there was opportunity,) or to private persons at a great distance, were not so easily attested, and upon that account not so generally received, as the others were, which were written to particular churches, who preserved the originals, and who well knew the author's hands, and the messengers that brought them. Lastly, Even those churches which at first doubted the authority of these books, were yet afterwards fully satisfied to receive them; which could proceed only from this, that there appeared more clear evidence of their being the writings of the Apostles.

It also appears, that our books of the New Testament are the same in substance that they were at the beginning, from the ancient copies, and translations of them into several languages; and more especially, the writings of the primitive fathers, who quoted them, and wrote commentaries on them, and explications, which confirm and fix the text. The various readings, to which, by frequent transcribing, all other authors are subject, are not of that moment as to prejudice the fundamental points of religion, or weaken the authority of the Scriptures, because they make no alteration either in the Jewish or Christian doctrine; which, notwithstanding them, is the same, both as to articles of faith, and moral precepts.

As for the persons who wrote the Gospels, they could not be mistaken themselves in relating things done in their own time and sight. Matthew and John being constant attendants on our Saviour, as Mark was on Petery, and Luke on Paul"; and Mark's and Luke's Gospels agree with the others, and were approved of by St. Johna. Nor can they be suspected of any design to deceive others; on

x 2 Thess. iii. 17. y Euseb. Hist. lib. iii. c. 15. ? 2 Tim. iv. 11. a Euseb. lib. iii. c. 24.

the contrary, we may appeal to the consciences of all who read their writings, whether they have not all the reason to believe, that those writers were in good earnest, and did relate what themselves were thoroughly persuaded of.

Again, none of them were experienced persons, but mean and unlearned fishermen, the most unlikely to contrive or attempt the establishment of a religion, which was so contrary to the received principles both of the Jews and Gentiles, in all parts of the world. So also, by reason of the plainness, simplicity, and candour, that appears in all their writings, in which are no tokens of contrivance or design, but are all, like the authors, plain and honest, even so far as to own sincerely their own failings; as that Matthew was a publican, or tax-gatherer, an office which the Jews abhorred; that St. John ran away from his Master in danger, and Peter denied him: and they mention their own ambitious contentions about worldly greatness, &c. Again, the writers of the New Testament were men that could propose to themselves no manner of advantage in this life; nay, they evidently contemned the world; they neglected and despised all honours and wealth, all worldly reputation or fame; yea, they foresawb and exposed themselves to the greatest hazards and contempt in publishing the holy Gospel, and suffered cruel torments, and most of them death, to bear witness to the truth of all they preached: therefore, they could have no design, but to publish the will of God, in obedience to Christ, and in hopes of a reward hereafter.

There may have been some, indeed, who havedied in a false belief, or for a mistaken opinion; but it is not credible that a great number of persons should die, or suffer so much, in confirmation of

Matt, xvi, 24, 25. Acts xi. 22.

what they knew to be false, without any prospect of advantage, either to themselves or others. Nor can it be reasonably supposed, that St. Paul, (the author of so many of the Epistles,) who had been so zealous a persecutor of the Christian church, would on a sudden become such a champion for the same, and hazard his life to establish it, on any other motives or design than to manifest the truth in obedience to Christ.

Further, not only Christians, but even Jewish and Pagan historians, confirm the history of Christ, and the Christian religion. Josephus, a Jewish writer, (soon after the destruction of Jerusalem, which was about forty years after Christ's ascension,) mentions "that good man John the Baptist, his preaching, and exhorting the people to the study of virtue and piety, and to be baptized; and his being put to death by Herod; and also James, the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ"." These testimonies are the more considerable, because Josephus mentions them with some remarkable circumstances of matters of fact at that time, in his own nation: as that some of the Jews were of opinion, that Herod's impious action of killing John Baptist, was followed by a divine vengeance on him, being routed in a battle by Aretas. And further, that there arose a sort of a national quarrel between Albinus, the appointed governor of Judæa, and Ananias, the high-priest, on the score of the high-priest's condemning of James, the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ; and that Ananias was removed from the highpriesthood. As for that other account of the same author," concerning one Jesus, a wise man, (if yet it be lawful to call him a man,) his miracles, crucifixion under Pontius Pilate, resurrection d Ibid.

C

Antiq. book xviii. ch. 7. and book xx. ch. 8. e See Dr. Cave's Hist. Literar. tom. ii. Josephus, and the first Discourse on Josephus, before L'Estrange's Version.

the third day, his numerous followers, both Jews and Gentiles, (as proselytes,) and the race of Christians, who are so called from him," and (which he says) were remaining in his time: however this latter passage has been questioned by some, it is sufficiently vindicated, and shewn to contain nothing but what might be related by Josephus, who has given so full an account of John Baptist, and James the brother of Christ. On the contrary, it would be strange that so accurate an historian, giving so particular a relation of the affairs of his country, should not mention that of Christ, when (as we shall see) the Gentile historians do it. Nor is this account of Christ improperly inserted in the place where we find it, not disagreeing with what goes before, and follows after, as is pretended: for, in the former part of the same chapter, Josephus treats of the Jewish affairs under Pilate; whence he very properly proceeds to mention Christ, what he did and suffered under his government; which (he says) happened about the same time. Again, what follows in this chapter seems less to appertain to Pilate's history, than this period concerning our Lord. Sure it is, that in this whole chapter, Josephus's intent was to relate the transactions during Pilate's procuratorship, although happening at different seasons: neither doth he affirm this relation of his, concerning Christ's resurrection and miracles, as being the subject of his own belief, but as what was related and credited by the Christians, his followers, at that time.

And as Josephus, a Jew, so Tacitus, an heathen historian, within less than a hundred years after the death of Christ, wrote of him as being the author of the Christian name, and put to death by Pontius Pilate, the procurator, in the reign of Tiberius. And Pliny, about the same time, wrote an account

f Book xviii. chap. 4.

8 Annal. lib. xv. c. 44.

to his master, the emperor Trajan, as of other matters, so concerning Christians; and in particular, that they were wont to assemble together on a set day, and sing hymns to Christ as God". Also Suetonius, another Pagan historian, about the same time too, tells us1, that the emperors drove away the Jews, and punished the Christians, on account of their profession of Christ.

Likewise this observation may be added, viz. that the doctrine of Christianity was in itself very offensive, both to the Jews and Gentiles, (which, to be sure, was a great obstacle to their conversion;) to the Jews, by reason of Christ's mean appearance, the debasing of their law and traditions, and equalling the Gentiles' title to God's favour with theirs. Whereas they expected the Messiah to be a great prince; that the law of Moses (which had been established by God himself) was to continue for ever; and that themselves were the chief favourites of heaven. Nor were the doctrines of Christianity less offensive to the Gentiles, by the Apostles preaching up one invisible Deity, a resurrection, a spiritual worship, and severe morality, as chastity, sobriety, &c. Furthermore, the Roman governors endeavoured with their utmost craft and strength, by the most severe persecutions, and even new-invented methods of torment, to prevent its spreading; and, at the same time, the heathen priests, being provoked by the desertion of their altars, animated the world against the professors of it; yet the truth of the Gospel was so convincing in those times, (except where prejudice, interest, and lust darkened men's reason and judgment,) that the aforesaid Pliny (in the same Epistle) intimates to the emperor, that "there were a great number of Christians, of both sexes, and of all ages

Epistol. lib. x. epist. 97.

et Nerone, c. 16.

iSuetonius in Claudio, c. 25.