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to be the cafe under the law. Mofes, who beft understood the extent of his own commiffion, fays thus to the people of Ifrael: What nation is there fo great, that hath ftatutes and judgments fo righteous as all this law, which I fet before you this day? Deut. iv. 8. The holy Pfalmift expreffes the fame fenfe in these words: He fheweth his word unto Jacob, his ftatutes and his judgments unto Ifrael. He hath not dealt fo with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Pfal. cxlvii. 19, 20. From all which it is evident, that the law of Mofes has no claim to our obedience. The moral part of the law, when understood, will oblige every rational creature; but this is not the obligation we are now fpeaking of. The law of Mofes then cannot add to the number of revelations which create us any difficulty in determining ourselves: for, let the cafe happen as it will, we are free from the law. But the law affords even to us abundant evidence for the truth of the Gofpel. The proofs from prophecy are as convincing to us as to the Jews: for it matters not whether we are under the law, or not under the law, fince conviction in this cafe arises from another and different principle. But I haften to a conclufion.

Let us then confider briefly, what alteration has happened fince the coming of Chrift to disturb and unfettle our judgments in this great affair. A man perhaps, who is a great reader, may be able to produce many inftances of impoftors fince that time, and imagine that they are all fo many dead weights upon the cause of revelation: but what is become of them, and their doctrine? they are vanished, and

their place is not to be found. What pretence is there then to set up these revelations? Is God grown fo weak and impotent, that we may fuppofe these to be his revelations, and intended for the ufe of the world, had he not been baffled at first setting out? If God intends a law for the use of the world, he is obliged, if I may use the expreffion, to publish the law to the world: and therefore want of fuch publication evidently fhews that God was not concerned in them, or at leaft did not intend that we fhould be concerned in them: and therefore it is abfurd to inftance in fuch pretences as difficulties in our way, which in truth are not in our way at all.

And thus the cafe of revelation ftood, and the Gospel had no competitor, till the great and fuccessful impoftor Mahomet arose: he indeed pretends a commiffion to all the world, and found means fufficiently to publish his pretences: he afferts his authority upon the ftrength of revelation, and endeavours to transfer the advantages of the Gospel evidence to himself, having that pattern before him to copy after: and, fhould we say that the Alcoran was never promulged to us by perfons duly commiffioned, it may be answered perhaps, that the Alcoran is as well published to us as the Gospel is to them; which has fome appearance of an answer, though the fact is indeed otherwife; for even the Alcoran owns Jefus for a true prophet.

But with respect to this inftance, I persuade myself it can be no very diftracting study to find reafons to determine our choice. Go to your natural religion lay before her Mahomet and his disciples

arrayed in armour and in blood, riding in triumph over the spoils of thousands and tens of thousands, who fell by his victorious fword: fhew her the cities which he fet in flames, the countries which he ravaged and destroyed, and the miferable diftrefs of all the inhabitants of the earth. When she has viewed him in this scene, carry her into his retirements: shew her the prophet's chamber, his concubines and wives; let her fee his adultery, and hear him allege revelation and his divine commiffion to justify his luft and his oppreffion. When she is tired with this profpect, then fhew her the bleffed Jefus, humble and meek, doing good to all the fons of men, patiently inftructing both the ignorant and the perverse. Let her fee him in his most retired privacies; let her follow him to the mount, and hear his devotions and fupplications to God. Carry her to his table to view his poor fare, and hear his heavenly discourse. Let her fee him injured, but not provoked: let her attend him to the tribunal, and confider the patience with which he endured the fcoffs and reproaches of his enemies. Lead her to his crofs; and let her view him in the agony of death, and hear his last prayer for his perfecutors: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!

When natural religion has viewed both, ask, Which is the prophet of God? But her answer we have already had; when the faw part of this scene through the eyes of the centurion who attended at the cross; by him she spoke and faid, Truly this man was the Son of God.

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DISCOURSE X.

ACTs ii. 22.

Jefus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and figns, which God did, by him, in the midst of you, as ye yourselves alfo know.

THE great evidence of Christianity, to which our Saviour and his Apoftles conftantly appeal, are the miracles, wonders, and figns, which God did by the hand of Jefus to confirm the authority and commiffion he gave him to publish and declare his will to the world. This being the only reasonable evidence that he could give of his coming from God, our Saviour fays exprefsly, If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had fin, John xv. 24. If he had not given these undeniable proofs of his being a teacher fent from God, they would have been acquitted, not only in reason, but even out of his own mouth. If I do not the works of my Father, says he, believe me not, John x. 37: If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true, John v. 31: and he adds, verse 36, The works which the Father hath given me to finish, the fame works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father fent me.

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