SER M. fuch upon mere vulgar and cuftomary VII. Acceptation, but which the Mind itself

perceives and feels, and, upon Examination finds to be fo in reality. Of This, the Mind of every uncorrupt Man, is by the Author of Nature made as competent a Judge; as the Eyes of the Body, are made fit to difcern between Light and Darkness. And the Righteousness of God's future Judgment, (That Judgment wherein men fhall give an account of themselves, not in the lump by Sects and Parties, but every man fingly and perfonally for himself; the Righteoufnefs, I fay, of that future Judgment) muft of neceffity depend, upon every man's underftanding for Himself the Rule he is to be judged by. What This Rule is, can be of no difficulty for any man to discover. Natural Confcience, That original Light, That Candle of the Lord, which God has implanted in every man's Breaft, tells him always what it is, with regard to the eternal Truths of Morality: And to them who live under the Light of the Gospel, the additional Precepts given by Christ in Scripture, are no lefs clear and confpi

cuous

cuous. Thefe Truths of God, are, like SER M. an immovable Rock, the Bafis and Foun- VII. dation of That True Religion, which approves itself to every man's Understanding by clear Reafon, and glorifies. God by making men like unto him through Virtue and Righteoufnefs in their Practice. All falfe Religions confift, in changing thefe Truths of God into a Lie, Rom. i. 25. Either corrupting the Truth of God's Creation, by introducing into Religion things oppofite to, or things which draw men from, the Practice of Virtue, of Juftice, Goodness, and Charity. Or corrupting the Truth of God's Revelation, by mixing with the plain fimplicity of the Doctrine of Chrift, Traditions and uncertain Notions of merely Humane Invention. Truth itself, both natural and revealed, when feparate from all corruptions of Men, appears always with a native Luftre and Beauty, with a Strength and Clearness of Reason, which the Scripture elegantly compares to a Light Shining in Darkness; which needs no external Force, no Violence or Compulfion, no artificial impofing upon the Understanding, (as

SER M. the Inventions of Men do,) to cause it to VII. be received and embraced; But it re

quires only an unprejudiced apprehenfion, and an uncorrupt Will, in order to its being entertained univerfally in the Love thereof. It always tends alfo to promote mens true Intereft; their true Intereft, as well Temporal as Eternal: The Peace and Satisfaction, of every man's Own Mind in particular; and, in general, univerfal Love and Good-will towards all Others. For all the Contentions and Animofities, all the Hatred and Malice, all the Perfecution and Cruelties which have ever been exercised in the World under pretenfe of zeal for Religion; have in reality always arifen purely upon Account of zeal for matters of mens own Invention, never out of concern for the plain Laws and Commands of God. And all the dark and flavifh Bigottry, which has at any time tormented the Minds of particular men ; has been owing to the Superftitious Errors, wherewith the Weaknefs of Some, and the Defigns of Others, have mifreprefented That Truth of God, which the Apostle ftiles the perfect Law of Liberty;

T

and

P

and of which, our Saviour himself de- SER M, clares, Job. viii. 32, Ye shall know the VII. Truth, and the Truth fhall make you Free. Not without the greateft reafon therefore, is that Exhortation of the Wife man, Prov. xxiii. 23, Buy the Truth, and fell it not: And ch, iv. 7, Wisdom is the prin fipal thing; therefore get Wisdom; and with all thy Getting, get Understanding. St Paul in like manner, Phil. iv. 8, in That, elegant enumeration, wherein he reckons up every thing that can be thought to be excellent; and exhorts the Philip pians, in the most earnest and affectionate manner, If there be Any Virtue, if there be any Praife, to think upon Thofe things; not without a particular Emphafis, placeth at the Head of All, in the very first rank, Whatfoever Things are True. And This may fuffice, for Explanation of the First Particular in the Text; the Suppofition laid down, that Truth is fomething real in itself, and of importance to Men; fomething that may be found, and which we ought to seek after,

2dly, THE

SERM. 2dly. THE next Obfervation collected VII. from the words of the Text, is; that fuch is the corrupt State and Difpofition of Mankind, that Some there will always be, who will fet themselves to oppose the Truth. Notwithstanding the Native Excellency and Beauty of Truth, confidered in itself; notwithstanding the Strength and Clearness of Reason, with which it is generally accompanied; notwithstanding the apparent Benefit and Advantage, which the Knowledge of Truth always brings to Mankind; yet fo little fenfible are Men of the intrinfick Excellency of things, fo unattentive to the Strength of the clearest Reafon, fo apt to be impofed upon in judging concerning their own true Intereft; that nothing is more Common, than to fee the plainest and most useful Truths, in matters of Religion, violently and paffionately opposed.

THE principal Caufes of this Oppofition; are in particular, Ignorance, Carelefsness, Prejudice, and Vice.

THE First caufe of Men's setting themselves in oppofition to the Light of Truth, is Ignorance. Meaning here, by

Ignorance,