248 A CAVEAT AGAINST INFIDELITY. holy book ; if we reject the gospel there isnothing will serve us instead of it. I will not here enter into the question how far they shall be accepted of God, who never had the word of God re- vealed to them, nor the gospel of Christ published among them. I reserve this for the end of my discourse. It is sufficient to say at present, that God, the judge of all the earth; will deal in righteousness and wisdom with all mankind, and he is not want- ing in mercy to his creatures, who submit themselves to hint according to the dispensation they live under. Where he has given less, less shall be required: But this is certain, that he re- quires of all men a conformity to the rules which he has made known to them ; and therefore wheresoever the gospel comes with sufficient light andevidence, as it has done to us in the Bri- tish Isles, he expects that we should learn the rules of our holy race from thence, and conform ourselves to them, if we would ever obtain the prize of glory. But to descend to -particulars : The appointed way, to obtain heaven under the gospel, may be comprised under the following heads, which I call the necessary requisites in order to salvation, and I have multiplied them into six particulars, that I might be more explicit and plain: I. A knowledge and belief of the great articles of - natural religion, whether they contain doctrines or duties* : For though these, alone and in themselves, are not sufficient to save sinners, yet they are necessary in order to our salvation, and the gospel of Christ teaches and confirms them all. We must believe that there is a God, the one only true and living God, almighty, all- wise, and all-good, the Creator ofall things ; andwe must believe that he governs the world which he has made, and does not sit idle in heaven, and let his creation run at random : but that as 'e wise and holy Ruler, he takes notice of the behaviour and con- duct of all his reasonable creatures. We must believe that there is a real difference between virtue and vice, between good and evil : And that this does not depend, as some have imagined, upon the mere customsand fash- ions of particular countries, or the will of princes, but upon the nature of things and thewill of God. It is God, who has writ- ten it plain in our own consciences, and in the very frame ofour rational souls, that it is our duty to fear and love him, topray to him for what blessings we want, and to praise him and givehim thanks for what mercies we enjoy, and to honour, worship, and obey him according to the discoveries of his nature and his will which he-has made to us. And as it is our duty to know, and honour this God, so it is evident that atheism and blasphemy, and the neglect or contempt of God and things sacred, are'high crimes and offences against him. fit By the articles of natural religion in this place, I chiefly intend.snch as belong to mankind in general, anhent regard to his Iol en and sinful state.
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