It is only the antecedent that here requires proof; which consists of these two branches, both which I shall make clear,

First: That the doctrine of Scripture was compiled, and the miracles done without the help of much human learning, or any extraordinary natural endowments."

Secondly: That yet the most learned philosophers never could reach near the Gospel-mysteries, nor ever work the miracles that were then done.

But I shall say most to the doctrine. For the proof of the former, consider:

First: The whole world was, in the times of Moses and the prophets, comparatively unlearned. A kind of learning the Egyptians then had, and some few other, especially consisting in some small skill in astronomy; but it was all but barbarous ignorance, in comparison of the learning of Greece and Europe. Those writings of greatest antiquity, yet extant, do show this. See also Doctor Hackwell, as before.

2. As rare as learning then was, yet did God choose the unlearned of that unlearned time to be instruments and penmen of his choicest Scriptures. David, who was bred a shepherd, is the penman of those divine, unmatchable psalms. Amos is taken from a herdsman, to be a prophet,

3. But especially in those latter ages, when the world was grown more wise and learned, did God purposely choose the weak, the foolish, the unlearned, to confound them: a company of poor fishermen, tent-makers, and such-like, must write the laws of the kingdom of Christ; must dive into the spiritual mysteries of the kingdom; must silence the wise, and disputers of the world; must be the men that must bring in the world to believe. Doubtless, as God sending David, an unarmed boy, with a sling and a stone against an armed giant, was to make it appear that the victory was from himself; so his sending these unlearned men to preach the Gospel, and subdue the world, was to convince both the present and future generations that it was God, and not man, that did the work,

• Vide Wigandum in Method. ante comment. in minores prophetas. Nam si, fuerunt omnes rudes et imperiti rerum, quorum opera Deus est usus in tradendo verbo, si nou fuerunt summo loco nati, si nullis humanis instructi præsidiis hanc rem agressi sunt, profecto oportet doctrinam ab iis profectam esse plane divinam.—Camero Prælect, de Verbo, p. 435. vid. ultr. Of the characters of divinity which the Scripture hath in itself, read judicious Amyraldus's Theses,' 'De Authoritate Scripturæ in Thes. Salmuriens,' vol, 2. p. 43, &c.

4. Also, the course they took in silencing the learned adversaries, doth show us how little use they made of these human helps. They disputed not with them by the precepts of logic : their arguments were to the Jews, the writings of Moses, and the prophets; and both to Jews and Gentiles, the miracles that were wrought they argued more with deeds than with words. The blind, lame, the sick that were recovered, were their visible arguments. The languages which they spake, the prophecies which they uttered, and other such supernatural gifts of the Holy Ghost upon them; these were the things that did convince the world yet this is no precedent to us, to make as little use of learning as they, because we are not upon the same work, nor yet supplied with their supernatural furniture.

5. The reproaches of their enemies do fully testify this, who cast it still in their teeth, that they were ignorant and unlearned men; and, indeed, that was the great rub that their doctrine found in the world. It was to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness; and therefore it appeared to be the power of God, and not of man. This was it that they discouraged the people with: "Do any of the rulers or pharisees believe on him? But this people that know not the law are accursed." (John vi. 48, 49.)

6. To conclude, the very frame and style of these sacred writings, do fully tell us, that they were none of the logicians, nor eloquent orators of the world, that did compose them. This is yet to this day, one of the greatest stumbling-blocks in the world, to hinder men from the reverencing and believing the Scriptures. They are still thinking, Surely if they were the very words of God, they would excel all other writings in every kind of excellency; when, indeed, it discovereth them the more certainly to be of God, because there is in them so little of man. They may as well say, If David had been sent against Goliah from God, he would surely have been the most complete soldier, and most completely armed. The words are but the dish to serve up the sense in; God is content that the words should not only have in them a savour of humanity, but of much infirmity, so that the work of convincing the world may be furthered thereby. And I verily think, that this is God's great design, in permitting these precious spirits of divine truth, to run in the veins of infirm language, that so men may be convinced, in all succeeding ages, that Scripture is no device of human policy. If the apostles had been learned and subtle men, we should

sooner have suspected their finger in the contrivance. Yea, it is observable, that in such as Paul, that had some human learning, yet God would not have, them make much use of it, lest the excellency of the cross of Christ should seem to lie in the enticing words of man's wisdom; and lest the success of the Gospel should seem to be more from the ability of the preacher, than from the arm of God.

Besides all this, it may much persuade us that the apostles never contrived the doctrine which they preached, by their sudden and not premeditated setting upon the work. They knew not whither they should go, nor what they should do, when he calls one from his fishing, another from his custom : they knew not what course Christ would take with himself, or them; no, not a little before he leaves them. Nay, they must not know their employment till he is taken from them. And even then is it revealed to them by parcels and degrees, and that without any study or invention of their own; even after the coming down of the Holy Ghost, Peter did not well understand that the Gentiles must be called. (Acts x.) All which ignorance of his apostles, and suddenness of revelation, I think was purposely contrived by Christ, to convince the world that they were not the contrivers of the doctrine which they preached.

Sect. IV. Let us next, then, consider, how far short the learned philosophers have come of this. They that have spent all their days in most painful studies, having the strongest natural endowments to enable them, and the learned teachers, the excellent libraries, the bountiful encouragement, and countenance of princes, to further them, and yet, after all this, are very novices in all spiritual things. They cannot tell what the happiness of the soul is, nor where that happiness shall be enjoyed; nor when, nor how long, nor what are the certain means to attain it; nor who they be that shall possess it. They know nothing how the world was made, nor how it shall end; nor know they the God who did create, and doth sustain it: but, for the most of them, they multiply feigned deities.

But I shall have occasion to open this more fully anon, under the last argument.

CHAP. VI.

The Third Argument.

SECT. 1. My third argument, whereby I prove the divine authority of the Scriptures, is this: "Those writings which have been owned and fulfilled in several ages by apparent extraordinary providences of God, must needs be of God: but God hath so owned and fulfilled the Scriptures: ergo, they are of God.

The major proposition will not surely be denied. The direct consequence is, that such writings are approved by God; and if approved by him, then must they needs be his own, because they affirm themselves to be his own. It is beyond all doubt, that God will not interpose his power, and work a succession of wonders in the world, for the maintaining or countenancing of any forgery; especially such as should be a slander against

himself.

All the work, therefore, will lie in confirming the minor : where I shall show you, First, By what wonders of providence God hath owned and fulfilled the Scriptures: and, Secondly, How it may appear that this was the end of providences.

1. The first sort of providences here to be considered, are those that have been exercised for the church universal. Where these three things present themselves especially to be observed: First, The propagating of the Gospel, and raising of the church: Secondly, The defence and continuance of that church: Thirdly, The improbable ways of accomplishing these. *

And, First, Consider what an unlikely design, in the judg

u Vid. Polan. Syntag. lib. i. c. 10.

* Miserandam merito quispiam illorum censebit amentiam qui cum vituperant crucem, non vident ejus virtutem orbem implesse universum, ac per ipsam Dei notitiam, ac divina opera, omnibus innotuisse.-Athanas, lib. i. cont. Gentil. in prin.

y If all this be not sufficient proof of the resurrection of Christ, you may gather it from the things that are continually done. For if the dead can work nothing, and it belong only to the living to work, and to manage human affairs, let any man then see and judge, and let him acknowledge the truth when he is taught by things visible. For could our Saviour work so many things in men, and by a wonderful power persuade such multitudes (invisibly) of Grecians and barbarians to believe in him, and by the force of his power induce them all to obey his doctrine? Dare any man yet doubt of Christ's resurrection, and that he lives; yea, that he is the life of believers? Can a dead VOL. XXII.

X

ment of man, did Christ send his apostles upon. To bid a few ignorant mechanics, Go, preach, and make him disciples of all nations. To send his followers into all the world, to make men believe him to be the Saviour of the world, and to charge them to expect salvation no other way. Why, almost all the world might say, they had never seen him and to tell them in Britain, &c. of one crucified among thieves at Jerusalem, and to charge them to take him for their eternal king: this was a design very unlikely to prevail. When they would have taken him by force, and made him a king, then he refused, and hid himself. But when the world thought they had fully conquered him, when they had seen him dead, and laid him in his sepulchre, then doth he arise and subdue the world. He that would have said, when Christ was on the cross, or in the grave 'that within so many weeks many thousands of his murderers should believe him to be their Saviour; or within so many years, so many countries and kingdoms should receive him for their Lord, and lay down their dignities, possessions, and lives at his feet;' would have hardly been believed by any that had heard him: and I am confident, they would most of them have acknowledged, that if such a wonder should come to pass, it must needs be from the finger of God alone. That the kingdoms of the world should become the kingdoms of Christ, was then a matter exceeding improbable. But you may object that, First, It is but a small part of the world that believes. And, Secondly, Christ himself saith, that his flock is little. I answer, First, It

man persuade men's minds to renounce their father's laws, and obey the precepts of Christ, or make an adulterer chaste, and the manslayer and injurious to do no wrong? If he be not risen, but still dead, how doth he banish and overthrow all false gods? For wherever his voice soundeth, and his faith is held, thence all idol worship is destroyed, and all the subtle deceits of devils disclosed; and no devil can endure his holy name, but as soon as he hears it doth presently fall down. Is this, I pray you, the work of a dead man, or rather, of the living God?—Athanas. de Incarnat. Verbi. Christi

anis vero quid simile? Neminem pudet; neminem pœnitet: nisi plane retro non fuisse. Si denotatur, gloriatur. Si accusatur, non defendit: interrogatus, vel ultro confitetur; damnatus gratias agit. Quid hoc mali est, quod naturalia mali non habet? timorem, pudorem, tergiversationem, pœnitentiam, deplorationem? Quid hoc mali est, cujus reus gaudet? cujus accusatio votum est; et poua felicitas?—Tertullian. Apolog. c. 1. Sed hoc agite boni præsides, meliores multo apud populum, si illos Christianos immolaveritis; cruciate, torquete, damnate, atterite nos: probatio enim est iunocentiæ nostræ iniquitas vestra.—Nec quicquam tamen proficit exquisitior quæque crudelitas vestra; illecebra est magis sectæ ; plures efficimur quoties metimur à vobis. Semen est sanguis Christianorum,-Tertullian. Apolog, cap. ult.