fome affistance in making this examination, by answering, in the best manner I can, the following inquiries.

What is the Gofpel? What inftruction does it convey? What is the information which renders it a GLORIOUS GOSPEL worthy of the bleffed God?

The word Gofpel, as you well know, is derived, both in the English and the Greek languages, from two words, which fignify GOOD NEWS. The very title given it, therefore, in my text, intimates to us its general nature and defign. It is a communication of good tidings to mankind from the bleffed God.

Before I enter upon an account of the particulars of this information, my views in this and fome following difcourfes require me to obferve to you, that there is a great diverfity of opinions among Christians on this fubject. The different accounts which have been given of the Gospel of Christ are indeed numberlefs; and they have given rife to many great evils; particularly, the two following.

First. An objection to Chriftianity has been founded upon them on which great ftress has been laid; and which, I fear, has prevented fome from giving the evidence for it a patient and favourable hearing. It has been urged that, if the Gospel was in

deed

deed a revelation from heaven, it would be fo clear and explicit as to leave no room for fuch differences, and to preclude all difputes about its meaning, a dark revelation being, as unbelievers fay, an inconfistency, which implies a reflection on the perfections of the Deity, and equivalent to no revelation.. Those who make this objection go upon. the fuppofition, that God can be the author of no information which is capable of being misunderstood, and, confequently of creating disputes. There cannot be a more groundless fuppofition. God conveys in formation to us by our reafon, as well as by revelation. The light of nature is a light derived from him as well as the light of the Gofpel; and there is no more reason to expect that the one fhould be fo clear as to exclude mistakes and difputes than the other. While we continue fuch frail and fallible creatures as we are, it is impoffible that we should not be in danger of falling into differences of opinion, and fometimes into grofs errors; and to complain of this. would be much the fame with complaining because we are not made omnifcient and perfect beings. There is not a principle of common fenfe that has not been controverted, nor a truth discoverable by the light of reafon of which different accounts have not been given, and which has not been mifconceived

conceived and perverted. And yet no one ever thinks of inferring from hence that reason is not the gift of God, or that it is not a valuable gift. There is just as little reafon for drawing the like inference concerning Christianity from the different opinions, and the difputes among its profeffors.

But there is another answer to this objection which is more to my present purpose ; and which I fhall take notice of, after mentioning the next great evil arifing from the disputes among Chriftians. I mean, the em barraffments they occafion in the minds of many good men.

It is impoffible, when plain and honest men hear the different parties among Christians contradicting one another in the manner they do; one faying, this is the Gospel of Chrift; and another saying the contrary; and all positive and dogmatical: It is, I fay, impoffible that, in fuch circumstances, a plain man, unaccustomed to inquiry, fhould not be puzzled, and thrown into a state of perplexity and distraction. Most of these parties lay the greatest stress on their accounts of the Gofpel; and too many go fo far as to connect falvation with them, and to confign to hell all that do not receive them. I fhould do an effential fervice could I remove the stumbling blocks which these litigations throw in the way of common Christians.

Chriftians, And my chief intention, in the prefent discourse, is to attempt this, by fhewing you, that Christians, of all parties, however they may cenfure one another, and whatever oppofition there may seem to be in their fentiments, are agreed in all that is effential to Christianity, and with refpect to all the information which it is its principal defign to communicate. Should this appear, it will fet our minds at ease amidst the controverfies that take place in the Christian church, and enable us to look with an equal eye of charity and candour on all our fellow Chriftians: And it will alfo effectually remove that objection to Christianity which I have mentioned.

In attempting this, I will recite to you thofe doctrines and facts of Christianity which all Chriftians believe, and which are fo plainly revealed as to exclude the poffibility of difputes about them; after which, I will fhew you the nature of the differences among Christians, in order to prove that the doctrines univerfally received are all that are effential.

In the first place; the Gospel teaches us that there is only one living and true God. This is a fundamental doctrine which the New Teftament holds forth to us in almost every page. There is but one being good, fays Jefus Chrift, that is God. There are, fays

fays St. Paul, Gods many; but to us there is but one God, the Father. Many of our fellow Chriftians, indeed, maintain doctrines which feem to clash with this effential doctrine; but they all profefs to believe it, and with fo much zeal, as to be greatly offended whenever they are charged with contradicting it. Though the Divine nature, according to them, confifts of three perfons; and the Son (one of these perfons) confifts of two natures; yet these three perfons make but one being. If there is a palpable abfurdity in this, it only proves that the Gospel teach es the Divine Unity fo decifively as to force every Christian to acknowledge it, however inconfiftent with his other opinions his ac knowledgment of it may be.

But farther; the Gospel teaches us, with perfect clearness, that this one God is pof feffed of all poffible perfection; that he is infinitely wife, powerful, righteous, and benevolent; that he is the moral Governor of the world, an enemy to all wickedness, and a friend to all goodness; and that he directs all events by his Providence so particularly as that the hairs of our heads are all numbered, and that a sparrow does not fall to the ground without him. It teaches us alfo to imitate, to ferve, and to worship him, and to put our trust in him; and comprehends the whole of our duty in loving him