equally, fome an hundred Fold, fome fixty, fome thirty.

The Perfons, to whom this Doctrine was delivered, gave immediate Proof of its Truth. The Generality, fond of the Shew of Religion, but dreading to undertake the Practice of it in earneft, hearing heard not, and feeing faw not, to any useful Purpofe, what in this Form of Speech of our Saviour laid before them: as indeed he declares he knew would be their Cafe, and therefore defignedly used a Manner of Expreffion, which they would not take the Trouble, fmall as it was, to understand. For fuch neither deferved plainer Inftructions, nor would have made any other than a bad Ufe of them; which could only have increased their Guilt. Nay, his Difciples themfelves apprehended his Meaning, though obvious enough, but imperfectly; and defired to have it explained to them. This however shewed a good Difpofition: and therefore he not only condescends to their Request, but affures them it was a Happiness unfpeakable to have any Degree of proper Attention to, and ferious Senfe of, a Thing fo infinitely important, as God's Word. Blessed are your Eyes, for they See; and Ears, for they hear. A Truth, a Luke viii. 9.

your

Matth. xiii. 14.

< Ib:

which, though applicable more eminently, beyond Comparison, to those who heard and faw the Word of Life himself, yet must hold in Proportion of all, who are taught, by the Ministry of his Servants, the Christian Doctrine. This Paffage then afferts in a strong Manner the Benefit of religious Instruction: which many appear, unhappily for themselves and others, to undervalue exceedingly.

Indeed we are all very apt to overlook and flight the Advantages, that we have long enjoyed without Interruption, even in our worldly Affairs. Health and Plenty, Safety and Liberty, excite in us very little Thankfulness: but the Things of another, and, we imagine, diftant Life, make a still fainter Impreffion. Hence great Numbers thoughtleffly disregard Religion and fome avowedly disbelieve it. No Wonder, if many of these think teaching it needlefs, or even hurtful. But others alfo, who profefs to acknowledge the Duties, that we owe to our Creator, of a fober, and righteous, and godly Life; yet maintain, that in Goodness, nay Juftice, he is bound to make them, and in Fact hath made them all, fo evident by Nature to every Man, that we want no farther Information to know the Whole of them. But how do they prove this?

5

this? The Goodness of God is extended to his various Creatures in Degrees extremely different; and none is entitled to claim this Degree or that. The Juftice of God permits him to give as low Capacities to Men as he pleases; and binds him only to require, in Proportion to. what he gives. Why then may he not put us under a Neceffity of learning from each other, in a great Measure, the Way to future Happinefs, as well as the Methods of procuring to ourfelves the Conveniences and Neceffaries of common Life? Should we not be wretchedly furnished with thefe, indeed should we be able to fubfift, were each Generation, each Man, to provide them for his own Ufe, without being previously taught? And muft we not have been much more at a Lofs in Matters of a moral and spiritual Nature? We are endued with Reafon but we fhould apply it very little, if at all, to Subjects of this Kind; and make a very flow Progrefs in them, if we did; unless Education, that is, Inftruction, opened the Way, and directed our Steps. We have an inbred Senfe of Good and Evil, which enables

e

Neque tam eft acris acies in naturis hominum & ingeniis, ut res tantas quifquam, nifi monftratas, poffit videre; neque tanta tamen in rebus obfcuritas, ut eas non penitus acri vir ingenio cernat, fi modo afpexerit, Cic. de Or. Î. 3. § 31.

us, in many Things, of ourselves to judge what is right. But then, however it comes to pafs, which our boafted Faculties will scarce be able to tell us, this moral Perception is by no Means perfect or distinct; and it is mixed with Paffions and Appetites, far livelier and stronger, that frequently obfcure, and fometimes pervert it. Still in Fact, the Duties of Life feem plain to most of us : and fo we are tempted to conclude, there is no Occafion for Inftruction in them. But how came they to be thus plain? Why, principally because we have always had Inftruction. Confider thofe Nations that have little: for none are intirely destitute; every where Parents teach their Children, and all Men teach one another, fomething: but ftill is the Whole of their Duty plain to them? There are doubtlefs Parts of it, which they cannot well avoid understanding: and they might, with all their Difadvantages, understand more than they do: but can they every one of them, with Eafe find out the Whole? How dreadfula Condemnation must they, who affirm this, pass on Millions at once, for having found out fo little? We Chriftians are more charitable, and think their Darknefs, though not a f Luke xii. 57.

Juftification,

Juftification, yet a confiderable Excufe: but then we must infift, that Light would be a great Blefling to them, and that Inftruction is neceffary to introduce it. For what wretched Ignorance of most evident, and what strange Belief of most abfurd, Things, in Religion and Morals, doth all History shew to have prevailed, for fucceffive Ages, through Nations, knowing and learned in other Refpects, but untaught in this?

Nay, to look no farther than ourselves: how many do we fee of low Capacity, that, with the best Help, know little, and, with less, would fcarce know any Thing? How many of better Capacity want Leisure from worldly Cares, and would have no Time for Improvement, if the frequent Return of this Day did not give it them? How many, even with Leifure, would never turn their Minds to the Confideration of their Duty, if they were not called to it fo loudly here, and Knowledge in a Manner forced them? How many indeed, of higher Rank as well as lower, appear after all very poorly grounded in the most important Principles and Precepts?

upon

It must be confidered too, that our own. Reafon, had we ever fo much of it, and eyer

fo