eth into Captivity every thought to the O bedience of Chrift? Is it becaufe it lays too fevere Restraints upon their Paffions and Appetites, and prefcribes Rules of too much Purity and Holinefs for their deprav'd Natures to fubmit to? Is it, in fhort, their Attachment to fuch Vices, as it forbids, that makes them f love darkness rather than light, because their Deeds are Evil? "No, by no means, "fay they, our only Intent is to set the "World free from the Slavery of vulis

gar Errors, the Tyranny of Priefts, "and the heavy Yoke of arbitrary Im"pofitions." Ah wretched Freedom! that, to deliver us from one imaginary Error, brings upon us a thousand real Evils; that fows the Seeds of all Confufion; faps the Foundation of all Societies; opens a Sluce to all kinds of Wickednefs, and takes from Mankind his onlyComfort in time of Diftrefs. For, what is it, that fupports us in all the various Calamities incident to this Life? what is it, that calms the Confcience, and gives the Mind a fweet Repose, in all its Fears and Perturbations? Above all what is it, that raifes our Spirits, when all worldly Comforts fail us, on our Bed of Sickness, or in the hour of Death?

John iii. 19.

"Ah!

"Ah! if Religion which produces "these bleffed Effects, be an Imposture, "let me enjoy my Error ftill; him I ac"count my moft cruel Enemy, that << goes to awaken me out of this plea❝fing Dream.

For, let us fuppofe, that, in the Event of Things, the Gospel should prove an Imposture, as the Infidel pretends; yet the Arguments, upon which we believe it, are fo fair and conclufive; the Prophefies, which went before concerning it, fo fully accomplish'd; the Miracles, which fupport its Divine Authority, so well attefted; and the Morality, which its Laws enjoin, fo pure and excellent ; that our Submiffion to it cannot be imputed to us as a Crime. h He, who believes, and obeys it, may appeal to the ftricteft Judge, with a juft Confidence, that he has done all, that cou'd be required of a rational Creature: that he has affented to nothing, but what carried the faireft Marks and Characters of Truth; nor done any Thing, but what right Reafon affur'd him was his, and every honeft Man's Duty to do. But, on the contrary, if the Gospel be (as we firmly believe it is) a Divine Revelation,

the

Quod fi in hoc erro, quod animos hominum immortales effe credam, libenter erro; nec mihi bunc errorem, quo dilector, dum vivo, Extorqueri volo. Cic. de Senec. ad finem. Rogers's Neceffity of Divine Revelation.

the Infidel, who rejects it, is eternally, irrecoverably loft and ruin'd. His Crime admits of no Excufe, of no extenuating Plea, which can offer itself to theCompaffion of the Judge; for this is the Judge's own Determination of the Matter, i If I had not come, and spoken unto them, they had not had Sin; but now they have no Cloak, no Pretence, or Apology (for fo the word fópaσis means) to make for their Sin.

Here then let the Infidel (if he can be serious for a moment) pause a little, and confider with himself, that if the matter under debate fhou'd chance to prove true on our fide, with what Aftonishment muft he come forth, in the Day, when he shall see that defpis'd Galilean, the meek and holy Jefus, whofe Religion and Laws have fo long been the Scorn of his wanton Railleries, exalted in the Majefty of his Kingdom, Angels, Authorities, and Powers being made fubject unto him. With what Confufion will he behold him feated on his Throne of Judgment, and the Fate of every Creature fufpended on his Sentence; the Heavens and Earth paffing away at his Word, and every jot and tittle of that Gospel, which he despised, fulfilled and ratified. With what Agonies of guilt and

i John xv. 22.

k

and despair must he approach the offended Prefence, and hear that terrible Sentence from his Judge, Thofe mine Enemies, who would not that I fhou'd reign over them, bring them out, and flay them before me; for how fhall we efcape (as the Apoftle argues) if we neglect fo great Salvation, which, at the first, began to be Spoken by the Lord, and was confirm'd unto us by them, that heard him; God alfo bearing them witness, both with Signs, and Wonders, and with diverfe Miracles, and Gifts of the Holy Ghoft?

'Tis an eafy Matter to make a jest and banter of these Things; a small share of Wit, and a good deal of Confidence will do it at any time: but the Question is, Whether this is a proper Occafion for trifling, when no less than the Terms of our everlafting Happiness, or our everlasting Misery, is the Point in Controverfy. As a Madman, fays Solomon,

who cafteth Firebrands, Arrows, and Death, fo is the Man, that deceiveth his Neighbour,and fays, Am not Iin Sport? But what Description, what Comparison can be found equal to his Madness, who deceives and destroys himself, and that to all Eternity, and yet fays, Am not I infport? Is not this the very Pink and Perfection of true Wit and Raillery? But, what fays

Luke xix. 27. Heb. ii. 3. Prov. xxvi. 18, 19.

fays the Scripture to all this?n Woe unto them that call evil good,and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darknefs; that put bitter for fweet, and fweet for bitter; do they provoke me to Anger, faith the Lord, do they not rather provoke themselves to the Confufion of their own Faces? In that Day, when the Lord Jefus Chrift fhall be reveal'd from Heaven, with his mighty Angels, in flaming Fire, to take Vengeance on them, that know not God, and that obey not the GoSpel of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who fall be punished with everlafting Deftruction, from the Prefence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his Power:

And now the Conclufion of all, and the great End indeed, for which I have endeavour'd thus far to fatisfy most of the popular Objections, which, of late, have been raised against the Truth and Evidences of our holy Religion, is, that we be not carried away with the Humour of Infidelity, which is too prevalent in this Age, but I take heed to ourselves, and to the Doctrine, which we have receiv'd, and wherein we ftand; holding Faith, and a good Confcience, which fome having put away, concerning Faith have made Ship

wrack.

" If. v. 20.

• Jer. vii. 19.

1 Tim. iv. 16. 1 Cor. xv. I.

FINIS.

P 2 Theff. i. 7, &c.

* 1 Tim. i. 19.