A SUMMARY VIEW OF THE TWENTY-ONE SERMONS on SEVERAL SUBJECTS, TH I HE introduction, concerning the import of the knowledge of GOD. Two propofitions from the words laid, which are confidered jointly. And it is inquired, 5 FIRST, What fort of profeffion that must be, which was made by fuch perfons as the apostle fpeaks of. ibid. I. IT must be understood to be in the main a. nominal profeffion. And 6 II. To be wholly made up of the external form of religion. ibid. SECONDLY, It is confidered, what fuch perfons may be, notwithstanding their profeffion. 7 THIRDLY, Whence it is that men profess a religion, which they are refolved to contradict in the courfe of their lives and conversations. 8 page I. ONE great reafon is their unapprehenfivenefs of an invisible GOD. 9 II. IT proceeds from the power and malignity of finful inclinations. 10 III. IT is natural for men to have fomewhat of religion, while a difaffection ftill remains aibid. gainst that which is true. IV. THIS may proceed, in fome cafes, from an inward conviction of the importance and excellence of religion. Or, 13 16 14 V. FROM mere finifter defigns. Or, VI. FROM a regard to their ancestors. VII. WITH others a profeffion of religion is taken up as a novelty. 15 LASTLY, It proceeds also from custom. ibid. A GENERAL reflection. SERMON II. 16 FOURTHLY, The Author proceeds to fhew the vanity of a mere profeffion of religion; in that, 19 I. It is of no avail to intitle them to the reputation of being religious among men. For, 20 1. SUCH a contradicted profeffion is not wont to do fo in other cafes. 22 2. BUT rather brings a difgrace upon the perfon, who makes it. And, ibid. 3. SINKS the reputation of the man, who creBefides, dits it. ibid. page 4. A SERIES of actions is more expressive than words. 23 5. No man's words are to be believed against his works. For, 24 6. THIS would take away the ground and foundation of all public human judgements. 25 7. SUCH a contradiction is in no cafe whatever more abfurd than in the matter of religion. ibid. 8. THE holy fcriptures forbid us to behave towards those, who are only Chriftians by name; in the fame manner we ought to do to those, who are fincere. 26 9. RELIGION fuffers by their inconfiftent conduct, and therefore it is unreasonable they should gain any honour by it. 27 A general exhortation to be truly religious. 29 SERMON III. II. As a mere profeffion of religion intitles no one to the reputation and honour of it among men, fo neither does it to the rewards of it with GOD. For, 31 1. IT is the declared rule of God's righteous judgements to deal with men finally according to their works, and not according to their profeffion. 32 2. Ir is unreasonable to imagine that GoD will give men atitle to happiness, without giving them a capacity for injoying it. 33 3. THEIR profeffion, joined with a wicked page life, provokes GOD fo much the more highly against them. And this on feveral accounts. As, 34 (1.) BECAUSE it demonftrates, that they fin against more light than others. And, (2.) WITH malice alfo. Besides, ibid. 36 (3.) THERE is hypocrify in this conjunction. 37 And, (4.) THE most perfidious falfhood and treachery. ibid. (5.) THE conduct of fuch perfons is highly provoking to GOD, because they fin with the highest indignity against him. And, 39 (6.) Because it makes the very profeffion it felf a lye. SERMON IV. INFERENCES from the whole. 4$ I. THAT fuch as make a profeffion do, not, withstanding their flagitious practices, highly justify the religion to which they do pretend. 45 II. THAT nominal profeffors, while they justify those who are real Chriftians, evidently condemn themselves. 47 III. How little fhame is left in the world with reference to the behaviour of men towards GOD! And, 53 IV. THERE is as little fear of GOD among men as there is of fhame. 54 V. THAT as to the main purposes of reli page gion, it is plainly no great matter what religion. a wicked man is of. 56 VI. How weak a thing is the light of an unregenerate man, and how little reason has fuch a one to glory in his profeffion! 57 VII. We further learn, how mysterious a piece of felf-contradiction a wicked profeffor is, and how unhappy his condition must neceffarily be. 59 LASTLY, Hence appears the neceffity of renewing grace. бо THE queftion, what a man fhould do, who has not as yet attained this grace? answered. 61 SERMON V. THE Author, by way of further use of the fubject, proceeds to fhew, what fort of persons may be understood to overthrow their profeffion; and to make it a mere nullity, or of no fignificance. 65 I. SUCH as profess the true religion, but fo corrupted, as that the very object of their profeffion is altered from itself. Or elfe, ibid. II. SUCH as do indeed profefs the true religion, but are not fincere. ibid. I. THE first fort of perfons alluded to are thofe, who call themselves Catholics; and place a vicarious fort of Godhead in the pope of Rome. ibid. WITH refpect to these the following confiderations are urged, |