appointed a day, in which he will judge the world by the man Christ Jesus.' Hence it is that these two, or rather this one article relating to a resurrection and a judgment to come, was the main thing which the Apostles had in commission to publish to the world; insomuch that, when a new Apostle was to be chosen in the room of Judas, it was required, as a necessary article, that he should be qualified to be a competent witness of the resurrection of Christ, in which the authority of this great article was founded. : But to what purpose was it to restore religion from the corruptions of ignorance and superstition; to what end was this better hope' brought in? Since our first parents, who wanted not this hope, nor this knowlege, yet wretchedly fell from both by transgression, what security can we, their sons, still worse than they, promise ourselves from these advantages? It is we that are weak and degenerate; it is we that most of all want to be restored this original corruption made it necessary, in order to save the world, not only to restore religion, but nature herself. Hence it is that our admission into the gospel is attended with a new birth unto righteousness; hence it is that we are put under the conduct and direction of the Holy Spirit, who is our fellow-laborer in the gospel, and in all times and in all places ready to comfort and support the faithful. If, to strengthen our confidence in him, we are told that he is in all respects equal to the extensive charge; that, being the eternal Spirit of God, he can in all places and at all times discharge the office; this knowlege, which was communicated to make our faith and hope consistent, and to set both on a reasonable foundation, ought to be no objection against either. And since these articles of our creed, being beyond the discovery of human reason, are placed on the surer foundation of the demonstration of the Spirit, in mighty signs and wonders, they ought to be no stumbling-block to us; for the reason may teach us to embrace the remedy which she could not provide. It is true, the gospel has taught us things which by nature we could not know; but they are all designed to confirm and strengthen our hope in God: it is true also that there are some institutions in the gospel which in their own nature are no constituent parts of religion; but they are such only as are neces sary to enable us to do our duty, by conveying to us new supplies of spiritual strength. These are the additions which the gospel has made to natural religion; forgive its injury. Our blessed Saviour saw that the hopes of nature were lost, therefore he brought to light again life and immortality he saw that we were corrupted, not able to resist evil, and therefore he supplied the defect by the assistance of his holy Spirit; pardon his care, and do not think the worse of him or his religion, for the great provision he has made in it for your security. These considerations may perhaps suggest to your thoughts what probable ground there is to hope for success in our endeavors to spread the gospel of Christ in the dark corners of the world; and what is the true method of proposing it to the uninstructed part of mankind. But as I choose to decline this subject, and to leave it to the properer hands on which it is placed, I shall shut up all with this petition: that God would hasten the completion of the prophecies relating to the kingdom of Christ; that he would give him the heathen for his inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession, that he may be his salvation to all people. SUMMARY OF DISCOURSE VII. PSALM CXXII.-VERSE 6. NOTHING places religion in a more disadvantageous point of view, than an opinion that the present peace and prosperity of the world is foreign to its ends and purposes. It is shown that a concern for the welfare of our country is not only a political but a religious virtue; a care that becomes us not only as citizens, but as Christians: more particularly because religion is so connected with our civil rights, that there is no hope of saving it out of the ruins of our country. The psalm from which the text is taken turns wholly on two topics; the temporal prosperity of Jerusalem considered as the head of the civil government, in which the happiness of the whole nation was concerned; and as the seat of true religion, as God's own city, on whose peace depended the security of that religion : these points enlarged on. From this great authority in the text two considerations are brought home to ourselves: I. what reason we have on both these accounts to bless God for our deliverance from the late rebellion II. what obligations we are under, from the same motives, to use our own best endeavors in perpetuating the blessing of this deliverance. I. Some arguments there are which require rather a capacity of feeling than any great acuteness of judgment to apprehend them; such as those drawn from a sense of pleasure or pain, from an experience of the conveniences or inconveniences of life this position applied to the case in question. Had men a proper sense of the miseries of times past, it would teach them what consequences they might expect from any successful attempt against the present establishment, or what usage a protestant church would find, under the corruption and superIstition of that of Rome. Reasons given for the exclusion of papists from the affairs of government. Historical account of the treatment which heretical princes have met with from the church of Rome. Conduct of those who had courage and plain dealing enough to refuse their assent to the Hanoverian succession, and thereby to forego civil advantages, contrasted with the guilt of those who, after having bound themselves by solemn oaths and obligations, openly or secretly favored the rebellion. II. Our obligation to perpetuate our deliverance considered. This obligation is but the necessary consequence of the duty which we are now met to perform. Thanksgiving is little more than a solemn mockery, if we feel no value for the deliverance; and in vain do we pray for God's assistance in any case, while we neglect the means of helping ourselves which he has put into our power. How much the preservation of the establishment depends on the success of public councils, every body knows: what private men can do, they best know: many are well qualified by station and abilities to promote the interest of their king and country; and surely it is every man's duty to do whatever he thinks he lawfully may do, to serve these desirable ends. Unhappiness of the nation, from its being divided into factions, dilated on. Evils of this state described. Under such unfortunate circumstances there is more reason to wish for, than ground to expect, peace and unanimity at home. It is easy for a few designing men to fill the people with unjust apprehensions of their rulers; though his Majesty, in his wisdom and goodness, took at the very beginning the |