time ready to close your eyes in death? The type being only a resemblance of the thing typified, can never rise to an equality with it. The poison of a serpent therefore bears no comparison to the malignity of sin. Indeed, sin is the grand evil of nature-the great cause of every mischief here, and misery hereafter. As sin therefore is an evil with which we are all tainted, let us with endless gratitude look beyond the type to the great atonement it holds out; and not presuming on any merits of our own as sufficient to procure our salvation, let us trust only in the merits of that merciful Redeemer, who died to save sinners; and gave his life a ransom for all. SERMON SERMON III. GALATIANS, v. i. STAND FAST IN THE LIBERTY, WHEREIN CHRIST HATH MADE US FREE. THE enemies of religion do not easily allow the truth of such a passage as this. What can be meant, they say, by the liberty wherein Christ hath made us free? Religion is certainly in its nature a restraint upon liberty; and as christianity is the strictest religion, it must of course be the greatest restraint. To call it a holy and pure religion might be allowed; but to hear it called a state of liberty, one should least have expected. For does it not preach every kind of restraint? Does it not talk of plucking out eyes, and cutting off hands? which expressions, though figurative, figurative, mean at least some great constraint. And is this consistent with liberty? Such is the language, at least the sentiments, of some, who either do not understand the christian religion, or do not feel its effects. In the following discourse, I shall endeavour to shew you they are mistaken. I shall first explain to you, on what grounds, the christian religion may be called a state of liberty and secondly recommend to your practice the Apostle's advice, to stand fast in that liberty. This - In the first place, the christian religion may be called a state of liberty, as it frees mankind from the useless burden of rites and ceremonies. was the first notion of liberty it gave its professors. The religion of the heathen consisted merely in this kind of service. They believed all religion was made up of outward acts and ceremonies. But as these outward acts and ceremo nies did not amend the heart, they were in fact no religion at all. And as there was something of pomp and shew, and amusement in them, they grew upon people. Trifling and insignificant they always were. Sometimes they were carried to a frightful height; filling the minds of men with superstitious fears; and putting them on barba rous rous and cruel rites. We have instances in the priests of Baal, who gashed themselves with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out; supposing that these barbarities were a kind of religion that was pleasing to their gods.-But we have still more shocking instances in the priests of Moloch, who made their sons and daughters pass through the fire-that is, they burnt them alive in honour of their horrid idol. The religion of the Jews likewise, in a great measure was made up of external acts. God, for his own wise reasons, imposed many ceremonies. upon them. It was a hard bondage; but as they were a stiff-necked people, a necessary one. Through their own folly and superstition, however, they imposed a still heavier burden of rites and ceremonies on themselves. Insomuch that when our Saviour came into the world, the whole had arisen to such a load, as neither they nor their fathers were able to bear. Thanks be to God, the gospel hath redeemed mankind from all this bondage-from all those rites and ceremonies, which could never make the comers thereunto perfect. The Heathen, trembling under all the terrors of superstition: and the Jew appeasing the anger of an incensed Jehovah, by a thousand thousand painful rites, were called on by a gracious voice to take refuge in that religion, which alone could give them liberty and peace-that religion, whose yoke was easy, and whose burden was light. Christianity hath put religion on a rational footing. It calls upon us for the religion of the heart; and instead of putting our trust in outward observances, requires from us holy faith, rational prayer, and pious lives. Two ceremonies only Christ ordained; Baptism, and the Lord's Supper-both so plain, and easy, that they cannot be called burdens. The first is performed once as an outword sign of our entrance into the Christian religion the other frequently, as an outward sign of our continuance in it.-As for the rest, such ceremonies as are necessary for the decent government of the church, are left to its direction; and the fewest, and most plain, have always been esteemed the best; that the people may as little as possible be drawn from things of importance. The papists indeed have unnecessarily thrown upon their own necks another yoke, full as grievous as that from which as christians they had been relieved. Their whole religion is so blended with penances, processions, pilgrimages, and follies of |