who had a Mind to appear fo, whilst they fhunned an indecent Levity, have, by their fad Afpects and imprudent Severities, brought a Reproach upon the Ways of Godliness But certainly there is nothing in Religion itself, duly confidered, which can give Countenance to fuch a Conduct, A good Man hath undoubtedly the most juft Foundation for an inward Joy and Satisfaction of Mind: And why should not this brighten up his Afpect, and diffuse an innocent Chearfulness through his whole Converfation ?

Finally, let us often look forwards to that Fulness of Joy, which God hath in his rich Grace and Mercy prepared for good Men in the heavenly World, and to which a Life of true Religion here on Earth is defigned to be preparatory. What comfortable Lives fhould we lead, if we frequently raised our Views in the Meditations of Faith to that Mount Sion which is above, the City of the living God; and to an innumerable Company of Angels, to the general Affembly and Church of the First-born, which are written in Heaven; to God the Judge of all, and the Spirits of just Men made perfect, and to Jefus the Mediator of the New Covenant. Heb. xii. 22, 23, 24, To confider that the Life of holy Obedience,

to

to which we are obliged in this State of Trial, will deliver up to us a Life of immortal Glory in the highest Heavens! Oh transporting Thought! What Joy, what Triumph, must this needs diffufe through the believing Soul! And, if the Hope of Heaven be fo delightful, what fhall the actual Enjoyment be! Now our Knowledge and Love of God, and our Conformity to him, is imperfect, and therefore our Delight in him is imperfect too: But Heaven, which is a State of perfect Holiness, is alfo a State of confummate Happiness and Enjoyment. As there we fhall be admitted to the immediate beatific Vifion of the Deity, and fhall have the fullest Exhibitions and Communications of his Love; fo we fhall delight in him in a far fuller and nobler, Senfe than now we are capable of doing. Our Joy in God fhall then be complete, and we shall be perfectly satisfied with his Likenefs, and fo fhall continue to Eternity. Let the Profpects of this refresh and animate us: Let us rejoice in Hope of the Glory of God. And do thou, Lord, fo affift us by thy Grace and Spirit, that we may be made meet for that glorious World, where we shall be for ever with thee, and shall be happy in thy blissful Prefence and Love to all Eternity.

On

1

On the Credibility and Proofs of the Gospel-
Records.

DISCOURSE XIX.

JOHN XX. 30, 31.

And many other Things truly did Jefus in the Prefence of his Difciples, which are not written in this Book. But these are written, that ye might believe that Jefus is the Chrift, the Son of God; and that, believing, ye might have Life through his Name.

WHO

HOSOEVER seriously confidereth the Excellency of our Saviour's Doctrines and Difcourfes, the admirable Purity of the Morals which he taught, and the Laws which he delivered, and the Tendency of the Whole to promote the Glory of God, and the Good of Mankind; and at the fame Time confidereth the Beauty

and

兼

and Perfection of his Example and the Virtues that fo eminently fhine forth in his holy and fpotless Life and Character, together with the many extraordinary Attestations given him from Heaven; the ftupendous Miracles wrought by himself in Person, and by those whom he commiffioned and impowered to work them in his Name; but, above all, his Refurrection from the Dead, and Afcenfion into Heaven: I fay, any one, that alloweth himself seriously to confider all this, will be apt to acknowledge that, fuppofing thefe Things to be certainly true, and that the Accounts which are given us of them may be depended upon, they form fo strong a Proof of the Truth and Divinity of cur Saviour's Miffion as is fufficient to fatisfy any unprejudiced and well-difpofed Mind. But what Reafon have we to believe that thefe Things are true? We were not Eye or Ear Witnesses of them; and how is it poffible we fhould, who live at the Diftance of many Ages from the Time in which thofe Difcourfes were delivered, and thofe extraordinary Facts were done? But muft we for that Reason think they are Things in which we have no Concern, and that we can have no Affurance of the Truth and Certainty of thofe Things fufficient to fatisfy our Minds? This would be a very

wrong