it of the utmost Confequence to us foberly to confider it, fince every one who rejects it stakes his own Soul against the Truth of it.

Are these fuch Pretences, as are to be turned off with general and loose Objections? Because Miracles may be pretended, shall not the Miracles of Chrift be confidered, which were not fo much as queftioned by the Adversaries of the Gospel in the first Ages? Because there may be Impostors, shall Chrift be rejected, whofe Life was Innocence, and free from any Sufpicion of private Defign, and who died to feal the Truths he had delivered? Because there have been Cheats · introduced by worldly Men, endeavouring to make a Gain of Godliness, shall the Gospel be fufpected, that in every Page declares against the World, against the Pleasures, the Riches, the Glories of it; that labours no one Thing more than to draw off the Affections from Things below, and to raise them to the Enjoyment of heavenly and fpiritual Delights?

But, whether you will confider it, or no; yet there is such a Call to you to confider it, as must render your Neglect inexcufable. You cannot fay, you want Inducement to confider it, when you fee it entertained by Men of all Degrees. The Gofpel does not

make

make fo mean a Figure in the World, as to justify your Contempt of it: The Light fhines forth in the World, whether you will receive it, or no; if you receive it not, the Confequence is upon your own Soul, and you

must answer it.

Were Men fincere in their Profeffions of Religion, or even in their Defires of Salvation and Immortality, the Controverfies in Religion would foon take a new Turn: The only Question would be, whether the Gofpel were true, or no: We fhould have no Reasoning against Revelation in general; for 'tis impoffible that a fincerely religious Man fhould not with for a Revelation of God's Will, if there be not one already: We fhould then fee another kind of Industry used in searching the Truths of God, which are now overlooked, because Men have lost their Regard for the Things which make for their Salvation. Were the Gofpel but a Title to an Estate, there is not an Infidel of them all, who would fit down contented with his own general Reasonings against it: It would then be thought worth looking into; its Proofs would be confidered, and a juft Weight allowed them: And yet the Gospel is our Title, our only Title, to a much nobler Inheritance than this World knows

'tis the Patent by which we claim Life and Immortality, and all the Joys and Bleffings of the heavenly Canaan. Had any Man but a Pedigree as antient as the Gospel, what a Noise fhould we have about it? And, yet the Gospel is despised, which sets forth to us a nobler Pedigree than the Kings of the Earth can boaft; a Defcent from Chrift, who is Head over the whole Family; by which we claim as Heirs of God, and Coheirs with Chrift: And, did we not defpife our Relation with Chrift,, and fecretly abhor and dread the Thoughts of Immortality, we could not be fo cold in our Regard to the Gofpel of God.

I wish every Man, who argues against + the Christian Religion, would take this one ferious Thought along with him; That he muft one Day, if he believes that God will judge the World, argue the Case once more at the Judgment-Seat of God: And let him try his Reasons accordingly. Do you reject the Gofpel, because you will admit nothing that pretends to be a Revelation? Confider well, is it a Reason that you will justify to the Face of God? Will you tell him, that you had refolved to receive no positive Com-. mands from him, nor to admit any of his VOL. I. Declarations

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Declarations for Law? If it will not be a good Reason then, it is not a good Reason now; and the ftouteft Heart will tremble to give fuch an impious Reason to the Almighty, which is a plain Defiance to his Wisdom and Authority.

DISCOURSE

DISCOURSE I.

PART III.

Fairer Iffue there cannot be for the Trial of any Religion: For, fince eternal Life is the End that

all Men aim at by Religion,

that must neceffarily be the beft Religion, which most certainly leads us to this great and defirable Bleffing. But the Difficulty is, how to apply this Rule, fo as to form our Judgments upon it, and direct our Choice, fince all Religions pretend to have the Words of eternal Life; which makes it neceffary for us firft to enable ourselves to determine which are, and which are not, Words of eternal Life, before this Rule can be of any Service to us in diftinguishing true and genuine

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