SERM. I.

ing undergone Martyrdom, is gone into "the Place of Glory, which was due to him. It is out of Envy (continues the "fame Author) that Paul got the Price

of Patience, having been put feven "Times in Irons, ftoned, and fcourged; "being the Herald of the Gofpel in the East and Weft, he made his Faith fa<< mous. Having taught the whole World Juftice, and being come to the Extremity of the Weft, when he had fuffered Martyrdom before the Chief of the State, he went out of the World *." These are the Words of an Author, who had no Temptations to falfify, and living in the fame Age with the Apoftles, could not want an Opportunity to inform himself of the Truth of what he delivers. Since then the Apostles were not fwayed by VainGlory, or other worldly Confiderations; they must have been either acted by a dif interested Love of Pain and Mifery, contrary to the known Workings of human Nature, contrary to the firft Principle, that of Self-Prefervation, and an invincible Defire of Happiness: Or they must have been fwayed by a fettled Conviction of the

*Cotelerii Patres Apoftolici. Vol. I. Pag. 150, 154Truth

30

Truth of the Refurrection, and animated SERM. I. by the Hopes of an everlafting Weight of These are the only affignable

Glory.
Springs of Action,

Difbelievers would be thought to be great Patrons of focial Morality: But one cannot well conceive how Society, and confequently focial Morality, can fubfift upon their Principles, which are fruitful of Diftruft and Jealoufy. They, who can impioufly believe the Apoftles to have been Deceivers and Knaves, muft, if confiftent with themselves, believe every one else to be fo too, as far as he has Capacity and Opportunity. They who can entertain a Doubt of the Apostles Honefty, after the Arongeft Proofs of their Integrity, that they could poffibly give, or Mankind require, must entertain a general undistinguishing Sufpicion of every Perfon about them.

Add to this, that a Vein of Simplicity runs throughout their whole Compofure, and Nature, void of Art, fpeaks in every Line. And whatever critical Skill and Accuracy in Languages they might want; they every where seem to fpeak, what is more estimable than all the Languages befides, the Language of the Heart: They never caft

SERM., I. in Shades, what might appear too bold, glar

ing, and incredible at the firft tranfient View: They never smooth the Way and prepare the Reader, for what might feem offenfive: They every where leave the Actions to speak, and their Readers to judge, for themselves. Plain honeft Truth wants no artificial Colourings; and Falfhood is apt to betray itself, by laying them on too thick. Truth fhines with unborrowed Beauties, and has no Need of foreign Ornaments: But on Falfhood, which has no Comeliness in itself, Men bestow the more abundant Comeliness. Here they lavish out all their Art, prodigal of Decorations, to divert the Eye from attending to it's genuine Deformity.

The Evidence ftill rifes higher, if we confider that the Truth of the miraculous Facts in Scripture-Hiftory, is proved by Events fubfequent to them; which Events, viz. the Propagation and Establishment of Christianity, could never have taken Place, unless the miraculous Facts had been true: For it was as impoffible, that the twelve Apostles fhould propagate Chriftianity, against the united Forces of Jews and Gen tiles, Magiftrates and Philofophers; as that twelve unarmed Men fhould defeat the whole

whole Roman Army. The Relation there- SERM. I. fore, which the Scripture gives us, of Miracles, must be true: Because, without a Suppofition of Miracles actually performed, we cannot rationally account for that great Turn in religious Affairs, which not very long after followed, viz. the Subverfion of Pagan Idolatry in Part, and the Introduction of the Worship of God in Spirit and in Truth.

But this Argument for the Truth of Christianity falls under my next Head, and must be referved for another Difcourse.