readily answer he would not give them up for the whole world. They, therefore, enjoy a greater happiness in this life, than any sinner could enjoy, if he could gain the whole world. But Christians, with all their sufferings and sorrows, are the happiest men in this life. "Wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." None can embrace the gos

pel too soon, if they wish to be the most happy in this life, as well as in the life to come. But,

2. If real Christians had no hopes of a future and blessed immortality beyond the grave, which the gospel promises, they would not be the most happy men in this life. Though they possess true virtue, or real holiness, yet this virtue or holiness would lessen rather than increase their happiness in this present evil world, if it were wholly unconnected with any hope in the promises of the gospel. If some of the heathen should have their hearts changed, and exercise true virtue or real holiness, without the light of the gospel, and without the knowledge of any future state, or any future happiness beyond the grave, there is no reason to think that their mere virtue would render them more happy than the other heathen among whom they lived. Though true virtue has a natural tendency to promote the happiness of those who exercise it; yet this tendency may be obstructed, weakened, or destroyed. Though Christ was perfectly virtuous or holy in the garden, and on the cross, yet his virtue or holiness did not free him from the pains and agonies of crucifixion. Though the primitive Christians habitually lived in the exercise of vital piety or true virtue, yet their vital piety or true virtue would not have supported them under their fiery trials, persecutions, and martyrdom, if they had been destitute of all hope in Christ, and of all expectation of inheriting the promises of the gospel in a future and eternal state. If men could have what is called natural religion, which is supposed to consist in true virtue, it would not make them happy; for natural religion has no promises of a future state, or of future happiness beyond the grave. Suppose that deists, infidels, and some who call themselves. Christians, do possess what they call natural religion or true virtue; it can afford them hope in this life only; and, consequently, must naturally tend to plunge them in darkness and despair.

Those who think and speak so highly of natural religion, maintain the opinion that true virtue is its own reward, without any hope in Christ or the promises of the gospel. Accordingly they suppose the heathen may be saved without the gospel, on the ground of their moral virtue; and that those who deny or disbelieve the gospel may be saved, on account of their

virtue or good deeds. But this opinion is contrary to the whole design, and to all the promises, of the gospel. To strip the gospel of all its promises in Christ, is to sink it down to the level of mere natural religion; which is really to pervert and destroy it. Indeed, many consider natural and revealed religion as essentially the same; and represent Christianity as a mere appendage to natural religion, which will save all who sincerely believe it, as well as the gospel. This is a doctrine perfectly agreeable to the natural heart; and multitudes embrace it, while they remain enemies to the cross of Christ, and all the fundamental duties and doctrines of the gospel. Those who believe that virtue is its own reward, and trust in themselves that they are virtuous and righteous, have hope in themselves, and not in Christ, and make light of all the promises and threatenings of the gospel. Strip the gospel of all its promises and threatenings, and it contains nothing to be loved or feared. There is not a greater and more dangerous error in the Christian world at this day, than substituting Natural religion in the room of Christianity, or the religion of the gospel. This error Mr. Addison, Bishop Hoadly, and other celebrated Episcopalians, have maintained; and it is still maintained by Episcopalians, Methodists, nominal Calvinists, Unitarians, and respectable Deists, Universalists, and Infidels. But such men can have

hope in this life only. For no religion that ever has been, or can be devised, can carry the hopes of men a step beyond the grave. It is Christianity alone that has brought life and immortality to light. Aside from the principles and promises of the gospel, it is impossible to prove that death is not an eternal sleep and that all who have died have not perished.

3. If all that men do know or can know in this world, about another world, they must be indebted to the gospel for; then all that Deists pretend to know about the immortality of the soul and future happiness, they have derived from the light of the gospel. Lord Herbert, the first and principal propagator of Deism in England, formed a system of what he called Natural religion, in distinction from Christianity, which was really a system of pure Deism or Infidelity. He maintained that, if men would worship God, and practice the duties of morality, and shun the paths of vice, they should be forever happy in a future state. But all that he said upon these subjects, that had the least appearance of reason and plausibility, he had learned from the gospel. Had not the gospel revealed a future state, he would never have discovered it by the mere light of nature; and had not the gospel given him information about the human soul, and its condition after death, he could not

have known any more about its existence and condition after death, than an ignorant Hottentot. This more modern Deists have been convinced of; for they have denied a future state, and the future existence of the soul, and believed death to be an eternal sleep. And, on this account, they are called mortal Deists, in distinction from immortal Deists, who formerly held to the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, and a future state. It is astonishing that any men, and especially learned men, under the gospel, should renounce the light of the gospel for the darkness of Deism. Every man, who reasons correctly and consistently from the bare light of nature, must clearly see that he can have no ground of hope beyond the grave, if he rejects the promises of the gospel. Whoever pretends to know anything about a future state, but what he has learned from the gospel, is either deceived himself, or designs to deceive others. Such persons, therefore, are to be disbelieved, disregarded, and studiously avoided.

4. If true believers build all their hopes of future and eternal happiness upon the truths and promises of the Bible, then it is of great importance for them to read and study the scriptures daily. They unfold the great scheme of redemption through the death and mediation of Christ, and discover the invisible scenes and objects of eternity, which are the only source of their future and everlasting happiness. If Christians neglect to read the Bible from day to day, they will find their hopes and graces will languish, and their hearts and hopes more and more placed upon the world and the things of the world. They should not be satisfied with barely hearing the Bible read, but read it seriously and attentively to themselves, that they may understand, and love, and confide in the precious promises of God. David prized the word of God above gold, yea, above fine gold. It was his meditation all the day. And there is not a better evidence that any Christians are growing in grace, and enjoy the great consolations of the gospel, than their constant, uniform practice of daily and frequently reading the holy scriptures. And on the other hand, there is scarcely a darker sign that professors are declining in religion, than their reluctance to, and neglect of reading the Word of God. Christians should never substitute the reading of any other book or books, in the place of the reading of the Bible. No other book gives such just, clear and impressive ideas of God, of Christ, of things present and of things to come, as the sacred scriptures. And this is an important reason why both saints and sinners should never despise or neglect the Word of God for the sake of reading anything else. But are not even

Christians in great danger of being guilty of this neglect, while there are so many useless, and worse than useless publications at this day, to attract their attention, and divert it from the only infallible guide to duty, and to present and future happiness?

5. If the gospel affords those, who cordially embrace it, a just ground to hope for future and eternal happiness, then it affords as sure and certain ground of eternal despair to those who reject it. This appears from the very design of the gospel; which is, to promote the future and eternal happiness of all who place their hope and confidence in Christ. For it cannot promote the happiness of both believers and unbelievers; since the objects it exhibits to make believers happy, directly tend to make unbelievers miserable. But the gospel itself expressly declares, that it shall be a savor of life unto life to those who believe and embrace it; and, at the same time, as expressly declares, that it shall be a savor of death unto death to all who disbelieve and reject it. The gospel contains as many and as plain threatenings of eternal death to unbelievers, as it does promises of eternal life to believers. As it expressly declares that he who believeth shall be saved; so it as expressly declares that he who believeth not shall be damned. According to scripture, the hopes of Christians are growing stronger, and the hopes of sinners are growing weaker and weaker. The hopes of believers strengthen and increase, as they become more and more acquainted with the gospel; but the hopes of sinners decrease and languish, as they become more and more acquainted with the gospel; so that the righteous have hope, but sinners are driven away in despair. It is strange, indeed, that any unbeliever can expect that the gospel they reject can save them. They are certainly under a strong delusion, which exposes them to a great and eternal disappointment

6. It appears from what has been said, that those are in a peculiarly dangerous situation who are building their temporal or eternal hopes on any other foundation than the gospel of Christ. There can be no doubt but that many are building their temporal hopes upon objects that will certainly disappoint them at last. For they live without God, without Christ, and without hope in him. And every other ground of hope must fail them when they come to leave the world, and may before. There can be no doubt, also, that some are building their hopes upon their own virtue and goodness, which the gospel forbids them to build upon, and which must eventually disappoint them. Christ has let such know how he will treat them, by his conduct towards the man without a wedding garment.

Will you now, my hearers, be so good as to ask yourselves whether your hopes are in Christ, or in yourselves, or in the world. If your hopes are in Christ, you have renounced all other grounds of hope. If your hopes are in yourselves, they cannot be in Christ. Or if your hopes are in the world, you must perish as Dives did, and the rich man that laid up goods for many years. The gospel is in your hands, and you must embrace or reject it. And it must save or destroy you. The kingdom is brought near you, and it is at your peril to refuse to enter in.