23,24.

you are as dear to your Heavenly Father, as those whom he enabled to raise the dead.

Nay more; men may work miracles in fupport of God's true religion, and yet be found at laft, to have been the fervants of another mafter; and the preacher of righteousness be condemned for his fins. Matt. vii. Many will fay to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophefied in thy name, and in thy name have caft cut devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? then will I profefs unto them, I never knew you; depart from me ye that work iniquity. Luke x. In this rejoice not that the Spirits are fubject unto you; but rather rejoice that your Sam. xv. names are written in heaven. To obey is better than facrifice: a good life is above miracles.

20.

22.

There will be found among the workers of wonders, among Apoftles, Prophets, Martyrs, who fhall be cut off, and

caft

caft into outer darkness. But of those who love God, and keep his commandments, not one fhall be loft. The obedient fhall all be received into the ftate of blifs, and be made kings and priests to God, for ever and ever.

0

SERMON X.

JUDE . 3.

THAT YE SHOULD EARNESTLY CON-
TEND FOR THE FAITH WHICH
WAS ONCE DELIVERED TO THE
SAINTS.

W

HEN the Apoftles were filled Acts ii. 4. with the Holy Ghost, and began to Speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance; the miracle, according to the notion of fome writers, was wrought upon the audience. Though they that fpake were Galileans, and fpake too, as these

S 2

these persons fuppofe, the language only of their own country; they were heard by every man in his own tongue in which he was born.

However that may be, in whatever words the newly infpired Apoftles might utter the wonderful works of God, on the day of Pentecoft; the doctrine and duties of the Chriftian covenant, which they have left behind them in writing, are, now at least, in one language; and the whole New Teftament has been thus delivered down through many ages, and dispersed into every nation of the world. And yet, alas! fuch is the power of education, custom, intereft, and other causes, that we have deduced a great variety of very different opinions and fyftems of faith from one common written word. Every Church, and Sect has a fenfe of it's own, which it learns to affix to the language of Scripture. And though they that speak to us be all Galileans, though

there