because that which depended upon it was of far greater concerment to the world, and confequently mankind were more obliged to search more narrowly into it. For our Saviour's life, and death, and refurrection, we have the teftimony of a great number of eyewitnesses, who have wrote the history of these things. And though they were truly extraordinary persons, and gave teftimony to themselves by miracles; yet at present I defire no more, but that they be looked upon, as knowing and honest relators of what they heard and faw; and that the same credit be given to them which we give to Livy, and Arrian, and Q. Curtius, for plain events, and matters of fact. But yet I must add withal, that besides the miracles which they wrought, they gave greater testimony of their integrity, than any historian in the world ever did. For they willingly fuffered the greatest perfecution and torment, yea and death itself, in confirmation of the truth of what they delivered. And for the propagating of the Christian religion through fo great a part of the world, it is evident by the effect beyond all denial. So that for the matters of fact, upon which the truth of Chriftianity does depend, here is greater and more advantageous evidence of history, than for any other matter of equal antiquity whatsoever. 3. As to the substance of these matters of fact, we have the concurring testimony of the greatest enemies of the Christian religion. That there were fuch persons as our Saviour and his Apostles, that they preached fuch a doctrine, that they wrought such miracles; for this we have the acknowledgment of the Jews, and the teftimony of the heathen Hiftorians, and particularly of Celfus, and Porphyry, and Julian, who were the particular and most learned adverfaries of the Christian religion. So that as to the matters of fact, there is no objection against them, whatever use we may make of them, or whatever consequences we may draw from them. And I prefume it agreed by all objectors, that if these matters of of fact be true, they are a sufficient foundation of the truth of our religion, and we are very unequal to our religion, if we make a doubt of these things, which the greatest enemies of Christianity never had the face to deny. 4. And besides all this, to recompence the disadvantage which we have of those who saw the miracles of our Saviour and his Apostles, we have the teftimonium rei, the evidence of the effects of these things to confirm our belief of them; and this is an advantage which the first ages of Chriftianity could not have. We see our Saviour's predictions of the success of his religion in the world, in the propagating and establishing of it, fully accomplished, notwithstanding the fierce opposition and resistance that was made against it by the greatest powers of the world. We fee the dispersion of the Jews in all nations, and the misery and contempt which they every where suffer; and that now, for above sixteen hundred years, they have continued a distinct people, and a spectacle of the divine justice and severity, for rejecting and crucifying the Son of God, and for a lasting and standing testimony of the truth of our Saviour's prediction, and of the Christian religion. So that though we live at this distance from the first rise and beginning of Chriftianity; yet we have the relation of those things, which gave confirmation to it, conveyed down to us in as credible a manner as any ancient matter of fact ever was; and the effects of these things remaining to this day, do give testi. mony to the truth of it. Fourthly, It is objected, that the terms of Christianity seem very hard, and to lay too great restraints upon human nature. It commands us to mortify our lufts, and subdue our passions, and deny ungodliness, and to live soberly, and righteously, and godly in this present world: to be holy in all manner of conversation; to have respect to whatever things are honest and true, and just, and virtuous, and of good report; and to deny ourselves; and to part with the dearest enjoyments of this life, yea and with life itself, for the sake of Christ, and his gospel. Now VOL. VI. these D these seem to be very hard terms; to forego all the present pleasures and enjoyments of this life, in hopes of a future happiness which we are lefs assured of. : To this I answer, 1. That this is a greater objection against religion in general, than the Christian religion. For natural religion requires of us all the main duties that Christianity does, and gives us far less assurance of the reward of our obedience. Natural religion requires piety, and justice, and charity, the due government of our appetites and passions, as well as Christianity does, but does not discover to us the rewards of another world, by many degrees so clearly, as our Lord and Saviour, who hath brought life and immortality to light by the gospel; and by his refurrection from the dead, and ascension into heaven, hath given us full assurance of another life after this, and of a glorious immortality. So that though we have not, nor can have the evidence of sense, for a future state, yet we have all the rational evidence for it, that can be wished or expected; and much more than men have for those adventures of their lives and fortunes, which they frequently make in the world, and think themselves reasonable in so doing. 2. The restraints which Christianity lays upon men, are in the judgment of mankind so far from being an objection against it, that they are highly to the commendation of it. Nay, it were the greatest objection that could be against our religion, if it did fet us at liberty from those restraints. What can be more to the credit of any religion, than to command men to be just, and charitable, and peaceable ? and what more to the advantage of the professors of it? And on the contrary, what can reflect more upon any religion, than to indulge and allow men in any vice contrary to these? It shews men are glad to make any thing an objection against Christianity, when they lay hold of that, which if it had been otherwise, they would have have made ten times more clamour against it for the contrary. 3. As for most of these restraints which Chritianity lays upon us, they are of that nature, so much much both for our private and publick advantage, that setting aside all confiderations of religion, and of the rewards and punishments of another life, they are really good for us, and if God had not laid them upon us, we ought in reason, in order to our temporal benefit and advantage, to have laid them upon ourselves. If there were no religion, I know men would not have such strong and forcible obligations to these duties: But yet I say, though there were no religion, it were good for men, in order to temporal ends, to their health, and quiet, and reputation, and fafety; in a word, to the private and publick profperity of mankind, that men should be temperate, and chaste, and just, and peaceable, and charitable, and kind, and obliging to one another, rather than the contrary. So that religion does not create those restraints arbitrarily, but requires those things of us, which our reason, and a regard to our own advantage, which the neceffity and conveni ency of the things themselves, without any confideration of religion, would in most cases urge us to. 4. As to the cafe of perfecution for religion; besides that it does not now happen so frequently as is did in the beginning of Christianity, nay, very feldom in comparison, if all things be confidered, it cannot be thought unreasonable, both because religion of. fers to us, in confideration of our present sufferings, a happiness unspeakably greater than that which we forego for the fake of religion; and because when it happens, God does extraordinarily enable men to go through it with courage and comfort, as we fee in the examples of the primitive Christians, who in great numbers, of all tempers and ages ages, did voluntarily choose to give up themselves to these sufferings, when there was no necessity laid upon them, but fair terms of retreat were offered to them by their ene. mies. It is one thing when a man suffers by the law, and cannot help it; and another thing when men may avoid fuffering. In the former cafe, men fubmit to neceffity, and bear it as well as they can; in the latter cafe, if men suffer, it is a sign they firmly believe the reward of it; and if they suffer chearfully D 2 fully, and with joy, as most of the martyrs did, it is plain evidence that God affords them extraordinary support in their sufferings; and then the cafe is not very hard, when religion puts them upon nothing but what it gives them cause, and enables them to rejoice in the doing of it. Fifthly, It is objected, that the Christian religion is apt to difpirit men, and to break the courage and vigour of their minds, by the precepts of patience, and humility, and meekness, and forgiving injuries, and the like. This objection hath made a great noise in the world, and hath been urged by men of great reputation, and a deep infight into the tempers of men, and affairs of the world. It is faid to be particularly infifted upon by Machiavel, and very likely it may, though I think that elfewhere he is pleased to speak with terms of respect, not only of religion in general, but likewise of the Christian religion; and (which seems very much to contradict the other) he says in the first book of his discourses upon Livy, (chap. 11.) that the greatness and fuccess of Rome is chiefly to be ascribed to their piety and religion, and that Rome was more indebted to Numa Pompilius for fettling religion among them, than to Romulus the founder of their state; and the reason he gives is much to our present purpose; for, fays he, without religion there can be no military difcipline, religion being the foundation of good laws and good difcipline. And particularly he commends the Samnites, who betook themselves to religion, as their last and best remedy to make men couragious, nothing being more apt to raise mens spirits than religion. But howsoever this objection be, I dare appeal both to reason and experience for the confutation of it. 1. To reason, and that as to these two things: (1.) That the Christian religion is apt to plant in the minds of men principles of the greatest resolution and trueft courage. It teacheth men upon the best and most rational grounds to despise dangers, yea and death itself, the greatest and most formidable e |