I Come now to the Second Point, viz. That Offences would do great miſchief in the world: Wo unto the world becauſe of offences. In ſpeaking to which I ſhall conſider, I. What Miſchief is done by Offences. II. Whence it comes that they are of ſo pernicious a conſequence.

I. What Miſchief is done by them? And in this Queſtion I need not be large, becauſe the Anſwer to it has in ſome part been already given under thoſe ſeveral Heads of Scandal which I mentioned before; it being impoſſible to ſhew where the Scandal of any Practice or Opinion lies, without touching upon the Miſchief it is apt to do. But to what has been ſaid, ſomething may be added:

1. The general Miſchief of Offences or Scandals, is this, That they are a prevailing Temptation upon many in the world, to forſake the way of Truth and Piety. For as good Examples and Encouragements, good Counſels and Inſtructions are proper means of making others better; ſo ill Examples, and the Arts of ſeducing, muſt needs have a contrary influence. God has put us into a kind of dependance upon one another, and has thereby given us opportunities of the greateſt Charity, and the beſt kinds of doing good, viz. of leading and confirming one another in the way of Truth and Virtue. But there is no help for it, but the Society we have with one another may be abuſed into a means of doing one another miſchief. And therefore as where Truth is ſincerely repreſented, where Virtue is encouraged, where Authority protects them, where Wit and Learning are engaged to recommend them, there abundance of good will be done upon thoſe who are framed to learn, and not to teach; to follow, but not to lead the way: So on the other hand, it is not to be expected, but the abuſe of all thoſe Advantages will create Prejudices againſt Truth and Goodneſs, and miſlead multitudes. And this is too evident from the experience of the world in all Ages. No Opinions, how fooliſh and abſurd ſoever, how pernicious ſoever to the common Intereſt of mankind, if they have been ſet off with plauſible Colours, or ſupported by Authority, or have been accommodated to the Intereſts of wicked men; but they have had Abettors and Followers, and have very often taken ſuch deep Root in the Affections of men, that 'tis one of the hardeſt things in the world to convert them into the way of Truth. But more particularly in the Second place:

2. The ſcandal of advancing Doctrines that give liberty to the Luſts of men, and eaſe to their Minds, without effectual Reformation. This Scandal, I ſay, has this pernicious effect, that for the moſt part it fears the Conſciences of men, and hardens their hearts againſt all Reproof. Although it be a terrible aggravation of ſin, for a man to venture upon the doing of that which his Conſcience pulls him back from, and for which he knows he muſt give a ſad Account at the Laſt Day, if it be not prevented by Sorrow and Reformation; yet ſuch a man is in a better condition than one that is well ſatisfied with himſelf, and believes his Condition to be good enough, while he goes on in his Sins without Reformation, becauſe he has another way to eſcape the Damnation of Hell. For ſo long as a man believes the Promiſes and Threatnings of the Goſpel as they are, and knows the terms upon which they are made, it may be hoped that he will at length lay theſe things ſeriouſly to heart; and that ſome awakening Reproof from men, or ſome merciful Providence of God may make the Truth which he is already provided with the belief of, effectual to his Converſion. But there is little reaſon to hope this of a man whoſe very Principles are corrupted, and has no fears within himſelf for a charitable man to take hold upon. And therefore that Saying of our Saviour may be well applied to ſuch a Perſon; If the light that is in him be darkneſs, how great is that darkneſs? Moreover, as there is little hope to reform that man's evil Practices, whoſe Perſuaſions make him ſecure and eaſy all the while; ſo there is no little difficulty to be met with, in trying to undeceive him; for men will hold comfortable Errors as long as they can find the leaſt pretence for it. And which is not the leaſt miſchief of this Offence, though ſuch Errors are not laid down without a great trouble, yet they are taken up with much readineſs; they are apt to ſpread far and wide. And to this I believe the experience of the world agrees, viz. That although there are miſtakes that lead to Trouble of Mind and over-much Reſtraint; yet for one that is led away by ſuch Miſtakes, an hundred there are that believe comfortable Lies, which either wholly take off the Reſtraints of Religion, or in ſuch part as to render them ineffectual.

3. Perverſe Diſputes, and an obſtinate maintenance of Error by all the Arts of Sophiſtry, has this lamentable evil commonly attending it, That it renders many perſons utterly careleſs to examine on which ſide the Truth lies. Perhaps they are but few in compariſon, that are framed to an inquiſitive Spirit; and they who are not ſo framed by Nature, or by Education, muſt force their Tempers to Patience, and take pains with themſelves; which is an Employment that men ſoon grow weary of; and commonly they break off, pretending it is to no purpoſe to ſearch any farther; but that when there is ſo much to be ſaid on both ſides, when there is ſuch an appearance of Reaſon for and againſt the ſame thing, it is time for them to give over being Judges for themſelves. And indeed in things that are either really diſputable, or of leſs moment, this were not much to be blamed. But in matters of high conſequence, and queſtions that touch the very Vitals of Religion, it often happens that men grow weary of ſearching Truth, and give up themſelves wholly to be led by the Authority and Judgment of others, after the Controverſy is ſtifly maintain'd for ſome time on both ſides. And it were well in this caſe, if it were an even Lay whether they chuſe the true Guide or not. But when a Guide is to be choſen and followed with an implicit Faith, the falſe Guide hath this Advantage always, that he exceeds in Confidence, in lofty Pretences, in ſwelling Titles, in poſitive denouncing Damnation to all that are not of his way: And though a modeſt man, that ſpeaks juſtly of things, and claims not to be infallible, deſerves the moſt credit; yet 'tis great odds that the other has moſt Followers amongſt thoſe that underſtand not the Merits of the Cauſe.

4. The ſame Cauſe has too often a yet worſe Effect, and that is, to run ſome perſons into Infidelity, and an utter neglect of Religion; as if no Certainty could be had of the Principles of Religion, ſeeing there is ſo much Controverſy about it. And ſome have ſaid, That it will be then time enough for them to believe in God, and to worſhip him, when they that pretend to oblige them to it, are agreed about it. The truth is, were it not for that ſecret Impreſſion of his own Being which God hath left upon our Nature, it is not improbable but the monſtrous Errors that have been obtruded upon a great part of mankind under the name of Faith, and the Force and the Fraud wherewith they have been maintained, had let in Atheiſm like a Deluge upon the world; eſpecially conſidering that there are thoſe in the world, who are ſo full of Zeal for their own way, that they have no tenderneſs for the common Principles of Faith, but are rather content that all ſhould ſink together, than that their own Doctrines ſhould not ſtand. We have been born in hand, that no aſſurance can be had of the Truth of Chriſtianity, but from the Authority of ſuch and ſuch men; and they that believe upon other Grounds, had as good have no Faith at all. That if it were poſſible for them to propound any thing that is falſe, we cannot be certain of any one Article that is true. That the ſame exceptions may be made to the Miracles of Chriſt and his Apoſtles, that are made againſt the Stories of latter Miracles. And finally, That by the ſame reaſon that any of their Traditions are rejected, the Holy Scriptures may be rejected too; and indeed we have lived to ſee the utmoſt that can be done by Wit and Learning, to diminiſh the Authority of the Bible. Now this, I ſay, is a moſt dreadful Offence, and has done infinite miſchief in the world, that men who are violently engaged in a wrong way of Religion, care not for the moſt part what they venture in the ſervice of their own Cauſe; for whilſt they lay the ſame ſtreſs upon falſe, or at leaſt diſputable Points, that they do upon the moſt neceſſary and acknowledged Principles of Religion, and bend all their Wit to ſhew that no difference ought to be made, they give occaſion to men that would fain be Atheiſts, to deceive themſelves into what they would be. For a very little Conſideration will ſerve to ſatisfy them, that ſomething is falſe, which is propounded to them as an Object of their Faith; and they know they have then leave given them to conclude that nothing is true.

5. There is another great miſchief of Offences that are given by Errors in Doctrine or Practice, and a miſchief that often happens in the world, which is that of running into a contrary Extreme. The Church found this by ſad experience in the Fourth and Fifth Ages, when men of no ſmall Note diſputing againſt one Hereſy, fell into another of an oppoſite nature, to the no ſmall trouble of Chriſtendom. Truth ſometimes, as well as Virtue, lies in the Mean; and they that tranſgreſs on any one ſide, do not only this miſchief, to give what authority they can to the wrong ſide they are of, but they do this miſchief too, of giving occaſion to others to offend on the other Extreme. Thus the abuſe of Church Authority on the one ſide, has bred in ſome men contempt of all ſuch Authority on the other. The Scandals that have been given by propagating Opinions by Force and Violence, have produced in many a fond perſuaſion that there ought to be no reſtraints whatſoever in matters of Religion. Superiors have required unlawful things in Divine Service; and to be revenged upon that abuſe, it has been ſaid, that they are not to be obeyed in matters of Prudence and Expedience. Religion has been made to run out into Shews and Ceremonies, and this has begotten prejudices againſt all appearance of Beauty and Reverence in the external Worſhip of God. And on the other ſide, the exceſſes of men in departing from one extreme, are ſcandalous to thoſe whom they left, and do confirm them in their Errors. Thus becauſe there are ſome who abuſe the Liberty this Church gives to all of uſing the Holy Scriptures, and who reject the aſſiſtance of their Guides; they that are concerned the People ſhould know as little of the Bible as is poſſible, argue from the Folly and Vanity of the former, how dangerous an Inſtrument it is in the hands of the Laity. And becauſe 'tis impoſſible but that a Judgment of Diſcretion in matters of Religion being allowed to all, muſt be liable to be abuſed; they that abuſe it to the making of Sects and Parties, and the bringing in of Innovations, give a Candle to that Church to glory in her Diſſention, which provides that all ſhould believe as ſhe believes, becauſe of her Authority; and that no man judges of the particulars of his Faith for himſelf. The truth is, the Inſtances of this miſchief are ſo many, and ſo undeniable, that whenever any great Scandal is given by Communities or Churches that conſiſts in one Extreme, a man may, without the Spirit of Prophecy, foretel, that if the great Mercy of God prevent it not, it will in time beget the other Extreme. It is the great unhappineſs of Mankind, that oppoſite Errors, which look as if one would deſtroy the other, do really ſtrive to ſupport one another. And yet there is hardly any fooliſh Advice more frequent, than to run from an Extreme as far as is poſſible, as if that were the way to make an end of it. But by this means woful Miſchiefs have happen'd in the world; Diviſions have been multiplied, Uncharitableneſs increaſed, and men more and more hardned in their ways of Error and Sin.

6. The Scandal of mixing abſurd and impious Doctrines with the Truth, and unjuſtifiable Practices with ſuch as are to be commended, has this notorious miſchief ſtill attending it, that it hinders the Converſion of Infidels, and is a terrible obſtruction to the propagating of Chriſtianity. Averroes did not ſpeak his own ſenſe alone, when he ſaid, Since the Chriſtians eat their God, let my Soul be with the Philoſophers. The Scandals that are given to Jews and Turks I need not name. But to make an end of this unpleaſing Argument:

7. And laſtly, The miſchief of theſe and all other Offences, is ſo much the greater, becauſe when once Offence is given, no man can tell where the miſchief will end. For inſtance; Suppoſe by my Example I animate another to ſin in like manner; or that I do not only corrupt his Manners, but his Principles too, and ſo do him all the hurt I can; Who can ſay that this is all the miſchief I have done? Is it not likely that he will infect others, as I have infected him? And that they may go on to propagate the miſchief which had its beginning from me? And that the next Age may be the worſe for me? And that my Guilt may be growing Ages after I am dead? Apply this to all the Offences that are given in the world, and conſider not only the greatneſs of the miſchief they do, but the ſpreading nature of it, and we ſhall find great reaſon in thoſe ſad words of our Lord, Wo to the world becauſe of offences. But 2. Whence comes it that Offences are taken, and ſo all this miſchief done by them?

In general it might be ſufficient to anſwer, That for whatever Cauſes ſome men are apt to give Offence, for the ſame others are apt to take it; and therefore it would not be impertinent to call over in this place, the unſuitableneſs of the Goſpel to the Luſts, and to the Vanity of mankind, whether it be conſidered as a Rule of Faith, or Manners, or Worſhip. But to this it may be added,

1. That there are a great many in the world, who for want of either good natural Abilities, or good Education, have little ability to judge for themſelves; and therefore the moſt part take their Impreſſions from the Authority of other mens Examples or Inſtructions. And therefore when they fall into ill hands, they fare accordingly; to which our Saviour ſeemed to have a particular regard in the Verſe before the Text; Whoſoever ſhall offend one of theſe little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a milſtone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the ſea. So that becauſe there would be ſome Perſons ſincerely diſpoſed, who in many things could not judge for themſelves, but muſt be led by Authority, our Saviour, for their greater ſecurity, provided this frightful Threatning, to deter all men from taking the advantage of their weakneſs, to miſlead them.

2. Some ſtumble at Offences laid before them, and take up pernicious Doctrines merely from impatience of conſidering, and taking time to lay things together. He that judges raſhly and haſtily, may by chance make a true Judgment, but he ſhall as often judge falſly; it being no difficult thing, as I obſerved laſt time, to lay ſuch colours upon Error, as will require ſome leiſure to ſee through them. And in ſuch caſes, if a man be unwilling to take pains, and deſires to come preſently and eaſily to the Concluſion, he gives the Seducer all the advantage he could deſire, and is indeed juſt the Perſon he deſired to meet with; one eaſily deceived by a falſe appearance of Reaſon.

3. The ſtrange Influence which the carnal Affections of men, and their worldly Intereſts have upon their Judgments, is a fatal cauſe of laying them open to the miſchief of Scandals. We are too apt to deſire Doctrines and Examples in favour of liberty to ſin; and therefore when they are offered, we are not ſo apt as we ſhould be, to guard our ſelves againſt them. Thus it was among the Jews, as God ſaid by Jeremy, Jer. 5.31. The prophets propheſie falſly, and my people love to have it ſo.

To theſe I might add other Cauſes, viz. The prejudice of Education, undue admiration of mens Perſons, prejudice againſt Truth, ariſing from prejudice againſt Perſons, an Inclination to Opinions ſuitable to our own Temper and Complexion; love of Novelty on the one ſide, and on the other hatred to change, though it be for the better; all which Diſpoſitions and Circumſtances expoſe thoſe that are under them to the miſchief of Offences. But I ſhould be over-tedious to run into all the Particulars under this Head, which may alſo be more profitably ſupplied by Directions in the Cloſe of all.

And ſo I come to the third intention, which was to reduce what has been ſaid, to matter of Exhortation. And I ſhall leave with you theſe two neceſſary Cautions: I. Be careful to give no Offence. II. Be careful to take none.

I. Be careful to give no Offence; i. e. to lay no ſtumbling-block in any man's way to lead him into Sin or Error, or to confirm him in it. Remember the words of our Lord Jeſus, Wo be to that man by whom the offence cometh. Now the way to keep our ſelves free from this guilt, is to love the Truth our ſelves, ſincerely to deſire it, diligently to purſue it; and likewiſe in all our actions to live by Rule, and then we ſhall be ſure to avoid giving ill Examples. And we are the more obliged to this, becauſe we are not only to give an account of our ſelves to God, but of our ſelves alſo with reference to the good or ill that others have received by us. Let us conſider, my Brethren, how careful we ſhould be of our own actions, and thoſe eſpecially that lye open to others; when if we do ill our ſelves, we ſhall not only be to anſwer for our own tranſgreſſion of God's Law, but very likely for the ſins of others, who are either led into ſome unlawful Practice, or confirmed in it by our Examples. Which makes ſuch an increaſe of Guilt, and is ſo great a ſin in it ſelf, that it is ſometimes needful for a man to abate of the uſe of his own liberty in things not unlawful of themſelves, leſt another that is likely enough to make a wrong conſtruction of it, and to encourage himſelf in manifeſt ſin, ſhould indeed do ſo. And for this reaſon St. Paul, handling the queſtion of eating things offered to Idols, acknowledgeth, That meat commendeth us not unto God; for neither if we eat are we the better, neither if we eat not are we the worſe. But, ſays he, take heed leſt by any means this liberty of yours become a ſtumbling-block to them that are weak, who are not throughly confirmed in the Worſhip of one God according to the Goſpel. For, as he goes on, if any man ſee thee which haſt knowledge, ſit at meat in the idols temple, ſhall not the conſcience of him which is weak, be emboldened to eat thoſe things which are offered to idols? i. e. be emboldened to commit Idolatry, 1 Cor. 8. So that altho it was not in it ſelf unlawful to be preſent at thoſe Sacrifices, yet the Example being ſcandalous, St. Paul concludes it to be a ſin againſt the brethren, and againſt Chriſt, ver. 12. And this inaſmuch as it would grieve their weak Conſcience; i. e. not (as we uſe, I doubt, to underſtand that word, grieve) that it would trouble and diſpleaſe them, but really hurt them, by making them bold to partake of the Idolatrous Sacrifice. And now, Brethren, if in things that are perhaps in their own Nature lawful, we ought to uſe caution, leſt by an uncharitable uſe of our Liberty we encourage others to do things that are in themſelves abſolutely unlawful: How much more cautious ſhould we be not to give any Authority to ſin, by an Example that is evil in it ſelf? So likewiſe we ought with the more care to chuſe our perſuaſions in Religion, becauſe in all likelihood we do not chuſe them for our ſelves only, but for our Children, for our Servants, for ſome of our Neighbours, for many that ſome way or other depend upon us, and for whom we muſt anſwer at the Day of Judgment. And ſince we cannot profeſs, we cannot live, but the world obſerves us; ſo how inſtructing ought to be our Profeſſion, how inſtructing our Converſation? How apt to promote Innocence, Truth, Virtue, and Piety? And this the more, the more we are in the Eye of others. In ſhort, no words I can uſe, can make ſuch an impreſſion upon you, as theſe words of our Saviour ought to make: Wo be to him by whom the offence cometh. But this is not all:

2. We muſt alſo be careful not to take Offences, not to be led into Sin and Error by Example or Allurements, by any kind of Temptations whatſoever. To juſtify which Exhortation, I deſire you to obſerve theſe Three things.

1. That our bleſſed Lord hath foretold that Offences would come; nay, that it muſt needs be that they come: Nay, I have ſhewn, that the moſt dangerous Offences are particularly foretold in the New Teſtament. Now, Brethren, this very warning in general, much more thoſe particular warnings, were deſigned to take away in ſome good meaſure, the danger of thoſe ſcandals, by arming us with caution againſt them beforehand. Since that is to be applied to all other particular Scandals, that is expreſly added to the Prediction of lying wonders: Behold, I have told you before. Now if the Offences, though very dangerous of themſelves, were leſſened by being foretold, our guilt in falling by ſuch Offences, muſt be ſo much the greater, becauſe being forewarned, we would yet take no warning. The Offenſiveneſs of theſe Offences is in ſome part abated by the cautions of the Scripture, inaſmuch as we have no cauſe to be ſtartled and amazed, and to queſtion the care of God's Providence over his Church, becauſe Offences come, ſince the Author of our Faith has told us beforehand, that they muſt needs come. And,

2. We are alſo forewarned of the guilt and miſery of falling by Offences, inaſmuch as our Saviour hath ſaid, Wo to the world becauſe of offences; i. e. as I told you at firſt, becauſe of that evil which will happen by taking Offence. But if men were free from guilt in the committing of thoſe ſins which they fall into by reaſon of Scandals that are laid in their way; in ſhort, if taking Offence were not it ſelf a ſin, and in many caſes a very great ſin, and ſuch a ſin as we ſhall be ſadly accountable for at the day of Judgment, there could be no reaſon given why our Saviour ſhould denounce a Wo upon this account; Wo unto the world becauſe of offences.

3. Let us not forget what was obſerved laſt time, That God permits Offences to come, which according to the common courſe of things were in themſelves moſt likely to come; he permits them, I ſay, for the Trial of our Ingenuity, our Honeſty and Sincerity. There muſt be hereſies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifeſt. It is by no means unavoidable to ſtumble at Scandals, becauſe we are forewarned of them; but if we take warning, it is for the Praiſe and Reward of our diligence and faithfulneſs in keeping to God's Word. Our Saviour ſpeaking of the Signs and Wonders done by falſe Chriſts, and falſe Prophets, ſays, That if it were poſſible they ſhould deceive the very Elect; that is, they would deceive the very beſt men, but that they are guarded by Sincerity, and by the Grace of God; and theſe words plainly intimate, that this would be the Touchſtone to diſtinguiſh Perſons truly and ſolidly good, from all others, That notwithſtanding the fair colours that would be put upon wicked Practices and Errors, they would perſevere in the ways of Truth and Godlineſs.

And now, that we may not be miſ-led by Offences, but keep our ſelves unſpotted from this preſent World, and eſcape the Corruptions that are in the World through Luſt, let us take theſe few following Rules along with us.

1. Let that which is on all ſides acknowledged to be the Word of God, be of more power and force with us, than all Human Authorities whatſoever; which Rule, as it is moſt reaſonable, ſo it is a ſafe Rule upon this account, that if it be followed, it will ſecure us from the greateſt Offences, as thoſe Opinions and Practices are, which are evidently contrary to God's Word.

2. Let us keep cloſe to the Ancient Creeds, which our Church faithfully delivers; for no man has yet been ſo bold as to offer the leaſt doubt againſt that; nay, all that we are challenged for, is, that we do not receive thoſe additions to the Creed, which in compariſon were but of yeſterday. Theſe ancient Forms of confeſſing the Faith, ſhew what Articles of mere Belief were thought by the Primitive Church neceſſary to be known and held by All: And becauſe the Faith was at once delivered to the Saints, no more can be neceſſary now than was then. Now if we obſerve, that the Profeſſion of this Faith is ſufficient to make a Chriſtian, or a Member of the Church; we ſhall be the better guarded againſt all erroneous Doctrines which are propounded to us by any Party, under the notion of neceſſary Truths. For whilſt we are ſure we profeſs all that was thought neceſſary at firſt, we ſhall be at eaſe, and feel no diſturbance in examining what is moreover propounded, and determining to receive it if it has Authority from the Scriptures, and to reject it if it has none; much more if it be contrary thereunto. Which Rule I hope you perceive is to take place in judging what you are to believe, not in judging whatſoever is to be done; for even in the Worſhip of God there are ſeveral things of an indifferent nature, for which there is no particular Precept in the Scripture, and in which we may be, and ought to be concluded by the Cuſtom of our Church, and the Will of our Superiors. And he cannot miſcarry greatly, but is in great meaſure ſecured from the miſchief of Offences, who in matters of Faith will be determined by nothing leſs than Divine Authority; and who in matters of external Order, which are no way determined by the Authority of the Scriptures, is ſtill ready to be concluded by the Authority of Man. But then,

3. Let us keep our ſelves always in the proper diſpoſition and preparation to judge and conclude aright for our ſelves (i. e.) by Sincerity, which conſiſts chiefly in a vehement deſire to underſtand the Truth, and to do our duty: We muſt lay our hands upon this, That we will be honeſt and good, and then we ſhall uſe all good Rules well; to be ſure we ſhall not be a whit the more inclined to embrace Doctrines for our Belief or Practice, becauſe they make for our worldly and carnal Intereſts. And this goes a great way to enable men to diſtinguiſh between Truth and Error, Good and Evil. Offences from without would not ſtumble us, if we were not weakned and blinded by the Offence of a vicious Diſpoſition within our ſelves. And therefore our Saviour having given warning againſt the former in the words of the Text, doth in the very next words proceed to direct us how to ſecure our ſelves againſt them, and that by preventing the latter; Wherefore (ſays he) if thy right hand or foot offend thee, cut them off: And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and caſt it from thee. That is, ſubdue thy deareſt Luſts; and if there be any one that is harder to part with than the reſt, and is grown a part of thy ſelf, though it coſt thee as much pain to divide thy ſelf from it, as it would to cut off thine hand, or pull out thine eye; for that very reaſon do thou mortify it in the firſt place: For when the World will be full of Offences, (i. e.) Encouragements to Sin, and of deceitful Errors, if thou alſo art an Offence to thy ſelf, for want of a ſincere and honeſt Heart, and purifying thy Mind from worldly and carnal Luſts, thou wilt not be able to withſtand the Arts and Force of outward Temptations. Now the way to gain this Honeſt Mind, is to fix our thoughts ſtedfaſtly upon the Life to come, which is the means our Saviour directs to the uſe of in this place too: And if thine eye offend thee pluck it out, for it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than to be caſt into hell fire.

Laſtly, Let all our other care be begun, continued, and ended in earneſt Prayer to God, That he would enlighten the eyes of our minds, and purify our intentions, and lead us in the right way, and keep us in it by his Grace: For the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much for another, but much more for himſelf, and moſt of all when he asketh the beſt things, when he asketh thoſe things that pleaſe God beſt; a Mind purified from worldly Luſts, and an Underſtanding enlightned with the knowledge of the Truth: He that doth theſe things, ſhall never fall.

IN theſe words are contained an Exhortation to watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation; and a Reaſon upon which the Exhortation is made, The ſpirit indeed is willing, but the fleſh is weak.

In the Exhortation we may obſerve a Direction to the uſe of Means, Watch and pray; and then the End why we ſhould do ſo, That we enter not into temptation.

As to the means, watching and praying, the uſe of them both ſuppoſes a great concern for the Event: For if I am not only to be careful my ſelf, but to get all the help I can; nay, if I am to go to the God of Heaven and Earth for his help, and to ſeek it conſtantly, to be ſure as the End I aim at ought not to be in it ſelf trivial, ſo neither ought I to be trivially affected with it: A great concern for the End is ſuppoſed in the uſe of ſuch Means as Watchfulneſs and Prayer. But more particularly, as to watching; That ſignifies ſuch a care of our ſelves as ſuppoſes danger, and that was the caſe of the Diſciples, to whom the Exhortation was immediately given: Our Saviour was now preparing them for his approaching Paſſion, he would therefore have them conſider before-hand what a terrible Temptation it would be, to ſee their own Maſter forſaken and contemned, and almoſt every body aſhamed or afraid to own him; he would have them reflect upon their own Infirmities, and examine their own Hearts; and to conſider whether they were likely to hold out againſt ſuch a Temptation as was coming upon them. He would have them furniſh their minds with all the Powers of Faith, with all the Reaſons of Conſtancy, which they might infer from the Holy Doctrine he had taught them; they were now to conſider the value of their Souls, the vanity of the World, the promiſe of Everlaſting Life, and whatever they had learnt from Jeſus, which was proper to confirm them in that good mind they were in at preſent; he would have them to reſolve well, and to fix their Reſolution not upon a ſudden heat only, not merely upon the general diſpoſition of an honeſt Mind, but upon a deliberate Judgment what they muſt loſe, and what they ſhould get by doing as became them. Finally, he would have them to maintain a conſtant ſenſe of theſe things upon their minds, that they might not be at a loſs, and be found unprovided on the ſudden. All this is implied in watching, a Work which the Diſciples were bidden more ſtrictly to attend, becauſe the Lord had told them, that the hour was at hand, when a terrible Trial would befal them, and therefore upon their neglect to do accordingly, he juſtly upbraided them afterward, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? And all this was to be drawn into conſequence, for the Inſtruction of all his Diſciples to the end of the World, not only upon extraordinary Occaſions, but in the ordinary courſe of their Lives; that is, that we ſhould be poſſeſſed with a ſenſe of God and our Duty, of the danger we are in by the Temptations of the World, the Fleſh, and the Devil; of the fearful conſequence of yielding to theſe Temptations; and that we ſhould maintain a lively ſenſe of theſe things upon our minds, by being converſant in the Word of God, and by making the main Principles of Religion preſent to our Minds by a frequent conſideration of them. This, I ſay, is incumbent upon us all, ſince our Saviour thought it needful for all; for, ſays he, What I ſay unto you, I ſay to all, Watch, Mark 13.37.

But to Watchfulneſs our Lord commands us to add Prayer: Watch and Pray.

And Prayer implies theſe two things.

1. A juſt ſenſe of our own inſufficiency, That if God be abſent from us, our Purpoſes are uncertain, our Reſolutions wavering and inconſtant, and our Wills and Affections alterable by every blaſt of Temptation, though we may be provided with very good Reaſons of Conſtancy in doing well. God hath not left us merely to depend upon the ſtrength of Arguments and Motives, though they are neceſſary; but hath promiſed moreover, the ſupernatural help of his Grace; and we are not to depend merely upon the former, but knowing that we need farther aſſiſtance, we ſhould daily apply our ſelves to him by Prayer for it.

2. It implies not only a conſciouſneſs of our inability to do the thing that God requires, but moreover a ſteady belief of, and truſt in the Grace of God which he hath promiſed, that it is ſufficient for us, and that he will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him; that he who is good to all, will be ready to help them, eſpecially that call upon him in ſincerity, and will not ſuffer them to be tempted above what they are able. Such is the meaning of that part of the Exhortation which concerns the Means, Watch and Pray. Now,

2. The end of Watchfulneſs and Prayer is, That we may not enter into temptation. The meaning of which Phraſe is plainly this, That we may not fall by Temptation; not, as the words at firſt hearing ſeem to import, that no Temptation may befal us; for as to that Temptation which required the Vigilance and Devotion of our Lord's Diſciples at this time, he plainly told them it would happen; and therefore by entring into Temptation, muſt be meant falling into that ſin to which the Temptation is an inducement; and ſo the Exhortation runs, as if our Saviour had ſaid, You are very confident that you ſhall do as you ought, as if it were one of the eaſieſt things in the world; but I tell you beforehand, that this Confidence of yours is a dangerous Preſumption, and you will find your ſelves deceived when it comes to the Trial, if you take no more care than you are now diſpoſed to take. I adviſe you therefore to conſider what will happen, better than you have done, and to call together all thoſe Inſtructions you have heard from me, and make them preſent to your minds, and be ſo affected with them, as to betake your ſelves to Prayer, that being thus armed, not with an haſty, but a prudent Reſolution, and with dependance upon God, you may overcome the Temptation when it happens. This ſeems to be the natural meaning of the Exhortation: Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.

I proceed next to explain the Reaſon which our Saviour adds to enforce the Exhortation; The ſpirit indeed is willing, but the fleſh is week. And now I doubt, when we hear or read theſe words, we are too apt to interpret them, as if Jeſus had meant to excuſe the ſluggiſhneſs of his Diſciples, and had indeed ſpoken to them in this manner: "It were well if you would Watch and Pray, that you may not fall by Temptation; but the truth is, though you are willing ſo to do, yet you are not very much to be blamed, but in ſome part to be excuſed if you do not, and that becauſe of the frailty and weakneſs of Human Nature. But I beſeech you not to be ſo fond of this way of expounding theſe words, for it is by no means true, nor in the leaſt worthy of our Saviour's Wiſdom, nor agreeable to the Scope of his Doctrine: Let us not think ſo meanly of our Lord, as if he gave his Diſciples neceſſary directions, and in the ſame breath excuſed them, whether they fulfilled his directions or not. Theſe words, I ſay, do not contain an excuſe of their neglect to Watch and Pray, but a Reaſon why they ſhould do both, and ſuch a Reaſon too as left them without all excuſe, if they failed in either: For thus they may be ſuppoſed to run: "Watch and Pray, that ye enter not into Temptation; for though the Spirit is willing, yet the Fleſh is weak, and ſo it is abſolutely neceſſary that ye Watch and Pray. Which Interpretation, as it holds forth a worthy and excellent meaning of it ſelf, ſo it is clearly warranted by the circumſtances and ſcope of the place, and by the condition of thoſe perſons at preſent, to whom theſe words were uſed, and by what befel them afterwards. And this will be very evident, if we examine the meaning of the words by theſe Rules: For then you will ſee,

1. That by a willing ſpirit we are not to underſtand a forwardneſs to Watch and Pray, but a preſent Reſolution to overcome Temptations, and that a ſincere Reſolution too; ſuch a Reſolution as is accompanied with a ſtrong perſuaſion that we ſhall do ſo; and that was the caſe of the Diſciples: For if we look back in this Chapter, we ſhall find, that upon their Maſter's forewarning them what occaſion of Offence they would meet with that very night St. Peter briskly ſteps forward in the name of all the reſt of the Apoſtles, all agreeing to what he ſaid, v. 23. Though all men (ſays he) ſhall be offended becauſe of thee, yet will I never be offended. Thus the willingneſs of the Spirit ſhewed it ſelf; that is, a forwardneſs to do all that became him in the hardeſt Circumſtances. But our Saviour willing to prove him farther, anſwered, v. 34. Verily, I ſay unto thee, that this night before the cock crow, thou ſhalt deny me thrice; which was ſo far from taking down, that it rather raiſed his aſſurance, for he replied, v 35. Though I ſhould dye with thee, yet will I not deny thee: Likewiſe alſo ſaid all the diſciples. There the Spirit ſhewed it ſelf willing again; and, which is to be obſerved, they were all at this time heartily diſpoſed to do as they ſaid, all but the Traytor Judas; for which reaſon about this time Jeſus acknowledged that they were all ſincere and honeſt perſons, excepting Judas only, John 13.10, 11. Ye are clean, but not all; for he knew who ſhould betray him, therefore ſaid he, Ye are not all clean; i. e. Ye are not all honeſt men, but ye are all ſo but one; all but one mean as you ſay, and intend to be as good as your word, and do believe that you ſhall. So that if we explain theſe words, The ſpirit indeed is willing, by the condition of the Perſons to whom they were ſpoken, and by their preſent diſpoſition and perſuaſion, as we ought to do, the meaning is plainly this, as if our Saviour had ſaid, "I know ye are men of ſincere and honeſt Diſpoſitions, and do intend very well, and ſay no more than what you reſolve to make good by performance, and I ſee that you believe you ſhall be as good as your word. Now therefore,

2. By the weakneſs of the fleſh, we are plainly led to underſtand thoſe Imperfections and Paſſions which honeſt men are not wholly free from, and which will make Temptations dangerous even to the ſincereſt perſons, eſpecially if they truſt to a preſent good diſpoſition of Mind, and think that they are not in danger, becauſe they are now well reſolved. The Apoſtles when our Lord told them beforehand of the Temptation that would happen, were conſcious to themſelves of their own ſincerity, and were ſo ſtrongly poſſeſſed with an aſſurance of it, that being men hitherto but of little experience, they did not apprehend, or ſo much as feel their own weakneſs, becauſe the Temptation which would make them feel it, was not preſent; but their Maſter was aware of thoſe Imperfections and Paſſions in them, which now indeed gave them no diſturbance, but within a little time would do ſo; that is, when the Temptation ſhould be preſent upon them: They did not conſider how the Paſſion of Fear would work, when it was once plain that it would be the moſt dangerous thing in the world to own their Maſter; they were not ſufficiently ſenſible of the uncertainty of human Reſolutions, under ſtrong inducements to Inconſtancy, and how very poſſible it is even for ſincere men to be ſtaggered, nay, and to be overcome by Temptations, which they think themſelves ſufficiently guarded againſt by their Integrity. But our Saviour knew all this, and therefore told them of it beforehand, and uſed the conſideration of the weakneſs of the fleſh, as an Argument to perſuade them to Watch and to Pray, and not to truſt merely to a willing mind, or a ſincere diſpoſition; he produces this Argument, I ſay, to make them abate of their confidence, and uſe more diligence, that they might be prepared by their own care, and by the Grace of God, to anſwer the occaſion that was at hand.

But to confirm this plain Interpretation: As the willingneſs of the ſpirit, or the ſincerity of theſe men expreſſed it ſelf in their forward undertaking and promiſing to do as they ought, ſo the weakneſs of the fleſh diſcovered it ſelf in their failing to perform what they promiſed; whereby they made good the Prediction of our Saviour, that they would be all offended becauſe of him that night. And what was the reaſon why the Fleſh prevailed againſt the Spirit? Why did theſe honeſt Undertakers fail of performance? Even becauſe they did not follow their Maſter's Advice, they did not Watch and Pray; for had they uſed this Means, they had not failed of the End, ſince Jeſus himſelf directed them to uſe this Method, and therefore we may be ſure it would have been ſufficient. Wherefore you may well conclude, that theſe words, The ſpirit indeed is willing, but the fleſh is weak, were not intended here for an excuſe of their not watching and praying, but as a reaſon why they ought to do ſo, and conſequently as an aggravation of their fault in not doing it; for ſince there was ſo much need of Vigilance and Devotion, they were the more to blame that they neglected it.

And thus I have given you, as I am perſuaded, the natural and genuine ſenſe of this place.

Now there are Two Points of Inſtruction, which I ſhall from hence commend to your ſerious thoughts.

1. That we look well to it that we be ſincere and honeſt, and have that willing Spirit which our Saviour acknowledged and commended to his Apoſtles.

2. That we do not altogether truſt to our preſent ſincerity and beſt purpoſes, but becauſe of the weakneſs of the Fleſh, that we watch and pray, and thereby guard our ſelves againſt all Temptations.

1. That we be very well aſſured of our own ſincerity, and the honeſty of our purpoſes, which for the preſent any man may be eaſily aſſured of, if he be ſincere; that is, if he be honeſtly reſolved to do his duty under all circumſtances of Temptation; for what can a man ever arrive to an aſſurance of, if not of his own preſent intentions? Now the Argument whereby I am to perſuade you to look well to this matter, is of very great force, and it is ſo plainly offered by the circumſtances of this Reſolution, that there is no avoiding it; and it is this, That if we are for the preſent ſincerely and honeſtly diſpoſed, we have ſome Title to the ſpecial Grace and Favour of God; whereas Hypocrites and Inſincere Perſons have none at all: For this was that for which our Saviour valued his Diſciples, that they had a willing ſpirit; and as I ſhall ſhew more particularly by and by, that was the reaſon why he watched over them, why he continually inſtructed them, why he explained things to them, why he took care to rectify their miſtakes, and to correct their faults, and to give them all the ways of improvement, becauſe they were honeſt men, and ever intended to behave themſelves like honeſt men: They were all, but Judas, men of great plainneſs and ſimplicity, teachable and willing to be informed of the Truth, open and free in their behaviour, not addicted to any notorious Vice, of a Religious Temper and Diſpoſition, and every way fit to be trained up to the perfection of Virtue in the School of Chriſt; and therefore our Saviour took a particular care of them, and bore with all their Infirmities, Miſtakes, and Follies, till he had brought them to perfection. Whereas Judas, whom he excepted out of this Commendation, Ye are clean, was a man falſe and cloſe, covetous and treacherous, and for the compaſſing of his Ends ready for any miſchief; he was a Thief, and kept himſelf a Follower of Jeſus longer in all likelihood than he would have done otherwiſe, becauſe he bore the Bag: He ſeemed to have become his Diſciple at firſt for no other reaſon, but becauſe he expected to have been ſome great man in the world under Jeſus, whoſe Miracles had convinced him that he was the Chriſt; but when by the conſtant tenor of Chriſt's Doctrine, and by his Example, he found he was likely to be deceived in that expectation of Worldly Greatneſs, he was reſolved to make the beſt he could of his being one of our Lord's Diſciples, and that by making uſe of the opportunity he had to get both Money and Favour from the Rulers by betraying him. This was the Character of Judas, whom our Lord knew full well before he betrayed him; and he being ſuch a vicious Hypocrite, ſo great a Villain as he was, Jeſus ſeemed not to regard him at all, nor to take any particular care of him, but did e'en let him go from one wickedneſs to another, till he came to utter Ruin; and for what reaſon ſhould we think, but becauſe he had nothing at all of a Spirit of Honeſty in him, and was therefore incapable of being improved in any degree of Virtue.

This, I ſay, is the Argument, whereby I would recommend to all men that ſimplicity and honeſty of Spirit which was diſcernable in the reſt of the Apoſtles, whilſt though they were but very imperfect in Religion and Virtue, in compariſon to what they were afterwards, yet our Saviour did not caſt them off for every fault they were guilty of, for every miſtake they were under, but rather was very tender of them, and took all opportunities to ſet them right when they were wrong, and to lead them from one degree of Virtue and Goodneſs to another, till at length they became Teachers of Truth, and Examples of Piety to all the World. And this I believe verily is the meaning of thoſe words of our Saviour that occur in the Sixth Chapter of St. John, and in other places, That Jeſus would not caſt away thoſe that the Father had given him, (i. e.) men of honeſt Minds, and ſincere Diſpoſitions; theſe words alluding to what is commonly ſeen amongſt us, of a Father's committing a Child of Probity and a towardly Diſpoſition, to a skilful Maſter, to be educated and improved by him, and his expecting a good account of him at laſt: And therefore ſaid our Saviour, John 17.12. Of thoſe thou haſt given me, or committed to my care, I have loſt none, but the ſon of perdition, (i. e.) Judas had utterly fallen off and miſcarried, becauſe he was a man of a Reprobate Diſpoſition; but of thoſe that God had committed to him, (i. e.) men of teachable and willing Spirits, he had loſt none, although they had a great many failings, and were often in very great danger.

But I am to make out this Point from the circumſtances of the Story in this Chapter and elſewhere, which affords a remarkable Inſtance of it in St. Peter; to wit, How great is the care of God over a ſincere man, to ſave him from utter miſcarrying, notwithſtanding many blameable defects. And I the rather ſhall inſtance in St. Peter, becauſe upon every notable occaſion of inſtructing the reſt of his Diſciples, our Saviour ſtill addreſſed himſelf to St. Peter; not that the reſt were unconcerned, but that he was moſt of all concerned, becauſe he moſt of all needed his Inſtructions and Admonitions, as you will plainly ſee. 'Tis true, he had many notable good Qualities, wherein he excelled the reſt; for in quickneſs of Apprehenſion, in boldneſs of Spirit, in concern for his Maſter, in Activity and Induſtry, in forward Undertaking, and in contempt of Danger, he ſeemed to outdo all his Brethren. But this forward, vigorous, and active man, made more Falls, as far as we can find, than any other of the Apoſtles did; but being alſo ſincere and honeſt, he was therefore more watched, and particularly inſtructed than the reſt. And I cannot but obſerve this by the way, That the reaſon why our Saviour addreſſed himſelf in particular to Peter, ſo much oftner than to the reſt of the Apoſtles, was not that he gave him a more ſingular Power and Authority than he did the reſt, but becauſe being a man of a more forward and active Spirit than all the reſt, in doing well, he commonly did better; in doing ill, he moſtly did worſe than the reſt; which is a ſufficient account of that particular application of our Saviour to him, either in commending or reproving him. And thus when Peter's forwardneſs of Spirit led him to ſpeak well, before any of his Brethren were ready, as when he confeſſed that Jeſus was the Son of the living God, That being what they all aſſented to, Jeſus in commending him, commended all; in encouraging him, he encouraged all; and though he alluded to his Name in particular, by ſaying, Thou art Peter, yet that which followed, and upon this rock will I build my church, and the gates of hell ſhall not prevail againſt it, was equally a commendation and encouragement of the Faith of the reſt, and of their profeſſing that Faith, upon which the Church was to be founded ſo ſurely, that it ſhould never be deſtroyed. So likewiſe when he rebuked his Maſter, for foretelling what he muſt ſuffer, and had that ſevere Reprimand from him, Get thee behind me, Satan, for thou ſavoureſt not the things that be of God, &c. Neither was this ſpoken ſo particularly to him, as not to extend to the reſt; it was ſaid alſo for their Reproof and Inſtruction, who were as unwilling as Peter, that Jeſus ſhould dye an ignominious Death; and as ignorant as he, what wiſe and good Ends Divine Providence would bring about by it.

Wherefore I mention Peter rather than any one of the reſt of the Diſciples, as an Inſtance how a good and honeſt Heart, a ſincere Mind, or (as it is called in the Text) a willing Spirit; how this, I ſay, puts a man under the ſpecial Care and Protection of Divine Grace, becauſe this very Admonition of the Text, though intended to all, was particularly directed to Peter; and it is very remarkable how our Saviour, like a watchful and prudent Guide, took all opportunities to ſet him right. For,

1. It is plain that Peter was one who preſumed more than enough upon the ſtrength of his own Reſolutions: He it was, that upon our Lord's foretelling the dangerous Temptation that was near, did with ſome confidence in himſelf make this boaſt, Though all men ſhould be offended becauſe of thee, yet will I never be offended; and though I ſhould dye with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Which was no doubt ſpoken alſo with a very honeſt intent and purpoſe, as it was by the reſt of the Apoſtles, who followed his Example; he was no Hypocrite or Villain in what he ſaid, as Judas was, but meant all that he promiſed, and at that time verily believed that he ſhould be as good as his word, whilſt Judas was at that Minute bent to betray him. But this honeſt man wanted experience of himſelf, and preſumed too faſt upon his own Ability; and therefore our Lord took this occaſion to lay a foundation in him of a better underſtanding of himſelf, for he ſaid unto him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my ſake? Verily, I ſay unto thee, the cock ſhall not crow, till thou haſt denied me thrice. A ſeaſonable intimation it was, that his Maſter in the very heighth of his confidence ſhould tell him, That he would thrice deny him, before the next day was well begun: And this forewarning, together with the experience of his own Infirmity afterward, no doubt ſerved to make him ever after a more conſiderate and watchful man, and tended to add Modeſty and Humility to his other good qualities.

2. If we go a little farther, we find him ſleeping with the reſt of the Diſciples, though our Lord had left them to pray that they might not enter into temptation. And that when Jeſus came and found them aſleep, he ſaid unto Peter, who had undertaken ſo much before, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation; the ſpirit indeed is willing, but the fleſh is weak. By which words he gave him fully to underſtand, that he was not acquainted with his own Infirmities, and had not that ſenſe of the neceſſity of watchfulneſs and prayer, which he ought to have had at that time.

3. It was but a little while after, that Judas conducted the Officers and Soldiers that were ſent by the High-Prieſt to take Jeſus; and when they had laid hands on him, Peter's forward Spirit led him into another miſtake; He drew his ſword, and ſtruck a ſervant of the high-prieſt, and ſmote off his ear; which though well meant in zeal for his Maſter, was yet an undutiful Reſiſtance of Authority, and betray'd a raſh anger. But neither did our Saviour leave him here without that Admonition, which was neceſſary to make him wiſer and better. Then ſaid Jeſus unto him, Put up thy ſword again into its place, for all they that take the ſword, ſhall periſh by the ſword: Thinkeſt thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he ſhall preſently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then will the Scripture be fulfilled, that thus it muſt be?

4. That Trial of him that followed immediately almoſt at the High-Prieſt's Hall, ſhewed him to be as yet a very imperfect man, and one that wanted that Reſolution which he thought himſelf Maſter of. Indeed he ſhewed a little more Courage than the reſt of his Brethren, inaſmuch as they fled upon their Maſter's being apprehended, but he followed at a diſtance to obſerve the Event; but this ſerved only to intangle him in a more ſhameful Fault than theirs that ran clear away, even to the denying of his Lord thrice, and the laſt time with Imprecations. He that had ſo forwardly confeſſed in the Name of the reſt, That Jeſus was the Son of God: He that but a few hours before had ſo vehemently declared, That he would rather dye with his Maſter than deny him; when now he ſaw him brought like a Criminal into the High-Prieſt's Hall, altered from what he was before, and his Faith began to fail. It is not improbable that he had ſome hope his Maſter would deliver himſelf out of their hands by ſome Miracle, becauſe he ſat among the ſervants to ſee the end: But yet the danger was ſo apparent, that he wanted Courage to own him till the End was come, and ſo denied him: And while he ſpake his laſt words of denial, the cock crew: And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter, Luke 22.61. Not throwing off all farther care of him, notwithſtanding ſo foul a miſcarriage: And Peter remembred the words of the Lord, how he had ſaid to him, Before the cock crow, thou ſhalt deny me thrice: And he went out, and wept bitterly.

That which I have been driving at all this time, is to ſhew a notable Example of the weakneſs of the fleſh, in a man very apt to be confident of himſelf; and withal, of the watchful care of our Saviour to correct him, and ſet him right, and that becauſe he had a willing ſpirit, an honeſt and ſincere diſpoſition, void of Malice and Falſhood, and was ever deſirous to know the Truth, and to do his duty. Therefore ſaid our Saviour to him, juſt before his laſt Conflict, Luke 22.31, 32. Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath deſired to have you, that he may ſift you as wheat; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. For the Tempter underſtood Peter's compoſition, how much chaff was mingled with the wheat, and what were the inconveniences of his Temper, and deſired nothing more than full liberty to make uſe of them, for the overturning of all his good qualities. But ſaid Jeſus, I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, ſtrengthen thy brethren: (i. e.) when thou art ſatisfied what a great many things are to be mended in thy ſelf, and that thoſe Infirmities of thine which at preſent thou art not aware of, had like to have been thy utter Ruin, but withal that thou haſt eſcaped through the Grace of God; when thou art grown wiſer, and more eſtabliſhed in all kind of goodneſs, then do thou ſtrengthen thy Brethren, be careful of all ſincere Perſons that labour under Infirmities, as I have been of thee; take care to improve that which is good in them, and to ſecure them all thou canſt, againſt all their Infirmities.

Thus much concerning the great Advantage of Sincerity, That it doth entitle a man to the ſpecial Favour and Protection of God; and ſo what we are to learn by all, is to lay this Foundation of well-doing, which our Saviour acknowledged and commended in his Apoſtles, that is, a willing Mind, and an honeſt Diſpoſition; for then we are in a condition to be watched over by the Divine Grace.

But having ſhewn how valuable in the ſight of God is a willing Spirit, and an honeſt Mind; I proceed in the

Second place, To urge our Saviour's Exhortation, and that is, notwithſtanding this, to watch and to pray, that we enter not into temptation; for though the ſpirit be willing, yet the fleſh is weak: For if Sincerity could of it ſelf ſupport a man, without any farther care and help, we had never heard of the Drunkenneſs of Noah and Lot, the Murder and Adultery of David, and the Fall of Peter; we had never met with any Inſtances of the weakneſs of Human Nature, in men very honeſtly diſpoſed, whoſe Examples ſhew us the neceſſity of Watchfulneſs and Prayer, the means we are directed by our Saviour to uſe; and if we do uſe theſe means, if we do ſet the advantage of Care and Prayer againſt the inconvenience of Human Frailty, we ſhall never fall. For it was not only for the Inſtruction of St. Peter, that our Lord gave the Exhortation of the Text, to watch and pray, but for the Inſtruction of all the reſt of the Apoſtles; and not for their inſtruction only, but it was for ours alſo in all Ages, that he left this direction with them. They were not always to expect that the ſpecial Grace of God would attend them, and either keep them from great faults, or ſet them right again after their miſcarryings, while they neglected to acquaint themſelves with their own hearts, and to take care of their actions, and to ſeek the aſſiſtance of God's Spirit: And we much leſs, who have been longer under the guidance of God's Grace, than they had been, even from our Infancy, ever ſince we were baptized, and taken into the Covenant of Grace, who have alſo had the inſtruction of their Examples, and the uſe and Benefit of our Lord's Admonitions to them, and have been guilty of more neglects and miſcarryings than they were; who moreover have been educated to a more perfect underſtanding of the Doctrine and Nature of Chriſtianity, than as yet they had attained to; under theſe circumſtances we are not to expect the watchful care of God's Spirit over us, to lead us out of temptation, and to deliver us from evil, if we do not watch our ſelves, and to Watchfulneſs add Prayer, that we enter not into temptation: We are not to truſt to our general good purpoſes, and honeſt ways, but to remember the weakneſs of our fleſh, (i. e.) the unſteadineſs of our purpoſes, the mutability of our affections, the deceitfulneſs of our hearts, and therefore to ſupply all our defects with what diligence and circumſpection we can, and in doing all this, to be very earneſt in all our Prayers, that God would crown all with his Grace: This is the way to be ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. And we are undoubtedly ſafe, if we continually keep our ſelves under the Wings of his Grace; and put our ſelves under his Protection by Watchfulneſs and Prayer; For the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. It availeth much for another, much more for himſelf; it availeth much for the procuring of Temporal Bleſſings, much more for Spiritual and Eternal. God does not always crown the Induſtry of a man in his labouring for the good things of this World, with deſired ſucceſs; and ſometimes he ſends them to the lazy, and beſtows them upon thoſe that never pray: But the moſt neceſſary things, a good Mind, the beſt Wiſdom, the Improvements of the Soul, he ever gives to the diligent, and to thoſe that depend upon him by Prayer, and never otherwiſe: And this is a plain conviction, that if we are barren and unfruitful in the knowledge of God, if we make no progreſs in Virtue, nor move at all towards Perfection, it is our own fault, who have ſo ready a way to gain that help from God, which will not fail to better our Natures, and to ſtrengthen us in every good work, and to deliver us from temptation. I have already told you, how vain a thing it is to plead Frailty and Infirmity for not watching and praying, ſince for that very reaſon our Saviour directs us to Watchfulneſs and Prayer, becauſe although the Spirit is willing, yet the Fleſh is weak: And it is to as little purpoſe to make the ſame Plea for thoſe miſcarriages that are the effects of our Infirmity, ſince there is this to make them the effects of Wilfulneſs too, that we have neglected to conſider our own weakneſs, and to go to God for help: And what ſhould be more eaſy and natural, than for a frail Creature to have recourſe to the Fountain of his Being, and the Author of all good, the God of Power and Mercy, for a ſupply of his own defects? We are not therefore excuſable, if we do it not conſtantly and earneſtly, when ſo much depends upon it.

I have but one Motive more to lay before you, but that methinks a very prevailing one; and that is, That our Bleſſed Maſter himſelf, in whom there was no Sin, nor ſinful Infirmity; he, I ſay, himſelf, who ſo little needed any other ſtrength but his own, practiſed that Advice which he gave to his Diſciples, he watched and prayed when the hour of temptation was coming on, whilſt his Diſciples threw away their time; and we ſee the different effects of their different behaviour: Our Lord witneſſed a good Confeſſion, but his ſlothful Diſciples fled away ſhamefully; and Peter, the moſt forward of all a little before, miſcarried the moſt ſhamefully of all, and denied his Maſter: A very inſtructing Example, to ſhew us how much depends upon Prayer, and how unreaſonable a thing it is to complain of the Infirmities of our Natures, and the difficulty of ſtanding againſt Temptations, when we have ſo ready, but withal ſo neceſſary a means of relief, that Jeſus himſelf made uſe of it. And ſurely one main reaſon why he did ſo, was that we might be inſtructed by his Example, how we ought to fortify our ſelves againſt the Temptations of the World: He was tempted for us, becauſe we alſo were to be tempted; and he prayed under his Temptation for our ſakes too, that we might learn of him the way to overcome Temptations, and to be always prepared againſt them. Let us therefore (my Brethren) remember the words of our Lord Jeſus, Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: Let us alſo remember the Example of our Lord, who himſelf watched and prayed, though he of all men that ever lived, leaſt needed any aſſiſtance againſt Temptation: Let us enter into the Church, and frequent the Publick Prayers, and let us enter into our Cloſets, and never omit our Prayers to God in ſecret: For by every ſuch omiſſion, we loſe an opportunity for our Souls, we weaken our dependance upon God, we lie more open to danger from within, and from without, and have made one ſtep more backward, and are farther from the Grace of God.

In a word, let us purge our ſelves from all Inſincerity and Hypocriſy, and be ſure that we do not ſuffer the guilt of any wilful ſin to lye upon us, and ever keep our ſelves from preſumptuous ſin; and to this general habit of honeſty, let us add a jealouſy over our ſelves, doing like thoſe that depend upon the Grace and Providence of God; for if we continue thus doing, we ſhall not fail, and that becauſe God is our help, who is not wanting to prevent us by his Grace, and will therefore never fail to follow us with it, whilſt we walk in his ways, and ſtudy to pleaſe him in all things, and humbly depend upon him for our Safety in this World, and our Salvation in the World to come.

HERE are Two Rules to be obſerved: I. To worſhip and ſerve God. II. To worſhip and to ſerve him only.

And theſe are Rules of both Teſtaments, and in truth, Laws of Nature, and therefore they that violate them are without excuſe.

My deſign is, to lay before you ſome of the principal Duties preſcribed in theſe Rules, with the ſins that are oppoſed to them.

THough never Man was ſo unreproveable in his Doctrine and Example, as our Lord Jeſus, yet never was Man more oppoſed or cavilled at, as the Evangeliſts do abundantly teſtify in that Hiſtory of him which they have written for us, being upon the matter made up of the Holy Doctrines which he delivered, the Good Works in which he was always employed, and the Contradictions which he continually met with: And it was very neceſſary that ſome inſtances of the laſt ſhould be recorded for our ſakes, that they who profeſs the Truth as it is in Jeſus, ſhould not think it ſtrange if they happened to meet with ſuch oppoſition as their Maſter did; and likewiſe, that by his Anſwers to the Cavils of his Adverſaries, they might be inſtructed how they ſhould defend themſelves afterwards againſt the like Objections. One inſtance whereof we have in the Text I have now choſen to ſpeak to; Then came to Jeſus Scribes and Phariſees which were of Jeruſalem, &c.

As to which words I ſhall not need to ſay much concerning the Perſons that our Saviour had to deal withal, becauſe their Character is ſo well known to all that diligently read the Goſpels. The Scribes were the Men that profeſſed to Teach the Law, and expected to have all their Interpretations received as Oracles. The Phariſees were the moſt ſubtle and prevailing Sect amongſt the Scribes; for though as things were in that Age, and for ſome time before, the Scribes generally agreed in corrupting the Law and deceiving the People; yet they had their Parties and Factions among themſelves; the Phariſees in our Saviour's time being a Sect of the greateſt Power in the Council, and of the greateſt Reputation with the People; and whereas it is ſaid, that they were the Scribes and Phariſees, or the Scribes of the Phariſaical Party, which were of Jeruſalem, that came to Jeſus; the meaning is, that they were ſuch as kept their Schools in the City of Jeruſalem, and were therefore of the firſt rank amongſt the Phariſees. And now I ſhall diſcourſe to you of theſe two things: Firſt, Of the Objection which theſe Men made againſt Jeſus and his Diſciples. Secondly, Of the Anſwer which our Saviour made to the Charge that was laid againſt them.

I. Of the Objection which theſe Men made againſt Jeſus and his Diſciples: Why do thy Diſciples tranſgreſs the tradition of the elders? for they waſh not their hands when they eat bread. A Charge laid with as much confidence as anger, and therefore they ſcorned to put any of his Diſciples to anſwer it, and thought fit to challenge the Maſter himſelf about it. Now the firſt thing that is proper to be conſidered here, is,

1. The nature of the Charge, which ſeems to be a general one illuſtrated by one particular inſtance: The general Charge was, That the Diſciples of Jeſus tranſgreſſed the tradition of the elders: The particular inſtance was, That they tranſgreſſed ſuch Tradition, in not waſhing their hands before meat.

As to the general Charge, they had tranſgreſſed the tradition of the elders. But what was the Tradition of the Elders? The Tradition of the Elders, was the Doctrine that had been delivered, and the Rules that had been laid down by Wiſe and Great men, and univerſally received in former Ages. One would think therefore, that the Laws of Moſes, and the Rules of the Prophets, and whatſoever was commanded in the Scriptures, had been the tradition of the elders; for all theſe things had been delivered down by an uncontroulable Tradition from hand to hand for near Two thouſand Years. But there was no ſuch meaning under theſe words as they uſed them. By the tradition of the elders, or by the ancient Tradition of Wiſe and Great men, they meant no Doctrines or Rules for Faith or Practice that were expreſſed in the Writings of Moſes and the Prophets, but ſuch Doctrines as not being written in the Law were delivered down by word of Mouth, and by conſtant uſage from Father to Son, and ſo from one Age to another. And thus Joſephus tells us, Antiq. 13.13. That the firſt and main Principle of the Phariſees was, that they denied all thoſe things to be written, which concerned Religion. The Fundamental Rule of their Sect was this, that there was a double Law, an Oral Law, and a Written Law: A Law delivered from Age to Age by word of mouth, as well as a Law delivered in ſuch Books as had Authority from Moſes and the Prophets. To gain reverence to theſe Traditions, they perſuaded the People, that though they were not written in the Law, yet they were delivered to Moſes by God himſelf, to Joſhua by Moſes, to the Prophets by Joſhua, to Eſdras by the Prophets, and thence to the Maſters of the Schools, of whom they were the Succeſſors: And they being the Guardians of theſe unwritten Traditions which were to be had in equal, or rather ſuperior regard to that which the Scriptures were to be held in, claimed alſo an abſolute Obedience from the People, inſomuch, that it was a ſaying amongſt them; If the Scribes ſay, that the right hand is the left, or the left hand the right, you are to believe them. Now the Charge of the Phariſees upon our Saviour's Diſciples, was not, that they had tranſgreſſed any Tradition that appeared to have a Divine Original, by the Books of Moſes and the Prophets, but that they had tranſgreſſed the Tradition of the Elders, as they uſed to call them, ſuch Traditions for which they had no other pretence, than that they were conveyed down by word of mouth from Father to Son, amongſt the wiſe Men, and the Maſters, and the Scribes.

The particular inſtance to explain the general Charge was this, That the Diſciples did not waſh their hands before they eat bread. For one of thoſe many Traditionary Doctrines for which they were ſo zealous, was this, That if a Stranger or an uncircumciſed Perſon ſhould but touch a Jew, the Jew was forthwith defiled, or if he had but touched any thing that a Jew afterward touched, he was unclean; and if the Jew ſhould in that ſtate take any meat to eat, that Meat was rendred unclean, and would defile his Mind; for the preventing of which danger, it was a part of Religion, to waſh before eating; and thus for an idle fancy they invented an idle relief, and placed ſo much Religion in it, that ſays one of them, He that eats bread with unwaſhen hands, ſins as much as if he had lain with a Whore: And ſays another, It is the higheſt point of holineſs for a man to ſeparate himſelf from the vulgar, and that he doth not touch them, nor ſo much as eat or drink with them; and the next to this, is to waſh away the impurity that is contracted thereby: You may ſee a more particular account of this ſenſeleſs Superſtition of theirs, in Mark 7. The Phariſees and all the Jews, except they waſh their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the Elders. And when they come from the market, except they waſh, they eat not: And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the waſhing of cups, and pots, brazen veſſels, and of tables: that is, they did not only waſh their own hands, leſt they ſhould have touched ſome ſtranger, or one leſs pure than themſelves; but leſt ſome ſtranger ſhould have touched the Cup in which they drank, or the Diſh in which their Meat was, or the Tables upon which the Cups were to ſtand; theſe were waſhed with all care, not for cleanlineſs, for that would not ſerve the turn; but for holineſs ſake, as if their Minds were made pure by waſhing their Hands and Cups, and all things of this ſort. This was one kind of their Traditionary Doctrines, for tranſgreſſing of which the Diſciples of Jeſus were accuſed by the Phariſees.

II. We may obſerve theſe Two things implied in the Charge: 1. The concern which the Scribes had for their Traditions. And, 2. The reverence in which the People held them.

1. The concern of the Scribes and Phariſees to have them obſerved: It was ſo great, that a man might with leſs danger from them break a plain Law of God, than tranſgreſs one of their Traditions; and they would ſooner call him to an account for this latter, than for the former: If they could have charged our Lord's Diſciples with breaking the Fifth Commandment, as Jeſus charged them with it preſently after, of this they would have ſaid nothing: But they were not able to bear the neglect of the Diſciples to waſh before eating, for Conſcience-ſake: And when he had given the Multitude a plain account of this neglect, neither could they bear that, but were offended at him, v. 12. Hence in their Talmud, a Book that pretends to have gathered up their Oral Traditions, it is ſaid, That there is more in the words of the Scribes, than in the words of the Law: And we are not to think that the written Law is the Foundation, but the unwritten; and the words of the Elders are of more Authority and weight, than the words of the Prophets: So blind was their Zeal for their Traditions, that one of the Rabbies being once caſt into Priſon, and Water being given him to waſh, and to drink, and the greater part of it being ſpilt, he rather choſe to waſh his hands than to drink, ſaying, 'Tis better to die than to tranſgreſs the Tradition of the Elders. And no wonder that they were thus concerned, when it was by theſe Doctrines that they kept up an abſolute Authority over the People; for if the People would be made to believe that the unwritten Law was of greater conſequence than the written, and that the Scribes were the Guardians and Oracles of the unwritten Law, nothing could be better contrived, to keep them in an abſolute dependance upon the Scribes.

2. The Charge doth likewiſe imply an univerſal regard of theſe Traditions in the People: Why do thy diſciples tranſgreſs the traditions? (i. e.) Why do they only do it? And we heard from St. Mark, that the Phariſees and all the Jews, except they waſh their hands oft, eat not: Whatever became of the Commandments of God, here was very good care taken, that the Traditions of the Church ſhould be kept. Nay, it was ſo fixed in the minds of our Lord's Diſciples themſelves that they were to be kept, that it was not eaſy to ſet them right in theſe things preſently; for after our Saviour had told them, Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth the man, but that which cometh out of the mouth, v. 11. Peter asked him, v. 15. to declare the meaning of the Parable, or as he thought it, hard ſaying: And Jeſus ſaid, v. 16. Are ye alſo yet without underſtanding? And ſo he goes on, ſhewing that he ſpake of cleanneſs of mind, which was defiled by evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, &c. They had not yet got rid of thoſe Superſtitious Fancies that reigned amongſt the People, and were ſo prejudiced by them, that they could hardly underſtand the plain truth on the other ſide. Nay, when after this he had occaſion to ſay to them, as you find in the next Chapter, ver. 6. Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Phariſees, and of the Saduces: How do we think they underſtood this ſaying? And they reaſoned among themſelves, ſaying, It is becauſe we have taken no bread. Which ſhew'd they were not yet cured of this Phariſaical Superſtition; inaſmuch as they underſtood our Saviour, as if he had forbidden them to eat any bread which the Phariſees had touched, as the Phariſees would eat nothing that had been touched by a Gentile; when all that our Saviour meant, was that they ſhould beware of their Doctrine. And no wonder that theſe Traditionary Inventions had taken ſuch root in the minds of men, when they did not ſerve more for the Authority of the Guides, than for the eaſe and liberty of the People that followed them: For tho it was ſomething a nice and elaborate buſineſs to obſerve all the Traditions, yet this was much more grateful, not only to fancy, but to fleſh and blood, than to obſerve the Rules of true Piety by keeping the Commandments of God: For inſtance, tho it was ſomething troubleſome to be waſhing at every turn, yet if this would keep a man's mind clean, it was a much eaſier care, than to keep the heart pure; v. 19. from evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, falſe-witneſſings, and evil-ſpeakings, which according to our Saviour's Doctrine were the things that defile the man, v. 20. How was it poſſible but that People ſhould be fond of believing ſuch a concluſion as this, Whoſoever lives in the Land of Iſrael, and eateth his meat in cleanneſs, and ſpeaks in the Holy Tongue, and Morning and Evening ſays over his Phylacteries, let him never doubt but he ſhall obtain life in the World to come. This was the Doctrine of the Maſters, and certainly they muſt be very uereaſonable people that could not be content to go to Heaven upon ſuch terms as theſe, if they could be made ſuch Fools as to believe it: And truly men are •• ry apt to hearken to ſuch Follies, becauſe they ſave them the labour of being truly good. No wonder therefore that the Scribes were ſo univerſally believed and obeyed by the people, inaſmuch as they undertook to carry them all to Heaven infallibly by ſuch ſlight and cheap performances as were required by their Tradition: And in ſuch a caſe as this, it would coſt more than ordinary pains to undeceive them; our Saviour himſelf being conſtrained to repeat his Inſtructions over and over again to his Diſciples, to get theſe Fancies out of their heads. And thus much concerning the nature of that Charge which the Phariſees laid againſt our Lord's Diſciples, and concerning that which is implied in it, the zeal of the Prieſts and the Scribes for their Traditions, and the fondneſs of the People that were addicted to them. I proceed now to the

Second Point: And that is the Anſwer which our Saviour made to this Charge, viz. Why do ye alſo tranſgreſs the commandment of God by your tradition? Which doth of it ſelf appear to be a plain and wiſe way of anſwering their bold Queſtion, becauſe it turned the difficulty upon them, and that a thouſand times a greater difficulty, to ſay, if they could, by what Authority they advanced their Traditions againſt the Law of God; and ſince they thought it was ſo heinous a fault in the Diſciples not to obſerve their Traditions, to purge themſelves if they were able, of a notorious fault in keeping their Traditions, and teaching them to others; inaſmuch as their Traditions could not be kept without tranſgreſſing the commandment of God. Which general Charge our Saviour makes good alſo, by one particular inference ſo plain, that there was no fencing againſt it: For God, ſays he, commanded, ſaying, Honour thy father and thy mother: and he that curſeth father or mother, let him dye the death: But ye ſay, whoſoever ſhall ſay to his father or his mother, it is a gift, by whatſoever thou mighteſt be profited by me, and honour not his father and his mother, he ſhall be free: thus have you made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. The Tradition was this, That if a man had vowed never to relieve, or to give any thing to ſuch or ſuch a perſon, tho it were his Father or his Mother, he was held by his Vow; and if afterwards he ſhould change his mind, and be willing to relieve his Parents, and in order thereunto go to the Prieſts to be diſpenſed with, and abſolved of his Vow, the Prieſts ſhould challenge all that he now deſigned to relieve his Parents withal, but of his Vow he could not be releaſed, and the Money was put into the Treaſury of the Temple; ſo that if his Father or Mother came afterwards to him, and asked an Alms of him, he might ſay, It is Corban, or devoted to the Service of the Temple, whatſoever I can have a mind to give thee; and in St. Mark our Saviour concludes, And ye ſuffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother: For they held him to his Vow, and whatever Money he could be willing to give them afterwards, being under the Religion of a Vow, it became Sacred, and was to go to the Temple: In which moſt wicked Tradition they had their Ends; for the Wealth of the Treaſury being partly employed in the Reparation of the Temple, partly for the Relief of the Poor, partly for the enriching of the Prieſts and Levites, the Phariſees who were no ſmall part of the Prieſts, had their ſhare in all that was brought into the Treaſury. By this Traditionary Doctrine and Practice, they had eluded a Law of God not of leſſer moment, but of ſo great moment, that the tranſgreſſion of it was capital, and ſuch a Law too, as the light of Nature ſhews no leſs than the written word of God; and therefore well might our Saviour conclude, Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition: But if it be now asked, Why our Saviour did not keep to that Inſtance which the Phariſees produced, and anſwer to that, but rather choſe another inſtance? The account of this I think very eaſy, viz. That he ſaw it was neceſſary to run them down by one of the moſt undeniable Inſtances that could be imagined, of their contradicting the Law of God by their Traditions: For the boldneſs of the Phariſees and Prieſts was ſo exceſſive, and the fondneſs of the People about theſe Traditions was ſo hard to be broken, that it was neceſſary to make way for their conviction by ſuch an argument as muſt needs make ſome impreſſion upon them: And when he had made an end of that, he did not forget to ſpeak directly to the point they had begun withal; for v. 10. we find that he called the multitude, and ſaid unto them, Hear and underſtand; Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man, but that which cometh out of the mouth defileth a man; that is, Do not ſuffer your ſelves to be deluded by theſe confident men, who uſe their Authority to that degree, as to carry you under a pretence of keeping their Traditions, to the tranſgreſſion of the plaineſt Commandments of God, as I have evidently ſhewn in the caſe of the Fifth Commandment; and now be willing to be inſtructed in that other point of pretended Tradition which they blame my Diſciples for not obſerving; and know, that no Food whatſoever is unclean, or unlawful in its own nature to be uſed, nor can any man's touch make it ſo, nor can any of theſe things defile a man's Conſcience; but a man's Conſcience is defiled by that which comes from his heart, by evil Thoughts, by evil Words, and by Actions contrary to the Command of God, ſuch as murders, and adulteries, &c. Theſe are the things that defile a man; but to eat with unwaſhen hands, defileth not a man: (i. e.) doth not by any means affect his Soul or his Conſcience; for in this reſpect he is neither better for waſhing, nor worſe for letting it alone; and to think otherwiſe is a Superſtition hurtful to your ſelves, and diſhonourable to God, and of very bad conſequence, tho it be not ſo impudent and notorious an abuſe, as the making void of God's Law by the other lewd Tradition that I mentioned before: It is to this purpoſe that we are to underſtand the method and deſign of our Saviour's Diſcourſe in this place, in anſwer to the Objection of the Phariſees brought againſt the Diſciples.

From which Anſwer there are ſome things to be gathered well worth our obſervation.

1. That it is ſufficient to overthrow the Authority of a pretended Tradition, that it is contrary to the Commandment of God.

2. That if there be one Traditionary Doctrine that notoriouſly contradicts the Law of God, that one inſtance is ſufficient to overturn the credit of that Tradition which pretends to deliver unwritten Doctrines of equal Authority with thoſe that are written.

3. That the univerſal conſent of ſome one Age or more, That ſuch and ſuch Doctrines were delivered by word of mouth many Ages before, is no Argument that they were ſo delivered.

4. That we have great reaſon to ſtick to the Word of God delivered to us in the Scriptures; and to examine all Doctrines and Rules which are ſaid to be neceſſary to Salvation by that Rule, and to reject the Authority of unwritten Traditions.

1. That it is ſufficient to overthrow the Authority of a pretended Tradition, That it is contrary to the Commandment of God: For if when Tradition is pretended for any Doctrine or Practice, it be not enough to ſhew that the ſame Doctrine or Practice is inconſiſtent with what is plainly required in the Scriptures, which are acknowledged by all to contain the Word of God; I ſay, if this be not enough, then our Saviour uſed an inſufficient Argument againſt the pretended Tradition of not ſuffering the Son that was under a Vow of the contrary, to relieve his Father or Mother, that it made void the commandment of God. But doubtleſs our Saviour was ſo far from uſing a bad Argument, that he uſed the beſt and moſt convincing of all: And truly if we did not in this caſe conſider our Saviour's Authority, yet it muſt be a monſtrous prejudice that keeps any man from diſcerning the ſtrength of this Argument againſt the Authority of any unwritten Doctrine, That it is contrary to what is written; for nothing is more certain, than that Contradictions cannot be true, and yet they muſt be true, if that Doctrine for which unwritten Tradition is pretended, can be of God, tho it contradicts the written Tradition, which is by all acknowledged to be Divine. But as plain as this Argument is, yet it is very well for us that we find our bleſſed Saviour giving ſuch Authority to it; becauſe there are Chriſtians in the World, bearing up themſelves upon the Tradition of the Church, that are loth to admit this Argument; which we have no cauſe to be amazed at, becauſe it is an utter Confutation of all their pretences. We charge them with having brought into the Church new Articles of Faith, and new Doctrines of Worſhip, which are not only very different from what was taught at firſt by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, but ſome of them contrary thereunto, as we can ſhew them out of the Scriptures. But this way of proceeding doth by no means content them, and they inſiſt upon it, that the Cauſe may be tried otherwiſe. For ſay they, You acknowledge that our Church was once a pure Church, and taught the Goſpel ſincerely; but if as you ſay, ſhe departed from the pure Faith and Worſhip which the Apoſtles left, it is impoſſible but this muſt have been very notorious, becauſe it could not have been done without oppoſition and reſiſtance from ſome that muſt needs obſerve it: Tell us therefore, When were theſe new and falſe Doctrines introduced? Who were the men that brought them in? Who were the firſt that made the diſcovery? What Council condemned them after they were diſcovered? For if none of theſe things can be ſhewn, it is abſurd to think that any ſuch alteration ſhould have been as you ſay. Which reaſoning amounts to thus much, That it is impoſſible we can be ſure that in the compaſs of a thouſand Years, there was a great alteration happened in the ſtate of Religion, unleſs withal we can tell how it came about, and juſt when it came about, the preciſe time, and the punctual manner and circumſtances thereof; which is juſt as if a man almoſt deſperately ſick of a Diſeaſe that had been for ſome Years growing upon him, ſhould prove to his Friend that he is as well as ever he was in his Life; for ſays he, You know I was well once, and if I am now ſo ill as you ſay, pray ſhew me the time when this Diſeaſe firſt happened, the manner how, and what Phyſicians were called about me; which kind of arguing would certainly prove no more, than that the Diſeaſe had taken his head. When the Servants came and told their Lord, that the tares came up with the wheat, it was excuſable in them to ſay, We ſowed good ſeed, whence hath it theſe tares? But when their Maſter told them, An enemy hath done this; if they had diſputed, and told him, It was impoſſible there ſhould be any Tares at all; becauſe he could not tell punctually that very Night when they were ſown, and who the Perſons were that took the malicious pains to ſow them; then they had been very inexcuſable thus to renounce their own certain knowledge for the ſake of a vain Speculation. Now we are very ſure that the Apoſtles did at firſt ſow nothing in the Church but good and true Doctrine: Our Fathers that lived about fourteen hundred Years after, found quite another ſort of Doctrine gotten into the Church, and ſome of them contrary to what the Apoſtles taught, as the Scriptures manifeſtly ſhew; and yet there have been a long time, and ſtill there are certain Diſputers, that go about to ſtagger others with ſuch like queſtions as we have been ſpeaking of, and teach them to defy all reaſoning out of the Scriptures, till theſe queſtions are ſatisfied; What Age, What Year of our Lord, were theſe Errors brought into the Church? Who were they that brought them in, and who firſt complained of them? Now although a very reaſonable account both may be, and hath been given of the Perſons, the Time, and the manner, and the Degrees, by which ſuch Corruptions got into the Church, yet it is very unreaſonable to expect that every Chriſtian ſhould be able to anſwer theſe Queſtions punctually, becauſe it requires more labour and reading than generally they have either leiſure or ability to go through with; but withal it is very needleſs, becauſe there is a ſhorter and a ſurer way to determine this matter, and that by comparing thoſe Doctrines and Practiſes with the Scriptures: For the Scriptures have a more certain Tradition, than any of thoſe Hiſtories that give an account of the Revolutions of Church-Affairs ſince the beginning; and now what matter is it, if I am aſſured that ſuch and ſuch Corruptions were brought into the Church, ſome time or other after the Apoſtles, becauſe they are contrary to what the Apoſtles taught and left in their Writings, though I cannot tell juſt the Year when, or the Perſon by whom they firſt crept into the Church? I would very fain know of any Man, that when our Saviour ſet himſelf to overthrow that wicked Tradition which we were ſpeaking of before, whether he could not, if he had pleaſed, have given an exact account of the Perſons that began it in the Jewiſh Church, and of the time when it began, and of every circumſtance that attended its entrance into the World, and its growth and increaſe afterwards. But did he go this way to work? It is certain that the Phariſees pretended the Traditions which they taught the People were delivered from God to Moſes, and that through ſeveral Ages they were conveyed down to them ſucceſſively by word of Mouth. And I grant that if our Lord had with many words ſhewn them, that there were ſuch and ſuch Men who firſt brought them in, this had been a confutation of their pretence; but for all that he was pleaſed to uſe a better and a ſhorter argument againſt them, and told them what the Commandment was in the Law which their pretended Tradition made void, and this was inſtead of a thouſand Arguments, that their Doctrine never came from Moſes, but was invented ſome time afterwards: And, I beſeech you, let none of us be aſhamed to uſe that kind of argument which our Saviour thought fit to confute thoſe People withal, and which we have reaſon to think he uſed, that he might ſhew us the beſt way to ſecure our ſelves from being impoſed upon by unwritten Traditions, and by a pretence of having received ſuch Doctrines from the Apoſtles as they never delivered. When therefore we are asked, If Tranſubſtantiation be an Error, and not an Article of Faith, when did it come in? If Service in an unknown Tongue be an Innovation, when did it come in? If the Sacrifice of the Maſs be a Corruption, when did it come in? Let us account it ſufficient to anſwer, for ſo our Saviour thought it in the like caſe, That Tranſubſtantiation makes void thoſe places of Scripture which expreſly affirm, that by eating of Bread we ſhew forth the Death of Chriſt, and are made partakers of his Body: That Service in an unknown tongue makes void the Fourteenth Chapter of the Firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians: And that the Sacrifice of the Maſs makes void the Seventh and the Tenth Chapters of the Epiſtle to the Hebrews, which expreſly tell us, that Chriſt can be offered no more, and that there remains no more Sacrifice for ſins; and therefore we are very well aſſured that they did come in ſome time or other ſince the Apoſtles; but whether they came in ſooner or later, is nothing to the purpoſe, for certainly nothing ought ever to have come in that makes void any part of the Word of God; but if any ſuch thing hath got in, there is all the reaſon in the World that it ſhould be thrown out again. They may well be aſhamed that cannot bear this ſort of arguing, but moſt certainly we have no reaſon to be aſhamed to uſe it, ſince our Bleſſed Saviour hath uſed it before us; for when he ſet himſelf to overthrow the credit of theſe Doctrines, for which they pretended a conſtant Tradition in the Church, he thought it ſufficient for his purpoſe, to ſhew that they voided the Commandments of God, and made his word of none effect.

2. If there be one Traditionary Doctrine that notoriouſly contradicts the written Word of God, 'tis enough to overthrow the whole Credit of that Tradition which pretends to bring down unwritten Doctrines that are neceſſary to be received. For thus we find, that our Saviour by the ſingle inſtance of that Tradition which voided the Fifth Commandment, overthrew the Objection of the Phariſees againſt his Diſciples: Why do thy Diſciples tranſgreſs the tradition of the Elders? (i. e.) their unwritten Traditions: Which was as much as to ſay, That they ought all of them to be Religiouſly obſerved, becauſe they had all the ſame Authority: Our Saviour therefore produces an inſtance of their Traditions that takes away all Authority, inaſmuch as it was a plain contradiction to the Law of God; if therefore amongſt their unwritten Doctrines and Rules, there were any that had ſome kind of goodneſs and uſefulneſs, they were to be regarded upon their own account, and not upon the Authority of Tradition. But when he had utterly overthrown all that pretended Authority by an undeniable Argument, he then ſpeaks to the caſe which themſelves had propounded, and lays down the truth concerning it. They had a vaſt number of Superſtitions, for which they pretended Tradition, and they tax our Saviour's Diſciples for not obſerving one of them. Now he with admirable Wiſdom firſt breaks the Authority of their Tradition, ſhewing that one of them was plainly againſt the Law of God, and then he ſhews how Superſtitious and fooliſh they were in the caſe which themſelves choſe to ſpeak to. In this alſo our Lord hath ſet us an example, that if we are preſs'd by a pretence to Tradition in favour of unwritten Doctrines and Articles, we ſhould in the firſt place ſhew that one or more of theſe is contrary to the Word of God; and therefore that there is no reaſon to pretend Tradition for any of them, ſince they are all ſaid to have come down together: Which being done in the firſt place, it will be then ſeaſonable to ſhew, what is to be thought of the reſt if they are judged of by the general Rules of Reaſon and Scripture.

3. The Univerſal conſent of ſome one or two Ages that ſuch and ſuch Doctrines were delivered by word of mouth many Ages before, is no Argument that they were ſo delivered. The Phariſees did pretend that their Doctrines and Interpretations of the Law had been conveyed down from Moſes by Oral Tradition to that Age in which they lived, and there were ſeveral of theſe Traditions univerſally believed in that Age to have been ſo conveyed, and the Practice of the People was univerſally governed by them: For inſtance, that of Religious Waſhing before meat, and the waſhing of Cups and Pots, as a thing in it ſelf good and holy, was univerſally received and practiſed, as St. Mark tells us. Now I would fain know whether they might not have reaſoned in this faſhion: We in this Age received this Doctrine and Rule from our Forefathers, who profeſſed they received it from theirs; and if they had not received it from theirs, then they all agreed together to cheat us, as their Forefathers agreed to cheat them, if they had not received it from theirs; and ſo this Tradition muſt have come originally from Moſes, or elſe there was one Age that agreed to cheat the next in things concerning the Service of God, and the Salvation of Mens Souls. But after all the prettineſs of this demonſtration, I think, we have more reaſon to believe, that this Superſtition never came from Moſes, becauſe our Saviour expoſed it as a vain and fooliſh Doctrine, than to believe that it did, becauſe the Jews ever ſince the Phariſees time, who were a Sect of full three hundred years ſtanding, were taught to pretend Tradition for the Innovations of the Phariſees, and for this amongſt the reſt. And therefore it is a vain thing to pretend, that becauſe ſuch and ſuch Traditionary Doctrines were in ſuch an Age taught without controul, as neceſſary to Salvation, they muſt needs have been taught ſo from the very firſt.

4. That we have great reaſon to ſtick to the word of God delivered to us in the Holy Scriptures, and to examine all Doctrines and Pretences by this Rule. For the Holy Scriptures are indeed the Rule whereby we are to try that pretence, that there is another Rule, viz. of unwritten Tradition; and if that other pretended Rule doth in any thing contradict the Scriptures, moſt certainly it is but a pretended Rule, and to be rejected. To deal plainly, this ſame plain Oral Tradition was never pretended for any good, either by Jews or Chriſtians; nor made uſe of but to advance and protect ſome Doctrines or Practices that ſtand condemned by the Scriptures: And therefore after ſo long experience had of the miſchief, as well as vanity of this pretence, it were perhaps not unreaſonable for any Chriſtian to reject the Argument of unwritten Tradition without any more ado, and to entertain no Doctrine or Practice neceſſary to Salvation, which cannot be proved out of the Scriptures, nor to entertain any thing at all, that is contrary thereunto, let Men talk of Tradition, or any other Authority, as long as they pleaſe.

And now I queſtion not, but this Diſcourſe will be acknowledged to be very plain and convincing; but for all that, it is not certain, that the Argument of it ſelf will ſecure us from being deceived by the Sophiſtry of others, if we do not take heed to the main thing of all, and that is, to lead ſuch Lives as the Scriptures direct us to lead; for there is no ſuch temptation in the World to be fond of Traditionary Doctrines, as to live in that manner, that if the Traditionary Doctrines be not true, we can have no hope of Salvation. If we will live according to the Scriptures, we ſhall have no temptation, and I am ſure we have no reaſon to believe otherwiſe, than according to the Scriptures: Let us often think that here we have no continuing place, we muſt not always live here, but that in a very little time we are to go into another World, and to appear before our Judge: Let us remember, that this is the great argument by which the Scriptures engage us to live a ſober, righteous, and godly life; and let us conſider that it is the ſtrongeſt Argument in the World, and be perſuaded by it to do accordingly, and this will above all things eſtabliſh us in the Truth. It is ſomething hard to keep that Man from being deceived who needs the comfort of falſe Principles: For Men are very apt to be running for comfort, where it is to be had, though they cheat themſelves for it.

Brethren, the Holy Scriptures are God's Book, and they are acknowledged to be ſo by all Chriſtians in the World; therefore I ſay it again and again, ſtick to the Scriptures, live according to the Scriptures, and believe according to the Scriptures: Make the Scriptures the Rule of your Practice, and then you will need no more arguments to make them the Rule of your Faith: And as many as walk according to this Rule, Peace will be upon them.

THE word Hereſy did at firſt indifferently ſignify any Party diſtinguiſhed from others by Opinions and Practiſes peculiar to it ſelf, whether thoſe Opinions were true or falſe, thoſe Practices good or bad; inſomuch that Chriſtianity it ſelf was called a Sect or Hereſy for ſome time. But in time it came to be uſed in the worſer ſenſe, and was reſtrained to thoſe that diſtinguiſhed themſelves by the profeſſion of falſe Doctrines, or by unjuſtifiable Practices: Which uſe of the word began ſoon after Chriſtianity, as far as I can find; and there was this reaſon for it, that Chriſtianity having eſtabliſhed one Form of Doctrine which was to be univerſally received, there were now to be no Hereſies or Sects, that is, no departure from the Unity of that Doctrine; and every new Sect from that time forward muſt neceſſarily be in the wrong: Thus alſo the word Schiſm or Diviſion came in a little time to be reſtrained to that ſide or party by whoſe fault the breach of Chriſtian Communion and Concord was made; and although when a diſſention and breach of Unity happens, they that are not in the fault are at the ſame diſtance from thoſe that are, that the faulty are from the innocent; yet the faulty were only ſaid to be in Schiſm or Diviſion: Moreover, it ſeems that Hereſy and Schiſm were words at firſt uſed indifferently to ſignify the ſame fault of diſcord and Contention, becauſe breach of Charity and Communion, was for the moſt part made by departing from Unity of Doctrine; though in proceſs of time Hereſy was reſtrained to ſignify an Error about the Faith, and Schiſm a breach of Order and Chriſtian Communion. St. Paul doth in this place ſeem to mean the ſame thing by both words; for in the foregoing verſe ſays he, I hear that there be diviſions or Schiſms among you, and I partly believe it; that is, I believe it of ſome of you. And then he adds, For there muſt be alſo Hereſies among you; that is, Sects and Parties diſtinguiſhed from one another by their peculiar Doctrines and Practices.

The matter about which there was a diſagreement in the Church of Corinth, was no leſs than that of the adminiſtration of the Holy Communion; that having happened ſo early, which in the latter Ages of the Church has obtained in a much higher degree, that the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, which was in great part inſtituted to unite the Faithful in one Body, was perverted into an occaſion of dividing them from one another: Upon which obſervation St. Paul inſerted this memorable, ſaying:

There muſt be alſo Hereſies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifeſt.

There muſt be Hereſies (i. e.) Parties that will contend for falſe Doctrines and unlawful Practices; that will either take away from the Faith, or add to the Faith; that will either diſpenſe with the Commandments of God, or teach for Doctrines the Commandments of men.

IN theſe words St. Peter commendeth Believers for taking heed, or carefully attending to the Scriptures; and moreover expreſſeth a weighty reaſon, why in doing ſo they did well, becauſe they were the word of prophecy, and a light ſhining in a dark place, till the day dawned, and the day-ſtar aroſe in their hearts.

I ſhall firſt endeavour to explain this reaſon for the diligent reading of the Scriptures, and ſhall try to remove thoſe Prejudices and Objections which ſome Men have thought fit to produce againſt it; and laſtly, recommend it to your Care and Conſcience by earneſt Exhortation.

Firſt, As to the Reaſon it ſelf; We may obſerve, that the Apoſtle had in the foregoing Verſes, mentioned that Teſtimony which had been given to Jeſus by a Voice from Heaven: But, ſays he, we have alſo a more ſure word of Prophecy, (i. e.) We have yet a more convincing Teſtimony of God, that Jeſus is the Chriſt, viz. The Word of Prophecy. Again, it is ſaid in the following Verſes, That no Prophecy of the Scripture is of private Interpretation; or rather of the Prophets own skill and motion; for ſo the Original will bear, and the following words require: For Prophecy came not of old time by the Will of Man, but Holy Men ſpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoſt. From hence it is plain, that the Apoſtle ſpeaks of that Teſtimony, which the Prophecies of the Old Teſtament give to Jeſus, by having foretold thoſe things concerning the Meſſias which were fulfilled in Jeſus, and in him only. So that St. Peter commends the Diſciples of Chriſt for their diligent ſtudy of Moſes and the Prophets, becauſe their Writings did abound with thoſe Predictions concerning Chriſt, which had raiſed an Expectation of him in the World before he came, which would clearly demonſtrate him to the World when he ſhould come, and which now were a moſt convincing Teſtimony that he was come, and that Jeſus, in whom all thoſe Predictions were fulfilled, was he: And that this is the ſum of the Apoſtle's Argument, will appear, by conſidering theſe Particulars of the Text. I. That the Old Teſtament is ſaid to be the word of Prophecy. II. A light ſhining in a dark place, till the day dawned, and the day-ſtar aroſe in their hearts. III. A ſure Word. IV. A more ſure word of Prophecy.

1. That the Old Teſtament is ſaid to be the Word of Prophecy: The Writings of Moſes, and the Prophets, do indeed contain other Matters, and particularly Hiſtories of Things paſt, as well as Predictions of Things that were to come; and yet they are called the Word of Prophecy. This implieth, that the main deſign and buſineſs of thoſe Holy Books, was to foretel Chriſt, by thoſe Characters of his Perſon, and Circumſtances of his Appearance, that ſhould demonſtrate him afterwards: And though upon other Accounts the Prophets had their ſeveral Arguments of Writing; yet in this they all conſpired, as St. Peter told Cornelius and his Company; To him give all the Prophets witneſs, that whoſoever believeth in him, ſhould receive remiſſion of ſins, Acts 8.43. And this might in great part be made good by producing the cleareſt Prophecies of all concerning Chriſt; thoſe which ſpeak directly of him, and of nothing elſe but thoſe Circumſtances by which he ſhould be known; of this ſort was that Prediction of Jacob, that he ſhould come before the final Subverſion of the Jewiſh State: The Scepter ſhall not depart from Judah till Shiloh come: And that of Daniel's Seventy Weeks, which punctually fixeth the time of his Manifeſtation and Sufferings, from the Perſian King's Decree for the Rebuilding the Walls of Jeruſalem. But beſides ſuch Prophecies as theſe, there is a great abundance of another ſort; ſuch namely, as are mixed with ſome things which the Prophets ſpake of themſelves, or others; of which kind that ſeems to be one inſtance which St. Peter with good ſucceſs alledged to the Jews, Acts 2.25. David ſpeaketh concerning him, The Lord is on my right hand, that I ſhould not be moved; therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad: moreover, alſo my fleſh ſhall reſt in hope, becauſe thou wilt not leave my ſoul in hell, neither wilt thou ſuffer thine holy one to ſee corruption. Now the former Expreſſions, and indeed the reſt of the Pſalm might well be applied to David himſelf; but the latter were too magnificent to be true of him in any good ſenſe; and therefore St. Peter argued from hence in this manner, Men and Brethren, let me freely ſpeak unto you of the Patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his Sepulchre is with us unto this day; therefore being a Prophet, and knowing that God had ſworn with an Oath unto him, That of the Fruit of his Loins, according to the fleſh, he would raiſe up Chriſt to ſit upon his Throne: He ſeeing this before, ſpake of the Reſurrection of Chriſt, that his Soul was not left in hell, neither did his fleſh ſee corruption. Now it is no diſparagement to theſe Prophecies, that ſome paſſages they are joined with, were meant of other Perſons, as well as of Chriſt, ſince it ſeemeth to me an Argument of the Care of Divine Providence, to fill the Holy Books with Predictions concerning Chriſt, that are not only divers Prophecies which ſpeak entirely of him, and of him only; but upon all fit occaſions the Spirit of Prophecy broke out into thoſe things which concerned him; and though other matters were begun with, yet if there was any congruity in the ſubject, it perpetually diverted into this. Hereunto we may add thoſe paſſages which in their firſt meaning ſignified ſome things paſt or preſent, and yet were deſigned to preſignify Chriſt too, ſuch as theſe, Out of Egypt have I called my Son; and, a Bone of him ſhall not be broken; the former being firſt meant of the Children of Iſrael, the latter of the Paſchal Lamb; both afterwards fulfilled in Chriſt again, the true Son of God, the true Paſchal Lamb. Nay, the Omiſſion of Melchiſedeck's Deſcent, Birth, and Death, did at length appear to hint this ſignification, that Chriſt, whoſe Type he was, had neither beginning of days, nor end of life: So truly is the Old Teſtament the word of Prophecy, that the very omiſſion of this thing was Prophetical. To conclude this point: The moſt Illuſtrious Perſons of the Old Teſtament, as Moſes and Aaron, and Joſhua and David, and Solomon, were deſigned by Divine Providence to repreſent before-hand by lively reſemblances, what the Meſſias ſhould be, and what he ſhould do afterwards; and the moſt memorable paſſages of the Hiſtory of the Iſraelites, together with the preſence of God in the Tabernacle, and in the Temple, and the whole Frame of the Levitical Service, were clear and natural Types of the Meſſias, and of a more perfect ſtate of things under him, foretelling in Things, as other Prophecies did in Words. The ſum of all is this, That there is a vaſt plenty of Predictions in the Old Teſtament concerning Chriſt; and if we will take the pains to examine the Truth of theſe General Heads by more particular Enquiries, we ſhall find that the Affairs of the Jewiſh Nation, and the Writing of the Holy Books, were ſo overruled by the Divine Spirit, that when we come to look into them, we cannot lightly turn our ſelves any way, but we ſhall be encountred with ſome or other Prophetick paſſages concerning Chriſt. All which was deſigned of God for the Confirmation of our Faith, that when he ſhould come, in whom not only the plaineſt and moſt unqueſtionable Prophecies, but all other Types, and the more obſcure Prefigurations of the Meſſias would be fulfilled, we might without the leaſt doubt believe and follow him.

2. This word of Prophecy is ſaid to be a light ſhining in a dark place; the reaſon of which Expreſſion is plain enough, if we conſider that the Prophecies were nothing ſo eaſy to be underſtood by themſelves, as they were afterwards made by the events which they foretold; and therefore till the events made all plain, the World was very much in the dark about the meaning of them as to moſt particulars; but yet ſome of them were ſo expreſs and full, that they had raiſed an Expectation, not only in the Jews, but amongſt the Gentiles alſo, of that extraordinary Perſon whom God would ſend into the World for their relief. And therefore they might very well be compared to a light ſhining in a dark place; For ſuch a Light, though it doth not make a particular diſcovery of thoſe things that lie round about it, is yet apt to draw the Eyes of all towards it that are within diſtance; and the Predictions concerning Chriſt were ſo remarkable, that they awakened the Gentiles themſelves to take notice of them, and were therefore a light ſhining in a dark place, to Jews and Gentiles; not indeed clearly revealing the Truth to them at preſent, but preparing them to receive it when it ſhould be clearly revealed in the accompliſhment of all that had been foretold.

And whereas this Light was ſaid to ſhine till the day dawned, and the day-ſtar aroſe in their hearts: The plain meaning ſeems to be, that from the beginning of the World to the appearance of Chriſt, the Prophecies concerning him grew ſtill more expreſs, clear, and particular, as the time drew on that they were to be accompliſhed. The whole Word of Prophecy was a light ſhining in a dark place; but the latter Prophecies, ſuch as in Iſaiah, Daniel, and Malachi, were like the dawning of the day before the Sun of Righteouſneſs himſelf appeared. By ſuch degrees did God prepare Mankind for the belief of the Goſpel, every Age contributing ſomething before-hand to undermine the Prejudices of the Natural Man againſt it. That God ſhould ſend his Son into the World to be a Sacrifice for Sin, was a Myſtery ſo far above the reach of worldly Wiſdom, and natural Reaſon, that conſidering our weakneſs, it would hardly have born being revealed all at once; and therefore God choſe to let Mankind into the knowledge of it by degrees, and by the growing-Light of Types and Prophecies, to prepare them for that ſtronger Light of the plain and clear Truth, which in due time was to be revealed: And by this way God alſo provided a ſure Foundation for their Faith, who ſhould afterwards believe; only we muſt do what St. Peter commends the Chriſtians of his time for doing, we muſt 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , we muſt give heed unto, and bend our Minds to conſider the Word of Prophecy, and we muſt attend to it, as to a light ſhining in a dark place, till the day dawns; that is, we muſt not content our ſelves to try any one ſingle Prediction only to compare it with the Hiſtory of Jeſus, and then if that doth not give full ſatisfaction, to try no more; But as God, by every new Prediction added more Light to the Word of Prophecy, ſo we ſhould conſider what Evidence is given to the Goſpel by the Prophecies of the Old Teſtament taken all together from the firſt to the laſt. And this was the Method which our Saviour took to inſtruct the two Diſciples going to Emmaus: They were not unacquainted with the Prophecies of the Old Teſtament, and yet they were mightily ſtaggered at the ſhameful Death of their Maſter; We truſted, ſay they, that this had been he which ſhould have redeemed Iſrael; but now they know not what to think of it. Then ſaid Jeſus unto them, O fools and ſlow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have ſpoken! Ought not Chriſt to have ſuffered theſe things, and to enter into his Glory? But what courſe did he take to convince them? did he take ſome one notable Prediction by it ſelf, and lay all the ſtreſs upon that? No, but beginning at Moſes, and all the Prophets, he expounded to them in all the Scriptures, the things concerning himſelf. It was this that made the day-ſtar ariſe in their hearts, it was this that cleared all their doubts, and enlightened their Underſtandings ſo perfectly, that they afterwards ſaid one to another, Did not our hearts burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures? Luke 24.

3. The Word of Prophecy is ſaid to be ſure; that is, 'tis a plain Teſtimony of God, to make us ſure that Jeſus is the Chriſt. For,

1. It is abſurd to aſcribe the Prediction of theſe Events to any Cauſe leſs than Divine Omniſcience; for as St. Peter ſaith, Prophecy came not by the will of man; but holy men ſpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoſt; and no Prophecy of the Scripture is of private interpretation. (i. e.) Not, as ſome would make us believe, no Prophecy of Scripture is to be meditated upon, and read by private Men; but the Prophets did not utter their Predictions by the private Spirit, but by the Spirit of God; therefore if at vaſt diſtances of time from the Event, it was foretold in ſeveral Ages, that one in whom all the Nations of the Earth ſhould be bleſſed, would come into the World, of ſuch a Nation, of ſuch a Family, at ſuch a Time and Place, with ſeveral publick and notorious Characters by which he ſhould be known; Then certainly he in whom all theſe Predictions have been fulfilled, is by the Teſtimony of God's Omniſcience declared to be that great Prophet who was to come into the World. Or, ſhall we ſay, that theſe things were the effects of Policy, or Combination or Chance? Could the moſt politick Stateſman foreſee the riſe of Empires not yet begun? how much leſs could they fix their periods, as the Prophets did in their Predictions concerning Chriſt and his Kingdom? And can we think that they could at the diſtance of many Ages with their utmoſt Skill foreſee ſo many particular Events, as were foretold by the Prophets, and accompliſhed in Chriſt Jeſus? Or ſhall we ſay, that there was a confederacy between Moſes and Jeſus, between the Prophets and Jeſus, ſo many hundreds of years after they were dead, and before he was born? Or, are theſe Predictions and their Events to be imputed to Chance? It is poſſible, indeed, that ſome one thing may be foretold, and happen accordingly; but that ſo vaſt a number of particulars ſhould be foretold, concerning one Perſon at all adventures, and by ſtrange luck come to paſs afterwards, is fit for them only to believe, that can believe that the World was made by a caſual hit of Atoms. To name theſe things is enough to confute them.

2. All that can be farther deſired, is to be well aſſured, that theſe Prophecies were not forged by the followers of Jeſus, but that they were indeed contained in the ancient Writings, that had been delivered down to the Jews of our Saviour's time, by their Anceſtors; and the conſtant teſtimony of the Jews themſelves, who were moſt bitter enemies to Jeſus and to his Doctrine, were enough to ſatisfie us in this point.

4ly. And Laſtly, Whereas theſe Predictions are ſaid to be a more ſure word of Prophecy, the meaning is this, that they are a more convincing Teſtimony to Jeſus than any other taken by its ſelf; they are indeed a more permanent Teſtimony, and withal leſs liable to Cavil and Objection. I cannot ſtand to ſhew this by making particular compariſons, but ſhall only obſerve, That Prophecy includes all other Teſtimonies, and adds ſtrength to every one of them: It comprehends the Miracles of Jeſus and of his Apoſtles, his Reſurrection and Aſcenſion, the Deſcent of the Holy Ghoſt, and the excellency of his Doctrine, becauſe theſe were all foretold: It includes all other proofs, as well as the thing proved; and thoſe proofs are the more convincing, becauſe they alſo had been foretold by the Prophets.

COncerning the Galileans, whoſe Blood Pilate mingled with their Sacrifices, and the Eighteen Jews upon whom the Tower in Siloam fell and ſlew them, our Saviour's Diſcourſe to thoſe that were preſent was this: Suppoſe ye, that theſe Glileans, and theſe Jews were Sinners above all the Galileans, becauſe they ſuffered ſuch things; and above all men that dwelt at Jeruſalem? I tell you, Nay, but except ye repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe peperiſh.

From which Words taken in Connexion with what went before, there are two kinds of Obſervations that may be laid down: The former are rather ſuppoſed than expreſſed; and they are theſe Two:

1. That God is juſt in the Puniſhments that he inflicts upon Sinners.

2. That by what means ſoever Evil happens to Men, the Providence of God is concerned in it.

The ſecond kind are intended more directly, viz.

1. That they who ſuffer very great Evils, are not always greater Sinners than thoſe who in the mean time ſuffer nothing.

2. That one reaſon why ſuch Evils do nat befal all Perſons at the ſame time, who are equally Sinners, is, That while ſome are viſited with the Rod, others may take warning by it. And,

3. That if they do not take warning, they ſhall not eſcape.

Theſe are all profitable Inſtructions, and ſuch as this place naturally yields; which I ſhall therefore purſue, without taking much pains to ſhew how they are contained in it.

Something I ſhall ſay, but very briefly, of the two firſt, becauſe they are ſuppoſed in theſe Sayings of our Lord, though not the main things intended.

The firſt is, that Puniſhment is due to Sin; which is the Ground of all that our Saviour diſcourſes here, concerning the Ends of thoſe unhappy Men; he knew that his Hearers would be apt to paſs an hard Cenſure upon them, and he took care to prevent it; but they would never have been in danger of running into that extreme, if it had not been fixed in all of them, That Puniſhment was due to Sin; and this our Saviour was far from correcting, but rather confirmed them in it, by concluding, That they alſo ſhould periſh, except they repented. The Truth is, this is one of thoſe things that Men know by Nature; and it is well that they do; for if notwithſtanding this Senſe, the World is ſo bad, how much worſe would it have been, if theſe apprehenſions could have been extinguiſhed? Hence it is, that the Conſcience of well-doing inſpires a Man with aſſurance; and that Guilt makes him a Coward; that the diſaſters of others expoſe them to be hardly thought of; and that our own Afflictions bring our old ſins to remembrance. The Natives of Melita, though they were Barbarians, yet when they ſaw a Viper faſten upon St. Paul's hand, preſently concluded, That he was a murderer, whom though he had eſcaped the Sea, yet vengeance would not ſuffer to live, Acts 28. There the natural Senſe of Puniſhment being due to Sin, wrought, though they carried it too far. But with ſomething better reaſon did Joſeph's Brethren, when he had brought them into diſtreſs, argue with one another, Verily, we are guilty concerning our Brother, therefore this diſtreſs is come upon us, Gen. 42.21. It is this natural belief, that ſupported many Myſteries of Religion every where, in all Ages of the World, whether thoſe Myſteries were of God's appointing, or of Man's inventing. A good part of the Sacrifices and Rites of the Heathens, and the Jews, in their Worſhip, was to make expiation of Sin; and the Beaſt was killed, to confeſs that Puniſhment was due to that Man for whom it was offered. It is this Senſe that diſpoſes Men to believe ſtrange Deluſions; that there is vertue in little things, which ſeem to he no better than Charms to take away the guilt of Sin, and to prevent the Puniſhment of it: When people wear Habits, and go Pilgrimages, and touch Relicks, and apply Holy Water, and twenty other ſuch Remedies to themſelves, for the eaſe of their Minds, tho' they take a ſilly way to their end, yet the Principle is good at the bottom; That Sin and Puniſhment are linked together, and that one naturally draws on the other, if ſome method be not uſed to break the Chain; which belief is ſo troubleſom to a guilty mind, that for this reaſon the generality of Men are naturally diſpoſed to like a Religion ſo much the more, for having great variety of Reliefs for an uneaſie Conſcience; which is the true reaſon why Mankind, if good care be not taken, are ready to run into a thouſand Superſtitions. To prevent which, and to bring us into the way of Salvation, God ſent his own Son into the World to be a Sacrifice for us, that we having ſo great an aſſurance of the expiation of our Sins, ſhould chearfully ſet our ſelves to the Reformation of our Hearts and Lives, and ſerve God without fear, in holineſs and righteouſneſs before him all the days of our life. This is the firſt Obſervation, That the Principle upon which all this Diſcourſe proceeds, is a natural Truth, viz. That Puniſhment is due to Sin.

2. That by what means ſoever evils befal Men, it ſtill comes by the Providence of God, either directly ſending it, or at leaſt knowingly permitting it, and for wiſe and good Reaſons determining to permit it: This alſo is evidently preſumed in this Diſcourſe; for upon the relation of thoſe diſaſters, the minds of the hearers preſently turned to this Concluſion, That they were very great Sinners that ſuffered ſuch things, and conſequently, that the evil was ſent by a juſt and wiſe Providence: Now this our Saviour did not go about to correct neither, but rather confirmed them in it, that God's Hand was in all that happened, as themſelves ſhould find it too, if they repented not: So that whether evil comes by the free will of others, as it did upon the Galileans, whoſe Blood Pilate mingled with their Sacrifices, or by ſuch means, as ſeem to be meerly caſual, as it did upon the eighteen upon whom the Tower in Siloam fell; in both caſes the Providence of God doth interpoſe, attending the whole Affair, regulating, and ordering, and with exact knowledge of each circumſtance, permitting that which happens, and the means by which it happens: A very inſtructing Conſideration, which we ſhould lay up in our Minds, heartily believing it, and frequently entertaining our ſelves with it, that we may be directed by it in our Proſperity, and comforted with it in our Adverſity; for it will give us in our better ſtate, the beſt direction how to ſecure it; and to all other methods and ways which we uſe to keep off evil, it will make us add that which is beſt of all, to ſecure by well-doing an Intereſt in the Favour of God. It is a great defect of Wiſdom, as well as of true Religion, to be ſo nice as we often are, in weighing the means of our welfare, with the cauſes of danger; and this with reſpect only to ſecond cauſes, forgetting all the while, that which ought in the firſt and chiefeſt place to be remembred, the ſupreme Mover and Orderer even of thoſe Cauſes, and of the whole Matter. But if we laid to heart what we all believe, that it is an unſeen Hand that governs all, undoubtedly we ſhould be more afraid of our Sins, than of all other miſeries; and more concerned to be ſtrong in the Favour of God, than in the Arm of Fleſh. This conſideration is equally good to comfort us under Adverſity, if that happens, becauſe God ſends it; for tho' there may be good reaſon to take evil in evil part, from Men who ſeldom mean well to us, when they trouble and grieve us; yet there is this to make us patient, that it is of God's ſending too, who means us no harm, and will convert it to good; which is the true reaſon of that excellent ſaying of Job, ch. 2. v. 10. Shall we receive good from the hand of God, and ſhall we not receive evil? For the Emphaſis lies in theſe Words, From the hand of God. For we rank him in effect with Men, if we cannot be pleaſed with him, but when he gives us what we deſire. When good comes to us, it is welcome from what hand ſoever it comes; but this is one part of the ſingular Worſhip we pay to God, that from him we can receive evil too, without ſuſpecting either the Goodneſs of his Intention, or the Wiſdom of his Counſel.

Theſe are the two Points which lie at the bottom of this Diſcourſe of our Saviour, viz. That Puniſhment belongs to Sin; and, That the Evils which happen in this World, do not happen without the Providence of God attending upon all the Circumſtances thereof.

I proceed now to thoſe points which are the direct purpoſe of this place; whereof the

1. Is, That they who ſuffer very great Evils are not always greater Sinners than thoſe who in the mean time ſuffer nothing: That is the plain Doctrine of our Saviour, expreſſed in theſe Queſtions, Suppoſe ye that theſe were greater ſinners, than all the Galileans? and theſe, than all that dwell at Jeruſalem? They indeed that heard him, being Jews, were ready enough ſo to ſuppoſe; but this was that Error of theirs, which he in the firſt place deſigned to correct; and it was neceſſary for them to be ſet right in this matter by ſome great Authority, becauſe it was an Error ſo eaſie for them to ſlide into, by reaſon of the Temper and Conſtitution of their Law, which to them that kept it, promiſed all the good things of this Life, and threatned all the evils of Life to them that broke it: But the time was now coming, when theſe conſiderations ſhould not be ſo much regarded, and God would eſtabliſh a Covenant upon promiſes of an higher nature than thoſe of the Law of Moſes, and upon more terrible Penalties than thoſe were threatned by that Law: And therefore this plain Doctrine of our Saviour, which no doubt was ſomething ſurprizing to his Hearers, was very ſeaſonable to be delivered, juſt when that Law was expiring, and a better was to take place: The time was coming, when all that would live godly in Chriſt Jeſus ſhould ſuffer Perſecution; when his Diſciples ſhould be hated of all men for his names ſake, and delver'd up to be beaten and ſcourged, and put to death; Which when they ſhould ſee, they would have reaſon to remember that he had told them, upon a particular occaſion, that they were not to call them the greateſt Sinners, who ſuffered ſuch things, as ſo many together never endured before; but there was a notorious Provocation of divine Juſtice to deſerve it. Now there were greater deſigns in hand, than to keep a ſmall nation, in compariſon to the obſervation of a Law, that required abundance of Ceremony, and was content with the outward Work, which ſerved to an happy Life in this World. The true Rules of Righteouſneſs and Charity were now to be laid down, and Men were to learn to live above the World, and to be brought to the practice of Piety, by the Promiſes of Immortality in a future State; to reward them for any thing they ſhould loſe or ſuffer for it in this: It would therefore be expedient, that the power of this Faith ſhould be ſometimes demonſtrated, to the Glory of God, and the Inſtruction of Man, and that by Examples of Conſtancy in ſuffering for Righteouſneſs; it would alſo be expedient, that the Profeſſion of ſo holy a Faith ſhould not be diſhonoured by the continual ſcandals of Men, whoſe Converſation is quite contrary to their Profeſſion: and therefore that God ſhould purifie his Church in the Furnace of Affliction, and ſometimes ſeparate the Sincere from the Hypocrite, by bringing them to the Teſt of Perſecution, that thoſe who hang looſely upon the Chriſtian Communion, might be ſhaken off, and none but good Examples left in it, to bring greater Credit to the Goſpel, and more Proſelytes to it, than it had before. Since therefore the time was coming, when Men ſhould ſuffer not at all, as Sinners or Evil doers, but for a good Cauſe, and with a good Conſcience, moſt certainly it was a ſeaſonable Inſtruction, that the greateſt Sufferers were not to be accounted the greateſt Sinners.

But this, I confeſs, is a Reaſon that doth not reach the full Intention of our Saviour, in the Doctrine he laid down upon this occaſion mentioned in the Text; for his true Diſciples in ſuffering for their Faith and Profeſſion, cannot be ſaid to ſuffer for their Sins; but his words conſidered with all the circumſtances wherewith they are to be taken, do ſuppoſe that when Men ſuffer for their ſins, they are not to be accounted greater Sinners meerly for that reaſon, than thoſe who at the ſame time eſcape and ſuffer nothing; for when he ſaid, that neither ſhould they eſcape that heard him, unleſs they repented; it was implied, or at leaſt not denyed, that thoſe things happened to the aforeſaid Galileans and Jews, as a Puniſhment of their Sins; and a plain caſe it is, that in this Life where the Tares and the Wheat grow together, that by the ſame Afflictions, God puniſhes the Sins of ſome, while he manifeſts the Sincerity of others: And in this Caſe it remains true, that thoſe who are puniſhed, are not to be accounted greater Sinners than all thoſe that eſcape; of which we need not deſire any other Proof than our Saviour's Word for it: But in ſome Caſes we have very evident and ſenſible demonſtration of it: For ſometimes God puniſhes the Sins of ſome Men by the Hands of others that are worſe than they, whom he reſerves for far greater Puniſhments in this Life, as the Hiſtories of the Church do abundantly teſtifie: Now by the ſame reaſon, that it muſt not be concluded of thoſe that ſuffer under the Oppreſſions of others that they are worſe than thoſe that oppreſs them, it ought not neither to be concluded of thoſe that do not ſuffer by them, that they are worſe than thoſe that do; for the former obſervation is an evident Proof, that they do not ſuffer firſt, who deſerve it moſt. Which is a Doctrine that our Saviour thought fit to deliver in his days, and will be of conſtant uſe, while the World laſts, to keep Chriſtians at the greateſt diſtance from that Jewiſh Error; That Men may diſcern God's Love and Hatred by what befals them in this World. I will therefore never ſuffer my ſelf to be run into an ill opinion of any Man, or any People, by any adverſity, how great ſoever it be, which happens to them before my Eyes; much leſs will I enter into compariſons; I will not conclude from the Affliction I ſee, that there muſt needs be ſome great Sin at the bottom, which Vengeance has found out: And when I ſee the Sin and cannot forbear acknowledging the Juſtice of God, I will not go on to ſuppoſe, there is ſomething more than I do ſee, and make him to be a worſe Man than he ſeems to be; nor will I conclude, that he is worſe than thoſe that do not ſuffer ſuch things: And what conſtruction I will forbear to make of a ſingle Perſon, I will much more forbear to make of Multitudes: Becauſe I know the Reaſons of God's Proceedings with Peoples and Nations, and great bodies of Men, are by me unſearchable, and that time diſcovers that Wiſdom of his Counſels, which my Reaſon cannot fathom: In a word, I will conclude ill of none, becauſe they ſuffer, but rather well of them, if I know no cauſe to the contrary, becauſe it is often God's method to afflict his own beſt Servants, and when he puniſhes for Sin, to begin with thoſe that do not moſt of all deſerve it. Shall I conclude, for inſtance, that the French Proteſtants have been the greateſt Sinners of all the Proteſtants in Europe, or greater than our ſelves, becauſe they have ſuffered ſuch things? God forbid! I ſpeak not of thoſe, who to their Glory in this World, but alas, that is little worth, it becomes me to ſay, and you to hear it, who to their Praiſe with God, and to the encreaſe of their Reward hereafter in a better Life, have ſuffered the loſs of all things, to keep a good Conſcience, but of thoſe whom the Terrors of this World have prevailed with, more than the Terrors of the Lord; in whom the deſire of eaſe here, hath been too hard for the deſire of Salvation hereafter; I will not ſay, and we muſt not ſay, that even theſe were greater Sinners than our ſelves, who have not fallen into their Temptations. Such inſtances as theſe, Brethren, do beſt explain the intention of our Saviour in theſe words, and will affect us with the true ſenſe of them, and the more that we look abroad into the World, and conſider the unſearchableneſs of God's Judgments, and that his ways are paſt finding out, as we cannot but do, if we ask our ſelves the reaſon why this and that happens; the more ſenſibly we ſhall acknowledge the Truth of our Saviour's Doctrine in this place, and ſhall forbear paſſing Judgment upon the unhappy, meerly becauſe they are ſo. But yet to take notice of what God doth of this kind in the World, is not an unprofitable obſervation, and that becauſe the ſecond point of the three which I have mentioned, is as true as the firſt, and that is this.

2. That one reaſon why the Evils of this Life do not befal all Perſons at the ſame time, who are equally Sinners, is, That while ſome are viſited with the Rod of God, others may take warning by it. This Propoſition I lay down with great confidence, not only of the Truth of it in general, but alſo of the pertinence of it to the Text: For you may obſerve, that our Saviour upon mention made of the former of the two tragical Stories, obſerves the latter himſelf, and takes occaſion from thence to divert his Hearers from cenſuring thoſe miſerable perſons, as they were ready to do, and to imploy them in reflecting upon themſelves: I tell you, nay; but except ye repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh: He imployed them in reflecting upon their own ſins; for, ſays he, except ye repent; and upon their own danger, except ye repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh. And now I am ſure it will be granted, that our Saviour did not wander from the true intent of God's Providence in the things that happened to thoſe Perſons, nor make an application of them, which was not to the purpoſe; and therefore ſince he gave warning by their examples, it remains true, as I ſaid, that one reaſon why the Evils of this Life do not befal all Perſons at the ſame time who equally deſerve them, and I will add, who equally need them, is this, That while ſome are corrected, others may be inſtructed: I rather keep to the caſe of puniſhing Sin, than trying Virtue, becauſe that is the caſe of the Text; tho' I might ſay too, that the reaſon why all that can bear a tryal, are not tryed at the ſame time is, becauſe the tryals of ſome righteous Men are not only profitable to themſelves, but the examples of them alſo are profitable to other good Men to encourage and fortifie them. But when God puniſhes, he doth not at one and the ſame time, puniſh all that deſerve it equally, but he puniſhes ſome, that the reſt may take warning; for if the Sufferings of a few in compariſon, would inſtruct all the reſt, God's end is gained, which is, that we ſhould learn righteouſneſs, when his judgments are abroad in the earth: And this is one of thoſe arguments which may convince us, that God doth not willingly afflict and grieve the Children of Men; for if he took pleaſure in that, then without queſtion where there was the ſame cauſe, there would be the ſame effect of his diſpleaſure; and where the ſame need appeared, the ſame Remedy would be uſed; but if where all might juſtly be puniſhed, he uſes his Prerogative to puniſh ſome only, and for the time ſpares the reſt, to prove and try them, whether the examples of his Juſtice upon others will bring them to Repentance; in this caſe it plainly appears, that he delights not in that which is grievous to us, but would bring us to Repentance at the ſame time, by ſhewing his Juſtice upon ſome, and his Patience towards others. We can indeed give no account why God begins to afflict this Man, and not that; this People, and not another; but the general point is very obvious (i.e.) why all are not made to ſuffer together, where there is the ſame Provocation of Divine Juſtice, and the ſame need of being awakened to Repentance; for the reaſon of it is this, That the Puniſhment of ſome is a ſufficient warning to others; and God does not afflict all at once, becauſe he doth not willingly afflict the Children of Men: For mark our Saviour's arguing in this place: There were among the Galileans as great Sinners as thoſe whoſe Blood Pilate mingled with their Sacrifices: There were among the Inhabitants of Jeruſalem, as great Sinners. as thoſe were upon whom the Tower of Siloam fell; and yet thoſe calamities happened but to a few: The uſe that he would have the reſt make of thoſe Examples, was this, That they ſhould repent; which he urged by this threatning, except ye repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh: Now he that threatens to puniſh and has power to do it, doth plainly ſhew, that he takes no delight in puniſhing, but would prevent the fault that deſerves it; eſpecially, when he threatens and ſhews Examples of Juſtice at the ſame time, and might have made thoſe Examples of his Juſtice too, whom he threatens. And ſo I proceed to the third Propoſition; which is,

3. That if thoſe who eſcape from the Puniſhment, do not take warning by thoſe that ſuffer, themſelves ſhall not always eſcape; and this is the direct purport of the Words. I tell you, nay; but except ye repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh; and that by Periſhing here, our Lord meant the Puniſhments of this Life, is plain from hence, that he threatned ſuch like deſtruction, as happened to thoſe few Galileans, and thoſe few upon whom the Tower of Siloam fell. Ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh, (i. e.) much after the ſame manner, as indeed it happened, and that to admiration; For as the Blood of thoſe Galileans was mingled with their Sacrifices▪ ſo was the Blood of thoſe Paſchal Sacrifices, which they came to offer juſt before the Roman Army hemm'd them in; and as thoſe eighteen were kill'd by the fall of the Tower of Siloam, ſo were the Inhabitants of Jeruſalem deſtroyed in the deſtruction of Jeruſalem it ſelf. Although the Covenant of the Goſpel was eſtabliſhed upon better Promiſes, and with more frightful Penalties than thoſe of this World; yet the Providence of God doth not neglect the bringing Men to repentance by the good and evil of this Life; nay it is neceſſary to the maintaining a ſenſe of God, and a World to come, even amongſt Chriſtians, That his diſpleaſure ſhould be ſeen, where his goodneſs doth not lead to repentance; and it is his goodneſs, that by his Judgments he doth awaken us, when nothing elſe is able to do it. And therefore although the great motives of Chriſtianity are thoſe that concern another Life; yet when theſe do not prevail, the only remedy that is left, is to inſtruct us by preſent corrections, and to touch us in thoſe things, of which we are moſt ſenſible, viz. The preſent concerns of this World. If therefore, after he hath made ſome examples to others, theſe do not repent, it is ſtill more neceſſary that they ſhould not eſcape, becauſe they have abus'd the long-ſuffering of God towards themſelves, and taken no warning by thoſe whom God chaſtened, while he ſpared them: For if their obſtinacy ſhould go without puniſhment, the example of their Impunity would do more hurt to ſucceeding Generations, than if there had been no warnings given at all; and for this reaſon, the ſufferings of thoſe Sinners that were made the firſt examples, are commonly leſs than theirs that would learn no inſtruction by them, as it happened to the Jews forty Years after this Warning that our Saviour gave them, upon ſo inſtructing an occaſion.

The uſe we are to make of theſe conſiderations, is, to do the ſame thing, which we ſhould certainly do, if God's Judgments were upon us, as they are upon others, that we alſo periſh not: For if we would judge our ſelves we ſhould not be judged; and if the warning that God gives us by others, hath the ſame effect, that correction it ſelf would have upon us, God who doth not willingly grieve the Children of Men, would ſpare us, and not enter into Judgment with us. It is but conſidering how we ſhould be diſpoſed by great affliction and bringing our minds to that temper without it, and then the great deſign of divine corrections and puniſhments is attained without puniſhment. And how are Men wrought upon by Calamities? excepting ſome few who are ſuch Wretches as Ahab was, who in his diſtreſs ſinned yet more and more. Theſe are the common effects: In general, they begin then to call their ſins to mind, and their Conſciences bring forth the guilt, that hath been for the moſt part quiet, and do ſet their evil ways in order before them: Nay, then they are very willing to acknowledge, that what they ſuffer, is no more than what they deſerve, but a great deal leſs. Thus, as I inſinuated at firſt, Joſeph's Brethren, when they felt the anguiſh of mind, that their preſent diſtreſs caſt them into, could then ſay, Verily we were guilty concerning our Brother, in that we ſaw the anguiſh of his ſoul, and would not hear him. It is not to be thought but that after ſo treacherous and villanous a part, as the ſelling of Joſeph was, their Conſciences had pulled every one of them for it at certain times; but it is likely they made a ſhift to forget it, as much as they could from time to time, till they fell into that perplexity, which their Brother caſt them in; and then they talk to one another about their Sin freely and ſorrowfully, as if they had all along diſſembled their ſenſe of it to one another before: Verily we are guilty concerning our Brother. This is one end of God's Chaſtiſements, to bring thoſe to an effectual acknowledgment of their evil ways, who till then had ſmothered the Conviction of their Guilt; and that is one end too of God's warnings, when ſome are made examples of his juſtice, and he ſpares others to prove them, whether they will be warned by ſuch Examples. Again, when we feel anguiſh our ſelves, we remember how we have for a long time abuſed the Patience of God, and turned his grace into wantonneſs: Then our Luxury and Intemperance, whilſt we had plenty of all things for this Life, and our neglect of Inſtruction and Admonition under all means of Grace for a better Life; then, I ſay, theſe things come to mind: And if God ſpares us, whilſt he ſmites others, it is that we may not need any thing more, than ſuch a warning, to make us reflect upon theſe things as we ought to do. Thus alſo God's Corrections diſpoſe Men to Charity and Conſideration of one another; they cure us of that ſtiffneſs and wantonneſs, which, whilſt all things go well with us, carries on Contention and Hatred: And therefore, that we may not make it neceſſary for Providence to teach us Wiſdom and Charity by withdrawing thoſe Bounties of his, which we abuſe to the pampering of Pride, and Obſtinacy, we ſhould learn to be wiſe by Examples, before we are made Examples our ſelves.

To conclude this matter, who can be ignorant that Affection drives thoſe Men to Prayer, and other Duties of Piety, who were very careleſs of them before? In their diſtreſs they will ſeek God early, though in their Proſperity they were ſo backward to any thing of Religion, and for the moſt part felt very faint and ineffectual diſpoſitions to it, rather complying with Cuſtom than with Inclination and Conſcience; and honouring God with their lips, while their hearts are far from him: And this is the great danger of a proſperous State, to be full, and to forget God. But if nothing elſe will cure this Sloathfulneſs in Religion, and this indifference and coldneſs in the Service of God, yet at leaſt Affliction doth it, which makes us to feel our dependance upon God, and ſhows us, that we have no hope left but in him, and then we abound in Prayers, and we attend willingly to inſtruction; we apply our ſelves to God in good earneſt, and to all the Comforts of Religion; we make many vows and promiſes, and we ſet our ſelves immediately to perform them: This is the natural effect of ſufferings, when we feel them our ſelves; and if we are wiſe, it ſhould be the effect of all thoſe warnings that God hath given us by the ſufferings of others: Since therefore we cannot look abroad into the World, but we ſhall ſee the Judgments of God in the Earth, let us learn Righteouſneſs, let us not be high-minded, but fear; let us not judge others, but judge our ſelves, and often conſider, what our Saviour replied to the ſuppoſition of their being Sinners above all others, who ſuffered ſuch things as others had not ſuffered; I tell you, Nay, but except ye repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh.

FOR the underſtanding of theſe Words of our Saviour, two things are to be conſidered.

1. What is here meant by the Coming of the Son of Man. And,

2. What is meant by his not finding Faith upon the Earth.

1. How we are to underſtand thoſe Words, when the Son of Man cometh? I anſwer, the meaning is, when he cometh to execute Judgment upon the ungodly, and to deliver his faithful People out of their Hands: For after our Saviour had ſpoken the Parable of the unjuſt Judge, that was wearied by the Widow's importunity to do Juſtice for her againſt her adverſaries he argued thus, v. 7. And ſhall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night to him, though he bear long with them? or rather, as it might have been tranſlated, and will he bear long in their cauſe? I tell you, that he will avenge them ſpeedily: And then follow theſe Words, Nevertheleſs when the Son of man cometh (i. e.) when he cometh to do that which was ſpoken of before, viz. to avenge the cauſe of his Elect, or to puniſh their Enemies and Oppreſſors, and to deliver them out of their hands.

Now of the Coming of Chriſt for this purpoſe, there is alſo a twofold ſignification in the New Teſtament, whereof one is manifeſtly the Principal, and much more conſiderable than the other, and that is his ſecond coming in Perſon to judge the Quick and the Dead, which will not be till the end of the World: Thus the coming of the Day of the Lord, 2 Pet. 3.10. Is called his coming, v. 4. and the coming of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, with all his Saints, 1 Theſ. 3.13. and in many other places. And this is all the coming of Chriſt properly ſo called, that the New Teſtament mentions after his Firſt, becauſe this only is to be his ſecond perſonal Appearance. But then,

2. There was another notion of the coming of Chriſt, after his firſt, which is alſo plainly enough intimated in the New Teſtament, and that was his coming to deſtroy the Jews, and to deliver the Chriſtians out of their Hands, which happened 40 Years after his Death: And of this the 24th. Chapter of St. Matthew is an undeniable Teſtimony, where a Deſcription of the Deſtruction of Jeruſalem, and a Deſcription of the Day of Judgment are ſo interwoven one with the other, that it is a matter of ſome difficulty to know punctually and fully, what is proper to the one, and what to the other: But plain it is, that the one as well as the other, is called the Coming of the Son of Man, as appears by verſes 27. and 37. The Deſtruction of Jeruſalem was made as it were a Type or Figure of the Day of Judgment; and therefore theſe Words are there, Verily, I ſay unto you, this Generation ſhall not paſs away, till all theſe things be fulfilled, v. 34. (i. e.) till they are accompliſhed in that part of the meaning which reſpects the Deſtruction of Jeruſalem, which was deſtroyed before that Generation paſſed away. Of this it ſeems plain that St. James ſpeaks, C. 5. v. 6, 7. where ſpeaking to the Jews, ſays he, Ye have condemned and killed the Juſt; and to the Chriſtians, Be patient therefore, Brethren, unto the coming of the Lord; and v. 8. Be ye alſo patient, ſtabliſh your Hearts, for the Coming of the Lord draweth nigh; and ſome other places there are, where the Phraſe is to be interpreted thus; particularly that, Let your moderation be known unto all men, the Lord is at hand, Phil. 4.5. (i. e.) let all Men ſee by your Meekneſs and Patience under thoſe Oppreſſions which you ſuffer, that you believe thoſe Predictions, which we have delivered to you from Chriſt, that he is at hand to deliver you; and although properly the end of all things will not be till the laſt day, when the Earth ſhall be burnt up, and all the works that are therein, yet becauſe this notable revolution of the deſtruction of the Jews was in ſome degree like unto it, therefore it was alſo called the end of all things, meaning the end of the Jewiſh State and Religion, which was to be accompanied with manifeſt Tokens of God's Favour to the Chriſtians, and of his indignation at their Enemies. And thus we are to underſtand that paſſage in St. Peter, The end of all things is at hand, be ye therefore ſober and watch unto prayer, 1 Pet. 4.7. Not that this was in a ſtrict and proper ſenſe, the Coming of Chriſt, becauſe he did not come in Perſon as he will do at the laſt day; but in ſome ſenſe it might be ſo called, becauſe he appeared by his Power and Providence to do the ſame work in part, which will with incomparably greater perfection be done at the laſt, (i.e.) to take Vengeance of the ungodly and to ſave his own People: for the Incorrigibleneſs of the Jewiſh Nation, and their incurable hatred of the Truth, and obſtinate Perſecution of it, was dreadfully puniſhed in the deſtruction of Jeruſalem; and the Chriſtians had not only all eſcaped out of it, before the Roman Army came againſt it, but by the deſtruction of it, they gained alſo a very conſiderable reſt from Perſecution for ſome time after.

And now the reaſon why this wonderful Providence was called the Coming of Chriſt, ſeems plainly to be this, That after his Aſcenſion into Heaven, he ſet down at the right hand of God, and had all Power put into his hands; and therefore becauſe it is he that governs the World as well as the Church, ſuch remarkable Revolutions, as that was, for the deſtruction of his enemies, and the ſaving of his Servants, are called the coming of Chriſt; God hath given him to be head over all things to the Church, and therefore ſuch Paſſages as that was, are called his coming, to ſignifie that they are the effects of his Providence and Government, for the good of his Church, no leſs than if he had come in Perſon to order them, as he will do at the end of the World, to order all things then.

And for this reaſon then, though in the proper ſenſe of his coming, he will come but once at the end of the World, yet in this improper ſenſe of it, his appearance to deſtroy his Enemies, and to ſave his People that truſt in him, nothing hinders, but that he may be ſaid to come often before the end of the World, (i. e.) as often as his Providence doth ſignally and remarkably appear for this purpoſe: And thus we are to underſtand the coming of the Lord in 2 Theſ. 2.8. where it is ſaid of the Man of ſin, that wicked one, That the Lord ſhall conſume him with the ſpirit of his mouth, and deſtroy him with the brightneſs of his coming; which being to be done, before the perſonal coming of Chriſt to Judgment, the meaning muſt be, that his deſtruction ſhall be ſo remarkably the Work of a Divine Providence, that all ſhall confeſs it was not the effect of worldly Policy, but no leſs the doing of the Lord, than if himſelf had come in Perſon to deſtroy him. And whenever the Kingdoms of the World become the Kingdoms of the Lord; when the knowledge of God covers the earth, as the waters cover the ſea: When thoſe magnificent Predictions are fulfilled concerning the univerſal prevalence of Truth and Goodneſs amongſt Men, with which the Old and New Teſtament are plentifully furniſhed, and which are to be fulfilled before the coming of Chriſt to the laſt Judgment: then alſo is it true, that the Lord comes, (i.e.) by the Power of his Spirit and Providence to renew and reform a degenerate World, that was running headlong into perdition.

And thus much concerning the ſenſe of theſe Words, when the ſon of man cometh, which I have ſhewn, do principally ſignifie that great and amazing revolution, when he ſhall come by coming in his own Perſon at the laſt day to judge the World, but in a ſecondary ſenſe do alſo ſignifie the remarkable Works of his Providence, in puniſhing ſome, and ſaving others, even in this Life. Now,

2. How are we to underſtand that other clauſe, will he find Faith upon the Eartb? The meaning of the Queſtion is plainly this; That he will not find Faith on the Earth, or very little in compariſon. But what is here meant by Faith? I anſwer, that is eaſily diſcerned by the Parable and the Application of it, that went before. The deſign of both which, was to infer the concluſion in the foregoing verſe, And ſhall not God avenge his own Elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them; I tell you he will avenge them ſpeedily: That is to ſay, God would hear the Prayers of righteous Men, and in a little time take their cauſe into his own hand; and then, ſays our Saviour, Nevertheleſs when the ſon of man cometh, ſhall he find faith on the earth? (i. e.) notwithſtanding the Promiſes of God to hear the Prayers of good Men, and to interpoſe for them that depend upon him, there will be but little Faith in theſe Promiſes found up-upon the Earth, even when the Son of Man comes to fulfil them: The greateſt part will not be found to believe any thing at all of them, and ſo will be ſurprized with that day, without any preparation for it, or expectation of it. Many will yield to the Temptations of this preſent World, and throwing off their dependance upon God, will think to ſecure themſelves by Flattery and Hypocriſie from the Violence of wicked Men; others will deſpair of any better ſtate of things; and very few will lay to heart the promiſes which God hath made to hear the Prayers of his Servants, and to ſave them: Few will ſtrengthen themſelves in God by crying to him day and night, and by putting their whole truſt and confidence in him; and this notwithſtanding the clear and ſtrong reaſons they have from his Word ſo to do. Nevertheleſs, when the Son of Man cometh, ſhall he find faith on the earth; And thus we may from other places of Scripture obſerve, that immediately before the Day of Judgment, there will be a great falling away from Chriſtian Piety and Charity; nay, and the World ſhould begin once more to depart from the Purity of Faith; many falſe Prophets ſhall ariſe, and ſhall deceive many; and becauſe Iniquity ſhall abound, the love of many ſhall wax cold: But, ſays our Saviour, he that endures to the end ſhall be ſaved; thereby intimating, that it would be ſome matter of difficulty to endure to the end. Thus alſo St. Peter tells us, that there ſhall come in the laſt days ſcoffers, walking after their own luſts, and ſaying, Where is the promiſe of his coming? which is plainly meant of the Day of Judgment, before which, according to the Revelation of St. John, Satan was to be looſed for a little time, and to go out, and to deceive the nations, and to gather them together againſt the City of God. And therefore it will be remarkably true at the day of Judgment, that when the Son of Man cometh, he will find but little Faith in the Earth: The World will be in a careleſs Poſture, as it was before that the Flood came and took them all away: And for the ſame reaſon there is but little Faith in the Earth when God enters into Judgment with the World for the Violence and Iniquities of Men, and aſſerts the Cauſe of Innocence and Rightouſneſs againſt them; for in all ſuch Caſes the Temptations to Unbelief and Apoſtacy are very great, and likely to prevail upon many of thoſe that believe; ſo that this is the meaning, That in ſuch a wicked Age, as calls for the coming of the Son of Man, the open Enemies of God, which are the greater number, will be void of all regard whatſoever to his Word and to his Providence, or if they take any notice of it, it is that of the Scoffers mentioned by St. Peter, Who will ſay, Where is the promiſe of his coming? Many of his profeſſed Servants will be weary of depending upon him, and give way to Temptations, and depend more upon the arm of Fleſh Than upon the Promiſe of God, and the Faith of many good Men will be very much weakned and abated; ſo that when he cometh, he will find but little Faith upon the Earth.

THE Religious Uſe of an Oath, depends chiefly upon the Matter, and the Diſcharge. The Matter muſt be worthy of that Obligation which an Oath implies; in promiſing, it muſt not be unlawful; that we may ſwear in Righteouſneſs, it muſt not be impoſſible, it muſt not be trivial; and in affirming it muſt be ſome Fact proveable by our own Teſtimony, that we may ſwear in Judgment: All which implies, That we are not to ſwear indeliberately, paſſionately, or commonly. The Diſcharge of an Oath muſt be anſwerable to the Obligation, which is to Sincerity of Intention, Fidelity of Performance, and the giving of Teſtimony exactly according to Knowledge; and then we ſwear in Truth.

All which Conditions of uſing an Oath religiouſly, are put together by the Prophet Jeremiah, c. 4. v. 2. And thou ſhalt ſwear, The Lord liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteouſneſs. In righteouſneſs, not profaning an Oath by making it the Bond of Iniquity; in Judgment, not expoſing it to Contempt, by uſing it raſhly and improperly; and in Truth, not violating the bond of an Oath, by breaking Promiſe, or giving Teſtimony to a Falſhood.

Swearing in Truth, is that part of the Religion of an Oath, which I ſhall at this time preſs upon you, omitting the Conſideration of what things an Oath may be converſant about; and that the rather, becauſe I ſhall apply what I have to ſay upon the former point, either to ſuch Oaths as faſten any Duty upon us, required by the Laws; or to Swearing in Courts of Judicature, where the end of Swearing, viz. the Judicial deciding of Controverſies, does always make the Matter enquired into, worthy of ſo high a Teſtimony.

Therefore have I choſen theſe Words of God for my Subject, Ye ſhall not ſwear by my name falſly: A Law which, if any, is written upon the very Hearts of Men; and yet it pleaſed God, that it ſhould be written in our Bibles too: I would to God there were no occaſion given by the preſent Age to urge it in our Sermons, at leaſt in the way of Complaint and Reproof. But ſince Perjury, Perjury I ſay, that monſtrous Sin, which ſtrikes even at the Majeſty of God, and betrays the Throne of the King; which undermines the very Foundations of Religion and Juſtice which does moſt ſenſibly grieve the Hearts of all good Chriſtians, and threatens the ſafety of every good Subject; which does not only work miſchief to the Innocent, but alſo damns the Guilty, almoſt without remedy. If Perjury, as 'tis commonly ſaid, be grown the crying Sin of our Land, and it appears that the Penalties of the Law are not terrible enough to prevail againſt it; we are then bound in Allegiance to God, in Loyalty to the King, in Love to our Country, in Charity to the Souls of Men, to bring in all the aſſiſtance we can from Religion, to expel this fatal Miſchief, and to remove this foul Scandal from among us, by inſtructing plainly, by reproving impartially, by exhorting and perſwading moſt vehemently. In contribution to which good end, I beg your Patience while I endeavour to ſhew, Firſt of all, Wherein lies the peculiar Obligation of an Oath. Secondly, What are the ſeveral ways of violating this Obligation, or incurring the Crime of Perjury. Thirdly, What are the uſual Temptations and Inducements thereunto. Laſtly, Some of the fearful Aggravations that belong to the ſin.

That an Oath induces the utmoſt Obligation to ſpeak the Truth, is confeſſed by general Practice, which has made, or rather received it to be the end of Controverſie: For if a Man could be obliged yet more deeply than by ſwearing, ſurely the final reſort would not be had to an Oath; if any thing could confirm a Teſtimony more aſſuredly, which is in our Power, this ſhould not be the laſt Confirmation: Therefore let it be conſidered, that the very end of an Oath implies a peculiar obligation to diſcharge it truly; for the greater that truſt is, which I cauſe another to repoſe in me, the greater treachery I am guilty of, if I then deceive him. But if the end of an Oath obliges Men not to ſwear falſly, much more does the nature of it. With very good reaſon may an Oath be reſted in as the higheſt ſecurity that Men can offer for their Honeſty and Truth: For the nature of an Oath conſiſts in this, That it is an appeal to God as to the Witneſs of Truth, and the Avenger of Falſhood, for the confirmation of our own Teſtimony.

1. God is appealed to as a Witneſs; he who is the God of Truth and Knowledge, the faithful and infallible Witneſs of every Thought and Action; he whoſe Teſtimony alone, needs not to be confirmed by any other, ſince for him only it is naturally and eternally impoſſible to deceive or to be deceived: I ought never to lye or diſſemble, or break my Word, becauſe I know my ſelf always to be in the preſence of God: This ought to reſtrain me from being guilty of Falſhood at any time, that I am within the ſight and hearing of the God of Truth: But moſt of all am I bound to be ſincere, when I have appealed to him as preſent, for the confirmation of what I ſay. It is a grief to a good Man to hear a Lye told to his Face; but if the Lyar ſhould call him to witneſs his Falſhood, this he would take in foul ſcorn and with greateſt indignation: And what an height of impudence muſt it needs be, to put the like affront upon God himſelf, by appealing to his Knowledge for our Unrighteouſneſs, in Matters wherein we deal falſly? What is this, but to impute our own Baſeneſs and Falſhood, to his moſt Holy Majeſty; and to do what is in us, to make him a Lyar like unto our ſelves?

2. God is not only called upon as the Witneſs of Truth when we ſwear, but alſo as the Avenger of Falſhood: And indeed 'tis the adding of this which makes an Appeal to God's Teſtimony by Invocation, a moſt forcible Obligation to Truth, and the utmoſt Security which we can offer for the ſame. When we pretend that there is a Man preſent who knows that to be true which we affirm, it would be ſuperfluous to wiſh that he were revenged of us, if it be not true, becauſe he may be called forth openly to atteſt the Truth, or diſcover the Falſhood of what we ſay: Where the Witneſs is viſible, and the Teſtimony credible, it is ſufficient to appeal to his Knowledge only. But when God is taken to Witneſs by us, there is no voice or ſenſible Appearance, by which he does either confirm or diſown the Matter. What is it then which makes an Appeal to God, the ſilent and inviſible Witneſs, to be of greater force to oblige our ſelves, and confirm others, that we ſpeak the Truth; what is it but this, that we do appeal to his Juſtice as well as his Knowledge, and call the Vengeance of the Almighty down upon our Heads, if he diſcerns any Falſehood and Deceit in our Teſtimony? And 'tis impoſſible that any obligation to ſpeak the Truth, or to diſcharge a Truſt, ſhould be greater than this, that if we are now guilty of lying or unfaithfulneſs, we do not only conſent, but deſire that the Indignation and Curſe of God may fall upon us. I do not think that the invoking of Divine Vengeance, if we ſwerve from the Truth, is only conſequent upon Swearing, according to the Opinion of ſome learned Men, but alſo that it belongs to the very Eſſence of an Oath; for that ſhould ſeem to be eſſential to it, which if it were removed, the fear of Perjury would be taken away with it: But no Man doubts that appealing to God as a Judge, is implied in appealing to him as a Witneſs, Hence it is, that the Septuagint ſometimes uſeth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Curſe, for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 an Oath. Said Abraham to his Servant, Gen. 24.41. Thou ſhalt be free from this my Oath: But the Septuagint render it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , thou ſhalt be free from this my Curſe. And this is that meaning of an Oath, which is well expreſt both by the Forms and Rites of Swearing uſed amongſt us, the common Form being this, So help ye God; to which the Party Sworn, gives his Aſſent by laying his Hand upon the Holy Goſpel, and kiſſing it; all which is as much as if he had ſaid, If I falſifie, let me have no part in the Grace and Mercy of God, and in the Blood of Chriſt; may I be accurſed in this World, and let my name be blotted out of the Book of Life. And is there not good reaſon then, why an Oath ſhould be, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks of it, the end of Controverſie, ſince of all other Obligations to Truth, this plainly is the ſtrongeſt; and if a Man's Conſcience will not be held by this, it will be held by nothing.

Thus much concerning the ſacred Obligation of an Oath. I proceed to ſhew how many ways it may be violated, and the Guilt of Perjury incurr'd. It is uſually ſaid, That an Oath is either promiſſory, or Aſſertory; but I think, that in ſtrictneſs, every Oath includes a Promiſe, even the aſſertory Oath, by which a Man binds himſelf to declare what he knows concerning ſome matter of Fact, paſt or preſent; for this Oath includes a Promiſe of declaring the Truth concerning it, only the Promiſe and Performance are ſo cloſe to each other, that they can hardly be diſtinguiſh'd; whereas the Obligation of thoſe Oaths we call promiſſory, continues for ſome conſiderable time to come. Theſe Oaths are moſtly taken out of Courts of Judicature, ſuch as the Oaths of ſubordinate Magiſtrates, to execute the Laws honeſtly, and to adminiſter Juſtice impartially; of the Members of a Society or Corporation, to obſerve the Rules, and vindicate the Rights of the ſame; of inferiour Officers, ſuch as Church-wardens and Conſtables, to preſent Offenders, and execute their Offices according to Law; finally, of Subjects, to yield true Allegiance, and faithful Subjection to the King. Such Oaths as theſe, are directly violated two ways. Firſt, If there be not an honeſt Intention at the time of Swearing. 2. If there be not a faithful Performance afterwards: For a Promiſe has a double aſpect, both upon the preſent Intention, and the future Performance; he that makes a Promiſe, which at the ſame time he intends not to perform, is guilty of lying; and though he intends at firſt, yet if he willingly neglects the Performance afterwards, he hath broken his Word; therefore if the Promiſe was made under Oath, he is forſworn in either caſe; and if he was falſe in both, he is guilty of a double act of Perjury; nay, though the Oath were but one, yet his Perjuries may be many; for ſo long as thoſe Circumſtances remain, in which the Oath binds him, every wilful omiſſion of performing the tenour of his Promiſe, is contrary to his Oath, and conſequently a new violation of it; ſo often as he fails, ſo often he is forſworn, as truly ſo often, as if he had every time before each guilty Failure, taken the ſame Oath which he bound himſelf withal at firſt. Thou mayeſt be ſworn once for all the Year, or for all thy Life; but there is no ſuch matter as being forſworn once for all, as vain People talk; for by diſobeying thy Superior, ſuppoſe thou haſt done contrary to thy Oath yeſterday, that was one Perjury▪ and ſhouldſt thou do the like to morrow that would be another. If thou art under a Promiſe confirmed by Oath, but not under the reſtraint of the Fear of God, thou mayeſt bind one Curſe faſt upon thy Head with another, and ſeal them with a third, and go on to treaſure up Wrath againſt the Day of Wrath.

In Courts of Judicature, Perjury is incurr'd, when falſe Witneſs is given in upon Oath, i. e. either when a Man ſwears that to be true, which he knows to be falſe; or that he is certain of a matter, whereof he is uncertain; or that he declares the utmoſt of his Knowledge concerning a Fact, when yet he conceals any part thereof. In this laſt caſe, the Witneſs is forſworn as plainly as in the two former; for his Oath is to give in Evidence, not only the Truth, and nothing but the Truth; but likewiſe the whole Truth, to anſwer ſuch Queſtions as the Court ſhall put to him; therefore the Witneſs is not clear from Perjury, meerly by ſaying nothing but what is true, touching the matter in queſtion, if in favour to either ſide he conceals ſo much as any one Circumſtance in his Anſwers and Depoſitions, which he knows would alter the Caſe: What can be plainer? He that ſwears to declare the whole Truth, is forſworn if he does it not; and he ſurely does it not, who declares it in part only. Moreover, a Witneſs may incur the guilt of Perjury, by endeavouring to blind the Evidence with deceitful ſhuffling Anſwers, inſtead of declaring what he knows, in plainneſs and ſimplicity of ſpeaking; for tho' the Court by multiplying-Queſtions, may ſcrew out the Truth at laſt, yet he has not diſcharg'd his Oath, which obliged him not only to an actual and final diſcovery of the Truth, but to an honeſt intention of ſo doing; and 'tis very plain, that he intends not the Truth ſhould be diſcovered, who darkens and hides it as much as he can. Much leſs can his Oath be diſcharged by the help of Equivocation, and Mental Reſervations, which being of no force to ſave a Lye, are much leſs able to excuſe from Perjury.

The Oath of the Jury being a Promiſſory Oath, to bring in a Verdict according to Evidence, their Oath may be doubly violated, as was now obſerved, by not intending ſo to do, and by not doing of it. If any one of the Jury be prepoſſeſs'd in favour of one ſide, intending, be the Evidence what it will, to uſe all his Intereſt with the reſt, in favour of that; that man, I ſay, is perjur'd as ſoon as ever he is ſworn; he has ſworn falſly, tho' perhaps he be over-ruled, and an honeſt Verdict be brought in at laſt. Again, if any of them intend honeſtly at firſt, but are afterward wrought to conſpire in a Verdict contrary to the Evidence, they have violated their Oath at laſt. Nay, a corrupt Jury is guilty of Perjury in another reſpect, ſince they ſwear againſt that very Temptation which miſleads them; they are to bring in a Verdict according to the proof of the Fact; whereas they make it according as they are inclined to the Parties: and yet they are ſworn, not to ſwerve from the Truth, for Fear, Hatred, Favour, or Affection.

But farther; one Man may be guilty of the violation of another Man's Oath; he that ſuborns a falſe Witneſs, is before God, guilty of his Perjury; yea, if he does ſo much as tempt a Witneſs to be falſe; for tho' he himſelf is not actually ſworn, yet he deſigns that an Oath ſhould be broken. God hath ſaid, Thou ſhalt ſwear in truth; he in effect ſays, Thou ſhalt not do ſo; and therefore if he prevails, he is at once guilty of the falſe Witneſs his breaking that Law of God, and likewiſe of his own contradicting it, which is every whit as bad; and there is this Circumſtance rendring the Perjury more diſpleaſing to God, That two Men are guilty of violating one Oath.

IN theſe Words there are two Things expreſſed:

1. The Character of Enoch, that he walked with God.

2. The manner of his End in this World, that he was not, for God took him. Both which Points I intend to conſider, and then to ſhew how we may make ſuch Conſiderations profitable to our ſelves.

1. Concerning his Character; we may obſerve, That it was given to none of his Predeceſſors; from which we muſt not conclude, that none of them were good Men, but only that he excelled the reſt. In ſo very ſhort an Account of the Patriarchs before the Flood, as we have in this Hiſtory, wherein little more is reported of them, but their Names, and their Age, to have it ſaid of one of them, that he walked with God, and but of one is a reaſonable intimation, that he excelled in Godlineſs and Vertue: And this appears farther, in that God tranſlated him, which of it ſelf implies, that he had arrived to great Perfection. But to walk with God, is the Character of all Perſons that are truly Holy and Good, though it agrees more eminently to ſome than to others; as it did to Enoch, more than to all his Predeceſſors. As for the Expreſſion, it is figurative, but yet very plain; for Walking doth in this place, as in many more, ſignifie the general Courſe and Tenour of a Man's Life; and therefore walking with God, is a lively expreſſion of his doing thoſe things which are well pleaſing to God; as if in every ſtep of his paſſage through this World, he had God ſo preſent with him, as to ſee him with his bodily Eyes? which meaning may be more diſtinctly explained by theſe two Particulars.

1. That Piety, or Faith in God, is the over-ruling Principle of his Actions.

2. That becauſe he is governed by ſuch a Principle, he lives in the conſtant Practice of all other Vertue and Duty.

1. That Piety, or Faith in God, is the over-ruling Principle of his Actions; a Reaſon that prevails with him, above all other Reaſons and Motives whatſoever: He is therefore ſaid to walk with God, becauſe it is a ſenſe of God that runs through his Converſation, and takes place againſt all other Conſiderations; and leaves a mark of it ſelf upon all his Behaviour: A ſenſe of God, I ſay, that is of God's infinite Wiſdom, Power, and Goodneſs, of the abſolute Right which he hath to be obeyed by his Creatures, and of their abſolute dependance upon him; A ſenſe of his Preſence every-where, beholding the evil and the good: A ſenſe of his Juſtice, that will not ſuffer the wicked to go unpuniſhed; and of his Faithfulneſs, that will not ſuffer the Righteous to be unrewarded: It is this ſenſe of God, that governeth his Converſation, that reſtrains him, that puts him forward, that ſets bounds to his deſire, and to his uſe of Pleaſures: that preſcribes to him how to get, and how to uſe his Wealth; that hath to do in all his Affairs, and admits no Reaſon from Fleſh and Blood, or from worldly Intereſt, to be heard, but in ſubordination to it ſelf: And ſurely he that is thus affected, that believes in God, that ſtands in awe of him, that Loves him, and puts his Truſt in him, may well be ſaid to walk with God, ſince he doth ſo ſteddily walk in his ways, as if God took him by the Hand, and led him through every doubtful Paſſage of his Life; for it is, in effect, the ſame thing, that he having God ſtill before his Eyes, or rather a lively ſenſe of him in his Heart, and knowing what his Will and Pleaſure is, regards nothing in compariſon, but the doing of that which will pleaſe him; and whatever reaſons of Action do, as he goes thorough the World, mix themſelves with this; this is ſtill the ſupreme and prevailing Reaſon, by which all others are either allowed or rejected. This, I ſay, That what God will be pleaſed with, muſt be done; and what will diſpleaſe him muſt be let alone. And this is that Faith by which the Juſt have lived in all Ages, That Faith therefore, which the 11th. to the Hebrews ſo highly extols: Thoſe Worthies recorded there, believed that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently ſeek him.

2. To this we muſt add, That becauſe he that is ſaid to walk with God, lives by Faith, therefore he lives alſo in the Practice of all other Vertue and Duty: For Faith leads a Man to all, which no other Principle that we know of will do, though other Principles there are of good uſe too. To walk with God, is ſomething more than to cheriſh, and keep alive the good Inclinations that came into the World with us; for it is to correct and amend the bad ones: ſome Men are by Nature framed to many Virtues, as I believe all are to ſome or other; but no Man is naturally diſpoſed to all; and moſt certainly every one hath a ſhare of corrupted nature; but he that walks with God, is ruled by a Principle, that doth not only improve what is good in his Nature, but mends what is bad in it.

It is alſo a great deal more, than to obſerve Humane Laws, ſince the Laws of Men can do no more, than reſtrain People from being intolerably bad, and ſuch as Humane Society cannot bear. He that believes in God, ſubmits to juſt Authority for Conſcience ſake; but the Caſe hath often happened, when for the ſame Conſcience ſake, ſuch a one hath done his Duty, by refuſing to do what the Law of Man required; which is a plain argument, that Human Authority is not the Rule of Perfection; and that we muſt live by an higher Principle, than that of Obedience to Man, if we live in all reſpects, as we ought to do.

It is ſomething more, than to govern our Intentions and Actions by doing well for our ſelves in this World? For although integrity and well-doing in all kinds of Duty is generally the beſt way to proſperity in this Life; yet ſometimes the contrary happens, and more is to be got by Flattery and Falſhood, than by Honeſty and Sincerity; nay, it is the inordinate deſire of the Proſperity of this World, that ſtill makes Men do baſe and wicked things; and therefore the regard of our eaſe and advantage here, cannot be the true Principle of Virtue. And if we ſhould bring every other reaſon of doing what we ought to do, to the Tryal, every other reaſon beſides that of Faith, will be found very defective and inſufficient, and ſuch as will lead a Man to evil as well as to good, as it happens. But a ſenſe of God, with the belief of all his Perfections, and all his Promiſes and Threatnings, makes a Man every way, and in every reſpect, what he ought to be, becauſe it ſhews him all his Duty, and obliges him to all his Duty; and while he is under the Power of his Faith, he is ſteddy in the right way, not to be moved out of it by any Temptation; but whether it be opportunity invites, or danger threatens, what Temptation ſoever ſets upon him, he will ſay with Joſeph, How can I do this great wickedneſs and ſin againſt God? Setting aſide Faith, it may bear diſpute, whether it be adviſeable or no, in ſuch or ſuch a Caſe, to do what becomes a Righteous and Virtuous Man; but let a Man live by Faith in God, and there can be no diſpute about it. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth, and walk in the fight of thine eyes, and the imagination of thy heart; that is, were there nothing elſe to be conſidered but Pleaſure, nothing but Wealth and Greatneſs, but the Splendor of this World, and the gratifying of a Luſt, this Liberty might poſſibly be made to appear not ſo very unreaſonable. But know, that for all theſe things God will bring thee to Judgment. That to be ſure turns the Caſe, and anſwers every Objection againſt our Duty, and every Argument for any Sin; and therefore he that walks with God, doth all his Duty otherwiſe, is good in all kinds, and in every place where his buſineſs lies, or where his Temptations lie; For God is in all his thoughts, in all his Affairs, in all his Company, and in his retirement from Company; God's Word is with him, that Word of God which ſhews him his Duty upon all occaſions, and which ſhews him the Rewards of doing what is commanded, and the Puniſhments of Diſobedience; and the ſenſe of his Preſence is with him, that ſenſe which fills him with Life and Joy in well-doing, eſpecially where the Temptation to Sin is very great, and which would diſmay him, and make him a burden to himſelf, if he ſhould act contrary to his clear and ſetled Judgment of what he ought to do. In ſhort, to walk with God, is to be univerſally good and righteous, which no Man can be, but he who lives by Faith. Hence it is, that we find God himſelf encouraging the Father of the Faithful to go on in his way of Piety and Vertue as hitherto he had done; Walk before me, and be thou perfect. chap. 17, v. 1. That is, Be thou ſtill ruled by my Word, ſtill believe my Promiſes, and Truſt my Providence, and in all that thou doeſt, be mindful of this, that I am with thee, and then ſhalt thou be perfect. An Example to all Generations of Virtue as well as of Piety, and of all good Works, no leſs than of a firm Faith: Hence it is, that the wiſe Man tells us, that by the fear of the Lord, men depart from evil, Prov. 16.6. and that the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life to depart from the ſnares of Death, Prov. 14.27. And St. John, This is the victory that overcometh the World, even our Faith, 1 John 5.4.

I have thus ſhewn, what is meant by the Character of Enoch, when it is ſaid that he walked with God, viz. That his regard to God was the over-ruling Principle of all his Actions, and that becauſe he was Governed by Faith, he lived alſo in the conſtant Practice of his Duty in all relations whatſoever; this being the only Principle that makes a Man in every reſpect, what he ought to be. I proceed,

2. To ſay ſomething concerning the end he made in this World, He was not, for God took him; which place is thus explained by the Author to the Hebrews, chap. 11. v. 5. That Enoch was tranſlated; that he ſhould not ſee death, and was not found, becauſe God had tranſlated him, (i. e.) he died not, but was tranſlated alive into Heaven; and it was a ſtrange ſurprize to the Age in which he lived; who by his ſudden removal from them, and their hearing no more of him, were convinced that it was God who had taken him to a better Life. Now that which we are in this place to conſider, is the inſtruction ſo ſingular an Act of Providence afforded to the World; and there are theſe Two ends to which it manifeſtly ſerved, viz. That that Age might be awakened into the conſideration of another Life, by ſo ſurprizing a Teſtimony thereof, as this was; and withal, that they might by ſo ſenſible an Argument be led to conſider, that the true Reward of Piety and Integrity, was not in this World, but in a better.

1. There was this Inſtruction in the Tranſlation of Enoch, which the World could not but take notice of, That there was undoubtedly another life after this, to which he was taken, Soul and Body, having left no part of himſelf behind him here, as other Mortals did. And by this time, ſuch an inſtruction was grown very needful: For the World, tho it was yet in its Youth and Vigour, was grown old enough for Men to forget their Creator, and to abandon themſelves for the moſt part to a Voluptuous and Diſſolute Life: And that this is no uncertain Conjecture, appears from hence, that Enoch was tranſlated but Sixty nine Years before Noah was born, in whoſe time Mankind was grown to ſuch an intollerable degree of Licentiouſneſs, That God ſent the Flood to ſweep all away but eight Perſons. Now it is not to be thought, that the World was overſpread with ſuch monſtrous Vices all of a ſudden, but that after the manner of all Humane Degeneracy, Corruption of Manners, and of Principles too, came on by degrees, and conſequently that in Enoch's time, who was tranſlated little leſs than a Thouſand Years after the Creation, there was a very great decay of Piety and Virtue every where; that Men were generally bewitched with the Pleaſures of the beautiful and charming place, which the Earth was before the Flood, and forgot their Creator, and had loſt the Senſe of that infinitely better World which Adam and the religious Patriarchs had by revelation from God given them aſſurance of: In ſuch an Age as this, when for the Reaſon now mentioned, it is evident, that the generality of Mankind were ſunk into Debauchery, and perhaps into Infidelity too; Enoch was a ſteddy Pattern of Piety and Virtue; and whilſt moſt Men walked after their own Luſts, and the beſt were much to blame, he walked with God, and lived above the Pleaſures and Enjoyments of this Life, having God before his Eyes, and another Life, and a better Life in his Hopes. It is therefore very reaſonable to conceive, that God intended by this ſurprizing Teſtimony of tranſlating Enoch alive into a better World, to convince the unbelieving, to awaken the inconſiderate, and to call off that Voluptuous Age from theſe bruitiſh Debaucheries, to mind better things, and to prepare for a better Life; eſpecially ſince in the ſecond place,

2. This was a very inſtructing admonition, That God who is a rewarder of them that diligently ſeek him, as the Epiſtle to the Hebrews ſays upon this very example of Enoch; that God, I ſay, rewarded his Piety, not with giving him a longer Life in that pleaſant World, but in another, which was therefore a place more happy and deſirable than the Earth was, even in that delicious ſtate and condition of it, before the Flood had made as ſtrange an alteration in that, as it made in the Age of Man's Life: That God, I ſay, ſhould take him alive out of this World, when it abounded with all manner of Delights and Pleaſures; and this at the Age of 365 Years, when he was but a young Man, as the World was then, younger in proportion, than we are now at 30; when he was in full Vigour and Capacity for all the Entertainments of Senſe, which the Earth afforded, even to Luxury, and this according to the courſe of Nature to laſt for ſome Hundreds of Years to come; That God ſhould tranſlate him under theſe Circumſtances to another Life, after he had ſerved him with a conſtant Piety in his younger Years, and lived among Men with an unreprovable Innocence and Vertue; this, I ſay, was a demonſtration to all that would conſider it, That that World to which he was tranſlated, was a better World than that from which he was taken; and that they might be ſure to underſtand this Inſtruction, God took him not away by the common means of Mortality; ſince if he had died, that vicious Age would have imputed that change to any thing, rather than to a divine Providence, rewarding ſo excellent a Man with ſo early a removal to a better Life; and therefore he was taken away alive, that they might not be able to queſtion the Power that did it, or to miſtake the Reaſon, why it was done, that they might know Enoch had obtain'd a Reward from God, ſuitable to that Life that he had lived here, and to that Faith by which he had lived, and in which he had wrought righteouſneſs; being removed from hence to Pleaſures more pure and raviſhing, than all this World can afford. In a Word, They might have ſeen, and for ſome time it is like they acknowledged it, though they ſoon fell back again, That the great Buſineſs of Mankind here, is to live in all Godlineſs and Honeſty; and that God doth not reward them that do ſo, with the Pleaſures and Glories of this World, but with the Enjoyments of a better.

And now having ſaid thus much concerning the extraordinary Character of Enoch, and the ſingular end it pleaſed God to make with him in this World, I have yet more to do by way of Application; and that,

1. To propound the Example of Enoch, and ſuch as he was, who walked with God, to our imitation. And,

2. To propound, though not the manner, yet the ſubſtance of his Reward for our Encouragement to walk as he walked.

1. To propound his Example, as an Example that is of it ſelf worthy of our imitation, and is withal an imitable Example, an Example that is worthy to be followed, and an Example not too hard to follow; that it is worthy of our imitation, appears both from that Life to which his Faith led him, and from the Nature of that Principle it ſelf by which he lived. As to the Life whereunto it leads, it is made up of whatſoever things are juſt, honeſt, lovely, of good report: if there be any vertue, praiſe; of Juſtice, Faithfulneſs, Temperance, Government of Paſſions, Wiſdom and Fortitude, which are the Glory of Humane Nature, and things acceptable to God, and approved of men. Theſe things are enough to recommend the Principle from whence they come: And yet (2.) It is in it ſelf the beſt, whether we conſider, (1.) Our concernment in thoſe things which we believe. For if there be a God, what is our dependance upon this World, to our dependance upon him? And if we ſhall endure beyond this Life, and that for ever, what are our Fortunes till we die, to our Eternal ſtate after Death? It is not our mere Nature, but our Relation to God, that makes us conſiderable; and we are very abject Creatures, if we have nothing to do but eat and drink, and to live a ſenſual Life for a little time, and then to vaniſh into nothing. Or, (2.) Whether we conſider Faith as a Perſuaſion grounded upon rational Evidence, that is, ſuch Evidence, as requires a free and unprejudiced, and clear Judgment to perceive, but which not bearing upon the Senſes of Men, diſtinguiſheth between the Wiſe and the Honeſt on one ſide, and unteachable Perſons on the other: A Believer doth of all Men make the moſt proper uſe of his Reaſon, becauſe he aſſents to the Principles of Religion: For inſtance: That there is a God; not upon immediate bodily Sight, but upon a means of Conviction ſuited to a reaſonable Nature: Or, (3.) Whether we conſider Faith as a means to ſecure an happy Enjoyment of our ſelves in this World, of which I need to ſay no more; that it is the only true Support of Man's Mind, under all the Afflictions and Calamities of Life; and that which can make us eaſie under them, will make us happy in every condition; that the Example of theſe Men, who have lived by Faith, and walked with God, is worthy of our Imition, is a Subject that might be ſpoken to without end. But let us conſider it,

2. As an imitable Example: For that it is ſo, the Pattern mentioned in the Text, doth abundantly prove; Enoch lived in a World that was full of Temptation, and thoſe as dangerous as Temptations can poſſibly be, the Temptations of Luxury, which in their kind are inferiour to none; and as to their degree, when Enoch lived, they were at the height; and as I have ſhewn already, he had bad Examples enough, and probably but very few that were good. So that Piety lay under great diſadvantage in the common Opinion, and likely enough it was a matter of ſome reproach to obſerve Rules: for that Generation of Men was now began, of whom we find in the next Chapter, that God ſaw that the wickedneſs of men was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart, were only evil continually: They ſet themſelves at no time to do any good; all their buſineſs was to follow their bruitiſh Appetites from one day to another, without reſtraint; the World was haſtning apace to that Condition, when Enoch lived; and yet he lived ſo piouſly, ſet ſo good an Example, as if he had never ſeen any but good ones himſelf; and whilſt almoſt all Men were buſie to fill themſelves with the exceſs of ſenſual Pleaſures, his only buſineſs, in compariſon, was to pleaſe God; he looked up every day to his Maker, out of whoſe Hands ſo lately came that beautiful Fabrick, which was made for Man; and inſtead of ſurfeiting himſelf with thoſe delightful Entertainments of Senſe that were round about him, he raiſed his mind above them to the Contemplation of the Power, Wiſdom, and Goodneſs of God; he offered to the Creator of all things, the Sacrifices of Praiſe and Thankfulneſs; he reſign'd himſelf wholly to his Will and Pleaſure; he believed his Promiſe of a better World; and in that Faith he wrought Righteouſneſs. And what can be ſaid, why we, who cannot reaſonably count our Temptations greater than thoſe he was under; why we, I ſay, ſhould not alſo live as he did? Why ſhould the Government of our Paſſions, and the ordering of our Converſation by the Rules of Religion, be harder to us, than it was to him? What ſhould hinder us from adoring and praiſing our Maker every day, and from offering our Prayers and Supplications to him? Why ſhould not we conſider, that God is preſent with us every where, and ſees us in all that we do, that we may always behave our ſelves, as in his Preſence? May we not with as much advantage, as he poſſibly could have, look beyond this World, and compare it with Immorality in a far better State of things than this; and ſet our affections upon things above, and not upon things on the earth? Eſpecially, ſince we have not here a continuing place; I mean, ſince we do not expect to live hardly the tenth part of that time upon Earth which the Patriarchs did before the Flood; but all our days are few and evil, and our Life ſhort and troubleſome; and therefore doth of it ſelf admoniſh us to look after another, and to provide better for our ſelves hereafter, than we can poſſibly do here.

Let no Man ſay, That the Baits of Pleaſure, and the Cares of Life, and the multiciplity of his worldly Affairs, that the evil Manners of others, and the Snares of Converſation, and his unavoidable Engagements in the World, will not permit that Juſtice and Purity, that Devotion and Sobriety, which Religion requires; nor that conſideration of God and another Life, which is neceſſary to keep us unſpotted from this preſent world. That for this purpoſe, we muſt retire out of the World, and live in Cells, or in Houſes where there is nothing elſe to do, but to watch and pray; where the Cares of Life cannot follow them; where evil Examples, and where Temptations cannot find them out: All this is but unreaſonable, and vain pretence: For, I beſeech you, what was Enoch, and his Profeſſion and Order of Life in the World? Was he ſhut up from any part of common Converſation, or eaſed from any part of the common Cares of this Life? No, by no means; he in all reſpects of Secular Converſation, and civil Relation, was in the very ſame Condition that other Men were, as you will confeſs, if you look back to verſe 21. and ſo on till you come to the Text: And Enoch lived ſixty and five years, and begat Methuſaleh: And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuſaleh three hundred years, and begat Sons and Daughters: And all the days of Enoch were three hundred ſixty and five years; And Enoch walked with God, &c. By which you may ſee, that Enoch, who had this Teſtimony, was a married Man, and for that reaſon engaged as much in the neceſſary Affairs of Civil Converſation, as any other; and we do not find, that after he begat Methuſaleh, his eldeſt Son, he left his Wife and his Family, and betook himſelf to any retirement, and was from that time forward, under Vows of ſingle Life; it is expreſly ſaid, that Enoch walked with God, after he begat Methuſaleh, three hundred years, and begat Sons and Daughters. So that all this time, viz. for three hundred Years, of which it is ſaid, that he walked with God, Enoch was the Husband of a Wife, the Father of Children, the Maſter of a numerous Family; nay, he was a Prince in his Generation, the ſeventh from Adam, in the Line of Seth; the eldeſt Son by deſcent from the eldeſt Houſe of Seth; one therefore, who in his time made no little Figure in the World, and was deeply engaged in the Affairs of Government, beyond all others, excepting his Father and Grandfather, and the Patriarchs, that were yet alive. Enoch then differed not from other Men, in any reſpect of Civil Affairs; he had ſuch Relations, and common Engagements, as other Men had; and in ſome reſpects more, being deſcended from Seth in the Patriarchal Line, which ſome believe was the Regal Line too, in one Diviſion of Mankind. But tho' in theſe Circumſtances he differed not from other Men, otherwiſe than that his Affairs might be more Cumberſome than thoſe of ordinary Perſons; yet with reſpect to Religion and Virtue, to Faith in God, and an Holy Life, he differed very much from the generality of Mankind; for in the midſt of all that Buſineſs and Converſation, which his place in the World engaged him in; he walked with God, he was a perfect Man, and grew to that heighth of Piety and Righteouſneſs, that God thought fit to reward ſo eminent a Perſon, with tranſlating him alive from Earth to Heaven; a plain demonſtration againſt the pretences of the Roman Church, That retirement in Monaſteries, and a ſingle Life, are not neceſſary to the higheſt degree of Piety; that the beſt part of Religion is not to be coop'd up in a Cloyſter, but to be ſeen in the World, and in the ordinary Converſation of Men: That the moſt excellent part of Devotion, that the beſt, and nobleſt degrees of Faith and Vertue, may be attained and exerciſed, and improved in a ſtate of worldly Relations and Engagements; and that theſe things therefore ought not to be pretended in our excuſe for not walking with God, as Enoch did. Let me therefore add in the

2. Place, That we have the hope of the ſame reward to influence us, which Enoch had, tho' not of being tranſlated alive into a better World, yet of going thither by the common paſſage of death, which as to the ſubſtance of the Reward is the ſame thing; the other Circumſtance, ſo ſingular in the caſe of Enoch, being not altogether ſo much for his own ſake, as for the inſtruction of others. There were but Two Perſons that went thus into a better World, Enoch one: For the inſtruction of a declining and degenerate Age, almoſt wholly ſunk into a worldly Life; Elias another, for an admonition to a very corrupt Age too; the former when all things were running into Licentiouſneſs, and diſorder amongſt the Patriarchs before the Law; the latter, when the time was as bad under the Law, and both theſe to maintain a ſenſe of God, and another World; while yet the revelation of a future Life, was not ſo clear and publick as it was made by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who brought life and immortality to light: And ſince he by his Doctrine, and by his Reſurrection, and his Aſcenſion into Heaven, hath given us ſuch evidence and notice of a Life to come, that a more clear evidence could not have been reaſonably deſired, there is no need that the World under the Goſpel, ſhould be admoniſhed by ſuch extraordinary Methods any more: Our bleſſed Lord himſelf was not tranſlated into Heaven, till after his Death and Reſurrection; he in all things going before us, ſhewing us by his Example, not only what our Duty is, but what, and in what manner our Reward ſhall be conferred: We muſt die, and riſe again, and then aſcend to the Heaven of Heavens, for the conſummation of our Reward: And having this hope, let us purifie our ſelves, as he is pure; having theſe promiſes, dearly beloved, let us cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſs of Fleſh and Spirit, perfecting holineſs in the fear of God.

To conclude, We have the ſame God to ſerve and obey that Enoch had; the ſame Promiſes, and thoſe more publickly and ſolemnly made, and more ſtrongly confirmed to us, than ever they were to the Fathers; we have, I ſay, the ſame Promiſes to excite us, that he had, and all the ſame Advantages that he had, and in many reſpects much greater, through the Revelation of the Goſpel by our Lord Jeſus; and we are under no greater Temptations and Diſcouragements, than he met with; or if we were, the grace of God is ſufficient for us; and therefore let us walk with God, as he walked with him; that when that time cometh, of which Enoch propheſied, as St. Jude reporteth, v. 14. That the Lord ſhall come with ten thouſands of his Saints to execute Judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds, which they have committed, and of all their hard Speeches which they have ſpoken againſt him; we may lift up our heads with joy, and find mercy in that day.