were not seen by those before you? Is it not manifestly that true sense of reason and nature, which hath been new kindled and lighted up in the mind of man by the gospel of Christ? Was it not then the want of this sense that darkened the old world? But be the cause what it will, if you judge rightly in supposing yourself able now to discern the dictates of reason and nature, without which you ought not to pretend even to natural religion, it is absurd to pretend that you are in the same danger of being deceived by pretended revelations as the old world was, since you have, and claim to have, that light, the want of which was the very thing that exposed them to all their errors and ⚫ superstitions. And to show that this objection is a mere feint, ask any one who makes it, whether he thinks any man could impose one of the heathen forms of worship, or any thing like it, on him? No man, I believe, but would be angry to be suspected of so much weakness. Yet these very forms were imposed on your forefathers; and you are confident, and with good reason, that they cannot be imposed on you. It is evident, then, that you are not in the same case with them, that their danger is not your danger; and, consequently, their errors about revelation is no objection against hearkening to revelation now, when we know ourselves effectually secured against their errors.

From these pretences let us turn to view the true revelations belonging to the same period, and see how far they relate to the present case. Those given to particular men on particular occasions are out of the question, for reasons already mentioned.

The law of Moses was published and declared with great solemnity, and by persons every way qualified: it contains a rule or system of religion, and is still maintained by its disciples in opposition to the gospel. Here then perhaps may seem to be some difficulty, when two revelations, that have equal pleas to truth, are set in competition one against the other. This question must be argued on different principles with Jews and with other men; for the law was given and declared to the Jews, and they were under the obligations of it: they therefore are concerned to inquire, not only of the truth of a subsequent revelation, but also whether it does sufficiently

abrogate their law, or whether it is to subsist with it; as likewise whether their law has any where precluded them from admitting any farther revelations. But to us the question is, how we are concerned with the law, and whether there can be any competition with respect to us between the law and the gospel. From the principles already mentioned we may soon determine this question; for it is plain that no revelation can oblige those to whom it is not given; that promulgation is so far of the essence of the law, that no man in reason or equity owes any obligation to a law till it is made known to him; that the obligations therefore of a law are limited by the terms of the promulgation. Apply this to the law of Moses; you will find that law in the very promulgation of it confined to the people of Israel: Hear, O Israel!' is the introduction to the promulgation; which it could not have been, had the law been designed for the whole world. And this was known to be the case under the law. Moses, who best understood the extent of his own commission, says thus to the people of Israel : 'What nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? Deut. iv. 8. The holy Psalmist expresses the same sense in these words: He showeth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation; and as for his judgments, they have not known them :' Psal. cxlvii. 19, 20. From all which it is evident that the law of Moses 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 speaking of. The law of Moses then cannot add to the number of revelations which create us any difficulty in determining ourselves; for, let the case happen as it will, we are free from the law. But the law affords even to us abundant evidence for the truth of the gospel. 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, since conviction in this case arises from another and different principle. But I hasten to a conclusion.

Let us then consider briefly, what alteration has happened since the coming of Christ to disturb and unsettle our judg

ments in this great affair. A man perhaps, who is a great reader, may be able to produce many instances of impostors since that time, and imagine that they are all so many dead weights on the cause of revelation; but what is become of them and their doctrines? they are vanished, and their place is not to be found. What pretence is there then to set up these revelations? Is God grown so weak and impotent, that we may suppose these to be his revelations, and intended for the use 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 expression, to publish the law to the world; and therefore want of such publication evidently shows that God was not concerned in them, or at least did not intend that we should be concerned in them; and therefore it is absurd to instance in such pretences as difficulties in our way, which in truth are not in our way at all.

And thus the case of revelation stood, and the gospel had no competitor, till the great and successful impostor Mahomet arose: he indeed pretends a commission to all the world, and found means sufficiently to publish his pretences. He asserts his authority on the strength of revelation, and endeavors to transfer the advantages of the gospel evidence to himself, having that pattern before him to copy after: and should we say that the Alcoran was never promulgated to us by persons duly commissioned, it may be answered perhaps, that the Alcoran is as well published to us as the gospel is to them; which has some appearance of an answer, though the fact is indeed otherwise; for even the Alcoran owns Jesus for a true prophet.

But with respect to this instance, I persuade myself it can be no very distracting study to find reasons to determine our choice. Go to your natural religion; lay before her Mahomet and his disciples arrayed in armor and in blood, riding in triumph over the spoils of thousands and tens of thousands, who fell by his victorious sword: show her the cities which he set in flames, the countries which he ravaged and destroyed, and the miserable distress of all the inhabitants of the earth. When she has viewed him in this scene, carry her into his retirements: show her the prophet's chamber, his concubines and wives; let her see his adultery, and hear him allege revelation and his divine

commission to justify his lust and his oppression. When she is tired with this prospect, then show her the blessed Jesus, humble and meek, doing good to all the sons of men, patiently instructing both the ignorant and the perverse. Let her see him in his most retired privacies; let her follow him to the mount, and hear his devotions and supplications to God. Carry her to his table to view his poor fare, and hear his heavenly discourse. Let her see him injured, but not provoked: let her attend him to the tribunal, and consider the patience with which he endured the scoffs and reproaches of his enemies. Lead her to his cross; and let her view him in the agony of death, and hear his last prayer for his persecutors : '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 she saw part of this scene through the eyes of the centurion who attended at the cross; by him she spoke and said, Truly this man was the Son of God.'

SUMMARY OF DISCOURSE X.

ACTS, CHAP. II.-VERSE 22.

THE great evidence of Christianity lies in the miracles done to confirm the authority and commission of Jesus. This the only reasonable evidence of his coming from God; see John xv. 24.; without this undeniable proof, men would have been acquitted for not believing him, see John x. 37. Christ refers the messengers, whom John sent, to the works which he did.

The truth of Christianity, therefore, resting on miracles, it is shown

I. Wherein the true force of this argument from miracles consists, and what it is they prove.

II. What sort of works are to be admitted for miracles, in proving the truth of any religion.

First Miracles are not intended to prove the being of a God, nor the doctrines of morality; inasmuch as natural religion has for its evidence the works of nature; and in the most degenerate times God did not leave himself without witness, &c. No revelation can bring greater works to prove its authority, than those by which the clear dictates of natural religion are proved; nor is there any other distinction between miracles and the works of nature than this, that the latter are works of great power constantly produced, the former are such wrought in an unusual way. Hence, no revelation can contradict or make void any clear dictate of natural religion; and therefore the principles of natural religion must be supposed from the foundation of revealed, as in Heb. ii. 6.

But to ascertain the use of miracles we must consider when