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DISCOURSE III.

PART II.

Have already examined the first and great Prejudice against the Gospel, arifing from the Poverty and Meanness of our bleffed Lord, and the low Condition of Life in which he appeared in the World, and the wretched Circumftances which put an end to it; and shewed it to be so far from being a just Offence against the Gospel, that, when fairly confidered, it ferves to recommend Re-. ligion to us with all poffible Advantage, and the more eminently to fet forth the Love of Chrift, and the Wisdom and Goodness of God, in the Gospel.

It was from the Offence taken at the mean Condition of our Lord, that the Crofs became

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became a Stumbling-block to the fews. It became alfo, as the Apoftle fays, Foolishness to the Greeks: For they fought after Wisdom; and, not finding the Wisdom they fought after in the Gospel, it was esteemed by them as Foolishness.

The great Articles upon which all Religion depends, are the Nature of God, the Immortality of the Soul, and the Certainty of future Rewards and Punishments in another Life after this. Thefe Things have ever exercised the Wit and Learning of the confidering Part of Mankind, and Philofophy has furnished Difficulties on every Side; and, were they well cleared up, 'tis thought Religion would want no other Support. But in vain do you search the Gospel of Christ for a Solution of these Difficulties: He has not fo much as entered into them, or once attempted to give an Account of the Nature or Effence of God, or of an human Soul, or to confider the Difficulties that are urged by the Schools against its feparate Existence from the Body. Future Rewards and Punishments he has indeed fully afferted; but, as to the Nature and Manner of them, and the Soul's Existence in each State, he has left them involved in the fame Intricacies in which he found them. And yet, say the Difputers

Difputers of this World, who would not expect from a Perfon fent from God to have all his Difficulties folved which affect the Belief and Practice of Religion? We are bid to be good and holy, and are promised Immortality: So far 'tis well. But did he not know what Doubts exercife the most learned Men concerning the Nature of God, and of the Soul, and its Paffage to another World, and concerning the Place and Condition of that other World? Why were not these Doubts cleared? Had he opened to us this dark Scene of Nature, and made us to understand the Contexture of the Soul, and its Manner of fubfifting out of the Body; had he taught us to comprehend the State and Nature of the other World; fuch Doctrines, fuch Discoveries would have been fufficient Evidence of the divine Wisdom: But now we are only taught the plain Doctrines of Morality, and are bid to take his Word for our Immortality.

To clear up this great and unreasonable Offence against the Gofpel, I defire you would confider with me the following Particulars:

First, That the Objection does not lie properly against the Gospel of Chrift; but, if there be any Senfe in it, it must rife higher,

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higher, and ftrike at the Wisdom and Goodnefs of God in the Creation: For, if any Fault is to be found in this Matter, it is not with Chrift for not teaching us more Wisdom than we are capable of, but with God for not making us wifer than we are. And hence it will appear, That the Objection is both impious and fenfelefs.

Secondly, That this Objection, allowing it its full Force, does no way affect the Belief or Practice of Religion; because Religion depends entirely upon the Certainty of the Soul's Immortality, and of a future State of Rewards and Punishments; which Certainty no way depends upon the Knowledge of the Nature of the Things themselves, fince we are and may be certain of many Things, the Nature of which we neither do nor can know. And hence it will appear, That the Difficulties arising from the Confideration of the Nature of thefe Things cannot affect our Belief of the Certainty of them, if it be fupported by proper Evidence; and, confequently, that Religion is no way concerned to remove these Difficulties. And,

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Thirdly, That the Gofpel has given us the greatest Evidence for the Certainty and Reality of thefe Things, that can be thought on or defired. And hence it will appear, That

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That the Doctrines of the Gofpel are fuch as are adapted to the Service of Religion, and as might be expected from a Teacher divinely inspired.

And First, Let it be confidered, That this Objection does not lie against the Gospel of Christ; but, if there be any Force in it, it ftrikes immediately at the Wisdom and Goodness of God in the Creation.

As long as Men keep to the plain fimple Points in which Religion is concerned, there is no Danger of their splitting upon these infuperable Difficulties. If they feek after God, the whole Creation will lead them to him; for the invifible Things of him from the Creation of the World. are clearly feen, being understood by the Things which are made, even his eternal Power and Godhead. If they fearch after the Immortality of the Soul, and the Certainty of a future State of Rewards and Punishments, thefe Truths will be fuggefted to them from their own natural Sense of Good and Evil, and the Notions of God's Wisdom and Justice and Goodness, compared with the prefent unequal Distributions of Rewards and Punishments; which can be accounted for upon no other Foot, nor reconciled to the natural Senfe God has implanted I

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