Chrijlian Religionproved by Reafon. demned in the firfl Adfll7s to Death and Mifery. Therefore his Life was a continual ex" ~ ercife of Self-denial, a pattern of Innocence and Patience, of doing Good and fuffer" Chap: 5• ing Evil. Thus r.e convinces us that nothi ng is valu~ble in. God's account but Holinefs. ~ Thus by his own Example he inflrul.l:s us m the DtvJ_ne Phtlofophy, to defp1fe the good and evil things here, in order to our everlaflmg Happmefs. He afcended to Heaven by the way of Sutferings, and calls us to follow him. The Fruit of Blelfednefs is ingrafted on the Thorns of Poverty and Perfecution for his Name fake. The Laws of his Kingdom are infcribed on the ·Body of his Crofs, and mufl be Copied in the Hearts of his Snbjell:s. And for this R.eafon when the Apoflles, (who after his R.efurrel.l:ion had fame reliques of thei r Carnal Conceit, that the Kingdom of G 0 D U10uld come with obfervation for its external Splendor) ask'd him, Lord, wilt tho~e at this time rejlore tbe Ki11gdom of Ifaeli To raife their Thoughts and Atfell:ions above Earthly things, he anfwered, The Holy Ghojl jhaiJ come upon yo11, and ye (hall be Witne!fis of me, both i1t Jer~- falem, and in. Judea, and bz _Samana, a11d nnto _the "tmo{l end.r of the. J!:trth. _Thetr Preaching his Li fe and Death fhould be attended Wt~h the P~wer of the Spmt, to d1fpenfe a vigorous Influence into the Hearts of Men fur htS Imuat1on. And certamly htS Ex" ample is of admirable ufe and profit. For thus he fweetens and makes honourable_ thofe Vertues, the exerci fe of which were very difficult and unpleafingeirher _in refpe[t of their quality being contrary to Fle{\Ily Lu!l:s, or as they expofe to Contempt in the Opinion of the 'world. For who can rcfufe, or be afham'd to pral.l:ife the moO: fevere Self-denial, when in that he is ma~e a Copy ?f fo Divine an Original as the Son of God ? Now conlidering what an mfluence hJS Af!hl.l:ed State has to procure Eternal Happinefs for falJen Man, and to_ prepare Man for it, was it unbecoming him to defcend thus low? Is it unbeconung that God loves as God? That as Infinite Wif- ~0ede~;~o;~wz~~;f~~r:a:: ~~in~r~~~~~n'finf?el/~~n~~cee~e:~Yth:P~d:~ ~~ ~~~ ~~~i1~g~~ ~~~~~tl~~;d:areX°Fr1;ng;~at~nJh~~!r/~n h~b~~~~ie~bat tt•:~ceMJ~~e~~~ bounds? Thus the Eye of Reafon clear' d by Revelation, fees that the voluntary Humil iation of the Son of God for a time, is fo fur from diminifhing, that it exalts his Maje!l:y. This is the great Argument and Motive of the Adoration and fol emn Praife that Reafonable Creatures U1all for ever Pay unto him, wherein his derivative Glqry confi!l:s. From what has beendifcours'd we may fee the ju!l: grounds ofour firm Alfent and perfeCt Adherence to the DoCtrine of the Gofpel. There are not only fufficient but abundant Motives to induce our belief, fo that it is an extreme Wonder that any to whom it :is revealed, fhould not fee the Truth fo illuflrioufly vilible. The only account of fuch Infidelity is given by the Apoflle: The God of this World hath blinded the Eyes of them which believe not, lejltheLightoftbe gloriotirGof}el ofChrifl,_who if the Image ofGod,jhouldPJine ~tpon them. The love of fame Lull: flefhl y or fpmtual, render Men averfe from receiving it. The My!l:eries ofGodlinefs.are not confin'.d to the fpocula tiveMind, but are for moral ends, to regulate our lives. From hence it is that the cordial belief of them very much depends on tl1etemperanddilpolitionofthe Soul. The Gncere humble Enquirer has an eminent advantage in the di fcovery of the truth and fpiritual excellencies ofthe Gofpel, above thole who are over-rul'd by corrupt habits. For the carnal heart either wholly turns the mind from thinking on thofe mofl facred and concerning ObjeCts, or weakens its intemi• on that it does not ferioufly and duly confider them. Men will !l:udioufly apply rhemfelves to fecular Arts, and can difcern the truth of Abf\rufe Mathematical Tbeorems, that are not dtfla!l:eful to their Evil Affel.l:ions; yet though the Principles of Chri!l:ian Faith are as unqueflionableasthe cleare!l:Propolitionsin Geometry, they will not ponder thofe thingsthat may convince and perfwade them to believe what is direl.l:ly oppofite to their Lu!l:s. Befides, as corrupt Humours vitiate the Palate, and make what is pleafar_tt bitter to the ta!l:e; fo vicious Defires darken and deprave the Mind, and incline It to JUdge of DoCtrines to be true or falfe as they are lavourable or difagreeing to ;~~~; un~~:~;la~~rf?nn;r~~b\~~ea~er~i~b~~~~~t!!~atf:•~en~~~~~- th'o~~~~sri~eo~a~~d~ great in_O:ance in the fir!l: rejeCtion of the Gofpel. The }ews expeCted the Meffiah wotild come wtth pompous Wonders, and external Magnificence ; that he would deliver them from the Ronum Yoke, and found an Univerfal Monarchy for them, and according to thofe Carnal FanCies they would under!l:and the Promifes concerning .him. Now though JESUS CHRIST approved himfelf to be the Son of God, the tme Meffiah, by the Sanll:ity ofhts Lifo, the Rectitude ofhis DoCtrine, and the Divinity ofhis Miracles, yet for the Poverty and Mean neE of his Condition, being without any [enlible fhew of Greatnefs andGlory, they dcfpifetl him as moO: unworthy that Divine Relation and Office. Though m lum all the Charal.l:crsof the Meffiah were confpicuous, and the Scriptures de- . dare
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