vine positive law is to be repealed, and another way of worship

established instead of it. The possibility in general of a repeal of

a Divine law asserted; the particular case of the law of Moses

disputed against the Jews: II. The matter of that law proved not

to be immutably obligatory; because the ceremonial precepts were

required not for themselves, but for some further end; that proved

from Maimonides's confession: III. The precepts of the ceremo-

nial law frequently dispensed with while the law was in force.

Of the passover of Hezekiah, and several other instances. IV. It

is not inconsistent with the wisdom of God to repeal such an

established law. Abravanel's arguments answered. V. Of the

perfection of the law of Moses, compared with the Gospel.

VI. Whether God hath ever declared he would never repeal the

law of Moses. VII. Of adding to the precepts. VIII. Of the

expressions seeming to imply the perpetuity of the law of Moses.

Reasons assigned why those expressions are used, though per-

petuity be not implied. IX. The law of Moses not built upon

immutable reason, because many particular precepts were founded

upon particular occasions, as the customs of the Zabii; X. many

ceremonial precepts thence deduced out of Maimonides; XI. and

because such a state of things was foretold, with which the obser-

vation of the ceremonial law would be inconsistent. XII. That

largely discovered from the prophecies of the Old Testament.. 249.

CHAP. VIII.

GENERAL HYPOTHESES CONCERNING THE TRUTH OF THE

DOCTRINE OF CHRIST.

I. The great prejudice against our Saviour among Jews and heathens,

was the meanness of his appearance. The difference of the mira-

cles at the delivery of the Law and Gospel. II. Some general

hypotheses to clear the subserviency of miracles to the doctrine of

Christ. 1. That where the truth of a doctrine depends not on

evidence, but authority, the only way to prove the truth of the doc-

trine, is to prove the testimony of the revealer to be infallible.

Things may be true, which depend not on evidence of the things.

What that is, and on what it depends. The uncertainty of natu-

ral knowledge. III. The existence of God the foundation of all

certainty. The certainty of matter of faith proved from the same

principle. Our knowledge of any thing supposeth something in-

comprehensible. IV. The certainty of faith as great as that of

knowledge; the grounds of it stronger. The consistency of ra-

tional evidence with faith; yet objects of faith exceed reason; the

absurdities following the contrary opinion. VI. The uncertainty

of that which is called reason. VII. Philosophical dictates no

standard of reason. Of transubstantiation and ubiquity, &c. why

rejected as contrary to reason. The foundation of faith in matters

above reason. VIII. Which is infallible testimony; that there

are ways to know which is infallible, proved. 2. Hypoth. A Di-

vine testimony the most infallible. The resolution of faith into

God's veracity as its formal object. IX. 3. Hypoth. A Divine tes-

timony may be known, though God speak not immediately. Of

inspiration among the Jews, and divination among the heathens.

XII. 4. Hypoth. The evidence of a Divine testimony must be clear

and certain. XIII. Of the common motives of faith, and the

obligation to faith arising from them. The original of infi-

delity.

.275.

CHAP. IX.

THE RATIONAL EVIDENCE OF THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIAN

RELIGION FROM MIRACLES.

I. The possibility of miracles appears from God and Providence; the

evidence of a Divine testimony by them. God alone can really

alter the course of nature. The Devil's power of working miracles

considered. Of Simon Magus, Apollonius. The cures in the tem-

ple of Esculapius at Rome, &c. II. God never works miracles

but for some particular end. The particular reasons of the mira-

cles of Christ. The repealing the law of Moses, which had been

settled by miracles. Why Christ checked the Pharisees for de-

manding a sign, when himself appeals to his miracles. The power

of Christ's miracles on many who did not thoroughly believe.

III. Christ's miracles made it evident that he was the Messias, be-

cause the predictions were fulfilled in him. Why John Baptist

wrought no miracles. IV. Christ's miracles necessary for the

overthrow of the Devil's kingdom. V. Of the demoniacs and lu-

natics in the Gospel, and in the primitive Church. The power of

the name of Christ over them largely proved by several testimonies.

VI. The evidence thence of a Divine power in Christ. VII. Of

counterfeit dispossessions. Of miracles wrought among infidels.

VIII. Of the future state of the Church. IX. The necessity of

the miracles of Christ, as to the propagation of Christian religion:

that proved from the condition of the publishers, and the success

of the doctrine. The apostles knew the hazard of their employ-

ment before they entered into it. X. The boldness and resolution

of the apostles notwithstanding this, compared with heathen phi-

losophers. XI. No motive could carry the apostles through their

employment but the truth of their doctrine; XII. not seeking the

honour, profit, or pleasure of the world. XIII. The apostles' evi-

dence of the truth of their doctrine lay in being eyewitnesses

of our Saviour's miracles and resurrection. XIV, XV, XVI,

XVII, XVIII. That attested by themselves; their sufficiency thence

for preaching the Gospel. XIX. Of the nature of the doctrine of

the Gospel; Contrariety of it to natural inclinations. XX. Strange

success of it, notwithstanding it came not with human power.

No Christian emperor, till the Gospel universally preached. XXI,

XXII, XXIII, XXIV. The weakness and simplicity of the instru-

ments which preached the Gospel. From all which the great evi-

dence of the power of miracles is proved

CHAP. X.

THE DIFFERENCE OF TRUE MIRACLES FROM FALSE.

.307.

I. The unreasonableness of rejecting the evidence from miracles, be-

cause of impostures. That there are certain rules of distinguishing

true miracles from false, and Divine from diabolical, proved from

God's intention in giving a power of miracles, and the providence

of God in the world. II. The inconvenience of taking away the

rational grounds of faith, and placing it on self-evidence. Of the

self-evidence of the Scriptures, and the insufficiency of that for re-

solving the question about the authority of the Scriptures. III. Of

the pretended miracles of impostors and false Christs; as Barcho-

chebas, David el-David, and others. IV. The rules whereby to

judge true miracles from false. 1. True Divine miracles are

wrought to confirm a Divine testimony. V. No miracles neces-

sary for the certain conveyance of a Divine testimony: proved

from the evidences that the Scriptures could not be corrupted.

VI. 2. No miracles Divine which contradict Divine revelation.

Of popish miracles. VII. 3. Divine miracles leave Divine effects

on those who believe them. Of the miracles of Simon Magus.

VIII. 4. Divine miracles tend to the overthrow of the Devil's

power in the world: the antipathy of the doctrine of Christ to the

Devil's design in the world. IX. 5. The distinction of true mira-

cles from others, from the circumstances and manner of their ope-

ration. The miracles of Christ compared with those of the hea-

then gods. X. 6. God makes it evident to all impartial judgments,

that Divine miracles exceed created power. This manifested from

the unparalleled miracles of Moses and our Saviour. From all

which the rational evidence of Divine revelation is manifested, as

to the persons whom God employs to teach the world....... 409.

BOOK III.

CHAP. I.

OF THE BEING OF GOD.

I. The principles of all religion lie in the being of God, and immor-

tality of the soul; from them the necessity of a particular Divine

revelation rationally deduced; the method laid down for proving

the Divine authority of the Scriptures. II. Why Moses doth not

prove the being of God, but suppose it. III. The notion of a

Deity very consonant to reason. Of the nature of Ideas, and par-

ticularly of the idea of God. IV. How we can form an idea of

an infinite Being. V, VI. How far such an idea argues existence,

VII, VIII. The great unreasonableness of atheism demonstrated.

Of the hypotheses of the Aristotelian and Epicurean atheists.

IX. The atheists' pretences examined and refuted. X, XI, XII, XIII.

Of the nature of the arguments whereby we prove there is a God.

of universal consent, and the evidence of that to prove a Deity

and immortality of souls. XIV, XV. Of necessity of existence

implied in the notion of God; and how far that proves the being

of God. XVI. The order of the world, and usefulness of the parts

of it, and especially of man's body, an argument of a Deity.

XVII. Some higher principle proved to be in the world than mat-

ter and motion. XVIII. The nature of the soul, and possibility of

its subsisting after death. XIX. Strange appearances in nature

not solvable by the power of imagination..

441.

ORIGINES

ORIGINES SACRE.

BOOK I.

CHAP. I.

THE OBSCURITY AND DEFECT OF ANCIENT HISTORY.

I. II. III. IV. The knowledge of truth proved to be the most

natural perfection of the rational soul; V. Yet error often mistaken for truth: the accounts of it. VI. Want of diligence in its search; VII. VIII. The mixture of truth and falsehood: thence comes either rejecting truth for the error's sake, or embracing the error for the truth's sake; IX. The first instanced in heathen philosophers, XIII. The second in vulgar heathen. X. XI. XII. Of philosophical atheism, and the grounds of it. XIV. The history of antiquity very obscure. XV. The question stated, where the true history of ancient times is to be found? in heathen histories, or only in Scripture? XVI. The want of credibility in heathen histories asserted and proved by the general defect for want of timely records among heathen nations; the reason of it shewed from the first plantations of the world. XVII. The manner of them discovered. The original of civil government. XVIII. Of hieroglyphics. XIX. The use of letters among the Greeks no older than Cadmus ; XX. His time inquired into: no older than Joshua: XXI. The learning brought into Greece by him.

I.

1.

INQUIRIES after truth have that peculiar commend- CHAP. ation above all other designs, that they come on purpose to gratify the most noble faculty of our souls, and do most immediately tend to advance the highest perfection of our rational beings. For all our most laudable endeavours after knowledge now, are only the