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their Lives long, a Principle as capable of Error, as it is of Truth, and as productive of Vice, as it is of Virtue in them: fince human Reason, in its highest point of Improvement, is perfectly unable to fettle a proper Rule of Religion and Morality; for as much as the greatest Philofophers were at a loss how to devise an acceptable form of Divine Worship, and how to attain a Reconciliation with God, whenever they had offended him by their Sins; and, (confidering the Careleffness and Inattention, the Paffions and Prejudices, as well as the fuppofed Equality and Self-conceit of moft Men) in no Condition to inftruct the World either by Argument, or by their own Authority: And lastly, fince it is true in Fact, that the greatest Men in the Heathen World were entirely ignorant of fome of the most fundamental Points, and very doubtful and uncertain in all the reft; were over-run with Wickedness themselves, and too eager afferters of many vicious and corrupt Principles, (enough this to humble the Pride and arrogant Pretenfions of our modern Unbelievers) it must needs follow, that a more perfect Revelation of the Divine Will, than what could be collected from the bare Light of Nature, could not but be a very defirable thing to Man, in his State of Ignorance and Defection,

And,

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And, fince again it is not only agreeable to the State and Condition of Man, but highly confiftent with the Attributes of God, for him to vouchsafe a Revelation to his own Creatures, in order to lighten the Darknefs of their Underftandings, and reform the Irregularity of their Lives; for which the Christian Religion is peculiarly adapted, as containing a moft compleat Rule of Faith and Manners: Since, in this Religion, there are Doctrines of different kinds, fome that are myfterious, and paft Man's finding out, and others more obvious, and discoverable by the Light of Reafon; the more obvious (as they have a natural Tendency to promote all kind of Virtue and Godliness in us) upon their own Account deferving our Reception; and the myfterious (as they are no more than what might be expected in a fupernatural Revelation, and only become fuch, by the Sublimity of the Subjects, they treat on, which, notwithftanding, imply no Abfurdity or Contradiction in them, but tend manifeftly to the Credit and Advantage of the whole Difpenfation) upon the Authority of God, and in Acknowledgment of his Veracity, requiring our Affent: Since the pofitive Inftitutions of this holy Religion are not only requifite to our Ini

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tiation and Confirmation in it, but Pledges likewife of God's Love, and visible Affurances of fpiritual Bleffings to us; no ways liable to any fuperftitious Abuse from those, that attend to the Precepts of Scripture concerning them; and in fuch, as devoutly observe them, capable of exciting all manner of good Affections and Difpofitions: And, laftly, fince the moral Part of this Religion contains many more Laws and Precepts, and these established by more powerful Motives and Sanctions, and enforced with more fublime Reasons and Confiderations, than ever the World had heard of before; it will neceffarily follow, that Chriftians, of all other Men, if they are but mindful of these high Privileges, and ftudy to adorn the Doctrine of their Lord and Mafter in all things, are in a very happy Situation, y through the tender Mercy of our God, whereby the Day-fpring from on high bath vifited us, to give Light to them that fit in Darkness, and in the Shadow of Death, to guide our Feet in the Way of Peace.

Tit. ii. 10:

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Luke i. 78, 19.

SECT.

SECT. XXIV.

Of the Date, and Efficacy of the Chri ftian Difpenfation.

The Ob-❝ jection.

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UT if this Religion is a Difpenfation of fo excellent a Na“ ture, as to teach many more faving "Doctrines, for the enlightening of the "Understanding, and prefcribe many 66 more wholesome Laws, for the Re<< gulation of human Life, than the "deepest Re-fearches of Philofophy "could ever attain; a how comes it to "pafs, that it was not discovered

fooner, or that it is not now commu"nicated to all? The Notion, we have "of God's univerfal Benevolence, would

tempt us to think, that a Remedy of "this fovereign Nature should immedi"ately, and as foon as there was Occa"fion for it, have been equally dif "pensed to all his Children, fince all σε had corrupted themfelves, and had (6 an equal need of it. "Tis inconfiftent "with the Character of God, who is no Refpecter of Perfons, but beholdeth

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" all

* Vid. Christianity as old, &c. c. 14. Pam.

"all the Dwellers upon Earth without "Partiality and Prejudice, to be good " and merciful to a few only, but cruel "and unmerciful to the reft. If he "acts always for the good of his Crea

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tures, what Reafon can be affign'd, "why he should not, from the Begin"ning, have discovered fuch things, as "make for their Good, fince the fooner' "this was made, the greater would his "Goodness be; whereas, upon the "Suppofition, that Chriftianity has all "this Perfection in it, it cannot be de"nied, but that God left all Mankind "for 4000 Years together, and even "to this Day, the far greater Part of "them, deftitute of fufficient Means to "perform their Duty, and preferve "themfelves from finking into a cor"rupt and degenerate State; which "cannot but bear hard upon his Juftice "and Mercy; fuppofing, I fay, that "Chriftianity has all this Perfection in "it: But, according to the prefent Appearance of things, it feems to have no fuch Virtue; nor can it be esteemed

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a proper Remedy to the Corruptions "of Mankind, when its Effect is fo lit"tle feen in Experience. For what "impartial Man, who has compared "the former and prefent Condition of Mankind, can think the World much

"mended

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