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"Ye are the salt of the earth. But if the salt hath lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and trodden under foot of men.

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

"Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel; but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

1. THE beauty of Holiness, of that inward man of the heart, which is renewed after the image of God, cannot but strike every eye which God hath opened, every enlightened understanding. The ornament of a meek, humble, loving spirit, will, at least, excite the approbation of all those who are capable, in any degree, of discerning spiritual good and evil. From the hour men begin to emerge out of the darkness which covers the giddy, unthinking world, they cannot but perceive how desirable a thing it is to be thus

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transformed into the likeness of him that created us. This inward Religion bears the shape of God, so visibly impressed upon it, that a soul must be wholly immersed in flesh and blood, when he can doubt of its divine original. We may say of this in a secondary sense, even as of the Son of God himself, That it is the "brightness of his glory, and express image of his person:" añаʊуασμa îns dožns aute, The beaming forth of his eternal glory; and yet so tempered and softened, that even the children of men may herein see God and live: xxgaxTMNp τNS UπosaGews Auts, The character, the stamp, the living impression of his Person, who is the fountain of beauty and love, the original source of all excellence and perfection.

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2. If Religion therefore were carried no farther than this, they could have no doubt concerning it: they should have no objection against pursuing it with the whole ardor of their souls. But why, say they, is it clogged with other things? What need of loading it with doing and suffering? These are what damps the vigor of the soul, and sinks it down to earth again. Is it not enough to follow after Charity? To soar upon the wings of Love? Will it not suffice, to worship God, who is a Spirit, with the spirit of our minds, without encumbering ourselves with outward things, or even thinking of them at all? Is it not better, that the whole extent of our thought should be taken up with high and heavenly contemplation? And that, instead of busying ourselves at all about externals, we should only commune with Godin our hearts.

3. Many eminent men have spoken thus: have advised us "To cease from all outward action;" wholly to withdraw from the world; to leave the body behind us; to abstract ourselves from all sensible things: to have no concern at all about outward Religion, but to work all virtues in the Will, as the far more excellent way, more perfective of the soul, as well as more acceptable to God.

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4. It needed not that any should tell our Lord of this master-piece of the wisdom from beneath! This fairest of all the devices, wherewith Satan hath ever perverted the right

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ways of the Lord. And, O! what instruments hath he found from time to time, to employ in this his service! To wield this grand engine of hell, against some of the most important truths of God! Men that "would deceive, if it were possible, the very elect ;" the men of faith and love: yea, that have for a season deceived and led away no inconsiderable number of them; who have fallen in all ages into the gilded snare, and hardly escaped with the skin of their teeth.

5. But has our Lord' been wanting on his part? Has he not sufficiently guarded us against this pleasing delusion? Has he not armed us here with armour of proof against Satan "transformed into an angel of light?" Yea, verily : he here defends, in the clearest and strongest anner, the active, patient religion he had just described: what can be fuller and plainer than the words he immediately subjoins, to what he had said of doing and suffering? Ye are the

salt of the earth." But if the salt have lost its savour, wherewithal shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world: a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel; but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

In order fully to explain and enforce these important words, I shall endeavour to shew, First, that Christianity is essentially a social Religion, and that to turn it into a solitary one, is to destroy it. Secondly, that to conceal this Religion is impossible, as well as utterly contrary to the design of its Author. I shall, Thirdly, answer some objections; and conclude the whole with a practical application.

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I. 1. First, I shall endeavour to shew, that Christianity is essentially a sócial Religion; and that to turn it into a solitary Religion, is indeed to destroy it.

By Christianity I mean, that method of worshipping God, which is here revealed to man by Jesus Christ. When I say, This is essentially a social Religion, I mean not only,

that it cannot subsist so well, but that it cannot subsist at all without society, without living and conversing with other men, And in shewing this, I shall confine myself to those considerations, which will arise from the very discourse be fore us. But if this be shewn, then doubtless, to turn this Religion into a solitary one, is to destroy it.

Not that we can in any wise condemn, the intermixing so litude or retirement with Society. This is not only allowable, but expedient: nay, it is necessary as daily experience shews, for every one that either already is, or desires to be a real Christian, It can hardly be that we should spend one entire day, in a continued intercourse with men, without suffering loss in our soul, and in some measure grieving the Holy Spirit of God. We have need daily to retire from the world, at least, morning and evening, to converse with God, to commune more freely with our Father which is in secret. Nor indeed can a man of experience condemn even longer seasons of religious retirement, so they do not imply any neglect of the worldly employ, wherein the providence of God has placed us.

2. Yet such retirement must not swallow up all our time; this would be to destroy, not advance true Religion. For, that the Religion described by our Lord in the foregoing words, cannot subsist without society, without our living and conversing with other men, is manifest from hence, that several of the most essential branches thereof, can have no place, if we have no intercourse with the world,

3. There is no disposition (for instance) which is more essential to Christianity than meekness. Now although this, as it implies resignation to God, or patience in pain and sickness, may subsist in a desert, in a hermit's cell, in total soli tude; yet as it implies (which it no less necessarily does) mildness, gentleness and long-suffering, it cannot possibly have a being, it has no place under heaven, without an ine tercourse with other men. So that to attempt turning this into a solitary virtue, is to destroy it from the face of the earth.

4. Another necessary branch of true Christianity, is

ye that are lowly, serious, and meek; ye that hunger after righteousness, that love God and man, that do good to all, and therefore suffer evil; ye)" are the salt of the earth.” It is your very nature to season whatever is round, about you. It is the nature of the divine savour which is in you, to spread to whatsoever you touch: to diffuse itself, on every side, to all those among whom you are. This is the great reason why the Providence of God has so mingled you together with other men, that whatever grace you have received of God, may, through you, be communicated to others; that every holy temper, and word, and work of yours, may have an influence on them also. By this mean, a check will, in some measure, be given, to the corruption which is in the world: and a small part, at least, saved from the general infection, and rendered holy and pure before God.

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8. That we may the more diligently labour to season all we can, with every holy and heavenly temper, our Lord proceeds to shew the desperate state of those, who do not impart the Religion they have received; which indeed they cannot possibly fail to do, so long as it remains in their own hearts." If the salt hath lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and trodden under foot of men." If ye who were holy and heavenly-minded, and consequently zealous of good works, have no longer that savour in yourselves, and do therefore no longer season others; if you are grown flat, insipid, dead, both careless of your own soul, and useless to the souls of other men," wherewith shall ye be salted?" How shall ye be recovered? What help? What hope? Can tasteless salt be restored to its savour? No; "it is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out," even as the mire in the streets, "and to be trodden under foot of men," to be overwhelmed with everlasting contempt. If ye had never known the Lord, there might have been hope, if ye had never been found in him. But what can you now say to that, his solemn declaration, just parallel to what he hath here spoken?"Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he (the Father) taketh away. He that abideth in me, and I' in him, bringeth forth much fruit.-If a man

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