VIII.

well fare the Pharisees: it seems they said nothing CHAP. but what might be thus far justified, that the contrary to it could not be demonstrated. And if the evidence of our Saviour's miracles were so great, as some suppose, that the Pharisees could not but be convinced that they were divine, but out of their malice and envy they uttered this blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, to keep the people from following Christ, then we hence infer two things: First, How strong an evidence there was in the miracles of Christ, when it convinced his most resolute enemies that they were divine. Secondly, What power a corrupt will may have over a convinced understanding. For although the will may not hinder conviction, yet it may soon stifle it, by suggesting those things to the mind, which may divert it from those convictions of truth, and seek to find out any ways to disgrace it. It would be no difficult task to discover, in all those instances wherein the unbelief of men is discovered in the New Testament, that the persons guilty of it did not proceed like rational men, or such as desired truth, but were wholly carried away through passion, interest, prejudice, disaffection, or some other cause of that nature; which may give us a sufficient account why those persons did not believe, although there might be clear and undoubted evidence to persuade them to it. But although I assert that these rational evidences are sufficient arguments of the truth of the doctrine they come to manifest, yet I would not be so understood, that I thereby resolve all religion into a mere act of reason and knowledge, and that no more power is required in the understanding to believe the Gospel, than to believe a mathematical demonstration: which is another objection some lay in the way of this opinion; but it is not difficult getting over it. For the sufficiency which I

II.

BOOK attribute to rational evidence is not absolute and simple, but in suo genere, as an objective evidence. Notwithstanding this, the whole work of the Spirit of God, in its peculiar energy and way of operation upon the soul, is left entire to itself: but then, when the Spirit works as to the planting of a truly Divine faith, I do not think that it only persuades the soul of the truth of a Divine testimony, but withal represents the truths revealed by that testimony, with all that excellency and suitableness that there is in them, that by the most agreeable, yet effectual influence of the Spirit upon the soul, it cheerfully embraceth that truth which is revealed, and cordially yields up itself in obedience to it. This is the Divine faith which the Scripture acquaints us with, and not such a one as merely believes the truth of a Divine testimony: and as to the production of this faith, I acknowledge mere rational evidence to be insufficient, because they proceed in two very different ways; the one is to satisfy men's minds of the truth of the doctrine; the other is to bring them effectually to adhere unto it. The asserting of the one therefore doth no more tend to destroy the other, than the saying that a telescope will help us to discover very much of the heavenly bodies, doth imply that a blind man may see them, if he makes but use of them. Although therefore the natural man cannot savingly apprehend the things of God; yet there may be so much rational evidence going along with Divine revelation, that supposing reason to be pure, and not corrupted and steeped in sense as now it is, it would discover spiritual evidence to be the most real and convincing evidence. Thus far we have proved, That where there is any infallible testimony, there is sufficient rational evidence going along with it, to make it appear that it is from God.

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 work-
ing miracles considered. Of Simon Magus, Apollonius. The
cures in the temple of Esculapius at Rome, &c. II. God
never works miracles but for some particular end. The par-
ticular reasons of the miracles of Christ. The repealing the
law of Moses, which had been settled by miracles. Why Christ
checked the Pharisees for demanding 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, because the predic-
tions 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 lunatics
in the Gospel, and in the primitive Church. The power of
the name of Christ over them largely proved by several testi-
monies. 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 pub-
lishers, and the success of the doctrine. The apostles knew the
hazard of their employment before they entered into it. X. The
boldness and resolution of the apostles notwithstanding this,
compared with heathen philosophers. 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' evidence 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, not-
withstanding it came not with human power.
emperor, till the Gospel universally preached.

No Christian
XXI, XXII,

СНАР.

IX.

BOOK

II.

I.

5 Hypoth.

XXIII, XXIV. The weakness and simplicity of the instruments which preached the Gospel. From all which the great evidence of the power of miracles is proved.

OF all rational evidences which tend to confirm the truth of a Divine testimony, there can be none greater than a power of working miracles for confirmation that the testimony which is revealed is infallible. The possibility of a power of miracles cannot be questioned by any who assert a Deity and a Providence; for by the same power that things were either at first produced, or are still conserved, (which is equivalent to the other,) the course of nature may be altered, and things caused which are beyond the power of inferior causes for though that be an immutable law of nature as to physical beings, that every thing remains in the course and order wherein it was set at the creation; yet that only holds till the same power which set it in that order shall otherwise dispose of it. Granting then the possibility of miracles, the subject of this hypothesis is: That a power of miracles is the clearest evidence of a Divine testimony, which will appear from these following considerations.

1. God alone can really alter the course of nature. I speak not of such things which are apt only to raise admiration in us, because of our unacquaintedness with the causes of them, or manner of their production, which are thence called wonders, much less of mere juggles and impostures, whereby the eyes of men are deceived; but I speak of such things as are in themselves either contrary to, or above the course of nature, i. e. that order which is established in the universe. The Devil, no question, may, and doth often deceive the world, and may, by the subtlety and agility of his nature, perform such things as may amuse the minds of men, and sometimes put them to it, to find a

IX.

difference between them and real miracles, if they only CHAP. make their senses judges of them. And such kind of wonders, though they are but sparingly done, and with a kind of secresy, (as though they were consulting with Catiline about the burning Rome,) yet the Devil would have some (especially when ignorance and superstition are ascendants) to keep up his interest in the world. Or else, when he is like to be dispossessed and thrown out of all, he tries his utmost to keep as many to him as may be thus when the Spirit of God appeared in the miracles of our Saviour and his apostles and the primitive Church, he then conjured up all the infernal powers to do something parallel, to keep possession of his idolatrous temples, as long as he could. Thus we find Simon Magus dogging the apostles (as it were) at the heels, that by his magic he might stagger the faith of people concerning the miracles wrought by the apostles after him Apollonius appeared upon the stage; but his wonders are such pitiful things, compared with those wrought by Christ or his apostles, that it could be nothing but malice in Hierocles to mention him in competition with Christ. But those things, which seem a great deal more considerable than either of these, were, the cure of a blind man, by Vespasian in Egypt, mentioned by Tacitus and Suetonius, wherein Sueton. there was a palpable imitation of our Saviour's curing the blind man in the Gospel; for the man told Vespasian, restituturum oculos si inspuisset, that he should receive his sight by his spittle: so Spartianus tells us of a woman that was cured of her blindness by kissing the knees of the emperor Adrian; and Boxhornius Boxhorn. Qu. Rom. hath produced an old table, in the temple of Æscula-qu. 7. pius at Rome, of several diseased persons that were cured there. A blind man, in the time of Antoninus, was cured by this oracle: he must come to the altar,

Vesp. c. 7.