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then-World, Rom. i. 21.

VI.

Because that SER M. when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, -and did not like to retain God in their Knowledge; therefore God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do thofe things which are not convenient.

Again: By the fame measure of judging, may easily be understood the Nature of That Errour, and the Degree of its ill Effect, which the Nation of the Jews had very generally fallen into, in and before our Saviour's time; viz. their laying the great Stress of Religion, more upon the exact Obfervance of certain Outward Ceremonies, than upon the habitual Practice of Moral Virtue. The Ceremonies of the Jewish Law, befides their perpetual typifying of the Meffiah to come, and their distinguishing in a most remarkable manner the National Worshippers of the God of Heaven from all the idolatrous Nations of the Earth; were moreover appointed of God to be continual Emblems, and as it were Memorials of their Obligation to Moral Holiness, Sanctify yourselves, faith the Lord, Levit. xi. 44; and ye shall be Holy, for I am Holy: And if ye will obey

my

Ex. xix. 5.

SERM.my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, VI. ye shall be unto me a Kingdom of Priests, and a Holy Nation. So far therefore as their Obfervance of the Ceremonies of the Law, promoted the End for which thofe Ordinances were appointed; So far as they kept that people freddy in their Adberence to the Worship of the True God, and, by the Care required in avoiding every natural Impurity, continually reminded them to be much more fearful of whatever was morally fuch: So far thofe Ceremonies were of real Efteem in the Sight of God, and of real teligious Advantage to Men. Whenfoever the Obfervance of the fame outward Ceremonies, was feparate from the internal Moral Benefit; the Ceremony then became ufeless, and the Obfervation of it vain. But when at any time the Ceremony came in competition with the Moral Duty, or was preferred before it, or was prefumed to be acceptable in the Stead of it; in the Stead of the Weightier matters of the Law, Justice, Mercy, and Faithfulness; Then the Ceremony, though of God's own appointment, became (as the Prophets in the Old Testament, and our Saviour in the Gospel, perpetually

petually declare; it became) odious to SER M. God, and abominable in his Sight.

Laftly: By the fame Rule may be judged the degree of Malignity of any erroneous Notions or Opinions among Chriftians. The End and Defign of the Gospel of Chrift, is to restore Sinners to the Favour of God, by bringing them back to the Practice of Righteoufnefs and True Holinefs, So far as Any Errour whatever hurts not and prevents not This Defign; fo far as 'tis merely speculative, and produces no Fruit of evil Confequences in Practice; fo far 'tis innocent, and may be afcribed to Weakness. But in what degree foever its Influence is hurtful to Virtue, in the very fame proportion 'tis always Faulty in Men, and blame-worthy before God.

FOR inftance: With regard to erroneous Notions concerning God: Every Opinion concerning the Divine Nature or Perfections, which is in itself abfurd and unintelligible, is just so far hurtful to Religion, as it diverts Men from the Practice of the Law of Righteousness, by filling them with a childish and fuperftitious imagination, that God is pleafed with their

I

pretending

VI.

SERM.pretending or fanfying that they believe VI. they know not what. Notions concerning abfolute and unconditionate Predeftination,

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are juft fo far faulty and blame-worthy in Religion, as they cut the Sinews and demolib all the Motives of Virtue, by afcribing to God fuch a Sovereignty, as deftroys all the Other Perfections of his Nature; a Sovereignty, denoting a Power of acting, in Moral Matters, without regard to Moral Reason; Which, in Truth and Reality, is no more an Attribute of God, than the Power of acting in natural things, contrary to Natural Poffibility. Erroneous Notions concerning Faith, (taking it to fignify a mere credulity; whereas in truth, when spoken of as a Christian virtue, it always means Fidelity, or Acting Faithfully and fteddily upon Chriftian Principles :) Errours concerning Grace, (taking it to fignify an Operation of God upon Men, when indeed it denotes His gracious Acceptance of their Repentance and Amendment, brought about by the Motives and Affiftances of the Gospel :) Errours concerning the Merits of Chrift, (when vitious and debauched perfons hope to be faved by His Merits, inftead of re

forming

forming and amending their Manners in SER M. order to obtain Forgiveness through His VI. Interceffion:) And, ftill more than all. thefe, Applications made to Angels, and to Saints departed, and to Images of Wood and Stone, and Other the like Inventions; All These things, are, upon One and the fame Account, deftructive of true Religion; in that they fuppofe Obedience to the eternal and unchangeable Law of God, which is the Practice of Moral Virtue, may be commuted for by any other Performances whatsoever : Which is indeed the Essence of all Superftition: "Tis, in the Allufion made by our Saviour in the Text, the Fruit of the Thorn or Bramble-Bush, instead of Grapes.

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AGAIN; With regard likewife to erroneous Notions concerning our Duty towards Men: Every Opinion that leads in Practife to Contentioufness, Pride, Cruelty, and the like; is evidently fo far not innocent, but deftructive of Religion, as 'tis inconfiftent with the Great and Eternal Law of Charity and Good-will towards Mankind. From whence may easily be perceived the extreme Malignity of the

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