"by adoption, all God's commands are more binding upon us than before, when we "were as fervants".".

Having stated that falvation is by free and univerfal grace, he enforces the obligations of fuperior holiness incumbent upon those who have received a better revelation. " If "men were by nature, fome good and fome “evil, they would deserve neither praise, nor "blame. But fince all are of the fame na"ture, capable of holding faft and doing that "which is good, and the contrary: therefore "in the fight of men of understanding (and "how much more in the fight of God?) fome "are praised and receive a worthy teftimony "of their election in the excellent body ca

tholic, and of perfeverance: and others are "blamed, and receive a juft punishment, because they are reprobates from what is good " and excellenta."

A good man is a name only, if he is good by the spontaneous operation of nature, "without choice, without intelligence, with"out enjoyment"."

"But fome one may ask, wherefore could "not God create man perfect from the be"ginning? Because man is in his nature im

z Ibid. cap. 31.

a Lib. iv. cap. 37 et feq.

b Cap. 73.

perfect and evil, as he is man; and incapable of supporting the glory of God. We are as helpless infants, and can only by degrees receive the milk of the word, and "be accustomed to the bread of eternal life, "which is the Spirit of the Father'.'

29

"God is the fountain of all good; and man, "receiving his proficiency from God, will by fixing his mind on God have communion with him. For God never ceases to blefs “and enrich man: and the receptacle of his goodness, and organ of his glory is a grate"ful heart: while a man ungrateful and regardless of his Maker is a veffel of judg“ment".'

"Charity is the fulfilling of the law: without "love knowledge is nothing, nor comprehen"fion of mysteries, nor faith, nor prophecy. "Love makes a perfect man, who fhall dwell " with God in love for ever."

"We are commanded to abftain not only " from evil works, but also from evil thoughts, " and evil words; fo that the punishment of "those who believe not in the word of God, "and despise his coming, and turn from his ways, is increased: they incur not a temporal, but an eternal punishment f."

e Ibid. cap. 74.

e Ibid. cap. 25•

d Lib. iv. cap. 24.

f Lib. iv. cap. 47.

In recapitulating his fentiments, the Author ftates the refurrection both of foul and body through the redemption of Chrift: that there is no effential difference of natures among men; but that all flesh must be regenerated by the Spirit of God, and become his temple, before it can attain the inheritance of eternal life. And the fruit of the Spirit is not a change of corporeal fubftance; but a change from the vain and wicked works of the flesh to holinefs &.

From the premises which the writings of Juftin Martyr and Irenæus fupply, we establish these obvious confequences; that fuperior purity of doctrine produces fuperior purity of life and manners; that purity of doctrine, as it is not to be expected of those who reject revelation, and build up their religious creed upon the deductions of natural understanding, neither is it found among those who, embracing revelation, shut their ears to the voice of reason. So far is true religion from being incompatible with reason, that the Gospel alone admits of a reasonable defence from its followers, and thus evinces a real fuperiority over infidelity and error.

8 Lib. y. cap. 6, 9, II.

辈

SERMON IV.

I TIM. iv. I, 3.

In the latter times fome fhall depart from the faithforbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from

meats.

THE great extenfion of the Roman power was one of thofe fecondary caufes, which facilitated the progrefs of Christianity. The four primitive Fathers, whose writings remain to be confidered, lived in countries, which were provinces of the great Empire, and on the other fide the Mediterranean. Clement, the first of these in order of time, was a Prefbyter and mafter of the catechetical or religious school at Alexandria in Egypt, about the close of the second century. This city had realized that scheme of judicious policy, which the comprehenfive genius of its great Founder formed for the advancement of commerce: it was fecond only to Rome, inhabited by a numerous and bufy populace, ornamented with fuperb buildings, the mart of the world,