SERMON IX.

The Tendency of Christianity to promote the Happiness of Mankind in this prefent Life.

LUKE IX. 56.

For the Son of Man is not come to deftroy Men's Lives, but to fave them.

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HE Occafion of our Saviour's making this Declaration concerning the Design of his coming into the World, was this. As he was paffing through the Country of the Samaritans, in his way to ferufalem, he sent fome Meffengers before him into one of their Villages, to provide an Entertainment for himself and his Attendants; but the Inhabitants knowing him to be a Jew, and that he was going to Worship at Jerusalem, from the rooted Enmity and Hatred which they had to that whole Nation, on ac

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SERM. Count of fome religious Differences, refufed IX. to receive and entertain him. This uncivil

and inhuman Treatment of fuch an excellent Perfon, fo inflamed the Spirits of James and John, two of our Lord's Difciples, that they wanted nothing but his Confent, to inflict a most severe and exemplary Punishment on the Wretches who had dared to use him fo unworthily and bafely. Lord, faid they, wilt thou that we command Fire to come down from Heaven, and confume them, even as Elias did? The Action of Elijah which is here referred to, is particularly related, 2 Kings, 1 Chap. But notwithstanding the Zeal which the Disciples discovered in this Motion for the Honour of their Mafter, and notwithstanding they endeavoured to juftify it by the Authority and Example of Elijab, our Saviour was so far from approving it, that he rejected it with the utmost Indignation and Abhorrence: He turned quickly upon them, and rebuked them, faying, Ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of; for the Son of Man is not come to destroy Men's Lives, but to fave them. As if he had faid, "Ye do not confider what "a vile and wicked Spirit that must be, which "dictates so much Inhumanity and Cruelty "to you, and how impoffible it is for me to "comply with your Propofal, fince it is utter" ly

ly irreconcileable with the end of my ap- SER M. pearing in the World, which is not to do IX.

"the least harm to Mankind, but on the

contrary, to do them all poffible good; not only to confer eternal Salvation upon them "in another World, but to confult their pre"fent Welfare and Happinefs in this; to " establish human Society in Peace and good "Order, and to contribute to the Security,

Comfort, and true Enjoyment of Life." This every one will perceive to be our Saviour's meaning, who confiders that he here speaks of his coming to fave Men's Lives, in oppofition to that Destruction which his Dif ciples intended to bring upon them, which was to have its Effect in this present World.

Now this Declaration of our Lord, deferves to be well confidered by us, and will afford us fome very useful Leffons and Inftructions: But before I come to take notice of these, I fhall firft illuftrate and confirm the Truth of what our Saviour has here afferted, or shew that he really came to confult the Happinefs of Mankind in this present World, and that he has laid a very firm Foundation for fecuring and promoting it.

Before I enter upon the Proof of this Point, I fhall make this one Obfervation; that it might very justly be expected, when our Sa

SER M. viour appeared as a divine Meffenger, and the IX. Inftitutor of a Religion which was to be pro

pagated among all Nations, that he would have a particular regard to the Peace of the World, and make the Advancement of it one principal part of his Concern. It is not to be fuppofed, that Almighty God, who created Men out of pure Goodness, and who preferves them in being, that he may communicate to them the Effects of his Benignity; who has made them with Capacities and Defires of Happiness in this, as well as in a fu ture State, and has fo united them together, both by the neceflity of their Condition, and the focial Difpofitions of their Hearts, that they must mutually contribute to one another's Support and Welfare; it is not, I fay, to be fuppofed that he would fend a Perfon into the World, to deliver in his Name, a Law or Rule of Life to Mankind, which would take no care of them and their Interefts: It may very well be prefumed that fuch an Inftitution would be chiefly intended for promoting their Happiness, and that while it effectually fecured their greatest and most extenfive Happiness in another World, it would likewife provide for that part of it which may be enjoyed by them in this. The natural Apprehenfions which we have of the

Deity, lead us very obviously to conclude SERM that this must be the Design of every Reve IX. lation and Inftitution of Religion which proceeds from him; and indeed without this Design, it would not be poffible for any Revelation to engage the Attention and Favour of Mankind.

Accordingly, when our Lord appeared in the Character of a Prophet fent by God, he had this Qualification, which would be naturally expected in him, and which was neceffary to his infinuating himself into the favour of Men, a kind and beneficent Intention: He foon made it appear that the Policy of this World was not the Spring of his Conduct; that he came not to promote any little selfish Ends and Interefts of his own, but that his Design was noble and generous, and entirely friendly to Mankind; not only to prepare them for a state of Immortality in another World, and to confirm them in the joyful Hope of it; but to render their Condition here eafy and agreeable, to make Pleasure to flow in every Heart, to diffufe a Spirit of Peace, Harmony, and Love through human Society, and to establish the World a Scene of constant Serenity and Delight, fo far as the present Constitution and Order of things will permit it to be fo. This was the true Design of our Saviour's

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