_Direct._ VII. Consider, how all the first churches were planted by the success of all those miracles mentioned in the Scripture. And that the apostles and thousands of others saw the miracles of Christ: and the churches saw the miracles of the apostles, and heard them speak in languages unlearned; and had the same extraordinary gifts communicated to themselves. And these being openly and frequently manifested, convinced unbelievers; and were openly urged by the apostles to stop the mouths of opposers, and confirm believers; (Gal. iii. 1-3;) who would all have scorned their arguments, and the faith which they supported, if all these had been fictions, of which they themselves were said to be eye-witnesses and agents. So that the very existence of the churches was a testimony to the matter of fact. And what testimony can be greater of God's interest and approbation, than Christ's resurrection, and all these miracles.
_Direct._ VIII. Consider, how no one of all the heretics or apostates, did ever contradict the matters of fact, or hath left the world any kind of confutation of them, which they wanted not malice, or encouragement, or opportunity to have done.
_Direct._ IX. Consider, how that no one of all those thousands that asserted these miracles, are ever mentioned in any history as repenting of it, either in their health, or at the hour of death: whereas it had been so heinous a villany to have cheated the world in so great a cause, that some consciences of dying men, especially of men that placed all their hopes in the life to come, must needs have repented of.
_Direct._ X. Consider, that the witnesses of all these miracles, and all the churches that believed them, were taught by their own doctrine and experience, to forsake all that they had in the world, and to be reproached, hated, and persecuted of all men, and to be as lambs among wolves, in expectation of death; and all this for the hope of that blessedness promised them by a crucified, risen Christ. So that no worldly end could move them to deceive, or willingly to be deceived.
_Direct._ XI. Consider, how impossible it is in itself, that so many men should agree together to deceive the world, and that for nothing, and at the rate of their own undoing and death: and that they should all agree in the same narratives and doctrines so unanimously: and that none of these should ever confess the deceit, and disgrace the rest. All things well considered, this will appear not only a moral, but a natural impossibility; especially considering their quality and distance, there being thousands in several countries that never saw the faces of the rest, much less could enter a confederacy with them, to deceive the world.
_Direct._ XII. Consider the certain way by which the doctrine and writings of the apostles, and other evangelical messengers, have been delivered down to us, without any possibility of material alteration. Because the holy Scriptures were not left only to the care of private men, or of the christians of one country, who might have agreed upon corruptions and alterations; but it was made the office of the ordinary ministers to read, and expound, and apply them. And every congregation had one or more of these ministers: and the people received the Scriptures as the law of God, and that by which they must live and be judged, and as their charter for heaven. So that it was not possible for one minister to corrupt the Scripture text, but the rest, with the people, would have quickly reproved him; nor for those of one kingdom to bring all other christians to it throughout the world, without a great deal of consultation and opposition (if at all); which never was recorded to us.
_Direct._ XIII. Be acquainted as fully as you can with the history of the church, that you may know how the gospel hath been planted, and propagated, and assaulted, and preserved until now: which will much better satisfy you, than general, uncertain talk of others.