SERMON IV. Preached April the 1o 1717. Heb. xi. 6. But without Faith it is impoffible to pleafe God: For he that cometh to God, muft believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently feek him. HE fumm of what is primarily intended in these words, as I obferved in my last Discourse, is this, That a perfuafion, or belief, not only of the Being of a God, but also of his of univerfal Providence and Concern for mankind, and consequently, an expectation that he will fome way or other reward men for their obedience to his Will, is a neceffary foundation of Religion. And upon this faith, or belief, the Apostle grounds all the great and worthy actions of those excellent perfons mentioned in this Chapter, who lived in the first ages the world, divers of them before any general written Revelation of the will of God to mankind, whofe piety and virtue were remembred with honour to future generations, and thought fit to be recorded, as examples to others, in those writings which God defigned as a lafting inftruction to all those unto whom he vouchfafed to reveal his will in that manner. Now though it will hardly be denied, that these first principles of Religion are abfolutely neceffary to all voluntary acts of religious Worship, strictly fo called; that is, to invocation and adoration of the Deity, and to all hope and expectation of any benefit from fuch Worship of him; yet, because there are fome who think, or pretend at least, that Religion and Morality are things fo diftinct in themselves, that they may be separated from each other in practice, and that humane virfubfift apart and entire without piety tue may towards towards God, therefore in fpeaking to this fubject, I proposed to fhew, that we cannot perform all thofe duties which are incumbent on us, as we are men, without refpect had to something above or beyond our own nature; that is, fome fuperior Being establishing such an order and connection of things, from whence the Law of nature, which obliges mankind to fuch and fuch actions, does refult; and confequently that Atheism, or Infidelity of the first principles of Religion, is inconsistent with any fure and lasting moral principles, that can univerfally affect or oblige mankind. And in order to this I defigned to pursue this method. I. To fhew, that according to the general sentiments of mankind, there cannot be any perfect Morality expected, where there is no belief of the first principles of Religion. II. That therefore all focieties of men, that have ever fubfifted in the world, in any tolerable order, have always profefs'd the belief of God's Existence, and at leaft of fome kind of Providence, and an expectation of divine Rewards and Punishments. III. That this belief, or univerfal confent, did not arise from any Art, or contrivance, or compact compact of men, in order to keep one another in awe, but was really antecedent to it, and built upon a more univerfal principle. The first of these I have already spoken to, and shewn the general fenfe of mankind about it, in laft Discourse; which will farther appear by confidering what I am now to speak to, viz. my II. That all focieties of men, which have ever fubfifted in the world, in any tolerable order, have always profefs'd a belief of God's Existence, and at least of some kind of Providence, and an expectation of divine Rewards and Punishments. I express this matter in these general terms at present, because I would avoid any needless cavils, that might be raised against fome parts of that evidence which I fhall bring for the proof of it, if I were to express it in terms implying an abfolute and particular Providence, or fuch perfect Rewards and Punishments in another life as is generally underftood among Chriftians. For it is fufficient to my present purpose, to fhew a general agreement of mankind, in the belief of that which is the foundation of Religion; though both their notions, as to the nature of God and the |