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of Men by Pliny, Lucian, and Julian the Apostate himself; by those who had moft narrowly enquired into their Doctrines and Practices, and were worst affected to them. And by these means, the Christians became as fo many Lights in the World, to guide and direct others in the ways of Vertue: for by their Example and Doctrine, they, foon reform'd even the Heathen World to a great degree. Morality was taught by the Philofophers in much greater Perfection than ever it had been before; and they became fo much afhamed of the Groffnefs of their idolatrous Worship, that they fought out all Arts to refine and excufe it. And thofe Vices, which made up fo great a part of their idolatrous Myfteries, appear'd too abominable to pafs any longer for Religion. The Oracles foon ceas'd, and the feducing Spirits confefs'd, that they were hindred from giving out their Answers by the Power of Chrift; and all that Julian the Apoftate could do, was ineffectual to bring the Heathen Oracles into Reputation again. Thefe are things before infifted upon, and fo notorious in Hiftory, that they cannot be denied to be folely owing to the Power and Influence of the Christian Religion.

I fhall mention but one Inftance more; and that is, the barbarous Cruelty of the Heathen Religions which the Gospel has deliver'd the World from. For they were wont to offer up innocent Men and Children in facrifice to their falfe Gods, and that frequently, and in fome places daily, and in times of great Danger, and upon extraordinary occafions, they facrific'd fo great numbers of Men at once, that it would be incredible, if we had not the Authority of the best Hiftorians for the Truth of it. And this Custom of facrificing Men to their Gods, prevail'd not only here in Britain, and in other Countries, which

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Plin. Epift. ad Trajan. lib. 10. Epift. 97. Lucian. de morte Peregrini. Julian. Epift. 49. & Fragment. Epift. p. 305. Edit. Lips.

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were accounted barbarous, but all over Greece, and in Rome it felf. It may well feem ftrange to us now, that such a Practice should so generally prevail in the World, yet nothing is more certain from all Hiftory, than that it did prevail, and that Men were with difficulty brought off from it. For when Mankind was thus cruelly tyrannized over by bloody Dæmons, nothing but the onnipotent Mercy of God could refcue them. And for this purpose the Son of God was manifefted, that he might deftroy the works of the Devil, 1 Joh. iii. 8. which he foon did, Beafts and Idols were no longer worshipp'd, and Men were no longer made Sacrifices, when once Christianity began to appear in its full Power and Efficacy in the World. The plain and humble Doctrine of him that was laid in a Manger, and died upon a Crofs, was in a short time more effe&tual to reform Mankind, than all the Precepts of Philofophers, and the Wisdom and Power of Law-givers had ever been.

Those Enemies to their own Souls, who are fo fond of little Cavils against the Gospel, as if they were refolv'd not to be faved by it, yet owe the Happiness of this present Life in great measure to its influence: they would not have been fo fafe in their Bodies and Estates, nay, perhaps they might have been facrific'd to fome cruel Dæmon long before this, if that Religion which they refolve to defpife, but will not be at the pains to understand, had not been believ'd by wifer and better Men. Of fo great Advantage has the Gofpel been to thofe, who will not be reclaim'd and converted by it, it has destroy'd the Works of the Devil, and has difpoffefs'd him of that Tyranny, which he held over Mankind; it has made the unconverted World lefs vicious, and has banish'd all the profefs'd Patrons and Deities of Wickedness from amongft Men; it has made Idolatry lefs practis'd, and reduced it to narrower Bounds, confining it to the remoter parts of the Earth and every where, upon the X 4 first

first Approach of the Gospel, the evil Spirits are difarm'd of their Power, and flee away before it, as we learn from the Hiftory of Lapland, and other Coun tries, So general a Bleffing is the Gospel of Christ, that even Unbelievers are the better for it in this World, tho' they exclude themfelves from the Benefit of it in the next. And the Chriftian is the only Religion against which the common Objection concerning the Prejudices of Education in favour of it, cannot be urged: For as it firft prevail'd in the World, by conquering all the Prejudices of Education, so it still maintains it felf against all the Oppofition thatcorrupt Nature, and a vicious Education, can make to it.

Indeed, it may feem a needless thing, to have been thus large in the Proof of the Excellency of the pra&tical Doctrine contain'd in the Scriptures; when God knows this is the greatest Exception, that most Men have against them: And if the Precepts were not fo ftrict and holy, but they might be allow'd to live in their Sins, half the Evidence we have for the Authority of the Scriptures would fatisfy them.

VII. The higheft Myfteries of the Chriftian Religion are not merely fpeculative, but have a neceffary Relation to Practice, for the Advancement of Piety and Vertue amongst Men. As there is nothing in the practical Duties taught and enjoin'd by the Scriptures, but what is moft excellent and worthy of God, and which has rais'd and improv'd the Nature of Man beyond what could have been attain'd to without it: fo the fpeculative Doctrines have as evident Characters of the Wisdom and Goodnefs of God. They all tend to the Advancement of our Nature, to make us better, more wife, and more happy; and are not defigned to gratify a vain and ufelefs Curiofity, but to excite in us the Love of God, and a Care and Concernment for our own Happinefs. They fet before us the Original and Creation of all things, the Innocence in which Man was firft created, and God's

Love and Compaffion to him after his Fall; how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft are concern'd in our Redemption; that the Father fent his Son, that the Son was born, that he liv'd a defpifed and perfecuted Life, and at last underwent for us a most shameful and grievous Death; that he rofe again and afcended into Heaven, and there continually intercedes for us, and that he fent the Holy Ghoft, the Comforter who fupports and affifts us under all Temptations and Dangers in our way thither, and will, if we be not wanting to our felves, fafely conduct us to Heaven, there to reign with Chrift in eternal Blifs and Glory, both of Body and Soul; but if we will be disobedient, and obftinate to our own Ruin, we must be eternally tormented with the Devil and his Angels,

The Apostles, who, without Learning or Philofophy, taught the most fublime and ufeful Truths more. plainly than the wifeft Philofophers ever had done, must derive their Knowledge from a higher Principle than they did. It is impoffible for the Wit of Man to contrive any thing fo admirably fitted to procure the Happiness of Mankind, as their Doctrines are; no Precepts can be more righteous and holy, no Rewards more excellent, nor Punishments more formidable, than those of the Gospel; and which is above all, no Religion befides ever afforded, nor could all the Reason of Mankind ever have found out, fuch powerful Motives to the Love of God, which is the only true Principle of Obedience. Our Religion contains no dry and empty Speculations, but all its Myfteries are Mysteries of Love and Mercy: Others may fear God, but it is the Chriftian only that can truly love him, and truft in him, and in all Conditions, in Life and in Death, look up to him, as his Father, his Saviour, and Comforter. This Religion places Men In the Prefence of God, and entitles them to his peculiar Favour and Care; it declares God to be their Friend and Protector here, and their everlasting Re

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warder after Death; it promifes and affures us of all the Happiness both in Body and Soul, that we are capable of; which is the utmost that can be expected, or wifh'd for from any Revelation, and the proper and peculiar Reason, why God should establish Religion in the World.

It appears from this whole Difcourfe, that nothing is wanting in the Books of the Old and New Testament, which can be expected in any Revelation. They are of the greatest Antiquity, and have been preach'd throughout the World; and have abundant Evidence both by Prophecies and Miracles, of their Divine Au thority; and the Doctrine contain'd in them is fuch, as God must be supposed to reveal to Mankind, having visible Characters in it of the Divine Goodness and Holiness, and having exceedingly conduced to the Reformation of the World.

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