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ings. The powerful motives, by which Chrift enforces the practice of his laws, are correfpondent to the expectations of accountable beings. And the fyftem which thefe laws compofe, is the only one ever delivered, which is calculated to instruct the great mafs of mankind, high and low, rich and poor, with all authority as to its origin, and, with the most falutary effect as to their conduct. The fyftem bears the marks of its own internal evidence as coming from God, becaufe it is in every refpect confiftent with his wifdom and good

nefs'.

To view the moral part of the Chriftian difpenfation in a proper light, it ought to be compared with the principles of ancient Philofophy. The fages of Greece and Rome undoubtedly prefent us with the most convincing proofs how far unenlightened reafon could advance in the examination of moral obligation, and the difcovery of the duties of man. But imperfection, if not error, was attached to all their systems.

If moral wifdom defcended from heaven to dwell with Socrates, the most enlightened fage of the heathen world, the quickly caught the contagion of earthly depravity, and forgot her dignity fo far as

"In morality there are books enough writ both by ancient and modern philofophers; but the morality of the Gospel doth so exceed them all, that to give a man a full knowledge of true morality, I fhall fend him to no other book, but the New Tefta. ment." Locke on Reading and Study, vol. ii. p. 407.

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to bend at the shrine of fuperftition. Her dictates were not built upon any certain foundations, or digefted into a confiftent plan. They were difgraced with falfe notions, intermixed with frivolous refinements, and scattered among difcordant fects. Each fect of philofophers had a different idea of happiness, and a different mode of inveftigating truth. The Epicureans maintained that happi nefs confifted in pleasure, the Stoics held that virtue was the only good, and the Peripatetics that it was the greateft good. Every fchool was diftinguished by its particular opinions; and the followers of Plato, Ariftotle, and Zeno, exerted the powers of their minds rather to difplay their ingenuity, than to fatisfy the inquiries of mankind, as to the nature, the principles, and the end of moral obligation. The powerful influence of example, and the ftrong and awakening voice of fome great and divine Teacher, were requifite to give to their instructions the energy of law. But the most material obftacle to a ready compliance with the dictates of heathen morality, was the want of fuch fanctions or confirmations by divine authority, as are calculated to hold the mind of man in conftant obedience, by an immediate appeal to his hopes and fears-to his defire of future happinefs, and his dread of future nifery in a world

to come.

And do we not find, that our holy Religion not only contains the beft precepts of ancient philofophy in one regular fyftem, but adds to them others

which are peculiarly and eminently her own? Certainly. And this fhews its high degree of perfection. To the Gofpel of Christ we are indebted for thofe rules of conduct, which enjoin the facrifice of self-interest, selfish pleasures, and vainglory. By it alone we are taught in the most explicit language, and in the moft authoritative manner, to check all violent paffions, and to cultivate the mild and pure affections of the heart, to forgive injuries, to love our enemies, to refift the first impulfe of evil defires, to practise humility and univerfal benevolence, and to prefer the joys of heaven to the pleafures and occupations of the world. Advancing to a degree of improvement far beyond the leffons of heathen morality, far beyond what was ever taught under the porches of Athens, or in the groves of the Academy; we are inftructed to entertain the moft awful veneration for the Deity; and to exprefs the moft lively gratitude for his mercies; we are fupported by the firmeft reliance on his grace, and we are invited upon all occafions to refort in earneft and fervent prayers to his power, mercy, and goodness, for the fupply of our numerous wants, for the pardon of our fins, for fecurity in the midst of danger, and for fupport at the hour of death.

Having a perfect model of virtue in the conduct of our bleffed Lord fet before us, and a perfect rule of life proposed in his divine instructions, we are taught to expect that our fincere endeavours to conquer the difficulties we have to furmount in

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our journey through life will be aided by the divine grace; and we are encouraged to hope that by our ftrenuous and unabating exertions we may make a much nearer approach to that perfection of character, which reaches "the fulness of the measure of the ftature of Chrift," than it is poffible for those to do, who act not upon Chriftian principles'.

Confider

"The end of learning is to repair the ruins of our first parents, by regaining to know God aright, and out of that knowledge to love him, to imitate him, to be like him, as we may the neareft, by poffeffing our fouls of true virtue, which being united to the heavenly grace of faith, makes up the highest perfection.” Milton.

"And is it then poffible that mortal man fhould in any sense attain unto perfection? Is it poffible, that we who are born in fin, and conceived in iniquity, who are brought forth in ignorance, and grow up in a multiplicity of errors; whose understandings are dark, our wills biaffed, our paffions strong, our affections corrupted, our appetites inordinate, our inclinations irregular-Is it poffible, that we who are furrounded with things themselves obfcure, with examples evil, with temptations numberlefs, as the variety of objects that encompafs us-Is it poffible, that we fhould make any progrefs towards arriving at perfection? With men indeed this muft needs be impoffible; but with God all things are poffible. For when we confider on the other fide, that we have a perfect rule, and an unerring inftructor; an example complete as the divine life, and yet with all the condefcenfions of human infirmity; motives ftrong and powerful as the rewards of heaven, and preffing as the neceffity of avoiding endless destruction; affiftances mighty as the grace of God, and effectual as the conti nual guidance of the Spirit of truth; when we confider this, I fay, we may then perhaps be as apt to wonder on the other hand, that all men are not perfect. And yet with all these advantages, the

perfection,

Confider the precepts of Chriftianity not by com parifon only with other fyftems, but as furnishing a rule of life. Were the actions of mankind to be. regulated by them, nothing would be wanting to render us happy. Peace and harmony would flourish in every part of the globe. There would be no injuftice, no impiety, no fraud, no rapine, no reign of diforderly paffions. Every one, fatisfied with his lot, refigned to the divine will, and enjoying a full profpect of endless happiness, would pass his days in content and tranquillity to which neither pain nor forrow, nor even the fear of death, could ever give any long interruption. Man would renew his primeval condition, and in his words and actions exhibit the purity of Paradife. That fuch a ftate, as far as the imperfection of human nature would allow, can exift, we truft that the lives of many Chriftians, not only of the primitive but of fubfequent times, can atteft. Surely fuch a fyftem muft be tranfcendent in excellence, and bears within itfelf the marks of a divine origin."

The revealed will of God is the proper fource of moral obligation. It gives life and vigour to the performance of every duty, and without it all fyftems of morals are dry, uninterefting, and founded upon no fixed principle of action. How jejune and

perfection, that the beft men ever arrive to, is but in a figurative and very imperfect fenfe, with great allowances, and much diminution, with frequent defects, and many, very many limitations." Clarke, Sermon cxliv. vol. ii. p. 183. fol. edit.

VOL. I.

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