Enemies who started these questions out of a particular defign to make a division in the Chriftian Church, or fome Jews turned Chriftians, as yet very weak and not fully strengthened in their belief, whofe fcrupulous Zeal and blind Superftition caused all those Controvelies, But however, 'tis evident that the true Difciples of Jefus Chrift, and especially the Apoftles, were not long in an errour as to this paint. They affirmed that men were justify'd only by the Faith of Jefus Chrift without the works of the Law. And 'tis manifeft that in the firft Council held at Jerufalem, the Difciples of our Lord abolished the Cuftoms and Rites of the Ceremonial Law.

But at last it is of no great moment, whether the Ceremonial Law or Religion of Mofes was abolished, ten years fooner or later. Still it is certain that it was fometimes abolished, or rather to speak more exactly and truly, it was fulfilled by the Gospel, and fo the observation of it ceased.

Now I demand how it is poffible that thofe men who were so devoted and bigotted to that Law, who made it the object of their thoughts and most com. mon difcourfe, fhould fo great a number of them, and in so short a time, with one common confent renounce that Law which Piety made fo venerable, and Honour and Intereft fo valuable in their Efteem? Whereas fo many ages elapfed before the coming of Jefus Chrift into the World could not wear out of their minds that profound efteem and refpect they had for that Law. For tho' they had often broke it in several respects, yet it may be faid in their be half they almost always look'd upon it as inviolable. And can we fuppofe that so many ages as have paffed fince the Death of Jesus Christ, could not remove that perfwafion fo deeply rooted in their Mind, that their Law was to be eternal: and yet that a

few

few years fhould perfwade that great multitude of Difciples, converted by the preaching of the Apo-' ftles, that all thofe Rites and Ceremonies were become invalid by the Death of a Man, whom the Sanhedrin had condemned to be executed as a Malefactor, without any extraordinary or supernatural accident intervening, which fhould occafion the framing to themselves fuch Ideas fo particular, and fo contrary to their first Prejudices?

Certainly we may very well affirm,that our Incredulous Adverfaries have too great a value for imposture and ignorance, when they imagin that an univerfal delufion, and unanimous confent to a Lye, could convert Nations, Sanctify Mankind,and spread the Knowledge of God throughout the World,according as it was foretold by the Scriptures; or that a few fimple and ignorant Fishermen, whofe knowledge extended no further than their Employment, fhould discover the defects and imperfections of the Ceremonial Law, and introduce instead of it a Spiritual worship,as really more conformable to the Nature of God who is a Spirit, and more worthy of man who is a Reasonable Creature; that thofe fimple and ignorant men fhould discover the Sacrifices under the Law to be only Types of the Death of a man, who was condemned to be executed as a Malefactor; that they fhould attribute this thought to John the Baptift, and make him exprefs it only in thefe words, Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the fins of the World, John 1. 29. Words fo full and comprehenfive, that they contain the whole fum of Chriftan Religion: And Laftly, That they fhould invent Myfteries fo very different from mens ordinary Thoughts and Conjectures, and fo far above the Capacity of the most judicious and learned, may deservedly be faid of them, that they things which Eye has not feen, nor Ear hear

has it enter'd into the Heart of Man to conceive them, 1 Cor. 2. 9.

Laftly, Experience tells us how difficult it is for perfons already advanced in years, to renounce the Common practices generally approved of in the World, especially when authorised by Religion and Education. How hard would it be for us Chriftians to live as the Jews? And yet it would be more difficult for them to live as we do. Because we look upon all their Cuftoms as things very indifferent in themselves, whereas they always look'd upon our Practices as fcandalous and unlawful. How then was it that not only one or two Jews, but thousands who had embraced Christianity, no longer in the leaft fcrupled to converfe with the Gentiles, nay to to live with Heathens, who before were an Abomination in their eyes?

You will fay this was not without many confiderable difficulties, and was the cause of several great Animofities and Difputes. I grant it; but yet it appears the Ceremonial Law was utterly abolished presently after the Death of Chrift; the Apostles having determined that it had been accomplished in his Death, and that it was not Lawful to joyn the Carnal Ceremonies of the Law with the Spiritual worship of the Gospel. And I fay, that had not the Apostles both testify'd the Miracles and Refurrection of Jefus Chrift, and wrought very great wonders themselves, it was naturally impoffible they should have executed fo great a defign, efpecially in fo fmall a time.

For certainly if we confider the Disciples as born Jews, they must necessarily have been very much devoted to their own Law.

If we confider them as poor and mean people, they could not but have been paffionately fond of that Law which gave fuch wonderful precepts for

the

the Administration of Juftice,and the relief and comfort of the Poor.

If we confider them as fimple and ignorant men, they could not but have a blind love and obedience for their Law, as all ignorant People have for the external objects of Religion.

Laftly, Should we confider them as prepoffeffed with the ufual prejudices of their Nation, they muft neceffarily have expected a Glorious and Triumphant Meffias, who instead of abolishing the Law of Mofes, fhould have established it throughout the World.

Yet we need only confider the event to clear the truth of this matter. We shall not infift upon all the Reflections we might easily make hereupon; It's fufficient to have taken notice of those things by the by, because they may ferve in fome measure to illuftrate the particular examination we shall make of the Miracles of the Gospel.

We have already confidered them in general, fufficiently to convince all reasonable Perfons. But it may not be amifs to infift more particularly on them, that we may confound the Obftinate and Incredulous, and make them at least truly fenfible of their Errour, tho' perhaps we cannot reclaim them from it.

To do this better, we fhall lay down four miraculous matters of fact, which fhall be as fo many centers of the Truth we enquire into, because there are feveral lines and degrees of Evidence and Light which neceffarily lead us to the Truth of each of these matters of fact, and then we shall joyn them all together, the better to form a full and perfect Demonstration of them.

M

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CHA P. II.

The first Center of Truth: a particular confideration of the Miracles of Jefus Chrift.

E dare fay that fuch is the nature of these

WE Miracles, that the compofers of the Gospel

durft not, could not, would not have forged them, had they been really falfe.

I fay they durft not, because they could not but have been publickly known. To prove this I fhall lay down four Examples of them, which are I. The History of Zachariah the Father of John the Baptift. II. The Hiftory of the Maffacre of the young Children of Bethlehem. III. The miraculous feeding of feveral thousands at feveral times in the Wilderness, with a few Loaves and fome fmall Fishes. IV. And Laftly, the fupernatural prodigies which happened at the death of Jefus Christ himfelf.

As to the First, we may obferve that the Subject upon whom this great Miracle was wrought is a Priest; a Priest who daily performed the functions of his Ministerial office, and was then actually burning Incenfe in the Temple of Jerufalem, at a very remarkable time, during which the people who expected him, were very intent at their Prayers to God in the outward Part or Porch of the Temple, whilst he himself was in the Holy Place.

Now tho' the Hiftorian had obferved only concerning the Birth of John the Baptift, that Zachariab and Elizabeth his Wife were far advanced in years, and that the latter till then was thought Barren, yet that event would have employed fomething fo extraordinary and furprising, that one might have been almost pofitive that the Evangelift durft not have

been