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Faith andPra&ice
Reprefented in Fifty-four
S*ERMONS
On the Principal Heads of the
Chriftian Religions-
Preached at Berry. St reety 1733.
B Y
I. Watts D. D.
D. Neal M.A.
J. GuYSE D. D.
S.Price,
D. J E N N I N G s.
J. Hubbard.
Publifhed for the Ufe of Families,
Efpecially on the LordVDay Evenings.
THE SECOND EDITION.
VOL. I.
LONDON:
Printed for John Oswald, at the Rofe and
Crown m the P^^near^anfion-Houfe
M.DCC.XXXIX.
T O
WILLIAM COWARD
of Walthamfiow E{q;
The following
SERMONS
On the Principal Heads of the
Chriftian Religion;
Preached at his Requeft,
And by his Encouragement,
Are humbly Dedicated
By his feithful Servants
The Ministers;
Aa
(V)
THE
PREFACE.
f^^ HERE are many excellent
Treatifes of inftruftive and
pradlical Divinity among us,
and Volumes of valuable Sermons com-
pofed on various divine themes : Yet
it has been the Complaint of feveral
pious Families, who would fpend their
Lord's-day Evenings in a religious Man-
ner, that they are not fufEciently fur-
nifhed with fingle diftindl Sermons,
formed upon proper Subjects, and li-
mited to fuch a length as thofe Occa-
fions and Seafons require. Shall
A 3 recom
we
vi The P R E F A C E. "
recommend to them the Divines of the
laft Century ? Many of the Writings of
Dr. Manton and Mr. Flavel^ and others,
are well fuited to this Defign : they have
been many Years employ'd in this Ser-
vice, they are ftiil rehearfed in Families
with Pleafure and Profit, and may they
continue long in the fame Honour and
Efteem.
Yet it muft be granted, that every
Age is befl pleafed with its own Phrafes
and Forms of Speech ; and when the
fame divine and ancient Truths are ex-
plained and improved in fuch Method
and Language, as is fuited to the Tafte
of the prefent Age, there is Reafon Xo
hope they will be attended with lefs
Wearinefs, and infinuate themfelves with
more Delight into the Hearts of thofe
who hear them. On this account fonie
later Authors have publilli'd what they
have preach'd on fevcral Parts of our
Holy Religion, and their Works have
not been unufefiil upon this Occaiion :
But ftill a greater variety is defired, and
it
The PREFACE, vii
it has been often wifli'd that the whole
Body of Chriflianity might be reprefent-
ed in fuch fingle fhort Difcourfes in a
praftical Manner, as might at once lead
Perfons into the Knowledge of the moft
important Doftrines and Duties of the
Gofpel, and warmly exhort them to a
correlpondent Pradice. It is to anfwer
thefe Defires, and to fupply this Defici--
cncy, that we have undertaken the pre-
fent Work,
For this purpofe, at the Requeft of
that worthy Gentleman to whom thefe
Volumes are infcribed, we drew up the
moft neceffary and important Articles
of the Chriftian Religion into fo many
diftindl Heads, and form'd a Sermon
upon each of them, that by reading one
in a Week they might be finifh'd in a-
bout a Year's time, and that whole Fa-
milies might receive fome brief Inflruc-
tion in all the moft neceffary parts of
Faith and Pradice, in order to their e-
verlafting Welfare.
A 4 It
viii The P R E F A C E.
It muft be confefs'd, fome of thefe
Truths have furnifhed out large Matter
for Speculation and Controverfy in the
World : But it was agreed among us, that
when we treated of thefe Dodrines, we
would improve them as much as poflible
to praftical Godlinefs ; and that we would
not indulge our Thoughts to run out in-
to learned and perplexing Debates, which
might eafily difturb common Hearers,
and give them occafion to ftumble at the
Word.
It was further agreed, that we would
difcourfe on thefe Subjedls in a fcrip-
tural ^nd evangeHcal Manner, that wc
would ^ prove every Point chiefly /rom
the Word of God, and fhew the Tich
Advantage and the Glory of the pecu-
liar Revelations of Chrijl rqigning thro'
the whole of our Religion. We pur-
pofed.alfo to convey our Thpughts in
fuch a plain, cafy, and affedionate man-
ner of Speech, as might, by the Influ-
ence of divire Grace, enter more readily
into the Minds of ignorant Perfons in a
j^■. J-. Family,
The PREFACE. Ix
Family, and reach the Hearts of Chil-
dren and Servants of the loweft rank,
as well as edify thofe of fuperior Cha-
rader, Years and Knowledge. And that
we might not render this Evening-
Worfliip tedious and difguftful, we re-
folv'd to limit each Difcourfe to fuch a
number of Pages, as might be read with
a grave and diftinfl: Pronunciation in lefs
than three quarters of an Hour^
It muft be confeft that by this Con-
finement of our felves to fifty-four fhort
Difcourfes, we have not been able to
treat fo diftindly of every particular Sub*
jed: in Divinity ; nor could we allow
the inftrudive Part of our Sermons its
full Meafure, and at the fame time in-
dulge fuch a difFufive and affeding Style,
as might addrefs it felf at large to all
the Paffions. But a fenfible Reader will
forgive this Defect, when he obferve?.
how often two or three confiderable Sub-
jeds are united and crouded in the
Title of one Sermon ; nor could they
be otherwife divided and difpofed un-^
X The PREFACE.
Ids we had drawn out the Difcourles to
twice this Number, andraifed the Volumes
to a double Bulk and Price.
And for the feme Reafon we truft
we ihall meet with eafy forgivenefs, if
the Words of each Text which iland
at the Head of the Difcourfe, do not fo
completely include all that is inferted
in the Title of it : for fometimes it was
hard, if not impolTible, to f:nd out one
iingle Vcrk of Scripture, that fhould
plainly and expreffly contain the whole
Theme or Subjedl appointed : but we
refolved to chufe fuch Place of Scrip-
ture for the Heads of our Sermons, as
fhould be clear in them.fclves, and ap-
polite to the chief Part of our defign'd
Argument, left too much of the Time
lliould be taken up in explaining the
Words, or in critical or laborious Remarks
upon them, to accommodate them to our
purpofe.
Upon the wliole, we are confcious to
[ Am-
bition
our felves that cur higheft Aim and Am-
The P R E F A C E. xi
bition in this Service has not been to
feek our own Honour or Intereft, nor
to flatter and gratify the PafTions and
Humours of any of the divided Parties
of Chriftians ; but to teach the plain
Dodtrines of our divine Rehgion as we
receive them from the Bible ; and to
exhort Mankind to the zealous Pradice
of Piety, Virtue and Goodnefs upon E-
vangeHcal Principles : and for this end
we have endeavour'd to encourage and
affift Chriftian Families to employ one
Evening-hour of the Lord's Day to re-
ligious Purpofes, which is fo often fquan-
der'd away in trifling at home, or faun-
tring and gadding abroad, to the great
diflionour of our Profeflion, to the neglect
of ferious Godlinefs, and the danger and
ruin of immortal Souls.
With thefe flncere Views and Inten-
tions we leave our Labours in the hands
of our Lord J ejus Chrijly who governs
both the World and the Church, and
rules over the Hearts of Men; humbly
entreating Piis gracious Prefence in thofe
Houfl:ioIds,
xli The PREFACE.
Houfliolds, or in thofe Chambers of Re-
tirement, where thefe Difcourfes fhall be
read ; and may the powerful Influences
of his Spirit attend them, which alone
can make his blefTed Gofpel effedlual to the
Salvation of Men.
yanuary loth
^734-5-
T A B L E
Of the Subjects, and the Textts of
Scripture on which the Sermons
are formed.
VOL. I.
Of the Knowledge of God.
Sermon
L nr^HE Knowledge of God by the Light of
Jj^ Nature, together with the Ufcs of it, and
its Defefts. By Dr. Ifaac Watts.
Adls xiv. 15, 16, 17. T^he living God, which
made Heaven ana Earthy and the Sea, and
all things that are therein^ who in times
paji fufferd all Nations to walk in their
own Ways : Neverthelefs he left not himfelf
without Witnefsy in that ke did good, and
gave lis Rain from Heaven, filling our
Hearts with Food and Gladnefs. Page i.
II. The Divine Authority, and Perfeftion ot the
Holy Scriptures. By Mr. Daniel Neal.
2 Tim. iii. 16. All Scripture is given by In--
fpiration of God, and is profitable J or Doc-
trine, for Reproof, for CorreSfion^ and jfo-
firu^ion in Righteoufneji. 24
in. Of
xiv A T A B L E.
III. Of God, and his natural Perfeftlons. By Dr.
John Guyfe.
John iv. 24. God is a Spirit, p. 42
IV. The moral Perfedions of God. By Mr. Sa-
muel Price,
Matth. V. 48. Tour Father 'which is in Hea^
'uen is perfeB, 6 1
V. The Dodlrine of the BlefTed Trinity ; or, God
the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. By Mr. Da^
'vid Jennings.
Matth. xxviii. 19. Baptizing them in the
Name of the Father^ and of the Son^ and of
the Holy Ghoji. 76
Of the Decrees of God^ and his TranfaSiiom
with Men.
VI. The Decrees of God concerning all his Works,
and his beginning to execute them in Creation*
By Mr. John Hubbard,
Eph. i. 2 I. Who worketh all things after the
Cotinfel of his own WilL 94
VII. The Providence of God, as the Preferver, and
fovereign Difpofer of all Things, in the Natural
World. By Mr. Jennings,
Pial. ciii. 19. ^he Lord hath prepared his
'Throne in the Htavens^ and his Kingdom
ruleth over alL 116
VIII. Of God, as the Governor and Judge of
the Moral World, Angels and Men. By Mr.
Neah
Daniel iv. 35. - — ^ And he doth according
to his Will in the Army of Heaven y and
nmong the Inhabitants of the Earth, p. 134
IX.
A T A B L E. XY
IX. The original State of Man, and the Covenant
of Works. By Dr. Gu)fe.
EccleC vii. 29. • God made Man upright,
X. The Fall of Man and Original Sin; with
Man's Inability to recover himfelf. By Mr.
Hubbard,
Rom.v. 12. By one Man Sin entered
into the Worlds and Deaih by Sin^ and
fo Death paji upon all Men ; for that all
havejinned.
XL God's EleiStion of a People for himfelf aniong
Men, and giving. them to his Son in the Cove-
nant of Re(kmption. By Dr. Watts.
Eph. i. 3, 4, 5. Blejfed be the God and Fa-
ther of our Lord J ejus Chrift^ who hath
blefed US in all fpiritzial Blejfmgs in hea^
venly Places in Chrijl^ according as he
hath chofen us in him before the Foun-^
dation of the Worlds that ive Jhould be
holy and without blame before him in
LoWy having predefliiiated us unto the A-
doption of Children, by Jefus Chrijl to him^
Jetf^ according ta the gpod-pleafun of bis Will.
199
XII. Thd^ various Difpenfations of the Golpel, or
Covenant of Grace, tov^ard fallen Man before
Chriftianity. By Mr. Price.
Luke i. 72. To perform the Mercy promifed un-
to our Fathers^ and ta remember his hoij
Covenant, 222
XIIL
xvi A t A B L E.
XIIL The Excellencies and Advantages of the Chri*
ftian Difpenfation, with the Invitations and Pro-
mifes of the Gofpel. By Dr. IVatfs.
Heb. viii. 6. He is the Mediator of a better
Covenant y which was ejiablijh'd upon better
Promifes. p. 240
Of the FaSis on which Chrijlianity is
fou7idcd^ together with the various Ufes •
of them.
XIV. The Incarnation of Chrift as the promifed
Meffiah. ByMr. M^/.
Gal. iv. 4, 5. But when the fulnefs of time
was come^ God fent forth his Son made of
a Woinan^ made under the Law 5 to re-
deem them that were under the haw y that
we might receive the Adoption of Sons.
261
XV. Chrift's Perfonal Miniftry, Miracles, and Pro-
phetick Office. By Dr. Guyfe.
Johni. 18. — He hath declared him. 279
XVI. The Sufferings and Death of Chrift, v^^ith
the chief Defign of them, the Atonement for
Sin as one part of his Priefthood. By Mr.
Price.
I Pet. iii. 18. ForChri/l alfo bath once fuffer' d
for Sins ^ the Jujifor the tfnjuji, that he might
bring us to God. 298
XVII. The Refurreftion and Afcenfion of Chrift.
By Mr. Jenni?igs.
Ads i. 2, 3. Until thi Day in which he
was
A TABLE. xvii
was taken up ; after that he^ through the
Holy Ghojl^ had given Commandme7it5 un--
to the Apojiles whom he had chofen\ to
whom aljb he Jhewd himfelf alive after
his Fafjion^ by many infallible Proofs^ be*
ing feen of them forty Days^ and fpeak--
ing of the things pertainifig to the King^
dom of God. P- 3 1 4
XVIII. The Interceffion of Chrlfl: as another Part of
his Prieflhood. By Mr. Hubbard.
Rom. viii. 34. ^-^Who alfo maketh Inter cejjion
for us, 333
XIX. The Exaltation ofChrift to his Kingdom,
and his fending down the Holy Spirit. By Dr.
Watts,
A&s ii. 33. Being by the right hand cf God'
exalted^ and having received of the Father
the Fromife of the Holy Ghofi^ he hath
foed forth this which ye now fee and hear.
Of the Blejfmgs of the Gofpel more plain-
ly reveaVd under the Chrijlian Dif
penfation.
XX. Effedual Calling with its Fruits, {vix.) Re-
generation and Sandiification by the Holy Spirit.
By Mr. Neal
2 Tim. i. 9. Who hath faved us and calU
ed us with an holy Callings not accord^
ing to our WorkSy but according to his
own Furpofe and Grace which was gi^
Vol. L a v^ri
xviii A TABLE.
ven us in Chrijl J ejus before the World
began, p. 378
XXI- Pardon of Sin, Juftification and Adoption.
■ By Dr. Guyfe,
R>m. iii. 24, 25. Being juftifyd freely by
his Gracc^ through the Redemption that
is in Jejus Chrijl ; "lohsm God hath Jet
forth to he a Propitiation^ through Faith
in his Blood, 397
XXII. Peace of Confcience, Hope and holy Joy.
By Mr. Price,
Rom. XV. 13. "Now the God of Hope fill you
"with all Joy and Peace in believing^ that
ye 7nay abound in Hope through the Power
''of the Holy Ghoji. ^ig
XXIII. Temporal Bleffings, Support under Trou-
ble, and fandify'd Afflidions. By Mr. Je??'
?lings,
I Tim. iv. 8. Godlinefs is profitable to all
things^ having Promife of the Life that
now is^ and of that which is to come, 437
XXIV. Affiftance in Duty, Perfeverance in Grace,
and Preparation for Glory. By Mr. Hubbard^
Col. i. 9, 10, II, 12. For this caufe we do
not ceafe to pray for you ^ and to de fire that
ye 7nay be filled with the Knpw ledge of his
Will in allWiJdom andfipiritualUjideffiaJid-
ing : that ye anight walk worthy of the
Lord to all pleafwg^ being fruitful in cjery
good Work^ and increafing in the Ktiow-
ledge of God: 8tre?igthend with all Might
ac-o
A T A B L E. XIX
according to his glorious Power, unto all
Patience and Long- Suffering with Joy-
fulnefs : Giving Thanks unto the Father,
who hath made us meet to be Partaker: of
the hiheritance of the Saints in Ligct^
P- 455
Of the Duties of Chrifiianity in general.
XXV. Our perpetual Obligation to the Duties
of the Moral Law, with the evil Nature of
Sin, and its Defert of Punifhment. By Dr.
. Watts,
I John iii. 4. — Sin is the Trail fgrejjion of the
Law, Rom. vi. ult. The Wages of Sin is
Death, 476
;XXVI, Confeffion of Sin, Repentance, and Con-
verfion to Holinefs. By Mr. Neal,
Adls iii. 19. Repent' ye therefore, and be
converted, that your Sins may be blot-
ted out, when the Times of refrejhing
fhall come from the Pi^efence of the
Lord. 499
Duties toward God^ with the Sins oppofite.
to them.
XXVII. Worfhipping God only, and that in his
own appointed Way, and doing all to his Glory.
Ip ^ By Dr. Guyfe.
Matth. XV. 8, 9. This People draweth nigh
unto me with their Mouth, and honoureth
me
XX A T A B L E.
me with their Lips-, but their Heart is
far from me. But in vai?! do they imr-^
fiip me, teaching for Dociri?ies the Com^
mandments of Men. e i ^
SERMONS
O N T H E
PRINCIPAL HEADS
O F T H E
CHRISTIAN RELIGION.
SERMON I.
The Knowledge of God by the Light of Nature,
together with the Ufes of it, and its Defeds.
Acts XIV. 15, 16, ij,
The living God^ which made Heave?! and Earthy
and the Sea, and all things that are therein^ who
in times pajl fuffered all Nations to walk in their*
own ways ; never thelejl he left not himfelf without
Witnefs, in that he did good, and gave iis Rain
from Heaven, and fruitful Seafo?is, filling our
Hearts with Food a?id Gladnefs.
WHEN the Apoftle Paul gave Authority
to his Miniftrations at Lyjtra, by working
a miraculous Cure on a Man who was
born a Cripple, the Inhabitants imagined that he and
Barjiabas were Gods, and were immediately pre-
paring a Sacrifice for them : but to divert this Mad-
nefs and Superftition of paying divine Worfliip to
Vol. I. B Creatures,
2 Natural Religion.
Creatures, the Apoftles, with holy Jealoufy and In^
dignation, ran inlo the midft of them, and preach-
ed to them the Living and the True God. " We,
" fay they, are utterly unworthy of thefe divine
*^ Honours ; for 'we are Men of fuch Flefh and
" Blood as yourfelves, and are liable to the like In-
*^ firmitics -, ive preach to you, that ye Jhoiild turn
*^ from thefe Vanities to the living Gcd^ i>cho made
*' Heaven and Earth, &c."
From which Words we may raife thefe three di-i
ftinft Obfervations.
I. God 7nay be known by the Light of Nature^
Surely he that made Manldnd, and doth them fo
much good, hath given them fome Hints and No-
tices of himfelf ; He hath not left himfef without
Witnefs,
II. T^he Knowledge of God, which h attainable by
the Light of Nature, hath its various Ufes -, of
which this is one, that it i^ a Witnefs for God and
his Goodnefs among Men.-
III. Yet this Knowledge of God, by the Light of
"Nature^ hath great DefeBs and ImperfeBions in
it, Notwithftanding all this Knowledge, which is
within the reach of Men, yet all the Nations of
Mankind beiides the fews, continued to walk i^i
their own Ways, their Ways of Idolatry, of wild Su-
perftition and various Wickednefs. It is iaid indeed,-
that God fufered them to walk thus -, not that he
ever permitted them to do it as a Governor -, but as
a Creator and a Sovereign, lie neither reflrained them
from it by his Almighty Power, nor by fuch ipecial
Revelations of Grace, as he made to the Jewifi Na-
tion ; and their own natural Knowledge did not fe-
cure them from \t\
Let
Ser. I. L$ Vfes and Defe£i$. ^
Let us begin with the firft Obfervation^ (vtz.)
Go J 7nay be known by the Light of Nature, When
I life the word God^ I mean here the lame thing
which the loweft Rank of Mankind would under-
ftand by it, that is^ The Being which made all
things } or, in more learned Language, The firft
Caufe of all. And when I fay^ God may be known
by the Light of Nature^ I mean, that the Senfe-s
and the reafoning Powers, which belong to the Na-
ture of Man, are able to give him fo much Light in
feeking after God^ as to find out Ibmething of him
thereby, or to gain fome Knowledge of him. By
our Senfes, we are acquainted with his Works, and
by his Works our Reafon may be led to trace out that
more excellent Being who made them. This is aA
ferted beyond all Dilpute. Rom.'u 19, 20. T^haf
which 7nay be known of God is manifeft in them^ i. e,
in Men^ for God hath fiewed it unto them. For the
invifibh things of him from the Creation of the World
are^ or may be clearly fe en ^ being imderfood by the
things that arc made^ even his eteriial Power and
Godhead,
Now if we inquire more particularlyj What it is
that we can learn of God by the Light of Nature^ I
anfwer in the following Particulars.
I. We may come to the Knowledge of his Exifl-
tnce^ or that tho-e is fuch a glorious Being who made
all things.
This is evident and certain, that Nothing could
make itfelf 'Tis impoffible, that any thing which
once had no Being, Ihould ever give Being to itfelf 5
or that once upon a time it fhould of itfelf burft out
of nothing, and begin to be. Since therefore there
is a World v/ith millions of Beings in it, v/hich* are
B z born
4 Natural Religion.
born and die, 'tis certain there is fome Being, who
had no beginning, but had Life in himfelf from all
Eternity, and who gives Life and Being to all o-
tlier things. This is the Being whom we call
Cod.
Of all the vlfible Beings that we are acquainted
with, Man is the higheft and moft noble ; but he
is forced to confefs he is not his own Maker. By
fendine; our Thoughts and Enquiries a little back-
ward, we find, that we came into Being but a few
Years agoj and we are daily convinced, that we
periili and die in long Succeffion. Our Parents, or
our Anceftors, were no more able to make them-
felves than we are ; for moil of them are dead, and
the reft are going the way of all Flelh : they cannot
preferve our Lives, nor their own ; and therefore it
is plain, that tho' we borrowed Life from them at
firft, yet they are not the original and felf-fufficient
Authors of Life and Being to themfelves, or to us %
they are but Inftruments in the hands of fome fu-
perior firft Caufe, fome original and eternal Maker of
us all.
Or if fome Atheift fliould fay. We muft run up
from Son to Father, and from Father to Grandfa-
ther, in endlefs Generations, without a Beginning,
and widiout any firft Caufe; / anjhsoer^ That is
impoflible : for if ten thoufand Generations cannot
fubfift of themfelves without dependance on fome-
thing before them, neither can infinite or endlefs Ge-
nerations fubfift of themfelves without dependance.
Suppofe a Cliain of ten tlioufand Links hung down
from the Sky, and could not fupport itfelf unlefs
fome mighty Power upheld tlie firft Link ; then it
is certain, a Chain often thoufmd times ten thou-
fand Links, or an endlefs Chain, c<;uld never fupport
I itfelf.
Ser. h Its Ufes andDefecis. 5
itfclf. As the Chnin grows longer and heavier, the
Addition of new Links can never make the Chain
more independent, or better fupport itfelf.
There muft be therefore fome firft Bird, fome
firft Beaft, fome firft Man, from whom all thefe
fucceeding Generations begun ^ and fince they are all
dead, and could not preferve themfelves out of their
own original Sufficiency, 'tis certain they could not
make themfelves, they all muft depend therefore on
fome mighty Being, who has ever lived, and will
ever live, and who is the firft Caufe and Maker of
all things befides himfelf. Further Arguments for
the Being of a God will appear under the next Par^
ticular.
2. \Ve learn by the Light of Nature what God is,
{viz.) that he is a Spirit, perfed: in Wifdom, and
perfed in Power, who knows all things, and can do
all things, or who is Alwife mid Almighty.
The amazing Works of God in the Heavens, the
Sun, Moon and Stars, tlieir regular and unerring
Motions for fo many thoufand Years, the Progrefe
of the Hours, the Changes of Day and Night, Win-
ter and Summer, which depend on thefe Motions
and Revolutions, they all abundantly difcover that
the Maker of them was wife^ and fkilful beyond all
our Conceptions. If we oJDferve the Operations of
a Clock or Watch, which doth but imitate the Mo-
tions of thefe heavenly Bodies, and point out to us
the Day and the Hour, and diftind Seafons ; we
fay, it is impofiible this curious Engine could be
made without great Wifdom and Skill in fome Arti-
ficer who contrived it -, and can we be fo fooliih as to
imagine, that this vaft and glorious Engine of the
Heavens, with all its bright Furniture, which makes
Times and Seafons, Day and Night, could ever
JB 3 ccinc
6 Natural Religion.
come into Being by chance, or be made without
Wifdom or Contrivance ?
Thewonderful Produd:ion of Plants, Herbs, Trees,
and Flowers, the aftoniiliing Operations of living
Creatures, and their feveral Parts and Powers fitted
for the proper Ends and Defigns of their Life, dif-
cover to us the deep Wifdom and Knowledge of the
Being that made them. When • we obferve the
llrange and fuiprizing Aftions of fome Animals, qf
Dogs or Foxes, of Hen and Chickens, of Bees and
Emmets, we can fcarce with-hold ourfelves from
afcribing Knowledge and Reafon to them : and is it
polTible that the Being, which made thefe ad:ive
Animals ihouldnot have Underflanding and Reafon,
and that far fupcrior to all his Creatures ? Should
Mr. Boyle ^ or Sir Jfaac Newton defcend from Hea-
ven, and begin a com-plete Lecture on this Subjed:,
it would laft for Years, for Ages, even to the end
of Time j and every inftruftive Moment would ac-
quaint us with fome new Glories of the Creator.
Let us confider but our own Natures, our Parts
and Powers ; what Wonders are contained in every
Senfe ? In the Eye, wha t millions of Objeds are
painted continually on one Spot of that little Ball,
are transfer'd inward to the Brain in all their diftind:
Colours and Shapes, and are beheld without confu-
fion there ? What Varieties of Sounds and Voices,
Language and Harmony, are taken in and diftin-
guiihcd by the Ear in its winding Caverns ? How
very various are the Talles and Smells tliat Vv''e partake
of by the Palate and thp Noftrils ? How happily
conLrived is our Senfe of Feeling ? not confined to.
one part, but diifufcd throughout the whole Body,
to give Ipcedy Notice of eveiy thing within us, or
widiout us, that may hurt our Frame ? What a
won-
Ser. I. Its Ufes and DefeSis. 7
wonderful Inftrument is the Tongue, to convey
our Thoug;hts in ten thoufand Sounds to our Fellow-
Creatures ? And what an excellent Being is the Prin-
ciple of Thought w^ithin us, even our Souls or Spirits,
which can not only take in and converfe about all the
Millions of Obicdts, which our Senfes give us notice
of; but millions more of Numbers and Quantities
and intelledtual Ideas which our Senfes cannot* reach?
Now can all thefe be form'd without infinite Wifdom
and Skill ? I might demand of the Sons of Atheifm,
in the Language of the PJalmiJt^ Pfal. xciv. 9, 10.
He that planted the Ear, pall not he hear ? He
that formed the Eye, Jhall he riot fee ? He that gives
Knowledge to Man, floall he not know'? He that
made Spirits, hath not he all the Powers of a Spirit
in him in a moft tranfcendent Manner and Degree ?
And as the Wonders of Contrivance in the Works
of God declare his depth oi Wifdom, fo the difficulty
of creating them out of Nothing argues his Almighty
Power. When wefurvey the Heavens the Work of
his Hands, the Moon and the Stars which he hath
created ; what a glorious and powerful Being muft
that be, which form'd thefe vaft Bodies at frft, and
which upholds their ftupendious Frame ? What an
Almighty Voice was neceflary to call this whole Uni-
verfe, thefe Heavens and Earth, and Seas, with all
the Hofts of them, out of nothing into Being, and
conftrain them to obey the Call ? Man can only
change the Shapes and Qualities of things : he can
make a Clock indeed, an elegant Engine to meafurc
Time ; but he muft have Brafs and Iron given him,
""for he cannot create thefe Materials, the' he give
them a new Form : but God's huge and aftoniil -
ing Engine of the Heavens, whereby Hours i.i d
Days, Seafons and Ages are made and meafured o. c,
B 4 were
8 Natural Religion.
were all formed by him without any Materials : he
made all the Materials himlelf, and gave all the
Wheels of Nature and Time their very Being, as well
as their Shapes and their Motions, and they continue
to obferve his Orders. A Creator muft be Almigh-
ty, He muft be God.
Agatn^ Let us think within ourfelves, what a
powerful Being muft that be, who can make a Soul,
a Spirit, a thinking Being to exift, fo nearly like
himfelf, with fuch a Faculty of Underftanding, as
to be capable of taking in fo many millions of Ideas,
and forming the Figures of the Skies and the Seas,
and the thoufands of Plants and Animals, which
are found upon this Earth, each in their proper Pro-
portion? an Underftanding capable of knowing the
Works of God, and of knowing God himfelf ? How
powerful is the divine Will, which could make a
Creature with a free Will, to 4etermine its own
Clioice, a Will which can move all this Frame of
Flefli and Blood, and by thefe Limbs can give mo-
tion to ten thoufand other Bodies round about us ?
What a glorious Power muft that be, who could
a'eate fuch an Image of himfelf as a human Spirit is,
and which bears fuch a near Refemblance of his own
Perfedions, both in his Underftanding and his Will,
in his Knowledge and his Power. We are his Image,
nioe are his Offspring, Thus fung Aratus the Hea-
then Poet, in A6ls xvii. 28, 29. and fpoke like
a Chriftian.
And thus it appears beyond all controverfy, that
the Light of Nature finds, there is a God, and that
this God is an Alwife and Almighty Spirit. If we
were in doubt about his Exiftence or Being, thefe
Rcafonings would alTure us of it 5 and if we fcek
after
Ser. I. Its Ufes and DefeSis. . 9
after his Nature and his Perfedlions, thefe his
Works difcover them.
3 . Another thing which we learn by the Light of
Nature, is \\vi Jupj^cme and abfolute DominiGn over
all things^ that God is the Sovereign Lord and
Pojjejjor of Heaveji and Earthy fo Gen. xlv. 1 9 ; and
confequently that he hath a Right to diljx)fe of all
things as he pleafes ; Rom, ix. 20. Who therefore
J]?all fay to him^ What doft thou ? Shall the thing
formed fay to him that hath formed it. Why haft
thou made 7ne thus ? Shall the Veflel fay to the Pot-
ter, Why didil thou mould me in fuch a Form ?
Why was I dllpofed of in fitch a Station ; and why
was I appointed for fuch a purpofe ? And the force
of this Argument grows yet much ftronger, when '
we coniider, that the great God not only gives his
Creatures their Form and Manner of Being, but he
created the very Subftance as well as the Qualities of
every thing, and gave them their whole Nature and
all the Being they have.
4. The Light of Nature teaches us, that tho'
God is the abfolute and natural Lord of all things
that he has made; yet he is pleafed to deal with his
rational Creatures in a way of moral Government^
that he rules them by a Law^ aiid will fome time or
other reward them in Equity according to their Works.
The Confcience which he hath formed in Man, may
difcover to him fo much of the natural Law and
Will of his God, as a righteous Governor of the
World, if it be properly and wifely employed. Roin,
ii. 14, 15. The Gentiles which have not the writ-
ten haw which the Jews enjoy 'd, yet they do by
Nature the Things contained in the Law, that is,
they are inwardly excited to do them : thefe havi?ig
not the L^Wj are a Law to themfelves^ which few
the
jci. Natural Religmu
the Work of the Law written in their Hearts, their
Confcieuces alfo beari?ig WiUiefs^ and their 'Thoughts
the mean while accifjing or elfe exciifjig them,
Tliis Law written in their Hearts, and which
they may find out by a diligent Ufe of their Rea-
fon, no: only teaches .hem that Adoration and Wor-
fliip, Prayer and Praife, are Duties which they owe
to God; but it inftruds them alio to diftinguilh be-
tween Vice and Virtue, Good and Evil, as it relates
to their Neighbours and themfelves. It fhews them
the difterence between Sobriety and Intemperance,
between Kindnefs and Malice, between Honefty and
Knaveiy, Truth and Falil.ood; and it teaches them
alfo to expe6t fome Vengeance to fall upon Tranf-
greffors. So A6is xxiv. 4. Sureiy this Man is a
Murderer^ laid the barbarous Inhabitants of Melifa
concerning St. Paiil^ when a Viper faftened on his
Hand; and thd he hath efcaped the Sea, yet Ven-.
geance doth not Juffer him to live.
Reafon and Confcience might teach Mankind,
that fince God has given them an Underflanding
and Freedom of Vv'ill to chufe or refufe Good or
Evil, he will certainly call them to account for their
Behaviour, and will take fome Opportunity to judge,
reward, and punilh according to their Condudl in
the prefcnt State. In their own Confciences there is
a kind of Tribunal cred:ed before-hand, their Co?i^
fcicnce excujhig or ac.cnjing them, a5 a fori: of W"arn-
ing, an Emblem and 1 ore-runner of divine Judgment.
5. The Light of Nature teaches us further, that
God is an itulverfal Bencfatlor to Mankind, even a-
bove and beyond their Deferts, and notwithftanding
all their Prov^xations. The Words of my Text de-
clare, that tho' they walked iji their own idolatrous
Ways, yet God left them not without Witnefs of his
Goodnels,
Ser. I. lis Ufas a7id DefeBs. \ %
Goodnels, givi?tg them fruitful Seafons^ and filling,
their Hearts nvith Food and Gladnefs, Their own
Confciences tell them they have finned, and forfeit-
ed all Favours from Heaven ; but their very Senfes
affure them, that God does not prelently infift upon
the Forfeiture, nor feize av^ay their Bleffings ; but
tliat he v^aits long, and heaps the Inftances of his
Goodnels upon them, even upon rhe Evil and the
Unthankful in the midil of ail their Iniquides and
XJnthankfulnels.
Thus have I fhevvn, particularly Mrhat it is the
Light of Nature teaches us concerning God.
II. The Second General Head of Diicourle leads
us to enquire, isohat are the "-carious Ufes of this
Knowledge of God., which is attainable by the Light
of Nature. I anfwer in general, it is to bear Wit-
nefs for God in the World. But we muft enter in-
to Particulars.
I. This Knowledge of God, as our Maker and
Governor, by the Light of Nature, is ufeful, 720t
only to Jl:ew Men their Duty ^ but to convince them
of Sin agai?if the Law of God^ and to lay all Man^
kind under a Senfe of Guilt and Self-Condenination.
The Apoitle Paul begins with this Dodtrine in the
firft Chapters of his Epiftle to the Rotnans^ Vi^here
his great Defign is to ihew Mankind the Guilt and
Wretchednefs of their State ; for after he had intro-
duced tliis natural Knowledge of God in the ipth
Verfe of the firft Chapter, he proceeds to convince
the Heathen World, and particularly the Philofo-
phers, of their heinous Iniquides againft God and
Man, and leaves them in the middle of the 2d and
3d Chapters, under the Ccndem^nation of their own
Confciences and the Law of God : all have fmncd
and
^2 Natural Relio-ion,