Richard Allestree · 4 of 14

Section II. The Divine Original, Endearments and Authority of the Holy Scripture. · Part 2

30. ’TIS true, there have been by God permitted lying miracles, as well as true ones have been done by him; such as were those of the Magicians in Egypt, in opposition to the other of Moses; but then the difference between both was so conspicuous, that he must be more partial and disingenuous, than even those Magicians were, who would not acknowledge the disparity, and confess in those which were truely supernatural the finger of God, Exod. 8. 19. Therefore both in the Old and New Testament it is predicted, that false Prophets should arise, and do signs and wonders, Deut. 13. 1. Matt. 24. 11, 24. as a trial of their fidelity who made profession of Religion; whether they would prefer the few and trivial sleights which recommend a deceiver, before those great and numberless miracles which attested the sacred Oracles deliver’d to the sons of men by the God of truth. Whether the trick of a Barchochebas, to hold fire in his mouth; that of Marcus the Heretick, to make the Wine of the Holy Sacrament appear blood; or that of Mahomet, to bring a Pidgeon to his ear, ought to be put in balance against all the Miracles wrought by Moses, our Saviour, or his Apostles. And in a word; whether the silly stories which Iamblichus solemnly relates of Pythagoras, or those Philostratus tells of Apollonius Tyaneus, deserve to rival those of the Evangelists. It is a most just judgment, and accordingly threatned by Almighty God that they who would not obey the truth should believe a lie, 2 Thes. 2. 11. But still the Almighty, where, any man or devil do’s proudly, is evidently above him, Exod. 18. 11. will be justified in his sayings, and be clear when he is judged, Rom. 3. 4.

31. BUT if men will be Scepticks, and doubt every thing, they are to know that the matter call’d into question, is of a nature that admits but two waies of solution; probability, and testimony. First for probability, let it be consider’d, who were the first promulgers of Christs Miracles. In his life time they were either the patients on whom his Miracles were wrought, or the common people, that were spectators: the former, as they could not be deceiv’d themselves, but must needs know whether they were cur’d or no; so what Imaginable design could they have to deceive others? Many indeed have pretended impotency as a motive of compassion; but what could they gain by owning a cure they had not? As for the Spectators, as their multitude adds to their credibility; (it being morally impossible that so many should at once be deluded in a matter so obvious to their senses) so do’s it also acquit them from fraud and combination. Cheats and forgeries are alwaies hatch’d in the dark, in close Cabals, and private Junctos. That five thousand men at one time, and four thousand at another, should conspire to say, that they were miraculously fed, when they were not; and all prove true to the fiction, and not betray it, is a thing as irrational to be suppos’d, as impossible to be parallel’d.

32. BESIDES, admit it possible that so many could have join’d in the deceit, yet what imaginable end could they have in it? Had their lie been subservient to the designs of some potent Prince that might have rewarded it, there had been some temptation: but what could they expect from the reputed Son of a Carpenter, who had not himself where to lay his head? Nay, who disclaim’d all secular power; convey’d himself away from their importunities, when they would have forced him to be a King: And consequently, could not be look’d on as one that would head a Sedition, or attempt to raise himself to a capacity of rewarding his Abettors. Upon all thee considerations, there appears not the least shadow of probability, that either those particular persons who publish’d the cures they had receiv’d, or those multitudes who were witnesses and divulgers of those, or his other miracles, could do it upon any sinister design, or indeed upon any other motive but gratitude and admiration.

33. IN the next place, if we come to those miracles which succeeded Christs death, those most important; and convincing of his Resurrection and Ascension, and observe who were the divulgers of those, we shall find them very unlikely to be men of design; a set of illiterate men, taken from the Fisher-Boats, and other mean occupations: and such as needed a miracle as great as any of those they were to assert (the descent of the Holy Ghost) to fit them for their office. What alas could they drive at, or how could they hope that their testimony could be received, so much against the humour and interest of the present Rulers; unless they were assur’d not only of the truth of the things, but also of some supernatural aids to back and fortify them? Accordingly we find, that till they had receiv’d those; till by the descent of the Holy Ghost they were endued with power from on high, Luk. 24. 49. they never attempted the discovery of what they had seen: but rather hid themselves, kept all their assemblies in privacy and concealment, for fear of the Jews, Jo. 20. 10. and so were far enough from projecting any thing besides their own safety. Afterwards, when they began to preach, they had early Essays, what their secular advantages would be by it; threatnings and revilings, scourgings and imprisonments, Act. 4. 20. 5. 18, 40. And can it be imagined, that men who a little before had shewed themselves so little in love with suffering, that none of them durst stick to their Master at his apprehension, but one forswore, and all forsook him; can it, 1 say, be imagin’d that these men should be so much in love with their own Fable, as to venture all sorts of persecution for the propagating it? Or if they could, let us in the next place consider what probability there could be of success.

34. THEIR preaching amounted to no less than the Deifying of one, whom both their Roman and Jewish Rulers, nay, the generality of the people had executed as a malefactor: so that they were all engag’d, in defence of their own Act, to lift their testimony with all the rigour that conscious jealousy could suggest. And where were so many concern’d inquisitors, there was very little hope for a forgery to pass. Besides the avow’d displeasure of their Governours made it a hazardous thing to own a belief of what they asserted. Those that adher’d to them could not but know, that at the same time they must espouse their dangers and sufferings. And men use not to incur certain mischiefs, upon doubtful and suspicious grounds.

35. YET farther, their doctrine was design’d to an end to which their Auditors could not but have the greatest reluctancy: they were to struggle with that rooted prepossession which the Jews had for the Mosaical Law, which their Gospel out-dated; and the Gentiles for the Rites and Religion of their Ancestors; and, which was harder than either, the corruptions and vices of both: to plant humility and internal sanctity, so contrary to that ceremonial holiness, upon which the Jews so valued themselves, and despis’d others: and Temperance, Justice, and Purity, so contrary to the practice, nay, even the religion of the Heathen: and to attempt all this with no other allurement, no other promise of recompence but what they must attend in another world, and pass too through reproaches and afflictions, torments and death; These were all such invincible prejudices, as they could never hope to break thorough with a lie; nay, which they could not have encounter’d even with every common truth, but only with that, which being divine, brought its aids with it; without which ’twas utterly impossible for all the skill or oratory of men to overcome such disadvantages.

36. AND yet with all these did these rude inartificial men contest, and that with signal success: no less than three thousand Proselytes made by Saint Peter’s first Sermon; and that in Jerusalem, the Scene where all was acted; and consequently where ’twas the most impossible to impose a forgery. And at the like miraculous rate they went on, till as the Pharisees themselves complain, they had filled Jerusalem with their doctrine, Acts 5. 28. nor did Judea set bounds to them; their sound went out into all Nations, Rom. 10. 18, and their doctrine spread it self through all the Gentile world.

37. AND sure so wonderful an event, so contrary to all humane measures, do’s sufficiently evince there was more than man in it. Nothing but the same creative Power that produc’d light out of darkness, could bring forth effects so much above the proportion of the cause. Had these weak instruments acted only by their natural powers, nothing of this had been achiev’d. Alas could these poor rude men learn all Languages within the space of fifty days, which would take up almost as many years of the most industrious Student? and yet had they not been able to speak them, they could never have divulg’d the Gospel to the several Nations, nor so effectually have convinc’d the by-standers, Acts 2. that they acted by a higher impulse. And to convince the world they did so, they repeated their Masters miracles as well as his doctrine; heal’d the sick cast out devils, rais’d the dead. And where God communicated so much of his power, we may reasonably conclude he did it to promote his own work, not the work of the devil, as it must have been if this whole Scene were a lie.

38. WHEN all this is weigh’d, I presume there will remain little ground to suspect that the first planters of Christian Faith had any other design than what they avowed, viz. the bringing men to holiness here, and salvation hereafter. The suspicion therefore, if any, must rest upon latter times; and accordingly some are willing to perswade themselves and others, that the whole Scheme of our Religion is but a lately devis’d Fable to keep the world in awe, whereof Princes have made some use, but Clergy-men more; and that Christ and his Apostles are only actors whom themselves have conjured up upon the Stage to pursue their plot.

39. 1N answer to this bold, this blasphemous suggestion, I should first desire these Surmisers to point out the time when, and the persons who began this design; to tell us exactly whence they date this politick Religion, as they are pleas’d to suppose it. If they cannot, they are manifestly unjust to reject our account of it when they can give none themselves; and fail very much of that rigid demonstration they require from others. That there is such a profession as Christianity in the world, is yet (God be blest) undeniable; (though at the rate it has of late declin’d, God knows how long it will be so:) we say it came by Christ, and his Apostles, and that it is attested by an uninterrupted testimony of all the intervening Ages, the suffrage of all Christian Churches from that day to this. And sure they who embraced the Doctrine, are the most competent witnesses from whence they receiv’d it.

40. YET lest they should be all thought parties to the design, and their witness excepted against, it has pleas’d God to give us collateral assurances, and make both Jewish and Gentile Writers give testimony to the Antiquity of Christianity. Josephus do’s this, lib. 20. chap. 8. and lib. 18. chap. 4. where, after he has given an account of the crucifixion of Christ exactly agreeing with the Evangelists he concludes, And to this day the Christian people, who of him borrow their name, cease not to increase. I add not the personal elogium which he gives of our Saviour; because some are so hardy to controul it: also I pass by what Philo mentions of the religious in Egypt, because several Learned men refer it to the Essens, a Sect among the Jews, or some other. There is no doubt of what Tacitus and other Roman Historians speak of Christ as the Author of the Christian doctrine; which it had been impossible for him to have done, if there had then been no such doctrine, or if Christ had not been known as the Founder of it. .So afterward Pliny gives the Emperour Trajan an account both of the manners, and multitude of the Christians; and makes of the innocence of the one, and the greatness of the other, an Argument to slacken the persecution against them. Nay, the very bloody Edicts of the persecuting Emperors, and the scoffs and reproaches of Celsus, Porphyry, Lucian, and other profane opposers of this Doctrine, do undeniably assert its being. By all which it appears, that Christianity had in those Ages not only a being, but had also obtain’d mightily in the world, and drawn in vast numbers to its profession: and vast indeed they must needs be, to furnish out that whole Army of Martyrs, of which profane, as well as Ecclesiastick writers speak. And if all this be not sufficient to evince that Christianity stole not clancularly into the world, but took its rise from those times and Persons it pretends, we must renounce all faith of Testimony, and not believe an inch farther than we see.

41. I suppose I need say no more to shew that the Gospel, and all those portentous miracles which attested it, were no forgeries, or stratagems of men. I come now to that doubt which more immediately concerns the Holy Scripture, viz. whether all those transactions be so faithfully related there, that we may believe them to have been dictated by the spirit of God. Now for this, the process need be but short, if we consider who were the Pen-men of the New Testament; even for the most part of the Apostles themselves: Matthew, and John who wrote two of the Gospels were certainly so: and Mark, as all the Ancients aver, was but the Amanuensis to Saint Peter, who dictated that Gospel. Saint Luke indeed comes not under this first rank of Apostles; yet is by some affirm’d to be one of the seventy Disciples: however an Apostolical person ’tis certain he was, and it was no wonder for such to be inspir’d. For in those first Ages of the Church men acted more by immediate inflation of the Spirit than since. And accordingly we find Stephen, tho’ but a Deacon, had the power of Miracles and preach’d as divine as the prime Apostles, Acts 7. And the gift of the Holy Ghost was then a usuial concomitant of conversion, as appears in the Story of Cornelius, Acts 10. 45, 46. Besides, Saint Luke was a constant attendant on Saint Paul (who deriv’d the Faith not from man, but by the immediate revelation of Jesus Christ, as himself professes, Galat. 1. 12.) and is by some said to have wrote by dictate from him, as Mark did from Saint Peter. Then as to the Epistles they all bear the names of Apostles, except that to the Hebrews, which yet is upon very good grounds presum’d to be Saint Paul`s. Now these were the Persons commissionated by Christ to preach the Christian doctrine, and were signally assisted in the discharge of that office; so that as he tells them, it was not they, who speak, but the spirit of the Father that spake in them, Matt. 13. 11. And if they spake by Divine Inspiration, there can be no question that they wrote so also. Nay, indeed of the two, it seems more necessary they should do the latter. For had they err’d in any thing they orally deliver’d, they might have retracted and cured the mischief: but these Books being design’d as a standing immutable rule of Faith and Manners to all successions, any errour in them would have been irreparable, and have entail’d it self upon posterity: which agreed neither with the truth, nor goodness of God to permit.

42. NOW that these Books were indeed writ by them whose names they bear, we have as much assurance as ’tis possible to have of any thing of that nature, and that distance of time from us. For however some of them may have been controverted, yet the greatest part have admitted no dispute; whole Doctrines agreeing exactly with the others, give testimony to them. And to the bulk of those writings, it is notorious that the first Christians receiv’d them from the Apostles, and so transmitted them to the ensuing Ages, which receiv’d them with the like esteem and veneration. They cannot be corrupted, faies Saint Austin in the thirty second Book against Faustis the Manich. c. 16. because they are and have been in the hands of all Christians. And whosoever should first attempt an alteration, he would be confuted by the inspection of other ancienter Copies. Besides, the Scriptures are not in some one Language, but translated into many: so that the faults of one Book would be corrected by others more ancient, or in a different Tongue.

43. AND how much the body of Christians were in earnest concern’d to take care in this matter, appears by very costly evidences; multitudes of them choosing rather to part with their lives than their Bibles. And indeed ’tis a sufficient proof, that their reverence of that Book was very avowed and manifest; when their Heathen persecutors made that one part of their persecution. So that as wherever the Christian Faith was receiv’d, this Book was also, under the notion we now plead for, viz. as the writings of men inspir’d by God: so it was also contended for even unto death: and to part with the Bible was to renounce the Faith. And now, after such a cloud of testimonies, we may sure take up that (ill apply’d) saying of the High Priest, Matt. 26. 65. what farther need have we of witnesses.

44. YET besides these, another sort of witnesses there are, I mean those intrinsick evidences which arise out of the Scripture it self; but of these I think not proper here to insist, partly because the subject will be in a great degree coincident with that of the second general consideration; and partly because these can be argumentative to none who are not qualified to discern them. Let those who doubt the Divine Original of Scripture, well digest the former grounds which are within the verge of reason; and when by those they are brought to read it with due reverence, they will not want Arguments from the Scripture it self to confirm their veneration of it.

45. IN the mean time, to evince how proper the former discourse is to found a rational belief that the Scripture is the word of God, I shall compare it with those measures of credibility upon which all humane transactions move, and upon which men trust their greatest concerns without diffidence or dispute.

46. THAT we must in many things trust the report of others, is so necessary, that without it humane society cannot subsist. What a multitude of subjects are there in the world, who never saw their Prince, nor were at the making of any Law? if all these should deny their obedience, because they have it only by hear-say, that there is such a man, and such Laws, what would become of Government? So also for property, if nothing of testimony may be admitted, how shall any man prove his right to any thing? All pleas must be decided by the sword, and we shall fall into that state (which some have fancied the primitive) of universal hostility. In like manner for traffick and commerce; how should any Merchant first attempt a trade to any foreign part of the world, if he did not believe that such a place there was? and how could he believe that, but upon the credit of those who have been there? Nay, indeed how could any man first attempt to go but to the next Market Town, if he did not from the report of others, conclude that such a one there was? so that if this universal diffidence should prevail, every man should be a kind of Plantagnus, fix’d to the soil he first sprung up in. The absurdities are indeed so infinite, and so obvious, that I need not dilate upon them.

47. BUT it will perhaps be said, that in things that are told us by our contemporaries, and that relate to our own time, men will be less apt to deceive us, because they know ’tis in our power to examine and discover the truth. To this I might say, that in many instances it would scarce quit cost to do so, and the inconveniences of tryal would exceed those of belief. But 1 shall willingly admit this probable argument, and only desire it may be applied to our main question, by considering whether the primitive Christians who receiv’d the Scripture as divine, had not the same security of not being deceiv’d, who had as great opportunities of examining, and the greatest concern of doing it throughly, since they were to engage, not only their future hopes in another world, but (that which to nature is much more sensible) all their present enjoyments, and even life it self upon the truth of it.

48. BUT because it must be confess’d that we who are so many Ages remov’d from them, have not their means of assurance; let us in the next place consider, whether an assent to those testimonies they have left behind them, be not warranted by the common practice of mankind in other cases. Who is there that questions there was such a man as William the Conqueror in this Island? Or, to lay the Scene farther, who doubts there was an Alexander, a Julius Cæsar, an Augustus? Now what have we to found this confidence on besides the Faith of History? And I presume even those who exact the severest demonstrations for Ecclesiastick story, would think him a very impertinent Sceptick that should do the like in these. So also, as to the Authors of Books; who disputes whether Homer writ the Iliads, or Virgil the Æneids, or Cæsar the Commentaries, that pass under their names? yet none of these have been attested in any degree like the Scripture. ’Tis said indeed, that Cæsar ventured his own life to save his Commentaries, imploying one hand to hold those above the water, when it should have assisted him in swiming. But whoever laid down their lives in attestation of that, or any humane composure, as multitudes of men have done for the Bible?

49. BUT perhaps ’twill be said, that the small concern men have, who wrote these, or other the like Books, inclines them to acquiesce in the common opinion. To this I must say, that many things inconsiderable to mankind have oft been very laboriously discuss’d, as appears by many unedifying Volumes, both of Philosophers and School-men. But whatever may be said in this instance, ’tis manifest there are others, wherein mens real and greatest interests are intrusted to the testimonies of former Ages. For example, a man possesses an estate which was bought by his great Grandfather, or perhaps elder Progenitor: he charily preserves that deed of purchase, and never looks for farther security of his title: yet alas, at the rate that men object against the Bible, what numberless Cavils might be rais’d against such a deed? How shall it be known that there was such a man as either Seller or Purchaser? if by the witnesses they are as lyable to doubt as the other; it being as easie to forge the attestation as the main writing: and yet notwithstanding all these possible deceits, nothing but a positive proof of forgery can invalidate this deed. Let but the Scripture have the same measure, be allowed to stand in force, to be what it pretends to be, till the contrary be (not by surmises and possible conjectures) but by evident proof evinc’d and its greatest Advocates will ask to more.

50. A like instance may be given in publick concerns; the immunities and rights of any Nation, particularly here of our Magna Charta, granted many Ages since, and deposited among the publick Records: to make this signify any thing, it must be taken for granted, that this was without falsification preserved to our times; yet how easy were it to suggest that in so long a succession of its keepers, some may have been prevail’d on by the influence of Princes to abridge and curtail its concessions; others by a prevailing faction of the people to amplify and extend it? Nay, if men were as great Scepticks in Law, as they are in Divinity, they might exact demonstrations that the whole thing were not a forgery. Yet, for all these possible surmises, we still build upon it, and should think he argued very fallaciously, that should go to evacuate it, upon the force of such remote suppositions.

51. NOW I desire it may be consider’d whether our security concerning the holy Scripture be not as great, nay, greater than it can be of this. For first, this is a concern only of a particular Nation, and so can expect no foreign attestation; and secondly, it has all along rested on the fidelity of its keepers; which has been either a single person, or at best some small number at a time; whereas the Scriptures have been witness’d to by persons of all Nations; and those not single, but collective Bodies and Societies, even as many as there have been Christian Churches throughout the world. And the same that are its Attestors have been its Guardians also, and by their multitudes made it a very difficult, if not an impossible thing to falsify it in any considerable degree; it being not imaginable, as I shew’d before from St. Austin, all Churches should combine to do it: and if they did not, the fraud could not pass undetected: and if no eminent change could happen, much less could any new, any counterfeit Gospel be obtruded, after innumerable Copies of the first had been translated into almost all Languages, and dispers’d throughout the world.

52. THE Imperial Law compil’d by Justinian, was soon after his death, by reason of the inroads of the Goths, and other barbarous Nations, utterly lost in the Western world; and scarce once heard of for the space of five hundred years, and then came casually to be retriv’d upon the taking of Amalsis by the Pisans, one single copy being found there at the plundering of the City. And the whole credit of those Pandects, which have ever since govern’d the Western world, depends in a manner on that single Book, formerly call’d the Pisan; and now, after that Pisa was taken by the Florentines, the Florentine Copy. But notwithstanding this, the body of the Civil Law obtains; and no man thinks it reasonable to question its being really what it pretends to be, notwithstanding its single, and so long interrupted derivation. I might draw this parallel thro’ many other instances, but these may suffice to shew, that if the Scripture might find but so much equity, as to be tried by the common measures of other things, it would very well pass the test.

53. BUT men seem in this case (like our late Legislators) to set up new extraregular Courts of Justice, to try those whom no ordinary rules will cast, yet their designs require should be condemn’d: And we may conclude, ’tis not the force of reason, but of prejudice, that makes them so unequal to themselves as to reject the Scripture, when they receive every thing else upon far weaker grounds. The bottom of it is, they are resolv’d not to obey its precepts; and therefore think it the shortest cut to disavow its authority; for should they once own that, they would find themselves intangled in the most inextricable dilemma; that of the Pharisees about John Baptist: If we say from heaven, he will say, why then did you not believe him? Matt. 21. 25. If they confess the Scriptures divine, they must be self-condemn’d in not obeying them. And truly men that have such preingagements to their lusts, that they must admit nothing that will disturb them; do but prevaricate when they call for greater evidence and demonstrations: for those bosom Sophisters will delude the most manifest conviction; and like Juglers make men disbelieve even their own senses. So that any other waies of evidence will be as disputable with them, as those already offer’d: which is the third thing I proposed to consider.

54. IT has been sometimes seen in popular mutinies, that when blanks have been sent them they could not agree what to ask: and were it imaginable that God should so far court the infidelity of men, as to allow them to make their own demands, to set down what waies of proof would perswade them; I doubt not there are many have obstinacy enough to defeat their own methods, as well as they do now Gods. ’Tis sure there is no ordinary way of conviction left for them to ask. God having already (as hath also been shew’d) afforded that. They must therefore resort to immediate revelation, expect instant assurances from heaven, that this Book we call the Bible is the word of God.

55. MY first question then is, in what manner this revelation must be made to appear credible to them. The best account we .have of the several waies of revelation is from the Jews, to whom God was pleas’d upon new emergencies signally to reveal himself. These were first dreams; secondly, visions; by both which the Prophets receiv’d their inspirations. Thirdly, Urim and Thummim. Fourthly, the Bath-col (as they term it) Thunder and voice from Heaven. Let us consider them distinctly, and see whether our Sceptical men may not probably find somewhat to dispute in every one of these. And first for dreams, it is among us so hard to distinguish between those that arise from constitution, prepossession of phancy, diabolical, or divine infusion, that those that have the most critically consider’d them, do rather difference them by their matter, than any certain discriminating circumstances: and unless we had some infallible way of discerning, our dependence on them may more probably betray than direct us. ’Tis unquestionable that dually phancy has the greatest stroke in them. And if he that should commit himself to the guidance of his waking phancy, is not like to be over-wisely govern’d, what can we expect from his sleeping? All this and more may doubtless be soberly enough objected against the validity of our common dreams.