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and their Hearts were fo darkned, that they not only dishonoured God by the groffeft Idolatries, but debafed themselves by the vileft Affections, and most unnatural Lufts.

THE wifeft and beft of all the Gentile Philofophers confeffed the Degeneracy of the human Nature; they faw plainly the Disease, but none of them could prefcribe the Remedy: this was to come from no other Hand but that of the Divine Majefty; for as infinite Juftice was offended, nothing less than infinite Mercy could find out a full Satisfaction.

IT pleafed the Almighty therefore to make feveral Revelations of himself; to fpeak at fundry Times and in divers Manners unto the Fathers by the Prophets; but veiling the fullPurpose of his Will under Types and Shadows, and a Ceremonial Law; referving the fuller Manifeftation of himself and his Mercy, to thofe Last Days when he fpoke unto us by his Son. For though the Word of Promife was given as foon as Man had fallen; and this Word fhone as a Light through all the Old Teftament, in the Darknefs of Types, Figures, Prophecies and Myfteries: yet that Light was to break out in a far greater Luftre than they afforded. And that Darkness was to be difpelled when the Sun of Righteoufnefs fhould arife, to bring Life and Immortality to light by the Gospel.

THE Chriftian Religion excels all other Inftitutions in the World. It is every way worthy of the Divine Majefty; and most agreeable to the Reafon. of Mankind. The Fears and Doubts how to appeafe the Displeasure and Justice

Juftice of the offended Deity are removed, and the Wisdom as well as Goodness of God has fo difpofed the Method of our Salvation, that by the Sacrifice and Death of Chrift Jefus, the Juftice of God was fully fatisfied, and the guilty Fears of Man relieved.

THAT the Notion of a SUPREME BEING and of a FUTURE STATE, was univerfally believed and feared, is evident. For to what Purpofe elfe was fo vaft a Number of Brute Creatures in all Ages facrificed, but to pacify the Deity: So ftrong were the Impreffions of Guilt, and the Fear of Punishment, that they often facrificed their Children, to make Satiffaction for the Sins of their Souls.

IF there be no FUTURE STATE; if all the HAPPINESS of the human Nature be confin'd to this Life; if the reasoning and thinking Part of Man, which is called the SOUL, is to expire and be extinguished with the Body; the Condition of Brute Creatures is far more happy than that of Mankind ; as will appear from a

few Inftances.

IF the fenfitive Part of both be compared, those with which many of the Beast are endued, will be found much fuperior. Their Sight is quick, piercing and ftrong; their Hearing more acute; their Smell and Tafte more delicate moft of them are freed from the many Disorders and Diseases to which the human Nature is liable; (which are too often occafion'd by unruly Paffions and Appetites.) They eat and drink no more than what is fufficient to their Nature, nor can be forced to do otherwise. If they are void of the Faculty of

Thinking, they are freed from the Anxieties that arife from it. They live without any Concern for their future Subfiftance, or any Apprehenfion of what may befal them: tho' they must die, they live without the Fear of it.

BUT this is far from being the Condition of Mankind; the reasoning and thinking Powers of the Mind will always be acting, and are generally employed upon Things future: how few are fatisfied with what they actually poffefs; but their Defires in various ways are carried to the Pursuit of fomething they have

not.

WHAT is called CONSCIENCE, is fo active a Principle, that Men cannot avoid paffing fome Reflection on their own Actions: Every Man knows that he must die, and cannot be without fome Apprehenfions of a Future State, and oftentimes perplexed what that State fhall be.

IT is true, the Generality of Mankind endeavour to fupprefs thefe Thoughts, and in various ways to divert themfelves from what they call melancholy Reflections: fome by abandoning themselves to the most enormous Vices; others engaging their Minds in the Acquifition of Riches or Honours, which are commonly attended with great Disappointments and Vexa

tions.

SO that if there be no FUTURE STATE, the Conclufion which the Royal Prophet makes is moft juft: That though Man has the Honour of being a reafonable Creature, yet if his Happiness be only in this Life, he is not only like, but far more miferable than the Beasts that perish.

BUT

BUT if there be a Future State, either of ENDLESS HAPPINESS or inexpreffible MISERY, of what infinite Concern is it to know how we may obtain the one, and escape the other. This the Chriftian Religion only can certainly inform us of. There is nothing more certain than that it is appointed for all Men once to DIE; and if it be as certain that after Death comes the JUDGMENT, when the Almighty will render to every Man according to their WORKS; to them who by a patient Continuance in well-doing, feek for Glory, Honour, and Immortality, ETERNAL LIFE. And if the Wrath of God fhall be revealed against all UNGODLINESS and Unrighteousness of Men; then of what infinite Confequence is it to know how Pardon and Mercy is to be obtained from the Almighty.

OF this we can be affured only by that Divine Revelation which is contained in the Holy Scriptures.

THE Gospel recorded by the four Evangelifts, may be viewed and confidered under the following Heads.

I. AS containing a Relation of Facts.
II. ITS Doctrines.

III. ITS Precepts.

IV. PROMISES and Threatnings.
V. PROPHECIES of future Events.

First, THE Gospel contains the Relation of Facts, which are attefted in many Instances by the four Evangelifts. It begins with a Relation of the Appearance of the Angel Gabriel to Zecharias in the Temple, and to the Bleffed Virgin; with the Hiftory of the Nativity of John the Baptift.

IT describes the very Time and Place of our Saviour's Birth; which not only is proclaimed by an Heavenly Hoft, but Wife Men from the Eaft are led by a Star to adore Him.

UPON the Arrival of thefe Eastern Magi at Jerufalem, Herod fummons the Jewish Council, and inquires of them where the MESSIAH was to be born. Upon their fearching the Prophets, they agreed it was to be at Bethlebem. This fo awakens Herod's Jealoufy, that to fecure to his Family the Kingdom, he orders all the Infants of two Years old and under to be murdered; which barbarous Maffacre was taken notice of by the Hiftorians of that Time, and was fo notorious, that the most inveterate Enemies of the Chriftians never pretended to deny the Fact, as it is related by the Evangelifts.

OUR Saviour's Nativity was at the precife Time foretold by the Patriarch Jacob, and by the Prophet Daniel: the Sceptre being then departed from Judah, and the Jewish Commonwealth fubjected to the Roman Empire, and under the Government of Herod, an Edomite.

AND as our Saviour's Nativity was at the very Time foretold by the Prophecies in the Old Teftament, it is evident from many Paffages

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