who can say, how much worse they might have become, and have been at this day, if Christianity had not rooted them out? The very grossest corruptions of it, afterwards, were not quite so bad as those preceding enormities. Besides, in many countries, but in none more completely than our own, the reformation of it hath driven out those abuses, which the perversion of it brought in: and it continually bears testimony against them, wherever the Scripture is freely read. Superstition is by no means an effect of religion, but a natural weakness in the human. mind, to which it may be greatly subject even without religion. The Gospel was intended to destroy it: the clergy are intended for a standing guard against it: and though too much of it still prevails among Christians, yet very much more prevails in all the rest of the world.

Taking therefore into our view the whole benefit of the Scripture-revelation, both what it hath effected, and what it hath hindered: had it been the pretence or the occasion for all the harm that is alledged, it may yet have been the direct cause of unspeakably more good; and nothing can be unfairer, than attending only to one side of the account, instead of both. Indeed to state both exactly, or make any balance approaching towards accuracy, is utterly impossible, where so vast a number of things and circumstances, through so large a part of the world and so long a succession of ages, must come in before a judgment can be formed. Every one may assert as boldly as he will to the disadvantage of Christianity. But to prove the assertion from fact must be insuperably difficult. And when facts cannot be sufficiently ascertained and compared, the presumption will always be a very just and strong one, that every

thing hath produced those effects chiefly, which its natural tendency fits it to produce. Now the good tendency of Christianity no candid and considerate reasoner will ever dispute.

But one objection further hath been raised, that how difficult soever it may be to judge of a series of past times, yet the consequences of introducing the Gospel into Heathen nations in our own times may be judged of: and we have imparted it to none, but we have made them worse than we found them. Now supposing this dreadful imputation true, is it by teaching them our religion, that we have corrupted them, or by teaching them sins absolutely inconsistent with our religion? Had they learned our Christianity without our debauchery, which is surely no part of it, their condition had been infinitely better than it was before and had they learned our debauchery without our Christianity, it had been still worse than it is now.

hold with respect to We compare the prenumberless incentives

We compare

Nor doth this observation them only, but ourselves too. sent Christian times, in which to luxury and all manner of wickedness abound, with the ancient Heathen ones, when the poverty and simplicity of their manner of life secured them from adding artificial, to their natural, vices: and in whatever we find or imagine ourselves worse than them, we ascribe it to our religion. Whereas the true method of comparing is, to take a luxurious Heathen nation; Rome under its emperors for instance; and a luxurious Christian one; and then see where crimes will appear to be most general, and carried farthest only making due allowance for one thing, that the sins and follies we are offended at in our own age, will look greater, because they are pre

sent; and yet the virtues of those we live amongst will seem less, because love to ourselves will tempt us to depreciate those, with whom we shall be most compared.

But supposing it ever so questionable what good, or ever so clear what harm, hath proceeded from Christianity; how are we justified in doubting on that account, whether its origin be from God? Think only of how little benefit reason hath been to a great part of mankind: how much uneasiness it hath caused, by enabling them to reflect on their own disadvantages, dangers, and sufferings; how much mischief it hath brought to pass, by qualifying them to contrive and execute ill designs against each other; how much wiser and better many brutes are, than many men : yet doth not reason proceed from God? Again, what innumerable evils in all ages and countries, have civil governors been the authors of? The abuses of Christianity cannot have produced so much evil, as the abuses of temporal power, because they have not extended near so far. Yet is not society and civil government from God? Indeed if nothing could be from him, but what in the event is an advantage to us; we must deny that the very being of many persons is derived from him: for too many doubtless had better never have been. The good, which he intends absolutely and unconditionally, nothing can hinder: but where he intends only to afford men the means of being happy if they will, he must leave it in their choice to be otherwise: and what he doth for them, is not the less worthy of him, because they are so unworthy, as to despise or turn it against themselves. For never sure was it made an argument against the value of a medicine, that they who neglect to take it B b

VOL. I.

or who mix poison with it, are not the better for it. Whoever will give religion leave to do him good, will always be an evidence of its usefulness. And it is extremely hard, to have those allege against us that there are but few such, who are continually endeavouring that there may be none; and impute that wickedness of the world to the want of efficacy in Christianity, which is so very much owing to their own profane discourse and licentious examples.

But farther the Gospel-scheme is not completed yet; and the good it hath not done, it may do still. It hath subsisted indeed a number of years, that seems a large one, and sufficient to shew whatever is to be expected from it. But large and small are comparative terms: and what proportion its duration hitherto may bear to that which it hath to come, or how differently the power of God may be exerted in its favour hereafter from what it is now, we none of us know. But this we know certainly, that the original books in which it is contained, published at its first appearance, foretold both its past and present corruptions, and its future purity and universal happy fruits. The former of these predictions, that Christianity should be made an instrument of tyranny and superstition, bloodshed and dissoluteness, was a very amazing one: a thing which neither any sagacity could have foreseen, nor any enthusiast have believed; nor any impostor would have declared, if he had believed it. And therefore the fact, joined with the prophecy of it, far from an objection, is a proof of our religion; and shews us to be in the midst of an event; the melancholy part of which having been so remarkably signified to us before-hand, we ought by no means to judge of what will follow as we should in a common case; but firmly believe, that as

the mystery of iniquity* hath been revealed, the mystery of God† shall be accomplished likewise, and truth and virtue reign on this earth.

But then let us remember, that full enough hath been done to verify the first set of predictions; and it is high time we should begin to make good the latter. That Christ hath sent a sword on earth, no one doubts: let it now be our care to shew him in a more amiable light, as the Prince of Peace. We have sufficiently made the Gospel minister to sin: let us at last bring forth fruit by it unto holiness. Then we shall bear in our own breasts the surest, the happiest, the only beneficial proof of its efficacy; and have our conversation such amongst unbelievers, that whereas they now speak against us as evil-doers, and against our religion itself for our sakes, they may by our good works, which they shall behold, glorify Godt: thus bringing forward that blessed time, when the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard lie down with the kid: when they shall not hurt nor destroy in all his holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea §.

Yet even this joyful scene will be only a faint shadow of that eternal state of bliss, to which is reserved the complete vindication of the benefits of Christianity: and in which, however the present world were to go on, they must appear with irresistible evidence, when the righteous shall shine forth as the Sun in the kingdom of their Father ¶, when God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain **.