of this incomparable heavenly Teacher, to produce and maintain a folid Peace and Tranquillity of Mind, which is of great Importance to our Happiness. He furnitheth the most effectual Confiderations both to free us from anxious distrustful Cares and Sollicitude, and to raise us above all base flavish Fears of Men and of worldly Evils and Calamities, and to engage us to poffefs our Souls in Patience and Contentment. Instead of finking into Dejection and Defpondency, he exhorteth his Difciples to rejoice, when reviled and perfecuted for Righteousness Sake, because great would be their Reward in Heaven; and yet, at the fame Time that he infpires them with a noble Divine Fortitude, he doth not encourage a forward enthufiaftic Rashness, and needlefs Running into Dangers. He would have their Zeal tempered with Prudence, and that they should be wife as Serpents, as well as fimple as Doves.

But that which crowneth all his other Precepts is this, that, whilft he urgeth us to aspire to the nobleft Heighths of Purity and Virtue, he inftructeth us to disclaim all high Thoughts of ourselves, and a vainglorious Confidence and Boafting in our own Merits and Righteousness. He taketh all Occafions to mortify Pride and Self-sufficiency. Never was an amiable Humility recommended

recommended and inforced in fuch an engaging Manner as by our Lord Jefus Chrift, which alfo was admirably exemplified in his own Temper and Conduct.

Upon the Whole it may be faid, that Christ hath exhibited a moft beautiful harmonious Scheme of Practical Religion, pure and perfect to the higheft Degree, and yet not carried to any unreasonable Extremes. And as he hath given the most excellent Precepts and Directions, to instruct us in every Part of our Duty; fo, the more effectually to animate us to the Performance of it, he hath fet before us the most powerful and engaging Motives that can poffibly be offered to the human Mind. He draweth us by all the Charms of infinite Love and Goodness. The whole Doctrine of our Redemption and Salvation by Jefus Chrift, which firft began to be published by the Lord himself, both layeth us under the ftrongest Obligations, and furnisheth the moft powerful Encouragements to holy Obedience. He hath affured us of God's Readiness to grant us the gracious Affistances of his Holy Spirit, and bath brought a glorious Immortality, into a clear and open Light, and hath given the most exprefs Promifes of eternal Life, as a Reward of a fincere, though imperfect, Obedience. Nor can any Thing be more engaging to a good

Mind than the Idea he teacheth us to form

of that future Happineis, which he reprefenteth as confifting in the blif-ful Vision of God, and in a Participation of the fame Glory with Chrift himself. He affureth us alfo of a bleffed Refurrection, and, whereas the Jews had formed very grofs and carnal Conceptions concerning it, the Account he giveth of it is wonderfully grand and noble, as well as full of Confolation and Encouragement, and tendeth to raise in us the highest Ideas of the Wisdom, Power, and Goodness of God.

And, laftly, he hath made ampler Dif coveries of the future general Judgment, and the important Iffues that fhall attend it, than ever were made to the World before; and, which must needs have a mighty Influence upon us, and give great Weight to his Inftructions and Laws, he hath acquainted us that he himself will judge the World in the Father's Name; and that the great judicial Process fhall be carried on with the utmost Exactness and Impartiality, as well as with the greateft Solemnity. And, that no Motive may be wanting, he hath not only made the most inviting Difplays of the Happiness and Reward that fhall be conferred upon the Righteous, but the most awful Representations of the Misery and Punishment that shall be in

flicted

flicted upon the finally Impenitent and Difobedient.

It is manifeft, from this general Account that hath been now given of our Saviour's Inftructions, that they are of a practical Tendency, and relate to Things which it highly concerneth us to know, and which have the nearest Connection with our Happiness. These were important Leffons worthy of the Son of God, when taking upon him the Character of a Teacher fent from Heaven to inftruct a World funk into an amazing Ignorance and Corruption. Several of thefe Things were either not known at all, or not clearly and certainly, till he appeared. And from him was derived all that his Apostles afterwards taught on these Heads, and the Scheme of Religion they published to the World: For they delivered to others what they themselves received of the Lord; and the Commiffion given them, and which they faithfully executed, was this, that they should teach all Things whatJoever be commanded them.

I would conclude with thefe two Reflections:

First, That our Lord Jefus Christ hath given an excellent Pattern to all Ministers of the Gofpel, to take Care that their Teaching be of a practical Nature; that they do not amufe their Hearers with curious and unprofitable

profitable Notions, or with Questions and Strifes of Words, as St. Paul speaks; but that the Doctrine they teach be, like that of their great Lord and Master, a Doctrine according to Godliness; fuch as may tend to produce and promote a real vital Piety in the Hearts and Lives of Men.

Secondly, The other Reflection is, that Chriftians, above all others, are under peculiar Obligations to apply themselves to the Practice of Righteoufnefs and true Holinefs, which was fo powerfully recommended by our bleffed Lord, and to promote which was the great and ultimate End of his admirable Inftructions. Let us not therefore content ourselves with mere outward Profeffions, or with a fpeculative Belief, or a partial Obedience; but endeavour to go on in an uniform Courfe of Piety and Virtue, ftill afpiring to higher Degrees of Perfection. It is by this that we fhall fhew that we have a juft Regard to his Divine Teaching, and that we obey from the Heart the Form of Doctrine which was delivered to us. Rom. vi. 17: We cannot more effectually honour the Redeemer, than by taking Care that the Beauty and Excellency of his Doctrines and Precepts be amiably exemplified in our own Temper and Conduct.

VOL. IV.

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