hand*. A neceffary CALL to procure Subjects to this new Kingdom, juft ready to be erected, where LIFE AND IMMORTALITY was to be obtained by Faith; but fuch a Faith as is founded on those Works which Natural Religion requires to be perfomed; or, when neglected, the omiffion or tranfgreffion to be atoned for by REPEN

TANCE.

This fhews the extreme folly of what hath been afferted by certain of our unwary Friends, and echoed back to us by the Enemies of our holy faith, that the GOSPEL ITSELF is only A RE-PUBLICATION OF THE RELIGION OF NATURE; whereas, it now appears, that the whole of THIS RE-PUBLICATION amounts to no more than a re-publication of one great' principle of Natural Religion, viz. Pardon on Repentance; and this, as the foundation of (and in order to introduce and render effectual) our FAITH IN CHRIST, the great principle of the Revealed.

To proceed. It is with regard to John's Character of a Preacher of Moral Righteouf

*Matth. ii. 2.

ness,

A

nefs, on the principles of Natural Religion, that Jefus fays of him,-Amongst them that are born of women hath not risen a greater than John the Baptift: notwithstanding, he that is leaft in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he*: this leaft in the kingdom of heaven is greater (he fays) than fohn, i, e. greater in office. JOHN only proclaimed and republished that great Principle of Natural Religion, the doing WORKS meet for Repentance. Whereas the Disciples of Jefus were the Promulgators of the efficacy of Revealed Religion SAVING FAITH Greater in their fpiritual gifts and graces. They worked Miracles. John worked no Miracle. The reafon is obvious: MIRACLES are the neceffary CREDENTIALS of men fent by God to promulge a new Revelation. The preaching up of Natural Religion (which was John's office) needed none of thefe Credentials: its truth having been engraved in the breasts of every one, when God created Man in his own Image.

But this is not all. The better to fecure this natural Foundation of SAVING FAITH,

*Matt. xi. 12.

† Acts xxvi. 20.

Jefus

Jefus himself, in his entrance on his Miniftry, thought fit to repeat and confirm the Miffion of John; and in the very words of his Forerunner-REPENT, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand *. On this account,' I suppose, it was that Herod, hearing that a new Prophet was just arisen, who began his Ministry like John, with preaching repentance, because the kingdom of heaven was at hand, miftook him for John rifen from the dead; and being alarmed at the name of Kingdom, joined to the report of Miracles, now first performed by him, concluded, he was returned to life, with the acceffion of new powers; Herod, I fay, in his fright, cries out,-John the Baptift, whom I beheaded, is rifen from the dead, and THEREFORE mighty works do fhew forth themselves in him. A natural fentiment on this occasion. For cruelty, in its fufpicions, commonly adds terror to fuperfti

tion.

Yea, further, when Jefus first fent out his Difciples to give notice of his Gospel,

Matth. iv. 17.

+ Matt. xiv. 2.

they,

they, too, were directed to enforce this previous and neceffary Truth:-And they went and preached that men should repent *

And they whom he left behind him at his afcenfion were likewise directed to perform the fame office. They began their work with the doctrine of REPENTANCE, only changing the Baptifm of John into that of Jefus. St. Peter, in his first difcourfe to all the dwellers at Jerufalem, who enquired of him into the way of falvation, fpeaks in this manner :-Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jefus Chrift +.

St. Paul tells Agrippa, that he began his Miffion with exhorting both Jews and Gentiles, that they should repent, and turn to God, and do WORKS meet for repentance ‡. And as he began with repentance, so he ends with it, where, in his Epiftle to the Hebrews, he expreffeth himself in this man"Therefore leaving the PRINCIPLES of the Doctrine of Chrift, let us go on

ner,

*Acts. ii. 38.

Acts xxvi.

+ Acts xxvi.

❝ unto

"unto PERFECTION; not laying again the "FOUNDATION of repentance from dead "works, and of faith towards God." These are the great principles of Natural Religion, which Christ made the FOUNDA TION of his Gofpel. Iniquity is called dead works as by Faith towards God is meant fimple belief in him; and alludes to the fame Apostle's definition of Natural Religion-where he fays, he that cometh ta God muft BELIEVE that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently feek him. The fenfe of which is this-" Sink not "back again to, nor reft in that Principle "of Natural Religion, after you have made "it (as your Mafter requires you should) "the foundation of his Gospel."

But as there are not only first principles in Natural Religion, but likewife in the Revealed, the Apostle goes on with an account of these likewife-The doctrines of Baptifms, and of laying on of hands, and of the refurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgement. Now these first principles of the GOSPEL we are likewife forbid to rest in, no less than in those first principles of NA