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These are the effential parts of our holy religion, the marks by which we are (or fhould be) known as Chriftians, the most acceptable fervices that we can offer to Almighty God, and far more pleafing to him than any of the inftituted parts of his own worthip; and thefe mt be performed by us, if ever we hope for the favour of our great Creator either here or hereafter. Thus is it to the laft degree evident, that the Chriftian religion has the plaineft tendency to promote the happinefs of fociety in general, and of every individual in it.

But Secondly, It will further appear, that our bleffed Saviour defigned to promote the peace and happiness of mankind in this prefent world, from confidering that example which he has propofed to the imitation of his followers his behaviour was intirely conformable to this doctrine, full of justice, meeknefs, patience, forbearance, compaffion, and charity to all mankind: he never expreffed any refentment again't thofe who had cruelly and defpitefully used him, never rendered evil for evil, or railing for railing: not all the ungrateful returns which he met with, not all the bafe conftructions which were put on his words and actions, could divert him from his firft great and noble purpofe; ftill he went about doing good, giving mankind an example that they should follow his fteps, advifing them to learn of him, who is meek and lowly in heart; and intreating them that they would love one another as he loved them.

Hence

Hence it is moft evident that our Lord did truly confult the peace and welfare of this world, fince he not only made the promoting of them the conftant concern and bufincfs of his life, but engaged his followers to make it the bufinefs of their lives alfo, by the influence of his amiable example.

Having thus briefly illuftrated the truth of our Saviour's affertion, concerning his coming to promote the welfare and happiness of this world, I fhall proceed to the confideration of a few of thofe ufeful leffons and inftructions which will naturally arise from our conviction of it.

And first, then, We may fee what great reafon there is for approving and valuing the Christian religion, which is fo intirely calculated for the benefit and intereft of mankind. How vaft, how aftonishing is the difference between the religion of Chrift, and the religions which prevail in many parts of the world; which, instead of contributing to the ease and comfort of their poffeffors, engage them to the obfervance of many idle and burthenfome fuperftitions, and fill their minds with anguish and difquietude; which, inftead of promoting the public good, tend to the deftruction of mankind, and introduce nothing but mifery and confufion into fociety, which is plainly the tendency of most of the falfe religions which are at this day admitted in the world.

But nothing like this can be objected against the doctrine of our bleffed Saviour, which is altogether pure and peaceable, which has the kindeft

kindeft, moft benignant influence over all the affairs of human fociety, endeavouring to fubdue all thofe evil and corrupt affections which deftroy our peace and undermine our happinefs; to inculcate and recommend all those virtues which promote univerfal juftice, love, and harmony amongst men: this fpirit of peace breathes throughout the whole Gofpel of Chrift. It is indeed unaccountable that any who are really friends to the cause of virtue and the interefts of mankind, fhould ever oppofe an inftitution, the defign of which is fo ufeful and fo benevolent. -If the intrinfic goodness of Chriftianity is not of itself fufficient to prove it an inftitution from heaven, it fhould, at leaft, incline men to entertain a favourable opinion of it, fhould prevent (one would imagine) their taking up any groundlefs prejudices against it, and much more their ufing any difhoneft arts (which notwithftanding have too frequently been used) for overthrowing it this fhould rather prepoffefs them in its favour, and make them wifh to fee the truth and divinity of it fully proved, beyond the power of gainfayers to confute it. Not that we are to look upon Chriftianity only as a useful scheme of philofophy, a merely human inftitution, (which is all that fome perfons, will allow it to be ;) for belides its containing a more pure and benevolent doctrine, it has moreover been confirmed, we know, by fuch extraordinary works and wonders as fufficiently declare it to be of an heavenly and divine original, which every man who exa

mines it with attention and impartiality must be thoroughly convinced of.

But fecondly, It follows from what has been faid, that the confufions and mifchiefs which Christianity hath occafioned in the world (the ambitious worldly views which have been carried on under the cover of it) are by no means to be attributed to our holy religion, or any of those principles which it inculcates. Too certain it is, that the good and benevolent inftitution of the Gofpel, hath not univerfally produced its true and proper effects on the minds of men far from having always been the means of fubduing the fiercenefs of their tem

pers,
of reconciling their differences, and unit-
ing them in the bonds of friendship, charity,
and peace, it has been proved, on the contrary,
an occafion of the bittereft hatred and animo-
fities, and of filling the world with party rage,
violence, and inhumanity.

It would be an unneceffary, and an ungrateful talk, to enumerate the various perfecutions and barbarities that have been practifed, by Christians against Christians, under the specious pretences of religious zeal, though directly inconfiftent with the precepts of that Gospel which they were fo folemnly bound to obey. Too many inftances are to be met with even to this day. Our Saviour himself forefaw and foretold that his holy religion, which is in its nature fo meek and charitable, would by the perverfeness of mankind become productive of ftrife, divifions and cruelties, and that men would fay he came not to fend peace upon

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earth,

earth, but a fword. Accordingly Christianity, inftead of uniting men in the bond of peace, became the fource of hatred and animofity amongst them: ecclefiaftical is (perhaps) more full than civil hiftory of rancour and malevolence, of blood and flaughter, of every thing that debafes and degrades human nature: nor is this at all to be wondered at, when we confider how men had perverted and disguised it; when we reflect how the word of God has been at various times wrefted and distorted from its plain and original fenfe, to carry on the fchemes and promote the interefts of wicked and defigning men. But whatever distractions and miferies have happened, certain it is that the guilt of them can never be fixed on Chriftianity; they are not its true and genuine production, not the natural fruit of that tree, but what hath been grafted on it; nor is Christianity any more anfwerable for them, than philofophy, civil government, or any of the inoft wife and ufeful inftitutions of men, are to be blamed for the evils to which, contrary to their own tendency and defigns, they have been made fubfervient. It will rather, on the other hand, (with the thinking and confiderate) be an argument in its favour, that men have always been fo willing to fhelter beneath this facred veil, defigns which they knew they could not well accomplish without the influence of its name and authority: if its tenets had not been good, they would not have been thus abufed; if its doctrines had not been pure, they would not have been thus perverted.

Thirdly,

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