the eye-witneffes of them concerning the actions and miracles of the bleffed Jefus (which are contained in the holy fcriptures as authentic records of them) and what a fure foundation there is for a firm affent to the truth of the thing it contains from fo univerfal and uninterrupted a tradition.

No rational account can be given for the admirable fuccefs which the gofpel met with in the world in its preaching, unless the doctrine and miracles of the bleffed Jefus were undoubtedly true.

That the gospel of Chrift has been propagated with very wonderful fuccefs is extremely evident from the long continuance of it in the European part of the world.

That this wonderful fuccefs fhould be an evidence of the truth of it will appear, if we confider how the doctrine itsfelf was contrary to the general inclinations of the world, and how the propagation of it was fo much opposed by all worldly power. The doctrine may be confidered either as to its credenda, or matters of faith; or as to its agenda, or matters of life and practice : both these were contrary to the inclinations of the world; the former feemed hard and incredible, the latter harsh and impoffible. The matters of faith which are to be believed by the world, were no fuch things which we may imagine the vulgar part of mankind. would be very forward to run after, or embrace, because contrary to the principles of their education, and the religion they were brought up in. The generality of mankind are very tenacious of those principles and prejudices which are fucked in at the time of their childhood and youth.

There

There are fome religions, the articles whereof are fo wild and monftrous, one would think it were impoffible that any rational creature fhould believe them: but they believe them moftly or only for this poor reason, because they are bred up under them: for most certainly it is a very great advantage, that any religion has against another, that it comes to speak first, and thereby infinuates such an apprehenfion of itsself to the mind, that becomes very difficult ever after to remove its prejudices, and fo can't be easily brought to alter their opinion and judgment, though it be proposed in the most rational and convincing way and manner.

All those who have been bred up under paganism and the most grofs idolatry, have therefore a very prevailing prejudice against such a doctrine, which was intirely irreconcileable with that religion which they had been devoted to. The stronger any prejudices are fixed in the minds of mankind by education and custom, the greater ftrength and power must that neceffarily be in the gospel of Chrift, which did fo effectually demolish these strong holds, and captivate the understandings of mankind to the obedience of Chrift.

Therefore Arnobius (Arnob. c. gentes 1. 1.) tells the heathens that it is impoffible to fuppofe fo many perfons of fo many nations to be fo far befotted and infatuated, as not only to believe a religion to be true, which was contrary to that they were educated in, but to venture their lives as well as eftates upon it, had it not been discovered to them in a moft certain and infallible way, by fuch who had been eye-witnesses of the actions and miracles of Chrift and his apoftles.

This

This therefore is fufficient to perfwade and convince men on what firm foundations the faith of chriftians stands, when in so short a time it was spread over all parts of the world; and by the gofpel the most barbarous, inhuman nations were foftened into more than mere civility.

That men of the greatest wit and parts, Orators, Grammarians, Rhetoricians, Lawyers, Phyficians, Philofophers, have forfaken their former fentiments, and have very cordially embraced the doctrine of the bleffed Jefus. Therefore if the power of education be so strong upon the minds of mankind, to perfwade them of the truth of the religion they are bred up under, (which atheistical and you deiftically difpofed perfons make advantage of) this is fo far from weakening the truth of christianity, that it proves a great confirmation of it: its having obtained fuch great fuccefs upon its first preaching in the world, and notwithstanding the highest prejudices from education were against it. If then mankind be fo prone to believe that to be most true which they have only been educated under, it must argue a more than ordinary evidence and power in Chrift's religion, which unfettles, yea eradicates the very principles of their education; which not only caufes them to queftion the truth of them, but totally renounce them, and embrace a religion diametrically oppofite to them. If we confider the inveterate prejudices the principles of their education were backed with among the heathens; when the gofpel of the bleffed Jefus was firft made known to them, and what plaufible pretences they had of continuing in this religion which they were brought up

in,

in, fuch as the pretended antiquity of it above the chriftian, it is to be wondered that so many were so soon and eafy prevailed with to overcome their prejudice. The grand thing pleaded against the chriftians was, that they thought themfelves wiser than their forefathers. Cotta in Tully, De Nat. Deorum, 1. 3. laid this down, that the main principle of Pagan religion was, to believe the tradition of their forefathers, although there be no existence in reason for it. And after he had discovered the vanity of the ftoical arguments about religion, concludes with this, as the only thing that he refolved his religion into, as follows:

"It is enough for us (say they) that it comes by "tradition from our forefathers."

Lactantius fully fets forth the manner of pleading used by the heathens against the christians in the point of antiquity, Lactant. de Orig. Error. 1. 2. c. 6. That they counted tradition infallible, and knew no other way to find the truth of religion, but by its being conveyed down to them from their forefathers.

How fimilar do such persons plead, who contend for the corruptions crept into the christian church, who make use of the fame weak pretences for them, viz. that they were delivered down from the Fathers? Who are you (say they) that will fee farther than antiquity? Now the very fame arguments by which the profeffors of christianity justified the truth of their religion, (notwithstanding this pretended antiquity) will, with equal force, hold for a reformation of fuch inveterate abuses, which, under a pretence of antiquity, have crept into the chriftian church.

Where

Where reafon and mere authority ftands in oppofition, he must be of a very weak understanding that knows not on which fide to determine, with the greatest strength of argument, the jufteft way of reasoning.

Arnobius speaks thus, c. gent. 1. 2. when mankind are charged with revolting from the religion of their forefathers, the fact is not presently to be condemned, but men are to fee to examine the reasons of it. Neither ought they fo much to look at what religion they have left, as what it is they have embraced. If mere departing from the religion of our ancestors be the great fault, all those who own themselves to be chriftians were themfelves guilty of it, when they revolted from heathenism. If it be here faid the cafe is different, because there was fufficient reason for it, which there is not, as to the corruptions crept into the chriftian church: if fo, then all the difputes are taken off from matter of fact, or from the causes inducing to it.

Therefore if the proteftants be not able (as to the reasons and causes of their separations from the Romish church) to manifeft that they were fufficient and rational to every unprejudiced reasonable mind, let them then be blamed and charged with herefy, but not before.

The rational and just definition of heresy is, that it holds and fupports opinions contrary to the fundamental points of religion, which is the cafe of the church of Rome, who pronounces herself infallible, and that no christians of any other denomination are in a falvable condition.