Serm. CLXXXVIII. ofthe ChríjiaanRehgton. 581 It might juftly indeed be expeted, confidering the reafonablenefs of Chriftian Religion, and the great Evidence we have of the Truth and Divinity of it, that it fhould have a greater force and power upon Men, than it hath in molt parts of Chriftendom; but we cannot reafonably expert in a profperous State of Chriftia- iaity, thofe extraordinary heats and fervours which the primitive Chriftians had whilft they were under continual Perfecution: We cannot reafonably expert that unity among Chriftians, and that they fhouldbe fo generally and univerfally good, as they were under a State of Perfecution; for common Sufferings have a ftrange force to unite Men, and to endear them to one another: In times of Perfecution it might be expected that all or molt of thofe who profeft themfelves Chriftians, fhould be really fo: When a Profeflìon is dangerous to thofe that make it, and at- tended with Perfecutions, then there will be but few pretenders to it, fcarce any Man will dilfemble to the hazard of his life: But when any Religion flouritherh, and is profperous, when it is an odious thing, and againft a Man's intereft not to profefs it, then it may jufily be feared that there will be great numbers of Hypocrites, of thofe who in compliance with the fafhion, and the prevailing intereft, will take upon them the outward profeflion of it. But however we fee the fame effe&s of Chriftianity hill remain in the World: Chrift is (till owned as the trueMeffìas and the fon ofGod his Do&rine acknow- ledged to be true, and to have 'been from God; fo that thus far his promife bath been made good of building his Church upon a Rock, and that the gates of Hell fhouldnotprevail againfl it. That Chriftianity hath uninterruptedly continued for above fixteen hundred years, is an additional Evidence of the Divinity ofthis Do- frine, which the firft Ages of the World could not have: only this is fadly to be bewailed, that this Religion, which hath all imaginable Confirmation given to the truth of it, fhould have no greater Effed upon the lives of Men; that when we have fo much reafon to affent to it, yet fo few can be perfuaded to prá&ife it that when we make fo many folemn Profeflions of our belief of the Truth of it, yet by the Actions of our lives we fhould fo vifibly contradi& the Articles of our Belief. Thus I have gone through the firft thing I propos'd to be confider'd in my Text, viz, The full and clear Evidence which we haveof the Truth of the Gof- pel, and particularly of the divine Authority of that Perfon, who deelar'd the Chriftian Religion to the World. There are two other general heads which the Text would lead us to confider, which I ¡hall but briefly treat of, and fo conclude this Subje&. TheSecond thing confiderable in the Words is, the Caufe of the Infidelity of Men, notwithftanding all the Evidence which the Gofpel carries along with it ; which the Apofile expreffeth in theft Words, But if our Gofpel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost; in whom the Godof this world bath blinded the mindsof them which believe not, lei? the light of the glorious Gofpel of Chrif, who is the image of God, fhouldthine unto them. In fpeaking to this, I fhall do thefe four things. Firs?, Shewwhy the InfidelityofMenisattributed to the Devil, as the Caufeof it. Secondly, Shew more particularly what influence the Devil bath upon the minds of Men to keep ,them in unbelief. Thirdly, That this does not excufe the Infidelity of Men. Fourthly, Shewthe wickednefs and unreafonablenefs of Infidelity. Firl, Why the Infidelity of Men is-attributed to the Devil, as the Caufe of it. There are two Principles that bear fway in the World, and have a more immedi- ate influence upon the mind of Man; the holy Spirit of God, and the Devil: the former of theft is continually moving and enclining them to Good; the latter fwaying and tempting them to Evil ; and thefe two Principles than Mankind be- tween them. Hence it is that in Scripture, the Spirit of God is faid to dwell in good Men; and the wicked and vicious part of Mankind (whom the Scripture frequently calls the World) are Paid to be in the polfell on of the Devil , and tobelong to his (hare and lot. Upon this account the Devil is call'd in the Text the God of this world. Accordingly St. 'John frequently rangeth Mankind under thefe
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