form which our Saviour used, when he prayed against the most painful and most ignominious of deaths, Nevertheless not my Will, but thine be done. This comprehenfive petition is the most humble, as well as the most prudent, that can be offered up from the creature to his Creator, as it fuppofes the Supreme Being wills nothing but what is for our good, and that he knows better than our felves what is fo...

SECT

SECT. V.

Advantages of REVELATION above Natural Reafon.

R

quicquid dignum fapiente bonoque eft. Hor.

Eligion may be confidered under two general heads. The first comprehends what we are to believe, the other what we, are to practise. By those things which we are to believe, I mean whatever is revealed to us in the Holy Writings, and which we could not have obtained the knowledge of by the light of nature; by the things which we are to practife, I mean all thofe duties to which we are directed by reafon or natural religion. The firft of these I shall diftinguish by the name of Faith, the fecond by that of Morality.

If we look into the more ferious part of mankind, we find many who lay fo great

great a ftrefs upon faith, that they neglec morality; and many who build fo much upon morality, that they do not pay a due regard to faith. The perfect man fhould be defective in neither of these particulars, as will be very evident to those who confider the benefits which arife from each of them, and which I fhall make the fubject of this day's paper.

Notwithstanding this general divifion of Chriftian duty into morality and faith, and that they have both their peculiar excellencies, the first has the pre-eminence in feveral refpects.

First, Because the greateft part of morality (as I have ftated the notion of it) is of a fixt eternal nature, and will endure when faith fhall fail, and be loft in conviction.

Secondly, Because a Perfon may be qualified to do greater good to mankind, and become more beneficial to the world, by morality, without faith, than by faith without morality.

Thirdly, Because morality gives a greater perfection to human nature, by quieting the mind, moderating the paffions, and advancing the happiness of every man in his private capacity. Fourthly,

Fourthly, Because the rule of morality is much more certain than that of faith, all the civilized nations of the world agreeing in the great points of morality, as much as they differ in those of faith.

Fifthly, Because infidelity is not of fo malignant a nature as immorality; or to put the fame reafon in another light, because it is generally owned, there may be falvation for a virtuous Infidel, (particularly in the cafe of invincible ignorance) but none for a vicious Believer.

Sixthly, Because faith feems to draw its principal, if not all its excellency, from the influence it has upon morality; as we fhall fee more at large, if we confider wherein confifts the excellency of faith, or the belief of revealed religion; and this I think is,

Firft, In explaining and carrying to greater heights, feveral points of morality.

Secondly, In furnishing new and, ftronger motives to enforce the practice of morality.

Thirdly, In giving us more amiable ideas of the Supreme Being, more en

dearing

dearing notions of one another, and a truer ftate of our felves, both in regard to the grandeur and vileness of our na

tures.

Fourthly, By fhewing us the blackness and deformity of vice, which in the Christian fyftem is fo very great, that he who is poffeffed of all perfection and the Sovereign Judge of it, is represented by feveral of our Divines as hating fin to the fame degree that he loves the Sacred Person who was made the propitiation of it.

Fifthly, In being the ordinary and prefcribed method of making morality ef fectual to falvation.

I have only touched, on these several heads, which every one who is conver fant in difcourfes of this nature will ea, fily enlarge upon in his own thoughts, and draw conclufions from them which may be useful to him in the conduct of his life. One I am fure is fo obvious, that he cannot mifs it, namely, that a man cannot be perfect in his fcheme of morality, who does not ftrengthen and support it with that of the Chriftian faith.

Befides