whatever befides Men have difputed. And yet it is more abfurd, if it be poffible, to allow that is a good Argument against Religion, but against nothing elfe. If the Sun yield his Light, and Nature go on in her conftant Courfe, tho' Men differ never so much in their Philofophy about it, what can Religion be the worfe for their Difputes? no body thinks, that he fees ever the lefs for any Difficulties, which have been urged concernning Vision; and why should we be ever the lefs inclined to believe the Truth of Religion, by reason of any Controversies in it? Men may difpute any thing, and there is hardly any thing but it has been disputed; but nothing is the lefs credible for being dif puted, unless it can be difproved, but is rather confirmed and advanced by it. Truth, is nevertheless Truth for meeting with oppofition, but is the more tried, and the more approved, as Strength and Courage is by the fharpeft Conflicts.

Since then there will be Vices, as long as there are Men in this World, and Differences and Diffentions in Religion, as long as there are Vices; fince they cannot be hindered, but by the Omnipotent Power of God, and there are great Reasons, why he fhould not interpofe to prevent them; fince Differences in Religion are so far from implying any uncer tainty in Religion, that they rather prove a Confirmation of it, and are in divers refpects made

made useful and expedient to the Edification of Chriftians, it must be great inconfideration and weakness, to produce them as an Objection against Religion,

There must be Herefies, and the Spirit speaketh exprefly that in the latter Times fome shall depart from the Faith, giving heed to Seducing Spirits, and Doctrins of Devils, Speaking Lies in Hypocrify, having their Confcience feared with an hot Iron. 1 Tim. iv. 12. The Scripture could not be true, unless these things fhould happen, which are foretold in feveral Places of Scripture. Behold, fays our Saviour, I have told you before, Matt. xxiv. 25. it ought to be no new nor furprising thing to Christians, to fee Herefies arife, tho' they be never fo wicked and abominable; because we are forewarned to expect them, and they serve to give a kind of Testimony to the True Religion in fulfilling the Predictions of it. They help to prove the Religion, which they would deftroy: For if there had been no Herefies, that Religion could not be True, which has foretold them; but fince there are Hereftes, our Religion is at least so far true as to contain exprefs Prophecies concerning them, which we fee daily fulfilled; and as they evidently prove our Religion true in this particular, fo they invalidate it in no other. Which is the (b)(6) Juft. Answer that the Chriftians anciently return- Mart. ed to the Enemies of Religion, when they made this Objection against it.

Let

Dial.

Let us follow the plain, the known, and and confeffed Duties of Religion; Humility, Temperance, Righteoufness and Charity, and when once we have no Temptations to wish Religion untrue upon the account of the plain Precepts and Directions of it, we fhall never fufpect it to be fo, by reason of any Controverfies in it. For if Men, will impartially confider things; that Religion which has now For fo many Ages stood out all the Affaults and Attempts, with Enemies from without, and Parties within could make against it, and has approved it much better, and more gloriously, than it could have done, if there never had been either Herefies or Schifms. Let us therefore hold fast the Profeffion of our Faith without Wavering, being affured, that the Gates of Hell, that is, all the Power and Stratagems of Satan, fhall never be able to prevail against the Church of Christ, but shall only ferve to add to its Victories, and adorn its Triumphs. The Malice, O Lord, and fierceness of Man fhall turn to thy Praife: And the fierceness of them fhalt thou refrain Pf. Lxxvi, 10.

CHAP.

CHAP. XXXIII.

Though all Objections could not be anfwerred, yet this would be no juft Cause to reject the Authority of the Scriptures.

A

LL Objections, which can with any Colour or Pretence be alleged, have been confidered, and anfwered, by divers Men of Great Learning and Judgment; and feveral Objections, which have made moft noife in the World, as that about the Capacity of the Ark, and others, have been Demonftrated to be groundless and frivolous. But tho' all Difficulties could not be accounted for, yet this would be no juft or fuffici ent caufe, why we fhould reject the Scriptures; because Objections for the most part are impertinent to thePurpose, for which they were defigned, and do not at all effect the Evidence, which is brought in proof of the Scriptures; and if they were pertinent, yet unless they could confute that Evidence, they. ought not to determine us against them.

He that with an honest and fincere Defire to find out the Truth, or Falfhood, of a Revelation, enquires into it, fhould first confider impartially what can be alleged for it, and afterwards confider the Objections raised against it, that fo he may compare the Ar

guments

ments in proof of it, and the Objections together, and determine himself on that fide, which appears to have most Reafon for it. But to infift upon particular Objections, collected out of Difficult Places of Scripture, (tho' they would likewise observe the Anfwers, that have been given, which few of our Objectors have patience to do, but run away with the Objection without staying for an Answer) I fay to allege particular Objections, without attending to the main Grounds and Motives, which induce a belief of the Truth of the Scriptures, is a very deceitful way of Arguing: Because it is not in the least improbable, that there may be a true Revelation, which may have great Difficulties in it. But if fufficient Evidence be produced to convince us, that the Scriptures are indeed God's Word, and there be no proof on the contrary to invalidate that Evidence; then all the Objections befides, that can be raised, are but Objections, and no more. For if thofe Arguments by which our Religion appears to be True, remain ftill in their full Force, notwithstanding the Objections, and no pofitive and direct Proof be brought, that they are infufficient, we ought not to reject thofe Arguments, and the Conclufions deduced from them upon the Account of the Objections, but to reject the Objections for the fake of thofe Arguments; because if those cannot be difproved, all the Objections,