and they have given rife to many great evils; particularly, the two following.

First. An objection to Christianity has been founded upon them on which great ftrefs has been laid; and which, I fear, has prevented fome from giving the evidence for it a patient and favourable hearing. It has been urged that, if the Gofpel was indeed a revelation from heaven, it would be fo clear and explicit as to leave no room for fuch differences, and to preclude all difputes about its meaning, a dark revelation being, as unbelievers say, an inconfiftency which implies a reflection on the perfections of the Deity, and equivalent to no revelation. Those who make this objection go upon the fuppofition, that God can be the author of no information which is capable of being misunderstood, and confequently of creating difputes. There cannot be a more groundless fuppofition. God conveys information to us by our reafon as well as by revelation. The light of nature is a light

B 2

light derived from him as well as the light of the Gospel; and there is no more reason to expect that the one should be fo clear as to exclude mistakes and difputes than the other. While we continue fuch frail and fallible creatures as we are, it is impoffible that we should not be in danger of falling into differences of opinion, and fometimes into grofs errors: and to complain of this would be much the fame with complaining because we are not made omnifcient and perfect beings. There is not a principle of common fenfe that has not been controverted, nor a truth discoverable by the light of reafon of which different accounts have not been given, and which has not been misconceived and perverted. And yet no one ever thinks of inferring from hence that reafon is not the gift of God, or that it is not a valuable gift. There is just as little reason for drawing the like inference concerning Chriftianity from

the

the different opinions and the disputes its profeffors.

among

But there is another anfwer to this ob

jection which is more to my present purpofe; and which I fhall take notice of, after mentioning the next great evil arifing from the disputes among Christians. I mean; the embarraffments they occafion in the minds of many good men.

It is impoffible, when plain and honest men hear the different parties among Christians contradicting one another in the manner they do; one faying, this is the Gospel of Chrift; and another saying the contrary; and all positive and dogmatical: it is, I fay, impoffible that, in fuch circumstances, a plain man unaccustomed to enquiry fhould not be puzzled, and thrown into a state of perplexity and distraction. Most of these parties lay the greatest ftrefs on their accounts of the Gospel; and too many go fo far as to connect falvation with them, and to confign to hell all that B 3

do

do not receive them. I fhould do an ef

fential fervice could I remove the ftumbling-blocks which these litigations throw in the way of common Chriftians. And my chief intention in the prefent difcourse is to attempt this, by fhewing you that Chriftians of all parties, however they may cenfure one another, and whatever oppofition there may feem to be in their fentiments, are agreed in all that is effential to Christianity, and with respect to all the information which it is its principal defign to communicate. Should this appear, it will set our minds at ease amidst the controverfies that take place in the Christian church, and enable us to look with an equal eye of charity and candour on all our fellowchristians: and it will also effectually remove that objection to Christianity which I have mentioned.

In attempting this, I will recite to you thofe doctrines and facts of Christianity which all Chriftians believe, and which

are

are fo plainly revealed as to exclude the poffibility of difputes about them; after which, I will fhew you the nature of the differences among Chriftians, in order to prove that the doctrines universally received are all that are essential.

In the first place; the Gospel teaches us that there is only one living and true God. This is a fundamental doctrine which the New Testament holds forth to us in almost every page. There is but one being good, fays Jefus Chrift, that is GOD. There are, fays St. Paul, Gods many; but to us there is but one God, the father. Many of our fellow-chriftians, indeed, maintain doctrines which feem to clash with this effential doctrine; but they all profefs to believe it, and with so much zeal as to be greatly offended whenever they are charged with contradicting it. Though the Divine nature, according to them, confifts of three perfons; and the Son (one of these persons) consists of two natures; yet these three perfons make but