IX.

ness at that time could be. We have already proved CHAP. the apostles could not possibly have any other motive. to affirm what they did, but full conviction of the truth of what they spake; but now, if any among the Jews at that time had asserted any thing contrary to the apostles, we have a clear account of it, and what motive might induce them to it; viz. the preserving of their honour and reputation with the people, the upholding their traditions, besides their open and declared enmity against Christ, without any sufficient reason at all for it. Now who would believe the testimony of the Scribes and Pharisees, who had so great authority among the people, which they were like to lose if Christ's doctrine were true, before that of the apostles, who parted with all for the sake of Christ, and ventured themselves wholly upon the truth of our Saviour's doctrine? 4. None ever did so much to attest the negative, as the apostles did to prove their fidelity as to the affirmative. Had sufficient counter-witness been timely produced, we cannot think the apostles would have run so many continual hazards in preaching the things which related to the person and actions of Christ. Did ever any lay down their lives to undeceive the world, if the apostles were guilty of abusing it? 5. The number of such persons had been inconsiderable, in comparison of those who were so fully persuaded of the truth of those things which concern our Saviour; who were all ready (as most of them did) to seal the truth of them with their lives. Whence should so many men grow so suddenly confident of the truth of such things, which were contrary to their former persuasions, interest, education, had they not been delivered in such a way, that they were assured of the undoubted truth of them? Which brings me to the last proposition; which is,

BOOK ́ II.

XVIII.

Prop. 5.

Matters of fact being first believed on the account of eyewitnesses, and received with an universal and uncontrolled assent by all such persons who have thought themselves concerned in knowing the truth of them, do yield a sufficient foundation for a firm assent to be built upon. I take it for granted that there is sufficient foundation for a firm assent, where there can be no reason given to question the evidence; which, that there is not in this present case, will appear from these following considerations.

1. That the multitudes of those persons who did believe these things, had liberty and opportunity to be satisfied of the truth of them before they believed them; therefore no reason or motive can be assigned on which they should be induced to believe these things, but the undoubted evidence of truth which went along with them. I confess in Mahometism a very great number of persons have for some centuries of years continued in the belief of the doctrine of Mahomet; but then withal there is a sufficient account to be given of that, viz. the power of the sword, which keeps them in awe, and strictly forbids all the followers of Mahomet to dispute their religion at all, or compare it with any other. other. Therefore I can no more wonder at this, than I do to see so great a part of the world under the tyranny of the great Turk. Neither, on the other side, do I wonder that such a multitude of those professing Christianity should, together with it, believe a great number of erroneous doctrines, and live in the practice of many gross superstitions; because I consider what a strange prevalency education hath upon softer spirits and more easy intellectuals, and what an awe an inquisition bears upon timorous and irresolved persons. But now when a great multitude of persons, sober and inquisitive, shall, contrary

IX.

i. 27.

to the principles of their education, and without fear CHAP. of any human force, (which they beforehand see will persecute them,) and after diligent inquiry made into the grounds on which they believe, forsake all their former persuasions, and resolvedly adhere to the truth of the doctrine propounded to them, though it cost them their lives; if this gives us not reason to think this doctrine true, we must believe mankind to be the most unhappy creatures in the world, that will with so much resolution part with all advantages of this life for the sake of one to come, if that be not undoubtedly certain, and the doctrine proposing it infallibly true. It is an observable circumstance in the propagation of Christian religion, that though God made choice at first of persons generally of mean rank and condition in the world to be preachers of the Gospel, God thereby making it appear that our faith did not stand in Cor. ii. 5. the wisdom of men, but in the power of God, and therefore chose the weak things of the world to confound the strong; yet soon after the Gospel was preached abroad in the world, we find persons of great place and reputation, of great parts and abilities, engaged in the profession of the Christian faith. In the history of the Acts we read of Sergius a proconsul, of Dionysius the Areopagite, converted to the faith; and in the following ages of the Church, many persons of great esteem for their excellent learning and abilities. Such was Justin Martyr, one who, before he became a Christian, was conversant with all sects of philosophers, Stoics, Peripatetics, Pythagoreans, and at last was a professed Platonist, till he was converted from Plato to Christ; and then found that true which he speaks of in his Dialogue with Trypho, that after all his inquiries into philosophy, speaking of the doctrine log. cum of Christ, ταύτην μόνην εὕρισκον φιλοσοφίαν ἀσφαλῆ τε καὶ Tryph.

Justin. Dia

p. 225. ed. Par.

II.

log. cum Tryph. p. 226.

ed. Par.

ΒΟΟΚ σύμφορον, I found this at last to be the only sure and -profitable philosophy. And when Trypho after derides him as a man of very easy faith, who would leave the doctrine of Plato for that of Christ, (for it seems by him the Jews then had a more favourable opinion of the state of Platonists than Christians,) Justin is so far from being moved with such reproaches, that he tells him he would undertake to demonstrate to him, Justin.Dia- ὅτι οὐ κενοῖς ἐπιστεύσαμεν μύθοις, οὐδὲ ἀναποδείκτοις λόγοις, ἀλλὰ μεστοῖς πνεύματος θείου καὶ δυνάμει βρύουσι, καὶ τεθηλόσι Xápiti, that the Christians did not give credit to empty fables and unprovable assertions, but to such a doctrine as was full of a Divine spirit and power, and flourished with grace; the proving of which is the subject of that discourse. At Alexandria we meet with a succession of excellent persons, all which were not only embracers themselves, but defenders of the Christian faith; for setting aside there Abilius, Justus, Cerdo, Eumenes, Marcus, Celadion, Agrippinus, Julianus, Demetrius, and others who flourished about the second century, I shall only fix on those persons who were famous inquirers after truth, and noted for excellency in heathen learning; yet these persons, after all their inquiries, found nothing to fix on but the Christian faith, and valued no other discovery of truth in comparison with that. Such was Pantænus, who, as Eusebius tells us, was an excellent Stoic before he became a Christian, and was after so eminent a one, that, in imitation of the apostles, he went into India to convert the inhabitants to the Christian faith, and at his return was made rector of the school at Alexandria; which, as the same author tells us, was much freEuseb. quented by such who were ἐν λόγῳ καὶ τῇ περὶ τὰ θεῖα C. σoudy duvaroi, well skilled in human as well as Divine

Hist. Eccl.

v. c. 10.

learning. How excellent Pantænus was in human

ed. Cant. learning.

Ibid. l. vi.

c. 19.

C. 18.

IX.

learning, may appear, in that Origen and Jerome both CHAP. make his example their plea for their studying of it. After him succeeded Clemens Alexandrinus, Pantænus's scholar; a person of great depth of learning, and exquisitely skilled in all heathen antiquities, as appears by his remaining writings. The learning of Origen is sufficiently known; which was in such great reputation in his own time, that not only Christians but philosophers flocked to his lectures at Alexandria, as Eusebius tells us, wherein he read the mathematics, Ibid. 1. vi. and other parts of philosophy, as well as the Scriptures; and the same author informs us, that the philosophers did dedicate their books to him, and sometimes chose him as arbitrator between them in matters of dispute; and Porphyry himself, in his books against the Christians, vouchsafed a high encomium of Origen for his excellent learning. In Origen's time, Heraclas, a presbyter of Alexandria, for five years together frequented the schools of the philosophers, and put on the philosophic pallium, βιβλία τε ἑλλήνων κατὰ δύναμιν Ibid. l. vi. Où пaÚETαι piλoλoyev, and was very conversant in the c. 19. books of the Grecian learning. Besides these, we read of Pierius and Achillas, two presbyters of Alexandria, who were τῇ καθ ̓ ἕλληνας παιδείᾳ καὶ φιλοσοφίᾳ δεδοκιμασμέ vol, as Nicephorus Callistus speaks, persons well skilled Nicephor. in the Grecian learning and philosophy. If from 1. vi. c. 35Alexandria we go to Cæsarea, there we not only meet with a school of learning among the Christians, but with persons very eminent in all kinds of learning; such were the famous Pamphilus and Eusebius so great an admirer of him, that ever since he is called Eusebius Pamphili. At Antioch was Dorotheus, av παντοίων λόγων καὶ παιδείας ἐλευθερίου, as Nicephorus speaks, a person versed in all kind of ingenuous literature.

Hist. Eccl.