ment.

The laft Moments of his Life, in Imi-

tation of our Bleffed Saviour's, were

employ'd in awakening a drowsy

Nation to a Senfe of its Guilt, and

a Dread of its impending Punish-

5,6

I. The Doctrines this Day fuggefts to

us are, That we mifplace our Grief,

if we employ it in bewailing and

lamenting our martyr'd Sovereign.

7,8

The Day on which the ancient Mar-

tyrs were crown'd, folemnized with

Joy like their Birth-Days.

In like manner we ought to magnify

the Grace of God, which infpired

our Sovereign with fuch Virtues,

as made him fhine with greater

Luftre in the Depth of his Suf-

ferings than he did in his most

flourishing Circumstances. 9, 10

And raised him in his lowest State

as far above the most profperous

Princes, as they themselves feem
raised above the rest of Mankind,

8

13

By which he has given an Inftance

to profane Men, of the Power of

thofe religious Principles which

could fupport him under all the

Indignities that befel him.

14

14, 15

And reflects an Honour on that

Church at whofe Breast he fucked

those Principles.

Every Confideration that heightens

his Virtue enhances the Guilt of

the Inftruments of his Ruin. 15, 16

II. Nations, as Nations, are liable to

Guilt, and confequently to Pu

nishment.

16

The Reason why this appears clearer

from the Old Teftament than the

New.
17, 18

How this Nation is concerned in
the Guilt of the Martyrdom.
18, 19

20, 21

The inflaming Circumstances of its

Guilt.

Which was punished, in some Mea-

fure, by its own neceffary Con-

22-26

fequences.

These not put an End to at the Re-

ftoration.

26

Nor ever can be, while the Do-

Etrines that paved the Way to

this Wickedness are embraced and

cherished.

A Deprecation of God's Judgments.

30, 31

1

SERMON II.

The wicked Lives of Chriftians no

Argument against the Truth

of Christianity.

I TIM. vi. I.

That the Name of God and his Doctrine

be not blafphemed.

Tho' the Purity of the Chriftian Mo-
rality is a Proof of its divine Origi-
nal, yet the wicked Lives of Chri-
ftians are urged as an Objection a-

gainst it.
39, 40
I. An Enquiry into the Grounds of

this Objection. Where it may be

observed,

That as bad as Men are under the

the Chriftian Difpenfation, they

would have been worse without

42

it.

The Vices we obferve among Chri-

ftians ftrike the Imagination more

ftrongly, by Reafon of their near-

nefs.

And because they are attended with

a deeper Guilt.

43

44

The

..

The Virtues of a good Chriftian lefs

known, because practifed with a

View only to another World. 44

The Author of the Whole Duty of

Man a remarkable Inftance of

this.

45

II. Allowing the Complaint to be

juft; there would be no Reafon to

urge it to the Difadvantage of Chri-

stianity itself.

46

1. The holiest and pureft Do&rine

is but Doctrine ftill, and can on-

ly inftruct and admonish, not

compel.
46, 47

It is no more an Argument against

Revealed, than against Natural

Religion.
47, 48, 49

2. Chriftianity in its Infancy had all
the Influence upon the Lives of
its Profeffors that could be expe-
&ted; if it has not the fame now,
this must not be imputed to its
Doctrine, but to other Reafons.

51

49-51

As 1. Because it is not embraced fo

much upon Principle, as former-

ly.

2. Because different Schemes of

Religion have been invented, ve-

ry different from the Purport of

A 4

the

the Gospel.

49-57

3. Chriftians that reject the Means

of becoming good Men, muft

be naturally worfe for them, as

well as judicially fo.
57,58

4. It is hard to make Chriftianity

answerable for the ill Lives of

those who do not in good Ear-

neft receive it; and harder ftill,

that those very Men, whose

Lives give Occafion for this Ob-
jeion, fhould prefs it most ea-
gerly.
58,59

III. The Inferences from this Difcourfe

are,

60

1. The Degeneracy of Chriftians is

no Argument against the Truth

of Chriftianity, but rather a Con-

firmation of it, because such a

Degeneracy was actually foretold

by Chrift and his Apoftles.

And because the Design of Chri-

ftianity, which was to reform

the World, being fo remarkably

defeated, it must have come to

nought long ago, if it had not

been from God.

61, 62

2. From our present Degeneracy we
may
conclude we were once in a
better State.

62, 63