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dangerous; they are for the rule and guide of our lives; and to which let us be conformable.

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CHAPTER III.

Of the Holy Scriptures.

LTHOUGH by the light of nature and reason we come to the knowledge of God, yet we have need of fupernatural affiftance to direct us in the difcharge of our duty towards him. We are no fooner convinced of God's existence, than we begin to be anxious to act and demean ourselves so as to please him; and are defirous to know what is his will, what conduct will recommend us to his favour, and what will render us objects of his difpleasure. By a little reflection on the wifdom and goodness of God, we may perceive that he created mankind for fome greater end than the felicity of the present life: that he had fome nobler purposes in view, when he gave us our being: that he defigned us for a happier ftate, and created us to be immortal. Impreffed with this idea, we find ourselves concerned to obtain the approbation of the difpofer of our C 2

fate.

fate. And in this refpect we are not left to wander in ignorance and uncertainty: God has clearly revealed his will to us, and declared the duties and laws we are to obferve and practise, for our good here and hereafter. This rule of duty and adoration is contained in the fcriptures of the old and new teftament; and the excellent morality, and the found institutes of religion, bespeak them to be of divine original. Why should any doubt that the fcriptures were written by the infpiration of God, feeing he certainly has a right and power to make what revelations of himself he pleases? Is it difficult for the Creator to reveal his will to his creatures, when one creature can declare his will to another? The fcriptures, every impartial perfon must confefs, contain many ufeful precepts and examples; the obfervance whereof has always been found to be productive of the peace and welfare of focieties: they are entirely confiftent with reason, and agreeable to the notions we naturally form of the Deity. The Bible is acknowledged to be the oldest history in the world: it's very antiquity therefore merits veneration,

That form of worship which God prefcribed the chofen people, was folemn and fplendid; abounding with many and magnificent rites and ceremonies, neceffary for falvation: all which have been difpenfed

with,

with, and done away by the Son of Man, the Saviour of the world; who, by his appearance in the flesh, fulfilled all that was foretold of him in the law and the prophets, and gave a merciful and gracious law, that was not only to concern the Jews, but the whole world; for our Lord came to be a light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glory of his people Ifrael.

The falvation of our fouls may now be obtained upon most easy terms, by that covenant which our Lord purchased with his blood; the condition of which we have faithfully marked down to us in the gospel; where, befides our duty to God, we are Strictly exhorted to obferve mutual love and affection one to another: in short, in this laft overture of grace, we are taught the finest morality that can be observed or practifed.

Let us remember that now we cannot plead ignorance; and we are informed of the confequence, if we know our master's will, and do it not. Better had it been for us not to have known the way of righteous ness, than, after we have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto us. Let us be diligent in making the proper use of that divine light which illuminates the mind, that fo it's wholesome inftructions

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instructions may outwardly appear in a virtuous life.

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CHAPTER IV.

Of the Refurrection.

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O article of the Chriftian faith was believed with greater reluctance, or more puzzled the minds of thofe who trusted to their own reasoning, than this of the refurrection from the dead. Some thought it not only impoffible, but the very notion of it altogether ridiculous. Thus was St. Paul's difcourfe about this point entertained at Athens, as related in the 17th Chapter of Acts. Hearing the resurrection of the dead, fome of them mocked; others faid, we will hear thee again of this matter. But no good argument can be advanced, why this fhould be deemed a thing impoffible to God, or improbable and inconsistent with reason. Why should it be thought more difficult for God to raise and quicken a dead body, than at first to create it from the duft of the ground, and to inspire it with a living foul? or why fhould he not as eafily perform this, as from feed fown in the ground, and there corrupted, to caufe fuch beautiful plants

plants to fpring forth? certainly he who produces fuch wonderful changes and revolutions in the natural world, can as easily effect a refurrection of the body.

In the beginning of Christianity, although fome abfolutely denied it, as the Sadducees, yet various opinions fubfifted concerning it: for certain interpreted the refurrection to be fpiritual, by which we are to rife from the death of fin unto a life of righteousness and holinefs. And they were perfuaded of this, from the 6th of St. Paul's epiftle to the Romans, verfe 4, 5. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that, like as Chrift was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even fo we also should walk in newness of life. And in the 5th of Ephefians, verse 14. Wherefore he faith, Awake thou that fleepeft, and arife from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. Of this fort feemed to Hymenæus and Philetus, who afferted that the refurrection was already paft of whom the Apostle writes, 2 Timothy, 2 chap. 18 verfe: Who concerning the truth have erred, faying, that the refurrection is paft already. Many thought that, by this doctrine, no more was to be understood, than the being raised from a state of darkness and ignorance by the illuminating precepts of the gospel, and being directed thereby in the way to eternal

and

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