ftate of a creature, according to my ability, and capacity, I am bound to do homage to my maker, as my superior, and to acknowledge him as my original; and therefore ought to observe, and obey him, to fulfil his will, and make returns unto him; and these are unavoidable to intellectual nature, and infeparable from it. And if we fail in thefe, we are in a ftate of deformity, and contradiction to God, and to our own natures. But then,

2. Things that are grounded in our conftitution of parts. We are compounded of body, and spirit, and fuch things are these three, that are secured upon this account, as modefty, fobriety, and the government of reafon, above sense. And these are neceffary as being founded in our make and conftitution and in respect of our compofition it becomes us, to be modeft, becaufe of our lower and inferior part; and to be fober; and it is fit that reafon should. have predominance over fenfe; that reafon fhould rule and govern the bodily part, because that reaffon is superior appointed of God, and these are founded in our very make and constitution. And then,

3. There are things belonging to that respect we ftand in toward each other, as fellow creatures, and that is just, and equal dealings; and not to do one another harm. Noman living in the world, can leave any one of these things out of his religion: they are main things; and all men that are of any confcience or fobriety, do agree in all these things; and he cannot be an honest man, and of any growth and improvement in religion, that makes any doubt of them.

Thefe

These are all of them indifpenfibly necessary, upon the account of religion, and every good man is true to them. He is well informed concerning the holinefs of God, and his faithfulness: he doth entertain the articles of faith that are clear and plain, in the revelation of God; the fum of which is this, that he owes his hopes of falvation to the grace of God declared by Jefus Chrift: he knows that he ought to answer the relation he ftands in to God, and that he ought to act according to his capacity: and to have reverent thoughts of God, and to have faith, affiance and truft in him; to obey God, and to fulfil his will, and do his pleafure. And in refpect of himself, fince he is spirit, as well as flesh; he ought to maintain a government of reason over sense; and he ought to be fober, and not make his rational faculties drudges like the Gibbeonites, to hew wood and to draw water: but to govern his affections and paffions by his more noble part. And because he is one in the family of God, he ought with all his fellow creatures to live according to rules of justice and equity; and not to beat his fellow fervants, but to do no body any harm. And these things are as evident as the fun that fhines; and in these, I cannot difpenfe with any one, nor make any allowance. If any one fail in these he fails in that which is necessary and vital, to make him a good man. And this is general and univerfal, in refpect of the ftate of all perfons in all ages, and times whatsoever. In this muft he declare his religion, that he hath a true defire, and endeavour to know what is right and good; and having found it out, to comply with it in heart VOL. I B b

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and life. And I do not know how any man can fatisfy himself as touching his duty to God, if he do not thus much nor make it appear that he hath any care of his own falvation, and future safety, unlefs he doth fincerely set-himself to know what is pleafing to God, and what will give him an offence: and then to be careful to avoid what will offend him, and do what is acceptable unto him. For to know in fome measure, the difference between good and evil, right and wrong, this is every body's wif dom and understanding; and then to do according to this known difference, this is a man's goodness. If he do not the former, he is not at all improved in his intellectuals: if he do not the latter, he is not at all reformed in his morals. And if neither improved in his intellectuals, nor reformed in his morals; what hath he to fhew upon account of religion and conscience? What hath he to fhew that he may call religion?

The rule of natural knowledge is fenfus animæ : the rule of revealed truth is facred fcripture. Concerning the materials of natural knowledge, he hath abused his nature, who finds not feeds of these fown in it. Concerning revealed truth, he that is not fatisfied in the authority of fcripture revealing to us matters of faith, is not yet perfwaded to become a chriftian. To make one religious in general, the principles of God's creation may fuffice; to make one a christian, the receiving matters of faith, is neceffary to difcerning of things of natural knowledge, the true fevere impartial use of reafon is needful: to the knowing the things of revealed truth, the fair

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and ingenuous conftruction of words and phrafes in fcripture, is needful. Not but that the materials of natural knowledge, inftances of virtue, measures of good and evil, are repeated, acknowledged, and reinforced in fcripture.

This feems general in respect to all times and places; a true defire and endeavour to know what is right and good; and being found out to comply with it in heart and life. I know not any thing else whereby any may approve himself to God, as doing his duty to him; or teftify the care of his own foul, as doing what is worthy of it and tending to its everlasting safety.

But thus much for explication, and 'tis of great ufe, many ways.

I. That men may charge themfelves not to fail in the neceffaries of religion.

2. That men knowing what are the necessary things that religion requires; and what are those things wherein good men may chance to be otherwife minded, one than another; yet they may live in love, and hearty good will, and no way provoke one another. And this is of mighty use, in the life, of man. And I have taken the more pains in it, that I may fatisfy any perfon concerning those things, which are of abfolute and indifpenfible neceffity in religion. For if a man be peremptory. and confident of a notion, and the ground of it is bat a fuppofition; when stress comes to be laid upon it; it is like a building without a foundation, and when storms and tempefts arise, it will be overturned, and fall to the ground. For a man is fure B b 2

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of nothing in religion unless he can fatisfy his mind from unquestionable grounds, and foundations. And therefore I have fhewn you how the neceffaries of religion are founded; and how they do arise. And they that are of any growth and proficiency in religion, they do not differ in these for they are either clear in reafon, or revelation, or both; and a furer foundation there is not in the world. And fuch are thofe things that I have named, fuch as are immutably and unchangeably good; fuch as thefe have neceffary place in the doctrine of the gofpel; as alfo in the grounds and principles of reafon. And all else belong to these immutable and eternal rights; these unchangeable principles of good and thefe have great place in the doctrine of the gofpel. For is it not faid exprefly, that God fent his fon into the world, to turn us from our iniquities ; and the grace of God that bringeth falvation teacheth us. to live piously in refpect of God: and foberly in the government of our affections: and right coufly, and equally one with another. This is moft certain, that all the notions of natural knowledge and inftances of moral virtues, are repeated and reinforced in fcripture. Scripture ratifies them all; just as it is faid, in the regeneration we are created over again in Chrift Jefus, to thofe good works whereunto we were appointed. So that the recovery of Christ is a restoration, and further confirmation of all the principles of God's creation; of all that refult in refpect of natural light, of all principles and obfervance of God, of good government over ourselves, and righteous dealings one with another. So that here

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