and assisted by an Infallible Spirit and had an immediate Commission from Christ to preach the Doctrine of the Gospel did not require from Men absolute submission to their Doctrines and Dictates without examination of what they delivered whether it were agreeable to that Divine Revelation which was contained in the ancient Scriptures This was St. Paul's constant custom and way of teaching among the Jews who had received the Revelation of the Old Testament he did not dictate to them by vertue of his Infallibility but reasoned with them out of the Scriptures and required their belief no further than what he said should upon examination appear agreeable to the Scriptures So we find Acts 17. 2 3. And Paul as his manner was went in unto them speaking of the Jews and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures opening and alledging that Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead and that this Jesus whom I preach unto you is the Christ And Chap. 18. 28. he mightily convinced the Jews and that publickly shewing by the Scriptâ—res that Jesus was the Christ And St. Paul was so far from reproving them for examining his Doctrine by the Scriptures that he commended it as an argument of a Noble and Generous mind in the Bereans that they did not give full assent to his Doctrine 'till upon due search and examination they were satisfied that what he had said was agreeable to the Scriptures Chap. 17. 11 12. Where speaking of the Bereans it is said That these were more noble than those in Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so therefore many of them believed that is because upon search they found what he delivered to be agreeable to the Scriptures and it was not a slight but diligent and deliberate search they took time to examine things thoroughly for it is said they searched the Scriptures daily And here in the Text St. Paul puts the case that if he or any other of the Apostles concerning whose Divine Commission and Assistance they were so fully satisfied should deliver any thing to them contrary to the Gospel which they had formerly preached they were to reject it with the greatest abhorrence and detestation and this necessarily supposeth a liberty to examine what was delivered even by those whom they believed to be Infallibly assisted and a capacity to discern and judge whether what they said was agreeable to the Gospel at first delivered to them or not And after this shall any Person or Church what Claim soever they may make to Infallibility assume to themselves an Authority to dictate in matters of Faith and that their Dictates ought to be received with an absolute submission and without liberty to examine whether they be agreeable to the Faith once delivered to the Saints and tho' they add new Articles to the Christian Faith and of which there is not the least foot-step or intimation in any of the Ancient Creeds of the Christian Church and do plainly impose upon Christians the Practice and Belief of several things as necessary to Salvation which the Gospel never declared to be so yet no body shall judge of this but every Man ought without more ado to believe blindfold and to resign up his Understanding and Judgment to the directions of this visible Infallible Judge But surely this is not the reasonable Obedience of Faith but the forc'd submission of Slaves to the Tyranny of their Masters Christians are expresly forbid to call any Man Father or Master upon Earth because we have one Father and Master in Heaven Now to make an absolute submission of our Understandings to any upon Earth so as without examination to receive their Dictates in Matters of Faith is surely if any thing can be so to call such a Person Father and Master because a greater submission than this we cannot pay to our Father who is in Heaven even to God himself I come now to the Sixth and last Observation from the Text That whosoever teacheth any thing as of necessity to Salvation to be believed or practised besides what the Gospel of Christ hath made necessary does fall under the Anathema here in the Text because they that do so do according to the mind of St. Paul pervert the Gospel of Christ and Preach another Gospel For the Reason why he chargeth the false Apostles with Preaching another Gospel and those that were seduced by them as being removed from him that called them by the Grace of Christ unto another Gospel is plainly this that they had changed the Terms of the Christian Religion by adding new Articles to it which were not contained in the Gospel that is by making it necessary to believe it to be so because they taught so Now St. Paul expresly declares this to be Preaching another Gospel because they plainly alter'd the Terms of Salvation declared in the Gospel and made that to be necessary to the Salvation of Men which the Gospel had not made so And whatever Person or Church does the same does inâ—ur the same guilt and falls under the Anathema and Censure here in the Text yea tho' he were an Apostle or an Angel And I am sure no Bishop or Church in the World can pretend either to an equal Authority or Infallibility with an Apostle or an Angel from Heaven Let us then hear what St. Paul declares in this Case and consider seriously with what earnestness and vehemency he declares it tho' we says he or an Angel from Heaven preach any â—her Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him bâ— accursed As we said before so say I now again If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received let him be accursed St. Paul you see is very earnest in this matter and very peremptory and therefore I cannot but think this Declaration of his to be more considerable and every way more worthy of our regard and dread than all the Anathema's of the Council of Trent which in direct affront and contempt of this Anathema of St. Paul hath presumed to add so many Articles to the Christian Religion upon the counterfeit warrant of Tradition for which there is no ground or warrant from the Scripture or from any Ancient Creed of the Christian Church And for the truth of this I appeal to the Creed of Pope Pius the IV th compiled out of the Definitions of the Council of Trent by which Council the Pope only is Authorised to Interpret the true sense and meaning of the Canons and Decrees of that Council and consequently his interpretations must be of equal force and authority with that of the Council it self So that whatsoever he hath put into â—is new Creed for an Article of Faith ought to be received with the â—ame pious affection and veneration as if the Creed had been compiled by the Council it self
Revelation and Rule of their Written Law and that they were not Infallibly Assisted is evident from the great Errors they fell into in making void the Commandments of God by their Traditions and in their Rejecting and Crucifying the true Messias and the Son of God In like manner the Apostles and first Teachers of the Christian Religion were immediately Inspired and Miraculously Assisted in the Publishing of the Christian Doctrine and for the speedy and more effectual Propagating and Planting of it in the World in despite of the violent Prejudices that were against it and the fierce opposition that was made to it But when this was done this Miraculous and Extraordinary Assistance ceased and God left the Christian Religion to be preserved and continued by more Humane and Ordinary ways the Doctrines of it being committed to Writing for a standing Rule of Faith and Practice in all Ages and an Order of Men appointed to Instruct People in those Doctrines with a Promise to secure both Teachers and People that sincerely desiâ—e to know and do the Will of God from all Fatal Errors and Mistakes about Things necessary to their Eternal Salvation and this is a Provision more likely to be made by God and better suited to the Nature of Man than the perpetual and needless Miracle of an Inspired or any otherwise Infallible Church Thirdly This way is likewise more agreeable to the Nature of Religion and the Virtue of Faith The Design of an Infallible Church is to secure all that continue in the Communion of it against all possibility of Error in Matters of Faith The Question now is not whether an Infallible Church would do this but whether that Church which arrogates Infallibility to it self does not pretend to do this And if they could do it it would not be agreeable to the Nature of Religion and the Virtue of Faith For Faith which is the Principle of all Religious Actions would be no Virtue if it were necessary A true and right Belief can be no Virtue where a Man is Infallibly secured against Error There is the same Reason of Virtuous and Criminal Actions and as there can be no Crime or Fault in doing what a Man cannot help so neither can there be any Virtue All Virtuous Actions are Matter of Praise and Commendation and therefore it can be no Virtue in any Man because it deserves no Commendation to believe and own that the Sun shines at Noon-day when he sees it does so No more would it be a Virtue in any Man and deserve Praise to Believe aright who is in a Church wherein he is Infallibly secured against all Error in Matters of Faith Make any thing necessary and impossible to be otherwise and the doing of it ceases to be a Virtue God hath so framed Religion and the Evidence of Truth and the Means of coming to the Knowledge of it as to be a sufficient Security to Men of honest Minds and teachable Tempers against all Fatal and Final Mistakes concerning Things necessary to Salvation but not so that every Man that is of such a Church should be Infallibly secured against all Errors in Matters of Faith and this on purpose to try the Virtue and Disposition of Men whether they will be at the pains to search for Truth and when it is proposed to them with sufficient Evidence tho' not by an Infallible Hand they will receive it in the love of it that they may be Saved Fourthly This is as much security against Error in Matters of Faith as God hath provided against Sin and Vice in Matters of Practice and since a right Belief is only in order to a good Life a Man would be hard put to it to give a Wise Reason why God should take greater Care for the Infallible Security of Mens Faith than of their Obedience The Reason pretended why God should make such Infallible Provision for a right Faith is for the better security of Mens Eternal Salvation and Happiness Now the Virtues of a good Life have a more Direct and Immediate influence upon that than the most Orthodox Belief The end of the Commandments i. e of the Declaration of the Gospel is Charity In the Christian Religion that which mainly avails to our Justification and Salvation is a Faith that worketh by Charity and the keeping of the Commandments of God He that heareth these Sayings of mine and doth them saith our Blessed Lord I will liken him to a Wise Man that Built his House upon a Rock and again not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord i. e. makes Profession of Faith in me shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven and again if ye know these Things happy are ye if ye do them And the Apostle St. Peter Exhorts Christians to add to their Faith and Knowledge Virtue and Godliness and Brotherly Kindness and Charity that so an abundant entrance may be ministred to them into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ So that the Virtues of a good Life have the greatest Influence upon our Salvation and the main stress of Christianity is to be laid there And therefore whatever Reason can be assigned why God should provide for the Infallible security of our Faith is much stronger why an equal Provision should be made to secure Holiness and Obedience of Life because without this Faith cannot Infallibly attain its End which is the Salvation of our Souls But this it is granted God hath not done and Experience shews it and therefore it is unreasonable to suppose that he hath done the other It is sufficient that in both kinds he hath done that which is sufficient to make us capable of Happiness if we be not wanting to our selves the rest he hath left to the sincerity of our Endeavours expecting that We on our part should work out our Salvation with fear and trembling and give all Diligence to make our Calling and Election sure And if God hath made such Provision by the Gospel for all that enjoy the Light and Advantage of it that none can miscarry without their own fault then both his Goodness and Wisdom are sufficiently acquitted without an Infallible Guide and Judge in Matters of Faith and that Irreverent way of Arguing in the Canon Law might well have been spared that of necessity there must be an Infallible Judge of Controversies in Religion aliter Dominus non videretur fuisse discretus otherwise God would not seem to have Ordered Matters discreetly But what Infallible Security soever they have in the Church of Rome as to Matters of Faith they are certainly the worst provided of wholsom and safe Directions for the Consciences and Lives of Men of any Church in the World No Religion that I know of in the World ever had such Lewd and Scandalous Casuists Witness the Moral Divinity of the Jesuits which hath been so exposed to the World not only by those
Roman Church That the Definitions of a General Council confirmed by the Pope are not Obligatory unless they be receiv'd by the Universal Church From whence these two great Inconveniencies will unavoidably follow Iâ— That no Man is obliged to believe such Definitions 'till he Certainly know that they are received by the Universal Church which how he should Certainly much less Infallibly know I cannot understand unless he either speak with all the Christians in the World or the Representatives of all particular Churches return back and meet again in Council to declare that the Universal Church hath received their Definitions which I think was never yet done II. It will follow that the Definitions of a General Council confirmed by the Pope are not Infallible 'till they be received by the Universal Church For if they were Infallible without that they would be Obligatory without it because an Infallible Definition if we know it to be so lays an Obligation to believe it whether it be receiv'd by the Universal Church or not And if such Definitions are not Infallible 'till they be received by the Universal Church they cannot become Infallible afterwards because if the Definitions were not Infallible before they cannot be received as such by the Universal Church nor by the meer reception of them be made to be Infallible Definitions if they were not so before But if we should pass over all these Difficulties there is a greater yet behind and that is Supposing the Definitions of General Councils confirmed by the Pope to be Infallible particular Christians cannot be secured Infallibly from Error without the Knowledge of those Definitions And there are but two ways imaginable of conveying this Knowledge to them Either by the living voice of their particular Pastors whom they are implicitely to believe in these Matters but particular Pastors are Fallible as they themselves grant and therefore their words can neither be an Infallible Foundation of Faith or an Infallible means of conveying it and it is unreasonable they say for Men that own themselves to be Fallible to require an implicit Belief to be given to them Or else the Knowledge of the Definitions of Councils must be conveyed to particular Christians by Writing and if so then there will only be an Infallible Rule but no living Infallible Judge And if an Infallible Rule will serve the turn we have the Scriptures which we are sure are Infallible and therefore at least as good as any other Rule But they say that the Definitions of Councils give us an Infallible Interpretation of Scripture and therefore are of greater advantage to us But do not the Definitions of Councils sometimes also need Explication that we may know the certain Sense of them without which we cannot know the Doctrines defined Yes certainly they need Explication as much as Scripture if there be any difference about the meaning of them and there have been and still are great Differences among those of their own Church about the meaning of them And if the Explications of General Councils need themselves to be explain'd then there is nothing got by them and we are but where we were before For Differences about the meaning of the Definitions of General Councils make as great Difficulties and Uncertainties in Faith as the Differences about the meaning of Scripture Well but the People have the living voice of their particular Pastors to explain the Definitions of Councils to them But this does not help the Matter neither for these two Reasons First Because particular Pastors have no Authority to explain the Definitions of General Councils The Council of Trent hath by express Decree reserved to the Pope and to him only the Power to explain the Definitions of the Council if any difference arise about the meaning of them So that if there be any difference about the true sense and meaning of any of the Definitions of the Council particular Pastors have no Authority to explain them and where there is no doubt or difference about the meaning of them there is no occasion for the explication of them Secondly But suppose they had Authority to explain them this can be no Infallible Security to the People that they explain them right both because particular Pastors are fallible and likewise because we see in experience that they differ in their Explications witness the Bishop of Condom's Exposition of the Catholick Faith and of the Definitions of the Council of Trent which is in many Material Points very different from that of Bellarmine and many other Famous Doctors of that Church And which is more witness the many differences betwixt Ambroâ—ius Catharinus and Dominicus Asoto about the Definitions of that Council in which they were both present and heard the Debates and themselves bore a great part in them Now if they who were present at the framing of the Definitions of that Council cannot agree about the meaning of them much less can it be expected from those that were absent Secondly This Provision which I have mentioned is likewise as good a way to prevent and put an end to Controversies in Religion so far as it is necessary they should be prevented or have an end put to them as any Infallible Church would be if there were one And this is another Reason why an Infallible Church is so much insisted upon that there may be some way and means for a final decision of Controversies which the Scriptures cannot be because they are only a dead Rule which can end no Controversie without a Living Judge ready at hand to interpret and apply that Rule upon emergent Occasions It is not necessary that all Controversies in Religion should either be prevented or decided This the Church which pretends to be Infallible cannot pretend to have done because there are manifold Controversies even in the Church of Rome her self concerning Matters of Religion which still remain undecided and in their Commentaries upon Scripture many Differences about the sense of several Texts concerning which she hath not thought fit to give an Infallible Interpretation And where their Popes and several of their General Councils have thought fit to meddle with Scripture they have applyed and interpreted Texts more improperly and absurdly than even their private Doctors And which is more in Differences about Points of Faith which are pretended on both sides to be fundamental this Church hath not thought fit to put an end to them by her Infallible Decision after two hundred years brangling about them For instance in that fierce and long Difference about the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin which on both sides is pretended to be an Article of Faith and for which contrary Revelations of their Canonized Saints are so frequently pretended and yet neither Pope nor General Council have thought fit to exert their Infallibility for the decision of this Controversie So that if their Church had this Talent of Infallibility ever committed to them they have with the slothful Servant
because the Pope it seems and no body else understands the true meaning of that Council at least is thought fit to declare it And therefore one may justly wonder at the presumption of those who after this Declaration of the Council have taken upon them to Expound the Catholick Faith and to represent that Religion to us as it is defined in that Council because if there be any Controversie about the meaning of its Definitions as there have been a great many even betwixt those who were present at the Council when those Definitions were made none but the Pope himself can certainly tell the meaning of them Now in this Creed of Pope Pius there are added to the Ancient Creed of the Christian Church twelve or thirteen new Articles as concerning Purgatory Transubstantiation the Worship of Images the Invocation of Saints the Communion in one kind and that the Church of Rome is the Mother and Mistress of all Churches and that there is no Salvation to be had out of it and several other Points all which have either no foundation in Scripture or are plainly contrary to it and none of them ever esteemed as Articles of Faith in the Ancient Christian Church for the first five hundred years and yet they are now obtruded upon Christians as of equal necessity to Salvation with the Twelve Articles of the Apostles Creed and this under a pretence of Infallibility which St. Paul tells us would not have justified an Apostle or an Angel from Heaven in making such additions to the Christian Religion and the imposing of any thing as necessary to Salvation which is not so declared by the Gospel of Christ And all that they have to say for this is That We do not pretend to be Infallible but there is a necessity of an Infallible Judge to decide these Controversies and to him they are to be referred Which is just as if in a plain matter of Right a contentious and confiâ—â—nt Man should desire a reference and contrive the matter so as to have it refer'd to himself upon a sleeveless pretence without any proof or evidence that he is the only Person in the World that hath Authority and Infallible Skill to decide all such differences Thus the Church of Rome would deal with us in Things which are as plain as the noon-day as Whether God hath forbidden the Worship of Images in the second Commandment Whether our Saviour did Institute the Sacrament in both kinds Whether the People ought not to read the Scriptures and to have the publick Service of God in a known Tongue These and the like they would have us refer to an Infallible Judge and when we ask who he is they tell us that their Church which hath imposed these things upon Christians and made these additions to the Gospel of Christ is that Infallible Judge But if she were as Infallible as she pretends to be even as an Apostle or an Angel from Heaven St. Paul hath denounced an Anathema against her for preaching another Gospel and making those things necessary to the Salvation of Men which are not contained in the Gospel of Christ The Inference from all this Discourse in short is this That we should contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints and not suffer our selves by the confident pretences of Seducers to be removed from him that hath called us through the grace of Christ unto another Gospel The necessary Doctrines of the Christian Religion and the common Terms of Salvation are so plain that if any Man be ignorant of them it is his own fault and if any go about to impose upon us any thing as of necessity to be believed and practised in order to Salvation which is not declared to be so in the Holy Scriptures which contain the true Doctrine of the Gospel what Authority soever they pretend for it yea tho' they assume to themselves to be Insallible the Apostle hath plainly told us what we are to think of them for he hath put the Case as high as is possible here in the Text when he says Tho' We or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed I will conclude all with that Counsel which the Spirit of God gives to the Churches of Asia Revel 3. 3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and Chap. 2. 10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer be thou faithful unto the Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life A SERMON ON JOHN VII 17. If any Man will do his Will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self SINCE there are so many different Opinions and Apprehensions in the World about Matters of Religion and every Sect and Party does with so much confidence pretend that they and they only are in the truth The great difficulty and question is by what means Men may be secured from dangerous Errors and Mistakes in Religion For this end some have thought it necessary that there should be an Infallible Church in the Communion whereof every Man may be secured from the dangers of a wrong Belief But if seems God hath not thought this necessary If he had he would have revealed this very thing more plainly than any particular Point of Faith whatsoever He would have told us expresly and in the plainest terms that he had appointed an Infallible Guide and Judge in Matters of Faith and would likewise have told us as plainly who he was and where we mighâ— find him and have recourse to him upon all occasions because the sincerity of our Faith depending upon him we could not be safe from mistake in particular Points without so plain and clear a Revelation of this Infallible Judge that there could be no mistake about him nor could there be an end of any other Controversies in Religion unless this Infallible Judge both that there is one and who he is were out of Controversie But neither of these are so It is not plain from Scripture that there is an Infallible Judge and Guide in Matters of Faith much less is it plain who he is and therefore we may certainly conclude that God hath not thought it necessary that there should be an Infallible Guide and Judge in Matters of Faith because he hath revealed no such thing to us and that Bishop and that Church who only have arrogated Infallibility to themselves have given the greatest evidence in the World to the contrary and have been detected and stand convinc'd of the greatest Errors And it is in vain for any Man or Company of Men to pretend to Infallibility so long as the evidence that they are deceived is much greater and clearer than any proof they can produce for their Infallibility If then God hath not provided an Infallible Guide and Judge in Matters of Faith there is some other way whereby Men may be
of our Religion but by their own Writers also Nor is this mischief only confined to that Order their Casuists in general and even the more Ancient of them who writ before the Order of Jesuits appeared in the World have given such a Liberty and loose to great Immorality in several kinds as is infinitely to the reproach of the best and purest Religion in the World Insomuch that Sir Tho. Moor himself who was a great Zealot for that Religion could not forbear to make a loud Complaint of it and to pass this severe Censure upon the generality of their Casuists That their great Business seemed to be not to keep Men from Sin but to Teach them quà m propè ad pecâ—atum liceat accedere sine peccato how near to Sin they might lawfully come without Sinning In the mean time the Consciences of Men are like to be well directed when instead of giving Men plain Rules for the Government of their Hearts and Lives and clear Resolutions of the Material Doubts which frequently occur in Humane Life they entangle them in Niceties and endless Scrupulosities teaching them to split Hairs in Divinity and how with great Art and Cunning they may avoid the committing of any Sin and yet come as near to it as is possible This is a thing of a most dangerous Consequence to the Souls of Men and if Men be but once encouraged to pass to the utmost Bounds of what is Lawful the next step will be into that which is Unlawful So that unless Faith without Works will save Men notwithstanding the Infallible Security which they pretend to give Men of a sound and right Belief if it were really as much as they talk of the Salvation of Men would still be in great hazard and uncertainty for want of better and safer Directions for a good Life than are ordinarily to be met with in the Casuistical Writings of that Church especially if we consider that the Scriptures are lock'd up from the People in an unknown Tongue where the surest and plainest Directions for a good Life are most plentifully to be had insomuch that a Man had better want all the Volumes of Casuistical Divinity that ever were written in the World than to be without the Bible by the diligent studying of which Book alone he may sooner learn the way to Heaven than by all the Books in the World without it Fifthly and Lastly This Provision which God hath made is when all is done as good a Security against Fatal Errors and Mistakes in Religion as an Infallible Church could give if there were one and it is as good a way to prevent and put an end to Controversies in Religion so far as it is necessary that they should be prevented and have an end put to them And these are the two great Reasons why an Infallible Judge is so importunately demanded and insisted upon I shall speak to these distinctly and severally but because they will require a longer Discourse than the time will allow I shall not enter upon them at present but refer them to another Opportunity The Third SERMON ON JOHN VII 17. If any Man will do his Will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self WHEN I made entrance into these Wâ—â—ds I proposed from this Text First To shew that an honest and sincere Mind and a hearty Desire and Endeavour to do the Will of God is the greatest Security and best Preservative against dangerous Errors and Mistakes in Matters of Religion In the next place I proceeded to remove an Objection to which my Discourse upon this Subject might seem liable Some perhaps might ask Is every good Man then secure from all Error and Mistaâ—e in Maâ—ters of Religion This is a mighty â—riviledge iâ—deed But do we not find the contrary in experience that an honest Heart and a weak Head do often meet together For Answer to this I laid down several Propositions By the Last of which I shew'd that God hath made abundant Provision for our Security from fatal and dangerous Errors in Religion both by the Infallible Rule of the Holy Scripture and by sufficient means of Instruction to help us to understand this Rule and by his Infallible Promise of assisting us if with honest Minds and a due Diligence we apply our selves to the understanding of this Rule and the use of these Means And this I told you was in all Respects a better Security and more likely to Conduct us safe to Heaven than any Infallible Church whatsoever and that for Five Reasons Four of which I have already treated of and now proceed to the Fifth and last viz. Because this Provision which I have shewn God hath made is both as good a security against Fatal Errors and Mistakes in Religion as an Infallible Church could give if there were One And it is likewise as good a way to prevent and put an end to Controversies in Religion so far as it is necessary they should be prevented or have an end put to them And these are the two great Reasons why an Infallible Judge is so importunately demanded and insisted upon I shall speak to these two Points distinctly and severally First Because this is as good a security against Fatal Errors and Mistakes in Religion as an Infallible Church could give if there were one For an Infallible Church if there were such an one upon Earth could not Infallibly secure particular Christians against Errors in Faith any other way than by the Definition and Declaration of those who are Infallible in that Church And there are but three that pretend to it either the Pope or a Council General or the Pope and a General Council agreeing in the same Definitions Not the Pope by himself nor the General Council without the Pope because the Church which pretends to Infallibility is not agreed that either of these alone is Infallible and therefore their Definitions can be no certain much less Infallible Foundation of Faith no not to that Church which pretends to Infallâ—bility So that if there be an Infallible Oracle in that Church it must be the Pope and Council in Conjunction or the Definition of a Council confirmed by the Pope Now in that Case either the Council was Infallible in its Definitions before they had the Pope's Confirmation or not If the Council was Infallible in its Definitions before they had the Pope's Confirmation then the Council alone and of its self was Infallible which a great part of the Church of Rome deny and then it needed not the Pope's Confirmation to make it Infallible Or else a General Council is not Infallible in its Definitions before they receive the Pope's Confirmation and then the Pope's Confirmation cannot make it so For that which was not Infallibly Defined by the Council cannot be made Infallible by the Pope's Confirmation But there is another Difficulty yet It is a Maxim generally receiv'd and that even in the
Apostle expresly declares that tho' we that is he himself or any of the Apostles or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than what we have preached unto you let him be accursed As we said before so say I now again if any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received let him be accursed I. That the addition of any thing to the Christian Religion as necessary to be believed or practised in order to Salvation is a perverting the Gospel of Christ and preaching another Gospel This is evident from the Instances here given in this Epistle for the Apostle chargeth the false Apostles with perverting the Gospel of Christ and preaching another Gospel upon no other account but because they added to the Christian Religion and made Circumcision and the keeping of the Law of Moses an essential part of the Christian Religion and imposed upon Christians the practice of these things and the belief of the necessity of them as a Condition of Eternal Salvation That this was the Doctrine of those false Teachers we find expresly Acts 15. 1. And certain men which came down from Judea taught the Brethren and said except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses yâ— cannot be saved and ver 24. in the Letter written by the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem to the Churches abroad there is this account given of it forasmuch as we have heard that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words subverting your Souls saying ye must be circumcised and keep the Law to whom we gave no such Commandment Where you see that this Doctrine is declared to be of pernicious consequence tending to subvert the Souls of Men and likewise to be an addition to the Doctrine of the Gospel which was delivered by the Apostles who here with one consent declare that they had given no such commandment that is had delivered no such Doctrine as this nor put any such yoke upon the necks of Christians but on the con-contrary had declared that the death of Christ having put an end to the Jewish Dispensation there was now no obligation upon Christians to observe the Law of Moses And from the Reason of the thing it is very plain that the addition of any thing to the Christian Religion as necessary to be believed or practised in order to Salvation which the Gospel hath not made so is preaching another Gospel because it makes an essential change in the Terms and Conditions of the Gospel Covenant which declares Salvation unto Men upon such and such Terms and no other Now to add any other Terms to these as of equal necessity with them is to alter the Condition of the Covenant of the Gospel and the Terms of the Christian Religion and consequently to preach another Gospel by declaring other Terms of Salvation than Christ in his Gospel hath declared which is to pervert the Gospel of Christ II. No pretence of Infallibility is sufficient to Authorise and Warrant the addition of any thing to the Christian Doctrine as necessary to be believed or practised in order to Salvation After the delivery of the Gospel by the Son of God and the publication of it to the World by his Apostles who were Commissioned and Inspired by him to that purpose and the confirmation of all by the greatest and most unquestionable Miracles that ever were no person whatever that brought any other Doctrine and declared Salvation to Men upon any other terms than those which are declared in the Gospel was to be credited what pretence soever he should make to a Divine Commission or an Infallible Assistance The Apostle makes a Supposition as high as can be tho' we says he or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be an Anathema If the Apostles themselves who were Divinely Commissioned and Infallibly assisted in the Preaching of the Gospel should afterwards make any addition to it or declare any other Terms of Salvation than those which are declared in the Gospel which they had already published to the World they ought not to be regarded And the Reason is plain because what claim soever any Person may make to Infallibility and what demonstration soever he may give of it we cannot possibly believe him if he contradict himself and deliver Doctrines which do plainly clash with one another For if he spake true at first I cannot believe him declaring the contrary afterwards And if he did not speak true at first I cannot believe him at all because he can give no greater proof of his Divine Commission and Infallible Assistance and Inspiration than he did at first And the Reason is the same if an Angel from Heaven should come and preach a contrary Doctrine to that of the Gospel he were not to be believed neither because he could bring no better Credentials of his Divine Commission and Authority than Those had who publish'd the Gospel and consequently he ought not to be credited in any thing contrary to what they had publish'd before For tho' a Man were never so much disposed to receive a Revelation from God and to submit his Faith to it yet it is not possible for any Man to believe God against God himself that is to believe two Revelations plainly contradictory to one another to be from God and the reason of this is very obvious because every Man doth first and more firmly believe this Proposition or Principle That Contradictions cannot be true than any Revelation whatsoever for if Contradictions may be true then no Revelation from God can signifie any thing because the contrary may be equally true and so truth and falsehood be all one The Apostle indeed only makes a Supposition when he says tho' we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Doctrine unto you but by this Supposition he plainly bars any Man or Company of Men from adding to the Christian Religion any Article of Faith or Point of Practice as of necessity to Salvation which the Gospel hath not made so I say any Man or Company of Men whatever Authority or Infallibility they may lay claim to because they cannot pretend to a clearer Commission and greater Evidence of Infallible Assistance than an Apostle or an Angel from Heaven and yet the Text tells us that would not be a sufficient warrant to preach another Gospel it might indeed bring in question that which they had preached before but could not give Credit and Authority to any thing plainly contrary to it and inconsistent with it III. Christians may judge and discern when another Gospel is preached when new Articles of Faith or Points of Practice not enjoyned by the Gospel are imposed upon Christians This the Apostle supposeth every particular Church and for ought I know every particular Christian that is duly Instructed in the Christian Religion to be a competent Judge of and to be sufficiently able to
discern when another Gospel is preached and new Terms and Conditions not declared in the Gospel are added to the Christian Religion for if they be not able to judge of this the Apostle does in vain caution them against the seduction of those who perverted the Doctrine of Christ and endeavoured to remove them from him that had called them by the grace of Christ unto another Gospel It may perhaps be said that there was no need that they should be able to discern and judge of the Doctrines of those false Teachers it was sufficient for them to believe the Apostle concerning the Doctrines of those Seducers when he declared to them the falsehood and pernicious consequence of them But the Apostle speaks to them upon another supposition which does necessarily imply that they were able to discern and judge what Doctrines were agreeable to the Gospel and what not for he puts the Case that if he himself or any of the Apostles or an Angel from Heaven should preach to them another Doctrine contrary to that of the Gospel they ought to reject it with detestation but this doth necessarily suppose them able to judge when such Doctrines were preached and consequently that all things necessary to be believed and practised by all Christians are clearly and plainly declared in the Gospel all the Doctrines whereof are now contained in the Holy Scriptures in which all things necessary to Faith and a good Life are so plainly delivered that any sober and inquisitive Person may learn them from thence and the meanest Capacity by the help and direction of their Guides and Teachers may be Instructed in them And this is not only the Principle of Protestants but the express and constant Doctrine of the Ancient Fathers of the Church whatever the Church of Rome for the maintaining of her usurp'd Authority over the Consciences of Men pretends to the contrary And if this were not so that Men are able to discern and judge which are the Doctrines of the Gospel and what is contrary to them the Doctrine of the Gospel was in vain preached and the Holy Scriptures containing that Doctrine were written to no purpose Some things in Scripture are granted to be obscure and difficult on purpose to exercise the Study and Enquiries of those who have leisure and capacity for it but all things necessary are sufficiently plain otherwise it would be impossible to judge when another Gospel is preached which the Apostle here supposeth the Galatians capable of doing For if the Revelation of the Gospel be not sufficiently plain in all things necessary to be believed and practised then Christians have no Rule whereby to judge what Doctrines are agreeable to the Gospel and what not for an obscure Rule is of no use that is in truth is no Rule to those to whom it is obscure I proceed to the IVth Observation which is plainly consequent from those laid down before namely that since the Declaration of the Gospel and the Confirmation given to it there is no Authority in the Christian Church to impose upon Christians any thing as of necessity to Salvation which the Gospel hath not made so The Commission given by our Lord and Saviour to his Apostles was to preach the Gospel to all Nations or as St. Matthew expresses it to go and teach all Nations to observe all things whatsoever he had commanded them and this is that which we call the Gospel viz. that Doctrine which Christ commanded his Apostles to preach and publish to the World and if the Apostles themselves had exceeded their Commission and added any other points of Faith or Practice to those which our Saviour gave them in charge to teach and publish to the World they had in so doing been guilty of that which St. Paul here in the Text chargeth the false Apostles with viz. of preaching another Gospel And if the Apostles had â—o Authority to add any thing to the Gospel much less can any pretend to it since they have neither so immediate a Commission nor such a miraculous power to give testimony to them that they are Teachers come from God Now this Doctrine of the Gospel which the Apostles preached to the World is that which Christians are so often and so earnestly by the Apostles in all their Epistles Exhorted to continue in and not to suffer themselves to be shaken in mind by every wind of new Doctrine because that which the Apostles had delivered to them was the intire Doctrine of the Gospel which was never to receive any addition or alteration This is that which St. Peter calls the Holy Commandment which was delivered unto them 2 Pet. 2. 21. 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 speaking in all probability of those who were seduced by the errors of the Gnosticks from the purity of the Christian Doctrine delivered to them by the Apostles This likewise St. Paul calls the common Faith Titus 1. 4. and St. Jude ver 3. the common Salvation that is the Doctrine which contains the common Terms of our Salvation and the Faith w hich was once delivered to the Saints that is by the Apostles of our Lord who publish'd the Gospel once delivered that is once for all so as never afterwards to admit of any change or alteration This Faith he exhorts Christians earnestly to contend for against those several Sects of Seducers which were crept into the Christian Church and did endeavour by several Arts to pervert the Gospel of Christ and to deprave the Faith delivered by the Apostles So that the Doctrine of the Gospel publish'd by the Apostles is fix'd and unalterable and there can be no Authority in the Church to make any change in it either by taking from it or adding any thing to it as necessary to be believed or practised in order to Salvation V. It follows likewise from the foregoing Observations that there is no visible Judge how much soever â—e may pretend to Infallibility to whose determination and decision in matters of Faith and Practice necessary to Salvation Christians are bound to submit without examination whether those things be agreeable to the Doctrine of the Gospel or not When our Saviour appeared in the World tho' he had Authority enough to exact belief from Men yet because there was a standing Revelation of God made to the Jews he appeals to that Revelation as well as to his own Miracles for the truth of what he said and offered himself and his Doctrine to be tried by the agreeableness of it to the Scriptures of the Old Testament and the Predictions therein concerning him And this was but reasonable it being impossible for any Man to receive two Revelations as from God without liberty to examine whether they be agreeable to and consistent with one another In like manner the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour tho' they were guided
imperfect State we know but in part and see many Things very imperfectly But when we shall come into a more perfect State that which is imperfect shall be done away the Light of Glory shall scatter all those Mists and Clouds which are now upon our Understandings and hinder us from a clear Sight and Judgment of Things we shall then see God and other Things as they are and be freed from all that Ignorance and those many Childish Mistakes which we are liable to here below and till then it is not necessary that we should be secured from them Humility under a sense of our Ignorance is better for us than Infallibility would be Secondly This Temper and Disposition of Mind which I have been speaking of is a certain security against Fatal Mistakes in Religion and a final continuance in such Errors as would prove Damnable and this is all that this Discourse pretends to or our Saviour hath promised in this Text. And considering the Goodness of God nothing is more improbable than that an honest Mind that seeks impartially after Truth should miss of it in Things that are Fundamentally necessary to Salvation And if we could suppose such a Man to fall into such an Error either it would not be Fundamental to him having not been perhaps proposed to him with sufficient Evidence and would be forgiven him upon a general Repentance for all Sins and Errors known or unknown or he would not be permitted to continue in it but the Providence of God would find out some way or other to convince him of his Error and to bring him to the acknowledgment of the Truth that he might be saved God would rather speak to him immediately from Heaven as he did to St. Paul than suffer him to continue in such an Error as would infallibly carry him to Hell Thirdly There is no such depth of Judgment and subtilty of Wit required to discern between gross and Damnable Errors in Religion and Necessary and Saving Truth but that an ordinary Capacity may be able to do it There is so plain a Line drawn between great Truth and gross Errors that it is visible to every Capacity and an ordinary Understanding that is not under a violent Prejudice or blinded by some Vice or Fault of the Will may easily discern it Indeed in Matters of lesser Moment and Concernment and which have no such considerable and immediate Influence upon the practice of an Holy Life the difference betwixt Truth and Error is not always so gross and sensible as to be obvious to every unprejudiced Eye But we have all the Reason in the World to believe that the Goodness and Justice of God is such as to make nothing necessary to be believed by any Man which by the help of due Instruction may not be made sufficiently plain to a common Understanding God hath so tender a Care of good Men who sincerely love him and his Truth that we may reasonably presume that he will not leave them under an unavoidable Mistake concerning those Matters upon which their Eternal Salvation does depend The Judge of all the World will do right and then we may certainly conclude that he will not Condemn any Man for no Fault and make him for ever miserable for falling into an Error which with all his Care and Diligence he could not possibly either discern or avoid Fourthly God hath made abundant Provision for our security from Fatal and Dangerous Errors in Religion by these three ways I. By an an Infallible Rule sufficiently plain in all Things necessary II. By sufficient means of Instruction to help us to understand this Rule III. By an Infallible Promise of Security from Dangerous Errors and Mistakes if with an honest Mind and due Diligence we will apply our selves to understand this Rule and make use of the Means of Instruction which God hath provided for that purpose First God hath given us an Infallible Rule sufficiently plain in all things necessary He hath given us the Holy Scriptures which were given at first by Divine Inspiration i. e. by Men Infallibly assisted in the Writing of them and therefore must needs be an Infallible Rule and all Scripture Divinely Inspired is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness as St. Paul tells us 2 Tim. 3. 16. speaking there of the Books of the Old Testament and there is the same Reason as to the Inspired Writings of the New Now if the Scriptures be an Infallible Rule and profitable for Doctrine and Instruction in Righteousness i. e. to teach us to believe and do it follows of necessity that they are sufficiently plain in all Things necessary to Faith and a good Life otherwise they could not be useful for Doctrine and Instruction in Righteousness for a Rule that is not plain to us in these Things in which it is necessary for us to be Directed by it is of no use to us that is in truth it is no Rule For a Rule must have these two Properties it must be Perfect and it must be Plain The Scriptures are a perfect Rule because the Writers of them being Divinely Inspired were Infallible and they must likewise be Plain otherwise tho' they be never so perfect they can be of no more use to direct our Faith and Practice than a Sun-Dial in a dark Room is to tell us the hour of the Day For tho' it be never so exactly made unless the Sun shine clearly upon it we had as good be without it A Rule that is not plain to us what ever it may be in it self is of no use at all to us 'till it be made plain and we understand it II. God hath likewise provided sufficient means of Instruction to help us to understand this Rule It is not necessary that a Rule should be so plain that we should perfectly understand it at first sight it is sufficient if it be so plain that those of better Capacity and Understanding may with due diligence and application of Mind come to the true Knowledge of it and those of a lower and more ordinary Capacity by the Help and Instruction of a Teacher Euclid's Elements is a Book sufficieâ—tly plain to Teach a Man Geometry but yet not so plain that any Man at first Reading should understand it perfectly but that by diligent Reading by a due Application and steady Attention of Mind a Man of extraordinary Sagacity and Understanding may come to understand the Principles and Demonstrations of it and those of a more ordinary Capacity with the help of a Teacher may come to the Knowledge of it So when we say that the Scriptures are plain in all Things necessary to Faith and a good Life we do not mean that every Man at first Hearing or Reading of these Things in it shall perfectly understand them but by diligent Reading and Consideration if he be of good Apprehension and Capacity he may come to a sufficient Knowledge of them and if he
to light through the Gospel Holy Men had good hopes of it before but they had no sure distinct apprehensions of it no such full assurance concerning it no such clear and express Promises of it as the Gospel hath given us Thus you see what those great Promises are which the Gospel hath given us namely the Promise of the Free Pardon and Forgiveness of our Sins upon our Faith and Repentance the Promise of God's Grace and Holy Spirit to assist our Obedience and the Promise of Eternal Life and Happiness to Reward it These are the three Eminent Promises of the Gospel and in all probability those which the Apostle here calls great and precious Promises which brings me to the Second Thing which I propounded to Consider namely why they are said to be exceeding great and precious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greatest and the most valuable Promises And to satisfie us that they are such the very Consideration of the Bâ—essings and Benefits that they carry in them will be sufficient If we Consider the Condition that Mankind was in when God was pleased to make these gracious Declarations to us we shall see great Reason to set a high value upon every one of these Promises Mankind was extreamly degenerated all Flesh had corrupted its ways and the whole World was guilty before God and liable to all that Misery which the Sinner had reason to apprehend from the incensed Justice of the Almighty We had forfeited that Happiness to which our Immortal Nature was designed and which made our Condition more sad we were without strength to recover our selves out of it by our Repentance for what was past if God would have accepted of it and by our Future Obedience Now the Promises of the Gospel offer Relief to us in all these Respects and thereby obviate all the difficulties and disâ—ouragements which Mankind lay under The gracious Promise of Pardon frees us from guilt and sâ—cures us from the terrible wrath of God which our guilty Consciences did so much dread and without this Promise Mankind would have been under the greatest doubts and discouragements For when Men are afraid their Sins are greater than will be forgiven them they are apt to fall into Despair and Despair is an effectual bar to Repentance for when Men think their Condition is desperate they care not what they do And the Promise of God's Grace and Holy Spirit to assist and enable us to do our Duty does fully answer all the Discouragements and Objections from our own weakness and the power of temptation We may do all things through Christ strengthning us and how weak soever we are of our selves we are strong in the Lord and in the power of his might If God be for us who or what can stand against us The Devil is a very powerful Enemy and much too strong for Flesh and Blood to Encounter in its own strength but there is another Principle in the World which is Mightier and more Powerful than he the Holy Spirit of God who is always ready to help when we do not repulse and refuse his assistance Greâ—ter is he that is in you than he that is in the World says the Apostle 1 Joh. 4. 4. The Spirit of God dwellâ— in all those who are willing to admit him and is ever ready to assist those who comply with his blessed Motions and do vigorously put forth their own endeavours And then the Promise of Eternal Life that answers all the difficulties of our Obedâ—ence and sets us above any thing that the World can threaten us withal for our Constancy to God and his Trâ—th A Wise Man will be content to suffer any thing or to quit any thing upon terms of far greater advantage And what greater Consideration can be offered to encourage our Constancy and Obedience than an Eternity of Happiness So that the Apostle had Reason to call these exceeding great and valuable Promises so valuable that if any one of them had been wanting our Redemption and Recovery had either been absolutely impossible or extreamly difficult I proceed to the Third thing I propounded which was to consider the Tenour of these Promises that is whether God have made them absolutely to us without requiring any thing to be done on our part oâ— upon certain Terms and Conditions to be performed by us That God may if he please make an Absolute Promise of any Blessing or Benefit to us there is no doubt and that God's grace does prevent many and is beforehand with them is as little to be doubted the Spirit of God goes along with the Gospel moving and inclining Men to yield Obedience to it many times before any inclination and disposition thereto on their parts But as to this Promise of God's Grace and Holy Spirit the great question is not about the first motion of it but the continuance of this assistance and the encrease of it and this I think may safely be affirmed is promised only Conditionally as also the Pardon of Sin and Eternal Life And concerning each of these the Matter may quickly be decided by plain Texts of Scripture Concerning the Promise of the grace and assistance of God's Holy Spirit the Scripture takes notice of two Conditions First that we beg it earnestly of God And this our Saviour expresseth by asking seeking and knocking which signifies the importunity of our Requests Our Heavenly Father will give his Holy Spirit to them that thus ask it And then Secondly That we improve and make use of the grace which God affords us To him that hath shall be given and from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he seems to have That is as appears plainly from the scope of the Parable to him that useth that grace and those advantages which God affords him more shall be given but from him that makes no use of them and therefore is as if he had them not shall be taken away that which he but seems to have because he makes no use of it Concerning the Pardon of Sins The Scripture plainly suspends that upon the general Condition of Repentance and the change of our Lives Repent that your Sins may be forgiven you And upon the Condition of our forgiving others If ye forgive Men their Trespasses then will your Heavenly Father also forgive you but if ye forgive not Men their Trespasses neither will your Father forgive your Trespasses says our Saviour Mat. 6. 14 15. And then the Promise of Eternal Life is every where in Scripture suspended upon the Condition of Faith and Repentance and Perseverance in well doing He that believes says our Saviour shall be saved which indeed implies the whole Condition of the Gospel He that Believes that is he that effectually assents to the Doctrine of Christ and is so perswaded of the truth of it as to live according to it shall be saved But if Obedience were not included in the Scripture Notion of Faith yet the Scripture
Chap. ver 14. for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you The Spirit of God is here promised to strengthen and support all that Suffer for the Name of Christ in a very conspicuous and glorious manner according to that Prayer of St. Paul Col. 1. 11. That Christians might be strengthned with all might according to God's Glorious Power unto all Patience and Long-suffering with joyfulness For when God is pleased to exercise good Men with Trials more than Humane and such Sufferings as are beyond the common rate of Humane Strength and Patience to bear he hath engaged himself to endue and assist them with more than Humane Courage and Resolution So St. Paul tells the Corinthians who had not then felt the utmost rage of Persecution 1 Cor. 10. 13. No Temptâ—tion or Trial hath yet befallen you but what is common to Man that is nothing but what is frequently incident to Humane Nature and what by Humane strength with an ordinary assistance of God's Grace may be grapled withal But in case God shall call you to extraordinary Sufferings he is faithful that hath promised who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it that is as he hath ordered and appointed so great a Temptation or Trial to befall you so he will take care that it shall have a happy issue by enabling you to bear it by affording you grace and strength equal to the violence and power of the Temptation For as he is said to fall into temptation that is Conquered by it so he is said to get out of it or escape it who is enabled to bear it and in so doing gets the better of it And for this we may rely upon the faithfulness of God who hath Promised that we shall not be tried above our strength either not above the strength which we have or not above the strength which he will afford us in such a case And why then should we be daunted at the apprehension of any Suffering whatsoever if we be secured that our Comfort shall be encreased in proportion to our Trouble and our strength in proportion to the sharpness and weight of our Sufferings Or else Thirdly In case of Temporary falling the Providence and Goodness of God will give them the Grace and Opportunity of recovering themselves from their fall by Repentance For the Providence of God may sometimes for wise Ends and Reasons see it fit to leave good Men to their own Frailty and to faint and fall shamefully under Sufferings so as to renounce and deny the Truth sometimes to punish their vain Confidence in themselves as in the case of Peter who declared more Resolution and bare it out with a greater Confidence than any of the Disciples when he said to our Saviour tho' all men forsake thee yet will not I and yet after this he fell more shamefully than any of the rest so as to deny his Master with horrid Oaths and Imprecations and this tho' our Saviour had prayed particularly for him that his Faith might not fail From which Instance we may learn that God doth not engage himself absolutely to secure Good Men from falling in case of a great Temptation and Tryal but if they be sincere he will not permit them to fall finally though he may suffer them to miscarry grievously for a time to covince them of the Vanity of their Confidence in themselves and their own Strength Sometimes God my suffer Good Men to fall in order to their more glorious Recovery and the greater Demonstration and Triumph of their Faith and Constancy afterwards which was the Case of that happy Instrument of our Reformation here in England Arch-bishop Cranmer who after he had been so great a Champion of the Reformation was so overcome with Fear upon the Apprehension of his approaching Sufferings as to subscribe those Errors of the Chuch of Rome which he had so stoutly opposed a great part of his Life But he did not long continue in this State but by the Grace of God which had not forsaken him was brought to Repentance and when he came to suffer gave such a Testimony of it and of his Faith and Constancy as was more glorious and more to the Confirmation of the Faith of others than a simple Martyrdom could have been if he had not fallen for when he was brought to the Stake he put his right Hand withwhich he had signed his Recantation into the Fire and with an undaunted Constancy held it there til it was quite burnt for a Testimony of his true Repentance for that foul Miscarriage and when he had done gave the rest of his Body to be burnt which he endured with great Courage and Cheerfulness to the last So that he made all the amends possible for so great a Fault and the Goodness of God and the Power of his Grace was more glorified in his Repentance and Recovery than if he had never fallen But what shall we say when notwithstanding these Promises of extraordinary Comfort and Support in case of extraordinary Sufferings so great Numbers are seen to faint in the day of Trial and to fall off from their Stedfastness Of which there were many sad Instances among the Primitive Christians and have likewise been of late in our own Times and n places nearer to us This I confess is a very melancholy Consideration but yet I think is capable of a sufficient Answer And first of all let this be establish'd for a firm and undoubted Principle that God is faithful to his Promise and therefore we ought much rather to suppose in all these Cases that there is some Default on our part than any Failure and Unfaithfullness on God's Part. Thus St. Paul determines in a like Case when the Promise of God seemed not to be made good to the Jews he lays the Blame of it on their Unbelief but acquits God of any Unfaithfulness in his Promise Rom. 3. 3 4. For what if some did not believe shall their unbelief make the Faith or Fidelity of God without effect God forbid Yea let God be true but every man a lyar This I confess does not answer the Difficulty but yet it ought to incline and dispose us to interpret what can fairly be offer'd for the Removal of it with all the Favour that may be on God's side I say then Secondly That when good Men fall in Case of extraordinary Temptation and recover again by Repentance and give greater demonstration afterwards of their Constancy and Resolution in the Cause of God and his Truth the Faithfulness of God in his Promises is sufficiently vindicated as in the Cases I mentioned Because the Promise of God is not absolute that good Men shall be preserv'd from falling but that the Temptation shall have a hâ—ppy issue and that they shall not finally