induced to turn them inwardly, and reflect upon themselves, or their own being: in which act they infer that they were not placed in this world to do their own pleafure, but were fent here for fome higher purpose. Yet it is only the more ferious and wifer part of mankind that were excited to religious inventions of worship, from the knowledge they attained by obfervation and experience, or by reafon and argument; deducing effects from their proper causes, or finding out the caufe by its effects. And it is astonishing to find in the writings of the wifer heathens, their knowledge of the immortality of the foul: this notion must proceed either from natural instinct, or from arguments drawn from reasoning, and ferious confideration. For people in every age, whofe understandings are darkened by attending wholly to the concerns of this world, can have but an imperfect difcernment of divine things. But indeed so much is the fubject above human reach, that the wifeft philofophers with all reafoning ftill remained unfatisfied. They knew not how, or which way, they were to prepare their fouls for immortality. Unaided by revelation, they only found themselves the more miferable, the farther their researches extended. One of the greatest of these at his death expreffed himself thus: In doubts have B

I lived

I lived, and in more anguish do I die, whither I fhall go I know not; therefore thou Being of Beings, have mercy on me. Such was the confeffion of the great Aristotle.

That which concerns God, and heaven, and heavenly things, was of too fublime a nature to be clearly comprehended by uninftructed man, in his natural state. But if the Gentiles could not rest satisfied or easy in the neglect of religious worship, a duty which they deemed their primary concern; and were zealous in the performance of rites which nature prompted them to pay : much more earneft ought Chriftians to be in the duties of praise and adoration; being directed thereto by the express revealed will of God; and even in that guided by a clearer light than ever was manifested in former revelations.

There are fome things which may be known by the light of nature, without the help of revelation: of this kind is the knowledge of God, visible to the fenfes of man by the works of creation and providence; and from his own inward consciousness he deems religious worship abfolutely expedient and neceffary: but in what manner he should perform it, fo as to be acceptable to the Deity, is impoffible to be known by the light of nature, without the help of revelation.

Of

Of the immortality of the foul he had an imperfect difcernment, but then it was feeing through a glass darkly: whereas that is only made certain and evident by the incarnation of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

Thus mankind by the light of natural religion only wandered in error and uncertainty, deftitute of the chiefeft happiness and greatest good; as being ignorant of the will of God, and of the heavenly life. In this ftate the greatest pleasures the world afforded, yielded but fmall enjoyment; though in full poffeffion of all the conveniences and even the luxuries of life; yet the want of this fpiritual knowledge, and the thought that the continuance of his being hung in doubt before him, was a great allay to the higheft epicurean fplendor, and in a manner fubverfive of all terreftrial delights. Is it poffible that any one endowed with the powers of reafoning can reft fatisfied and eafy in the neglect and omiffion of divine worship, even if he was not directed thereto by revelation? Can he partake of the bounties of nature, receive the good things of this life, enjoy the pleafing viciffitudes of the seasons, perceive the order of nature under the management of an infinite power, himself shielded and defended by

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the

the fame invisible providence from manifeft hazards and dangers? can any confiderate perfon reconcile himself, and remain happy and quiet without making a return of praife and thanksgiving? No, those who receive the favours of heaven unmindful and regardless of them, are fuch as the prophet complains of, who confider not.

Many confidently affert, that mankind are by nature inclined to worship and adoration, from this obfervation; that no country or people whatever, whether of antient or modern difcoveries, were found deftitute of divine adoration: none but by fome outward emblems thewed their propenfity to this duty. Add to this the fenfe which all have who think seriously of the expediency of this duty; even were they not directed thereto by revelation: and this opinion more or less predominates according to men's capacities and difpofitions. It is but feldom feen that lafting happiness accompanies a life neglectful of religion; for when the mind is wearied out with the emptiness and vanity of worldly pleasures, it is then defirous to be fixed upon fome joys that are more fubftantial and refined; it grieves for the time wasted in fenfual delights, unmindful of the business for the discharge of which he finds himself endowed with fuitable faculties. If this uneafiness was the confe

quence

quence of fpiritual negligence in an unenlightened ftate; the reflections of confcience must be much more diftrefsful to those who are guilty of the fame under the gofpel difpenfation, whereby fo great a portion of divine light is afforded. Where this duty is urged upon mankind not only by nature, but by the revelation of the Deity himself; and wherein he has given directions for the right performance of it; then the difcharge thereof becomes doubly incumbent.

This is the cafe of us Christians; for we are affured of a Supreme Being from what we see in the vifible world; and from the works of creation and providence we infer the obligation of religion. And these notions which naturally refult from reflection, are made certain by revelation.

Therefore, fince Almighty God has manifested himself to mankind, and vouchfafed to declare the terms upon which we are to be accepted or rejected at the last day; let us be diligent and careful to read and understand those scriptures which contain the doctrines of falvation.

The affair about which every ferious and thinking perfon is anxioufly inquifitive, is that of life eternal: confider, therefore, how much future happiness exceeds all that this life has to offer: how greatly it will recompence