CHAP. Time, reckoning up the whole Counfel of God [I. in manifefting his Son in the Flesh, and rehearfing before the Elders of Ephefus, the moft material Things of that Gofpel, which he, for his Part, preached with fuch zealous Diligence and Fidelity, as to be free from the Blood of all Men, by his holding nothing back of what was indifpenfably neceffary both to Jews and Greeks, fums up, in Repentance towards God, and Faith towards our Lord Jefus Chrift*. No wonder, therefore, if that Faith fo often ftands for the Christian Religion in general, feeing it is the principal Inftrument for carrying on its Defigns for promoting Repentance, which promotes the Endeavours after, and Practice of all good Works.

AND here it may not be unufeful to offer a Solution of that implicated perplexing Question, What is true Religion? What must I do to be faved? Because the true Anfwer will, at the fame Time, account for the different Descriptions, and feeming Catalogues of Fundamentals, and Abridgments of the Contents of Chriftianity, as they occur in Holy Scripture, The Question is not one, but many, even a Legion, if one was to count by the Number of Answers given to it; affording rather a negative Knowledge what it is not, than pofitively what it is; the pregnant Occafion of Confufion and Wrangle, and of being toffed to and fro with every Wind of Doctrine! wrong Apprehenfions and Miftakes muft continue, till that negative manner of refolving is changed into fome pofitive, fatisfactory Account of it; which is eafily attainable both in general, and par-, ticular, if we would but measure it by, and ap

ply it to its Ends and Designs in general, and CHAP, particular.

THE Question cannot be put with respect to the Religion of the END, because that is no Question, all are agreed: When it is afked therefore, What is true Religion? It must be underftood only, What is the true Religion of the MEANS? Now the Defign of the Holy Scriptures, or Christianity in general, being to make us wife unto Salvation, and recover us from a vain Conversation to the Happiness and Perfection of our Nature; from an accufing Difobedience to God's Laws, and confequently fearful apprehenfions of Punishment, to that fincere Compliance we are capable of, which may make us fecure of his Favour, and a Recompence; by removing all Hindrances both in Knowledge and Practice; and affording all neceffary Aids, Motives, and Helps; it must follow, that there are juft fo many Designs of Chriftianity in particular, as there are Imperfections and Hindrances in Knowledge, and Practice, to be removed and amended; and as there are Helps and Motives wanting to effect it, with regard to the Religion of the END, and of the MEANS. It must therefore be, as it is, variously fet forth and defcribed in its Defigns in Holy Writ, according to the Variety of thofe Exigencies, and Defects both in the Religion of the End, and the Means: As if, whenever it applies itself in either of those Cafes, to any People, it was its main and only Bufinefs to redress that Defect, or fupply the wanted Motive. To put the Question in general, "What is true Religion?" When the Want and Application is only in particular (and almost always it is put in Reference to Particulars only,

to

II.

CHAP. to fome few or more Contents of it:) It is much II. fuch a Question, as what is Law? Or what is Phyfick?

To the former, fuppofe one to answer, "The "beft or trueft Syftem of Law is that which or"ders every thing that is right, by a competent

Authority, for the Good of the Whole: "Though that is, perhaps, a right Account in general, forafmuch as all Laws are refolved into it, and from thence derive their Reason, and Powers of obliging. But, notwithstanding it ought to be efteemed a fatisfactory adequate Answer in general to fuch a general Queftion, it feldom answers the Mind of the Afker, because he generally means, according to the Country he has been bred in, and the Laws and Customs he has been inured to, almost nothing elfe, but the Law of his own Country. And as often as he means that, the Way to bring him in Satisfaction, is first to ask him what is his Cafe of Wrong, which he would have the Law accountable to him for, it being the Bufinefs of all Law to prevent and redress Wrong. And then as he fheweth his Matter, let him be answer'd accordingly, by fhewing what the Law is in that Cafe; how particularly it diftinguishes his Right, and with what Penalties enforces the Recovery of it; and that will be the most pertinent and contenting Answer to fuch a Querift. Again, to the other Question, What is Phyfick? If one should reply, "It is a Pro"feffion, undertaking to cure all Diftempers, "curable:" It may be, he utters the whole Truth: Still the Querift finds himself nothing the better for that general Truth; becaufe either he himself, or fome of his Friends aileth fomething, and he would gladly know a Remedy.

If that was his Meaning, (and most likely it was,) CHA P. viz. What Cure and Affiftance can Phyfick bring II. to me, or my Neighbour? The ready and the only good Answer to fuch a Patient is, firft to find out, by asking proper Questions, what his Ailment is, and then prefcribe the proper Medicine accordingly. And as that is true Law, and Proceedings of Law, which in all Cafes anfwers its Intendment, in rectifying what is wrong among Subjects, by confulting the Good of the Whole: And as that is true Phyfick which cor- . refponds to its Undertaking in endeavouring the most effectual Means, for curing all Diseases curable: So, in the Application, that is Religion, and that is true Religion, which is best framed and adapted to obtain its obligatory wholefome Defigns upon voluntary rational Creatures, by redreffing all that is wrong, and wanting; and healing what is disorderly in their Converfation; and inducing them by the most powerful Means and Motives, to difcharge their Obligations in the three Branches of Relation which God, and the Conftitution of Things, have placed them under; to purfue the Religion of the End, and use the Religion of the Means, in order to perform it with greater Care, and to the greatest Perfection, that it may conclude in fo much greater Happiness to the Performer.

BUT then confidering again, in particular, that when Christianity enter'd the World, Mens Converfation was mixed up of fome little Good and very much Evil, fome Truth with a great deal of Error; and none, perhaps, fo completely wicked as to have no one Virtue, or Seed of good in them (that Character, I prefume, belonging to none but the Devil, the Evil one :) If a

Mixture

II.

CHAP. Mixture of Good and Evil, Virtue and Vice, then the Evil and the Error only wanted to be purged away, and the contrary Good and Truth to be planted in their room, by thofe Applications that can beft effect it. Thus Truth is ferviceable to Good, in driving out Error, as often as it is the Author of Evil. And if Men and Chriftians are ftill at this Day, and ever will be, a Miscellany of Right and Wrong, Senfe and Reason, more or lefs; partly finful, partly virtuous; and they who have the most Virtues have them in the Allay of Human Imperfection: And if this is the undoubted State of the Cafe; What Thing elfe, or what Thing better in particular, can the Chriftian Religion be? Than to fupply every Lack of Virtue, and of the Truth that has a Tendency to promote Obedience, and remove every Sin and Irregularity in Practice, and every Error alfo in Judgment, fo far as it has an Influence on the other. To touch upon our Duty and Obligations in the aforefaid Diftribution.

IN the Religion of the End, as to ourselves; Is Humility, the previous Ground of all Inftruction and neceffary Knowledge inceptive of Difcipleship wanting? You find it the Bufinefs of Christianity, in its Endeavours to cure us of all our Maladies and Disorders, to fupply that Defect almost in the firft Place: For our Lord came not to call the Righteous, fuch as conceited themfelves fuch, like our Author, but Sinners to Repentance; which Text he ftrangely perverts, pag. 42. as if his twelve Difciples were the most fcandalous Sinners in the World. Thus begins the first Words of our bleffed Mafter's Sermon, Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. For they only will learn God's Ways, how

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