Of the Caufes, why the Jews and Gentiles rejected Chrift, notwithstanding all the Miracles wrought by him, and his Apoftles. A Supernatural Grace necessary to True Faith, p. 504- Jews and Profelytes were converted in great Num- bers, p. 508. Many durft not own Chrift; Others had their hearts hardned, p. 511. They had violent prejudi- dices against the Gospel, p. 512. The Signs and Won- ders of falle Prophets a cause of the Infidelity of the Jews, P.514. The unbelief of the Jews being foretold by the Prophets is a confirmation of the Gospel, p. 515. Great Numbers of the Heathens converted, p. 516. The caufe of unbelief in the Philofophers, ib. Of Epictetus and Seneca, p. 518. The prejudices of the Gentiles. p. 521. They would not be at the Pains rightly to understand the Chriftian Religion, p. 522. Oracles had foretold that it fhould not laft above 365 Years, p. ib. Herefies and Schifms gave great Scandal, p. 523. Many Heathens bowever had more favourable and just Thoughts of the Christian Religion, p. 524. Of the Writings of the Hea- thens against it, p. 528. The Writings of the ancient That the Confidence of Men of falfe Religions, and their Willingness to fuffer for them, is no preju- dice to the Authority of the True Religion. Falfhood no prejudice to Truth, p. 532. The preference for D Ifferences in matters of Religion must be, unless God vent them, P. 539. It is not necessary that God should thus interpofe, p. 544. nor expedient, p. 546. Thefe Differences, how great, and how many foever they may be, are no prejudice to the Truth and Certainty of Reli- gion, p. 549. All Parties are agreed in the Truth of Religion in general, and of the Christian Religion in par- ticular, p. 551. It is not Religion, about wa. Men dif- pute, but there is nothing befides in which Mu have not difagreed, p. 555. Prophecies are hereby fullfilled, p. 557. Though all Objections could not be Anfwer'd; yet True Revelation may contain great Difficulties; and if the Arguments in proof of the Scriptures re- main in their full Force, notwithstanding any Objections, and no pofitive and direct Proof be brought that they are infufficient, the Objections must proceed from fome Mistake, and ought to be rejected, as infignificant, p. 559. This is fhewn in Particulars, p. 561. The way of Reasoning, which is made ufe of to difprove the Truth and Authority of the Scriptures, confidered in cafes of another nature, p. 563. The Conclufion; containing an Exhortation to a fe- rious Confideration of thefe things, both from the Example of the wifest and most learned Men, and from the infiniteImportance ofthe thingsthemselves. S wife and learned Men, as any that ever lived in the World, have fuffered Perfecutions and Martyr- dom for the Chriftian Religion, p. 568. The Causes of Un- belief among Chriftians; Immorality, a Spirit of Contra- diction, and fingularity of Opinion, p. 569. It is at every Man's own Peril, if he make a rash and partial Judgment, P. 570. This is too ferious a Subject to jeft and trifle with- THE PREFACE. T HERE never appeared, I believe, among Chriftians fo general a Difaffection as in the prefent Age, to the Chriftian Religion, in Men pretending at least to Reafon and Learning, and Natural Religion, and Moral Vertue. And tho' I could have little Encouragement to hope, that I fhould write any thing which might much prevail with Men of thefe Accomplishments; yet I was perfuaded that fo good a Caufe, tho' but in weak Hands, could not fail of fome Effect upon all that would be at the pains to confider it. And to this Pur pofe, I thought, the bft way would be, not to read Lectures, as it were, of Anatomy upon the feveral Parts of it, and reprefent it Piece-meal, like a lifelefs Carcafs, divided and diffected; tho' I had been able to fhew never fo much Skill in the Operation; but to give an entire View of the Grounds and Reasons of Chriftianity, the connexion of its Parts between themselves and the Preference which it has to all other Religions; from whence whence, I knew, it muft appear in as true a Light, and with as much Life and Force, as it could do under the Difadvantages, which might be expected from no better a Pen. There is an Excellency in every Part of our Religion separately confider'd,but the ftrength and vigour of each Part is in the Relation it has to the reft, and the feveral Parts must be taken altogether, if we would have a true Knowledge, and make a juft Eftimate of the Whole. But that which I made my more particular Care, and which, I thought, the more requir'd my Pains, because I had not observed it to be much infifted upon by others, was to fhew the Neceffity of a Divine Revelation, the infufficiency of Natural Religion, and the Imperfections and Errors of Philofophy, as well as the manifeft Falfhood of the Religions both of the Heathens and of the Mahometans; and moreover to prove, that befides all other Things requifite to a Divine Revelation, the Religion delivered in the Old and New Teftament has received a full Promulgation in all Parts of the World. From these Foundations thus laid and fecur'd, we have no less than a Demonstration for the Truth of our Holy Religion. We are often told by thofe that are no Friends to our Religion, that we must by all means take great Care of not being deceived through the Prejudices derived from our Education; but I believe it would be found upon Enquiry Enquiry, that fuch Men are fo far from be ing prejudiced in Favour of our Religion, that their Prejudices lie extreamly against it. For, befides the Corruption of Humane Nature always inclining to Error and Vice, tho they had the Principles of Chriftianity inftill'd into them in their tender Years, yet they could learn them then only as confeft Truths, to be receiv'd for Articles of Faith and Rules of Life. But the first thing probably to which they have fet themselves with any Application, was the reading of Heathen Authors, and when perhaps they have ftudied Philofophy and other Humane Learning for many Years, but never confi dered Divinity, as a Science, and have searche ed into it no farther, nor have any other Notion of it, than what they were taught in their Childhood or Youth, they look back upon their first Inftructions as groundless, and fit only for Children, becaufe they find little of nothing of them in thofe Authors, with whom they have been fo long converfant, and whom upon many Accounts they have fo juft Reafon to admire. This seems to be the Cale of many who have read antient Heathen Authors,, without the Regard, which ought always to be had to That, which is acknowledg'd by All, who have made any due Enquiry into thefe Things, to be the beft Learning and of greatest Antiquity, and is no where to be had but from the Scriptures b 2 Others |