Bates - BT766 B3 1699

94 Spiritual Perfec7ion. nal Lulls, is not Conceivable without the affiflance of Divine Strength, that convinc'd the molt obflina-te Enemies that the Doarine was Divine, by the Miracles done in Confirmation of it. Befides, that which the wife Men in all Ages were fearching for, that is, the perfeEtion of the Law of Nature, (at firít engravera in the Hearts of Men, by the Author of it) but in vain : for al- though Philofophy affords force notices of Good and Evil, fufficient to check many notorious Vices, yet 'tis not fuffi- cient to direst Men in their univerfal Duty towards God, others, and them- felves : but the Gofpel is an inftruaive Light of our full Duty : it fpeaks to the Heart, and changes its Thoughts and Affeaions, and reforms the Life accord- ing to the pure and perfect Rule reveal'd in it. Now could an Impofture produce fuch a perfection of Vertue in the wick- ed World ? The true interpretation of the Moral Law in the Gofpel is from God alone. Vox hominem non fanas. Could fuch a change be made without vifible Miracles? It the Chriftian Reli- gion was planted and propagated with- out the Confirmationof Miracles, it were a tranfcendent Miracle. And though we faw not the Miracles done by the Apo- flies, yet we fee the permanent effe&s of them,

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