Thefe, Reader, are some of the Arguments and Motives which induce me really to believe, and confciencioufly to endeavour to live up to the Chriftian Inftitution, and to admit the Holy Scriptures for Divinely Infpired: And I heartily with they may have the fame Influence upon every Reader; that fo they may with the Heart believe unto Righteousness, and with the Mouth make Confeffion unto Salvation. One Thing I will add here; that fince we cannot act upon Motives and Arguments any farther than we can know them; nor can we go upon Evidence any farther than it is extant in the World for our Examination; and fince the Juftice of God can only require us to act upon the Motives and Evidence his Providence affords us, and can only call us to an Account for our Behaviour in Agreement with fuch Motives and Evidence; I venture to fay, with great Affurance, that whatever be the Truth of the Things themfelves, which we can no otherwife determine about, the Arguments and Evidence now Extant in the World do for the main, fo greatly and undoubtedly preponderate on the Side of the Jewish and Chriftian Revelations, that we are bound by all the Rules of Juftice, and Reafon, and good Senfe, to preferit, to be determin'd by it,and act upon it; and that therefore thofe who do otherwise may juftly be call'd to Account, and punish'd for the contrary Procedure, for their Infidelity and Difobedience; feeing thefe are chofen in Defiance of plainly greater, and plainly fuperior Evidence for the Divine Authority of the Sacred Writings. I conclude the whole with Two remarkable Paffages, taken from the Two great Apoftles St. Peter and St, Paul, and with the Recommen

Rom. X.

10.

2 Pet. i. 10--18.

dation of Three Genuine Memorials of the most Primitive Martyrs: and I pray God they may equally affect others, as they always do my self, while I confider them as the Solemn Atteftations of fuch Perfons, who moft of them certainly knew whether the Religion they Preach'd was Divine or not; and as generally made a little before their Deaths alfo; when, if ever, Men ufe to be ferious, fincere, and in earnest in fuch their Declarations.

Peter.] Wherefore the rather, Brethren, give Diligence to make your Calling and Election fure: For if ye do thefe Things ye shall never fall: For fo an Entrance fhall be miniftred unto you abundantly, into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in Remembrance of these Things, though ye know them, and be established in the prefent Truth. Tea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this Tabernacle, to ftir you up, by putting you in Remembrance: Knowing that fhortly I must put off this my Tabernacle, even as our Lord Jefus Chrift hath fhewed me. Moreover, I will endeavour that you may be able after my Decease to have thefe Things always in Remembrance. For we have not followed cunningly devifed Fables, when we made known unto you the Power and Coming of our Lord Jefus Chrift, but were EyeWitneffes of his Majesty. For he received from God the Father, Honour and Glory, when there came fuch a Voice to him from the Excellent Glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed. And this Voice which came from Heaven we beard, when we were with him in the Holy Mount. [See Matt. xvii. 1--13.]

Paul.

Paul.] I charge thee therefore [Timothy] before 2 Tim.iv. God, and the Lord Jefus Chrift, who fball judge the 1, 2. Quick and the Dead, at his appearing, and his Kingdom: Preach the Word, by inftant in Seafon, out of Seafon; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all Longfuffering and Doctrine.

But watch thou in all things, endure Afflicti- v. 5--8. ons, do the Work of an Evangelift, make full Proof of thy Miniftry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good Fight, I have finished my Courfe, I have kept the Faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that Day: And not to me only, but unto all them allo that love his appearing.

The Genuine Memorials of the Martyrs which I would here recommend,(and they are almoft all the Memorials of that Kind, which appear to be very Ancient and certainly Genuine)are,the Epiftle of St. Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, to the Romans, as he was going to Martyrdom: The Epiftle of the Church of Smyrna, concerning the Martyrdom of St. Polycarp their Bishop: And the Epiftle of the Churches of Vienna and Lyons, concerning the Martyrs under the Perfecution of Verus in Eufebius: All which, if they do not in fome measure Affect Men, and make them fenfi- v. 1. ble, that the firft Chriftians, even those who certainly knew whether Christianity was true or not,were in earnest, and believed themselves,their Hearts are as hard as the nether Milftone, and past all ordinary Ways of Influence and Conviction.

London, Feb. 5. 172. WILL. WHISTON.

Sir

Hift. Eccl.

302

Sir Richard Blackmore's HYMN

TO THE

CREATOR.

HAil King Supreme! of Pow'r Immenfe Abyss!
Father of Light! Exhauftless Source of Bliss!
Thou Uncreated, Self-exiftent Cause,

Controul'd by no Superior Being's Laws;
E'er Infant Light effay'd to dart the Ray,
Smil'd heavenly fweet, and try'd to kindle Day;
E're the wide Fields of Ether were display'd,
Or Silver Stars Cerulean Spheres inlaid;
E'er yet the eldest Child of Time was Born,
Or verdant Pride young Nature did adorn,
Thou Art; and didft Eternity employ
In unmolested Peace, in Plenitude of Joy.

In its Ideal Frame the World defign'd
From Ages paft lay finish'd in Thy Mind.
Conform to this Divine Imagin'd Plan,
With perfect Art th' amazing Work began.
Thy Glance furvey'd the Solitary Plains,
Where fhapeless Shade inert and filent Reigns;
Then in the dark and undiftinguifl'd Space,
Unfruitful, uninclos'd, and wild of Face,
Thy Compass for the World did mark the Place.
Then didft Thou through the Fields of barren Night
Goforth collected in Creating Might.

Where Thou Almighty Vigour didft exert,
Which Emicant did This and That Way dart

1

Thro

Sir Richard Blackmore's Hymn

Thro' the black Bofom of the empty Space ·
The Galphs confefs th' Omnipotent Embrace,
And pregnant grown with Elemental Seed
Unfinish'd Orbs, and Worlds in Embryo breed.
From the crude Mafs, Omnifcient Architect,
Thou for each Part Materials didft felect,
And with a Mafter-hand Thy World erect.
Labour'd by Thee, the Globes vaft lucid Buoys
By Thee uplifted float in liquid Skies.

By Thy cementing Words their Parts cohere,
And roll by Thy Impulfive Nod in Air.
Thou in the Vacant didft the Earth fufpend,
Advance the Mountains, and the Vales extend;

People the Plains with Flocks, with Beafts the Wood,
And ftore with Scaly Colonies the Flood.

Next Man arofe at Thy Creating Word,
of Thy Terreftrial Realms Vicegerent Lord.
His Soul more artful Labour, more refin'd,
And Emulous of bright Seraphic Mind,
Ennobled by Thy Image Spotless fhone,

Prais'd Thee her Author, and ador'dThy Throne:
Able to Know, Admire, Enjoy her God,

She did her high Felicity applaud.

Since Thou didst all the fpacious Worlds difplay,
Homage to Thee let all Obedient pay.

Let glittring Stars, that Dance their deftin'd Ring
Sublime in Sky, with Vocal Planets Sing

Confed'rate Praife to Thee, O Great Creator King.
Let the thin Districts of the waving Air,
Conveyancers of Sound, Thy Skill declare.
Let Winds, the Breathing Creatures of the Skies,
Call in each vig'rous Gale, that roving flies
By Land or Sea, then one loud Triumph raife,
And all their Blafts employ in Songs of Praise.

While painted Herald-Birds Thy Deeds proclaim,
And on thy Spreading Wings convey Thy Fame;
Let Eagles, which in Heav'n's Blue Concave foar,
Scornful of Earth fuperior Seats explore,

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And

303