quently, that all religions are alike in point of efficacy, and the heathen in as favourable circumstances for obtaining eternal life as the Chriftian.

Now, admitting all this to be fact, what is it to the purpofe? That the heathen is bound to act agreeably to the light he enjoys, is certainly true; but will you infer from thence, that they who have been favoured with the light of the gospel are at liberty to reject and despise it? Because the heathen will be judged according to the advantages allowed him by his Maker,-will it follow, that they who live in a Chriftian land, and have access to the light of a divine revelation, will not be judged by the laws of the gofpel? If the heathen will be condemned for violating the law which reason pointed out and taught him to obey,-can the infidel expect to be justified, whilst he rejects the truths which he hath learned from revelation, and tranfgreffes the laws which it hath prefcribed? The very reverfe of all this is the natural inference, from the principle upon which he endeavours to juftify his indifference about the gospel. For if the heathen is under an obligation to act agreeably to the light he enjoys, and will be jus tified or condemned according to the ufe he makes of his advantages, the fame rule must take place with respect to those who have been favoured with the additional light of a divine revelation. "Out of thine own mouth, then, O finner, fhalt thou be condemned; and this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and thou haft loved darkness rather than light, because thy deeds have been evil."

Since

Since "God, who at fundry times, and in divers manners, fpake of old to the fathers by his fervants, the prophets, hath, in these last days, spoken unto us by his own Son, we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, left at any time we should let them flip." If Chrift had not come, and spoken unto us the words of eternal life, we fhould have had comparatively no fin. But now we can have no cloak for our fin. If Sodom and Gomorrha, tho' involved in the shades of pagan darkness, “suffered the vengeance of eternal fire," on account of their abomina. tions, what must be the punishment of the ungodly and the unbelieving under the difpenfation of the gospel? "If the word fpoken by Angels was ftedfaft, and every tranfgreffion and disobedience received a just recompence of reward, how fhall we escape, if we neglect fo great falvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God alfo bearing them witnefs, both with figns and wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost?"

Again, if the representation, which we have attempted to give of the excellency and evidences of the Christian religion be juft, it follows, that every Christian lies under an indifpenfible obligation to fupport its credit, and to fpread its influences as wide as he can. The gospel fyftem was not defigned for the benefit of a fingle nation or period of the world. In its own nature, it is wifely fuited to the condition and circumstances of mankind at large; and in the grand

object

358604A

object it hath in view, the present and future happiness of the human kind are graciously united. Whofoever, therefore, is a Chriftian indeed, will not only refign himself entirely to its anthority, but catching from the gofpel a correfponding enlargement of thought, a fimilar spirit of universal benevolence, will bend all his efforts, fo far as he has power and opportunity, to propagate the knowledge of it to the most diftant corners of the earth. And whilst the visible interpofition of the Deity, in the original publication of this truly catholic religion, ferves to confirm our faith in Chrift, fo the repeated promifes and affurances he hath given of the future enlargement and perpetual duration of his kingdom, fhould stimulate our endeavours, and encourage us to look forward, with joyful expectation, to that glorious period, when the knowledge of the Lord fhall fill the earth, as the waters cover the fea, and when all nations fhall unite in the faith, and fubject themfelves to the dominion of the Meffiah.

Sometimes, indeed, it hath happened, and will, no doubt, frequently happen, that the boundaries of the Christian Church fhall be contracted, her interefts apparently decline, and her glory fuffer a temporary eclipfe. But this ought not to difcourage us, nor weaken our faith in the promife. The foundation on which he is built ftandeth fure, and the gates of hell On the contrary, the progrefs of the gofpel

fhall never prevail against her. occafional checks, which the

meets with, from the attempts of infidelity, from the prejudices and corruptions of the world, and from the

indifcretions

indifcretions and irregularities of Chriftian profeffors, ought rather to roufe our zeal, and to call forth our most vigorous exertions for the fupport and advance. ment of our religion. But you will probably afk, how is this fervice to be performed? I anfwer in the words of the Apoftie, You must "contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints." But how are we to contend for the faith? Not by fire and faggot; not by the mere power of ftern authority; not by the arts of carnal policy; nor by the violence of intemperate zeal: These are not the weapons of our warfare :They are as inconfiftent with the genius and fpirit of Christianity, as they are inapplicable to the principles and feelings of the human mind. They may terrify into filence, or produce an outward conformity; but they can never imprefs conviction on the heart, nor make one real profelyte to the faith. But the weapons which the Chriftian is authorised to employ for the defence and propagation of his religion are of a different kind; folid and convincing argument; a bold avowal of, and aftedfast adherence to the truth, as it is in Chrift Jefus; a steady and persevering profeffion; meek and patient inftruction; a prudent and well regulated zeal; fervent prayer; and a holy life and converfation. Permit me to add, that the benevolent inftitution, whose cause I am now pleading, fuggefts another method, by which the knowledge and falutary influences of the gospel may be widely diffused. Schemes of this kind, when planned with wisdom, countenanced by rank, and learning, and affluence, affifted by the benefactions of the pious and humane, and profecuted with activity and perfeverance,

F

perfeverance, may hope for the bleffing of God, and must be productive of the happieft effects.

I obferve in the laft place, that if the Chriftian revelation contains the words of eternal life, then the eftablishment of this Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge ftands fully vindicated, and must be regarded by every good man as worthy of his warmest encouragement and fupport. Indeed the wifdom of this inftitution and the truth of the gospel must stand or fall together. If the gospel be a cunningly devised fable, without authority from heaven, and of no folid advantage to the world, it will be hard to justify the scheme upon any rational grounds. But if the pretenfions of our religion are well founded, the propagation of Christian knowledge is an undertaking not only wife and useful, but the grandest and most illuftrious that can poffibly engage the attention and activity of the human mind. It is to co-operate with God in forwarding the ftupendous purposes of his wif dom and grace, for the falvation of a perishing world. Diffufing the light of gospel truths is the most effectual way to emancipate human nature from the chains of vice and ignorance; to preserve social life from the ravages of barbarifm and cruelty; to eftablish order and good government upon a folid bafis; in fhort, to infpire man with a just sense of his dignified rank in the fcale of created intelligence; and to put him upon a course of action corresponding to his nature and prof pects as an immortal being. The projects we form,

relative