SERMON I.

Preached before the Incorporated Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts,

At their Anniversary Meeting in the Parish Church of St. Mary-le-Bow,

On Friday, February 16, 1738-9.

MATTH. XXIV. 14.

And this Gofpel of the kingdom fhall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations.

THE general doctrine of religion, that all things are under the direction of one righteous Governor, having been established by repeated revelations in the first ages of the world, was left with the bulk of mankind, to be honestly preferved pure and entire, or carelessly forgotten, or wilfully corrupted. And though reafon, almost intuitively, bare witness to the truth of this moral system of nature, yet it foon appeared, that they did not like to retain

God

God in their knowledge, as to any purposes of real piety. Natural religion became gradually more and more darkened with fuperstition, little understood, lefs regarded in practice; and the face of it fcarce difcernible at all, in the religious establishments of the most learned, polite nations. And how much foever could have been done towards the revival of it by the light of reason, yet this light could not have difcovered, what fo nearly concerned us, that important part in the scheme of this world, which regards a Mediator; nor how far the fettled constitution of its government admitted repentance to be accepted for remiffion of fins; after the obfcure intimations of these things, from tradition, were corrupted or forgotten. One people indeed had clearer notices of them, together with the genuine fcheme of natural religion, preferved in the primitive and fubsequent revelations committed to their truft; and were defigned to be a witness of God, and a providence to the nations around them: but this people also had corrupted themselves and their religion to the highest degree, that was confiftent with keeping up the form of it.

In this ftate of things, when infinite Wisdom saw proper, the general doctrine of re

a Rom. i. 28..

b

ligion was authoritatively republished in its purity; and the particular difpenfation of Providence, which this world is under, manifefted to all men, even the difpenfation of the grace of God towards us, as finful, loft creatures, to be recovered by repentance through a Mediator; who was to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteoufnefs, and at length establish that new state of things foretold by the prophet Daniel, under the character of a kingdom, which the God of heaven would fet up, and which should never be destroyed d. This, including a more diftinct account of the inftituted means, whereby Chrift the Mediator would gather together in one the children of God, that were Scattered abroad, and conduct them to the place he is gone to prepare for them f; is the Gospel of the kingdom, which he here foretells, and elsewhere commands, should be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations. And it first began to be Spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God alfo bearing them witness, both with figns and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghoft, according to his own will: by which means it was spread very

widely among the nations of the world, and became a witness unto them.

When thus much was accomplished, as there is a wonderful uniformity in the conduct of Providence, Christianity was left with Christians, to be tranfmitted down pure and genuine, or to be corrupted and funk; in like. manner as the religion of nature had been before left with mankind in general. There was however this difference, that by an inftitution of external religion fitted for all men, (confifting in a common form of Christian worship, together with a standing ministry of inftruction and difcipline,) it pleased God to unite Chriftians in communities or visible churches, and all along to preserve them, over a great part of the world; and thus perpetuate a general publication of the Gofpel. For thefe communities, which together make up the Catholic vifible Church, are, firft, the repofitories of the written oracles of God; and, in every age, have preferved and published them, in every country, where the profeffion of Chriftianity has obtained. Hence it has come to pass, and it is a thing very much to be obferved in the appointment of Providence, that even fuch of these communities, as, in a long fucceffion of years, have corrupted Christianity the most, have yet continually carried, together with their corruptions, the confutation

of