desirous to raise a sect, to act the part of a king in the scene of fame. Now by propounding a new object as the blessedness of man, they had the reputation of sovereign masters.

3. They drew a picture of happiness every one according to their different conceptions and desires. Epicurus set up the pleasure of sense, as the chief object. And that reason might be flexible to his inclinations, that his roses might have no prickles, to prevent any melancholy reflections after carnal enjoyments, he denied the divine providence, and the future state. It is said by some in his favour, that he intended a calm and peaceful temper of mind, a felicity refined from the dregs of sensuality. For this they allege Epicurus himself depreciating carnal pleasures, and extolling virtue as the great composer of the soul. But in vain they wash this voluptuous swine: For,

1. Those sentences of a more noble and generous strain, might, as flashes of lightning from a black cloud, break forth of his conscience in the midst of the darkness that covered it, yet sense might be his predominant principle.

2. He was a crafty spirit, * and made use of some beautiful expressions to lessen the horror that his doctrine, nakedly proposed, would cause in sober persons. Sometimes he speaks with a grave air as a philosopher, That true happiness consists in the pleasures of the mind. At other times, That there is no solid happiness but what might be tasted and enjoyed by the senses. He was a politician, and would not scandalize the severe, nor alienate the dissolute from him. † Tully observes that the secrets of his school, the pernicious lessons of sensuality were not com→ municated to all: but those who had intimate conversation with him, had a free indulgence for their lusts.

Aristotle places happiness in all the perfections of the body and mind, with the confluence of all external things as necessary ingredients of it. But this only respects man in the present state in the world and were his opinion true, yet his description would cause despair of obtaining that happiness. For how could any single person expect an entire union of all such perfections in himself as are not to be found in all men together?

* Dulces voluptates Epicurus interdum sic extenuat, ut Curium loqui putes, interdum ita laudat, ut quid præterea sit bonum neget se posse suspicari, Cic. lib. 2. de fin.

+ Quædam arcana apud se habuisse, neq; se permittere omnibus.

The Stoics asserted felicity to consist only in virtue. But this is contrary to reason and humanity. For the union of the physical good with the moral is requisite to give satisfaction to the faculties of man.

*

Plato and his followers, in whom natural reason ascended as high as in any of the Gentiles, had a glimpse of the true blessedness of man, as consisting in his likeness to God and the enjoyment of him. But their knowledge was shadowed with much ignorance, their hopes mixed with doubtful fears. They had rather suspicious and wandering desires, than solid apprehensions and firm expectations of it.

Briefly, no sparks struck out of human intellectuals were sufficient to give light or heat, to direct in the clear way, and to animate against the intervening difficulties that hinder men in the pursuit of blessedness. This was the state of the Pagan world, till "light and immortality were brought to light through the gospel." The quality of this life is therein revealed; it is a pure and holy felicity consisting in the perpetual exercise of the most excellent actions the intelligent nature is capable of: that is, in the perfect knowledge, and love, and praises of God himself. The subject of it is the entire man, for this end the body shall be raised from its dead sleep to an eternal life. The place is the highest heavens, framed by the divine power for the seat of his majesty, the kingdom of his love, wherein he will manifest himself to his favourites. And can there be a stronger attractive, a more noble inducement to make us holy? Secular rewards, as riches, and honours, and the like, are extrinsical to the nature of goodness; and to do our duty with such low aims and expectations, is to be defective in the best part of it, the love of virtue for its inherent excellence. But the divine reward is the perfection of holiness, the glory of the soul; and the belief and regard of it has a powerful influence to make us truly good. The faith in this makes us victorious over all the charms and all the cruelties of the world. For what can possibly come into competition with a happiness infinite in its greatness and duration?

I will only add, that though heaven be so rich a jewel, that it needs no foil to set off its lustre, to those who are clear-sighted

* Sympos.

to behold it; yet in a merciful compassion to man the gospel reveals what will be the recompence of wilful continued disobedience, an eternal hell, wherein the justice and power of God are terribly glorified. And what is more powerful to excite the sensual and secure, who despise the blessed hope, than the fear of an immortal death?

Now after this short delineation of the Christian religion, let reason judge whether it is the invention of men. The doctrine of it shines with so clear an evidence, the precepts are so pure, able to inspire us with true holiness, the promises are so divine, that every one who does not wilfully shut his eyes, or turn them to other things, may discern its original to be from above; that it comes from the fountain of wisdom, holiness and goodness. What are all the productions of the earth to this sacred present of heaven? If there be any shadow of virtue in other religions, here the reality is in the highest perfection, and separate from all vicious mixtures. Christianity enjoins universal sincerity and purity of heart and life. It instructs man to appear what he is, by an humble acknowledgment of his sinful unworthiness, and to be what he appears, by an inward love and real practice of that religion of which he makes a public profession. It impresses a more noble character upon moral virtues, by enjoining them from a principle of love to God, and directing their performance to his glory, than philosophy did, that commanded them only as agreeable to human reason. What are all the most beautiful excitations of philosophy to the high motives of the gospel? To apply ourselves to the writings of the wisest heathens in order to our happiness, and to neglect the scriptures, is to be guilty of worse folly than the barbarous Indians at Mexico, * who though their woods abounded with wax, the labour of the bees, yet only made use of brands, that afforded a little light with a great deal of smoke. Upon the most impartial inquiry, and exact search, reason will conclude, either there is no blessed end for which man was designed by his Maker, or the gospel only has revealed it, and the effectual means to obtain it. So that we must say with the zeal and affection of the apostles to Jesus Christ, "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life."

* Pet. Mart. Hist. Ind.

CHAP. III.

The external proofs of the truth of the christian religion considered. Miracles are only performed by God. Why Christianity was confirmed by them: The number of Christ's miracles, the manner of his performing them, and their certainty, considered. The miracles done by Christ to confirm his doctrine, are an authentic testimony that God approved it. The pretence of libertines, that the heathen religion was confirmed by miracles, clearly disproved. The rational assurance that we have that the Apostles were sincere and certain of the miraculous things related by them of Jesus Christ. His resurrection attested by sufficient evidence.

WE are next to consider those external proofs of the truth of Christianity, the works of God himself, that seal our full assurance of it. I shall instance in two; miracles, and the accomplishment of prophecies.

1. A miracle is a supernatural work that requires an extraordinary divine power to effect it. For none can derogate from the universal laws of nature, prescribed from the beginning of things and time, but the Author of it. Indeed we do not exactly know the compass of that circle wherein the spirits of darkness exercise their power. They may by the application of natural means unknown to us, produce things that may astonish, or by lying wonders deceive men: but a true miracle is a work reserved to God, and possibly to no less than infinite power. Whether it be a first or second creation, the forming a new eye, or the giving a visive power to that that was naturally blind, it can only be done by his hand. If we respect omnipotency, there is the same facility; if the thing done, there is the same difficulty in the performance. If the devils had such a power, they might create a separate kingdom, and reign there.

Now miraculous testimonies were given to confirm Christianity, that there might be a just correspondence between its doctrines and their proofs. The mysteries of the gospel in their existence are above all natural power, and in their belief above the natural understanding. All that nature can do or know, does not make them credible. Therefore it was requisite those things should be confirmed by the divine power, that transcend

the comprehension of human reason. Besides, as the mysteries of the gospel are sublime, so the rewards are future; and that the Gentiles might not pretend that the preachers of the gospel feigned another world, and a heaven, and a hell, wherein the souls and bodies of men shall be glorified or tormented according to their actions in this life, supernatural evidence of the truth of those promises and threatenings was necessary. In short, herein the divine goodness appeared; that as the true religion is necessary to the salvation of all men, so it was discernible by such signs as may convince all. For upon the sight of those divine works, the simplest people were led by the outward sense, to an inward firm faith in Jesus Christ.

These things being premised, I will take a brief view of the miracles wrought by our Saviour to give faith to his doctrine.

It is recorded of Moses who was a type of Christ, that after his familiar converse with God, as fa man with his friend, descending from the mount, his face shone with such an excessive brightness, as it were by reflection from the face of God, that coming to the Israelites to deliver to them the divine laws, he was fain to cover it with a veil: yet some rays of that miraculous splendour were visible through that mysterious veil, to assure them it was Moses himself that directed and governed them ac cording to God's will.

Thus when the Son of God 'came down from the heaven of heavens to instruct the world, he shadowed the light of the Deity with a veil of flesh; yet he was not so absolutely concealed under his humanity, but that from time to time some beams of the divine nature appeared in works so proper to God, that the apostle says, "We saw his glory as the glory of the only begotten Son of God." In the representation of our Saviour's miracles by the evangelists, we may consider their number and variety, his manner of performing them, and the certainty of them.

(1.) Their number and variety. He went about all Galilee healing all manner of sicknesses and diseases, even the most incurable; the blind, the deaf, the lame, the paralytic, the hydropic, the leprous, the lunatic were cured. He raised the dead, and cast out devils. Besides his miraculous feeding so many thousands, his commanding the enraged winds and seas to be still, and a great calm followed; his transfiguration before his disciples, when the beauty of heaven descended on his counte