mankind from the perplexity in which they formerly lay, and opened a view into eternity. We are not now left to dark and fruitless conjectures about immortality, without confidence in our hopes, or confolation in our fears; but have the fulleft affurances of an everlasting happinefs prepared for good men in a future state, and the most express declarations concerning the punishment which will be inflicted on the wicked; the expediency and importance of which, to the interests of religion and virtue, must be acknowledged. These are the strongest conceivable motives to rectitude of manners, and muft operate upon the mind with all the force that is compatible with the freedom of human actions. But if even thefe are found too weak to call men off from criminal pursuits; if even these are infufficient to procure a general attention to virtue; how vain were unaffifted Reafon, how ineffectual its counfels! Of what avail any speculative contemplations on the moral fitnefs, or excellence, or amiableness,

of

of virtue, if the certain affurance of a happy or miserable Futurity cannot always prevail with us to turn from our evil ways!

Other doctrines there are of great importance to mankind, concerning which the Heathen world stood in great need of inftruction, and which have been elucidated and ascertained by the Gofpel; fuch as those relating to the Providence of GOD, -the Worship that ought to be rendered to him,-moral Duty confidered in its just extent, the terms of our Acceptance with GOD, and the means of Reconciliation when we have offended him; which time will not permit now to be fully confidered.

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I fhall only observe at present, that the advantage of the light communicated by the Gospel may in general appear from this confideration, That though GoD is no refpecter of perfons; though he is the equal Father of all; and the virtuous Heathen, who fincerely endeavours to please Gop, doubtless will please him: yet

as

in

as the Christian poffeffes fuperior affistances and opportunities of moral inftruction and improvement; as the most effectual diffuafives from every species of vice, and the most animating incitements to virtue and goodness, lie before him; he may general be expected to approach nearer to moral perfection, than those who had no future profpect to operate upon their hopes and fears, to animate them to virtue, or deter them from vice. The Gospel gives us fuch information, and lends fuch afsistance, as must, if not wilfully rejected, give us great advantages above the Heathen world.

If, then, our heavenly Father has been pleased to favour us with distinguished regard, by difperfing the clouds that hung over the Gentile world, and bidding the light of the gospel shine among us, whereby the paths of virtue and happiness are pointed out with more clearness and certainty than to those who were guided by the leffer light of nature only,-how thankful ought we to be for this light! VOL. I.

and

and how careful to direct our steps by it! how attentive to that wifdom which defcended from above, and is transfufed into the facred pages,-which reveals to us every thing we are concerned to know, in order to be wife in our most important intereft, wife unto falvation!

Let, then, the facred writings which convey this light,-the fureft guides to immortality, the words of eternal life, pure as the place from whence they were derived, wife and good as the Spirit who formed them; thofe holy oracles in which GOD announces his will to his creatures, in which our hopes are affured of everlafting felicity, and our actions directed to the attainment of it; let these employ our frequent meditations; let them be our delight, and our counfellors; and let it be our pious care, fo to read, learn, and inwardly digeft them, that we may ever hold faft the bleffed hope of everlasting life which they have given us in our Saviour CHRIST.

SER

SERMON XVI.

GOD's Judgments à Motive to
HOLINESS.

Preached at Edinburgh, February 6. 1756, on the day appointed by public authority for a general faft, after the earthquake at Lisbon.

ISAIAH XXVI. 9. latter part.

When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteoufness.

A

T this awful feason, when the divine judgments are in the world, when God has arisen to shake terribly the earth, Q 2

when