SERMON IV.

JOHN Xviii. 36.

My kingdom is not of this world.

WE have seen that the wisdom confpicuous in the character of Chriftianity, and in the means by which it was first promoted, is unfullied by the admiffion of temporary artifice, or infincere policy. We have feen that the conduct of its author was altogether contrary to such conduct, as a person not acting under a divine commiffion would have been able to contrive, or willing to purfue; and that the history, both of heathen lawgivers, and of pretended Meffiahs, illuftrates and confirms the diftinction which has been contended for between this religion, and those which, confeffedly, are false,

It is now intended to contraft the religion originally taught by Chrift with certain examples

ples of that corrupted Christianity, which has fince been fubftituted in its place. The abuses which have been impofed upon mankind under the holy name of our Redeemer have, unhappily, been scarcely lefs flagrant than those of Paganism itself. But, though it must be painful to contemplate inftances in which the venerated name of Jefus has been profaned by a mistaken zeal, or prostituted to worldly purpofes, yet fuch an enquiry will not be without its use. We thus may learn to prove, that, though defigning ecclefiaftics have broken all laws both of moral and religious obligation, and though fincere believers have contributed to aggravate the corruptions of our faith, yet that its true character, and the history of Christ himself, afford not a colourable pretext to their impiety. Thus we may exhibit in a strong relief the injuftice of that common error which imputes to Christianity the vices and failings of its minifters we may procure an impartial confideration for its evidence, and acquire, as I conceive, an irrefragable prefumption of its truth.

There is a known and manifest oppofition in the apoftolical writings to the incipient accommodation of Christian doctrines to Oriental

or

or Platonic theories; and it is certain, therefore, that, even at the early period when the church was perfonally fuperintended by the firft difciples of our Lord, the purity of the faith was contaminated by the feeds of fuperftition. The firft corruptions of Christianity proceeded, in fome cafes, from the arrogant but common practice of interpreting religion by philofophical fyftems, and, in others, from a pious wish to elevate the opinion of its excellence. But I propose not to trace the hiftory of error through the various gradations from its origin to its maturity. The limits, which I am unwilling that this part of my difcourfes fhould exceed, render it neceffary that I should reftrict myself to the notice of a few only among the more striking instances of that studied conformity to external circumstances which, throughout the whole progress of ecclefiaftical corruptions, from their commencement to their confummation in the Papacy, has been indulged by Christian teach

ers.

It is to be remarked, then, that the heathen maxim, that deceit is juftifiable in matters of religion, was adopted even by the most estimable of the fathers: by fome during the

third, and by many during the fourth and fifth centuries. The facraments of Baptifm, and of the Eucharift, were taught to affume a likeness to the myfteries of Eleufis, and the

a

* Origen, Ambrofe, Hilary, Auguftin, Gregory Naz. Jerom, Chryfoftom, &c. Nες μεν εν φιλοσοφος εποπτης ων τ' αληθές συγχώρει τη χρεια το ψευδεσθαι αναλογον γαρ εςι φως προς αλήθειαν, και ομμα προς δημον. ᾗ εν οφθαλμος εις κακον αν απολαύσειεν απληςε φωτος, και ή τοις οφθαλμιωσι το σκοτος ωφελιμωτερον ταυτη και το ψευδος οφελος είναι τίθεμαι δημῳ, και βλαβερον την αλήθειαν τοις εκ ισχύοισιν ενατένισαι προς την των ον TWY EVEрувav. Synefius, Ep. cv. p. 249. Opp. Paris, 1631. See Mofheim de turbata per recentiores Platonicos ecclefia, cap. 46, 47. and Jortin's Remarks, ii. 275. and App. No. III.

To the references here made for the purpose of esta blishing a charge of error against the Chriftian fathers, I cannot but fubjoin the intreaty that I may not be sufpected of any disrespect for them in general. I am afraid that the very useful and learned work of Dr. Jortin, to which I have above referred, may perhaps have leffened the repute of these writers, in an age which certainly is not inclined to estimate them more highly than it ought. Their mistakes, no doubt, are grofs and indefenfible, as is fully shown in the Remarks on Ecclefiaftical History: but there is too apparent, though, I queftion not, an undefigned tendency in that valuable work to encourage a contemptible opinion of men who cannot justly be defpifed. It is evident, however, that it is with their errors only, not their excellencies, that the argument of these lectures is concerned. See Hey's Lectures, i. 114. 117.

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