/uu^ 
 
 1:^ 
 
 7k r 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE - 
 
 Theological Seminary, 
 
 PRINCETON, N. J^ 
 
 BT 1210 
 
 Cast 
 Shel 
 Booi 
 
 D6 1765 
 Dodd, William, 1729-1777. 
 The truth of the Christian 
 religion vindicated from 
 
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 / 
 
 J 
 
 // 
 
 // 
 
i 
 
< i i < r' «^ ' 'I 
 
 The T K u r II of the 
 
 CHRISTIAN RELIGION 
 
 Vindicaced fiom the Odjections of 
 
 UNBELIEVERS 
 
 Pariicularly, of 
 
 Mr. J 1 1 N J A M E S R O U S S E A U. 
 
 In a Serifs of DISSERTATIONS. 
 
 fty the EDITORS of the Christian's Macazinf, 
 
 Profejfirg tksm/cl-ves to he icl/e, thej became Fcalt. Rom. L la, 
 
 L C) N D O T^, 
 
 Printed for J. N i w n f. r y, at the Bible and San, In 
 St. Paul's Church-yard. 
 
 M DCC J-XV. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 ' TJ/'H E N icritrrs, held in great ejllma^ 
 tloHj Lire endeavouring^ by all mean^ 
 in their power, to difcredit the Chriftian Re- 
 ligion ; "while they make their works of en- 
 tertaijwient the ^vehicle of their poijbny and 
 injcrt their cbjeLtions againjl the truth of 
 Christ cnjen in their romances*, every at- 
 tempt to obviate their cavils, and vijjdicatc 
 our Holy Religion, may well be thought ne^ 
 cejfary. 
 
 No writer, perhaps, hath attacked Chri- 
 Jiianity with morefiibtilty than Roiifleau, in 
 i6/> Emilius ; and it may fe em fl range that, 
 while his book hath been tranflatcd, and 
 generally read amojigjl us, no antidote hath 
 yet been offered to the public againli the poi- 
 fon of the Savoyard Vicar's Creed. Our 
 neighbours on the continent have aSed dif- 
 ferently : fever al able and fpirited an/wer^ 
 have been publifJ:ed there, fiifficient to confute 
 and to convince Rouficau, and his admirers -, 
 and to flKW that the Religim o/^ Christ 
 A 2 is 
 
iv PREFACE. 
 
 is fuperior to all their varied aiid laboured 
 attacks. 
 
 After a perufdl of fame of thefe anfwersy 
 andfijiding that no one had yet undertaken 
 the refutation of Mr. Rouffeau, in our lan- 
 guage y %ve determined to lay before the public 
 a Series of Differtations on fuch i?nportant 
 topics of revealed Religion, as more immedi- 
 ately refped our adverfarys ohjetlions \ freely 
 ufingfuch arguments as we found in the an- 
 fwers of the learned on the continent ; ajid 
 fo arranging our matter, as that each differ^ 
 tation may be complete, and of ufe in it/elf, 
 feparate from ifs immediate reference to the 
 prefent controverfy , And here we ?mift in 
 particular pay our refpeBs to Mr, Bitaube, to 
 whofe very ingenious work^ intitled. Refuta- 
 tion dunouvel ouvrage dcJeanJaquesPvOuf- 
 feau, we are in an efpecial manner obliged. 
 
 The caife in which we are engaged is, 
 cey'tainly, of the great ejl tnoment : the topics 
 which we handle are of the firfl importance 
 in that caife: the adverfary we attempt to 
 refute, (and whofe opinions^ we truft, will be 
 found abundantly rejutedj is of no mean cha- 
 
 rcMer 
 
PREFACE. V 
 
 racier : On all which account s, ive hope, that 
 cur labour loill be accept ah Ic^ anil meet with 
 cjicouragement from the friends to Religion 
 and their country : For, infdelity, without 
 quejiiony is as pernicious to a fuite, as it is to 
 individuals ; Jince no kingdom, more than any 
 individual, can pofjibly be happy without Re- 
 ligion. Whatever tends, therefore, to Jlem 
 the progrefs oj infidelity, deferves, and^ we 
 are confident, will find, the encourag€?nent of 
 every patriot, as well as of every fincere Chri^ 
 fiian: For, Rightcoufnefs exalteth a nation ; 
 but infidelity and vice are a reproach to any 
 people. 
 
 We have nothing further to add, but our 
 hefl thanks to the liberal encouragers of this 
 work in thejormer mode of it's publication, 
 whom we have endeavoured to oblige, by fub^ 
 joining a general index ; and who, wd hope, 
 as defirous to ferve the caufe of our common 
 Chr'ijlianity, will endeavour to fp read amongjl 
 their neighbours, this, and works of the like 
 nature, iofiem, if pofiiblc, the ino eajing tide 
 of defm and infidelity. 
 
 TABLE 
 
TABLE 
 
 O F 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 DISSERTATION I. 
 
 On the natural Jlate and condition of vian^ 
 
 INTRODUCTION Page r 
 
 Sect. I. T^he Jlate of infancy confdercd 4 
 
 II. Truth ibid. 
 
 III. Happinef 6 
 
 IV. The dominion of flejlo andfenfe over 
 
 reafcn 9 
 
 V. Mans unavoidable evils l^ 
 
 VI. Proofs of original depravity 17 
 VII. Roiijje an refuted 21 
 
 VIIL Notions ef the antient philofophers, 
 refpedfing human depravity 24 
 IX. Difficidties in the do6lrine of ori- 
 ginal fm imavoidable 27 
 X. Original fin fully remedied by re^ 
 demption, 33 
 
 DISSERTATION 
 
11 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 DISSERTATION II. 
 
 On the neceffify gf revelation. 
 
 Sect.. I. Strictures ofi RouJJeaii Page 36 
 
 IL Ignorance of God, proof of the 
 
 want of revelation 43 
 
 III. T^be ignorance and inconftjlency of 
 
 philofophers refpeBing God 48 
 
 IV. —RefpeBi7Jg the origin of the world 
 
 49 
 V. —RefpeBing the foul 51 
 
 VI . — RcfpeBing the condition and de- 
 
 fignation of man 52 
 
 VII. -^RefpeBing moral truths 56 
 
 VJII. Application to Rouffeau 60 
 
 IX. Further proof of the neceffity of re^ 
 
 velatwn 72 
 
 X. Internal worfiip ejfential to exte?'nal 
 
 79 
 XI. ^he difcovery of remiffion of fns^ a 
 
 further proof of the neccfjity of 
 
 revelation 87 
 
 XII. A detail of the revelation of the 
 
 great promife of a Redeemer 90 
 
 XIII. Mofes 94 
 
 XIV. Difficulties in revelation^ no objec- 
 
 tion to the belief of it 100 
 
 XV. Roufcaus difliuBion of the obliga- 
 tion to fubmit to revelation exa- 
 mine^i 109 
 
 XV] 
 
CONTENTS. ili 
 
 XVI. Hisftifcontradi^'ion.^c, Page 1 14 
 
 XVII. Of human faith i 17 
 
 XVIII. Of the allo^ved notoriety ofthefa^s 
 
 125 
 
 DISSERTATION III. 
 
 On miracles. 
 
 Se c T . I. IntrodiiBion 133 
 
 II. Tlje means 11 fed to propagate Chri^ 
 
 jlianity^ proper 134 
 
 III. The propagation of Chrijlianity,the 
 
 greatejl miracle 1 3 5 
 
 IV. l^he firjt preachers of Chriflianity 
 
 a proof of it's divinity 138 
 
 V. Miracles^ ^c. as ivell attefted as 
 
 ive could defre 142 
 
 VI. Miracles fuffcicntly attcfled 149 
 
 VII. The continuance of Chrijlianity ^ a 
 
 7niracle i r 2 
 
 VIII. Witnefjes to Chi'ifliaji miracles 156 
 
 XI. The reafon of ??jiracles 159 
 
 X . The Chrijlian miracles, fit, proper^ 
 
 and benign 164 
 
 XI. Miracles prove the truth of a doc- 
 
 t7'ine, Afurvey of fcripture in 
 
 that light 171, 174 
 
 XII. Heathens imjuflifiahle in puniflfing 
 
 Chrifiians Ig2 
 
 XIII. Human reafon weak, and incapable 
 
 alo?ie oj dif covering religious truths i 96 
 
 XIV* 
 
i> CONTENTS. 
 
 XIV. The fimpli city of faith Page 203 
 XV. Re a fin leads to a belief in miracles 
 
 205 
 
 XVI. Miracles mofi proper 217 
 
 XVII. 0/ authority^ and of that of the 
 
 Church in particular 2.11^^ 231 
 
 XVIIL Why Cusli^t's miracles ivere re- 
 
 jeBed 234 
 
 XIX, Ihe natural a?2d plain c dnfe queue e of 
 
 miracles 237 
 
 XX. j^pollonius Tyaneus 241 
 
 XXI. Keal miracles inconteflable e^^ji deuces 
 
 of truth 2^4 
 
 DISSERTATION IV. 
 
 On the fcriptures. 
 Sect.!. 267 
 
 II. Common men mu/i re [I in the autho^ 
 rity of the Chrifiian Clmrch 273 
 
 III, Concerning the various copies and 
 readi72gs of the S. S, 277 
 
 W. S.S,fuficiently known and read 28^ 
 
 DISSERTATION V. 
 
 The moral charaBer o/' Jesus Christ com- 
 pared 'icith that of Socrates, 
 
 Sect. I. Tntrcduclion 286 
 
 II. Rouffeaiis tefiinojiy to the e:^cellency 
 
 ftheS.S. 288 
 
 III. 
 
CONTENTS. y 
 
 III . Moral chai'acler ^JesusCiirist 
 
 Page 295 
 
 IV. l^he dcBriiie of CuKisT, and the 
 
 preparation for his coming 300 
 V. T/r life and death of] EsusCfiRisT 
 
 VI. ne dtfciples of Christ and So- 
 crates -505 
 VII. Martyrs 309 
 VIII. Evidences to the truth of Chrijlia^ 
 nit)\fro7n the character ofCn r i s t 
 
 3H 
 
 DISSERTATION VI. 
 
 The Chrijiian^ Mahometan^ and Jewijlj Reli^ 
 gions compared : with a view of the pro^ 
 phecies. 
 
 Sect. I. Jhe argument flated^ and Roujfeau' s 
 
 inconffency fl:ewn 3 1 9 
 
 II. The Mahofnetan Religion examined^ 
 
 and compared with the Chrijlian 
 
 322 
 
 III. An enquiry into the manner in which 
 
 the Mahotnetan and Chrijlian 
 Religion were propagated 330 
 
 IV. Of the fiicccfs of the Mahometan 
 
 Religion 333 
 
 V, Roiifeau refuted, and the Chriflian 
 
 vindicated 3 3 4 
 
 VI. 
 
vl CONTENTS. 
 
 VI. Chrlfiiam have fufficient proofs to 
 
 convince the "Jews : fo?ne of them 
 
 advanced: Cbriftian Religionmofl 
 
 ancient Page 338 
 
 VII. Jesus Christ proved to be the 
 
 Mefjiah, from a view of the pro^ 
 
 pbecies 341 
 
 VIII. Jesus Christ proved to be the 
 
 MeJJiah, from a review of what 
 
 has happened fmce his coming 355 
 
 IX. ^application to the fews t, and con- 
 
 f deration of what Rovfeau urges 
 
 for them 364 
 
 X. Of modern fudaifm 378 
 
 XI. A fuffering MeJJiah neceffary and 
 
 proper for man. 382 
 
 XII. The divine character of Jesus 
 
 Christ 387 
 
 XIII. Jewifiobfinacy.proofofthe truth 
 
 oj Chriftianity 398 
 
 XIV. Proofs Jrom the prophecies concern-- 
 
 ing the city and temple of feru- 
 
 falem 400 
 
 XV. Proof from, the attempt of Julian 
 
 to rebuild ferufalem 406 
 
 XVI. Concluding proofs from the fate of 
 
 the Jews 417 
 
 THE 
 
DISSERTATION L 
 
 ON THE 
 
 Natural State and Condition Ox^MAN. 
 
 WE propofe to fpeak of the many^"^^o^^«^ 
 invincible proofs, which dc- 
 monftrate the beatify, grandeur 
 and excellence t of the Chriflian Religion. 
 
 And, that we may preferve fomc certain 
 method, we will begin with a particular,, 
 fubjedl, whereon it h conceived we ought 
 to infill:, becaufe, all others depend upon it, 
 as their bafis and foundation. And this fub- 
 je(5t confifts in tracing out the caufe and ori- 
 gin of all thofe evils, to w^hich our fouls 
 and bodies are liable, even from the flate of 
 infancy. 
 
 Let us obferve how Roufleau, the au- 
 thor of a late treatife on Education, entitled, 
 Em I LI us, Ipeaks of this ftate : *' For 
 *' what rcafon, fays he*, my foul is thu^ 
 
 • Vol. III. p. 12 1. 
 
 A *' fubicaed 
 
<* 
 
 c« 
 
 T/je Truth of the 
 fubjecled to the organs of fenfe, and 
 chained to a body, which lays it under 
 fo much reftraint ; I know not, nor do I 
 prefume to enter into the decrees of the 
 Auiiighty : but I may, without temerity, 
 form a inodejl conjeciure, or two, on this 
 head. I fay then, if the mind of man 
 ^* had remained perfedly free and pure, 
 '* what merit could he have pretended to, 
 *^ in admiring and purfuing that order which 
 *^" he faw already eftabli(hed ; and which he 
 ** lay under no temptation to difturb ? Itis- 
 ** true, he would have been happy, but he 
 *^ could not have attained that moft fub- 
 *^ lime degree of felicity, the glory of virtue, 
 *' and the teftimony of a good confcience : 
 *' we fliQuld in fuch a cafe have been no 
 " better than the angels ; and doubtlefs -f a 
 " virtuous man fhall be one day much fu- 
 ^' perior," 
 
 In the fecond volume of his work, this 
 writer had embraced another fyftem. *' We 
 '' may lay it down, fays he, as a maxim, 
 ^^ that the firft movements of nature are al- 
 
 f However flattering to human vanity this bold aiTer-* 
 tion, we wait for the proof from our author; and own our- 
 fclves ftrangers to any fuch dedudlion from fcripture^ 
 whence alone fuch proof can be drawn. 
 
 *^ ways 
 
Chnjiian Religion vindicated. 
 ** ways right : there is no original dcpr a- 
 ** i)ity in the human heart. We find in it 
 *' no one vice, of which we cannot fay how 
 *' and by what means it gained an entrance 
 " there." 
 
 The contradiftion of thefe two paffiges 
 is eafily perceived : in this, Rouflcau pretends 
 that man is born without fpot or impurity ; 
 and in tlie other, he acknowledges, that he 
 is not fo born, and that his firll: freedom has 
 been infringed. But, as he is very far from 
 imputing the caufe of thisdcfcdl to an origin 
 nal fiUy he feeks it amongfl: the vain con- 
 je(flures, furnilhcd by his imagination : con- 
 jedlures which have no other tendency than 
 to annihilate the belief of that original fin, 
 under the fpecious pretence of procuring to 
 man a more fublime degree of happinefs, 
 and of adding a greater luftre to his virtue. 
 
 In order to flicw this author the temerity 
 of tliofe his modcjl conjcBurcs^ and, at tlic 
 fame time, to eftablifh the proofs of the 
 Chriftian Religion ; let us follow man from 
 his cradle to the tomb. 
 
 A a 
 
:n^, ' The Truth of the 
 
 Ti^lnhZ §• ^- I'^^^^ amazing a fpeftacle is that of 
 cy confi- our infancy ! The grief and pains, which it 
 cofts to give us birth, are a fure predidlion 
 of the niiferies into which we are about 
 to enter ! Incapable of exprefling, by our 
 fpeech, what we feel and are ; cries and 
 lamentation immediately proclaim our evils 
 and afflidions. Wretched from this firft 
 moment of exigence, v/ithout knowing wc 
 are fo, and without being confcious, that 
 we do exift ; how worthy is our condition 
 of tears and compaffion ! 
 
 Truth. §. II. Born with reafon, which exalts our 
 nature above that of every other created 
 being in the univerfe : — how long do we 
 continue without any power to ufe it ? Deep 
 buried in the fenfes, how many labours, and 
 painful efforts doth it coft that reafon, ere 
 ihe can unfold herfelf ? We are formed for 
 the knowledge of the truth -, we ardently 
 delirc it : we bend forward to reach it with 
 all the powers of our fouls : and yet this 
 bleffing, fo natural, and fo analogous, flies 
 , afar off and efcapes us. V/ould we embrace, 
 and attend to it ? It's luftre dazzles and con- 
 founds us ; our weak and dim fight cannot 
 
 fupport 
 
Chrtjllan Religion v!?idicated, 
 fupport it's fplendor, and we arc forced to 
 quit the pofleflion of it, even in the very 
 inflant, when we might hope to hold and 
 retain, what wc had purfued. Eutthibisa 
 niere faperficial dcfcription of the difficuhlcs 
 we have to furmount in the fearch after 
 truth. Every objedl amufes, fed uces and 
 deceives us. Our itnagination through it's 
 falfe reports ; our fcnfes, by their iliulions, 
 and fatal imprelTions -, cujlorn and opinions,^ 
 by means of the fad empire they exerclfe 
 upon our underftandings : all things, within 
 and without, lay fnares to entrap us. Error ^ 
 in order the better to miflead us, avails itfelf 
 of the very ardor which we entertain for the 
 attainment of truth -, and, through the mod 
 deplorable of all mifchances, that truth it- 
 felf, which alone wc love and fearch after, 
 becomes to us an occafion of every kind of 
 deception. We involve ourfclves in the gro- 
 &^ miflakes ; and for the wliole harvcft 
 of our inquiries, and our labours, often 
 reap only the mofl: falfc and extravagant 
 opinions, which yet we embrace with asS 
 much avidity, as though they were the 
 moft important truths. 
 
 A 3 §. III. 
 
 i 
 
i' Tie T R V T u of tie 
 
 Happi- §. III. This is the melancholy fituation of 
 man, left to himfelf, with refpedl to truth. 
 If, from thence, we pafs on to the happi- 
 nefs which he purfues with his whole foul's 
 attention, with v/hat an amazing inconfif- 
 tency will the difcovery furprize us ! He 
 paffionately longs to be happy ; and what 
 various means does he employ to that end ? 
 His mind never inclines him to the leaft ad- 
 vance, in which it hath not this objed: full 
 in view. It is the bails, motive and end of 
 all his adions : this ftirs him up, and keeps 
 him continually in exercife. This tranfports 
 him to fo many different engagements : — what 
 efforts, what anxieties, what hard and toil- 
 fome trials, harrafs him 5 all undergone, in 
 order to obtain that grand object to which 
 his whole heart is devoted ! 
 
 But, O capricious happinefs ; how widely 
 diilant doft thou ftill appear from us ! Thy 
 profpeft animates, and fupports us ; the 
 llrong defire of finding thee holds us in per- 
 petual agitation : we are ever hoping to 
 meet v*/ith, and to feize faft upon thee ; and 
 yet thou ever fliefl from us, and always 
 dludcil our expecting fearch 3 when agaia 
 
 we 
 
Chrijl'ian Religion ^-juidtcated, ^ 
 
 wc fall into our ftate of wretchcdnefs, with 
 a frcfli fenfe of anguifh and dlfgun: ! Who, 
 ilnce the beginning of the world, could ever 
 flatter himfelf, with having arrived \>y the 
 hght of his reafon, and the afli (lances of na- 
 ture, at that joyful goal to whicli every hu- " 
 man being afpires ? Princes and people, great 
 and fmall, learned and unlearned, young 
 and old, of every age, and of every country, 
 all ahke bewail tnc having wearied them- 
 felves in fruitlefs fearch after a happinefs, 
 which yet they folicit v/ith the utmoft fer- 
 vency. 
 
 But, it is flill more lamentably flrange, 
 and clearly difcovers the perverfenefs and 
 depravity of man, that every thing, the 
 moft vile and contemptible which nature can 
 prefent to us, hath ufurped in man the place 
 of his true defignation and happinefs. Stars, 
 elements, ' plants, animals, wars, crimes, 
 and difordcrs, have all become good in his 
 eftimation ; have all been made nfe of, 
 in order to repair and fupply that real good 
 which he hath loft. Nay, even the very 
 deftrudlion of happinefs, hath appeared to 
 him, a means, likely to procure it. 
 
 A 4 Behold 
 
T/je T RV rii of the 
 
 Behold here, then, the melancholy con^ 
 didon of man, as well with refped to feli- 
 city, as with refped to truth : he loves 
 truth 3 he defires to pofiefs her -, and finds 
 within him nought but darknefs, confufion 
 of ideas, and boundlefs uncertainty : he 
 feeks for happinefs, and he finds nothing 
 but a prodigious concurrence of miferies of 
 every fort. Is it not vifible from hence that 
 man has erred, that he is fiUen from his firft 
 eflate ? — V/hy do we purfue happinefs, with 
 this greedinefs, and this impotency, unlefs 
 man formerly enjoyed, a real happinefs ? a 
 happinefs, of which the vedige alone now 
 remains ; a vaft vacuity ! which he vainly 
 endeavours to fupply, from every objed: 
 that furrounds him. '* Everything, as the 
 *' great Pafchal obferves, teftiiies that man is 
 *' a king, but a king dethroned ; who bears 
 *^ in his bofom a continual confcioufnefs of 
 *' his former ftate, and who, in fpight of 
 *^ all his efforts to fubdue it, preferves a 
 *' firong dcfire of being reftored." There 
 are flill apparent in him the remains of his 
 former greatnefs, and fome certain tokens 
 of his ancient dignity. But it is alfo evident, 
 ^nd man proclaims it in every circumftance, 
 
 that 
 
Chri/licin Religion vindicated. 9 
 
 that he hath been degraded, defpoiled and 
 banilhcd, becaufe he hath become a prevari- 
 cator : for, certainly, unlcfs man were in a 
 depraved ftatc ; and, unlcfs he were a (in- 
 ner, he would enjoy truth and happinefs in 
 the fullcft fecurity. And if man had never 
 been other than corrupt, he could not enter- 
 jtain a fingle idea either of truth or happineii. 
 
 But, wretched as we are ! we do en- 
 tertain an idea of happinefs, and yet can- 
 pot attain it. We perceive the fair image 
 of truth, but we only poflefs the fliadow : 
 incapable either of abfolute ignorance, or 
 certain knowledge, thus much is manifeil, 
 ^' that we have been in a ftate of perfection, 
 *' from which we are miferably fallen ! '* 
 
 §. IV. In order to prove this matter fully. The do- 
 let us confider thevaft unweildinefs, and ex - p/Jjj^*'" ^J^^ 
 tent of that dreadful yoke, which opprefTeth^^'^^^^over 
 the fons of Adam. From the moment of our 
 birth, our fenfcs have rebelled again (1: rea- 
 fon : llic finds herfclf tyrannically fwaycd 
 by the flcdi, to which our fouls bccom'j 
 flaves. All the paffions, fucceffively, domi- 
 neer over us, and frequently all of thcin 
 together. Plunged in the darknefs of a pro- 
 found ignorance, and fmittcn with the 
 
 wound 
 
10 T^he T R u T n of the ^ 
 
 wound of univerfal concupifcence, we he- 
 iitate to perform, our principal duties, and 
 are v/avering every moment. The leaft ad- 
 vantage is often produdive of infurmount- 
 able difficulties: and evil, how enormous 
 foever, hath powerfully- feducing attradions 
 to mifguide us. Our thoughts are all inclined 
 to ill, previous to the commiffion of it by 
 an adt of the will. All our faculties are vi- 
 tiated and defiled. We perceive within us 
 a continual war : our breafts are all feditioii 
 and rebellion ! Every objedl oppofeth ths 
 good we would pradife ; and every object 
 carries and inclines us to the evil, which we 
 jfly from and deteft ^ an heavy and galling 
 weight under which we are obliged incef- 
 fantly to flruggle, keeps us continually bent 
 toward earthly and fenfibie objeds. In one 
 word, Man, formed to be fpiritiial^ even 
 while in the flefh, becaufe the mind ought 
 to prefide there ; is become carnal in his 
 very mind, becaufe the flefh, by fubduing 
 it, exercifes over it a tyrannical dominion j 
 a fecret and unaccountable pride, torments 
 us v/iihout end, gnav/s upon, and devours 
 us ; it's fubtle foifts and hidden turnings, 
 make a perpetual fport of us : every thing 
 affiils it : it accompliihes it's ends, even 
 
 while 
 
Chrillian Religion vhidicated. 1 1 
 
 while vvc carry it about us ; and in it's very 
 defeat finds new caufe of triumph. It's poi- 
 fon leaves within us only the fiiadow and 
 appearance of that virtue of which it dif- 
 pofes at pleafure ; and, fufFcring us at moft 
 only to retain the pomp and outfide fliow, 
 continually works to the ruin of it's fpirit 
 and reality. Thefe manifold evils and af- 
 flid:ions are not common merely to feme few: 
 they are the general lot of all men : all man- 
 J^ind are deeply fenfible of their force and • 
 influence. The moft virtuous, and the moft 
 vigilant over their own condu<fl, are they 
 who feel them moft. They every day ex- 
 perience thefe fatal propcnfities of vicious 
 and corrupt nature -, propenfities, which be* 
 come the fubjedl of their continual forrow 
 and oppofition. What then doth all this fcene 
 of chaos, and monftrous confufion proclaim 
 to us, but the certainty of the two condi- 
 tions of man 1 Tliey fpeak to us in a voice 
 fo loud and powerful, that it is impoffible 
 to withftand their evidence. 
 
 Vain is the endeavour to perfuade man, 
 that he is not fallen from his firft cftate ! 
 His daily experience, his own proper feel- 
 in 2:5 
 
ii 7i>e Truth of the 
 
 ings give a formal lye to ihofegrofs impoflors 
 who would thus aim to amufe and to de- 
 ceive him. 
 
 Man, in his natural eftate, is fo hideous 
 and formidable in his own eyes, that he 
 <:annot fupport the view : he cannot be- 
 hold or confider his condition without ter- 
 ror. This is the fource and caufe of thofe 
 perpetual agitations, wherein his whole 
 life is palled. His only ftudy is to forget 
 his very exiftence, by bufying his mind, 
 with fuch a variety of objeds, as may divert 
 felf-confideration. As he finds nothing with- 
 in him, which can give him fatisfacSion ; 
 as he perceives there, nothing but what 
 afflids him ; he avoids felf- knowledge ; 
 and, by an application to external purfuits, 
 anxioufly feeks to lofe fight of his real 
 condition, and to fliake from his mind the 
 reflexion of his exceffive miferies. Would 
 you render man miferable ? Condemn 
 him to filence and retirement, and oblige 
 him to live by himfelf. — He will prefently 
 deplore his fituation, becaufe being in- 
 tirely confined to his own cogitations, he 
 will feel himfelf oppreffed with the full 
 burden of his mifery. It is this too which 
 
 makes 
 
Chnjlian Re tig! on vimUca'ed, 13 
 
 makes imprilbnmcnt (o horrible a puniHi- 
 mcnt to men, and Is the caufc why few 
 pcrfons are able to relifli tlie Iweets of fo- 
 litude. 
 
 What a phoenomenon, what a prodigy of 
 irconfiftency then, is man ! He loves 
 hiinfelf, and himfclf alone ; yet can he 
 not face his own mind, without imme- 
 diately flilling into fidncfs and chagrin. 
 Whatever he may feek for from without, 
 felf-gratification is the fole end of his pur- 
 liiit ; and he hates nothing fo much as to. 
 be left alone. He flics from himfelf with 
 the greateft caution, and is rejoiced to bury 
 reflexion in forge rfulncfs. Let us not won- 
 der at all this 5 he finds in himfelf only an 
 abundance of inevitable calamities, and a 
 total defeflion from every real and folid 
 good. But, how vain and fuperficial is man, 
 whom, amid ft fo many juft occafions of 
 dilquietude, the meereft trifle can amufe ! 
 Blind that he is, he places all his happlnefs 
 in the purfuit of phantoms ; of objed:s fo 
 vile and dcfpicable, as would be incapable 
 of engaging his attention, had he not loft 
 the relKhand fenfe of true felicity ! '' What 
 *' a chimera then is man !" as the great Paf- 
 chal exclaims. *^ What a noveltv ! what a 
 
 *' chaos 
 
14 "The T R u T H ^' the 
 
 *' chaos of inconfiftency ! what a flave to 
 " ccntradidion ! arbiter of all fublunary 
 ** things 5 and yet a feeble woro^ ! The re-^ 
 *^ pofitory of truth; yet a mafs of uncertainty I 
 " The glory and the difgrace of the uni- 
 *^ verfe ! If he is puffed up, I can abafe him; 
 5' if he humbleth himfelf, I can exalt him : 
 *' and am able continually to confute what 
 *' ever he may urge, even till he fhall fully 
 •* underftand, and acknowledge himfelf to 
 ** be an incomprehenfible creature *." 
 
 • Dr. Young, in his Night Thoughts, expreffes himfelf ia 
 nearly the fame manner : 
 
 How poor! howrich ! how abje£l ! how auguft ! 
 How complicate I how wonderful, is man ! 
 How pafiing wonder, H E who made him fuch X 
 Who centred in our make fach ftrange extremes ! 
 Prom different natures marvelloufly mix'd. 
 Connexion exquifite of diflant worlds ! 
 Diftingui(h*d link in being's endlefs chain ! 
 Midivay from nothing to the Deity ! 
 A beam ethereal, fuUy'd, and abfofb'd \ 
 Though fullied, and difhonourM, ftill divine ! 
 Dim miniature of greatnefs abfolute 1 
 An heir of glory ! a frail child of duU I 
 lielplefs immortal I Infedl infinite ! 
 A worm ! a God ! — I tremble at myfelf. 
 And in myfelf am loft ; At home a ftranger. 
 Thought wanders up and down, furpriz'd, aghaft. 
 And wondering at her own : How reafon reels ! 
 O what a miracle to man is man / 
 
 Night I. p. 6. 8vo edit. 
 
 §. IV. 
 
Chrijliaji Religion "cind'icated. ir 
 
 § IV. The evils and calamities I haveMan^un- 
 delcribed, are not tlie only ones, where- *^^^!^-j^''^^^ 
 with we are afflided. How many others, 
 of a different kind, concur with them, to 
 conftitate that torrent of wretchcdnefs 
 which, from infancy, overwhelms our life ! 
 An invifible power inceflantly purfues us, 
 and allows us no intermiffion. We are de- 
 livered from one fpecies of affliction, but to 
 plunge into another, more painful and griev- 
 ous. Fear and trouble, terror and confterna- 
 tion, arc fo many executioners following us, 
 as malefactors : vvhere-ever we go, wc 
 enjoy no repofe, night or day. When every 
 objedl around us appears calm and tranquil, 
 and we begin to recreate ourfelves after the 
 toils of day ; fcarcely have we tafted the 
 fweet comforts of a firft fiumber, ere 
 wakeful and wandering imagination prefcnts 
 us With mongers and phantoms of every 
 kind : and we find ourfelves like a daily 
 centinel, kept in continual watchfulncfs. 
 Now we feem to be purfued, by a furious 
 enemy, as in a day of battle % and can only 
 defend ourfelves acainft this circumftancc of 
 fear, by waking fuddcnly in furprizc. No 
 fooncr arc we thus extricated from fo unac- 
 countable, 
 
The T R u T H c/' the 
 countable a fright, than frefli amazemenf 
 feizcs us at having perceived fo much dangsr^ 
 in the midft of perfedlfecurity. 
 
 What (ball v/t fay of thofe intolerable 
 difeafes, which are the portion of all flefli ? 
 who can count the multiplied pains, and 
 torments, we every day fufFer in our bo- 
 dies ? We die every inftant ; and, to com- 
 plete our unhappinefs, that body which 
 is in a ftate of continual corruption and 
 decay, makes the foul feel the full burden 
 of it's infirmities ; damps and depreffes 
 all it*s nobler faculties ; and, depriving it 
 of the little vigour which remains with 
 it, almoft incapacitates it for every applica- 
 tion. Were it defirous to elevate itfelf to 
 the contemplation of celeftial truths 5 the 
 body, languifhing, and furcharged with an- 
 guifh, blunts the edge of it's ardor, and 
 caufes it fpeedily to fall back to fenfual ob- 
 jeds, while again immerfed in thofe low 
 profpedls, which before engaged his atten- 
 tion, man is difabled from deteding a heart 
 which mifleads him, and an underflanding 
 which gives him up to diffipation. 
 
 Ill 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated. 1 7 
 
 In fl^rt, through fuch innumerable evils, 
 man, fond as he is, of life, arrives at death ; 
 that death, of which his nature entertains 
 fo much horror : and what is that death ? 
 frequently tragical, accidental, or barba- 
 roully inhuman ; by the fword, or through 
 oppreflion ; by peftilence or famine ; and 
 by all the deftroying fcourges of divine ven- 
 geance. Is not the whole univerfe evidently 
 a mere affembly of offenders, led by the 
 juftice of God, through an infinity of fufFer- 
 ings, previoufly to thofe various punifli- 
 ments, whereby he hath fentenced them to 
 final execution? " Grant, then, O pride ! 
 what a paradox thou art even to thyfelf. Be 
 humble, O feeble reafon ! and thou, weak 
 nature ! be hufhed in filence. Learn, that 
 man's ftate in exiftence, infinitely exceed 
 his comprehenfion ; and be inftrucftcd by 
 thy mafter in that thy true condition, whereof 
 thou art inevitably ignorant ! * " 
 
 § VI. Now, let Roufleau inform us, ifproofs of 
 hecan, how, under the providence of a ju ft p"^'^^^ 
 God, the human race could be thus over- vity. 
 whelmed with innumerable evils, unlefs it 
 
 • Sec Pafcal's Thoughts, 
 
 B were 
 
1 8 7/je Truth of the 
 
 were culpable from it's birth. Obfervc, 
 will we repeat to him, after St. Augu^ine. — 
 Obferve that toilfome ftate of infancy ; 
 with what various ills it is oppreffed ! amidft 
 what vanieties, what pains, what errors and 
 fears, doth it make it's way ! When grown 
 up to man's eftate, and defirous to be wholly 
 confecrate to the fervice of our GOD, how 
 many dangerous temptations aflail us ! The 
 temptations of error, which would fain fe- 
 duce us ; of pleafure, w^hich powerfully 
 conftrains us 3 Of anxiety and vexation, 
 which dejedt us ; and of pride, which in- 
 flates, and lifts us up ! Who is able to 
 loofe this ponderous yoke, wherewith all the 
 children of Adam are galled ? or who could 
 entertain a belief, that under a good, and a 
 juft God, they would fufFer fo many af- 
 flidlions, unlefs original offence, had pre- 
 ceded the punifhment ? There is no middle 
 way of refolving this propofition : either GoD 
 is impotent or unjuft, or man is culpable *. 
 
 Rouffeau unites v/ith us in aflerting, That 
 *' a being, capable of doing every thing, 
 
 * ^ad igilur rejlat ? mji tit caufa ijlorum malorumjit, 
 aiit iniquitas, n)el mpotcntia Deif aut pa:na primi ^jeieri/que 
 peccati ? [^t. Augullin.] 
 
 ** cannot 
 
<c 
 
 H 
 
 Ckrijiian Religion vindicated, -19 
 
 '^ cannot *ivill to do any thing but what is 
 *' right /' that, *' The being who is infi- 
 ^* nitcly good, becaufe he is infinitely pow- 
 '' erflil, muft alio be fupreinely jiiil, othcr- 
 '' wnfe he would be inconliftent with him- 
 felf : for that love of order, which pro- 
 duces it, we call goodncjs -, and that love 
 of order, which preferveth it, v/e call 
 ^^ juflicc,^ " Since therefore the Deity ( by 
 Roufleau's own declaration) is neither iinjujl 
 nor impotent : let him join with us in con- 
 feffing, that fo grievous andheavy a yoke, 
 would never luive been impofcd upon 
 the fons of Adam, from their nativity to 
 the grave, if they had not merited the in- 
 fli(ftion by the offence of their firil parents. 
 For could a Deity, who is fo great a 
 lov.^r of order, be the author of that dif- 
 ordcr, which we perceive in every circum- 
 ftance of our nature ? Could he have formed 
 man with all thofe pcrverfe inclinations 
 which every day more fully difcovcr them- 
 felves ? With that amazing propenfity, 
 which inclines him to fubmit himfelt, to 
 every thing, but his rightful Lord? Can 
 thofe various inconfiflencic?, which arc 
 
 * Sec Vol. III. p. 64. 
 
 E 2 united 
 
^^ The T R u T ti of the 
 
 united in our nature, derive themfelves frohi 
 the clear fource of his wifdom ? Who could 
 be impioufly daring enough to affirm, that 
 the God of holinefs, excites in our breads 
 all thofe continual conflicts of the flefh againft 
 the fpirit ? and that general rebellion of all 
 the paffions ? — That it is he who kindleth 
 within us thofe firey darts of concupifcence, 
 which confume us, notwithftanding all our 
 efforts to extinguiih them ? Who could be 
 fo daring, and fenfclefs, to pretend that the 
 God of innocence end purity, writeth that 
 law of lin in our members, which is always 
 warring againft the law of reafon, and of the 
 fpirit? That he foments, and feeds within them, 
 all thofe enfnarino; inclinations, which, fome- 
 times with an hidden, fometimes with an 
 open force, urge and incite us, by the allare- 
 ment of fenfible objects ? In fliort, can that 
 univerfal depravity, and diffolutenefs, which 
 inceflantly diffufe the moft impure exhibi- 
 tions from the gulph of the clayey man- 
 fion v/e inhabit; which ufe every effort to 
 captivate, ' and fubdue to their biafs, the 
 image of our Lord : and completely to ex- 
 terminate, whatever advantages of our firft 
 ftate we continue to enjoy : — Can a fource , 
 thns polluted, can a caufe thus fertile of ca- 
 lamities. 
 
Chrljlian Religion vindicated, ^l 
 
 lamltics, thus worthy of our tears, and for- 
 row : — C.in thin have any other origin, than 
 the general defection of our nature ? 
 
 §. VII. But ftlU Rouffcau urges, in order Roufienu 
 to elude the force of all thefe confiderations :"■ "^*^ * 
 " For what reafon my foul is thus, &;c. — 
 '* and the fair teftimony of an approving 
 *^ confcience." Seep. i. 
 
 Now what a ftrange and incoi-npctent me- 
 thod is this, of explaining the caufe of all 
 thofc numberlefs evils which befet us ! 
 What ! muft we then make out the Deity 
 to be unjufl, that man may appear juft and 
 good ? and can any one fay, he is not un- 
 jufl:, if he puniiheth innocent man, before 
 he hath incurred puniflirnent ? — To afflidl 
 and punidi him, for no other end, than that 
 of rendering him capable of merit, and of 
 virtue, is a pretence unworthy God's great- 
 nefs and love : — For as much then as thou 
 art righteous -thyfelf^ thou ordcrejl all things 
 righteoufly ; thinking it not agreeable with 
 thy power to condemn him, who hath not de- 
 Jerved to be punifl:ed, VV i fd. xii. 15. Reafon 
 concurs with faith to eftablifli this truth : 
 and the idea which Roufleau a little above 
 B 3 fketch#f 
 
2Z. . Tie Truth of the 
 
 {ketches out to us^ cannot be reconciled 
 with this his chimerical conjedlure. What 
 impiety is it to fuppofe, that the thrice holy 
 God, could render the purity of the inno- 
 cent fpotted and impure, and could begin, 
 by cauling us to forfeit the merit of inno- 
 cence, in order to the making us forego 
 that of vidory and patience ! Surely this 
 is an impoffibility which muft ever exift I 
 If God be the author of that revolu- 
 tion which hath taken place in our nature : 
 if it be He who hath excited that rebellion 
 there, of which we have a continual expe- 
 rience : — then man ought no longer to fight 
 againft himfclf ; and his concupifcence pro- 
 ceeding wholly from God, cannot be an 
 evil, which he ought to oppofe. Let him 
 then give himfelf up to it's diredion : let 
 him refign himfelf to it's pleafure : to refill 
 it would be injuring the work of God, 
 would be to oppofe thofe emotions where- 
 with He infpires us. From henceforth, 
 therefore, no more let human laws pretend 
 to arrogate a right of fuppreffing the out- 
 ward effects of our vicious appetites. Is it 
 their province to mend that which the Deity 
 hath ordained, and to change the facred in- 
 ftitutlon of our nature ? Thus Rouffeaa's 
 
 modeji 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated, 25 
 
 modcft ccnje^Uirci tend to overthrow, and 
 confound every thine, to give a iandion to 
 all crimes and dilbrdcrs, to idolize and lanc- 
 tify all our unruly pallions, and to open a 
 full and free career to licentioufncfs ! 
 
 But to proceed. Let RouiTcau fliew us 
 what application he would make of his 
 modejl coujcolures concerning the ftate 
 of infants. For what reafon, will wc 
 ail: him, is this infancy oppreiTed with fo 
 many afilidions ? why given up to fo 
 many griefs and pains , and why covered 
 with fo many vices and imperfcxftions ? 
 why, as it is then with-held from the ufe 
 of reafon, doth it frequently happen, that it 
 doth not recover it even in the moll: ad- 
 vanced age ? Roufleau furely cannot anfwer 
 us, that all this is calculated for the trial of 
 virtue : fince the condition of infancy ren- 
 ders it incapable of every ex.ercife of virtue ; 
 and it is therefore no more fufceptible of 
 merit than of demerit. — How then could 
 the juft God, aiHid our infancy with i^^ 
 many calamities ? How could a Deity thus 
 good, difchargc againll his ov/n image, all 
 the arrows of his anger, at a time too, 
 wherein it could not, through it's own ill 
 B 4 condudl, 
 
24 ^he Truth of the 
 
 conduct, have merited his chaftifcment, or 
 derive from thence any advantage ; — unlefs 
 that image, in the perfon of it's reprefen- 
 tative, had appeared in his eyes, criminal, 
 and therefore worthy to be thus fmitten and 
 afflided ? Let the miferies then of infancy, 
 conftrain Rouffeau to admit original fin, un^ 
 lefs he apprehends the Deity can be unjuft. 
 
 Notions §. VIII. This view cf all the evils we 
 cientPhi-^^'^^^g^ from our nativity till death, forced 
 lofophers the heathen philofophers, who had never 
 ing hu- heard of original fin, to affirm and teach ; 
 nian de- ^j^^^ ^,^ ^^.^ placed in this world, for the 
 
 pravity. ^ ' 
 
 fole purpofe of receiving the puniftiment 
 due to fins committed in another life : and 
 that the body was a punifhment to the foul, 
 fimilar to that inflicted by the Etrurian 
 pirates upon their captives, who fafi:en- 
 ed them, while living, to carcafifes already 
 dead. Thefe philofophers conceived, that 
 fuch a punithment could not have exifl:ed in a 
 world governed by a righteous Deity, with- 
 out fome precedent crime which had merited 
 it : and this confideration obliged them to 
 grant to fouls a life exempt from the body ; 
 ia which life, taking it for granted that 
 
 they 
 
Chrijiian Religion vindicated. tg 
 
 ihey had abandoned themfclves to fin and 
 dilbrdcr ; they concluded, that they were 
 precipitated into this prifon of the body ; 
 and lb into all thole miferies, confequent 
 on that abjc(ftion, in order to fatisfy tha 
 divine juftice. 
 
 This is the cleareflr account thofe men 
 could give of the matter, who were igno- 
 rant of the fall of mankind, in it's lirft re- 
 prckntative. But, as this pre-exiftence of 
 fouls had no other reality than in their ima- 
 gination ; as there is no folid foundation to 
 lupport the opinion ; and as it is contra- 
 dided, by the light of reafon, as well as our 
 natural feelings : what more rational optioa 
 remains, than to admit original fin ; which, 
 tliough it be in a great meafure incompre- 
 benfible, is however the fimpleft, and the 
 only means to reconcile every thing, to our 
 minds ? Without admitting this, what judg- 
 ment can we form of the ordinary imper- 
 fections of mankind -, imperfedtions, which 
 are born and grow up wi h them ? How 
 clfe can we fail to regard God as their au- 
 thor , or what method can wc make ufe of 
 to reconcile a mixture of fo much nobi- 
 lity 
 
^6^ ^e Truth of the 
 
 lity and excellence, with fo vafl a fund of 
 meannefs and imbecility ? 
 
 But every thing clears up, from the mo- 
 ment, I am affured, that the condition, in 
 which I behold man now, is not the con- 
 dition wherein his God at firft placed him. 
 My wonder ceafes, when I behold him as a 
 rebellious and degraded fubjed: in a ftate of 
 wretchednefs. I no longer find a contrariety 
 in the work of God ; I find none, fave in 
 what remains of this great fabric, and thofe 
 alterations, wrought in it by the fin of man. 
 From the moment I am informed of the 
 change which has happened in my original 
 condition ; from the moment I am affured, 
 that I am bcrn a finner ; all my doubts vanifli, 
 my perplexities difappear, and the difficulties 
 which embarraffed me, are diffipated. 
 
 Rouffeau vainly attempts to juflify pro- 
 vidence againft certain philofophers, who 
 venture to impugn it. He never can 
 effed: his purpofe, folidly and completely, 
 without laying down original guilt as the 
 firft principle ; without that affiftance, while 
 he would avoid one rock, he muft neceffa- 
 
 he 
 
Chrifilnn Religion vindicated. ^j 
 
 rily Arikc upon another. The Atheift and 
 the Materialill will alway be throwing ifi- 
 furmount'cble dithcukies in his way: what 
 God is this, will they afk him, who without 
 any caufe or realbn for ib doing, has created 
 us V iih a body, naked, feeble, infirm 
 and mortal ? what is the nature of that 
 fou/, tliat fpiritual inhabitant, which, with- 
 out bavins: committed crime or offence, 
 is become like the beads that perifli, which 
 terrors difconcert and annoy, which pains 
 incclTantly agitate and difturb, and which 
 is triumphed over, and fubdued by, the 
 mod unruly appetites and paflions. 
 
 §. VIII. I will readily grant, that nothing DjfHcul- 
 more hijihly irritates our weak reafon, than^^"^^^* 
 this great myltery or the tranlmillion or a of origin 
 fin committed fo many ao-es fince. But "^^^l^u?" 
 
 •/ & 'avoidable 
 
 if our underftandings cannot fathom it, 
 
 the deplorable llatc of human nature, ren- 
 ders it obvious, and that idea which we 
 entertain of a juft and good God, makes 
 it indifpenfible ; a God, who cannot wil- 
 fully render the innocent unhappy, or tor- 
 ment them merely out of a wanton caprice. 
 Thus the obfcurity of the principal point 
 
 is 
 
^% The T R V T n of the 
 
 IS explained and cleared up, by the evi- 
 dence and demon ft rat ion of two conclufions, 
 eflentially conneded with it. 
 
 It IS true, the manner in which this fin 
 has paffed down to us, is veiled in obfcu- 
 rity : but let us grant too, that even from 
 this fo cloudy a point, there fprings a ray 
 which gives a light to the whole matter. 
 And ifj becaufe we cannot fully compre- 
 hend it> we a.re therefore obllinately to re- 
 jed: it 5 we (liould further obferve, that we 
 have not clearer knowledge of any other 
 thing in the world. God, man, and the 
 univerfe, quickly fink down into that abyfs 
 of obfcurity, whence we are unable ta draw 
 any difcovery : whereas the fubmiffion of 
 our reafon, in this fingle particular, is' rCr 
 warded with the knowledge of a multitude 
 of others ; every thing elfe becomes clear 
 and evident; the Deity, man, and the uni- 
 verfe are held forth to us in a point of view, 
 wherein all which was before latent, is rea- 
 dily difcerned. 
 
 Some few reflexions more, will fi:ill bet- 
 ter (iemonftrate to us, the; equity of thofe 
 
 judgments 
 
Chrillian Religion A^'indicatei. 2j 
 
 judgments excrcifed upon us by the Deity, 
 in the communication of original fin : they 
 completely (liew how ill the infidel is autho- 
 rized to pretend that the docftrine of original 
 fm, is contrary to found rcafon. 
 
 We all know the love and tendernefs 
 which God hath implanted in parents to- 
 wards their children ; we know that the 
 pains which their children undergo are more 
 afHidive and more fenfibly felt by parents 
 than their own, they would readily facri- 
 fice their own life to prefer ve that of their 
 offspring ; becaufe they wifh to live for them 
 only ; and their utmoft defire is to behold 
 themfelves renewed in their perfons, and 
 to render them one day happy. Now this 
 paternal charader mufl: furely be mod clear- 
 ly exemplified in that being, who was not 
 only the firft father, but alfo the father by 
 way of eminence, as being appointed that 
 of all mankind. In order therefore to render 
 Adam fully happy or miferable, according 
 as' his faithfulnefs or infidelity to his God 
 fliould dcferve, he mud neceflarily have 
 been able to communicate happinefs or 
 n^ifcry to his defccndants. He would have 
 
 been 
 
30 "^he T K 15 1: i\ of the 
 
 been but imperfedly happy, could he hav6 
 beheld his pofterity become miferable ; and, 
 in hke manner, his punifliment would have 
 been too gentle, if his children had not been 
 comprized in his misfortunes 3 and thiis vvc 
 fee, that, after having tranfgrefTcd that 
 eafy command w^hich God had impdfed 
 on him, in order to try his obedience -, It 
 was juft he fhould receive punifhment, not 
 in his own perfon only, but in that aifo of 
 his children ; as being the deareft portion of 
 his fubftance, and more clofely knit to him 
 in affedion, than even his own members. 
 The future defcendants from this cur firft 
 parent, deriving their exiftence only through 
 him, became therefore the jufl: objecfts of the 
 divine difpleafure and vengeance. All being 
 comprized in oiie^ all became finful through 
 one: and, accordingly, this unfortunate parent 
 hath been punifhed in all the children compre^ 
 bended i?i bis perfo?ty from the firfl to the 
 lateft generations. 
 
 In order to fee a lively reprefentation 'of 
 this juftice of the Deity, let us confider a 
 little, the decifions of human equity. A fa- 
 ther being degraded, all his dignity is loft 
 
 botb 
 
Chrtjlian Religion 'vindicated. ^x 
 
 both to himrdf and to his children, thofc 
 unborn, as well as thofe who are in being : 
 in him they all forfeit their fortunes, and 
 all the advantages oi civil foci ety, becaufc 
 the offence of their father hath occafiontd 
 their deprivation of them. What then have 
 they done to merit fuch treatment, which we 
 have not equally done to merit thofe difpen* 
 fations which we experience, in confequence 
 of our dcfcent from our firfl anceftor ? 
 And what right have we boldly to find fault 
 with, and criticife upon, the unfathomable 
 decrees of divine juftice ; decrees whofc 
 veftiges we trace even in the inferior ordi- 
 nances of men, and which, notwlthftand- 
 Ing no one would dare to condemn ? What 
 wrong or injury have we received at the 
 hands of God ? He created the firft man 
 fo perfe(5t, he rendered the talk fo eafy to 
 him of preferving to himfelf and all his 
 pofterity, that immenfe treafure which he 
 had committed to his own perfonal difpofal ; 
 that we cannot furely complain at feeing 
 our deftlny involved in Adam's ; and efpeci- 
 ally as none of us can fay he hath not adted, 
 morally fpcaking, with him as one and the 
 fame'perfon. Could we flatter ourfelves, 
 
 that 
 
gt The Truth of de 
 
 that we {hould have made a better ufe of the 
 divine gifts and bleffings than he did ? could 
 we, on our parts, promife more fidelity and 
 perfeverence iii duty than that mafler-piece 
 of divine omnipotence difplayed ? Had he 
 continued in that place wherein his God 
 placed him, he would, in confequence, 
 have been renvarded in all his pofterity. 
 Original righteoufnefs would have been a 
 common inheritance, and we (hould all 
 then have blefled the divine goodnefs, for 
 having comprized in him the happinefs of the 
 human race. Why therefore, having in the 
 perfon of that common father, forfeited that 
 felicity, which he was inverted with, for 
 our fakes as well as his own : why — now 
 that human nature is become finful in it's 
 branches, becaufe it hath become fo in it's 
 original ftock — why will we rife up rebel- 
 lious againft divine juftice, and fuffer a blind^ 
 rafh and unruly realbn, to dive into it's un- 
 fathomable depth ? we have loft nothing 
 to whichwe had any claim of right ; why 
 do we complain ? we poffefs many bleffings 
 which are free gifts 3 why are we not thank- 
 ful ? 
 
 §. IX- 
 
Chrljltan Religion vindicate J. 33 
 
 §. X» Inftead, then, of complaining and Original 
 murmuring a-^ainft the determinations of^'" ^"^i'-^j 
 
 p ^ remedied 
 
 divine juflice, let us adore them trembling; by re- 
 let us gratefully acquiefcc in the decree pro- ^"^^ ^°" 
 nounced upon us; and blefs that mercy 
 which is offered to us : our misfortune is not 
 without refource : let us deplore it, but yet 
 let us confole ourfelves under it. Divine 
 mercy hath prepared for us a fuperabundant 
 remedy. Scarcely had we become finners 
 in the perfon of our firft parent, when God, 
 full of love and tendernefs for his creatures ; 
 notwithftanding all that unutterable debafe- 
 ment which he was to undergo, condefcend- 
 ed to encourage us by the promife of a 
 redeemer. He immediately allures man, 
 that his crime fliall be expiated by a media- 
 tor, who, being in unity with his own 
 cffence, will reconcile man with his God. 
 In and through this divine perfon, (liall man 
 triumph over the enemy, who hath fub- 
 dued him ; and by means of the vidory 
 which he fliall gain, man (hall recover his 
 ancient rights and privileges ; and all thofe 
 advantages which he had forfeited, fliall 
 C be 
 
34 "The Truth of the 
 
 be reftored to him, with ufury and ample 
 
 rejftitution. 
 
 Such are the grand objedls which the 
 Chrijiian Religion holds up to our view : 
 objeds, how truly worthy our attention 
 and our difcuffion ! The Chrijiian Religion 
 extricates us from all that uncertainty into 
 which mankind were fo long involved, with 
 refpedl to their condition. This accounts for 
 all thofe amazing contrarieties, which unite 
 in our nature, and explains that enigma, 
 which not all the fagacity of the greatefl 
 philofophers could inveftigate. This dif- 
 covers to us the true ftate of our nature, it's 
 dignity and bafenefs % it's excellence and it's 
 mifery ; by demonftrating that man is de- 
 graded and depraved ; that he hath loft that 
 intimate communion with his God which 
 he once enjoyed ; that purity and innocence, 
 that ihining light, that fublime knowledge, 
 wherewith he was once endued. And, 
 that, by reafon of his fall, he hath plunged 
 himfelf into that abyfs of vice and licenci- 
 oufnefs, of indigence and wretchednefs, 
 wherein we behold him at this day. 
 
 But 
 
Chnjlidn Religion *vi::d:cciftd. 
 
 But It /lops not with expofinfr to man 
 Ills misfortunes, and pointing out tlicir 
 fource : it moreover prevents that defpon- 
 dency, into which the view of fo much 
 mifcry might pofTibly precipitate liim : 
 offers to him fovereign remedies, and fhcws 
 him the certain means of obtaining them. 
 
 Can we, then, with-hold our utmofl love 
 and eftcem from a Religion^ wiiich reveals 
 fuch glad tidinos to the foul of man ! Can we 
 fail, at the hrll glance of it, to defire an 
 infight into the true and folid foundations 
 of a Religion, wliich affures us of remedies, 
 io dcfirable, fo falutary, and fg efficacious ? 
 
 Of the true and folid foundations of this 
 Religion, we propofe to fpeak, in anfwer 
 efpeciidly to the objedtions made by M, 
 RoufTeau; and as he, with other unbelievers, 
 flrongly controverts the neceflity not only of 
 this, but of all Revelcition, our next diffcr- 
 Lition fliall be employed to fliew fully that 
 nccelluy, 
 
 C 2 DISSEIl- 
 
 dy 
 
36 The T RUT n of the 
 
 DISSERTATION II. 
 
 On theNECES sity of Revel ation^ 
 
 Stridures T T 7 E now proceed to confider the 
 feau. V V proofs in favour of the Chrijiian 
 Religion ; and, in order the more firmly to 
 eftablifli their evidence, will give fomc at- 
 tention to the fallacious methods which the 
 author of Emilius hath made ufe of to de- 
 ftroy them. 
 
 After having prefled feveral leflbns upoa 
 his young pupil, Emilius : he addreffes his; 
 difcourfe to him in the following terms : 
 *^ You will find my expofition [juft before 
 promifed] treat of nothing more than 
 Natural Religion : it is very ftrange that 
 we fhould ftand in need of any other ! 
 *' By what means fliall I find out fuch ne- 
 ^' ceffity ? How can I be blameable for 
 *"' ferving God agreeably to the didlates of 
 " the underftanding which he hath given 
 " me, and the fentiments he hath implanted 
 " in my heart ? What purity of morals^ 
 '* what fyftem of faith, ufeful to man, or 
 
 *' honourable 
 
Chrijllan Religion vindicated. 3 7 
 
 '^ honourable to his Creator, can I deduce 
 *' from any pofitive docftrinc, which I can- 
 " not as well deduce without it's alTirtance, 
 *^ by a proper application of my natural fa- 
 culties ? Let any one fliew me what can 
 be added, either for the glory of God, 
 the good of fociety, or my own advan- 
 *^ tagc, to the duties injoined us by the 
 " law of nature ; let him fliew me what 
 '^ virtue any new mode of worrtiip can pro- 
 *^ duce, which is not alfo the confequcnce 
 *' of mine ? The moft fublime ideas of the 
 *' Deity are inculcated upon us by reafom 
 ** alone. Take a view of the works of na- 
 '' ture, liftento the voice within ; and then 
 ^' tell me what God hath omitted to fay to 
 ^' your eyes, your confcience, or your under- 
 *^ {landing ; where are the men who can 
 '^ tell us more of him, than he thus tells us 
 [' ofhimfelf *?" 
 
 What wilful blindnefs is here difcoverable 
 in RouiTeau, thus to pretend to controvert 
 the ncccfnty of Revelation ! Was not the 
 contemplation of his own mind fufficient to 
 have convinced him of it's abfolute neceflity ? 
 
 • Vol. III. p, 101. 
 
 What 
 
33 The Truth of the 
 
 What fay thofe doubts, and that uncertainty 
 to him, which he experiences upon thofe 
 very principal points wherein he is forced to 
 acqulefcc ? Do not they very clearly point 
 out to him the abfolute neceffity of Reve- 
 lation ? — Ought not RoulTeau's perplexities 
 refpeding both our prefent and future ftate ; 
 — his doubts concerning the foul's immor- 
 tality ■* 5 his ignorance of the caufe and ori- 
 gin of the world ; his embarraffment to 
 determine whether the world be eternal, or 
 created : whether there be only one caufe of 
 all things: or whether there be two, or 
 many : — Thofe infurmountable difficul- 
 ties he meets v/ith, in his attempts to vindi- 
 cate providence againft materialifm, and 
 w^iich oblige him to annihilate that provi- 
 dence, even while apparently defending it, 
 which force him to diveft it of it's moft 
 excellent prerogatives, by advancing, that 
 '' none of man's fpontaneous aftions enter 
 *' into the general fyftem of providence 3" 
 That '' Providence doth not prevent man 
 '' from committing evil, either becaufe the 
 " evil, which fo impotent a Being is capable 
 *' of doing, is beneath it's notice, or be- 
 
 * See Emiiius, Vol. III. ConfelTipn of Faith. 
 
 " caufe 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated, ^^ 
 
 '^ caufe it cannot prevent that evil, without 
 " hiying a reftraint upon man's hberty, and 
 *' caufing a greater evil, by dcb.ifing his 
 ^' nature * : " — Ought not all thcfe embar- 
 raffments to have convinced Rouffcau of 
 the inutility of his efforts for the attain- 
 ment of truth ? He is obliged to confefs 
 his unflcilfulnefs, and his ignorance ; and 
 yet immediately afterwards he goes on to 
 controvert the necefiity of that remedy 
 which alone is capable of fupplying his 
 deficiency : ** The examination, which 
 *' I am now going to make, fays he to h's 
 " pi^^pil, fpeaking of religion ; is very dif- 
 ** fcrent : prcfenting to my view nothing 
 *' h\M perplexity^ tnyjler ioitjhcjs 2inA oljfcurity : 
 *' I enter on it, therefore, with great 
 ** diftruft and uncertainty, I almoft tremble 
 ** to determine any thing upon the fubjecfl, 
 " and fhall rather inform you of my doubts 
 ^' than of my opinions. — Lee my difcourfe, 
 *' however, carry with it no greater autho- 
 *' rity than that of reafon : for, I own, 
 '* I am ignorant whether I am in the right 
 [[ or wrong. Indeed, in all dicufiions^ it 
 
 • Sec Vol. III. p. 60. 
 
 is 
 
40 T/&^ T R u T H g/* the 
 
 *' is a difficult matter not to affume fomer 
 '^ times an affirmative tone; but remember^ 
 " that all my affirmations, in treating 
 '' thefe fubjedts, are on\y fo many rational 
 '' doubts * ; " and, but little above, Rouffeau 
 had told his Emilius, *' The only thing, 
 ** which under a juft diffidence of myfelf, 
 *' I requeft of God, — is, that he wiU 
 ** corredl my errors when I go aftray. To 
 ■ ' be fincere, however, I do not think my 
 •' judgment infallible: fuch of my opinions, 
 '' as feem to be lefs founded, may, never- 
 *' thclefs, be falie ; It is to no purpofe, 
 *' that the illufions by which I am mifled, 
 *' ariie from myfelf; it is he alone can 
 *' diffipate them. I have done every thing 
 '' in my power to arrive at truth, but it's 
 *^ fource Is elevated beyond my reach -f- : 
 *' if my faculties fail me with my progrefs, 
 *' it is neceffary for truth to ftoop tp my 
 '' capacity j." 
 
 Ra{hly blind and proudly ignorant man ! 
 who fees not that he had rather pofTefs the 
 
 * Vol. III. p. 100. f See the preceding differ- 
 tation. X Vol. III. p. 98. 
 
 extravagant 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated. 4r 
 
 extravagant opinions of a wild imagination, 
 with tlie appearance of humble condcfccn- 
 fion, than be induced to have recourfc 
 to a fuperior intelligence ; an intelligence, 
 vvhicli would not fuffer any of it's votaries 
 to pride themfelves in the vanity of their 
 mind ! who fees not that he prefers 
 being fantaflical and fingular in his own 
 ideas, however foolifh and ridiculous, to 
 the judging rationally with the multitude ? 
 How can he poliibly Hill ftand out with 
 us again ft the neceflity of revelation, after 
 having frankly confefled, that in religious 
 matters, *' His reafon perceived nothing 
 " but perplexity, inyjlerioufnefs and obfcii^ 
 *' rity '* that, '' Therefore he entered into 
 ** the examination of them with abfolute 
 *' diffidence and uncertainty '* that, " Re 
 ^* could not determine any thing upon the 
 *' fubjedl without trembling^'' and after 
 having declared that all his affirmations were 
 but fo many doubtful arguments : and that, 
 *' fuch of his opinions as fcemed to him 
 *' moft plaufible, might, perhaps, be but 
 ** fo many deceptions ? " — Now does not 
 all this convince us of the neceflity of 
 revelation j namely his rejeding that ne- 
 ceflity 
 
'^i The Truth of the 
 
 ceffity in fpite of acknowledgements fo juft 
 and well founded ? What ! does our reafon 
 underftand nothing of religious matters 5 
 finds flie nothing in them but embaraffment, 
 clouds and darknefs ; and fhall jQie, never- 
 thelefs, appear to us to be an indefedlive 
 rule ? fliall we too, notwithftanding this, 
 be enabled through the affiftance of that 
 rule, to learn every tenet ufeful to man and 
 honourable to his maker, which we could 
 poffibly derive from a pofitive docSrine ? — 
 What mufl that religion be, which is 
 pregnant only with doubts, incertainties, 
 fufpicious arguments, and, perhaps, mere 
 falflioods ? Is it thus then, that Rouf- 
 feaii's God would be ferved and adored ? 
 How excellently will that pupil be taught, 
 whom fuch a preceptor, as Rouffeau, (hall 
 have inflrufted in doubts, uncertainties and 
 fahhoods, as the fum of religion ! worthy 
 leffons, which, at beft, can only tend to 
 make his difciple a learned and perfedt fcep- 
 tic, with regard to every point of religion : 
 It is not in this manner, that the great 
 mailer of the Chri/Ua?i Religion^ forms 
 and inftrufts his difciples ; if he fpeaks to 
 them, it is with the view to diflipate their 
 
 ignorance. 
 
Cbriflian Religion ^-jinJicated, 43 
 
 Ignorance, to diflmrden them of their doubts, 
 to put an end to their uncertainties, and 
 to banifli from their mii^d?, all error and 
 falfe opinion. Thus doth He fptrak with 
 authority, who by his works and his dif- 
 courfes, clearly proves, that the riejit of 
 intruding belongs to him alone : feeing 
 that in him dive II all the treafures of 
 knoiz'lcdge and loifdom, and that he is the 
 truth itfclf. But, RouiTeau, (who pretends 
 to the province of a Teacher, and would 
 be the inftrudor of others ; without believ- 
 ing himfelf at all neceffitated to draw 
 from this common and univerfal fpring of 
 fcicnce) what, could he poflibly propofe to 
 us, which mull: not demon (Irate him to 
 be an unnatural commixture of doubts, 
 uncertainty, and delufion ? can men ever 
 be blind enough to prefer fuch a mafter 
 to that divine teacher, who propofes the chrif- 
 tian religion to our faith and pradife ? 
 
 §. II. Rouffeau is not the only one who^gnoranco 
 proves to us the Jieceffity of revelation : Theproof°of 
 darknefs and errors of tlic whole univerfc/^/ ^^^?^ 
 
 or rcvciji'* 
 
 previous to the ellablifliment of the chriftian tion. 
 
 and 
 
44. 77j<? T^v tvl of the 
 
 faith, depofe highly in favour of this truth^ 
 and clearly convinces us of it, 
 
 Thefc are fads which fpeak more Intelligi- 
 bly, than all the vain arguments of proud rea- 
 fon J the experience of whofe impotence and 
 dark ignorance through fo many ages permits 
 us no longer to attend to it's fuggeftions. What 
 is more natural than for man, to acknow- 
 ledge his God, his firft caufe and the uU 
 timate objecft of his happinefs ? This, all 
 things publiiTied, all things proclaimed to 
 him. The grapd viev/ of nature's works, 
 failed not to point out to man his mailer 
 and his maker. Daily loaded with his blef- 
 fings and favours ; every objeft carried his 
 thoughts up to their great fource : He was 
 brought fo near to him, that he might even 
 feel him with his hand*, if we may be al- 
 lowed the expreffion ; and yet, notwitbftand- 
 ing all this, how hath he, - — how hath he 
 not difgraced and difparaged him ? the fun and 
 ftars ; the fire and the other elements, were 
 made the higheft objcdts of public adoration ; 
 powerful kings, celebrated conquerors, and 
 the authors of inventions ufeful in human 
 life, foon afterwards received divine honours : 
 
 * See Ads xvii. 27. 
 
 all 
 
Chrijlian Religion 'vindicated. 45 
 
 all things were worfliiped even to very 
 hearts and reptiles ; and the divine majefty was 
 transformed into every fpeclcs of infeds, and 
 animals i of beings material, and infenfible; 
 every thing z^BoJJuet obferves, became God, 
 God himfclf excepted : and that world 
 which God had created, for the manifefta- 
 tion of his power, feemed to have degene- 
 rated into a temple of idols. 
 
 Some acknowledged thofe for their gods, 
 which others held in deteftation : every city 
 and village had it's peculiar deities, and 
 treated thofe of other places with fovereiga 
 contempt. 
 
 The wifeftand moft enlightened nations,the 
 Chaldeans, ^Egyptians, Phoenicians, Greeks 
 and Romans, were the moft darkly ignorant, 
 with relpeft to religious matters. So true 
 it is, that, to be raifed to the knowledge of 
 thofe things, a wifdom more than human is 
 required ! Nay, mankind deviated into the 
 paths of error fo far, as even to deify their 
 own vices and paflions, and eredt altars, and 
 eftablifh a mode of worflVip, in honour of 
 them. Who could venture to enumerate 
 
 all 
 
46 The T R \3 T -a of the 
 
 all the infamous ceremonies of thofe //;/- 
 mortal gods, with all their abominable myf- 
 teries of impunity ? — Their intrigues, their 
 barbarities, their jealoufies, and every other 
 enormity, became the fubjedl of their feafls 
 and facrifices. Hymns were chaunted to 
 their praife; and pidlures confecrated in their 
 temples. Thus was fin adored, and deemed 
 neceffary to the worihip of God. Every 
 public fervice was only a continual profana- 
 tion, a folemn, and ferious ^^derifion of the 
 name of the true God. To thefe number- 
 lefs corruptions, follies and extravagancies, 
 they fuper-added the moft barbarous cruelty ; 
 ordinary vidtims were thought infufficient to 
 appeafe their irritated gods ; human blood 
 mufl moreover be ihed, and confounded 
 with that of beafts : Fathers were feen to 
 facrifice their own offspring, to burn them 
 before their eyes, and fubftitute the fume 
 arifing from their blood, in the place of 
 incenfe. Thefe horrid facrifices were not 
 peculiar to a few people : They were com- 
 mon to all nations without exception, men 
 every where offered up their own fpecies ; 
 nor was there a place upon the whole 
 earth, where thofe dreadful deities were 
 
 »ot 
 
Chriflian Religion "oindicatcJ. 47 
 
 not adored, wliofc implacable hatred of 
 the human race, exacted the facriticc of 
 luch vi(5tims. 
 
 Amidft darknefs fo thick, and ignorance 
 fo profound, men would alfo needs worfi:iip 
 even the work of their own hands : they 
 fancied themfelves able to fliut up the divine 
 fpirit in flatues j and fo abfolutcly forgot 
 the God who made them, as to fancy 
 themfelves, in their turn, able to make a 
 God ! Who could believe this, if experience 
 did not convince us, that an error thus flu- 
 pid and grofs, was not only the moft univer- 
 fal, but alio the mod inveterate and incor- 
 rigible amongll: mankind ^ fo that we are 
 compelled to acknowledge, to the deep dif- 
 grace of human nature ; '' That the great- 
 ** eft of aJI truths, which the whole created 
 *' world inculcates, and whofe impreffion is 
 '' the moft powerful, was neverthclefs the 
 '' moft diftant from the underftandine: and 
 " perception of mankind." 
 
 §. III. Amongft thofe miferably deceived The iir. 
 mortals, wlio lived in the nradlice of all"""?^'-' 
 
 * and In- 
 
 tlie above-mentioned crimes and diforderSjConfiaei- 
 
 cv of Phi- 
 
 wcro ' 
 
4S tk T ti V f n cf the 
 
 iofopliers v^ere tlie Philofophersy who pafled for the moft 
 ing Goo. wife and enlighfenfedi Thefe men, whofe 
 ireafon had been cultivated by fo many nightly 
 watches, eares, and anxious ftudies, being 
 left to themfelves, plunged into every kind 
 ti abfurdity, into the groffeft errors, and 
 the moft extravagant opinions. It would 
 require whole volumes to enumerate them. 
 Every one made himfelf a G O D, after his 
 own tafte : Some of them maintained, that 
 the Deity did not, in any manner, intermeddle 
 with what pafled in the world. That all 
 it's concerns were left to chance ; and that 
 it would be a tafk unworthy his dignity, 
 and inconfiftent with his rcpofe, to trouble 
 himfelf with that immenfe concourfe of 
 events, and thofe various interefts, whereof 
 the world is compofed. Others of them 
 fubjefted the GOD whom they had invented^ 
 to the fatal neceflity of deftiny, and made 
 him dependant on laws foreign to his own. 
 Many of them confounded daemons with 
 deities, and made no diftindion between 
 them. There were fome of them who 
 held that God was nothing diflind from the 
 univerfe, being only the foul of this great 
 body. — Another fed: invented o?ie God, 
 
 the 
 
Chrljilan Religicn vimVcated. 49 
 
 the author and principle of good, and ano- 
 ther God, the Iburce and caule of all evils 
 and diforders ; and they fet thcfc two Gods 
 at eternal enmity, to fupport their rclpcc- 
 tive rights and privileges. SocrateSy that 
 celebrated fige, being accufed of denying 
 thofe Gods whom the people adored, de- 
 fended himfelf againfl the charge, as ngainft 
 a crime. Plato, fpcaking of the God who 
 had formed the univerfe fays, it is difficult 
 to inveftigate his exiftence, and that he 
 ought not to be fpoken of, but in a figure 
 or parable. 
 
 §. IV. What monftrous errors appear Refpea- 
 amongll: the philofophers refpeding the ori-o^iVin of 
 gin, and firft caufe of the world ? Some of ^^^""^^^^^^ 
 them imagined, that water was the firft 
 principle of all things ; others thought it 
 was the air or fire j and fome of them af- 
 ferted it's formation to be the efFccfl of the 
 four elements united. There were others, 
 flill more dark and ftupid, who pretended 
 that the univerfe was eternal, and without 
 beginning. Many conceived it to be formed 
 by a fortuitous concourfe, a lucky jun^ble 
 of firft bodies, or atoms ; and yet at the f ime 
 D time 
 
50 I'he Truth of the 
 
 time affirmed, that it had no commence- 
 ment ; while, according to others, all things 
 were infinite and uncreated. The wifeft of 
 thefe philolbphers, and thofe who deviated 
 leaft from the truth, propofed to us a God, 
 who,, meeting Vv^ith a matter eternal, and 
 felf-exiflent like himfelf; depending Ox^ 
 him neither in the foundation of it's nature, 
 nor in it's firft condition, fet himfelf to 
 work, and fafliioned it hke a vulgar me- 
 chanic. Now, according to this extrava- 
 gant fyftem, Matter is made equal with 
 the Deit\\ and God himfelf becomes com- 
 pelled and forced in his work, by this very 
 matter, and by thofe it's difpofitions, which 
 he never concerted -, and finds himfelf fub- 
 jedled to fuch laws, as even he himfelf Can- 
 not infringe. Thefe pretended philofophers^ 
 with all the intelligence their reafon could 
 afford them, were unable to comprehend 
 that if matter were felf-exiftent, it could 
 not have derived it's perfection from a fo- 
 reign hand ; and that if God be perfed: and 
 infinite, nothing more could have been re- 
 quifit^ for the performance of whatever he 
 would aftcdi, than himfelf, and his own 
 almightv will. 
 
 §. V. How 
 
Cbnjlum JtfUgivi xiniicated. 5 1 
 
 5. V. Hd^ many dlfp'Jtes hive arifenR^?^'^- 
 amongft thefe phibfophers, concerning our;r^i. 
 cwa nature and effence I Hr-e, the foul was 
 held a lubtle being; There, a thin vapoiir. In 
 one fchool they made it out to be partly 
 mortal, partly immortal ; and in another 
 they infifted, that it periihed with the body. 
 Many thought the foul was a portion of 
 the divine nature, a deity itfelf, a being, eter- 
 nal, uncreated, and which had neidier be- 
 ginning nor end. Some gave i: an exiftcncc 
 previous to the body, into which it afterwards 
 entered. What (hall I £iv of thofe who be- 
 lieved the tranfmigration of ibuls ? who 
 tranfported them from heaven to earth, 
 from earth to heaven, from felicity to mi- 
 fery, from milery to felicity again ; who 
 advanced, that they iiTjed from one body, 
 to inhabit fucceCvely a multitude of other?, 
 from the body of man, to that of an horfe 
 and animals of every fpecies ! — '' A:- 
 •' cording to tbefe philofophers,** iaid an 
 ancient author, ** I am at this dcy immcr^, 
 •' and rejoice in being fo : but prcfently I 
 may become mortal and irrational ; I 
 may fpeedily he transformed into every 
 Da •' kkd 
 
^2 T/jif T RV T H of the 
 
 *' kind of lliape or perfon. I may become 
 *' air, or fire, or water ; and then — almoft 
 *' inrtantaneoufly I am neither air, nor fire, 
 *' nor water ; I am turned into a beaft, am 
 *' mctamorphofcd to a fi(h ; and, in fuc- 
 *' cellive change, find I have tigers and 
 '^ dolpliins in my fi-aternity. If I behold 
 " myfelf, the body which has been provided 
 *^ me, makes me afraid -, and I know not 
 *' what name to give it : What iliall I call 
 '' it ? man, dog, or wolf, bull, bird or 
 ** ferpent, dragon or chimera ? — For thofe 
 *' my beforementioned fage mafters, meta- 
 "' morphofe me into every fort of animal, 
 *' terredrial and aquatic, volatile, favage, 
 *' and domeftic, mute and vocal, brutal and 
 *' rational. I fwim, I fly, I am borne aloft 
 in air, I crawl : I run, and I perch upon 
 the leafy branches. But here comes the 
 *' learned Empc clocks^ who will place me in 
 '' the number of the trees." 
 
 Rcfpt-a- §. VI. Wc fliould never finifli, were we 
 cof>c'itl->n^o relate all the ridiculous and fenfelefs fy- 
 anddcfig-ftcnis formed by the ancient pbilofophers, 
 man. upon the molt important points : permit us, 
 however, to fpeak a word or two concern- 
 ing 
 
 i< 
 
Chrijlian Religion vi7idicafed, 53 
 
 ing their opinions of the condition and final 
 defignation of man. Such of them, who had 
 fomc fmall knowledge of man's true llate 
 and excellence (not able to reconcile that 
 fund of grandeur and fublimity, wMth that 
 mafs of bafenefs and indigence united in one 
 and the fame nature) attributed the mean fen- 
 timents, which ntfcn naturally have of them- 
 felves, to ingratitude, and pufillanimity. O- 
 thers, on the contrary, who knew how real, 
 and innate this mental bafenefs is, have 
 treated of thofe noble fentiments, fo natural 
 to man, with a ridiculous pride and often- 
 tation. The firft, ignorant of the maladies in- 
 cident to man, no lefs than of their remedies, 
 have only laboured to augment them, by 
 leading him to fancy himfelf equal with the 
 Deity 5 and fuggefting to him, that through 
 the exertion of his own fagacity, he might 
 render himfelf like God : on the other 
 hand, the latter of thefe fages, who per- 
 ceived in man, nothing but what was bafe, 
 vile, and contemptible, depreciated him, even 
 to dcfpair -, and would fain have reduced 
 him to the condition of the brute bcafls, by 
 teaching him not to fcek after any other 
 D 3 good, 
 
^4 ^ 77oe Trv TH of thg 
 
 good, than thofe gratifications, which are 
 common to them. 
 
 The opinions of philofophers refpeding 
 the happinefs and end of man, are almoft 
 numberlefs. Some of them taught, that it 
 confiftedin the pleafures offenfe ; that vo- 
 luptuoufnefs was our fovereign good : others 
 placed it in exemption from pain : thefe 
 imagined it centred vin glory and repu- 
 tation, while thofe refoived it into in- 
 dolence and floth : a greater number, con- 
 founding the means with the end, pre- 
 tended that virtue only is the happinefs of 
 man ; and wifdom, in itfelf, her own reward. 
 Thefe blind, proud men thought that man 
 was fully fufficient to his own happinefs ; 
 and that he is the fole author of his own 
 felicity. Their prefumption involved them 
 in fo abfurd an error, that, after having main- 
 tained, that their wife men would be happy, 
 even though fiiut up in Pbalaris's bull -^ 
 they were forced to grant, that it was fome- 
 times neceflary to fly from, and avoid that 
 happy life : and, to complete their extra- 
 vagance, after having advanced, that the 
 
 wife 
 
Chrijlian Religion "c indicated. 55 
 
 wife man is happy amidfi: all the torments 
 and afrlidions of this life; yet, when prclTed 
 with the confidcration of all the miferics, 
 which might befal him, they willingly al- 
 lowed, that under fuch trying circumftances, 
 this fame wife man might put himfclf to 
 death, in order to procure his deliverance 
 from this pretended happy life ! 
 
 But how was it pofflble for him, who was 
 always happy, and whofe liappinefs was al- 
 ways in his own power, to lofe it by any 
 calamity whatfoever ? 
 
 Such of the philofophers, who were en- 
 lightened enough to perceive that man's true 
 happinefs was not attainable in this life ; 
 far from referring him to that infinite 
 fource, who alone is able to fatisfy all his de- 
 fires ; far from confoiing him \vi:h the 
 fweet hope of one day poffeffing his defired 
 felicity ; thought that it was not even poffi- 
 ble to commence an happinefs upon earth, 
 b'Jt in proportion, as that divine fountain of 
 happinefs deigned to communicate himfelf 
 to us, and permited us to enjoy him. All 
 their fplendid philofophy terminated in pro- 
 D 4 mifing 
 
56 T7j^ T R u T H ^/ the 
 
 mlfing to mankind an abode in the elyfian 
 fields, where their Ible occupation (hould 
 be to hold converfe with the fhades of men 
 deceafed, mutually to relate their paft ad- 
 ventures ; polTefling the lame defires as for- 
 merly, for thofe objeds which attach us to 
 this earth, fighing inceflantly after the wretch- 
 ed condition of thofe who had furvived, and 
 impatiently expeding the moment which 
 fhould give them the fatisfadion of review- 
 ing the light of day. 
 
 Refpea- §. VII. After having run into io many 
 truths. ^ errors and impieties upon the fundamental 
 points of religion, thefe philofophers could 
 not avoid miftakes in their moral precepts. 
 The ignorance of man's true end, and of the 
 nature of his foul, necelTarily carried with it 
 the overthrow of every rule of manners. 
 Thus, who of thefe philofophers ever knew 
 that grand precept of the love of God, and 
 it's extenfivenefs ? With them pride and 
 felf-love were the foul and main fpring of 
 all the adions of their life. Their philo- 
 fophy did but deflroy fome vices, by the 
 fubftitution of others 3 it taught an oftenta- 
 
 tious 
 
57 
 of die wond, in ocdcrto^nn 
 dntwofifs j fi plmfrs : kaAakm^z£xr 
 die &iiieaiid^afjjaiiczDd todjcpofiennt 
 ofvifloin, dfem^riflom k&lf: iiidiadc£. 
 UujMM^ Qoe |T"f"**^ alwsjs raiiftl up 
 dicr mace dmgcraos i^igd i^% 
 
 As OBCMCCtMiy CDfitiqufnoeof dicirmo-' 
 nli^, iKwning wis teat annMigil dicoi bm 
 
 a^ed, and 2 fiiperdfioos modc^ ; ia flxxt, 
 
 piwcBtvirtiKS: nay. 
 cxioki be ! : ~"Mngfl dicm but 
 
 difivdas coc 3^ : ddcs, die 
 
 jLifid, GomeoT- *. 
 vKcs, hfufkmlr. : 
 pofidj! 
 
 And: ?r£^,ccd 
 
 die pcof bcxh by 
 
 graic ;_ =5, " diedriok- 
 
 *t : — 
 
 bebatattfae 
 
^8 The T -Si V T n of the 
 
 ** feafts of Bacchus^ and in honour of that 
 *' God." Another of them, after having 
 condemned every indecent reprefentation, 
 excepts thofe performed to fuch Gods, as 
 would be honoured with infamous rites 
 of this nature. What {hocking practices 
 do moft of the principles inculcat.d by 
 thefe pretended wife men excite ? Arijlotk^ 
 for inftance, teaches. That nothing is abfo- 
 lutely good or evil in itfelf : that the de- 
 formity of our adlicns arifes from the cir- 
 cumftances of times and places, not from 
 the nature of things : infomuch, that a change 
 of times only is requifite to render that 
 good, which was formerly evil. Guided by 
 fuch a principle as this, to what lengths 
 might mankind run ! what a depravation 
 of manners did the ir.decent laws of Ly- 
 curgus, Soloii, and Minos introduce ! what 
 facrilege and confufion would the eftablifh- 
 ment of Plato's republic have produced ; — 
 that philofopher, fo eminently diftlnguilhed 
 above the refl ! It annihilates the holy in- 
 flii'jtion of marriage, by permitting a bru- 
 tal confufion of alliances amongft mankind. 
 It confounds thofe paternal names and pre- 
 rogatives which nature hath ever held in 
 
 highefl 
 
Chrtjlian Religion vindicated, ^o 
 
 higheft efleem, and gives men to the world, 
 wholly uncertain of their defcent, and con- 
 fequcntly without focial ties, without ten- 
 dernels, without affeftion, and even with- 
 out humanity *. 
 
 Such are the wanderings of human rea- 
 fon ; fuch it's ftrange and deplorable fruits, 
 even In thole who have paffed for geniufes 
 fo fublime and profound ! Thefe men ran, 
 as at a venture, after truths, which were 
 fealed up from them. They were continu- 
 ally inventing new fyftems, which ferved 
 only to remove them ftill farther and far- 
 ther from thofe grand objedls of their 
 purfuit. The difciple out-did his mafter, 
 and only heaped up new errors upon the 
 former. And this is the utmoft which rea- 
 fon could effed, fo long as it was left to it's 
 own direction : there is no error which it 
 hath not conceived, and brought forth. 
 Having no fixed and certain rule for it's con- 
 dudl, it was evidently biaffed by every gale 
 
 • See Z,J^;f^'s advantage and neceflity of chriftian reli- 
 gion, 2 vols. 4to. for full proof of what has been advanced 
 in the foregoini,^ fedions. See alfo Plutarch'i lives of Ly- 
 curgus, Solon J 6cz. 
 
 of 
 
6o The T iL V r n of the 
 
 of human opinions. To day it affirmed, 
 and on the morrow contefled what the fore- 
 going day it had maintained. Reduced, at 
 length, after much difputation, to grant, 
 that it knew nothing, and that all things 
 were a chaos impenetrable to it's fcrutiny. 
 
 Thus did the Deity laugh at human wif- 
 dom. He was defirous, by fo long and 
 fatal an experience, to convince vain and 
 proud reafon of the depth of it's ignorance, 
 of it's inability to attain truth. And he hatb 
 convinced it, by leflbns thus deeply humiliat- 
 ing, of it's want of a fuperior guide, and a 
 fupernatural intelligence ; fince, left to itfelf, 
 it cannot avoid falling into an abyfs of 
 errors. 
 
 Appiica. §. VIII. And now we will beg leave to 
 RoufTeau.afk RouJfe{iu a few plain and fimple quefti- 
 ons. — Were not thcfe great men, thefe ex- 
 alted genius's of profane antiquity, endued 
 with a reafon as capacious as his own ? 
 Were they not furnifhed with as many na- 
 tural affiftances for the inveftigation of truth 
 as himfelf ? How then, after fo clear a proof 
 as we have jufl: been giving, can Roujfeau 
 
 have 
 
Chrijiian Religion vindicated, 6 1 
 
 have the hardinefsto tell his Emilias. " You 
 *^ will find my expofition treat of nothing 
 " more than ?iatural religion : it is very 
 *' ftrange that we fhould Hand in need of 
 ** any other ! By what means fhall I find 
 *' out fuch neceflity ?" What then ! Is the 
 ivhole u?2i'vcrjl\ exhaufted with the vain ef- 
 forts it hath made to diflipate it's darknefs, 
 infufficient to convince Roujjeau of the ne- 
 ceflity of revelation ? After fo palpable and 
 convincing a proof, will he ftill venture to 
 afk us, '' What purity of morals, what 
 ** fyftem of faith, ufeful to man, and ho- 
 *' nourable to his maker, can I deduce from 
 ** any pofitive do6lrine, which I may not 
 *' as well deduce without it, from a proper 
 *' ufe of my natural Acuities ?" Might not 
 thofe philofophcrs, whofe extravagancies we 
 have been confidering, addrefs us in fuch 
 language, with as much good reafon and 
 propriety as Rouffeau ? 
 
 And yet thefe men, more honeft than 
 Roiiflcau, were forced to grant that they 
 could not attain tlie knowledge of truth by 
 the afliftance of their reafon alone. Po?'- 
 phyry^ convinced of the inutility of all human 
 
 means. 
 
62 Th Trvtu of the _ 
 
 means, owned he was in expedlation of an 
 efFedual remedy for the delivery of the foul 
 from it's doubts and obfcurity * : and even 
 Julian, accuftomed as he was to deny 
 whatever was unfupported with the fuUeft 
 evidence, confefled, that the nature of man 
 is not of itfelf capable of knowing what is 
 ufeful for it, and, confequently, has need 
 of a fuperior intelligence to enlighten and 
 inftruit it -f-. 
 
 Shall not the fad experience then, which 
 the philofophers, and, with them, all man- 
 kind have had, of the infufficiency of their 
 reafon, and every natural faculty, be able to 
 check and confound the proud prefumption 
 of a Roufieau ? — Does not the example of 
 what has already pafTed, prove to him, in 
 a very ftriking manner, that hum.an crea- 
 tures, without the affiftance of revelation, 
 cannot, by the exertion of their reafon alone, 
 attain to purity of morals, or difcover a fyf- 
 tem of faith ufeful to man, and honurable 
 to his Creator ? The hiftory of the aberra- 
 tions of human reafon iliews us that every 
 
 * Apud Aug. L. 10. deciv. Dei, c. 32. 
 t Apud Cyril. L. 5. contra Julian. 
 
 principle 
 
Chriflian Religion vindicated. 63 
 
 principle of the law of nature, being almoft 
 effaced from the hearts of men, it became 
 neceffary, for the glory of God, for the good 
 offoclety, and the proper advantage of man 
 in particular, to hold forth to him anew, 
 thofe trutlis, which had vaniilied from his 
 under/landing, and his heart. 
 
 Who can help being indignant, when he 
 hears Rouffeau oftentatioufly advance, 
 *' That the moll fublime ideas we can form 
 *' of the Deity, are inculcated by reafon 
 *' alone ? — *' What ideas of the Deity hath 
 this reafon inculcated ? What a Deity did it 
 contrive before it was illuminated by the 
 rays of revelation ? To this revelation, not 
 to our erroneous reafon, are we indebted for 
 fublime ideas of the Deity. This it is, 
 which hath caufed to difappear by it's fplen- 
 dor, and hath diffipated by it's power, fo 
 many opinions injurious to the divine na- 
 ture. Without this affiftance, we fhould 
 ftill walk on, blind and groping, as in the 
 thickcft night, feeking continually in vain, 
 what our reafon could never difcovcr to us. 
 Of this truth, Rouffeau furnifhcs us with a 
 p!arin2: inftancc in himfclf. What are thofe 
 
 fine 
 
64 77je Tkv Tit df tk 
 
 fine ideas of the Deity, which his reafoa 
 fuggefts to him ? If he eftablifhes one, in 
 an inftant after, he either cavils at, or contra* 
 difts it : Agai», he recurs to it, and foon 
 afterwards reduces it to a problem, till, at 
 length, he becomes forced to grant, that he 
 underftands nothing of the matter. Would 
 you fee an analyfis of Rouffeau's curious 
 ideas of the Deity ? He even doubts, whe- 
 ther or no matter be eternal ; whether there 
 be one fole caufe of all things^ or whether 
 there are many. He knows not whether 
 God created matter^ body^ fouls ^ and the 
 world. He is obliged to own, That the fingle 
 idea of creation confoujids him^ and is beyond 
 his reach *. And (hall this man, thus buried 
 in the mifts of groffeft ignorance, ftili dare 
 to aflert, that the fublimell ideas of the Deity 
 are inculcated upon us by reafon alone ? 
 
 But let us fee what this reafon can dif- 
 cover, even upon the confeffion of RoufTeau 
 himfelf — " To this term [GOD] fays he, 
 " I annex the ideas of intelligence, power 
 " and will, which I have colleded from the 
 *' order of things ; and to thefe I add that 
 
 • See Emilius. Vol. III. p. 72. 
 
 '* of 
 
Chrifiian Religion vindicated, 6^ 
 
 ^^ of goodnefs, which is a neccffary confe- 
 ** quencc of their union : but I am not at 
 *' all the wifcr concerning the eflence of the 
 *' Being to which I give thefe attributes : 
 " he remains at an equal diftance from my 
 ** fenfes, and my undcrftanding. The more 
 ^' I think of him, the more I am con- 
 *^ founded. — I no fooner endeavour to con- 
 *^ template what he is in hlmfelf; I no 
 *' fooner inquire where he is, and what is 
 " his fubftance, than he eludes the flrongefl 
 *' efforts of my imagination, and my be- 
 ** wildered underftanding is convinced of 
 " it's own weaknefs. *'* Grant then, poor 
 and feeble mortal, that you are unable to 
 know any thing of Cod but what he kindly 
 condefcends to inform you. At length, 
 acknowledge the neceflity of a revelation, 
 which every object, as well within as with- 
 out you, proclaims ; and be fcnfible, that by 
 refufmg to fubmit yourfclf to that gentle 
 and amiable yoke which revelation impofes, 
 you become the perpetual fport, and wretch- 
 ed vidlim of a reafon which blinds you ; to 
 conceal from your fight thofe precipices from 
 which it would plunge you. 
 • Vol. III. p. 4S. 
 
 E Having; 
 
66 "The Truth of the 
 
 Having had fo clear information, of the 
 iiiipotenceanddelufion of your reafjn \ having 
 deplored it's follies and aberrations in fuch pa- 
 thetic terms ; having fketched out to us fo 
 natural, yet fo loathfome a pifture of them : 
 By what fatality are you led back again to 
 the old track ? 
 
 *^ I reflected, you tell us, on the unhappy 
 *^ lot of mortals, always floating on the oce- 
 ** an of human opinions, without compafs 
 " or rudder ; left to the mercy of their tem-» 
 ** pefluous paffions, with no other guide 
 '' than an unexperienced pilot, ignorant of 
 *' his courfe, as well as whence he came, and 
 *^ whither he is going. I faid often to my- 
 ** felf, I love the truth ; I feek, yet cannot 
 ** find it. Let any one (hew it me, and I 
 ** will readily embrace it. Why doth it hide 
 *^ it's charms from an heart formed to adore 
 •* them ? ^'^ 
 
 Such, then, is the fad condition of men, 
 
 according to Rouflcau ; of thofe who have no 
 
 other fupport than their feeble reafon. They 
 
 . float continually on this ocean of human opi- 
 
 Vol. III. p. 20. 
 
 nions. 
 
Chrljllan Religion "j indicated. tf> 
 
 nions, without rudder or compals, with an 
 unexperienced pilot, who is ignorant of his 
 proper courle ; who direds us, without 
 knowing whence he conies, or whither he 
 is bound. What rcUance then can be placed 
 on fuch a guide ? 
 
 If Rouffeau fays true \ if he loves truth ; 
 if he fincerely feeks after it \ let him forth- 
 with confefs the abfolute neceflity of revela- 
 tion, fince all his efforts have been unavail- 
 ing to procure him a knowledge of that 
 truth ; fince all he bath been able to de^ 
 diicc by his long and painful 7m di tat ions ^ is 
 but incertitude^ obfcurity and contradiBion, as 
 well luith regard to the caufc of his cxijience^ 
 as the rule of his condition. But let us hear 
 him further. 
 
 *' In this fituation, proceeds he *, I con- 
 fulted xhtpbilofophers ; I turned over their 
 books, and examined their feveral opini- 
 ons ; in all which I found them vain, 
 dictatorial and dogmatical, even in their 
 pretended fcepticifm ; ignorant of notjiing, 
 yet proving nothing ; ridiculing one ano- 
 
 • Vol. III. p. 2 1. & feq. 
 
 E 2 ther; 
 
€< 
 
 <C 
 
 CC 
 
 68 The Trv Tit of ihe 
 
 ther : and in this laft particular only^ 
 
 wherein they were all agreed, they feemed 
 
 to be in the right -, afFedling to triumph 
 
 whenever they attacked their opponents^ 
 
 they wanted every thing to make them 
 
 capable of a vigorous defence* If you 
 
 examine their reafons, you will find them 
 
 ** calculated only to refute ; if you number 
 
 *^ voices, every one is reduced to his own 
 
 " fuffrage : they agree in nothing but dif- 
 
 *' puting : to attend to thefe, therefore, 
 
 *' was not the way to remove my uncer- 
 
 " tainty. I conceived that the weaknefs 
 
 of the human underftanding was the firfl 
 
 caufe of the prodigious variety which I 
 
 found in their fentiments, and that pride 
 
 " was the fecond We are ignorant 
 
 ** even of ourfelves j we neither know our 
 
 own nature, nor principle of aftion ; nay 
 
 we hardly know whether man be a fimple 
 
 or compound being : impenetrable myf- 
 
 *' terics furround us on every fide ; they 
 
 *' extend beyond the region of fenfe : wc 
 
 ^* imagine ourfelves poffeflTed of underfland- 
 
 '* ing to penetrate them, and we have only 
 
 *' imagination. Every one ilrikes out a way, 
 
 l[ which Jie thinks good > but no one knows 
 
 *' whether 
 
 CC 
 
 <c 
 
Chrijlian Religion "^indicated, 69 
 
 *^ whether it will lead him to the point he 
 ^^ aims at. We are yet defirous to pene- 
 
 *' trate, to know every thing; we 
 
 ** had much rather determine at random, 
 " and believe the thing which is not, than 
 " confefs that none of us is capable of fee- 
 
 *' ing the thing that is But were the 
 
 *^ philofophers even in a fituation to difcover 
 •' the truth, which of them wouW be inte- 
 
 *^ refted in fo doing ? Each of them 
 
 *' knows very well that his fyftem is no 
 ^ better founded than thofe of others ; he 
 ** neverthelefs defends it, becaufe it is his 
 " own. There is not one of them, who 
 *' really knowing truth from falfliood 
 " would not prefer the latter, of his own 
 " invention, to the former, difcovered by 
 ** any body elfe. Where is tlie philofopher, 
 ** who would not readily deceive mankind, 
 " to increale his own reputation ? Where is 
 " he, who fecretly propofes any other objev!t 
 '* than that of diftingailliing himfelf from 
 ** the reft of mankind ? Provided he raifos 
 '' himfelf above the vulgar, and carries 
 *' away the prize of fame from his com- 
 ** petitors; what doth he require more ? 
 y Themoft cfTential point is to think diftc- 
 E 3 *' rent!/ 
 
I'he Truth of the 
 *' rently from the reft of the world. Among 
 *' believers^ he is an atheift, and among 
 " atheius he affeds to be a believer." 
 
 Nothing can be added to the pidure here 
 drawn by Roaffeau of the philofophers of 
 our time : it flatters not, nor ought it to 
 be fufpedled, fince the author is a perfedt 
 connoillcur in this kind of writing : obferve 
 we the confequences he draws from it. " I 
 ^^ could fee further, he concludes *, that, 
 •^ inftead of clearing up any unneceiTary 
 *' doubts, the philofophers only contributed 
 
 to multiply thofe which moft tormented 
 
 me, and refolved abfolutely none. I there- 
 " fore applied to another guide, and faid to 
 
 myfelf, let me confult my innate inftruc- 
 ** tor, who will deceive me iefs than I may 
 *' be deceived by others ; or, at leaft, the 
 
 errors I fail into will be my own, and I 
 *' fhall grow Iefs depraved in the purfuit of 
 '* my own illufions, than in giving myfelf 
 [' up to the deception of others.'* 
 
 How abfurda conclufion ! — Who would 
 not have thought that RoufTeau — after hav- 
 ing fo clearly perceived and demonftrated the 
 infufliciency of the reafon of our philofo- 
 phers, 
 • Vol. III. p. 24. 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated, 'j i 
 
 pliers, for the dilcoveiy of truth — mufl 
 have concluded other lights and aflift- 
 ances to be neceflary, than thofe with which 
 it furniflies our minds ? Is not this the rati- 
 onal inference from all his confeffions ? If 
 the iveaknefs of the human iindcrjlanding is. the 
 Jirjl caufe of that prodigioui diverfity in the 
 fentiment^ of our philofophers j if we are fo 
 limited, that we are ignorant of our very 
 fehes ', that we neither knoiD our own nature^ 
 nor the principle of our anions : nay, that we 
 hardly know whether man be af.mple or com- 
 pound being: — if in order to penetrate into the 
 impenetrable myfteries which furround us on 
 every fide ^ we imagine ourfelves pojfejjcd of im- 
 derjlanding^ while we have only imagination to 
 affift us : \{,no one can know whether the way 
 hefrikes out will lead him to the point he ainn 
 at — How can any one be fo blind, as to 
 rejedl the neceflity of revelation ! How can he 
 hefitate to acknowledge the need of a fuper- 
 natural intelligence to deliver us from all thofe 
 endlefb doubts which incefiantly perplex and 
 torment us ; and to raife us from that flate of 
 trouble and anxiety into which we are caft 
 by the uncertainty and contradiction of our 
 minds, with refpedl to the mod: important 
 points ? In fliort, liiice the philofophers could 
 
 E 4 not 
 
72 The Truth of the 
 
 not, after ell their efforts^ fettle our doubts ^ 
 even were they in a condition capable of 
 difcovering truth, becaufe, no one of them 
 li'ould be inter ejled in fo doings, becaufe there 
 is not one of them, who, though really know~ 
 i?2g truth from faljhood, would not prefer 
 the chimcera of his own invention^ to the truth 
 difcoi:ered by another : becaufe all, without 
 exception, have no other objeB in view, than 
 to diJlinguiJJj themfelves, and every one for 
 the advancement of his own reputation, would 
 readily deceive all mankind : — What remains 
 for us, then, but to defire the kind affiftance 
 of a guide, incapable either of deceiving, or 
 being deceived ; who, becoming our furety' 
 and proteflor, may ftrike out for us a certain 
 path to our God, and fhield us as efFedlu- 
 ally from felf-delufions, as from the decep-. 
 ^ tions of others ? 
 
 Tarthcr §* ^^* ^'' ^^"^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ hitherto 
 proof cf obferving, being confirmed by the teftimo- 
 
 fity of rV "^*^s given by Rouffeau, ought abundantly to 
 relation, fatisfy US, that man, in his prefent ftate, is 
 under an abfolute neceffity of divine reve- 
 lation^ in order to a right knowledge of the 
 Pcity, of his own true condition and defig- 
 
 natioii. 
 
ChriJIian Religiofi vindicated. 73 
 
 nation, of what he owes to his God, and of 
 the acceptable manner wherein to ferve and 
 honour him. 
 
 But befide that iftternal worfiip and ho- 
 mage which man owes to his Maker ; he 
 is further bound to pay an external adoration, 
 whofe firft fruit is the foul -, and which can- 
 not be thoroughly underftood but by the 
 afliftances of revelation. 
 
 The profound abafement of our fouls, 
 under a juft fenfe of the infinite majefty of 
 heaven ; fentiments of tender and ardent 
 love, of unfliaken confidence in his goodnefs, 
 and of lively gratitude for his bleffings, are, 
 undoubtedly, the chief and principal parts of 
 that worfhip which we owe to the fupreme 
 Being. Without thefe, all elfe is but hypo- 
 crify and filfliood ; w^e do but affront him 
 with a lip homage ; we vainly feek to impofe 
 on him by outward appearances, deftitute of 
 that devotion which they are but the mea?2S 
 to exprefs ; and we may reft aflured, that 
 all fuch fervice is only an abomination in 
 the fight of the invifible Being, who fi- 
 thoms the v(:ry ground of our h.carts. But, 
 
 at 
 
«^ "The T K \J T n of the 
 
 it the fame time, it would be as dangerous 
 an illufion to imagine, that internal worfhip 
 is all which the Deity requires of us. 
 
 Man, being compounded of a body and 
 a foul, he owes to his God the homage of 
 them both ; and juftly doth the Deity de- 
 mand man's reverence and obedience, as well 
 by the actions of his body, as by the fenti- 
 ments of his foul. Whatever man is and hath, 
 proceeding wholly from God, and belong- 
 ing to him, — it is moft reafonable, that all 
 fhould concur to render the divine Donor 
 that religious adoration which is his due. 
 The body, then, muft necelTarily be united in 
 worfliip with the foul ; it fhould conftitute 
 but one votary with the foul ^ it fhould be 
 tlic high-prieft of her religion ; the witnefs 
 to depofc her fentiments ; the foldier to fight 
 boldly in their defence. 
 
 The condition to which mankind is re- 
 duced, and that dependance, which minds 
 have on bodies, require they fhould be ad- 
 vertifed by a woriliip which ftrikes the 
 fenfes, to enter into the ideas which 
 they ought to have of the Deity. It is this 
 
 external 
 
Chri/lian RcHgio?i v'uuilcafed. ^5 
 
 external of reli^ilon which fuftains the foul 
 which flirs up and aflifls her to elevate her- 
 fclf to God. What a confolation does it 
 afford her,^ to be, by thcfe external aids, 
 enabled to exprefs the fentiments wherewith 
 Ihe is animated -, to find in them a fupple- 
 ment to her piety, and means fo natural to 
 enflame and augment it ! Take from her 
 thefe fenfible objeds, and you will prefently 
 perceive her religion to wax feeble, and de- 
 cline into a languor, which will infallibly 
 introduce an utter extindion of her firft con- 
 ceptions. 
 
 Man holds the middle ftate between God 
 and the reft of the creatures : all of them 
 are calculated for his fervice ; all are made 
 for him. It is his part to offer up to God 
 the praifcs of all created beings, of whom 
 he is the centre and conncdting bond. It is 
 through him they are to return to their great 
 firft caufe, as they all derive exiftence from 
 him. He is rcfponfiblc, on behalf of all the 
 other creatur(^, to difcharge their obligations 
 to their Creator. He is their foul and their 
 intelligence. He is their voice and their fiib- 
 ftitute, Man, therefore, the eftablilhcd high- 
 
 pricft 
 
^^ Ti'he Truth of the 
 
 pneft of all creation, fliould obferve a public 
 and folemn form of adoration, whereby to 
 acknowledge the fupreme dominion of God 
 qver ali, to teftlfy a reverence of him as the 
 author and lord of all created beings, and to 
 render him, in their names, the homage of 
 their dependence and fervitude, 
 
 Mankind, in fhort, being ordained to live 
 in fociety, and to form a religious body, 
 which may more clofely unite them than all 
 the ties of nature and of biood ^ it is neceffary 
 they fliould have a vifible worihip, whereby 
 mutually to manifefl their inward diipofi- 
 tions, and the fentiments of their hearts to- 
 wards God : they jGhould edify their bre« 
 thren, by the example of their piety, and 
 lead them, by thefe Simulating expreffions 
 • of public adoration, to render the Deity 
 thatworfhip, homage and refpedl, which fa 
 juftly are his due. 
 
 Thefe fentiments, and thefe principles 
 are fo natural, fo deeply engraven on the 
 heart of man, that v/e have feen in all ages, 
 a mode ofworjkip^ altars, facrijices and daySy 
 fet apart, and confecrated to the honour and 
 
 fervice 
 
Chrijlian Religion 'vindicated, nj 
 
 fervice of a true or a pretended God, 
 Idolatry itfelf, which, in procefs of time, 
 ahnoft overfpread the whole earth, hatli 
 borne full teilimony to this eflential point 
 in religion. 
 
 Indeed the devils, wlio then pafled them- 
 felves upon the world for God, and affected 
 all thefe externals, knew that they were the 
 appendages of divinity, and the duties of the 
 creature. When they demanded of their 
 followers, temples, altars, proceliions, fa- 
 crifices, and whatever conftitutes an ex- 
 ternal form of worihip ; it was becaule they 
 knew that all thefe were due to him, whofe 
 name they affumed, and whofe glory they 
 ufurped. People of all nations acquiefced in 
 their demands, only becaufe they were fully 
 perfuaded of the fame truth. It is therefore 
 evident, that no one can cavil at the neceffity 
 of an outward form of worfliip, without doing 
 violence to his reafon and underftanding, 
 and offering the groffeft affront to the de- 
 clared and univcrfal affent of all nations. 
 
 But the external worfliip, which God re- 
 quires of us, muft not be left to the choice 
 
 and 
 
jS Tbe Truth of tLe 
 
 and caprice of every private perfon. To be 
 agreeable to God, it muft be regulated by his 
 injundlions, and confonant to his will: It is his 
 province to prefcribe it to us : he ought to 
 be it's principle, as he is it's end : It is there- 
 fore for him to manifefl: to us, by revela- 
 tion, that particular method of adoration, 
 which he requires : for reafon cannot fug- 
 geft to us the free and pofitive will of the 
 Deity in this matter : it is too remote from 
 our ideas and appreheniion. Nothing but 
 the declaration which God himfelf fliall be 
 pleafed to make, can communicate this 
 knowledge, and afilire us of our confor- 
 n:iity with what he requires of us. And, 
 confequently, — whether wt confider revela- 
 tion, with reference either to internal or ex- 
 ternal worfhip — both concur to demonftrate 
 it's abfolute neceffity *. 
 
 §. X. We 
 
 * It may not be improper to obferve what Roufleau of- 
 fers by way of objedion to the pro<^l here urged. " That 
 ** the worfhip of God, fays he, iliould be uniform, I 
 ** grant is neceflary, and I would have it fo : but is this a 
 *' point fo very important, that the whole apparatus of 
 ** divine power was neceffary to eftablifh it ? Let us not 
 ** confound the ceremonials of religion with religion itfelf. 
 <* The worfliip which God demands, is that of the heart ; 
 «' and this, when it is fincere, is ever uniform : Men 
 
 << mufi 
 
Chrijlian Religion "fifidicated, yg 
 
 5. X. We agree with RoufTcau, that^"^^"^^^ 
 the Deity requires to be worfliipcd in fpirit efTcntial 
 and in truth. That the adoration he aiks ^° .*'''^^''''* 
 of us, is that of the heart j but no one can 
 
 thus 
 
 <* mufl entertain very ridiculous notions of the Deity in. 
 •* deed, if they imagine he can intereft himfclf in the 
 ** gown or cafTock of a prieil, in the form of words he 
 ** utters, or in the geftures and genuflexions he makes at 
 ** the altar. Alas ! my friend, where istheufe of knec- 
 ** ling ? Stand as upright as you will, be fatisfied you 
 ** will be always near enough the earth. God requires 
 '* to be worlhiped in fpirit and in truth. This is a duty 
 •* incumbent on men of all religions and countries. With 
 ** regard to exterior forms ; if, for the fake of peace and 
 ** good order, their uniformity be expedient, this is 
 ** merely an affair of government, and furcly requires not 
 ** the aififtancc of revelation. '* 
 
 All this, plainly, is downright fineffe : RoufTeau endea- 
 vours to change the fubjeft with his readers only, that at 
 all events, he may more furely deceive them, and dazzle 
 tiieir imaginations with low and ridiculous buffoonery. 
 ** Men, fays he, mud have very foolifh notions of God 
 *' to imagine he can intereft himfelf in tlie particular habit 
 •' of a prieft, in the order of words he pronounces, or 
 *< in his geftures or genuflexions at the altar." But when 
 or where did this unreafonable and difingenuous writer 
 hear it faid, that revelation was requijitc to prefcribe the 
 mode of a priclVs habit, his geftures and genuflexions ? 
 Can he be iijnoraiu, that all tlicfe inferior circumftances 
 Viiiy according to times and places ? Docs the founda- 
 tion 
 
8d 5^^ Truth of the' 
 
 thus worfliip God, but fo far as heconforttig 
 to that external worfhip, which God im- 
 pofes upon all his true followers. To refufe 
 fubmiffion to this injun(ftion is to be proud, 
 
 to 
 
 tion and efTence of external worfhip confift in thefe parti- 
 culars ? Is not the performance always eflentially the fame, 
 whatever may be the priell's habit, geftures or genu- 
 ilexions ? — But he will be taken, as we humbly apprehend, 
 in the fnares he feems fo defirous to have laid for others ; 
 and foon find his own words a fufRcient confutation of what 
 he advances. The prieji he refers to, — not the peculiar 
 fafliion of his gown : — The altar he mentions, and the 
 facrijices there offered, — not the feveral geftures and 
 emotions there exercifed, are what really conftitute the 
 effence of external worfhip. Thefe lire the important points, 
 which if required the full exertion of the divine power to 
 eftablifh on a folid foundation. Indeed, facrifice being 
 due to God, and to him only, it became him to point out 
 fuch a one as might be moft agreeable to himfelf, and to 
 prefcribe to mankind an order of priefts and minifters, to 
 offer it up to him. Ro-ufTeau talks of not confounding the 
 ceremonials of religion with the duty itfelf : — But how- 
 hath he profited by this leffon ? He is tardy in this very 
 inftance ; fmce with a view to delude his readers, he has 
 wilfully confounded fome accidental ceremonies of extef* 
 nal worfhip, with the effentials of that worfhip itfelf. 
 
 But he goes on : " Alas, my friend, ftand as upright 
 ** as you will, reft fatisfied you will always be near 
 «* enough the earth." Could this feeble worm, this child 
 of duft, venture thus to exprefs himfelf, if he were duly 
 fenfible of his own unworthinefs and depravity, and of the 
 infinkc excellence of the fypreme Being ! Ought he not 
 
 rather 
 
Chrijllan Religion ^vifidlc/ited. 8 1 
 
 to defpife and contemn him, and it is im- 
 piety to rejedt that which conflitutes a part 
 of true piety. Now, all external worfl:iip 
 has reference to a renovation of the heart, 
 as it's principal end; it tends only to confirm 
 the dominion of God within us, and to di- 
 redl and invigorate U9 in the performance 
 of internal worfhip. It is defigned only to 
 infpire us with fentlments of love and gra- 
 titude, to awaken our devotion, to purify 
 our hearts, to detach them from earthly 
 confiderations, and to exalt and unite them 
 to him, who is the alone worthy objccfl of 
 their contemplation. Such is the end of all 
 external worfliip. And any one may from 
 hence eafily perceive how greatly he injures 
 it, who regards it as foreign to the adora- 
 tion in fpirit and in truth 3 fince it is the rule, 
 the model, and the bafis of it. 
 
 rather to have addrefTed his pupil thus ? ** Shouldeft 
 *' thou, my friend, abafc thyfclf, and be confounded as 
 " much as polTible, before the fovercign Majefty of hea- 
 *' ven, thou couldell never fufficiently teflify thy abfolute 
 *' dependence upon him, thy extreme poverty, and his 
 *' infinite fublimity and excellence. Before this God, 
 *' whom thou worfhipeft, whatever is great in heaven 
 *' and earth, is cjlipfed ; under ajuft fenfe of this awful 
 " Majefty, every being fhould be abforbed and annihi- 
 ** lated." Thus ought the man to cxprefs himfclf, who 
 finccrely deilres to worlhip God in fpirit and in truth. 
 
 F It 
 
82 The Tv.\5rnofthe 
 
 It would certainly, as we have before ob- 
 ferved, be a very grofs error and fuperfti- 
 tion, to think of pleafing God, and paying 
 him the homage he reafonably expeds from 
 us, by proceeding to thefe outward demon- 
 ftrations, and refting there, without any con- 
 cern to make the fecret difpofitions and emo- 
 tions of our hearts perfeftly correfpond. 
 It would be in vain to burn incenfe on the • 
 altars of the Lord ; in vain w^ould facri- 
 fices be multiplied : if the heart burned not 
 at the fame time with the fire of love toward 
 God 3 if it were not entirely facrificed and 
 devoted to his glory and fervice. It would 
 be affronting the fupreme Majefty in the 
 moft enormous degree, to think of giving 
 him honour, without the joint oblation of 
 love. But then too, it would be another 
 miflake, and fatal deception, to pleafe our- 
 felves with the thought of worfliiping God 
 in fpirit and in truth, without a careful ob- 
 fervance of that external worfliip, which is 
 fo neceflary a concomitant of the former. 
 
 When 
 
Chrljlian Religion 'vindicated. 83 
 
 When the heart is well regulated, when 
 it*s love and affedions are fincerely dedi- 
 cated to God, it will never think of difput- 
 ing with him the outward evidences and 
 profeffion of the juft fcntiments it enter- 
 tains. To a heart glowing with love, it 
 would be too painful a denial to with- 
 hold the outward teftimonies of it's fub- 
 miffion and refpedl ; the public and fignal 
 proofs of it*s homage and adoration. Afoul 
 full of affection for it's God, cannot delay 
 the ardent exprefiion of whatever may re- 
 dound to his honour ; nay, religion itfelf 
 can hardly fupply it with exercifes and means 
 fufficient to latisfy the fervor which con- 
 fumes it. 
 
 It very wtU fuits the propcnfity of our 
 infidels, to turn into ridicule the pradfices 
 and duties of external worfhip, and to re- 
 prefcnt them as the province of weak un- 
 derftandincTs, and vul^xar fouls ! Who are 
 thcfe men, then, who vaunt fo much of 
 their reafon, their fuperior abilities, and 
 ftrengLh of undcrAanding ? Let any one 
 F 2 follow 
 
$4 1'he Truth of the 
 
 follow and examine them, and he will find 
 every inclination of their minds the moft 
 groveling and mean : he will find them to 
 be fordid fouls, over whom every paflion 
 domineers ; who are only influenced by 
 the wanton caprices of humour, and the 
 irreeular fu^eeftions of their imagination ; 
 and who are guided folely by the inftinft of 
 the fenfes, like irrational animals. What 
 is there to be feen in them, which is noble, 
 elevated, worthy the ftrength and excellency of 
 reafon ? With them every qualification confifl^ 
 in a vain oftentation of fine words andfpeeches. 
 But their reafon, their magnanimity, their 
 pretended philofophy would difappear, and 
 abandon them in thofe emergencies, when 
 it fliould become neceflary to give proof of 
 their reality. They are therefore nothing 
 more than fo many children, than feeble 
 reeds, which every wind agitates at pleafure. 
 Are the duties of religion brought in quef- 
 tion ? They then affedt a Angularity, a 
 ftrength and fuperiority of mind, which 
 every thing within them belies. If they arc 
 ftrong, it is againft God ; but they are even 
 
 weakiiefs 
 
Chrijllan Religion vindicated. 8j 
 
 weaknefs itlelf, when the point in hand is 
 to combat their own hearts. 
 
 What do men like thefe poflefs in 
 common with thofe heroes, whom religion 
 hath made fuch ; with thofe great fouls fo 
 worthy our veneration for their eminent 
 underflanding and virtues, fo infenfible to 
 every earthly enjoyment, fo generous, fo in- 
 trepid in every danger, fo difpofed to facri- 
 fice every thing for their God ? And yet, 
 fuch men as thefe mingled themfelves 
 with the ignorant multitude, in the exer- 
 cifes of divine worfhip. The more exxel- 
 lent they were in every other circumllance, 
 fo much the more lowly and fimple did 
 they become, when the fervice of God re- 
 quired them to perform the duties of piety. 
 Thofe admirable men placed all their de- 
 light in pouring forth their fouls in thefe 
 outward expreflions, and in jointly animating 
 their hearts by thefe mutual teftimonies of 
 faith and devotion* 
 
 But we need not be furprized, if our mo- 
 dern infidels teftify contempt only for out- 
 ward woffhip, and feek to bring it to no- 
 F 3 thing. 
 
86 The Truth of the 
 
 thing. This is not what they immediately 
 aim it ; their (hafts are levelled againft that 
 worfliip in fpirit and in truth, which they 
 feemingly fet off and embellifli, only for 
 form's fake, and the better to cover their 
 defigns. They dare not attack it openly ; 
 but they ftrike at it through the fides 
 of external worfliip, which they know to 
 be it's bulwark and ftrmeft fupport. They 
 would fain abolifli this external worfhip, 
 which lays them under uneafy reftraint, and 
 fubjecfts them to pafs for impious perfons for 
 not iiQing conformably to it's rules. Could 
 they but fucceed in their attempt, they would 
 foon after, in the fecret of their heart, 
 ridicule that internal vjov(K\^^ of which they 
 now boaft ; and would enjoy, undifturbed, 
 without fear, and without reproach, the 
 wretched fruits of their deplorable infidelity. 
 
 Whatever has been hitherto advanced, 
 confirms and demonftrates the neceffity of 
 external worjhip -, and this neceffity, as we 
 have feen, proves, in it's turn, that of a 
 
 Revelation, 
 
 §. XI.Thefe 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated, 87 
 
 §. XI. Thefe are the proofs we have The dif- 
 to offer in favour of revelation ; and, f*-irely, J^^^jfj!^.[ 
 he mufl be blind, who can refift their cvi-of fint, a 
 dence ! I might have difpenfed with pro-p"oofof 
 ducins fo many of them : fince, after h;iv- ^^^^ '^^.*^^^' 
 ing eflablifhed the exijleiice of original fin *, ^jdutUn, 
 the natural confequence refulting from it, 
 is certainly a neceflity of revelation. In- 
 deed, do not the prodigious changes, which 
 that fin wrought in our nature, the general 
 confufion introduced by it, and the deep 
 afflidlions which it hath occafioned^ — do not 
 all thefe fatal and lamentable attendants on 
 ouvfall^ unite to convince us, that the firft 
 'ftate of things having been troubled and in- 
 verted, we enter into a flate wholly new ; 
 and are reduced to the neceflity of applying 
 different means to repair the ruins of our 
 former wreck ? 
 
 Now, among ft thefe means, we muft cer- 
 tainly reckon revelation ; fince that, and 
 that alone, can difpel the thick darkncfs 
 wherein our minds are involved , and 
 which, as wc have obferved, is^ one necef- 
 
 • See /iril Diflcrtation, 
 
 F 4 iiry 
 
88 The Trv T n of the 
 
 fary confequence of the crime committed 
 by our whole race, in the perfon of our firft 
 parent. 
 
 But further, man having rendered himfelf 
 guilty, and become a traitor to his God, 
 and fo, worthy of every infliction of divine 
 wrath ', diverted of all the gifts of his bounty j 
 and of himfelf wholly unable to repair the 
 outrage offered to the fupreme Majefty ; 
 what refource, what hope yet remained for 
 him ? What pofTible method fhall he take 
 to bring himfelf into favour with the of- 
 fended Deity ? How (hall he even dare at- 
 tempt it ? What means fufficiently effica- 
 cious {hall he employ to fucceed in the grand 
 defign ? What fliall man offer to his God, 
 ^ in compenfation for his fault, and in dif- 
 charge of his mighty debt ? All within him 
 is polluted ; fin hath wholly infedled him • 
 what fhall he prefent to his Maker, which 
 may prove agreeable to him, or worthy of 
 his acceptance ? In vain would he call the o- 
 ther creatures to his aid : He is too much above 
 them 5 and they are all too far beneath 
 God, to perform the high part of a Medi- 
 ator. Whatjthen fhall become of lofl, fallen 
 
 man ! 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated. 89 
 
 man ! unlefs the Deity himfclf voiichfafc to 
 I'peak, and teach him the path he (hould 
 parfue ? — He muft: either abandon himfelf 
 to a fearful defpair, helplcfs, hopelefs ; and 
 plunge from gulph to gulph in cndlefs dif* 
 tradtion ^ or, through another as dangerous 
 extreme, prefamptuoufly think himfelf able 
 to effeft a reconciliation with his God, by 
 his own efforts and fervices ; and, adding 
 pride to his unworthinefs, pretend tg ap- 
 proach the throne of the Deity, without 
 having previoufly appeafed him. This vain 
 confidence would but tend more and more 
 to irritate the angry God, and to place new 
 obflacles in the way of his reconciliation. 
 Man would exhauft himfelf in a thoufand 
 vain and fruitlefs attempts, without advanc- 
 ing one ftep nearer to the defired end : his 
 labour always fruitlefs, would avail him no- 
 thing, and leave him continually to languifli 
 under the load of his mifery, without find- 
 ing any ilTue or conclufion. 
 
 It was neccffary, therefore, that the di- 
 vine goodncfs Ihould come in to the fuccour 
 of man, and, preventing his defpair, point 
 out to him the path for the recovery of his 
 
 happinefs. 
 
ga Tie T R V T n cf tie 
 
 happinefs. It was neceflary he fhould be 
 apprized of the methods appointed by divine 
 wifdom, for the reftoration of it's degraded 
 image, for the reparation of that rebellious 
 outrage, which man, who bore it, had com- 
 mitted againft his Maker. 
 
 A detail §, XII. And fuch is the conduft which 
 veiation '^^^ infinite mercy of our God hath approved 
 of the of in our behalf. Scarcely had man fallen, 
 
 great pro- , j . » 
 
 mife of a and declined from his firft ftate, before God 
 ^^'^^^'"^^announces him a deliverer^ who (hould re- 
 leafe him from that flavery to which his in- 
 fidelity had reduced him : who fhould con- 
 firm anew that facred communion between 
 GcD and man, which had been interrupted 
 by his fall, and reinftate him in all thofe 
 glorious privileges, of which he had been 
 defpoiled. 
 
 This great promife could be the only 
 ground of hope to Adam and his pofterity. 
 It was given in this manner to the father 
 of the human race, that it might be tranf- 
 mitted by an uninterrupted tradition, down 
 to his rcmoteft defcendants. It was carefully 
 preserved by fuch tradition for a time ; but 
 
 very 
 
Chrijllan Religion vindicated. 91" 
 
 very foon the turbulent pafllons of mankind 
 iinmcrfed it in almofl total oblivion : — It 
 was in a manner buried amidil: tliofc crimes 
 and diforders wherewith the earth was 
 overfpread. Ever attentive to his promile^ 
 God renewed it a fecond time to Noah, the 
 father of the new world ; and yet, notwith- 
 flanding this, the divifion of languages, and 
 the idolatry which followed clofe upon it, 
 effaced the remembrance of this gracious 
 difpenfation from the minds of almofl: all 
 nations. It was upon the point of being 
 wholly lofl:, even in the midfl: of Shem\ 
 family, chofen for the purpofe of preferving 
 the ficred dcpofit -, when the Deity, always 
 jealous for the veracity of his engagements, 
 employed frefli means to perpetuate the me- 
 mory, and aflure the accomplifliment of 
 them. 
 
 For God then cleftcd Abraham and his fa- 
 mily to become the repolitory of the ancient 
 tradition, and to preferve, through their 
 miniflration, the ancient faith, the true mode 
 of worfl^ip, and the primitive religion. This 
 is that Abraham fo celebrated amongfl: the 
 orientals. The Hebrews are not the only 
 
 people 
 
gz 7X^ Truth of t/je 
 
 people, who regard him as their father * : 
 the Idumaans glory in the fame origin. The 
 Arabs alfo acknowledge their defcent from 
 liim, by his fon lihmael. They all ftridly 
 obferve the rite of circumcifion^ as a proof of 
 this original. They have always impofed it,— 
 not as the Jews, on the eighth day^ but at 
 the age of three years ; the time when the 
 fcriptures inform us, it was adminiftered to 
 Ifhmael their anceftor. We find the fame 
 cuftom obtain amongft the Mohammedans, 
 It would be ufelefs to relate here all that the 
 ancients have told us concerning Abraham. 
 The Chaldeans and the Syrians have written 
 many things of this great man. 
 
 All thefe proofs fuffice to (hew that the 
 pirfon here mentioned, is not a fabulous 
 one, nor his ftory a fiction or impofture. 
 What we fhall take occafion to obferve in 
 the fequel on eftablifhing the truth of the 
 fcriptures, will ftill farther demonftrate the 
 veracity of thofe out- lines which characSer- 
 ize Abraham. 
 
 • See the very excellent Bibliotheque Orientak of Herli' 
 lot on the word Abraham, We have the pleafure to aflurc 
 the public, that a tranflacion of this moft ^^ahable and 
 admired work is preparing for the prefs, by an able hand. 
 
 With 
 
Chrijlian Religion vifidicated. ^ j 
 
 With this celebrated man, God was 
 pleafed to renew hispromileof a Redecmsr : 
 lie engaged, to this holy patriarch, to blefs, 
 in his race, all tliofe blind and ignorant na- 
 tions, who, at that period, had forgotten 
 their Creator. By virtue of this precious Hem, 
 they fliall one day be enlightened and re-* 
 called to the knowledge of Him, who is 
 the only fource of every bleffing. 
 
 Till that time, God had communicated 
 no part of his will by writing, which might 
 ferve as a rule for mankind. Circumcifion, 
 and the ceremonies which accompanied it, 
 were inftead of articles of that alliance 
 which God made with Abraham and his 
 pofterity 5 it ferved to diftinguifli them from 
 the idolatrous nations, by confecrating them 
 to the worfliip of the God of Abraham, 
 Ifaac and Jacob : and was an ever vifible and 
 fubfifting monument of the promifes made to 
 their forefathers. 
 
 At length the acra marked out in the decrees 
 of divine providence arrived. God would no 
 longer leave the myftcries of his religion 
 
 and 
 
94 "I^^he T K V r n of fbe 
 
 and his covenant to the treacherous memory 
 of mankind. It was time to oppofe the 
 ftrongeft barriers to that idolatry, which, 
 making new progrefs every day, would foon 
 have ftifled the feeble remains of natural 
 reafon. From the time of the patriarch 
 Abraham, ignorance and barbarifm took pro- 
 digious ftrides, and every nation was al- 
 ready become corrupt. 
 
 Mofcs. §• XIII. To this great work, Mo/es was 
 the perfon called and appointed of God 3 by 
 whofe order, and under whofe infpiration, 
 he compofed the hiftory of religion, in every 
 paft age, from Adam, to the time in which 
 he wrote. In thefe divine books are to be 
 found the plan and defign of religion, for all 
 times. 
 
 Mofes had no need for deep refearches to 
 coUedt the traditions of his anceflors. He was 
 born but one hundred years after the death 
 of Jacob. The old men of his time had fe- 
 veral years together converfed with that holy 
 patriarch. The memory of Jofeph, and of 
 the miracles which God wrought by the 
 means of this great minifter for the iEgyp- 
 
 tiara 
 
Chrijlim Religion vindicated. f J 
 
 tian kings, were all ftill recent. The life of 
 a fmall nunfiber of men, at that period, 
 reached back to the very beginning of things. 
 Lamechy who hnd feen Adaniy had alfo fcen 
 Sfhem ; Shcm had at leaftytv« Abraham^ and 
 Abraham had feen Jacob, who alfo had fecn 
 thofe who lived in the time of Mofes. 
 
 This longasvity of the firfl men, related 
 in the annals of God's people, was not un- 
 known to other nations 5 their ancient tra- 
 ditions have alfo preferved the memory of 
 it. In the antiquities of Jofephus, all poffible 
 proofs are found. This too was an excel- 
 lent method, concerted by divine providence, 
 for the prefervation of truth amongfl men. 
 Why are not ive^ in thefe latter ages of the 
 world, as flimiliarly verfed in the events 
 which occurred amongft our anceftors ? Be- 
 caufe it rarely happens, that we have lived 
 with them 5 or becaufe they are often dead 
 before we have attained the age of difcretion. 
 Now, on the contrary, the firfl men lived 
 forfeveral centuries j their children converfed 
 with them for a long feries of time : by this 
 means they cafily learned the hillory of thofc 
 who had gone before them, and could after- 
 wards 
 
^ The TKiJT'a of the 
 
 wards tranfmit that hiftory by the fame chan- 
 nel to their defcendants. Thus, when 
 Mofes wrote his books, the remembrance of 
 thofe incidents which he relates, mufl have 
 been ftill frefh amongft the Jews : and there- 
 fore too that facred legiflator fpeaks of them, 
 as of certain fads, which were ftill to be 
 coUeded from authentic records among the 
 neighbouring people, and more particularly 
 in the land of Canaan. Mofes then mufl 
 be efteemed as an hiftorian contemporary with 
 his fubjeft , and his hiftory, as the moft au- 
 thentic in the world. 
 
 And, indeed, can any one fail to obferve 
 in that hiftory all thofe marks of fincerity 
 and truth which characterize this great man ? 
 —Would an impoftor, defirous of deceiving 
 a whole nation, have difplayed fuch a con- 
 dudt ? Would he have related palpable 
 events, of which the whole world could 
 have been informed ? — A man, fo fkilful 
 as Mofes, would certainly have taken mea- 
 fures to prevent his being deteded of im- 
 pofture ; he would have thought to ftcreea 
 himfelf among a multitude of generations ; a 
 method, which would eafily have concealed 
 
 the 
 
Clyrljlian Religion "oindicatcd, gy 
 
 the knowledge of the truth. But, by the 
 method he has taken, it was impoflible, had 
 he defigned never fo much to deceive, that 
 his deceit fliould have pafTed undetedled. 
 '' You tell us, (the Jews would have natu- 
 rally faid to him) of things, which we 
 ** know nothing of, nor have ever heard 
 *' mentioned: and yet, if all thefe fadts are 
 *' true, we ought to have been acquainted 
 ** 'with them, by means of that fmall num- 
 *' ber of generations, which you reckon up 
 *' fmce their accompUQiment : we mud have 
 *' ahnoft touched upon thofe great events ; 
 *' they muft have been publicly notorious 
 ** amongfl us. Certainly, then, you are an 
 '* impoftor, who only feck to delude us un- 
 ** dcr thefe pretences." 
 
 Whatever Mofes has advanced, agrees alfo 
 admirably with what the mod ancient and 
 learned hiftorians of other nations have re- 
 lated to us. We may read in Jofephus that 
 multitude of teflimonies given by itgyptian, 
 Chuldee, Phoenician and Greek authors, 
 whom he quotes again ft Apion, to prove the 
 antiquity of his nation, and to confute the 
 ridiculous fables, and grofs calumnies, which 
 
 G that 
 
g^ The Truth of the 
 
 that writer had vented again ft the Jews ; 
 and, if we confult the traditions of thofe dif- 
 ferent nations, we Ihall find, in fpite of all 
 the fidlions which they have mixed with 
 them, the foundation of thofe great truths 
 contained in the writings of Mofes. 
 
 Indeed, all nations, who have left us any 
 records, have had an idea of the creation of 
 the world * : formlefs at firft, and after- 
 wards moulded into that ftate wherein we 
 behold it. They have all of them made 
 mention of a firft age, in which mankind, 
 as the reward of their innocence -f-, lived 
 in a profound peace, and enjoyed a perfedl 
 happinefs. They have alfo fpoken of ano- 
 ther age, wherein fin had precipitated man- 
 kind from the fummit of their felicity, into 
 an abyfs of mifery. The univerfal deluge, 
 and the ark, which faved a few men from 
 the waters, were not unknown among other 
 nations %, Their tradition informs us, that 
 the world was re-peopled by a fingle man, 
 preferved amidft the wreck of mankind, 
 
 * t \ See the colleftion of tefllmonies in Grot: us on the 
 
 truth cf the Chriftian Religion, and other authors For 
 
 the deluge fee the teftimonies from Catcot, in the C/jrr/Ii^ 
 an'i Magaz^ine, Vol. V. 
 
 They 
 
Chriftian Religion ^oiuuicated. oq 
 
 They knew his three Tons and the divifion 
 they made among them of the empire of 
 the univerfe. Nothing is more frequently 
 repeated in ancient records, than the au- 
 dacious attempt of thofe bold men, who 
 undertook to raife an edifice of a prodigious 
 height, thence forwards to il:recn themfelves 
 from the vengeance of heaven. They more- 
 over reprefent to us the pride of thofe mea 
 Confounded, and themfelves forced to aban- 
 don their concerted enterprize. 
 
 Thcfe feveral points have always been 
 univcrfally received amongft men, by means 
 of a conftant and uniform tradition: It is 
 true, men have, in a courfe of time, mixed 
 with tliofe truths many fables, which have 
 disfigured them : but through all thefe clouds 
 and veils, the truth fufficiently penetrates 
 itfelf to be perceived. Thus the univerfal 
 confent of all thofe nations, to whom, ne- 
 verthelcfs, the fcriptures were unknown, 
 clearly dcmonftrates the veracity of thofe 
 very fcriptures, in their moll ancient and 
 aflonifliing relations. For, is it not evident, 
 that the univerfal traditions fubfifting among 
 all nations, indcpcndant of the dtilance of 
 
 G 2 times 
 
100 ^1^^ Truth of the 
 
 times and places, and the diverfity of lan- 
 guages and manners, could have had no 
 other foundation than that of faSs clearly 
 afcertained, and generallji received * ? 
 
 Difficul- R XIV. A multitude of other proofs of 
 
 ties in *^ *■ 
 
 revelationevery kind might be here added, to demon- 
 dont'otheft^^^^ the truth and divinity of the facred 
 belief of volumes. But the fubjed propofed for im- 
 mediate confideration, will not admit of fo 
 long a digreffion : we will therefore confine 
 ourfelves fmgly to what Roufleau's objedlions 
 to thofe proofs, already offered, feem to re- 
 quire. In order to which, let us obferve 
 how he expreffes himfelf on the head of re- 
 velation. 
 
 * " What flrength of evidence, fays a judicious author, 
 ** in favour of the truth of thefe books ! The condudl of 
 ** the Hebrew people, the only nation exempt from ido- 
 " latry ; the unanimity of the Samaritans and Jews, who, 
 " notwithftanding their avowed antipathy, have both of 
 «« them preferved the pentateuch in the fame form. The 
 ** ancient hiftories, which make mention of Mofes, or con- 
 ** firm many of the fafts which he relates : the marks 
 ** of fincerity, evident in the work ; the records, the 
 ** fesfls, the ceremonies, which have confecrated to pof- 
 *' terity certain events which happened in the time of 
 *' Mofes : the no lefs true, than aftonifhing miracles of 
 ** that legiflator ; — all this can leave no doubt with 
 ** the lovers of truth." 
 
 " With 
 
<( 
 
 Chrijlian Religion vindicated. lot 
 
 " With regard to revelation, could I reafon 
 better, or were I better informed, I mldit 
 be made lenfible perhaps of it's truth, and of 
 " it's utility to thofe who are fo happy as to 
 " believe it : but, if there are fome proofs 
 *' in it's favour, which I cannot invalidate ; 
 *' there appear alfo to me many objedions 
 " againll it, which I cannot refolve. — 
 ** There are fo many reafons both for and 
 *' againft it's authority, that, not knowing 
 ** what to conclude, I neither admit nor re- 
 ** jedl it : I rejecft only the obligation of fuh- 
 '' mittlng to it ; becaufe this pretended ob- 
 ** ligation is incompatible with thejuftice 
 '* of God : and that, fo far from it's re- 
 " moving the obftacles to falvation, it has 
 " multiplied them, and raifed thofe which 
 *' are infurmountable by the greatcft part of 
 *' mankind : Exxept in this article, there- 
 '' fore, / remain refpe&fully In doubt con^ 
 *' cernlng revelation * ." 
 
 Here Roujfeaii owns, that he fees proofs 
 in favour of revelation, \w\\\c\\ he ci2?mot In- 
 validate. How mighty and decifive then 
 mud thofe proofs be, to defend themfclvcs 
 
 ♦ Vol. III. p. 136. 
 
 G 3 agciinfl; 
 
102 The Truth of the 
 
 againfl: the fhafts of an intidel, armed to 
 combat whatever is moil; certain amongft 
 mankind, and ever prepared to conteft even 
 fuch fad:s, as are confirmed by univerfal 
 approbation ! 
 
 Bat what is it which prevents him from 
 confenting to, aftd admitting, revelation ? 
 Why, he fees maiiy objeBions againji ity he 
 tells, which he cannot refolve : we grant 
 it ; bat is this a fufficient reafon for his re- 
 fafing his fabmiffion ? What would be our 
 cafe, if we were to admit thofe points only, 
 v/hofe difficulties every one could refolve ? 
 Guided by fuch a principle, what would ap- 
 prcar certain in the world ? Thofe matters, 
 concerning which we are under the leafl: doubt, 
 are attended with infuperable difficulties. The 
 whole univerfe, whofe exiftence, none but 
 men abfolutely irrational could contradidl, 
 preftnts us in every different point of view, 
 wath a knot of indiffoluble difficulties : and 
 where is the man, whofe underflanding can 
 unravel them ? In the natural , as well as 
 in the moral oi'dcr of things, man finds him- 
 felf ata lofs, and is obliged to acknowledge 
 the narrow limits of his underflandinG:. We 
 
 fee 
 
Chrijllan Religion vindicated. 103 
 
 fee too, that in every fcience, as foon as the 
 truths treated of are once demonflrated by 
 fufficient proofs, their feveral fludents no 
 longer perplex themfelves with obje(£lions to 
 them, how ftrong foever they may be j 
 nor are ever the lefs attached to the truth 
 demonftrated, though they cannot fatisfy 
 every cavil again it it. Indeed were it other- 
 wife, they would be able to retain nothing, 
 but would be dally obliged to renounce 
 truths the beft eflabli&ed. 
 
 In order to deftroy truths folldly demon- 
 ftrated, it is not enough to form againft them 
 objedions which cannot eafily be refolved • 
 but to combat diredly thofe proofs, which 
 warrant them ; without which, the force 
 and folidity of the proofs themfelves are fuf- 
 ficient to expofe the futility and weaknefs 
 of every objedion. 
 
 Will Rouffeau, when the Chriflian Reli- 
 gion is in qucflion, be always fo unjufl as to 
 abandon and controvert principles which him- 
 felf at firft adopted and followed ? Does he 
 not, /;/ bis ccnfcfjion of faith ^ admit feveral 
 
 ♦ Vol. III. p. ICO, ^z, 
 
 G 4 points J 
 
I®^ The Truth of the 
 
 points, liable to difficulties, which he could 
 not venture to boaft himfelf able to refolve? 
 To how many objections is thsitjpiritualify 
 of the f ml cxpofcd, which he maintains againft 
 the materialifts ? — And is the underftanding 
 of Roiijfeau alone capable of refolving them 
 alK? — But, in order to form a truer judg- 
 ment of his partiality, let us hear him ex- 
 plain himfelf; '' Revolving in my mind, fay 5 
 *' he '^ , the various opinions which had fuc- 
 *' ceffively prevailed with me from my in- 
 ^' fancy ; — and proceeding to compare them 
 *' impartially, and without prejudice with 
 '' each other, I found that the firft and 
 " mod: common, was alfo the moft fimple, 
 '' and the moil rational ; and that it wanted 
 *' nothing more to fecure univerfal fuffrage, 
 *' than the circumftance of having been 
 *' the laft propofed. Let us fuppofe, that 
 *' all our philofophers, ancient and modern, 
 ** had firft exhaufted all their whimfical 
 '' fydems of power, chance, fate, neceffity, 
 '^ atoms, an animated world, fenfitive 
 *' matter, and materialifm of every other 
 '^ kind ; and, after all them, let us imagine 
 " ^ho. \\\\jL\\nou^ Dc^hr Clarke enliglitening 
 ^' the world, by difplaying the Being of 
 
 » Vol. III. p. 25. 
 
 '* Beings 
 
Chrijlian Religion 'vindicated. 105 
 
 '^ Beings, the fupreme and fovereign Dif- 
 '* poferofall things. With what univerfal 
 '"■ admiration, with what unanimous ap- 
 •' plaufe, would not the world receive this 
 *« new fyflem, fo grand, fo confolatory, fo 
 ** fublimc, fo proper to elevate the foul, 
 '* to lay the foundations of virtue s and, at 
 '' the fame time, fo ftriking, fo perfpicu- 
 '* ous, fo fimplc ; and, as it appears to me, 
 '' pregnant with lefs incomprehenfibilities 
 *' and abfurdity, than any other fyftera 
 '^ whatever! I reflected, that un- 
 
 '' ANSWERABLE OBJECTIONS MIGHT 
 '* BE MADE TO ALL, BECAUSE THE 
 ^^ HUMAN UNDERSTANDING IS INCA- 
 
 (( 
 
 <( 
 
 PABLE OF RESOLVING THEM; AND 
 THEREFORE NO PROOF COULD BE PRE- 
 *' FERABLY BROUGHT IN SUPPORT OF 
 *' any: but WHAT DIFFERENCE IS 
 ^* THERE IN DIRECT PROOFS !" 
 
 Aftc;- having eftabliflied fo jufl: and evi- 
 dent a principle, how can he (lill have the 
 temerity to allcdge againft revelation the vain 
 pretence of objcdions which cannot be re- 
 folved ? — '* They are common to every 
 ^* fyflem, fays he, very juAly, becaufe, the 
 
 ** Inunan 
 
;o6 The Truth of the 
 
 ** human underllanding is too limited to re- 
 *' folve them, Sec." To be obliged to fub- 
 mit to revelation therefore, it is enough that 
 we fee in it's favour proofs which cannot be 
 invalidated ; and Rouffeau grants that his 
 own are of that nature. 
 
 The piclure which Rouffeau proceeds to 
 delineate, is exadlly that of the chriftian re- 
 ligion. Let any one imagine to himfelf all 
 thofe philofophers, ancient and modern, 
 with all their whimfical fyflems ; and, 
 after them, — not the celebrated Dodfor 
 Clarke j — but that chrijlian religion^ from 
 whence he drew his fine fentiments, and 
 whofe defence he hath undertaken in his 
 excellent writings. — Let any one contem- 
 plate this religion in the glorious ad of 
 enlightening the world, by difplaying the 
 Being of Beings, the fovereign difpofer 
 of all things ; Ihewing to mankind their 
 true condition \ the great and noble end to 
 which they are refer vcd, and the fure and 
 effedlual means for their attainment of that 
 end. — With what univerfal admiration, 
 with what unanimous applaufe mull: not fo 
 grand a fyftem be received, fo confolatory, 
 
 fo 
 
Cbrijllan Religion vindicated, 107 
 
 fo fublimc, fo proper to elevate the foul, to 
 fix virtue o\\ a iblid bafis ; and at tlie fame 
 time fo flriking, fo perfpicuous, fo fimple, 
 and offering confiderations lefs incomprehen- 
 fible to the human mind, than are found in 
 any other fyftem v^hatever ! If ir were pof- 
 fible for any one ro form objedlions againfl 
 this fyftem, would that be matter of 
 aftoniftmient ? They are common to every 
 fyftem : but then what difference is there 
 between the proofs in favour of fome, and 
 thofe brought in fupport of others ! 
 
 The proofs of the chriftian religion are 
 carried to the utmoft degree of evidence. 
 They confift of a variety of other fads, all 
 marked with a ftamp of an indifputable na- 
 ture. A long feries of years, and the per- 
 petual tradition of irreproachable witnefl'es; 
 witnefl'es, in every refped: worthy of an en- 
 tire credit, join to demon ftrate the truth 
 and authenticity of all thefe fads. Where 
 die iliall wc find an evidence fo incontefti- 
 ble as this ? 
 
 Let 
 
c8 Ti)e T R V T u of the 
 
 Let thofe then, who pretend to cavil at 
 the chriftian religion appear. Let them 
 produce their feveral titles ; and we fliall fee 
 that, by the moft amazing contrail ever 
 beheld, they will only tend to burnifli the 
 luftre and glory of it's proofs. While other 
 fyftems have only to amufe us with and 
 inculcate principles which difhonour and 
 degrade hunianity ; the chrijlian religion pre- 
 fents us with the piireji doBrine^ and the 
 fublimejl morality, nnofl analogous to our 
 neceflities, mod confolatory to our fouls ! 
 
 How can RoulTeau have the confidence to 
 tell us, that '' there are fo many folid rea- 
 '^ fons both for and againft the authority of 
 " revelation, that, not knowing what to 
 ^' conclude, he can neither admit nor re- 
 *' jedl it ? " how ftrange is this kind of rea- 
 foning ! — Is there any thing foHd^ but what 
 is juji and true ? and can truth ever be op- 
 pofed to truth ? So that, to fiy " there are 
 folid vesihns for and agai?2/i revelation " is to 
 advance that truth is both for and again ft 
 herfelf, that ilie is divided againft herfelf, 
 and that (he fupplies her adverfaries with 
 weapons to fight againft her own caufe ! 
 
 Since 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated, j 09 
 
 Since then Rouffcau, is forced to grant, 
 that revelation is fupported by folid reafons, 
 and with liich proofs as cannot be invalidated; 
 let him candidly acknowledge, as the neccf- 
 fary confequence of his confeffions, that 
 he can Juggefi no reafons^ truly folid, ^g^i^lfl 
 revelation : He may have found out fome 
 which are fcemingly uich. But from the 
 moment we are allured that revelation hath 
 folid reafons in it's favour, we ought no lon- 
 ger to entertain a doubt ; but reft affured 
 that every reafon, which can be urged againft 
 it's authority, can have no other than a foli- 
 dity, fpecious, apparent, and relative to the 
 difpofitions which affect us. 
 
 §. XV. But let us not pafs by that diftinc-Rouf- 
 tion, which Rouffeau makes in the paffagCtinaionof 
 now under confideration. *' I rejedl, %s^t!yJ^to 
 ** he * , only the obligation of fnhmitting /^rubmitto 
 '* revelation \ bccaufe this pretended obliga-^xatiuncd 
 *' tion is incompatible with the juftice of 
 '* Gor ; and becaufe, fo far from removing 
 *' the obftacles tofalvation, it has multiplied 
 '' them, and raifed thofc which are infur- 
 mountablc by tlie greatcll: part of man- 
 kind. " — What! ir revelation is confirmed 
 
 • Sec p. 101. 
 
 bv 
 
 << 
 
1 1 o The T ku T K of the 
 
 by proofs which cannot he invalidated^ if itV 
 divinity is clearly demonftrated, doth it not lay 
 an obligation upon mankind to acknowledge 
 and fubmit to it's authority? Was ever fo 
 ftrange a paradox advanced? — Shall the Deity 
 fpeak to mankind, and make known to them 
 his will : Shall he intimate his commands 
 to them , and employ the whole fplendor 
 of his majefty, to convince them that it is 
 he who fpeaks : and fhall not men be ob- 
 ligedx.0 acknowledge him, to obey him, and 
 fubmit themfelves to his voice ? How fliould 
 we, in fociety, treat a man who fhould 
 dare to affert that a fubjedl is not bound 
 to pay deference to the laws of the ftate, 
 and the orders of his fovere2gn> when 
 they are once well eftabliihed ? But what 
 a wide difference is there betweeri a man 
 thus fpeaking, and a God, whofe behefls 
 are always juft and holy ; and who cannot 
 admit of the lead delay in fubmiflion to 
 them ! 
 
 Rouffeau does not inform us upon what 
 foundation he apprehends himfelf able to 
 convince us that " The obligation in quef- 
 ** tion is incompatible with the juftice of 
 
 '^ God/^' 
 
Cbri/lian Religion vindicated. 1 1 r 
 
 *' God." Does he think then, that he has 
 only to iudge, pronounce and conclude upon 
 ir, and then to be believed upon his bare 
 word He, who contefls even the Deity's 
 right, to be believed upon his own Word : — 
 But how can the obligation to acknowledge 
 revekuion be incompatible with the divine 
 jufticc ! It is that very juftice which impofes 
 this duty on man ; and becaufe God is juft, 
 and a lover of order, he cannot difpenfe with 
 this obligation upon his creature. If God 
 fpeaks to mankind, if he manifefts himfelf 
 to them by revelation, it is for their advan- 
 tage. This gift and benefit demand a tribute 
 of love and gratitude : how fliall that tribute 
 be offered to him, unlefs we are obliged to 
 receive what he condefcends to teach us ? 
 This fubmillion is the firft flep, and the 
 bed teftlmony of gratitude to a God who 
 fpeaks to us. We have fliewn RoufTeau 
 the neceiluy of revelation : there is there- 
 fore an obligation upon man to acknowledge 
 it ; fince, as we have proved, it is in this 
 way only he can learn the truths eflcntial to 
 ]iis falvation. 
 
 Is 
 
1 1 2 i:he Trv r K of the 
 
 Ts not RoufTeau to be pitied, when he 
 comes very ferioufly to aflureus, ^' That by 
 " revelation, and the obligation to fubmit 
 *^ to it's authority, the Deity, very far from 
 *^ removing the obftacles to falvation, hath 
 *' multiplied and rendered them infur- 
 *^ mountable to the greateft part of man- 
 " kind?'' What extravagance 5 v/hat a 
 reverie is this ? Doth revelation multiply 
 the obftacles to falvation ! So far from it, 
 that it is revelation, as we have before fliewn, 
 which is come to make plain the paths which 
 lead mankind to it. While wandering here 
 and there, unable to difcover any iffue of 
 their travel, revelation, as it were, took 
 mankind by the hand to extricate them from 
 thofe labyrinths of error in which they had 
 been loft, and introduced them to thofe 
 pleafant paths of truth and righteoufnefe, 
 from which they had fo widely deviated. 
 Nor doth it ceafe to enlighten and dired: 
 them, till it hath brought them fafely into 
 port. Before it beamed forth, obftacles arofe, 
 multiplied, and truly infurmountable even 
 by the nobleft minds. What then muft they 
 be for the reft of mankind ? But fince it 
 
Chrljlian Religion vi?idlcated, n^ 
 
 hath been manlfelled amongft men, the 
 moft fimple and ignorant are become verfed 
 in the fublimeft truths, without difficulty or 
 labour, or the exercife of deep ftudy. Every 
 man has only to follow the road pointed out 
 for him, in order to the fure attainment of 
 llilvation. 
 
 It is certain, that if it were neceflary to 
 ufe every method which Rouffeau requires 
 and prefcribes *, to be affured of the truth 
 of revelation ; the obligation to reCv^ve it 
 would then, far from removing the obfla- 
 cles, multiply them on the contrary, and 
 render them infurmountable to the greatefl 
 part of mankind. But we will foon prove 
 to Rouffeau, that he aims merely to frighten 
 his readers, by heaping up difficulties, which, 
 however invincible they may appear, vanifh 
 without hefitation, fo foon as they are ex- 
 amined by the ray of right and found 
 rcafon. 
 
 We will make it evidently appear, that 
 the proofs in favour of revelation arc fo Am- 
 ple, clear and obvious, as to be within the 
 
 • See Vol. III. p. lo, ic. 
 
 II reach 
 
J 1^ The Truth of the 
 
 reach of the meaneft capacities : we v/iU 
 make him fenfible, that it rather requires 
 candor and fincerity than labour and appli- 
 cation, to difcover the truth of them. 
 
 Rou/reau's §, XVI. But in the mean time let us 
 tradkTbntake notice of the declaration which Roufleau 
 ^^- makes in the paflage j lift quoted. He pro- 
 tefts to remain, as to the matter of revela- 
 tion, in a refpeftful doubt : Now we {hall 
 foon fee how he has verified the principle 
 which he had juft before advanced. 
 
 " I cannot comprehend, fays he, how 
 ** any man can fincerely be a sceptic 
 *^ on principle. Such philofophers, either 
 *' do not exift, or furely they are the 
 '^ moft miferable of men. To be in doubt 
 *^ about things which it is important for us 
 *' to know, is a fituation too perplexing for 
 " the human mind, it cannot long fupport 
 '^ fuch incertitude ; but will, in fpite of 
 *^ itfelf, determine one way or other, and 
 '' rather deceive itfelf than believe nothing." 
 
 So then tills pretended refpe5lfiil doubt of 
 Rouffeau^s is but a meer veil, which he 
 
 fpreads 
 
CbrtJIian Rc'//^icn vhiJlcafeJ, 1 1 r 
 
 fpreads the better to conceal the impieties he 
 is plciifcd to vent againll revelation ! He 
 would not feeni to doubt -, but, in order to 
 be more fure in his attack, he feigns a ref- 
 pc(5t, only the better to difguife his lacrile- 
 gious attempts. That this is really the cafe, 
 our readers will prefcntly be convinced. 
 
 Rouficau very honcftly acknowledges, 
 that *' he fees proofs in favour of revela- 
 *' tion, which he is wiable to invalldatcl' 
 And yet there is no means, no attempt, 
 which he does not make ufe of to deitroy 
 them fundamentally. As he is not ignorant 
 thit miracles dndpropbedes arc the principal 
 vouchers in fupport of revelation, he there- 
 fore employs every artitice in his power to 
 weaken their authority j he fets at work all his 
 accuftomed fophiilry to enervate their force^ 
 and diminifh their impreffion. He was fen- 
 fible it was a dltficult talk to deny the ex-^ 
 iftcnce of all thefc fandions : but that he 
 may not however fiil of luccefs, he refolvcs 
 to eftecm nothing facred ; he overleaps every 
 barrier of moral juflice, and even pays not 
 the lead regard to the principles gf moral 
 certainty. 
 
 II z HioulJ 
 
ii6 Ti)e T RV r n of the 
 
 Should any one attempt to demonftrate 
 to him the truth of revelation, by the Mi- 
 racles wrought to confirm it ? He would 
 flop them ftiort, with *' Miracles! Prodi- 
 " gies ! I have never feen any thing of the 
 ** kind ! Who were the witnefles of thefe 
 *' miracles ? " — If it be anfwered, *^ Men, 
 '' who atteft them." His reply is ready. 
 *' What ! always human teftimony ! It is 
 " always men who are to tell me, what 
 *' other men have told them !'' 
 
 Rouffeau fays, *^ Truly, he never faw 
 ** miracles!" Why! does he not every day 
 fee them in the effects they have produced ? 
 How would the world have believed things 
 fo apparently incredible, had it not feen mi- 
 racles ? What is it which could have worked 
 fo great a change in the world ; — aboliflied 
 idols, deftroyed idolatry — led fo many na- 
 tions, and great men, to embrace the Chrif- 
 tian religion, and engaged fo many martyrs 
 * to give up their lives in it's caufe ? What, 
 but the power and luftre of it's miracles ? 
 Whole nations would never have believed, 
 in fo fhort a time, what a fmall handful of 
 
 men. 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated. 1 1 7 
 
 men, without art, without fcience, and of 
 no reputation, came to propolc to them, 
 and that amidft io many contradidions^ if 
 the invincible authority of figns and won- 
 ders had not, as it were, wrellcd their af- 
 fent, by overcoming all objedtions. Every 
 thing proclaims the whole Chriftian religion 
 to be a miracle (as we have before flievvn) 
 and yet the infidel ftill comes to tell us, '' I 
 *' have izzv). no miracles." Let him then 
 takeoff the bandage, which his paffions, his 
 prejudices, and his felf- conceit have tied 
 over his eyes ; and he will be amazed at 
 not having fooner perceived the luftre which 
 every where furrounded him. 
 
 §. XVII. But as it is in fome degreeOfhu. 
 neceflary to follow the infidel into all hisfaUh. 
 entrenchments, let us grant him never to 
 have feen any of thofe miracles, thofe prodi- 
 gies, thofe fupernatural events, which give 
 fandionto the Chriftian religion. Is it ne- 
 ccffary therefore to believe only what wc 
 have fccn with our own eyes? and muft: 
 they, according to this extravagant fyftem, 
 whom nature hath deprived of fight, believe 
 nothing of what paffes about them ? Our 
 H 3 mind, 
 
1 1 8 The Tkv Til of the 
 
 mind, in it's very nature, is invifible ; it*s 
 fentiments and difpofitions do not come un- 
 der the cognizance of our fenfes ; and yet 
 how firmly does every rational man believje 
 the reahty and exiftence of all thefe things ? 
 How can we believe nothing but what 
 our own eyes inform us, v/hen we never 
 doubt whether we believe or not thofe things 
 which our eyes are unable to perceive ? 
 
 If Rouffeau's principles are true, there 
 mufl no longer be any fuch thing 2,^$, friend- 
 Jhip in the world. For who hath ocularly 
 feen the afied:ion and benevolence of his 
 friend ? — How fliall a man apply himfeif 
 to make a fincere return to that benevolence, 
 when, his eyes not perceiving it, he never 
 can be perfuaded of it's exiftence. Will any 
 one ftart up and tell us, that the affedion 
 of a friend is feen and known by the adlions 
 it produceth ? True, but th.efe figns of 
 friendship are often very equivocal, and are 
 not friendfliip itfelf. In fhort, take away 
 this faith from human affairs, and who dif- 
 cerns not what trouble and terrible confu- 
 iion muft neceifarily refult from fo doing ? 
 What will remain unihaken and facred in 
 
 civil 
 
Chnjlian Religion vindicated. 119 
 
 civil fociety, if we arc to believe nothing, 
 of which we have not had ocular dcnion- 
 ftration ? Who would pay any regard to 
 mutual charity, fince no one can love any 
 object, but fo flir as he believes that o^jcdl 
 aniiable ? Thus will divine fricnd(l:ilp be 
 loft amongft mankind ; and, from that fa- 
 tal period, all the fweet and facred ties of 
 marriage and confanguinity, become utterly 
 difunitedand deflroyed ! The bridegroom, or 
 his bride, can no longer mutually love each 
 other ; nor entertain the dcfire to have chil- 
 dren, becaufe they can never believe that 
 they w^illone day render them thofe juft re- 
 turns of filial endearment which will be- 
 come their due ; and how fliall thofe chil- 
 dren ( fliould they have any) when arrived 
 at the age of difcretion, — how iLall they 
 poffcfs any love for parents, whofe tender 
 affecftion for them they will never be able 
 lo difcern ? IIow, indeed, fliould they 
 poiTibly perfuadc themfelves, that thcfc 
 are their parents, — thofc to whom they 
 owe their being. They were not eyc-wij:- 
 nelTes of their own birth; nor were they 
 able, by any exertion of their fenfes, to 
 know the moment they began to be. They 
 II 4 can 
 
120 The Truth of the 
 
 can know it only on the report of others. 
 And yet, on the bare authority of thofe who 
 afliiied at their nativity, men do, rationally, 
 and without hefitation, beheve thofe to be 
 their fathers and mothers, who are pointed 
 out to them as fuch. Were we to ad: other- 
 wife, into what a fearful confufion would it 
 plunge the world ! Piety, that precious tie 
 of the human race, would be openly vio- 
 lated, would degenerate into an avowed con- 
 tempt, and a facrilegious impiety. 
 
 Behold ! whither the falfe fyflem of in- 
 fidelity would conduit mankind ! 
 
 Guided by principles like thefe, what Juf- 
 ticc could be diftributed amongft men ? 
 How could crimes and diforders be checked ? 
 To what a confufion of incertainty would 
 judges, and magiftratcs beexpofed ? In or- 
 der to form a judgment, it is neceffary to 
 believe ; and to believe, according to Rouf- 
 feau, it is neceffary to have feen the fubjeft 
 of belief; and yet judges have hardly ever 
 been witneffes of the matters upon which 
 they pronounce their determinations. 
 
 From 
 
Chnjlian Religion vindicated. 121 
 
 From whence arife the diftiiKfllons of fa- 
 milies ? and on what foundation are their 
 names, their antiquity, and their nobility 
 eflabhflied ? Is it not upon aferies of fadls, 
 which none of us, at this period, ever faw 
 with his own eyes, but which were entrufted 
 to authentic records, which have been tranf- 
 mitted down to us from hand to hand ? 
 Now, ihould any one venture to cavil at 
 all thofe fadts, and records, becaufe he was 
 not an eye witnefs of their authenticity, 
 how would he be treated, — and what regard 
 would be paid to his frivolous objedlions ? 
 Would he not juftly be deemed a ftupid per- 
 fon, defirous of throwing every thing into 
 trouble and confufion ? 
 
 The cafe is the fame with refpeft to the 
 poffeflion of lands, riches and revenues : 
 this is founded upon titles, perhaps, whereof 
 no body exifting has it^vi the beginning and 
 eftablifliment. Upon thefe titles, however, 
 men judge and determine the rights of in- 
 dividuals. Now, would it not be an excel- 
 lent reafon, and tend greatly to clear them 
 up, or to defeat them, to pretend only, 
 
 that 
 
122 "The Truth of the 
 
 that no body had feen the deeds and ere* 
 dentials of thofe titles pafs ? We muft con- 
 fefs this would be a very notable method of 
 liquidating the obligations which our an- 
 ceftors might have contraded. 
 
 Should this fyflem be adopted, will kings 
 themfelves be fafe upon their thrones ? 
 Their reign is eflabliflied and confirmed by 
 an uninterrupted feries of human evidence ; 
 we know nothing of the eredion of monar- 
 chy in a kingdom, but by fad:s of which 
 hiflory informs us. Now all thofe perfons 
 who lived but a century after it's eredtion, 
 £xw nothing of what palTed at that period ; 
 and we who are living at this day know no- 
 thing of the form of government, but by the 
 ancient records, and the tradition of our fore- 
 fathers, from age to age brought down to us. 
 If then, confiftently with Rouffeau's prin- 
 ciples, we cannot rationally believe any thing 
 but what we have previoufly feen, we are 
 wrong to acknowledge thofe as fovereigns, 
 v/hofe original is too ancient for us to have 
 been eye-witneffes of it : and therefore from 
 henceforth men ought not to regard as their 
 kings, their mafters and leaders, any other than 
 
 fuch 
 
Chrlfiian Religion vmdicatcd. "j2t 
 
 fuch peribns on whom they have feen thofe 
 qualities, rights and prerogatives dcfccnd. 
 
 All thofe men, who undertake long and 
 toillbmc voyage?, to places which they 
 never faw, are in Rouffeau's judgment 
 fools, and rafli, becaufe they believe, with- 
 out hefitation, upon the teftimony of others, 
 the exiftence of that which they have never 
 beheld. 
 
 In fliort, and to fum up all, let Roufleau 
 inform us on what grounds it is believed in 
 the world, that there has ever been a Ro- 
 man republic, a city of Carthage, a Scipio, 
 a Hannibal, a Ccefar, a Pompey, and. a va- 
 riety of other fadls, which no one of our 
 time could have feen ? What is it which 
 could perfuade mankind, for fo many cen- 
 turies, that there was formerly an Hippo- 
 crates, a Plato, an Ariftotle, a Cicero ; and 
 that thcfe celebrated men are authors of the 
 books which bear their nam^s ? Is it not 
 becaufe the hiftorians of thofe times have 
 fpoken of thefe great perfonages, have men- 
 tioned their writings -, and that this opinion, 
 which hath been uniform from their time 
 
 to 
 
1 24 ^he T K V r n cf the 
 
 to the prefent, is more and more confirmed 
 by the common opinion of all men who 
 have fucceeded them, and the confent of all 
 ages ? All mankind unanimoufly agree in 
 thefe principles : a doubt upon thefe points 
 would pafs for a certain proof of folly. — 
 The man who fhould conteft fuch indiipu- 
 table fadls, would be univerfally laughed at ; 
 and, as the fole reply to his impertinence, 
 people would teftify the moft fovereign con- 
 tempt of his underftanding *. 
 
 All the arguments we have been hitherto 
 offering, invincibly demonftrate that no 
 abfurdity can be greater than to affert with 
 Rouffeau, that it is neceffary to believe 
 nothing but what we have feen. If faith 
 be neceffary in tlie tranfadlion of human 
 affairs, how much more fo muft it be in 
 matters of a religious concern ? If we are 
 obliged to admit human teftimony in what- 
 ever belongs to civil life ; what right have 
 we to reject the many multiplied and well- 
 confirmed evidences which depofe in favour 
 the Chriftian religion? 
 
 * Unde, fi quis hoc neget, nee faltem refellitur, fed 
 iidetur. AuGusTiN. 
 
 §. XVIII. 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated. 12^ 
 
 §. XVIII. It is the fame focicty, onthefiilthof the 
 of which we continually ad: with the fumeft^^^^Jj^fl, 
 confidence, that depofes in it's favour. It of the 
 is that which attefts and warrants to us the ^ 
 truth of thofe fads upon which our religion 
 is founded, and the authenticity of the re- 
 cords which contain them. But what gives 
 thefe fads the higheft degree of evidence 
 imaginable, and fkreens them from the blafts 
 even of the mod malio-nant cenfure, is, that 
 they have never been controverted ; that 
 tliey have always been acknowledged, even 
 by thofe who were mofl interefted to difputc 
 their veracity. 
 
 Celfus, Porphyry, Julian, all who have 
 attacked the Chriftian religion, all who have 
 fcparated from it, or formed feds by them- 
 felves, have never, any of them, dared to 
 entertain a doubt of the exiftence of all thefe 
 fads. 
 
 Thus, fo far from the remotenefs of thefe 
 fads diminifhing their notoriety in any 
 refped whatever ; on the contrary, it 
 gives them greater weight. The general 
 
 and 
 
126 'J^he Truth of t^e 
 
 and unanimous confent of fo many fuccef- 
 five generations, who were unable to with- 
 ftand their force, forms the completeft de^ 
 monftration in their favour* 
 
 When I behold all thefe fads, fllll recent, 
 and publiflied every where from the eaft to 
 the weft by a number of eye witnefles^ 
 who carry with them every character 
 of truth and fincenty : when I fee them 
 maintain thefe fads, in the very face of the 
 JewiJJj fynagogue, aconfiftory of men, fo per- 
 fedly inftruded in every refped, and fo in- 
 terefted to deted the impofture, if there 
 had been any fuch : — when I behold the 
 fame men atteft thefe fads before all the tri- 
 bunals of the Pagan world, with a courage 
 and fortitude which nothing can difconcert. 
 Fads, whofe certainty neither Jew nor Gen- 
 tile can undertake to difcredit ; but which, 
 all of them, on the contrary, confirm and 
 render indubitable, by attributing them to 
 magic. — What light fliines forth ! what a 
 degree of evidence and convidion ! But, on 
 urging my examination ftill further, what 
 fubjed for my admiration ! what a fuper- 
 abundance of proofs ! All thefe fads were 
 
 received 
 
Chrtjlian Religwi vindicated. 127, 
 
 received and revered in every part of die 
 then known world, even before the end of 
 that century which fliw them make their 
 appearance. By force of their evidence, they 
 obliged even thofe who were the mort: 
 ftrenuous oppofers to admit them, and be- 
 came vidlorious over every paffion, pre- 
 judice and oppofition. It is the faith of all 
 thefe facl?, which unites in one and the 
 fame religion, an immenfe people, every 
 where difperfed, and daily increafmg. For 
 the fpace of three hundred years, pafled un- - 
 der the cruelleft perfecutions, this people, 
 uninfluenced by any other interefts than thofe 
 of truth, bore conflant and innumerable 
 tcftimonies to all thefe fadls, in the midfl 
 of the moft horrible torments, and the 
 moft frightful deaths. At length, they be- 
 came vidlorious over all their enemies, and 
 their religion every where raifed itfelf oa 
 the ruins of Paganifm. This people always, 
 and without interruption fubfifting from 
 tlic inftant of their firft eftablifliment, gave 
 the mofi: conftant and univerfal teflimony to 
 the truth of all thefe fads : and now, can 
 there be any thing in nature more authentic, 
 certain and irrefragable ? — Is not a tefli- 
 mony • 
 
■j2S 7he Truth of the 
 
 mony like this, fo continued and perpetually 
 fupported from the time of Jefus Chrift 
 down to the prefent age ; is it not, I fay, 
 brought down to us by it*s continuity, from ' 
 the moment in which thefe extraordinary 
 events happened ? And does it not place 
 them in fome degree before our eyes, as 
 though they had actually occurred amongft 
 us*? 
 
 * Had notRoufleau good reafon to tell us, that nothing 
 comes better attefted than all the abovementioned fadls ? 
 ** Shall we fuppofe the evangelic hiftory, fays he to Emi- 
 ** lius, to be a mere fidlion ? Indeed, my friend, it bears 
 ** not the marks of fidlion : on the contrary, the hiftory 
 «* of Socrates, which nobody prefumes to doubt, is not 
 <« fo well attefted, as that of Jesus Christ.'* But fince 
 the hiftory of Jefus Chrift is ftill better attefted, than that 
 of Socrates ; andfmce nobody prefumes to doubt the latter, 
 does not the fulleft evidence conclude, that nobody fhould 
 doubt that of Jefus Chrift too ? RoulTeau can offer no 
 other reply to this reafoning, than by faying, that though 
 nobody doubts the hiftory of Socrates, and that of other 
 men like him : yet this is no proof of the truth of their 
 exiftence, and can hinder no one from looking upon them 
 as fo many fables. But we have already obferved upon 
 the extravagance of fuch a reply ; and, furely, he who 
 can deny fads thus certain, is only worthy the derifion of 
 every perfon of the leaft underftanding. 
 
 Let RoufTeau then, at laft, check his inflexible obftl- 
 nacy, his ftrange infatiablc luft of extending his name, by 
 multiplying his errors. Let him leave us peaceably to 
 follow the dccifive authority of that cloud of evidence, 
 
 which 
 
Chrijlian Religiofi vifidlcdted. Jig 
 
 tvhich he himfclf is forced to acknowledge : and as for 
 himfelf, let him flirink b.-ck to the gloomy darknefs, 
 wherein he feems to delight himfclf; and from hence- 
 forward ccafc to fpread out fnares, in order to deprive us 
 of a truth, whofc name ferves him as a veil to cover his 
 pernicious defigns. 
 
 But let us hear him again, as he delivers himfclf in his 
 dialogue between a perfon pretendedly infpircd, and a 
 pretended rationalift. The dogmatift objecting, in favour 
 of his perfuafion, the changes wrought in the order of na- 
 ture, by miracles and prodigies of every kind ; RoufTeau, 
 who poorly counterfeits the chara£ler of a rationalill, an- 
 fwers him, as we before obferved, *' with prodigies and 
 ** miracles ! I have never feen any of thefe things." " No 
 ** matter, anfwers the dogmatiil, others have feen them 
 ** for you ; we can bring clouds of witneiTes j the tefti- 
 ** mony of whole nations." *' The teftimony of whole 
 " nations ! replies the rationalill gravely, is that a proof 
 «« of the fupernatural kind ?"— Who cannot difcern the 
 whole artiticc of oar fophiil ? — Who ever faid tliat the tef- 
 timony of nations was a proof of a fupernatural kind ? 
 Miracles and prodigies are indeed proofs of a fupernatural 
 kind ; but the teftimony of nations is no more than a fur- 
 ther warrant of the exiftence of thofe proofs ; and, though 
 6f an order very natural, does not permit a doubt of the 
 fadl? which itattefts, as we have fhewn before in the body 
 of our work. Thus, in civil government, the laws of the 
 prince arc not of the fame kind, with the teftimony of thofe 
 who pronounce them to be the will of the fovereign: But ihi* 
 teftimony, and the confent of the people in confequence 
 of it, arc a certain proof of the exiftcnce of the laws. It 
 is not to this lellimony, properly fpeaking, that men pay 
 their fubmiflion ; but it is in confequence of this teftimony 
 that they acquiefcc in, and obey the laws. 
 
 But 
 
130 The Truth of the 
 
 But Roufleau (our pretended rationalijl) next proceeds 
 to tell us of the abfurdity of crediting human terdmony. 
 He exprefles himfelf to that purpofe, as foUov/s : " You 
 ** fee, therefore, to what your pretended fupernatural 
 «* proofs, your miracles, reduce us : — to the folly of be- 
 ** lieving them all on the credit of others, and of fub- 
 " mitting the authority of God, fpeaking lo our reafon, 
 «' to that of man.*' — What! — is theauthority of God fub- 
 jnitted to that of men, becaufe miracles are believed on 
 •the report of men ? Reafon ever fubmits herfelf to the 
 authority of God ; human teflimony is only, as it 
 were, the medium of her fubmiffion ; and, if reafon yields 
 her afTent to this tellimony, it is becaufe the authority of 
 God, fpeaking to reafon, informs her that fhe cannot re- 
 jedl the former, without invalidating the latter. To 
 make this matter ftill more intelligible, I afk RoufTeau, 
 whether he would fay that the man, who, with his own 
 eyes fees miracles performed, and yields to their proof on 
 this evidence, fubmits the authority of the Deity, fpeak- 
 ing to his reafon, to the authority of his own t'jt^ ? It 
 is the fame with whatever we believe on the faith of 
 others. The examination of others puts us in the fame 
 condition as that obfervation which our own eyes would 
 have made ; and we only grant that to their authority, 
 which we could not have refufed to our own. 
 
 RoufTeau, always intent to deceive, pretends that no re- 
 gard ought to be had to the authority of human tellimony 
 in favour of Revelation ; becaufe it attempts to eflabliih 
 abfurdities. 
 
 ** We have fet afide all human authority, fays he to his 
 ** pupil, — and without it 1 cannot fee how one man can 
 ** convince another, by preaching to him an unreafonable 
 ** do6liine. Let us, for a moment, fuppofe two men cn- 
 ** gaged in a difpute on fuch an occafion ;" 
 
 'ihe 
 
Cbrijhan Religion ^vindicated. 131 
 
 The maimer in which he makes his dogmatiil fpeaJi, is 
 as follows : 
 
 " Your reafon tells you that the whole is greater than 
 «* a part ; but I tell you, from God, that a part is greater 
 <* than the whole." Can one £gure to one*s felf a ftronger 
 indication of malevolence, and a defirc to deceive : — And 
 could RouiTeau have taken a furer method to perfuade his 
 impartial reader, that his attack is merely fupported by 
 calumny, falihood, and injurious imputations: Whom will 
 lie induce to believe that Revelation propofes to us abfur- 
 dities, fo puerile and grofs, as that he inllances ? Surely 
 our infidels muft be wretchedly deftitute of folid argu- 
 ment, to be obliged to fly for afiiiiance to fuch iniidiocs 
 flander ! one may eaiily perceive this writer's aim is only 
 to catch thofe faperficiai minds, who, being previouily 
 feduced by their natural corruption, feek only for vain 
 pretences to ftiile the feeble flaihings of a confcience jufl 
 expiring. 
 
 We defy RoulTeaa to point out the leaft abfordity in our 
 facred books ; and on our part we engage to prove that 
 what he urges as fuch, ftrikes at no eternal truths, which, 
 ©ur minds cannot apprehend : on the contrary it tends 
 only to explain, to elucidate, and to vindicate them from 
 thofe outrages, which the fpiri:. of infidelity inceflantly 
 offers againft them. 
 
 I 2 DISSERTATION 
 
132 The T KV r n of the 
 
 DISSERTATION IIL 
 On miracles. 
 
 d"ai" S'-^'AXJ^ "^^ proceed to defeat all 
 V V thofe falfe pHnciples, advanced 
 by Roufleau againft the authority of miracles. 
 This writer would, as it were, annihilate, 
 if poffible, the Chriftian Religion : and the 
 more effeftually to fucceedin the defign, he 
 affaults it in it's very foundations. But we 
 perfuade ourfelves, every effort of this cham- 
 pion of infidelity, againft that immovable 
 rock, will be defeated, like thofe of the 
 many others who have attacked it» 
 
 Obferve how he expreffes himfelf in^ 
 a difcourfe at the beginning of his third vo*- 
 lume, which he has the confidence to put 
 into the mouth of a minifter of J e s u a 
 Christ, 
 
 After many arguments, as impious as ab- 
 furd, concerning the evidences in favour of 
 Revelation, he goes on, " fuppofing all thefc 
 *' monuments acknowledged to be incon- 
 ^* teftible, we muft then proceed to examine 
 
 *« the 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated. 133 
 
 " the proofs of the miflion of their au- 
 " thors : it would be neceffary for us to 
 *' find out of what kind a miracle fliould 
 •^ be, and the authenticity it ought to bear, 
 *' not only to claim our belief, but alfo to 
 '^ render it criminal to doubt it : to com- 
 *' pare the proofs of true and falfe miracles, 
 ** and difcover the certain means of diftin- 
 ** guilhing them : and, after all, to tell why 
 *' the Deity fliould chufe, in order to con- 
 *' firm the truth of his word, to make 
 ** ufe of means, which, themfelves, re- 
 '^ quire fo much confirmation ; as if he 
 *' took delight in playing upon the cre- 
 " culity of mankind, and had purpofely 
 *' avoided the direct means to perfuade their 
 *' belief ^^" 
 
 Mufi: not he have arrived at the highcfl 
 degree of infidelity and impiety, who can vent 
 fuch blafphemies ? who can accufe the Deity 
 himfclf of having chofen out improper 
 means for perfuading mankind : of having 
 adcd in fuch a manner, as if he wantonly 
 Iported with their credulity, and had pur- 
 pofely fliunned the mod obvious means for 
 their convidtlon ? Who can enough admire 
 • Vol. 3. p. 1 10. 
 
 I 3 the 
 
J 24 ^^^ Truth of the 
 
 the temerity of this writer, who can fancy 
 himfelf to be a better judge of thefe mat- 
 ters than all mankind in all preceding ages f 
 
 The §. If. What were thofe means which ac- 
 
 fedtopro-tually have perfuaded people of all nations, 
 Pfg^^^. and of every languag-e and tribe, of ihe 
 nitypro- truth of our religion ? — Were not they thQ 
 ^°^' direct means of perfualion ? Thofe means, 
 which, by detaching men fo fuddenly from 
 that falfe worfhip, which a pretended natu- 
 ral religion fuggefted, made the dominion 
 of fatan vanilli like a flaih of lightning ; 
 were not they the proper means of perfua- 
 fion ? Thofe means, which convinced of 
 folly the philofophers, who, like RouiTeau, 
 were bewildered in the vanity of their ima- 
 ginations. Thofe means, which broke the 
 chains of every paffion, which induced men 
 to renounce all things, and even themfelves, 
 in order to pay fubmiflion to the gofpel, 
 with the brighteft examples of virtue : — 
 were not fuch the dired means to per- 
 fuade ? — What were thofe means, which fub- 
 jugated reafon and will, the moft obflinate 
 and perverfe, to the obedience of faith ? 
 which fo forcibly influenced and fo clofely 
 
 convinced 
 
ChrijVian Religion vindicated. 13^ 
 
 convinced men of every ftate and condition, 
 great and fmall, learned and ignorant, that 
 they all rather chofe to facrifice their fortunes, 
 their repofe, their hberty; to expofe them- 
 felvcs to every difgrace, and fuffer the mod 
 cruel and ignominious inflictions, nay, even 
 death itfelf, — than to renounce the Chriilian 
 Religion — ? were not means thus vid:oriouc, 
 powerful, and efficacious, the true and only 
 means of pei-fuafion ? But RoufTeau, a 
 more competent judge than the Deity him- 
 felf, of the proper means for this purpofe, 
 feems to be of a different opinion ; and 
 therefore, doubtlefs, can be kind enough to 
 inform us, what means he ou2:ht to have 
 employed. What pity is it, fo capable a 
 counfellor was not called in to the counfels of 
 the Almighty, in order to chalk out to him 
 the plan of his condudl ! 
 
 §. III. But to proceed; let us again at- The pro- 
 
 '1 1 . . • 1 -1 paeation 
 
 tend to this irreverent writer, while we of chrU 
 fliuddcr with deteftation at his impiety. ^^^^'^^^Y* 
 *' Suppofe, fays he, that the divine ma- greateft 
 '' jefty, had really condcfcended to make ^^''■^'^^• 
 ** man the organ for promulgating Iiis fi- 
 ''* cred will ; is it reafonable, is it juft to 
 I 4 *' require 
 
X36 The Truth of the 
 
 require all mankind to obey the voice 
 of this minifier, without his making 
 himfelf known to be fuch ? where is 
 the equity or propriety of furniihing 
 him, for univerfal credentials, with 
 only a few particular tokens, difplayed 
 before a handful of obfcure perfons, and 
 of which all the reft of mankind can 
 never know any thing but by hearfay * V* 
 If it was neither juft nor reafonable for Goi) 
 to require all mankind to obey the voice of 
 thofe whom he had elcc^led to be the pro- 
 mulgators of his facred will, is there any 
 fincerity in our author's pretence, that God, 
 Jiath furnifhed them for univerfal creden- 
 tials, with only a few private tokens, dif- 
 played before a few obfcure perfons, and 
 of which all the refl of the world can ne- 
 ver know any thing but by hearfay ?• — Hath 
 not the Deity, then, manifefted and declared 
 the miffion of thofe he hath chofen by in- 
 conteftable records ? And why did the whole 
 univerfe believe the word of his minifters, 
 if they were not lawfully authorized ? — 
 Was it not a thing ftill more wonderful 
 than all the miracles put together, that fo 
 great a number of men, of tempers fo dif- 
 
 * Vol. 3. p. 1 10. 
 
 ferent. 
 
Chrijlian Rcllgkn vindicated, i 37 
 
 fcrcnt, of charaders fo oppofuc, and lb re- 
 nioic frcm each other, (houla have given 
 credit to our rehgion, without it was cor- 
 roborated by inconteflable miracles ? Muft it 
 not have been very probable and credible of 
 itfelf, when men fo readily yielded their 
 faitli to it ? How could faith in the name 
 and doftrine of Jesus Christ, have diffufed 
 itfelf in fo amazing a manner, if the fanc- 
 tion of miracles had not prepared the way for 
 it's reception P^How, efpecially, in thofe times 
 when reafon exerted all her higheft powers, 
 and when men were ufed to defpife and 
 rejeft whatever furpaffed the extent of their 
 underftanding ? Guided by fuch dlfpofi- 
 tlons, what could have determined the 
 whole world to believe things fo extraor- 
 dinary, fo incredible in appearance, fo ele- 
 vated beyond human idea, if the power of 
 miracles had not inclined the underflanding 
 to the yoke of faith, and filcnced every 
 liuman argument ? We need only urge 
 tliis finglc confideration to confound the 
 obftlnacy and blindnefs of our infidel. 
 Either thofe aftonifliing and incredible works 
 to which the univcrfe hath borne tellimony, 
 impelled them to give credit to a religion, 
 
 which, 
 
13S The T ^ V T n of the 
 
 which, otherwife, would have appeared in- 
 credible y Or, that religion was fo credible 
 in itfelf, and lb reafonable, that it needed 
 no affiflance from miracles to convince man- 
 kind of it's veracity. 
 
 The infidel will never be able to reply 
 fubftantially, to a conclufion thus decifivc. 
 It will ever be fufficient to filence thofe 
 vain and arrogant men, who ftill demand 
 prodigies from us, to induce their be- 
 lief. He who can rcfufe his fubmiffion, af- 
 ter a whole univerfe hath embraced the 
 faith propofed, is himfelf a greater prodigy^ 
 than All the miracles put together. 
 
 The firft ^. iv^ That we may leave the unbe=. 
 of chrifti- liever no room for cavil, and force hin> 
 ^^oo'f of ^^'•^ ^^^ ^^^ entrenchment ; we will proceed 
 it's divi- to grant him that the Chriftian Religion 
 bears fome charadters, which require very 
 convincing miracles to perfuade men to be- 
 lieve it. But, at the fime time, we will main- 
 tain and prove to him, that this religion, 
 hath every thing of the kind, which can 
 reafonably be expe6ted. 
 
 How, 
 
Chnjiian Religion '^oindicated. I'jo 
 
 How, indeed, could men, rude and un- 
 polilhed ; without learning, without talents, 
 without fame, without eloquence \ — fimplc 
 fifliermen, and perfecuted by every ruling 
 power, and flate :— How could fuch as 
 thefe have perfuaded the wife men of their 
 time, and even philofophers, of the divinity 
 of their miffion, and of a religion, in 
 which there was every thing to lofe for a 
 while, and nothing to gain 3 and which fo 
 narrowly circumfcribed the paflions and ap- 
 petites 3 — without they had adminiftered clear 
 and palpable proofs ; and without they had 
 been fupported by the authority of certain 
 and deciiive miracles ? — 
 
 That men. In high power and reputation, 
 whofe dodlrinc flattered and foothed every 
 pafTion and luflful propenfity, fliould have 
 gained credit j would have been no matter 
 of aftoniOiment, nor could we have been 
 much furprizcd at it : but that fo fmall a 
 number of poor, fimple, ignorant men, 
 Ihould have fubjcdlcd the whole univerfe to 
 a religion like ours, — can we comprehend 
 or explain fuch an unheard-of phoenomenon, 
 
 without 
 
I40 Tlje T R V T VI of the 
 
 without admitting the interpofition of a di^ 
 vine aid! without granting that God him- 
 felf, by means of thefe feeble witnefles, 
 whom he had chofen, wrought this con- 
 viiflion in the hearts of mankind ? a con- 
 vidiion fo much the more admirable, by 
 how much the more defpicable and inade- 
 quate appeared the means by which it was 
 effected. 
 
 It was not their difcourfes, properly 
 fpeaking, which determined their auditors ; 
 the innumerable wonders, which God 
 wrought by their hands, were an eloquence 
 far more effedlual to perfuade m.en to be- 
 lieve what they declared, than the moft ele- 
 gant and beft contrived fpeeches. Behold ! 
 all of a fudden thefe men, well known be- 
 fore to under flan d but one or two languages 
 only, are heard to fpeak in every kind of 
 tongue : in the name of Jesus Christ they 
 command the lame to walk, and the dead 
 to arife. Their very fliadow alone is found 
 to cure all kinds of difeafes upon the fpot, in 
 the feveral places through which they pafs. 
 From the linen cloaths, which have only 
 touched their bodies, proceeds a virtue, which 
 
 diflipates 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated. 141 
 
 difll pates the maladies of thofc to whom they 
 are applied : at their Voice devils arc expel- 
 led from thofe whom they pofleffed 5 and— 
 what is flill more ftriking than all, — thofe 
 perfons, who embrace their dodlrine, and 
 on whom their hands are laid, receive a 
 communication of the like gifts, with the 
 power of performing fimilar miracles, la 
 fhort, how many other prodigies did they 
 not perform, in the face of the w^hole 
 world ', that world, which hath incefllintly 
 borne, and ftill, by means of a conftant and 
 perpetual tradition, continues to bear a pub- 
 lic and authentic teftimony to their truth 
 and reality. 
 
 And now we muft here beg leave to 
 afk, whether this wonderful invefliture and 
 exertion of gifts, and powers ^ is a giving 
 for univeffal credentials (to thofc whom 
 God hath chofen to be the organs for pro^ 
 mitigating his Jacred imll) only fome fe^io pri-^ 
 vate tokens y difplayed before a handful of ob- 
 [cure peffons^ and of which all the rrjl of 
 mankind can never knoiu any thing but by 
 bearfay ? — 
 
 Does 
 
142 ^he Truth of the 
 
 t)oes Rouffeau, then, like that Julian^ 
 whofe fentitnents and language he fo per- 
 feftly imitates — reckoii the whole world as 
 an handful of obfcure people ? The univerfe 
 feems little in his eyes ; and he fancies him- 
 felf eafily able to compute thofe who occu- 
 py the whole earth. — Where Ihali wc 
 find that great number of witneffes he re- 
 quires, if all are but a few * ? — 
 
 Miracles, §. V. Was there ever, in the nature of 
 well^at- fafts, any thing fo certain, fo known, and 
 tefted as fy ^q\] verified, as the miracles which con- 
 
 we could 
 
 (defire. cur to cftablifh the truth of our religion ? — 
 Roufl^eau would needs have been an eye 
 witnefs of all thefe prodigies and miracles, 
 in order to believe them. He would rather 
 have heard the Deity himfelf ; becaufe he 
 fancies he fhould by that means have 
 been fecure from being deceived. If we tell 
 him in anfwer to this, that God enfures him 
 againft fedudtion, by manifefting the miflion 
 
 * Cceterum quod dicit paucos fuijje '— pawum facii orhetf^ 
 et facile numerabiles ejfe puta<vit eos qui univerfum orbem, 
 Et uhirtam multos itfveniemuSf Ji omnes funf pauci P-^ Cyril, 
 adv. Julian. Lib. vi» 
 
 ©f 
 
Chrijlian Religion vmdicated. 143 
 
 of his envoys by miracles -, ** And where, 
 ** eries he, are thefe miracles to be feen ? '* 
 In books. — " Are they related only in 
 " books ? pray, who wrote thefe books ?'* 
 ■ — Men — '' Who were witnefles to thefe 
 " miracles?" — Men — who atteft them. — 
 " What ! always human teftimonles ! — Is it 
 *^ always men, who tell me what other 
 *' men have told them ? — What a number 
 " of thefe are conflantly between me and 
 :* the Deity * ! " 
 
 And yet Roufleau, fo haughty as he i5 
 with his reafon, gives us a ftrong proof of 
 his inconftancy and levity ! This man^ who 
 would feem fo fleady in his principles, be- 
 ing made the fport of that reafon, knows 
 not what he would have. He demands mi- 
 racles, in order to ground his faith ; and 
 yet, if the Deity, for the more glorious 
 difplayof his omnipotence, communicates to 
 men the power of working thefe miracles, — 
 He defpifes, and rcjecfls this kind of tefli- 
 mony, merely becaafe Men are made the 
 inflruments of conveying it : O human rea- 
 fon, how blind and unreafonable art thou, 
 when left to thyfelf ! — Roufleau is afraid of 
 
 * Vol 3. p io8. 
 
 being 
 
144 7heTtLUTn of ihe 
 
 being deceived by that cloud of witneffes 
 which confirms the truth of our religion j 
 by thofe evidently divine proofs which cha- 
 rafterife it : and yet he is not afraid of decei- 
 ving himfelf ! And why! oh depraved reafon! 
 do you counterfeit the fear of being deceived 
 by thefe well authorized teftimonies of the 
 Deity ; yet are under no apprehenfioii of 
 deceiving yourfelf in this important matter ? 
 What if God fhould manifeft himfelf to 
 Tou^ as he manifefted himfelf to his mini- 
 flers ? would not you then have ftill greater 
 reafon to be afraid of your own fallacious 
 imagination, than in cafe the whole univerfe 
 attefted to you what you was not able to* 
 fee for yourfelf ? Is not this conjunction^ 
 unanimity and agreement of evidence, as 
 rational and demon ftrative a circumftance to 
 fix your belief, as if God had fpokeri in par-^ 
 ticular to yourfelf? — No more, then,objea: to' 
 us — *' What ! always human teftimonies?'* 
 Doth not God himfelf fpeak to you by the 
 intervention of thefe men, whom he hath 
 chofen for that purpofe ? Has he not made 
 himfelf a guarantee, a pledge, by the mira- 
 cles which he hath enabled them to per- 
 form, " that they have only related to 
 
 '' you. 
 
Chrijlian Religlofi vindicated. 145 
 
 *' you, what he would have declared Iilm- 
 *' felf to you." — Bcfides, could the weak 
 and feeble eyes of man have b^en able to 
 fupport the formidable fplendor of the fu- 
 preme majefty, if he had vouchfafed to 
 fpeak to him in perfon ? Surely not. — And 
 therefore to accommodate himfelf to our 
 condition, and in great condefcenfion to it's 
 frailties ; Divinity itfelf aflumed the cloath- 
 ing of humanity, in order to converfe with 
 mankind ; and eleded men for the accom- 
 plifhment of the work which it had fo be- 
 gun. Where would be the merit of fliith 
 and obedience, if God had fenfibly mani- 
 fefted himfelf to mankind ? His duty and 
 his perfection confift in walking here below, 
 amidfl: obfcurity but with certainty : in fee- 
 ing objeds only as inveloped in clouds : and 
 it is by this method that he muft arrive at 
 the feeing them clearly and unveiled. 
 
 Who is Roufleau ; — what are all the Infi- 
 dels together, that they (hould prefcribe to 
 the Deity the method, by which he ought 
 to fpcak with them ? Will they be fo daring, 
 as to pretend he ought to have done fomc- 
 thing more than he has done ? Muft he be- 
 K come 
 
146 The Trv T n of the 
 
 come vifible to all men, and, like the fun, 
 prefcnt himfelf dally before their eyes ? Nay, 
 even though he Ihould do fo, the impene- 
 trable fund of incredulity, demonftratcs to 
 our experience that they would flill have 
 their doubts, and inceffantly deny or con- 
 teft the fad:, under fome pretence or other. 
 For, if they have not proofs as fenfible and 
 demonftrative ; they have at leaft thofe 
 which are as ftrong, and as certain, which 
 yet they oppofe through the grofleft abufe 
 and perverfion of their reafon* 
 
 Reafony opinion, and experience concur to 
 teach us, as we have [before fhewn, that 
 MAN IS SINFUL. The Chrijiian Religion^ 
 alone does and could difcover to us his real 
 ftate : and alone is able to account for all 
 thofe ftrange inconfiftencies in his conftitu- 
 tion. This reveals to us, that man, by 
 reafon of his fin, is degraded from that 
 ftate of excellence wherein he was created, 
 and reduced to the wretched condition of a 
 flave vanquiflied by his enemy. The infidel 
 dafhes himfelf againfl a myftery fo elevated : 
 and yet, as the great Pafchal obferves, ex- 
 clufive of this myftery, which is the moft 
 
 incomprehenfible 
 
ChnJUiin Religion 'vindicated, 147 
 
 incomprchenfible of all j we ourlclves are 
 incomprchcnlible by ouriclves. Tlic knot 
 of our condition is fo intricately ravelled and 
 perplexed in this dark abyfs, that man him- 
 ielf is more inconceivable without the ad- 
 dition of this myftery, th an this myftery is 
 to man. 
 
 Being thus become culpable, what re- 
 mained in man's pofleflion, after the com- 
 miflion of his offence, which could incline 
 God to manifcfl himfelf to him? Was it 
 not a very happy circumftance for him, that 
 God would iiill deiQ:n to difcover himfelf 
 in any manner whatever ? Is it not an unde- 
 ferved favour, that the Deity fliould in any 
 way he pleafed to employ him, previoufly, 
 and with a view to his introduftion into 
 that fandluary, which was rendered inaccef- 
 fible to man, from the inftant of his fall ? — 
 Oh ingrateful and unnatural ! who inilead 
 of being penetrated with a lively fcnfe of 
 gratitude, towards that gracious Being, 
 who ftretches forth the hand of mercy, to 
 raifc them from their fallen condition : on 
 the contrary, hefitate not inceflahtly to 
 bkfphcme all the fi[;nal teftimonics of his 
 K 2 kindnefs 
 
148 The T Kx^rn of the 
 
 kindncfs towards them. Kindnefs, whofe 
 high bleffingf they will not receive, or admit 
 as offered to them -, unlefs the Deity fhall 
 manifeft himfelf to recommend them, by 
 proofs as palpable as they may wantonly re- 
 quire. This wretched fituation of mind, 
 horrible as it appears, is the juft punifhment 
 of their demerits : It is without any foun- 
 dation, and therefore argues them guilty 
 of the higheft adl of injuftice, that they 
 will raflily drawconfequences from it againft 
 the Chriftian Religion. That religion, which 
 openly acknowledges, that fince the fall of 
 mankind, God hath not manifefted himfelf 
 to them, with all the evidence he is able to 
 difplay : — and which alfo inculcates on man- 
 kind, thefe two following truths, namely. 
 That there is a Goi>, of whofe mercy they 
 are enabled to avail themfelves ; and a 
 corruption in their nature, which renders 
 them unworthy of it, 
 
 Thefe principles being eflablifhed, the 
 neceffary refult is, that the Deity being from 
 henceforth, a God concealed from man, an 
 Invifible Ejence \ man has only to fubmit, 
 to adore and thank him, in whatever man- 
 ner 
 
Chrijlian Rellgio?i vindicated, 149 
 
 ner he may be plcafed to manifcfl himfelf ; 
 provided the tokens of his prefence be cer- 
 tain. Now, the proofs in fupport of the 
 Chriftian Religion, are certain — arc incon- 
 teftible : for, as w<j have before taken occafi- 
 on to obfervc, nothing is more abfurd than 
 the contempt exprefled by Roufl'eau for the 
 authority of human teftimony. Were that 
 authority to be fuperfcded, into what an 
 horrible ftate of pyrrhonifm would the hu- 
 man race be plunged 1 — Moft of the adions 
 of mankind, are founded upon human tefti- 
 monies ; and by the light of this authority, 
 men adl with as much certainty, as if 
 they had feen the things which they have 
 reported to us. 
 
 Have not we therefore demonflrations, 111 
 the nature of fadls as certain and infallible, 
 as thofe of geometry or the mathematics ? — 
 It would be equally foollfli to doubt of ei- 
 ther; fincc, upon proofs of the firfl kind, 
 things which arc acknowledged in the world, 
 as the moll: certain, arc eflabliflied. 
 
 §. VI. The only queftion then which Miracles 
 remains, is, to know whether the favfts and jy J^'^f^^^ 
 K 3 human 
 
i^o The Truth of the 
 
 ^' human evidence, on which the chriftian re- 
 
 Ii2:ion is founded, have all the charadters 
 and qualities neccflary to form an invincible 
 proof. Now, was there ever any thing fo 
 certain, fo authentic and fo well verified, as 
 the miracles which demonllrate the divinity 
 of our relio;ion ? The whole univerfe hath 
 borne a glorious teftimony to the truth of 
 their exiftence, by it's faith and fubmiffion : 
 they are attefted in records, againft which 
 all the fliafts of the mofl envenomed infi- 
 delity fhall not be able to prevail. Thefe 
 records bear fuch ftrong characters of 
 fmcerity, as ftifle every the leaft fufpiclon 
 to the contrary. Their truth is confirmed 
 by witneflis fo worthy, of credit, fo inca- 
 pable of being themfelves deceived, or of 
 having wilfully deceived others ; that any 
 mind which makes ufe of it's reafon has 
 all the afiiirance it can defire. The ancient 
 enemies of the Chrifiian Religion never 
 dared to charge with forgery thofe fadls 
 on which it is fupported : and no body 
 would have been more ready than they 
 to publifh fjch a difcovery ; it would have 
 been a very eafy matter to have detected 
 the confpiracy of tliofe men who had been 
 
 dcfirous 
 
Chrljllan ReVigion 'vindicated, l^i 
 
 defirous of feducing the whole world : It 
 would have been impoflible that, amongll the 
 multitude of thofe who had concurred in it, 
 (efpecially as many of them were afterwards 
 feparated,) no one, either incited by revenge, 
 or by the love of truth, fliould have laid open 
 the fallacious fcheme. In fine, Does the 
 teillmony of thofe many martyrs, who have 
 fealed the truth of all thefe fads with their 
 blood; — does a teftimonylike this, ftill leave 
 room for a (ingle doubt of their veracity ? — 
 7, fays the celebrated Pafchal, do readily be-- 
 lieve the truth of thofe hijlories^ whcfe witnef- 
 fes voluntarily fuffered death in fupport of it. 
 
 The refult of the whole matter then, is 
 this : In order to invalidate the truth and 
 authenticity of the miracles wrought in 
 confirmation of our holy religion, we muft 
 of neceflity unite to call in queftion all the 
 fads which have ever happened in the 
 world : fince no fad in the v/orld is fo well 
 eflablilhed, as thofe miracles evidently are. 
 
 But, left the infidel {hould ftill refufe 
 his aflent to fo many well attcfled miracles^ 
 wc would leave no means unemployed to 
 convince and confute him. §. VII, 
 
J52 TZf T R u T H of the . 
 
 The con- §. VII. Is not, thcn, the exiftence of the 
 
 ofchHiH-C'^^i^i^" Religion, thus fupportedand refo- 
 
 anicy, a lutcly perfevering, amidfl: 'io many oppofiti- 
 
 ons as have been made againft it in all ages, 
 
 ' an ever vifible and continual miracle? — 
 
 what is more grand, more admirable, or 
 
 more divine, than a religion, always at war, 
 
 continually refifled, yet always viflorious 
 
 and triumphant ! 
 
 No fooner does this religion make it's firfl; 
 appearance in the world, than it is perfecut- 
 ed on every fide ; principahties and powers, 
 are up in arms to oppole it : chriftian blood, 
 is every where feen to flow : and, by a 
 miracle, capable of aftoniihing the mofl 
 confum.mate infidelity; — a confpiracy for- 
 med againft it, and fuch an one as would 
 inevitably have annihilated a human inftitu- 
 tion, ferves only to add new luftre and 
 magnificence to that of the Chriflian Reh- 
 gion ; a confpiracy, whofe attempts, calcu- 
 lated for it's immediate deftrudlion, tend only 
 to render it more firm and immoveable. No 
 punifhments, not orments are fpared : it's per- 
 iecutorsexhauftthemfelves in the invention of 
 
 new 
 
Chrijiian Religion 'vindicated. 
 new methods, to effect the deftrudlion and 
 overthrow of this rifing religion : nay, in 
 order the more furely to fucceed ; they dived 
 their fouls of all thofe fentiments which 
 humanity (hould infpire towards even the 
 vileil malefaftors. 
 
 But all thefe refinements of human cruel- 
 ty and injuftice fervc only the more to ex- 
 tend it: The more chriftians areput to death, 
 the more fpring up anew; their blood became 
 a fruitful feed, which failed not to produce 
 others ; and by that means chriftianity found 
 itfelf fully recompenced for all it's lofles : In 
 fhort, by a prodigy which furpafles all con- 
 ception, even the very perfecutors of this 
 religion, according to the promifes which 
 were made to it, flocked in together them- 
 felves to embrace it, to acknowledge it's di- 
 vinity and to fet their mark to it's feal. 
 
 If from it's perfccutions fromjwithout, wc 
 on to the attacks which this religion hath 
 fuftained within itfelf; what mufl be our 
 aftonifhment and admiration! How many 
 ftorms and tempcfts are ftirrcd up againft it, 
 even in its bofom ! How many inward ene- 
 mies 
 
 »53 
 
154 ^^^ Truth of the 
 
 mies ; as powerful as the former — bat 
 fo much the more dangerous, as they co- 
 vered themfelves with the mafk of religion 
 itfelf, in order to attack it — has it not had 
 to encounter ! How many herefies, fchifms 
 and divifions, fuggefled by hell ; which muft 
 inevitably have deftroyed chriftianity, had it 
 derived it's origin from men ! — 
 
 A thoufand times has it feemed to be uporf 
 the very brink of ruin, at the point of total 
 deflr-udion, and juft ready to be buried in 
 it's own fhattcred remains ; but every time it 
 has been reduced to this melancholy fitua- 
 lion, God has refcued and upheld it by the 
 extraordinary exertions of his power. The 
 more imminent it's danger appeared, fo much 
 the more glorioufly was his ever-watchful 
 protedion difplayed : he had foretold and 
 aflured it that it fhould undergo tbefe trials; 
 • and that promife, which rendered it liiperior 
 to all the efforts of hell, hath aUvays met 
 with a faithful accomplifiiment. 
 
 Does any one perceive here the work of 
 rnan ; a work of falfliood and deception ? If 
 the Chriffian.Religion, were of this character, 
 
 could 
 
Chrijiian Religion 'Vindicated. l}^ 
 
 coukl it have refiftcd fo many alTaults com- 
 bined to deftroy ii. ? Experience teaches us 
 what would infaUibly have been it*s fate, 
 if it had not been the work of God : all 
 human undcrt.ikings find fiipport only in 
 proportion to their eflimation with the pow- 
 ers of the flate where they are fet on foot : 
 from the inflant they have been deferted by 
 fuch afliftunces, and thofe powers have 
 rifen up to oppofc them ; fuch works of 
 darknefs have foon (hrunk back to that no- 
 thingnefs and obfcurity, from whence they 
 derived their original. This is what we 
 have fo often feen, with refpecl to all 
 the fedls which have been formed to com- 
 bat the Chriflian Reh'gion. Kingdoms 
 themfelves would perifli, did they not fre- 
 quently make the laws bend to their necef- 
 fity : they could not preferve themfeives, 
 were they not fometimes thus enfeebled : 
 but then this weaknefs and pliancy infenfibly 
 leads them to their ruin ; and thus it happens 
 that there has rrot been one kingdom which 
 hath lafled i 500 years. But the Chriflian 
 Religion hath never employed fuch means 
 for it's fupport. It hath always upheld itfelf 
 
 without bendine; and fmkini: under the ar- 
 
 bitrary 
 
156 77je Tj^vth of the 
 
 bitrary will of it's enemies and perfecutors ; 
 though it hath had to ftruggle with oppofi- 
 tions, more violent than thofe of kingdoms. 
 — - Could it have preferved itfelf thus un- 
 touched, without an ever-vifible miracle, 
 nan"iely, the protection of God, exerted in 
 it's favour ? — We may therefore moft rati- 
 onally conclude, that the Chriftian Religion 
 is.not onlyfounded upon miracles > but that it 
 is in itfelf, the greateft of miracles, a miracle, 
 continual and ever fubfifting, 
 
 wimefres §. VIII. " If, fays Rouffeau, we would 
 toChrifti-<t j-eceive as true all the miracles, which 
 
 an Mira- t i 1 
 
 des. ** the common and ignorant people through 
 
 ** every country of the world affirm to have 
 
 *' feen, every fei5t would be in the right. 
 
 " There would be more miraculous events 
 
 ** than natural ones, and the greateft mi- 
 
 " racle of all would be to find that no mi- 
 
 *' racles had happened where fanaticilm had 
 
 y been perfecuted. "* " 
 
 The plain drift of which fpeech, is mere- 
 ly to induce mankind to rejed: the miracles 
 which authorize the Chriftian Religion ; as 
 having no other v/itneffes of their truth than 
 the common and ignorant people. 
 
 The 
 
 ♦ Vol. iii. p. III. 
 
Chrijllan Religion vindicated. 1 57 
 
 The whole of what we have already ob- 
 ferved on this fubjecl of miracles, confutes 
 thefc frivolous declamations and falfc pre- 
 tences of intidehty. Were thofe many dif- 
 tinguiflied perfons who have engaged in the 
 caufe of the Chriflian ReHgion, were thofe ma- 
 ny fuperior geniufes, who have born teftimony 
 to the veraciry of our miracles, and whofc 
 abilities and fagacity are well known ; — were 
 thefc nothing but common ignorant, people ? 
 
 — But, on v/hat ground can RoulTeau rejedt 
 the people's evidence in favour of our Mira- 
 cles? Are not they within the comprehenfion 
 of the moft fimple minds ? Is it neceflliry to 
 be a philofopher, or a geometrician, to be in 
 a condition proper to form a judgment of 
 them ? the matter in queftion is, Difeafes 
 cured ; cripples reftored to their Limbs ; 
 dead bodies raifed to life. Now, are not the 
 common people, as well able to judge of 
 thefe matters, as the mofl fkilful Phyfician ? 
 
 — it needs only eyes to fee a difeafed perfon, 
 a cripple or a dead body ; and thefe fame 
 eyes, can afterwards dlfcern, whether the 
 fick man be in good health, the cripple's 
 hmbs reftored ; and whether the dead eat, 
 
 drink 
 
i^^ 7h Trvtu of the 
 
 drink and walk : every man, who has his 
 fight may eafily know whether, from the 
 bare fpeaking or fingle touch of another 
 man, the fick man received health, the 
 cripple the free ufe of his limbs, and the 
 dead body's refloration to life. 
 
 Miracles are, as It were, the alphabet of 
 all religion. The end and defign of them, is 
 to place the fublimeft truths within every 
 man's comprehenfion ; and to open an eafy 
 entrance for all into that holy religion, which 
 they authorize. Confequently,the ignorant, 
 as well as the learned, may pafs fare judg- 
 ment upon them. 
 
 The teftimony of the people, with refped 
 to the miracles of the Chriftian Religion, is 
 fo much the more decifive, as all the world 
 knows with what obftinacy the common 
 people perfevere In that religion of their fore- 
 fathers, which they have imbibed from their 
 infancy. How clear then, how certain and 
 convincing muft thofe miracles have been, 
 which could impell them to renounce their 
 primitive religion, in order to embrace chrif- 
 tianity ! 
 
 §. IX. 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicate J. ^ j^g, 
 
 §. IX. The mod: inattentive reader can- The rca- 
 not have failed to obferve, that Ron ffeau is raclcs."^^'* 
 a mofl vigilant advocate for infidelity j ala- 
 mort inexhauflible in arguments. 
 
 la the Hid. voUimc of his Emlllus p. 
 145. he goes on to furnifli us with new 
 proofs of his indefatigable fcepticifm. " The 
 ** fupreme Being, fays he, is beft difplayed 
 *' by the fixed and unalterable laws of na- 
 ** ture. If there fliould happen many ex* 
 ** ceptions to fuch general laws, I fliould 
 ** no lonsier know what to think: and for 
 *' my own part, I mull confefs, I believe 
 *^ too much in God to 'credit fo many 
 •* miracles, fo little worthy of him. " 
 
 Without doubt, the general order of na- 
 ture perfedly difplays the greatnefs of the 
 fupreme Being. But this order, thus per- 
 petual and conftant, fliouts to the deafcft 
 cars, and fpeaks aloud to the mod obdurate 
 hearts. This is a continual miracle, and 
 one which comprehends a multitude of mi- 
 racles : but yet in vain does it fcek to call back 
 mortals to the knowledge of their maker, 
 We arc accuftomed to every objcdt in nature : 
 
t6o ne Tkuth of fhe 
 
 the great wonders of the world, arc fal- 
 len into a kind of difparagement and dif- 
 regard, and no longer flrike our attention, 
 becaufe they are ever prefent. An obferving 
 mind, which religioufly refledls on this com- 
 pound of miracles, fome more amazing than 
 others, is, as it were, terrified at the contem- 
 plation : vjhile all it*s attention is infufficient 
 to deliberate upon,and confider the vafi: variety. 
 
 Objlupefcity obrulturque miraculis. St. Aug, 
 
 It is the fame God, who every day works 
 all thofe miracles, wherewith nature is re- 
 plete, and thofe which are lefs common and 
 more remarkable : But, becaufe cuftom in- 
 duces forgetfulnefs of the grandeur of the 
 former ; becaufe mankind, diverted by many 
 objedls, no longer attend to ordinary events, 
 or take occafion from them to elevate their 
 mind,to their almighty difpencer^and to render 
 him that worfhip, which therefore is fo juftly 
 his due : on thefe accounts, and in amazing 
 condefcenfion to our weaknefs, he hath gra- 
 cioufly referved certain extraordinary events ; 
 which he afliduoufly takes care, from time to 
 time, to produce, withaview to arouze man- 
 kind 
 
Chnjlian Religion "oindicatcd, 1 6 1 
 
 kind, from their lethargy of negligence. 
 If thefe Icfs ufiial miracles, have a more 
 ftriking effedl upon us than others, it is not 
 that tjiey 2re more excellent than thofe of 
 which we are daily fpedlators ; but that being 
 lefs frequent, they render us more fcnfible 
 of the prefence of their author. 
 
 Roufleau therefore is in the wrong to tell 
 us, that the fupreme Being is beft difplayed 
 by the unalterable kw of nature. Both 
 equally difplay him. For, in the fame man- 
 ner that this Being can preferve that eftab- 
 lifhed order of things, he can alfo at his 
 pleafure reverfe it : and, with refpedl to our 
 difpofitions, the reverfing of this order, makes 
 us ftill more fenfible of the exidence of a 
 fupreme Being. 
 
 The general law of nature would have 
 been very fufficicnt to make known to man 
 the author of his being j but this law, fo 
 continually purfued, was infufficient to lliew 
 him what were the particular inclinations 
 of that divine Bcine : it was infufllcicnt fo 
 the cflablillimcnt of a religion, fuch an 
 as mi^ht fuit the condition of finfulMan. 
 
 L It 
 
i62 The Truth of the 
 
 It therefore became neceffary that the Deity 
 in his vvil'dom {hould referve the means ca- 
 pable of evincing to mankind, that it was 
 he himfelf who had propofed fuch and 
 fuch a dodrine to them, by thofe perfons 
 whom he had chofen to be his delegates 
 and meflengers. Now, what method was 
 there more proportionate to the real ftatc 
 of man, than that of miracles? — God hath 
 engraven on the very foundation of our na- 
 ture, fentiments, which bear fo intimate a 
 relation with thefe means of convidlion, 
 that they would naturally bend our reafon 
 to their authority, did not our paffions and 
 prejudices intrude, and prevent their good 
 effedl. 
 
 Rotifieau may tell us, as long as he plcafes, 
 that if there were many exceptions to the 
 general law of nature, he fhould not know 
 what to think of them : But, as for us Chrift- 
 ians, we fhall ever know what we ought to 
 think of them 3 and that becaufe reafon and 
 religion join to teach us, that all thefe excep- 
 tions of what kind, or how numerous foever 
 they be, are ordained by the infinite wifdom 
 
 of 
 
Chrijllan Religion I'nuHcated. 163 
 
 of our God, in kindnefs and conipaflion for 
 his creatures : We know, that their end and 
 defignation, is to inftru6t us, and to regulate 
 our faith and opinions. 
 
 Weak mortal ! who can venture to place 
 the very confined view^s of his feeble reafon, 
 in competition with the inacceflible efful- 
 gence of that reafon, which is fupreme and 
 everlafting. Unwife ! who would oppofe 
 the vain prepoffeflions of his reafon to the 
 divinity of our miracles ; and who believes 
 the deity capable of forming only what ke 
 can underlland and comprehend ! — Tell me, 
 O man ! you, who pretend to fo much reafon 
 and good fenfe ; Do you comprehend the 
 CEConomy of G o d in the general order of 
 nature ; and can you render a reafon for all 
 that he does in that immcnfe fphere of a(fli- 
 on ? — Ah ! why then, would you require me 
 to give you the reafon for all thofe miracles, 
 thofe extraordinary effccfls, which the deity 
 difplays ^-^Non opus ejl mult a pcrcurrere, de 
 quotidianis rebus^ 7iemo reddit rationem : et 
 extgis a me de yniraculis rationem ? — Ceafe 
 then, ungrateful mortal ! to vilify the divi- 
 L 2 liity 
 
1 64 The Truth of the 
 
 nity of our miracles : noli calumniari iivi" 
 nitati miraculorum. St. Aug. 
 
 Incredulous ! who complains that God 
 works too many miracles! and yet, may 
 we fairly afk, are there enow wrought for 
 him ; for his convidion, who can thus ob- 
 ftinately perfift in his blindnefs? — He 
 tells us" he believes too much in God to 
 ** credit fo many miracles, fo little worthy 
 *' of his nature. '' But let him rather fay he 
 does not believe in God at all ; and that he is 
 not in the leaft defirous of fo believing ; and 
 that this is the true reafon which induces him 
 not to credit the miracles wrought by that 
 God 5 miracles, which muft neceffarily force 
 him to renounce his infidelity. Roufleau at 
 moft believes in that God which his extra- 
 vagant imagination has contrived to frame : 
 but the true God, the God of the Chrijlig 
 ans^ is no God for Roufleau. 
 
 The §• -^- Roufleau deems fome miracles, 
 
 chriiiian as we find, very little ^worthy of the divine 
 ft.proper, E^ing : What are thofe miracles then, to 
 and be- yvhich he fo freely objeds. This we fliali 
 '^ ' proceed to confider, and, if poflible, compre- 
 hend ; 
 
Chrtjllan Religion vijidlcatcd, i6 
 
 hend; a diflicult taflc but which perhaps 
 \vc fhall mod cafily perform by attending 
 to thofe which he deems on the contrary 
 to be truly worthy of God! In his Hid, 
 volume p. 145-6. he fays, *' What if a man 
 *' fliould come and harangue you in this 
 *' manner '' I come, ye mortals, to announce 
 *' to you the will of the moil: high ; — ac- 
 " knowledge in my voice that of Him who 
 " hath fent me. I command the fun to 
 '* change his courfe, the ftars to fliift their 
 " places ; the mountains to difappear ; the 
 *' floods to fix themfelves on high, and the 
 " earth to aflumc a different afped: j — Who 
 '^ would nor, at the fight of fuch miracles 
 " as thefe, immediately attribute them to the 
 *' author of nature ? She is not obedient to 
 *^ impoftors/* 
 
 You fee here the miracles, which, alone, 
 RoufiTeau deems to be worthy of the deity : 
 But, as for the inflantaneous curing of all 
 forts of difcafes, wrought by a fingle touch 
 and the folc adt of fptech 5 the deUvcrance 
 of thofe pofllfied with devils, and the raid- 
 ing of dead bodies to life : — Rouflcau 
 makes light cf them ; He judges them un- 
 L 3 worthy 
 
i66 The T R xj T n of the 
 
 worthy of God, and requires others to be 
 performed for his convidlion : like thofe blind 
 and unbelieving pharifeesand fadducees,who, 
 after having been eye v^itneffes of the many 
 cures performed by Jesus Christ, ftill 
 alked of him figns.. from heaven, to con- 
 vince them. Mark viii. ii. Deceived and 
 blind ! v^ho, know^ing no bounds to their 
 hardened and ftubborn infidelity, feek ftill 
 farther to tempt the almighty, and to find 
 pretences for confirming their obftinacy. 
 Would it not be fruitlefs if God fhould 
 grant them their unrighteous demand ? was 
 he to do fo, they would not become more 
 faithful: — after having excepted againft fo 
 ^pany miracles juft wrought before their 
 faces, would they ever the more believfe 
 thofe which they prefcribed him to perform? 
 — Might they not make a ridicule of them, 
 equally with the others, by attributing them 
 to different latent caufcs in nature j or to the 
 various accidents incidental to the air * ? 
 
 For you, who can blafpheme fo many 
 miracles, miracles which your eyes have 
 
 Quafi non pofTint et ilia calumniari, et dicere ex 
 occultis and variis aeriis pulfionibus accidifTe. St. Hieroa 
 in Matt. cap. xiii, 
 
 feen. 
 
Chnjlia?t Religion vindicated. 167 
 
 Icen, your hands handled, and vvhofc whole 
 utility you clearly perceive ; what advan- 
 tage could you derive from the figns which 
 heaven Ihould afford you "^ ? 
 
 Rouffeau, copying after the apoflatc 
 Juliany tcftifies nothing but fcorn and con- 
 tempt for the miracles, which God hath 
 hitherto performed. *' What miracles, fays 
 " the impious Julian, did Jesus perform 
 " through his whole life, that deferved 
 ** mention ; uniefs we will allow a place 
 *' among the number of extraordinary works, 
 '* to his curing the lame and blind, and the 
 ** expulfion of devils in the villages of 
 ** Bethlaida and Bethany f ? " 
 
 *' Julian, "replies St. Cyril, by venturing to 
 rejedl the divine miracles of Jesus Christ, 
 fhews us, that he knew not how to admire 
 what was worthy admiration. How could 
 Jesus Ciir i st better prove his divii^ity,and 
 better eftablidi his religion ? — by producing a 
 
 • Nam qui calumniat is ea qu2c oculis viJcs, manu tcnes, 
 ulititate fcnlis, quid fadurus cs de his, qux dc calo vcnc- 
 r'.nt ? — 
 
 f Jefus, quo vLxIi tempore, nullum opus fecit mirabile, 
 nift quLs claudos ct cclcos curare, et dcmones adjurare 
 in Etthfaida tt Bcthr.nia opus ciTcmaximus putct. S. Cyril. 
 Lib, vi. in Julian. 
 
 wild 
 
i68 The T ^ 15 T 11 of the 
 
 wild cbnfafion and diforder in the heavens?—^ 
 by making another earth fpring out of the 
 world of waters ? — or by difcovering new 
 wonders in the fun, moon and ftars ? — No> 
 this was not the end of our Lord's incarna- 
 tion : he came not to aftoniQi men and to fa- 
 tlsfy their vain curiofity ; but he came to de- 
 liver them from all thofe fpiritual and corpo- 
 ral miferies, which overwhelmed them -, and 
 to refcue them from that two-fold flavery 
 •under which they groaned : he w^s pleafed 
 to recall us to the knowledge of truth of 
 which we had deprived ourfelves ; and, ia 
 order to fucceed in that gracious purpofe, 
 condefcended, that his miracles, equally bear^ 
 ing the ftamp of his goodnefs and his power, 
 fliould Infpire us with a juft confidence to 
 return to him. His great plan was to point 
 out in his miracles, a lively and fenfible 
 reprefentation of thofe efFeds v/hich they 
 ought to produce in our fouls. And as 
 corporal difeafes are the moft natural re- 
 femblance of fpiritual maladies, he hath in 
 the miraculous cure of the former, painted 
 thofe of the latter kind, which fliould pro- 
 perly follow, or accompany them -, is there 
 ^py thing more beautiful, more noble, and 
 
 ingre 
 
Chr'ijlian Religion 'v! mil cat e J, 169 
 
 inore worthy of the godhead, than thefe 
 multiplied, and concurrent eftcds of divine 
 goodnefs and omnipotence ? Could the e- 
 ternal wifdom, the word of the father, the 
 creator of man, do any thing more worthy 
 of his nature, than thus to reftore his work 
 to its firft eftate , thus to heal the body, in 
 order to condudt us to the cure of the 
 foul ; and thus to become the faviour of our 
 nature from all the evils which afHidl it ? '* 
 
 ** What more confident with the great- 
 ** nefsof God,'* fays Ladantius (addreffing 
 himfelf to the adverfarics of the Chriftiaa 
 Religion) *' what more worthy the admira- 
 ** tion of all ages, than to have renewed ex- 
 ** piringlife^ to have given back years already 
 ** elapfed 3 — to have enlightened the fecret 
 " horrors of the grave* ?" This inefFabk 
 power, however, was but the image of an- 
 other ftill greater : and demonftrated the 
 future efficacy of Jesus Christ's doc- 
 trine throughout the world, in turning 
 
 • Quid congruentiu3 Deo, quid miraculo dignius om- 
 Tiiam feculoruni, quam decurfam vitam refignafTe, com- 
 pletlfque homlr.um tcmporibus tcmpora adjcci/Tc, arcana 
 
 jnankind 
 
170 The Truth of the 
 
 mankind from darknefs to light, from death 
 to immortality. 
 
 Muft we not be as incredulous as a Rouf- 
 feau, to be infenfible of miracles which denote 
 fuch excellence and kindnefs ? — Rouffeau 
 aflures us, he would inflantly attribute to the 
 Lord of nature the performance of thofe 
 miracles which he demands ; " Becaufe, fays 
 ** he, nature is never obedient to impoftors." 
 Will he then dare to fay, and will he be able 
 to prove to us, that at the voice of an im- 
 poftor the ^ dead may revive, the blind fee, 
 the deaf hear, the lame walk, the palfied 
 recover the ufe of their limbs, and all other 
 maladies, be cured ? — How could he broach 
 fo deteftable a blafphemy? — He can certain- 
 ly find no one example, to countenance it. 
 Why then does he delay the homage due to 
 a religion, whofe grandeur and excellence 
 are proclaimed by fo many miracles, and 
 thofe fo evidently divine ? In vain does the 
 prefent generaiion of infidels demand other 
 figns and wonders. They have more already 
 than are requifite to render them inexcufa- 
 ble. The figns they alk will one day be 
 granted to their confufion. The heavens 
 
 and 
 
Chnjllan Religion viridicafeJ, iji 
 
 and eartli, and the whole frame of nature 
 fliall confcfs their Lord ? And the impious 
 unbehever, after having ungratefully refufed 
 to acknowledge his God and Saviour in 
 the gracious figns of his kindiief^ and mercy, 
 fliall then behold himfelf forced to acknow- 
 ledge him in the terrible and dreadful figns 
 of his anger and hiijujlice. 
 
 § XI. The miracles wrought in favour of Miracles 
 revelation fufficiently demonftrate that it canj'/^j^h Jf 3 
 contain noihing contrary to found reafon.^o^/^"^- 
 
 A furvey 
 
 Rouffeau, as we have feen, makes ufe of every of fcrip- 
 effort in his power to controvert their c^i^-[ilatii *ht 
 tence, under the poor pretence that he has 
 mt feen them. But, fenlible that he could 
 not long maintain that port:, he has referved 
 to himfelf a laft entrenchment ; ^nd, ac- 
 cordingly he gives out, that, admitting the 
 truth of our miracles^ we could never the 
 more ftrongly conclude in fupport of the 
 truth of our doBrinc : In order to eftablifh 
 which point, he reafons as follows* : 
 
 ** The mod: Important examination, after 
 ^ all, remains to be made into the truth of 
 
 * Sec vol. iii. p. 147, 
 
 " the 
 
172 The Truth of the 
 
 ** the doftrines delivered: for, as thofcwho 
 " fay that God is pleafed to work thefe 
 ** miracles, pretend that the Devil fome- 
 *^ times imitates them ; we are not a jot 
 ** nearer than before, though fuch miracles 
 " fhould be ever fo well attefted. As the 
 *' magicians of Pharaoh worked the fame 
 *' miracles, even in the prefence of Mofes, 
 *' as he himfelf performed by the exprefs 
 ** command of God ; why might not they, 
 "in his abfence from, the like proofs, pre- 
 *' tend to the fame authority ? Thus, after 
 ** having proved the truth of the dodlrine 
 ** by the miracle, you are reduced to the 
 " neceffity of proving the truth of the mi- 
 ** raclebythat of the doctrine, left the work 
 *' of the Devil fhould be miftaken for that 
 *' of the Lord." " This^ he adds in a note 
 on the paflage, is exprefly mentioned in 
 many places of fcripture ". 
 
 This argument has no other foundation 
 than idXkfuppofitions. He would here en- 
 deavour to turn our own weapons againft 
 us, by allowing, for that purpofe, fome au- 
 thority to the fcriptures, and to our divines. 
 But, in order fully to confute this artful rea- 
 
 foner 
 
Chrijlian Beligicn vindicated. ,1^73 
 
 foner, nnd clear up the point inqueftion, wc 
 will make it our bufinefs to fl:ew, hy fcrip^ 
 tare and tradition. 
 
 That every true miracle, merely as fuch, 
 authorifes us to infer the truth of the doc- 
 trine, in favour of which it is performed. — 
 That what is truly a miracle can never be 
 joined with a falfhood, or a vicious dodlrine. 
 — That the authority of miracles is ever 
 independant of the difcufiions of the doc- 
 trine, and of the circumftanccs which ac- 
 company it ; and that no true miracle can 
 be employed to turn mankind from that path 
 of duty which the Deity had prefcribed to 
 them. — That if the Devil can never work 
 true miracles, God can ftill iefs work thofe 
 which are connedled with error, in order to 
 tempt mankind, or prover their fidelity. — 
 And laftly, That true miracles are an authen- 
 tic teftimony of the approbation of God, and 
 a certain proof of the diiplay of his truth and 
 ri^htcoufncfs. 
 
 Such is the plain dodlrine which tradition, 
 and our Divines, in common confcnt with the 
 fcriptures, inculcate and recommend to our 
 
 Aith. 
 
J74 5^^^ Truth of the 
 
 faith. We think it incumbent upon us, there- 
 fore, to vindicate what they have thus pro- 
 pofed, from the affronts and indignity which 
 Rouffeau has thought proper to offer it. 
 
 For this purpofe we begin with fcripture : 
 and we will beg leave firfl to make fome ge- 
 neral remarks. 
 
 The Almighty, in fcripture, attributes 
 to himfelf the fole right and prerogative of 
 working true miracles. Pfal. Ixxii. 1 8. 
 
 He propofeth to his people the miracIes^ 
 which he performs, as a certain and decifive 
 proof, that he is the only true God, and 
 that belides him there is no other, Deut. iv. 
 
 He defieth the Gods of the nations who 
 are Devils, to work miracles like his, Ifai. 
 xli. and promifeth, even to acknowledge them 
 for Gods, if they could do fo. 
 
 He hath alfo, in feveral places of fcrip- 
 ture, and efpecially by the mouth of his pro- 
 phets, very expreffly declared, that there is 
 none like him, who can heal our infirmities, 
 who hath the power of hfe and of death ^ 
 
 v^ho 
 
Cbrijlian Religion vindicated. 175 
 
 who carrieth down to the gates of the grave, 
 and bringeth back from thence, Pf. cii. 20. 
 Wifd. xiii. xvi. He folemnly protefts to the 
 worfliipcrs of falfe Gods, that they afked 
 heahh of thofe who were but weaknefs, and 
 required Hfe of the dead : and he aflures 
 them, that thefe Gods cannot deliver from 
 death, or give fight to the blind, or admi- 
 nifter fuccour to men under their calamities. 
 
 Bat let us defcend to thofe particular ob- 
 fervations on facred fcripture, which more 
 immediately tend to contirm our firft propo- 
 pofitlon ; namely, that every true miracle, 
 merely as fuch, authorifes us to infer from 
 thence the truth of the dodtrine in favour 
 whereof it is performed. 
 
 The Lord appears to Moses upon Mount 
 Iloreb, and declares to him his intention of 
 fending him into iEgypt, to deliver his peo- 
 ple, the children of Ifrael, from the bondage 
 under v/hich they had fo long groaned. 
 Mofes excufcs himfelf j and would willing- 
 ly avoid executing the commifTion of God : 
 They ivill not believe ?ne, fays he to the Al- 
 mighty, 
 
i;^ 7i}e Truth of tfj^ 
 
 MIGHTY, but they will Jay, the Lord hcith 
 not appeared unto thee, Exod. iii. iv. 
 
 The Lord then, in order to convince 
 Mofes, that fuch is his will, performs feveral 
 miracles before bis face, and inverts him 
 with power to repeat them before the chil- 
 dren of Ifrael, to the end they (hould believe, 
 that the Lord, the God of their fathers' had 
 certainly appeared to him. 
 
 Mofes, in confequence of this aflurarice, 
 fubmits, and departs to execute the com- 
 mands of God ; he afTembles together all 
 the elders of the children of Ifrael; Aaron 
 / relates to them all that the Lord had fpoken 
 
 to Mofes, and works miracles before the 
 people. The people believe him, and all 
 of them, proftrating themfelves, adore the 
 Almighty in his wonderful adls. 
 
 Now, if miracles afforded not a certain 
 demonftration of truth, why fliould God 
 have given them to Mofes, as an evident 
 token of the divinity of his miflion ? How 
 could Mofes have been fatisficd with them, 
 and have believed, without the power to doubt 
 
 any 
 
Chrijlian Religion ^Siiullcated, ijj 
 
 any longer the divinity of him who fpoke 
 to hini ? And wliy, in fliort, fliould the If- 
 faehtes have fo readily believed the word of 
 Moles, confirmed by miracles ? Neither of 
 them would have failed to confider fuch a 
 proof as very equivocal, and fubjeft to nu- 
 merous deceptions. 
 
 Mofes prefents himfelf before Pharaoh, 
 and commands him, on the part of God, 
 to let the Hebrew people go into the wilder- 
 nefs, that they might facrifice to him. To 
 prove his divine miffion, and to perfuade the 
 king, he works feveral miracles before him. 
 Pharaoh's heart is hardened : he refufes to 
 obey the injundlion of God, and gives no 
 creditto Mofes's miracles. And what is the 
 the confequence ? He, his people, and do- 
 minions, are fmitten with a multitude of 
 plagues, in puniQimcnt of his inlidclity, and 
 to convince his obftinacy. — But wherefore 
 is all this ? If miracles are not of themfelvcs 
 dccifive, if they may be conne6led with falfe- 
 hood, or if the Devil may work them, 
 where is the crime of Pharaoh and the 
 j^Lgyptians ? How did they merit fuch fe- 
 verc chaftifemcnts ? Was not every ciicum- 
 M limce 
 
178 The Truth of the' 
 
 fiance in their favour, and a jufti&catlon of 
 their condud ? — They refufed, it is true, 
 to releafe the Ifraelites, notwithftanding the 
 miracles of Mofes ; but, did not they adl 
 prudently, and was not their refufal reafona- 
 ble, in cafe thofe miracles were not in them- 
 felves an indubitable token of the truth of 
 what he advanced ? 
 
 Reafon requires of as to yield to that evi- 
 dence only which bears with it a certain cha- 
 rader of truth. The miracles, therefore, 
 which God wrought by the hand of Mofes, 
 mufl have been an infaUible and incontefti- 
 ble proof of his will : fo, that the iEgyp^ 
 tians were culpable for not yielding their 
 affent to them : thus, by a juft confequencey 
 the terrible chaftifements wherewith the 
 Deity afflifts them, fully teach us, that true 
 miracles Gonftitute fo perfedl a demonflra- 
 tion, as no one can refill, without refifting 
 the Deity himfelf.. 
 
 Mofes leaves Egypt with the Ifraelites ; 
 and condu(fts them into the wildernefs, pur- 
 fuant to the command he had received for 
 that purpofe. God flill further multiplies 
 
 miracles 
 
Cb'rijiian Rcngron v.ndu\:iCLL 179 
 
 miracles in their favour ; a cloud covers 
 them during the day, and a mofl allonidiing 
 pillar illuminates them during the night: 
 Purfucd by the ^Egyptians, the fea opens 
 before them ; it's feparated water yields them 
 a free p.iffige : the i^^gyptians take the fame . 
 rout : Mofes extends his hand over the 
 waves : they rufli forward with their ufual 
 impetuofity ; and Pharaoh, and all his hoft, 
 are fu^allowed in the deep. From that 
 time, God continually works miracles by 
 the miniftry of Mofes : the detail of 
 which would be too long for our prefent 
 purpole. 
 
 And yet — notwithftanding all this, the 
 Ifraelites, ungrateful and rebellious, mur- 
 mur continually againft Mofes, and arc 
 ever ready to form an infurredtion againft 
 hilm • tcdifying only bitter regret, at having 
 left their ancient fervitude. Hoij long^ fays 
 the Lord, 'will this people provoke me by their 
 outrages ? How long nujill they refufe to 
 believe in me^ after all the fgns "which 1 
 have Jl:ewed among them? Numb. xiv. 11. 
 All thnfe men, nwho have feen the fplendor 
 cf my glory, and my 7niracles 'which I did 
 \ M 2 in 
 
I So 72;^ T R u T H o/' the 
 
 in Mgypt y and who^ far from obeying my 
 'voice ^ have tempted 7ne mio thefe ten times : 
 I fwear by myfelf that they fijalt not fee the 
 land ^ivhich I fware n?it9 their fathers. 
 Numb, xiv. 22, 23. 
 
 We fee from hence, how neceflary it Is, 
 that true miracles fhould be decifive proofs 
 in themfelves ; that they (hould always be 
 a fure and authentic teftimony of the divine 
 approbation j and that no one fliould poffi- 
 bly be able to refift their voice without 
 difobeying that of God : for were it other- 
 wife, how could God be provoked at the 
 refulal, which the Jews fignified, to fubmit 
 to that kind of evidence ? or how could he 
 pronounce fo terrible a decree againfl: their 
 incredulity ? If true miracles are equivocal 
 tokens of the will and commands of God ; 
 if they may be joined with falfehood ; and 
 if the devil can effed: them j would not the 
 Ifraelltes have had a very reafonable excufe 
 for their condud ? " Is it certain, might 
 "- they have faid, that God is the author 
 '' of thefe miracles? and, though he fhould 
 *' be fo, might we not ftill doubt of their 
 '' end anddefign? might we not have a 
 
 *' reafon 
 
Chrijlian Religion 'vindicate J, i8i 
 
 *^ reafon to fear they were wrought merely 
 *' to tempt us, to fearcli our hearts and to try 
 ** our fidelity? '* But they were far from 
 ufing fuch a language, and they found how 
 much they had been in the wrong, to re- 
 fifl fuch convincing proofs. The fcvcrc 
 vengeance which God exercifed upon them, 
 unanfwerably demonllrates the falfliood of 
 fuch frivolous pretences ; it will be forever 
 an invincible monument of the irrefragable 
 authority of miracles ; and jflill loudly pub- 
 liflies, what they ought to expecl:, who 
 dare to controvert or rejedt them. 
 
 Let us here call back in review feme 
 other fads, which, added to the foregoins:, 
 will form the complctell proof defircablc ; 
 — No fooner had Elijah raifed the widow of 
 Sarepta's fon, than that tender mother, 
 bathed in tears, cried out, in the joy of her 
 heart: Now by this I know that then art 
 a man of God 5 and that the word of tijc 
 Lord which is in thy mouth is truth ^ i Kings 
 xvii. 24. 
 
 No fooner is Naaman cured of hislcprofy, 
 than he acknowledges the miracle ; and ; 
 
 without 
 
'l82 The T R u T H of the 
 
 without any further inquiry, cries out,' 
 iVc/W I knoii) there is no other God in all the 
 earth, than Him who is in Ifrael! 2 Kings 
 V. 15. From thenceforward he declares 
 to the prophet, he will no more worfhip 
 any other than that God, whofe divinity 
 his miraculous cure compelled him to ac- 
 knowledge. 
 
 From the moment the children of Ifrael 
 beheld fire fall down from heaven upon 
 Elijah's facrifice, convinced by fo decifive 
 a proof all their doubts wxre difperled ^ 
 they prefently with one voice confeffed, 
 The Lordy he is the God I The Lord, he is. 
 the God I and immiediately exterminated the 
 prophets of Baal, i Kings xviii. 
 
 Such is the imprefiion which true mJfa- 
 clcs have always made : fuch the force and 
 authority they have ever preferved : fuch 
 the effcd: they have continually produced, of 
 themfclves, and wholly independant of cir- 
 cumflances. So foon as ever their voice hath 
 made itfclf heard ; miCn have defired nothing 
 more ardently than to fubmit themfelves 
 to wliat that voice authorized. If fome- 
 
 time5 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindlcatect, l8j 
 
 times they have refufed alTcnt to their tefti- 
 iTiony, it was doing violence to thcmlclvcs, 
 and refifting by the force of their paffions 
 and the bhndncfs of their prejudices, that 
 natural impreffion which miracles could 
 not fliil of making upon their minds. Let 
 us purfue our tradition of fadts, and we (liall 
 prefently fee a flriking example. 
 
 Jesus Christ appears amongfl the 
 Jews: He opens his miflion by a variety of 
 aftoniihing miracles : He declares himfelf 
 the melTenger of God ^ liis own fon ; him, 
 who had been the defire of the faints, in all 
 ages ; him, whom the prophets had fo 
 conftantly foretold : He requires no one to 
 believe him on his bare word : but, to prove 
 what he advances, he works miracles with- 
 out number : caufes the deaf to hear, tlie 
 dumb to fpeak y gives fight to the blind, and 
 limbs to the lame ; cures the palfied ; and, 
 to fum up all in one word, makes the dead 
 to fpring from their graves : -— For thefe 
 proofs he requires to be believed, and for 
 thefe good works ^ demands to be gratefully 
 acknowledged. 
 
 St. John 
 
lS4 1'l^e Truth of the 
 
 St. John fends two of his ^difciples to 
 Christ, to afk him whether he was the 
 Meffiah : — What anfwer does he return 
 them ? *' G^j andfoew John again t ho fe things 
 ^' ivhich ye do hear and fee : 7 he blind 
 V' recei've their fight y the lame it' alky the 
 " lepers are cleanfed^ the deaf hear ; the 
 ^' dead arife, " 
 
 One who was poffefled with a blind ancj 
 dumb fpirit, is prefented to Jesus: he (o 
 perfedlly reftores the man, that he fpeaks 
 and fees. The pharifees hereupon, to flifle 
 the impreffion which this miracle had upon 
 the minds of the people, pretend that 
 Jesus cafts out devils, only through the 
 power of Beelzebub. Jesus, who knew their 
 thoughts, (hews them that he cannot through 
 the power of Satan cafl out Satan, becaufe 
 Satan cannot be divided againfl himfelf. Af- 
 ter having clearly demonftrated, that his ex- 
 pulfion.of devils could only be through the 
 fpirit, and with the finger of GoD; he draws 
 this natural conclafion from the argument. 
 If J, then^ with the finger of God cafi out 
 devils ', you ought to believe that the king- 
 
 doni 
 
Chrijllan Religion 'vmdicatcd. 18 J 
 
 dom of God is come unto you : " There Is 
 no middle way of deciding the matter ; no 
 ground to hefitate on the defign of the 
 miracle I have performed : it can come only 
 from GoD; and confequently it clearly 
 proves, that the kingdom of God is come 
 unto you ; becaufe it w^as defigned folely to 
 cftabhlli that kingdom.*' Luke xi.14, — 2«. 
 
 A paralytic is brought to Christ: He 
 faith, to him, My fon^ be of good cheer ^ thy 
 fins are forgiven thee. The pharifees upon 
 this accufe him of blafphcmy ^ Jesus, to 
 fliew them the falfliood of their accufation 
 anfwer, them ; That you may knoii) that thefon 
 cf man hath foiccr on earth to forgive fns, — 
 arifc [turning to the paralytic] take up thy 
 bcd^ and go unto thine houfe : inftantly the 
 before palfied perfon rifes up, takes his bed 
 upon his flioulders, and returns to his houfe, 
 glorifying God ; — It follows then from 
 b'.nce, and the foregoing inftances, that Jesus 
 Christ efleemed the miracles which he 
 here performed, as demonftrative proofs of 
 that power, which fome difputcd with him. 
 From hence too we learn, that the true 
 n:iiracle cannot have the devil for its author: 
 and that it cannot be connected with error 
 
 and 
 
a?^ ^'he Truth of the 
 
 and falfhood : fince its nature and end are 
 lo diffipate all doubts, and to determine 
 every controverfy. Could a true miracle be 
 wrought for the -countenancing of error ^ it 
 would not prove, it would not decide, any 
 tiling of itfelf, or in the leaft tend to fettle 
 or remove our doubts. And fuch was the 
 very judgment which all the fpcftators paf- 
 fed on this laft mJracle of our Saviour : 
 the moment it was performed, without re- 
 quiring any thing further, all of them 
 changed from anger to admiration, and, 
 fmitten with deep aflonifhment, gave glory 
 to God. No one had any thing to oppofe 
 againft fuch evidence ; but, the warm tranf- 
 port of their gratitude cried out, *' We have 
 this day beheld wonderful things indeed ; nor 
 have we ever feen any thing like them ! *' 
 Such is the natural eftedl which true mira- 
 cles have conftantly produced ; fuch is the 
 convidtion, which they ordinarily carry home 
 even to the mod prejudiced minds. 
 
 In {hort, to abridge that multitude of 
 proofs which might be brought in confirm 
 
 mation 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated, ^ ^/ 
 
 mation of what we have advanced, we will 
 only gencVally obferve here, — that when- 
 ever Jesus is accufed, calumniated or af- 
 fronted by the Jews, he conftantly refers 
 them to his miracles, as the fullefl proof of 
 tliC divinity of his million, and the mod 
 perfect apology to every accufation which 
 might be formed againll him. T/je works 
 that I do^ fays he, the fame bear witnejs of 
 VIC, If you zzill not believe me^ at leajl 
 believe my ivorks. He declares to the 
 Jews, that if he had not done among 
 them all thefe miracles, they w^ould have 
 committed no frn in rcfufing to believe 
 him. Confequently, we may infer, that 
 true miracles have, and can ojily have God 
 for their author, and the eftablifliment of 
 truth for their end. Otherwife thofe of 
 Jesus Christ would have been but an 
 c equivocal proof, and the Jews would no 
 more have been blameable for not be- 
 lieving them, than if Christ had never 
 performed them at all. 
 
 And now we will beg leave to afk 
 Roufieau, where are thofe federal pafages 
 of fcripture, which he pretends to opnofc 
 
 againfl 
 
[r^8 Tloe T ^ V r ^ of the 
 
 agasnfl: us ? — After texts io exprefs as thofe 
 we have quoted, we (hall {urely be difpen- 
 fed with from entering into the difcuffion of 
 thofe pretended ones he hints at. Our 
 fcriptures cannot fo groffly contradifl: them- 
 felves : they are wholly founded and fup- 
 ported on the authority of miracles : and 
 the religion they are calculated to eftablifli 
 has the fame foundation. How then can 
 it be poffible that thefe very fcriptures fhould 
 labour to deftroy it ? 
 
 Rouffeau, having aflerted that '' after prov- 
 *' ing the truth of the ,do6lrine by the mi- 
 *' racle wrought to confirm it, it would 
 ** be neceflary to prove the truth of the 
 *' miracle, by that of the doftrine ; left the 
 ** works of the devil fhould be miftaken for 
 *' thofe of the Lord ; *' adds, in a note upon 
 thefe words, that " this is expiefly mentioned 
 *' in many places in fcripture. " Now there is 
 nothing more eafy than to vent fuch vague al- 
 legations 5 In order to deceive unwary minds, 
 we may with a fingle Bourifli of a pen, give 
 authority to what is the m.oft oppofite to our 
 own apprehenfions, and the moft inconfift- 
 ent with truth : We would freely acquit 
 
 Roufleau 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated, . 109 
 
 Roufleau of that variety of paffages he 
 buails of, for a fingle one, which fliould 
 exprefly fignify what he lias been pleafcd to 
 affirm. But all thofe we have already quoted 
 convinces us that he will fearch in vain for 
 what we alk of him. It is true he cites a 
 paffagc in Deuteronomy*, where it is fald. 
 That '' if a prophet, teaching the worfhip 
 " of falfe gods, fliall pretend to have dream- 
 *' ed a dream; and fliall, in confirmation of 
 *' his pretenfions, produce fome fign or won- 
 *' der ', and what he foretells comes really 
 '' to pafs : and he fliall afterwards fay^ 
 *' come, let us follow flrange gods ; fo far 
 *' from paying any regard to him, the peo- 
 *' pie fliould flone him to death. " 
 
 But the queftlon here is not concerning 
 true miracles or prodigies, comparable 
 with thole that eftablifli the divinity of our 
 religion : for if the matter in hand had been 
 the working of true miracles, how could 
 God afterwards confent that he himfelf 
 would acknowledge the devils as gods, in 
 cafe they could forctel future and hidden 
 events, or do cither good or evil ? [\ Let 
 
 * Ch.ip. xiii. 
 
 your 
 
Isg6 Tbe T R V T H of the 
 
 *^ your gods, faysh e, by his prophet Ifaiah ^^ 
 *' come, and Jhew us what Jhall happe?i : let 
 *' them Jhew the former things what they be ; 
 *^ yea, Jhew us . the things that are to come 
 *' hereafter, that we may know that ye are 
 *^ ^^^^, and : becauje we woidd know that ye 
 * ' are gods, do good or evil if you can, that 
 *' we may be ajlojiijhed at your power, and 
 *^ behold its efe6ls together i " 
 
 Now, fince God himfelf promifes to own 
 the devils as gods, if they can but produce 
 true miracles ; might he not afterwards pro- 
 hibit his people from acknowledging them as 
 fuch, and worfhiping them, if they had been 
 fo inclined ? God— could, no more than man, 
 place in the number of gods thofe who were 
 not fo. The proofs of power, therefore, 
 which he demands of them muft certainly 
 furpafs their ability : and the queflion, upon 
 that^text of Deuteronomy, is only concerning 
 thofe vain delufions, which, by a falfe appear- 
 ance, might dazzle and impofe upon inatten- 
 tive minds ) and that fpecies of prodigy which 
 God makes it his glory to deftroy and con- 
 found, by the truth and folidity of his own, 
 
 * Ch. xliv% V. 2 2. 
 
 lam- 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated. l()X 
 
 lam be, fays God by his prophet, thatjruf- 
 irateth the tokens of the liars^ and maketb 
 diviners mad, that tiirncth ivife men hack^ 
 ward, and maketb their k?20ivledge foolifi^ . 
 
 In fliort, this very text which Rouffeau 
 cites for a contrary purpofe, fpcaks as clear- 
 ly ; and declares to us in exprefs terms, that 
 the pretended prophet fliould be confidered 
 only as an impoftor, as a cheat j-and, in a 
 word as a mere inventor or dreamer of 
 dreams. Ficlor Somniorwn, See Deut. xiii. 5. 
 
 St. Auftin, and others of our beft interpre- 
 ters, unite in applying thefe words in Deute- 
 ronomy to the falfe prodigies of foothfayers, 
 magicians and other people of that kind ; who, 
 notwithftanding with all the helps of their art 
 could never produce any thing which came 
 near to the extraordinary efFeds of the 
 divine power. Rouffeau therefore fliould 
 join with us in admitting a great difference 
 between the delufions of devils, — the vain 
 phantoms of idolatry, — and the miracles of 
 the Chrillian Religion-]-, 
 
 * Ifalah xliv. 25. 
 
 -f Sicut autem tH/icrnuntur ui u*:. .i„.it.., quat eon/equentir 
 prohibit i a prtdicthnibiu I'cl annuniiationibus prophet arum ; 
 
 Whenever 
 
igz TheTRxytnof the 
 
 Whenever Roufleau is inclined to allow 
 authority to the facred fcriptures, let him 
 learn to read them otherwife than he has 
 done in this particular inftancc : let him 
 not read them as merely profane hiftories : 
 but, let him there fearch fincerely after 
 that truth, which his blind, yet haughty 
 reafon will never find of itfelf. With 
 thefe difpofitions let him examine our re- 
 ligion by the light of the facred books, as 
 much 2£ he will ; he will then find all his 
 weak objections vanifti and difappear j and, 
 forced to confefs the darknefs of his mind, 
 and the errors of his prefumptuous fagacity, 
 he will gladly imitate the many great men 
 who have gone before him, in an humble 
 fubmiffion to the objedts revealed ; and thus 
 render the Chriftian Religion an homage as 
 juftly merited as their's. 
 
 Heathens §. XII. It may be proper to remark the 
 able in ' conclufion, which our author deduces from 
 punifliinghjg premifes. *^ When the pagans therefore^, 
 ans. *^ put the apoftles to death for preaching 
 '' up to them the v/orfhip oi^ijirange Godi 
 *' proving their divine miffion by prophe- 
 
 Jic ilia itifpeSiiones prodigiorum a Jignifcationihus di<vinorum 
 miraculonim difcernenda funt, St, Aug. Lib. v. q^iieft. xxix, 
 in Deut. 
 
 *' cies 
 
Chnjlian Religion vindicafed. 1 9 3 
 
 '^ cles and niiracles ; I fee not wh.itt could 
 *^ be fubllantially objedcd to their proceed- 
 ** ing, wliich they might TiOt with equal ju- 
 " ilice have immediately retorted upon us/' 
 
 What a fatal blindncfs of heart doth this 
 fpeech difcover in it's author ! To call the Al- 
 mighty, the only true God, that very deity 
 wliofe glory and whofe name the idols 
 ufurped, a jlrange God I — To dare to ad- 
 vance, that, ivhcn the Pagans put the apojlles 
 to death ^ who pro^ocd their mijjion by predic- 
 tions and miracles \ he does not fee what 
 could be fubjl ant i ally objected agahijl them^ 
 which they might not injlantly retort I v^'hat 
 difingenuity, or malice, or ignorance is tliis ! 
 The Pagans, more enlightened and more 
 fincere than Roufleau, were very fenfible 
 they had nothing fubftantial to oppofe againft 
 fuch convincing arguments. Idolatry, con- 
 founded with the fplendor of them, beheld 
 all it's efforts rendered inefiedual againft fo 
 ftrong a barrier. But the infidel, whofc 
 inclinations better corrclpond with idolatry, 
 than with the ChriRian Religion, beholds 
 with a fecret fpite tlie latter, rifing upon the 
 tuins of the other; and would iiavc felt no 
 N concern 
 
194 ^'^^ Truth of the 
 
 concern, had the heathens extermhiated every 
 Chriftvan. 
 
 Such indeed are the horrible confequen- 
 ces naturally refulting from thofe fldfe and 
 impious principles, which he has advanced 
 on the fcore of miracles. Had all mankind 
 been poffeffed in like manner w^ith Roulleau, 
 they mufl: have purfued the fame dangerous 
 condud:, as he here endeavours to chalk 
 out for our practice : and yet the condu6t 
 which he has himfelf adopted, invincibly 
 proves, that he has quite a different opinion 
 of the ftrength and authority of true mira- 
 cles. We cannot help thinking however, 
 that Rouffeau as a bare profeffor of Chrifli- 
 anity, at leaft, (hould blufli and be con- 
 founded at having advanced fuch principles, 
 as, from his own evidence, tend diredly to 
 eternife idolatry, and the worlliip of devils. 
 
 The faith and religious fubmiffion of the 
 univerfe to the miracles wrought by the 
 apoftles, are a glorious evidence in their fa- 
 vour ; an evidence, which will always unan- 
 fwerably prove, that they are in themfelves 
 an authority completely decilive ; and that 
 
 nothine: 
 
Cbrl/lliin Rcllg.cu 'vhiMcatcd. 195 
 
 nothing could hz fub/icwti ally objedted ag.iinft 
 them. Indeed, what could be objected to 
 them ? Was it that miracles were not a cer- 
 tain proof of what the apoftles aflcrtcd, be- 
 caufe, as Roufll-au aihrms, the ^VivV could 
 perform the Hke ? — But would not the 
 common opinion and experience of all ages, 
 have contradicf^cd fuch a pretence ? Did not 
 the mofl enlightened Pagans prevent it, by- 
 owning before-hand, that their gods could 
 work no fuch miracles, as they then law 
 performed by the minidry of the apoRles ? 
 With how many teftimonies from the 
 moft Celebrated authors might I not con- 
 fute our intidel's argument P If in fliort, 
 the devil could imitate the miracles wrought 
 by the apoftles, why did he not then exer- 
 cife that power ? He never found himfelf 
 in circum fiances which more preffingly re- 
 quired it, or that were more proper, to ex- 
 cite his putting it in pradlife. Theextindti- 
 011 of his wordiip, the ruin of his empire, 
 and the very rapid progrefs of the gofpel, 
 were, furely, motives fully fuffilcient to call 
 forth his utmoft efforts for the obfcuring 
 the luftre of the apoftolic miracles, and 
 \vcakening their imprcflion. He did not 
 N 2 perform 
 
iq6 t;&^ T r u t h 0/ the 
 
 perform any thing which might produce 
 this efftdi : his filence and inadion there- 
 fore, are a palpable mark of his debility and 
 impotence. 
 
 Roufieau does not fee what could be fuh^ 
 Jlantially objected to the Pagans, Why ! have 
 not our apologifts an hundred times reduced 
 to nothing, whatever they were able to 
 urge in oppolition to the Chriftian Religi- 
 on ? Let Roufleau but read their glorious 
 apologies, and he will fee with what fuperi- 
 ority our religion triumphs over the frivolous 
 objedtions ftarted by the Pagans againft it. It 
 is fufficient, narrowly to obferve the condudt 
 of the Pagans towards thofe irreproachable 
 men, who were the glory and happinefs of 
 whole cities and ftates, and the unheard of 
 perfecutions, which they made them under- 
 go, in order to comprehend how far vio- 
 lence made up for the deficiency of good 
 and folid arguments againft them. 
 
 Human §. XIII. After having found fault with 
 weak,andthe condudl of the whole world; Roufleau 
 incapa- vv'ould uow willino;lv biino; round the adop- 
 
 bicalone, . 1 • 1 1 • , r 1 rr TT 
 
 of difco- tion ot that which he is plealed to oiFer. He 
 y5""^ ""^'Tcafons thus — *' Now what is to be done 
 
 IlgiOUS 
 
 truths. " in 
 
<c 
 
 <€ 
 
 ChriJ}{d?i ReligioJi vindicated, i()j 
 
 ^^ in this cafe ? There is but one ftep to be 
 *' taken : to recur to Reafon, and leave mi- 
 '' racles to themfelves \ better indeed liad 
 " it been, never to have had recourfe to 
 *' them at all, nor to have perplexed good 
 ^' fcnfe, with fuch a number of — very fuh^ 
 '' tic dijlinElions to fay the beft of them. — 
 Wliat do I talk of ? Subtle dijHu^liom in 
 chrijlianity ! If there are any fuch, our 
 Saviour was in the wrong, furely, to 
 promife the kingdom of heaven to the 
 '* fin-iple • and to blefs the poor in Jpirit^ 
 *' if it requires fo much ingenuity to com- 
 *' prehend and believe his doctrines ? "* So 
 then, we find, that it is good fenfe which dic- 
 tates our leaving miracles to themfelves ; and 
 recurrino: to reafon ! And therefore all thofe 
 who have followed the call of miracles, and 
 left the guidance of mere unenlightened rea- 
 fon for that purpofe, have not been led by 
 good fenfe in the purfuit. Thofe, on the 
 contrary, who, deipifing the authority of fo 
 many miracles, have perfevered in impiety and 
 irrcligion, and have perfecuted chriftians with 
 the utmoll rigor ; are they, who have lif- 
 tcned to good fenfe and found reafon. What; 
 excellent good fenfe and reafoning is this ! 
 
 ♦ Vol. iii. p. \\\. in the note. 
 
 N 7 Can 
 
19S lhcTK\}Tn of the 
 
 Can a man make a better ufe of his rea- 
 fon, than by fubmitting himfelf to the au- 
 thority of Go J5, fpeaking to him by miracles ? 
 and, on the contrary, can he be guilty of a 
 greater abuie of, or aft in a manner more 
 oppofite to, true good fenfe, thi.n by leaving 
 miracles to themfelves in order to recur to 
 reafon ? Into what an abyfs may not fuch 
 a fyftem plunge him ?— What is become of 
 all thofe, who, like Rouffeau, have embra- 
 ced it ? Idolatry, irreligion and diforders of 
 every kind, have been the worthy fruits of 
 thek adherence. 
 
 Rouffeau is defirous of bringing all religion 
 back again to reafon. But was reafon able 
 to comprehend and penetrate v/hatever the 
 Deity has been pleafed to reveal to her ? 
 and could not God, therefore, reveal to his 
 creature that which his feeble reafon midit 
 be unable to comprehend ? Where is that 
 lium'an reafon which can comorehend the 
 exigence of one God in three perfons of the 
 fame nature and fubilance ? By, the aids of 
 what reafon could it be difcovered that a 
 Gop became man, and expired upon a crof^, 
 
 in 
 
Chri/iian Religion v:?iii!cate/l, 199 
 
 -jn the fame manner, as if he were one of 
 the worll of nialefadlors, in order to expiate 
 an offence committed four thoufand years be- 
 fore? where is tlie man, who, by tlie fole light 
 of his reafon, couid gain intelhgence of the 
 ftate of mankind ; of the fall j of the iiicom- 
 prehenfiblc effeds of original fin , of the need 
 of a Redeemer; of the refurredion of the 
 dead, and of eteinal happinefsand mifery p — 
 We may judge what our reafon is capable of, 
 by the vain efforts God permitted it to ufe, 
 before the fending his ow^n Son to enlighten 
 and inftrud it. He was willing, ihat a fad and 
 long experience fliould demonllrate it's dark- 
 nefs and impotence : — Thus, into how many 
 miftakes and errors, did thofe men fall, who 
 paffed for the moil enlightened ! what 
 divifions amongfl: philofophers concerning 
 the happinefs and defignation of man ! Into 
 how many different feds were they not di- 
 vided upon the mofi: important points! — They 
 were never able to comprehend or reconcile 
 that fund of greatnefs and excellence, which 
 man bore within him ; with thofe bafe and 
 irrccrular fentiments, which uniied in his foul ; 
 as \vc have llicwn in a former dillertiition. 
 
 N 4 It 
 
20O ^he Truth of the 
 
 In vain, therefore, O man ! do ycu feck 
 within yourlelf, for the remedy of your 
 miferies : all your intelligence can only ferv^ 
 to inform you, that not in youifelf, can 
 you find either truth or happinefs. The phi- 
 lofophers have promifed you them, as 
 Rouffeau has done, and yet have been un- 
 able to procure them for you. They nei- 
 ther knew what is your true happinefs nor 
 your real ftate. How fliould they have 
 2;iven you remedies for your miferies, feeing 
 they did not even know what thofe mife- 
 ries were ? Your principal maladies are> 
 that Pride, which alienates you from your 
 God, and that Concupifcence which attaches 
 you to earthly gratifications : Now, thofe fa- 
 gacious preceptors have fcrved no other pur- 
 pofe than that of augm^enting and indulging 
 them. If they reprefented God as your objcd:, 
 it was but to exercife your pride, while they 
 would lead you to think yourfclf like him 
 in your nature. Thofe, on the contrary, 
 vyho perceived the folly of this delign, 
 threw you from the oppofite precipice, by 
 eiving you to undcrftand that your nature 
 refembkd chat of the hearts which perifh -, 
 ai.d by iridacing you to fcarch after your 
 
 happinefs 
 
Ckriftian Religion vindicated. 201 
 
 happinefs, in the indulgence of thofe fenfual 
 appetites, of which the brute animals equally 
 partake. See then, in this inrtance, whither rea- 
 fon, left to itfelf, would have concluded you. 
 It is owing therefore to the moft deplorable 
 want of difcernment, that Rouffeau would 
 recall you to a dependence upon it, and 
 make faith and revelation fubjedl to it*s con- 
 troul. The beft ufe we can make of our 
 reafon, is by humbly fubmitting it to both 
 thefe ; and acknowledging that there is an 
 inpjMte number of things, which furpafs it's 
 comprehenfion. 
 
 Faith is the only means whereby to make 
 up for the deficiency of our reafon : It is her 
 merit to be ignorant of that which yet (he 
 believes, and to hope for that which fhe 
 doth not know. There is nothing more 
 great and noble than fuch a faith : It is 
 God alone on whom fhe relies -, and it is 
 upon his teftimony, (liC refigns herfelf to his 
 difpoful, and fubmits to his determinations. 
 71ic more fuperior to reafon things revealed 
 appear, and the more difricult they are to 
 be conceived, i'o n^uch the more doth flie 
 acknowledge the ir.fcrutable excellence of 
 
 that 
 
io2 T/je Truth of fbe 
 
 that Infinite Being whom flie adores : and 
 that obfcurity whicli excites her aftonifli- 
 ment is to her a proof of veracity. 
 
 The greateft advantage man can have 
 received, and which places him in the beft 
 fituation to render his creator a duty and 
 homage worthy of him, is, " that, faperior, 
 *' as the Deity is, to his underftanding -, yet 
 " he is not fuperior to his belief; and that 
 ** he can place a kind of equality between 
 ** the incomprehenfible majefly of God, 
 " and an iilimiiable Faith".^ 
 
 It is true, God does not exped we, 
 ihould fubmit our faith to him, without 
 the concurrence of reafon ; nor that we 
 fhouid compulfively become fubjed: to 
 v/hat he is pleafcd to propofc. But then 
 too he does not mean to give us the reafon 
 of every thing : he only propofes to give 
 us certain and convincing tokens that it is 
 him v/ho fpcaks to us, in order to procure, 
 by means of fuch miracles and proofs as 
 we may not rcjecl, a decifive influence to 
 v/h:\t he fays, and to thofe whom he fends 
 to us. But he afterwards and reafonably re- 
 quires 
 
Chrijilan Religion vindicated. 203 
 
 quires wc fliould believe without hefitation 
 the ihiiigs wliich he declares to us ; efpecially 
 when we find no other motive for rejecting 
 them, but that we cannot of ourfelves be 
 certain whether they are or arc not fuch as 
 they are reprefented. 
 
 §. XIV. Where are thokfuitikies, with The fim- 
 which RoufTeau reproaches us ? — Was there faith/ 
 ever any thing more fimple, and more 
 witliin the reach of every underftanding, 
 than the manner in which our Rchoijn in- 
 culcates the fubHmetl: truths ? God fpeaks : 
 the miracles he performs clearly prove his 
 identity ; and the ignorant as well as the 
 learned have nothing more to do than to be- 
 lieve what he hath told them, with an 
 humble docility : this is briefly the fum of 
 our religion ; was there ever a more fliort 
 or more eafy method ? — Faith is fo analogous 
 to tlic mod: fmiple, that fmiplicity itfelf 
 conllitutes the faireft part of her character. 
 God does not call us to eternal life by 
 means of fubde and dilHcult propofuions, 
 but through faith, which opens to all a rcudy 
 and an eafy entrance *. 
 
 • In fimplicUate JiJts rj}^ infdejujlitia fji, in confjjione pittas 
 fji. Non ptr aificilei tics Dtus ai bcaiam 'Vitam qufjl tones 'vocut 
 — in abjduio nobisy ac fault fjt ttcmitas. S. Hilar, lib. ii. «Je 
 'i'rinlt. 
 
 To 
 
204 The Tkxjtk of the 
 
 To believe is an aft fuited to every ftate 
 and condition of life : but to reafoUy fuits 
 but with a few perfons. If then through 
 the means of reafon, as Roufleau fuggefls, 
 God fliould call mankind to the inheritance 
 of his promifes ; the fimple in that cafe 
 would undoubtedly have caufe to complain ; 
 and might fay to God ; *' In vain, O Lord, 
 ** haft thou promifed us the kingdom of 
 *' heaven : It cannot fuit our narrow un- 
 *' derftandings ; and it requires too much 
 " ingenuity and fkill in argument for us 
 «' ever to be able to attain it. " 
 
 We apprehend, that what we have hi- 
 therto faid has fufficiently fliewn his continual 
 deficiencies in found argument, who ven- 
 tures to compare his blind and feeble reafon, 
 with that of the Almighty: ''Indeed, werea- 
 *' dily repeat after the celebrated Pafchal, it is 
 '' glorious for religion, to have men fo un- 
 *' reafonable for it's enemies. Their oppo- 
 *' fitions, are attended with fo little hazard 
 ** to that religion, that they only ferve, 
 '* on the contrary, to eftablifli the principal 
 
 truths 
 
ChrlJ}ta?i Religion vindicated. I05 
 
 *' truths it tenches. For the chriftian faith 
 '* ertabliflies theic two things chicHy, I'he 
 ** corruption of nature^ aiid the Redemp- 
 '' tion by Jesus Christ: Now, if thefe 
 *^ men do not ferve to evidence the truth 
 '* of the Redemption by the fandlity of their 
 '' manners, they ferve at lead admirably to 
 *' dcmonflrate the corruption of nature by 
 *' fentiments fo unnatural as thofe they 
 ** are hardy enough to advance. " 
 
 ^. XV. We have already fliewn how^^^^o" 
 
 lea'ls to a 
 
 iuft and reafonable it was to fubmit to the belief in 
 authority of the miracles wrought by the"^^^^^^"' 
 apoftles : we have feen that, to fubmit our- 
 fclvcs to them, it was fufficient to confult 
 the natural idea engraven upon the hearts of 
 all men, and then to be faithful, and adl con- 
 fiftcntly with that idea. This was what 
 the Pagans did, and it itiade Chriftians 
 of them. We will take notice in the fe- 
 quel, what force the prophecies added to a 
 proof already fo incontrovertible. 
 
 Does it become RoufTeau to fay, *^ now 
 '' what is to be done in tiiis cafe ? There is 
 *' but one fl:ep to be taken -, namely, to 
 
 ** recur 
 
2o6 The T K V T Yi cf the 
 
 *^ recur to reafon, and leave miracles to 
 *' themfelves ? " — Does not reafon it- 
 felf lead us to fabmit to the authority of 
 miracles ? Does it not fuggeft to us, that 
 they are the voice of God ; the language 
 which he makes ufe of to fignify his behefls 
 to mankind, and which cannot be rejedled, 
 without combating the Deity himfelf ? — Are 
 not miracles an infinitely furer method of 
 information, than any arguments whatever, 
 which often by their illufions and fpecious 
 appearances, deceive and lead us wrong ? 
 But true miracles, as we have demonftrated, 
 being the teftimony of God himfelf; the 
 credentials which he gives his meffengers ; 
 and God being unable to deceive us, his 
 miracles, therefore, cannot lead us into error, 
 
 Rouffeau informs us, " that we fhould 
 *' always conduct ourfelves, and be de- 
 *' termined, by the clear eft intelligence. " 
 Now the intelligence which miracles com- 
 municate is fuperior to that of reafon, 
 fincc it is divine. It is confident therefore 
 with reafon to diveft itfelf of all arguments, 
 and to.fubmit to the authority of miracles. 
 This is that trueft good fenfe, which the 
 
 'infidel 
 
Cbrtjlian Religion 'vindicated, 207 
 
 infidel does but obicure and perplex, by valii 
 fophiflry, and fubtlc diftindlions : It is 
 only (as we Ihall proceed to flievv) by ob- 
 fcrving the natural intelligence of lenfe, 
 that Roufleau can polTibly perfaade man- 
 kind, that it would be better 7iever to have 
 recourje to miracles. 
 
 Inftead of wandering into a courfe of 
 vain argumentation, inllead of giving our- 
 felves up to the guidance of a reafon which 
 fo often impofcs upon us ; the matter in 
 queftion here is only to examine into cer- 
 tain ficls, upon which all men have in- 
 fallible principles, to enable them to judge. 
 The proof of miracles comes into this or- 
 der of fads, and therefore is capable of 
 certainty and full evidence. Reafon and 
 good fenfe impel us to give oar affcnt to 
 them 5 and this proof fo well confirms itfelf, 
 that it mufl: be fuffic^cnt to convince every 
 reafonable mind, and make the unbeliever 
 fenfible, that all his arguments have hitherto 
 deceived him, though he could not difcover 
 their deficiency. 
 
 While 
 
2o8 ^he Truth of the 
 
 While Roufleau only feeks to put every 
 thing in diforder by his frivolous diftinftions, 
 let him alone bear the blame of them : 
 But he pretends moreover to lay them to 
 the charge of Chriftianity. He has faid that 
 to leave miracles, in order to recur to reafon, 
 is confiftent with the ftrid:eft good fenfe, 
 which could not be obfcured but by the power 
 of fubtle diftindlions. He afterwards exclaims, 
 " what do I talk of — fubtle diftinBions 
 " in chriftianity ! If there are any fuch, 
 '^ Jesus Christ was in the wrong 
 ** furely to promife the kingdom of hea- 
 ** ven to the weak and fimple. How came 
 " he to begin his finefl: difcourfe with 
 '* blefling the poor in fpirit^ if it requires 
 ** fo much ingenuity to comprehend and 
 ** believe his doftrines ? When you have 
 " proved that I ought to fubmit my rea- 
 " fon to his didlates, I fl:iall grant it is 
 ** all very well : but in order to prove 
 *' that, you muft render them intelligible 
 " to my underftanding : you muft adapt 
 '* your arguments to the capacity of one 
 '' poor in fpirit -, or I fliall no longer ac- 
 ** knowledge you to be the true difciple of 
 
 ** your 
 
Ch}'ijlian Religion v'mdicaled. 209 
 
 *^ your mailer, or think it his dodrinc which 
 '' you would inculcate. *' The cunning 
 malice of RoufTeau is here very evident. 
 He endeavours to make Jfsus Christ 
 contraditft himfelf, as having promifed that 
 to the fmiple, which the means, he af- 
 fords them, cannot enable them to pro- 
 cure. 
 
 Now it is precifely becaufe there is no 
 fubtilty in chriftianity, and that the fimple 
 /liould enjoy a portion of the promlfes made 
 by Jesus Christ, that it becomes necef- 
 /Iiry, for them to leave reafon to itfelf, and 
 recur to miracles. By this method God 
 truly places himfelf wldiin the comprehen- 
 fion of every underftanding, adapts his 
 arguments to the capacity of the poor ia 
 fpirit, and acquits himfelf of the promifes 
 he hath made ihem. The fimple one, 
 the poor in fpirit, is, by thefe means, put 
 upon a level with the learned and inge- 
 nious man. The Chriflian Religion being 
 eiiabllfhed upon fenfible and palpable 
 proofs, every one is able without pains or 
 labour to recognize it by thofe illuftrious 
 fcarures, which characftcrife it. Such an 
 
 O examination 
 
2IO 7/jeTRvru of the 
 
 examination requires only an heart vvhicli 
 learches after truth with fincerity. But 
 how could Jesus have promifed the king- 
 dom of heaven to the fimple, if it became 
 raccefiary for them to relinquifli miracles, 
 and return to reafon ? The fimple would 
 then have had caufe to fay to him, " bring 
 " your dodrines down to my comprehen- 
 *' fion : adapt your arguments to the capa- 
 '*■ city of one, who is poor in fpirit. You 
 " would have m.e to exaniine your doc- 
 *' trine by the aids of reafon. Is this that 
 *' ready and eafy way, by which you have 
 *' promifed to lead me to falvation ? '' 
 Here the Chril1:ian Religion iliines, with a 
 peculiar luflre : it is here that (lie excites 
 admiration at the wifdom of her oeconomy ; 
 and her juft correfpondence to our nature, 
 by confounding the temerity of the unbe- 
 liever. 
 
 The Chriftian Relio^^ion flioutd be com- 
 mon and level to every mind, none ought 
 to be excluded from it's regard. That Re- 
 ligion which propofes fuch means, as can 
 at beft fuit biu a few, cannot be the true 
 Keligion -, it is unworthy of God, becaufe 
 
 it 
 
Cbrrflian Religion vindicated, 211 
 
 it bears not the charadtcr of goodncfs and 
 vvifdom : runv a Religion founded merely 
 on reafon, and requiring long diicudjons, 
 could not be comprehended by the ignorant 
 and the fimple. 
 
 What refources indeed could thefe fimple 
 and ignorant ones apply to, if they had no 
 other o;uide than reafon to conduct them ta 
 falvation ? could they find within them- 
 fclves, wherewith to elevate and raife their 
 minds to the contemplation of divine truths ? 
 Could they, alone, open to themfelves a 
 path whereby to march fccurely in fo dif- 
 he'jlt and toilfome a courfe ? What is to 
 become of the artificer, who beholds only 
 the work of his own hands : of the labour- 
 er, who can hardly read : of the fick man, 
 whom the burden of his difeafe renders 
 unable to meditate, reflect, and examine ? 
 What fliall become of fo many men whom 
 the diftradtion of a thoufand worldly avo- 
 cations, and neceflities, almofl whoHy oc- 
 cupies ? How could thefe find the necef^ 
 la ry time for difcufilng all the points of 
 Religion ? Of what reafoning, will thofc 
 manv narrow and limited minds be capable, 
 O 2 who 
 
2 : 2 The Truth of the 
 
 vvho can fcarcely apprehend the moft eafy 
 things ? If the reafon of every individual 
 iiiufl: be the fole judge in matters of Reli- 
 gion, well might a man exclaim : " adieu 
 *' to trades, to arts, to human fciences, and 
 '' every civil occupation. There can no 
 *' longer be any other ftudy than that of 
 ** religion. Even he v^ho fliall have en- 
 *' joyed the moft robuft health, beft em- 
 ** ployed his time, made the utmoft ufe 
 *' of his reafon, and lived the longeft, will 
 " not without great difficulty be able, in his 
 " old age, to know on what conclufion to 
 *' fix his mind : and it will be a great 
 ** point gained, if he learns before his death, 
 *' in what mode of worfhip he ought to 
 " have lived. " 
 
 What fliall we do then with all thofe 
 children of fimplicity, with thofe many per- 
 fons, who are utterly incapable of ftudy, 
 or the making of deep refearchcs ? Have 
 not they as much right to the benefits of 
 religion, as the learned and the ingenious? 
 Mrift they be excluded from them, becaufe 
 thev are born, with lefs ftrength of under- 
 ftanding, becaufe they are lefs penetrating, 
 
 and 
 
Chrijiian Religion vindicated, 213 
 
 deprived of the ncceflary means of culti- 
 vation ? Mil ft tlicy be abandoned to their 
 ignorance and incapacity ? Would i: not be 
 well worthy of the goodncfs of God, to 
 recompence them, by furniOiing them with 
 means proper to fupply their feeolenefs and 
 inability ? But what is now to become of 
 them ? Shall it be to rely on that held forth 
 by the reafon of others, which their own 
 doth not afford them ? If fjch is the me- 
 thod adopted by providence with regard to 
 the ignorant j reafon from thePiCeforth finds 
 lierfelf brought round to autliority, and af- 
 ter having rejecfted an authority fo lawful 
 as that of revelation, fo well founded, and 
 fo proportionate to every capacity ; the au- 
 thority of fome particular tutors will be 
 fubftituted in it's ftead : Tutors who ]ike 
 Rouffeau, with refpedl to his EmiliuSj wiJI 
 fancy thcmfelves in the right to fubjecfl the 
 reafon of their pupils to their own ; a re- 
 iburce more fatal and dangerous, than tlie 
 evil it would remedy : by means whereof 
 the weak and fimple would quickly become 
 the helplefs vidlims of a foreign and vain- 
 glorious reafon : and, being forced to give 
 themlelves biinlly up to the faint glimmer- 
 O 3 H^ 
 
2 14 ^'^^ Truth of the 
 
 ings of a reafon (o often falfe and deceitful, 
 into how many deviations and errors would 
 they not be precipitated ? Incapable of dif- 
 cerning by themfelves truth from falfhood, 
 they could only form their judgment on 
 that of others, with equal indifcrimination 
 adopting error and truths and, in a word, 
 becoming the perpetual fport of the incon- 
 ftancy and levity of human reafon. 
 
 Amidfl the chaos and confufion of fo 
 many ideas and opinions, thus various and 
 incompatible, how could they even deter- 
 ' mine to believe any thing ? Not being in a 
 
 condition to weigh and judge of the folidity 
 of thofw reafolis, v/hich fupport every dif- 
 ferent opinion ; how, or Vv^hy fiiould they 
 rather embrace one than another ? Would 
 th^y not be in the right to difirufl: all alike ? 
 The beft ufe then which they could make 
 of their reafon, would be, to believe no- 
 thing ', but to reft in a horrid uncertainty 
 upon the moft effential and important points. 
 
 Behold, whither the fearful temerity of 
 the unbeliever neceiTarily tends ! — the 
 wretched condition to which it reduccb^ 
 
 three-fourths 
 
Chrijlian Rdigion vindicated, 2 i 5 
 
 tlirec- fourths of mankind j into what ei:- 
 <:^k, were it to be followed, would it not 
 conduct even thofe who moll: highly vaunt 
 of their reafon and underftanding ! how 
 blind would they be, who lliould imagine, 
 with Rouffeau, that reafon alone is llililci- 
 £nt to enable them to penetrate into, and to 
 comprehend, the fublimeft objefls to which 
 man is appointed : whatever the greatnefs 
 and elevation of their nunds may be, unlefs 
 the deity aid and enlighten them ; they v/ill 
 never do other than grovel. Cujiijhiodi libct 
 excellent ingenio^ nijl Dcus adfit humi repunt, 
 St^Augiifv. We have already fhewn this, from 
 the experience of four thoufand years pad in 
 wandering and error, which methinksfliould 
 convince man of the infufiicicncy of his 
 reafon. In what light, ought .we then to 
 look upon the infidel who would ftiil bring 
 us back to the guidance of reafon ? His fair 
 promifes may flatter our pride ; but woe 
 be to thofe, who, without knowing their 
 infirmity, and without confiilting their 
 weaknefs ; foolifhly give themfrivcs -iip to 
 the fpeeches of fuch deceitful guides. They 
 .offer us a remedy for our evils, a deadly 
 
 poifon, 
 
2i6 T^he Truth of the 
 
 polfon, which is only calculated to augment 
 them, and render them almoll incurable. 
 
 But what wifdom doth the Chriftian Re- 
 ligion difplay, in oppofitlon to the folly "of 
 infidelity ! what an admirable proportion in 
 all it's parts, to the condition and neceffities 
 of all it's followers in general, and of every 
 one in particular ! It excludes no one : but 
 affords to all a fliort and eafy path, whereby 
 to attain an entire knowledge of the truths 
 which it profeffes. In concert with it's Lord 
 and Mafter Jesus Christ, it calls the 
 young as well as^the old ; neither excepting 
 artifans or labourers ; all who defire to 
 quench their thirft at the fountain of falva- 
 tion 'y how ignorant foever they may be ; 
 however occupied in the bufinefles of life ; 
 however weak or infirm, through age, or 
 fex, or maladies — All, without exception, 
 are received and admitted into it's bofom ! 
 It procures for all the means fufficient to their 
 inftrudion in the great truths of falvation, 
 in which refped: it knows no diftindtion be- 
 tween the noble and mean man, the poor 
 and the rich, the fian-^le and the learned : 
 '' Come unto me, fays Christ it's divine 
 *' chief, Come unto me, all ye ^who ai-^e ^weary 
 
 i^ and 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated. 217 
 
 '« and heavy laden : come, all yc who thirfl 
 *' after rigbteoufnefs, and I will allay your 
 '' thirj}'' And behold how Jcsas Christ 
 cxecuteth this great promile ! 
 
 §. XVI. There is nothing more proper Miracles 
 to attradt the regard of mankind, than the ^^^ P'°' 
 authority and power of miracles : of this 
 we have already given convincing proofs. 
 There is nothing alfo more within the reach 
 of the fimple, and leall intelligent capaci- 
 ties, than that which falls under cognizance 
 of the fenfes, and which needs no other 
 than this plain examination, in order to be 
 believed : — thofe miracles which have the 
 benelit and comfort of their fpedlators for 
 their objcd:, are flill more fitly adapted to 
 gain their minds and hearts. From admira- 
 tion they proceed to acknowledgment ; and 
 from grateful acknowledgment to the ten- 
 derell: and mod lively affcclion. Upon prin- 
 ciples thus natural, doth Jesus Christ re- 
 gulate his condud. No fooner doth he be- 
 gin to manifeft himfelf to mankind, than he 
 fills every place through which he pafles 
 with marks of his power and benevolence ; 
 every day works new miracles, and performs 
 new cures, each more afioniihing than the 
 
 other. 
 
2iS The T K V T n of the • 
 
 other. Thus eternal Wifdoni drew to it 
 wandering fouls, in order to enlighten and 
 to teach them ; and in confequence of it's 
 attraftion, the crowding multitude flock to- 
 gether: but the moment for fixing conflantly 
 their hearts was not yet come 5 it was pre- 
 vioufly neceffary that the Saviour of the 
 world fhould be raifed upon the crofs. 
 
 After his refurredion he fends his apoftles 
 throughout the whole world ; they repeat 
 all the miracles of their Mafter, and con- 
 firm whatever they fay by the authority of 
 fimilar prodigies; what they are feen to per- 
 form, is a fure warrant of what they declare, 
 concerning the adions, dcftrineS;, and perfoa 
 of Jesus Christ. 
 
 They are every where heard with atten- 
 tion ; they are followed from all parts ; and 
 the religion, faith, and tenets, which they 
 preach, are every where embraced. 
 
 By fuch means as thefe did Jesus Christ 
 build up his church. The miracles of every 
 kind which he and his apoftles wrought, 
 gained him all neceffary authority ; this au- 
 thority, thus confirmed, defcrved from every 
 one a full belief of whatever he had faid, or 
 
 fhould 
 
Chrijllafi Religion lindicateJ/ 219 
 
 rt-iould advance. This faith has aflemblcd, 
 and unired, in one rehgioiis body, a multi- 
 tude of people ', by means of this multitude 
 he hath procured to his religion an antiquity 
 and force which render it fuperior and in- 
 vincible to all the darts of error and infide- 
 \ky ; — by this numerous and refpeclable 
 aflembly, he hath provided his church with 
 the moft eminent authority in the world ; 
 an authority which includes all human fanc- 
 tion, with the divine. The influence, the 
 extent, perpetuity and fplcndor of fo great a 
 fociety, enfures to it every defireable humaa 
 authority. The promifes made by Jesqs 
 Christ in it's favour, which are founded 
 upon the miracles wrought in confirmation of 
 it,eftablini the divine authority it hath deriv- 
 ed. By the ;f;y? authority, it warrants to us the 
 certainty of all thofe fadls, which conftitutc 
 it's dhtJie authority ; and all thefe fads, in 
 their turn, warrant to us the truth of that 
 infallible authority, which is promifed to and 
 afTumed by it. 
 
 Jesus CiiRrsx hath moreover furnilhcd 
 his church with abundance of proofs, and 
 prevailing arguments, by means of the mi- 
 nlftry of thofe mar>y celebrated men, whom 
 
 it 
 
220 Tie Truth of the 
 
 it hath received into it's bofom, diftinguifhed 
 for their learning and piety. Thus the high- 
 eft authority, and every proof, derivative 
 from reafon, are united in this fociety, for 
 the enHghtening and direding of mankind. 
 In this fortrefs of truth, this citadel of autho- 
 rity, the fimple are fafe. In this 'afylum, 
 the weak and humble are fheltered and for- 
 tified, as in a neft, before their wings are 
 grown whereon to elevate their fouls to the 
 knovvdedge of the myftery of faith* After 
 they have found a refuge there, all the pow- 
 ers of reafon are employed in their defence, 
 againft fuch men as have the temerity to ar- 
 raign their condud:, and to decry it as con- 
 trary to the light of reafon. 
 
 Was ever any thing better proportioned 
 to every mind than fuch a method ? It de- 
 livers them from thofe long difcuffions, and 
 that toilfome labour, of which they would 
 otherwife have ftood in need ^ but of which, 
 neverthelefs, hardly any one is capable. It 
 fupplies the weaknefs of our underftandings, 
 and prevents their errors ; by furniiliing us 
 with a fure light for our guidance amidft 
 cur natural obfcurity. This is the fhcrteft 
 paih, but it includes all others. Without 
 
 this 
 
Chrijlian Religion rjindlcated, 
 this affiftance mankind would never have 
 been able to attain the knowledge of heavenly 
 truths : without this firm and folid rule of 
 gradation, they could never have been en- 
 abled to afcend up to the Deity. 
 
 The darknefs and indifHciency of our 
 reafon, therefore, neceffarily leads us into 
 the way of this authority ; for every man, 
 who cannot of himfelf comprehend, and 
 know the truths ellential for him to under- 
 ftand, ought, by all means, to have recourfe 
 to an authority which may fupply his natural 
 impotence. In this fituation, the beft ufe 
 lie can make of his reafon is, evidently, 
 to fubmit it to the higheft authority in 
 the world, and which hath every mark 
 of divine alhftance and protedlion. Can 
 any thing be more wife and prudent than 
 fuch a condudl ? It is confiftent with the 
 light which reafon affords; fince it only 
 fubmits that reafon to a teftimony which 
 poffeffcth every characler of truth, capable 
 of deferving an entire confidence. 
 
 At the fame time nothing is more pro- 
 perly adapted to intille it to this confidence, 
 and to influence all hearts in it's favour, than 
 
 the 
 
 221 
 
"Ziz The Truth of the 
 
 the manner wherein it propofes to inArucr 
 thofc who addrefs themfelves to it's protec- 
 tion. All other perfuafions raife a ^^reat 
 clamour about realbn, and promife every 
 thing from it's affiftance ; yet they only lead 
 into inextricable difficulties and doubts. But 
 this fociety, on the contrary, doth not pre- 
 tend to deliver men from .their darknefs and 
 errors, by prefcribing to them a philofophi- 
 cal difquifition of the truths which it recom- 
 mends : it only requires faith i» truths which 
 it commands to be believed, after having it- 
 felf received and adopted them : thus, for 
 the inftrudion of it*s members, it exercifes 
 an everliving teftimony, which prevents their 
 deviation into vain arguments, and is alone 
 capable of uniting them rationally to the 
 fame religious body. In this fituation, the 
 Ignorant are content to know thofe truths 
 which the church prefents to them as fuch, 
 and to be brought up in the faith of them. 
 Thofe to whom God hath imparted more 
 underftanding, and better means of intelli- 
 gence, apply themfelves to the meditation of 
 thofe truths, without departing from a jufl 
 fubmiffion, which ferves them as a guide 
 and lanthern, in their inquiry. This ftudy 
 renders them more and more fenfible of the 
 
 neceffitv 
 
Chrijlian Rel!g:o?i vindicated. 223 
 
 ncccfTity of that path they have taken. Their 
 humble dcfererxe is rewarded with an in- 
 creafc of hght, which changes their feeble 
 intelligence, and docible fubmiflion, into pcr- 
 fed: knowledge. 
 
 §. XVII. It may be proper to obferve, howOfautho- 
 Rouflcau, ever inconfiftent, eftablifhes thcof^that" 
 neceflity of fome authority to reeulate the^f ^\^. 
 
 - 1 • 1 • r • • church m 
 
 conduct ot mankind in matters of religion, particu- 
 Wc fliall be aftoniflied at the prodigious^"* 
 contradiftions to which the fpirit of caprice 
 leads, and conftrains him. He declares in 
 various places, that he would gladly fet all 
 authority afide, and he ufed every effort to 
 combat and overthrow it. 
 
 Firft, let us hear how he declaims againft 
 it in p. 139. of his third volume : *' Would 
 '^ we feek the truth, therefore, fays he, in 
 '* fincerity, we muft lay no ftrefs on the 
 •' place or circumftance of our birth, nor 
 ** on the authority of fathers and teachers ; 
 •* but appeal to the dictates of reafon and 
 *' confcience, concerning every thing that 
 ** is taught us in our youth. It is to no 
 ** purpofe to bid me fubjedt my reafon to 
 *' the truth of things of which it is inca- 
 
 y pacitated 
 
224. "^h^ T K V r w of the 
 
 " pacitated to judge; the man who would 
 ** impofe upon me a falfliood may bid me 
 " do the fame. It is neceffary, therefore, I 
 *' fhould employ my reafon, even to know 
 *' when I ought to fubmit.'* 
 
 No one can {hew a more exprefs contempt 
 of authority, or more openly diffuade men 
 from paying any regard to it. But behold 
 the propofition reverfed ! 
 
 "As the conduct of a woman, faysRouffeau 
 ** (vol. vi. p. 77 5 7 8.) isfubfervienttothe pub- 
 " lie opinion, her faith in matters of religion 
 <^ {hould, for that very reafon, be fubjeft 
 ** to authority. Every daughter ought to 
 ** be of the fame religion as her mother ; 
 *' and every wife to be of the religion of her 
 " hufband. For though fuch religion fhould 
 ** be falfe, that docility which induces the 
 '' mother and daughter to fubmit to the or- 
 ** der of nature, takes away, in the fight of 
 *' God, the criminality of their error. As 
 " they are not in a capacity to judge for 
 *' themfelves, they ought to abide by the 
 " decifion of their fathers and hufbands, as 
 *' confidently as by that of the church. — 
 ** As authority ought to regulate the reli- 
 
 " gion 
 
Clrijlian Religion rjinciicated. 
 *' gion of women, it is not io needful to 
 *' explain to them the rerJons for their be- 
 *' lief, as to lav down prccilcly the tenets 
 '' they are to' believe." 
 
 Surely no body can more flatly contradl^fl 
 himfelf than Rouflcau, in thcle two paCages. 
 In the former of which, every kind of au- 
 thority is rejc6led, and all religion is refolved 
 into reafon. In the fecond, on the contrary, 
 he calls brxk to authority all thofe who are 
 not in a capacity of judging for themlelves in 
 matters of religion : Without doubt he had 
 perceived how abfurd it was in him to think 
 of leading all mankind to religion, by the 
 way of reafon. He cannot, however, fubmit 
 thofe to authority, who are incapable of judg- 
 ing for themfelvcs of religious matters ; but 
 he mufl: fubmit, at the fame time, every man 
 to that authority : For the learned, and per- 
 fons capable of reafoning, pafs through the 
 condition of ignorant perfons ; and b^-fcrc 
 their arrival at that fl.itc, v/hcrein they ac- 
 quired inftrudlion and knowledge, a long in- 
 terval elapfed, during which they could not 
 judge for themfelvcs. It is necellary, there- 
 fore, for them to be fubjcdled at that period 
 P to 
 
226 The Truth of the 
 
 to authority > and when they attained an 
 age wherein they were capable of judging 
 and examining -, the fame method of au- 
 thority was no lefs neceifary for them, be- 
 caufe no man can, of himfelf, judge with 
 certainty, of the points of religion. 
 
 We have before fufficiently demon ftrated, 
 as well from experience, as from the ac- 
 knowledgments of RouiTeau, that the hu- 
 man mind, left to itfelf, is but an afiemblage 
 of uncertainties, obfcurity, and contradidions; 
 that the method of reference to authority, is 
 the only one proportioned to the condition 
 of mankind in every refpe(fl, as it fupplies 
 the weaknefs of the fimple, by preventing 
 their being defpondent, under inability ; and 
 as it prevents thofe who fancy themfelves 
 ftrong, and capable of walking by them- 
 felves, from becoming a fatal example to 
 others, and from prejudicing themfelves by 
 an audacious prefumption. Ut neqiie tile 
 dcfperatiGJie frangatiir^ neqiie ijle precipite^ 
 tur aiidacid, Auguft. 
 
 From whence has Rouffeau gathered, 
 "That every daughter ought to be of the reli- 
 gton of her mother^ and every "wife of that of 
 
 her 
 
Chriflicin Religion vindicated, 227 
 
 her buJhiiTjci? On what grounds docs he ven- 
 ture to allure us. That though fuch religion 
 fl?ould prove falfc^ the docility "which induces 
 the mot her tojubmit to the pretended order of 
 nature^ tiikes avcny in the fight of God ^ the 
 fiufulnefs of their error ? Where is this or- 
 der of nature^ which requires the daughter 
 to fubmit to the religion of her mother, and 
 the wile to that of her hufl\ind ? Is this 
 order of nature, then, contrary to another 
 order of nature ? Now there is an order of 
 nature, as we Avail prove toRoufieau, which 
 commands us to follow the true religion, 
 and to fubmit ourfclves to that alone. It is 
 an order of nature never to confent or ac- 
 quiefce in an errcr or falihood, and to wor- 
 lliip God only in truth. Nature teaches us 
 that falfl^iood cannot plcafc God, and that 
 he being efiential truth, we cannot honour 
 him fo much as by adhering to the truth. 
 
 But Rouffeau, in hij ufual manner, en- 
 deavours to confound every thing ; and be- 
 caufc, by the law of nature, a daughter 
 riiould be fubmiffive to her mother, and a 
 wife to h.er hufcand, in whatever relates to 
 dzmcjlic affairs ; and even in whatfoevcr is 
 not repugnant to the law of God : Thcre- 
 P 2 fore 
 
23 T:he T R u t h y^ the 
 
 fore he concludes, that this fubmiiTion fliould 
 alio extend itfelf to matters of a religious 
 nature. But, is it not, above all, a fixed 
 order of nature, that every one (hould be 
 fubject to God, and his lav/s ? From this firfl 
 order ail oihers are derived, and all are fub- 
 ordinate to it. If then a father, or a huf- 
 band, require things which are contrary to 
 what God injoins and prefcribes us, will it 
 be to follow the order of nature to obey 
 them ? — Will it be piety and religion, to 
 make the Deity fubfervient to man , to offer 
 np that obedience which is his due, to the 
 ideas and caprice of thofe who may have 
 authority over us? To what impiety, to what 
 an height of p^'ofiigacy might not fuch a 
 kind of religion introduce mankind ? Idola- 
 try, and the mcfl: abominable modes of wor- 
 iliip, would be the natural confequences of 
 fuch a conduct. Every thing would be put 
 into the moft horrible confufion ; and the 
 world would be filled with as many different 
 religions, as there fiiould be families, princi- 
 pals, or mafters. Such are the very foolifli 
 and impious means to which the infidel i^ 
 obliged to have recourfe, in order to combat 
 ihie true religion 3 means which we fhall 
 
 take 
 
Ojrijiian Religion vindicated, 229 
 
 take occafion to refate more fally in the fe- 
 qutl of thcfe diflcrtations. And now let iis alk 
 our reader's opinion, whether it might not 
 be better for Rouffeau, to fleep wholly at 
 his cafe, than thus to wake himfelf, only 
 to utter fuch fcnfelefs and incongruous 
 dreams ? — 
 
 Let us here, for a moment, confider 
 Rouffeau's weak and whimfical felf-con- 
 tradi(fl!on. At firft, the man will admit of 
 no authority at i\\\ but ufes every effort to 
 reduce all religion into arcrumentation \ and 
 employs every poflible artifice to deftroy, as 
 far as in him lies, the authoriry of faith ; 
 and yet, prefently af:er, this very perfon, 
 carrying on his abfurdity even to the admit- 
 ting the authority of all religions ; and pre- 
 tending that *' we muil refped: them all as io 
 " many falutary inftitutions, which, in every 
 " country, prefcribe an uniform manner of 
 " honouring GoD, bv a public wordiip * :*' 
 Adds, *' I believe them all good : — I cdu- 
 " ceive, that to folicit any one to quit the 
 *' religion he is brought up in, is to folicit 
 " hi:n to do wrong, and is of confequence 
 " to do wrong one's felf; let us therefore 
 
 • Sec vol. iii. p. 184- 
 
 P 3 ** prefer vc 
 
Tie Truth cf the 
 '^ preferve the public peace, and wait the 
 ** progrels of further information. The 
 *^ laws in every country ihould be refpecl- 
 *' ed. We ihould never difturb the efta- 
 *' blilhed worlliip, nor excite the people to 
 " difobedience. For we know not abfo- 
 " lutely whether it be better for them to 
 '* change their prefent opinions for others ; 
 " and we do know of a certainty that it is 
 *^ an evil to tranfsrefs the laws/* 
 
 '&• 
 
 Had RoulTeau, in the lead degree, fol- 
 lowed thefe rules and principles, what could 
 have caufed him to inveigh fo furioufly and 
 daringly again ft thofe injlitutiom of the Chri- 
 fiian Religion, which alone are truly fahi- 
 tary ? We have already remarked, that no 
 body, in the common method of proceeding, 
 endeavours to deftroy the lawful authority 
 cf the Chriftian Religion, but to fubilitute 
 others in it's flead, as falfe as extravagant. 
 In the prefent inftance Roufleau fupplies us 
 with a deplorable example of this truth ; 
 whom folly and impiety excite to pay a 
 deference, even to the mofl monflrous and 
 unworthy modes of human woriliip ; while 
 he teitiiies nothijig bat horror and contempt 
 
 for 
 
Chrijlian Rdtgion vmdtcateJ, -23* 
 
 for the relpedtible authority of the Chrillian 
 Church and Rehgion ! Fatal, though juft 
 bllndnef?, of a mind which refufes the con- 
 viiftion farrounding him on even*^ l:de ! Ter- 
 rible, but I'alutary example of the perils thofe 
 men fubiecl: themfelvcs to, and the errors 
 into which they fall, who will needs con- 
 duct themfelves by the fole light of reafon ! 
 
 We, who adhere to the doclrines of the 
 church, do not, witli the infidel?, confider 
 that church, primarily, as a divine fociety 
 which God hath eftablilhed to decide the 
 matters of religion ; we look upon it only 
 as a capital human fociety, which hath long 
 fubfilted without interruption : This fociet\', 
 thus ancient and extenfive, and tlius well in- 
 ilrucled in thofe maners wliich refpect it, 
 we call upon in teflimony of the facts which 
 fall under it*s cognizance, and of the titles 
 and records which eltablilh it, and form it's 
 confiitution. 
 
 Thus, fimply confidered, the church hath 
 no fupcrnatural privilege ; it h.uh that au- 
 thority only which all private perfons have 
 to afcertain the truth of things which have 
 
 occurred 
 
232 7le Truth of the 
 
 occurred amongft them, and the memory of 
 which has, from age to age, been preferved 
 down to the prefent times. In this manner 
 the church, fubfiiling from the time of the 
 apofties, attefts that the f.riptures, whofe 
 repofitary it is, are as anciept as itfelf. It 
 affures us that thefe books have really for 
 their authors thofe perfons whofe names they 
 bearj thac thefe auihors either faw the things 
 they have related, or v/ere perfectly well in- 
 formed of them by eye witnelTess that what- 
 ever they have v/ritten is moil minutely juft; 
 that thefe authors were known, not only as 
 contemporary with the fadls they relate, but 
 alfo that their fandlity, as men, and the in- 
 numerable miracles which they wrought, 
 fheltered their teilimony from the leail fha- 
 dow of fa fpicion, and rendered them per- 
 fedly worthy of credic. 
 
 This fociety teaches us, that being form- 
 ed, and in full force, at the time when thefe 
 books were compofed ; it hath found, and 
 acknowledged in them only that which it 
 had before believed -, only thofe fafts of 
 which it was before well apprifed and per- 
 fuaded. 
 
 The 
 
Clrijlian ReHgiofJ vindicated, 2^3 
 
 The tclllmony of this ibclety thus pro- 
 pofed, has llill nothing in it extraordinary 
 or divine ; it depends only on the trutli and 
 certainty of books, and h&s, refpe<5ling the 
 Chriflian Rehgion. Eut yet, iuch a tcfli- 
 mony is laperior to whatever can be found 
 of the kind, in the natural courfe of tilings : 
 It is a tcftlmony given by an united people 
 perfedtly inftruded from the firft: inftitution 
 both in it's origin, and the manner v/herein 
 it was formed ; and a people, which liath 
 always zealoufly preferved it's primitive 
 rights, nor ever, at any time, fuffered the 
 leall: alteration or change in them ; which, 
 from it's firf!: conflitution, hath teflified it- 
 felf defirous that, as well in private as in 
 common, their evidence fhould be read and 
 explained, and faithful copies of it preferved. 
 Upon the foundation of fuch an aflent, thus 
 ancient and uniform, thus noble and uni- 
 verlal, we believe, and we advance, that 
 the truth of the fcriptures, and of the fadls 
 they contain, ought to be believed. 
 
 This is that unanimous confent which 
 formerly determined Saint Augullin to be- 
 lieve 
 
<c 
 
 234 TIjc T V. V r u of the 
 
 lieve the truth of our books, and to quit the 
 fedt of the Manichees, in order to fubmit" 
 to the authority of the Cathohc church. 
 " I fubmitted myfclf, faid that famous man, 
 only to an opinion, confirmed by the 
 ftrenuoufly-borne teftimony of nations 
 and people, who, from all parts, have 
 *' entered into the pale of the Catholic 
 " church : I gave my faith up only to a 
 *' confent fo ancient and univerfal, fo aflo- 
 *' niiliing and uniform : Hoc ergo crcdidi^ 
 " fmnce celebritate^ confenfione ^ vetiijiate Ro- 
 '^ boratce'.' This is exadly the manner in 
 which v/e confider the Catholic church, 
 when engaged in controverfy with infidels : 
 This is the teftimony of the people, and no- 
 thing more : But it is fuch a teftimony, as, 
 though of a natural kind, is fufficient to 
 warrant to us the truth of the hiftory of our 
 books, and the fads which they relate. 
 
 ^^y , ^. XVIII. After this dio;reffion, not whol- 
 miracles ly ffom the purpofe, we return to the fub- 
 jededr* J^^ ^^ miracles. Now, we have already re- 
 plied to the text in Deuteronomy which 
 Roufieau cited, in juftification of his afler- 
 tion of the dubious nature of miracles, and 
 
 their 
 
Chrijlian Religion 'vindicated. 2 '^5 
 
 their author (whether it be the Deity, or 
 the Devil); and have fliewn, that the paf- 
 fagc lie produces has no reference to true 
 miracles. How, indeed, could icripture 
 fuppofe that a prophet, intcreiled in the fer- 
 vice of falfe gods, could perform true mi- 
 racles to inticc the people to idolatry : That 
 fame fcripturc, which, in an hundred differ- 
 ent places, defies every falfe god to work 
 any fuch ; and which fo frequently afllires 
 them, that their divinity fliall be acknow- 
 ledged, if they will but lliew forth a power 
 futficient for the working of true mira- 
 cles ? — 
 
 If, nmongfl: the Jews, their pharifees and 
 dodors attribute to the devil thofe miracles 
 which our Saviour wrought in the very midft 
 of them (though, by the way, even they 
 never dared to aflert that God performs mi- 
 racles, either to tempt mankind, or to try 
 their fidelity) — wlio docs not perceive tliat 
 perverfe ignorance, pride, pafllon, revenge, 
 and malice, are the principal inducement to 
 fo very poor an evafion ? — The common 
 people, mr^re honeft: and fincerc, do not he- 
 fitate to adnure the m.iracles of our Saviour, 
 
 and 
 
'236 The Truth of the 
 
 and in them gratefully to acknowledge the 
 omnipotence of God : And had they not 
 been, at length, deceived and feduced fi'om 
 that convidlion by their elders, they would 
 have been conflantly attached to thofe mi- 
 racles. The pharifees and the lawyers, the 
 fole authors of all their misfortunes, clearly 
 fliew throughout the v/hole of their con- 
 dudt, that the love of truth had no influ- 
 ence in their deciiion. At iirft they are di- 
 vided amongft themfelves ; fome of them 
 cannot fuffer that thefe miracles of Jesus 
 Christ (hould be attributed to the devil. 
 *^ IVhat I fay they. Can a devil open the eyes 
 *^ of the blind? John x. 21. Odiers faid, 
 " How can a wicked man, an impoRor, do 
 ^' fiich 7niracles ? — and there was a divifon 
 *' amojig them" In fliort, though they did, 
 at length, confent to rejed: the miracles of 
 Christ, yet it is clear they only eifed: their 
 purpofe by facrificing their beft underftand- 
 ing to the bafe views of envy and intereft, 
 ^' What are we doing ? they cry, for this 
 *' man worketh many 7niracles, If we let 
 *' him thus alone, all men will believe in bi?n, 
 *' and the Romans will cofne, and defroy our 
 ** city and nation'' After fuch a confeffion, 
 
 can 
 
Chrijllan Religion 'vindicated. 237 
 
 can any one doubt of the motives which 
 animated and determined the judgment of 
 thcfe falfe fa"cs ? Is it not evident that, but 
 for their interpofition, the whole country of 
 Judea would have paid due homage to 
 the divine Redeemer ? They, indeed, pro- 
 nounced their own condemnation, by ac- 
 knowledging that the fplendor and power of 
 his miracles were capable of drawing the 
 whole world to him, and of making him 
 regarded as the Messiah. 
 
 §. XIX. Let us only confider what idea The na- 
 the generality of mankind, in all ages, havcpiain 
 entertained of true miracles : and we fliall^"°^^" ^ 
 
 quence of 
 
 fee that it will be impofliblc for Roufleau miracles, 
 to fupport his fydem, without rejeciing that 
 evident and imiverfal confcnt of all nations^ 
 aiid without diredly oppofing that amazing 
 unanimity of mankind- ^\v\\\d^^ notwithftand- 
 ing, he looks upon as the fureft light, and 
 the mod unerring guide. No fooner have 
 the apoftlcs opened their miffion, than prc- 
 fcntly the lively impreflion made by their 
 miracles, draws to them a multitude of dif- 
 ciplcs : The inl^ibitants of Lsdda and Saron^ 
 
 • Scer'"tr'i . vol. iij. p. ro?. 
 
238 T^he Truth of the 
 
 at fight of the cure performed upon a para- 
 litic, inflantly embrace the gofpeL Ads ix. 
 32, &c. The miracle which St. Phihp per- 
 forms in Samaria, fabdues to the faith a 
 muhitude of it's inhabitants. All, with 
 equal ardour, liften to his difcourfes, feeing 
 the miracles which he wrought. Even Si- 
 mon Magus is fo (truck with thefe miracles, 
 and furprifing events, as to be quite befide 
 himfelf at the fight, and to embrace the 
 faith which they tended to inculcate. Cer- 
 tainly then, this magician, with the help of 
 all the fecrets of his art, and all the aflifi:ances 
 of the devil, could do nothing which might 
 be compared or came near to them, fince he 
 IS feized with fo great aflonifhment. The 
 proconful Sergius Paulus, fmitten with ad- 
 miration at the fudden blindnefs of Elymas 
 the forcerer, immediately believes in Ch R i s t : 
 Paul and Barnabas, on their arrival at Lyfl:ra, 
 reflore a man who had been lame from his 
 birth, to the free ufe of his limbs : The people, 
 afionifhed at this miracle, cry out with one 
 voice, *' Thcfc are Gods, comedown to us 
 *' in the likenefs of men !** and are, that 
 momciu, for offering facrifices to them. 
 Such i? the fimple and natural idea which 
 
 all 
 
Chrijllan Religion "jindicated. 239 
 
 all men entertain of miracles. They are 
 fully pcrfiuuled, none but the true God can 
 perform them : And, as the people of Lyftra 
 acknowledged for gods thofc who were not, 
 they, therefore, prefenlly attribute to ibem 
 the prodigy of which they were the admir- 
 ing witnellcs. 
 
 It is by virtue of miracles, and that juft 
 confequence which all men have drawn 
 from tliem, that the apollles were enabled 
 fo widely to extend the knowledge of the 
 t r u c G o D . * * T trough mighty figm and ivon^ 
 *' dcrs (faith the apoille St. Paul) given unto 
 *' me to operate^ and by the power of the 
 *' Spirit c/' God, have I filled^ with the 
 *' knowledge of the gofpel of Christ, all that 
 ' ' great extent of country from ferufalem round 
 '' about unto Jliyricwn^-y At the firft fight 
 of thefe miracles, every one is perfuaded, that 
 none but God can be their author, or give 
 the power of working them to the apoftlcs. 
 Men c.innot help confidcring them as a cer- 
 tain proof of whatever they declare, after 
 having performed them ; and arc fully con- 
 vinced of the trutli of their dodrinc, be- 
 
 • Rom. XV. 19. 
 
 caufe 
 
24a 57jif T R u T H of the 
 
 caufe the miracles which give it fandlion^ 
 cannot poffibly be mixed with' fal (hood, or 
 wrought in confirmation of deception or 
 error. 
 
 Had the devils, the Pagan deities, ever 
 wrought miracles like thofe of the apoftles, 
 or had any one believed them capable of 
 performing fuch ; what would there have 
 been fo aiionifhing^ or ftriking, in thofe 
 which the apoftles produced ? Had it been 
 conceived, that fuch effects could be con- 
 neded with a falfe dodrine, or could have 
 been difplayed, to tempt and deceive man- 
 kind 5 or, further, could they have been 
 done with as prompt and fudden a facility, 
 as thofe of the apoftles dem.onftrated — what 
 impreffion would thofe wrought by the apo- 
 ftles have made ? Would not the people 
 have demanded a fcrutiny of their do&ine ? 
 Would not they have infifted, that, every 
 circumftance being fo flatly againft what 
 thefe new-comers advanced, and the wor- 
 ftiip they pretended to abolifii, fo ancient 
 and inveterate ; a long and mature delibera- 
 tion was therefore neceflary, previous to 
 their giving their aifent to their preaching ? 
 
 But 
 
Chriftian Religion vindicated. 24.1 
 
 But the effcil was different : The apoflles 
 preach ; and give miracles, as the proolV, 
 warrant, and confirmation o\ their do':^trines: 
 From that inftant, men no longer hciitate to 
 yield to their perfuafion ; bat, renouncing 
 tlieir pafiions, rmd their gods, facrihce 
 their fortunes, and even life itfclf, to follow 
 the doctrine which they hear : So certain it 
 is, that mankind have ever been fully con- 
 vinced, that true miracles are an evident and 
 certain proof of the truth -, that the devil 
 cannot perform them ; and that they can 
 never be joined with faliliood. 
 
 §. XX. Let our infidels, who, in order toApollo- 
 obfcure the light and fplendor of the gofpel-JI^*^',^ ^^' 
 miracles, anxiouily feek in fcenes of dark- 
 nefs, for unauthorized examples in fupport 
 of their error : Let fuch, if* they pleafe, com- 
 pare the pretended miracles of an Apollonius 
 with thofe of the apoftles of Jesus Christ. 
 Without entering into a minute difcuffion of 
 the foolifli pretences and deLufion of that im- 
 poflor, which, however, as St. Auftin well 
 obfcrves, have no credible author for their 
 fupport ; Let us judge of the difference be- 
 tween the works of Apollonius, and thofc 
 of the apollles, by tlieir different effc(n:-\ 
 
 CL Thir. 
 
2^2 The Truth of the 
 
 This philofopher preaches at the fame 
 time with the apoftles : He attacks and con- 
 tradi(5ls the myfteries which they pubhih v 
 and fets forth a fyftem of moraUty perfedly 
 conformable to the inclinations of the Pa- 
 gans 5 while, on the other hand, the apo- 
 files only propofe croffes, fufferings, mortifi- 
 cation, and felf- denial : ApoUonius's doc- 
 trine offers nothing which could bafBe the 
 reafon of the Pagans 5 every tenet is adapted 
 to their ideas : The apoftles, on the contra- . 
 ry, invite men to believe one God in three 
 perfons : They preach a God crucified, to 
 the Gentiles very foolifhnefs : In a word, 
 they require faith in feveral myfteries, which 
 even the reafon of the moft enlightened 
 minds could no way comprehend. And 
 what is the coHfequence ? Apollonius is 
 defcrted and defpifed, and the illufion of his 
 vain pretences, diflipated by the iplendor and 
 power of thofe divine miracles performed by 
 the apoftles. All the world follows after 
 them, and embraces their dodrine ; while 
 Apollonius can only make fome few difcl- 
 pies, who fcarcely furvive their mafter. Can 
 anyone require a more ftriking proof of the 
 
 divinitv 
 
Chrijlian ReUgicn vindicated. 243; 
 
 divinity of the apoilolic miracles, and of the 
 fallity of thofe of Apollonius ? 
 
 All the inftanccs which unbelievers may 
 endeavour to bring on this head, will be 
 found of the like nature with the foreeo- 
 ing : They are either fables, of which even 
 the very Pagans made a fport and mockery ; 
 or delufive pretenfions, which bear no kind 
 of proportion with effedts truly miraculous* 
 *' They arc, as Livy himfelf obferves, fads 
 ** embellKhed with poetical fidlions, found- 
 ^* ed on no credible or authentic record.** 
 Fadls, contrived to impofe upon the credu- 
 lity of the fimple and fuperftitious ; or thofe 
 fahc miracles, which the fame writer terms,' 
 ludibria ocuhnun auriinnque^ credit a pro ve^ 
 ris ', that is, cunning tricks, which, fpread- 
 ing a grofs delufion over the fenfes, make 
 men receive as truth that which hath only 
 it's fpecious appearance. 
 
 Marius Maximus, a very accuratt author, 
 cited by Spartian, fpeaking of the pretended 
 miracles afcrihed to Adrian, fays, That they 
 are only fidions of impofture and falfliood j 
 Hcec per f.mulatione fdila. The Pagans ne- 
 Q 2 ver 
 
2,44- "^^^ Truth of the 
 
 ver ventured to affert that their Gods had 
 cured them othervvile than by the interven- 
 tion of medicine. The apoftate Juhan does 
 not boaft of having been cured in any other 
 manner. Me fcephis cegrotiim fanavit Mjcii- 
 laphis, indicatis remediis *. What is there 
 marvellous or admirable in all this ? Is it 
 not thus that phyficians ufually perfedl their 
 cures ? And can fuch be compared with 
 ' thofe which Jesus Christ and his apoftles 
 
 performed ? Have all the Pagan Deities to- 
 gether ever efFeded the like ? The very 
 poets were forced to acknowledge, that none 
 of their gods could deliver even their deareft 
 friends from the power of death, when de- 
 ftiny had cut the thread of their exiftence. 
 All thefe, without reckoning thofe other 
 tertimonies which we might eafily fubjoin, 
 if need required, invincibly demonftrate that 
 even profane antiquity did not believe that 
 their Daemon-deities, had ever performed, or 
 could perform, a true miracle. 
 
 Real mi- §. XXI. It remains for US to fhewRoufleau, 
 c'o^^V""that thofe defenders of the Chriftian Religion, 
 abieevi- ]^Q affirmed that God did work miracles 
 
 dcncts of 
 truth. 
 
 * Apud S. Cyril. 
 
 in 
 
Chrijllan Religion vindicated, 2\^ 
 
 in it's favour, never entertained a thought 
 that he ever worked any in behalf of error, 
 or gave power to the devil to perform the like. 
 It would take me an ample volume, was I in- 
 clined to recite here all the teftimonies from 
 ancient tradition, which have conilantly and 
 univerfally taught, that miracles are the 
 incommunicable appendage of truth : That 
 truth alone can boaft of this high preroga- 
 tive : That it is an unerring mark, whereby 
 to dlltinguilh, and exemplify it. And that 
 the Almighty cannot, without contradicting 
 himfelf, give fuch a teftimony in favour of 
 falfhood and deception -, nor delegate a power 
 to the devil to exhibit it, in his own behalf. 
 
 All the apologias for our Religion have 
 challenged the Pagan world to offer but 
 one true miracle againft thofe which they 
 oppofed to them. They have called upon 
 all their gods, alfiiled with all the helps of 
 magic, all their inchantments, and all their 
 myfterious juggling, to do any thing which 
 can come up to thofe marvellous cfFeJs 
 wliich Jesus Christ produced wiihout 
 any cxtcrrial means or alTiftancc, and by tlic 
 folc omnipotence of liis word. ** What ! 
 Q 3 '' favii 
 
246 J'he Truth of the 
 
 ** fays Arnobius, if any one, t ran fpor ted with- 
 *^ anger and fury, fhould anfwer me, ^ Is 
 ^ this Christ whom you wcrfhip, God? 
 
 * How w^ould you prove it ? ' ** One canr 
 - ' not, replies he, give a more decifive an- 
 " fwer in this refp^cfl, than the works he 
 " did ;. and the unheard-of miracles which 
 '^ he performed." — " But, perhaps, he 
 '^ goes on, the caviller will ftill urge, ' Your 
 ' Christ was only a magician j and all 
 
 * thoie works you fo much boaft of, were 
 ' only efFed:ed by the tricks of his art/ — ? 
 ** What do you fay! fenfelefs mortals, re- 
 *' plies Arnobius, venturing to blafpheme, 
 *' W'hat you cannot underftand ! Were all 
 *' thefe works, and miracles, the mere illu- 
 ^* lions of devils, and the Heights of magic? 
 " *— Can you name one of all the magi- 
 ^^ cian$ who ever exifted, that has, in the 
 *^ leaft degree, done what Jesus Christ 
 '^ did? Can you, ye incredulous fouls, har- 
 *' dened and inflexible, can ye produce me 
 ^' a fingle man, to whom even Jupiter him- 
 *' felf hath communicated the power-— I 
 ''' do not fay -— of railing the dead, of giv- 
 ^' ing light to the blind, or of reftoring 
 ^' broken or niilfied limbs ^ but -7- of cur- 
 
 '[ ing 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated, 247 
 
 ^^ ing only a fmall puftule, or riling in the 
 *^ fkin, by employing his word, or fingle 
 ** touch alone ? " 
 
 Our apologifts have gone much farther 
 than this. They have afTured the Pagans, 
 that they would confent to acknowledge 
 their deities as true gods, in cafe they 
 could prove that thofe deities had ever 
 given figlit to the blind, caufed the cripple 
 to walk, or raifed the dead, or done any 
 thing like it. /' If the fon of Coronis, fays 
 *' St. Cyril to Julian, has done any thing 
 *^^ divine ; if he has given fight to the blind, 
 *' or life to the dead, or feet to the lame, 
 *^ we juftly ought to add ourfelves to the 
 *^ number of his votaries." How neceifary 
 was it then, for our apologias to be well 
 perfuaded that daemons could never work a 
 true miracle ; and that God could ftill lefs 
 perform fuch, in their favour, before they 
 ventured to offer the heathens fo bold a de- 
 fiance? And how unavoidable is the conclu- 
 (ion againfl the latter, that they were per- 
 feftly confcious of their impotence, never 
 to liave ventured to accept their challenge ! 
 
 Q 4 The 
 
248 T^he Truth of the 
 
 The Jews of Antloch, in order to draw 
 Chriftians into their fynagogues, boafted 
 themielves of the power to work miracu- 
 lous cares. St. Chryfoftom was very defir- 
 ous, if polTible, to guard his people againft 
 all fuch fnares and deceptions ; and accord- 
 ingly he demonftrated to them, in feveral 
 diicourfes, that the Jewifh fynagogues were 
 no more than fo many houfes of Satan, who 
 had no power to care difeafes : *^ They may 
 *^ fpread their fnares, fays that pious teacher, 
 *^ and they may do us a mifchief, but they 
 *^ can never cure us." Dcemones infidiari 
 fciunt.^ ac nocerc^ non viederi. After having 
 given ieveral proofs of which, he concludes, 
 that, whatever the Jews reported on that 
 head, were only idle tales and fables : i?/- 
 diculcc kac^ et fabuhe. 
 
 The fame father elfewhere fets forth 
 ihe objedllon ftarted by Rouffeau, in it*s 
 fall extent. '^ How, fa 37s he, was that 
 ^^ word which the apoftles preached, con- 
 " firmed ? Who will allure us, that we are 
 *' not impofed on by them } This objedion, 
 *" lays Chryfoflom, is deflroyed by the teAi- 
 
 ** mony 
 
cc 
 
 Cbrijlian Religion "indicated, ^^gj- 
 
 mony which the Deity hath borne to their 
 *' mifTion ; by the fignsand wonders he has 
 ** wrought in their favour : For, had they 
 *^ deceived us in what they have related, 
 ** God would certainly never have borne 
 *' witnefs to their condud: by lignsand won- 
 *^ ders *." So that we have not rafl:ily and 
 wantonly believed what they faid, but the 
 miracles which they did, were the authority 
 for GUI determination. We have not given 
 credit to 7?2en^ but to God himfelf, who has 
 become a pledge of the truth of their doc- 
 trine : Non illis credinms^ fed Deo. 
 
 It n^iight, moreover, be objedled to this 
 pious dodor, that, though God cannot work 
 true miracles in favour of an inipoRor . or to 
 give countenance to a falfe dodrine, yet the 
 devil can, at leaft, perform fuch for that 
 purpofe 'y and, confequently, that, though 
 poilcffed of the bed attefted miracles, we 
 arc no farther advanced than we were be- 
 fore. St. Chryfoftom, anticipating the ob* 
 jcdion, clearly proves, that, wh.atcver devils 
 may do, cannot be compared with true mi. 
 raclcs; Wi'iatever they produce teflifying only 
 
 • Chi'\(l in rich. c. ii Horn. 3. 
 
 weakncfs 
 
^^o The T R u T H of the 
 
 weaknefs and impotence, ever fruitlefs and 
 infirm. Ilia enim iion Junt iiirtus et poten- 
 tial fed imbecilitas^Jed phantafia et y^es vacua 
 cc inane s. Could this great fcholar more 
 minutely inform us, that God cannot work 
 miracles to authorize error ? That he cannot 
 have ioined true ones with falfhood for that 
 purpofe : And that the devil never could 
 perform them ? 
 
 Such has been the dodrine of our fore- 
 fathers in all ages. If the limits of this 
 work would permit, we could here draw 
 out a continued tradition of their teftimo- 
 nies ', but our reader will fee we (hould in 
 fo doing vv^ander wide of our fubjed:. It is 
 a truth fo firmly eftablifhed in the Chriftian 
 church, that a work or a dodrine proved 
 by miracles, has need of no other evidence 
 in order to it*s being received, becaufe, for 
 that reafon, it muft neceflTarily be true, and 
 fent from God. And, in every age, and in 
 every conflidl which religion hath fuftained, 
 I men have always appealed to the decifion of 
 miracles, and always regarded them as the 
 moft decifive and convincing proof, 
 
 We 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated. 25^' 
 
 We obferved, in a former page, that the 
 prophet EHjah offered to the prophets of Baal 
 this method of determining the difpute be- 
 tween them. They had the boldnefs to ac- 
 cept the offer. But all their efforts, their 
 repeated exchimations, their incifions, and all 
 their folicitations, could avail nothing : Their 
 god was too impotent to affift them; and 
 the God of Elijah was too true, and too 
 jealous of his glory, to communicate that 
 glory to impoftors, under pretence of tempt- 
 ing his followers, and trying their fidelity. 
 EHjah alone obtained the miracle he requir- 
 ed. Truth triumphed, and falfliood and 
 it's adherents were confounded. A memo- 
 rable inftance of what hath happened in 
 pvery age. 
 
 Scarcely was Jesus Christ put to 
 death ; fcarcely was he rifen again, and 
 fcarcely had the apoftlcs received the Holy 
 Ghoft, when the Jews became firipped of 
 every token of divinity which their religion 
 formerly bore : All was transferred to the 
 Chriflian Religion, as the only true one: 
 true miracles are no longer to bp i^&n 
 
 amongfl 
 
iS^ 'The Truth cf the 
 
 amongfl: them ; nor could they ever fucceed 
 in their endeavours to difplay the leau ap- 
 pearance of any, notwithftanding all the 
 challenges which our apologifls have fo fre- 
 quently offered them. From the firft com- 
 mencement of the church feveral heretics 
 have ftarted up to combat it, and corrupt 
 the faith. St. Irenaeus, amongft the other 
 leafons he produced to defeat their falfe opi- 
 nions, objed:s,that they could v^ork no mira- 
 cles in confirmation of them. He main- 
 tains, that all their tenets are founded only 
 in fraud, artifice, and impofture ; that they 
 cannot cure difeafes, give fight to the blind, 
 or raife the dead, while fuch miracles were 
 continually feen to be performed, within the 
 Chriftian church, and through it's prayers. 
 Tertullian, refuting the heretics of his time, 
 makes ufe of the fame arguments againfl 
 them : *' I am here fpeaking of their mira- 
 *' cles, fays he ; but, I find that the great- 
 " eft of their miracles is that of their fetting 
 *' up for apoftlcs, by a(5ling in every re- 
 " fped: contrary to thofe whom they pre- 
 tend to imitate : For the apoflles raifcd 
 the dead ; but as for thefe they put the 
 living to death. //// de t/wrtuis fufcita- 
 I \ :*y d^ '^Ivis mortuos faciunty 
 
 In 
 
 <C 
 
Cbrljlian Religion vindicated. 253 
 
 In otiier dlfputes tiie truth hath ever been 
 feen to derive authority from miracles; thefe 
 have conftantly decided the conteft in her fa- 
 vour ; and error hath never been able to gain 
 the advantage over her : By miracles, tlie 
 defenders of the divinity of Jesus Christ 
 confounded the Arians ; and, in confequence 
 of that convincing proof, a great number of 
 thofe who had followed their feci renounc- 
 ed it. *' God, faid they, cannot give evidence 
 " in defence of error : Tlie champions for 
 '* the confubflantiality of theWoRD, wrought 
 ^* true miracles. Truth, therefore, is on their 
 *' fide, and we are compelled to join them." 
 The Monothelitcs, in the third council of 
 Conftantinople, offer to prove the truth of 
 what they advance by a miracle, and no 
 one hefitates to accept their challenge : The 
 fathers, being fully perfuaded that the devil 
 had no power to do fuch things, and that it 
 was not pofTible for God to effedt them in 
 fupport of fallhood, immediately confcnt to 
 the propofal. A dead body is produced : a 
 Monothclitc monk mutters over the corpfe 
 his profcfllon of faith, and fcveral hours are 
 fpent in praying ; but the dead rifes not. 
 
 How, 
 
2 54 ^^^ Trvtu of the 
 
 How, indeed, fay the fathers, could it bc^ 
 that a blafphemer fhould work miracles ? 
 
 We come now to iliew Roufleau, as we 
 promifed, that true miracles have ever been 
 looked upon as the incommunicable proper- 
 ty of truth, and of the true religion : We 
 have already fliewn him, that thofe fedts 
 which have feparated from that religion, 
 have never been able to produce any true 
 miracles in fupport of their errors: That in 
 all times, and all places, they have been 
 called upon to work them if they could, 
 and that all their trials and attempts have 
 been without fuccefs. How well ought 
 thofe who adhere to the Catholic church 
 to have been perfuaded of their point, that 
 miracles are always, and in all circumftances, 
 an indifputable proof of the truth of a doc- 
 trine ; fmce they have fo frequently offered 
 thofe who maintained the groffeft errors, to 
 receive miracles performed in fupport of 
 them, as full proof; with a promife to adopt 
 them, in cafe they performed fuch ! They 
 therefore were firmly convinced, that the 
 father of lies can do nothing of that kind 
 
 by 
 
Chrijllan Religion vi^idicafed. 255 
 
 by his agents; and that God alfo cannot 
 grant fuch a tcflimony in favour of er- 
 ror. 
 
 Where then are thofe, 'ivho, acknoivledg- 
 i?ig that God does izork miracles here heknv^ 
 pretend that the de^cil Jbme times imitates 
 them ? Roufleau, ever bold at advancing 
 whatever may furnifli him with any pre- 
 tences for infidehty, and always ready to 
 impofe upon his readers by that means, 
 imagines, without doubt, that he ought to 
 be believed on his own bare word ! 
 
 Let this hardy writer, who fo unjuftly 
 calumniates the defenders of the authority 
 of true miracles, — learn what an affront is 
 offered to the Deity, by alTerting, that the 
 devil alfo can perform true miracles. '' This, 
 *^ obfcrves a famous Chriftian writer, is, in 
 *' another manner, to fall into the impiety of 
 '* idolatry ; and this is the cafe of thofe fenfe- 
 '' lcfsmen,who one while have attributed to 
 '' the creature that which is inconfiftcnt with 
 ** it's nature ; and, at another, have wreft- 
 *' ed from God that which cannot be taken 
 *' from divinity widiout deflroying it. Some 
 ^' have given the honour of a iirfl caufe to a 
 
 '[ Being 
 
;j6 ^he Truth of the 
 
 *^ Being imperfedt and eflentially depen- 
 
 '^ dent; fuch as fire, air, water, the fun, and 
 
 *^ the flars ; while others have transferred to 
 
 *' wood and flone that holy and incommu- 
 
 '* nicable name. Thofe precipitate them- 
 
 '* felves into the fame error, who attribute 
 
 *^ the knowledge of futurity, and the work- 
 
 '^ ing of miracles, to any other caufe than 
 
 « GoDhimfelf ^. 
 
 The fame writer, anticipating every fub- 
 terfuge of the infidel antagonift, affirms alfo 
 in feveral places, that it is impoffible he who 
 utters a falfe do6lrine, fliould be able to work 
 true miracles, miracles which can have no 
 one but God for their author ; becaufe, in 
 that cafe, the Deity would bear witnefs to 
 a falfliood ; An event which can never hap- 
 pen. 
 
 Such is the conftant and uniform doflrine 
 of thofe men, who advance that God does 
 work miracles here below. And all the apo- 
 
 * Incommunicah'ile nomen lignis et lapidihus impofuerwnt : in 
 himc errorem labuntur, qui — -futurorum cognitionem^ 'vel ?nira' 
 cuJorum operatio7iem aliis caiijis quam Deo afcribunt^ Sti. 
 Thomie, lib. ii. cont. gent. c. 3. 
 
 log ills 
 
Chrijlian Religion v! mil cat c J, 257 
 
 Ibgifis for the Chrillian religion have held 
 the fame language. The author oi Religion 
 proved by fa&s^ with good rcafon, infifls 
 upon this dodrine, and atiirms, that it can- 
 not be attacked without fliaking the founda- 
 tions of revelation. ** It is impoirible, fays 
 *' he, for God to employ his power, or 
 ** permit the exertion oi it, againft himfelf. 
 ** Now I aver, that he would be the au- 
 *' thor of this diforder, if he was to per- 
 ** form, or permit, the working of fuch 
 *^ miracles as ipight tend to invalidate a 
 ** known truth. The main end of miracles 
 ** is, to ferve as the evidence of truth, and 
 " truth cannot be divided againft itfelf. If 
 ** therefore the Deity could either work, 
 '^ or permit the working of, miracles, in 
 *' oppofuion to truth, fuch miracles would 
 *' turn againft himfelf, and his attributes 
 ** would clafh with one another ; his power 
 ** with his veracity ; a fuppofition which is 
 *' evidently abfurd : It is impofliblc then, 
 *' that the Deity fhould perform miracles ia 
 '' fupport of falfliood." 
 
 The great Pafcal, the fcourge of infidels, 
 that fublime and penetrative genius, who 
 
 R will 
 
258 T/;^ Truth of the 
 
 vvill forever be the confufion of our pre- 
 tended freethinkers, was very far from ap- 
 prehending that the devil could work true 
 miracles, or that they could be joined with 
 faliliood. He affirms, that miracles, very 
 far from being ufelefs, are, on the contrary, 
 the foundation of truth, and a certain proof 
 of it's exiftence. And he not only main- 
 tains, that God cannot work miracles in 
 favour of a man who aimed thereby to gloze 
 over a faife doftrine; but alfo, that he can- 
 not even permit falfe miracles to be perform- 
 ed in behalf of error, without thereby con- 
 tradicting the truth of his own. From thefe 
 ielf-evldent- principles, he rationally con- 
 cludes, that miracles, as they laid the foun- 
 dation of the church, and will preferve it 
 endre to the end. 
 
 In favour of this mod important propo^ 
 fition, the judgment of the Sorbonne, thus 
 depofes againft the performance of Roufleau 
 now under confideration. *^ To admit thofe 
 *' miraculous events which are produced in 
 '' proof of the Chriftian Religion, and yet, 
 " at the fame time, to pretend that they 
 '^ prove nothing at all ; is to attack the pro- 
 
 ** vidence. 
 
Chrljlian Religion vindicated. 259 
 
 ** vidcnce, the power, • and the veracity of 
 '* God. Tliere are no renlible efFcds more 
 *' fitly adapted to ftrike the mind, and to 
 ** lignify the high beheils of the Deity, than 
 *' miracles ; this, experience has fully de- 
 " j-nonftrated. Take from them the force 
 *' of evidence, and you deprive God him- 
 *' felf of every external means w^hcreby to 
 *' manifefl: his will, by a revelation which 
 *' is ufeful to mankind, and whereof they 
 *' can take cognizance. The miraculous 
 *' events which have happened, all fpeak in 
 " favour of the religion we piofefs : This 
 *' religion then is true : — If you refufe to 
 *' allow this inference, how will you recon- 
 *' cile that rcfuial with the perfuafion that 
 *' the providence of God extendeth icfelf 
 ** over all nature, and that He cannot de- 
 *' ccive us ? — The error of thofe men, 
 ** who, from a natural perfuafion, have 
 *' been conftantly induced to look upon mi- 
 *' racks as the feal of divinity, would re- 
 *' fled upon God himfclf ; and they might 
 ju(Uy fiy, Jj\ Lord^ iice are indeed decch- 
 *' ed^ it is thou thyfelf <icho deceive]} us ! 
 
 R 2 Grounded 
 
26o T^he Truth of the 
 
 Grounded in thefe principles, Mr. Beau- 
 mont, the Archbifliop of Paris, fays very 
 rationally in a mandate on this fame occa- 
 fion, '' It is an artifice of the infidels of our 
 *^ time, to endtavour, in their enumeration 
 *' of every pariicular proof of the truth of 
 '' our fiith, to weaken it's evidence : - — in 
 *' order from thence to form a conclufion, 
 ** that all the proofs united arc as w^eak as 
 " each, thus individually confidered. The 
 ** propliccies call: an aftonifliing luftre ori 
 *' the miracles, which the miracles in their 
 '' turr*, reflcd: back upon the prophecies. 
 '* Bat this connexion, which God himfelf 
 '' h.ith placed between the different proofs 
 '' of- his religion, does not hinder any one 
 " of them, feparately, from having in itfelf 
 *' all the power neceffary for the efiablifli- 
 *Vment of the truth of it." He next 
 proceeds to combat thofe who venture 
 to niTert, that true miracles are equivo- 
 cal, and to compare them with the pretend- 
 ed miracles performed by devils ; and he con- 
 cludes u'ith great propriety, " All the fa- 
 ** thcrs of the church, and, after them, all 
 *' Oi ihodox divines, have conftantly and fuc- 
 
 cefsfully. 
 
Chrijlian Re I I gi en vitidicated. zbi 
 
 *' cefbfully oppofcd againfl: what was ad- 
 *' vanccd by the enemies of relic];ion,thar in- 
 '* finite number of cures wrought by Jicsus 
 " Christ, through the fertile and powcr- 
 ** ful virtue whofe fource was in himfclf." 
 
 When Roufleau tells us, ** Since the ma-. 
 '' gicians of Pharaoh worked the faaic mi- 
 ** racles, even in the prcfence of Moles, as 
 ** he himfelf performed by the exprefs com- 
 " mand of God ; why n^ght not they, in 
 ** his abfence, from the fame proofs pre- 
 *' tend to the fjime authority r" Let us alk, 
 Can any one make a more falfe and chimeri- 
 .cal fuppofition ? What foundation is there 
 for it ? Can he cite a fingle example, or fa(5V, 
 which any way tends to authorize it ? Cer- 
 tainly not one : Nor will he ever find that 
 God hath permitted the devil to perform falfe 
 miracles, and hath not, at the fame time, 
 oppofed the truth of his own, to confound 
 them. If God permits Pharaoh's magi- 
 cians to eifc(fl fome delufions, it i; to add 
 more luftre to the triumph of I. is fervant 
 Mofcs ; and if he fuffers them to contend 
 with his fervant, it is only that he may more 
 glorioufly overcome their artifices. Mofes, 
 R 3 afterwards. 
 
262 The T K V r H of the 
 
 afterwards, ftrikes them with horrible uU 
 csrs : They dare no longer appear before 
 him ; all their fagacity is confounded ; 
 all their deceptions are expofed , nor can 
 they, with all their art, fuccour ^Egypt, 
 or defend themfelves againil: the terrible 
 plagues wherewith Gop punifhes it. See 
 here an inftance of what will be the cafe, 
 if ever the Deity fhould permit the de- 
 ' vil to exhibit illufion, in countenance of er- 
 ror and fahhood. 
 
 But, granting Rouffeau all thefe falfe prq- 
 portions, muft he not flill be obliged to 
 combat every light which reafon affords, ere 
 he can frame a doubt whether the mira- 
 cles which prove the Chriftian Religion, 
 have God for their author? Do they not 
 bear every the moft ftriking charadler of di- 
 vinity ? And what was the end and defign of 
 them? — the overthrow of idolatry, and all 
 it's attendant abominations -, the abolifhment 
 of the worfliip of devils 5 the deftrudion 
 of their tyrannical empire over mankind • 
 the extindion of thofe innumerable errors 
 which have overfpread the enrth ; a vit5tory 
 over all thofe paffions which fubducd man 
 
 by 
 
Chrijiian Religion "Jndicated, 263 
 
 by degrading him ; and then, the eftablifh- 
 ment, upon all thefe ruins, of a morality the 
 moft holy and pure imaginable. After the 
 recital of atchievements, thus ftriking and 
 dccilive, can the infidel ftill make a qiief- 
 tion, whether the devil could have perform- 
 ed thofe miracles which confirm theChrifliaa 
 Religion ? 
 
 " Let any one, faid TertLillian, to the 
 Roman Senate, let any one bring before 
 your tribunals a man who is certainly 
 known to be poffefled of the devil j and 
 then let any Chriftian whomfoever com- 
 mand him to fpeak : The confequence 
 will be, that he will as truly confefs his 
 diabolical nature before this man, as he 
 hath been accuftomed to feign before 
 others faldy, that he is a God. More- 
 over, let any one of thofe perfons be brought 
 hither, of whom you infift that they 
 are informed with fome Dc-ity, who may 
 be inflated with a fpirit, which agitates 
 him fo foon as the fmoke of the facrifices 
 begins to afcend ; and may utter his ora- 
 cles by interrupted fobbings: Do this 3 and 
 ^ when you have fo done, if cither that 
 
 '' ccleflial 
 
264 ^he Truth of the 
 
 *' celeRial goddefs, who foretels rain ; or 
 *' iEfculapius, the father of medicine, or 
 '' all the gods together, donotconfefs them- 
 *' felves to be devils -, and that becaufe they 
 ^^ dare not lie to a Chriftlan j— then (hed thp 
 *• blood of that impudent Chriftian upon the 
 «' very fpot." *' Can I, continues Tertul- 
 " lian, give you a more evident or certain 
 '' proof, or llluflrate the truth wuth greater 
 *^ fm^plicity ? Here it appears in full fplen- 
 " dor, and here it is fheltered from every 
 '^ fliadow of fufpicion. You could not fure 
 *' pretend to call this an eifedt of magic ; 
 " or fufped: fuch an event to be an impof- 
 *^ ture or a cheat. How could any one op- 
 *^ pofe a truth fo clear and manifefl: ? By 
 «* this means your gods will not only dif-* 
 cover to you, that neither they nor any 
 others like them, are gods : But you will 
 aIfo,be forced, by the fame means, to ac- 
 knowledge Him who is the true God ? 
 Let them pronounce what Je-s us Christ 
 and his whole hiilory is ; whether he be 
 only a mere man like others ; or whether 
 he be only a magician ; whether after his 
 death his body was raifcd again from the 
 tomb ^ or whether it flill remains amongft 
 
 cc 
 
 <( 
 
 <c 
 
 <c 
 
 the 
 
ChrijVian Religion vindicated. 26$ 
 
 ■^ the dead. Will they dare deny that 
 ** he -is in heaven, and that he muft one 
 ** day defcend from thence, and fill all man- 
 " kind, true Chrillians excepted, with tcr- 
 *' ror and amazement, as being the Power, 
 *' the Wifdom, the Word, and the Son 
 *' of God? Rather let them, if they can, 
 *' clear themfelves from ignominy, and 
 *' condemnation 5 and let them juftify that 
 *' they are not fuch impious fpirits, as 
 *' with their followers ought to undergo all 
 •' the rigours of judgment, in juft punifh- 
 ** ment of their wickednefs," 
 
 *' They perceive the power and author!- 
 *' ty which the bare pronouncing the name 
 '* of Christ gives us over them: They 
 *' dread it, and are fubdued by his fervants. 
 '* So that at the leaft touch, or the flightell 
 ** breath, from the inflant of our command- 
 *' ing them -, you behold them forfake bo- 
 ** dies, all confufed, and full of rage and de- 
 '* fpair ; You, then, who believe them when 
 '* they utter fallliood, believe them alfo 
 ** when they fpeak the truth : No one lies to 
 <' his difadvantage, but with a view to his 
 '* profit s and we readily believe thofe who 
 
 *' make 
 
j66 "The Truth of the 
 
 *^ make confefTions contrary to their intereft: 
 " Such are thofe teflimonies which the gods 
 *^ of their own accord give, and which they 
 ■' are wont to bear to Chriftians : We can- 
 ** not give credit to them, without at the 
 ** fame time beheving in Jesus Christ; 
 *' They eftabhfh the Truth of our 
 *' Scriptures, and demonflrate the cer- 
 ** tainty of our hope/' Refpedlng thefe, 
 fcriptures we proceed to ipeak in our next, 
 
 DISSERTATION IV. 
 
 On the Scriptures. 
 
 N what we have offered hitherto, we 
 have fuppofed nothing divine in the 
 sacred Scriptures ; w^e have not re- 
 garded them as books infpired by God, 
 and containing his word : We have only 
 confidered them as books wherein hijiorical 
 truths mjght be fearched for and invefligat- 
 ed ; and wherein it may be known, whether 
 they are fiditious or weil founded ; whe- 
 ther the events they recite are fabulous or 
 true ; and v;/hether thofe who pals for their 
 authors, are really fucb. But after having, 
 hv means of the fufFra2:e and tradition , of 
 
Chrlflian Religion 'vindicated. 267 
 
 fo many people, proved the truth and cer- 
 tainty of ail thefe records, we muft draw 
 from thence the confequences, which are 
 the natural refult of our obfervations upon 
 them. 
 
 Now thefe books abound with the re- 
 cital of miracles, which were wrought by 
 the authors of them, to confirm the divinity 
 of their mifi'ion. Thofe authors everywhere 
 declare thcmfclves to be the meffcngers of 
 God, his oracles and prophets, and to be in- 
 fpired by him in whatever they pronounce ; 
 they protefl: to utter nothing but the truth, and 
 their miracles give them credit — I cannot 
 therefore regard thefe books as hijlorically 
 true, without, at the fame time, acknow- 
 ledging their divinity, the fandtity of their 
 authors, and the truth of their dodrine ; 
 nor without refpeding their words as the 
 words of God himfelf. 
 
 I afterwards exam.ine thefe fame books, 
 as to what they teach us concerning that 
 i()cicty which hath borne teftimony to them, 
 and I there find that Jesus Christ is it's 
 jnftitutor 3 his fpirit it's foul ; and that he 
 
 will 
 
26S 7l)eTRVTjf of the 
 
 will continue with it even unto the end 
 of time ; that he will never permit the 
 gates of hell to prevail againji it \ that this 
 fociety is the bafis and pillar of truth ; 
 that it's founder hath furnifhed it with 
 apoflles, prophets, evangelifts, paftors, and 
 teachers, (o as that we may not be tojjed about 
 'With every wind of doctrine, I there read 
 that whofoever (liall not hearken to it's pre^ 
 cepts, fhall be looked upon as an heathen 
 man and a publican. All thefe things, and 
 many other fuch, which are to be found in 
 thefe books, and which are acknowledged 
 as divine, oblige me, by confequence, to re- 
 gard this fociety as of a divine original. 
 
 I therefore cea:fe to look upon the church 
 as a fociety merely human : I behold it in- 
 vefled with a divine authority. I add then, 
 to that teftimony which it hath borne to 
 the fcriptures, as a fociety ancient as them- 
 felves, and founded upon them — another 
 teftimony of a more excellent nature, which 
 it bears to them as infallible, and the repo- 
 fitory of divine revelation. And thus, by a 
 necelTary confequence drawn from an argu- 
 ment which is widely diftant from a vicious 
 
 circle. 
 
Chrijiian Religion vindicated. 269 
 
 circle, the fcriptures and the church mutually 
 prove each other. 
 
 The perfedl correfpondence of reafon and 
 fcripture induces our fubmifiion to the 
 church's authority : — Reafon, bccaufe it 
 informs us, that we ought to refer ourfelves 
 to the teflimony of fo great a fociety as the 
 church, refpeding thofe fads which confti- 
 tute the divinity of our fcriptuaes : — and 
 thofe iiv^t fcriptures, becaufc, in the next 
 place they teach us, that the church is a 
 proper tribunal for the decifion of all points 
 belonging to revelation. We do not there- 
 fore, as RoulTeau pretends, prove that the 
 church hath a right of determination, be- 
 caufe it hath adjudged itfelf to have this 
 right ; but we previoufly fliew, that the 
 church was founded in order to determine 
 that it had this right ; and after having efta- 
 blifhed the foundation of it's decifion, that 
 fame decifion furni/lies us afterwards with a 
 new proof of it's right. 
 
 To render what I have been obferving 
 flill more obvious, it may be proper to make 
 ufc of a comparifon, which will ferve to 
 
 difiipatc 
 
270 The Truth of the 
 
 diflipate all the cunning devices of the un- 
 believer. In a civil ftate, the common- 
 weakh bears teftimony to the truth of the 
 laws, and afcertains their exiftence and au- 
 thenticity. Does any difpute happen re- 
 fpeding the nature, prerogatives, or confii- 
 tution of a ftate ? In this cafe the fociety, 
 which compofes that ftate, attefts the truth 
 of thofe laws upon which it is founded. 
 After being aflured therefore, by this irre- 
 fragable teftimony, of the certainty of thofe 
 laws, we may confult them, in order to learn 
 what are. the privileges of that fociety which 
 bears teftimony to them, and what ought 
 to be the form of it*s government. Apply 
 we this to the church. 
 
 The fcripture is that to the church which 
 the laws are to a ftate. As the ftate attefts 
 the authenticity of the laws of fociety, the 
 church in like manner attefts the authenti- 
 city and truth of the fcriptures. To know 
 the conftitutlon and prerogatives of the 
 ftate we have recourfe to the laws, after 
 being aflured of their exiftence by the tefti- 
 mony of that fociety whereof the ftate is 
 compofed. In the fame manner, to difcover 
 
 the 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated, 271 
 
 the rights and qualities of the church, we 
 confult the fcriptures, whole truth is war- 
 ranted to us by the tradition and teflimony 
 of that Ibciety which conflitutes the church. 
 In thefe archives of divine legiflature, we 
 learn, what the church is, and what are it's 
 proper prerogatives. This fociety doth not 
 give the fcriptures their authority -, nor doth 
 it imprint on thefe books that charader of 
 divinity wherewith they are inverted : It 
 only atteds the truth of the facts they re- 
 late ; and this truth demonftrates the divi- 
 nity of thefe books ; and confequently there 
 is no falfe argument in the manner whereby 
 we prove the divinity of the fcriptures, and 
 the authority of the church. Thefe two 
 teflimonies reciprocally borne by the fcrip- 
 tures, and the fociety which preferves thofe 
 fcriptures, are of a very different nature. 
 The evidence we make ufe of to prove to 
 the infidel the truth of the fcriptures, is not, 
 as indeed we have before obferved, of a 
 divine or fupernatural kind j it confifts Am- 
 ply of a public and perpetual tradition, at- 
 tefled by the whole body of the fociety, vi- 
 fible in all ages, and evidently reaching back 
 to die firfl origin of the fociety, and of the 
 
 fcriptures. 
 
^72 The T R u t h of the 
 
 fcriptures. But yet fuch a tradition is of in- 
 finite efficacy to eftabiifli the antiquity oY 
 the fcriptures, and their hiftorical truth, 
 from which their divine authority neceffari- 
 1}^ refults. The authority of thefe books 
 thus demonftrated, proves to us, in tlie next 
 place, the authority of the church, and 
 the right which it hath to decide in all 
 matters of religion. 
 
 The church's authority being once efta- 
 blifhed upon fuch folid foundations, all the 
 objections of Rouffeau, and thofe difficul- 
 ties which he endeavours to exaggerate and 
 magnify, prove abortive, and are demolifh- 
 ed, againft the immutability of that facred 
 ftru(5lure. Rouffeau was very fenlible of this ; 
 fince, as we proceed to take notice, he has not 
 attempted to depreciate this authority in our 
 opinion, but only to bring us back into thofe 
 various difficulties common to private feds : 
 Depart from tbis^ as he has told us, fpeak- 
 ingof tlie church's ^nihoniy ^ a7jd you run info 
 endlefs dfcujfions. But we will not depart 
 from it, becaufe, as we proceed to fhew, 
 our attachment to this authority is faiidly 
 founded. We are excufed, therefore, from 
 
 running 
 
Chriftian Retigkn vindicated, 273 
 
 fiinniivT Into all thofe difcuffions into which 
 RoulTcau fv^ems defirous to force us. 
 
 § II. From the time I am convinced of Commoa 
 the Church authority, I, as an unlearned "'f""'"/^ 
 
 ^ ' * relt in the 
 
 man, have no longer any need of that z;;?- authority 
 7nenfe erudition which PvOuiTeau judges ne- chriftian 
 ccllary, for the examination of the Chriflian <^h^^^^- 
 Religion : I have no need to go back to the 
 earlicj} antiqiut\\ to exa?niney iveigb^ and 
 conjf onty prophecies^ revelations^ and fa^ls, 
 loith all the records of faith 'which have made 
 their appearance in all the countries of the 
 nuorld : To afcertain their times ^ places, au- 
 thors, and occafons, I have no more need 
 of the vaft critical fagacit\\ which Rouflcau 
 deems requifite for every one, in order to 
 dijlinguifj pieces ivhich are authentic^ from 
 thofe which are fiBitious. To compare objec- 
 tions "ivith anfwers \ tranflations with their 
 originals ; to judge of the impartiality of 
 witncfjcs^ f their good fenfe, and oj their in- 
 telligence ; to know if 7iotbi?jg has been add- 
 ed to their te/limony ; // nothing hath been 
 changed, tranfpofcd^ or forged , to obviate the 
 contradi5lions which flitl remain ; to judge 
 ivhat weight the f.lence of our opponents ought 
 S to 
 
274 *^^'^ T R V T H of t/je 
 
 to have^ voitb refpeB to the fuels alledged 
 againjl them j to df cover ^whether thcfe alle- 
 gations were knoucn to them 3 whether they 
 did ?iQt difdaiti them too iniich to make any 
 reply to them -, whether thefe books were com-' 
 mon enough j or ours to reach them\ or if we 
 were honejl enough to let them have a free 
 circidation ainongjl us^ and to leave their 
 jlrongejl oLjeBions in full force. 
 
 All thefe difficulties, which are only 
 founded in artifice and infidehcy, and many 
 others, will no more impede me ; as foon 
 as I have difcovered the authority of the 
 church. I have found every thing in that. 
 This is a fl-jort path, which extricates me 
 from that labyrinth into which the infidel 
 would force me. I am dlfpenfed from en- 
 tering into all thofe horrible difcufjions v/here- 
 ia he would engage me : fince I have gain- 
 ed a knowledge of the means which will 
 dcHver me from them. 
 
 That authority on which I rely, has made 
 all the neceffary refearches and examinations 
 for me, and that much more furely and 
 exadly than 1 could have done : by relying 
 
 on 
 
CLrifiiiin Rt/igion vindicated, 275 
 
 on it's tcUiriiony, I recur huck to the earlieji 
 antiquity ; / examine, I ^iceig/j^ I conjront 
 prophecies^ revelations^ and Jaclsy luith all the 
 monuments of faith 'ichich have appeared i7i 
 all the countries of the world j becaufe this 
 authority has adlually done all thofe things-, 
 in all times, and that in fuch a manner as 
 leaves me in no doubt. Being conftantly 
 iubfifling, it afcertaim 7ne of their times^ 
 places^ authors^ and occafions-^ becaufe it hath 
 preferved the remembrance of them, by an 
 uninterrupted tradition. I have no more need 
 of a great critical fagacity, in order to didin- 
 guifh authentic pieces from thofe which are 
 fuppofititious i to know whether nothing be 
 fuppreffed or added, tranfpofed, changed, or 
 falfihed. The vigilance of the church, it's 
 fcrupulous attention, it's integrity, and even 
 the envy of it's enemies, v/ho would not 
 have failed publicly to cenfure any alteration 
 2nd interpolations, had it fufFcred any fuch i 
 the impolTibility there was of falfifying or 
 altering that multitude of copies which have 
 been made of thoic holy books from the 
 beginning, in all languages, and in every na- 
 tion of the world. Thefc circumftances 
 cafily difpel all my apprchenlions, and war- 
 
 S 2 rant 
 
276 The T R V r n of the 
 
 rant to me the perfedtnefs of the facred de- 
 pofit, with which it hath been intrufted. 
 
 The promifes of God to his church, and 
 the idea I have of his wifdom, will noi: per- 
 mit me to entertain the lead fufpicion of the 
 purity of all thofe records. What ! would 
 the omnifcient God have informed mankind 
 of his will 5 and would He have eftabliilied 
 a Religion, without confideringhow to main- 
 tain it afterwards ? Would he have judged 
 revelation neceffary, — and yet have neg- 
 leded the prefervation of it ? Would he 
 have fuffered an alteration in thofe records, 
 from v^hich he commands us to learn the 
 knowledge of him ? And would he have 
 permitted mankind to derive error and falfe- 
 hood from thofe v^ry fources wherein he 
 commands them to feek after the truth ? — 
 Had he fuffered that in thefe books which 
 he hath inverted with his whole authority, 
 by means of that teftimony which he haih 
 borne to them, that the truth fhould be 
 confounded with untruth, and his Divine 
 Word, mixed with the fiftions of men ; — 
 Would not this have been to draw us into 
 fnares, and lead our darkened minds intq 
 error ? 
 
 It 
 
Chnjlian Religion vindicated, ZJJ 
 
 It was eflcntially requifite therefore that 
 Divine Providence fhould take a particular 
 care of thcfe books, which his own Spirit 
 had di(ftatcd. By communicating revelation 
 he engaged to preferve it from all thofe de- 
 filements which it might have received either 
 from the frailty or malice of mankind. 
 
 ^. III. In order to fhew more plainly, p^^cern- 
 the extraordinary providence which God various 
 inceflantly grants to thofe facred books, ^^P^"^^^ 
 which Himfelf caufed to be written, let us ings of 
 caft our eyes over that multitude of copies, 
 and tranflations which have been made of 
 them at different periods. It is true we fhall 
 find in them fome variations -, but variations 
 which no way eflentially affedl the matters 
 they treat of. 
 
 Among all the verfions, all the different 
 texts, whatever they may be, the fame laws 
 rcfult from them, the fame miracles, the 
 fime predictions, the fame chain of hiflory, 
 the fame body of dodrinc ; in a word, the 
 Um^fubftcmce, Thus, v/hatcver is effcntial 
 in the facred volumes, hath ever remained 
 S 3 unalterable ; 
 
278 The Truth of the 
 
 unalterable : Thofe differences of texts, 
 which in other refpedts are quite unimpor- 
 tant, ferve but to fliew the great and vene- 
 rable antiquity of the facred originals. From 
 whence do they arife indeed, but from that 
 mukitude of copies which hath been made 
 of them in the courfe of fo many ages. From 
 an ignorance of the original language, which 
 ceafcd to be common ; from that change 
 wd:iich length of time hath produced in the 
 places where the Jewilli people refided; from 
 the obfcurity in which it hath involved the 
 ancient genealogies, whofe thread hath been 
 long loft ; or from the oblivion of dates and 
 fadts fo very remote, as to have efcaped the 
 memory of m.ankind ? It is the fame with 
 regard to the verfions. They prove, in the 
 next place, how ancient the language of 
 fcripture is, fince all their elegance is loft, 
 and we cannot give them their beauty and 
 force, with the utmofl: exaclnefs. The va- 
 rious readings in the text ftill further fliow 
 what religious refped has always been paid 
 to thefe facred books. People rather chofe 
 to ♦^ive them fuch as they found them, than 
 to take the liberty of changing or correfling 
 in them what might tend to embarrafs. In 
 
 all 
 
Chrijlian "ReViglon vindicated. 279 
 
 all the places which may pofiibly raife a dlf- 
 iiculty, or make the i^nic obfcDrc, no one 
 has ever ventured to rcflore a fingle cxprcf- 
 fion, by reafon or conjedurc. Tliey have 
 ever exadly followed the Jh it /j of the co- 
 pies ; and as the immutable nature of tra- 
 dition has never permitted wholefome doc- 
 trine to be altered ; fo it has been reafonably 
 apprehended, that other defers, if any re- 
 mained, would ferve only to prove that no 
 one hath altered any thing out of his own 
 fancy. Shall the variance of feme few texts 
 be able after this, to prejudice the divinity 
 of thefe holy books? And hath not Divine 
 Providence done every thing in their behalf, 
 which we could defire, by prcferving the 
 ground and fubftance of them unalterable ? 
 
 All thefe reafons may fuffice to anfucr 
 Roufleau's inquiry, '' who fhall affure me 
 ** that thefe books are faithfully tranflated, 
 '' or that it is even pofiible they fliould be 
 ** fo r ^'* Nothing more is requifite in or- 
 der to evince the faithfulnefs of thefe tran- 
 flations than their entire conformity with 
 
 • Vol. III. p. 163. 
 
 S 4 each 
 
2 8o The Truth of the 
 
 each other, in regard to fandamentals. From 
 whence, let us aik, can this conformity pro- 
 ceed, unlefs from that refemblance which 
 they all bear, in this relped:, to the origi- 
 nal, their common fource ? In fliort, the au- 
 thority of the church, which can only ad- 
 mit of fuch tranflations as are faithful in 
 point of fubftance, is to us a fure warrant 
 for the faithfulnefs of all thofe which it au- 
 thorizes and approves. 
 
 With the affiftance, and under the fanc« 
 tion, of fuch an authority, what need is there 
 of making any flop at all at, thofe frivo- 
 lous details of difficulties which Rouffeau is 
 pleafed to throw together, in order to puzzle 
 the minds of his readers? Ought I to give 
 myfelf the trouble of judging what weight 
 the filence of opponents ought to have, with 
 regard to fads alledged againft them ? And 
 belides, Can one doubt whether all thofe 
 allegations were known to them ? Have 
 they not themfelves made mention of them ? 
 Nay, have they not given them an additional 
 weight, by that teftimony which demon- 
 ;?.ration has extorted fiom them ? " I am 
 
 ** not 
 
Chrijlian Religion "cindicated. aSi 
 
 *' not now to leek, lays Celfus *, (fpeak- 
 *' ing of the Chriftians) I am not now to 
 " feek what they think : For I have fully 
 '* known and dilcovered all thele matters." 
 Non quod Jcire quceram quid fenti ant nam 
 cmnia 7iovi, — Celfus does not contend with 
 the Chriftians concerning the truth of the 
 fadts which they maintain ; on the contra- 
 ry, the very manner wherein he endeavours 
 to explain them, tends only to give them a 
 further degree of evidence. Julian the apo- 
 ihte, who alfo was not ignorant of the 
 Chriftian Religion, nor omitted any thing 
 which might ferve to decry it, hath, in like 
 manner, never dared to charge thefe fads 
 or the records which contain the relation of 
 them, with forgery. So that their veracity 
 becomes fortified as much by the unanimous 
 ronfent of thole who believe, as by that of 
 Pagans and heretics. But befides all this ; 
 Do the confequences deduciblc from thefe 
 fads any way depend upon the knowledge 
 which the ^verfaries of the Chriftian Reli- 
 gion may have of them ? May not they, indc- 
 p -n.lently of their tellimony, have all ncccl- 
 
 * Apud originera. 
 
 fary 
 
2^^ 7he Truth of the 
 
 fary certainty ? Are not thefc fads of them- 
 felves convincing and decifive? — What fine 
 criticifm ! To render fads demonftrative, it 
 as neceiTary that their opponents fhould have 
 been known, combatted, and refuted ; and 
 that we alfo know whatever they may have 
 had to urge againft their evidence. Now is 
 * not this an excellent method of reafoning ? 
 
 Are not the atteftation of thofe who faw 
 them, and of the many people who have 
 believed them, together with the conftant 
 and univerfal tradition which hath perpetu- 
 ated the memory of them, fufficient to ren- 
 der them indubitable ? What if thefe fads 
 had fubdued the minds of all mankind, and 
 had not afterwards fufFered a fingle adverfa- 
 ry, would it then have been neceffary to ceafe 
 from giving credit to them ? What various 
 oppofitions have not thefe fads filenced ? 
 How many men have not they attraded to 
 the Chriftian Religion, who before were it's 
 implacable enemies ? Is not the teflimony of 
 thofe men, who were impelled and conquer- 
 ed, by mere evidence alone, far more power- 
 ful than the refiftance of thofe others, who, 
 like Rouffeau, never have any thing to op- 
 
 fof: 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicate J. 2%^ 
 
 pofc to llich extraordinary proofs, but low 
 abufc, unniaDly calumnies, and malevolent 
 cavilti ? 
 
 §. IV. Who can have a doubt, whetlier ? •^' ^^^' 
 our books have been fufficiently common, known 
 fo as that they might have been known to ^^ 
 the whole world ? The multitude of copies 
 and tranflations, which, from the beginning 
 has been made of them, rendered the know- 
 ledge and reading of them eafy to every one; 
 Thus have not Celfus, Porphyry, and Ju- 
 lian, made ufe of them, in their books againft 
 the Chriftians ? Thefe records of our Reli- 
 gion have been made public throughout the 
 whole earth. The circumftances of times, 
 perfons, and places, have made the exami- 
 nation of them eafy to every reader. The 
 world hath been informed ; the world hath 
 believed : and if we never fo (lightly confi- 
 der the manner in which the Chriftian Re- 
 ligion was fprcad abroad, and got into repu- 
 tation, are we not forced to grant, that no 
 bufinefs was ever tranfa<fled with greater 
 maturity of deliberation, and more precau- 
 tion, with fuller knowledge, or on deeper 
 reflexion. 
 
 RoufTcau 
 
^^4 "^he Truth of the 
 
 Rouffeau doubts whether^ in the books of 
 our adverfaries, we were honeji enough to 
 leave their Jirongeji objeBions in their full 
 force. He is fenlible that all the objections 
 which ffill fabfift againft the Chriftian Reli- 
 gion, are net weighty and adequate enough ; 
 and therefore, to indulge his infidelity, he 
 chufes to fancy that there have been fome 
 fuch heretofore, which were ftronger, and 
 which therefore we have fecretly retrench- 
 ed : But upon what ground does he fuppofe 
 this ? In order to impugn the honefty of the 
 Chriftian church, was it not neceffary to have 
 in hand fome proofs of fo heavy and injuri- 
 ous an accufation ? Certainly it was neceffary 
 to find out fome ancient author, who had 
 complained of the fraud pretended, and to 
 be able to produce an original of thofe works, 
 where one might meet with thofe confider- 
 able objections, which had been fuppreffed in 
 the copies. But without any proofs at all, 
 without the flighteft probable evidence, to 
 ftart fuch a fufpicion againft a fociety, which 
 hath given fo many tokens of it's candour 
 and fincerity ; what licentious bolclnefs is 
 this? What could the Chriftian Religion 
 
 have 
 
Chrijllan Religion vindicated. 285 
 
 have been the better for fupprelTing the ob- 
 jcdions of it's adverfaries ? The infidel, al- 
 ways upon the look out, would not have 
 failed to repair and prelerve, on his fide of 
 the argument, whatever that church might 
 have wiflied to deflroy, in aid of it's own. 
 Befides, what intereft could the Chrifrian 
 Religion have for acting in this manner ? 
 Hath that Religion, which always defied it's 
 adverfaries, and incited them to the combat, 
 ever fliewn a fear of their objeclions ? And 
 was it not for it's advantage to fufFer them 
 to exift ? They were as fo many monument^; 
 of it's victories and triumph ; and, as ijideed 
 it hath always proved, whatever objedlions 
 may be raifed againfl it, will ever redound 
 to it's glory, and the confufion of infidelity. 
 
 RoufTeau clearly fliows us, he hath no- 
 thing folid to allcdge againfl the Chrillian 
 Religion : He fancies himfelf very flrong in 
 argument, when he has flarted a variety of 
 doubts refpedting points which carry with 
 them the falleft evidence, and laboured to 
 fprcad an extravagant fcepticifm over the 
 moft certain facls. ]]ut let him, as much 
 as he will, muUiply the cavils and diHicul- 
 
 tics 
 
286 The T RV TH of t/oe 
 
 ties which he afTembles together againft them 
 from all parts : The believer, fully convinc- 
 ed of the church's authority, which we have 
 demon ftra ted, will give himfelf no trouble 
 about them ; and even though his capacity 
 fhould not enable him to refolve them, his 
 faith would be always fufficienily firm to 
 hold them in derifion. 
 
 It is in that brief view only that we have 
 confidered the S. S. not defigning to enter 
 into a minute difcuffion of them ; Thcfe 
 who are defirous of doing fo, may find in 
 Dr. Hartley's Obfervations on Man, Vol. II. 
 fufficient to afford them ample fatisfadlion. 
 
 DISSERTATION V. 
 
 The Moral Character of Jesus 
 Christ compared with that of So- 
 c R AT E s. 
 
 Intro- §. I. A MONGST the various evi- 
 dudion. jL\, dences to prove the truth and 
 
 divinity of our holy Religion, that taken 
 from the moral charadler of Jesus Christ 
 is, perhaps, not the leaft cogent. Indeed it 
 cannot but raife our furprize to think that 
 
 any 
 
Chriflian Religiofi "vindicated. 2S7 
 
 any rational being can contemplate this cha- 
 radter, without wonder, adoration, and 
 love : a charadler manifeftly fuperior to all 
 others, whether real or fidlitious ; whether 
 drawn by the faithful hand of the hiftorian, 
 or by the more flattering pencil of the ora- 
 tor or poet. 
 
 Deifts and unbelievers are fond of exalt- 
 ing the charader of Socrates, and of 
 comparing him with, or preferring him to, 
 Jesus Christ. We are very willing to 
 pay all due honour to the merit of Socrates, 
 perhaps more than fome difparagers of re- 
 velation may approve : We will readily 
 grant him to have been one of the bed and 
 wifeft of the heathen fagcs * ; but, confi- 
 dered in every view, and with the moft 
 partial eye, he falls, and mufl neceffarily 
 fall infinitely fl:)ort of that divine Redeemer, 
 who was the confummate pattern of all per- 
 fedion. 
 
 * Sec Revelation examined with candor. Vol. III. p. 
 
 2. 
 
 Let 
 
288 ilje Truth of the 
 
 Let us hear what Rouffeau has to fay 
 
 upon the fubjedl. *' With regard to reve- 
 
 ' lation, fays he, could I reafon better, or 
 
 ' were I better informed, I might be made 
 
 ' fenfible^ perhaps, of it's truth, and of it's 
 
 * utility to thofe who are fo happy as to 
 ' believe it ^ but, if there are fome proofs 
 
 * in it's favour, which I am not able to in- 
 ' validate, there appear alfo to me many 
 
 *' objedions againft it which I cannot re- 
 *' folve." In anfwer to this let us remark, 
 that if there a^e proofs in favour of a fadl 
 which cannot be invalidated ; and if the na- 
 ture of that fa6l is fuch, as to render ob- 
 jedions to it very natural and probable - 
 ought not every reafonable man to filence 
 his objedtions, and to receive the fad: upon 
 proofs which cannot be invalidated ? — 
 
 RoufTeau's §. II. He goes on — '' I will confefs further, 
 
 to theTx"- *' ^^^^ ^^^^ majcfty of the fcriptures firikes 
 
 celicncy « nig with admiration ; — as the purity of 
 
 * *' the gofpel hath it's influence on fny heart. 
 
 " Perufe the works of the philofophers, 
 
 ** with all their pomp of didion ; how 
 
 *' mean, how contemptible are they, com- 
 
 ** pared 
 
Chriflian Religion vindicated. 289 
 
 *' pared with the fcriptnre ! Is it poflible 
 *• that a book, at once io fimple and fo fub- 
 *' ftine, fliould be merely the work of man? 
 ** — Is it poflible that the H^crcd pcrfonagc 
 " whofe hiilory it contains, fliould be him- 
 ** felf a mere man ? Do we find that lie af- 
 *' famed the tone of an cnthufiaft, or anibi- 
 
 tioLis fc(flary ? — What fweetnefs, what 
 ** purity in his manners ! What an affcdiing 
 *^ gracefulnefs in Ins delivery ! What fab- 
 ** limity in his maxims! Wliat profound 
 ** wifdom in his difcourfe ! What prefencc 
 ** of mind, what fiigacity, what truth in 
 ** his replies ! How great a command over 
 ** his palTions ! — Where is the man, where 
 *' the philofopher, who could fo live and fo 
 *' die, v/ithout weaknefs, and without ollcn- 
 *' tation ? — When Plato defcribed his ima- 
 *' ginary good man, loaded with all the 
 ** Ihame of guilt, yet meriting the higheft 
 *' rewards of virtue ; he defcribed exaftly 
 *' the charai^er of Jesus Christ*. The 
 *' refemblancc was fo flriking that all the 
 
 fathers perceived it." 
 
 • Sec SpenS Plato. 
 
 t< 
 
 <f 
 
290 ^he Truth of the 
 
 Now let us ftand ftiU awhile, and aflc^ 
 whether it Were poflible to conceive that 
 thefe words could proceed from the mouth 
 of a profeffed unbeliever ? — To conceive, 
 that a man who ufes fuch language, fhould 
 immediately declare himfelf againft revela- 
 tion, and, in the gaiety of his heart, plunge 
 into the very depths of fcepticifm ? This is 
 a contradicflion without parallel ; and one 
 might believe without injuftice, that a hand 
 no lefs eloquent than Rouffeau*s, had inter- 
 polated this and the paffage next quoted, in 
 defence of revealed Religion, againft a pro- 
 feffion of faith diredly to the contrary. 
 
 " What prepofleflion, fays he, what blind- 
 *' nefs muft it be, to compare the ion of 
 Sophronifcus with thefon of Mary ? What 
 an infinite difproportion is there between 
 them ! Socrates, dying without pain or 
 ignominy, eafily fupported his charafter 
 to the laft 5 and if his death, however 
 cafy, had not crowned his life, it might 
 have been doubted whether Socrates, with 
 all his wifdom, was any thing more than 
 a vain fuphift. He invented, it is faid, 
 
 '' the 
 
Chriftim Religion "oindicattd, 291 
 
 *f the theory of morals ; others, howevef, 
 *' had before put them in pradlice. He had 
 ** only to fay, what they had done ; and 
 *' reduce their examples to precepts. Ari- 
 *' Aides had been juft, before Socrates de*- 
 *' fined juilice : Leonidas gave up his life 
 '* for his country, before Socrates declared 
 ** patriotifm to be a duty. The Spartans 
 were a fober people, before Socrates re- 
 commended fobriety ; before he had even 
 defined virtue, Greece abounded in virtu- 
 ous men. But where could "Jefus learn 
 among his compatriots, that pure and 
 fublime moraUty, of which he only hath 
 given us both precept and example ? The 
 greatcft Vvifdom was made known amidft 
 " the moll: bigottcd fanaticifm ; and the 
 */ fimplicity of the molt heroic virtues did 
 ** honour to the vileil people of the earth. — 
 ** The deatii of Socrates^ peaceably philo- 
 " fophifing with his friends, appears the 
 ** mod: agreeable that could be wifiicd for: 
 ^* That of jr/z/j, expiring in the midft of 
 *' agonizing pains, abufed, infultcd, curfcd 
 '* by a whole nation, is the mod horrible 
 ** that could be feared. Socrates^ in re- 
 " cciving tlie cup of poifon, blcffcd indeed 
 T 2 «* the 
 
292 "The Truth of the 
 
 *' the weeping executioner who adminiller- 
 *' ed it ^ but Jefus, in the midft of excru- 
 *^ ciating tortures prayed for his mercilefs 
 " tormenters. Yes : If the life and death 
 '^ of Socrates are thofe of a fage, the life 
 ^' snd death of Jefus are thofe of a God. 
 *' Shall we fuppofe the evangelical hiftory a 
 *^ mere fi(fl:ion ? Indeed it bears not the 
 '' marks of ficflion : On the eont?'arx, the 
 *' kijlory of Socrates^ which no body prefumes 
 *' to doubt ^ is not fo well attefed as that of 
 *' Jefus Chrijl. Such a fuppofition in- fad 
 *' only {hlfts the difficulty, without remov- 
 *' ing it : It is more inconceivable that a 
 " number of perfons fliould agree to write 
 *' fuch an hiftory, than that one only fhould 
 ** furnifh the fabjed: of it. The Jewifli au- 
 *^ thors were incapable of the did:ion, and 
 *' ftrangers to the morality contained in the 
 " gbfpel ; the marks of whofe truth are fo 
 *' grand, fo ftriking, fo perfedtly inimitable, 
 *^ that the inventor would be a more afto- 
 *' nifliing character than the hero." 
 
 Now, can any words be more juft, and 
 more eloquent, than thefe, or contain a ful- 
 ler apology for revealed Religion, *' the 
 
 *' marka 
 
Chriftlan ReligioJi '"cimlicated, 
 ** marks of-whofe truth, as he obfervcs, arc 
 '' lb grand, io ftriking, fo pcrfedly in- 
 *' imitablc, tliat the inventor would be a 
 *^ more aftonirnins; characler than the hero?'' 
 Is it poffible for tlie lame fountain to fend 
 forth fwcet waters and bitter, — that which 
 empoifons, and that which gives hfe ? — > 
 Well fiid an elegant writer ^, that *' Con- 
 *' tradidions are an accident infeparable 
 *' from the malady called error,'* For 
 what can be more contradidory than for 
 the -writer, who has delivered what we have 
 juft repeated, to continue fiying, in the fame 
 breath, that that gofpel, whofe marks of 
 truth are fo flriking, inimitable and invin- 
 cible, *' abounds with fuch circumftance? 
 ^' and relations, as it is impoffible for a man 
 **' of fcnfe either to conceive or admit r" 
 — Yet he hath faid above, that '' the hiflo- 
 *' ry of Socrates, which no body prefumes 
 *• to doubt, is not fo well atteiled as that of 
 " Jesus Christ." — How then can any 
 man prefume to doubt that hiftory of Jesus 
 CiiK 1ST, when he has ftronger evidence to 
 believe [r, than he has to believe that of 
 
 • Eifhop BofTuet. 
 
 T 3 Socrates, 
 
 r.9 
 
29^ The T R V r H of the 
 
 Socrates, which no body prefumes to doubt f 
 — How fimple is truth - — how inconfiftcnt 
 and confufed are falfhood and error] 
 
 Rouffeau grants there is '* an infinite dlf- 
 '' proportion between Jesus Christ and 
 ^* Socrates.'* After tjiis confeffion we may 
 hope, no infidel will prefume to draw a 
 parallel between them : None but the ene- 
 mies of revelation would prefume to draw a 
 parallej : Such will readily aljow all imagi- 
 nable virtues to Christ, rather than grant 
 him the charadler of (jOD made man to re- 
 deem the human race : They will 'readily 
 grant that Socrates is inferior to Jesus 
 Christ, provided we will difpenfe with 
 the adoration of the divine and human na- 
 ture in the unity of his perfon. But all: 
 their praife is blafphemy, fo long as they 
 confider and fpeak of Jesus as a mere man ; 
 thus robbing him of his divinity, and de- 
 Aroying, at the fame firoke, ail the facred 
 myfterie?3 and, by conftquence, all the true 
 Religion which Jesus Christ came to 
 teach. ' ..... 
 
 §. III. How 
 
Chnjlian Rdigkn 'vindicated. 295 
 
 ^.III. However, to flicw the infinite fupe- Moral 
 riority of the charafter of Jesus Christ iOo{]i^x.i 
 that ofSocrates, and of all others; kt usawhik ^'"'^^^^• 
 forget the augiift qualities of the Messiah, 
 and only confider what appears at firft view 
 in that book, which contains the hiflory of 
 his life. 
 
 Have we ever feen or heard of, upon 
 earth, any man in whom we might difcera 
 fuch characters of innocence and holinefs ; 
 fuch contempt and indifference for the 
 world ; fuch love of virtue ; fuch zeal for 
 the glory of God, as difcovered themfclves 
 in Jesus Christ? Have we ever feen a 
 man io totally exempt from all the foibles 
 infeparable from human nature ? Can the 
 eye of prejudice itfelf difcera thefe vir- 
 tues in the fon of Sophroaifcus ? Abfolutely 
 undeceived, as he was with refpcdl to the 
 Pagan fables, and convinced of the futility 
 of their worfliip, did he not continue to fa- 
 crifice to the heathen Gods, as well in pub* 
 lie as private? Did he not approve the oracle 
 of Dclphos, which ordered him with the 
 true voice of a daniion, to conform himfclf 
 
 T 4 to 
 
296 'The Truth cf the 
 
 to the Idolatrous w£)r{liip eftablidied in every 
 place ? — Did llich a condu6t fliew much 
 contempt and indifference for the world, or 
 much zeal and love for the truth ? Doth 
 not Socrates, in his lafl: moments, when he 
 boafted himfelf fo ftrong, and fo fuperior to 
 his fate, doth he not rather fpeak like a man 
 who Vv'ifhed for, than like a fage who was in- 
 timately perfuaded and aillired of immorta- 
 lity? After having endeavoured to convince 
 his friends in the prifoU; one plainly difcerns 
 that he is not fully convinced himfelf. He 
 finlihes his difcourfe with doubts, and all his 
 reafonings only end in averting from his 
 mind the dread and the image of death. See 
 then, if this philofopher, *' who penetrated, 
 " as they fay, into the bofom of the Deity, 
 ^' who difcerned fo many ufeful truths, and 
 *^ practiced all the virtues," if he made one 
 of his apologifts believe. Dying he facri- 
 ficed a cock to the God ^Efculapius — a com- 
 mendable ceremony only, fay his apologifts, 
 which the popular Religion required : What 
 
 ^ fincerity was this, or rather, what weaknefs! 
 
 If he believed that Religion true, there is an 
 end cf his reputation 3 if he believed and 
 
 knew 
 
Chriflian Religion "^indicated. 297 
 
 knew it to be faife, whut becomes of his fin- 
 ceiity and veneration for God and truth ? 
 
 Turn your eye's hence upon the author of 
 the Chrillian RcHgion, and regard no more 
 fo facrilegious a parallel. Not a word of 
 deceit ever falls from the lips of Jesus: 
 From his birth he was holy and undefiled, 
 without fpot, fcparate from finners : Perfed: 
 innocence, purity of manners, temperance, 
 juftice, meeknefs, goodnefs, difinterelled- 
 nefs, patience carried to the higheft degree, 
 and, above all, an entire devotion to God, 
 an ardent zed, and ready fuffering for the 
 faivicion of men, — thefe are the flriking 
 traits which compofc the picture of the 
 bkiTjd Emmanuel. 
 
 With morals fo pure he affumed not any 
 extreme feverity : He was not of a morofe 
 and auftere carriage : We find him at wed- 
 dings to which he was invited : We meet 
 him at feafls with different perfons ; good 
 phyfician, he never fliunned the fick where- 
 cver they might be found. Studious of oc- 
 cifions to do vv'cll, fpite of the cenfure of 
 the haughty Pharifcc? ! There never ap- 
 peared 
 
t^9 The Truth cf the 
 
 pearcd in him the leaft trace of ambition ; 
 the leaft appearance of oftentation : He 
 ipoke, and he lived in perfe(fl difdain of 
 riches : He paid no particular deference to 
 the great : He cenfured equally, and equal- 
 ly rebuked, Sadducees,Pharifees, and Scribes, 
 — without endeavouring to pleale one more 
 than ajiother. He took particular care not 
 to foment the divifions which he found 
 amongft the people : His firfl difcourfe on 
 the Mount tended to calm their fplrits, and 
 to pronounce happinefs on the peaceable : 
 He declared that it was our duty to render 
 to Caefar the things which are Casfar*s, and 
 to God the things which are God's. He 
 difpelled from the minds of his difciples 
 every idea of power and dominion : He 
 abafed himfelf fo far, as even to wafh their 
 feet ; thus giving them the fineft leffon of 
 humility : He reprelTed the zeal of Petery 
 and voluntarily furrendered himfelf up to 
 thofe who came to apprehend him. 
 
 Jesus Christ is the great teacher of 
 love by his own example j humane, com- 
 paflionate : His heart was animated with an 
 ^niverfal benevolence v/ortliy the Saviour of 
 
 maijkind. 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated. ;S99 
 
 pnankind. To cure the fick, to comfort the 
 afBided, to inflrudl the ignorant, to rehevc 
 tjie unfortunate, to go from place to place 
 doing good, to preach the gofpel to the 
 poor — fee his only occupation ! His mi- 
 racles were not lefs adls of power than of 
 bounty. He converfed with finners, and 
 invited them to repentance. He healed their 
 bodies to perfecfl a better cure upon their 
 minds. His love embraced all ; Samaritan^ 
 Jew, infidel, and believer. Diffembling hy- 
 pocrites only obtained from him the feverity 
 of cenfure. 
 
 He was mijd, and ready to pardon : Whea 
 his difciples would have caufed fire to fall 
 down upon a village which refuied to re- 
 ceive him, he reprefled their rage, and faid, 
 Te know not what manner of fpirit ye are of. 
 He was moved with compaffion, and flied 
 melting drops of pity over the ungrateful 
 Jerufalcm. He kiflied the traytor Judas, to 
 make him reflecl upon himfelf — a traytor, 
 who would not be moved by fuch behavi- 
 our! No complaints or invedives were heard 
 from him againlt his judges : filent when 
 the (oldiers treated him fliam-efully, he fuf- 
 
 fered 
 
300 ^he Truth of the 
 
 fered himfelf to be led as a lamb to the 
 (laughter. Without complaint he endured 
 a dolorous punifhment ; with his laft breath 
 praying for his inhuman murderers! 
 
 Yet was he not infenfible : he felt all the 
 injuftice and barbarity of his enemies ; My 
 Father I if it be pojjible let this cup pafs from 
 me, — He did not brave death : he refigned 
 himfelf to it. He endeavoured not with 
 proud courage to fave himfelf from ignomi- 
 ny : he died with humility, fubmitting him- 
 felf to the will of God : he died with love, 
 regarding the good which his death was to 
 procure for men. The more we refled: upon 
 the circumftances of his death, the more we 
 difcern every character of humble innocence 
 joined with true magnanimity; and, to fpeak 
 humanly, w^ithout any regard to the itdiu 
 ments which faith infpires, ** nothing fo' 
 *^ grand and beautiful, fo fublime and afifed:- 
 *' ing, was ever feen, as the death of Jesus 
 '' Christ." 
 
 The- dec- ^^ IV. If we pafs to his dodrine, — what 
 
 trine or 
 
 Christ, wifdom, what holinefs, what fublimity \ 
 ^nd the ^ji jg worthy the mofl exalted reafon, and 
 
 prepara- j * 
 
 tion for the 
 
 liis ccra- 
 
Chrijlian Religion "jhidicated, 30 j 
 
 the foundeft: philofophy. All is proportion- 
 ed to the miferies and the excellence of man. 
 Nothing is equal to the goodnefs of his mi- 
 niftry. He declared that he came to deliver 
 men from death eternal, to make them of 
 enemies, children of God ; to open to them 
 the doors of heaven, and to infurc them the 
 poflefljon. He brought to them the know- 
 ledge of falvation, and the dodrine of truth. 
 He nouriflied us from his own body ; he 
 waflied us from the defilement of our fin?, 
 by applying to us the price of his own blood. 
 In one word, he affured us, that he is our* 
 way, our truth, our life, our righteoufnels, 
 our redemption : — " Happy they who fo 
 *' embrace and receive him." 
 
 But if his life, and his dodlrine, prove 
 his divinity to us, all that which preceded 
 permits us not to doubt of it. Indeed he 
 was foretold and promifed to mankind from 
 the very beginning of the world. From the 
 moment Adam fell, he was declared the fu- 
 ture Redeemer. Through all the following 
 a^es, God, if we may be allowed the ex- 
 predion, appeared chicfiy employed in pre- 
 paring men for his coming. The circum- 
 
 ftances 
 
fo2 The T^v TVL of the 
 
 flahccs by which Jesus Christ was fore- 
 told, are again more wonderful even tha;i 
 the predidtions themfelves. He was foretold 
 by an whole people, feparated for that end 
 by God from the reft of the world ; an- 
 nounced, during the fpace of four thoufand 
 years, by a long train of prophets, figured 
 out by all the ceremonies of the law, ex- 
 pedled by all the juft, and (hewn afar oiF, 
 throughout all ages. This mighty prepara- 
 tion was not for any particular or private 
 event : it was to introduce the bleffed re- 
 fource of a fallen and condemned world, the 
 ialvation of Ifrael, the legiflator of all people^ 
 the light of all nations. 
 
 To the celebrity of the prophecies add 
 that of his miracles and mighty works, and 
 you will fee that his divinity fhines alike 
 brightly tTiroughout all. We may obferve,^ 
 that in the ages preceding there appeared 
 upon earth extraordinary men, whom the 
 Lord feems to have made depofitaries of his 
 virtue and omnipotence > but when we ac- 
 curately confider them, all thefe diftinguifh- 
 ed perfons carry with them, even in their 
 very power, the marks of dependance and 
 
 wea'knefcV 
 
Chrifiian Religion 'Dindicated. 303 
 
 weaknefs. Jesus Christ, on the con- 
 trary, performed all his grand and aflonifh- 
 ing works with an omnipotent facility, and 
 a fovereign indcpendancc. 
 
 §. V. But farther, can any one cafl his The life 
 eves upon the wonderful circumftances of^"^,^^^^^ 
 the life of Christ, without being dazzled Chmst. 
 with that fplendor of divinity which accom- 
 panies them ? Conceived by the operation of 
 the moft High, he is born of a pure virgin : 
 fcarcely is he born, but the angelic hofta 
 make the air refound with fongs of Joy, and 
 inform us, that this birth briags glory to 
 God, and peace to men. Soon after, a new 
 ftar conducts to his humble cradle wife men 
 from the utmoft parrs of the eaft; a jufi: 
 and holy v/oman prophetically declares in 
 the temple the facred infant's future great- 
 nefs : the affembled dodlors behold with fur- 
 prize his infancy more iage and intelligent 
 than the wifdom of ancient men. In pro- 
 portion, as he advances in age, his glory un- 
 folds itfclf ; John the Baptilt (the greateft 
 of thofe born of women) humbles himfelf 
 before him ; heaven opens over his head ; 
 the Almighty Father pronounces him his 
 
 well- 
 
204 ^^^ T R u T H of the 
 
 well-beloved Son, and propofes him as the 
 living and eternal Law, commanding all 
 men to hearken to his inflrudions. If from 
 ^abor we pafs on to Cahar\\ that place 
 where he was to complete all the ignominy 
 of the fon of man, becomes the theatre of 
 his honour : all nature, in diforder, acknow- 
 ledges him there her author, and confefles 
 his divinity : three days after he rifes from 
 the deadj not by any extraneous power, nor 
 to die again liie other men ; but through 
 his own might, and from henceforth to pof- 
 fefs a hfe immortal. Finally, he afcends td 
 heaven — no chariot of fire, in a moment, 
 tranfports him from view ; he raifes him- 
 felf with majefly ; the angels go in triumph 
 before him, angels which promife him again 
 to the earth, furrounded with glory, and all 
 the dreadful pomp of future and trefnendous 
 judgment ! 
 
 Now, who can fail to difcern in thefe 
 brief and imperfecl: traces, the God of hea- 
 ven, — the God who, after having con- 
 verfed with men, to refcue them from their 
 error and mifery, departs, to reaffume the 
 poffeffion of his glory ? Can we make the 
 
 fmalleft 
 
Chrijlian Religion 'uindicafed, 305 
 
 fmallefl: reflexion upon this lliort fketch of 
 the God-man, the adorable Emmanuel, 
 without repeating with pleafure, and with 
 much confidence, thofe fine words of Rouf- 
 feau, ** If the life and death of Socrates are 
 *' thofe of a fage, the hfe and death of Jesus 
 *' are thofe of a God : — his gojpel hatli 
 *' marks of truth, fo grand, fo ftriking, ib 
 ** perfedlly inimitable, that the inventor 
 " would be a more aftoniflnng character 
 " than the hero." Eloquent words, which 
 one cannot repeat without having at the 
 fime time a horror at the fcepticifm, which 
 immediately follows them, aiid at the con- 
 tradictions which are infcparable from it. 
 
 §. VI. Bat further let us remark, that The dlf- 
 as the mafters were difl'erent, fo were the^P^^^'^^^ 
 fcholars : from whom, by the way, further and So- 
 arguments may be deduced in proof of' 
 the fuperlative excellence of the Religion 
 of Christ. Socrates, it is true, had 
 many for his difciples and followers ; fome 
 who have done him the higheft credit : but 
 not one amongft them, who was willing to 
 die for his mailer, and in attcftation of the 
 truths he taught. Mark the mighty differ- 
 U cncc ! 
 
 cratci, 
 
3c6 ' The Truth of the 
 
 ence ! Jksus had for his difciples thofc wha 
 maintained his principles even unto death : 
 thole who could not be fuppreffed by all the 
 threats, and all the panifhments of men, nor 
 detained by the ftrong prejudices wherein 
 they had been brought up. Nor were thofe 
 the immediate followers of Christ -, the 
 eye-witnefles only of his power and good- 
 nefs. This teftin^iony continued to be given 
 through fucceffive ages — given, not by the 
 mean and the unlearned only, but by men 
 of the firft credit, and the firft abilities — 
 the Ignatiufes, the Polycarps, the Juftins, 
 the Irenaeufes, the Cyprians, men of as much 
 knowledge as virtue, are reckoned among 
 the martyrs of Jesus Christ. They bor- 
 dered feveral of them upon the apoftolic 
 times, and confequently were well able to 
 inform themfelves of the truth of that wdiich 
 they fo folemnly and forcibly attefled. They 
 did not ignorantly incur thefe fuiFeringS; they 
 were fully affured of them ; they were clear- 
 ly informed of them, andenibraced the chri- 
 ftian faith with a clear forefight and fall ex- 
 pedtation of them. Their conftancy and firm- 
 nefs in fufFering cannot be attributed to va- 
 nity, interefl, or the principles cf education; 
 
 and 
 
ChrijHan Religion -vlfhUcateJ. 307 
 
 and their confent to lutFcr tor their Rtrhgion 
 was too conlillent, firm, and general, to be 
 regarded as the effcdt of madnefs or enthu- 
 fiafiii. Their whole behaviour was regular^ 
 fubcr, rational. It was God alone who fu- 
 ihined, and it was only God w^ho could 
 faftain them in the midd of fuch trying 
 confiids : they followed not the weakncfs of 
 human rej.fon, but the unfpeakable power 
 of the Almighty ; and therefore they con- 
 quered. 
 
 *' Who, faid Tertullian, can confider this 
 '' wonderful patience of the martyrs, wiih- 
 '^ out ferious reflexion, and a defire to be in- 
 *' formed of the motive which produced 
 " it?" It is manifefl: that the infinitely wife 
 defign of God, in infpiring this generous 
 contempt of life, was not only to prove to 
 what degree Chriftianity was divine, by the 
 conftancy and patience which it inculcated ; 
 but aho to lead the Pa2:ans, bv a method 
 almoil infallible, to the examination of a doc- 
 trine which excited fentiments fo fuperior to 
 nature. This admirable defii^^ii was anfwer- 
 cd. The moll obflinately flubborn faw,and 
 were farprized i examined, and were con- 
 U 2 vinced > 
 
o8 T/j^ T R u T H (j/* the 
 
 vinccd ; and were no fooncr convinced than 
 they themfelves became confeffors ; and 
 fliortly, many of them martyrs for the 
 truth. 
 
 If the apoftles and followers of Jesus 
 Christ had only become hardy, fo far as 
 to defpife death -, men might have taken this 
 courage for fanaticifm, when they could dif- 
 cern in them neither wifdom nor difcretlon. 
 If the apoftles and followers of JesusChrist 
 had only made ufe of fine fpeeches, and ele^* 
 gant difcourfes, without conftancy and firm. 
 nefs in fufFering, men would have looked 
 upon their weaknefs as a contradiftion to 
 their dodrine. But, when they faw thofe^ 
 who, at the firft, were timid, ignorant, bred 
 up in prejudices, ailume, on a fudden, a cha- 
 rader exalted, judicious, pathetic ; recom- 
 mend a virtue, ftridt, pure, and refined y 
 recom.mend it beft by their own praftice, 
 when they faw them facrifice all their dear- 
 eft temporal interefts to bring men to the 
 like perfuafion, of which all the fruit to 
 themfelves was, to make their converts tri- 
 umph in the worfiiip of the true God, in 
 '^uftice, charity, and temperance — when 
 
 they 
 
ChriJliaJi Religion wtdicaicd, 309 
 
 they faw this -, they muii be led to confefs, 
 as indeed they did coniefs, ** that tliefe men 
 ** indilputably were aduated by a divine 
 '* principle/' 
 
 §. VII. ** But there have been falfe mar- Martyrs. 
 *^ tyrs, — martyrs of error.'* — It is very 
 truci but let it be always noted, that the 
 errors of the falfe martyrs were not palpable 
 fa^Sy but ideas ; fyftems of their own in- 
 vention, to wTiich an opinionative vanity 
 fometimes attaches invincibly. The chri- 
 ftian martyrs were in a very different fituation. 
 For they maintained, not their own doc- 
 trine, not any fyftem of their own inven- 
 tion, but the dcflrine of Jesus Christ 
 himfelf, countenanced and ftrengthened by 
 miracles. The whole turned upon fadls, 
 plain matters of fadl, in which they could 
 not but be well informed. They all atteft- 
 ed ; they all died in atteflation and fupport 
 of the fame fads. Now there is no natural 
 reafon to be prejudiced in favour of fads, fo 
 as to abandon the moil: important felf-inter- 
 cfl. They maintained that Jesus Christ 
 had taught fuch and fuch dodrines ; had 
 performed fuch and fuch mighty works. A 
 U 3 teftimony 
 
10 The Truth of the 
 
 teftlmony of this kind given even in death, 
 and death the mod formidable, given to 
 fafts in v^'hich they had no part, — could 
 not be fuggefted by vain glory ; or, to fpeak 
 more properly, it offers nothing which doth 
 not command affent and approbation. So 
 that the famous Pafcal might well fay of 
 the martyrs, '^ I freely believe v/ith them 
 ** thofe evidences which caufed their death.*' 
 Enthufiafm we know may^ do much ; but 
 then it muft be in matters of fancy and ima- 
 gination : in thofe of fenfe and fadl it's power 
 is fmall, and hath never been known to in- 
 fluence more than one or two at a time to 
 believe they fiw that which they did not 
 fee. The argument, therefore, muft be 
 very weak, which founds itfelf on a fuppo- 
 fition, that fo great a number of perfons as 
 have readily given up their lives in the chri- 
 ftian caufe, who in all other refpe^fls were 
 worthy, fober, and rational, — that fo great 
 a number fhould imagine they had feen a 
 dead man raifed to life, or any other extra- 
 ordinary miracle, when in reality no fuch 
 fad: had ever been prefented to their eyes. 
 
 Thus 
 
Chrijl'uin Religion ^vindicated, ^ r i 
 
 Thus the followers of Chrilllanity, who 
 voluntarily refigned their lives in tcflimony 
 of the fiich, afford us a ftrong evidence of 
 it's truth and divinity, without a belief of 
 which we can never account foi' their en- 
 during fuch fuffcrings in fo triumphant and 
 heroical a manner. This attcitation is mofl 
 ftrikinf];, and worthy of all attention. '' Let 
 *' any one, fays a celebrated writer, calmly 
 *' lay his hand upon his heart, and, after 
 ** reading the terrible conflicts in which the 
 ** ancient martyrs and confeffors were en- 
 ** gaged, when they paffed through fuch 
 ** new inventions and varieties of pain as 
 " tired their tormentors; and aik himfclf, 
 ** however zealous and fincere lie is in his 
 ** Religion, whether under fuch acute and 
 ** lin2:erinr tortures, he could flill have held 
 " faft his integrity, and have profeffcd his 
 *' faith to the lall, without a fupernatural 
 *' afiiiVance of fome kind or other? For 
 " my part, when I confider that it was not 
 ** an unaccountable obftinacy in a fingle 
 ** man, or in any particular fet of men, in 
 '* fome extraordinary jundlure j but tnit 
 *' there were multitudes of each fcx, of 
 U 4 *' every 
 
312 T^he Truth of the 
 
 *^ every age, of different countries and con- 
 *' ditions, who, for near three hundred 
 ** years together, made that glorious con- 
 ** feflion of their faith, in the midft of tor- 
 *' tures, and in the hour of death j I muft 
 ^^ conclude, that they were either of ano- 
 ** ther make than men are at prefent, or 
 ** that they had fuch miraculous fupports 
 *' as were pecuhar to thofe times of Chrifti- 
 *' anity, when without them, perhaps, the 
 *' very nature of it might have been extin- 
 *' guiflied." — While it is evident, that thefe 
 fupernatural fupports afford the fuUeft proofs 
 of the Chridian Religion. 
 
 He proceeds, ''It is certain, that the 
 ^* deaths and fufferings of the primitive 
 *' Chriftians had a great fhare in the con- 
 ** verfion of thofe learned Pagans, who 
 *' lived in the ages of perfecution. They 
 " themfelves, many of them, tell us, that 
 " this firft of all alarmed their curiojfity, 
 " roufed their attention, and made them fe- 
 *' rioufly inquifitive into the nature of that 
 " Religion which would indue the mind 
 ** with fo much ftrength, and overcome 
 ** the fear of death, nay raife in them an 
 
 *' ©arneft 
 
Chriflian Rellglcji vindicated. 
 •* earned dcfi/c of it, though it appeared in 
 ** all ii's tericrs. This they fooiid had not 
 ** been effecled by all the doiflrine of thofe 
 ** philofophers whom they had thoroughly 
 " ftudied, and who had been labouring at 
 *' this great point. The fight of thefe dy- 
 ** ing and tormented martyrs, engaged them 
 " to fearch into the hiftory and dodrine of 
 *' him for whom they fuffered. The more 
 " they fearched, the nv)re they were con- 
 " vinced ; till their convicflion grew fo 
 ** ftrong that they themfelves embraced the 
 *' fame truths, and either adlually laid down 
 *' their lives, or were always in a rcadi- 
 " nefs to do it, rather than depart from 
 " them*/' 
 
 Thus, then, Jesus Christ triumphs 
 over all the philofophers and fages, all the 
 brighteft charadlers of the Pagan world, as 
 well by the lives and deaths of his imme- 
 diate difciples and followers, as by his own 
 immediate example, — nor can any other 
 charader, however worthy in itfelf, be 
 drawn into comparifon with him, without 
 
 3^3 
 
 • Sec Mr. Addifon's Evidences, p. 60. 
 
 ftiewing 
 
314 ^he Truth of the 
 
 ilietving in a moment how infinitely fliort" 
 all human merit falls of the perfection of 
 the Son of God. Admit him to have been 
 the Son of God, and this will appear no- 
 thing extraordinary : deny hinr. ro have been 
 the Son of God, and it is utterly unaccount- 
 ' able, beyond the folution of the acutefl rea- 
 foner, or fubtleft deiil- upon earth, that a 
 man born, or bred, like Jesus Chr ist, 
 fliould, in fuch a country, and at fuch an 
 early period of life, not only outdnne by 
 the luftre of his virtues all the w^ifcil: and 
 bed men in every part of the globe ; bat 
 by the purity of his dodrine fhould excel 
 2\\ that the united v^ifdom of man had ever 
 taught or enforced. 
 
 Evidences ■ §. VIII. We before obferved, that a flrong 
 truth^^of evidence arifes in proof of the divinity of 
 Chriftia- the Chriftiau Religion, from the moral cha- 
 t'he'cha-"' rafter, the life and death of Jesus Christ. 
 rafter of Yxovci the forep-oine remark it was evident. 
 
 Christ 
 
 — Let us purine the fubjed a litde further. 
 
 If we allow only the truth of the com- 
 mon hiftory of the New Teftament, or 
 even without having recourfe to it, only 
 
 fuch 
 
Chrijl'ian Religion vinilicated, 31^; 
 
 fjch a part of the charadter of CiiRisT, as 
 neither ancient nor modern Jews, heathen?, 
 or unbelievers, feem to conteft only fuch a 
 part of the characfter as the fceptical RouiTeaLi 
 himfelf gives in the pafllige before quoted : 
 and it will be difficult, might we not fay it 
 will be impoffible, to reconcile fo great a 
 character, claiming divine authority, and an 
 immediate miffion from heaven, either with 
 the moral attributes of God, or indeed with 
 itfelf, upon the fuppofition of the falfliood 
 of that claim. It is not to be conceived 
 that the Father of mankind, the Almighty 
 God, would permit a perfon, apparently fo 
 innocent, and excellent, fo qualified to im- 
 pofe upon mankind, to make fo impious and 
 audacious a claim, without having fome evi- 
 dent mark of impofture fet upon him. Nor 
 can it, on the other hand, be imagined how 
 a perfon could be apparently fo innocent and 
 excellent, confidently fo in life and in death, 
 and yet at the fame time an infamous im- 
 pofture. To believe this would be to be- 
 lieve that light and darknefs could exift to- 
 gether 5 would be to believe the union of 
 the verieft contradidions in nature. It fol- 
 lows, therefore, fum hence, that Jesus 
 
 Christ 
 
3i6 The T Kv r u of the 
 
 Christ muft have been what we fincerely 
 believe him, the Son of GoD^ and the Savi- 
 our of the world. 
 
 Let us again obferve, that, laying down 
 the prefent diforder of the moral world, and 
 the ncceffity of the love of God, and of 
 our neighbour, as well as of felf-annihila- 
 tion, in order to the pure and ultimate hap- 
 pinefs of man, there feems to be a neceflity 
 alfo for a fuifering Saviour. At leaft it may 
 be affirmed, that the condefcenfion of Jesus 
 Christ in leaving the glory which he had 
 with the Father before the foundation of 
 the world, and in fhewing himfelf a perfeS: 
 pattern of obedience to the will of God, 
 both in doing and fufFering, has a moft pe- 
 cuhar tendency to reftify the prefent moral 
 depravity of our natures, and to exalt us 
 thereby to pure and fpiritual happinefs. Now 
 it is very remarkable, that the evangelifts and 
 apoftles, the hiftorians of Jesus Christ 
 {hould have thus hit upon a thing which all 
 the greateft men among the heathens miff- 
 ed, and which however clear it does, and 
 ought now to, appear to us, was a great 
 {tumbling block to them, as well as to the 
 
 Jews; 
 
Chrijllan Religion ijindicated. 317 
 
 Jews 5 the hrO:feeking after wifdom -, that Is 
 human philofophy and eloquence ; and the 
 laft requiring a fign, or a glorious temporal 
 Saviour. This again can no otherwife be 
 accounted for, than by admitting the reality 
 of the charadler, that is the divine miffioa 
 of Christ, and the confequent divine in- 
 fpiration of thofe who drew it ; i. e. the 
 truth and divine authority of the New Tefta- 
 ment. Indeed it ought here to be particu- 
 larly remarked, that our Saviour's intire de- 
 votion to God, and fuffering for the fake of 
 men, in compliance with his will, is a pitch 
 of perfedlion, which was never propofed, or 
 thought of, before his coming, much lefs 
 attempted or attained. 
 
 The manner in which the evangelifts 
 fpeak of Christ clearly fhews, tliat they 
 drew after a real copy, and confequently 
 proves the gcnuinenefs and truth of the gof- 
 pel hiftory. There are no diredl encomiums 
 upon it, no laboured defences, or recom- 
 mendations. His character arifes from a 
 careful impartial examination of all he faid 
 and did ; and the evangelifts appear to have 
 drawn this greateft of all charaders without 
 
 any 
 
3i8 T/je Tkv T li of the 
 
 any dired defign to do it. Nay, th^y havd 
 recorded fome things, fuch as his being 
 moved with the paffions of human nature^ 
 as well as being affedled by it*s infirmities, 
 
 ^ which the wifdom of this world would ra- 
 ther have concealed. But their view was, 
 to (hew him to the people to whom they 
 preached, as the promifed Mefli^h of the 
 Jews, and the Saviour of mankind 5 and as 
 they had been convinced of this themfelves 
 from his difcourfes, actions, fufferings, and 
 jefurredlion, they thought nothing more was 
 wanting to convince fuch others as were fe- 
 rious and impartial ; but a fimple narrative 
 
 ' of what Je^us faid and did. Now, if we 
 compare the tranfcendeat greatnefs of this 
 character with the indirecS manner in which 
 ic is delivered, and the illiteratenefs and low 
 condition of the evangelifts., it will appear 
 impoffible that they fliould not have had a 
 real original before them ; fo that nothing 
 was wanting but to record fimply and faith- 
 fully. How could mean and illiterate per- 
 sons excel the greateft geniufes, ancient and 
 modern, in drawing a charader? — Hov/ 
 came they to draw it in an indiredl manner r 
 This i? without a queftion, one of the 
 
 flrongeft 
 
ChriJliaJi Religion vindicated. 3if> 
 
 Itrongcil evidences of gcnuinenefs and 
 truih. 
 
 The charader of Christ, therefore, as 
 drawn by them, is genuine and true, — and 
 confequcntly proves his divine milTion, both 
 by it's tliperhiive excelleiKC, and by his lay- 
 ing claim to fuch a miflion *. 
 
 DISSERTATION VI. 
 
 The Christian, Mahommedan, and 
 Jfwish Religions compared, with a 
 View of the Prophecies. 
 
 §. I. '' y N Europe, fays Roufleaii, we The ar- 
 " i^ have three principal Religions gu^cnt 
 *' One admits only of one revelation, ano- andRouf- 
 ** ther of two, and the third of three. Each *^^"'^ '"' 
 
 ' _ ^ confiltcn- 
 
 ** holds the others in detertaiion, anathema- cy fliewn. 
 
 ** tizes their profeflbrs, and accufes them of 
 
 ** ignorance, obllinacy, and fallhood. What 
 
 *' impartial perfon will prefume to decide 
 
 *' between them, wilhout having firfl exa- 
 
 ** mined their proufs, and heard their rca- 
 
 ** fons ? That which admits only of oiie 
 
 • Sec Hartley's Obfcrvations on Man, "\*ol. If. 
 
 '' revelatlor^ 
 
S2d The T R u T II of the 
 
 « revelation is the moft ancient, and feern^ 
 *' the leaft difputablcj that which admits 
 " of three is the moil: modern, and feems 
 *' to be the moft confident ; that which 
 ** admits of two, and rejeds the third, 
 *' may poffibly be the beft ; but it hath 
 •^ certainly every prepofieffion againft it : 
 •^ it's inconfiftency flares one full in the 
 '' face/* 
 
 Thus labours Rouffeau to overthrow thefe 
 three Religions, by oppofing the one againft 
 the other. He grants antiquity in favour 
 of the firft, and reprefents it as the moft 
 indifputable. The fecond, which is moft 
 modern, he agrees, is the moft confiftent. 
 As for the third, he has the grace to fay 
 that it jDay poffibly be the beft ; but then 
 he affirms, that it has every prejudice againft 
 it 3 and that it's inconfiftency is too obvious 
 to be overlooked. 
 
 This being the cafe ; proceed we to fheW 
 in the fubiequent Diflertation, that what ap- 
 pears thus obvious is not the inconfiftency of 
 the Chriftian Religion, but of Roufleau him- 
 fclf. 
 
 Now 
 
Chrijiian Religion vindicated, 321 
 
 Now let us afk, How it is pofnble, if the 
 firil Religion iccms to be the vicj} iiidifpu. 
 table^ that the iecond can appear to be the 
 vmjl conjiflait ? Aiui how can the third be 
 poffibly tlie /?(/l, if it hath every prcpojpjjion 
 agaijiji it^ aJid ij it's inconfjlency jiarcs la 
 full in the face? 
 
 The end which this writer has in view 
 ieems to be the deftrudtion of all Religion 
 whatfoevcr. He dciircs to Ihow no more 
 favour to one than the other ; and he there- 
 fore fubtlly avails himlclf of one for the 
 dcmolifliing the rell:. Thus, his faying the 
 firil feems the leall: difputable, and the fe- 
 cond mod: confident, is nothing more than 
 ambiguoufly to affert, that they are neither 
 of them indifputable or confident ; and his 
 declaring that the third may polTibly be the 
 bed, but that it hath every prepoflcfiioa 
 againd: it ; and that it's inconfidency is glar- 
 ingly obvious ; is as much as to fay, that it 
 is the word: of all : and, confcquently, that 
 .•II of dicm ought to bo lejcLlcd. 
 
 X ^ To 
 
3^2 The Truth of the 
 
 To defeat thefe frivolous cavils : It fhall 
 be our buiinefs to prove to RoufTeau, That 
 the Christian Religion is the moji micient 
 of all Religions : — That // is the mojl tjidif- 
 putable^ and the moft confijlent : and that fo 
 very far from having every prepolTeflion 
 sgainft it ; it has them all in it's favour. We 
 will fliew him, that the Jewish Religion^ 
 fuch as it is at this day, is neither the moft 
 ancient, nor the moft indifputable : and that 
 ths Religion o/'Mahomet, very far from be- 
 ing the moft confiftent, is, on the contrary, 
 a glaring inconfiftency throughout, and hath 
 every prepoffeflion againft it. 
 
 The Ma- §• H. Let US begin with this laft propofi- 
 
 hometan ^j^^^ . ^p^j furely cverv reafonable man will 
 
 examined agree witli US in obferving, that it adds lu- 
 
 ultr"^' ftre to the divinity of the Rehgion of Jesus 
 
 w'lh the Christ, to place it in competition with 
 
 "^^' ^'^"' the Pvcliglon of Mahomet the impoftor. The 
 
 beauty and fanclity of the Chriftian Religion 
 
 will appear to a ft ill greater advantage, when 
 
 contrafted with the deformity, obfcurity, and 
 
 fenfuality of that of Mahomet. 
 
 Jesus 
 
Chrijlian Rtliglon vhuiicateJ. ^f^ 
 
 Jesus Christ comes into theworlil ; he 
 proves, by every cirjumd^nce of his life, that 
 he is the Mefliah, that great prophet pro- 
 mifcd by Mofes, and foretold by all the pro- 
 p4iets : he gives teftimony of what ho is, 
 and of the divinity of his mifHon, by an in- 
 finite multitude of miracles : he adds to them 
 a confiderablc number of prophecies, which 
 have all been exactly accomplitheJ. What 
 figure will Mahomet make in this view ? 
 Where are his miracles? Where are his pro- 
 phecies ? In which book of the fcriptures 
 v/as he foretold, unlcfs he be one of thofe 
 grofs impoflures whofe fnarcG and fedu^flions 
 they recommend to cs to avoid ? Mahomet 
 has not been able to fhew, either in his per- 
 fon or Religion, any real or apparent cor- 
 refpondence with pad ages ; nothing further 
 is neceffafy to induce us to reje<fl him ; be- 
 caufc, as we fl:iall fliow, every fedt which 
 cannot trace it's defcent from the beginning 
 of the v.'orld, cannot come from God? 
 The expedient which Mahomet hath hit 
 upon, in order to conceal the defect of his 
 innovation, is one of the moft fingular ima- 
 ginable. Having rcafon to fcar that no tefti- 
 X 2 monies 
 
324 ^^^^ Trv r H of the 
 
 monies of his miffion could be traced out m 
 the fcrlptures of the Chriftians like thofe to 
 which Jesus Christ could refer in the 
 books of the Jews. He has advanced^ that 
 both Chriftians and Jews have mutilated and 
 faUified all their books : but he has not of- 
 fered the leaft fliadow of proof. It was ne- 
 ceflary that his perfoaffliould be foretold in 
 the fcriptures. It is, neverthelefs, moft cer- 
 tain that it was not foretold. They, there- 
 fore, according to Mahomet, are forged, and 
 contrary to all probability, his ignorant fol- 
 lowers, have believed upon his word that the 
 fact is fo. 
 
 But ought not Mahomet, at leaft, if he 
 wiflied to eftablifli a new ReHgion, to have 
 juftified his pretended warrant and million, 
 by fome miracle ? He not only fails to per- 
 form any fuch -, but he does not even boaft 
 the power to perform them 5 nor have his 
 difciples ever ventured to attribute fuch a 
 power to him. He perfuades his wife, and 
 his followers, that the agitations into which 
 he was frequently thrown, were a feries of 
 ufnal communications which he held with 
 the angel Gabriel. But what proof does he 
 
 give 
 
Chnftuin Relizion vindicated. 
 give that they were fo ? Were Jiis agitations 
 and cYtafies a proof in thcmfelves ? How 
 many impoilors have done as much. 
 
 Mahomet pronounces his own condem- 
 nation, and proves to us the inconfillency 
 of his Religion. He acknowledges Mofes 
 as the meffenger of God : he declares the 
 iame of Jesus Christ : he always fpeaks 
 of Him with great refped: : he prefers him 
 to all the prophets: he calls him The Word 
 of God : His Power, HisWifdom, His Mind : 
 and he acknowledges, that his difciples were 
 holy perfonages. Mahomet then is an im. 
 poftor and a cheat; fince he promulges a 
 do6lrine diametrically oppofite to that of 
 Mofes and the apoftles ^ fince he endeavours 
 to fubvcrt that Religion which Jesus 
 Christ the meffenger of God, hath efla- 
 blifhed ; and fince he rejeds that dodlrine 
 which Jesus Christ hath preached to 
 mankind, in order to fubftitute a new one^ 
 without any landion, and deflitute of any 
 proof of the milnon which he arrogates. 
 
 How blind muft he be who can venture 
 
 to compare Jesus Christ and his Reli- 
 
 . X 3 gioa 
 
 
326 The T V.V r n of the 
 
 gion with Mahomet i and the do{flrinc which 
 he hath founded! Mahomet is a pander, '^a 
 robber, a mifcreant, who leads a life the 
 moft corrupt, and the moft licentious. The 
 whole life of Jesus Christ is the moft 
 pure, and the mofl irreproachable. He 
 comes to combat every vice, and to fup- 
 prefs every irregularity : his morality in every 
 particular bears the ftamp of his divine na- 
 ture. He therefore has -no fear, in expof- 
 ing his conduct to the fcrutinizing view of 
 the mofl clear fighted : he conceals nothing: 
 he publicly declares whatever he would ut- 
 ter : he would have the whole world un- 
 derftand what he teaches : he commands his 
 diiciples to proclaim upon the houfe top 
 whatever they may have learned from hirri 
 privately within the houfe. After his refur- 
 rcftion', he caufes that dodrine which he 
 had laid down as the bafis of his Religion, 
 to de dfepofited in authenticated books of re^ 
 cord j and requires that thefe books be put 
 into the Hands of ^11 the v/orld > exhorting 
 all mankind to read them. But how very 
 different a condufl: is that of Mahomet I He 
 lorefa4' &c whole horrid nature of his doc- 
 trine : he was even a{hanied of it himfelf . 
 " ' " '' ''and 
 
Chrijlian Religion 'vindicated. 327 
 
 ind therefore he defired it to be burled 111 
 the obfcurity of a profound ignorance. A 
 political fi lence and fecrecy which this Icgi- 
 flator prelcribed, have been employed to 
 conceal the abfurdities of his tenets. He 
 prohibits the reading of his books, for fear 
 his terrified followers {hould rife up to op- 
 pofe fo repugnant a dodtrine, and open their 
 eyes to the dclufions of their feducer. 
 
 Who, indeed, can fupport the pcrufal of 
 a dodtrine fo horrible as that of Mahomet? 
 To flop only at a fingle inftance, which is 
 the bafis of all the reft. Is not one ftruck 
 with horror, on obferving that infamous 
 beatitude which Mahomet propofes to his 
 followers as the objed of their hopes ? No- 
 thing is more important or eflential in a Re- 
 ligion, than clearly to fpecify what is that 
 recompence which it enfures, as the term of 
 all the duties it prefcribcs : — faying, fuch 
 is tlije end j fucli are tha^ means : — Now 
 v/hat is more impious, what more dctcftabic 
 than the end and beatitude of Mahomet's 
 Religion ? A chade tongue dares not fpeak 
 of them, chade ears cannot apprehend 
 jhem. We muft become as fenfual as beads 
 X 4 to 
 
328 The Truth of the 
 
 to reliih them ; and as debauched as devils 
 to approve them. The God who could 
 promile fuch a beatitude, would only de- 
 fer ve the execration of mankind. 
 
 What an inexpreffible difference between 
 that beatitude and recompenfe, which is 
 promTfcd by Jesus Christ ro his difciples? 
 The happinefs which the latter enfures to 
 his difciples after this life, confifts in a full 
 and pe»-fed: enjoyment of that God whom 
 they have ferved here below. All their oc- 
 cupation in the manfion of glory {hall be to 
 praife him, to adore him, and to contem- 
 plate his infinite perfedlions : made like the 
 angels, they ihall no longer be allured by 
 the feduftions of concupifcence : all within 
 them fliall be inperfecl harmony : nor fhall 
 they covet any other pleafures than inceffant- 
 iy to clieriQi in their fouls the confolations 
 and graces of immortal truth. Their hearts 
 will be abforbed in the torrent of thofe de- 
 lights, which it fliall coniinually afford them: 
 always contented, always fatisfied, without 
 ever being __fatiai;ed : they fliall everlaflingly 
 imbibe new pleafures from the holy tran- 
 fports of their love. 
 
 Such 
 
Chnjlian ReIigio?2 vindicated. ^.iq 
 
 Such are the great objeds which Chrifti- 
 anity propofes, and which are all worthy 
 the purity the excellence, the divinity of 
 fuch a Religion. The: paradife of Maho- 
 met, on the contrary, is a paradife of flefli 
 and biood, of voldpvuoufnefsand debauchery. 
 M^n are there to be only employed in gra- 
 tifying .he moft corrupt defires. All their 
 delights are to conliit in plunging themfelves 
 amidft the moft impure indulgencies ; moft 
 unworthy the fandity of God, and the ex- 
 cellence of the human nature. 
 
 Which now of thefe two doftrines bears 
 the facred charadlers of divinity ? — Will 
 Roujfeau be daring enough to affert that Ma- 
 homet's can proceed from God? That 
 Roufleau, who very rationally requires, that 
 fuch a doBrine^ as a proof of that divine ori- 
 ginal, (hould hear the facred cbaraSiers cf the 
 divinity ; and that it Jlmild alfo furni/1: us 
 with a fyjiem cf Religion and v:oralityy fiiit^ 
 able to thofe attributes by which only wefortn 
 a conception of his e fence. Since then the 
 Religion of Mahomet teachc^ us fuch tlmgs 
 €nly as are abfurd and irrational, I fhall fey 
 
$30 neT^vrvL of the 
 
 to his Followers, after Rouffeau, " Xour God 
 ** is not our God*.'* 
 
 Ancn-^ §. III. If, again, vrt confider the man- 
 ?oufe'"'^^J" in which Jesits Christ eftabliflied 
 manner his Religioi), and Compare it with the means 
 the Ma- made ufe .of by Mahoniet for the founding 
 and chd- ^^^ extending of his own ; how aftonlfhing 
 ftian Re- is the contraH ! All Is divine ^nd inimitable 
 wereVo-O^ the fide of Jesus Chrjst : all human 
 pagated. ^^^j diabolical on the part of Mahomet. 
 Jesus Chjiist lays the foundations of his 
 Religion in the power of his niiracles^ and 
 the virtue of his fuiFerings. Humility, gen- 
 tlenefs, and patience, pave jthe way for his 
 gofpel : he endeavours but to perfuade : 
 twelve poor men, ignorant, illiterate, and 
 unarmed, form his whole train pf followers : 
 he only infpires his difciples v/ith humility, 
 a love of fuferings, a contempt of the world, 
 and a flight from it's pomps and .vanities y 
 union, peace, and a fiibmiffion to ail who 
 are jn Authority, — - He attacks all the pre- 
 judices of flefii and blood ; and oppofes man 
 in all that his carnal nature holds moft dear : 
 
 * Tom, in, p. 148, 149. 
 
Cbrijiian Religion vindicated. ^51 
 
 he preaches to him nothing but the denial 
 of himfclf ; and promifes him nothing in 
 his prefent ftate, but erodes and tribulations. 
 What fubhmity, what aullerity in his mo- 
 rality ! How grating to thole hearts, who, 
 till then, never knew any thing but to in- 
 dulge their paflions ; and who hved only to 
 gratify every irregular propenfity of a cor- 
 rupt nature ! Yet neverthelefs, with fuch a 
 dodrine he undertakes, by the minillry of 
 his apoftles, the converfion of the whole 
 univerfe -, and fends them forth as lambs in 
 the midft of wolves, amongft adverfaries of 
 every kind, inftigated and armed to oppofe 
 them. They everywhere meet with rehft- 
 ance and contradidtion -, and yet thefe men, 
 men of no reputation^ unaided by the leaft 
 human protecftion or fupport • by means of 
 their invincible patience, inexpreffible fuffer- 
 ings, and indefatigable labours ; bring about 
 their divine Mafter's purpofe, form a mul- 
 titude of Chriftians ^ and extend on every 
 fide, the dodlrine of the gofpel, and faith 
 in the name of Jesus Christ. The fame 
 r^ans which were employed to eftablifh this 
 Religion, contribute Itill as well to it's de- 
 fence, as to it*s advancements The more it 
 
 1% 
 
332 The Truth of the _ 
 
 is hated, the more it multiplies. The death 
 of millions of martyrs, who poured out their 
 blood in it's caufe, ferve but to increafe and 
 render ii the more illuftrious : perfecutions 
 and fufterings, which were ere while it's 
 Cradle, become it's ftrength and bulwalk ; 
 and by thefe it triumphs over all it's enemies, 
 leagued together to effedl it's deflruftion. 
 
 But Mahomet adopts quite another con- 
 dud : his aftions are thofe of a mere man ; 
 he does no more than what the moft flagi- 
 tious of men had done before him ? Nor is 
 there a fkilful impofture who may not imi- 
 tate him in every particular : he plants his 
 fedl with fire and fword in hand : his fol- 
 diers are his apoftles ! and force and violence 
 the means he makes ufe of to work perfua- 
 iion. He" converts nations, by killing thofe 
 who oppofc him : he deceives people who 
 are moft profoundly ignorant : he takes ad- 
 -vantage of the divifions in his neighbour- 
 hood, to extend, by force of arms, a Reli- 
 gion, wholly fenfual : he brings men over by 
 foothing their paflions, and feduces them, 
 by propofmg nothing which is contrary to 
 their luftful inclinations. In fliort, his doc- 
 trine 
 
Chrijllan Religion linJicateJ. 333 
 
 trine encourages almofl: every licentious pro- 
 penfity. What is there marvellous in all 
 this behaviour r — We behold th^ou^hout 
 the triumph of violence and craft, of lufl: 
 and the paffions. The whole condudl of 
 Jesus Christ, on the contrary, only pre- 
 fcnts to our view the triumph of charity, of 
 patience, and every other virtue. 
 
 ^. IV. The ftrongeft ars^ument which O^ t^« ^ 
 Mahomet can bring in defence or his feet, the Ma- 
 is the fuccefs of his arms, and the wide ex- J^""?^^^ 
 
 ' Religion. 
 
 tent of his empire. But what is there ex- 
 traordinary in that, or more than human ? 
 Is not Alexander the Great, who, in the 
 compafs of a dozen years, made himfelf ma- 
 tter of half the globe, beyond comparifon a 
 more admirable perfon than Mahomet in 
 that progrefs, which his fe6t made in a much 
 longer fpace of time ? And had not the Ro^ 
 inans^ who, as they became mafters of the 
 grcatcft part of the univerfe, extended, with 
 their conquefts, the worfliip of their Gods; 
 liad not they as much right as Mahomet to 
 conclude, from the progrefs and rapidity of 
 their conquefts, the divinity of their Reli- 
 gion, and of the Gods whom they worHiip- 
 
 cd f 
 
334 ^^^ t K V T K of fSe 
 
 cd ? There is nothing, therefore, furprifing 
 in the eftablifhment of the Mahometan Re* 
 ligion, fince it gained an introdudlion only 
 through the means of violence, ignorance, 
 and luft. It is nothing ftrange that human 
 eaiifes fhould produce an human effeftj 
 which is fo well adapted to them : but in 
 the progrefs and eftablifhment of the Chri- 
 ftian Religion, all is wonderful and aftonifli- 
 ing ! In (hort, thefe two Religions are fo 
 efTentially different in every refpedl, that no 
 unprejudiced perfoh can hefitate to join the 
 celebrated Pafcal, in his juft obfervation, that 
 " If Mahomet, humanly fpeaking, took the 
 ^* way to fucceed, Jesus Christ, humanly 
 " fpeaking, took the way to perifh ; and^, 
 ^* inftead of concluding that, becaufe Ma-^ 
 " hornet fucceeded, Jesus Christ ought 
 ** in like manner to have fucceeded 3 we 
 ^^ ought to fay, that fince Mahomet fuc- 
 ^* ceeded, Chriflianity muft inevitably have 
 «^ perifhed, had it not been fupported by a 
 *' a power a:I together divine." 
 
 i^ouiTeau §. V. Can anV one after this, Without 
 
 and tife indignation and horror, hear RoulTeau ex- 
 
 ciiriiiian prefs himfclf as follows : '' At Conftanti- 
 
 ci '' noj^le 
 
Chrljlian Religion vindicated. 33^ 
 
 nople the Turks make known their rca- 
 fons ; but we dare not publilh oars : there 
 it is our turn to fubmit. If the Turks 
 require us to pay to Mahomet, in whonl 
 vvc do not beHeve, the fame rcfped; which 
 we require the Jews to pay to Jesus 
 Christ, in whom they bcHeve as little i 
 
 ^' Can the Turks be in tlie wrong, and we 
 '' in the right ? On what principle of equity 
 *' can we refolve the queftion in our own 
 *' favour i" 
 
 He is not a true Chriftian who fubmits at 
 Conftantinople, or any where elfe. Every 
 true Chriflian is alw^ays ready to give an ac- 
 count of his faith wherever he may be. To 
 diffemble would be to betray it. For a Chri- 
 ftian to conceal his Religion is facrilege : he 
 ought to be ever difpofed to confefs him 
 whom he adores ; nor can he blufh to. do (o^ 
 without renouncing his profeflion ; and why 
 fliould he be fearful to give a reafon for his 
 embracing that faith which is built on fuch 
 folid foundations ? How little does RouiTeau 
 undcrftand the true fpirit of Chrillianity ? 
 Were the Chriflians, who formerly lived 
 amongft the Pagans, ailiamcd to avow and 
 
 main- 
 
336 ^he T R u t H of the 
 
 maintain their profeflion. Did they not offer' 
 their reafons, with an undaunted fortitude, 
 in many glorious apologies, in crouded tri-^ 
 bunals, at the feet of Judges, and of em- 
 perors. Did they not publifli them with art 
 unfhaken courage and conftancy, in the midfl: 
 of mofl terrible torments, and puniihments 
 the moft inhuman? ''We openly declare it, 
 *' cried TertuUian, we fpeak it in the face 
 ** of all mankind, and amidfl the moil fear- 
 ** ful tortures, with bodies torn to pieces, 
 *' and ilreaming with blood, and with all 
 *' the powers of our fouls, we proclaim that 
 *^ we adore God through Christ." Every 
 Chriftian who is not difpofed to imitate thefe 
 illdftrious exam.ples of faith in our fore- 
 fathers, and can fubmit at Conflantinople ; 
 from thenceforward ceafes to he a true Chri- 
 jftian, and is unworthy of the name he bears. 
 But can Rouffeau be ignorant, that a multi- 
 tude of Chriftians have freely acknowledged 
 Jesus Christ, and given up their lives in 
 his caufe, as well amongft the Turks as 
 amongft the Heathens. 
 
 Whatever we have been hitherto advanc- 
 ing in fiipport of the Chriilian Religion, and 
 
 the 
 
Chripan Religion vindicated. JJ? 
 
 the proofs we have offered of the falrtiood 
 of that cftabhihcd by Mahomet ; all thcfe 
 arguments fully anfwer ihe infidious quef- 
 tion propounded by Roufieau. It is clear, 
 that the Turks have no right to require us 
 to pay to Mahojiict^ In icbom ive do not be^ 
 lieve, the fame refpect ivhich ice require the 
 Jews to pay to Jesus Christ, /// 'whom 
 they believe as little, Muft not he labour 
 under the grofleil ignorance, to alk us, Can 
 the Turks be in the wrong, and we in the 
 right ? On what equitable principle fliall we 
 refolve this quellion ? I, on my part, will 
 beg to afk Roulleau, on what principle of 
 equity can he propofe fuch a queflion ? Do 
 we need fuch a one in order to refolve it ? 
 What parity or refemblance can Rouffcau 
 find, between two Religions fo effentially dif- 
 proportionate ? We do not claim a right to 
 force the Jews to pay Jesus Christ the 
 fame refpedt with ourfelves, as the ?/Iaho- 
 mctans do claim a right of exading in fa- 
 vour of Mahomet. It is unworthy of the 
 Chriftian Religion to make ufc of violence, 
 and to extort that faiih which it requires. It 
 is only eftablifJK'd by means of fufterings 
 and humility, of patience, and the ftrength 
 of it's arguments ; and by fuch means only 
 
 ought 
 
550-' .?5/ T K U T H ^ ih€ 
 
 ouglit it to be maintained: ail thofe who 
 employ any others, in order to extend it's 
 afithority, cannot be animated with the fpi- 
 rit. of it's firfl: founders | but would openly 
 wound the very cilence and principles of 
 Chrillianity. 
 
 cbrUVcaas §, Yl. But then wc, Chndlans, do pre- 
 fecii^t "^^^^^ i'^ ^^^"'^ deciiive argumentSj and proofs 
 w^{ to Qf j|-j£ fuilefl: evidence, whereby to encase 
 
 cimvmce t ^ i 
 
 the Jews: the Jcws to pay to JESUS Christ that re- 
 t^em ?<l- fp^^» worfliip, and adoration, which we 
 \uac&d. : ourfclves render him. And we alfo pretend 
 Keisjnon to prove to them, that Jesus Christ is 
 moll ai;- ^j.^j. Meffiah whom their whole law hath 
 
 citnt. 
 
 figured out, and foretold : that Meffiah, 
 whom they have ever expelled, and do flill 
 wait for, but in vain : and laftly, we pre- 
 tend to demonftrate to them, that the Chri- 
 flian Religion is wholly founded upon the 
 law and the prophets; and the fame in point 
 of fubftance with that of the Jews before the 
 coming of Christ, and of the Patriarchs, 
 jufl men, and faints, in all ages of the world. 
 
 It is efientlal to the true Religion, that it 
 be as ancient as the world. God having 
 
 created 
 
 :^ 
 
Chrifllan ReHglon vindicaied, 339 
 
 created man, and formed him after Ills own 
 image, did, without doubt, ihew him, from 
 the beginning, ihe true mctliod how to ferve, 
 and to pleafc him ; io that every Religion 
 which cannot trace back it's fiicceflion up to 
 the o. iginal of the world, cannot come from 
 God : on the contrary, that Religion which 
 comprifes the whole duration of time, hatli 
 certainly God for it's author. Now fucli 
 is the charader of the Cbrijlian Religion. 
 
 If Jnsus Christ is the McfTiah, an- 
 nounced by the prophets, it follows from 
 thence that this Religion draws it's original 
 from heaven, and is as ancient as the world; 
 that it has ever exilled, and that it has only 
 a new name. This is the Religion of Adam, 
 of all the faints before the law, of Abraham, 
 of the other Patriarch, and of tlie w^hole 
 nation of the Jews. All the children of 
 God have ever believed that which we be- 
 lieve ; hoped for that which wc poflefs, and 
 cxpeded what we fee. They were fandi- 
 hcd by believing that the Mcfiiah 'would 
 come, as wc ourfelves are, by the confi- 
 dence that he u come. The fame grace 
 which was given by Jesus Christ tons, 
 Y 2 Avas 
 
340 ^he Truth of the 
 
 was alfo communicated to them by his aii- 
 ticipated merits ; all their views, and all their 
 defires, were direded towards this grand ob- 
 ject. The whole Jewifli difpenfation was 
 but the forerunner of this great advent. Their 
 facrifices, theix law, and their ceremonies, all 
 tended to this one accomplilhment. Their 
 fole purpofe was, to prepare the way for the 
 Messiah, and to render a rude and un- 
 polifhed people fenhble of myfteries too 
 fublime for their comprehenfion ; they were 
 as a veil under which he was concealed, and 
 which difappeared in proportion as he ma- 
 nifefted himfelf : confequently, if Jesus 
 Christ be the Messiah, the Chriftian 
 Religion is as ancient as the world, fince 
 in all ages Jesus Christ, either expected 
 or given, has been the object of hope and 
 confolation to all true worfliippers of God ; 
 fince the fame God has been always acknow- 
 ledged as the principle of all things, and the 
 fame Christ as the reftorer of the human 
 race. Jesus Christ is the central bend 
 which fo unites the two people, as to make 
 of them but one. The Religion of nature 
 prepares the way for the law : the law pre- 
 cedes the gofpel : the fucceffion of Mofes 
 
 and 
 
Chnjlian Religion vinJlcafed, 541 
 
 and the Patriarchs, makes but one and the 
 fame fcries with that of Jesus Christ. 
 It is a known token of the MefTiah, that he 
 be cxpedlcd, that he come, and be acknow- 
 ledged by a porterity wliich may continue to 
 the end of the world. Jefiis Chriji is the 
 JaniQ yejlerday^ to-day^ and for ever. Heb. 
 xiii. 8. 
 
 It will be fufficient for us, therefore, to 
 fliow, that Jesus Christ is the true Mes- 
 siah, in order to conclude at the fame time 
 that the Chrirtian Religion is the moft an- 
 cient, and confequently the only genuine 
 Religion in the world. Let us examine, by 
 the books of the Jews themfelves, what the 
 characters of the Messiah ought to be, and 
 we ihall find that they perfeftly agree in the 
 perfon of Jesus Christ. 
 
 §. VII. In the firfl: place, the time and ^^^^^ 
 circumfiances of the McfiaU s comiiig^ are de- ^''^^^'st 
 cifivc in favour of Jesus Christ. be the 
 
 from a 
 
 The famous prophecy of Jacob, exprcfly ticw of 
 figniftes, that the fceptrc, i. c. the authority, ./^^^f J/' 
 Jhall not depart from fiidah^ nor a law-giver 
 
 Y 3 from 
 
342 The Truth of the 
 
 from between his feet , until Shilo, whq 
 MUST BE SENT, /hall come ; and unto him 
 Jhall the gathering of the people be. Gen, 
 xlix. 10. All the ancient Jews unanimoufly 
 agree, that this predidion refpedls the Mef- 
 liah, and moO: of the moderns think fo too. 
 But befides this, the terms of the prophecy, 
 clearly defcribe the Meffiah. It is evident 
 that Jacob fpeaks of him, who had been 
 promifed by his foreflithers \ him, who was 
 to be the expeftation of all nations, and in, 
 and through whom they were to be bleffed. 
 The only queflion, therefore, which re- 
 mains. Is, whether the Jews, and the tribe 
 of Judah in particular, were, at ihe coming 
 of Christ, and ftill are, in the condition 
 fpecified by the prophecy *, 
 
 Now it is certain that the tribe of Judah, 
 at the time when^^Jcsus Christ firft ap- 
 peared in the world, had loft it's pie-emi- 
 nence, and that the Jews in general, no lon- 
 ger held the authority to govern themfelves 
 JDy their own magiftrates, inverted with a 
 power over life and death. They themfelves 
 
 * See Bifhop Sherlock's DilTert. on that prophecy. 
 
 publicly 
 
Chrtjlian Religion ^lylndkai'sJ, 343 
 
 jHiblicIy avow it, when, on demanding of 
 Pi fate the execution of Christ, they de- 
 clare that it is not permitted them to -put any 
 me t9 death * ; and by crying oat, '^c have 
 na oiba^ king than Cafar ; they cpznly ac- 
 knov^•l•edgcd Jesus Ch r i s t for the Mef- 
 iiah, iincc they had no longer a king or go- 
 vemor of their own nation, and even wouid 
 have no other than the ftranger, who gc>- 
 verned theaa at that tinie. 
 
 In order to prevent every difliculty, it is 
 of confeqiience to remark^ that la all other 
 jevolution?, which had happened to the 
 people of the Jews, and notwithfranding the 
 various ftates through which they Iiad paft 
 edj they always kept together, ho\¥ever, as 
 a regular body of people, and were always 
 feen to have kings, or magiftratcSj or judges, 
 of their own nation, for their government. 
 But at the coming of Jesus. Christ the 
 kingdom of Jadali falls into ruin, and is ut- 
 terly aboliihcd, and the whole people of the 
 Jews expelled from the land of their fore- 
 fathers, without hope of return. Nor is 
 
 • John xviii. 31,. 
 
 Y 4 th»5 
 
>'44 ^^^ Truth gJ the 
 
 
 
 this extreme and dreadful defolation a mere 
 tranfmigration like that of Babylon, nor a 
 fufpenfioa only of the government and 
 people of God : but ')X is an entire, an ab- 
 folute extinction of every kind of rule or 
 authority from amongft them ; and, which 
 is an unheard of inftance, it lafls for 1700 
 years. Jesus Christ is therefore the 
 Mefiiah. 
 
 While Daniel is employed in contemplat- 
 ing the captivity of his people at Babylon, 
 and thofe fevcnty years to which God had 
 determined to confine it's continuance, amidft 
 the vow^s he offered up for the deliverance 
 of his brethren ; he is all on a fudden ele- 
 vated to objeds more important. Inftead of 
 the feventy years, foretold by Jeremiah, he 
 difcerns feventy weeks, which were to com- 
 mence from the iffuing of the edid: of ^r- 
 faxerxes Longimama^ in the twentieth year 
 of his reign, for the rebuilding the city of 
 Jerufalem. On the conclufion of thefe 
 weeks is fixed the remiffion offms, the eter- 
 7ial reign of jujlice, the entire accompli fbment 
 of prophecies^ and the unBion of the holy of 
 holies, Th'<Lt after the fixty -nine firf ijceeks 
 
 Chrijt 
 
Chri/lian Religion vindicated, 345 
 
 Chrijljhall appear^ and publijl:} his mijjion, and 
 be put to death', a violent death. Occi- 
 DETUR, BE CUT OFF. One weck is dil- 
 tinguiilied above all the reft ; this is the ie- 
 ventieth and laft \ that in which Chrijl is to 
 be facrijicedy in which the covenant is to be 
 confirmed ; and in the midfl of which facri- 
 Jice and oblations are to ceafe. After the 
 Death of Christ, the people luhich hath 
 renounced him, is to be no more his people ; 
 nothing is to be feen but horror and confu- 
 fion. T^he city and the fanEiuary are de^ 
 Jlroyed \ a foreign people ivith it's prince are 
 Jent to demoUfl:> it entirely. For abomiyiation 
 is in the temple ^ and nothing but an univerfal 
 defolation can conclude the war. 
 
 The weeks of Daniel, changed into weeks 
 of years, according to the fcripture method ; 
 and in like manner with the weeks of the 
 BabyloniQi captivity, make together 490 
 years, which, from the time of the edidl 
 iffued by Artaxerxes, brings us precifely to 
 the lafl week in which Jesus Christ ex- 
 ercifed his public miniflry -, and wherein by 
 his death he put an end to facrifices under 
 the law, accomplillied it's figurative types, 
 
 and 
 
.46 Tli^e Truth cf the 
 
 and founded his church. Different compa- 
 lations may be made of thefe weeks ; but 
 leckon how we will, they muft necefl^rily? 
 terminate with Jesus Chr ist. For Gai> 
 Iiath removed every difliculty which could 
 pofiibly arife, by a decifion which admits 
 of no reply, A manifefl: event places us 
 above the reach of all the evafive cavils of 
 infidelity. The total deftrudion of Jerufa- 
 |em,. and the Jews, which fo clofely follow- 
 ed the death of Jesus Chrjst, and that 
 jighteoufnefs and remiflion of fins declared 
 to all people in his name, muft conftrain 
 the moft obdurate to acknowledge in his 
 perfon the accompliihment pf the prophecy. 
 
 While the fecond temple was buildings 
 the old men, who had ic^n the firft, burfl: 
 into tears, on comparing the meannefs of 
 this latter edifice with the magnificence of 
 the former. The prophet Haggai, enlight- 
 ened with a divine ray, is tranfported into 
 future times ; and endeavours to confole 
 them. He publiflies the future glory of 
 this fecond temple, and declares, that it 
 fiall far exceed that of the firjl ; and the 
 reafon which he gives for this affu ranee is> 
 
Chrijl'ian Religion vhidlcated. 347 
 
 that the defire of all nations Jhall come, and 
 (hall appear in this new temple •, that peace 
 fiall be eJlabUjhcd there ; that the ivhole world 
 in agitation fliall bear teftimony to the com- 
 ing of it's Redeemer 5 and that there is but a 
 Httle while to come, to hold them in ex- 
 pedl:ation of the event. 
 
 Malachi alfo beheld the c;lorv of the fe- 
 cond temple, and the Meinah who fliould 
 lionour it with his prefence : Behold 1 a wcf- 
 frngcr is feut to prepare the ivay before him. 
 But he who declares it is a melTenger of an 
 order entirely new -, a meflcnger who is the 
 Lord, who enters into the temple, as into 
 the place of his ordinary refidence ; an en- 
 voy, ivhoni all the people defire and delight in^ 
 who comes to perfecft a new alliance, and 
 who, for that reafon, is (tiled, by way of 
 eminence, The Mcfjenger of the Covoiant : 
 And fnddenlyy fiys the prophet, fJ:all you 
 fee him come into his te?nple , even the Lord 
 lihoni ye feek , even the Mcjjaiger of the Co^ 
 venant in whom ye delight. It is plain that 
 the MefTiah is fignificd by thcfe two pro- 
 phecies ; He alone can give peace to man- 
 kind, by reconciling tlx:ni to God: He alone 
 
 is 
 
4S T/je T R u T n of tJje 
 
 is the defire of all nations : He alone is that 
 Lord who can have a temple [his tewple\: 
 and, laftly, He alone can, by his prefence, 
 communicate to the fecond temple, a glory 
 which may furpafs and efface that of the 
 firPc. Now, but a few years after the death 
 of Jesus Christ, who had fo often ap- 
 peared in the fecond temple, and who had 
 there fo frequently difplayed the glory of 
 his wifdom and power ; this temple was en- 
 tirely deftroyed. It has, therefore, received 
 the glory which was promifed to it : the 
 MefTiah is come: and Jesus Christ is 
 that Meffiah -, fince in His name peace hath 
 been announced, and procured for manhind ; 
 and all nations ftirred up, and violently agi- 
 tated, have felt the happy confequences of 
 his coming. 
 
 If from hence we defcend to that im- 
 menfe detail of prophecies which paint forth 
 all the different charaders of the Meffiah, 
 every circumftance of his life, and the whole 
 feries of his adlions, can any one ftill hefitate 
 to acknowledge that divine perfon in Jesus 
 Christ ? 
 
 Can 
 
Chrtjlicn Religion vindicated. 549 
 
 Can any one help feeing Jesus Christ 
 in all thefe prophecies, which paint out the 
 very name of the Mefliah, his origin, the 
 manner and the place of his nativity, his 
 miniftry, his works, and the miracles which 
 accompany him, his humiliations, his paf- 
 fion, his death ? — The confequences and 
 effedls of his fufferings, v/2:. the calling ot 
 the gentiles to the faith, and the deftructioii 
 of the Jewifh nation ? Let us flop here, and 
 view the moft important and exprefiive of 
 thofe prophecies, and we jfhall be forced to 
 grant that the prophets, in drawing the por- 
 trait of the Meihah, have painted Jesus 
 Christ with the greatcft exacftnefs. 
 
 The fufferings, and flate of abjeclnefs, 
 to which Jesus Christ reduced himfelf 
 for our fakes, and his unparalleled humilia- 
 tions, became to the Jews a matter of re- 
 proacli ; and induced them to difown him 
 as the Mefliah. But what ought particu. 
 larly to have engaged them to receive him, 
 and to conclude that he was the Mcf- 
 fiah, is, that lie united with thofe all the 
 
 other 
 
55a The Truth of the 
 
 other circumftances which charaderized that 
 facred perfon. 
 
 The prophets, in defcribing the magniti- 
 eence and fplendor of the Mefliah, have not. 
 concealed the difgraceful circumftances of 
 his charadler. They have i^cn him fold *. 
 They knew the number and the ufe of the 
 thirty pieces of filver with which he was 
 bought '(-. They have declared that the 
 fcpherd JJjould be fmitten^ and the floeep 
 fcattered \^ at the fame time that they faw 
 him great aiid exalted ||, they alfo faw 
 him difgraced, ^-Jpf^i ^'^^ lightly efieemed 
 a??wngji men j the ajhnijhment of the world^ 
 as much by his meannefs, as by his gran- 
 deur ; the leaf ajnongf men ^ a man of for ^ 
 rows \ loaded with our iniquities ; beneficent y 
 yet negkcled 5 di figured by his wounds^ and 
 thereby healing oars ; burdened with ignominy y 
 efieemed rather as a worm than a man §, giv 
 i?ig himjelfup to the [miter ^ and not hiding 
 his face from thofe who covered him with in-- 
 juries y ajid jpat upon Jinn -, treated as a cri- 
 
 * Zech. XI*. 
 
 f Lam. ill. 
 
 \ ZecTi. xlii. 
 
 Ifai. H. lii. 
 
 ^. Ibid. I. 
 
 imnal ; 
 
Cljrijlian Religion vindicjhd. 35^ 
 
 TTiinal ; a7id led to punijhment loitb the izncl:-- 
 ed ; ami deli'vcring himfclf as a lamb, peace- 
 ably, to the jldughte)\ ivithout havim^^ any 
 one to make his defence^. They {)X\v a Icng 
 fojlerity Jpring from him^ through his juffer* 
 ings -j-. And the converfion of the impiom 
 become the fruit and reijcard of his deaths 
 David iees his hanJs and his Jeet pierced ^ 
 all bis bones vijibly faring through his fkin^ 
 by means of the weight of his body, being 
 violently lufpended. He fees his garments 
 divided \\^ lots caf for his robe, his mouth 
 drenched icith vinegar and gall , his enemies 
 infulting around him ^ and glutting their cruel 
 rage in his blood ; jefi/i^ at his patience, and 
 bis confdence in God. And, which clearly 
 proves that all this is meant of the Mefliah, 
 he alfo, at the lame time, like Ifaiah, fees, 
 as the reward of all his humiliations, all 
 :th ends of the earth remember themfelves^ 
 and turn unto their God ; — that God who, 
 for fo many ages had been forgotten. He 
 fees the poor come firit to th table of the Mef^ 
 fiah, and, after them, \\\^ rich and the po'io- 
 £rjul, to blcfi and adore him-, hc^ mean while^ 
 
 • D.in. ix. f lui. liii. I Pfal. xxiJ. 
 
 ^j Pi'al. Lxviiu 
 
 pre- 
 
35^ 7/^^ T R u T H of the 
 
 prefiding in the great and numerous churchy 
 that is, in the congregation of converted 
 nations 3 a?2d there declaring to his brethreii 
 the name of Go d^ and thefe everlailing 
 truths. No one can urge, that there is not 
 in all thefe paffages a diredl reference to the 
 Meffiah; Him, of whom Ifaiah declares, 
 that He voluntarily bore all our iniquities j 
 and fiiffers only becaufe he is icillingfo to do. 
 All we like flieep had gone aftray j and he 
 is pierced ivith aff.iclions for cur mifdeeds : 
 ive have every one folloijoed his own way, and 
 the Lord hath fmit ten and bruifed him for the 
 expiation of our crimes^ and to procure peace 
 for our fouls. Can fo illuftrious a character 
 as this agree with any other than the Mef- 
 fiah ? 
 
 Thus have the Jews, by caufing Jesus 
 Christ to fuffer and to die, eiven the 
 finifhing mark of the MelTiah's charadler; 
 and affixed the laft feal to the accomplifh- 
 ment of thofe prophecies which refpedted 
 him. Is it poffible for us then to miflake, 
 or overlook Jesus Chr I ST, when the Jews 
 have thus, in every particular, treated him, 
 as the Meffiah was to be treated ? How dear 
 
 and 
 
Chrijllan Religion '-jijidicated. 5^3 
 
 and precious ought his fuffbrings to be to us, 
 fince they are the price and ranfom of our 
 fouls ; and fince he only fullered, becaufe 
 he was gracioufly inch'ned to charge himfelf 
 with ail that immenfe debt which we owed 
 to the Divine Juftice ! 
 
 The knowledge of G o d diffufed over 
 the whole univerfe ; the converfion of the 
 gentiles; and the bleffing on all nation?, 
 fo long ago promifed to the patriarch Abri- 
 ham ; are all pointed out by the prophets, 
 as the certain evidence and fruit of the com- 
 ing of the Meffiah. They pronounce in the 
 mod fplendid terms that benedifbion which 
 fhould be fhed abroad upon the gentiles by 
 his glorious advent : this branch ofjejfe *, 
 appears to Ifaiah as an enf.gn Jet up by Gcd^ 
 for the ajfembllng of his people^ end for the 
 gentiles^ to the end they may call upon it 3 and 
 he jhall ijcaf: th:m^ fays he, li^ith an hoh 
 fprinkling '\' . That which loas never t:ld 
 them Jhall they fee ; tbofe zcbo have not fear ch~ 
 ed^ Jhall find fjim ; and they *u:ho knno hint 
 not Jhall be called upon to ccmtemplate his rx- 
 
 • Ifai. xl. t \h\. Hi. liii bnr. 
 
 Z ceiiincies. 
 
2 r^ T7je Truth of the 
 
 cellencies. He is gheii for a untnefs to the 
 fevple *, dnd for a leader^ and a commander 
 tv the gentiles ; and unto himJlMll the nations^ 
 from all partly he affembled. He Jl:all InJiruB 
 the gentiles in righieotf:efs : He foall be their 
 light : He fljall open the eyes of the blind 'f^ 
 and bring the pr if oners out of captivity. Un- 
 der his glorious reign y the Ajjyriam^ and the 
 /Egyptians %y together ivAth the Ifraelitesy 
 fiall tio longer be but as one and the fame 
 people of Cod : He fiall become the author 
 cf fahation to all the ends of the earth. The 
 fiat ions which are beyond the fea ||, Jlfrica^ 
 and Lybia, and the people of the Eajl^ and of 
 ifiands the mofl remote y f^all receive his mej- 
 fengers ; he wiJ! fet his fgn among fi them ; 
 and they fiall caufe his glory to be hionjun, 
 Thxfe nations jhall come, and fioall offer him 
 their prayers^ and his fepulchre fimll be glo- 
 rious among fl them §. The Lord alone fijall 
 be exalted in that day ** ; and all idols fljall 
 be utterly abolified, The heathen rage i?i 
 vain '\'^y and kings and princes form ufelefs 
 confpiracies againft the Lord, and againfl his 
 
 * Ifai. Iv. t Ibid. xlii. X Ibid. xix. yXix. 
 
 11 Ibid. Ixvi. . § Ibid. xi. *"* Ibid. ii. 
 
 It }Yal. ii. 
 
 Anointed : 
 
Chrijiian Religion vindicated, 355 
 
 Anointed: For, He thatfitteth in the height 
 of heaven JJmU laugh them to J corn ^ and Jhall 
 hold their inconf derate frojeBs in dcrifion. 
 He eftablifhes the kingdom of his Christ 
 in oppofition to them all ; nay, eftablifhes 
 it even upon their own ruin : King^ come to 
 adore him * ; and^ as a mark oj their homage^ 
 offer him prefents-f^ and keep a refpe&Jul 
 Jilence before him, 
 
 §. VIII. We need only confider what Jesus 
 has happened fince the comine of Jesus ^"''^'^Z 
 
 i^i^ o J proved to 
 
 Christ, to know whether he be the be the 
 Meffiah, whom it was foretold fl:iould befVomV 
 the liiiht and falvation of the nations, rc^^cv/ of 
 
 ^ what has 
 
 Now, how can we here exclude that flood happened 
 of light which fliines fo glorioully on all ^q^^^J^ 
 fides ? There is no need of reafoning upon 
 the matter. We have only to open our 
 eyes, and confider the change which has 
 happened in the w^orld. Jesus Christ 
 commands his apoftles to carry the gofpel 
 through the whole earth : They feparate ; 
 all the powers of this world unite to op- 
 pofe this growing Religion. Some wTice, 
 
 • Pfal. Ix.xii. t ITa. Iv. 
 
 Z 2 ot!iJ!rs 
 
3 j6 The Truth of the 
 
 others condemn, others deilroy. And yet, 
 in fpite cf all thcfe obftacles, Jesus Christ 
 overthrows the Jcvvifli worfl^iip in Jerufa- 
 kin, the centre of the nation -, and out of 
 it's votailes conuitutes his firft church ; to- 
 gether with the worihip of idols in Rome, 
 which was the centre of idolatry. All this 
 he perfoi-med by the fole power of that 
 word which had foretold thefe events, A 
 fecret virtue ilTues from the crofs ; all idols 
 are putaway^ and fall to the ground, though 
 fupported by the whole power of man. They 
 are not the wife, or the noble, or tht m.igh- 
 ty, vv^hom Gcd Almighty employs to bring 
 about fo grand and marvellous an event. The 
 work of God, begun in the hum.ihations of 
 Jesus Christ, is confummated in thofe 
 of his difciples, God chofe that which was 
 moft viie and foohlL according to the world's 
 edim.ation, to confound the wife ; and that 
 which is Vw'eak and contemptible in appear- 
 ance, to overturn the ftrength and the powers 
 of the age. Twelve men, of no reputation 
 in the world's efteem, prevail againft kings 
 and nations, abolifli every idol, and fubdile 
 all tljat human greatnefs which interefted 
 itfclf in their defence. 
 
 The 
 
Cbrijlian ReligJ^in vindicate J. 2 57 
 
 The Roman power, which, till that time 
 nothing had been able to refill, yields witl-i- 
 out fufFering violence or compullion. Chri- 
 flians, without ftirring up infiirred^ions, or 
 giving any difturbance, and, indeed, merely 
 by undergoing all kinds of inhuman treat- 
 ment, — are feen to cliange the face of 
 the world, and to extend their d(x5trines 
 over the whole univerfe. Nations the moft 
 bigotted to idolatry renonnce it, and con- 
 fine their adoration to the one true God. 
 The Romans themfelves, the Greeks, people 
 of every region and country, unite in mul- 
 titudes to acknowledge the vanity of their 
 idols. Nay, even of thofe vagabond na- 
 tions who wandered up and down without 
 having any fixed place of relidence, there 
 were many, who, through the power of the 
 name of Jesus Christ, were led to em- 
 brace the worfliip of the true God. The 
 uiurper is driven from all parts ; and the 
 Jirciig fvan armed ^ after h<iving triumphed 
 over him, loads himfelf wiih all the fpoils 
 of his vidlory, and confccratcs them to the 
 one true God. The facility with which 
 fo iireat a chancre v/as bicu^^ht ab.our, 
 Z \ ^ is 
 
;S? 72?^ T RV T n of the 
 
 is an evident miracle. But the greatefl of 
 all miracles, is, that together with the faith, 
 rnviteries the moft fublime, virtues the moft 
 tr..inent, and exercifes the moft toilfome, 
 every-where difplayed themfelves. 
 
 What an aflonifliing change appears 
 through the whole world ! The veil is 
 withdrawn ; the darkncfs is difperfed : 
 Henceforward mankind learn how much 
 they have been debafed, and how low they 
 have fallen by proftituting themfelves to un- 
 worthy objects ! They difcern the dignity of 
 their nature ; and are convinced that they 
 were form.ed for.fomething more excellent, 
 and which alone is able to fill the vaft ex- 
 tent of their fouls. It is not the learned 
 only who aflcrt and maintain thefe great 
 truths : The fimple and the ignorant of fo 
 many different na.tions, equally believe them, 
 and with equal effect contribute to publifli 
 them by their lives and condud. 
 
 To fuffcr every thing for the truth's fake, 
 becomes an ordinary exercife amongft them. 
 They luQi even to tortures, with a greater 
 degree of ardour than otlicrs follow after 
 
 pleafures. 
 
CLriflian Religion vindicated. 3 59 
 
 pleafures. Sicut apes ad aivcaria^ f lys Ju- 
 lian, fic illi ad martyria ; " as bees luilea to 
 their hives, fo do they to martyrdom /' anJ 
 by their contempt of the life prefent, efta- 
 blifh the immortahty of the foul, and the 
 certainty of a future ftate in a more fubftan- 
 tial manner than all the philofjphers were' 
 able to do, by the force of their rcafonlngs, 
 and arguments. 
 
 What can be more divine, what more 
 marvellous [ — Men vi-ho, before^ v^ere given 
 up to the controul of every paffion, to every 
 irregular appetite of flcfli and fenfe ;— feparate 
 themfelves with the mofl: lively fatisfidlion 
 from all thofe objefts, in the purfuit of 
 which their hearts had formerly countenanc- 
 ed and fupported them with fo much ardour. 
 Deprive themfelves with joy of the mofl: ne- 
 cefl-iry fupplies of life J and find more true 
 delight in the tears and aufterities of peni- 
 tence, than they had felt in all the vain 
 pleafures of the world ! Men plunged into 
 every vice, fuddenly become cliafte, virtu- 
 ous, lober, and temperate : The world, all at 
 once inflamed with the purell and moft ar- 
 dent charity, furniflies every where the mofl 
 
 Z 4 amazing 
 
360 The IC R u T n of the 
 
 amazing examples of holinefs. The great 
 renounce their honours, the opulent their 
 riches, for the fake of Christ. Hearts 
 formerly fwayed by the mofl untradablc 
 pride, who knew not what it was to fufFer 
 airronts, or to pardon injuries, become in an 
 inftant fo mild, and fo patient, that the 
 mofl; galling, moil atrocious, and mofl: ig- 
 nominious treatment, appears not in the 
 leaft grievous or painful for them to bear; 
 they find their glory and happinefs to confifl: 
 in them. Humility, whofe very name till 
 then was utterly unknown, prefents to the 
 world a miofl: enchanting fcene : it's difci- 
 ples, lowly even to the defpifing themfelves, 
 feek no other glory than that of him who 
 is Invilible ; place all their greatnefs in abaf- 
 ing themfelves before their brethren, as well 
 from the heart as by their adions. It is to 
 them an honour to give place to others. 
 What peace, what blifsful harmony reigns 
 amongft the members of this new fociety, 
 which charity founded, and which love up- 
 holds ! in which men forget their own 
 only to adminifler to the iaterefl and advan- 
 ta'TC of others. 
 
 All 
 
Chrijlian RcIig{o?i vindicated, 361 
 
 All of them arc fcen, cventhofe men, fo 
 barbarous and brutal, who had before breath- 
 ed forth nothing but murther aixd blood- 
 (liedding, whom no law, no policy, could 
 civilize or reclaim : — Thefe are feen, with 
 one heart and mind, to glow with the mod 
 ardent charity, not only for the brethren, 
 but even for their enemies and torturers i de- 
 fpoiling themfelves of every thing, to alle- 
 viate their wants, and difpofcd to facrifice 
 their lives, if the good of any foul could 
 furnifli them with the Icafi; occafion fo to 
 do. Thus the earth transformed into a 
 new world, prefents on all fides a multitude 
 of perfons of every fcx and quality, who, 
 having arrived at the moft uniform detach- 
 ment from earthly confiderations, no longer 
 regard themfelves in any other light than 
 as Grangers here below, who, wearied and 
 fatiatcd with all the things of time, and even 
 with life itfelf, figh no longer for any but 
 lieavenly objetfls ; haftening in their wiflics 
 towards a death which is irkfome to frail 
 nature, but which their faith, and the view 
 of that felicity of which it cannot fail to 
 
 pro- 
 
36a The Truth of the 
 
 procure them the poffeffion, render fweet 
 2.\\& amiable. 
 
 Had not Roiiflcaa reafon for faying, m 
 one of his works, *'' What argument can be 
 *^ fo effeBually employed againjt the unbe- 
 ^ •* liever, as the life of the true Chrijlian ! 
 ** Would he but give it his conji deration^ be 
 '^ mufi unavoidably cry out^ No ! 7nan^ fnere 
 "^ man, can?iot do this of kimfelf \ jomething 
 *' more than human governs here!^ Yes, 
 certainly ; thofe precious fruits, thofe won- 
 derful effects which the Chriftiah Religion 
 fcath produced in the world, are more than 
 human ; are fupernatural. The philofo- 
 phers were able to perfaade but very few 
 of their difcrples to follow their dodtrines ; 
 But, Jesus Christ, even after his death, 
 and while no longer vifible upon earth, 
 perfuades whole nations to embrace his gof- 
 peL Mufi not fome thing more than human 
 govern hare? The dodtrine of Jesus Christ 
 which attacks and oppofes every irregular 
 paffion, extends itfelf every-v/here, amidft 
 the fevereft crofles and encounters which are 
 raifed againrt: it on all fides. He eflabliftes 
 his church, he founds it in martyrdom 
 
 and 
 
Chrijlian Religion vi?2JicafeJ. ^63 
 
 and fuffcrings, and continues ic in this vio- 
 lent and (ivingerous fuuation for the fpace 
 of three hundred years, without the en'ioy- 
 ment of a moment's repofe. Is ?nafi this of 
 himjcif? At length Jesus Christ, aRer 
 having convinced mankind, by fo long an ex- 
 perience, that he needed no human aid, no 
 earthly power, for the eflabllfliment of his 
 church ', calls into it kings and emperors, 
 and appoints them the prote<5tors of Chriftia- 
 nity ; they come in from all parts of the 
 world ; and whatfoever the prophets had 
 declared concerning the future glory of the 
 church, becomes literally accomplilLed in 
 the face of the whole world. 
 
 From whence comes this power, which 
 could effect fuch a wonderful change ? 
 The Melliah is come : Jesus Christ is 
 that MefTiah ! Thus is the myftery re- 
 vealed : the promife which was made to 
 blefs all nations through him, and to give 
 them to him for an inheritance, is now 
 made good : he draws all mankind to him 
 by means of his death, as he had foretold. 
 The Holy Spirit, which fo long ago was 
 promifcd, is poured out upon allfejlj, through 
 
 the 
 
5^4 ^^ Truth of the 
 
 the efficacy of his facrifice. I'-cdUI pour out 
 my Spirit upon all JicJJj, Joel ii. 28. The 
 new covenant of which the Meffiah was 
 ordained the nriediator, is fealed Vv^ith the 
 blood of Jesus Christ, and by a natu- 
 ral confequence of this covenant, God en- 
 graves his law no longer upon ftone^^ as for- 
 merly, but whites and imprints in the 
 ground of the heart. He takes av/ay the 
 ftony heart, to fjbftitute a flefhlyone in it's 
 flead* : nations become his people, and he 
 becomes their God. Ail from the leaft to 
 the greatefl acknowledge the Lord ; their 
 iniquities are waihed away in the blood of 
 the Mediator of the new covenant, and 
 righteoufnefs is eflabliflied upon the earth. 
 
 Applica- ^ IX. It is not poffible then to controvert 
 
 the%ws : the Mcfliah's coming, or that Jesus Christ 
 
 and con- ^^j^ited evcrv chara&r of that divine perfon 
 
 of what in himfelf. Let the bhnd Jew, therefore, 
 
 Br^'o^effor ^^P"" ^'^^ ^Y^^ ^^ length, to that light which 
 
 ^«^- beams on every fide for his intelligence and 
 
 convidion. His former manner of wordiip, 
 
 it*s facrifices and ceremonies are all fuper- 
 
 feded, and rendered ineffc6laal without re- 
 
 fource, in order to fubftitute a.worfliip which 
 
 is 
 
 • Ezck. xi. 19. xxxvi. 7.6, 
 
Ckrijlian Religion ^indicaied, 365 
 
 is more pure, and a facrifice more worthy 
 the Deity, according to the prophet's pre- 
 didion ; / have no plea fur e in you^ faith the 
 Lord of hofh^ neither ivill I accept any offer ^ 
 ing at your hands . For from the rifmg of 
 the fun even unto the goi?ig down of the fame, 
 wy name f:all be great among the Gentiles ; 
 end 171 every place incenfe JImU be offered unto 
 my 7iame^ and a pure Ojjcrijig : for my na?ne 
 fall be great amongji the heathen ; bccaufe I 
 em the great King ; and my jiame f:all be re^ 
 ^ered amongji all people. Malachi. i. 10, 11, 
 14. For the offering of this new facrifice 
 and oblation, God hath chofen priefs and 
 Jevites from amongji the people^ (Ifai. lxvi.)as 
 he foretold. The perpetual and unalterable 
 fucceiHon of tlie high-prieits of the Jevvifh 
 law, is extinct with the temple; and God, 
 to point out in a more ftriking manner, that 
 it was irretrievable, caufed the diflindlion of 
 tribes and families; fo carefully prefcrvcd till 
 that period, to be entirely loft and forgotten; 
 a fact in which the Jews themfclvcs agree : 
 The Almighty hath thereby fignihed that 
 the new priellhood, after the order of iMel. 
 chifedcc, was confirmed in Jesus Christ 
 and his miiiiitcrs, and that there was no 
 
 niore 
 
366 The Truth of the 
 
 more occalion for Aaron and Levi. That 
 confLifion which has happened in their fa- 
 milies and tribes, clearly (hows that the 
 Mcffiah is come ; fince, being ordained to 
 fpring from the family of David, and from 
 the tribe of Judah, it would be impoffible 
 at this day, to make out this defcent by au- 
 thentic vouchers. 
 
 What folid reply could the Jews urge, 
 againft proofs io convincing ? Their own 
 books furnifli us with thofe proofsj and they 
 cannot therefore be fufpeded. Bat obferve 
 what Rouffeau objects againft us in favour 
 of that people. ** Do you know many Chri- 
 ftians, fays he, * who have taken the pains 
 to examine carefully into what the Jews 
 have alledged againft them? If there are a 
 few who know fomething of it, it is 
 from what they have met with in the 
 writings of Chriftians : a very pretty 
 manner, truly, of intruding themfelves 
 in the argun:icnts of their opponents ! 
 But Vv'hat is to be done ? Should any one 
 dare to publilli among ft us fuch books 
 as openly elpoufe the caufc of Judaifm, 
 
 we 
 
 << 
 
 Vol. iii. p. 165, &feq. 
 
Chrijlian Rellgton *i)!uJitaUJ, 367 
 
 ** we fiiould punlfl^ the author, the editor 
 *' and the bookfcller. This pK^hcy is very 
 ** commodious, and very furc to keep us 
 '' always in the right ; we can refute at 
 ** pleafure thofe who are afraid to reply/' 
 Is it neccflaiy then for every Chriftian to 
 know what the Jews can aliedge againfl: our 
 rehgion ? Is it not fufficient for us to have 
 a general knowledge of the fundamental 
 arguments in proof of the divinity of the 
 Cliriftian Religion, wiJiout perplexing our- 
 felves, with what it's adverfaries may inceC- 
 fantly be throwing out againll it ? Wc 
 Should never make an end, if, previous to 
 the embracing religion, it were neceflary, 
 or ex'pe<^l:cd from us, to clear away every 
 4difficulty Vvhich human reafon could lay in 
 it's way. It would every day be neceffary 
 to drop the belief of what had been adopt- 
 ed the day preceding, in order to begin a 
 frefl:i examination of fuch new ohjedlions as 
 might be propofed. Do we a6t thus in the 
 cafe of the arts, the fciences, and every avo- 
 cation of life : has a man, in whofe mind the 
 truth of any of thcfe is once well ciiabliili- 
 cd, the leall occafion to attend the cxami- 
 Datioa and folution of every difficulty, be- 
 fore 
 
368 The T^vru of the 
 
 fore he can purfne and fix himfelf in it ? 
 The Chriftian Religion has at all times had 
 men, who have carefully examined all that 
 the mod ipecioiis Judaifm could alledge, and 
 have anfvvered it vvith all that fortitude 
 which the goodnefs of their caufe gave 
 thtm. The modern Jevv^s can repeat no- 
 things which their fathers have not many 
 times urged over and over, and which hath 
 not conftantly been defeated and overthrown 
 by the learned apologies and excellent treatifes 
 of our writers. They have never complain- 
 ed that their objedions were difregarded ; 
 and if they had done fo, they would only 
 have raifed contempt, or not been believed. 
 Their books, whatever Rouffeau may fay, 
 have always been fufficiently common 5 
 where may we not meet with the writings 
 of their rabbis and doctors ? For more than 
 three hundred years they fa id, and did, and 
 wrote whatever they pleafed again ft the 
 Chriftian Religion : they ftirred up the 
 whole world againft the difciples of Jesus 
 Christ 5 and fufFered them to enjoy no 
 peace in any city where they were found. 
 They armed the Roman people and the em- 
 perors againft this rifing church : they ani- 
 mated 
 
Chrijlian Religion 'vindicated. 369 
 
 mated the Pagans againft it, and joined with 
 them to perfccute and deftroy it ; if poffible 
 it has had no enemies more furious, more 
 formidable, or more invidious : yet it tri- 
 umphed over them, as well as over all 
 others. This was not done by force or vio- 
 lence, feeing it was at that time without re- 
 putation or fupport, and on every fide ex- 
 pofed to a multitude of malicious opponents. 
 It was by the power of it's arguments there- 
 fore, and the ftrength of the Moft High, 
 that it overcame the Jews, in like manner f 
 
 as it overcame it's other adverfaries *. 
 
 Have we then any need ftill to take the 
 trouble of examining carefully what Judaifm 
 may have alledged againft our faith ? Will 
 not the Pagans have an equal right to de- 
 mand a like difcuflion of whatever they have 
 urged againft the Chriftian Religion ? And 
 what Religion, how well founded foever, 
 can be eftabliftied amongft men, if every 
 fucceeding generation muft recur to an exa- 
 mination of all the obje(fl:ions which may 
 have been made to it at different times, and 
 
 • See Limborch's conference with Orobio the Jew. 
 
 A a which 
 
270 7he Truth of the 
 
 which have all been fo often confuted and 
 deftroyed. 
 
 It is true, at the prefent period, in which 
 the Chriftian Reli?2;ion is become viftorious 
 and predominant, it does not fuffer, and 
 with reafon, that fuch booh Jhould be pub* 
 liJJ:ed in the very heart of it*s territories, as 
 Plight openly efpcufe the cauje of Judaifm, 
 Kings and princes having embraced it, and 
 become it*s protedtors, have certainly a right 
 to puni/h the authors^ editors^ and venders of 
 fuch produdlions. In a well governed ftate^ 
 {hould any one be fujffered with impunity to 
 attack it's laws, and the fundamental con- 
 ftitutions of fociety, by publifhing feditious 
 works? — NoWjCivil fociety being united with 
 the Chriftian fociety, it is infringing the one 
 to make any attack upon the other ; and the 
 authority of the former ought to be exerted 
 in fupport and vindication of the rights and 
 privileges of the latter. 
 
 Rouffeau may tell us, if he pleafes, that 
 this policy is very convenient^ and very fure 
 to make us always in the right j and that we 
 can refute at pleafure thofe who dare not 
 
 argue 
 
Chriflian Religion vindicated, 37 
 
 urgiie in reply. It is the policy which rea- 
 fon and natural juftice didatc. What would 
 become of fociety, if every infidel, and im- 
 pious perfon, muft be allowed to fow their 
 errors abroad, and publicly and boldly vent 
 their blafphemies? What horrible confufion 
 in States and Religion would be the confe- 
 quence of fuch a liberty ? This policy, it is 
 certain, may be abufed. The Pagans for- 
 merly did abufe it, when they would have 
 condemned the Chriftian Religion to filence; 
 for truth alone hath a right to prevail over 
 this policy ; nor can any one have a right to 
 impofe filence on aught but error, which may 
 jultly be holden in the chains of fcrviiude. 
 Now every proof which wc have hitherto 
 produced has dcmonftrated that the Chriftian 
 Religion is the only true Religion; and con- 
 fequently the fecular power, which is con- 
 nedted with it, is well authorized to reprefs 
 every difturber or blafphemer of that Reli- 
 gion. Unbelieving Jews cannot lawfully 
 complain of this treatment. Let them only 
 confider how, according to Mofes's law, 
 thofe who fliould dare to oppofe their Re- • 
 
 ligion, were formerly treated : was it allowed 
 amongft: them to give a free courfe to fuch 
 A a 2 books 
 
\^^ I'he Truth of the 
 
 books as openly combatted Judaifm ? The 
 divinity of their Religion being fo folidly 
 ejflablifhed, it would have been offering the 
 moft atrocious indignity to the God whom 
 they adored, to conceive that there was any 
 need previoufly to the embracing the wor- 
 fliip he had prefcribed, to examine carefully 
 every thing that the Pagans could alledge 
 againfl Judaifm. 
 
 *^ Thofe amongft us, proceeds Rouffeau, 
 who have an opportunity to converfe with 
 the Jews, have but little advantage. Thefe 
 unhnppy people know they lie at our 
 mercy. The tyranny which we exercife 
 over them renders them juftly timid and 
 refer ved -, they know how far cruelty and 
 irjuftice are compatible with Chriftian 
 Charity : what therefore can they venture 
 to fay to us, without running the rifque of 
 incurring the charge of blafphemy ? Ava- 
 rice infpires us with zeal -, and they are 
 too rich not to be ever in the wrong. The 
 moH: fenfible and learned among them, 
 are the moft circumfpedl and referved. 
 We make a convert, perhaps, of fome 
 wretched hireling, to calumniate his kd: j 
 
 '' or 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated, 373 
 
 or fet a parcel of pitiful brokers difpiiting, 
 who give up the point merely to gratify 
 us ', but while we triumph over the ig- 
 norance or meannefs of fuch paltry oppo- 
 nents, the learned amongft them fmile ia 
 contemptuous filence at our folly. But, 
 do you think, that in places where they 
 might write and fpeak fecurely, we 
 fliould have fo much the advantage of 
 them ? *' What a ftring of frivolous and 
 unjuft declamations is this ! Roufleau well 
 knows their infufficiency of thofe reafons 
 \vhich the Jews may alledge ; and in order 
 to fupply their deficiency, and more effefta- 
 ally to impofe them upon us, he pretends 
 that thefe unhappy people lie at our mercy ^ and 
 that the tyranny ive exercife over them^ ren- 
 ders them timid^ and prevents their u[ing 
 proper meam for their defence. But who 
 exercifed tyranny for more than three hun- 
 dred years together ? Were not theChriftians 
 in all that time at the mercy of the Jews ? 
 
 When the Jews, uniting with the Pagans, 
 perfecuted the Chriftians in the moil rigo- 
 rous manner, had they not then all necef- 
 fary time and opportunity to defend them- 
 A a 3 felves. 
 
374 TZv T R u T H (f the 
 
 felves, and to produce all the reafons they 
 could pofTibly urge againft this growing Re- 
 ligion ? The Pagans too, — who gave them 
 up, in order to become it's followers, in fpitc 
 of every effort of the baffled Jews, to di- 
 vert and attach them to their party, — do 
 not they (hew us how little regard we ought 
 to pay to all their reafons, by that contempt 
 which themfelves have exprelled for them ? 
 more fincere and honeft than the Jews, they 
 clearly difcerned in their books, what their 
 amazing perverfenefs hindered them from 
 acknowledging. As for the reft, whatever 
 may be the Itate of the Jews amongft us, 
 this ftatc, very far from railing the leaft 
 prepoffeffion againft the Chriftian Religion, 
 turns out, on the contrary, to be an evidence 
 In it's favour : becaufe, as we fhall prefent- 
 ly (hew, it was foretold that the Jews fhould 
 fall into this fervile ftate of fubjedtion, in 
 puniftiment of the crime which they com- 
 mitted againft the Meffiah. 
 
 But, can any one excufe the atrocious inr 
 dignity which Rouffeau offers the Chriftian 
 Religion ? *' The Jeivs, he tells us, know 
 bow far cruelty and injujtice are compatible 
 
 mtb 
 
Chrijllan Religion vindicated. 27 S 
 
 *' ivith ChriJ}ian Charity,'' Does this un- 
 chriftian writer know the charaders of Chri- 
 flian Chanty ? or will he fhew us, that it 
 ever countenanced cruelty and injuftice ? In 
 every particular it prclcribes nothing but 
 love and tendernefs towards our brethren j 
 and reftrains every the lead emotion of ha- 
 tred or revenge, even to it's enemies. Chri- 
 ftian Charity is gentle, mild, and patient ; 
 feeketh not her own interell ; is not puffed 
 up, nor morofe ; rejoiceth not in iniquity ; 
 harbours no evil defign j beareth all things ; 
 endureth all things ; the misfortunes of if s 
 brethren pierce it with the moft lively for- 
 row. Such are it's charaders ; and all thofe 
 whofe adtlons are not regulated by thefe 
 principles, are uninfluenced by Chriftian 
 Charity, Are fuch then cruel, or unjufl ? 
 It is becaufe they have left this fair conduc- 
 tor: luft and tlie paflions are the rule of 
 their defires, and inftigate theircondudt. Let 
 but Chriftian Charity take pofleffion of their 
 hearts, and injuftice and cruelty will prefent- 
 ly be baniflied from them. But fljch is 
 Rouffeau's difingenuity, ever ta place to the 
 account of the Chriftian Religion, thofe im- 
 pieties and diforders which men only com- 
 A a 4 mit 
 
376 The T R u r u of the 
 
 mit becaufe they have deviated from it's fa - 
 cred didtates. 
 
 " AvaricCy continues he, infpires us 'with 
 '^ ^eal\ and the Jews are too rich not to be 
 *' ever in the wrong.'' If they are very 
 rich, it follows, that we exercife no tyranny 
 over them with refpe(fl to their worldly con- 
 cerns : and they can neither complain of lying 
 at our 7rjercy^ nor accufe us of injujiice to- 
 wards them : any one who knows ever fo 
 little of the character of the Jews, may bet- 
 ter judge than Rouffeau, whether it be they 
 or the Chriftians, who are guilty of injuftice. 
 They are rich ; — it is true: but by how many 
 unjurt and illicit methods do they become 
 fo ? They glory in deceiving Chriftians, and 
 in pradifing every kind of fraud in their 
 dealing^s with them. 
 
 *^ We make a convert ^perhaps ^ adds Rouffeau, 
 *' of fome wretched hirelings to calumniate his 
 *' feet 5 orfet a parcel of pitiful brokers dif-- 
 ** putingy who give up the point merely to 
 *' gratify us -, but while we triumph over the 
 *' ignorance or meannefs of thefe defpi cable 
 ** opponent Sy the learned among them Jmile in 
 
 ** contemptuous 
 
Chrijlian ReVigion vindicated, 37; 
 
 ** contempt ucus filcnce at our folly : but, do 
 *' you believe, that in places where they might 
 ** ivrite and /peak fecurely, ive pould have fo 
 *' jfiuch th: advantage of them ? " What ! 
 were Paul, and the other apoftles, the dif- 
 ciples of Jesus Christ, and the believers 
 of the church at Jerufalem, w/yr^T^/^/^ ivretches^ 
 hired to calumniate their feci ? — Were they 
 a parcel oj vile brokers, ni- ho gave up the pointy 
 merely to gratify us ? Were thcfe men, who 
 were fo difinrerefted, who facrificed all to 
 bear tefturiony to the truth of the gofpel, 
 and who did not even yield to the moft ex- 
 cruciadng torments j were they ignorant or 
 daftarJly ? They, whofe light hath fhone 
 throughout the world, and difpellcd the 
 gloom, which wholly overfpread it ; whofe 
 power triumphed over whatever is mod 
 dreadful and formidable in the univerfe. 
 Were they ignorant or daftardly ? With 
 fuch nothing could fult better than to live 
 in peace, and be flickered in fecurity : but 
 nothing was ever more free and voluntary 
 than the fufferings of thefe men. And what 
 did they gain by them in this life ? — It necef- 
 farily follows therefore, that they were fully 
 perfuadcd of the certainty gf thofe truths 
 
 which 
 
378 Tbe Trvtu of the 
 
 which they avowed, fince they delivered 
 themfelvcs with joy to fo many evils, trials, 
 and contradidtions, in confirmation of it. 
 
 If at this day fear or intereft can induce 
 fome pitiful brokers among the Jews to 
 fpeak in favour of the Chriftian Religion ; 
 fuch teftimonies are unworthy of it ; and it 
 difavows them. Thofe who fhould be mean 
 enough to fuggeft, to buy, or to conftrain 
 fuch evidence^ muft be aduated by quite 
 another fpirit than that of the Chriftian Re- 
 ligion, which requires no fuch afliftance to 
 extend or fupport it. Yet, for once, in or- 
 der that we may form a right judgment of 
 ^ their Religion, let us trace out what it's true 
 fpirit is, and not ftop at the mere condudl of 
 thofe who may defpife or deviate from it's 
 precepts. 
 
 Of mo- §. X. *' The Jewifi doBors^ the learned 
 laifin "' *' ^^07igji them^ Rouffeau tells us, Jmile iji 
 " contemptuous filence at our folly ^ But 
 what have they to fay ? and what can they 
 object to us, which will not demonftrate the 
 profoundnefs of their ignorance ? — Let but 
 any one follow them, thefe learned Jews, 
 
 through 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated. 379 
 
 through every period of time, and he will 
 perceive nothing but malice, obftinate in- 
 credulity, implacable rage againft Jesus 
 Christ and his difciples, atrocious calum- 
 nies, frivolous evafions, and fubtle fubter- 
 fuges, throughout the whole of their con- 
 dudl. 
 
 The grand reafon which they urge for 
 having rejeded Jesus Christ is that only 
 one found in all their writings, in the Tal- 
 mud^ and in the works of their rabbies, 
 namely, that Jesus Christ fubdued no 
 nations by force of arms ; He fell, fay they ; 
 He yielded, and was killed ; He hath not 
 vanquifhed the heathens by his power ; He 
 hath not fubdued them to us ; He hath 
 not enriched us with their fpoils. Thefe 
 blind people flattered themfelves, that the 
 Mefliah would deliver them from their fer-* 
 vitude under foreign princes 5 that He would 
 have given them the empire of the whole 
 world ; that He would have made his ap- 
 pearance, with all the fplendid magnificence 
 of a mighty conqueror ; would have re- 
 duced all nations to their dominion by the 
 terror of his arms, and made them tributa- 
 ries 
 
jSo The Truth of the 
 
 ries to the Jews. Fallen under the govern- 
 ment of the Romans, and attentive only to 
 ideas of pride and independence ; they could 
 not endure their fituation, but with the moft 
 galling impatience. The more they felt 
 themfelves prefled with the yoke which the 
 Gentiles impofed, the greater hatred and 
 jealoufy did they conceive againil: them. 
 Hence fprung their averlion to a Meiliah, 
 who was not a warrior ; or formidable to 
 thofe powers, who held them in captivity. 
 Thus, forgetting the many prophecies, which 
 exprefsly fignified his humiliations, they at- 
 tended to none but fuch as fpoke of triumphs, 
 though very different ones from thofe they 
 defired. Thefe ignorant people rejected 
 Jesus Christ, becaufe they beheld in him 
 nothing but folid greafnefsy deilitute of all 
 thofe external trappings which ftrike the 
 fenfes -, and found that he rather came to 
 condemn, than crown their blind ambition: 
 foolifh and unwile ! who faw not that their 
 greateil and moft inveterate enemies were 
 not men, but the vices and irregularities 
 fpringing from their corrupt inclinations ! 
 
 What 
 
ChrifJan Religion vindicated. jJi 
 
 What advantage could that Mcfilah have 
 procured to u?, whom the Jews figured out 
 and cxpedted ? Whatever he might have 
 offered us, could have been only adapted to 
 footh our pride and vanity. He could not 
 have known our true mifery : He could on- 
 ly have enflamed our paffions ; given them 
 a fandlion ; and miniftered to, inflead of re- 
 claiming them. Very far from bettering 
 our condition, he would but have rendered 
 our diforders more deplorably dangerous : 
 and, ignorant of that real excellence of man's 
 nature, which is able to render him happy, 
 would have fubftituted terreftrlal and tran- 
 fient enjoyments, which we ought to dc- 
 fpife ; in the place of thofe fubflantial and 
 durable bleflings, which alone wc ought to 
 deflre. 
 
 It would not only be particularly neccf- 
 fary for us, in this cafe, to reje^ fuch a 
 Mefliah, but we ought to fly him as a fcdu- 
 cer, who would deftroy us by flattering our 
 frailties : far from placing any confidence in 
 him, we fliould detcfl: him, as being leagued 
 with the enemy of our falvation. 
 
 §• XI. 
 
per 
 
 man 
 
 382 '' The Tkvtk of the 
 
 A fufFer- §. XI. Let a man be never fo weak a be- 
 fiah ^- ^' I'^v^^j he will eafily be induced to grant that 
 ccffary Jesus Christ the truc Meffiah is come, in 
 per for' the manner, and under thofe circumftances, 
 wherein we might reafonably expedt him. 
 
 Man having become culpable, and a trai- 
 tor to his Lord, the divine juftice required 
 a reparation proportioned to the enormity o( 
 the offence : no created being, how excel- 
 lent foever, could worthily repair that injury 
 which fin had committed againft the Deity. 
 Jesus Christ comes into the world to 
 reconcile it with God : He charges himfelf 
 with our debt, and offers freely to fatisfy it 
 for us. How could he, after this engage- 
 ment, be exempted from fuffering and hu- 
 miliation ? 
 
 Man, having erred from the path of duty, 
 no longer knew wherein his true happinefs 
 confifted : He had accuftomed himfelf to 
 feek it in the deceitful things of the prefent 
 life. Jesus Christ, defirous to undeceive 
 him, and to reclaim him from his error, 
 teaches him to contemn the enjoyments of 
 
 this 
 
Chrijltan Religion vindicated. 383 
 
 this lower world, and, detaching his heart 
 from them, to elevate it to thofe cverlafting 
 enjoyments, which alone were worthy to 
 engage his love, and alone capable of fatis- 
 fying the vaft extent of his defires. It be- 
 came necefTiiry, therefore, in order to un- 
 deceive and inftrudl us effcftually, that the 
 God-man fhould himfelf begin the tafk, 
 by dripping and diverting himfelf of all that 
 which man, with fo much ardor, purfued. 
 Man, otherwife, would have regarded the 
 precepts of his Saviour in no other light 
 than as the vain fpeculations of a philofo- 
 pher ; fpeculations which his own aftions 
 contradidled, and which it was impoffible to 
 reduce to pradice. 
 
 The greateft evil which bcfel man after 
 he became a finner, was, that he feared no- 
 thing fo much as fuftcring and abafcmenCt 
 though nothing was more neccflary and ufe- 
 ful for him. It was impoffible, while pof- 
 feflcd with this fear and horror, to apply his 
 mind to the chief good, and follow it with 
 afllduity and conftancy. The evils and af- 
 flidions of life would quickly have diverted 
 big mind from that great objed. The Eter- 
 nal 
 
384 ^fj^ Truth of the 
 
 nal Wifdom, therefore, cloarhed with our 
 human nature, proceeds to fliew hin:i, by 
 the whole of His condu6l, how highly he 
 ought to efteem fuffering and mortihcation, 
 iince He himfelf made all his delight and 
 glory to confift in them : He convinces him 
 how little reafon he has to fear them, fince 
 the man with whom He is united, can tri- 
 umph fo glorioufly over them. By lefTons 
 invigorating and pathetic like thefe, did 
 . Jesus Christ fpeak to men far more ef- 
 fedually than by all imaginable arguments 
 whatfoever. 
 
 Again, man was no longer fufceptible 
 of proper feelings ^ he had obfcured all his 
 reafoning faculties, and given full range in- 
 tirely to the fenfes : he had even carried his 
 folly fo far as to feive and worfhip the 
 \ileft created beings. To reafon with a 
 malady of this fort, which the violence of 
 his paffions made more grievous, would on- 
 ly have been to irritate him, and render his 
 evil irremediable. Accordingly, what have 
 the philofophers gained with all their pom- 
 pous difcourfes and fubtle reafonings ? Have 
 they overturned one of thofe altars whereon fo 
 
 many 
 
Chrifllan Religioh vindicated, ^Sc 
 
 friany monftrous Deities were worfhiped f 
 Where are thefc fages ? What have they ef- 
 fedcd ? Jesus Christ, defiious to heal 
 and reftore fallen man, takes another method 
 to attain his purpofe. He completely con- 
 founds human reafon by the myftery of his 
 crofs ; and thus applies the remedy to the 
 fource of the evil. Idobtry derived ii*s ori- 
 ginal from that profound attachment we 
 have to ourfelves. This it was which in- 
 duced men to invent gods like themfelves; 
 Deities fubjedt to like vices and paffions with 
 them. Under the denomination of thefe 
 pretended Deities, men really worfliiped 
 their irregular appetites, crimes, and difor- 
 ders. Jesus Christ, to convert them 
 from their errors, imprints upon their hearts 
 the love of the crols, inftcad of the love 
 of pleafure ; He teaches them, by the ex- 
 ample of his fufferings and poverty, to re- 
 nounce and ficrifice all things : by this means 
 the idols which had been outwardly wor- 
 fliipcd, wdre quickly overthrown and de- 
 ftroyed, bccaufe thofe qualities which they 
 externalty adored, no longer fubfifted ; and 
 man, fir from framing a' Deity like himfelf, 
 
 -V' b thenc;e- 
 
386 The TiSivm of the 
 
 thenceforth inceflantly laboured to become 
 like the true God. 
 
 Could a remedy be imagined more cfFec- 
 tual to remove the evils under virhich man 
 fufFered, or more w^orthy the divine good- 
 nefs and wifdom ? What depth in that my- 
 ftery of God made man, and become hum- 
 ble even to the death of the crofs, for the 
 falvation of mankind ! The wifdom of it is 
 fo fublime, that, to our falfe underftanding, 
 which cannot attain unto it, it appeared even 
 as folly : man willingly acknowledged as 
 Deities, Beings who were but men, and men 
 as fmful as himfelf. To correct this error, 
 and to accommodate himfelf to our weak- 
 nefs, a new objedl of adoration is prefented 
 to man ; a God, become man ! but who 
 bath loft nothing of that which He was^ by 
 taking upon him what we are 5 who hath 
 abafed himfelf to our low condition, with- 
 out felf-degradation, in order to elevate our 
 fouls to him. It is a worfliiper, equal in 
 all refpefts, with him whom he adores, 
 who comes to repair the defedls in our wor- 
 fliip y and uniting with his own, the adora- 
 tion 
 
Chrljlian Religion "jindlcatcJ, 38;^ 
 
 tion of the members whom he incorporates 
 under him their head, communicates to them 
 that infinite reward of which He himfelf is 
 the principle and fource. 
 
 §. XII. But, though Jesus Christ Thedl- 
 
 an r J vine cha* 
 
 men m a Itate or poverty and j-a^cr of 
 
 abafement ; though he appeared wholly de- k^^\^ 
 ftitute of every earthly accommodation ; y€t 
 what real greatnefs doth he difplay through 
 the veil which conceals him ! Let us 
 follow him through every circumftance of 
 his life : We fhall in all refpedls behold 
 him afting like a God. The learned doc- 
 tors aflembled in the temple, behold with 
 ^we his infancy more wife and intelligent 
 than all the fagacity of ancient men. He 
 opens his miflion by a multitude of un- 
 heard-of miracles : He performs them ma- 
 gifterially, and with authority. Their fource 
 is in himfelf: He performs them as a maf- 
 ter, who only commands that nature which 
 he formed: and as in the days of old He 
 fpake, and it was done ; io He fpeaks ftill, 
 and all is re-eftabli(hed. His divine virtue 
 is cvery-wherc dilplayed : to touch him, is 
 to be cured : Though he be poor. He, on 
 B b 2 every 
 
«588 "The T R u t H of the 
 
 every cccafion, (hows, even in that Indi- 
 gence, that he is the fountain of all riches, 
 who difpofeth of them at his pleaiure ; the 
 Father, who nouriflieth all men, who muU 
 tiplietli their beings, and giveth them in- 
 creafe. Devils cannot fupport the fplen- 
 dor of his prefence ; they acknowledge their 
 Judge, and fly away terrified : all the ele- 
 ments of nature own him for their Author, 
 and are obedient to his Word : the waves 
 grow calm at his voice, and the waters be- 
 come firm under his footfteps. 
 
 The knowledge of Futurity prefents no- 
 thing to His view, which can afFed, or 
 trouble, or furprize him. He fpeaks of it 
 as of the prefent moment : He fliews that 
 this knowledge is plain and natural to him, 
 and that he deriveth it from it's proper fource 
 in himiclf : fliews that all ages are ranged 
 in due order before him, and that he dif- 
 pofeth all their feveral events : He reads the 
 very ground of the heart; and anticipates 
 all it's thoughts and motions : He holds 
 the huniim will in his hand, and turns it at 
 his pitafure ; He makes hinifelf followed 
 a!;d' obfe^yed by whom[oever he . pleafes ;. 
 
 and 
 
Gmjlian RcUgicn *iuudlcatci{, 38, 
 
 and fliews that noihiiig could reflrain him 
 from bending and rendering docile the rnott 
 obdurate ^id rebellious minds. VVl-^at \k\C^ 
 dom direds his anfwcrs ! His every reply 
 confounds .all the combined malice of bis 
 enemies, , and leaves them nothing but 
 fliamefui defpair, at having nothing to urge 
 in return. 
 
 What beauty ! what fublimity in his doc- 
 trine ! Every precept is conlbnant with the 
 founded reafon, and every thing in it nfto- 
 nilhes reafon ; every particular of it is ad- 
 mirably adapted to the rnifery, thc^necelii- 
 ties, and the excellence of man's niUure. 
 They are not fuch fcattercd and imperfea 
 fentcnccs^ as are elfewhere to be found ; 
 but all together they form a complete fyftcm 
 of the mod: perfect and the mod exalted 
 ri^j^htcoufnefs. And yet, — He who utters 
 all thcfe wonderful things, is a man, unlet- 
 tered, and unufed to dudy, who, all on a 
 f iddcn, raifcd himfclf to a fclencc, above 
 all that the greatefl philofopliers, and the 
 wifcfl men of all ages, had been able to dif- 
 cover, by their tedious watches at^.d profound 
 meditations. From whence then did he gain 
 13 b 7 that 
 
^qo Tbe T r V t n cf the 
 
 tBat which no man was able to underftan 
 before him ? What is yet more remarkable. 
 He treats of the moft important truths with- 
 out pains or labour ; propofes them with a 
 magifterial authority, and expounds them 
 with an enchanting fimplicity^ His doc- 
 trines are a thoufand times more fublime 
 than all that mankind could ever before in- 
 vent : yet He has the fecret art of placing 
 them within the reach of the moft fimple 
 and ignorant minds. Who could fail to 
 admire the condcfcenfion wherewith he 
 tempers and qualifies the depth of the 
 greateft myfteries ? It is made milk to the 
 feeble children, and bread to the ftrong. 
 Full of the fecret things of God, he 
 is no way aftonifhed at them like other 
 mortals, to whom the Deity communicates 
 himfelf ; but he fpeaks of them as of na- 
 tural events, as one bred up in the know- 
 ledge of them : and He clearly demonftrates 
 to mankind that the very effence of truth 
 dwells in him perfonally. 
 
 What fandity in his life \ What a love 
 for virtue ! What contempt of worldly 
 things ! What indifference to the eilimation 
 
 and 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated, 391 
 
 and pralfe of men ! What zeal for that of 
 the Supreme Being ! What charity ! What 
 ardent dcfire for the falvation of men ! What 
 unparalleled equanimity ! Did there ever ap- 
 pear a man, fo exempt from all the weak- 
 neifes mod: infeparablc from humanity ? One 
 fees not in his condud: any of thofe unguarded 
 intervals to which man is naturally liable. 
 Saniftlty fhincs throughout the whole of his 
 conduct 3 and all his actions are the moft faith- 
 ful expreflion of his doctrine and his precepts. 
 Never man remonflrated to others with fo 
 much gentlenefs and affability 3 and yet his be- 
 neficence is only recompenfed with continual 
 perfecution. He inceffantly does good to 
 the ungrateful : His zeal and charity for 
 them betray him to the cruelell torments ; 
 yet he dies, without finding either gratitude 
 in his beneficiaries, fidelity in his friends, 
 or equity in his judges. And, in defiance 
 of trials fo terribly fevere, always preferves 
 the fame placability, conflancy, and cha- 
 rity. 
 
 But here, Let even the inconfiflentRoufTeau 
 be heard : *' What fweetnefs, fays he, what 
 ^' purity in his manners ! What an affcdlinc^ 
 
 Bb4 
 
 *' grace- 
 
392 ^he T Kv rn of the . 
 
 '' gracefulnefs in his delivery ! What fiib- 
 '* limity in his maxims ! What profound 
 ■^ wifdom in his difcourfcs ! How great the 
 *' command over his paffions ! Where is the 
 *' man, where is the philofopher, who could 
 *' fo live, fo fuffer, and fo die, without weak- 
 ^' nefs, and without ofrentation ? -r— When 
 ^' Plato defcribed his imaginary good man* 
 loaded with all the ignominy of guilt, yet 
 meriting the higheft rewards of virtue, 
 he defcribes exaflly the character of 
 Jesus Christ : the refemblance was fo 
 flriking that all the fathers perceived it, 
 «^ nor indeed was it poffible to be overlook- 
 ed f ." 
 
 ii 
 
 cc 
 
 <c 
 
 How noble then is this God- man even 
 amidft his abafement and his humiliations 1 
 He fuiters only becaufe he wills to fuffer ; 
 He only falls into the hands of his enemies,, 
 becaufe the appointed hour is come : He. 
 fl^ews them that they have no power over 
 him, but what he voluntarily communicates 
 to them : and he dies becaufe he hath de, 
 terrnined to refign up his foul for a time. 
 
 * Pe Rep. Dia!. I. f Vol, iii. p. 179. 
 
 But 
 
Chriflian Religion vi?idi{:atei* ^9j 
 
 But, fcarcely is be dead on the crofs, ere the 
 imprcffions of his power and greatnefs arc 
 everywhere perceived : all nature, in agita- 
 tion and diforder owns her Lord! The 
 fun, who with-holds his iLining, proclaims 
 that it is in fubjcdiion to his decree, even 
 after his death -, the graves, which, yawn- 
 ing, eje(fl their dead, acknowledge Him who 
 leadcth down to the gates of the grave ^ and 
 bringeth hack ; and declare, that He who 
 but now was put to death, has not however 
 loft the power of rcfuming that life which 
 he had fo freely refigned: accordingly. He 
 rifes again at the time prefixed j and thus 
 everlaftingly confounds the envy, the ma- 
 lice, and all the vain precautions of his 
 enemies. 
 
 He appears to his difciples who had aban- 
 doned him, and who were obftinately bent 
 to doubt his refurredtion : They fee him > 
 they converfe with liim ; they touch him j 
 and are convinced. To confirm the belief 
 of his refurredtion in tlieir minds, He (hews 
 himfelf to them at ditterent times, and in 
 various circumflances. His difciples behold 
 him feverally : they alfo fee him vvlicii they 
 
 are 
 
394- Tbe T R V r V[ of the 
 
 are all together : and at one time he appearS^ 
 to more than five hundred in a company. 
 The apoftle who hath related this fadt, af- 
 firms, that the greatefl part of the fpcfta- 
 tors lived even in the time in which he 
 wrote : He does not (hew himfelf to the 
 people, and to his enemies ; becaufe thofe 
 unbelievers, who had contemned all thofe 
 inftrudlions which he would fain have in- 
 culcated upon them, were become wholly 
 unworthy of this new ac^ of beneficence ; 
 and becaufe that faith which was ordained 
 to impart fo great rewards, ought alfo to 
 receive fomething in acknov/ledgment from 
 man *. Raifed from the dead, He gives his 
 apoftles and difciples all the time they could 
 defire for confidering him fully : and after 
 having refided intimately amongft them, in 
 the manner mofl: fuited to their v/ifhes, fo as 
 that they could no longer entertain the leaft 
 doubt of what they beheld, refpeding him, 
 he commands them to bear throughout the 
 whole word the teftimony of all that they faw 
 und heard^ and felt. And, to the end that no 
 
 * See Bifhop Sherlock's Trial of the witnefles ; and 
 JDItton en the Rcfurrcftion* 
 
 fufpicion 
 
Chrijiian Religion vindicatCiJ. 395 
 
 fufpicioii iiiight poffibly remain concerning 
 their perfe(5l faith and full perfuafion, he 
 lays them under an obligation to feal their 
 teftimony with their own blood. By this 
 means their preaching becomes immoveably 
 confirmed : it's foundation is an abfolute 
 fad, unanimoufly attefted by thofe who 
 themfelves law it, and whofc fincerity is 
 juftified by the ftrongeft trial which can be 
 conceived ; — a fubmiffion to tortures, and 
 even death itfelf. 
 
 Now, IS it not more noble and glorious 
 on the part of Jesus Christ, to have tri- 
 umphed over death, by rifing again from 
 the grave, than it would have been to have 
 avoided the ftroke for the prcfervation of his 
 life ? Fully able as he was to afcend, vigorous 
 and immortal, from the tomb, would it not 
 have been a more eafy matter for him to 
 have come down from the crofs, when the 
 Jews iniukingly defied him to do fo ? What 
 hand more flrong than that of the Saviour^ 
 which overcame the world, unarmed with 
 the fword of violence ; but after his death ; 
 after having been ignotninioufly nailed to 
 
 thf 
 
39^ ^ ^e'TnV'TrH of the 
 
 the.crofs, and pierced with the fpear ? Where 
 are the conquerors,, who, after tloeir death^ 
 have fuhdued the world by" the fingk virtue' 
 of Jtheir name ? .Is not the fpiritual kingdom 
 and dominion of J e s u s Christ, thus 
 founded in righteou.fnefs and true holinefs, 
 akd efiablKhed by a vicSory gained over the 
 vices and paffions of the human foul, more 
 worthy of our homage and reverence, thari . 
 apy earthly and tranfient empire, which can 
 only render it*s poiTeffors unhappy? How 
 truly powerful muft he be, who holds his^ 
 kingdom over the hearts and afFeflions of 
 men ; and afl:s upon them by his love and 
 grace, in a more jeffeftual manner than kings 
 have ever done by means of the fword^, and 
 the terror of their arms ! 
 
 *^ It is ridiculous then, favs Pafchal, to 
 " be offended at the mean condition of ^ 
 '^ Jesus Christ; fince this low ilate 
 '' was of the fame nature with that excel- v 
 '^'lence and magnificence which he came ; 
 '^ to reveal : it w^ould have been to no pur- 
 *^" pofe for our Lord Jesus Christ to . 
 ** have affumed grandeur, in his kingdom., 
 *'"of holinefs ; and to have come in ail the 
 
 ** pomp 
 
Chrijlidti Religion vtndicnted, ^'g'f' 
 
 '* pomp of majefty : but how fuitably docs 
 *• he dilplay himfelf to us, with fplendor in 
 " his gofpel ! With what great pomp, and 
 *' prodigious magnificence, doth he appear 
 ** to be inverted, to the eyes of the heart; 
 " and to thole wlio can difcern true wif- 
 " dom! What man ever poffefTed more 
 *' glory than Jesus Christ ? The whole 
 " people of the Jews foretels his coming : 
 " the Gentiles worfliip him after he is 
 ** come : the two people. Gentile and Jew- 
 ** ifh, regard him as their common center ; 
 " yet what man ever lefs availed himfelf of 
 '* fo much glory! — Never man enjoyed fo 
 '^ much applaufe ; never man underwent a 
 ** heavier load of ignominy. All this fplen- 
 '* dor ferved only to render our tribute of 
 '' grateful acknowledgment more indifputa- 
 ** bly due to that divine BenefLidlor, who 
 '* received nothino; of it for himfelf.** 
 
 ' Let us then Aretch forth our arms to our 
 great Deliverer, who, having been promifed 
 for the fpace of four thoufand years, is at 
 length come to fuffer, and to die for us, at th«- 
 time, and in all the circumibnces, foretold 
 concerning him. 
 
 i XIII. 
 
59? The Tvivru of the 
 
 Jewifii §, XIII. But obferve the grand objeiflioii 
 
 proof of which Roufleau urges in favour of the Jews: 
 the truth « Amons; the dodtors of the Sorbonne, favs 
 
 of Chri- , . . , -^ 
 
 ftianity. he. It IS as Clear as day, that the predic- 
 *^ tions concerning the Mefliah, relate to 
 ** Jesus Christ. Among the Rabbis 
 *' at Amfterdam, it is juft as evident that 
 ** they have no relation to him at all/* 
 
 But, Who have the Jews been able to 
 perfuade of what appears fo clear to them? 
 Jesus Christ, on the contrary, hath per- 
 fuaded many different people and nations of 
 what the Jews refufe to acknowledge. But 
 how blind is even Roufleau himfelf, to objedl 
 that againft the Chriftian Religion which 
 forms one of the moft conclufive arguments 
 in its favour ? For certainly, if the whole 
 Jewifli nation had perceived Jesus Christ 
 in the prophecies defcriptive of the Mefliah, 
 we ought not, for that reafon, to have 
 looked upon Jesus Christ as fuch 5 finca 
 the fcriptures have throughout declared that 
 the Jews would be infatuated with regard 
 to the Mefliah, and w6uld rejedl him. The 
 ^fions nchicb the bmlders refufid is become the 
 
 heads 
 
Chnjllan Religion vhiJicafeJ. 39^ 
 
 lead-Jlorie in the corner *. ^elr eyes are: 
 darkened that they cannot fee -f-. /;; '•cain 
 doth God Jl retch forth bis hands all the day 
 hng, towards this incredulous people I, ia 
 order to draw them to Him. They hear in^ 
 deed what he fays to the?n^ but they do not 
 zinderjland ; they fee what is held forth ta 
 /hem, but they do not comprehend it, Their 
 heart is rendered infenfible^ their ears artk 
 heavy, their eyes are clofed \\ ; the Lord hid^ 
 cth his face from the houfe of "Jacob : H^ 
 ivill be to them for a flone of flumbling^ an4 
 a rock of offence to both the hoifes of Ifrael z 
 a fnare, and an occafon of falling, to ths 
 inhabitants of Jerufalem. They fJ^all bt 
 hurt againfi this flone, they jl^all fall and be 
 broken §. The Lord will cover the eyes of 
 their chiefs, their prophets, and their rulers, and 
 all the vifions of the true prophets refpeBing this, 
 matter flmll be as the words of a book which 
 is fealed. For the Lord will do a marvellous 
 work amongfl the people, a wonderful work^ 
 which Jhall furprize all the world. For be- 
 hold, the wifdom of their wife inenflM perip^^ 
 
 • Pfal. cxvu. t lb. Ixviii* J Ifai. Ut. 
 
 \\ lb. vi. § lb. viii. 
 
/fSi: ^ ^/je Truth of fbe 
 
 iind the iinderftandhig of their prudent niefi 
 jkall be hid^. The manner, therefore, in 
 which the Jews explain thofe fcriptures 
 which refped: the Meffiah, ought not to 
 perplex us. They waited for lights but they 
 ere in obfcurity -, they hoped for brightnefs^ 
 but they lualk in darhtefs-, they walk on grop^ 
 ing^ and fumble and hurt themfehesy even at 
 noon-day \. Thus their predided blindnefs 
 turns oat as a farther proof, in faft, of the 
 Chrillian Religion • 
 
 t^oo^s ^^ XIV. But what will the Tews anfwer 
 
 from the ^ . -^ 
 
 prophe- to thofe clear prophecies pronounced by 
 cernin^"^' J^^^^ Christ himfelf, agaiuft their city 
 the city and temple? Thefe are all plain, precife, 
 pie of je.and what is more than all, they are accom-* 
 lufaiem. ^lifl^ej^ Jesus Chr I st, applying to him- 
 felf the ancient prophecies which concerned 
 the Meffiah, foretels to the Jews the ap- 
 proaching deftruftion of the temple arid the 
 city of Jerufalem, as the chaftifement of their 
 ingratitude and refufal to believe in him." 
 Penetrated with grief at the obftinacy of it's 
 inhabitants. He weeps over the unhappy 
 city, faying, If thou had/} known, at kaji^ 
 
 V .^ * Ifai. v.xlx. -} Ih. lix. 
 
 in. 
 
Chrijlian Religion ^vindicated. 40 x 
 
 in this late day which is allowed thee^ the 
 things ivhich t?jay procure thee peace ! but 
 now they are hid from thine eyes : For the 
 time Jljall coiiiCy unhappy for thee, when thine 
 enemies Jl^all cajl trenches about thee, and 
 compafs thee round ^ and clofe thee in on every 
 fide ; and they Jhall lay thee even with the 
 groundy and defroy thee^ and thy children 
 within thy walls , and they Jlmll not leave in 
 thee one Jlone upon another^ becaufe thou 
 kneweji not the time in which thy Godvifited 
 thee^\ Jesus Christ allures them, that 
 all the righteous bloody from the blood of righ^ 
 teous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, which 
 they have Jloed upon the earthy f:allfaU upon 
 the prefent generation. And that the houfcs 
 cfyerufalemjljculdfconbe left defolate^ be^ 
 caufe Jhe had not heard him, when he would 
 have gathered her children together -f*. The 
 difciplcs of Jesus, defiring him to obferve 
 the admirable grandeur and beauty of the 
 architc(flare of the temple : Jefusfaid unto 
 thern^ See you not all thefe buildings ? Verily 
 I fay unto' you y there fall not be left here 
 $ne Jlone upon another^ which fall not be 
 
 * Lul:c xix. 41, Sec f Mat. xxiii. 3-, &c. 
 
 C c thrown 
 
^02 "Tf-^ Truth of the 
 
 thrown down *. And in the conclufian of 
 the predidllon he declares to them, that the 
 prefent generation fmiild not pajs away till 
 all tkofe things were fulfilled % that all thofe 
 events jl:all befal the race then e^ifiing -f-. 
 There need no more than tx> confult hiftory^ 
 in order to find the moft faithful comple- 
 tion of thefe prophecies of Jesus Christ, 
 
 Let any one read Jofephus — by name and 
 . religion a Jew, — general of the Jewifh forces 
 at the beginning of the war,, and made pri- 
 foner by the Roman army ; who> with his 
 own eyes> beheld all that he relates concern- 
 ing the fiege and deftruftion of Jerufalem. 
 Such an author cannot bt fufpefted of mif* 
 reprefenta'iion -, and he hath every charadler 
 requifite to entitle him to fall credit. Jeru- 
 falem^ according to the prediction of Jesus 
 CiiRisTp was to be enlirenched, and fliut up 
 on every fide. Jofephus tells us it was fo; 
 nay, tiia<: beiides the ordinary intrenchments, 
 it was fiirrounded by an high wall, which 
 ciofcd it in on all quarters. Jesus Christ 
 Ivad foretold, that the time approached where- 
 
 . * Mat. XX! V. 2. f Mark xiii, 
 
 in 
 
Chrtftian Religion viNiiic^fed. 40 
 
 fn men /houU fay, BleJJcd arc the barren^ and 
 the liwmbs which never bare, and the paps 
 which never gave fuck *. And whatever 
 Jofcphus tells us of the horrors of that war, 
 and of the dread uil famine which defolatcd 
 the city, and even compelled mothers to de- 
 vour their infants, fl^icws the perfect accom- 
 plifliment of this prophecy. Jesus Christ 
 Jignihed that the dcfolation fliould be fo 
 great, as that the like had never been known. 
 And did any one ever before hear of fo ter- 
 rible a difafler ? This people becomes dif- 
 tradled by a thoufand internal factions -, every 
 polTible calamity falls upon and overwhelms 
 it; plague, famine, carnage, and murders, 
 are all confederate againfl it, in vengeance 
 for the blood oF the jufi: which had there 
 been flied. Though prefled on every fide, 
 and reduced to the lail extremity, whil^ 
 Titus is defirous of nothing fo much as to 
 fave them, and repeatedly offers them par- 
 don ; fmlttcn with the mod amazing infa- 
 tuation, they reje<ft all his propofals, and 
 (unparalleled fadl !) Jofephus reckons up 
 J, 1 00,000 men who periflied in the fiege, 
 
 ' Luke xxiii. 29.. 
 
 C c 2 At 
 
404 ^ke T R u T u of the 
 
 At length the city, being reduced to an heap 
 ofadies, is taken, and totally deftroyed, as 
 Jesus Christ had foretold. Titus was 
 defirous to preferve the temple at all events, 
 and accordingly he laid his whole army under 
 the ftrideft injunctions not to touch it : But 
 heaven a?2d earth jl: all pa fi away rather than 
 the word of ]esv^ Christ Jhall faiL An 
 invifible hand incites a foldier, who cafls a 
 lighted brand ; the fire catches ; Titus runs 
 towards the temple, and gives orders for the 
 fpeedy extinction of the riling flames : but 
 all efforts are inefFeilual ; and that magniii- 
 cent and beautiful n:ru<!^ure is in a moment 
 reduced to afl:ies. The finger of G o d is 
 fo vifiBle in this whole expedition againfl: 
 the Jews, that even T/V^/i, who deflroyed 
 ihem, acknowledges that he did nothing 
 but ftretch out his hand on the behalf of a 
 God irritated againft them, and acfl as the 
 minifter of divine vengeance, which thus 
 purfued this unfortunate people "^^ Thus 
 com.pletely was the decree pronounced by 
 Jesus Christ executed againfl the Jews, 
 
 * See Jofeph. of the Jew. war, B. vi. ch. ix. §. i. and 
 Bifhop Newton's very excellent diflertations on the pro. 
 phecies. 
 
 v/ho 
 
Chrijlian Religicn 'vindicate J, ^or 
 
 who had contemned and forgotten him. 
 They Jha/l rajc thy ivalh, and dcjlroy thce^ 
 and thy children within thee^ bccaitfc thou 
 luieuoefi not the time of thy God's vi ft tat ion. 
 
 All thefe events happened at the precife 
 time prefixed. The generation which lived 
 in the time of Jesus Christ, faw all thefe 
 calamities befal them. Adrian, at length, 
 completed their extermination, caufing 
 600, coo more of them to periih. The 
 wretched remains of this unfortunate people 
 were driven from their native country with 
 all the marks of divine vengeance. They 
 were interdidled Judaea under the moH: ri- 
 gorous penalties, r.nd were carried away 
 captive into all nations, as Je^us Christ 
 had alfo foretold *. Can any one flill 
 doubt whether Jesus Christ be the pro- 
 inilcd Meffiah ; or whether the Jews have 
 not defpifed and difregarded his vifitation 
 Doth not fuch a chaftifement (the predidion 
 of it being fo clear, fo particular, fo very 
 circumftantial, as that which Jksus Christ 
 
 • Sec Luke xxi. 24. 
 
 C c 3 pro- 
 
4o6 ^TIjc Truth of the 
 
 pronounced, dccliring it at the fame time 
 to be tiie puniil:iment of the Jews* incre- 
 dulity v/ith refped: to Him) warrant to us 
 the truth of that application which he made 
 to his own perfon, of the prophecies which 
 referred to the Meffiah ? 
 
 Proof §. XV. But what gives the greateft force 
 
 from the ^^ ^j^jg proof, and adds new luflre to the 
 
 attempt ^ . . 
 
 of Julian immutability of the prophecy of Jesus 
 
 to rebuild ^ . , • r t 
 
 jerufa- ^HRisT, IS the cnterprizc oi Julian 
 lem, ti^e apoftate. This prince, after having de- 
 clared war againfl Jesus Christ, believed 
 himfelf invefted with power fufficient to 
 annihilate his predictions 5 and accordingly 
 he undertakes to convifl: them of falihood : 
 he Vv^as delirous to wreft from the Chriftian 
 Religion that conftant tefiimony which the 
 fiate of the Jewdili nation afforded it, and 
 which he perceived to fubfiil in full force. 
 To this end he projeds the repairing of the 
 temple, and to recal the difperfed Jews, 
 who were always ready to fecond, or even 
 to anticipate, the heathens, in their fury to- 
 wards the Chriftians : he animates and ex- 
 horts them to concur in this his grand de- 
 fign : he makes the greateft preparations ; 
 
 fets 
 
Chnflian Religion ii/:^iC{jfcd. 407 
 
 fcts apart imnienfe fiims for the piirpofe j 
 and commits the execution of it to Alypiics 
 of Antioch, giving liim the governor of Ju- 
 dsea for hi- colleague. The Jewilli nation 
 flock thither from all parts, and cxhaulls it- 
 felf from it's own flock in cxpenfive pre- 
 parations. In order to work upon new foun- 
 dations, they dig up and remove what re- 
 mained of the old ; an adion, by which 
 evidently the prophecies of Jesus Christ 
 were accompliihcd. " The fuperftru-flure 
 of Chrirtianitv, diverted of the founda- 
 tions of ancient revelation han2:s in the air, 
 and muH: fill of courfe : the temple, fprung 
 from it's own ruins, would be an evcr- 
 lailing monument of the triumph of ido- 
 latry, over the two Pveligions, which made 
 a profeirion of combatting all it's eitbrts*.** 
 But we may reft perfedly fatisficd on this 
 head, the word of Jesus Christ is firm 
 and immoveable \ and all the power of man 
 fliall never prevail againft it. He hath built 
 his church on a rock, and nothing can over- 
 throw it: lie. hath dcflroyed the temple, 
 and nothing (hall be able to raife it a^ain 
 The very efforts employed by mankind to 
 
 • Sec Dc BIctcric's Life of Julian. 
 
 C c 4 invalidate 
 
4o8 Tlje Truth of the 
 
 invalidate his predidions, (hall even ferve 
 only to their full and entire completion. 
 This was the fole confequence of all this- 
 grand enterpiize of the apoftate. 
 
 The Jews, and the workmen employed 
 by Julian, dug up the remains of the old 
 foundations of the temple, and thereby 
 completely verified the prophecy of our Sa- 
 'viour, by not leaving ojie Jlone upon another y 
 and by aboliiliing even the leall: traces of 
 that edifice. But after having thus ferved 
 to give that prophecy it's utmoft degree of 
 ^ccom.plifliment ; fcarcely had they begun to 
 lay the new foundations, when a violent 
 earthquake thruft forth the ftones with an 
 amazing force. Firey whirlwinds rufh out 
 with impetuofity from the bowels of the 
 earth ; and being feveral times repeated, de- 
 vour the implements, the materials, and the 
 labourers. New attempts are made, and 
 the place conftantly proves inaccefiible. The 
 prodigies are fo terrible, and fo continually 
 renewed, that, at length, all the obflinacy of 
 the Jews, their ardent zeal for the t'em.ple, 
 their hatred of Jesus Christ, and the 
 whole power and combined efforts qf Julian, 
 
Ckriflian Religion "vindica/eJ, 40^ 
 
 are forced to yield. Thus was the infidelity 
 of the one, and the ralhnefs of the others, 
 for ever confounded*; and the truth oi our 
 Saviour's predications confirmed by the agency 
 of thofe very perfons who had infolently un- 
 dertaken to convict them of fallliood. 
 
 No one can contend againft the reality of all 
 thefe fads, without previoufly teftifying the 
 mofl ftupid hi/lorical fcepticifm ; for they are 
 confirmed by whatever can render human 
 tcllimony indubitable. They are attefled by 
 Marcel/i/iiis*, a cotemporary author, a phi- 
 
 * " Julian being deflrous to eternize his reign by the 
 *' grcatnefs of his atchievmcnts, formed a rcfolution to 
 •* rebuild, at an immenfe expence, the proud and ma'^ni- 
 *' ficcnt temple of Jerufalem : he committed the conducl 
 ** of this affair to Jlyplus of Antioch, who formerly had 
 " been lieutenant in Britain. When therefore Alyplus 
 ** had fct himfclfto the vigorous execution of thi? char '•e, 
 *♦ in which he had all the aflilbance which the governor of 
 " the province [of Judca] couM afford : horrible balls of 
 ** fire breaking out near the foundations, with frequent 
 •' and reiterated attacks, rendered the place, from time 
 •' to time, inacceflible to the fcorchcd and blr.ded work- 
 " men ; and the viflorious clement, continuing in tJiis 
 
 manner, obftinately bent, as it were, to repel their ar- 
 ** tempts, the cntwTprizc was given over." A.vim. Mah- 
 CELLiK. lib. xxiii. ch. i. 
 
 lofoplicr. 
 
410 : The Truth of the 
 
 lofopber, a great admirer of Jalian, and as 
 bigotted to Paganifm as himfelf ; but withal 
 a lover of truth, and fo not likely to relate 
 what he did not know to be true. They 
 are alfo related by other authors equally co- 
 temporary, or very nearly bordering upon 
 the reign of Julian. Their teftimony, 
 though it be Chriftian, cannot be objected 
 to, fince it is confirmed by that of a Pagan, 
 and is uncontroverted by any body. But, as 
 Sozomenes very well obferves, not only thofe 
 who w^ere eye-witneffes of thefe extraordi- 
 nary events, atteft them, but the Jews and 
 Pagans alfo, in fpite of themfelves, give a 
 decifive teflimony of it. Why, indeed, 
 were they induced to renounce their enter- 
 prize, and abandon the work they had be- 
 gun? Or, to fpeak more properly, why were 
 they unable to begin it ? unlefs it was be- 
 caufe an invifible power, by the difplay of 
 miracles, compelled them to give up an un- 
 . dertaking, purfued with fo much ardour, 
 and in favour of which every human means 
 was eagerly employed. 
 
 Who then troubles himfelf to hope for 
 the infiders atTent ? Who now will rcqueft 
 
 him 
 
Chrljlian Religion vindicated. 4 1 j 
 
 him to acknowledge Jesus Christ for his 
 God and Saviour? Muft he not be forced 
 to follow the example of two gentlemen of 
 our time, wliO were unable to refill the 
 abovemcniioned decifive proof of the event 
 we have been relating The fir ft is Mr. Li. tie- 
 ton : The other is Mr. Moyle ; who, like the 
 reft of the free-thinkers of cur age, admit- 
 ted neither of prodigies or miracles ; yet was 
 unable to ftand o'lt againft tl:e certainty of 
 thofe which defeased Julian's enterprlze. He 
 could not help conftfling, that '* though he 
 ** g^.ve little credit to the miracles which 
 " are reported to have been performed 
 ** fince the death of the apoftles ; yet he 
 ** -dared not rejedl them all ^ becaufe of that 
 ** which happened in the time of Julian 5 
 ** which, fays he, is fo extraordinary in all 
 <* it'scircumftances, and fo fully attefted, that 
 *' I know not with what face it is pofhbleto 
 ** rejedt it.'* Mr. Mofieim, the excellent cc- 
 clefiaftical hiftorian *, gives us his thoughts 
 upon the fubjedt in the following terms : 
 *' I cannot conceive how it could enter into 
 " the minds of fome learned men of this 
 
 * s 
 
 ee his hiftory juft tranflatcd by Mr. Maclalnc. 
 
 4C 
 
 age, 
 
412 TZ'^ T R u T H of the 
 
 ** age-, to entertain a doubt of the truth of 
 " this remarkable ftory. For though the 
 ** Chriftian authors who atteft it, fliould 
 ** not appear to them to be worthy of crs- 
 ^^ dit, yet how could they fufpecl Ammia- 
 ** nus Marcellinus, an hiflorian fo ftriftly 
 impartial, and free from every prepof- 
 feflion in favour of the Chriftian Reli- 
 gion ? How could they except again ft 
 other authors, as little to be fufpedted ? 
 For my own part, I know not upon what 
 fadls,, or what ancient hiftorv we can de- 
 pend, if it be alowed to rejed: that of 
 '^ which we are fpeaking, though fupported 
 *' by fo many teftimonies ; and this merely 
 *' becaufe the fad'S of which they treat ap- 
 *' pear lefe credible/'. 
 
 r 
 
 We dcfire RoufTeau and his difciples to 
 give Bifliop IVarbiirtoih celebrated differta- 
 tion ^ an impartial perulid. Jn that work 
 the learned author treats of this point of hi- 
 ftory with all the fagaciry of the moft judici- 
 ous criticifm : he firft proves that Julian's at- 
 tempt had been formed under circumftances fo 
 
 * Intituled Julian. 
 
 interefting 
 
 u 
 
 <c 
 
 ii 
 
 (C 
 
Chrijlian Religion vrndicafed. jj.^^ 
 
 interefting that the honour of revelation nc- 
 ceflarily demanded a divine miracle. Indeed 
 the iacred volumes exprefsly fay, that Je- 
 rufdicm and ifs temple Jh all be dejlroyed -, and 
 that their ruins J}:all never be built npon 
 again. An impious prince feeks to falfify 
 this prophecy, purpofing to rebuild the tem- 
 ple. What are we not to expedl from the 
 wifdom and juftice of the fupreme Being i* 
 Shall it permit the triumph of impiety, and 
 that the majcfty of it's decrees be contemn- 
 ed? Surely no: it is impoiTible. The King 
 of kings will vindicate his glory, and juftify 
 the unalterable veracity of his word in the 
 face of the whole univerfe. God will not 
 be flack to oppofe, by a prodigy demonftra- 
 tive of his power, fo amazing an incredu-^ 
 licy. It was impofiible therefore, as the 
 blthop goes on to prove, for an attempt (o 
 impious as that of Julian, to be attended 
 with the lead degree of fuccefs. So that 
 there is nothing lefs furprizing than the pro- 
 digy which defeated the defign of this em- 
 peror ; a prodigy which comes witncflcd to 
 us by whatever can render human teftimony 
 Lidubitable. Thofe enemies of Chriflianity, 
 who lived neareft to the period in which 
 
 this 
 
414 ^^''^ Truth of the 
 
 this revolution commenced, and Julian him- 
 felf, have confirmed it by their own ac- 
 ', knowledgment ; thoug^h they endeavour at 
 the fame time to conceal the iliame of it 
 by fubterfuges. Obferve what the emperor 
 fays in one of his moll celebrated harangues. 
 ** Let no one pretend to impoie upon us by 
 *^ plaufible fpeeches, or think to terrify us, 
 ** by alledging the decrees of providence* 
 What indeed can thofe Jewilli prophets 
 fay, who hold up thefe d\:crees before our 
 eyes ? What will they fay ©f their temple 
 *' ruined for the third time, without, how- 
 ** ever, having been rebuilt ? I do not urge 
 *' this to make it out as a niatter of fliame 
 "to them 5 fmce I myfelf in thefe latter 
 " times, thought to have rebuilt it to the 
 *' honour of that God who had formerly 
 *' been worfhiped there/' But, what is 
 very remarkable, Julian, who through the 
 whole tranfadlion had only ambitious and 
 political views, furnifhed, without knowing 
 it, a powerful argument* in favour of the 
 Chriftian Religion, by owning that he had 
 vainly attempted to difcredit the oracle of 
 Jesus Christ, concerning the deftrudioa 
 of Jerufalem. Thefe words which Julian 
 
 makes 
 
Chrijiian Religion 'vi7idicaied. 415 
 
 makes ufc of, as Mr. Dj la Blcterie ob- 
 ferves, nearly refemble, in the mouth of a 
 fovcreign, a dired: confcflion of a difappoint- 
 ed enterprize. 
 
 It was doubtlefs with the flattering: idea 
 of repairing this difgracc, that Juhan affed:- 
 ed to appear unmoved at it. The common 
 people placed it to the account of unfavour- 
 able omens ; the free-thinkers to that of mi- 
 racles ; and himfelf and his philofophers 
 endeavoured to their utmofl:, to fliew it pro- 
 ceeded from natural caufes, in order to rob 
 the Deity of the honour of fo glorious a 
 miracle. 
 
 Bifliop Warburton, in the ftrongefl man- 
 ner, decries this weak natural philofophy, 
 which ever affedts to fct afide the agency 
 of the Sovereign Lord of the univerfe. 
 He demonftrates that it is wholly unlikely, 
 and even impoffible, that thofe firey erup- 
 tions fliould have been the work of any hu- 
 man art ; and that it is no Icfs abfurd to 
 fuppofc them but a mere fniiple phenome- 
 non of nature. This able critic, after de- 
 feating every objedion, proves, that the 
 
 charader 
 
4i6 7/je Truth of tbe 
 
 character of the prophecy which pronounced 
 that the temple fhould never be raifed again 
 from it's ruins, according to the nature of 
 the divine decrees, rendered this miracle in- 
 difpeniible for the honour of Religion. He 
 obierves, that the evidence of Marcellinus's 
 teftimony is fo perfcdl and full in every par- 
 ticular, that no one circumftance can be 
 found, either in its manner or narration, of 
 which an unbehever could poffibly avail 
 himfelf, for the denying his affent to the 
 fad : and that there is not a fingle parti- 
 cular deficient, which a Chriflian could 
 need, in order to eftablifli his converfion. 
 In {hort, he concludes, that the various re- 
 lations which have been given of the mat- 
 ter by the fathers of the church, and the 
 ecclefiaftical hiftorians, are not only con- 
 liilent with, but ferve mutually to corro- 
 borate each other : fo that the circum fiances 
 of thefe relations, which, at a firft view, 
 might appear lead credible, become, upon 
 a mature examination, the moil worthy of 
 belief. 
 
 We mud not then be at all furprized, 
 that Mr. Moyle fl^ould yield to the rcfift- 
 
 lefs 
 
Chrljtian Religion vuidicated, 4 1 7 
 
 Icfs force of thcfe united proofs. They 
 •would foon have imitators, did but tlie in- 
 .fidcls of our time polfcfs a hke gencrofity 
 of mind ; or would they but examine the 
 fafts in qucftion with the lame degree of 
 lincerity. But the unbeliever is never de- 
 ficient of trifling pretences, to fix him in 
 his ignorance, and to divert: the Deity of the 
 honour due to his works. Sometimes they 
 are imputed to fubtile tricks, which it is not 
 poflible to account for : at other times they 
 are made to be the eftedt of unknown na- 
 tural caufes ; by means of which the infi- 
 del boafts himfclf able to account for every 
 marvellous circumftance of extraordinary 
 events. *' Nature, as the author of the life 
 *' of Julian very well obferves, was always 
 '* the refource of infidels ; but fhe fo com- 
 *' pletcly ferves the caufe of Religion, that 
 *' they ought, at leafl:, to fufpcd: her of 
 ** ooUufion and deceit.'* 
 
 §. XVI. After fo many clear proofs and Conclud. 
 dcmonftrations, upon what groand can RouT- J."^?''^^' 
 
 ^ ^ trom the 
 
 feau tell US, ** I (hall never believe that I ft.ue of 
 " have acquired a fufficient acquaintance ^^''*"^^'^'' 
 '* with the arguments of the Jews, till they 
 D d ** compoib 
 
4 1 8 The T Rv T n of the 
 
 *^ compofe a free and independent f!:ate, and 
 *' have fchools and univerfities of their own, 
 " where they may talk and difpute without 
 ** hazard. Till then we can never truly 
 " know what they have to fay." Yet, do 
 not they openly proclaim to all the world, 
 the Deicide they have committed in the 
 perfon of Jesus Christ? Who among 
 them can prove that the Deity ftill conti- 
 nues to dwell amongft their tribes ? They 
 have had no prophets ever fmce the coming of 
 Jesus Christ. Nor can they jfhew us a 
 fingle miracle with which God hath aflifted 
 them, as he formey did. The thing is eafi- 
 ly to be accounted for. Nor is there any 
 need of a free ftate, or fchools, or univerfi- 
 ties, to affift in refolving it. Let the Jews 
 lliew us one miracle performed in their fa- 
 vour fmce the eflabliflbment of Chriftianity. 
 Let them produce a fingle prophet fince the 
 coming of our Saviour ; and we grant they 
 have won the caufe : but that is an im- 
 practicable point. Our ancient apologifts as 
 well as the modern, have always offered 
 them the fame challenge, and they never 
 ventured to accept it. The Gentiles no 
 fooner abandoned their idols, to follow the 
 
 light 
 
Chrijiian Religion vindicated. 4 1 9 
 
 light of that truth, wherewith J Ls us Christ 
 came to enlighten tlieir minds, than the 
 Lord of Hoils withdrew from Jcriikilem 
 every wife architecl:!: who was capahlc of 
 building. The clouds have received command 
 to rain no more upon the vine of Sorec -j-. 
 And the fpring of heavenly blefiings is dry- 
 ed up from the houfe of Ifruel. All are 
 transferred to the church of Jesus Christ^ 
 The fiime proofs which etiablilhed the di- 
 vinity of the Jewifb Religion, confirm that 
 of Chriftianity. The incredulous Jew can- 
 not combat it without ad:ing againfl: himfelf. 
 The miracles and prophecies of Jesus 
 Christ are as decifive in his favour, as 
 were thofe miracles which Mofes wrouc^ht 
 and the prophecies which he declared, in 
 fupport of the Jewifli difpenlation. 
 
 The Jews have never ventured to deny 
 the miracles of Jesus Christ. Their 
 Talmud even makes mention of fome which 
 his difciples performed in his name: all that 
 they have been able to urge, in order to ob- 
 fcure the luftre of them, is, that they were 
 
 t Ifai. V. 6. 
 
 D d 2 wrought 
 
4^o ^he T K n T n of the 
 
 wrought with the affiftance of enchantment, 
 which, fay they, the difciples learned in 
 / ^gypt y but, fliould they not be cautious 
 while they advance this, left they fliould 
 furniQi weapons againft themfelves ? Was 
 not Mofes accufed of the fame crime ? and 
 did not the jjEgyptians place him in the 
 number of their principal magicians ? What 
 can they reply to fuch an accufation ? They 
 will infill:, without doubt, that the illufions 
 of magic never have a lafting efFeft ^ and 
 that it*s purpofe cannot be to eftabhfh the 
 w^orfiiip of God, and purity of manners. 
 In (liort, that true miracles and the works 
 of God cannot be imitated by the power of 
 devils. Now thefe very reafons unanfwer- 
 ably prove that Jesus Christ was no ma- 
 gician ; and fo trifling a charge can only 
 ferve to render his miracles inconteftible ; 
 and, by juft confequence, to prove him the^ 
 Meffiah. 
 
 To demnnd, as Roufleau does, that the 
 jews fliould have an independent ftate, 
 fchools, and univerfities, is to require at the 
 fame time the total overthrow of Chriftia- 
 nity, and of the Jewifh revelation. If the 
 
 Jews 
 
Chrijlian RcUgion vindicated. 421 
 
 Jews were to rife from their prefent flatc of 
 abjedioii, without being previoufly convert- 
 ed to Jesus Chk ist ; from thenceforth the 
 Chrifti;;n Rehgion would be overthrown 
 and confounded; and Jesus Christ 
 would ccafc to be the objedt pointed out 
 by the ancient writings. It would no longer 
 be imp' )iriblc for ihe infidel to convifl them 
 of faifuy, and to fliew that they are but a 
 collodion of vain ceremonies, falflioods, and 
 contradictions. 
 
 Bat how powerfully do the Jews in their 
 prefent firuaiion argue in favour of Jesus 
 Christ ! Their own fcriptures inform us, 
 that fuch a condition is the juft punifhment 
 of their unbelief with regard to Jesus 
 Christ ; and that they fhall never extri- 
 cate themfelves from it till they believe in 
 him. To convince us of this matter, it is 
 fufficient only to caft our eyes over the 69th 
 Pfalm, verfes 4, 7, 8, 9, 19, 20 — 26. 
 
 All thefe paflages admirably fuit with 
 
 the characfter of Jesus Christ. It is Him 
 
 whom the Jews mide to undergo all thofe 
 
 indignities of which the prophet complains : 
 
 D d 3 Him, 
 
422 The T R V r n of the 
 
 Him, to whom they gave gall for meat, and 
 vinegar for drink. After all t-hele exceffes 
 of barbarity committed upon his peffofi, the 
 deiecration made in his name, hath poured 
 upon the Jews all the e£eBs of divine anger 
 and indignation. Their books are becotiie, 
 afotare, tn which they haV'' bt en tahn^ be^ 
 caifje their eyes are darkened that they can no 
 longer Jet ; their habitation is become defolate 
 by the defti^adion of clieir ciiy, and the^r 
 difperficn ; becaufe they have perfecuied arid 
 cppre/Zed him^ wtmn God hath Jmitten for 
 cur fakes. 
 
 Bat thefe fame fcriptures, which foretold 
 
 to this people it's ch^^.!l:ifement and mifery, 
 
 have as clearly pronounced that God would 
 
 preferve that people to the ktefh poflerity, 
 
 by a miraculous protedion, and would open 
 
 their eyes to the light, by recalling them io 
 
 faith and true holinefs. '^ The children of 
 
 " Ifrael^ fays Hofea, Jl:aU be a hng time 
 
 *^ without a king^ and without a prince^ and 
 
 *' without a facrificcy and without an altar y 
 
 *' without an ephod^ and without teraphim. 
 
 " But afterwards Jhall the children of Ifrae 
 
 *' return to the Lord their God-, they Jhal 
 
 ['feek 
 
ChrijVian Religion vifuHciited, 42 '5 
 
 *' feek him^ and David their king^ and they 
 " fJ:nlI be-^flled -ivith rcfpccf and Je.^r of 
 *' the Lord J becaufe of his goodnefs tovoards 
 " ihevi ; and this pall happen in the latter 
 ** days -f-." The condition in which the 
 Jews have continued ever iince the time 
 that they crucified Jesus Christ, conld 
 not be more clearly pointed out, nor the 
 caufe of it be expreffcd, in a more exa(^ 
 manner. It is for not havina: acknowledG:ed 
 the true David, and for having rejected 
 God himfelf in His perfon : for the pro- 
 phet declares, that when the Jews ff:all re- 
 turn, they will feek the Lord their God^ and 
 David their king. This David then is come, 
 and they have not known him ; and God 
 hath ccafcd to be their God, fince they are 
 ftill in fearch both of one and the other : 
 they have not known the great blelllng 
 which God hath be flowed ; his exatlent 
 gift ; that is to fay, the xMessiahj in as 
 much as wlien they return to him, they wiil 
 be penetrated with a profound refpedi^ and 
 holy fear ^ becaufe of the gcodnefs of the Lord, 
 
 f Hofea Hi. 4, 5. 
 
 D d 4 What 
 
-^24 ^i^^ Truth of the 
 
 What great light then does the abjeft 
 condition of the Jews fiied upon the Chri- 
 ftian Religion ! The ceconomy of their in- 
 fidelity is admirable, and bears fuch charac- 
 ters of divinity, as muft ftrike every one 
 who confiders it. Can any thing be more 
 powerfully affedling or divine, than to be- 
 hold that people which rejefted and cruci- 
 fied Jesus Christ, and which put him to 
 open fliame and reproach ; unanimoufly at- 
 teft the divinity of thofe books which de- 
 pofe in favour of him as the Meffiah 5 and 
 declare that this very people fhall rejc£l 
 him, and be dafhed in pieces againft that 
 Jlo72e of Jlumbling, Is it not evident that 
 this people is made to ferve expreffly as 
 a wimefs in favour of Jesus Christ and his 
 Religion? If the Jews had believed in Jesus 
 Christ, v^hat pretence of infidelity could 
 we have urged ? They might have been ac- 
 cufed of being in confederacy with us to de- 
 ceive mankind ; and we fliould only have had 
 fufpiclous witnelTes of the truth of the fa- 
 cred writings ; but how can any one refiH: 
 the force of a teftimony fo decifive as that 
 ©fa whole nation, which cannot be fufpeded 
 
 of 
 
ChriflicM Religion '-yindlcatcd, 425 
 
 of wilfully favouring or countenancing the 
 Chriftian Religion, to which it is the great- 
 eft enemy? The ftridnefsand fidelity where- 
 with this people hath preferved the books- 
 of it's law, are known and acknowledged ; 
 and in fpite of all the advantage we claim 
 to derive from thofe books, againll whatever 
 they may urge in oppofition to our Religion^ 
 thib people hath never fuffered the leaft al- 
 teration to be made in them j and confe- 
 quently, it warrants to us all thofe prophe- 
 cies by which Chriftianity is authorized and 
 fupported. 
 
 The Pagans might have charged us, as 
 fome infidels of our own time have done, 
 with having prepofteroufly contrived all thofe 
 convincing prophecies, which fo long ago 
 drew up the charader of the Mefllah, and 
 foretold the coming of Jesus Christ, and 
 the eftabliflimentof his church, had we not 
 fome folid argument to offer in contradidlion 
 to their charge. But God, in order to fup- 
 ply mankind with every proof they could 
 dcfire, hath dcpofited thefe prophecies with 
 a people which is an enemy to the Chriftiaa 
 name -, if ever it had an enemy. He hath 
 
 di(perf<Hl 
 
426 The Truth of the 
 
 dirperfed this people throughout the world, 
 thereby to render an authentic and irre- 
 fragable teftimony to the truth and cer- 
 tainty of all thofe prophecies. ** You fee, 
 *' as we have obferved to the Pagans, the 
 ** clear and deciiive prophecies which we 
 ** objc'fl againft your worflip ; and which 
 ** you accufe us of having ourfelves corn^ 
 •^ pofed : the more evident they are, the 
 *' more falfe do they appear to you, and fo 
 ^' much the more flrongly do you feem to 
 ** be perfuaded that they are counterfeit and 
 '« framed, after the coming of him w^hom 
 ^' they proclaim : but, to fatisfy all your 
 ** doubts, and to lilence the accufation you 
 ^* bring againft us, confult the Jews, that 
 "* people, who are ftill more irreconcileable 
 *' enemies to the faith than yOurfelves. You 
 ^ Cannot fufpedl them of conniving with 
 •' us to deceive and feduce you." The Jews 
 here cited in confirmation of our teftimony, 
 declared to the Pagans that Mofes was a man 
 fent from God to be their legiflator 3 that 
 he lived fifteen hundred years before the 
 comins; of Tesus Christ: and that all the 
 prophets lived a long while before Him, 
 Convinced of this the Pagans could no longer 
 
 hefitate 
 
Chrijlian Religion vindicated, 427 
 
 hciitate to admire the iolldity of tbofc foun- 
 dations which unite in fupport of the Chri- 
 llian Religion i fmce even the Jcvvs, though 
 it's moil inveterate enemies bore fuch a tefti- 
 mony to it as turned to their confufion, and 
 which, confeqiiently, truth alone could draw 
 from their mouths. 
 
 In fhort, every circumftance concurs to (hew 
 to the unbelievers, that the Chrijlian Reli^ 
 gion derives it's ftrength from whatever can 
 be invented to deftroy it. Let any one look 
 at this affemblage of proofs in favour of our 
 Religion, and he muft deplore the obftinate 
 blindnefs of thofe who endeavour to bring 
 it into contempt or oblivion. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 A N 
 
A N 
 
 Alphabetical INDEX. 
 
 /JPOLLONIUS rrJNEUS, the impoftor; 
 
 **-* compared with our Saviour P*igc 241 
 
 jlpplication to RoufTeau, on the ignorance and incon- 
 
 fiftency of philofophcrs, refpefting God, the world, 
 
 &c. 60 
 
 ■ of the proofs of the Mefliah, to the Jews, 364 
 
 Jr^ument of RoufTeau concerning the Jewifh, Chriftian, 
 and Mahometan Religion, ftated, and his inconfift- 
 
 cncy fhcwn ' 319 
 
 Authority of, and of that of the Church in particular 223* 
 
 ■ of the Chriftian Church ; common men muft 
 
 1^ reft in it ■ ■ 273 
 
 B. 
 
 Bfllefy the difficulties in revelation no obje<5lion to it 109 
 
 Condition and ftatc of man ■■' ■ i 
 
 Confequenccy plain and natural, of miracles 237 
 
 Conftderaticn of what RoufTeau urges in favour of the 
 
 Jews ■ ■ 364 
 
 Copies^ and various readings of S. S. - ■■■ ■ 277 
 Chrijiy his miracles, why rejected ■ 234 
 
 — his moral character ' 1 ■ i > 295 
 
 Chrijiy 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Chrlfti his dp^trice, aod the preparation for his coming 
 
 Page 300 
 . his life and death 303 
 
 — his difciples, and thofe of Socrates 305 
 . his charadter, evidewice to the truth of Chriftia- 
 
 nity • 314 
 
 — T-T prjjycd Jtp b^ the Meffiab, from a view of the 
 prophecies ^— « • — ■ ■ 341 
 
 from a review of what has happened fince bis 
 
 coming r— * 355 
 
 his divine character ■■ 387 
 
 Chnjl'ian vindicated, and RoufTeau refuted 334 
 
 .. . .. Religion, moft ancient *^. — i — 338 
 
 Chrijliam have fufficient proofs to convince the Jew? 
 
 ibid, 
 Chr'ijlian'ity^ means ufed to propagate it^ proper 134 
 
 -r^-- firft preachers of it, proof of it^s divinity 138 
 
 •^ — ^. <:ontinuance of, a miracle — ' 152 
 
 Chw'chy authority of 231 
 
 ■■ u - . comffiQn men muft lestt in it 273 
 
 D-epravity original, proofs of - 1 7 
 
 human, notions of ancient philofophers re- 
 
 fpedting it 24 
 
 Z)£//^«<3//(?« of man, ignorance and inconfiftency of phi- 
 lofophers refpec3:ing it 52 
 
 Detail of the revelation of the great promife of a Re- 
 deemer ■ 90 
 
 Difficulties ?n the dodtrine of original fm unavoidable 27 
 
 « ...«»*> in revelation no obje(5lion to the belief of it 
 
 109 
 Difciples orCHKiST and Socrates ■ 305 
 
 jDzW«?V^ of Chriftianity, it*s preachers a proof of it 130 
 Do^rin£y miracles prove the truth of — 171 
 ! »■ » ■» ■ A furvey of icripture in that light 174 
 
 DQ&rinf 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Do^rUie of Christ, and the preparation for his com- 
 ing Page 300 
 
 DBmlnion of fle(h and Iciife over rc.doii q 
 
 E. 
 
 Enquiry into the manner in which the Mahometan and 
 Jewifti Religions were propagated 330 
 
 Evidences 10 the truth of Chriflianity,from the character 
 of Christ 314 
 
 ^I'/Vi unavoidable of man ■ i^ 
 
 Fa^s in fupport of the Chriflian Religion, the allowed 
 
 notoriety of ■ ' 125 
 
 /V7;V/> human, of iiy 
 
 — — the fimplicity of 203 
 
 FUJI) and fenfcj their dominion over reafon 9 
 
 Gody ignorance and inconfiftency of phiiofophers re- 
 
 fpectmg him 48 
 
 ignorance of, proof of the want of revelation 43 
 
 H. 
 
 Happjnefs » 6 
 
 I-hatbtns unjuftifiablc in punifhing Chriftians 192 
 
 I. 
 
 yerufidem^ proofs from the prophecies concerning the 
 city and temple 400 
 
 proof of the truth of Chriflianity from the 
 
 attempt of Julian to rebuild it — 406 
 
 Jcwi^ application to, . ^64 
 
 their ftatc, aproofof the truthof Chriflianity 417 
 
 jewijh 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Jemjh obfllnacyj proof of the truth of Chrlftlanity 
 
 Page 398 
 Ignorance of God, proof of want of revelation 43 
 
 • and incunfiftency of philofophcrs refpe£ting 
 
 God 48 
 
 . refpecling the origm of the world 49 
 
 ■ ' refpe6ling the foul 51 
 
 *— ^ refpedling the condition and defignation of 
 
 man 52 
 
 - ^ refpe(Sting moral truths 56 
 
 Inconft/iency of Roufieau, in his compariibn of the Jew- 
 
 ifh, Chriftian, and Mahometan Religions, fhewn 319 
 
 Infancy^ the {late of, confidered 4 
 
 Introduction to differ t. I. I 
 
 to di/Tert. IIL 133 
 
 . to difT^rt. V. 286 
 
 Judaifm modern, of 378 
 
 "Julian^^ attempt to rebuild Jerufalem, a proof of the 
 truth of Chriftianity. — . — 406 
 
 L. 
 
 Life and death of Christ _i. • .. 303 
 
 M. 
 
 Mahometan Religion examined, and compared with the 
 
 Chriftian 322 
 
 ' Religion, of the fuccefs of ^ 333 
 
 Man^ his natural ftate and condition l,&c. 
 
 his unavoidable evils ■ — ^ ■ 15 
 
 Manner in which the Mahometan and Chriftian Reli- 
 gion were propagated, enquired iiito 330 
 
 Alartyrs ^ — — 309 
 
 Means ufed to propagate Chriftianity, proper 134 
 
 Meffiah^ Christ proved to be, from a view of the pro- 
 phecies 341 
 ■■ from a review of what has happened fmce his 
 
 coming 355 
 
 ■ ■■ ■' a fuffering one, iieceflary and proper for man 
 
 382 
 MlracUy 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Mlracky the grcatcft the propagation of Chrlftianft/ 
 
 Page 135 
 Miracles^ &c. as well atteftcd as we could dcfire J42 
 
 ■ '■ fufficicntly atxcftfd 149 
 
 * the rcafon of • 159 
 
 prove the truth of a doLitine 171 
 
 . moft proper 217 
 
 — ' their natural and plain confequcnce 237 
 
 ■ real, incontcfttblc evidences of truth 244 
 
 ' Christ's, \\\\y rcjeded . 234 
 
 Chriftian, fir, proper, and benign 164 
 
 ■ ■ ' ■ Witnefles to ■ ' ■ 156 
 
 N. 
 
 A^rtf^/}' of revelation, proof of 72 
 
 ■ the difcovcry of rcmiHion of fins 
 
 another proof of it 87 
 
 Notoriety of the fads of the Chriftian Religion 125 
 
 o. 
 
 0^/Wry of the Jews, a proof of the truth of Chrifti- 
 anity ■ 39S 
 
 P. 
 
 Pbilofophers ancient, their notions of human depravity 24 
 -^— — their ignorance and inconfiflcncy rcfpe(5ting 
 
 God, &c. &c. 48 
 
 Prcaihers (the firft,) of Chriftianity, a proof of it's divi- 
 nity — 138 
 
 Promlfe threat, of a Redeemer, a detail of the revelation 
 
 thereot ■ 90 
 
 Propagation of Chriftianity the 2:rcateft miracle 135 
 
 Prophecies^ a view of, from whence Jfsts Christ 
 
 proved to be the Mcfliah ■ ■ 341 
 
 £ c Rtadtrigt 
 
INDEX. 
 R. 
 
 Readhigs and copies of the $. S. various obfervations 
 
 rciped:ing them — .. Page 277 
 
 Reafon fubje(Si: to fiefh and fenfe ■ g 
 
 —— * leads to a belief in miracles — — 205 
 
 * "' ' human, weak and incapable, i lone, of difcover- 
 
 ing religious truths ig6 
 
 Redenner^ a detail of the revelation 0/ the promife of 
 
 him •— — i . 9a 
 
 Redeviption a full remedy of original fin 33; 
 
 Religion, Chriftian, the moft ancient • 338 
 
 Re?:uJ[ir.n of fins, the difcovery of, a further proof of 
 
 the neceffity of revelation « 87 
 
 Revelation^ it's difficulties no obje<5lion to the belief of 
 
 it ^ 100 
 
 neceflityof it proved 72 
 
 want of it proved from the ignorance of 
 
 man refpe6ling God • • 43 
 
 Rovjfeau refuted ■' 21 
 
 fl:ri6lures on -^ -= 36 
 
 "^ " application to him, of the argument drav/n from 
 
 the incotififtency and ignorance of the philofophers 
 
 ""^ his diftin<5lion of the obligation to fubmit to re- 
 velation, examined — — « . 109 
 
 " .— felf-contradidion, Stc. 114 
 
 ~ tcftimony to the excellency of the S.S. 288 
 
 ^' * inconfiftency in the comparison of the three 
 
 chief Religions — 319 
 
 refuted, and the Chriftian vindicated 334 
 
 -« • argument for the Jews confidered 364 
 
 Scriptures^ on the " ■ ■ 267 
 
 concerning the various copies and readings 
 
 o; them ' « • 277 
 
 Scriptures 
 
I N D E X. 
 
 Scriptures fufficlcntly known and read, ilfc. Page 283 
 
 . Rcujpiius tcftimony of their excellency 288 
 
 St/f-ccntradioliofiy Sec. of Rouircau 114. 
 
 Senfd and flelh their dominion o\ cr reafon 9 
 
 Sin original, difficulties in the dot^trine of, unavoidable 
 
 i fully remedied by redemption 33 
 
 Sins, difcovery of remilTion of them a proof of the ne- 
 
 ceiTity of revelation - 87 
 
 Socrates and Christ, their difciples • 305 
 
 Soul, ignorance of philofophers refpeding it 4^^ 
 
 Succefi of the Mahometan Religion 333 
 
 Survey of fcnpture, to (hew that miracles prove the 
 
 tiuth of a do6trine 174. 
 
 Temple of Jerufalcm and city, proofs from the prophe- 
 cies concerninii them • 400 
 
 Truth ^ 
 
 of a doctrine proved by miracles 17 1 
 
 real miracles incontelliblc evidences of it 244 
 
 — of Chriftianity, evidence to, from the character 
 of Christ . 314 
 
 Truths moral, ignorance and inconfiftency of the phi- 
 lofophers refpedting them • 56 
 
 W. 
 
 WitmJJcs to Chriftian miracles ■ 159 
 
 JVcrld^ the ignorance and inconfiftency of philofophers 
 
 refpec^ing it's origin 49 
 
 lVorJ})ip internal, eflcntial to external __- 1^9 
 
^•'Ifc^K.* ■j^f'rf. 
 
,^- 
 
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