Serra. CLXXVIII. in Oppo f itwn to Erro r. 5 1 9 good Life, is very fit to make Profelytes in the World ; they that reach ,uch Do- ¿trines (peak from the World, and the World is veryapt to hear them. And thus I have done with. the Fir/i thing, whereby it appears that Divine Truth carries great Evidence along with ir, namely, that the Doctrineswhich are from God have more intrinfical Goodnefs in them, and teach fuch things as are more worthy of God, and more likely to proceed from him. I will be briefer in the refl. ' II. The external Confirmation of Divine Dorf rings is greater, and carries more conviction along with it. By external Confirmation, I mean chiefly that of Mi= racles. And tho' the Pagan Religion pretended to Lome, and our Saviour plainly foretold that Antichrifls and fal[e Prophets fhould ari/e, and fhould fhewSigns and Wôüe'erd, Oct Si: Paul häfh.told us, that the Man of Sin fhould come with Signs and, Wonders and mighty Power ; yet none of thefe are of any great Confideration, in oomparifon of the many, and great, and unqueftionable Miracles which were fo univerfally wrought for the eftablifhment of the ChriftianReligion, and continued for Tome Ages ; they bear no manner of proportion to them, neither for the na- ture, nor number, nor circumftances of them, fo as to fhake or weaken any Man's Belief of the ChriftianReligion, which had fo much a greater Confirmation given to it 5 efpetially when Oar Saviour did foretel that falte Prophets thould do fome things of this kind. For after a Religion is eltablifht by plain and unqueftionable Miracles, fuch as for their Number, Nature, Publicknefs, and Continuance, and all imaginable Circumftances of Advantage, were never upon any (ideation wrought In the World,, I fay, after this, it is not reafonable, that one or two tingle Miracles or Wonders pretended to, or really wrought by a falfe Prophet, fhould bring in queftion the truth ofa Religion éònfirmed by a long feries of the greateft and moth unqueftionable Miracles. Befides that the Dodtrine of it is fuch as is worthy of God, and moft likely to proceed from him... See of 1 As for the Miracles pretended to by the Church of Rome, they are generally this more" fo fantaftical and ridiculous, and fo unlike the works of God, and wrought fo to abs 3`7 no End and Purpofe, not among Unbelievers for their Convi&ion, which was al- feregei g ways the great End of Miracles, but among themfelves ; and fo deftitute of Cre sermons- dir, that the wifeft among themfelves are fo far from believing them, that they are heartily afhamed of them, fo that we need not trouble our felves about them, for theyare not like to give any great Confirmation toany Do&rine, whichRand fo much in need of Confirmation themfelves. III. Befides the Goodnefs of the Doctrines which are from God, and the exter- nal Confirmation of them by Miracles, which is a great advantage to the recep- tion of them, the Spirit of God doth likewife illuminate good Men, and thofe who are defirous to know the truth, and hath promifed to lead them into ir, and to allift them in difcerning between Truth and Falfhood. So our Saviour bath affur'd us, jobn 7. 17. 1f any Man will do his will, he fhatl know of the Dallrine, whether it le of God, or whetherIfpeak of my [elf. Befides that theDoctrines which are from God do commonlycarry the Marks and Characters oftheir own Divinity upon them, the Providence of God is likewife particularly concerned, that good Men, and thofe who are of honeft Minds, and fincerely defirous to know the Truth, fhould not be deceived in Matters of fo great confequence to the Happi nets and Salvation of Mankind. To the fame purpofe is that Promife, 5mohn 14, 21. He that bath my Commandments, andkeepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that laveth me, (hall le lovedof my Father, andI will love him'; andwill manifefi my felfto him ; God is always ready to reveal his Will to thofe who are fincerely defirous to do it, and will not fuffer Men of honeft Minds to err dangeroufly in matters wherein their Eternal Salvation is concern'd. Thus you fee what Advantage the Spirit of Truth hath above the Spirit ofError and SeduFtion ; that Divine Truth carries greater Evidence along with ir, both in refpect of the Goodnefsof the Doctrines which are fromGod, and the great Con- firmation that is given to them, and the extraordinary Illumination of God's Spi- rit, which is wont to accompany the Truths of God to the minds of good Men, who are ready and difpofed to give entertainment to Divine Truth. I
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