ly, because the Actions performed by Je fus are not fuch, as are the proper Subjects of History; which concerns itself more with Politicks, than Religion. But where the Subject of any of the prophane Hiftorians hath led them to treat about those Affairs which referred to the Hiftory of Jefus, there we always find a remarkable Confirmation of the Veracity of these four Evangelifts, without any one Inftance that I have ever yet heard of to the contrary.

Even Celfus, Julian, Porphyry, and Hieracles, who were all not only Pagans, but profeffed Enemies of Chriftianity, acknowledge the Matters of Fact, and allow the Miracles recorded of Jefus to have been performed; but only deny them to have been done by the Power of God, and afcribe them to the Power of Art-Magic: As alfo does the * Hiftory of the Life of Jefus before mentined, which was written by a profeffed Jew. And furely the Teftimony of the Jews themselves must be allowed to be of no small Weight in this Af

fair.

• Sepher Toldoth Jebu.

fair. Efpecially when we confider that ac cording to their own + Traditions one of the characteristical Marks, whereby the Mefab is to be known, is the Power which he fhall exercife in the Performance of Miracles, which Miracles, fays the Tradition, fhall by the Ungodly of thofe Days be attributed not to the Hand of God, but the Power of Art-Magick,

And thus having gone through the Six Criterions, which are fixed by Mr. Lock, as fufficient Tefts for ascertaining and cftablishing the Degrees of Probability: And having fhewed, that the Number of our Witneffes is fuch, as hath been thought fufficient in all Ages to determine our Asfent, even in the Courts of Judicature; that their having fuffered Perfecution and Death rather than retract their Affertions, is a fufficient Proof of their Integrity; that they had Skill equal to their Undertaking, which was only to relate Matters of Fact; that the Defign of thefe Authors could not be to deceive, as there was no

Poffi

1

+ See Page 37.

Poffibility of their gaining any Thing there by; that the Parts, as well as Circumstances of their Relation, were all confiftent together, and concurred in carrying on the general Scheme of a Messiah; and that no contrary Teftimonies can be produced, but what rather tend to prove that Jefus was that Meffiah; I think we may in the Words of Mr. * Lock alfo affert, that "where all these concurr in the Proof of

any one Thing, there Probability upon "fuch Grounds carries fo much Evidence "with it, that it naturally determines the "Judgment, and leaves us as little Liberty "to believe or disbelieve, as a Demonstra "tion does whether we will know, or ❝ be ignorant.

So that the only Difficulty which seems to remain is this; which muft indeed be acknowledged as a Thing at first Sight to be wondered at, that if these Things are true, and that they are true I think can hardly be doubted, how it comes to pass that the Jews, who were perpetually looking into

and

* Lock of Hum. Und. L. iv. C. xvi.

and fearching, the prophetical Writings; and who were at the Time of the coming of Jefus, + waiting for Redemption in Jerufalem; and were then in full Expectation of the coming of the Meffiab; fhould not more univerfally, than they did, acknowledge the completion of thefe Prophecies in the Perfon of Jefus? The Reafon however is not very difficult to affign; if we do but confider the ftrong Impreffion which the Thoughts of a triumphat Meffiab in the Form of an heroick and worldly Prince had made upon their Minds; together with the ftrong Tendency, which feems implanted by God in all Mankind towards that Religion in which they have been educated, whence arife most of thofe Difficulties that every one meets with in his Attempt to make Converts from any one Religion to another; especially to a Religion, which required the Mortification of their Paffions, their quitting their worldly Interefts, and which obliged them utterly to relinquifh thofe Ceremonies in which they had been bred up from their Infancy;

L

+ Lu. ii. 38. Job i. 41. iv. 25.

Infancy: Which whoever tries will find very difficult to bring about, even with those who are educated in the most abfurd Doctrines of Popery, or Heathenifm or Mahometanifm.

For though Almighty God in his Difpenfations with Mankind is willing to afford them a reasonable Degree of Conviction, fuch as is fufficient to prevail with Men of teachable, unprejudiced, and impartial Difpofitions; yet he hath not made the Investigation of Truth fo cafy, or fo plain, in any one Branch of Knowledge, as to ftrike the Indolent and Uninquifitive; or to neceffitate and force the Affent of the prejudiced and perverfe: Because this would take away the Virtue and Merit of an impartial Enquiry, and remove all Claim and Title to Rewards and Punishments. And for this Reafon Almighty God was pleased to defcribe the coming of the Mesiah in fuch a Manner, as that Men of unprejudiced Minds, whofe Affections were not tied to this World, might know him and distinguish him from all others, and of Confequence believe in him, when he

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did