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

§. 64. 1. Many miracles were wrought by those first Churches, who were the witnesses of the Apostles miracles; which is a divine attestation to their testimony.

1. The Scriptures fore-cited tell us, that the same holy Ghost was given to them all, though all had not the same gifts; and that tongues, and healing, and miracles were the gifts of many, though not of all: which, as I have showed, they could not themselves have believed of themselves, if it had not been true. Yea, sufficient historical testimony telleth us, that for three or four hundred years, (at least till Constantine owned and protected Christianity by Secular Power) miracles were wrought in confirmation of the Christian faith. It hath been the devils craft to seek to destroy the credit of them, partly by hypocrites, who have counterfeited miracles; and partly by lying Legends of the carnal proud domineering part of the Church, who have told the world so many palpable lies, that they seemed to do it in design, to persuade them to believe nothing that is true. But yet all wise men will know the difference between History credible and incredible. The many testimonies of the ⟨p. 335⟩miracles of Gregory Thaumaturgus, and many others, mentioned by Eusebius, and almost all other Christian Writers of those times, and those mentioned by Augustine, de Civitate Dei, lib. 22 cap. 8. and Retract. lib. 1. cap. 13. & passim; and by Cyprian, Tertullian, and many more, will not be thought incredible by impartial considering men.

1. The Scriptures fore-cited tell us, that the same holy Ghost was given to them all, though all had not the same gifts; and that tongues, and healing, and miracles were the gifts of many, though not of all: which, as I have shewed, they could not themselves have believed of themselves, if it had not been true. Yea, sufficient historical testimony telleth us, that for three or four hundred years, (at least till Constantine owned and protected Christianity by Secular Power) miracles were wrought in confirmation of the Christian faith. It hath been the devils craft to seek to destroy the credit of them, partly by hypocrites, who have counterfeited miracles; and partly by lying Legends of the carnal proud domineering part of the Church, who have told the world so many palpable lies, that they seemed to do it in design, to perswade them to believe nothing that is true. But yet all wise men will know the difference between History credible and incredible. The many testimonies of the