were opened, &c. How could St. Matthew have perfuaded Men to fuch things as these against their own knowledge to the contrary? Could the Vail of the Temple, or the Rocks be rent, could the Earth quake, and the Graves open, and yet the Jews know nothing of it? To whom did the Evangelift relate all these things? He wrote them before the Destruction of Jerufalem, nay in the days of the Apoftles themselves, and confequently in a time when there were several thousands of People still living that could witness the Truth of them. How then could he fo much as imagin he could deceive fo many Witneffes concerned in the business to whom he preached these things, and whom he defigned to bring over to his Party; nay fome of whom had already embraced the Gofpel, and formed a very numerous and confiderable Church at Jerufalem, where all thefe things had happened, and where he attempted to perfwade others to the belief of them?

CHAP. VII.

Wherein we fball further produce out of the other Gofpels, feveral Places very proper to make us truly fenfible of the Divinity of the Chriftian Religion.

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St. MAR K.

Hapt. I. 14. Now after that John was put in Prifon, Jefus came into Galilee, preaching the Gofpel of the Kingdom of God, &c. All these Expreffions the Gospel, or good Tidings, the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, &c. are very strange and extraordinary. And because our Ears are fome. what used to them, we do not reflect on them fo

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much as we ought. Certainly it must be a strange kind of mutual agreement that feveral Fishermen made together, to go preaching about the World, and call the Subject of their preaching by the name of Gospel.

Chap. IV. 19. And the Cares of this World, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lufts of other things entring in, choke the word, &c. Tis not ufual for other Men thus to declare open War against their Paffions; or if they do, they fail not prefently to discover themselves, and lay open their own Hypotrify to the World.

Verf. 41. And they said one to another, what manner of Man is this, that even the Winds and Sea obey him, &c. We too may as well fay, what manner of Man is this, that not only the Sea, and Winds, but Dif eases, Graves, Death, Hell, Earth, Men, and Devils, all obey him? For it is obfervable, there was no thing within the bounds of Nature but what was fenfible of his Miracles.

Chap. VI. 2, 3. From whence has this Man these things? And what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even fuch mighty works are wrought by his hands? Is not this the Carpenter, the fon of Mary, &c. Whence rather proceeds this aftonifhment of theirs, and what is the reason of this fort of reproach, had not Chrift wrought feveral Miracles amongst them?

Verf. 4, 5, 6. But Jefus faid, unto them, a prophet is not without honour but in his own Country, &c. And he could not do many mighty works there, fave that he laid his band upon a few fick folk, and he healed them: And he marvelled because of their unbelief. Every thing in this passage carries with it an Air of Truth without the leaft femblance of Falfity. For he that would invent a ftory, and defire other Men fhould believe it, would never make choice of fuch Circumstances as these.

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Verf. 56. And whitherfoever he entred, into villages, or Cuties, or Countries, they laid the Sick in the Streets, and befought that they might touch, if it were but the border of his Garment, and as many as touched him were made whole. It is impoffible for any Man to impose upon other People in fuch matters of fact as thefe.

Chap. VIII. 27, 28. And by the way he asked his Difciples, faying unto them, Whom do Men say that I am? And they answered, fome Jay John the Baptift; but fome fay Elias; and others one of the Prophets. Here we may obferve what a great Impreffion Chrift's Miracles had already made upon other Mens minds.

Chap. XIV. 33. And He began to be fore amazed, and to be very heavy. To own that Jefus Christ was reduced to this State, nay him whom they would have Men look upon as the Son of God, is the ef-^ fect of a strange and furprizing fincerity.

Verf. 62. And Jefus faid, I am : And ye shall fee the Son of Man fitting on the right hand of Power, and coming in the Clouds of Heaven. Did ever any Criminal brought before a Tribunal of Justice speak thus ?

Chap. XVI. 17, 18, 20. And thefe figns fhall follow them that believe; in my name they shall caft out Devils, they fhall Speak with ftrange Tongues; they shall take up Serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it hall not hurt them, they fhall lay hands on the Sick, and they shall recover, &c. And they went forth and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with Signs, &c. Either all these matters of fact must have been neceffarily true, or St. Mark must have been strangely befides himself, when he related them. Let us confider. What is it that he relates? Or whom did he defign to impofe upon? nay what time did he choose to effect it? How could he poffibly perfwade the Difciples that

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they had done fuch Miracles, as they were never able to do? And how fhould they perfwade themfelves, that Chrift had given them that power to do Miracles, which they never received?

St. LUKE.

Chap. I. 64. And his mouth was opened immediately, and his Tongue loofed, and he spake, and praised God: And fear came on all that dwelt round about them, and all thefe fayings were noifed abroad throughout all the Hill Country of Judea. No man is fo mad, as to pretend to impofe upon Men's belief in matters of fact fo publick as thefe; he would rather make choice of passages scarce heard of, or at least but obfcurely known.

Chap. II. 16. And found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a Manger, Great was the exactnefs of thefe Writers in giving us a fimple Relation of things as they really were. What can seem more contrary and irreconcilable one with another than all thefe Circumstances? A Child fleeping in a Manger, but a Child whofe Nativity was declared, even by Angels, and celebrated by all the Hoft of Heaven; a Child that was banished the Society of Men, but elevated in dignity even above the blessed Spirits; a Child that was inconfiderable and of no efteem on Earth, but great in Heaven, and adored by Angels; that was indeed a while after his Birth worshipped by fome Wife-men, that brought him Prefents, but foon forced to fly into Egypt for the fafety of his Life. Certainly there appears nothing like a Fiction in all thefe Circumftances.

Chap. V. 19. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in, because of the multitude, they went upon the Honfe-top and let him down through the tiling with his Couch into the midst before

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Jesus.

Jefus. Do fuch things as these enter easily of themfelves into a Man's mind, who writes nothing but of his own invention.?

Chap. VII. 38. And she stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with Tears, and did wipe them with the Hairs of her Head, and kiffed his feet, and anointed them with the Ointment; 'Twas eafie to know the Redeemer of the World by that faving alteration he was feen to make in thofe that followed him.

Chap. IX. 45. But they understood not this faying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not. Great indeed was the Evangelifts fincerity; who stuck not to own the ignorance and ftupidity of the Disciples !

Chap. X. 19. 20. Behold I give unto you. Power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions, and over all the Power of the Enemy, and nothing shall by any means burt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoyce not, that the Spirits are fubject unto you: but rather rejoyce because your Names are written in Heaven. A certain Character of true Religion indeed, which fets a greater value upon Spiritual benefits than any miraculous Gifts, altho the latter are more tranfcendent in the Eyes of Men than the former !

Verf. 41, 42. And Jefus answered and faid unto ber, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful. And Mary has chofen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. Did ever a deceiver, or a Man whose mind was fet upon this World, exprefs himself after this manner?

Chap. XI. 27, 28. And it came to pass, a certain Woman of the company lift up her voice, and said unto him, bleffed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast fucked: But he said, yea rather blessed are bey that hear the Word of God and keep it. It was

impoffible