ledge of our Duty, and fo to aid and affift us, that it may be in our Power, whenever it is in our Will, to obey. Any thing beyond this is inconfiftent with Reason and Freedom, and therefore can have no Part in a Religion designed for the Government of rational free Agents. And this being the Cafe, that must in the Comparison be judged to be the best Religion, which does most fully enlighten our Understanding, and which does in the most perfect Manner restore us to our Liberty and Freedom, by removing the Impediments which arise from the Weaknefs and Corruption of our Nature. All who live under the Influence of fuch a Religion as this, as they have a certain Way to Happiness marked out for them, if they chufe to walk in it, fo are they certainly doomed to Condemnation upon their Difobedience. For there are but two Sorts of Men who can hope to escape Punishment, the Righteous, who have no Reason to fear Judgment, and the Sinners, who offending through Ignorance or Weakness, have fome Plea to make for Mercy and Forgiveness. But the Sinners, who knew their Duty, and were fo affifted as to have been able, had they been but willing, to perform it, have nothing

Y 4

nothing to expect but Condemnation. What
the Apostle therefore in the Text has decla-
red to us, is no more than a natural Confe-
quence drawn from the Excellency of the
Gospel, and the Perverseness of Men, confi-
dered together: This is the Condemnation, that
Light is come into the World, and Men loved
Darkness rather than Light, because their
Deeds were evil. Were the Gofpel less per-
fect than it is, or less known to the World,
Sinners would have more to plead in their
own Behalf: But fince they want no Light
to direct them, no Affiftance to fupport
them in doing their Duty, they are left with-
qut Excufe for their Difobedience. The
Gofpel, which was given to them for Life
and Salvation, will be their Judgment and
Condemnation; and the Fault is all their
own: They have as little Reason to complain
of the Gospel Religion upon
this Account, as
the dying Patient has of the Phyfician, whose
wholesome Medicines he wantonly abused to
his own Destruction. Were the Gospel
merely a Matter of Advice, which Men
might follow, or let alone, as they found
most convenient for their own Purposes, they
would then have lefs to answer for, if they
neglected it. But the Gospel is a Law

proceeding

1

1

ceeding from the best and highest Authority, given by God to his Creatures; and we are bound at our Peril to take notice of it: If we will not walk in the Light of God's Law, when it shines fo brightly before our Eyes, we shall be condemned for chufing Darkness rather than Light. This is the Meaning of the Text, which I shall therefore, in the first place, endeavour to confirm from other Paffages of Holy Writ; and shall then fhew you, that there can be no Reafon affigned, why Men make this perverfe Choice of continuing in Darkness rather than Light, but this only, because their Deeds are evil.

When our bleffed Lord commiffioned his Apoftles to preach the Gospel throughout the World, he declared at the fame time, that he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be faved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned. Which Declaration having manifeftly a Reference to the Precept foregoing, of preaching the Gospel in all the World, it is evident that the Believers and Unbelievers, here spoken of, are fuch only as have had the Gospel preached to them. And therefore this Text adminifters no Occafion to inquire into the Circumstances of such as have never

had

had the Gospel published to them; much less does it determine peremptorily any thing concerning them: But as to thofe to whom the Grace of God has been tendered by the preaching of the Minifters of Chrift, their Cafe is fully stated and determined by our bleffed Lord; He that believeth, and is baptized, fhall be faved; but he that believeth not, fhall be damned.

To the fame Purpose speaketh St. Paul in his Sermon to the Men at Athens, in which he thus declares his Sense with regard to the Times before the Gospel, and the Times fince; And the Times of this Ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all Men everywhere to repent. Where the Command to repent being opposed to God's winking at the Times of Ignorance, plainly fhews, that from the going forth of the Command to repent, God will no longer wink at the Ignorance of the World; and therefore it is Man's Peril, if he refuses to hearken to the heavenly Call.

at every

In like manner does the fame Apostle deliver himself in his Epiftle to the Romans, Chap. i. The Gospel, he tells us, is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth. He tells us alfo, That the Wrath of

God

God is revealed from Heaven against all Ungodliness and Unrighteoufnefs of Man. So that the Revelation, as it affords all Help and Affiftance to fuch as are willing to do the Works of Righteousness, and embrace the Offers of Peace, fo does it render all Ungodliness inexcufable, leaving Men no Pretence, either from Ignorance or Weakness, to cover their Iniquity.

Out of the many Texts of Scripture which speak to the fame Purpose, I fhall felect but one Testimony more, and shall go back for that to the early Dawnings of the Gospel. When our Lord sent forth his twelve Apostles to preach to the Jews only, he thus inftructs. them: When ye come into an Houfe, falute it. And if the Houfe be worthy, let your Peace come upon it: But if it be not worthy, let your Peace return to you. And whofoever shall not receive you, nor hear your Words, when ye depart out of the Houfe or City, fbake off the Duft of your Feet. Verily I fay unto you, it shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment, than for that City. In which Words our bleffed Lord fo plainly speaks his Mind, with respect to those who neglect and despise the Gospel, that they will hardly admit of any farther Explication.

Upon