ligion began to be more and more spread, (a) and many of its Professors were Hebrews: (b) Many had studied the Hebrew Learning, who could very easily have perceived and discovered it, if the Jews had received any Thing that was false, in any remarkable Subject, I mean, by comparing it with more ancient Books. But they not only do this, but they bring very many Testimonies out of the Old Testament, plainly in that Sense in which they are received amongst the Hebrews, which Hebrews may be convicted of any Crime, sooner than (I will not say of Falsity, but) of Negligence, in Relation to these Books; (c) because they used to transcribe and compare them so very scrupulously, that they could tell how often every Letter came over. We may add, in the first Place, an Argument, and that no mean one, why the Jews did not alter the Scripture designedly; because the Christians prove, and as they think very strongly, that their Master Jesus was that very Messiah who was of old promised to the Forefathers of the

(a) And many of its Professors were Hebrews, &c.] Or next to Hebrews, as Justin, who was a Samaritan.

(b) Many had studied the Hebrew Learning, &c.] As Origen, Epiphanius, and especially Jerom.

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(c) Because they used to transcribe, &c.] Josephus in his First Book against Appion. "It is very manifest, by our Deeds, "how much Credit we give to our own Writings; for after so many Ages past, no one has presumed to add, take away, or change any Thing." See the Law, Deut. iv. 1. and the Talmud, inscribed Shebnoth. (We are to understand this of the Time after the Masora; for it was otherwise before, in the Time of their Commonwealth; and after it was overturned by the Chaldeans, they were not so accurate as is commonly thought. This is evident from Lud Capellus's Critics upon the Bible, and from the Commentaries of learned Men upon the Old Testament, and likewise from Grotius's own Annotations. And we have also shewn it to be so on the historical Books of the Old Testament. Le Clerc.)

Jews; and this from those very Books, which were read by the Jews. Which the Jews would have taken the greatest Care should never have been, after there arose a Controversy between them and the Christians; if it had ever been in their Power to have altered what they would.

BOOK

BOOK IV.

SECT I.

A particular Confutation of the Religions that differ from Christianity.

THE Fourth Book (beginning with that Plea

sure Men for the most Part take at the Sight of other Men's Danger, when they themselves are placed out of the Reach of it) shews, that the principal Aim of a Christian ought to be, not only a Satisfaction upon his having found out the Truth himself, but also an Endeavour to assist others, who wander in various crooked Paths of Error, and to make them Partakers of the same Happiness. And this we have in some Measure attempted to do in the foregoing Books, because the Demonstration of the Truth contains in it the Confutation of Error. But, however, since the particular Sorts of Religion, which are opposed to Christianity; as Paganism, Judaism, or Mahometanism, for Instance; besides that which is common to all, have some particular Errors, and some special Arguments, which they use to oppose us with; I think it may not be foreign to our present Purpose, to attempt a particular Examination of every one of them. In the mean Time, beseeching our Readers to free their Judgment from all Passion and Prejudice, which clog the Understanding; that they may the more impartially determine concerning what is to be said..

SECT. II.

And first of Paganism. That there is but one God. That created Beings are either good or bad. That the Good are not to be worshipped without the Command of the Supreme God.

AND first against the Heathens, we say, if they suppose many Gods, eternal and equal, this is sufficiently confuted in the first Book; where we have shewn that there is but one God, the Cause of all Things. If by Gods, they mean created Beings superior to Man, these are either good or bad; if they say they are good, they ought in the first Place to be very well assured of this, (a) lest they fall into great Danger, by entertain

ing

(a) Lest they fall into great Danger, &c.] 2 Cor. xii. 14. Porphyry in his Second Book about abstaining from eating Animals, says, that" By those who are opposite (to the Gods,) "all Witchcraft is performed; for both these and their "Chief are worshipped by all such as work Evil upon Men's "Fancies, by Enchantments; for they have a Power to de"ceive, by working strange Things: By them evil Spirits. prepare Philtres and Love Potions: All Incontinence, and "Love of Riches and Honour, and especially Deceit, pro"ceed from them; for it is natural for them to lye: they are willing to be thought Gods; and the highest of them "in Power, to be esteemed God." And afterwards concerning the Egyptian Priests: "These put it past all Dispute, "that there are a Kind of Beings, who give themselves

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up to deceive; of various Shapes and Sorts; Dissemblers, "sometimes assuming the Form of Gods or Dæmons, or of "Souls of dead Men; and by this Means they can effect "C any seeming Good or Evil; but as to Things really good "in themselves, such as those belonging to the Soul; of producing these, they have no Power, neither have they any knowledge of them; but they abuse their Leisure, "mock others, and hinder those who walk in the Way "of Virtue; they are filled with Pride, and delight in Per"fumes and Sacrifice." And Arnobius, Book IV. against the Gentiles; "Thus the Magicians, Brethren to the Soothsayers in their Actions, mention certain Beings, opposite

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ing Enemies instead of Friends; Deserters instead of Ambassadors. And Reason also requires that there should be some manifest Difference in the Worship, betwixt the Supreme God, and these Beings: And further, we ought to know of what Rank these Beings are, what Benefit we may expect from any of them, and what Honour the Supreme King would have us to pay them. All which Things being wanting in their Religion, it sufficiently appears from thence, that there is nothing of Certainty in it; and it would be much safer for them to betake themselves to the Worship of the one Supreme God; (a) which even Plato owned to be the Duty of a wise Man; because as good Beings are the Ministers of the Supreme God, (b) they cannot but be assisting to such as are in Favour with him.

SECT. III.

A Proof that evil Spirits were worshipped by the Heathen, and the Unfitness of it shewn.

BUT that the Spirits to which the Heathen paid their Worship, were evil, and not good, appears from many substantial Arguments. First,

"to God, who often impose upon Men for true Gods. And "these are certain Spirits of grosser Matter, who feign "themselves to be Gods." Not to transcribe too much, we find something to the same Purpose in Jamblichus, concerning the Egyptian Mysteries, Book III. Chap. 33. and Book IV. Chap. 17.

(a) Which even Plato owned, &c.] "Jupiter is worshipped "by us, and other Gods by others.' The Words are quoted by Origen, in his Eighth Book against Celsus.

(b) They cannot but be assisting, &c.] This is very well prosecuted by Arnobius, Book III.

because