I.

not only these, so lately found and fo dif- SER M. ficultly comprehended, but even the most obvious principles, early delivered and generally received, have been rendered doubtful and fufpected.

But there is another fort of Men, the pretended friends indeed of Religion, who, from too great reverence for things established, have joined with such as have too little, in decrying all NOVELTIES in religious matters.

These Men, abhorring the vanity to be thought wiser than their forefathers, have in exprefs terms declared their displeasure at making what they call, experiments in Religion.

Divines, it is true, have long difputed how experiments in Religion fhould be made. Some would employ Scripture alone; others were for taking in Fathers and Councils; and a third fort for applying raillery and ridicule to the procefs. But, till of late, every man was for fome experiment or other. For what is making experiments but (as we have just shewn) illuftrating Revelation by new arguments arifing from new discoveries made in the order, fitnefs, and harof the various dispensations of Religion

mony

3

I.

SERM.gion amongst themselves, juft as Philofophers (of whom the word is borrowed) unfold Nature by new difcoveries made, from repeated trials, in the contents of bodies.

No experiments in Religion is indeed the Language of Statesmen (for in fome things bigotry and politics agree, as extremes run eafily into one another by their very attempts to keep at diftance) because, according to the Politician's Creed, Religion being useful to the state and yet only a well-invented fiction, all experiments, that is, all enquiries into its truth, naturally tend, not to confirm, but to unfettle this neceffary fupport of civil Government.

But, for one who believes Religion to come from God to be frighted with the danger of experiments is to take his friend for his enemy, the most ridiculous of all panic terrors.

One might reasonably ask such a one how it comes to pafs that experiments of so sovereign use in the knowledge of Nature, fhould be calculated to make fuch havoc in Religion? Are not both the works of God? Were not both given for Man's contemplation?

templation? Have not both, as proceeding S ER M. from the common Master of the Universe, I. their depths and obfcurities? And doth not the unfolding the myfteries of moral government, tend equally, with the displaying the fecrets of the natural, to the advancement of God's glory, and the happinefs of Man? In a word, had no experiments been made in Nature, we had ftill flept in the shade, or wandered in the labyrinth of School Philofophy; and had no experiments been made in Religion we had ftill kept blundering on in the rugged and dark paths of School-divinity.

To end as we begun, with the instruction afforded by my text. What reafon seems to require of us is this; That if yet we know not THE TRUTH, we should seek it of those who do: And if the plain and fimple principles of it will not ferve our turn, but that we will needs philosophize, and demand a reason for every thing, that at least we stay for an Answer; and stay, too, till we understand it, before we venture to pronounce the Religion of our country to be nothing but a mere human impofition.

SER

SERMON II.

GOD's moral Government.

PSALM cxliv. 3.

Lord, what is man, that thou takeft knowledge of him? Or the fon of man, that thou makest account of bim?

T

II.

HUS the holy Prophet, feized S ER M. with a facred horror at an UNIVERSE ftretched out through the immenfity of boundless Space; and with a rapturous gratitude for that GoODNESS Who has graced his favourite Man with so tender and fo intimate a regard.

Meditations of this kind are, indeed, most obvious and affecting. The RELIGIONIST and the MAN OF THE WORLD have equally employed them to reduce Humanity