SERMON X

TITUS 2. II, 12.

For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation, hath appeared to all Men;

Teaching us, that denying all Ungodliness and worldly Lufts, we fhould live foberly, righteously and godly in this prefent World.

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Y former Difcourfe was upon the SR M. third and last general Divifion of our Christian Duty, expreffed under the Term of living godly in this present World. This, I told you, implied, among other Things not

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here

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SER M. here to be repeated, the conftant PerformX. ance of divine Worship both private and publick.

After proving this to be a Duty from Reafon, fupported by the Practice of all Nations, and especially from clear Authorities in the holy Scriptures, I came to examin the two great Exceptions that have been made against it. The First by our modern Infidels against all Prayer to God, which they alledge to be quite unneceffary, because he knows our Wants before we apply to him, and is, out of his infinite Goodness, disposed to supply them whether we ask him or not. This, I conceive, was fufficiently anfwered in the foregoing Discourse.

I come now to answer the other Excption, which is against publick Prayer, or the folemn Worship of God in Christian Affemblies on the Lord's Day, and at other stated Times. This likewife has been represented by fome who would pass for Christians, so long as Christianity is in Fashion, as a uselefs Practice, because the private Prayer of every Man in his Clofet is in their Account fufficient to answer all the Purposes of Devotion; for which Reason they content themfelves with this, and fee no Caufe for their repair

repairing to Church at the tolling of the SBR M. Bell to pray in Company with other People.

It is best known to God what fuch Perfons are doing at home, while others are engaged in his publick Worship. But 'tis much to be suspected that many of them are not fo well employed, and that it is often a meer Pretext to cover Idleness, Indevotion, and a Difrelish for serious Things, rather than the Effect of Reason and Judgment. And I am forry to observe that this is not the Practice of the profligate Part of Mankind only, who live without any Fear of God, or Regard to common Decency, but too often of Men of Rank and Profeffion, Men of amiable Characters for their Sobriety, Integrity, and Beneficence, and every focial Virtue, who yet are as rarely seen in the House of God, as those others who live without God in the World.

What pit

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ty is it that Men in

other

Refpects fo

worthy with regard to all Men, should be fo unworthy towards their God.

This Inconfiftency in fuch Men, must arife from wrong Notions concerning the Nature of Religion, which they conceive was ordained chiefly for the Good and Benefit of Mankind, that fo they might live

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SER M. comfortably and happily together in this World. And if this were truly the Cafe, fuch Men would be really religious Men: But there cannot be a greater and more dangerous Mistake; and I would to God they would seriously confider the Cafe.

Prov. 16. 4.

For Religion was appointed in the very first Place, for the Honour and Service of God, and to be the great Inftrument of paying our Duty to him as his Creatures and Subjects. Next to this, it was calculated to make Men happy in the Life to come, by preparing and fitting them for it. But the lowest End of all was to make them happy in this short and tranfitory Life by the Practice of all focial Virtues, to which Purpose these alfo are made Parts of Religion by divine Appointment. So that the Religion of this Sort of Men is short and defective, and paffing by the noblest Ends of it, confifts only in thofe Duties of the fecond Table that are the lowest and meaneft; it is but half Religion, and the worst Half by many Degrees.

The Truth of what I have advanced is most apparent from the holy Scriptures. The wife Man exprefly fays, that God hath made all Things for himself. That is, tor

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his owu Honour and Glory in the firft SER M. Place; and if that was the first End of our very Beings, it must be so of all our Operations. And this is made clearer by that Precept of St. Paul to the Corinthians, 1 Ep. 6. ch. 20. v. Glorify God in your Bodies, and in your Spirit, and the Reason is added, viz. Because they are God's; it is therefore a Duty founded in his abfolute Property And in the 10th ch. 31ft v. he declares, that whether they eat or drink, or whatever they do, they should do all to the Glory of God. This is also evident from St. Paul's own Practice, who exercifed himself herein to have always a ConScience void of Offence towards God in the first Place, and then towards Man; first in religious, and next in focial Duties. And in my Text he plainly contradiftinguishes living godly, to the inferior Duties of living foberly and righteously.

Religion therefore is evidently ordained for the Sake of God in the first Place; and they who imagine that it is enough to practise those Duties only that relate to Men, are grofly deceiving themselves.

Now

Acts 24. 16.