NOT to dispute about the Time, when; or about the Place, whence, this E­pistle was sent by St. Paul; we may observe Three Things of the Person to whom it was directed.

1. That he was intrusted with the Ministerial Office by the special Designation of the Holy Ghost himself. St. Paul speaks of Prophesies which went before of him, 1 Tim. 1. 18. mean­ing by Prophecies, Divine Revelation, whereby Timothy was set apart for the work of the Mini­stry; [...], saith St. Chrysostom; Chrisost▪ in 1 Tim. 1. 18 by the particular Call, and immediate Appoint­ment of the Holy Ghost. For, the conducting of Souls being so great a Work, and the Mi­nisterial Office so great a Dignity, God was pleased in those Times to give special Directions by Divine Revelation, who should have that weighty Trust committed unto them. So St. Luke tells us, Acts 13. 2. that the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the Work [Page 2] whereunto I have called them. And Clemens Ro­manus Clem. Ep. ad Cor. p. 54. tells us expresly, That the Apostles con­stituted Bishops and Deacons by the Spirit's Ap­probation; and having perfect Fore-knowledge (by Revelation) [...] (for so IPag. 53. conceive the place should be read) they assigned to such as were Ordained, their respective CuresEuseb. Hist. Ec. Lib. 3. cap. 23. and Charges Pastoral. And Clemens Alexandri­nus relates of St. John in particular, That as he visited the Churches in Asia, he made Clergy­men of those who were signified to him by the Holy Ghost. A power of Discerning Spirits, or of knowing Mens Hearts, was a special Gift in the beginning of Christianity; and then, for the most part, Men were admitted into Holy Or­ders by God's special Appointment; which is meant by the word, Prophecy; and so was Ti­mothy chosen and set apart.

2. And yet, Secondly, it is observable, that at that time Timothy was but a young man: Not one of the [...], a Novice lately converted to the Faith (for he had been some considerable time an Assistant to St. Paul, and a Companion in his Travels) but a Young Man in respect of his Age, and in comparison of other Governors of the Church, who were generally Venerable, not only for their Holy Lives, but for their Hoary Heads also; and so were sometimes pro­miscuously [Page 3] called, [...], Elders; not be­cause the same Authority, but because the like Gravity was common to them all. For this rea­son St. Paul, who exprest a particular▪ Care and Tenderness for this his Son Timothy, was in a special manner concern'd, that no Man might despise his Youth.

3. As young as Timothy was, he was plac'd at Ephesus, as in his Episcopal See. Eusebius gives it us as a receiv'd Tradition, That he was the first Bishop of that City; the Fathers at the Council of Chalcedon reckon so too; and indeed the two Epistles of St. Paul to him, wherein he was direct­ed to govern the Church, to order Church­matters, to Ordain Elders, and even to Judge and Censure them, do very plainly import, that he was invested with the Episcopal Authority; though it was [...] (to use the Expression of Ignatius the Martyr concerning Dama, who was a Young Man, and a Bishop too) the Ordi­nation of a Young Man, Ordination granted before the usual time, by reason of his singular Merits.

This, by the way, shews, that in the very be­ginning of Christianity, the Episcopal Power and Office was a distinct thing from that of Pres­byters, and Superiour to it. For if that were true, which some would make us believe, that [Page 4] an equality of Power did originally belong to all Ministers of the Gospel, and that in the first Ages, the Senior Presbyter was wont of course to succeed in the Precedency over the rest, and was called Bishop by the Courtesie of the College, though he was no more in Power than like the Chairman of an Assembly; I say, if it had been anciently and originally thus, it is not likely that so young a Man as Timothy would have been dignified with the Preheminence before his turn.

But not to digress. These things, my Reve­rend Brethren, I have briefly observ'd, that all may see what great Reason St. Paul had to direct Timothy, how he should behave himself in the House of God, which is the Church of the Li­ving God, the Pillar and Ground of Truth, to uphold and Support it, and to exhibit it to the World.

He, who was called to the weighty Office of Saving Souls, by the particular directions of the Holy Ghost: He, who was made one of the Angels of the Church, and had a considerable part of the Roman Empire for his Diocess: He, who was to expect so much Contempt and Op­position on all hands, and in his Youth was to encounter with the most formidable Wolves: He, who was to endure so many Difficulties, [Page 5] and was to venture all in the most dangerous Times, and in the most Idolatrous and Cor­rupt Place: He, who was to light many Families of the Earth to Heaven, and was accountable for his own Soul, and for many thousand Souls besides: He, who had no Comfort to depend upon, but the Testimony of a good Conscience to bear him up in that His day, and in the day of God: He had the highest reason, to look ve­ry carefully to his Steps; to make it his only Study, how to Preach well, and to Live better; and to endeavour by all possible means of whol­som Instructions, and an holy Example, to an­swer the Ends of his high Calling; lest, when he had Preach'd to others, he himself should become a Cast-a-way.

St. Paul therefore being uncertain when he should see this young Labourer again, whom he had put lately into the Vineyard, sent him, by Letter, divers necessary Instructions for the due Performance of his great Work: That he should keep Faith, and a good Conscience; that he should settle the publick Service of God, who was to bless his Labours; that he should ordain a Blameless Ministry, to assist him in his heavy Employment; that he should provide against Seducing Spirits; that he should be an Example to Believers; that he should give Attendance to [Page 6] Reading, and not neglect the Gift which had been given him by Prophecy; and divers such like Directions more: All which seem to be sum­med up briefly in these few Words, Take heed unto thy self, and unto thy Doctrine.

Which Admonition doth, indeed, principally concern such Church-men as Timothy was; such as move in the highest Sphere, such as cast the most powerful, and the most spreading In­fluence: But yet we who are of a subordinate Rank, should look upon it, as belonging, in a great measure, unto us also. For, though we must not usurp that Authority and Honour which is the Right and Propriety of our Fathers, yet are we strictly bound to take our share of that Duty and Burthen which is common unto us all. And that this Admonition may be of the better use to us, for God's sake, let us, with all possible Care and Diligence, observe both these Caveats in it. 1. Let us take heed unto our selves, as that which chiefly concerns our own Souls: Let us see that our own Lives be such as do become Ministers of God, and Preachers of Righteous­ness. 2. And then, Let us take heed unto our Doctrine too, as that which concerns the Souls of our Hearers: Let us see that it be such as may have a good Influence upon them, and may serve effectually to build them up too in the most [Page 7] holy Faith. These are the Parts of the Text, and of our Duty; and if we do persevere in a due Care of these two Things, if we exercise our selves in them with Zeal, and employ our Time upon them with Diligence, we may hope, notwith­standing all Discouragements, that, by the Grace and Blessing of God, we shall save our selves, and them that hear us.

First, Let us take heed unto our selves; For we tread as if we were walking upon the very Ridge of a Church, where every Step we take is both visible and dangerous; there is a Precipice on each Hand, and there are Eyes all round about us, and some too that may long to see us fall. In this Case we cannot be too cautious; and our only sure Way is, to let our Light shine so before Men, that they may see our good Works; to be Ex­amples to them, whether they will or no, to do our Part however; and by our Prudence, Piety, and signal Vertue, to cut off all Occasion from such as seek Occasion against us. There is not a more odious, a more hurtful Creature in the World, than an Unconscionable and Scandalous Clergy-man: One that holds a Taper behind him, to light all Men but himself: One that over-looks that Hell, which he pretends to shew others: One, whom neither the Sense of God's Honour, nor the Dignity of his Sacred Function, [Page 8] nor the Interest of Religion, nor the Dictates of Natural and Enlightned Conscience, nor the Pre­ciousness of Souls, nor the Shamefulness of Sin, nor the Terrors of a Judgment-day, can be suffi­cient to bring to a serious Consideration of his Duty. Nor is any thing a greater Discredit to Religion, than that such an unhallowed Mouth should blow the Trumpet in the Sanctuary; or that such Salt should be used about the Sacrifices of the Temple, as is more noisom and unsavoury, than what is taken out of a Dunghill. It is im­possible to express such a Man's Guilt, or the In­juries and Mischief which comes to Religion by it. One such Clergy-man doth the Church more harm, than perhaps Twenty others may be able to do it good, by all their Cares, Pains, and Watchsulness.

I would not have any uncharitable Man hope, that my Design is to cast a Stone at any Reverend Person here. No, my Brethren; my purpose is, but to take the modest Freedom of a friendly Remembrancer; to represent that to you, which is in your own Religious Thoughts; to speak your own Sense, or something near, though it be below it; and to lay before you some of those Considerations, which I am ob­liged to believe, you your selves are careful to act upon.

Let us then take heed unto our selves, I be­seech you:

1. For the Honour of our Profession. I need not tell you how full the Ancient Christians were, and even profuse in their Encomiums of the Priesthood, and how high they set it; some of them comparing the Sacerdotal with the ve­ry Regal Dignity. It was venerable in those Times of Piety, and Christian Simplicity: And though some went too far in their Notions and Expressions concerning this Matter, yet so far we should, all of us, magnifie our Office (in this Sense) as to count it no small thing, that the God of Israel hath separated us from the Con­gregation of Israel, to bring us near to himself, to do the Service of the Tabernacle of the Lord; as Moses told those Sons of Levi, Exod. 16. Of the whole Mass of Mankind, none are segregated to be so near unto God, as the Dispensers of his Word and Sacraments; and therefore they are called, by way of peculiar Approbation, the Servants, the Ministers, the Stewards, the Am­bassadors of God. The Washings and Unctions under the Law, and the Imposition of Hands under the Gospel, were so many Rites of Con­secrating and Separating Men to the special Ser­vice of God; and this State of Separation we call Relative Sanctity, whereby Ministers of [Page 10] Holy Things become, after a more peculiar and eminent manner, Holy unto the Lord. And should we, after all this, defile our selves with the Pollutions of the World, or have any Fel­lowship with the Works of the Flesh, and the Works of Darkness; what should we do, but desecrate the thing which was solemnly hallow­ed, and bring our Souls under the intolerable Guilt of Profanation and Sacrilege? Consi­der, I beseech you: Such as ought to be the Use of Consecrated Things, such ought to be the Conversation of Consecrated Persons; as the one is to be sacred, so the other is to be holy. We condemn those who did formerly set up Heathen Idols in Christian Churches, as Julian the Apostate did: We abhor those who did put the Blood of Toads into the holy Cha­lices, and such other abominable Mixtures; as Epiphanius says the Gnosticks did: We detest the Memory of those, who, in Times of Persecution, deliver'd up the Holy Bible to be burnt, as the Traditores did; and threw the Holy Sacrament to Dogs; as Optatus says the old Donatists did: And what should we think of our selves, if, after the solemn Dedication of our Souls and Bodies to God's Use, and to the Ministration of Holy Things, we should prostitute our own sacred Character, and abandon our selves to the com­mon [Page 11] Lusts and Impurities of the World? If any Man defile the Temple of God, him shall God de­stroy; for the Temple of God is holy, saith St. Paul, 1 Cor. 3. 17. This Temple we of the Clergy are, after a peculiar manner; and something more: And what shall not we deserve, if we should de­file our selves, where Temple, and Priest, and Altar, and Sacrifice should meet in One? Be­sides, we see with Sorrow how low our Profes­sion is sunk in the Esteem of some People; nor is there any Way to redeem the Honour of it so effectually, as by that Gravity, and Exemplary Vertue, which are the proper and certain Means of adorning it. You know the Story in Jose­phus, of Alexander the Great marching to Jeru­salem, Joseph. An­tiqu. lib. 11. cap. 8. when he saw the Priests meeting him in their Robes, and Jaddus the High Priest in his Pontifical Habit, and with a Golden Frontlet on his Mitre, wherein the Name of God was writ­ten, the King, though enrag'd at Jaddus, was so tamed by Natural Conscience, and by the Natural Sense he had of Religion, that he pre­sently did Obeysance to God's Name, and shew­ed Reverence to the High Priest for God's sake. Jaddus took great heed to himself at that time: And truly, my Brethren, we cannot take a bet­ter Course to soften the Spirits of some wild and troublesom Men in the World, than by letting [Page 12] them see what we have of God upon us; and by shewing them, not the bare Name, but the Per­fections of God, those charming Vertues which resemble the Perfections and Glories of the Di­vine Nature, and which are the true and lively Characters of the Divine Nature. This (if any thing) must needs command Reverence from Men of Sense; I dare say, will command it from all, who have a Sense of Common, Moral Ver­tue, though they have very little of Revealed Religion.

2. Let us, I beseech you, take heed to our selves, not only to adorn our Profession, but that we may be useful and beneficial in it. Though our great Business be like our blessed Saviour's, to go about doing Good, especially to those unto whom we are sent; yet many times, and in many places, it is a very hard matter to do it, though we use our utmost En­deavours; because it is no easie matter to per­suade Men, especially to their Spiritual Good; a thing which doth not fall under the Invitation of their Senses, as their Worldly Interest doth. Though we toil all the Night (as he said, who was afterwards made a Fisher of Men) yet ma­ny times we take nothing, unless it be Weeds, which, comparatively, is as good as nothing. But I consider what the Lord said to his Disci­ples [Page 13] at Sea, Joh. 21, 6, Cast the Net on the Right Side of the Ship, and ye shall find; and then they were not able to draw it for the multitude of Fishes. This is often our Case; we take nothing, when, for want of Advertency, we cast not on the Right Side: But when we do that, our La­bours are successful. But if a Man be unskil­ful, or utterly unmindful of his Business; cares not what he is, nor what he does; how can he hope to speed, on which Side soever he casteth his Net? How can he expect that God will hear his Prayers, or bless his Pains, or in any measure prosper the Work which he doth not duly re­gard himself? The nature of the thing will not allow him to expect it, because People are more apt to be influenced by Example, than by In­struction; the one is more obvious, and sinks deeper than the other: And a good Sermon is lost, and flung back upon a Man's Face, when his Life is irreligious. But if our People see us our selves express the Power of Godliness, they will be the more apt to count it a serious thing, and the more capable of receiving holy Impres­sions from us. If they see us diligently attend­ing the Worship of God, grave, zealous, and devout at Prayer, they will be the more readily allur'd to lift up their own Hearts, and to set their Affections on Things above. If they see [Page 14] in us that Humility, that Meekness, that Pa­tience, that Charity, that Peaceableness of Mind, and those other Vertues and Graces which we would form in their Hearts, and which are so amiable in the sight of God and Man; if, I say, they behold the Beauty of them in us, they will be the more easily sollicited to the Love and Practice of them. In short; By God's Blessing, our good Examples will not be lost, though our Exhortations may, what Discouragements soever we may meet with in our great Under­taking; how deaf or distemper'd soever the People may be, with whom we have to deal; and how little soever our Hopes may be for the present, the Innocence and Strictness of our Lives will, by God's Grace, one time or other, effectually work upon them: To be sure, we shall have this great Comfort upon our Death­beds, that we have acted as became Conscien­tious and honest Pastors; when their Comfort will be very little, to consider, that we have left them without Excuse. Whatever their Con­demnation may be, for Christ his sake, let us take heed that we be not guilty of that which the great Exemplar of Holiness laid to the Charge of the Scribes and Pharisees, Matth. 23. They bind heavy Burthens, and grievous to be born, and lay them on other Mens Shoulders; but they [Page 15] themselves will not move them with one of their Fingers.

3. These Considerations, my Brethren, affect the Conscience, and we know our selves ob­liged in point of Conscience, to take heed unto our selves upon these Accounts. Give me leave to add in the next place, that we must take heed to our selves in point of Prudence too. Vulgar People are not wont to consider the Consequen­ces of things, but we should; we should look forward in all Cases, and evermore consider what will follow if we be careless of our selves, and unmindful of our Duty: We should lay every thing to our Hearts before-hand. And what else, I beseech you, will be the Conse­quence, but this; that we shall scandalize our Friends, gratifie our Enemies, bring upon one another a common Reproach, and in the End expose our whole Church to God's Judg­ments?

God be blessed, notwithstanding Faction and Vice, there are great Numbers of good People, who love the Ways of this our Sion; especially where the Feet of those who preach Salvation unto it, are beautiful. When they see (as it was said of Origen) an admirable Harmony be­tween the Doctrine and Life of a Clergy-man; when he is [...] [Page 16] [...], as St. Chrysostom speaks, a Repre­sentation and Picture of good Living, and an animated Pandect of the Laws of Religion; then is the Church's Face amiable indeed, in the Eyes of all her Friends; and then every good Man, though he be illiterate, hath the same Ar­gument to offer for our Church, that was an­ciently used in defence of Christianity, viz. the good Lives of the Professors and Preachers of it. And this is sometimes a more ready way to con­vince and confirm People, than Dint of Dispu­tation. But when they who should be Patterns, blot their own Copy, how can we hope to see a good Transcript? In such a Case we should discourage even those that love us; we should make them ashamed of those Affections which they see so ill placed, and of that Confidence which they repose in Men, so contradictory to themselves: And perhaps too we may occasion some secret Jealousie in our best Friends, that we our selves are not persuaded of the Terrors of the Lord, when we express so little Appre­hension and Fear of them.

Nor is this all: For any Man may see how many there are in the World that look upon us with an insidious Eye, and watch for our Halt­ing▪ So that between Irreligion, and Supersti­tion, and Hypocrisie, we are still in danger. [Page 17] And what an acceptable thing would it not be to such, to discover any Flaws in the Lives of a Clergy, whose very Vertues they hate? And if we would stand only upon our own just Defence, nothing can be a greater Satisfaction or Security to us, to take heed unto our selves; this being a certain Way for us to keep a Conscience void of Offence both to God and Man, and even towards our Enemies. And 'tis no inconsider­able part of Christian Prudence, to cut off all just Occasion of Quarrel, especially where Men seek it; and to minister no Grounds of Scandal in an uncharitable Age, when Scandals are apt to be taken, whether they be given, or no. What manner of Men ought we to be, when even our Righteousness, and our good Works are an Eye­sore? When Men will not be so just as to par­don (at least) our Vertues, we cannot expect they will be so merciful as to forgive us our Vices. Let us therefore behave our selves with such Caution, that if Men will malign us, they may hate us for no other Cause, but for that we are Ministers of True Religion; and then we need not be ashamed, or discouraged, because it was upon that sole Account that the World hated our very Lord and Master before us.

To this, let me add, that we should take heed to our selves in defence of our Common Fame; [Page 18] for that always suffers by the Miscarriages of a few (sometimes by the Faults of some one) whose Immoralities some will be sure to lay open, that they may defame all the rest, whose Vertues and Merits they will as surely conceal. You know how, in the early Times of Christianity, the Im­pieties of the Simonians redounded to the preju­dice of the whole Christian Cause; those Wic­kednesses which they acted being, by the Hea­thens, laid to the Charge of the whole Church, though (as Justin Martyr, in his Apology, tells us) they had nothing common with them, but only the general Name of Christians. And so it is with us at this Day: Let one of our Members suffer in his Reputation, and (though it be un­just that, in this Sense, the whole Body should suffer with him, yet) 'tis usual for the Reflexion and Scandal to pass upon all, without Discrimi­nation; the Guilty and Innocent are slain toge­ther: And so it comes to pass, that both the In­jury which every particular Clergy-man sustains by it is of great Concernment, and the Dam­mage which the Publick sustains too is irre­parable.

But matter of Scandal is not the greatest thing to be considered, though that be too great: There is something of a higher, nature yet. Since Ephraim is against Manasseh, and [Page 19] Manasseh against Ephraim, and both against Ju­dah, we ought to take very great heed, lest by our Sins and Neglects God be provoked to be against us all. We have no reason to be confi­dent that God will keep that Candlestick safe and fast in his Hand, whose Tapers yield not their due Light: And it is observable, that when those Messages, in Apoc. 2. & 3. so full of Admonitions and Threats, were sent to the Seven Churches of Asia, they were directed specially to the several Angels (or Bishops) of those Churches (and, in all probability, Timothy was then one of them:) Which intimates to us, that it lieth very much in the Ministry of any Church, either to pre­vent, or to further and help on those dismal Ca­lamities, which are many times the Issue of Care­lesness and Irreligion. Therefore, my Brethren, for God's Honour sake, whose Authority and Character we have; for our Fellow-Christians sake, whom Charity obligeth us to regard, as Signets upon our Right Hand; for the Faith sake, which was once, for all, delivered unto the Saints; for the Kingdom's sake, in the Prosperi­ty and Peace whereof every particular Man's In­terest is bound up; for the Churches Sake, which is the Mother of us all, and whom we are bound to Obey, Honour, and, if need requires, to be Victims for: Upon all these accounts, let [Page 20] us, the Clergy of this Church, give all possible diligence, that we may be blameless and unre­provable; that we be Exemplars of Vertue and Holiness to those, whom God hath set us over; that we watch for their Souls, and that we may Execute our Office, and give an account at last with Joy.

And before I shut up this point, I beg leave to recommend briefly to our common Christian Care, these few particulars.

1. That we often peruse and consider seri­ously, those Solemn Promises and Vows which we made at our Ordination; and look upon them as such Sacred Tyes, as are not to be an­swer'd, but by our faithful Performances, and by our utmost Cares and Labours to the last gasp.

2. That we our selves be careful to walk, all of us, by the same Rule, and to mind the same thing, and to be knit together, like Brethren in an inviolable bond of Love and Friendship to one another; and all of us, to be inseparably united in due Affection and Obedience, to our Learned and Conscientious Diocesan.

3. That we feed the Flock of God, not for filthy Lucre, but of a ready Mind, out of an Honest Heart, and a pure Conscience; and that we make our Charges throughly sensible (if we can) that we Act upon Principles of Conscience [Page 21] and out of sincere Love and Charity to them; and because the Love of our common Saviour constrains us. St. Chrysostom hath well observed, that when our Lord ask'd Peter, whether he [...]. lib. 2. Loved him, and commanded him to Feed his Sheep; it was not, that he might find out Peter's Affections to himself (for he knew his Heart) but that he might shew his own Affections and Love to his Church; and that he might Teach all Ministers of the Gospel, to express the same Affections to his Church, by his own blessed Example.

4. That in the discharge of our Ministerial Office, for Love sake, we apply our care and pains, as it is most suitable to particular Mens Necessities: Instructing the Ignorant, assisting the Infirm, visiting the Sick, comforting the Afflicted, admonishing Evil Doers; in Meekness instructing those that oppose us, compassionate to the Needy, Patient and Merciful to Enemies, Candid towards the Imprudent, Just, Kind, Friendly, Gentle, Charitable, and Tenderly Affected towards all.

5. That God may prosper the great Work in our Hands; it is to be wisht, that we would daily open the Doors of our Churches, and in­vite our Parishioners to meet us there constantly, for the Solemn Celebration of God's Service. [Page 22] There a main part of our Business lies, to Cate­chise Youth, to Administer the Sacraments of Christ's Body and Blood, and with one Mouth, and one Heart, to invocate the Goodness of God for a Blessing upon us all. And the oftner these things are done, the more shall we and our Charges be fixt in a course of Virtue and Piety; and the more will their Hearts be knit to us, as well as our Hearts to them.

6. To which let me, I beseech you, add, with­out Offence, that we use the Prayers of the Church, with that Reverence, Decorum, and Zeal, which is suitable to so solemn a Service. The Arguments against our Common Prayers are trifling, and will appear so every day more and more, if we our selves do but recommend them to others, by our own Devotion. 'Tis the slubbering of them over, after a hasty, cold, and uncouth manner; and sometimes, with an affected and ungraceful Tone (Voice I cannot so well call it) 'tis this that has made our Ser­vice-Book contemptible among some People, who consider not the Excellent Contexture, and the True Christian Spirit which is in the Prayers themselves. And we shall be the more to blame, if we take not heed to remove this Objection, because it is an Objection out of our own Mouths. Briefly then; we should be careful to Read the [Page 23] Publick Prayers with that Gravity and Concern'd­ness, with that Thoughtfulness and Deliberation, with that Attention and Presence of Mind, and with that Fervency of Spirit, as if we were to give up the Ghost the next hour: And were all of us but Zealously intent upon this, I dare say there would be no need of further Arguments or Oratory, to bespeak the Affections of People to our Service, or to render it Venerable.

Secondly, I beg the excuse of this Reverend Assembly, that I have been so particular and prolix upon the former part of my Text, of taking heed to our selves; because it is indeed the Principal thing; that which is a most necessary ingredient to make our Doctrine operative and effectual; and considering, that what hath been said already, has taken up more time than I thought it would have cost us, I must dispatch this next thing with a quick Hand; Take heed un­to thy Doctrine.

I must not take the Confidence here, to direct this Learned Body; and yet there are some things to be borrowed of St. Paul, which may be of very great use to us all, though Ministred by the unworthiest Hand.

1. First, That our Doctrine be such, as Na­turally tendeth to promote a Good Life; Do­ctrine, which is according to Godliness, 1 Tim. 6. 3. [Page 24] [...], 1 Tim. 1. 10. wholesome, Sana­tory Doctrine; such Truths as are Restoratives and Preservatives of Substantial Religion. Un­necessary Disputes, lofty Speculations, fine, airy Descants, and the like; though there may be Truth in them, and profitable Truth too in its kind, yet they are quite out of our way, whose Business is to Teach People to hold the Faith in a pure Conscience. Our Discourses therefore, are to be in some measure or other Practical; and the more Practical our Matter is, the plainer our Method, the easier our Style, the clearer our Expressions, the more obvious our Argu­ments, and the more solid and instructive our Notions are, the better shall we do the parts of Conscientious and Skilful Preachers, and the more Profitable will our Discourses be; witness, for all, that one Excellent Book, the Whole Duty of Man; the Book that hath done such Univer­sal Good in the World; and that not only by the Gravity of the Matter, but by the usefulness of the Style; the Contexture of that Book, be­ing ordered by the most Pious and Judicious Author so, that the whole is Practical, Plain, Inviting, Adapted to every Man's Reason, easie to be understood by People of all Capacities.

2. Let us take heed, Secondly, that our Do­ctrine be the True and Genuine Doctrine of the [Page 25] Gospell; Uncorrupt, found Speech, that cannot be Condemned, as S. Paul directed Titus, Tit. 2. 8. Many Errors are abroad in the World, which have Tainted the Truths of the Gospel, with a mixture of Humane Traditions, and Private Fancies. To keep our selves and our Flocks from infection, these two things, in short, are very adviseable.

1. First, that in all Points we diligently con­sult, and have an eye upon the Faith of the most Primitive Ages. There is a concise way (saith St. Cyprian) for Religious and simple mind­edEpist. 74. Men to remove an Error, and to find out and discover the Truth. And what way is that? Why, by going to the Spring, to the Head and Original of Divine Tradition. As, if you would find where the fault lyes, when the Wa­ter fails, the readiest course, is to repair to the Fountain, to see whether the fault be there, or in the Aquaeduct; so when Truth fails, or becomes uncertain, the surest way, is to go to its Original, to the Gospel of Christ, and to Apostolical Tradition. And certainly, the bet­ter Judgment we shall be able to make in all ma­terial points, the nearer we go to the Fountain-Head, and the more narrowly we observe, what condition things were in Anciently, in those Channels which were next to the Fountain. Had [Page 26] this course been well and carefully followed, abundance of unhappy Controversies might have been prevented, which in these latter times have made such vast disturbances in the Church. 2. Next to the Doctrines of the Old Catholick Church; let us, for God's sake, take great heed to the Doctrine of our own Church in particular, which hath with the greatest care followed the Ancient pattern. I mention this the rather, be­cause some have presumed to represent us to the unthinking part of the World, as Friends to some Foreign Doctrines; Doctrines brought hither, some from Rome, others from Irenopolis, An Accusation full of Uncharitableness; and I am confident, of Falshood; it being impossible for those, who are profest Members of the Church of England, and have often Subscribed to her Articles and whole Constitution, to en­tertain or favour such pernicious Errors, with­out such horrible Hypocrisie, as no Man of Can­dor and Justice will suppose, so many Guides of Souls can be guilty of. But sometimes there is no fence against Calumny; and we must con­tent our selves with the Answer of a Good Con­science in such a case. Nevertheless, my Bre­thren, 'tis Prudential and Necessary for us, to keep at a great distance from every Opinion▪ which in the Eyes of discerning and good Men▪ [Page 27] looks like Heretical; and not to come within the reach of Suspition; for it is not enough for us to be Innocent, unless we appear so.

To conclude; let us take heed, that our▪ Do­ctrine be the True Word of God; that it be a­greeable to the Sense of the Ancient Church, where the Holy Scripture is not plain; that it be a means to form in Peoples Hearts, those Vir­tues, wherein the Life and Substance of Religi­on doth consist, things which are Honest, Just, Pure, Lovely, and of good Report; that it aim at those Virtues chiefly, which are productive of many more; as, a Devout Temper, Humili­ty, Charity▪ Sobriety, and a peaceable Dispo­sition; that it help to promote the Practice of those Duties, wherein our Charges are most negligent and most wanting: That it tend to the Publick Good of the Church and State, to which we all belong; that it Teach People to be orderly, quiet, and obedient in all things law­ful; that it be not mixt with any mean Designs of our own, but that God's Glory, and the good of Souls, be the end of Preaching, doing the work of God, as Faithful Servants of God, and as in the sight of God; that our Doctrine be deliver'd with Gravity and Zeal, with Meek­ness of Spirit, with Simplicity of Mind, with Application to those Sins which are most reign­ing [Page 28] and infectious, with that impartiality and Honesty, which becomes Men who are Stew­ards of God's Mysteries.

And as long as we addict our selves to Mini­ster before God after this manner, we shall have all the Reason to hope, that he will bless our Ministrations. Nor should we be discourag'd, if we presently find not the Success we desire. For Grace and Virtue grows, like the painful Husbandman's Seed, by degrees, by little and little, first the Blade, then the Ear, at last the full Corn, and a good Crop. The Religion of our Lord Jesus is, in some points, so much above the Carnal Reason of Unregenerate Men, in o­thers, so contrary to their Corrupt Inclinations, that it requires Time and Labour to bring them to the true Sence, Love and Practice of it. If we be diligent and assiduous; God, whom we serve, will be Glorified, our Church will rife in its Honour and Interest, our Charges will be Edified, and by God's Gracious Assistance we shall Save our selves, and them that hear us▪ Which, that every one of us may do, God of his Mercy grant, for Christ Jesus his sake.