happiness, that we should do those things which tend most to our temporal welfare; that is, in plainer words, he promises to make us happy for ever, upon condition that we will but do that which is best for ourselves in this world. To conclude, religion is founded in the interest of men, rightly apprehended. So that, if the god of this world and the lusts of men did not blind their eyes, so as to render them unfit to discern their true interest, it would be impossible, so long as they love themselves and desire their own happiness, to keep them from being religious; for they could not but conclude that to be their interest, and being so convinced, they would resolve to pursue it.

SERMON III.

OF THE EXCELLENCY OF THE CHRISTIAN

RELIGION.

PHILL. iii. 8.

Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, Lord.

my

My design, from this text, is to represent the excellency of the Christian Religion above that of any other religion in the world;

First, As it more clearly reveals to us the nature of God, which is the great foundation of all religion.

Secondly, As it gives us a more certain and perfect law for the government of our lives. Thirdly, As it proposes more powerful arguments to persuade us to obey this law. And, Fourthly, As it furnishes better motives to patience and content under the evils and afflictions of this life.

Now these are the greatest advantages that any religion can have—to give men right apprehensions of God-a perfect rule of good life-prevailing arguments to persuade them to embrace such a life-and patience to bear the afflictions they may meet with in the course of it.

I. The Christian Religion more clearly reveals to us the nature of God than any other religion ever did. It gives him a more perfect, and a more lovely character: a more perfect, in representing him to us as a pure spirit, and that he is to be worshipped in such a manner as is most suitable to his spiritual nature; God is a spirit, says our Saviour, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth: a more lovely, in that there are no where so plain and full declarations of his mercy and love to the sons of men as are made in the gospel. The heathens did generally dread God, and look upon him as fierce, cruel, and

revengeful; and therefore endeavoured to appease him by the horrid and barbarous sacrifices of men, and of their own children: in the Old Testament he is usually styled the Lord of Hosts, the great and the terrible God: but in the New Testament he is represented to us as the Father of mercies, the God of all consolations, the God of all patience, the God of love and peace; nay, he is said to be love itself, and to dwell in love.

II. The Christian Religion has given us a more certain and perfect law for the government of our lives. It has made our duty more plain and certain in many instances than either the philosophy of the heathen, or the precepts of Moses had done. It commands universal love, and kindness, and good-will among men, a readiness to forgive our greatest enemies, to do good to them that hate us, to bless them that curse us, and to pray for them that despitefully use and persecute us; and it presses all this more vehemently, and forbids malice, revenge, and contention more strictly, than any other religon ever did before.

And as Christianity has given us a more certain, so likewise a more perfect law for the government of our lives. All the duties it requires of us are such as suit the reason of mankind; such as have their foundation in the nature of God, and are an imitation of the divine excellencies; such as tend to perfect hu

man nature, and to raise the minds of men to the highest pitch of goodness and virtue. The laws of our religion tend to the universal happiness of mankind; they command nothing but what is reasonable and useful; they omit nothing that may contribute to the glory of God, or the welfare of men; nor do they restrain us in any thing but what is contrary either to the regular inclinations of nature, or to our reason and true interest; and they forbid nothing but what is base and unworthy, a reproach to our understandings, and what tends either to our own private harm, or to public disorder and confusion.

And that this is the tenor of the laws of the gospel will appear from our Saviour's sermons and discourses; particularly that upon the mount; wherein he charges his disciples and followers to be humble, meek, righteous, merciful, pure, peaceable, patient under sufferings and persecutions, good and kind to all, even to those that are evil and injurious to us, and to endeavour to excel, in all goodness and virtue. This will likewise appear from the writings of the holy Apostles. St. Paul represents the design of the Christian doctrinein a very few words, but of admirable sense and weight, The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in

this present world, Titus ii. 11, 12. The same apostle makes this the main condition of the covenant of the gospel on our part, Let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity, 2 Tim. ii. 19. St. James describes the Christian doctrine (which he calls the wisdom that is from above) by these characters, It is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy, James iii. 17. St. Peter calls the gospel, the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue, whereby, saith he, are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be partakers of a divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, 2 Peter i. 3, 4; and upon this consideration he exhorts those to whom he writes to give all diligence, to add to their faith the several virtues of a good life, without which, he tells them they are barren and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. I will conclude with that full and comprehensive passage of St. Paul to the Philippians, Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things, Phil. iv. 8.

But the perfection of the laws of Christianity