the coft and pains that can be beftowed in the caufe; for one foul is worth more than ten thousand worlds. And though Ifrael be not now gathered, and there fhall be no great and remarkable fuccefs at prefent; yet they fhall be acceptable in the eyes of the Lord, and it will, in fome way, though now unknown to us, ferve to promote and haften on the happy day when the Heathen fhall be given to Chrift for his inheritance, and the uttermoft parts of the earth for his poffeffion.

In this view I rejoice when I am taking my leave of, the world, and heartily with fuccefs and God fpeed to all who are, and the many more who hereafter shall be, engaged in this happy, glorious work.

Of nominal Chriftians above two thirds are Papifts, or of the Greek church, and near one third are Proteftants, who are not more than the fixteenth part of the inhabitants of the earth. The Popish church has corrupted the gofpel, introduced innumerable fuperftitious" inftitutions and practices, and an idolatry, in many re fpects more grofs and wicked than that of the Heathen. In fcripture the head of this church, the Pope, is called Antichrift and the Beast, who, with all his followers, who receive his mark, are doomed to destruction. The Greek church is funk into ignorance and fuperftition, and have departed from the effential truths and duties of Christianity. We are not therefore to look into either of these churches for many, if any, real Christians. As public bodies, they will ceafe to exift, when real Christianity, in the truth and power of it, fhall prevail through all the world. I therefore take my leave of them, as by the fcripture doomed to deftruction.

The Proteftants, who began their feparation from the church of Rome in the fixteenth century, when what is called the reformation from Popery took place, under the preaching and and writings of Luther and Calvin, and many other reformers, are now divided into various different sfects, parties and denominations, differing in the doctrines which they hold, and in their manner of difcipline, and in the mode of adminiftering

A a a

the ordinances of baptifm and the Lord's fupper, and the proper fubjects of these ordinances, and in the mode of worship, &c. In the time of the reformation, and for fome time after, the body of the reformed agreed in the most important and fundamental doctrines of the gofpel, which appears by their confeffions of faith and catechifms, which they published, and are the fame, as to fubftance, with the doctrines which Calvin published in his Inftitutions. The articles of faith of the church of England, formed not long after the reformation from Popery, are after the fame model, Calvinistic. About the middle of the feventeenth century, a confeffion of faith and catechifms were formed by an affembly of divines, called together from England and Scotland, by both houfes of the English parliament; which confeffion and larger and smaller catechifins were approved and ordered to be published by both houses of faid parliament, and the parliament and general affembly of the church of Scotland. And they were fubfcribed or affented to by all ranks of people in England, Scotland and Ireland. This confeffion of faith, and these catechifms, are what may be, and is generally, called ftrict Calvinifm. And they have been affented to, taught and maintained by many to this day.

But doctrines contrary to thofe contained in this confeffion of faith were introduced among Proteftants not long after the reformation from Popery, and were confiderably spread, when the above faid confeffion was formed; fuch as are called Arminianism, and Antinomianism, and those held by Arians and Socinians, who not only agree with Arminians in rejecting Calvinifm, or what are called the doctrines of grace, but deny the divinity of Jefus Chrift. Thefe doctrines have had a great increase and spread among Proteftants, fince that time, especially in this century; and the prevalence of Deifm, to which these doctrines have a direct lead, has taken place, and real, practical religion has decayed, and vice of almost every kind has increased and abound

ed

ed in proportion to the propagation of these doctrines, which are opposed to Calvinifm, and have a tendency to spread infidelity.

About the middle of this century the attention of multitudes was roufed, and there was a great and remarkable revival of religion, in Britain, Ireland and America, principally under the preaching of Whitefield, and those who joined with him. Great numbers were hopefully converted, and embraced the doctrines of Calvinifm. But there was too great a mixture of delufion and falfe religion, which has continued and been spreading fince that time, while the whole has been the mean of the increase of light and knowledge of the truth, by which true religion has been diftinguished from that which is false, and the important doctrines of the gospel have been pointed out and vindicated, in oppofition to the various errors which have been embraced by many, by the writings or preaching of those who have appeared to have come to the knowledge of the truth. But by far the greater part, even the body of the people, appear not to have partook of the benefit of this revival of religion; and moft who lived in the time of it were prejudiced against it, and opposers of it, and many of those who at first appeared friendly to it apoftatized, and either embraced errors and falfe religion, or abandoned themselves to vice and infidelity; and on the whole it has been the mean of hardening men in fin, and against the truth and all true religion, and against Christianity itself; fo that religion has been gradually decaying, in general, from that time to this, and the above mentioned errors, and Deism, and even Atheism, have been faft fpreading, and greedily embraced by multitudes, in oppofition to all truth. And vice and immorality have kept pace with this, as the natural effect.

Deifm and Atheism, which are near akind, as the former really implies the latter, and naturally runs into it, both being not only oppofition to Christianity, but to all religion, have for a century had a rapid spread in Germany,

SERM. XXI Germany, and more or lefs in all parts of Europe. This has been promoted with uncommon zeal, and fecret cunning, by a number of pretended philofophers, who, with their abettors, have at length effected the public expulfion of Christianity from France. And they do not stop here, but are determined, as foon as poffible, to effect the extirpation of Christianity and all religion from the Chriftian, world. Yea, they extend their views farther, and are attempting, as far as they fhall have opportunity, to put an end to all religion of every kind, and all civil government, in every nation on earth, where there is any degree of thefe. They have extended their views to America, and have emiffaries, both fecret and more open, attempting to spread thefe pernicious principles; and there are multitudes, efpecially of the rifing generation, who are prepared to receive them.

Though there have been of late fome inftances of apparent revival of religion, both by zealoufly embracing and promoting Calvinifm, or the true doctrines of the gospel, and exhibiting the power and life of experimental religion, in practice, both in Europe and America; yet the great body and mafs of the people are evidently faft growing more and more corrupt in principle and practice. But very few of the whole are willing to make a profeffion of religion, and by far the greater part of profeffors do not understand or believe the important, effential doctrines of the gofpel, and are far from a fteady, zealous conformity to the holy rules of it in practice, and fhining as lights, in diftinction from the world. Attending on public worship is more and more neglected and defpifed; and profanation of the fabbath is more common, by irreligious vifits, vain companies, and walking or riding abroad in companies. Family religion is generally excluded; and family government and good order, and the religious inftruction and education of children, is become very rare, and generally neglected; which gives a dark and melancholy profpect refpecting the religion and morals of

'the

the rifing and future generations. And in proportion to the neglect of public worship, and the profanation of the fabbath, and the increafe of profanenefs and other vices, there is an increafing defire and engagedness to attend the foolish, wicked and corrupting diverfions of the ftage or theatre, and other finful affemblies and amufements.

The prefent ftate of religion, both as to the doctrines and practice of thofe, who profefs to believe that Chriftianity is a divine inftitution, and of thofe who are profeffed infidels, affords a clear practical demonftration of what the Bible abundantly holds forth, viz. that true religion, in principle and practice, cannot be preferved and maintained in the world, but will foon vanifh, be rejected and loft, if the powerful influences of the Spirit be withheld, and do not attend the preaching of the gofpel, and the adminiftration of the inftituted ordinances of it, to the faving converfion of finners, and the quickening, ftrengthening and comfort of believers. When men remain under the power of the natural corruption and ignorance of their minds, not being born of the Spirit, and taught of God fo as to come to the knowledge of the truth, by the renewing of their minds, their carnal mind, which is enmity against God, will either lead them to reject the gofpel wholly as a mere fable, and not worthy of credit, or to corrupt it in the doctrines and duties which it inculcates, fo as to render it conformable to the corrupt inclinations of their own hearts. And this is no new discovery, but the evidence of it has exifted and been increafing ever fince Chriftianity has been published to the world, by the treatment it has received from all to whom it has been preached, except those who have known and acknowledged that they were brought to understand and embrace it by the invifible and powerful operations of the Spirit of God; that, were it not for this diftinguifhing, fovereign goodness of God, and they had been left to themfelves, they fhould not have believed and

embraced