world to come. It alone could afford consolation to the heart, amidst the various evils to which we are exposed, and mitigate the painful sensations which we feel from temporal and spiritual maladies, by teaching us, that they shall work together for our good; and that our light af flictions, which are but for a moment, shall be succeeded by "an exceeding great, even an eternal weight of glory." It alone delivered promises, of the continual support of divine providence during the casualties of our earthly condition, and assured us, that God will never leave nor forsake us, but be our guide, even unto death. The gospel of Christ alone contains precepts which are holy, just, and good; suited to the happiness of mankind, and intended to promote the perfection of those who endeavour to obey them by lives of piety and holiness.-It also contains the discovery of gracious influences imparted from on high to the minds of the faithful, by which they are enabled to run in the way of God's commandments, and not be weary, to walk, and not faint;-till at last they attain as the end of their faith, the salvation of their souls.

Such being the important discoveries contained in that revelation which Christ delivered to the world, well may every true Christian adopt the sentiments of St. Peter in the text, Lord to whom shall we go, but unto thee, for thou hast the words of everlasting life. And yet, notwithstanding the superior excellence of Christianity, there are found men who either reject it as a superstitious system of religion, or who hold the truth in unrighteousness, by refusing to conform to its sacred laws. They either disbelieve those mysterious doctrines which it contains, as contrary to reason and common sense, or deem its duties too hard to be performed by the impotent powers of the human mind. The former of these classes of men embraces the principles of deism, and will not accede to any truth, unless it be intelligible to their understandings; the latter, though they are ready to believe any doctrine, will not so willingly undertake the performance of those duties, which are written in the book of the law to do them. But, if we would indeed partake of the blessings which

are promised in the gospel to every true disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ, we should be sensible of their value, and that we can only procure them by faith and obedience, which are the conditions required of us, in order to salvation. We cannot find any other religion, so well adapted as Christianity, to the circumstances in which we are placed; and, therefore, it becomes us to receive it as worthy of all acceptation, and regulate our lives by its injunctions, as they are not the words of men, but in truth and reality, the words of the living God. That we may be induced to hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, let us consider, in the remainder of this discourse,

I. The miserable condition of mankind, without the knowledge of the gospel of Christ, and the importance of the doctrines which it reveals.

II. The excellence of Christianity, in discovering to us the existence of a future state, and the means of preparing ourselves for its enjoyment.

III. The divine character and authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the reasonableness of believing in the revelation he has made.

IV. The application of the subject.

I. The miserable condition of mankind, without the knowledge and belief of the gospel, may appear by an investigation of the following particulars. In all those nations of the world, where the human mind has been left to form a system of religion, by the speculations of its own unassisted powers, the most absurd superstition has prevailed from age to age. Ignorant of the true God, they worship idols, the work of their own hands, as the representations of his invisible essence. Conscious of the depravity of their hearts and lives, and that they are thereby exposed to the indignation of their Maker, they sacrifice victims on the altars of their deities, and even offer the fruit of their body, for the sin of their soul. Uninstructed in right principles of moral obligation, they are addicted to every species of crimes, which the heart of man can devise, or the hand of man perpetrate. No

rational system of religion is established among them, nor any rules of conduct which might direct them in the practice of their duty. Accordingly, the heathen nations are universally sunk into the greatest depth of ignorance and profligacy; and are to every good work reprobate.If we compare the character of those nations, where Christianity has introduced the knowledge of the gospel, with that of the barbarous tribes, who inhabit a great part of the regions of the globe, we shall soon be convinced of the advantages derived from the mission of our Saviour in leading and guiding us unto all truth. Among the former, we shall meet with consistent opinions respecting those important facts which religion teaches; among the latter every ridiculous tenet which the most deluded imagination can invent. Among the former, we find refinement of manners, and freedom from those gross vices which debase the human character;-among the latter every species of immorality practised with impunity, and without remorse.

Whence arises this difference, but from the information communicated by the gospel to Christians, and from the want of it among the heathen nations? Human reason cannot supply that want, otherwise men who were skilful in the arts and sciences would also have attained a competent degree of knowledge in religion and morals. But, instead of this, we find nothing among them but superstitious idolatry; the creatures of the earth advanced to the rank of divinities, and men degrading themselves to a level with the beasts which perish. Time would fail me to recount the corruptions and extravagancies of the politest nations, both in ancient and modern times. Their religion was their reproach, and the services which they paid to their gods were a dishonour to them, and to themselves; for the most sacred part of their religion was the most impure; and so impious were many of its rites, that they could not be practised by its votaries in open day, but were commanded to be celebrated in the darkness of night. Nor was their practice any better than their faith, since they committed all iniquity with greediness, and became addicted to the most flagitious enormi

ties, both as communities, and as individuals. Even their notions of a future state, which generally have a powerful influence in directing human conduct, were calculated to inspire them with vain imaginations, rather than purify their minds, and spiritualize their affections.-In short, every people ignorant of the truth as it is in Jesus, are in a deplorable condition respecting the knowledge of those things which relate either to their present or future welfare.

And there is every reason to suppose, that mankind would still have been as great strangers to improvements in religious observances, and good behaviour, as their heathen ancestors, if Christianity had been hitherto withheld from the world. For we surely cannot boast of greater acquisitions in civil and political wisdom than the celebrated characters of Greece and Rome. If then, we are not superior to the heathen world in learning and science; what probability is there, that we would have surpassed them in the knowledge of religion? To this day, there is no alteration for the better in this respect, except in those countries where the scriptures are read, and the gospel is preached; and, therefore, Christianity is the only apparent cause of that refinement of sentiment and purity of morals which prevail among those who profess the true religion. To this day, many nations who have attained some degree of civilization, still worship four-footed beasts, and creeping things, instead of the living God, who made heaven and earth by his Almighty power, and still supports them by his unceasing provi dence. And we, who believe in God, and in Jesus Christ whom he has sent; who are instructed in every doctrine which is according to godliness, and directed in the path of duty so plainly, that he who runs may read, would have been as ignorant as the most savage tribes, if the light of the gospel had not shone upon our land, and illumined our minds with the knowledge of those truths, which have made us wise unto salvation.

If then we are instructed in the whole scheme of revelation, so that we understand the design of the Almighty in his proceedings with the children of men, do we not

owe our information to the gospel of Christ, which hath discovered all things necessary to be known for our edification? Is not Christ become our teacher, to whom we should take heed, in whatsoever he says unto us? To whom can we go but unto him, for direction in every particular which religion contains, what we are to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man? He alone is capable of resolving our doubts respecting many important doctrines, which unassisted reason could not discover to the human race. Accordingly, his religion alone unfolds to us the nature and perfections of the Deity; that he subsists in three persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and that these have different modes of operation, according to their relative connection with one another, in the government of the universe. His religion alone teaches us, that God hath created of one blood all nations on the face of the earth; that he hath appointed his only begotten Son to rule over them as his spiritual kingdom, and that he sends the Holy Ghost to excite in the minds of the faithful, dispositions after well-doing, and to establish their hearts in the practice of holiness. His religion alone instructs us, that we must worship God through the mediation of that great High Priest of our profession, and that through him we may expect to obtain every blessing of which we stand in need, pertaining both to life, and to godliness. The Christian religion is the only one which gives an account of the depravity of human nature, and the remedy devised for obtaining remission of our sins through the atonement of Christ Jesus, which was offered once for all; and the only one which informs us, that if we sin through infirmity, we have an advocate with the Father who ever liveth to make intercession for us, and render him propitious when we repent and amend our lives. Christianity alone informs us of the efficacy of repentance, that if the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and return to the Lord, he will have mercy upon him, and abundantly pardon, because the past transgressions of the penitent are expiated by the perfect obedience of that Saviour who hath