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Book II. that followed them, make moft evident. It remains therefore that we fay, if they did lye, it was for the defence of their Religion; which cannot with any reafon be laid to their charge, if the thing be rightly confidered. For either they did fincerely believe that this Religion which they profeffed was the true Religion, or elfe they were of a contrary mind. If they did not believe it to be true; nay if they thought not that it was abfolutely the best, they would never have made choice hereof,and refufed other Religions far more fafe and commodious. Nay farther, though they conceived it to be true, yet they would not have profeffed it, unless they had been fully perfuaded, that the profeffion thereof was neceffary; fpecially for that they might have eafily forefeen, and partly they could tell by experience what troops of Men will be expofed to Death for this profeffion, which without juft caufe to occafion was no better than plain robbery or murther.

But if we fay, they believed that this Religion was true and the very beft, and by all means to be profeffed, and that after the death of their Lord and Mafter furely, that could no way be fo, if their Mafter's promife concerning his Refurrection had deceived them, and not proved true. For that had been enough to make any Man in his wits difbelieve, even that which he had already entertained.

Morever all Religions, and Chriftianity more than any other, forbids lying in bearing falfe witnefs, efpecially in divine things, wherefore they could not for the love of Religion, and that fuch a Religion be induced to tell untruths. Befides, thefe Men were of an upright converfation; their Life was fpotlefs and unblameable even in the

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judgment of their adverfaries; who had nothing to object against them, fave their fimplicity, which of all other difpofitions is the most unlikely to forge a lye. Nay, there were none among thefe Primitive Chriftians (whereof we fpeak) who did not fuffer grievous torments for profeffing that Jefus was rifen: and many of them were put unto moft exquifite pains of death for bearing teftimony of the fame. Now granting it to be poffible, that a Man in his wits may be content to endure fuch things,for fome opinion which he hath conceived, and really believes in his mind; yet that for a falfhood, which he knows to be fo, not only fome one Man, but a great many Men, who are like to gain nothing at all by making that falfhood to be believed, fhould confent to fuffer fuch cruel torments, is a thing altogether incredible.

Now that these were not Mad-men, both their .converfation and their writings do abundantly teftifie. Likewife what is fpoken of the firft Apoftles, may alfo be faid of Paul, who openly taught that he faw Christ fitting in Heaven: who alfo was not inferior to any in the Jewish Religion; nor might he have wanted dignities and preferments, if he would have followed the foot-fteps of his Fathers.

Whereas on the contrary, by taking upon him the profeffion of Chriftianity, he became liable to the hatred and malignity of his Kinffolks, and ingaged himself to undertake difficult, dangerous, and laborious travels through the World; and laft of all to undergo a difgraceful death and torment.

SECT.

SECT. VIII.

Answer to the Objection, That the Refurrection feems impoffible.

SUCH

UCH and fo great teftimonies no Man can difprove or gainfay, unless fome will reply, that the thing it felf is impoffible to be done: for fo are thofe things which imply a contradiЄtion, as they speak. Howbeit that cannot be affirmed of this matter. It might indeed, if one could fay that one and the self-fame Man lived and died at the self-fame time: But that a Man may be restored from death to life, especially by the power and virtue of him who first gave life and being unto Man, I fee no reason why it fhould be accounted for a thing impoffible.

Neither hath it been thought impoffible by wife Men; for Plato writes that this was done to Eris an Armenian. And the like is related of a certain Woman by Heraclides a Philofopher of Pontus, of Ariftaus by Herodotus; and of another by Plutarch: all which (whether true or falfe) do fhew that in the opinion of learned and wife Men the thing was conceived to be poffible.

SECT.

SECT. IX.

The Refurrection of Jefus being granted, the Truth of his Doctrine is confirmed.

Now

W if it be neither impoffible that Chrift fhould return to Life again; and it doth fufficiently appear by great Teftimonies (wherewith Rabbi Bechai, a Mafter of the Jews, was fo convinced, that he acknowledged the truth of this thing) and this Chrift himself alfo, as both his Difciples and others confefs, did publish a new Doctrine, as by a Divine Commandment : truly it neceffarily follows, that that Doctrine is true. For it doth not confift with the Divine Juftice and Wisdom to honour Him after fo excellent a manner; who had committed the crime of falfifying in fo weighty a matter. Efpecially confidering that before his Death he had foretold to his Difciples, both his Death, and the kind of it, and his Refurrection to Life again: adding this withal, that these things fhould therefore come to pafs, that they might teftifie and confirm the truth of his Doctrine.

And thus much for the Arguments which arife from the facts themselves which were done: Let us proceed to those which arise from the nature and quality of his Doctrine.

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SE CIT. X.

Chriftian Religion preferred before all others.

ND here truly we muft fay, that either all

A kind of divine Worship whatsoever must be

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rejected, and utterly banished from among Men, (which impiety will never enter into the heart of any one that can believe there is a God who takes care of all things; and withal confiders how Man is endued with excellency of understanding, and Liberty to chufe what is morally good or evil and upon that account is capable as of reward fo of Punishment;) or elfe this Religion is to be admitted and approved of for the very beft: not only in regard of the outward Teftimonies of works and miracles aforefaid; but alfo in confideration of fuch inward and effential properties, as are agreeing thereunto: namely, because there is not, neither ever any other Religion in the Was there whole World, that can be produced either more bonourable for excellency of reward, or more abfolute and perfect for Precepts, or more admirable for the manner according to which it was coinmanded to be propagated and divulged.

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SECT. XI.

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For excellency of Reward.

OR to begin with the reward that is at the end propounded to Man, which though it be the laft in fruition and execution, yet is it the firft in his intention: If we confider the inftitu

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