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Reasonable

the cleareft Evidences of a divine miffion. His words nefs, &c. are thefe; the Evidence P. 256. of our Saviour's miffion from Heaven is fo great, in the multitude of his Miracles he did before all forts of people (which the divine Providence and Wisdom has fo order'd, that they never were nor could be denied by any of the Enemies and Oppofers of Christianity) that what he deliver'd, cannot but be received as the Oracles of God, and unquestionable verity. And again; After his Refurrection, be fent his Apoftles amongst the Nations, accompanied with Miracles which were done in all Parts fo frequently, and before fo many Witneffes of all forts, in broad day-light, that, as I have often obferv'd, the Enemies of Chriftianity have never dared to deny them; No, not Julian bimfelf: Who neither wanted Skill nor Power to enquire into the Truth; nor would have failed to bave pro

Ibid.

P. 263.

;

claimed

claimed and expofed it, if he could have detected any falfhood in the Hiftory of the Gospel, or found the leaft ground to question the Matter of Fact published by Chrift and his Apofles. The Number and Evidence of the Miracles done by our Saviour and bis Followers, by the power and force of Truth bore down this mighty and accomplished Emperor and all bis Parts, in his own Dominions. He durft not deny fo plain Matter of Fact; Which being granted, the truth of our Saviour's Doctrine and Miffion unavoidably follows; notwithstanding whatfoever Artful Suggeftions bis Wit could invent, or Malice fhould offer, to the contrary.

To thofe who ask, What need was there of a Saviour? What Advantage bave we by fefus Chrift? Ibid. Mr. Lock replies, It is e

P. 255.

nough to justify the fitness of any thing to be done, by refolving it into the Wisdom of God, who has done it; Whereof our narrow Understandings, and

and fhort Views may utterly incapacitate us to judge. We know little of this Vifible, and nothing at all of the State of that Intellectual World (wherein are infinite numbers and degrees of Spirits out of the reach of our ken or guess,) and therefore know not what Tranfactions there were between God and our Saviour, in reference to his Kingdom. We know not what need there was to fet up a Head and a Chieftain, in oppofition to THE PRINCE OF THIS WORLD, THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR, &c. whereof there are more than obfcure intimations in Scripture. And we fhall take too much upon us, if we shall call God's Wifdom or Provi dence to Account, and pertly condemn for needless, all that our weak, and perhaps biaffed UNDERSTANDING, cannot account for. And then he fhews at large the neceffity there was of the Gofpel-Revelation, Ibid. 260.

to deliver the World from

the miferable State of Darkness and

Ignorance that mankind

were in, 1. As to the true knowledge 257. of God, 2. As to the Worship 264. to be paid him, 3. As to the 282. duties to be perform'd to him. To which he adds the mighty Aids

and Encouragements to the per284. formance of our duty, 1. From the Affurance the Gofpel gives of future Rewards and Punishments; and 2, From the Promife of 289. the Spirit of God to direct and

affift us.

The Holy SCRIPTURES are every where mentioned by him with the greatest Reverence. He calls them the Holy Books, the Comment. Sacred Text, Holy Writ, and

Pref. to

Divine Revelation; and exhorts Chriftians to betake themfelves Ibid. p. 24. in earnest to the study of the way to Salvation, in thefe Holy Writings, wherein God has reveal'd it from Heav'n, and propos'd it to the World; Seeking our Religion where we are fure it is in truth to be found, com

Pofth.

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paring Spiritual things with Spiritual. And in a Letter written the year before his death, to one who had asked this Queftion, Works, What is the shortest and furest P. 344. way, for a young Gentleman to attain to a true knowledge of the Chriftian Religion, in the full and just extent of it? his answer is, Let him ftudy the Holy Scripture, efpecially the New Teftament. Therein are contained the words of Eternal Life. It has God for its Author; Salvation for its End and truth, without any mixture of error, for its Matter. A direction that was copied from his own Pofth. practice, in the latter part of Works, his Life and after his Retirement from bufinefs; when for fourteen or fifteen years, be applied himfelf especially to the study of the Holy Scriptures, and employed the last years of his Life hardly in any thing elfe. He was never weary of admiring the great Views of that Sacred Book, and the juft relation of all its parts. He

P. 20.

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