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will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. 1 Kings xxii. 20, 21, 22. How far this is applicable to our times, I fhall not enquire, but only observe to you, that Chriftians are not more fecure from false prophets or teachers than were the Jews; otherwife St John would not have given the following caution to them. John iv, 1. Beloved, believe not every Spirit, every prophet or teacher, but try them all whether they be of God or not; because many falfe prophets or teachers are gone out into the world. I will therefore recommend to, and leave with you the wholesome and excellent advice given by St John, 1 John i. 7. Little children, let no man deceive you, he that doth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. Which is the fame as if the Apoftle had faid, beware that you be not deceived in an affair of fuch importance; for he that doth righteoufness, and he only, is righteous

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in God's account, and fo far, and to that degree that he is fo; and not he who foolishly and vainly hopes to ftand in the righteousness of another; this will not take with the righteous judge of all the earth. The righteous Lord, or that Lord who governs his whole conduct by the ftricteft rul of right and wrong, he lo righteousness, or he loveth those agents who act from the fame principles, and govern their minds and lives by the fame righteous rules that himself does. These are the proper objects of love, and their being fo is the ground or reafon of God's love to them, and not something that is lovely in the person of another. Were God to love one agent, for what is perfonally valuable in another, or were he to afflict one agent, for what is perfonally difpleafing in another, he would forfit his character as a righteous being; he would cease to be that righteous Lord who loveth righteousness, and

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who favourably beholdeth the upright in heart. It is the exercife of wifdom, righteousness, and goodness, in the creation and government of the world, which conftitute the beautiful character of our heavenly Father; and it is the exercise of these, and these only, which conftitute us his beloved children, and which render us approvable in his fight; and every thing befide these are false or counterfeit coin, as not having the ftamp of reafon and truth upon them. This is what I would leave upon your minds, as it is a matter of the utmost concern to you.

A N

A N

ENQUIRY

INTO THE

GROUND and FOUNDATION

O F

RELIGION.

W

HEN we behold the bold attempts, the dauntless courage, the indefatigable industry, the firm and unshaken refolution, the great attainments, the vaft discoveries, the extenfive knowledge, the ftrict fidelity, the impartial justice, the agreeable modefty, temperance, and prudence, and, as it were, the boundlefs generofity and benevolence, and the like, of fome of our fpecies, it gives one fuch a beautiful picture of human nature, as very naturally leads one to think that man was defigned for, and prepared to understand the most fublime and useful truths, to undertake and execute the best and most noble defigns, and to be governed by the most perfect rule of action. But alas! when we fee this affair in another light, that is, when we behold the great indolence and

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floth, the confummate impudence and confidence, the grofs ignorance and ftupidity, the great fickleness and inconftancy, the amazing timorousness and fearfulness, the most abominable rudeness, intemperance and debauchery, the most vile diffimulation and falfhood, the terrible cruelty and barbarity, the great nigardliness and avarice, and other like exceffes, and extravagancies of others of our fpecies, it gives one fuch a disagreeable view of human nature, as almost tempts one to think that man was defigned, and conftituted to answer the lowest, and worst of purposes. And befides these, there are a multitude of intermediate characters, if I may fo fpeak, which, with thefe, make up the whole of mankind. From whence then is this great variety, this contrariety of characters, which makes it look as if out of the fame fountain proceeded waters both bitter and fweet. This, furely, must be worth our enquiry. I fhall not take upon me to give a full and complete account of this matter, but only, by way of effay, hint at some of the grounds and causes of this great variety, this contrariety of characters which take place in, and amongst mankind.

The first and primary caufe of all this, is man's agency. For, as man, is, in, and by his natural conftitution a free being, who has it in his power, and it is left to his option whether he will rightly ufe, neglect, or abuse the various abilities he is endowed with, and the various external things that are provided

for

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