tween the first Chriftians, and thofe of thefe latter ages; because Chriftianity was the religion of their choice. They took it up, while it was perfecuted, and they could have no other induce; ment to receive it, but a conviction of its excellence, which they attained by impartial and diligent enquiries; the effect of which was, that the holy precepts and precious promises of the gofpel made a lively and durable impreffion on them. Whereas Chriftianity with us is generally. not a matter of choice, but of fashion and good luck. We are born, where it is profeffed, and we fall into it, as we do into other prevailing opinions and customs, of courfe; and no wonder therefore, if it floats only on the surface of our minds, if it takes not root downwards, and confequently doth not bring fruit upwards, in our life and practice. For the gofpel, though it be the great inftrument of holinefs, yet can make thofe alone holy, who confider and weigh it, and fasten its holy rules upon their hearts and confciences by meditation and study.

2. Another account of the great degeneracy of Chriftians may be drawn from mens erecting new fchemes of Chriftianity, which interefere with the true and genuine account of it. Some men rely on the mere externals of religion, on maffes, and pilgrimages, indulgences, and bodily aufterities: And if all these fail, they have a referve ftill, in the merits and interceffions of faints and angels. Others, who call themselves Chriftians, have no regard for the dead letter of Scripture, but regulate themfelves by a certain light within, by unaccountable impulfes and infpirations. There

are

are yet others, who hope to be faved by a bare act of recumbency on the merits of Chrift, and by the free grace of the gofpel, without obferving the law of works, without being tied to the elements of bondage; and carnal ordinances.

Now thefe fchemes (and the fame we might fay of fome others) fubvert the true gofpel fcheme of falvation, by repentance from dead works, and becoming a new creature; and as far as they do fo, muft needs undermine the intereft of virtue and goodnefs, and fmooth the way towards the commiffion of wickedness. If all the world embraced the doctrine of Chrift in its fimplicity and purity, without adulterating it by falfe mixtures, it would be far more operative and effectual than now it is, towards reforming mens lives, and fanctifying their natures. But when they frame to themselves a gofpel, which Chrift and his apostles never preached, and expect to be faved on any other terms and conditions than those God hath propofed; 'tis no wonder if from fuch an evil root, as evil fruit arifes; and they grow as corrupt in their practice, as they are in their opinions.

The fame may be faid of fome over-eafy and loofe, or over ftrict and rigorous decifions in matters of confcience. Many modern cafuifts have bent their thoughts, and ftrained their wits, in order to foften the feverity of the gospel morals, and to bring them down, as near as they can, not only to the infirmities, but even the vices of hu man nature. They have invented an art of lying without finning: They have allowed a man to act on that fide of an opinion, which he is fatisfied is falfe, so it carry but any fhew of probability with

with it; and they have determined it to be proba ble, if two or three grave writers of note have efpoufed it. They have made good ends capable of fanctifying the worst and most forbidden means; have declared it not neceffary for a man to exercise more than one act of love towards God in his whole life-time, or to be contrite for his fins, but on his death-bed. And thefe are the pofitions, not only of a few, obfcure, but of very many, and very celebrated authors; and cannot, therefore, but go on a great way towards del bauching the minds of all fuch as have any revel rence for thofe cafuifts.

On the other fide, good, but mistaken men have fometimes carried the doctrine of the gospel to a very severe and aftonishing height; and fra med from thence fuch rules of life, and determinations in morality, as directly oppofed the first and most innocent inclinations of human nature. And in this they thought, they had done God and men good service, but the event has difproved them. For fome perfons finding religion repre fented as fo melancholy and four a thing, have concluded, that God, the Author of our nature, could never be the Author of fo unnatural and extravagant a scheme; and have thereupon reject ed it at once, and fet themfelves loofe from all the ties of morality. Others, ftill adhering to the truth of the doctrine, have yet been fo far dif couraged by the uncomfortable and forbidden look of it, as to lay afide all hopes either of duly practifing or relishing it; and have therefore refolved rather " to enjoy the pleasures of fin for a season,” Heb. xi. 25. and run the venture of their

future

future happiness, than be certainly miserable here, for fear of being so hereafter. And a third fort there are, who have endeavoured to raise their practice up to thefe fpeculations; but failing (as how could they but fail?) have funk into religious defpair, concluded themselves reprobates, out of the favour of God, and a state of salvation.

So that too eafy and too fevere decifions have alike done differvice to religion. Thefe, perhaps, have frightened near as many from the profecution of virtue, as those, have allured to the commiffion of vice; but the true doctrine of the gof pel, which fteers between these extremes, is not anfwerable for the exceffes on either fide, and ought not, therefore to be blafphemed on the account of them, we may add, in the

3d Place, That 'tis not to be expected, but that, where Chriftians are wicked, they thould be rather worse than other men ; for this very reafon, because they have more help towards becoming better, and yet, live in the contempt or neglect of them. Thofe excellent rules of life, which they will not fuffer to do them good, must for that very reafon do them harm, if they fet their faces against fo plain a revelation of their duty, and refolve to fin in defiance of it. For, "if the light that is in them be darkness, how great is that darknefs?" Matt. vi. 23. i

How great, even according to the natural courfe and tendency of things, whereby what is good when corrupted, grows bad in proportion to its former goodness: How much greater, in refpect of the juft judgments of God, who punishes fuch perfons with the total dereliction of

his

his fpirit, and a penal blindness; "giving those up to a reprobate mind, who thus hold the truth in unrighteoufoefs" Rom. 1. 28.

Laft, The faith of Chrift fuffers much from the ill lives of thofe, who have nothing of Chrif tianity but the name; and are whilft they reproach it for the ill conduct of its profeffors, themselves the greatest reproach to it. Set afide the difor ders of the almoft Chriftians, and of fuch as, whatever they may outwardly profefs, do not fincerely and heartily love our Lord Jefus; and one great occafion of blafpheming the doctrine of Chrift will be removed. 'Tis very hard there fore to make our faith answerable for the ill manners of thofe, who do not in good earneft receive it; but much harder ftill, that thofe very -men fhould prefs the objection moft eagerly, without whofe loofe and immoral lives, there would not be near fo much ground and colour for it.

This is as if Cataline fhould have declaimed as gainst the debaucheries of Rome, whilft he and his accomplices were in the midft of it, and had contributed to bring it to that pitch of wickednefs which they had complained of

Many other inftructive reflexions might be fuggefted on these heads: But this much may fuffice to fhew, how far there is any real occafion for a complaint of the exceeding wickedness of men, now under the Chriftian difpenfation; and then, fuppofing the complaint juft, how little - reafon there would be, to turn it to the difadvan tage of Christianity itself. It remains that I fhould point out to you on my III. Third

VOL. IV.

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