Imatges de pàgina
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SERM. I had not done among them (fays he) the VIII. Works which none other Man did, they John xv. had not had Sin.

24.

A&s ii.

22.

3.

And thus alfo reasoned his Apoftles and Evangelifts. Jefus of Nazareth (fays S. Peter) a Man approved of God among you by Miracles, and Wonders and Signs, which God did by him in the midft Aas xiv. of you. The Lord gave Teftimony (lays S. Luke) to the Word of his Grace, and granted Signs and Wonders to be done by the Apostles Hands. And here in the Text, They went forth (fays S. Mark) and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with Signs following.

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

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I. The common Senfe and Opinion of Mankind on this Head.

II. The

SERM!

II. The General Nature of this Sort of VIII:

Evidence; and

III. Some peculiar Properties and Characters of it.

I. What the Common Senfe and Rea foning of Mankind has been on this Head, will appear from this fingle Reflection; That All Religions, whether true or false, not only thofe of Mofes and Christ, but even the Heathenish Superftitions of every kind, have, at their first setting out, endeavoured to countenance themselves by Real, or Pretended Miracles. Numa at Rome, Amida and Brama, in the East, and Mango-Copal in Peru, did, as History informs us, thus go about to perfuade their Followers into a Belief of thofe Religious Opinions, which they introduced, and into the Practice of their several Sacred Rites and Ceremonies. Even Mahomet himfelf is faid to have made fome faint Attempts this Way, though, when he mif

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SERM. fed of Success, he retreated to the great VIII. and ftanding Miracle of the Alcoran,

which was, he said, fent immediately from Heaven to him by the Angel Gabriel. So that Miracles have been fecretly and unanimously 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 thofe Religions, have fo univerfally furrendered themfelves up to their Authority.

I know, this Argument is, by the Enemies of Revelation, turn'd another Way, and made ufe of to prove, that fince All Religions have, at their first Rife, equally pretended to Miracles, and Most of them without Grounds; therefore the rest 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 is a very unreasonable Way of arguing; fince, at the fame rate, it might

be

be proved, that there is no fuch thing as SERM. Truth, or Reason in the World: For all VIII. Men on all fides lay claim to it; and yet the far greater Part of Mankind must needs be deceived. The proper Inference in this Cafe is, not that, because most Men, who would be thought Mafters of Truth, are not, therefore there is no fuch thing as Truth; but on the contrary, that Truth is fomewhere to be found, else all Men every where would not equally lay claim to it.

There are many Empiricks in the World, who pretend to infallible Methods of curing all Patients: Because These are Cheats and Impoftors, does it follow, that there are no able and skilful Physicians, no healing Vertues in Herbs and Minerals? Or rather, may it not from hence be ftrongly concluded, that there muft certainly be an Art of Medicine, built upon true Principles, and founded in the Nature of things; becaufe fo many Men every Day advance groundlefs Claims to it, and fo many others give in to their VOL. I. Frauds

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SERM. Frauds and Delufions? Were there no VIII. Real and True Remedies, there would

be no Foundation for fuch Men to a

muse the World with falfe ones; but they would, as foon as they appeared, be immediately exploded.

In like manner, if no true Miracles had ever been done in Proof of a Divine Revelation, it is impoffible to conceive, how so many falfe Religions should have been fupported, by the Pretence of them, or how the Argument, from Miracles, fhould at all times have had fo ftrong an Influence upon the Minds of Men. But,

Secondly, As the Common Senfe and Opinion of Mankind favours this sort of Proof; fo will it appear to be in itself highly Reasonable, and Necessary, if we confider the General Nature of it.

When any Perfon pretends a Divine Commiffion to publish a New Do&trine; in order to procure its Reception, 'tis requifite he fhould be furnished with

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