CHAP. as was the Cafe of Cornelius, which gave occafion to thofe Words.

I.

AND as it approves of Obedience to the natural Law of Righteoufnefs in the Religion of the End, fo does it with Refpect to that of the Means, Repentance, and Prayer, in almoft infinite Places.

II. IT improves the good, and mends whatever was corrupted in either of them, at the fame time it mightily operates upon them both. It would be endlefs to enumerate in Particulars, the manifold Excellencies and Advantages of the Chriftian, over the Jewish, Pagan, or Mahometan Religion; as well in regard to its carrying those moral Virtues, which they all in common make a fhew of requiring, to greater Perfection than any of them; as in the better Ways and Means to attain them in that Perfection.

IN fhort, its grand Purpofe is to lead us to Heaven and unchangeable Happiness, by first recovering us to the Image of God, or the primæval Perfection of our Nature; by healing all its Infirmities, as concerning Evil; and animating all its Powers, Choices, and Paffions after true Good; by curing and removing all its Defects, Imperfections, and Hindrances, both in Knowledge and Practice, that are prejudicial to the fame. Thus the Rule of its Faith and Practice defcribes itself, able to make wife unto Salvation through Faith which is in Chrift Jefus; as profitable for Dorine, in that which is true in Divine Things; for Reproof, in that which is falfe in Doctrine; for Correction, in whatever is wrong in Practice; for Inftruction, in all Things good and righteous, that the Man of God may be throughly furnished to all good Works. To run over the three Branches of Duty: First,

* 2 Tim. iii. 15, 16.

First, THE Love of God, which was in a manner loft and swallowed up of Fear and horrid Apprehenfions, with refpect to their own difpiriting Guilt among the Gentiles, is clearly manifefted in that great, amiable, and most endearing Inftance, of fending his only begotten Son into the World, for the univerfal Redemption of it, fufficient to remove any unrighteous Thoughts of God's being partial. And the Command of loving with all the Heart, Soul, Strength, being very much ferviliz'd among the Jews, was made a placid and delightful Affection through the Christian Revelation, of its true Grounds and most engaging Reafons, of God first loving us, not we him: That he loved us yet being Enemies, fo very indulgently to our Happiness, that, if we have any Love for that, or ourselves, or for Loving-kindness of the greatest Coft and Condefcenfion poffible from Heaven, it must have its intended Operation in Shedding abroad the Love of God upon our Hearts, in fuch a Warmth, and fuch a Laftingness of Impreffion, as to conftrain us to re-love above all Things, the Divine Goodness, which concerted and effected thofe gracious Methods, and live to him we love.

THE Author of Christianity, &c. * cites 1 John iv. 19. for the Ground and Inducement of our Love to God, because he first loved us; wilfully dropping the very Inftance and Manner of his first loving us affign'd, ver. 10. viz. the fending bis Son to be a Propitiation for us. As if he dif dain'd for his own Part, and would induce every body else to the like Contempt, of not being beholden to any fuch Overtures of redeeming

СНАР.

I.

CHAP. Love: So imperfect and unfair, almost every I. where, are his forry Reprefentations of Christianity. !!

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THE Fear of God was tempered, and improved from that of Servants to that becoming Sons; which is fo encouraged, as to caft out fervile, diftant, unapproaching Fear. To be afraid to displease a Father, is a chofen Fear, and, of all Fear, most coercive from tranfgreffing againft him: Seeing he gave up his only begotten Son unto Death, the Wages of our Sin, that we might revive in the Body after its Deceafe, and live for ever and learn to ftand in Awe here of a Father fo much kinder to us; and of Sin fo ab horrent to him, and which will become our Ruin, when it ceases to be our Fear.

TRUST is endeared and improved upon the fame Grounds a Child has to depend upon a reconciled Father, in every Want of Things, fitteft for us: No more doubting his Care and Provifion for our Temporal State, in the due Ufe of lawful Means, than of his actual vifible WellProvidance for the Fowls of the Air, and the Lilies of the Field; both Fellow-Penfioners of the Di vine Providence, and yet altogether of fo much lefs Confideration than we. This is ridiculed by our Author *, but with great Ignorance; for no Argument in any Human Difcourfe, tending to the fame Conclufion, is to be compared to it for Self-Evidence, nor can any Topick, a minore ad majus, more beautifully, or half fo familiarly captivate the Mind of Man, or shame his diftruftful Logick, upon fuch a Subject. Whatever

*Page 312.

copies

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copies after Nature, is the true Sublime in Lan- CHAP. guage; and the most inward affecting Tubos, for the Perfuafion of all Men, as all Men are supposed to feel, and understand what they are born to, Nature.

BUT to return; if they are refpected with the fuper-intending Care of our Heavenly Father, we his Children, who have the Dominion over them for Use, may be very well affured of a much greater, and more particular Care, efpecially when we ferve him, and rule over them in the Kingdom of God, which is a Kingdom of perfect Friendship and Reconciliation. That, was there nothing elfe, ought to compofe our Minds, and free them from that Diftruft fo visible in the Gentiles, who knew not how God is their Father; and therefore rely fo anxiously, and yet fo fruitlefly, upon their own Care and Conduct altogether, as if there was none in Heaven to care for them, or mean them any Good. And as to trufting God for Pardon of Sin, and Supply of Spiritual Wants, where had they any? and yet what a Door of Affurance does Chriftianity fet open to all Supplicants? As if we faw the Lord God of our Salvation, knowing his Son, now fitting at his Right Hand, to have once died for our Sins, fign our Pardon with his own Hand, upon the eafy Conditions it is offered. If he has actually given us his only Son, the greatest of all poffible Gifts, how fhall he forbid any, or all jeffer Gifts and Graces to flow freely from that Fountain and Foundation of all his renewed Mercies unto Man? And knowing the given Son to be alfo Son of Man, our Advocate always, till he is our Judge, at the laft Day; feeing the Mercy and Juftice of God united to the Flesh D 4

and

CHA P. and Bones of Man, how fecure are we of Compaffion I. to our Infirmities, of a merciful Sentence, and of not remarking our Frailty, but our Wilfulness only?

HONOURING God in his Name, Attibutes, Providences, was buried under general Negle&; but restored and improved under Chriftianity, by newer, more charming and ingratiating Displays of each of them, and from much more endearing Reasons, jointly and feverally. So was wearing religiously by him, on folemn Occafions, degenerated into all manner of Evafions, Wantonneffes, and Prophanations, both among Jews, and Heathens; but reftored to its Religion and Sacredness, by the ftricteft Prohibitions against proftituting that Sacred Act of Religion (neceffary in the great Occafions, and Appeals of Society to the great Maker, Partaker, and Supreme Umpire of it) to any ordinary Trifles of the Bullies, and Scoundrels of it.

SINCERITY likewife towards God, fo effential to any manner of Pretence of Religion towards him who feeth in Secret, was fcandaloufly transformed by both of them into mere outward Shew and Formality; but retrieved to true Devotion and Godliness, by the feverest Condemnation of Hypocrify, and from the Confideration who is Infpector, and will be Judge, and what must be the folemn Account we fhall one Day. make up.

THE natural and reasonable Duty of Thanks giving, was fallen alfo into Difufe and Corruption among the Nations, and Jews, the most ungrate ful of the two; for upon these laft peculiar Dependants upon the Favours and Indulgences of

Heaven,