ef

acts of devotion, and under the countenance of which, the gratification of the very very worst of paffions was accounted, on many occafions, a real act of religious veneration and homage. And what could mere human philofophy do to correct fo vitiated a tafte? What great ficacy had it ever in fact, to clear these prejudices out of the breafts of men, to fubdue the ftrong paffions for thefe fhews and exercises, that had bewitched and captivated the whole heathen world, and put a stop to those enormities, to which natural inclination prompted them, and which were thought highly honourable and acceptable to the gods they worshipped. In fuch circumstances, had human wisdom and philofophy been much more perfect, than they ever appear to have been, they could not have stemmed the furious torrent, that bore down all truth and righteousness before it; and I think, upon the whole, we may be allowed to fay, that it muft be the voice and power of God, and not the power, eloquence and wisdom of men, that alone was able to awaken in them better fentiments, cure their deep-rooted prejudices, bring them to the acknowledgment of himfelf, and the belief and approbation of pure, undefiled and acceptable religion. And this brings me

II. To the fecond general, which is to fet before you, that great and important change God was pleased to introduce amongst man

kind;

kind; for which human philofophy and wifdom had been fo long found by experience to be altogether ineffectual. Since the world was not to be convinced, and brought to the acknowledgment and worthip of God, as the great and glorious Creator, by the numerous marks of power, wisdom, and fkill that abounded in all his works; God was pleafed to take this affair into his own hands, and to bring about the falvation of mankind, by means of his own immediate appointment. It pleafed God to fave them that believe, by introducing the gofpel of Chrift, and bringing them to the knowledge and belief of it.

Now this falvation confifts, in mens being delivered from that grofs ignorance, and those deftructive prejudices and errors, in matters of the greatest importance and concern, under which they had for many ages lain, and for which human wifdom had never been able to find out and apply any competent remedy. This God effected, by caufing the light of the glorious gofpel of his Son, to fhine in upon their bearts, and carry fuch full conviction of the truth of the principles it revealed, as rendred them fincere converts to the belief of them. In this the one only living and true God is reprefented in the cleareft view, in the infinite perfection and rectitude of his nature, in the univerfal providence which he exercises, and efpecially in his abundant mercy and goodness, the riches of his grace, and his eternal and unchangeable purposes, in reference to their

eternal

eternal redemption by Jefus Chrift. Here we farther learn, what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, what is that pure and undefiled worship which he requires, what those dispositions and affections he would have us cultivate, what thofe duties he would have us perform, what thofe hopes he allows us to cherish, and what that reward and happinefs we may finally expect from his infinite and unmerited goodness. Herein we have that most important difcovery of a future ftate, the impartial judgment of the world to come, and the great events of everlasting life and death, that are hereafter to take place, in confequence of our present actions, whether good or evil. Ignorance in these things is not only the fhame and reproach of mankind, but of the most dangerous confequence to them; and though the philosophy of the antients conveyed few or no juft fentiments in these particulars, feldom pretended to give any clear decifive inftructions concerning them; and left the world for many ages almost intirely in the dark, or in a flate of the most abfolute uncertainty about them; yet the gospel of Chrift, the moment it is attended to and embraced, instantly difpels the darknefs, opens the mind to the most useful dif coveries, and brings men at once to the knowledge of all thofe interefting truths, which they can be concerned to understand, in order to discharge their duty, and fecure their happinefs. And had it not been for this heaD venly

venly light, we had unquestionably been to this day in the fame fubftantial night and palpable darknefs, as to these principles, that they were, and are, who never enjoyed it. Redemption from ignorance, fuperftition, and error, into the knowledge of God, and all the genuine doctrines of religion, comes only by the gofpel of Chrift, and is not to be ob tained by any other inftitution whatsoever; and by whomfoever it is regarded and receiv ed as a divine revelation, it will infallibly prove the power of God thus to inlighten and fave them.

And what renders this falvation of God the more valuable is, the answerable change it introduces, into the religious practices and morals of mankind; fo great and fo intire a one, as that the Scriptures reprefent it by a new creation, regeneration, and being born again, the putting off the old, and putting on the new man; which though figurative expreffions, yet have a real meaning, and certainly denote fuch an intirely new moral difpofition and character, as renders perfons intirely different from their former felves; as though God had formed them anew, given them a fecond and better birth, and quite altered them from the men they were before. Thefe expreffions had unquestionably a peculiar emphafis, as applied to thofe, who were converts from the rites and corrupt practices of the Jews, and especially from the impieties, idolatries, and vices that abounded in the Gentile world. Here with

with the utmoft propriety it might be faid, all old things were done away, and all things became new; nor are the expreffions too strong, when applied to denote that change, which is made in the difpofitions and characters of those, who are now reclaimed from a sensual profligate ftate, by the word and fpirit of God, and prevailed with ferioufly to enter into the fpirit and life of genuine chriftianity. For how intire, how happy is the change! How different are the difpofitions and affections they cherish and exercife towards God and man! difpofitions of reverence, love, gratitude, truft, fubmiffion, and obedience towards him; difpofitions of univerfal righteousness, benevolence, humanity, and goodness towards them. How intirely altered is their conduct towards both! Inftead of not retaining God in their hearts, he intirely poffeffes them, and in every ftate in which they are, they abide, and walk bumbly with him. No longer placing religion in fuperftitions, rites and ceremonies, they worship him in spirit and truth; by the exercife of pure affections, by the fpiritual facrifices of prayer and thanksgivings, and by abounding in all the good works effential to the chriftian life and character. And with refpect to men, instead of uncleanness, batred,variance, emulations, wrath, ftrife, feditions, envies, murthers, drunkennefs, revellings, and fuch like manifeft works of the flesh, oh how different are thofe fruits of the fpirit, in which, as believers in Chrift, they abound! love, joy, D 2 peace,