which carnal worshippers have devifed, as SERM, fondly fancying a kind of humility and de- IV. cency in them; or with faftings, pilgrimages, and fuch like feverities, which God has not commanded, and which instead of promoting repentance and true holiness, are relied upon in place of them; thus making void the precepts of the moral law, which are of eternal and immutable obligation?

Other Chriftians make too near approaches to the fame kind of superstition, who place their religion in points of mere speculation, in a zeal for matters of small importance, or in pofitive duties, a diligent attendance on affemblies for worship, receiving the facrament and fuch like outward performances. Thefe things ought not to be left undone, because God has prefcrib'd them; but they are enjoin'd to intelligent creatures, and the uses and defigns of them are fully explain'd. In general they are all intended for the promoting of good difpofitions in men, and the practice of virtue; and we may be affured our obfervance of them is no farther pleasing to God, than as they are, this way, useful to ourselves. Therefore to lay any stress on pofitive inftitutions, as if by any merit or efficacy in them, they could procure our acceptance with God, or in fome other unintelligible manner, do us good, with

SER M. out contributing to our inftruction, the exciIV. ting good affections in our minds and our pro

grefs in piety, righteousness and charity ;This is to alter the very nature of them, to separate the means from the end to which God appointed them to be fubfervient, and to abuse his ordinances to fuperftition, which cannot be pleafing to him who is himself perfectly intelligent, and delights in the reasonable service. of his creatures. And to conclude,

Laftly, If God is a Spirit, our duty in confequence of this principle, and in oppofition to the errors already mention'd, is to worship him in fpirit and truth, that is, with fincerity, with our beft affections, and the most vigorous exercise of our inward powers. We cannot but have an abhorrence and contempt in our minds of hypocrify. Any profeffions of respect to ourselves which we know to be infincere, and not to proceed from the heart, we would certainly reject with deteftation as real affronts. And fhall we then offer fuch an indignity to the omnifcient Spirit? But if we confider what the fervice is, which our own minds upon calm and deliberate reflexion approve, we fhall thereby understand what is acceptable to God. It is the homage of the heart, the inward devotion of the foul and affections, with ferious attention, proceeding

from clear apprehenfions and a firm perfua- SER M. fion of his adorable perfections, and eviden- IV. cing its fincerity in our whole conversation by the fruits of holinefs; it is an humble reverence for, and high efteem of his glorious excellencies, gratitude for his benefits, confidence in his mercy, fubmiffion to his will and an imitation of his purity and goodness. Wherefore, let finners cleanfe their hands, and the double-minded purify their hearts; and thus, if they draw nigh to God, be will draw nigh to them.

VOL. I.

K

SER

SERMON V.

The Unity of GoD prov'd from the apparent Unity of Defign in his Works.

SERM.

V.

Deuteronomy vi. 4.

Hear, O Ifrael, the Lord our God is one Lord.

SIN

fyf

INCE we are convinc'd by the most full and fatisfying evidence, that the sys 'tem of the univerfe is intellectual, or that the formation of the world and all its parts is to be attributed to a defigning Caufe; our next inquiry is, where shall that wisdom be found, and where is the place of understanding? Whether in a plurality of beings, co-ordinate and independent, or in one original perfect mind? That intelligence and activity are feated in a mind as their proper subject we know. For the knowledge we have of what paffes in ourselves, teaches us to distinguish between perception and a percipient, between operation and power, as the principle from

which it proceeds; and that mind is a being SE RM. or fubftance different from matter, efpecially V. that spirituality must neceffarily be implied in original intelligence, has been prov'd. The prefent queftion is not, whether there are other orders of understanding agents, fuperior to men, which may be eafily allow'd upon all fuppofitions. For tho' our own reafon does not furnish us with demonstrative proof of it, yet who can find any difficulty in fuppofing, (even if the world were made by chance, and there were no intending Cause in the origin of things,) that there are many minds, and many different fpecies of them, whofe capacities are much larger than ours, who have a much more comprehensive knowledge, and a far lefs limited sphere of action; whofe manner and extent of perception tranfcends ours, as much as we in understanding surpass the brutal kinds; and their activity may reach to vast quantities of matter, whereas we are confin'd to a small part of it, and very unfit for great operations. And as there are many different kinds of fpirits with very different degrees of perfection; those who maintain the unity of God, the first independent Caufe and fupreme Ruler of the univerfe, do not at all doubt of his employing such inferior spiritual agents, as the ministers of his providence. But the quef