SERM. Another Inftance may be their nice and XVI. fcrupulous obferving fome Points of their Law: A Sample of which we have in their paying Tithe of Mint, and Anife, and Cumin. And a third, their no less exact and curious obferving the Traditions of the Elders, of divers ceremonious Washings, and other Additions to the Law. Thefe I do but name, because they are not exprefs'd in this Sermon from the Mount, to which I confine my Difcourfe. But from these, and from all that have been explained before, you may furely conclude, that neither the most strict and rigid Keeping of, or the most flaming Zeal for, fome Things that God has commanded, or that Man has invented, will ever make Amends for neglecting fomething else, which we don't fo well like, but is commanded alfo by God. There is no fuch Traffick with Heaven; no fuch Compenfation or Ballancing in our laft Accounts. Nothing, efpecially, will do instead of the weightier Matters of the Law, Judgment, Mercy, and Faith, that is, Honefly. The trufting to fuch Shifts, is building upon the fandy Foundation, as univerfal ; univerfal Obedience is that Rock with SER M. which our Lord concludes his Sermon. XVI. This deferves your most ferious Regard; and what goes juft before, his Prophecy concerning Pharafaical Chriftians; which, both from its Phrafe and Senfe, may be looked upon as parallel to my Text. Not every one that faith unto me, Lord, Lord, Shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven : but be that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven. And without doing THAT, YOU may judge how infignificant any leffer Merits will prove, when the greatest cannot prevail; as the following Verses, with which I conclude, do fully declare: Many will fay to me in that Day, Lord, Lord, bave we not prophefied in thy Name? And in thy Name have caft out Devils? And in thy Name done many wonderful Works? And then will I profefs unto them, I never you: Depart from me, ye that work knew Iniquity. VOL. I. SERM. XVII. Dd SERM. XVII. SERMON XVII. The Reasonablenefs of curbing PART I. I PET. II. 11. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrims, abftain from flefbly Lufts, which war against the Soul. HE World, and the Inhabitants of it, are filled with the Characters of the Wisdom and Goodnefs of their Almighty Creator. And the more they are examined by a curious inquifitive Age, the more numerous and evident they ftill appear. Nevertheless there appear likewise, likewife, efpecially in all that relates to SER M• Man, the Marks of Difpleafure, a large XVII. Mixture of Disorder and Imperfection. Of which the War, mentioned in the Text, is one great Inftance; the continual Oppofition between our fleshly Appetites, and the Government of fedate Reafon. From this arifes a long Uneafinefs; we being plac'd in a State of Danger and watchful Difquiet, and expos'd to Violence or Surprize, and the fad Confequence of Remorse, or the more fad one of Impenitence. For thofe Appetites of the Flesh often urge us to Actions inconfiftent with the Law and the Good of our Being. And this Inconvenience is almost fingular to Mankind; for we see the rest of living Creatures mov'd to the Ufe of what their Bodies call for, with much more Regularity and Proportion to the End of Health and Strength. They generally provide for themselves and the Continuance of their Race, and fatisfy their Wants and Defires, in a Way and Measure fuitable to their Nature, and are not perverted from it by the Dulness of Sloth, or the Labour of Art, or the Power of wild Imagination; Dd2 SERM. gination, So that when we fay, Men are XVII. brutal in certain Vices, it must be ex plained only of their acting as if they had not rational Souls; and yet we do the Brutes fome Wrong in the Expreffion, T The Queftion therefore will be, fince Man is fo eminently involv'd in this grievous War between Flesh and Spirit, how he can be his Maker's most principal and moft beloved Creature? And this Queftion Religion answers, by teaching us to confider him and this prefent State of his, with relation to a better and more durable, wherein he may enjoy perfect Peace, and be rewarded according to his faithful Service in this Warfare below. Hereby therefore we must be satisfied, and encouraged to hearken to its Exhortation, Dearly beloved, I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrims, abstain from fleshly Lufts, which war against the Soul. But though Religion gives us the only Reafon why these Things are fo; and the frongest and fulleft Reafon to behave ourfelves manfully in the Conflicts they occafion, because we are Strangers and Pil grims here; yet if we confider the Tendency and |