^■7/ nrfv \J-Bl, ^^^ff^^,£ri^y^'^-^^*^ y ~~~^-t7^^--^- / "i Division &^'^-— 1^1 Section Nr W JTRSET COLLilGE JuiiiliART DISSERTATIONS .On Subjects relating to The Genius and the Evidences o f CHRISTIANITY. By ALEXANDER GERARD, D. D. Profeflfor of Divinity in the Marisch/vl College of Aberdeen. EDINBURGH: Priqted for A. Millar in the Strand, London; and A. K I N c A I D and J. Bell, Edinburgh. M,PCG, LXVL { i To the Right Honourable JOHN Earl of GLASGOW; His Majesty's HIGH COMMISSIONER TO THE General Assembly of the Church OF Scotland. My Lord, Sermon on the fubjedl of the firft of the following Diflefta- tlons, was preached before yourLord- fhip, at the Opening of the laft Ge- neral Aflembly of the Church of Scotland. In the compafs of a Ser- 771017, the Argument could not be ful- ly treated: but your Candour led a 2 ^ you ^'^r"'^^' -M^. iQRAWN iv D E D I C A T I O N. you to approve ; and, in a very ob- liging manner, you defired the Pu- blication of it. With that freedom which your affabihty had invited me to ufe in all my intercourfe with vou, I declined publifliing the Ser- mon, and exprefTcd my incUnation rather to offer to the Public a laro-er Diflertation on The Manner in which Chrifl: and his Apoflles propofed the evidences of their Miffion ; and to fubjoin to it another Differtation oq a related fubjccl. You was pleafed both to accept my Apology, and to allowmpthe honour of prefixing your name to the whole wprk. Yqur Lordiljp's great Talents and amiable Virtues afford matter for praife remote from the fufpicion pf adulation. But the jufl praife qf them DEDICATION. v them would be ofFeiifive to that Greatnefs of Soul, which has always defpifed an oftentatious dlfplay of them, and to that Modefty which has added grace to them, by endea- vouring* to conceal them. Your De- licacy would not bear fo much as an acknowledgment of your Favours to me, in terms iuitable to the fenfe which I have of them; for you ne- ver would allow me, even in private^ to mention them as obligations. But if the DifTertations which I now prefent to your Lordililp, fliall in fome meafure anfwer the purpofc for which they are fincerely intend- ed ; if they fliall point out any Evi- dence for Chriftianity, which has not been hitherto fuiEclently regarded -, if they fhall excite the attention, and convince vi DEDICATION. convince the judgment of any who may have acquired an habit of inatten- tion to the more common proofs of the divinity of this Religion ) or if they Ihall add any vigour and activity to the Faith of thofe who are already Chriftians: This will be truly agree- able to your Lordfliip ; and by this you will obtain the end to which your indulgence to the Author, led you to hope that this publication might contribute. With the hi^heft Re- fpedl and Efteem, I am. 'iD' My Lord, Your Lordjhip's much obliged^ mojt humble, and moji obedient Servant , May X. ,766. ^^^^^ GeRARD. [ ^ii ] CONTENTS. Page Introduction, ix DISSERTATION 1. The Evidences of Christianity propofed at firfl in the properefl manner. Sea. I. l^be Defig?i, - - - j 11. The manner in luhich the Evidences of Chrifiianity luere originally propofedj - - « j^ IIL The propriety of the manner in • which the Evidences of Chrijli- unity vjcre originally propojedy 34 IV. The manner in -which the Eviden- ces of Chrifiianity were propo- fed by Chrift and his apojiles, in confequence ofohjeBions raifed againjl them, - « 3*r viii CONTENTS, Se&. Page V. The advantages of their having tifed this manner in confequence of oppofitiony - - 229 VI. The -perfedion of the ?nanner in ivhich the Evidences of Chrijii- anit'j were propofedf - 281 DISSERTATION II. Christianity confirmed by the op- poiition of Infidels. Sea. I. The SuhjeB propofedy. - 305 II. The advantages which Chrijiianity has derived from the oppofition of earl) Infidels y - - 309 HI. The advantages which Chrijlianity has derived from oppofition in general, - - - 34^ IV. The advantages which Chrifli unity has derived from oppofition, af- ford a feparate argument for its truth, - - - 429 INTRO- L ''^ ] INTRODUCTION. ^ I '^ H E Evidences of the Chrifllaa 4 religion, may very properly be diftinguiflied into two kinds, the dire^ and the coUateraL It is on the former of thefe that Chriflian writers have be- flowed the greateft part of their atten- tion. They are commonly reduced to two heads, mental and external eviden- ces. Both have been fully illuftrated, and frequently urged. The external evidences of Chriflianity arc, Miracles, and Prophecy: thefe are the dirc^left proofs of its divinity. Its internal evi- dence, however, has likewife confidc- rable force ; much greater force, it might eafily be fliown, than fome Chri^ flian writers have allowed it. This e- videncc % INTRODUCTION^ vidence arifes from its excellence. But when its excellence is urged as a direSl proof of its truth and divinity, it will be proper to conlider that excellence in reference to the main and principal end of Chriftianity. The want of at- tention to this, has often led Chriftians into grofs perverlions of the do6lrines of their religion ; and has given occa- lion to many of the objedlions of Infi- dels again {I it, which would be fhown at once to be frivolous and imperti- nent, by only afcertaining the ki;id of excellence which it is reafonable to de- mand in Chriftianity. We talk at ran- dom concerning the excellence or the defeats of any fyftem, till we have firft difcovered the precife end and defign of that fyftem: excellence always con- ilfts in the fitnefs of a thing for anfwer- ing fome determinate end of real im- portance. It is fufticient for rendering any inftitution excellent in its kind-s that INTRODUCTION. %i that it be adapted to the end which iti in fa(fl propoles, tho' there may be ma- ny other ends, very valuable in them- felves, which it has no tendency to promote. The end which Chriflianity profefTedly aims at, is the fpiritnal im- provement of mankind, theprefent vir- tue and comfort, and the future per- fecflion and happinefs, of all who yield themfelves up to its power. It keeps this end continually in view ; it repre- fents all its docirines and all its pre- cepts as means of promoting this end ; it is careful to fet them in that attitude in v»'hich they may mod directly and powerfully contribute to it. Chriilians have not always confidered the gofpel in this light ; they have not fearched it with a defign only to find food by which their fouls maybe nouriflied unto eternal life ; but they have fought for what may gratify their curlolity, give an occafion for dlfplaying their inge- nuity xii INTRODUCTION. nuity, or countenance refinements in- to which they had previoufly ran: and, whiJe they were intent on drawing from the gofpel imaginary benefirs which it was never defigned to afford^ they have too often loft fight of tiie real and important advantages of whicli it is naturally produclive. A mifap- prehenfion of the proper and ultimate end of Chriftianity, and a defire, con- fcquent on that mifapprehenfion, of applying it to purpofes remote from its intention, is the fource to which we may trace up moft of the fubtle and in- tricate difcLifiionsim poled on the world, in all ages, as the doclrines of Chrift, and moft of the frivolous and abftrufe controverfies, which have been agita- ted as queftions very eflential to reli- gion. When Clu'iftians have thus o- verlooked the defign of that religion which they profefs to believe, it is no %vonder that Infidels have miftaken It too» INTRODUCTION. xiii too. Their mlftake concerning it, is the only foundation of many of their objections, When they hear it affert- ed, that Chriflianity is excellent, they iiippofe that it ought to contribute fomething to every end that is vahia- bie in any CenCt, however foreign to its profclTed deiign : and if they can think of any purpofe which they are pleafed to reckon defirable, but to which Chri- flianity contributes not, they take it for granted, that this is contrary to ex- cellence, that it is a defed:, and an ob- je(^ion againft a divine original. But as the profefied end of Chriflianity is indifputably nioft important, and what ought to be the ultimate end of all re- ligion, fo it is folely by examining its fitnefs for promoting this end, that we ought to determine, whether it is excellent or not. If it contains pov/erful means of virtue, if it af- fords folid grounds of joy, fuited. to %iv INTRODUCTION, to the condition of human creatures, it is excellent; it not only is fuch a re- ligion as may have been revealed by God, and ought to be received on a pofitive proof that it was revealed by him ; but its very ftruclurc indicates that it aclually is divine, in a manner fimilar to that in which the benign and wife contrivance of the world, proves it to be the work of God. Ad- mit, that it throws no new light upon any of the fciences, that it corrects not the errors of the vulgar concerning the conflitution of nature, that it gives no decifion in many queftions which fpeculative men have raifed concern- ing religion and inorality, that it af- fords not the means of gratifying idle curiofity with refpect to all the circimir ftances, and motives, and ufes of the very difpenfation which itfelf brings to light, that it is in no degree fubfer- vient to many purpofes very dcfirable to INTRODUCTION. xv to mankind : A thoiifand objc6lions of this fort, are of no weight: they are wholly beflde the purpofe ; they amount only to this, that Chriftianity promotes not ends which it never had in view ? it is fufficient, that it is exadly adapted to its own end : it is from the import- ance of this, and from its fitnefs for promoting it, that the proper excel- lence of Chriftianity arifes. Whatever does not either belong to its excellence confidercd in this light, or fall under the heads of miracles wrought on pur^ pofe to atteft it, or of prophecies ful- filled ; and yet affords a proof, or any real prefumption, of its trutl> and di- vinity, is a collateral evidence for it. The ufe of fuch arguments is, either to ronfe the inattentive and the preju- diced to a careful and impartial exa. mination of the more dlred evidences of the gofpel, or to ftrengthen the con- Tic^ion which thefe evidences have al- ready xvi INTRODUCTION. ready produced. To keep it fleddily ill view, that this is their proper ufe, is neceiTary for profecuting arguments of this kind to the greatefl advantage. It is a common complaint, efpeci- ally concerning fubjefts which have been very frequently treated, that they are exhaufted. If the complaint were juft, it would long ago have been in vain to expecl that any thing new jliould be advanced with regard to the evidences of the Chriftian religion; for it will be difHcult to name a fiibjed: which has been oftener canvafTcd. But the complaint is generally no more than an excufe for want of genius. It may perhaps be affirmed with truth, that no fubje^l is fo trite, as not to af- ford real genius matter for new difco- veries. There never yet arofe a defen- der of Chridianity, pofTefTed of geniuSj who did not throw additional light up- on INTRODUCTION, xvii on its evidences. Some of the latefl writers have confirmed even its direcl and principal evidences, by arguments which were not formerly urged, and have fet their force in the cleareil light, by happy illuftrations w^hich had not occurred to their predecefTors. The collateral evidences of the gofpel, open a field much more untrodden ; and fe- verai late writers have (hown, that it gives ample fcope for the exercife of invention: they have difcovered many prefumptions of the truth of our reli- gion, which had wholly efcaped the obiervation of preceeding writers ; and they have profecuted others with great accuracy, which before had been but occafionally hinted, and evinced that they have much greater force than they could have been exped;ed to have. I may add, that authors of penetration, have fuggefted topics which may be improved into conclufive and llriking b arguments xviii INTRODUCTION. ar"-unients for the truth of Chriftianity, even when they have been examinuig fubjeds, and purfuhig deiigns, very different and feemhigly unconnecSted : The Jprit of Laws, is a treatife which af- fords many inftances of this. All the collateral evidences of the truth of Chri- ftianity are in one fenfe internal evi- dences : they all arife from fome par- ticulars in the nature of this religion, from fome circumftances which have attended its reception, or fprung from it or from fome remarkable fafts con- nected with it, and related in the go- fpel hiftory. But even thofe of them, which have been already profecuted, are far from being all of precifely the fame fpecies. — Some of them are in the ftrifleft fenfe internal. That excellence of Chriftianity, which conftitutes its in- ternal evidence, may be fufficiently af- certained by an examination of the doctrines and precepts of this religion ; an INTRODUCTION, xix an examination of its nature is indeed the dired: and proper method of bring- ing its excellence to the trial; and if, on this trial, it be approved, the direct argument thence refulting for its divi- nity, is completed. If there be any topic from which a proof of its excel- lence can be deduced, additional to, and independent on, wliat arifes from the examination of its nature, that to- pic may juftly be coniidered as aiford- ing a feparate and collateral proof of its truth. Of this kind is an argument which was very early urged in favour of the gofpel; the argument deduced from its great efficacy, at its firft ap- pearance, in banilhing polytheifm, ido- latry, fuperftition, and the arts of ma- gic, and in reforming the tempers and manners of thofe who embraced it. This eflicacy gives us new afRirance of the excellence of Chrillianity, by fliow- ingus correfpondenteffecls a^lually rc- b 2 fulting XX I N T Pv O D U C T I O N. fulting from it ; by this it ftrengthens our belief of its divine original: it like- wife begets a general prefumption, that there mu(t have been very fatis- fying evidence of its truth, elfe men never would have made fo great facri- fices to it. — Again, tho' the virtue and the fpiritual good of man, be the only main and ultimate end of Chriftianity, yet it may at the fame time be fit for promoting many other good ends fub- ordinate to this^ or conililent with it. A fitnefs for promoting any fuch end is a new inftance of the excellence of Chriftianity, diftinft indeed from its proper and effential excellence, but which ftrengthens the argument for its divinity, arifing from this, and ftrengthens it by operating fimilarly on the mind ; it begets an additional degree of conviction, by giving an ad- ditional perception of excellence. It has been obferved, for inftance, tho' for INTRODUCTION, xxi for the moil part only incidentally, that the fpidt of Chriftianity naturally foftens the rigour of defpotifm, introdu- ces moderation into government, ba- nidies many inconvenient civil laws once generally prevalent, gives rife to others of a very happy tendency, re- fines the laws of war, humanizes the manners, and improves the cufloms of nations *. All thefe, and others which might be mentioned, are purpofes, di- flincl from the principal and ultimate end of Chriftianity, but conhftent with it, and in fome refpecls fubordinate to it; and the fubferviency of that reli- gion to each of thefe purpofes, is a par- ticular inftance of its excellence, and confequently an additional indication of its truth. When the fubfervience of Chriftianity to any fuch end, is thus profefledly confidered as a fiihordinatc excellence, the inconveniencies are a- voided, which would arile from an in- diftincl * L'efprit des loix. Liv. 2,4. chap. 3, 4,6, 19. xxii INTRODUCTION. difliiift conception of its ultimate end, and proper excellence. We fhall not naturally be led into a diftorted view of its- do(ftrines, by having in our eye what we regard only as a fubordinate end of it. Infidels have no right to de- mand, that it be proved to their fatis- facflion, that Chriflianity poffefles every fiibordinate excellence which fome think they fee good reafon to afcribe to it : Avhatever objections they can raife a- gainfl fuch inflances of its excellence, are objections, not againft Chrifliani- ty, but againft one particular topic which, to thofe who perceive its force, will ferve as a confirmation of that re- ligion, but which, if itfliould be deem- ed fallacious, cannot reafonably infufe the fmalleft fufpicion of falfehood, fince it leaves all the principal evidences in their full force. — Another clafs of col- lateral arguments for the truth of the Chriftian religion, arifes from particu- lars INTRODUCTION, xxiii lars in its nature, or from effects pro- duced by it, or from facls in the go- fpel hiftory, which cannot be at all accounted for, but on the fuppolition of a divine original, or which are, at lead, mod naturally explicable on that fuppofition. Such arguments produce conviction, in a manner totally difier- ent from thofe already mentioned ; not by fimply exciting a perception of excellence, but by making us feel, that we muft offer violence to the natural principles of our underftanding, and be involved in abfurdities, if we will deny the divinity of Chriflianity. In numberlefs inftances, both in common life, and in the fciences, our conclu- lions reft on a foundation entirely II- milar to this. Whatever circumftance is unaccountable without fuppoilng the truth of Chrifrianity, affords a real prc- fumption for it, the ftrength of which will depend on the nature of that cir- cumftance. xxiv I N T R O D U C T I ON. cumftaiice, and the degree of its uiiac- couiitablenefs. On this fingle princi- ple, the chara<5ter of Judas Ifcariot has been, not without fuccefs, applied to confirm the truth of the gofpel. But inoll of the arguments reducible to this clafs, are more complicated in their na- ture : the circumftances from which they arife have other qualities, befides their unaccountablenefs, that indicate the truth of the Chriftian religion, and the conviction produced by them is partly owing to the principles of belief on which thefe other qualities naturally operate. Hence arifes a confiderable variety in the prefumptive arguments for Chrillianity ; of which it may be worth while to take fome further no- tice. Some of them, in refpecl of the circumilances from which they arife, and of the manner in which they af- fe6l the underftanding, are allied chief- ly to the internal evidences of Chrilli- anity; INTRODUCTION, xxv anity ; others to the external. — ^The circuniilances from which Tome pre- futiiptive arguments for our religion arife, are fuch in their nature, as, while they are inexplicable, without fuppo- fing its divinity, excite at the fame time a perception of excellence. Thus, the character of Jefus is railed far above a mere human character; and yet it is u- niformly fupported: it is a charadler perfectly extraordinary and lingular ; and therefore, if it had not been real, the Evangeiifls cannot be fuppofed ca- pable of delineating it *. In our Sa- viour's laft difcourfes to his difciples, and his prayer for them, recorded in the gofpelf, the mixture of dignity and tendernefs which he difplays; the plain account which he gives of the dangers and difficulties to be expelled by his followers, and the nature of the fup- ports * Diichal's prefumptive iigiinients for the truth of the Chriflian religion, Serin . I. t John xiv. XV, xvi. xvil. xxvi INTRODUCTION. ports and confolatioiis which he pro- miics them; afford ftriking prefump- tions, that, if Jefus Ipake them, he could be no impoflor ; and that, if he had not really fpoken them, the Evan- gelift never could have feigned them, or afcribed them to him *. The cha- raclers of fome of theapofllesofChriftt; the controverlies among Chriilians in the apoftolic age ± ; the practice or Chrill and liis apoflles, in uniformly referring their claim to the impartial inquiries of men, and renouncing eve- ry other method of recommending it || ; have been (liown to contain ilrong pre- fumptions of the truth of Chriflianity. Thefe all belong to the clafs of argu- ments now under confideration. They affeci two different principles of belief at once : they lead us to conclude that Chriflianity is divine, by fliowing us that, if it is not, certain particulars in it * Djchal, Serm. iv. f i^erm. viii- t Serm- ix. 1! Scim. X. INTRODUCTION. xxvJi it muit be unaccountable : and they ex- hibit an inflance of excellence, which clirpofes us to infer the truth of the re- ligion polTeiTecl of it : tliefe qualities make feparate imprellions on the un- derftanding; the convi^lion produced, is the joint efie^l of both, and is flrong- er than wliat would have been produ- ced by either of them alone. In ar~ guments of this fort, thefe qualities are combined in very different pro- portions ; fometimes one, fometimes the other is predominant; and fome- times it is difficult to determine, to which of them the convi<£lion is prin- cipally owing. — Other arguments have an affinity to the external evidences of Chriitianity ; they add credibility to them, they predifpofe the mind to ad- mit them, or they heighten its acqui- efcence in their fufficiency; and they produce thefe effects in different de- grees, and in different ways. — Some of the xxviii INTRODUCTION. the circumllances and fa(5ls relating to Chriflianity, which are unaccountable without fuppofing it divine, and there- fore afford prefumptions for it, contain a mixture of fomething miraculous, which by being fuch, implies the divi- nity of this religion, and Avhich carries along with it fatisfying evidence of its own reaUty. Thus, it has been fliown by a late writer *, that the claims of John the Baptifl; and of Jefus mutually fnpport each other, and that both the circumftances attending, the births of thefe perfons, many of which v/ere mi- raculous, and their whole conduct to- wards one another in their public life, afford a full proof that Jefus was the Mefliah, and John his forerunner. The argument concludes chiefly by fliow- ing thofe circumftances and that con- duct to be inexplicable except on the fuppofition of the divine million of thefe * Bell's inquiry into the divine miffions of John the Saptift and Jefus Chrift. INTRODUCTION, xxlx thefe perfons: but this is not the whole of its force ; there is in it a mixture of miracle, which makes a feparate im- preflion on the mind, fimilar to what is made by the miracles wrought by Chrifl : we may add, that this argument does, in feveral ways, indiredlly contri- bute both to the credibility of the Chri- ftian miracles, and to the illuftration of ancient predidlions. The fame ob- fervations are applicable to the mira- culous converiion, and the fubfequent condud of the apoftle Paul ; the force of which for proving the truth of Chri- Itianity, has been difplayed with great llrength of reafoning, by two very in- genious modern authors*. — There are arguments which corroborate the truth of Chriftianity, by adding weight to its external evidences, in a manner ftiU more direft. They arife from circum- ftanccs » Obicrvations on the converfion an.i apoftlefiiip of Sr. Paul, in a letter to Gilbert Wed, Efq; Duchal, Serm. v. vi. XXX INTRODUCTION. fiances not abfolutely neceflary for ren- dering thefe evidences complete, and therefore they may be jufliy coniider- ed as fcparate and independent e\d- denccs, of the collateral kind. If the ancient prophets had predicted the time of the appearance of the Melfiah, the place of his birth, and many cir- cumftances of his life and death, and thefe had all belonged to Jefus, this would have been fufhcient to prove him the perfon intended by them, tho* there had been nothing uncommon in any of thefe circumdances confidered by themielves ; for it is not to be ex- pected that a great number even of the moil: ordinary circumitances, com- bined at random by a pretender to pro- phecy, (hoidd ever meet in any one per- fon. But \\ hen we confider that many of the particulars predicted concerning the Meliiah, and accompliliied in Jeilis, are pcrfccfily extraordinary in their own nature INTRODUCTION. xxxi nature, and feemlngly incompatible with one another, this affords evidence of the truth of our religion, additional to what arifes merely from the accom- plifhment of an^ prophecy. A limilar confirmation of Chriilianity has been deduced from fome circumftances in the charafter of the Man of fin, fore- told by Paul, fo fingular, that mere imagination fcarce could have fuggefl- ed them, and that, if it had, they never could have taken place*. Thefe in- flanccs have an immediate relation to the proof of Chriftianity from prophe- cy ; others are related to the proof from miracles. Such are the argument from the quick and extenfive propagation of the gofpel, which has been often urged ; and which corroborates the evidence from miracles, in the Very fame way as the efficacy of the gofpel corroborates its Internal evidence; and the ar^u- ment * Ducbal, Sermon vii. xxxii INTRODUCTION. ment from the concelTions of ancient Infidels, which has been propofed oftener than once, and is briefly ftated in one of the following DiiTertations *. The argument for Chriilianity, from the continuance, and the prefent ftate, of the nation of the Jews t, is almoft equal- ly related to the proof from miracles, and to that from prophecy. — The claf- fes of arguments, which have been mentioned, are plainly diftincl; their force arifes from different principles. Some collateral arguments for Chriili- anity, are however of a mixt or compli- cated nature; they 'belong not wholly to one clais, but operate by feveral principles at once. As all the grada- tions of nature are delicate and almoft imperceptible, there may be arguments which we can, with almofl equal pro- priety, * DilTert. ii. Seel. i. f Lardner's Difcourfes on, The CI rcum fiances of the Jewifh People, an Argument for the Truth of the Chrillian Religion. I N T R O D U-C T I O N. xxxiii priety, reduce to one clais or another. — But there are arguments alfo which have an equal relation to the internal and the external evidences of Chrifli- anity, and add weight equally to both. The arguments purfued in both the fol- lowing Difl'ertations, are of this kind. But they corroborate thofe evidences in differei^t ways. The manner in which Chrift and his apoilles propofed the evidences of their miffion, adds force to the matter of all thefe eviden- ces, juft as ^ proper way of propoflng any proof increafes its effect: attention to this manner brings into our view an excellence in Chriftianity, which naturally difpofes us to the reception of it : it moreover prefents a circum- flance which would be unaccountable, if Chriftianity were an impofture. There are perhaps other collateral ar- guments which corroborate all the di- red proofs of the gofpel, in a' fimilar c manner. xxxiv INTRODUCTION. manner, by contributing indiredly to make them inllnuate aflronger convic- tion into the mind. The argument of the fecond DiiTertation corroborates all the evidences of our religion, in a much more dire(^ manner : They have been fcrutinized by Infidels; they have withftood aU the oppofition of argu- ment ; they have gained by it ; hence is deduced a pofitive proof that thefe evidences are folid, additional to that convi(ftion of their force, which arifes from mere attention to them ; the faith produced by their natural flrength, is deepened by a reflex ad: of the mind approving that faith, and pronouncing it juft and rational. — Thefe reflections, on the varieties of which prefumptive or collateral arguments for Chriftianity iare lulceptible, and on the principles from which they derive their force, will contribute to our forming a juft judg- ment of particular arguments, in the fame INTRODUCTION. xxxv fame way as a logical theory of evi- dence contributes to our diftinguifhing Iblid rcafoning from fophiftry, or as critical obfervations tend to guide and improve the tafle. The direcl evidences of the Chriftian Religion are, no doubt, the mofl im- portant : but no real evidence for it ought to be negle^led. Every new probability, when it is fet in a proper light, and viewed in connexion with the other proofs, adds brightnefs to the evidence upon the whole. Nothing can contribute more than a multitude of evidences, arifing from various and difhmilar views of Chriftianity, to fettle us in that full affurance of faith, which will operate mofl certainly on the heart, and to prevent our being thrown into doubts, by every minute objed:ion which we cannot immediately anfwer to our entire fatisfa(^ion. Befides, the direcfl and principal evidences of Chri- ftianity, xxxvi INTRODUCTION. ftianity, liave been long the fubjecl' of Gontroverfy between Infidels and Chri- flians; arguments have been multiplied and repeated on both iides: fome have learned to take it for granted, without examination, that thefe evidences arc weak, or at leaft dilputable ; and there- fore they never think of attending to them. If fuch can at all be roufed to an impartial inquiry into the truth of Chriftianity, it v^ill mod probably be, by their being led to perceive, that it has other evidences than they imagi- ned, evidences additional to all thofe which Infidels have fo ftrenuoufly la- boured to confute. When fuch evi- dences are fuggefted, novelty may in- duce fome to attend to them ; if they find that they afford confiderable pre- fumptions of the truth of the gofpel, they will naturally begin to fufpeft, that its direct evidences may poflibly have greater ftrength, than they have been INTRODUCTION, xxxvii been dlfpofed to allow them; in confe- quence of this fiifpicion, they may be brought to give them a fair examina- tion, and to yield to their force. This eifed:, I am perfaaded, has been in a very confiderable degree produced by fome of the works, which have furnifli- ed me with examples of the principles juft now laid down. Thefe works ferve both to encourage others to limilar at- tempts, and to point out the manner in which fach attempts ought to be con- ducfted. For fuch attempts, the Author of the following DilFertations, had fome advantages from his fltuation. The du- ty of his profeffion led him to employ all that attention on the evidences of Chriftianity, which was neceflary for giving the jullell reprefentation of them that he could, in the courfe of his Theological Ledlures. In confequence of this attention, feveral circumllances occurred, which appeared to him of con- fiderable xxxviii INTRODUCTION. UderableimportLincein eilabllfliing and confirming the truth of Chridian'ity, but wliich had been hitherto overlook^ ed, or at mod but flightly touched up- on ; Ibme which might throw new light on the principal evidences and the ge- neral defence of it; fome which afford- ed feparate arguments for its truth ; and fome which ferved to illuflrate its true genius and fpirit. Of thefe, how- ever, the fiibje£ls alone which are con- fidered in this volume, have hitherto been reduced into fuch form, as that they could be offered to the public : and between them there is a natural connexion. In the firft DilTertation, the argument is drawn from the man- ner in which the evidences of the go- fpel were propofed at firft: in the fe- cond, from the manner in which they have iince been both oppofed and vin- dicated. The former is a proper in- troduction to the latter ; for the ways in INTRODUCTION, xxxix ill which new light could be thrown upon the evidences of the gofpei, ne- ceiTarily depend, in fome mealure, on the manner in which thefe evidences were propoied at firlt; and as their being propoied at firii in ilich a man- ner as to remain capable of further confirmation by any means, might be fufpe^led by Ibme to imply, that they were left in^perfe^l by the divine Au- thor, and the infpired publifliers of the Chriftian Faith, it is after a full proof of the propriety of the manner in which they exhibited the evidences of their miifion, that the light and confirma- tion afterwards derived from oppofl- tion, can be pointed out with greatefl advantage: the latter is a proper fe- quel to the former, and arifes natural- ly out of it ; after having obferved how Chriil and his apoftles propofed the e- vidences of their miifion, and how they defended it, when it was called in que- ftion. xl INTRODUCTION. flion, and after having perceived the advantages accruing to Chriftianity from the whole of their manner, it is natural to examine how Chriftianity has been defended fince, and what conclufions can be deduced from the effed: which oppofition has had upon it. At the fame time, each DifTertation con- tains an entire and feparate argument for the truth of Chriftianity. A few of the objeclions alfo, which Infidels have propofed, are examined, as they came incidentally in the way; and they are examined with this advan- tage, that the principles, from which the folutions flow, are previoufly efta- blifhed, and particularly illuftrated ; an advantage which can fcarce be ob- tained, at leaft in fo great a degree, in any treatife written with a profeflecl intention to anfvver a number of diife- vent objections. D I S S E R- [ xli ] ^4,^4,4,^^^^^^^^4.^^4»^^»4.4»4»4.^^.4.4.4.^4»^4.^4.^^^^4»^.4.^.^ta3- *][J.oi(; 7rpo4><|>4.^^4..{r^>{><{»4>A^4>4>^4r4>^^4»4..{,^^^ DISSERTATION L The Evidences of Christi- anity propofed at iirft in the propereft manner. ^ SECTION L The Defign. THere is fcarce any criterion of Truth, lefs ambiguous than this. That it gains evidence by being placed in a variety of lights. There is gene- rally one fituation in which error ad- mits a fpecious difguife ; and, by be- ing artfully fhown only in that fitua- tion, it often impofes on the under- flanding: but fet it in another point of view, it is immediately detefted, A and 2 DISSERTATION I. and men wonder how they came to be deceived. There have been hupof- tures in reUgion, which, if you coniider them only on one fide, feem capable of a very planlible defence ; but none of them can bear to be accu- rately infpefted on all fides. The Chriitian religion proves itfelf to be no impoilure, by its fliining forth with new evidence in every light in which it can be placed : there is fcarce any circumflance attending it, which is not found on trial to give teftimony to its truth. The nature of the principal eviden- ces of Chriftianity, has been often ex- plained ; their flrength has been fully illuftrated and vindicated : The man- ner in which they were propofed by Chrift and his apoftles has not been fo carefully attended to. Infidels have infinuated, that this manner is in fome refpecls exceptionable : it is however truly S E C T I O N I. 3 truly flich as adds weight to the evi- dences themfelves. It contains feve- ral feparate prellimptions of the truth of Chriftianity ; and therefore merits a particular examination. Both Chrift and his apoftles pro- pofed the evidences of their miilion, in two very diti'erent fituations : they propofed them to thofe who had not yet exprefled prejudice againfl the gof^ pel, or againfl the proofs of its divinity which were offered: and they propo- fed them to thole who were already engaged in oppofition, and had actu- ally moved objecPdons. In thefe oppo- lite fituations, they propofed them in different manners, which it will be neceffary to examine feparately. Each was proper in the circumflances in which it was ufed. Each has pecu- liar advantages, by means of which it affords collateral evidence of the truth of the gofpel. Wlien we con- A 2 Ude'r 4 DISSERTATION I. fider both together, we fhall perceive, that the evidence of our religion was propofed in a manner which is ab- folutely complete, and which bears the ftrongeft marks of a divine ori- ginal. SEC- [ 5 ] SECTION II. The manner in which the Evidences ofChriJli- anity -were originally propofed, WE fliall begin with examining the manner in which Chrifh and his apoftles propofed the eviden- ces of the gofpel to thofe who had not yet oppofed it, or exprefTed preju- dice againfl it. This we may call their original manner. The New Tefta- ment affords us the means of afcer- taining it with precifion. In addref- fing thofe who did not raife objec- tions againft the gofpel, it was their uniform method, to fatisfy themfelves with barely exhibiting its evidences. They laboured not to prove by ar- gumentation, that thefe evidences were futlicient ; they were not at pains 6 DISSERTATION I. pains either to prevent or to remove every objecftion which might be flart- ed ; they explained not minutely the particular manner in which each evi- dence fupports their million. The excellence of Chriftianity, is alone a confiderable evidence of its divinity. Our Saviour exhibited this evidence in its full flrength ; but he never urged it, except Avhen he was led to lU'ge it, by oppofition. He delivered doctrines which were really excellent, and bore clear marks of truth and divinity : but he did not ftudioufly point out their feveral per- feftions ; he did not multiply afTer- tions, either that they were excellent, or that their excellence proved their divinity. He left his hearers to feel the excellence of his religion, and from their feeling of its energy, to conclude for themfelves, that it was of S E C T I O N IL 7 of heavenly original. It was not by means of his encomiums, but by means of their own perceptions, that great numbers difcovered the features of di- vinity in his difcourfes. He exhibited the proof of his mif- fion arifing from miracles, with equal fimplicity. He made no commenta- ry on the very firft miracle, which he wrought in Cana ; he left it to mani- fejl forth his glorj * merely by its na- tural force. When he entered more profelTedly upon his miniftry in Ga- lilee, his manner was entirely fimilar : he taught in their fjiiagogties, and preached the gofpel of the kingdom^ and caji out de- vihy and healed all manner of fi chiefs , and all manner of difeafes among the people^. He publiilied his doftrine, he perform- ed miracles fufncient for proving that it was from God : but we are not in- formed that he employed arguments for * John ii. II. \ Mattb. iv. 23. Mark i. 39. 8 DISSEPvTATION I. for evincing that his miracles were proper and conclufive evidences. Through his whole public life, he re- ceived them that foiloiucd him, and [pake unto them of the kingdom of God; and, to induce them to believe him, healed them that had need of healing *. He did miraculous works of the moft various and the moft ftupendous kinds : he fatisfied himfelf with having done them ; he entered into no laboured detail of the circumftances which fliow- ed their reality, into no nice refled:ions on the ftrength of thefe circumftances, into no fubtile explications of the con- nexion between miracles and doctrines : he left his miracles to fpeak for him in their own language, and to fupport both their reality and their force by their own internal characters of truth and divine power. Read the New Teftament, and you will find that this account * Luke ix. II. Maiki)i. 35. S E C T I O N II. 9 account fuits far the greateft part of the imracles which are recorded. He cafl out an unclean fpirit in the fynagogue of Capernaum * ; he caft out a legion of devils, and permitted them to enter into a herd of fwine f ; he loofed the tongues of perfons dumb by reafon of the poiTelTion of evil fpirits t; he caft out a devil from the daughter of a Syro- phenician woman, without going near to the place where flie was || ; he cu- red a lunatic whofe diftemper was in- veterate, obftinate, and extreme ** ; he reftored fight to many blind per- fons tt ; he reftored vigour to a lame jnan, at the pool of Bethefda Jf ; Jie re- moved • Marki. 23, 26. t Matth. viii. 28, — 32. Mark v. i, — 16. Luke viii. 26,-36. If Matth. ix. 32. Markvii. 32, 35. Luke iv. 33, —35- II Matth. XV. 22, — 28. Mark vii. 25, — 30. ** Matth. xvii. 14, — 21. Mark ix. 17, — 27. tt Matth. ix. 27, — 30. chap. xx. 30, — 34. Mark :;. 46,-52. Luke xviii. 35;— 43- I J JqhD V. 1,-9. lo DISSERTATION I. moved the pally from a centurion's fervant, by a word fpoken at a dif- tance * ; a fever left Peter's mother-in- law, on his only touching her hand f ; a woman was cured of an iffue of blood, by touching the hem of his gar- ment If ; at different places and on different occafions, in the feveral pe- riods of his miniftry, multitudes afflid:- ed with almoft all polllble forts of dif- eafes were brought to him, or came in his way, and he cured them all || ; he raifed the widow of Nain's fon, and the daughter of Jairus, from the dead ** ; at one time, he fed above five thoufand, with five loaves and two fifhes ; * Matth. viii. 5, — 13. Luke vii. 1,-9. f Matth. viii. 14, 15. Mark i. 30^ 31. Luke iv. 3S, 39- X Matth. ix. 20,-22. Mark v. 25,-34. Luke viii. 43, 4S. li Matth. xiv. 34, 36- cJ^ap- J^v- 29, 31. chap. xiK. 2. Mark i. 32, 34. 39. chap. vi. 56. Luke iv. 40. *• Luke vii. 11,-15. chap. viii. 41,— 56. Matth. ix. 18,-25. Mark v. 22,-42. John iv, A^,--5\- SECTION 11. II fiflies * ; and at another time, four thou- fand, with feven loaves and a few little fifhes t ; at one time, he rebuked the fea, and turned the ftorm into a calm t» at another, he walked upon the wa- ters when they were toffed with waves, and afterwards compofed the winds || ; once he directed Simon and his com- panions to a draught of fiilies, miracu- lous on account both of their number, and of their being found when they had toiled all night without catching any thing ** ; and again he directed the fame Simon to catch a fingle fijQi, which equally fhowed his miraculous power, becaufe it brought the precife film of the tribute demanded from him. * Matth. xiv. 15, — 21. Mark vi. 34,— 44. Luke ix. li, — 17 John vi. 5, — 14- t Matth. XV. 32, — j8. Mark viii. i, — 9. :j: Matth. viii. 25, — 27. Mark iv, 37, — 41. Luke viii. 23,-25. jl Manh. xiv. 24, — 32. Mark vi. 45)— 51. John vi. 1 8, — 20. ** Luke V. I, II. 12 D IS S E RTATIO N I. him*. In all thefe inftances, and in many others, he wrought miracles without making any reflections on their credibility or on their force. In- deed, miracles can prove nothing till their own reality be eftablifhed. But how is the reality of a miracle eflar bliilied rnoft eiFe^lually ? Doubtlefs by its being wrought in fuch circum- fiances as render luen attentive to it, and force them to perceive it by their own fenfes. Without this, the mod peremptory afTertions that it was wrought, will not fatisfy thofe who muft have feen it if it had been wrought; and if it was attended with fuch circumilances as we have fuppo- fed, alTertions of its reality are fuper- fiuous. It was by the manner of his working them, that our Saviour ren- dered the reality of his miracles obvi- ous and undeniable ; they were in themfelves appeals to the fenfes of men ; * IShtth. xvii. 27. S E C T I O N II. 13 men ; and when he found it necefFa- ry to take any notice of their certain- ty, he generally did no more but put them upon judging by their own fen- fes : when he had cleanfed a leper, by putting forth his handy and touching him, fa^ingy I uuilly he thou clean ; he did not expatiate on the undeniable certainty of the miracle : he needed not : but, that men might of themfelves judge concerning its certainty, he fimply faid, jhovj th'jfelf unto the prieft, and offer the gift that Mofes commanded for a tes- timony unto them *. Miracles are proofs of a doctrine, only when they are performed with a profefTed inten- tion to anfwer this purpofe. It was therefore necefTary for our Saviour to declare, that his miracles were intend- ed to be evidences of his divine mif- fion, in order to eftablifli a connexion between tjiem and his dodrine. But it • Matt. viii. 2,-4. Mark i. 40, 44. Luke v. 12,-14. 14 DISSERTATION I. it was by no means neceffary, that he fliould make this declaration at. the time of working every miracle. As he laid claiin to a divine milfion, and con- ftantly delivered his dod:rines in the name of God, a general declaration of the intention of his miracles, with an appeal to them on fome particular oc- caiions, was fufficient for rendering them vouchers of his million ; and, from the evangelical hiftory, he ap- pears to have done no more. It is not improbable that he appealed to his mi- racles in fome inflances where it is not taken notice of by the evangelifts : but his appeals to them in almoft all the inftances which are recorded, were oc- calioned by oppofition and objeftions ; and this gives us abundant reafon for concluding that he was at leaft very fparing in enlarging even on their ge- neral intention. He infifts, that, Avhen he had wrought his miracles, he had gi- ven S E C T I O N II. 15 ven fufficient evidence of his dodlrine, and done all that was incumbent on him for the conviction of mankind. He reprefents it as enough to render Cho- razin, Bethfaida, and Capernaum in- excufable, that mighty works had been DONE i?t them*. They had feen his miracles : this alone, he tells them, ought to have convinced them of his million. Our Saviour proved himfelf to be a divine teacher, by miracles of know- lege, as well as by miracles of power. He fliewed himfelf to be a prophet : he foretold future events with great exadnefs ; and he gave proof that he was perfectly acquainted with things as remote from a difcovery by mere hu- man fagacity, as futurity itfelf. He told Nathanael, for inilance, his in- ward difpofition and his fecret behavi- our f. He fliowed the Samaritan wo- man * Mattli. xi. 20, 24, Luke x. 13, 15. i John i. 47, 48. i6 DISSERTATION I. man whom he met at Jacob's well, that he knew all the events of her life, though he had never feen her before*. He frequently foretold his own fuffer- ings in the moft circumftantial man- ner t* His predidiions of the calami- ties which were haflening on the Jews, were not lefs frequent, nor lefs pre- cife J. He ftiowed, in like manner, that he had full foreknowlege of what would be the ftate of his difciples and of his religion after his departure from the earth II . But, confcious that thefe inftances of fupernatural knowlege ought to gain credit to all his doc- trines, he was at no pains to difplay their force. I can recollect but two occafions on which we are informed of * John iv. 1 6, 18. t Matth. xvi. 21. chap. xvii. 22, 23- chap. xx. 17, — 19. Mark viii. 31. chap. ix. 31. chap. x. 32, — 34.. % Matth. xxiii. 38. chap. xxiv. Mark xiii. Luke xix. 41, 45. jl Matth. X. 16,— 22. chap. xvi. iB. cliap. xx. 2^' chap. xxiv. 5, 9, 14, 2. Luke xxi. 12,— 15. SECTION II. 17 of his having obferved, that his pre- diclions were evidences of his mifFion : when he had pointed out Judas as the perfon who would betray him, he add- ed, Nu-m I tell fou before it come, that ivheii it is come to fafs, ^e may believe that I am he *. He conchided one of the predic- tions of his own death, with a fimilar intimation of the intention of it, ex- prefFed in ahnolt the fame words t- Jefiis often proves his miffion from the predictions of the Old Teftanicnt. He claimed to be not a prophet onlj, but the Meffiah. The charaders of the MeiFiah were very particularly deter- mined by ancient predidions : and thefe characters were fo numerous, and in fome inftances fo feemingly incom- patible, that they could not pofFibly meet in one perfon by accident : if Jefus had adually united them all in himfelf, this would have fliown him to S be * John xiii. 19. t Chap. xiv. 29, i8 DISSERTATrON L be the Mcfliah, tho' he had never al- moft appealed to any of them. And fo far is he from oftentatioufly difplay- ing the teftimonies of the prophets, that often he refers to them only in general, without pointing out par- ticular pafTages ; that, when he men- tions a particular prediction, he gene- rally barely repeats it, and applies it to himfelf ; that he feldom ufes any rea- foning, never any fubtile reafoning, to juftify the application*. He always urges the proof from prophecy with the like fimplicity, as that from miracles. We have one very remarkable inftance of the manner in which he exhibited both thefe proofs. When John the Bap- tifl fent his difciples to afli, Art thou he that Pjould come, or do.ive look for another ? he did not declaim concerning the evi- dences * The following pafTages may fcrve as inftances: Mattb. xvii. 10.— 13. chap. xxi. 42, 44. Mark ix. 11, —13. chap. xii. 10. Luke iv. 17,-21. John v. 39. chap. xiii. 18. Matth. xxvi. 54. S E C T I O N II. 19 dences of his mijQlon; he argued not at all : In that fame hourt fay the hiilorians, he cured man^ of their infirmities and plagues ^ and of evil fpirits ; and unto man"^ that were blind he gave fight : And he [aid unto them. Go your way, and tell John ujhat things ye have feen and heard, how that the blind fee, the lame walk, the lepers are cleanfed, the deaf hear, the dead are raifed, to the poor the gofpel is preached ; and blejfed is he whofoever fall nut be offended in ;«^*. He wrought miracles in the prefence of the melTengers ; he faid what fuffici- ently implied that he wrought them with an intention to prove his million; and he left them to determine by thefe, whether or not he really had a divine miflion. He defigned that John and his difciples fhould difcover him to be not merely a prophet, but the MeiFiah: for this reafon, the particular miracles which he chofe to work at that time, B 2 were *• Luke vii. 19 — ^l■. Matth, xi. 2, — 5. :!o DISSERTATION L were fome of thofe by which the pro- phetic {pirit had of old charadlerifed the Mefllah ; and, for this reafon too, he alluded in what he faid, to the words of Ifaiah's predictions ; Then the eyes of the blind [hall be opened, and the ears of the deaf fall be iinflopfed ; then P?all the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb fing^ , The fpirit of the Lord God is upon me, becaufe the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek ; he hath fent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to pro- claim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prifon to them that are bound '\, By alluding to thefe predictions he applied them to prove that he was the Melijah; but applied them in the fimpleft man- ner, without entering on a nice expli- cation of their accomplifhment. Thus, whatever be the particular evidence of his milfion, which our Saviour gives at any time to thofe who had * Ifa. XXXV. 5, 6. t Chap. Ixi. i. S E C T I O N II. 21 had not yet raifed objeftions againfl him, he exhibits that evidence ; but he does not fliow any eagernefs to reafon upon it, to analyle it into its principles, to eftimate its force, or to prevent all the cavils which might be raifed a- gainft it. He direfted his difciples to ufe the very fame method. When he fent forth the twelve apoilles, he command- ed them to deliver their dodlrine, and fimply to work miracles in confirma- tion of it : his inftruclions to them were, Preach, fr^i'tg. The kingdom of bear- veil is at hand, and heal the fick, cleanfe the lepers, raife the dead, c aft out devils^. When the feventy difciples were fent out, he gave them fimilar inftruclions '\, The working of miracles was all the evidence which he directed them to produce. Inftead of teaching them arguments by * Matth. X. 7, 8. Luke ix. i, 2. t Luke X. p. 22 DISSERTATION I. by which they might prove that this evidence was llifficient, he commands them, if the miracles themfelves did Hot convince thoie who faw therq wrought, to be fatisfied that they had done their part not withftan ding, and to pronounce the unbelievers inexcu- fable : Wbofbever jhall not re cere e -^oit, nor hear your words , vjhen "jou depart out of that honj'ey or city, Jlmke off the dtiji of your feet; verily I fay unto you, it fall be more to- lerahle for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment than for that city *. They executed the commillion with all the fimplicity of manner that had been prefcribed : T'hey departed and went thro* the towns, preaching the gofpel, and healing every where f. On all other occafions, as well as on that, it was in this man- ner that the difciples of Jefus originally propofed the evidences of his religion. The * Mattli. X. 14, 15. Luke ix. 5. chap. x. 10,— 12. f Chap. ix. 6. S E C T I O N II. 25 The evaiigelifts might have found many occafions, in giving the hiftory of om- Saviour's life, to enter into dif- culfions concerning the nature and the ftrength of the proofs of his milTion : But they write in the fame fpirit of fimpUcity, in which their mailer fpake. They record his difcoiu'fes as they real- ly were ; they do not in their own perr fons give us defcriptions of the man- ner of his teaching, or panegyrics on it ; they do notboaft of the excellence of his documents, or labour to difplay it, or fet themfelves to draw conclu- fions from it. When they at all touch upon it, it is only by relating the in- fluence which his doctrine adually had upon his hearers, or the acknowledg- ments which it extorted from them. They tell it as a matter of fad, which fell naturally within their province as hiftorians, that, when he taught in the • fynagogue of Capernaum, the) were afionijhed 24 DISSEPvTATION I. aflonif}:>ed at his doHrine, for his luord was with pozi'er, and he taught them as one that had aiithorifj *. It is in the lame manner they introckice the fame remark, after his fermon on the mount t- ¥/hen one of them fays, Never man fpake like this man J, he fimply records the anfwer Avhich the officers made to the chief priefts and pharifees. Concerning the miracles of Jeliis, the evangehlts, for the moll part, as appears from what hath been ah-eady faid, merely inform lis that he wrought them, and men- tion the fituation in which they ^vere wrought, and the circumflances which attended them : tho' thefe circumftan- ces rendered them not only credible, but even undeniable, they fcarce ever make this remark. They do not even enunierate all his miracles ||. They fometimes tell us, that he declared his deilgn * Luke iv. 32. Mark i. 2 2. ' f Mattli. vii. 28. X John vii 46. jj John XX. 36. SECTION II. 25 defign in working them to be, that they might prove his million : but they add no refleclions of their own *. In the fame fimple liiflorical manner, they at other times relate the effects Avhich Chrifl's miracles produced, and the opinions which they led men to form : they tell us, for inflance, that they excited wonder in thofe who faw them, and forced from them various expreffions of their afloniiliment t ; that they fpread the fame of Jefus, and made nuiltitudes to flock to him J ; that many followed him, and became his frequent hearers || ; that they afcri- bed his miracles to a divine pov/er**; that * John. V. 17. ver. 36. chap. viij. 18. chap. ix. 3. chap. X. 25, 37, 38. ciiap. xi. 4, 15, 41, 42. chap, xiv. ]o, II. chap. xx. 31. f Matth. ix. 33. Mark i. 27. chap. v. 20. chap. vii. « 37. Luke iv. 22. chap. v. 26. t Match, iv. 24. chap. ix. 2'6, 31. Marki. 28. chap. ./ iii. 7, 8. II Mark X. 52. Luke v. 4. 11. ver. 28. John vi. 2. ** Luke ix. 43. 26 DISSERTATI ON I. that they glorified the true God on ac- count of them * ; that from them ma- ny concluded that he was a prophet f; that on account of them many believed liim to be the Mefhah % ; that fome who doubted whether he was the Mefliah, yet faid, If hen Chrijl cometh, will he do more miracles than thefe which this man hath done\? They fometimes relate parti- cular inftances of his knowlege of the hearts of men, and of future events : but, fatisfied that thefe were the plain- eft indications of a divine commiliion, they feem to have reckoned it fuperfiu- ous to draw any inference from them**. In proving that he Vv'as the Mefliah, from the prophecies of the Old Tefta- ment, * Matth. XV. 31. Luke v. 26. chap. vii. 16. f Mark vi. 14, 15. John vii. 40. X Matth. xii. 23. dup. xvi. 16. chap, xxvii. 54. Mark. viii. 29. John ii. 23. chap. vi. 14, 69. chap, vii. 41. chap. ix. 30, -.38. chap xi. 45. chap, xii. II, 19. II John vii. 31. ** Joiin ii. 24, 25. chap. vi. 64, 70. SECTION 11. 27 ment, they fimply mention the events of his life, or events belonging to the gof|3el-difpenfation, and quote the prediftions which were applicable to them*. When they relate applications of the prophecies made by others, to Chrifl, or to perfons connefted with him, it is in the fame fimple manner f- After Chriil's afcenfion into heaven, his apoftles began, in execution of the commillion which they had received from liim, to preach the gofpel every- where. Before this time, the Jews had raifed many cavils and objediions a- gainil its evidences : and the crucifixion of its author had produced a new pre- judice againft it, and thrown a dark fliade * Matth. i. 22, 23. chap. iii. 3. chap. iv. 13,-16. chap. viii. 17. chap. x. 34,-36. chap. xii. 16, — 21. chap. xiii. 14. chap. xxi. 4, 5. cliap. xxvi. 31, 56. chap. xxvii. 9. Mark i. 2, 3. chap. xiv. 27. chap. xv. 28, Luke iii. 4. chap. xxii. 37, John 1. 23. chap. vii. 39. chap. xii. 14, 15, 37, 41. chap. xvi. 32. chap. xix. 28, 36, 37- f Matth. ii. ^^6. Luke i. 3r>— 79. chap. ii. 34. John i. 45. chap. vii. 4 . 28 DISSERTATION I. fliade over all its proofs. On this ac- count, the apoftles were obliged very frequently, to prove the truth of Chri- ftianity by more formal arguments than had been generally ufed by their Maiter. Yet they appear to have had recourfe to that method, only when it was abfolutely necefTary. They were contented with ilmply exhibiting its evidences, unattended with any parade of argument, whenever the occafion could at all bear it, whenever fome ve- ry immediate and particular oppoiition did not require their doing otherwife. They alledge the miracles which Jeilis wrought ; they iniift particularly on his refurreftion from the dead ; they relate occafionally the circumfjances which attended them, and which need- ed only to be related, in order -to put their reality out of doubt: they do not philofophife on the moment of thefe circumftances, or on the force of the miracles SECTION IL 19 miracles themfelves : they fpeak of them as of what they knew to be true, and as of what they doubted not but lincere inquh'ers would iikewife find to be true ; and they feem to reckon this e- nough *. The apoftles performed ma- ny miracles themfelves ; they healed difeafcs, call out devils,' raifed the dead, exercifed the feveral gifts which the effulion of the Holy Ghoft had con- ferred upon them : They gave their miracles a connexion with the gofpel, by working them with a profeffed de- fign to confirm the doctrine which they preached, and by declaring, as often as it was necefTary, that they wrought them in the name of Jeiiis Chrifl. They were fatisfied with this ; they did not call in the aid of fubtile arguments, to enable their miracles to work convic- tion. In relating their miracles, and the * A6ls ii. 2.2. chap. v. ;o, — 32. chap. x. 36,-42, chap. xiii. 30, 31. chap. xvii. 31. i Cor. xv. 4,-8. 30 DISSERTATION L the effects produced on men, both by miracles, and by the other evidences which they exhibited, the fame hiftori- cal fimplicity is conftantly preferved, which, we have ah*eady feen, takes place remarkably in the hiflories of the miracles of Jefus*. The apoftles often appeal to the prophecies of the Old Teflament ; and often they do no more but appeal to them f. Such is the manner in which Chrifl and his apoftles origmally propofed the evidences of the gofpel. They barely exhibited proper evidences ; they did not indvilge themfelves either in nice reafonings, or in rhetorical declama- tions, on their credibility, or their force ; they left them to fpeak for themfelves, and to produce convid:ion in * Mark xvi. 20. Afts ii. 37, 41 ) 42, 43- ^hap. iii. 4, 6c. chap. iv. 4, 21, 33. chap. v. i, 6c. ver. 12,-16. chap. vi. 7, 8, 10. chap. viii. 6, 6 44> 47* •J- Ver. 36, 64. ij: Chap. viii. 16, 18, 23, 26, 29, 42. 11 Ver. 2,4> 45; 4^- 9£ DISSERTATION I. oppofition of the Jews, to aflert his miflion,in the moil exprefs terms, and in every proper manner. I fhall only add, that their prejudices, miftakes, and objections, led him on feveral occafions, either directly to acknow- ledge and aifert, or fufficiently to indi- cate that he was the Chriil or Mefliah. The different opinions which, by the account of the apoftles, men enter- tained concerning him, gave occafion to Peter's confeffion of this, and to Je- fus's explicit approbation of it*. Some of the Jews gave this reafon, why they did not believe him to be the Mefliah ; We know this man, whence he is ; but when Chrift Cometh, no man knoweth whence he is. His anfwer plainly implies that he claim- ed the charafter : T^hen cried Jefus in the temple as he taught, frying, Te both know me, and ye know whence I am : and I am not * Matth. Kvi. 13, — 17. Mark viii. 28, — 30. Luke ix. 19, — 21. SECTION IV. 9^ not come of myfelf, hut he that fent me is truey whom ye know not : but I know him, for I am from hi?n, and he hath fent me^. At the feaft of the dedication, when the Jews traduced him as a polTefled perfon and a lunatic, and fhowecl that they did not yet own his pretenfions, by laying, How long dofi thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Chriji, tell us plainly ; he not only allowed that he was the Chrift, but intimated likewife, that he had given fufficient proof of it, and that their unbelief proceeded not from want of evidence ; Jefus anfvjered them, I told you, and ye believed not : the works that I do in my Father'' s name, they hear witnefs of me: but ye believe not, becaufe ye are not ofmyfeep'\, Th e internal evidence of Chriftiani- ty, arifes from its excellence : Jefus al- - ways, * John vii. 27,-29. f Chap. X. 24,~a6, 94 DISSERTATION L ways exhibited this evidence; all that he taught, had ftriking characters of perfed:ion. But, notwithftanding the abfolute purity of his doctrine, the Jews frequently found fault with it : and their cavils, fometimes with re- Iped: to this, and fometimes too with refpeft to other topics, led him to il- luflrate, to vindicate, and to urge, the excellence of the goCpel. Even when he anfwered them in the fimpleft manner, they gave him occafion to en- large more fully and clearly on parti- cular points, than he had done before; to red;ify miflakes ; by the confuta- tion of them to inlHl jufter principles; and thus to give a more ample exhibi- tion of internal evidence, to render the excellence of his religion more confpicuous. Sometimes their objec- tions proceeded merely from their mil- taking his meaning. He took occafion from them to deliver his fentiments more S E C T I O N IV. 95 more plainly; and thus taught docftrine, the excellence of which was more ob- vious, and therefore fitter for leading them to conclude of themfelves, that it was divine. When he afferted, that he was the bread oflife^ and told them, that he would give them his feJJ? for meaty and that they mufl eat his flejlj and drink his blood^, they fooliflily under^ flood his words in a literal fenfe, and in this mifapprehenfion w ere greatly offended at his dod:rine t. The me- taphor was perfedlly familiar to them; therefore he thought it not neceffary to relinquifli it : but he abundantly il- luftrated his meaning, tho' he conti- nued to ufe the fame figurative terms ± ; he told them plainly, that by eating and drinking he intended believing on him II ; he informed them that his dif- courfe * John vi. 35, 48, 50, 51^ 53, 58. t Ver. 41, 52, 60. t Ver. 49, 58. 11 Ver. 35, 40, 47, 64. 96 DISSERTATION I. courfe was figurative throughout * ; and he gave them a key to it, by fore- telling his afceniion into heaven t> which might have naturally led them to conceive his meaning, which infi- nuated at once the real nature of his kingdom, and which would be an il- luftrious evidence of his having come from heaven, and that both in itfelf, and by being the accomplifliment of his predictions. On one occalion, when he was Ipeaking of his death, and his fubfequent exaltation, they imagined that he intended to kill him- felf. He correfted their miftake, and faid all that was necelTary for their comprehending his true meaning ; he pointed out the fource of their miftake, he intimated that he came from hea- ven, that he was fent by God, and e- ven that he was the MefTiah, whom it was dangerous to rejed; ; he informed them * John vi. 63. t Vcr. 62. S E C T I O N IV. 97 them pretty plainly of his crucifixion, than which nothing could have a flronger tendency to rectify their wrong opinion of a temporal Meffiah ; and all this in fuch a way, that man^j believed mi him * . The Jews were inveterately tainted with the expectation of a temporal Mef^ fiah. This was often the immediate fource, or the remote caufe of their miilakes of his meaning ; what he faid, was in its obvious {g\\{g contra- diftory to this expectation : In correct- ing their miftakes, therefore, in the in- llances already remarked, he general- ly gave fome hints of the real character and office of the Mefiiah. Often like- wife, when they underflood his mean- ing, the fame prejudice hindered them from perceiving the excellence of his doCtrine, or even led them to raife ob- jections againft it, as inconfiftent with G what * John viiic 21,— 30. 98 DISSERTATION I. what they took it for granted, was the truth. In both cafes, Chrift took an opportunity from their exceptions, to infinuate, in different ways, juft fenti- ments of the fpiritual nature, and the feveral real circumitances of his king- dom. I fhall give a few inftances more. He faid in the very beginning of his miniftry. Except a man be horn again^ he cannot fee the kingdom of God^ , Nicode- mus would have readily underftood the expreflion, if it had been ufed of a hea- then converted to Judaifm. But he imagined that it was the office of the Mefliah, to bring all the world to em- brace the religion of Mofes, not to call the Jews themfelves to embrace a new religion ; and he was fo much biafTed by the imagination, that he could not at all comprehend the fenfe of the maxim, but anfwered, How can a man he horn when he is old? Can he enter the fe- cond * John iii. 3. SECTION IV. 99 cond thne into his mother^ s womhy and be horn^ ? Our Saviour, in return, not only explained the doftrine which had given rile to the queftion, by telling him very plainly, that he meant a fpiri- tual, not a natural birth, and that the latter, tho' it were poflible, could have no litnels for anfwerinc: the end of Avhich he fpokef; but alfo informed him, that he had in view conversion to a religion different from Judaifm, and explained the nature and defign of the whole gofpel, in fuch a way that its conformity to the Old Teftament, and its intrinfic excellence, appeared very ftrikingly, and produced full convic- tion in Nicodemus if. His own difci- ples were, for a long time, deeply tinctured with the fame prejudices as the reft of thie Jews, and were led by them to take exceptions on particular occafions. When 'he fir ft began to in- form them of his approaching fufferings G 2 and * John iii. 4. f Ver. 5, 6. ± Ver. 7,— ai. 100 DISSERTATION t and death, they were, in refpecl of thefe, perfecft unbelievers; and Peter was fo much offended, that he blamed his mailer in a very indecent manner. On this occafion, Chriil not only re- buked Peter, but taught them all, that the nature of his undertaking was very diiferent from what they imagined it to be, and that the fituation of his difciples would be quite unlike to what they expelled ; and flrongly inculca- ted the duties which that fituation would require *. By reafon of the fame miflaken notion of a temporal kingdom, preferment was afked of Je- fus, for the two fons of Zebedee. On this occafion too, he intimated the true nature of his kingdom ; and like wife delivered the mofl excellent inflruc- tions, difRiading them from pride in all its forms, and teaching them that true * Matth. xvi. ai^'^aS. Mark viii. 31,— 38. Luke ix. 22, — 27. S E C T I O N IV. loi true greatnefs confifts only in genuine goodnefs, ufefulnefs, and Immility *. The excellence of fome of his docu- ments, on thefe and other occafions, will be eaiily perceived : but it is not perhaps unnecefTary to remark, that, whenever he rectified their falfe notions of the MeiTiah, and declared the true nature of his kingdom, he by this ad- ded great force to the argument for the truth of Chriftianity, drawn from its excellence. Had the kingdom of the Mefliah been fuch as the Jews con- ceived it to be, it would have contain* ed no internal characters of divinity : it was a fcheme fcarce worthy of God. But the real fcheme for the redemption of the world, to execute which the Mefliah came, and to explain and pub- li(h which was the defign of his gofpel, was every way worthy of God, and bears * Matth. XX. 20, — 28, Mark x. 35, — 45. Luke xxii. 24-, — 2-]. 102 DISSERTATION I. bears in its efTential features, the ftrongeil marks of divine contrivance. Plis apoflles, as well as himfelf, had frequent occafions, by rcafon of the oppolition which it met with, to en- large upon this topic, and by doing fo, to diiplay the excellence of the go- fpel. The excellence of dod:rine is found- ed upon truth. No evidence can prove a dod:rine to be from God, which plain- ly contradicts what we already know to be true. It was neceffary, there- fore, that our Saviour's doftrine fliould be confiltent both with former revelar tions, and with the genuine dicftates of reafon. During our Saviour's own life, the real nature of the gofpel was not fo perfectly underflood by the Jews, as to beget an opinion of its inconfiflence, except perhaps in fome minute particulars, with the law of Mofes. They began, however, very foou S E C T I O N IV. los foon after his afcenfion, to fufpe^l that the golpel was defigned to overthrow the law : their accufation againft Ste- phen, was, We have heard him fay, that this Jefits of Nazareth jhall dejiroy this place ^ and fnall change the cufioms which Mofes de- livered lu*. But when the Gentiles were admitted into the Chriilian church, without being fubjedled to the Jewiili ceremonial, it was clearly perceived that the religion of Jefus was different from that of Mofes. This was a capi- tal objediion of the unbelieving Jews : a confiderable part of the apoflolical writings has a reference* to it. The a- poftles fliow, that, tho' Chriftianity be indeed different from Judaifm, and does abrogate it, yet it is not inconli- flent with it, in any fenfe that can affect the truth of either. The law was not intended to be perpetual ; intimations were all along given, that it would be in * A6I3 vi. 14. 104 DISSERTATION L in due time fucceeded by the gofpel. Thefe are ilriclly connected as parts of the fame great fcheme : the law was the preparatory, the gofpel, the ulti- mate diipenfation ; that was the (lia- dow, this the fubllance ; that was the type, this the antitype. By enlarging on thefe and limilar topics, theapoftles give, not only a full view of the nature of Chriftianity, but alfo juiter concep- tions of the nature of the law than the Jews had formerly ; and they dii- play the excellence of both. Some- times the Jews foiind fault with our Saviour's do^lfine, as inconllRent with the did:ates of reafon. A remarkable inftance of this fort is recorded by the evangelifts. When a paralytic man was brought to Chrift at Capernaum, and let down by the roof of the houfe, he faid to him, Tb-j fins are forgiven thee„ The Scribes and Pharifees cenfured this exprciTion as blafphemous, as im- plyin ng S E C T I O N IV. 105 plying an invafion of the prerogative of God. Chrill's anfwer is a fatisfying vindication of his doctrine. He fhow- ed that the dodrine v/as true, becaufe the very miracle which he had wrought, was a plain proof and exemplification of it*. And when its truth was once efta- blilhed, the more extraordinary it was, the more flrikingly it difplayed the dignity of his character, the greatnefs of his undertaking, and the excellence of his gofpel. When the gofpel came to be preach- ed by the apoiiles to the Gentiles, they raifed objedions againft it, which, though they were different in them- felves, proceeded from caufes fimilar to thofe which influenced the Jews in the inftances jufi: now mentioned. They had a high conceit of the anti- quity * Matth. ix. 2, — 6. Mark ii. 3, — 12. Luke v. 18-25. ro6 DISSERTATION I. quity and extent of their own reli- gion : it contained nothing which could direclly lead them to exped:, that an alteration would be made in it by a divine revelation : they therefore objedied againft Chriftianity, that it was an innovation, a nevj do Brine, bring- ing Ji range thijtgs to their ears *. In anfvvering this objeclion, the apoflles delivered doclrine which had real ex- cellence : they pointed out the falfe- hood and abfurdity of Paganiiin ; they fhowed that, on account of this, it ought certainly to be abandoned, and that therefore it ought not to obflrudl their receiving another religion, elpe- cially a religion fo far Riperior as the Chriftian f* When the Jews could find no fault v/ith what our Saviour had already faid, tliey often put queilions to him, on purpofe * Alfis xvii, 19, 20. Ver. 22, 31. SECTION IV. 10' purpofe to lead him to utter liich fenti- ments as were cenfurable, and might thus give them an opportunity of rai- ling objed:ions againfthis dodrine. On all thefe occafions he baffled their ma- lice, by delivering do(ftrines fo excel- lent as reflected new luftre on the truth of his religion. A lawyer came to him with an infidious intention to dis- cover, whether he would teach any thing inconfiflent with the law of Mo- fes, and faid, What jloall I do to inherit e- ternal life ? Jefus not only gave an an- fwer with which he could find no fault, but explained the extent of our duty to others, fo juflly, and in a manner fo wonderfully fit for touching the heart, as fignally difplayed his divine wifdom *. The Pharifees afl^ed him, with the like malicious intention, con- cerning the lawfulnefs of divorce, He proved the vmlawfulnefs of this abufe, which * Luke X, 25,— 37. io8 DISSERTATION I. which, by reafon of the love of pleafurc, had become very general among them, in the moft convincing manner ; from the original inftitution of marriage, ac- knowledged by themfelves, and rela- ted in their own fcriptures ; by allign- ing the true reafon why Mofes had gi- ven any permiilion to this practice in the law ; and by informing them that his golpel enjoined the ftridleft mora- lity on this head *. After he had en- tered publicly into Jerufalem, all his enemies, in concert, aifaulted him with fubtile queflions. The Pharifees and the Herodians together, began with afking him, L it lawful lo give tribute un- to Cefar, or not ? fecure that he would either expofe himfelf to the refentment of the Roman Governor, by forbid- ding it, or appear to the people to re- nounce the character of the Meffiah, by allowing it. But he fliowed his divine wifdom, * Malih. xlx. 3,-9. Mark x. 2,-12. SECTION IV. 109 wifdom, by giving fuch an anfwer as not only difappointed their defigns, but alfo fixed the real bounds between their duty to God, and their duty to the Emperor, which did not at all in- terfere, except in their imagination, and reproved each of them for the ex- treme into which they were apt to run, and by which they both trangreffed^ one of thefe duties, under colour of fulfilling the other : and they could not take hold of his words before the people; and they marvelled at his anfwer, and held their peace"^ , Next the Sadducees attacked him, by propofing an argument againfl a future flate, which they thought was founded in the law, and which they reckoned unanfwerable. Far from being per- plexed by their fubtlety, he fhowed at once that it had not the leafl degree of force, but proceeded altoo-ether from * Matib. xxii, i5>--22. Mark xii. 13,-17. Lukf no DISSERTATION I. from a miflake ; he gave a jiift concep- tion of the nature of a future ftate, an important dod:rine, concerning whicli men had ahvays formerly run into ab- furdities ; and he fliowed that a future ftate was directly implied in the fcrip-^ tures which the Sadducees themfelves received; and -when the multitude heard this, they luere aftoniped at his do^rine^. To make a farther trial, a Pharifee aflced him, Which is the fir ft and great commandment ? By his anfwer, he (et a- fide all the fuperftitious determinations of the Scribes in favour of one ceremo- nial precept, or another ; he repre- fented real piety and virtue as the fub- ftance of religion ; he took occafion, tho' the queflion did not render it ab- folutely neceffary, to inculcate the love of our neighbour, as preferable to all duties, except love to God ; he thus- gave * Matih. xxii. 2^, 33. Mark xii. 18, 27. Luke XX. 27, 38, S E C T I O N IV. in gave a noble fummary of morality, which extorted the approbation of the Scribe who had propofed the qvieftion *. In a word, Vv'henever anj^ perfons endeavoured to entangle him, he fliowed iiich divine wifdom, that they found all their attempts to be in vain, and he delivered inilruclions fo pro- per and ufeful, as heightened the ex- cellence of his goij^el. The internal evidence of Chriftiani- ty, arifes not only from the excellence of its do6lrine, but alfo from the per- fection of Chrift's character. The Jews often took exceptions, however, againft his character, by blaming his behavi- our, or the behaviour in which he al- lowed his difciples. They wanted to fliow, that no evidence could prove his claim, that it was unnecefTary to examine or confute the evidences wliich he pretended to give, or fo much as to * Matth. xxli. 35^- — 40. Mark xii. 28, — 33. ii;i DISSERTATrON I. to attend to them ; for his tranrgrefiing the law of God, rendered it plain that he was not fent from God, whatever plaufible appearances of a million he might exhibit. They were follicitous that men fhould argue thus : This man doth what God forbids ; therefore he cannot know the will of God, or be commiffioned to reveal it: llippofe his doftrine good, yet it cannot prove him to be from God, for his practice is bad ; if his dod:rine be good, it is only in fome refpe^ls, it is not imiformly good, for he himfelf 'doth, and he tcacheth liis difciples to do, fome things that are wrong ; whatever figns he fliows, they cannot evince that he is fent by God to difcover his will, there muft be fome fallacy, for he is a finner. The argument, it muil be owned, would have had confiderable force, if there had been only any jufl founda- tion for it ; a divine teacher of reli- gion S E C T I O N IV. 113 gion muft be fuppofed exempt from all errors in matters of i*eUgion. His an- fwers to obje J^- S E C T I O N IV. 123 Vhen he was in the temple, fome Pha- ifees brought a woman caught in a- iultery, afking his judgment in the ;afe, and prepared to take advantage againft him, whatever his determina- tion were. But, having difconcerted :heir malice by his wifdom, and con- founded them, he took occafion to af- fert the excellence of his office and do6lrine : / am the light of the world; he thatfolloweth me Jhall not walk in darknefs, but pall have the light of life *. When the people, underftanding one of his predictions of his own death, objected that this was inconliftent with the cha- racter of the Melliah, defcribed in the Old Teftament, Jefus claimed his pro- per dignity, and exprefTed the excel- lence of his gofpel, under the fame fi- gure of light : Tet a little while is the light with -jou : zvalk while yon have the lights hafi darknefs come upon you : for he that walk- cth in darknefs, bioweth not whither hegoeth: while * John viii. 3;- 12. 124 DISSERTATION I. -while )e have the light ^believe in the light y that ye may be the children of light* . In the days of the apoflles, both Jews and Greeks continued to oppofe the gofpel ; the Jews required a fign, and the Greeks fought after wifdom t- The latter were great- ly attached to the fubtilties of then* philofophy, and the pomp of their rhe- toric ; and they defpifed the gofpel, becaufe it contained no abftrufe inve- fligations or curious reafonings, becaufe it inculcated only practical doctrines, which refted wholl)^ on the authority of a revelation, and becaufe it deliver- ed them Vvdthout ftudied eloquence. The apoilie Paul owns the fa6ls from which their objection is deduced ; he acknowledges, that, if their notion of wifdom were juft, the gofpel would be foolifnefs ; and that he preached it ;/o/^ with lu if lorn of luords, nor with excellence of * John xii. 32, 36. t I Cor. i. 22. SECTION IV. 125 of fpeech or of vjifdom'^\ But he fhows that the gofpel had neverthelefs real texcellence ; not of the kind which they defired, but of a far fuperior kind ; that it efFed;ually led men to the knowledge of the true God, tho' their boafted wifdom never could : It pkafed God, fays he, b^ the fooliJJmefs of preaching to fave them that believe: We preach Chrijl crucified, unto the Je'Vus, a fumbling block ; and unto the Greeks, foolifmefs ; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Chrift, the power of God, and the wifdom of God; becaufe the foolifmefs of God is wifer than men, and the weahiefs of God is firom- er than men : Chrift Jefus is of God made un- to us wifdom, and righteoiifnefs , and fandifi- cation, and redemption : We fpeak wifdom among them that are perfect f. In this re- preferitation of the excellence of Chri- ilianity, the apoftle has an eye not on- ly * I Cor. i. 17, 21, 25, 27. Chap. ii. r. t Chap. 3. 21, 23, 24, 25, 30. Chap, ii, 6. 126 DISSERTATION!. ly to the objeftion of the Greeks, but alfo to that of the Jews : and with a flill dire6ler view to them, he declares the gofpel to be a clear difcovery of what it was the principal excellence of the law to have pointed out obfcurely : We I peak thewifdo7n of God in a 77iy fiery y even the hidden wijdom -which God ordained before the world unto our glory ; which none of the princes of this world knew ; for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory : but God hath revealed it un- to us by his fpirit^. Thus, the apoflle both aiTerts and proves that the gofpel is excellent. The oppofition of thofe, v/hom attachment to Judaifm render-* ed enemies of th^ crofs ofChrifl^, led the fame apoflle, on another occafion, to a ftrenvious aflertion of the excellence of the goj[|3el, and of its faperiority to the law : TFhat things were gain to mCy thofe * I. Cor. ii. 7, 8, lo. • -1- Phil. iii. i8. SECTION IV. 127 ihofe I counted lop for Chrijl : yea doiiklefs, and I count all things but lofs, for the excel- lency of the knowledge of Chrijl Jefus my Lord ; and I do count them but dung, that I fHay win Chrijl, and be found in him*. Our Saviour and his apoftles were led by the objeclions of unbelievers to aflert, not only that the golpel is ex- cellent, but alio that its excellence is a real evidence of its divinity. This is at leall implied in fome of the declara- tions, of which we have taken notice already: on fome of the occafions too, which led to thefe declarations, this was urged pretty explicitly. Thus, in confequence of the objeAions which the Jews moved againft Chrifl, for ha- ving called himfelf //;^ light of the world, and of the exceptions which they took at fome parts of his fucceedino- dil- courfc, he urged tlie perfect purity of his dodrine and innocence of his life, very *. Pliil. iii. 7, 8, 9. 128 DISSERTATION I. very exprefsly, as an evidence of his miflion : Becaufe I tell 'jou the truth, yd" he^ lieve me not : zuhich of you convinceth me of fin ? And if I fay the truth, why do ye not believe me ? He that is of God, heareth God'j words*. We have already mentioned the cenfures which the Jews pafTed up- on Jefus for having healed a lame man on the Sabbath : on occafion of them, he urged the excellence of his own cha- racter and condu6l, as an argument for his milFion, in the parabolical difcourfe concerning the good fhepherdt* There is a remarkable indance which has not yet been taken notice of. The Jews were greatly prejudiced againft Jefiis on account of the meannefs of his birth and education ; and they urged this as a reafon againft believing on him. When he was come into his oiun country, he taught them in their Jynagoguc, and many hearing him were aftonifed, and faid, Whence * John viil. 45, 46, 47. t Chan. X. I., 18. SECTION IV. 11* Whence hath this man this luijllom, and thefe mighty works? Is not this the carpenter\i fon? Is not his mother called Ma?-y? And his brethren, James, and J'>fes, and Simon, and Judasi and his ftjiers, are they not all ■vjith iisF Whence then hath this man all thefe things? And they were offended in him^^ . So iar was Jefiis from being forward to take an occafion from objections, of oftentatioufly dilplaying or multiply- ing proofs of his miiuon, that he only reproved the unreafonablen-efs and ob^ llinacy of their prejudice, by a prover- bial expreflion : and the evangeiifts copy the fimplicity of their mafter fo cxa6lly, that they make no remark upon itf. It was eafy to retort the objedlion, and to fliow that it was a ftrong argument for him: That he had uncommon wifdom and power, was I confeiled ; * Matth. xiii. 54, 57. Mark vi. 2, 3. Luke iv. 22. '\ Matth. xiii. 57. Mark vi. 4. Luke iv. 23, 24. I30 DISSERTATION I. confefTed ; that he could not have it in a natural way, was plain fi'om the cir- cumftances of which they took notice ; the obvious conclufion was, the very contrary of what their prejudice fuggeft- ed, that therefore he muft have recei- ved it in a fupernatural way. But Je- fus did not luge this conclufion at that time. When a limilar objection, how- ever, was repeated, and urged very publicly in the temple, in a great con- courfe of people, at the pafTover of the year before he fuffered, he. drew this very conclufion, and urged the excel- lence of his doctrine as a flrong proof of his divine million. The Jews marvel- led, [apngy Hovj knovjeth this mati letters y having never learned, J ejus anjhuered them, and faid. My dodrine is not ?nine, but his that fent me: if any man luill do his will, he (hall htow of the do^irine, whether it bq of God, or whether I fpeak of m)felf: he that ■fpeaketh of himfelf feeketh his own glory ; but S E C T I O N IV. i3t but he that fceketh bis glory that fent him^ the fame is trne^ and no unrighteoufnefs is i/ihim^. He thus informed thetn, that the fuperior knowledge, which they law that he pdlleiled, and which ap- peared in his do(^l:rine, and >yhich they were certain he had had no opportuni- ty of either learning from niafters, or acquiring by his own ftudy, ought to lead them to conclude that he had re- ceived it immediately from God, and to own that he was, as he aflertedj a divine mcfTenger. The excellence of his doftrine, he told them, directed them fo plainly to this conclufion, that nothing but an impartial defire to find the truth and comply with it, w^as ne- cefTary for their arriving at it ; for his do6lrine was not calculated for promo- ting any of thofe ends which an impo^ flor could be fuppofed to have in view, but was totally fnbfervient to the ho- I z nour John vli. 15, -1?. 132 DISSERTATION!. nour of God, and therefore bore plain marks of coming from him. We fliow- ed formerly, how the apoflle Paul af- fcrts and evinces the excellence of the gofpel, in oppofition to the cavils both of Jews and Greeks : and we may now obferve, that he at the fame time urges its excellence as a proof of its divinity. This is indeed implied all along in his manner of exprellion. When he fpeaks of the gofpel in the terms of their ob- jections, he flill intimates that it was of fuch a nature as fhowed it to be from God : IT PLEASED God by the foolijhnefs preaching to fave them that believe:^ if it wanted that fort of wifdom and power which they demanded, and might, on this account, be called in fome fenfe foolifhnefs and weaknefs ; yet it was the foolijhnefs of God, -uuifer thanmeUy and the weaknefs of God, ftronger than 7nen'\, He intimates that it appeared plainly to * I Cor. i. 21. t Ver. 25. SECTION IV. 135 to be of divine original, becaiife, not- withftanding the feeming weaknefs of the means which it employed, it pro- ved itfelf fo truly excellent as to have accomplifhed a reformation in the world, with which all the effects pro- duced by human wifdom, and by the moil likely means, could not bear to be compared *. As it thus appeared from matter of fad:, that it was of wife contrivance, and of great efficacy, lb on this account he without hefitation afcribes it to God, calling it the power OF God, and the -luifdoin qy Goof, and afTerting it to be of God, that Chrift Jefus is made unto us wijdofn, and righteouj- nefs, and fanBification, and redemption $. Under this head, we might t3.ke no- tice of many of the reafoniags which the apoille ufes, for proving to the He- brews, that the gofpel is more excel- lent * I Cor. i. 21, 27, 28. f Ver. 18, 24. chap. ii. 4, 5, 7. \ Chap. i. 30. 134 DISSERTATION L lent than the law, and therefore at leafl as plainly from God: but we have ah'eady enlarged fufficiently. As the objeclions which were raifed by unbelievers, gave Chrift and his apoftles fometimes occaiions of illuftrj?.- ting and arguing from the internal marks of divinity, which Chriflianity contains ; fo, at other times, they led them to appeal to the miracles which were wrought in proof of it, and to reafon from them in fupport of it. We may begin with obferving, that the ob- jections which wxre raifed, led Chrift on many occafions to aflert that his miracles were wrought with an exprefs defign of proving his midion, to urge them as proofs of it, and thus to efta- blifli a connexion between them and his dotlrine. On occafion, for inftance, of thofe exceptions which took their rife from the cure of the infirm man at the SECTION IV. 135 the pool of Bethefda, he appealed di- re(^Iy to his miracles : The works which the Father hath given me to finijlo^ the fame works that I do, bear witnefs of mCy that the Father hath fent me"^-. Their charging him with boafling like an im- poilor, occalloned his making a fimi- lar appeal : the Father that fent me, hear- eth witnefs of me f. Some of the Jews faid, at another time, Ke hath a devil, and is mad; why hear y^ him ? and others infinuated that he had not yet put it out of doubt, that he was the Chrifl: in con- futation of both, he faid ; The works that I do in m^j Father'* s name, they bear wit- nefs of me %, When the Jews charged him with blafphemy, for having faid, I and my Father are one, and were prepa- ring to ftone him on that account, he iniiited that his miracles were fufHcient evidences of his milfion from God, and confequently * John V. 36. f Chap. viii. 18, $ Chap. X. 20, ^25. 17,6 DISSERTATION I. D confeqiiciiily of the truth of all his doc- trines: If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not : hut if I doy tho" ye believe not me, believe the works; that ye 7uay know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in him^. It was the flrong propenfity of his own difciples, as well as of others, to incredulity, which moved him to declare beforehiind the cleiign of his miraculoufly raiflng Lazarus from the dead: Lazarns is dead ; and 1 am glad fir your fakes, that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe ; neverthelefs let us go nnto him\. It ^^'as, he tells us, becaufe of the unbelief of the people who were prjcfent, and on purpofe to conquer it, that he declared in the moft flriking manner, by a direct ad- drefs to God, before he commanded Lazarus to arife, that his miracles were wrouglit by the po^ver of God, and proved his million fi'om him : Jefiis lift * John X. 30, 38. + Chap. xi. 15. S E C T I O N IV. 137 up^ his eyes, and f aid , Father, I thank thes that thou haft heard me ; and I knew that thou hearejl me always : but hecaufe of the people which fiand hy, I faid it, that they may believe that thou haft fent fue'^ , It is not neceflary to take notice particu- larly of the inflances in which the apo- ftles, in confequence of oppofition, urged the miracles wrought by Jefus, as proofs of his million ; or infilled on the circumflances which rendered them undeniable, their public nature, for inftance, and their own knowledge of them : for as they preached in the name of Jefus, not in their own name, this was unavoidable, tho' no objec- tions had been moved againfl them. As the apoftles wrought miracles them- felves, lb it was obferved before, that they generally wrought theni in the fame iimple manner as their mafter : but the unbelief of thofe who faw them, and the oppofition and cavils which it produced, * John xi. 41, 42. 138 DISSERTATION I. produced, led them rometimes to urge them as proofs of the religion of Jefvis, which they publifhed. When the peo- ple who had feen two apoftles heal a lame man, only wondered, inftead of believing, Peter made an explicit de- claration of the intention and force of the miracle : 2^e men of Ifrael, ivby tnarvel ye at this ? or w/;y look ye fo earnejily on us, as thd* by our own power or holincfs we bad made this man to walk? The God of Abra- ham y and oflfaac, and of Jacob y the God of otcr Fathers, hath glorified his Son Jefus, ivhom ye delivered tip, — whom God hath raifed from the dead, whereof we are wit- nejjes: And his name through faith in his 7iame, hath juade this man ftrong, whom ye fee and know; yea the faith which is by him^ loath given him this perfeB foimdnefs in the pre fence of you all* ^ When the rulers called them to give an account of this miracle, Peter made a fimilar declara- tion : ? Msiii. 12; r6. SECTION IV. 139 tion : Te rulers of the people, and elders of Ifraely if we this day be exatnined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by ivhat means he is made whole; he it knovju unto yoti all, and to all the people of Ifrael, that by the name of Jefits Chrift of Nazareth, "luhoni ye crucified^ whom God raifed from the dead, even by him doth this man fiand here before you whole; neither is there f aha- tion in any other*. When the Jews not on- ly raifed objedlions againfl Paul's doc- trine, but alfo turned them into accu- fations of him before the Roman Go- vernor, with a defign to take away his life, he largely urged his own miracu- lous converfion as an evidence of the truth of Chriftianity, firft before the chief captahi "f, and again before Feftus and AgrippaJ. The objed:ions of the Jews and Greeks at Corinth, which we have * Aflsiv. 8, 12. I Chap. xxii. 3, 21. X Chap, xxvi, 12, 10. I40 DISSERTATION I. have formerly mentioned, led the fame apoille to afTert that his fpeech, and his preaching ivas in detnonjlration of the fpirity and of power J that their faith foould fi and in the power of God^ : and the oppofi- tion niade to liimfelf in particular, led him to an explicit appeal to the miracles which he had wrought, in confirma- tion of his apofllefliip : Truly the figns of an apofile were wrought among yon, in figns, and wonder Ty and mighty deeds'^. Men were eye-witnefTes of the mira^ cles which Chrifl performed ; they could not therefore call their reality in queflion ; but they objed;ed againfl their force ; and thus gave him occa- fion, by anfwering their objedlions, to ftate the evidence for the truth of Chri^ ftianity, which miracles contain. They oftener than once afTerted, that his mi- rc^cles were performed by magic, not by * I Cor. ii. 4, 5. t 2 Cor. xii. 12 • S E C T I O N IV. 141 by the power of God, and therefore were no proofs of a divine million. When he had heaJed one pojjeffed with a devil f blind and dumb, all the people were amazed, and f aid. Is not this the fon of Da- vid ? But when the Pharifees heard it, the^j faid. He doth not cajl out devils, but by Beel- zebub the prince of the devils. And Jejus knew their thoughts, and faid imto them, E- very kingdom divided againft itfelf is brought to deflation ; and every city or houfe divided againft itfelf, fall not ft and : and if Satan caft out Satan, he is divided againft himfelf; how ft) all then his kingdom ft and? And if I by Beelzebub caft out devils, by whom do your children caft them out ? therefore they ft all be your judges. But if I caft out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or elfe, hovj can one en- ter into a ftrong man^s houf, and fpoil his goods, except he firft bind -the ftrong man ? And then he will fpoil his hoife. He that is ?iot with me, is againft me ; and he that gathereth 142 DISSERTATION L gather eth not luith me, fcaitereth abroad ^^ The reafoning is ftrong and unanfwer- able, and demonflrates that their al- fertion was even abfurd. If the devil had enabled a perfon to work miracles, they would not have been fuch mira- cles as Jefus wrovight, for many of thefe confided in difpofielfing devils ; nor would they have been wrought in con- firmation of fuch doLT:rine as Jefus taught, for it Avas mofl oppofite to all that an evil fpirit would wifh to be propagated in the world. Chrifl's mi- racles could not be performed by the afliflance of the devil, for if they were, the devil mufl have been intent on the deftruclion of his own power, and the Hibverfion of his own interefls. The alTertion was therefore abfnrd in itfelf, but it was peculiarly abfurd in the mouth of Jews : they affirmed that ma- ny * Matth. xii. 22, 30. Mark iii. 22,—— 27. T.uke xi. 17; 23. S E C T I O N IV. 143 iiy of their own nation had performed miracles by the power of God, and, on the teftimony of thefe mh'acles, ac- knowledged thefe to be divine mefTen- gers : it was the groiTeft inconfiilence after this to afcribe Chrift's miracles to the devil ; for his doctrine was as holy as theirs, and his miracles were much greater and more numerous, and con- fequently more undeniably derived from omnipotence. They ought with- out hefitation to afcribe them to the Almighty, and to regard them as a full proof that Jefus was, what he claim- ed to be, the Meffiah. They plainly proceeded from power fuperior to that of Beelzebub, and ableto vanquifh him. ; for they tended directly to overthrow his dominion. If it be a jufl maxim, that he is to be regarded as an enemy who with-holds affiflance, much more ought Chrift to be coniidered as an e- nemy to the devil, when he was doino- everv 144 DISSERTATION I. every thing to ruin his kingdom, both by his miracles themfelves, and by the dod:rine for which he wrought them ; the accomphce of the devil he could not polhbly be. One of the apoflles was obliged, not properly to prove the force, but to point out the real intention of a mira- cle which he had wrought, by a rni- ftake of the fpedtators w^hich was very grofs, but into which Pagans might na- turally run. The occafion was of a ve- ry peculiar nature ; the illuftration of the miracle was exactly liiited to it. There fat a certain man at Lyftra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother'' s •womhy who never had vjalked. To him Paul faid. Stand upright on thy feet. And. he leaped and walked. When the people faw ■luhat Paid had done, they lift up their voices, faying in the fpeech of Lycaonia, The Gods are come doivn to us in the likenefs of men : And they called Barnabas, Jupiter ; and Panh SECTION IV. 145 Pauly Merciiriiis, hccaup be ivas the chief fpcaker. T^hen the priejl of Jupiter 'vjhicb was before their city, brought oxen and gar- lands unto the gates, and would have done fa- crifice with the people. They acknow- ledged the miracle ; they were fenfible that it fhowed a divine power reliding in the perfons by whom it was per- formed : but they had been inattentive to the dodlrine which they preached ; inftead of confidering the miracle juft- \y as a proof of that doc^lrine, they haftily explained it according to their own preconceived opinions. Certain that the miracle implied divine power, and accuftomed to think only of the pagan deities, they immediately con- cluded that Paul and Barnabas were two of thefe. The apoftles perceived their miftake, and fet themfelves to rectify it. They had no need to infift on the reality or the force of the mi- racle ; thefe were acknowledged : the K particular 146 DISSERTATION I. particular point defigned to be proved by it, was what had been miftaken ; they therefore explicitly determined this : they aflured the people that they were no divinities, that the miracle proceeded not from any of the heathen gods, who indeed had no exiftence : they declared that its fole intention was to attefl the doctrine which they preached, that it proved its truth and divinity, and therefore ought to lead them to embrace it, renouncing their former idolatry and fuperftition : The-j rent their cloathsy and ran in among the peo- ple, crying outy and fapng. Sirs, why do y thefe things ? We alfo are men of like paffions ivith you, and preach unto you, that ye Jhould turn from thefe vanities unto the living God'^, Miracles • Ads xiv. 8, — 18. Roufleau (Letters fran the Moun- tains) boads much of his own modefty in being contented with the charader of a dnjurer, when, by an ingenious man- ner of giving refponfes, invented and praftifed by him, he could r SECTION IV. 147 Miracles prove immediately the di- vine milFion of the perfon v/ho works them ; and that miffion once proved, gives authority to all the do6lrines M^hich he teaches in the name of God. But the Chriftian miracles have more- over a direct and natural connexion with the particular doctrines of Chrifli- anity, as they are exemplifications of them: and the obje * John ii. r8, 19, 21. i8o DISSERTATION I. fci'jingy Majier, ive would fee a fign from heaven from thee* But he anfwered and f aid unto them^ An evil and adidterous generation feeketh after a fign, and there fiall no fign he given to it, but the fign of the prophet Jo- fias: for as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whalers belly y fofhall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth *. Soon after our Saviour had for the fecond time fed a great multitude by a miracle, the Pharifees afraid, it would feem, left all men Ihould follow him, and eager to dis- credit him, by demanding what he had oftener than once declined giving, and what they therefore thought them- felves certain that he could not give, came with the Sadducees^ and tempting, de- fired him that he would fhow them a fign from heaven. He anfwered and faid unto them^ When it is evening, ye fay. It will he fair weather, for the fky is red ; and in the morning, * Mattb. xii. 38, 40. Lukexi. 16, 29, 30. S E C T I O N IV. i8i mornings It %uill be foul weather to da), for thefli) is red and lowering : 0 ye hypocrites, ye can difcern the face of the fky ; hit can ye not difcern the figns of the times ? A wicked and adulterous generation feeketh after a fign, and there fo all no fign he given unto it, hut the fign of the prophet Jonas'^, In the firfl initance, the demand was made hnme- diately after an action which impHed his afliiming very great and extraordi- nary authority; and before this time he had been declared to be the Son of God by the miraculous teftimony at his baptifm, he had been pointed out for the Mefliah by John, who was owned to be a prophet, he had himfelf wrought fome miracles, and he had juft done what may not improperly be conlider- ed as partaking of the nature of a mi-, racle. In the other two inflances, the demand was almoft immediately occa- fioned by very ftupendous miracles, which '^ Matth. XV}. I, —4. Markviii. 11, 12. i82 DISSERTATION I. Avhich he had performed. Thefe cir- cumflances, as well as the manner in which the demand itfelf is exprefled, naturally lead us to think, that it was not a great miracle in general, but ibme one determinate fign, which diey had in their eye, and which was pecu- liarly reckoned the fign of the Son of man. It is fometimes called a fign from heaveuy and we can Icarce doubt, that they meant the very fame ii^n in all their different demands : this having been once refufed, they repeatedly aflced it v/ith an air of triumph, as if they ex- pelled that it would be refufed, and thouffht that no evidence without it, could prove Jefus to be the Meffiah. It is remarkable too, that Jefus con- liantly refufed the fign which they a/k- ed ; and that his anlwer is always to the fame purpofe, tho' expreffed in dif- ferent ways, and never fails to include an intimation of his own refurre6lion fj^om S E C T I O N IV. 183 from the dead. This laft circumftancc is the more remarkable, becaufe he fcarce ever intimated his refurredion in fpeaking to the promifcuovis multi- tude, except when a fign was afl<:ed. In order to account for thefe circum- flances, and to underfland the real im- port, as well as the propriety, of Chrill's anfwers to their repeated demand, let us endeavour to afcertain, what ^vas moft probably the real nature of the fign which they expcfted. Daniel had faid concerning the Mefliah, / Jaiv in the ni(^ht-vifionSy and behold one like the Son of 7nan, came ivith the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they hrou^Jn him near before him : and there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kifigdom, that all people, nations, and languages Jloould ferve him*. The Jews miilook the fenfe of this prediction ; they feem to have concluded from it, that ^ Daniel vii. 13, 14. i84 DISSERTATION I. that the Mefliah would come down from heaven in vifible glory, in the character of a temporal prince, put himfelf at their head, and lead them forth to conquer all their enemies, and to eredl an univerfal empire : and when- ever they afked a {]gn from Jefus, their meaning v/as, that he fliould appear in this very manner. Indeed they had come to reckon fuch an appearance fo proper and determinate a mark of the Meifiah, that it was a common peri- phrafis for his name. This is plain from what happened at our Saviour's trial: The high prieji f aid, I adjure thee by the living God, that thoii tell us, whether thou be the Chriji the Son of God, Jefiis an- fwers in terms equivalent to thofe of Daniel's predidlion, Thou haft faid: ne- ver thelefs, I fa-y unto you. Hereafter fall ye fee the Son of man fitting on the right hand of pozucr, and coming in the clouds of heaven^ » This * Matth. xxvi. 6^, 64. Mark xiv. 6j, 62. S E C T I O N IV. 185 This was intended to be a direB anfwer to the queftion, and it was underflood to be fuch. If this was their meaning, we may perceive how naturally they made the demand immediately after he had afTumed extraordinary authority, or wrought great miracles : they were aftoniflied by thefe, they could fcarce help fufpe<^Hng that Jefus was more than an ordinary perfon, though they were very unwilling to fuppofe it : yet flill they miffed in him, what they reckoned an effential charad:er, nay the precife chara^leriflic of the pro mi- fed Mefliah, his coming down from hea- ven in the manner defined by their in- terpretation of Daniel's predidlion : the)' therefore afked him to put his claim out of doubt, by exhibiting this iign. They might have been led to make this demand, not only by their unbelief, but alfo by fome degrees of fuipicion, that Jefus would perhaps give i86 DISSERTATION I. give this proof of his being the Meffiah afterwards, though the time for it was not yet come : the latter of thefe caufes had, it may be, fome influence upon them when they made the demand at firft ; but in the fucceeding inftances they were adluated folely by the other. Our Saviour's refufing a fign when it was demanded, has been a great fubje^l of objeftions, and has particularly been alledged as a proof, that he was unwil- ling to give all the evidence of his mif- iion, which he might have given, or to fatisfy the underftandings of men. '' I'bc PharifeeSy it is faid, tempting him, *' nfiedafign; that is, fome teftimonial " of the truth of his declared milfion: " And w^hat did this requeft produce? <' Why, he lighed deeply at their per^ *' verfenefs, who were fo hard to be *^ convinced, and ftiled them a foolijh *• and adidtcrcus generation for their pre- *' fumption. Now this defiring a ra- ** tional S E C T I O N IV. 187 ■^< tional evidence for their difciplefliip, ** the fceking after ^ fign^ as thefcripture ** terms it, had, if he had indeed appeal- *^ edto their underftandings, been fofar *' from any thing criminal or blame- " worthy, that it had been in all rea- *' fon their indifpenlible duty; where- ** as it was, it feems, in Faith, an un- ** warrantable, prefumptnous, and ** wanton curiofity *. — The coming ** defirous to canvafs the evidence, *' though from no other principle per- ** haps, originally, than that of grati- ** fying a light curiofity, were, one ** would imagine, a turn of mind to *' be favourably entertained, and care- ** fidly cheriihed in a novice, by any ** who was follicitous to gain profelytes ** by fuch means, and confcious ofha- " ving any thing of the kind to pro- ** duce to him. But, on the contrary, '* we find our Mafler ever difclaiming, *' with * Chriftianity nor foLinded on argument, p. 38. i88 DISSERTATION I. *' with the feverefl refentment, all fol- " lowers of that complexion ; and no ** temper check'd and difcourag'd with •* fo conftant an averfion, as this of, *^ as it is opprobioiifly termed, feeking *' a fign'^.** This objection ahnoll re- futes itfelf, though we take not in the peculiar nature of the fign which they demanded ; The allertions, that they afked only fome teflimonial of his decla- red mliTion, that they delired a rational evidence for their difciplefliip, that they came delirous to canvafs the evidence, that this was the difpofition which Je- fus held criminal, are all fo directly contradid:ory to the real circumflances in which the demand was made, that they can fcarce be imputed to other principles than want of candour, and an intention to miflead : From thefe circumflances it is plain, that far from being poiTelFed of this laudable temper, they * Chriflianity not foiuidcd on argument, p. 49. S E C T I O N IV. 189 they were not impelled to make the demand even by a principle fo little blameable as light curiofit^, but were ac- tuated by perverfenefs and prejudice, which had already made them with- ftand the cleareil evidence, and the greatefl miracles, and which it was in vain to expert to conquer by working more miracles : It was therefore as rea- fonable to refule to work more, as it is, not to periift in reafoning with a man who fhows that he reafons only for the fake of contention, without any con- cern to difcover truth. But when we recollecft what was the fign which they deiired, the obje(^ion is even abfurd. It was a fign which they were led to ex- ped:, only by their falfe notions of a temporal Meffiah ; it was abfoiutely in- confident with the truth of the Mefliah's character ; to have given it, would have been to become jufl fuch a deli- verer as the Jews expelled ; it was therefore 190 DISSERTATION L therefore impolfible that it could be gi- ven. Inltead of giving it, it was proper to affirm exprefsly, as Jefus did affirm, that it never would be given, and that it did not belong to the Meffiah juflly conceived. Whenever a fign was afked, he appealed for the certainty of his million, to his own refurreftion from the dead. So far was he from refuling an-j rational evidence of his miffion, that even their perverfenefs hindered him not from voluntarily pointing out the jlrongej}. His refurrediion was in itfelf the moft ftupendous miracle ; and its force was increafed by its being in this manner appealed to, for it thus became the accomplilliment of prophecies ut- tered by him. But there is a farther propriety in his foretelling it, when they required a fign : it was a plain in- finuation, that their opinion of the manner of the Mcffiah's appearance was wTong, that he was not fuch a prince S E C T I O N IV. 191 prince as they expedled ; for by it he informed them exprefsly, that he muft be put to death, before he entered on his kingdom. His anfwer was therefore fit for leading them to a jufter interpre- tation of Daniel's prophecy, and for preventing their rejecting the MeiTiah, becaufe he wanted a character which was never predicted of him. There is another occafion on which the Jews demanded a flgn. We have not yet taken notice of it, becaufe it may now be examined with greater advantage by itfelf. The day after he had iirfl miraculoufly fed a great multitude, while he was teaching them in expref- fions borrowed from that miracle, and urging them to believe on him, they f aid unto him. What fign fioiueft thou then, that we may fee and believe thee ? what do ft thou work^? They thus intimated, that it would be foon enough to receive him as the Meffiah, when he affumed the kingdom, * John vi. 30. 192 DISSERTATION i. kingdom, in the manner which, they imagined, was fixed by Daniel's pre- diction, that without this, no miracles of another fort could prove his claim ; and they particularly infinuated that his having given one meal to a multi- tude by miracle, was nothing extraor- dinary, but far inferior to Mofes's ha- ving fed many more, for a longer time, with manna from heaven*. His difcourfe on this occafion, is much larger and more complex than any of the anfwers which he gave to the fame demand at other times. There are many reafons for this; they exprefled their contempt of the miracle of the loaves, as well as aflced a fign ; he fpake figuratively, in allufion to that miracle, on purpofe to inculcate its fitnefs for proving that he was impowered to be- ftow eternal life ; feveral particular difficulties were moved in the courfe of his fermon; fo that his anfwer to the * John vi. 31. SECTION IV. 19s th€ demand of a fign, is interfperfed with a variety of other fubjects. Many things, however, which he faid, tend directly to (liow them that they were miftaken in the nature of the fign which they expected, and to lead them into right apprehenfions of the man- ner and defign of the Melfiah's coming. Thus, tho' he came not dowii in the manner which, they imagined, Daniel had foretold, he afTures them feveral times, tliat he actually came from hea- ven * : particularly, when they infinu- ated that this could not poffibly be, becaufe he was defcended of earthly parents, he aflirms very exprefsly that^ this notwitflanding, he did come down from heaven, and intimates that, by the ancient prophets, the Meiliah ought not to come from heaven in fuch a way as they expelled, v/hich would have made the Jews flock to him ea- gerly, without the need of any extra- N ordinary * John vi. 33., ;^3,35; 38, 58, 194 DISSERTATION I. ordinary means : The Jews then inurmii- red at him^ hecaiife he faid, ' I am the bread which came do%vn from heaven: and the^ faidy Is not this Jefus the J'on of Jofephy vjhofe father and mother zve know ? hoiv is it then that he faith ^ I came down from hea- ven ? Jfus therefore anfwered and f aid unto them. Murmur not among your fives : no man can come to me, except- the Father which hathfent me draw him ; fo far am I from coming with vifible pomp, and con- fpicuous majefty, and Itriking flgns : and I will raife him np at the lafi day : This is in a manner foretold, for, It is written in the prophets, and they Jimll he all taught of God *. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me : not that any man hath feen the Father, fave he WHICH is of God, he hath feen the Father, — I am that bread of life : your fathers did eat manna in the wilderncfs, and are dead; this is the bread which cometh DOWN * There is fome difficulty in perceiving the propriety of the anfwer which Jeius here makes. The obje(flion of the Jews was. S E C t I O N IV. 195 DOWN FROM HEAVEN, that a man ma^ eat thereof arid not die ; I am the living bready ivhich came down from Hea- ven*.- he ufes fucb expreflions as may at the fame time imply, that they ex- N 2 ao-orerated CO v;as, How can he fay, that he came down from heaven, when he was born of earthly parents whom we know ? His anfwer is. No viaii can cume laito vie, except the Father •which hath fent ine, draw him : — it is ivrittefi in the prophets ^ And they Jljali b: all taught of Cod'. How is their objection obviated by this re- jjly? It is fomewhat indired ; the violence of their prejudices made it neceffary that it fhould be fo ; but it tended to warn them that they were prejudiced, without exafperating them: 1. When we confider the anfwer in the moft general view, the aflertion that divine teaching was neceflary for their re- ceiving him as the Meffiah, and the quotation of a paffage from the Old Teftament, in which this teaching had been fore- told, implies a plain infmuation, that it would hot be altoge- ther fo eafy to diftinguifh the Meffiah, as they imagined, and that, fince they ought to expeft fome difficulty, they fliould not be pofitive that he did not come down from heaven^ merely becaufe they knew not exaflly in what manner he did. 2. It had a ftiil more immediate relation to their objeftion. They expe(fted that the Meffiah fliould defcend from heaven ia the vifible and glorious manner which we have already defcri- bed, and this was the fign which they demanded. But this fign wasfo accurately determined and fo minutely defcribed by their dodlors, that, if it had trulybelonged to the Meffiah, they muft Lave known him inftanily, there could have been no room for doubJ * John vi. 41, 51. 196 DISSERTATION I. aggerated the miracle of the manna, mod extravagantly. In order to lead them to red:ify their miftake, he fur- ther informs them plainly, that the fal- vation and life which he would beftow was doubt, and confequently bo need of divine teaching. By aflert- ing, therefore, the neceffity of this, he intimated that they were miftaken concerning the nature of the fign, that is, con- cerning the manner of the Meffiah's defcent from heaven ; that no fuch decifive mark as they expc<5ted, would attend him; and that, on this account, they could not conclude from what they knew of his nativity, that he was not truly the Mef- fiah. 3. To be drawn by the Father, is commonly underftood of men's being enlightened and convinced by the immediate influence of the divine Spirit ; but it likewife naturally implies, their being taught by the ancient revelations which God had given. According to this fenfe of the expreffion, the import of Chrift's anfwer is : Ye cannot perceive me to be the Meffiah, or to have come down from heaven, except ye underftand the intimations of his charader which God has already given by the prophets, except ye apprehend the true meaning of the predictions concerning him ; ye miftake their meaning in the particular to which your prcfent objeftion refers, as weU as in many others, ye ought therefore to ftudy them more care- fully ; if ye do, ye fliall attain the knowledge of the real cha- raAll give, is 7ny flejh^ -which I will give for the life of the worldf. He allures them, likewife, that he would afcend » John vi; 39, 40. 44, 47, 50,51, 54, 5S. t Ver. 51. 198 D I S S ER T AT I O N I. afcend again into heaven; what and- if ye fl:all fee the Son of man afcend up -where he was before?^' This is equivalent to the mention of his relurreflion, on li- milar occalions ; it is an intimation, that he would be proved to be the Mef- fiah by an appearance as remarkable as the fign which they demanded ; and it is an intimation of the true nature of his kingdom, and of the manner of his entering on it. Finally, to this inti- mation he fiibjoins the following cau- tion. It is the fpirit that qtnckeneth, the fef) profiteth nothing ; the words that Ifpeak unto ypii, they arc fpirit, and they are life f. This certainly implies a warning, that his prefent difcourfe was delignedly fi- gurative, and therefore ought not to be grofsly interpreted ; but it may like- wife imply a hint, that their millakes about the Meffiab, and particularly their expectation of what they called a fign from heaven, proceeded from their * John vi. 62. t Ver. 6^. SECTION IV. 99 their underftanding the figurative ex- preliions of the ancient prophecies, in too fl:ri£l and literal a lenle; and, that his account of himfelf and his kingdom, was really agreeable to the fpirit and the true meaning of them. Thus the fubflance of his difcourfe, on this oc- caiion, is the fame with that of his an- iwers to the demand of a fign at all o- ther times, tho' the form be different; and it has the dire^lefl tendency to iliow them that they v;ere miftaken, to warn them againft fufpending their faith on a fign, the expectation of which had no foundation, except in their own imaginations, and againft rejecting him, in oppofition to the ftrongeft evidence, merely becaufe this fancied fign attend- ed him not.-— As the expectation of a temporal Meffiah, and that interpreta- tion of the prophecies, from which it had been deduced, were deeply im- bibed by the Jews, fo even the apoftles retained zoo DISSERTATION I. retained them, till they were fully illu- minated by the eiruiion of the Holy Gholt, after Chrifli's afcenfion. They believed hin;i to be the IMciTiah,but they never doubted that he would Ibnie time or other aifume the character wiiich they fuppofed to belong to the Mcliiah ; and that, at that time, whenever it fliould happen, the lign from heaven Vv'ould be given. In this temper, and with the fame notions which the Jews had in all their demands, it was that, after his lamentation over Jerufalem, they allied him privately, Wbcn pall thcfc things he ? and ivhat fioall he the fign of thy coming?^ In .anfwer to thcfe quefti- ons, Jefus foretels yQ\-y particularly the calamities and ruin which were coming upon Jerufalen> ; after an account of many of them, he defcribes the total fubverfion of the Jewifii j^olity, which would be the ifTue of them, in terms highly figurative, but very familiar in the f Matth. xxiv. 3. S E C T I O N IV. 201 the prophetic ftile ; Immediately after the tribulation of thofe days, Jhall the fun be darkened, and the moon fmll not give her light y and the ftars fiall fall from heaven, and the povjers of the heavens Jhall bejlmken"^. He adds, And then Jhall ap- pear the fign of the Son of man in heaven ; and then f mil all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they fmll fee the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory t' Here we find that the fign which was afked fo often, was indeed what we have fuppofed it to be, and that the expectation of it was derived from that very prophecy of Daniel, which we have pointed out: the two claufes of the verfe are equivalent, and the laft of them is exprefled in Da- niel's very words ; then Jhall appear the fign of the Son of man in heaven, and thus they fliall fee the accomplifliment of what Daniel really intended by the fi- gurative • Matlh. XXIV. ip. f Ver. 3p. 202 DISSERTATION L gurative exprelTions which he ufes, the^j Jhall fee the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven^ ivith the dominion or poiver and the glory which was given him by the Ancient of days. By the manner in which he alludes to the prediction on this occaiion, he exprefsly contra- dicts their interpretation of it, as being inconiiftent with Daniel's real mean- ing. For, firft, he gives fuch intima- tions of the time when this fign would be exhibited, as plainly (liowed that they were totally miftaken in exped:ing it at his entering on his kingdom: and, fecondly, he lets them know that they likewife miftook its nature. They ex- pelled that the Son of man would de- fcend vifibly from heaven, to take up- on him the government of the Jews, and to lead them out to viftory over all their enemies, and that he would come cloathed with fuch majefty and iplendour as fliould make all know him for E C T I O N IV. 203 for the Mefliah, and follow him : But he informs them that they ought to ex- pect fomething almofl totally the re- verfe of this, the Son of man, not de- fcending viiibly, but interpofing pow- erfully and irrelidibly, not for raifing the Jews to univerfal empire, but for executing dreadful judgment and de- ftru6lion on them. They could fcarce fail to perceive that coining in the clouds of heavm implied executing judgment, for the exprelFion is ufed feveral times in their own fcriptures, and always means no more than this*; they not- withflanding {trained it to a literal fenfe, to the meaning of a vilible ap- pearance, in Daniel's prediction, and, tho' they underflood it to imply the execution of judgment, yet it was on- ly vipon their enemies, not upon them- feives. But Jefus informed them that it * 2 Sam. xxii. 10, 15. Pfal. xviii. 9,— — 14» ;cGvn. 2. Ifa. xix. I. Jer. iv. 13, 18. 204 DISSERTATION I. it did not here, any more than in other pafTages, denote a vifible appearance, that it meant fimply the execution of judgment, and that the Jews them- felves were the objech of that judg- ment. ** A iign, fays Jefus, has fre- ** quently been afked of me ; I will ** now tell you, what iign. ought to ** have been expected: if the Jews had " known what it is, they would not ** have been lb foliicitous for it; it is ** very diiferent from what they fup- ** pofe it to be: the whole Jewifli na- *' tion fliall be utterly diflblved by the '* fevere vengeance of God ; this is the ** fign of the Son of man v/hich fhall ap- " pear in heaven^ for this is all that Da- ** niel means by the Son of man comingin " the clouds of heave n^ in the pafFage on " which they found their expectation " of a fign." On this occafion, then, Jefus not only alTured them that the fign which they looked for, would not be S E C T I ON IV. 205 be given, but alfo pointed ovit where their miflake lay, and explained the true meaning of the prophecy on which they founded it. Thus Jefus, in confequence of the oppofition made to him, occailonally illuflrated the proof of his million from prophecy, frequently during his life. But after his refurred:ion, he fully ex- plained all the ancient prophecies con- cerning his fufferings and death, and his religion, oftener than once to his difciples. The fame day that he rofe from the dead, he came up to Cleophas and another difciple, going from Jeru- falem to Emmaus. They had hither- to believed him to be theMelliah: but now their faith was almoft totally fub- verted, becaufe he had been crucified, and they had not yet been latisfied con- cerning the truth of his refurredlion ; tbe chief priejlj and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to deaths and have crucified him : 2o6 DISSERTATION!. him : hit lue tnijlcd that it had been he luhich JJoould have redeemed IJrael : and befidc all this, to day is the third day fiiice theje things luere done. Having heard their doubts, and the grounds of them, he faidy 0 fools y andjlovj of heart to believe all that the prophets have jpoken! Ought not Chrift to have fuffered thcfc things^ and in this man- ner to enter into his glory ? And beginning at Mofesy and all the prophets y he expounded un- to them in all the fcriptiiresy the things con- cerning himfelf^. In order to confirm the faith of the apoflles and other di- fciples, and to inform their under- ftandings, he pointed out the applica-* tion of the ancient prophecies to him- felf, likewiie on another occafion : TheJe are the vjords vjhich I fpake unto yoUy Tjhile I tuas yet with yoUy that all things mufl be fulfilled which were written in the lavj of Mofes, and in the pro^ phetSy and in the pf alms , concerning me. Then opened he their underfanding that they might underfand *■ Luke xxiv, 13, 27. S E C T I O N IV. 207 under Jl and the fcriptures, and f aid unto theiyiy Thus it is luritten, and thus it behoved Cloriji to [differ ^ and to rife from the dead the third dajy and that repentance and re- minion of fins foul d he preached in his namCy among all nations ^ beginning at Jerufalem f and ye are witnejfes of thefc things *. This ferved not only for the conviction of the difciples themfelves ; it anfwer- ed another pnrpofe. Being thus in- ftruded by Chrifl: himfelf, in the true meaning of the prophecies, their know- ledge of which was perfected by the ef- fufion of the holy Spirit at Pentecoil, they were qualified for fapporting Chriflianity by appeals to them, and reafonings from them, and all their ap- plications of them bear the authority of Chrift himfelf The oppoiition which had been made to the gofpel, before they began to preach, prevent- ed its being ever improper for them to explain, and reafon from, the prophe- cies which they quoted ; it made it even necefTary : * Luke xxiv, 44, — 48. 2o8 DISSERTATION 1, necefTary: but they were very often called to it by immediate objections and marks of prejudice. On the day of Pentecofl, Peter fpoke to an affeni- bly of thofe who had oppofed Chrift fo inveterately as even to be acceflary to his death, who had already taken him, andh'j ivkked hands crucified and /lain him* ; and he fpoke in an aflembly in which fome, on feeing the miraculous gifts bellowed on the apoftles, faid mocking, Theje men are full of new zuine'f. After having (imply quoted, with a particu- lar view to thefe latter, a prophecy of Joel, of which what they mifrepreient- ed as drunkennefs was fo obvious a completion, that it needed no com- mentary $ ; he was naturally led by his knowledge of the difpofition which the generality of his audience had ful- ly fliown, to quote two prophecies of David, and to prove by the juftefl: rea- foning, • Aflsii. 23. t Ver. 13. t Ver. 14, — ?i. SECTION IV. 209 foning, that they were never properly fiilfilied ill David hiiniclf, that they related to the Meffiah, and that they were literally and exactly fulfilled in Jefus, and therefore demonflrated that he was the MeiTiah there predivited : David fpeaketh concerning him, Iforcfaw thi Loi'd alwa'js before m-j face, for he is on my right hand, that I fiould not be ?noved; there- fore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue zvas glad: ?nor cover aljo, ?ny flefi fall reft in hope, hecaife thou wilt not leave my foid in hell, neither wilt thou fuffer thine holj one to fee corruption: thou haft made known to me the ways of life; thou fait make me fidl of joy with thy countenance. Men and brethren, let me freely fpeak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his fepulchre is with us unto this day : there- fore being a prophet, and knowing that God hadfworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the fief, he would raifc up Chrift to fit on his throne ; O he 210 DISSERTATION I. be feeing this before, [pake of the refurreclion of Chrifty that his foul was tiot left in hell, neither his flefi did fee corruption * this Je- fus hath God raifcd up, -whereof -we all are witnejfes» Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promife of the hoi) Ghojl, he hath fhed forth this, -which -je nouu fee and hear : for David is not afcended into the heavens ; hut he faith him f elf. The Lord faid unto ;«y Lord, Sit thou on ni) right hand, until I ?nake thy foes thy footfiooL Therefore let all the houfe of Ifrael knoiu ajfuredly, that God hath made that fame Jefus whom ye have cru- cified, both Lord and Chrift *. As the Jews only exprefled their furprife at the cure of the lame man, by Peter and John, but were not convmced by it ; and as they had already denied the holy one and the jujl, and killed the prince of life t ; Peter, after having pointed out the intention and the force of the mi- racle, * Aits ii. 25, 36. •j- Chap. iii. 10, 13, 14, 15. S E C T I O N IV* 21 1 racle, naturally took occafioii to ob- ferve that many prophecies had been emitted, in all the preceeding ages, concerning the Meiliah, fome of which he quotes particularly, and that they were all exaftly fulfilled in Jefiis ; and thence concluded that the Jews, who were the children oj the prophets ^ and of the covenant, ought readily to acknowledge him as the promifed Saviour*. When he was queflioned by the council, con- cerning the fame miracle, he applied another particular prophecy to Chrifl's being crucified by them, and exalted by Godf: and their threatenings gave occaflon to the company of Chriilians, when Peter and John returned to them, to take notice of the accuracy with which another predidlion was accom-^ pli(hed in Jefus : Thou h^ the month of thy fervant David hajifaid. Why did the heathen racre, and the people imagine vain things ? O 2 The * Aasiil. 2i>— 26, t Chap. iv. 11. ' 212 DISSERTATION I. The kings of the earth jiood «/>, and the riders luere gathered together againfi the Lardy and againjl his Chrijl : For of a truth againjl thy holy child JefuSy whom thou haft anointed, both ticrod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people oflfrael, were ga- thered together, to do whatfoever thy hand and thy coimfel determined before to be done'^. When Philip came up to the Ethiopian Eunuch, he found him reading this place of fcripture ; He was led as a fteep to the flaughter, and like a lamb dumb before his fearer, fo opened he not his 7nouth : in his humiliation his judgment was taken away ; and who fall declare his generation ? for his life is taken from the earth: and not un- derilanding it, he afked Philip, Of whom fpeaketh the prophet this? ofhimfelf or offome other man? We are not informed of the particulars of Philip's anfwer, but we are told that he began at the fame fcripture, and preached tmto him Jefus t» The * A6ls iv. 24, 28. t Chap. viii. 32, 35. S E C T I O N IV. 213 The objedlions of the Jews who belie- ved the gofpel indeed, but nnderftood its nature very imperfed:ly, inflamed no doubt by the clamours of the un- believing Jews, againfl granting the gentile Chriftians immunity from the obfervance of the ceremonial law, led James to recoiled: and to urge a pre- diftion which indicated this very thing : To this agree the words of the prophet s^ as it is written, y^fter this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down ; and I will build again the ruins thereof and I will ft it up ; that the reft due of men might feek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles upon whom ni"^ name is called, faith the Lord, who doth all thefe things. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world*. It is with a diredl view to remove the miftakes of the unbelie- ving Jews, who inflexibly oppofed the gofpel, in relation to the fame fabjed:, that the apoille Paul proves from feve- ral * Aas XV. 15, 18. ' 214 DISSERTATION I. ral pafTages of the prophets, that the Gentiles ought to be admitted hi to the Melfiah's kingdom, without any other condition but believing in Chrift. This, he obferves, is plainly implied in what liaiah lays, Ipeaking of the Mefliah, Jfhofcever bdieveth on hiniy Jhall mt be a- fhamed; for the expreflion, he argues, is unUmited, whofocvcr, fo that here iberc is no difercnce made between the Jew and the Greeks and nothing is required but believhig'^. He further confirms this, by quoting a fimilar intimation of Joel, Whosoever /hall call p,pon the name of the Lord, fJoall be favedf. He af- terwards proves that their cavils againft preaching the Gofpel to the Gentiles, were perfectly unreafonable, fincethey miP'ht have knov/n that it would be fo, becaufe it was all along foretold : Did not Ifrael know that the Gentiles would be called? If they did not, it was ♦ Rom. X. II, 12. t Ver. 13. S E C T I O N IV. 215 was their own fault, for firfly Mofis faith, I will provoke you tojealoufy by them that are no people, and by a foolijlo nation I nvill anger you* But Efaias is very plain in foretelling both the calling of the Gen- tiles, and the rejection of the Jews themfelves ; and faiths I was found of t hem that fought me not, I was made manifeft unto them that afked not after me : hut to Ifrael he faith, All day lons^ have I Jlr etched forth my bands unto a dif obedient andgainfaying people'^. At Theflalonica, the Jews who believed not, were fo violent in their oppofition to Paul, that they g.t laft raifed a tu- mult againft him t : There Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reafoned with them out of the fcriptures, opening and alledging^ that Chrijl mufl needs have fuffered^ and rifen again from the dead ; and that this Jcfus whom I preach 2into you is the Chrijl f . Apollos ufed the lame method in fimilar circumftances: he f Rom. X. 19,-21. t Ads xvii. 5. % "^^^r, 2,. 3^ 2i6 DISSERTATION I. he not only helped them much vjhich had believed through grace ; but alfo mightily convinced the Jews who oppofed the go- fpel, and that publicly, Jhowing by the fcrip- turesy that Jcfus was Chrift *. Before Agrippa, Paul affirmed that, in preach- ing the gofpel, he faid none other things than thofe which the prophets and Mofes did fay fhould come ; that Chrift foiddfiffer, and that he fold d be the fir ft that fould rife from the dead, and Jhould fow light unto the peo- pie, and to the Gentiles f. When Paul was a prifoner at Rome, the Jews faid to him, j^s concerning this fe^, we know that every where it is fpoken againjl J, In order to remove the prejudice which they thus exprelled, and to anfwer their objeftions, he expounded and tefiified the kingdom of God, pcrfuading them concern- ing Jcfiis, both out of the law of Mofes, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening |[.- and * A*^s xviii. 27, 28. t Chap. xKvi. 22, 23. % Chap, xxviii. 22. || Vcr. 23. S E C T I O N IV. 217 and when, notwithftanclmg all his pains, fame believed noty he fliowed that this very obftinacy was foretold by Ifaiah*. Thus we have largely explained the i^anner in which Chrift and his apoftles illudrated and urged the feveral parti- cular evidences of the truth of Chrifti- anity. The fmalleft degree of atten- tion to what has been faid, will enable us to perceive, that, on feveral occa- fions, the objections of thofe who belie- ved not, led them to colleft feveral of thefe evidences together, and to enforce them at once. It will not be necefTary to review the inflances which have been already produced, in order to prove this. It will be fufficient to recoiled:, that we have frequently had occafion to introduce paflages of fcripture in eoniidering one of the evidences of the gofpel, which had been formerly exa- mined * Ads xxviii. 25,-27. zid DISSERTATION I. mined in part, when we were confider- ing other evidences of it. Sometimes in anfwering an objecl:ion which had heen raifed, Chrift or his apoftles in- fifted on feveral dillin^i: proofs of their miffion. Sometimes when an objec^ tion was made, they anfwered it by dj^ playing one evidence of the gofpel; ah exception was taken againft their an- fwer; this led them to urge another evidence of it ; and thus they were brought to touch on feveral or all of its principal proofs. We fliall take no^ tice only of a few inftances, which are full to the purpofe, and have not been formerly pointed out. We fhall not re- peat any of the illuftrations of the truth ofChrift's million, to which it has been already (hown that the cavils of th^ Pharifees againft the miracle wrought at the pool of Bethefda, gave rife : but we may obferve, that it moreover led Jefus to give a iummary of all the prin- cipal S' E C T I O N IV. 219 eipal proofs of his miflion. Plaving claimed very high dignity, he thought proper to produce at once the feveral vouchers for it. He deflres them not to take it on his own word ; If I alone, fays he, hear ivitnefs ofm^jfclfy m-^ witnejs^ you will fay, is not true. Be it fo ; you fay right ; had you only my own afler- tion for my milfion and dignity, it would not be fufficient to render it credible. But this is not my cafe; I want not abundance of the moll un- exceptionable evidence : there is an- other that heareth %vitnefs of me, and I know that he is really a prophet of God, and that therefore the luitnefs which he witnejfeth of me, is true, and ought to ob- tain credit. Ye certainly ought to be determined by it; he is a witnefs cal- led by yourfelves : ye acknowledged him to be a prophet, ye even were not certain that he was not the Ghrifl; ve fent unto John, and what was his anfwer to 220 DISSERTATION I. to you ? He bare ivitnefs unto the truth ; he confefled that he was not the Chrifl:, and he declared exprefsly that I am the Chrifl. This teflimony from a prophet, might alone prove my claim ; but I re- ceive not teftimony from man, I am under no neceflity of refting my caufe on this declaration alone, hut I would not omit it,becaufe it ought in all retifon to have great weight with you, for it will be grofs inconfiftence in you to rejecl it; and therefore thefe things I fay, that ye may believe and thus befaved. Ye ought ferioufly to ponder the force of this proof: it is very conllderable, for he was a burning and a JJ?ining light ; and ye •were willing fqr a jeafon to rejoice in his light: ye had once a high opinion of him, and he fully deferved it. But de- ciiive as his teftiraony is, it is not my principal voucher; I have greater witnefs than that of John: for the , works which the Father hath given me to finifj, the fame works that S E C T I O N IV. 221 that I do, bear wltnefs of me, that the Father hath fent me : my miracles are the tefti- mony of God himfelf ; they are very numerous, and, in every one of them, tliis teftimony is repeated. And the Fa- ther himfelf which hath fent ?«.'oyU}Y iV fA-'ovn Ti^V^ iTriailKyil(T^Ol.l CTTivoQ. ovdi ya.f> iy.Kv^\'iy o-jy, &c. He fays in another place, (ibid, page ^^6.) o'i'^'~^«' i This alfo plainly relates, not to any fupernatural gift bellow- ed upon himfelf, but to the light which the New Teilament revelation had thrown on the ancient prophecies : for he had juft before quoted fome prediaions, moft of which are applied to Chrift in the New Teftament ; he had afierted that Gen- tiles had now more perfed knowledge of the fcriptures than the Jews themfelves, and he had alTertcd that they owed this to the calling of the New and everlafting Teftament. The queftion followed naturally, Could we Gentiles underftand all thefe things in the fcriptures, if we bad not received grace to * ChriAianlty not founded 00 argument, p. 46, ^c 244 DISSERTATION I. boldnefs : he pretends to prove it by arguments; but we may be certain that they cannot pofFibly be conchi- iive: It is a plain fati:!:, that Chrifl did, in many inftances, urge his miracles as proofs of his milFion and doctrine: no reafonings to do it ? To fhow that the grace which he intends, is Cod's kindnefs in calling the Gentiles, while he rejefted the Jews, he proceeds immediately to quote predidions of thefe events. Se- veral^paflages are Jikewiie produced for proving, that Cyprian endeavours to eftablifti fome particular opinions or praflices* by pretending that he was direfled to them by vifions and fu- pernatural admonitions. Of thefe there is one which does imply fuch a pretence : but this is a, claim to fuch infpiration as would need miracles for proof of it, more properly than an appe.d to any miracle as an evidence of truth ; it is not therefore to the purpofe : befides, in this cafe, a man of a warm temper might more eafily deceive himfelf, or a defign- ing man might more fecurely make a falfe pretence, than in open miracles which are the objedls of men's fenfes. But in- deed moft of the paflages produced, imply no pretence to in- fpiration. He fays, for inftance, that God had commanded that a mixture of wine and water fhould be ufed in the Lord's fupper : he means, commanded in fcripture ; for it is from paffages of fcripture that he attempts to prove it. He fays concerning his flight from perfecuiion, that the Lord com- manded hinj to retire j he adds not, in a vifion ; and there is a written S E C T I O N V. 245 reafonings from any topic can. prove, then, that he did not; to propofe ar- guments in this cafe, is an infiilt upon reafon. That a written direflion of our Saviour, Matth. x. 23? fufficient to warrant his expreffion. He fpeaks of two perfons who were fet apart for prefbyters, divina d'gnatione ; they were eminent for goodnefs, they had ftiown great fteadinefs in perfecution, one of them recovered after having been half bufr.t by his per- fecutors ; Cyprian regarded thefe things as declarations of pro- vidence in their favour; all that he fays of them, fhows that he meant no more. It is plain then that the declared inten- tion of the miracles faid to have been wrought in the primitive church was, not the eftablifhment of particular opinions or pradtices, but fimply the confirmation of Chriftianity. Sup- pofe them real, the truth of the gofpel is all that follows. When miracles were urged in proof of particular tenets, we niay take it for granted that they were merely pretended ; when they came to be thus urged very commonly, real mi- racles had then either ceafed in the church, or become very rare. When the fcriptures were compleated, God had given men the whole rule of faith which he intended ; he left them to colleft their religion from them, in the ufe of their own fa- culties ; he empowered none any longer to work miracles for eftablifhing new dodi ines ; all pretences to fuch were mere impofture. For the propagation of Chriftianity among un- beiieverF, miracles might notwithftanding continue neceflary ; how long they did continue to be wrought for this purpofe, muft be determined by hiftorical evidence. 246 DISSERTATION I. That Jefus was a divine teacher, might have been proved by other ar- guments ; that he was the promifed Melfiah, could be proved only from the prophecies of the OJd Teftament. The agreement of thefe to him and his reUgion, is fo accurate, and extends to fo many particulars, that it might have convinced an attentive inquirer, that he was indeed the Meffiah, tho' he had never affirmed it, or made an appeal to prophecy. But his neglect- ing this altogether, would have been in fome meafure unaccountable; it v/ould have rendered this proof of his miilion fomewhat feeble, and confide- rably intricate; there might have been a fhow of reafon for afferting, that he only claimed to be an ordinary divine teacher, but aflumed not the high cha- racter of the ChriiL But he did in facl, on occafion of the objedlions which v/ere made, appeal very frequently to the S E C T I O N V. 247 the ancient prophets, apply then' ora- cles to himfelf, reafon from them, (liow that they were accompliflied in him- felf, and affirm that he was the very perfon intended by them. It cannot, therefore, be even pretended, that he ought to be regarded only as a common prophet: if he be at all a divine teach- er, he muft be the Mefliah ; the proof that this charad:er belongs to him, ftands in full ftrength, and is as fliort and clear as it pollibly could be. Thus if our Saviour and his apoftles had never employed that manner which they did employ on occafion of oppo- iition, it might have given a handle for fome plaufible objections againft the gofpel: it is a great advantage that there remains no colour for thefe ; it ren- ders tlie truth of Chriftianity more im- mediately evident, and the defence of it eaiier. Infidels are forward to lay hold of every difficulty attending revela- tion« 248 DISSERTATION I. tion, and to turn it into an argument againit its truth. A true revelation, they argue, if there ever was one, is of fo great and general importance, that it would not be coniixtent with the goodnefs and perfe^ion of God, to leave it expofed to difficulties, which may be infuperable to fome men, and occafion their rejecting it. The argu- ment is perfectly fallacious; it runs counter to the whole analogy of na- ture. It is however in fome degree fpecious : and its being fo, fliows that the principles of human nature difpofe us to regard a freedom from difficul- ties, as one reafon for thinking fa- vourably of any fcheme of religion. When, therefore, Chriftianity Hands clear of fo confiderable difficulties, by the manner of its publication, it h rea- fonable to confider this as fome indi- cation of its truth. It is, ^t lead: to a certain degree, what men would wifh a tx'ue S E C T I O N V. 249 a true revelation to be, and what Infi- dels judge it reafonable to'exped: that it fliould be. This is an indication of its truth, the flronger becaufe the dif- ficulties effeaualiy prevented, are fuch as would have unavoidably arifen from the fole ufe of that method which was originally and mod ordinarily employ- ed, and becaufe they are prevented in a conliilencc with the advantages re- lulting from that original manner. Further, as the manner in which Chrift and his apoilles fupported their milfion, when they met wdth oppoH- tion, prevents fome objedlions, fo it re- moves others. In confequence jof it, we have their own reprefentation of the natvire and force of the evidences pro- duced by them, and their own anfwers to feveral of the objections which have been moved againfl the truth of Chri- ftianity. This cannot fail to be high- ly 250 DISSERTATION L ly agreeable to the curious and inqni- fitive. It is not only agreeable. By means of it, confiderable progrefs is made in the defence of Chriftianity. Its evidences cannot fah'ly be rejecled, till the reprefentations of their force, gi* ven by Chrifl and the apoflles, be firfl invalidated ; the fame objections cannot fairly be repeated, till the an- fwers which they have already given to them, be firft refuted. This has, how- ever, been fcarce at all attempted by Infidels. There can be no ftronger evi- dence of wantof candour. Indeed, inice there have been fo many defences of Chriilianity, it would not be altogether unreafonable to expect, that Infidels fliould not revive any objed^ion, with- out fli owing all the anfwers already given, to be infufUcient: But it is pe- culiarly inexcufeable, to overlook thofe anfwers to objeclions, which the New Teftament contains. They cannot be ignorant S E C T I O N V. 251 ignorant of thefe, if they only read the New Teftameut; it is in it that Chridianity is taught, and therefore to oppofe Chriflianity without reading it, is alike abfurd and diiingenuous. To know thefe anfwers, and yet to take no notice of them, is as little confiflent with the love of truth. Had Infidels purfued the track which this principle naturally points out, it would have probably prevented fome of their ob- jections ; for Chrift and his apoftles gave anfwers to the objections which vi^ere propofed to them; and in every inftance, it may be fafely left to any perfon who will examine them, to de- termine on which fide the ftrenpth of o argument lies. But if they thought not thefe anfwers fufficient, it was plainly incumbent on them to have confuted them, before they could be at liberty to urge the fame objections. If they have declined this labour, it fliould in rea- fon ZS2 D I S S e R T A T I O N I. fon prejudice their caufe ; it cannot promote it. It expofes their impartia-< lity to juft fufpicion ; it intimates a confcioufnels of their inability to reply ; it is an acknowledgment of the folidity of the anfwers: at any rate, it renders their oppolition faulty in its very foun- dation. They have left a ftrong enemy behind, in poiTelfion of a fortrefs which they found impregnable, and, on that account, all their advances are infecure, and their fuccefles but apparent. Till the original anfwers be fairly confuted, the repetition of the objeclions is mere trifling. But when they are repeated, fo long as the New Teftament remains, Chriflians have the ready means, both of removing them, and of fliowing the impropriety of tlieir being urged. They have not this advantage only. The anfwers recorded in the New Te- ftament are fo natural, that they would have no doubt occurred, whenever the objetftions SECTION V. 253 objeiftions had been raifed; and they are £0 full, that they could fcarce have failed to fatisfy the reafon of men, by whomfoever they had been given : But being given by Jefus and his apoftles, Chriilians, who are already convinced of their million by diftintt and inde- pendent arguments, mufl: refl in them with peculiar alTurance, and be, by means of them, greatly confirmed in their faith. Their utility extends be- yond the confutation of the particular objections which gave rife to them; they are models to Chriftians for an- fwering many others; and they pro- ceed upon principles of fb general in- fluence, that they are even immediate- ly applicable to many objections which had not then been profefTedly urged. In every defence of Chriftianity, we may find numerous inilances, in which the reafonings of the New Teftament have been made, in this very manner, to 254 DISSERTATION t to contribute greatly to the illuftration of the truth of our religion. In a word, in confequence of Jefus having been led to fupport and enforce the eviden- ces of his million by reafoning, we have an opportunity of feeing him rife fupe- rior to all oppofition, of feeing the vic- tory of argument over fophiflry and cavil, of obferving, in the gofpel, the genuine triumphs of divine truth. The manner of propofing the evi- dences of Chriftianity, which Chrift and his apollles adopted on occafion of oppofition, not only contributes to fa- cilitate the defence of our religion ; it was necelTary for doing full juftice to its evidence. There are two ways in which the ftrength of evidence may be made to appear. It fliows its ftrength directly, when it produces ready and firm belief. But it cannot always fliow its ftrength in this manaer; prejudice or S E C T I O N V. 255 or fome other caufe may prevent the ftrongell evidence from producing its efFecls on Ibme men, and may fuggeft obje^lions againfl it. It is proved to be, notwithftanding, flrong, when it is fliown by reafoning, that it ought to have produced belief. This is the on- ly v^ay in which its power can be made known to thole, who do not feel it by its operation on their underftandings. Strong evidence requires not a great deal of reafoning, to enable it to gain the aiTent of a found underftanding ; but evidence muft be fpurious, if it ad- mit not a vindication by reafoning, from all the objeftions that can be raifed againft it. T"he evidences of Chriftiani- ty were called in queflion ; objedlions were formed againft them ; attempts were made to elude their force, by ca- villing at fome of the circumftances which attended them. Jefus confuted the objedions, by argument ; he ex- pofed iisd D I S S E R T A T I O N I. pofed tlie wcaknefs of the cavils ; he fhowed that they affected not his cre- dit, and that, in fpite of them, the evi- dences which he had given, remained conchifive and fufficient. By thefe means he made it plain, that the faith which the limple exhibition of them had produced, vvas not the offspring of credulity, that it was perfed;ly legi- timate, and that the unbelief of others proceeded altogether from themfelves, not from any defect of evidence. It is often impoflible to convince a perfon, who may yet be proved to be undeni- ably in the wrong : the reafonings of Chrift and his apofUes fliow that this was the cafe with thofe who oppofed them. Reasonings in fupport of the evi- dences of the gofpel, were in fome re- fpe^l neceflary, likewife, for procuring it a reception. The exhibition of thefe evidences SECTION V. 257 evidences was fuilicient for the con- viction of the honell and attentive ; it was the propereil for their convi6lion. But the mere exhibition of evidence is not, in any cafe, fuflicient for the con- vidlion of all. Some are inattentive ; Tome are prejudiced ; fonie love ex- ceedingly to be amufed withreafoning, and iet a high value upon it ; we find fome men even fo much addicted to doubt and difputation, that they will fcarce be convinced by the ilrongefl e- vide nee, except it be enforced by rea- foning. By an argumentative difplay or vindication of evidence, many may -be convinced, who would not have be- lieved without it. Medicine is as ne- cefTary to the difeafed, as food is to the found. The incredulous labour under an intelleftual diftemper which can be removed only by explaining the force of the evidence, and ahfwering their objedtions. If Chriil and his apoftles R had :i5^ DISSERTATION L had not rometimes taken this way, it would have been regarded by many as a very flrong prejudice againft their miilion. The objection would not have been fubverfive of Chriftianity, provi- ded they had exhibited real and natu- tural evidence ; for we are not qualifi- ed for determining, what precife degree of proof, it is fit that God fhould give in matters of religion. But the objec- tian would have had fome force ; it would have leemed to imply a neglei^ of the fick who 7teed a fhvfician. When men think that they have reafons a- gainft believing on any fubjec^, after the natural evidence has been prefent- ed to them, the only pofTible way of o- vercoming their unbelief, is, to prove that their reafons are not good. When heedlefsnefs, prejudice, or a captious fpirit, hinder men from perceiving the force of clear evidence, the natural means of enabling them to perceive it, are S E C T I O N V* 259 are, to excite their attention, to direcTi: them to confider it in the proper point of view, and to iblve their dilliculties. Had not Chrifi and liis apollles tiled thelc means, when the oppofition of argument naturally demanded it, there would have been fome caufe to fay, that they did not all they might have done for the conviction of thofe who were unhappily prejudiced againfl them. But, be the objection ever fo ilrong, be it infurmountable, if you pleafe; Chri- ftianity has no concern with it. The oppofition raifed by unbelievers, gave the founder and the firll publifhers of this religion, many opportunities, the propereft that could be, for confirming the truth of their miilion by reafoning; and they ufed thefe opportunities for that very purpofe. It is not more plain, that they made no oftentation of argu- ment when it was not neceffary, than It is, that tkey never negle£led to ufeit K 1 whea 26o DISSERTATION I. when it was necelTary : they thus did all that could poiTibly be done for the conviftion of men ; if any notwith- flanding remained in unbelief, it was wholly owing to themfelves *. The New Teflanient contains fo many in- ftances of their having adlually reafon- ed in defence of their million, as mull fatisfy every perfon who only reads it, that * Thsre were, perhaps, forne objedlions propofed to Jefus, \which he did not think it necefiary to confute. Thus, when fome of the people were difpofed to own him for the Mefllah, and {liid, Of a truth this is the prophst, this is the Chriji ; others raifed an objection, which would have been infurmountable, if it had not arifen from a miftake of fad ; they faid, Shall ChriJl come out of Galilee P Hath not the fcripture faid, That Chriji cornet h of the feed of David, and out of the town of Beth- lehem where David was P John vii. 40,— 42. We are not informed, that Jefus made any anfwer. It is not, however, certain that he made none ; the evangelifls record not all that he fiid. But if he made none, it cannot be thence concluded, that he declined giving all reafonable fatisfadion to his oppo- fers. An anfwer was not necefiary. They might eafiJy learn, that he was really born at Bethlehem, and of the family of David ; it v/as generally known ; it had been rendered noto- rious by the national inrolment, by the inquiries of the Magi, and by Herod's flaughter of the infants : none of the Jews needed S E C T I O N V. 261 that all the advantages which any fy- ilem. can derive from its being fupport- ed by reafoni ng, aclually belong to Chriflianity. That Jefus fliowed an in- capacity for reafoning ; that he owed his fuccefs to his having addrefled only the weak and credulous; that he fatis- fied himfelf with impoling upon thefe ; that, whenever he met with men of pe- netration, who difcovered the impo- fture, and were willing to expofe it, he was glad to be filent, and to make no attempt to convert them ; that he knew he could not fatisfy them, and was a- fraid leH:, by contending with them, he needed to remain ignorant of it, if they had a defire to know the truth. His informing them of the place of his birth, would have ferved no other purpofe, but to anfwer this cavil ; it would have given no new light or force to the evidence of his miflion. It is enough that he readily anfwcred obje<5lions, when it was truly ufeful, efpeciaily when it gave an opportunity of infinuating frefh evidence ; it was in no way neceflary that he fliould enter into a minute examination of every frivolous ob- jeflion ; he was too fecure of his miflion; to dread any ill con- fequence from declining this. 262 DISSERTATION L he fliould only render the weaknefs of his caufe the niore notorious ; thele are afTertions in which infidels would have triumphed. But if they will venture on them, they mufl have boldnefs enough to fly in the face of clear matter of fa(^ ; the frequent oppofition with which he met, and the manner in which he al- ways fupported his miflion wlien he met with it, afford a d'lreO: proof of the contrary. Evidence of the truth of the gofpel, was given in abundance; it was enforced and vindicated by reafoning, whenever there was occafion. Is not fome credit due to the teacher who de- clines no proper means of convincing? Is it no prefumption in favour of om* religion, that, in its firll publication, e^ very thing Avas done, that could in any cafe poffibly be done, for the convic- tion of mankind? But is not Chrifl's having been at fo S E C T I O N V. 263 io great pains to fupport the evidences of his miflionjnconfiflent with the ac- count formerly given, of the manner in which he originally propofed them, and lubverfive of the conclufions de- duced from it ? It has been fhown, that his ordinary referve, his not being for- ward to multiply afTertions of the reali- ty of his miflion, his not boajfling of his dignity, his not ftudioufly difplaying the o-reatnefs of the evidence which he had o produced, afford in many ways ftrong prefumptions of the truth of his religi- on. That this is in general his manner, is undeniable. Yet there are feveral inftances recorded by the evangelifls, which bear another face. There are inftances in which he moll exprefs- ly alTerts his miflion ; in which he claims very high dignity; in which he purpofely enumerates the evidences of his religion ; or dilplays the ftrength of fome particular evidence of it ; in which 264 DISSERTATION L which he pronounces men inexcufable for not behig convinced of it, and threatens them with perdition on ac- count of their unbelief. But when thefe inftances are examined, it Appears that they all, without exception, were oc- cafioned, at lead by a v^ery violent ge- neral oppofition to Chriil, and for the moft part too by particular objediions againft him. This gives a full and fa- tisfaclory account of them. In this fi- tuation they are wholly unexception- able ; no jufi: prefumption againft the gofpel can arife from them. Nay, in this lit nation, to explain, to urge, and to vindicate the proofs of his million, had as great propriety as the fimpler method of barely exhibiting them, had in the circumflanccs in which he adhe- red to it : it was even expreifive of the very fame characters ; it gives new af- furance of the reality of his million. By SECTION V. 265 By doing no more at firll, but pre- ienting the evidences of his miflion, he fhowed, in a ilriking manner, his fenfe of the truth of his claim, and of the au- thenticity of his credentials. But did that fenfe require, that he ihould not enforce thefe evidences, when men ac- tually reiilled them, and called their folidity in queftion ? On the contrary, it required that he (liould. This was e- ven abfolutely neceilary for fhowing that he was lincere in claiming a divine million, and fecure of his title to it. If he had neglected it, it would have na- turally been conftrued into an acknow- ledgment that his miflion was falfe, and that the evidences of it, which he pretended to give, were indefenfible ; it would have undeniably implied the want of juft concern for the fuccefs of his undertaking, and an indifference unfui table to its importance, and re- pugnant to the charader of a divine teach(;r. 266 DISSERTATION L teacher. When a man's title to any thing is called in queflion, not to af- iert it, is in fa6l to relinquiQi it. Af- ter all the evidence which Chrift had exhibited, his milfion was called in queflion ; not to affirm it, would have been torenounceit. He himfelf thought fo* On one occalion, the Jews found fault with him for alTerting his real charafler; they affirmed it not only to be vain-glorious, but alfo to be an indication of impoflure: in his anfwer, he intimates that not to have born te- flimony to himfelf, in the circumftances in which he bare it, would have im- plied a confcionfnefs that he came not ^yith the authority of God, nor had a title to the dignity which he affiamed, that he knew not whence he came, and whither he went: tho* I bear record of my^ Jl'lf, fays he, yd my record is true : for I know whence I came, and whither I go^» Can any impartial man confidcr, that . he * John viii. 14. SECTION Y, 267 he bare record to himfelf only in con* fequence of oppolldon, and attend to the manner in which hfe bare it, and not admit the defence? Spontaneous anxiety to forefee and prevent every poifible difficulty, is a ijgn of that fu- fpicioufnefs which commonly attends deceit: but a readinefs to liften to ob- jections and to obviate them, when they are adlually propofed, is an indi^ cation of a very oppofite temper. We can delire no flronger evidence, that a man is convinced himfelf, and vv^ilUng to refer his claim to the reafon of man- kind. Jefus gave the mofl imqueflir onablie evidence of this, and on ac^^ count of his having given it, his relit gion deferves the greatefl credit. Ill being contented at firft with only prefenting evidence in great abun- dar^ce, he fignally difplayed that ge- nuine dignity, that true greatnefs of foul, which defpifes parade and oflen- tatioa. -6^ DISSERTATION I, ration. But it was in no way incon- iiftent with the perfedion of this tem- per, to ilkiftrate that evidence when it had been mifunderflood, and to incul- cate it by reafoning, on thofe who, of themfelves, perceived not its force. Pie had exhibited the ftrongeft eviden- ces of a divine mi(fion ; yet men had not attended and yielded to them ; in this fituation, to remind them that he had exhibited tliem, to appeal to them as defigned and valid proofs of his iniffion, to point out where their force lay, and to iniifl that men ought on account of them to receive him in the charadler to which he laid claim, was neitiier meannefs nor oftentation. It was the very oppolite ; to have declined it, would have fliown an ill-placed af- fectation of the fame falfe dignity, w^hich might lead an impoftor fuperci- lioufly to refufe to give any evidence at firft. It would have been an expref- iiou S E C T I O N V. 269 Hon of that pride and haughtincls •which mimics majefty, but really im- plies a great degree of meaiiiiefs. Con- defcenfion is an ellential ingredient in natural majefty ; it mixes v/ith all the exertions of it ; it is fo obviouily pre- dominant in them, that pride never fails to put on the appearance of it on fome occafions ; but it cannot praclife it fo gracefully as to hide the defign. When Jefus met with oppofition, his readinefs to fatisfy every fcruple, evi- denced the moft unaffected condefcen- iion ; it was a plain expreilion of that benevolence which conftitutes the di- vined character. Thus, the manner in which Jefus inculcated the evidences of his reli- gion, upon thofe who v/ithftood the exhibition of them, weakens none of the prefumptions for Chriftianity, arl- fing from his original manner; the op- pofition which was made to him., ac- counts z-jo D I S S E R T A T 1 O N I. counts for every thing in the gofpel, that could be llifpe^fted to have this tendency. It even contains new pre- iumptions in favour of our religion. It is exprellive of the fame dignity, conlcious fincerity, and honeft: confi- dence, which flione fo confpicuous in his original manner ; it fliows the very fame character, only fet in a different light, or thrown into a new attitude. The oppofition of his contemporaries, gave him an opportunity of difplaying this character in various ways ; in the moH contrary fituations, he maintain- ed it uniform and confiflent : this adds to its luftre; this heightens our afFu- rance that it truly belonged to him ; this ftrengthens every indication of the truth of Chriltianity, which can refult from its author having really pofFclTcd this character. By the manner in which Chrift ju- illficd the evidences of his miflion, and inculcated S E C T I O N V. 271 inculcated them on thofe who oppofed him, no lefs than by the manner in which he originally prefented them, he is a perfect contrail to impoftors. Ma- homet runs fpontaneoufly into vaunt- ing ; he abounds in it, when no natu- ral occafion is given for the lead ap- proach to it ; he feeks out occafions for it : it proves itfelf to be the genuine offspring of prefumption, ambition, or fome other principle equally unhallow- ed. Without giving any evidence, he is continually talking in the mofl mag- nificent terms of the certainty of his million . When he is charged with ha- ving produced no evidence, he neither produces any, nor proves that he had already produced what was fufficient; fometimes he denies that it was necef- fary to produce any, fometimes he ex- aggerates the few fhadows of evidence, which he had luckily found means of giving, and always he multiplies alTer- tioDS i72 D IS S E RTAT ION L tions of his miflion, and boldly de- nounces judgment againft all who afk a proof of it. When obje<^ions were raifed, which would have required a. particular confutation, if he had had it in his power, he deigns not to enter on it ; he fatisfies himfelf with the re- petition of his confident affertions, his arrogant boafts, and his prefumptuous comminations. It is not by argument that he enforces or juftifies his claim ; that would have required evidence as a foundation on which it might have been reared : but it is by declamation ; this, being deilitute of a foundation, is indeed wholly unfubftantial, but it tends to conceal the want of evidence, and upon the inconliderate it counter- feits the efFed:s of evidence ; of all that he had in his power, it was the method bell fulted to his purpofe. Jefus was of a very different fpirit. He never ufes exprcifions which can be even mif conftrued S E C T I O N V. 273 conftrued into boafting, except when he is conftrained to it by the moil na- tural and prelFing occafions. Even then, his aflertions of his million and his real character, cannot be juirly termed oflentatious ; whatever he claims ^ he iikewiie proves to belong to him : he claims it only in confequence of proof; it is always to evidence undeniably produced, that he appeals ; and on it he refts his caufe ; which of you j fays he, convinceth me of fin * ? If I do not the works of my Father i believe me not '\ : If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had fin %• He never exaggerates the evidences which he had given ; he inculcates the fufii- ciency of them much feldomer than he prefents evidence without bsing at any pains to fct it off. Yet he never de- clines anfwering fach objecfbions as re- quire an anfwer : he does not reft fa- S tisfied * John viii. 46. f Chap, x. 37. % Chap. xv. 24, 274 DISSERTATION I. tisfied with affirmations that they are frivolous ; he actually removes them by juft and ftriking arguments from e- vidence which he had before exhibited ; he generally too exhibits further evi- dence; and, when he has done both, he leaves men to feel it, he is not folli- citous to affirm that he has. The evi- dences which Chrifl produced were flrong, they were fuitable to the fenti- mcnts of thofe to whom they were pro- pofed, they were fimilar to thofe evi- dences on which they gave credit to their own religion, but far fuperior in degree : thefe circumflances fliowed, that their refifting them proceeded from vicious temper, or prejudice wil- fully indulged ; the abfolute futility of their exceptions confirmed it. Was it improper, to warn them of the danger to which this expofed them ? The warning was given in fevere threatcn- ings : but it could not be fairly given in SECTION Vj 275 ill another way ; and therefore in this fi- tuatiort, fever e threatening^ had entire propriety. Are thefe fimilar to the' denunciations of impoflors? In no o- ther particular doth it feem that Chrift refembles them fo much as in his threat- enlngs: but even in thefe, it only feems; there is a wide and elfential difference. Mahomet threatens men, if they will not believe without any evidence, he employs this engine to terrify men from afking a proof of liis miifion; this is mere arrogance and eitrontery : Chrift threatens only thofe who obiti- nately and wickedly refifted the ftrong- eft evidence; this was no more than what a real concern for their happi- nefs rendered neceiTary. This whole argument will acquire ftill greater force, if we conlider the nature of Chrift's anfwers to the objec- tions propofed to him, and of his rea- fonings concerning the truth of his re- S 2 ligion. 276 DISSERTATION I. ligion. His arguments were always fuitable to the divinity of his charafter. They were not calculated for merely confounding and filencing men ; they had a dired: tendency to remove their miflakes ; they both enlightened and fatisfied the underftanding. They are not in any degree intended to make a fhow of ingenuity; they always lead to conviction by the fhorteft road, with- out fo much as the appearance of any- other view. The argument is never deduced from abftrufe or diftant prin- ciples, it is never carried on by fubtile and intricate reafoning : it is always concife, clear, and cogent ; it is dedu- ced from obvious principles, and fuch as will be moft readily admitted ; it is, in all its parts, level to common capa- cities, and proper for begetting imme- diate conviction; it is by a happy, but artlefs, addrefs, fet in fuch a point of view, that, while it convinces, it both engages S E C T I O N V. 277 engages the attention, and touches the heart. In the reafonings by which the truth of Chriftianity is fupported in the New Teftament, there is nothing mean, nothing artificial, nothing in a- ny refped; weak or fufpicious. They are at once fuch as tend naturally to the illuftration of real and ftrong evi- dence; fuch as are befl fitted for over- coming the prejudices of men, and working conviction in them ; and fuch as are worthy of a divine teacher. But are all the reafonings in the New Te- ftament, of this fort ? Are there not fome, efpecially in Paul's writings, which appear to be in a confiderable degree fubtile and intricate ? I will not affirm, that there are none to which this charad:er may be applied. But a great part of the intricacy of fuch rea- fonings as feem moft to deierve the character, is only apparent, arifing from our ignorance of fome things proper 278 DISSERTATION!. proper for throwing light upon them, from our affixing mere modern ideas to fome of the expreflions employed, or from other caufes which had no in- fluence upon thofe to whom the apo- flles "wrote. Befides, they are compa- ratively very few ; and thefe few are employed, not in proving the truth of Chriftianity, but for other purpofes : flill therefore the defcription wliich has been given, holds generally of the fcripture reafonings, and univerfally of thofe by which the truth of the golpel is fupported. But if, among the many concife and fimple arguments for the truth of Chriftianity, which are con- tained in the New Teftament, one or two intricate and fubtile reafonings fliould be found, they would not be fufficient to invalidate what w^e have faid ; they would rather ferve to fliow, that our religion is capable of a defence in SECTION V. 279 in every ftile and manner which has any degree of propriety. Thus the manner which Chrift and his apoflles adopted on occafion of op- poiition and objedlions, in all the lights in which we can confider it, not only gives great advantage for the vindica- tion of Chriftianity, but alfo carries on and compleats a feparate and col- lateral proof of the truth of this reli- gion ; a proof of it arifing from this, that its evidences were propofed, tho* differently in different fituations, yet always with entire propriety. In Chrifl's manner of liipporting his mif- fion, the genuine marks of a divine teacher llione fortli, but naturally va- ried jufl as the cafe required. Cun- ning will fometimes enable a man who only affects a character, to efcape de- ted:ion in one fituation, in which he has carefully pradfifed his part : but if 28o DISSERTATION I. if a perfon fuftain a character with e- qual propriety in oppofite fitiiations, efpecially in fiidden changes of cir- cumilances, there can be no fiirer proof that it is his natural charac- ter. SEC- [ 28i 1 SECTION VI. The perfection of the manner in -which the Evidences ofCHRisTiANixY were propofed. ORIGINALLY Chrift flipported his miffion in the fimplefl manner, by merely prefenting the evidences of it : oppolition gave him a natural oc- cafion of fuperadding the argumenta- tive manner. By the union of thefe, the proof of Chriflianity was propofed in a manner altogether entire and perfect. In order to evince this, little more w^ill be neceffary, but to bring into one view the fubftance of what has been already faid. Each of thefe manners has fome difadvantages : in the gofpel, one corre<^s the inconveniences, and fupplies 282 DISSERTATION I. fupplles the defeats, which would have attended die other, if it had been ufed alone. Each of them too has peculiar advantages : the gofpel has fecured thofe of the one kind, without forfeit- ing any of the oppojfite. Had Chrift: confined himfelf to either of thefc manners, it might have been pro- ved notwithftanding, that Chriftianity 4s true. This arifes from the fingular fulnefs of its evidence, and is indeed a very flriking indication of it : but he ufed both, and he ufed each in its pro- per place; this makes the divinity of his religion more indifputable. The manner in which the evidences of our religion were propofed, may be confi- dered either in reference to thofe whofe conviction was intended, or in relation to the character which the employing of it, fliows Jefus to have been poflef- fed of. In both relpecfts, it is proper and perfecl. Jesus SECTION VI. 283 Jesus began with fimply exhibiting the evidence of his miffion. This was fufficient for convincing the attentive and the unprejudiced, provided the e- vidence was in its nature folid : it was in addrelhng thofe who had not yet fliown themfelves deftitute of thefe cha- ra6lers, that he contented himfelf with this. He faved them the labour of at- tending to exceptions which had no weight with them, and folutions for which they had no need; he led them to faith by the dired: road. But all were not of that difpofition ; many neglect- ed the evidence which he gave, or cal- led its force in queflion : whenever they did, the evidence was pointed out, and fliown to be conclufive. Objecftions were formed againfl the evidence : im- mediately they w^ere anfwered, and that in fuch a manner, that men would ne- ver have repeated them, if they had, as was certainly incvimbent on them, firfl refuted 284 DISSERTATION I. refuted die anfwers already made. The exhibition of the evidence of the go- fpel, without any ilkiftration, convin- ced many of its truth; by this, that e- vidence proved itfelf to be very ftrong, and ftriclly natural. Had it been al- ways illuflrated when it was exhibited, there would have been no opportunity given for its fliowing in this way, how flrong it really was ; it would have been taken for granted, that its weaknefs or obfcurity abfolutely required all this il- luflration, in order to make it to be perceived. But many caufes inay hin- der the ftrongefl evidence from produ- cing belief in individuals; they did hinder the evidence of thegofpel from bringing all to whom it was exhibited, to believe : in this cafe, it was fliown by juft reafoning, that, the evidence was notwithflanding ftrong, and that its not prevailing univerfally, was ow- ing only to the indifpoiltion of men's minds. S E C T I O N VI. 285 minds. A fimple exhibition of it, fuc- ceedecl in convincing many; here its ftrength was exerted, and, by the ex- ertion, difplayed: on occafion of the in- credulity of others, its flrength was ex- amined, and, by the examination, jufli- fied. If its ftrength had not been real, it could in neither way have appeared fo confpicuons. The generality of man- kind are not capable of entering into long trains of argument ; they are per- plexed by a feries of reafons, objedlions, and anfwers; they are rendered inca- pable of determining any thing. In or- der to obtain a rational conviftion of the truth of Chriflianity, they need not attempt what they are unequal to ; plain evidence is prefented to them ; there is no need of intricate reafoning to enable them to perceive it : they are defired only to attend to it ; if they do, they will fuilain no lofs by not enter- ing into the labyrinths of controverfy ; if 286 DISSERTATION L if they be but honeft, it will by its own power force their alTent. But fome are prone to argumentation, ready to ftart difficulties, fond of canvafling them, and difpofed to fufpend their aflent, till they be cleared. Chrift often met with fuch perfons ; he lillened to eve- ry difficulty which they propofed, he gave a patient hearing even to the mereft cavils; he offered folutions of them all ; the folution had always foli- dity enough to iilence the acutefl, and to convince the impartial that all ought to have been fatisfied : at the fame time, the argument exceeded not the com- prehenfion of the mofl ordinary man; it never failed to have a furprizing, and almoft fingular degree of concife- nefsand perfpicuity. If Chrift had found no opportunity for this, his revelation would have given Chriftians no direct alUftance in anfwering objec^tions which might have been afterwards raifed a- gainft SECTION VI. 287 gainft it. The defedl would not have been of very fatal confequence : if the evidence was real, it is enough that it was addrefTed to reafonable creatures ; they had already, by the conflitution of their nature, faculties proper for di- flinguilhing real evidence from fpuri- ous, and for detecting the fallacy of fuch cavils as prejudice or fcepticifm may oppofe to the former. But even fo immaterial a defedl adheres not to the Chriftian revelation. Jefus had op- portunities, of preventing objecftions which might have had a fpecious ap- pearance, if room had been left for them ; of anfwering others, and, in anfwering them, of producing princi- ples fo exteniively.applicable, that we have not only examples which we may imitate, but alfo materials which we may fuccefsfully employ, in the defence of our religion. There are very diffe- rent characters among men ; but Chrift proved 288 DISSERTATION I. proved his miflion in a way fuited to them all : the manner in which he o- riginally proved it, is the fitteft poflible for the conviction of the attentive, the candid, and men of ordinary capacity; but he propofed it likewife in a way fit to fatisfy the fpecnlative, the inqui- fitive, the captious, and the prejudiced. His manner is nicely adapted to uni- verfal conviction; the objections mufl be very ftrong, which can fliow that there w^as no real evidence given, where a manner fo fuitable to very bright evidence was preferved, and purfued through all its natural varia- tions ; there is fcarce a poflibility that there fliould be fuch objections. That the evidences of the .gofpel were given in a way fo fit, in all refpeCIs, for pro- ducing faith, is a very flrong prefump- tion, that they are fufficient, that Chri- Itianity is true, and that infidelity is not SECTION VI. 289 iiot excufeable in perfons of any turn of underftanding. It is not the only excellence of the manner in which Ghrift proved his mif- iion, that it is equally adapted to the convicilion of the nioft oppollte forts of men : it is moreover a natural expref- fion of that charad:er which he aiTumed. He fpontaneoufly and readily exhibi- ted evidence in the greateft abundance. To have done otherwife, would have been a ftrong prefumption that he could produce none ; it would have left his claim without any real foun- dation; it would have betrayed, either a confcioufnefs of impoflure, orfuch ail indifference to luccefs, as is not confift- ent with a real million for any import- ant purpofe. By readily giving evi- dence, he fiiows, that he was confcious of the truth of his miffion, and of his power to fupport it ; and that he defl- T red 290 DISSERTATION I. red to fupport it only by the moft le- gitimate means, that he fought to bring men to believe, only by a copious and undifguifed addrefs to the natural prin- ciples of belief; he fhows, that, with the condefceniion effential totruegreat- nefs, he was willing to do every thing really neceffary for promoting the end of his coming. He never of his own accord laboured to fet off the evidence which he had given. This fhowed his fenfe of the ftrength of that evidence ; it fhowed that he underflood well in what way the bulk of mankind ought to be addrefTed ; it fhowed that he was free from the artifice by which perfons of a fubtilizing and difputatious turn, often confound plain men, and hide the want . of evidence from others ; it fhowed that he was remote both from the meannefs of often tation, and from the fufpicioufnefs attendant upon falfe- hood and cunning. But whenever the evidence S E C T I O N VI. 291 evidence of his miirion was called in queflion, he readily defended it, illu- llrated it, and frequently too made an addition to it. This was a new and, well-placed expreffion of confcious fin- cerity : it was in this lituation that rea- foning and difputing became confiftent with dignity of charader ; here indeed, true dignity required it ; and in the manner of all his reafonings, dignity was uniformly preferved. Impoftors ad a part in all refpedls the reverfe of this. In exhibiting evidence, they are very fparing ; by this alone they forfeit all right to credit, and betray their falfehood; to require that we fhould believe, and yet not to give evidence, is to mock us, and infult our under- ftandings. They attempt to juftify their fparingnefs, by pretending that they difdain to gratify the perverfe and incredulous : this is a mere affec- tation of dignity intended to conceal T 2 their 292 DISSERTATION I. their inability to fatisfy a rational en- quirer ; it can proceed from no better fource, for dignity is fo ill put on, that haughtinefs is miflaken for it. In af- ferting that they ought to be believed, in magnifying any appearances of evi- dence w^hich they think they have gi- ven, they are liberal, they are immode- rate. It is in defpifing this, that true dignity would have exprefled itfelf: this is the greateft meannefs ; it is the filliefl vanity, it is the moft difingenu- ous artifice. They fupport their caufe, not by reafoning, but by declamation ; they employ it moft when they are not among thofc who oppofe them : when they are preiFed with objed:ions, they fometimes divert men's attention from the real queftion as well as they can, and fometimes their haughtinefs re- turns, and alTuming the name of maje- fty becoming a divine melFenger, for- bids them to condefcend to anfwer. Jefus S E C T I O N VI. 29 '> Jefiis has not a flngle feature which Is not the oppolite of theirs : is it poflible that he fliould neverthelefs be one of them ? Every part of his manner gives fome evidence of the divinity of his million, as every point of the fun e- mits a ray of light : when we take in his whole manner at one view, the in- dications of divinity refulting from it, atfi: on the underftanding with an irre- liftiblc force, like rays collefted into a focus, againfl the heat of which no combullible materials can be proof. We may add to all that has been faid, that Chi'ifl's manner, not only is the fitteft for the conviction of men, and the moft expreflive of the charad:er of a divine teacher, but alfo fhows the greateft flrength of underftanding, and the higheft powers of rcafon. Intellec- tual vigour appears in the original ex- hibition of the evidences of the gofpel; for '94 DISSERTATION I. for only folid evidence is exhibited. A perfon of weak iinderftanding betrays his weaknefs, not only when he at- tempts to purfue an argument through all its fleps, but alfo by never failing to build on fome unfubflantial principle, or to employ a wrong kind, or an im- perfect degree of evidence. By prefent- ing only fuch evidence as is folid, by appealing only to principles from which conclufive arguments are dediicible, ftrengthof underllanding is difplayed, as really as by purfuing the argument minutely through the mod regular train of reafoning. Indeed not to be able to urge an argument clofely and particularly, when this is proper, would fhow an imperfedHon of underftand- ing. But it is likewife an imperfection, not to be able to render an argument convinchig, by placing it at once in a flriking point of view, without minute- ly urging it. In the few inilances in which S E C T I O N VI. 295 which it was proper or neceflary for Chrift to enter into reafonings of any length, he gives fufficient evidence that he laboured not under the former im- perfedion : all his reafonings are proofs that he was free from the latter, that he pofTefTed the oppofite talent in great perfedion ; none of them are intricate, very few are particular or minute, they are generally immediate dedudions from juft principles ; yet all of them are fatisfying. This manner is acknow- ledged to be a mark of fuperior pene- tration. There are many of Newton's demonftrations, afmgleftep of which it would require feveral proportions to evince minutely : this never was fup- pofed to imply any intelledual defeft ; it iliows plainly an uncommon reach of thought. In profecuting an argu- ment particularly, imagination receives many affiftances ; attention to the in- termediate ideas, both facilitates the difcovery 296 DISSERTATION I. clifcovcry of jufl principles, and leads to a gradual difcernment of the influ- ence which they have upon the conclu- fion. A weak underftanding needs thefe alFillances, It is vigour of mind that enables a man to coneeive and exprefs the whole force of the argu- ment, without having recourfe to them. In every argument for the truth of Chriftianity, urged either by Jefus or by his apoftles, that vigour of mind ap- pears remarkably. It may be added, that they have fatisfied themfelves with exhibiting evidence, whenever no more was necefKiry, and have always enfor- ced it when that was proper; and all this, throughout an addrefs to man- kind continued for years. This is a pitch of excellence which perfons or- dinarily attain, only when great natu- ral penetration is united with the hap- pieft opportunities of intelleclual im- provement. But vhen we confider how S E C T I O N VL 297 how few opportunities either Chrift or his apoftles had of attaining it by na- tural means, tlieir having pofTefled it in fo eminent a degree, and exerted it with fo uniform propriety, in very dif- ferent, and even contrary lituations, can fcarce fail to lead us to conclude, that they owed it to fuper natural cau- fes, and that they were, as they affirm- ed themfelves to be, perfons commif- fioned and infpired by God. In this way, anew prefumption of the truth of Chriftianity, arifes from the manner in which its evidences were propofed. Thus, in every light in which this manner can be confidered, it is abfo- lutely faultlefs : there is nothing want- ing, nothing fuperfiuous, nothing mif- placed. It is throughout an applica- tion of evidence, the completed, the bell adapted to the human underftand- ing, and the nioft exprelTive of a di- vine 298 DISSERTATION!. vine original, that can be even ima- gined. The prefumptions of the truth of Chriftianity, which arife from this topic, are very ftrong; they imply ve- ry plainly that the evidence which was thus propofed, muft have been natural and found : they have therefore the dired:eft tendency to excite all who have any candour, to the diligent ex^ amination of it ; and the view of them muft add great ftrength to the faith of thofe who already believe the gofpel. In the moft finiflied works of art, there are fome defeats; even in the works of nature, many particulars ap- pear exceptionable to a hafty and fu- perficial obferver. Divine contrivance is fo deep, and fo far furpafTes the fkill of men, that it is reafonable to expect in every thing which comes from God, fome circumftances unaccountable and feemingly exceptionable. When fur- ther acquaintance teacheth us, that what SECTION VI. 99 what we imagined a defedl, is really an excellence, that what we reckoned a blemifli, is a beauty, that what we thought pernicious, is highly ufeful ; the difcovery fills us with the mofl a- greeable furprife, ftrikes us with the liveliefl admiration of the divine wis- dom, and works the firmefl conviftion that God is indeed the author of the work. Thofe circumflances in the manner of thefirfl publication of Chri- flianity, which proclaim its truth, are, in fome inftances, fuch as we would be apt to find fault with, on a fuperiicial view: the perception of their real force, will have the greater effe£l on this very account; the furprife which it excites, mixing with our affent, will render it the firmer and the more vigorous. There is no fubjed: on which diffi- culties may not be railed, in fome of the lights in which it is polfible to place it. Difficulties have been raifed with re- fpedl 300 DISSERTATION!, fped: to the truth of the gofpel. There are fome men who have a natural pro- penfity to fix thch' attention upon dif- ficulties; and there arc moments in wliich mofl men are apt to conceive diiiiculties flrongly, to be much affect- ed with them, and inclined on account of them to doubt of what is fupported by the directeft proof. It is fuflicient for recovering men from this fituation, to reflect on the weaknels of human underftanding, which prevents our at- taining a perfect comprehenfion of a- ny fubjed:, and puts it out of our power to give a politive account of e- very difficulty. To perceive, that thofe difficulties wliich occur in the defence of Chriftianity, fuppofing then^ real, do not infer its falfity; or, that the difficulties which feem to prefs it, are not real, but capable of a direc^l folutio.n; contributes ftill more to ba- nifn uncertainty concerning its divini- tv. SECTION VI. 30X ty. But nothing has a more powerfal tendency to compofe the mind, to place it hi complete ferenity and afTu- rance, to give entire peace in beheving, than to obferve, how many circumftan- ces of the moil various kinds, concur in proclaiming the truth of tlie gofpeh When a perlbn difcerns, that its prin- cipal evidences, natural and ftrong in themfelves, are fupported and confirm- ed by collateral arguments, innume- rable, and derived from very diilimilar fources, he cannot entertain any Hif- picion that it is not true and divine ; he cannot reckon it polfible that, if it were falfe, there could have been a concurrence of fo many indications of truth. None of thefe arguments con- tributes more largely to the production of this effect, than that which arifes from the manner in which the eviden- ces of Chriftianity were propofed. It adds greatly to the fplendor of that blaze 302 DISSERTATION L blaze of evidence which overpowers the foul when one conceives all the proofs of the gofpel together, which fuffcrs him not to doubt that it is from God, which makes all fmall difficulties and trivial objeclions to be forgotten as unworthy of regard ; juft as bright funftiine caufes thofe clouds to difap- pear, which before were clearly vifl- ble, and covers the whole face of the heavens with uniform and unbroken radiance. D I S S E R- DISSERTATION 11. Christianity Confirmed BY The Opposition of Infidels. Ifthiscounfel, or this ^vork he of men, it ^ill come to nought • but tftt be of God, ye cannot o'vertbro'w it. Afts v. 38, 39. ' Otinion^n commntadeht dies: nature judiciaconfrmat, Cicer. de Nat. Deor. lib. 2. '-'vci. [305 ] DISSERTATION 11. Christianity confirmed by the Op- pofit'ion o/' Infidels. SECTION I. 77;^ Subject pro-pofed, IT is by fuch fri6lion as feems at firfl fight likely to break it, that the dia- mond is polifhed and receives its luftre. In like manner, it is by being fretted, as it were, with every difficulty and objection, that truth is made to fliow the full brightnefs of its evidence. The trial diftinguifhes the true gem froni the fuppofed one, which in the U lump 3o6 DISSERTATION II. lump promifed, perhaps, as fair as it: And plaufible falfehoods are often as well received as real truths, till both have been fubjed:ed to an exac^ and fe- vere examination; but the oppoHtion of argument overturns the former, and renders the certainty of the latter more undeniable. No Ipecies of truth has been fubjed:- cd to a fl:ri(!:l:er fcrutiny, or tried by ruder oppofition, than the evidences of our holy religion. As foon as this heavenly gem was prefented to the world, both Jews and Heathens fell upon it with fo great violence, that, if it had had the fmalleft flaw, it muft have been fhattered into pieces. It has been in the poflefTion of the world for many centuries ; and numberlefs attempts have been fucceflively made, to prove that it is a worthlefs counter- feit; but all thefe attempts have only contributed S E C T I O N I. 307 contributed to evince with flronger evidence, that it is genuine. That perfecution promoted, inftead of obftrudling, the progrefs of Chrifti- anity, has been very commonly remark- ed. Sometimes too, it has been aiTert- ed in general, that the oppofition of unbelievers in the way of argument, has confirmed the divinity of the Chri- ftian religion, and thrown new light upon its evidences. It is worth w^hile to undertake a profefTed examination of this aflertion. If it fliall appear to be true, it will afford a flrong prcfump- tion of the truth of Chriftianity : it will fliow, that Chriftianity gains, not only by being viewed in various lights, but alfo by being narrowly inCpeS.cd in every light. That the affcrtlon is true, will be beft proved by inquiring-, in what particular ways the oppofition of infidels has contributed to the illu- U 2 ftration 3o8 DISSERTATION II. flration and confirmation of the evi- dences of the gofpel. Of the advantages which Chrifliani- ty has derived from oppoiition, fome are pecuUarly owing to the oppoiition of infidels in early ages ; others arife from oppofition in general. We (hall begin with the conlideration of th^ former. SEC- [ 309 ] S E C T I O N IL, The ad-vantages which Christianity has derived from the oppoftion of early Infidels. IN the preceeding dilTertation, we have fully explained the manner in which the evidences of the gofpei were at firfl propofed, and pointed out the excellence of that manner. Sut this excellence could not poffibly have been attained, if Chrifl and his apoftles had not met with oppolltion. All the indications of truth, which it implies, may therefore be juftly afcri- bed, in a great meafure, to the oppo- fition of Infidels. If none had raifed objedions again ft the divine million of Jefus, he and his apoftles muft have either 3IO DISSERT ATION IL either confined themfelves to their ori- ginal manner of fimply exhibiting evi- dence, or they muft have fpojttaneoufl'j illuftratcd and vindicated the evidence. If they had chofen the former, their manner would have indeed contained feveral prefumptions of tlie truth of Chriftianity ; but it would have been in fome refped;s lame and imperfed:, and all the advantages arifing from tlieit" reafonings^ would have been loft. If they had preferred the latter, this would have deftroyed all thofe proofs of their million, which refult from the fimplicity of their original manner. It would have likewife rendered their rea- fonings of lefs weight than they now are. Oppofltion gives the moft natu- ral occafion of pointing out the force of the evidence produced, and it gives almoll the only natural occafion of an- fwering the objections to which that evidence is liable. It enables a perfon to SECTION II. ri to introduce illiiflrations and defences without any appearance of deilgn or artifice. It put it in the power of our Saviour to fupport and vindicate his claim by argument, as often as any good purpofe required ; and, by giving as many opportunities for this as were neceifary, it left him at liberty, in all his ordinary addreffes to men, to pur- fue that original manner which is fo full o^ divinity. It made way for a delicate union of oppofite manners in oppoiite fituations, which beflows on his whole manner a degree of perfec- tion, and confequently beftows on his religion a brightnefs of evidence, un- attainable by any other means. Thus the afTaults of ancient infidels contri- buted greatly to the confirmation of Chriilianity, merely by the influence which they had on the manner of its author in propofmg the proofs of it. But this, tho* very confiderable, is not the 312 DISSERTATION IL the only advantage refulting from them. This advantage is peculiar to the oppofition of the contemporaries of Jefus ; but the fame prejudices and vices which produced that oppofition, moved fucceeding unbelievers in the early ages, to contrive new objed:ions againft the gofpel, or to repeat the former ones. Thefe too have been the occafions of throwing new light upon the evidences of our religion, and of rendering their flrength more conlpicuous. Modern Infidels have often endea- voured to gain advantage to their caufe from the unbelief of fo many in ancient times. ** The contemporaries of Chrifl " and his apoflles, fay they, and thofe ** who lived in the next age, had great •* advantages for examination, and ** could not fail to perceive the evi- ** dence of the Chriilian religion, fo ** far SECTION 11. 313 " far as it was real : if they neverthe- ** lefs believed not, no wonder that ** unbelievers rtiould be multiplied in ** later ages, when the diflance of time ** mult have burdened the evidence with many difficulties additional to thofe which had force enough to pro- duce infidelity at iirft. Nay, the infidelity of multitudes in the earli- *' eft ages, is itfelf a ftrong reafon for '* our rejecting the gofpel ; for if its e- *' vidence had been fo great as is pre- ** tended, they who had that evidence ** fet before them in its full force, could ** not have been fo unreafonable as to ** perfift in infidelity. If they had not " found good caufc for unbelief, if ** there had not been fome flaw in the ** grounds of Chriftianity, which their ** favourable lituation gave them the ** means of detecting, they mufl ** have all become Chriflians.** If this reafoning be fpecious, it is no more. 314 DISSERTATION IL more. It can have no degree of real force, except it be fuppofed that all in thofe ages, who refifted the gofpel, were influenced purely by the love of truth. But this cannot be fuppofed. Every perfon knows, that oppofition to a new dodirine arifes frequently from very different, and even oppofite cau- fes. Attachment to opinions which have been inflilled by education, and confirmed by habit, often produces pre- judice fo inveterate as to hinder men from fo much as examining opinions contradictory to them, or beflowing the leafl attention on any thing that is urged in fupport of thefe opinions. Ac- tuated by it, men obftinately reject un- doubted truths, and can perceive no force at all in the ftrongeft arguments. This is notorious from univerfal expe- rience : what then can be more unrea- Ibnable than to take it for granted, that the unbelief of early infidels proceeded onlv S E C T I O N II. 315 only from their difcovering a real fal- lacy in the evidences of the gofpel? But we need not reft: the matter on a gene- ral principle: their oppofition itfelf is fuch as {hows that it did acftually pro- ceed from other caufes, and that it can- not poilibly afford the flendereft: pre- fumption againfl the truth of Chriftia- nity. We are informed of many of the oc- cafions on which both Jews and Gen- tiles took exception ; and thefe ihow that they w^ere under the power of the grolleft: prejudices. How often, for in- llance, did the Jews oppofe Jefus upon no other pretence but this, that it was the Sabbath-day when he healed the difeafes of men ? This will be acknow- ledged to be the moft: abjedl fuperfl:i- tion. At Thyatira, the multitude rofe up together againfi Faid and Silas, and the ma- giftrates interpofed their authority to 11- ience them : from what principle did this 3i6 DISSERTATION IL this general oppofltion arife ? From ftrong afFedion to the idolatry and fu- perflition of Paganifm : the accufation which occafioned it, was, Thefe men teach ciiftoms which are not lazvfid for us to receive, neither to ohfervc, being Romans *. At Ephellis a violent uproar was raifed againil Paul : for what reafon ? He hath ■perfiiaded much people, that the-j he no gods, which are made with hands, Jo that there is danger that the temple of the great goddefs Diana fooiild he dcfpifed, and her magnifi' cencc foould he deft r eyed, whom all Afia and the world worfhippeth'\ . With modern In- fidels, fuperflition is the objedl of the mofl inveterate hatred ; in cafes where it is neither fo grofs nor fo indifputable as in thefe, they affirm that it necelTa- rily biindeth reafon. Can they then take ancient Iniidels for their models ? Can they pretend, that the judgment of men fo deeply immerfed in fuper- flition, affords the fiend ereft prefump- tion ♦ Ads xvi. 19,-22. t Chap. xix. ?/>, 27. S E C T I O N 11. 317 tion in favour of the caufe which they efpoufed ? Further, from the nature of the objec- tions which ancient unbelievers lu'ged, it appears, what were the very reafons for which they rejected Chriflianity. If you hold their oppofition to be of any authority, you mufl maintain, that the declared reafons of it are folid and fufficient. If you own that their obje(^ions were infufRcient, you muft like wife own that they ailed an unrea- fonable part in allowing thefe objec- tions to prevent their becoming Chri- llians ; for tho' the conclufion (hould happen to be true, yet if it be embra- ced on falfe or abfurd principles, this Ihows as great an intellecSlual weaknefs, as would appear in adopting a falfe conclufion : and if you allow that their infidelity was unreafonable, you can- not confidently draw any conclufion from it, againil the gofpel. Take the objeftions 3x8 D I S S ERT A TION ir. objections therefore which they mo- ved ; weigh them fairly ; can you fay that they alone could juflify the rejec- tion of the Chriftian religion? A mo- dern Infidel can fcarce affirm it; for they proceed on principles direcftly re- pugnant to his mofl favourite maxims. Far from giving countenance, for in- ftance, to the objections of the Deift a- gainft revelation in general, they are founded on the contrary fuppofition. All ancient Infidels allowed, both that a revelation is poflible, and that revela- tions had been often given ; they either believed the Moiaic revelation on evi- dences which had been exhibited thou- fands of years before, and tranfmitted through a long fucceflion of ages, or they gave credit to the fables, the ora- cles, and the prefages of Paganifm ; and it was on principles ariiing from this belief, that they reafoned againft Chriflianity. Will any Deiil adopt their S E C T I O N II. 319 their reafonings, or affirm that the fmalleft deference is due to the judg- ment which, on thefe principles, they were pleafed to form ? Can it be ho- neftly affirmed, that to receive either Paganifm or Judaifm, and yet rejea Chriftianity, is not partial, perverfe, and inconfiftent ? — The Jewifli fcrip- tures contained many prophetical de- fcriptions of the Melliah; yet the Jews would not acknowledge Jefus to be the MelTiah. If modern Infidels will avail themfelves of their authority, it mufl be by maintaining that the Jews could not but underftand their own fcriptures bed, and by concluding that they per- ceived that the prophecies were not fulfilled in Jefus. A very little atten- tion to the grounds of their oppofition will make it evident that there is no room for fuppofmg this. They appli- ed the very fame predictions to the Mef- fidhy which Chriftians imderftand of him J 320 DISSERTATION IL him ; the proofs that they did fo, are numerous and irrefragable: they un^ derftood the fifty-third chapter of Ifaiah, for inftance, to refer to the Meffiah ; one of their objections recorded in the gofpel *, is moft probably founded on a part of that chapter t : yet they reck- oned it incredible, that the MelTiah fbouid fuffer and die before he entered into his kingdom. It is in a paflage of Daniel that the Redeemer of the world is foretold under the name, Messiah, %vliich the Jews ufed very frequently ; there it is exprefsly faid, that he flmll be cut o^X : yet they expected not that he fliould be put to death.- To believe tbefe to be infpired predictions of the MelTiah, and yet to reckon a mean con- dition, fufFerings, and death, incon- fiftent with the charafter of the Mef- fiah, is a degree of abfurdity hardly credible. It makes it plain that they were warped by prejudices, which ren- dered * John vii. 27. f Ifaiah liii. 8. % Daniel ix. 2,6. S E C T I O N II. 321 dered them totally blind to the obvi- ous meaning of their own prophecies. Their judgment is fo grofsly perverfe, that it can pofTefs no authority, nor merit the leall regard. — The fentiments of ancient Infidels concerning the Chri- flian miracles, can ferve as little to bring them into difcredit, or to leiTen their force, at lead in the opinion of modern Deifts. Can we conclude, that, if fo many miracles had been wrought in confirmation of Chriitianity as are faid to have been wrought, none of thofe who faw them, could have refift- ed their force ? Can it be infinuated, that the oppofition of early Infidels gives any reafon to fufpe(^ that the Chriftian miracles were fictions ? No- thing can be more remote from the truth : they who rejec^led Chriflianity, owned notwithllanding the reality of all the miraculous fad:s to which it ap- pealed. On occafion of the refurred:ion X of 322 DISSERTATION II. of Lazarus, the Jewifh rulers afTembled in council, gave a remarkable teflimo- ny to the miracles of Chrift : Then man-j of the Jeius which came to Mary, and had feen the things ivJnch Jefits did, believed on him: hut fome of them ivent their -way to the PharifeeSy and told them what things Je- fus had done. Then gathered the chief Priejis and the Pharifees a council, and f aid. What do we? For this man doth many MIRACLES ; if we let him thus alohe, all 7nen will believe on him*. In the fame public and authentic manner, and af- ter the minuteil examination of it, they afterwards gave teftimony to a great miracle wrought by Peter and John : Beholding the man which -was healed Jianding with them, they cotdd fay nothing againji it : but when they had commanded them to go a- fide out of the council, they conferred among themfelves, faying. What fall we do to thefe men ? For that indeed a notable ?niracle hath been done by them is manifeft to all them that dwell * John xi. 45, — 48. S E C T I O N 11. a^s # dvjell in Jerufalem, and we cannot deny it Not only on the authority of the New Teftament and of the writings of Chri- ftians, but alfo by the confelTion of JewS and Pagans, even in their profeifed at- tacks upon Chriftianity, it is indifpu- table, that for feveral ages the reality of the gofpel miracles was not denied, but in the moft explicit manner acknow- ledged, by all forts of unbelievers. You mull either allow, therefore, that it was perfeaiy reafonable to believe, that all the miracles recorded in the gofpel, were really wrought in the manner there defcribed, and yet that the gofpel is abfolutely falfe ; or you muft grant, that the judgment pf thefe men was altogether wrong and incon- fiftent, and confequently unfit for fup- porting any conclufion againil Chrifti- anity. But no modern Infidel will chufe to avail himfelf of the authority of ancient unbelievers, on the condi- X 2 tion • A the general intention of the prophecies, would not have meri- ted fo great regard in any other fitua- tion. The modern Jews apply to other perfons. many predictions which their fathers had univerfally applied to the Mefliah ; and their opinion is urged as an objection againft the proof of Chri- ftianity from prophecy. But it can have no 'authority : it is contrary to the uniform judgment of their anceflors, who were as obftinate in their unbelief, and as anxious to defend it, as they can be ; they have been led to adopt it, only S E C T I O N IT. 329 only by a determined fpirit of oppofi- tion to the gofpel, after they fovind it impoiTible to vindicate their infidelity on any other principles ; and, after having made the attempt, they were never able to difcover any proper ac- complidiment of thefe prediclions. Their conduct implies an acknowledg- ment, that if the prediftions to which Chriftians appeal, be truly predictions of the Mefliah, the argument for Chri- ilianity from prophecy, is clear, con- clufive, and indifputable. That the miracles recorded in the gofpel, were really wrought, is proved by evidence ftronger and of more va- rious kinds, than perhaps any other ancient fac^s. Part of that evidence muft have been wanting, if none in that age had reiifted the gofpel. The teftimony of an enemy is one of the moft convincing proofs: the reality of the Chriflian miracles is not only al- lowed, but in many inftances explicit- 330 DISSERTATION II. \y afTerted, by the ancient enemies of Chriftianity, both Jews and Heathens : nothing can add greater flrength to the argument from miracles, fo far as that argument depends on the reality of the miracles. Even when Infidels were moft eager to depreciate the power by which the miracles of Chrift were wrought, they could not deny that they were wrought. To what could their acknowledgment of the fad:s be owing, but to their firnj belief of them? and from what could their belief of them proceed, but from their certain know- ledge of their truth? Their violent op- poiition ftiows that they wanted not inclination to difpute them ; their own- ing them nqtv/ithltanding, proves that it was not in their power. Yet it is when a forgery is recent, that men have the beft opportunities of detecting it : they who had the befl opportunities of examining the Chriftian miracles, were S E C T I O N II. 331 were forced by the notoriety of their evidence, to own that the relations of them were no forgeries, but authentic hiftories: to what purpofe is it then for modern unbelievers to deny their truth? The evidence of their truth was com- pleated many ages ago ; it extorted the acknowledgment of enemies ; their acknowledgment renders the miracles of Chrift as undeniable as any facft can be, and confequently renders the truth of his religion, fo far as it is fupported by thefe miracles, as certain as it was pollible to render it. The quick and extenfive propaga- tion of Chriftianity, is a ftriking argu- ment of its truth and divinity; and it acquires a great acceilion of ftrength from the early and continued oppofi- tion of Infidels. That Chriftianity made fo great and rapid progrefs in fpight of the crueleft perfecutions, adds great weight to this argument; its having fpread ^^2 DISSERTATION II. :>:> fpread in fpiglit of the keenefl oppoii- tion in the way of reafoning, adjs no lefs weight to it. It fliows that the fuccefs of the gofpel was not owing to credulity. It cannot be pretended, that it was embraced merely becaufe its evidences were not examined: the acutenefs of the philofopher, and the art of the orator, were employed to confute them: but their foHdity baffled all the efforts of both: the gofpel rofe fuperior to all exceptions, it prevailed every where by the force of its confpi- cuous truth. As it could not be cruffi- ed by violence, fo neither could it be overturned by argument. The advantages which Chriftianity derives from the oppoiltion of ancient Infidels, extend flill farther ; their at- tacks do not merely confirm fome of its principal evidences : the manner in which they were carried on, has been SECTION II. 333 been improved into a diflincl argu- ment for the truth of ChrifHanity. Its truth may be directly inferred from the teflimonies and conceflions of its an- cient adverfaries. I intend not to enu- merate thefe, or to urge the proof a- rifing from them, minutely or at laro^e ; for this has been done ah'eady * : but to give a fhort reprefentation of the force of the argument, will be neceiFa- ry for our prefent purpofe. That the Jews believed the time of the Melfiah's appearance to be at hand when Jefus arofe ; that he lived in the period in which the writers of the New Tefla- ment place him ; that he was put to death at Jerufalem; that his followers conftantiy affirmed that he had rifen from the dead and afcended into hea- ven, * See Th^ truih of the Hijlory cf the GofpeU made out ly heathen E'videncc. Edinburgh, 1741 : And Sharpb's ArTp,. ment in Deftnce of Chrijiianityf taken from the concejjions of the mofi ancient ad-vetfarie:, Jev:: and Pa^afr'f Thilofophsrs avd Hijlorlun!, 34 DISSERTATION II. ven, and produced feveral evidences of it; that he claimed a divine miflion, and the character of the MefTiah, and delivered his do&ine in the name of God; that he taught thofe doctrines which the New Teftament afcribes to him ; that he and his apoftles perform- ed many wonderful works in fupport of thefe doftrines, and communicated to others the power of performing fi* milar works ; that his difciples, after his death, publiflied his religion thro' a great part of the world, refolutely encountering the greateft: hardfliips and the criieleft perfecutions ; that, notwithflanding this, the gofpel, un- fupported by any worldly power, ob- tained a reception from multitudes : thefe are the principal facts of the go- fpel hiflory, and thefe are put beyond doubt, by the confeflion of the ene- mies of the gofpeL Ancient Infidels give the mofl exprefs teflimony to the truth SECTION II. 335 truth of many of them: they admit them, and reafon from them in de- fending their infidelity. They often acknowledge the fads which relate to the birth, the life, and the death of Jefus, and thence draw arguments againft his religion. They afcribe his miracles to his fkill in magic ; but, by endeavouring to account for them in this manner, they plainly acknov/ledge that they were really performed by him. They either diredly quote, or profelTedly hint at, many doftrines, fentiments, and exprellions contained in the New Teftament ; they endea- vour to turn them to the difadvanta2:e of Chriftianity : but by this they ren- der it undeniable, that the New Tefta- ment contains the very religion which Chrift and his apoflles taught. They fometimes pervert fads, they torture them into a fliape unfavourable to th^ goipel ; by this they (liow, that they could 336 DISSERTATION 11. could do no more, that it was not in their power to deny them. Sometimes, when they cannot, by any plaufible mifreprefentation, wreft them to the difad vantage of Chriflianity, they inti- mate fufpicions of their truth, or they aiFe6l to deny them : but they deny them in fuch a way as indeed confirms them. Inftead of detecting their falfe- hood by legitimate means, they fliow that they could produce no evidence againft them. They give us their rea- fons for denying them : but thefe are fuch as cannot invalidate direcl tefti- mony for any matter of fad: ; they are fometimes built on falle principles, at other times deduced by manifeit fophi- ilry, always precarious conclulions from general topics. To the affirma- tions of eye-witnefTes, contradicted by no other witnedes, corroborated by a long train of connefted events, they oppofe abflracl reafonings and arbitra- ry SECTION II. 337 ry conje(fi:ures. Such attempts to dif- prove any matter of faft, made by thofe who muft have had in their pow- er, the proper means of confuting it, if any fuch there were, eflabhfli the rea- lity of the fa6l even more flrongly than admitting it in filence. The enemies of the gofpel would not have combated its fa£ts with objections of this kind, if they could have found any of another kind. Such efforts demonflrate their inclination to overturn, thefe fad:s; yet they are employed only againft fome of them: the fa«fls, therefore, v/hich they do not once attempt to deny, muft be accounted fo indifputable, that, a- gainfl them, all their ingenuity could not invent any exception. There are fome fad:s, perhaps, related in the go- Ipel hlflory, of Vv^hich they take no no- tice : but even thefe are confirmed by the teflimony which they give to other facls, for they arc connedled with y them^ 338 D I S S E RTAT I O N IL them, and in a manner implied in them. It is only in matters of fadl, that either the acknowjedgment or the denial of contemporary perfons is of importance ; and in thefe, all ancient Infidels bear witnefs to the gofpel. Their conclufions from the facts, and their conjedlures concerning the caufes of them, are unfavourable to the go- Ipel : but they have no authority, they are only matters of judgment or opi- nion, which may be freely canvafTed and rejedled ; and they give weight to their teflimony for fad;s, they render it a teflimony in oppolition to their prejudices and their principles ; fuch a teflimony, nothing but the force of notorious and inconteflible truth could have extorted from them. The con- cellions, then, of ancient Infidels fliow that the hiflory of the New Teflament is true. The New Teflament is no forgery of later ages ; it is the original hiflory S E C T I O N II. 339 hiiloiy of Chrifl and his apollles ; It was extant from the beginning of Chri- flianity : it contains the very facfbs which the earlieft Infidels mention, the very do(fl;rines which they afcribe to Chriftians, the very exprellions which they quote, or to which they allude. That it is the genuine record of the re- ligion which Jefus taught, all thofe un- believers who had opportunities of judging concerning that point, amply and explicitly bear v/itnefs. The fa(^s related in it, are fuch as really happen- ed : as long as they were recent, they were ib notorioufly true, that even thofe perfons who would not admit their moft obvious confequences, fel- dom attempted to deny any of the faifts themfelves, and only expofed their own prejudice in the few inftances in which they attempted it. Having been once fo notorious, they mufl remain for ever indifputably certain : all mo- Y 2 dern 340 D I S S E R T A T I O N 11. dern objections againft them mnft be frivolous : diftance of time may render the abfnrdity of calUng them in que- flion, lefs palpable and ftriking than at iirft, but the abfurdity itfelf it can- not leflen. On the authority of anci- ent Infidels, the facts of the gofpel hi- ftory ought to be held abfolutely incpn- teftible : but, if they be true, Christi- anity mufl be like wife true. Ancient Infidels perceived not this confequence ; it is furpriling how they could over- look what is fo obvious : there were, however, principles deeply imbibed by them, which may account for their blindnefs ; but it is not neceiTaiy for our prefent purpofe to point out thefe. Modern Infidels too urge fome objec- tions which feem to go on the fuppo- fition, that this confequence is difpu- table ; but that they really are not in- fenfible of its force, is plain from the pains they take, and the various topics they. S E C T I O N II. 341 they employ for overturning the gofpel jiiftory. In truth, no man who firmly believes the whole gofpel hiftory, can find any difficulty in concluding, that the Chriflian religion came from God. If the hiftory be true, the whole of this religion mufl be equally true: the prin- cipal doctrines of Chriflianity, are im- plied in the hiflory itfelf : they are but parts of it: the whole fyftem of Chri- Itianity, claims a reception on the au- thority of the teacher ; the evidence of his authority, arifes from the very fadls recorded in the hiftory, which, if they indeed happened, render it certain that he came from God. Thus, if there had not been Infidels in early ages, we (liould have wanted foiue part of the evidence which we now have, for the truth of Chriflianity. At any rate, there would have doubt- lefs been fuificient evidence : but this addition 342 D I S S E R T A T I O N II. addition is very conllderable. It is when an impofture has been fufFered to go on for ages, before it is inquired into, that it becomes diificLdt to detect: it. In this cafe, the real circuniftan- ces which attended its rife and progrefs, are forgotten; all means of bringing a xiired; proof of deceit, are fometimes neceilarily loft by length of time: men may ftill find reafon to rejed: it, but it is only becaufe its nature renders it fufpicious, becaufe it contains internal marks of falfehood. But there never was an impofture which efcaped detec- tion, when it was examined at its very rife : if it was carried on with fo great fecrecy and art, as to elude a full con- futation, yet there have always occur- red fome poiitive preiiimptions of falfe- hood. Chriftianity was examined in its earlieft infancy, it grew up under the watchful eye of oppolition ; all the ftcps of its progrefs were obferved with the S E C T I O N IL 343 the ftricleft attention, by its moil inve- terate enemies : the afTaults of ancient unbeUevcrs are everlafling monuments of all this. Neverthelefs, it was not confuted ; there were not even produ- ced any dired: prefumptions of its be- ing an impoilure ; nay all attempts to deted: it, iflued in affording, in many ways, new evidence of its truth. If it had been an impoflure, could its fate have been fo fignally the reverfe of the fates of all the inlpoilures which ever the world knew ? The whole que- flion concerning the truth of Chrifti- anity^ may almoft be fairly reduced to this fingle point : Did ancient Infi- dels give full proof that it was an im- pofture, by detecting the methods of deceit and artifice, by which it was carried on, and rendered fuccefsful ? If they did not, Chriflianity could be no impoflure. That all their attempts failed, that they contributed, in con- tradi(5lion to their intention, to the confirmation 344 D I S S E R T A T I O N II. confirmation of Chriilianity, is a poil- tive proof of its truth. If you would, after this, convict it of inipollure by internal characters, they mud be fuch as render its truth abfolutely impolfi- ble, they muft be inHances either of plain abfurdity or of immorality : any thing fliortof this, cannot overbalance the, evidence of truth ariiing hence, that no impoilure w^as detected by the moil laborious and invidious fcrutiny, on the firil appearance of Chriflianity ; it is only precarious reafoning, plaufible fpeculation, and indirecl prefumption, oppofed to dire^l: proof and indubita- ble facls. So great is the advantage which Chriilianity derives from the op- pofition of its ancient aclverfaries, that this oppofition at once affords a flrong argument for the divinity of Chrifliani- ty, and renders all internal objeftions againfl: it, of little force, except they amount to a flricl demonflration of its falfity. S E C- [ 345 1 SECTION III. The advantages vjhich Christianity J?as derived from oppopjion in general. THE advantages of which we have hitherto taken notice, are pecu- liar to the oppofition of ancient Infidels. But, from oppofition, Chriftianity has derived advantages of a more general nature. The attacks which have been made upon it by Infidels in every age, have contributed to render its truth the more confpicuous. Infidels have always urged their obje^lions in a way which ftrongly im- plies the goodnefs of the caufe oppofed by them, and which heightens the ef- fea 346 DISSERTATION II. feS: produced on the mind, by the di- reS: evidences of the truth of the go- fpel. It is univerfally allowed, that dif- honeft methods of defence are preju- dicial to any caufc ; they infufe a fu- fpicion that it is a bad caufe ; and when they are adopted by all without exception, who patronize that caufe, the fufpicion is rarely groundlcfs. Such condud: proceeds from the impoflibili- ty of defending the caufe by better rneans. If, then, diflioneft arts have been employed by the whole tribe of infidel writers, this will yield a gene- ral preiumption, that infidelity is in- defenfible, and confequently that Chri- flianity is true; a prefumption which will operate powerfully on the princi- ples of human nature. But that this has been the conducfi: of Infidel?, is e- vident fi-om their writings. Partial and unfair quotations from the fcrip- tures ; grofs milreprefentations of the nature SECTION III. 347 nature of Chriflianity ; exaggerations of whatever can be wrefted to the dif- advantage of it ; overlooking or ex- plaining away what tends to fupport it ; confident afTertions or arbitrary fuppofitions of what it is incumbent on them to prove ; demands that Chri- ftians (liould produce evidence which the nature of the thing admits not, or prove what ought to be taken for granted till it be difproved : thefe and many llich as thefe, are arts of contro- verfy made ufe of by all infidel wri- ters*. They have been occafionally pointed * They who have perufed the writings of Infidels, will be fenfible of the truth of what I here afErm, To others it can- not fail to appear aftonifhing ; but left thefe ftiould reckon it incredible, I ftiall hint at a very few inftances of the feveral forts of arts, which have been enumerated, I have been at no pains to feleft the moft flagrant inftances ; I mention juft fuch as happen firft to occur to my memory. Of " quotations partially made, or grofsly mifapplied, Chriftiamty not founded on argument, tho' a book of no large fize, and written by a man far from being deftitute of acutenefs or ingenuity, will af- ford perhaps a hundred inftances. By almoft every Infidel, th« 34S DISSERTATION II. pointed out by the defenders of Chri- flianity, and fully afcertained. Many fpecies of fiich artifices might be enu- merated, and many inftances colle(^ed under each head. But v/e decline en- tering the gofpel is reprefented as encouraging ruperflition, perfe- cution, and tyranny over meo's confcieaccs ; things mod ab- horrent from its genuine fpirit, Occafion has been taken for this mifreprefentation, from the vices of profefled Ghriftians, committed in abfolule contradifllon to the genius of the Neve Teftament ; and to give it countenance, thefe vices have beea magnified on the one hand, and on the other hand the hor- rors of Pagan idolatry and fuperftition, and the feverities of the heathens againft the fir(t Ghriftians, have been palliated. The Alcoran has been extolled, in contradi(!n:ion to truth, that it might feem a rival to the Bible. In order to fee, how rea- dy they are to fu^ipofe or to aflirt, whatever fuits their pur- pofe, you need but read the fuppofitions which Mr Hame makes with regard to Alexander of Pontus, the miraculous care a- fcribed to Vefpafian, or the teftimony of Cardinal de Retz, without any authority from the writers whom he quotes, {bme- timcs even in oppofition to their authority. In order to dif- credit the apoftles, how often have Infidels reckoned it fuffici- ent, that theapoiUes might have been impoftors, or enthufialls, or fomething produced by a ftrange mixture of thefe charac- ters ? But they offer no proof; they even attempt not to re- concile the imputation with the hiftory of the apoftles; they require of Ghriftians to prove the negative, that the apoftles were not impoftors nor enthufiafti. SECTION III. 34<^ tering on the detail. ?vlerely to men- tion the various arts of fophiftry em- ployed, would not produce conviclion 'of the juflice of the charge ; and to col- lei^ multitudes of particulars in fup- port of it, would be tedious and un- pleafant. We jQiall, therefore, enlarge only on a few obfervations fo obvious from the whole tenor of the infidel writings, that there will be no need to quote examples for fupporting them. It v/ould be curious to trace the ob- je^lions againfl Chriilianity, from the earlieft ages to the prefent time. This connedled view of the fucceflive efforts of unbelievers, might fuggeft many re- flecflions which would confirm our faith. No perfon who has at all confidered the oppofition of Infidels in this point of view, can have failed to remark, that they have, one after another, re- peated the fame objections very often, varied perhaps in form, but without being 350 D I S S E R T A T I O N II. being at any pains to confute the an- fwers which Chrifdans have returned to them. That there is no degree of force or plaufibility at all in thefe an- fwers, the moft confirmed Infidel, if he be not deftitute of candour, will not be hardy enough to affirm. If they deflroy not the objedlions altogether, they certainly in many inftances weak- en them very confiderably. Yet, with- out takino- any notice of them, the ob- je6lions are repeatedly urged. The. defenders of Chrillianity have a^led an oppofite part : they take notice of eve- ry new objeftion that is raifed againfl the gofpel ; they at leafl endeavour to fliow by a particular examination of it, that it is not fufficient to overturn the gofpel ; they thus provide mankind with the means of judging fairly be- tween them and their adverfaries. This difference of manner will be obvious to every perfon who has the leafl ac- quaintance SECTION III. 351 quaintance with the controverfy ; and a thorough fcrutiny will render it flill more flriking. Did fuch a diiFerence appear between two difputants in any one inilance, it would induce every confiderate ipecftator, previous to a mi- nute examination of the feveral argu- ments produced, to believe that he who ules the latter method, is the abler, as well as the fairer advocate. But, in the queftion concerning the truth of ChriiUanity, this difference takes place univerfally : the former manner charafterifeth the defenders of infidelity, almofl without exception * ; the * This is fo notorioufly and confe/Tedly the manner of In- fidels, that it is almoft fuperfluous to appeal to any particular inftances. Let the reader periife any of the lateft works of Infidels, and try how many objeftions again ft Chriflianity he can find in them, which had not been often moved, and often anfwered before. Let him examine, for example, how many of thofe arguments, for the perfedion or fufKciency of naturai religion, and againft the neceflity and ufefulnefs of revelation, which, without any notice taken of any replies to them, are urged 352 DISSERTATION II. the latter manner is preferved by Chri- ilian apologifts, at lead by all of them whom fenfible and rational Chriftians efteem. The natural conckifion is, that this characfteriilical difference arifcs from a diiference between the caufes which they maintain : and certainly we will not be difpofed to think moil favourably of that caufe which leads its votaries to a method of defence, ftrong- ly marked with negligence at leaft, if not with dillngenuity. An uniform care to avoid entering into a confuta- tion of the reafonings for Chriftianity, feems to imply a confeifion that they cannot be confuted. Again, every perfon who perufes the writings of Infidels, muft perceive that urged with fo great confidence and oftentation in The philofo- phicat works of Lord Bolivghroke, or enforced with fo great e- loQuence in the celebrated Creed of the Savoyard Curate, had not been formerly moved by Lord Herbert and Dr Tindal, and confuted, or at leafl much invalidated, by almoft ever;. author who wrote againft them. SECTION III. 353 that not only diiFerent perfons, but e- ven the lame perfons, employ inconfift^ ent principles in reafoning againfl Chri- llianity. Men vary fo ranch in their appreheniions of things, that different perfons, arguing on almofl any fubjedl, adopt incompatible principles, Chri- ilians have fbmetimes f^iven advantao-e to Infidels, by the falfehood of the prin- ciples on which fome of them have built their reafonings, as well as by the weaknefs of the reafonings themfelves. Were no more chargeable on Infidels, than that they are in their arguments in confident v/ith one another, a con- cluiion to the difadvantage of their caufe, could not with juftice be inferred. One remark, however, 'may be made even qyv this view of the caie. The miilaken principles of one Chriflian writer have been detedled and expofed by other Chriflian writers, v, ithout re- ferve. But Infidels, indiffoiubly leagued Z together 354 DISSERTATION II. together by the f ingle tie of unbelief, ftudioufly avoid confuting one ano- ther : this conduct fliows a determined refolution to fupport a beloved caufe by all pollible means; and the caufe Virhich infpires all its votaries with fuch a refolution, is not likely to be the caufe of truth. But what chiefly de- ferves attention is, that there is fcarce any Infidel writer who, in reafoning a- gainfl Chriftianity, does not without fcruple admit principles contradidiory to one another. Were this conduct pe- culiar to a few, it would only ftiow that certain individuals were weak enough not to difcern the contradiction, or difingenuous enough not to own it. But it is lb general, that one Infidel author of a few pages, cannot perhaps be na- med, who is innocent of the charge *. A * Inftead of multiplying inftancesfrom a variety of authors, I (hall mention one or two, in Mr Hunted ejfay on miracles. P. 202, " It appears that notellimony for any kind of miracle can SECTION III. 355 A good caufe needs not to be fupport- ed by fuch means ; it does not natu- rally put men on the uih of tlicm. This is not the kind of attachment Nvhich truth infpires ; it is the bigotry which error ufually begets. Truth leads Z 2 forward " ever poffibly amount to a probability, much lefs to a proof." " (Seealfop. 180,194,196.) P- 2 o^, " iown,there may podibly " be miracles, or violations of the ufual courfe of nature, of *' fuch a kind as to admit of proof from human teftimony." The contradidion here is dire<51:. I might add the contrariety which there is betvi'een his afTertion, page 183, that no mira- cle was ever attefted by a fufficient number of men, fuch by their chafafter and circumftances as to merit credit ; and the account v/hich he gives, page 19J, &c. of the manner in which the miracles wrought at the tomb of the Abbe Paris, arc attefted, Thefe inftances are the more to the purpofe, for two reafons ; becaufc the eflay confifts but of a few pages, and be- caufe Mr Humeis unqueftionably fuperior in penetration to al- moft all the writers who have appeared on the fide of infideli- ty. But if the reader defires more inftances, he needs but com- pare the oppofite views in which moft InfiJel writers reprelent human reafon, according to the different purpofes at which they aim: when they combat the necelTiry of revelation, rea- fon can do every thing, even for the bulk of mankind : but when the evidence of revelation is to be judged of, or a true revelation diftinguiOisd from an impo^ure, reafon can do no- thing. 356 DISSERTATION IL forward its votaries in a plain road ; it is error that involves men in a la- byrinth, and bewilders them in crook- ed paths. The principles of the bed defenders of Chriftianity, are confiitent with themielves ; among all the prin- ciples from which its truth is deduced in the New Tellament, the avowed flandard of our religion, there fubfifls the mod perfed: harmony. — What has been faid, may ferve as a fpecimen of the ways in which the evidence of Chri- ftianity has been corroborated by the methods in which Infidels have mana- ged their attacks upon it. But the oppoiition of Infidels has contributed, ftill more dircclly, to add light and force to the evidences of Chri- ftianity, by the conducl which it has led Chriftians to purine. It gives Chri- ftians a natural occafion to explain the real ftrength of the evidences of their religion. S E C T I ON III. 357 religion, to point out the Teveral cir- cumftances from which that llrength arifes, to fliow in what particular man- ner each circuniilance promotes it, and to deted; the fallacies of all the reafon- ings which are employed againfi: the gofpel. The New Teilament informs us of a very early inftance in which oppofition produced this eiTecl. It led an illiterate perfon, by the mere force of his own underflanding, without in- fpiration, to a folid confutation of an objection againil a particular proof of our Saviour's million, and to a convin- cing explication of the force of that proof. When the council had exami- ned a blind man to whom our Saviour had reftored fight, concerning all the circumflances of the cure, they decla- red that Jefus mufl; be an impoftor; be- caufe, in performing it, he had broken the law of the Sabbath ; 7his man is not of God, hcazije be ksepstb not the Sabbath- day. 358 DISSERTATION II. da^ *. They allied the blind man his opinion concerning Jefus: he indited, that, notwithftanding their exception, the miracle proved him to be a prophet^. When they ilill urged that he was cer- tainly an impoftor, the man anfwered and faid unto them, Whj, herein is a marvellous things that ye hiovj not from Tijhence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes : Now iveknoiv that God heareth not fmnerSy hut if any man he a ivorfoipper of God, and doth his luilly him he heareth : Since the luorld hegaUy was it not heard, that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind : If this man were not of God, he could do nothingX- The force of this reafoning was fo irrefillible, that it utterly filenced the rulers. They con- fefTed its fores, and (liowxd that they were unable to anfwer it, by betaking themfelves to reproach and violence, the ordinary confequence of want of argument. The * Tolin ix. 1 6- f Ver. 17. % Vcr. 39,-33. SECTION III. 359 The various objeftions which have been raifed againft the evidences of Chriftianity, have always produced II- milar efFefts. By the publication of them, every exception that can, with any fliow of reafon, be taken againft thefe evidences, is gradually brought forth ; every doubt concerning them, is propofed; every difficulty attending any of them, is ftated : An opportuni- ty is thus given of removing every thing which feems to weaken their force, or can hinder the mind from yielding its alTent to them. Chriftians have never declined embracing this op- portunity : they have readily taken no- tice of the arguments of Infidels, and examined them ; they have pointed out the falfe principles from which they are deduced, and the fophiftical reafonings by which they are carried on ; they have evinced, that, notwith- ilanding them, the evidence of Chrifti^ anity ■^6o DISSERTATION II. anlty remains entire. The natural tendency of all this is, that every thing of iniDortance to the proof of Chriftia- nicy fliall be accurately canvalTed ; e- very poiBble objection moved, and ei- ther directly anfvvered, or obviated fo far as the vveaknefs of the human facul- ties permits, and fo far as iimilar ob- jections on other fubjeclis can be obvi- ated : and this has been, in a great nieafure, the aclual efFecl. In what pre- cife degree this eife6f has already taken place, they are befl qualified to judge, who have deliberately coniidered all that has been faid for and againft Chri- flianity, and impartially compared the reafonings on one fide with thofe on the other. If a perfon has attended on- ly to objections againft the truth of Chriilianity, but has been at no pains to learn what anfwers have been re- turned to them, or has not weighed the anfwers with the fame candour as thp / SECTION III. 361 the objections; and (hould neverthe- lefs determine, that all the arguments of Infidels have not been folidly con- futed, that the feveral evidences of Chriftianity have not been fully vindi- cated, after allowing every difficulty and objeftion its real weight, and that thefe evidences together do not confti- tute a proof of the truth of Chriftiani- ty, perfectly fliited to the nature of the flibje^l, the higheft that the cafe can poilibly admit, fully fatisfying to the underilanding, and fuperior, by many circumftances of advan- tage, to the proofs of numberlefs conclufions which are adopted with unreferved afTo ranee ; iiich a perfon is undeniably an incompetent judge; for he is ignorant of many things ne- celTary for deciding the queftion with underilanding. Whether a'iiy Infidels have gone through all the examination requifite for their giving a jufl deci- flon. 362 DISSERTATION IL lion, It muft be left to their confcieii- ces to judge : their writings bear ma- ny marks of their having negled:ed it, of fome of which we have already ta- ken Tisotice. It is certain that many Chriftians have made a full examina- tion; their writings fhowthat they have ; and yet they have continued Chrifti- ans. This is fome prefumption, that the evidences of Chriftianity are alrea- dy brought wholly or nearly to the Itatp into which oppofition to truth tends to bring its evidence; every ma- terial objection urged, and fully an- fwered. If any perfoii doubts of this, let him examine without prejudice. Whether, on a full examination, every perfon will perceive this to be the ftate of the controverly, and find reafon to become a Chriftian, I will not take it upon me to pronounce : men are in- fluenced in their judgments by fo va- rious principles, that it is impoflible to SECTION III. 363 to fay, what will be the iflue of their application to any fubjec^. But we may afTert, that there is no contradic- tory inftance : thofe Infidels who have boafted moil confidently of fair exami- nation and deep inveftigation, have notwithftanding betrayed either grofs ignorance or wilful inattention, with refpe6l to many things mod eiTential to the evidence of Chriftianity, and to the vindication of it from objections. But it is by the general principles of reafoning, that a compax'ifon ought to be ftated between the attacks upon Chriftianity, and the defences of it : and, judging by thefe, nothing can be clearer than that the evidences of Chriftianity have not, in the courfe of a long and eager controverfy, been confuted ; that, on the contrary, all the exceptions againft them have been obviated by juft argument, and that confequently the force of thefe eviden- ces 364 DISSERTATION II. ces has been farther afcertained and juftified, than it was at firft, and new light thrown upon the truth of our re- ligion. No argument employed by Chrift or his apoflles, in fupport of their miffion, has been overthrown by Infi- delsc Many of their obje<5lions have been proved to be frivolous, all of them to be inconclulive. Arguments have been advanced for Chriftianity, which Infidels have not fo much as attempted to anfwer, and which mud therefore be held folid and legitimate. In con> fequence of the exceptions of unbelie- vers, many arguments have been (liown to advantaire, have received new illu- flrations, and have been profecuted with greater precifion and depth. No- where can there be found greater con- fufion of thought or v.-eaker reafoning, than in the writings of Infidels ; no- where more accurate and unexception- able argumentation, tlian in the an- fwers SECTION III. 365 fwers of Chriftians. For the truth of all this, we appeal to the works of both. If it be an advantage to Chri- flianity, to have its evidence clearly explained, fully illujflrated, carefully vindicated, and traced up to the gene- ral principles of human nature, there can be no doubt that it has derived advantage from the oppofition of un- believers. Th e I r oppofition has not only pro- duced a full defence of the evidences of Chriilianity, but likewife occafioned their being fet in a great variety of lights. Men differ fo much in the turn of their underflandings, that truth mull be placed in many different atti- tudes, in order to its being either con- ceived or embraced by all. An argu- ment, by being turned into a particu- lar form, will often inftantly ftrike a perfon on whom it had no influence when 366 D I S S E R t A T I O N II. when it was profecuted under a diffe- rent form. When a man propofes an argument, in which he has no fufpi- cion of obfcurity or uncertainty, and againfl which he has no particular ex- ceptions in view, he fatisfies himfclf with expreiling it in the manner which appears mofl natural to himfelf, or which happens firfl to occur. But when he finds that its force is not per- ceived, efpccially w^hen particular ex- ceptions are taken againfl it, he endea- vours to fet it in different lights, and to turn it into every poffible fhape, that, in fome one of them, its force and the futility of the exceptions againfl it, may come to be acknowledged. If an- other perfon adopts the argument, he may be able to give it a turn which the former never thought of, and wliich may render it peculiarly fit for con- vincing fome who would have other- wife withftood it. At iirfl, the evi- dences SECTION III. 367 dences of the gofpel were propofed in a very llmple manner : but the objec- tions raifed againfl them, led Chriflians to turn them into various fhapes. E- very new objection, and even every old objedlion urged in a diiferent man- ner, gave occalion to fome new illu- ftration of the proof of Chriftianity af- fected by it. In how many ftriking lights, for inflance, is Origen alone led by the feveral objedions of Celfus, to exhibit the argument for Chriftiani- ty, deduced from its quick and exten- iive propagation ? The reality of the Chriitian miracles was originally afTert- ed by a naked rehearfal of the miracles themfelves, and of the circumftances in which they were wrought: but, when objections againfl this evidence were multiplied, they led men to many new methods of reprefenting it. In confequence of one objedion, the weight of the feveral real circumftances attending 368 DISSERTATION II. attending thefe miracles, was eftimated, and lliown to be fufficient to exclude all lufpicion of deceit. Another ob- jection led men to examine the precife force of that teftimony by which we are aflured that thefe miracles were wrought. Other objedtions have been the occaiions of pointing out the diffe- rence between the Chriflian miracles and thofe falfe wonders, by compari- fon with which, attempts have been made to depreciate them ; of afcertain- ing the nature and degree of that af* fent which is due to teftimony ; of at- tending to all the principles and pro- penlitles of the human mind, which can be fuppofed in any way to affeft our belief of extraordinary or miracu- lous fad:s. The objedlions which have been facceflively raifed againfl the con- nexion between miracles and do«ftrines, and the feveral hypothefes which have been contrived for accounting for the wonderfii) S E C T I ON III. 369 wonderful works afcribed to Chriil and his apoftles, without allowing them to be proofs of a divine miflion, have gi- ven occafion to reprefent that connex- ion in alnioft as great a variety of lights^ in fome one or other of which it can fcarce fail to appear undeniable to eve- ry perlbn who takes the pains to under- fland it, and gives fcope to his natural principles of belief. The excellence of the Chriilian religion has been called in queflion ; objeclions of all pofiible kinds, have been formed againfl its doc- trines and its laws: the confequence has been, a difplay of its excellence in every poflible point of view. It has been fliown that it contains no tenet which reafon can evince to be falfe, no precept which confcience can difap- prove. It has been fliown that it re- publiflies a fyilcm of natural religion, perfectly conformable to the foundeil dedudlions of reafon, and teaches it /\ a with Z!^ DISSERTATION IL with fingular purity, perfpicuity, and authority; that its peculiar doctrines not only are confiftent with all that reafon teaches us, but form a well connected fcheme of principles ; agree- able to the analogy of nature ; for con- firmation of which, after they are re- vealed, we can difcover many argu- ments ; which account for fatls, and clear up difficulties in the a6lual flate of things, otherwife inexplicable ; which convert many dubious conjecftures of reafon into certainty; which fall in with, and fupport the wavering expec- tations of nature ; which fuit the hopes and the fears of mankind; which ex- tend our profpetfl and brighten our views where the light of nature fails us ; which difcover to us a fcheme of things, the exacft counterpart of that with which reafon and experience bring us acquainted, and, together with it, ma- king up one plan of providence. It has SECTION III. 371 has been evinced, that all its docflrines are uleful and important in the higheft degree, calculated for the nobleft end^ for promoting the prefent improvement and joy, and the eternal perfection and felicity of mankind, diredlly ftibfervient to this end, affording motives to vir- tue, the ftrongefl in themfelves, the be{l adapted both to our eonftitution and to our ftate, and of the moft various kinds, fit to lay hold on every princi- ple of acftion, and to influence the moft oppofite tempers* It has been proved^ that its moral precepts are abfolutely proper, pure, and complete, and its pofitive precepts immediately condu- cive to real goodnefs ; that its laws af- certain our duty with the greatefl pre- cifion, and imprefs a fenfe of its obli- gation with the greatefl force , while its dodlrines give us the mofl powerful inducements to fulfil it, and provide us with the mofl natural means of ful- A a 2 filling 372 D I S S E R T A T I O N II. filling it. Chriftianity has been compa- red with other religions, and with the noblefl difcoveries of the beil philoib- phers, and demonftrated to. be vaftly fviperior to them all. In a word, it has been fhown to have all the excellence which can be derived from fubfervi- ence to the moft important end, and to have every fort of excellence conli- xlent with its being immediately fub- fervient to that end, every fort of ex- cellence which can fatisfy the under- ftanding, ftrike the imagination, or en- gage the heart. It is fufficient, and all which can be reafonably delired, that real evidence be difplayed in one proper light ; but when it is fet In va- rious lights, it becomes much fitter for convincing all, and for heightening the afTurance of each. That the evidence of Chriftianity has been propofed in this advantageous manner, the op- polition of Infidels has been the prin- cipal SECTION III. 373 cipal occafion: it has led many diffe- rent perfons to ftate that evidence, e- very one in the way which was moft fuitable to his own turn of thinkino- • and different reprefentations of it have been naturally fuggefted by the variety of objections urged againft it. There is a very great difference of abilities among mankind ; and they who have the leafl fliare, are very apt to make a falfe eftimate of their own powers. On this account, as well as on many others, when any queftion is long agitated, many weak arguments will unavoidably be employed. Some Chriftians have, no doubt, made fri-. volous obfervations, and ufed incon- clufive arguments, in exj^laining and fupporting the evidences of their reli- gion, and refuting the objections of un- believers. They have appealed to e- vidence which could yield no proof of truth 374 DISSERTATION IL truth or divinity ; and they have repre • fented real and juft evidence in an im- proper raanner. Were there no oppo- fition, this might not be taken notice of. It feems unneceiTary to expofe the w^eaknefs of others, when the detection of it can ferve no good purpofe : tlie benevolent only pity it, and the more rigid fatisfy themfelves Avith defpifing it. But the fpirit of infidelity fails not to lay hold of every thing of this fort. However Iparing unbelievers are, in undertaking a regular confutation of folid anfwers made to their objections, their writings fliow, that they are not backward to make all the advantage .pollible of the jnijlakes of Chriftians. When Infidels are awake to obferve thcfe, Chriftians come like wife to have a flrong motive to expofe and rectify the falfe reafonings of one another ; it is conducive to a valuable end ; it is neccffary for preventing their being unfairly SECTION III. 375 unfairly turned againfl Chriftianity it- felf; and confequently it is perfedlly confiftent with the meekefl benevo- lence. By thefe means, the oppofi- tion of Infidels has a very powerful tendency to banifli inconclufive rea- fonings from the defence of Qhriftia- nity. It has been often aflerted, that mofl of the ancient Chriftian writers ufe fe- veral weak arguments in their apolo- gies. 'Infidels triumph in the obferva- tion, and reprefent thefe inflances of falfe reafoning as even fubverflve of the gofpel. That there are fuch in- flances, believers readily acknov>^ledge ; and, on account of them, fome enter- tain a much lower opinion of thefe an- cients, than can be fairly juflified from their writings. Suppofe that many of their fentiments and reafonings are fo weak, that a modern of very mode^ rate abilities would avoid them ; yet an 37^ DISSERTATION II. an excufe may be pleaded for this : it is common to them with almoft all the philoibphers of antiquity. There is not perhaps any diiterence between ancient and modern writers, more characteriftical than this ; tlie moderns, when poflelFed of any conflderable de- gree of excellence, preferve an uni- formity and equality, in matter, fcnti- ment, and reafoning, which is want- ing in the ancients. In thefe latter, there is a furpriilng mixture of the ii- neft fentiments with the meanefl or the falfeil, of the jufteft reafonings with the iillieft cavils. In the writings of Plato, of Cicero, of almoft any one of the moft admired philofophers, innu- merable inftances may be pointed out. If few moderns rife to their excellence in fome parts of their works, it is cer- tain however that defects and abfiirdi- ties, fo grofs as may be found in other parts, are not chargeable on any mo- dern SECTION III. 377 dern author, who has, in the judgment of the world, even reached mediocrity. Whatever defed:s are obfervable in the Chriflian fathers, I know few of their apologies for their religion, in which the juft reafonings do not bear as great a proportion to the puerile cavils, as in almoft any work of the fame length, of any the moil: celebrated ancient. It may be added, that very many of their falfe fentiments and inconcluflve rea- fonings, were derived from the pre- vailing opinions of the times, Avere common to them wdth the moft emi- nent of their contemporaries, and be- long to fubje(^s which are foreign to Chriftianity, and on which it was not its bufinefs to give them light. This is in reafon fufficient for their vindication: and what has happened to their puerilities and cavils, exempli- fies the topic on which we are now in- (ifting. Chriflians have concurred with Infidels 378 DISSERTATION II. Infidels in detecting them ; they are ge- nerally exploded. They would per- haps have been abandoned, tho' Infi- dels had given no occafion : but they would not probably have been fo cx- prefsly difclaimed, or fo profefTedly confuted. It often happens, that ve- ry exceptionable pofitions are not fo quickly baniflied as they ought to be ; there will always be fome perfons inju- dicious enough to adopt the weakeft things that have been advanced by o- thers : but this happens on all fubje^ls, and can on no fubjed: be juftly afcri- bed to any other caufe, but the folly of thefe individuals. It is no wonder that it fometimes happens likevvife with refpe6l to the evidences of Chriftianity. Bat the oppofition of Infidels has a ve- ry flrong tendency to makp all fenfiblc Chriftians extremely cautious in chu- liiig their weapons, wary in examining the propriety of every principle on which SECTION IIL 379 which they build, attentive to thefound- nefs and llrength of every argument which they urge, fcrupulous about the truth of every deduction which they make ; in a word, careful that the de- fences which they oifer for their religi- on, be in all refpedls beyond reafonable exception. A liege not only proves the ilrength of fome parts of a fortification, but alfo difcovers the weak parts, and fhows what eminences command, or give advantage againft any part of it ; •and thus fuggefls the neceility and the means of improving what is infuffici- ent, and removing what is dangerous, fo that the whole may become flronger than before. In like manner, while the attacks of Infidels give fuller convic- tion of the folidity of the proof of Chri- (tianity in general, and of the force of many of the particular arguments ufed in fupport of it, they at the fame time expofe the frivolous arguments which the 38a DISSERTATION II. the wcakneis of individuals has intro- duced, lead to the fubftitution of better in their place, and to the removal of all the rubbiili by which the defence of Chriilianity was obftrucled. Falfe prin- ciples, wjiich have been injudicioufly adopted, are. laid afide; lame reafon- ings from true principles, are abandon- ed. ^^-Iien the oppofition of Infidels is continued for a confiderable time in enlightened ages, the natural refult is, a difplay of the feveral evidences of Chriilianity, and a vindication of it ' from all objections, more pure and im- mjxi;, more confident, and more uni- formly folid, than could have otherwife been expefted. By the weaknefs of hu- man nature, and the partial and dif- cordant views of men, this effect will be hindered from taking place all at once. An entire defence of Chrifti- anity againft all kinds of objed:ions, and in refpecfl of all its evidences, e- qually SECTION III. 3^1 qually unexceptionable in every part, is a work too large and multifarious for the abilities of moil men. But there are feparate defences of its feveral dif- ferent evidences, each of which is ab- folutely unexceptionable, and all of which put together may form a com- plete and faultlefs apology for our re- ligion. Nay, there are general defen- ces of it, confidered in every point of view, as uniformly folid as any work on any fubjed: of the fame compafs and variety. When we look back, and obferve how great • progrefs has been made in this argument within a fliort period pad, a much purer and com- pleter defence of the truth of ovir reli- gion, than yet exifls, will not appear too much to be expe(il:ed from the con- tinuance of the efforts of unbelievers, in an age affording all advantages for every branch of learning, and encou- raging freedom of inquiry. But even before 382 DISSERTATION IL before the tendency of oppofltion to make all weak reafonings be univerfal- ly abandoned, have time to take entire effe6l, the cenfures of them which it produces, give men of abilities the means of felecltng for themfelves fuch proofs as are valid, without a mixture of any others. A man who has not ge- nius enough to invent the ftrongeft ar- guments on a fubjed:, yet has often judgment enough to prefer them to the weaker, when both are fet before him. It is a great advantage to have a large collection of arguments, and of exceptions againft them, in our view at once : the comparifon affifts our choice, and enables us to reject many' things with which we would have been fatisfied, if we had not feen all. The rejeClion of which we have been treating, is not confined to things abfolutely weak and frivolous ; it ex- tends SECTION III. 3g3 tends to all fach principles and argu- ments, however plaufible or ingenious, as are in any the leaft degree excep- tionable. A man is not always aware of every difficulty affecting either the principles on which he founds his ar^ guments, or his reafonings from thefe principles : And different men exami- ning a fabje6l without any knowledge of each others fentiments, feldom fail to view it in different lights. From thefe caufes it proceeds, that Chrifli- ans, even of the greateft abilities, have explained the feveral evidences of their religion, on different principles, and in different ways. The oppofition of Infidels gives occafion to a communica- tion of fentiments among Chriftians. One enjoys the labours of his predecef- fors: he can obferve to what difficul- ties any of their principles have been liable, and guard againft them ; what falli\cies have been chargeable on any of 384 DISSERTATION II. of their reafonings ; and either, by fet- ting the argument in a more ftriking light, fliow them to be imaginary ; or, if they be real, correal them. Infidels will canvafs the defcBs2it leaft, of all the different hypothefes adopted. In con- feqnence of their eagernefs to take all advantages, Chriftians likewife will be ready to obferve them. The blemifhes of each will be gradually difcovered, and at length acknowledged ; and the argument will be flated in fuch a way as to ftand clear of them all. This may be exemplified in the two principal e- vidences of our religion. Tho' all Chri- ftians agree that the wonderful works afcribed to our Saviour, are properly miracles, yet they have given different definitions of a miracle. Some have a- dopted definitions, which, once admit- ted, render the argument from mira- cles very fhort and obvious : others liave preferred fuch definitions as in- deed SECTION III. 385 deed leave the deduction from them Ibmewhat more intricate, but will be more readily admitted. The ar- gument from miracles, fo far as Chri- ftianity is concerned, may perhaps be rendered conclufive on any definition of a miracle, that has the fmallefl: de- gree of propriety. It would be an ad- vantage, however, that fome one un- exceptionable definition were univer- fally received. The oppofition of Infi- dels leads to a fcrupulous examination of every one that is offered, and has thus a flrong tendency to luggell a de- finition in all refpeds blamelefs, and to obtain it ih univerfal a reception, that only men of a very peculiar call of mind fhall refufe. to adopt it. The writings of Chriflians fliow, indeed, that they are already brought to agree very generally in every material part of the defcription of a miracle, that they differ only in fonfie circumftances B b of 586 DISSERTATION II. of fmali importance. They have fo far given up all extremes, that, taking that in which they agree for the notion of a miracle, there is no difficulty in pro- ving, either that our Saviour's works were truly miracles, or that fuch mira- cles as his, prove a divine miifion. In like manner, Chriflians have differed very coniiderably in their explications of the prophecies of the Old Teftament, and in the principles on wliich they fhow the application of many of them to Jefus. Some, conceiving nothing peculiar to the prophetic ftile, have thought it necefTary to maintain, that the feveral prophecies were intended of him in their fole literal fenfe ; and, in their eagernefs to maintain this, they have ftretched particulars, and in- troduced arbitrary (lippofitions, and rules of interpretation fcarce defenfi- ble. Others, afcribing peculiar quali- ties to the flile of prophecy, have al- lowed SECTION III. 387 lowed that fome of the prophecies re- Jatnig to the age of the Meiliah, predict it in an indirect and allegorical man- ner, prefiguring it by other analogous events, fpeaking of it along with thefe, or reprcfentirig it by various types • but they too have fometimes been un- able to build their doftrine on fuch principles as might give it entire foli- dity and firmnefs. The former have been led to fuppofe corruptions with- out evidence, aiid iriftanc^es of incohe- rence without neceffity : the latter have confidered predictions as applicable, in fome degree, to other events, which were intended of the Mediah alone » infidels have not failed to triumph in the diverfity of fuch opinions, and to accumulate againft each of them, all the difficulties to which it was liable. Chriflians too have, without referve, ex- amined both hypothefes, and endea- voured to find out the truth. In the S b 2 courfe 388 D I S S E R T A T I O N II. conrfe of the examination, the difficul- ty has been in a great meafure remo- ved. It has appeared that, when men feemed to efpoule the mod oppofite principles, they often differed only in words ; and that, fo far as their differ- ence was real, it proceeded chiefly from their explain ing principles jull in them- felves, in an improper manner, or from their extending them too far. Ic has been fairly proved, not only that Chriftians apply the ancient prophecies to the fame events, and in the fame way as the Jews applied them before their fulfilment ; but alfo, that this ap- plication is perfeftly agreeable to the natural genius of prophetic writing ; that it is reducible to. as fix*d general rules as any fpecies of criticifm whate- ver ; that thefe rules arife from princi- ples founded in the nature and defign of the Mofliic difpenfation, in the un- queftionable manners andufages of the times SECTION III. 389 times when the prophecies were pro- nounced, nay in the very nature of language, and juftiiied both by the hi- flory and by the philofopliy of its rife, progrefs, and gradual improvements. In a word, it has been fliown, that the interpretation of prophecy is, as much as any thing elfe, reducible to a regu^ lar and coniiftent fyflem, built on the mofl rational and folid principles ; and that the difficulties with which it feem^ ed to be prefled, arofe only from mens having conceived that fyflem imper- fectly, and are therefore chargeable only on the weaknefs of individuals, but do not in the leaft diminifli the real force of this evidence of our reli- gion. When objed:ions are raifed againft Chriflianity, which feem to be deduced from deep and iblid principles, and to \)c purfued by clofe reafoning, which are 390 DISSERTATION IL are therefore very plaufible, and make a great fliow of ftrength ; the weak are alarmed, as if the truth were in dan-^ ger of being overthrown. The fear is vain : thefe are only the violent rubs which the natural folidity of the dia- mond renders neceflary for giving it its proper luftre : a much flighter touch would give a fofter ftone the higheft polifli of which it is fufceptible, or would perhaps even break it into pieces ; but were the diamond tried with weaker friction, it would never difplay all its brightnefs, nor would it be ever known how folid and how ftrong it is. When only trivial objedlions are moved againfl a truth, they fcarce feem to require any anfwer at all ; at any rate, the anfwer is obvious, a fmall de- gree of attention is fufficient for re- moving them, and they excite not to a thorough examination of the fubjeft; when they are confuted, the confuta- tion SECTION III. 391 tion contributes very little to fliow the ftrength of the argument againfl which they were diredled. On the contrary, ftrong objeclions cannot be removed without a careful examination of the fubjedl, without flri^ attention to the principles from which they are dedu- ced, and accurate knowledge of the fciences to wliicli thefe principles be- long: and the view of flrong objec- tions leads the mind to give the nccef- fary application. But intenfe appli- cation of mind beflows uncommon vi- gour on the exercife of all the faculties, and enables a man to difcover truths, which otherwife he would never have fo much as conjectured. When, there- fore, intenfe application of mind, and the invigorated exercife of underfland- ing thence refulting, are employed a- bout the evidences of Chriftianity, they naturally produce a difplay of the full force of thefe evidences, and an invcr {ligation 392 DISSERTATION IL ftigation of the profoundefl: fources of them. The ftronger the objections are, the more flrongly they prompt men to the exertion of their powers; and, as foon as they are anfwered, the more conlpicuous the foUdity of the eviden- ces of Chrillianity becomes, fince even by fo formidable objed:ions they are not overcome. It requires abihties to anfwer a ilrong objection : but to thofe who have the necefPary abilities, a ftrong objection points out the road which leads to a proper anfwer. The cavils of dulnefs ferve no other purpofe but to perplex a fubjecl, and involve it in confulion : but even the errors of true genius give hints of farther difco- veries, by profecuting which they may- be corrected. This obferva'tion might be confirmed by many inftances on all kinds of fubjects: I (hall give only one on a fabjed: nearly allied to the prefent theme; the theory of evidence. The SECTION III. 393 The firft attempts of philofophers a- mounted to little more than the taking notice of fome of the charaders of thofe arguments which in fad: produce belief, and of fome of the rules by which fuch arguments may be con- ilrucfled. By degrees, a greater variety of conchifive forms of fyllogifms were pointed out, and the rules for diftin- guifliingthefefrom mere fophifms, were rendered more precife and determinate. At length, genius, difdaining to be confined to the mere mechanifm of rea- foning, fet about inveftigating the ge- neral prhaciples, and the different kinds of evidence. The difficulty of the fubjedl, joined to an exceflive de- iire of fimplicity, rendered the firft attempts imperfect. From their im- perfections, fucceeding philofophers were led into conclufions which fub- vert all belief and introduce fcepticifm. !But thefe conclufions being deduced with 394 D IS S ERTATION II. with great ingenuity, their very errors point out in fome meafure where the fallacy lies, and fugged the means by which a j lifter theory may be eftablifti- ed. Whatever difcoveries there have been on this head, are in a confidera- ble degree owing to the preparation made for them, by the acutenefsof thofc Avho have fallen into capital miftakes, and have been hit upon by only car- rying to a greater length, and purfuing with greater caution, the very method of invefligation of which they had fet an example. In like manner, every objection truly ingenious, urged a- gainfh any of the evidences of Chrifti- anity, has always ftarted hints, the profecution of which leads not only to a fatisfying anfwer to that particular objeflion, but alfo to a clearer view of the principles from which the flrength ofthofe evidences arifes. Thus flrong objections tend to produce proportion- ablv SECTION III. 39:5 ably flrong defences of Chriftianity, both by exciting to an intenfer appli- cation, and a more vigorous exertion of underllanding, and by opening a way for deeper difcoveries concerning the nature and force of the evidences of that religion. In afcribing this ten- dency to ftrong objedions, we fpeak the language of experience. Every age, lince the publication of the gofpel, has witnelTed the truth of it; every new alTault of infidelity has given occafion to new and ftronger defences of Chri- ftianity. Moft of the objections, for example, that have been raifed againft the credibility of the Chriftian miracles, have only pointed out fome feparate circumftances which feemed to weaken or to deftroy part of the politive proof of their reality. It has indeed been always pretended, that every the moft frivolous objeftion fubverted their cre- dibility altogether : but this is mere after tion. 396 DISSERTATION II. alFertion, in no way juftified by the real flrength of the objections. Moil of the anfwers returned, only iliowed that the objections had not the weight afcribed to them, that there was fuffi- cient evidence, notwithftanding them, of the reality of the Chriftian miracles : and fuch anfwers were all that the ob- jedlions required, and all that they na- turally led to. If, on occasion of them, any of the general principles on which the evidence of thefe miracles depends, were pointed out, this was not fo much the refult of the objed:ions urged, as the effect of uncommon penetration in particular men. But feme objec- tions of greater depth have been raifed againil miracles, and propofed with more than ordinary acutenefs: their incredibility has been deduced from an ingenious theory of evidence, and from this has feccncd to derive a confi- derablc degree of Iblidity ^^ This view of * Kumc'o Ellay on Miracles. SECTION III. 397 of tlie matter has led naturally to an invedigatioii of the foundation of that evidence which belongs to matters of fadl ; it has led to an examination, whe- ther the evidence of teflimony arifes Iblely from our experience of the vera- city of mankind, or whether teflimony is, independent of experience, a natu- ral caufe of belief? it has led to a proof that, lince the latter is the cafe, the credibility of the Chriilian miracles a- rifes from original and unalterable qua- lities of human nature. It is thus not only fhown that we mull give credit to thefe miracles, but explained alfo to the fatisfac^ion of the moft inquifltive, whence it arifes that we muft*. To place the evidences of Chriftianity in this light, to trace them up to their fource, to deduce their force from ul- timate qualities in the human mind, cuts off at once multitudes of particu- lar * See Campbell's DifTertaiion on Miracles, Part i. 398 D I S S E R T A T I O N IL lar objedlions againft them: it has as great advantages above any other kind of vindication of them, as a direcl de- monftration in mathematics has above an indirect one. It is ordinary for Infidels, to afcribe their objections againft Chriftianity to philofophy, and to reprefent them as the efFe(?l:s of deep refearches into the fciences. There is fome colour for the pretence ; but it is fuch as, when tho- roughly examined, will contribute lit- tle to its credit. In the firft ftage of philofophy, when it contains only the natural hiftory of tilings, with a few general conclulions obvioufly arifing from fadls, It falls in with the common fcnfe of mankind, and it will lead phi- lofophers to judge of the evidences of religion, in the lame way with an or- dinary man of good {hnCe. When men endeavour to raife philofophy from this ftate of imperfection, and to inveftigate more SECTION III. 399" more general principles, they will be able to accomplifti it only in part, and their conclufions may contain fome- thing favourable to irreligion, fcepti- cifm, and infidelity. But when' men pufh their inquiries flill farther, ren- der their conclufions more accurate, and their theory more perfecl, philo- Ibphy lofes every thing of a pernicious tendency ; it appears to be altogether friendly to religion, and by the depth and the unexceptionable juftnefs of its principles, it renders its evidence the brighter, and fupports it the more powerfully. Some fleps of this pro* grefs, as many as are necelTary for iiiowing it to be natural, may be ob- ferved in every part of philofophy : and in thofe parts of it, which have al- ready arrived at a confiderable degree of perfe(fi;ion, natural philofophy for inllance^ this whole progrefs has been exemplified. To every perfon who examines 400 D I S S E R T A T I O N 11. examines them, it will appear that thofe objections of ancient Infidels, and even of unbelievers of the laft age, which feemed to have the deepeft foun- datioil in philofophy, were built only on fome falfe or imperfect fyftem of philofophy, which has been exploded in confequence of new difcoveries in the fciences. The prefent race of In- fidels boail much of the'iv philofopbic Jpi- rit, and to it afcribe all their oppofition to the gofpel: but if their objed:ions truly arife from philofophy in the flate in which it now is, it is only becaufe it is hitherto in an imperfect ftate ; a ve- ry few improvements in the fciences will Qiow, that unbelievers either pof- fcfs the philofophic fpirit only in a fu- perficial degree, or are perverted by falfe and crude theories ; and that, in order to their perceiving the truth of Chriftianity, they need no more but to correcfl: their errors in the fciences, and SECTION III. 401 and penetrate deeper into the princi- ples of true philofophy. Th e oppofition of Infidels not only produces a full difplay of the leading evidences of the gofpel, and a thorough inveftigation of the principles from which they derive their force ; but alfo leads Chriftians to difcover additional prefiimptions and collateral proofs of the truth of their religion. Our Sa- viour and his apoftles profefFedly urged only the moil direct evidences of the gofpel. There are many particulars in its ftrudlure, and many circumftan- ces attending it, which truly indicate its divinity, but which are not applied to the confirmation of it, in the New Teftament. It only fupplies the ma- terials from which fuch arguments may be colled:ed by refieftion ; it only fug- gefts the topics from which fuch pre- fumptions may be deduced. The op- C c poiition 402 D I S S E R T A T I O N II. pofition of Infidels has contributed greatly to make ChriHians attentive to every thing of this kind, and has led them to profecute many collateral prpofs of Chriilianity, with great di- flincfcnefs and energy. It forces Chri- ftians to ftiidy every part of their reli- gion carefully, that they may defend it againfl the obje£Hons of its enemies : and when they furvey it on every lide, and view it in ev^ry light, they difco- ver many flrong indications of its divi- nity, which undeniably belong indeed to Chriilianity, but might for ever have efcaped their notice, if they had not been roufed by oppofltion, to extraor- dinary accuracy in examining it. Be- sides, there are many things which have at firfl fight the appearance of ob- jections againft Chriftianity, but which, when they are thoroughly examined, turn out very llrong prefumptions of its truth. Infidels, taking thefe in the. moft S E C T I O N III. 4^3 moft obvious point of view, have often urged them as formidable objections : this has excited Chriftians to fearch deeper into them, and, by purfuing them through their remoter confe- quences, to iliow that they are real confirmations of the gofpel. Further, when one prefumptive argument for Chriftianity, is difcovered, the profe- cution of it often naturally fiiggefts o- thers ; as one improvement in any fci- ence generally opens a v^ay for new improvements. Should the oppofition of Infidels ceafe for ever, the additions which they have long ago been the oc- cafions of making to the proofs of Chri- ftianity, will gradually lead forward to the view of many other confirmations of its truth. Very early apologies for the Chriflian religion, afford inftances of collateral arguments for its truth, faggefted by fuch means. Later wri- ters have pointed out feveral evidences C c 2 of 404 D I S S E R T A T I O N II. of the Tame fort, which arife from cir- cumflaiices eflential to the Chriftian re- ligion, or implied in the fcripture hi- ftory, and which greatly corroborate the direct and principal evidences oi the gofpel. Thefe had not appeared at all, or had appeared but faintly to the ancient apologifls, on the flighter attention which the feebler efforts of the old unbelievers awakened in them: but the repeated and invigorated at- tacks of modern Infidels have excited attention fufficient for the difcovery of them, and have even in many inftances fusaefled them *. There are, no doubt, many circumftances of this fort, Avhich have not even yet been profcf- fedly tugged ; thelonger and the more minutclv * To give a few inftances ; of this kind are the arguments profecuted in Ohfer^uations on the Converfion a7td Apojlltjhip of Si Paul, in DuchaPs Sermons on Prefumptive arguments for ihe truth of the Chrifien Religion, in BeWs E?iqttiry into the di'uine mijfons of "John the Baptijl and Jcfus Chrijl. Several arguments of the fame kind are incidentally introduced into Warburtons Divine Legation of Mofes,. SECTION III. 405 minutely Chriftianity is canvafled, the more indications of divinity, it will be found to contain. But, as the matter (lands already, there is not one of its principal evidences which has not been fliown to be fupported and confirmed by collateral prefumptions. This is of very coniiderable moment. The e- vidence of Chriftianity is of the proba- ble kind ; and in every probable argu- ment, the flrength of the evidence de- pends not only on theftrength of each feparate probability, but alfo on the number of probabilities. Any new prefumption makes an addition to the evidence, often a greater addition than in proportion to its own force, by fal- ling in with the others, and compleat- ing a connected train of circumftances. Nay, there are inftances in which the want of a fingle circumftance, feeming- ly of no great importance by itfelf, would deftroy the whole evidence, by breaking 4o6 D I S S E R T A T I O N IL breaking one link in the chain. But prefumptions, each of which alone is very weak, may, by being numerous and by tallying exactly with one an- other, compofe a proof whofe force is irrefiilible, and which begets the high- eft poiiible degree of convidlion, the firmeft and the moft indubitable affu- rance. Let the feveral diretl eviden- ces of the truth of Chriftianity, together with all the additional prefumptions by which it has been fliown that each of them is corroborated, be attentively confidered in their natural order and dependence ; and then let impartiality pronounce, whether the proof of Chri- ftianity is not indubitable and irreiifti- ble. It deferves to be mentioned, that the oppolltion of Infidels produces an effed: which makes fome real addition to the original evidence of Chriftianity : it SECTION III. 407 It gives Clirlilians an opportunity of bearing teftimony to their religion. The profellion of Chriftianity, when it meets with no oppofition either by force or by argument, can fcarce be regarded as bearing tellimony to it. It may be only an indolent acquiefcence in the principles which education has inftilled, an unthinking alTent to the e- flabliihed faith, or an implicit compli- ance with the failiion of the times. But to adhere to Chriftianity in the face of perfecution, to perfifl in the belief, or vmdertake the defence of it, when at- tempts are made to fubvert it by rea- foning, is an authentic teflimony of our firm perfuaiion of its divinity. Mere authority of fallible men, is far from being a fufEcient ground for our be- lieving any doctrine: yet experience iliows that it has fome force, and rea- fon allows that it ought to have fome force. All men, even they who moft exprefsly 4o8 DISSERTATION. II. exprefsly difclaim regard to authority, are ready to value themfelves on great names who have held the fame opinions with themfelves. They are confcious that the authority of fuch names adds fome credit to their own tenets; and therefore they eagerly feize every han- dle for reprefenting men of eminence, as of their party. Infidels themfelves are not averfe from this: they never mifs an opportunity of filling their works with quotations from fuch Chri- flian writers as have advanced any fen- timents or principles which they think may be turned to the advantage of their caufe; they boaft of the concurrence of thefe in their opinions: on very flender pretences, they have often laid claim to perfons who were by no means unbelivers. In every cafe, when we have communicated our opinions to others, and found them approved by them, we thence acquire additional afTurance SECTION III. 409 afTurance of their truth. There muft be a real foundation in human nature for a deference to authority, which is fo flriiftly univerfal. Regard to autho- rity may very readily become excef- five, it ofteji does : but when it is not excefiive, when it is moderate and du- ly regulated, it is a natural and rea- fonable foundation for fome degree of ail'ent. When a perfon of abilities, one efpecially who is remarkable for juft reafoning, has examined an opinion carefully, and after examination holds it, this gives a prefumption that he found it fully proved ; we immediately conclude that, if there had been any defed: in its evidence, his acutenefs would have very probably enabled him to difcover it. This alone is far from being a full proof of the truth of an o- pinion : but it affords a real, frequent- ly a (trong, probability for its trvith. It may be fet afide or overbalanced in manv 410 DISSERTATION IL many different ways: but it is a real prefumption which, till it be actually deftroyed, ought to have fome degree of weight with every man. When it is joined to other evidences, it always makes fome addition to their force. Suppofe a man to have fairly examined the evidences of Chriftianity, accord- ing to the befl of his abilities, and in confequence of that examination to be- lieve it ; when he finds that great num- bers of perfons, many of them men of the higheft abilities, have likewife be- lieved it, and given teflimony to it, this will produce, at lead, greater con- fidence in his own judgment, and make him lefs fufpicious that he may poflibly be miflaken; it will by thefe means contribute to flrengthen his faith. The brightncfs with which the evi- dence of the Chriftian religion fliines, will always bear a proportion to the purity SECTION III. 411 purity in which that religion is pre- ferved. It may be fo much corrupted, that the compounded, adulterated form which afTumes the name of Chrifliani- ty, cannot be defended. Chriflians have in many inflances loaded their religion with abfurdities to which rea- fon cannot be reconciled, and v»'hich, by being confounded with the gofpel, obfcure its evidence. Corruptions of Ciiriftianity ftain its evidence, as it v/ere, with a dim varniih, which is of the more dangerous confequence, be- caufe it is not fufpecled to be a var- nifli, but miflaken for the genuine co- lour, and even reckoned by fome the mod beautiful part of the Chriftian fy- fcem. The oppofition of Infidels has a tendency to prevent the corruption of Chriftianity, and to lead Chriflians to reje^l by degrees all fuch adulterations as have already been admitted. It was after Chriftianity had been pretty much eftabliflied. 412 DISSERTATION 11. eftabliflied, it was when the profeffors of it were little expofed to the obferva- tioii of Pagans, or to oppofition from them, that the corruptions of Popery invaded the church: it was in ages of darknefs and ignorance, when every thing palTed without examination, when the greateft abfurdities met with no oppofition, that thefe corruptions grew to a height. Oppofition from Infidels would have naturally checked their progrefs, or even prevented their ap- pearance altogether. Had Chriflians continued, for inflance, as they were at firft, to be intermixed with Pagans, had they continued to have frequent occafions of reprelenting to them the abfurdity of making images of their gods, or of worfhipping thofe who had once, by their own confeffion, been mortal men ; this mufl have preferved fo conflant a £enCe of the truth hi their minds, as could not have failed to re- flrain SECTION III. 413 flrain them from ever thinking of in- troducing the worfhip of images and of faints ; or, if they could have been fo inconfiftent as to attempt it, the Pa- gans would have retorted their own ar- guments upon them, and made them to perceive very quickly the abfurdity of the attempt. Every perfon who is at all acquainted with the fubjecft, knows that Infidels have derived their moff plaulible objections againfl the excel- lence and utility of the gofpel, from the corruptions with which Chriftiani- ty is blended in the Popifli religion, and from the remains of the tenets and fpirit thence ariling, which ftill adhere to many Proteftants. Thefe have given them an occalion to repre- fent the gofpel, as a difputatious fy- ftem of dry, fpecu-lative, intricate, ab- ftrufe opinions ; as promoting a fpirit of luperilition as irrational and abjeCl as any that was ever cheriflied by any fpecies 414 DISSERTATION 11. fpecies of Paganifm ; as giving coun- tenance to prieft-craft and ufurpation over the confciences of men: in a word, have given them an occafion to affirm, that the gofpel has been productive of no advantages to mankind, that, on the contrary, it has been on the whole per- nicious. Talcing it for granted, that every thing belongs to Chriflianity, which has been at any time maintain- ed by any number of Chriflians, Infi- dels have reprefented its internal evi- dence as nothing, nay have reprefented it as containing many things which it requires great pains to juilify, and Avhich it would need very Itrong argu- ments for proving to have been reveal- ed by God. By means of this, and likewife by pretending evidences for the fuperadditions to Chriflianity, fi- milar to thofe which were exhibited for Chriflianity itfelf, the corrupters of the gol^^ei have given unbelievers a pre- tence SECTION III. 415 tence for making large deduciions from the force even of its external evidences. When Infidels lay hold of thefe advan- tages in their oppofition to the gofpel, this has a ftrong tendency to pufli Chriflians forward in reforming their religion from all corruptions. When we find plaufibie or ftrong objections raifed againft v^hat has been at any time reckoned a part of Chriftianity, when we can fcarce give a rational and fatisfying defence of it, it is natural to examine carefully, whether this be tru- ly a part of the original gofpel, or only an addition to it. Many of thofe arti- cles againft which Infidels have erected their ftrongeft batteries, and which they have attacked with the faireft pro- fpedl of fuccefs, have appeared, on exa- mination, to be of the latter kind, and have been very generally abandoned. By many caufes, the complete refor- mation of our religion from all corrup-? tionsj 4i6 D I S S E R T A T I O N II. tions, may be retarded for a confider- able time ; but nothing can counteracfi: the influence of thofe caufes more ftrong- ly, than continued oppofition from un- believers. This has a tendency to u- nite all true Chriftians in the defire of putting their religion in the beft Itate of defence againft the common enemy, to make them concur in giving up all opinions and practices which do not undeniably belong to the gofpel. By thefe means, Chriftianity will be gra- dually brought back to its original pu- rity and fimplicity : in fome periods, the advances may be How ; in fome, they may be interrupted ; but as long as Infidels are eager to turn the private fentiments of individuals, and the over- ftrained tenets of parties, to the difcre- dit of the gofpel, there will be fome tendency to return by degrees to the unadulterated religion of Jefus. Pure notions of Chriftianity, once introdu- ced, SECTION III. 417 ced, will naturally diiiufe themfelves. They will by degrees recommend themfelves lb generally, that all Chri- ftiaus mull in time imbibe fomewhat of the fpirit which they raile. Even Popery has become confiderably dif- ferent from what it once was, and it would have been flill more reformed, if artificial and political rellraints had not oppofed the tendency of examina- tion and inquiry. Since Chriftianity began to be depraved by adventitious mixtures, there never was an age in which there has appeared fo generally, as in the prefent, a difpolition to embrace whatever fair inquiry difcovered to be the real doctrine of fcripture, without any regard to the authority of men, or to the eftabliflied dillindlions of fed:s : and nowhere has this liberal fpirit pre- vailed fo much as in thofe countries in which infidelity has been fuffered, for the longefl fpace of time, to propofe D d all 418 DISSERTATION IL all its objections freely, and without the fear of perfecution or legal penalties. But the effect of its oppolition has hi- therto taken place only in part. The heart of a good man triumphs in con- ceiving the period when it fhall have fully taken place ; in anticipating the time when Chriftianity fliall become in the writings and in the apprehenfions of Chriftians, as it truly is in the New* Teftament, not a fyftem of nice fpecu- lations and contentious fubleties, but a feries of plain principles, evidently founded in fcripture, unmixt with the arbitrary explications, and precarious conckifions of fallible men, all natural- ly touching the heart, commanding congruous affections, and, by their joint force, directly inculcating piety and vir- tue, and promoting the reformation and happinefs of mankind. Let the Chriftian religion be univerfally and Iteadily kept in this point of view by Chriftians: S E C T I ON III. 4x9 Chriftiaiis : then it will appear that the moft formidable objections of Infi- dels have been directed, not ag-ainft this religion itfelf, but againft fome- thing totally different, tho' unhappily confounded with it ; then the excel- lence of Chrillianity will fliine confpi- cuous and indifputable; then all its e- vidences will operate on the under- Handing with their full force; then its truth will be flrikingly perceived, like the beauty of a fine pifture placed in a proper light: Then too Chriflianity will have its native influence on the temper and prad:ice of mankind; it will be a vital principle of real good- nefs. Virtue and joy, its amiable chil- dren, will (land up, and declare with a voice of irrefiflible perfuafion, that it is of heavenly extraction, that it is truly the offspring of the Moft High. Every man who is actuated by the gofpel, ^vl\\ feel its truth from his own expe- D d 2 rience 420 DISSERTATION IL rieiice of its efficacy, and will have the ivitnefs in himfelf^, that it is the vjord of God, the incorruptible feed t of holinefs and felicity. All men will fee with their eyes fuch marks of its power, as cannot fuffer them to doubt of its truth and divinity. How glorious a teflimo- ny would this ftate of things give to our religion ! What fplendor would it confer upon its evidences ! The go- fpel maintained in its purity, and vigo- roufly conceived, tends to produce this ftate of things: And the vigilance and oppolition of Infidels is one very pow- erful mean of exciting Chriflians to maintain the gofpel in its purity. Such are the advantages arifing to Chriftianity from thofe objections by which Infidels intended to fubvert it. The force of its evidences has been ■ pointed out and afcertained ; every exception againfl them has been exa- mined * I John V. 10. t I Per. i. 23. SECTION III. 421 mined, and fhown to be groundlefs ; the proofs of its divinity have been fully illuftrated, and fet in a variety of ftriking lights ; trivial or queftionable arguments have been by degrees aban- doned ; feemingly jarring arguments have been explained with greater pre- cifion, and by fuch explication recon- ciled ; the ftrongeil objecStions have on- ly produced a deeper and more fatisfy- ing inveftigation of the principles from which the evidences of Chriflianity de- rive their force ; the defence of this re- ligion has been rendered in a great meafure pure, confiftent, and uniform- ly folid; many collateral proofs of it have been attended to and profecuted; Chriftians have been led to the mofl ex- plicit declarations of their belief of it ; and they have been excited to avoid or to remove thofe corruptions which would eclipfe the fplendor of its evi- dence. In all thefe vv^ays, the trial to which 422 DISSERTATION II. which Iniidels have put the truth of Chriftianity, has been the occafiou of its receiving new hght and confirma- tion. The obfervations which have been made, are the refult of a review of the controverfy between Chriftians and Infidels ; it is onty by attention to the progrefs and the adiual flate of this pontroverfy, that they ought to be ex- amined ; and by fuch attention they will be fully juflified. There is, however, an objeclion which feems to arife from matter of fa6V. The continuance and the growth of infidelity proves, it may be thought, either that the evidence of Chriflianity is not brought, by the oppofition of Infidels, into the flate which we have fuppofed, or that its being brought into that Hate, is not an advantage upon the whole. But it really provps neither. It is not my defign to exa- mine SECTION III. 423 mine all the caufes of the rife or of the growth of infidelity : but it will not be pretended that ^//Infidels become fuch, on a deliberate inquiry into all the rea- fonings for and againfl Chriftianity. Infidels themfelves difclaim this as a drudgery, too mean for their great abi- lities : they boaft of having difcovered a fliorter way to truth ; and the wri- tings of moft of them demonflrate, that they have fpared themfelves the pains of beflowing any attention on the defences of Chriftianity. From their opinion, then, no conplufion can be drawn concerning the flate in which the controverfy really flands. What that ftate is, they cannot poffibly know, who have never inquired into it. Tho' every argument for Chriftianity were rendered irrefiftible, and every objec- tion again ft it fully confuted, thefe can thence derive no advantage. The clear- eft illuftration of the evidences of this religionj 424 D I S S E R TAT I O N II. religion, cannot prevent infidelity from fpreading aniong thofe who are not determined by evidence, but led by fafliion, or an afFecled fuperiority to vulgar belief, or who take up with any fpecious argument upon one fide. That the infidelity of fome fliould lead others into infidelity, is by no means furpri- ling : that it fliould, and yet the ef- forts of infidelity have as great a ten- dency as we have afcribed to them, to add flrength to the evidences of the gofpel, is far from being marvellous. Aim oft every thing produces mixt ef- fects. That will feduce the thought- lefs, the prejudiced J and the vicious, which contributes poAverfully to the confirmation of the honeft and confi- derate. The firft and moft obvious ef- fects may often be of the pernicious kind ; and yet, if time be allowed, the confequences may be on the whole highly beneficial. An age or two appears SECTION III. 425 appears very confiderable to us, but it is not confiderable in the eye of God: for many ages he permitted rude- nefs and idolatry to prevail among all the nations ; and, in many nations, it ftill continues to prevail. Need we won- der, then, that he has permitted infide- lity to grow fo long as it has yet grown, or that he fliould even fuffer it to fub- fifl much longer and to fpread much wider? or can we thence conclude, that it will be in the end triumphant? All the difpenfations of providence are progreflive ; they are often un- folded by very flow degrees ; from their appearance for an ^ge or two, we cannot determine what will be the fi- nal ilTue. All the oppofition of Infidels to Chrillianity, has been unfuccefsful ; their objections have been anfwered ; every new attempt has only afforded a new proof of their weaknefs: they are obflinate enough to repeat their at- tempts 426 DISSERTATION IL tempts with hopes of better fuccefs, and they who take not the pains to learn how often and how fliamefuUy they have been baffled, reckon their obftinacy the efFe6l of viftory, and are feduced to their party: but the natural confequence is, that infideUty fliould ceafe at lad, and the truth of Chrillian- ity be acknowledged by all. An ene- my may befiege a fortrefs that is in truth impregnable, tho' he has former- ly met with a repulfe; he may for a long time entertain the hope of making au impreilion on fome quarter or an- other: much more may they renew the fiege, who have not been informed of the defeats of other afTailants : but cer- tainly the direct tendency of frequent repulfes is, to convince all of the folly of the entcrprife, and to make the flrength of the place to be confefled; if in every aflaiik it be found impreg- nable, this vv'ill at iail be the a(^ual ef- fed. SECTION III. 427 fed. It is in many cafes impofiible to convince a man, tho' you render it plain that he ought to have been con- vinced. The beft defence of Chrifti- anity will not iiifallibly procfuce belief in every man; it is enough that it be defended in fuch a way as to (liow, that they are unreafonable who difbe- lieve it. This can be Ihown only by an eftimate of the real merit of the de- fence, not by the degree of fuccefs which it happens to have in fad. In a word, the truth of the obfervations which we have made, depends wholly on the intrinfic nature of the objections againft Chriftianity, and of the defen- ces of it: it is by a fair comparifon of thefe, that they mud be judged of ; if by that comparifon they be fupported, the unbelief of multitudes can no more invalidate them, than it can render the ftronger argument the weaker, or alter the nature of things; it can only fhow: that 428 D I S S E R T A T I O N II. that thefe multitudes either form their opinions without examination, or have not fkill to difcern the fuperior evi- dence, or are led by vice or preju- dice to fliffle the conviction of their minds. SEC- [ 429 ] SECTION IV. The advantages which Christianity has derived from Opposition, afford a feparate argument for its truth. IT has now been fliown, that all the reafonings of Infidels, have been fo far from overturning the Chriftian re- ligion, that they have contributed to throw new light on its evidences, to make the folidity and ftrength of each of them to be more clearly perceived, and to lead to the difcovery of many collateral arguments for the divine ori- ginal of the gofpel. Tho' no general conclufion could be drawn from the induction of particulars, which we have attempted, the attempt would have neverthelefs 430 DISSERTATION 11. rteverthelefs been worth our labour. Every ftep of it fets the evidences of the gofpel in fome point of view which gives fatisfad:ion to the nnclerftancUng, additional to what it receives from the mere propofal of the evidences them- felves. If attention to thefe evidences has produced behef, obfervation of any one of the effefts of oppoiition, will naturally convince us that we had rea- fon to believe, and will by this reflec- tion confirm our faith. But the detail which we have made, anfwers a farther purpofe. The feveral advantages enu- merated, may be collected into one point ; they form premifTes from which the truth of Chrillianity may be direct- ly inferred. This facl, that the oppo- fition of Infidels, inflead of overturning Chriftianity, has greatly confirmed it, and, in the feveral ways taken notice of, been the occafion of illuftrating its evidences, affords anew prefumption, a feparatc SECTION IV. 431 a feparate and ftrong proof of its divi- nity. Infidels have fometimes drawn the oppofite conclulion, from the multi- tude of objections which have been raifed againlt the truth of Chriftianity, and from the labour of argument which has been employed in vindicating it from thefe objedlions: they have inti- mated, that, if its evidences had been entirely clear and folid, they would not have afforded fcope for this. Their conclufion fuppofes, that certain and evident truths will never be called in queflion. But no fuppofition can be falfer. The moil evident truths are thofe againll which fceptics are gene- rally moft eager to direct their cavils. They thinic, perhaps, that the lefs a principle iS liable to obje^an condition of Jelus while he lived ori tlie earth, is a circumftance which Infi- dels have always eagerly laid hold up; on. SECTION IV. 447 on, and endeavoured to turn to the difcredlt of the gofpel: but it has been proved that this circuniflance not only is incapable of being fairly turned to the dil<^redit of the gofpel, but alfo in numberlefs ways promotes the defign of the gofpel, and renders its truth un- queftionable, and that far more efFcc- tnally than could have been accom- pliflied by his appearing in a more ex- alted fphere. When Infidels have cen- iured any of th? evidences of the go- fpel, and pointed out the objeclons to which they judged them liable, they have fometimes condefcended likewife to inform us, by what means thefe evi- dences might, in their apprehenfion, have been rendered convincing, and fui table to a revelation truly divine : but it has always appeared that the e- yidences propofed by them, would have been Icfs fatisfying, and expofed to much jufter objections, than the mod ' exceptionable 448 DISSERTATION IL exceptionable of tTiofe by which ovir religion is aftually fupported Chri- flianity in fome of its features bears fome refemblancc to falfe religions : In- fidels are eager to obferve thefe fea- tures, they triumph in pointing them out, they think that thefe will fuggeft an eafy proof of its being likewife falfe. But by no track are we led to a clear- er cUfcovery or a firmer conviAion of the truth of Chrillianity. The refem- blance is precifely fuch as might natu- rally be expelled to take place between a true religion and falfe religions. Sup- pofe a religion really revealed by God, we may be certain that it would be a- dapted to human nature : and fuppofe a revelation of a new religion to be pre- tended, we may be certain that the impoflor would both do his utmofl to adapt it to human nature, and copy after fuch revelation^ as had proved fuccefsful. There is no greater fimili- tude S E C T I O N IV. 449 tilde between Chriftianlty and any falfe religion, than is eafily accounted for by this obvious reflection. The refem- blancc, however great it may feem in ibme particulars at fird fight, grows al- ways fainter and fainter, the more clofe- ly it is traced ; and on an exact compa- rifon, Chriftianity is found to be in its whole fpirit and evidences the very op- pofite of every falfe religion. Thus two faces may be mifcaken for each other when they are £een feparately and little attended to, between which fcarce a- ny refemblance can be perceived when they are deliberately viewed together. In a word, Cliriftianit}^ has been fo much confirmed by examination, that even whatever fcemed to be exception- able in it, has been converted into a new prefumption of its truth. -^No fubje^t has undergone fo free or fb fre- quent examination, as Chriftianity ; and no fubjed ever gained fo much F f by 450 DI S SE KTAT I O N IL by examination. Every book that e- ver was written againft this religion, has, in the courfe of the controverfy to which it gave rife, occafioned fome improvement in the defence of Chrifli- anity. Every objecftion that has been ftarted, has produced anfvvers which iliowed the ftrength of fome of the e- vidences of the gofpel, in a new and flri*king point of view. And ilnce Chri- ftianity, far from being confuted, has been lb much confirmed by an oppofi- tion of argument fo often renewed, fo long continued, and fo eagerly profe- cuted, the inference is fliort and clear. This is peculiar to truth ; it leaves no room for the leall fufpicion of falfe- hood. If Chriflianity were a falfe religion notwithftanding all the trials which it has undergone, and the manner in which it has fuftained them, it would be abfolutely fingular and without a parallel S E C T I O N IV. 451 parallel on earth. Many falie tenets and faJle religions have fublifted for a long time ; it is acknowledged: yet if Chriftianity were falfe, it would flill be without a parallel. For has any of thefe falfehoods been examined and canvaf- fed in the fame manner as Chriftianity has, and been retained notwithftand- ing ? None of them has. In number- iefs ways, falie opinions may ,gain ground ; and when they have been once adopted, they may be for ages tranfmitted from fome to others, with- out being at all fufpei^ed or examined : but an opinion's fublifting ever fo long while it is not examined, affords no fore of prefumption of its truth. The Pto- lemaic fyftem of the world was long the received hypothefis: but its reception was no proof of its truth. During all that time, it was taken for granted without examination : moll men want- ed the means of bringing it to a pro- F f 2 per 452 DISSERTATION. II. per trial ; if a few had them, and ufed them, they difbeHeved it ; and as foon as it was generally examined, it was generally exploded. It did not require repeated examinations to confute it ; it fell at once, upon the firfl fcrutiny of unprejudiced reafon. Many falfe hypothefes have reigned in every fci- ence, through long periods of time. Attend to fuch of them as are now a- bandoned : you will find that they were cftablidied on falfe principles which, du- ring their reign, were never called in queflion. Their prevalence, therefore, truly proceeded from men's having ne- ver examined thefe principles : as foon as thefe were examined, it appeared that they had been all along taken for granted without evidence ; that, there- fore, however well the feveral parts of the fuperflruclure hung together, the whole hypothefis was neverthelefs a mere bafelefs fabric. The fame has happened S E C T I O N IV. 453 happened in religion, as in fcience. The Pagan religion was of very long duration: but every one knows that many caufes prevented its being tho- roughly examined ; that, as imperfed:- ly as it was examined, it did not ftand unconfuted all the time it continued to fubfifb ; and that, when it came to be fully canvafled, no rational defence was offered for it. Mahometanifm has fubfifted for feveral ages : but it is be- caufe its evidence has never been exa- mined by thofe who profefs it. By all who have examined it, it has been pro- nounced deflitute of evidence: many have embraced it from other motives ; but it does not appear that any ever turned to it in confequence of a deli- berate inquiry into its truth. The fate of Popery is no exception againft this argument. It rofe in dark times, and therefore without examination. It ac- quired its prcfent form by a gradual corruption 454 D I S S E R T A T I O N 11. corruption of Chriftianlty ; each fiep prepared the way for another ; and therefore it advanced imperceptibly and without fuipicion. It forbids free inquiry, and therefore has never been examined by thofe who hold it. At leait, if any of them have examined it to a certain degree, they have never- thelefs flopped fhort before they fearch- ed it thoroughly: they ftill took for granted certain firfl principles on which it is founded, tlie authority, for in- ftance, of Popes, Councils, Fathers, and Doctors ; principles which ought not to have been taken upon trufl, but proved very clearly, for which however no folid proof has been produced. Po- pery has been examined by thofe who believed it not : and whether they have not attacked it in a fairer way than that in which Infidels have oppofed the go- Ipel; whether they have not readily ta- ken notice of all the pleas of its pa- trons, SECTION IV. 455 trons, and undertaken to confvite them; or whether their objeftions againft it, have been anfwered fo fully, fo freely, iipon fo unexceptionable principles, or by fo ftrong reafonings, as the objec- tions of Infidels againft Chriftianity, we may appeal to every impartial per- fon who takes the trouble to examine both the controverfies. At any rate, It will not be pretended, that Popery has gained by examination, or been confirmed by the oppofition of Prote- ftants : on the contrary, its votaries have been induced to alter their fyftem, to refine upon their principles, to re- nounce or explain away tenets exprefs- ly taught in books to which they ftiil in words afcribe the higheft authority, and which they even profefs to believe infallible. '* But has not the fame hap- ** pened to the Chriftian religion ? *« Have not doctrines which were once M reckoned a part of this religion, ^' been 45^ D I S S E R T A T I O N II. ^* been abandoned in confequenccof the ^* inqiiiries occafioned by infidelity?'* That this has happened, we readily ac- knowledge ; but this i^ not the lame that has happened to Popery ; nay, tho' on a luperficial view, it ieemeth fomewhat like, it is in reality directly contrary. Chriftians have never given up as indefenlible, any dodrine plain- ly taught in fcripture ; Fapifls have gi- ven up doftrines moft indifputably in- culcated by Popes, Councils, and Doc- tors. Chriftians have renounced on- ly errors wdiich had infinuated theni- felves into their religion,* but really made no part of it; if they be likewile errors which inquiry has forced Papifts to renounce, yet they are fuch errors as compofe the very fubflance of Pope- ry, fo far as it differs from the religion of other Chriflians. The fcripture is the avowed llandard of Chriftianity, by which whatever is aflerted to bcr Ion;; SECTION IV, 457 long to it, may be tried ; the oppofi- fitiori of Infidels has only excited Chriftians to lludy the fcripture with greater care, and to render their o- pinions more conformable to it: Po- pery owns fome flandards additional to the fcriptures; the oppofition of Proteflants has reduced its profefFors to the necefiity of deviating from thefe additional flandards. In a word, that Chriftianity has been examined, there are the moft unqueflionable documents, the writings of unbelievers: it has not fallen before one or a few attacks: ob- jections of all kinds have been railed a- gainfl it : the firfl principles on which its evidences reft, as well as the reafon- ings by which they are fupported, have been tried, and found to be the very principles of belief natural to the hu- man underflanding, to which men ne- celTarily yield in innumerable cafes ; many have inquired into its grounds v/ith 458 D I S S E R T A T I O N IL with the greatefl freedom, and after all embraced it as divine with higher aiTurance than before : by opjDofition, none of its proofs has been invalidated, all of them have been iiluflrated and llrengthened. There is therefore an elTential difference between Chrifliani- ty, and all the falfe docftrines which e- ver obtained a durable reception. If that be falfe, it is the only falfehood that ever fuflained fo accurate an exa- mination. Its having fuflained this examination, its having even derived advantage from it, fets it in direft op^ pofition to falfehood and impofhire, and proves that it is, what it claims to be, true and divine. The argument for the truth of Cliri- flianity, which we have endeavoured to illullrate, depends on tv.-o propofl- tions ; the lirfl:, That Chriflianity, far from being overthrown by the oppofi- tion S E C T I O N IV. 459 don of argument, has been confirmed by it ; the other, That not to be over- thrown, much more to be confirmed, by the oppofition of argument, and by free inquiry, is a certain and un- equivocal chara6leri(lic of truth. The latter propofition is both obvious and undeniable. Were the evidence of the former equally clear and immediate, or capable of being rendered as abfo- lutely incontrovertible, the argument could not fail to be perfectly fatisfying to every man ; the conclufion, That Chriflianity is true, would ftrike the mind with a degree of force nowife in- ferior to that of the ftricteft demonftra- tion. But the former proportion re- lates to a matter of fa6f, which, in its very nature, admits only flich evidence as muft appear difi'erent to different men, and can never be rendered whol- ly unexceptionable to every individual. The fad: muft be afcertained by a com- parifbn 46o DISSERTATION II. parifon of the writings of Infidels, with thofe of Chriflians, and will be admit- ted or denied, and that with greater or lefs afTurance, according to the judgment which any perfon forms on the comparifon. The fadl is not fuf- ceptible of any other fort of evidence ; and by this fort it has been proved, in the preceeding fe«5iions, as clearly as could be expelled on fuppofition of its truth. But lince the only pollible evi- dence is of this kind, it muH be owned, that the argument will appear incon- clufive to fome, and will be thought by others to fallfliort: of demonflration. This does not render the argument void either of force, or of utility; but it renders it proper to examine what pre- cife degree of force ought to be afcri- bed to it. That Chriflianity has not been con- futed, but cllabliflied, by the oppoii- tion of its adverfaries, Infidels will not acknowledsfe ; S E C T I O N IV. 461 acknowledge; they cannot confident- ly acknowledge it, and yet continue Infidels. On Infidels therefore, it may be thought, t;he argument can make no impreiTioh. Indeed, while they deny the fac^ on which the argument is founded, it cannot immediately and diredly tend to their conviction: yet it ought to have fome fort of influence even upon them, by means of which it may contribute indiredly to their con- viction. The impoffibility of an Infi- del's allowing the fad from v/hich the prefent argument is deduced, and yet continuing an Infidel, fliows, that, on fuppofition of the truth of the fad, the argument is perfectly decifive. If, on that fuppofition, it be decifive, it muft be incumbent on Infidels, to examine carefully and impartially, whether the fad be true or not. This is the method of obtaining fatisfadion, to which both curlofity and candour prompt men in other 462 DISSERTATION IL other controverted fubjedls, tho' in many of thefe they are not fo deeply interefled as in religion. If Infidels decline this examination, they can have no right to deny the faft; it may be true for any thing tliey know : they have been at no pains to inquire about it; and therefore their denial of it, can merit no regard, and ought not to be allowed by any man to infufe into his mind the faintefl fufpicion of its truth. If they decline the examination, they cannot approve themfelves in their un- belief; they mud be confcious of wil- ful negligence. They have no jufl claim to the favourable fentiments of Chriftians : thefe are due only to thofe who have ufed all the means of difco- vering the truth, which impartiality requires, and which God has put in their power, and after ail are £0 unhap- py as not to find fufficient reafon for believing the gofpel; tliey are not at all SECTION IV, 463 all due to them who eagerly adopt a conclulion againft the gofpel, without ever takhig into coniideration, the principles on which its truth or its falfe- hood depends. How^ever impoilible it may be in facl to convince thefe per- fons, either that Chriitianity is true, or that it has gained by oppolition ; it is notwithilanding plain, that, even fup- pofing thefe propolitions falie, they cannot reafonabl-j believe them falfe. Be- fore they can reafonably commence la- fidels, they muil confider, What the evidences of the gofpel truly are ? Whe- ther they have real folidity and force ? Wliether they have been overturned by the objediions which have been raifed againft them? Whether, on the con- trary, thefe objed:ions have not been fully anfwered, and even turned, in many inftances,into arguments for cor- roborating the evidences of the gofpel I — On what principles can it be denied, that 4<^4 DISSERTATION IL that it is incumbent on every perfon to go through this whole inquiry, before he can reafonably rejecft the gofpel? A religion is propofed to men, as reveal- ed by God: if it be really revealed by him, without queftion it merits the greatefl regard. It builds its claim to a divine original, on certain evidences to which it explicitly appeals: thefe ought certainly to be canvafled with the ftriftefl impartiality, before they be declared infufficient. If they do not fatisfy you, you ought to know why they do not, and wherein they fail. If you publifli to the world, that you are not fatisfied with them, you ought alfoto publifli your reafons, and to point' out the defeats which you have obferved in them.. Many have done fo ; anfvvers have been offered to their objections; of moft of thefe anfwers, no confutation has been fo much as attempted ; they muft therefore in all fairnefs S E C t I O N IV. ' 465 fairnefs be reckoned folid. Since the controverfy is already brought to this ftate, the natural and the only way of attacking Chriftianity, is to confute the anfwers which have been returned to the objedions raifed agauift it. In confequence of this, Infidels ought to purfue a niethod perfedly the reverfe of that which they have hitherto pur- fued ; they ought to fet themfelves to examine and to overturn the defences of Chrifiianity ; this, the love of truth abfolutely requires of them. It is a- mong the young, the thoughtlefs, and the dilTipated, that infidelity has chief- ly prevailed : but from the obfervations juft now made, it is plain that among them infidelity never can prevail on principles of reafon : Sappofe that there were good reafon for infidelity, yet, as matters now Hand, an attentive and careful inquiry is neceflary, before that oood reafon can be difcovered; and G g 10 466 DISSERTATION ll, to fuch an inquiry thefe perfons have not fubmitted. In the prefent ftate of things, the very greateft abihties, without this inquiry, are not fuifficient for enabling a man to perceive, that Ghriftianicy has no jufl foundation: af- ter fo many objeftions have been mo- ved againft it, and after it has been fo often and in fuch various vs^ays vindi- cated from them, a rational determi- nation that it is not true, necejffarily depends on the knowledge of many points which cannot be learned by the greateft abilities in an inftant, or with- out a deliberate and extenfive invefti- gation. Whatever be the objection which ftartles you, tho' you can fee no way of removing it, yet an anfwer has been perhaps made to it by others, with which you would be fully fatisiied: it is neceflary at leaft that you fliould inquire, whether there has not, before you can reafonably hold your objection to S E C T I O N IV. 467 to be iinanfwerable. Thus all men are obliged, before they can reafonably difbelieve the gofpel, to go through an inquiry which will put it in their pow- er to decide with underftanding, con- cerning the fa^l on which our prefent argument depends. If they decline the inquiry, they may deny the force of the argument ; but they a6l a rafh and unreafonable part in denying it. If they make the inquiry, and find the fa6l to be as we have reprefented it, the argument will ftrike into their minds a convicliion of the truth of Chriftianity, with the irrellftible force of demonftration. If, after a careful and impartial inquiry, any perfon ihould be of opinion, that Chriftianity has been overthrov/n by the objections of Infidels, and clearly proved to be falfe, he muft doubtlefs be left to fol- low his own judgment. But it may neverthelefs be very plain, that he is G p; 2 in 468 D I S S E R T A T I O N It in an error. On every other fubje^l, as well as on this, it is impoflible to force convic^tion on thoie who are dif- pofed to deny; the underflanding ot each individual mufl: ultimately deter- mine for him in every cafe : yet it does not follow, that there is no difference between truth and error, or that there is not any truth which can be faid to be fully proved, becaufe there is almoft no truth which will not be denied by fome. In like manner, tho* there may be perfons who will perceive no force in the prefent argument, it by no means follows that it is not in itfelf a juft and a ftrong argument for the truth of our religion. The argument which I have now virged, cannot naturally be that which will frji convince a man of the truth of Chriflianity. On the contrary, it fupjx)fes that a perfon has already ex- amined the feveral more dired: eviden- ces SECTION IV. 469 ces of this religion, perceived their force, and found them fufficiently vin- dicated from all exceptions. Till he has done fo, he cannot feel the force of this argument. Its proper deiign is, to fir mgthen the faith which has been already produced by more direct proofs. This purpofe, it will very powerfully promote. When a perfon attends to the feveral evidences of the gofpel, he is convinced by them ; con- fcious that they are in fa£t convincing, he has not naturally any propenfity to fuppofe, that they may notwithflanding be liable to objedlions which can inva- lidate them, or, on account of the pof- fibility of fuch obje<^ions, to hefitate in yielding his affent : But when he has examined the objedlions which have been moved againfl thefe evidences, when he finds that they do not invali- date tlie evidences, that they leave them in their full force, that they even difplay 470 DISSERTATION IL difplay the ftrength of the proof, that they have ifTaed in the confirmation of the gofpel, his affent necefTarily be- comes more afTured. Now he does not merely [uppofe that there are no va- lid objections againil the evidences of the gofpel; he has pofitive proof t\vd.t there are none. Wiien we attend to the evidences of any truth, they ope- rate direBlj on the underftanding, as the natural caufes of belief; they do. convince, and this is a fufficient foun- dation for our affent : but when we examine the objections againft them, and the defences of them, the mind exerts a reflex acl, by which it per- ceives that they ought to convince us; this cannot fail to make us acquiefce in their fufficiency with the moil en-=. lire and explicite complacence. *' But fuppofe this argument to ^* have all the force which has been a- *' fcribed SECTION IV. 471 ** fcribed to it, yet is Chriftianity,'* it will perhaps be faid, ** really the bet- ** ter on the whole, for that examiiia- ** tion to which the oppofition of In- ** fidels has given occafion, and on *' the refult of which the argument is ** founded? Does its evidence become •* clearer, is it not, on the contrary, ** rendered intricate, and involved in ** confufion, by fo great a multitude «< of arguments, objections, and re- ** plies? Can the generality at leaft de- ** rive any advantage from them, for " are not they incapable of going thro* ** fo long and complicated trains of ** reafoning; and yet, if it be true ** that an Infidel cannot reafonably ** disbelieve till he has gone through ** them, muft it not be equally true, ** that, in the prefent ftate of things, " without going through them, no ^* Chriltian can reafonably believe ? ** And muft not the affent even of " fpeculative 472 DISSERTATION IL ** fpeculative men, who can trace the *' whole progrefs of the controverfy, ** and comprehend and balance the " arguments on both fides, be never- *' thelefs weakened by their pafling ** through ih many fteps before they ** come to the conclulion? Is not all *' the feeming light and confirmation, " therefore, which Chriftianity has " derived from oppofition, rather de- " trimental than beneficial to it? And, " if it be, how can any prefumption ** of its truth be thence deduced?" It is readily allowed, that the gene- rality of rnankind are not capable of taking in a minute detail of objections and anfwers, or of accpmpiifliing a critical or fpeculative difculfion of evi- dence. But it is not necelFary that they fhould. The evidences of the gofpel propofed, as they were original- ly, in the fimplefl manner, will fatis- fy thofe whofe underftanding is not debauched SECTION IV. 473 debauched by the falfe refinements o( fcience, or warped by prejudice or vi- cious paffions, whp retain the natural propenlity to yield to the principles of belief implanted in the human confli- tution, and who have not acquired a difpofition to elude evidence, or to per- plex themfelve? by lludioufly fearching for difficulties, A perception of the evidences in that manner propofed, is fufficient tp render their ^J/fffreafon- able, tho' wibelief, as was lately proved, cannot be reafonable \n any man who is not acquainted both with the objec- tions againil Chriflianity, and with the anfwers which have been returned to them. The reafon of this difference will be obvious on a little attention, and indeed arifes naturally from fome of the principles which were formerly eilablillied and fully illuflrated*. The gofpel offers pofi. live evidence of its truth j in tlie perfon who yields to it on a fimple ? Differt. I. Sea. 3. p. 56,6-.-. 474 D I S S E R T A T I O N IL fimple propofal, this evidence produces its proper efFecl: by operating on the natural principles of the underftanding ; and, if the evidence be really folid, this of itfelf renders his affent rational and fuitable to the conftitution of the human mind, tho* an hundred objec- tions againll: that evidence may pofTibly be ftarted by the fceptical, which he could neither underftand nor anfwer. But, when a perfon refifts the pofitive evidence which is produced, and moves objections, the cafe is very different : it is incumbent on him to point out fome real failure in it; if it has been already charged with the fame failure and vindicated from it, he mud exa- mine whether tlie vindication be fuffi- cient, and, if not, he mull; be able to fliow where the defect lies ; otherwife he countera6ls the principles of the hu- man conilitution, which naturally lead us to yield to evidence, when it has force SECTION IV. 475 force enough to produce afTent, and we perceive no fallacy in it. This dif- ference between their fituation, who yield to pofitive evidence, and their's who refift it, takes place in every cafe. A propolition in Euclid's elements is demonftrated ; if a perfon comprehend the demonftration, he neceffarily gives credit to it ; and he is perfectly ratio- nal in giving credit to it, tho' he be not acquainted with any of the objections which fome Metaphyficians have rai- led againft the exac^nefs of mathemati- cal reafoning, nor with the folutions of them. But if a perfon, on the con- trary, after comprehending the demon- llration, refufes to admit the propofi- tion, he certainly afts unreafonably, except he can clearly perceive the de^ feft of the demonftration, and the in- fufficiency of what has been urged for vindicating it from the imputation of that defect. Univerfally, a more ex- tenfive 47^ DISSERTATION II. tenfive inquiry is incumbent upon him who refifts the pofitive evidence offer- ed in a cafe, and thus holds himfelf ca- pable of fcrutinizing it, than upon him \vho, owning its force, readily yields it the affent which it demands : the for- mer piuft always be able to give the reafons pf his unbelief; of the belief of the latter, it is a fufficient realbn, that the conftitution of his nature leads him to be convinced, tho' he cannot explain the grounds of his conviction in a philofophical manner. None will affert that an ordinary man ^S:s an un- realbnable part, in readily believing, that food will continue to nqurilli, fleep to refrefli, and the fun to rife and let at ftated hours: but all would laugh at the unreafonablenefs of a fceptical philofopher, who fhould deny thefe proportions, and yet refufe to explain wherein he thought that their evidence failed, or to lifteu to a vindication of it. S E C T I O N IV. 477 it. To render a perfoii reafonabic in believing any propofition for which po- iitive proof is offered, it is not neceffa- ry that he be acquainted with all the evidences of it ; he may perceive evi- dence enough to fatisfy him, tho' he perceive not all : but he cannot be reafonable in rejecting it, unlefs he has attended to the whole of the proof that is offered ; tho' one part of it doe;^ not fatisfy him, another may. To pre- tend that a Chriftian is not reafonable in believing, unlefs he has difculFed all the objedlions of Iniidels, is to beg the queftion, to take it for granted that the evidences of the gofpel are not real ; for, on fuppofition that they are, it is entirely rational to yield readily to their force. But, tho' Chriftianitylliould happen to be falfc, and its evidences fallacious, the Infidel mufl be unrca- fonable in rejedling it, without a full examination of the anfwers which have been 478 DIS SE RTATION IL been returned to objections ; for pofi- tive evidence can never fairly be fet a- fide without being pofitively confuted. Infidels make high pretenlions to a fpi- rit of inquiry ; but they muft puHi their inquiries farther than they generally do, before their infidelity can be in a^ ny degree reafonable. They are eager to charge Chriftians with credulity ; but the charge would not be jult, tho' Chriftians had not examined the argu- ments of Infidels fo minutely as many of them have. To give a quick afi"ent to evidence real and natural in itfelf, never can be blameable credulity; to refufe it, or to give it with difficulty, is always faulty fcepticifm. Thus the oppofition of Infidels, and the mani- fold defences of Chriftianity occafion- ed by it, are of no detriment even to the generality ; they do not render it more difficult or laborious to become a rati- onal believer, than it was before. Nay even SECTION IV. 479 even to the generality, confiderable ad- vantages are derived from them. Ill the firft place, by means of them, they are excited to attend to the grounds and evidences of their religion, and are naturally led, tho' not to enter into all the intricacies of argument concern- ing them, yet to examine them, at leaft, fo far as to acquire a diftindl concep- tion of their nature and force, as they are propofed in the New Teftament : and, if thefe evidences propofed in this manner, be fufficient for begetting conviftion, the generality, being thus led to attend to them, will come to be poflefTed of a truly rational faith in the gofpel. Had no oppofition been made by Infidels, Chriftians would run a rifk of becoming inattentive to the evi- dences of the golpel, and negligent in their endeavours to underftand them : that oppofition is a continual antidote againfl this. In the beginning of Chri- flianitv 48o D I S S E R T A t i O N IL fliaiiity,, many things contributed to prevent this : the evidences of the go- fpel, from their very nature, excited attention in that age; in tlie firft exhi- bition, many of them were prefented to the very fenfes of men ; they could not be overlooked ; every perfon who yielded afTent to them, was unavoid- ably confcious of the reafons on which his afTent was founded ; and confe- quently his faith was riecefTarily ratio- nal: befides, the prejudices arifing from their education in other rehgions, and the dangers to which they were expo- fed by becoming Chriflians, could not fail to render them fcrupulous in exa- mining the evidence propofed to themy and careful to be fully fatisfied of it? fufficiency, before they admitted it, or profelfed their faith in confequence of it. But thje circumftances of the world are now fo much altered, that men may be fomethiies led to profefs Chri- ftianitv, S E C T I O N IV. 4^1 Itianity, and even to embrace iCy with- out any examination of its evidences, without fo much as a tolerable appre- henfion of tliem, as they ly in the Bi- ble. It is unneceilary to fpend words in pointing out tlie feeblenefs, the in- efiicacy, the difadvantages of various kinds, which muft attend a fakh fo ilen- derly, fo imperfeclly fupported : they are extremely obvious. Now the con- tinual oppofiLion of Infidels has a na- tural and ftrong tendency to hinder men from thus taking their religion al- together upon truil : and, except the exiftence of other religions, it is per- haps the only external caufe by which Chriftians are prompted to examine the foundations of their religion. It leads thofe who have been educated in Chri- ilianity, to refiecl, whether this reli- gion may not neverthelefs be falfe : If they have either ferloufnefs or curiofl- ry, this refleifiion ^vill make them folli- H h cltous 482 D I S S E R T A T I O N . II. citous to examine, whether it is or not ; and all who have ordinary abilities and honelty of heart, may determine this point without any very diihcult or in- tricate inquiry : and when, in confe- quence of attentive inquiry, they de- termine that it is a true and divine re- ligion, when they believe it with the fubilance of its evidence full in their view, their faith is truly rational, it has flrength and firmnefs, by means of which it may produce a concern to comply with the gofpel, and conftancy in adhering to it. There will always, no doubt, be fome Chriftians who have not attended to the evidences of the gofpel, nor can give any reafon for their embracing it : but where its truth is openly attacked by Infidels, this will be the cafe much lefs generally than it would otherwife have been. There may be fenlible Chriftians at prefent, who could not perhaps give a direct anfwer S E C T I O N IV. 483 anfwer to every obje£lIon urged by In- fidels ; but there are very few of them who are not believers in confequence of attention to the evidences of the go- fpel, and real conviction of their fuffi- ciency. At whatever period oppofi- tion from Infidels fliall ceafe, the re- membrance of it will continue to pro- duce tliis effccl in fome meafure, to ex- cite Chriftians to obtain arational faith; and at the fame time, its having been defeated, will be a ftrong argument of the truth of Chriftianity, and will con- tribute to render their faith lirm, in like manner as the original propaga- tion of the gofpel is one ground of be- lief to us. Again, the oppofition of Infidels is of real advantage even to the generali- ty, by leading to fuch a manner of pro- poflng the evidences of the gofpel, as will moil eftetlually produce convic- tion in them. In order to convince H h 2 any 484 DISSERTATION II. any perfon, the evidences of the go- Ipel muil be properly propofed. If in the propofal they were loaded with un- effential or precarious circumftances, a man's natural fagacity might fugged difficulties, and occafion doubts, and thus weaken his belief. But an ac- quaintance with the feveral objections of Infidels, will naturally lead one to propofe them in a precife and guarded manner, and to reprefent every evi- dence in that juft and ilriking point of view, in which it will mod cjuickly and certainly lay hold of the underitand- ing. The fupernatural knowledge of Chrift and his apoftles, enabled them, previous to all oppofition, to propofe the evidences of their mifiion in an ex- adl and convincing manner, even when they propofed them mod fimply : but no uninfpired perfon could even col- led: and put together the feveral evi- dences to which they occafionally ap- pealed. SECTION IV. 4S5 pealed, To as to preferve them in their greatefl force, without a di/lincl com- prehenfion of their nature, of the cir- cumflances on which their flrencrth de- pends, and of the objedlions to which they are mod liable; and this can be acquired only by an extenfive acquain- tance with the oppolition which Infi- dels have afiiually made. — Thus even the generality derive real advantage for tl^eir eflabjidiment in Chrifdanity, from the oppofition of Infidels, and from the manner of exhibiting the evidences of the gofpel, to which it naturally leads? But to fome men the advantage thence refiilting, is much greater and more ellential. Some are naturally captious ; they have a propenfity to raife objedlions on every fubjedl ; they have a turn of un- derftanding, which makes them apter to doubt than to believe ; they have a greater capacity for raifing difliculties, than 486 DISSERTATION II. than for re moving them. Thisisanintel- le^lual dlftemper; but it is no uncom- mon one ; and to tlie oppofltion of In- fidels it is owing, that medicine pro- per for this diftemper, is continually in readinefs. In confequence of that op- pofition, anfwers have been made to multitudes of objections againft the go- fpel: when, therefore, any of thefe ob- jections occur to a perfon, he can eafily difcover what has been advanced for the folution of it; and if that prove fa- tisfying to him, he is delivered from his doubts. If it prove not fatisfying, he can point out the fallacy which he obferves in the folution ; and this con- ducfi: v/ill either give occafion to a bet- ter folution, or make the objecflion to be acknowledged in the end folid and iinanfwerable. An inftance in Vv^hich the latter effcS: has taken place, has not hitherto occurred ; the former there- fore may mofi: naturally be expected. Every SECTION IV. 487 Every objection propofed, has been fb often and fo fully anfvvered, that the moil exceptions perfon, if he has only candour, cannot entertain a doubt con- cerning the truth of Chriflianity, ex- cept he has either difcovered an -objec- tion that is new, or examined the an- fwers to old objections and found them infufficient. But indeed, if no objec- tion were publiflied but what is new, or if no objection were repeated till the anfwers already given were firfl confuted, far the greater part of the volumes of Infidels had never feen the light. There are fome men wliofe abilities and improvements enable them to take in a dillind: conception of the eviden- ces of the gofpel, to comprehend the whole feries of proofs, exceptions and anfwers. To fuch men, that particular difplay of thofe evidences, which the efforts of infidelity have occafioned, renders 488 DISSERTATION IL renders them more fatisfylng, and ca- pable of impreffing a deeper faith, than if they had been more fimply propo- fed. Their aflent will not be altogether fo quick or ready, but it will in the if- fue be much more aiTured. No fufpi- cion of fallacy remains to diflurb their full acquiefcence in the concluiion, or to diminifli the firmnefs of their faith. Whatever could breed fufpicion, has been already examined, and explicitly renounced. ** But would it not have *^ been flill better, if no objections had " been raifed, and if confequently no ** anfwers had been necefTary t" While men continue men, that is impoflible. There is no fubjed: on which fpecula- live men can employ their attention or indulge their ingenuity, but difficul- ties will occur upon it, and objeftions will be raifed. If a fabjecft be capa- ble of being perfectly freed from the hazard of difpiitation, yet this can hap- pen S E C T I O N IV. 489 pen only after all pofUble objeftions have been adlually propofcd and an- fwered. There is thus a certahi courfe of trial which truth muft go through, before it be fo fully afcertained as to gain an univerfal reception without further queflion ; and when it comes near to the end of this courfe, it is in a more advantageous fit nation, than it could be in, when it had its pro- grefs yet to begin. When the vin- dication of it is completed, this rcr {lores not the truth merely to its ori- ginal fituation ; it moreover renders it lefs liable to be again denied : many of the arts by which fcepticifm might attack it, are already detefted, and many of its cavils expofed; fo that fewer arcs remain, by which they who are acquainted with the controverfy, can be again debauched from the ac- knowledgment of it. Tho^ 490 DISSERTATION II. Tho' the ViQ-ht and confirmation o which the evidences of Chriflianitv have received from the oppofition of Infidels, had not been in thefe ways of actual advantage to that religion ; yet ftill its having received them, would afford the flrong prefuniption of its truth, which I have endeavoured to {late. For this prefumption arifes from the effential difference between truth and falfchood, and therefore cannot be deftroyed by any accidental confe- quences to which the weakncfs or the perverfenefs of men may give occafion. That is undoubtedly falfe, however fpecious, which a fair examinatiou o- verthrows: that is certainly true, which, by the mod rigid examination of its e- vidences, is not confuted, but confirm- ed. This will always remain an infal- lible criterion, to whatever bad purpor fes men may happen to abufe the exa- mination from which it arifes. But when SECTION IV. 491 when the oppofltion of Infidels has not only contributed to the illuftration of the evidences of the gofpel, confider- ecl ab{lra6tly, but alfo, as has been jtiil: now (liown, actually puts men of all different characters, provided they will only ferioufly inquire, into a better fi- tiiation for obtaining faidi in the go*- fpel, or for rendering their faith firm, than diey could have been in, without it ; this makes the argument in favour of Chriflianity, to appear to flill great- er advantage. It makes it indifputa-? ble, that the confirmation which its e- vidences have received, is real: it fliows it to be not- only real, but important: it gives the mind a propenfity to be- lieve the gofpel, which will enable both this prefumption and every other evi- dence of its truth, to operate more ftrongly on it, to lay failer hold of it, and to produce fuller and more fteady belief. To 49;^ DISSERTATION II, To coniirm us iii the belief of Chri flJanity, is the purpofe to which the argument of this diflertation, is moft direclly fubfervient. But it likewiic naturally fuggefiis a very flrong reafoii for moderation and forbearance to- wards thofe who difbelieve the goij^e], and freely propofe their objeclions a- gainft it. Chriftianity is fo evidently true, and fo hisfhlv conducive to the mod important interefls of mankind, that we can Icarce fail to regard thofc with pity, who are fo unhappy as to reject it. At the fame time, their op- pofltion to evidence which we reckon fo clear and convincing, and the ma- ny mifchievous confcquences " whicli fpring immediately from the propaga- tion of infidelity, are very apt to raife indignation in thole who are warmly concerned for truth and goodnefs. If this fentiment be kept from exceeding due bounds, and from exerting itfelf in SECTION IV. 493 in an improper manner, if it prompt us only to ufe our utmoft endeavours to convince the unbelieving by argu- ment, and to fortify others againft the infection of their principles, it is na- tural and worthy. But it too frequent- ly degenerates into anger, and prompts to illegitimate methods of curbing in- fidelity ; it has led Chriftians to attack unbelievers by force, and violence, and penal laws. There are many ar- guments againft this. It is unlawful in itfelf, and therefore abfolutely to be avoided: however pernicious the im- mediate confequences of propagating infidelity are, it muft always be wrong to endeavour to prevent them by means that are unlawful. Befldes, this me- thod of oppoiing infidelity will always prove ineffectual ; force may make men diiFemble their unbelief, or ren- der them more cautious in avowing it ; but it will never move them to aban- don ' 494 DISSERTATION XL don It, and it will make them more eager to inftil it into others whenever they can with fafety, and more artful in the manner of inlUiling it: it would therefore be fooliih, tho' it were not unlawfvil, to have recourfe to violence. This would be not only inefFeclual for repreiling infidelity, but even really detrimental to Chriftianity. Zeal for this religion, is the pretended motive to the ufe of violence againil unbelie- vers; but true and reafonable zeal for it, would be the moil powerful re- ftraint from this conduct, becaufe it hurts it in, many ways. It feems to betray a diffidence of the truth of Chri- llianity. It gives an appearance of boldnefs and intrepidity to the oppo- fition of Infidels, which makes the un- thinking more prone to liflcn to them, and more fufceptible of a deep imprel- fion from their arguments. It gives them a handle for pretending, after tliev ^ SECTION IV. 495 they have publlilied all the ohjeclioiis which they can, that they have ftrong- er in referve, but that it is not fafe for them to produce them : they have not failed to avail themfelves of this pre- tence, tho* they have often conducted their oppofition in a way that ought to take all credit from it ; the greatefl flrength of argument could neither have fo well deferved, nor fo diredlly provoked, the ufe of violence, as the difingenuous arts which they liave, in many inftances, fearlefsly employed in fetting off very frivolous cavils, and the indecent fcurrility which they have indulged, when there was no fhadow of argument mixt with their abufe. But attempts to reflrain infidehty by force, hurt Chriftianity in a way ftill more direct and eilential, which I have principally in my eye. Suppofe they fliould be effectual for hinderino- Infi- o dels from at all propofing their objec- tions : 496 DISS E RTATION IL tions : this is the very utmoil that could be expelled from them: but would this really be of advantage to Chriflia- nity ? If the preceeding reafonings be juft, it would not ; it would on the contrary be prejudicial to it. It would prevent the evidence of this religion from ever lliining with that brightnefs which it has acquired by having flood the fevered trial of reafon, and which it could not pollibly have acquired by any other means. Inlidels, tho' they intend far otherwife, are truly inflru^ ments in the hand of divine provi- dence, for the confirmation of Chrifli- anity. If it be true, as we believe it is, all the attacks which can be made upon it, will infallibly ilfue in render- ing its truth the more unqueflionablcj No doubt they may produce very bad effed:s in the mean timer but thefe we have no authority from God, to pre-* vent by methods of violence, and by fucli SECTION IV. 497 fuch methods they cannot be in fafl prevented. By betaking or.rfelves to them, we thereby obflrucl the good purpofes to which infidelity will be o- verruled, without redreifing the tem- porary evils which immediately refult from it ; we deftroy the wheat, with- out being able to root out the tares. That the acceffion of evidence which Chriftianity acquires by {landing the teft: of inquiry, may appear with the greateft advantage. It is neceflary that the objedlions againfl it be propofed with as great fecurity, as the arguments for it : without this, the trial which it fuftains, is not abfolutely fair ; and, till the oppofite reafons be carefully bal- lanced, there is room left for a fufpi- cion, that it has fuftained the trial, not by the force of its truth alone, but partly alfo by the protection of human power. It is not every degree of re- ftraint that will juflify this fufpicion ; I i^ but 498 D I S S E R T A T I O N IL but it is pity that, by any degree of reftraint, a pretence was ever given for it. Let never Infidels be difcouraged from reafoning freely againft the evi- dences of Chriftianity, as well as on o- ther fubjed:s; their ftrongcft reafonings againft it, will do it the greateft fer- vice ; they will be like heroes, whofe bravery renders the vidl:ory more diffi- cult, but whofe captivity adds greatly to the fplendour of the triumph. If they even betake themfelves to cavils and mifreprefentations, let thefe be on- ly pointed out with calmnefs ; they will, in the end, not only difgrace their au- thors, but alfo hurt the caufe which they were intended to ferve. Infideli- ty allowed to do its utmoft, tends ulti- mately to deftroy itfelf, by making the truth of Chriftianity to appear the more evident and unqueftionable. If then we really believe our religion to be of divine original, and be not under the pOWC'" SECTION IV. 499 power of a contrad:ed and undilcerning fpirit; concern for its fuccefs, will con- cur with many other principles, in lead- ing us to wifh moft earneftly, that infi- delity may never be oppofed by any o- ther weapons, but that of juil: reafon- ing. Gold is refined in the furnace; it is only the worthlefs drofs that is con- fumed; let Chriflians never ad; as if they fufpedted their religion to be drofs. Let penal laws be invariably appropriated to crimesy concerning which fallible men can judge with precifion, which are the natural objeds of human cognizance, which may be effeftually reftrained by punifliment, and which are fo immedi- ately deftru^live to fociety, as to render punifhment necefTary for its preferva- tion. Let never the interefts of truth be obflruded, by ill-judged or unlaw-r ful attempts to promote them. The end. ^ .,'4