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Vol. II. lieved; i. e. it converted and fanctifi'd them. This nothing but the Gospel contain❜d in the Scriptures could do nor can this with any propriety be attributed to any unwritten Tradition. Nor in the third place, is there any Doctrine or Practice, not contain❜d in Scripture, of that moment or importance, that the Conformity of the Theffalonians to it, or its Influence upon them, fhould be matter of fuch mighty joy to St. Paul, For this Caufe thank we God without ceafing. Lastly, This Phrase the Word of God in St. Paul, or as it is elsewhere call'd the Word of Life, or Salvation, fignifies nothing less than the Gospel, or the Covenant of Grace; and this we are fure is fully explain'd and fet down in Holy Scripture.

I need not tell you on what account the Gospel is call'd the Word of God, fince you cannot be ignorant that it was firft preach'd by the Mouth of the Son of God, and afterwards by his Apostles, who were commiffioned by him, and impower'd and qualified to preach it by the Holy Ghoft. God who at fundry times, and in divers manners, Spake in times past unto the Fathers

by

the Prophets, hath in these last days Vol. II. Spoken to us by his Son, Heb. 1. 1. All things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you, John 15.15. As my Father fent me, fo fend I you. And when he had faid that he breathed on them, Saying, Receive ye the Holy Ghoft, John 20. 21. Te shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and je fhall be Witnesses unto me, both in Jerufalem and all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermoft parts of the Earth, Acts 1. 18.

These things being clear, the fense of these words may be refolv'd into thefe Three Doctrines.

1. That the Scripture, or which is all
one, the Doctrine contained in it,
is the Word of God.

2. That it works effectually where 'tis
fincerely believ'd.

3. That as it was matter of great joy
to St. Paul, to behold the happy In-
fluence of his Preaching, so it is at
this day a great and just cause of re-
joycing and thankfulness towards
God, when any Minister of the Go-
Spel beholds the Succefs of his La-

bours

Vol. II.

bours in the Faith and Obedience of his Hearers.

But the firft of thefe is as much as I now propose to speak to. I fhall then first prove the Divine Authority of Scripture, I mean the New Teftament, to which my Text confines me; and then make fome plain Inferences from it.

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1. If Scripture be not the Word of God, then Christianity is a meer Cheat and Imposture; and if Christianity be an Imposture, there never was, nor yet is, fuch a thing as true Religion in the World, which is the highest Abfurdity imaginable. That Christianity must be an Imposture, if the Scriptures be not the Word of God, is evident; for Christianity can ftand upon no Foundation but Divine Revelation; nor does it pretend to any other Revelation, befides that contain'd in the Scriptures. As to what I have afferted further, that if Christianity be false, there neither ever was, nor yet is, fuch a thing as a True Religion; and that this is the greatest Absurdity that can be, is no less plain, that there should be a

God,

God, the Creator and Governour of Vol. II. the World, and no true and known Way of Worshipping him; that Man fhould be made capable of Religion, and inclin❜d to it, and yet that there should be no fuch thing as True Religion, every one must fee upon the first Reflection he makes, that this is repugnant to Common Senfe, and yet thus it must be, if Christianity be an Imposture. For as to the Patriarchal Religion, the Institution of the Sabbath and Sacrifice, together with this Promise of the Meffias, prove that to have been nothing else but Christianity in Embryo, the Dawning of that Day we now enjoy. As to Judaism, it was in Type, Figure, and Prediction, what Christianity is in Subftance and Accomplishment. When I fay this of Judaism, I take it in its true Spiritual Senfe, and most comprehensive Notion, as including the Abrahamick and Mofaick Covenant. As to other Religions, Paganism and Mahometanifm, we are fo far from being in any doubt whether they be true, that on the other hand, we account them fo far from being an Honour to God, that we look upon them as a Shame and Reproach to Hu

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Vol. II. mane Nature; and we are amaz'd to think, how the Reason of Mankind should degenerate fo far as to worship Stocks and Stones with the Pagan, or with the Mahometan, to embrace the Fables, and expect the Rewards of the Alcoran.

If any one shall here object, That tho' these Religions fhould all have been false and fabulous, yet ftill there was, and is, fuch a thing, as True Religion, namely, that which we call Natural. To this 'tis eafie for me to answer, That there never was yet any Nation, or Community of Men, that embrac'd or profefs'd meer Natural Religion, i. e. a Religion confifting in fuch a Worship of God as the meer Light of Reafon dictated. And whoever shall seriously reflect on the Frame and Make of Man, the State of the present World, the univerfal Degeneracy of Mankind, not only when deftitute of Revelation, but even in Defiance of it, will eafily conclude that Reason by its own Light and Force, neither ever did, nor could advance Man to true Vertue and true Happinefs: And whoever fhall reflect on the feveral Difpenfations of Divine

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