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النشر الإلكتروني

The SECOND BOOK

OF THE

TRUTH

OF

Christian Religion.

SECT. I.

To prove the Truth of Chriftian Religion.

T is not our purpofe in this Second Book to handle all the Points of Chriftianity; but after our hearty Prayers made to Chrift the King of Heaven, that he would grant us the affiftance of his holy Spirit, whereby we be enabled for fuch a Work, we shall only endeavour to make it appear that the Chriftian Religion it felf is most true and certain. Which I thus begin.

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THA

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HAT there was fuch a Perfon as Jefus of Nazareth, who lived heretofore in Judea, when Tiberius was Emperor of Rome, is not only moft conftantly profeffed by all Chriftians, who are scattered over the face of all the Earth: but acknowledged by all the Jews, who now are, or ever wrote fince thofe times. Nay, the very Pagan Writers, that is, fuch as are neither of the Jewish hor Chriftian Religion, namely, Suetonius, Tacitus, Pliny the Younger, and many more after them, do teftifie the fame.

SECT. III.

And was put to an ignominious death.

HAT the fame Fefus was nailed to a Crofs

Tby Pontius Pilate, Governor of Judea, is con

feffed alfo by all Chriftians; though it might feem very difgraceful to them, to be the Worshippers of fuch a Lord. The Jews alfo do the like; tho' they are not ignorant that upon this account they are very odious to Chriftians, in whofe Dominions they live: because their Ancestors were the Men that moved Pilate, and perfuaded him to pass the sentence of Death upon Jefus. The Pagan Writers alfo, now named, have delivered the fame to Pofterity. Yea, the Acts of Pilate

were

were extant a long time after, from whence this might have been proved; to which Chriftians never made their Appeal. For neither did Julian himself, nor any other adverfaries of Chriflianity ever make doubt hereof: So that hence it appears, that there was never any more certain ftory than this; which (we fee) may be confirmed, not only by the teftimonies of fome few Men, but also by the approbation of several Nations otherwise difagreeing and jarring among. themselves.

SECT. IV.

Yet afterward was worshipped by prudent and godly Men.

LL which though it be most true, yet we fee how that throughout the remoteft parts of the World he is worshipped as Lord; and that not in our days only, or thofe which are lately paffed, but ever fince the time that this was done; to wit; ever fince the Reign of Nero the Emperor, when many People that professed this worship of Chrift and Chriftian Religion, were for that cause tortured and put to death, as Tacitus and others do witness.

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SECT. V.

The Cause whereof was, for that in his life time there were Miracles done by him.

NOW

OW among such as profeffed Christianity, there were always many Perfons,who were both judicious, and not unlearned. Such as (to fay nothing now of the Jews,) Sergius, Governor of Cyprus, Dionyfius Areopagita, Polycarpus, Fuftinus,Ireneus, Athenagoras, Origen, Tertullian, Clemens Alexandrinus, with divers others; who almost all being brought up in other Religions, and having no hopes of any Wealth or Preferment by Chriftianity, yet became Worfhippers of this Man, that died fo ignominious a death, and exhibited due honour to him as God: of which no other reafon can be given, but this alone; that they made diligent enquiry, as became prudent Men, in a matter of greatest moment and found that what was bruited abroad concerning the Miracles wrought by Chrift, was true, and relied upon firm Witneffes. As the curing, and that with his Word only, and before all the People, divers grievous and inveterate Difeafes; the reftoring of Sight to him that was born blind, the multiplying of a few Loaves more than once, for the feeding many thoufands, who could teftifie the truth of it; the recalling of the Dead to Life again; and many more of the like kind. The report of which things had then fuch a certain and undoubted original; that neither Celfus, nor Julian, when they wrote against Chriftians, durft deny there

were

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