piftle to Florinus, a Heretick, who had confiderable Employments in the Emperor's Court, declar'd, that he remember'd exactly what he had heard Polycarp discourse, concerning the account of the Miracles and Doctrine of our Saviour, which he had receiv'd from St. John and others, who had convers'd with Christ; and that it differ'd in nothing from the Scriptures.

r

f

And befides the infpir'd Writings, the chief Points of the Christian Religion were testify'd in Apologies written from time to time, to the Heathen Emperors themselves. Quadratus, Bishop of Athens, in his Apology to Adrian, declared, that Perfons who had been heal'd by our Saviour, and others that had been rais'd from the dead by him, were ftill living in his time. Ariftides prefented an Apology to that Emperor at the fame time, at Athens. Justin Martyr wrote two Apologies, the first dedicated to Antoninus Pius and his two Sons, and the Roman Senate; the latter to M. Antoninus and the Senate. Melito, Bishop of Sardis, and Apollinaris Bishop of Hierapolis, likewife wrote a Vindication of the Christian Religion to M. Antoninus. Athenagoras offer'd his Apology to M. Aurelius and Commodus; " Meltiades to Commodus, or to the Deputies of the Provinces. Apollonius, a Roman Senator, made a publick Defence of the Chriftian Religion in the Senate of Rome, and Tertullian prefented his Apology to the Senate, or to the Governors of the Provinces. And the Apologists did not,

I

a Eufeb. Hift. lib.iv. c. 3.

t

X

* Τότῳ (Hadriano) Κοδράτο λόγον προσφωήσας ἀναδίδωσιν, Σπολογίαν συλάξας, ὑπρ' το καθ ̓ ἡμᾶς θεοσεβήας, Eufeb. Hift. 1.4. c. 3. Cúmque Hadrianus Athenis exegiffet hyemem - porrexit ei librum pro Religione noftrâ compofitum (Quadratus), Hieron. Cat. Ariftides volumen noftri dogmatis rationem continens, eodem tempore, quo & Quadratus Hadriano principi dedit, id. ib.

2

Ἰεςἵνα δεύτερον ὑπὸ ὺ καθ ̓ ἡμᾶς δογμάτων βιβλίον ἀναδες τοῖς δεδηλωμένοις άρχεσι, Eufeb. ib. c. 16.

Eufeb. 1. iv. c. 26.

Eufeb. lib. v. c. 17.

* Hier. Catal. Eufeb. 1. v. c. 21.

dwell

a

dwell only upon generals, but defcended to fuch particulars, as to appeal to the publick Records for the truth of what they delivered concerning the place of our Saviour's Birth, and the manner of his Death, and his Resurrection, and to give an account of the Chriftian Worship, and of the celebration of the Eucharift it felf; fo that the Principles and Foundations of the Christian Religion, were from the beginning afferted in publick Writings, dedicated and prefented to the Heathen themselves, who were most concerned and moft capable of disproving it, if it had been falfe. And though the Acts which were forged under the Emperor Maximin, and pretended to be Pilate's, tho' bearing date divers Years before Pilate was Governour of Judea, were by his command fent into all the Provinces of his Empire, and published in all places, and ordered to be taught Children, and to be learnt by heart by them; yet all this malicious care and contrivance was ineffectual to the fuppreffing the Truth of the Hiftory of our Saviour, which was fo well attefted, and fo fully published amongst all forts of Men, that it was impoffible to extirpate the belief of it. And this Emperor himself (as I before fhewed) was by miraculous Diseases inAlicted on him, forced to retract by a publick Edict, his Practices against Christianity, and to acknowledge that his Sins and Blafphemies against Christ, were the just cause of his Punishment.

y Juftin. Apol. I.

z Eufeb. lib. ix. c. 5. & 7.

a Eufeb. 1. 1. c. 9.

CHAP.

CHAP. XVIII.

Of the Doctrines contained in the Holy Scriptures.

"He Scriptures must be acknowledged by all confiderate Men, to contain excellent Rules and Precepts for the Government of our Lives, and it cannot be denied that it is to these we owe the Peace and Happiness we enjoy, even in this World. It is therefore the intereft of every good and prudent Man to wish the Chriftian Religion true, though it were not fo, and there can be no cause to wish it false, but our own fin and folly. And this of it felf is a good argument that it is true, because it is for the benefit of Mankind that it fhould be fo, and upon that account it carries the visible Characters of Divine Wif dom and Goodness in it for it is certain, that the Religion, which God has established in the World, must be of this nature, that none but wicked Men can diflike it, and that all fober and good Men must be well fatisfied with it, and mightily enclined to believe it, nay even the worst Men must be forced to confefs, that they owe their own fafety and protection to the Doctrines of it. And that fuch is the nature of the Christian Religion, will be evident, if we confider that, I. It teacheth an univerfal Righteousness both towards God and Man. II. It layeth down the only true Principles of Holiness. III. It propofeth the most effectual Motives. IV. It affords the greatest helps and affiftances to an Holy Life. V. It expreffeth the greatest compaffion and condefcenfion to our Infirmities. VI. The propagation of the Gospel has had mighty effects towards the Reformation and Happinefs of Mankind. VII. The highest Myfteries of the Christian Religion are not merely fpeculative, but have a necessary relation to Practice, and were reveal

ed

ed for the advancement of Piety and Virtue amongst Men.

I. The Chriftian Religion teacheth an Universal Righteousness both towards God and Man. It teacheth us the nature of God, that he is a Spirit, and therefore ought to be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth, and gives us an account of the Power, and Wisdom, and Goodness of God, in the Creation of the World, and in the various Difpenfations of his Providence in the preservation and government of it, and especially in the wonderful Work of our. Redemption. God is represented in the Scriptures, as flow to Anger, and great in Power, and who will not at all acquit the wicked, Nahum. i. 3. and we are required to love and ferve him with all our Abilities both of Body and Mind, Deut. vi. 5. Mat. xxii. 37.

The Duties of Men towards one another are no lefs ftrictly enjoined, than our Duty towards God himfelf. For the Scriptures oblige all Men to the conscientious performance of their feveral Duties, in their respective capacities and relations: They teach Wives and Children, and Subjects and Servants, Obedience, not only for Wrath, but also for Confcience-fake; and they teach Princes and Husbands, and Fathers and Masters, a proportionable care, and kindness, and affection; they check and restrain the rich and powerful from violence and oppreffion, and command them to relieve those that are in want, and to protect all that are in diftrefs and to root up the very Seeds and Principles of Vice in us; they regulate our Defires, and give Laws to our Words, and Looks, and Thoughts, they command an univerfal Love and Charity towards all Mankind, to hurt no body fo much as in a Thought, but to do all the good which is in our power; they oblige Men to do as they would be done unto in all cafes, to confider others as Men of the fame nature with themselves, and to love and refpect them accordingly upon all occafions. I may add (what Gro

tius has not omitted) that more favour and equity is extended to one half of humane kind by the Christian Religion, than ever had been by any other: for Bills of Divorce were permitted to the Jews, because of the hardness of their Hearts; and among Infidels Women are esteemed but as Slaves to the Lufts of Men, who may have as many Wives as they please, and change them as often as they think fit.

II. The Scriptures propound to us the only true Principles of Holinefs. For they teach us to perform all Duties both towards God and Man, upon Principles of Love and Charity, which are the only Principles that can make Men happy in the performance of their respective Duties, and that can cause them to perfevere in it. What Men do upon Principles of Love, they do with delight; and what Men delight in, they will be fure to do; but Fear hath Torment, and Men will use all Arts to get rid of their Fears, and of that fenfe of Duty, which proceeds only from an apprehenfion of Punishments, and therefore is perpetually grievous and burthenfom to them: Rewards themselves may become ineffectual, by proposals of contrary Rewards, for fmaller Advantages, which are prefent and in hand, may be more prevalent, than never fo much greater, which are future, and looked upon only at a distance. But a fenfe of Love, and Gratitude, and Charity, can never fail of its effect, because this brings its Reward with it, and makes our Duty a delight. He who loves God will certainly obey him; and he that does not love him, never can truly obey him, as he ought, but will be ever repining at his Duty, and will be for feeking all pretences to excufe himself from it. He who doth not love his Neighbour, will be for taking all opportunities of pursuing his own Advantage against him; but he who loves him as himself, will never do him any injury. He that loveth another, hath fulfilled the Law: For this, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thon