Mat. v. are very excellent, and vaftly exceed all the Precepts of the heathen Philofophers: Bleed are the poor in Spirit, they that mourn for Sin, the pure in Heart, the meek, the Peacemakers, they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness; they that fuffer Perfecution for Riteousness fake.

The Gofpel evidently teaches the Worship of the one God, through the Mediator Jefus Chrift, and fo to abftain from all Idolatry; to worship God in Spirit and Truth, and fo to abstain from all Superftition, from all Iniquity and Hypocrify. It teaches us to fear God, to love him, to trust in him, to be patient under his Hand, to acknowledge him in all our Ways, to promote his Glory. 'Tis full of Precepts of Humility and Meekness, of Temperance, of Chaftity, of Contentment, heavenly Mindednefs, and of Justice and Charity. Such a clear, fuch a confiftent Scheme of Morality, as the Bible furnishes us with, is to be found no where else: All the Sayings of the Philofophers, put them all together, bear no Manner of Comparison to it.

Some, who have lived where the Gospel has been, have wrote excellently on the Religion of Nature: But whatever they may think of it, they have been much beholden to the Gospel for their Difcovery: How is it elfe they have fo vaftly exceeded all Heathen Writers?

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The Doctrines of the Gospel evidently teach us Holiness of Heart and Life; particularly the Doctrine of God's fending his only begotten Son to reform Mankind, and to be a Sacrifice on the Crofs for the Sins of the World.

The Doctrine of God's fending his only begotten Son to reform Mankind, teaches us Holinefs of Heart and Life. If a powerful Prince fends a great Perfon to Rebels, whom he can destroy in an Inftant, with Offers of Peace, fhould it not be a ftrong Motive to make them fubmit? much more if he fends his Son? And as God fent his only begotten Son with Offers of Peace, what a Motive fhould it be to bring Sinners home to God, and their Duty? fhou'd they not reverence his Son?

We are also taught Holiness by God's fending his only begotten Son to die on the Cross, and thereby to be a Sacrifice for the Sins of the World; who alfo was fubject to Death by his own Confent. How does God herein fhew himself to be a holy, a Sin hating God, the wife and righteous Governour of the World, and one who, as he makes Laws, expects to have them obey'd! Since this is the Way in which he chooses to be reconciled to returning Sinners, how does he teach them to fear before him! And how does he herein fhew the richeft Grace and Love, that he would not spare his own Son, but give him up for us all! What a Foundation does he lay for the Hope of all returning believing Souls!

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He Spar'd not his own Son: How shall he not with him freely give us all Things? No Doctrine can have fo great a Tendency as this to reform Mankind: Here are the ftrongest Motives to work on Mens Fears and Hopes. Can I fee what God has done to his own Son in Room and Stead, and not fear to fin against him? Can I fee his Love to me in all that his Son fuffered, and not love him, and live to him, in Hope and Profpect of dwelling with him? And if God has fo lov'd us, fhould we not love one another?

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As this Doctrine of God's fending his Son to die for finful Creatures has nothing incredible or inconfiftent in its Nature; fo a Deift, fuppofing it to be true, muft own, I think, that it is admirably calculated to reform Mankind.

Another Doctrine is that of divine Affiftance offer'd and promis'd to Men, if they will feek after it and improve it. How does this teach Men to deny Ungodliness and worldly Lufts? and what an Encouragement is it to them to do their Endeavour, when God will not be wanting to them? As a Father knoweth, or is difpos'd, to give good Gifts to his Children, much more is God to give the holy Spirit to them that ask him, Luke xi. 13. How much did Heathens. want fuch Knowledge and fuch Affurance as this!

The Gospel Doctrines of a Refurrection, a final Judgment, and eternal State of Recom pences,

pences, a Heaven, and a Hell, are evidently defigned, and admirably calculated to reform Mens Hearts and Lives.

Whatever Sects and Parties Men are now of, whatever Diftinctions they pass under here, hereafter they are to be rank'd into two Claffes; the Juft, the Unjust; the Wicked, and the Good: for the one there is to be a Resurrection to Life; for the other a Refurrection to Condemnation. The Judgment that is to pafs on them, is to be according to the real Temper and Difpofition of their Minds, according to the Actions of their Lives. To them, who, by patient Continuance in well-doing, feek for Glory, there is eternal Life. But to them who are contentious, and obey not the Truth, but obey Unrighteousness, are wicked and impenitent, Indignation and Wrath, Tribulation and Anguifh: And, that we may by no means mistake who this is for, 'tis added, Upon every Soul that doth Evil, of the Jew firft, and alfo of the Gentile, Rom. ii. 9. The Perfons every where in the Gospel mark'd out for Deftruction, are the Difobe-. dient, thofe that will not take Christ's Yoke upon them, nor be fubject to his Laws. Those mark'd out for Life, are the truly Good, fuch as are free from all allowed Iniquity, from all reigning Hypocrify.

If we enquire into the Nature of the heavenly Blefedness, we fhall find, as 'tis fuch as none but holy Souls fhall, fo 'tis fuch as none

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but they can share in. 'Tis the Seeing God, and enjoying him, the having his Love, converfing with him, delighting in him, ferving him with the greatest Readiness and Pleasure. 'Tis a Place of the greateft Purity, the most unfeigned Love, the most entire Harmony. And who can share in this Happiness, but thofe whofe Souls are purified, who have loved God, and delighted in him here below, ferved him in Truth, who have been fubduing their evil Difpofitions and Paffions, been practifing Peace and Love? Evangelical Holiness is in order to a Meetnefs for the heavenly Bleffedness.

If we enquire into the Nature of the Mifery for Men in another World, we shall find that 'tis fuch as wicked Men have been fitting them felves for, and is the neceffary Confequence of their Iniquities; even to be banish'd from God's Prefence, and the Glory of his Power, to have the Worm of Confcience ever to gnaw or torment them, and weeping and gnafhing of Teeth, for the Happiness they might once have had. 'Tis a Place where they are to carry all their evil Difpofitions along with them: And when stript of all Things that now adorn them, that now amufe and entertain them, what Monsters will they appear to themselves to be? 'Tis a Place where all their ungovernable Paffions are to be let loofe: And what Furies will they be one to another? "Tis a Place where is to be the Per