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his Interest among Mankind. And this is the Force of our Saviour's Answer to this Objection; Every Kingdom divided against itself, is brought to De- Mat. xii. solation; and every City and House divided against itself 25, 26. cannot stand; and if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself, how shall then his Kingdom stand?

Q. How does it appear that the Miracles of our Saviour, were not owing to the Credulity and Imagination of the People?

A. Because they were often performed in the Presence of his Enemies, who were not inclined to believe in him, and whose Imaginations were ready to give a false Turn to every Thing he did, and to Mat. xii. pervert the End and Design of them. And all that 54, 55, 56. can be inferred from our Saviour's not doing many mighty Works in his own Country, because of their Unbelief, is, that though he did some Miracles among his own Countrymen for the Confirmation of his Doctrine, yet, finding them possest with unreasonable Prejudices against him, upon the Account of the Meanness of his Parents, and the Obscurity of his Education, he rightly judged that they were not likely to be convinced by any Miracle he could work; and that, therefore, though he had done some mighty Works among them, he forbore to do any more, out of Concern for his own Country, foreseeing they would only serve to aggravate their Guilt, and increase their Condemnation, till, by his Resurrection, he should give an undeniable Proof of his being the Son of God, and then should send his Disciples among them, against whom, as Strangers, they would not have such unjust and foolish Prejudices.

Q. What was the great Miracle that gave the utmost Evidence of our Saviour's Divine Authority? A. His raising himself from the Dead the third Day; a Matter of Fact, which was proved in the Chapter upon Easter Day, the annual Commemoration of his Resurrection; which all Christians have not only believed, but embraced as the chief ArtiR.

Rom. x. 9. cle of their Faith. The Witnesses produced for this Matter of Fact, were Eye-witnesses of it, and were capable of giving their Testimony in a Matter where nothing but common Sense and Understanding were required: The Action, and all the Circumstances of it, are related with the greatest Plainness imaginable; they all concur in their Testimony, and the greatest Sufferings never prevailed upon them to deny or conceal it. And it is not to be imagined, that so many among the first Converts to Christianity, that were famous for their Learning and Judgment, and inquisitive Temper, brought up in the Prejudices of a false Religion, should have declared themselves Worshippers of a crucified Saviour under all worldly Disadvantages, if the Evidence of our Saviour's Resurrection, upon the strictest Examination, had not appeared in the clearest Light, and that there had been no Doubt remaining concerning the Truth of it.

Q. How was the Resurrection of our Saviour an Evidence of his Divine Mission?

4. In that it fulfilled the Prophecy concerning the Messias, that He should not see Corruption; and in that it confirmed the Truth of what our Saviour had asserted in Relation to his being the true Messias, the Son of God, agreeable to those Apprehensions and Expectations, which the Jews had concerning the Messias. For God, by raising him from the Dead, did plainly demonstrate to the World, that our Saviour was no Impostor, and that he did not vainly arrogate to himself those Titles of King of Israel, and Son of God, for which he was crucified and put to Death; for if such Evidence as this could be given to a Deceiver, we should be at a Loss ever to distinguish a true Prophet.

Q. What Evidence had our Saviour, besides Miracles, of his being a Person sent from God?

A. He had the utmost Testimony of divine Authority by the Spirit of Prophecy, which resided in him,and was made manifest by the Accomplish

Mat. xx.

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ments of his own Predictions; and whenever the Predictions have been plain and clear, and the Event answerable, it hath always been counted a sure Proof of a divine Mission; upon which Account, the Angel tells St. John, That the Testimony Rev. xix. of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy. Thus our Saviour foretold his own Death, with the Manner of it, and 19. the Circumstances of his Sufferings, the Treachery of 33, 34. Judas, the Cowardice of his Disciples, and St. Peter's Mat. xvi. denying him; his own Resurrection, and the Descent 21, &c. of the Holy Ghost, in those miraculous Powers we Luke xxiv. now commemorate. He prophesied of the De-Mark xvi. struction of Jerusalem, which came to pass in forty Mat.xiv. Years after his own Death, within the Compass of that Generation, as he had foretold; the very Foundations of the Temple and City were destroyed, and the ground ploughed up, so that there was not left one Stone upon another that was not thrown down, according to our Saviour's Prediction. And indeed the Signs that he foretold should forerun the Destruction of that City, with the concomitant and subsequent Circumstances, exactly agree with that punctual and credible History of the Fact related by Josephus, a Jew. He assured his Disciples, that his Gospel should be published in all Nations, Mat, xxiv. and that his Religion should prevail against all the 14. Opposition of worldly Power and Malice, and that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it. Now xvi. 18. these Things being purely contingent in respect of us, and many of them unlikely to happen, the fulfilling of such Predictions do argue a prophetic Spirit in our Saviour, and consequently a divine Authority.

Q. What Evidence did the Apostles give of their divine Mission?

A. As Witnesses they justified the Credibility of their Testimony, in testifying only of such Things as they themselves had seen and heard, and in venturing their Lives for this Testimony, and sealing it with their Blood. And God was pleased to con

xxviii. 19.

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firm this Testimony, by endowing them with the Power of working Miracles, whereby they spoke all Languages, healed Diseases, cast out Devils, foretold Things to come, raised the Dead; which sensible Demonstrations of a divine Power, gave Credit to their Testimony among those to whom they were otherwise unknown.

Q. What Proof have After-ages of the miracudous Evidence that was given to the Truth of the Christian Religion?

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A. They have a credible Account and Relation of those, Matters of Fact transmitted down to them through all Ages to this Time, in such a Manner, and with such Evidence, that they have no Reason to doubt of the Truth of them; for all those which general Rules beforementioned concur; when they meet, the Matters of Fact cannot be false. These Things being transacted many Years ago, must rely upon the Testimony we call moral Evidence; and though these After ages must want the Evidence those had, that were contemporary with our Saviour and his Apostles, yet they have other Advantages to supply that Defect. They have the Reason and Judgment of the most considerable Part of Mankind for, Wisdom and impar tial Consideration to confirm them. They can compare the Events already passed, with the Predictions; they see the Dispersion of the Jews in all Nations, and that they have, for above sixteen hundred Years, continued a distinct People; a Monument of the divine Justice, and a standing Testimony of the Truth of our Saviour's Predictions, and of the Christian Religion. They have the wonderful Success of the Gospel in Verification of Prophecy, notwithstanding the Opposition of the Power and Malice of the World: and the wonderful Preservation of it, through all the various Scenes of Prosperity and Adversity. And it is likely, that they that believe not at a Distance under such strong Motives of Credibility, would not have believed, if

they had been Eye and Ear-Witnesses of our Saviour and his Apostles.

Q. Pray shew how the four Rules mentioned in the former Chapter, concerning Matters of Fact, meet in the Matters of Fact recorded in the Gospel of our blessed Saviour, since, where they meet, the Matters of Fact cannot be false?

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A. According to the two first Rules, the Matters of Fact of the Gospel were such as Men's outward Senses, their Eyes, and Ears, could judge of, and were done publicly in the Face of the World; and thus our Saviour argues with his Accusers, I spake John xviii. openly to the World, and in Secret have I said no- Acts ii, 41. thing; And it is related in the Acts, that three thousand at one Time, and five thousand at another, were converted upon the Conviction of what themselves had seen, what had been done publicly before their Acts iv. 4. Eyes, wherein it was impossible to have imposed upon them. Then for the two last Rules, we find Baptism and the Lord's Supper were instituted as perpetual Memorials of these Things, and this at the very Time when these Things were said to be done; and have been observed without Interruption in all Ages through the whole Christian World, down all the Way from that Time to this: And Christ himself did ordain Apostles and other Ministers of his Gospel to preach and administer these Sacraments, and to govern his Church, and that always unto the End of the World; and they have accordingly continued to this Day, and consequently are as notorious a Matter of Fact, as the Tribe of Levi was among the Jews. So that, if the Gospel were a Fiction, and invented, as it must be, in some Ages after Christ, then at that Time when it was first invented, there could be no such Sacraments, nor Order of Clergy, as derived themselves from the Institution of Christ: Which must give the Lie to the Gospel, and demonstrate the Whole to be false; and, therefore, by the last two Rules, it was as impossible to have imposed upon Mankind in this

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