never had fuch a defign, or, the like fuccefs. For tho' felf-love may have hitherto made ufe of Deceit and Falfhood to effect its own Defires, without any regard had to faftice and Charity, fo indifpenfably due to our Neighbour; it was yet never known, nor ever will be, that Charity made ufe of Impo-sture and Deceit to bring about its Designs for the good of others, without the leaft confideration of its own Intereft and Defires. And to infist further upon it, would be to endeavour to add Light to the Sun, and prove a thing that is already as clear as Noon-day.

V. Portraiture of the Chriftian Religion, as it is Confidered in it's Suitablenefs to the Neceffities of Mankind.

WE

E cannot feriously reflect upon our felves, without immediately discovering our own Weakness, Mifery, and Corruption :Neither can we look upon the Chriftian Religion, without acknowledging that it was peculiarly defigned to free us from those three Imperfections inherent in our Nature.

As to the Corruption of Man, it may be said that it was the only thing in the World that Men moft knew, and yet at the fame time were most ignorant of: For the effects of it were palpable and evident to the Senfes. It was easily believed, that Men were very wicked and corrupt, when it was fo manifeftly feen that they committed fo many enormous Crimes: But Men were still ignorant that there was a general Depravation from Nature in the Heart of every Man, that difpos'd him to the strangest Irregularities; and it has fo happened that Men have made no great Reflexion upon the Nature of that Original Depravation fo incident to Mankind,

that

that it continually attends them from the Cradle to the Grave. They only concern'd themselves about what was external, without fearching into the bottom of their Hearts and Confciences.

But the Chriftian Religion gives us in that respect all necessary light: It teaches us that we are corrupt, and that that Corruption proceeds from our felves: It fhews us the extent of it, and confirms what the Old Teftament taught us, That all flesh had corrupted his way,Gen.6.12.It fhews us that that Corruption makes us fubject to the Curfe of God, and that we are by nature the children of wrath, Eph. 2. 3. It affures us that that Original Corruption has fuch power over Man's Heart, that it moves all the Faculties of his Soul, fo that every imagination of the heart of man is only evil continually, Gen. 6.5. Laftly, It fhews us how impoffible it is for Man ever to recover himself of that Malady fo inveterate and deeply rooted within him; and that by reprefenting him to us as one that is lame, that has a Lethargy, that is dead in refpect of Life, Holynefs, and Justice; all which Truths we know too well by Reafon and Experience,

How comes it then that the Chriftian Religion teacheth us fuch things as were fo generally unknown to Mankind? Above all, how comes it to fhew us fo diftinctly the true Principle of our own Corruption? Who taught the Son of Mary that Self-love is the true Source and Original of all our Irregularities? And why does he make Man to become an Enemy to himself?

Yet the Chriftian Religion not only teaches us to know Man, and thoroughly to fearch into all his Frailties, but also that alone furnishes us with fuch Remedies, as can cure all his Weakneffes and Imperfections.

For

For we can't fee that any thing else can do it. Not Education, which is as often evil as good; not the Civil Laws, whose business is only to regulate outward actions; Nor the Law in general, which instead of removing, rather increases this Original Corruption, being in that refpect like a Bank which caufes the Flood to fwell; Not the Decorum observed among Men, which usually varies according to the diverfity of Countries; Nor the Refpect we commonly have for our felves, a thing too thin and metaphyfical not to fubmit to the Senfe of Plea fure; Not Reafon it felf, which the Passions fo eafily corrupt; Nor the Example of Men, who commonly lead a very irregular life; Not worldly Honour, which regards only external Pomp and Grandeur; nor Lastly, Philofophy, which wants motives fufficient to effect it: or if it has any, it derives them all from our own Pride.

· Must we then have recourse to the Virtues in fafhion in the World? we may easily perceive that they are only Pride and Interest differently manag'd according to the various Turns and Affairs, fince they have no other Motives but what they have from the World.

The Falfhood of Human Virtues is a thing not to be difputed. We all know that Self-denial is only a piece of nice delicate Intereft; Liberality, a meer Te of Pride, which values no Gifts, provided it

he Glory of being liberal; Modefty, the Art
acealing our Vanity; Civility, but an affect-
ference of other Men before our felves, to
how much
really value our felves above

ld; Ba
hings
e,

, but an affected Silence ur Lufts make us think of obliging other Men, our felves by getting mie; juft as Impatience

to

to acquit our felves of an Obligation, is but a Shamefacedness for having been too long beholding to others for fome Favour received. So that all thefe Virtues in general are fo many Guards Selflove makes use of to prevent our darling and fecret Vices from appearing outwardly. What Remedy then can be brought for the Irregularities of our corrupt Nature,the pernicious Poyfon of which fecretly infinuates it self ev'n into our Virtuousactions? And who can cure fuch a Distemper, when the Remedies applied to it are rather a Disease than a Cure ?

Experience fhews us, that by effectually refifting one Vice, we often confirm and establish another. Would you destroy Avarice? you must attack it by fuch Arguments as neceffarily flatter Pride. And is Pride to be overcome? it must be impugn'd by fuch Motives as encourage Avarice. In vain fhall you ftrip Self-love of all it's pleasing Objects and Allurements; ftill it will endeavour to fecure it felf either by contemning the Goods of Fortune, or by fhewing it's Moderation in patiently enduring Difgraces. Self-love when feated on the Throne, makes Tyrants; when reduc'd to Want and Poverty, it makes Philofophers, who defpife every thing they can't enjoy. It oft indeed changes it's Object, but not it's Difpofition. It's Pride (as I may fay) outlives its own Death, and not being able to prevent it's perishing it would feem to look pleasantly upon its Downfal, and as it were triumph in it's own Ruin. Who then can give this Hydra it's Deaths wound, when the lopping off one Head, ferves only to give rife to another?

It is certain therefore that nothing can remedy this Corruption, unless it be more conftant than the Principles of Education, more infallible than the Rules of Decency and Civility, more holy than the Civil Laws, which require only an outward Parity,

and

and confult the exterior Good of publick Society? more powerful than all worldly Honour which regards only Pomp and Renown; more Effectual than all worldly Motives, which are unable to fubvert those Paffions,the Vanity of which they flatter; more ftrong. than a vain and fruitlefs Wisdom, which pretends to free Man from his Mifery by annihilating him, and has no other Motives but what proceed from the greatest of our Imperfections, our Pride. The Chriftian Religion alone has all thefe Advantages, and confequently is alone fuitable to the Neceffities of Man.

It is that which purifies the very Bottom of our Confciences, by fhewing us that it is to no purpose to cleanse the Outside of the Cup and the Platter. It reforms our Principles, by making a Temporal Interest give place to an Eternal one, and extinguishing the defire of an imaginary by the hopes of a real Immortality. It propofes to us an unalterable Rule and a true Model of Perfection to go by. It informs us that we have both a Judge and a Witnefs of all our actions, who discovers us, tho' in the Dark, and cover'd as it were with a Cloud; whofe piercing Eye fees through all our Pretences and Difguifes, who forces us to know our felves, to combat and mortify our Defires; and that, whether we are feen or not feen, whether the World Oves or condemns our Actions; God being ally independent from all outward Objects, limited by any exteriour Circumstances. deed what but fuch an infinite Deity could lied us with fuch a Remedy, fo effectual, our Wants and Neceflities?

ble t

ad

efs are the portion of our nnot shake off the latter, &t to the two former. at Man is miferable; measure the very Center