The

but for tranfgreffing the Plain one. fame Reason holds as to the Divine Law: If a Man takes care to obferve what he does understand, his Mistakes may not be dangerous; but if he forms to himself a Liberty from the obfcure Places, inconfiftent with the plain intelligible Laws of the Gospel, and acts accordingly; thofe plain Laws, which should have been his Rule, will be his Condemnation.

But plain Places are not equally plain to all Capacities; and therefore even in this there may be a Latitude; a Latitude which we cannot determine, but which God, who is to be the Judge, both can and will: And the great Difficulty which Men make to themfelves in this Cafe, feems to me to arife from a Misapprehenfion of the Judgment of God. Among Men all are judged by the fame Rule, one Law comprehends all, and is of the fame Interpretation and Extent in all Cafes. That it is fo, is the Effect of human Weaknefs; for in Truth and Equity, if we could come at them, no two Cafes are perhaps exactly alike, or equally fubject to the fame Rule: But Men cannot allow for the different Capacities and Circumftances of Men, which they cannot judge of; and therefore all who C. 2

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are esteemed to have Reason enough to govern themselves, are concluded under one Law; and only Children, Ideots, and Madmen are excepted Cafes. Though in truth the Degrees by which Men approach to Madnefs, or Folly, could they be limited, which they cannot, would deferve a diftinct Confideration.

Now if you conceive the Judgment of God to be like the Judgment of Man, and that all fhall be tried by one and the fame Rule; no Wonder you afk, how ignorant Men shall come to the Knowledge of their Duty under the prefent Doubts and Difficulties which cloud Religion.

But the Truth is this; God, who gave all Men one Law, gave every Man that Share of Reafon which he enjoys: Fools are capable of receiving no Law; and no Man is further capable than in Proportion to the Degree of Reafon which God has given him: And confequently, in Truth and Equity, the Law is no further a Law to him, than his Reafon is capable of receiving it. And fince Realon comes as much from God, as the Law itself; it is wrong to imagine, that the true Sense of the Law is the only and the single Rule by which God will judge: Since it

is evident in Equity and Juftice, That the Sentence on every Man must arise from the complex Confideration of the Law, that was before him, and the Degree of Reafon, which he had to apply it.

This great Difficulty therefore, I befeech you, truft with God; and doubt not but that the righteous Judge of the World will do righteously,

DISCOURSE II.

EPHESIANS ii. 18.

For through him we both have an Accefs by one Spirit unto the Fa

ther.

T

HESE Words, rightly underftood, will give us a distinct Conception of the Nature of the Chriftian Religion, as it ftands diftinguished from all others, whether Natural, or pretending to Revelation. All Religions pretend to give Accefs to God, by inftructing Men in what Manner to approach him by Prayer and Supplication: How to please him, and obtain his Favour and Protection, by fuch Works

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