5erm CLXXI. and our Obligation to receive it. according to it. And if this were true, it were the greateft Imprudence that can be for any Man to be a Chriflian., And if that were once admitted, there's all the reafen in the World that Chriftianity fhould be banifh'd and extirpated, not only as dfelefs and impertinent, but as a thing dangerous and pernicious to the wel- fare of Mankind. I therefore briefly prove to you, that it is now one òfthe greateft Sins that Men are capable of, (except the Sin againft the Holy Ghoft) for thofe who have the Gofpel fufficiently propounded to them, to disbelieve it ; i fay, except the Sin againft the Holy Ghoft, which our Saviour tells us, wag..blafpheming_rhe Spirit of Gad, whereby he wrought his Miracles, and laying it was the Spirit of the Devil ; and thisSin, Men in a lower degree and proportion may now a-days be guilty of : for as the Pharifees who faw the works that Chrift did, and acknowledged them to be. Miracles, did commit the Sin againft the Holy Ghoft, in afcribing thofe Miracles vhich were really wrought by the Power of the Holy Ghoft, to the Power of the Devil; fo men now a days who own the Hiftory of,Chrift's Miracles as true, May be guilty of the Sin againft the Holy Ghoft, in a lower proportion, by malicious imputing thofe Miracles to the Power of the Devil. But excepting the Sin againft the HolyGhoft, the greateft Sin that Menare now capable of, is to disbelieve the Gofpel when it is fufficiently propounded to them. Now the Gofpel is then fufficiently propounded, when there are fufficient grounds offer'd to perfwade Men to the Belief of it; and I have already proved, that we now have fufficient ground to believe the Gofpel ; and if fo, then whofoever hath thefe grounds offer'd to him, is under an obligation to believe it : for every man is co believe that, for which he hath fufficient Ground and Reafon ; and every than fins who negle&s his Duty, that is, does not do that which he ftánds bound to do. And not only whoever disbelieves the Gofpel, fins in fo doing, but farther, he commits the greateft Sin that nowmen are capable of. I fay now capable of : for I doubt not but that it was a Sin of a higher degree, for thofe who faw Chrift's Miracles to disbelieve, than it is for us who have only the relation of them. For by the fame Reafon, that he is more bleffed that believes, and loath not feen ; a greater Curie belongs to him, who bath feen, and yet Both not believe ; and con -. fequently fuch a Perlon is guiltyof a greater Sin. But becaufe we cannot now fee the Miracles of Chrift, the greateft Sin that men in this Age are capable of, is to disbelieve theGofpel confirmed by Miracles, whereofwe are affur'd by credibleRe- lation. For the Sin of Disbelieving now bath chefe two Aggravations. r. It is againft fufficient Light and Evidence : and in this it is equal to the Sins which are committed againft Natural Light. 2. It is a Sin againft the greateft Mercies and Bleffings that ever were offer'd to the World : and in this it exceeds the Sins againft Natural Light. Whoever dis- believes the Gofpel, he rejeets theoffer of Eternal Life and Happinefs. And thefe two Aggravations the Apoftleputs together, Heb. 2.. 3. How fball we efcape, ifwe neglefl fo great falvation, which at theIra began to be *ken by the Lord, andwas confirmed unto us by them that heard him! And if this be thus, it highly concerns us to enquire into the Nature of this Faith ; and this brings me to the Seventh Obfervation ; That to believe thatJefus is the Chrifi, the Son of God, is truly and properly Chriftian Faith. But the Confederation of this, I (hall leave to the next Opportunity. 47
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