veyed down to them in writing, which may be more authentick than any fingle oral evidence, if we could have it, can be. A Record or History, written at the time when the things are done, by perfons of unquestionable integrity, and capable, in all respects, of giving true evidence, is the best human ground of affurance that any fact at fuch a distance is capable of. Now the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles, and an account of the Revelation which they made, have ftood upon fuch a record from the very time. For the fame Original History which gives an account of the Miracles, gives us also an account of the Doctrine, for the establishing of which those Miracles are faid to be wrought, together with many particular circumftances attending the preaching of it. So that whatever evidence we have, that the relation of miracles recorded in Scripture is true, we have the fame evidence, that the doctrine of the Scriptures is the fame which was then delivered. And accordingly thefe are now infeparable parts of the fame Record, and muft ftand or fall together. And unless we are refolved to disbelieve every thing for which we have not the immediate evidence of our own fenfes, we

have as good rational ground of affurance, of the truth of this record, as we can defiré; that is, as much as any unprejudiced man would require in any other cafe.

But if it be objected, that this being a matter of the greatest moment of all others, we ought not to be content with the fame kind of evidence, which may reasonably fatisfy us in other cafes of lefs concern: To this I anfwer,

1. That the very making of this objection is a fign, that men are not fo fincere lovers of truth, and fo impartial in the embracing of it as they ought to be. For if when two things equally evident are proposed, a man fhould fay, I will believe the one, because I have no concern in it; but I will not believe the other, because, if I do, it must make a great alteration in my conduct, which I am refolved against. Would not this be look'd upon as an unreasonable prejudice? The great moment of the thing is indeed a very good reafon, why we should be more than ordinarily inquifitive about it, that we may get as perfect a knowledge of it as we can, and be very diligent to examine into the truth of it, and confider well the evidence upon which it

is grounded; but it is no argument against believing it upon fufficient evidence, or for peremptorily requiring more than is neceffary, though we may be glad when, upon enquiry, we find it more abundant than we expected. A truth of small confequence may sometimes, by the very nature of it, have a greater number of evidences to it, than another which is of more moment; and yet if the latter have fufficient to prove it, we ought to be satisfied. But,

2. The Providence of God has taken care to give sufficient satisfaction even to this prejudice alfo, and to remove the very ground of the fcruple: And that by these two Ways:

1. By unquestionable Records of our Religion, and the first evidence by which it was proved. And,

2. By divers fucceffive fubfequent Evidences given to it, which do more particularly affect the following ages.

1. The Records of our Religion, both as to the Miracles and the Doctrine, have better grounds of credibility, and more evident marks of truth than any other ancient Hiftory whatever, if we confider either the Books themselves, in which the things are defigned

ly delivered; or the collateral Evidence to the facts, occafionally delivered by those who were no parties to them,

1. As to the Books themselves, which contain the fum of what we believe of the Doctrine and Miracles of Christ. They were written by several perfons, in different places, yet all of them well acquainted with every circumstance of what they write; for they either heard and saw every thing themselves which they relate, or were conftant companions of those that did, and had their atteftation to the truth of their teftimony. And they could have no pos fible worldly intereft, which could induce them to affert what they did, if they had not been perfectly perfuaded of the truth of it; but on the contrary, they knowingly ventured their lives for afferting it, and laid them down in defence of it. And that moreover they had the affiftance of the Spirit of God, directing them in all neceffary truth, they proved by the teftimony of thofe Miracles, which God enabled them to work, both at and after the time of giving their teftimony. But this is something farther than what I now infift upon. Thefe writings were foon dispersed into great num

-bers

bers of hands, and tranflated very early into many languages, kept in many places, far diftant from one another, with a religious care, conftantly read in publick, that all might be acquainted with them, and so not easily capable of being falfified. And though the constant use of those writings made them be much oftner tranfcribed than any other books, by which means there muft of neceffity, without a miracle, be many literal or verbal mistakes, or variations in the manner of writing, yet this great number of copies, which may be compared together, and fo rectify'd by one another, has been a great fecurity to all the effential doctrine contained in them. And farther, that these books were written at the time pretended, and by the perfons to whom they are afcribed, we have a more univerfal and conftant teftimony, in every feveral age fince they were writ, than can be produced for any other writings fo ancient; and this allowed without contradiction by the first enemies of Chriftianity, who undertook to write against it, who had better means of information than those that came after them, and would have been willing enough to have objected against their being genuine, if there Ff4

had