Presumptive Arguments for the Truth and Divine Authority of the Christian Religion; In Ten Sermons to Which Is Added a Sermon Upon God's Moral Government (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1753. Excerpt: ... SERMON XL God's Moral Government. Ps Al. xcviii. 9. With righteousness shall he judge the world. Serm. M H A T the works of nature shew f I contrivance and design; that certain ends are accomplished by certain means, which are fitted and were intended to serve them; that there is a regular order of causes and effects maintained from age to age; and, in a word, that the universe is the work and constantly under the direction of a superintending mind, is a matter so plain, that it is wonderful, that any thinking person could ever bring himself to doubt of it, much more-to deny k; and in the room of the original intelligent almighty power to put necessity or chance, ( words, which in the present sent argument really have no meaning) to Se one or the other of these, as the original cause, ascribing all things in the universe. But when men have got the idea of an intelligent agent, who made the world and governeth it by his providence, and consider themselves as the creatures of that power, by which all things were created, and in which every individual subsisteth; when they consider the constitution of human nature, with all its powers, affections, and principles of action, as the work of God; then that fense of right and wrong, of moral good and evil, which is the great distinction of mankind from all the inferior orders, appeareth to demand particular notice; as being not only in itself considered the highest and most important faculty of the mind, but as what is given us for directing our conduct, and as what principally pointeth out to man his chief end, and that, which is his supreme good. That the sense of right and wrong must have been intended by the author of our beings, as a law or rule for directing our conduct, is evident j for it is impossible ...