52,6 The Evidences of the Truth Vol. 1l. But there is no need why for this reafon we fhould depart from the ufuat reading of the words; for there isnothing in the true importance of them, that can give countenance to thefe Errors. For the Devil, tho he did not make this World, may be faid tobe the God of it, upon a very good account, . becaufe the greateft part of the World being funk into Idolatry and Wickednefs, werebecome his Lot and Portion, who worlhtpp'd him as God, and did his Works, and therefore were part of his Dominion. So Sr. Sohn tells us, I Phi, 3. 8. He that committeth Sin is of the Devil; and Chap. 5, t g. We know that we are of God, ad the whole World lies in Wickednefs, év zw wovepw" xcTai, which may be render'd more agreeably to the oppofition which the Apoftle intended, is fubjeel.to the Evil one; is in his Power, and under his Dominion. According to which Plutarch tells us, that every unrea_ fonable andbrutifb nature belongs to the lot of bad Spirits. So that in this fenfe the Devil may very well be faid to be the God of this World, as he is elfewhere call'd by our Saviour, the Princeof this World. John Ia.;I. /stir /hall the Prince of Ibis World be call out i and John 14. 3o. The Prince of this World cometh. And fo the Apoftle, Eph. 6. 12. The ruler of the darknefs of this World. Leff the light of the glorious Gofpel of Chrifl, who is the image of God, fhouldfbine WOO them, its aó tµá ciuyáo'cu, left they fhould fee, or behold the light of the glorious Gofpel ; for fo Hefych, tells us that ciuyá,;W «.uyá;otogs is ópw" 6 gx47rca. ir is call'd the glorious Gofpel of Chrilf, becaufe of the glorious Confirmation that was given to it by his miraculous Refurre &ion and Afccnfion, and his fending the Holy Ghoft into theWorld : and thrift is faid to be the image of God, becaufe the Power of the Deity did Phew forth it felt in the Miracles which he wroughr. The words being thus Explained, the molt material things that offer themfelves ,to our Confideration.in them, are thefe Three. . Firff, The full and clear Evidence which we have of the Truth of the Gofpel; or of the Chriftian Religion ;, which the Apoftle exprellèth to us in thefe words, the light of theglorious Gofpel of Chrijf. Secòndly, The Caufe of Infidelity, notwithftanding all the Evidence which the Gofpel carries along with it ; which the Apoftle expreffeth in theft words, Inwhom the God of this World bathblindedthe eyes of them that believe not Thirdly, The dangerous state of chofe, who having the Gofpel propounded to them, do not believe ir. The Apoftle tells them, they are loft and undone. If our Gofpel be hid, it is hid to them that prig. I begin with the fidJI of theft, namely, the full and clear Evidence which we have of the Truthof the Gofpel or Chrillian Religion. The only thing that can give us full affurance that any Religion is true, is, if we .can be fatisfied that it is from God 3 for being once fatisfied of that, there can remain no doubt of the truth of any thing that comes fromhim, it being an effential part of the Notion which every Man bath of God, that he is a Godof .Truth. Now there are Two things mutt concur to give the mind of Man full fatisfaílion that any Religion is fromGod. Firft, If the Perfon that declares this Religion, give Teftimony of his Divine Authority, that is, that he is fent and commiffioned by God to that purpofe. And, Secondly, If the Religion which he declares contain nothing in it that is plainly repugnant to the Nature of God. I fay thefe Two mutt concur : for tho' ì could fuppofe .a Perfon to bring the higheft Teftimony imaginableof his Divine Million and Authority, fuppofe he fhould work a Miracle for the Confirmation of his Do&rine 5 yet if there were any thing in the Do&nine plainly repugnant to the natural Notions which I have of God; I could not receive it as fromGod; the rca- fon of which is plainly this, I can have no affurance that that is from God, which, if it were true, I fhould be uncertain whether there were a God or not. I cannot pofliibly have any greater affurance that any thing is from God, than I have that there is a God : and I have no greater affurance that there is a God, than I have of his Effential Perfe&ions, as that he is Good, and Powerful, and Wife, and Juft, &c. For by the very lame Arguments that I come to know that there is a God, I know likewile that he mutt neceffatily have thefe PetfeEtions. So that it thing y
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