CHAP. VI.

Where we shall examine the matters contained in the Gofpels, and fee whether they are capable of Illufion or Impofture.

Hofe Books contain an infinite number of ex

traordinary, divine and admirable things; but the principal of them are reducible to thefe four heads, 1. The Birth, Genealogy, and Education of Jefus Chrift, with all the Circumftances of them, which we shall not speak of at prefent, least we fhould be too tedious, having already mention'd them in our first part of this work. II. The Exercife of his Office, confirmed by an infinite number of miracles from his Baptifm to his Afcenfion. III. The holinefs of his life and converfation feen clearly in feveral occafions, and shining throughout the various Actions of his life. IV. His Doctrin and his Prophecies. From thefe four different heads fpring forth fuch beams of Truth as wonderfully il luftrate this whole matter. Let us therefore examine them in their order, and keep ftill to our usual method, which is to raise as we go along as many difficulties as we can, and urge them on with all their force, to stop if it be poffible the complaints of the Incredulous against us.

We may very well confider in the miracles of Fefus Chrift, their number, variety, and greatness, the noife they made in the World, and the manner in which they were received. And first the Evangelifts make appear the number, variety and greatnefs of them, in telling us that he changed Water into Wine in Cana, that he restored fight to the Blind, hearing to the Deaf, and health to the Sick; that

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he cleanfed the Leprous, healed the fick of the Palfy, cured one of a withered Hand, another of a Dropfy, a third difeafed with an Iffue of Blood, that he caft out many Devils, raised the Dead to Life, appeafed the ftormy Winds and Tempefts, and at feveral times wonderfully fed many thousands in the Wilderness. Thefe Miracles are very numerous indeed, seem very much different from one another, and cannot proceed but from a Divine Power.

To this we muft further add, that they are of fuch a nature as could not be concealed from the knowledge of men, that they muft neceffarily have an infinite number of witnelles, fo that had the Apoft les purely invented them, they might foon have been contradicted by an infinite number of people.

And yet it feems the most inveterate enemies of Jefus Chrift durft not altogether deny the evidence of them; because they accufed him of healing the fick on the Sabbath Day, and pretended he caft out Devils by Belzebub, the Prince of the Devils: this fort of calumny being as it were an extorted confeffion of his infinite Power, and a Teftimony which they bore in spite of themselves to the Truth of his Million.

Besides, 'tis easy to believe that the Evangelists did not invent of themselves what they make the Scribes and Pharifees utter on this account, because they unanimously agree in the relation they give us of it; they reprefent Jefus Chrift refuting this calumny,and affuring us in this occafion,that blafphemy against the Holy Ghost would never be forgiven, a thing which could not easily enter into any mans mind: In a word, the Jews that came after, being compelled to own that Jefus Christ had done feveral miracles, were obliged to fay that he had found out the true pronunciation of the great word Jehovah,

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and that 'twas by the help of this pronunciation (a pattern whereof he had found in the Temple) that he wrought so many miracles. See into what extravagant opinions men neceffarily fall into, when they endeavour to fhun the force of Truth.

But not to infift on all these vain Chimeras, methinks neither of these two Truths can reasonably be contested. The first is that Jefus Chrift pretended to have work'd many miracles. This is what his enemies reviled him with, when standing round about his Cross they faid,he faved others,himself be cannot fave. Let him now come down from the Cross, and we will believe him. The fecond is, that the Disciples who followed him, knew for certain whether he wrought any miracles or not. For fince we have here to do with evident and fingular miracles above the reach of Human Power, they could not but certainly know the truth of them.

Things being thus fuppofed, I further confider, that of the many Difciples Jefus Chrift had, there were but two that proved unfaithful to him: but it was not long before they did right to the Truth, tho each of them in a very different manner.

The

one was moved with a fenfible regret, and wept bitterly, the other was fo tormented with the remorfe of Confcience, that he was forced to make himself away.

Had Jefus been an Impoftor, how came Peter to repent, and Judas to despair. If he falsly boasted of many miracles, thofe two men, thofe two conftant and perpetual witnesses of his Actions, must needs have known it; and and if they did certainly know it, whence could then proceed the Repentance of the one, and the Despair of the other?

'Twould be to no purpose to use any Evafions in the history of Judas, which the Writers of the New Teftament have reprefented to us as a thing publickly.

known

known to the World. This man (fays St. Peter, in the first Chapter of the Books of Acts verfe 18.) purchafed a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, burft afunder in the midft, and all his Bowels gufb'd out. And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerufalem, infomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say the field of Blood. Is it poffible to be more particular in any thing? And could the Author of the Acts be fo foolish to imagin he could invent all these Circumstances, and make St. Peter utter them without making him ridiculous and himself liable to be contradicted

In like manner the Evangelifts tell us all the Circumstances of the Death, and Refurrection of Fefus Chrift. They fay that at his death there was a great Darkness, and a dreadful Earth-quake, that the Rocks burft, and the vail of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. If all this were meer Invention, thofe Writers fhew'd but little reason in chufing fuch strange Circumftances to impofe upon mens belief. Was it fuch an easy matter to perfwade all the Inhabitants of Jerufalem that on the day Jefus Chrift was crucified, the vail of the Temple rent in twain, and several other notable Prodigies were seen? Was it not a pretty way of getting credit amongst men? And thofe men too who related fuch ftrange things contrary to the certain knowledge of every one, and fo foon after they must have been brought to pafs, could they gain over to their fide fo many thousand people?

As to the Refurrection of Jefus Chrift, the Evangelifts relate that the Stone of his Sepulchre was fealed,and a watch fet over it; that the Soldiers faid the next day that the Difciples of Jefus came by night and stole away his body whilft they flept,&c.lf you doubt whether the Souldiers were fuborned by the chief Priests,and gave out that the body of Jefus

Christ had been stole away by his Disciples, St. Matthew will inform you of it in fuch a manner as will infallibly clear all your doubts. Now, fays he, Jome of the watch came into the City, and fhewed unto the Chief Priests all the things that were done. And when they were affembled with the Elders, and had taken Councel, they gave large money unto the Soldiers, faying, fay ye, bis Difciples came by night and stole him away while we Slept. And if this comes to the Governours ears, we will perfwade him and fecure you. So they took the mony, and did as they were taught: and this faying is commonly reported among the Jews unto this day. Chap. 28. v. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.

Here the Evangelift is far from defigning to deceive the Publick in those things he pretends were publickly known. It is therefore to be confefs'd that a watch was fet over the Sepulchre of Jesus Chrift, and that fome of the watch reported fuch things as are mentioned by the Evangelists, or at leaft that it was fuppofed, that that fame was their report. The question therefore is, whether the Difciples did really steal away the body of Jefus Chrift from the midst of a company of Soldiers that were appointed to guard it. But do but only reflect a little on the perfon of the Disciples, who were no better than poor and fearful Fishermen, on their Difperfion, their trouble and heaviness, the triple denial of the ftouteft of them all, together with all other Circumftances of that Event; and it will appear that they were fo far from executing fo dangerous an undertaking, that it was impoffible fuch a defign could have ever entred into their heads.

And therefore Pilate was fo truly convinced of the Truth of the Refurrection of Jefus Christ, that he wrote to Tiberius about it. And 'cwas on the account of Pilate's Letter, that this Emperour went

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