And hereunto, that they perform'd the like Miracles; fuffered fevere Perfecutions, and even Death it felf to confirm their Reports; and this muft fhow that they were Men of Integrity, and take away all Sufpicion of their intending to impose upon others.

For thefe Reafons it must be granted, that they were true and credible Witneffes, fuch as ought to be believed in what they attéfted.

And that thefe Perfons have attefted and recorded the Miracles and Doctrines of Chrift, is plain from their Books in the Volume of the New Teftament: Which Books, that they were wrote by them, and receiv'd as theirs by the firft Chriftians in the Age wherein they were wrote, appears from the uninterrupted Teflimony of the Christian Church in every Age from that Time to this; which is the only proper Way fuch a Matter can be proved by.

From what hath been faid, we may justly conclude, that there is fufficient Evidence of the Truth of the Chriftian Religion as contained in the Scriptures; and confequently to disbelieve it, muft argue Men very foolish and unreasonable: Efpecially if we remember how greatly their everlasting Welfare is thereby endanger'd; it being exprefsly declar'd by our Saviour, Mark xvi. 16. That be who believeth not, shall be damn'd. Which brings me in the Seventh and laft Place, To how the Folly

of

of being influenc'd by any of the forementioned Caufes, from the great Danger we fhall there by run ourselves into,

As it hath pleased God to bestow upon us fo great a Bleffing as the hearing of his Word Preach'd; fo he expects that we fhould bring forth Fruit in fome Measure fuitable to fuch a Favour: And, in due Time, will feverely punish those who will not be profited thereby.

In the Parable of the barren Fig Tree, which we meet with in the 13th of St. Luke; after the Master of the Vineyard bad come three Years feeking Fruit and Finding none; the Sentence he pronounc'd was, Cut it down, why cumbreth it the Ground? And tho' the Dreffer of bis Vineyard intreated him to spare it one Year longer, till he had dug about it and dung'd it, yet if it bore not Fruit, then after that, fays he, thou shalt cut it down.

From whence we may learn, that altho God doth with much Patience, and Forbearance, wait for People's Improvement under the Means of Grace; yet their ftillcontinuing to be unfruitful, will at length provoke him to make them feel the fad Strokes of his Displeasure.

And this may be likewife gathered from the Parable of the Vineyard let out to Hufbandmen; which you may find in the 21ft of St. Mathew: Where after Chrift had told the Jews, how the Hufbandmen inftead of giving the Lord of the Vineyard the Fruits thereof, beat, fton'd, and kill'd his Servants, and mur

der'd

der'd his own Son: At the 40th Verse he afks this Question; When the Lord of the Vineyard cometh, what will be do to thofe Husbandmen? They say unto him, he will miferably detroy thofe wicked Men; and will let out his Vineyard to other Husbandmen, which shall render him the Fruits in their Seafons. Hereupon our Saviour makes. this close Application of the Parable at the 42d Verse: Therefore I fay unto you, the Kingdom of God hall be taken from you, and given to a Nation bringing forth the Fruits thereof.

The Jews enjoy'd many great Advantages above the rest of the World. The Oracles of God were committed to them: To them Prophets were frequently fent to declare the Will of God: Of them, as concerning the Flesh, Chrift came: Amongst them he perform'd his Miracles to prove his Divine Miffion: Amongst them his first Doctrine was first preach'd: And amongst them he would have first fet up his Church.

These and several more were Favours which the Jews enjoy'd above the rest of Mankind: But inftead of making a right Use of them, the Generality most ungratefully abused them. They difregarded the Predictions of the Prophets concerning the Chrift: They would not embrace his DoAtrine, nor fuffer him to reign over them: And befides the Cruelties they showed to other Prophets, they did alfo crucify the Lord of Glory.

For thefe Rea fons, God utterly ruined

their Nation: And according to the terrible Denunciation of our Saviour juft now. mention'd; he took away bis Kingdom, or Church from them; and planted it among the Gentiles, expecting that they would bring forth better Fruits.

Behold therefore the Goodness and Severity of God: On the Jews who fell, Severity; but towards us Goodness, if we continue in his Goodness, by behaving our felves anfwerable thereunto: Otherwife we also must look to be cut off. For fince God spared not the natural Branches, we ought to take heed, left be allo Spare not Us: Since he deprived them of their glorious Priviledges upon Account of their Unfruitfulness under them; we have too much Reafon to fear, that our Nonimprovement under the like Mercies will provoke him to punish us in a like Manner, by removing our Candlestick out of its Place; and fending us a Famine of hearing the Word of the Lord.

But whether God will deal thus with us, or not whether he will inflict his Vengeance upon us in this World, or fuffer us to efcape it here: This we may depend upon, that 'twill fall heavily upon us in the next Life.

He that defpifed Mofes's Law died without Mercy under two or three Witneffes; of bow much forer Punishment, fuppofe ye, fhall they be thought worthy, who tread under Foot the Laws of the Son of God; render the preaching of his Word an ufelefs Thing to them

and fo do defpite to the Spirit of Grace? They who are guily of this, may read with trembling the Declaration our Saviour has made, Mat. x. 14, 15. Whosoever shall not receive you, nor bear your Words, when ye depart out of that House, or that City, shake off the Duft of your Feet: Verily, I fay unto you, it shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom and Gomorrah, in the Day of Judgment, than for that City.

Hence then we may fee into what great Danger Men run themfelves, by not profits ing by the Word Preach'd: Even into the Danger of being depriv'd of that Bleffing: Into the Danger of lofing their eternal Happinefs: Into the Danger of having the Word of God be unto them the favour of Death unto Death. What prodigious Madness and Folly muft it then be, to fuffer any Caufe whatsoever to prevail fo far upon us, as to hinder the Seed of the Word from taking Root in our Hearts; and putting forth it's proper Fruit in our Lives and Converfa tions?

Wherefore, let me intreat you that read this Treatife, by that Concern you ought to have for the Continuance of the preaching of God's Word amongít you: By that Fear you ought to be poffeffed with of lofing fuch a Favour: By that Dilligence wherewith you ought to purfue everlafting Happincfs: By that Watchfulnefs wherewith you ought to beware of eternal Mifery: By all thofe Confiderations, let me perfuade you