And have they not at these Seasons, in the moft ferious manner imaginable, made Vows and Refolutions to live a Holy Chriftian Life? And yet we fee they continue ftill Unreformed, ftill they are the fame Sensual, Carelefs, Unchriftian Livers that ever they were. Tappeal to the Confciences of Men, whether this be not true; and why fhould we think it would fare otherwife with us, if God fhould fend one from the Dead to reclaim us? That very Miracle would not convince our Understandings more than they have been convinced already; and, therefore, why should we think it would work more upon our Wills?

よ

The Sum of all this Difcourfe, is this; That how prevailing foever we may imagine fuch an Experiment, as the Rich Man here offers to Abraham for the Converfion of his Brethren, would be upon us; yet a Sen-fual Man, that was unwilling to give up him felf to the Conduct of Religion, might eafily find out Ways to avoid the Force that it ought to have upon his Mind; Nay, more eafily, perhaps, than he hath hitherto refifted the Motives of the Gofpel. And, therefore, we may certainly conclude with Abraham in the Text, that they that bear not Mofes and the Prophets; or, to put it into our own Language, they that hear not Chrift and his Apoftles, neither, in all probability, would they be perfuaded, though one rofe from the Dead.

*Nothing now remains, but that I draw two or three Inferences, from what hath been faid, and fo conclude.

In the First Place, From what I have dif courfed, upon this Argument, we may difcover the Infinite Wisdom of God, in the pitching upon that Method he hath done for the bringing Men to Vertue and Happiness; namely, by the Standing Revelations of MoJes and the Prophets, and of Chrift and his Apoftles: For we may perceive this Method is every Way more accommodated for that End, than if God fhould be every Day working Miracles for the reclaiming particular Perfons.

7

As it is more fuitable to the other Methods of God's Providence; to the way that he hath chofen for the Government of the World, (which is by the fettled Standing Laws of Motion, leaving Natural Caufes to produce their Natural Effects, and not interpofing his Omnipotency, but upon efpecial extraordinary Occafions:) So alfo, as we have feen, is it much more effectual for the convincing Mens Understandings, and the working upon their Wills, than the other Method of Private Miracles and Revelations would be. 9

We have feen how many Ways the Force of an Argument drawn from one's Appearance from the Dead may be evaded: But now none of these Pretences, can be made against the Evidence of a Publick Revelation, fo at tefted, and confirmed, and conveyed down to us, as that of Chriftianity is. And befides, there

Ο

there are many Arguments to be drawn from fuch a Revelation, to fhew the Credibility of it, which are altogether wanting to fuch a Private Miracle as we fpeak of.

Secondly, We may learn from hence, what little need there is of any new modern Miracles for the confirming to us any Doctrine of Christianity, which was long ago, in all the Articles of it, fo well attefted by the Illuftri ous Miracle of Chrift and his Apostles.

And more especially we may learn from hence, what little Credit is to be given to thofe Miracles that are wrought, or pretended to be wrought, for the Proof of fuch Doctrines, as are really contrary to that Revelation of our Lord, as it is delivered in the Holy Scriptures.

We are fure that Mofes and the Prophets, Chrift and his Apoftles, taught nothing but the Truth of God, he having fo publickly and fo convincingly fet his Seal to all their Doctrines. And we are fure likewise, that the Scripture contains nothing in it, but what was taught by them, and confequently must be the Truth of God alfo. And, therefore, if any Doctrine or Article of Religion be at any Time recommended to our Belief, that doth not agree with these Holy Writings, or doth contradict them either directly, or by plain unavoidable Confequence; we may be equally fure, that that Doctrine cannot be true, nor is to be received by us, though we are told of never fo many private Miracles that have been wrought for the Confirmation of it.

Our

Our Rule in thefe Cafes is, To the Law and to the Teftimony; To the publick and undoubted Oracles of God, in the Old and New Teftament. Whatever Doctrine can be proved out of them, we are bound to embrace it without a new Miracle. On the other fide, Whatever Doctrine is inconfiftent with them, we muft reject it, though an Angel from Hea ven, or one from the Dead fhould come and preach it to us.

་་

Thirdly, From hence we see the Vanity and Unreasonableness of those Men, that, not content with the Ordinary Means of Grace, are always wishing for Extraordinaries. There are a great many of us, that will be faved by Methods of our own chufing, otherwise we will not be faved at all. As it was in St. Paul's Time, the Jews they required a Sign; the Greeks, they were for Wisdom and Philo fophy; and, perhaps, a Third Sort of Men were for another kind of Means of Conviction: So it is among us.

Here is one Man would have a particular Miracle wrought for his Converfion. If he could fee a Spirit or a Ghoft, he would believe there was another World. If God would fend an Angel from Heaven to preach to him, he thinks he should become a New Man.

Here is another would believe the Gospel, if every Point of it could be demonftrated by Reafon, and a clear and plain Account be given of all the Myfteries of it: But till that be done, he is of the Religion of the Philofophers.

Here

Here is another Man waits for immediate Impulfes and Infpirations. The ordinary Affiftances of the Spirit, that accompany the Word and Sacraments, will not do his Bufinefs.

But let us not deceive ourselves.

All these

Imaginations are vain and foolish. If God should grant us our feveral Defires; and give one of us a Sign, another of us a Demonftration, another of us a powerful Conviction upon our Minds, from his Holy Spirit, and that in an extraordinary Way; yet it is still very doubtful, whether, for all this, the Business of our Converfion would be effected.

None was more confident than the Rich Man in the Parable, that if to the Testimony of Mofes and the Prophets, was fuper-added a New Miracle, his Brethren would certainly be perfuaded: But yet, you fee, our Saviour af firms the direct contrary.

Oh, let us all close with the standing Publick Methods which God hath established in the Church, for the bringing us to Vertue and Eternal Happiness, and not be hankering after new and fanciful Ways of our own chufing. Moft certainly, the Ordinary Means of Grace are fufficient for the Salvation of all our Souls, and will be effectual to that End, if we be not wanting to ourselves. And if any Extraordinaries be at any Time needful, God, without doubt, will fupply us with them alfo.

Fourthly and Laftly, From what hath been faid, we fee the horrible Guilt, and the utter

t

Inex