recommended. 425 darknefs and evil deeds ; yet the chriflian re- S E R M. ligion is in its own nature, if men be not want- XV. ing on their part, by negleting to attend to and"'""' make a right improvement of it, apt to produce real virtue and holinefs, and it bringeth a force to the motives of virtue additional to what the world knew before the publication of it ; this mull be allowed, if we acknowledge the in- tlitution to be divine, and that the infinitely wife and good God is the author of it. But though this reafoning may have weight with thofe who have a fincere veneration for our holy religion, as coming from God, with fufficientatteflations of its truth and its heavenly original, yet it may be profitable to illuftrate the fubjefl before us more particularly, by (hewing what peculiar advantages the hearers and profeffors of chriftianity have beyond others, in order to their pradifing univerfal righteoufnefs and attaining to greater perfec- tion in it than otherwife men could attain. And here, palling by the clear inftrudions of the gofpel with refped to the principles and duties of natural religion and virtue which have been mentioned, I shall only infift on the new and peculiar encouragements it con - taineth to the praElice of our whole duty ; fuch as, firfl, The exprefs affurance it giveth of the pardon of fin upon the condition of fincere
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