this does not exclude a general, or a particular Providence, that interpofes, though not apparently, either to blefs, or to punish Nations, or particular Perfons. And what can better intitle us to his Favour, than a due Obfervance of his favourite Inftitution? What more likely to bring down a Curfe upon us, than Difobedience in fo tender a Point? If God were to inflict upon us no other Punishment than withdrawing his Grace for neglecting fo great a Means of Improvement in Piety and Virtue, This would exceed any Evil that we can fuffer in this Life; and the Apprehenfion of fo great a Danger ought to awaken us into a careful and regular Discharge of this Important Duty. But, whether Chastisements overtake us here, or not, we are fure that Judgment, at the LAST GREAT DAY, will pronounce a moft fevere Sentence upon those who have wilfully, and habitually, profaned the Sunday. It will, then, be of no Signification that they contriv❜d, by Secrecy, to escape publick Notice; that filly People have been afraid, or afhamed, to inform against them; or that indolent Magiftrates have neglected to put the Laws in Execution. All bidden Sins will be laid open; all fuch fecret Sinners will be detected: and all fuch as, through Cowardice, or want of Zeal for the Honour of God, have not endeavoured to prevent fuch Inftances of Profanation, will be Sharers in their Punishment, because Partakers with them in their Guilt.I hope, there are none in this Place who do not be

lieve

lieve the Certainty of a Providence, a future State, and a future Judgment. To all fuch what I have faid, concerning God's, Anger and Favour, must be affecting, if any Arguments can affect them: but as I intend, God willing, to print thefe Sermons, they may poffibly light into the Hands of fome Infidels; and, therefore, I fhall offer fome Confiderations that deserve their Attention, because they affect their prefent Happiness.

The Happiness of Mankind in this Life muft, in a great measure, depend upon the Peace and good Order of civil Society; witnefs, the many Frauds, Thefts, Robberies, Murders, Maimings, and other Crimes, which make it unfafe to place that Confidence in one another which Trade, Commerce, Friendship, and all Intercourfe require; which make it dangerous to travel by Day, or fleep at Night; to go Abroad, or to stay at Home. We fee, we feel, how Destructive these Enormities are to focial Happiness, and have Reason to dread their quick Progrefs, and our growing Danger, Thefe Evils are like a great Stone rolling down-hill, which rolls the fafter the nearer it comes to the Bottom. All thinking People must be defirous of feeing a Regulation of fuch Disorders; and many are projecting the proper Means of effecting it. Many Remedies, no doubt, may confpire towards a Cure of this dangerous Diftemper. I hope, in my Turn I may be allowed the Liberty of propofing one. Like most other good Medicines,

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mine is very fimple, confifting of two Ingredients, only; Religion, and Virtue. To talk of keeping the World in order without their Affiftance, is mere Quackery. You may as well imagine that a Ship, with all her Sails crouded, but without Ballast or Rudder, should ride fafe amidst Rocks and Shelves in a Tempeft. Infidels pay a Compliment to Religion, when they intend to vilify Her. They fuppofe Her to be a Compofition contrived by Priefts, or Politicians. But for what Ends? For her Utility, for her Neceffity, towards the Support of Civil Society. Is this indeed the Cafe? What could be a ftronger Recommendation of her to those who believe no future State, than to fay that She is necessary to the publick Peace and Order of the World? What can be a greater Reproach to their Understanding, to their Common Senfe and Prudence (for as to Confcience they pretend to none) than to depreciate, and deftroy, the great Means of their own Safety and Happiness? Men, in every Relation of Life, want, and defire, the friendly Aids of Religion; and yet most People flight Her, and many abufe Her.

Religion being acknowledged to be the great Support of Society, What is the great Means of fupporting Her? Various are the Concurrent Helps that may be given Her, but there is one Means worth them all, and without which all the reft will be ineffectual. This is provided us by the infinite Wisdom of GOD. I mean, the regular Obfervation of the Sunday, in the

Manner

Manner that I have recommended to you. What Effects it would have upon the Minds, and Manners of Men, must be obvious to the lowest Understanding that will think a little. How abfolutely neceffary it is, especially in our present Circumftances, will appear from a curfory View of the State of the Nation, and the Nature of Things. Can Men believe the Truths of Religion without any Evidence? Or have any Evidence without Instruction? Can they practise their Duty without knowing it? Or will they be inclin'd to do it, without having a Conception of the proper Motives? Can Men be religious without ever feriously thinking about it? And yet, it is evident that the Generality of Mankind, without Compulfion, will think of nothing but Bufinefs or Pleafure. They must owe all the little that they do know, and practise, of Religion, to publick Inftruction, and publick Worship. If this Obfervation were ever true, it is more particularly fo at this Time; when Luxury and Voluptuoufnefs, thofe Enemies to all serious Thought and Reflection, to every Religious and Virtuous Difpofition, are at fo great an Height, that People neglect the Concerns of this Life, as well as of the next. There is a continual Rotation of pleasurable Amusements *; fome

*We have been lately told in one of the Daily Papers, that the Refort to the Play-Houfes is fo much increased within twenty Years paft, that the Managers can afford to give the firft Rate Actors 1000l. a Year, and the Second Rate 500l. Such are the Wages of those who please and corrupt Mankind; while many honeft Men, who have spent their Life in doing folid Good, are unsupported, unrewarded, and even flighted. ·

of

of them Inflammatory Provocatives to Luft, and calculated for intriguing; all of them tending to banish Reflection, and weaken the Mind, when it is fo conftantly attentive to them. I have not Time to paint all these Scenes of Entertainment, and describe their natural Effects, especially on young Minds, warm, unexperienced, fond of Pleasure, in the Heat of Blood, and impatient of Application to any thing that is of a grave Nature. Do not these Circumftances make it the more neceffary to oblige all People to devote one Day in feven to fuch Ufes as may be an Antidote against fuch ftrong Poifon? His Majesty, in his laft Speech from the Throne, recommended it to the Confideration of Parliament, how to put a Stop to thofe Enormities, which terrify every fober Person that thinks of them. This was worthy of his Majefty's tender Care of the Happiness of his People; and I hope it will not be thought a Piece of Prefumption in me, if I observe, that regulating publick Entertainments, and inforcing of the Obfervation of the Sunday, will be the most effectual Means of doing it.

4

PREFACE.