the fame time, lefs oppofite to the religious SERM. opinions and customs of the pagan na- VIII. tions. What then is to be faid, but that he teftified what he knew to be true, and what he was determined to adhere to, bel the confequences to himself what they could ?

Upon the whole, in the fimple and artless manner of this author, in the excellent and fublime fentiments scattered through his writings, in the manifeft tendency of them to serve the worthieft purposes to mankind, and in the clear appearances, every-where of a candid and benevolent fpirit, we have ftrong prefumptions in favour of the truth of his teftimony. He fpeaketh, indeed, like one, who declared to the world what he had heard and feen like one, that was the disciple of a master, who fpake fo as never man did, one, who had converfed with the word made flesh, * and beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

1

In reading fome late writings against Christianity, one would indeed be tempted to think, that the authors of them had

*

SERM. never perufed the New Testament with atVIII tention; for if they had, fuch strong characters of fimplicity and integrity, as are every-where to be met with in it, muft have made fome impreffion. The great end, which is aimed at ein the whole, is evidently the most excellent and worthy, the declared end of all moral difcipline whatfoever. And the facred writers appear every-where to purfue it with the greatest carneftnefs, and as perfons, who had nothing elfe in view. They afk nothing of any man, but that he believe and obey the gofpel, and fo put himself into the way of falvation. This they urge with the greatest importunity, and the most affectionate con→ cern. The temper and difpofitions, which they study to beget in men, are what conftitute the highest excellency, and perfection of nature; and which, where-ever they obtain, will be attended with pleasing inward approbation: fo that they fhew themfelves true friends to mankind; and no one can comply heartily with their inftructions, but must find himself in a moft defirable state, and, in the words of the Apostle John, * have the witness in himself. There * 1 John v. 10.

is

is not, in all their writings, the leaft trace SERM. of mean and wicked art, pointing to cor- VIII. rupt unworthy ends; but all poffible appearances of candour and honest simplicity: and yet these perfons must be looked upon as impoftors! Unquestionably true difcernment will never admit of this fuppofition: But if men are determined, contrary to the voice of reason and the strongest appearances, to pronounce them impoftors, there is no help for it. But, in truth, one would fufpect, that fome writers against them have never given themselves leave to think seriously upon the subject. And as it hath been often obferved concerning natural philosophy, that a fuperficial knowledge of it may lead men into a notion, that all is mere matter and mechanism ; but that a thorough ftudy of nature will affuredly make them believers in God: fo a flight and superficial view of the religion of Chrift, which is enough to furnish men with many objections against it, may confift with unbelief, or perhaps ftrengthen it; but a close and ferious attention will certainly produce a very different effect. The attentive and ingenuous will difcern fincerity and truth; and will never be able to rest

SERM. in it, as a matter, in which they are VIII. thoroughly fatisfied, that the apostles of

our Saviour were deceivers of mankind ; but will be ftrongly induced to believe the contrary. It may be truly faid of the Apostle John, that his writings bear the very plainest characters of fimplicity and truth; and fo furnish a very strong argument, or, if I muft only call it so, prefumption, of the truth of our holy religion. Let us, therefore, receive the teftimony, which he hath given us, and believe. on the name of the Son of God, that we may obtain eternal life.

SER

SERMON IX.

Of the debates amongst Christians in the apoftolic age.

ACTS i. 8.

But ye fhall receive power, after that the Holy Ghoft is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses to me, both in Jerufalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermoft parts of the earth.

T

HE amazing fuccefs of the apoftles SERM. of our Saviour, and of their dif- IX. ciples, in converting the world to the Chriftian faith, hath been often infifted upon by the apologifts for Chriftianity, as a strong argument for the truth and divine authority of this religion. If God fhall work, who can let ? If he interposed by Y 3

the