fhould the truth be, that it is to be preceded by a ftate of fleep and infenfibility. On this fuppofition, death will only be rendered more awful; for when the exercise of our mental powers ceafes, the flux of time ceases with it; the lapfe of ages becomes no more than the tick of a watch, or the vibration of a pendulum; and were we never to be recovered, eternity itself would be nothing to us. Whether, therefore, there is an intermediate ftate or not, death will, to every man, be the fame with an immediate entrance on another world, and that which many of our brethren are anxious about will happen. This is evident if there is an intermediate state: And if there is not, it is equally evident; because, in this cafe, the moment of death will appear to be the moment of our refurrection, though myriads of ages may have intervened, and clofing our eyes on this world will be opening them on the day of retribution, and feeing Chrift coming to judge mankind, and to be admired in all the virtuous and faithful. And, let me here afk, is not this a more pleafing profpect to good men, and a more dreadful one to wicked men, than the prospect of a long interval of delay and ex-pectation in an intermediate ftate? Were you now going to embark for a voyage, would it be disagreeable to you to think that, that, whatever feas may intervene, the moment of your taking fail would to you be the very fame with the moment of your landing on the fhore of a better country ? Or, were you now ftepping into bed after a fatiguing day, would it be difagreeable to you to know that a deep fleep will feize you, lock up all your powers, annihilate the night to you, and join the time of your lying down to the time of your getting up fresh and happy the next morning? I do not, however, mean to fay, that I believe this will be actually the cafe. There are texts of fcripture which I cannot eafily reconcile to it. God only knows what the truth is in this inftance. I only mean to fay, that the difference of opinion about it should give us no trouble. In a little time our doubts will be refolved, and death itself, that great teacher, will inform and fatisfy us. But it is time to come to a conclufion. The ufe we fhould make of what I have been faying, is to learn tranquillity and charity amidst the jarring opinions which prevail in the Chriftian church. None of them, you have heard, extend to fundamentals. In truth, there is but one thing fundamental, and that is, "an honeft mind." But by fundamentals, I mean the doctrines which are most properly the fundamentals of the Chriftian Christian religion, and constitute the information which it was intended to communicate to us. He that runs may read these doctrines in the New Teftament; and it is not poffible to mistake them. Extremes the moft diftant, I have fhewn you, agree in them, and leave us every thing that is effential to our fupport and comfort in paffing through the world. Pardon to finful man; and a refurrection to dying men, are all that nearly concern us. Thefe, according to all opinions, are affured to us by the Gofpel; and they make it, indeed, what my text calls it, a GLORIOUS Gofpel. Glory be to God in the higheft. On earth peace; and good will towards men. Let us then love one another, and embrace, with affection, our fellow Chriftians of all perfuafions, making allowances for their mistakes and prejudices. Many of them will indeed look upon us with averfion, and judge hardly of us, if we do not receive their fchemes of Christianity, and worship God as they do. But let us fhew our fuperior wifdom and candour by not judging hardly of them. I fhall, in my next difcourfes, give you an account of thefe fchemes of Chriftianity. In this difcourfe my intention has been to prepare you for this account, by inculcating this truth; that however great the differences among Chriftians are, and however unreasonable N unreasonable many of their creeds may be, yet we are all agreed in what is most important; and, particularly, in believing that Chrift has abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light; and that, through the grace of God, he will be the author of eternal falvation to all that obey him. SERMON SERMON VII. Of the Chriftian Doctrine as held by Trinitari ans and Calvinists. 1 TIMOTHY, i. 11. THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL OF THE BLESSED GOD. THE moft important of all in quiries are those which relate to the being, perfections, and providence of God. Next to these in importance are the inquiries, whether there is fufficient evidence for the truth of the Gofpel; and if there is, what inftruction it communicates? In my last difcourfe I entered on the difcuffion of the laft of these questions, and endeavoured to fhew you, that amidst all their differences, Christians are fufficiently agreed with respect to thofe |