Man is a fallen Creature, and not fuch as SERM. IV, he came, originally, out of the Hands of an infinitely pure and holy Being. Who can fay, I have made my Heart clean, I am pure from my Sin? Prov. xx. 9. IN MANY Things we offend all.

Into what can this univerfal Depravation, which prevails every where, more or lefs, among the Sons of Men, be refolved, but into an universal Cause, the inborn Corruption of Nature, and an original Taint, derived from our firft Parents? Can it be refolved into Education? Many Parents, after all the Care which they have laid out, in educating their Children virtuously, have Reason to expoftulate, as God, the common Parent of us all, does in Ifaiah, What could have been done more to my Vineyard, that I have not done in it? Wherefore, when I looked, that it should bring forth Grapes, brought it forth wild Grapes? The only Way to educate Children rightly, is to teach them early to deny themselves the Gratification of those irregular Appetites, which Nature has implanted *. Self-Will,

Vidi ego, & expertus fum Zelantem parvulum. Non-* dum loquebatur, & intuebatur pallidus amaro Afpectu çollactaneum fuum. Sancti Auguftini Confeff. Lib. 1. cap. 7.

Stubborn

SERM.IV. Stubbornnefs, and an Inclination to Things forbidden, merely because they are forbidden, discover themselves even in our Infancy Vice is the natural Product of the Soil; the more uncultivated the Mind is, the more it is overrun with it: But Virtue is the flow laborious Refult of repeated Self-Denials, Hardships, and Difficulties.

If Mankind were in a State of Integrity, and primitive Uprightness; there could fcarce be, one would think, fo much Evil in the World, as there really is. A great Part of Mankind feems to resemble the Dæmoniac in the Gospel, who had been often bound with Fetters and Chains; and the Chains had been plucked afunder by him, and the Fetters broken in Pieces, and no Man could tame him. They are curbed and reftrained by divine and human Laws, by temporal Penalties, and the Dread of eternal Mifery; and yet one impetuous Paffion breaks through all these strong Fences, juft as a Thread of Tow is fnapped afunder, when it toucheth the Fire. It argues a ftrange Ignorance of the World, to expect that Men should be fwayed by calm rational Motives only, and by the Charms of Virtue. The very Neceffity of Govern

ment

ment is founded chiefly upon this, that SERM.IV. Men are not fit to be trufted with the Government of themselves, without any Check or Control upon them. And if any Man should attempt to govern a fingle Family only, by pure Reafon, without exerting any Act of Authority; Experience would foon convince him, that he had been forming a vifionary Scheme. How comes it,

unless we are in a State of Degeneracy, that Reason, which was originally defigned to be the governing Principle, is fo feeble; and the Paffions, which should be fubject to it, fo headstrong?

Man was originally formed for the Knowledge of God, and Worship of him only: Yet, in all Countries unenlightened by Revelation, Men were fo far from knowing and adoring the true God, that they were univerfally immersed in Idolatry and Superftition. All the Nations even now, as well as of old, where Revelation hath not got Footing, bear Teftimony to the Weakness of human Understanding. The Worship of God in Spirit and in Truth, was not discovered by us, it was revealed to us. And what Mankind did not ascertain for fo many Ages, till the Propagation of

Christianity;

SERM.IV. Christianity; they probably would never have discovered, to the End of the World, if left to themselves, without any Affiftances from Heaven. But thefe, you will fay, were the Errors of the Grofs of the Species: The Philofophers knew undoubtedly and taught better Things. So far from that, that they admitted as great Abfurdities, only of another Kind: Some of them afferting God to be the Soul of the World, of which our Souls are fo many Parts, and into which they were to be refolved, after the Diffolution of the Body; others of them maintaining, that the Æther, or empty Space, was God; others, the whole World; and fome few only contending, that he was an infinite Mind, which great Truth, however, they blended with very erroneous Notions,

Again, Man was formed for loving his Neighbour as himself. Yet the World is generally inclined to the ill-natured Side, flow to believe what is advantageous to a Man's Character, but ready to credit any blackening Reports. Are Men grateful in Proportion as they are refentful? Their Hearts burn within them with Refentment for an Injury received; nay, fome

times for a Favour refused: But do they SERM. IV. feel as lively a Glow of Gratitude, when fome Kindness is done them?

Obferve the Man, who makes Pretenfions to an exalted and difinterested Benevolence: Perhaps, after all his Pretenfions an agreeable enchanting Form fhall make it's Way irresistibly to his Heart, and, at a Heat, in a Moment, ftamp upon his Mind more tender and endearing Sentiments, and recommend the Perfon, who is the Owner of it, more powerfully to his Affection; than long tried and approved Worth, and an uninterrupted Intercourfe of friendly Offices, can another, who is deftitute of that Advantage. There is nothing fo infignificant, by which we differ from one another, but about which we may differ likewife: Infomuch, that the Word Difference, which originally fignifies, that Things are not the fame, is made Use of to express Discord and Animofity. It is as well our Duty in Point of Benevolence, though it be not fo much in Fashion, to encourage Merit and Ingenuity, as it is to relieve Distress. Yet, though Men of Merit are often preferred; how few in Comparison have been preferred merely, as Men of Merit without any other Confideration?

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