given an Impoftor fo glorious Credentials, as a Refurrection from the Dead; a Work which nothing but Omnipotency could poffibly accomplish. For this would have been to have fet his own Seal to the Delufion, and have made it pafs for credible amongst Mankind, by the Authority of Heaven.

If Jefus Chrift had a Divine Miffion, then all his Doctrine is true, and his Laws Obligatory to Mankind, where they are promulg'd and known. For a Minifter from Heaven, who muft needs be a Perfon of perfect Sincerity and Truth, could not poffibly teach or impofe any thing on Mankind, but what fhould be exactly agreeable to the Mind and Will of Him that fent him.

(2.) All the Promises of the Gospel, relating to the Enjoyments and Bleffings of a future Life, will certainly be fulfill'd to them. For the fure and certain Performance of thofe Promifes, will be infer'd from the Sincerity and Veracity of Him who made them: And he being (by the Hypothefis, or what follows from it) a Perfon fent from God; 'tis plain, that whatever he has faid, may be depended upon and trufted to, as certain to come to pass.

(3.) From whence it follows, that the Chriftians are not only perfectly secure, in fubmitting to the Laws and Inftitutions of Jefus Chrift; but they are alfo the wifeft Men in the World in fo doing. Becaufe, whatever Inconveniencies an honourable and faithful Discharge of their Duty may be attended with at prefent; they are fure of an abundant Recompence in à future State, where defpis'd or opprefs'd Vertue and Piety will be crown'd with all thofe Rewards, which are now promis'd in the Gospel. In a word, the Resurrection of Christ is a compleat

Secu

Security to all good Chriftians, for the enjoyment of fuch Privileges as are by far too great for all our Conceptions in this World, and therefore much more beyond Defcription.

Secondly, With respect to the Deifts.

Be

(1.) They do not only lofe their Argument and their Caufe, but are in danger alfo of lofing Eternal Happiness in the next World. caufe, while they perfift in their Infidelity, they ftand liable to all the Threatnings which the Gospel denounces against the finally impenitent Defpifers of it; and which muft (upon this Hypothefis) as certainly be executed, as the Promifes be fulfill'd. And this they ought to take notice of, that Jefus Chrift has not been more liberal in his Promifes of inconceivable Happiness and Blifs, to all who fincerely love and obey him; than he has been severe and pofitive in his threatnings of extreme Mifery, to those who flight his Authority, and the Method of Salvation he has reveal'd.

I do not determine any thing here concerning the Gospel, whether it be Divine Truth, or mere Impofture: But this, I fay, that fince the Threatnings of it are denounc'd in fo dreadful and positive a manner as they are, Men ought to take care that they do not venture too far, and should therefore think with themfelves, that the Matter we are enquiring into, deferves the most serious Thoughts and Reflections they can poffibly bestow upon it.

(2.) Again, if the Refurrection of Chrift be certain, then in order to free themselves from all this Danger, thefe Gentlemen will be oblig'd to receive the Doctrines of the Gospel as Divine Truths, and fubmit to the Laws and Injunctions of it; and therefore fhould fet themselves with

all

all the Zeal and Application they can, to throw off all those Prejudices and Averfions, which have hitherto hinder'd them from fo doing.

They must leave off all their Quibbling and Difputing, and take whatever they find plainly reveal'd in the Gospel, remembring, That the infinite Wifdom and Goodness can never poffibly oblige them to believe any thing that is really abfurd and contradictory, or do any thing which is unreasonable; yet they may be oblig'd to believe and practise many things, which unconquer'd Prejudice may tell them are abfurd and unreasonable, and which they may think to be fo, by using themselves to judg of the Ways of God too much by human Rules and Meafures.

These Inferences, I hope, will be allow'd to be juft and good, upon the Hypothefis, that the Refurrection of Fefus Chrift is a certain Truth.

WOW from hence follows this Corollary: That fince the Danger thefe Gentlemen are in (upon the Hypothesis of the Truth of Christ's Refurrection) is so very great; they muft either have very clear and convincing Proofs to themselves, that that Doctrine is neither true, nor even probable and likely to be true; or else the Peace which they enjoy under an uncertainty about that matter, is not the Peace of wife Men. The Reason is, because otherwise their Eafe and Quiet have no Foundation that is truly rational, to fupport. them.

The Peace which wife Men enjoy, is a quiet and compos'd Temper of Mind, refulting from

mature

mature Thought, and a ferious Confideration of Circumftances. When all accounts being carefully ballanc'd, and things duly compar'd on every fide, a Man finds nothing that ticks, fufficient to raise a juft Scruple, or caufe any degree of Pain or Remorfe; this is a rational Repofe : And whatever Quiet proceeds not from this Cause, deferves no better Name than that of Mechanical; as owing its rife either to Ignorance, or Contempt of Danger, or to fome Arts and Management of the Body, used to divert the Mind from the Sense of it. But how wretched a Shift is this! Men must be very hard put to it indeed, when things are brought to that pafs, that their Eafe and Quiet must be the mere Effect of a voluntary Incapacity to judg of the Reasons they have to be uneafy. Methinks a Man who manages himself after this manner, is in no better a Cafe, than he whom the Power of Wine has thrown into a found fleep on the Top of a Precipice; who is fecure for no other reafon, but that he has loft his Senfes. 'Tis not difficult for Men, by tampering with the Machine, to induce a fatal Stupor or Liftleffnefs upon their Minds, and fo bring themfelves into a pleafing Infenfibility of all things that tend to frighten or difturb them, tho they are the most neceffary in the World to be thought of: So a guilty Malefactor, by the Charms of an Opiate, forgets the Horrors of an Execution-Day, and enjoys all the Pleafures of a Fool's Paradife, till Death comes to awaken him.

But who reckons fuch a one any other than defperate, in all the falfe Pleasure he enjoys? Or who thinks it a rational Repofe, for a Man in any Circumftance whatfoever, to banish Thought and Fear, and give himself up to Mirth and

Diverfion, when his Cafe is doubtful, and there is but a Chance for his 'fcaping fome fearful Calamity, which may furprize him the next Hour?

And I cannot fee, but that the Gentlemen, who reject the Chriftian Revelation, are very liable to be charg'd with the fame fort of Folly (tho in a Cafe of infinitely greater Danger, than any that can happen in the prefent World) unless they are able to prove, to the entire Satisfaction of their own Minds, That there is no Truth in this Hiftory of the Refurrection of Jefus Chrift: For if it be true, they know what follows, if they perfift in their Infidelity to the laft. And if they have Reafons to prove it. not true, and fuch as will bear Examination; 'tis matter of fome wonder they were never fairly propos'd, and made out: Because this might have been done with much lefs offence to the World, and difparagement to themfelves, than what those bad Methods they have made use of, instead of Argument, have been the juft Occafions of. If they have affronted the Religion of their Country, with Impunity; they might have reafon'd foberly (like Men defirous of Truth, and willing to be rightly in form'd) with as little danger. Since therefore the Subject is of fo much Importance; fince there have been fo many Occafions and Opportunities for arguing in the beft manner upon it; fince modeft and fair Reafonings would have been lefs obnoxious to Cenfure, and far more advantageous, with refpect to the Conviction of others, than Banter and Raillery can ever be fuppos'd to be 'tis rational for any Man to conclude, That they have no fuch Reasons, by which they can, with an entire Satisfaction, afC

fure