WHO this Nathanael was, upon whom our Saviour bestows this extraordinary Character, doth not certainly appear, his Name [Page 2] being but once more mention'd in the whole History of the Gospel: For cer­tain, he was a good Man, who deserved this extraordinary Commendation; and none but our Saviour, who knew what was in Man, and needed not that any should tell him, could have given it, especially of one, whom he had never seen before that time; for when Jesus saw him coming to him, he saith of him Behold an Israelite indeed.

The whole Nation of the Jews were Israelites, by Natural Descent, being the Seed of Jacob, or Israel; but in a special, and more excellent sense, none are e­steemed the true Posterity of Israel, but those, who resembled this Father of their Nation, in true Piety, and Goodness; for (as the Apostle reasons) they are not all Israel, who are of Israel; they on­ly are Israelites indeed, who resemble good Old Jacob, in the sincerity of his Piety, and the simplicity of his Temper, and Disposition; for our Saviour seems here to allude to that Character which is given of Jacob (Gen. 25. 27.) That he was a plain Man, or as the Hebrew word signifies, a perfect and sincere Man, in op­position to his Brother Esau, who is said to be cunning; so that to be an Israel­ite [Page 3] indeed, is to be a downright honest Man, without fraud, and guile, without any arts of hypocrisie and deceit.

In speaking of this vertue of Sincerity, which is the highest Character and Com­mendation of a good Man, I shall consider it, as it respects God, and Man. As it respects God, so it imports the truth and since­rity of our Piety and Devotion to­wards him. As it regards Men, so it sig­nifies a simplicity of Mind and Manners, in our Carriage and Conversation, one towards another; both these are includ­ed, and very probably were intended, in the Character which our Saviour here gives of Nathanael.

I. I shall consider this Grace, or Ver­tue I of sincerity, as it respects God; and so it imports the truth and sincerity of our Piety toward him, that we heartily believe, and fear, and honour him, and that the outward expressions of our Pie­ty and Obedience to him, are the genuine issue of our inward apprehensions of him, and affections towards him; and this no doubt our Saviour intended in the first place in the Character of this good Man, that he was a Man of a real and substan­tial and unaffected Piety, and in truth, [Page 4] what he appeared to be; that he did sin­cerely love God, and his Truth, and was ready to embrace it, whenever it was fairly proposed to him, as did plain­ly appear in his Carriage towards our Saviour; for when Philip invited him to come and see him, he did not con­ceal the prejudice and objection he had against him, grounded upon a common, but uncharitable Proverb, That out of Nazareth ariseth no Prophet, but having an honest and sincere mind, he was not so carried away by a popular prejudice, as not to have patience to be better in­formed, and therefore was easily per­swaded to go and see our Saviour, and to discourse with him himself, and being satisfied that he was the Messias, he presently owns him for such, calling him the Son of God, and the King of Israel; and because sincerity is the very heart and substance of Religion, it concerns us not only to endeavour after this tem­per and disposition, but to enquire into the nature and properties of it, that we may know when we have it, and may have the comfort of it. I shall mention five or six Properties of a sincere Piety, by which Men may sufficiently know [Page 5] the integrity of their hearts towards God.

1. Our Piety is then sincere when the chief reasons and predominant motives of it are Religious; and I call that a Re­ligious or rational motive, which regards God, and another World, in oppositi­on to Men, and to our present tempo­ral Advantages; when the principal and swaying motives of our Piety, are a sense of God's Authority over us, and of our Duty and Obligation to him; a fear of his Displeasure and Threatnings, and the hopes of the Glorious Reward which he hath promised to Obedience; these motives are properly Religious, because they respect God, and are the Argu­ments to Obedience, which he himself offers to us, to perswade us to our Du­ty; and that is a sincere Piety, which is wrought in us by these Considerati­ons, how unequally soever mixed; for even in the most of Men Fear does many times prevail more than Love, and in case of great temptation, may preserve Men from sin, when perhaps no other consi­deration will do it. On the contrary, that is an unsincere Piety, to which we are moved, meerly by the regard of Men, and the consideration of some [Page 6] temporal Advantages; and when these have the chief influence upon us, it is easie for any Man to discern in himself; for he that will carefully observe himself, can hardly be ignorant of the true spring and motive of his own actions; but there is one sign, whereby a Man may cer­tainly know that his heart is not right towards God, and that is, if when these motives are absent, our Piety and Zeal for the true Religion doth either cease, or be sensibly cooled and abated, as if Impiety, or Popery, or any thing else that is bad, begin to be in fashion, and to have the Countenance of great Ex­amples; if those whom we fear, and up­on whom we depend, do discover any inclination that way, if the garb of Reli­gion cease to be for our interest, or in the revolution of things, happen to be contrary to it; if in any of these cases, we let fall the profession of our Religion, or neglect the practice of it, this is a plain, and undeniable demonstration of the in­sincerity of our former Piety.

2. A sincere Piety must be rooted in the heart, and be a living principle within us; for as the Apostle reasons in another case, he is not a Jew who is one outward­ly, but he who is one inwardly, and in the [Page 7] heart; and without this all outward acts of Piety and Devotion, are hypocrisie, a picture of Religion and a form of God­liness, without the life and power of it.

3. A Third Evidence of a sincere Piety is, when Men are Religious in private and in secret, as well as in publick and in the open view of Men; he is truly de­vout, who is so in his Family, and in his Closet, where he hath no Witness, but God, and his own Soul, as well as in the Church; he is a downright honest Man, who will make good his Word, and perform his Promise (when no proof can be made of it, and no Law compel him to it) as readily as if there had been an hundred Witnesses of it; he is sincerely just, who will not detain from another his right, though he be ig­norant of it, nor wrong any Man, tho' he could do it with all the secresie and safety in the World; who will not im­pose upon anothers ignorance or unskil­fulness, tho never so much to his own benefit and advantage; he is truly Cha­ritable, who would not only as soon, but rather sooner give his Alms in secret, than in the sight of Men; and he is truly grateful, who when there is occasion [Page 8] and opportunity, will acknowledge a kindness and requite a benefit to the Re­lations of his Deceased Friend, though he be sure that all memory of the Obli­gation dyed with him, and that none are conscious to it, but God and his own Conscience: And indeed there is scarce any act of Piety, and Vertue, the sincerity of which may not by this evi­dence be known to us: As on the contra­ry a Man may for certain conclude him­self a Hypocrite, if he be not the same, in the presence of God, and his own Conscience that he is in the sight of Men.

4. Another Evidence of a sincere Piety is a constant tenour of goodness in the general course of our Lives: I do not now speak of the first beginnings of Pie­ty, in new Converts, which are many times very imperfect, and such as afford little or no evidence of a Man's sincerity; but in those who have made any conside­rable progress in goodness; the habits of any known sin, and the wilful and delibe­rate neglect of our Duties, and even the single acts of more hainous Crimes, will bring in question our sincerity, and are by no means to be sheltred under the name of infirmity; for these the Grace of [Page 9] God, if we be not wanting to our selves, will inable us to subdue; and he is not sincerely good, who doth not seriously endeavour to be as good as he can, and does not make use of that Grace which God is ready to afford to all the purposes, (though not of a perfect, yet) of a sincere obedience to the Laws of God.

5. Another Evidence of a sincere Pie­ty is, that our obedience to God be uni­form and universal, equally respecting all the Laws of God, and every part of our Duty; that it do not content it self with an especial regard to some Pre­cepts of the Law, though never so consi­derable, and allow it self in the breach, or neglect of the rest; no nor with ob­serving the Duties of one Table of the Law, if it overlook the other, no nor with obedience to all the Command­ments of God, one only excepted. St. James puts this case, and determines, That he that keeps the whole Law, saving that he offends in one point, is guilty of all, that is, is not sincere in his obedience to the rest; and therefore we must take great heed, that we do not set the Com­mandments of God at odds, and dash the two Tables of the Law, against one another, lest as St. James says, we break [Page 10] the whole Law: And yet I fear this is too common a fault, even amongst those who make a great profession of Piety, that they are not sufficiently sensible of the obligation and necessity of the Du­ties of the second Table, and of the ex­cellency of those Graces, and Vertues, which respect our Carriage and Conver­sation with one another: Men do not seem to consider, that God did not give Laws to us, for his own sake, but ours; and therefore that he did not only design that we should Honour him, but that we should be happy in one another; for which reason, he joyns with our humble and dutiful Deportment towards him­self, the Offices of Justice and Charity towards others, Mich. 6. 8. He hath shewed thee, O Man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do ju­stice, and to love mercy, and to walk hum­bly with thy God? And 1 John 4. 21. This Commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God, love his Brother also. And yet it is too visible that many, who make a great profession of Piety towards God, are very defective in Moral Du­ties; very unpeaceable, and turbulent in their Spirits, very peevish and passionate, very conceited and censorious, as if their [Page 11] profession of Godliness did exempt them from the care and practice of Christian Vertues: But we must not so fix our eye upon Heaven, as to forget that we walk upon the Earth, and to neglect the ordering of our steps and Conver­sation among Men, lest while we are gazing upon the Stars, we fall into the Ditch of gross and foul Immora­lity.

It is very possible, that Men may be devout and zealous in Religion, very nice, and scrupulous about the Worship and Service of God, and yet because of their palpable defect in points of Ju­stice and Honesty, of Meekness and Hu­mility, of Peace and Charity, may be gross and odious Hypocrites; for Men must not think for some acts, either of outward or inward Piety, to compound with God for the neglect of Mercy and Judgment, or to demand it as a right from Men to be excused from the great Duties and Vertues of Humane Conversa­tion; or pretend to be above them, because they relate chiefly to this World, and to the temporal happiness of Men; as if it were the priviledge of great Devotion, to give a license to Men to be peevish and froward, sower and morose, super­cilious [Page 12] and censorious in their behaviour towards others: Men must have a great care, that they be not intent upon the outward parts of Religion, to the pre­judice of inward and real goodness, and that they do not so use the means of Re­ligion, as to neglect and lose the main end of it; that they do not place all Religion in Fasting and outward Mor­tification; for though these things be very useful and necessary in their place, if they be discreetly managed, and made subservient to the great ends of Religi­on; yet it is often seen that Men have so unequal a respect to the several parts of their Duty, that Fasting and Corporal severity, those meager and lean Duties of Piety, in comparison, do like Pharaoh's lean kine, devour and eat up almost all the goodly and well-favoured, the great and substantial Duties of the Christian Life; and therefore Men must take great heed, lest whilst they are so intent up­on mortifying themselves, they do not mortifie Vertue and good Nature, Hu­mility and Meekness and Charity, things highly valuable in themselves and amia­ble in the eyes of Men, and in the sight of God of great price.

[Page 13] For the neglect of the Moral Duties of the second Table is not only a mighty scandal to Religion, but of pernicious consequence many other ways: A fierce and ill governed, an ignorant and inju­dicious Zeal for the Honour of God, and something or other belonging ne­cessarily, as they think, to his true Wor­ship and Service, hath made many Men do many unreasonable, immoral and im­pious things, of which History will fur­nish us with innumerable instances, in the practice of the Jesuits, and other Zealots of the Church of Rome; and there are not wanting too many examples of this kind amongst our selves; for Men that are not sober, and considerate in their Religion, but give themselves up to the conduct of blind prejudice, and furious zeal, do easily perswade themselves, that any thing is lawful, which they strongly fancy to tend to the Honour of God, and to the advancement of the cause of Re­ligion; hence some have proceeded to that height of absurdity, in their Zeal for their Religion and Church, as to think it not only lawful, but highly com­mendable and meritorious, to equivo­cate upon Oath, and break Faith with Hereticks, and to destroy all those that [Page 14] differ from them; as if it were Piety in some cases, to lie for the Truth, and to kill Men for God's sake.

So that if we would approve the in­tegrity of our hearts to God, and evi­dence to our selves the sincerity of our Obedience, we ought impartially to re­gard all the Laws of God, and every part of our Duty; and if we do not, our heart is not upright with God: 'Tis observable that sincerity in Scripture is often call'd by the name of Integrity, and Perfection, because it is integra­ted, and made up of all the parts of our Duty.

6. The last evidence I shall mention of the sincerity of our Religion is, if it hold out against persecution, and en­dure the fiery tryal; this is the utmost proof of our integrity, when we are called to bear the Cross, to be willing then to expose all our worldly interest, and even life it self, for the Cause of God, and Religion; this is a tryal which God doth not always call his faithful Servants to, but they are always to be prepared for it, in the purpose and reso­lution of their minds; this our Saviour makes the great mark of a true Disciple, if any man (saith he) will be my disciple, [Page 15] let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me; this is a certain sign, that Men have received the word into good ground, and are well rooted in their Religion, when they are not shaken by these fierce assaults; for many (as our Saviour tells us) hear the word, and with joy receive it, but having not root in them­selves, they endure but for a while, and when persecution, or tribulation ariseth, because of the word, presently they are of­fended; nay, some when they see perse­cution coming at a distance, wheel off, and bethink themselves of making their retreat in time, and of agreeing with their adversary whilst he is yet in the way.

So that constancy to our Religion in case of danger, and suffering for it, is the best proof of our sincerity: This is the fiery tryal, as the Scripture calls it, which will try what materials we are made of, and whether we love God and his truth in sincerity.

And thus I have considered sincerity as it respects God, and imports true Piety and Religion towards him; and I proceed to the second consideration

[Page 16] II. Of sincerity as it regards Men, and so it signifies a simplicity of mind and man­ners in our conversation, and carriage one towards another, singleness of Heart, discovering it self in a constant plainness and honest openness of behaviour, free from all insidious devises, and little tricks, and fetches of Craft and Cun­ning; from all false appearances and de­ceitful disguises of our selves in word or action; or yet more plainly, it is to speak as we think, and do what we pre­tend and profess, to perform and make good what we promise, and in a word, really to be, what we would seem and appear to be.

Not that we are obliged to tell eve­ry Man all our mind, but we are never to declare any thing contrary to it; we may be silent, and conceal as much of our selves, as prudence, or any other good reason requires; but we must not put on a disguise, and make a false ap­pearance and empty show of what we are not, either by word or action. Contrary to this Vertue is (I fear) most of that compliment, which is current in con­versation, and which for the most part is nothing but words, to fill up the [Page 17] Gaps, and supply the emptiness of Dis­course, and a pretence to that kindness and esteem for persons, which either in truth we have not, or not to that de­gree which our expressions seem to im­port, which if done with design, is that which we call Flattery, a very odious sort of Insincerity; and so much the worse, because it abuseth Men into a vain, and foolish opinion of themselves, and an ill grounded confidence of the kindness and good-will of others to­wards them; and so much the more dangerous, because it hath a party with­in us, which is ready to let it in; it plays upon our self-love, which greedily catch­eth at any thing that tends to magnifie and advance us; for God knows, we are all too apt to think and make the best of our bad selves, so that very few Tempers have Wisdom and firmness e­nough to be proof against Flattery; it requires great Consideration, and a re­solute Modesty and Humility to resist the Insinuations of this Serpent; yea, a little rudeness and moroseness of Nature, a prudent distrust and infidelity in Mankind to make a Man in good earnest to reject and despise it.

[Page 18] Now besides that all Hypocrisie and Insincerity is mean in it self, having false­hood at the bottom, it is also often made use of, to the prejudice of others, in their Rights and Interests; for not only Dissimulation is contrary to Sincerity, because it consists in a vain shew of what we are not, in a false muster of our Ver­tues and good Qualities, in a deceitful representation and undue Character of our Lives; but there are likewise other Qualities and Actions more inconsistent with Integrity, which are of a more in­jurious and mischievous consequence to our nature, as falshood, and fraud, and perfidiousness, and infinite little Crafts and arts of deceit, which Men practise upon one another in their ordinary con­versation and intercourse; the former is great vanity, but this is gross iniquity.

And yet these Qualities dexterously managed, so as not to lie too plain and open to discovery, are look'd upon by many, as signs of great depth and shrewd­ness, admirable instruments of business, and necessary means for the compassing our own ends and designs; and though in those that have suffered by them, and felt the mischief of them, they are al­ways accounted dishonest, yet among [Page 19] the generality of lookers on, they pass for great policy, as if the very skill of governing and managing humane affairs, did consist in these little tricks and devi­ces: But he that looks more narrowly into them, and will but have the patience to observe the end of them, will find them to be great follies, and that it is only for want of true wisdom and un­derstanding, that Men turn aside to tricks, and make dissimulation and lies their refuge. It is Solomon's Observation, That he that walketh uprightly walketh surely, but the fol­ly of Fools is deceit: The folly of Fools, that is, the most egregious piece of folly that any Man can be guilty of, is to play the Knave; the vulgar Translation ren­ders this clause a little otherwise, but yet towards the same sense, Sed stultus diver­tit ad dolos, but the Fool turns aside to tricks; to make use of these is a sign the Man wants understanding to see the plain and direct way to his end: I will not deny but these little Arts may serve a present turn, and perhaps successfully enough, but true Wisdom goes deep, and reacheth a great way further, look­ing to the end of things and regarding the future as well as the present, and by judging upon the whole matter and sum [Page 20] of affairs, doth clearly discern, that Craft and Cunning are only useful for the pre­sent occasion, whereas Integrity is of a lasting use, and will be serviceable to us upon all occasions, and in the whole course of our Lives; and that Dissimula­tion and Deceit, though they may do some present execution in business, yet they recoil upon a Man terribly after­wards, so as to make him stagger, and by degrees to weaken, and at last to de­stroy his Reputation, which is a much more useful and substantial and lasting in­strument of prosperity and success in hu­mane affairs than any tricks and devices whatsoever. Thus have I considered this great vertue of Sincerity, both as it re­gards God, and the mutual conversati­on and intercourse of Men one with a­nother.

And now having explained the nature of Sincerity to God and Man, by decla­ring the properties of it, and in what in­stances we ought chiefly to practise it, and what things are contrary to it; that which now remains, is to perswade Men to endeavour after this excellent quality, [...] to practise it in all the words and [...] of their Lives.

[Page 21] Let us then in the first place be sincere in our Religion, and serve God in truth and uprightness of heart out of Consci­ence of our Duty and Obligations to him, and not with sinister respects to our pri­vate interest or passion, to the publick approbation or censure of Men; let us never make use of Religion to serve any base and unworthy ends, cloaking our designs of Covetousness, or Ambition, or Revenge, with pretences of Consci­ence and Zeal for God; and let us endea­vour after the reality of Religion, al­ways remembring that a sincere Piety doth not consist in shew, but substance, not in appearance, but in effect; that the Spirit of true Religion is still and calm, charitable and peaceable, making as lit­tle shew and stir as is possible; that a tru­ly and sincerely good Man does not af­fect vain Ostentation, and an unseasona­ble discovery of his good Qualities, but endeavours rather really to be, than to seem Religious; and of the two rather seeks to conceal his Piety than to set it out with pomp; gives his Alms private­ly, prays to God in secret, and makes no appearance of Religion but in such fruits and effects as cannot be hid; in the quiet and silent vertues of Humility, and Meek­ness, [Page 22] and Patience, of Peace and Charity; in governing his Passions, and taking heed not to offend with his Tongue by slander and calumny, by envious detra­ction, or rash censure, or by any word or action that may be to the hurt and prejudice of his Neighbour: But on the contrary, it is a very ill sign if a Man af­fect to make a great noise and bustle a­bout Religion, if he blow a Trumpet be­fore his good Works, and by extraordi­nary shews of Devotion summon the Eyes of Men to behold him, and do, as it were, call aloud to them to take notice of his Piety, and to come to see his zeal for the Lord of Hosts: It is not impossi­ble but such a Man with all his vanity and ostentation may have some real goodness in him; but he is as the Hypo­crites are, and does as like one as is pos­sible; and by the mighty shew that he makes to wise and considerate Men, greatly brings in question the sincerity of his Religion.

And with the sincerity of our Piety towards God, let us joyn the simplicity and integrity of Manners in our Conver­sation with Men; let us strictly charge our selves to use truth and plainness in all our words and doings; let our Tongue [Page 23] be ever the true Interpreter of our Mind, and our Expressions the lively Image of our Thoughts and Affections, and our outward actions exactly agreea­ble to our inward purposes and intenti­ons.

Amongst too many other Instances of the great corruption and degeneracy of the Age wherein we live, the great and general want of sincerity in Conversation is none of the least; the World is grown so full of Dissimulation and Comple­ment, that Mens words are hardly any signification of their thoughts; and if any Man measure his words by his heart, and speak as he thinks, and do not ex­press more kindness to every man than men usually have for any man, he can hardly escape the censure of rudeness and want of breeding: The old English plain­ness and sincerity, that generous integri­ty of Nature and honesty of Disposition which always argues true greatness of mind, and is usually accompanied with undaunted courage and resolution, is in a great measure lost amongst us; there hath been a long endeavour to transform us into foreign Manners and Fashions, and to bring us to a servile imitation of none of the best of our Neighbours in [Page 24] some of the worst of their Qualities: The Dialect of Conversation is now a­days so swell'd with Vanity and Comple­ment, and so surfeited (as I may say) of expressions of kindness and respect, that if a man that lived an Age or two ago should return into the World again, he would really want a Dictionary to help him to understand his own Language, and to know the true intrinsick value of the phrase in fashion, and would hardly at first believe at what a low rate the highest strains and expressions of kindness ima­ginable do commonly pass in currant pay­ment; and when he should come to un­derstand it, it would be a great while before he could bring himself, with a good Countenance and a good Consci­ence to converse with Men upon equal terms and in their own way.

And in truth it is hard to say whether it should more provoke our contempt or our pity to hear what solemn expressions of respect and kindness will pass between men, almost upon no occasion; how great honour and esteem they will de­clare for one whom perhaps they never heard of or saw before, and how entire­ly they are all on the sudden devoted to his service and interest for no reason; how [Page 25] infinitely and eternally obliged to him for no benefit, and how extremely they will be concerned for him, yea, and af­flicted too for no cause. I know it is said in justification of this hollow kind of Conversation, that there is no harm, no real deceit in Complement, but the matter is well enough so long as we un­derstand one another, Et verba valent ut Nummi, Words are like Money, and when the currant value of them is gene­rally understood, no Man is cheated by them; this is something if such words were any thing, but being brought into the Account they are meer Cyphers. However it is still a just matter of com­plaint, that sincerity and plainness are out of fashion, and that our Language is running into a Lye; that Men have almost quite perverted the use of Speech, and made words to signifie nothing; that the greatest part of the Conversation of Mankind, and of their intercourse with one another, is little else but driving a Trade of Dissimulation, insomuch that it would make a Man heartily sick and weary of the World, to see the little sin­cerity that is in use and practice among Men, and tempt him to break out into that melancholy Complaint and Wish of [Page 26] the Prophet (Jer. 9.) O that I had in the Wilderness a lodging-place of way-faring men, that I might leave my people and go from them; for they are all Adulterers, and an assembly of treacherous Men; and they bend their tongue like their bow for lies, but have no courage for the truth upon earth. Take ye heed every one of his Neighbour, and trust ye not in any Brother; for every Brother will utterly supplant, and every Neighbour will walk with slanders. Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; one speaketh peaceably to his Neighbour, but in his heart he lieth in wait: Shall not I visit for these things, saith the Lord; and shall not my Soul be avenged of such a Nation as this?

Such were the Manners of the peo­ple of Israel at that time, which were both the forerunner and the cause of those terrible Calamities which befell them afterwards; and this Character agrees but too well to the present Age, which is so wretchedly void of Truth and Sincerity, for which reason there is the greater need to recommend this Vir­tue to us, which seems to be fled from us, that truth and righteousness may re­turn, and glory may dwell in our land, and God may shew his mercy upon us and grant [Page 27] us his Salvation, and Righteousness and Peace may kiss each other. To this end give me leave to offer these following Considerations.

First, That Sincerity is the highest commendation and the very best Cha­racter, that can be given of any man; it is the solid foundation of all Virtue, the Heart and Soul of all Piety and Goodness; it is in Scripture called per­fection, and frequently joyned with it; and throughout the Bible, there is the greatest stress and weight laid upon it; it is spoken of as the sum and compre­hension of all Religion: Only fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and truth, says Joshua to the people of Israel, (Jos. 24. 14.) God takes great plea­sure in it; so David assures us, (1 Chron. 29. 17.) I know my God that thou try­est the Heart, and hast pleasure in upright­ness: And again, Thou lovest truth in the inward parts.

To this disposition of mind the pro­mises of divine favour and blessing are particularly made, Psal. 15. 1, 2. Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle, who shall dwell in thy holy Hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and [Page 28] speaketh the truth from his Heart. Psal. 32. 2. Blessed is the Man, unto whom the Lord imputeth no sin, and in whose Spirit there is no guil.

And 'tis observable that this Character of our Saviour here given of Nathaniel, is the only full and perfect commenda­tion that we read was ever given by him of any particular person. He com­mends some particular acts of Piety and Virtue in others, as St. Peter's confession of him, the Faith of the Centurion, and of the Woman that was healed by touching the Hem of his Garment, the Charity of the Woman that cast her two Mites into the Treasury, and the Bounty of that other devout Woman who poured upon him a Box of preci­ous Oyntment: But here he gives the particular Character of a good Man when he says of Nathaniel that he was an Israelite indeed, in whom was no Guil: And the Apostle mentions this quality, as the chief ingredient into the Character of the best Man that ever was, our blessed Saviour, who did no Sin, nei­ther was Guil found in his mouth.

Secondly, The rarity of this Virtue is a farther commendation of it. A sin­cerely [Page 29] pious and good Man, without a­ny guil or disguise is not a sight to be seen every day: Our Saviour in the Text, speaks of it, as a thing very extraordi­nary and of special remark and obser­vation, and breaks out into some kind of wonder upon the occasion, as if to see a Man of perfect integrity and simpli­city were an occurrence very rare and unusual, and such as calls for our more especial attention and regard, Behold (saith he) an Israelite indeed in whom there is no Guil.

Thirdly, The want of Sincerity will quite spoil the virtue and acceptance of all our Piety and Obedience, and cer­tainly deprive us of the reward of it: All that we doe in the service of God, all our external obedience to his Laws, if not animated by Sincerity, is like a Sacrifice without a Heart, which is an abomination to the Lord.

Fourthly, Hypocrisy and Insincerity is a very vain and foolish thing; it is de­signed to cheat others, but is in truth a deceiving of our selves: No Man would flatter or dissemble, did he believe he were seen and discover'd; an open Knave [Page 30] is a great Fool, who destroys at once both his design and his Reputation; and this is the case of every Hypocrite; all the disagreement which is between his Tongue and his Thoughts, his Actions and his Heart, is open to that Eye, from which nothing can be hid; for the ways of Man are before the Eyes of the Lord, and he se­eth all his goings; there is no darkness nor shadow of Death where the workers of Ini­quity may hide themselves.

Fifthly, Truth and Reality have all the advantages of appearance, and many more; if the shew of any thing be good for any thing, I am sure Sincerity is better; for why does any man dissem­ble, or seem to be that which he is not, but because he thinks it good to have such a quality as he pretends to? for to counterfeit and dissemble, is to put on the appearance of some real ex­cellency: Now the best way in the world for a man to seem to be any thing, is real­ly to be what he would seem to be: Be­sides, that it is many times as troublesome to make good the pretence of a good quality, as to have it; and if a man have it not, it is ten to one, but he is disco­vered to want it, and then all his pains [Page 31] and labour to seem to have it is lost. There is something unnatural in Paint­ing, which a skilful Eye will easily dis­cern from native Beauty and Com­plexion.

It is hard to personate and act a part long; for where truth is not at the bot­tom, nature will always be endeavour­ring to return, and will peep out and be­tray herself one time or other; there­fore if any man think it convenient to seem Good, let him be so indeed, and then his Goodness will appear to every body's satisfaction; for Truth is convin­cing and carries it's own light and evi­dence along with it, and will not only commend us to every Man's Conscience, but, which is much more, to God, who searcheth and seeth our Hearts; so that upon all accounts Sincerity is true Wis­dom: Particularly as to the affairs of this World Integrity hath many advantages over all the fine and artificial ways of Dissimulation and Deceit; it is much the plainer and easier, much the safer and more secure way of dealing in the world; it hath less of trouble and difficulty, of entanglement and perplexity, of dan­ger and hazard in it; it is the shortest and nearest way to our end, carrying [Page 32] us thither in a straight line, and will hold out and last longest. The Arts of Deceit and Cunning do continually grow wea­ker and less effectual and serviceable to them that use them, whereas Integrity gains strength by use, and the more and longer any Man practiseth it, the greater service it does him, by confirming his Re­putation, and encouraging those with whom he hath to do, to repose the great­er Trust and Confidence in him, which is an unspeakable advantage in the busi­ness and affairs of life.

But a Dissembler must always be upon his guard and watch himself carefully, that he doth not contradict his own pretence, for he acts an unnatural part, and there­fore must put a continual force and re­straint upon himself. Truth alwayes lies uppermost, and if a Man do not careful­ly attend, he will be apt to bolt it out: Whereas he that acts sincerely, hath the easiest task in the world, because he follows Nature, and so is put to no trou­ble and care about his words and actions; he needs not invent any pretences before­hand, nor make excuses afterwards for a­ny thing he hath said or done.

But Insincerity is very troublesome to ma­nage; a Man hath so many things to at­tend [Page 33] to, so many ends to bring together, as make his life a very perplext and intri­cate thing: Oportet mendacem esse memorem, A lyar had need have a good memory, lest he contradict at one time what he said at another; but Truth is always con­sistent with it self, and needs nothing to help it out; it is always near at hand, and sits upon our Lips, and is rea­dy to drop out before we are aware, whereas a Lye is troublesome and sets a Mans invention upon the Rack, and one trick needs a great many more to make it good: It is like building upon a false Foundation, which continually stands in need of props to shoar it up, and proves at last more chargable, than to have raised a substantial Building at first upon a true and solid Foundation; for Sinceri­ty is firm and substantial, and there is no­thing hollow and unsound in it, and because it is plain and open, fears no dis­covery, of which the Crafty Man is al­ways in danger, and when he thinks he walks in the dark, all his pretences are so transparent, that he that runs may read them; he is the last Man that finds himself to be found out, and whilst he takes it for granted that he makes Fools of others, he renders himself ridiculous.

[Page 34] Add to all this, that Sincerity is the most compendious Wisdom, and an excellent instrument for the speedy dispatch of Bu­siness; it creates confidence in those we have to deal with, saves the labour of many enquiries, and brings things to an issue in few words: It is like travelling in a plain beaten Road, which commonly brings a Man sooner to his Journeys end, than By-ways in which Men often lose themselves. In a word, whatsoever conve­nience may be thought to be in falshood and dissimulation, it is soon over; but the inconvenience of it is perpetual, be­cause it brings a Man under an everlast­ing jealousie and suspicion, so that he is not believed when he speaks truth, nor trusted when perhaps he means honestly: When a Man hath once forfeited the repu­tation of his Integrity, he is set fast, and nothing will then serve his turn, neither Truth nor Falshood.

And I have often thought, that God hath in great Wisdom hid from Men of false and dishonest minds the wonderful advantages of Truth and Integrity to the prosperity even of our worldly Affairs; these Men are so blinded by their Cove­tousness and Ambition, that they can­not look beyond a present advantage, nor [Page 35] forbear to seize upon it, tho by ways ne­ver so indirect: They cannot see so far, as to the remote Consequences of a steady Integrity, and the vast benefit and advan­tages which it will bring a Man at last. Were but this sort of Men wise and clear­sighted enough to discern this, they would be honest, out of very Knavery, not out of any love to Honesty and Vertue, but with a crafty design to promote and ad­vance more effectually their own Interests; and therefore the Justice of the Divine Providence hath hid this truest point of Wisdom from their Eyes, that bad men might not be upon equal Terms with the Just and Upright, and serve their own wicked Designs by honest and lawful means.

Indeed, if a man were only to deal in the world for a day, and should never have occasion to converse more with Mankind, never more need their good opinion, or good Word, it were then no great matter (speaking as to the concernments of this world) if a man spent his Reputation all at once, and ventured it at one throw; but if he be to continue in the world, and would have the advantage of Conversa­tion whilst he is in it, let him make use of Truth and Sincerity in all his Words and [Page 36] Actions, for nothing but this will last and hold out to the end; all other Arts will fail, but Truth and Integrity will carry a man through, and bear him out to the last.

'Tis the Observation of Solomon (Prov. 12. 19.) The lip of Truth is established, for ever, but a lying Tongue is but for a mo­ment. And the wiser any man is, the more clearly will he discern, how service­able Sincerity is to all the great ends and purposes of humane life; and that man hath made a good progress, and profited much in the School of Wisdom, who valueth Truth and Sincerity according to their worth: Every man will readily grant them to be great Vertues and Ar­guments of a generous mind; but that there is so much of true Wisdom in them, and that they really serve to profit our in­terest in this World seems a great Paradox to the generality of Men, and yet I doubt not but it is undoubtedly true, and ge­nerally found to be so, in the experience of Mankind.

Lastly, Consider that it is not worth our while to dissemble, considering the shortness and especially the uncertainty of our Lives. To what purpose should we be so cunning, when our abode in this [Page 37] world is so short and uncertain? Why should any man by dissembling his Judg­ment, or acting contrary to it, incur at once the displeasure of God, and the dis­content of his own mind? Especially if we consider, that all our Dissimulation shall one day be made manifest and pub­lished on the open Theatre of the World, before God Angels and Men, to our ever­lasting Shame and Confusion; all Disguise and Vizards shall then be pluckt off, and every man shall appear in his true Colours. For then the Secrets of Men shall be judged, and God will bring every Work into Judg­ment, and every secret thing, whether it be Good, or whether it be Evil. Nothing is now covered, which shall not then be re­vealed, nor hid which shall not then be known.

Let us then be now what we would [...] glad to be found in that day, when all pretences shall be examined, and the closest Hypocrisie of Men shall be laid o­pen and dasht out of Countenance; when the Secrets of all Hearts shall be disclos­ed, and all the hidden Works of Dark­ness shall be revealed, and all our Thoughts, Words and Actions shall be brought to a strict and severe Tryal, and be censured by that impartial and infalli­ble [Page 34] [...] [Page 35] [...] [Page 36] [...] [Page 37] [...] [Page 38] Judgment of God, which is accord­ing to Truth: In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, by Jesus Christ, To whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be Glory now and for ever. Amen.

THE design of this Epistle to the Hebrews, is to recommend to them the Christian Religion, to which [Page 40] they were but newly Converted, and to encourage them to Constancy in the pro­fession of it, notwithstanding the Suffer­ings which attended it. He sets before them in this Chapter several examples in the Old Testament of those, (who tho? they were under a much more imperfect dispensation) yet by a stedfast belief in God and his promises, had performed such wonderful acts of Obedience and Self-denyal.

He begins with the Patriarchs before the Flood, but insists chiefly upon the examples of two eminent Persons of their own Nation, as nearest to them, and most likely to prevail upon them, the Exam­ples of Abraham and Moses, the one the Father of their Nation, the other their great Lawgiver, and both of them the greatest Patterns of Faith, and Obedience, and Self-denyal, that the History of all for­mer Ages, from the beginning of the World, had afforded.

I shall at this time, by God's assistance, treat of the first of these, the Example of Abraham, the Constancy of whose Faith, and the cheerfulness of whose Obedience, even in the difficultest Cases, is so remark­able above all the other Examples menti­oned in this Chapter. For at the Com­mand [Page 41] of God, he left his Kindred and his Country, not knowing whither he should go.

By which eminent Act of Obedience, he declared himself to be wholly at God's Disposal, and ready to follow him: But this was no tryal in comparison of that here in my Text, when God commanded him to offer up his only Son.

But such was the immutable stedfastness of his Faith, and the perfect submission of his Obedience, that it does not appear that he made the least check at it; but out of perfect Reverence and Obedi­ence to the Authority of the divine Com­mand, he went about it as readily and cheerfully, as if God had bid him do some small thing: By Faith Abraham when he was tryed offered up Isaac.

For the explication of which Words, it will be requisite to consider two things.

First, The Tryal or Temptation in ge­neral.

Secondly, The Excellency of Abraham's Faith and Obedience upon this Tryal.

First, The Tryal or Temptation in general: It is said that Abraham when he was tryed, the word is [...], be­ing Tempted: That is, God intending [Page 42] to make Tryal of his Faith and Obedi­ence; and so it is exprest Gen. 22. 1. Where it is said, that God did Tempt Abra­ham, and said unto him, take now thy Son, thine only Son.

Now there are two difficulties concern­ing this matter: It seems contrary to Scripture, that God should Tempt any Man; and contrary to Reason, because God who knows what every Man will do, needed not to make tryal of any Man's Faith or Obedience.

First, It seems contrary to Scripture, which say's, God Tempts no Man: and 'tis most true, that God Tempts no Man, with a design to draw him into Sin; but this doth not hinder, but he may try their Faith and Obedience with great difficulties, to make them the more illust­rious. Thus God Tempted Abraham; and he permitted Job, and even our Blessed Saviour himself to be thus Tempted.

Secondly, It seems contrary to Reason, that God, who knows what any Man will do in any Circumstances, should go to make Tryal of it. But God does not try Men for his own information, but to give an illustrious Proof and Example to others of Faith and Obedience: And tho after this Tryal of Abraham, God [Page 43] says to him, now I know that thou lo­vest me, because thou hast not withheld thy Son, thine only Son from me; Yet we are to understand this as spoken after the manner of Men; As God elsewhere speaks to Abraham concerning Sodom; I will go down now to see whether they have done altogether aecording to the cry which is come up unto me, and if not, I will know.

I proceed to the Second thing I propo­sed, The Excellency of Abraham's Faith and Obedience upon this Tryal: By Faith Abraham when he was tryed offered up Isaac. God accepts of it, as if he had done it, because he had done it in part, and was ready to have performed the rest, if God had not countermanded him.

And this act of Faith and Obedience in Abraham will appear the more illustri­ous, if we consider these three things.

First, The firmness and stedfastness of his Faith, notwithstanding the obje­ctions against it.

Secondly, The constancy of his resolu­tion, notwithstanding the difficulty of the thing.

[Page 44] Thirdly, The reasonableness of his Faith, in that he gave satisfaction to himself in so hard and perplext a Case.

First, The firmness and stedfastness of his Faith will appear, if we consider what objections there were in the case, enough to shake a very strong Faith. There were three great objections against this Command, and such as might in reason make a wise and good Man doubtful whe­ther this Command were from God.

The horrid nature of the thing com­manded.

The grievous scandal that might seem almost unavoidably to follow upon it.

And the horrible consequence of it, which seemed to make the former pro­mise of God to Abraham void.

First, the horrid nature of the thing commanded, which was for a Fa­ther to kill his own Child; this must needs appear very barbarous and un­natural, and look liker a Sacrifice to an Idol, than to the true God.

It seemed to be against the Law of Nature, and directly contrary to that kindness and affection which God him­self had planted in the hearts of Pa­rents towards their Children.

[Page 45] And there is no affection more natu­tural and strong than this, for there are many persons that would redeem the Lives of their Children with the ha­zard of their own. Now that God hath planted such an affection in Nature, is an argument that it is good, and therefore it could not but seem strange that he should command any thing con­trary to it: And in this case, there were two circumstances that increased the horrour of the fact; That his Son was innocent; and that he was to Slay him with his own hands.

First, That his Son was Innocent. It would grieve the heart of any Father to give up his Son to Death, tho he were never so undutiful and disobedient.

So passionately was David affected with the death of his Son Absolom, as to wish he had dyed for him, tho he dyed in the very act of Rebellion, and tho the saving of his Life had been in­consistent with the Peace of his Govern­ment.

How deep then must it sink into the heart of a Father to give up his inno­cent Son to death? And such a Son was Isaac, for any thing appeared to the contrary. God himself gave him this te­stimony, [Page 46] that he was the Son whom his Fa­ther loved, and there is no intimation of any thing to the contrary: Now this could not but appear strange to a good Man, that God should command an in­nocent person to be put to death. But, Secondly,

That a Father should be commanded, not only to give up his Son to death, but to slay him with his own Hands; not only to be a Spectator, but to be the Actor in this Tragedy; What Fa­ther would not shrink, and start back at such a Command? What good Man, especially in such a case, and where Na­ture was so hard prest, would not have been apt to have looked upon such a Re­velation as this, rather as the suggesti­on and illusion of an evil Spirit, than a Command of God? And yet Abra­ham's Faith was not staggered, so as to call this Revelation of God in questi­on.

Secondly, The grievous scandal that might seem almost unavoidably to fol­low upon it, was another great obje­ction against it; the report of such an action would in all appearance blemish the reputation, even of so good a Man, amongst all sober and considerate per­sons, [Page 47] who could hardly forbear to censure him, as a wicked and unnatural Man.

And this was a hard case, for a Man to be put to Sacrifice at once, two of the dearest things in the world, his Repu­tation and his Son; nor could he have easily defended himself from this imputa­tion, by alledging an express Revelati­on and Command of God for it; for who would give credit to it?

A Revelation to another Man is no­thing to me, unless I be assured that he had such a Revelation, which I cannot be, but either by another immediate revelation, or by some Mi­racle to confirm it.

The act had an appearance of so much horrour, that it was not easily credible that God should command it; and if every Mans confident pretence to revela­tion be admitted, the worst actions may plead this in their excuse.

So that this pretence would have been so far from excusing his fault, that it must rather have been esteemed a high aggravation of it, by adding the boldest Impiety to the most barbarous Inhuma­nity. But Abraham was not stumbled at this, nor at the advantage which the Enemies of his Religion would make of [Page 48] such an occasion, who would be ready to say, Here is your excellent good Man, and likely to be a Friend of God, who was so cruel an Enemy to his own Son. All this 'tis probable he might consider, but it did not move him, be­ing resolved to obey God, and to leave it to his Wisdom to provide against all the inconveniencies that might follow upon it.

Thirdly, The strongest Objection of all, was the horrible consequence of the thing, which seemed to clash with for­mer Revelations, and to make void the promise which God had before made to Abraham, That in his Seed all the Nati­ons of the Earth should be blessed, which promise was expresly limited to Isaac and his Posterity, who had then no Son.

And of this difficulty the Apostle takes express notice in the Text, that he that had received the promises (that is, was persuaded of the truth and faithfulness of them) offered up his only begotten Son, of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall thy Seed be called.

And this Objection is really so strong, that if Abraham could not have given himself satisfaction about it, he might [Page 49] justly have questioned the truth of the Revelation; for no Man can possibly entertain two contradictory Revelations, as from God, but he must of necessity question one or both of them; but so strong was Abraham's Faith, as not to be shaken by the seeming contradicti­on of these two Revelations.

II. We will consider the constancy of his Resolution to obey God, notwith­standing the harshness and difficulty of the thing. Tho Abraham were firmly persuaded that this Command to kill his Son, was really from God; yet it is no easie matter for a Man to bring him­self to obey God in so difficult a case, and out of meer reverence to the Di­vine Authority, to divest himself of his Nature, and to thwart the strongest in­clinations of it; a Man would be very apt to confer with flesh and blood in such a case. Let but any Man that knows what it is to be a Father, lay his hand upon his heart and consider his own Bowels, and he will be astonished at Abraham's Obedience as well as his Faith.

To take his Son, his only Son, his Son whom he loved, and in whom he placed all his hopes of a happy Posteri­ty, [Page 50] and with his own hands to destroy him and all his hopes together; it must be a strong Faith that will engage a Man to Obedience in so difficult an in­stance.

There is one circumstance more espe­cially, which renders Abraham's Obedi­ence very remarkable; The deliberateness of the action. It had not been so much, if so soon as he had received this Com­mand from God, he had upon a suddain impulse and transport of zeal done this.

But that his Obedience might be the more glorious, and have all the circum­stances of advantage given to it, God would have it done deliberately, and upon full consideration; and therefore he bad him go to the Mountain three daies Journey from the place where he was, and there to offer up his Son.

It is in acts of Virtue and Obedience, as in acts of Sin and Vice; the more de­liberate the Sin is, and the more calm and sedate temper the Man is in when he commits it, the greater is the fault; whereas what is done by surprize, in the heat of Temptation or transport of Passi­on, hath some excuse from the suddainness and indeliberateness of it.

[Page 51] So is it in acts of Virtue and Obedi­ence, especially if they be attended with considerable difficulty, the more delibe­rately they are done, the more virtuous they are, and the greater praise is due to them.

Now that Abraham's Obedience might want nothing to highten it, God seems on purpose to have put so long a space betwixt the Command and the per­formance of it; he gives him time to cool upon it; to weigh the command, and to look on every side of this diffi­cult duty; he gives scope for his reason to argue and debate the case, and op­portunity for natural affection to play its part; and for flesh and blood to raise all its batteries against the resolu­tion which he had taken up.

And now we may easily imagin, what conflict this good Man had within him­self, during those three daies that he was travelling to the Mountain in Moriah; and how his heart was ready to be rent in pieces, betwixt his duty to God, and his affection to his Child; so that every step of this unwelcome and wearisome journey, he did as it were lay violent hands upon himself.

[Page 52] He was to offer up his Son but once, but he Sacrificed himself and his own Will every moment for three days together; and when he came thither, and all things were ready, the Altar, the Wood, and the Fire, and the Knife, it must needs be a stabbing Question, and wound him to the Heart, which his In­nocent Son so innocently askt him, Where is the Lamb, for a Burnt-Offer­ing?

It must be a strong Faith indeed, and a mighty Resolution, that could make him to hold out three days against the violent Assaults of his own Nature, and the charming Presence of his Son, e­nough to melt his Heart, as often as he cast his Eyes upon him; and yet nothing of all this, made him to stagger in his Duty, but being strong in Faith, he gave glory to God, by one of the most mira­culous acts of Obedience that ever was exacted from any of the Sons of Men.

III. In the Third and last place, I come to consider the Reasonableness of his Faith, in that he was able to give satisfacti­on to himself in so intricate and perplext a case. The constancy of Abraham's Faith, was not an obstinate and stubborn Per­suasion; [Page 53] but the result of the wisest reasoning, and soberest consideration.

So the Text says, that he counted (the word is [...] he Reasoned with himself) that God was able to raise him up from the Dead; so that he debated the matter with himself, and gave himself satisfaction, concern­ing the Objections and Difficulties in the case; and being fully satisfied that it was a Divine Command, he resolved to obey it.

As for the Objections I have menti­oned.

1. The horrid appearance of the thing, that a Father should Slay his In­nocent Son. Why should Abraham scruple the doing this, at the Command of God, who being the Author of Life, hath power over it, and may resume what he hath given, and take away the Life of any of his Creatures when he will, and make whom he pleaseth instru­ments in the execution of his Command?

It was indeed a hard case, consider­ing natural affection; and therefore God did not permit it to be executed.

But the question of God's Right over the lives of Men; and of his authority to command any Man to be the instru­ment [Page 54] of his pleasure in such a case, ad­mits of no dispute.

And the God hath planted strong af­fections in Parents towards their Chil­dren; yet he hath written no Law in any Man's heart, to the prejudice of his own Soverign Right: This is a case al­waies excepted, and this takes away the objection of Injustice.

2. As to the scandal of it, that could be no great objection in those times, when the absolute power of Parents over their Children was in it's full force, and they might put them to Death with­out being accountable for it.

So that then it was no such startling matter, to hear of a Father putting his Child to Death; nay, in much later times we find that in the most ancient Laws of the Romans (I mean those of the 12 Tables) Children are absolutely put in the power of their Parents, to whom is given, jus vitae & necis, a power of Life and Death over them; and like­wise to sell them for Slaves.

And tho amongst the Jews this pater­nal power was limited by the Law of Moses; and the judgment of Life and Death was taken out of the Fathers hands, except in case of Contumacy and [Page 55] Rebellion; (and even in that case the Pro­cess was to be before the Elders of the City) yet it is certain, that in elder times the paternal power was more absolute and unaccountable, which takes off much from the horror and scandal of the thing, as it appears now to us who have no such power.

And therefore we do not find in the History, that this Objection did much stick with Abraham: It being then no unusual thing for a Father to put his Child to Death, upon a just account.

And the Command of God, who hath absolute Dominion over the Lives of his Creatures, is certainly a just rea­son; and no Man can reasonably scruple the doing of that, upon the Command of God, which he might have done by his own Authority, without being ac­countable for the Action, to any but God only.

3. As to the Objection from the horrible consequence of the thing Commanded, that the Slaying of Isaac seemed to overthrow the Promise, which God had made before to Abraham, That in Isaac his Seed should be called: This seems to him to be the great difficul­ty, and here he makes use of Reason, [Page 56] to reconcile the seeming Contradiction of this Command of God, to his former Promise. So the Text tells us, that he offer­ed up his only begotten Son, of whom it was said, that in Isaac, shall thy Seed be called; Reasoning that God was able to raise him up from the Dead. So that tho' Isaac were put to Death, yet he saw how the Promise of God might still be made good by his being raised from the Dead, and living afterwards to have a numerous Posterity.

There had then indeed been no In­stance, or Example of any such thing in the World, as the Resurrection of one from the Dead, which makes Abra­ham's Faith the more wonderful, but he confirmed himself in this Belief, by an Example as near the case as might be. He Reasoned, that God was able to raise him from the Dead, from whence also he had received him in a Figure.

This I know is by Interpreters ge­nerally understood of Isaac's being de­livered from the Jaws of Death, when he was laid upon the Altar, and ready to be Slain. But the Text seems not to speak of what happend after, but of something that had passed before: By which Abraham confirmed himself in this [Page 57] peruasion, that if he were Slain, God would raise him up again.

And so the words [...] ought to be rendred, in the past time, from whence also he had received him, in a Figure. So that this Expression plainly refers to the miraculous Birth of Isaac, when his Parents were past the Age of having Children; which was little less than a Resurrection from the Dead.

And so the Scripture speaks of it. Rom. 4. 17. Abraham believed God, who quickeneth the Dead, and calleth the things which are not, as if they were, and not being weak in Faith, he consi­dered not his own Body which was Dead; and a little before the Text, (speaking of the miraculous Birth of Isaac) and therefore sprang there of one, and him as good as dead, as many as the Stars of Heaven.

From whence (as the Apostle tells us) Abraham Reasoned thus; That God who gave him Isaac at first, in so miraculous a manner, was able by another miracle to restore him to life again, after he was Dead, and to make him the Father of many Nations. He Reasoned, that God was able to raise him up from the Dead, from whence also he had received him in a Figure.

[Page 58] Thus you see the reasonableness of Abraham's Faith; he pitched upon the main difficulty in the Case, and he an­swered it, as well as was possible: And in his reasoning about this matter, he gives the utmost weight to every thing, that might tend to vindicate the Truth and faithfulness of God's Promise, and to make the Revelations of God con­sistent with one another; and this tho' he had a great Interest, and a very ten­der concernment of his own, to have biassed him.

For he might have argued with great appearance and probability the other way: But as every Pious and Good Man should do, he reasoned on God's side, and favour­ed that part. Rather than disobey a Com­mand of God, or believe that his promise should be frustrate, he will believe any thing that is credible and possible, how improbable soever. Thus far Faith will go, but no farther: From the believing of plain Contradictions and Impossibili­ties, it alwayes desires to be excused.

Thus much for explication of the Words; which I hope hath not been al­together unprofitable, because it tends to clear a point which hath something of difficulty and obscurity in it, and to [Page 59] vindicate the Holy Scripture, and the Divine Revelation therein contained, from one of the most specious Objecti­ons of Infidelity.

But I had a farther design in this Text; And that is to make some Observations and Inferences from it, that may be of use to us. As

First, That Humane Nature is capa­ble of clear and full satisfaction, con­cerning a Divine Revelation; for if Abraham had not been fully and past all doubt assured that this was a Com­mand from God, he would certainly have spared his Son. And nothing is more reasonable, than to believe that those to whom God is pleased to make immediate Revelations of his Will, are some way or other assured that they are Divine, otherwise they would be in vain, and to no purpose.

But how Men are assured concerning Divine Revelations made to them, is not so easy to make out to others: Only these two things we are sure of.

1. That God can work in the Mind of Man, a firm persuasion of the Truth of what he Reveals, and that such a Revelation is from him. This no Man can doubt of, that considers the [Page 50] great power and influence which God, who made us, and perfectly knows our Frame, must needs have upon our Minds and Understandings.

2. That God never offers any thing to any Man's belief, that plainly contradicts the Natural and Essential No­tions of his Mind. Because this would be for God to destroy his own Workmanship, and to impose that upon the understanding of Man, which whilst it remains what it is, it cannot possibly admit.

For instance, We cannot imagin, that God should Reveal to any Man any thing, that plainly contradicts the Essential Per­fections of the Divine Nature; for such a Revelation can no more be supposed to be from God, than a Revelation from God, that there is no God; which is a downright Contradiction.

Now to apply this to the Revelation, which God made to Abraham concern­ing the Sacrificing of his Son. This was made to him by an audible Voice, and he was fully satisfied by the Evidence which it carried along with it, that it was from God.

[Page 63] For this was not the first of many Revelations that had been made to him, so that he knew the manner of them, and had found by manifold experience, that he was not deceived, and upon this ex­perience, was grown to a great Confi­dence in the Truth and Goodness of God. And it is very probable, the first time God appeared to Abraham, because it was a new thing, that to make way for the credit of future Revelations, God did shew himself to him in so glo­rious a manner, as was abundantly to his Conviction.

And this St. Stephen does seem to in­timate Acts 7. 2. The God of glory ap­peared to our Father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia. Now by this glo­rious Appearance of God to him at first, he was so, prepared for the Enter­tainment of after Revelations, that he was not staggered even at this, concern­ing the Sacrificing of his Son, being both by the manner of it, and the assu­rance that accompanied it, fully satisfied that it was from God.

Secondly, I observe from hence the great and necessary use of Reason, in matters of Faith. For we see here that [Page 62] Abraham's Reason, was a mighty strength­ning and help to his Faith. Here were two Revelations made to Abraham, which seemed to clash with one another; and if Abraham's Reason could not have reconciled the Repugnancy of them, he could not possibly have believed them both to be from God; because this na­tural Notion, or Principle, that God cannot contradict himself, every Man does first, and more firmly believe, than any Revelation whatsoever.

Now Abraham's Reason relieved him in this strait; so the Text expresly tells us, that he reasoned with himself, that God was able to raise him from the Dead.

And this being admitted, the Com­mand of God, concerning the Slaying of Isaac, was very well consistent with his former Promise, That in Isaac his Seed should be called.

I know there hath a very rude cla­mour been raised by some persons, (but of more Zeal I think than Judg­ment) against the use of Reason in matters of Faith; but how very unrea­sonable this is, will appear to any one that will but have patience to consider these following particulars.

[Page 63] 1. The nature of Divine Revelation: That it doth not endow Men with new Faculties; but propoundeth new Objects to the Faculties, which they had before. Reason is the Faculty whereby Revelation is to be discerned; for when God reveals any thing to us, he reveals it to our Understanding, and by that we are to judge of it: Therefore St. John cautions us 1 Jo. 4. 1. Not to believe e­very spirit, but to try the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false pro­phets are gone out into the world: That is, there are many that falsly pretend to Inspiration; but how can these preten­ders be tryed and discerned from those that are truly inspired, but by using our Reason, in comparing the evidence for the one and the other?

2. This will farther appear, if we con­sider the nature of Faith. Faith (as we are now speaking of it) is an assent of the Mind to something as re­vealed by God: Now all assent must be grounded upon evidence, that is, no Man can believe any thing, unless he have, or thinks he hath some reason to do so. For to be confident of a thing without reason, is not Faith, but a pre­sumptuous persuasion, and obstinacy of mind.

[Page 64] 3. This will yet be more evident, if we consider the method, that must of ne­cessity be used to convince any Man of the truth of Religion. Suppose we had to deal with one that is a Stranger, and Enemy to Christianity, What means are proper to be used to gain him over to it? The most natural method surely were this, to acquaint him with the Holy Scriptures, which are the Rule of our Faith and Pra­ctice. He would ask us, why we believe that Book? The proper answer would be, because it is the Word of God; this he could not but acknowledge to be a very good reason, if it were true: But then he would ask, Why we believed it to be the Word of God, rather than M [...] ­homet' s Alchoran, which pretends no less to be of divine Inspiration.

If any Man now should answer, that he could give no reason why he believed it to be the word of God, only he believed it to be so, and so every man else ought to do, without enquiring after any further reason, because reason is to be laid a side in matters of Faith; would not the Man presently reply, that he had just as much reason as this comes to, to believe the Alchoran, or any thing else; that is none at all?

[Page 65] But certainly the better way would be, to satisfie this Man's reason, by proper arguments; that the Scriptures are a di­vine Revelation, and that no other Book in the world can with equal reason pre­tend to be so; and if this be a good way, then we do and must call in the assistance of reason for the proof of our Religion.

4. Let it be considered farther, that the highest commendations that are gi­ven in Scripture to any ones Faith, are given upon account of the reasonable­ness of it. Abraham's Faith is famous, and made a pattern to all generations, because he reasoned himself into it, not­withstanding the objections to the con­trary; and he did not blindly break through these objections, and wink hard at them, but he look'd them in the face, and gave himself reasonable satisfaction concerning them.

The Centurian's Faith is commended by our Saviour, Math. 8. 11. Because when his Servant was sick, he did not desire him to come to his house, but to speak the word only, and his Servant should be healed: For he reasoned thus, I am a man under authority, having Souldiers un­der me, and I say to this man go and he [Page 66] goeth, and to another come and he cometh; and to my Servant do this, and he doth it.

Now if he that was himself under au­thority, could thus command those that were under him; much more could he that had a divine Power and Commissi­on, do what he pleased by his word. And our Saviour is so far from repre­hending him for reasoning himself into this belief, that he admires his Faith so much the more for the reasonableness of it, v. 10. When Jesus heard this, he mar­velled, and said to them that followed him, verily, I say unto you, I have not found so great Faith, no not in Israel.

Inlike manner our Saviour commends the Woman of Canaan's Faith, because she enforc't it so reasonably. Matthew 15. 22. She sued to him to help her Daughter, but he answered her not a word; and when his Disciples could not prevail with him to mind her, yet still the prest him, saying, Lord help me; and when he repulsed her with this severe answer, It is not meet to take the Childrens bread and cast it to dogs, she made this quick and modest reply, truth Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their Masters Table. She acknowledgeth her own unworthiness, [Page 67] but yet believes his goodness to be such, that he will not utterly reject those who humbly seek to him; upon which he gives her this testimony, O woman great is thy faith.

The Apostles were divinely inspired, and yet the Bereans are commended, because they enquired and satisfied them­selves in the reasons of their belief, be­fore they assented to the doctrine which was delivered to them, even by Teach­ers that certainly were Infallible.

5. None are reproved in Scripture for their unbelief, but where sufficient reason and evidence was offered to them. The Is­raelites are generally blamed for their In­fidelity; but then it was after such mighty wonders had been wrought for their Conviction.

The Jews in our Saviours time, are not condemned simply for their unbe­lief, but for not believing when there was such clear evidence offered to them. So our Saviour himself says, If I had not done amongst them, the works which no other man did, they had not had sin.

Thomas indeed is blamed for the per­verseness of his unbelief, because he would believe nothing but what he him­self saw.

[Page 68] Lastly, To shew this yet more plain­ly, let us consider the great inconveni­ence, and absurdity of declining the use of Reason in matters of Religi­on: There can be no greater preju­dice to Religion, than to decline this tryal.

To say we have no Reason for our Re­ligion, is to say it is unreasonable. Indeed it is Reason enough for any Article of our Faith, that God hath revealed it, because this is one of the strongest and most co­gent reasons for the belief of any thing. But when we say God hath revealed any thing, we must be ready to prove it, or else we say nothing. If we turn off Reason here, we level the best Religion in the World with the wildest and most absurd Enthusiams.

And it does not alter the case much, to give Reason ill names, to call it blind, and carnal Reason. Our best reason is but very short and imperfect: But since it is no better, we must make use of it as it is, and make the best of it.

Before I pass from this Argument, I cannot but observe, that both the ex­tremes of those who differ from our Church, are generally great Declamers against the use of Reason in matters of [Page 69] Faith: If they find their account in it, 'tis well; for our parts we apprehend no man­ner of inconvenience, in having Reason on our side; nor need we to desire a bet­ter evidence, that any Man is in the wrong, than to hear him declare against Reason, and thereby to acknowledge that reason is against him. Men may vi­lifie Reason as much as they please; and tho being reviled she reviles not again, yet in a more still and gentle way, she commonly hath her full revenge upon all those that rail at her.

I have often wonder'd that people can with patience endure to hear their Teachers and Guides talk against Reason; and not only so, but they pay them the greater submission and veneration for it. One would think this but an odd way to gain authority over the minds of Men; but some skilful and designing men, have found by experience, that it is a very good way to recommend them to the ignorant, as Nurses use to endear themselves to Children, by perpetual noise and nonsense.

III. I observe, that God obligeth no Man to believe plain and evident Con­tradictions, as matters of Faith. Abraham could not reasonably have believed this [Page 70] second revelation to have been from God, if he had not found some way to reconcile it with the first. For tho a Man were never so much disposed to submit his Reason to divine Revelation; yet it is not possible for any Man to be­lieve God against God himself.

Some Men seem to think that they ob­lige God mightily, by believing plain contradictions. But the matter is quite otherwise. He that made Man a reasonable Creature, cannot take it kindly from any Man, to debase his workmanship, by making himself unreasonable. And therefore, as no service, or obedience; so no Faith is acceptable unto God, but what is reasonable; if it be not so, it may be confidence or presumption, but it is not Faith; for he that can believe plain contradictions, may believe any thing how absurd soever; because no­thing can be more absurd, than the be­lief of a plain contradiction; and he that can believe any thing, believes no­thing upon good grounds, because to him Truth and Falsehood are all one.

4. I observe that the great cause of the defect of Mens obedience is the weak­ness of their Faith. Did we believe the commands of God in the Gospel, and [Page 71] his promises and threatnings, as firmly as Abraham believed God in this case; what should we not be ready to do, or suffer in obedience to him?

If our Faith were but as strong and vigorous as his was, the effects of it would be as great and conspicuous; were we verily persuaded that all the Pre­cepts of our Religion are the express Laws of God, and that all the promises and threatnings of the Gospel will one day be verified and made good, What manner of persons should we be in all holy conversation and godliness? How would the lively thoughts of another world, raise us above the vanities of this present life; and set us out of the reach of the most powerful temptations that this world can assault us with­all; and make us to do all things with regard to Eternity, and to that solemn and dreadful account which we must one day make to God the Judge of all?

It is nothing but the want of a firm and steady belief of these things, that makes our Devotion so dead and heart­less, and our resolutions of doing bet­ter so weak and inconsistent. This it is, that makes us so easie a prey to eve­ry temptation; and the things of this [Page 72] world to look so much bigger than they are; the enjoyments of it more tempt­ing, and the evils of it more terrible than in truth they are. And in all dis­putes betwixt our Conscience and our Interest, to hold the balance so unequal­ly, and to put our foot upon the lighter Scale, that it may seem to weigh down the other.

In a word, in proportion to the strength or weakness of our Faith, our obedience to God will be more or less constant, uniform, and perfect; because Faith is the great source and spring of all the Virtues of a good life.

5. We have great reason to submit to the ordinary strokes of God's Provi­dence upon our selves, or near relati­ons, or any thing that is dear to us. Most of these are easily compared with Abraham's case; it requires a prodigious strength of Faith to perform so miracu­lous an act of obedience.

6. And lastly, We are utterly inex­cusable, if we disobey the easie Precepts of the Gospel. The yoke of Christ is easie, and his burden light, in comparison of God's former dispensations. This was a grievous Commandment which God gave to Abraham, to sacrifice his only Son: [Page 73] It was a hard saying indeed; and which of us could have been able to hear it?

But if God think fit to call us to the more difficult duties of self-denial, and suffering for his truth and righteousness sake, we must after the example of faith­ful Abraham, not think much to deny or part with any thing for him, no not life it self. But even this which is the hard­est part of Religion, is easier than what God put upon Abraham.

For it doth not offer near the vio­lence to nature, to lay down our life in a good cause, as it would do, to put a Child to death with our own hands. Besides the consideration of the extraor­dinary comfort and support, and the glo­rious rewards that are expresly promised to our obedience and self denial in such a case; encouragement enough to make a very difficult duty easie.

And whilst I am perswading you and my self to resolution and constancy in our Holy Religion, notwithstanding all hazards and hardships that may attend it, I have a just sense of the frailty of hu­mane nature, and of humane resolution: But with all, a most firm persuasion of the goodness of God, that he will not suffer those who sincerely love him and [Page 74] his Truth, to be tempted above what they are able.

I will add but one consideration more, to shew the difference betwixt Abra­ham's case and ours. God commanded him to do the hardest thing in the world, to sacrifice his only Son; but he hath given us an easie commandment; and that he might effectually oblige us to our duty, he hath done that for us which he required Abraham to do for him; he hath not spared his own Son, his only Son, but hath given him up to death for us all: And hereby we know that he loveth us, that he hath given his Son for us.

What God required of Abraham, he did not intend should be executed; but one great design of it was to be a Type and Figure of that immense love and kindness which he intended to all mankind, in the Sacrifice of his Son, as a propitiation for the sins of the whole world.

And as the most clear and express promise of the Messias was made to Abra­ham; so the most express and lively Type of the Messias that we meet with in all the old Testament, was Abraham's offer­ing up his Son. And as St. Hierom tells us (from an ancient and constant Tradi­tion [Page 75] of the Jews) the Mountain in Moriah, where Abraham was commanded to Sa­crifice Isaac, was Mount Calvary, where our Lord also was Crucified and offered up, that by this one sacrifice of himself once of­fered, he might perfect for ever them that are sanctified, and obtain eternal redemption for us.

Now to him that sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb that was slain, to God even our Father, and to our Lord Jesus Christ the first begotten from the dead; to the Prince of the Kings of the Earth; to him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood; to him be Glory and honour, thanksgiving and power, now and for ever. Amen.

THE Text sets before us a great pattern of self-denial; for our bet­ter understanding whereof, I will give a brief account of the History of Moses, [Page 78] to which our Apostle in this passage doth refer.

When Moses was born, his Parents (for fear of the cruel law which Pharaoh had made, That all the male Children of the Hebrews, so soon as they were born, should be put to death) after they had hid him three months, did at last expose him in an Ark of Bulrushes, upon the River Nile, and committed him to the providence of God, whom they despair'd to conceal any longer by their own care.

Pharaoh's Daughter coming by the River side, espied him, and had com­passion on him; and guessing him to be one of the Hebrew Children, called for an Hebrew Nurse, to take care of him, who, as the Prviodence of God had ordered it, proved to be the Childs own Mother. As he grew up, Pharaoh's Daughter took care of his Education in all Princely qualities, and adopted him for her Son; and Pharaoh(as Josephus tells us) being without Son, designed him Heir of his Kingdom.

Moses refused this great offer. But why did he refuse it, when it seem'd to be presented to him by the providence of God, and was brought about in so [Page 79] strange a manner, and when by this means he might probably have had it in his power to have eased the Israelites of their cruel bondage, and perhaps have had the oportunity of reducing that great Kingdom from the worship of Idols to the true God? Why would he refuse a Kingdom which was offered to him with so fair an oportu­nity of doing so much good?

That which seems to have prevailed with Moses, was this, That he could not accept the offer, without forsaking God, and renouncing his Religion; for con­sidering how strangely the Egyptians were addicted to Idolatry, he could never hope to be accepted for Heir of that Kingdom, unless he would violate his Conscience, either by abandoning or dissembling his Religion.

And how unlikely it was that he should prevail with them to change their Religion, he might easily judge by the example of Joseph, who tho he had so much authority and esteem amongst them, by having been so great a Bene­factor to their Nation; yet he could never move them in the least, in that matter.

[Page 80] Now seeing he had no hopes of attain­ing, or enjoying that dignity without sinning grievously against God, he would not purchase a Kingdom at so uncon­scionable a price. And as for the deli­verance of his people, he was content to trust the providence and promise of God for that; and in the mean time was resolved rather to take a part in the af­flictions of God's people, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.

From the words thus explained, I shall take occasion to consider these Four things.

I. Moses's self-denial, in preferring and choosing a state of afflicted piety, before any sinful enjoyments whatsoever; before the greatest earthly happiness and prosperity, when it was not to be at­tained and enjoyed upon other terms than of sinning against God.

II. I shall consider those circumstan­ces of this self-denial of Moses, which do very much commend and set off the virtue of it.

III. The prudence and reasonableness of this choice, in preferring a state of afflicted Piety and Virtue, before the greatest prosperity and pleasure of a sin­ful course.

[Page 79] IV. Supposing this choice to be rea­sonable, I shall inquire how it comes to pass that so many make another choice.

I. We will consider Moses his self-denial, in preferring a state of afflicted piety, before the greatest earthly happi­ness and prosperity, when it is not to be enjoyed upon other terms, than of sin­ing against God. He was adopted Heir of the Kingdom of Egypt, (one of the greatest and most flourishing Kingdoms then in the World;) But he could not hope to attain to this dignity, and to secure himself in the possession of it, upon other terms than of complying with that Nation, in their Idolatrous Religion and Worship.

Now being brought up in the belief of the true God, the God of Israel, by his Mother, to whom Pharaoh's Daugh­ter had committed him, he could not without great violence to his Consci­ence, and the principles of his Educa­tion, renounce the true God, and fall off to the Idolatry of the Egyptians: And for this reason he refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter, chusing rather to suffer affliction with the worshipers of the true God, than to [Page 80] have the temporary enjoyment of any thing that was not to be had without sin; for so the word ought to be ren­der'd, [...] than to have the temporary enjoyment of sin. So here was Moses his self-denial, that he chose rather to suffer affliction with the worshipers of the true God, than to gain a Kingdom, by the re­nouncing of God and Religion.

II. We will consider those circumstances of his self denial, which do very much commend and set off the virtue of it.

1. What it was he refused to be cal­led; the Son of Pharaoh' s Daughter; that is, to be Heir of one of the greatest and most flourishing Kingdoms in the world: a temptation so great, that the Devil himself could not find out one much greater, when he set upon the Son of God, to tempt him to fall down and worship him.

And when we consider for what in­considerable things some men sell their Religion and their Consciences, we shall think it no small temptation which Moses here resisted. Si violandum est jus, regnandi causâ violandum est; If a Man would do any unjust thing, and violate his Reli­gion and Conscience, he would not do [Page 81] it for less than a Kingdom; and it would be a very hard bargain, even upon those terms.

2. Consider not only what he refu­sed; but what he chose in the place of it; a state of great affliction and suffering. Had he refused a Kingdom, and chosen the quiet condition of a Subject of mid­dle rank (beneath envy and above contempt,) his self-denial had not been so great; nay perhaps he had made a wise choice, in the account of the wise­est men, in preferring a plentiful and quiet retirement, before the cares of a Crown, and the burthen of pub­lick Government.

But it is very rare to find a Man, that would choose rather to be opprest and persecuted; than to be a Prince, and to have the sweet power to use others as he pleased.

3. Consider how fair a prospect he had of enjoying this Kingdom, if he could but have come up to the terms of it. He did not reject it, because he despaired of attaining it: for he had all the right that a good title could give him, being adopted Heir to it; and yet he refused it.

[Page 82] To which I may add, that his breed­ing was such, as might easily kindle ambitious thoughts in him. He was brought up in Pharaoh's Court, and was the Darling and Favourite of it; exceed­ing beautiful (as Josephus tells us) and learned in all the wisdom of the Egypti­ans; than which no two qualities are more apt to puff up, and swell a Man with big thoughts of himself.

They that are bred in a low conditi­on, never think of a Kingdom; Men not being apt to aspire to things which are remote, and at a great distance from them. But nothing is more rare in persons of great and generous minds, than such a self-denial as this.

4. Let it be considered in the last place, that this was a deliberate choice, not any rash and sudain determination made by him, when he was of incompetent age to make a true judgment of things. And this the Apostle takes notice of in the Text, as a very memorable circum­stance, that when he was come to years, he refused to be called the Son of Phara­oh's Daughter. And St. Stephen tells us, that he was full forty years old when he made this choice, Acts 7. 23. When he was full forty years old, it came into his [Page 83] heart, to visit his brethren, the children of Israel. When he was of ripest judgment, and in the height of his prosperity, and reputation, he made this choice: for it is said in the verse before, that Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egypti­ans, and mighty in word and deed; that is, he was in great reputation for his Wisdom and Valour.

This seems to refer to other passages of his Life, which are not recorded in the Scripture History, but related at large by Josephus out of Historians ex­tant in his time. For he tells, that when the Ethiopians had invaded Egypt, and almost over-run it, that Pharaoh was directed by the Oracle at Memphis, to make Moses his General, who by his extraordinary Conduct and Courage overthrew the Ethiopians, and drave them out of Egypt.

This Moses did not think fit to re­late of himself; but St. Stephen seems to allude to it, when he says, that he was mighty in word and deed: And then it follows; and when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his bre­thren the children of Israel; that is, when he was at full maturity of judgment, and in the hight of his Prosperity, and [Page 84] Reputation, he quitted the Court of Egypt, and went to visit his afflicted Brethren, and chose rather to take part with them in their sufferings, than to accept those great offers that were made to him.

There is likewise another passage in Josephus concerning Moses, which seems to be a forerunner of the contempt which he shewed afterward of the Crown of Egypt; That when Moses was about three years old, Thermuthis, the Daughter of Pharaoh, brought the Child to him, who took him in his arms and put his Diadem upon his Head, But Moses took it off, and cast it to the ground, and trampled it under his feet. This was but a childish act, and they who saw it, would easily believe, that for all his childish contempt of it then, it it were put upon his Head in good earnest, when he came to be a Man, he would hold it on faster, and use it with more respect.

And it is not improbable, but that the Apostle might have some regard to this, when he says, that Moses when he came to Years; intimating that he did not only trample upon the Diadem of Pharaoh, when he was a Child; but [Page 85] when he was come to years, and was capable of judging better of those things, he refused to be called the Son of Pha­raoh's Daughter.

But before I proceed any farther, I cannot but take notice of an objecti­on, which may seem to reflect greatly upon the integrity of Moses. Can we think him so very conscientious a Man, who persuaded the people of Israel (and pretended God's direction in the case) to cheat the Egyptians of their Jewels, under a fraudulent pretence of borrowing them? There is some difficul­ty in the thing, as at first sight it appears: And yet I doubt not, with your favou­rable attention, and free from prejudice, to vindicate Moses clearly in this matter.

And I shall not insist upon that, which is commonly and truly said in this case; That God, who is the supream Lord of all things, may transfer the Rights of Men from one to another: because the objection doth not lye against God's Right to take away from any Man what he hath given him; but against the fraudulent manner of doing it, which seems unworthy of God to com­mand or encourage.

[Page 86] Now this matter I think is capable of another, and much clearer answer; which in short, is this, and grounded upon the History, as we find it related, Ex. 12. The Providence of God did, it seems, design by this way to make some re­paration to the Israelites, for the tyran­nical usage which they had received from the Egyptians: And that first (as the Text expresly tells us) in giving them favour with the Egyptians, who in truth, for their own ends, and to get rid of such troublesome Guests, were disposed to lend them any thing they had.

Thus far all is right. Here is nothing but fair borrowing and lending: And if the Israelites acquired a right to those things afterwards, there was then no ob­ligation to restitution.

Let us see then how the Providence of God brought this about: Namely, by permitting the Egyptians afterwards, with­out cause, and after leave given them to depart, to persue them, with a de­sign to have destroyed them; by which Hostility and Perfidiousness they plainly forfeited their Right to what they had only lent before. For this hostile attempt, which would have warranted the Isra­elites, [Page 87] to have spoiled them of their Jewels, if they had been in the posses­sion of the Egyptians, did certainly war­rant them to keep them when they had them; and by this means they became rightful possessors of what they had only by Loan before, and could not have detained without fraud and inju­stice, if this hostility of the Egyptians had not given them a new title and clear right to them.

But I proceed to the third thing I pro­posed, which was to vindicate the pru­dence and reasonableness of this choice. And in speaking to this, I shall abstract from the particular case of Moses, and shew in general, That it is a prudent and reasonable thing, to prefer even an affli­cted state of Piety and Virtue, before the greatest pleasures and prosperity of a sinful course: And this will appear, if we consider these two things.

1. The sufferings of good Men upon account of Religion, together with the the reward of them.

2. The temporary enjoyment of sin, with the mischiefs and inconveni­encies consequent upon them.

[Page 88] 1. The sufferings of good Men, up­on the account of Religion, together with the reward of them. This Moses had in his eye, when he made this choice; for therefore he chose to suffer Afflicti­on with the People of God, rather than to enjoy the Pleasures of sin, which are but for a Season, because he had re­spect to the recompence of reward: And tho he had but a very imperfect discovery, in comparison of the future state, yet it seems he had so much assurance of the goodness of God, as firmly to be­lieve that he should be no loser at the last, by any thing that he suffered for God and Religion. Indeed if there were no life after this, and we had no expectation beyond this world, the wis­est thing we could do, would be to en­joy as much of the present contentment of this world, as we could make our selves Masters of.

But if we be designed for immortality, and shall be unspeakably happy, or into­rably miserable in another world, accord­ing as we have demeaned our selves in this life; then certainly it is reasonable that we should take the greatest care of the longest duration, and be content to dis­pense with some present inconveniences, [Page 89] for an eternal felicity; and be willing to labour and take pains for a little while, that we may be happy forever. And this is accounted prudence in the account of the wisest Men, to part with a little in present, for a far greater future advantage.

But the disproportion betwixt Time and Eternity is so vast, that did we but firmly believe, that we shall live for ever, nothing in this world could reasonably be thought too good to part withall, or too grievous to suffer for the obtaining of a blessed Immortality. And upon this belief and persuasion of a migh­ty reward, beyond all their present suffer­ings, and that they should be infinite gainers at the last, the Primitive Chri­stians were kept from sinking under their present sufferings, and fortified against all that the malice and cruelty of the world could do unto them. And if we would consider all things together, and mind the invisible things of another world, as well as the things which are seen, we should easily discern that he who suffers for God and Religion, does not renounce his happiness, but put it out to Interest, upon terms of greatest ad­vantage; and does wisely consider his own best, and and most lasting interest. This is the First.

[Page 90] II. This will yet more evidently ap­pear, if we consider the temporary in­joyments of sin, together with the mis­chiefs and inconveniencies attending, and consequent upon them: That as to the nature of them, they are mixt, and imperfect; as to the duration of them, they are short, and but for a season; and as to the final issue and consquence of them, that they end in misery and sorrow.

1. As to the nature of them, all the pleasures and enjoyments of sin are mixt and imperfect. A wicked Man may make a shew of mirth and pleasure, but even in laughter his heart is sorrowful, and the end of that mirth is heaviness. There can be no true and sincere pleasure in any sinful and vitious course, tho it be attended with all the Pomp and Splendor of outward Happiness and Prosperity; for where ever sin and vice is, there must be guilt; and whereever guilt is, the mind will be restless and unquiet.

For there are two very troublesome and tormenting passions, which are na­turally consequent upon guilt; Shame and Fear. Shame, arising from the ap­prehension of the danger of being dis­covered; and Fear, from the apprehensi­on [Page 91] of the danger of being punisht: And these do continually haunt the sinner, and fill him with inward horror and confusion, in his most secret retirements. And if sin were attended with no o­ther trouble but the guilt of it, a wise Man would not commit it, if it were for no other reason, but meerly for the peace and quiet of his own mind.

2. The enjoyments of sin, as to the duration of them are but short. Upon this consideration, Moses set no great price and value upon them, but pre­ferred affliction and suffering in good company, and in a good cause, before the temporary enjoyments of sin.

If the enjoyments of this world were perfect in their nature, and had no mixture of trouble and sorrow in them: Yet this would be a great abatement of them, that they are of so short and un­certain a continuance. The pleasure of most sins expires with the act of them; and when that is done, the delight va­nisheth.

I cannot deny but there are se­veral worldly advantages to be purcha­sed by sin, which may perhaps be of a longer continuance; as Riches and Ho­nours, the common purchase of Cove­tousness [Page 92] and Ambition, and of that long train of inferiour Vices which attend up­on them, and minister unto them; but even these enjoyments are in their own nature of an uncertain continuance, and much more uncertain for be­ing purchased by indirect and ill means. But if the enjoyment of these things were sure to be of the same date with our lives, yet how short a duration is that compared with Eternity? make the utmust allowance to these things, that can be; yet we can but enjoy them whilst we are in this world. When we come into the world of spirits, it will signifie nothing to us to have been rich or great in this world. When we shall stand before that highest Tribunal, it will not avail us in the least to have been Princes, and great Men, and Judges on the Earth; the poorest Man that e­ver lived in this world, will then be up­on equal terms with the bigest of us all.

For all mankind shall then stand up­on a level, and those civil distinctions of rich and poor, of base and honoura­ble, which seem now so considerable, and make such a glaring difference a­mongst Men in this world, shall all then [Page 93] be laid aside, and moral differences shall only take place. All the distinctions which will then be made, will be be­twixt the good and the bad; the righ­teous and the wicked; and the diffe­rence betwixt a good and bad Man, will be really much greater than ever it seemed to be, betwixt the highest and meanest persons in this world.

And if this be so, why should we va­lue the enjoyments of sin at so high a rate, which at the best are only conside­rable (and that only in the imagination of vain Men) during our abode in this world, but bear no price at all in that Country where we must live for ever: Or if they did, we cannot carry them along with us. The guilt of them indeed will follow us with a vengance; the injustice and all the ill arts we have used for the getting or keeping of them, especially, if at once we have made Shipwreck of Faith and a good Conscience.

If we have changed our Religion, or which is much worse, if continuing in the profession of it, we have betrayed it, and the interest of it, for the gaining or securing of any of these things; we shall find to our sorrow, that tho the enjoyments of sin were but for a sea­son, [Page 94] the guilt of it will never leave us, nor forsake us, but will stick close to us, and make us miserable for ever. But this belongs to the

III. Thing I proposed to speak to, name­ly, The final issue, and consequence of a sinful course, which is misery and sor­row, many times in this world; but most certainly in the next.

1. In this world, the very best issue and consequence of a sinful course, that we can imagin, is Repentance: And even this hath a great deal of sensible pain and trouble in it; for it is ma­ny times (especially after great sins, and a long continuance in them,) accompanied with much regret and hor­ror; with deep and piercing sorrow; with dismal and despairing thoughts of God's mercy; and with fearful appre­hensions of his wrath and vengeance. So that if this were the worst conse­quence of sin (which indeed is the best) no Man that considers and cal­culates things wisely, would purchase the pleasure of any sin, at the price of so much anguish and sorrow, as a true and deep repentance will cost him; es­pecially, since a true repentance, does in many cases oblige Men to the restitution [Page 95] of that which hath been gained by sin, if it hath been got by the injury of an­other.

And this consideration quite takes a­way the pleasure and profit of an ill got­ten Estate. Better never to have had it, than to be obliged to refund it. A wise Man will forbear the most pleasant meats, if he know before-hand that they will make him deadly sick; and that he shall never be at ease, till he have brought them up again.

No Man that believes the threatnings of God, and the judgment of another world, would ever sin, but that he hopes to retrieve all again by repentance. But it is the greatest folly in the world to commit any sin upon this hope; for that is to please ones self for the present, in hopes to have more trouble afterwards than the pleasure comes to. But especially, no Man would be guilty of an act of inju­stice and oppression, in hopes to repent of it afterwards; because there can be no repentance for such sins without restitu­tion; and 'tis perfect madness for a Man to run the hazard of his Soul, to get an Estate, in hopes of restoring it again; for so he must do that truly repents of such a sin. But,

[Page 96] 2. In the other world, the final issue and consequence of all the pleasures of sin unrepented of, will certainly be mi­sery and sorrow. How quietly soever a sinner may pass through this world, or out of it, misery will certainly over­take him in the next, unspeakable and eternal misery, arising from an apprehen­sion of the greatest loss, and a sense of the sharpest pain; and those sadly ag­gravated by the remembrance of past pleasure, and the despair of future ease.

From a sad apprehension and melan­choly reflection upon his inestimable loss. In the other world; the sinner shall be eternally separated from God, who is the fountain of happiness. This is the first part of that miserable sentence which shall be past upon the wicked; depart from me.

Sinners are not now sensible of the joyes of Heaven, and the happiness of that state, and therefore are not capa­ble of estimating the greatness of such a loss: But this stupidity and insensible­ness of sinners, continues only during this present state, which affords Men variety of objects and pleasures, to di­vert and entertain them: But when they [Page 97] are once enter'd upon the other world, they will then have nothing else to take up their thoughts, but the sad conditi­on, into which by their own wilful neg­ligence and folly, they have plunged themselves. They shall then, lift up their eyes, and with the rich Man in the pa­rable, at once see the happiness of others, and feel their own misery and torment.

But this is not all. Besides the appre­hension of so great a loss, they shall be sensible of the sorest and sharpest pains; and how grievous those shall be, we may conjecture by what the Scripture says of them in general; That they are the effects of a mighty displeasure, of Anger and Omnipotence met together, far greater than can be described by any pains and sufferings which we are ac­quainted withall in this world: For who knows the power of Gods anger, and the utmost of what Omnipotent Justice can do to sinners? It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

One would think this were misery enough, and needed no frather aggra­vation; but yet it hath two terrible ones; from the remembrance of past pleasures, and the despair of any future ease and remedy.

[Page 98] The remembrance of past pleasure makes present sufferings more sharp and sensible. For as nothing commends plea­sure more, and gives a quicker relish to happiness, than precedent pain and suffer­ing: (for perhaps there is not a greater pleasure in the world, than in the suddain ease which a Man finds after a sharp fit of the Stone) so nothing enrageth affli­ction more, and sets a keener edg upon misery, than to pass into great pain im­mediately out of a state of ease and plea­sure. This was the stinging aggravation of the rich Man's torment, That in his life time he had received his good things, and had faired so deliciously every day.

But the greatest aggravation of all is, the despair of any future ease and re­medy. The duration of this misery, is set forth to us in Scripture, by such expressions as do signifie the longest and most interminable duration. Depart ye cursed, into everlasting fire, Matth. 25. and Mark 9. 43. Where the worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched. And in the Revel. it is said, that the wicked shall be tormented, day and night, for ever and ever; without intermission, and with­out end. And this surely is the perfe­ction of misery, for a Man to lye under [Page 99] the greatest torments, and to be in de­spair of ever finding the least ease.

Let us now compare things together: on the one hand, the sufferings of good Men, for a good Conscience, and the reward that follows them; and on the other hand, the enjoyments of sin, with the mischief and misery that attends them, and will certainly overtake them in this world, or the next: and then we shall easily discern which of these is to be preferred in a wise Man's choice.

And indeed the choice is so very plain, that a Man must be strangely forsaken of his reason, and blinded by sense, who does not prefer that course of life, which will probably make him happier in this world, but most certainly in the next.

There remains now only the Fourth and last particular to be spoken to; viz. Supposing this choice to be rea­sonable, to enquire whence it comes to pass, that so many make a quite contrary choice. How is it that the greatest part of mankind are so widely mistaken, as to pre­fer the temporary enjoyments of sin, before Conscience and Religion; especially, if it be attended with great afflictions and sufferings? And of this I shall give you [Page 100] as brief an account as I can, and so con­clude this Discourse.

This wrong choice, generally proceeds from one or both of these two causes; from want of Faith; or from want of consideration; or of both.

1. One great reason why Men make so imprudent a choice, is unbelief; either the want of Faith, or the weakness of it. Either Men do not believe the recompen­ces of another life, or they are not so firmly persuaded of the reality of them. If Men do not at all believe these things, there is no foundation for Religion; for he that cometh unto God (that is, he that thinks of being religious) must believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him, as the Apo­stle reasons in the beginning of this Chapter.

But I hope, there are but few that are, or can be Infidels, as to these great and fundamental principles of Religion. But it is to be feared, that the Faith of a great many, is but weak and wavering; their Faith is rather negative; they do not disbelieve these things, but they are not firmly persuaded of them; their Faith is rather an opinion, than a root­ed [Page 101] and well grounded persuasion; and therefore no wonder; if it be not so strong, and vigorous a principle of acti­on, and like the Faith of Abraham and Moses, and other worthies mentioned in this Chapter. For where Faith is in its full strength and vigour, it will have proportionable effects upon the resoluti­ons and wills of Men: But where it is but weak, it is of little or no efficacy. And this is the true reason, why so many forsake Religion, and cleave to this pre­sent world; and when it comes to the push, choose rather to sin, than to suf­fer; and will rather quit the truth, than endure persecution for it.

These are they, whom our Saviour describes, who receive receive the word with joy, and endure for a while; but when tribulation and persecution ariseth because of the word, presently they are offended: not that they did not believe the Word; but their Faith had taken no deep root, and therefore it withered. The weak­ness and wavering of Mens Faith, makes them unstable and inconstant in their course; because they are not of one mind, but divided betwixt two interests, that of this world, and the other; and [Page 102] the double minded man (as St. James tells us) is unstable in all his ways.

It is generally a true rule; so much wavering as we see in the actions and lives of Men, so much weakness there is in their Faith; and therefore he that would know what any Man firm­ly believes, let him attend to his actions more than to his professions.

If any Man live so, as no Man that heartily believes the Christian Religion can live, it is not credible that such a Man doth firmly believe the Christian Religion. He says he does; but there is a greater evidence in the case than words; there is Testimonium rei, the Man's actions are to the contrary, and they do best declare the inward sense of the Man. Did Men firmly believe, that there is a God that governs the world, and that he hath appointed a day, wherein he will judge it in righteousnes; and that all mankind shall shortly appear before him, and give an account of themselves, and all their actions to him; and that those who have kept the Faith and a good Conscience, and have lived soberly, and righteously, and godly in this present world, shall be unspeakably and eternally happy; [Page 103] but the fearful and unbelieving, those who out of fear or interest, have de­serted the Faith, or lived wicked lives, shall have their portion in the lake, which burns with fire and brimstone; I say, were Men firmly persuaded of these things, it is hardly credible that any Man should make a wrong choice, and forsake the ways of Truth and Righte­ousness, upon any temptation whatso­ever.

Faith, even in temporal matters, is a mighty principle of action, and will make Men to attempt and undergo strange and difficult things. The Faith of the Gospel ought to be much more operative and powerful; because the Objects of Hope and Fear, which it presents to us, are far greater, and more considerable, than any thing that this world can tempt or terri­fie us withall.

Would we but by Faith make present to our minds, the invisible things of an­other world; the happiness of Heaven, and the terrors of Hell, and were we as verily persuaded of them, as if they were in our view, how should we despise all the pleasures and terrors of this world! And with what ease should we resist and repel all those temptations, which would [Page 104] seduce us from our duty, or draw us into sin!

A firm and unshaken belief of these things, would effectually remove all those mountains of difficulty and discourage­ment, which Men fancy to themselves in the ways of Religion. To him that be­lieveth, all things are possible, and most things would be easie.

2. Another reason of this wrong choice, is want of consideration; for this would strengthen our Faith, and make it more vigorous and powerful: And indeed a Faith which is well rooted and establi­should doth suppose a wise and deep con­sideration of things; and the want of this is a great cause of the fatal miscarriage of Men; that they do not sit down and consider with themselves seriously, how much Religion is their interest, and how much it will cost them to be true to it, and to persevere in it to the end.

We suffer our selves to be governed by sense, and to be transported with present things; but do not consider our future and lasting interest, and the whole duration of an immortal Soul. And this is the reason, why so many men are hurried away by the present and sensible delights of this world; because they will not [Page 105] take time to think of what will be here­after.

For it is not to be imagined, but that the Man who hath seriously considered what sin is; the shortness of its pleasure, and the eternity of its punishment; should resolve to forsake sin, and to live a holy and virtuous life.

To conclude this whole Discourse. If Men did but seriously believe the great principles of Religion; the Being and the Providence of God; the immor­tality of their Souls; the glorious re­wards, and the dreadful punishments of another world; they could not possibly make so imprudent a choice, as we see a great part of mankind to do; they could not be induced to forsake God and Religion for any temporal interest and advantage; to renounce the favour of Heaven, and all their hopes of happiness in another world, for any thing that this world can afford, nay not for the whole world, if it were offered to them. For as our Saviour reasons in this very case of forsaking our Religion for any temporal interest, or consideration; what is a man profited if he gain the whole world, and lose his own Soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his Soul?

[Page 106] When ever any of us are tempted in this kind; let that solemn declaration of our Saviour and our Judge be conti­nually in our minds; he that confesseth me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven; but whosever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him shall the son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in the glory of his Father, with his holy Angels.

And we have great cause to thank God, to see so many in this day of try­al, and hour of temptation, to adhere with so much resolution and constancy to their Holy Religion, and to prefer the keeping of Faith, and a good Con­science, to all earthly considerations and advantages.

And this very thing, that so many hold their Religion so fast, and are so loth to part with it, gives great hopes that they intend to make good use of it, and to frame their lives according to the ho­ly rules and precepts of it; which alone can give us peace whilst we live, and comfort when we come to die; and af­ter death secure to us the possession of a happiness large as our wishes, and last­ing as our Souls.

[Page 107] To which, God of his Infinite Goodness bring us all, for his mercy's sake, in Je­sus Christ: To whom, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, be all Honour and Glory, World without end. Amen.

THE main Scope and design of this Epistle to the Hebrews, is to per­suade the Jews, who were newly con­verted to Christianity, to continue sted­fast in the profession of that Holy and Excellent Religion which they had em­braced; and not to be removed from it, either by the subtile insinuations of their Brethren the Jews, who pretended that they were in possession of the true ancient Religion, and the only true Church of God upon Earth; or by the terrour of [Page 110] Heathen persecution which was so hot against them at that time. And to this end the Author of this Epistle doth by great variety of arguments demonstrate the excellency of the Christian Religion a­bove the Jewish dispensation; and shews at large, that in all those respects upon which the Jews valued themselves and their Religion (as namely upon the ac­count of their Lawgiver, their High-Priests and their Sacrifices) the Christi­an Religion had every way the advan­tage of them.

And having made this clear, he con­cludes with an earnest exhortation to them to continue stedfast in the profes­sion of this excellent Religion, which was revealed to them by the Son of God, the true propitiatory Sacrifice, and the great High-Priest of their profession, and into which they had solemnly been initiated and admitted by Baptism; vers. 19, 20, 21, 22. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest, by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the vail, that is to say, his flesh; and having an high-priest over the house of God: Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assu­rance of faith, (that is, let us sincerly [Page 111] serve God with a firm persuasion of the Truth and Excellency of this Holy Religion, into the Profession whereof we were solemnly admitted by Baptism; for that is undoubted­ly the meaning of the following words; having our hearts sprink­led from an evil Conscience, and our bo­dies washt with pure water; the Water with which our Bodies are washt in Baptism, signifying our spiritual Re­generation, and the purging of our Consciences from dead Works, to serve the living God. From all which he concludes, Let us hold fast the pro­fession of our faith without wavering: This refers to that solemn Profession of Faith, which was made by all Chri­stians at their Baptism, and which is contained in the ancient Creed of the Christian Church, called by the an­cient Fathers, The Rule of Faith.

Let us hold fast, [...], let us firmly retain; the same with [...]. Chap. 4. 14. Seeing then we have a great high-priest which is pas­sed into the Heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us take fast hold of our profession. So here in the Text, the [Page 112] Apostle upon the same Consideration exhorts Christians to retain, or hold fast, [...], the Confession or Profession of their hope; that is, the Hope of the Resurrection of the Dead, and everlasting Life, which was the Conclusion of that Faith or Creed, whereof in Baptism they made a Solemn Profession. Let us hold fast the profession of our Faith or Hope without wavering; the word is [...], inflexible, unmoveable, stea­dy, and not apt to waver and be shaken by every Wind of contrary Doctrine, nor by the Blasts and Storms of Persecution. For he is faith­ful that hath promised. If we conti­nue faithful and steady to God, he will be faithful to make good all the Promises which he hath made to us.

In the words thus explained, there are Two things which I shall distinctly consider.

I. The Exhortation; Let us hold fast the profession of our Faith without wa­vering: And

II. The Argument or Encourage­ment used to en [...]ce it; He is faith­ful that promised. so I begin with the

[Page 113] I. The Exhortation, to be constant and steady in the Profession of the Christian Religion: Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering. In the handling of this, and that we may the better understand the true meaning of this Exhortation here in the Text, I shall do these two things.

1. I shall shew Negatively, where­in this Constancy and Steadiness in the Profession of the true Religion, does not consist. And here I shall re­move one or two things which are thought by some, to be inconsistent with Constancy and Steadfastness in Religion.

2. I shall shew Positively, what is implied in a Constant and Steady Profession of the true Religion.

1. I shall shew Negatively, what Con­stancy and Steadfastness in the Professi­on of the true Religion does not imply. And there are two things which are thought by some to be imply'd, in holding fast the profession of our faith without wavering.

1. That Men should not take the liberty to examine their Religion, and enquire into the Grounds and Reasons of it.

[Page 114] 2. That men should obstinately refuse to hear any Reasons that can be brought against the true Religion as they think, which they have once entertained.

1. That Men should not take the liberty to examine their Religion, and to enquire into the Grounds and Reasons of it. This I think is so far from being forbidden in this Ex­hortation; that on the contrary, I doubt not to make it appear, that a free and impartial Enquiry into the Grounds and Reasons of our Reli­gion, and a thorough Tryal and Exa­mination of them, is one of the best Means to confirm and establish us in the Profession of it: I mean, that all Persons that are capable of it, should do it. and that they will find great benefit and advantage by it. For I do not think that this is a Duty equally and indifferently in­cumbent upon all; nor indeed fit and proper for all Persons; because all are not equally capable of doing it. There are two sorts of Persons that are in a great measure incapable of doing it.

[Page 115] 1. Children.

2. Such grown Persons as are of a very mean and low capacity, and improvement of Understanding.

Children are not fit to examine, but only to learn and believe what is taught them by their Parents and Teachers: They are fit to have the fear of God, and the Principles of the true Religion instilled into them; but they are by no means fit to discern between a true and false Re­ligion, and to chuse for themselves, and to make a change of their Re­ligion; as hath of late been allow­ed to them in a Nation not far from us, and by publick Edict declared, that Children at Se­ven Years Old, are fit to chuse and to change their Religion: Which is the first Law I ever heard of, that allows Children of that Age to do any act for themselves, that is of Consequence and Importance to them, for the remaining part of their Lives, and which they shall stand obliged to perform and make good. They are indeed Baptized, according to the custome and usage of the Chri­stian [Page 116] Church, in their Infancy; but they do not enter into this Obliga­tion themselves; but their Sureties undertake for them, that when they come to Age, they shall take this Promise upon themselves, and con­firm and make it good. But sure­ly, they can do no Act for them­selves, and in their own Name, at that Age, which can be obligatory: They can neither make any Con­tracts that shall be valid, nor in­cur any Debt, nor oblige themselves by any Promise, nor chuse them­selves a Guardian, nor do any Act that may bring them under an In­convenience, when they shall come at Age. And can we think them of discretion sufficient at that time, to do a thing of the greatest Moment and Consequence of all other; and which will concern them to all Eter­nity; namely, to chuse their Reli­gion? There is indeed one Part of one Religion (which we all know) which Children at Seven Years of Age are fit (I do not say to judge of, but) to be as fond of, and to pra­ctise to as good purpose, as those of [Page 117] riper Years; and that is, to worship Images, to tell their Beads, to say their Prayers, and to be present at the Service of God in an un­known Tongue; and this they are more likely to chuse at that Age, than those who are of riper and more improv'd Understandings; and if they do not chuse it at that time, it is ten to one, they will not chuse it afterwards. I shall say no more of this, but that it is a very extraordinary Law, and such as perhaps was never thought of before, from the beginning of the World. Thus much for Children.

As for grown Persons, who are of a very low and mean capacity of Understanding, and either by reason of the weakness of their Fa­culties, or other Disadvantages which they lye under, are in little or no probability of improving themselves; These are always to be considered as in the condition of Children, and Learners, and therefore must of ne­cessity, in things which are not plain and obvious to the meanest Capacities, trust and rely upon the Judgment of others. And it is really [Page 118] much wiser and safer for them so to do, than to depend upon their own Judgments, and to lean to their own Understandings; and such Persons, if they be modest and humble, and pray earnestly to God for his Assi­stance and Direction, and are care­ful to practise what they know, and to live up to the best Light and Knowledge which they have, shall not miscarry, meerly for want of those farther degrees of Know­ledge which they had no Capaci­ty nor Opportunity to attain; be­cause their Ignorance is unavoid­able, and God will require no more of them than he hath given them, and will not call them to account for the improvement of those Ta­lents, which he never committed to them. And if they be led into any dangerous Error, by the negli­gence or ill conduct of those, under whose Care and Instruction the Pro­vidence of God permitted them to be placed, God will not impute it to them as a Fault: Because in the Circum­stances in which they were, they took the best and wisest course that they [Page 119] could, to come to the knowledge of the Truth, by being willing to learn what they could of those, whom they took to be wiser than them­selves.

But for such Persons, who by the maturity of their Age, and by the natural strength and clearness of their Understandings, or by the due exercise and improvement of them, are capable of enquiring into, and understanding the Grounds of their Religion, and discerning the diffe­rence betwixt Truth and Error (I do not mean in unnecessary Points and matters of deepest Learning and Spe­culation, but in matters necessary to Salvation) it is certainly very reasonable, that such Persons should examine their Religion, and under­stand the Reasons and Grounds of it.

And this must either be granted to be reasonable; or else every man must continue in that Religion in which he happens to be fixt by Edu­cation, or for any other Reason to [Page 120] pitch upon, when he comes to Years and makes his free Choice. For if this be a good Principle, that no Man is to examine his Religion, but take it as it is, and to believe it, and rest satisfied with it: Then every Man is to remain in the Religion which he first lights upon, whether by Choice or the Chance of his Education. For he ought not to change but upon Reason; and Reason he can have none, unless he be allowed to exa­mine his Religion and to compare it with others, that by the Compari­son he may discern which is best, and ought in reason to be preferred in his Choice. For to him that will not, or is not permitted to search into the Grounds of any Religion, all Religions are alike; as all things are of the same Colour, to him that is always kept in the dark, or if he happens to come into the Light, dares not open his Eyes, and make use of them to discern the different Co­lours of things.

But this is evidently and at first sight unreasonable; because at this [Page 121] rate, every Man that hath once en­tertained an Errour, and a false Re­ligion, must forever continue in it: For if he be not allowed to examine it, he can never have Reason to change; and to make a change with­out Reason, is certainly unreason­able, and mere Vanity and Incon­stancy.

And yet for ought I can see, this is the Principle which the Church of Rome doth with great Zeal and Earnestness inculcate upon their Peo­ple; discouraging all Doubts and In­quiries about their Religion, as Temptations of the Devil; and all Exa­minations of the Grounds and Rea­sons of their Religion, as an inclina­tion and dangerous step towards Heresie. For what else can they mean, by taking the Scriptures out of the hands of the People, and locking them up from them in an unknown Tongue; by requiring them abso­lutely to submit their Judgments, and to resign them up to that which they are pleased to call the Catho­lick Church, and Implicitly to be­lieve [Page 122] as She believes, tho they know not what that is? This is in Truth, to believe as their Priest tells them; for that is all the teaching Part of the Church, and all the Rule of Faith that the common People are acquainted with.

And it is not sufficient to say in this matter; that when Men are in the Truth, and of the right Religi­on, and in the Bosom of the true Church, they ought to rest satisfied, and to examine and enquire no far­ther: For this is manifestly unreason­able, and that upon these Three ac­counts.

1. Because this is a plain and shame­ful begging of the thing in Questi­on; and that which every Church, and every Religion doth almost with equal Confidence pretend to; That Theirs is the only right Religion, and the only true Church: And these Pretences are all alike reasonable to him that never examined the Grounds of any of them, nor hath compar'd them together. And therefore it [Page 123] is the vainest thing in the World, for the Church of Rome to pretend, that all Religions in the World ought to be examined, but Theirs; Be­cause Theirs, and none else, is the true Religion. For this which they say so confidently of it, That it is the true Religion, no Man can know till he have examined it, and searched in­to the Grounds of it, and hath considered the Objections which are against it: So that it is fond Par­tiality to say that, Their Religion is not to be examined by the people that profess it; but that all other Religions ought to be examined, or rather, because they are diffe­rent from That which they presume to be the only true Religion, ought to be condemned at all adventures, without any farther enquiry. This I say is fond Partiality; because eve­ry Religion and every Church may (for ought that appears to any man that is not permitted to examine things impartially) say the same for them­selves, and with as much Reason; and if so, then either every Religion ought to permit it self to be exa­mined; [Page 124] or else no man ought to examine his own Religion whatever it be; and consequently Jews and Turks, and Heathens, and Hereticks, ought all to continue as they are, and none of them to change; be­cause they cannot reasonably change, without examining both that Reli­gion which they leave, and that which they embrace instead of it.

2. Admitting this Pretence were true; that They are the true Church, and have the true Religion; This is so far from being a Reason why they should not permit it to be exami­ned, that on the contrary, it is one of the best Reasons in the World why they should allow it to be exa­mined, and why they may safely suffer it to be so. They should per­mit it to be tryed; that men may upon good Reason be satisfied, that it is the true Religion: And they may safely suffer it to be done; be­cause, if They be sure that the Grounds of their Religion be firm and good, I am sure, they will be never the worse for being examined and look'd [Page 125] into. But I appeal to every Man's Reason; whether it be not an ill Sign, that they are not so sure that the Grounds of their Religion are solid and firm, and such as will abide the Tryal; that they are so very loth to have them searcht into and exa­mined? This cannot but tempt a wise Man to suspect, that their Church is not founded upon a Rock; and that they themselves know something that is amiss in their Religion, which makes them so loth to have it try'd, and brought to the Touch.

3. It is certain among all Christi­ans, that the Doctrine preached by the Apostles was the true Faith of Christ; and yet they never forbad the Christians to examine whether it were so or not: Nay, on the con­trary, they frequently exhort them to try and examine their Religion, and whether that Doctrine which they had delivered to them was the true Faith of Christ. So St. Paul; 2 Corinth. 13. 5. Examine your selves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. And again, [Page 126] 1 Thes. 5. 21. Prove all things, hold fast that which is good intimat­ing to us, that in order to the hold­ing fast the Profession of our Faith, it is requisite to prove and try it. And so likewise St. John's Ep. 1. 4. 1. Beloved, believe not every Spirit; but try the Spirits whether, they are of God; because many false Prophets are gone out into the world. And he gives a very notable mark, whereby we may know the Spirit of Truth, and the Spirit of Error. The Spirit of Er­ror carries on a worldly Interest and Design; and the Doctrines of it tend to Secular Power and Great­ness; vers. 5. They are of the world; therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. Acts 17. 11. St. Luke commends it as an ar­gument of a more noble and gene­rous Spirit in the Beroeans; that they examined the Doctrine which the A­postles preacht, whether it were agree­able to the Scriptures; and this without Disparagement to their Infallibility; These, saith he, were more noble, than those of Thessalonica, in that they re­ceived the word with all readiness of [Page 127] mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so. They were ready to receive the Word; but not blindly, and with an im­plicit Faith; but using due Care to examine the Doctrines which they were taught, and to see if they were agreeable to that Divine Revelation of the Holy Scriptures, which they had before received. It seems they were not willing to admit and swal­low Contradictions in their Faith. And we desire no more of the Church of Rome, than that they would en­courage the people to search the Scriptures daily, and to examine whether their Doctrines be accor­ding to them. We would be glad to hear the Pope and a General Council commend to the People the searching of the Scriptures; and to try their Definitions of Faith and Decrees of Worship, by that Rule, to see whether what they have defined and decreed to be believed and practised, be agreeable to it; their Worship of Images; their solemn Invocation of Angels, and of the Blessed Virgin, and the Saints [Page 128] departed; the Sacrament under one kind only; the publick Prayers and Service of God in an unknown Tongue; the frequent Repetition of the Propitiatory Sacrifice of Christs Body and Blood in the Mass. Had the Beroeans been at the Council of Trent and pleaded their Right to search the Scriptures, whether these things were so; I doubt they would have been thought very trouble­some and impertinent, and would not have been praised by the Pope and Council for their pains, as they are by St. Luke.

You see then, upon the whole matter, that it is a very groundless and suspicious Pretence of the Church of Rome, that because They are In­fallibly in the right, and Theirs is the true Religion, therefore their people must not be permitted to exa­mine it. The Doctrine of the Apo­stles was undoubtedly the true Faith of Christ; and yet they not only permitted the people to examine it, but exhorted and encouraged them so to do, and commended them [Page 129] for it: And any Man that hath the Spirit of a Man, must abhor to submit to this Slavery, not to be allowed to examine his Religion, and to enquire freely into the Grounds and Reasons of it; and would break with any Church in the World upon this single Point; and would tell them plainly, if your Religion be too good to be Examined, I doubt it is too bad to be Believed.

If it be said, that the allowing of this Liberty is the way to make people perpetually doubting and un­settled: I do utterly deny this, and do on the contrary with good Rea­son affirm, that it is apt to have the contrary effect; There being in reason no better way to establish any man in the belief of any thing, than to let him see that there are very good Grounds and Reasons for what he believes; which no man can ever see, that is not permitted to examine whether there be such Rea­sons or not. So that besides the Reasonablness of the thing, it is of [Page 130] great benefit and advantage to us. And that upon these Accounts.

1. To arm us against Seducers. He that hath examined his Religion, and tryed the Grounds of it, is most able to maintain them, and make them good against all Assaults that may be made upon us, to move us from our Stedfastness: Whereas he that hath not examined, and con­sequently does not understand the Reasons of his Religion, is liable to be tossed to and fro, and to be carried about with every Wind of Doctrine, by the slight of Men, and the cunning Craftiness of those that lie in wait to deceive. For when he is attempted; he will either de­fend his Religion or not: If he undertake the Defence of it, before he hath examined the Grounds of it; he makes himself an easie Prey to every crafty man that will set upon him; he exposeth at once himself to Danger, and his Religi­on to Disgrace: If he decline the defence of it; he must be forced to [Page 131] take Sanctuary in that Ignorant and Obstinate Principle, that because he is of an Infallible Church, and sure that he is in the right, therefore he never did nor will examine whether he be so or not. But how is he, or can he be sure, that he is in the right; if he have no other Reason for it, but his Confidence, and his being wiser in his own conceit, than Seven men that can render a Reason? It is a shame­ful thing in a wise man, who is a­ble to give a good Reason of all o­ther Actions and parts of his Life, to be able to say nothing for his Religion, which concerns him more than all the rest.

2. To examine and understand the Grounds of our Religion, will be a good means (by the assistance of Gods Grace) to keep us constant to it, even under the fiery Tryal. When it comes to this, that a man must suffer for his Religion, he had need to be well established in the Be­lief of it; which no man can so well be, as he that in some good mea­sure understands the Grounds and [Page 132] Reasons of his Belief. A man would be well assured of the Truth and Goodness of that, for which he would lay down hīs Life; otherwise he dies as a Fool dies, he knows not for what. A man would be loth to set such a Seal to a Blank, I mean, to that which he hath no sufficient Ground and Reason to believe to be true; which, whether he hath or not, no man that hath not examined the Grounds of his Religion can be well assured of. This St. Peter prescribes, as the best Preparative for suffering for Righteousness sake, the 1st. Ep. of Peter, 3. 14, 15. But if ye suffer for righteousness sake, happy are ye; And be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled: But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts; (that is, make him the great Object of your Dread and Trust) and be ready always to give an answer to every man that ask­eth you a reason of the hope that is in you.

2. The holding fast the Professi­on of our Faith without wavering, doth not imply, that Men should [Page 133] obstinately refuse to hear any Rea­son against that Religion which they have embraced, and think to be the true Religion. As Men should ex­amine before they chuse; so after they have chosen, they should be rea­dy to be better informed, if better Reason can be offered. No Man ought to think himself so infallible, as to be priviledged from hearing Reason, and from having his Doctrines and Dictates tryed by that Test.

Our Blessed Saviour himself, the most Infallible Person that ever was in the World, and who declared the Truth which he had heard of God, yet He offered himself and his Do­ctrine to this Tryal. John 8. 46. Which of you convinceth me of sin? that is, of Falsehood and Error? And if I speak the truth, why do ye not believe me? He was sure he spake the Truth; and yet for all that, if they could convince him of Error and Mistake, he was ready to hear any Reason they could bring to that purpose. Though a Man be never so sure that he is in the true Reli­gion, [Page 134] and never so resolved to con­tinue constant and stedfast in it; yet Reason is always to be heard, when it is fairly offered. And as we ought always to be ready to give an Answer to those who ask a Rea­son of the Hope and Faith that is in us; so ought we likewise to be rea­dy to hear the Reasons which others do fairly offer against our Opinion and Persuasion in Religion, and to debate the matter with them; that if we be in the right, and they in the wrong, we may rectifie their Mi­stakes, and instruct them in meekness, if God peradventure may give them re­pentance to the acknowledgement of the truth.

We are not only to examine our Religion, before we peremptorily fix upon it; but after we are, as we think upon the best Reason, establisht and set­tled in it. Tho we ought not to doubt and waver in our Religion, upon every slight and trifling Objection that can be brought against it; yet we ought always to have an Ear open to hear Reason, and consider any thing of [Page 135] Weight and Moment that can be of­fered to us about it. For it is a great Disparagement to Truth, and argues a distrust of the Goodness of our Cause and Religion, to be afraid to hear what can be said against it: As if Truth were so weak, that in every Conflict it were in danger to be baf­fled, and run down, and go by the worst; and as if the Reasons that could be brought against it, were too hard for it, and not to be encoun­ter'd by those Forces which Truth has on its side.

We have that honest Confidence of the Goodness of our Cause and Reli­gion, that we do not fear what can be said against it: And therefore we do not forbid our people to examine the Objections of our Adversaries, and to read the best Books they can write against it. But the Church of Rome are so wise in their Generation, that they will not permit those of their Communion to hear or read what can be said against them: Nay, they will not permit the people the use of the [Page 136] Holy Scriptures, which they, with us, acknowledge to be at least an Essenti­al Part of the Rule of Faith. They tell their people, that after they are once of their Church and Religion, they ought not to hear any Reasons a­gainst it; and though they be never so strong, they ought not to enter­tain any doubt concerning it; because all doubting is a Temptation of the Devil, and a Mortal Sin. But surely that Church is not to be heard, which will not hear Reason; nor that Reli­gion to be much admired, which will not allow those that have once em­brac'd it, to hear it ever after deba­ted and examined. This is a very suspicious Business, and argues, that either they have not Truth on their side; or that Truth is a weak, and pitiful, and sneaking Thing, and not able to make its party good against Error.

I should now have proceeded in the Second place, to shew Positively what is implied in holding fast the Profession of our Faith without wa­vering; [Page 137] and then to have considered the Argument and Encouragement here­to, because he is faithful that pro­mised. But I shall proceed no farther at this time.

I Have already made entrance into these Words, which I told you do contain in them,

I. An Exhortation, to hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering.

II. An Argument or Encourage­ment thereto; because he is Faith­ful that promised. If we continue [Page 140] stedfast and faithful to God; we shall find him faithful to us, in making good all the Promises which he hath made to us; whether of Aid and Sup­port, or of Recompence and Reward of our Fidelity to him.

I have begun to handle the First part of the Text, viz. The Apoostles Exhor­tation to Christians to be constant and steady in their Religion: Let us hold fast the profession of our Faith with­out wavering. The Word [...] which we render, without wavering, signi­fies inflexible and unmovable, not apt to waver and to be shaken with every Wind of contrary Doctrine, nor by the Blasts and Storms of Per­secution. And that we might the bet­ter comprehend the full and true meaning of this Exhortation, I pro­pounded to do these Two things.

1. To shew Negatively, wherein this Constancy and Steadiness in the Profession of the true Religion doth not consist. And

2. To shew Positively, what is implied and intended here by the [Page 141] Apostle, in holding fast the Pro­fession of our Faith without wa­vering.

1. To shew Negatively, where­in this Constancy and the Steadi­ness in the Profession of the true Religion doth not consist. This I spake to the last Day; and shew­ed at large, that there are Two things which are not contained and in­tended in this Exhortation.

1. That Men should not have the Liberty to examine their Religi­on, and to enquire into the Grounds and Reasons of it. Such I mean as are capable of this examination and enquiry; which some, I shew­ed, are not; as Children, who while they are in that state, are only fit to learn and believe what is taught them by their Parents and Teachers: And likewise such grown Persons, as either by the natural Weakness of their Faculties, or by some great Disadvantage of Education, are of a very low and mean Capacity and Improvement of Un­derstanding. These are to be con­sidered [Page 142] as in the condition of Chil­dren and Learners; and therefore must of necessity trust and rely upon the Judgment of others.

2. This holding fast the Pro­fession of our Faith without wa­vering, does not imply; that when Men upon examination and enqui­ry are settled, as they think and verily believe in the true Religion, they should obstinately refuse to hear any Reason that can be offer'd againg them. Both these Principles I shew'd to be unreasonable, and Arguments of a bad Cause and Religion.

I shall now proceed to explain the meaning of this Exhortation, To hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering, by shewing in the

Second place, what it is that is impli­ed in the constant and steady Pro­fession of the true Faith and Re­ligion; namely, That when upon due search and examination, we [Page 143] are fully satisfied, that it is the true Religion which we have embraced, or as St. Peter expresses it, 1st Epistle, 5. 12. That this is the true Grace of God, wherein we stand; that then we should adhere sted­fastly to it, and hold it fast, and not suffer it to be wrested from us, nor our selves to be moved from it, by any Pretences, or Insinuations, or Temptations whatsoever. For there is a great deal of difference be­tween the Confidence and Stedfast­ness of an Ignorant Man, who hath never considered Things, and enqui­red into the Grounds of them; and the Assurance and Settlement of one, who hath been well instructed in his Religion, and hath taken pains to search and examine to the bot­tom, the Grounds and Reasons of what he holds, and professeth to believe. The first is meer Wilful­ness and Obstinacy. A Man hath entertained, and drank in such Prin­ciples of Religion by Education, or hath taken them up by Chance; but he hath no Reason for them; and [Page 144] yet however he came by them, he is resolved to hold them fast, and not to part with them. The other is the Resolution and Constancy of a Wise Man. He hath embraced his Religion upon good Grounds, and he sees no Reason to alter it; and therefore is resolved to stick to it, and to hold fast the Profession of it stedfastly to the end. And to this purpose there are many Exhorta­tions and Cautions scattered up and down the Writings of the holy Apostles; as that we should be sted­fast and unmoveable, established in the Truth, rooted and grounded in the Faith, and that we should hold fast that which is good, and not suffer our selves to be carried to and fro with e­very wind of Doctrine, through the slight of Men, and the cunning craf­tiness of those that lie in wait to deceive; that we should not be remov­ed from him that hath called us unto the grace of Christ, unto another Gos­pel; that we should stand fast in one Spirit and one Mind, striving together for the Faith of the Gospel, and be [Page 145] [...]n nothing terrifled by our Adversaries; and that, if occasion be, we should contend earnestly for the Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints; and here in the Text, That we should hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering. For the explaining of this, I shall do two Things:

1. Consider what it is that we are to hold fast; namely, the profession of our Faith; And,

2. How we are to hold it fast, or what is implied in holding fast the profession of our Faith, without wa­vering.

1. What it is that we are to hold fast; namely, the profession of our Faith; i. e. of the Christian Faith or Religion: For, I told you before, that this Profession or Confession of our Faith or Hope (as the word pro­perly signifies) is an Allusion to that Profession of Faith which was made by all those who were admitted Mem­bers of the Christian Church by Ba­ptism; [Page 146] of which the Apostle makes mention immediately before the Text, when he says, Let us draw near in full assurance of Faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience, and our bodies washed with pure Water: And then it follows, Let us hold fast the profession of our Faith without wa­vering. The Profession of Faith which we made in our Baptisms, and which by the Ancient Fathers is call'd the Rule of Faith, and which is now con­tain'd in that which we call the Apo­stles Creed, and which is called by St. Paul, Rom. 6. 17. the Form of Doctrine which was delivered to them; i. e. to all Christians; and 2 Tim. 1. 13. the Form of sound Words; Hold fast, saith he, the Form of sound Words, which thou hast heard of me, in Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus; and by St. Jude, The Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints.

So that it is the first and ancient Faith of the Christian Church, deli­vered to them by Christ and his A­postles, which we are here exhorted [Page 147] to hold fast; the necessary and fun­damental Articles of the Christian Faith; and by consequence all those Truths which have a necessary Con­nexion with those Articles, and are implied in them, and by plain Con­sequence are to be deduced from them. It is not the doubtful and un­certain Traditions of Men, nor the partial Dictates and Doctrines of any Church, since the Primitive Times, which are not contained in the Holy Scriptures and the Ancient Creeds of the Christian Church, but have been since declared and impo­sed upon the Christian World, though with never so confident a pretence of Antiquity in the Doctrines, and of Infallibility in the Proposers of them: These are no part of that Faith which we are either to profess or to hold fast; because we have no reason to admit the Pretences, by virtue where­of those Doctrines or Practices are imposed; being able to make it good, and having effectually done it, that those Doctrines are not of Primitive Antiquity; and that the [Page 148] Church which proposeth them, hath no more claim to Infallibility, than all other Parts of the Christian Church, which since the Apostles time is none at all.

In a word; No other Doctrines which are not sufficiently revealed in Scripture, either in express Terms, or by plain and necessary Consequence; nor any Rites of Worship, nor Mat­ters of Practice, which are not com­manded in Scripture, are to be e­steemed any part of that Faith in Re-Religion, the Profession whereof the Apostle here Commands all Christi­ans to hold fast without wavering; much less any Doctrines or Practices, which are repugnant to the Word of God, and to the Faith and Practice of the first Ages of Christianity; of which kind I shall have occasion in my following Discourse to instance in several Particulars. In the mean time I shall only observe, That that Faith and Religion which we profess, and which by God's Grace we have ever held fast, is that which hath been ac­knowledg'd [Page 149] by all Christian Chur­ches in all Ages, to have been the ancient Catholick and Apostolick Faith, and cannot (as to any part or tittle of it) be denied to be so, even by the Church of Rome her self.

I proceed to the

II ^d Thing which I proposed to con­sider; namely, how we are to hold fast the profession of our Faith, or what is implied by the Apostle in this Ex­hortation, To hold fast the profession of our Faith, without wavering. And I think these following Particulars may very well be supposed to be implied in it.

1. That we should hold fast the Profession of our Faith, against the Confidence of Men, without Scri­pture or Reason to support their Confidence.

2. And much more against the Confidence of Men, contrary to Scri­pture, [Page 150] and Reason, and the common Sense of Mankind.

3. Against all the Temptations and Terrours of the World.

4. Against all vain Promises of be­ing put into a safer Condition, and groundless Hopes of getting to Hea­ven upon easier terms in another Re­ligion.

5. Against all the cunning Arts and Insinuations of busie and disputing Men, whose Design it is to unhinge Men from their Religion, and to gain Proselytes to their own Party and Faction. I shall go over these with as much Clearness and Brevity as I can.

1. We should hold fast the Pro­fession of our Faith, against the Con­fidence of Men, without Scripture or Reason to support that Confidence. All Religion is either Natural or In­stituted. The Rule of Natural Reli­gion is the common Reason of Man­kind: [Page 151] The Rule of Instituted Religion is divine Revelation, or the Word of God; which all Christians before the Council of Trent did agree to be con­tained in the Holy Scriptures. So that nothing can pretend to be Religion, but what can be proved to be so, One or both of those ways; either by Scripture, or by Reason, or by both. And how confident soever Men may be of Opinions destitute of this Proof; any Man that understands the Grounds of Religion, will without any more ado reject them, for want of this proof; and notwithstanding any pre­tended Authority or Infallibility of the Church that imposeth them, will have no more Consideration and Re­gard of them, than of the confident Dictates and Assertions of any En­thusiast whatsoever; because there is no reason to have regard to any Man's Confidence, if the Arguments and Rea­sons which he brings, bear no propor­tion to it. We see in Experience that Confidence is generally ill grounded, and is a kind of Passion in the Under­standing, and is commonly made use [Page 152] of, like Fury and Force, to supply for the weakness and want of Argu­ment. If a Man can prove what he says by good Argument; there is no need of Confidence to back and sup­port it. We may at any time trust a plain and substantial Reason, and leave it to make its own way, and to bear out its self. But if the man's Rea­sons and Arguments be not good; his Confidence adds nothing of real Force to them, in the Opinion of Wise men, and tends only to its own Confusion. Arguments are like Powder, which will carry and do execution accord­ing to its true strength; and all the rest is but noise. And generally none are so much to be suspected of Er­rour, or a Design to deceive, as those that pretend most confidently to In­spiration and Infallibility: As we see in all sorts of Enthusiasts, who pre­tend to Inspiration, although we have nothing but their own word for it; for they work no Miracles. And all pretence to Inspiration and Infallibi­lity, without Miracle, whether it be in particular Persons, or in whole [Page 153] Churches, is Enthusiastical; i. e. a Pretence to Inspiration without any Proof of it.

And therefore St. Paul was not moved by the Boasting and Confi­dence of the false Apostles; because they gave no Proof and Evidence of their Divine Inspiration and Commis­sion, as he had done; for which he appeals to the Sense of Men, Whether he had not wrought great Miracles; which the false Apostles had not done, though they had the confi­dence to give out themselves to be Apostles as well as he; 2 Cor. 12. 11, 12. I am (says he) become a fool in glorying, ye have compelled me. And truly the signs of an Apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds. And Rev. 2. 2. Christ there commends the Church of Ephesus, because she had tried them, which said they were Apo­stles, but were not; and had found them liars. And as we are not to be­lieve every one that says he is an A­postle, so neither every one that pre­tends [Page 154] to be a Successor of the Apo­stles, and to be endued with the same Spirit of Infallibility that they were: For these also, when they are tried whether they be the Successors of the Apostles or not, may be found Liars, And therefore St. John cautions Chri­stians not to believe every spirit, (that is, every one that pretends to divine Inspiration and the Spirit of God,) but to try the Spirits, whether they be of God; because many false Prophets are gone out into the World, 1 Joh. 4. 1. And therefore the Confidence of Men in this kind ought not to move us, when their Pretence to Infallibility is destitute of the proper Proof and Evi­dence of it; which is a Power of Mi­racles; and when their Doctrines and Practices have neither the evi­dence of Reason or Scripture on their side.

For instance; That the Church of Rome is the Mother and Mistress of all Churches; which is one of the new Articles of Pope Pius the IVth's Creed; and yet there is not one syl­lable [Page 155] in Scripture tending to this pur­pose. And in Reason it cannot be, that any but that which was the First Chri­stian Church should be the Mother of all Churches; and that the Church of Rome certainly was not, and the Church of Jerusalem undoubtedly was.

And then that the Bishop of Rome, as Successor of St. Peter there, is the Supreme and Vniversal Pastor of Christ's Church by Divine appointment, as he assumes to himself; and that it is necessary to Salvation, for eve­ry humane Creature to be subject to the Bishop of Rome, as is declared in their Canon-Law by a Constitution of Pope Boniface the VIIIth, which Constitution is confirmed in the last Lateran Council; of all which there is not the least mention in Scripture, nor any divine Appointment to that purpose to be found there. And it is against Reason, that all the World should be obliged to trudge to Rome for the Decision of Causes and Dif­ferences, which in many and the [Page 156] most weighty Matters are reserved to the Decision of that See, and can be determin'd no-where else. And a­gainst Reason likewise it is to found this universal Supremacy in his being Suc­cessor of St. Peter; and to fix it in the Bishop of Rome, rather than at Antioch; when it is certain, and granted by themselves, that St. Pe­ter was first Bishop of Antioch, and out of all question that he was Bi­shop of Antioch; but not so, that he was Bishop of Rome.

Nor is there any thing in Scri­pture for the Deliverance of Souls out of Purgatory by the Prayers and Mas­ses of the Living. The whole Thing is groundless, and not agreeable to the constant Suppositions of Scri­pture concerning a future State. Nor is there any Reason for it, besides that which is not fit to be given, the Wealth and Profit which it brings in.

[Page 157] The Invocation and Worship of the Blessed Virgin, and of all the Saints departed, is destitute of all Scripture-warrant or Example, and confessed by themselves not to have been owned or practised in the Three first Ages of the Church, because it looked too like the Heathen Idola­try; which deserves to be well con­sidered by those, who pretend to de­rive their whole Religion from Christ and his Apostles by a continued and uninterrupted Succession. And this practice is likewise destitute of all colour of Reason; unless we be assu­red, that they hear our Prayers in all places; which we cannot be, un­less they be present in all places, which they themselves do not be­lieve; or that God doth some way or other reveal and make known to them the Prayers which are made to them, which we cannot possibly be assured of, but by some Revela­tion of God to that purpose; which we no-where find, nor doth the Church of Rome pretend to it.

[Page 158] But I proceed to the

2 ^d Thing; namely, That we should much more hold fast the Pro­fession of our Faith and Religion, a­gainst the Confidence of Men, con­trary to Scripture, and Reason, and the common Sense of Mankind. For these are the chief grounds of Cer­tainty, which we can have for or a­gainst any thing; and if these be clearly on our side, we ought not to be much moved by the Confi­dence of Men, concerning any Do­ctrines or Practices of Religion, which are plainly contrary to these. If in Points wherein we have this advantage on our side, we do not hold fast the Profession of our Religion; our Error and Fol­ly are capable of no excuse. And this advantage we plainly have in several Points and Con­troversies betwixt us and the Church of Rome.

[Page 159] As in the Worship of Images; which is as expresly and clearly forbidden in the Second Commandment, and that without any Distinction, as any other thing is forbidden in the whole Bi­ble. And that it is so forbidden in this Commandment, and that this Commandment is still in force a­mong Christians, was the Uni­versal Sense of the ancient Christian Church.

Prayers and the Service of God in an unknown Tongue are directly contrary to the very Nature and End of religious Worship, which ought to be a Reasonable Service; which it cannot be, if it be not directed by our Understandings, and accompa­nied with our Hearts and Affections. But if it be performed in an un­known Tongue, our Understanding can have no part in it; and if we do not understand it, it cannot move our Affections. And this likewise is plainly contrary to Scripture; name­ly, to a large Discourse of St. Paul's, [Page 160] almost throughout a whole Chapter, where he purp sely sets himself to shew the Unprofitableness and gross Absurdity of Praying or Celebra­ting any other Part of Religious Worship, in an unknown Tongue. If any part of Our Religion had been half so clearly condemned in Scri­pture, as this is, (which yet is the con­stant and general Practice of the Church of Rome) we must have lain down in our shame, and confusion would have covered us; and we must ei­ther have rejected the Authority of the Bible, or have renounced that Point of our Religion, what-ever it had been: Though it had been dear to us as our right Hand, and our right Eye; we must upon such plain Evi­dence of Scripture against it, have cut it off, and plucked it out, and cast it from us.

The like may be said of Locking up the Scriptures from the people in an unknown Tongue; contrary to the Command of the Scriptures them­selves, and to the great End and De­sign [Page 161] of Almighty God in the Wri­ting and Publishing of them; and contrary to the perpetual Exhorta­tions and Counsels of all the Ancient Fathers of the Christian Church for a great many Ages, not one except­ed. They are hardly more fre­quent, and copious, and earnest in any Argument; than in perswading People of all Ranks and Conditi­ons, to the constant and careful Rea­ing of the Holy Scriptures. And contrary to the Common Reason and Sense of Mankind. For what should Men be perswaded to be acquainted withal; if not with That which is the great Instrument of our Salvation? That Book which was written on purpose to reveal and convey to Men the Knowledge of God, and of his Will, and their Duty? What should Men be allowed to know; if not That which is the best and most effectual Means, to direct and bring them to Heaven, or turn them from Sin, and to preserve them from E­ternal Misery? When our Saviour would represent the best and most [Page 162] effectual Means of bringing Men to Happiness, and saving them from the Eternal Torments of Hell, in the Parable of the Rich Man and Laza­rus; He brings in Abraham, giving the best Advice he could to the Rich Man who was in Hell, concerning his Brethren that were upon Earth, how they might prevent their com­ing into that place of Torment; And he directs them to the Scri­ptures, as the best and most effectual Means to that purpose: They have (says he) Moses and the Prophets: Let them hear them.

Now if in the Church of God among the Jews, the same Course had been taken, that is now in the Church of Rome; the Rich Man might, and in all Reason ought to have replyed, Nay, Father Abraham; But they have not Mo­ses and the Prophets, nor are they permitted to Read them in a Lan­guage that they can understand; And therefore this Advice is of no Vse to them: And then he might with [Page 163] Reason have press'd him, as he did, that one might be sent to them from the Dead, to Testifie unto them. But it appears, that Abraham was ve­ry positive and peremptory in this Advice; and that he prefers the Knowledge of the Scriptures, to any other Way and Means, that could be thought of, and that if this had not its Effect to perswade Men to Repentance, and to preserve them from Hell, he did not know any thing else, that was so likely to do it: For he concludes, If they hear not Mo­ses and the Prophets; neither will they be perswaded the One rose from the Dead.

And this is the Conclusion of the Parable. Which plainly shews, what was the main Scope and De­sign of our Saviour in it; namely, to recommend to us the Use of the Holy Scriptures, as the best and most effectual Means, which the Wisdom of God hath provided for the Sal­vation of Mankind.

[Page 164] And now any Man would be apt to think, that the declared Judg­ment of our Saviour in the case, should go a great way, even with the most Infallible Church in the World. However, this we must say, that it is in truth a very hard case, to which the Church of Rome hath reduced Men; that it will neither al­low them Salvation out of their Church, nor the best and most ef­fectual Means of Salvation, when they are in it. I might say much more upon this Head; but this I hope may be sufficient.

The next Instance shall be in the Doctrine of Transubstantiation; which is contrary to the Scriptures; which after Consecration so frequently call, the Elements Bread and Wine; and which, without Reason or Necessity, puts an absurd and impossible Sense upon those words of our Saviour, This is my Body; which do no more prove Transubstantiation than those words, This Cup is the New Testament, [Page 165] do prove that the material Cup which was used in the Sacrament, was sub­stantially changed into the New Te­stament; And no more, than those Texts which affirm God to have Eyes, and Ears, and Hands, do prove that he really hath so. But besides the Contrariety of this Doctrine to Scripture, nothing can be more re­pugnant to Reason. It is so big with Contradictions, and so surfeit­ed of Impossibilities, that it would be Endless to reckon them up. And besides all this, it plainly con­tradicts the clear and constant Evi­dence of Four of our Five Senses; which whoever contradicts, under­mines the Foundation of all Cer­tainty.

And then the Communion in one kind is plainly contrary to our Sa­viour's Institution of the Sacrament in both kinds; as they themselves acknowledge. And therefore the Council of Constance being sensible of this, was forced to Decree it with an express Non obstante to the [Page 166] Institution of Christ, and the Pra­ctice of the Apostles and the Pri­mitive Church. And their Doctrine of Concomitancy (as if the Blood were in the Flesh, and together with it) will not help the matter: Because in the Sacrament Christ's Body is re­presented as broken, and pierced, and exhausted, and drain'd of its Blood; and his Blood is represented as shed and poured out; so that one Kind can by no means contain and exhibit both.

The next Instance is, the Repe­tition of Christ's Propitiatory Sacri­fice in the Mass, so often as That is celebrated: Against all Reason; be­cause the Sacrifice of Christ, once offered upon the Cross, was a full and perfect Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World; and therefore ought not, because it needs not, to be again repeated for that End, in any manner whatsoever. And it is direct­ly contrary to the main Scope of a great part of this Epistle to the Hebrews, which shews the Excel­lency [Page 167] of the Gospel above the Law in this respect, That the Expiatory Sacrifice of the Gospel was offered once for all; whereas the Sacrifices of the Law were perpetually re­peated. Chap. 7. 27. Speaking of Christ; who needs not daily, as those High-priests, to offer up Sacrifices; first for his own Sins, and then for the Peoples: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. Chap. 9. 26. But once in the End of the World hath he appeared, to take away Sin by the Sacrifice of himself: And as it is ap­pointed for all Men once to dye; so Christ was once offered to bear the Sins of many. And Chap. 10. 10. By the which Will we are sanctified, through the Offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all: And Verse the 12. But this Man, after he had offered one Sacrifice for Sins, for ever sat down on the right hand of God. And Verse the 14. For by one Offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. There cannot be plainer Texts for any thing in the Bible, than that this [Page 168] Propitiatory Sacrifice was never to be repeated.

And whereas they say, that the Sa­crifice of the Mass is an unbloody Sa­crifice: This, instead of bringing them off, doth but intangle the Matter more. For if Blood be of­fered in the Sacrifice of the Mass, how is it an unbloody Sacrifice? What can be more bloody than Blood? And if Blood be not of­fered; how is it Propitiatory? Since the Apostle lays it down for a Cer­tain Rule, That without shedding of Blood, there is no Remission of Sins: i. e. There can be no Propitiation for the Sins of the Living or the Dead, which the Church of Rome affirms there is.

I might have added one or two Instances more; and then should have proceeded to shew, in the Third place, That we are to hold fast the Profession of our Faith with­out wavering, against all the Tem­tations and Terrors of the World; [Page 169] which is more especially and prin­cipally here intended by the Apostle in this Exhortation.

But I shall proceed no farther at present.

IN these words, I have told you, are contained

I. An Exhortation, to hold fast the profession of our faith, or hope, without wavering.

II. An Argument or Encourage­ment thereto; because he is faithful that promised. I am yet upon the first [Page 172] of these; the Exhortation to Chri­stians, to be Constant and Steady in the Profession of their Religion; Let us hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering. And that we might the better comprehend the true and full meaning of this Ex­hortation, I shewed,

1. Negatively, what is not meant and intended by it. And I mentioned these two Particulars.

1. The Apostle doth not hereby intend, that those who are capable of enquiring into, and examining the Grounds of their Religion, should not have the Liberty to do it. Nor,

2. That when upon due Enqui­ry and Examination, Men are settled, as they think and verily believe, in the true Faith and Religion, they should obstinately refuse to hear any Reason that can be offered against their present Persuasion. Both these I shewed to be unreasonable, and [Page 173] Arguments of a bad Cause and Re­ligion: And therefore neither of them can be intended by the Apo­stle in this Exhortation.

2. I proceeded Positively to ex­plain the meaning of this Exhor­tation. And to this purpose I pro­posed,

1. To consider what it is, that we are to hold fast, viz. the Confession or Profession of our Faith. The an­tient Christian Faith, of which eve­ry Christian makes Profession in his Baptism: For of That the Apostle here speaks, as appears by the Con­text; not the doubtful and uncertain Traditions of Men, nor the imperi­ous Dictates and Doctrines of any Church, not contained in the Holy Scriptures, imposed upon the Chri­stian Church; tho with never so con­fident a pretence of the Antiquity of the Doctrines proposed, or of the Infallibility of the Proposers of them. And then I proceeded in the

[Page 174] 2. Place, to shew how we are to hold fast the profession of our faith with­out wavering. And I mentioned these following Particulars, as probably implied in the Apostles Exhortation.

1. That we should hold fast the Pro­fession of our Faith, against the Confi­dence of Men, without Scripture or Reason to support their Confidence.

2. And much more against the Con­fidence of Men, against Scripture and Reason, and the common Sense of Mankind.

3. Against all the Temptations and Terrours of the World.

4. Against all vain Promises of be­ing put into a safer condition, and groundless Hopes of getting to Hea­ven upon easier Terms, in another Re­ligion.

5. Against all the cunning Arts and Insinuations of busiy and disputing Men, whose design it is to unhinge Men [Page 175] from their Religion, and to gain Proselytes to their Party and Fa­ction.

1. We are to hold fast the Professi­on of our Faith, against the Con­fidence of Men, without Scripture or Reason to support their Confi­dence. And of this I gave several Instances. As in the Pretence of the Church of Rome to Infallibility, without any Proof or Evidence of it, either by Scripture or Miracles: I mean such Miracles, as are suf­ficiently attested. For as for their Legends, since the wisest among themselves give no credit to them, I hope, they do not expect that We should believe them, or be moved by them. And then their Pretence that the Church of Rome is the Mo­ther and Mistress of all Churches; which is now made an Article of their Creed. And that the Bishop of Rome, as Successor of Saint Peter there, is by Divine Appointment the Supream and Vniversal Pastor of Christs Church. And that it is [Page 176] necessary to Salvation, for every hu­mane Creature to be subject to him. And lastly, their Invocation and Wor­ship of the Blessed Virgin, and Saints departed; without any Warrant or Example of any such thing, either in Scripture, or in the practice of the first Ages of the Christian Re­ligion; and without sufficient Ground to believe that they hear the Prayers which are put up to them.

2. Much more are we to hold fast the Profession of our Faith, a­gainst the Confidence of Men, con­trary to Scripture and Reason and the common Sense of Mankind. And here I instanced in the Wor­ship of Images; the Locking up of the Scriptures from the People, and celebrating the publick Prayers and Ser­vice of God in an unknown Tongue; in their Doctrine of Transubstantiation; their Communion in one kind; and their daily repetition, in the Sacrifice of the Mass, of the Propitiatory Sa­crifice of Christ; which was offered once for all, and is of Eternal Vir­tue [Page 177] and Efficacy, and therefore ought not, because it needs not, like Jewish Sacrifices under the Law▪ to be re­peated.

To these Instances, which I have already spoken to, I shall add one or two more; as namely, That to the due Administration of the Sacra­ments, an Intention in the Minister at least to do what the Church does, is requisite. This is expresly defined, and under an Anathema upon all that shall say otherwise, by the Coun­cil of Trent, Sess. the Seventh, Can. 11th; which is to make the Validi­ty and Virtue of the Sacraments, to depend upon the Intention of the Priest or Minister. So that if in the Administration of Baptism, he do not intend to Baptize the Party he pre­tends to Baptize, then it is no Bap­tism; and consequently the Person Baptized is not made a Member of Christ's Church; nor is any Grace or special Benefit conferred upon him; nor is he a Christian. So like­wise in the Sacrament of the Lord's [Page 178] Supper, If the Priest do not intend to Consecrate the Host, then is it no Sacrament; and they that receive it, receive no benefit by it; and (which according to their Opinion is a dreadful Consequence) by the words of Consecration, there is no change made of the Elements into the Body and Blood of Christ; and consequently they that give Adora­tion to the Sacrament in such cases, Worship Bread and Wine, for God; which is Idolatry. And so likewise in their Sacrament of Penance, though the Priest pronounce the words of Ab­solution; yet if he do not intend to absolve the Penitent; though he be never so truly penitent, and God on his part is ready to forgive him; yet if the Priest do not intend to do so, there is nothing done, and the Man is still in his Sin. So likewise in Or­dination, (which is another of their Sacraments) if the Bishop do not intend to Ordain the Man; he is no Priest, and all that he does as a Priest afterwards, either in Administration of Baptism, or the Lords Supper, [Page 179] or the Absolution of Penitents, all is vain and of no effect. Nay, in Marriage, (which they will needs have to be a Sacrament too) if the Intention of the Priest be wanting; there is nothing done, the Contract is null'd, and they that are so Mar­ried do really live in Adultery; though they do not know it, nor have any suspicion of it.

Now this is contrary to Scripture and the whole Tenure of the Go­spel, which promiseth the benefit and efficacy of the Sacraments, to all those that perform the Conditions of the Covenant which are required on their parts, and declares forgiveness of Sins to those who confess them to God, and truly repent of them.

And there is not the least intima­tion given in the Bible, that the Virtue and Efficacy of the Sacraments does depend upon the Intention of him that administers them; or that the Forgiveness of sins is suspended upon the Intention or Absolution of [Page 180] the Priest; but only upon the sincere Resolution of the Penitent. And sure­ly nothing can be more absurd, and contrary to Reason, than that when Men have performed all the Condi­tions which the Gospel requires; yet they should notwithstanding this be deprived of all the Blessings and Benefits which God hath pro­mised, and intends to confer upon them; because the Priest hath not the same Intention. So that when a Man hath done all he can to work out his own Salvation, he shall be never the nearer; only for want of That which is wholly out of his Power; the right Intention of the Priest.

Besides, that after all their Boasts of the safe Condition of Men in Their Church, and the most certain and infallible means of Salvation to be had in it; this one Principle (that the Intention of the Priest is neces­sary to the Validity and Virtue of the Sacraments) puts the Salvation of Men upon the greatest Hazard [Page 181] and Uncertainty; and such as it is impossible for any Man either to discover or prevent, unless he had some certain way to know the Heart and Intention of the Priest. For upon these terms, who can know whether any Man be a Priest, and really ordained; or not? Nay, whether he be a Christian, and have been truly baptized; or not? and con­sequently whether any of his Admi­strations be valid, and we have any Benefit and Advantage by them? Be­cause all this depends upon the know­ledge of that, which we neither do nor can know.

So that when a Man hath con­scientiously done all that God re­quires of any Man, to make him capable of Salvation; yet without any Fault of his, the want of Inten­tion in an idle-minded Man may frustrate all: And though the Man have been baptized, and do truly believe the Gospel, and hath sincerely re­pented of his sins, and lived a most Holy Life; yet all this may signifie [Page 182] nothing, and after all he may be no Christian; because his Baptism was invalid: And all the Promises of God to the means of Salvation which his Goodness and Wisdom hath prescribed, may be of no Ef­ficacy; if the Priest do not intend in the Administration of the Sacraments to do that which God and the Church intend.

Now if this be true; there is cer­tainly no Church in the World, in which the Salvation of Men runs so many hazards; and yet all this ha­zard and uncertainty has its rise, from a Scholastical Point, which is dire­ctly contrary to all the Notions of Mankind concerning the Goodness of God, and to the clear Reason of the thing, and to the constant Tenor of the Gospel; and which was never asserted by any of the ancient Fathers; much less defined by any Council before that of Trent: So that it is a Doctrine new and needless, and in the necessary consequences of it un­reasonable and absurd to the utmost degree.

[Page 183] The last Instance I shall mention, is their Rule of Faith. The Rule of Faith universally received and ac­knowledged by the Christian Church in all Ages, before the Council of Trent, was the Word of God, con­tained in the Canonical Books of Holy Scripture; which were there­fore by the Church called Canoni­cal, because they were the Rule of Faith and Manners, of the Do­ctrines to be believed, and the Du­ties to be practised by all Christi­ans. But when the Errours and Cor­ruptions of the Romish Church were grown to the highth, and the Pope and his Council at Trent were resolved not to Retrench and Reform them, they saw it necessary to enlarge and leng­then out their Rule; because the ancient Rule of the Holy Scriptures would by no means reach several of the Doctrines and Practices of that Church, which they were resol­ved to maintain and make good by one means or other: As namely, the Doctrine of Transubstantiation; of Purgatory; and of the Seven Sacra­craments: [Page 184] and the practice of the Worship of Saints, and Images; of the Scriptures, and the Service of God in an unknown Tongue; of Indulgences; and the Communion in one kind: and seve­ral other superstitious Practices in use among them.

Now to enlarge their Rule to the best advantage for the Justification of these Doctrines and Practices, they took these two ways.

1. They have added to the Ca­nonical Books of the Old Testament which were received by the Jewish Church (to whom were committed the Oracles of God) I say to these they have added several Apocryphal Books, not warranted by Divine In­spiration, because they were written after Prophecy and Divine Inspirati­on was ceased in the Jewish Church; Malachi being the last of their Pro­phets, according to the general Tra­dition of that Church. But because the addition of these Books did not make a Rule of Faith and Practice [Page 185] large enough for their purpose; in imitation of the Jews, in the time of the greatest Confusion and De­generacy of that Church, they ad­ded in the

Second Place to their Books of Scripture, which they call the writ­ten Word, an unwritten Word which they call Oral Tradition from Christ and his Apostles; which they declare to be of equal Au­thority with the Holy Scriptures themselves; and that it ought to be received with the same Pious Vene­ration and Affection: Of which Traditions, They being the Keep­ers and Judges, they may extend them to what they please, and ha­ving them in their own Breasts, they may declare whatever they have a mind to, to have been a constant and universal Tradition of their Church; tho it is evident to common Sense, that nothing can be more uncertain, and more liable to Alteration and Mistake, than Tradition, at the distance of so ma­ny [Page 186] Ages, brought down by word of mouth, without writing, and passing through so many hands. He that can think these to be of equal Certainty and Authority with what is delivered by Writing, and brought down by Books, under­takes the defence of a strange Paradox. viz. That general Rumour and Report of Things said and done 1500 Years ago, is of equal Authority and Credit with a Record, and a written History.

By which proceeding of the Coun­cil of Trent concerning the Rule of Faith and Practice; it is very evi­dent, that they had no mind to bring their Faith to the Ancient Rule, the Holy Scriptures. That they knew could not be done; and therefore they were resolved to fit their Rule to their Faith. And this Foundation being laid in their first Decree, all the rest would afterwards go on very smoothly. For do but give Men the making of their Rule, and they can make [Page 187] good any thing by it. And accord­ingly the Council of Trent having thus fixt and fitted a Rule to their own purpose; in the Conclusion of that Decree, they give the World fair warning, upon what Grounds, and in what Ways they intend to proceed in their follow­ing Decrees of Practice, and Defini­tions of Faith. Omnes itaque intelli­gant, quo ordine & via ipsa Synodus post jactum fidei confessionis fundamen­tum sit progressura, &c. Be it known therefore to all men, in what Order and Way the Synod, after having laid this Foun­dation of the Confession of Faith, will proceed; and what Testimonies and Proofs she chiefly intends to make use of, for the Confirmation of Doctrines, and Reformation of Manners in the Church. And no doubt all Men do see very plainly, to what purpose this Foundation is laid of so large a Rule of Faith. And this being admitted, how easie is it for them to con­firm and prove whatever Doctrines and Practices they have a mind to establish?

[Page 188] But if this be a new, and another Foundation, than That which the Great Author and Founder of our Religion, hath laid and built his Church upon, ( viz.) the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles; it is no matter what they build upon it. And if they go about to prove any thing by the new parts of this Rule; by the Apocryphal Books which they have added to the ancient Canon of the Scriptures, brought down to us by the ge­neral Tradition of the Christian Church; and by their pretended unwritten Traditions: we do with Reason reject this kind of Proof, and desire them first to prove their Rule, before they pretend to prove any thing by it: For we protest a­gainst this Rule, as never declared and owned by the Christian Church, nor proceeded upon by the anci­ent Fathers of the Church, nor by any Council whatsoever, before the Council of Trent.

In vain then doth the Church of Rome vaunt it self of the Anti­quity [Page 189] of their Faith and Religion; when the very Foundation and Rule of it is but of Yesterday; a new thing, never before known or heard of in the Christian World: Whereas the Foundation and Rule of Our Religion is the Word of God, contained in the Holy Scri­ptures; to which Christians in all Ages have appealed, as the only Rule of Faith and Life.

I proceed now to the

3. Thing I proposed, viz. that we are to hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, against all the Temptations and Terrours of the World. And this seems more espe­cially and principally to be here intend­ed by the Apostle in this Exhorta­tion.

I shall first speak of the Tempta­tions of the World. And they are chiefly these Two; the Temptation of Fashion and Example: And of worldly Interest and Advantage.

[Page 190] 1. Of Fashion and Example. This in Truth and Reality is no strong Argument; and yet in Experience and Effect it is often found to be very powerful. It is frequently seen, that this hath many times too great an Influence upon weak and foolish Minds. Men are apt to be carried down with the Stream, and to follow a Multitude in that which is evil. But more especially Men are prone to be swayed by great Examples; and to bend themselves to such an Obsequiousness to their Superiours and Betters, that in compliance with them, they are ready not only to change their Affection to Persons and Things, as They do; but even their Judgment also; and that in the greatest and weightest Matters, even in Matters of Religion, and the great concernments of another World. But this surely is an Argument of a poor and mean Spirit, and of a weak Understanding, which leans upon the Judgment of another, and is in truth the lowest degree of Ser­vility, [Page 191] that a reasonable Creature can stoop to; and even beneath That of a Slave, who in the midst of his Chains and Fet­ters doth still retain the Freedom of his Mind and Judgment.

But I need not to urge this upon considerate Persons, who know bet­ter how to value their Duty and Obligation to God, than to be tempted to do any thing contrary thereto, meerly in compliance with Fashion and Example. There are some Things in Religion so very plain, that a wise and good Man would stand alone in the Belief and Practice of them, and not be moved in the least by the contra­ry Example of the whole World. It was a brave Resolution of Jo­shua; though all Men should for­sake the God of Israel, and run a­side to other Gods, yet he would not do it, Joshua 24. 15. If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord; chuse you this day whom you will serve: But as for me and my House, we will serve the Lord. It was well resolv'd [Page 192] of Peter, if he had not been too confident of his own Strength, when he said to our Saviour, Though all Men forsake thee, yet will not I.

2. Another sort of Temptation, and which is commonly more Pow­erful than Example, is worldly In­terest and Advantage. This is a mighty Bait to a great Part of Man­kind, and apt to work very strong­ly upon the Necessities of some, and upon the Covetousness and Ambition of others. Some Men are tempted by Necessity, which many times makes them do ugly and reproachful Things, and like Esau, for a Morsel of Meat to sell their Birth-right, and Blessing. Co­vetousness tempts others to be of that Religion which gives them the prospect of the greatest Earth­ly Advantage, either for the in­creasing or securing of their E­states. When they find that they cannot serve God and Mammon; they will forsake the one, and cleave [Page 193] to the other. This was one of the great Temptations to many in the Primitive Times, and a frequent Cause of Apostacy from the Faith; an eager Desire of Riches, and too great a Value for them; as St. Paul observes, 1 Tim. 6. 9, 10. But they that will be Rich, fall into Temptation and a Snare, and into many foolish and hurtful Lusts, which drown Men in Destruction and Perdition. For the Love of Money is the Root of all Evil; which while some have coveted after, they have erred, or been se­duced from the Faith, and pierced themselves through with many Sorrows. This was the Temptation which drew off Demas from his Religion; as St. Paul tells us, 2 Tim. 4. 10. Demas hath forsaken me, having lov­ed this present World.

Ambition, is likewise a great Temptation to proud and aspiring Minds, and makes many Men false to their Religion, when they find it a hinderance to their Prefer­ment; and they are easily perswa­ded, [Page 194] that That is the best Religion, which is attended with the greatest worldly Advantages, and will raise them to the highest Dignity. The Devil understood very well the Force of this Temptation, when he set upon our Saviour; and there­fore reserv'd it for the last Assault. He shewed him all the Kingdoms of the Earth, and the Glory of them; and said to him, All this will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and wor­ship me. And when he saw this would not prevail, he gave him over in despair, and left him. But though this be a very dazling Temptation; yet there are Consi­derations of that Weight to be set over-against it, from the Na­ture of Religion, and the infinite Concernment of it to our immor­tal Souls, as is sufficient to quench this fiery Dart of the Devil, and to put all the Temptations of this World out of Countenance, and to render all the Riches and Glo­ry of it, in comparison of the E­ternal Happiness and Misery of the [Page 195] other World but as the very small Dust upon the Balance. What Tempta­tion of this World can stand a­gainst that Argument of our Sa­viour, if it be seriously weighed and considered; What is a Man profited; if he gain the whole World, and lose his own Soul? or what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul? If we would consider Things impartially, and weigh them in a just and equal Balance; the Things which concern our Bodies, and this present Life, are of no Con­sideration, in comparison of the great and vast Concernments of our immortal Souls, and the hap­py or miserable Condition of our Bodies and Souls to all Eter­nity.

And Religion is a Matter of this vast Concernment; and therefore not to be bargained away and parted with by us for the great­est Things this World can offer. There is no greater Sign of a sor­did Spirit, than to put a high Va­lue [Page 196] upon Things of little Worth; and no greater Mark of Folly, than to make an unequal Bargain, to part with Things of greatest Price for a slender and trifling Consi­deration: As if a Man of great Fortune and Estate, should sell the Inheritance of it for a Picture; which when he hath it, will not perhaps yield so much as will main­tain him for one Year. The Folly is so much the greater, in Things of infinitely greater Value; as for a Man to quit God and Religion, to sell the Truth and his Soul, and to part with his Everlasting Inhe­ritance, for a convenient Service, for a good Customer, and some present Advantage in his Trade and Profession, or indeed for any Condition which the foolish Lan­guage of this World cal's a high Place, or a great Preferment. The Things which these Men part with upon these cheap Terms, God, and his Truth, and Religion, are to those who understand themselves, and the just Value of their Immor­tal [Page 197] Souls, Things of inestimable Worth, and not to be parted with by a considerate Man, for any Price that this World can bid. And those who are to be bought out of their Religion, upon such low Terms, and so easily parted from it, 'tis much to be feared that they have little or no Religion to hold fast.

2. As we are to hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wa­vering, against the Temptations and Allurements of this World; so like­wise against the Terrors of it.

Fear is a Passion of great force; and, if Men be not very resolute and constant, will be apt to stagger them, and to move them from their stedfastness. And therefore when the Case of Suffering and Perse­cution for the Truth happens, we had need to hold fast the Profession of our Faith. Our Saviour in the Parable of the Sower tells us, that there were many that heard the Word, and with joy received it: but when Per­secution [Page 198] and Tribulation arose because of the Word, presently they were of­fended.

And though, blessed be God, this be not now our Case; yet there was a Time when it was the general Case of Christians, in the first beginning of Christianity, and for several Ages after, though with some Intermission and Intervals of Ease. It was then a general Rule, and the common Expectation of Christians, That through many Tri­bulations they must enter into the Kingdom of God; and that if any Man will live Godly in Christ Jesus, he must suffer Persecution. And in several Ages since those Primitive Times, the sincere Professors of Re­ligion have, in divers places, been exposed to most grievous Suffer­ings and Persecutions for the Truth. And even at this day, in several Places, the faithful Servants of God are exercised with the sharpest and sorest Tryals that per­haps were ever heard of in any [Page 199] Age; and for the sake of God, and the constant Profession of his true Religion, are tormented and killed all the day long, and are accounted as Sheep for the slaughter. It is Their hard Lot to be called to these cruel and bitter Sufferings; and Our happy Opportunity to be call'd upon for their Relief; Those of them, I mean, that have escaped that terrible Storm and Tempest, and have taken Refuge and San­ctuary here among us, and out of His Majesty's great Humanity and Goodness are by his Publick Let­ters recommended to the Charity of the whole Nation, by the Name of Distressed Protestants.

Let us consider how much easier Our Lot and Our Duty is, than Theirs; as much as it is easier to com­passionate the Sufferings, and to re­lieve the Distresses of Others, than to be such Sufferers, and in such Distress Our Selves. Let us make Their Case our Own; and then we our selves will be the best Judges, how it is fit for us to demean our selves to­wards [Page 200] them, and to what degree we ought to extend our Charity and Compassion to them. Let us put on their Case and Circum­stances; and suppose that We were the Sufferers, and had fled to Them for Refuge: the same Pity and Commiseration, the same tender Regard and Consideration of our sad Case, the same liberal and effectual Relief that we should desire and expect, and be glad to have shewn and afforded to our selves; let us give to them; and then I am sure they will want no fitting Comfort and Support from us.

We enjoy (blessed be the Good­ness of God to us) great Peace and Plenty, and Freedom from E­vil and Suffering: And surely one of the best Means, to have these Blessings continued to us, and our Tranquility prolonged, is, to consider and relieve those who want the Blessings which we en­joy; and the readiest way to pro­voke [Page 201] God to deprive us of these Blessings, is, to shut up the Bow­els of our Compassion from our Distressed Brethren. God can ea­sily change the Scene, and make our Sufferings, if not in the same kind, yet in one kind or other equal to theirs; and then we shall remember the Afflictions of Joseph, and say as his Brethren did, when they fell into Trouble, We are ve­rily guilty concerning our Brother, in that we saw the anguish of his Soul when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this Distress come upon us.

God alone knows what Storms the Devil may yet raise in the World, before the End of it: And therefore it concerns all Chri­stians, in all Times and Places, who have taken upon them the Pro­fession of Christ's Religion, to con­sider well before-hand, and to calculate the Dangers and Suffe­rings it may expose them to, and to arm our selves with Resolution [Page 202] and Patience against the fiercest Assaults of Temptation; conside­ring the Shortness of all Tempo­ral Afflictions and Sufferings, in comparison of the Eternal and Glo­rious Reward of them; and the Lightness of them too, in compa­rison of the endless and intolera­ble Torments of another World; to which every Man exposeth him­self, who forsakes God, and re­nounceth his Truth, and wounds his Conscience, to avoid Temporal Sufferings.

And though Fear in many Ca­ses, especially if it be of Death and extream Suffering, be a great Ex­cuse for several Actions; because it may, Cadere in constantem virum, happen to a resolute Man: Yet in this case, of Renouncing our Religion (unless it be very sud­den and surprizing, out of which a Man recovers himself when he comes to himself (as St. Peter did) or the Suffering be so extream, as to put a Man besides himself for [Page 203] the time, so as to make him say or do any thing;) I say in this case of Renouncing God and his Truth, God will not admit Fear for a just excuse of our Apostacy; which, if it be unrepented of, (and the Scripture speaks of Repentance in that case as very difficult) will be our Ruin. And the Reason is; because God has given us such fair Warning of it, that we may be prepared for it, in the Resolution of our Minds: And we enter in­to Religion upon these Terms, with a professed Expectation of Suffe­ring, and a firm Purpose to lay down our Lives for the Truth, if God shall call us to it. If any Man will be my Disciple, says our Lord, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross and follow me: And again, He that loveth Life it self more than me, is not worthy of me: And if any Man be ashamed of me, and of my Words, in this unfaithful Generation, of him will I be ashamed before my Father and the Holy An­gels.

[Page 206] And therefore to master and subdue this Fear, our Saviour hath propounded great Objects of Ter­ror to us, and a Danger infinitely more to be dreaded, which every Man runs himself wilfully upon, who shall quit the Profession of his Religion, to avoid Temporal Sufferings; Luke 12. 4, 5. Fear not them that can kill the Body, but af­ter that have nothing that they can do: But I will tell you whom you shall fear. Fear him, who after he hath killed, can destroy both Body and Soul in Hell: Yea, I say unto you, Fear him. And to this dread­ful Hazard every Man exposeth himself, who, for the Fear of Men, ventures thus to offend God. These are the Fearful and Vnbelievers spoken of by St. John, Who shall have their Portion in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone, which is the second Death.

Thus you see how we are to hold fast the Profession of our Faith [Page 205] without wavering, against all Temp­tations and Terrors of this World. I should now have proceeded to the next Particular; namely, that we are to hold fast the Profession of our Faith, against all vain Promi­ses of being put into a safer Con­dition, and groundless Hopes of getting to Heaven upon easier Terms, in some other Church and Religion.

But this I shall not now enter upon.

IN these Words, I have told you, are contained these Two Parts:

I. An Exhortation, To hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering.

II. An Argument or Encouragement thereto; Because he is faithful that hath promised. I am yet upon the

First of these, the Exhortation to Christians, to be Constant and Steady in the Profession of their Religion; Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith with­out wavering. And that we might the [Page 210] better comprehend the true and full meaning of this Exhortation, I shew­ed,

I. Negatively, what is not meant and intended by it: And I mentioned these Two Particulars:

1. The Apostle doth not hereby in­tend, that those who are capable of en­quiring into, and examining the Grounds and Reasons of their Religion, should not have the liberty to do it. Nor,

2. That when upon due Enquiry and Examination, Men are settled, as they think and verily believe, in the True Faith and Religion; they should obsti­nately refuse to hear any Reason that can be offered against their present Per­suasion; for Reason when it is fairly offered is always to be heard. I pro­ceeded in the

Second Place, Positively to explain the Meaning of this Exhortation: And to this purpose I proposed to consider,

1. What it is that we are to hold fast; viz. the Confession or Profession of our Faith: The Ancient Christian Faith which every Christian makes Pro­fession of in his Baptism; Not the Doubt­ful and Uncertain Traditions of Men, nor the Imperious Dictates and Do­ctrines [Page 211] of any Church (which are not contained in the Holy Scriptures) im­posed upon the Christian World, though with never so confident a Pretence of the Antiquity of the Doctrines, or of the Infallibility of the Proposers of them. And then I proceded, in the

Second Place, to shew how we are to hold fast the Profession of our Faith with­out wavering: And I mentioned these following Particulars, as probably im­plied and comprehended in the Apostles Exhortation.

1. That we should hold fast the Pro­fession of our Faith, against the Confidence of Men, without Scripture or Reason to support that Confidence.

2. And much more against the Confi­dence of Men, contrary to plain Scripture, and Reason, and the common Sense of Mankind; under both which Heads I gave several Instances of Doctrines and Practices imposed with great Confi­dence upon the World, some without, and others plainly against Scripture, and Reason, and the common Sense of Mankind.

3. Against all the Temptations and and Terrours of the World; the Temp­tations of Fashion and Example, and of [Page 212] worldly Interest and Advantage; and against the Terrours of Persecution and Suffering for the Truth. Thus far I have gone. I shall now proceed to the Two other Particulars which remain to be spoken to.

4. We are to hold fast the profession of our Faith, against all vain Promises of being put into a safer Condition, and groundless Hopes of getting to Hea­ven upon easier Terms, in some other Church and Religion. God hath plain­ly declared to us in the holy Scriptures, upon what Terms and Conditions we may obtain Eternal Life and Happiness, and what will certainly exclude us from it; That except we repent, (i. e.) without true Contrition for our Sins, and for­saking of them, we shall perish: That with­out Holiness no man shall see the Lord: That no Fornicator, or Adulterer, or Idolater, or Covetous Person, nor any one that lives in the practice of such sins, shall have any In­heritance in the Kingdom of God or Christ. There is as great and unpassable a Gulf fixt between Heaven and a wicked Man; as there is betwixt Heaven and Hell. And when Men have done all they can to debauch and corrupt the Christian Doctrine, it is impossible to reconcile a [Page 213] wicked Life with any reasonable and well-grounded Hopes of Happiness in another World. No Church hath that Priviledge, to save a Man upon any other Terms, than those which our Blessed Saviour hath declared in his holy Go­spel. All Religions are equal in this; That a bad Man can be Saved in none of them.

The Church of Rome pretends their Church and Religion to be the only safe and sure way to Salvation; and yet, if their Doctrine be true, concerning the Intention of the Priest, (and if it be not, they are much to blame in making it an Article of their Faith) I say, if it be true, that the Intention of the Priest is necessary to the Validity and Virtue of the Sacraments; then there is no Re­ligion in the World, that runs the Sal­vation of Men upon more and greater Hazards and Uncertainties, and such as by no Care and Diligence of Man in working out his own Salvation, are to be avoided and prevented.

As for the easier Terms of Salvation which they offer to Men, they signifie nothing, if they be not able to make them good; which no Man can reason­ably believe they can do, that hath read [Page 214] the Bible, and doth in any good measure understand the Nature of God, and the Design of Religion. For Instance; That after the long Course of a most lewd and flagitious Life, a Man may be reconciled to God, and have his Sins forgiven at the last Gasp, upon Confession of them to the Priest, with that imperfect degree of Contrition for them, which they call Attrition, together with the Absolution of the Priest.

Now Attrition is a Trouble for Sin, meerly for fear of the Punishment of it. And this, together with Confession, and the Absolution of the Priest, without any Hatred of Sin for the Evil and Con­trariety of it to the holy Nature and Law of God, and without the least Spark of Love to God, will do the Sin­ner's business, and put him into a state of Grace and Salvation, without any other Grace or Disposition for Salvation, but only the Fear of Hell and Damna­tion. This, I confess, is easie; but the great Difficulty is, to believe it to be true. And certainly, no man that ever seriously considered the Nature of God and Religion, can ever be persuaded to build the Hopes of his Salvation upon such a Quick-sand. The Absolution of [Page 215] all the Priests in the World will not pro­cure the Forgiveness of God for any Man, that is not disposed for his Mercy by such a Repentance as the Gospel re­quires; which I am sure is very differ­ent from that which is required by the Council of Trent.

They that offer Heaven to Men up­on so very large and loose Terms, give great Cause to suspect, that they will never make good their Offer; the Terms are so unreasonably cheap and easie, that there must be some Fraud and False Dealing. And on the other hand, nothing ought to recommend our Reli­gion more to a wise and considerate Man; than that the Terms of Salvation which we propose to Men, viz. Faith, and Repentance, and a sincere Obedi­ence to the Precepts of the Gospel, ma­nifested in the Tenure of a Holy and Virtuous Life, are not only perfectly agreeable to the plain and constant De­claration of Holy Scripture; but do likewise naturally tend to engage Men most effectually to a good Life, and thereby to make them meet to be made partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light. And therefore every body ought to be afraid of a Religion, which makes [Page 216] such lavish Offers of Salvation, and to take heed how he ventures his Soul up­on them. For if, after all the Hopes that are given of Salvation upon such and such Terms, the Sinner do really miscarry and miss of Heaven; it is but very ill Comfort to him, to be put into a Fools Paradise, for a Minute or two be­fore he leaves the World, and the next Moment after to find himself in the place of Torments. I proceed to the

5. And Last Particular I mentioned, as implied in the Exhortation here in the Text, viz. That we hold fast the professi­on of our Faith without wavering, against all the cunning Arts and Insinuations of busie and disputing Men, whose Design it is to unhinge Men from their Religi­on, and to gain Proselytes to their Party and Faction. To this purpose there are several Cautions given by our Blessed Saviour and his Apostles. Matth. 24. 4. Take heed that no man deceive you; for ma­ny shall come in my Name, and shall deceive many. Eph. 4. 14. That ye henceforth be no more Children, tossed to and fro, and car­ried about with every Wind of Doctrine, by the slight of men: [...] (the Word signifies the Cunning of Gamesters at Dice;) by the slight of Men, and the [Page 217] cunning Craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive. And Chap. 5. 6. Let no man deceive you with vain Words. Col. 2. 8. Beware lest any man spoil you through Phi­losophy and vain Deceit; that is, by So­phistry and vain Reasoning, under a pretence of Philosophy. Heb. 13. 9. Be not carried about with divers and strange Doctrines. 2 Pet. 3. 17. Beware lest you also, being led away with the Error of the Wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. And this Caution is enforc'd by an express Prediction of a great Apostasie which should happen in the Christian Church, by which many should be se­duced, by pretence of Miracles, and by several Arts of Deceit and Falshood. This Apostasie St. Paul expresly foretels, 2 Thess. 2. 1, 2, 3. We beseech you, Bre­thren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by Spirit (that is, by pretence to Inspiration) nor by Word (or Message) nor by Letter as from us, as that the Day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means; for that Day shall not come, except there come a falling away, and that Man of Sin be re­vealed, the Son of Perdition. And after a particular Description of him, he adds, [Page 218] v. 9. Whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all Power, and Signs, and lying Wonders, and in all deceitfulness of Vn­righteousness in them that perish. From all which he concludes, v. 15. Therefore, Brethren, stand fast.

The particular nature and kind of this Apostasie the same Apostle describes more fully, 1 Tim 4. 1, 2, 3. Now the Spirit speaketh expresly, that in the latter times some shall apostatize from the Faith, giving heed to seducing Spirits and Do­ctrines of Devils, speaking Lies in Hypo­crisie, (i. e. under a great Pretence of Sanctity, spreading their pernicious Er­rours) forbidding to marry, and command­ing to abstain from meats. This is a very lively and pat Description of that great Apostasie in the Christian Church, which began in the Western Part of it, and hath spread it self far and wide. For there the Spirit of Error and Fals­hood has prevailed, under an Hypocri­tical Pretence of their being the only True Church and True Christians in the World: There Marriage, and several sorts of Meat, are forbidden to several Ranks and Orders of Men. All the Difficulty is, what is here meant by Doctrines of Devils; and these certainly [Page 219] can be no other than Doctrines tending to Idolatry, which the Scripture every where doth in a particular manner ascribe to the Devil, as the Inventer and great Promoter of it. And this is very much confirmed by what we find added in some ancient Greek Copies in this Text, which runs thus: In the latter times some shall apostatize from the Faith; for they shall worship the Dead, as some also in Israel worshiped. And then it follows, giving heed to seducing Spirits, and Do­ctrines of Devils. So that the particular kind of Idolatry, into which some part of the Christian Church should aposta­tize, is here pointed at: That they should worship Souls departed, or the Spirits of dead Men; which was part of the Heathen Idolatry, into which the People of Israel did frequently relapse. So that the Spirit of God doth here fore­tel such an Apostasie in some part of the Christian Church as the People of Israel were guilty of, in falling into the Hea­then Idolatry. They shall be Worshipers of the Dead, as the Israelites also were.

And this is the great and dangerous Seduction which the Christians are so much cautioned against in the New Te­stament, and charged to hold fast the [Page 220] profession of the Faith against the cunning Arts and Insinuations of seducing Spi­rits; not but (as I said before) that we are always to have an Ear open to Rea­son, and to be ready to hearken and to yield to That, whenever it is fairly pro­posed: But to be over-reached and rook­ed out of one's Religion, by little So­phistical Arts and Tricks, is Childish and silly. After we are, upon due Trial and Examination of the Grounds of our Religion, settled and established in it, we ought not to suffer our selves to be removed from it, by the groundless Pre­tences of Confident People to Infallibi­lity, and to be practised upon by Cun­ning Men, who lie at catch to make Pro­selytes to their Party. This is to be like Children, tossed to and fro, and carried a­bout with every Wind of Doctrine.

And we ought to be the more careful of our selves; because there never was any time, wherein seducing Spirits were more bold and busie to pervert Men from the Truth. Against These we should hold. fast our Religion, as a Man would do his Money in a Crowd. It passeth in the World for a great Mark of Folly, when a Man and his Money are soon parted: But it is a sign of much greater [Page 221] Folly, for a Man easily to quit his Re­ligion; especially to be caught by some such gross Methods, as the Seducers I am speaking of commonly use, and which lie so very open to Suspicion; such as ill-designing Men are wont to practise upon a young Heir, when they have in­sinuated themselves into his Company, to make a Prey of him. They charge him to tell no body in what Company he hath been; not to ask the Counsel and Advice of his Friends concerning what they have been persuading him to; because they, for their own Interest, will be sure to disswade him from it. Just thus do these Seducers practise up­on weak People. They charge them not to acquaint their Minister, with whom they have been, nor what Discourse they have had about Religion, nor what Books have been put into their Hands; because then, all their kind Design and Intention towards them will be defeat­ed. But above all, they must be sure to read no Books on the other side, because they are no competent Judges of Points of Faith; and this reading on both sides will rather confound, than clear their Understandings. They tell them, that they have stated the matter truly, and [Page 222] would not for all the World deceive them; and they may easily perceive, by their earnest Application to them, that nothing but Charity, and a passi­onate desire of the Salvation of their Souls, makes them take all these Pains with them. But this is so gross a way of proceeding, that any Man of com­mon understanding must needs discern by this kind Treatment, that these Men can have no honest Design upon them.

To come then to a more particular Consideration of the Arts and Methods which they use (I mean particularly those of the Church of Rome) in making Proselytes to their Religion: As,

1. In allowing them to be very com­petent and sufficient Judges for them­selves, in the Choice of their Church and Religion, (that is, which is the True Church and Religion, in which alone Salvation is to be had) and yet telling them at the same time, that they are utterly incapable of judging of particu­lar Doctrines, and Points of Faith and Practice; but for these, they must rely upon the Judgment of an Infallible Church, when they are in it; otherwise they will certainly run into damnable Errors and Mistakes about these things.

[Page 223] And they must of necessity allow them to be sufficient Judges for themselves in the Choice of their Religion; as will be evident, by considering in what Method they proceed with their intended Pro­selyte.

They propose to him to change his Church and his Religion, because he is in the wrong; and they will shew him a better, and such a one as is the only True one, and in which alone Salvation is to be had. To perswade him hereto, they offer him some Reasons and Argu­ments, or give him Books to read, con­taining Arguments to move him to make this Change, to satisfie him of the Rea­sonableness, and to convince him of the Necessity of it.

Now by this way of proceeding (and they can take no other) they do, whe­ther they will or no, make the Person, whom they are endeavouring to convert, a Judge for himself, which Church and Religion is best; that which they would have him embrace and come over to, or that which they would perswade him to forsake. For to what end else do they offer him Reasons and Arguments to perswade him to leave our Church, and to come over to theirs; but that he may [Page 224] consider the Force and Weight of them; and having considered them, may judge whether they be of force sufficient to over-rule him to make this Change? So that as unwilling as they are to make particular Persons judge for themselves about Points of Faith, and about the Sense of Scripture confirming those Points (because this is to leave every Man to his own private Spirit and Fan­cy, and giddy Brain) yet they are com­pelled by Necessity, and against their own Principles, to allow a Man, in this case of chusing his Religion, to be a Judge of the Reasons and Arguments which they offer to induce him thereto. So that, whether they will or no, they must permit him to be a Judge for him­self for this once, but not to make a Practice of it, or to pretend this Privi­ledge ever after: For in acknowledg­ment of this great Favour, of being per­mitted to judge for himself this once, (which they do unwillingly grant him, and upon meer Necessity) he is for ever after to resign up his Judgment to the Church. And tho this Liberty be al­lowed pro hâc vice, and properly to serve a turn, i. e. in order to the changing of his Religion; yet he is to under­stand, [Page 225] that he is no fit and competent Judge of particular Points of Faith; these he must all learn from the True Church when he is in it, and take them upon her Authority; and in so doing he shall do very prudently, because She is infallible, and cannot be deceived; but He may.

But is there any Sense in all this, that a Man should be very fit and able to judge of that which they esteem the main and fundamental Point of all, namely, which is the True Church and Religi­on; and of the Reasons and Arguments whereby they pretend to demonstrate it; and of the true Meaning of those Texts of Scripture, whereby they pre­tend to prove theirs to be the only True Church: and yet should be wholly una­ble to judge of particular Points of Faith; or of the True Sense of any Texts of Scripture that can be produced for the Proof of those Points?

Is it so very prudent, in all the particu­lar Points of Faith, for a Man to rely up­on the Judgment of the Church, because She is infallible; and not to trust his own Judgment about them, because He is fallible, and may be deceived? And is [Page 226] it prudent likewise for this Man to trust his own Judgment in the main Business of all; namely, Which is the true Church and Religion; concerning which he is as fallible in his Judgment, and as liable to be deceived, as in the Particular Points? And if he be mistaken in the main Point, they must grant his Mistake to be fatal; because his Sincerity, as to all the rest, depends upon it. This is a great Mystery and Riddle; that every particu­lar Man should have so sufficient a Judg­ment as to this main and fundamental Business, Which is the True Church and Religion; and should have no Judgment at all about particular Points, fit to be trusted and relied upon! As if there were a certain Judgment and Prudence, quoad hoc; and as if all Men's Understand­ings were so framed, as to be very judi­cious and discerning in this main Point of Religion; but to be weak, and dan­gerous, and blind, as to all particular Points: Or, as if a Man might have a very good Judgment, and be fit to be trusted and relyed upon, before he come into their Church; but from the very moment he enters into it, his Judgment were quite lost and good for nothing: For [Page 227] this in effect and by interpretation they say, when they allow a Man to be very able to judge which is the true Church and Religion; but so soon as he hath dis­covered and embraced that, to have no Judgment of his own afterwards of any Point of Religion whatsoever; and a very tempting Argument it is to any Man that hath Judgment, to enter into that Church.

2. Another Art they use with their intended Proselyte, in order to his make­ing a right choice of his Religion, is to caution him, to hear and read only the Arguments and Books which are on one side. But now admitting their de­signed Proselyte to be just such a Judge, and so far as they will allow him to be, and no farther, viz. Which is the true Church; but to have no Fitness and A­bility at all to judge of particular Points of Faith; yet methinks they put a very odd Condition, and untoward Restraint upon this Judge, in telling him, (as they certainly use to do those whom they would pervert) That he must have no Discourse, nor read any Books, but only on that side which they would gain him to; because that [Page 228] is the way to perplex and confound him, so that he shall never be able to come to a clear Judgment and Reso­lution in the Matter. But will any Man admit this way of proceeding in a Tem­poral Case? This is just as if in a Cause of the greatest consequence, the Coun­cel on one side should go about to per­suade the Judge, that it is only fit to hear what he hath to say in the Case; that he will open it very plainly, and state the Matter in difference of clear­ly and impartially, and bring such strong Reasons and Proofs for what he says, that he shall not need to hear any thing on the other side, but may pro­ceed to Judgment without any more ado: But if when the matter is thus laid before him so plainly, and is even ripe for Judgment, he will trouble himself needlesly to hear, the other side; this will cast him back where they first be­gan, and bring the Matter to an end­less wrangling, and so confound and puzzle his Understanding, that he shall never be able to pass any clear Judg­ment in the Cause.

What think we would a Judge say to such a bold and senseless Pleader? [Page 229] The Case is the same, and the Absur­dity every whit as gross and palpable, in pressing any Man to make a Judg­ment in a Matter which infinite­ly more concerns him, upon hearing only the Reasons and Arguments on one side.

3. Another Art which they use in make­ing Proselytes, is to possess them, that there is but One thing that they are main­ly concern'd to enquire into, and that is this; Since there is but one true Catho­lick Church of Christ upon Earth, out of which there is no Salvation to be had; Which that True Church is; And when they have found that out, that will teach them in a most Infallible way the True Faith and Religion, and all things that are necessary to be be­lieved or done by them, in order to their Salvation; so that they have no­thing to do, but to satisfie themselves in this single Enquiry; Which is the True Catholick Church of Christ? This is the Vnum necessarium, the one thing ne­cessary; and when they have found out this, and are satisfied about it, they need to enquire no farther; this Church will fully instruct and satisfie them in [Page 230] all other things. And this I cannot deny to be a very Artificial way of procee­ding, and to serve their purpose very well; for they have these two great Ad­vantages by it.

1. That it makes the work short, and saves them a great deal of labour, by bringing the whole Business to one single Enquiry: and when they have gained this Point, that this single Que­stion is all that they need to be satisfied in; then they have nothing to do, but to ply and puzzle the Man with their Motives of Credibility, and Marks of the true Church; and to shew, as well as they can, how these Marks agree to Their Church, and are all to be found in it, and in no other; and to set out to the best advantage the Glorious Priviledges of Their Church, the Miraculous things that have been and are still daily done in it, and the innumerable multitude of their Saints and Martyrs: and if these General Things take and sink into them, their work is in effect done.

2. Another great Advantage they have by it, is, That by bringing them to this Method, they divert and keep them off from the many Objects against [Page 231] their Church and Religion, namely, the Errors and Corruptions which we charge them withal. For this is the thing they are afraid of, and will by no means be brought to; to vindicate and make good their Innovations in Faith and Practice, so plainly in many things contrary to Scripture, and to the Faith and Practice of the Primitive Church; as the Doctrines of Tran­substantiation, of Purgatory, the Popes Supremacy, of the Infallibility of their Church, of their Seven Sacraments Insti­tuted by Christ, and of the Intention of the Priest being necessary to the Validi­ty and Virtue of the Sacraments: and then several of their Practices; as of the Worship of Images, of the Invocation of Angels and Saints, of the Service of God and the Scriptures in an Vnknown Tongue, and the Communion in one Kind; and several other things, so plainly con­trary to the Scriptures, and the Pra­ctice and Usage of the Primitive Church, that almost the meanest Capacity may easily be made sensible and convinced of it. These are sore places, which they desire not to have touched, and there­fore they use all possible Artifice, to keep [Page 232] Men at a distance from them; partly be­cause the particular discussion of them is tedious, and it requires more than ordi­nary Skill, to say any thing that is tenable for them, and so to paint and varnish them over, as to hide the Cor­ruptions and Deformities of them; but chiefly, because they are conscious to themselves, that as in all these Points they are upon the Defensive, so they are also upon very great Disadvantages; and therefore to avoid, if it be possible, being troubled with them, they have devised this shorter, and easier, and more convenient way of making Pro­selytes.

Not that they are always able to keep themselves thus within their Tren­ches; but are sometimes, whether they will or no, drawn out to Encounter some of these Objections: but they rid themselves of them as soon, and as dexterously as they can, by telling those that make them, that they will here­after give them full Satisfaction to all these Matters, when they are gotten over the first and main Enquiry; Which is the true Church? For if they can keep them to this Point, and gain [Page 233] them to it, they can deal with them more easily in the rest; for when they can once swallow this Principle, That the Church of Rome is the One True Catholick Church, and consequently, as they have told them all along, Infal­lible; this Infallibility of the Church once entertained, will cover a multi­tude of particular Errors and Mistakes; and it will very much help to cure the weakness and defects of some particu­lar Doctrines and Practices, and at least to silence and over-rule all Objections against them. So that the benefit and advantage of this Method is visibly and at first sight very great; and there­fore no wonder they are so steady and constant to it, and do so obstinate­ly insist upon it. But how convenient soever it be to them; it is, I am sure, very unreasonable in it self; and that upon these Accounts.

1. Because the True Church doth not constitute and make the True Christian Faith and Doctrine; but it is the True Christian Faith and Doctrine, the Profession whereof makes the True Church; and therefore in Reason and Order of Nature, the first Enquiry must [Page 234] be; What is the True Faith and Do­ctrine of Christ, which by him was delivered to the Apostles, and by them publish'd and made known to the World, and by their Writings Trans­mitted and Conveyed down to us? And this being found, every Society of Christians which holds this Doctrine, is a True Part of the Catholick Church; and all the Christians throughout the World that agree in this Doctrine, are the One True Catholick Church.

2. The Enquiry about the True Church can have no Issue, even accor­ding to their own way of proceeding, without a due Examination of the par­ticular Doctrines and Practices of that Church, the Communion whereof they would perswade a Man to em­brace. We will admit at present this to be the first Enquiry; Which is the True Church? Let us now see in what way they manage this, to gain Men over to their Church. They tell them, that the Church of Rome is the One True Catholick Church of Christ. The truth of this Assertion we will particularly examine afterwards, when we come to consider the next step [Page 235] of their Method, in dealing with their Converts. At present I shall only take notice in the General, what way they take to prove this Assertion; namely, That the Church of Rome is the One True Catholick Church; and that is, by the Notes and Marks of the True Church, which they call their Motives of Credibility; because by these they design to perswade them, that the Church of Rome is the One True Catholick Church. I shall not now reckon up all the Notes and Marks which they give of the True Church; but only observe, that one of their Prin­cipal Marks of the True Church is this; That the Faith and Doctrine of it be agreeable to the Doctrine of the Primi­tive and Apostolick Church, ( i. e.) to the Doctrine delivered by our Saviour and his Apostles: And this Bellarmine makes one of the Marks of the True Church. And they must unavoidably make it so; because the True Faith and Doctrine of Christ, is that which in­deed Constitutes the True Church. But if this be an Essential Mark of the True Church; then no Man can possi­bly know the Church of Rome to be the True Church, till he have exa­min'd [Page 236] the particular Doctrines and Practices of it, and the Agreement of them with the Primitive Doctrine and Practice of Christianity; and this necessarily draws on and engages them in a dispute of the particular Points and Differences betwixt us; which is the very thing they would avoid by this Method, and which I have now plainly shewed they cannot do; because they cannot possibly prove their Church to be the True Church, without shewing the Conformity of their Doctrines and Practices, to the Doctrine and Practice of the Primitive and Apostolick Church; and this will give them work enough, and will, whether they will or no, draw them out of their Hold and Fastness; which is to amuse People with a general En­quiry, Which is the true Church; with­out descending to the Examination of their particular Doctrines and Practi­ces. But this they must of necessity come to, before they can prove by the Notes and Marks of the True Church, that theirs is the True Church.

And this is a Demonstration, that their Method of Satisfaction, as it is Un­natural [Page 237] and Unreasonable, so it cannot serve the purpose they aim at by it; which is, to divert Men from the Exa­mination of the particular Points in Difference between the Church of Rome and Us, and to gain them over to them by a wile and trick; because the very Method they take to prove themselves to be the True Catholick Church, will enforce them to justifie all their parti­cular Doctrines and Practices, before they can finish this Proof.

And here we fix our foot; That the single Question and Point, upon which they would put the whole Issue of the Matter, cannot possibly be brought to any reasonable Issue, without a parti­cular Discussion and Examination of the Points in Difference betwixt Their Church and Ours: and when they can make out these to be agreeable to the Primitive Doctrine and Practice of the Christian Church; we have reason to be satisfied, that the Church of Rome is a Church, in the Communion whereof a Man may be safe: But till that be made out; they have done nothing to perswade any Man that understands himself, that it is safe, much less necessa­ry [Page 238] to be of their Communion. But if particular Points must be discussed and cleared, before a Man can be satisfied in the Enquiry after the True Church; then they must allow their intended Convert to be a Judge likewise of par­ticular Points; and if he be sufficient for that too, before he comes into their Church, I do not see of what use the Infallibility of the Church will be to him, when he is in it.

I Have already made a considerable Progress in my Discourse upon these Words; in which I told you, there is an Exhortation to hold fast the professi­on of our Faith without wavering: and an Argument or Encouragement thereto; because he is faithful that promised. I am yet upon the First of these, the Ex­hortation [Page 240] to hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering; by which I told you the Apostle doth not intend, that those who are capable of examining the Grounds and Reasons of their Religion, should not have the Liberty to do it: nor that▪ when upon due Enquiry they are, as they verily believe, established in the true Faith and Religion; they should obstinately refuse to hear any Reason that is fairly offered against their present Persuasion.

And then I proceeded to shew posi­tively,

First, What it is that we are here exhorted to hold fast, (viz.) The Con­fession or Profession of our Faith; the ancient Christian Faith, of which eve­ry Christian makes Profession in his Ba­ptism. For it is of that the Apostle here speaks, as appears plainly by the Con­text.

Secondly, How we are to hold fast the Profession of our Faith. And of this I gave Account in these following Par­ticulars.

1. We should hold fast the Profession of our Faith, against the Confidence of Men, without Scripture or Reason to support that Confidence.

[Page 241] 2. And much more against the Con­fidence of Men, contrary to plain Scri­pture and Reason, and the common Sense of Mankind; of which I gave you par­ticular Instances.

3. Against all the Temptations and Terrors of the World.

4. Against all vain Promises of be­ing put into a safer Condition, and groundless Hopes of getting to Heaven upon easier Terms, in some other Church and Religion. I am now upon the

5. And Last Particular I mentioned, namely, That we are to hold fast the Pro­fession of our Faith without wavering, a­gainst all the cunning Arts and Insinu­ations of busie and disputing Men, whose Design it is to unhinge Men from their Religion, and to make Proselytes to their Party and Faction. I have alrea­dy mentioned some of the Arts which they use, (I mean particularly them of the Church of Rome) in making Pro­selytes to their Religion; and I have shewn the Absurdity and Unreasona­bleness of them. As,

First, In allowing Men to be very competent and sufficient Judges for themselves, in the Choice of their Reli­gion; [Page 242] ( i. e. which is the True Church and Religion in which alone Salvation is to be had) and yet telling them at the same time, that they are utterly inca­pable of judging of particular Doctrines and Points of Faith. As for these, they must rely upon the Judgment of an Infallible Church; and if they do not, they will certainly run into damnable Errors and Mistakes.

And they must of necessity allow them the first, a sufficient Ability to judge for themselves in the Choice of their Religion: Otherwise in vain do they of­fer them Arguments to perswade them to Theirs; if they cannot judge of the Force of them. But now, after this, to deny them all Ability to judge of par­ticular Doctrines and Points of Faith, is a very absurd and inconsistent Pre­tence.

Secondly, Another Art they use, in order to their making a right Choice of their Religion, is earnestly to per­swade them to hear and read only the Arguments and Books on Their side: Which is just as if one should go about to persuade a Judge, in order to the bet­ter understanding and clearer Decision [Page 243] of a Cause, to hear only the Council on one side.

Thirdly, They tell them, that the on­ly thing they are to enquire into, is, which is the True Church, the one Ca­tholick Church mentioned in the Creed, out of which there is no Salvation; and when they have found that, they are to rely upon the Authority of that Church, which is Infallible, for all other things. And this Method they wisely take, to a­void particular Disputes about the Inno­vations and Errors which we charge them withal. But I have shewn at large, that this cannot be the First Enquiry: Because it is not the true Church, that makes the true Christian Faith and Do­ctrine; but the Profession of the true Christian Faith and Doctrine, which makes the true Church.

Besides, their way of proving Their Church to be the only true Church, be­ing by the Marks and Properties of the true Church, of which the Chief is, The Conformity of their Doctrines and Practices with the Primitive and Aposto­lical Church; this unavoidably draws on an Examination of their particular Doctrines and Practices, whether they [Page 244] be conformable to those of the Primi­tive and Apostolical Church, before their great Enquiry, Which is the True Church, can be brought to any Issue; which it is plain it can never be, without entring into the Ocean of particular Disputes, which they desire above all things to a­void. So that they are never the nearer by this Method; they can neither short­en their Work by it, nor keep off the Ex­amination of their particular Errors and Corruptions; which are a very sore place, and they cannot endure we should touch it.

I shall now proceed to discover some other Arts and Methods which they use in seducing People to Their Church and Religion, and shall be as brief in them as I can.

Fourthly, They pretend, that the Ro­man Church is the Catholick Church, ( i. e.) the Visible Society of all Christians, united to the Bishop of Rome, as the Supream Pastor and Visible Head of Christ's Church upon Earth: from whence it clearly follows, That it is necessary to all Christians to joyn them­selves to the Communion of the Roman Church; otherwise they cannot be Mem­bers [Page 245] of the Catholick Church of Christ, out of which there is no Salvation.

We grant the Consequence, That if the Roman Church be the Catholick Church, it is necessary to be of that Communion; because out of the Catholick Church there is ordinarily no Salvation to be had. But how do they prove, that the Roman Church is the Catholick Church? They would fain have us so civil, as to take this for granted: because if we do not; they do not well know how to go about to prove it. And indeed, some things are obstinate, and will not be proved without so much Trouble and Difficulty, that it is better to let them alone; and by the confident Assertion of them, by Importunity, and by any other fair means, to get them believed, without Proof of this stubborn sort of Propositions, which will admit of no Proof. This is one, That a Part is the Whole; or, which is all one, Th [...] the Roman Church is the Catholick Church. For that it is but a Part of the Christian Church, and not the best Part neither, but perhaps the very worst and most corrupt of all the rest, is no difficult matter to prove, and hath been often done. But now to prove the Church [Page 246] of Rome to be the Catholick Church; that is, the whole Society of all True Christians in the World; these follow­ing Particulars ought to be clearly shewn and made out.

1. A plain Constitution of our Savi­our, whereby St. Peter and his Succes­sors at Rome are made the Supream Head and Pastors of the whole Christian Church. For St. Peter first. Can they shew any such Constitution in the Go­spel, or can they produce the least Proof and Evidence out of the History of the Acts and the Epistles of the Apostles, that St. Peter was acknowledg'd for such by the rest of the Apostles? Nay, is there not clear evidence there to the contrary, that in the first Council of the Christian Church at Jerusalem, St. James the Bishop of Jerusalem was, if not Su­perior, at least equal to him? Does St. Paul acknowledg any Superiority of St. Peter over him? Nay, does he not upon several occasions declare himself equal to the chiefest Apostles, even to St. Pe­ter himself? And is this Consistent with a plain Constitution of our Lord's, make­ing St. Peter Supream Head and Pastor of the Christian Church?

[Page 247] But suppose this to have been so; where doth it appear, by any Consti­tution of our Saviour, that this Autho­rity was derived to his Successors? And if it were; why to his Successors at Rome, rather than at Antioch, where he was first, and unquestionably Bishop? They must acknowledg, that when he was Bishop of Antioch, he was the Su­pream Head and Pastor of the whole Christian Church; and then the Style must have been, the Antiochian Catho­lick Church, as it is now the Roman Catholick. But do they find any foot­steps of such a Style in Ecclesiastical History?

2. To make good this Proposition, That the Roman Church is the Catho­lick Church; they are in consequence obliged to affirm and believe, That the Churches of Asia, which were Excom­municated by the Bishops of Rome, for not keeping Easter as They did; and the Churches of Asia and Africa, who were Excommunicated by the same Bi­shop, upon the Point of Rebaptizing Hereticks; that all these, by being turn'd out of the Communion of the Roman Church, were also Cut off from the Ca­tholick [Page 248] Church, and from a possibility of Salvation. This the Church of Rome themselves will not affirm; and yet, if to be cast out of the Communion of the Roman and the Catholick Church be all one, they must affirm it.

3. In consequence of this Proposition, That the Church of Rome is the Catho­lick Church, they ought to hold, that all Baptism out of the Communion of Their Church is void and of none effect. For if it be good; then it makes the Per­sons baptized, Members of the Catholick Church; and then those that are out of the Communion of the Roman Church, may be true Members of the Catholic Church; and then the Roman and the Catholick Church are not all one. But the Church of Rome holds the Baptism of Hereticks, and of those that are out of the Com­munion of Their Church, to be good; which is a Demonstration, that the Ro­man Church neither is the Catholick Church; nor if she believe consistently, can she think her self to be so.

4. In consequence of this Proposition, all the Christians in the World, which do not yield Subjection to the Bishop of Rome, and acknowledg his Supremacy, [Page 249] are no true parts of the Catholick Church, nor in a possibility of Salvati­on. And this does not only exclude those of the Reform'd Religion from being Members of the Catholick Church; but the Greeks, and the Eastern Chur­ches; ( i. e.) Four of the Five Patriar­chal Churches of the Christian World; which taken together, are really greater than those in Communion with the Church of Rome. And this the Church of Rome does affirm, concerning all those Churches and Christians, which refuse Subjection to the Bishop of Rome, that they are out of the Communion of the Catholick Church, and a capacity of Salvation. But surely it is not possible, that the True Catholick Church of Christ can have so little Charity as this comes to; and to a wise Man there needs no other Demonstration than this, That the Church of Rome is so far from being the Whole Christian Church, that it's a ve­ry Arrogant and Uncharitable Part of it.

Fifthly and Lastly; In consequence of the Truth of this Proposition, and of the Importance of it to the Salvation of Souls, and to the Peace and Unity of the Christian Church, they ought to produce express Mention of the Roman Catholick [Page 250] Church, in the Ancient Creeds of the Christian Church. For if this Propositi­on, That the Roman Church is the Ca­tholick, be true; it was always so, and always of the greatest Importance to the Salvation of Men, and the Peace and Unity of the Christian Church: and if it were so, and always believed to be so, by the Christian Church, as they pretend; What reason can be ima­gin'd, why the Ancient Christian Church should never say so, nor put an Article of such Consequence and Impor­tance in express Words in their Creeds; nor why they should not have used the Style of Roman Catholick, as familiar­ly then, as they do now in the Roman Church? A plain Evidence that this is a new Style which they use, when they give themselves the Title of the Roman Catholick Church; and that the Anci­ent Christian Church knew better, than to call one Part of the Catholick Church the Whole. I am sure, that AEneas Sylvius (who was afterwards Pope Pius the Second) says, that before the Coun­cil of Nice, little respect was had to the Roman Church. But how does this con­sist with their present Pretence, that the Roman Church is, and always hath been [Page 251] the Catholick Church; and that the Bi­shop of Rome is by Christ's appointment, the Supream Pastor, and Visible Head of the whole Christian Church? Is it possible that this should be believed in the Christian Church before the Coun­cil of Nice; and yet little respect to be had at that time to the Roman Church? This indeed was said by AEneas Sylvius, before he sate in the Infallible Chair; but is never the less true for that.

5ly. The next step of their Method is, That the Roman Church is Infalli­ble; and by this means They have a cer­tain remedy against Heresie, and a Judge of Controversies, from which there is no Appeal, which We want in Our Church. And this is a Glorious Privi­ledge indeed, if they could prove that they had it, and that it would be so cer­tain a remedy against Heresie, and give a final Decision to all Controversies. But there is not one tittle of all this, of which they are able to give any tenable Proof: For,

1. All the pretence for their Infalli­bility relyes upon the truth of the for­mer Proposition, That the Church of [Page 252] Rome is the Catholick Church, and That they say is Infallible: And I have alrea­dy shewn, that That Proposition is not only destitute of any good Proof, but is as evidently false, as that a Part of a thing is the Whole.

2. But supposing it were true, That the Roman Church were the Catholick Church; yet it is neither evident in it self, nor can be proved by them, that the Catholick Church of every Age is Infallible, in deciding all Controversies of Religion. It is granted by all Chri­stians, that our Saviour and his Apo­stles were Infallible, in the delivery of the Christian Doctrine; and they pro­ved their Infallibility by Miracles; and this was necessary at first for the Secu­rity of our Faith: but this Doctrine being once Delivered and Transmitted down to us in the Holy Scriptures, Written by the Evangelists and Apo­stles, who were Infallibly assisted by the Holy Ghost; we have now a cer­tain and Infallible Rule of Faith and Practice, which, with the assistance and instruction of those Guides and Pastors which Christ hath appointed in his Church, is sufficiently plain in all things [Page 253] necessary. And as there is no evidence of the Continuance of Infallibility in the Guides and Pastors of the Church, in the Ages which followed the Apostles; because Miracles are long since ceased: so there is no need of the Continuance of it, for the Preservation of the True Faith and Religion; because God hath sufficiently provided for that, by that Infallible Rule of Faith and Manners which he hath left to his Church in the Holy Scriptures, which are every way suffi­cient and able to make both Pastors and People wise unto Salvation.

3. As for a certain Remedy against Heresie, it is certain God never intended there should be any; no more than he hath provided a certain Remedy against Sin and Vice; which surely is every whit as contrary to the Christian Reli­gion, and therefore as fit to be provi­ded against, as Heresie: But it is certain in Experience, that God hath provided no certain and effectual Remedy against Sin and Vice; for which I can give no other reason, but that God does that which He thinks best and fittest, and not what We are apt to think to be so. Besides that Infallibility is not a certain [Page 254] Remedy against Heresie. The Apostles were certainly Infallible; and yet they could neither prevent nor extinguish Heresie; which never more abounded than in the Apostles Times. And Saint Paul expresly tells us, 1 Cor. 1. 19. That there must be Heresies; that they which are approved may be made manifest. And St. Peter, the 2 Epist. 2. 1. That there should be false Teachers among Christians, who should privily bring in damnable Heresies; and that many should follow their pernici­ous ways. But now if there must be Heresies; either the Church must not be Infallible, or Infallibility in the Church is no certain Remedy against them.

I proceed to the next Step they make viz.

6ly. That Christ hath always a Vi­sible Church upon Earth; and that They can shew a Church, which from the time of Christ and his Apostles, hath always made a Visible Profession of the same Doctrines and Practices which are now believed and practised in the Church of Rome; but that We can shew no Visible Church, that from the time of Christ and his Apostles, hath always [Page 255] opposed the Church of Rome in, those Doctrines and Practices which we now revile and find fault with in their Church.

That Christ hath always had, and ever shall have to the end of the World, a Visible Church, Professing and Practising his True Faith and Re­ligion, is agreed on both sides: But We say, that he hath no where promised, that This shall be free from all Errors and Corruptions in Faith and Practice. This the Churches Planted by the Apo­stles themselves were not, even in Their times, and during Their abode amongst them; and yet they were true parts of the Christian Catholick Church. In the following Ages, Errors and Cor­ruptions and Superstitions did by de­grees creep in and grow up, in several parts of the Church; as St. Austin, and others of the Fathers complain of their Times. Since that several Famous Parts of the Christian Church, both in Asia and Africa, have not only been greatly corrupted, but have Apostatiz'd from the Faith; so that in many Places there are hardly any Footsteps of Christiani­ty among them. But yet still Christ hath had in all these Ages a Visible [Page 256] Church upon Earth; tho' perhaps no Part of it at all times free from some Errors and Corruptions; and in several Parts of it, great Corruptions both in Faith and Practice; and in none I think more and longer, than in the Church of Rome, for all she boasts her self like Old Babylon, Isa. 47. 7, 8. That she is a Lady for ever; and says in her heart, I am, and none else besides me; And like the Church of Laodicea, Revel. 3. 17. which said, I am rich, and increased with Goods, and have need of nothing; When the Spirit of God saith, that she was wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked; and knew it not.

Thus the Church of Rome boasts; that She hath in all Ages been the True Visible Church of Christ (and none be­sides her) free from all Errors in Do­ctrine, and Corruptions in Practice; and that from the Age of Christ and his Apostles, she hath always professed the same Doctrines and Practices which she does at this day. Can any thing be more shameless than this? Did they always believe Transubstantiation? Let their Pope Gelasius speak for them; who expresly denies, that in the Sacrament [Page 257] there is any Substantial change of the Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. Was this always an Article of their Faith, and necessary to be believed by all Christians? Let Scotus, and several other of their School­men and Learned Writers speak for them. Was Purgatory always believed in the Roman Church, as it is now defined in the Council of Trent? Let several of their Learned Men speak. In what Father, in what Council before that of Trent, do they find Christ to have Instituted just Seven Sacraments, neither more nor less? And for Practices in their Re­ligion, they themselves will not say, that in the Ancient Christian Church the Scriptures were with-held from the People, and lockt up in an Un­known Tongue; and that the Pub­lick Service of God, the Prayers and Lessons were Read, and the Sacra­ments Celebrated, in an Unknown Tongue; and that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper was given to the People only in one Kind. Where do they find in Holy Scripture, or in the Doctrine and Practice of the Ancient Christian Church, any Command or [Page 258] Example for the Worship of Images; for the Invocation of Saints and Angels and the Blessed Virgin; which do now make a great part of their Religion? Nay, is not the Doctrine of the Scriptures, and of the Ancient Fathers plainly against all these Practices? With what face then can it be said, That the Church of Rome hath made a constant Visible Profession of the same Faith and Practice in all Ages, from the time of Christ and his Apo­stles? Or would the primitive Church of Rome, if it should now visit the Earth again, own the present Church of Rome to be the same in all Matters of Faith and practice, that it was when they left it?

And whereas they demand of Us, to shew a Visible Church from the time of Christ and his Apostles, that hath always opposed the Church of Rome, in those points of Doctrine and Practice which we Object to them; what can be more impertinent than this Demand? When they know that in all these Points we charge them with Inno­vations in Matters of Faith and Practice, and say that those things came in by [Page 259] degrees, several Ages after the Apostles time, some sooner, some later; as we are able to make good, and have done it. And would they have us shew them a Visible Church, that opposed these Errors and Corruptions in their Church, before ever they appeared? This we do not pretend to shew. And supposing they had not been at all opposed, when they appeared, nor a long time after, not till the Reforma­tion; yet if they be Errors and Cor­ruptions of the Christian Doctrine, and contrary to the Holy Scriptures, and to the Faith and Practice of the Primitive Church; there is no Pre­scription against Truth. 'Tis never too late, for any Church to reject those Errors and Corruptions, and to reform it self from them.

The bottom of all this Matter is, they would have us to shew them a Society of Christians, that in all Ages hath preserved it self free from all such Errors and Corruptions as we charge them withall; or else we deny the Per­petual Visibility of the Catholick Church. No such matter. We say the Church of Christ hath always [Page 260] been Visible in every Age since Christ's time; and that the several So­cieties of Christians, professing the Christian Doctrine and Laws of Christ, have made up the Catholick Church; some parts whereof have in several Ages fallen into great Er­rors and Corruptions; and no part of the Catholick, into more and greater, than the Church of Rome. So that it requires the utmost of our Charity to think that they are a true, tho a very unsound and corrupt Part of the Ca­tholick Church of Christ.

We acknowledge likewise, that We were once involved in the like Dege­neracy; but by the mercy of God, and pious care and prudence of those that were in Authority, are happily rescued out of it: and tho' we were not out of the Catholick Church before; yet since our Reformation from the Er­rors and Corruptions of the Church of Rome, we are in it upon better Terms, and are a much sounder Part of it; and I hope, by the Mercy and Goodness of God, we shall for ever continue so.

[Page 261] So that to the Perpetual Visibility of Christ's Church, it is not necessary, that the whole Christian Church, or indeed that any Part of it should be free from all Errors and Corruptions. Even the Churches planted by the Apostles in the Primitive Times were not so. St. Paul reproves several Doctrines and Pra­ctices in the Church of Corinth, and of Colosse, and of Galatia; and the Spi­rit of God, several Things in the Se­ven Churches of Asia: and yet all these were true Parts and Members of the Catholick Church of Christ, notwith­standing these Faults and Errors; be­cause they all agreed in the Main and Essential Doctrines of Christianity. And when more and greater Cor­ruptions grew upon the Church, or any part of it; the greater reason and need there was of a Reformation. And as every particular Person hath a right to reform any thing that he finds amiss in himself, so far as con­cerns himself; so much more every National Church hath a Power with­in it self, to reform it self from all Errors and Corruptions, and by the Sanction of the Catholick Authority to confirm that Reformation; which [Page 262] is our Case here in England. And whatever part of the Church, how great and eminent soever, ex­cludes from her Communion such a National Church, for reforming her self from plain Errors and Corrupti­ons, clearly condemned by the Word of God, and by the Doctrine and Practice of the Primitive Christian Church, is undoubtedly Guilty of Schism. And this is the Truth of the Case between us and the Church of Rome. And no blind talk about a Per­petual Visible Church can render Us guilty of Schism, for making a Real Reformation; or acquit Them of it, for casting us out of their Communion for that Cause.

7. And Lastly, (to mention no more) they pretend, that we delude the People, by laying too much stress upon Scripture, and making it the only Rule of Faith and Manners: whereas Scripture and Tradition to­gether make up the entire Rule of Faith; and not Scripture Interpreted by every Mans private Fancy, but by Tradition carefully preserved in [Page 263] the Church. So that it ought to be no wonder, if several of their Do­ctrines and Practices cannot be so clearly made out by Scripture, or perhaps seem contrary to it, as it may be expounded by a private Spi­rit, but not as Interpreted by the Tradition of the Church, which can only give the true Sense of Scripture. And therefore they are to understand, that several of those Doctrines and Practices, which we Object against, are most clearly proved by the Tra­dition of their Church, which is of equal Authority with Scripture.

In this Objection of theirs, which they design for the Cover of all their Errors and Corruptions, there are seve­ral things distinctly to be considered, which I shall do as briefly as I can.

First, Whereas it is suggested, That We delude the People, by lay­ing too much stress upon the Scri­ptures, (which certainly we cannot well do, if it be the Word of God) it ought to be considered, whether They do not delude and abuse them [Page 264] infinitely more, in keeping the Scri­ptures from them, and not suffering them to see That, which they cannot deny to be at least a considerable Part of the Rule of Christian Doctrine and Practice. Doth it not by this dealing of theirs appear very suspicious, that they are extreamly afraid that the Peo­ple should examine their Doctrine and Practice by this Rule? For what other Reason can they have to conceal it from them?

Secondly, Whereas they affirm, that Scripture alone is not the Rule of Christian Faith and Practice; but that Scripture, and Oral Tradition preserved in the Church, and deli­vered down from hand to hand, makes up the entire Rule: I would fain know whence they learn'd this new Doctrine of the Rule of Faith? I know that the Council of Trent declares it for the Rule they intend to proceed upon and make use of, for the Con­firmation and Proof of their following Determinations and Decrees. But did any of the ancient Councils of the Christian Church lay down this Rule, [Page 265] and proceed upon it? Did not Con­stantine the Emperour, at the opening of the First General Council, lay the Bible before them, as the only Rule, according to which they were to pro­ceed; and this with the Approbation of all those Holy Fathers that were assembled in that Council? And did not following Councils proceed upon the same Rule? Do any of the an­cient Fathers ever mention any Rule of Christian Faith and Practice, be­sides the Holy Scriptures, and the an­cient Creed; which, because it is an Abridgment of the necessary Articles of Christian Faith contained in the Holy Scriptures, is by them frequent­ly called the Rule of Faith? Do not the same Fathers frequently and ex­presly say, That the Scriptures are a perfect Rule, and that all things are plainly contained in them, which con­cern Faith and Life; and that what­ever cannot be proved by Testimony of Scripture, is to be rejected? All this I am sure I can make good, by in­numerable express Testimonies of the ancient Fathers, which are well known to those that are versed in them. By [Page 266] what Authority then hath the Council of Trent set up this new Rule, un­known to the Christian Church for 1500 Years? and who gave them this Authority? The plain truth is, the necessity of it, for the Defence of the Errors and Corruptions which they had embraced, and were resolved not to part with, forced them to lengthen out the Rule; the old Rule of the Ho­ly Scriptures being too short for their purpose.

Thirdly, Whereas they pretend, that Holy Scripture, as expounded by a pri­vate Spirit, may not seem so favoura­ble to some of their Doctrines and Practices; yet, as interpreted by Tra­dition, which can only give the true Sense of Scripture, it agrees very well with them: I suppose they mean, that whereas a private Spirit would be apt to understand some Texts of Scripture, as if People were to search and read the Scripture; Tradition in­terprets those Texts in a quite other Sense, that People are not to be per­mitted to read the Holy Scriptures. A private Spirit would be apt to un­derstand [Page 267] St. Paul's Discourse, in the 14th of the 1st to the Corinthians, to be against Celebrating Prayer and the Service of God in an unknown Tongue, as being contrary to Edification, and indeed to common Sense: For he says, If one should come, and find them speaking and praying in an unknown Tongue; will they not say, Ye are mad? But now Tradition, which only knows how to give the true Sense, can recon­cile this Discourse of St. Paul very ea­sily with the Practice of the Church of Rome in this matter. And so likewise the Epistle of St. Paul to the Colossians, with the Worship of Angels; and the Epistle to the Hebrews, with offering the Propitiatory Sacrifice of Christ in the Mass a Thousand times every Day. And to give but one Instance more; Whereas a Man by his private Spirit would be very apt to understand the Second Commandment to forbid all Worship of Images; Tradition dis­covers the meaning of this Command­ment to be, that due Veneration is to be given to them. So that at this rate of interpreting Scripture by Tra­dition, it is impossible to fix any Ob­jection [Page 268] from Scripture, upon any Do­ctrine or Practice which they have a mind to maintain.

Fourthly, Whereas they pretend the Tradition of their Church, deli­vered from the Mouth of Christ, or dictated by the Holy Spirit, and brought down to them, and preser­ved by continnal Succession in the Church, to be of equal Authority with the Word of God; for so the Council of Trent says, That the Holy Synod doth receive and venerate these Tra­ditions, with equal pious Affection and Re­verence, as they do the written Word of God: This we must declare against, as unreasonable in it self, to make Tra­dition, conveyed by Word of Mouth from one to another, through so many Ages, and liable to so many Mistakes and Miscarriages, to be, at the distance of 1500 Years, of equal Certainty and Authority with the Holy Scriptures, carefully preserved and transmitted down to us; because this (as I said be­fore) is to make common Rumor and Report of equal Authority and Cer­tainty with a written Record. And [Page 269] not only so; but hereby they make the Scriptures an imperfect Rule; con­trary to the declared Judgment of the ancient Fathers and Councils of the Christian Church; and so, in truth, they set up a new Rule of Faith, whereby they change the Christian Religion. For a new Rule of Faith and Religion makes a new Faith and Religion. This we charge the Church of Rome with, and do challenge them to shew this new Rule of Faith, before the Council of Trent; and consequently, where their Religion was before that Council; to shew a Religion, consisting of all those Articles, which are defined by the Council of Trent as necessary to Sal­vation, and established upon this new Rule, professed by any Christian Church in the World before that time. And as they have pitch'd upon a new Rule of Faith; so it is easie to see to what End. For take Pope Pius IV. his Creed, and we may see where the Old and New Religion parts; even at the end of the Twelve Articles of the Aplostles Creed, which was the an­cient Christian Faith; to which are [Page 270] added in Pope Pius his Creed Twelve Articles more, defined in the Council of Trent, and supported only by Tra­dition. So that as the Scripture an­swers for the Twelve old Articles, which are plainly contained there; so Tradition is to answer for the Twelve new ones. And therefore the matter was calculated very exactly, when they make Tradition just of equal Authority with the Scriptures; because as many Articles of Their Faith were to be made good by it, and re­ly upon it, as those which are proved by the Authority of Scripture. But that Tradition is of equal Authority with the Scriptures, we have nothing in the whole World for it, but the bare Assertion of the Council of Trent.

I should now have added some other Considerations, tending to confirm and establish us in our Religion, against the Pretences and Insinuations of Se­ducing Spirits: But I shall proceed no farther at present.

The Tenth Sermon, as number'd, follows.

THESE words contain an Ex­hortation to hold fast the Pro­fession of our Faith without wa­vering, and an Argument or Encou­ragement thereto, because he is faithful that hath promised. By the Exhortation to hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering, is not meant, that those who are capable of examining the Grounds and Reasons of their Religion should blindly hold it fast against the best Reasons that can be offered; because upon these terms, every Man must con­tinue [Page 278] in the Religion in which he hap­pens to be fixt by Education, or an ill choice, be his Religion true or false; without Examining and looking into it, whether it be right or wrong; for till a Man examines, every Man thinks his Religion right. That which the A­postle here exhorts Christians to hold fast, is the Ancient Faith, of which all Christians make a solemn profession in their Baptism; as plainly appears from the context. And this Profession of our Faith, we are to hold in the fol­lowing instances, which I shall but brief­ly mention, without enlarging upon them.

1. We are to hold fast the Profession of our Faith against the Confidence of Men, without Scripture or Reason to support that Confidence.

2. And much more, against the Con­fidence of Men contrary to plain Scrip­ture and Reason, and to the common Sense of Mankind.

3. Against all the Temptations and Terrors of the World, against the Temp­tations of Fashion and Example, and of Worldly Interest and Advantage, and against all Terrors and Sufferings of Persecution.

[Page 279] 4. Against all vain promises of being put into a safer condition, and ground­less hopes of getting to Heaven upon easier terms than the Gospel hath pro­posed, in some other Church and Reli­gion.

Lastly, We are to hold fast the Pro­fession of our Faith without wavering, against all the cunning Arts and Insinu­ations of busie and disputing Men, whose design it is to unhinge Men from their Religion, and to make Proselytes to their Party and Faction.

But without entring into these par­ticulars, I shall in order to Establish­ment in the Reformed Religion which we profess, in opposition to the Errors and Corruptions of the Church of Rome, apply my self at this time, to make a short comparison betwixt the Religion which we profess, and that of the Church of Rome: That we may discern on which side the advantage of Truth lies; and in making this comparison, I shall insist upon Three things, which will bring the matter to an issue, and are, I think, sufficient to determine every so­ber and considerate Man, which of these he ought in Reason, and with regard to [Page 280] the safety of his Soul, to embrace: And they are these.

I. That we govern our Belief and Practice in matters of Religion, by the true ancient Rule of Christianity, the Word of God contained in the Holy Scriptures: But the Church of Rome, for the maintenance of their Er­rors and Corruptions, have been forced to devise a new Rule, never owned by the Primitive Church, nor by the An­cient Fathers and Councils of it.

II. That the Doctrines and Practices in difference betwixt us and the Church of Rome, are either contrary to this Rule, or destitute of the Warrant and Authority of it, and are plain Additions to the ancient Christianity, and Corrup­tions of it.

III. That our Religion hath many clear Advantages of that of the Church of Rome, not only very considerable in themselves, but very obvious and discernable to an ordinary capacity, up­on the first proposal of them. I shall be as brief in these as I can.

[Page 281] I. That we govern our belief and Practice in matters of Religion, by the true ancient Rule of Christianity, the Word of God contain'd in the Holy Scriptures: But the Church of Rome, for the maintaining of their Errors and Corruptions, have been forced to devise a new Rule, never owned by the Pri­mitive Church, nor by the Ancient Councils and Fathers of it; That is, they have joined with the Word of God contained in the Holy Scriptures, the unwritten Traditions of their Church, concerning several points of their Faith and Practice; which they acknowledge cannot be proved from Scripture, and these they call the un­written Word of God; and the Coun­cil of Trent hath decreed them to be of equal Authority with the Holy Scriptures; and that they do receive and venerate them with the same pious Affection and Reverence; and all this, contrary to the express declaration and unanimous consent of all the Ancient Councils and Fathers of the Christian Church, (as I have already shewn); and this never declar'd to be a point of Faith, till it was decreed, [Page 282] (not much above a Hundred Years ago) in the Council of Trent; and this surely, if any thing, is a Matter of great consequence, to presume to alter the Ancient Rule of Christian Do­ctrine and Practice, and to enlarge it, and add to it, at their pleasure. But the Church of Rome having made so great a change in the Doctrine and Practice of Christianity, it became consequently necessary to make a change of the Rule: And therefore with great Reason did the Council of Trent take this into consideration in the first place, and put it in the front of their Decrees, because it was to be the foundation and main proof of the following Definitions of Faith, and Decrees of Practice, for which, with­out this new Rule, there had been no colour.

II. The Doctrines and Practices in difference betwixt us, and the Church of Rome, are either contrary to the true Rule, or destitute of the War­rant and Authority of it; and plain Additions to the Ancient Christianity, and Corruptions of it; the Truth of this will best appear, by instancing in some [Page 283] of the principal Doctrines and Pra­ctices in difference betwixt us.

As for their two great Fundamental Doctrines, of the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome over all the Christi­ans in the world, and the Infallibili­ty of their Church, there is not one word in Scripture concerning these Priviledges; nay it is little less than a demonstration that they have no such Priviledges, that St. Paul in a long Epistle to the Church of Rome takes no notice of them; That the Church of Rome either then was, or was to be soon after, the Mother and Mistress of all Churches, which is now grown to be an Article of Faith in the Church of Rome; and yet it is hardly to be imagined, that he could have omit­ted to take notice of such remarkable Priviledges of their Bishops and Church, above any in the world, had he known they had belonged to them. So that in all probability he was igno­rant of those mighty Prerogatives of the Church of Rome, otherwise it can­not be, but that he would have writ­ten with more deference and submissi­on to this Seat of Infallibility, and Center of Unity; he would certainly [Page 284] have paid a greater Respect to this Mother and Mistress of all Churches, where the Head of the Church, and Vicar of Christ either was al­ready seated, or by the appointment of Christ was designed for ever to fix his Throne and establish his Re­sidence; but there is not one word, or the least intimation of any such thing throughout this whole Epistle, nor in any other part of the New Testament.

Besides, that both these pretended Pri­ledges are omitted, by plain Fact and Evidence of things themselves, their Supremacy, in that the far greatest part of the Christian Church, neither is at this day, nor can be shewn by the Records of any Age, ever to have been subject to the Bishop of Rome, or to have acknowledged his Autho­rity and Jurisdiction over them, and the Infallibility of the Pope, whether with or without a General Council, (about which they still differ) though Infallibility was devised on purpose, to determine all differences: I say, this Infallibility, where-ever it is pre­tended to be, is plainly confuted by the contradictory Definitions of se­veral [Page 285] Popes and Councils; for if they have contradicted one another, (as is plain, beyond all contradiction, in several instances) then there must of necessity be an Error on one side; and there can be no so certain demonstration, that any one is infallible, as evident Error and Mistake is of the contrary.

Next, their concealing both the Rule of Religion and the Practice of it, in the Worship and Service of God, from the People, in an unknown Tongue; and their administring the Communion to the People in one kind only, contrary to clear Scripture and the plain Insti­tution of our Blessed Saviour; and then their Worship of Images, and Invoca­tion of Angels and Saints, and the Bles­sed Virgin, in the same Solemn man­ner, and for the same Blessings and Bene­fits which we beg of God himself, con­trary to the express Word of God, which commands us to Worship the Lord our God; and to serve him only; and which declares, that as there is but one God, so there is but one Mediator between God and Man, Christ Jesus; but one Mediator not only of Redemption, but of Intercession too; for the Apostle there speaks of a Mediator of Intercession, [Page 286] by whom only we are to offer up our Prayers, which are to be put up to God only, and which expresly forbids Men to worship any Image or likeness: And the Learned Men of their own Church acknowledge, that there is neither Precept nor Example for these Practices in Scripture, and that they were not used in the Christian Church for several Ages; and this acknowledgment we think very considerable, since so great a part of their Religion, especially as it is practised among the People, is contain­ed in these points; for the Service of God in an Unknown Tongue, and with­holding the Scriptures from the People, they do not pretend so much as One Testimony of any Father for the first 600 Years, and nothing certainly can be more unreasonable in it self, than to deny People the best means of know­ing the Will of God, and not to per­mit them to understand what is done in the publick Worship of God, and what Prayers are put up to him in the Church.

The two great Doctrines of Transub­stantiation and Purgatory are acknow­ledged by many of their own Learned Writers, to have no certain Foundation [Page 287] in Scripture; and that there are seven Sa­craments of the Christian Religion, tho' it be now made an Article of Faith by the Council of Trent, is a thing which can­not be shewn in any Council or Father for above a Thousand Years after Christ. And we find no mention of this Number of the Sacraments, till the Age of Peter Lombard the Father of the Schoolmen.

That the Church of Rome is the Mother and Mistress of all Churches, tho' that also be one of the new Ar­ticles of Pope Pius the IV. his Creed, which their Priests are by a Solemn Oath obliged to believe and teach, yet is it most evidently false: That she is not the Mother of all Churches is plain, because Jerusalem was certainly so, for there certainly was the first Christian Church, and from thence all the Chri­stian Churches in the World derive themselves; that she is not, (tho' she fain would be) the Mistress of all Churches, is as evident, because the greatest part of the Christian Church does at this day, and always did, deny that she hath any Authority or Supremacy over them. Now these are the principal matters in difference betwixt us, and if these Points, and a few more, be pared off from Po­pery, [Page 288] that which remains of their Re­ligion, is the same with ours, that is, the true Ancient Christianity.

III. I shall shew that our Religion hath many clear advantages of theirs, not only very considerable in them­selves, but very obvious and discernable to an ordinary capacity, upon the very first proposal of them; as,

1. That our Religion agrees perfectly with the Scriptures, and all points both of our Belief and Practice, esteemed by us as necessary to Salvation, are there contained, even our Enemies themselves being Judges. We Worship the Lord our God, and him only do we serve. We do not fall down before Images and Worship them, we address all our Pray­ers to God alone, by the only Media­tion and Intercession of his Son Jesus Christ; as he himself hath given us Commandment, and as St. Paul doth plainly direct, giving us this plain and Substantial Reason for it, Because as there is but one God, so there is but one Mediator between God and Men, the Man Christ Jesus.

The publick Worship and Service of God is perform'd by us in a Language [Page 289] which we understand, according to St. Paul's express Order and Direction, and the universal Practice of the anci­ent Church, and the Nature and Reason of the thing it self: We administer the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in both kinds, according to our Saviour's Example and plain Institution; and the continual Practice of all the Chri­stian Churches in the World, for above a Thousand Years.

2. We believe nothing as necessary to Salvation, but what hath been own­ed in all Ages to be the Christian Do­ctrine, and is acknowleged so to be by the Church of Rome it self; and we receive the whole Faith of the Primi­tive Christian Church, ( viz.) What ever is contained in the Apostles Creed, and in the Explications of that in the Creeds of the Four first General Coun­cills. By which it plainly appears, that all points of Faith in difference betwixt us and the Church of Rome, are meer In­novations and plain Additions to the an­cient Christian Faith. But all that we believe, is acknowledged by them to be undoubtedly the ancient Christian Faith.

3. There is nothing wanting in our Church and Religion, whether in Mat­ter [Page 290] of Faith or Practice, which either the Scripture makes necessary to Salva­tion, or was so esteem'd by the Christi­an Church for the first Five Hundred Years; and we trust, that what was sufficient for the Salvation of Christi­ans in the best Ages of Christianity for Five Hundred Years together, may be so still; and we are very well con­tent to venture our Salvation upon the same terms that they did.

4. Our Religion is not only free from all Idolatrous Worship, but even from all Suspicion and probable Charge of any such thing; but this the Church of Rome is not, as is acknowledged by her most Learned Champions, and as no Man of Ingenuity can deny; And the Reason which the Learned Men give, why the Worship of Images, and the Invocation of Angels and Saints departed were not practised in the Primitive Church, for the first Three Hundred Years, is a plain ac­knowledgment that these Practices are very liable to the Suspicion of Idola­try; for they say, that the Christians did then forbear those Practices, be­cause they seem'd to come too near to the Pagan Idolatry, and lest the [Page 291] Heathen should have taken occasion to have justified themselves, if these things had been practised among Chri­stians; and they cannot now be Igno­rant, what Scandal they give by these Practices both to the Jews and Turks, and how much they alienate them from Christianity by this Scandal; nor can they chuse but be sensible, upon how great disadvantage they are in defending these Practices from the Charge of Idolatry; and that by all their blind Distinctions, with which they raise such a Cloud and Dust, they can hardly make any plausible and tollerable Defence of themselves from this Charge: Insomuch, that to secure their own People from discerning their Guilt in this Matter, they have been put upon that shameful shift of leav­ing out the Second Commandment in their common Catechisms and Manu­als, lest the People, seeing so plain a Law of God against so common a Practice of their Church, should upon that Discovery have broken off from them.

5. Nor is our Religion incumbered with such an endless number of superstiti­ous and troublesom Observances, as theirs [Page 292] infiintely is, even beyond the Number of the Jewish Ceremonies, to the great Bur­den and Scandal of the Christian Reli­gion, and the diverting of Mens Minds from the spiritual part of Religion, and the more weighty and necessary Duties of the Christian Life; so that, in truth, a devout Pastor is so taken up with the external Rites and little Observan­ces of his Religion, that he hath lit­tle or no time to make himself a good Man, and to cultivate and improve his Mind in true Piety and Virtue.

6. Our Religion is evidently more Charitable to all Christians that dif­fer from us, and particularly to them, who, by their Uncharitableness to us, have done as much as is possible to discharge and damp our Charity to­wards them. And Charity, as it is one of the most essential Marks of a true Christian, so it is likewise the best Mark and Ornament of a true Church; and of all things that can be thought of, methinks the want of Cha­rity in any Church should be a Mo­tive to no Man to fall in love with it, and to be fond of its Communion.

7. Our Religion doth not clash and interfere with any of the great Moral [Page 293] Duties, to which all Mankind stand obliged by the Law and Light of Nature; as Fidelity, Mercy and Truth: We do not teach Men to break Faith with Hereticks or Infidels, nor to de­stroy and extirpate those who differ from us, with Fire and Sword: No such thing as Equivocation or Mental Reservation, or any other Artificial way of Falshood, is either taught or maintain'd, either by the Doctrine or by the Casuists of our Church.

8. Our Religion and all the Do­ctrines of it are perfectly consistent with the Peace of Civil Government, and the Welfare of Humane Society: We neither exempt the Clergy from Subjection to the Civil Powers, nor ab­solve Subjects upon any pretence what­soever from allegiance to their Princes; both which Points, the necessity of the one, and the lawfulness of the other, have been taught and stifly maintain'd in the Church of Rome, not only by private Doctors, but by Popes and Ge­neral Councils.

9. The Doctrines of our Religion, are perfectly free from all Suspicion of a Worldly Interest and Design, where­as the greatest part of the erroneous [Page 294] Doctrines with which we charge the Church of Rome, are plainly calculat­ed to promote the end of Worldly Greatness and Dominion.

The Pope's Kingdom is plainly of this World; and the Doctrines and Max­imes of it, like so many Servants, are ready upon all occasion to fight for him. For most of them do plainly tend, either to the Establishment and Enlargment of his Authority; or to the Magnifying of the Priests, and the giving them a per­fect power over the Conscienees of the People, and the keeping them in a slavish subjection and blind obedi­ence to them. And to this purpose do plainly tend the Doctrines of ex­empting the Clergy from the Secular Power and Jurisdiction; the Doctrine of Transubstantiation; for it must needs make the Priest a great Man in the Opinion of the People, to be­lieve that he can make God, as they love to express it, without all Reason and Reverence. Of the like tendency is the Communicating of the Laity only in one kind, thereby making it the sole Priviledge of the Priest to re­ceive the Sacrament in both. The with-holding the Scripture from the [Page 295] People, and celebrating the Service of God in an unknown Tongue. The Doctrine of an implicite Faith, and ab­solute Resignation of their Judgments to their Teachers. These do all directly tend to keep the People in ignorance, and to bring them to a blind Obedi­ence, to the dictates of their Teachers: So likewise the Necessity of the inten­tion of the Priests, to the saving Vir­tue and Efficacy of the Sacraments; by which Doctrine, the People do up­on the matter depend as much upon the good will of the Priest, as upon the Mercy of God for their Salvation: but above all, their Doctrine of the Necessity of Auricular and private Confession, of all Mortal Sins commit­ed after Baptism, with all the Circum­stances of them to the Priest; and this not only for the ease and dire­ction of their Consciences, but as a ne­cessary condition of having their Sins pardoned and forgiven by God: By which means they make themselves Masters of all the Secrets of the People, and keep them in awe by the know­ledge of their faults, Scire volunt secreta Domus atque inde timeri. Or else their Doctrines tend to filthy lucre, and the [Page 296] enriching of their Church. As their Doctrines of Purgatory and Indulgen­ces, and their Prayers and Masses for the dead, and many more Doctrines and Practices of the like kind plainly do.

10. Our Religion is free from all disingenuous and dishonest Arts of maintaining and supporting it self; such are clipping of ancient Authors, nay and even the Authors and Wri­ters of their own Church; when they speak too freely of any Point: as may be seen in their Indices Ex­purgatorii which much against their wills have been brought to light. To which I shall only add these Three gross Forgeries, which lie all at their doors, and they cannot deny them to be so.

1. The pretended Canon of the Coun­cil of Nice in the case of Appeals, be­tween the Church of Rome and the African Church. Upon which they in­sisted a great while very confidently, till at last they were convinced by Au­thentick Copies of the Canons of that Council.

2. Constantine's Donation to the Pope, [Page 297] which they kept a great stir with, till the Forgery of it was discovered.

3. The Decretal Epistles of the An­cient Popes; a large Volume of For­geries, compiled by Isidore Mercator, to countenance the Usurpations of the Bi­shop of Rome, and of which the Church of Rome made great use for several Ages, and pertinaciously defended the Authority of them, till the Learned Men of their own Church have at last been forced for very shame to disclaim them, and to confess the Imposture of them: A like instance whereto, is not I hope to be shewn in any Christian Church. This is that which St. Paul calls [...], the slight of Men; such as Gamesters use at Dice; for to alledge false and forged Authors in this case, is to play with false Dice, when the Salvation of Mens Souls lie at stake.

11. Our Religion hath this mighty advantage, that it doth not decline Tryal and Examination, which to any Man of ingenuity must needs appear a very good Sign of an honest Cause; but if any Church be shy of having her Religion Examined, and her Do­ctrines and Practices brought into the open light, this gives just ground of [Page 298] Suspicion that she hath some distrust of them; for Truth doth not seek cor­ners, nor shun the light. Our Saviour hath told us who they are that love darkness rather than light, viz. they whose deeds are Evil; for every one, saith he, that doth Evil, hateth the light; nei­ther cometh he to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved and made manifest. There needs no more to render a Re­ligion suspected to a wise Man, than to see those who profess it, and make such proud boasts of the Truth and Goodness of it, so fearful that it should be examin'd and lookt into, and that their People should take the liberty to hear and read what can be said a­gainst it.

12. We perswade Men to our Reli­ligion by Human and Christian ways, such as our Saviour and his Apostles used, by urging Men with the Autho­rity of God, and with Arguments fetcht from another World. The pro­mise of Eternal Life and Happiness, and the threatning of Eternal death and Misery, which are the proper Argu­ments of Religion, and which alone are fitted to work upon the Minds and Consciences of Men; the terror [Page 299] and torture of death may make Men Hypocrites, and awe them to profess with their Mouths what they do not believe in their Hearts; but this is no proper means of converting the Soul, and convincing the Minds and Con­sciences of Men; and these violent and cruel ways cannot be denyed to have been Practised in the Church of Rome, and set on foot by the Autho­rity of Councils, and greatly counte­nanced and encouraged by Popes them­selves: Witness the many Croisades for the extirpation of Hereticks, the standing Cruelties of their Inquisition, their occasional Massacres and Perse­cutions, of which we have fresh In­stances in every Age.

But these Methods of Conversion are a certain Sign that they either disturst the Truth and Goodness of their Cause, or else that they think Truth and the Arguments for it are of no force, when Dragoons are their Ratio ultima, the last Reason which their Cause relies upon; and the best and most effectual it can afford.

Again, we hold no Doctrines in defi­ance of the Senses of all Mankind; such as is that of Transubstantiation, which [Page 300] is now declared in the Church of Rome to be a Necessary Article of Faith, so that a Man cannot be of that Religion, unless he will renounce his Senses, and believe against the clear Verdict of them in a plain sen­sible matter; but after this, I do not understand how a Man can believe any thing, because by this very thing he destroys and takes away the Foun­dation of all Certainty; if any Man forbid me to believe what I see, I for­bid him to believe any thing upon better and surer Evidence. St. Paul saith, that Faith cometh by hearing; but if I cannot rely upon the certain­ty of Sense, then the means whereby Faith is conveyed, is uncertain; and we may say, as St. Paul doth in a­nother case, Then is our Preaching vain, and your Faith also is vain.

Lastly, (To mention no more parti­culars) as to several things used and Practised in the Church of Rome, we are on the much safer side, if we should happen to be mistaken about them; than they are, if they should be mi­staken; for it is certainly Lawful to read the Scriptures, and Lawful to permit to the People the use of the [Page 301] Scriptures in a known Tongue: O­therwise we must condemn the Apo­stles and the Primitive Church for allowing this Liberty. It is certainly Lawful to have the publick Prayers and Service of God celebrated in a Language which all that joyn in it can understand. It is certainly Law­ful to administer the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to the People in both kinds, otherwise the Christian Church would not have done it for a Thousand Years. It is certainly Lawful, not to Worship Images, not to pray to An­gels, or Saints, or the Blessed Virgin, otherwise the Primitive Church would not have forborn these Practices for Three Hundred Years, as is acknow­ledged by those of the Church of Rome.

Suppose a Man should pray to God only, and offer up all his Prayers to him only by Jesus Christ, without making mention of any other Medi­ator or Intercessor with God for us, relying herein upon what the Apostle says concerning our High Priest, Jesus the Son of God, Heb. 7 25. That he is able to save them to the utmost, who come unto God by him, (i. e.) by his Me­diation [Page 302] and Intercession, since he ever liveth to make Intercession for them; might not a Man reasonably hope to obtain of God all the Blessings he stands in need of, by Addressing himself only to him, in the Name and by the Intercession of that one Mediator between God and Man, the Man Christ Jesus? Nay, why may not a Man reasonably think, that this is both a shorter and more effectual way to obtain our requests, than by turning our selves to the Angels and Saints, and importuning them to so­licite God for us; especially if we should order the matter so, as to make ten times more frequent Addresses to these, than we do to God and our Blessed Saviour, and in comparison of the other, to neglect these; we cannot certainly think any more able to help us and do us good, than the great God of Heaven and Earth, the God (as St. Paul styles him) that hea­reth Prayers, and therefore unto him should all flesh come. We cannot certainly think any Intercessor so powerful and preva­lent with God, as his only and dearly beloved Son, offering up our Prayers to God in Heaven, by vertue of that most acceptable and invaluable Sacri­fice, [Page 303] which he offered to him on Earth; we cannot surely think, that there is so much Goodness any where as in God, that in any of the Angels or Saints, or even in the Blessed Mother of our Lord, there is more Mercy and Compassion for Sinners and a tenderer sense of our Infirmities, than in the Son of God. Who is at the right hand of his Father, to appear in the Presence of God for us; we are sure that God always hears the Petitions which we put up to him, and so does the Son of God, by whom we put them up to the Father, because he also is God blessed for evermore. But we are not sure that the Angels and Saints hear our Prayers, because we are sure that they are neither Omniscient nor Om­nipresent, and we are not sure, nor probably certain, that our Prayers are made known to them any other way; there being no Revelation of God to that purpose; we are sure that God hath declared himself to be a jealous God, and that he will not give his Ho­nour to another; and we are not sure but that Prayer is part of the Honour which is due to God alone; and if it were not, we can hardly think but [Page 304] that God should be so far from being pleased, with our making so frequent use of those other Mediators and Interces­sors, and from granting our desires the sooner upon that account: That on the contrary we have reason to think, he should be highly offended; when he himself is ready to receive all our Petitions, and hath appointed a great Mediator to that purpose, to see more Addresses made to, and by the Angels and Saints, and Blessed Virgin, than to himself by his Blessed Son; and to see the Worship of himself almost jostled out, by the Devotion of People to Saints and Angels, and the Blessed Mother of our Lord; a thing which he never Commanded, and which so far as appears by Scripture, never came into his mind. I have been the longer up­on this matter, to shew how unreaso­nable and needless at the best, this more than half part of the Religion of the Church of Rome is; and how safely it may be let alone.

But now on the other hand, if they be mistaken in these things, as we can demonstrate from Scripture they are, the danger is infinitely great on that side, for then they oppose an In­stitution [Page 305] of Christ, who appointed the Sacrament to be received in both kinds; and they involve themselves in a great danger of the guilt of Ido­latry, and our common Christianity in the scandal and reproach of it. And this without any necessity, since God hath required none of these things at our hands; and after all the bustle which hath been made about them, the utmost they pretend (which yet they are not able to make good) is, that these things may Lawfully be done, and at the same time they cannot deny, but that if the Church had not enjoyned them they might Lawfully be let alone; and can any thing be more unreasonable, than so pertinaciously to insist upon things so hard (I might say) impossi­ble to be defended or excused, and which by their own acknowledgment are of no great weight and necessity; in which we are certainly safe in not doing them, if they should prove Law­ful; but if they do not prove so, they are in a most dangerous condition; so that here is certain safety on the one hand, and the danger of damnation on the other; which is as great odds as is possible.

[Page 306] And they must not tell us that they are in no danger, because they are infallible, and cannot be mistaken; they must prove that point a great deal better than they have yet done, before it can signifie any thing either to our Satisfaction or their Safety.

I might have insisted more largely upon each of these Particulars, any one of which is of weight to incline a Man to that Religion, which hath such an advantage on its side, but all of them together makes so Powerful an Ar­gument to an unprejudiced Person, as must almost irresistably determine his choice, for most of the Particulars are so evident, that they cannot, upon the very mention and proposal of them, be denied to be clear Advantages on our side.

And now, to use the words of St. Pe­ter, I testifie unto you, that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand, that the Reformed Religion which we pro­fess, and which by the goodness of God is by Law established in this Nation, is the true Ancient Christi­anity, the Faith which was at first delivered to the Saints, and which is conveyed down to us in the Writings [Page 307] of the Apostles and the Evangelists of our Lord and Saviour: Remember therefore how you have received and heard, and hold fast, for he is Faithful that hath promised, which is the Second part of the Text; the encouragement which the Apostle gives us to hold fast the Profession of our Faith without waver­ing; he is Faithful that hath promised to give us his Holy Spirit to lead us into all Truth, to stablish, strengthen, and settle us in the Profession of it, to support and comfort us under all Tryals and Temptations, and to seal us up to the day of Redemption, and he is faithful that hath promised to reward our constancy and fidelity to him and his Truth, with a Crown of everlasting life and Glory. Where­fore my beloved Brethren be ye stedfast and unmoveable, and alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord; for he is faithful that hath promised; and let us provoke one another to Charity and Good Works, which are the great Ornament and Glory of any Religion, and so much the more, be­cause the day approacheth in which God will judge the belief and lives of Men by Jesus Christ, not according to the [Page 308] imperious and uncharitable dictates of any Church, but according to the Go­spel of his Son. To whom with the Fa­ther and the Holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory now and for ever.

Now the God of Peace which brought a­gain from the Dead the great Shepherd of the Sheep, through the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant, make you Perfect in every good word and work; working in you that which is pleasing in his Sight. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding keep your Hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

IN the latter part of the former Chapter, the Apostle declares what it was that was the great support of Christians, under the Persecutions and Sufferings which befel them; viz. the Assurance of a Blessed Resurrection to another life, Verse 14. Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise up us also by Jesus; for which cause, saith he, verse 16. we faint not, but though our outward Man perish, our inward Man is renewed day by day; that is, though our Bodies, by Reason of the Hardships and Sufferings which we undergo, are [Page 310] continually decaying and declining; yet our Minds grow every day more healthful and vigorous, and gain new strength and resolution, by contempla­ting the Glory and Reward of ano­ther World, and as it were feeding up­on them by Faith; for our light afflicti­on which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; whilst we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.

And he resumes the same Argu­ment again at the beginning of this Chapter: for we know, that if our Earth­ly House of this Tabernacle were dissol­ved, we have a Building of God, a House not made with Hands, eternal in the Hea­vens; that is, we are firmly perswaded, that when we die, we shall but ex­change these Earthly and Perishing Bodies, these Houses of Clay, for a Heavenly Mansion, which will never decay nor come to ruine: from whence he concludes, Verse 6. Therefore we are always confident, [...], therefore what ever happens to us, we are always of good courage, and see no reason to be afraid of Death; know­ing that whilst we are at home in the Body, [Page 311] we are absent from the Lord; that is, since our continuance in the Body is to our disadvantage, and while we live we are absent from our Happiness; and when we die, we shall then enter up­on the Possession of it. That which gives us this confidence and good cou­rage, is our Faith; for tho' we be not actually possest of this Happiness which we speak of, yet we have a firm perswasion of the reality of it, which is enough to support our Spirits and keep up our Courage under all afflicti­ons and adversities whatsoever, Verse 7. for we walk by Faith, not by Sight.

These words come in by way of Parenthesis, in which the Apostle de­clares in general, what is the swaying and governing Principle of a Christian life; not only in case of persecution and affliction, but under all events, and in every condition of Humane life; and that is, Faith; in opposition to Sight and present Enjoyment: we walk by Faith, and not by Sight. We walk by Faith; what ever Principle sways and governs a Mans life and actions, he is said to walk and live by it. And as here a Chri­stian is said to walk by Faith, so else­where the just is said to live by Faith. [Page 312] Faith is the Principle which animates all his resolutions and actions.

And not by Sight. The word is, [...], which signifies the thing it self in present view and possession, in opposi­tion to a firm perswasion of things future and invisible. Sight is the thing in Hand, and Faith the thing only in Hope and Expectation. Sight is a clear view and apprehension of things present and near to us; Faith an obscure discovery and apprehension of things at a distance: So the Apostle tells us, 2 Cor. 13. 12. Now we see through a Glass darkly; this is Faith; but then face to face, this is present sight, as one Man sees another face to face; and thus likewise the same Apo­stle distinguisheth betwixt Hope and Sight, Rom. 8. 24. 25. Hope that is seen, is not Hope; for what a Man sees, why doth he yet Hope for it? but if we Hope for that which we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Sight is possession and enjoyment, Faith is the firm per­swasion and expectation of a thing; and this the Apostle tells us was the go­verning principle of a Christian's life; for we walk by Faith, and not by Sight; from which words I shall observe these Three things.

[Page 313] I. That Faith is the Governing Prin­ciple, and that which bears the great sway in the Life and Actions of a Christian; we walk by Faith; that is, we Order and Govern our Lives in the Power and Virtue of this Principle.

II. Faith is a degree of assent infe­riour to that of Sense. This is sufficient-intimated in the opposition betwixt Faith and Sight. He had said before, that whilst we are at home in the Body, we are absent from the Lord; and gives this as a Reason and Proof of our absence from the Lord, for we walk by Faith, and not by Sight; that is, whilst we are in the Body, we do not see and enjoy, but believe and expect; if we were present with the Lord, then Faith would cease, and be turned into Sight; but tho' we have not that assurance of another world, which we shall have when we come to see and enjoy these things, yet we are firmly perswaded of them.

III. Notwithstanding Faith be an in­feriour degree of Assurance, yet 'tis a Principle of sufficient power to govern our Lives; we walk by Faith; it is such [Page 314] an Assurance as hath an influence upon our Lives.

I. That Faith is the Governing Prin­ciple, and that which bears the great sway in the Life and Actions of a Chri­stian. We walk by Faith; that is, we Order and Govern our Lives in the Power and Virtue of this Principle: A Christian's Life consists in obedience to the will of God; that is, in a readi­ness to do what he commands, and in a willingness to suffer what he calls us to; and the great Arguments and In­couragements hereto, are such things as are the Objects of Faith, and not of Sense; such things as are absent and fu­ture, and not present and in possession; for Instance, the Belief of an invisible God, of a secret Power and Providence, that Orders and Governs all things, that can bless or blast us, and all our Designs and Undertakings, according as we de­mean our selves towards him, and en­deavour to approve our selves to him; the Perswasion of a secret aid and in­fluence always ready at hand, to keep us from Evil, and to strengthen and assist us to that which is good; more especially the firm Belief, and expecta­tion [Page 315] of the Happiness of Heaven, and the glorious Rewards of another world, which tho' they be now at a distance, and invisible to us, yet being grounded upon the Promise of God that cannot lie, shall certainly be made good.

And this Faith, this firm Perswasion of absent and invisible things, the A­postle to the Hebrews tells us, was the great Principle of the Piety and Vir­tue of good Men from the beginning of the World. This he calls, Ch. 11. verse 1. the [...], or the confident ex­pectation of things hoped for, and the proof or evidence of things not seen, viz. a firm perswasion of the Being and Providence of God, and of the Truth and Faithfulness of his Promises. Such was the Faith of Abel, he believed that there was a God, and that he was a rewarder of those that faithfully serve him: Such was the Faith of Noah, who be­ing warned of God, of things at a great distance, and not seen as yet, notwithstanding believed the Divine Prediction concerning the Flood, and prepared an Ark: Such also was the Faith of Abraham, concerning a nume­rous Posterity by Isaac, and the Inheri­tance of the Land of Canaan; and [Page 316] such likewise was the Faith of Moses, he did as firmly believe the invisible God, and the recompence of reward, as if he had beheld them with his eyes.

And of this Recompence of Reward, we Christians have a much clearer re­velation, and much greater assurance, than former Ages and Generations had; and the firm belief and perswasion of this, is the great Motive and Argu­ment to a Holy life: The hope which is set before us, of obtaining the Happiness, and the fear of incurring the Misery, of another world. This made the Pri­mitive Christians, with so much pati­ence to bear the Sufferings and Per­secutions, with so much constancy to venture upon the dangers and incon­veniencies which the love of God and Religion exposed them to.

Under the former Dispensation of the Law, tho good Men received good hopes of the Rewards of another life, yet these things were but obscurely re­vealed to them, and the great induce­ments of Obedience were Temporal Re­wards and Punishments; the promises of long life, and peace, and plenty, and prosperity, in that good Land which God had given them, and the threatnings of [Page 317] War, and Famine, and Pestilence, and being delivered into Captivity. But now, under the Gospel, Life and Immor­tality are brought to light; and the great Arguments that bear sway with Chri­stians, are the Promises of Everlasting Life, and the Threatnings of Eternal Misery; and the firm Belief and Persua­sion of these, is now the great Princi­ple that governs the Lives and Actions of good Men; for what will not Men do, that are really persuaded, that as they do demean themselves in this World, it will fare with them in the other? That the Wicked shall go into ever­lasting Punishment, and the Righteous into Life Eternal. I proceed to the

II. Observation, namely; That Faith is a Degree of Assent, inferiour to that of Sense. This is intimated in the Opposition betwixt Faith and Sight; We walk by Faith, and not by Sight; that is, we believe these things, and are con­fidently persuaded of the truth of them, tho we never saw them; and conse­quently cannot possibly have that De­gree of Assurance concerning the Joys of Heaven, and the Torments of Hell, [Page 318] which those have who enjoy the One and endure the Other.

There are different Degrees of Assu­rance concerning things, arising from the different Degrees of Evidence we have for them: The highest Degree of Evi­dence we have for any thing, is our own Sense and Experience; and this is so firm and strong, that it is not to be shaken by the utmost Pretence of a Rational Demonstration; Men will trust their own Senses and Experience, against any subtilty of Reason what­soever: But there are inferiour degrees of Assurance concerning things, as the Testimony and Authority of Persons eve­ry way credible; and this Assurance we have in this state concerning the things of another World, we believe with great Reason, that we have the Testimony of God concerning them, which is the highest kind of Evidence in it self; and we have all the reasonable assurance we can desire, that God hath testified these things, and this is the utmost assurance which things future and at a distance are capable of.

But yet it is an unreasonable obstina­cy to deny, that this falls very much short of that degree of assurance which [Page 319] those Persons have concerning these things, who are now in the other World, and have the Sense and Experience of these things; and this is not only inti­mated here in the Text, in the Oppositi­on of Faith and Sight, but is plainly exprest in other Texts of Scripture, 1 Cor. 13. 9, 10. We know now but in part, but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. That degree of knowledge and assu­rance which we have in this Life is very imperfect, in comparison to what we shall have hereafter, and Verse 12. We now see as through a Glass darkly, [...], as in a Riddle, in which there is always a great deal of Obscurity; all which Expressions are certainly intended by way of abatement and diminution to the certainty of Faith; because it is plain, that by that which is in part or imperfect, the Apostle means Faith and Hope, which he tells us shall cease, when that which is perfect, meaning Vision and Sight, is come: We see like­wise in Experience, that the Faith and Hope of the best Christians in this Life is accompanied with doubting concern­ing these things, and all doubting is a degree of uncertainty; but those bles­sed [Page 320] Souls who are entred upon the Pos­session of Glory and Happiness; and those miserable Wretches who lye groaning under the Wrath of God and the Severity of his Justice, cannot possi­bly, if they would, have any doubt concerning the Truth and Reality of these things.

But however contentious Men may dispute against common Sense, this is so plain a Truth, that I will not la­bour in the farther Proof of it; nor in­deed is it reasonable, while we are in this state, to expect that degree of assu­rance concerning the Rewards and Pu­nishments of another Life, which the sight and sensible experience of them would give us; and that upon these Two Accounts;

1. Because our present state will not admit it; and,

2. If it would, it is not reasonable we should have it.

1. Our present state will not admit it; for while we are in this World, it is not possible we should have that sensi­ble Experiment and Tryal how things are in the other. The things of the other World are remote from us, and far out of our Sight, and we cannot have [Page 321] any experimental knowledge of them, till we our selves enter into that state. Those who are already past into it know how things are; those happy Souls who live in the reviving presence of God, and are possest of those joys which we can­not now conceive, understand these things in another manner, and have a more perfect assurance concerning them, than it is possible for any Man to have in this World; and those wretched and miserable Spirits who feel the vengeance of God, and are plunged into the Hor­rors of Eternal Darkness, do believe up­on irresistable evidence, and have o­ther kind of Convictions of the Reality of that state, and the insupportable Mi­sery of it, than any Man is capable of in this World.

2. If our present state would admit of this high degree of assurance; it is not fit and reasonable that we should have it; such an over-powering evidence would quite take away the virtue of Faith, and much lessen that of Obedience. Put the case that every Man, some considera­ble time before his departure out of this Life, were permitted to visit the other World, to assure him how things are there, to view the Mansions of the Bles­sed, [Page 322] and to survey the dark and loath­some Prisons of the Damned, to hear the lamentable outcrys of Miserable and De­spairing Souls, and to see the inconceivable Anguish and Torments they are in; af­ter this, what virtue would it be in any Man to believe these things? He that had been there and seen them, could not dis-believe them if he would: Faith in this case would not be virtue, but nece­ssity; and therefore it is observable, that our Saviour doth not Pronounce them Blessed, who believed his Resurrection, upon the forcible evidence of their own Senses, but, Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. They might be Happy in the Effects of that Faith, but there is not praise, no reward belongs to that Faith which is wrought in Man by so violent and irresistable an evidence. It was the great commendation of Abra­ham's Faith, that against hope he believed in hope, he believed the promise of God concerning a thing in it self very impro­bable; but it is no commendation at all to believe the things which we have seen, because they admit of no manner of dispute; no Objection can be offered to shake our assent, unless we will run to the extremity of Scepticism; for if we [Page 323] will believe any thing at all, we must yield to the Evidence of Sense: This does so violently enforce our assent, that there can be no Virtue in such a Faith.

And as this would take away the Vir­tue of Faith, so it would very much lessen that of our Obedience. It is hardly to be imagined, that any Man who had seen the Blessed condition of good Men in another World, and been an Eye-witness of the intolerable Torments of Sinners, should ever after be tempted knowingly to do any thing that would deprive him of that Happiness, or bring him into that place of Torment: Such a sight could not chuse but affect a Man as long as he li­ved; and leave such impressions upon his mind, of the indispensable necessity of a Holy life, and of the infinite danger of a wicked course, that we might sooner believe that all the Men in the World should conspire to kill one another; than that such a Man, by consenting to any deliberate Act of Sin should wilfully throw himself into those flames: No, his Mind would be continually haunted with those Furies he had seen Torment­ing Sinners in another World, and the fearful Shrieks and Outcries of Misera­ble [Page 324] Souls, would be perpetually ring­ing in his Ears; and the Man would have so lively and terrible an imagina­tion of the danger he was running him­self upon, that no Temptation would be strong enough to conquer his fears, and to make him careless of his life and actions, after he had once seen how fear­ful a thing it was to fall into the hands of the living God: So that in this case, the Reason of Mens obedience would be so violent, that the virtue of it must be very little; for what praise is due to any Man, not to do those things which none but a perfect mad Man would do? For certainly that Man must be besides him­self, that could by any Temptation be se­duced to live a wicked life, after he had seen the state of good and bad Men in the other World; the glorious Rewards of Holiness and Virtue, and the dismal event of a vitious and sinful course: God hath designed this Life for the Trial of our Virtue, and the exercise of our obedience, but there would hard­ly be any place for this, if there were a free and easie passage for us into the o­ther World, to see the true state of things there. What argument would it be of any Mans virtue to forbear sinning, after [Page 325] he had been in Hell, and seen the mi­serable end of Sinners? But I proceed to the

III. And Last Observation; namely, That notwithstanding Faith be an inferi­our degree of Assent, yet it is a Principle of sufficient force and power to Govern our lives; we walk by Faith. Now, that the belief of any thing may have its Effect upon us, it is requisite that we be satis­fied of these Two things.

1. Of the Certainty and of the great Concernment of the thing; for if the thing be altogether uncertain, it will not move us at all, we shall do nothing to­wards the obtaining of it, if it be good; nor for the avoiding and preventing of it, if it be evil; and if we are certain of the thing, yet if we apprehend it to be of no great Moment and Concernment, we shall be apt to slight it, as not worth our re­gard; but the Rewards and Punishments of another world, which the Gospel pro­pounds to our Faith, are fitted to work upon our Minds; both upon account of the Certainty and Concernment of them. For,

1. We have sufficient Assurance of the Truth of these things, as much as [Page 326] we are well capable of in this state. Concerning things future and at a distance, we have the dictates of our Reason arguing us into this Perswasion, from the consideration of the Justice of the Divine Providence, and from the promiscuous and unequal Administra­tion of things in this world; from whence wise men in all ages have been apt to conclude, that there will be another state of things after this life, wherein rewards and punishments shall be equal­ly distributed. We have the general consent of Mankind in this matter: and to assure us, that these Reasonings are true, we have a most credible Revelati­on of these things, God having sent his Son from Heaven to declare it to us, and given us a sensible demonstration of the thing, in his Resurrection from the dead, and his visible Aseension into Heaven; so that there is no kind of evidence want­ing, that the thing is capable of, but on­ly our own sense and experience of these things, of which we are not capable in this present state. And there is no Obje­ction against all this, but what will bring all things into uncertainty, which do not come under our Senses, and which we our selves have not seen.

[Page 327] Nor is there any considerable Inte­rest to hinder Men from the Belief of these things, or to make them hesitate about them; for as for the other World, if at last there should prove to be no such thing, our Condition after Death will be the same with the Condition of those who disbelieve these things; because all will be extinguish'd by Death: but if things fall out otherwise (as most un­doubtedly they will) and our Souls after this Life do pass into a State of Everlast­ing Happiness or Misery, then our great Interest plainly lies, in preparing our selves for this State; and there is no other way to secure the great Concernments of another World, but by believing those things to be true, and governing all the Actions of our Lives by this Belief. For as for the Interests of this Life, they are but short and transitory, and consequent­ly of no Consideration in comparison of the things which are Eternal; and yet (as I have often told you) setting aside the case of Persecution for Religion, there is no real Interest of this World, but it may be as well promoted and pur­sued to as great Advantage, nay, usu­ally, to a far greater, by him that be­lieves these things, and lives according­ly, [Page 328] than by any other Person: For the Belief of the Rewards and Punishments of another World is the greatest Mo­tive and Encouragement to Virtue; and as all Vice is naturally attended with some temporal Inconvenience, so the Practice of all Christian Virtues doth in its own Nature tend both to the Wel­fare of Particular Persons, and to the Peace and Prosperity of Mankind.

But that which ought to weigh very much with us, is, That we have abun­dantly more Assurance of the Recom­pence of another World, than we have of many things in this World, which yet have a greater Influence upon our Actions, and govern the Lives of the most prudent and considerate Men. Men generally hazard their Lives and Estates upon Terms of greater Uncertainty, than the Assurance which we have of another World. Men venture to take Physick upon probable Grounds of the Integrity and Skill of their Physician, and yet the want of either of these may hazard their Lives; and Men take Physick upon greater Odds; for it certainly causeth Pain and Sickness, and doth but uncer­tainly procure and recover Health; the Patient is sure to be made sick, but not [Page 329] certain to be made well; and yet the Danger of being worse, if not of dying, on the one Hand, and the Hope of Suc­cess and Recovery on the other, make this Hazard and Trouble reasonable. Men venture their whole Estates to Places which they never saw; and that there are such Places, they have only the concurrent Testimony and Agree­ment of Men; nay, perhaps, have only spoken with them that have spoken with those that have been there. No Merchant ever insisted upon the Evi­dence of a Miracle to be wrought, to satisfie him that there were such Places as the East and West-Indies, before he would venture to Trade thither: And yet this Assurance God hath been plea­sed to give the World of a state beyond the Grave, and of a blessed Immortality in another Life.

Now what can be the Reason that so slender Evidence, so small a degree of Assurance will serve to encourage Men to seek after the things of this World with great Care and Industry; and yet a great deal more will not suffice to put them effectually upon looking after the great Concernments of another World, which are infinitely more considerable? [Page 330] No other Reason of this can be gi­ven, but that Men are partial in their Affections towards these things. It is plain they have not the same Love for God and Religion which they have for this World, and the Advantages of it; and therefore it is, that a less degree of Assurance will engage them to seek after the one, than the other; and yet the Reason is much stronger on the other side: For the greater the Benefit and Good is, which is offered to us, we should be the more eager to seek after it, and should be content to venture upon less Probability. Upon excessive Odds, a Man would venture upon very small Hopes; for a mighty Advantage, a Man would be content to run a great Hazard of his Labour and Pains upon little As­surance: Where a Man's Life is con­cern'd, every Suspicion of Danger will make a Man careful to avoid it: And will nothing affright Men from Hell, unless God carry them thither, and shew them the place of Torments, and the Flames of that Fire which shall never be quenched?

I do not speak this, as if these things had not abundant Evidence; I have shewn that they have; but to convince [Page 331] Men, how unreasonable and cruelly partial they are about the Concernments of their Souls, and their Eternal Hap­piness.

2. Supposing these things to be real and certain, they are of infinite Con­cernment to us: For what can concern us more, than that Eternal and Unchan­geable State in which we must be fixt and abide for ever? If so vast a Con­cern will not move us, and have no In­fluence upon the Government of our Lives and Actions, we do not deserve the Name of Reasonable Creatures. What Consideration can be set before Men, who are not touched with the Sense of so great an Interest, as that of our Happy or Miserable Being to all Eternity? Can we be so solicitous and careful about the Concernment of a few Days; and is it nothing to us what be­comes of us for ever? Are we so ten­derly concerned to avoid Poverty and Disgrace, Persecution and Suffering in this World; and shall we not much more flee from the wrath which is to come, and endeavour to escape the damnation of Hell? Are the slight and transitory Enjoyments of this World worth so much Thought and Care? And is an Eternal Inheri­tance [Page 332] in the Heavens not worth the looking after? As there is no Propor­tion, betwixt the things which are Temporal and the things which are Eternal, so we ought in all Reason, to be infinitely more concerned for the One than for the Other.

The proper Inference from all this Di­scourse is, That we would endeavour, to strengthen in our selves this great Prin­ciple of a Christian Life, the Belief of another World, by representing to our selves all those Arguments and Consi­derations which may confirm us in this Perswasion. The more reasonable our Faith is, and the surer grounds it is built upon; the more firm it will abide, when it comes to the tryal, a­gainst all the impressions of temptati­ons and assaults of Persecution: If our Faith of another World be only a strong imagination of these things, so soon as tribulation ariseth, it will wither; because it hath no root in it self: Upon this ac­count the Apostle so often exhorts Christians, to endeavour to be establisht in the Truth, to be rooted and grounded in the Faith, that when Persecution comes, they may continue stedfast and unmovable. The firmness of our Belief will have [Page 333] a great influence upon our Lives; if we be stedfast and unmovable in our per­swasion of these things, we shall be a­bundant in the work of the Lord. The A­postle joins these together, 1 Cor. 15. 58. Wherefore, my beloved Brethren, be ye stedfast and unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. Stedfast and unmovable, in what? In the belief of a blessed Resurrection; which the more firmly any Man believes, the more active and industrious will he be in the Work and Service of God.

And that our Faith may have a con­stant and powerful influence upon our Lives, we should frequently revolve in our Minds the thoughts of another World, and of that vast Eternity which we shall shortly launch into. The great disadvantage of the Argu­ments fetcht from another world, is this, That these things are at a distance from us, and not sensible to us, and therefore we are not apt to be so af­fected with them: Present and sensible things weigh down all other Considera­tions. And therefore to balance this disadvantage, we should often have these Thoughts in our Minds, and in­culcate [Page 334] upon our selves the certainty of these things, and the infinite concern­ment of them: we should reason thus with our selves; if these things be true, and will certainly be, why should they not be to me, as if they were actually present? Why should not I always live, as if Heaven were open to my view, and I saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God, with Crowns of Glory in his hands, ready to be set upon the Heads of all those who continue faith­ful and obedient to him? And why should I not be as much afraid to com­mit any Sin, as if Hell were naked before me, and I saw the astonishing Miseries of the Damned?

Thus we should, by frequent Medita­tion, represent these great things to our selves, and bring them nearer to our Minds, and oppose to the present temptations of Sense, the great and end­less Happiness and Misery of the other World. And if we would but thus exercise our selves about the things which are not seen, and make Eternity famili­ar to our selves, by a frequent Medita­tion of it, we should be very little moved with present and sensible things; we should walk and live by Faith, as [Page 335] the Men of the World do by Sense, and be more serious and earnest in the Pursuit of our great and everlasting Interest, than they are in the pursuit of Sensual Enjoy­ments, and should make it the great Busi­ness of this present and temporal Life, to secure a Future and Eternal Happiness.

THE great Design of this Epistle, (whoever was the Author of it, which I shall not now enquire into) is plainly this, to confirm the Jews, who were but newly converted to Christanity, in the stedfast Profession of that Faith, which they had em­braced, and to arm them against that Temptation, which Christians were then exposed to, viz. the fierce and cruel Persecutions, which threatned those of that Profession.

[Page 338] And to this purpose, he represents to them, the excellency of that Religion, above any other former Revelation, that God had made of himself to the World; both in respect of the Author and Revealer of it, who was the Son of God, and in respect of the Revelati­tion it self; which, as it contains bet­ter, and more perfect Directions of a good Life, so likewise more powerful and effectual Motives thereto, better Promises, and more terible Threatnings, than were annexed to the Observation of the Jewish Law, or clearly and cer­tainly discoverable by the Light of Na­ture. From these Considerations, he earnestly persuades them, all along throughout this Epistle, to continue constant in the Profession of this Faith, and not to suffer themselves to be fright­ed out of it by the Terrour of Perse­cution; Chap. 2. V. 1. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, left at any time we should let them slip; and Chap. 4. 1. Let us therefore fear, lest a Promise being left us, of entring into his rest, any of you should come short of it, and verse 23. of this Chapter, Let us hold fast the profession of our Faith, without waver­ing; [Page 339] and to encourage them to con­stancy, he sets before them, the Glori­ous Rewards and Recompences of the Gospel; Verse 35. Cast not away there­fore your Confidence, [...], your free and open Profession of Chri­stianity, which hath great Recompence of Reward.

And then on the other hand, to de­ter them from Apostacy from this Profession, he represents to them the horrible danger of it, here in the Text, But if any man draw back, my Soul shall have no Pleasure in him.

I shall briefly explain the Words, and then prosecute that which I mainly in­tended in them; if any Man draw back, [...]: These Words, with the foregoing, are cited out of the Prophet Habakkuk, Chap. 2. Verse 3, 4. and they are cited by the Apostle, ac­cording to the Translation of the LXX. which differs somewhat from the Hebrew; and the difference ariseth from the vari­ous readings of the Hebrew Word, which is rendered by the LXX. to draw back; but by the change of a Letter signifies to be lifted up, as we render it in the Prophet; but however that be, the Apostle follows the Translation of [Page 340] the LXX. and accommodates it to his Purpose. [...], if any Man draw back; the Word signifies to keep back, to withdraw, to sneak and slink away out of fear, to fail, or faint in any Enterprize: And thus this Word is rendered in the New Testament, Acts 20. 20. [...], I did not with-hold, or keep back any thing that was profitable for you; and so it is said of St. Peter, Gal. 2. 12. [...], he slunk away, or withdrew himself, fearing them of the Circum­cision; and the Hebrew Word, which is here rendered by the LXX. to draw back, is elsewhere rendered by [...], which is to fail or faint; from all which it appears, that by drawing back, the Apostle here means, Mens quitting their Profession of Christiani­ty, and slinking out of it, for fear of suffering for it.

My Soul shall have no Pleasure in him: These Words are plainly a [...], and less is said than is meant; for the meaning is, that God will be extreamly displeased with them, and punish them very severely. The like Figure to this, you have Psal. 5. 4. Thou art not a God that hast pleasure in Wickedness, which in the [Page 341] next Verse is explained, by his hatred and detestation of those who are guilty of it, Thou hatest all the workers of iniquity. So that the plain sense of the words is this, that Apostasie from the profession of God's true Religion, is a thing high­ly provoking to him, and will be most severely punisht by him.

In speaking to this Argument, I shall consider these four things.

I. The Nature of this sin of Aposta­sie from Religion.

II. The several steps and degrees of it.

III. The heinousness of it.

IV. The great danger of it, and the terrible punishment it exposeth men to. And when I have spoken to these, I shall conclude all with a short Exhortation, to hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering.

I. We will consider the Nature of this sin of Apostasie from Religion; and it consists in forsaking or renouncing the Profession of Religion, whether it be by an open declaration in words, or a vir­tual [Page 342] declaration of it by our actions; for it comes all to one in the sight of God, and the different manner of doing it, does not alter the nature of the thing: He indeed that renounceth Religion, by an open declaration in words, offers the greatest and boldest defiance to it; but he is likewise an Apostate, who silent­ly withdraws himself from the professi­on of it, who quits it for his interest, or for fear disowns it, and sneaks out of the Profession of it, and forsakes the Com­munion of those who own it. Thus Demas was an Apostate, in quitting Christia­nity for some worldly interest. Demas hath forsaken us, having loved this pre­sent world, saith St. Paul, 2 Tim. 4. 10. And those whom our Saviour describes, Mat. 13. 20, 21. who receiv'd the word in­to stony ground, were Apostates out of fear, they heard the word, and with joy re­ceiv'd it, but having no root in themselves, they endured but for a while, and when tri­bulation and persecution ariseth because of the word, presently they fall off.

And there is likewise a partial Apo­stasie from Christianity, when some Fun­damental Article of it is denied, where­by in effect and by consequence, the whole Christian Faith is overthrown. Of [Page 343] this Hymeneus and Philetus were guilty, of whom the Apostle says, that they err­ed concerning the truth, saying that tbe Re­surrection was past already, and thereby over­threw the faith of some, 2 Tim. 2. 17, 18. That is, they turned the Resurrection into an Allegory, and did thereby real­ly destroy a most Fundamental Article of the Christian Religion.

So that to make a man an Apostate, it is not necessary that a man should solemn­ly renounce his Baptism, and declare Christianity to be false; there are seve­ral other ways whereby a man may bring himself under this guilt; as by a silent quitting of his Religion, and with­drawing himself from the Communion of all that profess it; by denying an Es­sential Doctrine of Christianity; by un­dermining the great End and Design of it, by teaching Doctrines which directly tend to encourage Men in impenitence, and a wicked course of life, nay, to Au­thorise all manner of impiety and vice, in telling Men that whatever they do they cannot Sin; for which, the Pri­mitive Christians did look upon the Gnosticks, as no better than Apostates from Christianity; and tho they retain­ed the Name of Christians, yet not to [Page 344] be truly and really so. And there is like­wise a partial Apostacy from the Chri­stan Religion; of which I shall speak under the

II. Head I proposed; which was, to consider the several sorts and degrees of Apostacy. The highest of all, is the renouncing and forsaking of Christia­nity, or of some Essential part of it, which is a virtual Apostafie from it. But there are several tendencies towards this, which they who are guilty of, are in some degree guilty of this Sin. As

1. Indifferency in Religion, and want of all sort of Concernment for it: when a Man, tho he never quitted his Religion, yet is so little concerned for it, that a very small Occasion or Temptation would make him do it; he is contented to be reckoned in the num­ber of those who profess it, so long as it is the Fashion, and he finds no great Inconvenience by it; but is so indiffe­rent in his Mind about it, ( like Gallio, who minded none of those things) that he can turn himself into any other Shape, when his Interest requires it; so that tho he never actually deserted it, yet he is 2 kind of Apostate, in the preparation [Page 345] and disposition of his Mind: And to such Persons, that Title which Solomon gives to some, may fitly enough be ap­plyed, they are Backsliders in Heart.

2. Another tendency to this Sin, and a great degree of it, is withdrawing from the Publick Marks and Testimo­nies of the Profession of Religion, by forsaking the Assemblies of Christians for the Worship and Service of God; to withdraw our selves from those, for fear of Danger or Suffering, is a kind of Denyal of our Religion. And this was the case of some in the Apostles time, when Persecution grew hot, and the open Profession of Christianity dan­gerous; to avoid this Danger, many appeared not in the Assemblies of Chri­stians, for fear of being observed and brought into trouble for it. This the Apostle taxeth some for, in this Chap­ter, and speaketh of it as a letting go our Profession, and a kind of deserting of Christianity, v. 23, 35. Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering, not forsaking the assembling of our selves together, as the manner of some is: He doth not say they had quitted their Profession, but they had but a [Page 346] loose hold of it, and were silently steal­ing away from it.

3. A light temper of Mind, which easily receives Impressions from those who lie in wait to deceive, and seduce Men from the Truth. When Men are not well rooted and established in Re­ligion, they are apt to be inveigled by the crafty Insinuations of Seducers, to be moved with every wind of Doctrine, and to be ea­sily shaken in Mind, by every trifling piece of Sophistry, that is confidently obtruded upon them for a weighty Argument.

Now this is a temper of Mind which disposeth Men to Apostasie, and renders them an easie Prey to every one that takes a Pleasure and a Pride in making Proselytes. It is true indeed, a Man should always have a Mind rea­dy to entertain Truth, when it is fairly proposed to him; but the main things of Religion are so plainly revealed, and lie so obvious to every ordinary capa­city, that every Man may discern them; and when he hath once entertained them, ought to be stedfast and un­movable in them, and not suffer him­self to be whiffled out of them, by any insignificant noise about the Infallibili­ty of a Visible Church; much less [Page 347] ought he to be moved by any Man's uncharitableness and positiveness, in damning all that are not of his Mind.

There are some things so very plain, not only in Scripture, but to the com­mon Reason of Mankind, that no subtil­ty of Discourse, no pretended Au­thority, or even Infallibility of any Church, ought to stagger us in the least about them; as that we ought not, or cannot believe any thing in direct contradiction to Sense and Reason; that the People ought to Read and Study the Holy Scriptures, and to serve God and pray to him in a Language which they understand; that they ought to receive the Sacrament as our Saviour instituted and appointed it, that is, in both kinds; that it can neither be our Duty, nor Lawful to do that which God hath forbidden; as he hath done the Worship of Ima­ges in the Second Commandment, as plainly as words can do it. Upon any one of these Points, a Man would fix his foot, and stand alone against the whole World.

4. Another Degree of Apostasie is, a departure from the Purity of the Christian Doctrine and Worship, in [Page 348] a gross and notorious manner. This is a partial, tho not a total Apostasie from the Christian Religion; and there have been, and still are some in the World, who are justly Charged with this de­gree of Apostasie from Religion; namely such, as tho they retain and profess the Belief of all the Articles of the Christi­an Faith, and Worship the only true God, and him whom he hath sent, Jesus Christ; yet have greatly perverted the Christian Religion, by superinducing, and adding new Articles of Faith, and gross Corruptions, and Superstitions in Worship, and imposing upon Men the Belief and Practice of these, as necessary to Salvation. And St. Paul is my War­rant for this Censure, who chargeth those who added to the Christian Religion, the Necessity of Circumcision, and ob­serving the Law of Moses, and thereby perverted the Gospel of Christ, as guil­ty in some degree of Apostasie from Christianity; for he calls it, preaching another Gospel, Gal. 1. 7, 8. There be some that trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ; but tho we, or an Angel from Heaven, preach any other Go­spel to you, than that which we have preach­ed, let him be accursed. And those who [Page 349] were seduced by these Teachers, he chargeth them with having in some sort quitted the Gospel of Christ, and embraced another Gospel, V. 6. I mar­vel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the Grace of Christ, unto another Gospel: So that they who thus pervert and corrupt the Christian Doctrine or Worship, are plainly guil­ty of a partial Apostasie from Christi­anity; and they who quit the purity of the Christian Doctrine and Wor­ship, and go over to the Communion of those who have thus perverted Chri­stianity, are in a most dangerous state, and in the Judgment of St. Paul, are in some sort removed unto another Gospel. I shall now proceed, in the

III. Place, to consider the Heinous­ness of this Sin. And it will appear to be very Heinous, if we consider, what an affront it is to God, and how great a contempt of him; when God hath revealed his will to Mankind, and sent no less Person than his own Son out of his own Bosom to do it, and hath given such Testimonies to him from Heaven, by signs and wonders, and divers miracles and gifts of the Holy [Page 350] Ghost; when he hath transmitted down to us, so Faithful a Record of this Revelati­on, and of the Miracles wrought to con­firm it, in the Books of the Holy Scriptures, and when we our selves have so often de­clared our firm belief of this Revelation; yet after all this to fall from it, and de­ny it, or any part of it, or to embrace Doctrines and Practices plainly contra­ry to it: This certainly cannot be done without the greatest affront and con­tempt of the Testimonies of God him­self; for it is in effect, and by interpre­tation, to declare, that either we do not believe what God says, or that we do not fear what he can do. So St. John tells us, 1 Ep. 5. 10. He that be­lieveth not God, hath made him a Lyar, be­cause he believeth not the record which God hath given of his Son.

And all along in this Epistle to the Hebrews, the Apostle sets himself to aggravate this Sin; calling it an Evil Heart of unbelief, to depart from the living God, Ch. 3 12. And he frequently calls it so, [...], and by way of eminen­cy, as being of all Sins the greatest and most heinous. Ch. 10. 26. If we sin willfully, after we have received the know­ledge of the Truth. That the Apostle here [Page 351] speaks of the Sin of Apostasie, is plain from the whole scope of his discourse; for having exhorted them before, v. 23. to hold fast the Profession of their Faith with­out wavering, not forsaking the assembling of themselves together, he immediately adds, for if we sin willfully, after we have re­ceived the knowledge of the Truth; that is, if we fall off from Christianity, af­ter we have embraced it. And, Ch. 12 1. let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily besets us; that is, the great Sin of Apostasie from Religion; to which they were then so strongly tempted by that fierce Persecution which attended it; and therefore he adds, let us run with patience the race which is set before us; that is, let us arm our selves with pa­tience against the Sufferings we are like to meet with in our Christian course. To oppose the Truth, and resist the clear Evidence of it, is a great Sin, and Men are justly condemned for it. John 3. 19. This is the condemnation, that light is come into the World, and men loved darkness rather than light. But to desert the Truth, after we have been convinced of it, to fall off from the Profession of it, after we have embraced it; is a much greater Sin. Opposition to the Truth, [Page 352] may proceed in a great measure from ig­norance and prejudice, which is a great extenuation; and therefore St. Paul tells us, that after all his violent Persecution of Christianity, he found Mercy, because he did it ignorantly and in unbelief. To revolt from the Truth, after we have made profession of it; after we have known the way of righteousness, to turn from the holy commandment; this is the great ag­gravation. The Apostle makes wilful­ness, an usual ingredient into the Sin of Apostasie, if we sin wilfully, after we have received the knowledge of the Truth.

And as this Sin is one of the greatest affronts to God, so it is the highest and most effectual disparagement of Re­ligion; for it is not so much considered, what the Enemies of Religion speak against it, because they speak evil of the things which they know not, and of which they have had no Tryal and Experience; but he that falls off from Religion, af­ter he hath made profession of it, de­clares to the World, that he hath try­ed it, and dislikes it; and pretends to leave it, because he hath not found that Truth and Goodness in it which he expected; and upon long experience [Page 353] of it, sees reason to prefer another Re­ligion before it: So that nothing can be more despiteful to Religion than this, and more likely to bring it into con­tempt; and therefore the Apostle ( v. 29. of this Chapter) calls it a trampling under foot the Son of God, and making the Blood of the Covenant a profane thing, and offering despite to the Spirit of Grace: for we cannot put a greater Scorn upon the Son of God, who revealed this Doctrine to the World; nor upon his Blood, which was shed to confirm and seal the Truth of it; and upon the Ho­ly Ghost, who came down in miracu­lous Gifts, to give Testimony to it; than notwithstanding all this, to re­nounce this Doctrine, and to forsake this Religion. But we shall yet farther see the heinousness of this Sin, in the terrible Punishment it exposeth Men to; which was the

IV. And Last thing I proposed to consider. And this is represented to us in a most terrible manner, not only in this Epistle, but in other Places of Scripture. This Sin is placed in the high­est rank of pardonable Sins, and next to the Sin against the Holy Ghost, [Page 354] which our Saviour declares to be abso­lutely unpardonable. And indeed the Scripture speaks very doubtfully of the pardonableness of this Sin, as being near akin to that against the Holy Ghost, being said to be an Offering de­spite to the Spirit of Grace. In the 6th Chapter of this Epistle, V. 4, 5, 6. the Apostle speaks in a very severe manner, concerning the state of those, who had apostatized from Christianity, after the solemn Profession of it in Baptism, it is impossible for those who were once enlight­ned (that is baptized) and have tasted of the Heavenly Gift, (that is Regenerati­on) and were made Partakers of the Ho­ly Ghost, and have tasted the good Word of God, and the Powers of the World to come, (that is, have been instructed in the Christan Religion, and endowed with the miraculous Powers of the Gospel-Age, (for the Jews used to call the Age of the Messias, Seculum Futurum, or the World to come) it is im­possible for those to be renewed again unto repentance; where the least we can understand, by impossible, is, that it is extreamly difficult; for so the word impossible is sometimes used; as when our Saviour says, it is impossible [Page 355] for a rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. And, Ch. 10. 26. the Apostle speaking of the same thing, says, if we sin willfully, after we have received the knowledge of the Truth, there remains no more Sacrifice for sins; that is, they who renounce Christianity, since they reject the only way of expiation, there re­mains no more Sacrifice for their Sins.

St. Peter likewise expresseth himself very severely concerning this sort of Persons, 2 Epist. 2. 20, 21. For if after they have escaped the Pollutions of the World, through the Knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; (that is, after they have been brought from Heathen­ism to Christianity) they are entangled therein again, and overcome; the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. He seems loth to say, how sad the Con­dition of such Persons is, but this he tells them, that it is much worse than when they were Heathens before; and he gives the Reason, for it had been bet­ter for them, not to have known the way of Righteousness, than after they have known it, to turn from the Holy Commandment delivered unto them. And St. John calls this Sin of Apostasie, the Sin vnto Death; and tho he do not forbid Christians [Page 356] to pray for them that are guilty of it; yet he will not say, that they should pray for them. 1 Epist. 5. 16. If any Man see his Brother sin a Sin, which is not unto Death, he shall ask, and he shall give him Life, for them that sin not unto Death; there is a sin unto Death, I do not say, that he shall pray for it. Now that by this sin unto Death, the Apostle means A­postasie from the Christian Religion to Idolatry, is most probable from what follows, Verse 18. we know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not, (that is this Sin unto Death) but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and the wicked one toucheth him not, (that is, he is preserved from Idolatry, unto which the Devil had seduced so great a part of Man­kind) and we know that we are of God, and the whole World, [...], is under the dominion of that wicked one; ( viz. the Devil, whom the Scripture else­where calls the God of this World;) and we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, (that is, hath brought us from the Worship of false Gods, to the knowledge and Worship of the true God) and then he concludes, little Children, keep your selves from Idols; [Page 357] which caution hath no manner of de­pendence upon what went before, un­less we understand the Sin unto Death, in this Sense; and it is the more pro­bable, that it is so to be understood, be­cause Apostasie is so often in this Epistle to the Hebrews, called the Sin, by way of Eminency, as it is here, by St. John, whosoever is born of God sinneth not.

So that at the very best, the Scripture speaks doubtfully of the pardon of this sin; however, that the punishment of it, unrepented of, shall be very dread­ful. It seems to be mildly exprest here in the Text, If any man draw back, my Soul shall have no pleasure in him: But it is the more severe for being exprest so mildly, according to the intention of the Figure here used; and therefore in the next words, this expression of Gods taking no pleasure in such Per­sons, is explained by their utter Ruin and Perdition; But we are not of them that draw back unto Perdition. And in several parts of this Epistle, there are very severe passages to this purpose; Ch. 2. 2, 3. If the word spoken by Angels, was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward, how shall we escape, if we neglect [Page 358] so great salvation? And Ch. 10. 26, 27. If we sin willfully, after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sin; but a certain fear­ful looking for of judgment, and fiery in­dignation, which shall devour the adver­sary: he that dispised Moses law, dyed with­out mercy, under two or three witnesses; of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, that hath trod­den under foot the Son of God! &c. For we know him who hath said, Vengeance is mine, I will recompence, saith the Lord: And again, The Lord shall judge his Peo­ple; it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. What can be more severe and terrible than these expressions?

I will mention but one Text more, and that is Rev. 21. 8. where in the Ca­talogue of great Sinners, those who Apostatize from Religion, out of fear, do lead the Van; He that overcometh shall inherit all things, (which is else­where in this Book exprest, by con­tinuing faithful unto the Death.) He that overcometh, shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my Son; but the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and whoremongers, [Page 359] and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all lyars, shall have their part in the lake, which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. The fearful, and unbe­lievers, and lyars; that is, they who out of fear relapse into infidelity, and abide not in the Truth, shall be reckon­ed in the first rank of Offenders, and be punished accordingly.

And thus I have done with the Four things I propounded to speak to, from these words; the Nature of A­postasie; the several steps and degrees of it; the heinous Nature of this Sin; the danger of it, and the terrible punish­ment in exposeth Men to.

And is there any need now, to ex­hort men to hold fast the profession of Faith, when the danger of draw­ing back is so evident, and so terrible? or is there any reason and occasion for it? Certainly there is no great danger amongst us, of Mens Apostatizing from Christianity, and turning Jews, or Turks, or Heathens; I do not think there is; but yet for all that, we are not free from the danger of Apostasie; there is great danger, not of Mens Apo­statizing from one Religion to another, but from Religion to Infidelity, and [Page 360] Atheism; and of this worst kind of A­postasie of all other, I wish the Age we live in, had not afforded us too many instances. It is greatly to be lamented, that among those who have profest Christianity, any should be found, that should make it their endeavour to undermine the great Principles of all Religion; the Belief of a God, and his Providence; and of the Im­mortality of the Souls of Men; and a state of Rewards and Punishments after this Life; and to bring the most serious matters in the World into contempt, and to turn them into jest and raillery; this is not only a Renouncing of Chri­stianity, the Religion which God hath revealed, but even of the Religion which is born with us, and the Prin­ciples and Notions which God hath planted in every Man's Mind; this is an Impiety of the First Magnitude, and not to be mentioned without grief and horror; and this, it is to be feared, hath had a great hand in those great Ca­lamities which our eyes have seen; and I pray God, it do not draw down still more and greater Judgments upon this Nation: But I hope there are none here that need to be cautioned against [Page 361] this horrible impiety, and highest de­gree of Apostasie from the living God; that which People are much more in danger of, is Apostasie from the Puri­ty of the Christian Doctrine and Wor­ship, so happily recovered by a re­gular Reformation, and establisht a­mongst us, by all the Authority that Laws, both Ecclesiastical and Civil, can give it; and which in Truth is no o­ther than the Ancient and Primitive Christianity; I say, a defection from this, to those gross Errors and Super­stitions, which the Reformation had paired off, and freed us from. I do not say, that this is a total Apostasie from Christianity; but it is a partial Apostasie and Defection, and a very dangerous one; and that those, who af­ter they have received the knowledge of the truth, fall off from it, into those Errors and Corruptions, are highely guilty before God, and their condition cer­tainly worse, and more dangerous, than of those who where brought up in those Errors and Superstitions, and never knew better; for there are ter­rible threatnings in Scripture against those, who fall away from the Truth, which they once embraced, and were [Page 362] convinced of; If we sin wilfully, after we have received the knowledge of the truth, &c. and if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

God considers every Man's Advan­tages and Opportunities of Knowledge, and their Disadvantages likewise, and makes all reasonable Allowances for them; and for Men to continue in the Errors they have been always brought up in; or, which comes much to one, in Errors which they were led into by Principles early infused into them, be­fore they were in any measure compe­tent Judges of those matters; I say, for such Persons to continue in these Errors, and to oppose and reject the contrary Truths, against which, by their Edu­cation, they have received so strong and violent a Prejudice, this may be in a great degree excusable, and find Par­don with God, upon a general Repen­tance for all Sins, both known and un­known; and cannot be reasonably char­ged with the Guilt of this great Sin of Apostasie. But not to abide in the Truth, after we have entertain'd and profess'd it, having sufficient Means and Advan­tages of knowing it, hath no Excuse.

[Page 363] I would not be rash in condemning Particular Persons of any Society or Communion of Christians, provided they be sincerely devout, and just, and sober, to the best of their Knowledge: I had much rather leave them to God, whose mercies are great, than to pass an un­charitable Censure upon them, as to their Eternal State and Condition: But the Case is far otherwise, where the Opor­tunities of Knowledge are afforded to Men, and men love darkness rather than light; for they who have the Means and Advantages of knowing their Master's will, are answerable to God, as if they had known it; because if they had not been grosly negligent, and wanting to them­selves, they might have known it.

And this I fear is the Case of the ge­nerality of those, who have been bred up to years of Consideration and Choice in the Reformed Religion, and forsake it; because they do it without sufficient Reason, and there are invincible Ob­jections against it: They do it without sufficient Reason; because every one a­mongst us knows, or may know, upon very little Enquiry, that we hold all the Articles of the Faith, which are con­tained in the Ancient Creeds of the Chri­stian [Page 364] Church, and into which all Chri­stians are baptized; that we inculcate upon Men the Necessity of a Good Life, and of sincere Repentance, and per­fect Contrition for our Sins, such as is follow'd with real Reformation and A­mendment of our Lives; and that with­out this, no Man can be saved by any Device whatsoever.

Now what Reason can any Man have, to question whether he may be saved in that Faith which saved the first Christians, and by believing the Twelve Articles of the Apostles Creed, tho he cannot swallow the Twelve Ar­ticles which are added to it in the Creed of Pope Pius IV. every one of which, besides many and great Corruptions and Superstitions in Worship, are so ma­ny and invincible Objections against the Communion of the Roman Church, as I could particularly shew, if it had not been already done, in so many learned Treatises upon this Argument. What is there then, that should move any rea­sonable Man to forsake the Communion of our Church, and to quit the Refor­med Religion?

[Page 365] There are Three things chiefly with which they endeavour to amuse and affright weaker Minds.

1. A great Noise of Infallibility, which they tell us, is so excellent a means to determine and put an end to all Dif­ferences. To which I shall at present only object this Prejudice; That there are not wider and hotter Differences among us, about any thing whatsoever, than are amongst them about this admirable means of ending all Differen­ces, as, where this Infallibility is feated, that Men may know how to have re­course to it, for the ending of Differences.

2. They endeavour to fright Men with the danger of Schism. But every Man knows, that the Guilt of Schism lies at their Door, who impose sinful Articles of Communion; and not up­on them, who for fear of sinning against God, cannot submit to those Articles; which we have done, and are still ready to make good, to be the Case betwixt us and the Church of Rome. But,

3. The terrible Engine of all, is, their positive and confident damning of all that live and die out of the Communion of their Church. This I have fully spo­ken [Page 366] to upon another Occasion, and therefore shall only say at present, that every Man ought to have better Thoughts of God, than to believe, that he, who delighteh not in the death of sin­ners, and would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, will confirm the Sentence of such un­charitable Men, as take upon them to condemn Men for those things, for which our Saviour in his Gospel con­demns no Man. And of all things in the World, one would think, that the Uncharitableness of any Church, should be an Argument to no Man, to run into its Communion.

I shall conclude with the Apostle's Exhortation, ver. 23. of this Chapter, Let us hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering, and provoke one another to charity and good works; and so much the more, because the Day approacheth, in which God will judge the faith and lives of men, by Jesus Christ, according to his Gospel.

THEN said Jesus to his Disciples, That is, upon Occasion of his former Discourse with them, wherein he had acquainted them with his approaching Passion, that he must shortly go up to Jerusalem, and there suffer many things of the Elders and Chief Priests and Scribes, and at last be put to Death by them; then said Jesus unto his Dis­ciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross, and follow me.

[Page 368] If any man will come after me, or fol­low me; that is, If any man will be my Disciple, and undertake the Profession of my Religion; If any man chuse and resolve to be a Christian; he must be so upon these Terms; he must deny him­self, and take up his Cross and follow me: He must follow me in Self-denyal and Suffering.

In the handling of these Words, I shall do these Four things.

I. I shall consider the way and me­thod which our Saviour useth in ma­king Proselytes, and gaining Men over to his Religion: He offers no manner of Force and Violence to compel them to the Profession of his Religion; but fair­ly offers it to their Consideration and Choice, and tells them plainly upon what terms they must be his Disciples; and if they be contented and resolved to submit to these Terms, well; if not, it is in vain to follow him any longer; for they cannot be his Disciples.

II. I shall endeavour to explain this Duty of Self-denyal, exprest in these Words, Let him deny himself, and take up his Cross and follow me.

[Page 369] III. I shall consider the strict and indispensible Obligation of it, whenever we are call'd to it, Without this we cannot be Christ's Disciples; if any man will come after me, or be my Disciple, let him deny himself.

IV. I shall endeavour to vindicate the reasonableness of this Precept, of self-denial and suffering for Christ, which at first appearance may seem to be so very harsh and difficult; and I shall go over these Particulars as briefly as I can.

I. We will consider the way and method which our Saviour here useth in making Proselytes, and gaining men over to his Religion; he offers no man­ner of force and violence to compel men to the profession of his Religion, but fairly proposeth it to their Consideration and Choice, telling them plainly upon what terms they must be his Disciples; if they like them, and are content, and resolved to submit to them, well; he is willing to receive them, and own them for his Disciples; if not, it is in vain to follow him any longer: For they cannot [Page 370] be his Disciples. As on the one hand, he offers them no worldly Preferment and Advantage, to entice them into his Re­ligion, and to tempt them outwardly to profess what they do not inwardly believe; so on the other hand, he does not hale and drag them by force, and awe them by the terrours of tor­ture and death to sign the Christian Faith, tho' most undoubtedly true; and to confess with their mouths, and sub­scribe with their hands, what they do not believe in their hearts. He did not obtrude his Sacraments upon them, and plunge them into the water to Ba­ptize them, whether they would or no, and thrust the Sacrament of Bread in­to their mouths; as if men might be Worthy Receivers of that Blessed Sa­crament, whether they receive it wil­lingly or no.

Our Blessed Saviour, the Author and Founder of our Religion, made use of none of these ways of violence, so con­trary to the nature of man, and of all Religion, and especially of Christiani­ty, and fitted only to make men Hy­pocrites, but not Converts; he only says, If any man will be my Disciple; he useth no Arguments, but such as are [Page 371] Spiritual, and proper to work upon the Minds and Consciences of Men: For as his Kingdom was not of this world, so neither are the Motives and Arguments to induce Men to be his subjects, taken from this world; but from the endless Rewards and Punish­ments of another. The weapons which he made use of, to subdue Men to the obedience of Faith, are not carnal; and yet they were mighty through God, to conquer the obstinacy and infidelity of men. This great and infallible Teacher, who certainly came from God, all that he does, is to propose his Religion to Men, with such Evi­dence, and such Arguments, as are pro­per to convince Men of the Truth and Goodness of it; and to perswade Men to embrace it; and he acquaints them likewise with all the worldly Disadvantages of it, and the hazards and sufferings that would attend it; and now, if upon full consideration, they will make his Religion their free Choice, and become his Disciples, he is willing to receive them; if they will not, he understands the nature of Re­ligion better, than to go about to force it upon Men, whether they will or no.

[Page 372] II. I shall endeavour to explain this Duty or Precept of self-denial, ex­prest in these words, Let him deny him­self, and take up his cross. These are difficult Terms; for a Man to deny himself, and take up his own Cross; that is, willingly to submit to all those Sufferings which the malice of Men may inflict for the sake of Christ and his Religion. For this Expression, of taking up one's Cross, is a plain Allusi­on to the Roman Custom, which was this; That he that was condemned to be Crucified, was to take his Cross upon his Shoulders, and to carry it to the place of Execution; this the Jews made our Saviour to do, as we read, Joh. 19. 17. till that being ready to faint under it and lest he should die away before he was nailed to the Cross, they compelled Simon of Cyrene to car­ry it for him, as is declar'd by the other Evangelists; and yet he tells them, they that will be his Disciples must follow him, bearing their own Cross; that is, being ready (if God call them to it) to submit to the like sufferings for Him and his Truth, which he was short­ly to undergo for the Truth, and for their sakes.

[Page 373] But tho these terms seem very hard; yet they are not unreasonable; as I shall shew in the conclusion of this Discourse. Some indeed have made them so by ex­tending this self-denyal too far, atten­ding more to the latitude of the Words, than to the meaning and scope of our Saviour's Discourse: For there is no doubt, but that there are a great many things, which may properly enough be called self-denyal, which yet our Sa­viour never intended to oblige Christi­ans to. It is, no doubt, great self-de­nyal, for a Man, without any Ne­cessity, to deny himself the necessary Supports of Life, for a Man to starve and make away himself. But no Man certainly ever imagined, that our Saviour ever intended by this Precept, to enjoyn this kind of self-denyal.

It is plain then, that there is no Rea­son nor Necessity to extend this Precept of our Saviour, concerning self-denyal, to every thing that may properly enough be called by that name; and therefore this Precept must be limited by the plain scope and intendment of our Saviour's Discourse; and no Man can argue thus; such a thing is self-denyal, therefore our Saviour requires it of his Disciples: For our Saviour doth not [Page 374] here require all kinds of self-denyal; but limits it, by his Discourse, to one cer­tain kind, beyond which, self-denyal is no Duty by virtue of this Text; and therefore, for our clearer understanding of this Precept of self-denyal, I shall do these two things:

1. Remove some sorts of self-deny­al, which are instanced in by some, as in­tended in this Precept.

2. I shall shew what kind of self-denyal that is, which our Saviour here intends.

1. There are several things brought under this Precept of self-denyal, which were never intended by our Saviour. I shall instance in Two or Three things, which are most frequently insisted up­on, and some of them by very devout and well-meaning Men; as, that in matters of Faith, We should deny and renounce our own Senses and our Rea­son; nay, that we should be content to renounce our own Eternal Happiness, and be willing to be damned for the Glory of God and the Good of our Brethren: But all these are so ap­parently and grosly unreasonable, that it is a Wonder that any one should ever take them for Instances of that self-de­nyal which our Saviour requires; espe­cially [Page 375] considering, that in all his Dis­course of self-denyal, he does not so much as glance at any of these Instan­ces, or any thing like to them.

1. Some comprehend under self-de­nyal, the denying and renouncing our own Senses in matters of Faith: and if this could be made out to be intended by our Saviour in this Precept, we need­ed not dispute any of the other Instan­ces. For he that renounceth the certain­ty of Sense, so as not to believe what he sees, may after this renounce and de­ny any thing. For the Evidence of Sense is more clear and unquestionable than that of Faith; as the Scripture frequent­ly intimates; as John 20. 29. where our Saviour reproves Thomas, for refusing to believe his Resurrection, upon any less Evidence than that of Sense; Be­cause thou hast seen, thou hast believed: Blessed are they wich have not seen, and yet have believed. Which plainly supposeth the Evidence of Sense to be the highest and clearest degree of Evidence. So like­wise that of St. Paul, 2 Cor. 5. 7. We walk by Faith, and not by Sight: Where the Evidence of Faith, as that which is more imperfect and obscure, is opposed to that of Sight, as more clear and cer­tain. [Page 376] So that to believe any Article of Faith, in contradiction to the clear Evidence of Sense, is contrary to the very Nature of Assent; which always yields to the greatest and clearest Evi­dence.

Besides that, our Belief of Religion is at last resolved into the certainty of Sense; so that by renouncing that, we destroy and undermine the very Foun­dation of our Faith. One of the plainest and principal Proofs of the Being of God (which is the first and Fundamen­tal Article of all Religion) relies upon the certainty of Sense; namely, the Frame of this visible World; by the Contemplation whereof, we are led to the acknowledgment of the invisible Author of it. So St. Paul tells us, Rom. 1. 20. That the invisible things of God, from the Creation of the World, are clearly seen, being understood by the things which are made, even his eternal Power and Godhead.

And the great external Evidence of the Christian Religion, I mean Mira­cles, is at last resolved into the certainty of Sense, without which, we can have no assurance that any Miracle was wrought for the confirmation of it.

And the knowledge likewise of the [Page 377] Christian Faith, is conveyed to us by our Senses; the Evidence whereof, if it be uncertain, takes away all cer­tainty of Faith. How shall they believe, (saith St. Paul, Rom. 10. 14.) How shall they believe in him, of whom they have not Heard? And ver. 17. So then Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. So that to deny and renounce our Senses in matters of Faith, is to take away the main Pillar and Founda­tion of it.

2. Others, almost with equal absur­dity, would comprehend under our Sa­viour's Precept of Self-denial, the denying and renouncing of our Reason in matters of Faith: and this is Self-denial with a witness, for a Man to deny his own reason; for it is to deny himself to be a Man. This surely is a very great mistake, and tho the ground of it may be innocent; yet the consequence of it, and the Discourses upon it, are very ab­surd.

The Ground of the mistake is this, Men think they deny their own Rea­son, when they assent to the Revelati­on of God in such things, as their own Reason could neither have disco­vered, nor is able to give the reason of: [Page 378] whereas in this case, a Man is so far from denying his own Reason, that he does that which is most agreeable to it. For what more reasonable than to be­lieve whatever we are sufficiently as­sur'd is revealed to us by God, who can neither be deceived himself, nor deceive us?

But tho' the Ground of this mistake may be innocent, yet the Consequences of it are most absurd and dangerous. For if we are to renounce our Reason in matters of Faith, then are we bound to believe without Reason, which no Man can do; or if he could, then Faith would be unreasonable, and In­fidelity reasonable. So that this Instance likewise of Self-denial, to renounce and deny our own Reason, as it is no where exprest, so it cannot reasonably be thought to be intended by our Savi­our in this Precept.

3. Nor doth this Precept of Self-denial require Men to be con­tent to renounce their own Eternal Happiness, and to be willing to be Damned for the Glory of God, and the good of their Brethren. If this were the meaning of this Precept, we might justly say, as the Disciples did [Page 379] to our Saviour, in another Case, This is a hard saying, and who can hear it? The very thought of this, is enough to make Humane Nature to tremble at its very foundation. For the deepest Principle that God hath planted in our Nature, is the desire of our own Preservation and Happiness; and into this the Force of all Laws, and the Rea­son of all our Duty is at last re­solved.

From whence it plainly follows, that it can be no Man's Duty in any case to renounce his own Happiness, and to be content to be for Ever Mi­serable; because if once this be made a Duty, there will be no Argument left, to perswade any Man to it. For the most powerful Arguments, that God ever used, to perswade Men to any thing, are the Promise of Eternal Hap­piness, and the Terrour of Everlasting Torments: But if this were a Man's Duty, to be content to be Miserable for Ever, neither of these Arguments would be of force sufficient to per­swade a Man to it.

The first of these, namely the Pro­mise of Eternal Happiness, could si­gnifie nothing to him that is to be Eter­nally [Page 380] Miserable; because if he be to be so, it is impossible that he should ever have the benefit of that Promise: and the threatning of Eternal Misery, could be no Argument in this Case; because the Duty is just as difficult, as the Argu­ment is powerful, and no Man can be moved to submit to any thing that is grievous and terrible, but by some­thing that is more terrible; for if it be not, it is the same thing, whether he submit to it, or not; and then no Man can be content, to be Eternally Miserable, only for the fear of being so; for this would be for a Man to run himself upon that very inconvenience which he is so much afraid of; and 'tis madness for a Man to die for fear of death. Quis novus hic furor est, ne moriare, mori?

By this it plainly appears, how un­reasonable it is to imagin, that by this Precept of Self-denial, our Saviour should require Men to renounce Everlasting Happiness, and to be content to be Mi­serable for Ever, upon any account whatsoever; because this were to sup­pose, that God hath imposed that up­on us as a Duty, to oblige us where­to there can be no Argument offer'd, [Page 381] that can be powerful enough. As for the Glory of God, which is pre­tended to be the Reason, it is an im­possible Supposition; because it cannot be for the Glory of God, to make a Creature for Ever Miserable, that shall not by his Wilful Obstinacy and Impe­nitence deserve to be so.

But this is only cast in to add weight. The other Reason of the Good and Sal­vation of our Brethren, is the only Consideration for which there is any manner of colour from Scripture; and two Instances are alledged to this purpose, of two very Excellent Per­sons, that seem to have desired this, and to have submitted to it; and there­fore it is not so unreasonable as we would make it, that our Saviour should enjoyn it as a Duty. The Instances al­ledged are these. Moses desired of God that he might be blotted out of the Book of Life, rather than the People of Israel, whom he had Conducted and Governed so long, should be destroyed: And in the New Testament St. Paul tells us, That he could wish, that himself were accursed from Christ, for his Bre­thren; so earnest a desire had he of their Salvation.

[Page 382] But neither of these Instances are of force sufficient to overthrow the Reasons of my former Discourse; for the desire of Moses amounts only to a submission to a Temporal death, that his Nation might be saved from a Temporal ruin.

For the Expression of blotting out of the Book of Life, is of the same impor­tance with those Phrases so frequently used in the Old Testament, of blotting out from the face of the Earth, and blot­ting out one's name from under Heaven; which signifie no more than Tempo­ral death and destruction; and then Moses's Wish was reasonable and gene­rous, and signifies no more, but that he was willing, if God pleased, to die to save the Nation.

As for St. Paul's Wish, of being ac­cursed from Christ, it is plainly an Hyperbolical Expression of his great Affection to his Country-men the Jews, and his Zeal for their Salvation, which was so great, that if it had been a thing reasonable and lawful, he could have wisht the greatest Evil to himself for their sakes; and therefore it is observa­ble, that it is not a positive and abso­lute wish, but exprest in the usual form [Page 383] of ushering in an Hyperbole; I could wish, just as we are wont to say, when we would express a thing to the hight, which is not fit, nor intended to be done by us; I could wish so or so; I could even afford to do this or that; which kind of speeches, no Man takes for a strict and precise Declaration of our minds, but for a figurative expres­sion of a great Passion.

And thus I have done with the first thing I proposed for the Expli­cation of this Precept, or Duty of Self-denial; which was to remove some sorts of Self-denial, which by some are frequently instanced in, as intended by our Saviour in this Precept. I proceed now to the

Second thing I proposed; which is to declare positively, what that Self-de­nial is, which our Saviour here intends; and 'tis plainly this, and nothing but this; that we should be willing to part with all Earthly Comforts and Conve­niences, to quit all our Temporal In­terests and Enjoyments, and even Life it self, for the sake of Christ and his Re­ligion. This our Saviour means, by deny­ing our selves; and then (which is much the same with the other) that we should [Page 384] be willing to bear any Temporal in­convenience and suffering, upon the same account. This is to take up our Cross and follow him.

And that this is the full meaning of these two Phrases, of denying our selves, and taking up our Cross, will clearly appear, by considering the particular Instances, which our Saviour gives of this Self-denyal, when ever he hath oc­casion to speak of it; by which you will plainly see, that these expressions a­mount to no more than I have said. Even here in the Text, after our Sa­viour had told his Disciples, that he that would come after him, must deny himself, and take up his Cross; It fol­lows immediately, for whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake, shall find it. You see here, that he instanceth in parting with our lives for him, as the highest piece of Self-denyal, which he requires. And he himself elsewhere tells us, that greater love than this hath no man, than that a man lay down his life for his friend. Elsewhere he instanceth in quitting our nearest Relations for his sake; Luke 14. 26, 27. If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and [Page 385] children, and brethren, and sisters, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my Disci­ple; and whosoever doth not bear his Cross and come after me, he cannot be my Dis­ciple.

Which expressions, of hating Father, and Mother, and other Relations, and even Life it self, are not to be under­stood Rigorously, and in an absolute Sense, but Comparatively; for it is an Hebrew manner of speech, to express that Absolutely, which is meant only Comparatively; and so our Saviour explains himself, in a parallel Text to this; Matth. 10. 37, 38. He that loveth father or mother, more than me, is not worthy of me: he that loveth son or daugh­ter, more than me, is not worthy of me: And he that taketh not his Cross, and fol­loweth after me, is not worthy of me. In a­nother place, our Saviour instanceth in quitting our Estates for his sake, Matth. 19. 29. Every one that shall forsake houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my names sake; by all which it appears, that this Self-denyal which our Saviour here re­quires of his Disciples, is to be extend­ed no farther, than to a readiness and willingness, when ever God shall call us [Page 386] to it, to quit all our Temporal Inte­rests and Enjoyments, and even Life it self, (the dearest of all other) and to submit to any Temporal inconvenience and suffering for his sake. And thus much for the Explication of the Pre­cept here in the Text. I proceed in the

Third Place, to consider the strict and indispensible Obligation of this Precept of Self-denyal, and suffering for Christ, and his Truth, rather than to forsake and renounce them. If any man will come after me, or be my Disciple, let him deny him­self, and take up his Cross and follow me; that is, upon these Terms, he must be my Disciple, in this manner he must follow me; and in the Text I menti­on'd before, he declares again, that he that is not ready to quit all his Re­lations and even Life it self, for his sake, is not worthy of him, and cannot be his Disciple; and whosoever doth not bear his Cross, and come after me, cannot be my Di­sciple; so that we cannot be the Di­sciples of Christ, nor be worthy to be called by his Name; if we be not ready thus to deny our selves for his sake: And not only so; but if for fear of the Cross, or of any temporal sufferings, [Page 387] we should renounce, and deny him; he threatens to deny us before his Father which is in Heaven, (i. e.) to deprive us of E­ternal Life, and to Sentence us to E­verlasting Misery. Matth. 10. 32. Who­soever shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my father which is in Hea­ven: But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my fa­ther which is in Heaven: And Mark 8. 38. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he cometh in the Glory of his Father, with his holy Angels; that is, when he cometh to Judge the World, they shall not be able to stand in that Judgment; for that by his be­ing ashamed of them, is meant, that they shall be condemned by him, is plain from what goes before, V. 26, 27. What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole World, and lose his own Soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his Soul? and then it follows, Who­soever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words.

But because some have had the Con­fidence to tell the World, that our Saviour doth not require thus much [Page 388] of Christians; but all that he obligeth us to, is to believe in him in our Hearts, but not to make any outward Profession of his Religion, when the Magistrate forbids it, and we are in danger of suf­fering for it: I shall therefore briefly exa­mine what is pretended for so strange an Assertion, and so directly contrary to the whole Tenor of the Gospel, and to the express Words of our Saviour.

The Author of the Book called the Leviathan, tells us, That we are not on­ly not bound to confess Christ, but we are obliged to deny him, in case the Ma­gistrate require us so to do. His Words are these: What if the Soveraign forbid us to believe in Christ? He answers, Such forbidding is of no effect, because Belief and Vnbelief never follows Mens Commands. But what (says he) if we be commanded by our lawful Prince to say with our Tongues, we believe not; must we obey such Com­mands? To this he answers, That Pro­fession with the Tongue is but an External thing, and no more than any other Gesture, whereby we signifie our Obedience, and where­in a Christian, holding firmly in his Heart the Faith of Christ, hath the same Liberty which the Prophet Elisha allowed to Naa­man. But what then (says he) shall I [Page 389] answer to our Saviour, saying, Whosoever denieth me before Men, him will I de­ny before my Father which is in Hea­ven. His Answer is, This we may say, that whatsoever a Subject is compell'd to in obedience to his Soveraign, and does it not in order to his own Mind, but the Law of his Country, the Action is not his, but his So­veraign's; nor is it he that in this Case de­nies Christ before Men, but his Governour, and the Laws of his Country.

But can any Man, that in good ear­nest pays any degree of Reverence to our Blessed Saviour and his Religion, think to baffle such plain Words by so frivolous an Answer? There is no Man doubts, but if the Magistrate should command Men to deny Christ, he would be guilty of a great Sin in so doing; but if we must obey God rather than Men, and every Man must give an account of himself to God; how will this excuse him that denies Christ, or breaks any other Commandment of God, upon the Com­mand of the Magistrate? And to put the matter out of all doubt, that our Sa­viour forbids all that will be his Disci­ples, upon pain of Damnation, to deny him, tho the Magistrate should com­mand [Page 390] them to do so, it is very observa­ble, that in that very place, where he speaks of confessing or denying him be­fore Men, he puts this very Case, of their being brought before Kings and Governours for confessing him, Matth. 10. 17. Beware (says he) of Men, for they will deliver you up to the Council, and they will scourge you in their Synagogues; and ye shall be brought before Governours and Kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But what Testi­mony would this be against them, if Christians were bound to deny Christ at their Command?

But our Saviour goes on, and tells them how they ought to demean them­selves, when they were brought before Kings and Governours, v. 19. But when they shall deliver you up, take ye no thought, how, or what ye shall speak; for it shall be given you in that very hour what ye shall speak. But what need of any such ex­traordinary Assistance in the case, if they had nothing to do, but to deny him, when they were required by the Magi­strate to do it? And then (proceeding in the same Discourse) he bids them, v. 28. Not to fear them that can kill the Body, [Page 391] and after that have no more that they can do; that is, not to deny him, for fear of any Temporal Punishment or Suffering the Magistrate could inflict upon them; but to fear and obey him, who can destroy Body and Soul in Hell. And upon this Discourse our Saviour concludes, v. 32, 33. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven; but whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also de­ny before my Father which is in Heaven. And now can any thing be plainer, than that our Saviour requires his Disciples to make Confession of him before Kings and Governours, and not to deny him for fear of any thing which they can do to them? But let us enquire a little far­ther, and see how the Apostles, who received this Precept from our Saviour himself, did understand it. Acts 4. 14. we find Peter and John summoned be­fore the Jewish Magistrates, who strictly commanded them, not to speak at all, nor teach in the Name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whe­ther it be right in the sight of God, to heark­en unto you, more than unto God, judge ye. And when they still persisted in their [Page 392] course, notwithstanding the Command of the Magistrate, and were called again before the Council, Ch. 5. 28. And the High Priest asked them, saying, Did we not straitly command you, that you should not teach in this Name? and behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your Doctrine: They return them again the same An­swer, v. 29. Then Peter and the other A­postles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

And let any Man now judge, whe­ther our Saviour did not oblige Men to confess him even before Magistrates, and to obey him rather than Men. And in­deed, how can any Man in reason think, that the great King and Governour of the World should invest any Man with a Power to control his Authority, and to oblige Men to disobey and renounce him, by whom Kings reign, and Princes de­cree judgment? This is a thing so unrea­sonable, that it can hardly be imagined, that any thing but down-right Ma­lice against God and Religion could prompt any Man to advance such an Assertion.

I should now have proceeded to the Fourth and Last Particular, which I [Page 393] proposed to speak to; namely, To vindi­cate the reasonableness of this Precept of Self-denial and Suffering for Christ, which at first Appearance may seem to be so very harsh and difficult. But this, together with the Application of this Discourse, shall be reserved to another Oportunity.

THEN said Jesus unto his Disciples; that is, upon Occasion of his former Discourse with them, concerning his approaching Passion, and that he must shortly go up to Jerusalem, and there suffer many things of the El­ders and Chief Priests and Scribes, and at last be put to Death by them; Then said Jesus unto his Disciples, If any man will come after me; that is, If any Man will be [Page 396] my Disciple, and undertake the Pro­fession of my Religion, he must do it upon these Terms of Self-denial and Suffering.

In the handling of these Words, I proceeded in this Method.

First, I considered the way which our Saviour here useth in making Pro­selytes, and gaining Men over to his Religion. He offers no manner of Force and Violence to compel Men to the Pro­fession of it, but fairly proposeth it to their Consideration and Choice; telling them plainly upon what Terms they must be his Disciples; if they like them, and be resolved to submit to them, well; if not, 'tis in vain to follow him any longer; for they cannot be his Disciples. And to use any other way than this to gain Men over to Religion, is contrary both to the Nature of Man, who is a Reasonable Creature; and to the Na­ture of Religion, which, if it be not our Free Choice, cannot be Religion.

Secondly, I explained his Duty or Precept of Self-denial, express'd in these Words, Let him deny himself, and take up his Cross; which Phrase, of taking up one's Cross, is an Allusion to the Roman Cu­stom, which was, That the Malefactor [Page 397] that was to be Crucified, was to take up his Cross upon his Shoulders, and to carry it to the Place of Execution.

Now for our clearer understanding of this Precept of Self-denial, I told you, that it is not to be extended to every thing that may properly be call'd by that Name, but to be limited by the plain Scope and Intendment of our Sa­viour's Discourse; and therefore I did in the

First Place remove several things which are instanced in by some, as in­tended and required by this Precept. As,

1. That we should deny and renounce our own Sense in matters of Faith. But this I shewed to be absurd and impossi­ble; because if we do not believe what we see, or will believe contrary to what we see, we destroy all Certainty, there being no greater than that of Sense: Besides, that the Evidence of Faith be­ing less clear and certain than that of Sense, it is contrary to the Nature of Assent, which is always sway'd and born down by the greatest and clearest Evi­dence. So that we cannot assent to any thing in plain Contradiction to the Evi­dence of Sense.

[Page 398] 2. Others would comprehend under this Precept, the denying of our Reason in matters of Faith; which is in the next degree of Absurdity to the other; be­cause no Man can believe any thing, but upon some Reason or other; and to believe without any Reason, or against Reason, is to make Faith unreasonable, and Infidelity reasonable.

3. Others pretend, that by virtue of this Precept, Men ought to be content to renounce their own Eternal Happi­ness, and to be Miserable for Ever, for the Glory of God, and the Salvation of their Brethren. But this I shewed can­not be a Duty, for this plain Reason; because if it were, there is no Argument left powerful enough to perswade a Man to it. And as for the two Scripture In­stances alledged to this purpose; Moses his Wish, of being blotted out of the Book of Life for the People of Israel, signifies no more than a Temporal Death; and St. Paul's, of being accursed from Christ for his Brethren, is only an hyperbolical Expression of his great Passion and Zeal for the Salvation of his Country-men; as is evident from the Form of the Ex­pression; such as is commonly used to usher in an Hyperbole; I could wish. And in the

[Page 399] Second Place, I shewed positively, That the plain meaning of this Precept of Self-denial is this, and nothing but this; That we should be willing to part with all our Temporal Interests and En­joyments, and even Life it self, for the sake of Christ and his Religion. This is to deny our selves. And then, that we should be willing to bear any tempo­ral Inconvenience and Suffering upon the same Account. This is to take up our Cross. And this I shewed from the In­stances which our Saviour gives of Self-denial, whenever he had occasion to discourse of it.

Thirdly, I considered the strict and indispensable Obligation of this Precept of Self-denial, rather than to forsake Christ and his Religion. Without this Disposition and Resolution of Mind we cannot be his Disciples; And if we deny him before Men; he will also deny us before his Father which is in Heaven. And this Confession of Him and his Truth we are to make before Kings and Governours, and notwithstanding their Commands to the contrary, which are of no Force against the Laws and Commands of God.

Thus far I have gone. There remains only the

[Page 400] IV. And Last Particular, which I pro­posed to speak to; viz. To vindicate the Reasonableness of this Self-denial and Suffering for Christ, which at first ap­pearance may seem to be so very diffi­cult. And this Precept cannot be thought unreasonable, if we take into Conside­ration these Three Things.

I. That He who requires this of us, hath Himself given us the greatest Ex­ample of Self-denial that ever was. The greatest in it self, in that he denied him­self more, and suffered more grievous things, than it is possible for any of us to do: And such an Example, as in the Circumstances of it, is most apt and powerful to engage and oblige us to the imitation of it; because all his Self-de­nial and Sufferings were for our sakes.

II. If we cosider, That he hath pro­mised all needful Supplies of his Grace, to enable us to the Discharge of this dif­ficult Duty of Self-denial and Suffering, and to support and comfort us therein.

III. He hath assured us of a Glorious Reward of all our Sufferings and Self­denial, beyond the Proportion of them, both in the Degree and Duration of it. I shall go over these as briefly as I can.

[Page 401] I. If we consider, That He who re­quires us thus to deny our selves for him, hath given us the greatest Exam­ple of Self-denyal that ever was. Our Saviour knowing how unwelcome this Doctrine of Self-denyal and Suffering must needs be to his Disciples, and how hardly this Precept would go down with them; to sweeten it a little, and take off the harshness of it, and to pre­pare their Minds the better for it, he tells them first of his own Sufferings; that by that means he might, in some measure, reconcile their Minds to it, when they saw that he required nothing of them, but what he was ready to under­go Himself, and to give them the Ex­ample of it. And upon this Occasion it was, that our Saviour acquaints them with the hard and difficult Terms upon which they must be his Disciples. V. 21. The Evangelist tells us, that Jesus began to shew unto his Disciples; how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the Elders, and Chief-Priests, and Scribes, and be killed. Then said Je­sus unto his Disciples; that is, immedi­ately upon this Discourse of his own Sufferings, as the fittest time for it, he takes the Oportunity to tell them [Page 402] plainly of their own Sufferings; and that unless they were prepared and re­solved to deny themselves so far, as to suf­fer all manner of Persecution for his sake and the Profession of his Religion; they could not be his Disciples. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross, and follow me; that is, let him reckon and resolve upon following that Example of Self-denyal and Suffering, in which I will go before him. Now the Consideration of this Example of Self-denyal and Suffering, which our Saviour hath given us, hath great force in it to reconcile us to this difficult Du­ty, and to shew the Reasonableness of it.

1. That He who requires us thus to de­ny our selves, hath Himself in his own Person, given us the greatest Example of self-denyal that ever was. And,

2. Such an Example, as, in all the Circumstances of it, is most apt and powerful to engage and oblige us to the imitation of it; because all his Self-denyal and Sufferings were for our sakes.

1. He who requires us thus to deny our selves, hath Himself in his own Per­son given us the greatest Example of [Page 403] Self-denyal that ever was; in that he de­nyed himself more, and suffered more grievous things, than any of us can do. He bore the insupportable Load of all the Sins of all Mankind, and of the Wrath and Vengeance due to them. Never was sorrow like to his sorrow, wherewith the Lord afflicted him in the day of his fierce anger. He was despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with griefs; his visage was marred more than any mans, and his form more than the sons of men. (i. e.) He underwent more Affliction, and had more Contempt poured upon him, than ever was upon any of the Sons of Men; and yet he endured all this with incredible Patience and Meekness, with the greatest Evenness and Constancy of Mind, and with the most perfect Submission and Resignation of himself to the Will of God, that can be imagined.

Such an Example as this should be of great force to animate us with the like Courage and Resolution, in lesser Dan­gers and Difficulties. To see the Captain of our Salvation going before us, and leading us on so bravely, and made per­fect by greater sufferings than we can ever be called to, or are any ways able [Page 404] to undergo, is no small Argument and Encouragement to us, to take up our Cross and follow him. The Consideration of the unknown Sufferings of the Son of God, so great as we cannot well conceive of them, should make all the Afflictions and Sufferings that can befall us, not only tolerable, but easie to us. Upon this Consideration it is, that the Apostle animates Christians to Patience in their Christian Course, notwith­standing all the Hardships and Suffer­ings that attended it; Heb. 12. 2. Let us run with patience the race which is set before us, looking unto Jesus the Author and Finish­er of our Faith, who endured the Cross, and despised the Shame. For consider him, who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye also be weary and faint in your minds.

And this Example is more Powerful for our Encouragement, because therein we see the World conquered to our Hands, and all the Terrours and Temp­tations of it baffled and subdued, and thereby a cheap and easie Victory over it obtained for us. By this Consi­deration, our Saviour endeavours to in­spire his Disciples with Chearfulness and Courage in this great Conflict; [Page 405] John 16. 33. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good chear, I have overcome the world.

2. This Example of our Saviour, is such, as in all the Circumstances of it, is most apt and powerful to engage and oblige us to the Imitation of it; be­cause all his Self-denyal and Sufferings were for our sakes, in Pity and Kindness to us, and wholly for our Benefit and Advantage. We are apt to have their Example in great regard, from whom we have received great Kindness and mighty Benefits. This Pattern of Self-denyal and Suffering, which our Religi­on proposeth to us, is the Example of One, whom we have Reason to Esteem, and Love, and Imitate, above any Per­son in the World. 'Tis the Example of our Lord and Master, of our Sovereign and our Saviour, of the Founder of our Religion, and of the Author and Finisher of our Faith: And surely such an Ex­ample must needs carry Authority with it, and command our Imitation. 'Tis the Example of our best Friend, and greatest Benefactor; of Him, who laid down his Life for us, and sealed his Love to us with his dearest Blood; and, even when we were bitter Enemies to [Page 406] him, did, and suffered more for us, than any Man ever did for his best Friend. If we should be reduced to Poverty and Want, let us consider Him; Who being Lord of all, had not where to lay his head; who being rich, for our sakes became poor; that we through his poverty might be made rich. If it should be our lot to be perse­cuted for righteousness sake, and exerci­sed with Sufferings and Reproaches; Let us look unto Jesus the Author and Fi­nisher of our Faith, who endured the Cross, and despised the shame for our sakes. In a Word, can we be discontented at any Condition, or decline it in a good Cause; when we consider how Contented the Son of God was, in the meanest and most destitute; how Meek and Patient in the most afflicted and suffering Condition; how he welcom­ed all Events, and was so perfectly re­signed to the Will of his Heavenly Fa­ther, that whatever pleased God, pleased him?

And surely in no Case is Example more necessary than in this, to engage and encourage us in the discharge of so difficult a Duty, so contrary to the bent and inclination of Flesh and Blood. A bare Precept of Self-denial, and a per­emptory [Page 407] Command to sacrifice our own Wills, our Ease, our Pleasure, our Re­putation, yea and Life it self, to the Glory of God, and the Maintenance of his Truth, would have sounded very harsh and severe, had not the Practice of all this been mollified and sweetned by a Pattern of so much advantage; by One who in all these respects denied him­self, much more than it is possible for us to do; by One who might have insist­ed upon a greater Right; who abased himself, and stooped from a greater Hight and Dignity; who was not for­ced into a condition of Meanness and Poverty, but chose it for our sakes; who submitted to Suffering, tho he had ne­ver deserved it. Here is an Example that hath all the Argument, and all the En­couragement that can be, to the imita­tion of it.

Such an Example is of greater force and authority than any Precept or Law can be: So that well might our Lord, thus going before us, command us to follow him, and say, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross and follow me. For if He thus denied himself, well may We, who have much less to deny, but much [Page 408] more Cause and Reason to do it. He did it voluntarily, and of choice; but it is our Duty. He did it for our sakes; we do it for our own. His own Good­ness moved him to deny himself for us; but Gratitude obligeth us to deny our selves in any thing for him. We did not in the least deserve any thing from him; but he hath wholly merited all this, and infinitely more from us. So that such an Example as this is, in all the Circumstances of it, cannot but be very powerful and effectual, to oblige us to the Imitation of it. But the Rea­sonableness of this Precept will yet far­ther appear, if we consider in the

Third place, That God hath promis­ed to all Sincere Christians all need­ful Supplies of his Grace, to inable them to the discharge of this difficult Duty of Self-denial, and to support and com­fort them therein. For the Spirit of Christ dwells in all Christians, and the same Glorious Power that raised up Jesus from the Dead, works mightily in them that believe; Eph. 1. 19. That ye may know (saith St. Paul, speaking in general to all Christians) what is the exceeding greatness of his Power to us-ward, who believe, according to the working of his [Page 409] mighty Power which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead. Of our selves we are very weak, and the Temptations and Terrors of the world very powerful; but there is a Princi­ple residing in every true Christian, able to bear us up against the World, and the power of all its Temptations. Whatsoever is born of God (saith St. John) overcometh the world; and this is the vi­ctory that overcometh the world, even our Faith. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome; because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

And this Grace and Strength was afforded to the first Christians in a most Extraordinary manner, for their Comfort and Support under Sufferings: So that they were strengthned with all Might, according to God's glorious Power, unto all long-suffering with joyfulness; as St. Paul prays for the Colossians, Ch. 1. 11. And these Consolations of the Spirit of God, this Joy in the Holy Ghost, was not peculiarly appropriated to the first times of Christianity; but is still afford­ed to all sincere Christians, in such degree as is necessary, and convenient for them. And whenever God exercis­eth Good Men, with tryals more than [Page 410] humane, and such Sufferings as are beyond the ordinary rate of humane Strength and Patience to bear, he hath promised to endue them with more than humane Courage and Resolution. So St. Paul tells the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 10. 13. He is faithful that hath promis­ed, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. And why should we be daunted at any Suffering; if God be pleased to increase our Strength, in proportion to the Sharpness of our Suf­ferings?

And Blessed be God, many of our persecuted Brethren at this day have remarkably found this comfortable As­sistance and Support; tho many like­wise have fallen through fear and weak­ness; as it also hapen'd in the Primi­tive times. But where ever this Promise is not made good, it is (as I have for­merly said) by reason of some Fault and Failing on our part. Either Men were not Sincere in the profession of the Truth, and then no wonder, If when Tribulation and Persecution ariseth, because of the Word, they are offended and fall off: Or else they were too Confident to them­selves, [Page 411] and did not seek God's Grace and Assistance, and relie upon it as they ought; and thereupon God hath left them to themselves (as he did Pe­ter) to convince them of their own Frailty and rash Confidence; and yet even in that case, when there is Truth and Sincerity at the bottom, there is no Reason to doubt, but that the Good­ness of God is such, as by some means or other to give to such persons (as he did to Peter) the oportunity of re­covering themselves by Repentance, and a more stedfast Resolution after­wards.

4. If we consider, in the last place, that our Saviour hath assured us of a Glorious and Eternal Reward of all our Self-denial and Sufferings for him; a Reward Infinitely beyond the propor­tion of our Sufferings, both in the De­gree and Duration of it. Now the clear discovery of this is peculiarly owing to the Christian Religion, and the appearance of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished Death, and brought Life and Immortality to light by the Gospel.

And as our Blessed Saviour hath as­sured us of this Blessed State of Good [Page 412] Men in another World; so hath he like­wise assur'd us, that greater Degrees of this Happiness shall be the Portion of Those who suffer for Him and his Truth: Mat. 5. 10, 11, 12. Blessed are they which are persecuted for Righteousness sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all manner of evil against you falsly, for my Names sake. Rejoyce and be exceeding glad, for great is your Reward in Heaven. And nothing surely can be more Reasonable, than to part with things of Small Value, for things infinitely Greater and more Con­siderable; to forego the Transient Plea­sures and Enjoyments, and the Imper­fect Felicities of this World, for the So­lid, and Perfect, and Perpetual Happi­ness of a Better Life; and to exchange a Short and Miserable Life, for E­ternal Life and Blessedness; in a word, to be content to be driven Home; to be banisht out of this World into our own Native Country; and to be violently thrust out of this Vale of Tears, into those Regions of Bliss, where are Joys unspeakable and full of Glory.

This Consideration St. Paul tells us supported the Primitive Christians, un­der [Page 413] their sharpest and heaviest Suffer­ings, 2 Cor. 4. 16. For this cause (says he) we faint not, because our light af­fliction which is but for a moment, work­eth for us a far more exceeding and eter­nal weight of glory; whilst we look not at the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. So that our Suf­ferings bear no more Proportion to the Reward of them, than Finite does to Infinite, than Temporal to Eternal; between which there is no Propor­tion.

All that now remains, is to draw some useful Inferences from what hath been Discoursed, concerning this great and difficult Duty of Self-denial for the sake of Christ and his Religion; and they shall be these following.

1. To acknowledg the great Good­ness of God to us, that all these Laws and Commands, even the Hardest and Severest of them, are so reasonable.

God as he is our Maker, and gave us our Beings, hath an Entire and Soveraign Right over us; and by virtue of that Right, might have imposed very Hard things upon us, and this without the [Page 414] giving Account to us of any of his mat­ters, and without propounding any Re­ward to us, so vastly disproportionable to our Obedience to him. But in giving Laws to us, he hath not made use of this Right. The most Severe and Rigorous Commands of the Gospel are such, that we shall be infinitely Gainers by our Obedience to them. If we deny our selves any thing in this World for Christ and his Religion, we shall, in the next, be considered for it to the Utmost; not only far beyond what it can Deserve, but beyond what we can Conceive or Imagine: For this perishing Life, and the transitory Trifles and Enjoyments of it, we shall, receive a Kingdom which cannot be shaken, an uncorruptible Crown which fadeth not away, Eternal in the Heavens. For these are Faithful Say­ings, and we shall Infallibly find them true; That if we suffer with Christ, we shall also reign with him; if we be persecu­ted for righteousness sake, great shall be our reward in Heaven; if we part with our Temporal Life, we shall be made Partakers of Eternal Life. He that is firmly persuaded of the Happiness of the next World, and believes the Glory which shall then be revealed, hath no [Page 415] Reason to be so much offended at the Sufferings of this Present time; so long as he knows and believes, that these Light afflictions which are but for a Moment, will work for him a for more Exceeding and Eternal Weight of Glory.

2. Seeing this is required of every Christian, to be always in a Preparation and Disposition of Mind to deny our selves, and to take up our Cross; if we do in good earnest resolve to be Christi­ans, we ought to fit down and consider well with our selves, what our Religion will cost us, and whether we be content to come up to the Price of it. If we va­lue any thing in this World, above Christ and his Truth, we are not wor­thy of him. If it come to this, that we must either renounce Him and his Religion, or quit our temporal Inter­ests; if we be not ready to forego these, nay, and to part even with Life it self, rather than to forsake Him and his Truth; we are not worthy of him. These are the Terms of our Christianity, and there­fore we are required in Baptism solemn­ly to renounce the World: And our Saviour, from this very Consideration, infers, That all who take upon them the Profession of his Religion, should [Page 416] consider seriously beforehand, and count the cost of it; Luke 14. 28. Which of you, (says he) intending to build a Tow­er, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Or what King going to war with another King, doth not sit down and consult, whe­ther with 10000 he be able to meet him that cometh against him with 20000. So likewise, whosoever he be that forsaketh not all he hath, cannot be my Disciple. You see the Terms upon which we are Chri­stians; we must always be prepared in the Resolution of our Minds, to deny our selves, and take up our Cross, tho we are not Actually put upon this Tryal.

3. What hath been said, is matter of great Comfort and Encouragement to all those who deny themselves, and suf­fer upon so good an Account; of whom, God knows, there are too great a Num­ber at this Day, in several parts of the World: Some under actual Sufferings, such as cannot but move Compassion and Horror in all that hear of them: Others, who are fled hither, and into other Countries, for Refuge and Shelter from one of the sharpest Persecutions that perhaps ever was, if all the Circum­stances [Page 417] of it be duly considered. But not to enlarge upon so unpleasant a Theam, they who suffer for the Truth and Righteousness sake, have all the Comfort and Encouragement, that the best Example, and the greatest and most glorious Promises of God can give. They have the best Example in their view; Jesus the Author and Finish­er of their Faith, who endured the Cross, and despised the Shame. So that how great and terrible soever their Sufferings be, they do but tread in the Steps of the Son of God, and of the best and holi­est Man that ever was; and He who is their great Example in Suffering, will likewise be their Support, and their ex­ceeding great Reward.

So that tho Suffering for Christ be accounted great Self-denyal, and he is graciously pleased so to accept it; be­cause in denying things Present and Sen­sible, for things Future and Invisible, we do not only declare our Affection to him, but our great Faith and Confi­dence in him, by shewing that we rely upon his Word, and venture all upon the Security which he offers us in ano­ther World; yet according to a right Estimate of things, and to those who [Page 418] walk by Faith and not by Sight, this which we call Self-denyal, is, in truth and re­ality, but a more commendable sort of Self-love; because we do herein most ef­fectually consult, and secure, and ad­vance our own Happiness.

4. And Lastly, Since God hath been pleased for so long a time to excuse us from this hardest part of Self-denyal, let us not grudge to deny our selves in lesser Matters, for the sake of his Truth and Religion; to miss a good Place, or to quit it upon that account; much less let us think much to renounce our Vices, and to thwart our evil Inclinations for his sake. As Naaman's Servant said to him, concerning the means prescribed by the Prophet for his Cure; If he had bid thee do some Great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? How much more, when he hath only said, Wash and be clean: So since God imposeth no harder Terms upon us, than Repentance and Refor­mation of our Lives, we should gladly and thankfully submit to them. This, I know, is difficult to some, to morti­fie their earthly Members, to crucifie the flesh, with the affections and lusts of it; 'tis like cutting off a right Hand, and pluck­ing out a right Eye.

[Page 419] Some are so strongly addicted to their Lusts and Vices, that they could with more ease despise Life, in many cases, than thus Deny themselves: But in Truth, there is no more of Self-denyal in it, than a Man denies himself when he is mortally Sick and Wounded, in being content to be Cured, and willing to be Well. This is not at all to our Tem­poral Prejudice and Inconvenience, and it directly conduceth to our Eternal Happiness; for there is no Man that lives a holy and virtuous Life, and in Obedience to the Laws of God, that can lightly receive any Prejudice by it in this World. Since God doth not call us to Suffer, we should Do so much the more for him. Since he doth not put us to testifie our Love to him, by laying down our Lives for him, we should shew it by a greater Care to keep his Commandments.

God was pleased to exercise the first Christians with great Sufferings, and to try their Love and Constancy to him and his Truth, in a very Extraordinary manner; by Severity and Contempt, by the spoiling of their Goods, and the loss of all things; by bonds and imprison­ments; by cruel mockings and scourgings; [Page 420] by the extremity of torments, and by resisting even unto blood; by being kill'd for his sake all the day long, and appointed as Sheep for the slaughter. God was pleased to make their way to Heaven very sharp and painful, and to hedge it in as it were with thorns on every side; so that they could not, but through many tribulations, enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Thus we ought all to be in a Readi­ness and Resolution to submit to this Du­ty, if God should think fit at any time of our Lives to call us to it. But if he be pleased to excuse us from it, and to let this Cup pass from us, (which may lawfully be our earnest Prayer to God, since we have so good a Pattern for it) there will be another Duty incumbent upon us, which will take up the whole Man, and the whole time of our Life, and that is to serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives.

The whole Verse runs thus: ‘These all died in Faith, not having recei­ved the Promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth.’

THE Apostle having declared at the latter end of the foregoing Chapter, that Faith is the great Principle whereby Good Men are acted, [Page 422] and whereby they are supported under all the Evils and Sufferings of this Life, Verse 38. Now the Just shall live by Faith; In this Chapter he makes it his main bu­siness, to set forth to us at large the Force and Power of Faith; and to this Purpose, he first tells us what kind of Faith he means; viz. a firm Persuasion of things not Present and Visible to Sense, but Invisible and Future; Ver. 1. Now Faith (saith he) is the confident ex­pectation of things hoped for, and the evi­dence of things not seen. Faith repre­sents to us the Reality of things which are Invisible to Sense, as the Existence of God and his Providence; and of things which are at a great distance from us, as the Future State of Rewards and Punishments in another World.

And then he proceeds to shew, by particular and famous Instances, that the firm Belief and Persuasion of these things, was the great Principle of the Piety and Virtue of the Saints and and Good Men in all Ages of the World; by this Abel, and Enoch, and Noah; Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; Jo­seph and Moses, and all the Famous He­roes of the Old Testament obtained a [Page 423] good Report, and pleased God, and did all those eminent Acts of Obedience and Self-denyal which are recorded of them. They believed the Being of God, and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him. They dreaded his Threat­nings, and relyed upon his Promises of Future and Invisible Good things. They lived and died in a full Persuasion and Confidence of the Truth of them; tho they did not live to see them actually fulfilled and accomplisht. All these (saith he, speaking of those Eminent Saints which he had instanced in before) All these died in Faith, not having received the Promi­ses, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them. This is spoken with a more particular regard to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; to whom the Promises of the Conquest and Possession of a Fruitful Land were made, and of a Nu­merous Offspring; among whom should be the Messias, in whom all the Nati­ons of the Earth should be blessed.

These Promises they did not live to see accomplisht and made good in their Days; but they heartily believed them, and rejoiced in the Hope and Expecta­tion of them, as if they had embraced [Page 424] them in their Arms, and been put in­to the actual Possession of them: And they confessed, that they were Pilgrims and Strangers in the Earth.

This Saying and Acknowledgment more particularly and immediately re­fers to those Sayings of the Patriarchs Abraham and Jacob, which we find re­corded, Gen. 23. 4. where Abraham says to the Sons of Heth, I am a Stranger and a Sojourner with you; And Gen. 47. 9. where Jacob says to Pharaoh, The days of the years of my Pilgrimage are an hun­dred and thirty years; few and evil have the days of the years of my Life been. These Good Men were Strangers and Sojourners in a Land, which was pro­mised to be theirs afterwards. They dwelt in it themselves as Strangers, but were in expectation that it would one day become the Inheritance of their Posterity.

Now in this, as by a Type and Sha­dow, the Apostle represents to us the Condition of Good Men, while they are passing through this World. They are Pilgrims and Strangers in the Earth; they travel up and down the World for a time, as the Patriarchs did in the [Page 425] Land of Canaan; but are in expectation of a better and more settled Condition hereafter; they desire a better Country, that is, an Heavenly, says the Apostle at the 16 vers. of this Chapter.

That which I design from these words, is to represent to us our Pre­sent Condition in this World; and to awaken us to a due Sense and serious Consideration of it. It is the same Con­dition, that all the Saints and Holy Men that are gone before us were in, in this World; and every one of us may say with David, Psal. 39. 12. I am a Stranger with thee, and a Sojourner, as all my Fathers were. It is a Condition very troublesome and very unsettled, such as that of Pilgrims and Strangers useth to be. This we must all acknow­ledge, if we judge rightly of our pre­sent State and Condition. They con­fessed, that they were Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth; but yet it was not without the Hope and Expectati­on of a better and happier Condition in Reversion. So it follows just after; They that say such things, (that is, that confess themselves to be Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth) declare plainly, [Page 426] that they seek a Country. This bore up the Patriarchs under all the Evils and Troubles of their Pilgrimage; that they expected an Inheritance, and a quiet and settled Possession of that Good Land which God had promised to them. Answerably to which, Good Men do expect, after the few and evil days of their Pilgrimage in this World are over, a Blessed Inheritance in a better Country; that is, an Heavenly; and with blessed Abraham, the Father of the Faithful, They look for a City which hath Foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God; as it is said of that Good Patri­arch at the tenth Verse of this Chap­ter.

It is very frequent, not only in Scri­pture, but in other Authors, to repre­sent our Condition in this World, by that of Pilgrims, and Sojourners in a foreign Country: For the Mind which is the Man, and our Immortal Souls, which are by far the most Noble and Excellent part of our selves, are the Natives of Heaven, and but Pilgrims and Strangers here in the Earth; and when the days of our Pilgrimage shall be over, are designed to return to that [Page 427] Heavenly Country from which they came, and to which they belong. And therefore the Apostle tells us, Phil. 3. 20. that Christians have relation to Hea­ven, as their Native place and Country. [...], Our conversation is in Heaven, so we ren­der the words; but they properly signi­fie, that Christians are Members of that City and Society which is above; and tho they converse at present here be­low, while they are passing through this World, yet Heaven is the Country to which they do belong, and whither they are continually tending; Sedes ubi fata quietas ostendunt, where a quiet Ha­bitation, and a perpetual Rest, is de­signed and prepared for them. This acknowledgment David makes con­cerning himself, and all the People of God, 1 Chron. 29. 15. For we are Stran­gers before thee, and Sojourners, as were all our Fathers. Our Days on the Earth are as a Shadow, and there is none abi­ding. So likewise St. Peter, 1 Pet. 1. 17. Pass the time of your Sojourning here in fear; And Chap. 2. v. 11. Dearly beloved, I beseech you, as Strangers and Pilgrims abstain from fleshly Lusts.

[Page 428] And not only the inspired Writers of Holy Scripture, but Heathen Au­thors, do frequently make use of this Allusion. Plato tells us, it was a com­mon saying, and almost in every Man's Mouth, [...], the Life of Man is a kind of Pilgrimage. And Tully, in his Excellent Discourse de Senectute, (concerning Old Age) brings in Cato describing our passage out of this World, not as a departure from our Home, but like a Man leaving his Inn, in which he hath Lodged for a Night or two, ex vitâ istâ discedo, tan­quam ex hospitio, non tanquam ex domo, commorandi enim natura Diversorium no­bis non habitandi dedit: When I leave this World (says he) I look upon my self as departing out of an Inn, and not as quitting mine own Home and Habitation; Nature having assigned this World to us as a place to So­journ, but not to Dwell in. Which is the same with what the Apostle says in the Text, concerning the Patriarchs, they confessed that they were Pilgrims and Strangers in the Earth; and con­cerning all Christians, Chap. 13. 14. [Page 429] Here we have no continuing City, but we seek one to come.

But I do not intend to follow the Me­taphor too close, and to vex and torture it, by pursuing all those little Parallels and Similitudes, which a Lively Fancy might make or find, betwixt the Con­dition of Strangers and Pilgrims, and the Life of Man during his Abode and Passage through this World. I will insist only upon Two things, which seem plainly to be design'd and in­tended by this Metaphor; and they are these:

1. That our Condition in this World is very troublesom and unsettled: They confessed, that they were Strangers and Pil­grims in the Earth.

2. It implies a tendency to a Future Settling, and the Hopes and Expectati­on of a happier Condition, into which we shall enter when we go out of this World. For so it follows in the very next Words after the Text; They con­fessed that they were Strangers and Pil­grims on the Earth; For they that say such things, declare plainly, that they seek a Country. They that say such things; that is, they that acknowledge themselves to [Page 430] have lived in such a restless and uncer­tain Condition in this World, travelling from one place to another, as the Pa­triarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did, and yet pretend to be perswaded of the Goodness of God, and the Faithfulness of his Promise, in which he solemnly declared himself to be their God, do hereby plainly shew, that they ex­pect some happier Condition hereafter, wherein that great Promise of God will be made good to them to the full.

And these are two very weighty and useful Considerations; That we should both understand our present Condition in this World, and our future Hope and Expectation after our departure out of it, that so we may demean our selves suitably to both these Conditions; both as it is fit for those who look upon them­selves as Pilgrims and Sojourners in this World, and likewise, as it becomes those who seek and expect a better Country, and hope to be made Partakers of a blessed Immortality in another World. I shall briefly speak to both these; and then shew what Effect and Influence the serious Meditation of these Two Points ought to have upon every one of us.

[Page 431] 1. That our Condition in this World is very troublesom and unsettled. This I take to be principally intended in the Metaphor of Strangers and Pilgrims. Such was the Life of the Patriarchs, which is here spoken of in the Text; they had no constant Abode and fixt Habitation, but were continually wan­dering from one Kingdom and Country to another; in which Travels they were exposed to a great many Hazards and Dangers, Afflictions and Miseries, Af­fronts and Injuries, as we read at large in the History of their Travels in the Old Testament. And such is our Con­dition in this World; it is often trou­blesom, and always uncertain and un­settled.

'Tis often very troublesom. Not to insist upon the weak Condition of In­fancy and Childhood, the helplesness of that State, and insufficiency of it for its own Preservation, and the Supply of its natural Wants and Necessities: Not to mention the dangerous Vanity and desperate Folly of Youth, nor the Infir­mities and Contempts, the many tedious and wearisom Days and Nights that Old Age is commonly grieved and afflicted [Page 432] withal, to that degree, as to make Life not only unpleasant, but almost an in­tolerable Burden to us.

Not to dwell upon these, which yet take up and possess a great Share and Portion of our Lives: If we look upon Man in his best State, we shall find him, as David hath long since pronounced on him, to be altogether Vanity. We need not go a Pilgrimage, and travel into re­mote Countries, to make Life more troublesom and uneasie. In what part of the World soever we are (even that which we improperly call our own Home and Native Country) we shall meet with Trouble and Inconvenience enough to convince us, that we are but Strangers in it. More especially good Men are peculiarly liable to a great ma­ny Evils and Sufferings upon account of their Piety and Virtue. They are not of the World (as our Blessed Saviour tells his Disciples, John 15. 19.) and because they are not of the world, therefore the world hateth them, and taketh all opportunities and occasions to vex and persecute them in one kind or other; either by doing all manner of Evil to them, or by speaking all manner of Evil of them.

[Page 433] But suppose we escape Trouble upon this account; there are abundance of common and natural Inconveniences, which render Human Life very uneasie. For either we must live alone, or in the Company and Society of others: One of these two is necessary and unavoidable. Suppose we would live alone; How few are there that can enjoy themselves tolerably alone for any considerable time? For though there be a great deal too much of Self-love in Mankind, and Men are generally extreamly fond of themselves; yet I know not how it hap­pens, (tho so it is) that very few Men in the World care for their own Com­pany, or can endure, for any conside­rable time, to converse only with them­selves; nay, for the most part, they are sooner glutted with themselves, and surfeited of their own Conversation, than of the worst Company they can meet with; a shrewd Sign, as one would think, that they know something worse by themselves than of any body else, or at least they know it more certainly. It is a wise and deep Saying of Aristotle, whoever affects to be alone, must be [...], either a God or a Wild [Page 434] Beast; either he must be sufficient for himself, and want nothing; or of so wild and savage a Disposition, as to de­stroy every thing that is weaker, and to run away from every thing that is stronger than himself. Now Man is neither good enough to be contented and satisfied with himself, nor bad e­nough to hate and avoid every body else, and therefore he must enter into Society, and keep Company with other Men.

And if we go abroad into the World, and try the Conversation of Men, it cannot but grieve us to see a great ma­ny things, which yet we must see eve­ry Day; the Censoriousness, and Un­charitableness, and Insincerity of Men one towards another; to see with what Kindness they will treat one another to the Face, and how hardly they will use them behind their Backs. If there were nothing else, this one naughty Quality, so common and reigning among Mankind, were enough to make an ho­nest and true-hearted Man, one that loves Plainness and Sincerity, to be heartily sick of the World, and glad to steal off the Stage; where there is no­thing native and sincere, but all perso­nated [Page 435] and acted; where the Conversa­tion of a great part of Men is all de­signing and insidious, full of Flattery and Flashood, of good Words and ill Offices: One speaketh peaceably to his Neigh­bour with his mouth, but in his heart he lieth in wait, as it is in the Prophet, Jer. 9. 8. And when a Man hath done all the good turns he can, and endeavoured to oblige every Man, and not only to live inoffensively, but exemplarily; he is fairly dealt withal, and comes off upon good Terms, if he can but escape the ill Words of Men for doing well, and obtain a Pardon for those things which truly deserve Praise.

But setting aside these, and the like melancholy Considerations; when we are in the Health and Vigour of our Age, when our Blood is warm, and our Spi­rits quick, and the Humour of our Bo­dy not yet turned and sowred by great Disappointments, and grievous Losses of our Estates, or nearest Friends and Re­lations, by a long Course of Afflictions, by many cross Events and calamitous Accidents; yet we are continually lia­ble to all these; and the perpetual Fear and Danger of them is no small Trou­ble [Page 436] and Uneasiness to our Minds, and does in a great measure rob us of the Comfort, and eat out the Pleasure and Sweetness of all our Enjoyments; and, by degrees, the Evils we fear overtake us; and as one Affliction and Trouble goes on, another succeeds in the place of it, like Job's Messengers, whose bad Tidings and Reports of calamitous Accidents came so thick upon him, that they overtook one another.

If we have a plentiful Fortune, we are apt to abuse it to Intemperance and Luxury; and this naturally breeds Bo­dily Pains and Diseases, which take a­way all the Comfort and Enjoyment of a great Estate. If we have Health, it may be we are afflicted with Losses, or deprived of Friends, or cross'd in our Interests and Designs; and one thing or other happens to impede and interrupt the Contentment and Happiness of our Lives. Sometimes an unexpected Storm, or some other suddain Calamity, sweep­eth away, in an instant, all that which with so much Industry and Care we have been gathering many Years. Or if an Estate stand firm, our Children are taken away, to whose Comfort and [Page 437] Advantage all the Pains and Endeavours of our Lives were devoted. Or if none of these happen, (as it is very rare to escape most, or some of them) yet for a Demonstration to us that God intended this World to be uneasie, to convince us that a perfect state of Happiness is not to be had here below; we often see in Experience, that those who seem to be in a Condition as happy as this World can put them into, by the greatest Ac­commodations towards it, are yet as far, or farther from Happiness, as those who are destitute of most of those things wherein the greatest Felicity of this World is thought to consist. Many times it so happens, that they who have all the Furniture and Requi­sites, all the Materials and Ingredients of a Worldly Felicity at their Com­mand, and in their Power, yet have not the Skill and Ability out of all these to frame a happy Condition of Life to themselves. They have Health, and Friends, and Reputation, and Estate in abundance, and all outward Accommo­dations that Heart can wish; and yet in the midst of all these Circumstances of outward Felicity, they are uneasie in [Page 438] their Minds, and as the Wise Man ex­presseth it, In their sufficiency they are in streights, and are as it were surfeited even of Happiness it self, and do so fan­tastically and unaccountably nauseate the good Condition they are in, that tho they want nothing to make them Hap­py, yet they cannot think themselves so; though they have nothing in the World to molest and disgust them, yet they can make a shift to create as much trou­ble to themselves, out of nothing, as they who have the real and substantial Causes of Discontent.

Which plainly shews, That we are not to look for Happiness here; 'tis not to be found in this Land of the Living; and after our Enquiries after it, we shall see sufficient Reason to take up Solomon's Conclusion, That all is Vanity and Vexati­on of Spirit; which is much the same with that Aphorism of David his Fa­ther, which I mentioned before, That Man in his best estate is altogether vanity.

But what Happiness soever our Con­dition in this World is capable of, 'tis most assuredly full of Uncertainty and Unsettlement; we cannot enjoy it long, and every moment we are in danger of [Page 439] being deprived of it. Whatever degree of Earthly Felicity we are possess'd of, we have no Security that it shall con­tinue. There is nothing in this World, but, when we are as sure of it as this World can make us, may be taken away from us by a thousand Accidents. But suppose it to abide and continue; we our selves shall be taken away from it. We must die, and in that very Day all our Enjoyments and Hopes, as to this World, will perish with us; for here is no Abiding Place, we have no continuing City: So that it is vain to design a Happiness to our selves in this World, when we are not to stay in it, but only travel and pass through it.

And this is the First; Our Condition in this World is very troublesom and unsettled.

2. Our Condition in this World be­ing a state of Pilgrimage, doth imply a tendency to a future Settlement, and the Hopes and Expectation of a happier Condition hereafter. And so the Apo­stle reasons immediately after the Text; they confessed that they were Pilgrims and Strangers in the Earth; for they that say such things, declare plainly that they seek a [Page 440] Country; that is, they who acknowledge themselves to be Pilgrims and Strangers in the Earth, and yet withal profess to be perswaded of the Goodness of God, and the Fidelity of his Promise, do plainly declare, that they seek another Country. This is spoken of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who acknowledged themselves to be Strangers and Pilgrims in the Earth; and thereby declared, that they sought another Country. Now, says the Apostle, this cannot be the Country from whence they first came, Vr of the Chaldees, v. 15. And truly, if they had been mindful of that Coun­try from whence they came out, they might have had an oportunity of return­ing thither. And therefore he con­cludes, that the Country which they sought was a better Country than any in this World. V. 16. But now they desire a better Country; that is, an Heavenly: Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a City. This plainly refers to that fa­mous Declaration or Promise of God to the Patriarchs of being their God; I am the God of Abraham, the God of [...], the God of Jacob. Now cer­tainly [Page 441] this Promise of God did signifie some very great Blessing and Advantage to those faithful Servants of God above others. This was not made good to them in this World; for they confessed, that they were Pilgrims and Strangers in the Earth. Where then is the Blessing spo­ken of and signified by the great Words of that Promise, that God was their God? They met with no such Condition in this World, as was answerable to the greatness of that Promise. From hence the Apostle argues, that they had a firm Perswasion of a future Happiness; For they that say such things, declare plainly, that they seek a better Country; that is, an Heavenly. Wherefore God is not a­shamed to be called their God, since he hath prepared for them a City. And tho the Promise of God to Abraham did immediately design the Land of Canaan, and the earthly Jerusalem; yet the Apo­stle extends it to that which was typi­fied by it; viz. an Heavenly Country, the Jerusalem which is above, which, at the 10th Verse of this Chapter, is called a City, which hath Foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God. And now, seeing God had designed and prepared [Page 442] so great a Happiness for them in another World, well might he be called their God, notwithstanding that they were Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth; that is, Tho the full Meaning and Impor­tance of this Promise was not made good to them in this World, yet it was accomplish'd to the full in the Happi­ness which was designed for them in another Life. And God need not be asha­med to be called their God; implying, that if nothing had been meant by it be­yond this World, this Promise, of God's being their God, would have fallen shamefully short of what it seemed to import. And this I conceive to be the true Reason, why our Saviour lays so much Weight upon this Promise, as to pitch upon it for the Proof of the Re­surrection; that is, of a future state of Happiness in another World.

There are many Considerations apt to perswade Good Men of another Life after this: As, That Mankind is gene­rally possess'd with this Hope and Per­swasion; and that the more wise and virtuous Men have been, the more plainly have they apprehended the Hopes of Immortality, and the better [Page 443] have they been contented to leave this World; as if, seeing farther than other Men, they had a clearer Prospect of the Happiness they were entering upon: But above all, that God hath made our Condition in this World so troublesom and unsettled, as if he had designed on purpose to make us seek for Happiness elsewhere, and to elevate and raise our Minds to the Hopes and Expectation of a Condition better and more durable, than any is to be met with in this World; which, considering the Good­ness of God, and his gracious Provi­dence and Care of Good Men, is a thing of it self extremely credible.

Having thus, as briefly as I could, dispatched the Two Particulars which I propounded to speak to for the Explica­tion of the Text; I should now shew what Influence these Considerations ought to have upon our Lives and Practice.

And if this be our Condition in this World, and these our Hopes and Expectations as to another Life; if we be Pilgrims and Strangers in the Earth; and look for a better Country, that is, an Heavenly; this ought to have a great Influence upon us in these following [Page 444] respects, which I shall at present but very briefly mention.

1. Let us intangle and incumber our selves as little as we can in this our Pil­grimage; let us not ingage our Affecti­ons too far in the Pleasures and Advan­tages of this World; for we are not to continue and settle in it, but to pass through it. A little will serve for our Passage and Accommodation in this Journey; and beyond that, why should we so earnestly covet and seek more?

2. If we be Pilgrims and Strangers; then it concerns us to behave our selves blamelesly and inoffensively, remem­bering, that the Eyes of People are up­on us, and that those among whom we live will be very curious and observant of our Manners and Carriage.

3. Let us be chearful and patient under the Troubles and Afflictions of this present Life. They who are in a strange Country, must expect to en­counter many Injuries and Affronts, and to be put to great Difficulties and Ha­zards, which we should endeavour to [Page 445] bear with that Chearfulness, as Men that are upon a Journey use to bear foul Ways and bad Weather, and inconve­nient Lodging and Accomodations.

4. The Consideration of our present Condition and future Hopes should set us above the Fondness of Life, and the slavish Fear of Death. For our Minds will never be raised to their true Pitch and Hight, till we have in some good measure conquered these two Passions, and made them subject to our Reason. As for this present Life, and the Enjoy­ments of it, What do we see in them, that should make us so strangely to dote upon them? Quae Miseri lucis tam dira cupido? This World, at the best, is but a very indifferent Place; and he is the wisest Man that bears himself towards it with the most indifferent Affection; that is always willing to leave it, and yet patient to stay in it as long as God pleases.

5. We should always prefer our Du­ty and a good Conscience before all the World; because it is in truth more va­luable, if our Souls be Immortal, and [Page 446] do survive in another World. For (as our Saviour argues) What is a man pro­fited, if he gain the whole World, and lose his own Soul? Or what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul? And thus St. Paul reasoned with himself, from the Belief of a Resurrection of the Just and Unjust. For this cause (saith he) I exercise my self alway to have a Conscience void of offence both toward God and to­ward Man.

Lastly, If we be Sojourners and Tra­vellers, we should often think of our End, and carefully mind the Way to it. Our End is Everlasting Happiness; and the Way to it is a constant and sin­cere and universal Obedience to the Commandments of God. When the Young Man in the Gospel enquired of our Saviour the way to Eternal Happi­ness, saying, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may inherit Eternal Life? His Answer to him was, If thou wilt enter into Life, keep the Command­ments. We may easily mistake our way; For strait is the Gate, and narrow is the Way that leads to Life, and few there be that find it. Therefore we should of­ten [Page 447] pray to God, as David does, Psalm 119. 19. I am a Stranger in the Earth, hide not thy Commandments from me. And Psalm 139. 23, 24. Search me, O God, and know my Heart; try me, and know my Thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the Way Ever­lasting.

The whole Verse runs thus: ‘These all died in Faith, not having received the Promises, but having seen them afar off, and were per­suaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they, &c.’

I Have lately in this Place (upon a particular Day and Occasion) be­gun to handle these Words: I shall briefly give you the Heads of what hath [Page 450] been already delivered, and proceed to what remains. And that which I de­signed from this Text, was, To repre­sent to us our present Condition in this World, and to awaken us to a due Sense and Consideration of it. It is the same Condition that all the Saints and Holy Men that have gone before us were in, in this World; and we may all of us say with David, Psal. 39. 12. I am a Stranger with Thee, and a Sojourner, as all my Fathers were.

It is very frequent, not only in Scri­pture, but in other Authors, to represent our Condition in this World, by that of Pilgrims and Sojourners in a far Country. For the Mind, which is the Man, and our Immortal Souls, which are, by far, the most noble and excel­lent Part of our selves, are the Natives of Heaven, and but Pilgrims and Stran­gers here on the Earth; and when the Days of our Pilgrimage shall be accom­plished, are designed to return to that Heavenly Country from which they came, and to which they belong. And for the Explication of this Metaphor, I insisted only upon Two Things, [Page 451] which seem plainly to be designed and intended by it.

1. That our Condition in this World is very troublesom and unsettled; They confessed, that they were Pilgrims and Stran­gers on the Earth.

II. It implies a tendency to a future Settlement, and the Hopes and Expe­ctation of a happier Condition, into which we shall enter when we go out of this World.

And these I told you are Two ve­ry Weighty and Useful Considerati­ons; That we should both under­stand our present Condition in this World, and our future Hopes and Ex­pectation after our Departure out of it; that so we may demean our selves suit­ably to both these Conditions; both as is fit for those who look on themselves as Pilgrims and Sojourners in this World; and likewise, as it becomes those who seek and expect a better Country, and hope to be Partakers of a Blessed Immortality in another World.

I. That our Condition in this World is very Troublesom and Unsettled; and [Page 452] this is principally intended by the Me­taphor of Pilgrims and Strangers. Such was the Life of the Patriarchs here spo­ken of in the Text; they had no con­stant Abode and fixt Habitation, but were continually wandering from one Kingdom and Country to another; in which Travels they were exposed to a great many Dangers and Sufferings, Affronts and Injuries; as we read at large in the History of their Travels in the Old Testament. And such is our Condition in this World; it is often Troublesom, and always Uncertain, and Unsettled: So that whatever Degree of Worldly Felicity any Man is possest of, he hath no Security that it shall continue for one Moment.

II. Our condition in this World be­ing a State of Pilgrimage, it implies a Tendency to a Future Settlement, and the Hopes and Expectation of a Hap­pier Condition, into which we shall enter so soon as we leave this World. For so it follows immediately after the Text; They confessed that they were Pil­grims and Strangers on the Earth; For they that say such things, declare plainly [Page 453] that they seek a Country. They that say such things; that is, They that ac­knowledge themselves to have lived in such a Restless and Uncertain Conditi­on in this World, Travelling from one Place to another, as the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did; and yet pretend to be persuaded of the Good­ness of God, and the faithfulness of his Promise; in which He so solemnly declares Himself to be their God; do hereby plainly shew, that they expect some Happier Condition hereafter, wherein that Great Promise of God, will be made good to them to the full. So that He need not be ashamed to have been called their God.

Having handled at large these Two Particulars, I come now to shew what Influence the Consideration of them ought to have upon our Lives and Pra­ctices. And if this be our Condition in this World, and these our Hopes and Expectations, as to another Life: If we be Pilgrims and Strangers in the Earth, and look for a better Country, that is, an Heavenly; this ought to have a great Influence upon us in these following Respects, which I did but [Page 454] briefly mention before; but shall now Prosecute and Press more largely.

I. Let us Entangle and Incumber our selves as little as we can in this our Pilgrimage: Let us not Engage our Af­fections too far in the Pleasures and Ad­vantages of this World, because we are not to stay in it, but to pass through it. Upon this Consideration the Apostle St. Peter doth so earnestly exhort Christi­ans to preserve themselves from fleshly Lusts, 1 Pet. 2. 11. Dearly Beloved, I beseech you, as Strangers and Pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly Lusts, which war a­gainst the Soul. The gratifying of our inordinate Lusts, and our Carnal and Sensual Inclinations, is directly oppo­site both to the Nature of our Immor­tal Spirits, and to their great Design and Business in this World. Fleshly Lusts do not only pollute and defile, but even quench and extinguish our Divin­er part, and do work the ruin and de­struction of it; they sink our Affecti­ons into the Mud and Filth of this World, and do entangle and detain them there. In a word, they do wholly indispose and unfit us for that Pure [Page 455] and Spiritual, and Divine Life, which alone can qualifie us for our Heavenly Country and Inheritance. And therefore while our Souls are Sojourning in this World, we should abstain from them, and preserve our selves Unspotted and Untainted by them, as being altoge­ther unuseful, and perfectly contrary to the Laws and Manners of our Hea­venly Country. If we wallow in bru­tish and filthy Lusts, as we pass through this World; our Native Country, when our Souls think to return to it, will re­ject us and cast us out: when we come to Heaven's Gate, and knock there, ex­pecting to be admitted, and shall cry, Lord, Lord, open unto us; He will bid us to depart from Him, because we have been workers of iniquity. Nothing that is unclean can enter into Heaven. He who is to receive us into those Blessed Man­sions, hath declared it to be his Immu­table Resolution, and Decree, that with­out Holiness, no Man shall see the Lord. And therefore, as ever we hope to see God, in that Happy and Blissful State, we must Cleanse our selves from all Fil­thiness of Flesh and Spirit, and perfect Holiness in the Fear of God; that hav­ing [Page 456] render'd our selves as like Him as we can in this World, we may be capable of the Blessed Sight and Enjoy­ment of Him in the other.

And as for the Advantages of this World, let us not pursue them too ea­gerly. We may take the Conveniences which fairly offer themselves to us, and be content to want what we can­not Honestly have, and without go­ing out of the way of our Duty; con­sidering that we are Travellers, and that a little will serve for our Passage and Accommodation in our Pilgrimage. And beyond that why should we so ear­nestly covet more, and trouble our selves for that which is not necessary to our Journey? Why should we at any time deal unjustly, to attain any of this World's Goods? They will stand us in stead for so little a while, that we can have no temptation to injure or op­press any Man, to break the Peace of our Consciences, and to wound our Souls, for the attaining of them. If the Providence of God offer them to us, and bring them to our hands, in the use of Honest Diligence, and Lawful Means; as we are not to refuse them, [Page 457] so neither are we to set our Hearts up­on them, nor to suffer our Affections to be entangled in them.

The wisest Use we can make of them, will be, to do like those who traffick in Foreign Parts, to con­sign our Estates into our own Na­tive Country, to send our Treasures be­fore us into the other World, that we may have the Benefit of them when we come there. And this we may do by Alms and Charity. Whatever we spend upon the Flesh, we leave behind us, and it will turn to no account to us in our own Country; but whatever we lay out for the Relief of the Poor, is so much Treasure laid out and secured to our selves, against another day. So our Blessed Saviour assures us, Luk. 12. 33. That giving of Alms is providing for our selves Bags that wax not old, a Treasure in the Heavens that faileth not.

II. If We be Pilgrims and Stran­gers; then it concerns us to behave our selves with great Caution, and to live blamelesly and inoffensively; re­membering that the Eyes of People are upon us, and that those among whom we Sojourn, will be very pry­ing, [Page 458] and curious, and narrow Obser­vers of our Manners and Carriage. They that are in a strange Country, are not wont to take that Liberty and Freedom, which the Natives of the place may do, but to keep a per­petual Guard upon themselves, know­ing how strictly they are observed; and that they live among those who bear no Good Will to them; and that every Bad Thing we do, reflects up­on our Nation, and is a Reproach to the Country to which we belong. Ye are not of the World; (says our Lord) if ye were of the World, the World would love its own: but ye are not of the World; therefore the World hateth you. Upon this account the Apostle chargeth Chri­stians to be Harmless, and Blameless, and as it becomes the Sons of God to be, in the midst of a crooked and per­verse Nation, among whom we should shame as Lights. The same Argument St. Peter useth, 1 Pet. 2. 11, 12. I be­seech, you as Pilgrims and Strangers, to ab­stain from fleshly lusts, having your Con­versation honest among the Gentiles; that is, Considering that you are among Strangers and Enemies, and therefore [Page 459] ought to be very careful to bring no Scandal upon your Holy Profession, among those who will be ready to take all advantages against you. Parti­cularly, we who pretend to the same Heavenly Country, must be kind to one another; and whilst we live a­mong Strangers, have no Quarrels a­mongst our Selves. In a Strange Coun­try, it useth to be a Mighty Endear­ment of Men to one another, that they are of the same Country, and Fel­low Citizens; and this alone is com­monly sufficient to unite their Affe­ctions, and to link their Interests to­gether. But how little of this is to be seen among Christians? how shame­fully do they Quarrel among themselves, in the midst of Enemies and Strangers! as if they had no Relation to one ano­ther; and never expected to meet at last in the same Country, and there to live together for ever.

III. Let us be as Patient and Chear­ful as we can, under all the Troubles and Afflictions which we meet with in this Life. They who are in Strange Countries must expect to encounter [Page 460] many Injuries and Affronts, and to be put to great Difficulties and Hardships. Those which are lighter and more to­lerable, we must bear with Chearful­ness. Upon a Journey Men use to put on all the Pleasantness they can, and to make Sport of all the Inconveniences of the Ways and Weather, and little cross Accidents that befall them: And thus, if we had but the Art and Wis­dom to do it, many of the lesser Incon­veniences of Humane Life might well enough be play'd off, and made mat­ter rather of Mirth and Diversion, than of Melancholy and serious Trouble.

But there are some Evils and Cala­mities of Humane Life, that are too heavy and serious to be Jested withal, and require the greatest Consideration, and a very great degree of Patience to Support us under them, and enable us to bear them Decently; as the Loss of Friends and dearest Relations; as the Loss of an Only Son, grown up to be well fixt and settled in a Virtuous Course, and promising all the Comfort to his Parents that they themselves can wish: These certainly are some of the Greatest Evils of this World, and hard­est [Page 461] to be born. For Men may pre­tend what they will to Philosophy and Contempt of the World, and of the Perishing Comforts and Enjoyments of it; to the Extirpation of their Passions, and an Insensibility of these things, which the weaker and undisciplin'd part of Mankind keep such a Wailing and Lamentation about: but when all is done, Nature hath framed us as we are, and hath planted in our Nature strong Inclinations and Affections to our Friends and Relations; and these Affe­ctions are as naturally moved upon such Occasions, and pluck every String of our Hearts as violently, as extream Hunger and Thirst do gnaw upon our Stomachs.

And therefore it is foolish for any Man to pretend to love things migh­tily, and to rejoyce greatly in the En­joyment of them; and yet to be so easi­ly contented to lose them, and to be parted from them. This is to separate things which Nature hath strongly linked together. Whatever we migh­tily love, does thereby in some sort be­come part of our Selves; and it can­not hand loose to us, to be separated and divorced from us without Trouble; no [Page 462] more than a Limb that is vitally and by strong Ligaments united to the Body, can be dropt off when we please, or rent from the Body without Pain. And who­ever pretends to have a mighty Affe­ction for any thing, and yet at the same time does pretend that he can content­edly, and without any great Sense or Signification of Pain, bear the Loss of it, does not talk like a Philosopher, but like an Hypocrite; and under a grave Pretence of being a Wise, is in truth, an Ill-natured Man. For most certainly, in proportion to our Love of any thing, will be our Trouble and Grief for the Loss of it.

So that under these great and hea­vier Strokes, we had need both of Faith and Patience. And indeed, nothing but the firm Belief of a better Country, that is, an Heavenly, another Life after this, and a blessed Immortality in ano­ther World, is sufficient to support a Man in the few and evil Days of his Pilgrimage, and to sustain his Spirit under the great Evils and Calamities of this Life. But This fully answers all, That the Afflictions and Sufferings of this present time, are not worthy to be compared [Page 463] with the Glory which shall be revealed in us. Nay, that if we bear these Afflictions patiently, and with a due Submission to the Will of God, (especially our Suf­ferings for his Truth and Cause) it will certainly increase our Happiness in the other World, and work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory.

IV. The Consideration of our Present Condition and of our Future Hopes, should set us above the Fondness of Life, and the slavish Fears of Death. For our Minds will never be raised to their true pitch and hight, till we have in some good measure conquered these two Passions, and made them subject to our Reason.

As for this present Life, and the Enjoyments of it; What is it that we see in them that should make us so strangely to dote upon them? Quae lucis miseris tam dira cupido! This World at the best is but a very Indifferent place, and he is the wisest Man that bears him­self towards it with the most Indifferent Mind and Affection; that is always willing to leave it, and yet patient to stay in it as long as God pleaseth. And as for Death, tho' the Dread of it be natural, yet why should the Terrors of [Page 464] it be so very surprising and amazing to us; after we have consider'd, that to a good and pious Soul, it is no other but the Gate of Heaven, and an Entrance into Eternal Life? We are apt to won­der to see a Man undaunted at the ap­proach of Death, and to be not only contented, but chearful, at the Thoughts of his Departure out of this World, this Sink of Sin, and Vale of Misery and Sor­row. Whereas, if all things be duly considered, it is a greater Wonder that Men are so patient to Live, and that they are not glad of any fair Excuse and Op­portunity of getting out of this strange Country, and retiring Home, and of ridding themselves of the Troubles and Inconveniences of Life. For, consider­ing the numerous Troubles and Cala­mities we are liable to in a long Pilgri­mage, there are really but Three Con­siderations, that I can readily think of, that can make this World, and our pre­sent Condition in it, in any good mea­sure tolerable to a wise Man; viz. That God governs the World; That we are not always to stay in it; That there is a Happiness designed and reserved for us in another place, which will abundant­ly [Page 465] recompense and make amends to us for all the Troubles and Sufferings of this Life.

And yet it is strange to see how fast most Men cling to Life, and that even in Old Age; how they catch at every Twig that may but hold them up a little while; and how fondly they hanker af­ter a miserable Life, when there is no­thing more of Pleasure to be enjoy'd, nothing more of Satisfaction to be ex­pected and hoped for in it. When they are just putting in to the Port, and, one would think, should rejoyce at their very Hearts that they see Land; yet how glad would they be then of any cross Wind, that would carry them back into the Sea again? As if they loved to be tost, and were fond of Storms and Tempests.

Nay, the very best of us, even after we have made that acknowledgment of David; I am a Stranger and a Sojourner with thee, as all my Fathers were; are apt with him to be still importuning God for a little longer Life; O spare me a lit­tle, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more. And when God hath granted us this Request, then we would be spared yet a little longer.

[Page 466] But let us remember, that God did not design us to continue always in this World; and that he hath on purpose made it so uneasie to us, to make us willing to leave it; and that so long as we linger here below, we are detained from our Happiness; While we are present in the Body, we are absent from the Lord. This Consideration made St. Paul so de­sirous to be dissolved, because he knew that when his Earthly House of this Ta­bernacle was dissolved, he should have a much better Habitation, a Building of God, an House not made with Hands, eternal in the Heavens. This was that which made him so full of Joy and Triumph, at the Thoughts of his leaving the World. 2 Tim. 4. 6. I am now ready (says he) to be offered up, and the time of my departure is at hand; I have fought a good Fight, I have finished my Course, I have kept the Faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, which God the righteous Judge shall give me in that day.

Nay, the Consideration of this (tho but obscurely apprehended by them) did raise the Spirits of the wiser and better Heathen, and fill them with great Joy and Comfort at the Thoughts [Page 467] of their Dissolution. With what Con­stancy and Evenness of Mind did Socra­tes receive the Sentence of Death? And with what excellent Discourse did he en­tertain his Friends just before he drank off the Fatal Cup, and after he had taken it down, whilst Death was gradually seizing upon him? One can hardly, without a very sensible Transport, read Cato's Discourse concerning his Death, as it is represented by Tully in his Book of Old Age. I am (says he) transported with a Desire of seeing my Fore-fathers, those Excellent Persons of whom I have Heard, and Read, and Written; and now I am going to them, I would not willingly be drawn back into this World again; Quod si quis Deus mihi largiatur, ut ex hac aetate repuerascam, & in cunis vagi­am, valde recusem. If some God would offer me, at this Age, to be a Child again, and to cry in the Cradle, I would earnestly refuse it, and upon no terms ac­cept it. And now that my Race is al­most run, and my Course just finished, how loth should I be to be brought back, and made to begin again? For what Ad­vantage is there in Life? Nay rather, what Labour and Trouble is there not in [Page 468] it? But let the Benefit of it be what it will, there is certainly some Measure of Life as well as of other things, and Men ought to know when they have enough of it. O praeclarum diem, cum in il­lud animorum consilium caetumque proficiscar, & cum ex hac turbâ & colluvione discedam. O Blessed and Glo­rious Day, when I shall go to that great Council and Assembly of Spirits, and have got out of this Tumult and Sink. And if a Heathen, who had but some obscure Glimmerings of ano­ther Life, and of the Blessed State of de­parted Souls, could speak thus chearful­ly of Death; how much more may We, who have a clear and undoubted Revela­tion of these things, and to whom Life and Immortality are brought to Light by the Gospel.

V. We should alway prefer our Du­ty and the keeping of a good Consci­ence, before all the World: because it it is in truth infinitely more valuable, if so be our Souls be immortal, and do survive in another World, and we must there give a strict Account of all the Actions done by us in this Life, and re­ceive [Page 469] the Sentence of Eternal Happiness or Misery, according to the things done in the Body, whether they be Good, or whether they be Evil. For as our Sa­viour argues concerning the case of de­nying him and his Truth, to avoid tem­poral Suffering and Death; What is a Man profited, if he shall gain the whole World, and lose his own Soul? Or what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul? When we are tempted by temporal Interest and Advantage, or by the Fear of pre­sent Loss and Suffering, to deny or dis­semble our Religion, to do any thing that is sinful in any kind, and contrary to our Duty and Conscience; let us ask our selves; What will be the Profit and Advantage of it? What, if for fear of Men, and what they can do to me, I incur the Wrath and Displeasure of Almighty God? This is infinitely more to be dreaded; and these Frowns are a thou­sand times more terrible, than the bit­terest Wrath and cruelest Malice of Men. What, if to preserve this frail and mor­tal Body, I shall evidently hazard the Loss of my Immortal Soul; and to e­scape a Temporal Inconvenience, I for­feit Everlasting Happiness, and plunge [Page 470] my self into Eternal Misery and Ruine? Would not this be a wild Bargain, and a mad Exchange, for any Temporal Gain and Advantage, to lose the things that are Eternal? And for the pleasing of our selves for a little while, to make our selves miserable for ever?

If we confess our selves to be Pilgrims and Strangers on the Earth, and are per­swaded of the Promises of God con­cerning an Heavenly Country, where we hope to arrive after the few and evil days of our Pilgrimage are over; let us not, by complying with the Humours of Strangers, and the vitious Customs and Practices of an Evil World, bar our selves of our Hopes, and banish our selves from that happy Place, to which we all profess we are going.

We pretend to be travelling towards Heaven: but if we make shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience; we de­stroy our own Hopes of ever arriving at that happy Port. We do not live up to our Expectation of a future Happiness, if the unseen Glories of another World do not raise us above all the Temptati­ons and Terrors of Sense. Our Faith and Hope have not their due and pro­per [Page 471] Influence upon us; if they do not govern our Lives and Actions, and make us stedfast in the Profession of our Holy Religion, and in the Conscientious Pra­ctice of it. St. Paul reason'd himself into this Holy Resolution, from the Hopes of a blessed Resurrection. Acts 24. 15, 16. I have Hope, says he, to­ward God, that there shall be a Resurrection of the Dead, both of the Just and Vnjust: [...], For this cause therefore, I ex­ercise my self always to have a Conscience void of Offence, towards God and towards Men.

VI. And Lastly, If we be Sojourners and Travellers in this World; we should often think of our End, and carefully mind the Way to it. Our End is Ever­lasting Happiness; and the direct Way to it is by a constant and sincere and uni­versal Obedience to the Laws and Com­mandments of God: And this in it self is so plain a way, that a sincere and ho­nest Man can hardly err in it. And therefore we must not suffer our selves to be led and trained out of it, upon any Pretence whatsoever; not by the Wild-fire of pretended Illuminations and En­thusiasms; [Page 472] nor by the confident Pre­tence of an Infallible Guide, that will needs shew us another way, and per­swade us to follow him blindfold in it. Let us not quit the Infallible Rule of God's Word, to follow any Guide what­soever. If an Apostle, or an Angel from Heaven, preach any other Doctrine and Way to Heaven, let him be accursed. He who is the Way, and the Truth, and the Life, when he was consulted with a­bout the Way to Eternal Happiness, knew no other but this. For when the Young Man ask'd him; Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may inhe­rit Eternal Life? His Answer was, If thou wilt enter into Life, keep the Command­ments. 'Tis true indeed, that by reason of our corrupt Inclinations within, and powerful Temptations without, this Way (especially at our first setting out) is rugged and difficult. So our Lord hath forewarned us, telling us, That strait is the Gate, and narrow is the Way that leadeth to Life, and that there be few that find it. Therefore we should strive to enter in, take great Care and Pains to discern the Right Way, and to overcome the Dif­ficulties of our first Entrance into it; [Page 473] and should often pray to God, as David did, Psalm 119. 19. I am a Stranger in the Earth, hide not thy Commandments from me; And Psalm 139. 23, 24. Search me, O God, and know my Heart; try me, and know my Thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me; and lead me in the Way Everlasting.

Thus, if we would always have our End in our Eye; it would both be a Di­rection to us in our Way, and an En­couragement to quicken our Pace in it; there being no more powerful Motive to a good Life, than to be assured, that if we have our Fruit unto Holiness, our End shall be Everlasting Life.