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of Life depend mutually upon each other, SER M. and the Welfare of the Whole upon the XV. Duties of Both. Superiours, in the con- VW fcientious performance of their Duty, are the Protectors and Guardians of the Rights and Properties of Thofe below them: And Inferiours, acting under a Senfe of Duty, moved by Love and Reafon more than by Compulfion or Fear, are the most folid Support of the Authority and Peace and Happiness of Thofe above them. The Corruption and Depravity of Mankind makes it necessary, by the intervention of Human Laws, to compel men in fome measure to perform these respective

Duties: But a true sense of religion, and of the Reasonableness and Usefulness and effential Obligation of the Duties themselves, would oblige them by a much ftronger and fecurer Tie, to do all the fame things freely and willingly, heartily and fincerely, in publick and in private; which the best and wifeft Laws can but compel those who want fuch a sense of Religion, to do unwillingly, flightly and fuperficially, in publick Appearance only, and in the Sight of Men. Religion there

fore

SERM.fore and true Virtue, if they prevailed in

XV.

the World, would obtain the fame happy Ends fully and effectually, which the best and wifeft Laws can do but in part; and Laws are made only to fupply, in the best manner they can, the Want of true Religion and Virtue among Men. The Law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for finners, for the unholy and the profane, 1 Tim. i. 9. Did men univerfally, from a fenfe of the Right and Reafon of the thing itself, live in an uniform and confcientious Performance of the Relative Duties of Life; the Prophecies of That Great Happiness which under typical Representations is foretold as coming in the days of the Meffias, would be literally fulfilled: If. ii. 4, They shall beat their fwords into plough-fhares, and their Spears into pruning-books; nation shall not lift up fword against nation, neither fhall they learn war any more: And ch. Ix. 18, Violence fhall no more be heard in thy land, wating nor deftruction within thy borders, but thou shalt call thy Walls Salcation, and thy Gates Praife:

Thy

people

But SER M.

m

people also shall be All Righteous. however, even as things Now are; would XV. Superiours in All Times and Places, who are the Great Example and Direction to the World, endeavour, each in their respective stations, to make ufe of That Power wherewith God has intrufted them, always to the Protection and Support of Right; the Benefits which would thence accrue to Mankind, even in this prefent imperfect and corrupt State, would be inconceivably Great. 2 Sam. xxiii. 3, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the Fear of God: And he shall be as the Light of the Morning, when the Sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender Grafs Springing out of the Earth, by clear fhining after Rain. And Ps. lxxii. 4, He shall judge the People according unto Right, and defend the Poor, punish the wrong-doer. He fhall come down like Rain into a fleece of Wool, even as the Drops that water the Earth: In His time fhall the Righteous flourish, yea, and abundance of Peace Jo long as the Moon endureth.

-and

SERMON

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SERMON XVI.

The Inconfiftency of the Love of
God with the Love of the World.

I JOH. ii. 15.

Love not the World, neither the
things that are in the World:
If any man love the World, the
Love of the Father is not in him.

T

XVI.

HE Great End and Defign of SER M.
Religion, is, by the Tryal of
mens Virtue and Integrity in
the prefent World, to qualify
them for the Happiness of

That which is to come: That they who

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