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 Division 
 
 Section 
 
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 t Of v .. 
 
 SIXTEEN \^ 
 
 CASUISTICA^ 
 
 SERMONS 
 
 Preached on 
 
 Several Occafions. 
 
 B Y 
 
 The moft Reverend. Father in 
 GOD, Dr. J o H N*^ HARP, late 
 Lord Arch Sifliop of lork. 
 
 V 
 
 O L. 
 
 III. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for Walter Kettilby^ and Sold hy 
 Richard Wilkin^ at the Kings-Head in 
 St. Paurs Church- Yard. 1716, 
 
THE 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 Of the Third 
 V O L U ^^ 
 
 SERMON. I. ^age i. 
 Bouc Truft in God. 
 
 A 
 
 SERMON ir. ^age 24. 
 
 About Religious Melancholy and De- 
 fertioa. 
 
 Both on 
 
 Pfahn xlii. (5, 7. Why art thou fa 
 full of heaVmc/s my Soul^ why art 
 thou fo dif quieted iv'ithin me 5* 
 
 ^ut thy trujl in God^ for I will yet 
 give him thanks for the hdp of his Counte- 
 
 nance. 
 
 V»IT^DRAWN S E R. 
 
 1^- r\ r i.'^j «- 
 
u 
 
 The Contents. 
 
 SERMON III. fage 45. 
 About lofs of fpiritiial Comforts. 
 
 Pfaltn xlii. 6, 7. Why art thou fo 
 full of heaVincfs my Soul, why art thou 
 fo (It f quieted within me ? 
 
 Vut thy truft in God^ for I will yet give 
 htm thanh for the help of his Comitenance, 
 
 SERMON IV. Taxe 68. 
 
 About the Devil and his Temptations. 
 
 SERMON V. fage 90. 
 
 About Blafphemous Thoughts, 
 
 Both on 
 
 2 Cor. ii. If. Leafl Satan fhould get 
 an advantage of vs j for we are not igno^- 
 
 Xam 0} hii devices. 
 
 SER' 
 
The Contents; iJi 
 
 SERMON VI. (page iij. 
 
 Concerning the fewnefs of thofe thac 
 fhall be fayed ; and about Predcfti- 
 nation from all Eternity. 
 
 Luke xiii. 25. Then [aid one unto 
 him, Lord, are there few that fhall he fa^ 
 yed ^ And he [aid unto them^ firive to en» 
 ter in at the jlrait Gate : for many, I fay 
 unto you, p?all feek to enter in, and pall 
 not be able. 
 
 SERMON Vll. (page 140. 
 
 Of Faith, when true, faving, and ju- 
 ftifying. 
 
 Ads xvi. -^ I. — Relieve on the Lord 
 Jefus Chrifl, and thou fhalt he/aVed, 
 
 SER- 
 
iv The Contents. 
 
 SERMON Vm. Page i6o 
 
 Of Repentance, when true and fincere. 
 
 Matth. iii. 8. (Bring forth therefore 
 Fruits meet for Repentance, 
 
 SERMON IX. (Page 185. 
 
 Concerning the wilful Sin here fpoken 
 of by St. Taul, Vi;:^, Apoftacy. 
 
 Heb. X. 26, 27 — If we jin wilfully^ 
 after that ive have received the knowlecige 
 of the Iruthj there remaineth no more tia- 
 crifce for Sins^ 
 
 But a certain fearful looking for of 
 Judgment , atid fiery Indignation^ which 
 fhall devour the Jdverfaries, 
 
 SER- 
 
The Contents] 
 
 S E R M O N X. ^age 208. 
 
 Concerning the Sin unto Death, fpoken 
 of by Sr. John^ Vt:^ Apoftacy. 
 
 I John V. 16' If any Mm fee his 
 
 brother fin a Sin which is not unto Death^ 
 he fhall ask, and he (hail give him Life 
 for them that fin not unto Death. There 
 is a Sin unto Death : 1 do not fay that he 
 ff?all pray for it. 
 
 SERMON XI. f4ge 227. 
 
 Concerning the Blafphemy againft the 
 ' Holy Ghoft. 
 
 Matth. xii. 51, ^2. Wherefore I fay 
 nntoyou^ all manner of Sin and '0afphemy 
 P?all be forgiven unto Men ; hut the ^Blaj- 
 fhemy againjl the Holy Ghojl f}?all not he 
 forgiven unto Men, 
 
 And whofoeVer fpeaketh a Word againjl 
 theSonofMan^ it f?a[l he forgiven him: 
 hut, ivhojoever fpeaketh agamjl the Holy 
 
 Ghojl 
 
iri The Contents; 
 
 Ghoji, it Jhall not he forgiven him, net" 
 
 ther in this World, neither in the World to 
 come. 
 
 SERMON XI!. %e 255. 
 
 How far we are bound to intend God's 
 / Glory in our A6lions. 
 
 I Cor. X. 31. Whether therefore ye 
 eat or drinky or whatfoelier ye do, do all 
 to the glory of God, 
 
 SERMON Xm. fage'iycf. 
 
 Solution to fome Cafes put about 
 Regeneration. 
 
 Rom. xii. Part of the id Verfe. 
 ^"•""Beye transjormed by the renewing of 
 your Mmd, 
 
 SE R. 
 
The Contents. Vii 
 
 SERMON XIV. ^age joj. 
 
 In what Senfe the Heart is deceitful, 
 and what is the proper Remedy. 
 
 Jeremy xvii. 9. T/;e Heart is de- 
 ceitful above all things , and defperately 
 wicked^ who can know it ^ 
 
 SERMON XV. 'P^^^JH- 
 
 In Anfwer to the Objedtions againft 
 the Difficulties of Religion. 
 
 1 John V- 5. This is the loVe of God^ 
 that we keep his Commandments ,* and his 
 Commandments are not grieyous. 
 
 SER-. 
 
 y 
 
 V 
 
viil The Contents] 
 
 SERMON XVL P^^e 362. 
 
 Concerning Man's Confcience, when 
 ic is good and when not. 
 
 Heb. xiii. 18 — We trujlwz have ct 
 good Confcience^ In all things willing to liye 
 homjllji. 
 
 SER- 
 
SERMON I. 
 
 P S A L. XLII. 6, 7. 
 
 According to the Tranllation of om Liturgy ^ 
 
 Why art thou fo fitll of Heavinefs, my 
 Soid^ and why art thou difquieted within 
 me .<? Vut thy trufl in God, for I will yet 
 give him thanks for the help of his Conn- 
 Unance. 
 
 ^§^^r/D, tho' a Man after Gods 
 ff^D^S ^^" Heart, and dearly beloved by 
 fe^ '^i ^^"^' ^^^ ^^ much exercifed all 
 ^mM^M his Life with Troubles and Af- 
 fiidions of feveral Kinds, as almoft any we 
 read of. When he compofed this Pfalm and 
 that which followeth it, it fufficiently ap- 
 pears, that he was under great perplexity and 
 confternation of Mind, which makes him 
 three times fpeak to himfelf, TFhy art thoU 
 caft down, my Soul, and why art thou dif- 
 quieted within me .<? 
 
 What the particular Occafion was, is not 
 exprelied in the Pfalm : But it is generally 
 believed, and it is very probable, that it was 
 upon. the Rebellion of his Son Abfalo?n\ by 
 Occafion of which he was driven from Jeru- 
 Vol, IIL B fakm. 
 
Tl)e Firfl Sermon. 
 
 fabm^ and fo baniflied from the Houfe of 
 God in Mount Sion^ where he had lately fix- 
 ed the Ark : And this Banifliment of his is 
 that which he is here {o much concerned for, 
 and fo pafTionately bewails. Taking this Key, 
 we are eafily let into the Senfe of both thefe 
 Pfalms : The Former of which, fo far as is 
 needful for the right Underftanding this Text, 
 I fhall give you a brief Account of. 
 
 Thus he begins, As the hunted Deer pant- 
 eth after the Brooks of Water, fo panteth my 
 Soul after thee, O God: My Soul thirfteth 
 for God, yea even for the living God : When 
 fhall I come and appear before God ? that is. 
 When (hall I be fo happy as to have accefs 
 again to thy Tabernacle , where thou doll 
 manifefl thy Prefence , and from whence I 
 am now driven by them that feek my Life ?* 
 And then he goes on in the third verfe. My 
 Tears have been my meat day and night j 
 while they daily fay unto me^ Where is now 
 thy God ^ that is to fay, I am wholly given 
 over to Grief and Sorrow, whilft I hear the 
 continual Reproaches of my Enemies, faying 
 unto me, What is become of thy God, in 
 whom thou waft wont to repofe fo much 
 confidence > When I remember thefe things, 
 (as he goes on in the 4th Verfe) / pour out 
 my foul in me ^ For I had gojie with the inid- 
 titude 5 / went with them to the houfe of 
 God with the voice of joy and praife^ with a 
 nmltitiidethat kept holy day , that is. It even 
 breaks my heart to call to mind thofe happy 
 
 days, 
 
7he Fir ft Sermon, 
 
 Days, when I brought thine if\rk to Mount 
 Sio?i, accompanied with the joyful Acclama- 
 tions of all thy People, and to think of all the 
 other bleiTed Times, when, before this Ba- 
 nilhment, we met together at thy Houfe to 
 worfliip and praife thy Name. And then 
 follow in the next Verfe the Words of my 
 Text, Wfy art thou caft dovp?i, my Soul, 
 why art thou difqnieted within me ^ As if 
 he had faid, Be not for all this difcouraged, 
 tho* it be as fad a Calamity as is poffible, to 
 be thus deprived of the Opportunity of wor- 
 fhipping God in publick, yet there is no Rea- 
 fon thou (houldft be utterly dejeded, and a- 
 bandon thy felf to defpair , No \ put thy 
 Truft in God, for I fhall yet give him thanks 
 for the help of his Countenance. That is, a 
 Time, I hope, will come, when I fhall a- 
 gain go to his Houfe, and praife him flill 
 for his Favours towards me, in delivering nie 
 from this, as well as my former Afflictions. 
 
 This is the natural Account and Meaning 
 of the Words, as they lye in the Pfalm, and 
 as they were fpoken by the Pfalmift. But 
 in the Difcourfe which I defign upon this 
 Text, I mean not to confine my felf to the 
 particular Cafe, upon Occafion of which 
 thefe Words were fpoken, but to take a larger 
 Compafs and to treat of trouble of Mind in 
 General, as far as it is upon a Religious Ac- 
 count, 
 
 B 2 There 
 
4 The Ftrfl Sermoft. 
 
 There are a great many good People a- 
 inong us, who are afflided with that which 
 we call Religious Melancholy. It is for the 
 fake of thefe, that I have now pitched upon 
 this Text, as thinking it may be very fitly 
 applyed to their Cafe, tho* their Troubles 
 are of a different Nature from thofe thatD^- 
 viJ was here exercifed with, and arife from 
 different Caufes. Andthat whichi propofeto 
 do, is to confider the feveral Things that are 
 mod apt to diflurb them, and to render their 
 LivTS miferable and uncomfortable, and to 
 give fuch an Account of thofe Things, as 
 that they may be fatisfied, that they have 
 all the reafon in the World notwithftanding 
 them to apply David's Words in my Text to 
 their own Cafe, and to fay with him, JVhj; 
 art thoiifocafi down^ ?nySoul^ why art thou 
 fo difquieted within me ^ Put thy truji in 
 God, for Ijhall yet give him thanks for the 
 help of his Countenance, or, as he otherwife 
 expreifeth it in the lafl: Verfe of this Pfalm. 
 for I imll yet thank him, which is the helj) 
 of my Countenance, and my God. 
 
 This 1 fay is what I defign upon this Text \ 
 but before I engage in that Work, it will not 
 be amifs if we a little inlift on theft; Words 
 with reference to the particufir Occafion up- 
 on which they were fpoken j and this Ihall be 
 my Bufinefs at this Time. 
 
 Now the Text thus confidered doth afford 
 us two pradieal Obfervations. Firff, from 
 hence we gather, that to a good Man the be- 
 
 ing 
 
The Firjl Sermon. 
 
 ing deprived of Opportunities of worfhipping 
 God in Publick, is one of the greateft Affli- 
 dions. Secondly, that in this and all other 
 Afflidions that befall us, the proper Reme- 
 dy is to put our Truft in God. 
 
 I. I begin with the Firfl, that to be de- 
 prived of the Opportunity of Gods publick 
 Worfhip, is to a good Man a mofl grievous 
 Afflidion. 
 
 We fee how fadly David here bemoans 
 himfelf upon that Account, with what An- 
 guifh he remembers thofe happy Days when 
 he had free Accefs to, the Houfe of God, and 
 the holy AiTemblies of his People ; and how 
 paflionately he longs for thofe Days again. 
 He takes no notice of the unnatural Rebelli- 
 on of his Son Ahfolom, which could not but 
 go to the very Heart of fo tender a Father, as 
 he was^ he takes no notice of the Danger his 
 Life was in from the Confpirators , but all 
 that he feems concerned about, is that by 
 thefe Means he is baniihed from Gods Pre- 
 fence , that is, from his Sanduary, from his 
 Houfe, from the Society of the Faithfiil, 
 where he ufed to praifetlie Name of his God, 
 and to partake of his divine Influence. 
 
 Indeed the Happinefs and the Bledings 
 that good Men enjoy in the publick Excrcife 
 of their Religion, and in the worfhipping God 
 in his Houfe, and partaking of his Sacra- 
 ments, are fo many and great, that they muft 
 needs'account the being deprived of them a 
 B 3 Lofs 
 
7he Virfl Sermon, 
 
 Lofs unfupportable. Of all thePIeafures on 
 this fide Heaven, thofe are the moft valua- 
 ble ; For indeed they approach nearefl: to 
 thofe in which the Saitus do fpend their 
 Days in their Heavenly Manfions. What 
 can be more like Heaven upon Earth than a 
 Company of pious devout Souls met in one 
 Place, having God in the midfl of them, and 
 there partaking of his Communications, de- 
 voting themfelves to his Service, profeffing 
 their Faith and Hope in Chrift, and their 
 Dependance upon him, and joyning Hearts 
 and Voices with the Heavenly Hods of An- 
 gels, in finging out the everlafting Praifes of 
 their Creator, and Redeemer ^ in declaring 
 his wonderful Works of Love and Mercy, 
 and in adoring his infinite Wifdom and Pow- 
 er and Goodnefs, which are confpicuous to 
 all the World, 
 
 O how mufl: a devout Soul be ravifhed 
 with thefe Exercifes 1 O how dry and infi- 
 pid will the higheft of fenfual Gratifications 
 appear to him in comparifon of the delicious 
 Reiifii that thefe divine Employments will 
 leave upon his Spirit ! He that once taftes 
 the Sweets of thefe, cannot forbear crying 
 out with David in the 84th Pfalm, hovif 
 mniahle are thy Divellings thou Lord ofHofls ! 
 My Soul lo/igeth^ yea even faint eth for the 
 Courts of the Lord : My Heart and my Flefi 
 cry eth out for the livi?ig God, He will even 
 envy the Sparrow that hath found her an 
 Houfe, and the Swallow that hath built her 
 
 a 
 
77;^ Firft Sermon] 
 
 2L Neft wherein to lay her Young fo near un- 
 to the Altar of the Lord, his King, and his 
 God : He will fay unto God in the Words of 
 the fame divine Pfalmift. Blejfed are they 
 that dwell in thy Houfe, they will be ftill 
 fraifing thee ^ ¥or one Day in thy Courts is 
 better than a thousand : Nay I had rather 
 be a Door-keeper in the Honfe of my God^ 
 than to dwell in the Tents of Ungodliiiefs, 
 This mufl needs be the Senfe of every one 
 that truly loves God, and therefore it may 
 eafily be imagined, how near it will go to 
 the Heart of fuch a One, to have thefe fo 
 ineftimable Priviledges taken from him. 
 
 When the Ark of God ( which was in 
 thofe Days the Symbol of his Prefence among 
 his People, and from whence he ufed toMa- 
 nifeft Himfslf to them) was taken by the 
 Philijii?ies, the Lofs of it was fuch a Blow to 
 the good old Eli,th^t the very News of it killed 
 him : He patiently bore the Relation of the 
 Death of his two Sons, but when the Mef- 
 fenger came to mention to him the Arks be- 
 ing carry ed away, the Text tells us, he fell 
 off from his Seat backwards and died ^ i Sam. 
 4. 18. 
 
 Thefe Things being fo, how ought every 
 one of us to prize and value that free Liberty 
 which we of this Nation, thro* the Favour 
 of God, enjoy of reforting to the Houfe of 
 the Lord, and partaking of the Means of Sal- 
 vation ! O how thankful ought we to be for 
 this unfpeakable Mercy ! How fervently ought 
 
 B 4 we 
 
Tl^e Firjl Sermon. 
 
 we to pray, for the Continuance of it ! An$ 
 how induftrious fhould we be, in improving 
 it to good Purpofes, now whilfl: God affords 
 it! O how zeaioufly fhould we all be difpo- 
 fed to the Service of our God! How diligent 
 in taking all Opportunities of attending it ! 
 How ferious and devout while we are in it ! 
 How frequent in our Approaches to the holy 
 Table, which is the mod folemn part of it! 
 
 O let us not by our Unthankfulnefs to 
 God for the light of his Gofpel, and our ne- 
 glect of, or unprofitablenefs under, thofe 
 Means, which he gracioufly difpenfethto us, 
 render our felves unworthy of them, and 
 give him occafion to remove our Candleftick 
 from us ! Let us remember that the Primi- 
 tive Chriftians would hav^e bought the Pri- 
 viledges we now enjoy, at any Rate in the 
 World, but could not obtain them. Many 
 Prophets and righteous Men, as our Saviour 
 faid in another Cafe, defired to fee the Things 
 that we fee, and could not fee them. But 
 if we make light of them, a Time may come, 
 when they may be hid from our Eyes alfo , 
 a Time may come, when the Kingdom of 
 God fliall be taken from us, and given to a 
 Nation that will bring forth the Fruit of it, 
 as our Saviour fpeaks, Matth. 21. 45. 
 
 SecG?idly^ From hence we may fee how 
 much two forts of Perfons among us are to be 
 reproved. 
 
 Firft thofe, who, tho' they do indeed fre- 
 quent Gods Houfe, and his publick Worlliip, 
 
 yet 
 
Tlje Firjl Sermon, 
 yet do not find that Sweetnefs, and Pleafure, 
 and Satisfadion in fo doing, as to be in a Ca- 
 pacity of looking upon it as fo great and iHi- 
 valuable a Bleffing, as the Pfahiiift doth here 
 account it: Tho* they join with the Congre- 
 gation in the Prayers of the Church, yet 
 their Hearts are not touched with that hvely 
 and grateful Senfe of God in thefe Exercifes, 
 as to render them truly delightful. On the 
 Contrary, they are heavy and lifHefs in thefe 
 Offices •, their Thoughts are employed about 
 quite different Objeds , than what they 
 Ihould be , they ferve God with meer Lip- 
 labour, nay and too many, it is to be feared, do 
 not ferve him at all, but come thither either 
 for Fafhions-fake, or to gratify their Curiofi- 
 ty, or fometimes perhaps out of worfe Ends. 
 
 if we did truly love God, and made it our 
 Bufinefs ferioufly to recommend our felvesto 
 his Favour, 1 am fure we ihould look upon 
 his publick Worfliip, as the very Joy of our 
 Hearts, and long for all Opportunities of be- 
 ing prefent at it. And, when we were fo, 
 we (liould mind it wholly , and every Day 
 fo employed we fhould account a good D.iy to 
 our Souls. It is not of hearing Sermons that 
 
 1 now fpeak ^ tho' by fome the Whole, in a 
 Manner, of Gods Worfliip is placed in that. 
 No j tho* it cannot be denied but that that is 
 an Exercife very profitable, nay neceiTary to 
 a great many People, who perhaps would 
 know nothing of Religion, unlefs they heard 
 
 , fomething of it in Sermons , yet it is pub- 
 
 Uck 
 
lo The Firfl Sermon] 
 
 lick Prayer and Thankfgiving, and comme- 
 morating the Death of our Saviour, and of- 
 fering up our felves as holy and acceptable 
 Sacrifices to him that died for us \ it is in 
 thefe Things that the Life of the Chriftians 
 Worihip doth confift, and from which the 
 true Pleafure doth arife. And wherever thefe 
 Things are negledsd, or coldly performed, 
 it is a great Argument there is but little De- 
 votion in the Heart. 
 
 But Secondly, how much to be reprov'd 
 are they, that when Churches are opened, 
 and folemn Times fet apart for Chriftians to 
 appear before God, and pay tlieir Homage 
 to him, yet feldom or never aflFord their pre- 
 fence there, but live in an habitual Negled 
 if not Contempt of the publick Duties of Re- 
 ligion > Where is the Religion of fuch Per- 
 fons ? What Senfe can they pretend to have 
 of God, or what Concernment for their own 
 Souls } That, which the pious King o( Ifrael 
 thought to be his greateft Afflidion, name- 
 ly, the not being prefent at the publick Ser- 
 vice of God, thefe Men make their Choice 
 /and their Priviledge. That which the firfl 
 Chriftians took to be the greateft Puniftiment 
 that could be inflided, namely, to be ex- 
 communicated and debarr'd from joyning to- 
 gether with their Brethren in the \Vorfliip of 
 Chrift Jefus, thefe Perfons infiid upon them- 
 felves^ cutting themfelves off from all the 
 Benefits of Chriftianity, by a voluntary Ex- 
 communication from the facred Affemblies. 
 
 II. But 
 
The Jnrjl Sermon, 
 
 II. Rut I proceed to the fecond general 
 Point obfervable from this Text, and that is 
 this ; that to put our Truft in God is the 
 proper Means to keep our Souls from being 
 caft down or difquieted under any Afflidion. 
 
 This is that, which David found a fove- 
 reign Remedy in all the DiflrefTes that he fell 
 into. And therefore no wonder that in this 
 prefent Diflrefs of his Banifhment from the 
 Houfeof God, he calls upon himfelf to make 
 ufe of it : Why art thou caft down ?ny 
 Sold, why art thoiifo difquieted within jne? 
 Flit thy truft in God, for Ifiallyet give him 
 Tha?iks for the help of his Countenance \ I 
 fiallgive him Thanks, who is the help of my 
 Countenance, and my God, 
 
 Now an entire Truft and Dependence up- 
 on God, is an effectual Remedy againft the 
 Evil of x\ffiidions in thefe three Refpeds. 
 
 Firft, As it is a Mean of fupporting them 
 with eafe and patience. 
 
 Secondly, As it is an Evidence for our 
 felves that we do that which we know is 
 highly acceptable to God. 
 
 Thirdly, As it is the beft way to obtain 
 deliverance from the Aftlidions we are under. 
 
 Firft of all, to put our whole Truft in 
 God, and to depend upon him in all Things, 
 is the beft Courfe we can take to be at Eafe 
 and Peace within our felves,howfoever Things 
 go. For it takes away all the Sollicitude 
 that is* upon us , how to get rid of the 
 
 pre- 
 
 II 
 
1 it The Fir ft Sermon. 
 
 prefent Evils, and prevents the Fear of thofe 
 that are to come. And it ftrangely bears up 
 the Soul under the Pain and An2;uifh of the 
 moil: grievous Sufferings ; and makes them 
 at leaii: fupportable to us. A Man that firm- 
 ly confides in God will always be in a tole- 
 rable happy Condition, under the worft 
 Things that can befall him ^ but in moft of 
 the common Afflidions of his Life, that ren- 
 der other Men very miferable, he will be very 
 chearful and well pleafed. And the Reafon 
 is, becaufe to trufl and depend upon God 
 implies a firm Belief, not only of the good- 
 nefs of Gods Providence in general, but alfo 
 of his Love and Care of us in particular. 
 Now whofoever is heartily perfuaded of that, 
 and doth withal ferioufly attend to it, how 
 can he be but well contented in all the Cir- 
 cumftances of this Life. For to confider, 
 that, however to profane and atheiftical Men 
 all Events feem to happen by Chance, or to 
 owe their Produdion to the blind and necef- 
 fary Agency of natural Things, yet in truth 
 there is an infinite Wifdom and Forefight that 
 fleers and governs the great Engine of the 
 World, managing and ordering the Motions 
 of the feveral parts, fo as to contribute 
 to the welfare and prefervation of the 
 Whole 5 and to confider that this Provi- 
 dence is not only confined to Generals, but 
 extends it felf even to every Thing and Per- 
 fon in the whole Creation , fo that a Spar- 
 row doth not fall to the Ground without the 
 
 Will 
 
The Firft Sermon] ij 
 
 Will of our Father, and the very Hairs of 
 our Heads are numbred ; No Condition we 
 are in, no Accident that doth befall us, but 
 is brought to pafs by the Counfel and Ap- 
 probation of the Governor of the World: 
 And to coniider farther, that the Meafure of 
 this Government and Providence is not Arbi- 
 trary Will, but infinite and perfedGoodnefs: 
 That God doth not difpenfe any Event unto 
 us out of meer Humour, (as many of us deal 
 with our fellow Creatures) much lefs be- 
 caufe he bears any ill Will to us, but becaufe 
 he clearly fees it is good for us, or for the 
 World, ours, or the publick, Neceffities call 
 for it. So that we are always abfolutely 
 certain that Things are carried on by the beft 
 Way, that it is podible for them to be, and 
 if they were otherwife, than they are, it 
 would not be fo well. I fay, for a good 
 Man ferioufly to believe and coniider this, 
 how can he be much uneafy or difcontented 
 at any Accident that befals him, tho' it may 
 perhaps be very troublefome to the fenfiblc 
 Nature. For he knows that he is in thofe 
 Circumflances that God fees fitted: for him, 
 that is, he is in the beft Circumftances, all 
 Things confidered, that he can be in, at that 
 Time : He knows, if he had been his own 
 Carver, he Ihould have chofen worfe for 
 himfelf : He knows, he has one that takes 
 care of him, that provides for him, and one 
 that underftands infinitely better, than him- 
 felf, what is his true Int^reft, and raakes 
 
 mofl 
 
I A 37;^ Pi^Jl Sermon. 
 
 moft for his Advantage : And, tho' he doth 
 not underftand the particular tendencies of 
 Things, tho' he doth not fee at prefent how 
 this or the other Thing, that looks untoward- 
 ly or mifchievoufly, Ihould work either to 
 his own private or to the pubhck Advantage, 
 yet he knows, in the general, that all is well 
 intended, that God can and will bring Good 
 out of the greateft Evils, and at laft all 
 Things will prove for the beft, not only to 
 the World in general, but to him in particu- 
 lar, if he truly loves God. 
 
 Thefe Things now being all contained or 
 implied in that which we call trufl: in God, 
 it mufl needs be an excellent Expedient a- 
 gainft all dejedion and difquiet of Mind, let 
 our Condition be what it will. 
 
 This is the firfl Thing. But, Secondly, 
 An entire Truft and Confidence in God is a 
 good Remedy againft the evil of Afflidlions, 
 as it is an evidence to us, that we are quali- 
 fied for his Mercy and Favour , feeing we do 
 that, which is moft highly acceptable to him, 
 and doth in a particular Manner recommend 
 us to his Love. 
 
 Trufting in God is, at all Times, both an 
 Exercife and Expreffion of our Religion, and 
 a great Evidence to our felves of our fincerity 
 in it : But it is efpecially fo, when we are 
 in any evil or difficult Circumftances, then, 
 when we are under great Temptations, and 
 Perplexities, then, when we are encompaf- 
 fed with Dangers, and have no profped of 
 
 help 
 
The Fir ft Sermon, 1 5 
 
 help ot deliverance by humane Means, which 
 way foever we look, then, I fay, to bear up, 
 and exercife Faith in God, and to fupport 
 our felves in this evil Plight with the confi- 
 dence of his goodnefs to us, as it is a com- 
 fortable Argument that our Virtue and Piety 
 is real and not only pretended, fo it is a 
 Thing that God doth highly efleem where 
 ever he fees it, and will not fail to reward it, 
 and this is a Confideration that Ihould migh- 
 tily excite us to the pradice of this Duty. 
 
 Many Sorrows (faith the Pfalmift, PfaL 
 52. 10.) Ma?iy Sorrows jJmll be to the Wick- 
 ed^ but whofo piitteth his tritjl in the Lord 
 Mercy embraceth him on every fide. And a- 
 gain, The Lord taketh no pleafitre in the 
 jirength of an Horfe, iieither delight eth he in 
 any Mans Legs, It is not the Buftle we 
 make to five our felves by humane Means 
 that is acceptable to him , But what then ? 
 Why the Lords delight is in them that fear 
 him, and in them that put their trufl in bis 
 Mercy, To put our Truft in Gods Mercy is 
 a Thing that is delightful to him, a Thing 
 that he taketh efpecial Pleafure in : And ac- 
 cordingly bleffed is he pronounced by the 
 Prophet, who trufteth in the Lord, and 
 whofe hope the Lord is j but on the contra- 
 ry, Ciirfed be the Man that maketh FleJJj his 
 Jrfn, and whofe Heart depart eth from the 
 Lord^ Jer. 17. 5. 
 
 Indeed Reafon it felf would teach us, tho' 
 we had no Revelation for it, that this Truft 
 
 and 
 
\^ The Firfl Sermon, 
 
 and Dependance upon God, that we fpeak 
 of, mail needs be a mod lovely Quality, 
 ari that which above all things muft endear 
 us to our Maker \ for it is an undeniable 
 Proof, that we think worthily of God, and 
 that we have fuch Apprehenfions of him as 
 he would defire we (hould have, or as it is 
 fit Creatures fhould have of the moft perfed 
 Being. It fhews, as I faid before, not only 
 that we acknowledge him to be the great dif- 
 pofer of all Events, and that all the good 
 Things we have, or hope for, come from 
 his Bounty 5 butalfo that we are deeply af- 
 feded with a Senfe of his goodnefs, that we 
 are heartily perfuaded that he loves us, and 
 will deny us nothing that is convenient for 
 us. Now thus to think of God is truly to 
 honour him, and expreifeth more Piety and 
 Devotion a great deal, than anxious Prayers 
 and Supplications to him ^ thofe argue Love 
 to our (elves, but this is an Evidence that we 
 truly love God. 
 
 On the other fide, to be without this 
 Trufl: and Affiance in God, and to place our 
 Hopes and Confidence in fecond Caufes, is 
 certainly a piece of Impiety and Irreligion, 
 wherever it is found : And therefore is juftly 
 filled by the Prophet, in the forecited Place, 
 a departing from God ^ for it either fliews, 
 that we have no Senfe of God upon our 
 Minds, nor take any Notice of his Govern- 
 ment of the World, or, if we do, it fliews, 
 that we have mean Thoughts of him, and 
 
 believe 
 
Tlje Ftrfl Sermon, Yf^ 
 
 believe either that he cannot or will not fup- 
 ply our Wants and Neceflities. And even 
 what Man is there, among our felves, that 
 would not take it very ill, to be thus repre- 
 fented, or thus thought on, by any Child of 
 his, that depends upon him. 
 
 Thirdly and laftly : Trufting in God may 
 therefore be recommended, as an efFedual Re- 
 medy in all Afflidions, becaufc it is the beft 
 Means to obtain deliverance from them. 
 
 It is not in Man (faith Solomon) to direEi 
 his Steps^ walk he never fo cautioufly, he 
 cannot fecure himfelf from falling into a 
 thoufand Evils, to which this ftate of Mor- 
 tality is dayly expofed : And, when he is 
 in them, he cannot, by all the Wit he haSj 
 or all the Induftry he can ufe, get himfelf 
 clear again : He may make a flir and be reft- 
 lefs, and impatient, but he gets no other 
 Good many times by his ftrugling, than 
 what wild Beafts do that are caught in a 
 Snare ^ namely, the farther entangling them- 
 felves : He may diligently apply himfelf to 
 this or the other Mean for Comfort or Re- 
 drefs, but he will too often find his Endea- 
 vours ineffedual : When he has done all he 
 can 5 God is the Governour of the World, 
 and difpenfeth good and evil to the Sons of 
 Men, when, and to v/hom, and fo long as 
 he pleafeth j and, therefore, from him only 
 can we exped Eafe or Deliverance, fronl 
 thofe Things that opprefs us , and the gene- 
 ral Way, 'that he hath appointed for this End, 
 Vol, III. C is 
 
8 The Firjl Sermon. 
 
 is patiently to wait upon him, and to truft 
 in his Mercy ^ fo will he in due Time fhew 
 himfelf our Saviour and Deliverer. 
 
 We fpeak not this to difcourage the ufe of 
 any lawful Means, either for the preventing or 
 removing our evil Circumftances : On the 
 Contrary, it is by them, that God ordinari- 
 ly worketh his Deliverances, both for his 
 People in general, and for every Servant of 
 his in particular '^ and therefore, they are not 
 to be negleded. But this we fay, without 
 the Blefling of God no Means will be effe- 
 dual, and, if we have his Bleffing, we Ihill 
 not fail of Redemption from all our Trou- 
 bles, of v/hat Nature foever they be, when 
 he fees fit ^ tho' there appear no vifible Means 
 at prefent, or, tho' thofe, that do appear, 
 feem never fo unlikely or infufficient. And 
 farther, the proper way to obtain this Blef- 
 ling of his, is entirely to depend upon him, 
 to confide in his Goodnefs, to be careful for 
 nothing, but in every thing by Prayer and 
 SuppHcation with Thankfgiving to make our 
 Requefts known unto him. 
 
 This the holy Pfilmift did continually ex- 
 perience all his life long ^ and this he declares 
 and recommends as a llanding Truth, to all 
 fucceeding Generations, in fo many Paffiges 
 of hisPfahiis, that it would be troublefome 
 to quote them. The Lord, faith he, never 
 faileth them that put their trufl in him. 
 Tntfithou in the Lor d^ and be doing good^ fo 
 (Ihtlt thou dwell in the Land, and verih thovi 
 
 ' fials 
 
Jhe Fir/} Senfioru ip 
 
 fbdlt he fed, Conmiit thy ways nfito the 
 Lord, and put thy trufi in hini^ and he \liall 
 bring it to pafs : The falvation of the Righ- 
 teous Cometh of the Lord^ who is a prefent 
 help in time of trouble \ hefljall deliver them, 
 he JImU fave them^ becaufe they put thiir 
 triijl in him. 
 
 The Truth is, God vefy ofteii afflids 
 good Men, for this very Rcafon, thu they 
 may the more truft in him, that they may 
 lit loofer from the World, and the Enjoy- 
 ments thereof: That they may fee the Va- 
 nity of ali earthly Things, and exercife a 
 more lively Faith and dependance upon his 
 Providence \ which being fo, it cannot be 
 doubted, but that this is a certain mean to 
 get their Afflictions removed j for take a- 
 way the Caufe, and the EfFed ceafeth. _ If 
 their not trufting in God was the Caufe of 
 their Afflidion, then their hearty Affiance in 
 him will be the mean to fct them free from it. 
 
 It is true indeed, the Deliverances that 
 God works for his Children are not always 
 fuch as they deiire or pray for ^' he is many 
 times not pleafed to remove his Hand, in 
 that inftance they are apt to wifh he would^ 
 but Hill we fay, he doth deliver them. If 
 he doth not anfwer their Prayers and their 
 Hopes, in kind 5 yet, if he gives them Grace 
 and Strength to undergo what he lays upon 
 them, and beftows other Bleffings upon them', 
 which are more needful for them, than thofe 
 they would have, is not this as great a Kind- 
 
 G 3- ne^ 
 
2 77;e Fir ft Sermon. 
 
 nefs and Mercy to them ? Cert'iinly it is. 
 
 O therefore, whatever the Event of Things 
 be, whatever Flefh and Blood fugged to us, 
 let us fix this as an immoveable Principle in 
 our Hearts, that to trufl in God, and chear- 
 fully to depend upon him, in a conftant ad- 
 herence to our Duty, is the mod efFedual 
 Courfe we can take, both, to fupport us un- 
 der ail Afflidions,and to deliver us from them. 
 
 And now what remains,but that every one 
 of us fhould be ferioufly exhorted to put all 
 this in Pradice ^ In every ungrateful and dif- 
 pleafing Circumftance of Life that we light 
 into, to put our truft in God as the help of 
 our Countenance, and our God. We fhould, 
 without doubt, fpeedily find the eafe and 
 comfort of fo doing f, let our Afflictions be 
 of what nature they will, this is an Antidote 
 that will reach them all. Are we troubled 
 about our private Concernments in this World ? 
 Do not our Defigns or Endeavours fucceed as 
 we expeded ? Or are we in a poor low Con- 
 dition, and hardly put to it to live ? Or are 
 our deareft Relations taken from us ? Or do 
 we groan under the Bondage of harfli Parents, 
 or cruel Mafters, or under the Mifery of ha- 
 ving wicked and undutiful Children? Why 
 in all thefe Cafes let us fay to our Souls as 
 David here in the Text did. Why art thou 
 cafi cloven^ my Soul, why art thou difqui- 
 eted within me .<? Vut thy trufl in God. And, 
 if we do thus, we fhall alTuredly be in a 
 Condition to give him Thanks, he will ihew 
 
 him° 
 
The Firjl Sermon, 1 1 
 
 himfelf the help of our Countenance, and 
 our God *, we (liall give him Thanks, either 
 for the fupporting us under our Afflidions, 
 or freeing us from them, he will be our God 
 either by conferring thofe Bleffings we de- 
 fire, or by giving us others that are fitter for 
 our Condition. 
 
 Are we concerned for any Danger, that 
 we apprehend may threaten the Publick ? 
 Why ftill let us fay to our felves, I'Tbjy art 
 thou caft down^ ?ny Soul, why art thou dif- 
 quieted whh'm me / Vut thy trnfi yet 'in God. 
 He is the fame God, that hath hitherto taken 
 care of his People, and he will, without doubt, 
 continue fo to do, in fuch Ways, and by 
 fuch Means, as he fees mod convenient for 
 them. He fits at the Helm and fees how ail 
 Things go, and will interpofe when it is fit 
 he fhould, either in preventing the Things 
 we fear, or in fo ordering Matters that all 
 Things, whatever happens, fiiall work toge- 
 ther for good unto his Church. O therefore 
 why fhould we be afraid of atiy evil Tidings, 
 let our Hearts ftand fad and believe in the 
 Lord. 
 
 Laftly, Are we exercifed with any trou- 
 ble of Mind, about our fpiritual Affairs ^ 
 Doth God write bitter Things againft us, and 
 make us to polfefs the Iniquities of our Youth ? 
 Doth he hide away his Face from us, and 
 fliut up his loving kindnefs in difpleafure ? 
 Why here again let us fay to our felves. Why 
 art thou caji down my Soul, why art thou 
 
 C 3 ■ d,f- 
 
p2, The Firfl Sermon] 
 
 difqu'ieted within me ,<? Vitt thy tnifl hi GocL 
 Wait upon him, with Faith and Patience, 
 and, thou fhalt fee, all thefe Storms will 
 blow over. Thefe Chaftifements , witii 
 which thou art exercifcd, when they have 
 brought forth the peaceable Fruits of righte- 
 cufnefs, will turn to thy exceeding Joy and 
 Comfort, and thou flialt again, more affed:i- 
 pnntely than ever, give thanks to him, who 
 is the help of thy Countenance, and thy 
 God. 
 
 O, my Brethren, tliat all of us were ad- 
 ed by fuch a Spirit as this, O that we would 
 endeavour, in all conditions and circum fian- 
 ces of Life, thus firmly to hope in God, and 
 put our confidence in his Mercy \ not dif- 
 quieting our felves Vv^th the prefent Events, 
 nor being folicitous about the future, but 
 calling the whole Burden of both upon the 
 Lord, who careth for us, looking up to hiin 
 in every difpenfation of Providence, and af- 
 furedly believing that all (hall at lad be for 
 the belt to us. 
 
 This, one would think, fhould be one of 
 the eaiieft Duties in the World to any one 
 that believes a God and a Providence , but 
 yet we find alas mod of thofe, who pretend 
 to believe both, to be very difhcultly brought 
 to it. We talk of God, as if we thought him 
 to be the Governour of the World, and the 
 Difpenfer of all Events both good and bad that 
 happen to Mankind : But yet alafs how few of 
 us are there that dare repofe any Confidence in 
 
 him ? 
 
77;e Fir [I Sermon, 25 
 
 him ? Our care, and trouble and follicitude, 
 about our Affairs, is as great, as if all Things 
 came to pafs by chance, or fate, or the will 
 of Man : Our f'ears and our Hopes do alto- 
 gether depend upon fecond Caufes. We are 
 indeed apt enough to truft: God with our 
 Souls, not caring how little Thought we take 
 about them , but, as for our worldly Con- 
 cernments, we will not truft him any far- 
 ther, than as we fee we have the means of 
 accomplifhing our Defigns in our own Hands. 
 But this is a bafe, unthankful, unworthy 
 Pradice : For fhame let us quit it \ let us 
 ihake off this dull, earthly, ftupid Humour : 
 Let us caft our Eyes up to the Author and 
 Preferver of our Beings , and, like Men, 
 make ufe of the Reafon and Underftanding 
 that he hath given us, not living altogether 
 by Senfe, as the brute Beafts do, but exer- 
 cifing Faith in the goodnefs and power of 
 God. By this mean we (hall beft approve 
 our felves to him, and moft confult our own 
 Interefts : By this mean we fhall obtain of 
 hini to be our Saviour and mighty Deliverer 
 in all Dangers, and fliall for ever have Caufe 
 to give him Thanks, who is the help of our 
 Countenance and our God. 
 
 TFe hitmhly hefeech thee Father Ahtiigh- 
 ty to look upon our Infirjnities^ and for 
 the Glory of thy Name^ 6cc. 
 
 C 4. S E R- 
 
?4 
 
 SERMON II. 
 
 P S A L. XLII. 6, 7. 
 
 According to the Tranflation of our Liturgy, 
 
 Why art thou fo full of Heavinefs^ my 
 Souty and njhy art thou difquieted withifi 
 me .<? Vut thy trufl in God, for I will yet 
 give him thanks for the help of his Coun- 
 tena?ice. 
 
 MW.^^^^ Aving, the laft Time, given you 
 ^ TT ^ an Account of the Occafion and 
 P M Scope of thefe Words, as they 
 
 ^WMM^y were fpoken by the Pfahnift, and 
 treated of fuch pradical Points, as may be 
 deduced from them, as fo cenfidered : I now 
 come to that, which I chiefly defigned when 
 1 pitched upon this Text, which was, as I 
 told you, to fpeak to the Cafe of thofe Peo- 
 ple among us, that are troubled with religi- 
 ous Meiancholly. 
 
 And here, that which I propofe to do, is 
 to confider the feveral Things that are mod: 
 apt to difturb them, and which are wont to 
 create great uneafinefs, and trouble, and per- 
 plexity to their Minds, and to give fuch an 
 Account of thefe Things, as that every good 
 
 ' • . Man 
 
The Second Sermon, ij 
 
 Man may be fatisfied, that there is no Rea- 
 fon that, for the fake of them, his Soul fhould 
 be caft down, or his Spirit difquieted within 
 him ^ but, on the contrary, that he ought to 
 praife God, and to look upon him as the help 
 of his Countenance, and his God, as David 
 exprefleth it in this Pfalm. 
 
 But, before 1 engage in this Argument, it 
 is fit I Ihould give you a more particular Ac- 
 count of what I mean by religious Melan- 
 cholly, and how it is diflinguiflied from o- 
 ther forts of trouble of Mind, that are inci- 
 dent to Mankind. 
 
 Firfl of all, there is a Melancholly and 
 dejedion of Spirit occafioned by worldly 
 Things, fuch as Sicknefs, or Poverty, or Di- 
 flrefs, or lofs of Friends, or bad Children 
 and Relations, or fome other outward Crofs 
 or Difappointment, which either is come up- 
 on us,^ or we fear will do. But now this is 
 not that trouble of Mind 1 am here concern- 
 ed with, tho' it be the moft common I rou- 
 ble that exercifeth the Minds of Men. 
 
 Secondly^ There is a trouble of Mind up- 
 on a religious Account, which moft Men 
 both good and bad have fometimes experi- 
 ence of, which like wife is far different from 
 that religious Melancholly I am here to fpeak 
 of. There is no good Man that at any time 
 falls into a Sin, or doth any Adion that he 
 believes to be difpleafing to God, but he muft 
 needs be troubled in Confcience for it, and 
 heartily vexed in his own Mind that he 
 '■ .' fhould 
 
The Second Sermon. 
 fhould be fo foolidi, and fo ungrateful to his 
 great Benefador. He will truly be forry for 
 his Fault, and patiently confefs it, and ear- 
 neftly beg Pardon for it. But then it is not 
 his Infelicity to be thus troubled, and afflid- 
 ed, (as the Cafe is with them that are reli- 
 gioufly Melancholly) but it is 'his Duty and 
 his Advantage : For this is a Mean whereby 
 he muit bereftored to the Favour of God, and 
 to his own peace and quiet of Mind ^ and it 
 is the bell: Prefervative likewife againft his 
 falling again into the fame Fault. And fo 
 for bad Men, thofe that live in any courfe of 
 Vice or wilful Sin, there are few of them 
 but are fometimes much troubled in Mind, 
 and feel a great load of Melancholly upon 
 their Spirits, when they refled upon their 
 fpiritual Condition : Many Occafions are by 
 the Providence of God thrown in their way, 
 which feldom fail of putting them in mind of 
 their finful Lives, and of the Danger they are 
 in upon account thereof. And, if thefe Re- 
 flexions be ferious, they cannot but be ac- 
 companied with a great deal of Horrour and 
 Amazement. But, however they ftifle thefe 
 Thoughts in the time of their Health, yet 
 when they come to be on their lick Beds, 
 and expect nothing but Death , then many 
 of them are moft terribly awakned, their 
 Confciences then fly in their Faces, and in a 
 miferable Agony they are upon account of 
 their former ungodly Life, and would give 
 all the World to be rid of thofe difmal Ap- 
 
 prehea- 
 
The Second Sermon. 27 
 
 prehenfions they have of themfelves, and of 
 their own everlafting Condition. 
 
 Bat this Trouble likewife is nothing but 
 what is reafonable, and confidering their Cir- 
 cumftances, very necelTary for them. It is 
 not a Melancholly grounded upon a Conceit, 
 or Imagination, or mifapprehenfion of Things, 
 for really they have great reafon to be thus 
 difquieted and afflided in their own Minds, 
 and they mull be fenfelefs and llupid, if they 
 were not. And it is a Mercy of God to 
 them, that they are thus awakned, for, if 
 ever they repent and come to good, it mufl 
 in all probability be by fuch Beginnings as 
 thefe. 
 
 But Thirdly, there is another kind of re- 
 ligious trouble of Mind, which none but 
 good Men, or thofe that defire fo to be, are 
 fubjed: too : Which yet is different from that 
 religious Melancholly, that is now under my 
 Conhderation. That which I mean, is that 
 Trouble which arifes from our irrefolution 
 or doubtfulnefs about the goodnefs or badnefs 
 of Actions. When, in any Cafe that we hap- 
 pen to be engag'd in, we are at a lofs how to 
 determine our felves, as fearing that, if we 
 a6l this way, we (in, if we ad the other 
 way, we may fin likewife. Thefe kind of 
 Doubts or Scruples do often render the Minds 
 of well-meaning Perfons very uneafie, even 
 fometiines in fuch Inftances as another Man, 
 and he an honeft Man too, would iind no 
 Pifficulty at all in. It may indeed and doth 
 
 feme- 
 
2 8 The Second Sermon, 
 
 fometimes happen, that this perplexity and 
 fcrupulofity, about Ad:ions, doth proceed 
 from Diftemper and Indifpofition of Body , 
 and, where it doth fo, it is a Spice of that 
 religious Melancholly I am here to fpeak uf , 
 but, generally, it proceeds from ignorance 
 of Things, and the falfe Notions Men have 
 taken up about the meafure of Adlions, from 
 their Education, or Converfation, and the 
 like. And, when thefe are once removed, 
 and the Man comes to form a right Judg- 
 ment of Things, there is an end of the Scru- 
 ples or Doubts, and confequently of all that 
 Trouble they were the caufe of. 
 
 But Fourthly, As for that fort of trouble 
 of Mind, which we properly call religious 
 Melancholly, and which is my prefent Ar- 
 gument 5 the beft Account I can give of it is 
 this, that it is a dejedion of Mind occalion- 
 ed from the Temperament, or mod com- 
 monly from the Diftemperature, of the Bo- 
 dy, accompanied with unreafonable Fears, 
 and Frights, about our fpiritual Condition. 
 
 We cannot but have obferved (at leaft 
 they muft, that have ever had to do with 
 Mens Souls,) that there are a great many 
 Perfons who, as far as we can judge, either 
 by their Converfation, or by that Account 
 they give of themfelves , ( which they 
 give in fuch Circumftances too, that no Man 
 can fufped that they Counterfeit) are very 
 innocent, and vertuous Perfons, and have a 
 hearty Senfe of God and Religion .upon their 
 
 Minds, 
 
The Second Sermon. ip 
 
 Minds, and would not, for all the World, do 
 any Thing that they know to be finful : And 
 who confequently may, with very good Rea- 
 fon, be looked upon to be the true Difciples 
 of Jefus Chrift, and as fuch accepted of God. 
 Yet thefe Perfons, tho* they have as little 
 Reafon as any to be troubled about their fpi- 
 ritual Eftate, and far lefs than moft of Man- 
 kind, who live without any fuch Trouble ^ 
 yet, fuch is their Infelicity, that they are of- 
 ten grievoufly dejected, and under fad Fears 
 and Perplexities, even to that Degree, as 
 fometimes to think themfelves the moft mi- 
 ferable Wretches that breath. So that in 
 truth there is none in Mankind can live a 
 more uncomfortable Life, than they do : 
 Nay, even at their death, when they ftand 
 moft in need of Comfort, yet now and then 
 it happens that they cannot rid themfelves of 
 thofe frightful and difmal Apprehenlions. 
 
 If we enquire into the Caufes of thefe 
 their Troubles, or how it comes to pafs that 
 thefe Perfons are thus afflided and difturbed 
 more than other Men, I Ihould be loath to 
 allign thefe Two, that they themfelves look 
 upon to be the true ones, that is to fay, ei- 
 ther that God has forfaken them and left 
 them to themfelves, or that it is the Devil, 
 that is always bufie about them, and raifeth 
 thofe Tumults and Difturbances in their 
 Minds. 
 
 For as for the Firft, I doubt not but that 
 thefe Perfons are as much under the ProteiSi- 
 
 on 
 
30 
 
 The Second Sermon, 
 
 on and Care and Guidance of God Aliriigh- 
 ty, as thofe that were never thus exercifed j 
 and, as for the Devil, tliey neither give him 
 Opportunity, nor is he, I hope, ordinarily 
 permitted to be fo buiie about them, as they 
 are apt to imagine. No , I take it, th^t the 
 principal Caufes and the Foundation of all 
 their Troubles lies in the ill Habit of their 
 Bodies : Their animal Spirits, which the 
 Soul makes ufe of as her Inflruments in the 
 performance of all her rational Operations. 
 Thefe animal Spirits, I fiy, are vitiated and 
 diforder'd by Fumes aridng. from Hypocon- 
 driack AfFedions, and that gives the firft Oc- 
 cafion to the diforder of their Minds. 
 
 That what I fay is true, fufficiently ap- 
 pears from this ; Namely, That thofe who 
 are conftantly and habitually thus troubled 
 in Mind, are known, by a great many Symp- 
 toms, not only to be Perfons of a melanchol- 
 ly Complexion, but alfo to be highly under 
 the Power of Hypocondriack Melancholly 'y 
 and thofe that are not frequently under thefe 
 Troubles, but only fometimes, may obferve 
 of themfelves that thefe Troubles have uCu- 
 ally come upon them, either upon fome hea- 
 vy Crofs and Afflidion that hasbefall'n them^ 
 or fome great Sicknefs of which they were 
 not well recovered, or fome other natural 
 Caufe, that hath put^heir Bodies into fome 
 Weaknefs or Indifpofition , and, when that 
 has been removed, they have been as well 
 in their Minds as they were before. But 
 
 this 
 
77;e Second Sermon, 21 
 
 this is not all, tho' it be true, as I have faid, 
 that the Seat of this trouble of Mind is in the 
 Body, which is by fome Occalion or other 
 out of order, yet it is not from hence alone 
 that all tliis Trouble doth proceed , for then 
 all Hypocondrical Perfons would be thus af- 
 fiided : There is fomething in the Mind it 
 felf of which this Diflemperature of the Bo- 
 dy doth commonly take Advantage, for the 
 making all that Stir and Diforder and Confu- 
 (ion that fuch Perfons feel in themfelves, and 
 this without doubt is fome frightful and un- 
 comfortable Notions or Opinions which the 
 Men have happened to take up in Matters of 
 Religion, which upon Examination, will be 
 found either to be plain Miftakes, or, if they 
 be true, yet the Men do miferably mifapply 
 them to their own Cafe. 
 
 Now when a melancholly Hypocondria- 
 cal Perfon, that is by his Temper inclined to 
 be ferious, and devout and religious, hath 
 unluckily leavened his Mind with fuch falfe 
 Principles, or, thro' want of skill, makes 
 fuch mifapplication of true ones ; it cannot be 
 avoided but when he comes to view himfelf 
 in fuch a Glafs as this, which is of his own 
 framing, and to make a Judgment of his own 
 fpiritual Features, and the condition of his 
 Soul therefrom, he mult needs do it mighti- 
 ly to his own dif idvantage, and confequently 
 create to himfelf a World of trouble and dif- 
 quiet and anxiety (more than he needs to 
 do.) . . _ 
 
 Admitting 
 
^ 1 The Second Sermon] 
 
 Admitting now this to be a true Account 
 of that which we call religious Melancholly, 
 you fee there are two Things necefTary to be 
 done, in order to the Cure or Removal of 
 it. 
 
 Firft, That the Perfons afflided with it do 
 take care of their Bodies, that they be put 
 into a better ftate of Health and Vigour, and 
 freed from all Hypocondriack Fumes that do 
 opprefs them. 
 
 Secondly, That they endeavour to get 
 their Minds truly informed, about thofe Mat- 
 ters of Religion, from which their Difeafe 
 doth, as I may fay, take a Handle to vex and 
 difturb them. 
 
 To prefcribe Rules about the firfl: of thefe 
 belongs to the Phyfician, and therefore Ifhali 
 not pretend to meddle therein : But the fe- 
 cond Thing is a proper Subjed for a Divine, 
 and accordingly I fliall difcourfe of it, as fai? 
 as I have been acquainted with Cafes of this 
 nature, tho', to fpeak my Thoughts freely, 
 I muft needs fay that in many of thefe Ca- 
 fes, the Phyficians Part is every whit as ne- 
 celfary, if not more, than that of the Divine j 
 for, if the bodily Indifpofition was removed, 
 mofl of the Fears and Frights and Difturban- 
 ces, that happen upon a religious Account, 
 would vanifh of themfelves : At leaft, the 
 Perfons would be capable of receiving full 
 Satisfadion, about thofe Matters, from the 
 prudent Inflrudlions and Difcourfes of thofe 
 whom they confulted ; whereas, while the 
 
 Root 
 
The Second Sermon. } J 
 
 Root of the Difeafe (I mean that ill Ferment 
 of the Blood and Spirits) remains in the Bo- 
 dy, the moft comfortable Difcourfes that can 
 be made to them about their fpiritual Con- 
 dition (tho' to the Byftanders that hear them 
 they appear never fo wife and rational) will 
 often hive but little effed upon them. Or, 
 if they do give them fome Eafe and Satisfadi- 
 on, for the prefent, yet in a little time their 
 Troubles and Fears return again, and are as 
 impetuous as they were before. 
 
 1 know that many of thefe, that are af- 
 iiided with this Malady, will not eafily give 
 Credit to what I now fay. A Man, for in- 
 ilance, that is troubled with horrid blafphe- 
 mous Thoughts, which is one of the Cafes I 
 ihall hereafter fpeak to, will think it Itrange 
 that you Ihould advife him, for the Cure of 
 Sin, to make ufe of Phyfick and Exercife, 
 and fuch other Methods, as are prefcribed 
 to valetudinary Perfons, for the recovery of 
 their Health : Why, faith he, I am well e- 
 nough in Body, I eat, I drink, I fleep, all 
 iny Difeafe is in my Mind : I would be rid 
 of thefe wicked Thoughts, that do continu- 
 ally haunt me and torment me, and what 
 can Phyfick or Exercife contribute to that? I 
 have need of a fpiritual Phyfician : Why 
 thus far indeed he is in the right, a fpiritual 
 Phyfician may do him fome Service, and sive 
 him fome Comfort by convincing him (if he 
 be capable of it) that thefe Thoughts of his, 
 how wicked and blafphemous fuever they are. 
 Vol. III.' D ihall 
 
34 *The Second Sermon. 
 
 fliall do him no harm, fo long as he doth not 
 confent to them : That he is never the worfe 
 for them, that they fhali never come into his 
 Account, at the Day of Judgment. But this is 
 all he can do, he cannot, I doubt, put him in- 
 to a Way of getting rid of thefe Thoughts, 
 which is the main Thing he defires ^ for 
 that cannot be done but by the alteration 
 of the (late of his Body, from the ill Difpo- 
 fition of which, all thefe Thoughts do arife. 
 But now, the Man being ignorant of this, 
 and having no Notion how his Body fhould 
 ;hus afFed his Soul, as to the making her 
 think after this or that manner, (which yet 
 it certainly doth,) cannot readily entertain 
 any Advices that are given to him, with rela- 
 tion to that, tho' yet he will find, upon try- 
 . al, that it is from hence only that his Cure 
 mulT; be perfeded. 
 
 And now, having premifed this, in order 
 to the ihewing what fort of Relief the appli- 
 cation of Theological Remedies will afford to 
 Perfons in thefe Cafes, I come to fpeak to 
 the Cafes themfelves. And thefe indeed are 
 various, as various as are Mens Tempers, and 
 the Opinions they have taken up about Reli- 
 gion. Two of the mofl common ones, name- 
 ly thofe two that I have already given a Hint 
 of, I mean to fpeak to, in this and the fol- 
 lowing Difcourfes, that I defign to make up- 
 on this Argument. Deferring the others to 
 future Opportunities, as they eome in niy 
 way. 
 
 The 
 
The Second Sermon. J 5 
 
 The Firfl is the Cafe of tliofe, that are in 
 the Strite of defertion, as we commonly call 
 it, that are deprived of all the fpiritual Com- 
 forts they ufed to find in their Duty, and 
 thereupon think that they are forfaken of God. 
 
 The Second is the Cafe of thofe that think 
 themfelves giv'n up to the Power of the De- 
 vil, upon account of a Multitude of wicked 
 blafphemous Thoughts, and Fancies, which 
 do continually haunt their Minds, do wha£ 
 they can to the contrary. 
 
 Now, both thefe Cafes I fhall endeavour 
 to give fuch an Account of, that the Perfons 
 concerned in them may be fatisfied that they 
 may, and ought to apply Davids Words in 
 my Text to themfelves, and to fay with him. 
 Why art thou cajl dovpn my Soitl, why art 
 thou difqiiieted ivithin me .<? Put thy tritjl in 
 God, for Ijhall yet give him thanks^ who k 
 the help of my Countenance^ and my God. 
 
 I begin with the Firft , the Cafe of Defer= 
 tion. Many pious and devout People we 
 have known, that are under terrible Appre- 
 henhons that God hath forf iken them, and 
 withdrawn his Prefence and Afliftance from 
 them, and left them wholly to themfelves. 
 
 If we ask them what makes them think fo, 
 why they tell you, they have loft all that Joy 
 and Comfort that ufed to fill their Souls : 
 They cannot Pray, nor give Thanks, • nor 
 receive the Sacrament with that Devotion 
 and Satisfaftion they ufed to do, their Hearts 
 are altogether dead as to all fpiritual Exercife % 
 D a Whence 
 
5 6 Tl:e Second Sermon. 
 
 Whence now, fiy they, can this proceed but 
 from Gods for{;^king them and withdrawing 
 his gracious Influence from them, that he 
 was pleafed formerly to vouchfafe them. 
 
 Two Things I fliall do in fpeaking to this 
 Cafe. 
 
 FirJI, I fhall fhew what it is for God to 
 forfake a Man, and that they have no reafon 
 to believe that they are in that State. 
 
 Secondly^ I fhall give an Account of the 
 true Caufes from whence thefe Effedls do pro- 
 ceed, which they attribute to Gods forfaking 
 them. 
 
 I begin with the Firft. Two Notions of 
 Gods forfaking Men v»^e meet with in the 
 Scripture. The one with refped to their 
 outward Circum (lances, and it confifts in 
 Gods withdrawing his outward Bledlngs from 
 them. The other is with refped to their 
 fpiritual Condition, and conlifts in Gods 
 withdrawing his inward Grace from them. 
 
 It is in the firft of thefe Senfes, I do veri- 
 ly believe, that David fo often in the Pfdms 
 complains of Gods forfikinghim ^ of his hid- 
 ing his Face from him, of his abfenting him- 
 felf, and (hutting up his loving Kindnels in 
 difpleafure ^ and, if any one will carefully 
 perufe the Pfalms, where thefe and fuch like 
 ExprelTions are ufed, and mind upon what 
 Occafion they come in, 1 dare fay, they will 
 be convinced, from the fcope and defign of 
 the Difcourfe, that David doth not make 
 thefe Complaints, with reference to his fpiri- 
 tual 
 
The Second Sermon. 3 7 
 
 tual Eftate ^ as if God had withdrawn his 
 Grace or the inward Influences of the Holy 
 Spirit from his Mind, but wholly with refe- 
 rence to fome outward Calamity, fome out- 
 ' ward Diftrefs, or Afflidion, or perfecution, 
 that he or the Church of God was then un- 
 der ; But now this is nothing to the Cafe of 
 thefe Perfons among us that I am at prefent 
 fpeaking, it is not of Gods forfiking them in 
 this Senfe that they complain : Let God ex- 
 ercife them with as many outward Afliidi- 
 ons and Adverfities, as he pJeafeth, they will 
 bear them as well as they can, but they will 
 not murmur or complain upon Account there- 
 of , But they are afraid that God has forfi- 
 ken them, as to their fpiritual Condition, 
 that he hath withdrawn from them the in- 
 ward Influences of his Holy Spirit, and left 
 them to themfeives. 
 
 But now what little Grounds they have, 
 for fuch Fears as thefe, will fufliciently ap- 
 pear, from confidering the Nature of this fe- 
 conJ fort of Defertion or Gods forfaking 
 Man. 
 
 It cannot be denied but that God may, and 
 fometimes doth, forfake Men, by withdraw- 
 ing from them the inward aiiiftance of his 
 Grace and Spirit, and this is defertion pro- 
 perly fo called ^ and a he ivy Judgment it is, 
 upon wbomfoever it falls : And this I take to 
 be that, which David fo earneflly prays a- 
 gainft, in the 5ifl iy^/;/2, after he had fo 
 grievoufly provoked God, and wounded his 
 
 D 3 own 
 
The Second Sermon. 
 
 own Confcience, by his foul Adultery and 
 Murder ^ Caji me not away^ faith he, from 
 thy prefeiice^ and take not thy holy Spirit 
 from me. God, I fty, may, and it is to be 
 fear'd doth fometimes, forfake Men in this 
 Senfe : He withdraws from them his Grace, 
 both that preventing, and aflifting, and even 
 that retraining Grace, which he had former- 
 ly afforded them , and leaves them entirely 
 to themfelves to be fili'd with their own 
 Ways, and to commit all manner of Sin with 
 greedinefs; and thus, for Inflance, he for- 
 fook Judas Ifcariot, upon which the Devil 
 enter'd into him. And this State is that 
 which the Scripture expreifeth by darknefs 
 of Heart, by hardnefs of Heart, by being 
 given up to a reprobate Mind '^ by being un- 
 der the Power of flrong Delufions, and the 
 like 5 but then it is to be remember'd. 
 
 Dens nimquam deferit 7iifi deferentem^ 
 
 as St. Anjiin fomewhere fpeaks, that Godne^ 
 ver thus forfaketh any Man that hath 7iot 
 long before forfaken him j God is patient 
 apd lo jig-fufFering, and is not eaiily provoked 
 thus to give up a Man. Long doth he bear 
 "with the Ungratitude and Perverfenefs of his 
 Creatures, and many and various Ways doth 
 he ufe to bring them to a Senfe of their Sin, 
 and of their Duty. But, if they redft all 
 thefe Means, if the goodnefs of God doth 
 not lead them to Repentance, but on the con- 
 trary. 
 
Tl?e Second Sermon. jp 
 
 trary, they defpife the Riches of Iiis Grace, 
 and forbearance and long-fafFering, and con- 
 tinue obftinate in their evil Courfes, and 
 ceafe not to put Affronts upon the holy Spi- 
 rit of God 5 a Time will come, when this 
 holy Spirit will no longer flay with them, but 
 he will return to his Place, and leave them to 
 their own hi rdnefs of Heart and impeniten- 
 cy, to treafure up Wrath againft the Day of 
 Wrath, and the Revelation of the righteous 
 Judgment of God. 
 
 It is true that every Act of wilful Sin, and 
 efpecially every habit of fuch Sin, doth high- 
 ly grieve the Spirit of God. But yet it is 
 not, for every fuch Ad or Habit, that the 
 Spirit doth ufually forfike Men. _ He flill 
 continues to knock at the Door of their Hearts, 
 and to purfue them .with his holy Motions, 
 fo long as there are any Hopes of gaining 
 them to Repentance '^ But, if Men be unper- 
 fuadable, and, inftead of complying with 
 Gods Grace, and reforming their Ways, go 
 on adding Sin to Sin, and growing more au- 
 datious and impudent in their Provocations, 
 it is but juft with God to abandon fuch un- 
 grateful Wretches, and totally to leave them 
 to themfelves. 
 
 But it is to be hoped there are but very 
 few, in Comparifon, among us whom God 
 hath thus forfaken. The greateft part of 
 Men, tho' they are far from being as good as 
 they (hould, (nay far from being fo good as 
 they muft be if ever they come to Heaven) 
 D 4 yet 
 
40 The Second Sermon. 
 
 yet. are not thus forfaken. The Spirit doth 
 Hill drive with them, ami, tho' he doth not 
 dwell within them (which he doth in none 
 but holy and fandifyed Perfons) yet he of- 
 ten affords them his Prefence, and offers them 
 his AfTiflance, he often puts good Thoughts 
 into them, and gives them many Opportuni- 
 ties of refcuing themfelves from the Slavery 
 they are under : If they will make ufe of that 
 AfTifl'ance, and comply with thofe Motions, 
 and improve thofe Opportunities as they may 
 do, there is no doubt in the World but they 
 v/ill be gained to Vertue and Happinefs, God 
 hath not forfaken them, and confequently 
 there is Hopes of them, till they be hardned 
 in their Sins, as we re id Pharaoh was. 
 
 If this now be the true Notion of fpiritual 
 Defertion, as without doubt it is , we may 
 from hence learn thefe four Things, which 
 I ferioully recommend to the Confideration of 
 all thofe afflided Perfons amongft us, that I 
 am now concerned with , and I conclude 
 with them. 
 
 Firfl of all that they, of all others, have , 
 the leafl Reafon to imagine that they are for- 
 faken of God, for they, ofallothers, are far- 
 theft from that State, which I have now re- 
 prefented as the true State of fpiritual Defer- 
 tion : Their Hearts are fo far from being ob- 
 flinately bent to the purftiit of any evil 
 Courfc, that they abhor nothing more than 
 the Thoughts of it. They have a raoft ten- 
 der Senfe of their Duty, would not for the 
 
 World 
 
The Second Sermoyi, 4 ^ 
 
 Vv^orlcl willingly do any Thing that they know 
 is difpleafing to God j all their Grief and 
 Trouble is that they do notpleafe him enough, 
 that they do not perform that chearful uni- 
 form Obedience to his holy Laws, that they 
 defire to do. Doth this now look like the 
 Cafe of one that is abandoned of God, and 
 left to himfelf > The Effects of Gods forfa- 
 kingMen, are hardnefs of Heart, and Impe- 
 nitence, and running on in aCourfeof known 
 Wickednefs without any Reludance or Re- 
 morfe. No Man that is ever apprehenfive of 
 Gods forfiking him, that is ever fearful that 
 he fhould, or troubled that he hath y no fuch 
 Man, I fay, is really forfaken by him. 
 Thofe, that are the leaft fenfible of fuch a 
 Judgment, are the likelieft to have it inflicted 
 upon them. 
 
 Secondly, Thofe Perfons', whofe Cafts 
 we are reprefenting, as they are not at pre- 
 fent forfiken by God, fj neither are they in 
 danger of it ? For, whatever Appreheniions 
 they may have of themfelves, they do not 
 give God Occafion to forfake them, becaufe 
 they do not forfake him. For, I fuppofe, 
 tho' they complain of great Dulnefs and In- 
 fenfibiiity, and can by no m.eansfatisfie them- 
 felves in their religious Endeavours and Per- 
 formances, yet they have really as rooted an 
 Averfion to every Thing that is Evil, and 
 ha\'e as hearty a Defire and as fteddy Refo- 
 lutions, and ufe as ferious Care to frame their 
 Life and Convcrfation accorc^in}; to the Laws 
 
 of 
 
^2 57;e Second Sermon. 
 
 of God, as ever they had, or did. Now, fo 
 long as they continue in this frame and difpo- 
 fition of Mind, -alTuredly God is as much 
 prefent with them by his Grace and Holy 
 Spirit (tho' they do not feel it fo much) as 
 ever he was. They partake as much of his 
 Influence and Communications, and do real- 
 ly ?s much enjoy his Favour and the Light 
 of his Countenance, in the true Senfe of it, 
 as ever they did : And, however cloudy and 
 liftlefs their Minds be, however flat and dry 
 in their Devotions, how little Joy and Com- 
 fort foever they find in their Lives ^ they 
 are certainly as dear to God (who knoweth 
 their make, and diftinguilheth between the 
 fteady Principles of their Minds, and the un- 
 certain Tempers of their Bodies which afFed 
 them) I fay they have as much the Favour 
 and Acceptance of God, as when they thought 
 themfelves in the mod: happy Condition, 
 Nay, and they will continue fo to have, as 
 long as they continue their Care and Dili- 
 gence in ferving him. and obeying his Laws. 
 
 But thirdly, when once they begin to grow 
 carelefs in their Lives, when their good pur- 
 pofes and Refolutions flag and grow cold, 
 and their Devotions are feldomer, and their 
 relapfes into Sin more frequent and more 
 grievous , then let them have a Care of them- 
 felves, for thefe are evil Symptoms, of a 
 dangerous Fall approaching : They now be- 
 gin to grieve the Holy Spirj^, and to provoke 
 him to withdraw himfelf : And, if they do 
 
 not 
 
The Second Ser??ion. ^.j 
 
 not by Repentance recover themfelves to their 
 former he?ilthful Conflitution of Soul, that 
 Holy Spirit will by degrees withdraw hiin- 
 felf. For, in the fame degree, that they 
 forfake their Duty, will the Holy Spirit for- 
 fake them ^ as Sin grows ftronger in them, 
 fo doth the Spirit grow weaker : So that, if 
 they go on in this falling declining Conditi- 
 on, they will at laft lofe the indwelling of 
 the Spirit, and be reduced to the State of 
 fenfual carnal Men. It doth therefore infi- 
 nitely concern all thofe, that areat prefent in 
 a good Condition, to keep up their holy Pur- 
 poses and Refolutions as much as they can ; 
 I at no time to flacken their Diligence in the 
 I Service of God, how dryly and unfatisfado- 
 j rily foever they perform it : If their Hearts 
 j be fincere, and they do really make it their 
 Bufinefs to live as well as they can, no mat- 
 ter what they think of themfelves, no mat- 
 ter what inequality of Temper, what ebbs 
 and flows of Affedions they are fubjed to : 
 All is Ifill right with them ^ but when they 
 begin to grow negligent and carelefs in their 
 Endeavours, and to indulge themfelves in a- 
 ny vain or linful Courfe 3 then begins their 
 Danger. 
 
 But then Fourthly, and Laftly, to con- 
 clude this Point, If it fliould be the unhap- 
 pinefs of thefe Perfons, by their own Care- 
 lefnefs, to lofe the inhabiting Prefence of the 
 Holy Spirit, which was the Principle of Re- 
 generation and the new Life in them, fo 
 
 that 
 
44 -^^^ Second Sermon. 
 
 that they are now brought back agnin to the 
 State of worldly fenfual Men, yet, as it ap- 
 pears from what has been faid, it is not e- 
 ven yet to be concluded that they are for fa- 
 ken of God, or in a State of Defertion truly 
 fo caird \ for tho' the Spirit doth not now a- 
 ny longer dwell with them, but has quitted 
 their Souls from being his Temple, his Ha- 
 bitation, (becaufe they have expelled him 
 thence) yet it is to be hoped he hath not 
 quite given them over , as God affords them 
 Itill many outward Means of Grace and Re- 
 conciliation, fo he affords them many in- 
 ward Motions to make thofe Means effedual 
 to their recovery : And, tho' their Conditi- 
 on be infinitely more hazardous than it was, 
 and their Repentance more difficult, yet flill 
 they may repent and recover. For, as I faid 
 before, no Man is forfaken of God that is ; 
 not given up to hardnefs of Fleart , (I do not i 
 mean fuch hardnefs of Heart as fome melan- 
 cholly People fancy they are troubled with) \ 
 but i mean a wretched Stupidity, and uncon- i 
 cernednefs about fpiritual Affairs, fo that he 
 lives in Sin and knows that he doth fo, and ,. 
 is content with his Condition, and thus con- i 
 tinues to live without deligning or endea-J 
 vouring to return to God, and his Duty ^ 
 which certainly is a fid Condition, and Gel' 
 4ynghtj deliver us from it, dcc. 
 
 I 
 
 SER- 
 
45 
 
 SERMON III. 
 
 -• - ■■— ■■■-... — — — ■— ^ 
 
 P S A L. XLII. 5, 7. 
 
 According to the Translation of cur Liturgy, 
 
 Why art thou fo full ofHeavinefs, O my 
 Soitl^ and why art thou difquieted within 
 me .<? Viit thy trufl in God, for I ivill yet 
 give him thanks for the help of his Coimte- 
 nance, 
 
 P^4^^ Am now fpeaking to the Cafe of 
 ; ^^ J ^2 thofe People, who are under great 
 ^^ ,^ Afflidions, upon account of the 
 M^^m lofs of their fpiritual Comfort, 
 which they ufed to feel in the performance 
 of their Religious Exercifes, and which they 
 attribute to Gods forfaking them, and leav- 
 ing them to themfelves. Time has been 
 (fay they) when they have taken great de- 
 light in the Ways of God, and have experi- 
 enced the comfortable Influences of his Spirit 
 upon their Minds. They were then full of 
 life and vigour, and cauld meditate, could 
 read, could pray, could receive the Sacra- 
 ment, with a great deal of Devotion, and a 
 great deal of Satisfadion : But now they find 
 a great abatement of their A ffedions towards 
 
 God : 
 
A 6 7/;e Third Sermon, 
 
 God : All their religious Exercifes are per- 
 formed very heavily : They find no manner 
 of Sweetnefs in them. On the Contrary, 
 they are very troublefome to them , their 
 Hearts are like Pharaohs Chariots, either 
 they cannot move at all in the Way of God, 
 or they move with wonderful difficulty : Is 
 not this a plain Indication that God hath for- 
 faken them, and withdrawn his Prefence and 
 Alliftance from them ? 
 
 This is the Cafe I am now upon, and in 
 fpeaking to it I propofed to do two Things. 
 
 Firfi, To give an Account of Defertion 
 truly fo call'd, or what it is for God to for- 
 fake a Man, and to Ihew that thefe People 
 have no reafon in the World to apprehend 
 that they are in that State. 
 
 Secondly y To give a true Account of thofe 
 EfFeds, which melanchoUy Perfons are wont 
 to afcribe to God's forfaking them, and with- 
 drawing his Grace from them : And withal 
 to offer fomething both for the Direction and 
 Comfort of Perfons that are in this Condi- 
 tion. 
 
 The firft of thele Points I difpatched the 
 lafl Time. I now proceed to the other, 
 which is to give an Account of thefe Effedls 
 which melancholly People are wont to afcribe 
 to Gods forfaking them, and withdrawing 
 his Grace and Spirit from them, and like- 
 wife to offer fuch Things as may be of ufe in 
 order to their Cure. 
 
 Ths 
 
The Tl?ird Sermon. 47 
 
 The firft Thing I have to reprefent is this. 
 What if all the abatement of their AfFedions 
 towards God, all this dulnefs and deadnefs 
 of Heart in their Devotions, which thefe 
 good People complain of, do arife purely 
 and folely from the Temper of their Bodies ? 
 I maft confdfs I think it doth fo in all thefe 
 Cafes, where the Man hath not brought this 
 Indifpofition upon himfeif, by a wilful ne- 
 gldd or difufe of his fpiritual Exercifes, and 
 giving himfeif up to a .carelefs, worldly, or 
 fenfual Life. 
 
 I touched upon this Head, and fpoke fome- 
 thing about the Influence of the Body upon 
 the Mind, in my lafl Difcourfe, where I 
 fpoke of religious Melancholly in General: 
 And here my Argument leads me to treat a 
 little more particularly of it. You all know, 
 that we confift of two Parts, a Soul, and a Bo- 
 dy, which, tho' they are diftind: Subftances 
 and capable of fublifting feparately, the one 
 from the other, yet, while we live in this 
 mortal State, they are by the wonderful Pow- 
 er of God fo clofely united, that they do 
 ftrongly affed one another. Tho' it be our 
 Minds, or our Spirits, or our Souls proper- 
 ly, that can be faid to think, or torefled, or 
 to perceive, or to remember, or to hope j 
 or to fear, or to enjoy, and the like , yet all 
 thefe Operations are influenced by, and do 
 receive a kind of Tindure as I may fay from, 
 that State, and Condition, and Plight that 
 the Body is in. For it is plain, by manifold 
 
 Expert- 
 
Tl)e Third Sermon, 
 
 Experience, that our Souls, in this World* 
 cannot ad at all, without the help and mini- 
 ftry of the purer Parts of our Bodily Sub- 
 llance •, which purer Parts (let them confift 
 in what they will) we call by the Name of 
 Animal Spirits. Now, as thefe Animal Spi- 
 rits, which the Soul makes ufe of as her In- 
 Itrument in all her intellectual Operations, I 
 fay, as thefe are well or ill difpofed, fo will 
 all the Ads of our Minds proceed according- 
 ly : Sometimes, when they are quite ftified 
 and opprefl:, as in a Fit of an Apoplexy, and 
 fuch like Diflempers, our Minds, how vigo- 
 rous foever they have been before, cannot 
 think at all, but we are quite without Senfe 
 and Perception. Again, at another Time, 
 when their Motion is not quite damped, but 
 yet, thro* a Diflemper, they move irregular- 
 ly and tumultuoully, as in the Cife of a vio- 
 lent Fever, why then, tho' we do think, yet 
 we think wildly, and extravagantly, and in- 
 confiftently, even to that Degree, that we 
 call it Deliroufnefs or Frenzy. Again, at a- 
 nother Time, when the Animal Spirits do 
 move regularly, and are a lit Inftrument for 
 the Soul to work with, yet, as there is great- 
 er or lelfer Plenty of them, as they are finer 
 or grolfer, as they are more or lefs agitated , 
 fo, accordingly, are the Operations of our 
 Souls more liv^ely, or more dull, performed 
 with more Eafe or with more Difficulty ^ 
 with greater, or with lefs Pieafure and Sa- 
 tisfadion to our felves. We cannot think fo 
 
 freely. 
 
Jhe Third Sermon] 3fJ^ 
 
 freely, after a full Meil, nor fo ilrongly, 
 after we are tired and difpirited with bodily 
 Labour : Nor fo attentively, when we are 
 diverted by Pain or outward Objects. Nay, 
 there are fomeConflitutions fo fufceptive of Im- 
 prellions from without, that the very chan^^e of 
 Weather occalions a great Change in the Tem- 
 per of the Mind \ as to its being chearful or 
 inelancholly, fit or unfit to think. And this 
 alfo, as to our Paffions j as fome Men are 
 inclined more to one Faflion, and others to 
 another, fo the very fame Perfon IhaJl find 
 the like difference in himfelf, being fome- 
 times for Inftance flrongly difpofed to Chear- 
 fulnefs and Joy, at other Times to unufu- 
 al Inclinations, to Sadnefs, and Fear, and 
 Grief. Whence now proceed all thefe 
 Changes and various Difpofitions, that we 
 feel in our felves ? Certainly, not fo much 
 from the Soul (for the Habits and Difpofiti- 
 ons of that are often, for all thefe Vari- 
 eties, the very fame,) but rather, they are, 
 in a great Meafure, if not wholly, to be at- 
 tributed to the variety of Tempers, that the 
 Body is fubjed to , which the Soul cannot 
 many times either prevent, or alter. 
 
 And why may it not be thus, in the Bud- 
 nefs we are now concerned in ? Why may 
 we not afcribe all that inequality we find in 
 our Affedions towards God, and fpiritual 
 Things, wholly to the inequality of the Tem- 
 per of our Bodies ? Without doubt, this is 
 generally the Caufe of it : When our animal 
 Vol. Ill/ E Spirits 
 
5d Tl^e Third Sermon, 
 
 Spirits are fine, and pure, and in a conveni- 
 ent Plenty, then, whatever we apply our 
 Minds to, we can go chearfully about it, and 
 vigoroufly purfue it , and, if then fome re- 
 ligious Matter be the Objed we employ our 
 Thoughts and Meditation upon, we fliall do 
 it very fuccefsfully : We fhall be able to give 
 a ferious Attention to what we are about, 
 and fhall have more lively Apprehenfions of 
 Things, and thefe Apprehenfions will be ac- 
 companied with fuitable Affedions, fo that, 
 if we pray, we (liall pray with greater Ardor, 
 and Fervency , if we read, or hear, it will 
 be with greater Intenfnefs, and quicker Ap- 
 prehenfions : If we meditate, we fliall do it 
 with greater life and ferioufnefs , and we 
 fhall raife our felves to an unufual pitch of 
 Devotion : And a great deal of Joy and De- 
 light will arife in our Souls, from this brisk- 
 nefs and vigour of their Operations about 
 fuch excellent Subjeds. And, if this adlivi- 
 ty of our animal Spirits did always lafl, 
 without doubt, it would be no hard Matter 
 to keep up always this Life and Vigour of 
 our Souls, in the exercife of Religion, toge- 
 ther with the Satisfadion that does attend it. 
 But here is the Mifery, Thefe, being in a 
 conftant Flux and obnoxious to a thoufand 
 Alterations, and Depreflions, both from out- 
 ward and inward Caufes, nay being fubjed: 
 to be fpent and dilTipated by the very em- 
 ploying them, (for there is no Man that thinks 
 warmly, and for a long Time upon any 
 
 Things 
 
Tlpe Tinri Sermon) f I 
 
 Thing, but mightily exhaufls his Spirits, 
 and leaves himfelf after fuch Intenfion very 
 flat and languid,) I fay, this being the Cafe, 
 how can it be avoided, but that the Soul 
 muft fympathize with the Body in ail thefe 
 Alterations, and Decays, even as to her fpi- 
 ritual and religious Operations, as well as o- 
 thers ? Doth any Man always follow his 
 worldly Affairs, with the fame Brisknefs and 
 Chearfulnefs ? Can any Man fludy, or read, 
 or difcourfe, at all Times, with the fame ea- 
 finefs and fatisfadion to his own Mind ? 
 Doth not every Man find himfelf fometimes 
 mightily out of humour, and dull, and lift- 
 lefs, when he (hould fet himfelf about any 
 of thofe Things ; tho' perhaps he hatha great 
 Mind to it ? And, if thefe varieties and ine- 
 qualities of Temper cannot be prevented, ia 
 other Things, what Reafon has any one to 
 think, that his Endeavours and Performances 
 in Religion, fhould be exempted from them ? 
 Why fhould he imagin, that he fhould be al- 
 ways able to pray with the fame Fervour and 
 Affedtion, or that he fhould alway take that 
 delight and fatisfadion in the exercife of Re- 
 ligion, that he fometimes doth ? No, as long 
 as we have thefe Bodies about us, the bell 
 Men muft exped thefe ebbs and flows of Af- 
 fedion to tlie fervice of God : And that, e- 
 ven v/hen they are in good Health ; and, 
 therefore, much more, if it fhould be their 
 Misfortune to have their Animal Spirits de- 
 praved by Hypocondriack Indifpofitions ^ as 
 E 2 moft 
 
si The T)nrd Sermon, 
 
 moft of the Perfons whofe Cafe we are fpea^- 
 ing to, no doubt, have. But, however, 
 though thefe Things may be their Trouble, 
 yet they are not their Sins, and this may be 
 their Comfort, that, tho' for the prefent they 
 have loft their former Vigour and Joy, and 
 are quite out of humour for performing their 
 religious Duties, yet if they will have Pati- 
 ence with themfelves, they will in time re- 
 cover that good Humour again : Their Vi- 
 gour and chearful temper of Mind will re- 
 turn, as the accidental Indifpoiitions wear off 
 from the Body. 
 
 But fome of thefe People, who complain 
 of God's forfaking them, may fay, that, in 
 what I have hitherto faid, I have not 
 reached their Cafe , that which troubles 
 them is not fo m.uch the fiatnefs and deadnefs 
 of their Affedions in Devotion, now and 
 then, which all good Men are fubjed to, but 
 this j they have quite loft thofe enravilliing 
 Joys and Confolations, which they have for- 
 merly felt in communion with God, and 
 which could not be the meer Effed of their 
 own good Temper, and the brisknefs of their 
 natural Powers, but were certainly the Com- 
 munications of God to their Souls. They 
 have heretofore been raifed up many Pitches 
 above themfelves, and enjoyed fuch Pleafures 
 and Satisfadions in their approaches to God, 
 as far exceed all others upon Earth. But 
 now, tho' they cannot fay but that they are 
 as careful of their Lives, and Adions as they 
 
 were 
 
Tl?e Third Sermon, r r 
 
 were then, and endeavour to ferve God as 
 well as they can, yet the Cafe is much alter- 
 ed with them, they have quite loft thofe 
 Manifeftations of Gods Favour, that h'ght of 
 his Countenance, thofe Glimpfes which were 
 the fupport of their Souls, and the Joy of 
 their Lives, and this is that they complain of. 
 Well, let us confider this in the fecond 
 Place ; and, here, I would firft ask thefe 
 Perfons, how they come to know that thefe 
 rapturous Joys, they fpeak of, were indeed 
 owing to the Power and Influence of the Ho- 
 ly Ghplt upon them > It will bear a juft 
 Difpute, whether thefe overflowing Joys 
 and Comforts, that are fometimes felt upon 
 the application of our Minds to fpiritual 
 Things, be always to be afcribed to the Ope- 
 ration of Gods Spirit upon the Mind , or, 
 whether they be not often the meer EfFed:s of 
 a heated Brain, and a raifed Imagination ? Or 
 rather indeed, the Thing is paft difpute, for 
 it is certain, that, in fome Perfons, thefe Ef- 
 fecT:s, even in the higheft Degree of them, 
 owe their Production to no higher a Caufe 
 than their natural Powers : Witnefs the tranf- 
 ports of Joy, and the Pleafures, even to ex» 
 tafy, which many Enthufiaftical Perfons 
 have felt, or at leaft have given out that they 
 have, in the exercife of the grofleft Superfti- 
 on, (of a faiCe Religion^) and which many, 
 of the fame Complexion, have experienced 
 likewife in the true Religion. VVho, vet, 
 have been Perfons of none of the beft Mo- 
 E 3 rals 
 
l?;e 7hird Sermon, 
 
 rals, but, In truth, wholly devoid of the 
 fpiritual Life : Now, I fay, to attribute 
 thefe raptures and extafies of Joy, in fuch 
 Perfons, to the Holy Spirit of God, will be 
 very hard, (at Jeaft now-a-days when mira- 
 culous Powers are ceafed.) No, certainly, 
 all fpiritual joy is not the Joy of the Holy 
 Ghoft 5 a Man may be fometimes fo full of 
 Joy, that his Soul is even ready to break its 
 Prifon, and yet, for all that, not be a Whit 
 the more aded by a Divine Spirit. 
 
 But how fhall we be able to know, when 
 the Joy and Satisfadion we feel, in the ex- 
 ercife of Religion, doth arife from the Holy 
 Spirit, and when from our own Tempers ? 
 This is a material Queftion, and thus I an- 
 fwer it. All thofe Joys, that we can give 
 no good Account of, that arife in our Minds 
 we know not how, or wherefore *, and like- 
 wife all thofe Joys, which, while we feel 
 them, do not make us better, do not more 
 incline us to love God and our Neighbour, 
 do not more difpofe us to hate Vice and Im- 
 purity, and efpecially the more fpiritual Im- 
 purities of Pride, and Self-love, which we 
 may labour under ^ 1 fay, all thefe Joys and 
 Confolations, how high and rapturous foever 
 they be, are juftly to be fufpeded by us, as 
 the pure Refults of our own heated Tempen 
 Thefe are the two certain Marks and Chara- 
 d-ers, whereby we may be able to diilin- 
 guiih the Peace and the Joy, that arifeth 
 from the Holy Spirit, from that that arifeth 
 
 from 
 
The Third Sermon. 5 5 
 
 from the Ebullition of our own anim:^! Spi- 
 rits. Namely, Firfl that the Peace and Joy 
 of the Holy Ghoft is always rational, there 
 is fome good Ground, fome folid Foundati- 
 on for it in the Mind of the Man that feels 
 it ; which Foundation is a good Confcience, 
 a being able to fatisfie our felves, from the 
 Teftimony of our own Hearts, and Lives, 
 that we are fincere and unfeigned in our De- 
 fires and Endeavours to approve our felves to 
 God, as his £iithful Servants. This (faith 
 St. Faid^ is our rejoycing^ the Teflimony of our 
 Confcience that in fimplicity and Godly fmceri- 
 ty XV e have had our Converfation in the World, 
 
 And, Secondly, This Joy of the Holy 
 Spirit is never a barren ineffectual Joy, a Joy 
 that only amufes and pleafes us, without 
 making us better ^ but, it ftrangely excites 
 our Diligence, and quickens our Endeavours 
 in the Service of God ; It makes us to hun- 
 ger and thirft more earneftly after his Righ- 
 teoufnefs, and puts us upon labouring after a 
 greater Participation of his divine Nature : 
 Above all Things, it opens our Hearts to- 
 wards our Brethren, and fpurs us on moil 
 powerfully to do all the Good we can in the 
 World. 
 
 This is the Nature, and thefe are the Qua- 
 lities, of that Joy, which the Spirit of God 
 worketh in the Heart of Believers ^ and, if 
 that which we fometimes feel, in the exer- 
 cife of Devotion, and at the lofs of which we 
 complain, be not of this iNature, and have 
 
 E 4 not 
 
5^ 71)6 Third Sermon] 
 
 not thefe Qiialities , let it be, otherwife, ne- 
 ver fo afFeding, and tranfporting, we cannot 
 be afTured that it is from God , nay rather 
 we have reafon to conclude, that it is the 
 efFed of our own Temper, and natural 
 Powers. 
 
 But now, having faid this by way of Cau- 
 tion, that we may not take every pleafing Ef- 
 fort of an heated Fancy, for the Manifefta- 
 tion of Gods Prefence, and Favour to the 
 Souls of Men ^ we will admit, that tliat Joy, 
 and thofe Pleafures, at the lofs of which 
 thefe Perfons complain, were really what 
 they take them to be , namely, the effed of 
 Gods Spirit working upon their Hearts. For, 
 I do not know, but that God's Spirit may, 
 and often doth, influence the Minds of good 
 Men, in fuch a Way as this. But then this 
 we fay, in the fecond Place, that the with- 
 drawing thofe Joys and feniible Satisfadions 
 from their Minds, is no Argument in the 
 World of God*s Difpleafure againft them, 
 much lefs, of his forfaking them, and leav- 
 ing them to themfelves. For, it is to be 
 confidered, that the Perfons, to whom God 
 moft frequently vouchfafes thefe extraordi- 
 nary Smitings, are ufually young beginners 
 in Religion •, fuch, as are but newly enter'd 
 upon a ferious devout Life, and, confequent4 
 ly, mufl be fuppofed to have many Difficul- 
 ties to ftruggle with, and many Sins to mor- 
 tilie. Now, to Perfons that are in thefa 
 CircumflanceSj it is but reafonabie to think,- 
 
 thac 
 
Tl?e Tlnri Sermon, ^f 
 
 that God may, now and then, for their En- 
 couragement, give fome extraordinary Taftes 
 of the Pleafures that are to be had in Rehgi- 
 on, and the enjoyment of his Favour, which 
 he doth not often afford to more grown Chri- 
 ftians. As they are in the weakell: and moft 
 imperfed Condition, fo the Hardfhip and 
 Difficulty they have to 'undergo in Rehgion 
 are then the greatefl ^ fo that they have real 
 need of thofe extraordinary Supports j thofe 
 delicious Relifhes of God upon their Minds 
 are neceflary, for the turning the Balance a- 
 gainfl: the allurements of Sin, which do 
 ftrongly prefs the Affedions the' other 
 way, they would not be able torefiftthe 
 Temptations, that daily come in their Way, 
 were they not thus born up, by a mofl feel- 
 ing Senfe of the Pleafures of Religion. This 
 now being the Cafe, what reafon has any 
 good Chriftian to be troubled or difcontent- 
 ed at the lofs of thofe fenlible tranfporting 
 Joys, which he hath fometimes experienced 
 in the Ways of God ! Ought he, from hence 
 to conclude, that God loves him lefs than he 
 did, becaufe he hath withdrawn thofe Com- 
 forts from him ? No, not in the leaft , he 
 ought rather to conclude this, that, if he 
 ilill flood in need of them, God would have 
 flill continued them \ but, that he is now 
 grown Ihonger, and advanced to fuch a pitch 
 of Chriifianity, that he needs them not. God 
 now looks upon him no longer as a Child, 
 but as a Man 3 and therefore doth no longer 
 
 feed 
 
The Third Sermon, 
 
 feed him with Milk, but with flronger Meat, 
 Would it not be very unreafonable, that, be- 
 caufe a Parent ufeth his Child more tenderly, 
 and takes more Pains about him, when he is 
 fick and weakly, than when he is in health, 
 and able to fhift for himfelf ^ for one, there- 
 fore, to conclude, that that Parent loved his 
 Child better then, when he was not able to 
 look to himfelf, than he doth now that he is ? 
 Or was it not a very perverfe Reafoning of 
 the elder Son in the Parable, that, becaufe 
 upon the return of his hungry ftarved Bro- 
 ther, the Prodigal, the Father ordered the 
 fatted Calf to be killed, and made him a 
 Feaft \ whereas he had not treated him, the 
 elder Son, with fuch expreffions of Kindnefs 
 for many Years before ; I fay, was it not a 
 perverfe Reafoning in him, therefore to con- 
 clude, that the prodigal difobedient Son was 
 more dear to his Father than he, that had 
 ferved him many Years, and had never dif- 
 pleafed him } Juft the fame Perverfenefs is 
 it, to argue thus : That, becaufe God doth 
 not feaft us continually with thefe fpiritual 
 Delicacies, with which he formerly enter- 
 tained us, or now entertains Penitents or new 
 Converts, that, therefore, he hath withdrawn 
 his Favour from us, or is difpleafed at us. 
 No, let us all ure our fclves, God's Care o- 
 ver us is the fame, that it was then, and we 
 Ihall want nothing, that is needful for us j 
 for all that he hath is ours, as the Father 
 there told his elder Son: And, if he hath 
 
 noW 
 
The Tlnrd Sermon, f^ 
 
 now taken away thofe liifcious Joys, which 
 heretofore accompanied our religious Endea- 
 vours, yet it is not out of any unkindnefs to 
 us. Something he faw, that we did not j 
 which made it highly reafonable and expedi- 
 ent, for us, that he fliould thus deal with us. 
 Either they were not proper for our State, or 
 we (hould be apt to furfeit of them, and put 
 them to a bad ufe. They might prove the 
 incentives of Pride and contempt of others. 
 They might hinder the purity and (incerity 
 of our Love to God : Or, they might make 
 us carelefs or negligent in our purfuit after 
 the mod ufeful and manly Vertues , and, for 
 thefe Caufes, God, in pure Compaflion an(J 
 Tendernefs to us, deprived us of them. 
 
 But, when a Time comes, that it will bs 
 reafonable and fit we fhould have them again, 
 as for inftance, when we are called out to 
 fome unufual Tryal, or are expofed to fome 
 imminent Danger or Temptation, where our 
 Faith and Vertue will need thefe extraordi- 
 nary Supports : In this Cafe, we need not 
 doubt, but God will reftore them to us with 
 Advantage. Thus ufually God ftrengthens 
 Martyrs and dy'mz Chriftians, giving them 
 fuch a Senfe of his Favours, and fo invigo- 
 rating their Minds, that the greateft Dangers 
 and the moil painful Death cannot difcora- 
 pofe them ;, and thus, without doubt, he 
 will Ihew himfelf to every honell: Heart, in 
 every Emergency, where there is need of 
 fach a Manifeftation of his pre fence : For 
 .;.'-:, God 
 
^Q The Third Sermon] 
 
 God is faithful, and will never fufFer any of 
 his Servants to be tempted above what they 
 are able , but will with the Temptation make 
 a Way to efcape out of it, that they may be 
 able to bear it. 
 
 But Thirdly, Another Thing that deferves 
 ferioufly to be confidered by thefe Perfons 
 whofe Cafe I am fpeakuig to, is this : That 
 that Vigour and Life, and thofe fenfible 
 Pleafures and Conaforts, which they were 
 wont to experience in holy Duties, and of 
 the lofe of v/hich they complain, did not, iii 
 the leaft, recommend them more to God 
 whilft they enjoyed them : Tho' they did 
 much tend to the fweetning their Duty, and 
 rendring the performance of it more fatisfa- 
 dory to themfelves , yet, did they not, in 
 the leaft, render it more acceptable to God j 
 for, neither did they ferve God really better, 
 while they were full of thefe Comfoits, nor 
 do they ferve him worfe, now that they are 
 without them: Alwaysfuppoiing, they con- 
 tinue their Endeavours, and do not flag in 
 their Refolutions of living a holy Life. Nay, 
 fo far are their Duties from being lefs accep- 
 table to God, upon this Account, that they 
 are not accompanied with fuch fprightlinefs 
 of AfFedions and overflowings of Joy, as they 
 were wont, but are performed droopingly 
 and heavily ^ that, on the Contrary, I fcru- 
 ple not to fiy, they are a great deal more. 
 He, that finds no Pleafure and Delight in the 
 Ways of Godj and yet, notwithftanding, doth 
 
 ftill 
 
77;e TInrd Serfnon: di 
 
 ftill walk in them, and continues refolved fo 
 to do, in fpite of all Difcouragements he meets 
 with, doth certainly exprefs a greater Ver- 
 tue, and fliews a truer Love to God, and 
 confequently is better accepted by him, than 
 if he had I know not what Spurs of fenfible 
 Delight to prick him forwards. He, that 
 when his Mind is dull and heavy, and he 
 cannot raife up his AfFedions fo nimbly to- 
 wards God, yet ftill makes a Confcience of 
 faying his Prayers, and prays as heartily as 
 he can, tho' not fo delightfully as he would, 
 nor fo paffionately as he was wont, I fay 
 fuch Prayers, as they proceed from a purer 
 Senfe of his Duty, fo, without doubt j they 
 will be more effedual with God, for the ob- 
 taining what he really ftands in need of, than, 
 if they were accompanied even with extati- 
 cal Tranfports of Fervour and Joy. 
 
 God meafures our Services, by the inward 
 fincerity of the Heart, and the honefty of 
 the Mind, with which they are tender'd ; 
 and not by the fluttering of the fenfible Paf- 
 fions, that go along with them, or the ex- 
 trinfecal Supports, which, in our efteem, do 
 give them Advantage. He that is in love 
 with his Duty, only fo long as he receives 
 great Joy and Satisfadion in it, or from it, 
 Ihews (as fome of our Divines ufe to exprefs 
 it) that he loves Chrift Jefus, more for the 
 Loaves he ufed to beftow upon him, than for 
 his own Goodnefs and Excellence, We then 
 truly ferye God, when v/e chearfuUy obey 
 
 hiin 
 
6i Ths Third Sermon] 
 
 him for Confcience fake : But, whether that 
 Obedience be delightful or troublefome, plea- 
 ling or difpleafing to our felves, hath no o- 
 ther Place in the Efteem or Acceptance of 
 God, fave only this, that the greater the Dif- 
 ficulties and Difcouragements are that we lye 
 under, the more valuable are our Services to 
 him, and the more highly Ihall they be re- 
 warded. 
 
 Lift up thy Head therefore, O drooping 
 Soul, be not dejeded that thy former Joys 
 have forfaken thee 5 that the Light, that hath 
 fometimes fhined into thy Mind, is intercep- 
 ted by thick Clouds that encompafs thee , 
 and that, inflead of the green and pleafant 
 Paftures in which thy Way hath hitherto 
 lain, thou art come into a barren and dry 
 Wildernefs : Think not, that this Change 
 was meant thee, for any Hurt, but, rather, 
 for thy exceeding Good. Thou haft now an 
 Opportunity put into thy Hands, of fhewing 
 the fincerity of thy Aifedions to God, of ex- 
 prefling thy Courage and Refolution in his 
 Service : If, notwithftanding thefe Difcou- 
 ragements, thou purfueft thy Courfe, and 
 doft not treacheroufly fall back, alTure thy 
 felf, tho' thou doft not ferve God fo much 
 to thy own Satisfadion, as thou waft wont, 
 yet thy Service is much better , and he is 
 more delighted to fee thee follow him, in 
 thefe rugged Paths, and under thefe Difcou- 
 ragements, than, when thy Way was moft 
 pleafant and fmooth, and thou waft carried 
 
 Oil 
 
27;e Tl?lrd Sermon. 6i 
 
 on with the briskeft gales of Affedion and 
 
 Joy- 
 But Fourthly and Laftly, to Conclude. If 
 
 thefe Perfons, whofe Cafe I am fpeaking to, 
 do really defire to find a perfed Cure of thofe 
 Grievances they groan under : The beft Ad- 
 vice (as may appear from all that Jias been 
 faid) that can be given them, is, not to de- 
 fire nor covet thefe fenfible Joys and Smitings 
 in Religion : But, on the Contrary, to bring 
 themfelves, if it be poffible, to fuch a ftate of 
 Mind, that they can live contentedly and 
 comfortably, without them. We have feen 
 what an Influence the temper of our Bodies, 
 mod commonly hath, in the producing thefe 
 kinds of Effects \ which Temper we cannot, 
 v/ith our utmoft Care, preferve always in a 
 ftable uniform Tenor : We have feen like- 
 wife that what God is pleafed fomstimes, in 
 an extraordinary Way, to contribute to thefe 
 Effeds by his Spirit, is not always to be ex- 
 pected, becaufe the Thing is often unreafona- 
 bie, and no way fitting to be done. If there- 
 fore the comfort and happinefs of our Lives 
 depend upon having thefe Joys and Smitings, 
 it is certain it will never be conftant, but we 
 fhall be as often in a miferable dejeded Con- 
 dition, as we are in a comfortable and happy 
 one. What then mufl we do ? Why let us 
 not value thofe Things j let us not hanker af- 
 ter thein, but feek our Happinefs and Com- 
 fort from fomething elfe, fomething, that is 
 built upon a more folid Foundation j fome- 
 thing. 
 
^4 
 
 Tie Third Sermoru 
 
 thing;, upon which our bodily Temper hath 
 not fo much Influence , which, when all is 
 done, mull be the rational Evidence, that 
 we are able to give our felves, that we do 
 fincerely endeavour to pleafe God, in thofe 
 Ways that he hath taught us by JefusChrifl: 
 his Son. The more our Religion mingles 
 with our Paffions, or depends upon them, 
 the more uncertain and fulpeded will it be 
 always rendred unto us. 
 
 Let us therefore labour to get our felves 
 into a higher Difpenfation. Let us fpiritua- 
 lize our Religion, as much as we can, and 
 make it a reafonable Service : Let us draw it 
 off, as much as is pofiible, from the lower 
 fenfative Soul, ( where the Affedions and 
 PafTions are) where it is too often feated, 
 and fix it in our Minds and Spirits : When 
 it hath once taken Root there, it will not fail 
 to bring forth the Fruits of conflant Peace, 
 and (whatever becomes of the feniibie Satis- 
 fadlion) will perpetually replenifh our Hearts 
 with Comfort. 
 
 Would you always be in a calm ferene 
 flate of Mind ? Learn to love God heartily : 
 PoiTefs your Minds with a deep Senfe of his 
 Love and Goodnefs , of his Prefence and Pro- 
 vidence ^ of the reafonablenefs of his Pre- 
 cepts 5 and the certainty of the Rewards he 
 hath promifed in another World. Upon 
 thefe Confiderations, devote your whole Man 
 to his Service, refign up your felves entirely 
 to his Government. Let it be the conflant 
 
 defire 
 
7he Third Sermon, 6 y 
 
 defire of your Souls, and the endeavour of 
 your Lives, to do his Will , and to fabmit 
 to it, whatever it be. Do but heartily r^e- 
 commend your feh^es to him, for his Grace 
 and holy Spirit, to enable you to do yout 
 Duty, and to preferve you in it, and leave 
 all the reft of your Concernments, both oat- 
 ward and inward, wholly to his difpofaL 
 This now is a Religion truly fpiritual and 
 rational, and a Life thus lead will be a per- 
 petual Spring of uninterrupted Peace to your 
 Minds 5 fuch a Peace as ordinarily no irregu- 
 larity of Temper, no flatnefs and dullnefs of 
 AfFedions, that may at fometimes feize you, 
 no inward Indifpofition, nor outward Event, 
 will be able to difcompofe. Nothing can 
 rob you of it, but what robs you either of 
 your Vertue or of your Wits, and Reafon, 
 For, this is the rational Peace of a pureCon- 
 fcience, which the inequalities of the fend- 
 tive Nature can no ways affed, fo long as 
 the Head of the Man is not difordered. 
 
 It is true, this Peace is ftill and quiet, it 
 is not fo violent and boifterous and tranfport- 
 ing, as thofe iiafhes of Joy, which young 
 Converts now and then feel, or thofe fenfible 
 fmitings of Devotion, that arife from heated 
 and raifed Affedions : But, yet, it is a great 
 deal more true and folid, it is more fincere and ' 
 unmingled, it is more conftant and regular, 
 it gives, a better grounded AlTurance, to thofe 
 that have it, of the goodnefs of their Condi- 
 tion 5 and laftiy, it is a Peace that will never 
 Vol IIL F leav© 
 
66 Tl^e 7kircl Sermon. 
 
 leave them, fo long as they do not leave Go(3, 
 and their Duty : Nay, the longer they live 
 ( provided flill their Judgment continues 
 found,) the more it will grow and increafe, 
 the greater Confolations will they have, in 
 the Service of God, and the greater AJTu- 
 rance, that they are in his Favour. And, 
 the nearer they approach to Death, the more 
 delightful Profped will they have of the hap- 
 py Place where they are going. And, when 
 they come to die (where others ftand fear- 
 ful and trembling at the Brink ) they will, 
 with great calmnefs and aifurance, refign up 
 their Souls to God, being able to pronounce 
 tothemfelves with St. Paul, I have fought a 
 goo J Fight, IhavefiniJJjeriffiyCourfe, I have 
 kept the Faith : henceforth there is laid up 
 for we a Croivn of Right eon fnefs, which the 
 Lord of righteous Judgment zvill give me at 
 that Day. 
 
 This Peace, this intelledlual Peace, is that 
 I which we are to labour after, if ever we 
 
 would live happy Lives indeed \ and, as 
 widely different it is, from thofs tranfport- 
 ing boifterous Pleafures of Religion, (of the 
 lofs of which the Perfons I am fpeakingof do 
 complain) as the kindly warmth of the Sun 
 is, from the fcorching of Lightning : Or, as 
 the pure calm Regions above are, from this 
 various and difturbed Air we brenth in. 
 
 In a Word, this foHd peace of Confcience 
 is the true Joy of the Hoi v Ghofl-, the Fruit 
 of the Spirit dwelling within us , ia the Senfe 
 
 of 
 
The Tinri Sermon, tf 
 
 of which, we (hall be able to pra61:ife, with- 
 out interruption, thofe excellent Precepts of 
 the Apoftle, which feem to be the top of the 
 Chriftian Moralls. Be careful for nothings 
 but, in every thing, give thanks : Count it 
 all Joy^ when ye enter into divers Temptati- 
 ons : Rejoyce ever?nore, and again I fay, re- 
 Joyce. 
 
 And thus much, on the firfl: Cafe I pro- 
 pofed to fpeak to , the other, about the De- 
 vils Temptations and blafphemousThoughtSj 
 I ihall defer to the next Time, 
 
 Fa S E R^ 
 
SERMON IV. 
 
 2 CORINTH. II. II. 
 
 heft Sata?i fioidd get an Advantage of us, 
 for we are tiot ignorant of his Devices, 
 
 ^J^ F T E R a general Account of 
 p * P that, which we call religious 
 ^ ^ Melancholly, I came to fpeak to 
 
 ^t^'SSS^'^J two of the moft ufual Cafes of 
 thofe, that are aiiiided with it. The Firft 
 was the Cafe of thofe, -that are in the State 
 of Defertion, as it is commonly called , that 
 is, thofe, who have loil all the Sweetnefs 
 and Comfort they ufed to find, in the Ways 
 of Religion, and the exercife of Piety ;, and, 
 thereupon, think that God hath withdrawn 
 his Grace and Spirit from them. And this 
 I have already fpoken to. 
 
 The other is the Cafe of thofe, that think 
 themfelves given up to the Power of the De- 
 vil, upon account of the multitude of wick- 
 ed blafphemous Thoughts, and Fancies, which 
 do continually haunt their Minds, do what 
 they can to the contrary. And this J now 
 come to fpeak to, and, for that purpofe, I 
 
 have 
 
TJ^e Fourth Sermon. 6o 
 
 have chofen for my Text thefe Words of St. 
 Fauly heafl Satan jljoiild get an Advajitage 
 ofu6^ for we are not ignorant of his Devi- 
 ces. 
 
 Which Words will afford us a fair Handle, 
 both for the difcourfing this Cafe, and alfo 
 fome other Points relating to the Temptati- 
 ons of the Devil, which it may be of ufe to 
 us to be well inform'd about. 
 
 I do not mean to fpend Time, in giving an 
 Account of the particular Occafions, upon 
 which St. Faul fpoke thefe Words, (which 
 was that of the inceftuous Corinthian) nor 
 to inquire, what thofe particular Advanta- 
 ges were, that he intimates Satan would get 
 over the Corinthians^ if they did not follow 
 the Advice that he here gives them \ which 
 was to reftore that excommunicated inceftu- 
 ous Brother to the Peace of the Church, up- 
 on his Repentance. It is fufficient, for my 
 Rufinefs, to obferve, what is plainly inti- 
 mated in thefe Words of his, namely, the 
 readinefs of the Devil to take all Advantages 
 of us, for the drawing us from our Duty, 
 and the Art and Stratagems he makes ufe of, 
 for that purpofe j or, ifyouw^ill, thus ^ that 
 the Devil is always very bufie in tempting 
 Men to (in. 
 
 This is the Point, that now comes under 
 our Confideration, from this Text. There 
 is hardly any Dodrine of Religion, about 
 which Men have more different Notions and 
 Appreheniions, than this of the Devils tempt- 
 F 3 ing 
 
^h The Fourth Sermon, 
 
 ing Mankind. Some of us do not believe 
 enough of it 5 others are apt to believe too 
 much, (as particularly thofe Perfons I before 
 mentioned.) Now, for the red:ifying the 
 Mi flakes, both on the one Hand and on theo- 
 ther, and the putting this Matter into as clear 
 a Light as I can, I propofe thefe following 
 Points, as the Heads of my Difcourfe upon 
 (his Argument, which will indeed take in 
 inoft of the Difficulties, that occur in it. 
 That is to fay, 
 
 1. Firf}^ To enquire, what is meant by 
 the Devil or Satan, as he is here called in the 
 Text. 
 
 2. Seco7idly^ Whether the Devil hath, or- 
 dinarily, a Power to tempt Men, efpecially 
 us Chriftians. 
 
 9. Thirdly, Whether all our Temptations, 
 to Sin, do arife from the Devil, or are to be 
 afcribed to him. 
 
 4. Fourthly^ Whether the Devil hath a 
 Power to tempt all Men alike, or the fame 
 Perfon alike, at all Times. 
 
 5. Fifthly, Whether we can diftinguifli 
 the Devils Temptations, from the evil Sug- 
 geftions that arife in our own Minds, from 
 other Gaufes. 
 
 6. Sixthly, What we are to fay of thofe 
 wicked blafphemous Thoughts, and other 
 troublefome Fancies, that are often injeded 
 into the Minds of melancholly People, ancj 
 which are ufuaily thought and cali'd the De- 
 vils Temptations, in a moil proper Senfe ^ 
 
 and 
 
The Fourth Sennojt, 7 1 
 
 and what is the iiiDft proper Advice to be gi- 
 ven in that Cafe. 
 
 Of thefe, in their Order, as far as the 
 Time will g;ive me leav^e. 
 
 I. The fir ft Enquiry is, Who we are to 
 underftind by the DtvA. 
 
 This Queftion ought I think a little to be 
 fpoken to, if it was upon no other Account, 
 than that extravagant Opinion that fome a- 
 mong us have taken up, about this Matter. 
 According to them, the Devil, that is fo of- 
 ten fpoken of in the Scriptures, is nothing 
 elfe but, either a Difeafe of the Body, or a 
 Phantafm in the Brain, or the wicked Princi- 
 ples and Inchnations of a Mans Heart. This 
 is the Dodrine of Mr. Hohbs and his Fol- 
 lowers. 
 
 But there cannot a vainer Conceit enter in- 
 to a Mans Head, than this is. By the very 
 fame Logick, that they can prove this, they 
 may likewife prove, that all thofe Men, that 
 are fpoken of in the Old and New Teftament, 
 were not real Perfons, but Qualities. For, 
 it is certain that the Devil is, in the Scripture, 
 as much reprefented as a Perfon, a real fub- 
 lifting Being, diftind from God and from 
 good xAngels, and from Mankind ;, I fay, he 
 is as plainly thus reprefented, as any Man or 
 Woman, that is there mentioned, is. And 
 he, for inftance, that will fay that, when 
 our Saviour was tempted by the Devil in the 
 Wildernefs, all this was bur a Tranficlion of 
 his imagination, and that it was only his own 
 F ^ Fancy 
 
j% *The Fourth Sermon, 
 
 Fancy that prefented to his Eyes all the 
 Kingdoms of the World, and that it was only 
 his own Fancy that fet him upon a Pinnacle 
 of the Temple, and would have had him 
 fall'n down and worlhipped it , I fay, he 
 that would give fuch an Account, as this, of 
 that Matter, may, with the fame Reafon, 
 fay, that Jefus himfelf was but a Phantafm, 
 an hnagination, and that there was never 
 fuch a re?il Perfon in the World. 
 
 The Devil then has a real Being of his 
 own, independent of us, or any other Crea- 
 ture : And, that Being is of the fpiritual or 
 angelical Nature. As there are good Spirits 
 and good Angels, fo there are evil Spirits, 
 and evil i\ngels , and of this latter Sort is the 
 Devil. 
 
 But then. Secondly, when we are fpeak- 
 ino; of the Devil we are not to underftand anv 
 one particular Being, or any one particular 
 evil Spirit, but the whole Aggregate or Com- 
 pany of evil Spirits, which inhabit round a- 
 bout us, in the lower Regions of the Air. All 
 thefe are, in the Scripture Language, and in 
 common Speech, called by the Name of the 
 Devil, and fometimes, in the plural Num- 
 ber, by the Name of Devils. 
 
 For the underdanding this, we are to know 
 that, among that infinite and innumerable 
 company of Angels, which God created in a 
 happy and glorious Condition, all of them 
 did not continue in that primitive Happinefs : 
 *> But, feverai of them, by their wilful Apo- 
 
 Itacy 
 
The Fourth Sermon. 7j 
 
 flacy from God, forfeited that Dignity and 
 Glory they were pofTelfed of, and fo depra- 
 ved their Natures, that they were uncapable 
 ofdvvelhngany longer, where they did be- 
 fore: But were, by the juft Vengeance of 
 God, cafl: down into thefe lower Regions of 
 the Air, where mey are referved, by Provi- 
 dence, to the Judgment and Pfnifhment of 
 the great Day. 
 
 This is the plain Account that the Scri- 
 ptures gives us as to this Matter. Thus St. 
 Jiic^e in the 6th Verfe of his Epiftle. 77:?^ 
 Angels, faith he, that kept 7iot their fir ft E- 
 ftate, hut left their ovpn Habitations, them 
 hath God referved in everlafting Chains un- 
 der Darkne/s, unto the Judgment of the great 
 Day. And jufl: to the fame Purpofe and al- 
 moft in the fame Words doth St. Peter fpeak 
 in the 2d Chapter of his 2d EpifHe, Verfe 
 the 4th. 
 
 Thefe fain Angels now thus thrufl down 
 from Heaven,tho' they do yet in a greatMeafure 
 retain all the intelledual Accomplifhments of 
 the Angelical Nature, fuch as Reafon, and 
 Memory, and Knowledge, yet are they in 
 their moral Qualities quite contrary to all 
 the good Angels , and particularly as to this, 
 that, as the good Angels are infinitely kind 
 and benign, great lovers of God and of Man- 
 kind, and moft entirely difpofed to do all good 
 Offices to them whatfoever ^ ,fo the Nat;jre 
 of thofe fallen Angels is cruel and revenge- 
 ful, full of hatred and fpite and malice to 
 
 God, 
 
74 T'fc Fourth Sermon. 
 
 God, and to his whole Creation : x'\nd, up- 
 on account of this, the Scripture hath given 
 to them the Name of Satan or Devil, which 
 two Words (as all that underfland the learn- 
 ed Languages know) fignifie neither more 
 nor lefs than an Adverfary, or an Accufer, 
 pr Calumniator. The one being the Hehrem 
 Word for it, and the other the Greek Word. 
 And indeed it is, with reference to this En- 
 mity to Mankind, that moft of thefe Names 
 and Characters, that they bear in Scripture, 
 are beftowed upon them. Upon this Ac- 
 count it is, that the Devil is called a Murde- 
 rer, a Deceiver, a Liar, and the Father of 
 Lies, the Deltroyer, the old Serpent, the 
 great Dragon, with fundry other fuch Appel- 
 lations. But then, tho' thefe Names, being 
 put in the finguhr Number, feem to denote 
 fome (ingle evil Spirit, that bears ill Will to 
 Mankind j yet, we are always to remember, 
 that they are to be expounded colledively, 
 that is to fiy, to fignilie the whole Body of 
 thefe apoflate Spirits, of which there are a 
 vail Number, I fiy the whole Body of 
 them, for that thefe lapfed Angels are form- 
 ed into a Body politick, or Government, or 
 Kingdom, is plainly enough intimated in the 
 New Teitament : For, there we meet with 
 the Kingdom of Darknefs, in oppohtion to 
 the Kingdom of Light : And there we meet 
 with the Prince of the Devils, as the Chief 
 of them. Who is likev^'ife by St. Faid cal- 
 led. The God cftbh Jy^oylcL and the Fnnce 
 
The Fourth Sennon. 7% 
 
 of the Power of the Air. Under whom alfo, 
 as in other Societies, there are many fubor- 
 dinate Officers, as St. Faiil Teems to intimate 
 in the 6th of the Ephefians, Where among 
 the wicked Spirits m Heavenly Places, (that 
 is in the Air, as Grotius with the Ancients 
 rightly expounds it) that he fliith we wreftle 
 againfl, he makes mention in the plural Num- 
 ber of Principalities, and Powers, and other 
 Rulers of the Darknefs of this World. 
 
 This is the Scripture Account of thefe 
 Matters. I muft confefs, it may feem a very 
 odd Thing to fome, that there fliould be in 
 the World a Society of fuch Spirits, as are 
 confefTedly endowed with all the Knowledge 
 and Subtilityof the Angelical Nature, and yet 
 are fo horribly degenerated in their Morals, 
 as to take pleafure in every Thing that is 
 naught, and even in ruining Mankind, if 
 they could. But, that it is really poflible, 
 that there fhould be fuch Beings, doth, in 
 fome meafure, appear from the prodigious 
 Inftances of the depravation of reafonable Na- 
 tures, that we fometimes fee among our felves, 
 there being: Men of excellent Parts and En- 
 dowments to be found, that do fometimes fo 
 far degenerate from human Kind, that, for 
 all manner of Wickednefs and Malice, they 
 may be rather called Devils than Men. But, 
 that it is more than pofiible, that there are a 
 Race of fuch Spirits, as do malign the wel- 
 fare pf Mankind, and take-pleafure in making 
 Fools and Wretches and Slaves of them, is 
 
 too 
 
^^ T7;e Fourth Sermm, 
 
 too evident, both from all the Hiftories of 
 paft Ages, and from the fad Experience of 
 fome Nations, at this Day. Who ( if we 
 *iTiay credit the Hiftories that are writ of 
 them) do niiferably groan, under the Vio- 
 lences and Tyranny of the Devil. Bur, how- 
 ever, no one that acknowledgeth the 1 ruth 
 of the Scripture, can poffibly doubt of this ^ 
 for, what I have now delivered is fo plainly 
 affirmed in the Old and New Teflament, that 
 there is no evading of it. And indeed this 
 Hypothefis of the Being of evil Spirits, and 
 their ill Will to Mankind, and their concern- 
 ing themfelves continually to do us Mifchief, 
 is fo interwoven with, and makes fo confide- 
 rable a Part of the Scheme of our Religion, 
 as it is deliver'd by Chrift and his Apoflles, 
 that v/e cannot deny the one, without much 
 weakning, if not altogether overthrowing, 
 the other. 
 
 We take it then for granted, that there are 
 abundance of evil Spirits about us, which we 
 call the Devils, who are inclinable enough 
 to do us Mifchief, by drawing us into Sin, 
 But here comes the fecond Queftion, Whe- 
 ther the Devil has ordinarily a Power to 
 tempt and feduce Men, at this Day, efpecial- 
 ly us Chriftians ? 
 
 This is our fecond general Head of Enquiry, 
 and, in anfwer to it, I lay down thefe feve- 
 ral Proportions. Firft of all it is certain the 
 Devil hath no Power to do any Mifchief to 
 any perfon or Perfons, no nor in the lea ft to 
 
 come 
 
The Fourth Sermon. <■ 77 
 
 come near them, or to tempt or folicit them 
 to do evil, any farther than God gives him 
 leave. Tho' there are a great Number of e- 
 vil Spirits about us, yet it is not to be doubt- 
 ed but the Armies of the living God, the 
 Holy Angels that are the Minifters of his 
 Providence for the good of Mankind, are as 
 near us, and are far greater both'in Number 
 and Strength, than the others are. Nor can 
 any evil Spirit have accefs to us, without 
 their Permillion. This is acknowledged by 
 the Devil himfelf, in the Cafe oi Job, Nor 
 doth any Man call it in Quellion, that doth 
 believe God to be the Governour of the 
 World. 
 
 Secondly, It is alfo granted, that the De- 
 vil had a greater Power in the World, before 
 our Saviour's coming, than he has had fince. 
 Before that Time, he had a kind of Empire 
 in the World, and therefore it is that he is 
 call'd by St. ?aul^ The God of this WorU, 
 For, in a manner, all Mankind were in a de- 
 gree of fubjedion to him ^ (the Jews only 
 excepted ;) and he did not only tempt them 
 to evil Anions, but did in a great meafure 
 govern them as to the Affairs of their Religi- 
 on, feducing them, from the Worfliip of the 
 true God, to the Worlhip of himfelf. And, 
 as it was thus with the Heathens, before our 
 Saviour's Time, fo it is, at this Day, in ma- 
 ny Places of the World, where the Gofpel of 
 Chrift is not received , if we may believe 
 the Relations concerning them. But, upon 
 
 the 
 
jr8 jf1?e Fourth Sermon, 
 
 the Preaching of the Chriflian Religion, he 
 was thrown out of his PofTeflion, his Oracles 
 were (ilenced, andthofe, that were his Slaves 
 before, were aiTerted into the glorious Li- 
 berty of the Sons of God. And this was it 
 which our Saviour told his Apofties, fpeak- 
 ing of what would follow upon their Preach- 
 ing : Ifazv (faith he) the Devils fall from 
 Heaven like Lightnings Luke i o. 1 8. 
 
 Thirdly, Tho*, upon our Saviours com- 
 ing, the Devil's Empire v/as much diminifli- 
 ed, nay, and wherever Chriftianity was en- 
 tertained, it was deflroyed: Yet, notwith- 
 ftanding that, his power of tempting did ftill 
 remain, and, which is very confiderable, he 
 had, at that Time when the Chriftian Reli- 
 gion firft appeared in the World, a Power al- 
 lowed him of tempting Chriflians, one way, 
 more or greater than he hath ordinarily had 
 fince. The Devils Temptations are of two 
 Sorts 5, he follicits and draws Men to Sin, ei- 
 ther by the way of difcouragement, and af- 
 frig:htment, and terror, or by the way of Al- 
 lurements, and pleafing Iniinuations. Now, 
 in the former of thefe Ways, he was permit- 
 ted to lay moft ftrong Temptations before all 
 the iirft Chriflians ^ for, he raifed up the fe- 
 vereft Perfecutions againft them, that ever 
 were heard of, engaging all the Powers of 
 the World on his (ide, to fupprefs, if it was 
 polTible, the farther growth of Chriftianity. 
 And thus it was reafonable to think he would 
 doj for, as the Apoftle exprelTeth it, he had 
 
 great 
 
Tl?e Fourth Sermon. 
 
 great Wrath, as knowing or fufpeding that 
 his Time was fliort. 
 
 This was the great Struggle between the 
 Kingdom of Light, and the Kingdom of 
 Darknefs. The Devil's Empire was at flake, 
 and he knew he muft lofe it in all Places, 
 where the Faith of Chrift prevailed, and, 
 therefore, he did the more vigoroufly exert 
 all his Power to baffle and ftifie it. 
 
 And, as it was reafonable to think the Devil 
 would do thus, fo it was reafonable to be- 
 leive, that God would fuffer him to raifs 
 thefe Temptations. By them, Chrift his 
 Triumpli, over the Kingdom of Darknefs, 
 was rendred more illuftrious. And thofe ve- 
 ry Methods, which the Devil made ufe of 
 for the extirpating Chriftianity, proved the 
 mofl eflFed:ual Means, for the fpreading and 
 propagating it, thro' the World. But, in 
 the mean Time, I muft needs fay, that! be- 
 lieve it was of this kind of Temptations that 
 the Writers of the New Teftament do fpeak, 
 when they tell us of grievous Temptations, 
 and of the fiery Trvals, and of the fiery 
 Darts of the Devil. It wis to this kind of 
 Oppofition that the Apoflle refers, when he 
 tells the Chriftians, thac they ivreftled ?wt a- 
 gainft fhfi and Bloody but ag^ainfi Prifictpa- 
 lic'res and Powers^ and the Riders of the 
 Darknefs of this World: Jt was chiefly with 
 refpecl to thefc Storms of Perfecution, which 
 the Devil brought upon tile hril Chriftians, 
 that St. Paul ftiles him a roaring Lion, that 
 
 went 
 
 79 
 
go ^he Fourth Sermon. 
 
 went about feeking whom he might ds- 
 vottr. 
 
 I fay, manyofthefePafTages, which fpeak 
 of the terriblenefs and violence of the Devils 
 Temptations, feem to have refped chiefly to 
 thefe firii Times, when Chrift and the De- 
 vil ftrove together for the Victory ^ and all 
 the Powers of Hell fet themfelves to make 
 one vigorous Effort, againft the prevailing 
 of the Gofpel in the World. 
 
 But, Fourthly, to come home to the Point . 
 in Queftion ;, tho' the Devil, in the tirft ^ 
 Times of Chriftianity, had greater Power gi- 
 ven him to tempt the Difciples of Chrift, e- 
 fpecially in the Way of Terror and Affright- 
 ment, than he hath ordinarily had (ince^ 
 yet, lb far as we can gather from the Scrip- 
 ture, he hath even yet, at this Day, a Pow- 
 er to tempt both ways, and doth frequently 
 do fo. Our. Saviour hath not yet fo fubdu- 
 ed all his Enemies under his Feet, but that 
 there are Enemies left. And thefe Enemies, 
 tho' they cannot do us fo much Mifchief, as 
 they would, or as they once could, yet will 
 they do us what Mifchief they can, and af- 
 furedly they do lay Snares and Temptations 
 before us, to that end. 
 
 But, how do we prove this ? How can 
 we Ihew, that the Devil hath any thing to do 
 with any Chriftian Profeilor now-a-days? 
 To this I anfwer, how can it be proved, 
 that Chriftians are, at this Day, exempted 
 from the Devils Temptations ? If there be no 
 
 Promife 
 
Tfe Fourth Sermon] 8 1 
 
 Proraife made to us of that kind, we will be 
 bold to conclude that we ftili are obnoxious 
 to them. Becaufe, there are fuch things faid, 
 by our Lord and his Apoilles, of the Devils 
 Temptations, as will extend to Chriftians in 
 all Ages, unlefs they can plead a particular 
 Exemption from them. 
 
 Our Saviour, in the 1 3th of Mdtt. 19. Ver. 
 tells uSjthat when any oneheareth the Words 
 of the Gofpel , and under ftandeth it not, 
 (that is, does not conlider and meditate upon 
 it,) then cometh the wicked One, or as St. 
 Mark has it, then cometh Satan and catch- 
 eth away the Seed , that was fown in his 
 Heart. And this ( faith he ) is he that 
 receiveth the Seed by the High -way. If 
 now it be the Devils Property to put the 
 thoughts of Gods Word out of Mens Heads, 
 and to hinder them from taking up good Refo- 
 lutions thereupon, why fhould we not ima- 
 gine that he is as bufie with us now, as he 
 was in old time ? Since we fee the EfFtds of 
 this his Working are as great, as ever they 
 were. Again, our Saviour, in the fame Chap- 
 ter, giveth us the fame Dodrine, in another 
 Parable ^ he is reprefenting the State of his 
 Kingdom, how it fhould be from the begin- 
 ing of it, to the End of the World. And he 
 doth it very aptly, by refembhng hs Church 
 to a Field, wherein the Lord or Owner of 
 it fowed good Seed, but an Enemy fowed 
 Tares : and both grew up, and no feparati- 
 on was made of them, till Harveft , but 
 VoUII. G thea 
 
Bz Tl:>e Fourth Sermon] 
 
 then the Reapers, by order of their Lord, 
 gathered the Corn into the Granery, and the 
 Tares they burnt. What is the Application 
 of this Parable > why our Saviour tells us 
 directly in the 37th verfe, that he that fow- 
 ed the good Seed was the Son ot Man, that 
 is our Lord Jtfus Hiinfelf. The good Seed 
 were the right and faithful ProfelTors of the 
 Gofpel : the Tares were all wicked Men, 
 that profeiTed it : The Enemy, that fowed 
 them, was the Devil. The Harveft was the 
 End of the World, and the Reapers were the 
 Angels. This now certainly we may gather 
 from this Parable, that fo long, as there are 
 wicked ungodly Profelfors in the World, 
 (and there will be always till the Harveft, 
 till the end of the World,) fo long the De- 
 vil doth fow Tares, that is to fay, fo long he 
 hath a hand in making Men bad, and draw- 
 ing them from the true fpirit and genius of 
 Chriftianity. There are fev^eral other Texts 
 of Scripture, 1 might quote about this Mat- 
 ter j the Reafon of which feems to concern 
 all Chriftians, to the end of the World, as 
 particularly James 4. 7. where the Apoftle, 
 exhorting all Chriftians againft intemperate 
 Anger, and Envy, and Rage, Q;ives them this 
 Advice, ^(^fifi (faith he j the Devils and he 
 w'lU fiy from you. To this let me add the 
 4th of the ^Z*/!?^/ 26. 1-) There faith the 
 Apoftle, Be ye an^ry and fin not \ let not the 
 Sun go down upon your Wraths neither give 
 place to the Devil. Thefe two Texts do plain- 
 
The Fourth Sermon. 83 
 
 ly (hew, that the Devil has oftentimes a Hand 
 in the tempting Men to Anger, and Wrath, 
 and Envy , and fuch other uncharitable 
 Works, and that, by refi fling the Temptati- 
 ons to them, we do rehft the Devil j by not 
 yielding to them, we do not give place to the 
 Devil. It is true, as I faid, that the Sins of 
 Wrath and Envy and Malice and the like, 
 are the proper Charaders of the Devil's Na- 
 ture, and it i? probable, that he is moft bu- 
 (ie in tempting to them. But yet, if he 
 tempt to them, it is with great Reafon to be 
 prefumed that he tempts to, other Sins like- 
 wi e : Since they help forward his Interefts, 
 and the Hurt of Mankind, tho' in another 
 Way. And thus we fee the Temptations to 
 Luft are, by St. PW, afcribed to the Devil, 
 That Satan (faith he) tempt you not for your 
 Incontinency^ I Cor. 7. 5. 
 
 But, to put this Matter out of doubt, that 
 Chrifti?^ns always were, and always (hall be 
 expofed to the Devils Temptations, appears 
 very plain, from the Prayer which Chrift 
 left with his Church, to be ufed by us, to 
 the end of the World j I mean the Lords 
 Prayer, the Conclufion of which is, Lead 
 lis not into Temptation^ hut deliver us from 
 the evil One, ^ t^ TTDv/ip'^ the evil One^ I 
 fay right, wicked Out, If now we, at this 
 Day, were in no Danger from the Devil, 
 what need is there, nay rather how abfurd 
 would it be for us, every Day to pray to be 
 delivered from him j for that, by the evil 
 G 2 OnQ, 
 
84 The Fourth Sermon, 
 
 One, is principally meant the Devil, there 
 
 can be no doubt. 
 
 To conclude this Point, We Chriflians 
 feem to be in the fame Condition, with the 
 Ifrdelites^ after they came out of Egypt into 
 the Land of Canaan ^ as they, at their entry 
 into that Land, had ail the Power of the Ca- 
 naanites fet againit them, to hinder them 
 from the Conqueft of it, and, even after 
 they were fettled there, God flill left fome 
 of the Canaamtes in the Land, nay and fiith 
 he always would do fo, that he might prove 
 the Ifraelites, whether they would keep the 
 Way of the Lord, to walk therein , fo it is 
 with us Chriflians , tho' our Saviour hath 
 broken the Head of the old Serpent, hath 
 outed him out of his Kingdom, by fettling 
 his Religion amongft us, yet there is fo much 
 Power left to him, as that he is (till in a 
 Condition to difturb us, and, byhimfelfand 
 his Minifters, to lay Snares in our Way : 
 And all this ^ as God faid to the Jfraditesy 
 that God may prove us, whether we will 
 keep the Way of the Lord to walk therein , 
 Therefore hath the Lord left thefe evil An^ 
 gels, zvithoiit driving them out haftily^ nei- 
 ther hath he delivered thefn into our Hand, 
 As I may apply the Words, Judg, 2. 22,25. 
 
 But then Fifthly and Laftly, We are al- 
 ways to remember this, that, tho' God do 
 differ the Devil to tempt us, yet He never 
 gives him leave to do more than tempt us. 
 The Devil cannot force us to do that which 
 
 is 
 
Tl?e Fourth Sermon. 85 
 
 is evil. He hath no more Power over us, thin 
 
 our vitious Acquaintance have, that we con- 
 verfe with, f hey can, and they do, pro- 
 pofc Objeds and Occafions and Opportuni- 
 ties, by which we are oftentimes tempted, 
 to depart from our Duty, and to do fome- 
 thing that we ought not to do. And they 
 likewife can, and do, apply thefe Temptati- 
 ons fo vigoroufly, by their Perfuafions and 
 Counfels, and a thoufand lly Suggeilionsand 
 Infinuations, that we fhall be in very great 
 Danger, if we do not watch carefully over 
 our felves, to be overcome by them. 
 
 Thus much the Men of the World daily 
 do, and the Devil doth no more, nor can he 
 do more, when he fets himfelf mod vigo- 
 roufly to do us Mifchief. He can prefent 
 Objeds, or raife Phantafms, in our Minds 
 about them, he can move and invite and al- 
 lure and follicit. But, this is ail he can do ; 
 he cannot, in the lead, compel us to depart, 
 one Step, out of that Way which we have 
 propofed to our felves, unlefs we our felves 
 have a Mind. He may put a fairer Giofs 
 upon a Temptation, than it would otherwife 
 have appeared in, to us j and he may, 'tis 
 likely, fuggefl fuch Motives to us to comply 
 with it, as would not perhaps have come in- 
 to our Heads, had he not been about us. But 
 flill we are left to our own choice and liber- 
 ty, whether we will comply or not , ftill 
 we are Mafters of our felves, and may order 
 our own Actions, as we pleafe , and, if it 
 G 3 ihould 
 
88 77;e Fourth Sermon] 
 
 fhould happen, at any time, thattheTempN 
 er Ihould put us hard to it, and lay fuch 
 Snares before us, as, confiderino; our natural 
 weaknefs and frailties, we (hould fcarcely a- 
 void falling into ^ why, then, is the Spirit 
 of Chrift, and the Heavenly Hjft of Angels 
 that attend him, ready at Hmd to fuccour 
 and aflift us, and to fortify our Minds, with 
 fuch Strength and Power, as that we (hall 
 not be overcome, unlefs we be Traitors to 
 God and our felves for greater is he that 
 is in lis, than he that is in the World -^ as the 
 Apoftle hath told us. 
 
 So that, after all, as Things are contrived, 
 the meaneft and the weakefl of us is able to 
 match aJl the Powers of Hell. And they 
 cannot do us the lead Mifchief, any farther 
 than we our felves contribute to it. Nay, 
 fo far are they from being able to do us Mif- 
 chief, that there is not any Temptation, they 
 prefent to us, but it is in our Power, thro' 
 Chrifts Afli (lance, to turn it to our great Be- 
 nefit and Advantage : As God hath thought 
 fit to leave usexpofjd to the Devils Attempts, 
 for the exercifc of our Vertue, fo he hath 
 taken care to order Matters in fuch a Way, 
 that we may always dio our felves good, and 
 improve both our Vertue and Rewards by 
 the Alfaults of the Devil, tho' he can do us 
 no harm by them. 
 
 And thus much of the fecon.^Head ofEn- 
 <]uiry 5 1 now proceed to the Third, and that 
 is this 5 Whether all Temptations to Sin or 
 
 all 
 
The Fourth Sermon, 8/ 
 
 all Sins we fall into, by temptation, are to 
 be afcribed to the Devil } This Qiaeflion I 
 put, becaufe many among us are fo ready, at 
 every turn, to charge their Mifcarriages up- 
 on him, and to remove the Blaine from them- 
 felves 5 but how unreafonable this iswillap- 
 pear by what I lliill briefly reprefent, in an- 
 fwer to this Enquiry, and therewith 1 (hall 
 conclude. 
 
 Firft of all, it cannot be denied, that, in 
 a remote Senfe, and with refped to the ori- 
 ginal of Sin, the Devil may be faid to be the 
 Author and the Caufe of all the S'ns of Man- 
 kind. Since it was he, that hrfl: drew our 
 firft Parents from tlie State of their Innocen- 
 cy, and, by their Fall, brought Sin into the 
 World. Accordingly, in the Scripture-lan- 
 guage, A// Si?is and Impieties^ of what kind 
 foever are the Works of the Devil, and all 
 thofe, who do commit Sin^ are faid to he of 
 the Devil, who was a Sinner from the begin- 
 ning. Secondly, there is likewife no doubt, 
 but that the Devil is, at all times, bufy and 
 adive for the promoting Sin in the World as 
 he hath Opportunity , he goes to and fro in 
 the Earth (ashefpeaks of himfelf in the i ft 
 Chapter of Job) obferving how his Work 
 goes forwards, and very induftrious without 
 doubt he is, in helping forwards the Intereft 
 of his Kingdoui. And , wherever he fees 
 that there is need of his immediate particular 
 Application or Afliftance, for the carry- 
 ing on a Bufinefs, there to be fare he is 
 G 4 ready 
 
S8 77?^ Fourth Sermon] 
 
 ready to afford it, if God give him permif- 
 fion. 
 
 But then, in the third Place, if we fpeak, 
 with reference to all the particular Tempta- 
 tions which are prefented to a Man, or all 
 the particular Sins which a Man falls into by 
 Temptation, then we fay it is very improba- 
 ble that the Devil fhould have an immediate 
 Hand, either in all of them, or in moft of 
 them 5 for indeed, there is no need he fhould 
 concern himfelf in every particular Adion : 
 For the generality of Men are too ready to 
 commit Sin, without waiting for a Tempta- 
 tion from him ;, to that pitch of degeneracy 
 is the Nature ojf Mankind arrived, that, God 
 knows, many of us are too prone to do naughty 
 Things, even without a Tempter, and there 
 is no doubt but we do a great many, when 
 no one doth inftigate us to them, but we 
 blindly follow our own Appetites and Pafli- 
 ons, and the evil Habits and Cufloms that 
 we have brought upon our felves, and, when 
 there happens a Cafe, that there doth need a 
 Tempter to a bad Adion, why alafs ! there 
 are too many vifible ones, that we converfe 
 with, that take the Devils Office out of his 
 Hands, and render his AlFaults perfedly 
 needlefs. 
 
 But, Fourthly and Laftly, Whether the 
 Devil doth immediately tempt us to our Sins, 
 or doth not, yet this will make but little 
 difference, as to the Guilt, if we have com- 
 mitted them. I would ask any one, that is 
 
 drawn 
 
71)0 Fourth Sermon. 89 
 
 drawn to commit Lewdnefs or Drunkeimefs 
 or the like, whether he thinks he doth much 
 extenuate his Guilt either before God, or to 
 his own Confcience , by pleading, that the 
 Company, that he was engaged in, did 
 tempt him to thefe Sins, and, that he had 
 not been guilty of them, if he had not light 
 into that Converfation. I dare lay, he will 
 not be fo partial to himfelf as to think this is 
 any tolerable Excufe : And, if the human 
 Temptations, we meet with in the World, 
 be no jufl Excufe for our Sins , it is certain 
 the Devils Temptations can be none neither : 
 For it is certain the Devil cannot tempt more 
 ftrongly, than Men can do, and, tho* he 
 may convey his Temptations in another kind 
 of Way, than thofe of Mankind are applied, 
 yet, let them be conveyed as they will, we 
 are as much at liberty (as I faid before) 
 whether we will yield to them : And have 
 as much Power to refill them, as we have to 
 reQlt thofe that come upon us in the ordina- 
 ry way of Converfation or Example, and the 
 like. So that, when all is done, we are to 
 lay the Guilt of our Sins no where, but at 
 our own Doors, whether the Devil applyed 
 the Temptation to us, or applyed it not, it 
 matters not much ^ it was we ourfelves that, 
 by confenting, brought the Sin upon us. 
 
 And thus much of our third Head of En- 
 quiry \ thofe that remain I (hall refer to the 
 next Time. 
 
 SER- 
 
j>o 
 
 SERMON V. 
 
 2 CORINTH. 11. II. 
 
 hejl Satan fioidci get an Advantage of us, 
 for we are 7iot ignorant of his Devices, 
 
 W^%'^M f^ E Subjecl: I am now upon is 
 S^T^3 the Devil's Temptations , a Point 
 Wrffc^i which creates a great deal of 
 ^^Mm^ Trouble to feme forts of People. 
 
 In order to the difcourfing clearly upon it, 
 I propofed thefe fix following Heads to be 
 enquired into. 
 
 1. Firfi, Who we are to underfland by 
 Satan or the Devil. 
 
 2. Secondly^ Whether the Devil hath, or- 
 dinarily, a Power to tempt Men, efpecially 
 us Chriftians. 
 
 9. Thirdly, Whether all our Temptations, 
 to Sin, do a rife from the Devil, or are to be 
 afcribed to him. 
 
 4; Fourthly, Whether the Devil hath a 
 Power to tempt all Men alike, or the fame 
 Men different alike, at Times. 
 
 5. iijthly. Whether we can diftinguifh 
 the Devils Temptations, from the evil Sug- 
 
 geflions 
 
The Fifth Sermon, 9\ 
 
 geftions that arife in our Minds, from other 
 Caufes. 
 
 6. Sixthly, What we are to fay of thofe 
 wicked blafphemous Thoughts, and other 
 troublefome Fancies, that are often injeded 
 into the Minds of melancholly People, and 
 which are ufually thought and cali'd the De- 
 vils Temptations, in a mod proper Senfej 
 and what are the moft proper Advices to be 
 given in that Cafe. 
 
 The three former of thefe Enquiries I have 
 already fpuken to, in my lift D fjourfe, and 
 there is no need I (hould repeat any thing I 
 then faid, concerning them, in order to the 
 making way for what I am now to delivery 
 fave only this, that 1 then largely proved, 
 from the Scripture, that tho' the Devil hath 
 not fo great a Power over us Chriftians, as 
 he had over Mankind before our Saviour s ap- 
 pearance, or as he his ftill, in fome Coun- 
 tries, where the Light of the Gofpel never 
 (hone 5 yet, neverthelefs, we are not exempt- 
 ed altogether from his AlTiults : He hath a 
 Power of tempting us ftill left him, which 
 he doth frequently exercife in fuch manner, 
 and at fuch times as God is pleafed to per- 
 mit. 
 
 Taking now this for granted, T proceed to 
 my fourth Enquiry, which is this. Whe- 
 ther we Chriftians are equally expofed to the 
 Devils Temptations, or whether he hath not 
 more Power to tempt fome th^n others, and 
 the fame Perfons more at fome Times, than 
 at other Times. To 
 
gt Th^ ^ift^h Sermon. 
 
 To this I anfwer. It is very reafonable to 
 believe, nay it is very certain, that the De- 
 vil hath not Power over all Perfons alike, 
 nor upon the fame Perfon always equally, 
 but every one, as he is more or lefs under 
 the Condu6l of God s Spirit, and under the 
 Protection of his holy Angels, fo is he lefs or 
 more obnoxious to the Snares of the Devil. 
 And every Man likewife, as he grows better 
 or worfe in his Morals, as he leads a more 
 holy or a more fenfual wicked Life, fo is he 
 more or lefs under the Care of the holy Spi- 
 rit, and the good Angels. 
 
 Some Perfons, that are entirely and hear- 
 tily the Servants of God, and walk clofely 
 with him in the Exercife of all Chriftian 
 Vertucs , thefe Perfons are fo much under 
 the Guidance and Government of God*s Spi- 
 rit, and are fo guarded by the invi(ible Mi- 
 nifters of the Kingdom of Light, that it is to 
 be hoped the Devil hath but little accefs to 
 them, nay perhaps none at all, unlefs there 
 fall out fome extraordinary Occalion, that 
 God, for the greater exercife and improve- 
 ment of their Vertue, may think fit to fuffer 
 the Devil to create them fome difturbanec, as 
 it was in the Cafe of St. Fmil'^ who, left he 
 ihould be puffed up thro' the Gifts of Reve- 
 lations, which were vouchfafed to him, there 
 was, as he tells us, given him a Thorn in 
 the Flefh \ an Angel of Satan to buffet him. 
 And, tho' he prayed thrice that it might be 
 removed, yet the Anfwer which was given 
 
 him 
 
TIjc Fifth Sermon, ^i 
 
 him was, MyGrace is fii_ficient for thee^ fee 
 2 Coy, 12, J, Intimating ihat God would not 
 remove the Temptation, but however he 
 fliould fo far aflid him with his Grace, that 
 the Temptation (liould dio him no Mifchief. 
 
 Thus I fay the Cafe flands, as to good and 
 holy Men , the Devil hath ordinarily but ve- 
 ry little to do with them, but, as for others, 
 that do not thus endeavour to recommend 
 themfelves to God's Favour, but are loofe 
 and carelefs in their Lives, and have no Senfe 
 of Religion upon their Minds, or fear of God 
 before their Eyes, I do not doubt but the 
 Devil hath a much greater Power over thofe , 
 and, tho' they may not be wholly abandoned 
 by God, but are flill under the Care of his 
 general Providence, by which the Devil is 
 kept from committing thofe downright Vio- 
 lences, and putting thofe grofs Cheats and 
 Abufes, upon Mankind, efpecially Chriflian 
 ProfelTors, which otherwife he would j yet, 
 fo long as they continue in this ftate of Irre- 
 ligion, they are, in a great meafure, under 
 his Condud, and, flill the worfe they grow, 
 the more they are fo. And, if once they 
 come to that pitch of Wickednefs, that they 
 let themfelves loofe to all kind of Vice, and 
 commit Sin with greedinefs, without remorfe, 
 or reflexion ^ then, it is to be feared, they 
 may be faid to be given over to the Power of 
 the Devil *, to be his Slaves and Va/Tals^ and 
 to he led captive by him at his will and pie a- 
 fitre'j which are the very Expreflions of 
 
 St. 
 
hi Tloe Fifth Sermon. 
 
 St, Paul, concerning fiich Perfons : So that, 
 even as to bad Men, the Devil hath not al- 
 ways the fame Power, but, over fome, he 
 hath a greater, and, over others, a lefs, ftill 
 in proportion to the degrees of their Wick- 
 ednefs and Degeneracy. As the Operations 
 of the holy Spirit are various, according to 
 the Capacity and Difpofition of the Subjed 
 he works u;:on, there being fame, who are 
 not yet in the Stite of Regeneration, whom 
 he only invites and folicits, by his holy Mo- 
 tions, to amend their Lives, and to become 
 Holy and Vertuous : But others, that are 
 adlually Regenerate, he dwells within them, 
 as in a Temple, and is a conflant Principle in 
 them of holy and vertuous Adlions : So it is, 
 in fome meafure, as to the Devils Operations 
 upon Men , fome Men he only tempts, but 
 others he hath fo great a Dominion ovefj 
 that tho', it may be, he cannot properly be 
 faid to polTefs them, or to dwell in them, yet 
 they are as much his own, as if he did. 
 Thus, as Stephen in the 6th of the A&s is 
 faid to be filled with the good Spirit, fo Ana- 
 7iias, in the 5 th of the ABs, after he had fet 
 his Heart to do that Wickednefs, for which 
 St. Peter flruck him dead, is faid to be filled 
 with the bad Spirit. ^l:jy hath Satan (faith 
 St. Peter J filled thine Hearty to (ye to the 
 Holy Ghojl. 
 
 And, as it is thus with refped to bad Men 
 compared one with another, fo it is with re- 
 fped; to the fame Perfons, at feveral Times, as 
 
 they 
 
77;e Fifth Sermon. pj 
 
 they grow more wicked. When Judas firfl 
 entred upon a Defign of betraying our Savi- 
 our, then it is only faid, that the Devil put 
 it into bis Heart \ he only tempted him to 
 it, John 13. 2. But, when he had given his 
 entire Confent to the Adion, and notwith- 
 ftanding our Saviour's difcovery of him at 
 Supper, ftill perfifted in that wicked Defign, 
 having his Heart fully bent upon it, then it 
 is told us that Satan enter'd into him, as you 
 have it in the 27th Verfe , he hid now got- 
 ten full Dominion over him, and, from hence- 
 forward, made him ad as he pleafed. 
 
 The Re ifon, for which I infift upon this 
 Point, and the Ufe I make of it, is this, that 
 it infinitely concerns all of us, to keep clofe 
 to God, and our Duty j and, as we love our 
 Souls, to have a care of all wilful open 
 Crimes, that do wound our Confciences, and 
 difhonour our Religion. For all fuch Crimes 
 as they grieve the Holy Spirit and drive him 
 away from us, fo do they put us out of the 
 particular Protedion of the good Angels, and 
 leave us more expofed to the AiTaults and 
 Temptations of wicked Spirits, that bear us 
 evil Will. 
 
 So long as we walk uprightly before God, 
 and, in all our Adions, do heartily endea- 
 vour to approve our feives to him, we need 
 not fear the leaft Mifcheif or Damage, from 
 any of the Powers of Darknefs ^ and, tho' 
 they may now and then be permitted to 
 fpread their Temptations before us, yet this 
 
 Oiail 
 
Jhe Fifth Sermon. 
 
 fhall redound to our own greater Benefit and 
 Comfort. But, every great and wilful de- 
 parture, from God and our Duty, gives the 
 Devil an Advantage over us, and that Advan- 
 tage he may fo manage and improve (unlefs 
 we, by our timely repentance and return to 
 our Duty, prevent the ill Confequences) that 
 he will more and more get us under his 
 Power, till at hft God give us over, and we 
 be wholly reduced among the Number of 
 the Devil's Children and Servants, and, when 
 we are once come to this fid Condition, he 
 is (without an extraordinary interpofition of 
 Divine Mercy) fo fure of us, that he will 
 not need to throw away much of his Time 
 and Pains, in tempting us to this or the o- 
 ther particular evil Adion , for, being adled 
 by his Principle, we fhall run faft enough 
 on, in doing his Bufinefs, without his im- 
 mediate inftigation : Nay, as I faid in my 
 former Difcourfe, we fhall take his Office out 
 of his Hands, and prove Devils to thofe a- 
 bout us, by tempting them to be as bad, as 
 we our felves are ^ but, God Almighty pre- 
 ferve us all, from this deplorable State. 
 
 My fifth Enquiry, upon this Argument, 
 is this, Whether it be poflible for us, ordi- 
 narily, to diftinguilh the Devil's particular 
 I'emptations, from thofe that come to us, o- 
 ther ways , as, for inftance, from our own 
 vitious Inclinations, or from the Men of the 
 World } 
 
 In 
 
The Fifth Sermon. P7 
 
 In anfwer to this, I fay, that as far as we 
 can judge by Reafon and Experience, it is 
 hardly poflible for us to diflinguifli them. 
 My Reafon is, that, tho' the Devil hath a 
 Power of making application to our Minds, 
 in a more immediate way, than by the means 
 of our outward Senfes, yet, fuch is the Con- 
 flitution of our Natures, that he can convey 
 nothing to our Minds, but, jufl in fuch a 
 manner, as our own Thoughts and Reafoning 
 are occafioned in us j and thofe Things he re^ 
 prefents will make juft fuch Impreflions up- 
 on our Minds, as the I'hings that are repre- 
 fented, by other Caufes, upon other Occali- 
 ons. So that it will be impoifible for us to 
 diftinguifh, between thefe Suggeftions that 
 he caufeth in us, and thofe that arife from 
 the temperament and complexion of our own 
 Bodies. 
 
 To give a fairer Account of this. The 
 Motions which are made in our Bodies to that 
 which is good, and the Temptations which 
 arefuggefted to that which is evil, are, with- 
 out doubt, prefented and performed in the 
 fame way. There is no doubr, but allChri- 
 llians have a great deal of alliftance from the 
 Spirit of God, and his holy Angels-, in the 
 Way of Godlinefs. It is to the working of 
 the holy Spirit, in our Hearts, thit every 
 good Man owes his fpiritual Regeneration, or 
 new Birth , and it is Ukewife to the Inrluences 
 of the fame Spirit, that he owes his profici- 
 ency and growth, in Grace and Vertue. 
 Vol. III. H Nay, 
 
9 8 Tfye Fifth Sermon. 
 
 Nay, even thofe, that are not in a State of 
 Grace, that are nut yet Regenerate, but live 
 loofely and carelefly , yet, fj long, as there 
 is any Hopes of them, fo lon^;, the Spirit of 
 God ftrives with them j fo long, he takes 
 Occafion to follicitand tempt them (if I may 
 i]fe the Word in that Senfe) to leave that 
 courfe of Life they are enga?,ed in, and to 
 become ferioufly Pious and Relig;ioas. In a 
 Word, both the good and the bad do receive 
 a great many good Motions, from the. Divine 
 Spirit: A thoufand holy Thoughts are fug- 
 gefted to our Minds by him, and the holy 
 Angels, that ad under him for the good of 
 the Church of God. But yet, all thefe Mc« 
 tions and Suggeflions, nay, ail the Operati- 
 ons of thefe heavenly Spirits, upon us, are 
 perform'd in fo natural, fo familiar, fo imper- 
 ceptible a Way, that it will be hard for any 
 Man to fay that he can diftinguifh them 
 from the x^dings of his own Mind. We 
 feel them no otherwife, than we do our own 
 Tlioughts and Meditations , nor can we, in 
 the leaft, diflinguifh them, by the manner 
 of their afFeding us, from our natural Rea- 
 fonings, and the natural Operations of Argu- 
 ments, and Motives upon our Minds. 
 
 And this imperceivablenefs of the Impref- 
 iions made upon our Souls, by the holy Spi- 
 rit, was that which our Saviour figniiied to 
 Nicocie7fms, in the 3d of St. John, by the 
 Similitude of a Wind, which, faith he, 7vff 
 hear the Sound of'^ but we know ?i9t whence 
 
 i; 
 
57;^ Fifth Sermon, " '9^ 
 
 it Cometh, nor whither it goeth : That Is, 
 we find the EfFcds of it, v/hich it leaves be- 
 hind it, but know not at all the Way of its 
 Motion 5 evenfo. fiitli he, is every one that 
 is born of the Spirit, And thus, without 
 doubt, it is as to the Motions and Tempta- 
 tions of the contfriry Spirits ^ the Spirits of 
 Darknefs, they foilicit us to Evil, feveral 
 waysj fometimes, by fetting on our Acquain- 
 tance to tempt us, fometimes, by exciting 
 our Paffionsand Appetites, upon the prefence 
 of a tempting Object: By faggefling to our 
 Minds fome Motives and Confiderations, that 
 may more effectually recommend a Sin to uSp 
 or, by bringing to our remembrance fome- 
 thing, that may render us more inclinable to 
 it. But now, all thefe Operations of theirs 
 are wrought in a Method fo fuitable, fo pro- 
 portionate, to our Natures, and to our ways 
 of ading, that, as in the outward Temptati- 
 ons, it isimpoflible todiflinguifli, when our 
 Friends tempt us on their own accord, and 
 when the Devil fets them on to tempt us t 
 So, in the inward Temptations, that are made 
 more immediately to our Souls, it is impof- 
 (ible to know, when our evil Thoughts and 
 Defires are the refults purely of our Minds, 
 occafioned by the natural Conftitution, or 
 the prefent Circumftances we are in , and 
 when they are fuggefted to us by any evil 
 Spirit. 
 
 I fpeak of their ordinary Ablings ^ for, as 
 for the extraordinary Infpirations of Men by 
 
 H 2 tl>e 
 
too The Fifth Sermon. 
 
 the Spirit of God, in" the Age of Miracles 5 
 or the extraordinary Adings of the Devil, in 
 Perfons that are polTelTed , of thefe, I fay, I 
 fpeak not. In truth, the actings of Spirits 
 upon our Minds, whether they be good or 
 bad, are performed in a Way fo Uke our own 
 ading, that we could not have known, that 
 they make any immediate application to our 
 Minds, or indeed have any thing to do with 
 us, were it not that the holy Scripture de- 
 clares that they have fuch a Power, and do 
 exercife it, and that the vihble EfPeds in our 
 Lives, which are confequent upon their Ad- 
 ings, do confirm to us what the Scripture 
 hath declared. 
 
 As for what has been fometimes faid, that 
 we may know the Devils Suggeftion from 
 the Motions of our own Minds, by the fud- 
 dennefs and unexpeclednefs of them, and the 
 violence and impetuoufnefs, with which they 
 are accompanied : I mull: confefs, I think it 
 has no great Weight in it , becaufe, there is no 
 Man, that has ferioully attended to the work- 
 ing of his own Mind, but will experience, 
 that he hath often had very odd and extra- 
 vagant Thoughts come into his Head, on a 
 fudden, (and thofe vigoroully enough impref- 
 fed) without any Occaiion, that he can give 
 an Account of, where, yet, there has not 
 been the lead reafon to fufped, that the De- 
 vil had any Hand in the infufing of them 5 
 becaufe they were not at all relating to his 
 Interefl. But (as there is great reafon to be- 
 lieve) 
 
71)6 Fifth Sermon, 
 
 Jieve) they did purely and folely arife, from 
 the prefent Temper and Motion of his Ani- 
 mal Spirits, which, accordinglyas they move 
 regularly or irregulirly, more briskly or 
 more flowly, have a Power of exciting in the 
 Soul Thoughts and Fancies, of a differing 
 Nature. And hence come all the extrava- 
 gancies of Dreams, the odd flights and reco- 
 veries of thofe that are in feverifli Diftem- 
 pers, and likewife the flrange Conceits and 
 Fancies of Melancholy and Hypocondriacal 
 Perfons ; of fome of which I now come to 
 give an Account, in my fixth and laft Enqui- 
 ry. And that is this. 
 
 What we are to fay to thofe wicked and 
 blafphemous Thoughts, and other extrava- 
 gant Fancies, that are oftentimes injcded into 
 the Minds of good People. 
 
 It is not all Perfons that do complain of 
 thefe kind of Thoughts ^ thofe, that are very 
 bad, are feldom troubled with them. Nor is 
 it all good Perfons, that are thus haunted, 
 but chiefiy thofe, that are of a melanchol)' 
 Conftitution, thofe of the devout Sex, Wo- 
 men, are more thus afflicted, than the other 
 Sex. Thefe, that I fpeak of, are grievoufly 
 difturbed, with odd, unreafonable, nay and 
 fometimes, impious blafphemous Phantafies, 
 which are fuggefted to their Minds, they do 
 not know how, nor upon what Occation. 
 But, the more they ftrive againft them, flili 
 the more impetuoufly do they come into 
 their Heads, and then efpecially, when thev 
 
 H 3 let 
 
 tot 
 
Joi T?;e Fifth Sermon] 
 
 fet themfelves to the more fulemn exercife of 
 Religion, and endeavour to be more than or- 
 dinarily devout : At thefe Times, to be fure, 
 they fhall be moft grievoufly tormented with 
 them. What now fhall we fay to thefe 
 Things } 
 
 The Perfons themfelves, that are thus ex- 
 ercifed, do not in the lead doubt, but that 
 all this comes from the Devil, nay, they 
 have fometiraes fuch dreadful apprehenfions 
 of his Power over them, that they are apt to 
 fancy that God hath withdrawn himfelf from 
 them, and given them up entirely to him , 
 and, that thefe wicked Thoughts of theirs 
 are the very Sin againft the Holy Ghoft, of 
 which there is no Pardon. Thefe Perfons 
 are much to be pitied, becaufe, really, the 
 Condition they are in renders their Lives ve- 
 ry uneafie and uncomfortable^ but, yet, 
 they are certainly more afraid, than hurtj 
 and that, which they complain of fo tragical- 
 ly, feems not to carry any great Danger a- 
 long with it \ for truly all this is to be look- 
 ed upon, rather as an infelicity, or a natural 
 Affliction, which they ought to bear patient- 
 ly, as they do other CrolTes and Mifadven- 
 tures, than as a Guilt, that fliould lie upon 
 their Confciences. And fo far are thefe kind 
 of Thoughts (be they never fo bad) from 
 being the EflFefls of God's letting loofe the 
 Devil upon them, or from being the Sin a- 
 gainfl the Holy Ghoft, which is the greateft 
 of ail Sins j that I am verily perfuaded, that 
 
 they 
 
Tfe Fifth Sermon. loj 
 
 they are no Sins at all, fo long as they <\o not 
 contribute to their coming into their Minds, 
 nor give con Cent to them while they are there. 
 An;i it is very certain, that thofe Perfons, 
 thit are never thus troubled, and difturbed 
 about their Thoughts, who, yet, fo little 
 govern their own Minds, as to let their 
 Heads be a conftant Scene of abundance of 
 vain and loofe and naugiity Fancies, favour- 
 ing of Ambition, or Covetoufnefs, or Vo- 
 luptuoufnefs, or Uncharitablenefs, or the 
 like 5 I fay, thefe Perfons are in a much more 
 dangerous Condition, thro' fuch Thoughts as 
 thefe, which pleafe and delight them, than 
 thefe honeft fcrupulous Chriflians, that are 
 thus grievoufly perplexed, at the wicked Ima- 
 ginations, which they cannot help. Well, 
 but what Account can we give of this fort of 
 Thoughts ? And what is to be prefcribed in 
 order to a Cure of them ? Why, of thefe 
 two Things I will give you my Thoughts 
 very briefly. 
 
 And I begin with the firfl, what Account 
 is to be given of them. Are fuch Thoughts 
 really the Effects of the Devil's Temptations 
 upon our Minds, or are they the refults of 
 pur own Temper and Complexions ? 
 
 To this I anfwer, that, tho' I dare not be 
 pofitive in this Matter any way, yet I verily 
 believe that, for the mod part, they are 
 wholly to be afcribed to the diilemperature 
 of our Bodies, to the irregular Motions of 
 our A limal Spirits, (which are the Inftru- 
 H 4 ments 
 
lOA ^'^^ Fi/i/; Sermon, 
 
 ments our Souls ufe in thinking,) occafion- 
 ed by Hypocondriack Vapours, or Hyfterick 
 Paflions, or other ill Affections of our natu- 
 ral Humours, and that the Devil hath no 
 Hand in them. This I fay to me feems moll 
 probable ; and that, for thefe Reafons. 
 
 Firlt, it feems a hard Thing to believe, 
 that the Devil fliould have fuch a conftant 
 accefs to good Men, or be permitted to exer- 
 cife fo much Power over them, as he mud 
 be fuppofed to have, and to exercife, if he 
 be the Autlior of all thofe idle or wicked 
 Thoughts, which they fo frequently com- 
 plain of. It is more/eafonable to believe, as 
 I faid before, that, being under the perpetu- 
 al Condud of God's Spirit, and the Protedi- 
 on of the good Angels, the wicked ones have 
 but little to do with them. 
 
 But, Secondly, it deferves to be confider- 
 ed, that the Devils Time of applying his 
 Temptations is, when he finds us moft fe- 
 cure and carelefs, and not, when we are mofl 
 watchful and diligent, in keeping our own 
 Hearts. He is moft bulie about us, when 
 he finds that we have the leaft Guard upon 
 our felves, and, dreading no Dangers from 
 him, are fupiue and negligent, about our 
 fpiritual Concernments. Here is a fit Occa- 
 ficn, for the Devil to lay his .Siege to us, 
 and he may reafonably hope for fome Advan- 
 tage ; A.nd, accordingly, it is at fuch Times, 
 as thefe, that he ufually doth affault us. But 
 now, in the Cafe we are fpeaking of, it is 
 
 quite 
 
The Fifth Sermon. 105 
 
 quite otiierwife, for it is not, when we are 
 more remifs , that we are inoft troubled 
 witli thefe (inful Fancies, but, on the con- 
 trary, when we ftrive moft to preferve our 
 Minds in a holy and devout Frame , the more 
 we endeavour to keep thefe Fancies out of 
 our Heads, ftill the more we are vexed with 
 them: Which is an Argument, that they are 
 not of the Devils injedions, who ufeth to 
 lay his Baits more feafonably and cunningly, 
 but are the Effeds of a diftemper'd vapoured 
 Head. Efpecially, when we take this too in- 
 to the Confideration, that the Devil general- 
 ly doth not get much Advantage, by fuch 
 kind of Suggeftions , for, tho* they do fuffi- 
 ciently difturb the Men that have them, yet 
 they generally produce no ill Effed, as to 
 their Morals. On the contrary, they make 
 them a great deal more careful about their 
 Thoughts and Words and Adions, than o- 
 therwife they would have been , which is no 
 great indication tliey come from the Devil, 
 but rather an Argument that they do not. 
 
 To which I add, in the third Place, that 
 the Devil's Temptations, as they are other- 
 wife timed, fo are they likewife framed, in 
 another kind of way, than thefe we are now 
 fpeaking of. His Method is, to apply his 
 Temptations in fuch Inftances, as are agree- 
 able to our Inclinations, and that we are moft 
 likely to comply with •, but not in Inllances, 
 which he knows we hate an4 abhor, and can 
 never be brought to confent to. Thus, for 
 
 inftance, 
 
lo6 The Fifth Sermon, 
 
 inftance, if the Devil fhould have a Mind to 
 tempt, by fugjgefling of Thoughts, he would 
 tempt a proud Man, by filling his Mind with 
 foolilh and vain Conceits of himfelf, and 
 contemptuous Thoughts of other Men : He 
 would tempt a luftful Perfon, by railing his 
 defires, and heightening his imagination of 
 unlawful fenfual Pleafures, and the like. 
 Thus now it is reafonable to believe that the 
 Devil, if he underftands his own IntereO:, 
 fhould tempt 5 and thus, without doubt, he 
 does tempt. Rut, it feems very odd and un- 
 accountable, that he (hould tempt a Man, by 
 fuch Things, as he knows the Man has not 
 only no natural inclination for, but the great- 
 eft averfion to, of all Things in the World, 
 as it is in the Ca^e we are now fpeaking of. 
 . But, Fourthly, the great Argument, by 
 which I conclude, that thefe difturbing 
 Thoughts are not injeded by the Devil, (as 
 the Perfons afflided with them are apt to be- 
 lieve,) but are owing to an ill habit of Bo- 
 dy, is, that they themfelves, if they be ask- 
 ed, can, for the mofl part, give an Account 
 how, and when, and upon what Occafions, 
 thefe difturbances of their Thoughts came 
 upon them. And, by the Account they give, 
 it will fufficiently appear, to all difinterefted 
 competent Judges, that their Minds were ne- 
 ver difturbed, with thefe Thoughts, till their 
 Bodies were firft out of order, that is to fay, 
 either by fome great fit of Sicknefs, or by 
 fome grievous Crofs and Difappointment, that 
 
 lay 
 
The Fifth Sermon. 107; 
 
 lay heavy upon their Spirits, or by fome me- 
 lancholy Humour, that, thro' the indifcreet 
 ufage of themfelves, hath prevailed upon 
 them. I {ay, if it be nicely enquired into, 
 it will be found, that there was alvvay an in- 
 difpofition of Body, precedent to thefe difor- 
 ders of the Mind j and, that this was really 
 the Caufe of thefe Diforders, is evident from 
 hence, that, in all thofe that we know of, 
 where this Indifpofition hath beep removed, 
 and the Body reftored to its former Health 
 and Vigour, the difturbances of their Thoughts 
 have prefently ceafed, and they ha\'e been as 
 well in their Minds, as ever they v/ere be- 
 fore. 
 
 But, if after all this, any Man will fay, 
 that thofe Thoughts do not take their rife 
 wholly from bodily Diftemper, but thatalfo 
 the Devil hath a Hand in them, namely, 
 thus far, th:^it he takes Advantages of thefe 
 diforders in our Humour, and, by the means 
 thereof, doth either excite thefe Thoughts 
 in us, or imprefs them more vehemently up- 
 on us, (which is indeed the common Opini- 
 on of Divines :) I fay, if any one thinks this 
 to be a better Account of the Matter, he may, 
 for all me, enjoy his own Sentiments ^ fo 
 long as he will agree with me (and I think 
 all are agreed in it,) that thefe wicked Blaf- 
 phemoLis Thoughts complained of, are not 
 the Effects of God's forfiking Men, nor are 
 they any Sins in him, that ferioully drives 
 and prays againft them, but only Unhappi- 
 
 nefs 
 
lo8 ^^ Fifth Sermon, 
 
 ncfs and Afflidions. Afflidions of the fame 
 Nature, that Sicknefs and worldly Crofles 
 are ^ for, even thefe the Devil may fome- 
 times be permitted, for wife and good Ends, 
 to bring upon us, as we have a remarkable 
 Inftance in the Cafe of Jok 
 
 But I come to our fecond Point, upon this 
 Head, which is, concerning the Cure of 
 thefe Difturbances : To this I fay, in iliort, 
 that it may be, in all Perfons, they are ne- 
 ver to be cured perfedly , but fome, fo long 
 as they carry their Bodies about them, mull 
 more or lefs exped to have their Vertue ex- 
 ercifed with them. For, I account, religi- 
 ous Melancholy, properly fo called, is as 
 perfed: a Difeafe, and in fome Cafes as incu- 
 rable, as fome other Difeafes incident to hu- 
 man Bodies 5 but, in moft Cafes, it is capa- 
 ble of a Cure, and, in all Cafes, it may re- 
 ceive great Comfort, and Relief, and Abate- 
 ment. Now, in order to either, or both, of 
 thefe Ends, the beft Expedients, that can be 
 prefcribed, are thefe four following. 
 
 Firft of all, it concerns all thefe Perfons 
 very carefully to look after their Bodies, for 
 (if what I have faid be true) upon the Cure 
 and Health of them, the cure and health of 
 the Mind doth, in a Manner, all in all de- 
 pend. It will concern them, to make ufe of 
 Phylick, and Exercife, and good Company, 
 and a regular Diet, and all other Things that 
 conduce to natural Health, and Chearfulnefs : 
 And to avoid all Things, that may prejudice 
 
 itj 
 
The Fifth Sermon. 1 09 
 
 It 5 fuch as, long Fafts, and Watchin^s, and 
 being too much alone. But, to advife about 
 thete Things, belongs not to me, but to ano- 
 ther Profeflionj and therefore I fay no more 
 about them. 
 
 Secondly, It will concern them to keep 
 themfelves employed, as much as they can, 
 and if it be poflible, to have always fome 
 AVork or Bufinefs upon their Hands, to ex- 
 ercife their Minds about. Idlenefs is the 
 worft thing in the World, for this fort of 
 Diflemper, and indeed thofe, that labour 
 hard, are feldom troubled with it. And, 
 therefore, if thefe Perfons have no Affairs to 
 take care of, (which yet few in any Station 
 are without,) they mull make Bufinefs for 
 themfelves. But then, there is one fort of 
 Bufinefs, that they ought to be ferioufly cau- 
 tioned againft, and that is, the too long, or 
 too intenfe, application of their Minds to 
 their fpiritual Exercife , fuch as reading, me- 
 ditation, and the like. For, tho' thefe Em- 
 ployments, above all others, are to be re- 
 commended to Perfons, that have Health and 
 Leafure, yet to fuch, as are in their Conditi- 
 on, they often do more hurt than good. 
 
 Thirdly, Another Thing, that would be 
 of Angular ufe to thefe Perfons if they could 
 be perfuaded to pradlife it, is this. Not to 
 lay thefe difturbances of their Minds too much 
 to Heart. Let them not be fo grievoully 
 concerned, when they cannot govern their 
 own Thoughts, as they defire, but a thou- 
 
 fand 
 
I JO 57;^ Pif^^^ Sermon, 
 
 fand filly or wicked Fancies do impofethem^ 
 feives upon them, whether they will or no* 
 On the contrary, let them negled them, let 
 them dcfpife them, and not think themfelves 
 theworfe, upon account of them : It is their 
 eagernefs to prevent, or ilop, this fort of 
 Fancies, and their immoderate Trouble for 
 them afterwards, that is one of the moft ef- 
 fedual means , to excite and perpetuate 
 them : Whereas, if they would make no 
 great matter of them, but let them yo out, 
 as they came in, without being concerned a- 
 bout them, in all probability, with a little 
 degree of Health, they would vanifh and die. 
 And they, that now complain fo much upon 
 that Account, would have as much Peace in 
 their own Minds, as other Men. 
 
 But, Fourthly and Laftly, there is one 
 Thing more to be recommended to thefe 
 Perfons, and then I have done, and that is 
 this. Let them never omit any known Du- 
 ty, either to God or their Neighbours, upon 
 account of thefe Suggeftions, how violent or 
 how troublefome foever they be : Let them 
 never leave off faying their Prayers, at the 
 accuftomed Times, or receiving the Holy Sa- 
 cramtnt, or doing any other Duty, that the 
 Law of Chrift hath tyed upon them. And 
 tho*, upon thefe Occafions, Rbove all others, 
 they are mofl diflraded by thefe ungoverna- 
 ble Fancies, yet, for all that, let them go on , 
 and, how little foever they pleafe themfelves 
 
 in 
 
77;c Fifth Sermon, iii 
 
 in thefe Duties, or how unfit foever they 
 take themfelves to be to engage in them, yet, 
 let them alTure themfelves, that God is as 
 much pleafed with them, when they dothofe 
 Duties out of Confcience, and becaufe they 
 think they are bound fo to do, (tho' it be 
 with much infirmity, and a very (hatter'd 
 diflraded Mind, ) as if they had fatisfied 
 themfelves never fo much in the performance 
 of them. 
 
 This I fay, and I conclude with it. So 
 long, as we bear an honefl Mind towards 
 God, fo long, as we do not prevaricate with 
 him, and wilfully depart from the known 
 Rules of our Duty : But, endeavour fincere- 
 ly in all our Adions to obey his Laws , he 
 will accept us, nay, he will reward us, be 
 the difadvantages we labour under never fo 
 great. And, tho* we cannot pleafe our 
 fclves, we fhall pleafe him , nay (as I had 
 occafion to fay in one of my former Difcour- 
 fes,) he will be better pleafed with us, for 
 doing our Duty under thefe difcouraging 
 Circum (lances, than if, being free from thefe 
 Incumbrances, we had done it with more 
 pleafure to our felves. And, if the Devil 
 was really as bufie about us , as fome of 
 us fincy him to be, nay, tho* all the Pow- 
 ers of Hell fhould fet themfelves againft 
 us, yet, fo long as we thus walk, God 
 will proted: us. And, if fometimes he doth 
 not fo foon, as w& defire, remove our Af- 
 "^ fiidions, 
 
II 2 Tfe Fifth Sermon] 
 
 flidions, yet, he will give us Grace and 
 Strength to bear them, and, after that, re- 
 ward us for them, by encreafing our Glory 
 in the next World, in proportion to the dif- 
 ficulty we had to llruggle with, in his Ser- 
 vice, in this. 
 
 And this is all I have to fay upon this Ar- 
 
 gument. 
 
 S E R" 
 
1 1 
 
 SERMON VI. 
 
 LUKE XIII. 23. 
 
 Then faid one unto him^ Lord^ are there 
 few that jh all he faved ^ And he faid un- 
 to theniy flr'ive to enter in at the flrait 
 Gate^ for many I faji unto you willfeek to 
 enter zn, andfiall ?iot be able, 
 
 '^MW^ N Purfuance of the Argument I 
 1 ^3 ^-^'^^'^ ^"^" lately difcourling of, in 
 ,^ another Place, and which, I told 
 iL$<&« you, I would go on with, as I 
 had Opportui]ity. I mean to treat now of 
 two other Things (different from thofe I 
 then fpoke to) and which are often the Oc- 
 caiion of great Difturbances to the Minds of 
 fome melanchoUy People among us , and, 
 for that Purpofe, I have now pitched upon 
 the Words 1 have read unto you. 
 
 As for thofe, that, out of Curiofity defire 
 to be fatisfied about the Point here propofed 
 to our Saviour, concerning the fewnefs of the 
 Saved, (which feems to have been the Tem- 
 per of thofe that asked this Qiieftion in my 
 Text,) they ought to have no other Arifwer, 
 Vol. HI, I than 
 
1 f 4 Tl)e Sixth Sermon. 
 
 than what our Saviour here gives : Which 
 indeed is not a dired Anfwer to the Quefti- 
 oin, but good Advice to the propofer of it. 
 When one faid unto him. Lord are there 
 few thnt jimll be faved / Jefus anfwered. 
 Strive to enter in at the flrait Gate^ for ma- 
 ny fljall feek to enter in^ and fl) all not he a- 
 ble. By which Words, he doth not declare, 
 whether few or many fhall enter into Life j 
 but, he ferioully addrelfeth himfelf to him, 
 thit made the Queflion, and the reft of the 
 Company, that they fhould take care to be 
 found in the Number of thofe that fhould *, 
 for this did infinitely concern them, but it 
 did not at all concern them to know, how 
 few, or how many, (liould be faved. 
 
 This, undoubtedly, is the Defign of our 
 Saviours Reply \ but, yet, it is often inter- 
 preted to other Purpofes. 
 
 Our Saviour, as fome are apt to think, 
 doth not fo much intend, by thefe Words, to 
 reprefent the great Necefiity there is, that 
 we ihould all take Pains, and ftrive and la- 
 bour, to approve our felves his chearful Dif- 
 ciplcs, and, by that means, to fave our own 
 Souls \ (which is that I have now faid to be 
 his Dciign,) as to declare to his Hearers the 
 fewnefs of thofe, that, after all their Pains 
 and Labour and Sollicitude about their ever- 
 lafting Salvation, Ihall attain to it j and they 
 gather, from thefe Words of his, thefe two 
 Dodrines, 
 
 I . BrJ}^ 
 
71?e Sixth Sermon, TiJ 
 
 1. Firji, That the Number of thofe, that 
 (hall be faved, is exceeding finall. 
 
 2. Seco7idly^ That a gre^r many may drive, 
 and take Pains, to go to Heaven, and, yet, 
 fhall fail of their linds at lali ^ not, fo much 
 for the want of Sincerity, as, becaufe they 
 are not in the Number of thofe, that God 
 has decreed to be faved. 
 
 Such Conclufions, as thefe, very well 
 meaning People are apt to draw from this 
 Text, and fome others : And, in truth, the 
 Ufe they make of them is, no way, to their 
 own Advantage , for, they make fuch Ap- 
 plication of them to them fe Ives, as renders 
 their Lives very uncomfortable j by tilling 
 them with Frights and difmal Apprehenfions 
 concerning their own Condition, tho*, other- 
 wife, they be never fo defirous and ftudious 
 to recommend themfelves to God, by an in- 
 nocent and devout Life. 
 
 The Truth is, among all the troublefome 
 Refledions, that are apt to fall into the Minds 
 of devout People, ( efpecially if they have 
 any dofe of Melancholy in their Conftituti- 
 ons) there is nothing that more difturbs them, 
 nothing that more hinders them from the 
 enjoyment of themfelves, or more difcoura- 
 ges them from a vigorous and chearful Pro- 
 fee ution of a holy Life, than thefe two 
 Thoughts. Firft, the extream fewnefs of 
 thofe that Ihall be faved : Secondly, the un- 
 certainty they are in, whether they be in the 
 Number of thofe that are ekded to Salva- 
 tion, la 5 
 
1 1 6 The Sixth Sermon. 
 
 I think, therefore, it may do fome Ser- 
 vice, to difcourfe a little upon thefe two 
 Points, and to open this Text, and two or 
 three more which relate to this Bufinefs, be- 
 ing confident that, if they be put into their 
 true Light, they will not caufe frightful I- 
 deas to melancholy Perfons among us , as 
 they fometimes do. 
 
 But, in attempting this, I would not have 
 any of you think, that I am a going to con- 
 fute thefe two Doclrines, upon which thefe 
 melancholy Fancies are grounded. 1 would 
 not have you think, that I am going to prove, 
 that, among the mafs of Mankind, there is 
 a greater Number, that (hall be faved, than 
 fhaJl be damned, or, that fome People may 
 be faved, tho* they be not elected of God to 
 Salvation, from eternity. No, thefe are 
 Things that never entred into my Head, and 
 I ihouid be loath to give fach a bad Example 
 to others, as I mufl needs do, if I fhould pre- 
 tend to meddle with fuch Points, as thefe, in 
 the Pulpit. 
 
 My Bufinefs is only this, to offer fuch 
 Confiderations, to tender and afflided Spirits, 
 about thefe two Points, that may convince 
 them, that they have no reafon to draw, 
 from hence, fuch melancholy Inferences, as 
 they are wont to do : That thefe Points do 
 not, in truth, much concern them^ but, 
 they may, and ought to, live chearfully and 
 comfortably, and to go on vigoroufly in the 
 Ways of Vertue, not doubting of Gods Fa- 
 vour 
 
Tl?e Sixth Sermon, 
 
 vour and Mercy to them, notwithftanding 
 the fewnefs of thofe, th^.t fhall be faved, and 
 notwithftanding the uncertainty they are in, 
 of their particular Eledion from Eternity. 
 
 I begin with the firft of thefe Points : 
 The fewnefs of thofe that (hall be faved. 
 The Scripture tells us, 77:?^^ Cbriji^s Flock is 
 hut a little Flock^ and our Saviour here. 
 Strive to enter in at the Jlrait Gate^ for ma- 
 7ij Jhall feek to enter in^ andfiall not he ahle^ 
 and, in another Place he tells us, That wide 
 is the Gate^ and hroad is the Way^ that lead- 
 eth to DeftruBion, and many there he that 
 enter in thereat , hut fir ait is the Gate, 6cc. 
 Nay fo few are thefe, that find this Gate, 
 that, (as one, not long ago in Print, hath 
 been bold to compute the Matter) where 
 one of Mankind enters into it, a Million per- 
 haps go the other Way. 
 
 To this I f ly, Firft, Let the Number of 
 thofe, that fhall be miferable, as much ex- 
 ceed the Number of the Saints, as can be 
 well fuppofed, yet, it ought not much to 
 concern thofe among us, that are apteft to be 
 troubled at it, if they only look at themfelves. 
 Becaufe, whatfoever comes of the reft of the 
 World, they may be in a fafe Condition, 
 and be pretty well afTured of it. The 
 Ground, I fuppofe, upon which Men make 
 fuch a Computation of the comparative few- 
 nefs of the faved, is this , that none are fup- 
 pofed to be in a falvable Condition, but thofe 
 that are believers and profelTors of the true 
 I 3 Reli- 
 
 117 
 
J 1 8 The Sixth Sermon, 
 
 Religion , which, in comparifon of thofe 
 that do not believe and profefs it, have al- 
 ways been, and (till are, exceeding few. Till 
 the Times of our Saviour, the whole World 
 lay in Darknefs and Ignorance, and horrible 
 Idolatry, except only the Jews, who were 
 a handful of Men. And, for fome Years af- 
 ter our Sn'iour, how very thin fpread were 
 the Chriflians? And, even at this Day, 
 when Chriftianity is become the Religion of 
 many Nations, yet three parts of the World 
 (as it is probably computed) are Infidels and 
 Unbelievers. So large a Spread hath Juda- 
 ifm, Mahometanifm, and Faganifra, (till in 
 the World : And, even of that fourth Part 
 which owns Chrifl's Religion, yet much the 
 greateft Part of that lie covered with Error 
 and Superflition. So that the true Believers, 
 the true Church of Chrift, and confequently 
 thofe that fh^.U be faved, lie but in a very 
 little Compafs. 
 
 This, 1 prefume, is the Ground upon 
 which they proceed, that make the Number 
 of the f ived to be fo very fmall. But, tho* 
 this be a very uncomfortable Reckoning to 
 far the greateft part of Mankind, yet to us 
 here, who know our felves to have the true 
 Gofpel among us, and to be in the right way 
 to Salvation, it is not fo uncomfortable, if 
 we look only at our felves. Here is no Dif- 
 couragement at all to the Hopes of our Sal- 
 vation, but only to the Hppes of theirs, that 
 are not in fuch happy Circumflances. We 
 
 are 
 
The Sixth Sermon, 1 1 p 
 
 are God's People, and may be aiTured we are 
 fo, whatever becomes of thofe that are with- 
 out. 
 
 But it will be faid that, even among us 
 that are true Believers, and orthodox in our 
 Principles, yet it is to be feared, that far the 
 greateft Part (hall finally mifcarry, and there- 
 fore (faith a fuperftitious Perfon) how know 
 I, but that it may be my lot, amongft the reft ? 
 But to this I anfwer. Suppofe it to be fo, 
 that the greateft part of Profellbrs do mifcar- 
 ry. What is the Reafon of it ? Is it not, be- 
 caufe the greateft Part do not walk up to the 
 Principles of Religion, but are carelefs, and 
 loofe and vitious, in their Lives ? Sure it is. 
 And, if fo, how can this be any Difcourage- 
 ment to you, who are careful to frame your 
 Lives according to your Principles, who do 
 not only profefs the true Religion, but en- 
 deavour to adorn it by a holy Converfation "^ 
 The Coniideration of the many that take the 
 broad Way and perilh in it, ought indeed to 
 be an /Argument to you, to be very careful 
 of your Steps, but it doth not at all render 
 your Condition more doubtful, or more ha- 
 zardous,if you have already chofen the ftreight 
 Gate that leadeth to Life. If indeed Heaven 
 and eternal Happinefs was difpofcd to Man- 
 kind, in the way of a Lottery, in which, 
 where one draws a Prize, a thoufand meet 
 with Blanks, (tho*, yet, they that are dif- 
 appointed ufe the fame Care and Induflry, 
 that thofe do who fucceed; I fay, if this was 
 
 I 4 ?lie 
 
120 Tk Sixth Sermon, 
 
 the Cafe of Mankind, with reference to the 
 other World, it would make the itouteft of 
 us all to tremble, at the Apprehenfions of 
 what might be our Deftiny. 
 
 But, God be thanked, it is not {o , tho' 
 the Number of thofe that Ferifli fhould be 
 much greater,than of thofe that are profperous, 
 yet none ever did, or ever fhall, perifh, but 
 thro' his own Fauh and Carelefnefs. And, 
 as for thofe that take care of their Souls, and 
 ufc thofe Means, that God hath vouch fifed 
 them, (how few foever tliefe be) they fhall 
 certainly obtain Salvation, and may be as 
 much allured of it, as if the Number of the 
 Saved were as great, as they now efteem it 
 fmall. 
 
 So that, this Coniideration of the Multi- 
 tude that mifcarry cannot, to a reafonable 
 Man, render the Hopes of his own Happi- 
 Ficfs, in the leaft, more doubtful. 
 
 This is the firft Thing. Ay, but it may 
 be faid, tho' it do not render his own Happi- 
 nefs fufpeded, yet ftill it is a melancholy 
 Coniideration to think, what fhall become of 
 far the greateft part of the World. 'iVhere 
 is the infinite goodnefs of God, which we fo 
 much extol, when, of all thofe Creatures 
 that he hath made, fo fmall a Handful are 
 defigned for Happinefs, and all fhe reft are 
 concluded in a State, far worfe han if they 
 had never been born ? 
 
 To this I anfwer, in the fecond Place. 
 Let us not meafure the infinite goodnefs of 
 
 Godj 
 
Tl?e Sixth Sermon, 
 God, by the Events that come upon the Peo- 
 ple of this Earth, which is but a little part 
 of the vaft Creation, and perhaps the very 
 worft Part of it. Tho' here we fee the Bad 
 to exceed the Good in Number, and confe- 
 quently the Miferable to be many more 
 than the Happy, yet, it may be quite other- 
 wife, in thofe infinite fpatious and glorious 
 Regions above, which God fills with his Pre- 
 fence. We Mortals are but a very little, in- 
 confiderable, part of the great Family of God. 
 I?i oTir Father* s Honfe are many Marijions, (as 
 our Saviour tells us) all which may be filled 
 with bleffed and happy Beings^ that live up 
 to the end of their Creation, and ceafe not to 
 glorifie him that made them. So that, let 
 Things go here as ill as we can imagine, yet, 
 for all that, it is to be hoped that, as full as 
 Earth and Hell are of Devils and evil Men, 
 Heaven is much, exceedingly much, fuller 
 of Angels and perfed Spirits. 
 
 But, Thirdly, to come home to the Point. 
 How are we certain, that the State of this 
 Earth is fo bad, as fome melancholy Perfons 
 would reprefent it .> What reafon have we 
 to conclude, that the Number of the Saved 
 is fo extreamly fmall, as fome narrow fpirit- 
 ed Chriftians would have it believed ? Why 
 may it not be quite otherwife ? For my part, 
 1 would be fo far from confining the Mer- 
 cies of God to a few of this or the other 
 particular Sedor Party, that I would rather 
 fay and" believe, with the holy Ffilmift, 
 X That 
 
 1ZI 
 
12 2 The Sixth Sermon, 
 
 That he hath f pre ad out his tender Mercies 
 over all his Works. I fhould think that Man 
 both immodeft and rafh, that (houid pafs a 
 Sentence of Damnation, even upon all Jews, 
 or Turks, or Heathens , much more upon 
 all his fellow Chriftians, tho' they be not lb 
 good as he , or, tho' they have the Misfor- 
 tune to be of a different Perfuafion or Com- 
 munion from him. 
 
 God, in the Scripture, hath paffed no Sen- 
 tence upon thefe People, and, therefore, 
 why fhould we ? St. Faul, that was an A- 
 poftle of our Lords, yet faith. What have I 
 to do to jitdge them that are without ^ And, 
 therefore, much lefs have we to do to judge 
 them. It is true, we have no explicit Pro- 
 raife, from God, of Happinefs and Salvation 
 to any, but, thro' Faith in Jefus Chrift : 
 But, doth it therefore follow, that, becaufe 
 we cannot affuredly pronounce them happy, 
 that do not believe in Chrifl, (and therefore 
 perhaps do not believe in him, becaufe the 
 Gofpel was never preached to them) I fay, 
 doth it therefore follow, that we mufl give 
 them up to Damnation ? No, it will better 
 become us, to leave them to the general, un- 
 covenanted, unpromifed Mercies of God, and 
 to fay nothing of them. His Servants they 
 are, and to him their Mafler they fland or 
 fall ^ and, if we may not judge thofe that 
 are Infidels, how much lefs will it become us 
 to judge thofe that believe the fune Faith, 
 in general, that we do, tho', perhaps, with 
 
 a 
 
The Sixth Seniion, I ^ J 
 
 a grear mixture of Errors and Superdition, 
 and corrupt Pradices. But, and if we will 
 judge them, God, who is greater than our 
 Hearts, and knoweth ail Things, may pafs 
 a Judgment quite different from ours. Ma- 
 ny ofthofe, whom we diftinguilh from our 
 felves by very hard Names : Many of thofe, 
 whom we may look upon as meer moral Men, 
 as ignorant of the true Soul faving Knowledge 
 of Jefus Chrift, nay as Profane, or Hypocri- 
 tical, or Superltitious, or Idolatrous, may, 
 thro* the Merits of Jefus, and a general Re- 
 pentance of all their Sins known and un- 
 known, find Mercy at the Hands of God at 
 tne laft Day. 
 
 Let us therefore judge nothing before the 
 lane, let us rather hope the beft of all 
 M.n. Charity, J am fure, (if the Apoftle's 
 Defcription of it be true) will incline us fo 
 to do, and it may be, in fo doing, we fhall 
 think truer, than if we did otherwife. 
 
 In all probability, the Number of Gods 
 People, in this VVorld, is much greater, than 
 is ordinarily thought, and many will find 
 Acceptance, with God, ( the fearcher of 
 Hearts) in the other World, who were hard- 
 ly thought on, by Men, in this. 
 
 The Prophet Elias, in the 19th Chapter 
 of the firfl of Kings ^ thus complains to God. 
 Behold the Children of Ifrael have for fake n 
 thy Covenant^ thrown down thine Altars^ 
 a7id fla'pi thy Prophets with the Sword: And 
 /, ev.'Ji I onlj!^ au} left^ and thej feek my 
 
 Life 
 
124. ^^^ Sixth Sermon, 
 
 Life to take it away. What now is Gods 
 anfwer to him ? Tet (faith he) ha%je I left 
 me [even thonfajid Men^ in Ifrael^ that have 
 not bowed the Knee to Baal. Elias thoujiht 
 he was left alone, but God knew that he 
 had feven thoufind Servants befide him, and 
 fo we may hope it will be, in all Places, and 
 at all Times. 
 
 Let us not therefore fri§ht our felves, with 
 thefe difiml Apprehenfions : The Kingdom 
 of God, it is to be hoped, is much larger 
 than we tike it to be, and the Condition of 
 Mankind is not fo deplorable, as our bigot- 
 ted melancholy Fancies may fugged to us. 
 And, even as for thofe that fliall be found 
 reprobate at the la ft Day (how -many foever 
 they prove to be ) yet, when the Proceed- 
 ings of God v/ith Mankind come to be mani- 
 fefted and laid open, (as they then fh-^U be 
 to the whole World) we (hall be fo far from 
 complaining of the Severity of Gods dealing, 
 even with them , that we fhall have reafon 
 to magnifie, not only the equity of his Ju- 
 ftice, but his Goodnefs and Mercy like- 
 wife. 
 
 But then, Fourthly and Laflly, as for 
 thefe Texts of Scripture, that are produced 
 in favour of this Opinion, of the extream 
 fewnefs of thofe that (hall be faved, if they 
 be examined, they will appear to relate quite 
 to another purpofe. 
 
 Chrift doth indeed call his Difciples a lit- 
 tle Flock 3 fear not (faith he) I'ntle Flock ^ 
 
 for 
 
Tloe Sixth Sermon, f2C 
 
 for it is your Fathers good pleafiire to givs 
 yon the Kingdom^ Luke 12. 32. But what, 
 if by the Kingdom here be not meant the 
 Kingdom of Heaven, but Chrift's Kingjdom 
 here in this World ? So that the Senf^ is 
 this. Fear not little Flock^ though you now 
 be a very fmall Company, and unlikely to 
 gmpple with all that Oppofition, that the 
 Devil and the World will raife again ft you, 
 yet be not, for this, difcouraged : This Re- 
 ligion of mine, which you now profefs, Oiall 
 get fuch Ground in the World, as, in due 
 Time, to be advanced into the Thrones of 
 Princes. You Chriftians, asinconliderable as 
 you now are, fliall, at la ft, pollefs the King- 
 dom as they adually did. 
 
 But, fuppofe we interpret the Kingdom of 
 God here of the Kingdom of Heaven, yer, ic 
 doth not make much for the purpofe that 
 melancholy Perfons apply it to, tho* Chrift's 
 Flock was a little Flock then, ( becaufe he 
 had but juft begun to gather it) yet it is not 
 fo little a Flock now *, it is, God be thanked 
 vaftly increafed, in com pari fon of it then, 
 when our Saviour fpoke thefe Words. And, 
 tho' flill it cannot be denied, but that it is a 
 little Flock, in comparifon of the great Num- 
 bers of People that are not yet come into the 
 Fold, yet a Time may come, when they al- 
 fo (hall be brought in, and when all the 
 Kingdoms of the World Ihall become the 
 Kingdoms of our Lord Jefus, and the Know- 
 Ied?;e of the Lord Ihall cover the Earth, as 
 
 the 
 
126 ^^^ Sixth Sermon. 
 
 the Waters cover the Sea, as the old Prophet 
 hath foretold. And, when this comes to 
 pafs, then will this Saying of our Saviours 
 be fulfilled to the utmoft, even in the firft 
 Senfe I gave of the Kingdom. 
 
 As for the other Text I mentioned, in the 
 7th of Matth. where our Saviour tells us, 
 that fir ah is the Gate and narrow is the Way 
 that leadeth to Life^ and few there be that 
 find it, hit wide is the Gate and broad is the 
 Way that leadeth to dejiru&ion, and many 
 there be that go in thereat , by the Gate, 
 here, that leadeth to Life, is undoubtedly to 
 be underftood the taking upon us the Chri- 
 jftian Religion, and framing our Lives ac- 
 cording to it, which is the only Way to 
 which God hath promifed Salvation. Now 
 this courfe of Life, in comparifon to the 
 way of the World, the way of vice and fen- 
 fuality and wickednefs, which is the Gate 
 that leads to Deftrudion, is both ftrait and 
 narrow, that is to fay, it is both ftrid and 
 difficult. 
 
 But then, there are thefe two Things to 
 be remember'd. Firft, That this maketh 
 nothing to the Difcouragement of thofe, that 
 have already enter'd this ftrait Gate, are al- 
 ready Chriftians, of which there are vaft 
 Numbers all over the World, as it is to be 
 hoped, tho' not fo many, as thofe that are in;| 
 the broad Way , the Way of the World. 
 
 Bur,! 
 
Tl^e Sixth Sermon, 
 
 Rut, Secondly, tho' this Gate of Chrifti- 
 anity, and which is the only PafTige unto 
 Life, be always (trait and narrow, that is, 
 requires great ftridnefs, and is attended with 
 fome Difficulties, yet it is not fo flrait now, 
 by a great deal, as it was, when our Saviour 
 fpoke thefe Words , it was then extreamly 
 ftrait, by reafon of the many Oppofitions, 
 and Perfecutions and worldly Terrors, which, 
 both hindred Men from entring into it, and 
 which attended the courfe of all them, thit 
 had already undertaken it. But God, be 
 thanked, it is not now flrait, in this Senfe, 
 to us, but wide enough in all reafon , for, 
 we hav^e met with no worldly or outward 
 Difcouragements, in the way of ourChrifti- 
 anity, at lead, generally fpeaking, we have 
 not, and we hope we never fh^U. On the 
 contrary, we may truly fay, as Things by 
 the Mercy of God ftand among us, that, in 
 point of worldly Motives and Confiderations, 
 in point of Eafe and Pleafure and temporal 
 Advantages, a Man hath as much encourage- 
 ment to be good, as to be bad, to live a ho- 
 ly and a Chriftian Life, as to live a diflblute 
 and profane one ^ fo that, the Cafe of Chri- 
 flianity being fo much altered from what it 
 was, when our Saviour tirft preached it, 
 thefe Words of his cannot be fo properly urg- 
 ed to the purpofe they are brought for. 
 
 But there is a third PaiTage of our Saviour, 
 which feems to make more for this Purpofe, 
 than either of the other j and that is the 
 
 Text 
 
 127 
 
12 
 
 7he Sixth Sermon. 
 
 Text I am now upon j and therefore (tho* f 
 have fpoken fomething to it already ) yet I 
 (hall now give a more particular Account of 
 it. 
 
 Our Saviour is here put upon fpeaking to 
 that very Point, we arenow difcourfing of : 
 One fdid unto bim. Lord are there few that 
 (ImU be faved ? This was theQueflion. Our 
 Saviours Anfwer to this Queflion, was this \ 
 Strive to enter in at the ftrait Gate, for ma* 
 ny jhall feek to enter, and jhall not be able. 
 Now, as this, I fay, far be it from us to un- 
 derftand this Anfwer of our Saviours in the 
 Senfe , that fome Perfons would have it ta- 
 ken in 5 namely, that hereby he intimates 
 that they are but exceeding few, that Ihall 
 be faved, and that many fhall earneftly ap- 
 ply themfelves, and induftrioully feek, to 
 enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, and yet, 
 notwithftanding all their Pains and Endea- 
 vours, Ihall fall (liort of it. If this indeed 
 was the Meaning of our Saviour, it would be 
 one of the mod uncomfortable Texts in the 
 whole Scripture. But, without Qutftion, 
 there is no fuch Thing here intimated, as 
 will appear to any, that will ftridly examine 
 the Pallage. The Cafe is this. Oi-\^ that 
 was more curious than ferious, asks him con- 
 cerning the Succefs of his Doctrine in the 
 World : Whether many or few would em- 
 brace it, and fo, by the Means thereof, ob- 
 tain eternal Salvation. This is the Meaning 
 of the Qiieftion. What now faith our Savi- 
 our 
 
77;e Sixth Sermon, 
 
 our to this ? Doth he give a dircd An- 
 fwer to the Queftion ? No, not at all j he 
 neither tells whether many, or whether few, 
 (hould be faved. But, as his manner was, 
 when he was asked Qjicftions, that had more 
 of Curiofity in them than any tendency to 
 benefit the Askers, inftead of directly anfwer- 
 ing the Queftion propofed, he takes occali- 
 on from hence of giving good Advice and 
 Counfel to the Hearers, and thus he doth 
 here. Jefus faith unto him. Strive to enter 
 in at the flrait Gate^ for many jhall feek td 
 enter an J Jhall not he able , as if he had faid. 
 Be not you fo curious to enquire into the 
 Number of thofe that (hall embrace my Do- 
 drine and be faved by it, but rather take 
 you Care, that you your felves be found in 
 that Number. I will alTure you, the Thing 
 it felf will oblige you to it, for, as the 
 World now ftands, ftrait is the Gate of Chri- 
 ftianity, by which you are to enter into 
 Life \ fo ftrait, that it will require not only 
 great fincerity, but great earneftnefs and ve- 
 hemence, in whoever undertakes it *, which 
 is a great deal more, than a carelefs Wilh, or 
 a flight Defire and Endeavour. He that will 
 go to Heaven, in the Way that I propofe, 
 muft ftrive heartily, and not feek faintly \ 
 muft oc-yuvl^i^oci (that is the Word our Sa- 
 viour here ufeth,) that is to fay, he muft do 
 as thofe that run a Race, or engage them- 
 felves in any other Strife for maftery ^ he 
 iriuft put out his whole Strength, bend the 
 Vol. III. K whole 
 
 12^ 
 
130 
 
 77;e Sixth Sermon. 
 whole force both of his Body and Mind to 
 the Work he is about ^ otherwife, he may 
 mifcarry. A faint feeking will hardly do 
 the Work. Many of thofe, that have fome 
 will or defire to enter at this Gate, and to be 
 my Difciples : When they come to fee what 
 temporal Advantages they mufi: part witli, 
 and what HardOiip they muft endure, for 
 my names fake, will not be able to enter, 
 will not be able to give up themfelves to my 
 Religion. It is the Strivers, only thofe that 
 will take the Kingdom of Heaven by violence, 
 that will be fuccefsful. Strive to enter i?i 
 at the ftrait Gate^ for many flmllfeek to en- 
 ter, and ^mU not he ahle^ it is not here fiid 
 many Ihall ftrive to enter, and (hall not be 
 able, no, none ever ftrove to enter, but 
 they did it. But it is the Seekers only that 
 (hall not be able, that is to fay, thofe that 
 have fome good Will towards Chrift's Religi- 
 on, but have not Sincerity or Courage enough 
 to profecute it with diligence and vigour. 
 
 And this, I hope, is fufficient to fitisfie 
 thofe that are uneafie, and doubtful of their 
 own Condition, upon account of the fewnefs 
 of thofe that are to be faved, which was the 
 firft Point I was to difcourfe on. 
 
 But, may fome fay ftill, there is as great 
 a Difficulty behind, what is all ,this to me, 
 unlefs I had fome aiTurance, that I am one 
 of thofe that are appointed and ordained and 
 eleded by God to Salvation > If God hath, 
 from all Eternity, pitched upon fuch a de- 
 
 termi- 
 
The Sixth Sehmn, 1 1 1 
 
 terminate number of Men, whom he defigns 
 to make VefTels of Honour, and all the reft 
 of Mankind, who are not thus Eleded, fhall 
 certainly perifh, what Comfort can I have, 
 unlefs I knew that I was one of thofe, that are 
 thus predeftinated to Life ? For any thing I 
 know, I may be one of thofe, that are from 
 all Eternity, doomed to Deftrudion. 
 
 This is the fecond Point I am to difcourfe 
 of, and I fhall do it very briefly, and very 
 plainly. And, in anfwer to this fort of 
 Scruple, I fay, in the firfl Place, that it is 
 the mofl unreafonable Thing in the World 
 (however Men have got it into their Heads) 
 to trouble our felves about the eternal De- 
 crees of God 5 which being infinitely above 
 our underflanding, muft therefore certainly 
 be much beyond our Duty to enquire aftero 
 That which we have to do, is to look into 
 the revealed Will of God, which is contain- 
 ed in the Holy Scriptures, for, from hence 
 and hence only, we can, with any certainty, 
 make a Judgment of our own Conditionj 
 whether it be good or bad. Whatever ge- 
 neral Promifes we there find, God hath 
 made to Mankind by Jefus Chrif^ , thofe we 
 not only fafely may, but we ought to apply ■ 
 to our felves in particular, fo far as we per- 
 form the Conditions of them *, and fo, on the 
 other Hand, whatever Threatnings God hath 
 there denounced againft difobedient and im- 
 penitent Sinners, we are to ' look upon our 
 felves as obnoxious to them, if we do not 
 K 2 prevent 
 
1 ^ 2 7he SixtJ? Sermon, 
 
 prevent our Ruin, by repentance and obedi- 
 ence. 
 
 This is the Method that God hath ap- 
 pointed, for the coining to a true Knowledge 
 of our own State, and the raifing Comfort to 
 our feh^es, and not the curious prying into 
 the Books of Gods eternal Decrees, which are 
 altogether fecret to us. If 1 would have 
 peace of Confcience, and a comfortable alTu- 
 rance of my own good Condition, the Way to 
 come by it is not this, to get fatisfied, in the 
 iirft Place, that I am one of thofe Perfons, 
 whom God, from all eternity, did peremp- 
 torily decree fhould beLved, and whoconfe- 
 quentiVjCannotpofTibly mifcarry : No, this is a 
 prepofterous Way ^ the true Method is this : 
 I find, in the Gofpel, many general Promifes 
 and Declarations of Gods kindnefs to Man- 
 kind, as thus f:)r inftance, from the Mouth 
 of our Saviour. God fo loved the World, 
 that he gave his only begotteyi Son, that who- 
 foever believeth inhimfiouldnotperifi, but 
 have everlafling Life. My Bufinefs is now 
 to enquire, whether I do truly believe inje- 
 fus Chriffj which I am to come to the Know- 
 ledge of, by an Examination of my own 
 Heart and Life and Converfation. If now, 
 upon fuch Examination, I find that I have 
 ail the Qualifications of a true Believer, I 
 rnay, with confidence, apply this general 
 Promife to my felf in particular, and raife 
 this Conclufion to my felf, that (ince I lind 
 I do believe in the only begotten Son of God, 
 
 alluredly 
 
Tlje Sixth Sermon, i ^ j 
 
 afTuredly God doth accept me, and, if I con- 
 tinue in this Eftate till my life's end, I fhall 
 not perifti, but have everlafting Life. 
 
 Let us but fatisfie our felves, that we per- 
 form the Conditions, which Chrift hath re- 
 quired of Mankind, in order to Salvation, 
 (which Conditions are all fum*d up in thefe 
 two Words, Faith and Repentance,) and we 
 may be as certainly aiTured, that we belong 
 to God, and are intitled to his Favour, as if 
 we faw our particular Names recorded in a 
 Book, among them that are appointed to Sal- 
 vation. 
 
 Away therefore with all Fears and Doubts, 
 concerning our eternal Predeftination. Let 
 us never be follicitous in enquiring, whether 
 God hath decreed fuch a particular Number 
 of Perfons (in exclufion to the reft of Man- 
 kind ) to eternal Life, or, if he hath done 
 fo, whether we be in the Number of them , 
 but let us take care to fecure our own Duty. 
 Secret Things belong to the Lord our God^ 
 hut the Things that are revealed to us, and 
 to our Children^ that we may do all the Works 
 of his Law , as we have it in Deuteronomy, 
 Let us take care to obey Gods Command- 
 ments. Let us live as well as we can, and 
 if we do fo, it is certain we cannot mifcarry, 
 and if God hath made any fuch eternal De- 
 crees, concerning the Lot of particular Per- 
 (bns, it is certain likewife, that we are in the 
 Number of thofe, that are prcdeflinated to 
 K 3 eternal 
 
1 J 4 Tl:e Sixth Sermon, 
 
 eternal Salvation, provided we continue in 
 our Faith and Obedience. 
 
 But, Secondly, let me add this further 
 upon this Head, and I conclude. What if 
 there be really no fuch Grounds, for thofe 
 Fears and Doubts concerning our own State, 
 from the Decrees of God, as the Objedion 
 fuppofeth ? What if the Dodrine, upon 
 which they are built, be altogether without 
 Foundation ? Thefe Fears, I am fpeaking of, 
 do proceed from this Suppofition, that there 
 are a determinate number of Men eleded, 
 from all Eternity, to Salvation, and that all 
 the reft are doomed to deftrudion. 
 
 As for the former part of this Suppofiti- 
 on, I do not now make any Queftion of it, 
 but 35 to the latter Part, I juftly may and 
 do. Nay, if by Gods predeftinating Men 
 to deftrudion be meant his decreeing Men, 
 from Eternity, to Hell-Fire, without refped 
 to their evil Adions or wicked Lives, (as it 
 muft he meant in the Objedion, other wife it 
 is not to the purpofe) I fay, the Dodrine is 
 certainly falfe : God never pafled any fuch 
 Sentence upon any of his Creatures. What- 
 ever the Senfe be of Gods eleding forae, and 
 pafling by others, which I fhall not here en- 
 quire into, thefe two Things I dare confident- 
 ly lay down for Truth : Becaufe the Scripture 
 in very many plain Texts doth warrant me fo 
 to do. The Firft is, that, as Chrift died for 
 all Mankind, fo all Mankind, that do be- 
 lieve in Chrift and profefs his Religion, (for 
 
 as 
 
The Sixth Sermon. 135 
 
 as for thofe, that are out of the Pale of the 
 Church, I have nothing to do with them) I 
 fay all fuch are in a Capacity of being fa- 
 ved. God is fo fir from putting a Bar to the 
 Salvation of any, by any eternal abfolute ir- 
 refpedive Decrees of his, that he defigned 
 Mercy to them all without exception, and 
 it is in their Power, by the Grace of God 
 both preventing and aflilling, that goes along 
 with them, to accept of that Mercy, and if 
 they do fo, they fhall without fail attain e- 
 verlafling Life. 
 
 The fecond Thing is this, whatever Gods 
 Decrees are concerning Men, it is certain, no 
 Man ever was, or ever fh.-ill be damned, but 
 it was, or (hall be, purely thro' his own 
 Fault, x^nd he might have avoided the Dam- 
 nation, if he would have taken that care of 
 himfelf, that in point of prudence and felf • 
 prefervation, he fhould have done, and which 
 in other Cafes he fometimes doth not fail to 
 do. 
 
 If now thefe two Things be true, as they 
 may be evidently proved from the Holy Scri- 
 ptures •, what little Grounds has any Man 
 living to be troubled, about Gods Decrees 
 concerning him, fince he may be allured, 
 that he (hall never mifcarry, but thro' his 
 own Fault > And that it is in his Power, if 
 he will luake ufe of that Grace which God 
 affords him, to prevent mifcarrying, and to 
 attain to everlaftin^ Salvatioii. And what can 
 any reafonable Man defire more than this ? 
 K 4 Iknow 
 
126 ^^^ Sixth Sertnon, 
 
 1 know that there are a great many, that do 
 pot love to hear of any thing to be done on their 
 Parts, but would have all Gods dealings with 
 "Mankind to be fo entirely refolved into his un- 
 controulable Power, as that whoever is faved 
 is to be fayed by his irrefiftible Grace, without 
 any concurrence of their own. But, fure I 
 am, this Notion of Gods bringing Men to 
 Happinefs neither fuits with the Holy Scri- 
 ptures, nor with the Nature he hath given 
 to Mankind. We readily grant, and it is 
 certainly true \ that all that comes to pafsin 
 this World doth come to pafs, according to 
 the Counfel of Gods Will : But then, it is 
 as true, that God hath decreed and determin- 
 ed all Things fo, as to give a full Scope to 
 the exercife of that Power and Liberty that 
 he hath in our Creation bellowed upon us. 
 He hath fo made his Decrees, as that it is, 
 from Eternity, a fixed unmoveable Point, 
 that Mankind, who by their Nature are free 
 Agents, fhould in the next World be happy 
 pr miferable, only by their own Choice. 
 God determined, in the Beginning, to fet 
 Life and Death before us, by our Lord Je- 
 fus Chrift, (and accordingly he hath done 
 fo,) he decreed likewife, from all Eternity, 
 that all of us, that chofe Life upon thofq 
 Terms and Conditions that Chrift hath pro- 
 pofed it, fhould certainly enjoy it. He hath 
 likewife given every one of us Power and A- 
 bility fufficient, to choofe that Life and to 
 make good thofe Terms and Conditions, and 
 ' •' ' what- 
 
The Sixth Sermon. 
 what ever Man or Woman among us does do 
 that, that Perfon is certainly eleded, and, 
 whoever doth otherwife, is certainly, by the 
 Decrees of God, a Reprobate , that is to fay, 
 he having rejected Gods Grace, God will re- 
 jed him at the la ft Day. 
 
 This now is all that we can, conclufively 
 and pofitively, pronounce concerning God*s 
 Decrees, and thus much we may pronounce, 
 and this is enough, both to fatisfie our Scru- 
 ples, and to excite our Induftry. It is cer- 
 tain, by Gods Word, that every one of us 
 may be faved, nay (hall be faved everlafting- 
 Jy, if we be fincere in our Endeavours after 
 it. 1 do not fay, if we do all that we can do 
 towards the obtaining Salvation, for that per- 
 haps no Man doth, but, if we be fincere in 
 that Degree, that the infirmity and degenera- 
 cy of human Nature will ordinarily allow us. 
 If we ufc the Ame fincerity and induftry, in 
 recommending our felves to God, and our 
 Lord Jefus, and procuring our own everlaft- 
 ing Salvation, that Men ordinarily and cu- 
 ftomarily do, in profecuting any great Affair 
 in the World, that they have fet their Hearts 
 upon. I fay, whofoever is thus far fincere, as 
 to his fpiritual Concernments, (hall undoubt- 
 edly go to Heaven. And fure this is enough, 
 abundantly enough, to filence all the Doubts 
 and Fears and Perplexities of the moft timo- 
 rous Perfons for ever. I hope, they them- 
 felves do not defire to go to Heaven upon ea- 
 fier Terms, or, if they do, they are very un- 
 '' • reafor 
 
 Mr 
 
1^8 Tl^^ Sixth Sermon, 
 
 reafonable. And, on the other Hand, if we 
 are not thus ferious, in our endeavours to 
 lead a Holy and Chriftian Life, all our other 
 pretences to Salvation will fignilie nothing j 
 it will be in vain, to rely upon any other E* 
 ledion, than that, which is made fure by a 
 lively Faith and a vertuous Converfation. We 
 are all of us theEled of God, if we live as 
 becomes the Difciples of Chrift Jefus, but 
 we {hall all be found Reprobates, if we do 
 not. 
 
 what a Spur is here to our Induftry ! 
 How careful fhould we be, not to rely upon 
 a barren ineffedual Faith, but to adorn our 
 Profeflion by a godly and a religious Life I 
 How diligent fliould we be, to make our Cal- 
 ling and Eledion fure, by adding to our 
 Faith Vertue, and to our Vertue Knowledge, 
 and to Knowledge Temperance, and to Tem- 
 perance Patience, and to Patience Godlinefs, 
 and to Godlinefs brotherly Kindnefs, and to 
 brotherly Kindnefs Charity ', knowing that, 
 if thefe Things be in us, and abound, we 
 (hall never be barren nor unfruitful in the 
 Work of the Lord , but an Entrance will be 
 adminiftred unto us more abundantly, into 
 the everlafting Kingdom of our Lord Jefus. 
 
 1 conclude all, with that memorable Say- 
 ing of St. Pdiil in the 2d of the Ro?fi, the 6, 
 7, 8, 9, 10, Verfes. All which makes to 
 our purpofe. God will render to every Man 
 according to his Works , to thef?i, who, hy 
 patie?Jt contlmtance in well doings feek for 
 
 Glorj 
 
Tlye Sixth Sermon, 139 
 
 Glory ^nd Honouy and Immortality^ eternal 
 Life 5 but unto them, that are contentious^ 
 and do 7iot obey the Truth ^ Indignation and 
 Wrath \ Tribulation and Afigui^o itpon every 
 Sold of Man that doth evil, of the Jew firfi^ 
 and alfo of the Ge?itile. . But Glory and Ho- 
 nour and Peace to every Man that worketb 
 good^ to the JexK> firjl^ and alfo to the Gen-- 
 tile 'j for there is Jio refped ofPerfons with 
 God, 
 
 M^y God Ahmghty give us all Grace fo to 
 behave our fives, in this World, that 
 we ?nay, in the other ^ receive thofe glo- 
 rious Rewards, which our Lord Jefus 
 hath promifed to all his faith fid Difci- 
 ples. This God of his infinite Mercy 
 ^rantf 6cc. 
 
 SER- 
 
140 
 
 SERMON VII. 
 
 ACTS XVI. 31. 
 
 Belisve on the Lord Jefiis Chrtjl^ and thou 
 fialt hefaved. 
 
 O U may remember that I have, 
 ^ Y ^ not long ago, preached feveral 
 M ^ Sermons about religious trouble 
 M^^^^^^ of Mind, and I then made it my 
 Bufineis to give an Account of fundry Points 
 which, thro' their not being well under- 
 ftood, had a great Influence, if not in cauf- 
 ing, yet in the increaling, that fort of Affli- 
 aion. And I told you that, as I had Op- 
 portunity^ I would go on with this Argu-. 
 ment, and fpeak to fome other Points, which 
 often prove occafion of many Frights and 
 Doubts, to timerous and melancholly Per- 
 fons. Having therefore an Opportunity now 
 given me, I mean to proceed where I left 
 
 off. 
 
 Five Caufes of religious Trouble, which 
 arife from the mifapprehenfion of Things, I 
 have already fpoken to, that is to fay, 
 
 J. BrJI, 
 
The Seventh Sermon, 
 
 1 . Firfty The Opinion Men have taken up 
 about defertion, or Gods forfaking them. 
 
 2. Secondly, The lofs of their fpiritual 
 Comfort, and the dulnefs and deadnefs of 
 their Hearts, as to all religious Duties. 
 
 3. Third!)', The being haunted with wick- 
 ed, and blafphemous Thoughts. 
 
 4. F^?/r?/b/?', Theextreamfewnefsof thofe 
 that fhall be faved. 
 
 5. Fifthly y The uncertainty they are in, 
 as to their particular Eledion to Salvation. 
 
 I now come to confider two other Things, 
 which fome melancholy People do often com- 
 plain of, and which caufeth them as much 
 uneafinefs, as any of the other Points I have 
 named, and that is, in the fixth Place, their 
 want of Faith, and in the feventh Place, 
 their not being truly penitent for their 
 Sins. 
 
 Faith and Repentance, they know very 
 well, are the great Gofpel Duties, and in- 
 deed the only Conditions required to Salva- 
 tion. And if they want either of thefe, in 
 what a miferable Condition are they ? But 
 yet, as Things ftand with them, they have 
 neither true Faith, nor true Repentance. 
 
 Thefe two Things, I fay, I (hall now endea- 
 vour to give fome SatisfaAion about, by put- 
 ting both thefe Duties in a fair Light, and (hew- 
 ing, that good Peoples uneafinelTes and frights 
 about them are occafioned, purely by their 
 not rightly underftanding the Nature of themo 
 
 Ibe- 
 
 141 
 
^^t 57?f Seventh Sermon. 
 
 I begin with Faith, to which I fliall af 
 this Time confine my Difcourfe. The ge- 
 neral Defcription of that Faith, whereby 
 Chriftians are to be faved, is given us in 
 thefe Words of St. Vaul^ I have ?wtp read unto 
 you. When the Jaylor, \x\ the Verfe before 
 had earneflly defired Vaul and Silas to in- 
 ftrud him in the way of Salvation, faying. 
 Sirs what miifi I do to he faved / The An- 
 fwer they return to him is, Believe on the 
 Lord Jefus Chrifl, and thou Jhalt be faved 
 and thine Houfe , fo that, f iving, juftifying, 
 Faith, is to beUeve on the Lord Jefus. 
 
 Well but, fay they, whofe Cafes we are 
 fpeaking to, this is our Mifery, we do not 
 believe on the Lord Jefus , on the contrary, 
 we are forely troubled with unbelief. If 
 you ask them what reafon they have to think 
 10, do they not believe the Gofpel, do they 
 not own our Lord Jefus to be the Son of 
 God and the Saviour of the World ? Yes, 
 they will tell you, they do fo, but yet, for 
 all that, they want Faith : Becaufe they are 
 full of Doubts concerning their Condition 5 
 now, is not doubting contrary to Faith } 
 What is it, fay they, to believe on the Lord 
 Jefus, but to believe that the Lord Jefus is 
 my Saviour ? That his righteoufnefs is my 
 righteoufnefs, and that I am one of thofe, 
 for whom he purchafed eternal Salvation ? 
 But they cannot bring themfelves to a firm 
 belief of this, they cannot thus apply 
 Chrifts Benefits to themfelves in particu- 
 
 iara 
 
Tl:e Seventh Sermon* 
 
 iar. Is it not one of the Articles, which 
 every Chriftian doth daily profefs, name- 
 ly , that he believes the forgivenefs of 
 Sins ? Why, they cannot fay this^ they do 
 not heartily and fledfaftly believe the forgive- 
 nefs of their Sins, and therefore fure they 
 want fomething necefTary to faving Faith. 
 
 This is the Cafe, and this I (hall now par- 
 ticularly apply my feif to, and the rather, 
 becaufe 1 believe this is a Notion of Faith 
 very common among us , nay, I am afraid, 
 it is to be met with in fome of our Cate- 
 chifms and fyftems of Divinity. 
 
 And here my Bufinefs (hall be, to fpeak of 
 thefe two Points. 
 
 Firft, Whether it be necefTary to faving 
 Faith, to believe that my Sins are forgiven 
 rae, or to make fucli an Application of 
 Chrifts Righteoufnefs to my felf, as from 
 hence to be able to conclude, that I in parti- 
 cular am righteous by his righteoufnefs, and 
 confequently, (hall be faved by him j or, 
 which comes to the fame Thing, whether the 
 doubting of this be the Sin of unbelief. 
 
 And, Seco7idly^ what is the true Notion of 
 that Faith, which is in Scripture required, 
 as a Condition of Mens Juftification and Sal- 
 vation. The refolving thefe two Enqui- 
 ries is all that can be thought needful, in or- 
 der to the clearing up all Difficulties in this 
 Matter. 
 
 1 begin with the firft Enquiry. Whether 
 it be of the E(rence of faving Faith, to be- 
 lieve 
 
 MJ 
 
144 "^'^^ Seventh Sermon. 
 
 iieve that my Sins are forgiven me j or to 
 apply Chrifts Righteoufnefs fo particularly to 
 my felf, as to believe that I am thereby a 
 juflifyed Perfon. 
 
 Thofe Perfons, whofe Cafe I am now 
 fpeaking to, and likewife a great many others 
 among us, do verily think that this is necef- 
 fary to the having true Faith, and that to 
 doubt of it is the Sin of Unbelief. But nov^r, 
 if upon examination, it proves to be other- 
 wife, then I fuppofe, they will be eafily con- 
 vinced, that there was no Ground for their 
 Fears and Perplexities about this Matter, for 
 they may have true Faith, how great foever 
 their Doubts may be, of the forgivenefs of 
 their Sins. 
 
 Now, what I have to fay, as to this Point, 
 I ihall reprefent in thefe four following Par- 
 ticulars. Firft of all, let it be cjnfideredj 
 that it cannot be necelTary, to the having 
 true Faith, to believe that which God hath 
 no where revealed. For, when we fpeak of 
 Faith in a Theological Senfe, (that is to fay, 
 as it is required of us as a Duty by God,) as 
 we do all along in this Difcourfe ^ it can 
 have no other Objed, than divine Revelati- 
 on : And is always commenfurate with that, 
 nor can it be extended farther, than that goes. 
 So that, whatever God hath revealed, that 
 is an Objed: of our Faith, and we are bound 
 to believe it : What ever God hath not re- 
 vealed, that is no objed of our Faith, nor 
 are we concerned, in point of Religion, whe- 
 * ther 
 
The Seventh Sermon. 14 j 
 
 ther we believe it or no. This now being 
 fo, I ask, where is it declared in the whole 
 Scripture (which takes in all the Revelati- 
 ons of God to Mankind, and makes up an en- 
 tire Objed of our Faith,) 1 fiy, where is it 
 there declared, that my Sins are forgiven me, 
 or that Chrift's Righteoufnefs is fo imputed 
 to me, that 1 iliall befaved eternally. And, 
 if thefe Things be not there declared an J re- 
 vealed, then, it is certain, it can be no part 
 of my Faith, to believe them, nor can it be 
 a finful Unbelief in me, to doubt of them. 
 
 But, to this it will be faid, tho' it be not 
 declared in the Scriptures, concerning par- 
 ticular Perfons and by Name that their 
 Sins are forgiven them , yet all particu- 
 lar Perfons are commanded to apply the 
 general Promifes of Chrift to themfelves, as 
 much as if they had been made to them by 
 Name, and if they do not this, they are 
 guilty of Unbelief. And this is the Cafe of 
 thefe Perfons I am now fpeaking of ^ they 
 do not apply the Promifes of forgivenefs of 
 Sins to themfelves in particular ^ they do not 
 lay hold of the Merits of Chrift fo, as to 
 make his righteoufnefs their righteoufnefs, 
 and this is want of Faith in them. 
 
 Well, to this I fay, in the fecond Place, 
 let us at prefent admit this Notion of Faith, 
 that they contend for ^ but then, pray fee 
 the Confequence. If God hath commanded 
 all Mea to apply the Promifes of Chrift to 
 themfelves in particular, and that to do this 
 Vol. IIL L Is 
 
^J^6 Tl:e Seventh Sermon. 
 
 is Faith, and not to do it Unbelief, then it 
 follows, for certain, that the worft Men in 
 the World are bound, under penalty of eter- 
 nal D;imnarion, to make fuch an Application 
 to theinfelves. They are bound, if they 
 would not be condemned among!!: the Unbe- 
 lievers, to believe the remjflion of Sins, that 
 is the remiflion of their own Sins in particu- 
 lar. They are bound to believe, thatChrift's 
 Righteoufnefs is as much imputed to them, 
 as if they were righteous theiuf^ives :> 1 fay, 
 they are bound to do all this, becaufe every 
 JVlan is bound to have true Faith in Jefus 
 Chriflj and, if this be true Faith in Jefus 
 ChriH-, then whenever they can bring up 
 thcnifehes to fuch a pitch of confidence as to 
 be able thus to do, they are as true Believers, 
 and as much in the number of the Faithful, 
 as thufe that live the moft holy and pure 
 Lives ^ how carelefs and diilolute and vitious 
 foever their Lives and Converfation be. But 
 this is fo intolerable a Confequence, that, I 
 believe, nofober Man will own it, and there- 
 fore we may from hence form an undeniable 
 Argument, that Faith in Clirift, and appli- 
 cation of his Promifes to our felves, are two 
 quite different T'hings. 
 
 But, Thirdly, to come home to the Point, 
 let it be farther confider'd, notwithflanding 
 all this talk of laying hold on Chrift's Righ- 
 teoufnefs, and applying his Merits to our 
 felves in particular, fo as to believe that we 
 are righteous thro' his righteoufnefs, and 
 
 that. 
 
Tl?e Seventh Sermon, 14?^^ 
 
 that, thro' the Merits of his Sufferings, all 
 our Sins are adualiy forgiven, I f ly, let it be 
 confider'd, that thefe Things are fo fir from 
 being a necelT^iry lijgreuient in the true Faith, 
 that it doth not appear, from the Scriptures, 
 that they are fo much as required of us as a 
 Duty at all, or that the not doing of them 
 fhall be imputed to us as a Sin. 
 
 The Reafon, why J fay fo, is this. All 
 the Scripture Promifes of forgivenefs of Sin 
 and of eternal Life, thro' the Blood of Jefus 
 Chrifl, are made unto Mankind, under a 
 Condition that they perform the Terms of the 
 hew Covenant, which was then fealed, by 
 that Blood, between God and Man ^ which 
 Terms, as we have faid, are Faith and Re- 
 pentance. No Man therefore, can, or ought 
 to, apply thefe Promifes to himfelf, that is, 
 fo as to think he hath a Right or Title to 
 them, any farther than he can fitisfie him- 
 felf he hath performed thofe Conditions : 
 Nay, it would be an unwarrantable finful 
 Prefumption in him, if he fhould offer it. 
 
 But now, if it be every Mans Duty, nay 
 or any Mans Duty, thus to apply the Pro- 
 mifes to himfelf, and a Sin in him, if he did 
 hot, then it mull be fuppofed likewife that it 
 was his Duty to believe, that he hath per- 
 formed the Conditions. But now, I defire 
 any Man to fhew me any Text of Scripture, 
 where God hath' commanded, that we Ihould 
 believe that we have performed the Conditi- 
 ons of the new Covenant, or declared it to 
 L 2 be 
 
148 The Seymth Sermon, 
 
 be a Sin in us, if we cannot thus believe* 
 Thus far God hath commanded us to believe, 
 namely, that Jefus Chrift is the Son of God, 
 and the Saviour of the World, and that whofo- 
 ever believeth in him Ihall not perifh but have 
 everlafting Life , but he hath no where com- 
 manded us to beheve, that we are true Be- 
 lievers, and, confequently, that we Ihall not 
 perilh but have everlafting Life. The Scri- 
 pture requires us to believe, that all true Pe- 
 nitents (hall have remiflion of their Sins, 
 thro' the Blood of Chrift : But it no where 
 requires us to believe, that we are true Pe- 
 nitents, and that we (hall have remifTion of 
 Sins. Laftly, The Scripture hath told us 
 that, if our Faith be fincere, it ftiall be im- 
 puted to us for righteoufnefs, as Ahaham's 
 Faith was ;, but this is a quite different Thing, 
 from laying hold of Chrift's Righteoufnefs, 
 and applying it to our felves, and then cal- 
 ling it Faith fo to do. Since now no Man is 
 obliged, by the Law of God to believe, or 
 to be allured, that he hath Faith, or Repen- 
 tance, or hath performed the Conditions of 
 the Gofpel Covenant, (as it is certain no 
 Man is, and indeed in many Cafes, as Things 
 fland with Men, it is a Matter really impof- 
 fible they ftiould be thus alfured,) it undeni- 
 ably follows, that neither is any Man bound 
 to make fuch an Application of the Promifes 
 of the Gofpel to himfelf, as this Notion of 
 Faith ( that I am now fpeaking of) fuppof- 
 eth 5 and, if fuch an Application be not his 
 
 Duty, 
 
Tl?e Se'Venth Sermon. jah 
 
 Duty, then it is certain he may have true 
 faving Faith without it. 
 
 But, may fome fay, ought not every Man, 
 cfpecially every good Man, fo apply the Pro- 
 mifes of the Gofpel to himfelf in particular, 
 are they not to be the Support, and the Com- 
 fort, and the Joy of his Life } 
 
 To this I anfwer thefe two Things ^ in 
 one Senfe, every Man, both good and bad, 
 ought to apply them to himfelf, and, in a- 
 nother Senfe, every good Man may fo ap- 
 ply them. 
 
 Firft, Every Man whatfoever ought to ap- 
 ply the Promifes of the Gofpel to himfelf, as 
 they are Motives and Encouragements to fpur 
 him on to do his Duty , but then this Appli- 
 cation is but to be conditional, that is, thus, 
 he ought to look upon all the Promifes as 
 belonging to him, if he perform the Condi- 
 ons of them , he ought verily to believe, 
 that he in Particular (hall be a fharer in all 
 the Benefits, that Chrift hath purchafed for 
 his Church, fuppoling that he makes good 
 the Terms on his part required, in the Co- 
 venant of Grace. This kind of Application 
 of the Promifes is neceifary to be made, by 
 every Man both good and bad , becaufe it is 
 necelTary to the doing our Duty. Without 
 fuch an Application, a Man would not be 
 put upon uiing his Endeavours to attain the 
 Things promifed, and confequently, the Pro- 
 mifes of God would lofe their End, they 
 would not be Motives to Obedience. 
 
 L 3 And 
 
77;e Seventh Sermon, 
 
 And thus far, I will readily grant, that to 
 apply the Promifesto our felves is of the ef- 
 fence of Faith,and not to do it is unbelief For, 
 indeed, it is a flat denying our alfent to the 
 Revelations of God. God faith, in general, 
 whofoever believeth and repenteth fhall be 
 faved. The Man, who refufeth to make this 
 Application, inuft be fuppofed to contradict 
 this ;, for, he muft hct fuppofed to fiy, that 
 he doth not believe that he himfelf fhould be 
 faved, tho' he fhould believe and repent j 
 which is flat unbelief. 
 
 But now, the Perfons lam treating of are 
 no way guilty of this Unbelief^ for they do 
 apply the Promifes of the Gofpel to them- 
 felves in particular, in that conditional Way 
 we now talk of. They acknowledge and be- 
 lieve the remiflion of Sins in general, and 
 the Sah'ation purchafed by Jefus Chrift, and 
 they believe likewife^ that they in particular 
 fliould have their Portion in thofe Benefits, if 
 they did perform the Conditions. Thus far 
 then, they do apply the Promifes to them- 
 feives 3 which is all that Faith obligeth them 
 to do But, here they flick , they are in 
 doubt whether they have performed thefe 
 Conditions, whether their Faith and Repen- 
 tance be fuch as God will accept. This is 
 their Doubt, but this is no Unbelief in them. 
 For, as I faid,tbey ought not, they cannot, far- 
 ther believe the Promifes to belong to them, 
 than they can fatistie themfeives, they have 
 made good the Conditions. 
 
 But, 
 
The Seventh Sermon. i 5 * 
 
 But, Secondly, befiJes this conditional 
 application of Promifes, by way of Motive 
 and Encouragement, to do our Duty, which 
 every Man both good and bad is bound to 
 make to himfdf, a goodM-n may go fir- 
 ther ^ for he may make a politive ahfolute 
 Application of the Promifes of Forgivencfs 
 and Salv^ation to hinjfelf, to his own uiifpeak- 
 able Comfort : That is, when h^^ finds ^ by 
 the holy frame and temper of his own Heart, 
 and rhe Fruits of Piety in his Life and Con- 
 verfiri^n, that he hath the Qualifications ofa 
 true Di ciple of Chrift , he may fpeak Peace 
 to himfelf, upon good Grounds, andalfured- 
 Jy believe, that the Promifes of the Gofpcl 
 do belong to him in particular. That his 
 Sins are forgiven him, that he is aduaily in 
 the Favour of God, and that, if he perfe- 
 veres in that courfe of Holinefs in which he 
 now walks, he ihall at la(t attain everlafting 
 Salvation. 
 
 But then it is to be remember'd, that thefe 
 comfortable Refledions and Applications are 
 not fo much his Duty, as his Happinefs, or, 
 if you will, they are no othtrwife his Duty, 
 than as it is his Duty to contribute all he can 
 to the making his Life as happy and as com- 
 fortable, as he can, in this World. 
 
 The plain EngUfi is, thefe Things do not 
 make any part of the Conditions of the Gof- 
 pel, but only of the Comfort of it j it is the 
 Happinefs ofa Man, that he is able to make 
 fuch a Judgment of the Sincerity of his own 
 
 L 4 pious 
 
M^ 
 
 77;e Seventh Sermon] 
 
 pious Endeavours, as to conclude from hence, 
 that he is in God's Favour , and, fo long as 
 he makes fuch a Judgment, he will not fail 
 to draw fuch a Concluiion, and much Com- 
 fort will he receive from it. But if, thro* 
 ignorance, ormiftake, or melancholy, he be 
 hindred from making fuch a Judgment of his 
 own Qijalifications, as to give him confidence 
 to believe that the promifes belong to him ^ 
 this is rather his hifelicity than his Sin , it 
 is not want of Faith, but weaknefs of Judg- 
 inent. And, tho' he cannot with afTurance 
 look upon the Promifes as belonging to him 
 in particular, fo long as his Mind continues 
 thus clouded^ yet, God Almighty, the 
 fearcher of Hearts, knows that he hath a 
 right to them, and will efFedually make 
 them good to the eternal Salvation of his 
 Soul, if he continue faithful to the End. 
 
 But, Fourthly and Laflly, let it be far- 
 ther confider'd, that this afTurance of our 
 Salvation, or this believing that our Sins are 
 forgiven, or this applying Chrifts Merits to 
 our felves, is no where in Scripture called by 
 the Name of Faith. Nor, on the other fide, 
 are thefe Terms of Faith and Believing ever 
 ufed in fuch a Senfe, as can be reafonably 
 interpreted to import thefe Things. 
 
 Firft, I fay, that thefe Things are never 
 in Scripture called by the Name of Faith , 
 we meet indeed with thofe Things often in 
 the new Teftament, but they are always flil- 
 ed by another Name than that of Faith. The 
 
 Apoftle 
 
71)6 Seventh Sermon. T5 J 
 
 Apoftle mentions the Hope of Chrifllans, 
 and the full aiTurance of hope, and he men- 
 tions their Joying in the Teftimony of a good 
 Confcience, their Peace and their Joy m be- 
 lieving. In a Word, we meet in the new 
 Teftament with feveral Expreflions of the 
 confidence and afTurance that good Chriftians 
 had, or might have, of the Favour of God, 
 and the forgivenefs of their Sins. But thefe 
 Things are no where intimated to be the 
 fime Thing with their Faith , in proper 
 fpeaking, but rather to be the Effecfls and 
 Confequences of their Faith. Tliofe Things 
 are reprefented to be the comfortable Fruits of 
 their Faith and believing in Jefus Ghrifl, and 
 not to be Faith or Believing it felf. 
 
 And certainly it mud be thus, for, what 
 Grounds has any Man of hope or alfurance 
 that his Sins are forgiven him, or that the 
 Benefits of Chrifl's Paflion belong to him, o- 
 ther than this, that he is among the Number 
 of thofe true Believers, to whom the Promi- 
 fes are made. And, if fo, then his Hope or 
 his AiTurance is not the fame Thing with his 
 Faith or his Believing, but fomething that is 
 confequent from it or bottomed upon it. 
 
 But farther, I fay, the^e Terms of Faith 
 or Believing are never ufed in that Senfe in 
 Scripture, in which the Perfons, whofe 
 Cafe we are now upon, do take them. In 
 Scripture we indeed often find mention made 
 of Faith in Chrifl: for the remiffion of ouc 
 Sins, but no Body is to underitand this of the 
 
 belief 
 
J54 Tl?e Seventh Sermon. 
 
 belief of the forgivenefsof a Mansown Sins in 
 particular; .But of belief in JefusChrift, by 
 whom only remifhon of Sins is to be obtain- 
 ed. St. Paul faith, in my Text, Believe in 
 the Lord Jefus^ and thou jlmll he faved \ 
 but his meaning is not, believe that Chrift 
 died for thee in particular, and thou flialt be 
 faved, but this^ believe that Jefus Chrift: 
 was fent by God to be the Savio'jr of the 
 World, and become a Difciple of his, and 
 then thou (halt be faved. Ag;aia our Savi- 
 our fiith, Whoever believeth 7iot fiall he 
 damned: But, far be it from us to conftrue 
 his Words on this manner, that whofoever 
 believeth not that he is one of thofe to whom 
 the Promifes of God do belong, fhali be 
 damned: But thus the Context will oblige 
 us to expound them, that whofoever hath 
 the Gofpel preached to him, and doth not 
 believe it, and enter into the Profeflijn of it 
 by Baptifm, with (incere Rcfolutions to live 
 according to it, fuch a one Ihall be damn'd. 
 
 Lafily, It is faid that Abraham believed 
 God, and it was accounted to him for Righ- 
 teoufnefs ; But, this is not to be underftood 
 as if Abrahams Faith was nothing but his af- 
 furance of God's Favour, and his applying 
 the Promifes to himfelf, and that this was 
 counted to him for righteoufnefs. No, A- 
 brahatns Faith was quite a different Thing, 
 as the Apoftle all along defcribes it. His 
 Faith confided in believing fledfaftly the Re- 
 velations of God to him to be true, howim- 
 
 .pro- 
 
The Seventh Sermon. 1 5 5 
 
 probable foever the Matter of them feemed 
 to Flefh and Blood : And, upon this Bellef,quit- 
 ting his Country, and Friends, and difpollng 
 himfelf to pay entire Obedience to the Com- 
 mands of God, tho' they were never fo feem- 
 ingly fevere. This was that Faith of his 
 that was counted to him for righteoufaefs, 
 that is, upon account of which, God accept- 
 ed him as a righteous Perfon. And this Faith 
 oi Abrahams is always by the xApoftle repre- 
 fented, as a Pattern of our Faith : The Co- 
 py that we are to write after, if we exped 
 acceptance of God. 
 
 By thefe feveral Things, that I have now 
 reprefented, you may eafily perceive how- 
 different a Thing that, which many Perfons 
 among us call true Faith, and of the want of 
 which fome good People do complain, is, 
 from the Faith of the Gofpel, that Faith, 
 which Chrift hath propofed as a Condition 
 of our Salvation. 
 
 If any Man be not fatisfied with all this, 
 but will dill contend that the principal Ad 
 of faving Faith, the very Life and Soul of 
 it, doth confift in applying Chrifl's Merits 
 to our felves, in laying hold on his Righte- 
 oufnefs, and making it our own , all the An- 
 fwer that I can farther make is this, that 
 thefe are Phrafes of Mans making, and are 
 not to be found in the Book of God ^ but, if 
 thofe that ufe them will tell us what they 
 mean by them, we (hall be able from that 
 Book to give an Account how far they do be- 
 long 
 
I c ^ Tie Seventh Sermon, 
 
 long to Faith, and how far they do not. If, 
 by applying Chrift's Merits to our felves, 
 and making his Righteoufnefs ours, if, 
 by thefe Phrafes, they mean no more than 
 this, that we are to exped to be faved thro' 
 the Merits of Chrift, by the conformity of 
 our Hearts and Lives to that righteoufnefs, 
 which he prefcribed to us, and of which in 
 his own Life he gave us an Example , then, 
 it is very certain, they give us a true Noti- 
 on of Faith : And whofoever fo behcves, 
 . and fo pradifes, hath true Faith. But if, 
 by thefe Phrafes of applying Chrift's Merits, 
 and laying hold on his Righteoufnefs, they 
 mean a perfuading our felves that Chrift's 
 Merits are adually imputed to us, and that 
 we are adually accounted righteous before 
 God, becaufe he was fo, then we fay pofi- 
 lively that this is no Part, no Ad, no Office 
 of that Faith, which the Holy Scripture re- 
 quires of Mankind in order to Salvation. We 
 fay pofitively, that, if this be Faith, very 
 bad Men may be true Believers, and very 
 good Men may be Infidels , and, confequent- 
 ly, that very bad Men may go to Heaven, 
 and very good may be excluded out of it. 
 
 But what then is that true lively faving 
 Faith or Belief, which is fo often fpoken of, 
 as the great Condition of Salvation ? This is 
 my fecond Enquiry upon this Head, and 
 which I fhall difpatch in a very few Words : 
 Becaufe indeed I have much prevented my 
 felf in this Argument, by what has been faid 
 a head v. I 
 
♦ Tl)e Seyenth Sermon] i j^ 
 
 I do not know how it comes to pafs, that 
 this Bufinefs of Faith in Jefus Chrift, which 
 is on all Hands acknowledged fo nece/Tary, is 
 by many made fo intricate a Bufinefs ; Cer- 
 tain it is, to one that comes to the reading of 
 the Scriptures with an unprejudiced Mind, 
 there is nothing more eafie or more obvious 
 than the Notion of it. 
 
 To believe in Jefus Chrift, or Faith in Je- 
 fus Chrift, is, according to the whole tenor 
 of the New Teftament, never more nor lefs, 
 than to become his Difciples , to be fo con- 
 vinced in our own Minds, that he was fent 
 from God to be the Saviour of the World, as 
 to yield alTent to all that he taught, and to 
 give up our felves to be obedient to all that 
 he commanded. 
 
 This is the whole Bufinefs of that Faith, 
 of which fome Men have made fo great a 
 Myftery. This is the whole meaning of 
 coming to Chrift, of receiving Chrift, of 
 putting on Chrift, of being in Jefus Chrift, 
 which the Scripture fpeaks of. And this 
 likewife ought to be the meaning of all thofe . 
 Phrafes ( if we will make Senfe of them ) 
 which, tho' they be not Scripture Exprelli- 
 ons, yet are commonly applyed to this Mat- 
 ter 5 that is, of refting 2nd relying upon Je- 
 fus Chrift, of having an Intereft in him, of 
 laying hold upon him, and his Righteouf- 
 nefs j and the like. 
 
 The 
 
i J g The Seventh Sermon, 
 
 The whole of that, which we call faving or 
 Juflifying Faith, is comprized in thi fe two 
 Things : An hearty ailent of our Underitand- 
 ing, to all that Jefus Chrift and his Apoftles 
 delivered to Mankind, as the Will of God : 
 And an hearty confent of our Wills, follow- 
 ing thereupon, to be governed by thofe Laws 
 and Rules that are prefcribed to us. Or (as 
 others are plea fed to word it ) thus. To 
 have a faving Faith in Jcfus Chrift, is to own 
 or accept of him in all his Offices. To re- 
 ceive him as the great Prophet, that came to 
 declare the Will of God to Mankind, and, 
 under that Notion, to give a Belief to what- 
 foever he taught : To receive him as the 
 great High-Prieft, that was to make an A- 
 torement for the Sins of the World, and, 
 under that Notion, to depend upon the Me- 
 rits of his Sacrifice and Interceffion for the 
 remiflion of our Sins, and all the other Be- 
 nefits of his Paflion ; And, Laftly, to re- 
 ceive him as the great King that God hath 
 fet over his Church, and, under that Noti- 
 on, to refign up our felves to be wholly dif- 
 pofed of and governed by him. 
 
 In a Word, to believe in Chrift is nothing 
 elfe, but to believe the Gofpel, and to fet 
 our felves to live according to it : So to af- 
 fent to the Truth of the Scriptures, as to be 
 induced thereby ferioufly to apply our Minds 
 to the denying Ungodiinefs, and worldly 
 Lufts, and living righteoufly, foberiy and 
 godly in this prefent World. This I fay, 
 
 and 
 
Tie Seventh Sermon, I jo 
 
 and nothing elfe, is the Notion of Faith in 
 Chrift, wherever it is fpoken of as the Con- 
 dition of Solvation. 
 
 This is St. Paurs Faith made perfe^^ by 
 Love, by which he faith we are to be fived. 
 And this is St. James his good Works, pro- 
 ceeding from a lively Faith, by which he 
 fiith we are to be juftihed. St. PWs Faith, 
 and Sc. James's good Works, are per^edly 
 the fame Thing , to us at lead, who are al- 
 ready Chriftians. 
 
 To Conclude, Whoever doth thus beHeve 
 in Chrift, as I have now reprefented, hath 
 certainly true Faith, and all the Promifes of 
 God belong to him, how doubtful foever he 
 be of his own State, or how little foever he 
 can apply the Promifes to himfelf. But, 
 whofoever doth not thus believe, be other- 
 wife his confidence or afTurance in applying 
 the Promifes never fo great, he hith not 
 true Faith, but may prove a Hypocrite. 
 
 And this I think may be fufficient to give 
 Satisfidion, to the Perfons, whofe Cafe I 
 have been fpeaking to. As for the Doubts 
 and Scruples, that are commonly raifed about 
 Repentance , thofe I fhall conlider another 
 Time. 
 
 Confider what fe have heard, and the 
 God of y 5cc. 
 
 ' SER- 
 
\6o 
 
 SERMON VIII. 
 
 M A T T H. III. 8. 
 
 Bring forth therefore Fruits meet for 
 Repentance, 
 
 A I T H and Repentance are the 
 ^ F ^ great, nay I may fay, the only 
 p ^ Conditions required in the Gof- 
 
 WiM^MM pslj i" order to Salvation ^ and 
 therefore, as it is of infinite concernment to 
 every one, to pofTefs himfelf of thefe two 
 Qualifications, fo it muft needs be a Matter 
 of unfpeakable Trouble, to all fuch as have 
 any care of their Salvation, to find them- 
 felves deftitute of them. 
 
 And yet, fuch is the Infelicity of a great 
 many even good Perfons, that very often 
 they are apt to pafs fuch a Judgment upon 
 themfelves : Being ready to conclude, that 
 they are in a State both of Unbelief and Im- 
 penitence, that they have neither true Faith, 
 nor true Repentance. 
 
 As for the Grounds and Reafons of their 
 Doubts, concerning their Faith, I confidered 
 
 them 
 
Tl^e Eighth Sermon. \6t 
 
 tliem in my laft Difcourfe, wherein I gave 
 an Account of faving, juftifying Faith. 
 
 I now come to fpe^k of the Doubts they 
 are apt to entertain , concerning the truth 
 and fincerity of their Repentance : And, for 
 that purpofe, I have chofen for my Text the 
 Words I have now read unto you. 
 
 And here my Bulinefs ftiali be fo to ex- 
 plain the Dodlrine of Repentance, as that, 
 neither BaJ Men may be encouraged to think 
 they are true Penitents, when they are not j 
 nor Good Men difcouraged from beheving the 
 Sincerity of their Repentance, notwithftand- 
 ing the manifold Pa, lures they apprehend ia 
 themfelves, as to the Expreflions of it. 
 
 You fee I here fpeak of Repentance^ not 
 as of fome fingle traniient Ad or Actions, 
 that are, now and then, to be perform'd by 
 a Man, upon Occafion : Nor only, as it is a 
 Man's fir ft PalTage, from a Heatheniih or a 
 Wicked Life, to a Chriftian Life , which is 
 that we call a Man's Converfion , and in 
 which Senfe it is often taken in the NewTe- 
 Itament. 
 
 But I confider it as an Habit, a permanent 
 State of Life, a Difpoiition and Qualification 
 of Mind and Manners, which a Man muft 
 polTefs himfelf of, and continue in, as long as 
 he lives ; otherwife, he is not to exped the 
 final remifiion of his Sins. And hence it is, 
 that the GW, as well as the Bad among us, 
 are taught in our Publick Liturgy ^ not only 
 every Day to confefs our Sins, but alfo eve- 
 Vgl. IIL M ry 
 
\6l Tl^e Fi^hth Sermon] 
 
 ry Day to pmy God to grant us true Repen- 
 tance. Hciving preiiiis'd this, I come to the 
 Argument : 
 
 Bring forth therefore Fruits meet for Re- 
 pentance, 
 
 Thefe are St. John Eaptifr's Words to the 
 Phar/feeSj that came to his Baptifm. And 
 from them we may gather, what that Repen- 
 tance is, that will be available for the For- 
 givenefs of our Sirs, and fecuring us from 
 that JVrath to come^ which he freal<s of in 
 the Verfe before \ namely, it mud be fuch 
 a Repentance, as brings forth worthy Fruits : 
 Bring forth (f^ith he) Fruits meet for Rie- 
 fentance , or as the Words may be rendred, 
 Bring forth the worthy Fruits of Repentance, 
 
 So that the Evangehcaf Repentance, which 
 we now treat of, confifts of two Parts, or is 
 made up of two Things. The one Inward 
 in our Minds, which is that we properly call 
 Repentance^ (fxiTuvoicc) and that coniifls in 
 fuch a Senfe of our Sins and Hatred of them, 
 as makes us heartily forry for them, and re- 
 folve to commit 'em no more. And this the 
 Bharifees were prefum*d to have, when they 
 came to St Johns Baptifm. 
 
 The other is Outward, and fhows its felf 
 in our Lives ^ and that confifts, in the actu- 
 al forfiklng thofc Sins which we fo refolv'd 
 ag-inli. And this is xliAt St. John here 
 flijcs the worthy Fruits of Repentance, or 
 Fruits meet for Repentance, 
 
 This 
 
Tl^e Eighth Sermon. i6j 
 
 This is certainly the Account, which the 
 Scripture every where gives, of that Repen- 
 tance which God requires of us, in order to 
 the Forgivenefs of our Sins : Only with this 
 flight Difference, that, foraetimes, the in- 
 ward Contrition has the Name of Repentance 
 given to it , and the Reformation^ that fol- 
 lows thereupon, is call'd the Fruits of it, as 
 here in my Text \ at other Times, the Re- 
 formation in our Lives is call'd by the Name 
 of Repentance, and the inward Sorrow and 
 Contrition is reckoned only as a Preparative 
 or Difpofition towards it \ as when St. ?aul 
 tells us, 2 Cor, 7. 10. that Godly Sorrow 
 worketb Repentance, 
 
 Well, but fay fome Perfons among us, 
 (who yet, as we have Reafon to believe, are 
 very good Chriftians) if this be the Notion 
 of true Repentance, then are not we in the 
 penitent State. For we have neither that 
 Sorrow and Contrition for our Sins, which 
 true Repentance requireth \ nor do we bring 
 forth the Fruits of Repentance, by re- 
 forming our felves as to feveral particular 
 Sins, which we have often begg'd Pardon 
 for, and refolv'd againfl. Thefe are the 
 Tvpo Cafes which I fhall now fpeak to, and I 
 begin with the firft. 
 
 They complain that they have not that 
 Sorrow for their Sins, which is fufficient to 
 denominate their Repentance true and (incere. 
 They can think of their many Offences and 
 Provocations, with dry Eyes j and, even at 
 M 2 thofs 
 
1 64 The Eighth Sermon. 
 
 thofe times when they fet themfelves to ex- 
 prefs Ads of Repentance, and to make con- 
 feflion of their Sins, in a more folemn Man- 
 ner : Yet, all this is done with fo much In- 
 fenfibility, and fo little Compundion, that, 
 inflead oi Broken ^ndCo?itrke Hearts, which 
 is the Sacrifice that God delights in, they 
 come to thefe Offices rather with harden'd 
 ones. 
 
 That which I fay to this, is this : We are 
 not to meafure the fincerity of our Contrition, 
 by the fenfible Expreflions of Grief, with 
 which it is fometimes accompanied ^ or to 
 conclude, that we are not forry for our Sins, 
 as we ought to be, becaufe we are not put 
 into a Paflion, at the remembaance of them. 
 It is very certain, a Man may have a true 
 Senfe of his Sins, and a hearty Contrition for 
 'em, and yet not be able to fhed a Tear, e- 
 ven when he moft devoutly fets himfelf to 
 beg God Almighty's Forgivenefs of 'em. And 
 *tis very certain, on the other Hand, that a 
 Man may weep abundantly, at fome Seafons, 
 when he ferioufly refleds upon the great Mif- 
 carriages of his Life paft, and yet not at all 
 be truly penitent for 'em. 
 
 The truth is, that part of Repentance, we 
 are now fpeaking of, confifts rather in a Ha- 
 tred of our Sins, in a deep rooted Averfion 
 to them, than in any tranfient Paflion of 
 Grief, that we can work up our felves to, 
 upon the remembrance of them. 
 
 Who- 
 
Tlje Eighth Sermon, \6^ 
 
 Whoever is fo fenfible of the infinite E\'il 
 of Sin, that he does from his Soul deteft and 
 abhor it j and thereupon refolves firmly a- 
 gainfl it, and ufes hearty Prayers to God to 
 fubdueit in him, by the Power of his Holy 
 Spirit, and puts out his whole Strength to 
 refill the Temptations of it , fuch a Man is a 
 true Penitent. This permanent hatred of 
 Sin, and Refolutions, and Endeaveur againfl 
 it, is the Life and Soul of Repentance : x\nd 
 a paffionate Grief or Sorrow doth no farther 
 belong to it, than, as it is an ExprefTion of 
 that Hatred, or a Means to produce thofe 
 Refolutions and Endeavours, againfl it. 
 
 But it will be urg'd. Can any Man be tru- 
 ly faid to hate his Sins, that is not fenfibly 
 griev*d and troubled, that he hath offended 
 God ? 
 
 To this I fay, in the Second Place, Who- 
 ever is really afFeded with Hatred towards 
 his Sins, can hardly avoid the being trou- 
 bled and atiiided, whenever it is his Unhap- 
 pinefs to offend God in any Inflance j nay, 
 or when he ferioufly refleds upon his former 
 Offences. But then, thefe Two Things are 
 to be remembred : 
 
 jFir/?, That there may be an inward Grief 
 or Afflidion in the Mind, tho' the ?vlan that 
 feels it cannot exprefs it in Tears, or other 
 outward Paffions. Thefe are Things that de - 
 pend wholly upon the Make and Conflituti- 
 on of a Man's Body, and not at all upon the 
 Senfe of his Mind. Some Perfons are of 
 M 3 fuch 
 
}66 The Eighth Sermon] 
 
 fuch an eafy, and flexible, and padionate 
 Temper, that they can fhed Tears upon very 
 flight Occafions. Others, tho' they may 
 have a more real and permanent Sorrow up- 
 on their Hearts, yet cannot evidence it in 
 fuch ways. 
 
 But then, Secondljy As to this Bufinefs of 
 forrow for Sin, there is a great Confiderati- 
 on to be had of the nearnefs or di fiance of 
 the Time, when the Sins we repent of were 
 committed. 
 
 When a good Man, through his own Care- 
 lefsnefs and Inadvertency, or through the 
 importunity of fome ftrong Temptation, hap- 
 pens to do any thing contrary to his Duty, 
 his Heart will prefently fmite him. As foon 
 as ever he refleds upon the Adion, he will 
 be naturally apt to be difpieas'd at himfelf 
 And, upon his firfl retirement and examina- 
 tion of his Confcience, he cannot avoid the 
 exprelling a great Sorrow and Compundiou 
 for his Sin, and humbly and earneftly ad- 
 drcffing to the Throne of Grace, for the ob- 
 taining Forgivenefs of it. And, indeed, if 
 he be not thus fenlibly concern'd and atHift- 
 ed, when the Adion is frefh in his Memory 
 and upon his Confcience, it is an Argument 
 that he has not that hatred of Sin, which he 
 ought to have , and therefore has fome Rea- 
 fon to fufpecl, whether he be in the State of 
 Repentance. 
 
 But then, for Sins that have been commit- 
 ted a good while ago, the Confideration is 
 
 quite 
 
The Ei<yhth Sermon, 1 6/ 
 
 quite difFerent. If a Man fet himfelf to ex- 
 ercife Ads of Repentance, for his Sins in ge- 
 neral, or for fome particular Sin that he for- 
 merly had been guilty of^ in this Cafe, it 
 cannot be expeded ordinarily, that his Grief 
 fhould be fo fenfible, or exprefs it felf in fo 
 padionate a manner : For indeed our Make 
 and Conftitution will not admit of it. 
 
 Such is the contrivance of our Tempers, 
 that the remembrance of a Thing at a di- 
 ftance, tho' we do endeavour to imprefs it 
 upon our felves with all the Advantages wc 
 can, will hardly excite fo great a Paflion as 
 the Thing it felf did, when it was prefent. 
 Time wears off the violence and the impetu- 
 ofity of the Paffions j tho' yet the inward 
 Sentiments and Inchnations of the Mind, as 
 to thofe Things that ciufed the PafTion, may 
 be the fame perpetually. 
 
 That which I intend, by this Confiderati- 
 on, is this \ That it is enough, to teitify the 
 (incerity of our Sorrow for Sin, if we be 
 heartily troubled and aftlided, whenever we 
 have newly committed any Sin again ft God : 
 But if afterward that Trouble or Grief do 
 wear off, and we cannot bring our felves to 
 be fo lively affeded with the thing, after 
 fome diftance of Time, as we were at firfl:, 
 it is no Argument figainft the fincerity of our 
 Repentance , fuppuling we continue in the 
 fame Hatred and Abhorrence of the evil 
 Adion, and in the fime Refolutions not to 
 be guilty of it any more. 
 
 M 4 But, 
 
1^8 The Eighth Sermon. 
 
 But, enough of this, I proceed to the o- 
 ther Cafe I mentioned, in the Bufinefs of 
 Repentance, and which indeed has more dif- 
 ficulty in it, than that I have now fpoken to. 
 It is this •, 
 
 We hear very good People often complain, 
 ^ that, tho' they are truly fenfible of feveral 
 Sins they arc guilty of, and are forry for 
 them, and do over and over again refolve a- 
 gainft them, nay, and daily put up hearty 
 Prayers, that God would give them Grace to 
 overcom.e them ^ yet, for all this, they fre- 
 quently fall into them again j nay, and per- 
 haps, every Day : Now, how can they be 
 faid to be true Penitents, that live after this 
 rate ? Is it not an effential Part of true Repen- 
 tance to forfake the Sin, as well as to be for- 
 ry for it, and to refolve againft it ? But they 
 do not forfake the Sins they refolve againft , 
 and therefore they have juft Reafon to con- 
 clude, that they are far from having true 
 Repentance. 
 
 This is the Cafe^ and there is but one 
 way of coming to a Refolution of it, and that 
 is by a particular Enquiry, what thofe Sins 
 are which thefe Perfons refolve againft, and 
 which yet they cannot, or do not, con- 
 quer. 
 
 It is very certain, that, in general fpeak- 
 ing. Repentance, as it is propos'd as a Con- 
 dition of Salvation in the Gofpel, doth in- 
 clude in it a forfaking of Sin, as well as a 
 Hatred of it, and a Refolution againft it, 
 
 and 
 
Tl?e Eighth Sermon. \^p 
 
 and, confequently, whofoever does not for- 
 fake his Sins is not a true Penitent. Thus 
 far they are right. 
 
 But then, on the other fide, 'tis very cer- 
 tain hkewife, that a Man may be truly faid 
 to forOike his Sins, in the Gofpel Senfe of 
 forfaking them, tho* yet, in the mean time, 
 he be fc^r from living without Sin. Nay, he 
 may obferve feveral Irregularities in his'Adi- 
 ons, and be fo fenfibleof 'em as to make Re- 
 folutions againfl: them, and pray to God to 
 prefsrve him from them, yea, and conftant- 
 ly ftrive to avoid 'em ^ and yet, now and 
 then, thro' Inadvertency, or Surprize, or a 
 great Temptation, be overtaken with 'em, 
 and all this while be in the true State of Re- 
 pentance. I fay both thefe Points are cer- 
 tainly true. 
 
 As for the firft. That forfaking of Sin is 
 neceffary to Repentance, there can be no 
 doubt of it. The Scripture tells us, Prov. 
 28. 13. That he only that confeffeth and 
 forfaketh his Sins fial/ faui Mercy. And 
 I John 3. ^. Thej that are horn of God do 
 not commit Sin. And Gal, 5. 24. Thofe that 
 are Chrifl'*s have crucified the FleJJj with the 
 JffeBio?is and the Liijis. And to live in 
 Sin, or under the Power of Sin, is every 
 where by our Lord and his Apoflles, repre- 
 fented as a thing perfedly inconfiftent with 
 the being a Child of God. 
 
 But, 
 
I/O The Eighth Sermon, 
 
 But, on the other Hind , that no Man 
 (how truly a Penitent foever he be) doth 
 livQ widioQt S^n, is a Point every whit as 
 plain from the Scripture as the former. St. 
 jfaffies tells us, That in many things we of- 
 fend all : And St John^ If we [ay we have 
 no fm, we deceive our felves, and the truth 
 is not in us. And many other PalTiges there 
 are to this purpofe. 
 
 That therefore, that makes the difference 
 between a true Penitent and a pretended one, 
 as to this Matter, mud be the Nature, and 
 Kind, and Circumftances of the Sin that is 
 left unmortify*d, or that the Man ftill lives 
 under the Power of. 
 
 There are fome Sins that do confift with a 
 repentant State, and fome Sins that do not. 
 There are likewife feveral Circumftances of 
 the fame Sin, that may difference or vary 
 the State. It may happen that the fame Sin, 
 which in one Man is a IVeaknefs or an Igno- 
 rance^ and fo confident with the State of 
 Repentance, will in another Man be a Sin of 
 Trefumption, and inconfiftent with It. Con- 
 cerning thefe things therefore, a particular 
 Enquiry is to be made, before Satisfadion 
 can be given to thofe, that doubt of the fin- 
 cerity of their Repentance. 
 
 But, firft of all, before we come to fpeak 
 of Sins that are confiftent with a State of 
 Repentance, and fuch as are inconiiftent with 
 it j it will be fit to ask thofe Perfons, whofe 
 Cafe we are fpeaking to, \vhether thofe things 
 
 which 
 
Tlje Eighth Sermon, i?! 
 
 which they are raoft apt to complain of, as Sins 
 which they cannot overcome, but notwith- 
 jflanding their Refolutions and Prayers, da 
 often fall into *em , whether, I fay, they be 
 really Sins at all } 
 
 It is very certain, that many tender Con- 
 fciences (but uninHiruded) do often refled 
 on, and feverely call themfelves to Account 
 for, feveral things, which God will never 
 impute to 'em as Sins. Thofe, thatconverfe 
 with this fort of Perfons, will frequently find 
 that their greateft Complaints of unmortify'd 
 Sins are made in fuch Inftances as thefe : 
 That they are out of Temper, when they 
 come to their Devotions : That they are 
 troubled with many foolifh and wandring 
 Thoughts, throughout their religious Exer- 
 cifes. Tho* they endeavour to keep their 
 Minds, in a conftant Senfe of God and good 
 Things, and would always profitably em- 
 ploy their Thoughts , yet, abundance of vain 
 Imaginations do croud into their Heads, and 
 render their Endeavours inefFedual. That 
 they are often wearied with the length of 
 their fpiritual Offices, and pray without Life 
 and Vigor. And, in a Word, that they can- 
 not govern their Minds, but, in fpight of all 
 their Refolutions, abundance of impertinent, 
 and fometimes un:1ecent and finful Fancies 
 do diflurb, and quite fpoil, their moft feri- 
 ous Atteir.prs to live a religious Life. 
 
 But now, if they would well confider, 
 they would be convinc'd, that thefe kind of 
 
 Things 
 
\nx Jhe Eighth Sermon, 
 
 Things are not fo much their Si?ts, as their 
 Imperfeciions. They are the necefTary Re- 
 fults of the Union of their Souls with earth- 
 ly Bodies, and, therefore, can by no Means 
 be called their Faults, fo long as they do not 
 willingly give way to 'em, bat ftrive againft 
 *em. 
 
 A Man may every whit, with as much 
 Reafon, accufe himfelf of Sin, when he can- 
 not attend his worldly Bufinefs with the fame 
 Vigour and application of Mind, that he doth 
 at other Times , as he ought, when he does 
 not pray and meditate upon fpiritual Things 
 fo vigoroufly and intenfely, as at fometimes 
 he doth, fuppohng he endeavour it. 
 
 The Truth is, neither of thefe Things is 
 always in our Power, becaufe they depend 
 altogether upon the Temper of our Bodies, 
 which we cannot oftentimes corredl or alter : 
 And what is not in a Man's Power^ the not 
 doing of it cannot be a Sin, There is this 
 EfTential to every Sin, that there muft be 
 fomething of the Will in it. Whatever a 
 Man doth, or whatever a Man omits, if it 
 be involuntary in him, if he cannot help it, 
 it may be his ImperfeBton^ but it is not his 
 
 Sin, 
 
 And this will extend farther, than tothofe 
 Inftances that I have now nam'd. Even all 
 the fudden Motions and Inclinations that Men 
 do often find ariiing in themfelves to that 
 which is Evil, if they be not confented to, if 
 they be not in the leaft indulged and encou- 
 raged, 
 
77;e Eighth Sermon, r// 
 
 raged, but heartily rejeded and ftroveagainil: j 
 thefe, even thefe, will not prove Sins, but 
 only Imperfedions and Infelicities. Which, 
 if it be true, (as I fee no Reafon that any 
 Man has to doubt of it) one great part of 
 thofe Things, which the rehgioufly Melan- 
 choly are apt to complain of, are by this 
 quite ftruck off. 
 
 Well now, but as for thefe Things that 
 are reilly Sins in them, let us enquire how- 
 far they are confident or inconfiftent with 
 the State of Repentance. Now the Refoluti- 
 on of this Enquiry will depend, upon the 
 Anfwers to thefe three following Quefti- 
 ons: 
 
 FirJI of all, the general Qpeftion is this j 
 Do they ferioufly and impartially fet them- 
 felves againft all Sins whatfoever? Do they 
 harbour no afFedion or kindnefs for one Luft 
 more than another, but ufe their hearty En- 
 deavours to mortify all, and to conform them- 
 felves in all Things to the Laws of Jefus 
 Chrifl: } If they can fay this of themfelves, it 
 is an evident Argument that their Repentance 
 is true, tho' they may labour under many 
 Frailties and Corruptions. 
 
 The infincerity of a Man's Repentance is 
 commonly difcovered by this, that he is more 
 fenfible of fome kind of Sins than he is of o- 
 thers, and is accordingly /^^mW in his Endea- 
 vours to mortify 'em. Thofe Sins that are 
 more conducing to his Interefl, or to which 
 he has more ftrong Temptations from his 
 
 Temper 
 
74 ^^ Eighth Sermon. 
 
 Temper, and Inclination, or from his Com- 
 pany or circumftaiices of Living , thefc he 
 has not the fame averfion to, nor takes that 
 Pains to avoid, tint he has and does with re- 
 fped to others, that do not recommend them- 
 felves to him, upon thofe Accounts. This 
 now is an undeniable Proof, that the Man 
 doth not hate Sin, purely for its felf, or 
 purely becaufe it is difpleahng God, but be- 
 caufe it is not fo pleafing or profitable tohim- 
 felf. He hath not the Temptation to that 
 Sin, that he hath to others , and therefore 
 he takes care not to be guilty of it. But, 
 where a Man can fatisfy his own Mind, that 
 he doth impartially lay out his Endeavour, 
 for the fubduing and deflroying in himfelf, 
 every thing, -that God hath declared a gain ft in 
 his Holy Gofpel , and fpares no evil AfFedi- 
 on, how dear or how advantageous foever it 
 may be to him in this World ^ but fights 
 and ftrives as well againft thofe Corruptions 
 that are rooted in his Nature, and ferve his 
 worldly Ends, as thofe that he hath no fuch 
 great Temptations to : Such a Man hath the 
 undoubted M iiks of a fincere Penitent, and 
 may, in the Gofpci Senfe, be truly faid to 
 have forfaken his Sins, and to keep God's 
 Commandments, notwithftanding the many 
 Slips and Fail^-es that he may be even daily 
 guilty of But to come more particularly to 
 the Point : 
 
 The Second Queftion to be asked is this : 
 What kind of Sins are thofe that thefe Per- 
 
 fons- 
 
I7;e Eighth Semoni i/y 
 
 Tons compJ^i" they have not overcome, but, 
 notwithftanding their Prayers and Refoluti- 
 ons, they are often guilty of them > Are 
 they fuch as may be call'd Prefwnptuous 
 Sins, or fuch as may be only callM Infinni- 
 ties and Frailties .<? Are they fuch as cannot 
 be committed without deliberation, and fuli 
 choice, and confent of the Will \ or fuch as 
 1 they may be furprized into thro* Inadverten- 
 cy, or fudden Temptations ? If they be of 
 the former fort, that is to fay, wilful, deli- 
 berate Sins, it is certain they cannot ftand 
 I with the State of Repentance. Either the 
 Man that is guilty of them was not a good 
 Man, or ceafed to be fo upon his commiting 
 them. 
 
 Of this Kind are Murder^ Adultery, Blaf- 
 phemy. Perjury, Slander, Extortion, Cheat- 
 ing, Befraudiiig, and the like. Thefe Sins, 
 and fuch like, are in themfelves fo very foul, 
 and require fo full a confent of the Will to 
 be guilty of 'em, (for let Men talk what they 
 pleafe, no Man was ever guilty of fuch 
 Crimes as thefe, but he either had no Senfe 
 of Religion at ail \ or if he had, he delibe- 
 rately abandoned himfelf to Vice and Wick- 
 ednefs) that it cannot be conceivM, how one 
 (ingle Acl of 'em can be reconcileable with 
 the State of Repentance. Either the Man 
 was not a true Penitent when he fell into 
 them, or he ceafed to befo upon the commit- 
 ting of them» 
 
 But 
 
1^6 T^^ Eighth Sermon, 
 
 But Thirdly, As there are fome fingle ABs 
 of Sin, which are inconfiftent with the State 
 of Repentance, namely, wilfuly prefumptimts 
 Sins j, fo likewife is every Habit of Sin in- 
 confiftent with it 3 I mean every Habit of 
 known open Sin. And therefore thefe Per- 
 fons are in the laft Place to be asked. Whe- 
 ther the Sins they have not yet conquered be 
 of that Nature or no ? 
 
 If the Sins, they complain of, confift in 
 Adtions known to be againft the Laws of 
 God, and they cuftomarily continue in them, 
 I dare not fay that they are yet in the State 
 of Repentance. For , tho' perhaps every 
 particular Ad of fiach Sins, that they are 
 guilty of, may not be attended with thofe 
 aggravating Circumftances, as to make it a- 
 mount to one of thofe wilful, prefumptuous 
 Sms I before fpoke of; yet if the Sins be ha- 
 bitual and cuftomary, they will, I am afraid, 
 fall under that Denomination. 
 
 But then thefe Perfons are to be careful, 
 that they do not mi flake that for a known^ 
 open^m, which really i? not fo : Or a Ha- 
 bit of known Sin, for that which is not a 
 Habit. I fliall reprefent the Difference in i 
 thefe three following Particulars : 
 
 Firjl of all, When we fpeak of known, o- 
 pen Sins, we mean fuch Sins as a Man is 
 guilty of in his ABio7is. And therefore wei 
 make a Diftindion between the inward Irre- 
 gularities of the Mind, which confift in un- 
 lawful Defires or diforderly Paflions , and 
 
 between 
 
The Eighth Sermon, i yf 
 
 between the outu^ard Adions. Tho* the for- 
 mer be truly (inful, if in the leaft confented 
 to ^ nay, and we ought ferioufly to endea- 
 vour to mortify them in our felves, as much 
 as we can : Yet if, thro' the Man's confcien- 
 tious Care to fupprefs them, they do not pro- 
 ceed to Overt- Ads, they are not fuch known, 
 open Sins as we here fpeak of. 
 
 Thus, for hiftance : A Man that is rafhly 
 and intemperately angry upon any Occafion, 
 this very Pa (lion is a Sin in him, and he 
 ought to ask God Forgivenefs for it : Rut, 
 fo long as he doth fo ftlfle this Padion, and 
 that out of a Senfe of Religion, as not to fuf- 
 fer it to break out into Unchriftian Railings 
 and Revilings , nor is he tranfported thereby 
 to do any Adion in purfuance of it, that the 
 Laws of Jefus Chrifl have forbid : 1 fay, 
 this Man, notwithftanding the Sins of his 
 Thoughts, may yet be faid to be free from 
 thofe known, open Sins, which, if they b@ 
 Habitual, are inconfiftent v/ith Virtue. 
 
 But, on the other Hand, where we fee a 
 Perfon to have no Government of his Paffion, 
 but, upon every flight Occafion, to break 
 out into violent Rage, and, in that Rage, to 
 fay and do all thofe provoking things that his 
 prefent Fury can fuggeft to him : Here is 
 now a Man, that is not only guilty of a 
 known Sin^ but it hath fo much Dominion 
 over him, that he may be faid to live in it ^ 
 and confequently be is not yet in the State of 
 Repentance* 
 VoL IIL ,. N lin^ 
 
178 7);e Eighth Sermon] 
 
 I inftance in this Particular of TFratb and 
 j4figer, both becaufe it is a Sin that fo ordi- 
 narily happens in the Courfe of our Lives j 
 and becaufe that even the very worft Ex- 
 prefTions of it, are generally accounted but 
 our Weakneffes and Infirmities. Whereas 
 certainly they are downright Works of the 
 Flelh, known Sins againft the Law of God, 
 and fuch, as if they be continued in. if they 
 be habitual, are deftrudive of Salvation. 
 
 Seco7idly^ In order to the giving an Ac- 
 count of known, open Sins, as we muft di- 
 flinguifh between the Sins of the Thoughts^ 
 and the Sins of the ABions : So likewife, as 
 to the Sins of our Anions, we muft further 
 diftinguifh between thofe of 'em that confift 
 in Ofniffion, or not doing the Things that 
 the Law of God hath commanded us , and 
 thofe that confift in CommtJJton^ or doing 
 fuch Things as the Law of God hath forbid- 
 den us. Now it is the latter fort of Sins we 
 here fpeak of, and of which we fay, if they 
 be habitual they cannot confift with the 
 State of Repentance. 
 
 As for Sms of OtmJJion, very good Men 
 m^y be guilty of 'em ^ nay, and in many 
 Inftances, and that habitually too. Nay, 
 perhaps I may fay the beft Men cannot clear 
 themlelves, as to this fort of Sin , for I be- 
 lieve all Men fall fhort of doing that good 
 they are bound to do. 
 
 P>ur , as for Sins of CommilJion , the 
 Tb'ng is otherwife 3 good Men do ufually 
 
 avoid 
 
T[?e Eight f? Sermon. 179 
 
 avoid them, but to be fure they do not mike 
 it Trade orCuftom of them ^ or, if they do, 
 I doubt they are not good Men or fincere Pe- 
 nitents. For I take it, whoever in his Con- 
 verfation or Adions, ordinarily or cuftoma- 
 rily, pradifeth any thing that is expreily for- 
 bidden by the Laws of God , fuch an one 
 cannot be faid to have inortifyd the Deeds of 
 the Body^ and to have put off- the Works of 
 the Flepj , which yet in the' New Teftam^nc 
 is every where made the Charad^r of one 
 that is in the Regenerate, Penitent State. 
 
 To give an Inftance of this : The Sin of 
 Svpearing in our Converfation, or the Sin of 
 Lyings or the Sin of Filthy and Lnfdv'wus 
 Talk'mg^ ( I inftance in thefe Sins, becaufe 
 fome People may look upon *em to be very 
 light and inconfiderable, as not having in 
 them that Mifchief and Malignity, which is 
 difcoverable in other Crimes ^ yet I fay ) 
 thefe Sins, being fo exprefly forbid by the 
 Laws of our Lord Jefus Chrift j and being 
 likewife Sins in the outward Adions, and 
 confequently certainly in our Power to avoid 
 'em, fo that we cannot plead either Ignorance 
 or Infirmity for them : I fiy, whofoever 
 lives in the Pradice of thefe i Sins, cannot" 
 reafonably be thought to be in the State of 
 Repentance, becaufe he cannot be prefum'd 
 to make any Confcience of tranfgreiling the 
 exprefs Laws of our Saviour. 
 
 Well, but are not Sins of Omiffon alfo 
 
 TranfgrefTions againft the Laws of God ? I 
 
 N 3 anfwerg 
 
1 8o 7he Eighth Sermon. 
 
 anfwer, they muft be fo, if they be Sins. 
 But then, there is this DiflFerence, that, in 
 the Duties, which God has commanded us 
 to do, we are often left in fuch a Latitude as 
 to Time, and Place, and Manner, and other 
 Circumflances, that no Man can fay, you 
 are bound to do fuch an Adion jufl at fuch a 
 Time, and in fuch a Manner, otherwife you 
 fin againft God. So that if a Man through 
 Miftake or Inadvertency, do omit an Adioii 
 that he ought to have done , why, in that 
 Cafe, when he comes to fee his Miftake, or 
 find his Carelefsnefs, he will be forry for it, 
 and ask Pardon of God for his Omiffion of 
 the Duty : But yet this Omiffion will a- 
 mount to no more than a Sin of Weaknefs or 
 Iniirmity , which we have faid all aloiig, is 
 very conliftent with the State of a good 
 Man. 
 
 But now, where God h^xh forbid any Adli- 
 on to be done, the Cafe is quite different. 
 For, in that Cafe, every Body knows, that 
 that A 61 ion is at all Times, and in all Places, 
 and in all Circumftances, unlawful to be done 
 by him : So that no Body needs to be put to 
 deliberate, whether he fhould do it or no *, 
 for every Body knows, he ought not to do it. 
 And if, after this, a Man will venture to do 
 fuch an x^dion, which he knows to be thus 
 forbidden by God , fure he contrads a great- 
 er Guilt than he would do, by the Omiffion 
 of a Duty, as to the timing of wliich no Law 
 of God hath determin'd him. 
 
Tl?e Eighth Sermon i 8 
 
 But now, notwithflanding this Difference 
 I m.^ke between Sins of Omillion, and Sins 
 of Commiflion, I muft yet own, that there 
 may be fuch Inftances, and fuch Degrees of 
 Sins of Omiffion, as, if Care be not taken 
 that they be amended, will prove as fatal to 
 the Man that is guilty of 'em, as if he lived 
 in a Courfe of open, known Sins oiCommif- 
 Jion, 
 
 As for Example ^ What (hall we fay of a 
 Man that never joins in the Publick Worfhip 
 of God, or that never receives the Sacra- 
 ment, or that never fays his Prayers, or con- 
 fefTeth his Sins, or ufeth any Devotion ei- 
 ther in his Family or in hisClofet ? Or laft- 
 ly, What (hall we fay of a Man that is blefs'd 
 with plentiful Circumftances in this World, 
 and yet gives little or nothing away in Cha- 
 rity ? Why, all thefe are but Omidions of 
 our Duty ^ but yet they are fuch Omiffions, 
 as whoever continues in 'em, is never like 
 to go to Heaven. Nay, how damnable this 
 lad Omiffion, I nam'd, is, you may fee in 
 the 25th Chapter of St. Matthew, where 
 our Saviour paffeth the Sentence of Condem- 
 nation on the Goats on his heft Hand, for 
 no other Reafon, but purely for the not ex- 
 erciiing Works of Charity towards their Bre- 
 thren, according to their Abilities and Op- 
 portunities. 
 
 But now, fuch forts of Omiffions as thefe, 
 
 are quite out of the Cafe I am fpeaking to. 
 
 Fori have here to do with Perfons, that 
 
 N 3 have 
 
\%i Tl^e Eighth Sermon] 
 
 have really a hearty Senfe of Religion upon 
 their Minds ^ and therefore to be fare can 
 never be guilty offuch grofs, wilful, crimi- 
 nal Omillions, as I have now mentioned. 
 And that, which tliey defire to be fatisfy'd 
 " in, is not how far they may neglecl their Du- 
 ty ^ but, after they have done all they can 
 towards the Performance of it, whether they 
 have yet fo forfiken their Sins, as to be in a 
 State of Repentance } Now as to that, I fay, 
 fo long as they do not live in known Sins of 
 Commiflion, the Omiflions they may be fre- 
 quently guilty of, will not, I hope, hinder 
 them from being true Penitents, and in a 
 State of Salvation. 
 
 But, Thirdly and Laftly, Befides what we 
 have f^id about known, open Sins, we muft 
 alfo, in order to the Refolution of theQue- 
 llion before us, confider another Thing, and 
 that is. Whether they be Habitital or no ? 
 And for the finding of that, we muft have 
 regard to the Frequency or Infrequency of *em. 
 Every Ad of Sin does not make a Habit ^ 
 and a known Sin may be more than once 
 committed, and yet not be cuflomary. 
 
 If a Man do fincerely endeavour to morti- 
 fy, or to forfike his known, open Sins, tho* 
 he does not leave them at once, and for alto* 
 gether^ yet if he gains Ground of them, and 
 commits them feldomer and feldomer; Even 
 fuch a Man may be faid to have enter'd into 
 the State of Repentance. And, tho' he has 
 not attain 'd to that Strength and Perfedion 
 
 which 
 
TJ)e Eighth Sermon, i8] 
 
 which the Gofpel propofes, and which, if he 
 continue his Endeavours, there's no doubt 
 but he will arrive to ^ yet, in the mean time, 
 he's in a very good Way. And, if he (hould 
 die before his Work be accomplifhed, yet, 
 having the true Seeds and Principles of Re- 
 generation or Repentance in him, I fhould 
 not doubt but God will accept him as a fin- 
 cere Penitent, and receive him to his Mercy. 
 
 Thefe are the Things that I had to repre- 
 fent, in order to the anfwering this Qijeftion, 
 What fort offorfaking of Sins is necejfary to 
 true Repentance ; and which every Man is 
 to examine himfelf about, if he would upon 
 good Grounds fatisfy himfelf, v/hether the 
 Sins he is guilty of, in the Courfe of his 
 Life, be confident with it, or no. 
 
 The Sum of all, that I have faid upon this 
 Head, is this ; If a Man, upon fuch an Ex- 
 amination, can fitisfy himfelf, as to thefe 
 following Particulars , namely, 
 
 ¥irfi^ That he doth in the Courfe of his 
 Life, fiiicerely apply his Mind and Endea- 
 vours to mortify every evil Affeftion, and to 
 live in an uniform Obedience to all God's 
 Commandments. 
 
 And, Secondly^ That the Sins he is guil- 
 ty of 3 arenotgrofs, wilful, deliberate 
 Crimes ', but rather the EfFeds of Inconli- 
 deration, or Surprife, or a fudden Tempta- 
 tion. 
 
 And, Thirdly^ That they do more confifl 
 
 in the Irregularities of the Delires, and Ap- 
 
 N 4 petites, 
 
T/;e Eighth Sermon, 
 petites, and Paflions of his Mind, than in the 
 cuftomary Gratification of thofe Appetites 
 and Paflions in his Adions. 
 
 And, Fourthly, That they are moftly Mat- 
 ters of Qmiflion of his Duty, and not fo much 
 exprefs'd in Inftances forbidden by God's 
 Laws. 
 
 And, Laftly, That of what Nature foe- 
 yer they be, tho' he has not adually fub- 
 du'd them, and got the Vidory over them, 
 yet he gains Ground upon them, and doth 
 not fo frequently repeat them j and when 
 he doth, it is in fmaller Inftances, and upon 
 greater Temptations, and with lefs Interrup- 
 tions of his religious Courfe : 
 
 Ifjy, whofoever "can fatisfy himfelf, that 
 the Sins he is rnqft frequently guilty of in 
 the Courfe of his Life, are of this Nature, 
 and fall under thefe Circumftances *, fuch a 
 Perfon needs not in the leaft doubt, but that, 
 for all them, he is in the State of Repentance, 
 and (hall find Mercy with his Heavenly Fa* 
 l:herp 
 
 God Almighty grant to m all true Repen- 
 tance, and his Holy Spirit, that the reft 
 of our Life hereafter may he pure and 
 holy, fo that at the laft we may come to 
 his Eter?ial Joy, through Jefus Chrift 
 OUT Lord ' To whcm^ 6cCo 
 
 SIC I? 
 
18; 
 
 SERMON IX. 
 
 HEB. X. 26, 27. 
 
 For if we fin wilfully^ after that we have 
 received the knowledge of the Truth ^ there 
 remaineth no more facrifice for Sins, but a 
 certain fearful looking for ofJudgme?it^ 
 arid fiery Indignation^ which jhaH devour 
 the Adverfaries* 
 
 ra^^^AVlNG already fpoken to fe- 
 ^ H ^ veral Points, which, thro' their 
 g^ S being not well underflood, have 
 
 ^^j^^'^;i] much encreafed, if not caufed, 
 the Afflidion of a great many good Chrifti- 
 ans, fuch as are troubled in Mind upon a 
 religious Account ^ I fhall now proceed to 
 another Head of Things, which is often the 
 occafion of much Trouble and Perplexity to 
 thofe Perfons, who are under the Power of 
 this fort of Melancholy. 
 
 And that is, their raifunderflanding two 
 or three Texts of Scripture which fpeak of a 
 a fort of Sins, for which there feems to be 
 no Repentance allowed, and which Ihall ne- 
 ver be forgiven to the Man that is guilty of 
 
 them"j 
 
1 8^ The Ninth Sermon. 
 
 thera 5 which Sins yet, they are often mife- 
 rably afraid, that they themfelves have com- 
 mitted. 
 
 Thefe Sins are, Firft, the wilful Sin, fpo- 
 ken of by St. Paul in the Words I have now 
 read unto you, for which he fays there re- 
 mains no more Satisfadlion, but a fearful ex- 
 pedation of Judgment and fiery Indignati- 
 on. 
 
 Secondly^ The Sin unto Death, fpoken of 
 by St. John^ as to which he feems to fay we 
 ought not fo much as to pray for the Perfon 
 that is guilty of it. 
 
 And Thirdly^ The Sin againft the Holy 
 Ghoft, fpoken of by our Saviour \ which he 
 faith, fl:)all never be forgiven in this World, 
 fwr in the World to come. Of thefe three 
 Texts therefore, and the Sins therein fpoken 
 of, I (hall now give an Account. ■ And I be- 
 gin with the Firft of them, to which I (hall 
 confine my felf, at this time. 
 
 It is no Wonder that this Text is fo apt to 
 fright weak Perfons ^ for indeed it feems to 
 declare fo feverely againft all forts of Men, 
 that either are, or have been, wilful Sinners 
 after Baptifm, ( as God knows the greateft 
 part of Chriftian Profelfors have been ) as to 
 leave little Hopes of the Forgivenefs and Fa- 
 vour of God Almighty, even after their beft 
 Repentance. 
 
 But I doubt not to give fuch an Account 
 of this Text, as will fitisfy the moft fcru- 
 pulous Perfon in this Matter. And, in or- 
 
 
' 77;e Nmf /; Sermon. 1 87 
 
 ^er thereunto, I fliall enquire into thefe four 
 Tilings. f 
 
 Firft of all, in general, what it is to (la 
 wilfully, or what is the Notion of a wilful 
 Sin. 
 
 Secondly, Whether the Apoftle in this 
 Text fpeaks of all wilful Sins whatfoever, or 
 only of fome one particular kind of wilful Sin?. 
 
 Thirdly, What that particular kind of wil- 
 ful Sin is. 
 
 And Fourthly, In what Senfe he affirms 
 that there remains no more Satisfadion for 
 fuch Sin, but a fearful expedation of Judg- 
 ment. 
 
 An Account of thefe four Things is all, 
 that can be thought needful, for the clearing 
 jthis Text. 
 
 And Firft of all, I begin with the general 
 Notion of wilful Sin. 
 
 We all of us know that Sins are common- 
 ly diflinguifhed by Divines into three Sorts; 
 Sins of Ignorance, Sins of Infirmity, and 
 Sins of Wilfulnefs. The Ground of this D^ 
 Ilinclion is laid in the Soul of Man, in which 
 are three diftind prime Faculties, or Powers 
 from which all our Aclions flow, that is to 
 fay, the Underftanding, the Will, and the 
 fenfual Appetite or Affedions. Now when 
 we do any finful Adion, that Faculty of 
 thefe three gives denomination to the Sin, 
 from whole Fault or Irregularity or Diforder 
 the Adion doth chiefly proceed , I fay, doth 
 diitiiy" proceed ^ for it cannot be denied that, 
 : in 
 
7he Ninth Sermon. 
 
 in every Sin a Man commits, all the three 
 Faculties do in fome degree or other concur 
 to it. Take the Explication of this in the 
 Words of that accurate Cafuift Bifliop San- 
 derfon. 
 
 If the Underftanding be mofl: in fault, not 
 apprehending its Duty, or not apprehending j 
 it aright ^ the Sin fo committed, tho' pofli- i 
 bly it might have in it fomewhat both of in- ! 
 firmity and wilfulnefs withal, yet it is pro- 
 perly a Sin of Ignorance. And fuch was St 
 Vaiih perfecuting the Church, it was his 
 want of Underftanding, it was the errone- 
 oufnefs of his Judgment that mainly miflead- 
 him, and not any Malice in his Will, or 
 Corruption in his Affedions, upon which 
 Account he himfelf calls this Adion of his a 
 Sin of Ignorance. But, Secondly, if the 
 main Fault be in the AfFedions, thro' fome 
 fudden Paffion and perturbance of Mind, ei- 
 ther blinding or corrupting or out-running the 
 Judgment, (as for inftance Fear, Anger, De- 
 fire, or the like) the Sin arifing from hence, 
 tho' perhaps joined with fome Ignorance and 
 Wilfulnefs withal, yet is properly a Sin of 
 infirmity. And fuch was Veters denying of 
 our Saviour : In which Adion his Under- 
 ftanding was not in fault, for he knew very 
 well both whom he denied, and he knew 
 iikewife that he ought not to have denied 
 him. Nor was the Fault fo much in his Will 
 as to make it properly a wilful Sin, for he 
 did not deny our Saviour out of Malice or 
 
 Defign 3 
 
Tl?e Ninth Sermon, i g j 
 
 Defign \ nay he came thither with a Refolu- 
 tion riot to do it. And he ilill honoured him 
 in his Heart, even then when he denied him 
 with his Tongue. And, when the Crowing 
 of the Cock brought him to confider what he 
 had done, he went out and wept bitterly. 
 But the failure was in his Affedions \ it was 
 I the Fear that furprized his Soul, when he 
 faw his Mafter fo defpitefully ufed before 
 his Face, which made him apprehenfive of 
 what hard Ufage himfelf might meet with, 
 if he Ihould then and there have owned him. 
 I fay it was that Pear, that for that Time de- 
 prived him of the Benefits and ufe of his Rea- 
 fon, and made him think of nothing but how 
 jto avoid the prefent Danger, and this thus 
 proceeding from fuch a fudden Diftemper of 
 Padion, St. Peter's denial was a Sin proper- 
 ly of infirmity. 
 
 Bui, Thirdly, if the Underftanding be 
 competently informed with Knowledge, and 
 not much blinded or tranfported with the per- 
 cuflionofany violent fudden Faflion or other 
 Perturbance, fo that the greateft blame muffc 
 remain upon the untowardnefs of the Will, 
 refolvedly bent upon the evil Adion : The 
 Sin arifing from hence, tho' probably not free 
 from all mixture of Ignorance and Infirmity 
 withal, is yet properly a wilful Sin ^ or, as 
 the Scripture commonly expreffeth it, a Sin 
 of prefumption j and fuch, for inftance, was 
 the Sin of David in contriving the Death of ■ 
 Uriah. - For this he could never pretend Ig- 
 
 norance, 
 
jl 00 ^^^ Ninth Sermon. 
 
 norance, nor the fudden Tranfport of a Pafli- 
 on. He knew the greatnefs of the Crime, 
 and he had time and leifure enough to be- 
 think himfelf what he was about. He did 
 the Fad with deliberation, there was the full 
 Confent of his own Will to it ^ in regard of 
 which, it was juftly to be ftiled a wilful 
 prefumptuous Sin. 
 
 From what has been faid, we may in fome 
 meafure difcover what a wilful Sin is, and 
 how it is diftinguifhed from Sins of Ignorance 
 and Infirmities. Take the Summ of it in the 
 Words of the aforefiid Author. " When a 
 " Man, fufficiently convinced in his Under- 
 flanding that the Thing he would do is 
 unlawful and difpleaiing to God , or, at 
 leaft, hath fufficient means fo to convince 
 him, if he be not wilfully wanting to 
 " himfelf in the ufe thereof : And then, be- 
 ** fides, hath time and leifure to advife with 
 himfelf, to examine the Cafe and every 
 Circumflance of it, and to apply the Light 
 that is in his Underftanding thereunto , 
 and yet, when all is done (contrary to 
 the Dictates of his own Reafon, and the 
 Checks of his own Confcience, ) goes on 
 *' to put his wicked Intentions into Ad, and 
 " to fulfil his own Will, notwithftanding 
 *' the apparent inconformity thereof to the 
 " Will of God : This is a wilful Sin. 
 
 Having thus given the Notion of wilful 
 and prefumptuous Sins, in general, I come to 
 apply it to the Text which is the fecond 
 Thing^ I have to do. And 
 
 (C 
 
 iC 
 
 
 <t 
 
Tlje Ninth Sermonl ijf 
 
 And here the Enquiry is, whether, when 
 the Apoftle fays, That if we fin wilfully af- 
 ter we have received the Knowledge of ths 
 Truth there remaineth no more SatisfaBion 
 for Sin , Whether, I fay, his Proportion is 
 to be underftood of all wilful Sins commit- 
 ted after Baptifm, and the taking Chrifliani- 
 ty upon us, or whether he fpeaks only of 
 one particular kind of wilful Sins. 
 
 Now, in anfwer to this, I fay that cer- 
 tainly the Apoftles Propofition is not to bs 
 extended to all wilful Sins committed after 
 Baptifm, but to be reft rained to one Sort of 
 them 5 and, my firft Reafon for this is that, 
 otherwife, this Alfertion of his cannot be re- 
 conciled with abundance of plain Texts both 
 in the Old and New Teftament. 
 
 We own indeed that, whofoever lives in 
 any Courfe of known wilful Sin, cannot, 
 fo long as he fo lives, hope for the Favour of 
 God, or be prefumed to be in a State of 
 Salvation. Nay, it cannot be denyed alfo 
 that there are many (ingle Ads of Sin, tho* 
 they be but once committed, that have fo 
 much of wilfulnefs andPrefumptionin them, 
 that they put a Man out of the State of Grace, 
 and deftroy his Salvation, without a particu- 
 lar Repentance , but, notwithftanding all 
 this, the Scripture teacheth us that, both for 
 fuch Ads and fuch Habits of Sin, there ftill 
 remains a Sacrifice. The Door is ftill open 
 to the Sinners, they are ftill under the Cove- 
 nant, of Grace. God both calls upon them 
 
 to 
 
i«2 Tie Ninth Sermon, 
 
 to repent, and offers them Grace to io It^ 
 and will without doubt accept them, if they 
 clofe with it. This we fiy is the conftant 
 Dodrine both of the Old and New Tefta- 
 ment. 
 
 As for the Old Teftament, how frequent- 
 ly do we there find God Almighty, by his 
 Prophets, calling and exhorting and inviting 
 even wilful and obftinate Sinners to Repen- 
 tance, and promifing them Pardon and Ac- 
 ceptance if they would turn to Him, and 
 leave their evil Ways > And fuch Sinners 
 they were too, as were not Heathens, but 
 iapfed ProfelFors, fuch as were under his Co- 
 venant, and had (inned after they had re- 
 ceived the Knowledge of the Truth, as our 
 . Text exprefleth it. 
 
 God, in Ezekiel profelTeth over and over 
 again, that he had no Pleafure in the Death 
 of a Sinner, but rather that he fhould turn 
 from his evil Ways and live, and declares u- 
 niverfally to all Sinners that, whenever a 
 wicked Man will turn from his Wickednefs 
 that he hath committed^ and do that which 
 is laivfid and right, hefiallfave his Soul a- 
 live, Ezekiel i8. 27. 
 
 And thus, every where, do the Prophets 
 encourage the revolting backfliding Israel to 
 return to their Duty, afluring them of Par- 
 don upon their fo doing, and many Inftances 
 and Examples like wife we have of thofe that 
 have found Mercy from God, after their fal- 
 ling into finful and grievous CrimeSo As Da- 
 vid 
 
The Ninth Sermon. 193 
 
 vid, after his com mi (lion of Murder and A- 
 dultery ^ Solomon, after a Courfe of Debau- 
 chery and Idolatry ;, yup^alfes, after a long 
 Life of horrid Impieties. Nor, fure, are 
 the Gates of Repentance and Mercy more 
 ihut up to backfliding Sinners, in the New 
 Teftament, than in the Old, under the Go- 
 fpel, th.m under the Law. Wh^n St. ?eter 
 asked our Saviour how often he fhould for- 
 give his Brother that finned ngaind him, whe- 
 tlier he Ihould do it feven Times •, Our Sa- 
 viours Anfwer was, I fay not unto thee fe^ 
 ven t77fWd\ hut feventy times feven, if thy 
 Brother fo often fin agahift thee : Now cer- 
 tainly we may exped the fame Mercy from 
 God, in cafe we fin againft Him ^ that he 
 hath commanded us to Ihew to our fellow 
 Creatures, in cafe of their Trefpaffes again ft 
 us. Efpecially, fince he hath declared, that 
 our Dealings towards our Brother Oiall be 
 the Meafure of his Deilir: '^f' towards us. 
 
 But, further, what Kindnefs cur Saviour 
 bears to the Souls even of thofe, that have 
 fall'n from their Duty after thev have come 
 to the Knowledge of it : What Means he u- 
 feth, to bring them to Repentance, and how 
 ready he is to pardon them, if they do re- 
 pent, doth fufficicnrly appear from the Para- 
 ble of the Prodigal Son. Whom, afcer all 
 his riotous living, nay after he hid wholly 
 confumed that Portion that was given him up- 
 on Harlots, his Father yet upon his return 
 received to Favour, with all imaginable Ex- 
 Vol. IIL O prelfi- 
 
15)4 ^'■'^ Ninth Sermon, 
 
 preffions of Joy, even to the difcontenting 
 his other Son, who had never difpleafcd 
 him. 
 
 And yet more plainly it appears, from the 
 other Parable of the Man, that, having a hun- 
 dred Sheep, upon the ft raying of one of 
 them, leaves the ninety and nine and goes af- 
 ter that which was loft, until he finds it, 
 and, when he has found it, he lays it on his 
 ShouHer rejoycing, and calls his Friends and 
 Neighbours alfo together torejoyce with him. 
 Which Parable our Saviour himfelf thus ap- 
 plies, Verilj^y fiith he, Joj fiall be in Hea- 
 ven over one Sinner that repenteth, more 
 than over ninety nine juji Perfons that need 
 no Repentance. 
 
 If any one will fay, that thefe Encourage- 
 ments are given to Sinners, only upon their 
 firft coming to Chrift, and taking his Reli- 
 gion upon them, and are not to be extended 
 to thofe that fall or fin wilfully, after Bap- 
 tifm •, I anf^ver, thit fuch an Interpretation 
 feems to do much Violence to the Parable. 
 For iE-4s to be obferved, that the Prodigal, 
 fpoken of in the firft Parable, is not a Stran- 
 ger, but a Son, is already in the neareft Re- 
 lation to him, that exprefled fo much Joy 
 for his return •, not an Enemy, or an Alien. 
 And fo likevvife in the other Parable : The 
 Sheep that goes aftray, and about whom the 
 Houiholder is fo much concerned, is not a 
 Sheep without an Owner, but one of his 
 own Sheep : One that fed in the fime Pa- 
 
 fture 
 
The Ninth Sermon. 1 9 5 
 
 fture with the reft of his Flock, and indeed, 
 otherwife, he could in no Senfe be called his 
 loft Sheep. So that, if we will preferve the 
 Decorum of the Parable, it is necelFary that 
 we expound this Prodigal and this loft Sheep 
 of thefe Perfons, that, after they are made 
 the Sons of God by regeneration of Water 
 and of the Spirit, after they are admitted as 
 Sheep into the Fold of our great Shepherd 
 the Lord Jefus, do abufe God's Grace, and 
 abandon themfelves to evil Courfes, contrary 
 to the Profeflion they have undertaken. 
 
 But, Secondly, that this Text we are up- 
 on doth notfpeak of all wilful Sins, commit- 
 ted after Baptifm or the profeflion of Chrifti- 
 anity , we have this farther Argument : 
 Namely, that the (inning wilfully, herefpo- 
 ken of, muft be meant only of fuch Sins, 
 as whoever commits doth, by that A6lion, 
 tread under Foot the Son of God, and count 
 the Blood of the Covenant, wherewith he 
 was fanclifyed, an unholy Thing, and doth 
 defpite to the Spirit of Grace. Thefe are 
 the very Words, by which St. Paul, in the 
 Verfe immediately following, defcribes the 
 wilful Sin he here fpeaks of. 
 
 But now, it will be hard to affirm fnay I 
 hope it would be untrue, if it was affirmed,) 
 that any Ad of wilful Sin, nay or any Ha- 
 bit of Vice, that Chriftian ProfefTors are ge- 
 nerally or ordinarily guilty of, can Ml under 
 this Imputation, or be charged with fo high 
 a "degree of Guilt, as thefe Expreflions feem 
 
 O 2 10 
 
\p6 The Nmth Sermon, 
 
 to fix upon the wilful Sin here fj^oken of. 
 That is to fay, tho' the Lives of Chriftian 
 Profeffors be often hid enough, and the Sins 
 that they live in be fo grievous in themfelves, 
 and wilful as to them, that, without Repen- 
 • tance, they are in a dangerous and damnable 
 Condition ^ yet it is to be hoped, that nei- 
 ther the Sins are in their own Nature fo hei- 
 nous, nor the Will and Min i, with which 
 they are committed, fj malicious, that thofe 
 that commit them, or live in them, can pro- 
 perly be faid, thereby to trc;ad under Foot 
 the Son of God, or to do defpite to the Spi- 
 rit of Grace. 
 
 From thefe Things put together, I hope, 
 we may warrantably conclude, that it is not 
 of all wilful Sins, promifcuoufly and indifcri- 
 ininately, that St. Paul here fpeaks, when 
 he faith, There remains no more Sacrifice for 
 frtch 5 but only one particular kind of wiful 
 Sins. Now what that is I come in the third 
 Place to enquire. 
 
 In this Enquiry, f fliall not trouble you 
 with the feverai Opinions of Divines, con- 
 cerning this wilful Sin \ but I fli dl briefly 
 declare, what feems to be the true Account 
 of It, and the Reafons that do incline me to 
 believe fo. 
 
 I affirm therefore, that the Sin the Apoftle 
 here fpeaks of is no other than an Apoftacy 
 from the Faith of Chrill, a renouncing of 
 our Chriitianity. And, by finning wilfully, 
 he means a wilful Apoftacy from the Faith 
 
 of 
 
77;e Ninth Sermon, i p/ 
 
 of Chrifl:, a renouncing Chrillianity, not 
 thro' fome fudden Surprize, or Fear, or the 
 like, and then returning to the ProfefTion of 
 it agiin ;, but a fet, continued, obllinate dc- 
 fertionofit, and going over to the Enemies 
 Party. That is, revoking either to Judaifin 
 or Heathenifm, and becoming the Adverfa- 
 ries of Chrift, and his ReHgion. That tliis 
 is the true and only x-Vccount of this Sin will 
 appear, from thefe tv/o following Things. 
 
 Firfb of all, the Occafion, upon which 
 thefe Words come in, doth lead us to this 
 Senfe : We find by this Term for, that is fet 
 before them, that they are defigned as a Rea- 
 fon or Argument, to inforce fomething that 
 was fdd before. That that goes before is 
 this Exhortation, (Ver. 25. 2 ^ ,) Let us bold 
 the profejfion of our Faith zvithont wavering, 
 not for faking the AJfembl'vig of our f elves to- 
 gether, as the manner of fome is, kit ex- 
 horting one another. What now follows? 
 Why the Words of my Text ^ For, if we 
 fin wilfully after zve have received the Know- 
 ledge of the Truth, there remaineth no more 
 Sacrifice for Sin, but a fearful looking for of 
 Judgment. 
 
 It is plain here, that the Apoftles Defign 
 is toperfuade ihcjewijlj Chriftians to perfe- 
 verance in their Religion, notwithftanding 
 all the Perfecutions that threatned them up- 
 '^on account thereof, and to caution them a- 
 gainit the forfaking of Chrirtian Ailemblies 
 and f^oing over to the Jews or Heathens, as 
 O 3 fome 
 
'ip8 Tl.^e Nif^th Sermon, 
 
 fonie of them had already done. It is plain, 
 likewife, that the Argament, wherewith he 
 would inforce this Exhortation, and deter 
 them from this Apoftacy, is this Confidera- 
 tion of my Text, that there remaineth no 
 inore Sacrifice for their Sifi, if they were guilty 
 of it, hut only a fearful expeBation of Judg- 
 ment, If therefore we will fuppofe the A- 
 poille to argue, as other Men do, that is to 
 fay, that the Motive or Reafon he offers fhall 
 have any Relation to his forgoing Exhortati- 
 on, we mufl conclude that the wilful Sin he 
 mentions, and for which he fiith there re- 
 maineth no more Sacrifice, muit be the Sin 
 from which he was now a diiTuading them ^ 
 Namely, the renouncing of their Faith, or 
 the forfaking the Chriflian AiTembly : The 
 frequenting of which was indeed the only 
 Evidence, they could give, of their being 
 Chriilians. 
 
 But Secondly, The Argument, where- 
 with the i\po(tle doth , in the following 
 Words, endeavour to flren^then his x'^.tferti- 
 on in the Text, doth alfo add a farther Pro- 
 bability to this Expofition. Whofoever (faith 
 he) defpifed Mofes bis Law, died without 
 Mercj, Tinder two or three Witneffes. Of 
 how 7}iuch forer Funi foment, fuppofe ye^ foall 
 he he thought worthy, who hath trodden under 
 Foot the Son of God, and counted the Blood 
 of the Covenant^ ivherewith he was fanHi-, 
 fed, an unholy Thi?ig^ and done de-fpite to 
 the Spirit of Grace i- 
 
 Now 
 
77;^ IS! huh Sermon, ipp 
 
 Now the defpifers of Afofis his Lau% here 
 fpoken of, as appears from the 1 7th of DeiiC. 
 3. from whence the Apollle takes this Quo- 
 tation, were thofe, that renounced the Cove- 
 nant of li'fofes, into which they were en- 
 ter'd, and went over to the Idolaters, to wor- 
 fhiptheSun, and Moon, and Stars, hi all 
 Reafon therefore, the wilful Sinners, who 
 are here compeared with them, muft be fup- 
 pofed Sinners of the fame Nature ^ that is to 
 fay, Apoflates from Chriftianity, as theo- 
 thers were from Judaifm ^ otherv/ife,the Apo- 
 ilks Difcourfe will not proceed naturally and 
 coherently. But, if we thus underftand 
 thefe Words, the Argument will be clofe 
 and flrong, and the xApoftle will fpeak to this 
 effed. 
 
 Vvonder not that I tell you, there is no 
 Sacrifice remaining for thofe, that Apofta- 
 tize from Chriftianity, for, even under the 
 Law of Mofes^ there was none allowed for 
 that Crime : Whoever wilfully deferted his 
 Religion was, under that Difpenfation, to 
 die without Mercy, and therefore, furely, 
 much greater Punilhment doth he deferve, 
 that deferts his Religion now, that abandons 
 his Chriftianity, and turns an Enemy to it, 
 n.ny, it may be, a Perfecutor of it. For, in 
 thus doing, he treads under Foot the Son of 
 God : He defpifeth and blafphemes Him, who 
 was iuiinitely greater than Mofis was. He 
 counts the Blood of the Covenant, wherewith 
 he was fandihkd, an unholy Thing, that is, 
 
 O4 he 
 
200 Tfce Ninth Sermon, 
 
 he profanes, he vilifies, he fets at nought 
 that Blood of jefLis Chrift, which was fhed 
 for procuring the new Covenant, which yet 
 was of infinitely greater Value, than the 
 Blood of Bulls and Goats, by which the Jews 
 were enter'd into the Mofucal Covenant : 
 And Laftly, he doth defpite to the Spirit of 
 Grace ;, that is, he puts an high Affront and 
 Indignity upon the Holy Spirit, which is 
 now, by God, plentifully poured forth upon 
 the Chriflians, and by whom, greater Mira- 
 cles were daily wrought, for the conrirniati- 
 onoiChriftsReligicn. thaneverwtre wrought 
 hy Mofis, for the Proof of Hie Jewifh. And 
 thus much of the third general Point, what 
 particular Sin that is, which is iicc^ called 
 (inning wilfully, after we have rcr^ivc 1 the 
 Knowledge of the Tru^h. 
 
 The Fourth and Laft Thing to be inqui- 
 red into is, what the Apoftle means when 
 he fays, That to thofe that fin zvilfui^y, af- 
 ter they have received the Knowled(ie of the 
 Truths there remains no more Sacrijirg for 
 Sin J hut a fearfid expeBatinn ofjndment 
 iind fiery Indignation^ to CGnfume the A 'ver- 
 fary. Now, in anfwcr to ihis, I fay, firft 
 of all, that thefe Words do not imply that 
 the wilful Sin here fpoken of is unpardona- 
 ble , Or, that thofe, that are guilty of it, 
 are out of all pollibility of obtaining forgive- 
 nefs for it ;, for here is nothing, in thefe 
 Words, from whence we can draw fuch a 
 Conclufion. If indeed it had been faid that, 
 
 to 
 
7he TsLlnth Sermon, 
 
 to thofe that fin wilfully there remains no 
 Sacrifice for Sin, there might have been fome 
 Grounds for fuch an Inference •, but it is on- 
 ly faid that, to fuch there remains no more 
 Sacrifice for Sin, that is to fay, they are not 
 to exped another Chrifl to die for them, but, 
 for all that, for any Thing that is hers faid, 
 they may, upon Repentance, yet hav^e the 
 Benefit of that Sacrifice which was offer'd 
 once for all, for the Sins of the whole World. 
 There is no one Sin in the World, no nor a- 
 ny Habit of Sin, of fo damning a Nature, but 
 that, upon Repentance and change of Life, 
 the Sinner may hope for Pardon and Accep- 
 tance 5 fuppofing the Man to be but in a Ca- 
 pacity of Repenting, we may affirm that his 
 Sin is in a Capacity of being forgiven. In 
 the fecond Place therefore *, That, which 
 thefe Words do firft and principally import, 
 is the fdnefs and horridnefs of the prefent 
 Condition, into which all that (in wilfully 
 ( that is renounce their Chriftianiry ) do re- 
 duce themfelves. For, hereby, they have 
 forfeited all their right and title to the Bene- 
 fits of the Gofpel Covenant, that is to fay, 
 the Pardon of tlieir Sins, and the Promife 
 of Etern;^l Life •, for, there is but one Sacri- 
 fice (that is the Sacrifice of Chriffc upon the 
 Crofs) by which pardon of Sin is to be at- 
 tained : And confequently eternal Life is to 
 be hoped for. But, this Sacrifice they have 
 utterly difclaimed and rejeded. Nay, in- 
 ftead of owning ir for a Sacrifice, they have 
 
 counted 
 
 201 
 
202 
 
 c 
 
 Tloe Ninth Semon, 
 
 counted it an unholy Thing, looking upon 
 the Death of Chrift as a Punifliment due to 
 him, as an Impoiler. What therefore can 
 they now exped ? Do they look for firther 
 Sacrifice ? No, it is not in theChriflian Dif- 
 penfation, as it was in the Mofuck, wherein 
 the Priefts offered the fame Sacrifice," every 
 Year, for feveral Sins that were committed. 
 After we have once renounced our great Sa- 
 crifice, there remains no more Sacrifice for 
 Sin. Chrifl is not to offer himfeif any more. 
 If we be faved at all, it is by his once offer- 
 ing up himfeif. If we rejed that, there is 
 nothing left, but a fearful expectation of 
 Judgment and fiery Indignation, to confurae 
 the Adverf-iry. 
 
 This feems to be the true and natural Pa- 
 raphrafe upon the Text. But then. Third- 
 ly and Lafily, beiides the great Guilt of re- 
 nouncing Chriftianity, that is here expreiTed, 
 and the dreadful Condition into which Men 
 bring themfelves thereby ^ there is this aifo 
 farther implyed in the Text, namely, the ex- 
 tream Difficulty, and the moral Impoflibility, 
 of recovering fuch Perfons out of that fad 
 Condition. For this Sin is of fuch a Nature, 
 that it utterly indifpofeth Men, and rendreth 
 them uncapable of making ufe of the Means, 
 by which a Pardon is to be obtained. What 
 ever other Sin a Man commits, yet, fcx long 
 as he holds the Profeffion of his Faith without 
 Wa\ ering, there may be fome good Hopes of 
 him 3 he holds to the Means of Salvation, 
 
 and 
 
Tl^e ISLlnth Sennon. 
 
 and may in good Time, make Ufe of them, 
 and be reftored again, by God's Grace, to 
 that State of Repentance, from whence he is 
 fallen. But, when k Man renounceth his 
 Chriltianity ^ tho* we dare not fay it is ab« 
 folutely impoflible, for him to be retrieved 
 and recovered to his found Mind a^ain, yet 
 it is a Thing hardly to be expected, becaufe 
 it is the Nature of his Sin to render the very 
 Means of his Recovery infignificant and inef- 
 fedual. It is the greateft psrt of his Difeafe, 
 to refufe the Cure. There is no means of 
 Salvation but one, and that is, by Chrift, 
 and that he difciaims and renounces. Truly 
 therefore may the Apoftle fiy, of fuch an 
 Apoilate, that, as there remains no more Sa- 
 crifice for him, fo, morally fpeaking, and as 
 it ordinarily comes to pafs, there is nothing 
 left, but a dreadful expedation of Judgment 
 and a fiery Indignation to confume him. And 
 this indeed is the fame Thing, that^the Apo- 
 Itie teacheth us, in another PalTage of this 
 Epiflle ', Namely that in the 6th Chap. 4. 
 5, 6, Verfes. Which PafTage, as it fully 
 confirms all that I have fiid before, about 
 the wilful Sin mentioned in my Text 5, 
 fo, by what I have already faid, a clear 
 Light is given to that Paliage. It is impq/Ji- 
 ble (f lith the Apoffie there) for thofe, who 
 were once enlightned^ and have tafled of the 
 heavenly Gift, and were rnade Partakers of 
 the Holy Gbojl^ and have tafled the g:^ood 
 }Ford of God J and the Ponders of the World 
 
 to 
 
 20] 
 
204 
 
 The Ninth Sennon, 
 
 to come, ( all which Expreffions are but a 
 larger Defcription of a Chriftian, or a rege- 
 nerate Perfon, or, as our Tex^jphrafeth it, 
 of one that hath received the Knowledge of 
 the Truth.) Iffiicb as thefe (faith he) fia// 
 fail away^ it is imp"£ible to renew them to 
 Repentance \ feeing they crucifie to themselves 
 tie Son of God afrejJ}, and put hi7n to open 
 Shmne. The failing away here is certainly 
 the fime Thing, with finning; wilfully in ray 
 Text, that is to fiy, a wilful d^pirturefroin 
 Chrift '^n:ty. N )W of thofe, that do thus 
 Apoflatize, St. ?md affirms, thdt it is im- 
 poilible to renew them to Repentance. He 
 certainly doth not mean an abiblute Iinpofli- 
 bility, but a moral one in the fame Senfe, 
 that our Saviour faith, That it is impojjible 
 for a rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of 
 Heaven^ that is, as another Evanglifi: ex- 
 plains it, it is bard for a rich Man, dec. In 
 the fame Senfe, that it is affirm'd to be im- 
 poflible for them to do good, that have ac- 
 cuftomed themfeh'es to do Evil, that is to 
 fay it is extreamly difficult j it is not a Thing, 
 that either ordinarily happens, or can be eafi- 
 ly effeded. It is true God may, by an ex- 
 traordinary Providence, pluck fuch an Apo- 
 llate out of the Fire, refcue him by a ftrong 
 Hand from that defperate Vailalage to the 
 Devil, in which he is held. But, he hath no 
 where promifed, that he will. Nay, he 
 hath threatned that he will not. However, 
 of all Men living, it is the leaft to be hoped . 
 
 of 
 
Tl?e Ninth Sermon. 205 
 
 of fuch a Perfon, that God will (hew fach 
 extraordinary Mercy to him, fince he hath 
 wilfully put himfdt out of that State of Sal- 
 vation/which God by ChriH: had brought 
 him into, and not only fo, but hath aban- 
 doned and renounced all the Means, by which 
 only he can be recovered. 
 
 Thus have I given you a large, and I 
 hope a plain Account of this difficult Text : 
 And, you fee, there is nothing in it, that 
 n-eds to create any Trouble or AfFrightment, 
 to any well difpofed People among us, how- 
 ever they may have been guilty of many wil- 
 ful Sins, fincetheir Baptifm, or fince their com- 
 ing to the Knowledge of the Truth. Nay, 
 you fee, there is nothing in it that (hould make 
 the greateft Sinner among us to de'pair of 
 God's Mercy, if they have but the Heart to 
 repent. For there is nothing, in this Text, 
 from whence it can be concluded, that any 
 Sin is unp.-Tdonable, or that any Courfe of 
 wilful Sin is above the Mercies of the Cove- 
 nant of Grace, provided the Sinner do truly 
 repent. Nay neither is there any Thing in 
 this Text, to difcourage the Hjpes of any 
 Man's Repentance, how great a Sinner foe- 
 ver he hath been, fo long as he continue in 
 the ProfciTion of Chriftianity. All this I 
 think is very plain, from what I have dif- 
 courfed upon this Text. 
 
 But then I muft add farther, and which I 
 defire all among us would fenoufly confider , 
 it appears by this Text that the Cafe is very 
 
 diffe- 
 
20 6 The Ninth Sermon, 
 
 different as to tliofe Perfons that have once pro- 
 felled Chriflianit}', and afterwards depart 
 from it. l\ho' there may be Hopes of a 
 Man's Repentacc", let him have been never 
 fo bad a Liver, fo long as he continues in 
 the Communion of the Chriftian Church, 
 and adheres to the Religion of Chrift : Yet, 
 there is very little Hope of a Man, that hath 
 once given up his Name to Jefus, and after- 
 v/ards proves a Defertor : Departs from the 
 Faith, and turns Atheifl or Deift, or, in a- 
 ny other Sort, renounceth that Chriflianity 
 he was baptized mto '-, I fay, there is very 
 little Hope of fuch a Mnn, becaufe he doth 
 properly, and in the Apofties Senfe, trample 
 under Foot the Son of God, and count the 
 Blood of the Covenant, wherewith he was 
 fandified, an unholy Thmg. It infinitely 
 therefore concerns every one among us, to 
 hold the Profeflion of their Faith without 
 Wavering, and, tho' they do not live fo ho- 
 ly and fo pure Lives as they fhould, and as 
 they muft do, if ever they go to Heaven : 
 Yet, at leafl, to continue in the profefiion of 
 the Chriftian Religion, and to frequent the 
 Ordinances of Jefus Chri ft ^ becaufe, fo long 
 as they fo do, they have the Advantage of 
 the Means of Salvation, and thofe Means 
 may at laft prove effedual to their Converfi- 
 on. Whereas, if they defcrt the Chriftian 
 Inftitution, and go over to Heathenifm ( as 
 Deifm is but another Name for that, ) there 
 remains no more Sacrifice for their Sins, but 
 
 a 
 
The Nhnh Sermon] 207 
 
 a certain fearful expedation of Judgment and 
 fiery Indignation, to confume them, and all 
 fuch contumacious Sinners as they are : 
 
 Fro?n which Go J Almighty of bis Msrcy 
 deliver us all^ for the fake ^ 6cc. 
 
 S E R- 
 
208 
 
 SERMON X. 
 
 I Epift. ofSt.JOHN V. i6. 
 
 If any Man fee his Brother fm a Sin, which 
 is not, nnto Death ^ he fmll ask, and he 
 (loall pve him Life for them that fin not 
 unto Death. There is a Sin nnto Death : 
 1 do not fay that he fi all pray for it. 
 
 ^K HERE are three Texts ( as I ' 
 ^O told you the laft Time) in the 
 ^ New Teftament, relating to the 
 m^ frime Argument ^ which, as, they 
 have given much Trouble to Interpreters in 
 the expounding of them, fo have they often 
 occafioned many Fears and Perplexities in the 
 Confciences of timerous melancholy Perfons, 
 by the Application they make of them. 
 
 The Firfl is that, in the lothof the He- 
 hrevps \ where the Apoflle afferts. That to 
 thofe that fin wilfully, after they have recei- 
 ved the Knowledge of the Truth, there re- 
 mains no more Sacrifice for Sin, but a fear- 
 ful expeBati on of Judgment and fiery Indig- 
 nation, to devour them \ and of thi$ I dif- 
 courfed the laft Time. 
 
 The 
 
The Tenth Sermon. 209 
 
 The Second is the PafTage of St. Jobn^ 
 which I have now read unto you, where it 
 is (I^id, There is a Sin unto Dsath^ which 
 whoever commits, the Apoftle doth not fay 
 that Prayer (hall be made for him, and this 
 I fhall now difcourfeof. 
 
 The Third is that famous Paflage of our 
 S iviour in St. Matth, where he fiith, That 
 whofoever p^all fpeak a Word again ft tkf Ho- 
 ly Ghof}, it Jhall never he forgiven him^ in 
 this IVorld nor in the World to come. This 
 I referve to another Opportunity. 
 
 Thefe AfTertions, at the firft View, as 
 they are very uncomfortable, fo do they feein 
 to clafh with feme of the received Dodrines 
 of Chriftianity. For we generally believe, 
 and we think we have Reafon from the Gof- 
 pel fo to do, that Ghrill, by the Oblation of 
 liimfelf once offered (as our Church expref- 
 feth it) made a full, perfeifl: and fufiicient 
 Sacrifice, Oblation and Satisfadion, for the 
 Sins of the whole World. And, confequent- 
 Jy, there is no Sin a Man can. commit fo 
 grievous, but that it will be pardoned, upon 
 Repentance. And we alfo believe and teach, 
 that there is no Sinner in fo deplorable a 
 Condition, that his Repentance ought to be 
 defpaired of, fo long as he is in the Land of 
 the Living. And therefore we make no'Scru- 
 ple, not only to pray for the grea tell Sin- 
 ners, but to exhort them to Repentance, 
 when ever we have to do with fuch, and to 
 encourage them, in cafe they do trulv and 
 Vol. III. P fincerely 
 
2IO Tl:)e Tenth Sermon. 
 
 fincerely repent, to hope for God's Mercy 
 and Acceptance. Now this would be a ve- 
 ry unaccountable Proceeding, if we either 
 believed that their Sins were unpardotiable, 
 or knew that they >were beyond all poflibility 
 of Repentance. And indeed this has been 
 the Relief and Pradice of the Church, ever 
 fince our Saviour's Time, tho' there were 
 fome Sins, which, if in fonie Churches a Man 
 was guilty of, he was never to be reftored 
 to the Communion of the Faithful, or ex- 
 peel the Churches Abfolution, but to die ex- 
 communicate : Yet, even in that Cafe, they 
 did not prejudge the Sinner to eternal Pu- 
 nifhment, but exhorted him to exprefs his 
 Repentance, all the ways he could, and 
 made no Scruple to encourage him, that if 
 he was fincere in it, he might find Mercy at 
 the laft Day with God. The Montanifts 
 and Novatians themfelves, who were the fe- 
 vered in this Point, and made a Schifm in 
 the Chureh upon this very Account, that 
 they thought the Church too eafie in admit- 
 ting lapfed Perfons to Communion, yet did 
 never deny or difown this, but declared it as 
 their Doctrine, that there was no Sinner but 
 might hope for Pardon from God, upon his 
 Repentance, tho' the Sins ( they faid ) he 
 was guilty of might be fuch as that the 
 Church had no Power to pardon him. 
 
 Weil ! But doth not St. Johnh^re expref- 
 \y dillinguifh between two forts of Sins ? 
 One fort that is not unto Death, and the o- 
 
 ther 
 
The Tenth Sermon. 2 1 ^ 
 
 thcr fort that is unto Death ? And doth not 
 he fay of this latter Sort, that, if a Man be 
 guilty of it, we are not fo much as to pray 
 for him ? What podibility then is there left 
 offuch a Mans Sin being forgiven him? 
 This is the Thing I now come to give an Ac- 
 count of. 
 
 St. John's Words are thefe. There is a 
 Sin unto Death : I do not fay that a Man 
 jhaU pray for it. The difficulty of thefe 
 Words lies in thefe two Things. 
 
 Firji^ What is here meant by the Sin un- 
 to Death. 
 
 Secondly^ How we are to underfland the 
 Apoftle when he faith, I do not fay that h^ 
 fijall pray for t hat Sin. 
 
 I begin with the Notion of a Sin unto 
 Death. A Sin may be called a Sin unto 
 Death, in two refpeds. Firft, in refped of 
 the prefent danger of Death, into which it 
 puts the Sinner, tho' poflibly he may recover: 
 after it ^ and it fliall not prove fatal to him. 
 In this Senfe, every grofs wilful prefumptu- 
 ous Sin is a Sin unto Death, and fo alfo is 
 every Habit or Cuflom of known wilful 
 Sin. 
 
 My Meaning is, fuch Sins and fuch Hj^ 
 bits do, for the prefent, put a Man into a 
 State of Death, and deflroy his Title to e- 
 verlafting H.ippinefs : But then, how deadly 
 foever thefe Sins are in themfelves, yet are 
 they not fo in event, to all Perfons ^ tho', 
 tQ fomc Sinners, the Effed and Confequence 
 
 P 2 of 
 
2\% 
 
 7he Tmth Sermon, 
 
 of them doth prove eternal Death *, yet, in 
 others, that Effed or Confequence is prevent- 
 ed, by a timely Repentance. It is here, as 
 it is in bodily Difeafes ^ a Man, that hath 
 the Plague upon him, may properly enough 
 be faid to be vifited with a mortal Sicknefs, 
 becaufe, oftentimes and to many Perfons, it 
 proves fo in the Conclufion : And will pro- 
 bably prove fo to him, unlefs by timely Care 
 and powerful Medicines he prevent it : But, if 
 he ufe thefe Means, there may be hopes of 
 his Recovery, notwithflanding the maligni- 
 ty of theDifea'e, 
 
 This is the firH: Notion of a Sin unto Death, 
 fo that, if the Apoftle fpeak in this Senfe, 
 and according to the full Latitude of it. The 
 Sin unto Death here mentioned muft be un- 
 derftood of thefe grievous and capital Sins, 
 of which the Scripture pronounceth, that 
 thofe^ that live in them^ fhall jiot inherit the 
 Kingdom of God : Such, for inftance, are 
 Adultery, Fornication, Idolatry, Murder, 
 Covetoufnefs, Extortion, Drunkenefs, Ha- 
 tred, Malice, and the like. Every one of 
 which, as St. Pmd tells us, do exchtde from 
 the Kingdom of Heaven, See Gal. 5. 21. 
 Cor. 6. ^. 
 
 And, on the other fide, tlie Sin not unto 
 Death here mentioned, and to which the Sin 
 unto Death is oppofed, mufl be underflood 
 of any of thefe Frailties, and Infirmities, and 
 interruptions of Piety : Which, tho* they are 
 Sins properly fo called, yet are confiftent 
 
 with 
 
TXe 'Tenth Sermon. 2 1 7 
 
 with the ChnTtian State, or the State of 
 Grace and Regeneration, and deftroy not a 
 Mans hopes of Happinefs in the other World, 
 tho' he never live to get an entire Vidory o- 
 ver them. 
 
 But, Secondly^ A Sin may be called a Sin 
 unto Death, in refpect of the Confequenceof 
 it, that is, certain Death to the Sinner : 
 When the Sin, or courfe of Sin, is not only 
 damnable and mortal in its felf, but doth 
 really damn the Man, that is guilty of it, 
 doth de faBo deftroy his Salvation, and he 
 periflies everlafiingly, this is truly a Sin un- 
 to Death, and indeed the moll: proper Notion 
 of it, but perhaps it is not the mofl ufual. 
 
 Now, in this Notion, no Man can fin the 
 Sin unto Death, but he whofe Sins are ne- 
 ver pardoned. And every one doth fin the 
 Sin unto Death (let his particular Crimes be 
 what they will) if he dies without Repen- 
 tance. So that, according to this Account, 
 that may be a Sin unto Death in one Man, 
 that is not fo in another. Becaufe one Man's 
 Murder, or Adultery, or Idolatry, or the 
 like, may be damnable to him, tho' they will 
 not be fo to another that is guilty of them, 
 becaufe he repents of them. 
 
 Jt follows likewife, that as no Man can 
 fay of any Particular, that it is a Sin unto 
 Death in this Notion of it, fo neither can he 
 fay of any particular Perfon, fo long as he is 
 in the Land of the Living, that he hath com- 
 mitted it : Becaufe he knows not but the 
 . S 3 Sinner 
 
5 1 4 1^^^ Tenth Sermon] 
 
 Sinner may repent afterwards, and God may 
 pardon him. It is true, it is much to be 
 feared, that many Perfons may be guilty of 
 fach Crimes, and may fo obftinately perfe- 
 vere in them (of what Nature foever thefe 
 Crimes be it matters not, ) that God, even 
 while thay live, may withdraw his Grace 
 totally from them, and leave them to the 
 hardnefs of their Hearts, fo that their ever- 
 lafting Mifery may be concluded, before 
 they go out of this World. In this Cafe, it 
 is certain indeed that they have finned a Sin 
 unto Death , but yet it is only known to God. 
 No mortal Creature can know it, unltfs he 
 knows ihat thefe Perfons are thus for f^ ken by 
 God, and tjiat they are out of all poffibility 
 of Repentance, or Pardon, which is hard for 
 any to fay of any Perlbn, for any Sin •, unlefs 
 they have a Revelation for it, which 1 be- 
 lieve ncne can now pretend to. 
 
 Thus have I given you the two general 
 Senfes, in which a Sin may be called a Sin 
 pnto Death , but the great Queftion is fiill 
 behind, that is to fay, in whnt Senfe it is 
 that we are to underftand the Sin unto Death 
 here fpoken of, and for which the Apoflle - 
 here feems to difcourage our praying. 
 ' ^ To this I anfwer in thefe Particulars. 
 
 Firft to interpret the Sin unto Death, here 
 mentioned, of all grievous prefumptuous Sins, 
 or habits of Sin, that unrepented of deftroy 
 Salvation, (which is the firft Notion that I 
 gave of a Sin unto Death,) I fay, to inter- 
 - pret 
 
Tl:e Tenth Sermon, 215 
 
 pret it of all Sins in general (as fome have 
 done) without Limitation, doth not feem to 
 agree, either with St. Johns Phrafe, or the 
 fcope of the Place. Nor can it be well re- 
 conciled with the conftant Practice of the 
 Chriflian Church, which has always thought 
 it feif obliged, not only to pray for feveral 
 fuch Sinners, but to admit them to Commu- 
 nion, and to warrant their Pardon upon their 
 Repentance. 
 
 In the fecond Place, to take the Sin unto 
 Death in the latter Notion, I have given. 
 Namely, for every fuch Sin or Sins, which, 
 tho' they were pardonable in themfelves,and 
 might have been pardoned to the Sinner, if 
 he would have made ufe of God's Grace for 
 his Repentance, yet hath never de faciohttn 
 pardoned, but the Sinner Ihall die in his 
 Sin : I fay to take the Sin unto Death here 
 fpoken of in this Notion, as fome very learn- 
 ed Expofiters have done, has this great In- 
 convenience attending it. Namely, thatfucli 
 an Expofition renders the Apoflles Injundion 
 here, about praying fur Sinners, wholly im- 
 praclicable. For, according to this Notion, 
 none can know (as I faid) but God only, 
 what are Sins unto Death, and what are not^ 
 fince it is the Event alone, that m^kes the 
 difference. Whereas the Apoflles Injundion 
 in the Text fuppofeth , tiiat a Man may 
 know, what is a Sin not unto Death, and 
 what is a Sin unto Death ^ Other wife he 
 would not have given ■ us different Rules 
 
 P 4 for 
 
2 1 6 ^^^ Tenth Sermon. 
 
 for our Prayers, as to tliofe two forts of 
 Sins. 
 
 In the third Place, therefore, that Inter- 
 pretation of the Sin unto Death which I 
 think nioll: probable '^ (becaufc indeed mofb 
 agreeable with the Scope of the Apoftie in 
 this Place, and becaufe it avoids likewife the 
 Inconveniencies that follow upon the two 
 former ways of expounding it,) is this. To 
 take the Sin unto Death in the firft Notion I 
 gave of it, that is to fay, for fome grofs wilful 
 deadly Sin, that, unrepented of, deftroys 
 Salvation : But, not to extend it to ail fuch 
 Sins, but to reftrainit to one particular Sort 
 of them, juft as the (inning wifuUy, in St. 
 Paul, for which there remains no more Sa- 
 crifice, is not every wilful Sin, committed 
 after Baptifm, but only one fort of wilful 
 Sins, as I largely fliev/ed the lad Time. If 
 it be asked, what particular kind of Sin that 
 is, which is here called the Sin unto Death, 
 why truly, all Things confidered, it will 
 appear moft probable, that it is the very 
 fame with St. Pauls wilful Sin, that is to 
 fay, a renouncing of Chriftianity, and the 
 Communion of the Church, and going-over 
 to tlie Enemies of it. My Reafon for this 
 Alfertion is this. 
 
 The Apoftles Bufinefs here, and indeed 
 throughout this whole Epiftle, is to keep the 
 Jewiih Chri/lians firm to the Faith, and to 
 the Chriftian AiTemblies : From which ma- 
 ny had now departed, denying that Jefus is 
 
 the 
 
7he Tenth Sermon, 
 
 the Chrift. (See Chap. 2i. Ver. i8, 19— 
 22.3 In order to this, he fets himfelf to 
 fhew them, that, whatever Boafts thefe De- 
 ferters might make, of obtainini^ eternal 
 Life by their Way, yet eternal Life was on- 
 ly to be had in Jefus Chrili, that is to fay, 
 by believing in him, and holding Communi- 
 on with his Church. Thus, in the nth 
 Verfe of this Chapter. This is the Record, 
 That God hath given us eternal Life^ and 
 this Life is in his Son. And, in the 13 th 
 Verfe, Thefe Thi?igs have I written to you^ 
 that believe on the l^ame of the Son of God, 
 and that ye may know ye have eternal Life, 
 feeingye believe on the Name of the Son of 
 God. And indeed, upon this Account it is, 
 that the Name of Life is fo often given to 
 cur Saviour, by this Apoftle, as his proper 
 Title and diftinguifhing Character. Thus in 
 the I ft Chap. Ver. 2. fpeaking of jefus 
 Chrift, he tells us, the Life was manifefied, 
 and again, in the 20th Verfe of this Chan. 
 This is the true God and eternal Life. Thus 
 alfo in the 12th Verfe of this Chapter, Ke 
 that hath the Son, hath the Life : But he 
 that hath not the Son, hath not the Life. 
 
 Thefe Things now being conlidered, we 
 may thus Argue : That,(ince to believe in Jefus 
 Chrift, and to hold to the Communion of the 
 Faithful ^ is (remember the Apoftles Phrafe) 
 to he in Life^ or to have the Life : It is reafo- 
 nable to conclude, that, when he fpeaks of be- 
 ing in Death, of a Sin unto Death, he means 
 
 it 
 
 ^17 
 
t\ 
 
 Tl)e Tent J? Sermon. 
 
 it of thofe that do not believe in Jefas Chrifl, 
 or that renounce the Chriftian Societies,and go 
 over either to the Antichrifts fo often mention- 
 ed in this Epiftle, or to the Heathen Idolaters, 
 againft whom he cautions them in the lad 
 Verfeofthis Chapter, when he concludes. 
 Little Childreti keep your felves from Idols, 
 And thus much let it fuffice to have fpoken 
 to the firfr general Point, the Notion of the 
 Sin unto Death : I might add other Confide- 
 rations to confirm the Account I have given 
 of it, but I am afraid of tiring you. 
 
 I therefore pafs on to the fecond general 
 Point to be enquired into, and that is what is 
 the Apoftles Meaning, when having told us 
 there is a Sin unto Death, he adds, / Jo not 
 fay that a Man fJj all pray for it , but of this 
 1 Ihall make no long Work. 
 
 Firft of all, it is certain that thofe Words, 
 even according to uiis Tranilation of them, 
 do not amount to a Prohibition of Prayer, 
 for thofe that have finned the Sin unto Death. 
 If the Apoftle had meant to forbid Chriftians 
 to pray for fijch, he might, with the lead 
 Variation , have placed his Words thus. 
 There is a Sin unto Death, I fay you fiaall 
 not pray for it j this indeed had been to the 
 Purpofe : But, when he only feith, / do not 
 fay that you f mil pray for it ^ the Senfe can- 
 not be carried fo high. The utmofi: that the 
 Words can be extended to is this, I do not 
 bid you to pray for it , and every one 
 knows that there is a great deal of difFe= 
 
 rence. 
 
TIpe 7enth Sermon. 215? 
 
 rence, between not bidding one to do a 
 Thing, and forbidding the doing of it. 
 
 But, Secondly, the true and the full Senfe 
 and Delign of thefe Words will be eafily feen, 
 if we join them with the former part of the 
 Verfe, and tranflate them as they fhould be 
 tranflated, th"t is, according to the mod na- 
 tural and obvious Conftrudion of the Greek 
 Text. Namely thus. If any one fee his 
 Brother finning a Sm not unto Death ^ he f Jail 
 ask ofGod^ and God ^3all give Life to htm^ 
 even to all thofe that Sin not tmto Death, 
 There is a Sin unto Death , it is 7iot of this 
 Ifpeak^ that he jhall ask, (The Words are 
 8 "TTi^jL Tavms As^ftj 077 ipoiThOT}, which cvcry 
 body knows muft be tranflated as I fiid, it 
 is not of this I fpeak, that he fljall ask J 
 How aslv ? '■^Viiy, fapply what went before, 
 and the Senfe will be clear, that hefliall ask, 
 and that God Ihall give him Life, that is to 
 fay, it is not of rhis Sin unto Death that I 
 fpeak, when I fay that God will hear and 
 anfwer the Petitions of Chriftians, that are 
 made for the Sins of others. They cannot 
 pray for this, with the fame alFurance of 
 Succefs , that they may have when they 
 pray for other Sins. 
 
 This feems to be the whole of what is de- 
 figned by the Apoftle in this Claufe ;, he 
 doth not forbid praying for any, nor difcou- 
 rage praying for any, only he infinuatesthat 
 Prayers for fome Perfons will not be granted, 
 or at leaft they cannot fo confidently promife 
 
 to 
 
210 
 
 Jhe Tenth Sermon, 
 
 to themftiives that they fhali be granted. 
 
 Having thus given an Account of thefe two 
 Difficulties propofed, there is nothing re- 
 mains to make the Text very eafie and intel- 
 ligible to every one, but to give a brief Pa- 
 raphrafe of it, according to the Grounds I 
 have laid down. 
 
 I take then the Senfe of the whole PaiTage 
 to be to this Effed. 
 
 If any fee his Brother, after his underta- 
 king the Chrifiian Profeffion, fall into any 
 Sin, he is not to defpair of him, feeing he is 
 under the Means of Grace and the Mercies 
 of the Covenant. On the contrary, both 
 particular Chriftians, and the Officers of the 
 Church, are to intercede with God for fuch 
 a Sinner : iVnd there is no doubt but, upon 
 their Prayers in the Name of Chrift, God 
 will be prevailed with to afford him fuch a 
 Meafure of Grace, as with his own Endea- 
 vours and the ufe of the Means of Reconcili- 
 at'on that are lodged in the Cliurch, will be 
 fufficient for his Recovery, and obtaining his 
 Pardon. This Benefit we, that are in the 
 Church and adhere to Chrifl's Religion, have 
 above others j tho* we Sin, there is a Means 
 provided for our Recovery. As for thofe, 
 that deny the Lord that bought them, and 
 fall away either to the Jewiffi x'^ntich rifts, or 
 the Heathen Idolaters, there is not the fame 
 Hopes of them, nor the fame Encouragement, 
 as to Succefs, to be given to the Prayers of 
 others for them • fince they have renounced 
 
 the 
 
71)6 Tenth Sermon. 
 
 the Son of God, who is the Life, and in 
 whom only Life is to be had : They mud 
 needs be concluded to be in a State of Death. 
 It is not therefore of fuch Sinners as thefe 
 that 1 fpeak, when I tell you that you are to 
 pray for thofe that Sin, and that you may 
 be confident that God will give Life to thein; 
 for you cannot be fj confident that God will 
 hear your Prayers for fuch Apoflates ^ their 
 Cafe is more dangerous, and their Cure more 
 difh'cult. 
 
 I am afraid I have wearied you, with this 
 large Explication of my Text : But I fhall 
 make amends, by the fhortnefs of my Appli- 
 cation. Two or three Inferences I would make, 
 from what has been fiid, and I conclude. 
 
 Firft of all, from the Account I have gi- 
 ven of this Text, it appears that it may 
 be very lawful , nay a very charitable 
 and pious Thing, to pray for all forts of 
 Sinners, even the greatefl, any Thing here- 
 in fiid notwithflanding : For, we fee, there 
 is nothing here faid, that doth either forbid, 
 or in the lead cafl any ill Refieclion upon, 
 fuch an Adlion ^ and if not here, fure no 
 where in the Book of God. 
 
 On the contrary, St. P^z//doth exhort that 
 Prajers and Siipplicatiofts and Interceffions he 
 made for all Men, imthout any reftriBwn^ 
 I Tim. 2. i> And our Saviour commands 
 his Difciples to blefs them that curfe them, 
 to pray for them that defpitefitlly itfe them^ 
 and perfecute them \ which Prayer, why it 
 
 fhould 
 
 22! 
 
222 
 
 The Tenth Sermon] 
 
 fhould be conftrued only to Heathen Perfe"- 
 cutors, and not extend to Apoflates alfo, I 
 fee no Reafon ? He himfelf prayed for thofe 
 that crucified him •, fome of which were, 
 without doubt, thofe very Pharifecs, whom 
 he had before charged with committing the 
 Sin againfl the Holy Ghoft in the i2thCh. 
 of Matth. St. Stephen hkewife prayed for 
 thofe that Honed him, when yet a little be- 
 fore he had told them, they refifted the Ho- 
 ly Ghoft. Certainly there is no Sinner fo 
 bad, or in fo deplorable a Condition, but we 
 may pray for him. Nay Charity will ob- 
 lige us to it. And, tho* our Prayers be not 
 available for him, yet they will be beneficial 
 to our felves. And God Almighty, tho' he 
 doth not anfwer them to the Advantage of 
 the Sinner prayed for, yet will reward us 
 for our Charity in putting them up. 
 
 If it be faid, that David was fo far from 
 praying for all, that he curfed feveral of his 
 Enemies, making folemn Prayers or rather 
 Imprecations againft them, as particularly in 
 the 109 Pfahn. To this I anfwer, Firft, that 
 the Gofpel Spirit is a different Thing from 
 that of the Law, as our Saviour once told his 
 Difciples, when they were calling for Fire 
 from Heaven to confume their Enemies as E- 
 lias did ', Chrift's Religion obligeth us to a far 
 more extenfive Charity, than that of Mofes 
 did the Jews. 
 
 But, Secondly, DaviJ's Imprecations were 
 not fo much Prayers to Gud againft his Ene- 
 
 miesj 
 
The Tenth Sermon, zij 
 
 niies, as Prophecies of what evil Things 
 Ihould befall thofe Sinners he there fpeaks of. 
 Any one, that underftands any thing of the 
 Hebrew Language, knows that the fame form 
 of Words is therein ufed both in praying for 
 a Thing, and in forteliing that it fhall come 
 to pafs ^ and as for the 109th Ffalm^ which 
 has been often cali'd the Pfalm of Curfes , it 
 is plainly a Prophecy, partly of what fhould 
 hi^hW Achttophel for his treacherous Ufage of 
 David, but principally of what fhould befall 
 the Traytor Judas, for betraying his and 
 our Lord and Mafter Jefus Chrift, and, as 
 fuch, it is quoted by St. Peter in the ABs of 
 the Apofiles, 
 
 But, Secondly, from what has been faid 
 we may raife Matter of Comfort and Satis- 
 fadion, to imny weak uninftruded Chrifti- 
 ans. There are a great many, as I faid, that 
 partly thro' Melancholy and an ill Habit of 
 Body, partly thro' the Terrors of an awak« 
 ned Confcience, joined with an Ignorance 
 and Mifunderftanding of this and the like 
 Texts, are mightily apt to conclude, that 
 they have finned the Sin unto Death, and 
 that confdquently, no Prayer, either of their 
 own or other good Chriftians, will be avail- 
 able for them \ or, that they have commit- 
 ted the wilful Sin, for which St. ?aul futh 
 there remains no more Sacrifice, or that they 
 are fail'n from Grace, and fj it is impoflible 
 to renew them to Repentance , or, laftly, 
 that' they have committed the Sin againft the 
 
 Holy 
 
224 
 
 Tl)e Tmth Sermon] 
 
 Holy Ghoft. As for this lad, the Sin a- 
 gainft the Holy Ghofl, I (hall treat of it the 
 next Time we meet. But, for the other 
 Texts, I hope I have made it appear, that 
 the Perfons I now fpeak of are no ways con- 
 cerned in any of them, for I fuppofe the Per- 
 fons , that have thefe Apprehenfions of 
 themlelves, do profefs themfelves Chriftians, 
 and have never fallen off from that Profefli- 
 on ;, tho' poffibly they may have been guilty 
 of many other grievous Sins ; They have 
 never renounced their Lord and Mafter 
 Chrift, or turned Apoftates from his Religi- 
 on ', but have always owned him and it, 
 both in publick and private : Tho* poffibly 
 their Lives and Pradlices have not been, in 
 all refpeds, fo fuitable, as they ought to 
 have been, to fuch a Profeffion. 
 
 Now, if the Cafe be thus with them, I 
 think it has been made out, with Evidence 
 enough, that they cannot be guilty of any 
 of the Crimes mentioned in thefe Texts. 
 That is to fay, they have neither finned the 
 wilful Sin, nor fallen away after iniighten- 
 ing \ nor finned the Sin unto Death : Since 
 thefe Crimes import, neither more nor lefs 
 than an Apoftacy from the Chriftian Reli- 
 gion, and going over either to Atheifm or 
 Heathenifm, or fome other Religion that is 
 contrary to the Chriftian. 
 
 But Thirdly and Laftly, let no Man from 
 hence, or upon this Account that he hath 
 not finned the Sin unto Death, incourage 
 
 himfelf 
 
The Tenth Sermon. 125 
 
 Limfelf in any evil Courfe or Habit of Sin, 
 feera it never fo flight and excufable to him. 
 There are a hundred Ways of going to Hell, 
 befides thefe Sins I have been treating of ^ 
 and far the greateft part that are now con- 
 cluded in eternal Mifery, it is probable, ne- 
 ver finned in this kind. Every wilful Sin, 
 or habit of Sin, continued in, be it never fo 
 plau(ibleorfafhionable,be there never fo many 
 Pleas and Apologies to be made for it, from 
 Temper and Conftitution, from Bufinefs and 
 Intereft, or from the Mode and Cuftom of 
 the Place where v/e live , I fay, all fuch 
 Sins perfifled in will as certainly deftroy a 
 Man's Salvation, as the Sin againft the Holy 
 Ghoft. 
 
 O, therefore, let no Man indulge him- 
 felf in any evil Courfe, that God*s Law hath 
 declared againft, in hopes that it will be ea- 
 sily paiTed by, becaufe it is none of thofe e- 
 normous Crimes, that do continually fly in a 
 Man's Face, and have a Mark of Infamy put 
 upon them ,by the Laws of the Country. Why 
 any known Sin, encouraged and perfifted in, 
 and never repented of, may prove as fatal 
 to a Man's Soul as a Torrent of open Impi- 
 eties. And again, let no Man indulge him- 
 felf in any evil Courfe, in confidence that 
 he hath not yet finned, beyond a probability 
 of Pardon, or in profped that hereafter he 
 may repent. This is a moft intolerable pre- 
 fumption upon God's Mercy, and it is the 
 readieft Courfe we can take to provoke God 
 Vol, IIL a to 
 
2 2<J The Tenth Sermon, 
 
 to withdraw his Grace from us, anrl to give 
 us up to hardnefs of Heart and final Impeni- 
 tency. And, when it once comes to that, 
 our eternal State is concladed, and we have 
 indeed finned a Sin unto Death in one Senfe, 
 and no Prayers or InterceiTions will be avail- 
 able for us. But, as the Apoftle faid in this 
 very Cafe, fo I hope I may fay to you, Bre- 
 thren I am perfitaded better things of you, 
 and things that accomj^any Salvation^ tho' I 
 thus /peak, 
 
 I pray God give us all Grace to conjider the 
 Things that belong to our everlafting 
 Salvation^ and^ in purfuance thereof 
 to hold the Vrofefjion of our Faith unto 
 the End, and to bring forth Frrtits fiti- 
 table to that Vrofeffon^ by a righteous 
 andfober and godly Converfation : This 
 God Almighty grant for the fake of his 
 dear Son, to whom^ dec. 
 
 SER- 
 
2 2-7 
 
 SERMON XI. 
 
 M ATTH. XII. 31, 52. 
 
 Wherefore I fdy unto you^ all inanner of Std 
 and Blafpbetny fball be forgiven unto Men^ 
 hut the Blafpheftiy of the Holy Ghojl fiall 
 not be forgiven unto Men, And zvhofoe- 
 ver fpeaketh a Word agamfl the Son of 
 Man it fjall be forgiven hiniy but zvhofoe- 
 ver fpeaketh a Word againfl the Holy Ghofl 
 it fhall not be forgiven him, neither in this 
 World nor in the World to com^, 
 
 ®-«^^ T is my Defign, at this Time, io 
 
 '^ ^ I #S S^^^ '^^-^ ^c^°""^ ^^ ^^^^^ difficult 
 '^L „^A Fext, and, in doing that, to ex- 
 ^Mm^ plain the Nature of that Sin, 
 which in common Speech we call tlie Sin a- 
 gainft the Holy Ghoft. I have obferved 
 how much that Sin is often miftaken, and 
 what trouble and perplexities of Mind have 
 hence arifen to well meaning People, but e- 
 fpecially thofe that are Hypocondriack in 
 their Tempers. I thought, therefore, tha£ 
 a plain Account of this might be of fome Ser- 
 vice, * 
 
 Q^ 2 Thera 
 
22$ 7he Eleventh Sermon, 
 
 There are many Sins againfb the Holy 
 Ghoft. Whofoever grieveth the Spirit, gy 
 quencheth the Spirit , both which Things St. 
 Faid cautions the Chriftians againft, finneth 
 againft the Holy Ghoft. Ananias and Sap- 
 phira, in the Lie they told St. Veter, are 
 (aid to lie againft the Holy Ghoft. St. Ste- 
 phen calls the ftubbornefs and difobedience 
 of the Jews to the Admonitions of the Pro- 
 phets a refifting the Holy Ghoft, and con- 
 fequently a Sin againft him. Simon Magits 
 his Sin, in offering to ptirchafe the Gft of 
 the Spirit with Money, was a Sin againft 
 the Holy Ghoft. 
 
 But none of thefe feem to be the Sin a- 
 gainft the Holy Ghoft , the Sin which, by 
 way of Eminence, we call fo, and of which 
 we are nov7 to treat. The not obferving 
 this Diftindion has given occafion to many 
 of thofe Notions, concerning this great Sin, 
 which have too often perplexed the Confcien- 
 ces of weak Perfons. 
 
 For the finding out what this Sin is, we 
 muft take the Scriptures for our Guide, and 
 them only , nay, we muft keep clofe to the 
 very Words and Phrafes, in which it is ther& 
 fpoken of, having alfo a fpecial regard to the 
 Occafion of thofe Speeches. 
 
 The negled of this is another Reafon, why 
 Men have been fo different, and fome of 
 them fo unlucky, in their Apprehenfions, 
 and Definitions of this Sin j running away 
 with this^ that the Sin is unpardonable, they 
 
 look- 
 
Tl?e Eleventh Sermon, 22 j 
 
 looked not much farther in the Scriptures for 
 the Nature of it, but prefently concluded 
 that that Sin that was the greateft, or to them 
 appeared fo, muft needs be it. 
 
 There is no Text, in the Epiftles of the 
 New Teflament, that doth in exprefs Words 
 mention it. And, as for the Evangeiifts, 
 there are three of them indeed that fpeak of 
 it, but each of them but once, and all of 
 them upon the fame Occalion. From thefe 
 Texts therefore we are wholly to take our 
 Meafures. Of thefe three Texts this that I 
 tiave read unto you is much the largeft and 
 fullefl:, and therefore I have pitched upon it, 
 and fliall now apply my felf to give an Ac- 
 count of it. 
 
 In fpeaking to it I Ihall endeavour thefe 
 five Things. 
 
 1. Firf}^ To give an Account of the Sin 
 here mentioned, which is exprelTed by two 
 Names, the Blafphemy againft the Holy 
 Ghofl, and the fpeaking againft the Holy 
 •Ghoft, which is Jiere faid (hall never be for- 
 given. 
 
 2 . Secondly^ To give an Account of the 
 leiler fort of Sins here mentioned, which arc 
 here put in Anaithefis or by way of Oppoii- 
 tion to the former ^ that is, in the former 
 Verfe all manner (AS^m and Elafphemy, and 
 in the latter more particularly, the fpeaking 
 a Word againft the Son of Man, which Sins 
 it is here faid fhall be forgiven unto Merip 
 
 0.5 ^.Thirdly, 
 
%i^o Tl^e Ele^^enth Sermon. 
 
 5. Thh'dly^ To ihew in whar Senfe it is 
 faid of the Biafphemy againft the Holy Ghoft, 
 that it jh/ill 7iever be forgiven in this JForlci, 
 nor in that which is to come, 
 
 4. Fourthly^ To examine, whether from 
 hence it may be concluded, that the Blafphe- 
 my againit the Holy Ghoft is a Sin abfoiute- 
 ly unpardonable. 
 
 5. Fif^/:?/y, To enquire, whether it is pof- 
 fiblc fox Chriftians to commit this Sin, and 
 likewife what Sins do moft nearly approach 
 to it. 
 
 An Account of thefe Particulars will be 
 fufficient, for the obferving moft of thofe 
 Difiicuitics that are ufuajly raifed upon this 
 Argument. 
 
 The Firft Thing I am to do is, to give an 
 Account of the great Sin here fpoken of in 
 the Text, which is that we call the Sin a- 
 gainft the Holy Ghoft. ' Now, to the clear- 
 ing of tiiis, the Terms, by which the Text 
 expreiTeth it, will not a little contribute. 
 We, in common Speech, call it the Sin a- 
 gainft the Holy Ghoft, but the Text doth 
 not ftile it by that general Name, but by a 
 much more particular one. Such a Name, 
 as inftrucTS us, to what particular kind or 
 rank of Sins we are to reduce it, that is to 
 iay, Blafphemy or fpeaking reproachful Words 
 figainfi another. It is very obfervable, that 
 it is no v>' here called the Sin againft the Holy 
 Ghoft, neither in this Text nor in either of the 
 two other Gofpeis, but always the Blafphemy 
 
 againft 
 
Tl^e Eleventh Sermon. 231 
 
 gainll: the Holy Ghoft, or fpeaking againfl 
 the Holy Ghort : The latter of which Terms 
 mean the very fni]e with the former j for 
 blafpheming is nothing elfe, but fpeaking a- 
 gaind another. It is true, in our Englijlj 
 Language, we make a difiperence between 
 Blafpheming and fpeaking of another, be- 
 caufe we appropriate Blafphemy to fuch 
 Words or evil Speeches as are fpoken ag iinfl 
 God ^ but the Scripture makes no difference. 
 To blafpheme is ufed, not only with refped 
 to God, but with refpe6l to other Perfons, 
 and Things alfo ^ and imports, neither more 
 nor lefs than Siander , Calumny or evil 
 Speeches, againfi: whatfoever or whomf )ever 
 they are fpoken. Thus, in the 8th Verfe of 
 the Epiftle of JiiJe, where we in EngliJJj 
 tranllate fpeaking evil of Dignities^ in the 
 Greek it is , blafpheming Dignities. And 
 two Verfes after, where our Tranflators ren- 
 der, Thefe Men fpeak evil of Things that 
 they knoTV not^ ip the Greek it is, Thefe Men 
 blafpheme Things^ that they know not.- And 
 thus St. Vaul^ in the 3d o^Titits and the 2d 
 Verfe, commands , that Chriftians fhouU 
 fpeak evil of no Man^ in the Greek it is, that 
 they fioiiU blafpherne 716 Man. Thus Kom. 
 3. where St. Vaiil faith of iiimfelf, that he 
 is fianderoitfy reported of \\\ the Greek it is, 
 that he is blafphemed. And tv\^enty other 
 Inflances there are of this kind. 
 
 Thus much then we have undeniably got, 
 towards the finding out the Sin againft the 
 
 a 4 ' f^o^y 
 
27 2 '^^ Eleventh Sermon] 
 
 Holy Ghofl : Namely, that it doth confift 
 in Blafphemy or Calumny, or flanderous 
 Words. That now, which remains to be 
 found out, is what kind of Blafphemy it is, 
 which is here called the Blafphemy again!); 
 the Holy Ghoft ^ or, of what kind of flan- 
 derous Words we are here to underfland the 
 Words fpoken of againft him. If we can 
 once come to a certain Knowledge of this, we 
 may be able to form a certain Notion of the 
 Sin againft the Holy Ghoft. 
 
 Now, for this, we muft have recourfe to 
 the Context, and, by well perufing that, 
 we fliall not fail of what we feek for. 
 
 The Occafion of thefe Words of our Savi- 
 our, in the Text, was this. It appears, by 
 the 2 2, 23, and 24 Ver. of this Chapter, 
 that our Saviour having caft forth a Devil 
 out of a Man that was both blind and dumb; 
 and made him perfedly to fee and fpeak, and 
 the People being amazed at this great Mira- 
 cle, and concluding from hence that Jefus 
 muft neqelTarily be the Meiliah, the Chrift, 
 the Son of David , The Pharifees, to put 
 them into another Belief, and fo to hinder 
 them from coming over to be his Difciples, 
 do malicioufly give out, that tho' Jefus did 
 caft out Devils, yet it was not by any Di- 
 vine Power, but meerly by the Power of 
 Pelzebub the Prince of the Devils. 
 
 What now faith our Saviour to this? Why 
 two Things. Firft, he endeavours to fhew 
 the groundlefnefs of their Slander or Calum- 
 ny j 
 
T/;e Ekl^enth Sermon. 
 
 ny 5 and, Secondly, To convince them of 
 the grievoufnefg of the Sin, and the great- 
 nefs of the Punifliment, they thereby drew 
 upon themfelves, in this fcandalizing his Mi- 
 jracles, and faying, they were done by the 
 foweroftheDeviL 
 
 The groundlefnefs of their Slander he 
 (hews, by offering three Reafons 6r Argu- 
 ments, which might convince any reafonablc 
 Man, and efpecially them, that his Miracles 
 could not be wrought by the help of the De- 
 vil, but by the Spirit of God. 
 
 TheFirflwas, Thatit was utterly againfl 
 the Interefl of the Devils Kingdom, to main- 
 tain and allow Divifions among themfelves, 
 or that one Devil fliould oppofe or ejed ano- 
 ther, (as, if they fud true of our Saviour, 
 they muft needs do,) for this was the ready 
 way 10 bring that Kingdom to defolation. 
 This is the Sum of the two next Verfes. 
 
 Secondly, They had no more Reafon to 
 fay he caft out Devils by Beelzebub, than 
 they had to fay the fame of feveral of their 
 own People or Difciples, who either did cad 
 out Devils, or pretended fo to do, in the 
 Name of the God of Abraham^ and of Ifaac\ 
 and of Jacob, Now, fince they caft no fuch 
 imputation of Magick or Sorcery upon them, 
 why Ihould they upon him ? This is the Sum 
 pf the two next Verfes. 
 
 But, Thirdly, which was a demonflrative 
 Argument, it appears plainly, both from the 
 Ddign of Chrift's Miracles, and the tenden- 
 cy 
 
 ^ll 
 
134 
 
 Tl^e Eleventh Sermon. 
 
 cy of his Dodrines, rhit he was fo far from 
 working theiH , by Collufion or Confede- 
 racy with the Devil, that, on the Contra- 
 ry, he was the greateft Enemy the Devil had. 
 Nay, that he was his Superiour and over- 
 came him, binding the ftrong Man, and 
 fpoiling hisHoule, doing all the Mifcbief 
 that was poilible to his Kingdom. This is 
 the Sum of the two Verfes before the Text. 
 And thus, having by thefe three Arguments 
 vindicated himfelf from their Slanders, he 
 comes in the fecond Place to teftilie againil 
 their Sin, and to warn them of the Punifii- 
 ment that attended it, in the Words of the 
 Text. Wherefore Ifij wito you^ nil manner 
 of Sin and Elafphemy jhall he forgiven unto 
 Man^ hut the Blafphemy of the Holy Gboft 
 jljall 71 Gt he forgiven unto Alan. As much 
 as to fay, (ince, from what I have f^id, it 
 appears fo evidently, that your Charge a- 
 gainft me is altogether groundlefs, and that 
 there is no Colour for your frying, that I 
 ca/i out Devils hy the help of the Devil -^ 
 Nay, you your felves are convinced, that 
 you (lander my Works, (for it is faid a little 
 before that Jefus knew their Thoughts ^ ) 
 and, if you would fpeak your Hearts, you 
 cannot but confefs, that they are true Mira- 
 cles, and done by the Spirit of God. I fiy, 
 fince this is your C:'.fe, pray think what a 
 grievous Crime you are guilty of, in thus 
 traducing and calumniating this good Spirit 
 of God, and calling him a Devil. JH other 
 
 Sins 
 
11)6 Eleventh Sermon, 
 
 Sins and Blafphemies fliall be forgiven unto 
 Men^ but this Bhfpherny of yours is of fo 
 horrible a Nature •, that whoever is guilcy of 
 it f jail never be forgiven^ but is in danger of 
 eternal Damnation^ as St. Mark exprelTetll 
 it. 
 
 Thus do the Words of the Text plainl)' 
 lye, with relation to the forgoing Words, 
 and, whoever will not violently rend one 
 part of our Saviours Difcourfe from another, 
 muft of neceflity put this Conftruulion upon 
 fheiu. So that there will be no need of ma- 
 ny Words to perfuade you that the Blafphe- 
 iTjy againft the Holy Ghoft, and the fpeak- 
 ing againft him here mentioned, was fpoken 
 wholly with relation to the Pharifees ^ and 
 that this Blafphemy, this fpeaking againil: the 
 Spirit, was neither more nor lefs than their 
 ailerting that our Saviour caft out Devils and 
 wrought his other Miracles by Beelzebub, or 
 thus, their ailerting that the Spirit, by which 
 he did thefe Works was an impure Spirit, 
 than which there cannot be a greater Blaf- 
 phemy of the Holy Ghoft, or worfe Words 
 fpoken againft him. 
 
 That this is the true, and only, Account 
 of the Blafphemy againfl the Holy Ghoft. If 
 what I have faid do not perfuade us, kt St. 
 Marks exprefs Affirmation do it. He, in the 
 parallel Text in the ^d of his Gofpsl, Ver. 
 38, 29. having fet down this PalTige of our 
 Saviour, That all other Sins and Blafphe- 
 mies [Imll be forgiven unt^o Men^ but he that 
 
 Maf. 
 
 2J5 
 
^y 
 
 7he Eleventh Sermon, 
 
 bUfphemeth againft the Holy Ghojl hath ne- 
 ver Forgivenefs, but is in dayiger of eternal 
 'Oainnatton^ \\\ the very next Verfe adds, as 
 the Reafon why our S?rv'iour hid f^ faid, be- 
 catife, faith he, the PharifeesfaiJ hehaJa?i 
 tmclean Spirit, 
 
 If any one ask, why fliould not this Ca- 
 lumny of the Pharifees be rather accounted 
 and (tiled a Biafphemy agsinft our Saviour, 
 than againft the Holy Ghoft, the Anfv^^er is 
 ealie to any one, that underflands the Scri- 
 pture Language, fjr there all Mir cles and 
 extraordinary Works, whether performed by 
 the Prophets, or by our Saviour, or by his 
 Apoftles, are conftantiy attributed to the 
 Holy Spirit, and accounted the Effects of 
 his Power and Operation, and therefore to 
 fay, that our Saviours Miracles were done 
 by the Devil, was moft properly an xAfFront 
 put upon the Holy Ghoft, by whom he 
 wrought them. 
 
 I know not what further to add, towards 
 the clearing of this Point, unlefs it be to take 
 notice of that PaiHige of our Saviour which 
 follows three or four Verfes after my Text, 
 v/here he is ftill upon the fame Subjed:. / 
 fay unto you, faith he, that every idle JVord^ 
 that Men jhaUfpeak, they fiall give an Ac- 
 eount thereof at the Day of Judgment, What 
 is here meant by an idle Word ? Is every 
 light and foolifli and unprofitable Speech, in 
 Converfation, that doth not tend to Edifica- 
 tion, an idle Word ? God forbid. For who 
 *»■'■'' '" \,^ 
 
The Eleventh SermonV 227 
 
 h there then that (hall not be called to Ac- 
 count } No, the idle Words here are falfe 
 and fcandalous Words. Juft as, to fwear 
 Vainly and idly, is the Scipture Term to ex- 
 prefs Swearing faJily. And the Tongue that 
 fpeaketh Vanity or Idlenefs, is the Tongue 
 that fpeaketh Lies : And feveral other In- 
 ftances there are, in Scripture, where the 
 Word is ufed in the fame Senfe. 
 
 This then feems to be our Saviours Senfe j 
 Verily I fay unto you, that for every Slan- 
 der or Calumny that ye vent againft any 
 Man, ye fhall be called to a fevere Account, 
 and, therefore, much more may ye expcd: 
 to be fo, when ye calumniate and flander the 
 Holy Ghoft, by afcribing his Works to Beel- 
 zebub. 
 
 But I proceed to the fecond Thing I am 
 to give an Account of in this Text, and that 
 is, what is meant by thofe other lelTer Sins, 
 that are here fet in oppofition to the Sin a- 
 gainfl the Holy Ghoft : And which it is faid 
 Ihall be forgiven unto Men, whereas the Sin 
 againft the Holy Ghoft fliall not. There are 
 in the firft Clafs in the Text expreifed gene- 
 rally all manner of Sin and Blafphemy, and, 
 in the latter Clafs, more particularly the 
 fpeaking a Word againft the Son of Man : 
 Thefe it is faid (hall be forgiven unto Men. 
 
 As for the firft ExprefTion, all manner of 
 Sin and Blafphettiy^ I muft confefs I like 
 their Account beft, who expound it not of 
 all kind af Sins indifcriminately, but of Sins 
 
 of 
 
2 J 8 The Eleventh Sermon, 
 
 of oneparticulrir fort, namely, facli Sins a^ 
 he was here reproving, that is to f ly. Sins 
 that ivere conmiitted againft others. So that 
 in this Senfe the Sins here, mentioned will be 
 much the fame Thing with the Biafphemies, 
 and the ail manner of Sin and Blafphe- 
 my will be no more than all manner of Af- 
 fronts and Slanders. This Interpretation 
 feems beft to fait with the fcope of the Place, 
 for our Saviour here is not difcourfino: of a- 
 ny Sins but Slander and Blafphemy. And 
 his Bufinefs is to Ihew, how much the Slan- 
 der and Blafphemy of the Holy Glioft doth 
 exceed all other Slanders. And it is Obfer- 
 vable, that in the Parallel Text of St. hiike^ 
 there is no mention of Sins but only of Blaf- 
 phemy. 
 
 And then, as for the leffer Clafs in the 
 Text, thefpeaking a Word a^ainji the Son of 
 Man, without doubt by the Son of Man we 
 are to underftand our Lord Jefus Chrifl, and 
 to fpeak a Word againfl him, will be to talk 
 flightingly and reproachfully of him j as cal- 
 ling him a Glutton or a Wine-bibber, as he 
 himfelf tells us feveral of the Jews did. So 
 that thefe Words are a new Propofition, and 
 exprefs a farther Senfe than the former Verfe 
 did : That is, to this Effect. I fay unto 
 you, that all manner of Slanders and Blaf- 
 phemy, wherewith Men flander others, Ihall 
 be forgiven them, but the Blafphemy againfl 
 the Holy Ghoft fhall not be forgiven them. 
 Nay I fiy further to you, whoever llanders 
 
Tlje Eleventh Sermon. 259 
 
 or fpeaks Evil of me, who am more than an 
 ordinary Fcrfon, a Prophet fent from God, 
 difparaging either my Perfon, or my Preach- 
 ings yet even this (hall be forgiven him. 
 But whoever fpeaks again ft the iMiracles that 
 I do, and faith they are done by the Power 
 of the Devil, this is fo horrid a Biafphemy, 
 that it ihall never be forgiven him either in 
 this World or in the other. 
 
 If any one ask, upon what Account it is 
 that the foeaking againft the Miracles of our 
 Saviour, is of fo heinous and damning a Na- 
 ture above all other Blafphemies , I anfwer, 
 there is great Pvcafon for it ^ becaufe the Mi- 
 racles that our Saviour wrought were the 
 principal Evidence that he gave, or could 
 give, of his being fent from God : And con- 
 fequently, the great Means for the convert- 
 ing the whole World to his Religion. And, 
 therefore, to fpeak againft them, and to at- 
 tribute them to the Power of the Devil, miift 
 needs be, as the mod fpiteful and malicious, 
 fo alf:) the mod mifchievous Biafphemy in 
 the World : Becaufe, it was the mod: effe- 
 dual way to hinder People from believing 
 on him, and confequently to defeat all Gods 
 gracious Ends, of bringing Men to Salvation 
 by the Gofpel, than which the Devil himfelf 
 cannot do a worfe Thing. 
 
 I pafs on to the third Difficulty in this 
 Text, which is the Importance of thatPhrafe, 
 neither in this World nor in the World to come. 
 Our 'Saviour is not content to fay, in the 
 
 former 
 
JXa ^^^ Eleventh Sermon] 
 
 former Verfe, that the Blafphemy againft 
 the Holy Ghoft (hall not be forgiven, but he 
 adds in the latter Verfe, that it fiall never he 
 fornven in this Worlds nor in the World to 
 come. Which Exprefiion fome of the Church 
 of Rome would fuborn, for the proving their 
 Dodrine of Purgatory j they would con- 
 clude, from hence, that a Man may in the 
 other World make Satisfadion for his Sins, 
 fo that they fhall then be forgiven him, tho' 
 they were not forgiven in tliis Life, but this 
 is without any Ground at all. All that our 
 Saviour defigns to exprefs is this, that this 
 Sin of the Blafphemy of the Holy Ghoft fhall 
 be grievoufly punifhed, both in this World 
 and in the other : And the Phrafe, by which 
 he exprelTeth it, was very well known and 
 familiar to thofe he fpoke to , it was a com- 
 mon and received Dodrine among the JeWs, 
 that, for fome Sins, a Man was pardoned 
 prefently upon his Repentance, that other 
 Sins were not pardoned, till the folemn Day 
 of Expiation, which came once a Year: 
 That other Sins, which were yet greater, 
 were not to be expiated but by fome grie* 
 vous temporal Afflidion. But all Sins (thofe 
 that could not be pardoned thefe Ways, ) 
 were yet expiated by Death, fuppofing the 
 Man was an Ifraelite \ the Life of an Ifrae- 
 lite was a fufficient Atonement for his Sin, 
 and no Ifraelice, but fuch a one as renoun- 
 ced his Faith, could be punifhed in the o- 
 ther World. To this Opinion of theirs 
 
 (which 
 
Tlje Eleventh Sermon. 24.1 
 
 (which is very common in their Books,) our 
 Saviour in this Exprefiion feems to have re- 
 Iped:, .as if he hsd faid, Flatter not your 
 felves with a Conceit, thit you Ifraelites 
 (hall have all your Sins purged cither in this 
 Life by your Sufferings, or at the fartheft 
 by your Death. No, I afTure you, this Blaf- 
 phemy and open ^^ffront that you put 
 upon the Spirit of God, is a Crime of fo 
 high a Nature, that it (hall not be expiated 
 either in this Life or at your Death j but 
 thofe, that are guilty of it, fhall have a mi- 
 ferable Portion, both in this World and that 
 which is to come. This feems to be the full 
 Importance of this Expreflion. 
 
 But there is a greater Difficulty behind, 
 which is that \ am to fpeak to in the fourth 
 Place, and that is^ whether, from what is 
 here faid concerning the Blafphemy againft 
 the. Holy Ghpft, it may be concluded that 
 that Sin -is abfolutely unpardonable, to all 
 Persons that are guilty of it. 
 
 I muft confefs this is an Enquiry more cu- 
 rious, than necelTary, fince which way foe^ 
 ver it be determined, it will not much con- 
 cern any of us, who cannot be fuppofed to 
 have finned the Sin [againft the Holy Ghoft, 
 or to be ordinarily capable of fo doing: How- 
 ever, for the giving further Satisfaction to 
 timorous and Hypocondriack Perfons, it will 
 not be amifs, if we fay fomcthing to this 
 Point : Leaving it, in the mean time, to e- 
 Vol. III. p. very 
 
24 i ^^^ Ele'Venth Sermon] 
 
 very Perfon to receive or rejed, as in his 
 difcretion he (hall fee Caiife. 
 
 It is the Opinion of feveral moft eminent 
 and learned Divines, that our Saviours Words 
 here are not to be taken in an abfolute. but 
 in a comparative Senfe *, that is to fay, that 
 when he fays, Al/ manner of Sin and Blaf- 
 phefny fijall be forgiven unto Men, but the 
 Bhifphemy again ft the Hoh Ghoft {hall not be 
 forgiven unto Men •, His Me^ninp; is no more, 
 than that all other Sins and Blafphemies (hal! 
 fooner be forgiven, than this Blafphemy a- 
 gainft the Holy Ghoft. For, fay they, if 
 his Words be to be taken in an abfolute 
 Senfe, without this Comparifon, then the 
 firft part of his Propofition is not true : For 
 it is certain, that all other Sins and Blafphe- 
 mies fhall not adually be forgiven, to all 
 Men : But fome (hall perifh in their Sins and 
 Blafphemies. They fiy therefore, that our 
 Saviour makes ufe of an Hebrew form of 
 Speech, which is very frequently to be met 
 with in the Scriptures, when the Difficulty 
 of a Thing coming to pafs is defigned to be 
 exprefTed by the Jewifh Authors. Thus 
 they will fay, fuch a Thing Ihall come to 
 pafs, but another Thing fhall not come to 
 pafs \ where it is not their defign, to afhrm 
 of the former Thing that it fhall really come 
 to nafs, but only to exprefs the much greater 
 Difficulty there is, that the latter Thing 
 (hould ever come to pafs. An Inftance we 
 have of this way of Expreflion, in the $th 
 
 Chap, 
 
77;e Eleventh Sermon, 245 
 
 Chapter of St. Mattb. where our Saviour 
 fays. Heaven and Earth ^hall pafs aivay^ but 
 my Words fiall never pafs away. Now cer- 
 tainly his Meaning there is not, that Hea- 
 ven and Earth fhould really pafs away, but 
 that they fhould fooner pafs away than his 
 Words fhould : And fo indeed St. Luke ex- 
 prelfeth it. So that, according to this Inter- 
 pretation of my Text ( which I muft con- 
 fefs I think the true one) it appears that our 
 Saviour doth not here fpeak either of the par- 
 donablenefs of fome Sins, or the iinpardona- 
 blenefs of others : But only, comparatively, 
 of the much greater Danger and Difficulty of 
 obtaining Pardon for the Blafphemy againfl 
 the Holy Ghoft, than for any other Blaf- 
 phemy. 
 
 But, if we are unwilling to take the Words 
 in this comparative Senfe, and think they 
 fhould rather be underftood pofitively and 
 abfoliitely, as they are expreffed, let us take 
 them fo : So let the Senfe of them be, that 
 all other Calumnies and Blafphemies may be 
 forgiven unto Men, but this particular Sin, 
 the Blafphemy againfl the Holy Ghofl fhali 
 never be forgiven unto Men. Yet Idelire it 
 may be obferved, in the firft Place, that it 
 will not follow from hence that there is any 
 Sin that fhall not be pardoned iipon repen- 
 tance. No ftill this v/ill be a true Propofi- 
 tion, namely, that there is no Sin fo great, 
 but, if the Sinner do fincerely repent, hs 
 may hope for Mercy at Gods Hands, And» 
 R 2 if 
 
244 '^^'^ Eleventh Sermon, 
 
 if he, that Is guilty of the Blafphemy againft 
 the Holy Ghoft, do not or Ihall not find 
 Mercy, it is purely becaufe he doth not, or 
 cannot, repent of it. That is to fay, when 
 a Man is come to fuch a high degree of Ma- 
 lice,and Impudence, and Obftinacy in finning, 
 that he dares affront the Holy Ghoft, by af- 
 cribing his Works to the Devil, it is juit in 
 God to deny that Perfon that Grace which 
 is neceiiary to his Repentance, and fo to his 
 Pardon 5 and to leave him irremediably in 
 the Condition he hath brought himfelf into. It 
 is, upon thisSuppofition of this only, that the 
 Sin againfi; the Holy Ghoft is unpardonable. 
 But this is the Cafe of many other Sinners, 
 befides thofe that have committed this Sin. 
 Many Perfons may have finned fo long, and 
 fo obfiinately, that God may have totally 
 forfaken them, before they die, and then it 
 is certain of thefe Perfons, tliat their Sins 
 Ihall never be forgiven, becaufe they fhall 
 never repent. 
 
 So that this unpardonablenefs of the Sin 
 againfi: the Holy Ghoft is no Bar, in the 
 leafi, to our exhorting and encouraging all 
 forts of Perfons to Repentance, even the 
 greateft Sinners. Nor any Bar to their Hopes 
 of Pardon,if they do repent ^ no more than the 
 
 * Guilt of any other grievous Sin Is. We may,for 
 all that, fafely promife Pardon to all true 
 Penitents, for all Sins whatfoever without 
 Exception, and, in the fame Degree, we can 
 perfuade them to repent, in the fame Degree, 
 
 we 
 
Tf:e Eleventh Sermon] 245 
 
 We may hope of them. Atharwfms his Words 
 do fitly come in, upon this Occafion. "God 
 " did not, faith he, fay to him that blaf- 
 " phemes and repents, it ftiall not be forgi- 
 " ven, but to him that Blafphemes and re- 
 " mains in his Blafphemy. For there is nof^/^^"'£' 
 " Sin that God will not pardon to them,72.p-i8j- 
 " that worthily repent. 
 
 But Secondly, I add this farther, that this 
 Saying of our Saviours, taking it in its rigo- 
 rous Senfe, doth not exclude all thofe, that 
 Sin againft the Holy Ghoft, from all pofli- 
 bility of Repentance, and therefore confe- 
 quently from all poffibility of obtaining Par- 
 don. For there are feveral degrees of Blaf- 
 phemy againft the Holy Ghoft. This Blaf- 
 phemy in fome Perfons, may be aggravated 
 with more Knowledge and VVilfulnefs and 
 Malice, than in others , and thefe others, 
 that Sin with lefs Knowledge, and lefs Ma- 
 lice, and lefs Wilfulnefs, are more capable 
 Objeds of God's Grace and Mercy and For- 
 givenefs. And, beiides, it is enough for the 
 verifying thefe kind of Threatnings, that 
 they fhali generally, and for the moft Part, 
 be inflided ; Tho' not always, and in all Ca- 
 fes, and on all Perfons. Thofe very Per- 
 fons, that our Saviour here chargeth with 
 the Sin againft the Holy Ghoft, and that af- 
 terwards Crucified him, yet thofe very Per- 
 fons our Saviour prays for, that their Sin 
 might be forgiven, and thofe very Perfons 
 St. Pd-i^*?;' afterwards preacheth to, and calleth 
 
 R 3 upon . 
 
246 T/;^ BieVenth Sermon. 
 
 upon them, to vvafli away their Sin by Bap- 
 tifm and Repentance. This is an Argument, 
 that the Cafe of all them was not ddperate, 
 but that fome of them might repent and be 
 forgiven. And one of the Fathers doubts 
 not to fay ( 1 think it is St. Amhrofe ) that 
 fome of thofe three Thoufand, that were con- 
 verted by St. Peter's firft Sermon, were of 
 thefe Pharifees that had been guilty of the 
 Blafphemy of the Holy Ghoft (See Mr. H. 
 
 There is nothing more poutively threat- 
 ned, in the New Teftament, than adual 
 Damnation to the unworthy receivers of the 
 Lords Supper, among the Corinthians, H0 
 that eatelh and drinketh unworthily^ faith St. 
 Vaid^ eateth and drinketh Damnation to him- 
 felf. Now, let us take Damnation here in 
 what Senfe we will, it will be very hard to 
 fay, that all thofe that did then eat or drink 
 unworthily, or have done fo at any time 
 fince, did or fliall actually incur that Punifh- 
 ment. God Almighty, " like all other Law- 
 givers, when he makes Laws and annexes 
 Punifhments to them, to deter from the 
 TranfgrefTion of them, doth not thereby fo 
 tye up his own Hands, but that he hath ftilj 
 the Power of granting Repentance, and upon 
 diat Pardon, as he fees caufe : And, in the 
 inidft of his Judgment, his Mercy will find 
 a Place, if the Sinner, by a monftrous de- 
 gree of Obftinacy, hath not made himfelf 
 uncapable of it» 
 
The Eleventh Sermon, 247 
 
 But enough upon this Head. Having 
 thus given an Account (or at lead endea- 
 voured it) of all the Difficulties in the Text, 
 that that remains is in the fifth and laft 
 Place to enquire, whether Chriftians at this 
 Day can be guilty of this Blafphemy againfl 
 the Holy Ghoft : And what thofe Sins are 
 that do moft nearly approach to it. 
 
 This Enquiry is the more needful, be- 
 caufe feveral Perfons, under the Power of 
 Melancholy, are apt to fancy that they are 
 guilty of this unpardonable Sin, tho', as it 
 may appear from what has been faid, with- 
 out any Reafon at all. I Ihall briefly com- 
 prife what I have to fay, upon this Head, 
 in thefe following Particulars. 
 
 Firft of all, if we take the Blafphemy a- 
 gainft the Holy Ghoft precifely as our Savi- 
 our here difcourfeth of it, it is impofTible that 
 any Man now living (hould be guilty of it j 
 becaufe no Man can be in thofe Circumftan- 
 ces, that they were, whom he here charges 
 it upon 5 they were Eye-witnelTes of his 
 Miracles, and fo had the greatefl Evidence 
 that was poflible of the Truth of them, and 
 yet attributed them to Sorcery and Witch- 
 craft. But now none, but thofe that lived 
 at that Time, were capable of blafpheming 
 in this manner. Secondly, It is impofTible 
 for one, that profelieth Chriftianity, fo long 
 as he profeiTeth it, to be guilty of the Blaf- 
 phemy againft the Holy Ghoft here fpoken 
 of. . I do not fpeak, as to the Circumftances 
 R 4 (for 
 
248 '37)e Eleventh Sermon, 
 
 (for as to thofe I jufl: now fpoke) but as ta 
 the kind of the Blafphemy, he cannot be 
 guihy of that kind of Blafphemy. For who 
 foever profefleth Chriftianity, let him be ne- 
 ver fo wicked other ways, yet he pretends 
 to beheve that it is the true Religion, and 
 that Chrift was a triie Prophet. And, if he 
 pretends or profeifes to believe fo, he cannoC 
 at the fame time give out, that Chriftvvas an 
 Importer, and wrought his Miracles by the 
 Power of the Devil, which, as I have ihew- 
 ed, is the only Blafphemy againft the Holy 
 Ghoft mentioned in the Gofpel. 
 
 Thirdly, If there be any Man among us, 
 that is convinced of the Truth of the Matter 
 of Fad concerning our Saviours Hiftory, that 
 believes there was fuch a Perfon as Jefus, 
 that he preached fuch a Dodrine, led fuch a 
 Life, wrought fuch Miracles, as he is re- 
 corded to have done, and yet, contrary to 
 his own Convidion, faith that this Jefus did 
 thefe extraordinary Works by the Power of 
 the Devil, fuch a Man hath blafphemed the 
 Holy Ghofl: in the fame Kind, tho* not with 
 the fame Circum fiances, that the Pharifees 
 did. Further, if any one do afcribe the 
 mighty Works, that were done by the Apo- 
 ftles, and the other firft Chriftians, by ver- 
 tue of tlie defcent of the Holy Spirit upon 
 them, which were as great and as convincing 
 as the Miracles our Saviour himfelf wrought, 
 1 fay, if any one do afcribe thofe to the De- 
 vil, being convinced of the Truth of the 
 
 Matter 
 
7he Eleventh Sermon. 
 
 Matter of Fad ^ fuch a one alfo blafphemes 
 the Holy Ghoft, in the fame Kind, tho' in 
 different Circumftances , as the Pharifees 
 did. 
 
 Fourthly, All Atheiftical Perfons, that 
 deny the Being of God or Providence, and 
 feoff at all Religion, and would make others 
 believe that it is ameer Cheat andlmpoflure • 
 tho' they are not guilry of the Sin againfl 
 the Holy Ghoft, becaufe they do not be- 
 lieve the Miracles of our Saviour, yet they 
 have (inned as much or more againft their 
 natural Light, and are guilty of as great, if 
 not greater, Blafphemy, than the Pharifees 
 were, namely, the Blafphemy againft God 
 the Father : And, confequently, their Sin 
 will be as unpardonable, or more unpardon- 
 ble, than theirs. 
 
 Fifthly, A total Apoftacy from the Chri- 
 ftian Religion, and going over to the Ene- 
 mies of it, is of all other Sins the neareft to 
 the Sin againft the Holy Ghoft : And may, 
 fumetimes, prove the very fame : And ac- 
 cordingly, as fevere Things are faid againft 
 this Sin, by the Apoftles, as are faid againft 
 the Blafphemy of the Holy Ghoft, by our 
 Saviour. 
 
 Sixthly, There are other Sins, which, 
 tho' they are not of fo horrid a Nature as 
 this I now mentioned, yet have in them a 
 natural tendency towards this great unpar- 
 donable Sin we are fpeaking of. And, there- 
 fore, every one, that has any regard to his 
 
 Soul, 
 
 ^4? 
 
IJO 
 
 Tl)e Eleventh Sermon, 
 
 Soul, ought more efpecially to beware of 
 them. Such are profane drolling upon Re- 
 ligion, turning into redicule the Holy Scri- 
 ptures, the matter of Faith : And Laftly in- 
 fidelity, and not believing and owning Chrift*s 
 Religion, notwirh (landing all the Evidence 
 we have of the Truth of it. Thefe, it is 
 true, are none of them directly Rlafphemies 
 againfl the Holy Ghoft, but they have fome 
 affinity with it : And a fad Account have 
 thofe Perfons, that are guilty of them, to 
 make at the Day of Judgment, unlefs they 
 prevent it by a timely Repentance. 
 
 But, Seventhly and Laftly, It appears 
 plfiinly, from the Account we have now gi- 
 ven, jchat thofe Sins, that do moft trouble 
 and aftiid the Confciences of Chriftians, as 
 taking them to be the Sin againft the Holy 
 Ghoft, 2VQ far from being what they take 
 them to be, nay, are of a quite different Na- 
 ture. The general Opinion, that People a- 
 mong us have, of the Sin agairift the Holy 
 Ghoft, is this, that it is any great wilful de- 
 liberate Sin, committed againft Confcience, 
 after a full Convidion, when the Spirit of 
 God in their Hearts teftified, that they ought 
 not to do this Wickednefs. All thefe kind 
 of Sins are indeed bad enough, and will as 
 certainly damn us, without Repentance, as 
 the Sin againft the Holy Ghoft. But yet, 
 it is plain, from the Account I h^ve given of 
 that Sin, that they are no ways a-kin to it : 
 But of a quite different Nature. For the 
 
 proper 
 
77;e Ekyenth Sermon. 
 
 proper Notion of that Sin, as I have often 
 faid, is the affirming our Saviours Miracles 
 to be Magical and Diabolical , which, it is 
 to be hoped, thofe^ that commit thefe deli- 
 berate Sins, are far from doing. There is 
 another Notion of thp §in againft the Holy 
 Ghoft, that obtains among fome, which is 
 far more unlikely than this I have mention- 
 ed j but, it is to be confelTed, that it is only 
 thofe, that are deeply aftlided with Hypo- 
 coildriack Melancholy, that do entertain it. 
 It is this, that wicked and atheiflical and 
 blafpemous Thoughts are the Sin againft the 
 fioly Ghoft ; But I would ask fuch, do they 
 encourage thefe Thoughts or no ? Do they 
 delight in them, or do they vent them as the 
 'fixed and fettled Sentiments of their Minds, 
 and that too deligningly and malicioufly } If 
 they do not (as I dare fay of all others thofe 
 that thus complain are leaft likely to do, ) 
 they may be aifured, that they are far from 
 having committed the Sin againft the Holy 
 Ghoft. Nay perhaps (as the Cafe may be) 
 from having committed any Sin at all. A- 
 nother Notion taken up, about the Sin a- 
 gainft the Holy Ghoft, by fome People, is, 
 that it is a not complying with the good No- 
 tions, that are fometimes made to their Souls, 
 by the Spirit of God. But there is no occa- 
 fion to give any further Anfwer. 
 ■' I have gone thro* all the Points I propofed 
 to difcourfe on, upon this Text. I have, 
 ijQ more to add, but that it WQuld pleafe 
 
 God, 
 
 2JI 
 
^^2 7be Eleventh Sermon. 
 
 God, who hath brought us to the know- 
 ledge of the Truth, to the behef of his Son, 
 and Ills Miracles and Dodrines, to eftabUih 
 and confirm us, every Day more and more, 
 in that Knowledge and Belief, that we may 
 n-^ver fall away from him, or affront the 
 Holy Spirit, nor ever diflionour his excellent 
 Religion with a loofe vitious unchriftian 
 Life. 
 
 This God of his Mercy grant ^ Scc. 
 
 SER^ 
 
25} 
 
 SERMON XII. 
 
 I COR. X. 31. 
 
 Whether therefore ye eat^ or drink^ or whatr 
 foever ye do^ do all to the Glory of God, 
 
 ^ir^Si^gg^H E doing ail our Adions to th© 
 P T p Glory of God is the great Duty, 
 ^ ^ and ought to be the great Bu(i- 
 
 W^W^^ nefs of our Lives \ and accord- 
 ingly, among all Sorts of Pretenders to Re- 
 ligion, there is nothing more talked of, than 
 that, and yet, perhaps, it is a Point that is 
 often mifunderftood. For which Reafon, I 
 (hall at this Time make it my Bufinefs, to 
 enquire into the true Notion and Importance 
 of this great Point, and to give fome Account 
 of thofe Cafes, that are ufually put about 
 it. 
 
 To do our Adions to the Glory of God, 
 is to do our Adions fo, as thai- God may be 
 glorified by them. Now, how that is to be 
 done, we may have a great deal , of Light, 
 from St. 'haul's Difcourfe in this Chapter. 
 He had fpent the greateft part of it, in re- 
 folving fome Cafes of Confcience, about eat- 
 
 ing 
 
254 *^^^ Twelfth Sermon. 
 
 ing thofe Things which had been offered in 
 Sacrifice to Idois ^ in what Cafes it was la\^- 
 ful to a Chriflian to eat of them, and in 
 what Cafes it was utterly unlawful : And a- 
 gain, when it was lawful, in what Cafes it 
 was convenient for a Man to ufe his Chri- 
 itian Liberty, and in what Cafes it was 
 convenient he fliould not ufe it, upon ac- 
 count oftheweaknefs of other Mens Confci- 
 ences. And the refult of all his Inftrudlions 
 and Advices concerning thefe Points is com- 
 prized in the Words of my Text, ah'd fhofe 
 that follow. Whether therefore ye eat or 
 driiik^ or whatever ye do^ do all to the Glory 
 of God. Give rio Ojjence neither to the Jew 
 "nor to the Gentile^ nor to the Church of God : 
 lE.ven asl pleafe Me?7 in all Things ^ not fe ek- 
 ing my own Profit^ but the Profit of many that 
 they may be faved. The Senfe of wliich 
 Words is plainly this. That whenever Chri- 
 ftians were invited to that fort of Feafls he 
 had been fpeakingof, and not only as to their 
 eating and drinking but in all the other Ani- 
 ons of their Life, the great Rule they were 
 to walk by, was this of doing Honour to 
 God, and advancing his Religion in the World. 
 And therefore let them have a care of giving 
 Offence or putting a itumbling Block before 
 any : Let them have a care of doing any 
 Adion that might difcourage the Brethren in 
 their Frofeflion of Chriftianity, or encourage 
 the Heathen to continue in their Idolatry ; 
 for all fuch Anions were a dilhonouring of 
 
 God, 
 
77?e Twelfth Sermon. 255 
 
 God 5 but let them endeavour all poflible 
 Ways by their Innocence and Vertue, and 
 their prudent and charitable Behaviour to a- 
 dorn the Dodrine of God in all Things, and 
 by that Means to recommend it to all about 
 them. 
 
 From hence now it appears pretty plain 
 that this Precept of glorifying God in our 
 Actions, or doing our Actions to the Glory 
 of God, hath this general Senfe and Meaning. 
 That we take care to live according to Chrifts 
 Religion, and that none of our Adions be 
 contradidlory to it, or call a Blemifli upon 
 it, and thereby hinder others either from 
 continuing in it or coming over to it. But 
 on the Contrary that we ufe our utmoft Di- 
 ligence to frame our Converfations in fuch a 
 way, as may both (hew us to be lincere con- 
 fcientious Chriftians our felves, and may 
 likewife tend to the Honour and Advance- 
 ment of Chriftianity in others. In 1 Word, 
 we then glorify God according to St. Faul 
 when we are as good as we can, and do as 
 much good as we can. 
 
 This I fay to me feems to be the true No- 
 tion of doing our Adlions to the Glory of 
 God, as would farther appear ifit was need- 
 ful to inffift on it both from feveral other 
 PafTages of Scripture, and likewife from the 
 reafon of the Thing. As for Scripture, I 
 will only take Notice of two Pafl^ges -^ one 
 is that of our Saviour in the 15 th ot St. John 
 the 8th Verfe, where he tells his Difciples, 
 
2c6 ^^^ Twelfth Sermon. 
 
 Uerehy is niy Father glorified that ye bear 
 much Fruit, foJJjall ye be my Bifciples, If 
 they had asked him this Queftion on pur- 
 pofe how or by what Means a Mm might 
 bring Glory to God, or do his Adions to the 
 Glory of God, he could not have given a 
 more dired Anfwer to fuch a Que (t ion than 
 he bath done in thefe Words. Hereby is my 
 Father glorifyed that ye bear much Fruit , as 
 much as to fay, the true way of glorifying 
 God is to abound m all the Fruits of a Holy 
 and Chridian Converfation. 
 
 The othtr Text I Ihall name is that of St. 
 Vaul, Phil. I. 8, 10, and 1 1 Verfes, I pray, 
 friith he, that your Love may abound more 
 and more, that ye may be fincere and without 
 Offence, being filled imth the Fruits ofRigh- 
 teoufnefs, which are by Chrifi Jefus unto the 
 Glory and Praife of God. Nothing can be 
 more plain from hence, than this, that we 
 then advance the Glory and Praife of God, 
 when our Love towards others does abound, 
 when we are fincere and without Offence, 
 being filled with the Fruits of Righteoufnefs, 
 which the Gofpel of Chrift obliges us to. 
 Nor is this only the Scripture Account of the 
 Thing, but the very Notion which Nature 
 and Reafon will fugged to us. For pray 
 what is the Glory of God if we go to the 
 very ftridnefs of the Expreflion, but the 
 manifeftation of himfelfto his Creatures, the 
 communicationof his Excellencies and Per- 
 fedions to others befides himfelf, to others 
 
 that 
 
77;e Twelfth Sermon. 257 
 
 that had no Being of themfelves, but were 
 made by Him. 
 
 This is the Glory of God, and therefore 
 by unavoidable Confequence it follows that 
 thefe Creatures, thefe Beings to which God 
 manifefts himfelf, to which he communicates 
 his Perfedions, do then glorify him, or do 
 their Anions to his Glory, when they live 
 fuitably to thofe Ends for which he created 
 them. That is when they live in obedience 
 to his Laws, and endeavour as much as they 
 can to make all their Fellow Creatures do fo 
 to. It is impoflible we fhould give any Glo- 
 ry to God in any other Senfe : For alafs we 
 can add nothing to him, we cannot in the lead 
 augment his infinite Happinefs and Perfedions 
 with all our Skill and Induftry. He would 
 from allEternity have been as great and as pow- 
 erful, and as wife, and as juft, and as holy as 
 he now is, tho' none of us had been in be- 
 ing. But fince it pleafed his infinite goodnefs 
 to create an innumerable Company of Beings 
 to partake of his Fulnefs and Happinefs and 
 Perfedions, as this Ad of his was Glory in 
 him, or to his Glory, or rendred him Glori- 
 ous •, fo in our living up to the Ends we were 
 made for in our being like God, and copying 
 out his Perfedions in our own Minds, in our 
 loving him and obeying him, and having the 
 fame univerfal Love and Kindnefs to all the 
 creation that God hath to us, in this I fty 
 confifts all the returns of Glory that we can 
 make to him, all the glorifying of him 
 Vol. III. S 01 
 
258 77;^ Twelfth Sermon. * 
 
 or fiievving forth his Glory that we are ca- 
 pable of. 
 
 It was his Glory that he made us and de- 
 figned us for excellent Purpofes, and we then 
 according to our Scantlings return Glory to 
 Hiai when we ferve thofe Purpofes he made 
 us for, by living religioufly our felves and 
 advancing his Religion all the ways we can 
 in the World. This I fay in the very Nature 
 of the Thing, is all the Notion we can have 
 of doing our Adions to God*s Glory , and 
 thus indeed it*was that our Saviour glorified 
 God while he was in this World, as he de- 
 clares in the 17th of St. John the 4th Verfe, 
 father (^ faith he) I have glorified thee upon 
 Earth \ and how was that ? Why he adds, / 
 have finijijed the Work thou gaveft me to 
 do. 
 
 Having thus explained my Text, and fix- 
 ed the Notion of doing all our Adions to the 
 Glory of God, that which I have now to do 
 is to make fome ufefal hiferances from what 
 has been faid, both with relation to our In- 
 ftrudion and our Pradice. And 
 
 Firft of all from hence we learn what the 
 Things are that are neceflary to be obferved 
 by every one that means to do all his Adions 
 to the Glory of God. 
 
 And they are two. Fir ft ^ That he doth 
 fo entirely devote hiinfeif to God as to make 
 his Service the great and principal Bufmefs 
 of his Life. For if the glorifying God con- 
 lifts in living up to the Ends of our Cre- 
 ation 
 
• Tl?e Tvpdfth Sermon. 259 
 
 atlon, and doing Him and His Religion the 
 beft Service we can poffibly ^ then it is cer- 
 tain no Man can gbrify God as be ought to 
 do, that doth not make this the main End, 
 or that hath any Interefts to piirfue that are 
 dearer to him than Religion and Vertue. I do 
 not lay it is necelTary in order to the obferving 
 the Precept of the Text, that a Man by e- 
 very Action that he doth Ihould intend and 
 defign the Glory of God, for I Ihall fhew by 
 and by that that is not required. But this I 
 fay is neceflary,that a Man fho.uld have fuch a 
 conftant Senfe of God and Religion upon his 
 Spirit, as that it fhali »iniiuence and govern 
 all the other Projeds of his Life. So that 
 he iliall always be in a Condition of truly 
 faying, I am Gods and not my own, I am 
 devoted to his Service, and the main Bufinefs 
 of my Life fliall be to approve my feif to 
 him, nor will 1 engage in any Delign that is 
 inconfiflent with this. 
 
 In the fecond Place, as a Man in order to 
 the doing his A6lions to the Glory of God, 
 mud thus honeflly fix his general Principles 
 and Defigns, fo will it be alfo necelli^ry that 
 he take care of his particular Adions. As 
 lead thus far, that he never do any Adion 
 that he knows is (inful or contradiclory to 
 the Laws of God. For indeed as the only 
 way we have of glorifying God is to keep his 
 Laws, fo the only way that v/e can difno- 
 nour him is by breaking them. i\nd there- 
 fore whatever a Man's Principles be, if he 
 S 2 confent 
 
2 do The Twelfth Sermon, 
 
 confent to the doing of any evil Thing, he is 
 fo far from glorifying God at that Time, that 
 as the Apoftle exprelleth it in the 2d of the 
 Roffi. By breaking his Laws he dijhoncurs 
 hi?rh But of this hkewife I fhall have occafion 
 to fpeak more by and by. hi the mean time 
 this I lay down, and 1 defire it may be re- 
 membred, that whoever takes care of the 
 two Things I have now mentioned, that is 
 to fay, fo fix the great Defign of his Life, 
 that he makes it his main Buiinefs to ferve 
 God, and hkewife fo orders his Adions that 
 he doth not thereby tranfgrefs any known 
 Law of God, fuch a Man cannot fiil of ob- 
 ferving the Precept in my Text of doing his 
 Adions to the glory of God. 
 
 The fecond Inference I draw from what 
 has been faid is this : If this Notion of glo- 
 rifying God which I have laid down be ad- 
 mitted, then there will be an eafy Solution 
 giv^en to fome Difficulties which have not a 
 little exercifed both the Wits of difputing 
 Men, and the Confciences of the Scrupulous. 
 There are three of this Nature which I fhall 
 briefly touch upon. 
 
 Firft of all it has been a great Queflion 
 whether a Man is not by vertue of this Pre- 
 cept bound fo to prefer the Glory of God be- 
 fore all other Conliderations, as to be well 
 contented and fatisfied even with his own 
 damnation, if that did really tend to Gods 
 Glory. For fay they if God's Glory be our 
 higheft End, then we ought to be well pleaf- 
 
 cd 
 
77;g Twelfth Sermon, z^i 
 
 ed with every thing that makes for that End, 
 and if our own Deitrudion do advance Gods 
 Glory, we have little Love to God if we be 
 not well contented he fhould deal fo with 
 us. 
 
 Thus foine very feraphical Men do talk. 
 But it is a very hard Dodrine, and yet wirh- 
 al very hard to be difputed againft : But the 
 Comfort is if the Notion that I have now 
 laid before you be true, there will need no 
 difputing againd it^ for it will of it felf fall 
 to the Ground ^ it will be an idle thing for 
 any Man to difpute fuch a Queftion, or to 
 trouble himfelf about an Anfwer to it. For 
 as I have fhewn, to endeavour the Glory of 
 God, and to endeavour our own Salvation, is 
 perfedly the fame Thing. There is no dif- 
 ference at all between them , and in the fame 
 Degree and by the fame Ways that we can 
 be faid to promote our Salvation, or to a- 
 void Deftrudions in the fame Degree and by 
 the fame Way we advance God's Glory. So 
 that were it not for the over-fruitfulnefs of 
 fome Mens Heads in framing Deltinclions 
 where there needs to be none, their could be 
 no competition at all between thefe two 
 Things, 
 
 The fecond Queftion that is ufually put 
 with reference to this Point, and which is 
 much like the former, is this. Whether a 
 Man be not fo purely to regard the Glory of 
 God in ail his Adions, as to have no Confi- 
 deration of him.felf or of any Benefit that he 
 S 3 Ihall 
 
26i Tl?e Twelfth Sermon. 
 
 fiiall receive by his Service of God , or if he 
 did ferve God with profped of being reward- 
 ed by him, whether is not this an Argument 
 of a felfifh mercenary Soul, one that is not 
 yet arrived to the Gofpel Spirit } 
 
 To thisQuefliion, as it is much of the fame 
 Nature with the former, the fame Anfwer 
 will ferve. We ought not to make any di- 
 ftindion between God*s Glory, and our own 
 Happinefs, as this Queftion fuppofeth. What 
 God hath joined together let no Man put a- 
 funder. To gloritie God and to work out 
 our own Salvation, as I have fliewed, is the 
 very fame Thing, only under a different 
 Confideration, by doing either of the Things 
 we do both of them. And therefore there 
 can be no Doubt that it is lawful and will be 
 . acceptable to God to defign or intend either 
 of them, fince by fo doing, if we go thro' the 
 Work, both of them will have their EfFed. 
 God hath fo contrived Things, that if I do 
 but love my felf heartily, and out of that 
 felf-love do endeavour ail the Ways I can to 
 promote my own future Happinefs. This 
 very felf-love and this endeavour to do my 
 felf good, ftiall be the moft effectual Way, nay 
 the only Way to prom.ote and advance hi? 
 Glory. And on the other fide, if it can be 
 fuppofed that I have no Concern for my felf, 
 but f.y all my Defigns and do all my Adions 
 purely out of refped to God, without any 
 confide ration of my own Intercfl, yet this 
 wiii effeduaily be m^H Lr my own good at 
 
 the 
 
The Twelfth Sermon, 263 
 
 the lafl \ for we then ferve our felves in the 
 higheft Degree we are capable \ vvhen we 
 love God as much as poflibly we can. 
 
 But that it is indeed very allowable in any 
 Chriftian to ferve God out of a Profped of 
 receiving Advantages to him felf thereby, can- 
 not in the lead be 'doubted : For if this be 
 not admitted what poilible Account can we 
 51 ve of the Method that God himfelf hath 
 thought ht to pitch upon for the bringing us 
 to Salvation \ the Way by which God hath 
 been pleafed to deal with Mankind is to pro- 
 pofe Rewards to them for the exciting them to 
 be obedient to his Laws , and to denounce 
 Punnifhments for deterring them from Sin , 
 and this isrhe great Defign of all his Reve- 
 lations, the main Bufinefs of the whole Scri- 
 ptures is authoritively to declare to us from 
 God, that if we will ferve him we lliall be 
 happy, but if not v/e fliall be miferable. 
 Now if it was not allowable for us to make 
 ufe of thefe Condderations as Motives to in- 
 cline us to that which is good, and Argu- 
 ments to fright us from that which is evil, 
 the Scriptures would be the moil empty 
 piece of- Pageantry in the World, and all the 
 Work we make with Encouragements, Pro- 
 mifes and Threatnings, would be a meer idle 
 Noife that (ignified nothing 
 
 Nay in the fecond Place, fo fir need we 
 
 be from fearing that our Religion is felfifh 
 
 upon this Account, that in the Praflice cf it 
 
 We look upon our Beilefit and Advantage, 
 
 S ^ that 
 
26a ^^^ Twelfth Sermon. 
 
 that I believe we may truly fiy that our Sa- 
 viour himfelf when he was here upon Earth 
 did in fome meafure ad upon the fame Prin- 
 ciple ^ for it is told us exprefly by St. Paid 
 in the I2tli of the /f^^. that Chrift himfelf 
 for, or in con/ideratio7i of the Joy that was 
 fet before hhn, (that is to fay the Rewards 
 that his human Nature fhould receive for 
 his Sufferings ) endured the Crofs d'^fpifing 
 the Shame, and is now for ever fet down at 
 the right Hand of God : And in the Chapter 
 before, where he is commemorating and ap- 
 plying the noble and great Adions of the Pa- 
 triarchs, and what mighty Tryals they un- 
 derwent, for the Caufe of God, he tells us 
 particularly, that thofe great Things they did 
 and fuffered, be caufe they had refpeEl to the 
 recompence of Reward. And therefore fure- 
 Jy that which the Apoflle allowed and com- 
 mended in them, will be no great Blemifh or 
 Difparagement to us, if we pradife it now. 
 But then Thirdly, let me add this farther up- 
 on this Head, Whoever is once heartily reli- 
 gious ( upon what Principle foever he be- 
 came fo) will not, cannot be of a ilavifh mer- 
 cenary Spirit : For he will not love himfelf 
 only but he will heartily love God too. He 
 will love God for himfelf, and he will love 
 Vertue and Goodnefs for its felf, becaufe he 
 is infinitely fatisfied that thefe Objeds are 
 lovely in themfelves, and that God hath 
 done the greatefl Kindnefs to Mankind that is 
 poflible in recommending them to Mans 
 
 Choice 
 
Jhe Twelfth Sermon, ". 265 
 Choice and Affections and Purfuit. So that 
 at the fame time that he loves himfelf he will 
 love God as well as himfelf, becaufe he 
 knows it is in the Nature of Things eternal- 
 ly impoflible for him to be any further hap- 
 py, than he hath a participation of God and 
 His Nature. And as for the Curiofity of 
 diflinguifhing whether it be precifely the love 
 of God, or the love of himfelf that puts him 
 upon doing good Adions, he will not trou- 
 ble himfelf about it. Nay if he Ihould be 
 fo critical as to examine himfelf concerning 
 this Point, it is impoflible he (hould be able 
 to difcover which, or to give any Anfwer to 
 the Queftion. For in his Conlideration the 
 Love and Service of God and hisownHappi- 
 are fo involved and wrapt up together that 
 ^he cannot make a Diftindion between them. 
 
 A third Queftion which is frequently put 
 upon the Occaiion of this Text is this. Whe- 
 ther in every Adion we do we ought not to 
 have a particular refped or attention to the 
 Glory of God in that Adion, becaufe it is 
 faid by the Apoftle, That whether ye eat or 
 ye drink ye nmjl do all to the Glory of God. 
 
 To this 1 eafily anfwer, from the Grounds 
 before laid down, it is not faid we muit 
 think of God's Glory in every Thing we do, 
 but that we muft do all our Adions to the 
 Glory of God. Now that is certainly done 
 as I faid before, when all our Converfition 
 is juft and honefl: and vertuous, and proceed 
 from a good Principle, and tends to the ho- 
 nour 
 
266 1^^^ Tivelfth Sermon, 
 
 nour of our Religion, but no way to the dif- 
 paragem ent a nd fcandal of it. This is to glo- 
 rify God and this only. 
 
 Taking nov/ this for granted, we may af- 
 furedly both eat and drink and do whatever 
 we do to tbeGlory of God, even at the fame 
 Time that we have no adual Thoughts of 
 this, but have quite other Conhderatipns in 
 our Heads , as for Inftance. 
 
 When we are a following our Employ- 
 ments and Callings , we dD glorify God in 
 thofe Inftances as far as fuch In fiances are ca- 
 pable of advancing God's Glory. If in our 
 Dealings with thofe that are concerned with 
 us, we do behave our felves fincerely and 
 uprightly and confcientioufly, tlio' yet we 
 have not at that Time when we are thus ma- 
 naging our Bufinefs, any diftind refped to 
 the giving Glory to God in what we do. 
 
 When we are at a Feaft, and fet down at 
 a Meal, we do truly give Glory to God in 
 that Adion, if our Difcourfe and Converfa- 
 tion be fober and modeft and agreeable to 
 the Chriflian Rules, and withal we do eat 
 and drink temperately fo as not to prejudice 
 our Health, or our Bufinefs, tho' we have 
 no other defign of Religion in our Heads at 
 that Time. 
 
 Thus again when we give iVlms we do fuf- 
 ficiently fecure the Glory of God by pitying 
 a poor Man , and relieving his Neceility, 
 tho' we have no other refred or coniidera- 
 ten. 
 
 And 
 
The Twelfth Sermon. 26^ 
 
 And thus in the hft Place, when we fet 
 pur felves to our religious Offices for inftance 
 to the exercife of Praver and Devotion, we 
 need not in the leaft doubt but that when 
 we approach to God with an honed Heart, 
 fenfible of our own Vilenefs, and of the 
 great Needs we ftand in of his Mercy and 
 Grace, and fo pray heartily to him for it, 
 tho' we defign nothing more hereby at this 
 Time than our own Benefit and the perfor- 
 mance of our Duty, yet this is a glorify- 
 ing God in this Adion as much as the Adion 
 will be'T. 
 
 And fo we may fay of all particular Acti- 
 ons of human Life, that are done as they 
 fhould be done ^ it is fufficient to entitle 
 them to the Honour of being done to God's 
 Glory if they be regularly done and purfu- 
 ant to the m lin Defign of our Religion ; 
 which is the fime Thing with the Glory of 
 God. 
 
 But if this will not fuisfy a fcrupulous 
 Perfon, ht us put a fimiliarCafe in another 
 Muter, which v/ill perhaps give fome Sa- 
 tisfadion, when the dry reafon of the Thing 
 will not. 
 
 The Chriftiati Life is often compared in 
 Scripture to a Journey ;, and v/ith grent Rea- 
 fon, (ince St. Pmd hath told us, that we are 
 all here in the State ofPilgrms and Travel- 
 lers^ and have no abiding continuing Citj, 
 but are feeking one to come. Taking now 
 the Chriilian Life under ' this Notion, here 
 
 comes 
 
2^^g 7he twelfth Sermon, 
 
 comes the Cafe. Is every Man that takes a 
 Journey bound at every Step he makes in his 
 Way to think of his Journeys End ? Muft he 
 be continually under a Neceffity of exerci- 
 iing his Thoughts, and Meditations upon the 
 great Defign for which he took that Journey, 
 or othervvife he cannot make any Progrefs in 
 it ? No certainly ^ as long as he travels on 
 and takes the right Path, and neither goes 
 backward, nor to the right Hand nor to the 
 left, tho' he may in his PalTage entertain him- 
 felf with feveral Thoughts and Fancies, tho' 
 he may have in his Mind twenty little bye 
 Defigns which have little relation to his main 
 Bufinefs : Yet I fay fo long as he purfues his 
 main Defign, and ftill goes forward in the 
 right Road, no Body living will deny that he 
 is every Day advancing in his Way, and will 
 at laft if he continues in this Courfe fafely 
 arrive at the Place whither he is bound. 
 
 The Cafe is juft the fame as to the Mat- 
 ter we are fpeaking of j the great End of the 
 Chriftian Pilgrimage is the Glory of God, or 
 which is all one, the Salvation of our Souls , 
 and we do not fail to ferve this End, and to 
 contribute to the attainment of it,fo long as we 
 travel in thofe Paths of righteoufnefs and vertue 
 which our Lord Jefus Chrift hath chalked 
 out to us 5 but whether in every Step of our 
 Chriftian Pilgrimage we do adually intend 
 this or intend it not, it is no great Matter fo 
 long as our main Defign is upon it, and we 
 20 on in the dired Road that leads to it. 
 "^ Bat 
 
The Twelfth Sermon, t^n 
 
 But let us leave thefe Queftions and come 
 to fome other Inferences from this Dodrine : 
 In the third Place, if this Account we have 
 given of glorifying God be true, if it be the 
 Glory of God that all Men fhould be good 
 and do good, and that we then fhew another 
 his Glory when we thus are and thus do 5 
 then it follows that we ought to believe that 
 God hath a Kindnefs for every one of us ; 
 and on the contrary it is a great derogation 
 from his Glory to think or teach that any of 
 us are in our original Creation defigned by 
 God to be miferable without refpeft to our 
 evil Adions. 
 
 I know it has often been faid, that it is as 
 much for the Glory of God that fome Be- 
 ings fhould from Eternity be appointed Vef- 
 fels of Wrath and Diilionour ( that is the 
 Objects of God's hatred and difpleafure) as 
 it is that others fhould be defigned VelTels of 
 Honour, and as fuch be made eternally hap- 
 py : Not for any good or evil that God did 
 forefee one would do more than the other, 
 but meerly becaufe He would have it fo : 
 For fay they, both thefe Things do equally 
 manifeft Gods infinite and abfolute Power 
 and Dominion and Sovereignty, and there- 
 fore they are both equally for his Glory. 
 
 But I widi thofe that talk at this rate 
 would a little better conlider the Notion of 
 God's Glory. Such a promifcuous indifcri- 
 minating Way of proceeding as this, may 
 well" enough become fome forts of Creatures 
 
 that 
 
27 o 77?^ Twelfth Sermon. 
 
 that would be arbitrary in all their Anions, 
 and have no Senfe of Law or Juftice. But 
 I am fure it can never fuit with the Nature 
 of the Holy Bleffed God, who is infinitely 
 Benign, and Juft, and Good , and who ne- 
 ver dealt nor will deal with his Creatures, 
 but in fuch a Way as they themfelves (hall 
 at laft when their Eyes are opened be fatif- 
 fied is righteous and fair and equal. It may 
 perhaps be the madnefs and infolence of fome 
 great difturbers of Mankind to make Wars 
 and create abundance of Miferies to poor 
 harm lefs Creatures, for no other C^ufe, but 
 to enlarge their Dominion, and advance 
 their Power and Grandeur : And this they 
 may account their Glory. But how infinite- 
 ly different is this kind of Glory from that 
 which God Almighty propofeth to Himfelf ? 
 It is not in his Nature to do any thing but 
 what is agreeable to the eternal Laws of Ju- 
 ftice and Reafon and Goodnefs, which are 
 effential to his own Mind, and as far as the 
 Scripture gives us an Account of Him, He ne- 
 ver did, nor doth, nor will ad in an arbitra- 
 ry Way with his Creatures : But his Govern- 
 ment of the World in all In fiances hath been 
 and ever will be managed by infinite Good- 
 nefs and Righteoufnefs, and therefore thefe 
 Opinions are heartily to be rejeded by all 
 that love God and are zealous for His Glory, 
 which do fuppofe that he hath made any 
 Creature on purpofe that that Creature fhould 
 be eternally miferable, or which do fuppofe 
 
 that 
 
The Tivelfth Sermon. 271 
 
 that he is the Caufe or the Author of Sin in 
 any, either of Mankind or Devils. 
 
 Alas, in common Senfe how can fuch a 
 Proceeding as this be for the Glory of God ? 
 We that are but poor precarious Beings, yet 
 fure we have many of us better Notions of 
 our own Glory than this comes to. Would 
 we take it for an Advancement of our Ho- 
 nour or Grandeur to tread upon a forry 
 Worm or other Animal that fhould come in 
 our Way, and fo dellroy its Being ? It is 
 true by this trampling on a Worm we fhew 
 what Power we have over that poor Worm : 
 Bur will any Man of Senfe think that we are 
 a whit the more glorious for doing fuch a 
 mighty Adion ? And if we poor filly Crea- 
 tures have fo much Senfe as to defpife a Man 
 that would think to augment his Glory in 
 treading upon a Worm : Can we with Pati- 
 ence endure to hear it of Almighty God, 
 who is a thoufand times more above us than 
 the greateft of Kings are above the meanefl 
 Worms ? I fay can we with Patience hear it 
 faid of God, that it is for his Glory to make 
 a poor Creature to deftroy him, or to tram- 
 ple upon any Being, and make it for ever mi- 
 ferable for this Reafon, that his Power and 
 Greatnefe and abfolute Dominion is hereby 
 the more magnitied and illuftrated ? But it 
 will be fiid, are there not fome Perfons that 
 ftiall be faved eternally, and others that (hall 
 perifli eternally, and this by God's Appoint- 
 ment ? And (ince every Thing that God doth 
 
 is 
 
lyi TI;e Tmlfth Sermon. 
 
 is for his Glory, is not God glorifyed as well 
 in the Damnation of the one Sort, as in the 
 Salvation of the other? To this I anfwer. 
 There is no doubt of it, God doth receive 
 Glory as well from his Inflidions and Pa- 
 nifliments, as from his Rewards : But this 
 is not in the leaft inconfiftent with that No- 
 tion of God's Glory that we have before laid 
 down, nor on the other Side, doth it give 
 the leaft Countenance to the Dodrine we are 
 now oppofing. The Thing will be very e- 
 vident by reprefcnting this Matter in another 
 Form, and fuch a one as we all well enough 
 underftand. 
 
 Let us fuppofe a Sovereign Prince in this 
 World, that hath all the Authority over his 
 Subjecls that a Man can have ^ it is in his 
 Power to reward or punilh, but when or 
 how he thinks fit. What now is the End of 
 this Power and Authority that is thus veiled 
 in him ? Is it to do what he pleafeth } Is it 
 to difpofe of the Lives and Fortunes of his 
 People in an arbitrary Way ? To prefer fome 
 to Honours and Dignities, and to decree o- 
 thers to Halters and Gibbets without any 
 Conlideration of the Merits or Demerits of 
 the Men ? No certainly, no Man living will 
 fay that the Princes Office was given him for 
 this End : His great Work is to govern his 
 People to the beft Advantage of them that it 
 is poflible. He is the Minijier of God to 
 them for their good^ as the Apoflle tells us 
 in the 1 5 th to the Romans. God hath made 
 
 him 
 
Tk Twelfth Sermon, ty^ 
 
 him an Inftrument for the doin^ the greatefl 
 good to thofe under his Charge that he is ca- 
 pabJe of doing, or they capable of receivings 
 but he is not an Inftrutnent of doing Mifchief 
 to the meaneft of thofe that belong to him. 
 
 Well now, this is his Duty, and this is his 
 Office, and by governing his People in this 
 Way and to this End, he doth in the bed 
 Manner that is pofiible confult his own Ho- 
 nour and Glory. But here comes the Cafe : 
 Some of his People are of fuch Tempers and 
 Manners that they will not fubmit to his Au- 
 thority, nor obey his Laws be they never fo 
 juft and reafonable : But do mod wicked 
 enormous Things againft all common Ho- 
 nefty and good Manners, and fuch Things 
 as if they be countenanced or encouraged, 
 will quite deftroy the Government, and with 
 it the Good of the People. Is it not now fit that 
 the Prince (hould punilh thefe People in pro- 
 portion to their Crimes, or doth this in the 
 leafl refled upon his Gaodnefs? No certainly 
 not in the leaft. His delire and his delign is 
 to make all his Subjeds as happy as may be : 
 But there are fome that will not be happy 
 under his Government, but will do a great 
 deal of Mifchief both to themfelves and to 
 all the refl of the Society Thofe therefore 
 he ought to make Exam pies of, and by fo do- 
 ing he is fo far from ading Arbitrarily, that 
 indeed he fhould injure his Subjeds and (hew 
 himfelf to be weak and unfit to govern, if 
 he did not thus exert his Power of avenging 
 Vol. III. T as 
 
274 '^^^ Twelfth Sermon] 
 
 as Well as in other Cafes he doth of reward- 
 ing. And it is as much for his Glory that 
 be puniiheth incorrigible Criminals that de- 
 fpife him and his Laws, as it is that he re- 
 wardeth. faithful and worthy Subjeds. And 
 yet the Glory in both thefe refpeds is the 
 fame , that is to fay, it is the Glory of the 
 Prince to do all the Good he can to his Sub- 
 jsds, and he cannot do that unlefs he dif- 
 courage and puniih the Impudence of wricked 
 Men, as well as incourage and reward thofe 
 that are good. 
 
 And this is the true State of the Cafe be^ 
 tween God i\lmighty and us , he doth not 
 in the leaft defign the Mifery or Hurt of any 
 of his Creatures. He meant well tons all, 
 as being the Father of us all, and would have 
 us all to be happy ^ and this is his Glory, 
 But if we will not obey his Laws, and fo 
 come to Happinefs, he will yet glorify him- 
 felf another Way (that is as the Sovereign 
 Ruler and Judge of the World) by punifhing 
 us after our Deferts. And even this is a 
 purfuance of his doing good to Mankind, 
 wherein as we have faid, his Glory doth 
 confift, becaufe without this adminiftration 
 of Affairs the good of Mankind could not be 
 fecured. 
 
 But Fourthly, another Inference I draw 
 from this Point is this. How much do they 
 difhonour God Almighty, and ad in contra- 
 didion to this Precept in my Text, of doing 
 all their Adions to his Glory, that either 
 
 think 
 
77;e Twelfth Sermon, 275 
 
 ihink to advance God's Glory by doin^ ill 
 Adions, or that colour over their ill Adions 
 with the fpecious Pretences of doing them 
 for God's Glory ? What can be an Affront 
 to God and his Glory, if both thefe be not 
 fo> 
 
 , God is then glorified, as we have often 
 faid, when we are good and do good, when 
 we live like Chriftians, and in all our Adions 
 have an awful regard to our Duty : But now 
 what can be more oppofite to this, than ei- 
 ther to break God's Laws with a defign to 
 glorify him thereby, or to pretend the glori- 
 fying of him when yet we are only carrying 
 on our own wicked Defigns? The latter indeed 
 of thefe is much the worfe of the two, but 
 yet they are both very bad, and yet as bad as 
 they are, God knows the Pradice of them 
 has been too common in all Ages , the World 
 by fad experience has found the EfFeds of 
 them. How many Men out of good De- 
 figns have done very evil Things ? Hence 
 come all the counterfeit Books for the ad- 
 vancement ( as the Contrivers of them in- 
 tended) of the true Religion : Hence come 
 the fabulous Miracles of Saints, and twenty 
 other pious Frauds, and religious Cheats, 
 (we may call them in Englijh^ under which 
 a great part ofChriftianity atthisDaygroan- 
 eth. 
 
 But of the latter fort ofHypocrify the In- 
 
 llances are innumerable. Nothing has been 
 
 more common than for Men to carry on their 
 
 T 2 cove- 
 
2y6 The Twelfth Sermon. 
 
 covetous or revengeful, or ambitious Defigns, 
 under the fpecious pretence of promoting 
 Religion, and advancing God's Glory. In- 
 deed nioft of the Wars, and Tumults, and 
 Rebellions, and Infurredions, and Confpira- 
 cies, and MaHacres that have happened iii 
 Chriftendom, have been begun and carried 
 on, and had their SuccelTes from thefe Pre- 
 tences. So that Luther was not much in 
 the wrong Vv'hen he faid, //; No?nifie Do?mni 
 incipit Gmne Malunu The greateft Mifchiefs 
 and Wickednefl^es come recommended to us 
 under the Name of Religion and the Glory 
 of God. 
 
 But oh how intolerable is all this kind of 
 Practice ! The word: Things that can be fpo- 
 ken againfl it are not bad enough. If a Man 
 would fet himfelf on purpofe to dilhonour 
 God and to bring a Scandal on his Religion, 
 1 do not know how he could do it more ef- 
 fectual iy, than thus to do unrighteous and 
 wicked Aclions for the fake or under a pre- 
 tence of Piety and Chriftianity. A Man 
 ought not to make the leall: falfe Step in 
 Morals, ought not to commit the leaft Sin 
 for the carrying on the beft Caufe in the 
 World. Be his Intentions never fo pure, be 
 the Glory of God and the advancement of 
 true Religion never fo much in his Eye, yet 
 ali this will not fandiify one evil Aftion, one 
 wilful Tranfgreffion of any Law of God, 
 and therefore much lefs will it fandifie Ra- 
 pine, and Thefts, and Sacriledge, and Mur^ 
 
 -der. 
 
71)6 Twelfth Sermon. 
 
 der, and Rebellion, and Treafon, and fucli 
 other infamous Crimes. 
 
 To conclude all. If we will truly do our 
 Adions to the Glory of God, let us in the 
 firft Place endeavour to poifefs our Minds 
 rnoH- tirmly with a Senfe of the Holin^fs, 
 and Kindnefs, and Benignity of the Divine 
 Nature , and acquaint our felves wholly 
 with the Purity, and Simplicity, and Good- 
 nefs of Lhrifl's Religion, and let us fo fir 
 confider thefe Things as to be heartily per- 
 fuaded we can never do any Honour or Glo- 
 ry to God, but by living up as ex^dlyas we 
 can to all his Laws, and doing all the Credit 
 and Reputation to his Gofpel that in our Sta- 
 tion we are capable of. And therefore let 
 us propofe it to our felves as the great De- 
 fign of our Li\'es to ferve God, and to be 
 good, and to do good , to be as exemplary 
 in our Lives, and as ufeful in our Generati- 
 ons as we can , but above all Things let us 
 fce infinitely careful that we never pretend 
 Religion to ferve a fecular Turn, nor ever 
 do an ill Adion for the promoting the belt 
 Defigns in the World. I fay let us do our 
 Endeavours to perform thefe Things, and to 
 our Endeavours let us add our conftant 
 Prayers to God, for his Grace and Spirit 
 to enable us to perform them. And then 
 I dare confidently pronounce whatever In- 
 firmities and Frailties we may be other- 
 wife attended with, we (hall live up to the 
 Ruk that is here given us by St. Paul, that 
 T 3 is 
 
 ^77 
 
Tf?e Twelfth Sermon. 
 
 Is to fay, Whether we eat or drink, or what- 
 foever we do, we jJjall do all to the Glory of 
 God. 
 
 To which God in three Perfons^ Fathei\ 
 Son, and Holy Ghoji, 6cCc 
 
 B E R^ 
 

 279 
 
 SERMON XIII. 
 
 R O M. XII. PartofthefecondVerfe. 
 
 Be ye transformed hy the renewing of y cur 
 Minds, 
 
 ri?l^ Defisn at this Time to treat of the 
 T Q Doftrine of Regeneration, atid to 
 ,^ fpeak to feme of thefe Queftions 
 wimi and Cafes upon this Subjedl, which 
 I have often found very well difpofed Per- 
 fons to be uneafy under, for want of a R.efo- 
 lution about them : For this Reafon I have 
 now pitched upon this Text. 
 
 And here in the entrance of my Difcourfe 
 it is fit I take notice, that the being tranf- 
 formed by the renewing of our Minds, which 
 is here fpoken of, tho' it be commonly un- 
 derftood to be the whole of Regeneration, 
 yet it is really but one part of it, tho' in- 
 deed it be the principal Part. 
 
 For Regeneration or the new Birth con- 
 (ifts of two Parts, an outward Baptifm, which 
 includes a Profeflion of Chrifi's Religion, 
 and an inward Sanctification or Holinefs of 
 Heart and Life. This is exprelly told us 
 T 4 both 
 
jSo TI-^ thirteenth Sermon, 
 
 both by our Saviour nnd by St. Vaiil. By our 
 Saviour in the 3d of St. JoJm ^ where he 
 tells Istcodermts firfl of all in general, That 
 except a Man he born a^a'in he cannot fee the 
 Kingdom of God. And in the next Words 
 he explains himfelf wherein this new Birth 
 doth more particularly confift ; Except a 
 Man^ faith he, he born of Water and of the 
 Spirit^ he cannot enter into the Kingdom of 
 Cod. So that to a Man's being; born again 
 there inufl go both the Baptifm of Water 
 and the renewing of the Spirit. 
 
 And exadly to the fame purpofe doth St. 
 Taid exprefs himfelf in the :5d of Titus 5. 
 God (faith he) accord'mg to his Mercies hath 
 faved lis^ not by Works of Right eoiifnefsy 
 ivbich ive have done^ hut by the wafhing of 
 Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy 
 Ghoft. The wafJjing of Regeneration^ there 
 is the outward Part of it. The re?iem}tg of 
 the Holy Gbrft \ there is the inward. 
 
 I wiihthofe that are ofFended at our Church 
 for teaching in her Offices, that Infants are 
 regenerated by Baptifm, would a httle more 
 have confidered of this. I am fureboth Scri- 
 pture and Antiquity fpeak in this Language. 
 
 T|ie Truth is, this Term of Regeneration 
 or the new Birth, hath fuch a refped to Bap- 
 tifm that it cannot be well underftood with- 
 out taking that in. 
 
 Our S'iviour no doubt took this Expreffi- 
 on frop the Jews as he did abundance of 
 others, and tha;. lyhich they meant by it was 
 
 pothing 
 
T/;e Thirteenth Sermon, 281 
 
 nothing elfe but a Man's becoming a Profe- 
 lire to their Rehgion, and being admitted 
 thereto by Baptifm. For Baptifm among 
 them as well as among us was the way of 
 receiving Frufehtes into the Church, tho* in- 
 deed to one fort ofProfehtes they made Cir- 
 cumcifion neceifary as well as Baptifm. And 
 whoever thus came over from Heathenifm 
 to the profefljon of the God of Ifrael, and 
 was thus admitted into the Jewifh Church, 
 I fay every fuch Perfon was faid to be recens 
 7jatiu, new born, or regenerate. Nor was 
 this only an empty Word among them, but 
 it had real Effeds, for they accounted a Pro- 
 felite to be to all intents and purpofes fo new 
 born, that they judged him from hencefor- 
 ward a perfect Stranger to all his natural 
 Relations, even to that degree that he might 
 lawfully marry with fuch Perfons, as before 
 his being a Profelite he could not, by rea- 
 fon of Confanguinity or Affinity contrad Ma- 
 trimony with. (See Dr. Light foot and o- 
 thers.) 
 
 Now we have great reafon to believe that 
 our Saviour ufed this Term in the Senfe 
 they did, and when he declares, that except 
 a Man he born again he cannot fee the Kinq^- 
 ilom of God^ that which he means to exprefs 
 hereby was the abfoJute neceiliry that there 
 is upon every one both Jew and Gentile to 
 become a Profelite, a Difciple of His, and as 
 fuch to be admitted into his Church, if he 
 raeant to §0 to Heaven. It ^nuft be owned 
 
 that 
 
^82 T^^ Thirteenth Sermon. 
 
 that our Saviour took more into his Notion 
 of Regeneration than the Jews did, for a- 
 iiiongft them an outward Baptifm, and an 
 outward Profeflion was fufficient to entitle a 
 Man to the Name of new born : But our 
 Saviour farther requires a Man's being born 
 of the Spirit as well as the being born of Wa- 
 ter, in order to his entring into the Kingdom 
 of Heaven , that is to fay, befldes the out- 
 ward Baptifm and the outward Profeflion, 
 there muft be an inward Principle of Vertue 
 and Hoiinefs wrought in the ProfelTor by 
 the Spirit of God : But yet this doth not 
 hinder but that both thefe Things may go 
 together, nay it is certain they will always 
 go together, unlefs a Man himfeifput a Bar 
 to it. For whoever hath the outward Rege- 
 neration of Baptifm will aifo have the inward 
 Regeneration of the Spirit, if he be not falfe 
 to God and himfelf. God's Spirit doth al- 
 ways accompany God's Ordinances , and 
 therefore I think it dangerous to feparate the 
 outward Regeneration from the inward. 
 
 But it is not the outward part of Regene- 
 ration that I am now concerned with, tho' I 
 wilh that feveral of theSeds among us would 
 a little more concern themfelves with it. It 
 is the inv/ard Part of it I am now to treat of j 
 that which the Apoftle in my Text very fjg- 
 niiicantly exprefTes by the being transforfned 
 hy the renewing of guy Minds. Now the 
 tnquir)^ here is what the Apoftle means by 
 this Expreffion. Why for that you cannot 
 
Tl)e Thirteenth Sermon, 283 
 
 be at a lofs, if you pleafe to look at the fore- 
 going Words, to which thefe are put by way 
 of Antithefis. This Verfe,ot which my Text 
 is a Fart, begins thus. Be not conformed to 
 this Worlds hut he ye transformed by the re- 
 newing of your Minds, ISfow if we know 
 what conformity to the World is here for- 
 bidden, we may certainly know what tranf- 
 formation or renewal of our Minds is here 
 required. 
 
 As for the conformity to the World that is 
 here forbidden, I believe no Body thinks 
 there is any more intended by this Prohibiti- 
 on than only a finful Compliance with the 
 Cuftoms of the World; a framing of our 
 Lives and Manners after the impious Pradi- 
 fes and Examples that we fee frequently re- 
 prefented before us , an indulging our felves 
 in fuch bad Courfes as the Men of the World 
 do too often give themfelves Liberty in. 
 
 Taking now this to be the true Nation of 
 being conformed to the World, then the be- 
 ing transformed by the renewing of ourMliids, 
 which is put in oppoiition to it, mult denote 
 our being aded with more Heavenly and Di- 
 vine Principles, and framing our Converfati- 
 on in fuch a Way as is fuitable to the Profef- 
 lion of Chriftianity, which we have taken 
 upon our felves : It mufl denote fuch an ho- 
 ly Difpofition and Frame of Soul, as doth ef- 
 fedually produce a Conformity of all the out- 
 ward Adions to the Laws of the Gofpcl, to 
 which the Law of Sin and the Courfe of the 
 World is oppoiite. St. 
 
The TInrtmith Sermon. 
 
 St. Peter hath moft fully exprelTed both 
 thefe parts of St. Paitl's Exhortation in the 
 14th and 15th Verfes of the ift Chap, of 
 his ift. Ep. As obedient Children (faith he) 
 not fajhioning your felves according to the 
 former Lit ft s in jour Ignorance'^ (there is the 
 being not conformed to the World) but as 
 he that hath called joit is holy, fo be ye ho- 
 ly in all manner of Converfation. (There is 
 the being transformed by the renewing of 
 our Minds.) This I fay is the full Impor- 
 tance of St. PauW Expreffion in my Text ^ 
 as it is alfo all that is meant by the other 
 ExpreiTions we meet with in Scripture of 
 this kind, fuch as the new Creature^ the be- 
 ing born of God, the being led by the Spirit, 
 the being created after the [mage of God ^ the 
 putting on the new Man, and the like : All 
 thefe Expreflions and whatever others you 
 meet with in the New Teftament of the 
 fame Sort can lignitie no more than this, 
 that to your Baptifm and Belief and Profefli- 
 on of Chrift's Religion you add a fober righ- 
 teous and godly Converfation : And this out 
 of an honeft fmcere and holy Principle. 
 
 Having thus given an Account in general 
 of the fpiritual Regeneration, I now proceed 
 to anfwer fume Queftions, and refolve fome 
 Cafes that are uiually put about it. In fpeak- 
 ing to which we (hall be let into farther 
 Light as to molt of thofe Points that concern 
 this Argument. 
 
 The 
 
The Thirteenth Sermon, 285; 
 
 The Queftions that I fhall treat of are 
 thefe Four. 
 
 1. Whether Regeneration be not fj entire- 
 ly the Work of God's Spirit upon a Man's 
 Mind, as that he himfelf is perfedly paflive 
 in it, and can do nothing at all either as to 
 the forwarding or hindring of it in himfelf. 
 
 2. Whether any Man can be truly, that 
 is, inwardly regenerate, that hath not fome- 
 time of his Life experienced in himfelf a real 
 Change or Transformation, as it is here cal- 
 led, of his own Mind from bad to good. 
 
 3. Whether this Change be not alway per- 
 formed fo perceptibly, as that the Man him- 
 felf can give a particular Account both of the 
 Time when, and the Manner how, it was 
 wrought in hioi. 
 
 4. What are the Marks or Characters by 
 which a Man may be able to judge of his 
 own Regeneration, and what we are to think 
 of thofe numerous Marks that are common- 
 ly given in this Matter. 
 
 I begin with the Firfl, Whether Regene- 
 ration be not fo entirely the Work of God's 
 Spirit upon a Man's Mind, as that he him- 
 felf is perfedly paflive in it, and can do no- 
 thing at all either as to the hindring or for- 
 warding of it. 
 
 I fhould not have thought of moving this 
 Queftion, did not the Refolution of it very 
 much concern our Practice, tho' at the firll 
 Sight it looks like a Point of Speculation. 
 For if a Man can contribute tiothing at all to 
 
 the 
 
2^6 Tl)e Thirteenth Sermon) 
 
 the renovation of his own Mind, to what 
 purpofe fhould we imploy any Thoughts or 
 ufe any Endeavours about it, and what hath 
 a carnal wicked Man to do, but to wait for 
 the good Hour, when God (hall touch his 
 Heart in a powerful irrefiftible Way, and 
 then the Work will be done to his Hands. 
 To this Qaeftion therefore I give this An- 
 fwer. That as to the firft Part of it it is true,, 
 namely, the producing in a Man that holy 
 Divine frame of Soul, which is necefTary to 
 denominate him a regenerate Man, is entire- 
 ly the Work of God's Spirit. Nor can any 
 of the highefl: and mod glorious Angels in 
 Heaven work fuch a Cure upon the meaneft 
 Soul of the lapfed Sons of Adam, as this a- 
 mounts to. It is only the Spirit of the Lord 
 Jefus Chrift that can renew the linage of 
 God in fillen Man. 
 
 But then though this be true, it is to be 
 remembred that God always a6ts with Men 
 in a Way fuitable to their own Natures, and 
 he having made them free Agents capable of 
 chufing or refafing, he always deals with 
 them as fuch. And therefore it is in their 
 Power either to accept and cherifh God's 
 Grace when he offers it, and then it fhall 
 have its EfFeds, or to refufe and defpife it, 
 and then to be fure it wUl be loft upon them : 
 They will receive the Grace of God in vain^ 
 as the Apoftle expreffeth it. So that I make 
 no Scruple of faying, that tho* Regeneration 
 or the renewing of our Minds be wholly the 
 
 Work 
 
Tlye Ihtrteenth Sermon* 187 
 
 Work of God's Spirit, yet it is in a Man*s 
 Power either to hinder or to forward that 
 Work in himfelf. Nay I do not doubt but 
 that all the Chriftian Profeflors among us5how 
 bad foever they be, would be made partakers 
 of the renev/ing of the Holy Ghoft, as well 
 as they are of the regeneration of Baptifm, 
 did not they themfelves put a Bar to it, by 
 the obflinate ReQftance of the Motions of 
 God's Spirit within them, and the negled of 
 the Means that he vouchfifes them for Grace 
 and Salvation. As therefore on one Side e- 
 very Man that finds this happy Work 
 wrought in him,ought moft humbly to thank 
 God for it, and to afcribe it all to his free 
 Grace and Mercy : So on the other Side, it 
 will concern every Man that is yet in a State 
 of Sin and Wickednefs, to ufe all Endeavours 
 imaginable to get out of it as foon as he can ; 
 and in Order thereto, to call earneftly upon 
 God for his Grace, and as he beftows it ( as 
 he certainly will upon earnefl Prayers ) to 
 clofe with it, and incourage it as much as is 
 pofhble : Otherwife there is little probability 
 that ever he fhould become a Convert to Ver- 
 tue and Holinefs. 
 
 Well ! But it will be faid, how can this 
 confift with the Scripture Account of this 
 Matter ? Is not every Man in his naturai E- 
 ftate reprefented there as dead in Trefpaffes 
 and Sins ? And is not Regeneration the in- 
 fufing a new Nature into a Man, and making 
 him a new Creature ? Now would it not be 
 
 abfurd 
 
88 The Tloirteenth Sermon. 
 
 abfurd to fay that a dead Man can do any 
 thing towards the railing himfelf to Life, or 
 that a Creature can do any thing towards the 
 new forming and creating of hniifelf? 1 an- 
 fwer, that as abfurd as it feems,yet it is the very 
 Language of Scripture. Doth not God call 
 upon IJrael in the 1 8th of E^eL :5 1. to make 
 themfelves a new Heart, and a new Spirit r^ 
 Doth not St. Faid in the 5th of the Eph. 14. 
 fpeak to Sinners in thefe Terms, Awake thou 
 that Jlstipejl and rife from the dead, and 
 Chrijt [hall give thee Life .<? Nay doth he 
 not in this very Text lay it before the Ro- 
 man Chriftians as a Duty incumbent upon 
 them, and as the Matter of his particular Re- 
 quefl to them, that they would not be con- 
 formed to this World, but that they would 
 be transformed by the renewing of their 
 Minds ? What means all this if Men were 
 iTieer Stocks and Stones, and muft be per- 
 fedly paflive in this Bufinefs ? No , alfu- 
 redly, tho' it be God that creates the new 
 Heart, tho' it be Chrift that gives the Life, 
 and tho' it be the Spirit that transforms the 
 Mind, yet the Man himfelf hath fomething' 
 to do in this Work. 
 
 The Truth is, it is the mifunder (landing 
 thefe Phrafes of Scripture, and (training them 
 farther than they were intended, that is the 
 Occafion of all thefe Miftakes about Regene- 
 ration. They will take the Term of Rege- 
 neration, or the new Birth, or the new Crea- 
 ture in a literal Senfe , whereas thefe Words 
 
 ought 
 
The TInrteenth Sermon, 
 ought only to be unclerllood figuratively, that 
 is to fay, we are not to imagine that for the 
 producing thefe Effcds which thefe Words 
 import, there is a new Soul, or a new Mind, 
 or a new Nature created in a Man, by the 
 Spirit of God, which is the literal way of 
 under (landing thefe Words : But only thus, 
 that the fime Soul which before had a viti- 
 ous Inclination, is now by the Grace of God 
 vertuoufly difpofed j that the fame Mind 
 which was before ignorant of the Things of 
 God, and utterly averfe to them, is now en- 
 lightned to a better Underftanding of them, 
 and doth more love and delight in them than 
 it did before ^ the Nature in the Regenerate 
 and Unregenerate is the fame j that is to fay, 
 it is the fame human Nature that is com- 
 mon to all Men , but only in the one it is 
 very much corrupted and depraved, in the 
 other it is amended, and reitored in fome 
 meafure to its true Perfedion and Liber- 
 Thus again when the Scripture faith, tba^ 
 we are all dead in Trefpajfes and Sins, and 
 that God by Chr'ijl hath quichied us and ere- 
 ated us again to good Works, Thefe Words 
 are not to be ftridly underflood, but only 
 metaphorically \ here is neither a proper 
 Death, nor a proper Qjjickning, nor lafl of 
 all a proper Creation ^ but ail that is meant 
 by thefe Terms is this, that Mankind thro' 
 their original Degeneracy and the evil Exam- 
 ples they faw before them, were gone fo fif 
 Vol. III. U in 
 
 2 op 
 
ipo Tl^e Thirteenth Sermon, 
 
 in a Courfe of Sin, that there was no hu- 
 man Means left by which it was poflible to 
 gain them over to Holinefs and Vertue. But 
 God by fending his Son, and giving them 
 the powerful Arguments of the Gofpel, and 
 afliftance of the Holy Spirit, to fet home 
 thofe Arguments, did that which by the 
 ftrength of Nature alone could not be done. 
 
 But enough of this Head •, only let me 
 tell you this before I leave it, that if we will 
 needs interpret fuch Phrafes and Words as 
 thefe, in a grofs literal Senfe, we fliall en- 
 tangle our felves in as many Difficulties as the 
 Papifi:s have brought themfelves into, by li- 
 terally conftruing our Saviours Words ^ this 
 is 7ny Body, to the purpofe of their Dodvine 
 of Tranfubftantiation. 
 
 The fecond Qjjeftian I am to treat of is 
 this : Whether fuch a Transformation by 
 the renewing of our Minds, as the Text 
 feemeth to imply, that is a fenlible Change 
 from bad to good, be necelFary to every Per- 
 fon. Or whether fome may not be truly in 
 the regenerate State, tho' they never experi- 
 enced fuch a Change or Transformation in 
 themfelves. 
 
 This Qiieftion might indeed receive its 
 Anfwer from what has been already fiid, a- 
 bout the Notion of Regeneration in general, 
 but however I will fpeak fomething more to 
 it, becaufe it is a Point that hath troubled 
 fome very good Perfons. They know by the 
 Scriptures that Regeneration is abfolutely ne- 
 
 celfary 
 
Tl)e Thirteenth Sermon, 2^\ 
 
 Ceflfary to Salvation. They know that ex- 
 cept a Man be born again, be created anew, 
 be transformed by the renewing of his Mind, 
 he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. 
 And they likewife fo underftand thefe Ex- 
 predions, that in their Opinion they muft at 
 leaft import a very great Change in a Man's 
 Mind, and in his Adions. But now m whan 
 a Condition are they ? For they have never 
 found fuch a Change in themfelves, they 
 have been always much in the fame frame 
 and temper of Mind that they are now in, 
 they thank God they have ever had a hearty 
 Senfe of Religion, and they have endeavour- 
 ed to ferve God in that way of Chriftianity 
 which they have been educated in with great 
 fincerity, and God in Mercy hath preferved 
 them from all great and open Violations of 
 their baptifmal Covenant. But flill where is 
 their Regeneration ? For they are but now, 
 what they have always been. 
 
 But to this Scruple of theirs we eafily an- 
 fwer 5 if a Man find in himfelf all the Ef- 
 feds of Regeneration, it is no great matter 
 whether they were wrought in him with a 
 fenlible change of his Mind or Manners, or 
 without one. 
 
 The great Bufinefs here to be confidered is 
 the State of Man's Soul. If that be aded 
 with holy Principles, and thofe Principles 
 fhew themfelves in a conflant courfe of ver- 
 tuoys Adions, which is that which we call 
 the Effeds of regenerating Grace, or the 
 U 2 State 
 
29 i 7/;^ Thirteenth Sermon, 
 
 State of Regeneration it is enough *, the Man 
 m^y fatisfie himfelf he is truly regenerate. 
 But as for the Manner how he came into 
 this State, or whether ever he was in a dif- 
 ferent Condition before, and fo underwent a 
 great Change before he was brought to this, 
 this is but a Circumllance of the Bufinefs, 
 and needs not to be much regarded. 
 
 It mufl be acknowledc'ed that at the Time 
 when our Saviour and his Apoftles ufed thefe 
 Words, they did import a remarkable Change 
 in the Perfon to whom they were to be ap- 
 plied, fuch a Change as every one might be 
 fenlible of: And the Reafon is this. Chri- 
 flianity was then a new Religion, and all the 
 World was to be converted to it, and none 
 were then capable of being converted by the 
 Apoflles Preaching, but thofe that were come 
 to Years of difcretion, and the very Notion 
 of their Converfion was an adual renoun- 
 cing of their former Religion, together with 
 all their wicked and idolatrous Pradices they 
 had Hved in, and giving themfelves up en- 
 tirely to the Difcipline and Condud of our 
 Lord Jefus. Now I fay none could thus 
 forfake one Religion and go over to another, 
 and leave fuch Prartices and Cuftoms which 
 they were bred up in, and form their Con- 
 verfation after a new and a ftrider Way, but 
 they muft needs be fenlible of a great Change 
 both in their Principles and in their Lives. 
 And this is one great Reafon why the Chri- 
 ftian State of Life is defcribed in fuch Terms 
 
 as 
 
T(?e Thirteenth Sermon. 20} 
 
 as Converfion, Transformation, the new 
 Creature, and the like. 
 
 But now that Chriftianity is become the 
 Religion of Kingdoms and Nations, and all 
 Perfons are baptized into it in their Infancy j 
 the Cafe is quite different. For having by 
 this means the Advantasre of a Cliriflian Edu- 
 cation, the Principles of that Religion will 
 by degrees be (o inftilled into us, that when 
 we come of Age to choofc for ourfelves, we 
 fiiall without any Violence or Difficulty em- 
 brace the Doclrine of that Religion rather 
 than any other : And it will be unnatural 
 and a Violence to be of any other Religion. 
 And confidering further that the Grace of the 
 Holy Spirit duth conftantly go along with 
 outward Ordinances, we cannot doubt but a- 
 bundance of Perfons are fandifyed from their 
 Infancy, and as they have embraced the Gof- 
 pel from the Beginning, fo have their Man- 
 ners been fuitable to it from the Beginning 
 likewife. 
 
 Thus I fay it often happens to Perfons a- 
 inong us, tho' it could not be fo when the 
 Apoftles of Chrift firft preached the Dodrine 
 of Regeneration : Many of us are holy and 
 regenerate from our Childhood, we were 
 confecrated to God in the Infancy of our 
 Lives, and as we grew up the Grace of God 
 was not wanting, thro* the Means of a reli- 
 gious Education, to fow the Seeds of all Ver- 
 tue and Holinefs in our Souls : And flill as 
 we .farther grew in Years, ■ thofe Seeds came 
 U 5 more 
 
294 '^^ Thirteenth Sermon] 
 
 more and more to perfe6lion : So that when 
 we came to be Men and Women, we found 
 our felves without any feniible Change from 
 bad to good, to have a prevailing Indination 
 to that which is good, and to bring forth all 
 the Fruits of the Spirit in our Converfation. 
 Now in this Cafe here is all that which is 
 meant by Regeneration, tho' we have no No- 
 tice when or how we came into this State 
 and Condition. Nay indeed, here is Rege- 
 neration in that mofl proper and full Senfe 
 of the Word, as I before gave an Account of 
 it 5 for here is both the outward Regenerati- 
 on of Baptifm, and the inward Regeneration 
 of the Spirit going along with it. 
 
 But then this, as I have faid, holds only, as to 
 thofePerfons among us that have always lived 
 vertuoufly and innocently, and have never 
 foully departed from their baptifmal Vow. As 
 for thofe that either thro* the Occafion of a 
 bad Education, or by the abufing a good one, 
 have engaged themfelves in vitious ■ Courfes, 
 and accordingly from the Time they came to 
 Years of difcretion, have lived in a State of 
 Sin and Ungodiinefs : Tliefe Perfons are not 
 yet in the regenerate State (if we fpeak as to 
 the inward fpiritual Part of it) and muft if 
 ever they mean to be faved, fometime or o- 
 ther undergo a real Change and Transforma- 
 tion both in their Principles and their courfe 
 of living. 
 
 The third Queflion I am to fpeak to is 
 this ; Whether the Change that is made in a 
 
 Man's 
 
11)6 Thirteenth Sermon, 2p5 
 
 Man's Mind in Regeneration be always per- 
 formed fo perceptibly that the Man himfelf 
 fhall be able to give a particular Account both 
 of the Time when, and of the Manner how 
 it was wrought in him. 
 
 In anfwer to this, I fay firfl of all, that 
 this Qjjeftion can only be put with reference 
 to the Perfons that have formerly lived a care- 
 lefs vitious Life, and fo mull: of neceflity un- 
 dergo a Transformation of their Principles 
 and Manners. For as for thofe that have 
 been well difpofed from their Childhood, 
 from what has been faid before, it appears 
 that the Queftion is out of Doors as to them ^ 
 fo that it cannot be found Divinity fo to lay 
 down the Nature of Regeneration or Conver- 
 lion, as to make it necellary in order to it, 
 that every Man fliould be able to give an Ac- 
 count of the beginning of it in himfelf. 
 
 But Secondly,even as to thofe that have fome- 
 times been vitious ungodly Perfons, and now 
 are fo reformed that they may have juft Hopes 
 that they are in a good Condition : Even as to 
 thefe I fiy, it is not neceifary that they fhoulci 
 be fenlible of fo fudden or fo extraordinary a 
 Change in themfelves, as to be able from 
 fuch a Time, or fuch a Circum fiance, or 
 fuch a Providence that happened to them, to 
 date their Converhon. My Reafon is this, 
 it doth not appear that ordinarily fpeaking, 
 efpecially in thefe Days of ours, the Work of 
 Converfion or Regeneration is wrought in a 
 Moment, or at once, but rather in fome 
 U 4 quantity 
 
IXg thirteenth Sermon] 
 
 quantity of Time, and by many Degrees ; 
 Step by Step/, little by little. Thofe Men 
 thnt have lived in a courfe of Sin, ( and all 
 thofe that are to be transformed, mufl: be fup- 
 pofed to be fiich) can hardly, I fay, be ima- 
 gined to put off their vitious Habits on a 
 fudden, or in a Moment : But there mufl 
 go a great many A£lions, a great many Try- 
 als, and Endeavours, before that be accom- 
 pliihed. The old Habits mud by difufe and 
 forbearance be weakned, before the Man be 
 capable of receiving new ones in the Place of 
 them : And that very Thing will require 
 great Meditation and many Ads of felf-de- 
 nyal and Mortification. And even when a 
 Man hath dor.e this, yet ftiil he is but in a 
 Diipofition to a new Habit ^ but before that 
 Habit be effedually wrought in him, there 
 will be ilill more Time required, more Stu- 
 dy, more Refolution, and more repeated 
 Acls of Vertue ^ and this we find true by 
 conflant Experience. As the Poet obferves 
 of bad Men 
 
 Nemo rejjsnte fiat turfijjimuso 
 
 none ever grew extreamly wicked of a fud- 
 den, but came to it by Time and Degrees ^ 
 i<i it is of good Men (thofe I mean that have 
 once been bad and come to good) they can- 
 not in anlnftant leap from one Extream to 
 the other, but muft pafs thro' feveral inter- 
 mediate Stages^ and States b&fore the vercu- 
 
 out 
 
7he Thirteenth Sermon. 25^ 
 
 ous Principle hath prevailed over the viti^ 
 ous. 
 
 Now this being fo, it is not reafonable to 
 think, that every Convert to Holinefs and 
 Vertue, fliould be able to give an Account of 
 the precife Time, when he became a Con- 
 vert. He may perhaps, if he has a good 
 Memory, and has ufed himfelf to recollect 
 his pad Adions, he may I fay, be able to re- 
 member fome of the great Occafions and Mo- 
 tives that firfl prevailed upon him to alter his 
 Courfe of living, and he may remember what 
 Refolutions he formed upon this , and what 
 Attempts he made, and what Tryals he un- 
 derwent before he came Mafter of his Pur- 
 pofe j how often he had been defeated in his 
 good Inteniions, and had been overcome by 
 Temptations, and fall'n back into criminal 
 Adions j fo that he hath in a manner been 
 forced to begin again. 
 
 I fay all thefe Strugglings and Efforts, and 
 various Succefs, or at lead a great many of 
 ihem he may remember, and withal, what 
 gradual Advancements he hath made in Ver- 
 tue and Religion, till that now at laft he may 
 with comfort reflefl upon himfelf, and his 
 own Condition. 
 
 But now let him remember thefe Things 
 never fo well, yet ftill it will be hard for 
 him after all this, to aflign the precife In- 
 ftant when he became a Convert, or the par- 
 ticular Time when he might ju ftly be faid 
 \Q liave pafTed firom an unregenerate State to 
 
 the 
 
298 Tl?e Ibirteenth Sermon] 
 
 the regenerate. Nay perhaps tho' he be a 
 very good Man, yet fuch may his Fears and 
 Jealoufies over himfelf be, that he is not af- 
 fured that he is yet enter 'd into a fiife Con- 
 dition. 
 
 The Point will be much clearer hy put- 
 ting this Inflance. A Man languifheth un- 
 der a long tedious Diflemper of Body, he 
 ufeth many Phyficians, he follows their Ad- 
 vice, but yet he doth not quickly mend. 
 Sometimes he is better, and fometimes he is 
 worfe, but with Time and the flrength of 
 Nature, and good Prefcriptions, and regular- 
 ly ufing himfelf, and God's Bleffing upon 
 thefe Things, he doth by degrees get Strength 
 and recover of his Difteraper, and at lafi: 
 finds himfelf to be in a good State of 
 Health. 
 
 This Man now that is thus recovered, can 
 he be fenfible of the precife Time that he be- 
 came a found Man after his Diftemper ? He 
 can eafily remember that fuch Phylick was 
 prefcribed him, and that he made ufe of it, 
 and that after fome Time he grew better up- 
 on it, and it may be after that he relapfed, 
 and upon again confulting his Phyficians and 
 following their Diredions, he overcame his 
 Relapfcs. And after many pulls backwards, 
 and forwards, he thanks God that at laft he 
 is either pcrfedly reco\'ered of his Diflem- 
 per, or in a very hopeful way towards it. 
 All this now he is fenfible of, and it is frefh 
 in his Memory. But yet I doubt hs will hz 
 
 hardly 
 
Tl^e Thirteenth Sermon^ 
 
 hardly able to name the pundual Minute, no 
 nor the Diy, nor perhaps the Week, when 
 he could fay upon good Grounds I am cured 
 of my Difeafe. 1 am a found Man. I need 
 not fear this Diflemper any more. His 
 Health came infenlibly and gradually, and 
 now after he hath lofl all the Symptoms of 
 his Sicknefs, he may rejoyce and hope well 
 of himfelf. But it will be idle for him to fay, 
 fuch an Hour I became a found Man, and 
 yet much more idle would it be in him ei- 
 ther to be fo confident of his Health, as to 
 lay afide all fear of Danger for the future, or 
 on the other Side to queflion or doubt of his 
 Health and good Conflitution upon tliis Ac- 
 count, that he cannot name the Time, or the 
 Manner, or the Circumftances, with which 
 it was efFeded. 
 
 • This In (lance is fo pertinent to our Pur- 
 pofe, and fo plain, that I need not make any 
 Application of it, to the Cafe I have in 
 Hand. 
 
 I come therefore to the fourth and laft 
 Queftion upon this Point, and that is concern- 
 ing the Marks and Signs of Regeneration, 
 This has been a great Inquiry, and tho' I dare 
 not fay, but that it is a very ufeful one, yet 
 I doubt the Anfwer to it has not always been 
 fuch as it fliouid be. - 
 
 I fear that fomePerfons by their over great 
 
 forwardnefs to multiply Marks of Converfion 
 
 or Regeneration, have rather obfcured the 
 
 . . Thing 
 
 29? 
 
3 00 7fe TInrtcenth Sermon, 
 
 Thing than cleared it, and have often brought 
 needlefs Scruples into Mens Heads. 
 
 The Point doth really lye in a little Room, 
 and there lyes no great Learning nor Subti- 
 lity to hit upon it. 
 
 The Bulinefs of Regeneration, as we now 
 underfland it, confifts in th's, a hearty Senfe 
 of God and the Chriftian Religion, and a fe- 
 rious and conffcant Endeavour to live fuitably 
 to that Senfe, in all our Converfition. So 
 that if we will enquire for Marks of a Rege- 
 nerate Perfon, they ought only to be drawn 
 from thofe Effeds that a Man feels in him- 
 feif. If a Man to his Baptifm and his Faith 
 in Chrift, and his Profeffion of t!ie Chriftian 
 Religion, doth join a ferious conformity to 
 the Laws of Chrift in all his Adions, and 
 this out ofConfcience, and as far as his Know- 
 ledge and the Circumftances of his Life, and 
 the natural Infirmities of human Nature will 
 allow him j if he deiire heartily, and refolve 
 conftantly, and endeavour fincerely to pleafe 
 God, and to fave his own Soul, in all the 
 Waysof righteoufnefs, andfobriety, sndho- 
 iinefs, that the Gofpel hath prefcribed to 
 him •, and thefe Deftres, thefe Refolutions, 
 thefe Endeavours of his have fuch EfFecls, as 
 that in the main of his life, after he is come 
 to this his Senfe he lives innocently, and a- 
 voids open, and known, and wilful Sins, and 
 as to what Slips, and Frailties, and Omiili- 
 ons he may be guilty of, he is fenfible of 
 them, and begs Gods Pardon for them, and 
 
 Itrives 
 
The Thirteenth Sermon^ 5 o j 
 
 ftrlves againfl them, and flill rather grows 
 better than worfe, more inclined to Good, 
 and more avene to Evil: This is the bed: 
 Mark in the World j nay I will i\y, it is the 
 only Mark whereby one can difcern that he 
 is in a regenerate Condition, in a State of Gods 
 Favour, and that if he (hould die that Mo- 
 ment that he is fafe, as to his Happinefs in 
 the other World. 
 
 But the Bulinefs of Regeneration by the 
 multitude of Marks that have been fet upon 
 it, has been rendred a far more intricate and 
 artificial Thing than this comes to, 
 
 J cannot fay but that in mofl of the Books 
 and Difcourfes that do thus abound with 
 Marks, there is fo much Truth, that if they 
 meet with a Reader or Hearer, that can by 
 Experience find them all made good upon 
 himfelf, he needs not much fear the bein^ 
 deceived by them '-, but may from them make 
 a fafe Concluiion as to his own State. But 
 then there is this Thing to be taken notice 
 of 3 that thofe numerous Marks that are gi- 
 ven of a regenerate Perfon (tho' if taken al- 
 together they mufl be true,) yet they fel- 
 dom all meet in one Perfon, and perhaps 
 there are five to one of unqueflionably fin- 
 cere Chriftians, that do not find them all to 
 concur in themfelves. And yet if you take 
 them afjnder, and pitch upon fuch and fuch 
 Particulars of them, leaving out others, it is 
 odds but they miflead you and prove no 
 Marks at all. 
 
 That 
 
J02 Tl^^ Thirteenth Sermon, 
 
 That which I would fay is this: There 
 are thefe two Inconveniences in multiplying 
 the Signs and Marks of Regeneration. One 
 is, That oftentimes fuch Marks are given of 
 it, as that a Man may be a very good Chri- 
 llian,and without doubt a regenerate Perfon, 
 and not find them in himfelf. Another In- 
 conveniency is this : That fuch Marks are 
 likewife given, that even a bad Man may ex- 
 perience them in himfelf, tho' fome good 
 Men cannot. 
 
 To prove this by inftance , there is no- 
 thing more ufual among thofe that delight to 
 lay down a great number of Marks of Con- 
 verlion, than to frame a folemn Defcription 
 of the manner of it, and to deliver the parti- 
 cular Way and Method in which it proceeds. 
 And here ufually they firfl bring in a Soul 
 very carelefs and regardlefs of his eternal In- 
 terefl, and very fecure in his own Way, tho' 
 it be a bad one : Afterwards they make this 
 Perfon either by fome convincing Sermon he 
 hath heard, or fome reafonable Advice he 
 hath had from fome pious Friend, or by fome 
 Afflidion or Judgment that God hath been 
 pleafed to vi(it him with, or iaffcly by fome 
 extraordinary Providence in fome other Way : 
 I fay by fome or all of thefe means to be 
 deeply awakned to a Senfe of his former Sins, 
 and the dangerous Condition he is in upon 
 account of them. And the firfl EfFeds that 
 thefe warm Convidions do work upon him, 
 are very terrible. He thinks himfelf in a 
 
 fearful 
 
TIjc 7htrt€enth Sermon. 305 
 
 fearful damnable Condition, he looks upon 
 himfelf as a loft undone Man. He hath the 
 Terrors of the Law fo deeply fet home on 
 his Spirit, that he can find Comfort no 
 where ^ and tho* he turn himfelf all ways 
 imaginable, yet flill he is a forlorn miferable 
 Creature. After he hath Iain fome Time 
 under thefe Terrors and AfFrightments, and 
 even upon the brink of Defperation, it plea- 
 feth God at length by his Spirit to break thro* 
 this Cloud, and to dart fome Beams of Light 
 and Comfort into his Confcience. Finding 
 himfelf to be loft every other Way, he is at 
 laft direded to fix upon Jefus Chrift, as the 
 only Anchor of his Hope ^ to clofe with him, 
 to apply his Merits and Righteoufnefs to him- 
 felf, and upon this he lays hold on the Pro- 
 mifes, and renouncing all his own Works, 
 and all his own Righteoufnefs, and perfedly 
 going out of himfelf, he relys and depends 
 upon Jefus Chrift, and him only. And 
 thus clofing with, and refting upon Jefus 
 Chrift, is that juftifying faving Faith upon 
 account of which God accepts and approves 
 of him. 
 
 But then he doth not reft here, but goes 
 farther, he is not only fenfible of his former 
 Guilt, and takes fhelter in the Merits of 
 Chrift, for the forgivenefs of it, but he re- 
 folves moft heartily to become a new Man 
 for the future. 
 
 This is the ordinary procefs of Converfi- 
 on, as you fometimes find it deliver'd in 
 
 Books. 
 
^04 '^^'^ Thirteenth Sermon] 
 
 Books. I do not reprefent it with a Defign 
 to expofe it, for really this is fome times the 
 Method by which Men are converted. But 
 yet this I fay, that if this kind of Proceeding 
 be fet down either as a necelTary Mark, or 
 as a certain Mark, whereby Men are to judge 
 of their Regeneration, it will fail in both 
 thefe Refpetts *, and be found no Mark at 
 all. For it will either difcover too much or 
 too little. For it is certain a great many ve- 
 ry pious religious Perfons never came to that 
 good Eftate they are now in, by any fuch 
 Methods as we have now been fpeaking of. 
 They were never exercifed in fuch a boifte- 
 rous Manner, with the Terrors of the Law 
 ( as they are called. ) They were never in 
 fuch a defpairing Condition. And that fatis- 
 fadlion and peace of Mind they now enjoy, 
 and that good Hope they have of God's Fa- 
 vour, never arrived to them in fuch a Way 
 and Method as I have been defcribing. 
 
 And then in thefecond Place, thefe Marks 
 of Regeneration cannot be conftantly true 
 ones, becaufe a great many may have felt in 
 themfelves all that I have now mentioned, and 
 yet fall (hort of it. There is no doubt but a 
 very bad Man may have had all thofe Con- 
 vidions upon his own Mind of his Sin, and 
 the Danger we have now reprefented ^ nay 
 and all that difclaiming his own Righteouf- 
 nefs, and clofing with Chrift's Promifcs, and 
 applying his Merits to himfeif, that we have 
 mentioned j nay and farther, all that abhor- 
 rence 
 
The Tlnrteenth Sermon, joj 
 
 rence of his own Ways, and fach pious Re- 
 folutions as fuch an abhorrence could work 
 in him , and yet for all this he may not be 
 a regenerate Perfon. For after all thefs Con- 
 vidions and Refolutions, he may (till conti- 
 nue under the Slavery of Sin and evil Ha- 
 bits. Tho' he had a warm Senfe of Religi- 
 on at the firfl, yet that Senfe in trad of 
 Time, and upon the recourfe of Temptati- 
 ons may wear off and decay, and the Man 
 at laft comes to fatisfy himfelf, that if he da 
 but ftill reft on Jefus Chrift, and now and 
 then take folemn Times for the exercifing 
 i\ds of Repentance, and Faith, and Devoti- 
 on •-, this will be accepted of God ^ tho* yet 
 he lives in a Courfe of Sin, and hath not tru- 
 ly mortifyed any one carnal or worldly Luft, 
 that formerly reigned over him. 
 
 God knows the World hath too much ex- 
 perience of the Truth of this. 
 
 The whole I have to Uy about this Buli- 
 nefs is this : And I conclude with it. 
 
 It is not advifeable for us to be curious a- 
 bout many Marks of our Regeneration ; or 
 when we deal in Books that treat of thofe 
 Things,either to be much exalted or much cafl 
 down, when we find fome Marks there given 
 either to agree with our State, or not to a- 
 gree with it. 
 
 The trueft Mark is that of our Savioun 
 The Tree is known by its Fruits. If a Man 
 be biptized, and heartily believing the Chri- 
 fliah Religion, doth fincerely endeavour to 
 Vol. III. X live 
 
3o6 Tl?e Thirteenth Sermon, 
 
 live up to it ^ if his Faith in Jefus Chrifl be 
 fo ftrong th^t by vertue thereof he overcomes 
 the World and the evil Cuftoms thereof : 
 If knowing the Laws of our Saviour he fo 
 endeavours to conform himfelf to them, that 
 he doth not live in any known wilful Tranf- 
 greffion of them, but in the general courfe 
 of his Life walks honeftly and piouily, and 
 endeavours in his whole Converfation to 
 keep a good Confcience both towards God 
 and Man , fuch a Man however he came in- 
 to this State, and with whatever Infirmities 
 it may be attended (of which Infirmities 
 yet he is deeply fenfible, and fails not both 
 to pray and (trive againft them ) yet he is a 
 a good Man, and gives a true Evidence of his 
 Regeneration , tho' he have not all the Marks 
 and Qualifications that he may meet with in 
 Books. 
 
 And fuch a Man if he perfevere in the 
 Courfe he is in, will without duubt at lall: 
 be juftifyed before God, and find an Admifli- 
 on into the everlafting Kingdom of our Lord 
 Jefus Chrifl. 
 
 Whithsr God of his Mercy bring us aJI^ 5Cc, 
 
 SER^ 
 
JO/, 
 
 SERMON XIV. 
 
 J E R. XVII. 9. 
 
 The Heart is deceitful above all Things , and 
 defperately wicked^ who can knoip it .<? 
 
 r^i^iSSS^ H E deceltfulnefs of the Heart 
 P rp p is a Thing we oft com plain of, 
 i^' ^ and with too great Reafon ; But 
 
 ^^^^!>'i y^t is often not rightly under- 
 ftood ; and Mens Miflakes about it have 
 fometimes brought upon them great Incon- 
 veniencies. Thofe Miflakes have chiefly' 
 been occafioned thro* the mifunderftanding this 
 Text that I have read unto you, and there- 
 fore I have pitched upon that rather than a- 
 ny other, for the Ground of my Difcourfe 
 upon this Argument. 
 
 Five Things I here propofe to do. 
 
 Tirft^ To clear up the Senfe of my Text, 
 by (hewing what Sort oi deoeitfulnefs of the 
 Heart is here fpoken of. 
 
 Secondly^ To examine the commonly re* 
 ceived Dodrine concerning the Hearts de- 
 ceitfulnefs. 
 
 # 
 
 X 2 Third' 
 
jdS The Fourteenth Sermon. 
 
 Thirdly^ To give an Account of tliofe Ef- 
 fedls, which are generally attributed to the 
 deceitfulnefs of the Heart, but indeed pro- 
 ceed from other Caufes, 
 
 Fourthly, To fhew wherein the deceitful- 
 nefs of the Heart doth really confift , and 
 
 Fifthly^ and Laflly, To propofe the pro- 
 per Cure and Remedy of it. 
 
 Before I enter upon thefe Points, one 
 Word by way of Explication of what we 
 mean by the Heart, and what may be meant 
 by its being deceitful \ for as for all the other 
 Terms in my Text, they are fufficiently 
 plain. 
 
 By the Heart may be underftood either 
 that Principle within us, from whence the 
 Motions, and Defigns, and AfFedions of our 
 Minds do proceed ^ or we may under (land 
 by it, thofe inward Motions, and Defigns, 
 and AfFedions themfelves. 
 
 In both thefe Senfes the Heart is taken in 
 Scripture : In the tirft Senfe our Saviour 
 fpeaks of it, when he faith, ¥atth. 15. 19. 
 That out of the Heart proceed evil Thoughts^ 
 Adulteries, Murders^ and the like. And fo 
 wherever we meet with the Thoughts of the 
 Heart, the Imaginations of the Heart, m fuch 
 FafTages the Heart is taken for the Principle. 
 In tlie other Senfe God fpeaks of the Heart in 
 that Pafla^e, This People draweth nigh to 7ne 
 zvith their Lips, but their Heart is far from 
 me. And fo wherever we meet with fpeak- 
 ing Truth from the Heart, praifing God with 
 
 the 
 
Tl^e Fourteenth Sermon, ^ oo 
 
 the Heart, God's knowing tlie Heart, and 
 the like ^ in thefe PalTiges the Heart is taken 
 for the x^dions and Effedls of that Principle, 
 the inward Thoughts, and Affedions, and 
 Inclinations. But this is fo much a Nicety 
 that it is fcarce worth taking notice of, it is 
 no matter in which of thefe Senfes we take 
 the Heart in the Text, for indeed they come 
 both to one Thing. 
 
 As for the other Term Deceitful, when it 
 is applyed to the Heart, it is capable of two 
 Significations, it may either fignify that the 
 Heart is treacherous and fraudulent, and 
 means to deceive, which is the proper Senfe 
 of the Word, or it may fignify that whether 
 it means to deceive us or no, we are apt to be 
 deceived by it : Thus in common Speech we 
 fay, a Man is a deceitful Man, not only 
 when he defigns to cheat us or impofe upon 
 us, but when he fails us in that we relyed 
 upon him for, or when we can make no cer- 
 tain Judgment of him. 
 
 Now it is true the Heart may be deceitful 
 in both Senfes, but yet with different refpecl. 
 The Heart of another Man may deceive me 
 both Ways ^ that is, both by defigning to 
 abufe me, or tho* he have no fuch Meaning, 
 yet by difappointing me if I truft to him. 
 But my own Heart cannot be faid to deceive 
 me, fave only in the latter Senfe, that is, I 
 may make a wrong Judgment of it, or miy 
 by the Event be deceived as to the Matter in 
 which I truftcd to it. 
 
 • X 3 ' Having 
 
j I o Tl^e Fourteenth Sermon. 
 
 Having premifed this, I come to my firfl: 
 Encjuiry, What is the Prophets Meaning 
 when he faith, Tb& Heart is deceitful above 
 all Things^ and defperately wicked, who can 
 know it ^ 
 
 Now as to that, I think thefe two Things 
 are pretty cle^r. Firftofali, that when he 
 f lith, The Heart is deceitful^ he means it in 
 the proper Senfe of the V/ord, that is to fay, 
 as it fignifies fraudulent, falfe, hypocritical, 
 covering foul Defigns under fair Pretences. 
 This appears both by the Word he here 
 ufeth ( which is not capable of any other 
 Conftrudion ) and likewife by that other 
 Characler of defperately Wicked, which he 
 here joineth with it. Now if this be fo, 
 then no Mens Hearts are deceitful in the Pro- 
 phets Senfe, but only the Hearts of bad Men ; 
 thcfe thatdefign to deceive ^ and confequent- 
 ly there is no Ground from hence to draw a 
 general Concluiion, that all Mens Hearts are 
 deceitful and defperately wicked, for the 
 Hearts of honefl: Men are not fo. 
 
 Secondly, When x\\t Prophet faith of fuch 
 a deceitful wicked Heart as this. Who can 
 hiotv it .<? It is impoffible his Meaning fhould 
 be, that the Man whofe Heart it is, doth 
 not or cannct knov/it^ for every one is cer- 
 tainly privy to all the Defigns of his own 
 Herirt. But the Meaning is, that other Men 
 cannot know it. The Man's wicked Intenti- 
 ons are fj covered over with fair Appearan- 
 ces, that none but God can fee thro' his Dif- 
 - guife. 
 
77;^ Fourteenth Sermon. j 1 1 
 
 guife, as it follows in the next Verfe, / tbi^ 
 Lordfearch the Heart. 
 
 Now if this be the Prophets Meaning, 
 then it is plain, this Text doth no ways re- 
 late to a Man's knowing or not knowing his 
 own Heart, but only to his not knowing the 
 Hearts of other Men. 
 
 Taking now thefe two Obfervations along 
 with us, we have nothing more to do for the 
 finding out the true Meaning of this Text, 
 thin only to conhder upon what Occafion it 
 comes in. 
 
 The Defign that the Prophet is here a pur- 
 fuing, was to beat off the Jews from placing 
 their Confidence in Men, and to perfuade them 
 to put their whole Truft in God, and to de- 
 pend upon him alone for their future prcfer- 
 vation. To this purpofe he tells them ( as 
 you may fee in the 5th Verfe) Ciirfedbethe 
 Mail that trnfletb in Man, and inaketh Flefi 
 bis Arm, whofe Heart departeth from tbe 
 Lord^ 5cc. But bleffed is tbe Man wbo trufi- 
 etb in tbe Lord, and ivbofe bope tbe Lord is^ 
 for be fiall he as a Tree planted by the Wa- 
 ters, and that fpreadeth out her Roots by tbe 
 River, and flmll not fee voben Heat cometb^ 
 hut her Leaffljall be green, b<.Q. And then 
 follow the Words of my Text, Tbe Heart is 
 deceitful above all Things, and defperately 
 wicked, who can know it .<? What can be the 
 delign of thefe Words, but only to enforce 
 what he had faid before, by giving a farther 
 I^eafon why they (liould place their Hope in 
 X 4 God 
 
til Tl?e Fourteenth Sermon, 
 
 God and not in Men > And if we take them 
 thus, an excellent Reafon they do indeed 
 contain ^ for how vain is it to truH: in Men, 
 whofe Hearts we cannot fee into, and who tho' 
 they may make a very fiir fhew of Integrity 
 and Vertue, yet have often mifchievous and 
 wicked Defigns at the Bottom. Taking now 
 the Text in this View, the Senfe of it is very 
 plain, and that is this , That it is a foolifli 
 Thing to m?ike Flefli our Arm, and to put 
 our Confidence in Men, for how fair foever 
 their outward Behaviour towards us may be, 
 and how kind foever their Promifes, yet their 
 Hearts are often deceitful and wicked, and it 
 is impoflible for us to know them. 
 
 This as I take it, is the Prophets Account 
 of the deceitfuinefs and unfearchablenefs of 
 the Heart, but very different it is from the 
 common Opinion which obtains concerning 
 this Point \ which I now come in the fecond 
 Place to examine. 
 
 The common Opinion is, that thefe Words 
 are not fo much to be interpreted of other 
 Mens Hearts with refpeft to us, or of our 
 own Hearts with refped to other Men, as of 
 our own Hearts with refped to our felves. 
 And the Doclrine drawn from them is this ; 
 that every Mans Heart is fo treacherous and 
 fo unfearchable, that the Man hirafelf cannot 
 make any Judgment of it, as to its upright- 
 nefs and fincerity before God ; tho* he think 
 bin :felf never fo fincere, he maybe deceived, 
 and be all the v/hiie an Hypocrite. And thicj' 
 ■•■ • ' ■ • • . ■ Notiou 
 
7he Fourteenth Sermon, 
 Notion is carried fo far, that among fome it 
 is made a Mark of ones fincerity, for a Man 
 to doubt of his Sincerity. Which Opinion is 
 apt to do Mifchicf two feveral Ways. To 
 fome it may give Encouragement to think 
 themfelves fincerely good Chriftians, when 
 they are not, for certainly the lefs fincere a- 
 ny Man is, the more rcafon he hath to doubt 
 of his fincerity, and fince all Hearts are de- 
 ceitful, why may not he be deceived as much 
 in the Judgment he makes of the bad State of 
 his Soul, as he maybe, if he (hould enter- 
 tain a favourable Opinion of his own Condi- 
 tion } On the other Side, to many that are 
 indeed fincerely good Chriftians, this Notion 
 doth occafion many unreafonable Fears and 
 Perplexities, and difquiet of Mind , for tho* 
 their Hearts do not condemn them for any 
 Thing, yet there is no Comfort to be drawn 
 from hence, for their Hearts are deceitful 
 and may abufe them j may fpeak Peace to 
 them, when there is no Peace. 
 
 But now this Dodrine as it hath no Coun- 
 tenance from this Text ( as I think I have 
 fufficiently fhewn) fo is it likewife contrary 
 both to our own inward Senfe and to the 
 Holy Scripture. Firfl: it is againfl: the com- 
 mon Senfe and Experience of Mankind. A 
 Man's Heart as 1 told you, is nothing elfe 
 but the Principle from which his Adions (as 
 confidered morally) do flow j it is a Man's 
 Thoughts, and Defigns, his Inclinations, and 
 Affedions, Now what Thing in the World 
 '' is 
 
 ?IJ 
 
514 Tl?e Fourteenth Sermon, 
 
 is there that a Man can know if he know not 
 thefe ? Every Man is as fenlible of the in- 
 ward Motions and Difpofitions of his Soul, 
 and knows as well what his Thoughts are, 
 what Principles he is aded by, as he knows 
 when he is hungry or thirlly, when he feels 
 Pleafure or Pain, when he hears or fees this 
 or the oiher Objedt : When we tranfad any 
 Bufinefs, or drive on any Bargain with Men, 
 we know whether we deal honeftlyand tru- 
 Jy with them or no , if we have Deligns of 
 overreaching them, or impofing upon them , 
 they perhaps cannot difcover it : But it is im- 
 poiiible we (hould conceal our Defigns from 
 our felves. 
 
 And as the Matter (lands with our own 
 Hearts as to Men, fo doth it aifo fland with 
 them as to God Almighty. We all know 
 well enough (or at leaft may know if we 
 will but look into our felves) how our Hearts 
 ftand afFeded to Vertue and Goodnefs. We 
 know what the Defigns are we drive on in our 
 profellion of Religion. We know what acls 
 of Piety we perform out of an inward Devo- 
 tion, and what for the fencing wurldly Ends. 
 We know what Sins we indulge againft Con- 
 fcience, and what Sins we do not. We know 
 when our Prayers are hearty, and when they 
 are only formal and cuftomary. We know 
 when we break our Refolutions, and when 
 we keep them ^ when the main ftudy and de- 
 figns of our Lives is to pleafe God, when to 
 pleafe our felves or to gratify our Lulls. In 
 
 a 
 
Tl?e Fourteenth Sermon, q ir 
 
 a Word, in all the Inftances of our Conver- 
 fation, we know whether we deal fincerely 
 with God or no : In thefe Things our Con- 
 fciences are as a thoufand WitnefTcs, and if 
 we look into them they willn ever deceive us, 
 and if they did deceive us, there would be 
 no fuch Vertue as Sincerity, nor any fuch Sin 
 as Hypocrify in the World. 
 
 But Secondly, as this received Opinion, 
 that a Man cannot know his own Heart, is 
 againft our inward Senfe and Experience, fo 
 is it alfo repugnant to the Holy Scripture. 
 There is nothing more ufual there than to 
 find the mod holy Men pleading and infifl- 
 ing upon their own uprightnefs and (irfcerity, 
 and this not only before Men, but before 
 God himfelf. Now how could they be ima- 
 gined to do this, unlefs they thought at lead 
 that they knew their own Hearts } David 
 doth this twenty times over in his Pfalms. 
 Hes-ekiah in his (icknefs is not afraid to fpeak 
 to God in thefe Words. / befiech thej, O 
 Lord, remember how I have walked before 
 thee in truth, and ivith a perfeB Heart, and 
 have done that which is good in thjf fighty 
 2 Kings 20. 5. Job flood fo ftedfaflly on 
 his own Integrity, that whatever his Friends 
 faid to the contrary, he folemnly declares 
 he would inhft on it till he died. St. Faul 
 himfelf fetches a Comfort and Joy from this 
 very Topick. This is my rejoyciyig, faith he, 
 the tejlimony of my Confoience that infimplicity 
 'and godly fine srity^ I have had my Converfa- 
 
 tion 
 
^\6 
 
 Jhe Fourteenth Sermon, 
 
 t'lon in this World. The fame St. Paul tells 
 us That no Man knows the Things of a Man, 
 hilt the Spirit of a Man that is in htju. So 
 that according to him, the Spirit of a Man 
 doth know his own Affairs, and Concerns. 
 Laftly, Nothing in the World can be plainer 
 to our purpofe than thofe Words of St. John 
 1 Ep. 5 . 20,21. If our Hearts^ faith he, 
 condemn us, God is greater than our Hearts 
 and knoweth all Things, hit if our Hearts 
 condemn us 7iot, then have we confidence to- 
 wards God, So that if that Apoftle may be 
 believed, it is our Hearts condemning us or 
 not condemning us, upon which we are to 
 ground our Confidence or no Confidence to- 
 wards God. The unavoidable Confequence 
 of which is, that we may know our own 
 Hearts, and be competent Judges, whether 
 we be fincere towards God or no. 
 
 Well, but if this be fo, how comes it to 
 pafs that fo many are every Day deceived in 
 the Judgment they make of themfelves , 
 fome taking themfelves to be goodChriftians, 
 and to have a Right and Title to God's Favour 
 who are indeed far from it : Others who 
 have no reafon to doubt of their Sincerity in 
 God's Service, yet are not able to entertain a 
 good Thought of themfelves ? 
 
 I cannot deny the Matter of hR to be fo, 
 as is here reprefented: But I anfvver, that 
 the Miftakes that both forts of People lye 
 under do not proceed from hence, that they 
 ^0 not, cr may not know their own Hearts,, 
 
 buk; 
 
The Fourteenth Sermon. 
 but from quite different Caufes, of which I 
 now come to give an Account, and that is 
 the third Thing I propofed upon this Text. 
 
 Now the true Caufes from whence, as I 
 conceive, thefe kind of Miltakes concerning 
 a Mans felf (which are commonly attributed 
 to the deceitfuhiefs of the Heart) do proceed j 
 are chiefly thefe three. That is to fay, either 
 not fufficiently examining our own Hearts: Or 
 Secondly, a Mifapprehenfion concerning the 
 Terms that God hath required of us, in or- 
 der to Salvation. Or Thirdly, fome acci- 
 dental indifpofition of Temper, which ren- 
 ders us incapable of rightly judging concern- 
 ing our felves. 
 
 Firft of all, perhaps a Man doth not ex- 
 amine his own Heart at all, or examines it 
 very carelefly. Now when it happens thus 
 with a Man, how can it be avoided but he 
 raufl: needs fall under great Miflakes con- 
 cerning the State of his Soul ? The Cafe is 
 here the fame with that of a Tradefman, 
 that will make a Judgment of his temporal 
 Eftate without examining his Books, with- 
 out infpeding into Particulars, where he is 
 Debtor and where he is Creditor. Is it not 
 a Hundred to One that fuch a Man makes a 
 falfe Eftimate of what he is worth, and thinks 
 himfelf either richer or poorer than really he 
 is } But yet it doth not follow from hence 
 that his Books do deceive him ^ on the con- 
 trary, if he had fearched them, they would 
 have told him truly in what Condition he 
 
 flood 
 
 3^7 
 
ji8 TJje Fourteenth Sennon, 
 
 flood towards all he dealt with. And thus 
 it is with Mens Hearts, they are our Books, 
 and fo are they ftiled in Scripture, and we 
 ought to open them and ftudy them daily, 
 and from them to judge of the Account be- 
 tween Heaven and us. But if we be negli- 
 gent in this Matter, if we will not be at the 
 Trouble of fearching into our Hearts and 
 Lives, but run on at random, and live by 
 chance, and (lill refolve to hope the bed, 
 let us not blame our Hearts but our Idlenefs, 
 if we take up falfe Opinions of our felves. 
 Thefe Books will be opened and examined at 
 the great Day, and then we fhall be convin- 
 ced, that we might have made a true Judg- 
 ment of our Condition, if we would have 
 taken Pains to look into them. 
 
 But Secondly, Men often take up falfe 
 Notions and Apprehenfions of the Meafures 
 of Vertue and Obedience that God requires 
 of them, and make Terms of Salvation to 
 themfelves which God never made. This is 
 another Caufe and Occafion (and indeed the 
 inoft common one of all) of our Miftakes in 
 the Judgment we make of our own Conditi- 
 on, and which we too frequently but very 
 unskilfully attribute to the deceitfulnefs of our 
 Hearts. Some Men think that a lefs degree 
 of Stridnefs and Holinefs will recommend 
 them to God than indeed will , and of thefe 
 likewife there are different Sorts according to 
 the different Schemes of Religion Men have 
 fr.tmed in their own Minds. Some think if 
 
 they 
 
Tlje Fourteenth Sennon. 3 ^9 
 
 they be but free from grofs and fcandalous 
 Immorality in their Converfation, they are 
 fafe enough, tho' they live all their Lives 
 without any inward Senfe of God or Religi- 
 on. Others think that a difclaiming their 
 own Righteoufnefs, and entirely relying and 
 depending upon the Righteoufnefs of Chrifl, 
 will without more ado fecure their Title to 
 Salvation. Others think that' a regular at- 
 tendance on the outward worfhip of God, 
 and now and then performing Ads of Repen- 
 tance at the folemn Seafons, when they re- 
 ceive the Sacrament, will give them a Title 
 to all the Promifes of the Gofpel, tho' yet 
 they never mortify thofe Lulls and vitious 
 Habits which they fo often repent of. A 
 great many other Forms of Religion there are, 
 with which Men may cheat themfeives into 
 a good Opinion of their own eternal Condi- 
 tion. 
 
 But then this arifeth not from the deceit- 
 fulnefs of their Hearts, but from the Error 
 of their Underftandings, which they have 
 not taken care Ihould be rightly informed 
 concerning the Term's upon which God hath 
 ofFer*d Salvation to Mankind in the Gof- 
 pel. 
 
 The Teftimony of their own Hearts con- 
 cerning themfeives is true enough, they are 
 really as fincere as they take themfeives to 
 be, and have made all thofe Attainments that 
 they, think they have, but then that degree 
 of Sincerity, thofe Attainments will not do 
 f their 
 
^lo *Ihe Fourteenth Sermon, 
 
 their Work, and here lies their Miftake- 
 And as it is frequently thus with Men that 
 are apt to judge too favourably of themfelves, 
 fo it is alfo with thofe that think worfe of 
 themfelves than they ought to do. A great 
 many good Men are full of Fears and Doubts, 
 and Perplexities concerning their Condition, 
 and that without any reafon in the World. 
 But whence doth this happen? It is becaufe 
 their Hearts give them a wrong Account of 
 themfelves ? No, but becaufe they have fet 
 the Terms of Salvation in their own Minds, 
 higher than Chrift hath fet them in the Scri- 
 ptures. They have taken up an Opinion 
 perhaps, that there is no pretending to be a 
 Difciple of Chrifl, unlefs a Man live fuch a 
 perfed Life of Vertue and Holinefs, that he 
 hath even refcued himfelf from the common 
 and daily Frailties which are incident to hu- 
 man Nature. It is not enough with them to 
 ftrive againft all Sin, and not to be guilty of 
 any wilful one, unlefs they can alfo live fo, 
 as that their Confciences doth not reproach 
 them for any failure in their Duty, or any 
 adlual Tranigreflion of the Laws of God. 
 They cenfure themfelves as much for an o- 
 miflion of their Prayers, or for too free a 
 Meal, or for a hafty Paflion, or an indifcreet 
 Word, or a carelefnefs and wandring in their 
 Devotions, and the like, as other People do 
 for downright Crimes and Impieties. 
 
 Unlefs now thefe People could live free 
 from all thefe Defeds and Irregularities 
 
 (which 
 
Tl)e Fourteenth Sermon. 311 
 
 (which they will find it a hard Matter to do, 
 fo long as they converfe in the World, and 
 arc clothed with mortal Bodies ) how is it 
 pofTibie fo long as they are under thefe Mif- 
 apprehenfions , but they mud think very 
 hardly and difconfolateiy of their Condition? 
 But then I hope no Body will fay, that it is 
 the deceitfulnefs of their Heart, that is the 
 Caufe of this wrong Judgment they make of 
 themfelves j but their iMifipprehenlions con- 
 cerning the Meafures of Chrifl's Obedience. 
 If their Underftanding were right in the 
 Matter, their Hearts would no way deceive 
 them, but would fpeak Peace to them. 
 
 But Thirdly, Another Caufe to which are 
 owing the MilLakes of Men concerning their 
 Condition (tho' the deceitfulnefs of a Man's 
 Heart fuffers the Blame of them ) is often 
 fome accidental Indifpohtion of Temper, that 
 renders them incapable of making a right 
 Judgment of themfelves. This is viiible in 
 thofe that are afHided with that which we 
 call religious Melancholy, which tho' it be 
 a Difeafe of theBody, yet fo doth it affed 
 the Mind, that a Man can no more under 
 that Diftemper form a right Notion of his 
 own fpiritual State, than a Man that is over- 
 run with the Yellow-jaundice, or looks thro' 
 a. coloured Glafs can rightly judge of the Co- 
 lour of an Objed prefented to him ^ fach a 
 one will pafs a Judgment not according to 
 the Truth of the Thing, or the Appeirance 
 it hath to others, but according to th^ 
 Vol. IIL Y lavr^r- 
 
3 2.2 n^e Fourteenth Sermon. 
 
 ImprefTions of thofe Colours, with which 
 his Eye is prepoiTcfTed. But now tho'itthus 
 happens to Mens Senfes thro' a Difeife or 
 fome other Accident, yet J hope no Body 
 will from hence draw this general Conclufi- 
 on, that the Senfes of a Man are fo deceit- 
 ful, that he cannot rely upon the Report 
 they give in to him concerniiig outward Ob- 
 jeds. And as little Reafon is there to make 
 the fame Conclufion concerning a Man'sHeart, 
 upon account that now and then the Under- 
 flanding is fo deeply tindured with Melancho- 
 ly, that he judgeth falily of his own State. 
 
 The Truth is this, in the Condition of fe- 
 veral Hypocondriack Perfons, who tho' they 
 are truly devout towards God, and make it 
 the Bulinefs of their Lives to recommend 
 themfelves to him, and would not for the 
 World do any thing that fhould wound their 
 Confciences, yet fuch is their Lifelicity they 
 are never fuisfyed with themfelves - they 
 accufe themfelves for every Thing they think, 
 or fay, or do : Nay, they are fometin^es 
 ready to defpair upon account of the great- 
 nefs of their Sins, many of which yet lye 
 only in their Imagination : But God be thank- 
 ed thefe Perfons are not the worfe for think- 
 ing themfelves fo very bad '^ and tho' they 
 cannot make aright Judgment of themfelves, 
 God will : But in the mean time, thefe Di- 
 flurbances of theirs do not at all refled up- 
 on the fincerity of their own Hearts, no 
 more than as I laid a Man's having a Difeafe 
 
 calls 
 
77;e Fourteenth Sermon, jlj 
 
 calls into queftion the Credit of the outward 
 Senfes, as to Matter of Tafte, or Smell, or See- 
 ing, or the like. 
 
 And thus much on my third general Point. 
 But it will be faid, Is not the Heart then in 
 any Senfe deceitful with refped to our 
 felves : 1 anfwer yes it is ^ and in what Senfe 
 it is fo, is the fourth Thing I propofed to 
 give an Account of. And in my Judgment 
 the deceitfulnefs of our Heart lyes in this, 
 that tho' they do not deceive us as to what they 
 reprefent concerning the prefent pofture and 
 flate o( our Souls, yet they often deceive us 
 in what they reprefent to us concerning out 
 future Behaviour, or the E'rame and Difpo- 
 fition we ftiall be in fometime hence. If we 
 ask them in what Condition we are now at 
 prefent, they will give us a faithful Anfwer: 
 But if we ask them how long we (hall conti- 
 nue in that Condition, or whether we Ihall 
 be in the fame Temper or Difpofition a Year 
 hence , in that they do often impofe upon us : 
 So that in this refped: we may truly apply 
 to them the Words of my Text, ( tho' the 
 Prophet meant them in another Senfe.) Ths 
 heart is deceitful above all things^ who can 
 know it .«* And in truth this is all the deceit- 
 fulnefs our Hearts are capable of, with re- 
 fped to our felves. We often are of one 
 Mind to Day, and of another to Morrow. 
 We eagerly at the prefent entertain this or the 
 other Defign, that is propofed to us, and 
 perhaps for a while we briskly purfue it, but 
 Y 2 , we 
 
324 TJje Fourteenth Sermon. 
 
 we are often in as little time weary of if, 
 and by degrees quite let it fall to the Ground. 
 I grant this uncertainty in our felv^es is 
 fometimes very commendable, for if we hap- 
 pen to choofe amifs at the firft, it is but fit 
 and juO:, as foon as we find our Miftake, that 
 we alter our Counfels and Defigns. But it 
 is not only thus with us in the Cafe of a rafh 
 inconvenient Refolution, but in thofe Cafes 
 where we choofe moil wifely, and refolve 
 moft deliberately , and purfue thofe Refolu- 
 tions for a Time with the greateft Vigour 
 and Earneftnefs imaginable , even then tho' 
 we can never find any Caufe to blame our 
 felves for pitching on thofe Defigns, yet do 
 we quire let theai drop and take contrary 
 Meafures. Have we not frequent Experi- 
 ence of Men, who upon the awakening of 
 their Confciences by fome Afflidion or good 
 Advice from their P'riends, or fome grievous 
 Inconveniency they have brought uponthem- 
 felves, do enter into foiemn and fi:rict Refo- 
 lutions to forfake that finful courfe of Life 
 they are ingaged in i, to leave off their Drun- 
 kennefs far inftance, or their Whoredom, or 
 the like, and to become ftridly fober and 
 vertuous ; nay and do fo firmly continue in 
 thofe Refolutions for fome time, that they 
 verily believe they ftiall never be guilty of 
 thofe Sins again ? Yet upon the return of 
 Temptations do by degrees Joofe all their 
 good Impreffions, and become as lewd and as 
 difolute as ever they were before } So that 
 
 you 
 
Tl)e Fourteenth Sermon. ? i r 
 
 you fee there is no truflin^r of tliofe Men, 
 nor could they trufl: themfelves. And as Men 
 are often thus deceived in their Purpofes of 
 growing better, fo arc they as often in their 
 Purpofes of not growing worfe. Some there 
 are who tho' they mike no great protelii.Mi 
 of Religion, or of {iricl Vertue, yet ha^'e 
 fuch a Senfe of Morality or Generofity (call 
 it what you will) that they would abhor the 
 Thoughts of doing any bafe infamous Adi- 
 on, tho* they cannot pretend to be good, yet 
 they will undertake you (hall never find theui 
 bad Men ^ you dial I never take them in any 
 Pradice that isunhandfome, or bafe, or appa- 
 rently wicked , and certainly they are to be 
 believed in what they fay or think, fo fir as 
 a Man can promife for the future. But in 
 this Inflance alfo the Heart is deceitful, as 
 well as in the former, they can no more telj 
 by their prefent Inclinations what degree of 
 Impiety they may at lafi: arrive at, if they 
 continue indulging any Sin, than others caa 
 tell from their prefent gojd Purpofes, what 
 progrefs they Ihall make in Vertue : If a 
 Man once begins to be wicked, there is no 
 Step of wicked nefs he can (top at. 
 
 The Cafe of Hazael in the 8th Chapter of 
 the 2d o^ Kin£s^ is very proper to this Pur- 
 pofe ^ that Hiftory is ufually brought for an 
 Inftanceof the deceitfulncfs of the Heart, 
 and it is a remarkable one in that Senfj of its 
 deceitfulnefs we fpeak oF, but in no other. 
 Ha-z>ad was a Servant of the King of Sjirla^ 
 Y 3 . and 
 
^i6 TIjc Fourteenth Sermon] 
 
 and was fent by his M'lfter when he was 
 (ick, to the Prophet Elifia, to know of him, 
 whether he fhould recover. The Prophet af- 
 ter he had given him an anfwer to his Mef- 
 fage, applys himfelf to the MeiTenger •, and 
 weeping told him, what horrible Mifchief 
 he (hould do, what Ravages and Defolations 
 he fhould make among the IfraelHes in time 
 to come. The Man was very much amazed 
 at the Prophets Speeches, and ferioufly an- 
 fwered. Am I dog that IJhouUdo this thing .<? 
 Without doubr he fpoke what he thought : 
 It never enter 'd into his Mind to have a 
 Hand in fuch Barbarities as the Prophet fpoke 
 of. And therefore he might iincerely declare 
 his abhorrence of fuch kind of Practices. But 
 yet for all that, the Prophet (?,s the Event 
 fhewed ) knew him better than he knew 
 himfelf;, for when he came to be King of 
 Sjria he did really do all thofe Things, and 
 was guilty of all thofe inhumane Cruelties 
 that the Prophet had fpoke of This is a 
 remarkable Liftance of a Man that thought 
 himfelf honeft, but proved notorioufly wick- 
 ed. And thus 1 doubt not it generally hap- 
 pens with all Men that prove fo ^ there are 
 fome Times of their Lives when they would 
 tremble to think of feveral wicked Acftions, 
 which afterv/ards they themfelves do com- 
 mit, not only without remorfe, but with 
 pleafure. 
 
 But it will hz faid. Is not in the mean 
 time ihe Condition of Mankind very mifera- 
 
 ble, 
 
71)6 Fourteenth Sermon. 327 
 
 ble, th^t can neither rely upon their Refo- 
 lutions to do well, nor upon their Parpofes 
 not to do ill ? I anfwer, it is no other Con- 
 dition than what is necelTary for them, in 
 order to the making them careful of their 
 own Actions. And if God hath endued us 
 with liberty of Choice, and given us a Com- 
 mand over our own Adions, and put us in- 
 to a Capacity of doing well or doing ill, it 
 inuft needs be thus with us. But yet there 
 is this to be fiid to mitigate our own Infeli- 
 city as to this Point, and that is, tho* the 
 Heart of Man be deceitful as to what is fu- 
 ture, yet it is not equally fo to all kind of 
 Perfons. There are fome Men may much 
 better truft their own Hearts than others can, 
 nay and if they do truft them, they will 
 rarely deceive them. It is a Thoufand to 
 One but their Hearts will give them a true 
 Account of themfelves, even with relation 
 to what is future , but then as for others that 
 are in different Circumftances, there is no 
 fuch Thing to be faid. 
 
 To give an Account of this difference in 
 Men, as to the deceitfulnefs of their Hearts 
 (I fpeak with reference to their fpiritual E- 
 ftates, as they ftand to God and Vertue, 
 which is the only Thing I have here to con- 
 (ider) it will be needful to diftinguifh Man- 
 kind into three Sorts. 
 
 There are fome Men that have got Habits 
 of Vertue and Goodnefs, have made it their 
 Bufinefs for a long Time to ferve God. and 
 " • . • Y 4. ' ' li^'e 
 
p8 
 
 •7 Tl?e Fourteaith Sermon. 
 
 live in obedience to his Laws. There are o- 
 thers likewife, that have got Habits of Vice 
 and Sin, have a long Time purfued a Courfe 
 of Wickednefs, have indulged all their fenfa- 
 al Lufts and Appetites without any refiraint, 
 fave only what their worldly Interefts have 
 put upon them. There is likewife a third 
 Sort of Men, that are neither fo much un^ 
 der the Power of Goodnefs or the Power of 
 Vice, but that they do as it were hefitate and 
 deliberate to which of the two they fliould 
 give up theinfelves. They feem to be in 
 the Confines of both, and fometimes to in- 
 cline to the one, fometimes to the other, but 
 have not fixed themfelves firm Subjeds to 
 either. 
 
 Now tho' the Heart, as to what is future, 
 may be deceitful in fome degree or other in 
 all thefe forts of Men, yet it is abundantly 
 more deceitful in the lad, than in the two 
 former. The firft Sort, thofe that have got 
 Habits of Vertue, there is no great Danger of 
 their mifcirrying, and flill the lefs Danger 
 by how much more thofe Habits are rooted 
 and confirmed. They having in a good de- 
 gree mortifyed all their corrupt Inclinations, 
 and ufed themfelves to a Life of Piety and 
 Vertue, will find that Life fo natural, fo ex- 
 tremely agreeable to them, and the Grace of 
 Chrifl: fo powerful in them, that they fiiall 
 not be able without great violence to their 
 own Minds to forfake God and commit wick- 
 ednefs 5 it will be like putting a Knife to 
 
7he Fourteenth Sermon, ^29 
 
 their Throats, or throwing themfclves into 
 the Fire. 
 
 As for the fecond fort of Men, thofe that 
 are hardned in Sin, God knows their State is 
 likewife too much fixed, either for them- 
 felves or others eafily to be deceived about it, 
 unlefs perhaps in this refped, that they may- 
 arrive to a greater pitch of Wickednefs and 
 Degeneracy than ever they intended. Jf a- 
 ny Judgment can be made of them as to what 
 is future, it is this, that if God do not in 
 mercy awaken them, and roufe them up by 
 fome efpecial extraordinary Providence, they 
 will grow worfe and worfe, and can never 
 fix any Bounds to their wickednefs, for as 
 the degrees of Vertue are infinite, fo are 
 thofe of Vice too. So thnt by this you fee 
 they are the third fort of Men, in which 
 that deceitfulnefs of the Heart we are fpeak- 
 ing of, doth generally take place. Thofe 
 that are not perfedly fixed, either as to Ver- ' 
 tue or to Vice j Thofe whofeConfcience is fo 
 awake, that tho* it cannot always oblige 
 them to do as they fhould do, yet it doth fe- 
 verely teftify againft them if they commit 
 any greit Sin Thefe Men now are very 
 uncertain, fometimes they are altogether in a 
 good Humour, they are very forry for their 
 Follies, they are infinitely convinced that 
 they fhall be undone to all intents and pur- 
 pofes, if they do not change their courfe of 
 Life 5 and accordingly they do fometimes re- 
 folve ferioufly to do it, and now and then 
 
 maJke 
 
l]o 
 
 The Fourteenth Sermon, 
 
 make fome Attempts towards it. At other 
 Times they are quite off the Hinges, yield- 
 lY)'^ themfelves up to the fway of their Lufts 
 and P.iffions, and clofing with every Temp- 
 tation that comes in their way. Now where- 
 ever Men are in thefe Cirrum fiances, their 
 He^irts are infinitely deceitful, and it is im- 
 pofTible for them certainly to know in what 
 State and Temper of Mind, as to God and Re- 
 ligion, they (1m 11 be in a Month hence, and 
 yet this is I believe the Condition of the 
 greateft part of Men. But yet even of thefe 
 Men there is fome difference, according as 
 they more or lefs approach to Habits, either 
 in Vertue or Vice ^ there is more or lefs 
 Truft to be given to what their Hearts tell 
 them, as to their future Behaviour. 
 
 This is as near as I can guefs, a true Ac- 
 count of the deceitful nefs of Mens Hearts, 
 with reference to themfelves. All that now 
 remains is in the fifth and laft Place to fay 
 fomething about the Remedy of it. 
 
 Now fince it appears from what has been 
 faid, that our Hearts deceitfulnefs is caufed 
 by our iiuduating as it were, between Ver- 
 tue and Vice, and that the nearer any one 
 approaches to Habits of Goodnefs, the lefs 
 deceitful will his Heart be : It is plain that 
 the Cure of this deceitfulnefs mufl confifl in 
 the getting and increafing fuch Habits, and 
 therefore whatever conduceth to that end is a 
 proper Prefcription in this Cafe. Now for 
 Uie obtaining Hibits of Vertue, every one 
 
 will 
 
Tl)e Fourteenth Sermon', 
 
 will fee that thefe four Things are abfolutc- 
 ly neceiTary. 
 
 I fliall but juft name them and conclude. 
 
 Firft of all, ferious and hearty Refoluti- 
 ons to break loofe from our Sins, and to live 
 a holy, vertuous and religious Life, whate- 
 ver Pains or Trouble it may put us to, and 
 thofe often repeated, not contenting our felves 
 with refolving now and then at a good Time, 
 but every Day renewing our Purpofes and 
 devoting our felves to God and his Service, 
 and fortifying our Minds againft all thofe 
 Difficulties and Allurements that may be 
 thrown in our way to divert us from the 
 Good we have ingaged our felves in. 
 
 Secondly, A conftant care and watch ful- 
 nefs over our felves and over all our Adions, 
 and efpecially at thofe times when we are in 
 the view of Temptations, then it will parti- 
 cularly concern us to ftand upon our Guard, 
 and narrowly to attend the Motions of our 
 own Minds. 
 
 Thirdly, Frequent Tryals and exercifing 
 of our felves in the way of Vertue. Every 
 one knows that a Habit of any Aclion is got 
 by doing that Adion often ^ if we would get 
 a Habit of Devotion we muft ufe our felves 
 to fay our Prayers. If we would get a Ha- 
 bit of Meeknefs, we mull: take all Occalions 
 of practifing upon our felves, to fupprefs the 
 Anger and Refentments that arife in us upon 
 any Provocation. And thus as to all the o- 
 tlier Inftances of Vertue. 
 ." And 
 
 33 » 
 
5?2 
 
 Jhe Fourteenth Sermon, 
 And let us remember this, that tho' every 
 A6lion of this kind miy at the lirfl be very 
 troublefome to us, and withal very imper- 
 fed, yet ev«"ry time we repeat the Adion we 
 (hall do it both with greater Eafe and with 
 greater Perfection and Satisfadion to our 
 felves, and if we continue on in this repetition 
 of our Aftions, we fhall in time get the Ha- 
 bit we defire. 
 
 Efpecially in the laft Place, if with all 
 thefe Things we join conflant and fervent 
 Prayer to God, and a hearty Faith inChrift, 
 together with the ufe of thofe other M^^ans 
 that our Religion doth recommend to us ^ 
 knowing the deceitfulnefs of our own Hearts, 
 the weaknefs and inconftancy of our Tem- 
 pers, we mufl fetch in other Aids and Suc- 
 cours befides thofe thit we have in oar 
 felves, even the Aids and Succours of the 
 Holy Spirit of Gjd, which he never refafes 
 to any Soul that earneftly prays for them, 
 and endeavours to frame his Life according 
 to thofe Inftitutions that Jefus Chrift hath 
 laid down in the Gofpel. 
 
 Thefe are the Methods, which if we con- 
 llantly pradife we (hall undoubtedly ?row 
 in Vertue and Goodnefs , and our Hearts 
 will by degrees be fo confirmed in pious 
 Habits, that we {hall not need to fear they 
 will ever deceive us. But we fhall go 
 from ftrength to ftrength, till at laft we 
 come to appear before God in Sion, the 
 
 Heavenly 
 
The Fourteenth Sermon. ^ ^ * 
 
 Heavenly Jerufalem not made with Hands, 
 where we fliall for ever live in unfpeakable 
 Glory and Happinefs : 
 
 To which Place God Almighty bring us 
 all, dec. 
 
 S E R- 
 
3H 
 
 SERMON XV. 
 
 Firfl Epiftle of St. J O H N V. ?. 
 
 This is the love of God, that we keep his 
 Commandments , and his Commandments 
 
 are not urievons. 
 
 ^^Wk T is the latter part of this Text I 
 
 I ^S^ ^^^^ "°^ ^^? \^'^^t to inlift on. 
 j^j^ His Commandments are not zrie- 
 M^ vous. 
 
 And I would to God we all thought fo, 
 for then more of us wou'd fet our felves to 
 keep God's Commandments than now do! 
 
 Some have got fuch frightful Notions of 
 Religion, that indeed they have not the Cou- 
 rage in good earneft to engage in it. They 
 look upon it as m^de for none but either the 
 Melancholy or the Miferable, fuch as are 
 not framed in their Tempers for the enjoy- 
 ment of Life, or fuch as by reafon of their 
 unhappy Circumftances are incapacitated for 
 them. With fome it paileth, that the Pre- 
 cepts of Religion ( as they are taught us in 
 the Holy Scriptures) arc impoflible to be li- 
 ved up to, and therelbre it is in vain to trou- 
 ble 
 
Tlje Fifteenth Sermon, 3 J J 
 
 ble their Heads about them. Others that 
 have confidered the Matter better, tho* they 
 cannot £\y they are impoflible, yet they are 
 tempted to think they are very hard and fe- 
 vere : They are extream rigorous Impofiti- 
 ons, and indeed unreafonable Reflraints up- 
 on human Nature, and will put one to fo 
 much Trouble and Pains and Self-denial, 
 that in truth if a Man will fcrupuloufly go- 
 vern himfelf by them, he mufi: not at all live 
 like a Man in this World, nor enjoy himfelf 
 in the common Gratifications that by the 
 Frame and Conftitution of Things fcems to 
 have been allowed to Mankind, 
 
 Now upon fuch Prejudices as thefe, that 
 Men have taken up, a great many, 1 fear, 
 are mightily difcouraged from ever ferioufly 
 applying themfelves to God and Goodnefs ; 
 and for thefe Reafons think themfelves very 
 excufable either for their making no Profefli- 
 on of Religion at all, or, if they do make 
 fuch a ProfeiTion, for their indulging them- 
 felves in fuch Liberties as are altogether in- 
 confiftent with it. 
 
 I do not know, how I can do greater Ser- 
 vice in order to the recommending the feri- 
 ©us Pradice of Religion to you, which is my 
 Bufinefs at this Time, than by endeavouring 
 to vindicate it from thefe Exceptions ^ by 
 putting the Propofition here affirm'd by the 
 Apoftle into as fair a Light as I can, and 
 fliewing that thofe, who frame to themfelves 
 fuch difmal Apprehenfions of a ftridly pious 
 
 and 
 
5^6 The Fifteenth Sermon, 
 
 and vertuous Life, do proceed upon very 
 lalfe Grounds , and that the Duty which 
 God requires of us is fo far from being; an in- 
 tolerable or a grievous Burden upon Man- 
 kind, that on the contrary, it is very light 
 and eafy. 
 
 This I am fure we have fufficient War- 
 . rant, both from oar Saviour and his Apo- 
 flles to teach and declare to all the World ^ 
 whatever Prejudices Men may have enter- 
 tained to the contrary. Our Saviour in ex- 
 prefs Terms hath told us, that his Take is 
 eafy^ and his Burden is light ^ and his be- 
 loved Apoftle St. John hath in this Text de- 
 clared, that his Comimndments are not grie- 
 vous. 
 
 I am here far from denying that there are 
 Difficulties in Religion : It would be againft 
 the Senfe and Experience of Mankind to af- 
 firm there are none \ nay as Things general- 
 ly Hand with Mens corrupt Niture and Prin- 
 ciples, it cannot be denied that it is more dif- 
 ficult, and will require more Care and La- 
 bour to be vertuous than to be vitious. All 
 the World muft acknowledge, that going in 
 the Paths of Vertue is like going up the Hill, it 
 will put one to Pains and intenfion of Nerves. 
 Whereas on the other fide, to live loofely and 
 vitioufly is fuch a Defcent, as the degenera- 
 cy of Mankind and the evil Examples we 
 have before us, have made very natural and 
 eafie to every Body. But this notwithftand- 
 ing we may fafely affirm, that as the Way 
 
 of 
 
The Fifteenth Sermon. j 3 7] 
 
 of God and Vertue is in it felf a much plain- 
 er and eader Way than that of Vicq and 
 Wickednefs, fo all thofe Things conlidered 
 that are to be put into the Ballance againft 
 our natural Infirmities, and Indifpofitions to 
 Vertue, it will be found that a Man fhall 
 need to take lefs Pains to be very good , 
 than to be very bad. That a Man fhall more 
 confult his own Eafe and Pleafure and Satis- 
 fadion by living a religious than an irreligious 
 Life. Nay let the extremelb Hardihips and 
 Difficulties that ever happen to any Man that 
 gives up himfelf a Votary to Religion be taken 
 into the Confideration, yet for all that it ought 
 not to be accounted a fevere or grievous Impofi- 
 tion, but an Obligation upon us that is very 
 natural, very eafy, nay and very delightful. 
 His Commandments are not grievous. 
 
 This is the Point I am to maintain, and 
 for the making it good I fhall proceed by fe- 
 veral Steps and Degrees, and lay down my 
 Propofitions ;, fo that every one may ferve 
 both to confirm the Truth of what we are 
 now ftarting, and alfo either obviate or an- 
 fwer the Objections that are brought to the • 
 contrary. 
 
 And the firfl Point I afTert is this. That 
 Religion is not an impradicable Thing, as 
 fome Men do fuggefl, but it is poflible for us 
 to live up to it. There is no Man living can 
 affirm that there is any thing commanded by 
 the Laws of Jefus Chrifl (which to usChn- 
 ftians make the whole of our Duty, and the 
 Vol. III. Z whole 
 
3]8 77;^ Fifteenth Sermon, 
 
 whole of our Religion) but what every Man in 
 the World may if he willfet himfelf upon it, 
 yield Obedience to. Take the hardeft part 
 of the Chriftian Yoke, that is to fay, forgive- 
 nefs of Enemies, doing good to our Enemies, 
 denying our worldly Interefts, and renoun- 
 cing all we have ( when God calls us to it ) 
 for the fake of Jefus Chrifr. Yet I hope 
 there is no Body can fay that thefe Things 
 are impoffible, tho' they may be accounted 
 very fevere. Impoffible they cannot be, be- 
 caufe a thoufand Men have adually done all 
 thefe Things, and that upon far lighter Mo- 
 tives and Confiderations than Chrift's Religi- 
 on offers and propofeth to us for the doing of 
 them. 
 
 And if thefe Things be pra6licable, why 
 mufl we not think the fime of the refc of 
 the Chriftian Precepts, fuch as owning God 
 for our Creator, and continual Benefador , 
 and as fuch paying him our conftant Tribute 
 of Woriliip, and Prayer, and Praife, both in 
 publick and private, living in an humble 
 Senfe of his Almighty Majefty, and our own 
 un worth inefs , ufing with temperance and 
 moderation the good Things he vouchfafes us, 
 being honeft and juft and faithful in all our 
 Dealings, and (hewing kindnefs and good na- 
 ture and charity to all our fellow Creatures: 
 In a Word, living righteouQy, and foberly, 
 and godly in this prefent World. Do thefe 
 Things look fo very formidable^ that a Man 
 fhould fnrink at the naming them ? And cry 
 
 out. 
 
Tlye Fifteenth Sermon. 33? 
 
 out, Oh thefe Things are too hard for Man- 
 kind ! It is impoffible we fliould live up to 
 them ! Why I wou'd fain know what Rules 
 for the Government of our Adions are pra- 
 dicable if thefe be not > And yet thefe ar» 
 the great Hardfhips and ImpofTibilities that in 
 the ordinary courfe of Providence will occur 
 to us in the way of Religion. Thefe are the 
 Things in which our Duty will principally 
 lye, and in which we fhall be exercifing our 
 felves all our lives. And 1 dare fay not one 
 of a thoufand doth ever meet with greater 
 Difficulties in the way of Religion, than the 
 Pradice of thefe Things. 
 
 Ay but it will be faid, I have not fairly 
 reprefented the Matter ^ the impoffibility of 
 keeping God's Commandments doth not lye 
 in any particular inftance of Duty, for it can- 
 not be denyed every Precept of the Gofpel 
 (ingly taken may be pradicable enough , but 
 the Objedion is, that our Duty is impradica- 
 ble in the whole. That is to fay, the Parti- 
 culars are fo many, and the Laws themfelves 
 fo ftrid extending both to our Thoughts and 
 Words, as well as to our Adions, that no 
 Man can attend to them all at all Times: So 
 that it is impoffible for any Man fo to order 
 his Converfation, but that in forae Inftance 
 or other he will be a TranfgrelTor of God's 
 Laws, and that too perhaps every Day, and 
 confequently the Duty required of us is too 
 hard for us. 
 
 Z 2 Why 
 
'^4o T/;e Fifteenth Sermon, 
 
 Why if this be the Objedtion, there is an 
 eafy Anfwer to it. It was never intended 
 when we are giving an Account of the pofli- 
 bility of keeping God's Commandments, to 
 leave out of the Account the gracious Allow- 
 ances that God hath promifed by Chrift Je- 
 fus to make for the Infirmities of human Na- 
 ture. Nay indeed when ever we lay down 
 this general Propofition that every Man is 
 indifpenfably bound to keep all God's Com- 
 mandments, that Propofition is always to he 
 underftood in fuch a Senfe as to take in thofe 
 gracious Allowances. If therefore we do but 
 remember two Things as to this Matter, this 
 whole Objedion perfedly vanifheth. 
 
 The firll: is, that God Almighty in the 
 Laws he gave us by Jefus Chrift, did never 
 mean to tye us up to an exad and unfinning 
 Obedience to them , but in the Gofpel Senfe 
 we are faid to obey God's Laws when we do 
 our fincere Endeavours to obey them, when 
 in the main of our Lives we live up to them, 
 when we do not indulge our felves in any 
 known wilful courfe of Sin ^ but as much as 
 we can, as far as our own Weaknefs of Nature 
 and the Circumftances ofourLives will permit, 
 we do mortify our corrupt Affedions, and 
 live holy and vertuous Lives. 
 
 But Secondly, tho' we have not done this 
 for the Life paft, yet there is ftill a Plank 
 left after Shipwrack. If we do but truly re- 
 pent of our Sins paft, how great, how hei- 
 nous, and how long continued in foever they 
 
 have 
 
The Fifteenth Sermon, ^41 
 
 have been, (that is fo repent as to forfake 
 them.) Even in this Cafe we fay that fucU 
 a Man keeps the Commandments of God, 
 and doth all that/jod requires of him ^ for 
 he doth as much as God under the Gofpel 
 Covenant hath promifed he will accept and 
 reward, a Man for in the other World. 
 
 Now this bein^ the Cafe, you fee plainly 
 that all this Talk of the impoflibility of keeping 
 God's Commandments, and the urging of it 
 as an exception againft Religion, as it is very 
 impertinent, fo indeed it is not fair dealing, 
 for the Laws of God require no more of a 
 Man than he can do, and whoever doth his 
 honeft Endeavours to ferve God as well as he 
 can, fuch a Man ( we will without fctuple 
 fay) doth keep God's Commandments, not- 
 withftanding any Frailties and Inrirmities 
 that may oiherwife attend the courfe of his 
 Life. 
 
 Having thus clear'd my Way, I proceed a 
 Step farther, and lay down a fecond Propo- 
 rtion as to this Matter, and th.it is this. 
 
 That as the Commandments of God are 
 not grievous upon account that they are im- 
 poflible, fo neither are they grievous m this 
 refpeft, that they are unnatural, or a force 
 upon the Conftitution of Mankind, (as thofe 
 whom we are now difputing with objed : ) 
 Reilraints indeed we do allow they are to the 
 licentious Practices of Mankind, but not fucli 
 Reftraints as ought to be called Invalions or 
 Intrenchments upo.i humme Liberty, be- 
 Z 5 caufe 
 
34^ ^^^ Fi/iteewt/? Sermon. 
 
 caufe indeed they are but the fetting forth or 
 the marking out of the true Bounds of that Li- 
 berty, as it is a Perfedion of humane Nature , x 
 which Bounds whofoeverf tranfgrelleth, he 
 will be fo far from being the eaiier or the 
 happier for fo doing, that he will be certain- 
 ly miferable. 
 
 As long as humsne Nature is as it is, the 
 happinefs of Mankind can confift in nothing 
 elfe but in ufing their Liberty according to 
 the bed Rules of Reafon, and thofe we are 
 fure are but another Name for the Laws of 
 Religion. And the very tranfgrefling thofe 
 Rules, tho' God had annexed no Penalties to 
 the Tranfgreflion, would of it felf have found 
 a fufficient Punifliment. Every Man- that 
 lives in a courfe of Vice and Irreligion is fen- 
 lible of this ^ he knows and feels that Things 
 are not with him as they Qiould be^ he 
 knows and feels that his Mind is not at eafe, 
 is not right in that Way that he is engaged 
 in i becaufe he every Day doth Xbings which 
 his Reafon cannot approve of Now whe- 
 ther this be not a fufficient Demonftration 
 that the Ways of Vertue are fuitable to our 
 Natures 5 and the Way of Vice and Sin con- 
 tradiclory to them, I leave any one to judge. 
 In truth a Man may as well put the Quelti- 
 on which of the two is mod natural and a- 
 greeabie to a Man's Conftitution, Health or 
 Sicknef^, as he can put it whether Vertue or 
 Vice be fo. 
 
 Av. 
 
The Ftfteenib Sermon, 345 
 
 Ay, but it will be faid, is it not plain 
 that Men are born with feveral ftrong Incli- 
 nations and Pro pen fit ies to Pleafure, toWealth, 
 to Power, and Greatnefs, and the like? And 
 doth not Religion put a terrible Curb upon 
 all thofe Appetites and Paflions, how then 
 can you call the Laws of it agreeable to Na- 
 ture } 
 
 Why, to this \ anfwer, that as to all the 
 Appetites and Paffions that Men are born 
 with of what kind foever they be, Religion, 
 as it is taught us in the Gofpel, doth not hin- 
 der the Satisfadion of any of them. I do 
 not know of any Inclination that is truly na- 
 tural, but what is allowed to be gratifyed fo 
 long as it is done in proper Inftances and due 
 Meafure, fo far as is tit, and juft, and rea- 
 fonable, nay fo far as it really conduceth to 
 the true Pleafure and Happinefs of the Per- 
 fon that is concerned. All that our Religi- 
 on forbids is the irregularity and exorbitancy 
 of our Paflions and Appetites, and that we 
 (hould not fo humour them as either to hurt 
 our felves, or do Injury to our Neighbour by 
 the gratification of them. 
 
 Thefe are all the Reflraints I know of, 
 that the Commandments of God put upon 
 us as to thefe Matters , and if fo, judge you 
 how terrible they are : But to put this Mat- 
 ter out of doubt. If any Man can make it a 
 (Xueftion whether Vertue or Vice be the 
 more agreeable to the Frame of his Nature, 
 I would but defire him for the refolving this 
 
 z 4 a^e- 
 
2AA Tl)e Fifteenth Sermon, 
 
 Queftion, to run over all the Inflances of 
 our Duty as charged upon us in the Scrip- 
 ture, and all the Sins oppofite thereto, and 
 in his own Mind compare them one with a- 
 nother, and then let him honeftly pro- 
 nounce Sentence in favour of either, accord- 
 ing as he finds which of the two will yield 
 moft peace, and eafe, and quiet to his own 
 Mind, and will put him to the lead labour, 
 and trouble, and difturbance. 
 
 And I think thefe are certain Marks by 
 which a Man may judge whether a Thing be 
 natural or agreeable to him or no. 
 
 Now I fay, if a Man will proceed by thefe 
 Meafures and run the Parallel between all 
 the Vertues and their contrary Vices, as for 
 
 iniLance. 
 
 Between Meeknefs and Patience on the one 
 Hand, and Fretfulnefs, and Peevifhnefs, and 
 Difcontent on the other. 
 
 Between Love, and Charity, and doing 
 Good on the one Hand, and Hatred, and Ma- 
 lice, and defire of Revenge on the other. 
 
 Between chad and lawful Love, and un- 
 lawful and adulterous Lufts. 
 
 Between Temperance and Sobriety in the 
 ufe of God's Bleffings, and perpetual Glutto- 
 ny, and Drunkennefs, and Revellings. 
 
 Between faith in God, and truit in his 
 Providence, and contentednefs with a compe- 
 tency, and a boundiefs unfatiable avaritious 
 defire of Riches. 
 
 And 
 
7he Fifteenth Sermon, ^7^ 
 
 And thus as to all other particular Vertues 
 recommended to us by Religion, and the par- 
 ticular Vices contradid:ory thereto^ 1 fay if 
 a Man will take this Method in examining 
 the Things, and in judging as he finds, I 
 dare be bold to fay, there is no one living 
 but upon fuch Examination will readily pro- 
 nounce, that in all the Inftances wherein our 
 Morals are concerned, thofe that we call the 
 Vertues are much more eafy, much more 
 natural, much more delightful, and will put 
 us to abundantly lefs trouble and difquietude, 
 than the contrary Vices. 
 
 Well then ! We are come thus far : The 
 Commandments of God are neither impoffi- 
 ble to be kept, nor are they hard or fevere 
 in themfelves, fo that they are not grievous 
 upon either of thofe Accounts. 
 
 But then it may be faid, for all this, they 
 may be grievous in another refped, becaufe 
 as the corrupt State of Mankind is, we have 
 neither Will nor Power to fet our felves 
 heartily to the keeping of them. Our own 
 Depravity and the Devils Temptations, are 
 too hard for us. And then what doth the 
 reafonablenefs of them in their own Nature 
 avail to us (be it never fo great) they being 
 ftill beyond our ftrength ? 
 
 For the removing of this Objedion, I lay 
 down my third Propolition, which is this. 
 Let our natural Inabilities and our Aver(ions 
 to that which is good, be as great as they 
 will, yet the fupernatural Afhrtance we may 
 
 exped 
 
7^6 Tl)e Fifteenth Sermon, 
 
 exped: from God, for the carrying on of this 
 Work, will be fufficient at leall to make the 
 Scales even. So that not with (landing thofe 
 Difad vantages, it will be as much in our 
 Power, and we (hall be as much inclin'd to 
 be good, as to be bad, to live in obedience to 
 God's Commands, as to live in contradidion 
 to them. 
 
 When we talk of the poflibility of obeying 
 all the Precepts of the Gofpel, and the very 
 great reafonablenefs of them in themfelves, 
 and their agreeablenefs to our Natures, yet 
 we do not think thefe two Points alone fuffi- 
 cient to counterballance the very great Pro- 
 penfity we have in this corrupt degenerate 
 State, to purfue the Ways of Vice and Sen- 
 fuality. Alas! We muft needs acknowledge, 
 that we are not only very weak and impo- 
 tent, but there feems to be a ftrong Bias 
 clapt upon our Natures, which renders usa- 
 verfe to fpiritual Things, and too prone, God 
 knows, to run into Actions that w^e fhould 
 not. And all this befides the Temptations 
 we meet with from without. But then on 
 the other Side, if wecondder that God is ne- 
 ver wanting to any Man, and that he is al- 
 ways ready to fupply by his immediate Grace 
 what is defedive in our Natures : When we 
 coniider, that oneof tlie great Benefits which 
 Chrift hath purchafed for us, is the Gift of 
 the Holy Ghod, by the help of which every 
 Man may work out his own Salvation, may 
 do all that God requires of him in order to 
 : his 
 
Tl)e Fifteenth Sermon, -^a^ 
 
 his future Happinefs, and not only do it, but 
 do it eadly , when we conlider that there is 
 no Man that is baptized into Chrift's Religi- 
 on who means honeftly, but hath God*s Pro- 
 mife to be continually aflifled from above, 
 with his Divine Power and Grace, whereby 
 he may be enabled to do thofe Things which 
 by Nature he could not do : Nay, that this 
 Power of Chrill:, this Vertue of the Holy 
 Ghoft in our Hearts is there lodged as a Prin- 
 ciple to tempt and invite us to be good, and 
 to bring ofF our Minds from every thing that 
 is evil, that the Holy Spirit is within us as a 
 Sollicitor of God*s Caufe againft the Sugge- 
 ftions of the Devil, and our own corrupt 
 Hearts, and that he is certainly as powerful 
 and as ready to do us good, as our Adverfary 
 can be to do us harm : 
 
 I fay, if thefe Things be coniidered, fure 
 we Ihall be perfuaded that the Work of Reli- 
 gion is not fo difficult, fo hopeleft an Under- 
 taking as we are apt oftentimes to imagine it : 
 They that are zvhh its are more than they 
 that are againfl iis : Tho' the Devil and our 
 own corrupt Natures may tempt us ftrongly 
 one Way, yet the Spirit of Chrift and his in- . 
 viiible Attendants that pitch their Tents 
 round about us, do incline us as much the 
 other way. Nor can there be any Snares 
 laid for us by the wicked One, but what by 
 the aiTiftance of thisinvifible fpirirual Army 
 that lights for us, we (hail eiiiiy break and 
 overcome. That divine S^)irit that dwells 
 
 with 
 
1^8 Tk Fifteenth Sermon, 
 
 with all Chriftians, and even where he doth 
 not dwell (becaufe he is not entertain'd) yet 
 defires there to dwell, and fails not to be of- 
 ten prefent, and to prompt unfteady Souls 
 to that which is good, to follicit them conti- 
 nually with his holy Motions, that they 
 would ferioufly engage in the Ways of Chrift, 
 I fay furely this Holy Spirit by his power- 
 ful Influences and Afliftances will fo make a- 
 mends for the weaknefs of our Natures, fo 
 fmooth the ruggednefs of our Ways, fo quel 
 the force of the Devils Temptations, that if 
 a Man do not wilfully betray his own Suc- 
 cours, he will find himfelf as prevailingly 
 carried on to the Praftice of all Vertue and 
 Holinefs, as he can be to live a dilfoiute, 
 carelefs, and vitious Life. And this is my 
 third Confideration. 
 
 But Fourthly, This ought alfo farther to 
 be acknowledged in this Argument, thattho* 
 there be great Difficulties in Religion, tho* 
 as the Temper of Mankind now generally 
 flands, it is much againft the Grain to ferve 
 God, and live in Obedience to his Command- 
 ments, yet thefe Difficulties are chiefly occa- 
 lioned by our Prejudices and evil Habits, by 
 our being ufed to a contrary courfe of Life : 
 But then we are to remember, that in a little 
 time thefe Difficulties will wear off, and we 
 {hall find after fome Tryal that a Life of (in- 
 cere Religion and Devotion will be far more 
 natural and more delightful than any courfe 
 of Sin that we were formerly engaged in. 
 
 The 
 
The Fifteenth Sermon, ^jp 
 
 The Truth is, if we look upon the Aver- 
 fions and Indifpolitions of moil: Men to Ver- 
 rue and Goodnefs, we fhall find that they 
 proceed from their former vitious Habits. 
 Men have long been ufed to a contrary Courfe, 
 and, that makes them that they cannot bear 
 with the ftridnefs of Religion. Now upon 
 this Account I muft needs own, that Religi- 
 on is fomething troublefome and difficult, and 
 fo much the more by how much the more 
 rooted and inveterate thofe Habits or Cuftoms 
 are. Here therefore chiefly are we to hy 
 the Grounds of whatever UneafinelTes or 
 Hardlhips we meet with in the Ways of God. 
 When it happens that Vice gets the firlt pof- 
 feffion of us (as God knows it doth in the ge- 
 nerality of Men ) and that PoiFeffion is 
 ftrengthned by many Adions of our own 
 choice, and by that means Sin grows cuPco- 
 mary, and becomes as it were a fecond Na- 
 ture : Why in this Cafe all the World muft 
 acknowledge that it will be no eafy Matter 
 to expel it, and to fubftitute vertuous Ha- 
 bits in the place of it ^ the doing of that will 
 require Labour, and Pains, and Time, and 
 perhaps alfo much Struggling and Self-denyal. 
 But then we are to remember, that this is 
 only for a fhort Tmie ;, ir is only upon our hirft 
 entrance into a religious Life, our Railage from 
 the one Extreme to the other. For after we 
 are once palfed the Pangs of the new Birth, 
 after we are a little inured to the Ways of 
 Vertue, and have made fome tolerable Pro- 
 
 grefs 
 
2 Jo Tk Fifteenth Sermon. 
 
 grefs in it, it will become very pleafant and 
 very eafy ; for I reafon thus. If Cuftom and 
 long Ufage have fuch a ftrange Power as to 
 make Vice and Sin, (which are the moft con- 
 trary to our Natures of all Things in the 
 World, ) not only fupportable, but alfo 
 fweet and pleafant to us : Then fure much 
 more will the fame Cuftom and Ufage make 
 Vertue fo, than which, as we have feen no- 
 thing is more agreeable, more natural to the 
 Minds of Men. There is no doubt, but af- 
 ter we have once broken the ftrength of our 
 evil Habits, and by the Exercife of Religion 
 purged our Souls of their pliantaftick and 
 difeafed Appetites, and recovered them to 
 their native Tafte and Reliili ;, 1 fay, there is 
 no doubt, but we fliall find as much fweet- 
 nefs and delight in the Ways of Vertue and 
 Piety, as ever we did in the Ways of Sin. 
 Our Averfions to them will alfo be gone, 
 and we fhall rather wonder at our felves, 
 how we came to be [o wretchedly impofed 
 upon by the falfe Appearances of Vice. We 
 Ihall then acknowledge, that we never till 
 now enjoyed our true Liberty, and fhall ra- 
 ther chufe to die than to return to that hard 
 Bondage we before ferved in to Sin, and Sa- 
 tan. In a Word, all the Difficulties we meet 
 with in the firft Steps of our religious Courfe 
 will then vaniOi, and our Way will lye plain 
 and fmoorh before us, full of Pleafure and 
 full of Peace, as Solornoji defcribes it. 
 
 But 
 
Tlje Fifteenth Sermon. 3 j i 
 
 But to proceed to our Fifth Particular, 
 which ought to be reprefented upon thisOc- 
 cafion. In the fifth Place, whereas it is urg- 
 ed again 11: a Life of Religion, that there is 
 much Pains and Watchfulnefs required to it: 
 We fay that this is fo fir from being a real 
 Difficulty or Inconvenience, that really it is 
 but the natural EfFed of our Make and Con- 
 Ititution. We cannot poffibly be happy but 
 in Motion, and therefore to charge this as a 
 Hardlhip in Religion, that it fct our Wits at 
 work, that it exercifes our Diligence, is a 
 very unreafonable Thing. We readily grant, 
 that the Way of Piety, as it is taught us by 
 our Saviour, will call for great Care and 
 W^atchfulnefs and Application. Whoever 
 will be a good Chriftian mud not think to be 
 idle, but will find it needful to be very at- 
 tentive to his Work, and to be much upon 
 his Guard, efpecially at the beginning. Nay 
 and after he has made feme contiderable at- 
 tainments in Vertue, he will ftill find Work 
 enough to employ himfelf about : And up- 
 on this Account we cannot deny, but that 
 the Gate that leadeth to Life is a very flrait 
 Gate, and they that mean to enter into it 
 muft tiot only feek but ftrive, as our Savi- 
 our expreifeth it ; Thej muft work out their 
 own Salvation^ they muft give all diligence 
 to make their Calling and EleBion fure^ as 
 St. ?aid words it. 
 
 But then all this, we fay, is no real Dif- 
 ficulty in the Matter. All this is nothing 
 ^ but 
 
2 c 2 T^he Fifteenth Sermon, 
 
 but a due, and naiural exercife of our Pow- 
 ers. It is impoflible a Man fhould live ac- 
 cording to his Nature, that is not for the 
 inoft part intent upon fomething or other. 
 The chief pleafure of his Life confifts in con- 
 flantly purfuing fome Defign, and to live 
 lluggifhly and without Care as it is the way 
 to dull and decay our natural Powers, fo it 
 is very uneafy to a Man that ufeth that courfe 
 of Life. There is no Man but will find a 
 great deal more Pleafure in being bufy, efpe- 
 cially when he hath a good Buhnefs in hand, 
 than in fitting ftill, and having nothing to 
 do^ this is fo eifential to our Natures, that I 
 fcruple not to fay, that it is one of the main 
 Ingredients of our Happinefs, not only in 
 this Life but in the next. The State of Hea- 
 ven will chiefly confift in this, in having our 
 natural Powers exalted to the utmofi: Pitch 
 of Vigour and Adivity, they are capable of, 
 and being always employed in the contem- 
 plation, and the purfuit of the belt and no- 
 bleft Objedls. 
 
 That which makes any Man uneafy in La- 
 bour, is not Iiis being bufy and intent upon 
 a Thing, but his fpending himfelf upon fuch 
 Things, or in fuch Ways as are no ways a- 
 greeable to him. x'\s for inftance, when he 
 is either employed in fuch Exercifes as do 
 more than ordinarily exhauft his animal Spi- 
 rits, and bring great Heavinefs and Languor 
 upon him , or when he lays out his Pains 
 upon that which no ways fuits with his Hu- 
 mour 
 
The Fifteenth Sermon] ^ j j 
 
 Humour, and Temper, and Genius : Or 
 laftly, when he hith fuch a Bufinefs in 
 Hand, that he hath no profped: of bringing 
 it to good Effed, but his Labour feems like- 
 ly to be loft upon it. 
 
 But now the Diligence and Applicatiort 
 that we muft ufe in this Matter of Vertue 
 and Religion (let it be otherwife as great as 
 you pleafe) yet hath none of thofe Inconve- 
 niences attending upon it : Since it neither 
 puts us to much bodily Pain, nor brings any 
 great wearinefs or confumption of Spirits in 
 us, nor is any way againft the Conftitutioa 
 or Frame of our Natures, but exceedingly a- 
 grees with it. Nor laftly, is a hopelefs and 
 defperate Undertaking, but fuch a Deiign as 
 that every one who will go about it may af- 
 furedly promife to himfelf Succefs in it. 
 
 I fay this being the Cafe of a vertuous 
 Life, no Man ought to think, that the Dili- 
 gence he ufeth about it is uneafy or trouble- 
 fome, but rather the natural Exercifeof that 
 Heat, and Brisknefs, and Vigour, that is put 
 into the Temper of every Man. And he 
 that doth not thus fpend himfelf, muft either 
 let his Powers lie idle and unemployed, and 
 live the Life of a Plant, that is, only receive 
 Nourifhment and grow in Bulk without any 
 Adiun : Or if he do ftir and bufy himfelf, it 
 muft be in fuch other Ways as are indeed more 
 troublefome and unagreeable to his Nature. 
 It is the great Advantage and Excellency of a 
 Vol. III. A a rcli- 
 
354 '^^^ Fifteenth Sermon] 
 
 religious Life, that it will always employ us, 
 and find us fomething to do. So that we 
 fhall never grow ruftyand dull in our Souls, 
 nor ever complain that Time lies upon our 
 Hands. It will quicken our Diligence and 
 Induitry even as to the profecution of our or- 
 dinary fecuiar Affairs. It will make us won- 
 derfully foUicitous to fpend as little Portion 
 of our Lives unprofitably, as poflibly may 
 be : But the great Thing of all is, it will 
 mightily enlarge our Powers, and with them 
 our Defigns. VVe ihall enter into a new 
 World of Objeds, which we little thought 
 of before, and about thofe Objeds, as they 
 are greater or lefs in Worth or Value, wiii 
 our Diligence proportionably be employed , 
 and the more fhall we wear off that Slug- 
 gifhnefs and Ruft that a Courfe of Vice doth 
 naturally contrad j and the great Pleafure of 
 our Lives will be that our Will, our Love, 
 our Defires are unweariedly carried out after 
 that which is good, and are daily moreadive 
 and vigorous in the Profecution of it: Till 
 at laft we (hall be tranflated into a State of 
 everlafling, never ceafing Adivity. 
 
 A State of Reft indeed the Scripture calls 
 it, and it is fo in one Refped, for there we 
 fliall reft from all our Griefs and Sufferings, 
 from every Thing that can create Trouble or 
 Torment to us ; but vet for all that it is moft 
 truly a State of everlafring Motion and Adi- 
 vity, for then our Souls being dihngaged 
 
 from 
 
77;e Fifteenth Sermon, 355 
 
 irom the Clogs and Incumbrances of thefe 
 earthly Bodies, we fhill awake as agile and 
 vigorous as the Light it felf, and fpend the 
 whole Eternity not in gazing and fitting (lill 
 as foine are apt to fancy, but in exerting our 
 Powers and Faculties perpetually to the no- 
 bleft Purpofes pofiible : Namely in loving 
 God, in fearching into his wonderful Works, 
 in being enraviftied with all his wife Contri- 
 vances, in continually finging Praifes to our 
 great and good Creator and Redeemer, and 
 in doing all the kind Offices we poflibly can 
 to our fellow Creatures^ and this without any 
 wearinefs or decay of Spirit,but with perpetual 
 Alacrity, and Pleafure, and Joy , which in- 
 deed I take to be the greateft Gemm in that 
 Crown of Righteoufnefs, which (hall be be- 
 flowed upon Believers at the hfl: Day. So 
 that really that Care, that Induftry, and 
 Watchfulnefs; which Religion in this Life 
 puts us upon, is not a Thing that ought to 
 be accounted as matter of Objedion, but ra- 
 ther as that which tends to the increafe of 
 our Happinefs, and makes us enjoy our felves 
 the better. That is the Sum of the fifth 
 Point. 
 
 But then Sixthly and Laftly, to come to 
 a Conclufion. There is this alfo to be ad- 
 ded, which of it felf alone (tho' there fhould 
 have been little Force in what has been hi- 
 therto fa id ) will be of weight enough to 
 A a 2 make 
 
5j^ The Fifteenth Sermon, 
 
 make out the Thing I am to prove : And 
 that is this. 
 
 Let all the Harddiips and Difficulties of 
 Religion be magnified as much as we pleafe, 
 yet the mighty Motives and Incouragements 
 we have from the Gofpel of Chrift to under- 
 take that way, will very much outweigh 
 them. 
 
 We have acknowledged all along that there 
 are Difficulties in the Chriflian Life , Dif- 
 ficulties that arife both from the ftridnefs of 
 that Rule we are obliged to walk by, but 
 more efpecially from that averfenefs we hav$ 
 to it thro' our being engaged in contrary Pra- 
 dices. But let us alfo fappofe that there are 
 yet greater Difficulties in a religious Life, 
 let us admit, that to enter upon this Courfe 
 is the re idieil way to fpoil all our temporal 
 Defigns, and to ruin us as to all our Hopes • 
 in this World. Let us admit, that nothing 
 but Reproach, and Ignominy, and Perfecution 
 will attend us, if we engage in this courfe of 
 Life : Yet I fay admitting all this, a Life of 
 Vertue and Religion will notwithitanding to 
 a confidering Man be far more eafy, and far 
 more eligible than the contrary way of living, 
 tho' it have never fo many outward feculac 
 Advantages to recommend it. 
 
 Let us put the Cafe that a Man cannot do 
 his Duty to God, without being reduced to 
 the utmofl Straits and greatefi: Extremity, 
 (which yet God be thanked is not now true 
 
 among 
 
Tl)e fifteenth Sermon. ^c/ 
 
 among us, nor have we any reafon to fap- 
 pofe fuch a Thing) but fuch Things m\y 
 come upon us, and therefore let us put the 
 Cafe. 
 
 Why, I fay, let the word come to the 
 word:, yet flill all Things confidered, what 
 God requires of us, is no hard, no grievous 
 Impofition upon thefc three Accounts : I 
 fliall juft name them and fo leave them, be^ 
 caufe I doubt 1 have already too much exer- 
 cifed your Patience. 
 
 Firll of all, let the Difficulties of Religion 
 be never fo great, yet" we have Gods Promife 
 that he will ftand by us, and enable us both 
 to fapport them, and to overcome them, if 
 we our felves be but honed. The Apoftle 
 hath in God's Name alfured us that no 
 Temptation fliall ever happen to us, but ei- 
 ther fuch as is common to Men, that is fuch 
 a Temptation as a Man is ordinarily expofed 
 to, and may and doth as ordinarily over- 
 come, or if they be extraordinary femptati- 
 ons, yet of what kind foever they be, G jd 
 will provide us a Way to efcape out of them ; 
 at lealt we ihall be able to bear them. For 
 God is faithful and will never fujfer us to be 
 tempted above what we are able. Thus St. 
 '2 aid incouragcs us in the roth Chap, of the 
 I ft Epift. G?r. Ver. 13. 
 
 And thus much we may certainly girher 
 from his Words, that be the Trials and Dif- 
 ficulties wcare expofed to, great or fmall, or- 
 Aa 3 dinai 
 
358 Tloe Fifteenth Sermon. 
 
 dinary or extraordinary , be likewife our 
 Strength and Courage to our thinking never 
 fo unequal to them, yet God will never lay 
 any Thing upon us but what he will give us 
 Strength to go thro' with. And if we bs 
 fortified and enabled to vanquifh the Temp- 
 tations, it is all one whether we be tempted 
 or no J or rather to fpeak truly, it is much 
 better for us thus to be tempted, fince by 
 our overcoming the Temptation we prepare 
 to our felves a greater degree of Rewards in 
 tlie other World. 
 
 But Secondly, Tho* our Religion were at- 
 tended with very great Difficulties, yet is 
 there nothing in that peace of Confcience 
 which every good Man enjoys, while he pur- 
 fues honeit and vertuous Ways for the fmooth- 
 ing thofe Difficulties ? Is not the inward 
 Comfort, and Satisfadion, and Joy, that a 
 Man reaps from difcharging his Confcience, 
 and doin;; his Duty, even then when he is 
 perfecuted for it, of fome force to alleviate 
 all the outward Preifures and Aftiidions he 
 undergoes on that Account ? Sure it is. 
 
 I would gladly ask any Man living, whe- 
 ther a Man that lives in all outward Profpe- 
 rity J hath every Thing according to his own 
 Hearts defire in this World, and yet is a 
 Knave or an Hypocrite, and hath the Stings 
 of a guilty Confcience perpetually purfuing 
 him 5 or an innocent vertuous Perfon that 
 fuffers mightily in this World^ but yet his 
 
 Mind 
 
Tl)e Fifteenth Sermon. i^g 
 
 Mind reproaches him with nothing that he hath 
 done, but he hath a continual Feaft of a 'j;ood 
 Confcience as SoIomo?i phrafefh it ^ I fay I 
 would ask any one whether of thefe is more 
 to be pitied? 1 dare : fay all will agree that 
 the former outwardly happy Man is much 
 the more miferable , and pitiable of the 
 two. 
 
 But Thirdly to conclude , If to this we 
 add the mighty unfpeakable Rewards that 
 are promifed to all fiithful perfevering; Chri- 
 flians in the other World, and the fad Porti- 
 on that doth await all wicked ungodly Men ^ 
 let the Difficulties of Religion be never fo 
 great , let the Crofs and Ferfecution they 
 fuffer for it be never fo fevere, yet there will 
 be no Comparifon, no Competition between 
 Sni and Vertue, which of them is theeafier, 
 and which of them moft recommends its felf 
 to the choice of Mankind. 
 
 Let our Condition in this World be never 
 fo happy and profperous, yet is it an eafy 
 Matter for us to think of dwelling in ever- 
 laiting Burnings } Can we for a little Brave- 
 ry ai)d Splendour, a little Fleafure and Gra- 
 tification of our brutiih Appetites, which we 
 are not certain will laft for a Year, or a 
 Month, or a Day , I fay can we for this ven- 
 ture (no it is not a Venture) can we for this 
 fell our Souls and Bodies to the Devil, to be 
 for ever tormented } Is this a Bargain that 
 we can any way plcafe our felves with the 
 A a 4 I'houghts 
 
2 6*0 T^^^ Fifteenth Sermon, 
 
 Thoughts of? On the other fide, if we be 
 fincere lovers of God, and Difciples of our 
 Lord Jefus, in what miferable Circumflaii- 
 ces foever we are in the World, will it not 
 be fufiicient to revive our drooping Spirits > 
 V/iil it not be a Cordial to us in the midft 
 of all our Afflidions and Tribulations, to 
 think that we are the Sons of the mod higli 
 God, and that we Ihall be glorilied with our 
 Saviour, when he comes to appear trium- 
 phantly in the view of Angels and Men, to 
 diilribute his Rewards to all his faithful Ser- 
 vants, and that for our light Afflidion that 
 endureth but for a Moment j we (hall receive 
 a far more exceeding and eternal weight of 
 Glory? 
 
 Sure thefe Things will not bear a Com- 
 parifon. But every one that hath his Wits 
 about him muft out of the evidence of Truth 
 be forced to cry out, that all Things conli- 
 dered it is more eafy, more fafe, more defi- 
 rable, more delightful to be good, to ferve 
 God, to live in obedience to his Laws, and 
 to difcharge a good Confcience, than to en- 
 joy all the Pleafures of Sin, which are but 
 for a Ihort Seafon, . •■ 
 
 Mdy God Almighty hy his Spirit convince 
 lis all of the Truth of this I And iipoti 
 that ConviBion inay we all ferioujly ap^ 
 ply our felves to the mortification of all 
 our fnful Habits^ and to the jludy. and 
 
 purfuit. 
 
7he Fifteenth Sermon, ^^{ 
 
 purfuit of that zvhicb is good! That 
 fo we may have the comfortable Ef- 
 feBs of our Labour in this Life in fo^ 
 lid Peace and tranquility of Mi?id, and 
 the glorious Revpards that God hath 
 made over to all good Men in the Life 
 to come, by Jefus Chriji our Lord , to 
 whom with the Father and the Holy 
 Ghoji, d^c. 
 
 S E R- 
 
6i 
 
 SERMON XVI. 
 
 H E B. XIII. 1 8. 
 
 ' We trujl we have a good Confcience^ 
 
 in all things willing to live honejlly, 
 
 ^[•^^^^ HAT every one of us may be 
 P T p ^^^^ ^^"^ ^° ^3y with St. ?aul^ 
 %, ' ^ ought to be our mofl ferious En- 
 ^^^^*^ deavours, becaufeitisour higheft 
 Concernment. To have a good Confcience 
 is the greatefl Duty, and the greateft Felici- 
 ty in the World ^ as on the contrary, an e- 
 vil Confcience is the word of Calamities, 
 Upon our Confcience being good or bad de- 
 pends all the Happinefs or Mifery of our 
 Lives, both as to this prefent State, and that 
 which is to come. He that hath a good Con- 
 science hath a continual Feaji^ as Solomon ex- 
 prefTeth it : He hath that which gives relifh 
 to all his Enjoyments, and comfort and fup^ 
 port under all his Misfortunes ;, that which 
 makes him pleafant imd joyful in good Cir- 
 cumftances, and at leafl: contented in the 
 worft 3 and which is more than all this, he 
 V. : . i-- ■■' - ■ .. hath 
 
n^e Sixteenth Sermon. 2^2 
 
 hath that which is both the Evidence and the 
 Anticipation of a future glorious JmmortaH- 
 ty. As on the other fide an evil Confcience 
 is both a Man's Crime, and his Tormentor: 
 It is that which makes him hated of God and 
 of himfdf : It is that which fpoiis and im- 
 bitters the moil: profperous Fortune in the 
 World, but makes all Atllidions intolenble ; 
 but as if all this was too little, as it purs us 
 out of the Favour of God in this World, fo 
 without repentance and puttin2; it away, it 
 excludes us from all Hopes of his Favour in 
 the World to come. Happy therefore are 
 they that can fay with St. P^nl in the Text, 
 TF'e trnfl ive have a good Confcience, 
 
 But what is it that makes a good Confci- 
 ence ? That is our prefent Enquiry. Con- 
 fcience trtken in general is nothing elfe but a 
 Man's Judgment or Perfuafion concerning 
 Moral Good or Evil, or concerning what he 
 ought to do, and what he ought not to do, 
 and what he lawfully may do. 
 
 Now according to this definition of Con- 
 fcience, one at the firH found of the Phrafe 
 would perhaps be apt to think, that that 
 fhould be a good Confcience wherein a Man's 
 Judgment was rightly and truly inflruded as 
 to thefc Matters, that is where he had right 
 Notions of Duty and Sin lawful or unlawful, 
 as on the other ■■ fide, that fliould be a bad 
 Confcience where a Man was mifinformed 
 and niiltaken in his Notions about thefe 
 
 Points % 
 
l^A '^he Sixteenth Sermon, 
 
 Points : But we inuft have a care of talking 
 thus ; a good Confcience or a bad, carries ^ 
 a great deal more in it than this comes 
 to. 
 
 When a Man hath true Notions of his 
 Duty, or of what is lawful or unlawful, we 
 fay that he hath a right Confcience j but wc 
 do not fay he hath a good Confcience upon 
 that Account, x^nd fo where a M :n is mif- 
 informed as to the goodnefs or badnefs of an 
 Adion that we call an erroneous Confcience ^ 
 but it doth not therefore follow that it is aU 
 ways an evil Confcience. Again, as to this 
 Bufinefs cf a good Confcience, we muft alfo 
 diftinguifh between acting with a good Con- 
 fcience, and having a good Confcience. For 
 as thefe Terms are commonly ufed, there is 
 a great difterence between them, jufl: as much 
 as there is between a fjngle Adion and a 
 courfe of Life. Thus a Man is fud to ad 
 with a good Confcience, when he performs 
 any particular Adion as he judges he ought 
 to do, fo that his Confcience doth not re- 
 proach him for that Fad. But now to have 
 a good Confcience is quite another Things 
 and refpeds not only this or the other parti- 
 cular Adion that a Man doth, but the wholq 
 courfe and tenor of his Life. A Man may 
 ad with a good Confcience in twenty Inftan- 
 ces, and yet not have a good Confcience, be- 
 caufe he may not have the fame care of all 
 his Adions that he hath of fomeof thenj. ' 
 
 Well 
 
The Sixteenth Sermon. 365 
 
 Well but what is it then that makes a good 
 Confcience ? Or how fhall a Man know 
 when he hath it ? Why for the refolving of 
 this I think we cannot have better Diredlions 
 than the \pofl:les Words in the Text. JFa 
 trujl (faith he) that we have a good Confci- 
 ence^ being in all things willing to live ho- 
 iieftly ^ which is as much as if he had faid. 
 Our being wiUing in all things to live ho- 
 neftly, is that from whence we conclude 
 that we have a good Confcience. So that 
 according to him, that is the Rule and Stand- 
 ard, whereby a good Confcience is to be 
 nieafured. 
 
 But what is it to live honeflly ? Why e- 
 very Body knows the meaning of that Phrafe. 
 It is to frame our Lives according to the Laws 
 of Vertue and Religion , it is to deny un- 
 godlinefs and worlMy Lufts, and to live 
 righteoufly, foberly, and godly m this pre- 
 fent World. And in the fecond Place, to be 
 "willing to live honeftly, doth import not on- 
 ly a bare Wiih, or ineffedual Delire fo to 
 do, but a moft ferious, fettled, and conftant 
 Refolution and Endeavour throughout the 
 courfeofour Lives ^ and then laftly, this 
 Refolution and Endeavour to live honeflly 
 muft be univerfal, not onlyinfome Jnftances 
 or Things, but in all Things. In all things 
 (faith the Text) being zvilling to live bonefllj. 
 This then is the great Thing whereby we 
 can evidence to our felves or others, that we 
 
 have 
 
266 Tloe Sixteenth Sermon, 
 
 have a good Confcience ; namely our (incere 
 Refolutiotis and our conftant Endeavours to 
 approve our felves to God and Man, by a 
 holy Chriflian Converlation, 
 
 This is the very Account that the fame 
 St. Fmil gives us of this Matter in other 
 Palfages of his Writings. This (faith he) is 
 our rejoycitig^ the tejiimony of our confcience^ 
 that in ftmpUcity and godly fincerity we have 
 had our coiiverfation in the world. And 
 herein ( faith he ) do I exercJfe my felf to 
 have a confience void of offence^ towards 
 God and towards Man, And laftly, to name 
 no more Scriptures, that which St. Veter in 
 the I ft Epiftle and the 5d Chap, in the be- 
 ginning of the Verfe calls a good Confcience, 
 he doth in the end of the Verfe explain by a 
 good Converfation in Chrift, or a goodChri- 
 ftian Converfation. 
 
 But now for the more particular explica- 
 tion of the Nature of a good Confcience, and 
 for the better enabling us to examine our 
 felves whether we have it or no, I fhall here 
 do two Things. 
 
 Firjl^ Give an Account of what Things are 
 not required to the having a good Confcience, 
 or which is the fame Thing, what Imperfe- 
 dions and Sins are conhft ent therewith. And 
 
 Secondly^ What Things are required to a 
 good Confcience, and what Sins are incon- 
 (iflent with it, and this fhall be my Work 
 at this time. 
 
 I be- 
 
TIjc Sixteenth Sermon, 3^7, 
 
 I begin with the firll Point, what Things 
 are not required to a good Confcience, or 
 what Imperfedions and Sins ar- conQftent 
 therewith. And here we fay firfl of all,^ it is 
 not required to the having a good Confcience 
 that a Man (hould be free from all Errors 
 and Miftakes of Judgment in Matters of Re- 
 ligion, or in Matters that concern his Duty. 
 Every Man is indeed bound to apply himfelf 
 with all ferioufnefs according as he hath abi- 
 lity and opportunity to the learning of Di- 
 vine Truth, efpecially fuch Truths as do 
 more immediately concern his Pradice. But 
 yet after all Endeavours, tho* they he per- 
 formed with great Integrity, it is not only 
 poilible but frequently feen, that good Men 
 are ignorant of many Things, and miftaken 
 in many Things, and this without any Pre- 
 judice to their Sincerity. A Man may be 
 moft heartily willing and refolved in all 
 Things to live honeftly, ( which St. Paul 
 here makes the Meafure of a good Confci- 
 ence) and yet entertain a great many falfe 
 Opinions of Things, and Things too that re- 
 late to the very pradice of Religion, 
 
 I would not here be thought to patronize 
 or defend any Mans Errors or Mifperfuafions 
 in Religion : But this I fay, a great many 
 Errors, (nay tho* they may in fome Senfe 
 be finful Errors,) may coniift with a good 
 Confcience, becaufe certainly Sins of Igno- 
 rance may. But now to make any Error or 
 
 * Mif- 
 
'^^8 7he Sixteenth Serfno}i, 
 
 Mifperfuafion in Religion, an innocent Mi- 
 ftake, or at mod a Sin of Ignorance, there? 
 are thefe three Things required, which I 
 Ihall but juft name ^ only be pleafed to take 
 notice, that I here fpeak of fuch Errors and 
 Mlfperfuafions as are incident to Men that 
 profefs Chriftianity. 
 
 Firfl it is required, that they be-not fuch 
 Errors as are deflrudive of the Chriflian Re- 
 ligion. Such Opinions and Ferfuafions as 
 fubvert and overthrow the Foundation of 
 Faith, or any part of it. Mifperfuahons of 
 this kind are not only fimple Errors but He- 
 relies, and fo far as any Man falls into them, 
 fo far he forfakes his Chriftianity, departs 
 from the Faith of Chrifl, which none can 
 be fuppofed to do in a Chriflian Church, 
 thro' pure weaknefs of Underftanding, but 
 thro' grofs Corruption and Malice in the 
 Will. And therefore it is that St. Faul 
 reckons Herefies amongft the Works of the 
 Flelh. 
 
 Secondly, To make any Error or Mifper- 
 fuafion confident with a good Confcience, it 
 is required that it be not fuch an Error as 
 engages a Man in any apparently finful or 
 ungodly Pradice. If a Man's Opinion be 
 fuch, that he puts him upon carrying on 
 Defigns and doing Adions that are plainly 
 and openly contradidory to the Laws of 
 God, or the common Rules of Honefty and 
 Morality ; This Opinion how ilrongly foe- 
 
 ever 
 
Tl^e Sixteenth Sermon, 
 foevcr it Is believed, is not an innocent Mi- 
 ilake, but a piece of Wickednefs in the Man 
 that holds it. For the Principles of Vertue 
 and Honcfty, and Morality, lie fo plainly 
 and convincingly before every Man's Confci- 
 ence, who hath been ufed to think, that he 
 muft be wilfully blind that doth not fee 
 them, and confequently not fo (incere as he 
 (hould be, that will efpoufe any Tcnent that 
 lliall give him liberty in his Pradice to con- 
 trad id them. 
 
 But Thirdly, in order to the excufing a- 
 ny Error as a wxaknefs of the Underfland- 
 ing, or as a Sin of Ignorance, and rendering it 
 confident with a good Confcience, it is requi- 
 red, that it be rather taken up involuntary and 
 thro* fome difadvantage or other in our Cir- 
 cumftances, w'hich we could not well reme* 
 dy, than thro' grofs carelefnefs and a wilful 
 negled: or refufal to ufe thofe Means of Con- 
 vidion, which God hath afforded us. There 
 is a great deal of difference as to the crimi- 
 nalnefs of falfe Perfuafions upon this Ac- 
 count ^ the fame Error which one Perfoil 
 may hold very pardonably ( as being with- 
 out much Fault of his own, either thro" 
 weaknefs of Parts, or prejudice from Educa- 
 tion, or want of Opportunity of knowing 
 better, unavoidably in a manner led into it, ) 
 I fay that very fame Error may be extream- 
 ly dangerous in other Perfons that have bet- 
 ter Parts, and have had a better Education^ 
 Vol, IIL B b and 
 
370 Tl^e Sixteenth Sermon, 
 
 and enjoy more Opportunities of informing 
 themfelves right in thofe Points, fo efpeci- 
 ally if there be any fecret taint of Pride, or 
 Lull:, or Peevifhnefs, or Ambition, or Co- 
 vetoufnefs, or the hke, that doth influence 
 their Underftandings, and keep them from 
 coming to the knowledge of the Truth. But 
 I have not time to dwell upon this. 
 
 In the fecond Place ( to come to another 
 head of Things which are confident with a 
 good Confcience) as Ave fay all Errors of the 
 Underftanding which proceed from humane 
 Weaknefs do not violate a good Confcience : 
 So we fay in the fecond Place, that neither are 
 any Sins in our practice which may be truly 
 called Sins of infirmity inconfiftent with it. 
 
 It is not required to a Man's having a 
 good Confcience that he (hould keep the 
 Commandments of God in all Inftances,- that 
 he (hould always and in all Points live up to 
 his Duty, and never be guilty of any Tranf- 
 greflion which he knows to be fuch. No, 
 the Conditions of the Gofpel Covenant made 
 by Chrift Jefus with Mankind for their Sal- 
 vation, was never defigned to be fo hard, nor 
 is there any Colour throughout the new Te- 
 lia ment for fuch a fevere Aflertion : Nor in- 
 deed is it perhaps pollible for any Man thus 
 to live, or if any Man do he is extraordina- 
 ry ; tho' in truth I believe that Man is fcarce 
 to be found that doth conceit of himfelf ia 
 cold Blood, that he doth thus live : On the 
 
 contra- 
 
Tl?e Sixteenth Sermon, 371 
 
 contrary, the more pious, and vertuous, and 
 devout any Man is, generally the more fenli- 
 hle. he is of many Irregularities, and Slips, 
 and Mifcarriages in his Life : This is cer- 
 tain, that any Sin may ftand with a good 
 Confcience, that will iland with a Man's 
 hearty and (incere Refolutions, and conftant 
 Endeavours to live honeftly in all Things : 
 And therefore tho' a Man may be confcious 
 to himfelf of abundance of Frailties and In- 
 firmities, and Imperfeclions in his Life, and 
 thofe both in his inward Defires, and Appe- 
 tites, and Affedions, and in his outward 
 Words and Adions : Yet fo long as he can 
 upon good Grounds fatisfy himfelf that he 
 doth honeftly endeavour in the main and ge- 
 neral courfe of his Life to ferve God, and to 
 mortify his Lufts, and to do his Duty in all 
 refpeds, and heartily prays and labours to 
 grow better , his Frailties of what Nature 
 foever they be, will never be imputed to 
 him in the other World, but will be wafhed 
 away by the Blood of Chrift thro' a habitu- 
 al Repentance, tho' he Ihould never live per- 
 feftly to conquer thofe Infirmities. 
 
 But Thirdly and Laftly, Let me add one 
 PropoQtion more upon this Point, and I fhall 
 conclude it. As Sins of Ignorance, and Sins 
 of Infirmity are reconcileable witli a good 
 Confcience, fo likewife are all palfed Sins of 
 what kind foever, whether adual or habitu- 
 al, reconcileable with it, fjppofing we have 
 B b 2 fm- 
 
j/i ^^^ Sixteenth Sermon] 
 
 (incerely repented of them. It is not requi- 
 red in order to the having a good Confci- 
 ence, that a Man fhould all his life have 
 been innocent, or at lead have been only 
 attended with the common Frailties of hu- 
 mane Nature : No ! God hath no where 
 made this the Condition of our Salvation. 
 That which Chrift hath required of us is, 
 not that a Man fliould have been always ver- 
 tuous, but if he hath been vitious that he 
 fhould be penitent. This I am fure is the 
 Tenor of the Gofpel Covenant. All Men 
 whatfoever let them have been never fo great 
 Sinners, let their Offences have been multi- 
 plyed to never fo great a Number, and 
 heightned with never fo aggravating Circum- 
 ftances, yet if they truly repent of them, if 
 they come to God with hearty Contrition for 
 ■what is paffed, and lincere Refolutions and 
 Endeavours to become better for the time to 
 come ^ all tliefe Men, I fay, are Objeds of 
 the Mercies of the Gofpel, and our Lord 
 hath promifed to receive them, and own 
 them for his Difciples, and to reward them 
 as fach. 
 
 St. Paul himfelf was in the Number of 
 thofe Men that we are fpeaking of ^ he had 
 been a bitter Perfecutor of Chrift's Religion, 
 and he confeffeth of himfelf that he was the 
 l^reatefi: of Sinners, But yet this very Man, 
 as bad as bethought himfelf to have been, 
 after he had repented of his Sins and become 
 
77;^ Sixteenth Sermon, ^75 
 
 a fincere Difciple of Chrift, doubted not to 
 fay of himfelf, notwithftanding all his for- 
 mer Iniquities, JFe truft we have a good 
 CoJifcience^ dCc. 
 
 Having thus given an Account of what 
 Things are confident with a good Confcience, 
 which was the firft Thing 1 was to do, I 
 now come to the other, that is to fhew what 
 Things are inconliftent with it. And here 
 the general Propofition is, that whatever is 
 irreconcileable with a Man's hearty endea- 
 vouring in all Things to Hve honeftly, all 
 that is irreconcileable with a good Confci- 
 ence. Now there are two Things which e- 
 very one at the firft hearing of them will be 
 convinced, are required in order to any Man's 
 being willing to live honeftly in all Things. 
 
 Firji, That he be very fincere in his Pur- 
 pofes, and Defires, and Endeavours. And 
 
 Secondly, That thofe Purpofes, and De- 
 fires, and Endeavours, do extend to all In- 
 ftances of his Duty. 
 
 Now oppofite to this fincerity and univer- 
 Icility of Endeavour are all forts of Hypocrify 
 on one Hand, and alljpartial Obedience to 
 God's Laws on the other. Neither of which 
 therefore can confift with a good Confcience. 
 It is a needlefs Thing to go about nicely and 
 laborioufly to give an Account what it is tQ 
 be fincere or hypocritical in our Defires and 
 Endeavours, and what it is to be impartial 
 or partial in them j for every Man doth rea- 
 Bb 3 dily 
 
j74 . '^^ Sixteenth Sermon, 
 
 dily underftand thofe Things : He mufr ei- 
 ther want natural Parts, or be extremely un- 
 der the Power of Melancholy, that is not a 
 competent Judge oi his own fincerity or in- 
 (incerity, fothat he doth not very well know 
 when he lays out his faithful and hearty En- 
 deavours, to do his Duty in all Inftances, 
 and when only in a few. 
 
 Inftead therefore of a ftrid Profecution of 
 this Argument, 1 think it better to treat of 
 it in a popular Way ;, that is to fiy, for the 
 ailifting every one of you to apply thefe Ge- 
 nerals to our own particular Cafes. 1 fliall 
 fet before you fome of the mofl common and 
 ufual States and Conditions of Men among 
 us, which may plainly be convinced either 
 of fincerity or partiality, and confequenily 
 are irreconcileable with a good Confcience. 
 
 And firfl of all, as for all atheiflical, pro- 
 fane, lewd, debauched Perfons, that have 
 little Senfe of Religion or Honefty, but liv^e 
 in this World as if they neither feared God 
 or regarded Men, the whole BufinefsandDe- 
 iign of whofe life is the fatisfadion of their 
 covetous, or ambitious Deiires, or the grati- 
 fication of their brutilli Appetites , for tlie 
 attaining of which they flick at nothing. As 
 to tliefe Men I fay, it is a needlefs Thing to 
 ask whether they have a good Confcience , 
 for it is rather a Qiieflion whether they have 
 any Confcience at all, whether they have 
 not finned themfelves beyond all the appre- 
 
 henfions 
 
Tl:e Sixteenth Sermon, ^75 
 
 henfions and difcrirninations of what is good, 
 and what is evil : And therefore if this kind 
 of Men do live at peace within themfelves, if 
 they be feldom or never haunted with trou- 
 blefome and vexatious Inclinations upon their 
 own courfe of Life, this is no Argument in 
 the World that they have a good Confcience, 
 but rather that God hath wholly forfaken 
 them, and given them up to hardnefs of 
 Heart, and a reprobate Mind, which of all 
 Conditions on this (ide Damnation is the moft 
 .dreadful. 
 
 ' But Secondly, What fliall we fiy of the 
 negligent and carelefs fort of Men, fuch as 
 are not indeed openly wicked, or profane, or 
 impious, nor are they guilty of any fuch e- 
 normous fcandalous Crimes, as either blemiOi 
 their Reputations in the World, or render 
 them obnoxious to humane Laws ^ but in 
 the mean time they live in an habitual care- 
 lefnefs as to all that concerns their Souls or 
 the other World : They have no Senfe of 
 God or Religion upon their Minds, tho' per- 
 haps they may make a Praciiice of coming to 
 Church as other Chriftians do : Yet they 
 hardly know what it is either there or in their 
 Clofets heartily and fervently to fay their 
 Prayers : They know not what it is to be- 
 wail their Sins, or ferioully to make Refolu- 
 tions againfl them, or to fet themfelves in 
 good earned to the rooting out of any viti- 
 ous Inclination that they labour under : But 
 ' ' R h 4 they 
 
'jyg 11)6 Sixteenth Sermon, 
 
 they fpend their Days either in a courfe of 
 Pleafure, or a hurry of worldly Cares and 
 Bufinefs, or elfe perhaps in a dull lazy un- 
 thinking way J and the greateft Comforts 
 they can give to themfelves is, that tho* they 
 do no great Good in the World, yet they do 
 no great Harm : Can thefe Men with any 
 Juftice pretend to a good Confcience? No 
 certainly they cannot. For they cannot 
 with any Colour or Reafon fay of themfelves 
 that they are in all Things willing to live 
 honeftly. If they were, how was it poffi- 
 ble for them to live in a grofs wilful negled: 
 of all the Duties that do more immediately 
 relate to God, and of all the Methods of 
 Chrift Jefus, by which a new Principle, or 
 Holinefs, or Regeneration, is to be attained ? 
 We are to know that Sins of Omifhon, if 
 they be habitual, and cuftomary, and in 
 fuch Things without which a holy Chriftian 
 Life cannot be maintained, I fay, fuch Omif- 
 fions as thefe are as certainly damnable as a 
 courfe of vitious and wicked Adions. 
 
 But Thirdly, What (hall we fay of ano- 
 ther fort of Men that feem to be Religious 
 but are not inwardly fo ^ that make a (hew 
 of Piety in their Converfation, but it is only 
 for the ferving forae private Turn, Can a- 
 ny of thefe Mt^n plead a Title to a good 
 Confcience ? Oh no, they are the farthed 
 from it that is poflibie : Not but I think \t 
 much better and more tolerable to have the 
 
 Foriii 
 
7he Sixteenth Sermons -tyj 
 
 FormofGodlinefs, tho' without the Power 
 of it, than to be witliout both Power and 
 Form too \ yet certainly let the Form and 
 Appearances that thofe Men make be never 
 fo fair and fpecious, yet if their Minds be of 
 a different Complexion from the outward Be- 
 haviour, if Impurity and VVickednefs be 
 lodged under a Vizor of Piety, if their good 
 Adions be done to be feen of Men that fo 
 they may advance their Reputation and In- 
 terefl in the World, if any private Ends be 
 carried on of Covetoufnefs, or Luft, or 
 worldly Greatnefs, for the accomplifhing of 
 which all this fliew of Religion is intended ; 
 Thefe are the veryeft Hypocrites in the 
 World, and of all forts of Hypocrites are the 
 moil: odious to God : For thefe are the paint- 
 ed Sepulchres our Saviour fpeaks of, wliich 
 appear glorious without, but inwardly are 
 full of rottennefs and dead Mens Bones. 
 Thefe are thofe that, as he faith, do juftifie 
 themfelves before Men, but Qod knowetlx 
 their Hearts, and that which is highly e- 
 fleemed of in thofe Men by all that fee them 
 is abominable in the fight of God. 
 
 But Fourthly, There are another fort of 
 Men that are no ways guilty of that Hypo- 
 crify I have been now proving, but as far as 
 their Religion goes it is very fincere. They 
 have abundance of good Defires and Purpo- 
 fes, and when upon any Occafion they are 
 
 brought 
 
278 T??f Sixteenth Sermon, 
 
 brought to examine the State of their own 
 Minds and Confciences, they are extremely 
 troubled to find that they have made no great 
 Progrefs in Vertue, but are under the Ty- 
 ranny of fo many evil Habits. Their Hearts 
 are really afFeded with the Senfe of Religi- 
 on, and when at the ftated Seafons of the 
 Year they repair with other Chriftians to the 
 holy Communion, they do it with great De- 
 votion, and they are full of good Purpofes 
 and Refolutions to mend their ways. But 
 yet ill this Religion of theirs is not of force 
 and (trength enough to conquer any one of 
 their evil Habits, any one of thofe reigning 
 Lufts which enthral them and lead them 
 Captive at Will and Pleafure. They often 
 wifti they were good, and defire not only to 
 die the Death, but alfo to live the Life of 
 the Riditeous : But flill this Wifh or Defire 
 never proceeds firther than a bare purpofe of 
 fetting themfelves fometime or other to be 
 what they wifli to be, forfi:ill they continue 
 as bad as they were, whatever the prevailing 
 Sins of their Life be ^ whether a courfe of 
 profane Swearing, or irreligious Talking ;, a 
 courfe of Drunkennefs or ReveUing, a courfe 
 of Gaming or keeping idle Company, to the 
 iiegled of their Callings and Family j a 
 courfe of Lewdnefs and unlawful Love ^ a 
 courfe of indired Dealings in their Calling ^ 
 a courfe of uncharitable Cenfuring, and Rail- 
 
 ing 
 
77;^ Sixteenth Sermon. ^^p 
 
 ing, and Slandering, and Backbiting j I fay 
 of what Nature or Kind foever their evil Ha- 
 bits and Cuftornes are •, they do not quit any 
 of them for all their good Defires and good 
 Refolutions. 
 
 This God knows is the Cafe of too many 
 that profefs Chriftianity among us ^ what 
 now (hall we fay to thefe ? Can thefe Men 
 be faid to have a good Confcience upon ac- 
 count of their many good Wifhes and De- 
 fires and Purpofes ? No, 1 dare not fay they 
 have : If indeed they grow better upon thefe 
 their Wiilies and Purpofes, tho' they did not 
 on a fudden become fo Holy and Vertuous as 
 they ought to be •, yet I would fiy they 
 were in a Way to a good Confcience, be- 
 caufe they had done fomething towards a Re- 
 formation 5 and might by the Grace of God 
 go farther. But when they have nothing but 
 Convidion upon their Minds that they ought 
 to live better, and nov/a'id then a good Wifli 
 that they did fo, but yet for all that, they 
 do not amend but run on the old Road when 
 ever a Tenipration pref^nts it felf, they can 
 be no more entitled to the Name of a good 
 Confcience, than they can be entitled to the 
 Name of fober, temperate, chafte, diligent, 
 ferious, upright, regular Men, when yet 
 they are not fo indeed, but only defire fo to 
 be. if they were heartily and lincerely wil- 
 ling in all Things to live honeftly, which is 
 
380 
 
 7he Sixteenth Sermon] 
 
 St. VauTs Meafure of a good Confcience, 
 they would certainly live fo. That the Will 
 is not a (incere Will that doth not obtain its 
 EfFed in all thofe Matters which are fo 
 plainly in our Power as thefe are, that we 
 are now fpeaking of. If they were indeed 
 delirous to approve themfelves to God, they 
 would ftrive againft thofe Sins which hold 
 them in Captivity , they would every Day 
 fortify their Refolutions, they would as much 
 as they could avoid the Temptations, they 
 would ufe twenty Methods to keep them- 
 felves out of the Snare, or to break thro* it, 
 which every prudent Man could readily fug- 
 geO: to himfelf. All this they would do, if 
 they were in good earned in this Matter. 
 And if they did this, they would in a little 
 Time be certainly Mafters of their own De- 
 fires, and live as they ought to do. But in 
 the mean time, fo long as they live as they 
 do, they muft not flatter themfelves with a 
 Conceit that they have a good Confcience , 
 for no courfe of open wilful Sin ( as all the 
 Sins I have been now inlifting on are fuch) 
 can be reconciled to a good Confcience. It 
 is in this Senfe that St. James fpeaks, when 
 he tells us. That he tha^ breaketh one of 
 God's Covimand?nents is guilty of all , and 
 St. John, Whofoever conmiitteth Sin is ofihe 
 Devil^ and no one that is horn of God can 
 commit Sin. And laftiy, that our Saviour 
 "''' ''''■'■■■ fpeaks 
 
The Sixteenth Sermon. 381 
 
 fpeaks, when he crys out, JFhy call ye me 
 Lordj Lord, and do not the things which I 
 commandyoii ^ 
 
 But to le.^ve this Head and go on *, for I 
 would willingly, upon this occafion, take 
 notice of all the common Artifices and Deceits 
 wherewith Men are apt to impofe upon 
 themfelves in this Bufinefs of a good Con- 
 fcience. 
 
 In the fifth Place there are a fort of 
 Men that value themfelves upon their 
 moral Honeily and Juftice in their Deal- 
 ings between Man and Man. They have 
 not indeed as they confefs of themfelves 
 been fo careful and regular and devout in 
 their Lives, as they would have been , but 
 yet they thank God they have a good Con- 
 fcience, they have wronged no Man , they 
 are in charity with all the World , they pay 
 every Body their own ; and what they 
 have they are come honefily and fairly by. 
 
 Thus indeed in common Language hath 
 Juflice between Man and Man engroffed to 
 its felf the Name of a good Confcience, and 
 it is chiefly Oppreifors, and Extortioners, 
 covetous and griping Men, Knaves and Cheats 
 that we reproach with the Name of uncon- 
 fcionable Men, or Men of no Confcience. 
 Thus far indeed is true, thu upright deal- 
 ing between Man and Man in ail our Con- 
 verfation, efpecially where Mercy and Cha- 
 rity 
 
2^2 
 
 : T?;e Sixteenth Sermon, 
 
 rity hath been joyned with that Dealing, 
 ,doth make a fair Step towards a good Con- 
 fcience ; and on the contrary, all kind of 
 Injuftice, and Extortion, and Oppreflion or 
 Cruelty, are certain Signs or Inftances of aii 
 evil Confcience, or no Confcience ;, and on 
 fuch Perfons God will have no Mercy : But 
 then it is always to be remembred, that jufl 
 Dealing with Man is part of our Duty, and 
 not the whole ^ nay befides that, at the fame 
 time that we are juft and fair in our Negoti- 
 ations with Men, we may at the fame time 
 I fay, be horribly unjuft to God and our 
 felves alfo. So that unlefs a Man can think 
 that his fair ufage of his Neighbour in the 
 courfe of his Trade will make atonement 
 and compenfation for the ill ufage of God 
 and of himfelf in all the reft of his Conver- 
 fation by Profanenefs, Irreligion, Drunken- 
 nefs. Luxury, and the like, he cannot upon 
 this iingle Account of moral Honefty , as they 
 call it, fatisfy himfelf that he hath a good 
 Confcience. He that will entitle himfelf to 
 that, muft C as we have often fiid) endea- 
 vour in all Things to live honeftly, which 
 fuch a Man as this doth not. 
 
 But Sixthly and laftly, There is another 
 Notion of a good Confcience, which too 
 commonly palTeth among fome of us, which 
 is different from all thefe I have named , and 
 it is this: Mens fatisfving themfelves with 
 
 their 
 
'Tl^e Sixteenth Sennon. 383 
 
 their being heartily zealous about fome out- 
 ward Forms or Modes of Religion, which 
 either upon clioice or chance they have 
 pitched upon as the befl, and making their 
 Zeal for thefe Things to be true Marks of 
 their fincere Piety. Thus for inflance, fome 
 among us think themfelves Chriftians meer- 
 ]y for being Members of our Church, and 
 heartily complying with its Conftitutions, 
 and fhewing a great Zeal againfl: all thofe 
 that are of a different Communion from us 
 (whether Papifts or Sedaries.) Others are 
 as much fatlslied of their Title to God's Fa- 
 vour meerly upon account of their oppofing 
 our Conftitution, and joining themfelves to 
 fome Godly Party that are againfl all human 
 Inventions in the Worfhip of God ( by 
 which Name they are pleafed to call that 
 way of Worfhip which is eftabliflied among 
 us : ) With thefe Men it is a main Evidence 
 of their being fincerely Religious, to make 
 Scruples and Difficulties in fuch plain 
 Things where another Man would make 
 none. A Form, or a Ceremony, or a Ge- 
 fture, tho' never fo ancient in the Church, 
 never fo decent or innocent in its felf, gives 
 them as great a Shock, and raifeth as great 
 an Outcry as if Chriftianity it felf was in 
 danger, x^nd upon account of this their un- 
 reafonable nicenefs and fcrupulofity, they 
 would appropriate to themfelve the Name 
 
 of 
 
7he Sixteenth Semonl 
 
 of Tender Confciences, which indeed is the 
 higheft Inflance of a good Confcience. 
 
 As to the firft of thefe I mentioned, thofc 
 that do fincerely embrace Chrift's Religion 
 and the Worlhip of God in the Way that it 
 is held forth and eftabliihed in the Church 
 o{ England^ I defire leave to fay this to 
 them , that tho' I do in my Confcience be- 
 lieve that there is no Church in the World 
 wherein the Religion of Chrift is more 
 purely taught , or his Sacraments more 
 duly adminiftred , than in this Church, 
 and confequently in the Communion of 
 which a Man may more fifely venture 
 his everla fling Salvation ^ yet let them 
 not deceive themfelves, neither the Gofpel 
 of Chrift, nor the Dodrines of his Church, 
 do give them any Hopes of Happinefs 
 hereafter, unlefs to their holy Profeffion 
 they add a holy Life and Converfati- 
 on. 
 
 And as for the tender confcienced Men . 
 I mentioned in the fecond Place (be they 
 of what Sed, or Perfuafion, or Denomi- 
 nation foever they pleafe) nay tho' they 
 be arrived to that tendernefs of Confci- 
 ence, that they fcruple as much the ufe 
 of civil Ceremonies , as the reft of them 
 do religious ;, and are come to refine up- 
 on thou and you, yea and yes, the re- 
 fped of the Hat , and tweiiry other fuch 
 
 Thin^zs 
 
The Sixteenth Sermon. 585 
 
 Things , which they ukike ferious Mat- 
 ters of Confcience of^ as to thefe I fay, 
 that, tho* I meddle not v/ith their Opi- 
 nions and Perfuafions , ( which I leave 
 to God the fearcher of all Hearts to 
 judge how fir they are innocently or in- 
 vincibly taken up , and how far they 
 fhall anfwer for them as taken up by 
 their own Fault , ) yet let them not 
 prefume that this tendernefs of Confci- 
 ence of theirs , as they call it , is any 
 Argument in the World of a good Con- 
 fcience, unlefs they can fitisfy them- 
 felves that they are as tender confcien- 
 ced in all the other Parts and Inftances 
 of their Duty , ( which they are con- 
 vinced both in Nature and Revelation to 
 be their Duty, ) as they are in fuch 
 Things which they lay fo great a ftrefs 
 upon. Let them therefore ask themfelves 
 thefe Queftions : Are they as careful a- 
 bout all the fubftantial Parts of God's 
 Wordiip, as they are in fuch Circum- 
 ftantials } Do they make a Confcience 
 of being juft in all their Dealings, of 
 being innocent in all their Converfnion, 
 of being peaceable among their Neigh- 
 bours , of living without Offence to the 
 Government that protects them ? Are 
 they kind and candid to all them thit 
 differ in Opinion from them , and avoid 
 Vol. IIL C c ai^ 
 
J 7^ "^^^ Sixteenth Sermon. 
 
 all uncharitablenefs in cenfuring and con- 
 demning others that are not of their 
 Perfuafion ? In a Word , do they in all 
 their Converfation exercife themfelves to 
 liave a Confcience void of Olfence towards 
 God and towards Man ? Tbefe indeed are 
 true Signs of a good and tender Confdence, 
 bat for Men to be wonderfully tender in 
 their Confciences about the Out*works , 
 as I may call them, of Religion , and 
 yet not to be equally tender in other 
 Matters , wherein the very Life and 
 Soul of it doth conliii: : This is no Ar- 
 gument in the World of a good Con- 
 fcience , but rather an Evidence to the 
 contrary. 
 
 To conclude the whole Matter , the 
 Sum of all is this. That no Man of 
 what Perfuafion or Religion foever , can 
 with any good Grounds hope to ap- 
 pear with a good Confcience before God 
 in the next Life, or reap the folid 
 Comfort of it in this, but only fuch a 
 one as can truly fitisfy himfelf, that he 
 is moft heartily willing , and doth fin- 
 cerely endeavour in all Things to live 
 honeftly , whatever is ihort of this is 
 fhort of a good Confcience , and whoever 
 makes this good may truly and with great 
 Comfort to himfelf, notwithftanding ali 
 his other Frailties and iniirmities, fay 
 
 with 
 
The Sixteenth Sermon. ^^9 
 
 with St. Paul in the Text, / truji I have 
 a good Conscience, 
 
 Which that we may all have^ God of his 
 infinite Mercy grant y 6cc. 
 
 The End of the Third Volume. 
 
! 
 Date Due ! 
 
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