SERM. beft becomes us is, to meditate on those I. which are plainly laid down in the Holy Scripture, to transcribe them by Imitation, and not fo to think on one as to exclude the reft; but to confider them in Conjunction with one another, and then, as they will shine with a brighter Luftre, fo they will be more clearly and plainly comprehended by us: Which brings me to confider,

IV. Fourthly, THE Neceffity of conceiving God after this Manner, in order to the begetting in our Minds a ferious and hearty Belief of him; and that upon these two Accounts, 1. Because we are very apt to frame falfe Notions of God. 2. Because the Framing wrong Notions of God is of moft dangerous and pernicious Confequence.

1. First, WE are very apt to frame falfe Notions of God. Most of the dangerous Errors in Religion have proceeded from this Original, the fancying God to be fuch an one as ourfelves, cloathing him with the Paffions and Affections we poor Mortals are fubject to; and when we have thus canonifed the Diseases of our Souls (as the antient Romans did those of their Bodies) it is no Wonder if we pay Adoration to them. It is a very difficult Matter to think of God aright, for

I.

either our Understandings, are blinded by SERM. the Clouds of our Paffions, or led afide by fome By-intereft or prevailing Affection; and hence proceed most of these extravagant Conceipts, concerning the Deity, entertained by the Generality. Some Men are of a morofe and furly Temper, a malicious and envious Difpofition, and these Men fancy God as implacable as themfelves; they think he takes Delight in that which he calls his ftrange Work, and that he willingly grieves the Children of Men; that he watches every Opportunity of exerting his Vengeance, and that his Juftice requires that he should never remember Mercy. Others, who are of a mild and foft Difpofition, fancy to themselves a gentle and eafy Deity, who will forgive Sin without Satisfaction, and pardon it without Repentance; though these are the Conditions which the Holy Scripture has indifpenfably required of us. And thefe falfe Conceptions of God do not reft in the Intellect, but

2. Secondly, THEY produce moft dangerous and pernicious Effects on Men's Practice For, as it is a Rule in Phyfic, that an Error in the firft Concoction is hardly ever rectified in the Second; so in Divinity an Error, in a neceffary and funC

damen

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SERM, damental Truth, has always a fatal InfluI. ence upon Practice. Now the Framing

falfe Notions of God in our Minds generally produces thefe ill Effects; either firft, Prophanenefs, or fecondly, Superstition, or thirdly, Enthusiasm.

First, IF Men have imbibed falfe Notions of God's Omnipotence and Omnifcience, they will eafily be induced to think that either God cannot, or will not concern himself with the Affairs of this fublunary World; that they are either too many, or too trifling to employ his Care, and lie under his Infpection; but that it is more agreeable to that Notion they have of him, that, having made the World and fet it in Order, he should give himself up to eternal Reft, and commit the Guidance of it to Chance and Fortune, and, being pleafed with the Enjoyment of himself, remain an unconcerned Spectator of what we poor Mortals do; and then the Influence will be plain, that, if God doth not govern the World, Men are not accountable for their Actions, nor will ever undergo a Judgment for them. Such dangerous Miftakes proceed from comparing the Knowledge and Power of God with our own, and concluding prepofterously, that, because we cannot be prefent in all

Places,

I.

Places, or attend to many Things at the SERM. fame Time, therefore the Eyes of God are bounded and limited that he cannot fee, and his Hands fhortened that he cannot fave.

FROM the fame Source, Secondly, proceeds Superftition; for, when Men confider and remark, that the greatest Persons are pleased with little Formalities and low Condefcenfions, that they yield a ready Ear to Commendations and Flatteries, and love to be courted and caressed, they fancy God to be fuch an one as themselves, that they may appeafe him, when angry, with outward Appearances and low Submiffions, and that he loves the Pageantry and Shew of a formal Worshipper; whereas nothing will please God but a Heart full fraught with Love and Gratitude, and a Will fubmiffive and ready to obey his Commands; and from this Source moft of the fuperftitious Rites of the Heathen did flow and derived their Original.

AND, Thirdly, when Men fhall imagine God to be an auftere, morofe, and cruel Being, who takes Delight in the Misery of his poor Creatures, and has created the Generality of Mankind on Purpose to make them miferable, and has only elected fome Few to be the chofen People of C 2 God,

I.

SERM. God, on whom he will confer Salvation without any previous Difpofitions or Qualifications of their own, fuch Notions of God as those must neceffarily affect them with the most dangerous Enthusiasm; they will foon come to believe themselves the Elect and Chofen of God, the Darlings and Favourites of Heaven; that all their Actions are carried on by a Divine Impulse, and their Minds are full of the Deity; and then there will be no Fancy or Imagination fo extravagant which comes into their Head, which they will not ascribe to God, and take the most abfurd Imaginations, the most ridiculous Conceipts, for Infpiration. Such mischievous Effects as thefe do proceed from the maintaining falfe Notions of God in our Minds; and to fuch Causes as thefe Prophaneness, Superftition, and Enthusiasm owe their Birth and Increase. Whereas that Man, who takes Care to form a due Notion of God in his Mind, will foon experience the excellent Effects which it will produce. Such a Man's Religion will be folid and stable, made up of the most focial and cardinal Virtues; his Devotions will be affectionate and rational withal, fuch as the Nature of God requires, and the Reason of Divine Worship points out to him; his Will will

be