SERMONS. 1 ON LXXXI. JAY AFTER TRINITY. DENCE SUFFICIENT. e said unto him, If they hear not Moses and will they be persuaded, though one rose from the taken from the Gospel for the Day.] think, that the coming of one from the dead My convince an unbeliever? And yet this eviaviour tells us, would have no effect upon him: which judgement may appear from the three fol derations: Let us consider, whether the evidence upon which stands, be in itself greater or more convincing, than ce of one coming from the dead can be: if it is, we The to our Saviour's judgement; that he who will ses and the Prophets,' or Christ and his Apostles, be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.? dman, who appears to you, may tell you conworld, all the reason you can have to believe O suppose him to come from the other world, which he has seen and known: so that his han barely the authority of a traveller, of the countries through which he has l it appear to you, that one from the ceive you? As he is a man, I am sure rust him; and what reason you have dead man, I know not. resurrection was something more than merely on of a dead man: he foretold the time and cir B A SECOND COURSE OF SERMONS FOR THE YEAR: CONTAINING TWO FOR EACH SUNDAY, AND ONE FOR EACH HOLIDAY: ABRIDGED FROM THE MOST EMINENT DIVINES AND ADAPTED TO THE SERVICE OF THE DAY. INTENDED FOR THE USE OF FAMILIES AND SCHOOLS. BY THE REV. J. R. PITMAN, A.M. ALTERNATE MORNING-PREACHER OF BELGRAVE AND BERKELEY CHAPELS; AND ALTERNATE EVENING-PREACHER OF THE IN TWO VOLUMES. VOLUME II. LONDON: PRINTED FOR JAMES DUNCAN, PATERNOSTER-ROW. MDCCCXXVIII. 459. A COURSE OF SERMONS. SERMON LXXXI. FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. EVIDENCE SUFFICIENT. LUKE XVI. 31.And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the Dead. [Text taken from the Gospel for the Day.] WHO would not think, that the coming of one from the dead would effectually convince an unbeliever? And yet this evidence, our Saviour tells us, would have no effect upon him: the reason of which judgement may appear from the three following considerations: First: Let us consider, whether the evidence upon which revelation stands, be in itself greater or more convincing, than the evidence of one coming from the dead can be: if it is, we must subscribe to our Saviour's judgement; that he who will not hear Moses and the Prophets,' or Christ and his Apostles, would not be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." Whatever a dead man, who appears to you, may tell you concerning another world, all the reason you can have to believe him is, because you suppose him to come from the other world, and to relate things which he has seen and known: so that his authority is no more than barely the authority of a traveller, who relates things of the countries through which he has passed. And how will it appear to you, that one from the dead cannot possibly deceive you? As he is a man, I am sure you have reason to mistrust him; and what reason you have to rely on him as a dead man, I know not. Our Saviour's resurrection was something more than merely the apparition of a dead man: he foretold the time and cir VOL. II. B |