SERM. let our Saviour himself teach us.

Wo unto the

VII. World, because of Offenfes. For it must needs be that Offenfes come: that is, The Nature of Man is fuch, that Stumbling-Blocks will be laid in the Way of the Gospel. that Man, by whom They come.

But Wo unto

And this Wo

is more particularly defcribed by, our Lord, in a Manner, pathetic enough to awaken all Perfons concerned, to put a strong Guard upon their own Zeal, or their own Paffions; left They fhould, even under the Influence of a wellmeaning Heart, at any Time fall into this Condemnation.

4. As the Religion of Nature is supposed to be a fufficient Rule, and in a fufficient Measure within our Reach, when we are called upon, as a. Duty, to examine into Christianity by it; it evidently follows, that Whofoever takes most Pains, and most fuccessfully, to delineate the Religion of Nature, in all it's Branches, and all it's Extent, is fo far from being an Enemy to the Gospel, in the Event; that He really is the Man, who does what the Gospel came to awaken the World to do; and what is neceffary towards the explaining and fettling the moral Duties mentioned in it: and furnishes out a Truth and Syftem, which, if it be founded upon Reafon, becomes immediately a Part, an effential, certain, and indifputable Part, of the Gof

pel

pel itself; being That Part, upon which the SER M. great Account to come is fo often there repre- vII. fented chiefly to turn..

There can be no greater Service done to Chrif tianity itself, than what arifes from fuch Labours of Wife and Serious Men. And it is with a View to the fame Service, that I have, at this Time, ufed my best Endeavours that the Religion of Favour and Mercy may not fuffer by any Difgraces unwarily put upon the Religion of Nature. In a word; if We have a real Regard and Concern for Christianity, let us fhew it by the Value we set upon that Religion of Nature, by which alone we could be rightly conducted to it; and without which We cannot interpret, or understand, any of it's Doctrines and Precepts, when We have received it: Nay, which is now incorporated into it, and ivfelf made the Law of Chrift. Let us not encourage, or receive, Any one inconfiftent Method of treating the Chriftian Religion: For fuch Inconfiftency is, in Truth, the great Strength of Infidelity, on one hand; and, in fome Cafes, of Popery, on the other. But, let us act that confiftent Part which alone can make Christianity fit easy upon a thinking Mind; or recommend it to the World of Unbelievers.

If we conscientiously do this; neither building again any Part of that Syftem of Darkness

SER M. Which We in effect destroyed, when We, upon VII. our own Conviction, embraced Christianity; nor

deftroying the leaft Part of that Syftem of Reafon and Light, which We may be said then to have built up, as the Strength and Support of it: And if We add to this that beautiful Confiftency, in the Practice of All that is good, which is the Duty and Ornament of a Chriftian; We shall, by this whole Conduct, do the greatest Honour and Service to the Gospel; and fecure to ourselves the Happiness attending fuch a Behaviour in this Life, and the Reward promised to it, in That which is to come.

Να

No continuing City here, &c.

SERMON VIII.

Preached before the KING, Febr. 23, 1734-5.

HEBREWS xiii. 14.

For bere have We no continuing City; but We
Seek one to come.

T

HE Life of Man, in this World, is

SERM.

often represented, by the Author of this vIII. Epiftle, and other facred Writers, as m the Life of a Traveller, a Stranger, or Sojourner here below: and this World itself, as the Road to another, And, in Truth, this is a very proper Representation of the Cafe. Heaven, that Seat of established Happiness above, is our Home; and ought to be fo accounted by Us. Thither all our Steps ought to be tending: and through this World must we go, as through a Road, before we come to it. In our Jour

SER M.ney, We have all the Unhappineffes of Travellers. VIII. We meet with an inconvenient Lodging, and

ordinary Entertainment, for fome Time. And if it be otherwise, yet we must certainly leave it; and no more think of fettling ourselves in it, than a Traveller does of fixing his Habitation upon the most beautiful Spot of Earth he meets with in his Way; or in the best accommodated House upon his Road. The little Rest we have, if we have any, is, as in a strange Place, disturbed and interrupted with much Noise, and Hurry, and Disorder; and, like that of Travellers, to be left, perhaps, with the next Morning's Light; and ourselves to be called Home to a more fixt and durable State. For bere barve We no continuing City: but We Seek

one to come.

From this Allufion to the Life of a Traveller, by which the Uneafineffes of our Life in this World, are illuftrated; and from the Words of the Text, particularly fetting forth the Uncertain, and Unsettled, Condition of Man here below it is my Defign to take Occafion, without any critical Examination into their Connexion with the Words before and after them, to confider, more at large,

I. The unhappy Condition of Man in this uncertain State, where he has no continuing City ; fuppofing