Prefumptive arguments for the truth of the Chriftian revelation.

I PETER iii. 15.

Be ready always to give an answer to every man that afketh you a reafon of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.

THE apoftle fets it before him, as one of his principal defigns in this epiftle, to fortify the minds of Chriftians against the fevere perfecutions which he forefaw were coming upon the church, that they might be enabled to give an honourable teftimony to the truth of Chriftianity, and recommend it to others by the most substantial motives. For this purpose, he perfuades them in our text, to fanctify the LORD GOD in their hearts; to behave towards him continually with that reverence, with that dutiful and obedient regard which his unequalled perfections and glories VOL. I. demand;

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demand; this being the only method to engage his powerful fupport and protection under all the miseries of prefent life, and to embolden their minds against any dangers and fufferings to which the profeffion of his religion might expofe them, by inspiring them with a firm and unfhaken confidence in the favour of that GOD whom they thus fanctified and revered in their hearts:-And then, with regard to their enemies and perfecutors, he perfuades them to be always ready and prepared to make them a rational apology for their Chriftian hope and profeffion; be always ready, fays he, to give an answer to every man who asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with that reverence, temper, and meeknefs of spirit, which becomes the fpirit and genius of that holy religion you defend. The word which our tranflators render an answer is aroλoyia in the greek original, which fignifies an apology, or a rational defence.

THE Chriftian hope is a very glorious and exalted hope; it is fo fuperlatively great, that the unbelieving world efteems it abfurd and ridiculous, that GOD fhould be supposed to make fuch great and precious promises to finners, be at so much pains and expence to redeem them, and make fuch grand preparations for their future happiness. But as the heavens are higher than the earth, fo God's thoughts are infinitely above the thoughts of infidels, and his ways above their ways. However, it is the indifpenfible duty of the Chriftian, both for his own fatisfaction, and to ftop the mouths of gainfayers, to be well acquainted with the con

tents and evidences of his holy religion, that he may be able and ready upon any occafion to render a reason of the faith and hope that is in him;-to fhew why he believes the scriptures of the old and new teftaments are the word of GOD; wherefore he believes that Christianity is the only true religion,-and why he is dif pofed to hope for falvation from CHRIST, гàther than from Mahomet, or Aly, or Confucius, or any other who has made pretences of a divine commiffion to inftru& mankind in the way of virtue and happiness, and to glory in being thought fingular in their religious opi

nions.

I INTEND in fome plain discourses to shew the credibility and certainty of the divine revelation, that the fcriptures of the old and new teftaments are indeed and in truth the word and oracles of the living GOD;-a ray of celeftial light, proceeding from the throne of GOD, the father of lights, and fhining in this dark and benighted world, to direct its finful inhabitants in the way of truth and eternal life; and confequently, that by rejecting this light which came down from heaven, when its evidences are fairly and clearly propounded to us, we incur a heavy guilt, and will procure unto ourselves a just and aggravated condemnation.

FROM this text, I will ft. fuggest some prefumptive arguments, which, if duly weighed, muft ftrongly difpofe every honeft and intelligent perfon to embrace the holy fcriptures, as a revelation coming from God; and, 2dly. answer fome objections, which are alledged by infidels, against

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against revelation in general, and the Chriftian revelation in particular.

I. I WOULD fuggeft fome prefumptive arguments which, if duly weighed, must strongly dispose every honeft and intelligent person to embrace the holy fcriptures, as a revelation coming from God. And to this purpose, let the following train of reasonings be confidered.

WE readily grant that there must be such a thing as natural religion prior to revelation, and which every revelation muft fuppofe. Let us now examine by what means the human mind comes to the knowledge of natural religion, and what are its obligations; and from hence we shall be the better enabled to judge of its defects, in the present state of things, and of the expediency and neceffity of a farther revelation from GOD; and what are the proper marks and characters of fuch a revelation, and confequently, whether our fcriptures may pretend to be this revelation.

I BEGIN then with myfelf; and I take it for granted, that I am confcious of my own existence; for if these perceptions of my mind, whereby I obtain this consciousness, may deceive me, then there is an end of all certainty, its very foundation being razed: For if I may doubt that I exift, there is nothing else of which I can be certain. And as I am certain that I exift, fo I am equally certain that I do not exist neceffarily, but that I poffefs only a borrowed and dependent existence, an existence which

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