others does most affect the Peace and Happinefs of Mankind.

If, in Honour to the Mercy of God, you open the Doors of Heaven to Men of all Profeffions in the World, who live well according to the Measure of Light bestowed on them; though your Opinion has in it much more Humanity and more common Senfe than that before-mentioned, yet, by thus dealing to all indifferently Graces and Mercies which are not in your Difpofal, it is well if you do not hazard your own Share. It is this Opinion, if I am not deceived, that leads many into Contempt of the Gospel of Chrift Jefus For, when they think all Religions equally good, and all Men equally fecure who follow their Religion, be it what it will, they raise unawares a Question which they cannot answer, namely, To what Purpofe was the Gospel given? For, if all Men are equally fecure under all Religions, what can be the Advantage of one Religion above another? When Men are led into this inextricable Maze, by fetting up themselves for Judges of the World, they know not where to fix: They lofe all Regard to the best and pureft Religion, by doing fuch profeffed and undeferved Honour to the worst.

You

You fee then how useless, how dangerous a Thing it is, to go out of our Way to meddle with Things so far above us. If you would refolve to take care of One, that Refolution would furnish you with fufficient Employment: For, be your Advantages ever fo great, yet all who have your Advantages will not be faved; for of those who seek to enter, many will not be able; and many, of whom you little think, may perhaps go before you; for God has those whom he will own, in the East, and the West, and the North, and the South. Leave him to find out those whom he will honour, and look you to the Point which is indeed your true, your only Concern, the Salvation of your own Soul, and strive to enter in at the ftrait Gate.

DISCOURSE

DISCOURSE VI.

LUKE xii. 48.

Unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: And to whom Men have committed much, of him they will afk the

more.

T

HE

HE Equity of this general Rule is fo apparent to common Sense, that it admits of no Dispute, and calls for no Explanation. A fingle Mite offered by a poor Widow is a Present fit for the King of Heaven, which from the Hand of a rich Man would hardly be a decent Charity to a poor Widow. And thus the Cafe is in all Inftances to which the Rule is applicable.

But plain as this general Maxim is, yet we are very apt to mistake in the Appli

cation of it to particular Cafes: For then Self-Love and Self-Intereft will not permit us to difcern that true Proportion of one Thing to another, from which the Equity of the Rule arifes. If we have any Claim to make in our own Behalf, we think nothing too much, and are apt to over-rate the Ability of the Perfon upon whom we have the Demand, and to expect from him much more than he in Reason ought to grant: If any Claim be upon us, we are ready enough to excufe ourselves, to diffemble, or to undervalue our Power, and confequently to do lefs than may in Reafon and Justice be required from us. Hence it is that we are rarely pleased with those who are above us, and seldom able to fatisfy those who are below us.

As this Rule has Place in the Intercourfe of all the Offices of Life, fo ought it especially to influence the Distribution of Rewards and Punishments: But the Weaknefs and Wickednefs of Men have almost totally excluded it from human Judicatures. For as it is in every-body's Power to pretend Ignorance of the Law, or fome other Inability, in Excufe for the Crimes for which they are to anfwer; were the Plea as eafily admitted