foretold the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, two cities of this country, of their approaching ruin, and endeavoured to awaken the voice of nature within them, but in vain; but we are to fuppofe, from the juftice and mercy of the Supreme Being, the common father of all the human race, that they were often before called upon to repent; and not only neglected thofe calls, but continued to plunge themselves deeper into the horrid state they were found in, when they were cut off by the Ifraelites.

Having given a brief account of the principal religions, forms of worshipping a Deity, and moral institutions, which, as we learn from the history of the world, have been practifed in the different parts of the earth, together with the opinions of fome of the principal philofophers of antiquity upon those subjects, I fhall now proceed, in the first place, to give fome account of the life and doctrines of Jefus Chrift; fecondly, as I originally propofed, to fhew the fuperiority of thofe doctrines over all the others which have hitherto appeared in the world, for conducting mankind, as rational beings, through this life, and as well for preparing them for a future ftate; and, thirdly, to anfwer the principal objections which have been made to the Christian doctrines, by fome writers of antiquity, by many modern philofophers, and by others who pretend to believe only a part of this religion, and to reject the rest,

will more particularly appear in the following example) and another who is poffeffed of the goods. of this world, and who, after he has fupplied himfelf and his family with the neceffaries of life, applies the remaining part of his revenue in acts of humanity and benevolence, for the benefit of his fellow-creatures who are poor, and who want his affiftance; together with the dreadful fituation into which the former will be plunged in another world." There was a certain rich man,” fays he, "who was clothed in purple and fine linen, "and fared sumptuously every day: and there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, who laid at his gate full of fores; and he defired to be fed << with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's

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table and moreover the dogs came and licked "his fores."We fee here a clear defcription of the rich man whom Jefus hath before observed: he is clothed, and fed, with all the luxuries of life; he is a perfect Epicure, but is loft to all sense of humanity, and the divine Providence hath bestowed her bleffings upon him to no purpose. He fees a fellow-creature lying at his gate, in the greatest diftrefs and mifery, and praying for fome relief; not that he thereby defires to diminish, in the least, the luxury and extravagance of the rich man, but to receive only the crumbs which fell from his table, and which he gave to nourish his dogs; but this inhuman glutton rejected his prayer, and regarded him with that unfeelingness to which the dogs were unaccustomed; for thefe dumb

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of him would be fulfilled: For when Herod, from the report of the wife men, heard that there was a king of the Jews born, he called together all the chief priests and scribes, and demanded of them where Chrift fhould be born; and they said unto him, in Bethlehem of Judah, for thus it is written by the prophet *.-It likewise appears from hence, that not only the Jewish nation, but also a part of the heathen world, were in expectation of this great event; but whether the latter founded their belief upon the Jewish prophecies, or upon some other figns or tokens, which they had received themselves, does not appear; but I am much inclined to think the latter; otherwise the wife men would have been much at a lofs, with all their science, to have discovered that the star which they saw announced the birth of a Meffias.

The history of the birth of Jefus Chrift, with all the extraordinary circumstances that attended it, is fo clearly set forth by St. Matthew and by St. Luke, and fo well known, that it would be needlefs for me to say any thing thereon; except that we find he was born of a virgin, agreeable to what Isaiah had prophefied of him several hundred years before. Nothing particular is faid of Jefus Chrift during his childhood, except that, when, he was only twelve years old, he left his reputed father, and his mother, and took his feat among the doctors, in the temple, to hear, and to afk them questions, and that all those who heard him • Matthew, chap. ii. ver. 5.

were

lays open the neceffity of regeneration towards attaining eternal falvation; a point which none of the Ifraelitish prophets or lawgivers had ever touched upon before, and which, apparently, was never a part of the ideas of the ancient philofophers.

Nicodemus, we are told, was one of the fect of the Pharifees, a man of confiderable note, and a ruler of the Jewish nation: it appears also, that, like the young man before mentioned, he was well disposed, and wished to be inftructed in the right way to falvation: but as Jefus Chrift and his doctrine were at that time held in the greatest contempt by his fect, and by the chief persons of this nation, he had not refolution, enough to support all the mockery and perfecution which he forefaw would be the confequence of his taking up his crofs and following him, or even of his being openly feen with him, although it is clear that he was convinced, that Jefus Chrift was either the Meffias, or fome other great prophet :-And therefore, "he came to Jefus by night, and faid unto him,

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Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come

from God for no man can do thefe miracles

that thou doeft, except God be with him." But Jefus, who apparently knew the man's thoughts, and his defire to inherit eternal falvation, but at the fame time, to pafs fmoothly through life, and to avoid expofing himself to the fame perfecution, to which his followers were exposed, put him immediately to the teft, and said unto

hum, Verily, verily, I fay unto thee, except a

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man be born again, he cannot fee the kingdom "of God."-Surprifed at this new doctrine, “ Ni"codemus faith unto him, How can a man be

born when he is old? Can he enter the fecond 66 time into his mother's womb and be born ?” To which Jefus answered, explaining himself in a ftill clearer manner, "Verily, verily, I fay unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the "Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of "God: that which is born of the flesh, is flesh,

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but that which is born of the Spirit, is fpirit." -But left any of my readers fhould be at a lofs to comprehend what Jefus Chrift means particularly by being born of water and of the Spirit, I will beg leave humbly to offer my opinion upon this matter; which is, that except a man, after the baptifm of water, repents fincerely of his former offences, and, through the merits and interceffion of Jefus Chrift, is pardoned before God during the time of his probation; except that even the secret thoughts of his heart are cleansed, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that he walks in the regeneration of life, pure in heart, and innocent like a little child, with refpect to evil defigns, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.-After-* wards Jefus opened himself still more to Nicodemus, and attempted to convince him, that he was the Christ, the Son of God; and that he must be the facrifice before God for the fins of the whole world; For," fays he, as Mofes lifted up the ferpent

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