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SERMON

Preached before the

Incorporated SoCIETY

FOR THE

Propagation of the Gofpel in Foreign Parts ;

AT THEIR

ANNIVERSARY MEETING

ΙΝ ΤΗΕ

Parish-Church of St. MARY-LE-BOW, On FRIDAY, February 19, 1741-2.

By HENRY STEBBING, D. D Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty, and Chancellor of Sarum.

LONDON:

Printed by E. OWEN, and Sold by J. ROBERTS in Warwick-Lane..

M DCC XLII.

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At the Anniversary Meeting of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, in the Veftry-Room of St. Mary-le-Bow, on Friday the 19th Day of February 1741-2.

A Greed, That the Thanks of the

SOCIETY be given to the Reverend Dr. Stebbing Chancellor of Sarum, for his Sermon preached this Day before the SOCIETY; and that he be defired to deliver a Copy thereof to be printed.

Philip Bearcroft Secretary.

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And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with Signs following.

W

HEN our Saviour, at the 15th Verfe
of this Chapter had given his Apo-
ftles a general Commiffion, to go

into all the World, and preach the Gospel to every Creature; he acquaints them at the 17th and 18th with the Means, by which they should be enabled to execute it. Thefe Signs Shall follow them that believe; in my Name Shall they caft out Devils; they shall speak with new Tongues; they shall take up Serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they fball lay Hands on the Sick, and they shall recover. The Text tells us of the fulfilling of this Promife. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into Heaven, and fat on the right Hand of God; And they went forth, and preached every where; the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with Signs following.

We see therefore the Method, by which the Gospel was at firft eftablifhed in the World. Not by human Strength, or Skill, but by the A 2 Power

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3

Power of God, manifefting itself by Signs, and Wonders wrought in Confirmation of the Word. My Design is to fhew, in what refpects the Power of Miracles was neceffary to fupport the Gofpel at firft; and wherein lay its force, and vertue to make the preaching of the Apoftles, effectual to reform a World throughout over-run with Blindnefs, and Corruption. And when this Point is rightly understood, we shall the more clearly perceive the Reasons, why this Power is long fince ceased, and, what human Means are most likely (fo far as human Means can go) to fupply the Want of it, in perpetuating the Gospel to future Ages; and making it to be, what it was intended to be, a Means of Reformation in all, who accept, and embrace it.

The Gospel is the Call of God upon Mankind to Repentance, by the Offers of Mercy in, and thro' Jefus the Redeemer. In which Account there are two Things evidently diftinguishable, viz. 1. The Doctrine of our Redemption by Chrift, which was propofed to Mankind by the Preaching of the Apoftles. 2. The ultimate End of this, the Repentance of Sinners. With refpect to the First, it is manifeft, that Miracles were neceffary in the Nature of Evidence; for fupernatural Truths require fupernatural Proof: God alone could declare by fome Special Manifeftation of himself, that it was his Purpose to redeem us by his Son, and upon what Terms his Mediation

Mediation fhould be available on our Behalf; for nothing of all this appeared, from what was known of God, and of the Measures of his Providence, from those general Notices, which he had given to mankind by natural Reason. Christ therefore, and his Apostles came in the Quality of Special Messengers from God, and pleaded the Authority of God, of which the Miracles which they wrought, were the Credentials, and without which they could have challenged no fort of Attention from the World, as to fuch Matters as thefe. This needs no farther Proof. But it may well deferve our Confideration to know, what Relation the Power of Miracles bore to the second Point, and whether it was, or was not of any direct Use, towards refcuing Mankind from the Dominion of Sin, and bringing them to Repentance, and a new Life.

Now it is evident in the first Place, that Miracles were not neceffary in the Way of Evidence to fhew Men their Duties, as, in the other Cafe they were neceffary to fhew them their Faith. For there wants not the Evidence of Miracles to prove, that God is to be honoured by his Creatures; that Men are to be Juft, Sober, Temperate, and the like; Thefe are the Dictates of that Law, which every Man reads in his own Breast, fuppofing Reason to be rightly exercised. All reafonable Men have seen these Things; all reasonable Men do, and muft fee them; nor is it in the Power

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