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and virtuous will be affociates of these heavenly beings.

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This is the doctrine of the New Testament, and no objection has been made to it, but by men, who, at the fame time they are very fanguine in the denial of it, do confefs an entire ignorance of the matter; and the best argument they give of it's not being a truth, is, they do not at all believe it. A mere arbitrary negation has the main ftrength of the infidel artillery, played off againft revelation. So that the faith of a believer, had he no evidence, would be an argument of equal force, in defence of almoft any opinion. But when the doctrine is delivered by Jefus, and proved by a variety of facts, in his own aid and fuccour; and when great numbers were eye-witneffes to their miniftrations at the afcenfion of their Lord; it is not the raillery of ten thoufand unbelievers, that can in the leaft affect the truth of it. For altho' they laugh at the miniftration of angels, because invifible: I am perfuaded, that the benevolent among them, fuch as Mr. Chubb was, would be highly pleafed with fuch an employment; and gladly contribute to the fafety, and direction of men's fteps, all in their power, confiftent with the liberty of free agents. So far is the doctrine of angelic miniftrations from being ridiculous, that one cannot but conceive of it, as an appointment worthy the fupreme as it must be a moft delightful employment to rational, benevolent creatures. conveys a tranfporting idea of God's creation, to fuppofe the scale of intelligences in a state of fubferviency; and related, by the everlasting bands of moral refemblance, and union.

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The invifibility of them, ever fince Chrift's afcenfion, is perfectly confiftent with the honours of his rule, who is the one Lord! angels and

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men of virtue, are but fellow-fervants miniftring in his Kingdom. What has been the great temptation to any perfons burlefquing the miniftration of angels, has been the tendency fuch burlefque would have to difcredit revelation; and as it was alfo very needful to countenance the denial of a particular providence,

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A vain man, may divert himself with the angel coming to Jofeph, and in a dream explaining to him, the pregnancy of Mary, as the effect of divine power. This, he may treat withridicule; and call that annunciation of the angel. to the virgin, bis going a courting! I fay, a man full of himself, as if he was an oracle of wisdom, might fay this. But this would not have become Mr. Chubb tho' he has gone too far in his ridicule. For he fays," whether Mary in"formed this hiftorian of what paffed between

her and the angel, or whether it had been with "her as the angel had promifed, and whether or how he came by his information; he knows Vol. II. p. 272.

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This is quite impertinent and unworthy a man of gravity. For, he fhould have fhewn the im probability of the hiftorian having any fuch information from Mary, as to what paffed between her and the angel; and the improbability of his having the information from Jofeph, as to what paffed between him and the angel, tho' the hif torian was well acquainted with both of them. But as he could not do this, the doubtings he would raife, are merely chimerical. And the hiftorian is fully acquitted of any defect, in not faying, how he came by his information; fince he has given us fufficient ground of belief, that he was every way capable of coming at the truth and certainty of what he has related..

Mr.

Mr. Chubb himself has faid enough to fupport the credit of this extraordinary event, when he fays, upon that paffage," John viii. 56. of "Abraham having feen Chrift's day: Abraham "could only have believed in the promise (fuppofing fuch promise had been made) concern

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ing it; fo, by a like figure of speech, and "with equal juftnefs and propriety, Chrift may "also have said of himself, that he was before "Abraham, when he only was in the purpose "and intention of God, and was the fubject of "that promise, which Abraham believed in." Vol. II. p. 255.

It is true, here is a referve, a faving clause put in a parenthesis, viz. supposing such a promife had been made. Upon which fuppofition, the extraordinary event will appear to have been well adapted to diftinguifh the Son of man, from all others produced by ordinary generation. And not any thing appears in the conduct, capacity, or character either of Jofeph or Mary, that is in the leaft forbidding, as to the credibility of it.

All the difference between Mr. Chubb's reafoning and ours, refpecting the promise to Abrabam, is, he only fuppofes fuch a promise had been made. We believe that it had been made; and for this credit we have the teftimony of the Mofaic hiftory: the whole Jewish nation believed this hiftory; and they did expect the promised meffiah, at the very time he did appear: nay, the remaining fugitive Jews, to this day, do believe that fuch a promife was made to Abrabam. I might add,

What can be faid of thofe teftimonies to the truth of this fact, given undefignedly in the moft ancient Rabbinical writings; which fay, the birth of the Meffiah alone, shall be without any defect-his birth fhall not be like to that of other

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creatures into the world-none fhall know his father, before he tells it.the redemer that shall come, fhall be without a father.See bishop Chandler's defence of Chriftianity, page 337. They were led to say these things, from the language of ancient prophecy, and, very probably, from a current tradition.

Mr. Chubb fays, upon the account given, XXXIII. Matthew iv. of our Lord's temptation in the The temp- wilderness, "that this is fuch a demand upon tation in the human understanding, that a man must "unman himself to fubmit to it ;-and that it burlesqu'd. "does not appear to have answered any good purpose either to Chrift, or the world. Vol. pag. 77, compare 194 and onward.

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II.

Let us impartially examine the history. He is faid to be led up of the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil. I can rationally fuppofe, that the presence of the fpirit, which defcended upon him at his baptifm, did now, by fuggeftion, direct him to this retirement, in order, to answer fome moft valuable ends: fuch as to convince him of the divine energy and influence of that prefence, in his own fupport for forty days without food, or hunger. And this leading was very confiftent with the moral character, and government of God. The Spirit did not lead him into the wilderness, to become the tempter himself; but to place him in an attitude of trial, or temptation from the devil. The virtue of all men, arifeth from their refiftance of temptation and fuch is our make, and fituation, that there is no avoiding the addrefs of objects, to our appetites or paffions. The wifdom and goodnefs of God do appear, in not fuffering us to be tempted above the given capacity of refiftance. In the cafe of our Lord, I can conceive of this his retirement, during the

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forty days, as employed in receiving fuch inftructions concerning his miffion, office and kingdom, that were neceffary to furnish him for his public miniftry. And in this, he had a fulfilment of that prophecy, delivered by Mofes viz. a prophet I will raise up like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth, and be fball Speak unto them, all that I shall command bim. And it fhall come to pass, that whosoever will not bearken unto my words, which he shall Speak in my name, I will require it of him. See Deut. xviii. 18, 19. compare Acts iii. 22, 23. vii. 37. So, Peter, and Stephen understood the prophecy. Peter has fhewn, that it did not intend, a fucceffion of prophets, as fome will have it, for he adds, Acts iii. 24. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel, and thofe who follow after, as many as bave spoken, bave likewife, as well as Mofes, foretold of thefe days.

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There was an evident fimilitude, in the forty days fafting, and inftruction of Mofes, and of ChriftAgain, it was but reasonable, that after this extraordinary prefence of the fpirit with Jefus, and the great ability with which he was endowed, that he fhould have a proper trial of it. This, the hiftory fays, was made by the devil. The manner, in which the scenery of his temptations is conducted, appears to be very natural, For first, the appetite of hunger seizeth him, the extraordinary fupport being withdrawn. The tempter is fuppofed to know, that he had a power given him of working miracles; takes advantage of this circumftance, advifing him to exercife his divine capacity, by turning ftones into bread. No, fays Christ, tho' I am hungry, I will do nothing to fatisfy the craving appetite under thy direction, but only under the direction of God. How illuftrious is the ex

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