support you under Sufferings and to reward them Thus much for the first Point namely that when Men do suffer truly for the Cause of Religion they may with confidence commit themselves to the more Peculiar Care of the Divine Providence The Second SERMON ON 1 PETER IV. 19. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator FROM these words I proposed to Consider these three Points First That when Men do Suffer really and truly for the Cause of Religion they may with confidence commit themselves their Lives and all that is dear to them to the peculiar and more especial Care of the Divine Providence Secondly This we may do always provided that we be careful of our Duty and do what is required on our Part and that neither to avoid Sufferings nor to rescue our selves out of them we do any thing contrary to our Duty and a good Conscience for this is the meaning of committing our selves to God in well-doing Thirdly To shew what Ground of Comfort and Encouragement the Consideration of God under the Notion of a Faithful Creator does afford to us under all our Sufferings for a good Cause and a good Conscience The First of these Points I have treated on at large in my former Discourse I proceed now to the Second Namely when in all our Sufferings for the Cause of Religion we may with Confidence and good Assurance commit our selves to the peculiar and more especial Care of God's Providenceâ— This is to be understood always provided that we be careful of our Duty and do what is required on our part and that neither to avoid Sufferings nor to rescue our selves out of them we do any thing contrary to our Duty and a good Conscience And this I told you was the meaning of committing our selves to God in well-doing for if we either neglect our Duty or step out of the Way of it by doing things contrary to it the Providence of God will not be concern'd to bear us out in such Sufferings So that in our Sufferings for the Cause of God and Religion to commit our selves to him in well-doing may reasonably comprehend in it these following Particulars 1. Provided always that we neglect no lawful Means of our Preservation from Sufferings or our Deliverance out of them In this Case Men do not commit themselves to the Providence of God but cast themselves out of his Care and Protection they do not trust God but tempt him and do as it were try whether he will stand by us when wâ— desert our selves and bring us out of Trouble when we would take no Care would use no Endeavours to prevent it If we will needlesly provoke Trouble and run our selves upon sufferings if we will neglect our selves and the Lawful Means of our preservation if we will give up and part with those Securities of our Religion which the Providence of God and the Laws of our Country have given us if we our selves will help to pull down the Fence which is about us if we will disarm our selves and by our own Act expose our selves naked and open to Danger and Sufferings why should we think in this Case that God will help us when we would not help our selves by those lawful Ways which the Providence of God had put into our hands All Trust in God and Dependance upon his Providence does imply that we joyn Prayer and Endeavour together Faith in God and a prudent and diligent use of Means If we lazily trust the Providence of God and so cast all our Care upon him as to take none at all our selves God will take no Care of us In vain do we rely upon the Wisdom and Goodness and Power of God in vain do we importune and tire Heaven with our Prayers to help us against our Enemies and Persecutors if we our selves will do nothing for our selves In vain do we hope that God will maintain and defend our Religion against all the secret Contrivances and open Assaults of our Enemies if we who are united in the Profession of the same Religion and in all the Essentials of Faith and Worship will for some small Differences in lesser Matters which are of no moment in Comparison of the things wherein we are agreed I say if for such slight matters we will divide and fall out among our selves if when the Enemy is at the Gates we will still pursue our Heats and Animosities and will madly keep open those Breaches which were foolishly made at first what can we expect but that the common Enemy should take the Advantage and enter in at them and whilst we are so unseasonably and senselesly contending with one another that they should take the Opportuity which we give them to destroy us all 2. Provided likewise that we do not attempt our own Preservation or Deliverance from Suffering by evil and unlawful Means We must do nothing that is contrary to our Duty and to a good Conscience nor comply with any thing or lend our helping Hand thereto that apparently tends to the Ruin of our Religion neither to divert and put off Sufferings for the present not to rescue our selves from under them because we cannot with Confidence commit our selves to the Providence of God but in wellâ—doing This is an Eternal Rule from whence we must in no Case depart That men must do nothing contrary to the Rules and Precepts of Religion no not for the sake of Religion it self We must not break any Law of God nor disobey the lawful Commands of lawful Authority to free our selves from any Sufferings whatsoever because the Goodness of no End can sanctifie Evil Means and make them lawful We must not speak deceitfully for God nor lye no not for the Truth nor kill men though we could thereby do God and Religion the greatest Service And tho' all the Casuists in the World should teach the contrary Doctrine as they generally do in the Church of Rome yet I would not doubt to oppose to all those the single Authority of St. Paul who expresly condemns this Principle and brands it for a dâ—mnable Doctrine that Evil may be done by us that Good may come Rom. 3. 8. And not as we be slanderously reported and as some affirm thas we say let us do evil that good may come whose damnation is just St. Paul it seems looked upon it as a most devilish Calumny to insinuate that the Christian Religion gives the least Countenance to such damnable Doctrines and Doings as these and pronounceth their Damnation to be just who either teach any such Principle as the Doctrine of Christianity or practise according to it Let those look to it who teach That a right Intention and a good End will render things which are otherwise evil and unlawful not only lawful to be done by us but in many Cases meritorious especially where the good of the Church and
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
seduce him or draw him aside in his enquiry after Truth he hath no interest but to find the Truth and follow it He is enquiring after the way to Heaven and Eternal Happiness and he hath the indifferency of a Traveller which is not inclined to go this way rather than another for his concernment is to find out the right way and to walk in it Such an indifferency of Mind hath every good Man who sincerely desires to do the will of God he stands ready to receive Truth when sufficient Evidence is offered to convince him of it because he hath no manner of concernment that the contrary Proposition should be true As in Mathematicks a Man is ready to give his Assent to any Proposition that is sufficiently demonstrated to him because he hath no inclination or affection to one side of the Question more than to the other all his design and concernment is to find out the Truth on which side soever it lies and he is like to find it because he is so indifferent and impartial But if a Man be biass'd by any Lust and addicted to any vicious Practice he is then an interested Person and concerned to be partial in his Judgment of Things and is under a great temptation to Infidelity when the Truths of God are proposed to him because whatever the Evidence for them be he cannot but be unwilling to own the truth of that Doctrine which is so contrary to his Inclination and Interest If the Affections and Interests of Meâ— were as deeply concerned and as sensibly touched in the truth of Mathematical Propositions as they are in the Principles of Morality and Religion we should find that when a Proposition stood in their way and lay cross to their Interest tho' it were never so clearly demonstrated yet they would raise a dust about it and make a thousand cavils and fence even against the evidence of a Demonstration they would palliate their Error with all the Skill and Art they could and tho' the absurdity of it were never so great and palpable yet they would hold it fast against all Sense and Reason and face down Mankind in the obstinate defence of it for we have no reason to doubt but that they who in Matters of Religion will believe directly contrary to what they see would if they had the same interest and passions to sway them in the case believe contrary to the clearest Mathematical Demonstration for where there is an obstinate Resolution not to be convinc'd all the Reason and Evidence in the World signifies nothing Whereas he that is biassed by no Passion or Interest but hath an honest Mind and is sincerely desirous to do the Will of God so far as he knows it is likely to judge very impartially concerning any Doctrines that are proposed to him For if there be not good Evidence that they are from God he hath no reason to deceive himself in giving credit to them and if there be good Evidence that they are Divine he hath no interest or inclination to reject them for it being his great design to do the will of God he is glad of all opportunities to come to the knowledge of it that he may do it Thus you see how a sincere desire and endeavour to obey the Will of God does secure Men against fatal Errors and Mistakes in Matters of Religion because such Persons are hereby better disposed to make a right Judgment of Divine Things both because they have truer and surer notions of God and Religion and are more impartial in their search and enquiry after Truth This is the first Account Secondly Another Reason why they who sincerely desire to do the Will of God have a great security in discerning Truth from Error is because the Providence of God is more especially concerned to preserve such Persons from dangerous Errors and Mistakes in Things which concern their Eternal Salvation When Men are of a teachable Temper God loves to reveal himself and his Truth to them and such is an humble and obedient frame of Mind Psal 25. 9. The meek will he guide in Judgment the meek will he teach his way The proper disposition of a Scholar is to be willing to learn and that which in Religion we are to learn is what is the good and acceptable will of God that we may do it for Practice is the end of Knowledge If you know these things says our Blessed Lord happy are ye if ye do them It is necessary to know the will of God but we are happy only in the doing of it and if any Man be desirous to do the Will of God his Goodness is such that he will take effectual care to secure such an one against dangerous and fatal Errors He that hath an honest Mind and would do the will of God if he knew it God will not suffer him to remain ignorant of it or to be mistaken about it in any necessary Points of Faith or Practice St. Paul is a wonderful Instance of the Goodness of God in this kind He was undoubtedly a Man of a very honest Mind he had entertained the Jewish Religion as revealed by God and been bred in it and out of a blind reverence and belief of his Teachers who rejected Christ and his Doctrine he likewise opposed and persecuted them with a mighty Zeal and an honest intention being verily perswaded as he himself tells us that he ought to do what he did against the Name of Jesus of Nazareth he was under a great prejudice upon account of his Education and according to the heat of his natural Temper transported with great Passion But because he did what he did ignorantly and in unbelief God was pleased to shew mercy to him and in a miraculous manner to convince him of the Truth of that Religion which he persecuted He was sincerely desirous to do the will of God and therefore God would rather work a Miracle for his Conversion than suffer him to go on in so fatal a Mistake concerning the Christian Religion And as the Providence of God doth concern it self to secure good Men from dangerous Errors and Mistakes in Matters of Religion so by a just Judgment he gives up those who allow themselves in vicious practices to Error and Infidelity And this is the meaning of that passage of the Prophet Esa Ch. 6. 10. so often cited by our Saviour and applied to the Jews of making the heart of that People fat and their Ears heavy and closing their Eyes lest they should Understand and be Converted So again Isa 66. 3 4. God threatens the People of Israel That because they were wicked and abominable in their Lives he would abandon them and give them over to a Spirit of Delusion they have chosen their own ways and their Soul delighteth in their Abominations I also will chuse their delusions God is said to chuse those things for us which he permits us to fall into So Rom. 1. 28.
God is said to give over the abominable Heathen to a Reprobate Mind As they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them over 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to an Injudicious and Undiscerning Mind When Men abandon themselves to Wickedness and Impiety God withdraws his Grace from them and by his secret and just Judgment they are deprived of the Faculty of discerning between Truth and Error between Good and Evil. 2 Thes 2. 10 11 12. It is said that the Man of Sin should come with all deceiveableness of Unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be Saved And that for this Cause God would send them strong delusion that they should believe a Lye that they all might be Damned who believed not the Truth but had pleasure in Unrighteousness And it is just with God that Men of Vicious Inclinations and Practices should be exposed to the Cheat of the grossest and vilest Impostors God's Providence is concerned for Men of honest Minds and sincere Intentions But if Men take pleasure in Unrighteousness God takes no further care of them but delivers them up to their own hearts Lusts to be seduced into all those Errors into which their own vain Imaginations and their foolish hearts are apt to lead them Thus have I endeavoured as briefly as I could to shew that an honest Mind that sincerely desires and endeavours to do the Will of God is the best security against fatal Errors and Mistakes in Matters of Religion both because it disposeth a Man to make a true Judgment of Divine Things and because the Providence of God is more especially concerned for the security of such Persons There remains â—an Objection to be answered to which this Discourse may seem liable but this together with the Inferences which may be made from this Discourse I shall referr to another opportunity The Second 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 I Made entrance into these words the last Day in which our Saviour declares to us that an honest and sincere Mind and an hearty Desire and Endeavour to do the Will of God is the best Security and Preservative against dangerous Errors and Mistakes in Matters of Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if any Man desire to do his Will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self Now there are I told you two great Mistakes in Religion To reject any thing which really is from God and to receive and entertain any thing as from God which is not really from him And therefore I proposed from this Text to shew how a sincere Desire and Endeavour to do the Will of God is a security to Men against both these Dangers namely upon these two Accounts First Because he who sincerely Desires and Endeavours to do the Will of God is hereby better qualified and disposed to make a right Judgment of Spiritual and Divine Things and that for these two Reasons I. Because such a Person hath a truer Notion of God and Divine Things He that resembleth God most is like to understand him best because he finds those Perfections in some measure in himself which he Contemplates in the Divine Nature and nothing gives a Man so sure a Notion of Things as Practice and Experience II. Because such a Person is more Impartial in his search and enquiry after Truth and therefore more likely to find it and to discern it from Error That Man only stands fair for the entertainment of Truth who is under the Power and Dominion of no Vice or Lust because he hath nothing to corrupt or bribe him to seduce him and draw him aside in his enquiry after Truth He hath no manner of concernment that the contrary Proposition should be true having the indifferency of a Traveller and no other Interest but to find out the right way to Heaven and to walk in it But if a Man be biass'd by any Lust and addicted to any vicious Practice he is then an interested Person and concern'd to make a partial Judgment of Things and is under a great Temptation to Infidelity when the Truths of God are proposed to him because whatever the Evidence for them be he cannot but be unwilling to own the Truths of those Doctrines which are so contrary to his inclination and interest Secondly Another Reason why they who sincerely desire to do the Will of God have a greater security in discerning Truth from Error is because the Providence of God is more especially concern'd to preserve such Persons from dangerous Errors and Mistakes in Things which concern their Eternal Salvation When Men are of a teachable Temper of an humble and obedient frame of Mind God loves to reveal himself and his Truth to them Psal 25. 9. The Meek will he guide in Judgment and the Meek will he teach his way The proper disposition of a Scholar is to be willing to Learn and that which in Religion we are to Learn is what is the good and acceptable Will of God that we may do it for Practice is the end of Knowledge If ye know these Things saith our Saviour happy are ye if ye do them It is necessary to know the Will of God but we are only happy in the doing of it and if any Man be desirous to do the Will of God his Goodness is such that he will take effectual care to secure such a one against dangerous and fatal Errors He that hath an honest Mind and would do the Will of God if he knew it God will not suffer him to remain ignorant of it or to be mistaken about it in any necessary Point of Faith or Practice Thus far I have gone I shall now proceed to remove an Objection to which this Discourse may seem liable and then draw some Inferâ—nces from the whole After all that hath been said some perhaps may ask Is every good Man then secure from all Error and Mistake in Matters of Religion This is a mighty Priviledge indeed But do not we find the contrary in Experience That an honest Heart and a weak Head do often meet together For answer to this I shall lay down these following Propositions First That if there were any necessity that a good Man should be secured from all manner of Error and Mistake in Religion this Probity of Mind and sincere desire to do the Will of God is the best way to do it because such a Temper and Disposition of Mind gives a Man the best advantages to discern betwixt Truth and Error and God is most likely to reveal his Will to such Persons But there is no necessity of this because a Man may be a good Man and go to Heaven notwithstanding a great many Mistakes in Religion about things not necessary For while we are in this
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
of it Nay I will go farther yet That there are no other Promises made in Scripture of Direction or Assistance or Security from Mistake to any Church but the same are made in as full and express Terms to every good Man that sincerely desires to know the Truth and to practise it Is it promis'd to the Church or to the Pastors of it I will be with you always And hath not our Saviour promised the same to every one that is obedient to his word John 14. 23. If a Man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him And does not the Apostle apply the same Promise to every good Christian Heb. 13. 5. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee For where is the difference between these Expressions I will be with you and I will make my abode with him I will be with you always and I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Is it promised to the Church that the Spirit shall lead her into all Truth and is not the same Promise made to every good Man John 14. 21. He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me And he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him that is God will reveal his Will to those that love him and keep his Commandments Hath God promised to build his Church upon a Rock And doth not our Saviour use the same Metaphor concerning every Man that doth the Will of God Mat. 7. 24. Whosoever heareth these Sayings of mine and doth them is like a Wise Man that built his House upon a Rock So that if to be built upon a Rock signifies Infallibility it belongs to every good Man who sincerely practiseth what he knows as much as to any Church When Men are enabled by God to work Miracles for the confirmation of the Doctrines which they deliver there is great Reason to believe that they are Infallibly assisted in the delivery of those Doctrines But without this 't is the vainest thing in the World for any Person or Church to pretend to it because they offer no Evidence â—it to satisfie any Man that they are so assisted And I do not hear that the Pope among all his Priviledges does pretend to the Power of Miracles Secondly From hence likewise we may infer the great Reason of Error and Infidelity in the World If any Man be an Infidel it is not the fault of his Understanding but of his Will it is not because there is not sufficient Evidence that the Christian Religion is from God but because Mens Interests and Lusts make them partial and incompetent Judges of Matters of Religion The Evidence of the Christian Religion is such as recommends it to every Man's Reason and Conscience so that as St. Paul argues if the Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this World hath blinded the minds of them that believe not lest the Light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. If Men did but stand indifferent for the entertainment of Truth and were not swayed by the interest of any Lust or Passion I am confident that no Man that hath the Gospel fairly proposed to him would continue an Infidel If Men did but truly live up to the Principles of Natural Religion they would easily be convinc'd that the Christian Religion which is so suitable thereto is from God Thirdly and Lastly What hath been said is a great Argument and Encouragement to Obedience and Holiness of Life Do we desire not to be mistaken about the Mind of God Let us heartily endeavour to do his Will If we would not be seduced by the Error of the Wicked let us take heed of their Vicious Practices The best way certainly to preserve a right Judgment in Matters of Religion is to take great care of a good Life God's Goodness is such that he will not suffer any Man's Judgment to be betrayed into a Damnable Error without some Vice and Fault of his Will The Principles of Natural Religion are born with us and imprinted upon our Minds so that no Man can be ignorant of them nor need to be mistaken about them and as for those Revelations which God hath made of himself to the World he hath been pleased to accompany them with so much Evidence that an honest and sincere Mind may easily discern them from Error and Imposture So our Saviour hath assured us That if any Man desire to do his Will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God On the other hand if we see any oppose the clear Truth or to depart from it and to embrace gross Errors and Delusions we may almost certainly conclude that there is some Worldly Interest or Lust at the bottom of it So our Saviour has likewise told us that the Reason why Men love Darkness rather than Light is because their Deeds are Evil and every one that doth Evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his Deeds should be reproved I will Conclude this whole Discourse with St. Peter's Exhortation the 2 d of Pet. 3. 17 18. Ye therefore Beloved seeing ye know these Things before beware lest ye also being led away with the Error of the Wicked fall from your own stedfastness But grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ To him be Glory both now and for ever Amen A SERMON ON LUKE XII 15. And he said unto them Take heed and beware of Covetousness for a Man's Life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth AMong all the irregular Appetites of Men there is none that is more common and unreasonable and of a more Universal bad Influence upon the Hearts and Lives of Men than this of Covetousness and therefore in speaking of this Vice I shall strike at the Root of a great many others even of Apostacy from God's Truth and Religion of which Covetousness and the Love of this present World is one of the most common Causes So that if I can contribute any thing to the Cure of this great Distemper of Mens Minds I shall in so doing remove that which is the Cause and Occasion of a great part of the Evils and Mischiefs which are in the World And to this end I have pitched upon these Words of our Blessed Saviour to his Hearers And he said unto them Take heed and beware of Covetousness for a Man's Life consisteth not in the abundance of the Things which he possesseth In Which Words are these Threâ— Things Observable First The Manner of the Caution which our Saviour here gives Take heed and beware he doubles it to shew the great Need and Concernment of it Secondly The Matter of the Caution or the Vice which our
upbraid the degenerate state of the Christian World at this day which does so abound in all kind of Wickedness and Impiety so that we may cry out as he did upon reading the Gospel Profectò aut hoc non est Evangelium aut nos non sumus Evangelici Either this is not the Gospel which we read and the Christian Religion which we profess or we are no Christians We are so far from that pitch of goodness and Virtue which the Christian Religion is apt to raise Men to and which the Apostle here calls the Divine Nature that a great part of us are degenerated into Beasts and Devils wallowing in abominable and filthy Lusts indulging our selves in those Devilish Passions of Malice and Hatred of Strife and Discord of Revenge and Cruelty of Sedition and Disturbance of the Publick Peace to that degree as if the Grace of God had never appeared to us to teach us the contrary And therefore it concerns all those who have the face to call themselves Christians to demean themselves at another rate and for the Honour of their Religion and the Salvation of their own Souls to have their Conversation as becometh the Gospel of Christ and by departing from the Vicious practices of this present Evil World to do what in them lies to prevent the Judgments of God which hang over us or if they cannot do that to save themselves from this untoward Generation A SERMON ON 1 PETER IV. 19. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator THIS Epistle was written by St. Peter who was the Apostle of the Circumcision to the dispersed Jews who were newly Converted to Christianity And the Design of it is to Confirm and Establish them in the Profession of it and to instruct them how they ought to demean themselves towards the Heathen or Gentiles among whom they lived and more particularly to arm and prepare them for those Sufferings and Persecutions which he foretels would shortly overtake them for the Profession of Christianity that when they should happen they might not be surprised and startled at them as if some strange and unexpected thing were come upon them at the 12 v. of this Chapter Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery Tryal which is to try you that is do not wonder and be not asâ—onish'd at it as if some strange thing hapned unto you And then he instructs them more particularly how they ought to behave themselves under those Trâ—als and Sufferings when they should happen not only with Patience which men ought to exercise under all kinds of Sufferings upon what Account and Cause soever but with Joy and Cheerfulness considering the Glorious Example and Reward of them v. 13. but rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs Sufferings that when his Glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding Joy And at the 14. ver he tells them that besides the Encouragement of so great an Example and so glorious a Reward they should be supported and assisted in a very extraordinary manner by the Spirit of God resting upon them in a glorious manner as a Testimony of the Divine Power and Presence with them v. 14. If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you or as it is in the best Copies for the Spirit of Glory and of Power even the Spirit of God resâ—eth upon you that is the Glorious Power of the Divine Spirit is present with you to comfort and bear up your Spirits under these Sufferings But then he cautions them to take great Care that theiâ— Sufferings be for a good Cause and a good Conscience v. 15. But let none of you suffer as a Mâ—â—therer or as a Thief or as an evil-doer that is as an Offender in any kind against Human Laws made to preserve the Peace and good Order of the World or as a busy-body in other mens matters that is as a pragmatical Person that meddles out of his own Sphere to the Disquiet and Disturbance of Human Society For to suffer upon any of these Accounts would be matter of Shame and Trouble but not of Joy and Comfort But if they suffer'd upon Account of the Profession of Christianity this would be no Cause of Shame and Reproach to them but they ought rather to give God Thanks for calling them to suffer in so good a Cause and upon so glorious an Account V. 16. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian if that be his only Crime let him not be ashamed but let him gloriâ—ie Gâ—d on this behalf for the time is come that Judgment must begin at the House of God that is the wise and just Providence of God hath so order'd it at this Time for very good Reasons and Ends that the first Calamities and Sufferings should fall upon Christians the peculiar People and Church of God for their Tryal and a Testimony to the Truth of that Religion which God was now planting in the World And if iâ— first begin at us that is at us Jews who were the ancient People of God and have now embraced and entertained the Revelation of the Gospel what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God that is how much more severely will God deal with the rest of the Jews who have crucified the Son of God and still persist in their Infidelity and Disobedience to the Gospel And if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear that is if good Men be saved with so much Difficulty and must through so many tribulations enter into the kingdom of God what will become of all Ungodly and Impenitent Sinners Where shall they appear How shall they be able to stand in the Judgment of the great Day From the Consideration of all which the Apostle makes this Inference or Conclusion in the last ver of this Chapter Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator Thus you see the Connexion and Dependance of these words upon the Apostle's foregoing Discourse I shall explain the several Expressions in the Text and then handle the main Points contained in them The Expressions to be explained are these What is meant by those that suffer according to the will of God what by committing the keeping of our Souls to God â—s unto a faithful Creator and what by well-doing 1. What is meant by suffering according to the will of God This may be understood of Suffering in a good Cause such as God will approve But this is not so probable because this is mentioned afterwards in the following Expressions of committing the keeping of our Souls to God in well-doing that is in suffering upon a good Account And therefore the plain and
no express and direct Article of the Christian Religion yet it is a Fundamental Article of right Reason and common Sense Because the admitting of Transubstantiation does undermine the Foundation of all Certainty whatsoever and does more immediately shake the very Foundation of Christianity it self Yea tho' the Christian Religion were no ways concerned in this Doctrine yet out of reverence to Reason and Truth and a just animosity and indignation at confident nonsense a Man of an honest and generous Mind would as soon be brought to Declare or Swear that twice two do not make four but five as to profess his belief of Transubstantiation And tho' all Truths are not of equal Consequence and Concernment yet all Truth is of God and for that Reason tho' we are not obliged to make an open profession of all Truths at all times yet we are bound not to deny or renounce any Truth nor to make profession of a known Falsehood or Error For it is meerly because of the intrinsical Evil of the thing that it is impossible for God to lie and the Son of God thought it worth his coming into the World and laying down his Life to bear witness to the Truth So he himself tells us Joh. 18. 37. To this End was I born and for this Cause came I into the World that I should bear witness to the Truth Thus I have shewn you in these plain Instances to which most other Cases may be reduced when Men may be said to suffer truly for the Cause of Religion and Truth I shall mention two or three Cases wherein Men may seem to suffer for the Cause of Religion but cannot truly be said to do so First When Men rashly expose themselves to danger and run upon sufferings for the sake of Religion Thus several of the Primitive Christians voluntarily exposed themselves when they were not called in question and in the heat of their Affection and Zeal for God and Religion offered themselves to Martyrdom when none enquired after them This in the gracious interpretation of God who knowing the sincerity of their Zeal was pleased to overlook the indiscreet forwardness and rashness of it might be accepted for a kind of Martyrdom but cannot in Reason be justified so aâ— to be fit to be made a Pattern and to be recommended to our imitation For tho' God may be pleased to excuse the weakness of a well-meaning Zeal yet he can approve nothing but what is Reasonable To suffer chearfully for the Cause of God and his Truth when he calls us to fight this good fight of faith and to resist unto blood and when we are reduced to that strait that we must either die for God and his Truth or deny them to suffer I say in this Case with Courage and Patience is one of the Noblest of all the Christian Virtues But to be perfect Volunteers and to run our selves upon Sufferings when we are not called to them looks rather like the Sacrifice of Fools which tho' God may mercifully excuse and pardon the Evil of the action for the good Meaning of it yet he can never perfectly approve and accept of it But I think there is little need nowa-days to caution men against this rashness it is well if they have the Grace and Resolution to Suffer when it is their Duty and when they are called to it Secondly Nor can Men be truly said to Suffer for the Cause of Religion when they Suffer not for their Faith but their Fancy and for the wilful and affected Error of a mistaken Conscience As when Men suffâ—r for indifferent things which in heat and passion they call Superstition and Idoltary and for their own false Opinions in Religion which they mistake for Fundamental Articles of the Christian Faith In this Case their mistake about these things will not change the Nature of them nor turn their Sufferings into Martyrdom and yet many Men have certainly Suffered for their own mistakes For as Men may be so far deluded as to think they do God good service when they kill his faâ—thful Servants so likewise may they be so far deceived as to Sacrifice their Lives and all that is dear to them to their own culpable Errors and Mistakes But this is Zeal without Knowledgeâ— not the Wisdom which descends from above but that which comes from beneath and is like the fire of Hell which is heat without light Thirdly and Lastly Nor can Men truly be said to Suffer for the Cause of God and Religion when they Suffer for the open Profession and Defence of Truths not necessary For tho' a Man be obliged to make an open Profession of all Fundamental and Necessary Truths yet he is under no such Obligation to make Profession of Truths not necessary at all times and unless he be called to deny them he is not bound either to declare or defend them he may hold his peace at other times and be silent about them especially when the open Profession of them will probably do no good to others and will certainly do hurt to our selves and the zealous endeavour to propagate such Truths will be to the greater prejudice of Charity and the disturbance of the publick peace of the Church It was a good Saying of Erasmus if we understand it as I believe he meant it of Truths not necessary adeo invisâ— sunt mihi discordiâ— ut veritas etiam contentiosa displiceat I am says he so perfect a hater of discord that I am even displeased with truth when it is the occasion of contention As a Man is never to deny Truth so neither is he obliged to make an open Profession of Truths not necessary at all times and if he Suffer upon that account he cannot justifie it to his own Prudence nor have Comfort in such Sufferings because he brings them needlesly upon himself and no Man can have Comfort but in Suffering for doing his Duty And thus I have done with the first thing I proposed to enquire into namely when Men may be truly said to Suffer for the Cause of Religion I proceed now to the Second Enquiry namely how far Men may rely upon the Providence of God to bear them out in such Sufferings To which I Answer That provided we do what becomes us and is our Duty on our part the Providence of God will not be wanting on his part to bear us out in all our Sufferings for his Cause one of these three ways First To secure us from that violent degree of Temptation and Suffering which would be too strong for Humane Strength and Patience Or Secondly In case of such extraordinary Temptation and Trial to give us the extraordinary Supports and Comforts of his Holy Spirit or else Thirdly In case of a Temporary Fall and Miscarriage to raise us up by Repentance and a greater Resolution and Constancy under Sufferings I shall speak severally to these 1. Either the Providence of God will not be wanting to secure us from that