Lately published by the fame Author,

The comparative Bleffings of Christianity, a Sermon preached before John Earl of Weftmorland, Chancellor, and the Univerfity of Oxford, upon Act Sunday, July 8. 1759.

ALSO,

Animadverfions upon Mr. Phillips's Hiftory of the Life of Cardinal Pole, 1766.

ERRAT A.

Pag. 64. note, l. 1. Naturas, read Natura-P. 71. 1. 7. Teimony, read teftimony-P. 105. 1. 3. note 4, Teftamento, read teftamento-P. 143. 1. 2. after present, add with him -P. 170. 1. 3. from the bottom, note, after one, add as.

SERM ON I.

JOHN V. 39. the last clause.
They are they which teftify of Me.
The whole verse runs thus,

Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which teftify of Me.

I

F we attentively confider either the exalted character of the Speaker of these

words, or the plain fignification of the words themselves, we cannot but look upon them as bearing a most important teftimony to the grace and condefcenfion of the Almighty, in fupporting the several manifeftations of his will with fuch clear

evidence of their fupreme authority, that our acquiefcence in, or belief of them, muft manifeftly appear the genuine refult of rational perfuafion and conviction.

To foretel future events, to point out perfons hereafter to exist, and circumftantially to describe the feveral diftinguishing peculiarities of their lives and actions, must, when the determined period arrives correfponding with the antecedent prediction, demonstrate the intervention of a superior Being, and raise the attention of the world to regard it as proceeding from the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of him", whofe word fhall accomplish that which he pleaseth, and it shall profper in the thing whereto be fends it.

Viewed in this light, the affertion of our bleffed Lord in the text, if understood with a view to the full fcope of this argument, is a fufficient vindication of his divine miffion ; an ample proof that he affumed no novel or unheard of character; that he attempted no other change in the religious fyftem of the Jews than what a long fuc

a AЯs ii. 23.

b If. lv. 11.

ceffion

ceffion of their own Prophets had previously and fignificantly marked out. Inftead therefore of being looked upon by them with an evil eye, as the enemy of their Law, they ought rather to have esteemed him as the continuator and perfecter of it.

"The Old Teftament, fays our Church " in one of her Articles, is not contrary to "the New: for both in the Old and New "Teftament everlafting life is offered to "mankind by Chrift, who is the only me❝diator between God and man, being both "God and man.". A declaration this, not only verified by that fameness of plan and design obfervable in each, but by the exprefs teftimony of Scripture itself. To this purpose, the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews begins his glorious defence of Christianity with this expreffive pofition. God, who at fundry times and in divers manners, fpake in time paft unto the fathers by the prophets, bath in these last days Spoken unto us by his Son; clearly intimating, that the Christian as well as Jewish Religion owed its original to one and the

Art. vii.

d Heb. i. 1, 2,

A 2

fame

fame divine Author; came equally recommended to the notice and efteem of mankind, and bore equal credentials of God's immediate inspiration: with this special difference however, that the Chriftian was to be introduced and established in the world at its predestined feason, when it should fuperfede the neceffity and obligation of the other.

The Gospel of Chrift therefore could not be proposed to the world at its introduction, like the religion of nature, according to the scheme of modern infidels, as only fit or reasonable to be complied with, but as a matter of general and indispensable duty, enacted under the feverest penalties by the authority of its divine Legislator. We cannot then wonder at the zeal and earnestness of the Apostles and first Preachers of it; or that fo fhould be reprefented as preffing into that Religion which offered the Kingdom of Heaven to its pro felytes, and invited every individual to confider it as particularly addreffed to himself by that God, who hath a right to command his obedience, and a power to punish his neglect or rejection of it.

many

And