Serm. XLIX. to undermine Natural. 31t for a Memorial of his love to Mankind, and to put us in mind how we ought to love one another. And now the Application of what bath been faid Upon this Argument, to the occalion of this Day, is very obvious, and there are two very natural Inferences from it. Firf.t From what bath been Paid upon this Argument, it plainly appears what place Natural and Moral Duties ought to have in the Chriftian Religion; and of all natural Duties, Mercy, and Goodnefs. This is fo primary a Duty of Hu- man Nature ; fo great and confiderable "a part of Religion, that all pofitive In- ftitutions mutt give way to it, and nothing of that kind can cancel the obliga- tion of it, nor juttifie the violation of this great and Natural Law. Our Bleffed Saviour in his Religion bath declared nothing to the prejudice of it; but on the contrary, hath heightned our obligation to it, as much as is poffible, by telling us that the Son of Man came not to defiroy Men lives, but tofave them. So that they know not what manner of Spirit they are of, who will kill Men to do God fervice 5 and to advance his Caufe and Religion in the World, will break through all obligations ofNature, and Civil Society, and ditturb the Peace and Happinefs of Mankind. Nor did our Saviour by any thing in his Religion defign to releafe Men from the obligation of Natural and Civil Duties. He had (as one would imagine) as much Power as the Popes but yet he depofed none of the Princes of this World, nor did Abfolve their Subje&s from their Fidelity and Obedience to them, for their oppofition to his Religion ; he affumed no fuch Power to him- felf (no not in Ordine ad Spiritualia) nor, that ever we read of, did he give it to any other. Whence then comes his pretended Vicar to have this Authority ? And yet the horrid attempt of this Daywas firft defigned, and afterwards carried on, in profecution of the Pope's Bull of Excommunication, and was not fo much the effe& of the defpair and difcontent of that Party here in England, as the Natural Confequence of their Dollrines of Extirpating Hereticks, and Depo. fngKings, and Abfolving Subjetísfrom their Allegiance to them. No Zeal for any pofitive Inftitution in Religion, can ju4ifie the Violation of the natural Law, the Precepts whereof are ofprimary and indifj'enfable Obliga- tion. The Pope's Supremacy is not fo clear, as the Duty of Obedience toCivil Go- vernment ; nor is Tranfubftantiation foplainly revealed in Scripture, as it is both in, Nature and Scripture, that we fhould do no murder. And yet how many Thoufands have been put to Death, becaufe they could not underftand this hard word, and believe this impoffible thing ! And yet if the fupremacy of the Pope were clearly of Divine Right, and the Doctrine of Tranfub/lantiation as plain as the inftitution of the Sacrament; yet thefe being but pofitive matters in Reli- gion, there would be no reafon tokill men for not underftanding and believing thefe things ; nay it would be contrary to Religion to do it becaufe the Law of Mercy and Humanity, which is the Law of Nature, ought not to be violated for the promoting of any pofitive Inftitution; and God hath plainly faid, that he will have Mercy rather than Sacrifice ; yea rather than the Sacrifice of the Mafs, if it were what they pretend it is, the offering of the natural body and blood of Chrift ; becaufe it would be needlefs : for Propitiation of Sin being once made by Chrift's offering himfelf Once for all upon the Crofs;, there needs no 'more Sacrifice for fin. Nay, I will go further yet; I had rather never adminifter the Sacra- ment, nor ever receive it, than take away any Man's Life about it; becaufe the Sacrament is but a pofitive Rite and Infiitution of the. Chriftian Religion, and God prefers Mercy, which,is a Duty of natural Religion, be 'Fore any Rite or inflitution whatfoever. Betides, that all alts of Malice and Cruelty are direly contrary to the particular Nature and Defign of this bleffed Sacrament, which is to commemorate the Sufferings of the Sonof God for our fakes, and to give us an example of the greateft Love that everwas, and thereby toexcite us to the Imitation of it. 2. What
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