gaging in any faction in religion; because it is an hundred to one, but thy zeal will be fo employed about lef fer things, that the main and fubftantial parts of religion will be neglected. Befides that a man deeply engaged in heats and controverfies of this nature, fhall very hardly efcape being poffeffed with that fpirit of uncharitableness and contention, of peevishnefs and fierceness, which reigns in all factions, but more especially in those of religion.

V. The due care of our fouls confifts in the even and conftant practice of the feveral graces and virtues of a good life; or, as the Apoftle expreffeth it, in exercifing ourfelves always to have a confcience void of offence towards God and men. For herein is religion best seen, in the equal and uniform practice of every part of our duty; not only in ferving God devoutly, but in demeaning ourfelves peaceably and juftly, kindly and charitably, towards all men; not only in reftraining ourselves from the outward act of fin, but in mortifying the inward inclination to it, in fubduing our lufts, and governing our paffions, and bridling our tongues. As he that would

have a prudent care of his health and life, muft not only guard hmfelf against the chief and common diseases which are incident to men, and take care to prevent them; but muft likewife be careful to preferve himself from thofe which are esteemed lefs dangerous, but yet fometimes do prove mortal: he must not only endeavour to fecure his head and heart from being wounded, but must have a tender care of every part; there being hardly any difcafe or wound fo flight, but that fome have died of it: In like manner, the care of our fouls confists in an univerfal regard to our duty, and that we be defective in no part of it. Though we ought to have a more efpecial regard to thofe duties which are more confiderable, and wherein religion doth mainly confift; as, piety towards God, temperance and chastity in regard of ourfelves, charity towards the poor, truth and justice, goodness and kindness towards all men: but then, no other grace and virtue, though of an inferior rank, ought to be neglected by us.

And thus I have endeavoured, as plainly and briefly

as

as I could, to declare to you in what inftances the due care of religion and our fouls doth chiefly confift.

And I would not have any man think, that all this is an eafy bufinefs, and requires but little time to do it in; and that a small degree of diligence and induftry will ferve for this purpofe: to mafter and root out the inveterate habits of fin, to bring our paffions under the command and government of our reafon, and to attain to a good degree of every Chriftian grace and virtue; that faith, and hope, and charity, humility, and meeknefs, and. patience, may all have their perfect work; and that, as St. James fays, we may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing nothing that belongs to the perfection of a good man, and of a good Chriftian. And this, whenever we come to make the trial, we fhall find to be a great and a long work.

Some indeed would make religion to be a very fhort and eafy business, and to confift only in believing what Chrift hath done for us, and relying confidently upon it: which is fo far from being the true notion of Christian faith, that, if I be not much mistaken, it is the very definition of prefumption. For the Bible plainly teachethus, that, unless our faith work by charity, and purify our hearts, and reform our lives; unlefs, like Abraham's faith, it be perfected by works, it is but a dead faith, and will in no wife avail to our juftification and falvation. And, our bleffed Saviour, the great author and finisher of our faith, hath no where, that I know of, faid one word to this purpose, that faith feparated from obedience and a good life will fave any man: but he hath faid very much to the contrary, and that very plainly. For he promifeth bleffedness to none but those who live in the practice of those Christian graces and virtues which are particularly mentioned by him in the beginning of his excellent fermon upon the mount, Matth. v. 3. 4. &c. of humility, and repentance, and meeknefs, and righteousness, and mercifulness, and purity, and peaceablenefs, and patience under perfecution and fufferings for righteoufness fake. And afterwards, in the fame fermon, Matth. vii. 21. Not every one (faith he) that faith unto me, Lord, Lord, fhall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven. And again, ✰ 24.

Z 2

24. Whofcever heareth thefe fayings of mine, and doth them, I will liken him unto a wife man, which built his haufe upon a rock. And afterwards he tells us, y 26. 27. that whofoever builds his hopes of eternal happiness upon any other foundation, than the faith of the gospel, and the practice of its precepts, doth build his house upon the fan!; which, when it comes to be tried by the rain and the winds, will fall; and the fall of it will be great. And elsewhere, John xiii. 17. If ye know these things, hatty are ye if ye do them. And he does very feverely check the vain confidence and prefumption of thofe who will needs rely upon him for falvation without keeping his commandments: Why call ye me, (fays he), Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I fay? Luke vi. 46.

Does any man think that he can be faved without loving God and Chrift? And this (faith St John) is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, 1 John v. 3.; and again, 1 John ii. 4. He that faith, I know him, and by the fame reafon, he that faith, I love him, and keepeth not his commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him. John xiv. 15. If ye love me, (faith our bleffed Lord), keep my commandments; and again, y 21. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me.

Does any man think, that any but the children of God fhall be heirs of eternal life? Hear then what St. John faith, 1 John iii. 7. Little children, let no man deeeive you he that doth righteousness, is righteous, even as he is righteous; and again, y 10. In this the child en of God are manifeft, and the children of the devil: he that doth not righteoufness, is not of God.

In a word, this is the perpetual tenor of the Bible, from the beginning of it to the end: Gen. iv. 7. If thou doff well, (faith God to Cain), halt thou not be accepted? And again, If. iii. 10. 11. Say ye to the righteous, it shall be well with him for they fhall eat the fruit of their doings. Wo unto the wicked, it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands fhall be given him. And in the gofpel, when the young man came to our Saviour to be inftructed by him, what good thing he should do that he might inherit eternal life? our Lord gives him this fhort and plain advice, Matth. xix. 17. If thou wilt enter into

gates in

269 life, keep the commandments. And, in the very laft chapter of the Bible, we find this folemn declaration, Bles fed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and enter in through the to the city; that is, into heaven, which the Apoftle to the Hebrews calls the city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. So vain and groundless is the imagination of those who trust to be faved by an idle and ineffectual faith, without holinefs and obedience of life.

I proceed now, in the Second place, to convince us all, if it may be, of the neceffity of minding religion and our fouls. When we call any thing neceffary, we mean that it is fo in order to fome end, which cannot be attained without it. We call those things the neceffaries of life, without which men cannot subsist, and live in a tolerable condition in this world: and that is necessary to our cternal happiness, without which it cannot be attained.

Now, happinefs being our chief end, whatever is neceffary to that is more neceffary than any thing else; and, in comparison of that, all other things not only. may, but ought to be neglected by us.

Now, to convince men of the neceffity of religion, I fhall briefly fhew, that it is a certain way to happiness; that it is certain that there is no other way but this; and that, if we neglect religion, we fhall certainly be extremely and for ever miferable.

1. That religion is a certain way to happiness. And for this we have God's exprefs declaration and promife; the best affurance that can be. He that cannot lie hath promifed eternal life to them who, by patient continuance in well-doing, feek for glory, and honour, and immortality. All the happinefs that we can defire, and of which the nature of man is capable, is promised to us upon the terms of religion; upon our denying ungodlinefs, and worldly lufts, and living foberly, and righteously, and godly in this prefent world: A mighty reward for a little fervice; an eternity of happinefs, of joys unfpeakable and full of glory, for the diligence and industry of a few days; a happiness large as our wishes, and lasting as our fouls.

2. It is certain also, that there is no other way to happiness but this. He who alone can make us happy, hath promifed

Z 3

promised it to us upon these and no other terms. He hath faid, that if we live after the flesh, we shall die; but if by the Spirit we mortify the deeds of the flesh, we fhall live; that without holiness no man fhall fee the Lord; and that he that lives in the habitual practice of any vice, of covetousness, or adultery, or malice, or revenge, fhall not enter into the kingdom of God. And we have reafon to believe him concerning the terms of this happinefs, and the means of attaining it, by whofe favour and bounty alone we hope to be made partakers of it.

And if God had not faid it in his word, yet the nature and reafon of the thing doth plainly declare it for religion is not only a condition of our happiness, but a neceffary qualification and difpofition for it. We must be like to God in the temper of our minds, before we can find any fel city in the enjoyment of him. Men muft be purged from their lufts, and from thofe ill-natured and devilish paffions, of malice, and envy, and revenge, before they can be fit company for their heavenly Father, and meet to dwell with him who is love, and dwells in love.

3. If we neglect religion, we fhall certainly be extremely and for ever miferable. The word of truth hath faid it, that indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguifh, Jhall be upon every foul of man that doth evil. Nay, if God fhould hold his hand, and fhould inflict no pofitive torment upon finners; yet they could not spare themselves, but would be their own executioners and tormentors. The guilt of that wicked life which they had led in this world, and the stings of their own confciences, must neceffarily make them miferable, whenever their own thoughts are let loose upon them; as they will certainly be in the other world, when they fhall have nothing either of pleasure or business to divert them.

So that if we be concerned, either to be happy hereafter, or to avoid thofe miferies which are great and dreadful beyond all imagination, it will be neceffary for us to mind religion; without which we can neither attain that happiness, nor efcape thofe miferies.

All that now remains is, to perfuade you and myself ferioufly to mind this one thing neceffary. And to this end 1 fhall apply my difcourfe to two forts of perfons

thofe