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have been put into their hands by the Apostles themselves, as the groundwork and pillar of their faith.-Again, The immediate fucceffors of the Apoftles delivered the fame for a ftanding rule of faith to all the Churches converted or established by their preaching.-In the mean while they were univerfally read by Christians in their Affemblies on the Lord's day; and were therefore very early translated into various languages, and in a fhort time difperfed amongst different people of different nations; who, as they all fet an infinite value upon thefe facred records, became fo many fpies on each other to prevent any forgery or corruption creeping into them. We have moreover the teftimo

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ny of innumerable writers on this fubject, even from the apoftolical age wards; men of different perfuafions, orthodox and hereticks, friends and enemies to the Chriftian caufe, who have

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quoted many paffages out of these writings, and preferved large portions of them in their works: None of whom fo much as pretended the Authors of them to be any other than the difciples and followers of Jefus. Thus may they be traced up through every age by an uninterrupted series of proofs to the very times wherein they were penned ; and when it was impoffible but a relation of facts fo extraordinary in their kind, and which had fo lately and publickly happened, muft, if false, have been instantly difproved.

If then fucceeding ages have the utmost proof which the nature of the thing will admit of, that the books of the New Teftament are the genuine writings of thofe Apostles and Evangelifts whose names they bear, and that they contain a true account of the Religion of Jesus, and of the miraculous facts by which it

was confirmed; they have as reafonable grounds of affurance that He was fent from God, and confequently are as much obliged to believe his doctrines and obey his laws, as thofe very perfons were, who listened to the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth; who heard his fermons, and faw his miracles. For the obligation a man is under to believe and obey any set of doctrines and precepts as of divine authority, arifes from the means he hath of knowing them to be fuch. It matters not in what particular manner he is made acquainted with them; whether by immediate infpiration, or upon the teftimony of others evidently commiffioned for that purpose: If he has but fufficient grounds of affurance that they came originally from God, he is equally concerned to receive them. And fuch affurance, I am perfuaded, every honeft mind may be poffeffed of upon the authority of the Evangelical Writers.

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For it is beyond contradiction that these men could not but be fure of the facts and doctrines they deliver, which they had feen with their own eyes, and heard with their own ears. Efpecially, as they wrote under the immediate influence and direction of the Holy Ghoft; who was before promised to lead them into all truth, and bring all things to their remembrance what foever Chrift had faid unto them. Indeed to imagine that perfons of their ftations and characters had either inclination or power to impose upon the world is equally abfurd; feeing all the wages they really had, or could expect for what they did, were only fufferings and death. Yet we find the Religion they preached univerfally prevailing in spite of all oppofition, the most inveterate prejudices, and envenomed malice of mankind, both Jews and Gentiles. And whence all this? but because it was in truth, what they with

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with fuch mighty power declared it to be, the Word of God.

But if God's Word be a Revelation of his Will to Mankind, hence the peculiar bleffedness derived upon those who hear this Word and keep it.—With a few Reflections on which I fhall clofe this difcourfe.

2. True Religion is fo very interefting a concern of man, who, as a rational and free Being is therefore accountable to his Maker, that every opportunity of knowing the divine will must be regarded as a bleffing; and the neglecting any fuch opportunity as a high degree of ingratitude, impiety and folly. We need only look back upon thofe times of ignorance before Christianity enlightened the world, to be fenfible of the weakness of all human efforts to fet men right in the most momentous points; the performance

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