Truth of the Refurrection, and animated SERM. I.
by the Hopes of an everlafting Weight of
Glory. These are the only affignable
Springs of Action.

Difbelievers would be thought to be great Patrons of focial Morality: But one cannot well conceive how Society, and confequently focial Morality, can fubfift upon their Principles, which are fruitful of Diftruft and Jealousy. They, who can impiously believe the Apofiles to have been Deceivers and Knaves, muft, if confiftent with themselves, believe every one else to be fo too, as far as he has Capacity and Opportunity. They who can entertain a Doubt of the Apostles Honefty, after the Arongest Proofs of their Integrity, that they could poffibly give, or Mankind require, must entertain a general undiftinguishing Sufpicion of every Perfon about them.

Add to this, that a Vein of Simplicity runs throughout their whole Compofure, and Nature, void of Art, fpeaks in every Line. And whatever critical Skill and Accuracy in Languages they might want; they every where seem to fpeak, what is more eftimable than all the Languages befides, the Language of the Heart: They never caft

SERM. I. in Shades, what might appear too bold, glar

ing, and incredible at the firft tranfient
View: They never fmooth the Way and
prepare the Reader, for what might feem
offenfive: They every where leave the Ac-
tions to speak, and their Readers to judge,
for themselves. Plain honeft Truth wants
no artificial Colourings; and Falfhood is apt
to betray itself, by laying them on too thick.
Truth fhines with unborrowed Beauties, and
has no Need of foreign Ornaments: But on
Falfhood, which has no Comeliness in itself,
Men beftow the more abundant Comeliness.
Here they lavish out all their Art, prodigal
of Decorations, to divert the Eye from at-
tending to it's genuine Deformity.

The Evidence ftill rifes higher, if we
confider that the Truth of the miraculous.
Facts in Scripture-Hiftory, is proved by
Events fubfequent to them; which Events,
viz. the Propagation and Establishment of
Christianity, could never have taken Place,
unless the miraculous Facts had been true:
For it was as impoffible, that the twelve
Apostles should propagate Christianity, a-
gainst the united Forces of Jews and Gen-
tiles, Magistrates and Philofophers; as that
twelve unarmed Men fhould defeat the
whole

2

whole Roman Army. The Relation-there- SERM, I. fore, which the Scripture gives us, of Miracles, must be true: 'Becaufe, without a Suppofition of Miracles actually performed, we cannot rationally account for that great Turn in religious Affairs, which not very long after followed, viz. the Subverfion of Pagan Idolatry in Part, and the Introduction of the Worship of God in Spirit and in Truth.

But this Argument for the Truth of Christianity falls under my next Head, and must be referved for another Difcourse,

Preached at the ob

ed, noan rooiled Silat a bölewni

Lady MOYER'S LECTURE.

On the Evidences of Christianity.!

Rabbi, we know that thou art a Teacher come from God? For no Man can do thefe Miracles, that thou doeft, except God be with him, bella

I

Have already proved in a former Dif-SERM. II. courfe, that Miracles may be so cir

fo

cumftanced, as to be direct and decifive Evidences of a divine Power and Commiffion That it was abfolutely impoffible

the

Apoftles fhould be deceived themselves, as Witneffes of our Saviour's Miracles and their own. That it was morally impof