Design which the Devil carried on in the World, and was deftructive of his Kingdom. It forbids the worshipping of evil Spirits, and draws Men off from fuch Wickedness as thofe evil Spirits were delighted with; and, in fact, it appeareth, wherever the Chriftian Religion was entertained, that the Worfhip of Demons, and all Magical Arts were renounced and forfaken, and one God only worshipped. So that it is not to be imagined, that the Devil should affift in doing fuch Things, as not only brought no Profit nor Advantage to him, but were the fureft Inftruments of abating his Power, and destroying his Interest among Mankind. And this is the Force of our Saviour's Answer to this Objection; Mat. xii. Every Kingdom divided against itself is brought to De*5' 26' folation; and every City and Houfe divided against itself, cannot ftand; and if Satan caft out Satan, he is divided against himself, how shall then bis Kingdom ftand?

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 Prefence of his Enemies, who were not inclined to believe in him, and whofe Imaginations were ready Mat. xiii. to give a falfe Turn to every Thing he did, and to 54, 55, 56. pervert the End and Defign of them. And all that 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 fome Miracles among his own Countrymen for the Confirmation of his Doctrine, yet finding them poffeft with unreasonable Prejudices against him, upon the Account of the Meanness of his Parents, and the Obfcurity 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 fome mighty Works among them, he forbore

to

to do any more, out of Concern for his own Country, foreseeing they would only ferve to aggravate their Guilt, and increase their Condemnation, till by his Refurrection he should give an undeniable Proof of his being the Son of God, and then fhould fend his Difciples among them, against whom, as Strangers, they would not have fuch unjuft and foolish Prejudices.

Q. What was the great Miracle that gave the utmoft Evidence of our Saviour's Divine Authority?

A. His raifing himself from the Dead the third Day; a Matter of Fact which was proved in the Chapter upon Eafter-day, the annual Commemoration of his Refurrection; which all Christians have not only believed, but embraced as the chief Article of their Faith. The Witneffes produced for Rom.x 9. this Matter of Fact, were Eye-witneffes of it, and were capable of giving their Teftimony in a Matter where nothing but common Senfe and Underftanding where required: The Action, and all the Circumstances of it are related with the greatest Plainnefs imaginable; they all concur in their Teftimony, and the greatest Sufferings never prevailed upon them to deny or conceal it. And it is not to be imagined, that fo many among the firft Converts to Christianity, that were famous for their Learning and Judgment, and inquifitive Temper, brought up in the Prejudices of a falfe Religion, fhould have declared themselves Worshippers of a crucified Saviour under all worldly Difadvantages, if the Evidence of our Saviour's Refurrection upon the ftrictest 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 Refurrection of our Saviour an Evidence of his divine Miffion?

A. In that it fulfilled the Prophecy concerning the Melias, that He bould not fee Corruption; and in that

10.

Mat. xx.

19.

Mark x.

33.34. Mat xvi.

it confirmed the Truth of what our Saviour had afferted in Relation to his being the true Meffias, and the Son of God, agrecable to thofe Apprehenfions and Expectations which the Jews had concerning the Mefias. For God, by raifing him from the Dead, did plainly demonftrate to the World, that our Saviour was no Impoftor, and that he did not vainly arrogate to himself thofe Titles of King of Ifrael, and Son of God, for which he was crucified and put to Death; for if fuch Evidence as this could be given to a Deceiver, we should be at a Lofs ever to diftinguifh a true Prophet.

Q. What Evidence had our Saviour, befides Miracles, of his being a Perfon fent from God?

A. He had the utmost Testimony of divine Authority by the Spirit of Prophecy, which refided in him, and was made manifeft by the Accomplishments of his own Predictions; and whenever the Predictions have been plain and clear, and the Event answerable, it hath always been counted a fure Proof of a divine Miffion; upon which Account Rev.xix. the Angel tells St. John, That the Teftimony of Jefus is the Spirit of prophecy. Thus our Saviour foretold his own Death, with the Manner of it, and the Circumftances of his Sufferings, the Treachery of 21. xxvi. Judas, the Cowardice of his Difciples, and St. Peter's denying him; his own Refurrection, and the Defcent of the Holy Ghoft in thofe miraculous Powers we Mark xvi. now commemorate. He prophefied of the DeAtruction of Jerufalem, which came to pafs in forty Years after his own Death, within the Compafs of that Generation, as he had foretold; the very Foundations of the Temple and City were deftroyed, and the Ground ploughed up, fo 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 fhould fore-run

21, &c. Luke

xxiv. 49.

17, 18.

Mat.

xxiv.

the

xxiv. 14.

the Destruction of that City, with the concomitant and fubfequent Circumftances, exactly agree with that punctual and credible Hiftory of the Fact related by Jofephus a few. He affured his Difciples, that his Gospel should be published in all Nations, Mat. and that his Religion fhould prevail againft all the xxvi. 19 Oppofition of worldly Power and Malice, and that xvi, 18. the Gates of Hell fhall not prevail against it. Now thefe Things being purely contingent in respect of us, and many of them unlikely to happen, the fulfilling of fuch Predictions do argue a prophetic Spirit in our Saviour, and confequently a divine Authority. X

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

A. As Witneffes they juftified the Credibility of their Testimony, in teftifying only of fuch Things as they themselves had feen and heard, and in venturing their Lives for this Teftimony, and fealing it with their Blood. And God was pleafed to confirm this Teftimony, by endowing them with the Power of working Miracles, whereby they fpoke all Languages, healed Difeafes, caft out Devils, foretold Things to come, raised the Dead; which fenfible Demonftrations of a divine Power, gave Credit to their Teftimony among thofe to whom they were otherwife unknown.

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

A. They have a credible Account and Relation of thofe Matters of Fact transmitted down to them through all Ages to this Time, in fuch a Manner, and with fuch Evidence, that they have no Reason to doubt of the Truth of them; for all thofe general Rules before-mentioned concur; which, when they meet, the Matters of Fact cannot be

S 2

falfe.

falfe. Thefe Things being tranfacted many Years ago, muft rely upon the Teftimony we call moral Evidence; and though thefe After-ages must want the Evidence thofe had, that were contemporary with our Saviour and his Apofles, yet they have other Advantages to fupply that Defect. They have the Reafon and Judgment of the most confiderable Part of Mankind for Wifdom and impartial Confideration to confirm them. They can compare the Events already paffed with the Predictions; they fee the Difperfion of the Jews in all Nations, and that they have, for above fixteen hundred Years, continued a diftinct People; a Monument of the divine Juftice, and a standing Testimony of the Truth of our Saviour's Predictions, and of the Chriftian Religion. They have the wonderful Succefs of the Gofpel in Verification of Prophecy, notwithstanding the Oppofition of the Power and Malice of the World; and the wonderful Prefervation of it, through all the various Scenes of Profperity and Adverfity. And it is likely, that they that believe not at a Distance under fuch strong Motives of Credibility, would not have believed, if they had been Eye and Ear-witneffes of our Saviour and his Apoftles.

Q. Pray fhew how the four Rules mentioned in the former Chapter, concerning Matters of Fact, meet in the Matters of Fact recorded in the Golpel of our blessed Saviour, fince, where they meet, the Matters of Fact cannot be falfe?

A. According to the two firft Rules, the Matters of Fact of the Gofpel were fuch as Men's outward Senfes, 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 pake openly to the World, and in fecret have I faid nothing: And it is related in the As, that three thoufand at

one