252 Sincere Obedience the bell Preparation SERM. fition of the power and wifdom of God, to X. recommend it. V But, the prevailing difaffe &ion of men to ftriót virtue, and their ftrong prejudices againft the purity of its moral precepts, fur.. nifhed the grand objc&ions againft the chri- Man religion, and were the real caufes of their not believing it. So our Saviour Lays, * This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darknefs rather than light, becaufe their deeds were evil. And in the text, If any man will do his will, he flail know of the doklrine whe- ther it be of God, or whether IBeak of my- j. This is certainly a fair and reafonable iffue, to put the credit of chriftianity, or any pretended divine revelation upon. If a man be an enemy to God, and to righteoufnefs in his mind, by wicked works, he cannot be a competent judge. How can he fall in with a revelation, which is fuppofed to be an im- provement upon the di &ates of natural re- ligion, and to carry virtue and goodnefs higher than human reafon could do without it ; how can he fall in with it, who is averfe to natural religion, and virtue itfelf, as taught by the light of nature ? But if any one ? John iii. 19 will
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=