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SERM. will be most reputable and useful mem III. bers of fociety; will adorn every station

and relation in life; and will be happy in the enjoyment of themfelves. The beft Chriftians will be the worthieft parents, and the most dutiful children; the moft affectionate husbands, and chaste and faithful wives; the kindest masters, the most dutiful and obedient fervants; beft princes, and most loyal fubjects; moderate and charitable in high stations, and in riches and wealth; in adverfity, patient and contented; long fuffering, and not easily provoked, but easily reconciled; flow in refenting, ready to forgive; hearty friends to all the world in the kindeft wishes, and doing the best offices as they have opportunity. The wisdom, which is from above, is pure and peaceable, gentle and eafy to be intreated, full of good fruits, without partiality, and without bypocrify. And all, who are under the influence of it, will be fure to be guided fafely to their fupreme good. No matter though they are not capable of demonftrating from nature and the principles of reafon, in a philofophical way, wherein the fupreme good confifteth ; * James iii. 17.

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or though they cannot give a clear account SERM. of the relations of moral objects, and the III. connexion of true virtue with the highest happiness; ftill if they be obedient to the inftructions of Chrift, they will be fafe; and their faith in him, working by love and all holy affections, will make them meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light.

Now to apply this short account of the Christian morality to the main purpose of this discourse, the Author of these Laws and Inftructions hath appeared in the world in the character of a teacher fent of God; and as having authority from him to instruct and give laws to mankind. And is there not great reafon to believe him in this? To fhew, that there is, let it be confidered, that it must be looked upon as a great advantage to mankind, to have clear directions in their duty given them as laws from God, and under the fanction of his authority. This, I think, will not be difputed. Men, indeed, without any thing external of this kind, may be fenfible of moral obligation; and perfons of clear understanding, who will attend and give pains, may go a great length in the knowL 2 ledge

SERM, ledge of their duty in the several relations III. of life their confciences, if juftice be

done to thefe facred powers, will teach them a great deal. Still, must it not be greatly advantageous to the world, to be put under a difcipline, which may be eafily understood by all, comprehending all which is neceffary to ferve the purposes of morality and religion; and all this inforced by the interpofition of exprefs divine authority? So that even the fimple and unlearned may not only fully understand: what he is to do, that he may attain to a happy life, and what are the terms of his acceptance with God; but moreover is to act under this impreffion upon his mind, that this is revealed to him, as the law and will of his Maker, and that upon fubmitting to it dependeth his title to his Maker's favour; as his being rebellious against it will expose him to displeasure, and indignation, and dreadful punishment. No man furely will difpute it, that to have all this laid before men clearly, is a great advantage.

Now the Author of our Religion profeffeth, that he was the Son of God and fent of him, as for other purposes, so particularly,

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ticularly, to teach men their duty, and to SERM. lead them in the way of falvation. And we III. may fee, that, as a teacher and law-giver, he hath acted his part like one, who thoroughly understood human nature and morality, as well as an ingenuous friend to mankind that he hath delivered to the world a discipline, which fully answereth all the ends of moral difcipline, and by which the obedient will be conducted to their fupreme good. And that, in the whole of his instructions, he neither aims nor could aim at any thing, but to make hís disciples worthy and happy. His spirit, in every instance, favoureth of fimplicity and fincerity, and of the greatest goodness. And can any man feriously and foberly judge, that he was an impoftor! The pureft and best and most perfect discipline delivered to the world, with the most excellent fpirit, and the author an impostor ! A teacher, who excelleth all that ever were, and from whom we have all, which could be rationally expected from a teacher fent of God; and yet to be accounted of as one of the worst characters!

But let the fuppofition be made, that Christianity is an impofture; yet ftill let L 3

men

SERM, men of ingenuity attend to the precepts of III. it, (of which I have given a compendious account) and is there any one of them but what their confciences muft approve? If they mean to be good and worthy, must they not find themselves under a neceffity of walking according to thefe precepts ? Can they frame an idea of any thing more excellent than the true Chriftian spirit? And do not the inftructions, which we have in the New Teftament, concerning piety towards God, the almighty, infinitely wife and gracious Parent of the Univerfe, and the righteous Moral Governor of it, to whom we owe unreferved duty and obe dience, and upon whom is all our dependance; concerning juftice and good-will to mankind, and the exercife of all the focial virtues; concerning purity of taste and manners, and freedom from the tyranny of Jufts, and the evil fpirit of this world; inftructions, which convey the most liberal and generous fentiments, and form the fpirit into the most excellent and divine temper do not thefe inftructions, I fay, as foon as they are propofed and feriously attended to, enter deeply into the heart, and approve themselves to the confcience;

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