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fefs, in a moft efpecial manner, to exercife our faith in an invifible Jefus. He is there really, effectually, though spiritually, prefent; the eye of Faith can behold him, though that of fenfe cannot: for "his flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed." That bread and that wine, which he there imparts to us fhall become his very body and blood, in fuch a fenfe as he intended it, to every worthy and faithful receiver: It fhall convey to us all the benefits of his body broken, and his blood poured out on the crofs; and unite us to him in our bodies and fouls, after fuch a wonderful manner, as none but they who feel it, can conceive, and even they who conceive it, cannot exprefs. Let us look then through the outward symbols or figns, to the thing fignified by them; and carry in ou ears, as we approach the holy table, that voice of our Saviour to his doubting difciple, Be not faithless but believing. Bleffed and happy is he, who, in this inftance, alfo, though he doth not fee, yet doth believe; he fhall be vitally nourished, and cherished by the food of this pafchal lamb, and his foul fhall be made joyful in the ftrength of this new wine.

To that "Lamb of God, without spot, ar blemish," whose facrafice we are now about to commemorate and reprefent, even the Lamb that was "flain for our fins, and raifed again for our juftification," as on this day, together with the Father and the divine Spirit, be afcribed all honour, might, adoration, and praife, now and

-overmore.

A SER

SERMON

Preached at

Weftminster-Abbey,

On Whitfunday, 1716.

Miracles the mot proper way of proving the divine authority of any religion,

MARK xvi 20.

And they went forth and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with figns following.

N thefe words, which thut up the gospel of St. Mark, we have an account of the means, by which the preaching of the apoftles became fo wonderfully operative and fuccefsful. It was not from any mighty talent of perfuafion, any extraordinary faculty of reafoning, with which they were endued; it was not by any intrinfic evidences of truth, which the diftingnifhed docVOL. III..

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trines they preached carried with them; nor by any other method purely human and natural; but by a divine power and affiftance, which accompanied them in every ftep they took, and miraculously bleffed their endeavours. "The "Lord worked with them, and confirmed the "word with figns following."

By figns, in holy writ, are meant all fuch wonderful operations, as are above the skill of man to contrive, above the power of any thing in nature, any thing but the God of nature himfelf, or fome agent by him fpecially commiffioned and empowered, to perform. Such as speaking ftrange languages on the fudden, the miracle of this day; curing inveterate diseases in an instant, by a word only; giving life to the dead, or eyes to one that was born blind. Thefe things, being done to fignify who are appointed by God, as the meffengers of his will to men, are on that account, fitly termed figns; and of thefe the holy fcripture every where fpeaks, as the most proper and full evidences of a divine miffion and authority.

When Mofes was fent by God to the children of lirael, he defires fome credentials, by which it might appear, that God had fent him; and God, in anfwer to his request, arms him with the power of miracles: "Caft thy rod upon the ground," fays he," and it fhall become a ferpent. -That they may believe that the Loed God of their fathers hath appeared unto thee,” Exod. iv. 3, 5.

Our Saviour conftantly appeals to his miracles, as to a clear and fufficient proof of his doctrine:

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"The works that I do," fays he, " they bear witnefs of me," John v. 36. And he carries the argument fo far, as to make the whole guilt of men's infidelity turn fingly on this article." If I had not done among them " fays he, "the works which none other man did, they had not had fin," John xv. 24

And thus also reasoned his apostles and evangelifts. "Jefus of Nazareth, fays St. Peter, "a man approved of God among you, by miracles, and wonders, and figns, which God did by him in the midft of you," Acts ii. 22. "The Lord gave teftimony," fays St. Luke, "to the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by the apoftles hands," Acts xiv. 3. And here in the text, "They went forth," fays St. Mark," and preached every where; the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with figns following."

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Miracles therefore being the foundation, upon which both the Mofaic and Christian revelations ftand; it may be of ufe to fhew, how properly they were pitched upon by God for this purpose. And this will appear, ,if we confider

I. First, The common fenfe and opinion of mankind on this head.

II. Secondly, The general nature of this fort of evidence. And

Thirdly, Some peculiar properties and cha racters of it.

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I Fit, What the common fenfe and reafoning of mankind has been on this head, will appear from this fingle reflexion; That all religions, whether true or falfe, not only thote of Mofes and Christ, but even the heahenith fuperftitions of every kind have, at their firft fetting out, endeavoured to countenance themfelves by real, or ~pretended miracles. Numa at Rome, Aimda and Brama in the Euft, and Mango Copal in Peru, did, as history informs us, thus go about to perfuade their followers into a belief of those religious opinions, which they introduced, and into the practice of their feveral facred rites and ceremonies. Even Mahomet himfelf is faid to have made fome faint attempts this way, though, when he miffed of fuccefs, he retreated to the great and standing miracle of the Alcoran, which was, he faid, fent immediately from heaven to him by the angel Gabriel.-So that miracles have been fecretly and unanimoufly agreed upon by all men, as the proper medium of proving any religion to be of divine appointment; elfe, the founders of all religions would not thus indifferently have appealed to them; nor would they, who embraced those religions, have fo univerfally furrendered themfelves up to their authority.

I know, this argument is, by the enemies of revelation, turned another way, and made ufe of to prove, that fince all religions have, at their firft rife, equally pretended to miracles, and most of them without grounds therefore the reft have done fo too: at least, that this way of proof, which hath fo often deceived men, can never, with any certainty, be relied upon. But this

furely

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