was so far from being terrified either by his bonds or death it self that were it not for their sakes to whom his life might be more useful he should rather desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ He further acquaints them with his design to visit them again in order to their support and settlement if God should rescue him from his bonds In the mean time gives this admonition Only let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ that whether I come and see you or else be absent I may hear of your affairs that ye stand fast in one Spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel and in nothing thing terrified by your adversaries That ye stand fact c. In which words you have an account what are the most effectual means for any Church which God hath blessed with the true Faith of Christianity still to abide and continue in it Firmness of mind in every mans private belief of it close union amongst themselves zeal and diligence in joynt endeavours for its defence and propagation and courage against such oppositions as others may possibly make against it 1. Firmness of mind in every mans private belief of it which is suggested in these words Stand fast that is to say as it there follows in the faith of the Gospel 2. Union amongst themselves Stand fast in one spirit with one mind 3. Zeal and diligence in joynt endeavours for its defence and propagation Stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel 4. Courage against such oppositions as other persons make against it And in nothing terrified by your adversaries These are the methods which our Apostle here propounds for a Church to retain the true Faith that is to continue a true Church 1. The first of which is firmness of mind in every mans private belief of truth For feeing that every particular Church is made up of particular persons so far as particular Members fail in the true Faith so far is that Church they are Members of maimed and mutilated in its parts and the whole in tendency to dissolution Now seeing the firmness of belief depends upon clear and evident proof I might here offer a demonstration of the truth and excellency of Christianity But being this is neither so needful nor yet so seasonable to the occasion of our meeting I shall rather chuse to address my self to what the occasion now requires which is to shew the truth and excellence of Christianity as it is professed in our own Church in opposition to that of Rome which I shall do by comparing theirs and ours together in point of Faith and Worship and Manners 1. And first of all for matter of Faith we firmly believe the holy Scriptures and every thing therein contained to be the infallible Word of God We believe the Scriptures do contain all things necessary to Salvation according as St. John assures us Joh. 20.31 These things are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have life through his Name Which we could not have if every thing necessary to Salvation was not written was not contained in this very Gospel of St. John Nay further yet we believe and receive all Creeds that were ever received in the Catholick Church These Creeds are taken into our Liturgy they are repeated in our Churches we signifie our assent to them by standing up when they are repeated and are we still to be judged Hereticks and deficient in the Catholick Faith On the other hand the Roman Church deny the Scriptures to be a compleat Rule of Faith they build their faith upon Tradition a thing uncertain They rely upon Councils which may erre nay upon such as have grosly erred They vary as well from the Primitive Church in many cases as from the holy Scripture it self And last of all they pretend a power of making new Articles of Faith that is such as were not made by our Blessed Lord and his Apostles which being so let reason judge whether they or we be likeliest to erre in point of Faith 2. For matter of Worship in the second place their publick Prayers are made and used in a tongue unknown unto the people ours in a tongue which we all understand And here let St. Paul decide the controversie that is between us I Cor. 14 15 16 c. I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with understanding also I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with understanding also Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving thanks seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest For thou verily givest thanks well but the other is not edified From whence it appears what edification may be expected from their prayers that is to say none at all And therefore the Apostle further adds I thank God I speak with tongues more than you all yet in the Church I had rather speak five words with my understanding that by my voice I might teach others also than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue But to proceed as we make our prayers in a known tongue so in them we invoke the true God and him only We use no other Mediator no other Patron but only Christ whom God hath appointed so to be For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 But they that are of the Church of Rome make their addresses to Saints and Angels as well for patronage and protection as for their prayers to God for them and some of those the Virgin Mary do they invoke in as magnificent and high a stile as they invoke God himself We pay no worship to any Images seeing that God hath expresly said Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above or in the earth beneath or in the water under the earth thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them But they bow down and prostrate themselves before the Images of Christ and others And though they affirm that the honour they give unto the Image passes through it to the person whom it represents yet still they acknowledge they worship the Image that this at least is a transient object of their Worship And then again we give the Sacrament of the Lords Supper unto the people as well as the Priests in both kinds So it was instituted by Christ himself so it was given all along for many Ages but others in perfect contradiction to the Institution of our Lord deny the Cup unto the Laity We believe that after Consecration the Bread and Wine set apart and consecrated for the Sacrament do still retain the natural substance of bread and wine And so the Apostle himself believed when he stiled that bread of
and that in a very signal manner for when they were assembled together on the day of Pentecost suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting and there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire and it sate upon each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance Acts 2.2 3 4. which same Spirit also then endued them with all other kinds of gifts and powers requisite for the infallible preaching and sure confirmation of the Gospel And as these miraculous gifts and powers were now bestowed upon the Apostles so afterwards on great numbers of other Christians First on those that were Jews by birth as you may see Act. 4.3 8.17 and afterwards on the Gentiles also as it appears from what we read Act. 10.44 Then came it to pass that all the Churches wherein the Faith of Christ was planted much abounded with such persons as had the miraculous gifts of the Spirit but no where were there more of these than in the famous Church of Corinth which as it was zealous of these gifts 1 Cor. 14.12 so had it a plentiful measure of them as plainly appears from the 13 Chapter of this Epistle Upon this account the Apostle directs them in this Chapter how they should use these spiritual gifts Namely for the edifying of the Church so you read vers 12. for as much as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts seek that ye way excel to the edifying of the Church and because the Church could not be edified by any thing uttered in an unknown tongue unless interpreted in one that was known he adds as follows vers 13 14. wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret for if I pray in an unknown tongue my spirit prayeth but my understanding is unfruitful that is my spiritual gift is exercised but my understanding is not exercised so as to render what I say intelligible and useful to other persons which being so he puts this question what is it then that is to say what is the most desireable thing what should we desire in point of Prayer to which he answers in these words I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also That is the thing to be desired is that when the Spirit suggests and dictates a prayer to any man as he did to many in those ages by an immediate inspiration he my so far use his own understanding when he prays in a publick congregation as to utter the prayer in a known tongue and in easie and intelligible expressions that others may be edified by it Now from these words compared with other places of Scripture I shall take occasion to observe That there were two ways of praying by the Spirit in the first Age of Christianity 1. The first of these was extraordinary as when the Spirit dictated a prayer by an immediate Inspiration 2. The other ordinary as when a man prayed heartily and fervently but not by immediate Inspiration but in the use of Faith and Hope and all such other Christian Graces as are the fruits of the holy Spirit and the causes of holy and good affection 1. The former of these that is the extraordinary gift of prayer seems to have been of two kinds likewise 1. In the former whereof the understanding of him that prayed seems to have been wholly passive so far as not to have employed it self either in the inventing of the conceptions of the prayer or in the uttering those conceptions in a tongue commonly understood Such was the prayer the Apostle mentions verf. 14. of this Chapter If I pray in an unknown tongue my spirit prayeth that is the spiritual gift that is in me but my understanding is unfruitful that is to say my understanding doth not imploy and exercise it self to express the conceptions of this prayer in a tongue or manner known to all them that hear me 2. In the latter kind of this extraordinary gift of prayer prayer by immediate Inspiration the understanding of him that prayed seems to have been passive and active likewise passive so far as to have received all the conceptions of the prayer from the immediate Inspiration of the Holy Ghost active so far as to have imployed and exercised it self to express and utter those conceptions in a tongue unknown to them that heard and in a familiar easie manner And such was the prayer the Apostle mentions in these words I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also I will utter the very same conceptions which the holy Spirit suggests to me but I will use my understanding to utter them in a known tongue and in easie and familiar expressions Concerning both these several ways I have something to observe unto you 1. Concerning the first wherein the understanding was wholly passive wherein a man used both the gift of tongues and received the conceptions of the prayer from an immediate Inspiration I observe the Apostle did not allow the use of this in Christian Assemblies unless that either the person that prayed or else some persons present had the gift of interpreting what was said The ground of which his determination was that nothing was to be spoken in the Church but what might edifie all that were present even the most illiterate persons and that such as these could not be edified by that which was uttered in an unknown tongue though dictated by the holy Spirit unless it was afterwards interpreted I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also i. e. so that others may understand And so should every man pray in the Church else says the Apostle when thou shalt bless with the spirit how should he that occupieth the room of the unlearned how should a vulgar illiterate person say Amen at thy giving of thanks seeing he understands not what thou sayest For thou verily givest thanks well but the other is not edified ver 16 17. So then the Apostles judgment is this That no office is to be performed in the Church but so that all may be edified by it that no man is edified by that which he doth not understand and therefore that an unknown tongue was not to be used in the offices of the Church unless there were some that could interpret So he suggests at the 18 19 verses I thank God I speak with tongues more than you all yet in the Church I had rather speak five words with my understanding that by my voice I might teach others also than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue So he more expresly concludes vers 27 28. If any man speak in an unknown tongue let it be by two or at the most by three and that by course and let one interpret But if there be no interpreter let him
keep silence in the Church Now here I cannot but observe the most insufferable contradiction of the practice of the Roman Church to the Apostles determination The Apostles you see would not allow that the prayers of the Church should be uttered in an unknown tongue but there they pray in a tongue unknown unto the people The Apostle would not allow this no not in them who spake by immediate Inspiration they practise contrary to the Apostles express Decree and that where no such Inspiration can be pretended with the least appearance and shew of reason The Apostle supposes no man edified by the prayers which he doth not understand they either judge that a man may be edified by such prayers or that they may be duly used although the Church be not edified by them both which expresly contradict the Apostle If the Church of Rome be in the right then the Apostle is mistaken if the Apostle be not mistaken the Church of Rome doth grosly erre in judging such prayers edifie which St. Paul affirms cannot edifie or in judging them fit to be used in the Church although they do not edifie at all And is it not now a wonderful thing that they who so grosly so expresly contradict the Doctrine of Sr. Paul should boast themselves to be infallible Is it not yet a greater wonder that any who have had the education where the Scriptures are read in a known tongue should suffer themselves to be overborn into a belief that they are infallible who erre in so plain and clear an instance and in a thing of such concernment Certainly if men were not infatuated by most unreasonable lusts and passions they would never apostatize never adhere to such a Church as sound nay infallible in all her Doctrines who uses its publick Prayers and Offices in a tongue unknown unto the people a thing so contrary to common sense and to the practice of primitive times and to what the Apostle himself teaches in as full and clear and express words as any thing possibly can be spoken 2. But to proceed to the second kind of the extraordinary gift of prayer which was when a man received all the conceptions in prayer from an immediate Inspiration but so far used his understanding as to contrive the expression of them into a tongue known to them that heard him and into plain and easie expressions in that tongue Concerning this I must observe that it was a gift of the Holy Ghost peculiar to the Apostles times or at least to those that immediately followed as the rest of those miraculous powers and gifts were which God did then bestow on the Church to confirm the truth of Christianity I do not deny but that God doth still in some cases suggest to the minds of good men that is convenient for their condition and what it is they should pray for I do not deny but that when they fall into such straits as that they know not what it is best to pray for God doth direct and guide their minds by the assistance of his Spirit For as there is need of such assistance in such cases so God denies not what is needful to such persons And this is the meaning of the Apostle Rom. 8.26 Likewise also the Spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray for as we ought He speaks in this place of times of great distress and danger when the Christians were often in such perplexities and doubts of mind that they knew not what to pray for at least with faith and resignation entire resignation to Gods will Now here it was that the Spirit of God directed them to pray for such things and in such a manner as might tend effectually to Gods glory though to their sufferings in the world And thus far I doubt not may we expect the like assistance of Gods Spirit in the like cases if we heartily pray for it But now for any man in these days to expect an immediate Inspiration of all the conceptions of a prayer such as the Apostles arid Prophets had in the primitive times of Christianity for any man to pretend to pray by the same immediate Revelation Whereby they prayed in the Christian Churches is a very groundless and great presumption And therefore when you hear men pray with a great torrent and flow of words you are not presently to imagine as divers ignorant persons do that such a man prays by an immediate Inspiration that what he speaks is just then dictated and suggested by the Holy Ghost as things were suggested to the Apostles unless he could also speak with tongues and heal the sick and cure the lame and in a word do such Miracles as they did and give the same proof of his Inspiration which they did evidently give of theirs which is a thing that is not done by any that now pretend unto it and therefore shews the pretence is vain and the Pretender to be deceived if not a cheat and Impostor likewise Is there then no way in these days whereby a man may truly be said to pray by the Spirit in the sense and language of the Scriptures and that in ordinary and common cases Yes that there is For 2. Such is that other way of praying which I have before mentioned to you which is when a man prays in the use of Faith and Hope and all the Graces of Gods Spirit and with such pious and good affections as are the effects of those Graces though not by immediate Inspiration that is to say the immediate dictate of the Spirit Such is the prayer our Saviour supposes in those words Joh. 4.24 God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth not carelesly and without attention not without the affections of the heart and inward sense of the mind and spirit as the Jews had worshipped him in former Ages but fervently heartily and sincerely Such is the prayer the Apostle mentions Eph. 6.18 where he requires them to pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit that is with spiritual and holy minds with fervent and devout affections Like whereunto was that singing also which he represents in these words Speaking to your selves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing and making melody in your hearts Eph. 5.19 Where you plainly see that the holy offices wherein the heart was moved and affected are said to be spiritual on that account See also Col. 3.16 Now concerning this way of praying by the Spirit wherein men pray in the use of Faith and with real and hearty and devout affections though not by immediate Inspiration I shall observe several things 1. That this way or manner of praying is grateful and acceptable to God This is in truth such a worship of God as our Saviour himself did understand when he said that they that worship God must worship him in spirit and truth This is the worship that God requires and therefore
this he accepts also This is really prayer in Faith in belief of the promises God hath made and certainly God accepts such prayer This is a prayer put up to God with devour and humble and holy affections for so I state the nature of it and such was that the Apostle required Eph. 6.18 and therefore supposed to be grateful to God and so will every one believe who knows that the heart is in such prayer and that it is the heart which God requires And to say no more such prayer as this although it doth not proceed from an immediate Inspiration a present dictate of the holy Spirit yet is it the mediate effect of the Spirit as being the effect of that Faith that Hope that Love and Charity and Humility which is the fruit of the Spirit of God It is the fruit of these Graces and. whatsoever else is of the same nature and these are the fruits of the Spirit of God Gol. 5.22 23. 2. The second thing which I must observe concerning this way of praying by the Spirit is that it is applicable to a form of prayer The words of Scripture are a form of words and will any men say that he cannot read or hear those words read unto him and heartily believe what he hears or reads and be as heartily affected with it If he cannot do this let him confess that he doth not believe the Word of God when he hears it read and that he is nothing affected with is but if he will not confess this let him confess that faith and zeal faith and pious and holy affections may be applied to a form of words and consequently to a form of prayer 2. Most of those persons who disallow a form of Prayer and thanksgiving to God allow and practise a certain form in singing Psalms and what are such Psalms but certain forms of Praying and rendering thanks to God and if men can heartily pray to God in verse or meeter why not in prose as well as in verse 3. All the Protestant Churches of other Nations all the Christians Churches in the World have set forms for their publick Offices and so hath the whole Church had for fourteen hundred Years at least and therefore certainly it was and is the sense of the universal Church not only that it was very lawful but most expedient and useful also that the publick Offices of the Church should be performed in a set form and that men might pray in a set form and pray by the spirit at the same time that is to say in Faith and Hope and with holy and devout affections 4. Add hereunto that there are divers forms of Prayer expresly prescribed in the holy Scripture a form of benediction whereby the Priest was to bless the People Numb 6.23 24 25 26. a form for the offering of the First-fruits Deut. 26.5 6. c. That David composed many of the psalms as the titles of them expresly shew to be used as publick forms of Prayer in the solemn worship of God in the Temple That our Saviour himself gave that which is called the Lords Prayer as a form of Prayer to his Disciples according to the custome of the Jewish Doctors and John the Baptist who did the like for their Disciples Now had it not been a possible thing for men to use a form of Prayer with faith and zeal and holy affections as every man always ought to pray we should have had no forms of Prayer expresly prescribed in the holy Scripture 5. And to conclude the present point were not faith and zeal and devout affections applicable to a form of Prayer no man could heartily joyn in a Prayer which he hears uttered by another person for all such prayers whatsoever they be to him that speaks are certain forms to them that hear them to them they as are limited forms when they are spoken as if they had been printed and read for the words are still the very same and all the sense contained in them And so I conclude the second observation that is that a man may pray by the spirit that is in Faith and holy Zeal and pray by a Form at the same time 3 I must further observe unto you that as the way of Praying by the Spirit is applicable to a form of Prayer so that it ought in very truth to be applied to every Prayer we make to God whether it be with or without a form God hears no Prayers accepts no service offered to him where there is no attention of mind no Zeal and Affection in the heart It is a great neglect of God a dangerous irreverence to our Maker not to attend to what we speak or what is spoken in our name when we make our addresses to him by Prayer doth any man speak unto a Prince not minding what he speaks unto him doth any man make an address to a King without giving heed to his own address and if we judge it a great irreverence to speak to a Prince without attending to what we speak what shall we judge of that affront men do to God when they atend not to those Prayers which they themselves offer to God or are offered by others in their names in their presence and behalf And then for Faith and Zeal and Fervour these are the very life of Prayer Prayer is but sound and noise without them Men may pray and pray acceptably where they do not utter express words Rom. 8.26 but the most excellent words in the World are not true and real Prayer where there is nothing of desire nothing of affection added to them Confess your faults one to another faith S. James cap. 5.16 and pray one for another that ye may be healed The effectual fervent Prayer of a righteous man avai leth much 'T is the fervent Prayer that is effectual the effectual Prayer that is useful to us and who can wonder that God should not hear those Petitions which are void of affection and desire if we our selves neglect our Prayers those very Prayers we seem to make how much more will God neglect them why should he grant what we our selves do not desire especially since it is an affront a mocking of God to ask of him what in truth we do not really desire what we have no mind to receive from him which is indeed the very case when our Prayers have nothing of attention nothing of zeal and affection in them What then shall we say to all that coldness all that remisness which appears in our publick and solemn worship of God By this we lose those spiritual joys those sensible warmths and feeling comforts which always attend fervent Prayer and tend to the strengthning of Faith and Hope and all other Virtues and Christian Graces By this we fail of Gods acceptance and of gaining the things we ask of him By this we give scandal to other persons who take occasion from our remissness and want of zeal in our
some years since with great propriety and accuracy of style in his Book De Sacrificiis wherein he hath also given a proof of his profound skill in the highest points of the Divine Wisdom But what his abilities were in other parts both of Divine and Humane Knowledge he had not leisure enough from his Ministerial labours to let the world know Nor have I ability to make it sensible how great they were or to represent the Gravity Sobriety Simplicity Truth and plainness of his Conversation his Devotion to God and his Charity to the Neighbourhood especially the sick and afflicted His indefatigable Industry in his private Studies as well as in the publick offices of his Profession and his readiness to impart and communicate the effects of his mighty pains and industry to his Friends His Civility and Beneficence to Learned Foreigners His Respect and Reverence to his Superiors together with his Humility and Candor to his Equals and Inferiors Which excellent Vertues as they rendred him very valuable and useful to the world whilst he was alive so they will imbalm his memory now he is dead All that needs further to he added is to beg thy pardon Reader for the Errata of the Press which are too many and to desire that if a Sermon of the Authors upon the Sin against the Holy Ghost or any other be in thine or any other hand that thou knowest thou would please to restore or send notice of it to the Printer that it may be inserted in another Collection TEXTS OF THE SERMONS SERMON I. Isaiah xxxiij 6. And Wisdom and Knowledge shall be the stability of thy Times Fol. 1 SERMON II. Psalm lxviij 28. Strengthen O God that which thou hast wrought for us fol. 33 SERMON III. Philip. i. 27 28. That ye stand fast in one Spirit with one mind striving together for the Faith of the Gospel and in nothing terrified by your Adversaries fol. 60 SERMON IV. St Matth. vi 23. If therefore the Light that is in thee be Darkness How great is that Darkness fol. 89 SERMON V. St Matth. xvi 18. And the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it fol. 110 SERMON VI. 1 Cor. xiv 15. What is it then I will pray with the Spirit and I will pray with the understanding also fol. 129 SERMON VII 1 John iij. 3. And every Man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as He is pure fol. 149 SERMON VIII Galat. v. 13. Ye have been called unto Liberty only use not your Liberty for an occasion to the flesh fol. 171 SERMONS IX X. St Luke xij 1. Beware ye of the Leaven of the Pharisees which is Hypocrisie fol. 194.216 SERMON XI St John xiv 1. Ye believe in God Believe also in me fol. 237 SERMON XII Philip. i. 10. That ye may approve things that are excellent fol. 261 SERMON XIII St John vij 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 fol. 290 SERMON XIV Malachi i. 6. If then I be a Father where is mine honour And if I be a Master where is my fear fol. 309 SERMON XV. St Matth. v. 17. Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfil fol. 334 SERMON XVI Psal cxix 59 60. I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandments fol. 355. SERMONS XVII XVIII 1 John iij. 7. Little Children let no Man deceive you he that doth Righteousness is Righteous even as he is Righteous fol. 390.411 SERMON XIX St Luke xvi 8. For the Children of this World are in their Generation wiser than the Children of Light fol. 432. SERMON XX. St Matth. vi 21. For where your Treasure is there will your heart be also fol. 453 The First Sermon ISAIAH 33.6 And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times The whole verse is thus And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times and strength of salvation The fear of the Lord is his Treasure ALthough the effects of the great calamities which we have suffered in this Nation namely those of a raging Pestilence a devouring Fire several grievous and bloody Wars be in some measure now removed yet were the minds and thoughts of men never more disturbed or more uneasie than now they are The reason hereof seems especially to be this namely that most desperate Plot which was designed to murder our Prince and to overthrow our Laws our Liberties our Religion our Spiritual as well as our Temporal welfare This and the fears that it hath awakened sit so close upon mens hearts and give such sensible apprehensions of future troubles and calamities that we enjoy not what we have we find no ease or satisfaction in any thing which we as yet possess We have indeed a Peace at present but it is unsetled and uncertain we have a Religion and that reformed according to the word of God but it is dangerously undermined We have good Laws to preserve our Liberties and just Rights but know not how long we may retain them we have a good and fruitful Land but are not without all apprehensions of dispossession or at least of great disturbance in it Which things being so it should seem our present fears and troubles arise not so much from the sense of any present want as from the uncertainty of what we have not from the evils we feel at present but those we fear may fall upon us that is to say from the instability of the times This was the thing which cast my thoughts upon the words I have now read and made them seem to be suitable to the present occasion Now these seem to have been delivered after Sennacherib had spoiled Hezekiah of his treasures to make conditions of Peace with him but before his Army made its approaches toward Jerusalem which it seems it did in a little time after the making of that Peace as may appear 2 Kings 18.13 14 15 16 17. Which false dealing of Sennacherib is noted and censured by the Prophet in the beginning of this Chapter Isaiah 33.1 Woe to thee that spoilest and thou wast not spoiled and dealest treacherously and they dealt not treacherously with thee The case in short seems to be thus Sennacherib had invaded Judah assaulted and taken the fenced cities as it is recorded 2 Kings 18.13 He so distressed both Hezekiah and his people that he freely offered to submit to what conditions Sennacherib would please to impose upon him Return from me says Hezekiah and that which thou puttest on me I will bear v. 14. These conditions were so hard being no less than three hundred talents of Silver and thirty talents of Gold that he was constrained to make them good by giving Sennacherib as well the treasures of the Temple all the Silver found in the House of the
higher powers the Princes and Potentates of the World exercised all external violence to destroy and kill the professors of it No reproaches were thought too foul to blacken no tortures too cruel to destroy the professours of the Gospel of Christ for the three first ages of Christianity insomuch that they had but little time to breathe in the intervals of persecution while they continued under heathen Emperours 2. No sooner did the supreme power owne the profession of Christianity no sooner did peace dawn upon the Church by the favour of Constantine the Great but that the professors of Christianity broke and divided amongst themselves Then was the Church as much troubled by the Errours and Heresies by the Schisms and Factions of them that professed the name of Christ as it had been in former ages by the open violence of persecution 'T is true indeed there had been Errours there had been factions amongst the Christians before that time but now they grew to greater height especially concerning the person of Christ for the repressing of which errours the four first general Councils were called 3. Next after the mutual strifes that arose among the Professors of the Gospel they fell into the sleep of ignorance dark and stupid and profound ignorance which began in the sixth and seventh Ages and continued for divers Ages together And then it was that all the follies and superstitions entred into the Christian Church which are still retained in the Church of Rome Then were Images set up in Churches and great Veneration given to them then came in the Invocation of Saints then the Adoration of Angels also then the opinion of Transubstantiation then infinite forgeries of Epistles forgeries of large and great Volumes fictions of the Lives of Saints fictions of the Miracles done by them to advance the Glory of the Church of Rome which were no sooner disclaimed and baffled by the Reformation that still continues but they of that Chuch presently fell to practise the very same cruelties the same bloody Arts upon the Reformed that the Heathen Emperours had formerly practised upon the whole Church of God Such were the methods that have been used to prevail against the Church of Christ violence from without divisions within the troubles of danger the temptations of ease all the cruelties and arts of Satan to bring confusion and ruine upon it and yet behold it still continues and will continue in the world either in one place or another by virtue of the promise of Christ that the gates of hell shall not prevail against his Church 2. Seeing that Christ our Lord hath made it the matter of a promise that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church that is to say that there shall always be a Society professing the Faith of Christianity and living together in communion in the use of all Christs Institutions this may serve for an admonition to all Christians to study Unity amongst themselves to make no breach in the Church of Christ where it is possible to keep together with piety and good conscience He that promised there should be a Church to the end of the world promised the unity and Christian communion of its members amongst themselves without this there is no Church And he that doth any thing directly tending to break this unity and communion doth what is in him to frustrate the very promise of Christ and to destroy that Church which he hath founded upon a rock In the mean time I must profess that I am much more than well satisfied in our separation from the Church of Rome or rather in their separation from us and from the Catholick Church it self by their infinite variations from it But on the other hand I cannot but tremble to think of the many grievous divisions amongst them that are divided from the Church of Rome These if not timely cured and removed will certainly bring confusion amongst us and then will that old Enemy enter in the smoke and darkness of that confusion I wonder to see how little regard how little value many men have for the preservation of peace amongst us I wonder to see what little exceptions what groundless cavils are made pretences to separate from us Certain it is that these men are infinitely wanting either in knowledge or sincerity If they do not understand that the peace of the Church is a thing of most important value for the preservation of Faith and love and the very essence of Christianity if they do not understand how weak and trifling all their Arguments against us are and that it is next to an impossibility to find a Church against which nothing shall be objected if they do not understand all these things they are guilty of very great ignorance but if they do understand these things and yet persist in separation they are guilty of equal insincerity The duty of every good Christian in these distractions and divisions that so much trouble the Christian World is to put up constant prayers to God and also to use his best endeavours for the peace of the whole Church of Christ They are short sighted in Christianity and very mean and narrow spirited that mind or study peace no further than concerns a particular Congregation nay the Church of any particular Nation Christ hath a care of his whole body and requires an unity and communion not only of the particular Members of any Church but of all particular Churches also These make up the Catholick Church and the Catholick Church is Christs body There is one body and one spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling one Lord one faith one baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Eph. 4.4 5 6. There is saith he one body one universal Church the unity and the peace whereof he recommends unto our study Now therefore study the peace and unity of this Church as much as possibly lies in you adorn it by your Faith and Piety labour its purity and its peace For to this end did Christ our Lord give himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it might be holy and without blemish Eph. 5.25 26 27. The Sixth Sermon 1 Cor. 14.15 What is it then I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also OUR Blessed Lord having a while before his death promised his Apostles another comforter who should for ever abide with them John 14.16 that is to say the spirit of truth to lead them into all truth renews this promise again unto them a little before his ascension into Heaven Act. 14. and commands not to depart from Jerusalem but there to wait for the promise of the Father And long it was not before this promise was fulfilled
and manners then was our Church depraved and corrupted as theirs now is but now is our Church by Gods grace reformed and restored to primitive purity which theirs is not Whether theirs or ours be the better Church in point of faith may be easily known by this instance we make the Scripture the rule of faith and this is a most unerring rule they add tradition unto Scripture and this is greatly exposed to errour we have added nothing as absolutely necessary to salvation to the faith contained in the antient Creeds of the Catholick Church they have added much to those Creeds they have added some such things to them as do by consequence overthrow some parts of the very Creeds themselves Whether theirs or ours be the safer Church for a man to hope for Salvation in may easily appear from these particulars We teach such worship such practice as are most clearly and fully lawful lawful beyond all peradventure for sure it is undoubtedly Jawful for a man to worship the true God to use no Image in his worship to use him as Mediator whom he hath appointed so to be It is lawful beyond all peradventure to have our prayers in a known tongue to give the communion unto the Laity in both kinds to reform as well as confess our sins to use no art or commutations for the expiation of our sins but to forsake the sins themselves These things are lawful without all doubt but that the contrary to these are lawful is the doubtfulest thing in all the world or rather to speak more properly it is most certain they are not lawful And therefore I leave it to you to judge whether communion with our Church or the Church of Rome be the safer way unto salvation and if you judge as I know you must stand fast in the faith you have received and the Church wherein you were baptized And so much may serve for the first method for a true Church to preserve it self in the true faith firmness of mind in every mans private belief of it 2. Proceed we now unto the second and that is Union amongst themselves as it is suggested in these words stand fast in one spirit with one mind If a kingdom be divided against it self that kingdom cannot stand If a house be divided against it self that house cannot stand Mark 3.23 24. Neither can a Church which is so divided If the members of the natural body be rent and torn each from other this is the destruction of the whole and death to every single part Disunion doth of its own nature naturally tend to dissolution there needs no Enemy from abroad to destroy and ruine such a Church as is divided against it self the mutual discords that are within the divisions amongst its own members their mutual envyings and animosities that naturally arise out of these divisions effectually tend to separation and separation to dissolution Besides the intestine strifes and divisions which are seen and observed in any Church invite its Enemys to attempt its utter ruine and destruction they open a breach for them to enter they give free and an easie entrance to swarms or seducers to invade it they give a plausible and fair pretence for a very plausible and specious objections you have no union amongst your selves from whence it appears you have not the truth Truth is one and so is the Faith that 's built upon it You are not one amongst your selves and therefore you have not the true faith Now therefore leave and quit that Church which hath no unity in its members and come to that which is united To these assaults and these are dangerous to weaker minds doth every Church expose it self which is not at unity in it self Now therefore let us be most cautious to be at union amongst our selves and in order to so good an end let us take care to make our breaches no wider than indeed they are We do agree exactly agree amongst our selves in point of faith in the belief of all those Doctrines that are absolutely necessary to salvation thus far we agree with the Protestant Churches that are abroad and further yet with the generality of the Diffenters that are at home And as for this Church it self there is as great and greater consent in all the parts and members of it than in the Church of Rome it self They have divisions amongst themselves and greater than any amongst us They charge either other in some points with nothing less than heresie it self We have no such charges amongst us They have their Dominicans and Franciscans they have their Molinists and their Jansenists one Order bandying against another with bitter discords and animosities They are not agreed in the very rule of faith it self some make the Decrees of the Pope only some the Decrees of a General Council others the Decrees of the Pope and Council both together to be the only rule of Faith from whence it most inevitably follows that that must be Faith unto one party which is not so unto another Seeing some things have been decreed by Popes that have not been decreed by Councils some things by Councils and not by Popes From whence it appears that after all the boasts we hear of union in the Church of Rome there is in truth less of union in that Church than in this that we are members of And for the increase and preservation of this so blessed and needful thing let us take care not to advance any private opinions in opposition to publick wisdom Let us not insist upon any Doctrines as absolutely necessary to salvation which the Church hath not proposed as such Let no particular sort of men presume to stile themselves the Church or the only genuine Sons of it in opposition unto others who belive the Doctrines of the Church who have promised due Conformity to it and evidently practise what they promise These in truth are the sure and genuine Sons of the Church who go so far as the Church requires and content themselves to go no further And if any deny them so to be they have private fancys of their own and by obtruding these on others and censuring those that receive them not they weaken the Church disturb its union disquiet its peace and take a course to bring a dangerous Schism into it Now therefore let it be our care to maintain Charity to cherish Peace to study Union amongst our selves And this is the second of these methods which powerfully tend to our preservation and of the Faith which we do profess 3. The third is singular zeal and diligence in joynt endeavours for its defence and propagation For so the Apostle farther adds Stand fast in one Spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel There must be zeal there must be endeavour there must be joynt endeavour used for the promotion of this end 1. Our enemies have a zeal against it and if we our selves have none for it how
can we hope that we shall preserve it unless there be zeal opposed to zeal unless we be concerned for truth as they concern themselves against it can we reasonably judge we can secure it No if they find that we our selves are cold and indifferent in our Religion that we shew no hearty affection for it that we value our ease love our pleasure esteem the smallest concerns and interest more than we prize and value that may they not then justly conclude that we shall easily part with it And will not this excite their diligence and encourage attempts to take it from us May I speak what I verily think is true It is our indifference in our Religion the gross neglects that very many and the foul contempts that some others have clearly shewed unto this profession that hath given encouragement to our enemies to design and attempt its extirpation If they can say and I wish they may not they have no concernment for their Religion they have no regard for the Ministers of it they neglect they despise it in life and practice many of them very seldom appear in their publick Assemblies and Congregations very few frequent that holy Sacrament which is the great and solemn profession of joyning in Communion with it They give no evidence of any zeal or affection to it and therefore no doubt they will part with it upon very cheap and easie terms bring their Estates or ease and safety bring the advantages of this world into a competition with it and there is no doubt but they will abandon and quit the one that they may quietly enjoy the other They will rather chuse to enjoy their Estates ease and safety without their Religion than their Religion without these If we could penetrate into the hearts of those that design the extirpation of our Religion I fear we should find these thoughts in them and that these have encouraged that design which cannot otherwise be resisted than by letting them know they are deceived that we have as great and warm a zeal for the preserving our Religion as they for its ruine and destruction 2. To this zeal we must add endeavour it is not the goodness of a cause that is sufficient to defend it If it be true and just and reasonable it must be evidenced so to be and endeavour used for its defence If it be true it is so much fitter to be pleaded If it be just it is just to appear and labour for it it doth still so much the more deserve the use of reason in every private Prosessor of it the use of Authority in every Magistrate for its advancement and preservation The wisest Laws will not secure the best Religion if they themselves be not secured They can neither plead nor execute themselves They rather excite contempt and scorn and irritate enemies to opposition where they are left to shift for themselves without any countenance from the Magistrate Now therefore it would still retain the Reformed Religion reformed I say by the blessing of God upon the pains of our Forefathers and at the expence of the very blood of many of them if we desire to deliver it down to our posterity as they transmitted it unto us we must upon every fair occasion profess our hearty belief of it profess our zeal for its defence maintain its truth against opposers give no occasion to them to think that fraud or force hopes or fears rewards or punishments in this world shall ever chase or remove us from it And may not the diligence of our enemies for the subversion of our Faith awake our minds excite our diligence to maintain it If they insinuate and intrude into all societies all places all degrees and ranks of men and use the utmost of their skill to seduce them and impose upon them to move them both by hopes and fears to embrace their errours and delusions shall we be idle or remiss in the mean time in the securing of real truth Have they so much of zeal and fervor for meer vanities and superstitions And have we none for real piety Are they so active as that they compass Sea and Land to make men Proselytes unto them And have we no care to secure our selves at least at home Do they neglect no opportunity do they omit no endeavours no not the foulest and most unlawful to promote and propagate their Religion And are we asleep are we in a maze are we in a dream while we should defend and secure ours Awake we then from that security and from that coldness and indifference from that remisness and neglect which gives encouragement to our enemies to attempt the destruction of our Religion and may if not in time reformed exceeding justly provoke God to deliver us up into their hands 3. Let us all awake while it is day and unite our selves in joynt endeavours the third particular I proposed to defend and propagate our Religion Let us joyn together in the clear and open profession of it Let us coustantly attend the Worship of God in the publick Assemblies where the Religion is professed Let us frequently joyn in the Celebration of that holy Sacrament which is not only a Communion with Christ our Head but the aptest and clearest signification of our Communion each with other Let us mutually counsel and advise let us encourage one another to retain and hold fast that Faith which was once delivered to the Saints striving for the faith of the Gospel and in nothing terrified by our adversaries 4. Which is the fourth of these methods which our Apostle here propounds for the defence of the true faith and so is that which we profess Our Faith is that which our blessed Lord came down from Heaven to reveal to men he confirm'd it by many mighty Miracles he died on the Cross he rose again he ascended to Heaven he gave the Spirit to his Apostles and holy Fellows to preach and propagate it in the world These and several after them for divers Ages laid down their lives for its defence and made it victorious in the world notwithstanding all the oppositions that the powers of the world and the lusts of men made against it and why should we fear the wit or malice the craft or strength that any enemie can use against it if we will be faithful our selves to it We can at most but die for it And have we not reason to encourage us so to do if ever the times which God forbid should call for that What saith our Lord in this case Luk. 12.4 5. Be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that have no more that they can do but I will forewarn you whom you shall fear fear him who after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell yea I say unto you fear him Fear God and nothing but God only Fear him and you shall not need to fear any other thing but him only He can discover the
this end that it be a hope of the very happiness God hath promised unless it expect that happiness upon those terms and no other whereupon 't is promised in tha Gospel and those are faith working by love those are as God himself declares to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in the world Whence that of the Author to the Hebrews Chap. 12. vers 14. Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. he that hopes for happiness without these terms cannot by virtue of that hope be any way moved to practise these so far is such a hope as that from moving men unto their duties that it gives them the very greatest encouragement to live in the perfect neglect of them What need they to deny themselves and their vicious appetite and desires What need they to offer any violence to their sinful lusts and inclinations Why should they part with a right hand why should they pluck out a right eye forego the pleasure lose the profit of any lust if they can hope for eternal Glory in the fruition of their lusts and reconcile the hopes of Heaven with all the desires of flesh and blood and soft indulgence to those desires From whence I conclude that that hope which purges the hearts and lives of men must be a hope of that happiness that God hath promised upon those terms and those only whereupon 't is promised in the Gospel 3. And yet further we must observe that it is only a firm assurance of arriving at that eternal happinefs upon the performance of those terms that shall enable us to perform them Conjecture is too weak a thing to overcome those strong temptations that dare men into sin and folly No man will deny himself what he feels to gratifie his sensual appetites at the present upon meer guess of what may possibly be hereafter Strong desires are not subdued by weak hopes Men will not deny their present ease their present pleasures their present joys though never so contrary to the Gospel upon meer probabilities and peradventures they will be sure of something future before they part with what they have they will be sure of something better before they forsake what they feel or apprehend to be good and useful at the present And it was want of this assurance in the Philosophy of former days that made its Precepts and Institutions so ineffectual in the World and so Lactantius then observed Omnia ibi conjecturis aguntur ideo nemo paret quia nemo vult in incertum laborare Philosophy affords but meer conjecture in the point of suture life and happiness and therefore no man observes its precepts because no man will labour at all adventures From whence I conclude that that hope which shall effectually perswade with men to obey the Precepts of our Lord to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit must be a firm and strong assurance of gaining the happiness God hath promised upon the terms that he requires sincere obedience to his Precepts 4. But now because it is impossible for flesh and blood in this degenerate state of man and in the midst of these temptations which daily assault him in this state sincerely to obey those Precepts without the assistance of Gods Spirit there is yet a further qualification that is required in that hope which shall enable us so to do which is that it wholly grounds it self upon the promise of Gods grace and moves a man to apply to God for the assistance and help thereof in the purifying of his heart and life Nature will never raise it self to a supernatural state of life or to a supernatural end Man is of the earth earthy and in no capacity so to elevate his own thoughts so to advance his own desires as to prepare and fit himself for that happiness which lies in likeness to God himself in perfect purity and incorruption without the assistance of Gods grace And therefore that hope must of necessity be successless must fail to cleanse and purge our hearts to purifie us as God is pure which shall not be so far instructed as to teach us to apply to God for the assistance of his Spirit in a work above the power of Nature But now to recollect the summ of what I have said upon this point that hope which fixes on that happiness which God hath promised in the Gospel consisting in purity and immortality which is a hope of this happiness upon those terms and those only whereupon it is there promised to us which is a firm and full assurance of that happiness upon the performance of those terms which grounds it self upon the assistance of Gods Spirit in that performance and therefore moves to apply to God by fervent prayer for the attaining of that assistance which is never denied when so desired that is the hope the Apostle intends in these words that is the hope that purifies us as God is pure Which leads me to the second general 2. Where I am to shew the several ways whereby it hath these effects upon us and these I refer to two particulars 1. This hope moves and excites to strong endeavours in order unto this end namely the purifying of our selves 2. It is of such a nature as cannot but render those endeavours truly effectual unto that end 1. It moves to strong endeavours in order unto this great design which is the purifying of our selves from all our inordinate lusts and passions and the reason is because it hath firmly fixed the soul upon future glory and immortality as its only happiness and perfection the only thing that is fit or worthy to be made the end and design of life and also fixt and setled this as a most sure and certain truth that the purifying of a mans heart and life according to the Laws of Christ is the only and certain way of attaining to that bliss and happiness God hath made us all of such a nature that we cannot forbear to love our selves nor can that creature forbear to desire his own happiness that cannot forbear to love himself nor can the desires of that enjoyment wherein a man hath placed his happiness cease to urge and press endeavours in order to the attainment of it Suppose we then that a man believe that true happiness lies in the purity and immortality that God hath promised in his Kingdom suppose he believe that a holy life is the only means to attain this happiness suppose these things fixed and setled upon his heart by the operation of Gods Spirit can we imagine but that the hope of such an end should most effectually excite and move him to purifie himself as God is pure Will he not be content to resist his sinful lusts and appetites subdue his inordinate inclinations in consideration of such a happiness Will he not be content to deny himself all the unlawful joys
this comparison when he clearly discerns and firmly judges of all these things as this comparison represents them when he applies this judgment to every instance of life and action is it not an effectual principle to restrain him from every wilful sin to urge and press him to every duty will he chuse what is no way recommended and refuse what is represented to him under all the motives to choice and practice No man chuses or doth amiss but he that is ignorant or forgetful either in the nature of good and evil or in the effects and issues of them If there be nothing of this in the case let the charms of the world entice to evil he knows they are deceits and vanities and cannot believe what he knows is false nor be cheated by what he doth not believe Let the dreads and calamities of the world encomber and perplex his duties he reckons as the Apostle speaks that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us Rom. 8.18 This gives him courage strength and patience and makes him chuse afflicted innocence rather than guilty and short prosperity Insomuch that all the great examples of the highest and the noblest vertues all these victories over the world and all its troubles and adversities that are recorded in Sacred History all the great things that have been done all the great things that have been suffered for the advancement of Truth and Piety have sprung from a setled resolution grounded upon stable judgment never to vary from Gods will and the way to everlasting happiness So Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Aegypt Heb. 11.16 So Christ himself for that joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God Heb. 12.2 And so did his first and faithful followers for the securing of their innocence and the rewards thereunto belonging patiently endure all their sufferings as knowing that their light affliction which was but for a moment wrought for them a far more exceeding and an eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Thus is the approbation of things excellent that is a clear and stable judgment in all the duties of the Gospel as there declared and recommended not only a perfect cure and remedy of all the diseases of our minds to wit Ignorance Doubt and Vanity but also a constant guide and monitor in the whole course of our lives in the World Which being so 2. Let us now consider what are the means of attaining to it the second head before propounded 1. And here I shall not need to say that since every good and perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights Jam. 1.17 it must be sought of God by prayer Men may be rich and great and powerful meerly by the permission of Providence by practices not allow'd by God by fraud and injury and oppression But no man is wise unto salvation but by the special grace of God nor doth he give this special grace but where it is diligently sought of him which was the reason why St Paul so often puts it into his Prayers that God would bless men with this wisdom So he prays for Timothy that God would give him understanding in all things 2 Tim. 2.7 for the Ephesians That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory would give unto them the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him Eph. 1.17 for the Colossians that they might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding Col. 1.9 and lastly for the Philippians here that there love might abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment that they might approve the things that are excellent from all which prayers to God for wisdom for sound judgment in all our duties as represented in the Gospel we learn that it is the gift of God and to be sought by fervent Prayer especially seeing that God hath promised to give his spirit to them that ask him and that in a promise confirmed by an argument drawn from common and known experience for so is that Luke 11.13 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts to your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him 2. Nor shall I need to put you in mind that to our Prayers for the illumination of Gods grace something of industry must be joyned in the study both our of duties themselves and the motives that recommend them to us And yet in truth both these things are partly so written upon our hearts and since the revelation of the Gospel so expresly declared to us that we need not weary or waste our bodies nor vex and torment our understanding to gain the knowledge of either of them We need not now as St. Paul tells us say in our hearts who shall ascend into Heaven That is to bring down Christ from above to reveal the mind of God to us Or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead that he may confirm that Revelation both these things are already done so that now as the Apostle adds Rom. 10.8 9. The word is high thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we preach that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Where we see the Apostle takes it for granted that he that firmly believed the Gospel could scarce fail in the very practice much less in the knowledge and approbation of what is necessary to salvation so clearly are all our duties revealed and so effectually recommended in the Gospel 3. So that what is now mainly requisite to gain a clear and stable judgment in the good and perfect will of God is so much antecedent probity so much sincerity towards God as that we are willing to do his will when it shall be made known unto us and wonder not that this should be requisite for the gaining of stable judgment in it for this is no more than the very belief that there is a God may produce in every man so believing If a man have nothing of inclination to do Gods will when he shall know it why should God reveal it to him or supposing what is so indeed that he hath revealed it in the Gospel yet how unapt a man is to believe what he is resolved not to practise and what if believed and not practised will be a perpetual anguish to him How easie is it in this case when the interests of powerful lusts and passions bribe and corrupt the understanding for a man to prevaricate with himself and baffle and cheat his own mind But where there
mans mind whether these things be his will or not And though the Gospel in some cases that is when truth is contradicted require us rather to suffer for it than to forsake or to deny it yet seeing suffering in this case evidently tends to confirm the truth to the glory of God to the good of the World and hath also the promise of life eternal This very love of patient suffering in this case cannot offend the minds of any but those that are prejudiced by their lusts those who will not do Gods will although sufficiently propounded to them 2. As for those Articles of our faith that do not contain matter of practice since there is nothing of contradiction nothing at all of absurdness in them since those that declare matter of fact as that our Lord lived and dyed and rose again and sent the Spirit to his Apostles are attested by universal consent of those that could not but know the truth and had no reason to abuse it since all the rest were clearly confirmed by evident and undeniable miracles there is no cause we can imagine why any man should doubt or disbelieve them save only prejudice against the precepts against the Laws of the same Gospel wherein these Doctrines are revealed so that whosoever is so disposed as that he is willing to do Gods will is under an effectual preparation to believe and entertain the Gospel whensoever duly propounded to him 3. Add hereunto in the third place that God hath promised his holy Spirit to assist the upright and sincere and that a willingness to do Gods will whensoever we know and understand it is the very nature of sincerity Ask and it shall be given you seek and you shall find knocks and it shall be opened unto you Luk. 11.9 and afterwards at the 13th verse If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy spirit to them that ask him To whom is this promise of the Spirit made if unto all that pray for it much more to them that sincerely ask it to these at least or else to none to these although to no other persons The meek says David will he guide in judgment the meek will he teach his way Psal 25.9 and more expresly at the 14th verse The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his covenant them will he bless with his assistance them will he guide by his Holy Spirit them will he govern and direct for as he sometimes offers his grace to them that refuse to entertain it so he never denies it to them that do sincerely desire and use it Now then to conclude the point in hand being they that are willing to do Gods will are willing to use the best endeavours to understand it being they are free from those prejudices that hinder the understanding of it being they have the promise of God to guide and assist them to this purpose hence we conclude what we have observed that a hearty and sincere inclination to do Gods will is a most effectual preparation to understand and believe the Gospel Now for the uses of this point 1. Hence you see that God is not wanting to those persons who can reasonably expect assistance from him to those that are willing to do his will when it is duly discovered to them whosoever he is that is thus disposed may assure himself of Gods assistance to guide him into all needful truth into all things necessary to salvation whosoever is not thus disposed cannot justly expect assistance from him for why should God make known his will where it is certain before hand that it will it not be complyed withall why should he discourse his will to them who are resolved to serve their lusts whatsoever the will of God should be nay to them who will scarce believe any thing that contradicts their lusts and passions though never so duly propounded to them which is the case of every false insincere person who is resolved to believe nothing which doth not comply with his own corruptions God hath not promised that they shall fee who suffer their lusts to shut their eyes who are not willing to have the light nor was their reason for such a promise This fully acquits Gods providence that he hath token sufficient care so to recommend the Gospel in all things needful for Salvation to give such evidence of its truth that whosoever is disposed to do whatsoever God commands which the light of nature it self suggests shall easily know and entertain whatsoever is necessary to Salvation such is the course that God hath taken in the revelation of the Gospel and of all things necessary to Salvation that none will complain of want of evidence but only those that want integrity those who will not do Gods will although they know and understand it And for this they are to blame themselves and consequently for the effects of it their infidelity or misbelief 2. But then secondly seeing they that are willing to do Gods will find the Gospel so attested as that they who will give credit to it shall know and understand whatsoever is necessary to Salvation hence we may guess at the great cause of infidelity and misbelief wheresoever the Gospel is revealed The Gospel forbids the Gospel threatens the sinful lusts and lives of men and therefore they who resolve to continue in their sins cavil and quarrel and contradict it they hate that Doctrine which reproves them and will not believe what they hate although it flash in their very faces These men seeing see not and hearing they hear not saith our Lord and in them is fulfilled the Prophecie of Isaiah which saith by hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand and seeing ye shall see and shall not perceive Matt. 13.14 And as there are some who disbelieve the whole Gospel meerly in favour of their lusts so others upon the same account grosly mistake and misunderstand it They will admit no sense of it but what is consistent with their sins what gives them leave to enjoy their lusts and hope for pardon notwithstanding Men who resolve to retain their lusts who will not part with their darling sins upon any conditions whatsoever must search out easie ways to Heaven find out other terms of Salvation than what the Gospel hath propounded Let the Gospel be never so express in the denunciations of Gods displeasure against those sins they live in they must find out some arts and shifts to evade and escape the plainest truths by some reserves or false glosses by clouding what is plain and evident Let it be never so expresly said and that by our blessed Lord himself If thy right eye offend thee pluck if out and cast it from thee and if thy right hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy