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III.

SERM. that the Nature of the Thing admits of, or our Nature requires, Extrinfic ones. The Evidence for Chriftianity preponderates the Objections, for this plain Reafon because most, if not all, the principal Objections turn upon Points, of which we are incompetent Judges. But we are able to have a perfect Knowledge, and form an adequate Judgment, of the Evidence on which Chriftianity ftands. Though therefore we ought to abide by our Judgment where it is fufficiently informed; we ought to lay no great Weight upon it, where it is infufficient and unequal to the Things to be judged of. We have no Right to judge where we have not a competent Ability to judge. For the Right of Judgment cannot extend beyond our Ability of judging.

Suppofing it had pleased the Deity, before Glaffes were invented, or Experiments made, to have given us a Syftem of Natural Philofophy, together with that of Religion, containing all the modern Difcoveries; what an ample Field of Ridicule would have been opened to little Wits? That Three Divine Perfons, however diftint, fhould be fo united, as no other Perfons are, or can be; and therefore should be, not so many Beings as Perfons, but one Being only, would have afforded but little Matter of Raillery: But that Millions of Animalcules, which have Parts correfpondent to Creatures of

much

III.

much larger Dimenfions, should fubfift SER M. together in one little Drop of Water, would have appeared as ridiculous an Abfurdity, as that of ten thoufand Spirits being at once upon a minute, and barely vifible Point of Matter. That Balaam's Afs should speak, would have fupplied them, comparatively, with no great Fund of Pleasantry; fince a Caufe is affigned more than equal to the Effect, and there was an End worthy of that Caufe; viz. to let the Prophet know, in Conformity to the Custom of that Age (which was, not only to notify one's Meaning in meer Words, but to exemplify it by fome striking Inftance or Matter of Fact) that his Intention to fpeak otherwise than God directed, would be of no Avail. For He, who could actuate the Tongue of the dumb Animal, and make it utter what articulate Sounds he pleafed, could also overrule the Madness of the Prophet, and deprive him of any Power of going beyond the Word of the Lord, or faying more or less than he should order him. But that the Body of Light fhould travel one hundred and fourfcore thousands of Miles in the Second of a Minute, as modern Philofophers affert, would have appeared to them an abfolute Contradiction; as it fuppofed, they would say, the fame Body to be in feveral Places of a prodigious Distance almost at the same Instant, How would they have been aftonished to hear,

what

1

SER M.

III.

what yet has been demonftrated *, that ten thousand two hundred and fifty fix Mountains (every one of which is equal to the highest Mountain in the Earth) do not contain fo many Grains of Sand, as one Grain of fuch Sand does Particles of the Blood or Juices of certain Animalcules: or, that the fmalleft Portion of Matter' that can be affigned might diffuse itself over the amplest Extent of Space, and fill it fo, that there fhould be no Vacancy left but what was lefs than any given Quantity? The Stoicks and Epicureans would not have diverted themfelves with the Apofle, for bringing Strange Things to their Ears, when he told them of the Refurrection. All their Merriment would have been exhaufted upon much ftranger, if he had laid open to them the Secrets of Nature, -the feemingly Magical Operation of the Loadftone;-that all the effential Parts of an Animal, however large, are at first folded up in a little Speck scarce difcernible, and that it's Growth is nothing but the Unfolding and Expanfion of thofe Parts which were contracted before;-The art of restoring a Body to it's former State, when it has been altered by Calcination or Diffolution;—that the Sun acts through a vaft intermediate Void, where it is not;-that the Rays of it's Light are reflected from a Surface which they never touched, &c. One would go upon * See Keillii Introductio ad Phyficam, Pag. 52. 56.

III.

very fure Grounds, before one pronounces SER M. peremptorily, fuch Things are abfurd, contradictory, and cannot poffibly be in a Divine Revelation: Experience teaching us, that several Things in the World actually do exist in fuch a Manner, as we, antecedently to Experience, should have judged impoffible in the Nature of the Thing. What is there, for Instance, incredible in our Saviour's Miraculous Birth? Suppofing us ignorant of the natural Method of Generation, we should think it as furprizing and incredible to the full, that a Child should be produced jointly by a Male and a Female, as that it fhould be produced by a Female only: Nor can this be more inconceivable than the Formation of the First Man without any Parents at all.

Thus far I have gone, intending, at another Opportunity, to profecute this Subject much farther; as being fenfible, the great Secret of spreading Infidelity confists in unfettling Men's Minds, by raising Doubts and Cavils about the Style and inward Contents of Revelation. These are the Intricacies with which they befet us; the Thorns and Briars, of which unlefs the Ground be effectually cleared, whatever good Seed or Principles may be fown in it, they will Spring up with them, choak, or render them unfruitful.

SERMON IV.

The usual Objections against Revelation, founded in Ignorance.

In two Sermons preached before the Univerfity of Oxford.

SERM.

IV.

I COR. i. 25.

The Foolishness of God is wiser than Men ; and the Weakness of God is stronger than Men.

H

AVING in a former Difcourfe fhewn,

It, That it is owing to Ignorance, that feveral Things in Revelation feem liable to the Charge of Foolishness; I now proceed,

IIdly, To prove, that God hath ftamped the brightest Characters of Divinity on fome Parts of Revelation, which are thought moft exceptionable.

The Almighty feems to have observed the fame Design in conftructing the Body

of

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