SERM. THE Meaning of the figurative ExprefVI. fions in the Text, being thus explained from the Nature and Reafon of the Thing, and from the Ufe of the like manner of Speaking in other places of Scripture; the Doctrine contained in the words, appears plainly to be This: That by the Actions of a man's Life, by his virtuous or vitious Practice, by the whole Course and Tenour of his Behaviour in the World, and by no other Mark or Distinction whatsoever, can with any certainty be determined the True Character of Any Perfon, and the Real Goodness or Badness of the Principles by which he is governed. Every Tree is known by his Own Fruit: For of Thorns men do not gather Figs, nor of a Bramble-bush gather they Grapes..

AND the Use of this Doctrine is of the greatest Importance, and Extent: For, from hence may be estimated the Excellency and Weightiness of Any particular Truth, and the Measure or Degree of Malignity of every Sort of Errour, in matters of Religion. From hence may be judged the Nature and Quality of every kind of Materials, built (according to the Apostle St Paul's fimilitude, 1 Cor. iii. 12.)

I

iii. 12.) upon the Foundation of Chrift; SER M. whether it be Gold, Silver, Precious-ftones, VI. Wood, Hay, or Stubble. Whether it be Work of fuch a fort, as, when it comes to be tried by the Fire of the Divine Judgment, it will abide, and the Builder fhall receive a Reward for it. Or whether it fhall be burnt, and He accordingly fball fuffer lofs; and yet he himself finally be faved, but fo as by Fire. Or whether, laftly, it be fuch as is deftructive of the very Foundation itself, on which it is built; and Then That fevere Threatning in the following words be applicable to him, ver. 17, If any man deftroy the Temple of God, Him fhall God deftroy.

THE End and Defign of all Religion; the Proper Effect and Produce of Good Principles; the Good Fruit of a Good Tree; the ultimate View and Fundamental Intention of all religious Truths, implanted in men either by Nature or Teaching; is the Practice of Virtue. For the word Religion, in its very Notion and original Meaning, fignifies an Obligation; an Ob- · ligation upon men, arifing from the Reafon of Things and from the Government of God, to do what is juft and virtuous and K 3

good;

SER M.good; to live, in a conftant habitual Senfe VI. and Acknowledgment of God, in the

practife of univerfal Juftice and Charity towards Men, and in a regular and fober Government of their Own Paffions; under a firm perfwafion and continual expectation of the righteous diftribution of Rewards and Punishments at their proper Season, in the eternal Judgment of God. This, is the Foundation of Religion; the Fundamental Doctrine; in all Places, and at all Times, invariable and eternal. This being corrupted by numerous Superftitions among the Jews, and by the abfurdest Idolatries and moft enormous Immoralities among the Heathen, Chrift came into the World to reftore; and, by the preaching of Forgiveness upon True Repentance and effectual Amendment of Life and Manners, to bring back Sinners to the Kingdom of God, through the Obedience of the Gofpel. In proportion therefore as any Doctrine of Truth has a greater or more proper and more immediate Tendency to promote This Great End, to produce This Fruit of the Spirit; exactly the very fame proportion has it of Weight and Excellency, in the religious

estima

estimation of things: 'Tis Gold, or Sil-SER M. ver, or Precious Stones, (in the Apostle's VI. Language,) built upon the Foundation of Chrift. And on the other fide, any Erroneous Opinion; in proportion as it has Any, or No Moral Influence; in the very fame proportion, 'tis either Faulty or Innocent. 'Tis (in St Paul's fimilitude) either. Wood, Hay, Stubble; fomething that is merely loft labour, ufelefs only, and infignificant, and of no Strength in the Building: Or elfe 'tis oppofite to, and deftructive of, the very Foundation of the Temple of God. 'Tis (in the analogy of our Saviour's Parable,) That which denominates a Man either to be a Vine, in which are many Fruitless Branches; or that he is (according to the Comparison in the Text) a Thorn or a Bramble-bush, from which 'tis impoffible to expect there fhould ever at all be gathered Figs or Grapes.

BY This Rule therefore (I fay) may certainly be diftinguished the Measure or Degree of Malignity of every Sort of Errour, in matters of Religion.

SERM. BY This, (to inftance in Particulars,) VI. it appears Wherein confifted the malignity

of the Heathen-Idolatry, and how Great

the Evil of it was. For whereas the rational Worship of the One True God of Nature, and Governour of the Universe, and the Acknowledgment of his True Perfections and Attributes, taught by the original uncorrupted Light of Nature and Reafon, leads Men by a direct and proper, by an immediate, natural, and perpetual Influence, to the Imitation and Practife of thofe moral and eternal Virtues, which, in their highest and complete Perfection, are the Excellencies of the Divine Nature itfelf; the Worship of Wood and Sione, on the contrary, by a no lefs natural and immediate Tendency, leads Men to place empty fuperftitious and fenfelefs Obfervances in the Room of all real Virtue and Goodness. And the WorShip of Fictitious Deities, formed, by the Imaginations of Corrupt Men, like to Themselves in the Practife of all unrighteoufness and Debauchery; This, ftill much more, leads Men into the most abominable Corruption of Manners. According to the description St Paul gives of the Hea

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then