Having proceeded so far, it is easy for him to see, that, necessary as religion is to every single mortal in particular, and to civil government in general, men cannot have the true religion, if they be not taught of God.' This he must conclude, as soon as ever he considers the atheism into which many philosophers, the superstition into which all the rest, and the horribly wicked and diabolical principles of religion into which all the barbarous nations of the world have ran, and still do run, for want of Divine Revelation.

And farther, when he considers, that he and all other men have provoked the displeasure of God, by many and gross offences; that a bare repentance, which can only make a man obedient for the time to come, whereas God hath a right to the obedience of his whole life, cannot atone for his past sins; that the prayers of other men, who are unworthy to be heard for themselves, and the sacrifice of beasts, of his children, of all he hath, are still less capable of making such atonement, or appeasing the just anger of God at his sins; when, I say, he considers these things with due attention, he must be under very sensible, and very dreadful apprehensions about the safety of his soul, and therefore earnestly desirous to find out, whether God hath, in reality, provided any other more rational terms of forgiveness, or more efficacious sacrifices for sin, whereby he may be assured of pardon on repentance.

With such a foundation laid, common sense will put him on inquiring, whether God hath at any time given to mankind such a religion as answers his wants. And he will be the more apt to do this, when he reflects, that he was made by that infinitely beneficient Being, who cannot but will the virtue and happiness of his creature; and that in all nations some kind of atonement, or commutation for sin, hath been offered up, as that for which forgiveness was expected by the offender; which shews, that either the notion of an atonement is natural, or that it is derived from a revelation made to the common parent of mankind.

In order to satisfy this inquiry, he will be naturally led to look a little into the several kinds of religion, to which the various parts of the world may be addicted in his own times. Now, if he does this with ever so little care and candour, it is an affront to common sense, to think him capable

of preferring any other religion to the Christian; or of not perceiving that this religion fully answers all the characters, and is qualified to bring about all the good purposes, he expects from the true religion. If such a man fairly considers the stupid folly, and the gross wickedness, to which all other religions tempt their professors, and in this light compares them with Christianity, he will be forced to give the preference to the latter, in which every thing is done to regulate both the judgment and the will; whereas, in other religions, the first is uninstructed, or misinformed, and the last directly tempted to vice and wickedness. Mahometism makes the gratification of lust to be the reward of piety; and paganism, proposing adulterers, and murderers for gods, actually prescribes the practice of those vices, to which their false divinities were addicted, as acts of worship, whereby their favour is to be obtained, or their displeasure averted. Although my subject requires it, time will not suffer me to wade farther into this sink. Permit me therefore, in order to give this argument that share of its weight, which may suffice for the present purpose, to pass by other religions with this short censure so justly due to them, that I may, in as few words as I can, shew what the benefits, arising from Christianity in this life only, would be, were the judgments of mankind thoroughly possessed with the belief of it, as a divine truth, and their hearts warmly attached to it, as the best rule of action.

It is a weak reflection, and made by very injudicious people, that, although Christianity tends directly to make us happy in a future life, yet the severity of its precepts, and its mortifications, do not promise happiness here, but on the contrary, make a real Christian sad, gloomy, and melancholy.

They say farther, that it hath an ill effect on civil society; inasmuch as it prescribes humility and contempt of the world, to the utter extinction of all that laudable ambition, which prompts a nation to strengthen and extend its power; and lays down such rules of action, under the notion of honesty, as if followed, would ruin all policy, and make it impossible to manage or preserve any political community.

They own, that, in speculation, our religion seems to promise great advantages to the state, but deny that in fact,

its laws can be politically reduced to practice, without great detriment to the community; the management whereof requires, say they, a much greater latitude, than the gospel will allow of. They insist, moreover, that the safety of a nation can be no otherwise secured, than by a perpetual endeavour to enlarge its territories and augment its power; which, without a degree of political avarice and ambition, by no means countenanced by Christianity, is impossible.

Should we grant all this, it would not be a sufficient objection to Christianity; for although all the miseries of this life were to be the portion of a true Christian; and, although, to be such, we should be obliged to renounce all society with mankind, we should have infinite reason to embrace the terms, if the eternal joys of heaven were to be so purchased.

But nothing can be more groundless than the reflection in all its parts; for nothing can be more true, than what our Saviour said, 'Godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. Godliness itself is great riches,' and brings with it even the wealth of this world. For the blessing of the Lord,' says Solomon, 'maketh rich, and he blesseth the habitation of the just. There shall no evil happen to the just. Whatsoever he doth it shall prosper, for God hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.' Solomon, speaking of the true wisdom, or the true religion, says, ' length of days are in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.'

But, as we are speaking to one who is ignorant, and not yet fully converted to Christianity, let us endeavour to shew him that reason speaks the same thing.

And first, as to particular persons, the most ignorant man may know, that whoever hath, with all his soul and heart, embraced Christianity, must deny all his fleshly and worldly lusts;' must be pure from all corruption of nature and habit; must be free from disturbance of unruly passions; must by no means injure another; and must entirely forgive, if he is injured by any; must love his neighbour as himself; and love God with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his strength.'

Now, although it may cost a man no small struggle to bring himself to such a frame of mind; yet, with the assistance which God will not fail to lend him, it may, and, if it is not his own fault, it must be done; and, when it is done, he is at the height of human happiness. He hath no violent passion within to distract him, no guilt of conscience to wring him. He knows his virtue and happiness, with due vigilance, are for ever secured to him. And from without, nothing can happen to him, that will much afflict him. The world is little in his eyes, and the things of it do not much concern him. All that live near him are happy in his neighbourhood, for he watches for all occasions of doing good. He hath peace with all; he is beloved by all. Were the country he lives in peopled with such men as he, it would be the paradise of the world. He is temperate in all things,' and therefore healthful. He is innocent, and therefore cheerful; and, having health and cheerfulness, he bids fair for a long life. In the opinion of the heathen sages, this man must be happy. If, as the Roman satyrist says, happiness consists in soundness of mind and body,' he must be happy. If, as Iamblichus says, he is happiest who is likest God, simple, pure, and detached from the world,' this must be the happiest of all men. If, as Solon and Antisthenes say, they are happy who die well,' this man must be happy. To conclude, his happiness hath that admirable testimony of St. Augustin, who says, that is not true happiness, which will not be eternal. He is happy who hath all he wishes, and who wishes nothing but what is fit and good for him. O that God would give us the mind and condition of this man, and leave crowns and sceptres to those that can seize them!"

As the precepts of Christianity, if observed, would thus exalt a man into an angel, so its motives are as powerful, as its doctrines are pure. What are the temptations, of a trifling world, if weighed in the balance of a sound judgment, against temporal and eternal glory, which the good Christian is sure to obtain; and against temporal and eternal disgrace, which the wicked man can by no means escape? Who can doubt a moment, whether he should most love God or the world? What is the value, what is the beauty, the dignity, and excellence of the creature, if compared with

those of the Creator? And as to this world, did not God make it? Does he not govern it? Surely then worldly prosperity and promotion can come neither from the east nor the west, nor yet from the south, but from God, who putteth down one, and raiseth up another.'

But, lest the Christian motives to a good life should, through the extreme infirmity of human nature, fail of their effect, our religion proposes still higher helps from the grace of God, communicated to all true believers, through his word and ordinances. The arm of the Almighty himself is employed in beating down the corruptions, and raising the virtues, of every endeavouring Christian. And, even when this all-conquering ally, to humble the Christian with a sense of his own weakness, suffers him to fall, the spirit of God lifts him to a true repentance; and his Redeemer, having atoned for his sin, by his powerful intercessions, raises him again into the comfortable smiles of his master.

Is not the good Christian then the happiest of all men? Place him at the rich man's gate with Lazarus; or place him even on the dunghill of Job, is he not happy? Is he not infinitely happier, than he who is tortured with fear, and other outrageous passions, amidst all the splendors of a palace; than he who welters in guilt on a throne? O lovely! O heavenly Christianity! How blind is he who cannot see thy truth! How depraved and lost, who owns not thy divine excellence! How do the rich and great mistake thee and themselves! They imagine, that with thee they must bid adieu to all the pleasures riches can bestow; and spend their days in gloom and affliction. How grossly in this do they wrong thee? It is true, thou wouldst no longer suffer them to be debased by avarice, to be drenched in luxury, to be polluted with lust, to be racked with pride, ambition, contention, and envy; to rot in foul distempers, or to be broken alive, as on the wheel, with gout and gravel. Thou wouldst not suffer them to live like beasts, and die like devils. And is it for this they are offended?

O you rich whom God hath blessed, perhaps I should rather say, whom you yourselves have cursed with the wealth of this world, do you understand so little of Christianity, as not to know, that, if you were but half as rich in spiritual, as you are in temporal treasures, you might turn your