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But, Thirdly, If to what hath been faid, we add the feveral Arguments for the Credibility of the Chriftian Religion, which we now have at this Distance, that they had not nor could have, that were our Saviour's im mediate Difciples; we fhall be fatisfied, that, in point of Evidence, we have indeed muchthe Advantage of them. We have now feve ral ftanding Proofs of our Religion, which they could not have; and which are fo ftrong and conclufive, that they do more than compenfate for the want of that Evidence of Senfe which they had, and we have not. I briefly inftance in thefe Three following.

First, The ftrange Propagation and Succefs of our Religion throughout the World, and the Means by which it was effected. That a poor defpifed crucified Perfon, fhould, in a few Years, draw all the Roman Empire after him; and that without any visible Means, except the Goodnefs of his Caufe, and the Reafonableness of his Doctrine, and the Sincerity and Conftancy of his Difciples, not in fighting for their Mafter, but in laying down their Lives for him; and this againft all the Power, and all the Arts and Stratagems that the Devil or the Princes of this World could invent to ftifle and fupprefs his Name: This is so strong an Argument, that this Caufe was the Caufe of God, and that his Providence was particularly concerned in the promoting of it, that he muft feem little to be fenfible either of God or Providence, that is not convinced by it.

If Christianity had been of the fame Strain that the Religion of Mahomet is, had been as well calculated for Mens Lufts and worldly Interefts as that is; had allowed as many fenfual Liberties to its Difciples as that doth ; and laftly, had been carried on in the World by the fame Ways and Means that that hath been, that is, by the Force of Arms, and Dint of the Sword; it would have been no great Wonder that it fhould have prevailed, as we see it hath done. But that a Religion which had no worldly Advantages to promife to its Followers; nay, on the contrary, was fo contrived, that none could own it, but he muft at the fame Time deny all his Temporal Interefts, quit his Friends, his Reputation, and all his Fortunes in this World, and live in hourly Expectation of a Martyrdom; that fuch a Religion as this fhould not only not die with the first Broachers of it, but daily grow and spread ; and the more it was per fecuted, the more increase; till at last it fo weathered out all Oppofition, that it got Poffeffion of the Thrones of Princes, and Kings became nurfing Fathers to it: I say, Whoever is not convinced, that the Finger of God was in this, would fcarce have been convinced, that the Finger of God was in our Saviour's Miracles, had he been alive and prefent when they were done. But this Effect of Christianity, both the Prophets and our Lord, long ago foretold, and this we now fee was verified long ago, and is ftill verified in our Days: Though those that lived with our

Saviour

Saviour had no Experience hereof, nor perhaps would feveral of them have been forward to believe it, though it had been told them. So that in this Refpect we have a moft confiderable Argument for our Religion, which they had not.

Secondly, This is not all, Thofe that undertook the Religion of our Saviour upon his Preaching, had no Experience of it: They were to be the firft Experimenters themselves. They ran a great Rifque, and ventured the Sale of all that they had, and yet knew not fo certainly what kind of Treafure they should purchase. But we have the Experience and Suffrage of Sixteen Ages, which will all vouch, that what we lay out in this way will prove valuable Treasure, will reward all the Pains and all the Expence we are at for the purchafing of it. We have never in the Compafs of our own Knowledge, nor in all History, met with any who feriously laid out themfelves in the Service of Jefus Chrift, and lived up to his Religion, that ever grudged the Pains they took about it, or repented themfelves that they believed or practifed as they did. The more any Man has been a Chriftian, ftill the more he hath thanked God for it; ftill the more Quiet of Mind and Peace of Confcience he hath poffeffed; the more he hath enjoyed himself, and the lefs he hath feared Death, and all other outward Calamities. If ever any Chriftian hath repented of any Thing, it is, that he hath not been Chriftian enough, that he hath not fo heartily be

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lieved in our Saviour, and obeyed his Precepts as he fhould have done. This we all know, and must be fenfible of it; and it is a mighty Evidence of the Truth and Goodness of the Religion we profefs. We now can try our Religion and give our Approbation of it, by the fame Standard and Measures, by which we try and approve of our Cuftoms and Common Laws. After long Experience, we find the Usefulness and the Conveniency of it; and to put another in its Place, would involve us in horrible Mischiefs, and Dangers, and Perplexities. But this Argument for Chriftianity, thofe that were the first Converts to it could not have; and therefore in this Respect alfo we have the Advantage

of them.

Thirdly and Laftly, There is another very confiderable standing Argument for the Truth of the Chriftian Revelation, which those in our Saviour's Time were uncapable of; and that is, the Events, which he by the Spirit of Prophecy foretold, fhould, after his Death, come to pafs in the World; most of which have punctually happen'd as he predicted them, and the reft in due time, we doubt not, will be accomplished. I have not leifure to profecute this Argument particularly; only Two Things I cannot pafs by without mention, in both of which our Lord fhewed himself as wonderful, and as true a Prophet as ever appeared in the World.

The one is, the Deftruction of Jerufalem and the Temple, which he foretold with all

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the Circumftances imaginable, both as to Time and Manner. Now all that he faid concerning that Deftruction, was punctually verified, even according to the Accounts that the Jewish Hiftorian gives us of that Matter. And when afterwards Julian the Emperor, with a Defign to blaft the Credit of our Saviour's Prophecy, refolved to re-edify that Temple, and fet Men on work for that Purpofe; he was foon forced to defift from his Enterprize, by Earthquakes, and Globes of Fire iffuing from out of the Foundation: As the Writers of that Time, both Christian and Pagan, do affure us.

The other Inftance I mention is, our Saviour's Prophecy of the Rejection of the Jews, and that they should be carried Captive into all Nations, till the Times of the Gentiles were fulfilled. Now this we see hath been accomplished for many Ages, and ftill continues to be fo in our Days. That Nation of the Jews, who were once the peculiar People of God, fettled in the Land of Canaan, by his own immediate Hand, are now difperfed all the World over, but no where incorporated into a Nation. Yet, which indeed is wonderful, they continue Jews ftill; a People that mingle not with the reft of the World, and that are ftill as zealous for the Scriptures, from whence we fetch the Grounds of our Chriftianity, as ever they were. So that they are a ftanding Monument of God's Vengeance upon a People for rejecting the Gofpel, and a ftanding Teftimony of the Truth of our Saviour's Prophecies. Thefe

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