Attempts of fome Men to corrupt their Brethren in Principles and Morals? That pious Concern will then beft be expreffed, not by difputing with that Providence which for wife and good Reafons permits thefe Things, but by a contrary Practice; by labouring to promote the spiritual as well as temporal Interefts of Mankind; by being very circumfpect left we also lay Snares in their Way; by preferring what is expedient for them to what is barely lawful for ourselves; and by using our Authority, Understanding, Riches, and Example, to influence, direct, and draw them to a steady Course of Religion and Piety. Let Benignity and Love be the Principle of our focial Life, and let Chriftian Prudence and Christian Charity conduct it. Were this Mind in us which was in our Lord Chrift Jefus, and were all Men in this Sense not to look on their own Things only, but every Man also on the Things of others, the Wo denounced against thofe by whom Offences come would be avoided, Joy and Happiness would be their Portion hereafter, and even in this Life Mercy and Truth would meet together, Righteousness and Peace would kifs each other.

Which, that they may daily more and more do, God, &c.

SERMON

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SERMON IV.

Preached before the KING.

ACTS xviii, 4.

And he reafoned in the Synagogue every Sabbath

T

HE great Apoftle of the Gentiles was no fooner called to the Belief and Miniftry of the Gofpel, but he readily obeyed, and was zealous and indefatigable in it. It was his Joy and Delight to go about, like his blessed Mafter, doing Good, and invite others to embrace the fame merciful Difpenfation which had been miraculously communicated to him. In the Text we find him at Corinth, reafoning in the Synagogue every Sabbath; and if we would know the Subject Matter and Defign of his Reafoning, we need only to look back to the fecond Verfe of the preceding Chapter of this Book. St. Luke there tells us, that at Theffalonica, Paul, as his manner was, went into the Synagogue of the Jews, and three Sabbath-Days reafoned with them out of the Scriptures, opening and alledging, that Chrift must needs have fuffered, and

rifen again from the Dead; and that this Jefus, whom, faid he, I preach unto you is Chrift. The Defign of St. Paul then in this his Reafoning was to convince the Jews, or, as I apprehend, the Jewish Profelytes of the Gate, of our bleffed Lord's being the promifed Meffias, whom they expected; and the Method he took to work out their Conviction was, in general, Reafoning; and in particular, that kind of Reafoning, which alone was proper to prove this Truth, that is, Reasoning out of the Scriptures; or fhewing, that the feveral Predictions, Descriptions, and Characters given of the Meffiab in the Old Teftament were fulfilled in, and only applicable to, the Lord Jefus, and confequently, that he must be that Meffiab whom the Law and the Prophets prefigured and foretold. So that we have in this Inftance, and in the whole Courfe of St. Paul's preaching, the Authority of that Apostle for ufing our Reafon in Matters of Religion; and the Ufe I would make of his Practice at present is to be led from thence to confider (as fully as the narrow Compafs to which I am confined will allow me) what is the Ufe we are to make of our Faculties in religious Matters, how far we may depend upon their Guidance, and where they leave us. Since fome debafe, and do their utmost to take away, this noble Faculty from the greatest Part of those to whom God has given it; and fince others exalt it to too great a Height, and will have it

to

to be our fole and adequate Guide in every thing that relates to God and our Duty; it may not be an unprofitable Enquiry to examine,

I. Whether in any, and what Instances, it is neceffary to make use of our rational Faculties in Matters of Religion. And, II. Whether in any, and what other Instances, we are to lay afide our Reason, and become implicit in our Belief.

The first Enquiry is, whether in any, and what Instances it is neceffary to make use of our Reason in religious Matters. And here three Particulars occur, wherein, upon the Suppofition of a Revelation from God, it is abfolutely neceffary to reafon concerning it, either in order to discover the Truth, or understand the Meaning of it. Without fuch a Revelation, it cannot be denied that the Reafon of Mankind is their only Guide, how imperfect and erroneous foever; but, bleffed be God, we have a better Light; and upon the Suppofition that God has revealed himself, we cannot act as Men, or discharge our Duty as fuch, unless we are allowed to make ufe of our Reafon in these Instances:

1. In enquiring into the Evidence upon which that Revelation is fuppofed to be

built.

2. In difcovering the Meaning of the Words
of that Revelation.
3. In

3. In applying general Rules to particular Cafes.

1. In the first place it must be allowed, that Men ought to make use of their Reason in enquiring into the Evidence upon which any Revelation is built. Without this, they can make no Diftinction between the just and the unjust Claims to a Divine Authority; that is, between Right and Wrong, Truth and Impofture. The beft Evidence is none at all, till the Force of it appears; and its Strength can never be known without an Enquiry into the Nature of it. Indeed the Man who receives any Doctrine or Precept as of Divine Authority without an Examination may happen to be right, that is, may happen to ftumble upon a real Revelation, and confequently lay no more Strefs upon it than it deferves. But fince Truth is fimple and uniform, and Error infinite, it is great odds but he will be deceived; and even his being in the right is no more a rational Act in him, than his being in the wrong would have been. He knows not the Difference between them, and utterly neglects St. Peter's Rule, (1 Pet. iii. 15.) which is, to be ready always to give an Anfwer to every Man that afketh us a Reafon of the Hope that is in us. He can give no Reafon for his Belief, who believes without Reafon; which every Man does, who makes no Enquiry into the Proof upon which his Faith is built.

We