II. trines and Comments of Men,) This SER M. doctrine being extremely reafonable in itself, and being proved moreover by the strongest Evidence in the World ; All those to whom That Evidence is fairly propofed, and the Reasonableness of the Doctrine truly reprefented, if they obftinately reject it, and the graeious Terms thereof; they plainly do despite to the Spirit of God; And their Love of Vice being the only Cause of their Unbelief, 'tis confequently of the fame Nature, and accordingly called in Scripture promifcuously by the fame Name, with the Difobedience of Believers. And therefore they are joined together, as in their Crime, fo in their Punishment; they that know not God, and they that obey not the Gospel. And 'tis very reasonable, that as He that believeth and is baptized, shall be faved; 19 he that believeth not, in the Sense which has been Now explained, should on the contrary be damned. SERM. THAT which remains is, by way of II. Inference, it, to exhort thofe who call themselves Deifts, or Followers of natural Religion only, without regard to the Gospel, to confider seriously what it is they reject; and, when they have separated the undifputed Doctrines of Chrift from the uncertain Opinions of contentious Men, Then to judge, whether defpifing this gracious Offer of the divine Goodness, be not rejecting the Counsel of God against themfelves, and foolishly forfaking their own Mercies. 2dly, To exhort all those who profefs themselves Chriftians, above all things to live worthy of their holy profeffion; to let their light Shine before men, that others feeing their good works, may glorify their Father which is in heaven; at least, to give no Offence to Them that are without, left through Them the Name of God be blafphemed among the Gentiles, as it is written, Rom. ii. 24. And Laftly, to exhort, those who Teach Chriftianity to others, that, fince hindring others from believ ing, is of the fame guilt, as not believ-SE RM. ing ourselves; therefore we be very dili- II. gent to represent the Doctrine of Chrift as reasonable and plain, as he himself has represented it; defiring with Mofes, that All the Lord's people were Prophets ; Num. xi. and not imitating the Romish and Scho- 29. laftick Writers, who make their own Doctrines, Traditions, and Explications of Doctrines, of the fame Authority with the Word of God; and, inftead of teaching all men (after the Apostle's example) to be ready to give an Anfwer to every man that asketh them a Reafon of the Hope that is in them, perfwade them on the contrary to believe fo much the more implicitly and with the greater Confidence, as the things they impose on them are the more unreasonable and abfurd to be believed. From fuch Follies and Impieties, which promote nothing but Scepticism and Infidelity, let Us turn away ourselves; Always remembring our Saviour's Admonition, that we are the Salt of the Earth; But if the II. SER M. Salt itself has lost its favour, wherewith Shall things be feasoned; It is neither fit Mat. v. 13. for the land, nor yet for the dungbil, but Luk. xiv. to be caft out and to be trodden under foot 34. Col. iv. 5. of men. 6. SERMON [55] SERMON III. is Newnefs of Life. ROM. vi. 3, 4. Know ye not, that fo many of us as were baptized into Jefus Chrift, were baptized into his Death? Therefore we are buried with Him by Baptifm into Death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even fo We also should walk in Newness of Life. T HE Apostle having in the SER M. goodness and compaffion of God towards Mankind, in caufing the |