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revenge, even towards our enemies. We are to abstain from all retaliation, except fuch as juftice demands: and even that juftice is to be mitigated, as far as reason and religion, and public fecurity will permit.

Religion will always have an effect upon the minds of men; and the happy consequences will be uniformly in proportion to its excellence.

Such then is the fuperiority of the Chriftian religion over that of Mohammed, which I have used only as a foil to set off the purity and brightness of the former. The contrast is wonderful, and has been finely displayed by the very excellent bishop Sherlock, in his ninth fermon: with whofe words I fhall conclude this chapter.—Should we say, that the Alcoran was not promulged to us by perfons duly commiffioned, it may be perhaps answered, that the Alcoran is as well published to us, as the Gospel is to them (that is, it comes to us as well authenticated) which has fome appearance of an answer; though the fact is indeed otherwife: for even the Alcoran owns Jefus for a true prophet.

But

But with respect to this inftance I perfuade myself, it can be no very distracting study to determine our choice. Go to your natural religion: lay before her Mahomet, and his dif ciples arrayed in armour, and in blood; riding in triumph over the Spoils of thousands, who fell by his victorious fword. Shew ber the cities, which he fet in flames: the countries which he ravaged, and deftroyed: and the miferable diftrefs of all the inhabitants of earth. When he has viewed him in this fcene, carry her into his retirements. Shew her the prophet's chamber; his concubines, and wives. Let her fee his adultery; and hear him alledge Revelation, and a divine commiffion, to justify his luft, and his oppreffion. When she is tired with this profpect, then fhew her the blessed Jefus, humble and meek, doing good to all the fons of men: patiently inftructing both the ignorant and perverfe. Let her fee him in his moft retired privacies: let her follow him to the mount; and hear his devotions, and fupplications to God. Carry her to his table, to view his homely fare; and hear his heavenly difcourfes. Let her fee him injured, but not provoked. Let her attend him to the tribu

nal,

nal, and confider the patience, with which he endured the fcoffs and reproaches of his enemies. Lead her to his cross; and let her view him in the agony of death: and hear his laft prayer for his perfecutors-Father forgive them; for they know not what they do.

When natural religion has viewed both, ask, Which is the prophet of God? But her anfwer we have already had; when she saw part of this fcene through the eyes of the centurion, who attended at the cross. By him he spoke, and faid-Truly this man was the Son of God.

&

VI. SOME

VI.

SOME POPULAR OBJECTIONS,
AND OTHER ARTICLES,
CONSIDERED.

Of Difficulties, and myfterious Truths.

T has been objected to the gofpel, that it

IT

contains many things, which are hard to be conceived: and fome which feem contrary to reason. And it is undoubtedly attended with difficulties; otherwise there would have been no occafion for teachers, and interpreters. But though there may be fome things above reafon; yet there will never be found any, which are contrary. And even the difficulties, upon a due examination of the context, often vanish and shew, that the fault is not in the doctrine, but in our own want of apprehen

fion. Many articles in what we stile natural religion are equally difficult to be explained. For inftance, we fee often vice triumphant, and virtue depreffed; for which we cannot account from any light of nature, nor from the religion supposed to be founded upon it: as that system can afford neither reason nor remedy, both which are to be obtained from Revelation. The like occurs in natural philofophy. We find it abound with phænomena, which we fee and know, but cannot* explain. It is certain, if we may truft to the best writers upon the subject, that the objects received by the eye are inverted. How comes it then, that they appear uniformly erect, and in their proper pofition? How can we account for this contrariety? Add to this, that the eyes of a man, being twofold, receive constantly a double impreffion, and represent two objects. How comes it, that the fame person experimentally fees but one? People have laboured to folve the difficulty: but those very labours fhew that

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For instance, gravity, magnetism, and electricity.

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