UPon our Blessed Saviour's Appearance a­mong men, there must have been much In­quiry and Dispute concerning Him. His Miracles and his Doctrines were both of them sin­gular and extraordinary; they amazed and con­founded the World: his mighty Works making a change in the course of Nature, and his surprising Discourses tending to as great an alteration in the Doctrines they had received from their Fathers and [Page 6] Rabbies. Neither of them could be oppos'd; his Acti­ons not to be deny'd, and his Words not to be contra­dicted: and yet the People knew not well what to think; were not come to a Resolution, whether he was to be believ'd; whether he spake from God, or Himself, or it may be from an evil Spirit.

The People were astonished at his Doctrine, he spake it with that supernatural Authority. Never man spake like this Man, was the Return, the Officers sent to apprehend him, make, in this Chapter, to their Masters the High-Priest and Pharisees. Neither did any man ever do like him: for when Christ shall come, will he do more miracles than this man? was the Challenge of those that did believe. And that the rest believed not on him, who had done among them such works as no man had done, was judg'd by our Lord, in this Gospel, to be the great Aggravation of their Sin. For his Works were evident unexceptionable Testimonies of his Mission, and to them he frequently remits the Ʋnbelievers for their full Conviction.

And yet, for all this, there were not many who believed on him; those not the Rulers or the Learned: neither continued they long in that just and well-grounded Perswasion. Those who had seen his late great Miracle of the Loaves; had fed of it, had satisfied their Hunger and their [Page 7] Doubts, almost all left him, in a very little while, for one hard Saying. Many of his Disciples went back, and walked not with him, insomuch that the Twelve were asked, Whether they would depart from him also? And when afterwards he came up to Jerusalem, there was great murmuring concern­ing him. Some say, he is a good man; some say, nay, but he deceiveth the people. They knew not how he should know Letters, who had never learn'd; and therefore in the best construction they would make, Was not his Doctrine from himself, and of his own Devising? Now from the Reflection of these Surmises, he here justifies himself in such a manner, as retorts all the blame of those Doubts upon the Ʋnbelievers themselves: giving them a plain account of this their Ignorance, which thus perplexes them. My Doctrine, says he, is not my own, but from him that sent me: and so much you could not but have known, had you been rightly qualified for it. But that after which you seem to be so curious and inquisitive, you are not very likely to understand, in the Method you take, and the Disposition you are of; if ye would discern the Will of God, ye must be wil­ling to do it: He that will, is desirous and ready to, do God's Will, he shall know it. This is the Truth directly and primarily intended by the Text, re­lating [Page 8]to the Doctrine as propounded to be known. There is too another Consequent to this, and to which the Words may extend; regarding the same Doctrine as known already: If any one will or shall do the will of God, which he now knows in part, he shall know it better and further; be more con­firmed and advanced in that his Knowledge, by the Practice.

The first Proposition is this; If any one is wil­ling to do the Will of God, as soon as he may have the Favour to be acquainted with it; he, when it shall be told him, shall not fail to know, and discern it. And this Willingness to do, we are to understand to be such, as may answer in some measure to the Dignity, Reasonableness, and Necessity of the Work; the Doing the Will of the great God: a Will the most wise, the most holy, the most just, most worthy to take place; to which it is our Honour, our Perfection and our Happiness to con­form, and no less our Duty and our Interest: we that have been created by the Power of his Almighty Will, ever since sustained by its graci­ous Providence, still dependant, and eternally ob­noxious to the Favour or Displeasure of his final Will to be hereafter declar'd, when he shall come to call us to account for that part of his Will he has already injoyn'd.

The Will of this our great LORD, he that is thus willing to do, will first be as earnest and zea­lous to know; diligent and heedful in his Attenti­on; punctual and exact in his Inquiries; lest he should be defective or mistaken, when he comes to act, in an Affair of so high a Nature, and of such weighty Consequence.

And such a desire to know, it must be confess'd, would certainly follow: But this may not seem at first sight to have been meant here by our Sa­viour; and though he reflects upon his Auditors Unwillingness to do, yet their Eagerness to know must we not suppose him to admit? For very great Multitudes follow'd into Deserts to hear him: and much Discourse, and great Debates there were, concerning him and his Doctrine.

But notwithstanding all this Appearance of Wil­lingness to hear and to be inform'd, there might have been no such great desire to know.

For Curiosity and Inquisitiveness is satisfied of­ten with something short of Knowledge. It is e­nough sometimes to have went to the Place, whi­ther others throng; to have made up one of the Assembly, and to have seen the fam'd Preacher. Men too when they hear, do not always attend; their Eyes gaze, and their Thoughts wander: Or if they do, it may be to the graceful Meen, the [Page 10]sweet Voice, the elegant Style, the pathetick or the rational way of the Discourse, and not to the merit of the Argument, and purpose of the Doctrine.

Though they went not out into the wilderness to see a Reed shaken with the wind, yet they might go to see a Man that cur'd such a Neighbour; to be present at some strange sight themselves; to be able to report a Miracle of their own know­ledge; or to be Guests at one of those wonderful Entertainments. Or else they might have went to hear one, who spar'd not the Greatest, who re­buk'd the High-Priests, and corrected the Scribes and Pharisees.

They might too have heard so much, as not to be ignorant, and yet not so much as to know; as much as would let them understand something of the Dispute in fashion, and enable them to main­tain one side of the Argument; to hold up Con­versation, and to talk of Jesus: but not to make a judgment in good earnest; a practical one, by which they would determine their Actions, and which they would stand by with their Lives: such a real effectual one, as they would have made, had they been willing to do.

But though in the general, they might be wil­ling to know, and not only hear him gladly, but [Page 11] do many things for his sake; yet many things still there might be, which they might be either unfit or unwilling to understand: either their former Prejudices might obstruct, or their Interests and Passions disturb and oppose; if their will to do God's Will were not firm and resolute, strong enough to set aside those Hinderances, and over-rule all Contradictions.

The power of single Praepossession, and specula­tive Prejudice, is well known. An Opinion once possess'd of us claims a kind of Right, a legal Fa­vour to be shewn it; and if the Possession be an­cient, and time out of mind, the Title is not easie to be evicted: But as a Prejudice, it is a Point al­ready judg'd and settled, hardly to be brought in­to question before the same Judge, much less to be revers'd by him. And for such Reasons only, it might have been hard for an innocent Pharisee, to find the Ceremonies and Observations of his Sect disparag'd and discharg'd; those which the great Rabbies had encouraged, and the Tradition of their Fore-fathers had recommended: but much less could he ever admit, that the Ceremonial Law of Moses was to give way, and that a Greater than Moses himself was now speaking unto them. He might be willing to do the Divine Will, as he now apprehended it to be, conformable to his Education [Page 12]and Practice: willing to do the Will of God, but as willing, at the same time, to do the will of Moses and the Elders.

But if now we suppose this Pharisee to be some governing Master, whose Authority is founded in his Knowledge of those Traditions; and whose high satisfaction it is to fit in Moses his Seat, and to be called Rabbi: he is then so much addicted to them, not only by Praepossession of Mind, but by the Prae­ingagement of his Affections, that should Moses him­self have come, he might not have been willing to leave the Chair; much less to hear any of his old oracular Learning upon the Law, which made him Great, but that of no effect, censur'd and condemn'd by this Law-giver. For he is not so willing to do God's Will, as to preserve his own Place and Reputation; that we may not imagine he would be controll'd by our Saviour, and de­scend to learn from the Galilean, and one that never knew Letters.

But still if we go further, and understand some one of the avaritious, malicious, lewd and hypocri­tical Pharisees; as unwilling then as he would be to forego his Vices, so unwilling will he be to un­derstand the Law against them; much more to re­ceive a New one, which shall oppose him with a more express, and more peremptory Declaration. [Page 13]And on this account it was, that all our Saviour's Miracles were not of force enough to convince them of his Authority: His single Sermon on the Mount, and the Holiness there prescrib'd, would never suf­fer them to be perswaded by him. The Phari­sees that were covetous, derided him for his cha­ritable Directions: and those who brought the Adulteress before him, and were not guiltless enough from the same Crime to prosecute it far, as they left the Accusation, so they fled from his Reproof. They all therefore sought instead of be­ing instructed by his Words to have something thence to inform against him. As many Vices as there were, so many Adversaries there generally were to his Doctrine; practical Prejudices, with which they were praepossess'd, as with so many Daemons; and which would not be perswaded, nor argued out: for what had they to do with the Son of David? This is that Diabolical Race, which paid him less respect than the Devils themselves; They would not come out at his Command: but rather treated Him, as those impure Spirits did the Sons of Sceva, fell upon him, and drove him out; not remov'd him out of a Country by Intreaty, as the Gadarens, but out of the World, with all De­spight and Cruelty; as the greatest Malefactor of the Three; as guilty of Treason against Caesar, and of [Page 14] Blasphemy against God, because guilty of Opposition to their Corruptions.

For he that has no mind to be deny'd any sin­ful Pleasure he indulges, or any ungodly Advan­tage he values, will be very averse from hearing, that such an Abstinence is the Will of God; will either cavil at the Message, and dispute its Autho­rity, or wrest and interpret it to his own Will. Nay so far, we know, Men otherwise of good Ʋnder­standings, may be brought by Adherence to their Lusts, as to deny the natural Notions of common Justice, and to question the being of their Maker: they will not comply with the Directions he has given; and therefore they will neither know his Pleasure, nor his Person: who is the Lord?

This is the great Impediment of Knowledge our Saviour here means; a Dullness of Ʋnderstanding, not for want of Ability, but Will to apprehend; in those who hear, and will not understand; and see­ing see, but will not perceive; because their Heart is waxed gross, and their Ears are dull of hearing, and their Eyes have they clos'd; lest they should see with their Eyes, and hear with their Ears, and understand with their Hearts, and be converted.

Whereas on the other side, if there were a Wil­lingness to do God's Will, there would be no need of any great Intellectual Abilities to perceive it. [Page 15]The Duties of Justice and Mercy are easily dis­cern'd by the meanest Capacity; Judgment to come, Man naturally forebodes; and the Being of a God, it is a Difficulty to the Understanding not to allow: The Doubts and Obscurities arise not from the Nature of the things to be consider'd, nor from the Weakness of the Faculty that should consider, but from the Prevarication of our sen­sual Desires; we are sway'd by some indirect means, that appear not to have any Influence up­on us; some little favourite consideration, which we are loth to own; but by which we are govern'd effectually.

Had the Auditors therefore of Christ come rea­dy dispos'd to have obey'd God's Will, without any Reserve for their own; with no Inclination nor Passion but for his Service; they would have perceiv'd the Almighty Power in the Miracles our Saviour did, and discern'd the Divine Law in the Instructions he gave them: had they first strip­ped themselves of their Prejudices, and their Lusts; they would quickly have forsaken all the rest of the World, and followed him. If the Re­velation of Moses had prevailed upon them to do God's Will with their whole Heart, and whole Soul, the Nation of the Jews would have own'd their Messiah: and had they been true Disciples [Page 16]of the Law, and followed that their School-master; it would have led them to Christ.

This is the Assertion primarily intended by the Text, regarding those who were then to receive the Gospel: there remains the other, respecting us who have already received it; If any one will do the Will of God, which he does know, he shall know it better.

Now what was but intimated before, is here more expresly to be observed; that Knowledge is of two kinds, the one simple, and speculative; where the Ʋnderstanding conceives and assents by it self, our Will and Affections standing by, and taking no part: the other mixt, and compounded by the intervention of the Will, where that is in­terested in what is to be asserted, or practised, and must concurr in the Allowance of it.

And the first of these, even the speculative, whe­ther it consists in apprehending what the Doctrine means, or in conceiving its Truth and Reasonable­ness, is by Practice both ways very much facili­tated and confirmed. In Mathematical Sciences, the way of performing a Problem, however demon­stratively assigned, remains further to be verified by the Operation; and in considerations of Nature, the Will of God wrought by his own hands, the [Page 17]best method of Knowledge is that which is Experi­mental, and Works too; which puts the Divine Ma­terials into our hands, and looks not only upon their Surface in some single View, but turns them, and surveys them on all sides; weighs and examines, o­pens and searches their inmost Recesses. For this sort of Truth, as Gold, is to be labour'd after, and dug for; and not to be judg'd only by the Sight, but by the Touch and the Scale, or by the Hammer and the Fire. And if this be true in the Speculation of what God himself has been pleased to make, much more will it be in the Knowledge of that, which we, by his Command, are to Doe. For it can be no otherwise with the practical Doctrine of God, than it is acknowledged to be in the Arts and practical Professions of Men: where the true Insight is not so much from the Apprehensions we may have by Discourse and Meditation, as by Dealing in them, and being actually exercis'd and conversant about them: the knowledge of such things as are to be done, which arises from our mental Conceptions, being but as the rough Draught or first Lines of a Picture; and that when it is con­summated by experience, as a finish'd Piece, rai­sed with all its Lineaments and Colours. Or ra­ther the Notional Knowledge is as the Picture, and the Active as the Thing it self: the one being but [Page 18]in Imagination, and as a Dream; and the other Real, and Solid, and Sensible. For whoever is our Instructor, and how plainly soever he may ex­press himself; we are yet to learn in things pra­ctical, from Exercise and Ʋse, the last Master and the best Interpreter.

This obtains in the Arts of Government, or War, or Merchandise, in any of the Affairs of this World: and holds as true in Ethical Know­ledge, and the Business of Religion. For as the Natural Philosopher forbad the uninstructed in Geo­metry to enter his School; so the Moralist has, it is known, discouraged his too Youthful Auditors as unfit for his Lectures: not only because they might not yet patiently hear of Moderation of their Passions and Pleasure; but because, till they had begun to practise it, they could not rightly understand it, not being yet, by reason of Ʋse, exer­cis'd to discern such Good and Evil. Temperance, for example, is in this, like to the Pleasures, from which it orders us to abstain, that it cannot be conceived only from Words, must be tasted too, if we would know its Nature and its Relish. Ju­stice likewise and Charity are best understood by their Practitioners: those in any case of Difficul­ty would prove better Directors than the more studied Casuist; would solve and remove the [Page 19]Doubts, which these would serve only to intricate and to multiply. They would too by the Exer­cise of those Vertues, see more reason for them; more of their Suitableness to the well-disposed Nature of Man, than Books could speak, or The­ory discover. In like manner; He that constant­ly and devoutly prays to his Maker, best appre­hends the Nature of the Duty, and best perceives the Use and Comfort of it: better than those who have heard, or made long Discourses about it. The Meaning of the Lord's Prayer, is more sensibly un­derstood by one that prays it over to God, ear­nestly and concernedly, with Dependance on the Divine Greatness and Goodness, in reference to the daily Occurrences of his Life; than it can be by the critical Consideration of the best Commentator alone. And he that thus daily addresses to his Father which is in Heaven, with a dutiful Resignati­on, and filial Trust, has more of satisfactory Assu­rance and inward Peace, than the Children of this World can imagine, or he himself express.

And thus, taking the Ʋnderstanding by it self, and unaffected with our Will, the Will of God is better known by being done. If done by others, it is more conspicuous to us on their Lives, and bet­ter explain'd and illustrated by the Example; but if by our selves, and made one of our own Acti­ons, [Page 20]it is then taken into us, habituated and in­corporated in us, intimately and intirely percei­ved. Whereas too all Humane Designs are general­ly fairer in the Idea, than the Practice; on the contrary, the Divine Pleasure must be more lik'd and approv'd, when it is reduced into Act, and really exhibited, who ever shall put it in Execu­tion: but much more will it delight us, if per­form'd by our selves; it will then become our Pleasure too, and we look back with the Sa­tisfaction of our Creator, and see that All is good, which we have done, according to his Will.

But secondly, if we consider this Knowledge, not formed by the Understanding only, but with the agreement of the Will; as it is in all the Af­fairs of this and the other World: then Doing and Practice will be found still more neces­sary for the advancing and completing it. For though in Matters of Knowledge the Will has no direct proper Concurrence, nor is the Consent of it strictly necessary to the Assent of the Under­standing; yet it has such a tacit but effectual In­fluence, such a domestick conjugal Authority, that the Understanding is seldom firmly or long on that side, to which the other Faculty is not incli­ned: and therefore as far as doing contributes to [Page 21]reconcile, keep up, and fortifie the Will; so much it prepares and disposes for the preserving, as well as the receiving, of Knowledge.

Now the doing of God's Will, does operate on ours, with this threefold Advantage.

1. The Practice of the Duty takes off from the strangeness of it, and removes all the imaginary Difficulty we fansied to be in the Work, before we set upon it. The Task was before represent­ed to us, as some good Man may be to those who have not practised him; a rigid, morose, austere thing: whereas, after Conversation, and some Fa­miliarity, there is nothing whose Company less offends, or which we better affect. While we keep off at a distance from the Exercises of Religion; its Enemies, and ours, have a fair Opportunity to mis-represent, and to raise up such Imaginations in us as shall agree with their Interest: but if we would but approach, and make tryal, we should discover the Calumny; it would then appear, that there was no Lyon in the way, or at the end; and that the false Spies we had sent forth to discover the Holy Land, had made to us a most unfaithful Description. And may I not say, that is with Re­ligion it self, as with those few edifying Orders in Use with us about it? It is a burdensome Yoak, an intolerable Imposition, unnecessary, foolish, [Page 22]any thing that Detraction shall think fit to say, to those who are ignorant of it, and not well ac­quainted with it: whereas if we came a little nearer, and experienc'd it our selves, we should then begin to wonder at the unjust Surmises we were brought to entertain before; and take no­thing to be more unreasonable, and more vain, than such Representations as those.

For to give the Case of all Christian Duties in the Instance of one, the Holy Communion; how many are they who are well enough inform'd, that it is a necessary part of Divine Worship; a Sa­crament to which we are as much obliged, as we were to the other? And yet how are Men gene­rally kept off from it by strange Conceits, such as can have no place, but in idle Minds? It is a Mystery, from which the profane and ungodly should absent: but to many, who are to be incouraged to come, it is the more a Mystery, because they come not at all. There is something in it, they know not what, they are afraid of: and the Action, instead of being Reverend, is Frightful to them. Upon the thought of it there is a Damp and Me­lancholy on their Minds; though the Subject of it be Thanks and Praise, and the Invitation be to a Feast. Though there be no more serious Con­fession of their Sins, than what they should make [Page 23]every day; no other Renunciation of them, than what their Baptism presumes already; yet they imagine some new terrible Work is to be under­taken, and that they shall come under danger of Condemnation, if they go thither; from which too they shall escape, if they stay away.

Upon the first Apprehensions of a God, no wonder if some natural fearfulness seizes us; and when the spiritual World is mentioned, Spectres may arise in weaker Minds, and seem to stand in their way: but if they will but go on, these empty Shadows will immediately disappear; and if we draw near to the Divine Majesty, we shall not be amaz'd and dis-heartened, but assured and encouraged by that Gracious Presence.

Many vain Fears there are in the Christian War­fare, before which often the Raw and Unexperi­enc'd shamefully fly without a stroke struck, to be cured, as we see, by Use and Action: and some groundless Aversion there may be to our Duty, which the Practice of it will reconcile: but there is besides much real Danger, and direct actual Opposition, to be considered in the second place.

2. For to confess the Truth; we are not only as Strangers to the Will of God, but there is some­thing within us, which is an Enemy to it, and wars [Page 24]against it: Rebellious Lusts, that would be wil­ling to make a Resistance; and watch all Oppor­tunities, to withdraw the Obedience of the Will, and to corrupt the Integrity of the Judgment.

The Evidence of the Truth may have brought us to some Knowledge, and our Carnal Affections were forc'd at present to suffer the Conviction of the Mind: And had the well-inform'd Soul been active and diligent, setting the Will on work, and employing it upon its acknowledged Duty, subduing and suppressing the contrary Inclinations; it might then have gained an intire Consent, and established for ever its just Dominion. But if, on the other side, it be idle, and sees not to the Execution of its own and the Divine Pleasure; this is both a sure Indication, that our sensual part remains too pow­erful; and a sad Prognostick, that it will quickly recover its ground, and, finally prevail. When the Convictions begin to cool, and the Impressions on our Mind grow fainter, then it will regain its force; undermine, and at last ruine, the Knowledge that had been rais'd: It will again captivate the Ʋn­derstanding, and, like a barbarous Conquerour, put out its Eyes.

The very Omission of our Duty impairs its Know­ledge. It is as a Sleep of the Soul, and under its Truce our Carnal Desires refresh and gather strength: there [Page 25]is too a cessation of Sense, as well as of Moti­on; a present Forgetfulness of God, and tempo­rary Ignorance of his Will. But if we are thence ingag'd into Actual Transgression, we then avow­edly contradict his Precepts, and make open War against his Sacred Truths; destroying, as far as we can, all the Records of them, and breaking not on­ly the Commandments, but the Tables themselves. The Knowledge of them is troublesome and oppo­sing, and must be suppress'd.

By Doing of any Wickedness a Blot is contracted; which not only blemishes the Soul, but blackens and darkens it: And a contrary Course of Repen­tance afterwards, is not more necessary to atone for the Guilt, than it is to change the Depravation of the Mind, and to recover and re-establish its former Sentiments. For as there are some Vices, which naturally affect the Head, rendring it un­fit to think and recollect, and disabling it for any Science: so have All of them something of that stupifying Nature, particularly indisposing for Divine Knowledge; sending up such Fumes, as by a peculiar Malignancy assault and poison all No­tions of Goodness and Vertue, and mortifie the Spi­ritual Ʋnderstanding.

The Knowledge of our Duty, is as a Light set up within us, to be maintain'd by constant Supplies, [Page 26]and in perpetual Motion. It may be obscur'd by the shining in of the World, through our Senses and Imagination: it may be suffocated, if only by the Damp, arising from an earthy and yet not well purg'd Breast; grow pale and dim, and then go out: but by the active Contrariety of wicked and ungodly Practices, it is certainly extinguish'd, drown'd as by many Waters.

So necessary is the Exercise of our Knowledge, to its Preservation. But then further,

3. By Doing of the Will of God, at length we at­tain to the Habit of Doing it willingly; and begin to have new Pleasure in the Discharge of our Du­ty. According as our Carnal Affections are suppres­sed, our Spiritual Desires arise; and upon the Mor­tification of the Old Man, the New Man grows up, and improves: the Consent of the Sanctified Will, being at last utterly and absolutely given to the Assent of the Ʋnderstanding; and we not only allowing the Doctrine of God, to be true and reasonable in the speculation, but imbracing it with our whole heart, and intirely affectionate to it: proceeding so to the Knowledge of one farther Truth, deliver'd us by our Saviour, and experimentally discovering, that His Yoke is easie, and Burthen light; that His Paths are Paths of Pleasure and Peace. This is the Seraphick State of Holy Men, who now believe not only what they [Page 27]have heard, but perceive and know what their Eyes have seen, and their Hands have handled, and their Souls have enjoyed, of the Word of Life. Then from the Heart, continuing its first Motion, and actuated with Devotion and Zeal, fresh sup­plies of Spirits are sent back again to the Head; the Warmth of the Breast is inkindled into a Flame; and New Light springing up from that Holy Heat, the upper Sphaere of Man, like Hea­ven, is full of Brightness and Joy.

In this manner, the Knowledge of God's Will is to be improv'd by us; It comes by Hearing, and may be imagined by Meditation; but it really in­creases, strengthens, and is fix'd, by Actions of Obe­dience, and reducing it into Practice.

It is not therefore to be wonder'd, That such as doe not those things which are convenient, become of Reprobate Minds: and that they lose the Know­ledge of God, who like not to retain it. Neither shall we admire, if there are those who are in appear­ance always learning, but never come to the Knowledge of Christ. Their Ears itch, and they heap up to themselves Teachers; but their Hands are idle, their Feet are straying, and their Souls have no Inclination to try, and to obey. They have heard much, and some Fancy of their Duty they may have, or may speak its Language; they have [Page 28]wrote it may be, and can repeat: but the Repe­tition of all moral Discourses should be by Pra­ctice, and they transcribed into our Conversation. They edifie not, they say, by this Man's Sermon: and by the Knowledge, from which they think they are edified, they may not be built, but puffed up. But how should they edifie, who sit still only and hear? Faith being no more to be built up and finish'd by Preaching, than a House would be ere­cted by the Discourse of the best Architect. Much less should we expect a Superstructure, if, as in the Confusion of a Babel, their Actions agreed not with the Speech; and what was endeavoured to be raised at the Ear, they, with the foolish Woman, were still pulling down with their hands.

But this is to be the Consolation of the illiterate, if honest-hearted, Christian; that although there be those that appear more knowing, are skill'd in the Notions and History of God's Will, can give an account of all the Disputes of Christianity, and can determine them; yet that all this is but smat­tering and learned Ignorance, without any true Sense, and sound Judgment; that those only are in the right Method of Divine Knowledge, who are obeying God, and observing his Will; they are the Profound and the Illuminate; and know the Doctrine as it ought to be known: their Light now shines be­fore [Page 29]men; and they shall shine as Stars for ever and ever.

And may I further observe, that the Reflection of our Saviour, which gives an account of that contra­diction which opposes his Doctrine, gives too a reason of all the Differences and Debates that have been rai­sed in it. For these would infallibly be much less, if not quite cease, were those, who eagerly dispute his Will, as zealous and earnest to perform it: were not Men more warmly concerned for the Honour and Interest of their Party, or themselves; than they are really desirous to understand the Mind of Christ. For if any one truly gives himself up to do his Will; he will not be apt to enter into needless Contests, about what is not practical; nor strive most to know, what is not to be done: And then when he comes to the Question, so much of his Lord's Will he will at first observe, as to be modest, and meek, and tractable; not suffer his Passions and Animosities to join in the Enquiry: he will not bring so much as a Wish on one part, much less shall any humane Pre-ingagements decide the Contro­versie. And if so, one cannot but think, (and sure we are not in this partial our selves) that the Papal Infallibility, for Example, and their Transub­stantiation would be no longer defended, nor their gross Falshoods be set up for Catholick Truths: Nei­ther, [Page 30]on the other side, would ancient Laudable Pra­ctices be any longer Idolatrous and Antichristian. Were we not carnal, and walked we not as Men, fa­vouring our selves, and doing our own Will; there might be neither Heresie nor Schism; did we resign our selves up to the Truth, on which side soever it should appear. And certainly the Sacredness and Moment of the Cause, where God's Will is in questi­on, would require such a Caution, as, in lesser Matters, is inforc'd by an Oath; that we should judge without Favour and Affection, Hatred and Malice; that those at least who take upon them­selves to judge of his Law, should judge righteous Judgment. For what is fit to be said after any Ac­cident that befals us by the Providence of God, is as proper to be premis'd before a Dispute concern­ing his Revelation: Thy will be done, O Father, which art in Heaven. And were our part of it done on Earth as it is in Heaven, it might almost be known in the same manner.

Happy it would be for the Arts, said an An­cient, if none but the Skilful and the Artists judg'd of them: and no less happy would it be for Re­ligion, if only the truly religious, and the sincere Christian, were to determine the Points in Diffe­rence. This Advantage would undoubtedly result, [Page 31]that the Disputers would not be very many; as well as that the Disputes would be no more than necessary; fairly debated, and soon composed. Whereas now all Religious Controversies are ma­naged like Wars for Religion; rais'd, and fought not always by the most Religious Men. The Question is concerning some Point of Faith or Manners; and should be argued by Godly Spi­rits: But the World and the Flesh, they come in and intermeddle; and they are as Auxiliaries on either side, whose Interest it is the Cause should never be decided. For were not Christianity divided, what Enemy would it have but those its sworn Enemies, against whom it had declar'd in Baptism? And against these it would then join its Ʋnited Force in a Holy League, and never cease until they were intirely subdued.

In these many Differences of thinking, concern­ing our Saviour's Person, and Pleasure, we pious­ly hope, that he will mercifully consider the In­firmities and Errors of Men, and accept the Ser­vices of the Well-meaning; pardoning their Ig­norance and want of Discernment, if not too careless and too wilful. But lest we betray our selves and others into a further Mistake, we shall do well to take along with us this his Observati­on; [Page 32]and remember that generally all our Ignorance is wilful, for want of Will to do God's Will. And when Ignorance shall come to be pleaded, in the day when He shall judge the secrets of mens hearts, it may then amount to no better an Excuse, than if instead of saying, we did not Know his Will; we should alledge in our Justification, that we were not willing to Doe it. Through our humane In­firmity, we did mistake in the Duties of our Re­ligion: but our Infirmity was this, That we were unwilling to obey. A much more absurd return, than the careless Servant made in the Para­ble of the Talents: Lord, I knew that thou wert a hard Master, and didst expect Obedience at my hands; and therefore I would not under­stand thee.

But it is not our Duty only, to inquire the Will of God; it is our Priviledge and Honour, to be able to understand it. Its Study is the noblest Exercise, and its Attainment the highest Ambiti­on of a Rational Mind: the Knowledge so great a Favour, that we should have endeavoured after it at any price; Should have bought that Learning with the expence of our Liberty; And to be per­mitted to Understand, should have offered to Obey. That way the generous Appetite of Science, [Page 33]should have mov'd in an Intelligent Creature; nor has God, in his ordinary method, vouchsafed to reveal himself to Man, on any other Conditi­on. His Disciples are to be his vow'd Servants: to such only will he appear, and certainly with no other will he dwell. Ever since the first un­grateful Attempt to Know his Will, by Trans­gressing it; a Readiness to obey, has been made the Preparative to that Knowledge; and Obedi­ence, the Preservative: the very Nature of his Doctrine requiring in us some Praedisposition, a probationary Obsequiousness, without which it will not be imparted; and God having done it that Honour, as that the Ʋnworthy should of themselves be render'd Ʋnqualified and Ʋncapable, justly praecondemn'd to this Darkness now, to whom is reserved the blackness of Darkness for ever. For to the Ʋngodly, says God, What hast thou to do with my Law, seeing thou hatest to be reformed, and hast cast my Words behind thee? Be thou ignorant as thou art, as thou pretendest, or deservest to be; and await the Issue. For a Desire to Know, while we care not to Doe, is such an impertinent, sau­cy Curiosity, as can never be gratified by our Lord: and not to Doe, what we already Know, [Page 34]is so highly affronting, that there remains no bol­der a Presumption, but to pretend to further In­formation; nor can a lesser Punishment, for the Abuse of this Knowledge, be expected, than its Forfeiture.

The Doctrine of God, however it may be esteemed by Men, is valued by the Author; a Talent, committed to the Hopeful only, and the Promising; nor to any, but upon Account. If we put it to no Use, it will, of its own Nature, rust and diminish; may be lost through Negli­gence, or stoln by our Enemy, or taken away by the Great Owner. But, if we exercise and em­ploy it, it will encrease and multiply, of it self and by the natural Effect of our Industry; and will besides be wonderfully bless'd and augmented by the Special Favour of our Lord: who is gone indeed into a far Country, but so, as still to over­see, assist, and direct, the honest Care and duti­ful Labour of his Servants below.

For, to our assured Encouragement, the mira­culous Power, that first openly introduced the Christian Doctrine, still invisibly attends it; to [Page 35]cherish, as heretofore, the willing Beginning of its Disciples, and to help on their obedient En­deavours. And this Will, whoever will Doe, not only will Know it in orderly Consequence; but he shall Know it, supernaturally enabled by Divine Grace: our Performance as certainly re­warded here, with a progressive Knowledge; as it shall be hereafter, with the Joys of our Ma­ster, and his Immediate Beatifick Vision.