of

SERM. And the true and only acceptable way
X. expreffing our gratitude is by a cordial com-
pliance with the defign of the gofpel; and
by fubmitting to Jefus Chrift as our Saviour
and Lord, with pure hearts, and a moft
ftedfast refolution of doing his will in all
things whatfoever he hath commanded us.
And as the records of our holy religion are
put into our hands, and we are taught to
search the fcriptures, and thence to learn
the will of God concerning us;
fo we
ought to apply the powers, which God
hath given us to that end; not receiving
things upon truft, and the authority of
fallible men, where we can judge for our-
felves; that fo our faith may not fland in
the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
And it ought to be our endeavour to make
progrefs in the knowledge of our Lord and
Saviour Jefus Chrift; but efpecially to add
to our knowledge, faith, virtue, tempe-
rance, patience, godliness, brotherly kind-
ness, and charity. * For if these things be
in us and abound, they make us, that we shall
neither be barren nor unfruitful in the know-
ledge of our Lord Jefus Chrift. Let us re-
member, that the end of our knowledge is

practice; and that our whole fuccefs, with SERM.
refpect to the great purposes of religion, X.
dependeth on fincere obedience. Without
this, our knowledge, even the most ad-
vanced degrees of it, will be fo far from
being at laft profitable, that it will only ag-
gravate our guilt, and make our condem-
nation fo much the more dreadful. * For
that fervant, who knew his Lord's will, and
prepared not himself, neither did according to
his will, fhall be beaten with many ftripes.
But he, who knew not, and did things wor-
thy of ftripes, fhall be beaten with few stripes:
for unto whom much is given, of him much
Shall be required, and to whom men have
committed much, of him will they ask the

more.

*Luke xii. 47.

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SER

SERM.
XI.

SERMON XI.

GOD'S Moral Government..

PSAL. xcviii. 9.

With righteousness shall be judge the

T

world.

HAT the works of nature fhew contrivance and defign; that certain ends are accomplished by certain means, which are fitted and were intended to ferve them; that there is a regular order of causes and effects maintained from age to age; and, in a word, that the universe is the work and constantly under the direction of a fuperintending mind, is a matter fo plain, that it is wonderful, that any thinking perfon could ever bring himfelf to doubt of it, much more to deny it; and in the room of the original intelligent almighty power to put neceffity or chance, (words, which in the pre

fent

sent argument really have no meaning) to SERM. one or the other of these, as the original XI. cause, afcribing all things in the universe.

But when men have got the idea of an intelligent agent, who made the world and governeth it by his providence, and confider themselves as the creatures of that power, by which all things were created, and in which every individual fubfifteth ; when they confider the conftitution of human nature, with all its powers, affections, and principles of action, as the work of God; then that fenfe of right and wrong, of moral good and evil, which is the great diftinction of mankind from all the inferior orders, appeareth to demand particular notice; as being not only in itself confidered the highest and most important faculty of the mind, but as what is given us for directing our conduct, and as what principally pointeth out to man his chief end, and that, which is his fupreme good. That the sense of right and wrong must have been intended by the author of our beings, as a law or rule for directing our conduct, is evident; for it is impoffible to separate a fense of right and a fenfe of obligation, A thing is right, therefore it is to be done; a thing

Cc 3

SERM. a thing is wrong, therefore it is not to be XI. done; is the original language of nature, with which every man is acquainted; and while the sense of right and wrong remaineth, the heart inftantly and neceffarily approveth what appeareth to be right, and condemneth what is judged to be wrong.

But it is an inquiry of the utmost moment to virtue and to human happiness, how the Creator is difpofed and affected towards his creatures, whom he hath placed under this law, as they obferve it, or deviate from it, in their actions. It may be imagined, and this appeareth plainly to have been the fenfe of fome perfons, that, though the universe and all the creatures in it are the work of an original intelligent caufe, perfectly wife, powerful, and beneficent, and the whole creation is governed by the fole fuperintending providence of this being, and particularly, that all the inftincts and affections, planted in the heart of man, are his workmanship; yet he doth not at all attend to the temper or behaviour of men, as being, according to the moral quality of them, the objects of his approbation or difpleafure: that, tho' he hath given to his creatures the sense of good