ting Projects, which above all things it con- SER M. demns and abhors.

3. From what has been difcourfed, we may learn how utterly irreconcilable with Christianity all those Doctrines and Principles are, which are prejudicial to the Interests of Mankind, which tend either to destroy, or leffen the Happinefs of human Society. And of this fort of Doctrines there have been, and are too many received among almost all Profeffions of Chriftians, and more especially among thofe of the Church of Rome, to the great reproach of the Gofpel, and infinite prejudice and harm of the World. Such, for inftance, is the Doctrine which teaches Men, under the Notion of following a ftricter Courfe of Piety, and leading a more fublime and spiritual Life, to withdraw from the World, and all the common Concerns of Life, and to give themselves up entirely to the Exercises of Meditation, Reading, and Devotion; the Confequence of which has been the rendering vaft multitudes of People, not only infignificant, and useless, but very expensive and burthenfome to Society. Of the fame kind more notoriously is the Doctrine of propagating Religion by external Force, which has been often put in practice, not only to the laying fome negative

IX.

SER M. Difcouragements and smaller Hardships upon IX. Men, but to the fubverfion of all their most important Privileges and Rights; to the Violation of all the Order and Peace of the Publick, to the committing of the most horrid Outrages and Cruelties, and the turning whole Countries into Fields of Blood. And of the fame nature and tendency are the Doctrines concerning the Supremacy of the Pope, and the Privileges which belong to him even in the highest Temporal Matters, the depofing of Princes, the giving away their Dominions, and abjolving Subjects from their Allegiance; and the fpiritual Powers which he and other Ecclefiaftical Perfons have pretended to, of flut ting up and opening the Kingdom of Heaven, of binding and loofing, and of retaining and remitting Sins Authoritatively; which, according to their genuine and true Meaning, amount to nothing lefs than the putting Men into a State of Salvation, or Damnation, as they please: Which Doctrines have likewife been the Source of great Commotions, Confufions, and Calamities in many Nations, These pernicious Tenets are quite the reverse of the righteous and merciful Principles of the Gospel, and fo far as they take effect, entirely deftructive of the Defign of it: Nothing therefore can be more grofsly abfurd and

shamefully

IX.

fhamefully inexcufable, than for any to em- SER M. brace and act agreeably to fuch Doctrines, and at the fame time to make a Profeffion of the Christian Religion. The Perfons who do this, may pretend, if they please, a more than ordinary Zeal for Religion; or they may appropriate it to themselves, and allow no share of it to any others, which is what they of the Church of Rome do; but while they act in fuch direct oppofition to the great and evident Design of the Gospel, every one of the leaft Confideration must fee the vile Hypocrify and Impudence of their Pretences, and that the Spirit which really actuates them, is as different as can be from any thing which could be infufed into them by Christianity.

4. Laftly, From what has been faid, we may fee how much it fhould be the Concern and Business of every one of us to promote the Happiness of our Fellow-Creatures, and to do good in the World. This is a thing which the Instincts and Suggestions of Nature incline us to, and it is what Religion moft firmly binds upon us: Indeed the only way of approving ourselves fincere and good Chriftians, is to cultivate a Temper of univerfal Juftice, Meeknefs, and Benevolence, S 4

and

SERM. and to lay out ourselves to be as useful as our IX. Capacities and Stations will admit of. There

are fome, I know, who imagine that they can fufficiently discharge the Obligations, which Religion lays upon them with respect to Mankind, by being barely juft and honest, and abstaining from all positive Wrongs and Injuries; or that they can, perhaps, attain to the End of Religion, without practising any moral and focial Virtues at all, looking upon certain Points of Faith, and a great Zeal in defending these, and a punctual Attendance upon the external Forms and Inftitutions of Devotion, as the only things of moment, and as the very Height and Perfection of Chriftianity. But these are such grofs Mistakes, that it is hardly to be fuppofed that Men can fall into them, without at least a very criminal Negligence and Inattention. According to the most obvious Notions, which both Reafon and Revelation give us of Religion, it is intended for the Benefit of the World, for making Mankind live fo, as to be both happy in themfelves, and kind and beneficent to one another; and this Effect it will certainly produce in us, if we duely attend to it, and are governed by its Authority.

SERMON

SERMON X.

The Loving our Saviour above all the Objects of our Affection in this World.

MATTH. X. 37, 38.

He that loveth Father or Mother more than me, is not worthy of me: And he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me, is not worthy of me: And he that taketh not his Cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

N this Chapter we have an account of our Saviour's fending out his Apostles

to publish and preach his Religion to the World, with the Inftructions and Directions which he gave them upon that occafion. He first informs them who the Perfons were, to whom he intended they should addrefs