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lively hope in God's mercy, reveals that the Son of God became man, and offered up his life and blood to divine justice, as an expiatory sacrifice for the sins of men. This reconciled God, whose honour was abundantly secured by that satisfaction. This appeased all the unquiet agitations of the spirits of believers, and produced the "peace that passes understanding," a joy unspeakable and glorious.

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delivered them from the fear of death, under which the world was so long in bondage. And it is worthy observing, that no principles of nature ever produced such a generous contempt of death, as the Christian religion did in the professors of it. The Alexanders, Scipios, and Cesars, had trembled at the sight of those savage beasts that were let loose upon the martyrs, at the preparations of cruelty to torment them. Whereas, they regarded them with tranquillity, nay, with joy, as the matter of their triumph. This was true valour indeed, for the confession of the most important truth, and superior to the courage of those who were called the most renowned soldiers. For in a battle, by martial sounds, by violent motions, the spirits are fired, and men scarce feel their wounds, and are inconsiderate of their danger. But the martyrs had nothing to heighten their courage, but in cool blood, deliberately and without alteration, encountered that terrible enemy. Besides, soldiers in the sharpest conflicts have some hopes of victory. But the more than heroic constancy of the martyrs contemned death in its nearest approaches, and most fearful pomp.

Now this unshaken resolution in Christians encountering the last enemy, was from the lively sense

of God's favour, reconciled by the most pure and precious blood of his Son, and the hopes of everlasting happiness in his presence.

To conclude this argument, it is to be observed, that there is no proof more proper that Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of the world, than the joint testimony of the spirit, water, and blood; for whereas sin was the only cause of our ruin, the office of our Saviour is to repair that ruin, and consequently, he that effectually does it, is to be acknowledged, believed, and embraced as our Saviour. Now the worst effects of sin are the ignorance of the mind, the depravation of the affections, and the terrors of conscience from the apprehensions of vengeance. Therefore, since the Gospel of Christ has brought celestial light, purity, and peace into the world, it is an infallible proof that he is the Redeemer of it. The sun, that visits the world with its refreshing beams, has no clearer marks of the divine wisdom in making it, and ordering its motions, than the spiritual light of the Gospel, that irradiates the minds of men, which were before in deep darkness.

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riches of the earth in variety of fruits, is not a more convincing argument of the divine goodness, than to see the souls of men, that before were as dead earth, under the curse of heaven, to abound in all the fruits of righteousness. The separating the sea from the land, and setting bounds to its impetuous waves, is not a greater effect of God's power, than the calming the tempests of an unquiet conscience, and establishing tranquillity in it. And these blessings we entirely owe to Jesus Christ, in whose name they are obtained, by whose spirit they are conferred, and for whose glory they are designed.

Now, what more is requisite to afford us satisfaction that JESUS CHRIST came from God, and revealed his will in order to our happiness? Can it be reasonably expected that new miracles should be wrought to satisfy every sceptic that is still unsatisfied? Indeed the fountain of them is not dried up, the of God is not weakened, nor his mercy power lessened, but in extraordinary cases, when the Gospel is first preached to a nation, it may be expected, that, to convert them from Gentilism to the Christian faith, he will make himself known not only by word, but by power, in supernatural operations. But the vein of miracles is not still current in the church, there being sufficient motives of belief for the conviction of all that are not obstinate, without the performing of new ones. Must the Son of God present himself to all men in a visible glory? Or must his divine Father give another majestic testimony from heaven concerning him? If we have not such sensible evidence, we have as sure: the accomplishment of scripture prophecies is a permanent miracle, a more certain proof to us than that oracular revelation. For God spake but once in that voice, but he speaks by the prophets to the end of time. That was more astonishing, but less instructive to us than prophecies, that are continually unfolded and verified by events.

Before I finish this argument, I will briefly consider what is objected against some doctrines of the Gospel, namely, the Trinity, the divine incarnation, the mean state and sufferings of the Son of God in the world. These points have been opposed by the Jews, and other infidels, as mere impossibilities, directly contrary to the reason of mankind.

To this I answer; we must distinguish between what is incomprehensible to human reason, and what is repugnant to it; between the things which reason cannot perfectly understand how they can be, and the things which it perfectly understands that they cannot be. Natural light may not be able to discover the being of some things, and the manner of their existence, which really are. But what it sees to involve a contradiction, is absolutely impossible. Now, there is no point in the whole complexion of the Christian faith that is repugnant to reason. The unity and supreme equality of the three persons in the Godhead transcends our conception, but reason cannot prove it to be impossible. For the essence of God is not of the same condition with created substances; so that, although in the whole compass of the creatures there is no like instance, but one nature is always joined with one subsistence, yet it does not follow that the divine nature may not subsist in three persons. All the difficulty that is pre

tended to be invincible is this; that the manner of it is incomprehensible. And it is necessarily so; for it is impossible that what is infinite should be comprehended by a finite mild.

The incarnation of the Son of God, wherein the essence of Christianity consists, is not contrary to reason. Indeed it is impossible that the divine nature should be substantially changed into the human nature, and God cease to be God in becoming man, but the union of the Deity to the human nature is not impossible. For what repugnance is there, either in respect of God or the creature? Is it impossible that the supreme goodness should communicate it

self in the strictest degree of union to the reasonable creature, or is the reasonable creature incapable to receive the highest favour? This is a great mystery; but the divine omnipotence is not to be limited by our narrow thoughts. It is most reasonable to believe, that God can do what we cannot discover how it is performed. Seneca prudently observes, that extraordinary effects in nature are unaccountable to us, as to their immediate proper causes, whilst we only consider the usual principles by which it works. Nay, in the most common works of nature, how many things are so perceptible to sense that none is so stupid as to deny them, yet imperceptible to reason as to the manner of their production? Who understands the admirable conjunction of the soul and body in man? How spirit and matter, the one celestial, the other earthly, should so strictly combine, and notwithstanding such diversity in their natures and properties, embrace with such concord in their inclinations? Now if the sharpest eye,

fixed with the greatest attention, cannot discern the manner of this natural union, when the thing is above all doubt, can there be any pretence to disbelieve supernatural mysteries because we are not able to comprehend how they are affected?

3. There being infallible proofs that Jesus Christ. was sent from God to make known his compassionate counsels for the salvation of man, the consequence is clear and necessary, that the doctrines of his Gospel are to be received, though ever so incomprehensible to the natural understanding. There is no demonstration more sure than the principle of faith; God has declared so, therefore it is true. It is in

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