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Moral Certainty a fufficient Ground for the Belief of Christianity.

Preached in Queen's College Chapel.

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For we have not followed cunningly devifed
Fables, when we made known unto you
the Power and Coming of our Lord Je-
Jus Chrift.

W

There

Hoever attentively perufes the SERM. I. Writings of the Evangelifts and Apoftles, will scarce need any other Proof to convince him, that they did not follow cunningly devifed Fables, or draw up an artificial Account of Things. are at least as strong Proofs for the Genuinenefs even of the controverted Books of Scripture, as there are for that of any uncontroverted Book in Pagan Antiquity. But let us fuppofe it to be, what it is not, a Matter of Uncertainty, whether fuch a

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SERM. I. Record of Chriftianity be His whofe Name it bears ;. ftill we must distinguish between the Author and the Authority of the Book. Whatever becomes of the Author, the Authority of the Book is unquestionably good; if it be fhewn, that it could not have been received from the firft by a vaft Number of Perfons as a true Hiftory, but upon a Suppofition that it really was fo: it being an impracticable Thing to obtrude upon the World a Variety of recent Facts with the moft memorable and glaring Circumstances, afferted to be done before the Chief Priests and Scribes, and the whole People of Ferufalem, as Spectators and Eye-witneffes. Whoever were the Authors of the Gospels, they certainly expected to be believed: But how could they have expected any fuch Thing in Cafe of an Impofture, when they refer exprefsly and by Name, to Time, Place, and Perfon; when they virtually appeal to the Senfes of that very Age and Nation for the Truth of their Relations? It is not the Intereft of an Impoftor to be particular, explicit, and circumftantial: He must avoid, as a Rock upon which he must inevitably split, Dates of Time, the particular Place of Action, (especially if it be a

public one; and near at Hand, where fuch SERM. T a Miracle is pretended to be wrought) the Names, Number and Rank of the Spectators. His Art confifts in laying the Scene at a great Distance, in giving general, confufed and undiftinguished Accounts of Things, and in skulking behind a thoufand Evafions, thofe Holes which Creatures of Subtlety have fequeftered from the Light of the Sun; and to which they always retreat, when clofely purfued. Whereas in the New

Teftament there is that undiffembled Opennefs of Soul, that unaffected Frankness and unconstrained Freedom in relating Things with perfect Eafe and without any Effort; which could come from none but ingenuous Writers, and can, I think, be refifted by none but difingenuous Readers.

Add to this, that whoever were the Authors, they were infpired. For one of the notorious Facts on which great Strefs in many Places is laid, is, that the Holy Ghoft was given by the laying on of the Apostles Hands; in Confequence of which the new Converts prophefied and fpoke with new Tongues. For the Truth of this St. Paul appeals to the Church of Corinth; and if it had not been true, he muft have been look

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SERM. I. ed upon by them as an abandoned Impoftor, charging them with the Abuse and Misapplication of spiritual and miraculous Gifts they never had. Whoever intends to deceive, must be folicitous to fave the Appearances of Truth; which, upon a Suppofition of the Falfity of this Fact, St. Paul by no means did. For he lays down that as a known Truth, which those to whom he addreffed his Epiftle must know, from what paffed within them, to be egregiously falfe. Now if there was such a plentiful Effufion of the Holy Spirit even to those who did no diftinguished Service to the Church; we cannot rationally suppose it was denied to thofe, who made it their honest Endeavour to perpetuate the Faith by their Writings. The Dew of Heaven, while it defcended on Places comparatively waste and barren, would not be with-held from a more kindly Soil, productive of the most generous Fruits for the Service and Food of Man.

In profecuting this Subject, I fhall shew,

It, How far and in what Degree an Affent to the Truth of Christianity is obligato

ry

A

ry upon us, fuppofing a Sufficiency of Evi- SERM. I.

dence for it.

IIdly, That there is fuch a Sufficiency of Evidence for it, that we cannot, confiftently with Reason, refuse to be determined by it.

IIIdly, I fhall conclude with a fhort Reflection on the Importance of Christianity, and our Infenfibility of it's juft Value.

Christianity ftands upon the very fame Footing as Morality does, in Point of Obligation. For we refolve the Obligation of Morality, or trace it up to it's FountainHead, after the following Manner.Virtue is neceffarily productive of the Happiness of Mankind; and Vice of Mifery and Confufion.-A Being of infinite Benevolence must will whatever is neceffarily productive of general Happiness.Every Creature is obliged to conform himself to the Will of his Creator.

To apply this to Christianity. One cannot confiftently disbelieve Christianity, without disbelieving every thing elfe, that has only the fame Degree of Evidence.-One cannot disbelieve every Thing else that has the fame Degree of Evidence, without B 3

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