touch; with many other inftances of divine power-fuch as multiplying a little. food to the fatisfying of many thousands; raifing the dead, particularly his own dead body to life again, wherewith He vifibly afcended into Heaven, and from thence poured down the most amazing gifts upon his followers; by means of which his name was preached, his authority maintained, and his doctrine published throughout the world; give undeniable teftimony from without to the divinity of his miffion-that He was the very Christ, the Son of God, fent to redeem mankind from their fins by the facrifice of Himfelf.

There are indeed, befides these conditions of Faith and Repentance which are abfolutely neceffary to our falvation through Christ, two pofitive rites, and two only, instituted by Himself as generally neceffary thereto; which are BapVOL. II. U

tifm

tifm and the Supper of the Lord. The one ordained to be a facrament of initiation into the Christian Church; wherein the washing of the body with pure water is a very fignificant fymbol of that inward purity required of all Chrift's true Difciples, as well as a pledge of that grace and pardon which fhall be conferred upon them.-The other defigned for a perpetual commemoration of the fufferings and death of Chrift; and of the ineftimable benefits which we receive from them. So that both thefe facred rites, though of pofitive inftitution, are yet fo fimple in themselves, and so easy to be complied with, as likewife of fuch apparent moral tendency, that they must be allowed altogether worthy of God the fupreme lawgiver to enjoin; and fit and reasonable, and of great moment it is that man fhould obferve them.

And now-What can right reafon

object

object to the great scheme and end of the Christian Covenant? whereby the justice of God is fatisfied, his mercy illuftrated, and mankind faved. For though we are not able to comprehend the myste rious workings of God's Providence, and many things were propofed by Chrift which are above our reason in the prefent ftate; yet as they are not contrary to it, and we may be convinced upon evidence irrefragable that the declaration of them is from God; we cannot, without virtually disclaiming reason, refuse our affent to, and belief of, fuch doctrines. It is a duty prescribed us even by the law of nature, to submit our narrow and limited understandings to the infinite wifdom of God; and to believe what He fays, how much foever tranfcending our conceptions, because He, who can neither be deceived himself, nor deceive his creatures, hath said it. The difpenfations of the Almighty are unfathomable

U 2

unfathomable by the utmost reach of our faculties. This only we know, that He is every where prefent, directing all things according to the counfels of his own unerring mind. And, as in the book of nature, every fingle character is enough to puzzle and confound our reafon, though the general lines of Providence are legible throughout: So in the book of scripture, there are heavenly and fpiritual truths which furpafs our comprehenfion; but that the whole is the word of God, is a truth level with the capacity of every honeft enquirer: And that furely is fufficient to determine our belief of every part, with whatever difficulties attended.

Thus the promises which Chriftianity offers to all who fincerely embrace it, (wherein too confifts the excellency of the gospel covenant,) are of fuch things as no carnal eye either hath feen, or can

fee;

fee; neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive the rewards, which God hath prepared in another life for those who obey Him in this. Yet are they clearly enough to be difcerned by the eye of faith; and have their proper influence upon the conduct of every fincere Chriftian, because depending on the veracity of Him who cannot lie.

Again-Chrift hath promifed in his gofpel the gracious affiftances of the divine Spirit, to enlighten, comfort and fupport upright minds, as well in their enquiries into the truth of his Religion, as in their practice of the duties required by it. Now, the motions of this Bleffed Spirit are like thofe of the wind, which bloweth where it lifteth, and we cannot tell whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth His operations are fo undistinguishable from the free workings of our own faculties, that it can in no cafe be pronounced,

U 3