SERM. fuppofes, will certainly lead them into inVII. numerable Acts of Vice and Wickedness. Now from this Refolution of the Cafe, it is plain, that the only Conclufions that can be justly drawn are these; that neither Atheism, nor Superftition is to be in the leaft favourably thought of, but that both are to be guarded against by Mankind, with an Earneftness proportionable to the evil Confequences of them; that Atheism, producing uniformly the moft mifchievous Effects, as it releases Men from thofe Obligations and Restraints which are of the greatest Use for the good Conduct of Life, and throws the most difmal Gloom over all human Affairs, is ever to be opposed with the most vigorous and fteady Zeal; that the immoral and inhuman Superstitions, which fupplant Virtue, and extinguish the focial Affections of Men, and fill them with deftructive Rage and Fury, are to be oppofed ftill, if it be poflible, with a greater Zeal; and that even the most innocent Inftances of Superftition are to be withstood, though with a due Indulgence to human Infirmities, on account of their bad Influence on the Tempers of Men, and the Quiet of their Minds; and that every one fhould endeavour to establish himself in

thofe

thofe rational Principles of Piety, which SER M. are equally remote from Irreligion, and a VII. falfe Devotion, and which will have the moft excellent Effect upon his own Virtue and Happiness, as well as the Order and Peace of Society.

3. Laftly, We may here take Notice of the Advantages of the Proteftant Religion, compared with that profeffed in the Church of Rome, with refpect to its Tendency to Superftition. That many who have made Profeffion of the Reformed Religion, have been deeply tinctured with Superstition, is a Matter not to be denied; but this has been the Fault of the Men, and not of their Religion; no Part of which gives the leaft Countenance or Encouragement to fuch an Infirmity: On the contrary, the effential Principles of Proteftantifm, concerning the Right and Duty of every Man, to use his own Understanding in judging of Religion; to trace back the Principles of natural Religion to the clear Maxims of Reafon in which they are founded, and to fearch the Scriptures for the additional Light which they have thrown upon any of these Principles, and for afcertaining the Doctrines and Precepts of pure Revelation; and to receive nothing as a Part of his Religion

SERM. which is not supported by the Authority of
VII. God, difcovered by the Light of Nature,

or the Declarations of his Word; these
Principles, I fay, which lie at the Founda-
tion of the Proteftant Cause, are the very
best Preservatives against Superstition, and,
if uniformly purfued and put in Practice,
would effectually banish it from among
Men. The Cafe is very different in the
Church of Rome, where there is not only
the groffeft Superftition in Practice, but
where the Doctrines and Principles of their
Religion are most evidently calculated, for
extinguishing the Light both of Reafon and
Revelation, for fhutting up the Minds of
Men in the most dismal Ignorance and
Darkness, and the most abfolute Submiffion
to the Authority of Perfons, who, accord-
ing to the Exigencies of their Affairs, can,
under a Mask of Piety, either bufy them
with unmanly Obfervances, uneafy and bur-
thenfome to themfelves; or fire them with
a diabolical Rage against others, the Con-
fequences of which have often been moft
terribly felt in many Parts of the World:
So that the very Fountain of their Devotion
is corrupted, the Light that is in them is
Darkness, and their Religion itself a Mafs
of Abfurdity and Wickedness, which is cer-

tainly the most dreadful Mifery that can SER M. befal Mankind. It becomes us, therefore, VII. to have a due Senfe of the Bleffings which we enjoy, by being educated and instructed in the Principles of the Proteftant Religion or of Reformed Chriftianity, by which we are delivered from the most deplorable Corruptions, and the most cruel Bondage, and put into the Way, if we be not wanting to ourselves, of keeping clear of all grofs Errors and Superftitions, of worshipping God with a rational and manly Piety, and ferv- Luke i. ing him, without Fear, in Holiness and 74, 75Righteoufnefs before him, all the Days of our Life: And from a juft Confideration of the Value of these Bleffings, let us be ever zealous, both to fecure them to ourfelves, and to make others Partakers of them; and above all, let us be careful to adorn our Profeffion with a proportionable Behaviour, to fhew out of a good Converfa- Jam. iii. tion our Works with Meekness of Wisdom;13. to guard against every Approach towards the earthly, fenfual, and devilish Spirit of ver. 15. false and corrupt Religions; and to make it plain that we are governed by the Dictates of the Wisdom that is from above, ver. 17. which is firft pure, then peaceable, gentle, and eafy to be entreated; full of Mercy and good Fruits, without Partiality, and without Hypocrify.

SER

SERMON VIII.

The moral Value and Worth of Faith confidered, and particularly exemplified in the Belief of our Saviour's Refurrection.

SERM.
VIII.

JOHN XX. 39.

Blessed are they that have not feen, and yet have believed.

T

HE Occafion of thefe Words was this: St. Thomas, one of the Apoftles, happened to be abfent, when on Eafter our Saviour first appeared to his Difciples Sunday, in a Body after his Refurrection, and being

Preached

1741.

afterwards informed by them that they had feen the Lord, he would not, upon their Report, affent to a Thing which he thought fo improbable as the Refurrection of our Saviour, and infifted upon his having a very particular Proof of it, before he would believe it. Our Lord, in great Condefcen