wonder upon what grounds this objection hath been taken up against Christianity, when there is nothing either in the nature of this religion, or from the experience of the world, to give any tolerable countenance to it. And surely the best way to know what effect any religion is likely to have upon the minds of men, is to consider what effects it hath had in the constant experience of mankind. There remain the other two objections which I mentioned, but I must reserve them to another opportunity.

THE PREJUDICES AGAINST JESUS AND HIS

RELIGION CONSIDERED.

And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in Me.—MATT. xi. 6. FROM these words I proposed to consider these two things:

(1.) The prejudices and objections which the world at first had, and many still have, against our blessed Saviour and His religion.

(II.) That it is a great happiness to escape the common prejudices which men are apt to entertain against religion.

I have considered those objections which the Jews and heathen philosophers made against our Saviour and His religion and,

(II.) Those which, at this day, are insisted upon by the secret and open enemies of our religion. And I mentioned seven, the two last of which I shall now speak to.

(Sixthly), It is objected, that there are many divisions and factions among Christians. This I confess is a great reproach and scandal to our religion; but no sufficient argument against it. And,

(1.) To lessen and abate the force of this objection, it is to be considered, that a very great part of the divisions that are among those that are called Christians, are about things that do not concern the essentials of Christianity; and therefore they are no argument that Christianity is not true, because they bring no suspicion of doubt and uncertainty upon the fundamentals of Christianity, which all agree in, though they differ in other things. It is true, indeed, they are very indecent, and

contrary to the nature and precepts of the Christian religion; which, above any religion in the world, does strictly require love and unity. They take off much from the strength and beauty of our religion but do by no means destroy the truth of it.

(2.) How many and great soever they may be, yet they can with no colour of reason be imputed to the Christian religion, as giving any cause or encouragement to them, however by accident it may be the occasion of them. For no man doubts but that the best thing in the world may be perverted by bad men, and made an occasion of a great deal of mischief in the world, and yet be very innocent of all that mischief. No man can deny but that Christianity docs strictly enjoin love, and peace, and unity, among all the members of that profession; and so far as Christians are factious and unpeaceable, so far they are no Christians. So that a man may as well except against philosophy, because of the differences that were among the philosophers, and say there was no truth among them, because they were not all agreed in all things, as call the uth of Christianity in question, for the differences that are mong Christians. Nay, a man might every whit as well except against laws and government; because, notwithstanding them, there are frequent seditions, and rebellions, infinite suits, and controversies, occasioned even by the very laws: but no man was ever so unreasonable as to think this a good reason against laws and government.

(3.) The divisions of Christians are so far from being an argument again Christianity, that, on the contrary, they are an argument that men should embrace Christianity more heartily, and make more conscience of obeying the precepts of it. And if they did this, the greatest part of those contentions and uncharitable animosities which are among them would presently

It is bad logic, as Bishop Butler has shown, to argue from the perversions of any system and not from its genuine tendencies. The inconsistencies of professing Christians can form no reasonable ground of objection against Christianity itself, which should be judged of not by its preachers or teachers, but by what it says for itself, and the legitimate results of its influence upon social life and morals.

ccase.

If the Christian religion were truly entertained, and men did seriously mind the precepts of it, and give up themselves to the obedience of its laws, differences would not be easily commenced, nor so vehemently prosecuted, nor so pertinaciously continued in, as they are. Men would not, upon every slight reason, and little doubt and scruple, rend and tear the body of Christ in pieces, and separate themselves from the communion of the Church they live in, and in which they were baptized, and received their Christianity.

If men seriously considered, and truly understood what they do, when they divide the Church of Christ upon little scruples and pretences, they would hardly be able to think themselves Christians, whilst they continued in these unchristian and uncharitable practices.

If men would but be, or do what Christianity requires, there would be no occasion for this objection; and if men will not, the Christian religion is not to be blamed for it, but those that act so contrary to the plain precepts and directions of it. I proceed to the

(Seventh, and Last objection), The vicious and wicked lives of a great part of the professors of Christianity. This is a heavy objection, indeed, and such an one, that though we may justly be ashamed to own the truth of it, yet can we not have the face to deny it. It is so sad a truth, that it is enough to confound us, and to fill all our faces with shame and blushing;* but yet it is an objection not so strong against Christianity, as it is shameful to Christians. And notwithstanding the utmost force of it, we have no cause to be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ; but the Gospel of Christ may justly be ashamed of

We have no just reason to be startled at the "offences" which spring up among Christians. He who knew what was in man had foretold us that it mu-t be that offences c me" (St. Luke xvii. 1). But if no such announcement had been ever made, the offences of religious people would be no excuse for disliking religion itself. No doubt the profession of religion without the light of Christian character, is a more dangerous exhibition than any form of sin. Sin carries its own condemnation in its forehead, and its warning in its effects, but the other exhibition leads the young and the careless to conclude that religion has no real existence, and that it is only the word of man unto self-interest, Lot the power of God uuto salvation.

ns.

For whatever we be, "the Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation." The natural tendency of it is to reform and save men; and "the wrath of God is therein revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, however they may detain the truths of God in unrighteousness," and not suffer them to have their due and proper influence upon their hearts and lives.

But that I may give a more clear and particular answer to it, I desire you to attend to these following considerations:

(1.) It cannot be denied, but that Christianity hath had once very great and marvellous effects upon the hearts and lives of men. And for this I appeal to the lives and manners of the primitive Christians; for which we have not only the testimony of our own books and writers, but even of the adversaries of our religion. What reformation Christianity at first wrought in the manners of men, we have clear and full testimony, from what the apostles wrote concerning the several churches which they planted in several parts of the world. What hearty unity and affection there was among Christians; ven to that degree, as to make men bring in their private estates and possessions for the common support of their brethren, we may read in the history of the Acts of the Apostles. The city of Corinth, by the account which Strabo gives of it, was a very vicious and luxurious place, as most in the world; and yet we see, by St. Paul, what a strange reformation the Christian religion made in the lives and manners of many of them; (1 Cor. vi. 9, 10, 11) "Be not deceived; neither formicators, nor adulterers, nor idolaters, nor effeminate, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." And surely it is no small matter to reclaim men from such a profligate course of life. The apostle instanceth in crimes and

The reconstruction of social disorganisation, and the effectual reformation of the ungodly, are stronger arguments in favour of the Divine character of Christianity tuan, perhaps, any amount of external evidence. The god of