ment of the World, and that he will neglect us in the moral Part of it? that he regards us as Animals, but has no Regard to us as rational Agents? Can any Man think seriously of God, as a reasonable, just, and upright Being, and suppose this to be the Cafe?

Now, these Confiderations lay a Foundation for a just Expectation from the Goodnefs of God of his Affistance in our Cafe, where it is most wanted; that is, for his Affistance to us as rational and moral Beings, as capable of being happy or miferable by Virtue or by Vice.

There is a Similitude and Proportion in all the Works of God: And it is reasonable to infer, from the vifible Regard fhewed to us in one Respect, the Regard had for us in all; especially in the principal and most concerning Relation in which we stand towards him; that is, as rational Agents. And this leads us directly to fuppofe that God will provide for our Well-being as moral and religious Creatures, with a Care, at least, equal to that fhewn for us in our natural Capacity in this World.

Join now to this Prefumption what the Gospel has exprefly revealed to us, and see whether

whether the whole is not of a piece, and confiftent.

The Gospel tells us, that God has fent his Son to redeem us: You wonder he fhould take fo much Trouble for fuch Creatures: But is it not as becoming his Goodness to redeem us, as it was to make us? You will fay perhaps, we are fince that become Sinners. True; and yet ever fince that he has preserved us, and afforded us the Bleffings of this Life: And is it not of a piece to open to us the Hopes of a better? Miftake not my Meaning: I do not mean to infer from what God does for us in this World, that he is bound in Juftice to do as much for us in refpect to another. I know of nothing that he is bound in Justice to do for us. But furely it is fafeft Reafoning upon the Ways of Providence from the manifeft Works of Providence: And by feeing how God has dealt with the Children of Men as Part and as Inhabitants of this natural World, it is reasonable to conclude in what Manner he will treat them as Part of the moral World. And, if we confider what we fee and know of the Works of Nature, and of the Good we enjoy from them, and compare them with the greater Works of Grace, as manifested

in the Gospel of Chrift Jefus, we may eafily discern the Confiftency and Harmony of God's Dealings in both Cafes; and fee too, at the fame time, that the Methods of Providence by which we hope to be saved, and which we have from Revelation, are liable to no other Objections, than the Methods of Providence by which we live, and which we fee daily with our Eyes. In both Cafes the Works of God are indeed wonderful, and we unworthy of the least of them: And we may justly say of both, Lord! what is Man, that thou regardeft him? and the Son of Man that thou vifiteft him?

DISCOURSE

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DISCOURSE XII.

ACTS X. 34, 35.

Then Peter opened his Mouth, and faid, of a Truth I perceive that God is no Refpecter of Perfons: But in every Nation he that feareth him, and worketh Righteousness, is accepted with him.

HESE Words, if not carefully attended to, may seem to carry a Senfe contrary to the Meaning of the Apostle in delivering

them. St. Peter in the Text

declares, that God, without refpect to any national or perfonal Privileges, was ready to admit all People into the Covenant made with Chrift Jefus, provided they were duly prepared for fuch Admiffion, Some from his Words have concluded that there is no

XII. Neceffity of becoming Difciples of Chrift, but that it is fufficient if we live according to the Principles and Light of Nature: forafmuch as every one who feareth God, and worketh Righteousness, is accepted with him: And thus fupported, as they think, by one Paffage of Scripture, they have been emboldened to defpife and reject all the reft as of no use to them, and to put their Salvation upon their own Strength, in oppofition to the Method revealed and declared by the Son of God. This Error is common, as well as dangerous: And, fince the great Regard which fome pay to moral Virtue is purely Oppofition to the Gofpel, it is worth while to examine this Paffage of St. Peter, and to place his Meaning, in a true Light, that the Doctrine of the Gospel may not be overthrown by its own Authority.

The Jews had a Notion that the Bleffings of the promised Meffias were to be peculiar to themselves, and not to be extended to any other Nation or People whatever, whom they looked on as Aliens from God, and not under his Care and Protection, as they were. Hence in the Prophets they plead their Privilege, and tell God, that he is not God of the Heathen, but of the People of Ifrael: Which Conceit of theirs St, Paul refers to

and