Suppofition made will ftill more Reason in the prefent Cafe, than any other of the fame Kind: because the true Love to our Neighbour not only comprehends every good Difpofition towards him, but flows from Love to God, and Faith in our bleffed Redeemer, and dutiful Regard to the Motions of the Holy Spirit. Indeed all thefe united, in the poor Degree that we poffefs them, can by no Means merit Pardon for our Failures in all; but only qualify us for obtaining that Mercy which St. Peter, in the Beginning of this Epiftle, ascribes to the Sprinkling of the Blood of Jefus Christ. And nothing less than a prevailing Habit of every Virtue will complete our Qualification for final Acceptance: but that of each particular one fhall contribute towards it, in Proportion to its Value. And as Beneficence, practifed in its whole Extent on right Principles, is of the highest Value, the Text very properly teaches, and was defigned only to teach, that Charity, Kindness to our Fellow-creatures, practised from a Principle of Confcience, in every Way that we have Opportunity, fhall contribute, in a diftinguished Manner, to fit us for receiving Forgiveness from our Creator, and thus fhall

Peter i. z.

cover the Multitude of our Sins at the laft Day. Since, therefore, being good to our Brethren will give us a peculiar Claim to the Goodness of our heavenly Father: whoever is fenfible of his past Offences, let him take this Way especially of evidencing his Repentance; and whoever would intitle himself after Death to the nobleft of Rewards, let him serve God throughout Life in this most excellent of all Duties.

SER

SERMON XI.

MATTH. X. 34.

Think not that I am come to fend Peace on Earth: I came not to fend Peace, but a Sword.

HAT thefe Words of our bleffed Saviour

THA

express, not the Design of his appearing in the World, but the Effect it would have very contrary to his Defign, through the Wickednefs of Men, both his Life and Doctrine fufficiently fhew; and, indeed, all Sorts of Men have acknowledged. For though too many Christians have acted as if they underftood him to defire what he only foretels, and thought it their Duty to make his Words good yet none of them, I think, have ever profeffed to understand him fo. And Infidels themselves have done him the Juftice of allowing, that he meant to establish Good-will and Virtue among Men. But then his Religion, they fay, hath so miferably failed of anfwering his Purpose, hath produced fuch dreadful Evils, and been of fo'exceeding small VOL. II.

R

Benefit,

Benefit, that they cannot imagine a wife and good Being, as God is, would ever take such very extraordinary Methods as the Gospel afferts, to introduce and establish it. And though few, it may be hoped, will think it reasonable to carry the Matter thus far; yet many may be tempted by fuch confident Affirmations, if not to doubt of the Truth of Chriftianity, yet to have lefs Delight in it, lefs Thankfulness and Zeal for it, than they would otherwise have.

1

We shall do well, therefore, to inquire, both how far the Facts alledged in this Objection are true, and whether the Conclufion drawn from them is just.

That confiderable Evils have taken their Rife from our Saviour's Doctrine, must be owned. He himself, we fee, declares they would: and he had Reasons to declare it in Terms as ftrong, as the Truth would warrant. For as the Jews expected nothing but Peace and Profperity, for themselves at least, under their Meffiah, it was both honourable and prudent to give them fair Warning of what was to happen, that they might not first be elevated with falfe Hopes and heated into prefumptuous Behaviour, and then complain they had been deceived and mifled. Befides,

as

as he undoubtedly thought the leaft Degree of Evil a great deal too much, he could not fpeak flightly of that which he forefaw. But ftill he could never defign to fay, that it would over-balance or go near to equal the Good: for thus he might have difcredited his own Miffion, and contradicted the whole Tenour of his own Difcourfes.

The Allegations, therefore, of the Argument before us cannot be proved from this Text, nor, indeed, from any other. But the whole Proof must be drawn from the natural Tendency of Christianity, and the Experience of its Effects. Now it cannot, confiftently with common Modefty, be denied, that the Tendency of Christianity to the Welfare of Mankind is very powerful. Juftice and Mercy, Obedience to Superiors, Condefcenfion to Inferiors, mutual Tenderness and mutual Ufefulness, are the main Precepts that every where occur in it: to thefe peculiarly the Reward of everlasting Happiness is annexed; and nothing contrary to them is ever taught throughout the Scripture. It is very true, Pleas have been made from it in Support of Tyranny and Cruelty; but they are fo abfolutely groundless, that Unbelievers themselves have vindicated our Religion in this Refpect,