The reasons of the Christian religion the first part, of godliness, proving by natural…

§. 46. It was not possible that so many thousands in all Countries, should have wit and cunning enough for such a contrivance, and could keep it secret among themselves, that it should never be detected.

§. 46. It was not possible that so many thousands in all Countreys, should have wit and cunning enough for such a contrivance, and could keep it secret among themselves, that it should never be detected.

They that think they were all so stupid as to be themselves deceived, cannot also think that they were all so cunning as to conspire the deceiving of all the World, so successfully and undiscovered. But it is past doubt, that for their Naturals, they were ordinary persons, neither such mad people as all to think they saw, and heard, and did things which were nothing so, for so long together; nor yet so subtle as to be able to lay such a deceiving plot, and carry it on so closely to the end. And they that suspect the Apostles and first Disciples to be the Authors of the plot, will not suspect all the Churches too: For if there were Deceivers, there must be some to be deceived by them: If Christ deceived the Disciples, then the Disciples could not be wilful deceivers themselves: For if they were themselves deceived, they could not (therein) be wilful deceivers: And then how came they to confirm their testimony by Miracles? If the Apostles only were deceivers, then all the Disciples and Evangelists who assisted them must be deceived, and not wilful deceivers. And then how came they also to do miracles? If all the Apostles and Disciples of the first Edition were wilful Deceivers, then all the Churches through the World which were gathered ⟨p. 330⟩by them, were deceived by them, and then they were not wilful deceivers themselves: which is all that I am now proving, having proved before that they were not deceived.

They that think they were all so stupid as to be themselves deceived, cannot also think that they were all so cunning as to conspire the deceiving of all the World, so successfully and undiscovered. But it is past doubt, that for their Naturals, they were ordinary persons, neither such mad people as all to think they saw, and heard, and did things which were nothing so, for so long together; nor yet so subtile as to be able to lay such a deceiving plot, and carry it on so closely to the end. And they that suspect the Apostles and first Disciples to be the Authors of the plot, will not suspect all the Churches too: For if there were Deceivers, there must be some to be deceived by them: If Christ deceived the Disciples, then the Disciples could not be wilfull deceivers themselves: For if they were themselves deceived, they could not (therein) be wilfull deceivers: And then how came they to confirm their testimony by Miracles? If the Apostles only were deceivers, then all the Disciples and Evangelists who assisted them must be deceived, and not wilfull deceivers. And then how came they also to do miracles? If all the Apostles and Disciples of the first Edition were wilfull Deceivers, then all the Churches through the World which were gathered