Thus when the facred Writings defcribe SERM VI the thousands, thousands that stand before God, and the ten thousand Times ten thou fand that minifter unto him; could a Man of the largest Compass of Thought have found a nobler Employment for those Be ings, as well as more inftructive to us, than to reprefent them as taking a generous and difinterefted Complacency in the Redemption and Happiness of their FellowCreatures, praifing God, and faying, Glory be to God in the highest, and on Earth Peace, good Will towards Men? And in another Place, not like us, valuing them felves, and defpifing others ; not dazzled with the Luftre of their own Excellencies, but afcribing all Glory, and Honour, and Power, to him alone who is the Source of whatever is lovely, great, and glorious, cafting down their Crowns before the Throne of God, giving Glory and Honour and Power to Him alone? Rev. iv. 10, II. Great and marvellous are thy Works, Lord God Almighty; juft and true are thy Ways, thou King of Saints! They fhew us, that to Creatures admitted to a constant and imme diate Attendance on God, every Thing muft appear little, but God himself; that O 2

the

SERM. VI. the Luftre of the greatest created Being muft vanish and be loft in the Prefence of Him, from whom it borrows it's Luftre.

Contemplative Perfons may value fome Branches of Knowledge, juft as several Men do fome Kinds of Food, merely because they are rare and uncommon, not because they are fubftantial, nourishing, and wholefom. Their Difficulty and Obscurity, not their Serviceablenefs to the World, ftamps a Value upon them. And their Heads may resemble those Cabinets, which are stored with useless Rarities, and curious Trifles, fit for Shew and Oftentation, but not for any valuable Purposes of Life. But the Scriptures, though they open and enlarge the Mind, and give it the most comprehensive Views; yet feldom fay any Thing to inform the Head, which has not a Tendency to awaken and penetrate the Heart: They feldom gratify our mere Curiofity, or make us wifer and more knowing, but in order to make us better, which is indeed the only true Wisdom.

No well-meaning Perfon even in low Life ever applied himself to the reading of the Scriptures with the fame Diligence, Care, and Attention, which he bestowed

upon

upon Things of lefs Confequence; but SERM.IV. he gathered from thence as much falutary and practical Knowledge, as would conduct him safely in the Way to everlasting Life. Though the ftudious and the thoughtful may by an unwearied Application discover several speculative Truths which are not there; yet thofe Truths are only like thofe Stars, which are defcried by the help of Telescopes: They have no more useful Light to guide their Feet, and direct their Steps in their Journey through this World, than thofe, who have made no fuch Difcoveries.

There is no material Defect in a State of Nature, when Men had only the Light of unaffifted Reafon; but what is fupplied to a Tittle by a State of Grace, by the Chriftian Difpenfation. Were Men, for; Inftance, at a Lofs to afcertain from unenlightened Reason the Acceptableness of their Repentance, and a Fulnefs of Pardon thereupon; Christianity has fully fet. before us the Terms of our Salvation: We have there a Mediator, who hatli born our Sins, the properest Person to adjuft the Difference between the jarring Claims

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SERM.VI.Claims of Juftice and Goodness. Did we want a diftin&t Account of Rewards and Punishments; of their Degree and Durati on? It gives us awakening Notices of another World, and whatever was proper to inftruct our Reafon, as well as 'to engage our Hopes and alarm our Fears. Did we want fome fixed and determinate Rule of Worship to prevent the endlefs Sallies of human Fancy? There we are taught each Particular of a manly and rational Worship; we are invited by the Promifes of divine Affiftance, and emboldened by the Inter ceffion of a divine Mediator to have Access to the Throne of Grace.

It is well worth our while, as it will give us the greater Value for Christianity, to obferve, that in thefe, as well as other Inftances, wherever the Light of Reason, as having no fure Principles to carry it far ther, was forced to leave a Blank, the Light of the Gospel has been very exact in filling up the void Space. Where human Sagacity might indeed begin to build, but was not able to finish after the utmoft Expence of Thought, there Revelation has fupplied it with Materials to complete the Structure. Thus do our Wants in a State

of

of Nature, and our Supplies in a State of SERM VI. Revelation, exactly tally and correfpond. And from hence we may infer, that, whoever is a fincere natural Religionist, cannot be far from the Kingdom of Heaven, is almost a Chriftian already; and will be foon, if he continues unprejudiced, altogether fo. For he, who is fincerely defirous to know and do the Will of God, muft heartily with he had better Helps, than natural Religion affords, to compafs this End. He must think, that God's infinite Goodness would," at fome peculiar Crifis of Time, when he faw the Advantages arifing from it would overbalance the Inconveniencies, grant Mankind, by a Notification of his Will, fome full and exprefs Affurances of what belongs to their Peace, of Things of infinite Concernment. And when he examines all the different Pretenfions to Revelation, he will find none, that can come into Competition with the Chriftian; which alone contains whatever is excellent in natural Religion, and has befides grafted upon it feveral rich and falutary Fruits of it's own Growth, which Reafon muft ever thankfully adopt. For natural Religion neither proves the Sincerity or unallayed Nature of Happiness. hereafter,

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