Thirdly, From what hath been here obferved, we may learn, how utterly irreconcileable with Christianity all thofe doctrines and principles are, which are prejudicial to the interefts of mankind, which tend either to destroy or diminish the happiness of human fociety. Of this kind there have been, and ftill continue to be, too many amongst all the profeffors of Christianity, and more efpecially among those of the church of Rome, to the great reproach of the Gofpel, and the infinite prejudice of all mankind. Such, for inftance, is that fatal and pernicious doctrine which teaches men, under the fpecious pretence to extraordinary goodnefs and piety, and leading a more fublime and fpiritual life, to withdraw from the world, and all the concerns of it, and to give them. felves up intirely to the exercifes of meditation, reading, fafting, and prayer. The confequence of which has been, the rendering va multitudes of people not only infignificant and ufelefs, but very expenfive and burthenfome to fociety.

Of the fame kind, and perhaps even attended with ftill more deftructive confequences, is the doctrine of propagating religion by external force; which hath been often put in prac tice, not only to the difcouragement and fuppreffion of virtue and piety, but to the total fubverfion of all the most important rights and privileges of men, to the violation of all the order and peace of the public, to the committing of the most horrid outrages and cruelties,

and

and the turning whole countries into fields of blood.

Of the fame nature and tendency are the doctrines concerning the fupremacy of the Pope; the depofing of princes, and abfolving fubjects from their allegiance; the fpiritual power which the church of Rome hath affumed, of fhutting up and opening the kingdom of hea ven, of binding and loofing, retaining and remitting fins; doctrines which have been the perpetual fource of general confufion and univerfal calamity.

Thefe and all fuch pernicious tenets are directly oppofite to the righteous and merciful principles of the Gospel of Christ, and so far as they take effect, intirely deftructive of the defign of it. Men may pretend to a more than ordinary zeal for the caufe of God and his Son, but whilft they act in fuch direct oppofition to the great and evident defign of the Gofpel, every man who has the leaft degree of fenfe and reflection, muft fee the hypocrify of their pretences, and that the fpirit which really ac tuates them is totally different from the fpirit of Christianity.

Lafly, From what has been faid, we may learn how much it fhould be the concern and bufinefs of every one of us to promote the happinefs of our fellow-creatures, and to do good in the world: this is what nature dictates, and religion binds upon us the only method of approving ourselves fincere and good Chrif tians is to cultivate in ourselves a temper of univerfal juftice, meeknefs, and benevolence,

and

and to be as useful to mankind as our several ftations and capacities will permit us to be. There are fome (too many perhaps) who imagine that they can fufficiently discharge the obligations of their religion, by being barely juft and honeft, and abstaining from all pofitive wrongs and injuries, without the practice of one moral or focial virtue, looking upon certain points of faith, defended with zeal, together with a punctual attendance on all the external forms of devotion, as the only things of moment, and the very heighth and perfection of Christianity; but these are abfurd and grofs mistakes, which it is hardly to be fuppofed men can poffibly fall into, without the moft criminal negligence and inattention, according to the plaineft and most obvious notions which both reafon and revelation give us of true religion it is undoubtedly intended for the benefit of the world, for making mankind live fo as to be both happy in themselves, and kind and beneficent to one another; and this effect it will moft certainly produce in us, if we duly attend to it, and are governed by its authority.

To conclude, then: The Son of man came into the world not to deflroy mens lives, but to fave them. How many amongst those who call themfelves Chriftians act the direct contrary parts, fpend their whole lives in embittering the lives of others, rail at, opprefs and perfecute their fellow-creatures, and feem as if (in oppofition to their great Mafter) they came into the world not to fave men's lives, but to deftroy

dftroy them. Let us, my brethren, adhere to the great example and ftandard of perfection, Jefus Chrift the righteous: let us by every method in our power endeavour to promote the peace, welfare, and happiness of society, and of every individual in it: let us endeavour to inftruct, and not to perplex, to fave, and not to deftroy: let us not, by our idle and fruitlefs diffentions about matters, in themfelves frivolous and indifferent, break the chain of love and harmony which fhould link us together; but let us endeavour to ftrengthen it by the bonds of mutual love and affection; let us fhew ourselves followers of Chrift by imitating his conduct; fo fhall we enfure to ourfelves the applause of our own confcience, the approbation and friendship of all good men in this life, and the certain and well-grounded hopes of everlasting peace, joy, and happiness, in that which is to come.

ON THE VANITY OF HUMAN WISDOM.

SERMON

XXX.

ECCLESIASTES I. 18.

In much wisdom is much grief, and he that increafeth knowledge increafeth forrow.

SOL

OLOMON, the fuppofed author of the book of Ecclefiaftes, one of the greatest, and doubtlefs one of the wifeft of the fons of

men,

men, describes himself, in the verses preceding my text, as fetting out in the pursuit of happiness, that great and ultimate end of all our wifhes and defires: and if real, folid, and permanent happiness were a treasure ever to be acquired by man, Solomon would moft probably have attained unto it, as he omitted no method which reafon could fuggeft, or which understanding and experience could point out to him; being, as we learn from his whole history, as recorded in holy writ, endowed with more than common penetration and fagacity, with knowledge not lefs extenfive than his power, and as fuperior to the reft of mankind in parts and capacity, as in wealth and dominion. We are not therefore furprised to find him, in his fearch after this great object, applying himself feduloufly to the cultivation of his mind, paying the tribute due to wifdom, and giving the deserved preference to learning and knowledge. I communed, fays he, with mine own heart, Jaying, Lo! I am come to great efiate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jeru falem; yea, my heart had great experience of wifdom and knowledge: And yet, after all his toil and labour, we behold him returning from his journey fatigued and difappointed, making at laft this fad and folemn reflection: I have feen, fays he, all the things that are under the fun and behold! all is vanity and vexation of Spirit: for in much wisdom is much grief, and he that increafeth knowledge increafeth forrow.

The