time, but as it made inquiry into ti- belief could not possibly proceed tles, and consequently genealogy, ne- from imposture; because the very cessary every fiftieth year; and as means provided, for proof of the truth, the cessation from culture every are so many checks against any posseventh year gave continual occa-sibility of imposition. sions for the Deity's displaying his If any man will suggest that the power in increasing the crop of the law of the Jews is no more than husixth, pursuant to his promise. man invention, and that the book of Now, taking these circumstances the law is a forgery; let him say together under consideration, could when it was imposed upon that peoany human precaution have provided ple, or at what period it could have more means to keep up the memory possibly been imposed upon them, so and evidence of any fact? Could this as to gain belief, later than the perihave been done by human foresight od they mention, and under other or force? Has any thing like to it circumstances than those they relate. ever been in the world besides ? Could the whole people have been

What could tend more to perpetu- persuaded at any one period, by any ate the memory of any event, than impostor, that they were told seveto deliver a whole people, by public rally by their fathers, and they by glorious miracles, from intolerable theirs, that the law was given with slavery? To publish a very extraor- such circumstances, and under such dinary system of laws immediately promises and threats, if they were from heaven? To put this law in not really told so; or that they, writing together with the covenant throughout all their generations, had for the obeying it? To make the te- worn certain passages of the law by nure of the estates depend on the ori- way of frontlets and signs, if it had ginal division of the land, to men not really been so ?

who saw the miracles, and first took Could the whole people have been possession, and on the proximity of persuaded to submit to the pain of relation, by descent to them? To death, upon all the offences which appoint a return of lands every fifti- the law makes capital, unless their eth year, which should give perpetual fathers had done so, upon the evioccasion to canvass those descents? dence of the authority of that law? To order a sabbath every seventh Could the whole people have been year for the land, the loss of which persuaded that they had kept exact should be supplied by the preceding genealogies, in order to entitle them. year's increase? And to select a to the blessing, and to the inheritwhole tribe consisting of many thou- ances severally, unless they actually sands, to be the guardians, in some had done so?

degree the judges and the executors Could the whole people believe of this law; who were barred from that they had kept Passovers, Feasts any portion of the land, in common of Tabernacles, &c. down from the with their brethren, and were con- date of the law, commemorative of tented with the contributions that the great events they relate to, uncame from the other tribes, without less they had really done so ? any fixed portion amongst them. Could the children of Israel have This must keep up the belief and au- been imposed on to receive an Ark, thority of that law amongst the de- and a Tabernacle, then forged, and scendants of that people, or nothing a complete set of service and liturgy, could and if such a belief, under as descending from Moses by the all these circumstances, prevailed direction of God, unless that Ark amongst a people so constituted, that and that service had come to them

from their ancestors, as authorized by forged before the reign of David, it God? could not possibly be forged after, Could the whole people have sub- unless the whole history of the kingmitted to pay tithe, first fruits, &c. dom, the Tabernacle, the Temple, upon any feigned revelation? Or, and all the sacred hymns and procould the tribe of Levi, without di- phecies, are looked upon as one comvine authority, have submitted, not plete fiction; because the Tabernaonly to the being originally without cle, the Temple, the economy of the a portion in Israel, but to the being kingdom, the sacred hymns, and all incapable of any, in hopes of the the other writings said to be sacred, contributions of the people; which, bear formal relation to the law. however large when the whole twelve But, that all these things were not tribes served at the same temple, be- supposititious, is evident from the anxcame very scanty when ten of them ious zeal that possessed the Jews withdrew their allegiance from hea- who returned from the captivity; ven ? from their solicitude to restore the

Could ever the book of the law, city, the Temple and the sacred serif consigned to the Levites, and pro- vice; from their strict examination mulgated, have been lost, so as to of their genealogies, and scrupulous give room for new fictions? Or could care to comply with the law. a book of the law have been forged, The space between the captivity if there was none precedent, and put and the return was so short that some upon the people, as a book that had who saw the first Temple, saw also been delivered to the Levites by Mo- the second, and many who were ses? If no book at all ever was de- themselves, or at least whose fathers livered by him to them, what authori- had been, officers in the first Temple, ty could be pretended for such a returned to the service of the second: book? so that it is utterly impossible that

Had a book been to be forged, in the history, the liturgy, the service order to be received by the people, of the Jews, preceding the return, could it have contained so many should be a fiction, at least that it scandalous reflections and accusa- should be a fiction earlier than the tions against the people, and so many return.

fatal threats and predictions concern- And the story of this nation, from ing them? And, if it had been so that period, falls in so much with the framed, could it have been received history of the rest of the world; as authentic? their sacred books have been so soon

If the law, &c. was forged, it must after that translated, and they have have been before the days of David: been so famous for the tenaciousbecause by the sacred hymns, in his ness of their laws, that there is no time, the publication of the law is possibility of suspecting that their celebrated, and the law was observed: law and history was forged later than and yet the time between the entry the return. And, if it is granted, that of Israel into the land, and the reign the devotions, the precepts, the instiof David, being but about four hun- tutions, and rites and ceremonies of dred years, is too short a space for this law, and the great lines of their forgetting the real manner of the en- history, are not forged; one needs try, and forging another, to be re- as to the present consideration, be ceived by a people, whose genealogy but little solicitous concerning the was so fixed, and whose time was accuracy of the copy of the books of reckoned by such periods. the law, and of the other sacred If the book of the law was not books; and whether there may not

have been some mistake and inter- the world, the propagation of men, polations. It is not with one or one and the dispersing of families into hundred words or sentences we have the several parts of the earth. to do; it is with the system of the And though this book were written sacrificature, and the other religious in several ages and places, by several laws and services of the Jews, and persons; yet doth the doctrine of it with the political establishment of accord together, with a most exceltheir theocratical government, and lent harmony, without any dissonance the authority for the establishment or inconsistency.

concern.

of both, that we have, at present, And for the manner of delivering the things contained in it, it is so For, if such a system of religious solemn, reverend, and majestic, so exservices and ceremonies was revealed actly suited to the nature of things, and commanded by God; if, for the as may justly provoke our wonder greater certainty, it was reduced into and acknowledgment of its divine writing by Moses, by divine direc- original.

tion; if such a model of government And as for the New Testament; was framed, as is manifestly calcu- those various correspondences, which lated for keeping up the observance it bears to the chief things of the of those services, and preserving the Old Testament, may sufficiently evimemory of the institution, and keep-dence that mutual relation, depending up the authority of the book ence, and affinity which there is bewherein it was recorded; and if the tween them. That in such an age nation, to whom this institution was there was such a man as Christ, who delivered, have preserved it accord- preached such a doctrine, wrought ingly complete evidence thence many miracles, suffered an ignominiarises to us of the divinity of the in- ous death, and was afterwards worstitution; and leads to a demonstra- shipped as God, having abundance of tive proof of the truth of the Chris-disciples and followers, at first chiefly tian religion, to which all the em- amongst the vulgar, but awhile after, blematical institutions tend, and in amongst several of the most wise and which they centre. learned men; who in a short space

Lord Forbes. of time did propagate their belief and doctrine into the most remote

§ 119. On the Old and New Testa- parts of the world: I say, all this is for the truth of the matter of fact, not so much as doubted or called into

ment.

The Old Testament hath, by the question, by Julian, or Celsus, or the general consent of learned men, all Jews themselves, or any other of the the marks of purest antiquity; there most avowed enemies of Christianibeing nothing in the world which ty. But we have it by as good cerin this respect is equal to it, or tainty as any rational man can wish or which may pretend to be compar- hope for, that is, by universal testied with it; all other the most ancient mony, as well of enemies as friends. monuments of antiquity coming short And if these things were so, as to of it by many ages. It was written the matter of fact, the common prinin the first and most ancient lan- ciples of nature will assure us, that guage; from which the very alpha- it is not consistent with the nature of bets and letters of all other languages the Deity, his truth, wisdom, or juswere derived. tice, to work such miracles in confirmation of a lie or imposture.

This book contains, as the most ancient, so the most exact story of

Nor can it be reasonably objected

that these miracles are now ceased; ness of it in gross and sensual pleaand we have not any such extraordi- sures, feasts and gardens, and comnary way to confirm the truth of our pany, and other such low and gross religion. It is sufficient that they enjoyments. were upon the first plantation of it, Whereas the doctrine of Chriswhen men were to be instituted and tianity doth fix it upon things that confirmed in that new doctrine. And are much more spiritual and sublime; there may be as much of the wisdom the beatific vision, a clear unerring of providence in the forbearing them understanding, a perfect tranquillity now, as in working them then; it of mind, a conformity to God, a perbeing not reasonable to think that petual admiring and praising of him ; the universal laws of nature, by than which the mind of man cannot which things are to be regularly fancy any thing that is more excelguided in their natural course, should lent or desirable. frequently, or upon every little occa- As to the duties that are enjoined sion, be violated or disordered. in reference to divine worship, they To which may be added that won- are so full of sanctity and spiritual derful way whereby this religion hath devotion, as may shame all the pompbeen propagated in the world, with ous solemnities of other religions, in much simplicity and infirmity in the their costly sacrifices, their dark wild first publishers of it; without arms, mysteries, and external observances. or faction, or favour of great men, or Whereas this refers chiefly to the hothe persuasions of philosophers or liness of the mind, resignation to orators; only by the naked proposal God, love of him, dependence upon of plain evident truth, with a firm re- him, submission to his will, endeasolution of suffering and dying for vouring to be like him.

it, by which it hath subdued all kind And as for the duties of the second of persecutions and oppositions, and table, which concern our mutual consurmounted whatever discourage-versation towards one another, it alment or resistance could be laid in its lows nothing that is hurtful or noxway, or made against it. ious, either to ourselves or others;

The excellency of the things con- forbids all kind of injury or revenge; tained in the Gospel are also so suita- commands to overcome evil with ble to a rational being, as no other good; to pray for enemies and perreligion or profession whatsoever secutors; doth not admit of any menhath thought of, or so expressly in- tal, much less any coporeal uncleansisted upon. ness; doth not tolerate any immoSome of the learned Heathens dest or uncomely word or gesture; have placed the happiness of man in forbids us to wrong others in their the external sensual delights of this goods and possessions, or to mispend world. our own; requires us to be very tenOthers of the wiser Heathens have der both of our own and other men's spoken sometimes doubtfully con- reputation; in brief, it enjoins nocerning a future state, and therefore thing but what is helpful, and useful, have placed the reward of virtue, in and good for mankind. Whatever the doing of virtuous things. Virtue any philosophers have prescribed conis its own reward. Wherein, though cerning their moral virtues of temthere be much of truth, yet it doth perance, and prudence, and patience, not afford encouragement enough for and the duties of several relations, is the vast desires of a rational soul. here enjoined, in a far more eminent, Others who have owned a state sublime, and comprehensive manafter this life, have placed the happi-Iner: besides such examples and in

citations to piety as are not to be pa- posterity the certainty of it, than that ralleled elsewhere: the whole system clear and universal tradition which of its doctrines being transcendently we have for the history of the Gosexcellent, and so exactly comformable pel? And must not that man be very to the highest, purest reason, that in unreasonable, who will not be content those very things wherein it goes be- with as much evidence for an ancient yond the rules of moral philosophy, book or matter of fact, as any thing we cannot in our best judgment but of that nature is capable of? If it be consent to submit to it. only infallible and mathematical cer

In brief; it doth in every respect tainty that can settle his mind, why so fully answer the chief scope and should he believe that he was born design of religion in giving all ima- of such parents, and belongs to such ginable honour and submission to the a family? 'Tis possible men might Deity, promoting the good of man- have combined together to delude kind, satisfying and supporting the him with such a tradition. Why mind of man with the highest kind may he not as well think that he was of enjoyments, that a rational soul born a Prince and not a subject, and can wish or hope for, as no other re- consequently deny all duties of subligion or profession whatsoever can jection and obedience to those above pretend unto. him? There is nothing so wild and

Infidels pretend want of clear and extravagant, to which men may not infallible evidence for the truth of expose themselves by such a kind Christianity; than which nothing of nice and scrupulous incredulity. can be more absurd and unworthy Whereas, if to the inquiries about of a rational man. For let it be but religion a man would but bring with impartially considered; what is it him the same candour and ingenuithat such men would have? Do they ty, the same readiness to be instructexpect mathematical proof and cer-ed, which he doth to the study of tainty in moral things? human arts and sciences, that is, a

Why, they may as well expect to see mind free from violent prejudices and with their ears, and hear with their a desire of contention; it can hardeyes; such kind of things being al- ly be imagined, but that he must be together as disproportioned to such convinced and subdued by those kind of proofs, as the objects of the clear evidences, which offer themseveral senses are to one another. selves to every inquisitive mind, conThe arguments or proof to be used cerning the truth of the principles in several matters are of various and of religion in general, and concerndifferent kinds, according to the na-ing the divine authority of the Holy ture of the things to be proved. And Scriptures, and the Christian religion. it will become every rational man to Bishop Wilkins. yield to such proofs as the nature of the thing which he inquires about is capable of: and that man is to be$ looked upon as froward and contentious, who will not rest satisfied in such kind of evidence as is counted. sufficient, either by all others, or by most, or by the wisest men.

120. Chief design, and principal intention of the civil government of the Hebrews.

To lay down a true plan of the Hebrew government, it will be requisite previously to consider, what parIf we suppose God to have made ticular views the lawgiver might have any revelation of his will to mankind, in it. If any particular ends were can any man propose or fancy any designed, to promote which the plan better way for conveying down to of the government itself was to be