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"the God of Israel, who gave so many demonstrations of ❝his power and providence. For this reason God brought "Israel out of Egypt, with great signs and wonders, and "a mighty hand, (when he could have done it with less "noise and observation,) that he might the more glori"ously triumph over the numerous gods of Egypt, and all "their enchantments and divinations, and that he might "be honoured on Pharaoh and all his host. For this rea66 son he maintained them in the wilderness at the constant expense of miracles, fought all their battles for them; "and many times by weak and contemptible means over"threw great and puissant armies, drove out the inha"bitants of Canaan, and gave them possession of that good land. I say, one great and principal design of all "this was, to convince the world of the majesty and power of the God of Israel, that they might renounce "their foolish idolatries and country gods, and consent in "the worship of that one God, who alone doth won"drous things. This account the Psalmist gives of it, that "God wrought such visible and miraculous deliverances “for Israel, to make his glory and his power known among the Heathen: The Lord hath made known his "salvation, his righteousness hath he openly showed in the "sight of the heathen. Psal. xcviii. 2. That the heathen "might fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the "earth his glory: i. e. That all nations might worship "God, and all kings submit their crowns and scepters to "him. Psal. cii. 15. That by this means they might be "instructed in that important truth: That the Lord is

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great, and greatly to be praised, that he is to be feared “above all gods: for all the gods of the nations are idols, "but he made the heavens. Psal. xcvi. And as God set up "the people of Israel, as a visible demonstration to all the "world of his power and providence, so he committed his "laws and oracles to them; from whence the rest of the "world, when they pleased, might fetch the best rules of "life, and the most certain notices of the Divine will. In

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"such ways God instructed the world, in former ages, by the light of nature, and the examples of good men, "and the sermons of the prophets, and the public ex"ample of a whole nation, which God chose for that purpose.

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CHRISTIANITY VINDICATED

AGAINST

INFIDELITY:

A

SECOND CHARGE

DELIVERED TO

THE CLERGY

OF THE

ARCHDEACONRY OF MIDDLESEX.

A

SECOND CHARGE

DELIVERED TO

THE CLERGY

OF THE

ARCHDEACONRY OF MIDDLESEX, &c.

REVEREND BRETHREN,

THE growth of infidelity has for two or three years last past been more talked of than ever; and I am afraid there has been too much occasion for it. Yet I am willing to believe, that the advances supposed to have been lately made on that side, carry a great deal more of noise and show in them, than of real strength. Deism may perhaps have become fiercer or bolder than formerly; and it may be owing, not so much to any additional advantages it has really gained, as to the disappointments it has met with.

If we look between thirty and forty years backwards, we shall find that the complaints of good men then ran in very high and strong terms. "It is dreadful to think (says a noted author of that time a) what numbers of "men are poisoned by infidel principles. For-they be

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a Nicholls's Conference with a Theist, Pref. p. 5.

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