SERM. Practice of the great Duties which he has I required from us, it is plain that he is far

from being a hard Master, or a tyrannical Governor, but that he has indeed proved himself our gracious Father in the Laws which he has prescribed to us, as well as in all his other Difpenfations towards us; having exacted nothing from us, but what he has given us very fufficient Power to do, nothing almost indeed, but what we must have done, if we were led by our natural Principles and Difpofitions, though it had never been commanded by his fupreme Authority.

2. From what hath been faid, we may fee the Foundation of the Rewardableness of Virtue, and of those joyful Hopes which naturally spring from it. Virtue is a Thing which hath an inherent Excellence and Worth, which every Mind that can form an Idea of it, must greatly respect, honour, and love. There is no Man, who is confcious of partaking of it in a high Degree, who does not delight in his own Nature, and who has not the most agreeable Relish of the Dignity which it confers on him; and there is none, who obferves it eminently poffeffed by others, who does not reverence them upon the account of it, and

who

I.

who is not moft truly difpofed to contribute SER M. to their Happiness, if he gives way to his natural Principles and Paffions. And as

the Deity, who has planted this noble and generous Senfe of the Beauty and Merit of Virtue in the human Mind, must have an inconceiveably higher Perception of the Loveliness and Worth of it himself, we may conclude that it is an Object which will always meet with his Approbation, that he will ever patronize the Cause of it, and that its Interefts will flourish under his Administration to all Eternity.

3. We may here likewife fee the Inexcufableness and ill Defert of all grofs, or wilful Immorality. It is impoffible to a Man to allow himself in any Inftances of flagrant Vice, or in any Degree of wilful Sin, without a plain Violation of the Law of his Nature, without offending and fhocking his Mind, and expofing himself to the Difapprobation, Reproofs, and Stings of his own Conscience; and without being fenfible at the fame Time of doing what must raise Displeasure and Indignation, against him in every intelligent and moral Being, who is acquainted with the Naughtinefs and Depravity of his Heart. We may indeed be chargeable with feveral

Omiffions

SERM. Omiffions of Duty, and pofitive TranfgrefI. fions of the Law of our Minds, which proceeding only from Ignorance, Inadvertence, or Surprize, will give us no great Uneafi nefs or Difturbance within: But as for all grofs Enormities, which contradict and bear down the cleareft Suggeftions of Confcience, and all known Sins, it is plainly as impoffible to us to commit thefe, without accufing, condemning, and difliking Ourfelves, upon the Account of them, as it is to tear our Flesh without feeling Pain, or to swallow a bitter Potion and not to have an ungrateful Relifh. An inward Disturbance, Reftlefsnefs, and Confufion, Remorfe and Difplicence with ourfelves, and Fear of fuperior Powers, are the unavoidable Confequences of confcious Wickedness, at least upon fome Occafions, from the very Nature and Frame of our Souls.' In vain, therefore, do Sinners attempt to fhift off Guilt, and to free themfelves from Blame, by any Sophiftry, Artifice, or Colouring whatsoever. And in vain do they flatter themselves with the Hope of efcaping the Judgment of God, if a fincere Repentance does not prevent its overtaking them. After all that they can alledge in their own Juftification, or Defence, they

need

need only look within themselves, in a fe- SERM. rious Hour, to be affured, that there is I something very bafe, unworthy, and hateful in them; that they carry an Accufer and Avenger in Their Breafts, which challenges and upbraids them for their evil Deeds; which both punishes them in this World, and gives them terrifying Prefages of a feverer Punishment which is to fall upon them in a World to come. Indeed the Judgment which they pass upon themfelves, naturally prepares the Way for their falling under the Condemnation of God: Out of their own Confciences will the Governor of the World convict, and judge them; nor will they be able to offer any Plea to stop his Proceedings, or have the leaft Reason to complain of not receiving Forgiveness from him, while they are in a State, in which they cannot obtain it from Themselves.

4. Let us take our natural Senfe of moral Good and Evil, as our Guide in all our Inquiries about Religion. As this is the original Light which the Author of Nature has kindled up in our Minds, for pointing out to us the Way of Virtue and Happiness; as all the Notices which he otherwife conveys to us, are only fupplemental to, and

1.

SERM. in Aid of this; we fhould in all our Speculations and Reasonings on religious and moral Subjects, have Recourse to this our first and principal Source of Inftruction and Information, and make the Sentiments which we derive from hence, a Rule or Standard for determining the Truth or Falsehood of all Doctrines and Opinions in Points of Religion and Morality. This is one of the best Methods that we can take for guarding against Deception, and arriving at the Knowledge of the Truth, in Matters of the greatest Confequence. Whatever Notions and Opinions agree with our natural Sentiments of moral Piety and Virtue, or tend to support, ftrengthen, and improve these Sentiments, have the Characters of Truth and Goodness upon them, and are evidently worthy of proceeding from the Fountain of Light and Love. Whatever Doctrines, on the contrary, obfcure, or extinguish our natural Light; whatever Notions corrupt or deface, confound or perplex the Dictates of our Confciences concerning Virtue and Vice, muft certainly be false, and cannot have God for their Author, who can never be fuppofed to make any Afterdiscoveries to us, which would be inconfiftent with the Truths or Notices which he

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