj 248 The Authority- of Part III. ten on, fhould wear like Brafs, and the Ink ne ver lofeH its Strength and Colour : That any falfe Hand, attempting to abufe them, fhould be ftop'd by a fudden Convulfion or Palfy ; or that the great Turns and Revolutions of the World fhould be prevented; left by fuch Com- buftions amongft Men, thofe Books fhould come by any Prejudice. Such effeds as thefe are quite befide the Order and Conftitution of the World, as God has been pleas'd to make, and does or dinarily govern it. What we may depend up on, from the Care and Diredionof Divine Pro vidence, in fuch an Affair, is this, viz* That if God fent a Revelation of his Mind into the World, he would order matters fo, that it Jhould be pre ferv'd and continu'd, in fuch Circumftances, as 'twas fit and neceffary a Divine Revelation Jhould be con tinu'd in ; as long as he determind to make ufe of it, for the Ends of Teaching and InfiruBion amongst; Men. And this well conitder'd, will, I hope, be enough to make the Objedion propos'd, appear to be no more than barely plaufible. But befides this, thefe is fomething elfe to be faid in this matter, which I am apt to think, we ought to have fome regard to. God, who has endowM us with fuch excellent Powers of Reafon and Judgment (which we are capable of ufiiig in fo nice and critical a manner, in na tural Enquiries, and all the common Affairs of Life) might very juftly oblige us, to exercife that Reafon to as good purpofe, in the mat ters of our Salvation. He deals with us un doubtedly, according to the Capacities and Abili ties he has furnifh'd us withal ; and having made us rational Beings, would have our Faith itfelf to be (in the fenfe I am now fpeaking of) a truly rational one. Why then, fhould we not be Sed. 20^. the Writings, Sec. 249 be put to ufe our Reafon, in judging of thofe Books which pretend to be Divine ; as well as in judg-, ing of others ? We can, in fome Circumftances of Evidence, conclude a profane Author to be genuine, notwithftanding ail the Corruption we are fure he has fuffer'd. And Providence might very wifely and equitably appoint us to do the fame Work, with refped to a Divine Reve lation. For by fuch a Difpenfation, God fhews, that he requires nothing of us, in order to a Con vidion of his Truth ; but that we ad like Men, and ufe the Powers he ha& given us in fuch a manner, as they were plainly defign'd for. SECT. XX. HAving thus fhewn, upon what Grounds we may fatisfy our felves, of the Purity of the Writings of the New Teftament ; as alfo, that they are the genuine and undoubted Works of fuch and fuch Authors, whofe Names they bear, and who liv'd in the moft early Times of Chrif tianity: I may now fafely proceed to make ufe of them under this Notion, as I have occafion ; not appealing to them, as Books that contain any thing of Divine Revelation, but as ordinary Writings, which I may confult and refer to, in the way of Difcourfe, as I would thofe of ar.v other Au thor whatfoever. And tho the fame things which thefe Writers fay, be alfo faid by many others befides them ; yet they being the firft, and thofe confequently, from whom all other Chriftian Hiftorians have had their Accounts ; it is moft expedient, that we go to the Fountain-head, and 250 The Proofs of Part III. and take our Informations immediately from them. And now the Bufinefs which lies before us, is to propofe, examine, and argue, upon the Evi dences, which are brought to perfuade the Be lief of the Fad of Chrift's RefurreBion. SECT. XXI. AN D the firft general Head that I fhall infift on, fhall be that, of the CharaBers, Qua lifications, and other Circumftances relating to thofe Perfons, who declar'd themfelves theWitneffes of this FaB. Now here are many things to be confider'd, which I fhall therefore propofe, with as much Clearnefs and Brevity as I can, without doing the Argument an Injury. SECT. XXII. Firft, YyEfides the Apofiles (who were in a more JD eminent manner, the Witneffes of the Re furredion of Chrift) there were divers others, who did unanimoufly agree, in tefiifying this thing to be true. Their number was fo far from being fmall, and defpicable, that one of the Chriftian Wri ters (who ftiles himfelf the Apoftle of the Gen tiles) affures us, That in his Time there was ftill remaining the greater part, of more than five hundred, who did all at one time, fee Jefus Chrift after his rifing again. mow Sed.22^ the FaSh of, Sec. 251 Now tho this Article (of the Number of Per fons who are the Witneffes of a Matter of Fad) abftrading from all other Confiderations, is not in it felf abfolutely convincing and conclufive ; yet it carries fomething along with it, that makes a mighty Impreffion on a Man's Mind that confiders it well. For tho an Impofture may lie conceal'd for a while, in a few Hands ; yet 'tis next to impoffible, that it fhould lie long undifcover'd in a great many. It fhocks a Man to think, that fo many Perfons fhould agree in all the Pundilio's of a notorious Lye, and that they fhould agree to ftand by it in fo peremptory a manner as thefe Perfons did : That fuch a number of falfe Hearts and Tongues fhould fo exadly keep time with one another, and never clafh in any Inftance whatfoever ; but by a per fed Harmony and Confent, delude the World into a Belief of the Truth of what they affirm'd. It's commonly obferv'd, that Plots never thrive fo well, as when there are but few let into the Secret ; and large Cabals of Knaves and Lyars, feldom fail to tell Tales of one another. However, all that I infift upon from hence, is this, That there is at leaft, a good degree of Probability, that the Teftimony concerning Chrift's Refurredion was not a falfe one, arifing from this Confideration ; That it was not one or two only who gave this Teftimony, but a Number far fuperior, to what the Credit of fome of the moft valuable ac counts of Matters of FaB in the World have de pended upon. This is what I don't beg, fince 'tis eafy e- nough to make out the Truth on't ; and 1 be lieve, thefe Gentlemen will hardly demand of me, a Proof they know to be fo very obvious and near at hand. £ 2}* The Proofs of Part III. I am well contented therefore, to have ad- vanc'd thus much, in the firft place. If they think it butNa little, I -defire they would have patience, to go on calmly to the fucceeding fteps ; and I am much miftaken, if they don't find the Argument to run on to a fufficient Length, by that time we have done with it. SECT. XXIII. Secondly, *mT*HE Teftimony of thofe Perfons de- X ferves the more regard, in that they teftify'd a thing which they declar'd they had perfo nal Knowledg of. Now in any Cafe, when a Man pretends- to fenfible Demonftration for the Truth of what he fays, he is to be heard with a great deal of Attention ; and unlefs he has upon fome other accounts, given Mankind juft ground, either to fufped or defpife hira, 'tis enough to make all fober People conclude, that there is fomething in the matter which deferves to be ferioufly en- quir'd and look'd into. But when a great Num ber of Perfons fhall come, and attefl: with one accord, that they were adually Eye-Witneffes to fuch or fuch a thing, and are as much affur'd of the Truth of it, as they can be of any thing which their Eyes difcover rz tinem every Day in the World: This will ma! e all Men in their right Senfes, fee an abfolute NecelTi {, either of receiving their Report as true, or elfe of al- ledging fome very fubftantial "eafons for the rejeding of it. Now this is the Cafe here. Thefe Perfons did not only fee Jefus Chrifi ; but many of them declare, that they faw him frequently ' and Se<5t.2^ theFaBof, Sec. 25; and familiarly, and that for fuch a term of Time, as can leave no room to doubt, whether Fancy and Imagination had any thing to do in the Bufinefs or no; They convers'd with him for forty Days; they eat and drank with him.; they faw him do feveral wondrous Works ; they receiv'd Orders and Inftrudions from him, a- bout the Inftitution and Government of his Church : he bid them go teach all Nations, bap tizing them in the Name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Ghofi, teaching them to obferve all things that he had commanded ; and in fo doing, he promis'd them his Prefence and Bleffing ; that he would be always with them to the End of the World, and fend the Promife of the Father upon them ; and therefore commanded them, to tarry in the City of' Jerufalem, till they were endu'd with Power from on high : He told them exprefly, that Signs fhould follow thofe that believe ; that in his Name they Jhould cafi out Devils, fpeak with new Tongues, take up Serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it Jhould not hurt them ; that they fhould have the Gift of miraculous healing, fo that if they laid their Hands on the Sick, they Jhould recover : They declare that he upbraided them with their "Unbelief and Hardnefs of Heart, in not believing the Reality of his RefurreBion, upon the Teftimony of thofe who had feen him ; and that one particularly, who was incredulous beyond all the reft, was indulg'd fo far, as to have all the Demonftration, that feeing, hear ing, and feeling could afford him, in order to his fatisfadion: That they were blefs'd and comforted by him, and after they had receiv'd his laft Commands and Diredions, faw him ac tually taken up from them, and afcend into Heaven; and that after this they return'd to Jerufa- 2 54 The Proofs of Part III. Jerufalem, and waiting there according to his Appointment, they were endu'd with Power from above, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghoft, according to his Promife. This is what thefe Perfons teftify'd. Now, here is no room for Imagination and Dream, in all this Account. Men could never fancy that they faw a Perfon for fo many Weeks together, whom they never faw at all ; that he eat and drank in their Prefence ; that he argu'd and expounded the Scriptures to them, con- vinc'd them of feveral Errors and Miftakes, gave them Promifes, Rules and Inftrudions for their own Comfort, and the Government of a Church in the World; and after all, went up into Hea ven in their fight, whilft Angels flood by and told them, that he which was taken up into Hea ven, Jhould come in like manner again, as they had feen him go from them : This, I fay, could never poffibly be Dream and Fancy. So that if this Teftimony of theirs were falfe, nothing remains but they muft be notorious Cheats, and all this Story a pure Forgery, a mere Lye from one end to the other. And therefore, what we have farther to do, is to fee what Reafons we have to believe, or not believe, That they were really Men of fo proflgate a CharaBer, and did abfolutely a- hufe Mankind in this Account they gave, of the Re furredion of Jefus Chrift. SECT. XXIV. Thixdly, '^jf Here fore the manner in which this Tef- M. timony was deliver'd, engages a high Degree of Attention to it. There Sed. 24^ theVaBof, Sec. 255 There could be nothing more folemn and aw ful, than the way wherein the Apoftles addrefs'd themfelves to Mankind, when they teftify'd the RefurreBion of Chrifi Jefus. They declar'd they did this not of themfelves," or from any inferior Motives and Incitements, but by God's Order and Appointment. They invok'd his tremendous Name, and beg'd his Affiftance and Bleffing. They appeal'd to him, as the Omnifcient Judg of the World, concer ning the Sincerity and Integrity of their Hearts. They propos'd their Dodrine, as the Word and Law of God, by which they themfelves, as well as thofe that heard them, were to be fav'd. And as all this was done with the utmoft pof fible Gravity and Serioufnefs ; fo for a Confir mation of the Truth of all, they declar'd they had receiv'd from Heaven, a Power of working Signs and Wonders; to the plain and vifible Effeds of which, they refer'd their Hearers ; as Proofs that God was with them of a truth, and that they were authoriz'd by him to do what they did. Now fuch folemn Appeals to, and Invocations' of the Divine Majefty, fo publickly, fo frequent ly, and fo devoutly made ; are certainly, at leaft, equivalent to any thing of religious Oaths or Swearing, ever us'd amongft Mankind, in order to procure a Belief of the Truth of what is afferted. And we know, that fuch Forms of Addrefs to God Almighty, are held fo facred amongft all' People; that they 'pafs for undifpu- ted Proof in Cafes of Fad, where plain and e- vident Reafons to the contrary do not appear. And very good Reafon there is, why it fhould be' fo ; for it is not to be prefum'd, that Men would be fo wicked, as to difavow the Divine Mercy, l]6 The Proofs of Part III. Mercy and Clemency, and imprecate the Divine Vengeance on themfelves, upon any fuch little Mo tives as they can "have prefented to them, in any of their Concerns and Dealings with one another. There is indeed no doubt to be made, but fome Men have been adually thus ,profane and irreligious, as having no Notions at all of the Divine Being, or his fearful Judgments: But this is no Objedion at all. For as -the fecret Atheifm and Wickednefs of Mens Hearts, can be known only to God himfelf; fo unlefs we fee fome manifeft Signs, or have fome fufficient Proofs of fuch a vile Temper, by which thofe Perfons have juftly forfeited our good Opinion of them ; we are not to prefume it, but on the other hand to fuppofe, they have a juft Regard to God Almighty, and do confequently fpeak the Truth, When they make ufe of his Holy Name, upon fuch important Occafions. Now, I fay, this being the Cafe here, the Apoftles Teftimony concerning the RefurreBion of Chrifi, deliver'd with fuch Confirmations to the World, does certainly deferve the higheft Attention and Regard ; and what I plead for on this fcore, is what is allow'd to be juft and. reafonable, amongft all Nations whatfoever. SECT. XXV. Fourthly ,*~r*\S to be confider'd too, That thefe X Perfons did not talk of a matter that was tranfaBed at a Diftance from the Place where they gave their Teftimony, nor a long Time after the thing it felf was faid to be done. I Sed. 25: the Fact, Sec. 257 I confefs, a Story concerning fome ftrange and wonderful thing, reported to be done in a re mote Country, and a confiderable number of Years, before the Account of it was publifh'd to the World; may in fome Circumftances, be juftly liable to Objedions, upon the fcore of the want of Opportunity, to make the neceffary Enqui ries into it : But the Cafe is quite otherwife here. Thefe Men appear'd upon the very fpot, that was the Scene of the Adion, and told the Jews they might be fatisfy'd of the Truth of it, even at their own Doors. Jerufalem, the very Place of our Saviour's Crucifixion and Death, they conftantly affirm'd to be the Place, where he rofe again. And as they did not fend Feople a great way to enquire, fo neither did they defer the Publication of it till Jefus Chrifi was forgot ten, and his Story worn out, in the Country where they preach'd his RefurreBion. But in ftead of that, they did it while it was frefh, and in the Mouths of all Men, and while thofe Perfons, who could eafily convid them for Cheats and Impoftors (if they had been fo) were ready to be produc'd, if occafion ferv'd. I will not prevent my felf" here, by faying what will come with more Advantage under another Head. Only this I fhall fay, that the Death of Chrift was fi> publick a thing, and there were fo many acquainted with all the Circumftances of that Tragedy, fome of whom were deeply concern'd too, to have prevented his riling again, if any Hu man Art or Care could have hinder'd it ; that Men who made fo much hafte, to preach that furpri- zingand unwelcome Dodrine of his being adually rifen again, would have found Enemies enough to confront them, and prove them Lyars, if they had not had evident Truth of their fide. S SECT. 258 The Proofs of Part III. SECT. XXVI. Fifthly, TPH-ET did not make a Secret of this A Bufinefs, but declar'd it in the moft publick and open manner that could poffibly be. It was not a Story privately whifper'd amongft themfelves, or communicated only to thofe of their own Party ; but they proclaim'd it in the Ears of all the People, and chofe fuch a Time to begin, wherein Jerufalem being crouded with Foreigners of all Nations, there was no want of Perfons, able and curious enough, to enquire into the Truth of the ftrange Report they made. So far were they from any fly and clandeftine Ma nagement in this Cafe, that they went into the Synagogues of the Jews, nay, into the Temple it felf ( where there was no likelihood of a thin Au ditory ) and preach'd the RefurreBion of Chrift. And as if it was intended, that all poffible Ob jedions fhould be taken off, which might feem to intimate their being afraid of great Men, and that they addrefs'd themfelves only to the Mob upon this Occafion ; they appear'd in the moft auguft Councils of the Jews, and teftify'd to the Faces of the High Priefts and Rulers, what they had taught the common People be fore. 'Twas a very remarkable Speech, which St. Peter made to this purpofe, in one of thofe grand Affemblies : Ye Rulers of the People, and Elders of Ifrael ! If we be this Day examin d of the good Deed done to the impotent Man, by what means be is made whole ; Be it known to you all, and to all the People of Ifrael, that by the Name of Jefus Chrift of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom Sed. 2 6. the FaB, Sec. 259 whom God raifed from the Dead, even by Him, doth this Man ftand here before you whole. This is the Stone, which was fet at nought of you Builders, which is become the Head of the Corner. Neither is there Salvation in any other ; for there is no other Name under Heaven, given amongst Men, where by we muft be fav'd. What Freedom and Spirit appears in every Line of this Difcourfe ? No Man fure can charge the -Apoftles, with making a Secret of Chrift's RefurreBion, when they dar'd proclaim it with fo much brisknefs, to thofe who had been the Authors of his Death. A Man can fcarce for bear thinking, how the Council look'd, upon this bold Charge ; fo many grave, wife and lear ned Seniors, as there were of them, to be thus attack'd by two ignorant and illiterate Men ! The Author of that Hiftory tells us, that they marveWd : And well they might ; for, befides that the Subjed of the Difcourfe was very un grateful to them, they expeded, as Men of Fi gure and Grandeur, to be addrefs'd to with more Ceremony and Refped. Yet this was all the Complement they had, to be told, They were the Murderers of Chrift ; and that God has rais'd him up from the Dead, to be the univerfal Lord and Saviour of the World. Sad Tidings to thofe who ftood in defiance of him ! And the more pro voking too, in that they were told of it in the Prefence of all thofe People, who following their Example, had condemn'd him for an Impoftor. And very ftrange it was, that the Council fhould let the matter pafs as they did. Could not they have reply'd to the Apoftles ? Tou make a Noife about a thing, which the whole Na tion knows to be an egregious Cheat Tou pre tend that Chrift rofe from the Dead, when here is S 2 plain 160 The Proofs of Part III. plain and undeniable Proof, which Jhall prefently be produc'd to you, that there were was no fuch mat ter, but you by fome deceitful Arts, convey' d his Body away I Such a Declaration as this, back'd with anfwerable Proof, and fuch bold Manage ment, as always accompanies Truth and a clear Confidence ; would have effedually filenc'd thefe Preachers, and put a final ftop to the Progrefs of their Religion. But inftead of this, they fneak, and grow cool upon the matter ; the whole Council is confus'd, and they order the Apoftles to withdraw, while they lay their Heads together, and agree upon fome proper Anfwer to be return'd to them. And at laft, as the refult of all their Confultations, they command them to fpeak no more in the Name of Jefus, threatning them with their Refentments if they did, and fo thought fit to difmifs them: Which is the very thing, that Men confeious of the Truth, and Self-condemn'd, would have done in the fame Cafe. However, the Apo ftles, little regarding thefe Injundions, went on with their Work ; and quickly gave the Coun cil a frefh Occafion to call them in queftion, for their Difobedience. And St. Peter (as the Mouth of the reft) gave fuch Reafons why they dif- obey'd, as thofe great Men could by no means digeft, but were extremely uneafy under. We ought to obey God, rather than Men. The God of our Fathers raifed up Jefus, whom ye flew and hanged upon a Tree. Him hath God exalted with his right Hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give Repen tance to Ifrael, and forgivenefs of Sins. And we are his Witneffes of thefe things, and fo is alfo the Holy Ghoft, whom God hath given to them that obey him. This fhort Sermon (fays the Hiftorian) cut them to the Heart, and they took Counfel to flay them. A moft Sed. 2 7. the Faft, Sec. 261 moft effedual way of anfwering Arguments, to execute thofe, who drive them on too far ! How ever, they contented themfelves with lefs Seve rities for that time; and having beaten the Apo ftles, fent them out of the Council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to fuffer Jhame for the Name of Jefus ; and affur'd even by the Confeffion of the High Priefts themfelves, that they had fill'd all Jerufalem with their DoBrine. SECT. XXVII. Sixthly, *"jr*HESE Perfons were fuch, whofe X * Probity and Vertue, their worft Adverfaries never did (and therefore for certain never could) pretend to call in queftion. That they were reproach'd and vilify 'd by the World, is indeed very certain ; " but this was what they were forewarn'd of,1 what they ex? peded themfelves, and what their Dodrine would naturally produce. But what I intend is, that no Adverfary whatever, ever made an offer to fhew the World, that they were ill Men. And I think, I rightly infer from thence, that there fore they could not. For Men in fuch Circumftances, as the firft Preachers of this Dodrine, were hot to exped any thing of Ceremony or Compliment ; but had there been any grounds to fufped their good Manners and Veracity, we may conclude, Man kind had not fail'd to know it. Becaufe all TUtwo-imtfjJm. fLufeb. de Apoftbl. Hift^Ecclef. Lib. 3. Cap. 24. S 3 imagi- 2fj2 The Proofs of Part III. imaginable Reafons of Intereft and Policy, ert- gag'd their Enemies to do what could be done, to ftop the Progrefs of Chriftianity ; which if it profper'd, would infallibly f fubvert all the Laws and Cuftoms which they and their Anceftors, had fo great a Fondnefs for. Now nothing would more effedually have dafh'd this New Religion, a£ y\ar\a,v iftaTivovlis, T/7 yi fmv inys r Qa- T«f©" dvms J'iJhifytuiSlfiif S$id, >y np^.Jb^07!Via Jiivdu-i $&,%• CKV%t, TO pC' c* who is difpos'd to think calmly Sed.ji. the FaB, &c. 31? calmly and impartially of the Matter; that they were not, nor could not be concern'd, in fo vile and horrible a piece of Fraud as this. And, Firft, we fay, They could not have accom- plifh'd it, if they had been fo wicked as to defign and contrive it. And the reafon is, Becaufe there were fuch Precautions taken againft their- doing fo, as render d it impoffible : Impoffible, either to open Force and Violence, or to any clandeftine Arts and Treachery. The Jews would no more have left things at fuch an uncertain rate, that any thing the Difciples were able to do, fhould have depriv'd them of the Body of Jefus Chrifi ; than they would have fet their Hands to the Subver- fion of their own Religion and Laws, and the eftablifhing of Chriftianity in its ftead. For they had reafon enough to believe, that this would be the Effed of it, if a firm perflation of Chrift's being rifen from the Dead, fhould once come to obtain generally in the World. Becaufe this would make all Men fee, that a~ Religion intro- duc'd by fo ftrange and furprizing an Event, muft needs be of God : And therefore, that whatever Manifeftations of himfelf, he might be- fore-times have made, either to the Jews, or any other People upon Earth, fignifying in what manner he would be worfhip'd by them for a Seafon ; yet this new and folemn Difcovery of his Mind and Will, would undoubtedly ingage the devout Attention of Mankind to it, and de termine them to worfhip and ferve him in that way, which he had therein reveal'd. And this the Chief Priefts were fenfible of, when they told Pilate, That the latter Error would be worfe than the firft. And for that very Reafon, I fay, they would not fail to make it impoffible for the Difciples of Chrift, or any employ'd by them, X 4 to 312 The Proofs of Pan III. t o put any fuch Trick as this upon their Nation and Religion. SECT. LII. THE Story of carrying off the Body of Jefus Chrift, while the Watch was afleep, is fo very grofs, that it will fcarce bear a telling : And thole that do it in good earneft, and hope at the fame time to be believ'd ; muft either have a very lit tle Opinion of the Senfe of thofe they talk to, or a very great one, of their own Credit with Mankind. Let us confider the Matter a little : The Difci ples did this, while the Men were afleep ! A nd how then did the Trick come to be known ? Did the Difciples tell it themfelves ? Or were the Guard conftious of what pafs'd in their Sleep ? 'Tis not common for Men to be fo. Moft People need to be inform'd by others, who are awake, what is done by this or that Perfon, at a time when their own Senfts cannot give them an account of it. But thefe Men affirm pofitively what is done, and by whom ; when at the fame time, by their own Confeffion, they were in their Midnight Dreams. This is very odd ! Nor could they ever have known it,, if they had notfirft confu ted the Chief Priefts and Pharifees. And 'tis a marvel, that the Wit of a whole Sanhedrim could not invent fomething for Men to fay, that fhould at leaft have refembl'd Truth, a little more than this Account does. In fhort, whe ther one fuppofes the Watch to have been afleep or awake, while this thing was done, a Man fees nothing but a wide Field of Nonfenfe, and ri diculous Sed-53- the FaB, Sec. 315 diculous Confequences before him : fuch, that I'll venture to fay, that he that is not loft in it, muft have been well us'd to fuch fort of way before. I am weary with arguing upon fuch Trifles. The Subjed is grave and ferious ; and the ludicrous Impertinences of this Objedion, apt to force a Man into an Air of talking, that may not be fo futable to the Serioufnefs of it ; or at leaft incline him to infift on fome vulgar things, which tho very true, and very good circumftantial Evidences, may yet make it look little and defpicable to its Enemies. 'Tis fuf ficient, that the Story is fuch, as prefently dif- covers it felf, and fhews a Man at firft View, a bare face of Abfurdity, without putting him to the trouble of a long Chain of Argument to find it out. SECT. LIII. BU T Secondly, Had the Difciples been concern'd in fo vile a piece of Impofiure, with what Spirit or Courage, could they ever have enter' d upon fo fo lemn and publick Minifiry, as they afterwards did enter upon ? How could they ever preach Remiffion of Sins, and Everlafting Life, in the Name of a Perfon ; who inftead of rifing again, and enduing them with Grace and Power for fo arduous an Under taking, had left his Body to be convey'd away by bafe and mean Arts of their Contrivance ? They muft know perfedly well, that as he could not deliver himfelf from Death at firft (for if he was an Impoftor, to be fure he would have done it if he could) nor yet conquer it afterwards by 1 14 7h Proofs of Part III. by a RefurreBion ; fo he was not a proper Perfon for them to exped any Affiftance from. If he could not fave himfelf, how fhould he be a Sa viour to them and others? How fhould he ever proted them from the Power and Malice of the World, and carry them fafe thro all Enemies and Dangers, to a blifsful State in the next Life, -who had left them fo miferable and deftitute fiere? Much lefs could they ever hope for any Countenance from Heaven; or to have the Af fiftance of the Divine Spirit to work Signs and Wonders, while they were propagating a noto rious Cheat. -They might have juftly fear'd, to be overtaken by the Divine Vengeance, every ftep they took in fuch a Bufinefs; but (with theut- sioft Prefumption Mankind can be guilty of) they could never exped Divine Supports and Con- folations. From the World they had nothing bat Shameand Contempt, Perfecution and Diftrefs, and all thefe in the higheft degree, to exped. For as they preach'd a moft amazing and un grateful Dodrine, and came all unpolifh'd to the Work, having nothing to fix the Attention, or attrad the Efteem of Mankind ; fo they could neither hope to make Converts, nor meet with any good Quarter where they went. And there fore, they were of all Men in the World, the moft forlorn and miferable. They had neither Heaven nor Earth on their fide ; but both en- gag'd againft them. All the ill Ufage that could be in this World, and fevere Punifliments in the next, for their horrible Profanation of the fa~ cred Name of God, in declaring he fent them to publifh this Impofture; was all that they could have a Profped of. And therefore, being defti tute of all Motives, that could poffibly encourage them to fuch an Undertaking, as preaching the Gofpel ; Sed. 5 4. the FaB, Sec. 315 Gofpel ; I fay, they would never have gone a- bout it, but the whole Defign had drop'd, and the World never heard of the Chriftian Faith, But they did do it, and that with indefatigable Zeal and Induftry; with a Spirit, far tranfcending all that ever was known in Human Nature before :• Such as knew no Baulk nor Defpondency, no* Wearinefs nor Remiflion ; but held it out tho- row all Storms, and was even wrought up to- greater Heights, by Perfecution it felf. And a Man may with as much Reputation to his Senfe and Underftanding, affirm the groffeft and moft palpable Contradidions in Nature ; as that Men who were confcious to themfelves of fo vile a Cheat, fhould ever manage things after this man ner *. SECT. LIV- Thirdly, yt S they could not, nor would :nbt have £\ any perfonal immediate Concern, in fo abominable an Enterprize ; fo neither wc uld they engage, or would any other Perfons be engag'd by them therein. * This wonderful Spirit of Courage and Refolution, appear' d in the Sufferings of the Chriftians, after the Apoflies Time : of which there are many furprizing Inftances on KecorcL 'Tm/AfSOfAp idi iO-Jfdiut 77[M>d Xj SuVATiififyot %a'(y/j$p. Juft. Mart. Dial, cum Tryph. And Eufebius tells its they did — pi-nt y«.^-i ^ }ika}@- £ lvip(yo\ivns tUu vt&Tlw "irnqtunv r ^avdrv y&TU.S'iyiSm.i. Hift. Ecclef. Lib. 8. c. 9. — That they were wont, 'Eis dvrhjj rfo ri^dmittv dvanr- i/oUjj, t dhvmv iy did^/)ff> iy d?i -\idbte.v >y vjw,*s it) 'iv%aa&<*S eis t T Saw Qth dvor •7iiyL7niv. Id. Loc. citat. Let $16 The Proofs of Part III. Let us put the Cafe for Argument fake, and fee what common Senfe will allow a Man to fup pofe to be done,, by Perfons in their Circum ftances, with refped to this matter. For we muft not make ridiculous and extravagant fop- jwfitions, and fancy the Apoftles to do what Men ia their right Wits never did, or would do in the like Cafe ; and then go and argue to the Dif advantage of the. Chriftian Caufe, from thofe ¦Enjult and chimerical fuppofitions of our own making. Now the true State of the Cafe is thus : Here was a fmall number of Alen, who having clofely adherd to Jefus Chrift (whom the Jews had erucify'd) and prof effing to live after his Laws ; had render' d themfelves obnoxious to the fame Ill-will end Refentments, which had appear d fo remarkably egainfi their Mafter. They were poor, and could give no Bribes. They could make no tempting Promifes to allure Men into their intereft, having nothing hut Ruin and Mifery before them. - But befides, common Prudence it felf would never have fuffer'd them to truft any body with this important Secret. For whoever they fhould have made fo infamous a Propofal to, as that of ftealing away the Body of Jefus Chrift; would either out of pure detcftation of fo grofs a Villany; or to curry Favour .with the Jews, by fo fiand a piece of .Service done to their Caufe ; or laftly, out ef hope of fome very great Reward, for the Difco very of a Plot of fuch Confequence as this : for cne, or other cf thefe Reafons, I fay, would infallibly have divulg'd the matter. If they were Perfons of Probity, their Abhorrence of fo foul a Crime, would have made them doit: If not, the Profped of certain Gain and Advantage, would Sed. 5 4. the VaB, Sec. 317 would have charm'd them to the Difcovery. From the Apoftles they could exped nothing; from the Jews they might exped every thing, that could be a Temptation to Mankind. They had no imaginable Motives, to perfuade them to keep the Apoftles Counfel; but they had Repu tation, Applaufe and Rewards from the Jews; nay, and, a Reward to exped from God too (if they had an Eye to his Glory, and the general Good of Mankind) in the laying open of fo vile an Impofture. How is it credible then, that Men in fuch Circumftances as the Difciples were, fhould (if they had attempted it) ever have fucceeded in their Attempt, of engaging a Company of Men in fo dcfperate a Defign, as that of fieal ing the Body ef Jefus Chrift? And how is it credible, that any others but Men, who were defpera.te and mad even to Extremity ; fhould ever engage them felves in it, under all the Precautions taken by the Jew^, to fruftrate their Attempts ; and the many Arguments arifing both from Senfe and Reafon, to diffuade them from it? And fuppo fing a Set of fuch Wretches could have been got ready, and ty'd fa ft to the Undertaking; yet how is it credible, that they fhould be able to break thorow all the Obftacles, which the Power and Tolicy of the Jewifh Nation had laid in their way ? In a word, what is there in this whole Hypothefis, that is credible ; according to the com mon Rules and Meafures of Credibility amongft Men ? Let us bring the Cafe down to plain FaB and Experience in the World; and fee where any At tempt of this kind, by fuch Perfons, and in fuch Circumftances, was ever accomplifli'd and brought to Perfedion. Nay, let us but find out, where , there 3 1 8 The Proofs of Part III. there are a Set of Men, whofe Heads are turn'd after fuch a manner; that they can heartily be lieve, that fuch an Exploit as this, Was ever to be perform'd by Men in the Condition of Chrift's Difciples ; in oppofition to all the Efforts of a forewarn'd, malicious, potent, watchful Nation of Adverfaries, whofe Intereft, Temper, Policy, and Religion, all oblig'd them to prevent it. « But I fhall clofe this Argument, with one Quef tion to the unbelieving People ; which being a Queftion of Fad, and of modern Fad too, pretty notorious and very pertinent to our purpofe; it will deferve the more Confideration. They know very well, that in a certain Coun try, not many Years ago, there were a Set of Men, who pretended to the Gift of Prophecy, and Divine Infpiration ; and accordingly gave out many Speeches and Warnings, which they declar'd were from God. They remember alfo, that one of this Num ber dying, it was given Out by the reft of the SeB, that he would rife again. And this was done with fuch an Air of Confidence and Affu rance, that no little Commotion was rais'd in a great City by that means. I need not fay wThat the Event was, after pru dent Care was taken, to prevent foul play ; and matters were order'd fo, that if the defund Perfon did quit his Grave, at the appointed Time, it fhould appear to all the World, to be a true and real RefurreBion, and that the Voice of the Omnipotent had indeed call'd him from thence. But after all, fuppofe it had been pretended by the People of this SeB, that their Fellow -Prophet did in truth rife from the Dead, on the Day that was fet : That the Power of Almighty God had exerted Sed. 5 4. the FaB, Sec. 319 exerted it felf on their behalf, and given full Teftimonials of the Truth of their Miffion, by reftoring that Perfon to Life again, whom fo many Eyes had feen truly and really dead but a little before. And put the Cafe, That this Story had been propagated with fuch Succefs, that there were Reafons to fear, left a good part of the Country Jhould by Degrees be profelyted over to the Belief of it, and fo great Changes and Confufions in the Publick arife there-from : I would ask thefe Gentlemen, What Courfe they themfelves, being upon the Spot, would have taken, in order to their being compleatly fatisfy d of the Right of this Matter ? And whether they don't be lieve they could have come to a final pofitive Con clufion about it, one way or other ; after fuch Search and Application for that End, as the World would expeB from Men, who fet up for the nicefi Judges of Truth and right Reafon ? I believe they'll take the wifeft and moft pru dent part of the Anfwer (which is the affirma tive) aud allow, that it was very poffible and practicable for them, to come to fuch a determi nate Refolution, about the Truth of this Cafe. Very well then : And why fhould not People feventeen hundred Years ago, have been as cu rious and inquifitive, and as well able to fatisfy themfelves fully about the RefurreBion of Je fits Chrifi ; as our Deifts at this time of Day, about the RefurreBion of this pretended Prophet ? They cannot pretend to have either the Power, or the Opportunity, or -the Reafons for enquiring, which the Jews had : And to think that they have bet ter Eyes to fee thro an Impofture, than the reft of the World, is unfufferable Vanity and Arro- . gance. Had 320 The. Proofs of Part III. Had Our modern Prophet been convey'd out of his Grave, by any flight or trick of his^m- panions^ how warm and eager would thefe Gen tlemen have been, in the purfuit of them, when they had once fcented the matter ! They would not have been diverted by frivolous Stories and Pretences ; they would not have been fatisfy'd with groundlefs and precarious Reports. But having begun the Chace, they would have held it on, till they had run the Impoftors down, and laid the Plot open to the World. They would' never have contented themfelves with common Story and Fame, his Companions came by Night, and ftole him away ; but they would have fatisfy'd Mankind, that they did fo; as the Jews would have done in the like Cafe, if there had been the fame Reafon for it. And 'tis a wonder to me, thefe Gentlemen fhould not be fo civil to the Jews, as to believe, that they were both able and willing, to do as much towards the difcovery of an Impofture in that Cafe; as themfelves could and would have done, in that we are now fpeaking of. I hope they'll allow one of the Perfons to be much more famous and remarkable than the other ; and the Confequence of his RefurreBion to be of proportionably greater Moment. So that I can give my felf no manner of account^ w hy they fhould not conclude, That there was aU the Care taken, both to prevent and find out the , Cheat, which they themfelves would have taken, had they been upon the Spot ; or would have done in this Cafe of the modern Prophet, before they would have been impos'd upon by a new RefurreBion. If they fancy they have more Wit arid Sagacity than the Jews : I fay, tho this be very vain and idle ; yet 1 hope they will not fet up to rival them, in point Sed. j j] the FaB, Sec". j % f point of Spleen and Malice. And they know very well, that Hatred and Revenge will fharpen People's Wits, and make up, in many Cafes, for the Defeds of Underftanding. However, the Jews were not that ftupid People, that fome of thefe Gentlemen have reprefented them to be. After what has been faid upon this/oar^ Head of Argument, I would hope thefe Gentlemen may, upon cool Thoughts, find ft reafonable to make lefs Noife about Frauds and Impoftures, and other ftrange things, commonly talk'd of amongft them : which having never made any attempt at proving, or fhewing how it was fo much as probable they fhould be brought about ; we muft conclude the Defign of it, is either to amufe People with fome fhew of Objedions againft Chriftianity; or elfe purely to make an Expe riment, how far the Credit of their Word will go amongft Mankind inftead of Demonftration. SECT. LV. Fifthly, AND Laftly, The horrid and intolcra* Ji\. ble Abfurdities, confeqnent upon the Suppofition, that Chrift Jefus did not rife from the Dead ; Jhall clofe the Proof offer'd on the fide of the Chriftians, to evince the Truth of it. I have fhewn already at PROP. VI. Part II. that Abfurdities of the Moral Kind, are in the nature of things, worfe and more wretched than any that relate to matters of Science ; and there fore, that it is not only fair and juft, to pro nounce that Propofition falfe, from whence fuch manifeft Impoffibilities are legitimately infer'd ; Y but 322 The Proofs of Part III. but alfo, that the Cafe is much worfe, for a Man to be reduc'd and driven to a Neceffity of Handing by them, than to be forc'd to the like Extremity, in the courfe of any other fort of Argument whatfoever. Let us fee therefore, what a Man muft be oblig'd to believe, who makes this Dodrine of Chrift's RefurreBion, to be all Cheat and De lufion. He muft believe- — That a defpicable Company of wilful Impof tors and Deceivers, Men of a hated Nation and Religion, without Learning and Difcipline, with out Skill and Experience, without any of the Arts of pleafing and recommending themfelves to Mankind, fhould run down all the Wit, and Power, and Policy of the World ; and preaching a moft defpifed, incredible, and feemingly ri diculous Dodrine, diredly contrary to all the worldly Interefts and Humours of Men, to their Religion and Cuftoms, and to their Reafon and Philofophy too ; fhould propagate the Belief of it * far and wide thro the Earth, fo that there was fcarce a Nation in the whole Compafs of * 'Oucfev ?P $ ohcos \$i 7J r$J©- dvbqa-rav, ein fLti.?, urt tKhiwuy, etTZ dirK&s awiiiv hafMctli i) tLuu oixm/jS/JLu yp-^ii <^W>* t« y J 'J% dvvs %etr/cw»e ;, and. notwith ftanding the doubtful and precarious Nature of Human Tefiimony, would have fobfcrib'd to the Evidence, if it had but been thus faigly repre fented to them. But let us examine this matter a4i«le*; Z 2 SECT. 340 The Proofs of Part III. SECT. LXI. IF our Saviour's not rifing publickly, or not appearing in the Face of the World, after his RefurreBion; be a juft and real Ground of Ex ception to thefe Gentlemen : they muft then make ufe of it, one or other of thefe ways. Firft, They muft take it either as a direB and conclufive Argument ; or at leaft as a Ground of very Jhrewd Sufpicion, that he did not rife from the Dead at all. Or, Secondly, They muft reafon thus : That it would have been every way better and more advan tageous, with refpeB to the ConviBion, and confe quently, the general Good of Mankind ; if Chrift Jefus had in his own Perfon, given fome publick and ¦undeniable Proofs, of his being alive again, after his Death upon the Crofs, which was fo notorious to all the World at that time. One or other of thefe muft needs be their meaning, if they have any Objedion at all to make upon this fcore. And I make no doubt to fhew, That no Inference can be made, with any to lerable good Senfe, either way. SECT. LXII. EIRST of all, I think we may be pretty fe cure, That they will not offer this to us, as a direB conclufive Argument. Becaufe it will be extremely hard, to juftify fuch a Confequence as this : Chrifi Jefus did not fiuw Sed.62." the FaB, Sec. 341 Jhew himfelf in Publick ; therefore he did not rife from the Dead : The Generality of the People did not fee and converfe with him, as was ufual before his Death ; therefore his Difciples, nor no others did do fo. I take it for granted they'll not reafon thus. But then 1 fay farther, they can't urge this neither, as any Ground of rational Sufpicion, That our Saviour's Refurredion was not real, but the mere FiBion of his Difciples. For tho we could give no account at all of the matter ; yet an infinitely wife Being, who does not fee things in our falfe Lights, "nor judg of them in that fond and partial way that we do ; might fee it beft and fitteft, for Reafons known only to him felf, to order the matter fo, That this wonderful Event Jhould not be brought about in fo open and pompous a manner, as in our Jhallow Schemes we may imagine it ought to have been. They'll fay perhaps, That this is all but Suppofi tion and Surmije ; and that we only tell them of what God may fee fit to do, upon fome occult and myfte rious Reafons, which we have nothing to do to meddle with, and therefore ought not to argue upon them. Very well ; let it pafs for granted at prefent, That this is but Hypothefis and ConjeBure. Pray is not this enough to confront a Sufpicion with ? We are talking now about their Sufpicion, That Cb'ift did not rife, becaufe he did not appear in ! ck. For 1 have fhewn already, That there is no Inference to be made, in the way of direB Ar gumentation ; fo that there is nothing left for us to confider in the Cafe, but a bare Sufpicion. And if we go no farther than bare Surmife in our Reafonings, but let the Matter reft there ; I can't fee what they can demand farther, nor what Reafon there is to exped pofitive Argu- Z 3' me[ir9 34^ The Proofs of Part III. ment, where there is nothing but pure Doubt and Diftruft, oppos'd on the other fide. However, if 1 fhew, That what I alledg here, it not mere Hypothefis and ConjeBure, but fomething fupported by Experience and plain Matter of FaB '¦> then, I hope, this Sufpicion of theirs muft vanifh, and ftand for nothing; at leaft, unlefs they can find Reafons that fhall be in all refpeds, of equal Value and Authority to fopport it. That is, they muft produce Reafons founded upon as plain and clear Matter of Fad and Experience, to juftify them in fvfpeBing, That Chrift did not rife from the Dead, becaufe he did not ftew himfelf publickly after his (pretended) RefurreBion : as I am oblig'd to produce, in order to fhew, That Almighty God might not fee fit to gratify us, with fo publick a, Demonfiration of the Truth and Reality of our Sa viour's Refurredion, as we might think, would have been the mofi ferviceable and advantageous to Mankind. This I think is ftating the Matter fairly on both fides. And therefore, I fhall proceed di redly to the Work incumbent on me ; leaving thefe Gentlemen to take care of their own Part, which they muft do to very good purpofe, or otherwife, quite give up their Sufpicion in the prefent Cafe. SECT. LXIII. NOW in order to this, I muft confider what force there is, in that other Reafoning of their?, viz- That the great Ends of the ConviBion and SatisfaBion of the World, and confequently, of God's Glory in the Propagation of the Gofpel and Salva- Sed. <5 3 . fhe FaB, &c. 343 Salvation of Mankind, would have been far more effeBually abtam.d, if Jefus. Chrift had Jhewn. him felf as openly and familiarly amongst Men, after his Death, as he us'd to do before. For fince matters were not order'd thus, they. think they have Scope enough to conclude the whole Story to be a mei:e Jeft ; and that upon this Pretence, viz. That 'tis not to be imagin'd, that an infinitely wife . and good ' Being, Jhould not take the moft direB ayd effeQ,ual Methods, both for. the Advancement, of his own Glory and the Good of Mankind. And they are certainly in the right of it, when they argue, That God Almighty would be fure to chufe the propereft Methods for the Advancement, of his own Glory . and fhe Happinefs of his Creatures. Not that I think they are in reality much con cern'd about that matter, becaufe I firmly believe., and indeed 'tis fcarce poffible, but that fome very mean and little Notions of the Divine Be ing, muft be at the bottom of that fo vigorous and warm Oppofition to Chriftianity, which thefe Gentleman make. However, this may ferve them for a Pretence, in the way of Argument ; and for that Reafon, I am oblig'd to have as much regard to it, as if they fpoke the very Senfe of their Hearts, and had the moft becoming Notions, of God imaginable. And upon the fame fcore likewife, they lie as open to our Arguments ; as they would dp, if they had really the fame thoughts of the Divine Power, Wifdom, Omniprefence, Goodnefs, Holinefs and Truth, which the Chrifti ans themfelves have. For fince they pretend to have the fame in the main, it is one and the fame thing, in the way of Reafoning, as if they had ; becaufe we can proceed only upon the bottom; of what Men pretend to, and muft draw our Confequences accordingly. Z 4 SEGTj ;44 The Proofs of y Part III. SECT. LXIV. LET them therefore refolve this Queftion. Would it not be infinitely eafy, for the Supreme Being, to difcover himfelf with fo much brightnefs to the World ; that no part of Mankind fhould ever doubt of his Exifience, or form a wrong Notion of his glorious PerfeQions, or worjhip and ferve him in a profane and irreverent, or a ridiculous and fan tastical manner ? By what thefe Gentlemen themfelves profefs to know and believe of the Nature of God ; they cannot think that the barbarous Rites and Cuf- toms of the Pagan World, are either agreeable to, or any way worthy of him : That he fhould think himfelf honour'd by fueh a Jargon of im pertinent Ceremonies, or be pleas'd to fee Man kind pour out one another's Blood at his Altars : That he delights to be thought of fo oddly and in decently by the various People of the World, who do not glorify him as God, but abound in vain and foolifh Imaginations, changing his Glory into an Image made like to corruptible Man, to Birds and four-footed Beafts, and creeping things. In a word, whatever wrong Notions there are of God in the World ; whatever Irregularities and Indecencies in Worfhip; whatever Devia tions from that fimple and genuine way of ferving him, according to the Principles of pure Natural Re ligion, after thefe Gentlemens own Mode : how might all thefe Evils have been prevented, or at leaft perfedly cur'd, by fome open and publick Manifeftations of God to Mankind; which he could as eafily make, as he can bring about any Sed.^4- the FaB, Sec, 345 any other Event whatfoever, in the World of Nature ? Alas ! may we fay, if this were but fo, What excellent Order would the World be in? What Reverence and devout Regard to that God, who fhould thus convincingly difcover himfelf, would there be in all Places ? The Fool that now fays in his Heart, There is no God, would then think after quite another manner. And thofe Fools likewife, who fay, The Lord has forfaken the Earth, and neither minds nor cares what is done by the Children of Men; would be ftruck with an awful Senfe of his Prefence, arid Infpedion of their Ways. Pure Religion and Vertue, Har mony and Peace, would flourifh and abound all the World over ; and thereby an infinite deal of Mifchief and Diforder be prevented (upon this Hypothefis) according to our beft Judgment and Apprehenfion of things. What a fine Scheme is this ! If we poor fhallow Beings might be allow'd to argue, and draw up our own Propo fals for the Regulation of the World ; what de licate Syftems, in our own Conceit, fhould we compofe ? But let us tremble at the Thoughts of that Pre- iumption, of calling the Ways of God, our Su preme Lord and Sovereign, into queftion. We dare not fo much as think, it would have been better, if he had order' d Matters thus, with refped to the whole Race of Mankind ; than now it is, and Jhall be, even tho he is pleas' d to permit fo much Confufion and Diforder at prefent. And therefore, 'tis infalliblyvcertain, he has infinitely wife and holy, and infinitely gracious and good Reafons too, in this particular Difpenfation to the World. But thofe Reafons are above us, and we muft iiot inquire. His Ways are unfearchable, and ; his 346 The proofs of Part III. his Judgments paft finding out. As the Heavens are high above the Earth ; fo are all his Thoughts and Ways above ours. We may highly difho- nour and difpleafe him by our Curiofity; bn.t we can never give our felves the leaft Satisfadfon by it. Our Bufinefs is to be humble and mo- deft ; to look after things that are plain and re veal'd, and leave all fecret things to God, to whom alone they belong. N SECT. LXV, • O W from hence we proceed to argue thus : If the great Ends of God's Glory, and the Good of Mankind, are fufficiently confuted and provided for, as we know for certain they are, in this Difpenfation ef things ; wherein Men are obliged to argue from the mere Light of Nature and Reafon, vpon the Works of God in the Creation, and thereby form, their No tions of him, and their Duty fa him, and what fort of Service they Jhould pay him ; tho at the fame time 'tis plain, that in fo doing, they run into infinite Ab furdities and Inconveniencies, grofty abuftng Hitman Nature it felf, and refleBing on the Majefty of Hea ven: And if they are left thus without any fuch helps, as Revelation, Prophecy, Infpiration, or any other forts of Notices from Heaven, to put them into the right way, and dired them how to glorify God, as he fhould beglorify'd by them ; according to the avow'd Principles and Notions of our Deifts : In a word, if God fees fit to with hold all fuch open Demonftrations of himfelf, as would be a prefent and effedual Remedy for alj thefe Evils ; and are as eafy to him, as to make f his Sed.<$5» the FaB, Sec. 347 his Sun to fhine, and his Rain to fell upon this Earth : If thefe things be fo, Then how is his Glory, or the Good ef Mankind goneern'd, tho the World had not a publick Demonftration of the Truth of Chrift's Refurredion? I defire they would fairly fhew us that. In fhort, either the Deifts believe, God Al mighty to be fuch a Being, that he does not care how and in what manner he is fisrv'd by reafonable Creatures ; and provided they do but perform fome AcJs of Homage and Devotion to him, is pleas'd with what they do, let it be ever fo unfeemly, or ever fo ridiculous and fantafiical; and that he mat ters hot, whether they believe his Exiftence, or have right or wrong Notions of his Perfections ; and con-r fequently, that futable Notions and Apprehenfions of his Nature, or a regular and feemly Worjhip of him, are of no confequence at all to the Happinefs of Mankind ; Or elfe they believe the contrary of all this. If they believe the former, then how can they ever offer to tell us, of the Concern ef God's Glory, and the general Good of Mankind, in the publick- nefs of the Demonftration of the Truth of Chrift's Refurredion ? For (were it poffible, that the infinitely wife and good God fhould be fuch a fort of Being as this) pray might he not be as negligent of the Affairs of Mankind in one Cafe, as in the other ? Might he not make the Cure for Mens disbelief of the Gofpel, as little pompous and extraordinary; as that for their Atheifm, their Blafphemy, their horrid Idolatry and Super- ftition ? Let thefe Gentlemen think of that, and tell me which of the Divine Perfedions, is more deeply concern'd in one of thefe Cafes, than the other. If 348 The Proofs of Part III. If they believe the latter, then let them fhew me, how they account for the Care, and Love, and Goodnefs of God, and his Regard to his own Glory, in this prefent Difpenfation towards the World ; which is left in fuch a wretched Con dition, for want of that Light which he could fo eafily impart to it, even without Miracles: That I may try, whether I cannot upon the very fame, or upon Principles in all refpeds as juftifiable, fhew them how I account for the Care, and Love, and Goodnefs of God, and his Regard to his own Glory, in that other Difpen fation of his Providence towards the World, in not giving fuch a publick Demonftration of the Truth of Chrift's RefurreBion, as fuch wife Crea tures as we are, .might think fitting and necef fary. One of thefe two things they muft believe, and 'tis equal to me which of them 'tis. SECT. LXVI. HOwever, if thefe Gentlemen confider'd the matter a little, they .would find an exad Uniformity and Agreement in the ways of God, in both thefe Difpenfations ; I mean with refped both to Natural and Reveal'd Religion. On one fide, they have all his glorious Works in Exter nal Nature, the Wonders of his Providence and Government of the World, the admirable Frame and Conftitution of their own rational Natures ; all thefe, to furnifh them with Premiffes, for juft and fitting Conclufions, concerning the Na ture of God, and the Obligations his Creatures lie under to him. On Sed.66. the FaB, Sec. 349 On the other fide, he has order a matu -5 fo, that we have all the Data requifite to a ftndiy rational and convincing Evidence; fo that we can conclude the Refurredion of Chrifi to be true, by all thofe Rules and Methods of Reafoning, which we depend upon as juft and found in all other Cafes, and which if they are not fo, the whole World is nothing elfe but mere Scene and Gollufion. But on neither fide, are there fuch kinds or degrees of appeal to our Senfes, as we in our Notions might think the moft advantageous, nay, and certain, to do the great Work of open ing the Eyes of all Mankind. But as well, with refped to his own Being and Perfedions, as the Refurredion of his Son Jefus Chrifi from the Dead ; God having endow'd us with moft excellent Powers and Faculties, has thought fit to leave us to exer cife and employ them, in the drawing fuch Con clufions about thefe matters, as the Laws of our own reafonable Natures put us upon making, from the Data or Premiffes he prefents us with, in the Nature of things abroad. And thus he obliges us to ad as Men, and makes our Faith to be, in all fenfes, a moft rational Duty. Not that we are thus abfolutely given up into our own hands, fo that the Succefs depends folely and intirely upon our own Application. For as God is fo mer ciful and' compaffionate, that he will expeB no more of us, than the Powers and Helps, and favourable Circumftances^ he places us in, will enable us to per form ; fo he is ready to fuperadd fpecial Grace and Affiftance, to all the ordinary Advantages he affords ¦ m ; for the clearing up of our Doubts, and helping w to furmount the Difficulties that lie in our way ; provided we be but tradable and induftrious, and do what Creatures fo made as we are, ought to do, and may do, I by common Helps alone, with- 350 The Proofs of Part III. without the Affiftance of that extraordinary Grace to carry us far-ther. And thus 1 have faid, what I hop® may be & foil and compleat Anfwer,. to what is or may be slledg'd by the Deifts, cGScetfuiHg the Privacy of our Saviour's Refurredion, ox his not appear ing to the World in publick as before^ SECT. LXVIX. BUT after all, there are thefe two things ftill to- be faid!, which I could' wifh thefe Gentle men would- take fome notice oi. Andi indeed, 'tis all the Anfwer thatr need ever be given- 1-6 this Objedion of theirs: Only I Was willing to trace the matter a- little, and by that means fhew Ihem, 'tis a Point they oughtf nevei? to infift upon, becaufe they can never poffibly conclude a*ny thing from it. Firft, They muft never pretend to make the Chriftians believe, that this is any real Difficulty with them; or that they would' have been a1 Jot more difpos'd, to have believ'd the ( Gofpel; if Chrift Jefus had fhewn himfelf ever fo publickly arid familiarly after his RefurreBion. For even in that Cafe* their Belief of the TrutlV of this great Article of the Chriftian Faith, muft have ftood upon the very fame Foundation of Moral Evidence, that it muft do now in the prefent Circumftances. If every thing had been manag'& in this Affair exadly to their own Hearts wifh,, yet ftill they muft have had recourfe to thofe very Proofs which they now defpife, and call ridiculous and infuf- ficient. And who that fees them explode and run Sed.67. the FaB, Sec % * t run down all Evidence of this kind, and (with infinite Abfurdity) demand Demonftration for every thing they believe ; can be fo weak as to imagine, they would have had any manner of regard to it, in this Cafe ? Yes, fay they-— if 'Chrift had appear' d in the Temple, *nd other Pla ces of publick Refort, as he usxd to do before his &e&k, the Truth of his Reforre&ion had been plain to every body ; and it weuld have rais d fo publick and general it talk in the World, and im^ prefs' d the thing fo deep on the Minds of Men, that the belief of it would never have worn out, and no body could have deny'd it. ¦ Well argu'd ! // Chrifi -had appear 'd in Places ef publick Refort, &c. then fo arid fo. But 'how muft you have known, that be did ap pear in thofe Places of publick Refort ? You fee the matter fticks there, and there it will flick. Pray how fhould yon Deifts who live feventeen hundred Tears after all this, come to be affur'd, That there were fuch familiar Appearances of Chriftj that there was fuch a general Talk, fuch a prevailing Convidion, fuch a firm Perfuafion of the Truth of ihe thing at that time ? You pretend you would have believ'd, if it had been fo ; but how would you have fatisfy'd your felves that it was fo ? Muft you not have done the very fame thing then, that you muft do now, if you ever believe the Chriftian "Religion ; that is, Examine the Accounti of Witneffes, fearch into their Charaders and Qua lifications, and at laft depend upon their Teftimony as true, when you have found it to have all the Marks of rational Credibility ? Whatever Evidence,whatever convincing Proofs of the Reality of our Saviour's Refurredion, Man kind at that time might have; yet with refped to you, at this time, all the Advantage and Ef ficacy 3 5 2 The Proofs of Part IIL ficacy of that Proof, ftands upon the fame Foun dation exadly, that the Force and Efficacy of the Proof, which we offer you now in the pre fent Circumftances, does ftand upon. And there fore, upon the fame fcore that you pretend to be diffatisfy'd, and plead the Uncertainty and pre carious Nature of the Evidence, you now have for the Truth of Chrift's RefurreBion ; you might, and you muft have been diffatisfy'd, with the Evidence offer'd you in thofe other Circumftan ces. For Evidences of the fame naturej and convey'd after one and the fame manner, muft and will have the fame fort of Effed. And con fequently, all your Talk upon this Head is but jeft, and you ad a Part, when you tell us, you fhould have believ'd, if things had been thus and thus. And to put this yet farther (if poffible) out of difpute; I'll fhew you, that you can be Unbe lievers, in Cafes that were adually as publick and notorious, as (you pretend ) you could wifh the Refurredion had been. F SECT. LXVHI. O R, Secondly, you rejed all the Miracles of Chrifi Jefus. And it is riot credible, that you would have had regard to any Teftimonies concerning the RefurreBion ; when you make fo very light of all the Accounts of thofe wonder* fui Works of our Saviour ; which had they been Lyes and Forgeries, 'tis demonftrable, That Chriftianity muft have been hooted out of the World many Ages ago. You Sed. 68. the FaB, Sec. 353 You won't believe (tho it ftands attefted in fuch Records, as you have none any way com parable to them, for the Truth of any thing elfe that you believe) 1 hat Jefus Chrift went a- bout all Galilee, teaching in their Synagogues, and preaching the Gofpel of the Kingdom, and healing all manner of Sicknefs, and all manner of Difeafet amongft the People. '% That his Fame went throughout all Syria, and the Regions round about ; and they brought un to him all fick People, that vbere taken with divers Difeafes and Torments, and thofe who were poffefs'd with Devils, and thofe who were Lunatick, and thofe who had the Palfiy ; and be healed them. That great Multitudes follpw'd him, and fought to touch him ; and there went Virtue out of him, and he healed them all.— —That when the Inhabitants of a Country had notice of his approach, they publijh'd it thro all the Region round about, and began to carry about in Beds, thofe thai were fick, where they heard he was ; and wherefoever he enter' d, into Villages, or Cities, or Countries, they laid the Sick in the Streets, and hefiought him that they might touch, if it were but the Border of his Garment ; and as mavy as touched him, were made whole. ————That he wrought thefe Wonders in the Prefence of the Pharifees and DoBors of the Law, who came out of every Town of Galilee and Judaea; and did themfelves par take of the Salutary Effeds of his Power; and were amazd, and glorify 'd God, and being fill'd with fear, cry'd out, They had feen (ttx^SvIk) firangc and unaccountable things. You won't believe thefe matters upon Teftimony, tho declar'd to be done in the moft open and publick manner imaginable. A a Even 354 The Proofs of Part III. Even when you are told, That the Multitude proclaim' d the wonderful Works of Chrift Jefus ; that they glorify' d God, who had given fuch Power to Man; cry'd out, aflonijh'd He hath dove all things well, he maketh the Deaf to hear, and the Dumb to fpeak, &C. and with Authority he com manded the unclean Spirits, and they come forth : nay, tho great Numbers of thofe who beheld his Works, adually believ'd on him, and became his Followers, declaring to all Men, that God had now vifited his People, and that a great Pro phet was rifen up amongst them. You are not mov'd with thofe many Appeals which the Apoftles did with the utmoft Confi dence and Affurance, make to the World, con cerning the Truth of thefe Fads ; tho they did it ever fo publickly, and refer'd to them, as things that were commonly known, and pafs'd undifputed every where. Jefus of Naz.areth (fays St. Peter, fpeaking to a very numerous Affem- bly) was a Man approv'd of God amongst you, by Miracles, andWonders, and Signs, which God wrought by him, in the midfi of you ; as you your felves alfo know. And in another place, Tou know (the to ywofLivov gvi/ua) the thing that was done throughout all Judasa, &c. viz. How God anointed Jefus of Nazareth, with the Holy Ghoft and with Power; who went about doing Good, and healing all that were opprefs'd of the Devil ; for God was with him. Now this had been the moft prodigious Degree of Folly and Stupidity, that Men could ever have been guilty of; if the Fads they appeal'd to had not been notorious, and impoffible ever to be de- ny'd, with any Face of Modefty and Truth. And accordingly you find, or may find if yoa pleafe, That there never was an ZJnbeliever of the Old Times, who ever dar'd folemnly to difpute, or call Sed.68. the FaB, Sec. 355 call the Truth of them in queftion ; but they all own'd and took them for granted. ' And as 'tis certain, they would never have done this, if they had had a Profped of any pof fible Succefs, from their Attempts to render the Fads themfelves queftionable ; fo 'tis plain, that all their little fhuffling endeavours to eclipfe the Reputation of them, were the genuine Effeds of the fame Caufe. 'Twas this Convidion, that put them upon thofe pitiful and wretched Evafions, to folve the Bufinefs fomething tolerably to the unthinking part of Mankind, and excufe them felves from the Imputation of downright irratio nal Infidelity. We have obferv'd before, what a fort of ac count Julian gave of thefe matters to the World. Nor does Celfus folve them a jot better, but rather worfe (if poffible:) for by fuppofing our Saviour, to have made ufe of * Magick Arts, in the working of his Miracles ; he takes all the Fads themfelves for granted, and plainly fliews they were fuch, as the World made no queftion of the Truth of. And the Jews likewife, who fometimes af- crib'd thofe Miracles to the Virtue of the m'fTlX JQ")K 33 DUN the Nomen quatuor lite- rarum; at other times thought fit to afcribe them to the fame Arts of Incantation ; as Origen exprefly tells us. KtfnjjpfH J? cy tut i%nt ly t Saw?©-, at yn\&q. Ur}@- a, '&fb£i tsaey-M,* mFiTnimivM. Orig. adv. Celf. Lib. 1. Pag. 7. And again 'AktJj' ( 'IwSi) cx.bmt te^pivra, (W £u,zvn&a,v7*, tit "AyiiTrJov fuvdy&uv tivav %ivH0~i. Hierocl. de Philoffr. apud Eufeb. adverf. Hierecl. . , f. Nil amptius Doniihum (Iefum') quam alii Homines facere potuentnt, fecijfe vet gtfffffe mentiuntur't Apollonium fiqui- dem fuum nobis, '&*¦ Apuleium, alhfque Magica, art is Homi nes in medium proferunt, quorum mapra contendunt txtitiffe Mi- racnlar- Marcell. Epift. 4. ad Auguft. || Tertul. Apol. C. 21. & 5. / am fenfible thefe Afts of Pilate are call'd in queftion. But t))o there-, 't-e nothing of that kind now in the World ; yet that there were ia reality fuch genuine Afta once in being, I believe if not reafonably to be doubted. For it appears from Eufebius, Etifti Ecclef. Lib. -9. that there were fame falfe and fpurhus' Ails fet -about, in ,-ordtr to fink, the Credit of the true ones. And ¦Epiphaniuf, de Quartadecimanis, mentions (7 think) fome Appeals made by fieteticks, to t heft A&a Pilati. ',. , the Sed.<58. the FaB, Sec. 357 the ABs'of Pontius Pilate, and the Account given by him concerning;our Saviour, to the Emperor Tiberius. Which Appeals, had they not had viii-: ble and notorious. Matter of Fad to have fup-, ported them ; the ABa themfelves, or. fome very authentick Copies of them\ being as eafy to be product, as they were readily quoted ; Chriftia nity would have needed no worfe blow, than fuch Apologies (which were not made to overturn, but to vindicate and defend it) would certainly have given it. So that now I fayr whatever. elfe is to be al- ledg'd againft the Miracles of Chrift Jefus, 'tis, plain, that underhand Management and Secrecy, can never be objeded. They were all done in the open Light, in the Face of the Sun, while multitudes of all Comers, Enemies and Friends, Foreigners and Natives, Learned and Unlearned, look'd on and beheld with wonder. Yes, they'll fay, — — But then the Queftion is, Whether all this was not Juggle and Legerdemain ; either mere Slight and Artifice, or elfe the Peoples Senfes fome way or other impos'd upon, with FiBion and Shew, inftead of Realities ? Anfw. There can be no Fence againft extra-, vagant Suppofitions, and Surmifes. , When Men reafon, they are under fome Laws and Rules: but when they come to doubt, and query,, and fuppofe, without any manner of Ground or Oc cafion for fo doing, from the Nature and Cir cumftances of things ; they as good as declareto all the World, that they will not. be dealt with in the way of Argument: And by.fp doing, they iiew plainly enough, upon what foot it is the Controverfy ftands. But if they could once venture to let them- ^Ives be guided by that* which Mankind have, A a 3 agreed 358 The Proofs of Part III. agreed to call fincere and unprejudic'd Reafon ; they would foon renounce all thofe little Re fuges and Evafions, and forbear to make a De fence, fo very trivial, ill a matter of fuch grand Importance. In the mean time, we can't have fo little an Opinion of the Underftanding of thefe Gentle men, as to imagine, that whatever they fay, they dp in good earneft believe That Perfons affliBed with the moft tormenting Maladies and Difeafes, Jhould be juggled into per- feB Eafe and Health, and cur'd by mere Leger demain. That blind Men Jhould fee, the Lame walk, the Deaf hear, the Dumb fpeak, Lepers be cleans 'd, and dead Men come to Life; by mere Fancy and Imagination. Or that the Senfes of whole Multitudes, fhould be impos'd upon to fuch a degree, that they fhould all fancy together, they faw, heard, fpake, eat and drank, and repeated thefe ABions many times over, and that in different Places and Circumftances too ; and yet after all did nothing of all this, but were either afleep^ or in an Extajy, or under the Power of fome Charm or Witchcraft all the while. For example : That five thoufand Men at one time, and four thoufand at another ( befides Wo men and Children) Jhould perfuade themfelves, they fed only upon a few Loaves and Fifhes, and ftxould publijh it to all the Country that they did do fo, and refer them to Time, Place, and Perfons pre fent ; and yet all the while in reality, have been at a magnificent Feaft, where Plenty and Variety of aB Provifions, fit to entertain fuch vaft Multitudes, was fet before them. If thefe things may be fo, what are the Senfes of Mankind good for ? Or how are they evejr ' - tq Sed. 68. the FaB, Sec. 359 to be depended upon? Or who will or can ever believe a Deift, attefting any thing as mat ter of Senfe and Experience ; when by his Own Principles, People can't believe their Senfes ; no, not thoufands of them together, and thatin the moft common and vulvar ABions of Human Life? * Indeed, if it were in a matter any thing re mote and out of the way, or that requir'd nice Reafon and Philofophy, for People to affure them felves by ; there might be fome room for a Dif ficulty to be ftarted : but when it comes fo low as to eating and drinking, to the diftinguijhing of Foods, and knowing that a Man has this, and not the other thing before him ; or that he has only fo much, and not a Quantity ten thoufand times greater : then if Men can't be allow'd to make ufe of their Eyes and Tafte, fo as to be out of all doubt, whether things be fo or no, as thofe Senfes re prefent them ; we had e'en as good be without them, and fay, That God Almighty has endow d us with deceitful and precarious Faculties, that can never be of any fervice to us ; and fo quit all Pre- tenfions to the ufe of them for the time to come. In fhort, there are but thefe following Con clufions poffibly to be made in the Cafe, and a Man muft of neceffity come to one or other of them; and he can come but to one. Either, Firft, Thefe accounts of the Miracles of Chrift Jefus, were abfolute FiBions in their very Principle and Foundation ; he never pretending or at tempting to do any of thofe mighty Works in pub lick, which are reported of him ; but was only fat fly faid to do fo, by fome who had a mind to impofe upon Mankind. Or, Secondly, That he did not work any true Miracles ; but the Peoples Senfes were fome way or A a 4 <>tber $6o The Proofs of Part III. other abus'd, fo that they believ'd he really did work Miracles, when in truth he did not. Or, Thirdly* That -the Spe&ators were not anyway deluded, and knew very well he wrought no Miracles ; but were all (both Enemies and Friends ; nay, the very Jews themfelves, who daily fought occafions againft him) united in a clofe Confederacy, to make the World believe, that he did do the firangefi and moft furprizing things. So that while fome blazed the Report of them abroad, the reft kept their Counfel, and pever offer'd to difcover the Trick, but manag'd the matter with fo much Craft, and fuch an exaB harmo nious Correfpondence amongst themfelves ; that the Story Jhould go current about, that Chrift Jefus was a Worker of Miracles and Prodigies, and no body ever be able to dijprove it. Or elfe, Fourthly, That Chrift Jefus did really perform thefe wonderful Works, and that the Ac counts given of them by the Chriftian Writers, are true. This is all that can be concluded, with re fped to the prefent Affair. And he that does not conclude the laft, will find but fmall odds, whichfoever of the other three he chufes. For — It will be a very difficult and arduous Under taking, to. fhew, That there is nothing but mere Romance and Forgery in all thofe Accounts we have, of the Miracles of Jefus Chrift. And for thefe Gentlemen to bring their own Senfes off, with any tolerable Reputation, after fuch a ScandaJ thrown upon the Senfes of Mankind in general, by fuppofing Multitudes of People toge ther, to be impos'd upon, in fome of the moft common Adions of Life ; and that not for once or twice, but in a continued Series, for Years toge ther : I fay, to do this folidly and well, I believe will not be a Task lefs difficult than the former. Nor $ed.6p; the FaB, Sec. 361 Nor will it be lefs than either of the other two, to fet in a clear Light, that firange Confe deracy, by which fuch Numbers of People, fo varioufly affeded, temper'd and principl'd ; were all link'd together in one common Defign, of keeping the matter to themfelves, and baffling all the Artifices and Endeavours of the reft of Mankind ; fome of whom lay under all the Obli gations that Men could poffibly lie under, to en quire into the true ftate of the Cafe, and fatisfy themfelves effedually, whether Chrifi Jefus was an Impoftor or no. And thus I have fhewn, for what Reafons the Chrifiians believe, that how publick foever the Appearances of Chrift Jefus after his RefurreBion had been ; yet their Adverfaries would ftill have made matter of Cavil and Exception, and (in a word) have been the very fame Unbelievers that now they are. I fhall be ready to own a Breach of Charity, when I find it is prov'd to be one : In the mean time, I have fhewn them our Reafons for't. . And this was the Firft of thofe two things I offer'd to propofe, to cut off all their Objedion upon this Head. SECT. LXIX. BUT, Secondly, thefe Gentlemen fhould re member, That all this talk about our Saviour's publick Appearance after his Refurredion, is quite from the main Point in hand. For our great Concern, is about the Refurrec- tion it felf; whether it were true in FaB or no: Whether Chrifi did. really rife from the Dead, or was f&z The Proofs of Part III. was only falfly and deceitfully faid, and reported to do fo. And therefore, if there be fufficient Evidence to make that Point clear; we are not concern'd about his fhewing, or not fhewing himfelf openly to the World ; nor have we any thing to do, to offer Reafons either one way or the other. Let us keep to the great Queftion that lies before us, and not fly off to a Circum ftance that is of little fignificancy, and from whence 'tis demonftrable, nothing is to be in fer'd. The Bufinefs is, have we Evidence, or have we not ? Are the Proofs we go upon Con clufive, or are they not ? Let us decide this Point, and then all is decided. 'Tis here that the ftrefs of the matter will lie ; and hither muft be our laft Refort. If the Evidence be good, by all the Laws of Human Nature; I do not care for ten thoufand Difficulties, if they were ever fo infu- perable, provided they are not fuch as infer fimple Impoffibility, or palpable Abfurdity. When I am fure of Fad, I am fure of all that is of any moment to me. Indeed, if I have fuf ficient Data to argue out more, well and good j if not, I'll hold faft the main Point, and bid defiance to all Objedions whatfoever. And therefore, if thefe Gentlemen amus'd the World, with ftarting ever fo many odd Queries and Sur- mifes, about Why and How, and to what Purpofe, and all the other Modes and Circumftances they can poffibly think of, with refped to this matter of our Saviour's RefurrelHon ; and if they were fo intricate and perplex'd, that I could not dif cover the Fallacy, or demonftrate the Abfurdity of any one of them all (the very Reverfe of which, is apparently true, as to any of their Ob jedions, from what Topick foever deriv'd) yet with Circumftances of convincing Evidence, accord ing Sed.70. the FaB, Sec, 363 ing to the Nature of things, for the Truth of the FaB ; I fhould be at a Certainty : nor would all thofe Difficulties give me the leaft degree of un eafinefs. SECT. LXX. PErhaps thefe Gentlemen may think, A Man would do very ill, to make no more of infolva- ble Difficulties attending a Matter of Belief; and therefore, notwithftanding the Evidence talk'd of, for the Proof of the thing, it may be, they call his Belief in fuch a Cafe, by the ill Names of Credu lity, and Bigotry, or obftinate Refolution, to be lieve things only of his own fide. But they muft not do thus : For if they do, the Charge will come home upon themfelves ; and they will, without remedy, be prov'd by their own Rule, to be credulous and bigotted beyond Example. The Chriftians will not be obnoxious in this Cafe, becaufe they do not form any fuch Notions of Bigotry and Credulity ; fo that all the burden of the Argument will lie upon them felves, and they'll not find it eafy, Fairly to throw it off. I fuppofe thefe Gentlemen ( fome of them at leaft ) can't but know, that there are abundance of Problems in Phyfical matters, the Solutions of which are reckon'd defperate, even by thofe who are the moft feen in thofe Studies. In deed, to fpeak the plain truth, of the matter, there's fcarce any thing at all in Nature, which we do know the Modus of, or can explain from its firft Principles. Motion it felf in general, Gravitation, Senfation, the Formation of an Ani mal 364 The Proofs of Part III. mat Body ; are demonftrably above all Solution, by any Mechanical Laws whatfoever. Arid to enter into a detailof particular Phenomena, that are fo likewife ; would be an endlefs Wotk. In a word, all our Knowledg of the Vniverfe, is but a CoUedioii of fome particular Circumftances of Fad, with the Confequences refulting from them ; fome of which lie nearer, and others more re mote from view ; without any penetrating or looking into the prime Caufes and Reafons., of them; Now I would ask of thefe Perfons, whether they can fatisfy our demands here, and fhew the exaB Modus and Ratio of all, or any of thofe Ap pearances in Nature, which were juft now men tion'd ? Can they folve all the Difficulties, that fhall be propos'd to them upon thofe Heads ? I take it for granted, they'll fay they cannot ; nor is there any great degree of Modefty in confef- fing fuch Ignorance. Very well : But notwithftanding this confefsM Ignorance, and Inability to folve the Difficulties of thefe Appearances ; you are fully affur'd of the Truth and Reality of them : You don't think the Exiftence of them is queftionable, becaufe you find it impoffible to account for the Modus and Ratio of them. No, they'll eafily allow that. I ask then, in the next place, Are not you Deifts, who lay down fuch a Rule as this, wretched Bigots, by your own Principles ? Are not you ob ftinate and credulous beyond all Men, to ftand fo peremptorily to the Truth of thoufands and thoufands of things, when you can't folve the leaft Difficulty belonging to any of them all ? No ! they'll fay : For the things you are now talk ing of, are plain and evident Matter of FaB to our Senfes •• Se&jr.o^ the FaB, Sec, %6f Senfes : and no Difficulties whatfoever^ can be of any Confideration, in fuch a Cafe as that. Our Eyes tell us, That Bodies do gravitate and move ; that fuch fort of Beings as thofe which are call'd Animals, do aBually exift and perform their Operations : and therefore, tho we , can give no An fwer to all the myfterious Queftions that may be pro pos'd upon thefe and other Heads ; yet becaufe the things themfelves are obvious to Senfe, fo that we are fure of the , Reality of them ; for this reafon we have no regard to the Difficulties that may poffibly be urg'd, With refpeB to the Modus or Reafons of them. Who would not think now, at firft fight, that there was really fomething very pertinent and ^ ftrong, in this Reply? It feems to leave a Man under a fort of Neceffity of concluding, or at leaft very handfomly to incline and difpofe him to conclude, That tho in matters of plain Senfe, we may fairly overlook Difficulties that are impoffible to be folv'd ; yet that in fome other Cafes, infuperabte Dif ficulties may be ground enough for calling the Truth of things in queftion ; and it may be fond Credu lity to believe them, notwithftanding the Evidence offer'd for the Proof of their being real and certain. If this be not the meaning of it, it has no -meaning at all, that's any way contrary to what I have been advancing. For if infuperable Dif ficulties are not a fufficient Ground for calling in queftion the Truth of fome things, for which notwithftanding we have all the Evidence that the intrinfick Nature of thofe things does allow of: then I was right in faying, That the Strefs of all our Difpute, lying upon the Point of Evidence ; it was no matter, if there were ever fo many perplex'd and intricate Queftions ftarted about it, which we could give no manner of anfwer to* And 3 66 Tin Proofs of Part III. And I was in the right likewife in aflerting, That it was not Bigotry and Credulity, firmly to ad here to the Belief of a thing, tho attended with fuch Difficulties ; when there was fuch Evidence for it, as in the Nature of things, is juft and proper, for a matter of that kind. And confequently, the Reply carries nothing along with it that thwarts any thing which I have laid down. But on the other hand, if that be the true Scope and Meaning of it, which I have reprefented ; then 1 fay, it is abfolutely falfe, and is fit to fatisfy none, but thofe that will be fatisfy'd with So phiftry and Paralogifm. The Proof of which, is thus plainly made out. For fince (by PROP. IX. Part II.) the in- trinfick difference, in the Natures of thofe things which are the Objeds of our Knowledg, infers a proportional neceffary Difference in our Methods of proving, or affuring our felves of the Truth of them : fince alfo, by virtue of the Conftitution of the World, and the Circumftances of Human Na ture therein, we are under a ftriB Neceffity cf af- fenting to fome things as true, upon bare Moral Proof ; as well as of affenting to rigorous Demonftration, or believing the Teftimony of our Senfes .* Laftly, fince 'tis equally inconfiftent with the Perfedions of God Almighty, and therefore equally impoffible, that he fhould give a Delufion, in any Cafe what foever, all the Evidence which the Nature of things requires ; that he fhould impofe upon oar Underftandings, in a Cafe of Moral Proof, any more than make all our Mathematical De monftrations to be falfe and wrong, or that our Senfes fhould give us a quite contrary ac count of things, to what they really are : fince 'tis as contrary to his Juftice, Goodnefs and Vera- Sed.70. the FaB, Sec. 367 Veracity, to do the one of thefe, as the other ; Therefore when in any Cafe tphatfoevtr, we have fuch Evidence for the Truth of things, as is agreeable to matters of that Rank and Order ; and when we have all that Evidence likewife, which the intrinfick Na ture and Condition of thofe things, do require or allow of; we are under a direB and pofitive Obligation, to affent to thofe things as true and real, and to ftand by them as fuch, if there were ever fo many Difficul ties attending them, and thofe ever fo infolvable. And this irrefragably demonftrates the Vanity of all that plaufible Talk, on the other fide, and fliews it to be but Talk. So that now I muft tell thefe Gentlemen, that thofe Inftances of the myfterious Problems in Na ture, are valid and good ; and that their Pretence of overlooking thofe Difficulties, upon the fcore ef the obvioufnefs of the things themfelves, to Senfe ; is nothing but mere Amufement. And there fore, thofe Difficulties are to be urg'd upon them ; and they are oblig'd to folve them, if they can, or elfe for ever to give over the Talk of Bigotry and Credulity, where People admit things as true, upon plain and rational Evidence of Fad ; tho at the fame time, the Reafon and Modus of them are not to be accounted for. However, all this reafoning is ex abundant!, and to let them fee, how far the utmoft Confe quences they can draw, will run. For I think, 'tis fufficiently plain, that there are no infolva ble Difficulties (tho for the advantage of the Argument, we have put the Cafe the other way, and fuppos'd there were) attending the pre fent Queftion, concerning the RefurreBion of Jefus Chrifi. So that (as I faid before) all the Difpute cen ters in this Qpeftion, viz.. Whether the Evidence ~4or 368 The Proofs of, Part III. for the Truth of the FaB be ftriBly juft, , and in all refpeBs fufficient to oblige us, as reafonable Crea tures, to yield the Affent of our Minds thereto. And this is the Enquiry, that now lies before us. And as 'tis that which crowns and con cludes all; fo I fhall endeavour to beftow an anfwerable Degree of Care in the Management of it, that the way fo our great Conclufion may lie fair and open to us. SECT. LXXI. I Come- now therefore, to the fourth and laft. general Head, of the Method propos'd, viz.. to fhew<: — That there is aBually fuch an Evidence, for the Refurredion of Jefus Chrift, as does fully come up to all the CharaBers and Conditions of an Evidence, which obliges Human Vnderfianding : Of that it is fuch, as lays an indifpenfable Obligation on every capable Subjed, to whom that Dodrine is fairly reprefented, with its proper Evidences; to receive it as a certain Truth. Two things therefore are. here to be done. Firft, We will ftate in order, the feveral Condi tions of the Evidence we fpeak of; as what direBly obliges the Vnderfianding of Mankind. Secondly, We will demonftrate, that the Evidence we have, for the Refurredion of Jefus Chrift, does fully come up to thofe Conditions. And, I fuppofe, this is all that can be demanded reafonably, in order to a Conclufion- In Sed.7i: the FaB, Sec. $6? In order to the Firft of thefe, I muft refer to what has been faid, concerning the Nature of the Evidence here intended; at SECT. III. Part II. I have there given fuch an account of it, as contains all that is either needful to the prefent Purpofe, or to make any Perfon of tolerable Underftanding know what I mean. So that there is nothing remaining for me to do, with refped to that matter; but only to branch out, what lies there fumm'd up together, into proper Heads for our prefent Defign. And this I fhall do, in the following Particulars. Firft, This Evidence is fuch, as being impartially weighed and confider'd, by the free Vfe of a Man's Reafon, in all the common and allow'd ways of ufing it ; would more powerfully incline him to the Belief of a thing propos'd^ than any ObjeBions to the contrary, when duly ftated, and fet in a juft Light, would dif- fuade him from the Belief of that thing. Secondly, Not only fo : but 'tis fuch likewife,' That if a Man Jhould rejeB it, he muft neceffarily be forc'd upon fuch fort of Confequences, as the ge nuine and difinterefied Senfe of all Mankind, would condemn as abfurd and wrong ; and which even he himfelf, without making ufe of fome bad Arts for managing his Vnderfianding, contrary to its native Biafs and Tendency, would not be able to digeft ; but muft difown as irrational and abfurd, when he came to refieB upon them, in a cool and ferious Temper. Thirdly, 'Tis fuch, as furnifhes a Man with all thofe Media, which according to the Nature of the Cafe propos'd, are neceffary to the making a perfpicuous natural Conclufion ; and by the help of which, he may B b likewife 370 The Proofs of Part III. likewife folve whatever Difficulties occur, upon fuch Principles, as Mankind in all refembling Cafes, uni verfally agree to argue themfelves into a juft Satif- faBion and Affurance of the Truth of things by. This is, in. fhort, the Subftance of that Ac count. So that the Conditions requir'd there in, and which therefore we muft fhew exadly to agree, to the Evidence we have for the Refurrec- tion of Chrift ; are thefe : The Arguments alledg'd, muft weigh down what ever ObjeBions are ftarted on the contrary fide. Thofe Arguments ought to be of fuch a kind and fuch only, as is proper and futable to the Nature of the Cafe propos'd. They fiiould be fuch, that a Man may be made as fure of the truth of a thing, by them ; as he ever U. or can be, in any Cafe of the like Nature. Abfurd and irrational Confequences, muft be the Refult of the Denial of them. v Whatever Difficulties are propos'd, may be folv'd upon fuch Principles as the common PraBice and Con fent of Mankind has efiablijh'd, and to which refort is always had in Cafes of a fimilar Nature. And in judging of all this, 'tis requir'd alfo, That a Man Jhould ufe his Reafon in the moft free and difinterefied manner, and let his Vnderfianding con clude, what by the Laws and Conftitution of Human Nature, ought to be concluded from fuch and fuch Circumftances of things propos'd to it. This Sed.7K the FaB, Sec. 371 This Point thus ftated and fettled, I fhall now demonftrate Secondly, That the Evidence we have, for the Re furredion of Jefus Chrift, does fully come up t9 thefe Conditions. In order to this, let the following fteps be well confider'd. I have demonftrated at large, in Part II. the Validity and Obligatory Nature of Moral Evi dence, together with the abfolute Neceffity we lie under, of admitting fuch kind of Evidence as this 9 and that not from uncertain Gueffes and Surmi- fes, but from what is plain Matter of FaB, in Hu man Nature, and of Experience in the World. I have fhewn, that according to the Nature of things, this fort of Proof is to be apply'd and made ufe of, for evincing the Truth of things, in Cafes of the higheft and greateft Importance, all one, as in thofe that are of lefs Moment, at PROP. IX. And therefore, that as there can be no Ground nor Pretence, for requiring any o* ther fort of Proof, in this particular Cafe of the RefurreBion of Jefus Chrifi ; fo 'tis ftridly Juft and Rational, folly to acquiefce therein ; pro vided it be fuch as carries every thing along with it, that the Laws and Conftitution of the World, and the Circuriiftances of Human Nature in it, have made neceffary, in order to our full Satisfac tion and free Affent, in Cafes of this kind. I have farther made it appear, that the Tefti mony for the Fad of Chrift's RefurreBion, is fo circumftantiated ; that if it may be rejeded, no Evidence of that nature is ever to be admitted amongft Mankind ; but all Moral Proof muft at once be thrown out of doors, and either Senft- Bb 2 ble 37* T^e Proofs of Part III. ble Proof or Mathematical Demonftration be de manded and given, for every thing that is pro pos'd as a matter of Belief. That it was as impoffible, as any thing which is not phyfically and fimply impoffible, can be ; that there fhould have been any Fraud commit ted by the Friends and Difciples of Jefus Chrift : and that by all the Rules and Meafures known in the World, for judging of Events of this kind ; if there had been any fraudulent Management on the part of the Difciples, it muft infallibly have been difcover'd and laid open. That all the plain and allow'd Marks of egre gious Falfhood and Impofture, appear'd thro the whole Behaviour and Condud of the Enemies of Jefus Chrift. That they did, what guilty and felf-condemn'd Men ought to have done, muft neceffarily do, and always adually do, in fuch Cafes, to skreen Malice and Wicked nefs from Difcovexy, and to run down Truth that would expofe them to the World. Moreover, I have fhewn, that the Suppofition of Cheat and Impofture, in the matter of Chriffs RefurreBion, is attended with the groffeft Abfur dities, with fuch plain and manifeft Contradic tions, to all the known Experience, the ftated Principles of Adion, and Methods of procedure amongft Mankind ; that a Man that fhould fe- rioufly advance, or ftand by any fuch Notions as thofe, in any of the Affairs and Concerns of Human Life, would be given up, as loft to all common Senfe and Underftanding, and thought incapable of any rational intercourfe with, or treatment from the reft of his Fellow- Creatures. And Sed.71." the FaB, Seel 373 And thefe Confequences are evidently not ftrain'd or forc'd, but the native and genuine Refult of the Hypothefis it felf. Laftly, 1 have fhewn likewife, that if there be any certain Rules agreed to and receiv'd amongft Men, by which it may be known when an Objec tion carries weight and force along with it, and when it does not; that then, by all thofe Rules, there is no weight nor force, in any Objedion offer'd by the Deifts, againft the Dodrine of Chrift's RefurreBion. Now 1 fay, That all this laid together, amounts to an Evidence of the Conditions and Qualifications be- fore-mention d. And I demonftrate, that it does do fo ; by making the Application to each of thofe Condi? tion, feverally and diftinBly. Firft of all, I fay, That the Arguments alledg'd, to evince the Truth of Chrift's Refurredion, dp outweigh whatever ObjeBions are ftarted on the contrary fide : And not only fo, but I affirm likewife, That there is no manner of Proportion, and therefore no Comparifon to be made, between the one and the other. For in thofe Arguments, there is nothing fup pos'd ; but what was either plain and notorious Matter of FaB, and own'd and allow'd to be fuch by all the Enemies of Chriftianity ; or what con- ftant and vulgar Experience juftifies to be true, or what is perfedly agreeable to the moft impartial Reafon and unanimous Senfe of Mankind. If there be any thing elfe fuppos'd, which is either contrary, or not fairly reducible, to one of thefe three Heads ; let thefe Gentlemen, upon Examination, tell me where it lies. In the mean Bb 3 timej 374 The Proofs of Part lit time, the matter muft reft there ; and they may be fure, I would not put it upon that Iffue, if I were not well affur'd, that they could never de monftrate me to be in the wrong in this Affer tion, in any Point, of confiderable Confequence to the Argument. As for their ObjeBions, 'tis certain, that they cannot poffibly be founded on fuch Principles, as Matter of FaB, Experience, Human Nature, and general Confent ; if our Arguments ftand upon thofe Foundations : And 1 hope it is not vain to fay, that they are propos'd in fo perfpicuous a manner; that any Perfon of tolerable Capa city, may prefently fee, whether they do ftand upon thofe Foundations or no. And therefore, the Conclufion is unavoidable, That the Arguments do beyond comparifon outweigh the ObjeBions ; for Reafonings that have no folid and allow'd Principles to fupport them, can bear no proportion to thofe, which are fupported by all that are folid and fubftantial. And indeed, if a Man does but ferioufly con fider, what is to be objeded on the Deifts fide, with refped to our Saviour's RefurreBion ; if he does but fet, what they fay upon the ftealing a- way of the Body, the natural Impoffibility of a Re furredion, and the want of publick ocular Demon ftration, in a clear Light ; he will eafily fee, that all amounts to no more than mere Harangue, or Words adapted to the Purpofes of Amufement and Deception ; fince by all the Laws of right Reafon and Argument, there's nothing to be in fer'd from them. And fo apprehenfive am 1, of the intrinfick Goodnefs and Validity, of thofe Evi dences which Divine Providence has given us, for the Ground and Support of our Belief in this Cafe ; that I'll venture to affirm this, not only of any Sed.71. the FaB, Sec. 375 any Objedion, that they ever have propos'd for the time paft, but of any likewife, that they ever fhall for the time to come, invent, con trive and ftart, againft this Dodrine. Nor is this at all more peremptory and bold, than what ought to be, or is confiftent with Decency. And the reafon is, becaufe I can fully affure my felf, that God Almighty will never change the Nature and the Order of things ; fo that that which is now intrinfically unjuft and unreafonable, fhall ever come to be juft aiid reafonable ; or on the other hand, that Arguments, which at one time do pofitively and diredly conclude the Truth of a thing, fhould at another time become weak and fophiftical. And unlefs he does do thus, what ever fhall at any time be objeded againft the Truth of this Fad, muft neceffarily be infigni- ficant and vain ; becaufe ( I fay) he has furnifh'd us with fuch Reafons to conclude it, as can never poffibly lofe their Force, being founded on Principles, as ftable as the World and Human Nature it felf. Secondly, 'Tis evident likewife, That the Argu ments alledg'd for the Truth of this DoBrine, are of fuch a kind, as is futable to the Nature of the Sub- jeB ; and that therefore it would be infinitely irra tional and foolijh, to expeB or demand any ether fort of Proof than that for it. The Cafe in Difpute, is a Matter of FaB ; that is, a Point in its own nature not capable of Mathematical Demonftration, which therefore is not to be requir'd for it. And as for ocular Demonftration, or fenfible Proof; 'tis certain indeed, that the Truth of a Matter of Fad may be thus inconteftably made A a 4 out, 376 The Proofs of Part lit out, to thofe who are Contemporaries with it, and are on the Spot where, and when, it was brought to pafs. But 'tis Nonfenfe and Contradidion, for others who come after, to talk of being con- vinc'd this way. And therefore, fenfible Proof is to be excluded, from all Cafes of this kind, where the Queftion is concerning one individual Matter of FaB ; no lefs than ftrid Demonftration is, from all Matter of Fad in general ; and that upon the fiime fcore too, viz.. fimple Impoffibility. However, as it is notorioufly evident, and I have exprefly fhewn at PROP. VIII. that we may be fully and indubitably affur'd of the Truth of fome Matters of Fad, whereof we are not our felves Eye-Witneffes ; and that this is not only true in common Experience and Obfervation, but 'tis a Principle likewife, upon which all the Bufinefs, Com merce, Affairs and publick Management of Mankind, do abfolutely depend : So 'tis certain, that by the Arguments we have, to conclude the Truth of Chrift's RefurreBion, a Man may be made as fure of it, as he can be of the Truth of any thing elfe, that he does not fee with his own Eyes. Let any Perfon tell me, by what Methods or upon what Principles, he affures himfelf of the Truth of any thing that he has not ocular De monftration for ; whether in the way of Hiftory, or Cvil Policy, or Trade and Dealing in the World : and I'll fhew him, that upon the very fame fort of Principles (but ftrengthned with Circumftances of incomparably more Force and Advantage) he may believe, he ought to believe, and muft be invincibly ftubhorn, or ftupid, if he does not believe, That Jefus Chrift was really rais'd from the Dead. And this would be a fhort way of" bringing the Difpute to an Iffue, if thefe Gentlemen Sed.71. the FaB, Sec. 377 (Gentlemen would but fubmit to it : For there are but thefe three Points to be examin'd. Firft, Whether they have not a full and compleat Affurance of the Truth of fome Matters of FaB, whereof they themfelves never were, nor could be, Eye-Witneffes ? Secondly, What Principles thofe are, upon which they reafon themfelves into this Affurance ? Thirdly, Whether upon the very fame Principles, we cannot with equal Juftice and much more Strength, affure our felves that it was Matter of FaB, that tefus Chrift rofie from the Dead ? I would defire no more than this. But — Thirdly, The Arguments offer'd to prove the Reality of our Saviour's RefurreBion, are fuch ; that by the Denial of them, a Man is forc'd upon Confequences, that are palpably falfe, and mofi into lerable abfurd and ridiculous. He muft fuppofe things, that not only never were done, but never can be done likewife, whilft the Conftitution of the World, and Human Nar ture, remain unchang'd. He muft lay down fuch Conclufions for true and certain, which every day's Experience and Acquaintance with Mankind, will fhew him to be manifeftly falfe and impoffible. To juftify this, we need only review that train of Confequences that attend the grand Deiftical Hypothefis, viz. That there was nothing but mere Juggle and Cheat, in all the matter of Chrift's Re furredion ; and which I have already endeavour'd to fet in a clear Light, before the Reader, in ano ther place. 1 fhall not repeat here, what I have faid there or elfewhere; but only add this, That the Confequences 1 have drawn upon thefe Gentle- Snen, with refped to this Matter, are fo far from being 378 The Proofs of Part III. being any of them unfairly drawn, or deceitfully reprefented ; that they'll bear more and worfe Aggravations ftill, than any I have loaded them withal: And that 'tis out of a decent Regard to the grave and ferious Nature of the Subjed, that 1 have forborn to lay open the Fanaticifm and defpicable Nonfenfe of Deifm, in fuch a fort of way as it deferves. Fourthly, It is plain likewife, That by the Prin ciples which the Chriftians go upon, they can folvt whatever Difficulties are propos'd to them in this mat ter, and that in the fame eafy and natural way, which Men always proceed in, to give themfelves a juft SatisfaBion, in all Cafes of the like kind. For this end, let the Anfwers we have been oblig'd to return, up and down in feveral parts of this Treatife, to any Doubts, or Queries, or dired Objedions propos'd, on the fide of the Deifts ; let them I fay, be impartially weigh'd and examin'd by any Perfon, who is fit to be a Judg in fuch a Cafe ; and let fuch a one deter mine, whether what I affert on this Head be not true. Have we wrongfully conceal'd any part of their Strength, or made their Objedions ap pear Jfoolifh and ludicrous, on purpofe to have an occafion of expofing them ?. Or rather have we not given them all the Scope and Advantage in the way of propofing them, that can fairly be defir'd or expeded from any Adverfary ; and taken every Opportunity to exprefs their Senfe, in op pofition to our own, where there was room for any thing of Value and Confequence to be faid ? Farther, have we ever been oblig'd to make ufe of any little Artifices, to avoid the Force of a Conclufion on their part ; or any indired round about Sed.71. the FaB, Sec. 379 about Methods, in making a Reply to what they ¦propofe; or any quibbling ambiguous Terms, to blunder the Caufe, and leave the Reader involv'd in Doubts, whether we fpeak to the purpofe, and fight with the Deifts or with our own Shadows ? Have we been forc'd to advance any arbitrary precarious Hypothefis; to lay down, or ftand by any fort of pofition, which is alien from the common Senfe and Notions of Mankind, which thwarts general Ufage and Pradice, or fubverts the eftablifh'd Laws and Order of things ? Has any thing of this kind been done, in order to evade, or to get loofe from any Objedion of theirs, which we have had upon our hands ? If there has not, then this Article is clear. If there has, then it is incumbent on them, to fhew us where this ill Management lies, and make it out that it is fo. In the laft place, From all this, as well as from a Review of the thing it felf, I hope 'tis fuffici ently manifeft, that our way of arguing has been all along difinterefted and free ; that we have not concluded, from Humour and Prejudice, but from Nature and the Neceffity of things ; and that if thofe Conclufions are in reality for us, and do ferve our turn, and not that of the Deifts; yet that it is not becaufe we will have it to be fo, or do make thofe Conclufions to run this way, againft their own natural Drift and Tendency ; but becaufe God Almighty, in the Order and Con ftitution of things, has made it ftridly rational, and therefore neceffary for us to conclude after this manner : Nor can we do otherwife, with out offering manifeft Violence, to the Faculties he has endow'd us with. Thus 380 The Proofs of Part III. Thus we have apply' d the Conditions and Qua lifications of the Evidence defcrib'd at SECT. III. Part II. to the feveral Parts and Steps of the Evidence we have, for the RefurreBion of Je fus Chrifi ; and upon the Application we have found, that they exadly agree to it: Or that the Evidence we have for the RefurreBion of Jefus Chrift, does in all refpeds fully come up to thofe Conditions. From hence I infer — Therefore there is fuch an Evidence for the Re furredion of Jefus Chrift, as aBually induces an Obligation on all Men ; to whom that Evidence is fairly propbs d, and who are capable of arguing upon it, after a due and regular manner; to give their Affent to it as a certain Truth. But it is utterly impoffible, that the Supreme Go vernour of the World (whofe juft and wife Pro vidence prefides over all things, and more efpe-r daily over the Affairs and Concerns of reafona ble Beings) fhould ever countenance an Impofture, with fuch an Evidence, as Jhoald lay an indifpenfa ble Obligation on rational Creatures, to give their Affent to it as a real Truth. Therefore this was not an Impofture: But it was certain and undoubted Matter of FaB, that Jefus Chrift did rife from the Dead. Q.e.D. SECT. Sed.72. the FaB, Sec. 381 SECT. LXXII. BEfore I come to draw the proper Inferences from this moft important Conclufion, 1 would put thefe Gentlemen in mind of one thing : and that is, That I exped fomething more than bare Affertion and Conjedure, to be offer'd on their part, in order to the anfwering of this Argu ment. For as I have not proceeded upon any fuch uncertain Foundations with them ; they are not to proceed upon any fuch with me, in any Defence they fhall think fit to make. In fhort, to overturn my Argument, they muft of neceffity do one of thefe two things ; and if it be fo, that they can do neither of them, then all their other Efforts whatfoever, muft necef farily be vain. Firft, They muft either fhew the Scheme I have gone upon, to be wrong in it felf, or infiufficient for my purpofe : That the Principles I have made ufe of, are foreign to the Bufinefs, and will not in their own nature, ferve for that End and Defign which I have 4pply'd them to. Or Secondly, Allowing the Scheme to be juft and right in it felf, they muft evince, that I have been guilty of fome fundamental Miftake in the Manage ment of it. I fay, a fundamental Miftake : for 'tis not a bare Slip or luadvertency, if they difcover any thing of that kind iii the performance, that will break the Force of the Argument, as to them ; 382 The Proofs of Part III. them ; no more than an unaccurate Step in the Se ries of a Demonftration, will fpoil the Conclufion, and make it of no Effed. What they are to do, is to find out fome Error that's effential to the Bufinefs : and fuch as really makes the Conclufion faulty and irregular ; that is, influences it fo far, that it is indeed no Conclufion at all. And this is what all Men ought to make their Aim and Scope, in all matters of Difpute, viz.. to look to the Foundation-Principles, and fee whether they be right or no ; Becaufe this is the fhorteft and moft dired way to bring the matter to a Decifion, and alfo fhews a juft regard to the great End of all Controverfy, which is the Dif covery of Truth, and that Men do not difpute for mere difputing fake. Thefe are the only poffible ways of attacking the Argument ; and they may make it either way, or if they pleafe, both ways. To prove the Scheme it felf to be wrong or infiufficient, they muft fhew, that it was a wrong or an infufficient way of going to work in this matter, to proceed after the following Method, viz,. Firft, To ftate the Nature of an Evidence, which obliges Human Underftanding to affent to a thing as true . Then to evince that an Evidence, of fuch Conditions as thofe defcrib'd, is certainly Ob ligatory Next to fhew that God Almighty can ne ver fuffer us, to have fuch Evidence for an Im pofture And laftly, That there is adually fuch an Evi- vidence, for the RefurreBion of Jefus Chrift. This is the Method I have us'd, and let them demonftrate 'tis an ill one. In Sed.72. the FaB, Sec. 383 In order to fhew my Management of this Scheme, to be fundamentally wrong, or to be faulty in fome Point of neceffary Moment to the Conclufion ; it will lie upon them to make out one of thefe four Points—— Either Firft, That 1 have not rightly ftated the Nature and Conditions of an Evidence, which obliges the Underftanding of Mankind to yield its Affent. Or Secondly, That tho thofe Conditions are rightly ftated ; yet I have come fhort in my Proof, of the Obligatory Nature thereof; or have not gone the right way to work, to fhew that an Evidence fo qualify'd, is obligatory. Or Thirdly, That notwithftanding I have fuffi ciently prov'd, that an Evidence of thofe Condi tions does infallibly oblige the Underftanding of Mankind to yield its affent ; yet however, it is not inconfiftent with the Divine PerfeBions, to fuffer Impoftures to come recommended to us, with fuch an Evidence. Or Laftly, That tho the Evidence be truly ftated, its Obligatory Nature prov'd, and it be impoffible God fhould ever fuffer an Impofture to come thus recommended to us ; yet that there is a failure in the laft Article, and that the Evi dence offer'd to prove the RefurreBion of Jefus Chrift, does not come up to thofe Conditions. If they attack the firft Article, let them give us their Notion of an Obligatory Evidence, fairly and fully ftated ; and at the fame time, be fure to make their Account of it really different from what I have given. If the fecond, let them fhew me the infuffi- dency of the Principles I have proceeded upon, in order to demonftrate the Obligatory Nature of the Evidence defcrib'd ; as alfo, what other Princi- ^4 Th* ^roofs °f Part III. Principles 1 ought to have proceeded upon, in ftead of thofe 1 have adually made ufe of. If the third, let them give us an Account of their God Almighty, that we may know what fort of Being he muft be, that can fuffer notorious Delufions and Impoftures to be prefented to the Un derftandings of reafonable Creatures, with fuch fort of Evidence, for the truth of them. If the laft, let them effedually make out one, or both of thefe Articles Either Firft, That the Matters of Fad, on which the Arguments for the Truth of Chrift's Re furreBion are grounded ; are not true, but fidi tious and imaginary. Or Secondly, That my Application and V fe of them, is wrong; and that the Evidence arifing from them, does not in reality come up to the Conditions and Qualifications requir'd in our Scheme. And here the way lies very plain and open be fore them : for I having fumm'd upall thofe Con ditions feparately and difiinBly, it will be an eafy matter to find out a grofs Blunder, provided I have made any in the Application. Thus I have done all, that I think can be fairly expeded or requir'd, in order to the fettling this great Point between Vs and Them. I have propos'd the Method of Proof on our fide ; and I have fhewn them all the poffible ways of over turning it : and it is not without a very clear Profped of the utmoft Iffue and Refult of all their Attempts, that I have done this. In the mean time, let us fee, what follows from the DoBrine of Chrift's Refurredion thus efiablijh'd. General Sed. 7 2. the FaB, Sec. 385 General Corollary. All thofe Confequences wtich are drawn, in the Firft Part of this Difcourfe, relating to the Divine Miffion, Dignity and Office of Chrift Jefus, to the Truth Of the Gofpel Revelation, the Happinefs of fincere Chriftians, and the Dangers to which Unbelievers are expos'd ; and which were drawn upon Suppofition, that the Dodrine of Ckriffs RefurreBion was true : Thefe Confequences (I fay) are now no longer Suppofi- tions; but Propofitions, or Theorems of infallible Truth. We can fay now affuredly That Chrift Jefus was a Divine Perfon ; the great Prophet, Meffenger and Son of God ; the only Saviour and Mediator between God and Sinners ; an authorised Legiflator, and Revealer of the Divine Will and Pur pofes to the World; and who by the Father' s Appoint ment and Conftitution, is the Sovereign Judg of all. That his Gofpel is adually a Revelation of the Mind and Pleafure of God, for the Inftrudion and Government of Mankind, in order to their Eter nal Salvation; and ought accordingly to be re ceiv'd and depended upon, as the great Rule of Faith and Pradice, wherever it is promulg'd. That Contempt of this Revelation, is a dired Contempt of God himfelf; and Rebellion againft the exprefs Orders of Heaven, by which the Au thority of it is eftablifh'd. That the Cafe of wilful obftinate Unbelievers, is infinitely' hazardous; and of fuch as continue impenitent to the laft (in fpite of all the merciful Calls of the Gofpel, and the Provifion made for their rational S^tisfadion and Convidion, in or der to their Cure) for all that we can know of the matter, is forlorn, and defperate : the Threat- Cc nings $%6 The Proofs of ' Part III.' nings of the Gofpel, being delivered in the moft plain and pererhptory Terms, and God having given us no manner of Aoundvto believe or, hope for any Relaxation of them,- or that he has pro vided any other Remedy, than that, which he. has here reveal'd, viz.. By Faith in Chrift Jefus, and fincere Obedience to bis Laws. " ». Vf; That the Deifis therefore; muft neceffarily re prefeht themfelves, as'Ferfons given up to Hu mour and Prejudice, and refoiv'd not to think nor examine things to the bottom, but pafs their Days here iri the -World, in a blind mechanical Repofe ; till they take this matter into deepand feriousConr lideration; and fetting themfelves to reafon upon it,' as Meri'fhOuld and may do; come, bytheHelp of God's Grace (which will .certainly affift fin cerely induftrions, humble, and honeft Minds) to thisgood Conclufion, vii\ That they ought to believe and obey the Gofpel of Jefus Chrift, and that their Happinefs in another Life, depends upon their fo doing. And may they all come, to make this Con clufion V ri- > -May they know Chrifi Jefus, as the Son of God ; and as their Lord and Saviour : Having their Hearts warmed with his Love, 'and their /Ueutbs open'd, to ftjew forth his" Pr-aife. vi; . (. :., '-v - Per every hard Speech and' unworthy Thought of him, let them feel^the> deepeft Sorrow and Compundion of Soul;, even that godly Sorrow, which works Repentance to Salvation, never to be re pented of '^ "" : ¦ ' ¦¦¦¦¦ . ' May the Blood' of Jefus be their Atonement ; ¦jmd through him, let them offer up to God, that S tcrifice of a broken^ and contrite Heart, which he wiU not difpife^ - May the Gofpel be honour'd, by their Faith and Obedience; and the reft of the unbelieving World Sed.73. the FaB, Sec. 387 World led on to Jefus Chrift, by their happy Ex- ample. And when their Converfion has made Joy both in Heaven and on Earth ; and they have tailed li berally, the bleffed Fiuits of the Faith of the Gof pel, in folid Vertue, Peace and Comfort here; may they reach the Perfedion of all, in the Hea venly Kingdom, where- Jefus Chrifi who died and rofe again, now fits at the right Hand of God, and has prepar'd Entertainments for thofe that love him, fuch 06 Eye hath not feen, nor Ear heard, nor has it entered into the Heart of Man to conceive, what and how great they are. And this is what all good Chrifiians will fay Amen to. SECT. LXXill, BUT there are fome otker Inferences, from this Dodrince of our Saviour's RefurreBion ; Avhich relating to the Chrifiians only, I thought proper to fobjoin here by themfelves. Nor could I omit mentioning of them, without a very faulty Negled ; fince they make fo much for the folid Comfort of thofe who fincerely believe the Gofpel. The Ufes which fuch may make of this great Ar ticle of the Chriftian Faith; are many and very confiderable. From hence they may affure themfelves, of Par don and Juftification before God. For Chrift was deliver'd for our Offence j, and rais'd again for our Juftification. And, HimhatbGod exalted with his right Hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give Repentance to If rael, and Forgivenefs of Sins. Again — Cc 2 This 388 The Ufes, Sec. Part III. This is a fure and never-failing Foundation, upon which they may fafely bottom all their Faith and Hope. He (fays the Apoftle Peter, , fpeaking of our Lord) woa verily fore-ordain 'd before the Foundation of the World, but was manifeft in thefe laft Times for you ; who by him do believe in God, that ra'vs'd him from the Dead, and gave him Glory ; that your Faith and Hope might be in God. ¦ And the fame Apoftle tells us, in another part bf his Divine Epiftle, that We are begotten again to a lively Hope, by the Refurredion of Jefus Chrift from the Dead ; to an Inheritance, incorruptible, un- defil'd, and that fadetb not away, referv'd in the Hea vens for us. Our Lord's RefurreBion is likewife fet forth in Holy Writ, as the Pattern, or Example of our Deliverance from the Power of Sin, and leading a new and holy Life. Therefore (fays the Apoftle Paul) are we buried with him by Baptifm into Death ; that like as Chrift woa rais'd up from the Dead, by the Glory of the Fa ther, even fo we alfo fhould walk in Newnefs of Life. And again Knowing that Chrift being rais'd from the Dead, dieth no more (Death hath no more Dominion over him)— —Likewife reckon ye alfo your felves to be dead indeed unto Sin ; but alive unto God, thro Jefus Chrift our Lord. And from hence the Pradice of Holinefs and Mortification is immediately prefs'd and enfore'd. Let not Sin therefore reign in your Mortal Body, that you fhould obey it in the Lufis thereof ; neither yield ye your Members as Infiruments of Vnrighteouf- ttefs imto Sin : But yield your felves unto God, as thofe that are alive from the ,Dead; and your Mem bers as Infiruments of Rigbteoufnefs unto God. And Sed.74« -of the QoBrine, Sec. 389 And the Apoftle makes ufe of the fame fort of Argument, to perfuade Chrifiians pot only to a righ teous and holy, but a more generous, pure and exalted Converfation ; to a Temper that fhould raife them beyond this Sphere of earthly things, and difpofe them to feek all their Pleafures and Fe licities above J/ ye be then Rifen with Chrift, feek thofe things which are above, where Chrift fitteth at the right Hand of God : Set your AffeBions on things above, not on things on the Earth : For. ye are dead, arid your Life is hid with Chrift in God. So that we fee, all the Graces, the Enjoyments, the Duties and OJfices of the Chriftian Life ; are de- riv'd from hence (I mean the RefurreBion of our bleffed Saviour) as their native and genuine Spring. SECT. LXXIV. BU T there is yet another Ufe to be made of this Dodrine ; which tho it relates to the Body, the vileft and moft ignoble Part of us, is hot for that reafon to be defpis'd ; but on the other hand, highly to be priz'd and valu'd, by every true Chriftian : And that is this, viz.. That the Re furredion of Jefus Chrift, is a certain and undoubted Pledg, to all fincere Believers, of their own Refurrec- tion to a glorious Immortality. For now is Chrift rifen from the Dead, and become the Firfi- Fruits of them that fiept. Which Expref fion of the Firfi- Fruits, intimates a particular Con- nedion, between the RefurreBion of Chrifi, and that, of thofe who believe on him : It reprefents both the one and the other, but as Parts of the fame great Defign, or the Beginning and End of the fame Work : The RefurreBion of Jefus Chrifi, being Cc 3 the 390 The. Ufes, Sec. Part III. the firft leading Step, , towardsUhat Univerfal Triumph over Death and the Grave ; which our RefurreBion will, in due time, render perfed and compleat. For as in Adttm aJLdie, even fo in Chrift fhall dtt be made alive ; but every Man in his own order : Chrift the Fir Jl- Fruits, afterward they that are Chrift's at his Coming. And the Apoftle is fo very clear and exprefs, in arguing the Certainty of our RefurreBion, from. that of our Saviour's ; that he puts it upon us, if we believe the one, to depend upon the other ascertain alfo. For if we believe (fays he) that Je fus died, and rofe again ; even fo them alfo which fieep in Jefus, will God bring with him. Nay, he does not only direBly infer one from the other, but he ar gues per impoffibile, the Nullity of ChrifPs Refur reBion, and theFalfityof the whole Gofpel- Re velation, from the Hypotlxfis of our not being rais'd ; and confequently, leaves that Hypothefis ex posed, as an infinitely falfe and abfurd one. For if the Dead rife 'not, then is not Chrift rais'd. And if Chrift be not rais'd, your Faith is vain, you are yet in your Sins : Then they alfo which are fallen afleep in Chrift, are perifhed: tea, and we are found falje Witneffes of God ; becaufe we have tefiified of God, that he rais'd up Chrift ; whom he rais'd not up, if fo ¦ be that the Dead rife not. 'Tis obferyable, that the Apoftle repeats this Argument, per impoffibile, three or four times in that Chapter ; and to be fure, it was not by chance, nor to no purpofe, that he does do {o. "it might have been thought a fufficient Security to us, to have been affur'd, that becaufe Chrift was rifen, we fhould rife alfo, in our proper Or der and Seafon. But 'tis much more ftill, to have the Point carry'd thus, viz.. that Chrift himfelf is Sed.75. of the 'Dodrine, Sec. 391 m not rifen, nor his Gofpe\\ true, if it be fo, that we rife not from the Dead- This does not make it only a fair Confequence, that we fhall. rife again, but a plain Impoffibility that we fhould not. All the Arguments, that ferve to prove the Re furreBion of Chrift, and the Truth of the Gofpel- Revelation, and which we know to be of infalli ble Truth, and Certainty ; are thus by Confe quence made Arguments, to infe^the Certainty of our RefurreBion. So that this Privilege is eftablifh'd on fo fure a foot, to all that believe the Gofpel of Chrifi Jefus; that it can never become doubtful to them, till they come to queftion all the Principles and Foun dations of their Faith. SECT. LXXV. NO W this Dodrine of a Future RefurreBion^ is of the greateft Ufe and Service to us, uponftnany important Accounts. For from hence we may derive < Firft, The beft Supports, under the ProfpeB and Ap prehenfions of Death. Secondly, The befi Reafons, to endure all the Cala mities of Life, with Patience and Fortitude. And, Thirdly, The moft powerful Motives to Di ligence and Perfeverance, in all the Duties enjoin 'd by our Holy Religion. For the Firft, Wfiat tho after a few Days more, we leave the Light of this World, and go down into the gloomy Manfions of Death! What tho we ceafe from Adion and Bufinefs here ; are laid out of Sight and' Remembrance, and our Bodies turn to Duft and Rottennefs ? Cc 4 This 39^ The Ufes, Sec. Part III. This is indeed a Melancholy Scene to Flefh and Blood ; and 'tis the more affeding too, becaufe we know 'tis what we can't poffibly avoid, and a few Turns more in the World, will bring us to it. However, a Chriftian may view, even this dark anddifnalSceae, with Comfort. For tho Soul and Body muft part, yet the Se paration is but for a Seafon ; and that in order to a more happy Union, fuch as fhall never be dif- folv'd. ' The Grave is not to be our EverlaftingPrifon : And the Time will come, when Death it felf fhall be fwallowed up in ViBory. And what can have more Influence, to alleviate thofe Agonies, which the Profped of an ap proaching Diffolution, may throw weak Flefh and Blood into; than to confider, that this is but a Step to Eternal Life and Liberty ? That this Gate once pafs'd, we are for ever out of the Reach of all Danger and Trouble ; and enter'd upon a State, where Death fhall have no Power, nor the Ter rors of the Grave ever fright us any more ? On the other hand, How fad and painful a thing muft it be, to die without thefe Hopes! I mean, to die in a State of abfolute Infidelity : For a true Chriftian may go off (and many do, no doubt) without the Comfort of thofe Hopes, which their own fincere Faith in Chrifi Jefus, might entitle them to. But what I fay, is, that it muft needs be doleful, for a Man to die with fceptical Fears and Doubts, about Futurity, and the Confequen ces of the Separation of Soul and Body ! , When he does not know what he fhall be next, or where he fhall go, or how he fhall be difpos'd of: Whe ther Annihilated, or Metdmorphos'd, or condemn'd to wander in Eternal Night (a dark unknown forae-where, worried with reftlefs Thoughts, and without Sed.76. of the DoBrine, Sec. 393 without profped of Releafe. And therefore, that thofe Perfons who believe and obey the Gof pel of Chrift Jefus, are infinitely happy ; in that they have fo fure a Bottom and Foundation for chearful Hope, at their going out of this World ; by the many repeated Affurances of a future joy ful Re-union of Soul and Body, and a glorious Immortality confequent thereupon. SECT. LXXVL, Secondly, A S to all the Miferies and Calami- XJL tm °f Human Eife ; this Doc trine ferves mightily to encourage us, and to fortify v our Patience and Refolution in the en during of them. We find by Experience, that in all forts of Trouble and Diftrefs, nothing is fo grateful and refrefhing to us, as a Profped of After- Eafe and Deliverance. When a Man looks round him, and fees nothing but Calamity on every fide, and no appearance of Help or comfortable Retreat ; no likelihood of the End of his Troubles, or that things will be better with him in time to come: This tends either quite to damp the Force and Vi gour of the Spirits, or to introduce Phrenfy and wild Defpair. And either way, it renders a Man wholly uncapable, of a juft and regular Ma nagement of himfelf, under his Afflidion. But to have Hope in Mifery, and much more a Profped of certain efcape from all, in due time : How does this ftrengthen and invigorate every Power, and excite us to do all that is poffible, to throw off the Burden from us, or to keep our fdves from finking under it ? And 394 The Ufes, Sec. Part III. And if fo, What Comfort then may true Chriftians draw, from the believing foreiight of a ble'ffed Refurredion, and all the joyful Confe quences of it ? Alas ! Our greateft worldy Deliverances, are but from fome particular Troubles and Misfor tunes, which as foon as remov'd, may return again; or be fucceeded by others, as bad or worfe. And if it lie not fo, yet all the Joy and Pleafure refulting from fuch Deliverances, are but for a little time : They are gone with the fleeting Wpour of Life, almoft as foon as we be gin to perceive and relifh them. But here we have Vniverfal Freedom and Feli city before us! A perfed Exemption from all Evil, fweetned by Eternity, and join'd with pofi tive Happinefs (which a RefurreBion will let us into) fit to be defcrib'd, only in that Heaven, where it fhall be enjoy'd ! Now I fay, here is a Scene of things fo tran- fcendently Glorious and Beautiful, prefented to our View, that were our Faith but fuch as it ought to be, no Melancholy or Defpondency what foever, would be able to interrupt our Peace and Quiet. SECT. LXXVII. BUT it. may be worth while to defcend to particular Inftances, And fhew the Vfe of thvs DoBrine, as it ferves for our Support and Com fort, under the mofi ordinary Trials of Human Life. Firft therefore, Suppofe we are opprefs'd with bodily Pains and Dfeafes, which deprive us of the Pleafure and Sed.77. of the DoBrine, Sec. 395 and Contentment of Life : 'Tis no fmall Relief (in fuch a Cafe as thi>) 10 think, that the very Prin ciples of all thefe Dtforders, fhall be left behind us in the Grave. That hereafter we fhall put off Mortality and Corruption, and exchange a drooping frail Confti tution, for immortal Strength and Vigour. At pre fent, 'tis a vaft deal of Art and Attendance, that is revquifite, to keep thofe tender Machines, we car ry about with us, in any tolerable good Order- How many Methods do we ufe to compofe and fettle them, under the painful Senfatioqflfcthey are here liable to? What Recruits are we ]ig'd to lay in, for their daily Expences and Decays ? And when a Diforder happens," what troublefom Ap plications, what coftly Experiments are made, before 'tis remov'd, and the labouring Springs of Nature are reftor'd to free Adion again ? And after all, how often is7 the beft Art in the World non-plus'd and baffl'd, and miferable we, with all Helps and Remedies about us, are left groan ing under our Burdens. But notwithftanding, there is a never-failing Cure in view, which will at once carry off all thefe Maladies, and prevent their Return for ever. At Death, we may bid farewell to all In firmities : For our outward Man, tho fewn in Weak- nefs, fhaU be rais'd in Power ; tho fown in Qifhonour, it fhall be rais'd in Glory. Bodies will hereafter" be prepar'd for us, moft exquifitely wrought and temper'd, by the wife and powerful Hand of God ; compos'd on purpofe for the noble Service, -and fit to fhare the Joys of a State of Immorta lity : Free from all the Impurities and bafer Mix tures of this Terreftrial Compofition, and tem per'd into a Finenefs for the Heavenly World ; where nothing grofs and corruptible can dwell. And 396 The Ufes, Sec. Part III. And with what Eafe and Pleafure, fhall we then feel our felves, when befides the compleat Cure wrought upon our Souls, our Bodies fhall be fo ad mirably difpos'd too? When all the reproachful Marks which Sin hath imprinted on them, being utterly effac'dj they fhall be form'd into a Refem- blance to the Glorious Body of our Lord? Who will change our vile Bodies, that they may be fafhion'd like to his own Glorious Body, by the working, whereby be is able to fubdue all things to himjelf. And therefore, let us look upon them, under all their prefent Diforde^ with a Patience and Confiancy, becoming the Expemation of fo, blejfed a Change. And when they clog and difcompofe our Minds, and hinder us from a free and chearful Difcharge of our Duty ; let it be a Relief to us, to think of the Joys of a RefurreBion Day, which are fecur'd to us by the Promife of our bleffed Saviour. SECT. LXXVIII. Secondly, QVppofe we meet with Dif afters and i3 Troubles, abroad in the World, whe ther Loffes and Dif appointments, or unjuft Violence and Oppreffion, or Calumny and Reproach : of all which the World generally affords no little Plenty to thofe, who will approve themfelves the fincere Difciples of the Holy and Bleffed Jefus. We ought to coniider with our felves, in fuch Cafes as thefe, Thai this troublefom Condition of the World without us, is futable enough to the prefent unsettled and divided State, that we our felves are in here below. Our Bodies are in poor and miferable Circum ftances ; quickly difcompos'd and put out of Tune ; foil Sed. 7 8. of the DoBrine, Sec. 397 full of the Seeds of Diftempers, and wearing every Day towards a Diffolution. The Peace of our Minds, is frequently diffurb'd, by irregular Paffions and AffeBions; by the Dulnefs and Heavinefs of the diftemper'd Machine; by cloudy Vapours, and a thoufand other malignant Influences of the Corporeal Part ; with which the Mind it felf is affeded, by virtue of the Laws of the Vnion. 'Tis feldom that we have a firevte and truly pleafant Enjoyment of our felves, fl:-c£ laftslong; fome Care or Labour, feme Anxlery or Difquietude, in the Circle of Life, breaking iii upon us to interrupt it. * We feldom keep to a Pitch- either in our Tem per, our Apprehenfions, or Relifh of things. And whether things abouE us, change or no; we can be foolifhly Happy and Miferable, by mere Conceit and Imagination. We often betray our felves, into the greateft Dangers, by our Folly and Impru dence, or Rafhnefs and Obftinacy: So that the worft Enemies we have, can't do us that Mifchief, which fad and common Experience affures us, 'tis in our Power to do our felves. Now 1 fay, 'tis no great matter whether all things go on fmoothly and eafily abroad, fince Affairs are in fo ill a Pofture at home. For our own vitiated Conftitution, would be always a Foun tain of Trouble and Uneafinefs to us. If w* could make the World go juft as we would have it ; yet unlefs a perfeB Cure were likewife wrought upon our felves, all the Pleafure arifing from thence would be fadly imbitter'd to us. Befides, fuch a State of perfed Quiet, and freedom from all external Trouble, might be of very dangerous Confequence to us, with refped to the next World ; how much foever it might pleafe and gratify us in this. For we find that very great Croffes and Afflic tions, 398 TJieUfes, Sec. Part III. tions, are fometimes hardly fufficient, to keep Men in the way of their Duty : -And that they can make hard Shifts, to tread forbidden Ground, tho every ftep be amongft Thorns. What would it then be, if there were n:thing to give a check to Sin and Extravagance, or to put us in mind - of our Duty and Danger? What wenld it- be if the World did nothing but fmile and tempt, and our. way was all Pleafure and Softnefs? So that all thefe things Well confider'd, we may eafily con vince our lelves, That there is no need of a State of more Reft and QuietAhan this is, for us, fuch as we now are, • to enjoy , our felves, that little time we have to flay here. BtKt then on the other hand, So glorious a Change as will one Day be wrought in us, is a full Affurance (even to our Reafon) of a. proportional Change of all Circumftances without us. God who will hereafter join pure and fpotlefs Minds, to exadly temper'd and harmoniz'd Bodies; will make us enjoy the Comfort of fo advantageous a Union, in a Life of perfed Pleafure and Tranquillity. 'Tis a furprizing Work to raife Human Nature, from its prefent mean and frail Condition, to a State of glorious and perfed Health. And therefore God, who will do that Work, will un doubtedly fute all things fo, that all the Ends and Purpofes of it fhall be obtain'd. He will not make us capable of perfed Felicity, without be llowing perfed Felicity upon us. Aad this is certain, That no Joys within, can make a Happinefs perfeB, which is liable to Afiault and Diflurbance from without. And therefore, in that World to which a RefurreBion- will introduce us, there will be no Emmies to opprefs, nor no difafierous Events to make us uneafy, and take off from our Enjoyments. Thefe are the proper Trials of this World, where Sed.79. of the DoBrine, Sec. 3p^ where Sin and Corruption live, which neceffarily produce Trouble and Sorrow, and render them alfo very ufeful to us. But when our Natures are refin'd from all that bafe Aljay, and the Work of God is compleated both in Soul and Body ; there will be no room for any Difcipline or Exercife of . this fort. Trouble and Confufion would be more difagreeable to fuch a State, than perfed Reft and Liberty to this. Now 'tis a Motive, to invincible Courage andKefo- lution in bearing all the Evils we meet with in this World ; to confider {here is fuch a State before us, in which we fhall be out of the reach of all, and enjoy an everlafting undifturb'd Repofe. That in a few Days more, when Death fhall come to give us a Difcharge from hence, we may fay, of all things troublefom and afflidive here, as the Ifrael-ites of their Enemies, at the brink of the Red Sea; we Jhall fee them no more for ever. SECT. LXXIX. THirdly and Laftly, This DoBrine is the moft ef- feBual Encouragement to the Exercife of aU Grace and Fertue, and the Difcharge of every Duty in cumbent on us, in our Chriftian Courfe. 'Tis a fufficient Proof of the Truth of this Pro-' pofition, That the DoBrine of the Refurredion is made ufe of for this Purpofe, by the Holy Apoftle St. Paul; who knew perfeBly well, from what Topicks, Duty and Diligence ought to be prefs' d upon us. For after he has infer'd our certain Vidory over Death, by Steps of clear and undeniable Evidence ; and reprefented the Triumphs of that Glorious Day, in which we fhall put on Immortality and Inconup- tion : 400 The Ufes, Sec. Part III. tion : He gives a moft pathetick Exhortation, to Zeal and Conftancy in God's Service ; and plainly enforces it from that very Confideration of the Re furreBion, and the, bleffed Confequences of it. Therefore (my beloved Brethren) be ye fledfaft, im movable, always abounding in the Work of the Lord ; forafmuch as ye know that your Labour in the Lord, fhall not be in vain. I think 'tis evident, beyond all poffibility of juft and rational Queftion, that the Apoftle does here make ufe of the Dodrine of a future Refurrec- tion, as an Argument to godly Diligence and Per- feverance, in the Duties of a Chriftian Life. And indeed, in the nature of the thing it felf, the Pro mife and ProfpeB of a Glorious Reward hereafter, is a moft powerful Incitement to Piety and Obedi ence. So far, that without the former, I cannot fee, but we fhould want our main and greateft En couragement (as rational Creatures) to the latter. I hope I fhall not be mifunderftood : I fpeak here cf the pure abftraBed Duties of Chriftianity, as diftinB from all thofe of the Natural Law. For I have exprefly fhewn already, Part I. SECT. X. that our Obligations to all the Duties of Morality and Natural Religion, would continue fix'd and unfhaken, if all Views of future Happinefs and Immortality were taken away from us. And the Grounds upon which I have proceeded, to efta- blifh that Dodrine, I am very fecure, are fucb, as can never be queftionable to any, but thofe Per fons only, who believe ,that God Almighty in making Man, made a Creature, under no Moral Relations nor Obligations to himfelf, but left at full Liberty, to range and rove up and down the World, in which he plac'd him, as wild and thoughtlefs, as the very Brutes themfelves. But Sed.79: of 'the DoBrine, Sec. 401 But as to the Rules and Duties of the Chriftian Religion, as fuch ; I think 'tis a very clear Cafe, That our main Encouragement to the PraBice of them, were utterly loft, if we had no ProfpeB of fu ture Rewards. And the reafon is, becaufe (as we have fhewn, Parti. SECT. IX, XII, XIII, XIV, XV.) thefe Duties are plainly calculated for a future State ; the very Scope and Drift of them, is to prepare us for fuch a Happinefs as the Gofpel reveals. That is, this is the ultimate, the grand Scope and Defign of the Chriftian Inftitution ; how improving- foever it may be to Human Nature, or beneficial to Society, in other refpeds. And indeed, if we do but compare the Defcription given in the New Teftament, of the Heavenly State ; with that fort of Life and Temper, which the Rules and Pre cepts of the Gofpel, tend to bring Men unto in, this World ; we fhall eafily be convinc'd of the Truth of this. We fhall find, that Heaven is but the PerfeBion of our Chriftianity ; tho fuch a Per fedion as we cannot now comprehend. Purity, Tranquillity and Love, chearful Service of God, and delightful Zeal in doing his Will, are the Beauties of the prefent Chriftian Life, as well as of that glorious one which is to come. Thefe are the Effentials of both States, how much foever they differ in Circumftances and Degrees. Here indeed our Devotion is mix'd with Infir mity, and our Enjoyments allay'd by many necef fary Trials of Chrift Un Vertue ; which the World above knows nothing of. However, when we live and ad as Chriftians fhould do, 'tis plain by all the Accounts we have in the Gofpel, that we then begin that fort of Life, which, when freed from all Mixtures of Sin and Sorrow, will con- ftit,ute the Heaven we look for. D d SECT. 40 2 The Ufes, Sec. Part III. SECT. LXXX. AND therefore now I fay, If a future blef fed Life, be the PerfeBion of our Chriftian Graces ; if the Tendency of all thefe Duties be thi therwards, and the PraBice of them be fo direB and proper a means to prepare us for that Felicity, and fo peculiarly adapted to that Defign, as it evident ly is : Then if that main and great End be taken a- way ; of what Value are the Means, whofe Di- redion is to, and whofe Center is in that End ? And what Motives or Encouragements, have we to put us on to apply our felves to the Ufe of them ? That very Suppofition, which takes a- way the End it felf ; takes away all their fitneft and ufefulnefs to us, and therefore confequently, all our Springs of Defire and Endeavour, to put them into pradice. Whereas, do but lay down a State of future Rewards as fure and certain ; and then we have (both as Men and Chriftians) the higheft Encouragements imaginable, toacon- ftant, careful and zealous Difcharge, of all the moft fublime and abftraded Duties which the Gofpel enjoins us. SECT. LXXXI. I Am afraid, this DoBrine will feem too Legal and Mercenary, to fome good Chriftians, who can't digeft Difcourfes of this kind, fo eafily as they may fome others contain'd in this Treatife. They'll Sed.8i. of the DoBrine, Sec. 403 They'll be apt to think, here's more regard had to our own Felicity and Advantage^ and lefs to the Glory of God; than what the noble and generous Spirit of the Gofpel allows of. For I confefs, I have intimated very plainly and freely, That I firmly believe, we ought to have an Eye to the Re ward, in all our Chriftian Duty and Service ; and are not oblig'd to proceed, upon any fublime abftraBed Views, of the Glory of God, without the Confidera* tion of our own Felicity: And therefore, That we Jhould lofe our main Encouragements to the PraBice of the Duties of Chriftianity, if the hopes of a fu ture Reward were taken away. And I muft needs fay, that as long as I con fider Human Nature, and Divine Revelation, in a juft regard to each other ; I have no Profped of ever coming to any other Scheme of Thoughts. It feems to me, to be fo unavoidable and neceffary, from the joint Confideration of thefe two ; that I can't forbear thinking, thofe that are in the contrary Opinion, do forget either the one or the other, in the Conclufions they draw, towards the maintaining of their own Scheme. And if after all, they will ftill go on, to decry fuch a Pradice as this, as bafe, mercenary, and un-evangelical; they muft do fo : For there is no Remedy againft a licentious Humour, of calling things by wrong Names, or of branding them with infamous ones, when they do not pleafe People, or are not agreeable to a Set of Notions they have entertain'd. 1 fhall not be guilty of painting out the Opi nion I oppofe, in any hateful and invidious Co lours : but leaving the Patrons of it to their Li berty of expofing all Parties who differ from them, as People under the Bondage and fervile Spirit of the Law, and wholly unacquainted with the Eafe and Free- D d 2 dam 404 The Ufes, Sec. Partlll. dom of a Gofpel State ; I fhall offer them fome good Reafons, why they ought to do otherwife, and leave the Refult of all to themfelves. And Firfi of all, As for Scripture-Authority (for I am now fpeaking to fuch, whofe Principles make it no begging of the Queftion, to make ufe of this Argument) I fhall confine my felf to that Paffage of the Apoftle St. Paul, before-mention'd : For what plenty foever there be, of very plain and pofitive Texts to this purpofe, in the New Teftament befides; yet I fhall keep to this one, as being fufficient, and that which relates the moft immediately to my prefent Bufinefs and Defign. Wherefore (ptags, fo that) my beloved Brethren, be ye ftedfaft, immovable, always abounding in the Work of the Lord, forafmuch as ye know (or know ing, e?S^T£s) that your Labour is not in vain in the Lord. If thefe Words were not dropt by Chance (and fure we can't think the Pen of an Apoftle. to be fo impertinently luxuriant) then there is fome Argument and Defign in them. And if there be fo, then the Queftion is, what the Apoftle's Scope and Defign in thefe Words is ; or to what End and Purpofe it is, that he ufes them here? 'Tis a plain Cafe, that here is a Duty (and a very important one too) recom mended, > viz.. Diligence and Perfeverance in the Works of Piety and Religion. And every Man that is not wilfully blind, may fee, that there is a Mo tive, or an Inducement made ufe of, to ftir Chrifti ans up to the Performance of this Duty. And this Motive is evidently the ProfpeB of a future Reward ; which is as eafy to be feen, as the very Words of the Text themfelves. For to be affur'd, that our Labour JhAl not be in vain ; is to be affur'd, that it full be rewarded, And Sed. 82. of the DoBrine, Sec. 40 j And to be urg'd to Duty, from this Confide ration, that our Labour fhall not be in vain ; is to be urg'd to Duty, from the ProfpeB of a future Reward ; and to be encourag'd to abound in God's Service for that very Reafon, and from that Principle; And therefore, for the Apoftle to exprefs him^ ielf after fuch a manner, as he does in this place, is manifeftly, to prefs Duty from this Confideration, that our Labour Jhall be rewarded ; and thereby to authorize and warrant the Pradice of Chrifiians in having an eye thereto, not only as lawful, but alfo as truly fpiritual and evangelical too; Nor do I -believe it poffible for any Perfon fairly to avoid this Conclufion, without falling foul up on Grammar and good Senfe, and lofing the Re fped owing to a divinely infpir'd Writer. SECT., LXXXII. Secondly, TYT all the Difcoveries we have, of the D infinitely merciful and gracious Nature of God, we are fure, that he has joind his own Glory and our Good together ; and thereby made it a pofi tive Duty, incumbent on us, to direB our Aims to the one as well as the other. Allhislnftitutionsare calculated and contriv'd, for the promoting of our Felicity. He does not command Duty, out of pure Sovereignty, or merely for Duties fake ; but to train us up by a courfe of Holy Service and Obedience, for the Fruitions and Employments of a happy Life here after ; that we may fhew forth the Praifes of his Divine adorable Perfections, with thofe exalted Powers and Capacities, we fhall then beendow'd D d 3 with. 406 The Ufes, Sec. Part III. with. And this, God out of his gracious Con defcenfion, is pleas'd to look upon as our glori fying of him, and does accordingly fet it forth to us in Scripture as fuch ; nor is it poffible in the nature of the thing, that we, or all Created Na ture befides, can glorify God any other way, or in any other fenfe than this. And therefore, rightly to aim at our own Fe licity, in the ufe of thofe Means, which he has appointed us ; is to aim at his Glory, fince that is the great End of ail our Happinefs ; and every Joy and Perfedion we arrive at in Heaven, fpeaks the Praifes of him, who brought us thither. 'Tis fcarce to be believ'd, that any Perfon that has a Notion of the Gofpel, fhould have fuch grofs Conceptions of Heaven, as to look on it only as a Place of Eafe and Pleafure to himfelf; without any Views of Praife and Glory to that God, from whofe immenfe and unmerited Good nefs all his Happinefs flows. This would be to make worfe than a Mahometan Paradife, of the Chriftian Heaven, and to think of Happinefs in fo fottifh and ftupid a manner, and fo little a- greeable to the Nature of Man, which is fenfi ble and tender, and fpreads into Love and Gra titude, for Benefits receiv'd; that I fay, 'tis not to be imagin'd, that any Perfon who knows any thing of Chriftianity, can ever frame fuch a fla- vifh irregular Notion of the Happinefs it pro- . miles. So that when fuch Perfons talk at any time of Eyeing the Reward, it's fcarce Humanity, but for certain it's far from Chriftian Charity, to fuppofe therii to abftrad intirely from the Confideration of God's Glory, and to intend no thing but their own Advantage and Felicity in what they do. On the other hands all that un derftand the Gofpel in its genuine Simplicity, with- Sed. 83.0/ the DoBrine, Sec. 407 without the forc'd Interpretations and deceitful Glofles, which Men put upon it to bring it to fpeak the Senfe of their own Schemes and Sy- ftems ; do conftantly profefs to believe, that the Glory of God is the ultimate End of all their godly Endeavours, Attainments and Enjoyments, whether on Earth or in Heaven ; but that their own Happinefs and Benefit is likewife an End, tho a fubordinate one, which they are to have a regard to : and that as God has infeparably con nected thefe two with each other, fo they ferve and pleafe him, by purfuing them both in con jundion; and cannot more effedually aim and defign to glorify God, than by aiming and de- figning to obtain his Grace, and prepare them felves for future Happinefs, in and by the ufe of thofe means, which he has appointed, and ex- prefly commanded them to ufe for that End. SECT. LXXXIII. BUT, Thirdly, Thofe Perfons who call it bafe and mercenary, to aB from the Hopes of a fu ture Reward ; feem to me, quite to forget the Temper and Conftitution of Human Nature, and to fet the Gofpel and That at variance with each other. ¦ For God, as the Author of Nature, has un doubtedly implanted that Affedion of Hope, in our Breafts ; to ferve us for very excellent Ends and Purpofes. 'Tis this which puts Life and Sweetnefs into every thing, and is the great Spring of all Adion and Endeavour. If any valuable Good be fet before us, which we are put into a fair way of at taining, and our Minds are touch'd with a lively Dd 4 Senfe 408 The Ufes, Sec. Part III. Senfe of the Excellency and Agrecablenefs of it to us ; this Principle is naturally rouz'd and fet a-work, and influences all the Powers of our inward and outward Man, into proper and futa ble Motions. And to fay, that in fuch a Cafe as this, we do not eye and refped that Good, and are not prompted to do our utmoft, and encounter all Difficulties that lie in the way, from the Hopes we have of obtaining it ; is to give the Lye to our own Conftitution, which plainly tells us, that we do do fo. We are all confcious to our felves, That our Warmth and Inclination to vigorous ABion, does in all Cafes rife and fall, in proportion to our juft and rational Hopes : And on the other hand, that nothing fo effedually chills all our Faculties, and induces a remifs and care- lefs Difpofition of Mind, which ends in a total negledof the Ufe of Means ; as the lofs of Hope does. And if this be our Conftitution as Men, I am fure it is not overturn'd or alter'd by Chriftia nity. The Grace of God which makes us new Creatures, does not do it in this fenfe, to diveft us of the Paffions and Inclinations of Human Nature. But whatever happy change be wrought upon us, in correding the Vices and Diftempers of our Faculties ; they themfelves are preferv'd intire in their feveral Natures and Tendencies to their prpper Objeds. The fame Springs of Mo tion and ABion continue in us as before, and muft therefore work as before ; only after a more re gular manner, and to more noble Ends and Pur pofes. And therefore, when, our Minds are duly en- lightned and convinc'd, by the falutary Opera tions of the Divine Spirit ; fo that we fee the fuperlative Excellency of the heavenly Rewards, propos'd to us in the Gofpel, to be obtain'd in the Sed.83- of the DoBrine, Sec. 409 the way of a patient Continuance in good Works : To fay that the hope of this, fhould not influence us to Zeal and Perfeverance in the difcharge of our Duty ; is to fay that we fhould throw off Human Nature, and own our felves to be Crea tures of a different Species from what we were before our Converfion. For as long as we con tinue to be Men, and are in the way towards the Enjoyment of any Good, which we have juft and pleafing Apprehenfions of; becaufe we hope, and hope reafonably, therefore we are infpir'd with Refolutions to ufe all neceffary means to come to the poffeffion of it. And this is the certain and neceffary Refult, of that innate defire after our own Good and Felicity, which we can no more diveft our felves of, than we can divide our felves from our felves, or put off our very Ef- fence. Let any Man confult his own Conftitu tion, and fee if he does not find it fo. From hence therefore we may argue: If it be thus, with refped to all the inferior Good this World affords us, can it be otherwife, when the higheft Good our Natures are capable of, is fet before us ? Can the hope of fome trifling Enjoyment here, engage .all our Diligence and Care ? And when the Objed comes to be as great as Heaven, and charming as the Pleafures of an immortal Life, and thefe duly reprefented and believ'd by us ; can our Hope then only be a languid feeble Affedion, and not able to do what it does in o- ther Cafes ? By what Laws fhould Human Na ture exert it felf fo vigoroufly in one Cafe, upon poor and defpicable Motives ; and forbear to do fo in another, when the Motives to Adion are heightned^beyond all poffible Comparifon ? This is to make it below even a piece of Clockwork, which will mend its Pace with a bigger Weight. SECT. 41 o The Ufes, Sec. Part III. SECT. LXXXIV- FROM hence therefore I conclude, That that Re ligion which is cry'd up for fo much Purity and Spirituality, upon pretence of abfiraBing from all En couragements to "Duty, given by a Promife of future Rewards ; is not only contrary to the Gofpel, which does both enjoin and commend it, but alfo to the very Confti tution, and moft effential Laws of Human Nature. That it is abfolutely impradicable, whilft we continue Men, and before it can obtain amongft os, we muft be taken to pieces and fet together after a different manner from what we now are. And therefore, that thofe Perfons who pretend to ad in this manner, do by fome Inadvertencies to the bent of Human Nature in themfelves, or by fome falfe Arguings, impofe upon their own Weaknefs, and by degrees manage themfelves in to a Perfuafion, That they perform Duty without refpeB to a Reward, when indeed there is no fuch matter. And how far a Set of wrong Notions, or inveterate Prejudices, or ill Management of Reafon and Religion both, may contribute to Peoples forming a wrong Notion, even of what they do themfelves; common Experience will fhew thofe who converfe much with Mankind. SECT. LXXXV. BU T Fourthly and Laftly, This DoBrine is be fides attended with dangerous Confequences. For to cry up that for pure evangelical Piety, in which Men take no Encouragement to Duty, from Sed.8 5. of the DoBrine, Sec. 4 ! 1 from the Hope of the Reward, which the Gofpel promifes ; and to run down all the reft as the Effed of a legal, mercenary, and flavifh Temper : This has a plain tendency to introduce a Neg« led and Difregard of Duty, or at leaft to abate our Zeal and Refolution in the Performance. And tho I don't charge all the ill Confequences that follow from thefe Notions, upon thofe who en tertain them ; yet I fay, feveral very bad ones do follow fairly from them, nor is there any thing but what is fufficiently plain, neceffary to the Proof of it. For in that weak and degene rate State into which Mankind is fallen, there's need of all the Motives that can be to confirm us in our Love of God and Goodnefs. And he therefore who made us, and knows both our natural and contraded Infirmities, has mercifully join'd his own Glory and our Felicity together ; made Religion our Intereft as well as our Duty, and order'd it fo, that in the way of anfwering the great Ends of our Creation (which are to fet forth his Praifes) we fhould alfo fecure an Everlafting Happinefs to our felves. And fince he has join'd both thefe together, 'ascertain, that infinite Wif dom faw juft Reafons for fo doing. 'Tis to no purpofe, to difpute of what God might have done, in the way of abfolute Power and Sovereignty. He might have made a Race of Creatures only to have ferv'd him, without advancing their own Happinefs, and this with out the leaft Wrong or Injuftice. But 'tis infi nitely more agreeable to that immenje, rich, and diffufive Goodnefs we adore in him, to render his Creatures happy by their Duty and Obedience. And 'tis Matter of Fad, that God has adually difpos'd things fo, that oar Obedience is the way to 412 The Ufes, Sec. Part III. to our Happinefs ; and confequently, has made the Utter a powerful Motive to the former. And as this is moft worthy of infinite Mer cy and Goodnefs, and moft agreeable to Human Nature in general, as thus made and conftitu- ted; fo 'tis efpecially moft agreeable to the pre fent imperfed and deprav'd State of Mankind, in which after all the Reparations made by the Grace of God, our Meafures of Goodnefs are too little and weak to allow us to ad upon fo fub lime a Principle, as that of God's Glory abftraBed from our own Felicity. That would require ano ther Conftitution, and other Circumftances than what we dare pretend to. For thofe who ad with all fincere Zeal and Care, from both thefe Principles in conjundion, find Temptation e- nough, to render it extremely difficult, to hold on in the way of their Duty notwithftanding. And therefore, to take away the one of thefe Motives ; that is, the Confideration of our own Fe licity; befides contradiding the Divine Appoint ment and the Conftitution of Human Nature (in both which they are firmly united) is fo far to take us off from the Performance of Duty, as the lofs of a moft powerful and engaging Mo tive can be fuppos'd to d*o. And if this be not to take a confiderable ftep towards the total Neg- led of it, I leave all the World to judg. And when Men are once come to a Negled of their Duty, 'tis no wide ftep from thence to Immorality and Profanenefs. Which tho I believe not defign'd by many that advance thefe Notions, is yet the ge-r nuine Refult and Confequence of them. And thus I have briefly proposed, the chief Vfes to be made, of this great Doctrine of our Saviour's Sed. 85. of the DoBrine, Sec. 413 Saviour's Refurre&ion ; and of our own Refurre£tion, as it follows from his. The Refurredion ofthe Body is indeed a very fublime and myfterious Subjed ; and 'tis for that very Reafon (no doubt) that the fceptical Hu mour of fome People, puts them on, to pry fo very nicely and curioufly into it. Men love to be bufy about things that are be yond them, inftead of bellowing their Pains ufe- ' fully upon fuch Matters as are within their reach. I fpeak this of thofe Perfons, that feem to tri umph in the Unaccountablenefs of the RefurreBion of the Body, from pure phyfical Principles ; .and infult Chriftianity with their little Queries upon that Head :' How are the Dead rais'd ; and with what Body do they come? For my part I think, the fitteft Anfwer to be return'd to them, is that which the Apoftle Paul gave to the Fools of his time, that ask'd the fame Queftion : Thou Fool I That which thou foweft, is not quickned except it die: And that which thou foweft, thou foweft not that Body which Jhall be ¦ But God giveth it a Body, as it pleafeth him. I think this is all that need be faid in the Cafe. 'Tis enough to me, that infinite Wifdom and Power have undertaken to accomplifh the Work. I am not follicitous about the Way or Modus, in which it fhall be brought to pafs ; but reft contented with the Affurance given me, that the thing it felf Jhall be. For he is faithful that hath promisd ; God hath faid it fhall be fo, and he is true, and able to make his Word good. And upon this Foundation, and this alone, I defy all the Objedions, that Wit or Philofophy can make to the contrary. The Credibility of the thing, depends upon the Credibility of the Revelation. 414 The Wes> &c. Part III. If the New Tefiament, which plainly reveals this Dodrine, be a Divine Book ; then I have all the Satisfadion I need in the matter. After all the Tranfmutations, and Revolutions poffible to happen to a Syftem of Matter, in this fublunary World ; yet the Bufinefs is ftill within the Reach of Om nipotence : and he that firft fet the Syftem to gether, can do it again, after infinitely more Se parations and Changes, than our fhallow Intel- leds can ever form a Notion of. And what if our Bodies are in a State of continual Flux and Alteration, fo that they are (phyfically fpeaking) no Day nor Hour, the fame that they were be fore ? That God, to whofe Power, Wifdom, and Faithfulnefs, we entirely leave the Work of a RefurreBion,^ we are fure, will order the mat ter fo ; that it fhall be truly and properly faid, that This and That, and the other Perfon, by Name, who were once dead, are now reviv'd and rais'd again. No matter what the Identity is, or in what fenfe the rais'd Body may he faid to be the fame. Philofophy has nothing to do here, and our un believing Criticks know fo little of the common Works of God in the World, that they may well enough quit all Pretences to explain thofe that are miraculous and extraordinary. Prefent Nature will afford them Matter enough for their Enquiries ; and they need not look fo far as the Day of Judgment, for a Problem that fhall have Difficulty enough to puzzle them. FINIS. ( 4»5 ) REFERENCES to/am Tajfages quoted in the fore going Treatife. HAVING obferv'd that in fome few Pla ces, I have negleded mentioning, what Page in an Author, the Paffage I quote, is to be found in (which is what I all along pro pos'd to my felf to do, as making moft for. the Eafe and Satisfadion of the Reader) I was wil ling to beftow a Page or two (which I hope the Reader will think not ill beftow'd) here at the End of the Book, for the fopplying that defed. Pag. 234. That Paffage of Tertullian, is pag. 240. Edit. Colon. Agrip. 16 17. Page 261. Place in Eufebius, is pag. 94. of Cap. Lib. & Edit, antea citat. Page 262. Arnob. Lib. 2. Cont. Gent. pag. 52. Edit. Par. 1605. Page 274. Juft. Mart. Apol. 1 . pag. $0. '0Sav fi AQoGxt «yg/f Sdvarm x) y tpiHnJbritfr vsra'p- Xpv auric lit )<) ipifAfbv©-, &c. Edit. Par. 1636". Page 315. Juft. Mart. pag. 265. Lib. & Edit. citat. Page 322. Juft. Mart. pag. 345. Lib. & Edit. citat. — Ibid. 416 (References to fome Ibid. Eufeb. pag. 218. Lib. citat.' Page 356. Eufeb. pag. 512. Lib. citat.' — — Ibid. Auguft. Epift. citat. pag.'). Tom.i. Edit. Par. 1635. And St. Auftin himfelf, Epift. 5. ad Marcell. even laughs at that pretended Comparifon of Apuleius and ApoHonius, with Jefus Chrift — Quis autem vel rifiu dignum, non putet, quod Apollo- nium, Apuleium, caterofq; Magicarum artium peri- tiffimos, conferre Chrifto, vel etiam praferre conan- tur ! pag. 1 1 . Upon this account, Arnobius challenges the Enemies of Chriftianity, to produce but any one in the whole Heathen World, that ever did by the help of all thofe Arts, but the thoufandth part of what our Saviour did Poteftis aliquem nobis defignare, ex omnibus Mis Magis, qui unquam fuere per fiecula, confimile aliquid Chrifto, millefima ex parte qui fecerit ? Lib. 1. pag. it. Edit, citat. Ibid. Tertul. Apol. Cap. 21. pag. 37. Edit. citat. — — Ea omnia ( viz. concerning the Mira cles, Death, Refurredion and Afcenfion of Chrifi Jefus, before mention'd) Pilatus & ipfe pro fua Confcientia Chrifiianus Caefari tunc Tiberio nun- tiavit. And Apol. Cap. y. pag. 23. Tiberius, cujus tempore nomen Chriftianum in feculum introivit, an- nuntiata fibi, ex Syria, Palseftina, qu& veritatem illius divinitatis revelaverant ; retulit ad Senatum, cum prarogativa fuffragii fui : Senatus, quia non ipfe probaverat, refpuit. Cxfar in fententia manfit, com- minatus Periculum accufatoribus Chrifi ianorum. Thefe Accounts the aforefaid Father appeals to, with as much affurance, as he does to thofe, concerning the Miraculous Eclipfe at the Paffion of our Saviour ; which wonderful Phenomenon, he tells them (Apol. Cap. 21. pag. 37. Edit, ci tat.) foregoing (paffages. 417 tat.) they had recorded in their own Archives .- And this is very probabfe; fince the preternatu ral Darkhefs, as alfo the ConvulfiohS of the Earth at that time, are particularly taken notice of by Phlegon in his Chronicle {as Origen tells us) in the 13th or 14th Book (of the fame) ns«v A' f m 'iomv hctusudat, £ tfej ? ptylkav 7B7S -ffjo^eiv Qc-iO-fMV T •ftli, Avkfe.^z *j fcAejaip c* 7&J TV.Vys.l&vg.'tu 'ilfj-eu r ¦Xesviiwr Orig. Lib. 2. Contr. Celf. pag. 80. Edit. Cantab. 1677. Eufebius alfo, as well as Origen, repeats the faid Teftimony of Phlegon, in his Chronicon ; An. 2040. And Scaliger, in his Annotations upon the fame, befides the concurrent Teftimonies of profane Authors, as to the Bufinefs of the Earth quakes; fhews there were Medals ftruck iaTibe- *-«u's Time, that confirm'd it. The ABs of Pilate, are diredly quoted and ap peal'd to, by Juftin Martyr, hyo\. 2. pag. 84. Edit. Citat. ©s^jravsJ/W 9 TliKaroi/ to." iy kip' C'Cp^ ma.^Jii%VM^ And then he goes on, and gives an account or fome abo minable Pradices, of forcing certain profligate abandon'd Wretches, by threatnings of Tor ment, to own themfelves Chriftians, and. to ac- cufe themfelves as guilty of whatever Crimes the Managers fhould think fit to didate to themj Now as to what Eufebius fays, of thefe ABa Pi- lati; was he credulous too? Was he miftaken? Was he impos'd upon in his Accounts? What an odd Coincidence 'tis, that Juftin Martyr, and He, and Epiphanius, fhould all happen to be out^ in a Cafe of fo notorious a nature, and fo very likely to be true as this was, viz.. That aRoman (Governour, or, if you will, a) Procurator Jhould give an Account fo the Emperor and the Senate, of things fo very extraordinary (and that happen'd in his own Province too) as the Life and ABions of fuch a Perfon as Jefus Chrift ; whom Pilate knew perfonally, had feen at his Tribunal, and condemn' d to Death at the earneft Requeft of the Jewifh Na tion ; and was upon the Spot, when the furprizing News of his RefurreBion firft came abroad, and be gan to fipread thro the World: In fhort, if thefe Accounts are .authenticki and good (and 1 believe there's no body will fcarce pretend to a decifive Proof to the contrary) tjhe Enemies of Chrift'a- E e 2 if) 420 (References, Sec. nity have fully quitted Scores, and are at leaft even with the Chriftians, - for whatever Frauds fome People (how juftly, I fhall not now deter mine) furmife and conjedure, they have been guilty of, in concealing or fuppreffing what fome of their fmarter Adverfaries have objeded againft them. Thofe Pradices for certain, are infinitely hateful, and they could fcarce be good Chriftians ( I think) that were guilty of them ; and what ever good Defigns they might pretend, they were ( if thofe Alledgments are true) the greateft Ene mies to Chriftianity; in that they open'd the Mouths of its Enemies, and reprefented it as if it were not Proof againft any, or all poffible ObjeBions that could be made, and refleBed upon the invincible Evidence it carries along with it felf, by attempt ing to fupport it by fuch bafe and degrading Artifices. wmww&w AN ( 421 ) A N APPENDIX, Containing a D i s s e rtat i o n on that Q,u e s t i o n, Whether Confcioufnefs and1 Thought, can be the (Refult of mere Matter anc| Motion. With fome Reflections, concerning the Nature of God, of Human Souls, and the Univerfe in General. By Humphry Ditto n. SECT. I. S one Truth naturally infers, and leads to another ; fo likewife does one Er ror or Abfurdity, tend to ufher in and make way for another : info- much, that we often fee Men are drawn in to efpoufe fuch Notions and Opinions, as at firft they never intended nor thought of; Ee 3 merely 422 APPENDIX. merely in confequence of fome Hypothefis they have already advanc'd, and which muft be de* fended, whatever Inconveniences, it runs them upon. , ' Having firft fet out with om wrong Principle (I mean wrong in it felf,whether they argue upon the matter, and know it to be wrong, or not) they find that in order to the making of that good, they muft neceffarily. have recourfe to another, and from thence to a third, and fo on ; till they. have drawn out a long Chain of wretched No tions and Hypothefes;, each Link of which,: has notwithftanding, a certain, and regular Depen dance, upon that which goes before, and that which comes after. I make no queftion, but that idle Notion of Matter' s Thinking, which has been fo induftfibufly propagated by our Modern Dtifts ; is in reality no other, than one of the Links of fuch a Chain. For foppofe we were to begin with the Nation pf a Future State. This. is certainly a very difagreeable one to Men, who by being entirely at their own difpofe in this World, have made- it their Intereft, that there fhould be no World to come ; and do there fore undoubtedly, paffionately defire there may not be any fuch State ; and take as much pains to perfuade themfelves that- there is not : Tho I am apt to believe, they do for the moft part ftrive to very- little purpofe. To overturn (therefore) this ungrateful Scheme, according to which it is not only poffible, but' very probable, that Men may be punifh'd in ano ther State, for their irregular Condud and Beha- vioui inthi^; the fi.fi Step muft be, to deny, that the Soul exifts! feparately from the Rody'. And APPENDIX. 413 And becaufe this can't be done with any to lerable fhew of Reafon, while it ftands granted and allow'd, that the Soul and Body are two diftinB Subftances ; therefore you muft of courfe take away all fpecifical and effential DiftinBion, be tween it and the Body, and ' make the whole of Man of a piece. So that as the one part, viz.. that which is called Body, is evidently nothing -but a Machine, or mere Syftem of Matter, ; fo likewife the other, viz,- that which is call'd Mind, muft be made the fame kind of Subftance too. But becaufe 'tis impoffible that this fhould be, unlefs both have the fame effential Powers and Properties ; therefore you muft likewife inveft them both with the fame Properties and Attri butes. __ And from hence the next Step is plain, viz.'. That Matter muft be afferted to be a Thinking Sub ftance ; capable of Joy, Defire, Argumentation, and RefleBion, with whatever elfe is commonly attributed to a Soul. But then becaufe the Adions of the Mind im ply Vigour and Livelinefs, which the mere Parts of Matter, confider'd in themfelves, promife nothing of; therefore, you muft fuppofe them to be briskly mov'd and agitated : then a Syftem of them may become a Soul, and be capable of performing all thofe Adions of Thinking Subftances, which are comprehended under the general Names of Thought and Volition. And now there is no danger of a Future State, nor no room for the Talk of Heaven and Hell ! For tho Matter difpos'd in a Regular Syftem, may think and refled ; yet at Death, when the whole Syftem it felf is put into the utmoft Con fufion ; to be fure, there is an end of all Thought and Refiedion. So that the Joys and Miferies E e 4 of 424 A P P E N D I X. of an After-State, if they are not all of them impoffible in the very nature of the thing; yet at beft, they are but the Fidions and Inventions of a Set of Unphilofophical Priefts, who know not the Powers of Matter and Motion, and how Thought and Reafon depend upon them ; but tell People thefe Tales of a Life to come, only to over-awe and frighten them, and by that means to have an Opportunity of doing whatever they pleafe with them, in the prefent Life. Here now is a Scheme, each ftep of which na turally leads to another. Nor can a Man well take one of them, without being tempted to go through all the reft. Let him begin, with making Matter and Motion think ; and he fhall end, with making the Gofpel an Impofture, Or let him lay down this for his firft Principle, That the Chriftan Religion is a Cheat ; and he will mifs his way very ftrangely, if he does not come to this Conclufion at laft, That Matter is a Thinking Subftance. Nor are we to imagine, that the modern Deifts have cultivated and fet about this Notion of Mat ter's Thinking, with any other Defign or View, than that of undermining the very Foundations of Chriftianity. They are fenfible, that the Chriftian Religion is not to be direBly and immediately at- tack'd, with any Profped of Succefs; but there might be fomething done by remote and covert Methods ; fuch as that of broaching Hypothefes, which under a feeming Philofophical Difguife, fhould do all the fatal Execution, which naked Argu ments could never accomplifh. And fuch a one is that, which we are now confiderihg. It looks like a mere piece of Philofophick Theory, and as if 'twere calculated only to folve the won derful Phenomena of Human Nature : To fhew us upon clear and intelligible frincipUs; what 'tis APPENDIX. 415 'tis to underftand, to will, and to remember ; without being oblig'd to have recourfe to foch canting Terms, as Soul, Immaterial Subftance, and the like; which carry as little Senfe and Mean ing along with them, as Aaftotle's h%tix ^4° APPENDIX. into the fame Circumftances of Velocity and Di redion, that they were once in, after divers in tervening Changes and Interruptions. Nfow thefe Phenomena are abfolutely in^pnfif- tent with any Laws of mere Mechanifm, in the Uaiverfe. For as no Motion can be deftrofd, without the pofitive Adion of contrary Movers, or the Re finance of Impediments : fo neither can the Parts of Matter be turn'd from one Diredion to ano ther ; or, after various Succeffions and Changes of Motion, ever poffibly recover the fame State and Circumftances again ; unlefs upon one of thefe two accounts following. For either ^there are material Agents at hand, ready determind to produce thefe particular EffeBs, ef fuch and fuch Velocities and DireBions : Or we muft fuppofe, the mere Parts of Matter, by fome inn Ate or inherent Power, able to determine them- feives to the Produdion of thefe Effeds. If there be material Agents, ready determin'd to the Pro dudion of thefe Effeds; they muft needs be de- terming thereunto, by other Agents or Movers : and then there is no remedy, but we muft run on into an I finite Progreffion, as before- If they de termine themfelves, to thefe Adions; then, Mat ter is made a felf-movfng felf-direBing Subftance, Capable of aBirg, without being aBed upon; which (tho as boldly, as ignorantly and precarioufly af ferted by fome modern Philofophafters, yet) at once deflroys all, that the World has ever call'd by the name of NATURAL PHILOSOPHY; ever fince they have left mere Cant and Talk in thefe matters, for folid Experiment and Demonftra tion. The Confequence therefore is, That there is nothing in all the known Powers and AffeBions of Mat- Hr, from whence there is any poffibility of dedueing theft. APPENDIX. 44? thofe Inftances of Arbitrary and Voluntary Determi nation, that fhifting and changing, thofe ftrange and fudden Returns, RefleBions,and Tranfitions in Thought ; which by Experience we find 'tis in our power to make. And therefore, I rightly conclude, that thefe Phenomena are utterly impoffible ever to be, in a Syftem of mere Matter and Motion. £i\E. D. Schol. That MATTER JS NOT A SELF- MOVING SUBSTANCE, is without many Words, thus palpably evident. If Matter has a Power of Self-Motion, then 7 tis either according to fome one particular and deter minate DireBion. - Or elfe, Equally to all DireBlons in general. Or elfe, To fuch and fuch DireBions alone, as jhall be determin'd, by its own innate Judgment and Choice, as moft proper and convenient for it to move in^ upon any Emergency that happens. If its Power of Self-motion were only accor ding to fome one determinate Diredion ; then, moft certainly, it would never move in any other but that. But now our Senfes teftify to us, that Mat ter moves in an infinite Number of various and different Diredions. And therefore, the firft Hyppthefis is falfe. Again, a Power to move in any or all Direc tions in general, is to be abfolutely indifferent and ¦undetermined as to any : which is to have no Power of Self-motion at all ; becaufe a Power of Moving every way equally and alike, is a Power of Mov ing no way ; that is, a Power of not Moving,; which makes the fecond Hypothefis an abfolute Contradidion. Laftly, That the Self-moving Power of Mat ter does not refped certain Diredions, upon fet punfiel and Choice, according to particular Emer gencies 44* APPENDIX. gencies and Occafions; is demonftrable upon thefe two accounts. , Firfi, That in FaB, Matter does ever obey this Univerfal Rule, of accommodating it felf to the Motion and Diredion of the Mover ; and not to the Requirements of any particular Occafion or Emergency. . Secondly, That in an infinite number of Cafes, 'tis plain, either that Matter does not ad from Judgment and Choice at all ; or elfe, that God has endowed it with a Power of Judging and Chufing, only that, which is worfe and moft inconvenient for it felf: and this amounts in Confequence to as much as the former. Now for this reafon I affirm, that Matter is not, nor cannot poffibly be a felf-moving Sub ftance : and let any of our Materialifts, who havej without any face of Proof, as confidently affirm'd thatit is, fhew me wherein the Argument I have made nfe of, is in any refped defedive. PROP. III. A Power of SENSATION or PERCEP TION of ObjeB s, is never to be accounted^ for, by any Preffure or Endeavour, any ABion, Re-* aBion or Refiftance, of the Corporeal Organ. This is diredly contrary to Mr. Hobbs'% Doc trine, as we find it in his Leviathan, and his Phy- ficks too. Phantafma (fays he) eft fentiendi aBus. And that we may know what this Phantafma is, he philofophizes upon the matter, and gives us this account of the Nature and Produdion of it: Ex quo intelligitur, fenfionis immediatam caufam effe in eo, QVOD SENSIONIS ORGANVM PRI- MVM APPENDIX. 443 MVM TANG IT ET PRE MIT. Si enim Organi pars extima prematur ; ilia cadente, premetur quoque pars qua verfus interiora Hit proxima eft ; & ita pro-] pagatur preffio, five motus Hie, per partes Organi om- nes, ufque ad intimam. This is the External Caufe or Origin of the Phantafma; as for the Internal and more immediate one, he deferibes it thus: Quoniam antem motui ab objeBo, per media, ad Or gani partem intimam propagato, fit ALIOVA TO- TIVS ORGANI RESISTENTIA SIVE RE AC TIO, per motum ipfius Organi internum naturalem ; fit propterea conatui ab ObjeBo, conatus ab Organs contrarius : Vt cum conatus Hie ad intima, ultimas aBus fit eorum qui fiunt in aBu fenfionis ; turn de- mum, EX EA REACTIONE aliquandiu durante, IPSVM EXISTIT PHANTASM A; quod propter conatum verfus externa,, femper videtur tanquam ali- quid fitum extra Organum. £Hobbs de Senfione &. Motu Animali7\ And he does the fame again in his Leviathan, Cap. i. where he talks of the Counterpreffhre or Refiftanceof the Heart, to the continu'd Motion, propagated from external Objeds; which Re- adion or Conatus tending ad extra, appears it felf to be (aliquid externum) fomething without us, and fo (according to this Hypothefis) conftitutes our Senfation or Perception of thofe Objeds. This is his Account of the matter. And in deed thofe that- read his Phcenomena Natwx, will fcarce find any one confiderable Phenomenon there, folv'd more intelligibly or philofophically, than this of Senfation : So unlucky a Hand had he, at folving Phyfical, as well as Mathematical Problems. Nor have any pf the reft of the modern Ma terialifts, been more fortunate than he, in their Explications of Nature. A remarkable Inftance of which, we have in Monfieur Des Cartes, who tho 5.44 APPENDIX. tho a moft skilful and excellent Mathematician^ has yet done little elfe, than carry'd on one con- tinu'd Chain of Blunder and Paralogifm, thorow his whole Principia ; and but little better neither, in his TraBatus de Homine. But as fondly as that Philofophy of his has been hugg'd and receiv'd in the World, I make little doubt, but the fob- tie Author intended it either as a pure Romantick Entertainment (and fo has horribly impos'd upon his ferious Admirers) or as a Foundation for fomething worfe. But this by the by : Our Bufinefs now is to ftew, how far fhort all the Mechanical Adion and Readion of Matter, comes of a genuine Ex plication of the Phenomenon of Perception. The truth of it is ; it is no Solution, no Ex plication of the Matter at all ; but leaves it ftill, Jn all refpeds, as much in the dark as ever. A Motion or Prtffure propagated from an ObjeB, produces a Counter-Preffure or ReaBion in my Organ. True! But what's this to the Bufinefs of Percep tion ? How does this pujhing outwards, tend to make me confcious, knowing, or apprehenfive of this ObjeB ? 'Twere to be wifh'd, that fome of Mr. Hobbs's Followers would explain this matter a little. For without this, they had as good fay nothing ; be caufe they don't come up to the Cafe, nor fpeak to the main point in hand. How is this reci procal Agitation of an Eye or an Ear, my Ap-. prehenfion of the thing feen or heard ? J can eafily conceive what a Man means, when he tells me of ReaBion : but when he tells me, that that mere Endeavour of the Parts of the material Organ ad extra, is my perceiving of a thing ; he leaves me utterly ignorant of what Percep-' tion is : becaufe I can find no Similitude nor Re lation, between mere Vibrations or Vndulations of feme APPENDIX. 44 7 fome fine Threds or FibrilU in the Machine, and that Acquaintance which I have with an ObjeB, in what I €all an AB of Perception. And 1 fhould underftand him every whit as well, if he told me, that Motion was Green or Blue, or Sound Triangular or Square ; as that Sen* fation is Readion, and Confcioufnefs of an ObjeB the mere Conatus of the trembling Organ towards it. But then that which (I take it) does moft ef- fednally fhew the Vanity and Falfity of this Hy pothefis, is this, viz.. That the ReaBion ef the ma terial Organ, can never poffibly account for that Per ception, which we have of ObjeBs, as fpecifically dif ferent from each other. For the Ad of Perception being (according to this Hypothefis) the mere Readion of the Sen- fory ; 'tis moft evident, that our different Senfa- tions of Objeds muft be deriv'd from the diffe rent Readions of the Senfory. And confequent ly, in whatfoever refpeds the latter may be dif ferent, in the fame refpeds, and thofe only, can the former be fo. Now the Differences to be confider'd in the Readioflof the Organ, can be only thefe: Either, Firft, the Repercuffion is ftronger or weaker, accor ding as the Pulfe propagated from the Objed is ftronger or weaker : Or, Secondly, More or Fewer Parts of the Organ do read, according as more or fewer in Quantity and Extent are imprefs'd by, the Objed : Or, Laftly, there may be a difference in refped of Pofition and Situation; fo that fome times thefe, and fometimes the other Parts of the Senfory, are put into this ftate of Readion, ac cording to the Shape and Figure of the Objed which is prefented. Now let us confider thefe diftindly. ¦> ¦¦ By a more vigorous and forcible Readion of the Senfory, 44<* APPENDIX. Senfory, I can only have a ftronger and more lively Senfation of an Objed. By the Readion of more Parts -of the Organ, I can only perceive the Objed to be greater or more extended. * By the Readion of differently pofited Parts of the Organ, I can (at moft) only perceive a diffe rence of Shape or Figure in the Objed. But fuppofe now, there were prefented to me two Objeds of two different forts of Matter, but exadly equal in Bulk, and fimilar in Figure^ 'Tis certain in Fad; that I do perceive the one of thefe to be vaftly different from the other. And ye,t 'tis demonftrable, that the Readions of the Sen fory, produc'd by both of them, muft be exaBly the fame, with refped both to Pofition and Extent. If therefore there be not a Difference arifing from the other Caufe (w. that of the Strength and Force of the Vibrations) fuch as is capable of anfwering that Apprehenfion I have of thefe two Objeds, as fpecifically different from one another ; then 'tis demonftrable, that this Hypothefis of Senfation is falfe. Now there can be no Difference arifing from that ether Caufe, capable of doing this : and that for this evident Reafon, viz.. Becaufe the Ad of Senfation being (in this Hypothefis) the Phan tafma, or Readion of the Senfory ; a more violent ReaBion, can be no more than a more brisk and vi gorous Perception : It can but make me perceive the fame Objed more ftrongly and forcibly ; but it can never poffibly make me perceive, that This Objed is really different from That.; or, that This is not Thaty but fomething of quite another Nature and Kind. And therefore fince 'tis Fad, that I do perceive this Difference, and th3t in f k very AB of Senfa tion APPENDIX. 44^ tion it felf, while the Objed ftrikes the Senfory, and by that means produces my Perception of it ; it's plain, that this Hobbian Hypothefis is infi nitely falfe and wrong, fh E. D. Schol. i . It is not by any concomitant AB of Ra tiocination, that we come to be appriz'd of the Differences of the common Objeds of Senfe ; but we find them to be different in and by the pure AB of Senfation it felf. ' We have in and by this very Ad, fuch a Repre fentation of things made to us, that we appre hend this is not that, nor one the other. 'Tis true, that by Reafon and RefleBion, we come to a more compleat and particular Knowledg of the Agreements and Differences of Things ; but we have not our firft Apprehenfions of thofe Agreements and Differences, from thence. 'Tis not by Reafon, that I know this Cube is Stone, and that Wood, and the other Lead ; but 'tis by Senfa tion, or Perception ; whatever it be, that I call fo : Let that be what it will, I find,) that I am there by appriz'd of the Differences of things ; and am confcious alfo, that this AB is not of the fame nature with that which I call by the name of Rea foning, Arguing, or CoIleBing one thing from ano ther. So that there is no poffible Salvo to be made for this Hypothefis, by pretending that 'tis Reafon, and not pure Senfation, that ought to give us an account of that Difference of Objeds we are fpeaking of. And my Defign in adding this Scholium, was partly to fhew, that there is plain Matter of FaB in Human Nature, to confront thofe, that fhould pretend to evade the Force of the Argument t!;is way. Schol. ft* APPENDIX. Schol. 2. Our Perception Of Colours will ferve admirably well to illuftrate this Argument. That the Rays of Light are originally tindur'd, or (as we call it) colour'd, Red^ Telhw, Green, ancL Blue ; and that Bodies appear of fuch and fuch Colours to us, accordingly as they do more co- pioufly reverberate this or ' that particular fort of Colour'd Light to our Eyes ; is now a Point that no body calls in queftion, fince the noble Difco- veries of the besl- Philofopher of the Age, rela ting to this matter, have been made publick. But whatfoever intrinfick and effential Difference there be in the Beams of Light ; and how various ly foever they affcB and ftrike the Organ of Vi fion; yet there can be no poffible account of our Perception of their different Colourednefs, from the Mechanifm of Readion (nor indeed from anj other Mechanifm whatforver.> For were the Farts of differently colour'd Lights,1 of ever fo dif ferent Magnitudes or Figures, or refleded front Bodies upon the Organ with ever fo different a Force; yet all that could he Mechanically effeded from hence, would be, that the vibratory Re- adions of the Senfory, would be quicker or flower^ ftronger or feebler, perform'd by fewer or mere FibrilU in conjundion ; or fomething reducible to the one or the other of thefe. And the utmoft Refult of all this, with refped to the matter of Senfation, cou'd be only thus much; that we Jhou'd perceive one Light more brisk and vivid, or more co pious and extenfive, than another : But we could ne ver poffibly perceive Blue andTellow, or any other_ diftindion of (what we call) TinBure and Colour ; either in the Rays of Light themfelves, or the Bodies that refled them to us. For this DifiinBion ef Tinfture, is what in the nature of things fuits -¦_. no APPENDIX. 449 ho more with fwift and flow, or great and left than it does with Space or Time^ or 'with Length* Breadth, and Thicknefs. And therefore I fay» that our Perception in this Cafe, is a Phenomenon* that's infinitely foreign, and remote from all Re aBion or Modification of a corporeal Organ. A Per ception we have ; but what 'tis* and of whati and hbw produc'd, We know not : only this we know, that we find a difference as to fomething. And this is but one Inftance of many, relating to plain Matter of Fad in Nature, which. I codjjd pro duce (if 'twere worth while) to demonftrate how impoffible and abfurd this Hypothefis of Senfation is. But there's enough faid of a Blunder:, and all that I have to excufe my faying fo muoh. npon it, is, that I think 'tis one of the moft celebra ted ones that has appear'd upon this Subjed; arid that I hope fomething or other that has heen hinted here, may lay a ^Foundation for^a Confu tation of ©filer Attempts, towards a, Mechanical Solution of this fort of Problems. ", L fhall only obferve further upon this head ; Viz.. That if SENSATION it felf cannot be.the mere Phantafma, or effed; of the Re-adion of the Senfory, that is, its Motion ad extra ; then neither can JMEMORY be the mere Refult of an apt Dif pofition of Organs^ to preferve or retain the Motion' ^imprefH by external ObjcBs ; but muft neceffarily be a Power, far tranfceisding all the Adions, Efforts, or Affedions of Matter, either to caufe, Or account for it. Upon what fcore foever, it , is impoffihie that, we fhould PERCEIVE mecha nically; upon the fame (at leaft) it is impoffi ble, that we fhould REMEMBER, by virtue of the fame Principles. Gg PROP. 450 APPENDIX. P R O P. IV. ' • ' . ') ' IF Matter be capable of Thought and Volition, then innumerable Properties and AffeBions relating to the Motion and ABion of Bodies, which now pafs for Demo'dftrated Truths, may poffibly be, all of them, precarioiis 'arid falfe. •We demonftrate in Mechanicks, that fuch and 'fuch Pbr'tibfis of Matter, with fuch Forces, or at facte D ift one es from a fixed Point, ought exadly to ballance one another, and remain in Equilibria And in Hfdr'oftatkks, that Liquids ought to ftand at fuch determinate Heights in Tubes; or that Solid Bodies immers'd in them, ought to keep precifely fuch or fuch Places and Pofitiofls. It^has :;been demonftrated likewife (with no lefs -Evidence than' either of the former) that the larger Sy ft enis of Matter in the Vniverfe, oh- ferve exad Order and Method in their Revolu tions ;•" arid1 that, as froW Certain Laws and Prin ciples, they ought ¦ to defbribe Curve-lines vf fuch and fuch Figures and Dimenfions, and 'be liable tfi fuch and fuch particular Irregularities ; fo they do in Fad always continue to describe the" fame Lines, and prefent us with the fame Set of Phenomena. Now if Matter ¦ be a Subftance that can Think and Will, then all thefe things which pafs as the Subjeds of common Obfervation, and certain Demonftration too, may notwithftanding be al together doubtful and uncertain, nay abfolutely falfe and wrong. For the Intelligent and Defign- ing Parts of Matter may fhift their Pofitions, or put themfelves out of thofe Diredions, which by the receiv'd Laws of Motion they ought to keep in. They may make arbitrary Efforts a- gainft APPENDIX. 45t gainft the Preffures and Endeavours of neighbour ing Particles; and by, thofe inteftine Colluda- tions with each other, prevent or alter the Effeds that ought to arife, They may difpofe them felves to Stops and Paufes, or to irregular Acce lerations and Retardations of their Motions, going on with degrees of Velocity, infinitely difprqportionalto the Forces imprefs'd. So that the World may be no- torioufly out in all that relates to the Ponderation, the Collifion, and Refilition of Bodies, the Impref fion and Communication of Motion, the Tracks or Semita which Bodies defcribe, and the Forces they move with therein ; if Matter be endow'd with Counfel and Defign. And the plain truth on't is, he that fees how oddly the Parts of Matter do in fome certain Cafes difpofe of themfelves, how they joftle and fqueeze one another, and force themfelves into the way of the rude ft Strokes and heavieft Preffures ; would be tempted to think their Vnderfianding but little, and their Prudence lefs. If any one fhould argue here, that Matter may be a thinking Subftance, and yet all the demon ftrated Laws of the Motion and Adion of Bodies on one another, may notwithftanding be infalli bly and univerfally true; namely, becaufe God Almighty has appointed and brdain'd, that they fhould always take place,, and has fet the great Machine of the World together in fuch a man- ner, that they muft neceffarily do fo : / anfwer in one word, The plain meaning of that is this; viz.. That God has made Matter a Thinking Subftance, and yet difpos'd things fo, that all the neceffary EffeBs of Thought and Counfel, Jhould be for ever impoffible. He has made it capable of •willing and contriving '•> but to no other purpofe, nor no other end, than barely to be able to will and con- G g 2, trive, 451 APPENDIX. trive, in Jt fiuggijh inaBjve State, under invincible Confinements and Refiraints. Let thofe that think to folve the Argument this way, therefore, con fider hoy they will reconcile this, to Ithat infinite Wifd'oni and Prudence, of which they have fuch plentiful Demonftrafibns in the whole Frame of Nature ;_ where, after all their exadeft and moft curious, Enquiries, they'll not be able to find the leaft Appearance Of any fuch imprudent Step* as making one thing to thwart and crofs another ; or giving Towers to any ;. Being, that fhould be aBu-