■ 
 
 
 Tj-DTArrni'.Tn'M N. ,T. 
 
 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
 Collection of Puritan Literature. 
 
 Division 
 Section 
 
 Number 
 
 sec 
 
A D E C A D of 
 
 CAVEATS 
 
 TO THE 
 
 People of England, 
 
 O F 
 
 General life in All Times, but rtioft 
 
 fea (enable in Thefe. 
 r A Tendency to the iatisfying fuch as are not con- 
 
 c 
 
 tent with the Prefent Government, as it is by 
 Law eftablifh'd. 
 
 j= < An Aptitude to the Setling the Minds of fuch as are 
 <2 but Seekers and Erraticks in Religion. 
 
 ! An Aim at the Uniting of our Proteftant-Diflenters 
 
 [_ in Church and State. 
 
 WHEREBY 
 
 The worft of All Confpiracies lately rais'd againft Both, may be 
 made the greateft BleJJing, which could have happerfd to either of them. 
 
 To which is added an APPENDIX 
 
 In order to the Convi&ion of thofe Three Enemies to 
 
 the Deity : The Atbei;^ The Infidel, and The Setter up 
 
 of Science to the Prejudice of Religion. 
 
 By THOMAsIpTeRCE D.D. Domeftick Chaplain 
 to His Majefty, and Dean of Sarum. 
 
 Partim Jitjfit , partim Permiffu Superiornm. 
 
 — ( — _ — _ . . . — — _ 
 
 LONDON, 
 
 Printed for Richard Davis Bookiejler in Oxford. 1679. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2013 
 
 http://archive.org/details/caveatstoOOpier 
 
The Ahthor's 
 
 PAR^NESIS 
 
 TO THE 
 
 READER, 
 
 Touching his 
 
 PRINCIPAL DESIGN 
 
 In the following 
 
 CAVEATS. 
 
 Chriftian Reader, 
 
 BEing paflionately defirous ( as by 
 my Calling I am bound, and fo 
 with every man's Pardon I am allow'd,) 
 to do as much as in me lies for the con- 
 verting of a Sinner from the Error of bis 
 way, whereby tofave a Soul from Death , 
 and cover a Multitude of Sins, I pen'd 
 
 a a the 
 
The Parcenefif to the Reader. 
 
 the following Dilcour/es as well for pri- 
 vate as publick Life. For the private 
 ufe firft of fbme in the world whom 
 they have fatisfied, and ( by the Bltf- 
 ling of God ) have had a good effect 
 on. For the more publick ufe next 
 of many Noble and Learned Auditors, 
 whofe Judgments as well as Qualities 
 being fuperiour to mine own, have in- 
 duced me to permit than to pafs from 
 the Pulpit to the Prefs, as conceiving 
 that by their being in common ufe, they 
 would be aftb more commonly and tru- 
 ly ufefull. What fuccefs they may 
 find, God onely knows, who alone can 
 command it, as He fees fit. But I am 
 confcious to my felf of none other than 
 the fincereft. and pureft Aims, at the 
 Glory of God, and the Good of Men, 
 from the beginning to the end of my 
 whole Performance. 
 
 If 
 
The Parmefis to the Reader. 
 
 If in the Conduct of my Difcourfes 
 I fhall feem to fbme Readers to have 
 been in fbme places too fharp, or pun 
 gent, I have This at ieaft to fay in my 
 Juftification, or Excufe, that the fble 
 End and Motive of my fevered- Argu 
 mentations, has been onely to hwftl 
 them to be as happy as my felf, in the 
 Communion I injoy with the Church of 
 England. As God himfelf is expreiTed-, 
 by way of Parable, to fend his Servant 
 into the High ways and Hedges , to call 
 thef^or, the maim'd, the hah 3 and the 
 blind ', and com pell, them to co.r.e in ( to 
 his heavenly Feaff,) that his Houfemay 
 he fid! ; fo I am earneft ( if 1 am able ) 
 to drive Diflenters out of their Hedges 
 and High-ways of Schtfm and D if obe- 
 dience 3 into the True Houfe of God, and 
 the Lord's own Table. The whole De- 
 fign of my Jharpnefs, either in Argument , 
 
 a 3 or 
 
 Luk.14. 2}. 
 
The Par<enejis to the Reader. 
 
 or Exprejfion, is by Reafon , and Scri- 
 pture, and by Scriptural Examples and 
 Comminations , to force our feparating 
 Brethren into Vnity, and Embraces, and 
 Friendfhif with us. God is my Wit- 
 nefs, 1 look upon them with Bowels of 
 Tendernefs and Companion, (not with 
 Hatred, or Contempt,) as Poor s and 
 Maimd, and Halt, and Blind; as ly- 
 ing in Hedges of Aberration, and in the 
 Highways of Corah, which lead direft- 
 ly both to Temporal, and into the dan- 
 ger of EndTels Ruin : And I would (if 
 it were poffible ) $**&*&* &*?&&, even 
 compel them to come in, and partake with 
 us equally of That Coeleftial Entertain- 
 ment we commonly call The Lord's Sup- 
 per; that lb as well The Lord's Houfe, 
 as the Lord's Table may be full of them. 
 We abominate nothing more than /uch 
 an uncharitable Monopolizing both of 
 
 Salvation 
 
The Parmejis to the Reader. 
 
 Salvation and the means of it, as Some 
 ( we read ) have been guilty of; and do 
 love Them (6 heartily who do as hear- 
 tily hate Vs and our Way of JVcrjhtf , 
 that if it were in our choife and power, 
 we would not ingrofs the rich Reward 
 of orderly Walking unto our felves y but 
 would make them partakers together 
 with us. We would not Pray 3 or hear 
 Sermons , or communicate in Sacra- 
 ments, or might we have our moft ar- 
 dent Wifhes, we would not go to Hea- 
 ven without them. And it is with 
 This Charity that I indeavour in one 
 Difcourfe to prove our Se^aratifis have 
 Nonefo long as they abide in their State 
 of Schifm. 
 
 I know there is a great Difference, 
 betwixt the Weaker \ and Wilfuller 
 fort of DilTenters. Some of the former 
 do not f\norp, and None of them pro- 
 bably 
 
The Par^nefis to the Keauer. 
 
 bably do cmftder , how the PhariJ?es 
 had their Name from their Separation, 
 which arofe from their Opinion that 
 they were Better than other Men, Much 
 Iefs yet do they imagine, by what fort 
 of Men they are invifibly overa&ed. 
 They little think that they are Journey- 
 men to their own word Enemies of each 
 Extreme, who drive a Trade of Divi- 
 fions in Church and State, whereby to 
 {acrifice to the Luft of Revenge, or A- 
 varice ; and that They who do not in- 
 tend the very leafi publick Mifchief by 
 their Diflfentions , do ( before They 
 are aware) carry on Their Defigns who 
 intend the greatefl. Now there is no- 
 thing more dishonorable to the Nature 
 of Man, or more to the fhame of his 
 Vnderflanding, than to be made another 
 Man's Property, another Man's Inpru- 
 ment, or Tool, even without his own 
 
 Know- 
 
The Panenefis to the Reader. \ 
 
 Knowledge, and againft his own Will, 
 as well as Interefi. And if by any thing 
 I have urged in the Difcourfes of this 
 Book, Perfons abusd and over-reaclfd 
 by men ingenioujly wicked ( as Innocent 
 Eve by the cunning Serpent,) (hall be 
 made fenfible of their Wrongs, and as 
 well of their private as publick Dangers • 
 I dial! efteem it a great Reward to have 
 been fer vice able to the more Ten- 
 der and the more Treatable DifTenters, 
 though I fuftain the Ill-will of the more 
 Obdurate. 
 
 If any Reader fhall Ob;e&, (after 
 his perulal of All that follows,) that 1 
 have fliew'd as much Severity to certain 
 Jefuited Proteflants, as to the Jefuites 
 themfehes of the Church of Rome, and 
 in one place have parallel'd the Difmal 
 90 of January 1648. with the 5 of 
 November 1605 3 my Anfwer is at 
 
 b hand. 
 
The Far<enefis to the Reader. 
 
 * Habetnui 
 enim & Ms 
 JejuitiK, in- 
 quiebat Rex 
 Jacobus. 
 Ifaaco Cau- 
 fabono di- 
 cuntur 
 
 Epiji. 1 1 6. 
 
 hand, and 'tis plainly this : that the 
 Keeping out of Popery, with all its 
 Plots and Conlpiracies of every kind, 
 {lands not fo much in a Difcovery and 
 Confutation of its Errors, (though That 
 has evermore been done, and is ftill in 
 doing,) as in an effe&ual DiJ appoint- 
 ment and defeating of its Defigns. The 
 great and general Defign of the Popifti 
 Factioners and Factors , ( I mean the 
 Jffuits moll efpecially,) is to debilitate 
 by dividing, and to diftraB by difcon- 
 tenting the People of England ; and by 
 That Artifice, (having found by long 
 Experience, They cannot well hurt us 
 without our Help J to make the Pro- 
 teftants Themlelves who would have 
 Popery fypt out with Both their Hands, 
 moft Inftrumental to bring it in by Head 
 and Shoulders. All I lay againfi: the 
 Practices of our *JefmtedProteflant$ } is 
 
 in 
 
The Parmefis to the Reader. 
 
 in Difpleafure to The Jefiuts , who 
 drive them on. And were I to labour 
 for my life againft the Inroads or j 
 Growths of Popery y and in prevention , 
 of the Conspiracies which come from I 
 Rome, I would make it my whole In- ! 
 deavour, both by Menaces, and Per- 
 fwafions, by Terrors , and Intreaties, 
 by fenfe of [ntereft, and Honour, and 
 Shame it felf, by all the Means I could 
 ufe , and all the Arguments I could 
 urge, to convince and convert our Eng- 
 lifh Proteftant Diflenters, and make 
 them All meet as One in the Church of 
 England. If 'tis Their Mafter- piece to 
 divide us , it fhould be Ours to be uni- 
 ted. And Now , if Ever. Elfe in 
 vain do we drive to confute their Er- 
 rors , though we do it never fo well , 
 whilft torn in pieces among our felves 
 we commit the grojfefl Error ( in point 
 
 b 2 of 
 
The Par<enefa to the R eader. 
 
 of Policy and Prudence) to be imagin'd. 
 It mould therefore ( in my opinion) 
 be the Ambition of us AH , who are 
 heartily the Sons of the Church of Eng- 
 land, to prevail from All Topicks with 
 Proteftant Sectaries amongft us, (who 
 do agree with us already in the publick 
 Profeflion of being Proteftant s 9 and 
 being equally averfe to the Church of 
 Rome,*) to lay afide their Animofities, 
 if not to bury them for ever in the fame 
 Church-yard; to acquiefe in one Govern- 
 ment by Law eftablifh'd ,* to fubmit 
 their fingle Judgments to the united 'ones 
 of their Superiours ; to facrifice Pri- 
 vate Difcontents to Public^lntcxei}., and 
 to be as a City which is at unity in it 
 felf; toconfiderthat as the Laws would 
 be otherwife than they are, if their Go- 
 vernours were as They, fo if They were 
 as their Govemours, the Laws would 
 
 ftill 
 
T be Parxnejis to the Reader. 
 
 frill be as they are by their own Con- 
 trivance ; to keep in mind that as of 
 Mortals, who are but Men on this fide 
 heaven, He is reckon'd to be the Beft 
 who hasfeweft Faults, not He who has 
 none in a State of Frailty, fo of all Go- 
 vernments upon Earth , That ought to 
 pafs for the moft Perfet7 y ( as well in 
 refpecl of its legiflative, as of its exe- 
 cutive Adminiftrations,) which is fub- 
 )tdi unto theftweft and moft fuffiortable 
 Imferfe&ions, 
 
 Add to This the Confederation, how 
 many Rebellions and Conjurations rais'd 
 by Chrijlians ( fo called ) againfl their 
 Governours , have brought Tbe Pro- 
 fejjion into an Hatred with Jews and 
 Gentiles ever fince; and tempted many 
 even at home into This paflionate Im- 
 precation, Stnt Anima nofir£ cum Phi- 
 lofofhis. Nor can we fay who were the 
 
 b 3 wcrfe, 
 
The Par&nefis to the Reader. 
 
 worfe, of men pretending to Chrifiia- 
 nity, They who did execute what they 
 intended on the 50 of * January, or They 
 who Intended onely to execute on the 
 5 of November , the barbarous Murther 
 and Subverfion of King and Kingdom. 
 And if our prefent Diffenters ( men I 
 mean of their Number as mean the 
 Belt,) would but impartially confider, 
 or fufficiently compare, as well the Prin- 
 ciples, and the Parties, as the Projeth 
 Tbemfelves , which Thole Two Days 
 have made (b iignal, I cannot chufe but 
 believe They would abominate them 
 alike ; or the Later perhaps the more, for 
 the Infamy Then brought on the Eng- 
 lijh Name. 1 know not whether I fhall 
 be able, but I am willing to do them 
 Service, by undeceiving and difabufmg 
 them in All the Caveats which enfae. 
 Being as hopefull our Common Enemies 
 
 will 
 
I 
 
 The Parmefis to the Reader. 
 
 will in Time make us Friends, as I am 
 (ure our Common Dangers ought to make 
 us all intent on our Common 'Safety. This 
 they will and mufl do, in cafe we will 
 but permit our felves, either in Piety, 
 or in Prudence, to be provoked by our 
 Enemies to ./Emulation. For if All 
 forts of Papfls, even the Sorbonifts, and 
 the Jefuits, the Dominicans, and the 
 Francifcans, the Profeflbrs of the Gal- 
 lican and Spanifh Churches, however dif- 
 fering in Opinions, and burning in Ha- 
 treds of one another, do yet agree againfi 
 the Proteflants, and in the fame Church 
 of Rome, as much as Caiphas a Jew, 
 and Pontius Pilate a Gentile, did Both 
 agree againfi: Jefus Chrifl ; what can 
 hinder All forts of Proteflants, All the 
 Englijh ones efpecially , ( however di- 
 vided in fome Opinions and DifafFec- 
 tions to one another, as much perhaps 
 
 as 
 
The Panenefis to the Reader. 
 
 as even the Molinifls and the Janfenijis 
 Themfelves,) from meeting together 
 and agreeing in the fame Church of 
 England, whole Reformation is made 
 Authentick by the Higheft Authority 
 under Heaven ? Efpecially when their 
 Agreement is a mod Neceffury Prefirva- 
 tive of thofe Four things which are 
 deareft to them , their ' Keligion, their 
 Liberties, their Livelihoods, and their 
 Lives ? What can hinder them from 
 converting the moft Inhumane Combi- 
 nation of our blood-thirfty Enemies, 
 into an Excellent Security againft it 
 felt? or from making our remaining and 
 yet prefent Dangers become the mod 
 I nftrument a I to our Efcape ? 
 
 There is a trite and ftale obje&ion, 
 againft the King, and the Bifhops, and 
 againft all Inferiour Men of the Church 
 of England, that they are Pofijhly af- 
 
 felied, 
 
1 
 
 The Parxnefis to the Reader. 
 
 ft&ed, if not a kind of Cajfandrian Pa- 
 pijis. And This Objection or Calum- 
 ny, how wea\ foever, has yet been 
 ftrong enough to be mifchievous unto a 
 world of well-meaning, but weaker Bre- 
 thren ; although it has ever been confu- 
 ted by all the Barbarous Combinations, 
 and Diabolical Confpracies, againft the 
 Fathers and the Sons of the Church of 
 England, from the Days of Queen Eli- 
 zabeth, to Thefe we live in. For if 
 there is in any of us fuch a Tin&ure of 
 Popery, or of Papiftical Inclination , 
 as the Jefuited Papfs have taught our 
 Jefuited Proteflants to fay and publifli, 
 why fhould the Emijfariet of Rome be 
 more induftrioufly intent upon our De- 
 ftruftion, ( for being men of the Church 
 of England?) than upon the Extirpation 
 of all other Proteftants in the World ? 
 Is it not becaufe the Church of England 
 
 is 
 
T, ; . X* , 
 
 The Parsnefis to the Reader. 
 
 is ftill the Ornament , and the Apology, 
 the Support, and the Protection, of All 
 the Proteftant Churches beyond Sea 
 throughout the World ? Is it not 
 that foreign Proteftant f cannot be root- 
 ed out with Eafe , or but perfecuted 
 with Safety, whilft there is a Church 
 of England, to ftand as a Rampire in 
 the Way between Them and Ruin? 
 Whereas deftroy or extinguish the 
 Church of England, and All the Re- 
 formed Churches abroad will fall to 
 Ruin of Themfelves. If Real Mira- 
 cles are not ceafed, ( as fbme fay they 
 are, and fbme that they are not, ) The 
 Church of England's Prefirvation (and 
 of late more than ever,) is the beft Ar- 
 gument I can think of, whereby to 
 prove the Continuance of them. O that 
 our Separatifls were wife ! that they 
 underftood This ! that they would 
 
 but 
 
>L.. . — ■ '• 
 
 The Paranejzf to the Reader. 
 
 but confider That Hand from Hea- 
 ven , by which the chief Proteftant 
 King, and the chief Proteftant King- 
 dom of all the World, and the chief 
 Proteftant Church which is the Secu- 
 rity of the Reft, are yet alive at This 
 Day, to own and Honour their De- 
 liverer, and to be pra&ically thankfull 
 for their Deliverance. 
 
 One thing more I have to fay,in This 
 Monition to the Reader, concerning 
 both the Nature, and the Liberty of a 
 Man's Confcience; which He who offers 
 to invade^nd fo to violate y docs attempt 
 tomaf^e a Breach on the Gates of Heaven. 
 (As the Emperor "Maximilian thought 
 good to word it.)Only 'tis every Man's 
 Concernment to Jearn exa&ly what it 
 is , wherein the Nature of a Man's Con- 
 (cience,and the juft Liberty is to confifl.X 
 give a Caveat touching the firft, in the 
 
 c 2 Third! 
 
 * HujHtfen- 
 tentiam An- 
 nates Hanc 
 referunt, nul- 
 lum enormius 
 peccatum ejjc 
 pojjerfudm in 
 Conjciemias 
 exercere vel» 
 le imperium. 
 Nam Confci- 
 ent'm \mpe- 
 rare, ejl Af- 
 cem Coeli in- 
 vadere. 
 
=-■ =as^ 
 
 The Partiriefir to the Reader. 
 
 Third Sermon following; and touching 
 the iecond in the Fourth. To each of w ch 
 if our Dividers will but deliberately ad- 
 vert, They will be much better Subje&s 
 both to God and the iG»g,than they are 
 at prelent ; and we who are Lovers of 
 the Government by Law eftablifh'd, 
 mall have the fairer Quarter from them 
 for That Con/un&ion. This (one would 
 think) fhould be agreed to,even by Men 
 of All Parties : that if the Consciences of 
 Some (as Some do ufe the word Con- 
 science} contend for a Liberty to refift, or 
 at Jeaft to contradict, and to defame the 
 Laws in force, fure the Consciences ofo- 
 tbers may have a Liberty to obey them 
 without ofFenfe Which yet has been en- 
 vied ,or deny 'd us, we know by whom. If, 
 where the matter is indifferent jot barely 
 lawfully AW the immediate Laws of Men 
 arealfb the mediate Laws cfGod, by be- 
 ing 
 
The Parxnefis to the Reader. 
 
 ing ena&ed by That Authority, which 
 God has enaUed we fliall obey ; and if it 
 is a prime part of That Chriftian Liberty.. 
 wherewith Chriji has made us free, to fnb 
 mit our felves(w\th S. Peter jto every Or 
 dinance <fman,a.nd to do it for the Lord's 
 fafy, (as S. Peter bids us,) 'Tis equally 
 ftrange,and unexcufable^thatThey who 
 call it moft falfly their Chriftian Liberty, 
 to deft if e Dominion ,andftea\evil of Dig- 
 nities, to\\vt in Schifm and Disobedience 
 to Laws in force 3 fhould feek to defraud 
 us of That genuine and True Chriftian 
 Liberty ,The Liberty to obeyfuch as are 
 over us in the Lord, and fuch as *Watch 
 for our Safeties, whilft we are Sleeping. 
 In this Grand Dodrine of Jefus Chriji, 
 the Dodlrine of fubmiffion to every Or- 
 dinance of man, by way of Climax and 
 Gradation from the bottom to the Top 
 of All Authority upon Earth, (from 
 
 the 
 
 c ~ 
 
 Gii.5.1. 
 
 Heb 13.17. 
 
 1 r«i.2.lj. 
 
The Fanenefis to the Read.r. 
 
 the Conftable or the Tithing-man who 
 labours at the Plough, to Him who 
 fits upon the Throne as the Supreme 
 Refbrt of Juftice , and to whole De- 
 termination the laft Appeal lies, J we 
 have a Principle ofVnity, which either 
 will bind up all our Breaches , or elfe 
 will make our Divifions innocent. For 
 our Judgements all meeting in This 
 One Point, (as very eafily they may, 
 and unavoidably they muft, if we do 
 heartily and truly believe the Go/pel,) 
 All our other Difagreemen ts in point 
 of Opinion or Perfwafion will not be 
 publickly Inconvenient, much kfs Per- 
 nicious : becaule when Inbred Infur- 
 relVions are made impoffible, ( as they 
 are in the Cafe premifed, ) no Inva- 
 fions from without can ever hurt us. 
 On the other fide I cannot forbear 
 to prophecy, ( wifhing my Prophecy 
 
 may 
 
^__ 
 
 The Tartsnefis to the Reader. 
 
 may be falfe, as it is modeft and but 
 conditional, ) that if we fix not on 
 fbme Expedient whereby to agree a- 
 mong our klves, ( nor cm 1 imagin 
 any one likelier than the Great Prin- 
 ciple of obedience to God's Anointed, 
 whofe Life is every day endanger'd 
 for his Adherence to our Religion,^ 
 we fhall not have a way left to keep 
 out a. foreign Jurifdiftion , or to pre- 
 vent its coming in with a foreign 
 Force. 
 
 I have the more realbn to hope, 
 the greater realbn I have to pray, that 
 my Caveats may find their Readers in 
 lb much Temper as to -weigh the fe- 
 veral Arguments made ufe of in This 
 Conjuncture, which are in hopes to 
 outweigh whatsoever witty Malice may 
 urge againft them. And that This 
 may be an Inftance of God Almighty's 
 
 great 
 
The Paranefis to the Reader. 
 
 great Mercy to This moft coveted , 
 and indanger'dy and ( not defpifed, but ) 
 Envied Land, is (o far the Hope ,• as 
 it is the Prayer of 
 
 The Reader's well-meaning 
 and faithfuH Servant 
 
 r. f. 
 
/ 
 
 THE GENERAL 
 
 HEADS or CONTENTS 
 
 of the (everal Caveats. 
 
 i JOH. 4. 1. 
 
 I. Of Trying the Sprits before we 
 Trujl them. p. 1 . 
 
 2 THESS. 3. 6. 
 
 I I. Of the exceeding finfulnefs of 
 Schifm ; in how many great Regards it is 
 worfe than H<erefie ; and why more dam- 
 ning than other Crimes. p. 3 9. 
 
 EPH. 5. 15,16. 
 
 HI. Of Circumffeftion in Theft p. 79. 
 
 M A T T H. 24. 4. 
 
 IV. OfCircumfpe&ion in Hypothefi 
 
 p. 1 i 5. 
 
 1 COR. 10. 12. 
 
 V. Of Fear as necejfary to Faith in 
 the well-ordering of cur Lives. p. 1 6 1 . 
 
 d HEB. n. 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 
 HEB. 12. 14. 
 
 VI. Of Peace and Hclinefs united, as 
 equally required to our Salvation, p. 1 9 3 . 
 
 1 THESS. 5. 22. 
 
 VII. Of Abftaining from all Abea- 
 rance cfEvil. p. 237. 
 
 1 PET. 2. ii. 
 
 VIII. Of Abftaining in general from 
 Flefhly Lufts. p. 273. 
 
 1 PET. 2. 13. 
 
 IX. Of Abftaining in particular from 
 Difbedience to Authority in things In- 
 different , as from the worft and the moft 
 fcandahm of all Flefhly Lufts in S. Pe- 
 terV Judgement. P-3 l 7* 
 
 HEB. 12. 25. 
 
 X. A Caveat touching the Danger 
 4>fRefufing thofe Caveats cur Lord hath 
 given m in his G ffci p. 345. 
 
 To which is added an Inquiry , 
 How God is faid to be the Objcci of Red Knowledge, 
 and how of Faith o/ieljj and why Faith (rather than 
 Knowledge ) is ejfentially belonging to All Religion. 
 
 p. 389. 
 
1 
 
 — r 
 
 A SEASONABLE 
 
 CAVEAT 
 
 Againft the Dangers of 
 
 CREDVLITT 
 
 IN OUR 
 
 Trufting the SPIRITS 
 
 Before we Try them ; 
 Delivered in a 
 
 SERMON 
 
 BEFORE THE 
 
 KING 
 
 A T 
 
 WHITE-HALL 
 
 On the Firft Sunday in February, i6j% 
 
 By THOMAS PIERCE D. D. Domeftick 
 Chaplain to His Majefty, and Dean o&Sarurn. . 
 
 Publifbed by His Majefties efpecial Command. 
 
 LONDON, 
 
 Printed by £ F. for R. Davis, Bookfeller in Oxford. 
 MDCLXXIX. 
 
-,: f 
 
 
 " 
 
 
 • 
 
( » ) 
 
 SERMON 
 
 Preached before the 
 
 KING. 
 
 i JOHN 4. i. 
 
 But try the Sprits whether they he 
 of God. 
 
 § 1. '"INHERE are Multitudes of De- 
 jgj ceivers in thefe our laft ■ and 
 worft Times, by way of Antidote unto whofe 
 Venom Thefe words of S. John are a good 
 Provifion. And however they are numerous, 
 I think they may fall under two general 
 Heads. Some are fo credulous as to be- 
 lieve every Sprit ; and fomc fo Atheifticall, 
 as to believe none at all. Both are Enemies 
 
 A 2 to 
 
 Vide H&refm 
 Jenxuanam 
 apud Maffx- 
 ium,/. 16. 
 
Of Trying the Spirits 
 
 'to Religion , chough not Both alike. For 
 chough z\\t firfl are 6j^ enough, the lafi are 
 very much worfe. The firji are Meteors in 
 Religion , expreffed co us h\ Scripture by 
 Clouds without water, and xvandring Stars ; 
 luch as are carried to and fro with every 
 Wind of falfe Doctrine ; men fo unlearned 
 I and fa unjlable, To rn love wich i\fco> Z^t, 
 and fp g/z/e/z to change, that not contented 
 wich one or two, ( chough the bed and foun- 
 ded, ) they heap up Teach:rs unto themfelves ; 
 and by the Novelty of the Do&rine putting 
 an eftimace or value on him that brings it, 
 they are eafily made Profelytes to every New 
 Prophet who next befpeaks them ; little con- 
 fidering with S. Jjhn, ( in the next words 
 after my Text, ) that there are many falfe 
 Prophets, (many even in His Time, and 
 many more fure in ours,) gone out into the 
 World. The fecund fort of Enemies ( which 
 are the worfi coo) are the Difciples of the 
 Boofeiwhicht is calTd Leviathan- the grea- 
 cell: Monfier in all the World, excepting 
 onely the Authour of it. For if the.perfe&eft 
 Definition, of Man 06 Man , is to be Animal 
 
 Relit 
 
before we Truji them. 
 
 et 
 
 Plotin. Enn, 
 3. /. 2. 
 
 
 Religiofum , which (till includes Rationale, 
 and therefore makes the mail: exaft Defi- 
 nition , ( as many great and good Writers 
 have very rationally efteenfd it;) then He 
 muft certainly be a *Monfler, more properly ! *™' E A ? t 
 then a Man, who is fo defiitute of Reafon, 1 1. *.«.«* 
 as wholly to be z/oi^ of Religion too. And 
 for any one to Teach , ( as the Monfier of 
 Malmtsbury has been permitted to doe in 
 Print, ) chat there is no Spirit at all, or that 
 there is no incorporeal Subflance, ( two Ex- 
 preflions of the fame Thing,) what is it but 
 to pluck, up all Religion by the Root ? 'Tis 
 publickly to- fee up a School of Atheifm. For 
 God (if any thing) it a Spirit ; not for This 
 reafon onely , becaufe our Apoftle S. John 
 affirms it , ( whom the Hobbifis will not be- 
 lieve ; ) but for this other reafon alfo, (which 
 even our Hobbifis cannot but yield to,) that, 
 fuppofing a God there is, (or that 'cis but 
 pojfible for him to be^ ) He muft be Infi- 
 nite, and Indivifible ; and yet, we know, 
 He can.be neither, if He is any way Corpo- 
 real. For.- All Corporeal things have Parts, 
 and lb by confequenee are divifible, and fo 
 
 A 3 by 
 
 Joh. 4. 24. 
 
Of Trying the Sprits 
 
 *p. 214. 
 
 by confequence are finite. And for God to 
 be finite-, or divifible, is for God not to be 
 God', the worft and groffeft of Contradic- 
 tions. From whence it follows unavoida- 
 bly, that for any one to teach, and to teach 
 in publicki (not pubiickly from the Pulpit, 
 but much more pubiickly from the Prefs, ) 
 that an Incorporeal Subfiance is in it felf a 
 Contradi&ion, (thePofitive Docfrine of the 
 * Leviathan^) is pubiickly to open a School 
 of Atheifm ; It being pubiickly to teach 
 There is no Spirit, and (by a Confequence 
 unavoidable ) There is no God. For every 
 thing that is, is either an Accident, or a 
 Subfiance. (What \s neither, is not.') And 
 every Subfiance ( a nobler fort of Bang then 
 any Accident can be ) is either Corporeal, or 
 Incorporeal. That denominates a Body, and 
 This a Spirit. To lay that God is the for- 
 mer , implies the horrideft Contradiction; 
 ( as hath been fhewn ; ) and fo He tnuft be 
 the latter, by undeniable Confecution. To 
 fay, He is not a Spirit, or not an Immaterial 
 Subfiance, is neither better nor worfe then 
 to fay, He is not. It is to fay, There is nofuch 
 Thing. §2. A- 
 
before we Trufl them. 
 
 § 2. Againftthe dangerous Contagion 
 of the premifed two Extremes , S. John in 
 this Text has timely given us Two Caveats ; 
 one exprefsd, and nnother imply* d. Firft , 
 'tis (Xprefs'd in plain terms, that, feeing 
 many falfe Prophets ( or falfe Pretenders to 
 the Spirit*) are gone tut into the World, we 
 are bound, for that Reafon , not to believe 
 Every Spirit. Next, 'tis as evidently tin* 
 plyd, (as if it were expreffed in words at 
 length , ) that though Many Prophets are 
 Falfe, we mufi not thence reckon that None 
 art True : as though many Lines are crooked, 
 we muft not thence argue that none are 
 fir ait ; feeing every crooked Line muft needs 
 prefuppofe and imply a fir ait one. Nor 
 may we fottifhly disbelieve the Spirit of Ho- 
 linefs and Truth , for fear of believing with 
 too much eafe a Spirit of Err our and Vn- 
 cleannef. But as my Text is in the middle 
 between an important Dehor tation, [Believe 
 not every Spirit,'] and as important a Eeafon 
 of it, [for many falfe Prophets are gone out 
 into the World: ] fib our Courfe is to be 
 fteer'd in a middle way , betwixt the Scylla 
 
 of 
 
6 \ 
 
 Of Trying the Spirit / 
 
 * i King. 
 i$. 1. 
 
 * 2 Pfit. I. 
 
 2f. & ch. 2, 
 ver. 1. 
 
 of Credulity \ and the Charybdis oi Unbelief 
 We mult examin all Pretenders, and fry of 
 what fore they are. We muft get a £*/># 
 Lydiut, whereby to learn the true difference 
 betwixt the two forts of Spirits in the fixt 
 Verfe of this Ghapter , the Spirit of Truth, 
 and the Spirit of Err our : or, ( to exprefs 
 it without the Metonymie which our Apoftle 
 here ufeth, ) betwixt zTrue, and Falfe Pro- 
 phet ; betwixt *a man of God, and a * Dreamer 
 of Dreams ; betwixt a Theopneufi, and a D<z- 
 moniack; betwixt a reall Poffejfor of Divine 
 Revelations, and a phantaftick Pretender to 
 rhem. For as there were Prophets in the 
 Old Teftament, both True andFalfe, fo are 
 there alfo in the * New. As there were Spi- 
 rits under the Law , too many to be good, 
 fo there are alfo under the Gofpel. There 
 was in That a familiar Spirit, ( Lev. 20.27.) 
 a lying Spirit, ( 1 King.22. 22.) and a tyirrt 
 of Perverfenefs, Cfa- 19* *4. ) There is in 
 This a /c*// Spirit, a <&#/ rf/z;/ ^r/z^ Spirit, 
 (Mar. 9. 25. ) a 5^/>it 0/ £WMtr andofDe- 
 lufion, (2 Thef. z.ii. ijoh.q.6.') a Spirit 
 of Slumber, (R^rn. 11. 8.) Still the more 
 
 and 
 
before we Trufi them. 
 
 and the worfe the unclearr Spirits are , the 
 greater need we have to Try them. And though 
 there are alfo as many Go rd Spirits, as there 
 are Angels who never fell ; yet all their Good- 
 nefs is but derivative, from the one Spirit oj 
 God, who is God the Spirit. To Him are 
 afcribed the famous Gifts, i Cor. 12. 4. And 
 amcngft all the feverall Gifts wrought by one 
 and the fame Spirit, the Decerning of Spirits 
 is worthily reckoned to be a chief, Cv* lo -J 
 Which Gift of Difcerning 'twixt good *nd 
 bad Spirits, (as all the reft,) The Spirit of 
 God divides to every man fever ally a* He will, 
 Cv.it.J to fome in a greater, and to fome 
 in a hjfer meafure. And in this Gift S. Pe- 
 ter did very mnch excell S. Philip. ( For fo 
 'tis obvious to colled from the 8 th . of the 
 Afts, by comparing the 13^ with the 33 th . 
 verfe.) 
 
 § 3. Now whatever can be meant by the 
 SubjcUs of Triall we are to make, whether 
 Churches or Church-men, whether Prophe- 
 cies or Prophets , whether Doftrins or Doc- 
 tors, whether lnfpirations or men Infpir'd, 
 or every one of thefe equally • however dif- 
 ferent they may be, or inconfifient with one 
 another ; 'tis plain they All pretend alike 
 
 B unto 
 
8 
 
 * 
 
 Of Trying the Spirit* 
 
 Ez<k. i 
 6,8,4 
 
 unto the fame Spirit of God. And therefore 
 Sbw,tt*£i7*, 7r)/ and prove, them , (fays our 
 Apoftle, ) whecher they #re what they />/*£- 
 frW: whether really they are Gb£/, or da 
 but eminently glifter : whether they fpeak 
 by Commifficn, and as the Oracles of God, or 
 onely run ere they are fent, infpir'd by Ava- 
 rice, and Ambition , and by the Impulfe of 
 the Devil : whether they teach the found 
 Dodtrins of Chrifis Apojiles and of his 
 Church, whofe Faith and Dodtrins we are 
 to follow ; or are but fome oftbefoolifi Pro- 
 phets (in the i } th . oi'E^ehjd ) who follow 
 their own Spirit , and prophefie out of their 
 own Hearts ; are like the Foxes in the De~ 
 farts, have fpoksn Vanity, and feen Lies, fay- 
 ing, The Lord faith, and the Lord hath not 
 fnt them, in any cafe we muft try them, of 
 what fort they are. 
 
 § 4, Nor muft we onely try Them ; bur 
 we mud alfo try the Rule by which they All 
 are to be tried. For ieverall Tefs and Rules 
 of Triall (who are true orfalfe Teachers, 
 and which Do&rins are right or wrong,) 
 havebeen lately fet up to the hurt of Souls, 
 by [lie Two forts of Enemies whereof I fpafre 
 in the beginning : to wit, the Pretenders to 
 
 Entbii- 
 
before we Jruji them, 
 
 Enthufiafn, and the Difciples of the Levia- 
 than. The fir ft of thefe will allow of no other 
 Tefli than theSturdinefs and Strength ofcheir 
 own Pert wafion, which it is their will and 
 pleafure to call The Teftimony within them. 
 And by running in a Circle they grow fo 
 giddy >> that the longer we Catechize, the more 
 we lofe them. And'cis worthy to be obfeiVd, 
 how they wreft and mifapply the Word of Life 
 co their Deflruftion. For, If we ask how 
 they know they have a Teftimony within 
 them from God the Holy Ghoft ; We know it 
 C fay they) by This, that * God hath given 
 in of hi* Spirit. If we ask how they know 
 that He hath given them of his Spirit; We 
 know it (they lay ) by This, that *we cannot 
 fin. If we ask how they know that they can- 
 not fin ; their Anfwer is, * We are born of God. 
 If we ask how they know This ; We know it, 
 ; they will anfwer) becaufe we have * anew 
 Name given us , which no man knows but He 
 that hath it. If we ask how they know of a 
 new Name given them ; they will anfwer, J% 
 kjiow it by that * Spirit which dwelleth in u*. 
 If we ask how they know the Spirit of Truth 
 from the Spirit of Errour ; their Anfwer is 
 ftill at hand, (and ftill out of the Scriptures,) 
 
 B 2' He 
 
 * iJoh.4.i$, 
 
 * I Joh.3. 9. 
 
 * Ibid. 
 
 *Rcv.2. 17, 
 
 *Rom.*.n; 
 
IO 
 
 Of Trying the Sprits 
 
 i Joh.4. 6, 
 
 * Rom. 8. 
 16. 
 
 1 Joh. 5. 10. 
 
 ver. 0, 
 
 Leviaih. 
 p.$6.& 16$, 
 
 Uid.p. 2Z2. 
 
 He that knowtth God hear etb ws, and he that 
 i* not of God heareth not m. If we ask them 
 tor a JVitmfs whereby to prove it ; * The Spirit 
 ( their Anfwer is ) bearetb witnefs with our 
 Spirits. If we bid them produce their Witnefs ; 
 He that believeth (they will lay) bath the 
 witnefs in him/elf. If we call for any Witnefs 
 of men ; they tell us, The Witnefs of God is 
 greater. Thus they argue by their Circular 
 and Identical way of difcourfe, [_ They have 
 the H)ly Spirit of God, becaufe they are (for- 
 footh) affured ; and allured 'oj it they are, be- 
 caufe oj the Spirit which dwell etb in them. 2 
 So ftrongly does the Spirit of Perverfenefs 
 fliew it ielf in fuch as are delivered up to be- 
 lieve a Lie. ( For that is lomeiimes the cafe, 
 zlhef 2. ii # ) 
 
 The other Enemies of Religion, ( who are 
 withall by much the worft, ) in a derifion and 
 contempt of fuptr natural Revelation.mll have 
 no betcer TeSl of true and falfe Prophets, or 
 of right and wrong Do&i ins , than the War- 
 ranty and Allowance of the Sovereign Power s, 
 in every Kingdom and Commonwealth , of 
 whatfoever Denomination throughout the 
 world. Which Pofition of the Leviathan, 
 ( fetcht as 'tis from Japonia, and there from 
 
 the 
 
before we Trufi them. 
 
 1 1 
 
 the Sedt of the Jenxuani ) is fo prodigiouHy 
 abfurd , that ic either makes no difference 
 'cwixc Right and Wrong, and infers True and 
 Falfe to be a couple of empty words, (which 
 (ignifie nothing, or the fame thing, the Will 
 and fiea/are of the trince ; ) or elfe infers 
 this Contradi&ion, that the fame Things and 
 Perfonsare in feverall Times and Places both 
 True and Falfe. So that according to This 
 Pofition, the Christian Religion was a falfe 
 one under all the Heathen tmperours, who 
 did publickly prohibit the Teaching of it ; 
 yet a moft true one under Conftantine fur- 
 nam\i the Great, and under all the following 
 Emperours, who ilri&ly commanded it to be 
 Taught. jefaCbrijl (with fti. Hpbbs) mull 
 have been a falfe Prophet, as not approved of 
 by Herod and the Ihen-Emperour of Rome ; 
 wh\[{\ Mahomed muft be a true one, tacaufe 
 allow 'd by the great Sultan, fupreme Gover- 
 nour of the Turks. The Will and Pleafure of 
 the Prince being let up by That Monfier, as 
 the fole Touch/tone, or Criterion, whereby a 
 Prophet , or a Doflrin^ or a Religion is to be 
 tffd. N',m (fays He) but a Sovereign in a 
 Cbriflian Commonwealth, can take notice what 
 ps, or what it not the Word of God. A greater 
 
 B 3 power 
 
 Leviarfi. 
 
 p. 250. 
 
I 2 
 
 Of Trying the Spi; its 
 
 Dcut.i 3.1,2. 
 
 power than isafcribed by the Jefuites thern- 
 felvcs, either to the Bijbop or C hurch of Rome : 
 a power to abrogate tncold, and (as often as 
 he will ) to make a new Canon of Scripture, 
 or none at all. 
 
 § 5. Had fuch Seducers of the people 
 appeal 'd in publick among the Jtm, a pre- 
 lent Death without Mercy had been infMed 
 as the wages of Their Iniquity. (Deut.i^. 5. 
 and ch. 1 $.v. 20- ) The Setters forth of new 
 Do&rins in that Mofaical Difpenfation 
 could not efcape their publick Trials in the 
 Great Parliament oilfrael they calM The 
 Sanedrim ; and were condemn'd as falfe Tea- 
 chers,either to be firangVd, ovftond to death. 
 Yea r though they had (hewn Signs and Won- 
 ders, and though their Signs came to pajl too, 
 yet could it not exempt them from filtering 
 Death, in cafe they tended to [educe the filly 
 Admirers of their Wonders to worjhip Idols, 
 or any other way to enervate the Law of Mo- 
 fes : which none could be allowed to doe, and 
 yet be thought a True Prophet, unlefs he could 
 doe as real Miracles as Mofes, and give as 
 cogent Demon fir ations as Mofes had given, of 
 his having been infyired and fent by God. 
 Therefore None but the Meffiw, who out-did 
 
 Mofes, 
 
before we Truji tbetn. 
 
 l 3 
 
 I Ring, 13. 
 4> 6. 
 
 1 King. 18. 
 38, 40. 
 
 Mofcs, and that as well in point of Miracle, as 
 in Holinefs of Life, and in ilhtflrating or awz- 
 pleating the whole Moral Law, could lawfully 
 aboliJI) the Ceremonial. Yea even Thofe 2?/- 
 vtffl Prophecs or Men of Go J ( as they were 
 caird ) who (till ajtrted the Law of Mofes, 
 and diffwaded men with vehemence from 
 Idolatry and Schifm, were fain to prove they 
 were of God by unfeigned Miracles. By fuch 
 a Real Miracle of the anonymous Prophet at 
 Bethel, Jeroboam's Hand was dry d up, and 
 refloredto him. By fuch a Miracle of Elijah, 
 the Fire of the Lord fell down fro n Heaven, 
 and confum'd the Burnt-facrifice, together 
 with the Altar on which it lay. Whereby the 
 People were incenid againft the falfe Prophets 
 of Baal, and prefenclyy&jp them all as Cheats 
 by the River Kijbon. By fuch a Miracle of 
 Elifha, even Naaman an Idolater was fud- 
 denly cleanfed from his Leprofie, and convin- 
 ced of Jehovah^ being the onely true God. 
 By the like unfeigned Miracles, Mofes haitled 
 all the lying ones of the Sorcerers m&gjpt. 
 And if the Prophets Then had need of (hewing 
 many and great Miracles, to prove the Truth 
 of That Religion which the Ifraelites were 
 then in Poildlion of; How much z greater 
 
 need 
 
 2KSng.S.i$- 
 
H I 
 
 Of Trying the Sprits 
 
 Num. 16. 
 
 need ot Miracles (hould our Seducers ftand in, 
 whereby to make us leave our Old, and where, 
 wich to draw us on to their New Beliefs ? That 
 D06I1 in ( for example ) of Jefa Chrifl and 
 his Apoflles, [that we mud obey them who have 
 the Rule over m, and that we mud: fubmit our 
 [elves to every Ordinance of man for the Lord's 
 fakef\ was confirmed by greater Miracles ( if 
 any greater can be J then Mofes and the Pro- 
 phets confirm'd theirs by. And by Confe- 
 quence, if our Pretenders to fupernatural Il- 
 lumination will have us adhere to their New 
 Doftrin , [ that we mud not fubmit to every 
 Ordinance of man, but rebell againfl them ; nor 
 obey, but refifi fuch as have the Rule over ut ; 
 nor do any thing in Religion with any Decency 
 or Order, but alias rudely and at confufdly at 
 we can, ] they muft perfwade us by greater 
 Miracles than thofe pf Chrift and his Apojlks, 
 whom we believe. At lead they muft be able 
 to convince us of Errour in Life and Doc- 
 trin ', ( as Mofes did Corah and all his Sepa- 
 ratift-Reiations ,) by commanding the Earth 
 to open, and to 1 wallow us up quick : or 
 ftrike us dead without a blow, (juft as Peter 
 did Ananias,*) for our ufurping That Autho- 
 rity to preach God's Word, which our Scbif- 
 
 ' maticks 
 
before we Trufl them. 
 
 *5 
 
 matickj an d Fnthufiafls of each Extreme are wont 
 to arrogate as a Right belonging one* y to them- 
 felves. But (God knows ) we have too many, 
 who need no working cf Signs an J Wonders to de- 
 ceive them : fo very fond they are of Novelties 
 in Religion it felf^ thaj they are often drawn from 
 it without a Miracle. Yea, if the True Prophet 
 from Judah could luTer himfelf to be deceiv'd by 
 the cunning Falfe Prophet who dwelt in Bethel^ 
 ( i King. 13. 18.) for which (not the Falfe, but) 
 the True Prophet was /lain; Qv. 24. ) how apt 
 are others to be deceiv'd who are no Prophets at 
 all ? Very great need therefore we have, to Try 
 Pretenders to the Spirit, before we Trufl them , 
 whether or no they have indeed d.Pr op hetick Spi- 
 rit ; and whether they fpeak the mind of God 
 by any Immediate Revelation. 
 
 § 6. A general Rule whereby to try them 
 (though 'tis particularly apply *d) S.John fets 
 down in the next verfe after my TeKt ; Hereby 
 know ye the Spirit of God. Every Spirit which 
 confefflth that Jefa Chrifi ps come in the FleJ?J 7 is 
 of God. A Text whole pithy Brevity makes it 
 difficult and obfeure, and foit (lands in fome 
 need of an Explication. I take its meaning to be 
 This. Every Spirit which confeffeth, or every 
 Pretender who owns our Saviour, not onely by 
 
 C word 
 
\6 
 
 Of Trying the Sprits 
 
 *,VaiM6.i6. 
 
 word of Mouth, but in Life and Prattice, 2nd from 
 the Hearty both as Jtfm a Saviour, and as Cbrifi 
 a King too ; Every one who does own him as well 
 by his Faith, as his Confejfion, and as well by his 
 Obedience, as by his Faith, to be the onely true 
 Sbiloh that was to come; Every one who does 
 own him to be come in the Flefb too, not onely 
 in his Divine, but in his Humane Nature alfo, 
 which CerinthtK and Ebion and Simon Migut did 
 dtify ; ( unto whom in particular S. John alludes 
 in this place ;) laflly,Every one who owns him in 
 his Exinanition, in his moil defyicable Condition, 
 which made his Friends to fly from him, 2nd Pe- 
 ter him/elf to difavow him ; Every one who does 
 own him in his tremendous Crucifixion, his Deatb } 
 and Burial, and confeffeth him even fo to be * the 
 Son of the living God, or Godmanifefi in the Fief}), 
 Tis plain that every fucb Spirit muft be conclu- 
 ded to be of God. 
 
 So that ifany (hall here ob;e& againft S. Johns 
 Rule of Trial!, that many Heretickj andSchifma- 
 ticfadoccnfef] JefmChrifl to be come in the Flejh, 
 who notwithstanding are of the Dtvil, and mt of 
 God\ Two -Anfwers are to be given for the Ob- 
 je&or's behoof and fatisfa&ion ; one from Eflius, 
 and another from Tirinm* (Though the Sub- 
 ftance of them Both I have anticipated already.) 
 
 Efiim 
 
before we Trufl them. 
 
 J 7 
 
 Efiim anfwers, that S. John did direct This Pvule 
 againft the Hereticks of his own Times, who de- 
 nied Jefns Cbriji to have come in the Fleft : and 
 fuch were thofe Three whom I nam'd a litcle be- 
 fore. Which Anfwer is indeed good^ but nor fuf- 
 ficient. lirinm therefore adds fitly, that by our 
 Confeffing Jefm Chrifi to have come in the Flejh, is 
 meant our Confeffing and Believing ( to wit, our 
 praftical Believing) that Jefws Chrifi is the Mef- 
 fias ; both a Saviour and a Prince, ( as S. Peter 
 calls him,) who gives Repentance unto Ifrael, and 
 Forgivenefloffins. Not Forgivenefs without Re- 
 pentance , nor Forgivenefs before Repentance ; 
 but Repentance in thtfirfl place, and Forgivenefs 
 in the Jecond, In which very order, both of Dig- 
 nity and Nature, S. Peter had exhorted to Both 
 before, Qch. 3.7/. 19.) Repent, and be converted, 
 that your Sins may be blotted out, when the times 
 of refrefijing fhall come from the prefence of the 
 Lord. And all fincere Repentance implies Obe- 
 dience, as the fame S. Peter argues, Aft. 5. 32. 
 This Anfwer is very good and fufficitnt too, un- 
 lefs, by being toof/jort, it may be alfo too obfcure, 
 or not fufficiently perfpicuous to fome of the 
 flowed: apprehenfions ; for which defeft in the 
 next place I (hall endeavour to make amends, 
 & 7. And becaufe where the Touchftone it. 
 
 G 2 fclfl 
 
 Ad. $.31. 
 Ibid. 
 
,8 | 
 
 Of Trying the Sprits 
 
 Joh. 14 17. 
 
 (elf is Palfe , all forts of Trial mud needs be foo- 
 lifti; Therefore Pretenders to the Spirit are to be 
 tryd by fuch a Touch f one, as needeth not it felf 
 Another Touch'lone for its Trial. Andfich a 
 Touch/tone is to be taken out of thofe plained 
 Places of Scripture^ whofe fenfe and meaning is 
 agreed on even by men of All Judgements ; Texts 
 deliver'd in fuch clear and univocjl Terms, that 
 oppefite Parties do apprehend them in the very 
 fane way; And as they never have been yet, lb 
 chey never can be matter of any Cavil, or Dilute. 
 And becaufe I pretend not to teach my Fellow- 
 hachers, or fuch as need not to be thus caught, 
 (though themoft kjiowing miy notdifdainto be 
 put in remembrance of what they know,) but onely 
 the Ignorant %nd the Vnji able, who (for want of 
 due Knowledge, or offufficient Confederation,) are 
 like Clouds without water > carried about of W mds, 
 ( as S. Jude defcribes them ; ) I (hall be caref ull 
 that every Part of the Tift or Criterion 1 am to 
 give, may be/Jjort, and vet eafie, and ( I hope ) 
 without all Qaeflion. The feveral Farts of the 
 Touchftone will be no fewer than 6 or 7. Nor are 
 the Spirits to be tryd by any one or two of them, 
 but by All put together, whether or no they are of 
 Go/. 
 
 Firft, The Spirit tha: is of God is the Spirit 
 
 of 
 
before we Trufl them. 
 
 «9 
 
 1 Pet. :. 1$ 
 Rom. 15. 1. 
 H:b. 13. 17 
 
 of Truth. And therefore if any man, who is out- 
 warclly ot'afeemwg good Life , is yet of very/// 
 Judgement in Fundamentals, in Points zjintial 
 to Chriftianity, as in the Doctrin of Obedience to 
 every Ordinance of Man, to the Higher Powers, to 
 Than that have the Rule over H6, and do watch for 
 cur Souls ; ( a Pp&rin running in a Vein through- 
 out the Body of the Gofpel, and effenrially belon- 
 ging to All Religion ;) efpecially ifheafcrihes to 
 a finfull man (not to fay, The Man of Sin J That 
 Incommunicable Attribute of Godhiruitlf, [Infal- 
 libility >*] and gives to every Prie!t the Privilege to 
 doe a much greater Miracle than ere was done by 
 Cbrifi Himfelf, ib far forth to tnnfubfcintiate s 
 piece of Bread, as fir t to make his own Saviour, 
 and then to eat him ; He rnu'l needs be misinflruc- 
 ted by the Spirit of Err our and Fafcination, the 
 Spirit with which he is bewitched , ( as S. Paul 
 fpeaks to the Galatiansf) let his outward Conver- 
 sion be what it will, let his vifible Courfe of life 
 be never foplaufible, or ievere. 
 
 Next, The Spirit that is of God is the Spirit of 
 Rolinefl and Purity^ as well as Truth. And there- 
 fore if any man, who is Orthodox, is at the fame 
 time Difhonefi, of fome good Opinions , but evil 
 Practice, does hold the Truth^ but in unrighte< uf- 
 nejl ; efpecially if he takes upon him (by That Y^ 
 
 *C 2 per 
 
 1 Joh. 4. 6 
 
 Aft. 8. 9i 1 r 
 
 Gal. 3. 1. 
 
 Rom 1. 
 
 4, 18. 
 
 A 
 
QO 
 
 Of Trying the Spirits 
 
 * Vid. Us 
 Provinciates 
 5. 6. & Ct- 
 raruuel de 
 
 j Theologia. 
 I Fundament a 
 j/ij. 71,72. 
 i £r Efcobif 
 
 7foe/. .Mord/. 
 
 Tom. I.J. 2. 
 
 c.a.p.2,4- 
 f 39. 43. 160. 
 J tfc. 
 
 a Mar. $.8. 
 
 ^Eph. 4.3,4. 
 
 Nhr. 5. 9. 
 Rev. 1 2. $. 
 
 I >r. 4. 12. 
 1 Co S .23. 
 
 per of Morality and all Religion, the Jefuites Doc* 
 trine of *F rob ability) not onely to allow,but to in- 
 ccurage and abett the groffeft Villanies in the 
 World, (without exception ; ) He is not feaion'd 
 by the Ho fa but the a Unclean Spirited his Ortbo- 
 doxie of judgement, as to fome Fundamentals, be 
 what it can. An boneft Heathen is not fo bad a-s a 
 Chrifiian Knave. 
 
 Thirdly, The Spirit that is of God is b the Spi- 
 rit of Unity and Love. And therefore if any fort of 
 men (hall take upon them to be Reformers by ma- 
 king Schifm , by diffolving the Bond of Peace, 
 wherein the Unity of the Spirit is to be kept, and 
 (hall crumble Religion into as manyfmall Par- 
 cells, as the Caprices of Idle men (hall have the li- 
 berty to fuggeft ; efpecially if they (hall labour to 
 feparate Subjects from their Sovereign, by abfol- 
 ving them from their Oaths of Chriftian Obedi- 
 ence and Hdelity,or by inftru&ing them tofwear, 
 with a Defign to beforftrorn. They are mifs-led by 
 That Spirit whofe Name is Legion ^v en the Spirit 
 of Divifion, That eld and cunning Serpent which 
 deceiveth the whole World. 
 
 ■Fourthly, The Spirit that is of God is the Spi- 
 rit of Meekjtefi and oj Order. And therefore if any 
 defpife Dominion, and fpeakevil of Dignities, and 
 <n pretenfe of being the Meek, me* who are by 
 
 right 
 
before n>e Truji them. 
 
 2 I 
 
 right of Promife to inherit the Earth, demurely 
 cread upon Crowns and Crofiers, and love to be 
 levelling with their Feet, whatfoever (according 
 to God's fpechl Providence} does overtop chem 
 by Head and Shoulders ; efpecialty if they pre- 
 fume to place the fingle Bifhop of Rome above Ge- 
 neral Councils, inveft him with a Power to excom- 
 municate Kings ,and fubvert whole Kingdoms, and 
 make the People hope to Merit by the moft pro- 
 digxous Murthers ; They muft be led by That Spi- 
 rit, which is called The Angel of the Bottomleji 
 Pit, Abaddon, and 'A^^^that \s,Defiroyer ; even 
 the Spirit which i* full working, in the Children of 
 Difobedience. 
 
 Fiftly, The Spirit that is of God is the Spirit 
 of Sincerity, induing All whom He inhabits with 
 an abfolute Simplicity and Singlenefi of Heart. And 
 therefore They who do hold up their Left hand to 
 God, but their Right againft their Governours ; 
 having Godlinefi in their Profeffion, but pra&ical 
 Atheifm in their Lives', hating Idols from the 
 Teeth outwards, but loving Sacr Hedge from the 
 Heart; crying down Suptrfiition, but preaching 
 up the Creature-comforts flowing from plunder, 
 which they call Providence', declaring with zeal 
 againft the Pr^fes, but ever voting upthe/^/wj j 
 
 Ot their Superintendents ; declaiming much against 
 
 c he \ 
 
 Rev, 9. 11, 
 
 Eph. 2. 2, 
 
 S\ 
 
22 
 
 Of Trying the Sprits 
 
 Job. 8. 44. 
 2C0r.11. 14. 
 
 Ifa. 11. 2. 
 
 *Matth. 1$. 
 
 6. 
 
 Mar. 7. 13. 
 
 the Sectaries who are not of their Denomination, 
 but breaking down the He^e ofDifcipline where- 
 by the H^/t/s are to be kept from God's Inclfure ; 
 efpecially They who have invented the Art of/E- 
 quivocating and Cheating, the Art of Swearing 
 any [h'mv fafely, by mental Exceptions and Refer- 
 vacions,the Art of Couzenage by the Contrad they 
 call Mohatra, and the like ; mult needs be afted 
 by that Spirit whom the Scripture has exprefled 
 by the Father of Lies, even the Spirit ofHjpocrifie, 
 That black Prince of Darknefs, which transforms 
 himfdf with eafe into an Angel of light . 
 
 Sixtly , The Spirit chic is of God is the Spirit 
 of Knowledge , and Wifcdom, and Vnderftanding. 
 And therefore if any man cites Scripture againlt 
 the whole Tenor and Stream of Scripture, and 
 wanders into the wrong way, even by That very 
 IVord which does dired him into the Right one ; 
 efpecially if he level Is the Canon of Scripture with 
 the Apocrypha, and makes the Pure Word of God 10 
 truckle humbly under Tradition, whereby it be- 
 comes * of none ejfeSi; it men fo learned, and lb 
 acute, and fo lagacious as the Jefuites, after all the 
 heinous things they have done and taught, are lb 
 far from difcerning what Spirit they are of \ that 
 they utterly miftakean Evil Spirit for a GWone; 
 a Spirit from Hell,tor one from Heaven ; the Spirit 
 
 which 
 
before we Truji them. 
 
 which reigns in the Court of Rome, for the Spiric 
 which guides in the Church of England % if they 
 can chink it the Top of Piety ,to advance the Lord 
 Jefus quite againft the Lord Chrifl, and make the 
 Chrifiian Religion the greateft Tranfgreffion of It- 
 felf (which moves the Janfenifts to call them The 
 Antichrijiian Society ; ) if they can take it for the 
 Comble of Chrifiian Merit and Perfe&ion, to e- 
 fpoufe and put in pra&ice this Turkifh Maxime, 
 that Religion is to be propagated (where 'tis pof- 
 (ible)by the Sword ; They muft needs be poflefs'd 
 by the Spirit of Slumber, tht S fir it of dead Sleep, the 
 God of this World which blindeth the mind: for fo 
 the Devil is once call'd, 2 Cor. 4. 4. 
 
 What I have thus drawn out at length,ouv Blef- 
 fed Lord does wind up into This port Bottom, 
 ( Matth.7.20,) Tejballhnow them by their Fruits. 
 But the Fruits of That Spirit that is of God are rec- 
 kon'd up by S.Paul to be fuch as Thefe; Love Joy, 
 Peace, Long-fuffering, Gentlened, Meekjiefl, Good- 
 nefi,and the like. And therefore They who.in ftead 
 of loving Enemies, do perfccute and opprefs the 
 myfiical Members of the fame Body whereof Chrifi 
 is the Head; who lay the Crofl of Chfiftjefa on 
 Chrifiian Shoulders, robbing one of a Living, a- 
 nother of a Liberty, a third of a Life ; and this for 
 no other Crime dian being confiantly Confcientiom, 
 
 D arici 
 
 3 
 
 Rom. 1 1. 8. 
 I fa. 29. 10. 
 
 Gal.$.22,2;. 
 
 
Q4 
 
 Of Trying the Spirits 
 
 Gal, 5. 19, 
 
 20,21. 
 
 *7'roppo con- 
 fina la Virtu 
 col Vitio. 
 
 ( and very real Friends to All, becauie the Flat- 
 terers oX Nme, though able to injure, or to oblige 
 them ; ) muft needs be managed by Tnat carnal 
 and unclean Spirit, which makes them fo fruitful! 
 and fo abounding in the uorkj of the Flejh : fuch 
 as Hatred, Variance, Wrath, Strife, Seditivns, He- 
 refics, and the like. 
 
 § 8. Now if All thefe Particulars be laid to- 
 gether in our minds, I fuppofe we have a Touch- 
 ftone to Try the Spirits o£ Pretender s,w\\ethev or no 
 they are of Go J ; and fuch a Touchftone,as needs 
 not it felf another Touchftone to be Try'd by. But 
 becaufe the beji Touchftone is nothing worth to 
 fuch as know not how to ufe it, we (hall doe well to 
 take notice of one Rule more in the ufing of ie.For, 
 confidering how many * Vices do too much border 
 ; and confine upon feveral Vertnes, and how many 
 Lies are moreplaufible to iieflh and bloud than ma- 
 ny Truths ; and hardly any thing can be fofalfe, 
 but may have Colours and Probabilities to fet it 
 of-, ( being neatly laid on by men ingenioufly 
 wicked ; ) and that a multitude oi'Ignaro's do of- 
 ten fwallow the groffeft Errours, (prefentedto 
 them in th© Difguife of the greateft Truths ,} by 
 not diftinguifhing Words ( as they ought) from 
 Things, and blending one thing with another, and 
 taking them down all at once, without any mafii- 
 
 cating 
 
before we Trufl them. 
 
 2 5 
 
 eating or chewing ; I lay, for This reafon, we muft 
 not pals our I aft Judgement upon Pretenders to 
 the Spiric.unrill we have made our felves acquain- 
 ted as well wich their Habits^s with their Ails ; as 
 wc!l wich the main or general current of their 
 Lives ^s wich the mecr conduft and carrying-on of 
 their Defigns ; with the Means they make ufe of,as 
 veil as with the End they pretend to ai n at ; with 
 che Building which is erefled as well as with the 
 Scaffold by which'tis /*tfi$V;with All their A&ions 
 in a lump, as well as with che mofi ffeciout zndfai- 
 reji of them. And when This is done throughly, 
 Then let the Hypocrites and Impoftors be what 
 they will, let the Forms of Godlinefs and the Fea- 
 tures of Religion be never fo artificially and neat- 
 ly drawn, let the Colours be laid on with never fo 
 delicate a Pencil/, and let that Pencill alfo be ma- 
 naged with never fo exquifite Addrefi; 'twill be 
 moft eafieto find the difference between the Piflure 
 and the Life. Let Zeuxk his lively Grapes be never 
 fo apt to deceive the Birds, yet the Deadnefi 0/ 
 his Boy will unfold the Cheat. 
 
 § 9. The very Truth of it is, We flhould be ut- 
 terly unexcufable, if we fhould fall into the Snare of 
 The certain men among m crept in unawares, of ei- 
 ther fort, becaufe their Arts of deceiving are grofi 
 and obviout ; fit to infatuate Underftandings of the 
 
 D 2 low eft 
 
26 
 
 Of Trying the Sprits 
 
 2ThefT.2. 
 2 Com i.i 
 
 Matth. 24. 
 124- 
 
 ^d.7.c r 8. 
 
 lowejlfize onely,and fuch as are willing to be delu- 
 ded. There were Counterfeits in the moil primitive 
 and pureft Times of the Church, who were brave 
 Cheats indeed^ who,befides their Form ofGodlinefi, 
 befides their Fraying and their Preaching, could 
 alfo fet forth themfelves by Signs and Wonders. The 
 Devil had taught them That fubtil Trick oi'tranf- 
 forming themfelves into Angels of light ; -and fo of 
 deceiving Qifitwerepoffible) the very Elefl. Such 
 were Barcbochebas, Apollonim^ and Simon Magm. 
 Whereof the Firft had got a faculty even of vomi- 
 ting flames of Fire ; the Second could tell the men 
 of Ephefu* , what in That very Hour was done at 
 Rome ; the Third (like a Cherub) could fly abroad 
 into the Air. So chat They had fome kind of 'Colour 
 for their giving out themfelves to be the Meffen- 
 gers of Heaven ,fome Pretences for their Broaching 
 a New Theology to the People ; becaufe their Coun- 
 tei feited Miracles, however derived from below^ 
 mighty^w at Ieaft tojhort Reafons to have been gi- 
 ven them from Above. And to becouzen'd by fuch 
 as Thefe, were a more tolerable Infirmity ; a Credu- 
 lity more to be />/*/&/, and very much more (rather 
 than hjT) to bcpardon'ddlfo. The Magicians alfo 
 in /Egypt were fuch admirable Deceivers, that 
 They were able (as well as Aaron) to turn their 
 Rods into Serpents^nd their Slime into Frogs ^nd 
 
 rhcir 
 
before we Truji them. 2 7 
 
 their Waters into Blond. So as if Mofes and Aaron 
 (through GocTsA(Tiftance)had not publickly con- 
 v idled them of downright Sorcery and Inchanu 
 went, (wherein the Magicians grew eminent 
 through the Afliftance of the Devil ; ) If Aaron's 
 Rod at laft had not [wallowed up Their Rods, and 
 turn'd the Duft into Lice through all the Land,w ch 
 the Magicians could not doe,buz confeffed (to their 
 own (hame)that The finger of God was in it; Laftly, 
 if 'Mofes had not fmitten the very Sorcerers them- 
 felves (as well as the refi of the /Egyptians) with 
 Boyls and Blains, infomuch that the Magicians 
 could not ftand before Mofes ; They had had a 
 fhrewd Advantage in the deceiving of the People, 
 and the People fo deceiv'd had been excufable h 
 Tanto. Whereas our modern Entbufiafls,or Preten- 
 ders to Revelation, and to a Teflimony within them 
 from God the Holy Ghofi, are not fo much as good 
 Jugglers ; They are woeful I Impoftors, and filly 
 Cheats ; fuch as Satan indeed has furniChed with 
 very much Indufiry , but with very fmall Wit ; 
 whereby He does not more ftrongly Tempt them, 
 than he difcovers them to be Hh. They being Co far 
 from being indow'd with extraordinary Gifts, 
 whereby to prove to us an extraordinary Commif- 
 fion ; (ofar from fitting out themfelves by Signs 
 and Wonders, (like thofe Primitive Deceivers of 
 
 D 3 whom 
 
8 
 
 Of Trying the Spiritr 
 
 whom our Saviour gave all his Difciples Warning, 
 (in the 24 th . of S. Matthew J or like Thofeof 
 whom Mofes fore warn d His People,(in the 1 3 th .of 
 Deuteronomy;) that they comefbortofmoflc<men of 
 the Church of England, even in Tbofe very things 
 wherein they would be thought eminent. The onely 
 Gifts of the Spirit which they pretend to, are but 
 Fraying and Preaching ; in their Performances of 
 which they fignaliz^ themklves by Nothing ; or at 
 lead by nothing more,thm Noife,znd Nonfenfe. The 
 Gift of Tongues, or the Gift of Healings the Gift of 
 being fubjeft to Higher Powers, for Conference fake, 
 or for the Lord's, or any other fucli remarkable A- 
 pofiolicalGift of the Holy Gho/i, I never heard that 
 our Adverfaries on either fide did ever yet fo 
 much as pretend unto. They feem to be as unapt to 
 obey their Governors for Confciencefoke, (which is 
 one fpecial Gifc of the Holy Ghoft, ) as to ffeak 
 with new Tongues, or to raife the Dead. 
 
 § iq. Now ifthofe Exquifite Pretender sf\n the 
 Infancy of the Gofpel, Barchochebatzjew, and A- 
 pol/oniu* Tyan&ut an arrant Heatben,Simon Magus, 
 Menander ,Bafilides, and the like, who by frofeffion 
 at leaft were Cbrifiians , were not Then to be be- 
 iiev'd, notwithftanding their Inchantment and 
 Magickrmiracles; Ifafalfe Prophet under the Law, 
 who led the Peopk into New Err ours, (as Vincen- 
 
 tiws 
 
before we Trufi them. 
 
 2 9 
 
 tint Lirinenjh expounds char Faffage Veut. 12. 1 
 2, 3. and applies it to ijfalfe Teacher in the Times 
 of Chrflhniry, in particular and by name, to Va- 
 lentine, Donatw, Photinw, Apollinark,) was not 
 onely not to be heeded ov hearkened to,but alfo wds 
 by That Law to be put to Death ; yea (one ftep far- 
 ther,) If an Angel from Heaven jwbo fhutt preach a- 
 nother Doftrin than what hath hitherto been deli- 
 vered, (whereby to lead us into Rebellion, or 
 Schifm, or Sacrilege, or any Confpiracy whatfo- 
 ever againft the Government we are under,) muft 
 be- noo:herwifeentertain'd,than with an Anathe- 
 ma Maranatha, How much lefs may our Shallower 
 and Vnskjlfuller Impotors be believed to be of 
 God upon their own fingle Word, and without a 
 Witnefl, whilft they cannot confirm or commend 
 their Novelties, no not fo much as by feerning Mi- 
 racles ? no not fo much as That Man of Sin/That 
 Son of Perdition, of whofe Coming S. Paul fzith to 
 his Ihejaloniam, that 'tis after the working ofSa- 
 tan,with all Power, and Signs, and (withftupen- 
 dous,though) lying Wonders?' 
 
 But grant they had (what they have not) an A- 
 bility to (hew us fome Signs and Wonders ; yet A- 
 polloniu* Tyanjm would put them down. 
 
 S'jppolethey/>rejoW extremely well/ z^ 'tis 
 plain they do not/) yet Photinws and Nefloriut 
 would go beyond them. Do 
 
 vin.Lir.c.15, 
 
 2 Thxfl. 2. 
 3> 9- 
 
 Matih.2, 
 24. 
 
 Matth.7. 22, 
 
3° 
 
 Of Trying the Sprits 
 
 Match. 23. 
 14. 
 
 Matth.4,4,6. 
 
 Quotnoio ob 
 Religionem 
 Magni) qui- 
 but Magnm- 
 do de irreli- 
 giofitate pro- 
 venit? Ter- 
 tu\l Apolog. 
 cap.2$.p.$6. 
 
 Do they make very long Prayers ? So did the 
 Pharifees for a Pretence-, that they might the more 
 ilily devour Orphans and Widows boufes. 
 
 Have they a readinefs and facility in citing 
 Scripture ? So had Julian the Apoftate when he 
 difputed againft the Gofpel. So had Satan in his 
 tempting our Blefled Saviour ; when he wrefted 
 God's Oracles with as much fubtilty and addrefs, 
 as the keenefl of our Recufants (ofwhatftrain fo- 
 ever) are wont to do. 
 
 Do they pretend their being warranted by an 
 immediate Revelation ? So did Nurna the Roman ; 
 and fo did Eumenes the Gr?ek.*' fo did Mahomed 
 the Saracen ;and Alarichu* thcGotb; laftly,fo did 
 the Pretenders in the Primitive Church ; which 
 made SJohn exhort Chriftians to Try the Spirits ; 
 alledging This for his reafon, that many falfe Pro- 
 phets are gone out into the World. 
 
 Is God's permitting them to be profperout, or to 
 fin on with great Impunity, any Argument that he 
 approves them ? No, 'tis the weakcft way of rea fo- 
 iling which our Adverfaries of Rome have deligh- 
 ted in. For,(befides that we find them confuted of- 
 ten by their Affli&ions JGod^n7z/*5,what he abo- 
 minates, his own Di/honour. How patiently did he 
 permit the Difcbedience of the Firft Adam, and 
 Crucifixion of the Second? Ail the Villanies in the 
 
 world 
 
before n>e Trufi them. 
 
 3 1 
 
 world do come to pafs by God's Permiffion, how- 
 ever contrary they are to his Rules and Precepts. 
 And if profpercus Impiety does therefore ceafe to be 
 Lnpiety,bcczule 'tis prosperous andpermitted^thzt 
 is) not hindered by force and violence, (inconfiftent 
 with a free and a moral Agent ; ) Then the great 
 Sultan, and the great Cham, and the great Mogul, 
 as well as the great BifbopofRcme, are by an e- 
 qually-found Confequence the greateft Favou- 
 rites of Heaven. And then the Argument of*Symma- 
 chws had been unanfwerably conclusive againfl: the 
 Primitive Chrijlians, who for 300 years and up- 
 wards lay groaning under the Toke of the Heathens 
 Tyranny \LaMy,\f Per mi ffion were ft ill a Mark of^- 
 probation;Then Dionyfiws (or Diagor ^)had argued 
 logically well,when, having robb'd the Delphick 
 Temple,fk immediately after efcap'da Shipwreck^ 
 gave it ouL>that the Gods had approved hisSacrilege. 
 Not at all thzthe be lie v W,but laught at Providence. 
 §11. What now can be faid farther, in the be- 
 half of our Pretenders to the fame Spirit's Illumi- 
 nation, which clear 'd the Heads of the Apoftles, 
 and warm'd their Hearts ? Can it be faid they live 
 flrift and religion lives, though lives of Schifm 
 and Difobedience to humane Laws and Lawgivers, 
 exprefly faid in Holy Scripture to be the Ordinan- 
 ces of God P But aefmit it we A r e True, (which yet is 
 fo falfe,xhdX it implies a Contradiction f) 'twere not 
 
 E pre- 
 
 * apud Pru- 
 dentiutn ad 
 Valentin. 
 Si Roman* 
 Relighnes 
 regna prt- 
 ftant, nun- 
 quam retro 
 Judta reg- 
 ndjfet, De- 
 fpeflrix com- 
 munhm ifta- 
 rum Divini- 
 tatum. Tcr- 
 tull. ApoU 
 c.26.p.$ 7 . 
 
3 2 
 
 Of Trying the Sprits 
 
 Hieron. ad 
 MarceUam. 
 
 fhiloftm. 
 t 9 . 
 
 * MafTxii 
 
 /. 12. />.$!?. 
 
 «$rl 14. 
 1 Cor.7.31. 
 
 Idea me e.rnl- 
 tare noveri- 
 iu % quia ad- 
 hue Sarins 
 per totum 
 Senium ad- 
 crabor* 
 
 J prevailing. For the Herecick Montanut-gcevt lb 
 proud of his Stri&nefi, of his Demure Courfe of life 
 in point of Abjiinence and Sobriety, and fuffering 
 Hardpjips, as to believe himfelf in Time to be The 
 Paraclete downright ; not a Godly man onely, but 
 even The Holy Spirit ofGod.ln which cafe 'tis very 
 evident,that even his ftrifinefs was his Difeafe:and 
 that the Spirit which overruled him was from his 
 Spleen.The Heathen Brachmans alfo of India were 
 lb temper ate ^ and chaft jmd fo addifted to Selj -de- 
 nials , ( in *order to their gaining upon the opi- 
 nions of the People with whom they liv'd,) that 
 they feemed (in all appearance) to ufe This World 
 06 not abufingit: (exa&ly fo as S.Paul exhorts the 
 followers ofChriftJ Such an externally- fir ill Per- 
 fon was the Papalins S. F ranch ; whp yet difco. 
 ver'd his Humility and pa/Jive Meekjiefl ( as I have 
 read many years imce^apud Authcrem nefcio Quem^ 
 as Cicero fpeaks in the like cafe,) to have partly 
 been a Cloaked partly an Infirument of his Pride. 
 For, being ask'd why he rejoyced amidft the bard- 
 [fjips of\\\blmprifonment, Becaufe (faidhe} the 
 whole world trill even adore and canonize me among 
 their Saints. Hereby we fee the ftrift Neceffity of 
 the laft Rule 1 mention d for the right ufing of the 
 Great Rule by w ch the Spirits arero be Tried. For, 
 Laftly, by negleft ing to Try tie Spirits of Pre- 
 tenders, whether or no they be ofGod^ (and to try 
 
 them 1 
 
before we Trnji them. 
 
 33 
 
 than impartially by every part of That Touchfione 1 
 lately gave,) How very many have we known of our 
 poor Separatifls inEngland, (afted as they have been 
 by the late Emiflariesofi?o;w,) fo ftrangely/W/W, 
 \n& over-credulous, as readily to imagin that every 
 Schifmatick is a S aint jwho is not a Sabbath- breaker, 
 or Swearer, not a Drunkard, or an Adulterer, and is fo 
 or fo qualified in point of Judgement ; or (to fpeak 
 more exa&ly)in point ofi^/t^and ofOpinionPlt mufl: 
 therefore be well confider'd, and carried conftantly in 
 mind by fuch as Thefe,that of the two 'tis lefs intole- 
 rable to be a Swearer, than a Rebel; ^Drunkard, than a 
 Thief; a common Thief^ than a Sacrilegious one ; and a 
 lefs horrid thing,to be corporally vile, than to befpiri- 
 tually proud of one's own Perfections. Wemuft beware 
 of all the former, as we ever hope to fyfrom the math 
 to come; but more efpecially of the latter, as being 
 much the more Luciferian Sins. Sins which can never 
 attend men to Heaven, having brought down the An- 
 gels of Heaven to Hell. Drunkennefi and Whoredom 
 (however damning)zre Sins the Devil cannot commit : 
 but Envy, and Malice, and Schifm,znd Sacrilege fly- 
 pocrifie, and Rebellion, and intoxicating Pride, are pe- 
 culiar to him ; they are the Devil's Sins Co properly, 
 that they are properly call'd Devilifb in Afe#, or 
 Chriftians,\s<heretvcr found. And as Thefe of all Sins 
 are much the moft Diabolical, fo they are the mod 
 damning of any other, for ought 1 can colleft from 
 
 E 2 the 
 
34 
 
 Of Trying the Sprits 
 
 2 Pet. 2. p. 
 10. 
 
 Matth.23. 
 
 14. 
 
 che words ot Chriji, (Matt h. 23. 14.) and by the 
 words of S.Peter,(2 Pet. 7 9,10.) If they who bate 
 our Congregations and way ofWorfliip, becaufe 
 they judge the HolyGhoft to have forfaken our Mee- 
 tings,and to dwell onely in tbeirs.or becaufe we do 
 notcafilyfljuttbe Door againft Sinners, (rill by 
 Authority authorized,) though they are under the 
 Reputation either o£Drunkennefi,or IVhoredcm.ov 
 any other the like Scandalous and Deadly Sin, but 
 not under the Sentence of kgal Excommunication, 
 (till when we cannot lawfully (hut them out from 
 our CommunionJI fay, if the Cenfurers of our Pa- 
 tience and Longanimity towards fuch would but 
 turn their Eyes inwards,or duely relied upon them- 
 felves,and compare thofeSins which the Devil ne- 
 ver commits,mth thofe feveral other Sins which are 
 proper to him ; If they would not onely obferve,but 
 alfo remember, and confider, and religioufly lay to 
 heart, the terrible Emphafis and force S.Peter puts 
 on the word f**?u?a 9 faying of Them who defpife 
 Government, that they are chiefly, or moji efyecially, 
 refervedby the Lord unto the day of Judgement to 
 bepunifhed ; and themoft formidable Importance 
 of That Greater Damnation,wh\ch our Saviour has 
 denounced againftthofeHypocrites,who/?r a Pre- 
 tence do make long Prayers ; 1 fay again, if our dil- 
 uting & feparating Brethren (in love and pity to 
 whofe Souls we pray & preach for their Contormir 
 
before we Trnfl them. 
 
 35 
 
 ty) would have the Patience and the Humility ro chew 
 enough on thefe things, They would thiak with more 
 Cha/icy of our Communion, and wich lefs Arrogance 
 of their own. They would no* feparate from us Then, 
 unlels for contrary Inducements than now do move 
 them. They w Juld feparate from us Then\\\ an humble 
 opinion of their own Vilemfl ; faying from the heart 
 with the meek Centurion, Lord, we are not worthy that 
 Thou foouldft enter under our Roof awl are by conle- 
 quence unworthy to have admittance under Thine. 
 They would not feparate from us Then, unlels in the 
 Spirit of S./^r afrai&to approach unto Chriji him- 
 felfj with a Depart from me, Lor d r for I am a Sinfull 
 man. They would not feparate from us Then,\\kc thole 
 Idolaters mlfaiab, with a Stand farther off, come not 
 near to ut, for we are holier than you ; But rather, like 
 the Lepers under the Law of Leprofie , would cover 
 their faces with Confui.ion,and (land aloof from God's 
 tioufe,accufwg t hem fe Ives of their Vncleannefl : or,like 
 the n^wAcuVfo Si'TTmnnfoms m the Primitive Times 
 ofDifcipline, falling down flat upon their faces/not 
 in the Church, but the Churchyard, at an humble Di- 
 ftance,)would beg the Charity ot'Their Prayers whom 
 they Centring into God's Houfe at the Times of 
 Prayer. Were they fuch Separates as Thefe, and from 
 fuch a Principle as This, from the excefles onely of 
 Meekjtefl, and not of Pride, we fliould receive them 
 with the Embraces of Arms and Hearts ; we fhould 
 
 E 2 
 
 rea« 
 
 Luk. 7.5. 
 
 Ifa.65; 2,$. 
 
 Lcv.1g.4s, 
 4* 
 
# I 
 
 Of Trying the Spirits 
 
 Aa. 2 t 41. 
 
 rieir «^ w- 
 
 nasDv imK- 
 2 Cor. 1 $.$. 
 
 readily afford them even the Right hand of Fellow- 
 fbip ; we (hould conclude fofe Htf/y G/w/2 had fo de- 
 fended upon their Souls, as once he did upon the 
 Heads of the 1 2 Apoflles, or rather upon the Hearts of 
 tbcjb 3000 who at S.Peter's one Sermon were added 
 to them ; Though not in the Edifying Gifts which were 
 beftowed upon the former , yet in the Sanctifying 
 Graces which were infufed into the latter. 
 
 §12. But having fpoken enough already of Trying 
 the Spirits in other men, I think it fit to fay fomething 
 of Trying them alfo in ourfelves. For confidering the 
 words of the Prophet Jeremy , The Heart of man is de- 
 ceitfull above all thingsymd that 'tis given to very few, 
 Cfew ,1 mean,in comparifon,)to know what Spirits they 
 are of; 1 guefs it concerns us all in general, and every 
 one of us in particular^ refume the whole Text, and 
 bring it home unto our felves ; tofearch and try our 
 own Hearts,and to examin our own Spirits, whether or 
 no they are of God* 'Twas the Precept of Pythagoras to 
 every man of his Se&, that he (hould bring himfelf to 
 the Teft,or call himfelf to an Accompt,every Evening 
 of his whole Life, with a n ? **$$*» b J $ *M* 3 *i w 
 Siov & htM<dvi$ what he had dune in That Day which 
 he ought to have omitted, and what good thing he had 
 omitted which 'twas his Duty to have done:Norwzs he 
 to fufter himlelfto/leep, till he had made up this Rec- 
 koning three fever al Times. So 'twas the Precept of 
 S.Ptffl/^inhis i d Epifile to the Corinthians , Examin 
 
 your 
 
before rve Trujl them. 
 
 37 
 
 jour /elves whether ye be in the Faith : (meaning That \ 
 j faith which Joes work by Love all manner of Obedi- j 
 ence to the Law ofChriJTs Gofpel : ) ^rk Sb^u^en, 
 I prove or try your own felues, whether ye have nor yet 
 j received the True Faith of Cbrifl ; or whether,having 
 ! once received, ye dill retain it. Know ye not your own 
 f elves how that JefwsGhrifivs in you \except ye be Repro- 
 bates P So S. Paul reafon'd with his Corinthians ; and 
 fo mu ft we with or within our felves.Know wc not that 
 Chrifl is in us,by the Prefence of his Spirit?<md by the 
 Power of his Word? and by the evident efefls of His 0- 
 peration? Such as our Sorrow for our fins pa(l 7 our ha- 
 tred of our felves in Remembrance of them, and our 
 ftedfaft Refolutions of better life ? Know we not that 
 Chrifl is in us by fuch Evidences as Thefe ? If we do, 
 Then let us treat him in fuch a manner,as may become 
 fo Divine a Gueft. But if we do not, we havefome rea- 
 fon to fearjeft we have finn'd-away our Saviour,as ar- 
 rant Reprobates and Ca/iaways ; as men unworthy to be 
 call'd Chrifiians ; as men who either are not at all Re- 
 generate, or elfe are fallen from That State of Regene- 
 ration which we were in;or(toexprefs it with S.Paul) 
 as men who have received the Grace of God in vain. 
 And as it concerns us on all occafions to try the Spi- 
 rit which is in us, whether Vis a gW or an evil Spirit; 
 fo moft efpecially does it concern us at fuch a Time as 
 This is,when we Tread in God's Courts,to offer up the 
 Gofpel-facrifice of Supplication and Thankfgiving;to 
 
 hear 
 
;8 
 
 I fa. ii. 2. 
 
 Eph.i. 13. 
 Rcv.ip. 10. 
 Zech. 12.10. 
 1 Per. 4. 14. 
 
 Of Trying the Spirit f^ Sec. 
 
 hear His Word,& to partake of h?3Sacraments t (DuL es 
 
 equally belonging to the fir ft Sunday of the month.) 
 
 For the Bread of God's Children muft not be eaft unto 
 
 the Dogs ; and the Food which is Spiritual belongs to 
 
 Them onely who cnnfpiritually difcern it, and who live 
 
 not after the Fk(h,but after the Spirit. I do not mean 
 
 afcer every Spirit , (for there are many more than good, 
 
 as I fhew'd before,)but after The Spirit that k of God ; 
 
 The Spirit of Holinefiznd Truth; The Spirit of Vnitj, 
 
 and Love ; The Spirit ofMeeknefl, and of Order ; The 
 
 Spirit of Singhnefl, and Sincerity ; The Spirit ofWif- 
 
 dom, and Under [landing ; The Spirit ofCounfel, and 
 
 Ghoflly Strength ; The Spirit of Knowledge^ and true 
 
 Godlinefi-jHid laftly,The Spirit of God's Holy Fear;(as 
 
 the divine Prophet Ifaiah exprefleth him refiing upon 
 
 Chrifi.of whom the good King He^ekjah was but a Type 
 
 in That place.) Unto all which if I fhould add, The 
 
 Spirit ofPromife,(mzh S.PauQand The Spirit ofPro- 
 
 phecyf with S.John,)The Spirit ofGrace,(mth holy Za- 
 
 chary ^md The Spirit ofGlory,(y\th S. Peter ,)1 fliould 
 
 but fay, The fame Spirit, in the vindicating of whom 
 
 from the many Falfe Spirits, which (in this laft Age 
 
 efpecially)have hem debauching the Chriftian World, 
 
 I have imploy'd the little Time which is allowed for 
 
 this Partofouv Morning Service. 
 
 To Him therefore with The Father in their Unity with 
 The Son, Sing we Hofannahs, and Hallelujahs, Bleffing, Glory. 
 Honour, and Power, To Him that livethfor evermore 
 
(59) 
 
 O F 
 
 The exceeding Sinfalnefs 
 
 S C H I S M; 
 
 In how many 
 
 GREAT REGARDS 
 
 It is worfe than 
 
 HyERESIE; 
 
 AND 
 
 Why more damning than other Crimes. 
 
 2 THESS. 3. 6. 
 
 Now we command you, Brethren, in the name of 
 our Lord Jtfm Chrifl, that ye withdraw your 
 felves from every Brother that walketh dif- 
 . orderly. 
 
 § 1. A TEXT exciting us to a Duty which 
 ^"\^ does equally invite and command At- 
 tention. For the Duty is introduced with as 
 important an Obteflation^s is any-where us'd in 
 
 F S. Pauh 
 
4o 
 
 The matcblefi Sinfulnefs 
 
 2 Their, h 
 
 S.Paul's Hpiftles : and it muft certainly be a 
 matter of exceeding great moment, which could 
 extort from our Apoftle fo great and fignal an 
 Obtefiation. He calls us Brethren, ( for we are 
 now in the place of the 7heffalonians,') to win 
 our Love, and to (hew his dbw. But withall he 
 commands us , as God's Embajjador , that he 
 may make as good impreflion upon our Fear 
 too. We may take his whole Meaning in This 
 plain Paraphrafe. 
 
 TLxezyyiThofAiv , We charge you , and that by 
 virtue of our Commiffion, or in the power of 
 our Apoftlefihip , in the name and the behalf, 
 by the Bowells and the Authority of our Lord 
 Jefut Chrifl, as ye will anfwer it at the great and 
 terrible Day of Difcrimination, the Day wherein 
 the Lordfefojballbe revealed from Heaven with 
 hk mighty Angels in gaming fire, taking ven- 
 geance on them that know not God, and that obey 
 not the Gofpelofour Lordjtfut Chrifl, who /ball 
 be punifbed with ever lajiing DeJlruRion from the 
 prefence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his 
 Power ; by every thing that is dreadfully or dear 
 unto you, Gh&flfooj*& Sp» 9 we declare, ve de- 
 nounce, we command you, Brethren, that if ye 
 obferve any Profejfor of the Chriflian Rdigioti 
 ( who for that reafon onely is call'd a Brother ) 
 
 to 
 
cf SCHISM. 
 
 41 
 
 to forfake his proper Calling, his Place and Sta- 
 tion, and to meddle as a Buifybody in other mens 
 Matters, ( v. 1 1 . ) and fo to caft off all Obe- 
 dience to the Rules of Direction which we have 
 given ; ( efpecially if ye obferve him to leap 
 from the Shop into the Pulpit^ or out of the 
 Church into a Synagogue confifting of the moft 
 faftiou* and diforderly Opiniators , who, under 
 colour offerving God , defpife the Ordinances 
 of Men; ) ye prefently Note him, and mark him 
 out, as a Diforderly Walter , as a Difiurber of 
 Society, as a Diffeminator of Difcords, the very 
 Stftf£ of all Religion, and the Discredit ofChrifli- 
 anity ; moft unworthy to be admitted to any 
 Commerce or Conversation with regular Chri- 
 ftians; but to btjbunrfd like ^ny Leper, and 
 to be <:#/? cwt of your Company, as if he had a 
 Plague- fore. (v. 14.) 
 
 Thus I paraphrafe the Text, as I find ic re. 
 lating to the Context ; and by comparing our 
 Apoftles with our Saviour's own Rule. For 
 xTtiKim mt/mn&v , A Br other walking diforderly, 
 in this prefent verfe, doesfeemto be the fame 
 unruly and irregular Perfon, who is expreffed 
 by the word vrvxt©^ 1 Theft. 5. 14. Which be- 
 ing a Military expreffion , and of peculiar ufe 
 mTafticfa, does properly fignifie a Souldier 
 
 F 2 who 
 
4 2 
 
 * Matth. 
 
 18. 
 
 * i Tim. 
 aow 
 
 The matcblefs Sinfulnefs 
 
 who runs away from his Colours ; quits the Ser- 
 vice he undertook and ingaged in ; denies obe- 
 dience to his Commander ; not onely to his Lieu- 
 tenant, but Captain-General ; (that is to fay, 
 without a Metaphor, ) depraves the DoRrin , 
 difturbs the Difciplin, difowns the Government 
 of the Church : By any one of which Three he 
 is diforderly in his Walking, however they are 
 commonly all Three in one. 
 
 § 2. Now when a Brother, ( that is ) a Chri- 
 jlian, ( at lead in Profeflion and Pretenfe, ) is 
 fo diforderly in his Walking, as that he will not 
 hear the Church, but is a Contemner of Autho- 
 rity, and PublicKOrder ; He is, by the Rule of 
 our Blefled Saviour, to be Iook'd upon and dealt 
 with, juft as* Heathen-men and Publicans were 
 looked upon and dealt with amongft the Jews : 
 We mud avoid him^s a prophane and an impious 
 perfon; as one who is void of all Religion, and 
 as it were without God in the World. Thus we 
 muft brand 'and Jiigmati^e him for twogoodRea- 
 fons, and pious Ends : firft, that bimfelf maybe 
 afham % d, and being afharcfdmaybe converted; 
 ( zTbeff.%. 14.) next, that others alfo may 
 *fear to doe, and fujfer, by his Example. 
 
 § 3. That This was the meaning of our Lord, 
 (Matth. 18.17.) feems to me veFy evident from 
 
 Two 
 
of SCHISM. 
 
 43 
 
 Two efpccialiy of his Apojiles ; I mean, the rnoji 
 learned, and mofi beloved. They tell us Both, 
 that when a Brother is become contumacious, 
 and not reclaimable either by private, or by 
 publick Admonitions, we mud not onely not 
 religioufly, but not lb much as civilly entertain 
 commerce with him. We mud not * cat with 
 fuch a Brother, or keep bim company ; muft not 
 * receive him into our Houfes, or bid him God 
 freed. And there is reafon for this Severity , 
 which S. PaulandS. John have thus injoyn^dus. 
 For can there beany thing more appojite, more 
 pertinent, or proper, than to deny them our Com- 
 pany in private Houfes, who difdain to afford 
 us their own in God's ? Why fhould we eat and 
 drinkwith Them, either at Their, or Our Tables, 
 who are therefore too unworthy , becaufe they 
 think, they are too Good, to eat and drink, in our 
 company at the Table of the Lord? Why (hould 
 we any-where go with Them, who wMi not go 
 with Vs to Heaven ; and bate the means of Sal- 
 vation, fo far forth as weinjoy them? Is it any 
 way confident either with Charity,or Reafon,tlm 
 we (hould bid a man Godjpeed'xn the ways of Co- 
 rah; or affefthis Society, who bates our Reli- 
 gion^ and our God? No, he is rather ( fays our 
 Apoftle) to be put away from ut, and from among 
 
 F 3 
 
 * iC0r5.II. 
 
 *jJoh. 10. 
 
 m 
 
 1 Cor. $. 
 2. £r 13. 
 
44 
 
 The matcblep Sinfulnefs 
 
 i Tim. i. 20. 
 
 i Cor.$. $. 
 
 up, (as a foul, peftilential, accurfed .ching,)and 
 even delivered up to Satan by the Genfures of 
 the Church : although it be to this charitable and 
 wholfome end, that he may learn not to blaf- 
 pheme ; that he may learn to be conformable to 
 Rules and Rulers ; and fo that hk Spirit may be 
 faved in the Day of the Lord Jejut. 
 
 § 4. 'Tis true that All vicious perfons are dif~ 
 orderly Walkers , who walk 06 far as they are 
 able from the ftrait Path of God's Command- 
 ments : and from All that are Scandalous we 
 are commanded to withdraw. For fo faith 
 S.Paul, ( 1 Cor. 5. n.) I have written unto you, 
 not to hep company, if any man that h called a 
 Brother be a Fornicator, or Covetous, or an Ido. 
 later, or a Raihr, or a Drunkard, or an Ex- 
 tortioner, with fuch a one no not to eat. No not 
 in one of your private Houfes, much lefs in the 
 Sacrament, and Houfe of God. But I do not 
 herefpeak (nor does S.Paul) touching abfo- 
 lute Afojiates, who do renounce and fall away 
 from the whole Faith of Cbriji , and the very 
 Profeffionof Chriftianity ; becaufe They are not 
 fo much as calVd, or accompted Brethren, Nor 
 do I fpeak of Jews, or Heathens, who, becaufe 
 they are avowed and open Enemies ofChrift^ 
 may with much the more fafety, or rather with 
 
 much 
 
of SCHISM. 
 
 45 
 
 much the lefl danger, be trafficked with. ( And 
 accordingly S. Paul has excepted Them, in the 
 very next verfe % before my Text, and the next 
 verfe after.*) But I fpeak of grofs Sinners, on 
 whom the name ofChrift is calld. And amongfl 
 Them, infpecial manner, 1 aim at two forts of; 
 men who are called Brethren \ and fo (like 
 judo6 downright) do betray the whole Caufeoi 
 Chriflianity with a Kifs. 1 mean the Hjereticktor 
 one, who breaks the Unity of the Church in 
 point of Doftrin , by denying one or more of 
 her Fundamentals : 1 mean the Scbifmatick. for 
 another, who breaks the Unity of the Church 
 in point of J^ //>///?, by doing as much as in 
 him lies to overthrow her very Government, 
 Laws, and Order. The Firfi of Thefe we mutt 
 reject, and withdraw cur felves from, in cafe he 
 fhall not reform himfelf j after a couple d{ Admo- 
 nitions : Tit. 3. io. Much *more the Second, 
 as the more Scandalous, and the more mifebie- 
 vout, and the more impious of the two. And 
 being by much the moft irregular of all difotder- 
 ly Walkers my Text intends, he is the titter to 
 be the Subjed of my Difcourfeat this Time. For 
 an Hdtretick., as he is fuch, does onely offend 
 againfr Faith and Truth ; and keeping his Er- 
 rourta himfdf (as very eatily he may, and very 
 
 many 
 
 f Nulla ab 
 iti tantapo- 
 t eft fieri cor- 
 ruptio, quan- 
 ta eft Sch'u 
 fmatisperrj. 
 cf£j.lrcn.f*4J 
 c. 62. 
 
46 | 
 
 The matchlefs Sinfulness 
 
 many there are chat do,) To as it never (hall fun 
 out, either at WisTongue's or his Finger's end, is 
 no body s Enemy but his own ; js a regular Ci- 
 tizen, and agoodSubjeft, living friendly wich 
 his Neighbours, and in an uniform Obedience 
 to his Superiors. Whereas a Schifmatick, as 
 he is fucb , does alfo offend againft Peace and 
 Charity ; and cannot poflibly keep his Schilm 
 unto himfelf, but needs mull hurt others with it, 
 becaule'tis publick in its own Nature, and can- 
 not be Schifm, unlefs it be Co. For hefeparates 
 himfelf from the publick Worjbip ; affronts the 
 Governors , and fcorns the Government of the 
 Church ; cuts himfelf off from the Communion 
 of the Body ofchriji ; fets up Alcar againft Al- 
 tar, Dan and Bethel againft Jerufalem and Sion ; 
 ihtsupaMiniftryof his cmvz making, againft a 
 Priefthood ovdzxn'd by God*, abetts a Conventicle 
 prohibited by God and Mz/7, againft a Church 
 fet apart by the Laws of ffcrtA ; like Jeroboam 
 downright, whofeSin confided in This efpecial- 
 ly, that he made Ifrael to Sin. Now an attive 
 Divider in and of the Church of God, muft 
 needs be worfe than any other , who is but paf- 
 fively divided and cut oft from her. And to 
 deftroy a whole Society by fubverting the whole 
 Legi/lathe power, muft needs be worfe than to 
 
 violate 
 
of SCHISM. 
 
 47 
 
 violates particular Law. And Thac which 
 makes way for all the Hxrefies in the world, as 
 well as for all the Immoralities of life, ( which 
 Schifn does evidently do, ) mud needs be worfe 
 than any Hderefie, which does onely make way 
 for itfelf And fo a Schifnatick is the more im- 
 pious, and the more mifchievom of the two. 
 Again, a Schifmatick is worfe than a fimple 
 Hjeretick a s fuch, not tbrthh reafon onely, be- 
 caufe a unions Practice is naturally worfe than 
 a wrong Opinion ; (though that is reafon great 
 enough ;) b Jt for this other reafon alfo, (not 
 fo commonly obferv'd as I wiflh it were,) be- 
 caufe a Schifmatickjpfofafto is moftly an*H<ere- 
 tick into the Bargain. For befides his renoun- 
 cing the Nin h Article of the Creed, (that Form 
 of found words deliver'd to us by thrift's A- 
 poft'es,) The holy Catholick Church, and The 
 Communion of Saints ; (duly expounded and 
 understood;) I fay, befides That, He flarly 
 defyifes, and detefts ( for 'cis a little thing to 
 fay , he difowns, and disbelieves,} That prin- 
 cipal DoVirin of the Gofpel, That Fundamen- 
 tal of Chrifiianity, That great Ejfntial to All 
 Religion , that we muft heartily fubmit to e- 
 vcry Ordinance of Man ; and that as well for 
 the Lord's fahg , as for our own ; nor one- 
 
 G ly 
 
 * Hicron. ad 
 Tit. c. 3. See 
 Dr. Ham. of 
 SchifoijC.i. 
 
 P 7- 
 
 1 Per. 2. 
 
4 8 
 
 The matcklefs Sinfnlnefs 
 
 *Rom.i3.$. 
 
 Eph, 4. 3. 
 
 ly for fear of Wrath , but for *Confcience fake* 
 § 5. Why lchufeto call Thxs^a principal Doc- 
 trin of the Go/pel^ a Fundamental of Chnfiianity, 
 and the great Effential to AH Religion, I Teem to 
 my (elf to have Co man) and great Reafons, that if 
 they were every- where urged, and laid to heart , 
 (efpeciaily by the Parties who are the haft aware 
 of them,but moft concern d to take them in,) they 
 might fuffice to puc an end to thofe numerous 
 Schifms, which now do threaten to put an end to 
 our whole Religion. The Doctrin of Obedience to 
 humane Governours zn&Lawsjs certainly the ap- 
 teft of any other, (next to that of our Obedience to 
 Godhimfelf whereof this Do&rin is a moft necef- 
 fary part too,) to keep the unity of the Spirit in the 
 Bund of Peace ; and to congregate into one Body 
 the moft disjoynted and Icatter'd Members in 
 Church and Srate. A Do&rin laid for this pur- 
 pole by God the Father,from the Foundations of 
 thefforld; and that in the Law oi'thejirft Crea- 
 tion A Do&rin propagated by Mofes^s Taught of 
 God to teach others. A DodLrinperfeftedbyChri/l, 
 as by the Wifedom of the Father, who prayed his 
 Followers might be one^cven as his Father and He 
 were one: (Joh.if.n.} which yet without Obe- 
 dience to this very Do&rin can never be. A Doc- 
 ftrin inculcated and inforced by God the Holy 
 
 Ghofi, 
 
of SCHISM. 
 
 49 
 
 Ghojl, as by the Spirit of Love, and Meeknefs, of J 
 Peacejm&Vnion. A Doftrin extended to AllAu^ 
 thority upon Earth; not onely Regal'm the firft 
 place, ( i Pet. 2. 13.) but Ecclefiaflical in the 
 fecond, ( Heb. 13. 17.) To fummcup all in a 
 word, There is not a Do&rin in all the Gofpel, 
 either more earneftly, or more affiduoufly, either 
 more plainly, or more exprejlj prefcribed to us, 
 ( and that under pain of Damnation too,) than 
 that of our uniform Obedience to All that are 
 over m in Authority. 1 fay, to All; not onely 
 to the Befti (the Good and Gentle,*) but as well 
 to the tporfti and wo/Z */r0^n/Governours. 
 
 §6. It is not onely mod foolifily, but mod 
 nefarioufly pretended, that the Piety, or Impiety, 
 the Religion,ov Ir religion, of them that are over us> 
 in the Lord , can either widen, or contraffi our 
 divine Obligation to ftridt Ooedience. Eor never 
 was any incarnate Devil move incomparably im- 
 pious than thofe Emperours of Rome, Tiber iut 
 and Nero ; whom yet our Saviour and S. Paul 
 commanded their Followers to obey, and fl3g/ V 
 Themfeloes. Fox Obedience to Magifirates being 
 (?/" Divine right y ftrongly founded upon the Jf/7/ 
 and the Word of God , and even /wf of our 
 Obedience to G<?<7 Himfelf, ( whilft it is paid to that 
 Authority which God has commanded us to 
 
 G 2 pay 
 
 *iPet.2.i8. 
 
5° 
 
 The matcblefr Sinfrlneft 
 
 pay an Obedience to, J) cannot poflibly be due 
 to the men, as men, or to the Goo J, as they are 
 Good; but to the Magifirates or Majlers redu~ 
 plicative, as they are fuch : 'Tis due to the Go- 
 vernours as they are Governours,znd as the Ordi- 
 nance of God '; let their Practices and Opinions 
 be what they will. 
 
 § 7« 'Tis true, when our Governours are 
 Vfurpers, or (being None) do command us 
 what God forbids ; 7/?ere there lies rf# Exception 
 to our Obedience, duetoGc?^, rather than Man. 
 But This Exception makes ftrongly for <?// I have 
 hitherto faid ; and that by virtue of the old 
 Axiom, Exceptio firmat Regulam in non excepts. 
 So that by this Rule and Reafon, that when God 
 and His Deputies do (land in competition for our 
 Obedience, God mutt, have our whole Aflive, and 
 His Deputies our Pajjive Obedience onely ; It 
 cannot but follow, that when our Governours 
 zxt rightfully and do onely command what God 
 does no-where forbid , or do onely forbid what 
 God does no-vbere command us, There we mud 
 obey God, by obeying Man: there being no other 
 way of pay ing God our ObedienceJn fuch a cafe. 
 ForThere our Governours Command is the Com- 
 mand of God too. There the very fame Law 
 which is immediately Humane, is alio mediately 
 
 Divine : 
 
of SCHISM. 
 
 5 1 
 
 Divine; Becaufe we There are commanded by 
 That Authority upon Earth, which in the Old 
 and New Teftament God has commanded us to 
 obey. Nor is there any one Duty, belonging to 
 I us as Men or Chrijtians, which God is pleas'd to 
 make a ftri&er Provifion for. We are no more 
 commanded to fear God \ than to honour the 
 King: nor are we more forbidden to worflnj) 
 Idols y than to rejijl or difobey fuch as are over 
 U6 in Authority. 
 
 § 8. This I do the rather inlift upon, in 
 my Defign upon the Welfare and the Converfion 
 of our Schifnaticks, ( the mod Dif orderly WaU 
 ^7*5 of all my Text alludes to, or comprehends 
 in its Importance, ) becaufe 1 can no more fepa- 
 rate (no not fomuch as in my C nception) the 
 Sin of Schifm from Pifobediefictto jttfi Authority, 
 than Vifobedience from Jltbt f ^on againft the 
 Gojpel, or a State of Damnation from either ol 
 them. Thev are all three united in the Schi- 
 fmatich of old, as S. fade del c:\bes them. For, 
 fpeaking in his Epirtle of Certain men crept in 
 unawares, defpifing Dominion, and ffeaking evil 
 of Dignities, Clouds without Water carried about 
 of Winds, raging Waves of the Sea, foaming out 
 their own fhame , wandring Stars, to whom h 
 rcfrved the blacknfi of darkriefl for ever ; He 
 
 G 3 proceeds 
 
 ]udc 4. 
 
 12. 
 
5 
 
 The matcblefs Sinfulneff 
 
 1 6. 
 
 19. 
 
 proceeds in his Defcription to call them Mur- 
 mur ers 5 Complainers , Walking after their own 
 Lufts, Separating ihe;nftlves [from the Church 
 Eftabliflh'dJ and pretending to have, but in- 
 deed having not the Spirit. This is Si Judes 
 Hypotypofis or Defcription of the Gnoftickj , 
 who were the fir ft and worft Schifmaticks , the 
 fir ft and worft Hxreticks, the fir ft and worft Re- 
 bels in the Primitive Church ; the fir ft who fepa- 
 rated ther/ifelves upon this account, that they 
 thought them&lvesperfefterandpurer Chriftians 
 than others were ; the firft who preached up 
 Chriftian Liberty to confift in an Exemption from 
 all Authority upon Earth, from all Superiours 
 whatfoever, whether M afters , or Kings, or A- 
 poftles and G over nours of the Church ; The fir ft 
 we meet, with in all the Gofpel match'd and par- 
 allel'd ( for wickednefs ) with Cain and Core, 
 yea with Sodom and Gomorrah, yea with Thofe 
 Schifmaticks in Heaven, the Ange J s that kept not 
 their firfi Eflate, but left their own Habitation, 
 ( v. 6* ) and were thrown headlong by their 
 Schiftn from Heaven to Hell ; Briefly, the fir ft 
 in the New Teftament, who are fet forth for an 
 Example, ( as Sodom and Gomorrah were in the 
 Old,) oifuffering the Vengeance of eternal Fire, 
 (therein tormented day and night for ever and 
 
 ever^ 
 
ofSCHISM. | 53 
 
 ever, Rev. 20. 10.) And fo they are paralleled 
 ( for their Mifery, as well as Sin J with them that 
 f par ate J themfelves from the Church Trium- 
 phant ; reftrved therefore by the Judge /# ez/er- ]ud e 5. 
 lifting Chains under Darknefs , unto the Judg- 
 ment of the Great Day. In all this S. Judt agrees 
 exadtly with S. Paul^ ( 1 7im.6. 3,4,5.) and 06 
 exactly with S. Peter, ( in his whole 2 d Chap- 
 ter of his 2 d Epiftle,) as if the one had taken 
 Notes out of the other. No lefs terrible are the 
 Expreflions of the Epijile to the Hebrews, con- 
 cerning fuch as perfvere in the Sin ofSchifm, 
 Heb. 1 0.23,2 5. to v* 30, where They that do not 
 hold fafl the Profeffion of the Faith without wa- 
 vering, (v. 23.) but for fake the Affembling of 
 themfelves together, ( at the Seated Times and 
 Places by jult Authority appointed, ) a* the 
 manner of fome k 7 ( v. 25. ) are inferred to fin 
 wilfully, after they have received the knowledge of 
 the Truth, (v. 26.) and there remains nothing 
 for fuch y but a certain fearfull looking Jor oj 
 Judgment and fiery Indignation, ( v, 27^) 
 
 § 9. Nor indeed is ic a wonder that the Holy 
 G h off s Penmen and Amanuenfei fhould let them, 
 felves, as 'twere on purpo;e, to terrific Schifma 
 ticks from their Schifms, and to perfuade them 
 into Confbrmicy, by (hewing the Terr ours oftbt 
 
 Lord 
 
54 The match left Sinfulnefs 
 
 Lord; by thundering out Damnation, more to 
 That lingle Sin, than to all the reft : For a wil- 
 full and a Groundkfl Separation from the Catho- 
 UcK&nd Apo/iolukChurch, or fron a National 
 Church onely, which is a true Part of the Vriu 
 verfal, ( fuch as is the Church of* England , 
 where nothing (infull is required as the Condi- 
 tion of our Communion,) whether by Breach 
 of that Communim in which a man ought to have 
 continued, or by a Refufal of that Communion 
 which 'tis his Duty to be of, ( and that as well 
 by Divine as by humane Laws,) is fo infinitely 
 far from walking order lj, or according to the Tra- 
 dition we have received of S.Paul , (-that is, 
 according to the Rule of a Christian Life, de- 
 livered to us in the Scriptures,) that 'tis to give 
 the greatefi Scandal which can be given to 
 Chrifts Enemies, and tends to make the whole 
 Gofyel of none effeft. It helps to juflifie the Turkj, 
 the Jews, and Gentiles, in the Prejudices they 
 have to the Chriftian Name. It helps to harden 
 them in their hatreds ^ndewen tacitly forbids them 
 to be Believers/T'is true that Haerefie and Schifm 
 do fo agree in onegenerical Signification, that 
 H&refie is Schifm in point of Dolu in, and Schifm 
 is Hderefie in point of Vfe. But they are fo very 
 different in theix ftecifical acceptions,that Schifn 
 
 is 
 
cf SC til S M. 
 
 55 
 
 is many ways the worfe, as 1 faid before. And 
 if S. Paul by the word H&refits does *not fig. 
 n\het\v:mBoth, it follows chac H<#refie of h/elj 
 is rank'd with Hatred, Idolatry, Witchcrajt,Mur- 
 thers, Gal.5. 19,20,21. And then how dam- 
 ning a Sin is Schifm, whereof H&refie is but a 
 Part, as I fbew'd before ? This is alfo there 
 reckond among the Works of the Fleflj. For 
 Hatred , Variance, Emulations, Wrath, Strife, 
 Seditions, what are they all, but feveral Mem- 
 bers or Concomitants of Schifm ? implying 
 Schifm to be a Syflem or: Body of Sin epitomized. 
 S. Paul accordingly fpeaks of Schifm, as of a 
 complicated Carnality, which (like the prover- 
 bial Trojan Horfe ) carries an Army of Impieties 
 within its Bowels. 'Twas That ( by way of 
 eminence^) S.Paul accufed, of having made his 
 Corinthians carnal. And the Charafter which 
 isgiventothe Double-minded man (Jam.\$d 
 belongs as well to the Schifm itical or Carnal- 
 minded man, that he is unfiable in all hiswayso 
 For fuch exaftly is the Schi/matick by way of 
 peculiarity; who having fain from his Center, 
 £ The Church of God, ] knows not after where 
 to fix ; but wanders about from Seft to Sedt, 
 from Party to Party from Hserefie to Hjerefie, 
 from Schifm to Schifm, andy<9 indeed does try 
 
 H all 
 
 * Nore ihat 
 
 placed afrer 
 cupicren may 
 well fignifie 
 Schifm /, be- 
 cause die 
 word is To 
 taken Rom. 
 16. 17. and 
 becaufe 
 Schifms are 
 a kind of 
 EcclefiaJUcal 
 Seditions. 
 
 iiCor.3.3>4- 
 
5* 
 
 Tic matcblep Stnfulnefs 
 
 * Pejui hoc 
 ctimen eft, 
 qucim quod 
 adtnifjje 
 Lap/i xhden- 
 tur. Cyprian. 
 de Vnitate 
 Ecclefis. 
 
 Fufcb. / 6. 
 c j6. 
 
 all things, (in a molt perverfe zndfeevi/ft fenfe,) 
 as never to hold faji what it good. Experience 
 is the Mifirifs by which we have been taught 
 This. ( I mean the wofull Experience of Six and 
 Thirty years old. ) And we are molt prodigious 
 Dunces, if after fo many years Injlruttion in the 
 School of Affliftion and Experience, we are no 
 whit the wifer for fuch a Lejfon. For what things 
 are there in Holy Writ, (how eflential foever to 
 Chriftianity,) which have not beenquefiiond, 
 and diluted, if not denfd, and rejected, fince 
 Schiftn took piace in the Chair of Scorn ? To 
 thk alone we owe the raging of the Sea, and the 
 roaring of the Waves, whereby the Madnejl of the 
 People is oft exprefs'd. To this alone we owe 
 the Legion, I do not fiy onely of Creeds, of Re- 
 ligiofities, of Vogmatizings here in England, 
 ( fince the year 41. in efpecial manner, ) but 
 even of Skspticifm , Apofiafy , and of Atheijm 
 itfel/; 
 
 ^ 10. Now if any aredefirous to know the 
 Beafons, why our Schifmatickj* rather than 0- 
 f/jcTx, (however Scandalous in their lives,) are 
 fingVd cut fiom the whole //er</ of Notorious 
 Sinners, to be paradigmatic* das diforderfyWal- 
 kers, frcm whom we are *moft to withdraw our- 
 [elves ; 1 fhall endeavour their Satisfaction by 
 
 thefe 
 
of SCHISM. 
 
 thefe 4 Reafons. Firft, becaufe of all Sinners, 
 They feem to be the mod dejlitute of Chriftian 
 Meeknejl and Humility. Next , becaufe of all 
 Sinners, they are the moft w/^/ofChriftian Cha- 
 rity, as That is Superiour to Faith and Hope. 
 Thirdly, becaufe of all Sinners, they are the 
 greateft Vnder miners of Society and Govern- 
 ment ; the greateft Adverfaries to G<?</, as the 
 God of Order; the greateft Dijlurbeh (and the 
 x&ofk danger out) of private Propriety, and pub. 
 Y\ck?eace. Laftly, becaufe of all Sinners, our 
 Schifmaticks here in England are the moft bar- 
 baroufly ingratefull, and moft deplorably un- 
 excufable of any other, I am very much mifta- 
 ken , if I have not great reafon for thefe 4 Rea- 
 fons. But whether fo, or not fo, I leave to the 
 Judgment of my Super iours ; and content my 
 felf with This , that ( without any paffion ) I 
 fpeak mine own. 
 
 4 if. To the firftofmy 4 Reafons I pre- 
 mite S. Paul's Character touching Schifmaticks 
 in general ; towit^ that they confent not to whol- 
 form words, and the Doftrin which is according 
 to Godlinefi ; but are proud, knowing nothing, 
 doat about Quejlions, and Strifes of words, where- 
 of comet h Envy, Strife, Railings, evil Surmifes, 
 perverfe Diffutings of men of corrupt Minds, and 
 
 H 2 dejlitute 
 
 57 
 
 1. 
 
 2. 
 
 4. 
 
 1 Tim.6. 3, 
 
5» 
 
 The matcklefs Sinfnlnefs 
 
 2 Pec 
 
 2. 10, 
 
 Jefiituteofthe Truth, bronfuch ( fays he to 
 Timothy J withdraw thy felf. S. Peter adds, 
 They are prefumptuom^ feifmlF '</, </*$//£ Govern- 
 ment, havejorfaken the right Path, and are gone 
 ajlray. Now from Scripcure thus fpeaking, let 
 us rej/ra the cafe a little, and then apply it. Can 
 any be farther from Humility, than //^ who 
 &/70B? nothing, and yet are />rW of their Know- 
 ledge ? Cart any Pride be more prodigious, than 
 that by which the very bafeji and the moft dfy^i- 
 cable of Subjects do not onely tf^/w, but ^- 
 /^//^ their Governcurs ? nor onely the Perfons, 
 who are but 3&72, but even Government it felf , 
 which is avowedly Divine in its Inftitujon? 
 The Apoftle's Expreflion is rich and elegant, as 
 well as *n/e. F or to defpife, or contemn, lode- 
 pretiate and /a?/*7?, and as it were to look, down 
 upon Thofe above us, does not favour of a vuU 
 gar, or of a middle-fiz^d Pride, but of f r/Ve 
 r# /7s Exaltation. Can any /V/V* be more mon- 
 from, than for vile Dufi and Afhes even to LW- 
 yfo Itfelf? yet the Schifmatick feems to doe it 
 in Three refpefts. For fir ft , he arrogates to 
 himfelf God's Incommunicable Attribute, whilft 
 he founds his groifeft Errours upon an Infalli- 
 bility : which he dees nor onely afcribe (as 
 othas do wiih more modefry , and fhew of 
 
 ReafonJ 
 
of SCHISM. 
 
 59 
 
 ftdfcn, although 'tis no more than a jbtv of 
 iReafon,) to the whole, cither dijfufive, or repre- 
 fentaiive Church ; but to his own individual Per- 
 form ailed ffoifooth) and over-ailed by That 
 which he calls (fpeaking out of his own Heart) 
 the infallible Spirit of God. In any Controverfie 
 arifing touching the fenfe ofany Scripture, He 
 does not appeal to the Original, or Context, to 
 Fathers, or Councils, or Commentators, (all ri/- 
 rtf^in /^Efteem,) but to Illumination, and /?e- 
 velation,^nd The Tejiimony within him. Nor can 1 
 imagin what flhould keep him from returning in- 
 to the Church he has turned from unlefs it be the 
 worfi Effefi ohhegreateft Pride, zfhamefulnefi to 
 confefl he has ever err'd. Next he Deifies himfelf 
 by not enduring God's Toke->0£ indeed that God 
 fihould reign over him. For if the Powers that are 
 on Earth are ordain d by God,(zsS>Paul affirms,) 
 it is evident that we live under a ®w*e9weta.j 
 that God, by Then, does reign over u* ; and 
 tfojf that refifl /ball receive Damnation , be- 
 caufe they will not be undzr God. Tnis is cer- 
 tainly at the Bottom both of S.Judes^ and 
 S. Paul's, and S. Peter's reafonings, when they 
 infer eternal Torments (as they every- where do) 
 from Di fob: dunce to the Authorities , and v the 
 lawful! Commands of Men. Befides, theSchif- 
 
 H 3 matick 
 
6o 
 
 The matcblefs Sinfulness 
 
 Ifa. 6$. 5. 
 
 rnatick Teems to Deifie himfelf by feating him- 
 felf on the Throne of God, and undertaking to 
 beffo 7^^ of Quick and Dead ; by opening 
 the Seals of the &k>4 of life ; and expounding 
 God's Decrees of Particular mens States from all 
 Eternity. He takes upon him before the Har- 
 veft, to fever the Wheat from the Tares, and 
 the Sheep from the Goats. He fbrfooth , and 
 his Party , and none befides , are the Elett ; 
 whilft all from whom they All feparate, are 
 Veflelsof Wrath and Reprobation. Again, how 
 far is That Profefibr from Chriftian Meeknefi, 
 who fays as the Schifmatickj did of old, in the 
 Prophet Efa. Stand farther off, come not near 
 me, for I am holier than Thou? thanking God 
 that he is not at other men are, neither a Sab- 
 bath-breaker, nor Swearer, nor even as this or 
 that Publican; no Conformifl, no Royaliji, nor 
 even as this or that Excize-man, gathering Tri- 
 bute-money forCtffar: and proudly taking to 
 his Party the name of Saints at every turn , 
 which he denies to the Apofiles in all Difcourfe 
 he makes of them on all occaiions. Briefly, for 
 aPerfon of very low Parts, and little Learning, 
 of contemptible Education, and fmall Improve- 
 ments, tofeparate from a Great and Admired 
 Church, The Church of England, and from the 
 
 Devo- 
 
of SCHISM. 
 
 61 
 
 Devotions of the lame in her Pubiick Liturgy, 
 All contrived by the Wtfedom, directed by the 
 Learnings embraced by the Piety , eftablifhed 
 by the Authority of fuch a Nation, confirmed 
 by at lead 33 Acts of Parliament, and by as 
 many Convocations, or Reprefentatives of the 
 Clergy, fign'd and (eal'd by the Sufferings of 
 many Conftffors and Martyrs, laftly, afferted 
 and defended againft the Wit and the Malice of 
 all Opponents ; 1 fay, foraperfon groOy igno- 
 rant, and knowing nothing in companion , to 
 [corn or pity all his Teachers , as Fools' and 
 Blind ; for him to think he fees more or better, 
 than the two Vniverfities put together , com- 
 monly caird the two Eyes of this National Body^ 
 ( which is as if thefilliefl Sheep that ever leap d 
 out of a Fold., ftiould take upon them both to 
 guide and to feed their Shepherd^ This does 
 argue fuch an Arrogance, Self-conceitednefi, and 
 Pride, as no Rhctorick can exprefs, no Charity 
 excufe, no Humilicy not cenfure. Although 
 Novatu* was made a Schifmatick by z proud opi- 
 nion of his own Purity, and by his carnal Am- 
 bition to head a Party, as Simon Magm did the 
 Gnofticks in the Apoftles own Times , on the 
 fame account ; yet now the Copy and Tranjla- 
 twn has [0 outdone its Original, that our Schif- 
 , maticks 
 
62 
 
 The matchlefs Sinfulnefs 
 
 Pfal. 149.8. 
 
 maticks have accusd the Laws and Canons 
 ( for Uniformity ) of being Such. They could 
 approve of moft things, in cafe they were not 
 impos'd by Law. The very Reafon why they 
 oughts is the Reafon they will not ferve God 
 in order. They dare not doe what they know 
 they may lawfully, for fear they fhould/era 
 to think an human Law binding. The onely 
 fault of our Liturgy , is irs having been com- 
 pos' d Authorized) and made ufeof by the wifeft 
 and the Befi of our Englifh World, efpecially 
 by the Goaernours in Church and State. They 
 will have Parliaments and Synods ftrike fail to 
 Them. Whatfoever is Great or Sacred is mar- 
 ked out for the objeft of their Contempt. Un- 
 lefs Antiquity and Authority will condefcend 
 andftoop to them, yea unlefs they may tread 
 upon Crowns and Scepters , there is not any 
 thing will pleafe them, or give them reft. For- 
 footh They want a main part of their Chrifiian 
 Liberty, unlefs they may not onely be fuffer'd 
 to cafi away their Cords from them , but alfo 
 to bind their Kings in Chains^ and their Nobles 
 with links of Iron. 
 
 § 1 2. Nor are our Schijmatlchj onely arrived 
 at the Top of Fride % (which is my firfi reafon,) 
 but they are alfo funk down even below the 
 
 very 
 
of SCHISM. 
 
 69 
 
 very Bottom of Chriflian Charity, (which is my 
 fecond.) For Charity thinkjtth no evil^ but our 
 Sch/fmaticks nothing elfe. They carmoc/Je their 
 oivn Eyes , much lefs the Beams than are in 
 them; bin in the Eye of a Conformijt they can 
 fee every Mote, and eafily /<?<?£, ft into a Moun- 
 tain. They perfectly hate, whom foe ver they 
 have injur d for being blamelefi ; that \s, for re- 
 fufing to walk with Them in the ways of Corah : 
 And if we ftrive to Joe all things (in the pub- 
 lick worfhip ofGod ) with any Decency or Or- 
 der, as S. Paul and our Governours do ftriSIy 
 bind us; they pretend to fee nothing, ( fuch is 
 iheyellow , or black Jaundife of Malignity and 
 Prejudice,) but either Popery or Paganifm in all 
 our Service. Hence they feparate from ut , 
 ( though not Chriftians onely, but Proteflants^) 
 with no lefs aver/ion ( in all appearance,) than 
 from Papifis, and Pagans, and Zr/V/zfo of Satan. 
 Nor can they rationally deny, that they efteem 
 us as bad as either : for if they judge not our 
 Communion to be as abfolutely Vnlawfull, as they 
 do their own Communion to be ofabfolute Neceffi- 
 ty to their Salvation, they cannot feparate from 
 U6, and excufe themfelves at the fame time. They 
 will not pretend 'they are unwilling to go to Hea- 
 ven in our Company ; but that they leave us as 
 
 I going 
 
 1 Cor. 13. $. 
 
64 
 
 Etft tales oc- 
 ciji in Con- 
 fef:one nmi- 
 m< fuerint y 
 Micula ifta 
 nee [anguine 
 abluhur j 
 Ir.exftabilU 
 culpa Di^or- 
 Jrji y nee paf- 
 fione pur^a* 
 tur. Opriart. 
 de hnit. Eccl. 
 1 Or. 13. 
 
 The matchless Sinfulnefs 
 
 going on in the way to Hell. This muft needs 
 be their meaning, or elfe they cannot excufe 
 them [elves unto t hern/elves. So as they muft be 
 void of Charity by either fide of the Dilemma. 
 For either they really Jo believe us to be as well 
 their fellow-Saints as their fellow-Subjefts , or 
 they do not : truly if they do not, they then arc 
 void of all Charity to Vs, in thinking nothing 
 but evil of us; not the bejl our Cafe will &w, 
 but the worfi to be imagined. And ( on the 
 other fide ) if they do, they are at the lead as 
 void of Charity to Ihemfelves, and do defpife 
 their own Souls, by excommunicating themfelves 
 from their fellow- Saints. For what Pretenfe 
 can they have for their feparating from^, if 
 they think us Chriffs Members, as well as They? 
 The terrible Saving of S. Cyprian, [that^fo/*- 
 tjrdom is not fufficient to make amends for a maris 
 Schifm,'] is as true, as 'tis notorious, and as 
 rational, as 'tis true. And yet it can be nei- 
 ther, unlefs it be on this Ground, that Schifm 
 is exclufive of C hrifiian Charity : on which fup- 
 pofal S.Cyprian did llrongly argue out ofS. Paul. 
 Though I fpeak. with the Tongues of Men and 
 Angels., th ugh 1 have the Gift ofProphecj, Faith, 
 and Know 1 edge ^ though I be/iow all my Goods to 
 fad the Poor, \x\ly, though ( by Martyrdom) 
 
 I give 
 
of SCHISM. | 6 5 
 
 I give my Body to be burnt, and have not Charity, 
 itprofitetb me nothing. But if I live in Schifm, 
 I have no Charity; becaufe I feparate my felf 
 ( as from the Children of the Devil) from many 
 Thoufands of thoufands better Men , better 
 Chrifiians., better Protejlants than my felf And 
 fo my Alms in that cafe are but OJientation : my 
 yielding up my felf to be burnt alive, is a mad 
 kind of Martyrdom in fuch a Cafe ; 'tis but a 
 Sacrifice to my Humour, to my Obflinacy, and 
 Stomack-> like that of Clement and Ravilliac, 
 who died Martyrs to the Popedom, and not to 
 Cbrifl ; or like the Martyrdom ofHierocks, who 
 writ a Book againft Chrifl, and after That at By- 
 zantium died a Martyr to his Stoicifm, as our 
 Englifh Regicides to their Fanaticifm, and Van- 
 ninu* to his Atheifm. Thofe alone were the 
 Deities which they ador'd, and died for. Tis 
 not the Bravery of the Sufferer , but the Divinity 
 of the Caufe, which makes a Martyrdom azer/- 
 toriou* ( if any properly can be fuch ) in any 
 meafure : and fo S. Cyprian faid rightly, (being 
 but rightly underftood,) that even Martyrdom 
 cannot expiate the Sin of Schifm. 
 
 §13. Thirdly, Schifn is deflrutiive, (in its 
 Tendency at lead:,) not onely of Government , 
 wherefoever there # any ; but of Society itfelf. 
 
 I 2 upon 
 
66 
 
 The mat chiefs Sinfulnefs 
 
 * Optatus 
 /.i. j>. 25. 
 
 upon a fuppofal chat there is none. Every 
 body knows, (as well as Machiavef,) tha.t to 
 divide? is to infeeble, and fo the very ihorteft 
 way to deflroy a Nation. The Church of Eng- 
 land is but one, and in its Unity lies its Safety ^ 
 becaufe its Strength, But many and many are 
 iheSefis, which Schifm has made by dividing 
 from her ; and fb it is a Itez/z7 whoe name is 
 Legion. For the <^<3s of which Legion, we 
 (hall not need confult more, than our own Me- 
 mories and Experience. For from the year 4 1 
 till 60 ? all our National Calamities began m 
 Schifm ; \n Schifm they continued ; and if ever 
 they are completed , 'twill be in Schifm too. 
 Schifm was o//n, as it was Corah's firfi: Crime. 
 For though Mutiny and Rebellion were the natu- 
 ral ^/fo of it, (as Schifm in the Church does ever 
 carry F aViion in the State along with it;) yet 
 'twas chiefly as a *Schifmaticki that Cw^ was 
 fwallow'd up alive, and his feparate Congregati- 
 on together with him. ? Twas Schifm which did 
 fet up The Affembly of Divines, againft our regu- 
 lar Convocations and National Synods of the 
 Clergy. 'Twas That that let up the Directory, a- 
 gainft the Liturgy of the Church, 9 Twas Schifm 
 made Sacrilege, and a 5We of the Crown-Lands, 
 and kilPd Gc^'s Anointed "m order to it. But 
 
 for 
 
of SCHI S At. 
 
 6 7 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 for Schifn, we had not heard eirher of Plunder, 
 or Stquefiration ; the found of thofe Names 
 had never'reach'd our Englifih Ears. 'Twas 
 Schifn call'd Strength the Law ofjujiice. 'twas 
 Schifm which founded all Right in Dominion, 
 and Right of Dominion onely in Grace ; and fo 
 ( by their Doarih of irrefpe&ive and neceffita- 
 ting Decrees,) inferred the Great Turk to have 
 much more Grace than our Chriftian Princes, be- 
 caufe more Right, by more Dominion. Finally, 
 Schifn was the Darn of all the Blafphemies, both 
 of thofe and the prefent Times. The Leviathan 
 itfelf was but the 5jtajra of That Parent t Behind 
 the Veil of Toleration, which Schifm begut too, 
 and under the Prote&ion of Chrifian Liberty, 
 which Schifm expounded into what we now fee it, 
 Horrid Ochlocracy > and Chirocracy , and ugly 
 Anarchy itfelf, has been hatching, or ingendring, 
 ever fince 'Monarchy was rellor'ch For fome are 
 longing after the fljaw/zs and the F left-pots of 
 &gypt) as much as ever. And as we have liv'd 
 to lee a Triumph without a JFtf/-, era Skirmif), 
 ( in the moft happy Refufcitation of God's 
 Spoufe, and his Vicegerent ; ) fo do we live to 
 fee a ^r too, within the Bowells of Church and 
 State, without other Weapons than thofe of 
 Schifm. For our Schifmaticks are an itfraj, 
 
 I 3 how- 
 
68 
 
 The matcblefi Sinfulness 
 
 however yet without Arms. Happy we, that 
 they are fo ; and mod unhappy, if they are 
 otherwife. For hardly ever were there Schif- 
 matickj (in any Fart or Age of the Chrilrian 
 WorkQ wichouc this Turkljb and Popijb Prin- 
 ciple, that Religion is to be propagated (where 
 'tis po/Iible) by the Swore/. 
 
 §14. Laftiy, our Schifmatich here in Eng- 
 land are of all others the moft ingratefull, and 
 unexcufable in their Schifm. The moft ingrate- 
 full; becaufe by Thofe very Laws, and under the 
 Protedion of thofe Legiflators, which they hate, 
 and defpifei and conffirt againft, they hold the 
 greateft Injoyments that men are capable of on 
 Earth ; towk, their Liberties, and their Safe- 
 ties, their Livelihoods, and their Lives. Again, 
 the moft unexcufable ; becaufe they cannot but 
 know, yea they cannot but acknowledge, ( and 
 their Chieftains do it in Print,} that we are 
 Chrifiians, and Proteftants, which they alfo pre- 
 tend to be: that we have all the Fundamentals 
 (which they pretend alfo to have) of the true 
 Religion; whether as it confifteth of Faith, or 
 ?raViice: we own the Creed ,and the Command- 
 ments, and the whole Word of God , as all (or 
 mijl of) our Schifmaticks pretend to doe. We 
 agree in all Effentials with All the Protejiant 
 
 Churches 
 
of SCHIS M. 
 
 09 
 
 Churches of" Chrifiendom, as The Harmcny oj 
 Confeffions will convince every Creature who 
 will but read them. Whence then the Murmu- 
 ring* and Difyutings ( againft Authoritative 
 Commands ) Co ftriftly forbidden by S. PauU 
 Philip. 2. 14? or what excufe can be found for 
 a Separation ? Let us examin the whole Affair 
 from Top to Bottom ; and let us confider what 
 they would have to make us worthy of their So- 
 ciety; and why they feparate from Vs of the 
 Church of England^ as CromPapifts^ if not Pa- 
 gans and Brands of Hell, as 1 (aid before. 
 'Tis plain, we do not worfhip Idols ; and 'tis 
 plain, we have none to worfhip. We add no 
 Articles of our making to the Apoftles own 
 Creed, (as we know who do.) Nor do we 
 pare away one of the Ten Commandments, and 
 flit another in the rnidjl, to complete the num- 
 ber. Nor do we equal the Apocrypha with the 
 Canonical Books of Scripture. We have but 
 two Sacraments ; and pray in Englijh. Wives 
 are permitted to our C /erg y ; and by Them to 
 the Lally the Cup of Bltffing. We do not buy 
 and fell Pardons ; nor do we truft in any Me- 
 rits favethofe oCChrifi. We pray for none at 
 all who are departed this Life ; and much lefs 
 to them. We renounce the ftrange Doftrin of 
 
 Iran- 
 
7° 
 
 The matchlefs Sinfulnefs 
 
 Rom. 1 2. 18. 
 
 Tranfubftantiation, as we do all Preteniions to 
 Infallibility upon Earth. If we yield che Bilhop 
 of Rome a naked Primacy of Order, w? do refufe 
 himatthefamelnflant all Supremacy of Power ; 
 and do limit his Jurifdi&ion within his own 
 own Diceceft, or Province. Then what Pretenfe 
 can any have , ( who are not Papalms Them- 
 [elves ,J to dread, or hate a Communion with 
 us? It Tome things indifferent, and uncomman- 
 ded in Holy Writ, do make them feparate from 
 U6 of the Church of England, They mud not 
 onely feparate (for the very fame reafon) from 
 all the Reformed Churches of Europe ; but they 
 muft feparate from Ihemfelves too, and from 
 their feparate Congregations, wherein forne things 
 mufl be Indifferent. I hope they will not here 
 alledge , They love Divifion quatenut ipfum ; 
 and that to crofi S. Paul's Precept, they love 
 06 much 06 in them lies to live unpeaceably with 
 all men ; or think it their Duty to be Difiurbers. 
 They will not fay, they are obliged to turn the 
 World up fide down, as once the Apojiles were faid 
 to doe, by Ill-will. They will not pretend they 
 are bound in Confcience, tofet up That Parti- 
 tion-Wall our Saviour came to break, down ; and 
 throw the World into a Chaos of Confufion, worfe 
 and wilder than That, out of which 'twas firft 
 
 tahn. 
 
of SCHISM. | 71 
 
 taken. Nor do I think that they will plead, 
 They were decreed to love Schifm, and cannot 
 help it. They will not fay (whateYe fome 
 think) that any man's Avarice was decreed 
 to midwive Schifm into the World, for the 
 Love of fweet Sacrilege , or other Spoils .• or 
 that his Envy was Predetermined to fow the 
 Fanes of Diffenfion for fweet Revenge : However 
 Envy and Ambition are as probable Impellents, 
 as any other. For, had Aerius been timely 
 made a Bifbop himfelf he had not envied That 
 Order , much lefs headed a. Sedt againfi it. And 
 were our Schifmaticks Legijlators, they would 
 inforct fuch a Conformity, as now they will not 
 forgive^ much lefs a>/B/>/)' iwfi&. They feem to 
 reckon themlelves opprejVd, in that they are not 
 permitted, much lefs made choife of to be our 
 Rulers. , Which yet by ffo/r Principles of Zi- 
 ^r^ and Confcience, ( as They expound them,) 
 they are incapable of being, (hould we </e//r£ 
 them. For if things which are Indifferent are 
 not properly the mattes of Human Laws , (as /w- 
 /zzflfl Laws are contradiftinft unto Divine J No- 
 thing elfe with any reafbn can be pretended fo to 
 be. For Neceffary things are all fufficiently 
 commanded by God already in his Word : and 
 All things unlawfull arc There as evidently for- 
 
 K bidden : 
 
7 
 
 The matcblefs Sinfulnefs 
 
 bidden : and things impoffible are not comman- 
 dabk at all. VRs very evident that the For- 
 mer, both affirmative and.negative, are the Di- 
 vine Laws of God, and in no wife human. So 
 chat if our difobedient and Schifmatical Bre- 
 thren fhould now be chefen or admitted our * Le- 
 gi/Jators ; Then by the Principles they are of, 
 (would they be but true to them,} there would 
 be but one Law (precifely human) which They 
 could poilibly enafi, and it muft be This ;. That 
 every Chriftian man living JJjouldbe a Law unto 
 Himfelf Every man's Reafon fhould be his 
 Guide ; and every man's Will fhould be his 
 Reafon. Therefore, according to their own 
 Principles, they cannot poffibly be our Rulers^ 
 if we would- have them. For every man s Rea- 
 fon would be his Royalty. All befides would 
 be Rulers, as much as They. And fo for Them 
 to be our Governours implies a grofs Contra- 
 diftion ; by nothing in the world to be avoided, 
 but by their quitting Their Principles, and ow- 
 ning ours. 
 
 Now I am tempted to appeal to our Schifma- 
 ticks themfelves, whether they are not dv*™\i- 
 }f*s i Sinners in whofe behalf no Apology can 
 be made. Whether they are not the worjt Re- 
 cufinrs, becaufe the moft unexcufab'e . Whether 
 
 they 
 
of SCHISM. 
 
 75 
 
 they are not worfe than Thofe who were accufed 
 by die Apoftle of being toffed to and fro by 
 every blajl, and carried about with every Wind 
 of falfe Qodtrin, when (not our Do&rins, true 
 or falfe, but) even our Surplices can [care them, 
 and Organs blow them out of the Church. Whe- 
 ther it will not be more tolerable in the tremen- 
 dous day of Judgment, for them that never were 
 Members of Jefa Chriji, than for them, who ha- 
 ving been Members, did excommunicate Them- 
 [elves, and even cut themfelves off from his 
 MyfticaiS^, which is his Church. Whether, 
 when the publick Safety cannot evermore lub- 
 fift without publick Peace, nor publick Peace 
 without Compliance on one fide or other, it is 
 not fitter that fuch as They (hould meekly com- 
 ply with their Superiours, than that their Supe- 
 riours fhould bow to Them ? Whether unyiel- 
 ding can be made better, than by the ignorant 
 to the moft learned, by the feweji to the mofi 
 numerous, by the Shrubs to the Cedars, or by 
 the Subjects of Law to the Legiflators. Indeed 
 Obedience to one another, that is to Equals, and 
 Obedience to Inferiours, or People exceedingly 
 below us, might be grievous and vexing with 
 fomeExcufe. However Chriji ians are (in love) , 
 bid to ferve one another ; and Chriji did mjb 
 
 K 2 £*5 
 
74 
 
 The matchlefs Sinfulness 
 
 his Difciples Veet ; and England has had her 
 Saturnalia ; during which, tome of che greaceft 
 and noblefi: Mafiers did indure a December of 
 Twelve years long, and did contentedly fee their 
 Servants t) bear Rule over them. But Obedience 
 co SuperiourSy to men above us (not againfi, 
 but) according to the Laws of Heaven and 
 Earth, ( fuch as was the Obedience of Ciy7/2 to 
 defar; for C6r/y? according to his Manhood 
 was buta5#/je<3, though £frg of Kings in re- 
 gard of his Divinity ; and 6^e/jr was one of 
 thofe Mortal Gods, who //t/V UkfiDevils y and 
 died like MenO i fay, Obedience unto Superiours 
 whom the Scripture calls Gc?;/$, is the moil 
 noble, and the mod natural, and the mofl: ne- 
 ceflary Duty ; fuch as bears up upon its flhoul- 
 ders (by God's Afliftance) both the whole 
 Fabrick of the Church, and all the Kingdoms 
 of the Earth, and of Heaven itfelf Whereas 
 Schifms are Pioneers, which digging below their 
 very Foundations, do clearly drive to under- 
 mine andfubvert them All. 
 
 § 15. I have now done with my 4 Rea- 
 fons, why our Schifmatick* rather than others, 
 (however fcandalous in their Lives,) are 
 (ingrd out from the whole Herd of Notorious 
 Sinners, to be made the chief Exemplars of dif- 
 
 orderly 
 
of SCHISM. 
 
 75 
 
 orderly Walking, from whom we are mo't to 
 withdraw our [elves* Thefe (I fay ) are the 
 chief reafons, why by this Precept of S. Paul, 
 compafd with Thofe of S. John, and our Blef- 
 fed Saviour y we are chiefly bound to feparate 
 from Separatifts. Yet would I not here be 
 thought to mean, that every Subjeft (hould be a 
 Judge, from What kind of Separates ( in Civil 
 Converfation) he ought to feparate. (for pub- 
 lick diforder and confufion might Thence en- 
 fue.} But I would be underftood to intend Thofe 
 Schifnatick, w h° are cenfured by their Gover- 
 nours and proper Judges to be Such. From a 
 civil Commerce mth fuch (and a commerce 
 of free choice) I think it a Duty to abftain , 
 and to abftain in fuch a meafure, as our Lord 
 and His Apofiles have markM out to us. 
 
 § 1 6, And now I may have done with my 
 Sermon too, but that 1 have remaining an hearty 
 Wi(h, that our Separating Brethren would un-j 
 paflionately confider Three obvious Truths! 
 Firft, that if Obedience to Chrifiian Governour's 
 and Laws is not really fo efftntial to Chriflia- 
 nityAtfelf, but thatftill it is poffible (asfome 
 imagin ) that Saints may be Schifrnaticks^ and 
 Schifmatich Saints, Then our Faith, and our 
 Preaching , yea and our Scriptures are all in 
 
 K 3 Z>tf/77i 
 
j 6 | The mate kiefs Sinfulnefs 
 
 iCor.9. 19, 
 
 20, 21,22, 
 3* 
 
 vain. Welcome Anarchy and Diforder ; and 
 Farewell to all Society. Next , chat however 
 Sin and Errour are very different in themfelves, 
 yet a Wilfulneft in Errour does make fuch an 
 Errour become a Wilfull Sin too. And the con- 
 temning of Authority, link'd with an obftinate 
 contumacious fomenting ofDivifions, is fuch a 
 Monfter,that the haft Errour of Judgment which 
 had been venial in it/elf, is by thefe Aggrava- 
 tions made great and grievous , and contra&s 
 unto itfetf as well a Diabolical , as Damning 
 Quality. Thirdly, that Schifm, were it 00 57#, 
 were very well worthy the parting with, for the 
 purchafing of fo pretious and lb ineftimable 
 z Jewell^ asPublickPeace; the fruits of which 
 (rightly us'd) are Piety find Profferity,Strength, 
 and Safety.- Twas for the purchafing of This, 
 that S. Paul had his Compliances with Jews ari^d 
 Gentiles. 'Twas for This that he yielded to cir- 
 cumcife Timothy ; and 'twas for This that he rc- 
 fufed to circumciik TitM ; (as well as for the 
 (hewing his Chriftian Liberty and obedience to 
 the Conciiiar Conftitution Then firft Ena&ed.) 
 'Twas his great Bufinefs and Defign, to make 
 the mod adverfe Parties agree in Chrifl. To 
 gain the Jews therefore, he deny'd himfelf the 
 ufi of his Chriftian Liberty : and as well to 
 
 win 
 
of SCHISM. 
 
 11 
 
 win the Gentiles, he refurrid the ufe of it with 
 equal Care. 'Twas to unite difienting Parties, 
 and make them meet in one Church , that the 
 Apofiles (meeting together in a full Council 
 atferufalcm) thought it requifite to eftablifjj 
 Things Indifferent by a Law. Thereby giving 
 a *Nece\Jity h parte pofi , to things Indifferent a 
 parte ante. It was to gain both Jews and Gen- 
 tiles, that our Lord xnfome things comply'd with 
 Both. And to hope that our hitherto- diffenting 
 Brethren , who now do enfeeble and indanger 
 both Church and State by their Difobedience, 
 will one day comfy with their Superiours upon 
 the Reafons I have given, (if by any fair means 
 they may be brought to their knowledge, and 
 laid before them,) is at prefent the greateft 
 Charity 1 can have for thofe men, who are void 
 of All Charity, till That is done. 
 
 ^17. Finally, Brethren, farewell : and 
 iufter a word of" Exhortation from S.Paul and 
 S. Peter, Both joyn'd together. Be ye all of 
 one mind, having companion one of another ; love 
 a6 Brethren, be pitifull, be curteous : ( CoS. Pe- 
 ter :J to which I add out of S. Paul, *&m?n- 
 p£* , be knit -together and compared, ( fo the 
 Greek,) or be ye pcrfefi , ( fo the Englifh,) 
 becaufe your being perfeft, muft confift in your 
 
 being 
 
 *Aa.i$. 
 
 29. 
 
 ■2*i 
 
 1 Pet. 3. 8. 
 
 2 Com 3.1 1 
 
78 I the matcblefs Sinfulnefsjkc. 
 
 Phil. 5. 16. 
 
 being well kniutogether and compared in one 
 Communion. Therefore walk, by the fame Rule, 
 and mind the fame things, live in Peace ; and 
 the God of Love and Peace JfjaU be with you. 
 
 To Him be Glory for ever and ever. 
 
 OF 
 
(79) 
 
 O F 
 
 CIRCUMSPECTION 
 
 In THESI. 
 
 E P H. 5. 15, 16. 
 
 See that ye walk circumfpeftly , not as Fools \ 
 but 06 Wife, Redeeming the Time, becaufe the 
 days are evil. 
 
 1. A S Philoftratu* once faid of Apollonim 
 f~\^ Tyan&us, » @i'gv 'A^M^/a, aM 5 ^SmSvjAwt 
 That he writ not his Life , but his Peregrina- 
 tion ; after the very fame manner may I fay 
 here , The Life of man is but * a Pilgrimage, 
 and that Pilgrimage but a Walk; A going up- 
 hill on one Tide«> and down-hill on the other. 
 Firftof all he walks up-hill, unt ill he comes to 
 his 3©**i or 40^ year ; And from thence he 
 walks down'bill,imt\\l he comes to four fcore. For 
 
 L AIL 
 
 * Gen. 47.9. 
 Heb. ri. 13; 
 
8o 
 
 Of Circumfpettion in Thefi. 
 
 * O 0i& 
 
 Hippocrar. 
 dphor. i. 
 'H £i>J jj- 
 
 %hv. Jam, 4. 
 
 tb i Sophoc. 
 *Hcb.i2.i. 
 
 * .gw^m raw- 
 fense etiam 
 O&aviHs Au- 
 guftui Csfar 
 eodem Ditto 
 deleflatui 
 fkerityvidere 
 eft apudAul. 
 Gell. /. 10. 
 c.H. £r Ma- 
 crob. Sam- 
 mi. I. 6. 
 
 All, after That, is a Defcending into the Pit, 
 (orific muft needs be call'd walking,') a 
 kind of walking in the Valley of the Jhadow of 
 Death. 
 
 2, Firft then tt^^t&ts, be fure to walk' 
 do not faintly lie down, or yawningly lean upon 
 your Elbows : * for your fourny is long, and 
 your 77/^ but little. Therefore up, and be 
 doing. Set your felt in his fieps , who went 
 about doing Good, and rejoyced as a Giant to 
 run his Courfe. For rather than be benigh- 
 ted, we muft not walk onely, but run too. So 
 faith the Author to the Hebrews ; *Let us lay a fide 
 every weight, and the fin that fo eafily befets us, 
 and let us run with patience the race that is ftt 
 before u*. 
 
 3. And yet withall we muft remember Ve- 
 
 fpafians Motto, ( which deferves to be ingra- 
 
 ven in all our Rings,) * <**&$&» &&.£*>;, to 
 
 make hafie flowly ; that is , to make no more 
 
 hajie than may confift with good fpeed. Be- 
 
 caufe the way we are to walk in is not fieep 
 
 onely, bun flippcry-. Therefore look to your 
 
 footing, and mark y our fteps as you walk along : 
 
 for the footing of a David had well-nigh flipt. 
 
 Nor is the way onely flippery, but narrow too. 
 
 Nay our Saviour faith farther, ( though 'tis not 
 
 exprefs'd 
 
 
Of Circumfpeliion in Thefi. 81 
 
 expreis'd in our Englijb Bibles J Tis 5^ ^ 
 yjLt t*9a^'™, a way incumbtrd as well as nar- 
 row, Tis very difficult to find it, and very 
 eafie to t read a fide. And therefore 0\bnrz *£$, 
 fee how ye walk. ( So it is in the Greek, though 
 fomewhat other wile in the Englifh.) 
 
 4. And then in the next place, £hfam-*ufe 
 **£*£»<;, fee how circunfpeftlj ye do it, (as it 
 is in the translation,) or fee how exaftly , ( as 
 it is in the original.) The word a*e/o»* is of 
 an higher fignirication, than our ordinary Bible 
 doth here exprefs. It imports a Providence, 
 and a Caution, which being joyn d with Circum- 
 (peflionjndkc up the Integral Parts of a Chriftian 
 Prudence. Now we muft n^/£, (6 exafily in all 
 thefe refpe&s, ( with fo much Providence, and 
 Caution, and Circumfteftiort,*) as not to turn an 
 hair's breadth to the r/gfo hand, or to the left. 
 We muft not be Latitudinarians in point of 
 Pra&ice ; but muft rather i^Sam}™ , walk with 
 fuch regular and upright Feet , as to abjiain 
 2Wdt««5^, in ei^r notion of the word ; not 
 onely from all the kjnds^ but all the Appearan- 
 ces of evil. 
 
 5. Not at* all like thole Hypocrites, who are 
 indulgent to the Evil , and onely abjiain from 
 the bare Appearance ; not like Him in the Epi- 
 
 L 2 gram, 
 
82 
 
 OfCircumfpeUion in Thefi. 
 
 *iFct.2.i3. 
 
 *Heb.i3.i 7 . 
 
 Rom.13.1,2, 
 
 5, 6 c. 
 
 gram, who put himfelf to Death, for fear of 
 Dying ; not like the Pharifees of the Times, who 
 think it their Duty to rebell, for fear of a little 
 Disobedience ; and greedily fwallow the greatefi 
 Camels, for nothing elfe but their avoiding the 
 fmallefi Gnats. This is zfoolijh Circumfpeftion, 
 to be fo lliy of a Ceremony, as to run headlong 
 into a Sckifm ; and for fear of Super fiition, to 
 fwallow practical Atheifm. For are not they 
 the greatefi Atheifts , who ( to ufe S. Paul's 
 words of the antient Gnofiicks ) profefs to know 
 God, but in their works deny him ? And They 
 deny him in their works y whoquice difown him 
 in his Word, where it calls for Compliance (m 
 Ail things lawf till ) with his Vicegerents. For 
 fure the fame Spirit that faith, Obey God rather 
 than Man, doth alfo fay, * Submit your felv-s to 
 every Ordinance of man for the Lord's fake. The 
 fame Spirit that faith, Call no man Mafter upon 
 Earth, and Be ye not the Servants of men , doth 
 alfo fay, Servants obey your Majlers in all things, 
 that the Name of God be not blafphemed ; nor 
 onely with Eye-fervice, at men-pleafers, but as the 
 Servants ofChrift. Again, the fame Spirit 
 that faith, Ihouflialt havenoGodhut nfe , doth 
 alfo fay, * Obey them that have the Rule over you, 
 and fubmit your felves, Stc. for the Powers that 
 
 are. 
 
Of Circumfte&ion in Thefi. 
 
 8? 
 
 are, are ordain d of God, and He that refifls, 
 receives Damnation. From all which it follows, 
 that for a Profeflbr ofChri'tianity Co difobey the 
 Laws of men, under fret en fe ( racher rhan^r; 
 of difobeying the Laws of God, when this is one 
 of God's chiefeft £Afa£ 7#rt£ we obey the Laws 
 of men , (hews fuch a fpirit of Contradiction, 
 as 'tis not Charity to indure. We mud bea>- 
 cumfpell of our ways, as well as of our walking. 
 For a Circumfpett Walker in the &^$ of Corah, 
 who dares not do as God bids him for fear of 
 S//7, and fhews a Zeal to y£/-z/£ Go*/ by his £>//- 
 obedience , who craves for Liberty of Conference 
 to break the BgWj of Society , which are the 
 Lawsoi the Nation wherein we live, (that is 
 to fay, in the Confequence , for a Liberty of 
 Conference to ci/t mens Throats^) and became 
 the Meek.fi all inherit the Earth, does think it 
 apart of his Humility to fet hi's^t upon Crowns 
 and Scepters; fuch* a Circumfpeti Walker is the 
 greateft Monfter to be imagin'd. Fb may pro- 
 fefs to know God, as the Gnoftickj did ; but in 
 hi; works he denies him, like any Gnoftick* And 
 as a practical Atheifi is (till the worft* fofuch a 
 Boutefeux is the t*w/2 of all practical Atheifls. 
 'Twas by fo ^//^ a Circumfpeflion , and too 
 eaiie a Connivence at all fuch Fo/Zy , that fo 
 
 L 3 many 
 
84 
 
 Of Circumfaeftion in Thefi. 
 
 many of our days have been (6 evil H and ftand 
 in need of a Redemption. And therefore for 
 the future, See that ye walk.circumfpelily, not as 
 Fools, but asWife, redeeming the Time, becaufe 
 the days are evil. 
 
 6. The words are feafonable and fit in a 
 threefold refpeft. In refped: of the Counfel 
 which our Apoftle here gives ; in refpeft of 
 the Occafion on which he gives it ; and in 
 refpedt of the Reafon wherewith he does inforce 
 it on thofe that read him. The fubjedt mat- 
 ter of the Counfell is Chrijiian Prudence. The 
 Counfell is given upon Occafion of great and 
 manifold Temptations > whereby a Chriftian is 
 enfnared on every fide. The principal Reafon 
 why it is prefs'd, is the prefent Corruption of 
 the Time* A Time wherein there is requir'd the 
 Wifedom and Warinefl of the Serpent, whereby 
 to preferve the Inoffenfivenefl and Integrity of 
 the Dove. 
 
 7. Now though Prudence is a thing which 
 does confift of three parts, to wit, ot Provi- 
 dence, Caution, and Gircumfpeftion , (which 
 though commonly confounded, are very diffe- 
 rent in themfelves;) yet in the Tenor of my 
 Difcourfe, I fhall keep to the ftile of our En- 
 glifh Bibles ; and fo far comply with the po- 
 pular 
 
Of Circumfpeffion in Thefi. 
 
 85 
 
 pular ufageof the word, (which js apparently 
 Synecdochical,*) as to name Circumfpeftion in 
 ftead of Frudence. 
 
 8. And firft, becaufe our Inadvertency ap- 
 pears to be the very Root, from which the 
 whole Stock of Sin Q with all its Fruit and its 
 Branches) dothfeem to grow; /3a*Wc &£$ £**/•- 
 SS^ See how yewalkcircumfpeSHy. 
 
 9. Next, becaufe there is fuch a thing, as 
 an Inconfiderate Circumfpefiion , for want of a 
 neceflary regard both to the manner, and me- 
 thod, and meafure of it; See therefore that ye 
 walk circumfpe&Iy, ^ <k £mpot 9 not at Fools, 
 but as wife : &* mpty Tn&tmr&n , walk in wife" 
 dom, Colof \. 5 . And as your Speech, fo your 
 Behaviour is to be feafon d alfo with Salt, v.6. 
 Ye muft behave your felves exattly betwixt 
 your Scylla and your Charybdk ; Corruption 
 of Soul upon the one fide, and Deftru&ion of 
 Body on the other. But (till the firfi and chie- 
 feft heed is to be taken of the former ; that the 
 better part may be mfafety, whatever Difafters 
 befall the worfe m 
 
 10. And then in the lafr place, becaufe the 
 worfe the Times are, by fo much the better and 
 the more cireumfpefi men ought to be ; There- 
 fore it follows in theText, l%*yQ&fydt <r ^e>, 
 
 Redeem, 
 
86 
 
 Of Circumfpe&ion in Thefi. 
 
 Redeem , or buy out the Seafon. For it is not 
 rxzjvcv, the lime at large, but precifely -r ^j- 
 e?V, the NicKofTime. And fo the meaning of 
 it muft be, Be ye fober, and vigilant, and 
 watch at all opportunities ; ufe fuch Providence, 
 and Caution, and CircumfpeCiion, as to fly from 
 Sifl on the 0#£ hand, and caufelefs Suffering on 
 the Gffor. 
 
 ii. This I think may fuffice for an explica- 
 tion of the Text ; and by this a man may ea r ily 
 difcern the Links , which will make up the 
 Chain of my whole Defign. 
 
 12. For fir ft, coniidering how we are placM 
 
 as ib many Sheep amongft Wolves , we muft 
 
 walk for That reafonwith Circumfpettion. And 
 
 then, becaufe there are Errours on either hand, 
 
 as well on the Right, as on the Left ; we muft 
 
 therefore walk circumfpe&ly, not as Fools, but 
 
 as Wife. And this we muft do in a threefold 
 
 refpeft ; to wit, of Things, and Verfons, and 
 
 Opportunities : of evil Things, of evil Perfons, 
 
 yea of all die very Occcfons and Appearances of 
 
 evil. Our walking is to be circumfpeft in relped 
 
 of All Perfons ; and as of all other perfons, fo 
 
 efpecially of our f elves. It muft be inrefped: 
 
 both of our Enemies , and our Friends ; and 
 
 as of all other Friends,^) efpecially of thofe 
 
 who 
 
Of Circumfpellion in Thefi. 
 
 *7 
 
 who pretend a Friendfhip unto our Souls. And 
 this muft be, as at all times, ib more efpecially 
 in Thefe. Our days being likely to be as evil I 
 at leaft in one fenfe, as *#£ D^5 in my Text 
 are faid to be cvill in another. 
 
 § i. Before 1 can orderly come to fpeak of 
 Circumfpe&ion in Hjpothefi, as it Hands in 
 relation to This or That Station or State of Men, 
 ( which to do will be the work of another Text,) 
 1 muft confider it in Theft, or in the grofi. 
 And this the rather, as well becaufe it lies fir ft 
 in the order of Nature ; as becaufe Heed fulnefs 
 in the General fliould be as well known to be 
 ftri&ly neceffar) , as That Triumvirate of our 
 Enemies ( The World, the Flejh, and the Devil J 
 is univerfally acknowledged to be Deceitfull, 
 And how deceitfull Thefe are, one may con- 
 jecture even by This ; That there was hardly ever 
 any fuch Golden age, as had not its portion of 
 Iron in it. For no fooner had God Almighty 
 imprinted his Image upon the Creature, than his 
 Competitor or Rival began to ingrave his Super - 
 fcription. No fooner had the true Coin received 
 its Stamp -from God's Mint, but ftraight the 
 Tempter turn d Alchymifi to embafe the Metall. 
 There was a Serpent even in Paradife; (orelle 
 our firft Parents had not fo foon been kept out 
 
 M with 
 
88 
 
 OfCircumfpeBion in Thefi. 
 
 Mar. 14 
 69, &c 
 
 Gen. 3. 
 
 2 Pcr.2. 
 
 .68, 
 
 22, 
 
 4- 
 
 Rom. 7. 23. 
 
 with a flaming Sword;) and z JlumbJing-b lock. 
 in Heaven ; ( or elfe fo great an Hoft of An- 
 gels had not fain headlong into Hell : ) Yea 
 the b!effed Converfation of Chriji Him/elf was 
 no fuch Amulet or Prefervacive, no fuch con- 
 quering FrofhylaSiicK againft the Contagion of 
 this Difeafe^ but thac there was a Peter to deny, 
 yea and a j/W** to fo/r*; him. And if thefe 
 things are fo, That S. Peter himfelf, the fir ft and 
 chief of the Apoftles, was not 0// hi* life fafe in 
 a ftate of G /-#<;£ ; Nor the Protoplaft for a </<$ 
 in a ftate of Innocence ; No nor Lucifer for a 
 m£. in a ftate of Glory ; Lord ! how fitly may 
 any Monitor fay That to u^ which our Apoftle 
 thought needfull ( not onely ufefull ) to his 
 Ephefiam , GMitm, ww axex&fc > [<S« fco» ^e 
 walk circumffeftly ? If 'tis as true in things 
 fpiritual, as it is thought in things temporal, 
 That the one half of the world is deceived and 
 cheated by the other ; and that if there are no 
 more than an Hundred Sefts, Ninety and Nine 
 of That hundred muft needs be fick of fome 
 Impojiure ; ( unlefs Chriji can be divided, or 
 the Truth of Religion be more than One ;) If 
 in our hovering condition 'twixt Grace and Na- 
 ture, we are placed in the Confines of two im- 
 placable Enemies > the Law in our Members, and 
 
 the 
 
OfCircumfpeftion in Theft 
 
 s? 
 
 the Law in our Minis, whereof the one is fti!I 
 warring against the other ; And if the Author 
 of this Caveat againjl Supinenefl and Noncha- 
 lance, chough the great Do&or of the Gentiles, 
 and aifoaVcflel of God's Ele&ion, was yet fo 
 brought into Captivity to the Law of Sin, (as 
 the 7 th - to the Romans is very commonly under- 
 (lood , though perhaps not fo happily as might 
 be wilVd,) chat he was forc'd to break forth 
 into That tragical Ecpbonefes, wretched man 
 that 1 am, whofhall deliver me from the body of 
 this Death ! O then what a Nectjfity mud needs, 
 be incumbent upon us, that we repeat this holy 
 Caveat, and reinforce it on one another, /S^W* 
 wjfa &&££$, See how ye walk circumfpecily ? If 
 in many things we of end all, and He who offen- 
 dtth but in one Point, is iomeway guilty of all 
 the reft ; If an account is to be render } d of 
 every idle word fpoken, and fure much more 
 of every wicked one ; If none flialJ enter into 
 life but He thatkeepeth the Commandments, and 
 life does dwell in That City, to which the Gate 
 is as flreit, as the way narrow ; infomuch that 
 of the Many whofeek to enter into life, many 
 (hall mifl it for all their feeking ; If onely He 
 that overcometh fhall have che privilege to toft 
 of the hidden Manna, fo as the righteous man 
 
 M 2 himfelf 
 
 Jam.a.io.c^ 
 ch. 3. 2. 
 
 Match. 12. 
 
 Macth. 19. 
 
 14. 
 
 Luk.13.24. 
 
 Rev. 2. 7,17. 
 1 Pet. 4. 18. 
 
9° 
 
 Of CircumfpeBion in Thefi. 
 
 * pfai.39. 1. 
 
 himfelf (hall be fcarcely /add; and all for want 
 of being heedjull both of the way he treads in, 
 and in the ordering of his Jleps, and as to the 
 [urmefl of his footing ; Methinks we need no 
 other Sermon , than the conftant repetition of 
 chis one Text, (at lead 'twere well if This Text 
 were called to mind at every Sermon,) #A*Wg 
 &£$ aUe/GSs, See how ye walk circumffetily. If 
 5. John thought fit to preach no other Sermon 
 to the Convert En f bins fpeaks of, than the 
 Pfalmiji's Resolution of* taking heed unto his 
 ways, which made his Convert not foliicitous 
 to be enrich'd with more Le[fons , whilft he 
 found- that That One was fufficient of itfelf to 
 employ him wholly ; If we live in an Age of fo 
 much fallacy and Deceit, and yet for all that 
 of fo much Heedlefnefs and Security, that no 
 abundance of Caution can be too much ; It 
 follows then that This Caveat cannot be thought 
 upon too much, or inculcated too warmly, of 
 untxcufably offend in the Repetition , but that 
 we have fuch prurient- Ears as cannot fbrfooth 
 be.pleasM without great variety, andfuch r<7- 
 pridous under flandings as will not eafily be 
 quieted with Truth and Plainnefi ; but rauft 
 have Altitudes and Depths for their Enter- 
 tainment, 
 
 §2. All 
 
Of Circumfteftion in Thefi. 
 
 9 1 
 
 § ?^ All our 67/zs and our Miferies feemto 
 have enter'd into the World at rhis one Door, 
 even f fo T*tftf* of That Heed which is here in- 
 joyn'd. Other Defefts may be as fibres ', bur 
 Jhk is fure the Main Root, (as I faid before,) 
 from which the whole Stock. df Mifchief (with 
 all its Fruits, and its Branches,^) does clearly 
 g/w. Twas meerly for want of Circumfpec- 
 tion, that our firft Parents fell.; and ftill 'tis 
 for want diCircumfpeftion, that all their Fojle- 
 rity is ever Jiumbling. Tis but for want of 
 Circumfpettion , that many ProfelTors are fo 
 blind a* to be led by the blind, till both the Lea- 
 ders and the Followers fall all together into the 
 Ditch. In the whole Body of Chrifiianity^ Cir- 
 cumfpeftion may fitly be cali'd the Eye. Now 
 as our £yes are put in our Heads to direft our 
 Feet ; and as good be quite blind, as be always 
 winking : fo Circumfpeftion in our Hearts is to 
 guard our Aflion?; and as good bo none at all, 
 as unwary Chriftians. For what with thofe 
 powerful! Impellents* which Satan ufeth from 
 without^ and thofe bewitching AlleUiives where- 
 with he charms us from within 7 we are fo 
 fmoothly drawn afide with great contentednefs 
 into fome dangers, and fo vehemently draggd 
 wkh equall relu&mce into others, that we do 
 
 M 3 not 
 
Of Circumfpe&ion in Thefi. 
 
 * 06? tottf- 
 
 i Cor.3. 9. 
 Mar. 16. 20. 
 
 1 COr.3. \6y 
 
 «7- 
 
 noc onely (like Janm) ftand in need of 'four 
 Eyes, but (like Argus) to be Eyes all over. 
 And juft as the Builders of the fecond Temple 
 at Jerufalem were fo encompaffed with Ene- 
 mies on every fide, (the Chaldeans before, and 
 the Phil/Jlins behind, the Moabites on the right 
 hand, and the Edornites on the left J that they 
 were taught by their Neceflity to hold a Sword 
 in the one hand, for the defending of the Work? 
 man/hip which they advanced with the other ; 
 Even fo we Chriftians, who are dignified with 
 the Title of * Fellow- Labour en with God? whilft 
 we are building up our felves in the mofi holy 
 Faith, and building up our felves into Temples 
 too, (for Temples we are of the Holy Gbofi,) muft 
 have one Eye upon our Enemy, as well as another 
 upon our work; ftill looking upward towards 
 God, but withall downward towards our Temp* 
 ter ; ftill looking foreward towards Vertue, but 
 withall baikpard towards Vice. We muft not 
 onely have an Eye unto the right and left hand 
 of our Spiritual Poyfe ( like a man walking 
 upon a Rope,) but like a Thief at high Noon, 
 juft in the Aft of his purloyning , muft look 
 exa&ly quite roundabout us. 
 
 § 3. And the reafon of This is extremely 
 evident. For if we onely look upwards , we 
 
 (hall 
 
Of CircumfyeUioa in Thefi. 95 
 
 (hall beeafily ape to ftwnble, like Morher Eve ; 
 who, whii't (he fixe her whole Afpell upon the 
 goodnefloi the End, did overlook the manifold 
 Evill which lay concealed in the Means. So 
 pneproperous was the Hajie which the made to- 
 wards Knowledge , that the left Obedience be- 
 hind her back. Or if we onely look forewards 
 to fhun a Precipice, we may at that very in- 
 ftantbe attacqu'd behind us with a Wolf. Juft 
 as Judas was fo intent upon the Money lying 
 before him, that he was blind to the^Defpair 
 which doggd him clofely at the Ardr. And 
 we may guefs by That Threat of God Almighty 
 to the Serpent, [It ft) all bruife thy Head,. and G«n.M$, 
 thou fb alt bruife hk heel,~\ that commonly the 
 Devil does come behind us; and loves to fur- 
 prifeus in a part the fart heft diftant from our 
 Eyes ; that is to fay^ at fuch a time, as in which 
 we are remoteft from Christian Prudence. Or 
 if we look onely upon the left hand for the 
 avoiding of a Shelve, we may by our Negli- 
 gence of the right be fwallow'd up of a Quick* 
 (and. Like fome Pretenders to Reformation, 
 who taking heed of Superftition > but nothing 
 elfe, are fo much the apter to grow profane ; 
 Taking heed but of one extreme, they run into 
 the other, which is many times the worfe too; 
 
 and 
 
94 
 
 i Per. $, 8. 
 
 Of CiwumfteBion in Thefi. 
 
 and to prevent an Inconvenience incur* a Mif- 
 chief. Thus we fee how it concerns us on eve- 
 ry fide, not to look upwards onely, or down- 
 wards, not onely backwards, or forewards, not 
 to the right hand onely, or to the left, but at 
 the fame point of Time to be both provident, 
 and cautious, and even circumfpett in the let- 
 ter , which [ a circumfticiendo~] is to carry our 
 Eyes quite roundabout us. 
 
 § 4. Nor muft we be onely looking round, 
 but be always looking. The word is (^Mmn, 
 See; But See we cannot, whilft we wejleeping. 
 And by our Saviour's Admonition, we are to 
 watch, as well as pray , left we enter into Temp- 
 tation. So S. /^fer to all in General, who are 
 concern 'd for their own Safety , does recom- 
 mend a drift Vigilance, as no lefs requifite than 
 Sobriety ; and that for this reafon, becaufe the 
 Devil is Rill awake, whilft we zrefleeping. Be 
 fofar, be vigilant, becaufe your Adversary the 
 Devil goeth about at a roaring Lion, ( and that 
 by Night as well as by Day,) feeking whom he 
 may devour. Whom refifi fiedfafl in the Faith. 
 So that. in our Christian Warfare, befides the 
 manning of our Works, we need our Scouts, and 
 our Countermines. We muft befiege our very 
 Befiegers ; And as that Sophifter , The World, 
 
 does 
 
Of Circumftetiion in Thefi. 95 
 
 does iurround #* with Fallacy , ib muft ire the 
 World with Circurnfpeftion. 
 
 § 5. Nor does the Prudence of a Chriftian 
 end onely Here. For CircumfpeUion is to be 
 us'd both in the manner ', and in the method, and 
 efpecially in the meajure of being circumfptlx. 
 It being obvious to infer from the following 
 Words , [ toe that ye walk circumfpeRly , not 
 06 Fools ^ but as Wife, J that there is in the 
 World a kind of accurate folly , an inconfide- 
 rate CircumfpeRion, a capriciou6 Conot'Warinefi, 
 of which we are alfo to beware. Such as is 
 lying all Night out of Doors , to be fure that 
 our Houfes (hall not fall upon our heads : De- 
 ftroying Vineyards, to prevent Drunkennefs : 
 Pulling down Difcipline and the Hierarchy, 
 to (hun the Tyranny of a Pope : Diftrufting 
 the Fathers of the Primitive Church, becaufe 
 of Antichrift's being at work in the Apoftles 
 own Times : Making the Laws and Law-givers 
 conform themfelves to Nonconformity, for fear 
 the Church fhould want a Breadth whereby to 
 fupport her Superftrufture : Eating of nothing 
 but Nuts and Shell- filh, for fear the Cook fihould 
 be a Sloven. There are fome uneafie Souls, 
 who feem at leaft to be incumbered with fo 
 incomparable a Nicenejl, that under colour of 
 
 N reffeSl 
 
9 6 
 
 OfCircumftettion in Thefi. 
 
 refpeti to che Word of God, they cake The Scrip- 
 ture to be the Rule, I do not fay of che moft 
 weighty ) ( tor fo it is,) but even of their ir'u 
 vial" ft and flight efl Actions ; looking on every 
 thing as Sinfully to which the Plain Word of 
 God docs not immediately direEt them. From 
 which fundamental Miftake ic is, chat They dare 
 not call ic Wednefday, but the Fourth day of 
 the Week ; nor Nine of the Clock, but the Third 
 hour of die Day. A Surplice or a Sacrament 
 muft not be mention d, becaufe there are not 
 fuch words in all the Scriptures ; no more a 
 Sacrament^ than a Surplice. And by die very 
 famereafon, (as our judicious Mr. Hooker does 
 well obferve,) If a Matter commands his Ser- 
 vant but to rake up a Straw, che Servant (hall 
 not be obliged in point of confcience to obey, 
 unrill his Matter has found a Text for chat one 
 particular. For though the Scripture faith to 
 Servants, Obe) )our Maflers in All things ; yet 
 That Precept is but General, and Dolmlatttin 
 Generalibm, There are ver) fe op Generals which 
 have not a fallacy lurking in them. New by 
 inch a way of arguing, or at leaft by one as 
 good, \tPxmtiite Pilate was not a Saint , be- 
 caufe his Name is in the Creed; at leaft the 
 &cnbes and che Pharifees mat pals for very 
 
 good 
 
OfCircumfyeftion in Thefi. 
 
 97 
 
 good men, becaufe they have their Names writ 
 in the Book, of life. Bat for the men who thus 
 argue, and are circumfpeli in their walking, 
 nor as wife men, but fools, we can in cha- 
 rity call them no worfe than Bjpochondriacs'xn 
 religion ; men whole Souls are dire&ed by the 
 Infirmities of their Bodies; and are fitter for 
 the Pit) than Indignation of their Superiours, 
 becaufe the Difiempers of their Spleen may be 
 fincerely thought by Them to be the Scruples of 
 their Conference. Thus the jealous Mithridates 
 (rood in fuch fear of being poifon'd, that even 
 his Meals were all Antidote ; and fo his Body 
 in traft of time became a walking Pharmaco- 
 poeia. This indeed is a great, but an heedlefl 
 Caution. Such as does crojl and confute the 
 Proverb, becaufe abundance of this is hurtfull. 
 Some heed therefore is to be taken, not to be 
 heedlefl and imprudent in the extravagant ex- 
 cefl of our taking heed ; and that we do not 
 deceive our felves with too immoderate a fear 
 of our being deceivd. 
 
 § 6. But This is certainly a Caution, to 
 w r hich a fmall portion of Rhetorick will be 
 fufficient to perfuade us. So unapt we are to 
 erre on the farther fide of This Duty, that our 
 ufual fault is, we are too much behithtr it. Our 
 
 N 2 great eft 
 
9 8 
 
 Of Circnmfye&ion in ThefL 
 
 greatefi danger commonly is our opinion that 
 there is none ; and we are mod likely to be 
 unfafe, by our too great aptnefs to be fe cure. 
 Indeed in matters of little moment, concerning 
 the Body, or the Purfe, we need no Sermons 
 againft Security, or excitations to Circumfpec* 
 tion. Very- few there are that travel! in times 
 of danger, without a Piftol, or a Sword; or 
 that in places of infection will walk the ftreets 
 without an Amulet. Few Families go to bed, 
 till they have made faft their Doors; and- in 
 the morning when they arife , their firft care 
 is zoJJjut out Nakcdnefs and Hunger. So that 
 if it were a Sin to be in Poverty, or a [can J a- 
 lorn matter to fuffer Pain, there would be no- 
 thing fo difficult, as not to abound in this Duty 
 of Circumfpetiion. But, alas! we do not confider 
 ( heedlefs Creatures as we are) how it fares 
 with our Souls, as with fo many Ships, where- 
 in the very leaji Crevices ( if undifcover'd ) 
 are roo fufficient to drown us all. And yet 
 how partially we prefer the care of our Bodies 
 and Eflates, before the Care and Concernment 
 we ought to have of and for our Souls, we may 
 conjecture by the Pr alike of the Phyfician, and 
 the Lawyer,, above That of the Divine. For one 
 Scruple in the Conscience, how many are: there 
 
 in 
 
Of Circumfye&ion in ThefL 99 
 
 in the Jlomacb ? How many Ernpiricks are fought 
 to, for here and there a fingle Confeffbr ? and 
 how many reall Patients are in all places to 
 be met with, tb\ one true Penitent ? Be there 
 never fo /light an ^Arer in any part of the Body, 
 we ftraight deiire the grim Arcilt to ufe his 
 Corrofive and his Prflfo ; perhaps his Lance, 
 and his Cau/lick too. Bu: be the $00/ never 
 fo ulcerous , we are content either with #<w, 
 or a palliate Cure. So again it is in the other 
 Inftance ; That though we have little or no fol- 
 iicitude about the making of our Calling and Em 
 leftion fure, (which in my Text is exprefled by 
 walking circumfpetlly, as Wife, and not as Fools,) 
 nor trouble our heads with an Inquiry , what 
 (hall become of us hereafter ; what kind of In- 
 tereft we may have in the Bloud of Chrifi ; what 
 kind of Title we can pretend to the inheriting 
 of a Kingdom, a joyfull ^Eternity in Reverfion, 
 and how we (hall plead it at the Affiles which 
 will one day be held in the Court of Heaven ; 
 Yet be there never fo fmall a- flaw in any Title 
 to an Eftate, Lord ! how fedulom we are to 
 have the matter made up? How many Coun- 
 fellors are confulted, and let on work , for one 
 Cafuifi ? How many Cafes are try'd in Law, 
 for ont in Confdence hi will not call it the 
 
 N 3 uni- 
 
lOO 
 
 — — — — |«<|Wi — — I ■ ■ I 
 
 Of Circuwfpe&ton in Thefi. 
 
 univerfall, but h/ha// Cuftom, that when Luke 
 the good Phjfician has little hope of our Bodies, 
 we lend for Gamaliel the able Lawyer, to take 
 care of our Eflates. And (That being done,) 
 Then for Barnabas the Divine, (who is a Sew 
 of Comfort too,) to make pro vi (ion for our /£- 
 ternitj. 
 
 §> 7. Thus wc fee the mod of men have C/>- 
 cumfpettion very fufficient ; but 'tis fufficiently 
 mifapplfd too. And in the Mifapplication lies 
 all the Mifchief. Juft as the tharifee in the 
 Parable was very /n?e of his Confeffions ; But 
 he apply 'd them to his Vertues, and not his 
 5z/w. He made confeffion of his righteoufnefi, 
 to wit, his faSling twice a week-, and paying 
 Tithes to a Pins-worth of Mint and Cummin ; He 
 very ambitioufly confefs'd that he thought him- 
 felf holier than other men, ( for which he gave 
 God thanks too, and not bimfelf:*) But of his 
 manifold impieties we do not hear a word from 
 him. So the greateft numbers of men are very 
 circumfpeft, and wary : But they are wary of 
 their Duties, as of dangerous things ; things 
 which probably will betray them to the dit- 
 friendship of the world > (efteeming Him an im- 
 prudent man, who dares adventure en what is 
 fir ait , when the Times are crooked ; and to 
 
 Jiand 
 
Of Circumffe&ion in Thefi. 
 
 \Jiand his old Ground, whentwr ^temporally 
 
 72j/£fi and more in vogue too.) Men are wary 
 of loving Enemies, or doing good to fuch as hah 
 them; very wary how they pare wich a finfull 
 Pleafure, or lend a bill of divorce to a beloved 
 \PajJion. Extremely heedfull they are and cau- 
 tious, how they fall from a fiat ion of wealth and 
 honour ; how they beat down their Bodies, and 
 bring their Flefb mto fubjettion ; how they cru- 
 cifie the world unto them/elves, and themfclves 
 unto the world: (as if there were nothing more 
 ridiculous than That primitive Criterion , by 
 which a Chriftian was diftinguith'd from Jew 
 and Gentile; nor anything more to be avoi- 
 ded by one of Quality and Parts, than fuch a 
 ferioufnefi of life, and fuch a tendernefiofCon- 
 fcience, as may expoie him to the Cenfure of 
 his being litde more than a well-bred Quaker.) 
 And as 'tis commonly obferv'd of the Lace- 
 d&mnians, that they ftated the guilt of Stealth, 
 not fo much in the Alt, as the A\>\>rehenfion, 
 and therefore reckoned ic a Sin , not to fieal, 
 but to be caught : So the greateft heed taken by 
 the Majority of ProfeiTors, is not fo really to 
 be inmcznt , ?s not to bz cenfur'd for being 
 guilty. As ir\their Prayer were li!ce That of 
 the famous Hyoocrite in the Poet., 
 
 />„/- 
 
 101 
 
io2 | Of Circumfte&ion in Thefi. 
 
 Pulchra Laverna, 
 
 Da mihifallere, dajujlumfanftumque videri, 
 Noflem peccatis, is fraudibu* objice Nubem. 
 my Goddefl , give me the Grace to feem 06 
 religion* as the befl, and to be as deceitful) at may 
 be poffible. The greatest Mi/chief to be avoided 
 in inoft mens judgments , ( if yet their Judg- 
 ments may be judged of by their Practice,*) is 
 not the ocular Sm, ( I mean the Eye full of A- 
 dultery^) but the auricular Confeffion ; Not the 
 Proteflant's Impiety, but the Popery of making it 
 known. Now fuch as Thefe fhould be exhorted, 
 not fo much to increafe, as to dirett their Cau- 
 tion ; not fo much to make it greater, as wifer 
 and better than heretofore; to change the Ob- 
 jett and the End of their Circumfpe&ion ; that 
 what is now a meerly Carnal, may fuddainly 
 pafs into a ffirltual and Chrijiian Prudence. 
 For this will be to walk circumfpeflly, not as 
 Fools, but as Wife. 
 
 § 8. And for the bringing this about with 
 the greater Eafe, we muft be circumfpeti Walkers 
 in two general refpe&s : In refpeft of the Per- 
 fonsmth whom we are converfant, and inre- 
 fpeft of the Rules by which we are to be direc- 
 ted. I therefore fay in refped of Perfons, (by 
 way of diftin&ion from all other obje&s,) be- 
 i caufe 
 
Of CtrcumfpeEHon in Thefi. 103 
 
 caufe our Days cannot be ez/i//, but as wt our 
 [elves are fuch : and therefore by the evill Days 
 in which ic is our Lot to live, rauft needs be 
 meant the Evill men of the Days we live in. And 
 our Walking is to be circumfyeft,, as in refpeti 
 even of 0// men, fo of Tbofe more efpecially to 
 whom we bear the greateft kindnefs. (But This 
 is a Point I mull refer to another fubjed of 
 Difcourfe. ) The Rules by which we'are to 
 walk, not as fools , but as wife, are efpecially 
 thefe two ; Confcience, and Difcretion. And for 
 the better ufirfg of Thefe, we mud: warily occurr 
 to two grand F allacies,Vi hereby the greateft part 
 of Men are wont to prevaricate with Them- 
 felves. 
 
 § 9. Some are fo thick of undemanding, as 
 to meafure their Confcience by their Confidence; 
 their being luftily ferfwaded a thing is lawfully 
 or unlawful L Efteeming all without Sin which 
 is faid or done without Scruple ; and all things 
 finfull of which a fcruple may be made. Neither 
 difcerning any difference betwixt a Confcience 
 which is tender^ and mifmforrnd, nor yet be- 
 twixt a meer numnefl^ and Peace of Confcience. 
 Such were our Regicides here in England, who, 
 how fcrupulous foever in things indifferent, were 
 not fcrupulous at all in the point of Murthtr ; 
 
 O Buu 
 
104 
 
 OfCircurnfte&ion in Thefi. 
 
 But fturdily pleaded at the Bar, that they be- 
 liev'd they had a right to try , and execute 
 their King; and that they did Both in the In- 
 tegrity of their hearts ; it was no more than 
 their Confciences did di&ate to them ; their Con- 
 fciences were fatisfied in what they did ; and by 
 confequence they would do it, were it for ever 
 to be done. Meaning ft ill by the word Con* 
 fcience* the firength andflurdinefi of their Opi- 
 nion ; which might indeed be call'd Witchcraft, 
 as well as Confcience ; ( I mean with an equal 
 impropriety, and an eafier pardon to the word.) 
 Thus it was with the Confpirators of our Gun- 
 powder -7hafon,and with the two infamous Mur- 
 therers of Henry the Third and the Fourth of 
 France, who taking That for their Confcience 
 which was indeed but their Caprice, made no 
 doubt but their Murthers were Meritorious. 
 And thus it was for fome time with furious Saul, 
 the Blafphemer and Ferfecutor of Chrifl ; who 
 grew fo mad, and tranfporced, with giddy zeal 
 without knowledge, (as himfelfconfeffed free- 
 ly againft himfelf from afcer the time of his 
 Converfion,) that he thought it his Duty to 
 be defiruttive of whatfoever was call'd Chrijiian, 
 Like Them of whom our Saviour tells us, who 
 thought Cforfoothj they were bound in Con- 
 fcience 
 
GfCircqmffeSion in Theft I 105 
 
 fcicnce to ewecute Murther on the Apofiles, be- 
 caufe it was, in Their Judgments, to do God Ser- 
 vice. Where by the way we may obferve, how 
 much 'tis every man's duty to fear himfelf, and 
 to fufpefl his own Judgment in divers cafes. 
 
 §10. Now the way to walk, circumfpeffly not 
 as fools, but as wife, and to free our felves from 
 That Fallacy, which is fo generally fwallow'd 
 by other men , is fir ft to confider what Con- 
 fcience », ( a thing the mod talked of, but the 
 lead commonly under -flood , of any principle 
 or faculty to be imagin'd,) and after That to 
 be carefull how we walk by that Rule. For 
 whilft the Rule itfelf is/0/ye, the Circumfpeftion 
 muft needs be foolifh> and can onely ferve to 
 make us the more diforderly Walkers. Con- 
 fcience indeed is the Rule of Attion ; But to be 
 fturdily perfwaded a thing is lawfull or unlaw- 
 fully is not at any rime the R ule and not at all 
 times the work of Confcience. For Confcience 
 is not a Perfwafion, but Knowledge rather ; Nor 
 is it any kind of knowledge, but knowledge com- 
 pared with a Rule ; (as <w^$to»s in the Greek, 
 and Confcientia in the Latin, do Both import :) 
 And yet how many of thofe men who pafs for 
 Infirutters oft he Ignorant, and Eyes to the Blind, 
 are wont to ufe the word Confcience ( before the 
 
 O 2 people, 
 
o6 Of CircumfyeBwn in Thefi. 
 
 people, and ro them (elves,) by that dangerous 
 Catacbrefis I juft now mentioned ? But before 
 1 fay fiilly whac Confcience is , I proceed to 
 Ihew whac it is not. 1 lay, it is not a being fo 
 fully perfwaded in our minds, as not to have 
 any regret or fcruple ; to be void of all Doubt, 
 I or h&fitation ; for we know the Sear' J Athei/t 
 has none of That, And when our Saviour Cbrifi 
 faid, The time cometh that tvhofoever killethyou, 
 (hall verily think he does God Service, he did 
 not mean, they (hall beconfcionable Murtherers, 
 or Perfecutors of Men in the/e<ir of God, and fo 
 (hall break the Commandment in the Integrity 
 of their Hearts ; ( for That had been to fay, 
 They (hall be innocently guilty , which had 
 flatly implyM a contradiction in Adjefio.) But 
 his meaning was clearly This, that fome mens 
 hearts (hall be fo hardned through the Deceit- 
 fulnejl of Sin, as to miftake. the very ■ worft for 
 the befl of actions. Their Under/landings (hall 
 be fo <^r£ , and their Souls fo benighted with 
 their cuftomary impieties, as zo grope after A^r- 
 ^<?r inftead of Sacrifice JuTt like them of 
 whom we read in the fift ofEfa, (lately match 'd 
 with the Readers and Admirers of the Levia* 
 than, ) who had fo loft the diftin&ion of right 
 and wrong, as to ptit evil I for good., and good for 
 
 evill, 
 
Of Chcumffe&ion in Thefi. 
 
 107 
 
 evilly bitter for fveet, andfweetfor bitter, dark? 
 nejlfor light, and light for darkjieft. The Cujlom 
 of Sin had fo pavd their Palates, as that they 
 had utterly loft their Tajl. Now it is not a fat is - 
 fied, but feared Confcience, which is not ftartfd 
 at fuch impieties. As many fill) mens Con- 
 ferences are too full of lcruples , not becaufe 
 they are tender , but ill-inftrufted ; fo many 
 wicked mens Confciences are void of Scruples, 
 not becaufe they are clear, but callows ; and fo 
 muft every thing be that is cauterized. Yea 
 give me leave to fay farther, Many defperate 
 Ma/efaftors have mounted the Gibbet without 
 regret, not fo much becaufe they had nofcruples 
 in their Confciences, as rather becaufe they had 
 no Confciences to be fcrupl'd; fince one that's 
 feared with an hot Iron ( to ufe the figure of 
 our Apoftle) is in efteft none at all. 
 
 §> 1 1. For (tofliew briefly what it is, ha- 
 ving (bew'd largely what it is not,*) A Man's 
 Conscience ishis Knowledge of what he has done, 
 or not done, which the known Law of God ^writ- 
 ten within him, or without him,) has either corn- 
 manded, or not commanded '; and fo by confe- 
 quence 'tis a Witnefl either for him, or againji 
 him, after the meafure that he has done, or has 
 omitted to do his Duty* From whence it fol- 
 
 O 3 lows 
 
o8 Of Circwnfpe&ion in Thefi. 
 
 lows unavoidably , That as Confcience properly 
 fo calFd is the Rule ofAflion, fo the known Law 
 of God is the Rule of Confcience. And from 
 hence again it follows as unavoidably as before, 
 That for any man to fay he is bound in Confcience, 
 ( as we know who did in the worft of times,) 
 not onely to covet his Neighbour's goods, but 
 at once to kjll> and to take poffeffion, (the thing 
 with which the holy Prophet upbraided Abab,) 
 is as much as to fay in direfter Terms, That 'he 
 thinks it his Duty to be a Devill. 
 
 And fo much for the firft Fallacy, by which 
 a Multitude of men are led indeed to walk cir- 
 cumfpe&ly, but as Fools, and not as Wife, be- 
 caufe againft the true Notion and Rule of Con- 
 fcience. 
 
 § 1 2. And as fbme do thus fooliflily offend 
 agamft Confcience, fodo others againft Difcre- 
 tion. For many Profeffors are very willing to 
 be in poffeffion of the End of their Chriftianity, 
 who yet are very unwilling to ufe the Means, 
 They would with all their hearts embrace the 
 Service of Chrifi , but not abfiain from thofe 
 things with which his Service is inconfijient. De- 
 firous they are to do the thing that is good; but 
 they cannot abide to depart from evill. Or if 
 they have a woulding to ceafe from That too, 
 
 yet, 
 
Of CircMifpe&ion in Theft 
 
 109 
 
 yec they we fond of the Occafions which ftill do I 
 tend 'and lead cowards it. There is nothing in 
 the world either more ferviceable to Satan^ or 
 more pernicious and dejlruSiive to the Kingdom 
 ofCbrift, (which he would gladly fee up in the 
 Souls of men,) than That moil pleafant y but kil- 
 ling Fallacy, which the far greaceft part of men 
 are wont to impofe upon themfelves, [Jhatthey 
 need not fcruple at the doing whatever i* lawful! 
 tc be done, and has not any thing in it which can 
 be properly cdlVd Sin. ] A fallacy the apter to 
 be lwallow'd down glibly, (and that by good 
 Logicians too,) becaufe it delights whom it in- 
 dangets ; and as it finds men disposed ( yea 
 greedily willing) to be abirfd, fo it makes them 
 well-pleas'd with the hurt it does them ; as be- 
 ing fuitable and compliant with all the Appetites 
 of the Fltfli. When men are tempted to do a 
 thing which is not formally unlawful!, as being 
 no where forbidden by God or Man, they will 
 not be at the pains to mtditate about the Ten- 
 dency and Byati of fuch a thing. For it would 
 rob them of the pleafure they take in Sin , I 
 they fhould patiently admit but of this one Con- 
 federation, (which is commonly diftaftfull and 
 irkfom to them, ) That there was hardly ever 
 any unlawfull thing, which did not arile from 
 
 the 
 
I I o 
 
 Of Circumfpettion in Thefi. 
 
 Greg 
 Dial. 
 
 Mag. 
 /. 4 . 
 c. 11./0/.37. 
 
 the Admiffion of fomething or other that was 
 lawfull. Yea that fometimes the greateft and 
 damningfiSins have taken Rife from the /e^/2 and 
 tfzj/? contemptible Occafions. 1 (hall at once 
 make it />/*/# and ufefull too by fome examples ; 
 and that efpecially out of Good will unto 
 the younger, and more illiterate, and lefs con- 
 fidering part of Thofe that (hall chance to read 
 me. 
 
 § 13. No doubt 'twas lawfull enough for 
 Eve, at Ieaft to look upon the fruit which was 
 forbidden, (for God forbad her onely to eat it ;) 
 And as lawfull for her it was, to lend the Ser- 
 pent an empty hearing ; (that is to fay^upon 
 condition (he did not give him her Affent too:) 
 But how much happier had it been, if, like V- 
 Ijfjfes in the Odyffes , (he had fiopt her very ears 
 againft the Voice of That Charmer , and had 
 not fuffer'd her felf to look ? ^or her Eye and 
 her Ear became the Panders to her Palate, 
 and then her Palate betray 'd her Heart. Holy 
 men have This property , ( fays Gregory the 
 Great,*) Quod ut femper ab illicitis longe fint, 
 a fe plerumque etiam licita abfcindunt ; That 
 they may ftill be far enough from doing any thing 
 unlawfully they abjiain from many things which 
 are lawfull too. Certainly Job could be no fuch 
 
 Ideot, 
 
Of CtrmmfpeUion in Thefi. 
 
 i ii 
 
 Ideot, as to think it a thing unlawfull for a man 
 to look upon a Maid, who yet did covenant not 
 to do it, not onely with his Heart, but with his 
 Eyes too. Nor may we think it was for nothing, 
 that S. Paul fo folemnly did diftinguifti betwixt 
 things lawfull, and things expedient : clearly in- 
 timating unto us, that there are very many things 
 to.be left undone, notbecaufe they are unlaw - 
 full, but onely becaufe they are unfit ; not be- 
 caufe they are a&uall Sins, but becaufe they ea- 
 fily may become fo ; not becaufe they are vi- 
 rion*, but danger om things. And it belongs to 
 CircumfpeSiion or Cbriftian Prudence, to mind 
 the Counfells of Scripture, as well as Precepts: 
 as, not to approach the very Door of an Harlot's 
 Houfe; to hate the very Garment (potted of the 
 flefb; and not to /land in the way of Sinners. We 
 may not be Haunters of the Tavern and other 
 places of Debauch, becaufe there ixzfome who 
 come out fiber ; But rather of the two we muft 
 beware of fuch Places, becaufe there are others 
 who come out drunk- For 'tis a mockjng of 
 God, and a reproaching of our felves too, to 
 run without warrant upon Temptation, and at 
 the fame time to pray, Deliver m from evill. We 
 know that many moll tender Parents correft: 
 their Children , not onely for doing what is 
 
 P morally 
 
 Prov. $. 8. 
 Judc 33. 
 Pfal. 1. 1. 
 
112 
 
 
 »7. 
 
 irf, 
 
 ■ »H I I I i i . ■» IJ I II . ! 
 
 OfCimwfteUion in Thefi. 
 
 morally evil/, but meerly for coming in Harm's 
 way ; for not being To Circumfpell , as to be 
 afraid before they are hurt. And though no 
 doubt it is barely lawfully for a man to walk 
 upon a Precipice, or to flan J on a Pinnacle oi 
 the Temple ; yet whofoever dares do it deferves 
 a /*W. We cannot lay it was unlawfull for 
 tferodiat to </0tftt, or for #e?W fitting by to 
 behold her motions ; But yet Herodiat and ffo- 
 fW were both defervedly to be blam'd, becaufe 
 if She had not dancd, nor He bthtld her, (Tie 
 had not fo eafily (as (lie did) ftoln his /?^rJ 
 out of his Bofow, and Then the Innocent Bap* 
 tift had kept his Head upon his Shoulders. Will 
 any inan fay it was unlawfully for the women o* 
 ifrnel to £#& #/> their chins, or fee toe foot be- 
 fore another ? But yet God fmott them with 
 * [cabbed heads , becaufe the) minced their jieps 
 as they went along, and becaufe they walked 
 with jlntched-out Ntckj* It was not certainly 
 unlawfull for Mother Monicha, (the famous Mo* 
 ther of S, Augujlin^ to drink a cup or two of 
 If'ine now and then with her Neighbours ; But yet 
 by little and little praftice grew into a Cu/iom; 
 and Gufiom juftled out Judgment ; and lo flhe 
 grew our of Penmffion, into Delight ; an arrant 
 Wine-bibba -at laft, and vulgarly known fo to be ; 
 
 fadly 
 
OfCircumfte&ion in Thefi. 
 
 1 1 
 
 3 
 
 fadly purchafing unco her (elf the odious Title 
 of Meribibula. Which, without more Examples, 
 may ferve to teach us, with what kind of C/>- 
 cumfpettion we ought to walk* to lave our felves 
 as from the Mixture , (6 from the Neighbour b ood 
 ofevill. 
 
 § 14. And being thus far fecur'd from the 
 two grand Fallacies of which I {pake, with which 
 there is Hardly any thing commoner than for 
 Chriftians to couzenznd cheat Tbemfelves ; We 
 have found the way to walk circumfpettly by 
 the Rules of Confcience, and of Difcretion ; or 
 ( as our Apoftte does here exprefs it ) not as 
 Fools, but as Wife. And truly upon a fuppofal, 
 that as many as have heard, have alfo minded 
 what I have fpoken, I think I have fpoken at 
 leaft enough of the previous part of my Defign, 
 which was onely to difcourfe of Circumfpeftion 
 in Thefi. To confider it in Hjpotbefi? 'twill 
 properly belong to another Text, and muft 
 therefore be deferred till another Time. 
 
(»5) 
 
 - i 
 
 O F 
 
 CIRCUMSPECTION 
 
 In HTPOTHESL 
 
 MATTH. 34. 4. 
 
 7*^ £m/ /£<# »o man deceive you. 
 
 § f. [ I *H-E words in general are the* Preface 
 E of our Saviour's Anfwer to his Di- 
 (ciples. Their Quejiion was, r^0* f fo Signs of 
 bis Coming Jbould be , (v.3.) Which Coming of 
 his having a double Signification, either the e»^ 
 of the Age, ( as the Gr^£ imports*) or elfe the 
 «&/o/ fta World, ( as we commonly read in our 
 Englifb Bibles,) This Inquiry of the Difciples 
 may have in proportion a ^k£A? Prcfpeft. The 
 ^r/2 and more immediate on the Dejirutlion of 
 the 7^"*; the feco/ul-wd more rmote on /i>e 
 Day of Judgment.. And 'tis poflible that the 
 
 P 3 />*£. 
 
 * Kon primit 
 verbit refpon- 
 det ad ea de 
 quibm fuerat 
 interrogate j 
 fed Mud pri- 
 mum admo- 
 nety quodin- 
 primiffuerat 
 obfervandum^ 
 r\k impoflurk 
 hominum ab- 
 dncamHT a 
 fide. 
 
 Clarius in 
 locum; 
 
i-6 | OfCircumfpe&ion m Hypothefi. 
 
 V. Tertull. 
 de Prsfcript. 
 adverfw Ha- 
 ref. cap.$$. 
 
 frogno flicks our Saviour gives them may be 
 equally appliable to Both acceptions of his 
 Coming ; as well to the Scepter's departing from 
 Judah, which in the Prophecy of Jacob ihould 
 be when Shilob was fully come , as to the End 
 of All things , when Chrijl (hall come with hk 
 Holy Angels , to /tf^je *#e Secrets of all mens 
 Hearts. 
 
 I have fo very good Authority for B9tb 
 thefe Notions, that I am not very willing to leave 
 out either \ although I cannot but in Judgment 
 prefer the firfl : and that as for many other rea- 
 fons, ( too many, and too long to be here in- 
 ferted,) fo more particularly for orie 7 in which 
 the words of This Text are more particularly 
 concerned. For I obferve Three Periods or 
 Parts of Time, pointed at by our Saviour in 
 feveral parts of this Chapter : in the firft of 
 which he gives warning of bare Deceivers,(v.$.) 
 in the fecond of falfe Prophets , (v. n.) in 
 the third of falfe Chrifls, (v. 24.) fuch as would 
 fet forth themfelves in fo plaufible a manner , 
 with fo bewitching a Parade , and fuch aftoni- 
 fhing advantages of Sigm and Wonders, as 
 to deceive (if it were poffible ) the very E left , 
 had not our Saviour countermined them with 
 an &* vr<z_c$i(?v>&> Behold, I have told you before 
 
 they 
 
Of CircnmfoUion in Hypothefi. 
 
 117 
 
 they come, ( v. 25. ) and wich a &\l-mn in 
 my Text, Take heed that no man deceive you. 
 
 § 2. Now if to fatisfie the Delire and Cu- 
 riolicy of the fnquifitive , 1 may examin and 
 give account, who the Deceivers, and the falft 
 Prophets, and the falfe Chrifls were by Name, 
 whom our Lord in this Text may feem in parti- 
 cular to intend of allude unto ; The firft I find 
 Simon Magm, who call'd Himfelf The 
 
 was 
 
 Power of God; and Helena, his Harlot, A piece 
 of Deity , iiown forfooth from Hi* Bofom. He 
 was a very bewitching Sorcerer, in great Efteem 
 with the Emperour Ckudiut, and worfhipt by 
 many as a God. Nor would he be thought to 
 be onely one, but every Perfon in the Trinity ; 
 The Father in Samaria, The Son in Jud&a, The 
 Holy Ghojl among the Gentiles. Yet This was 
 That Simon who is faid to have believed, and by 
 the Sacrament of Baptifm had been admitted 
 into the Church. Aft.H. 13. Such another was' 
 Dtfitheut, who call'd himfelf The very Chrifi. 
 A third was Menander, who would needs have 
 been thought The common Saviour of the world. 
 A fourth was Barcbochebas, who preached up 
 himfelf as The Meffia* that was to come, and 
 whom the Jews were Followers of^ as of 1 know 
 not what Star dropt down from Heaven. Thefe 
 
 were 
 
 * Origcn 
 
 contra cetf. 
 
 1.2. Aa. s. 
 
 10. 
 
 Eofcb. Hift. 
 Eccl. Lx. 
 
 C.12. £r/.?» 
 c.20. & A4. 
 
 c 6. 
 
 A claudio 
 C*f. bonora- 
 tM y amultk 
 quafi Dew 
 glorificatut 
 ejfe dicitur. 
 Docuitfeejfe 
 qui inter /«- 
 d&os quafiFh 
 lins apparue- 
 rit, in Sama- 
 ria quafi Pa- 
 ter defcende- 
 riu fy in re- 
 ItquisgetiH- 
 bus quafi Sp. 
 SfiritlHsad- 
 ventaverif. 
 Hdenam j>r*. 
 mam-ejus tv- 
 voiav Juijfe 
 dixit , &ge- 
 netaffe Ange- 
 las & Po- 
 teflates per 
 quia Mm. 
 dum hunc 
 fattum effe 
 rt/Mren./,i. 
 c 20. 
 
1 1 8 I Of CirmmfoBion in Hypothefi. 
 
 * TlSt e< *v 
 
 Folyctrp. <*i 
 Philippcnf. 
 p. 20. 1 J oh. 
 
 4-3. f 
 Eufcb. 7.2. 
 c. 20. 
 Ircn. /. 1. 
 
 C.2$. & /.£. 
 C.3. 
 
 * Eufeb./.j. 
 c. 23. 
 
 Ircn. /.i.c.i. 
 & c 24. 
 
 [ * Epiph. 
 j Hsx. 20. 
 ■ 4 Hieron.//6. 
 j deScript.Ec- 
 
 \ c,ef - * 
 
 Auguftin. 
 j /far. 6, 
 I 6£ufeb./.4« 
 
 f. 7. &*/.6. 
 28. 
 
 were *properIy falfe Chrifis. Then for Decei- 
 vers and falfe Propbets,who are alluded to in the 
 Text, I (hall but name fome of the Chief. One 
 was Then das in the Time of Claudius, who pre- 
 tended to feparate the Waters of Jordan, as 
 Mofes Thofe of the Red Sea. JEgyptiu* was 
 another in the Time of Nero, who (with 30000 
 Followers) was by Felix cut off at the Mount 
 of Olives. A third was Ebion, who contended 
 that Jefa Chrifi was an arrant Man, the off- 
 fpring of Jofeph as well as Mary. * A fourth 
 was Cerintbws , who taught his Followers to 
 exped a Tboufand years of Senfuality , which 
 ( forfooth ) were to commence from after the 
 general Refurre&ion. ( The like to which was 
 faid otPapias, who had been Scholar toS.John.') 
 A fife was the Se& of the Nicolaitans, who ex- 
 horted their Difciples to the promifcuous ufe of 
 Wives. A fixt was Carpocrates, and all his 
 Gnofiicksy ( for* Ni col an* bred fome, and a JV 
 lentinm bred others,*) who commended Vnclean- 
 ncfi, as one great Requijite to Man's Redemption. 
 (meaning his being freed from his Confinement 
 to The Body.) A feventh was h Bafilides, 
 who held it lawfull in Times of Triall, to re- 
 nounce the Doftrin of the Gofpel, and did fet 
 up in Mgypt an open School of this Herefie : 
 
 which 
 
I 
 
 OfCircumfpe&ion in Hypothefi. | 1 1 o 
 
 which was afterwards eipoufed by the * HeU 
 chefeitdt. An eighth was Saturnine, who did 
 the like to this in Syria. And though fome 
 of thefe did flourish after the facking oi'Jeru- 
 falem, yet the Jews received Mafacres even after 
 that time of their Defolation. Wknefs Tbat'm 
 the Days of Hadrhn, whereof Bar chochebas was 
 the occafion. For God it feems had de(ign\i 
 them to fuch an abfolute mto^eM'* fuch a 
 Confumption of the whole, that even their Ruins 
 were to be levelled, and their Graves buried. 
 They were prohibited by Hadrian, to do fo 
 much as to look, on their Native Country. Yea 
 Jerufalem was decree d to be called Mlia, and 
 its Name to be blotted out from the Common 
 Regifter of Time. So that All thofe Deceivers 
 I jull now mentioned, were either the Harbin- 
 gers, or the Attendants, of That fo matchlefs 
 a Deva/lation ; and did literally fulfill this fa- 
 mous Predi&ion of our Lord, in the 5 th4 the 
 ii th - and 24 th - verfes of this Chapter, 
 
 § 3. All which being premised by way of 
 general Explication, may ferve to guide our 
 Attentions into Three Subjects of Difcourfe. 
 
 Firft,an Heedfulnefl, and Prudence, to which 
 our Saviour thought fit to exhort \\\sfirfiFol- 
 lowers; the Exhortation as it were reaching, 
 
 Q_ through 
 
 *Ku(cb.ibfct. 
 Ircn.i.c.i. 
 
 22. >'4 
 
 JuddtU nee 
 Advena* 
 rum jure Ter- 
 ram patriam 
 faltem vefiL 
 giofalutare 
 coneeditur, 
 Tcrtull. in 
 Apol.c. 21. 
 p. 45. 
 Eufeb./. 4. 
 c.6. 
 
120 
 
 Of Circumfyeftion in Hypothefi. 
 
 through Them ^ to Vs. $\kiwa , See, or Take heed. 
 
 Secondly, the Danger , or Ground of fear, 
 which more particularly calls for this Chriftian 
 Prudence. Towit^ the Multitude of Deceivers 
 gone abroad into the World ; which by their 
 Subtilty, and their Number, will be fo likely to 
 prevail, that there is no little need of our greateft 
 Care, ^ th *(*£<; -ztevfoy, left any Man deceive us. 
 
 Laftly, the Time is very obfervable, wherein 
 the ufe of this Care will bemoft in Seafon; and 
 this we may gather from the Context to be be- 
 fore a Dejlruttion of Church and State. For 
 Impoflure and Deceit will be Then mod rife, 
 and therefore the Prudence of a Chriftian will 
 be Then moft needfull. 
 
 The )?r/2 Obfervable of the Three I have 
 infifted upon at large on another Text ; where- 
 on I fhewM the ftrid neceflity of circumfydx 
 Walking in the Generally refpeft of evil Things, 
 and all that have Tendency unto evil. 
 
 It now remains that 1 proceed to the fecend 
 Obfervable I proposed ; and fo to confider 
 Circumjpeflion or Chriftian Prudence, as relating 
 in Particular to the Deceitfulnefs of Perfms. 
 Nor can it be feverely imputed to me, if ftill 
 1 continue to deal in Caveats. For, 
 
 § 4. If ever there were an Errour to be com- 
 mended 
 
Of Circumfpetfion in Hypothefi. 
 
 121 
 
 men Jed out of a Pulpit, ic is the right-handed 
 Errouroffrw much Caution. And if ever there 
 can be any, 7hi* is cer rainly the 7//w, when no 
 abundance of Caution can be £00 //7w£. When 
 perhaps the very greatefi a man can */£, may 
 prove the very leajt he thall ftand in need of. 
 At leaft I take This to be a fatisfa&ory reafon, 
 why having fpoken enough already of Chriftian 
 Prudence in Thefi, I am led by the love of Me- 
 thod to confider it alio in Hypotheft ; as it (lands 
 in relation to this or that Station and State of 
 Men. For as Charity is the greatefi of 'Chriftian 
 Vertues, fo ( in a fecular Consideration ) 'tis 
 the moft dangerous , and enfnaring , and the 
 mod difficult to be managed of all our Duties ; 
 becaufe it has This peculiar to it, that it thin- 
 kethnoevill; butbeareth all things, believeth 
 all things $ hopeth all things , endureth all 
 things. ( 1 Cor. 13. 5, 7. ) 1 will not fay it is 
 the weakflefi or fault of Charity to be Credu- 
 lous ; But yet expofing its owners to many 
 Rifques, and Inconveniences, it ftands in need 
 of great Prudence to keep it fafe. The Dif- 
 ciples therefore did very wifely, in being afraid 
 and fufpiciou* of Paul himfelf, till Barnabas 
 gave him a Tefiimonial, that by his preaching 
 boldly at Damafcuty and by his difputing againft 
 
 Q^2 the 
 
 Aft. 9. 2$. 
 
 ver. 27, 29. 
 
I 22 
 
 OfCircumfteBion in Hypothefi. 
 
 Jo)). 2. 23,24- 
 
 * Matth, 10. 
 1 & 
 
 the Grschns , he prov'd himfclf an unfeigned 
 Convert: as if the repentance of an Enemy were 
 never to be trufled untill 'tis fryV; nor any 
 Gftfcer 7>/W/ could be fufficient , but That of 
 bringing forth fruits meet for repentance. Our 
 BlefTed Saviour himfelf would noc entrufi him- 
 felf with fome who believed in him ; becaufe he 
 knew their Belief was fuch, as would not bear 
 any firefl in a time of 7ra//. Seeing the Mi- 
 racles which he did, they believd in hi* Name: 
 but he knew that they were not Temptation-proof; 
 that they would not hold out at his Crucifixion. 
 How much more might his Apoflles be diftruft- 
 full of Believers, who knew them not? And 
 yet fo unguarded was their Simplicity , ( 1 
 mean the Simplicity of the heart, not of the 
 head, or the under/landing ; as oppofed onely 
 to knavery, and not to kjiowledge ; 5 that they 
 made their own Innocence the ufual meafure 
 of other mens. Hence it was that their Mafier 
 did call them * Sheep ; becaufe they knew not, 
 till he had told them , that they were going 
 out a6 Sheep in the midfi of Wolves. And the 
 more he had obferv'd they were unapt to be 
 fufpiciout, by fo much the rather did he exhort 
 them to ufe the wifedbm of the Serpent, whereby 
 to kz a conftant Guard upon the Innocence of the 
 
 Dove. 
 
Wifd.17' 12. 
 
 Eph. 2. 2. 
 
 Of CircHmfo&ion in Hypothefi. 123 
 
 Dove. For as Wifidom is * devillijh, without M^.3.15. 
 Sinplicity, Co Tbk, without Wi[edom, is never 
 [aft. It is the property of the <9/7£ 5 Mf to ^9 
 any Injury, and the benefit of the other, is 00* 
 to fufer it. Indeed as /fyir is oppos'd to For- 
 titude, it is a cbildiflj unmanlike Paflion ; ft ill 
 betraying thofe fuccours which reafon offer eth. 
 Again, as Fear is oppos'd to Faith, it is an 
 heatheni/h and carnal Paffion ; That that made 
 fomany Compilers in the evil days pafs'd, with 
 the Spirit which Then was working in the pro- 
 fperous Children of Difobedience. But as Fear 
 is oppos'd to Folly, ( I mean Imprudence, and 
 & i j/;f of Heed,) it is at once a very generous and 
 Chrijiian Thing. There being no true fo/fA, 
 no nor any true Fortitude, which has not a 
 mixture of fuch a Fear. As Fear is oppofite 
 to Reliance and 7ri//2 *£ God, it is indeed a 
 great Duty to /tf//g£ at Danger : But as 'tis 
 oppofite to Raflinejl and a defeft ot Circum- 
 [peStion, it is as much a man's duty to provide 
 againft danger by timely fear. For the fame 
 Spirit that faith by the Royal Prieft, Fear not 
 them that can kill the body, does alfo fay by 
 the Royal Preacher, Happy is the man that 
 feareth always. All which being compared 
 with the Importance of my Text ; and the 
 
 Q_3 evill 
 
 Matth. to. 
 38. 
 
 Prov.28.14. 
 
■ 
 
 i34 I OfCircumfaeBion in Hypothefi. 
 
 jevill of thofe days, which in the Context are 
 fpoken of, being duly compared with thefe I 
 fpeak in, (for in truth the whole Chapter which 
 lies before us may very well ferve for an Englifb 
 Mirroir, wherein our Modern Deceivers may 
 | partly/^ how they look;) 1 think I may fay 
 \Q without impertinence) to the mod prudent 
 \ Congregation, what our Saviour e deemed need- 
 full, not ondy pertinent to his Difciples, £ai- 
 7rm , See , or take heed : and &*6j$n 2aro r£ 
 •7&iw£3cu 9 Take heed ye be not deceived: and 
 /SAfc'-rrm im n$ , Take heed that no man deceive 
 you. 
 
 § 5. That thus the Emphafis is to be pur, 
 I am confirmed in my opinion from other words 
 of our Lord to his 1 2 Apoftles, when being 
 about to fend them abroad to an inhofpi table 
 world, he did not fpeak in this manner, (which 
 yet he might very well have done,) Beware of 
 thofe foolifb and hurtfull Lufis, which drown the 
 Soul in mifery andptrdition.Nor did he choofe to 
 fay Thus, (which he might very well have done 
 too,) Beware of the Inticements of worldly Great- 
 nefl, of Riches, and Pleafure, and Reputation. 
 He did not fay, (withS. Paul,) Beware of Dogs ; 
 Nor yet, f with S. Peter,) Beware of Devils : But 
 ( as a greater Mifchief than either, ) Beware of 
 
 Men. 
 
Of Circnmffe&ion in Hypothefi. 125 
 
 Men. (Matth. io. 17.) For ast)eceitfulnefs, 
 and Fraud, and all the dire effe&s thereof, do 
 give us a very true Chara&er of the Greater 
 World ; fo Man, being a little world, is a little 
 world of Deceits too. The falfeft Crocodile in 
 /Egypt is not Hypocrite enough to become his 
 Embleme. The reafon is, becau/e the ^things 
 debaucht are the mod tranfcendent evils. Thofe 
 Angels that fell from as high as Heaven, could 
 not therefore fail lefs, than as low as Hell. And 
 fo Angelical was the Nature ofMan undepravd, 
 by injoying a Re&kude both of Intellect and 
 Will, that he admitted not of a 7B/V<//e betwixt 
 a Devil, and a Saint. So that Mans being the 
 irc?ry2 on this fide Hell, as well as the beji of God's 
 Creatures on this fide Heaven, does help to ad- 
 juft and reconcile the feeming contradictory Pro- 
 verbs, * Homo Homini Dew, and Homo Homini 
 Diabolws. Man to Man is a kind of God, and 
 Mj# to Man is an arrant Dei/i/. All the reft 
 of our Fellow-creatures are very innocent Neigh- 
 hours ; Nay, whenfoever we have occasion, they 
 are our mod obedient and faithfull Servants. 
 But Man to Man ( for the greateft part ) is 
 either a very fierce Enemy, and fo the worft of 
 Wild Beads ; or elfe a very falfe Friend, the 
 worft of Tane ones. 
 
 §6, So 
 
 Ci<xgjv «?- ^ 
 
 dyntitov, 0- 
 7tt» *W; «- 
 
 Polyb. ////?. 
 /. I. (frLe- 
 c^r. 122. 
 
 7V%«V, 4- 
 
 7?%t«. Plato 
 
 dc-Legibus 
 
 1.6. 
 
 Spasr©- — 
 » Snpvv &gy- 
 
i26 I Of Circumfte&ion in Hypothefi. 
 
 <?dv 71VK cos 
 Hi fjuk)<r.- 
 
 7#j opS*A- 
 fxif, &C. 
 Diod. Sic. 
 /. io. p. 778. 
 
 Jcr.17.9. 
 
 § 6. So far therefore as we are men, I think 
 our firft and greateft heed is to betaken for our 
 /elves againft our fives. Not for this Reafon 
 onely, becaufe we love our felves mof, andfo 
 are mofi apt to deceive our felves; (the Devil 
 commonly ufing us, as the Emprefs Agrippina 
 her husband Claudius, whilft fhepoyfon'dZArf* 
 Di/h, with which (he knew he was mofi delighted, 
 and on which he was likely to make the plenti- 
 fulleji Meal;') But withall becaufe the Soul,. 
 like the Eye of Man, is leafi of all able to fee 
 itfelf. And this I think the beft Moral, (though 
 1 know there is another,) of Diodorws his My- 
 thology concerning Lamia , who did put on 
 her Eyes, when fbe went abroad ; but always 
 coming home, put them up into her pocket. We 
 are blind to the greateft Beam, if it be in our own 
 Eye, though we can fpy the lead Mote in ano- 
 ther mans. Nor is it onely the Eye, but the 
 Heart of man alio ( if we believe the Prophet 
 Jeremy) is deceitfull above all things. And 
 this is that which makes him his own rrorfi 
 cheat; whilft either he fells without a Tempter, 
 like Lucifer in heaven ; or elfe (like Peter upon 
 earth) he is endangered by a temptation from 
 the meer Confidence of his fafetj. Amongft a 
 Thoiifand which might be given, 1 cannot name 
 
 a titter 
 
OfCircumfyeftion in Hypothefi. 
 
 a ficter Inftance of Self-Deceiving,thm that of 
 Eldavid the Fanatick in Rabbi Mofche Ben 
 Maiemon : who was (b very Jincere a Cheat in 
 the couzenage ofhimfelfj and did fo fenoufly 
 believe he was the Prodromm of the Meffias, that 
 he offer 'd to be tr/d by a Decollation, and 
 died a Martyr to his Delufions. So much 'tis 
 every man's duty to ^r Himfelf, and to fufpeft 
 his otfvz fhantafie, or Imaginition^hich he takes 
 to be his j^g/zze/zt in divers cafes. 
 
 §7. Next and immediately after our fe Ives, 
 we muft be circumfpedt and wife in refped: of 
 one another. And as of other men in generally 
 ( for this very reafon that they are Men, ) fo 
 of' Thofe in fpecial manner whom we have moll 
 of all trujled, and mod obliged ; who have 
 mingfd their Projefis and Prayers with us; 
 who have eaten of our bread, and as it were 
 Iain in our very Bofoms ; who are apt to bate 
 us for the favours they are not able to requite, 
 and for exceeding their Gratitude? will not allow 
 us their Humanity. Of fuch ill-natur'd Crea- 
 tures we read in Tacitut, quibu* beneficia eo- 
 ufque Uta, dum videntur exolvi pofe ; fed ubi 
 antevenere, pro gratia odium redditur. Little 
 Curtefies and good turns they take very well, 
 and are thankfull for : Bat when a Munificence 
 
 R 
 
 I 2 
 
 yiJ. Bux- 
 torph, The- 
 faur. Lhgu. 
 Hebr, qui 
 hiftoriam re- 
 cenfet inte- 
 grum ex libro 
 Shcvct Jc« 
 huda. 
 
 IS 
 
28 Of Circumfpettion in Hypothefi. 
 
 ]cr.<?. 4,5,6. 
 
 Ecc!u*.$,!3, 
 
 isexceffive, and far beyond their poffibility ei 
 cher to recompenfe, or deferve, Then they onely 
 /tfw the benefits , but perfectly /?^t^ the Srae- 
 fo(5for, and with Him Dead, becanfe ( accor- 
 ding to that ofAriftotle, <**%"»*?) o ^f^ T ^©- 7 ) 
 as often as he fees them, he makes them blufti. 
 Now 'tis very found arguing from the Aft to 
 the Aptitude ; fuch Things there may be in thefe 
 our days, becaufe there were fuch in the days 
 we read of. And fyecial heed is to be taken 
 that we be not deceived by fuch as Thefe ; be- 
 caufe by Courage and eafie Caution a man may 
 be faved from his Enemies ; But God alone can 
 keep him fafe from his deareft Friends. Thence 
 faidGod by the Prophet Jeremy, Take ye heed 
 every one of his Neighbour , and trufi ye not in 
 any Brother : for every Brother will utterly fup- 
 plant ; and every Neighbour will walk with /lan- 
 ders ; their habitation is in the midft of Deceit. 
 So faid Jefm the Son of Sirach , Separate thy 
 felf from thine Enemies , and take heed of thy 
 Friends. Julim Cdtfar was more endangered 
 from Brutut,zn& Cajfiut, his Bofom Friends ^ than 
 from Antony, and Cato, his open Enemies. Pom- 
 pey the Great could never hurt him wich all his 
 Annies, becaufe he was a brave and a generous 
 Enemy.. But his Friends were fuch Flayls, as 
 
 againfl 
 
Of Circumfpeliwn in Hypothefi, 129 
 
 a^aind which there was no Defenfe. hven the 
 Serpent hnnfdfwis not more treacherous to Eve, 
 than Eve was unto hev Husband, and her Hti6- 
 band to \us pofterity. For although (he derived 
 Her Body from His , and fo might feem in 
 fome regard to have been his own Daughter , 
 before his Wife; (as it were joyn'd to him in 
 Wedlock by a kind of lawful I Incefi\) yet no 
 fooner had that Woman received Life from out 
 his 5^ than the ( in a lamentable Requitall ) 
 returned Death into his Bowells. Da aid did 
 not complain, That an open Enemy haddifbo- 
 n ufdhim, or that an Adverfary had magnify d 
 bimfelf againfi him : for ( faid he) I could 
 have born the one^ and have hid my felf from the 
 other. But his Cordolium and his out-cry ws 
 againfi his Companion , and his Guide , with 
 whom he tookfreet Counfell, and walked with 
 as with a Friend in th 1 HoufeofGod. 1 with it 
 may prove a very groundlefs and weak Sug- 
 geftion^ that both our Jefuites, and their Journy- 
 men, (paffing commonly under the name of 
 fanatick Protefiants, ) are by much the mod 
 innocent^ becaufe they are ^e^ pxkzJiaamh^ (^s 
 Anfiotle words it ) the molt undifguifed and 
 barefaced Enemies, at once to the Monarchy 
 and C hurch of England. Such as declare them- 
 
 R 2 felves 
 
 pfai.55. 
 13,14. 
 
 32, 
 
 Pfal. 41.9. 
 
130 ( OfCircmfieftion in Hypothefi. 
 
 * Con r er Eu- 
 fhananum, 
 & Jur.ium 
 
 Catalcgo 
 Scriptorum 
 apud II. Ca. 
 taub. Epilf. 
 ad Fronto- 
 ncm Ducae- 
 vm. pr&jer- 
 timp.11,12, 
 14. 
 
 a Beatum il- 
 ium, qui non 
 vidit mala 
 P atria qu£ 
 parant duo 
 genera homi- 
 num y Jefnii<e 
 
 v&> & oi iv 
 
 esH 'Iwn- 
 
 (cVTii. Dew 
 
 mtfereatur 
 Ecclefidfn*. 
 Cafaub. £- 
 pift. 116. 
 Corner etiam 
 Thuani/ 54. 
 A D. 1572. 
 cum ejufdem 
 I. 17. A. D. 
 
 <i.D. j 557. 
 
 felves in * print for the Dtpofwg of our Kings, 
 and the Difyofwg of their kingdoms. In this 
 refped the more innocent., chit by profiling 
 themfelves implacable and ungainable Antago- 
 nifts, they give us an Helmet before they finite. 
 We know the Thirtieth of January ftands as 
 execrably black in our Englifi Calendar, as 
 the /^i/f of November has ever done. Which 
 proves the Truth of what was written by a Ifaac 
 Cafaubon to Heinjim before our days, (and when 
 the days were left evil than we have liv'd in,) 
 chat we have Jefuited Protejiants, as well as Pa- 
 pi/Is ; equally Haters of the Government of 
 Church and State here in England ; equally poy- 
 fon'd with an Opinion, that the worft of all 
 Mui thers is the mod highly meritorious ; equally 
 Praliicers and Patrons of That Hddebr andine 
 Divinity, which has coft fo many Monarchs their 
 Lives and Fortunes. I fay, 'twere fafer than now 
 it is, if all our Enemies werefuch, ut profejfa 
 prodant odia vindift& locum; that by knowing 
 our utmjl Danger, we might Timely ft and upon 
 our Guard. Were I at leifure to rifle Story, 
 1 could name feveral Hundreds, befides the Em- 
 ■perour Dariu*, and Charles the fir fl of thefe 
 Realms, who were bttrafd by thofe moft, in 
 whom they moft trufled ; and whilft they thought 
 
 the 
 
 ! 
 
Of Circumf^eUion in Hypothefi. 131 
 
 the beft way to make men Loyally was not to 
 doubt of their being fuch, moft unhappily have 
 died by their Credulity. It is indeed a very 
 generous and Princely Errour, ( as being the 
 Errour of a Great and a Candid Soul,) not ac 
 all to be capable of Fears and Jealoufies; and 
 rather to run the greateft Hazards, than either 
 to fear, or to be fear'd. But yet the oftener I 
 reflect upon what was once faid by a Duke of 
 Florence, [That He reckoned All Subjects, who 
 were Principled by the Jefuits, would rebe 11 if they 
 could, and therefore (faid he) for mine, let 
 them do it if 7 hey can ;] And comparing there- 
 with the feveral Caveats of our Lord, Be wife at 
 Serpents, Beware of Men ; And confidering that 
 Difruffulnefl is the chief Wifedom of the Ser- 
 pent,<LS well as a neceflary Safeguard to the Sim- 
 plicity of the Dove ; Laftly, the lefs I have been 
 able to free my felf from an opinion, that in 
 the Warinefs of the Prince the Peoples Intereft 
 and Safety does chiefly ftand , ( for fure it 
 is our greateft Intereft , not to be able to be 
 damnd tor our Difobedience, and, by a con- 
 fequence unavoidable , not to be able to Dif 
 obey the Lord of Hofts in his Vicegerents,) 
 the more 1 think there is place for an Epichar*- 
 m^5, to bring That Motco to Remembrance , 
 
 R 3 O* 
 
 uvrm 
 
l 3 2 
 
 OfCircumfpeUion in Hypothefl 
 
 Mauh.7.15, 
 
 Vincent. Li- 
 rin. cap. 17, 
 18, 19. 
 
 ]jAkii.wm im&to* that is J for get not to be Difirufi 
 full. 
 
 §> 8. And as of all other friends, To above 
 all beware of Them, who pretend a Frienddiip 
 unto die Soul. For there is no Devil to the 
 white one. That Serpent is the raoft deadly , 
 which covers over his malice with the feeming 
 [implicit} of a LWe. A £/W/is ever mofl jRat/*- 
 tf6>^, when cloathM \nfljeep-skjn. Nor is there 
 any fuch dangerous Highway-Thief, as he who 
 follows that trade ia the Reverend Habit of a 
 Prieft. There are no Jugglers in the world to 
 be comparM with falfe Teachers ; thofe Spi- 
 ritual purloyners, who commit a kind of Bur- 
 glary upon mens Souls, and even plunder their 
 very Confciences ; who tirftftealinto their Heads, 
 and carry away from thence their true Opinions 
 in point of faith ; then creep into their Hearts, 
 and [leal away from thence their right Affec- 
 tions in point ofpraftice. Such as thefe here- 
 tofore were Nefiorius, Yhotinws, and Apollinam. 
 All three very learned and frequent Preachers, 
 of eminent wit, and elocution, highly approved 
 by the Clergy , as well as admired by all the 
 people, untill infe&ed wkh an Itch to be the 
 Authors of To many SV£zs, or the /foz./j of fo 
 many Faftions, they polluted all their Excel- 
 lencies 
 
Of Circumfpe&ion in Hypothefi. 1 3 3 
 
 lencies with die Ltprofie of tLrrour ; and of 
 rZ>/-££ great Shepherds became three Dogs,, whole 
 conftant bufinefs was nothing elie , but to be 
 barking and friar ling againft the Truth. Pho- 
 tinws (even with vehemence) againft the Trinity 
 of the Godhead; Nefiorw againft the Unity of 
 our Saviour's Per/on ; and laftly , Apollinaris 
 againft the Duality of his Nature. 
 
 § 9. From whofe examples we may learn, 
 not onely to beware of fuch as creep into Houfes, 
 and there lead captive thofe Silly women, who 
 again do lead captive their Silly men ; But of 
 fuch as domineer in their fa&ious pulpits , and 
 like the great Red Dragon in the Revelation, 
 do draw after their Tail, perhaps a whole third 
 part of the Stars of Heaven. (I cannot be thought 
 to fpeak of fixt, but of erratick and wandring 
 Stars.) The common fallacies of the world do 
 onely couzen the peoples fenfes, andfo impofe 
 upon their Reafon. But thefe at firft dafh do even 
 bewitch their very reafon, and fo beguile them 
 of their Religion. A Mutual Cheat \ or fa Ife 
 Teacher, is lb incomparably hurtfull; (efpe- 
 cially when his falfe and feditious Do&rin is 
 fuch -as eafily runs out at his fingers ends,) 
 that Lucifer himfelf, to become fuch, did firft 
 of all turn Devil. . For as if his Devilffnp were 
 
 his 
 
 a Tim. 5 ^« 
 
 Rev. 12. 9. 
 
154 I OfCircumfpe&ion in Hypothefi. 
 
 i Kin. 1 8.22. 
 
 Ch.22 t V.6fi. 
 
 his Qualification, He was firft an Apofiate, and 
 then a Preacher. The forbidden Tree was his 
 Text, forbidden Knowledge was his Doflrin,Hor- 
 rid Rebellion was his fcje, and fo he concluded 
 with )uft Damnation.. 
 
 §, io. Now we (hall find fuch Impoftors to 
 have been flill very rifo whether we look into 
 the Jewifh, or Chriftian Church. 
 
 In the Jemjh it is obfervable , that for one 
 Elijah, (that man of God, ) the Prophets of 
 Btftf/ were /tftfr hundred and fifty. For 0/ze il/i- 
 caiah , who prophefied Truth, four hundred 
 there were that dawbM with untemper'dMorter. 
 The ways of Apoftafy mlfrael were chiefly two. 
 The firft was the way of Jeroboam, who ador'd 
 the true God, but in the fimilitude of a Calf; 
 nor that at Jerufalem, but Van and Bethel. In 
 that lay his Herefie, in *£# his Schifm. The fe- 
 cond way was the way ofAhab ; who befides the 
 publick tforflhip, common to him with Jero- 
 boam, did farther worfhip his Baalims or G^- 
 lings alfo. Now there was never any Apoftafy, 
 no nor Idolatry in Ifrael , in which their /^^ 
 Prophets had not it ill a great hand. No nor 
 any falfe Prophets who prophefied Lies, but 
 they pretended to derive them from the mouth 
 of Truth. The work of Satan ffcill was done 
 
 in 
 
*2Thcff. 2. 
 7- 
 
 OfCircumfpe&ion in Hypothefi. | 155 
 
 in febovafrs name. An example of which we 
 have 1 King. 22. where though Ahab's lying 
 Prophets were Prophets of Baal, yec ftill they 
 ufher'd in their falfehoods wich a [ Thus faith 
 the Lord.'] 
 
 Come we haftily from the Jexvifh to the Chri- 
 fiian Church, which we fhall find to have been 
 infefred, from her firft * Infancy and Childhood^ 
 with fuch Deceivers. h Simon Magu* was found at 
 Romero refift the do&rins of S.Peter ; An Apollo- 
 nim alio at Ephefa, to check the preachings of 
 S.fobn.Befidcs Menander,and Cerinthu6,Barcho- \ 
 chebas, and Dofitheu6,Car£ocrates,znd Ebion, Sa- 
 turnine, and Bafilides, and the mod: venemous 
 Crew as well ofGnoftickj->z s Nicholaitans,(v/here- 
 ofthegreateft part did tiourifh intheApoftles 
 own times, and all pretended to be Reformers,) 
 there were not wanting amongft the Heathen , 
 who did endeavour the fetting up a New Me/ftas 
 of their own ; and that by craftily diverting the 
 cleared prophecies of the OldTeflamentftomtlm 
 natural Afpeft which they all fatten upon the 
 New. Jujlin Martyr in his Par<enefis to the Em- 
 perour Antonine, does make this appear by an 
 Induction of particulars. That famous pro- 
 phecy ( for example) of dying Jacob, [The 
 Scepter fhall not depart from Judah till Shiloh 
 
 S come. 
 
 V. Juflin 
 Mart* 7ra%- 
 atv- -srjfj? 
 'AvT.p, 70, 
 
1 56 I Of Circumfpeftion in Hypothefi. 
 
 come, binding hi* Affes Colt unto the choice Vine, 
 andwajhirighi* Cloatbs in the blood of Grapes, 
 Ge//, 49.11.] which is fo manifeftly fulfilled 
 in Jtfm Chriji the Son of God , The Heathen 
 J Greeks apply'd to Bacchus , their Son of Ju- 
 'piter ; not onely becaufe his Rites were folem- 
 nized with an Afl , and becaufe he was wor- 
 fhipped as the God of the Vintage ; but becaufe 
 he was feign' d to have been torn in pieces , to 
 have fuffefd many things, and to have entered 
 into Glory. So what is lpoken by the Prophets 
 of our Saviour's riding into Jerufalem upon an 
 Afl, ( Zech.9.9. ) They apply to Belleropbon 
 ( another S on of their Jupiter} riding to Heaven 
 upon fegafm, a winged Horfe. And that prae- 
 diftion of Ifaia6 concerning a Virgins bringing 
 forth, (Ifa.7.14.) They will needs apply to 
 Danae in the Brazen Tower ; where having care- 
 fully been fequeflred from the Society of men , 
 and yet for all that grown big of Perfews, fihe 
 \ got the fabulous repute of a Mother-Maid. So 
 Ithatpaffageof the Pfalmifi, [He reyoyced 06 a 
 Giant to run hit courfe, Pfal. 19.5. J Thofe 
 Idolatrous Greeks apply to Hercules, whom they 
 affirm to have ran through all the habitable 
 world. And thofe diftinft pr^di&ions of the 
 Prophet Efa touching our Saviour's healing 
 
 Virtue 
 
Of Circumfpeliion in Hypothefi. 157 
 
 Virtue over all manner ot Difeafes, they apply 
 to Mfculapiut, their God of fhjfick* Not to be 
 endlefs in particulars, All the Prophecies of our 
 Mejftas, excepting chat of his Crucifixion, (which 
 their Poets could never parallel in all their fabu- 
 \ous Sons of Jupiter,*) have by the wicked In- 
 geny of Deceivers, been profanely mifapply'd 
 to the bo Ifiering up of their Idolatries, and that 
 by having been wrefted from thofe Completions 
 they all do find in our Blefled Saviour. Info- 
 much as without, and within the Church, both 
 under the Law, and under the Gofpel, This has 
 ever been a pertinent, if not a necejfary Caveat, 
 Be wife at Serpents ; Beware of Men ; or flxfam 
 ^ 7K , Take je heed that no man deceive you. 
 
 § II, We ftand in need of This Caveat, in 
 refpeft of All Perfons without exception : not 
 onely of the wor[l, but the Befi of men. For 
 as the worfi may deceive us by their very good 
 Words, fo may the Befi of men too ( though 
 without any defign , and even before they are 
 aware,) by their evil Deeds. 
 
 To begin with the worfi^ let us firft of all at- 
 tend unto that Caveat of S # Paul to his Ephe- 
 fians, Let no man deceive you with vain words. 
 A Caveat extended to many things of great mo- 
 ment, however exprefled by our Apoftle in the 
 
 S 2 ftile 
 
 Eph. 5. 6. 
 
38 [ Of CircwrfpBion in Hypothefi. 
 
 ftile of vain words. He does not mean by vain 
 words, fuch as are but unprofitable and imperti- 
 nent co the Hearers ; fuch as are to no end, and 
 purpofe : but fuch as are filthy as well as foo- 
 lip; andwithall fuch as are falfe, or fallacious 
 words. Such as blind a man's Judgment; fuch 
 as pervert his Underftanding ; fuch as impofe 
 upon his Reafon ; fuch as miflead him from the 
 true Faith ; and even couzen him of his Reli- 
 gion. In all thefe refpe&s, though in the I aft 
 above all, S. Paul is carefull that his Ephefians 
 be not deceiv'd with vain words. 
 
 They who cz\\ foolifb or filthy Talking, by the 
 plaufible names of Facetioufnej^or Drollery \Vr- 
 banity,ox Burlefque,zxe the firft fort of fuch as do 
 deceive with vain words. Thefe are called by the 
 Greeks ^AototW, and by the Latines Ridicularii, 
 in French and Eng\\ih,Orolls^ndRailleurs;fuch 
 as think it a mark of Wit, never to fpeak zftriout 
 word,but to turn all into Ridicule. By foo UJh tal- 
 king and jefting, (two words for one thing ) is 
 meant fuch infipid and unfavory difcourfe^as has 
 not in it any Salt either of Charity or of Prudence 
 to make it ufefull. 'Tis true that Arifiotle does 
 reckon 6[]r^j7nxUv (which is here S.PauPs word) 
 a Semivertue in Converfation. But being ufually 
 coupled with Scurrility, or Objcceneneft, or fome 
 
 degree 
 
Of Circwuffe&ion in Hypothefi. 139 
 
 degree of Profanation^ (for mala funt vicina b)~ 
 nhj it is prohibited f ,and condemn d, and heavily 
 cenfur'dbyouv Apoftie, as inconfiftent with the 
 ferioufntfl and the gravity of a Chriftian, whole 
 Converfation flhould ^ /# heaven > and his /^ /« 
 ffo £fo/y Ghoft;not in jefting,and buftbnery. Mor- 
 tification and Repentance and Amendment of 
 life fhould be His Bufinefl; and Praifing God 
 his Recreation. The Study and Contemplation 
 both of the Wifedom, and the Will, and the Word 
 of God, fhould be his Labwr, and his Diver- 
 tijement , his daily Exercife and Delight. To 
 them that place their prefent happinefs in the 
 contrary to This, in /paring nothing to break a 
 Jeft, neither the holy Word of God, nor the 
 good Names of Men , nor the modeft Ears of 
 Women, but facrifice all confiderations to Sport 
 and Laughter? as to the Idol they mo ft adore, 
 To Them our Lord's Denuntiation belongs of 
 right, Wo be to Them that laugh, for they Jh all 
 mourn and weep. As for fuch things as Thefe, 
 impious Jefts to caufe laughter, and filthy TaU 
 king, (v. 4. ) let no man deceive ut , (faith 
 S. Paul,) as if they were altogether Venial, and 
 fuch as eafily confift with a Chriftian ftate : For 
 even becaufe of Thefe things, (as arrant Trifles 
 and Peccadilloes, as by too many they may be 
 
 S 3 thought,) 
 
140 I OfCircumfpeBion in Hypothefi. 
 
 thought,) the wrath of God comet h upon the chil- 
 dren of Disobedience, either in This, or the World 
 to come. 
 
 Again, Let no man deceives* with vain words, 
 that is, with falfe ones ( faith Eftitt*,) or with 
 fallacious ones ( faith Menochiws^) And fo the 
 Caveat is extenfible to All the Deceitfulnefles 
 of Men, who with the Sophiftry of words, or 
 the words of mans Wifedom, (which is the wife- 
 dom of the Flefh,) feek to impofe upon the 
 Confciences and minds of thofe they fpeak to. 
 As in calling vitiou* Fear by the Name of Pru- 
 dence; in calling Avarice, Frugality; Luxury, 
 Noblenefl ; Lightnefi , Affability ; Ambition, 
 Greatnefi of Soul ; Sheepijhnefi, Humility; In- 
 fultation, Courage ; and devilifh Envy, Hatred 
 of Evil. For now and then a great Vice does 
 fo Ape-out Vertue, and feveral Vertues in fome 
 degrees do fo border upon Vice, that for want 
 of due Heed to the vain words of men, many 
 miftake them for one another. Let no man 
 therefore deceive us (as many will, unlefs we 
 ftand upon our Guard,) by giving vain Sub- 
 tilty the name of Wifedom ; and Cruelty the name 
 of Corrective Juftice ; by calling Rafhnefe, Re- 
 folution; and Giddinefl , Zeal : Let no man 
 lead us into Intemperance , under the ftile of 
 
 Good- 
 
Of Circumfyeftion in Hypothefi. 14 
 
 (Joodfellowjbip; nor leek to leffen the guilt of 
 Wantonneii , by its being intiti'd a Trick, of 
 youth ; nor withdraw our Obedience to publick 
 Parents, in pretenfe of Sacrifice to God ; no 
 nor our Sacrifice to God, ( when That is due, ) 
 becaufe Obedience indeed is better. Let no man 
 perfuade us to leave undone the fmallefi Duties, 
 under colour of our doing the weightier mat- 
 cers of the Law ; nor wilfully to admit of a 
 leJferS'm, in a fophiftical Pretenfe of avoiding 
 greater. For That faying ofArifiotle, ™A fyar 
 2*$a M-^dov >&™ p > that of two Evils the leafl h 
 tobechofen^ is not meant of two Moral, but of 
 two Phjfical, or civil Evils. Tis true when 
 two Evils are Both of Punijhrnent , or when of 
 any two Evils, the one is of Sin, and the other 
 of Affliftion, Reafon prompts us to choofe the 
 leffer. But of two moral Evils, or of two/^r- 
 malSinSy Religion bids us choofe neither: But 
 •rather fuffer the greateflcvil, than fubmit to do 
 the leafl. 
 
 § 1 2. Should I adventure to refleft upon all 
 forts of Men of this firft rank , of whom an heed 
 is to betaken in this lad Age, ( though this at 
 firft was my DefignJ I flhould heedlefly ingage \ 
 in a new Sea of matter, and wear out the Pa- 
 tience of all that hear me. 1 (hall therefore 
 
 choofe 
 
142 I Of Circumftettion in Hypothefi. 
 
 choofe to fpend the little Remainder of my 
 time, in giving notice of two or three of the 
 mod plauflble Deceivers , which feem to have 
 had the chiefeft hand in all the Miferies of the 
 late Times. For till the Errours they have 
 [own, and fometimes planted^ be rooted out of 
 the people's Minds, 1 cannot imagin how it 
 is poffible to keep our Peace any longer , than 
 whilft the perfons fo imbued want Power to 
 break it. 
 
 § 13. Take we heed then in the next place of 
 fuch Deceivers, as fow the feeds of Bifcontent 
 in their credulous Congregations , by feeding 
 the People with Apprehenfion9, fears, and jea- 
 lousies, of Super Jlition, and Poperj , and impo- 
 fitions upon Religion by the Commandments of 
 Mm. This has been a lore Evil under the Sun, 
 ( ever fince the Days of Queen Elizabeth^) by 
 fiftitiout and pretended, to make a Broad way 
 for real Popery. When a Proteflant refolves to 
 efroufe a Schifm, a Separation from the rnofi per- 
 jell of Proteflant Churches in the World., He mufl 
 accufe her either of Poperj , or of P api flic al In- 
 clinations, for fear of being found out by all, 
 to drive a Trade of Animolities, either for Re- 
 venge, orforfilthj Lucre ; or for fear of being 
 known to be Satan's chief Journy-man, in being 
 
 pa/Iio- 
 
OfCircumfteBion in Hypothefi. | 143 
 
 paffionately amorous of breeding Hatreds, a.ad ' 
 a Z,0z/£r oCSchifn as ic is Scbifm. Neither Chrijt 
 nor his Apo/iles were ufed otherwife or ipaqS chan 
 the Church of England, whofe Accufations were 
 adapted 10 their Enemies Ends, which wereonely 
 to OTji^ t/vd O&W* and thorowly yfata/ for Z>e- 
 flruttion; as far from 7ntf/>, or Probability, as 
 Truth can poUibly be from Faljbood. Nor could 
 ic fure be more impoflible , that Chrift himfelf, 
 bleifed for ever, {hould be a Conjurer , or a 
 Glutton, ( who yet was accufed of being Both,) 
 than that His Spoufe the Church of England 
 fbould be Fopifhly affefted, whofe fir ft Refor- 
 mers were put to Death for refifting Popery, and 
 whofe Sons at this day are the Sole Perfons that 
 kgep it out^ and whofe Communion is detejied 
 by none fq much as. the .Popijb Party , who 
 are not wont to £<zte men for their hjndaffettions. 
 A man -would think that-*// Protefiants (hould 
 0fl/tethemfeiveswkbus v becaufe the Romanifis 
 will not. A man would think that no Protejiani 
 (hou\d>fiparate from us, becaufe the-Ronianifls 
 all do. A man would think our common Ene- 
 mies fhould make us Friends. But when the 
 Primitive .Chriftians were to be baited, and torn 
 in pieces, 'twas but fuitabk for them xx> be put 
 in Bears Skws too. And 'tis m fuithbhAot 
 
 T our 
 
144 I Of CircumfpeUion in Hypothefi. 
 
 our Church to be very well cloatb'd 'with the 
 worft of Calumnies, by fuch as aim at her Ruin, 
 and are refolvd on her Condemnation. The 
 many Divifions and Subdivifions of our Se&aries 
 in England cannot be eafily reckoned up , they 
 are fo numerous ; ( for there are hardly more 
 Divifions amongft the Romanifis themfelves. ) 
 Every Sed: is defirous to have the new-modelling 
 ov new -moulding of our Church: and there is 
 not one of them but has a* muebpretenfe for it, 
 as any other ; if not an equal right , yet an equal 
 want of right to be our Reformers. They be- 
 ing equally void of, and as equally Dijfenters 
 from all Authority ; abounding All equally 
 in a preference of their own to Suptriour Judg- 
 ments ; equal Admirers of Themfelves, and as 
 equally contemptuous of other men. There is 
 not an Anabaptifl, or Quaker, not an Adamite, 
 or a Behemifl, no nor any other Se&ary of what- 
 (bever Denomination, but thinks it hard, and 
 takes it ill, we are not All of Their Opinion, 
 and do not conform to Their wayofWorfhip, 
 Now what a Monfter would our Church be, if 
 every one of thete Setts had the fhaping of her ? 
 and how much worfe would our Babel be, than 
 That which they call The Whore of Babylon ? 
 What then is to be done, or to be fa id m this 
 
 cafe 
 
Of Ctrcumfpeliion in Hypothefi. j 145 
 
 cafe of our prefent Breaches ? They chat are over 
 us in Authority muft tell us what is to be done; 
 But what is fitted to befaid 1 fuppofe is This : 
 That fuch of our Englishmen as own themfelves 
 Protefiants, and yet divide from the Church of 
 England^ do contribute a great deal more to- 
 wards the bringing in of Popery , than all the 
 Emi(faries of Rome could have done without 
 them. And if ever we live to fee the Abomi- 
 nation of Defolation , ftanding as heretofore in 
 our holy Places, it will enter in at That, and at 
 no other Door, than what our Schifms and Sepa- 
 rations have open'd to it. Nothing but our 
 Divifions can bring in Popery ; and I had almoft 
 faid too, that Nothing but our Union can keep 
 it out. But united we cannot be, (whilft they 
 that have divided from us are fo ftrangely 
 fub divided among themfelves,) unlefs it be by 
 All Parties, from every part of the Circumfe- 
 rence, concentring themfelves in the Church of 
 England. And this the proudefi of them may 
 do , not onely without a Blujh , but with the 
 greatefi honour and reputation to be imagined. 
 For what ( 1 pray ) is the Church of England, 
 but a moft Renowned and National Church ? 
 A National Church the moft peaceably and the 
 moft regularly reformed of All the Churches. 
 
 T a The 
 
146 I Of CircmmfieBion in Hypothefi. 
 
 I The chief Reformed Church of Chriflendom , 
 which has publickjji been Eftablift/d by /,#»>, 
 and Canon. The 0/ze/y frotejlant Church in 
 Europe, which has been able as well as willing 
 to protett other Churches in their Diftreffes. 
 In a word, 7 be Church of England has ever aw- 
 qucrd, and confuted, and (if her fugitive Chil- 
 dren do not unnaturally betray her,) will ever 
 keep us aliyi/e from *& Church of Rome. 
 
 § 14. Take we heed in the Third place of 
 fuch Deceivers , as would have it thought a 
 mark of the mo ft reformed, to preach up an 
 Exemption from human Laws \ ( fuch especially 
 as relate to the externals of Religion,) and fo 
 a Licentioufnefl of Life, for Chriftian Liberty ; 
 ever pr effing their Hearers to ft and f faft in it, 
 that is, to be obftinate and Jiurdj Rebells. As 
 if the Liberty of a Chriftian, whereirf the Gala* 
 tians were bid to ft and faft, were not at all a 
 Manumiffton from the Bondage of Sin, and from 
 the Empire of Satan, and from the Rigor ot the 
 Law as 'cwas given by Mofes,. .But a freedom 
 from Chrift, and Chriftianitjiitftlf. Nor enely 
 from the pofttivt, but from the Moral Law of 
 Mofes, which is as well the Law of Nature, and 
 the Law of Chrift too; and which, he tells us 
 moil exprefly, He came not to abroghte^ but on 
 
 the 
 
 Gal. 5. u 
 
Of Circnmfte&ion in Hypothefi. 147 
 
 the contrary to fulfill ; and alfo vjfotp&w 3 ro 
 ^// /> a^i As if the Liberty of a Chrifiian ex- 
 tended it felf even to Libeitinifin it felf; ren- 
 dring every man free to judge the Laws, and 
 Legislators, and (with a greater force of reafon) 
 the learned Judges of the Land.* /r^ to regu- 
 late the Laws by their fiver al Humours, (which 
 by the way is a thing impojfitte-, and flatly im- 
 plies a Contradiction, ) rather than to regulate 
 their fever al Humours by the Laws ; which is 
 not onely pojfible , but lb abfolutely neceffary, 
 that He who will not do this, (conform his pri- 
 vate humour to publick Laws,) is fit to live in 
 a Defers in the Company of Creatures which 
 have no Law at all ; not in a Kingdom, or Com- 
 monwealth, not in a City , or a Church , where 
 Human Laws ( under God's ) are the Life of 
 Liberty, and Propriety, nor onely of Livelihood, 
 but Life it felf. Wholbever has been protected 
 from any injuries of men by the Laws in force, 
 muft needs confirm, by his Experience^ the Truth 
 of what 1 now fay : That fuch a Subjeftas will 
 no longer allow the Laws, than the Laws allow 
 him in his being Lawlefs , or no longer than 
 they are pleafmg and ufifull to him, (as when 
 they avenge him upon his Enemies, defend 
 him in his Liberty, and.afferc him in his Eftate,) 
 
 T 2 deferves 
 
I4& | OfCircumfpeUion in Hypothefr 
 
 Rom.ig.1,2, 
 1 Per. 2. 1 3. 
 
 deferves not thole Benefits of Propriety and 
 Stf/efy the Laws afford him. The Laws (I 
 fay) not onely under which , but ^ which he 
 lives. Tis very plain, that fuch Laws de* 
 ferve but ill from all others, if they do not de- 
 ferve from Him an uniformity in his Obedience. 
 Where human Laws command 'That which God 
 does no where forbid, and z/ic£ z/er**, where 
 they forbid what God does no where command, 
 Nothing is plainer in all the Scriptures, than 
 chat The Ordinances of Men are alfo the Or- 
 dinances of G^ ; and to fubmit our felvcs 
 to Them , not of neceffity , but of choife , not 
 fo much for fear of wrath , as for Confcience 
 fake, is no fmail part of our Chrijiian Li- 
 berty, wherewith Chrift has made u* free. Gal. 
 
 5. 1. 
 
 § 15. Take wc heed in the fourth place of 
 fuch Deceivers, as would beguile us into a 
 faith , apt to make us unfaithfull in all our 
 ways ; a faith that all things coming to pafs 
 were antecedently unavoidable ; and that by 
 confequence when we have finrid^ we have 
 onely done That , which we could never have 
 prevented the doing of: and this by the force 
 of a moll: absolute irrefpeftive irreverfible De- 
 cree, which did eternally (b determin both the 
 
 End, 
 
Of Circumfteftion in Hypothefi. | 14^ 
 
 Bnd, and the Means, as ro neceilitate our Im- 
 pieties as well as Punifiments. So chat if we 
 zreElefied, all our Vices cannot hurt us; and 
 if we are not, all our Vertucs cannot avail us. 
 So again, if we are Reprobates, we cannot re- 
 pent although we would ; and if we are not , 
 we muft repent , do what we can ; and by 
 confequence, as we were born, fo we may live 
 without care. Take we heed of being cou- 
 zen'd by fuch falfe Logick , as may help us 
 either merrily or defrairingly to Hell, by ma- 
 king us carelejl of our Attions , and negleftfull 
 of our End. By way of Antidote Co the Ve- 
 nom lying hid in this Do&rin, we muft fo 
 think of God, as becomes his Godhead. We 
 muft think nothing of God, which is dishonou- 
 rable in Men. We muft believe nothing of Him, 
 which we would not be very willing to have 
 believed of our felves. And we muft fofoeak 
 of God in the Ears of Men , as to beget in 
 them a love and a reverence of him. And this 
 we (hall be lure to do, if we fpeak of his 
 Promifes and his Threats as we find them in 
 Scripture to be General, and by confequence 
 Conditional; of his S over aignty, as Jufi; and 
 of his Mercy, as extenfive to all his Works ; of 
 his Will, as Wifedom ; fincere, and uniform, not 
 
 repug- 
 
i 50 I Of Circumfpeftion in Hypothefi. 
 
 repugnant to it felfj whether z$ figni, or bene- 
 placiti, reveal" d, or fecrei ; of his Decrees from 
 all /Eternity, in proportion to the Rule by which 
 they are executed in Time ; exclusive of his be- 
 ing a Refpetier of Perfons, and inciufive of his 
 dealing with All according to their Deeds ; of 
 Faith, as dead, without Works ; of Repentance, 
 as falfe, without Amendment ; of Juftification^ 
 as in Time , not (as fay the Antinomians) from 
 all /Eternity. For hence 'tis logically inferred 
 by fomc of Eminence in the world, (who would 
 not be thought to be Antinomians, ) that their 
 Sins were forgiven before committed; and that 
 Repentance does not precede, but fo Hew Pzrdon. 
 A Do&rin as dangerous as any other that can 
 benam'd; and which does not adorn, but dif 
 grace the Gofpel, ( as. far as Some, at leaft are 
 thought to be Preachers, of it,*)- which B.Peter 
 on the contrary thought good to preach in This 
 Order ; Repent , and be Converted, that your 
 Sins maybe blotted out. Clearly intimating unto 
 us, that a blotting out of Sins can never follow, | 
 unlets Repentance and Converfion do go before. 
 They that teach otherwife, are apt to beget a 
 Disbelief or (which is worfe) an ill Opinion 
 of the Almighty. Take we Ireed .therefore that 
 we be not deceived by fuch as Thefe. 
 
 §16. Again 
 
OfCircumffe&ion in Hypothefi. 
 
 *5« 
 
 § 1 6. Again cake we heed ofchofe Idol-Shep- 'zcch.n.n. 
 herds, ( to ufe the phrafe of the Prophec Zecha- \ 
 ryO whofe left Eye at lea t is fharp enough figh- 
 ted, but onely their right Eye it full of ' darknejl. 
 They have human Learning enough, enough and 
 too much of worldly Wifedom, but have no Di- 
 vine light whereby to guide it. Such are they 
 of whom I fpake in the later part of my Laft ■ 
 Difcourfe ; who call their Confidence or Caprice 
 by the name ofConfcience, and teach the people 
 under their charge, as 'twere to regulate their 
 Lives by that crooked Rule. I do the rather | 
 fpeak twice of this grand Fallacy, becaufe I take 
 it to be That, of which we can never be told 
 enough. For till men are catechiz'd in the point 
 ofConfcience^ made to know its true nature, and 
 the fignification of its Name, (if I may fpeak! 
 mine own judgment with due fubmiffion to my I 
 Super iours,) they will not onely go fecurely, but 
 even greedily to Deftru&ion. Be their Sins ne- 
 ver fo many, and in weight never fo great, yet 
 if they can get themfelves to think that they are I 
 confcionably committed, (as Clement did, and! 
 Ravilliac, and many more nearer Home,) they 
 will reckon upon a Saintfhip, from nothing elfe | 
 but the abfenceof lejfer Sins than they delight in, 
 and doat upon. They will imagin they have 
 
 ma 
 
 del 
 
1^2 
 
 Of Circumfpe&ion in Hypothefi, 
 
 made their Eleftionfure, or rather that chey have 
 made themfdvts fure of their Ele&ion, (as they 
 love to miftake the Text,)even by fuch a kind of 
 partial and painted innocence, as(being ferioufly 
 confider'd) is common to them with the Devil ; 
 who is not a Swearer, or a Drunkard, or a Com- 
 mitter of Adultery, and yet he is not the lefs a 
 Devil. But fuch Profeflbrs not confidering, 
 that Spiritual Pride with her two Daughters , 
 Sacrilege, and Rebellion, are Sins more antient 
 than Hell itfelf, make no doubt but Thofe things 
 will not onely accompany, but (as the Angels 
 did Lazarus ) will carry them up into Abra- 
 ham's Bofom. If we confider by what Impie- 
 ties fome Bigots have expefted to merit BWfs, 
 and what others have underftood by their fol- 
 lowing Providence, and Confcience, and by their 
 being over- a tied to do the Ifork of the Lord, 
 ( for fo they cant it, ) we cannot but fay the 
 greateft Mercy which can be (hewn to fuch Cri- 
 minals, is to make them left nocent (if not in- 
 nocent^) unavoidably. Which being not to be 
 effe&ed by congruous Grace, becaufe it is not 
 irrefifiible, fhould by confequence be effe&ed 
 by that which k ; that if they will not choofe 
 the Glory, they may be mercifully compell'd to 
 in joy the benefit of their Obedience; and that 
 
 how- 
 
OfCircumfpeBion in Hypothefi. | 153 
 
 however they may perith by other Crimes, they 
 may yet be difenabVd to damn themfelves by 
 their Rebellions. 
 
 § 1 7. Laftly, take we the greateft heed , of 
 being led into The Errour thatV/5 impoffible for 
 m to Erre, whilft we believe as we are bid by 
 the Church of Rome, which deceives the mojl in- 
 curably, by getting her Children to believe, fhe 
 is divinely undeceivable. Take away This, and 
 all her other Impofitions will fall to ruin of 
 Themfelves. But by the Help of This Errour, 
 All the refl muft needs be fwallow'd, how grofs 
 foever.To wit,That the 2 Books of Maccabees(zxA 
 All the reft of the Apocrypha ) are as much the 
 Word of God, as the 5 Books ofMofes, or any 
 other: at Ieaft lince the Canons of the Council 
 at Trent j towhofe Authority (forfooth) The 
 Holy Scriptures owe Theirs. That in the Sa- 
 crament of the Lord's Supper, it is the Intereft 
 and the Duty ofevery Christian to be a Canibal ; 
 even materially and grojly to eat and drink the 
 Flefh and Bloud of The Man Cbriftjefws. That 
 the fingle Bifhop of Rome is the Vniverfal Paftor, 
 Head, and Monarch, over the whole Catholick 
 Church, both Diffufive, and Reprefentative , 
 though in an abfolute Contradiction to Four 
 famous Councils, (which with the Papalins 
 
 V 2 them- 
 
154 ( OfCircumffeSion in Hypothefi. 
 
 a See the 
 two fhort 
 Difcourfes 
 of Mr. Dod- 
 vtxtt t efpe- 
 cially the 
 Firft* and 
 the excellent 
 Preface to 
 it. 
 
 bThefispro- 
 pugnanda in 
 Autt Colle- 
 gii claromon. 
 tani, die 12. 
 Vecembrii 
 A D. 166 u 
 See the plea 
 of Monfieur 
 Talon Advo- 
 cat General 
 againftThis 
 Thefts, in 
 ihe New 
 Hxrefie of 
 Jefuitifm, 
 p.242,243. 
 and of the 
 (a ore Book, 
 p. 3- & 4- 
 
 themfelves do pafs for General ,) to wit, of 
 Pi/i, Conflance, Bafil, and 57e//<j. Not to in- 
 fift on thofe other Councils, of Chalcedon,. Qm- 
 fiantinopkyAntiocb^ind Africa. That there muft 
 be an Infallible JuJge of Controverfies on Earth, 
 over and above the Word of God ; Though they 
 who fay it are not agreed, who the Judge of them 
 fliould be : a whether the Difufive^ or Reprefen- 
 tative^ or (That which They call ) the Virtual 
 Church Catholicfr, or Their Trincipium Vnita- 
 tis, (as they call Ehe Bifbop* of Rome, ) who 
 proudly Lords it over them AIL That though 
 nothing is to be added to The Apoftles own 
 Creed , confifting of but 1 2 Articles, ( Each 
 Apoftle calling in One, as Ruffinm tells us,) 
 yet the 1 2 more at lead, thereto added by Tim 
 Quartus and the Council of Trent , are to be 
 fworn to, and Believed, as of equal Neceility 
 to Life ^Eternal. To fum up ail in a word, No 
 Contradiction can be fo grofs, no Abfurdity fo 
 great, as not to be readily entertained by Thofe 
 Jef Liked Bigots, who have beforehand devou- 
 red and fwallow'd down without chewing That 
 Breeding Blafphemy and Falfhood , b That the 
 Pope is as Infallible 06 Jefus Chrifi , as often as 
 he /peaks ex Cathedra, even without a General 
 Council , not in Quejiions onelj of Right, but in 
 
 thofe 
 
Of Circitmfpe&ion in Hypothefi. 155 
 
 tbofe of Fait alfo. Let no man therefore de- 
 ceive us with his pretended Infallibility? more 
 than with his being God, or wholly Impeccable 
 upon Earth. For He who cannot be deceived, 
 can as tittle Sin*, they are Attributes peculiar 
 to God alone. 
 
 §> 1 8. But now 'cis time that I proceed to the 
 fecond general Member of Sub-Divifion, by 
 which a Caveat was entered againft Deceipts oi 
 all forts , as well of the befi, as the worfi of 
 Men. For 
 
 As heed is to be taken that no evil man 
 • deceive us by good Appearances and Pr<ztenfes ; 
 fo there is ufe of as great heed, that no good 
 man deceive us ( againft his will ) by the evil 
 Example of his Mifcarriage. There being at 
 lead as much danger of the one, as of the other. 
 If we allow our felves to * think we may fafely 
 do, what fome very good People have done be. 
 fore us, the confequence of it will be This, that 
 we (hall imitate the worfl in the befi of Men, and 
 leave the bed to be 7 heir peculiar. . And there- 
 fore here 'tis very fit for our obfervation, that 
 'twas not faid by our Saviour (Matth. 10. 17.) 
 ^zsjiyjlc aV dv^'Jmw, beware of Men, that is of 
 Some men, (Thofe of the Ccnfiflories or Sane- 
 drim amongft ihzjews, who yet are aimed at 
 
 V 3 in 
 
 * Ah exemplo 
 fyfimili tot 
 flint expert- 
 mentafa'Ia- 
 ciarumrfuot 
 homhum ca- 
 pita : dum 
 quilibet affe* I 
 qui Vklt 
 quemlibet, 
 dum exemplo 
 dicit fe vim' 
 vere talium, 
 quos approbat 
 Ecclefia fc 
 canonizat, 
 &c. Gerfon 
 Trait. 8. de 
 cuftodi I An- 
 gelerum par- 
 titio ^. fuper 
 Magnificat. 
 
i 56 | OfCircumffeBion in Hypothed 
 
 i Kon credi 
 bile eft Sa- 
 ramfcemi' 
 namfantiifft- 
 mam idfac- 
 tupumfuijfey 
 nifi licitum 
 effefciviffet* 
 Bellarm. lib. 
 de Mdtr'mo- 
 nio cap. 2. 
 b Auguftin. 
 in Gen 9 
 Qttsft. 26. 
 & contra 
 Fauflum 
 MankhA.2%* 
 C.2$, 
 
 inefpecial manner,) But with an article prae- 
 fixe , TSTZjaixyci ^td $f iv^Jmoov , beware of Men, 
 that is, of all men in general, not: excepting the 
 very beft. For let Erafmm and Vatablm fay 
 what they will, the prefixing of the article 
 feems to import the whole [pedes ; as Toftatus 
 and Ca[aubon at lead do judge. Let us not fay 
 therefore with *Bellarmin, that fo good a Wo- 
 man as Sarah had never prompted her Husband 
 to lie with Hagar, ifthehadnot well known it 
 to have been lawfiill. No nor yet with a b grea- 
 ter man, that Abram might difemble and tell a 
 lietofavebis lift. Nor think the better of A- 
 dultery or wilfullMurther, for being committed 
 even by David after a (late of Regeneration. 
 Nor look upon Inceft itfelfas venial, becaufe 
 'twas afted even by Lot, who in the holy Scrip- 
 ture is (Hied Righteous. Nor imagin it does 
 the rather confift with Wi[edom to be Idolatrous, 
 for that Solomon Him[el[ did worftip Idols, who 
 is renowned for his Wifedom throughout the 
 World. Nor be fo illogical as to conclude in 
 the behalf of Polygamy, becaufe fo honeft a man 
 as Jacob had two Wives at once, and is no where 
 reproved in all the Scripture. Nor may we give 
 an ear to Them who do excu[e the word Impieties 
 of all fuch men as have been Regenerate, by im- 
 puting 
 
Of CircHmfpe&ion in Hy pothefi. I i fy 
 
 puting them wholly to the infirmity of the flefh, 
 and not as well to the filthinefi of the Spirit. 
 Some there are who are feriou* in the ufe offuch 
 Logic!** (be it fpoken to the difgrace of their 
 wit and learning,) though it is patcht up of 
 nothing but one grofs Fallacy, a bene divifis ad 
 male conjunfta. Many things are veryfalfe in 
 a compound fenie, which being diuidedzve very 
 true ; and many are true being compounded, 
 which infenfu divifo are very falfe. David was 
 holy, and committed wilful! Murther in con- 
 junction with Adulcery ; But it was not com. 
 mitted by holy David, (for This would imply 
 a Contradi&ion in aJjefto.) He was holy be* 
 fore, and holy after, but in a ftate of Vnholinejl 
 and Condemnation whilft he lay fnoring in his 
 impieties ( as he did for fome months ) without 
 repentance. So Solomon was #//£, and a J%r- 
 fbipper of /dtf/5 ; But he was not Then wife, when 
 heftood guilty of Idol-Worihip. Solomon and 
 Solomon were juft as different, as Peter in the 
 Hall, and behind the Door ; or as the Bookof 
 Kings , and the £<9fl£ of Ecckfiajles. When j 
 That impiety was committed, jt was by Solo- j 
 7#072 f j&e Fa?/, who recover'd not his IVifedom j 
 till he repented-, that is to fay , till he amended, 
 and changed bit life, till he became j /z^ Cra- 
 ter*, 
 
58 I Of Circwnfpeftion in Hypothefi. 
 
 2 Theff.i. 3< 
 
 Zech. 13. 4» 
 Eph. 5. 6. 
 Matth.7.i$ 
 
 2 Thefte.2. 
 
 ture, and brought forth fruits meet for Repen- 
 tance. 
 
 §19. And if heed is to be taken that no 
 good man deceive m y we may not fure negled: 
 Him who has nothing of good but in bare appea- 
 rance. If the former may deceive us by the ex- 
 ample of his Sin, well may the later deceive us 
 too by the lying fanftity of his tifi* Then let 
 not any man deceive us by any means. Neither 
 by giving fmooth Speeches , nor by wearing 
 rough Garments ; Neither by ufing Foxes words, 
 nor by having Sheeps Cloathing ; Neither by 
 Sprit, nor by Letter. Not by the current of 
 his Profperixy, not by the readinejl of his Pray- 
 ing, not by the commonnefl of his Preaching, not 
 by the plaufible Demurenefl (called the God- 
 linefi ) of his Prattice. For the Devil were 
 but a Dunce , in cafe he could not fifb ( whilft 
 he is angling after Souls ) with more Baits than 
 Thefe ; and too contemptible a Munich^, if a- 
 mongft all his cunning ARings he could not 
 perfonate a Saint. 
 
 § 20. But this is not All which does pro- 
 perly belong to a ChrtfHan-'s Caution. We 
 muft not onely take heed that no man deceive ut, 
 but as great heed is to be taken that we our felves 
 dective no man , and ( more than That ) that 
 
 we 
 
Of Circumftetfion in Hypothefi. 
 
 59 
 
 we undeceive others who are deceivd. We muft 
 contend ton the Faith, and we mud do it alfo 
 mthearneflnefii ( as S. Jude exhorts us all in 
 the 4 th, verfe of his Epiftle,) not onely be in 
 the right our [elves, but labour to bring into the 
 way of Truth all fuch as have erred and are de- 
 ceiv'd. We muft labour by our Arguments , 
 as well as Prayers, to ftrengthen them that al- 
 ready ftand, to comfort and help the weak- 
 hearted , to lift up the hands that hang down, 
 and the feeble Knees , to raife up fuch as we 
 know are fallen, and by any means poffible to 
 Tread down Satan under all our feet. 
 
 § 2 f . We fee there is Danger on every fide, 
 both within us, and without us, both infolitude, 
 and in company , whether our Company does 
 confift either ofevil, or good men, we had need 
 have our Eyes and our Wits about us. We have 
 need of it at all times, but above all in fuch as 
 Thefe, to which our Lord does here allude in 
 the Text and Context which lies before us. And 
 This would lead me, if I would follow, to the 
 Third particular in the Divifion ; to wit, the 
 Time, or Occafion, w r herein the ufe of this Care 
 will be moil: in feafon. But This 1 confefs is 
 fuch a difficult and fuch a flippery kind of 
 Doftrin, asofwhichlhad rather make a very 
 
 X private 
 
6o [ Of CircumfpeUion in Hypothefi. 
 
 io 3 u. 
 
 private ufe, than run the publick rifque of an 
 Application. For in fuch an Auditory as This, 
 ( confiding of All that is Great and Prudent, ) 
 for Me to adventure to make a Search into Thofe 
 particulars, out of which our publick dangers 
 aremoft arifing, were todifcourfe concerning 
 Tafticks to fuch as Hannibal and Scipio ; or to 
 Demetrius the Poliorkstick concerning the Ta- 
 king of a Town. And therefore leaving to men 
 ofCounfel their proper Bufinefs, which is to fit 
 at the Helm of Church and State, and wifely to 
 provide for the Good of Both; I keep my felf 
 within the Modefty which is expe&ed from a 
 Divine. Abruptly concluding my prefent Ser- 
 mon, juft as S. Peter his firft Epiftle, with a 
 i/m^arg, yteYijo^mli, Be fober? be vigilant ; becaufe 
 your Adverfary the Devil a* a roaring Lion waU 
 keth about , feekjvg whom he may devour ; whom 
 re/iji fiedfafl in the Faith. And the God of 
 all Grace who hath called us to his eternal glory 
 byChriftJefws, make you per fett^ ftablifb, firing- 
 then, fettle you. To him be glory and dominion 
 for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 O F 
 
(.6i ) 
 
 F E A R 
 
 As Neceflary to 
 
 FAITH, 
 
 IN THE 
 
 Well-ordering of our LIVES. 
 
 i CO R. 10. 12. 
 
 Wherefore let him who thirtieth that he 
 ftands, tafy heed left he fall. 
 
 § i. A Caveat evermore in feafon , and of 
 £\^ neceffitj to be prefid, and that upon 
 every lore of Peribns of all Conditions and De- 
 grees, and this in what fenfe fbever we pleafe to 
 take it. 
 
 It has its value even in That wherein the A- 
 poftle never meant it , and which ( to fay 
 Truth ) was much below his Confideration, to 
 
 X 2 wit, 
 
162! Of Fear as necejfary to Faith, &c. 
 
 wit, asapply'd to any fecular or worldly Sta- 
 tion, For had we the leifure to make reflec- 
 tion upon all Times and Places, as fer as Hifto- 
 fians have brought them to 'us, we fhould find 
 the obfervation to be as general , as it is whol- 
 lorn , That the greateft Things and Perfons , 
 ( the greateft Monarchies with their Monarchs^ 
 the greateft States-men as well as States,) have 
 Then been nearefi to a Downfall, when they have 
 been in all appearance the mo[i ejlablijh'd. 
 How many are there in the world in whom Ex- 
 tremities have concentered ? And as the two 
 Globes of Heaven and Earth do mutually touch 
 inafinglePoint, fo there is nothing more fre- 
 quent, than for Conditions of as great Diftance 
 as the Nadir and the Zenith to meet in one and 
 the fame Man. Nebuchadnezzar the moft ex- 
 alted , and the moft abjeft in all Affjiria. A- 
 pries the beft provided, and the moft deftitute 
 thing in &gypt. Polycrates the fbrtunatcft and 
 the unfortunateft man of Samos : Deified one 
 day, and crucified xht next, Polydoru* the moft 
 belov'd, and the moft hated of Lacedemonians. 
 Veriander the very wifeft , and moft befotted 
 of" the Corinthians. Se)anm the moft admir'd, 
 and moft contemptible maniniiW£. Diony- 
 (iiM the fierceft Tyrant, and tameft Pxdogogue 
 
 in 
 
Of Fear as neceffary to Faith £ &c. | 1 6 9 
 
 in Greece. Therefore the Apophthegm of Solon 
 was not fo mt ty, as it was *n/e, That no man's 
 happinejl can be certain before his Death. And 
 'twas for this reafon onely, that Cleobis and Bi- 
 ton were praferr'd before Crcefws in point of 
 Blifs, that Thej were dead, and died well ; where- 
 as #£, with his Profperities , wasjrt but li- 
 ving ; And neither knew how he fhould £;&/, 
 nor what Evenements might &yi// him 'twixt 
 This and 72wf . My Text had therefore been very 
 pertinent and of moment , had it exhorted to 
 nothing better, than human Prudence ; or 
 provided for nothing more than an outward 
 Safety. 
 
 § 2., But as nothing can profit a man to pur- 
 pofe, which cannot profit him at all in the day 
 of Wrath, fo no Prudence can be fufficient, but 
 That by which a man ftands in the Evil day. 
 Not in the day of Temptation onely, But in the 
 hour of Death, and the Day of Judgment. Nor 
 can we pronounce of our Condition, as it is 
 fpiritual and eternal, but by beginning our 
 Accompt from our later End. Which becaufe 
 without Prophecy we cannot do, (as Jeremy did 
 by Zedekjah,) therefore happy is the man that 
 feareth always, as Salomon by his experience 
 was taught himfelf to teach others. Profperity 
 
 X 3 is 
 
 DiogXaert. 
 /• 1. 
 
 Prov. if. 4. 
 
 Eph.6. 13. 
 
 Prov.28.14. 
 
 L*>- 
 
1 64 I Of Fear as neceffary to Faith, &c. 
 
 2PCC3. 17- 
 
 1 cor.9.27. 
 
 is one thing , and Happinefl quice another. 
 We may be fure, whiift we live, that we are 
 more or lefs profferom ; But whether more or 
 \e(s happy, we muft live and die too to aflure 
 our felves. Death alone is That Point, in 
 which the Terreftria! and Cardial Globes meet, 
 if they meet at all. And as the Tree falleth, 
 )uk foit lyeth. S. Paul himfeif, whiift yet a 
 Pa\fenger^ and not within fight of his Journfs 
 End, Q whiift he was yet but in the Valley, far 
 enough from having afcended unto the Top of 
 Mount Nebo, from whence he might have ken 
 his Crown of righteoufnefs>) was fo afraid to 
 loofe his Station, and to fall from hi* own fled- 
 faftnefl, ( which S. Peter provides againft too) 
 that he did beat down hk Body, and carefully 
 bring it into fub)eEiion , and all for this mo- 
 mentous, though modeft reafon , leji whiift he 
 preached unto others, He him/elf might become a 
 Caftaway. And being as carefull of other Mens, 
 as of his own asternal InCercft, he did as tender- 
 ly admonifh them as he had done his own Soul. 
 Giving this Caveat to all in general, though 
 written in fpecial to his Corinthians, Let him 
 who thinketh that hefiands , take heed left he 
 fall. 
 
 ^3. In which words we have Three things 
 
 obfer- 
 
Of Fear as neceffary to Faith, &c. 165 
 
 obfervable. Firft , a tacit Difuafive from 
 carnal Confidence and Security. Next an ex- 
 plicit Exhortation to Cbrifiian Prudence. Laft. 
 ly , rhe Reafon of Both at once trom a great 
 Danger on the one fide, and in confequence 
 of That, from as great a Ntceffity on the other. 
 The Danger is not lb trivial, as That of fatting 
 with holy Job, from an high Pitch of Wealth 
 to the Depth of Poverty ; or with the brave A 
 rifiomaies, from a Pinnacle of Glory into the 
 Gtf/^A of Laced&mon ; Nor is the Danger no 
 more affrighting, than That of falling with /e- 
 ra*y> into Jonathans Dungeon, or with Daniel 
 into the Den of the hungry Lions. But here 
 the Danger is of falling from Z/gfo to £#/-£.- 
 0^? ; from an high pitch of Grace, the Favour 
 of Go J, into a Bottomkll Afpbaltites of Fire un- 
 quenchable. Some there were who did not 
 think there could be any luch Danger, to them 
 that flood as 7#<y> did (or as they thought they 
 did at leaft) in a fiate of Grace. Such were 
 the Gnoftichs alluded to in feverai verfes before 
 my Text. But 'tis below S. Paul's Reafon, 
 and inconfiftent with his Sincerity, to write of 
 Danger where there is None ; or to forewarn us 
 of a Mifchief which cannot poilibly come to 
 pafs. In bidding us look unto our footing, he 
 
 takes 
 
— — I ■ I ... .. I 1^—— — — — — — "— ^— ^ — — — 
 
 66 Of Fear as Necejfary to Faith, &c. 
 
 * Aquin. 
 22« 9.48.C. 
 
 £r 22.3.49. 
 drr.6,7,8. 
 
 [ cakes it for granted that we are liable to a Fall. 
 And accordingly 'tis the fenCe of our common 
 Mother the Church of England, £ in the 1 6 th - 
 of her 39 Articles,) That after we have recei- 
 ved the Holy Ghoft, we may depart from Grace 
 given, and fall into Sin, though by the Grace of 
 God too we may rife again. Now the greater our 
 Danger is by carnal confidence and fecurity, 
 the greater need we ftand in of a Chrijiian Pru- 
 dence. And This, though but One, is fuch a 
 Cardinal vertue , that 'tis really a Guardian 
 to all the reft. Efpecially as confiding of thofe 
 three parts, Providence, Caution^ andCircum- 
 fpettion^ without which it is impoffible (as 
 nicely diftinguilh'd by the * School-men ) for 
 Chriftian Prudence to be complete. For firft 
 of all we muft have Providence, to caft about 
 for fuch means as are conducing unto our End. 
 Next we muft have Circumfpeftion, whereby to 
 attend to every Circumftance wherewith the 
 Means are to be cloath'd. Laft of all we muft 
 have Caution, for the avoiding of thofe Impedi- 
 ments, which may otherwife hinder our Courfe 
 of vertue, and unhappily interrupt us in bring- 
 ing the Means unto the End. 
 
 § 4. Now to Thefe three parts of a Chriftian 
 Prudence, there are three forts of men who are 
 
 here 
 
Qj Fear as nec r Jfary to Faith, &c. j 167 
 
 here exhorted ; either direftly id the Text, or 
 in its relation to the Context. 
 
 Fir \, confider we the Text in its meer lite- 
 ral importance , 6 S^kSv k&**h Let him whofeerns 
 tohimfelftofiand, and chat as fixe as an Ami- 
 nomian, even by Grace irrefiftible; by having 
 been juftified from /Eternity ; by having had all 
 his Sins forgiven, Co long before they were com- 
 mitted ; or by being not able to Sin at all ; fo as 
 in His imagination he cannot fojfiblji depart from 
 the Living God; ( which yet the Epiftle to the [eb.$.i* 
 Hebrews does bid him take heed of; ) who feerns 
 tohimfelf toftandfo firmly, as that he cannot 
 fall a little i much lefs totally; much lefs fi- 
 nally from Grace ; Let Him, ( I fay ) as well 
 as others, take heed left he fall. 
 
 Next, confider we the Text as it looks back 
 upon the Context, ( from the firft Verfe unto 
 the eleventh,) and thereby acquaints us with its 
 more rational importance. Let him, ( who does 
 not only feem to himfeif to (land, but ) who 
 ftands in good earneft by ghoftly ftrength ; by 
 having had his feet Jhodwith the preparation of 
 theGoffel; by having been cleanfed from his 
 Sins in the Bloud of thrift, and in the Baptifm 
 of Tears, which arife from the Spring of fincere 
 Repentance ; Let him not think it a thing be- 
 
 Y low 
 
1 68 ( Of Fear as neceffary to Faith, Sec. 
 
 low him, to take great heed, that he do not fall. 
 For the Ifr a elites from the firft to the tenth verfe 
 of this Chapter, were all in Covenant with God ; 
 did all partake of thofe priviledges which he 
 vouchfafed them as his Children ; were all bap- 
 tized unto Mofes in the Cloud, and in the Sea ; 
 did all injoy the fame Miracles ; were fed with 
 Manna lent down from Heaven ; refrelh'd with 
 Water out ofHoreb, guttling forth from a dry 
 and a barren/?^; They myftically tafted of 
 Ctrifl Him/elf, (v.j,) Bucyetas^/w/y as they 
 floods we find their feet flipt. For firft they 
 flagged dm the Faith ; Then they JiumbTd into 
 Idolatry ; Next they fell in the Wildernefs, ( all 
 excepting two peribns', ) and were deftroy'd 
 of the Deflroyer, (v. 5. audio.) All which 
 things ( faith our Apoftle) happen d to them 
 for EnfampleSj and are written for our inflruc- 
 tion on whom the ends of the world are come^ 
 ( v. 1 1. ) From whence He rationally draws 
 This fignal Corollary and Caveat, ( for we fee 
 'tis Both at once, and is accordingly brought 
 in with the Caufal Wherefore,) Let bun who thin- 
 keth that heflands take heed left befall. 
 
 Yet one ftep farther. Let him who flands 
 fafter than other men who do truly fland, almoft 
 as fall in reality, as the Gnoflickj in the Con- 
 text 
 
Of Fear as neceffary to Faith, &c. 169 
 
 text did in their proud Imagination ; as fait as 
 David and S. Peter in their high pitch of Grace ; 
 as faftas Adam in That of' Innocence ; or as the 
 bright Morning Stars in That of Glory ; Let him 
 ( I lay ) as well as others , yea let him above 
 others take heed left he fall. The reafon is, 
 becaufe //tfFall, if he falls, muft needs be the 
 greater and lefs excufable, the higher and fir- 
 mer his Station is, and the greater his Ability 
 to ftand his Ground. The Angels that fell 
 ■/to/h as high as Heaven , and that without a 
 Tempter too, even for this very reafon (as I ob- 
 ferved once before) could not fail lefs than as 
 low as Hell; and fo Their Fall was without Re- 
 covery. For when God was in Chrijl reconci- 
 ling the World unto himfelf, he did not take upon 
 him the Nature of Angels , whereby to give the 
 fain Regiment a Capability of rifing, ( however 
 Origen and his Difciples would have given it 
 had they been able,) and that for the reafon 1 
 juft now hinted. Whereas the lapfed Man 
 Adam, newly taken out of the Earth, and whofe 
 Foundation was in the Dujl, had both the Sub- 
 tilty of a Tempter, and the Strength of a Tempta- 
 tion, and ( together with his Innocence) a 
 Frailty of Nature ; all which did excufe him at 
 Iealt a Tanto ; whereby he became the propercr 
 
 Y 2 objeft 
 
1 70 I Of Fear as necejfary to Faith, &c 
 
 * Mamchacus 
 eklhi fuosy 
 quos inter a- 
 nimas Pla- 
 tonif incoe- 
 leftibw col- 
 heat, d'tcit 
 cmni carerc 
 p'ecate, nee 
 ft velint, 
 peccare pofft- 
 Hicron. ad 
 Oefiph. ad. 
 verfui Pclag. 
 Tom, 2. 
 p. 252. 
 
 object ofGod's Companion as well as Ju!lice,and 
 fo the more fie for a Reft duration. From whence 1 
 humbly conceive 1 may infer with good Logick, 
 that by how much the firmer our footing is, by ! 
 fo much the greater 1 and not the lefier, our heed ; 
 ought to be that we do not fall. 
 
 I have hitherto fhew'd the Meaning and the 
 Coherence of the Text, and how 'tis neceffary 
 for all, of all Conditions and Degrees, by 
 whichfoever of its handles men pleaie to hold 
 ir. And I have laid out the feveral matters to 
 be meditated upon in its Profecution. 
 
 § 5. But being ferioufly defirous to fpeak as 
 ufefully as I can, and that within the Time al- 
 lowed, I am to take and give notice of three 
 forts of Libertines in thefe our days, who ei- 
 ther have wilfully tranferib'd, or elfe have flum- 
 bVd accidentally upon fome of the word of Ha?- 
 refies in the Primitive Times ; and are as dange- 
 rous to others , as deftruftive to Themfelves. 
 Some are of opinion, that if Vetfels of E left ion, 
 they * cannot Sin do what they can. They are 
 placed in fuch a ftate of ' Impeccability^ that on a 
 iuppofal of their willingnefi, they are not able 
 to do amifs. And This exprefly was the Ha?refie 
 of The infamous Manich&w, as S. Jerome tells 
 Ctefiphon ; adding alfo that Frifcilian was a 
 
 Bird 
 
Of Fear as necejfary to Faith, &c. 1 7 1 
 
 Bird of chat Feather. Ochers are of opinion, 
 that though th-y can commie Sin, God cannot 
 fee it in \mEUti. And This exprefly was the 
 Fferefie of Marcus , who taught the poor and 
 rich Women whom he debauch" d and made/ifo, 
 chat they might fearlefly and freely be as volup- 
 tuous as they pleas'd, *becaufe by venue of their 
 Redemption they were *k&th™ >&< *fe&™ , at 
 once viapprehenfible and invifible to the Judge. 
 J uft as Homer feign'd Pallas to have cover 'd 
 her felfwith Pluto's Helmet, that fofhe might 
 not be feen by Mars. ( A Privilege as fenflefs, 
 as That which was allowed to the Ring ofGyges.) 
 There is a Third Tort otThinksrs, who fay that 
 God can fee Sin, but cannot puniff) it in his 
 Eleft, or impute it to them ; and that they are 
 (0 fure-footed \ that though they flip never fo 
 ! grofly^ or Jiumble never fo often, yet for all That 
 ! they can never fall, not only not finally, but 
 j but not fo much as for a Tim?. And This ex- 
 ! prefly was the fferefie of/ovinian, (which S.Je- 
 ! romt in a whole Book has very effectually con- 
 futed,) that They who once have been regene- 
 rate in the Laver of Baptifm, cannot be tempted 
 by the Devil, fo as to ceafe being regenerate. 
 We have the Sum of all Three (and the Sequel 
 too) in the one Valentinian Hxrefie , which 
 
 Y 3 was 
 
 kAt^. Epi- 
 phan. Hx~ 
 ref 34. ex 
 Iren. /.i,c.8. 
 
 Hora.Ili2d.5- 
 
 Hieronymus 
 adverfw Jo- 
 vinianum 
 1,2. Tom.2. 
 
 p. 69. ^rc. 
 
1 72 I Of Fear as neaffary to Faith ,&c. 
 
 * *Ov ft 
 
 <rii h> /sop- 
 Co?^ yj-iu- 
 
 lixrrd i ct^« 
 
 t5 fcopCbfH 
 
 fjomiit *<^- 
 
 XH<^W SlUJUL- 
 
 Ircn. /. i. 
 j>. 26. 
 
 Gal. 5.21. 
 
 iCor.6.9,10. 
 
 was one of the firfi , and the nwr/2 of all ; as 
 the holy Father and Martyr Iren&ut (hews it at 
 large. What the Ma Hgnitj of it is, and to how 
 deep a degree of Wickedneis 'tis apt at lead in 
 its nature to betray them that own it , They 
 Ihe-nfelves have beft told us by This Similitude, 
 * That as a Mali of pure Gold in the foulefi Dirt 
 Joes not lofefo much as its beauty , much lejl its 
 nature, but fill retains the whole goodneji and 
 worth of Gold ; fa let the Saints^ that is Them- 
 ftlves, lie and wallow whiifl they will in the Mire 
 of Sins, and in thofe Sins eipecially whereof the 
 Scripture faith plainly , that they who do fuch 
 things f}) all not inherit the Kingdom of God, yet 
 they cannot thereby lefe their fpiriiuality and 
 perfection. They cannot ceafe from being Bran- 
 thes of That true Vine, into which they were 
 once ingrafted. 
 
 § 6. Now that other mens Dangers may be 
 employ'dtokeep us fife, and that other mens 
 real Miferies may be improved to our being 
 Happy, we mull: convince our felves throughly 
 of the Truth of this Do&rin, which in my Text 
 is moft cleariy and unavoidably imply 'd; To 
 wit, that He who now /lands in aChriftian State, 
 of Repentance, and Converfwn, and a blotting 
 out ofSins,( which is Jufi i fie at ion, )mzy poffiblv 
 
 fall 
 
Of Fear as neceffary to Faith, &c. 173 
 
 fait into a dangerous yea and a damnable Con- 
 dition, unlefs he takes iuch ftrift heed, as our 
 bleffed Apoftledoes here injoyn. And here 1 
 cannot but be lorry, thac fo clear a Text as This 
 fhould (land in need of any Sermon to give ir 
 Evidence. That our Apcfiles Exhortation 
 Ihould be fo little argumentative in Tome mens 
 minds, that we mutt light up our Candles to 
 (hew his Sun. 1 much admire that thofe Liber- 
 tines, who think they (land in no need of this 
 holy Caveat, are not fuificiencly convinced by 
 their own Experience, that iince their having 
 been regenerate in the Sacrament of" Baptifm, 
 which is ( no Iels than Circumcifion ) a *iW 
 o/fAe righteoufmfl of Faith , they have fain 
 into deadly and wafting Sins. Lord ! how ma- 
 ny Sons and Daughters of our one Common 
 Mother, the Church of England,\nvt renounced 
 the very Bapt/fm,by which alone they were O&r/- 
 fiianiz^d, have abandon'd the #0*/* of Prayer, 
 and in it the Lmy/'s 7rf^ and on it the outward 
 Sign ofinvifible Grace ? have fallen array before 
 our faces into the lcandalous commiffions of 
 Schifn and Hjrefie ? have turn'd apojiatesfrom 
 the Faith which was once delivered unto the 
 Saints ? have indulgently marched on in the 
 ways of Corah, in the Sins of Sacrilege, and Re- 
 bellion, 
 
1 74 | Of Fear as Neceffary to Faith, &c. 
 
 Judc 8. 
 Rom. 15. 1,2. 
 
 Pfal.iof.37* 
 
 I fa. 1.2 1 22, 
 
 13. which 
 compare 
 with Hof 4. 
 
 1,2 } <5. 
 
 Jercm.2.i2, } 
 «3- 
 
 •7. 
 
 bellion, and ftill arefnoring in the Impieties of 
 being beady-, high-minded, Defpifers of Dominion, 
 and Evil speakers of Dignities, ever Oppofers of 
 Authority ordain d by God, which is to be a 
 worfe Thing than a Common Drunkard? 
 
 § j. How many Examples are there in Scri- 
 pture of final Apofiafie from Grace, or from a 
 State of Regeneration, enough to die thewideft 
 Mouth of the daring ft GnoftickJ How many of 
 God's peculiar people under the Law ^ did fall 
 away from their acknowledgment of the onely 
 true God, into the worft of all Sins, which is 
 Idolatry , and into the worft of all Idolatries, 
 which is the worshipping of Devils^ and into the 
 worft of that worft too, not by offering their Sheep 
 and Oxen, but their own Sons , and their own 
 Daughters unto Devils ? How did the faithfull 
 City beceme an Harlot ? how didder Silver be- 
 come arrant Drofi? She was once fu 11 of Judg- 
 ment ; Righteoufneft lodged in her , but now 
 Murtherers. Be aflonifhed , ye Heavens , at 
 th'ps, and be horribly afraid, ( as God himfelf 
 fpake by the Prophet Jeremy, J for my People 
 have committed two evils, for fakpn we the foun- 
 tain of living waters, and hewn them out Cifterns, 
 broken Cifterns which hold no water. Haft thou 
 not procured thi* unto thy felf in that thou haft 
 
 forfahn 
 
Of Fear as neceffary to Faith, &c. (175 
 
 forfaken the Lord thy God? I had planted thee a 
 noble Vine, wholly a right feed; How then art 
 thou turned into the degenerate Plant ofaftrange 
 Vine unto me ? Nor is ic onely under the Legal, 
 but under the Go/pel Difpenfation, that many 
 begin to build well on a good foundation, but 
 do not finifh. Many *end in xhtjkjh, who be- 
 gan in the Spirit ; and Many are a called , but 
 few are chofen. Many are fan&ified, but few 
 zxtfavd. Many are jujlified for a time, but 
 very few in comparifon do perfevere unto the 
 End. That faying of our Saviour Matth.24. 
 1 2, 1 5. [ The love of manyfhall wax cold, but 
 he that indureth unto the end fh all befaved,! 
 S. /^tf/retie&ingon, has explained Thus: That 
 fome in the later times fhall depart from the 
 Faith, giving heed to feducing Spirits, and doc- 
 trines of Devils : (peaking lyes in hypocrifie, ha- 
 ving their Confcience feared with an hot iron. 
 There the word in the Original is very obier- 
 vable : They (hall depart ( faith the Englifh,) 
 Xwfcwg ( faith the Greek,) They (hall apojla- 
 tize from the Faith of Chrift. A very evident 
 opposition unto final per fever ance, in Both thofe 
 Places ; and 'tis as evident that the Apojiafie 
 there prophefied of, is from a State of Santtifi- 
 cation. For the Love waxing cold, and the 
 
 Z Faith 
 
 21. 
 
 Luk.14.30. 
 
 *Gal.a.. 5 . 
 
 <*Macth.2o. 
 16. 
 
 Matth. 24. 
 12,15. 
 
 1 Tim. 4.1. 
 
1 
 
 iTitn.i.io, 
 20. 
 
 1 76 | Of Fear as ncceffary to Faith > &c. 
 
 Faith departed from , ( That expreffed by our 
 Saviour, and 7hk by our Apoflle,) arc the fame 
 in both Texts, in which they ought to have per- 
 fever" d. So again in the firft Chapter of the fame 
 Epiftle to Timothy, S. Paul exhorts him to hold 
 fa ft faith , and a good Confcienct , which feme 
 ( fays He ) having put away, concerning Faith 
 have made Jhipwrack. That Ihpsvtd.s'juflifying 
 Faith which was thus put away, and fufferd 
 fbipvrack* may appear by two reafons clearly 
 arifing out of the Text : Firft , becaufe it was 
 That 7 to the holding faft of which S.Paul does 
 there exhort Timothy ; next , becaufe it was 
 That , which was attended with a good Con- 
 fcitnce. If a man (faith our Saviour) abide 
 not in Me, he is caft forth as a Branch, and it 
 withered, and caft into the Fire : clearly fpo- 
 ken of a Reprobate who had formerly been in 
 Chrift, but abideth not in him, and was there- 
 fore caft forth as a wither 7 d branch. A Text to 
 which our Apoftle in probability does allude, 
 where he tells us of certain Branches broken off, 
 from The Olive Tree, though once partakers of 
 the Root and Fatnefi of it ; and broken of they 
 were for their unbelief. From whence he exhorts 
 his Believing Romans to beware, left they who 
 now fiand by Faith, do alio fall into infidelity; 
 
 and 
 
 Joh.i$.6. 
 
 Rom.11.17. 
 
, ■ ■ - .,i ■ r , . 
 
 I Of Fear as neceffary to Faith, &c. | 1 77 
 
 and They be alio broken of, who are grafted in. 
 There are that bear the word of God, and re- 
 ceive it with Joy, and injure for a while in that 
 good Courfe, and yet in time ot'Perfecution they 
 are offended and fall away , faith our bleffed 
 Lord. Some have erred from the Faith through 
 the Love of money, faith S. Paul to his Son 7?- 
 mothy ; and in the Eighteenth of S. Matthew, 
 the Servant forgiven, v. 3 2. was yet condemn d, 
 v. 35. The fame is fignified by the Parable of 
 an unclean Spirit cafi out by Repentance, or re- 1 
 generation, and re-entring by a Relapfe into the \ 
 Houfe of a man's Heart wdlfwept andgarnijtid, 
 and that with 7 Devils , worfe (if poffible) than 
 himielf, fo as the Perfon he repoffeffeth is worfe 
 than evei\ Which very Parable of our Saviour 
 S. Peter feems to point at in the plained terms ; 
 whilft he tells us of feme, fo intangled and over- 
 come by thofe pollutions of the world which before 
 they had efcafd, as that their later end was 
 very much worfe then their beginning. Again 
 'tis faid by the fame Apoftle, in the Chapter 
 going before, that He who lacktth thofe things 
 by which he is to make his Election fure, has for- 
 gotten that he was purged from his old Sins, that 
 is to fay, that he was regenerate. 
 
 § 8. Whofoever is not fatisfied with what I 
 
 Z 2 have! 
 
 Matrh.13. 
 
 20,21. 
 
 I Tim.5.io. 
 
 Matth. 12. 
 
 z Per. 2. 20, 
 
 21,22. 
 
 2 Pet. 1. 9. 
 
1 78 I Of Fear as necejfary to Faith, &c. 
 
 Matth.ia. 
 
 Hcb.5.4,5. 
 
 have hitherto alleclg'd our of holy writ, let him 
 tell me what he thinks of That unpardonable 
 Sin, The Sin againfi the Holy Ghojl. Let him 
 fay whether that Sin can ever be pollibly com- 
 mitted, unlefs by one who was once enlightned, 
 and had tofied of the heavenly Gift, had been 
 made a partaker of the Holy Ghoft, and of the 
 good word of Gody and the powers of the World 
 to come. Let him weigh the fourth Verfe, and 
 compare it with the Sixth of the Sixth Chapter 
 to the Hebrews, and Both together with the Com* 
 ment of learned Calvin thereupon , if he will 
 not truft That of our mod learned Dr. Ham- 
 mond. Let him confider if 'tis noipofftble for 
 fuch a man to fall away who is fo enlightned; 
 and if 'tis not impoffible for fuch a man falling 
 away from fuch a Station and State of Grace, 
 to be renew d again unto repentance. But above 
 all let him confider the ym\iv *vxfjwi%<Hv in the 
 fixth verfe of That Chapter, which fignifies ex- 
 prefly a fecond regeneration, and every fecund 
 implies a firft. The Apoftle does not fay bare- 
 ly , it it imp ffible to renew them ( if fuch as 
 they fall away,) but that 'tis impoffible to re- 
 new them again ; clearly intimating unto us 
 thele two Illations : Firft , that a man may fo 
 fail from a State oi Grace, as not to be able to 
 
 rife 
 
OfFearasneceJfarytoFaitb^Sic. I 179 
 
 rife again; Next, that the Grace he fails from 
 was fuch as gave him a Salvability ; or fuch as 
 by which he was in a Scate of Regeneration. 
 
 § 9. Being about to carry my proof from 
 Vniverfals to Individuals, I (hall not inftance 
 xnSaul, with S. Cyprian and S. Au/iin; much 
 lefs in Ahab, with S. Jerom and S. Chryfoflom ; 
 much lefs yen in Cain and £/i# ; nor yet in A- 
 lexander, and Demos, Fhiletm, and Hymen<xus, 
 fhygellws and Hcrmogenes, who were Deferters of 
 Chrijt in his Apofiles, lVaJlersojConfcience,and 
 Shipwrackers ofFaitb;! fhall not inftance in £0- 
 rotheu* who fell away to ferve Idols at Theffalo- 
 nica ; nor yet in Nicolas, who, though one 
 of the [even Deacons, was yet the Author of that 
 old Hdtrefie which carries the Name of The Ni» 
 colaitans ; much lefs fhall I inftance in the 
 moft excellent of the Hdtrefiarchs, Ncjloriu*, 
 thotinm, Apollinaris, and Pelagiu* ; (for thefe 
 laft may be thefubje&s of great Difpute; and 
 whatfoever may be true in the Judgment of 
 Faith, yet the Judgment of Charity forbids me 
 to affirm that Thele did finally fall away : ) But 
 of Judas I fuppofe there is no Difpute. For 
 He was chofen by Chrifi as one of the Twelve 
 felett Apojiles, Job. 6. 70. and is faid to have 
 been given by God the Father to God The Son, 
 
 Z 3 whofe 
 
 aTim.2.17. 
 
 2Tim.4.io. 
 2Tim.i.i$. 
 
i ho | Of Fear as nectjfary to Faitb,&c. 
 
 whofe word he hspt for fojne time, Job.ij.6. 
 and was juftified by Faith, v. 8. prayed for by 
 Cbrifl, not as one of the World, but as Hit pecu- 
 liar, v. 9. He confefi "d 'and taught Chrift, and 
 did Miracles in his Name, Matth. 10. 5,7,8. 
 He was one of Ch rift's Sheep, v. 16. had been 
 grafted into Chrift, Joh.15.2. notwithftanding 
 all which, he did not onely fall from, but be- 
 tray \\\$ Mafter, hang'd himfelf as a man Loft, 
 and iscall'd by our Lord exprefly, ° $<; £ d™- 
 Xskxc,, The Son of Perdition. 
 
 § 10. I would not here befomiftaken, as if 
 I meant that God's Ele6i can fall away finally 
 from Grace. 1 am fo very far from That, that 
 I affirm it to be impoffible, and to imply a Con- 
 tradiction. For They and Thty onely are God's 
 Elefi, who do finally perfevere in a Chriftian 
 Courfe ; who being delivered out of the hands 
 of their Enemies, do not onely ferve God in ho- 
 linejl and righteoufnefl, (for fo do many chat 
 are called, and are not cbojen,*) but they ferve 
 him in Both together All the days of their Lives ; 
 as Zachaiy goes on in his Benediftu*. We muft 
 therefore fo diflingui/b in our Difcourfe of this 
 fubjeQ: between The Regenerate and The Elefl, 
 as (till to carry in our minds as well their Diffe- 
 rence as their Agreement. In This they agree, 
 
 that 
 
* Matth 
 Rcv.21. 
 
 22. 14. 
 2 Pet. I. 
 
 Of Fear as neceffary to Faith, &c. 181 
 
 that all IheElell are ftill Regenerate; In This 
 they <//j0vr, that all / he Regenerate are wJ £/e#. 
 The former may and </o often, the later cannot 
 fall finally from Grace. Concerning the for- 
 mer , and Them alone, all the Scriptures I have 
 urged 'and argued from muft be underftood. For 
 the /rffrr are onely They, who do *indure unto 
 the End. Onely They that overcome, and io 
 are faid to have a right to the Tree of life. The 
 Elett are onely They, that can finally never fall ; 
 for if they could, they could not have been e- 
 lefted to life eternal. 
 
 And yet even ofThefel am to fay in the fe- 
 cond place, that they fall totally, and for a 
 Time, many of them, and of the Befi too. Not 
 onely Solomon, and Aaron, and David himfelf 
 in the OldTeflament, but d//the Apofiles in the 
 New, and S. /Vfer tffoz/e dte/rf all, are uncon- 
 trouiable Examples of This fad Truth ; if Idola- 
 try > and Adultery, and wilfull Murther, \£ Ly- 
 ing, and Curfing, and wilfull Perjury, and a 
 repeated abjuration of 7^5 C7)n/2, are Sins in- 
 confiftent mthfaving Grace, and the inhabita- 
 tion of God the HolyGhofl. 'Tis true indeed 
 that 7/?£ £/e<3 who fall away for a' time into 
 Deadly Sins, and fo by confequence, whilft im- 
 penitent , into a SteJe of Damnation, cannot 
 
 poffibly 
 
 .24. 
 
 7*& 
 
 ' \ 
 
*"" ■ ■■ I II I. I I . I I ■ < ■ ' I I I ■ 
 
 82 I Of Fear as NeceffarytoFaitb,?kc. 
 
 sChron.ij. 
 
 Ezck.33.18. 
 
 ver. !$♦ 
 
 poilibly die 'till they have repented ; becaufe 
 they have This Seal upon them, The Lord know- 
 eth them that are His. But This which is oiier'd 
 as an Anfwer to what I fay, is an irrefragable 
 Argument to evince the Truth of it. For if Da- 
 vid (for example) could not die till he repen 
 ted, it is for this reafon onely, that he could 
 not befav'd without Repentance ; and that before 
 he repented, he was in a State of Condemnation. 
 Saving Grace and Impenitence cannot fimul & 
 femel be in one and the fame Man. Tis the 
 Condition of the great and precious promifes in 
 the Gofpel , and in effed the whole Covenant 
 'twixt God and Man , that all (hall be faved 
 with repentance, and None without it. Hear 
 ye me, A/a, andalljudah, and Benjamin, (faid 
 The Spirit of God by Az^riah,) The Lord is 
 with you, whilft ye be with Hkn ; and if ye feek. 
 him, he will be found of you ; but if ye for fake 
 him, he will for fake you. So again by The 
 Prophet Ezekjel , When the righteous turneth 
 from hi* righteoufntfi, and committeth iniquity, 
 he /ball even die thereby; and if the wicked w ilk. 
 in the Statutes of life, befhallfurely live. Pro- 
 mifes and Threats are both alike conditional, not 
 onely under the Law, but as exprefly under the 
 Gofpel. It is the faying of Ch rift himfelf, Who- 
 
 foever 
 
Rom. 2. 6 y 
 
 Of Fear as neceffary to Faith, Sec. | 1 8 3 
 
 foeverfball confejl me before men, Him /hall the [ Luk.ia.8, 9 
 Son of man alf) confojl before the Angels of God. 
 But be that denieth me before men, fhall be de- 
 nied before the Angels of God. Tis S. Paul's 
 to the Chriftians who were at Rome in his days, 
 chat God will renJer to every man according to 
 bis works. To them who feekfir Glory by con- 
 tinuance in well doing, eternal life : But unto 
 them that are contentious, and do not obey the 
 Truth, Indignation and Wrath. And a^ain, 
 If ye live after thepfh, ye fhall die : but if ye 
 through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the 
 bodyye /ball live. And yec more plainly to our 
 purpofe, in his Epiftle to the Colo(ftans } Tou 
 who were Enemies in your minds by wicked works 
 hath he reconciled, if ye continue in the faith 
 grounded and fetled , and be not moved away 
 from the hope of the G off el which ye have heard. 
 And in like manner Co the Corinthians , Te are 
 faved by the Gofpel, if ye hold fafi or Keep in me- 
 mory what I preached unto you, unlefs ye have 
 believed in vain. The Epiftle to the Hebrews is 
 very full to this purpofe, We are made partakers 
 of thrift, if we hold the beginning of our Con- 
 fidence ftedfaft unto the end. Whofe Houfe we 
 are, if we bold f aft the Confidence a- d the rejoy- 
 cing of the hope firm unto the End. Now the Juft ! " eb * Ia5 * 
 
 A a {ball 
 
 cM.%13, 
 
 Co!. 1. 21,23. 
 
 1 Cor. 1$. 
 
 1,2. 
 
 Hcb.5.5,14, 
 
184 I Of Fear as necejfaryto Faith, &c. 
 
 Rom. 11. 18, 
 
 20, 
 
 {!) all live, by b aitb. But if any man draw back, 
 my foul fl) all have no plea fur e in him. Plainly 
 intimating in Ibis, what is taken for granted 
 in the very next verfe, that from the fame kind 
 of Faith by which ic is faid thejuftf})all Hvt, 
 there were fome in the beft of Times who drew 
 backunto Perdition. Heb. 10.39. 
 
 §11. What now is the Advantage we are to 
 make of all This? and what the teflon, which 
 all thefe Scriptures are apt to teach us ? Truly 
 the leffon is plainly This : That if the End of 
 our Prayers, it the End of our Hopes, the End 
 of all our Endeavours is but Conditional, and 
 All the Promifes of the Gofyel are made unto us 
 with an \Jfwe do fo and [of] we muft not now 
 boaft of our being Chrifiians, as the Hebrews 
 onee did of their being Ifraelites. We muft 
 not glory in our being the younger Brethren or 
 Members otjfefa Chrifi, as They in their being 
 the Seed of Abraham. We muft not pride it in 
 the Church, as They did commonly in the Tern- 
 pie. Nor infult over the Jews, as They did foo- 
 lifhly over the Gentiles. For if God fpared not 
 Them who were the natural Branches, We muft 
 alio take heed, leji he alfoffare not ut. If They 
 were broken off for their unbelief, and we by 
 Faith are grafted in, the proper ufe we are to 
 
 make 
 
Of Fear as neceffary to Faith, &c. | 185 
 
 make of the obfervacion, is that we boafi not 
 againft the Branches; that we be not high-minded, 
 but rather fear ; for we bear not the Root, but 
 the Root us. We mult confider both the Good- 
 nefl, and Severity of God^ and the Grounds of 
 Both : on them that fell, Severity ; but towards 
 m, Goodnefl ; with an If we continue in his Good- 
 nefl. Othenvifewefhallbe broken of too ; and 
 7 hey Jh all be grafted in again, if they do notfiill 
 abide in their unbelief We cannot reafonably 
 defire a clearer State of this matter, than in That 
 whole Paffage of the Eleventh Chapter to the 
 Romans. And therefore feeing it is imply'd 
 by our bleffed Lord, that even The Salt of the 
 Earth may loft its Savour , and become good for 
 nothing, but to be utterly cafi out, and trodden 
 underfoot', that a Branch of 'the true Vine mzy 
 lofe its Verdure, and become good for nothing, 
 but to be cafi into the Fire; 1 thought it good 
 ( as S. Peter * fpeaks ) to put you in mind of 
 thefe things, although ye kflow them already, and 
 are e/lablifhed in the Truth. And ft ill I think 
 it good (with the fame S.Peter) to prefs the 
 giving all diligence for the making of our calling 
 and elettionfure. 1 think it good (wi:h S. Pe- 
 ter) to fay, Beware, lejiyealfo being led away 
 with the Error of the Wicked, fall from your own 
 
 A a 2 fed* 
 
 21, 
 
 22 
 
 **• 
 
 Matth.j.i^. 
 
 Joh.i$.5,5. 
 
 *iPet.i.i2, 
 13, 1$. <b 
 
 2 Per. 1. io. 
 
 CJ7.3.V.17. 
 
1 86 ( Of Fear as nccejfary to Faith, &c. 
 
 Heb.s.u. 
 
 ver, 12, 
 Hcb,4.i. 
 
 s Cor.*.i. 
 
 Heb.12.15. 
 
 ftedfaftnejL If God was fo provoked by the 
 Children of Ifrael , (to whom the Conditional 
 Ffo/fsife was made) that he [wore in his Wrath, 
 they fhoiSd not enter into hh Rett, becaufe they 
 /0//V of the Condition on which the promiie 
 was made; Then 1 may fure without frasfum. 
 prion draw the very fame ZZ/e from That tremen- 
 dous matter of Faft, which the Infpircd Wrirer 
 makes in the very next Verfe,7j^ heed, Bre- 
 thren, left there be in any of you an evil heart of 
 unbelief, in departing from the living God. But 
 exhort one another daily vphilfi it is call'd, To 
 Day, left any of you be hardened through the de- 
 ceiftfulneft of Sin. And again, Let U6 fear 
 (faith the fame Apoftle) left a Promife bang 
 left u* ofentring into his Reft, any of you Jhould 
 feem to come JJjort of it, or uVefwwwa, to come be- 
 hind it. I may fure without arrogance ex- 
 hort the Beft of my Hearers, much more my felf, 
 and all other Chriftians of my low Clafs, that 
 They and We receive not the Grace of God in 
 vain. That They and We do look, diligently, 
 left any man jail of the Grace of God', or left 
 any fall from it, as it is in the Margin, and 
 is fufficiently imported by £?*z&v $ yizit©* tS 
 
 08b. 
 
 § 12. The Sum and Upflhot of all is This: 
 
 There 
 
Of Fear as tieceffary to Faith, &c. 187 
 
 verje il, 
 
 There is in many a ^eedof Grace, which does I Mir. 4.3, 
 never bring-forth the fruit of Glory. For as The 
 Spirit of Truth makes none Infallible upon 
 Earth, fo The Spirit of Ho/inej? makes none im- 
 peccable , none incapable of falling inco any 
 Deadly Sin, or a Sin unto Death. The reafon 
 is, becaule rhe workings of The Spirit are onely 
 congruous, and fufficieftt upon voluntary Agents, 
 never compulfive, and irrefifiible. From whence 
 it follows that The Degrees ot Grace and Truth 
 m (everal perfons, are not at all from God's 
 Omnipotence as it is fuch, or from his over-ruling 
 Providence as over-ruling, (for Then there could 
 not be poffibly fuch a variety of Degrees ; All 
 perfons 7fo/z muft have been equally good, and 
 onely good in perfection ; ) But partly from 
 the different Difpofitions, and Behaviours, and 
 Negotiations oftheSubje&smth the Talents of 
 Grace committed to them, (which fome are for 
 * imp loyingjLnd fome for wrapping in a * Napkin, 
 as our Lord in his Parable was pleas'd to make 
 it plain to us,) and partly from the Meafures 
 of The Spirit's Communication: which to fome , 
 is much more-, to others, kfi', to none, irre- 
 fiflable ; to 0//, fufficient. How very many 
 there are that fall from that Fa/f£ and Patience, 
 which in /^ were two Rockj-> which nothing 
 
 A a 3 was 
 
 *Luk,i9.i$, 
 
 20. 
 
83 
 
 Of Fear as Necefary to Faith, &c. 
 
 *Col.2. 7 , 
 
 ^Thcff.i.a,, 
 
 Judg. 18.7, 
 
 27. 
 
 was ftrong enough tofhaks, much lefs XoJbaiUr A 
 ( and yet the Grace of God in Him was never co- 
 gent,*) but being well * rooted, and very well 
 cultivated betides, by daily exercifes of Piety, 
 and all good Works, * grew up exceedingly in 
 his Soul, and did not wither ; lfay, how many 
 there are that fall from their feveral Graces, that 
 \d\y wafle, andmifpend, or wilfull fquander a- 
 way their Talents, I have hazarded your pa- 
 tience in making it plainer than there was need; 
 by which excefs if I haveerr'd, I am the rather 
 to be forgiven, becaufe it has proceeded from 
 die (incerity of my Defire, to beget in fuch as 
 (land, a taking great heed that they do not fall. 
 And that our Adverfary The Devil may never 
 find Vs, as the Mejfengers of "the D unites found 
 Them of Laijh, dwelling carelefs^ and fecure y 
 after the manner of the Zidonians, and void of 
 Bufinefs ; Let it be our prime Bufinefs, from this 
 day forewards and for ever, not onely to watch 
 and pray left we enter into Temptation, but to 
 refieft on the chief Ends, and the chief Objefls 
 of the Caution commended to us. The chiefeft 
 Ends of it are the Glory of God, and our own Sal- 
 vation. Its chiefeft Objetts are the Evils of Sin 
 and Funifhment ; the WorKitfelf, and the U r ages 
 of it. But in calling thefe The Chief I do imply 
 
 there 
 
Of Fear as necejfary to Faith, &c. | 189 
 
 there are many more. Even as many as there 
 are D anger 1 where wich we are every day befit ; 
 and whereof in this Text we are advifed to take 
 heed. 
 
 §13. We have but one way tofianJ, But to 
 fally a Thoufand. Fall we may by our Ene- . 
 mies, which ( without and within us ) are not 
 cafily to be numbred. Thofe within us, in our 
 Bofiom, are ftill the worfl, becaule the neareft y 
 and leaft fufpefted ; and then mod hurtfull , 
 when moft Belov'd. The worft without us are 
 our Advancements to Wealth and Honour, be- 
 caufe they are apter than any ocher, firft to lift 
 up our beads, then to f n/> i#> our heeles, and to 
 t^jw us down. Mznyftand^ when at the lowed, 
 ftout and ftedfaft in the Faitb , ( as S. Peter 
 fpeaks v ) who being drunk with Profperity^ do 
 quickly (lagger. And then how eafily do they 
 fall. Even at every little tbrufi of Applaufie, or 
 Plenty? Yea we may /*//, without a Thruft, by 
 the bare Treachery of the Grtf/W upon which we 
 yia/7</. Some Parts of it being too flippery, and 
 fome too /?/g£ , and very dangerous are the 
 blocks whicft are laid in others. Now 'tis plain 
 the movejlippery the places are weft and in, by fo 
 muchthetfjrter wearetofalL And 'tis as evi- 
 dent, that the higher our Stations are, by fo 
 
 much 
 
1 90 I Of Fear as nectffary to Faith ^&c. 
 
 much the greater our fall will be. But what 
 the Jlumbling-blockj are which are laid in our 
 way by fbme fa !fe Teachers, (belides thofe few 
 already mention d) and at which \f\Nt fumble, 
 'twill be irnpoffible not to fall^ deferves a larger 
 Examination than cm be made at this Time i and 
 perhaps a more Polemical than can belong to 
 this Place. In the m-an time 'tis certain, that 
 in proportion to the clangers there are of falling, 
 the general Caveat of my Text does extend it 
 fel f . Take we heed left we fall for want of any 
 of thofe things, which are conducible to our 
 Station and flat: of Grace. Either for want of 
 that Knowledge of things Effentiaho Religion, 
 which is required; or for want of that Zeal 
 which is according unto Knowledge ; or for want 
 of that Confederation we ought to have, of what 
 we know well enough does concern us needy ; 
 or for want of that Dijirufi in our felves and o- 
 thers, to which the wile Epicharmu* does well 
 excite us- Take we heed we do not fall for want 
 of carrying ftill about us a fear of falling. A 
 fear both of our Natural, and of our adventitious 
 Frailty. A fear of Him who alone Holds us up, 
 and when he will can throw us down. A fear 
 of God, as he is juft, but above all , as he is 
 mercifull. Becaufe there is mercy with thee, 
 
 Lord, 
 
, I "* ■■ ..,.■.. - . — • * . - ■ ■«■ ■ ... * 
 
 I Of Fear as ncceffary to Faith, &c. | 1 9 1 
 
 Lord, Iberefore ( faith David) fhalt thou be 
 feared. For the abufmg of his mercy does more 
 than any other bafenefs, incenfe his Jufiice. A 
 Fear of falling from his gwrc, and by confe- 
 quence out of his favour, and by confequence 
 //z*0 his math and his /ore difpleafure. 
 
 & 14. Amidft our fever al ways of falling, 
 we have but 00* to fimd firm, however diverOy 
 exprefled in Aa/y J^frt. I mean the congruous 
 Abidance of God's free Grace, and our own 
 working together with it. All the ufe S. Peter 
 makes of ins Apoftafie from Cbriji for a little 
 time, is to put in a Caveat for Himfelf and Us 
 too, not to fall from our own jledfaflnefi ; and 
 the effe&uai way to That, is to grow in Grace, 
 as he there exhorts us ; Not to content our felves 
 with this, that we are not any thing worfe than 
 we ufe to be , but to be conftantly advancing 
 from ftrength to ftrength, and to be carefull 
 that our laft days may be our beft too. All the 
 ufe S. Paul makes of the Doftrine he had taught 
 of a Refurrettion, is to bzfiedfaft, and unmsve- 
 able ; and the effectual way to that, is always to 
 abound in the work of the Lord. So again we 
 may infer from his Epiftle to the Ephefians, The 
 onely way for us Impotent and Silly men, to be 
 able to fiand againfi the wiles of the Devil, ps to 
 
 Bb put 
 
 rdi. 1 30. 4. 
 
 2 Pet. 5. 17, 
 
 18. 
 
 I C0r.15.58. 
 
 Eph.5.if« 
 
i q 2 I Of Fear as neceffary to Faith, &c. 
 
 put upon our [elves the whole Armour of God. 
 To bejirong in the Lord and in the power of hk 
 might. Implying a fu 11 Trufi in God, and as 
 full a Difiruflfulnefi of our felves. A putting 
 our felves out of our own, into bis Protedtion. 
 Which yet we cannot till convinced of this great 
 earth, that/Vz our felves, as of our felves there 
 dwelleth no good thing. No not fo much as 
 Inclination to any thing that is Good. No not 
 fo much as Averfation from any thing that is 
 Evil. That our Deflruflion [if it happensj is 
 of our felves ; But all our fufficienc) of him alone, 
 who ftiles himfelfby way of Eminence, the AlU 
 fufficient. And hereunto we are to add this moft 
 pertinent fupplication, ( which muft be fervent 
 and without ceafingO that he will be pleas'd to 
 work in u* both to will and to do of hi* good plea- 
 fure, thatfo ( having him for our * Coadjutor in 
 the language of our Apoftle ) we may work cut 
 our Salvation with fear and trembling. And 
 that at the final confummation of all our days, 
 he may crown his own Gifts and Graces in us. 
 Which God- of his Mercy difpofe us for, for the 
 Glory of his Name, and for the worthinefs of 
 his Son. 
 
 To whom with the Father, in the unity of the 
 Spirit, be Glory and Thankfgiving for ever and 
 ever. Amen. O F 
 
 Phil. 3. 15. 
 
 71*. 
 
 2 Cor.d.i. 
 
(>9?) I 
 
 PEACE 
 HOLINESS 
 
 UNITED, 
 
 As equally required to Our 
 
 SALVATION. 
 
 
 HE B. 12. 14. 
 
 Follow Peace with all Men , and HoH- 
 neff, without which no Man jh all fee 
 the Lord. 
 
 § 1 . K S there are buc two Ends at which 
 
 jr\ our Studies are to be levell'd, ( let 
 
 our Parts and our Learning be what they will,) 
 
 to wit, a Refiitude in our Knowledge, and an 
 
 Bb 2 Exattnejs 
 
194 
 
 Of Peace and Holimfi 
 
 1 
 
 2 Cor. 5. i < 
 Hcb.xi.5. 
 
 Jam. 1.27, 
 
 Exatinefi in our Religion ; ( the firfl of which 
 Is ft\\l fubfervient and has a Tendency to the fe- 
 ccnd'f) to there are but Two things in which 
 This Second does chiefly ftand ; to wit, a Recti- 
 tude ofFaitb, and the Truth of Practice. The 
 Former does confift in the Belief of two Things 
 too, to wit, That God was inCbriJi reconciling 
 the world unto him/elf. And, asfucb, is the Re- 
 warder of Them that diligently feek. him. The 
 Later lies chiefly in two Things more; Our 
 helping the father lefs in their Affliftion, and the 
 keeping of our/elves unfpotted from the World. 
 Nor can we doubt whether in Theft confifts the; 
 fubftance of our Religion, becaufe befides that 
 out ofThefe our fever al Duties may be deduc'd 
 by the light of Reafon , we have Authority alfo 
 of Scripture (to wit, S. Paul and S. James') to 
 aflure us of it. Then why fhould we compafs 
 Sea and Land to meet with Catechifts, and Prea- 
 chers, and Commentators, and School-Divines, 
 a world of Fathers, and of Councils, and Eccle- 
 fiaftical Hiftorians, and an hundred other In- 
 ftruments for the completing of a Chriftian, 
 (however neceflary they are for the accom- 
 plifliment of a Divine) whilft Chrifiianity in 
 it felf is a thing To eafie, and may eafily be 
 held in fo little Room ? Had it beeen fuffer'd 
 
 to 
 
In Corijun&ion, &c. 
 
 l 95 
 
 toab.de within its primitive Simplicity, in but 
 few and plain Precepts for Life and Praftict, a^ 
 well as in few and plain Aphotifms for Faith 
 and Doftrin; the Tokf of Chrijl had ftill been 
 eafie, and his Burthen had ftill been light, and 
 //tt/e Children had ftill been qualified for a Dif- 
 ciplefliip under Chrifl, which yet is now made 
 too difficult for fome of the fubtil'ft and the 
 learnedji of all our Jefuiticall and Sorbon 
 Dofiors. Nothing has certainly been fo mif- 
 chievous to the t rue Body of Religion , as the 
 making fo many Myfteries where God was 
 pleas'd tohavefo/e»' ; vexing the Articles of 
 our Faith with curious Qujzfiions, and Dif. 
 putes, and a large Catalogue of Additions , (as 
 for example in the Creed oi: Pope*/^ Quar- 
 ts,) moft obftruSive to the Unity and Peace 
 of Chriftians. So that by accident at leaft, and 
 through the Lufi of her feveral Lovers, (I mean 
 the Avarice oifome, and the Pride of others,*) 
 the charming Beauty of Religion has contribu. 
 ted too much to the Ruin of her. She having 
 been courted as unhappily, as Plutarch's fair 
 Arijloclea ; who was fo plucked at by the Ri- 
 valry of Califlhenes and Strato, and by the Par- 
 tizans of them Both ; *that (to their (hame and 
 forrow too,) She loft her Life in the Contention, 
 
 Bb 3 § 2. Now 
 
 * Vid. Laert. 
 
 Cherub. 
 
 Bullar.Tom. 
 
 2. p. 129. 
 
 Plut.cj/ ipal. 
 
 Id quod acri- 
 dit AtUoni 
 Melt ji fill o y 
 qui o»S*A/jo- 
 
 $z&tn.ld.ibicL 
 
9 6 
 
 Of Peace and Holinefs 
 
 § 2. Now conlidering how much 'tis eafier 
 to have an Excellence in the Knowledge^ than 
 in the Exercife or Praftke of Chriftianity , And 
 that without our Indeavours of living up to 
 fuch Knowledge, Ail our learning will but light 
 U6 into the Territories of Darkjiefs ; Little or 
 Nothing will be got by our moft plaufible At- 
 tainments , befides the Meagre Satisfa&ion of 
 going learnedly to Hell, and the Priviledge to 
 be beaten with many fir ipes, whilft the more ig- 
 norant Tranfgreflbr muft be contented with a 
 few ; I cannot think of a fitter Text for the gi- 
 ving advantage to my Defign of letting up the 
 moft Vfefullznd Real learning, in the place of 
 That learning wherewith the Devil is oft adorn d y 
 ( to ufe the words of S. Jerome touching the Ex- 
 cellence of Pelagiu*,') than this important Ex* 
 hortative of our learned Author to the Hebrews ; 
 recommending to them the Study of Peace and 
 Holinefs, as That on which there dependeth (as 
 it is followed, or defp^d,; an unfpeakable Pro- 
 portion of Blifs, or Mifery. Thefe are the Sci- 
 and the Arts, which will make us wife 
 
 ences. 
 
 unto Salvation. We are to ballanu all our 
 Knowledge with thefe two Weights, whereby to 
 preferve it from puffing up. Thefe are to take 
 up our Meditations ; on Thefe our Souls are to 
 
 *be 
 
In Conjunction, &c. 
 
 l 97 
 
 be/ixt. Thefe are the Beauties we are to court, 
 with the greateft Love. Thefe the Riches we 
 are to covtt, with greateft Avarice. Thefe the 
 Dignities to be fought for, not onely with the 
 greateft , but beft Ambition. And therefore 
 every thing elfe being laid afide, ( atleaft with 
 a comparative? though not an abfotuteNegk&J 
 we are to give our felves wholly to the Study of 
 Thefe Two ; Following Peace with all men? and 
 Holinefs?witbout which no man /ball fee the Lord. 
 § 3, Though the Text atfirft Hearing may 
 fcem as eafie as it \s Jhort, yet there is hardly 
 any thing in it, which ftandsnot in need of an 
 Explication ; And The Fnglijb Tranflation is 
 fo much harder than the Original, as that we 
 cannot reach the ##£,without recourfe unto the 
 other. Follow Peace, faith the Englifb. Pur- 
 fue it earnejlly? faith the Greek, It is not every 
 kind of Following will ferve the Turn ; for 'tis 
 not e-araSe, fequimini? but S^x^ns, perfequimini , 
 and we know , The word SvAeu/ has a remark- 
 able Importance, implying Induflrj, and Ea- 
 germjl^ in feeking That that we defire. E%tu8w 
 bc*K*rn % bunt after Peace. AwjcTciyizyAlp, run apace 
 after Holinefs.As if the Apoftle fhould have (aid, 
 that Veace and Holinejs are things to be conten- 
 ded for and Courted? with great Ambition. We 
 
 mu ft 
 
198 
 
 Of Peace and Holinjs 
 
 muft not follow themy<?, as to come behind zhom ; 
 but rather fo as to overtake them. So as the 
 Racer follows the Pri%e ; or fo as the Hound fol- 
 lows the Rare ; or fo as the man of Contention 
 does greedily follow a fuit in Law ; or fo as 
 S. Paul does elfewhere urge us to follow after 
 Charity. For each of thefe is Imported by the 
 emphatical word &»**«, implying zgal in our 
 Chriftian Duties , and Per fever 'ance unto the 
 End. 
 
 §> 4. After the Nature of the Aft, confider 
 the latitude of the Objeft. Which though ex- 
 prefs'd by a Contraction into thefe two Bran- 
 ches, P eace, and Ho linefs; yet like a Couple of 
 great Arms? they do imbrace the whole Deca- 
 logue, by the large extent of their fignification. 
 For by Peace is meant Charity , in which all 
 Juflice is folded up ; And thence is faid by 
 S. Paul to be the fulfilling of the Law^ ( taken 
 There in an extended^ as Here it is in a /tinted 
 fenfe,) becaufe according to the Rule amongft 
 moral Philofophers , [] *> 3 Afautowfy <niftJ&$lw 
 iiSa dgrf *5t, 1 Juflice is a Ticwctftrm, ( as the 
 Eaftern Fathers do call the Book of Ecclefiafli- 
 cu*\) a comprehenfive kind of Pandett of *// 
 manner of Duties. For as S. /a/j/z, in his ffrft 
 Epiftle, has reduced all F/Ves to thefe three 
 
 Heads, 
 
In Conjun&ion^Q. 
 
 I 199 
 
 Heads, The Luji of the Fle//j, the Luji of the 
 Eye, and the Pride of Life ; fo S. Paul, fpeak- 
 ing to Titus, comprifechall Vertues in this Tri~ 
 chotomy, Living foberly, righteoufly, and godly 
 intbisprefent World. Now to live righteoufly 
 what is it, but to do jujiice unto our Neighbours ? 
 What, to live foberly, but to be juft unto our 
 [elves? (noctoabufeour own Perfons by any 
 Intemperance or Debauch ? ) And what, to live 
 Godly , but to deal jujily with God himfelf ? 
 ( not to rob him of the fervice, nor to defraud 
 him of the honour that's due unto him ? } The 
 fir ft is included in the word Peace , ( taken here 
 as it is in r a ftinted ktiCcJ the fecond and the 
 third in the word Purification. I fay, Purifi- 
 cation^ becaufe 'tis literally the Englifli of the 
 Word *>y&y*K* which in our English TYanfla- 
 cion is rendered Holinefi. 
 
 ■ § 5. And this deferves to be the Subjeft of 
 a third Confideration. For it is not ^ f Mj f w >&) 
 dywuji'AAj, Peace and Purity , which notes the 
 Habit of being Clean ; But 'tis ^pkJfc/ KS& *>yt*w>ov 9 
 Peace and Purification,, which notes the contU 
 nued Aft of deanfing. Betwixt which two, 
 there is not onely a very great, but an ufefull 
 Difference. For hence we learn that whilft we 
 live, we muft evermore be on the mending hand. 
 
 C c Mud 
 
200 
 
 Of Peace and Holinefs 
 
 i Joh.3 3. 
 
 Muft never look upon our (elves as good enough 
 toferve turn. But as a For of boyling water is 
 ever cafting up a Foam, until it is -purged of all 
 its Filth ; fo we muft daily be cafting out fome- 
 what or other which is amifi ; ever bufie in the 
 work of o«ur Reformation ; ever mending, and 
 purging, and purifying our felves. Seeing 'tis 
 faid by S.John, thzthe who hath this hope in 
 him, purifieth himfelf even 06 God is pure. We 
 muft not content our felves (tbrjbame) with- 
 a Jiunted Piety , with the Reproach of being 
 Dwarfs in the School ofChri/l ; But grow in 
 Grace (as the Apoftlefpeaks:) Nor muft we 
 ever leave growing, until we come to a perftft 
 man. And thus to Peace we are to add Purifi- 
 cation. For they are not joyn'd with a Dis- 
 junfthe, ( it is not follow Peace or Holinefs ) 
 as if the one were fufficient without the other ; 
 But Thefe Unitedly are the things, which rhuft 
 be profecuted , and follow V, with Zeal, and 
 Fervour. 
 
 § 6. And then in the fourth place, there is 
 great Reafon for it. Becaufe if either of thefe 
 is wanting, *^c40> No man living Jh all fee 
 the Lord. Let his Parts, or A cquifit ions, be 
 what rhey can be ; Let his Principles , or his 
 Party, let his Perfon, or Profffion , be what 
 
 they 
 
In Conjun&ion y &c. 
 
 2QI 
 
 they will ; Let him be born of Godly Parents, 
 let him be carefully brought up wichin the £j- 
 fom of the Church, let him bdP apifi, or Puritan, 
 or iu the middle of each Extreme, A fober Pro- 
 teftant ; let his pretenfions be what they will to 
 Regeneration, or Eleftion ; yet unlefs he follows 
 Peace, and Peace with All Men, and Purifica- 
 tion as well as Peace, and unlefs he follows Both 
 wich Faith and Patience unto the Eni y He is a 
 Man oUmpurer Eyes y then can ever be admitted 
 to fee the Lord. 
 
 £ 8. Thus We fee what is meant by peace and 
 bolinefi? and as well for what reafon, as after ' 
 what fort we mult follow both. There are three 
 other Things which will deferve an Explication, 
 but That will bell of all be made by way of An- 
 fwer to three Objections. For a Conquering 
 Truth is much more glorious, than a Truth un- 
 examined, or unattempted with oppofition. 
 
 ^ 9. Firft it may eafily be douted, whether 
 'tis Poffible, or Safe, to have Peace with All men. 
 For [ome are fuch Enemies unto Peace , that when 
 wefpeak to them thereof, they make them ready to 
 Battle ; and Peace with fuch does feem impofft- 
 ble. And Impoffibilium nulla eft obligatio. h 
 cannot be necejarji to do, what is Impoffible to be 
 done. Others are always at war with God by 
 
 C c 2 their 1 
 
 ^ ■ -. '■ u — 
 
202 
 
 Rom. i. 30. 
 
 Of Peace and Holinefs 
 
 jam.4.4. 
 
 *a Joh.11, 
 
 their Impieties, they are ***& tyAj$rm} 9 Inven* 
 tors of evil Things; nay^or^&s, Haters of God; 
 and Peace with fuch does feem unfafe. For 
 may we be at Peace with them y who will not be 
 at Peace with God ? Thefe are They that in 
 Scripture are call'd The World. And know ye 
 not (faith S.James) that the Friend/hip of the 
 world is Enmity with God ? Thefe are they that 
 in Scripture are call'd the Wicked. And there 
 h no Veace faith my God to the wicked. Qlfa. 57. 
 21.) Which though fpoken in another \ may 
 yet be apply'd in this fenfe alfo. When men 
 are fcandaloufly wicked , * an Apoftle forbids 
 us to eat or drink, with them ; or to receive them 
 into our houfes ; or to hid them God-fyeed. And 
 as this was the Precept of that Apoftle, fo accor- 
 ding unto this he fram'd his ?raftice. For wich 
 the Heretick Cerinthut he would not be in the 
 fame Bath. The Heathen Poet Horace was thus 
 affe&ed in his Vetabofub iifdemfit trabibm, Fra- 
 gilemque me cum folvat phafelum. So fa id Mo- 
 fes to the Royalifis touching the Rebels which 
 then arofe againft Him and Aaron ; Depart from 
 the Tents of thefe wicked men, and touch nothing 
 of theirs. Befides that as much as in us lies, 
 we ought to be affe&ed like Godhimfelf; and fo 
 by a necefiary confequence we are to bate thofe 
 
 that 
 
In Conjun&ion,{kc. 
 
 \ 205 
 
 chac hate Him, becaufe they zrefucb as are ha- 
 te J by Him. ( For fo the word Segutfte does 
 very naturally import, although it i<j not ob- 
 ferv 'd in our Engiifti Bibles. ) And therefore 
 by this the Prophet David feeks to prove his 
 Afftflion to God Almighty ; Do not I hate them, 
 
 Lord, that hate Thee ? yea I hate them right 
 [ore. Or ( as the New Tranflation hath it ) yea 
 
 1 hate them with a perfeft hatred. Why then 
 faith our Apoftle, Follow Peace even with All 
 men, not excepting the Worfi of all ? 
 
 §10. We fee the Obje&ion is very fpecious. 
 But ftrike one Text againft another, ( as a flint 
 againft fteel,) and there will leap from both to- 
 gether both Fire and Light too. The Anfwer 
 to it is to be taken from Rom. 12.18. and thence 
 forwards unto the end. If it itpoffible, a* much 
 O6inyoulies y live peaceably with all men. He 
 does not peremptorily fay, live peaceably with 
 all men at all adventure, let the Cafe be what it 
 wilL But « S^aTDv, if it U pojfible , and ™^ 
 uffV 9 06 much a6 in you lies. Whereby 'cis evi- 
 dently imply 'd, that in diverfe hard cafes it ps 
 Impo(fible, it does not lie in our power to be at 
 Peace with all the world. All that God requires 
 of us, is to imploy our poor utrnoft in orcjer to 
 it. Whilft we hate the Malefactor , we muft 
 
 C c 3 have 
 
» ■ '■ ■■ ■ 
 
 204 
 
 Of Peace and Holinefs 
 
 have charity for the Man ; fo as to pity his be- 
 ing//^ of habitual Sin, and fupplicate God for 
 his Amendment. Follow Peace we muft with 
 Them, who fly as fad as we can follow it. And 
 to the end we may attain it, we muft endeavour 
 at lead to win them by all good means. Such 
 as is the not avenging our [elves , but giving 
 place unto math ; feeding our Enemies when they 
 are hungry, and when they are thirfiy giving 
 them Drink.. For by fo doing , we Jhall heap 
 C faith the Apoftle ) Coals of Fire upon their 
 Heads. Not that this can be fpoken of any 
 mifchievous kind of charity ; For it is meant of 
 nothing elfe but the Fire of Love. And Love 
 is fitly compar'd to Fire, becaufe it has both a 
 purging and melting Faculty in its Nature. The 
 Metaphor is taken from the cuftom of the Foun- 
 der, who when he cannot melt his Metal by 
 putting Coals of Fire under it, does heapfome 
 Fire upon it too. So we muft heap the Fire of 
 Love upon our Enemies Heads, not to confume 
 them in their Impenitence, but to melt them into 
 Repentance and change of Life. At once to pu- 
 rifie the DroJ], and to mollifie the hardnefi, with 
 which their hearts are affe&ed towards us. But 
 if at Iaft.our Malatticks are u s'd in vain, we 
 muft then indeed proceed to the fever er Me- 
 thods 
 
I In Conjun&ion, &c. 205 
 
 j chads of Charity^ which is Charity never the left 
 j for being attended mihfeverity. A Rod being 
 ordain d for the Back of Fools, who will not be 
 ; wrought upon at all by the Spirit of Meekjiefi. 
 j ( 1 Cor. 4. ult. ) When men are the worfe for 
 i being pardon d, and even corrupt themfelves 
 ■ with Goodnefs, we muft not be fo over-cruel, 
 las to punijh them with Impunity. For God in 
 great Mercy hath given us Magiflrates , to be 
 his Minifiers of wrath, and his Executers of 
 vengeance. Nor are they liable unto any more 
 noxious failing, than that of bearing the Sword 
 in vain. Hereon is founded both the Lawful- 
 mfi, and the Necejfity alfo of War upon fome 
 Occafions, as being That without which Peace 
 it fe If czimot be kept. The Law of Nature, and 
 ofNatiorts, That of Mofes, and pfChrift, and 
 the bed mens Examples permit it to us. As ft 
 were eafie to evince, were This a Time or Place 
 for it. And what I fay of the Civil, is jufl: as 
 true of the Spiritual Sword. The higheft Aft 
 ofChriftian charity that can be fliovvn to the ob- 
 durate, is to deliver them up to Satan for the 
 Deftruflion of the Flefb; becaufe it is to this 
 wholefomend, That their Spirits may be fav'd 
 in the Day of the Lord Jfws. f 1 Cor. 5. 5. J 
 Thus we lee what is meant by Peace with All\ 
 
 men 
 
206 
 
 Of Peace and Holinefs 
 
 men ; how far forth it is extended? and how ic 
 admits of a Limitation. 
 
 § ii. Another Obje&ion may be rais'd from 
 the Pronoun [Which] becaufe ic is in the Greek, 
 not**, but*, andfb may feem to relate rather 
 to Holinefl, than to Peace. As if our Duty to- 
 wards God were a great Requisite to Salvation, 
 but not our Duty towards our Neighbour. Where- 
 as in Truth the very difcharge of our Duty to- 
 wards our Neighbour, is one of the great and 
 main Duties we owe to God. Peace and Holi- 
 nefs are fuch Twin-Siflers, as are not like the 
 Tindariddt, or Twins of Leda^ who (after the 
 manner of two Buckets, whereof the one is go- 
 ing up, and the other down,) did take their 
 Turns in Heaven, and Hell; But like the Twins 
 of Hippocrates, or the two Friends in Valeria, 
 who neither could live, nor die afunder. He 
 that follows not Peace, does flj from Holinefs ; 
 or follows it onely to drive it from him. Why 
 then faith our Apoftle , not %»eM <**> without 
 which Things , nor x*&; fcj without which 
 Peace, but %*eM «, without which Holinefs, no- 
 man living lhall fee the Lord ? 
 
 § 12, The Anfwer is, that the word «, is of 
 an equivocal (ignification ; as being equally 
 of the Mafculine? and Neuter Gender. But 
 
 fome 
 
In Conjm&wn, Sec. 
 
 207 
 
 fome there are in the world of eminent Learn- 
 ing and: Reputation , who taking it up by the 
 wrong handle, have unhappily fattened upon a 
 wrong fignification, and io have fee up Hotinefi 
 to the prejudice of Peace. Meerly for want 
 of confideration , That the Relative [Which ~] 
 in this place is the Neuter Gender, and hath 
 not any finglt word for its Antecedent, but the 
 whole Claufe going before. It is not in a divided 
 fenfe, %*& 5 iyiaqpSi, without which Uolinejl , 
 but in jtnfu compofito, %*&$ 2 Siww £ GigwU/j *&) 
 iyixjxlv, without which following of Peace and 
 Holinefs united. Whereby we are given to un- 
 derftand, That there cannot be fuch a Thing as 
 a Godly Rebel, or Holy Boutifeu, becaufe the 
 Subjeft excludes the Adjunft. To fay that 
 fuch or fuch a Man is a moll ccnfcionable Schif- 
 maticki or a religion* exciter unto Sedition, 
 ( whilst he fights away his Confcience to win its 
 Liberty, and facrifkes Peaces to pretended Holi- 
 nefi,') is to affirm both Farts of a Contradiction. 
 He that is of an unpeaceable, mud: needs be of 
 an unholySp\nr. For as Peace without Holi- 
 nefs is but Adherence unto a Fafiion ; fo Holi- 
 nefs without Peace is but Hypocrifie. They that 
 are lb fuperfiitiow as to (train at Gnats, ( fuch 
 as the Authorized Rites of Crofs and Surplifs, } 
 
 Dd . whilft 
 
208 
 
 ObjcS. 3. 
 
 Exod. 33.18. 
 
 Of Peace and Holinefs 
 
 I 
 
 whilft they are alfo ibprophane as to [wallow Ca- 
 mels, (fuch as are the crying Sins of Schifm, 
 and Sacrilege,) cannon well be caTd Followers, 
 but onely ferf outers of Peace, ( and that in- 
 deed is one Senft of the word Aw$. ) Nor can 
 we fay they are Poffeffors, but onely Perfonators 
 of Holinefs. I am not willing to be lb rigid, 
 and do heartily wifh it were falfe to fry, That 
 they are really nothing elfe but the Apes of $a* 
 tan ; who is Then at his worfi the Prince ofDarkr 
 nefs, when he transforms himfelf the moft into 
 an Angel of Light. So frid our Saviour, and 
 fo S, Paul. And from both we may infer, That 
 of all the Hypocrites in the world, the Devil 
 himfelf is the mod Demure ; and by being fuch 
 indeed, is the more a Devil. Thus we fee what 
 is meant by the Relative [Which! in this 
 Place, and what ufe we are to make of its Ante- 
 cedent. 
 
 § 1 3. But what may laft of all be meant by 
 feeing the Lord in this Text, that our Apoftle 
 fhouid let it down as the greateft Recompence of 
 Reward, to fuch as are Followers of Peace and 
 Holinefs ? When Mofes defired to fee the Lord, 
 and therefore earnelHy prafd that God would 
 ftjew him his Glory % The very Mercy of God's 
 Anfwcr did confiit in the Reafon of his Denial. 
 
 Thou 
 
/ 
 
 In Conjunction^ &c. 
 
 209 
 
 Thou canft not fee my Face ; for there fa no man \ w. 20. 
 /ball fee me and live. And therefore Gideon ' 
 bimfelf, although a mighty man of Valour, (as 
 God himfelf is pleas d to call him) a man as 
 ftouc as the Jieel with which his Proverbial | 
 Sword was tempered, was yet exceedingly a- ; 
 fraid, as foon as he perceiv'd he had feen an judg.tf.22. 
 Angel of the Lord. And fo it was with good 
 reafonthat Manoah faid unto his Wife, WeJhall\Ww AZ > 
 furely Die, becaufe we have feen God. And if 
 thele things are fo , that we cannot fee God, 
 without the danger offudden Death ; It may 
 feem 2 fad thing for a man to be a Follower of 
 Peace and Holinefs, becaufe by that means he 
 fhzWfee the Lord. But 
 
 §14. The Anfwer to this is extreamly ob- Anfwer. 
 vious. It being no more than to diftinguiflh 
 bewixt the Eyes of our vile, and of our gloria 
 fied Bodies. If we behold him with the fitfl^ 
 we (hall find him indeed a confuming Fire. Buc 
 when we fhall fee him with the fecond, we fliall 
 find him nothing lefs than a quickening Light. 
 Here our Eyes are fo carnal, that it very much 
 hurts us to fee the Sun, unleis we fee him in his 
 Reflexion, or at leaft through the veil of fome 
 Diaphanous Body. And if the Brightnefs of the 
 Sun is enough to ftrike the Beholder Blind \ 
 
 Dd 
 
 How 
 
2 IO 
 
 Of Peace and Holinefs 
 
 How can we lately gaze on Him> to whom the 
 Sun is but a Shadow ? Yen after the Time of Re- 
 futation, when what is fown in weaknfs fhall be 
 raifedzgzin xnpowcr ; Then our Z//^ will con- 
 fill in the fight of God. We then fhall /^ /?/7/z 
 05 Ad i5, no longer </d/-£/y a5 in a Glafs, but face 
 to face; and that with intin ice Tleafure, as well 
 as Eafe. And this alone is that Vifion, which 
 is alluded to in the Text. Without an earned 
 Frofecution of Peace and Holinefs in conjun&ion, 
 no one (hall be qualified to live by feeing, what 
 here he cannot fee and live. None (hall enter 
 within the Veil? or be made a partaker of the 
 BeatifickVifion. None fhall wait on his Throne 
 innhofe prefence is Life, and where there are 
 Pleafuresfor evermore. 
 
 § 1 5. Thus in the Suit of the Explication, we 
 have ( before we are aware) a full Divifion of 
 the Text. And not fo only, but alfo pia&ical Re- 
 flections on all its parts. 
 
 Firft, We have fcen a fin git Aft of great Mo- 
 ment. And Secondly, How 'tis fixt on a dou- 
 ble Objtft. The double Objeft is ?eace and Ho- 
 linefs, which , according to the Scope of the 
 word &»«*re, (fhewing the Energie , and the 
 Force of the fwgfe AVif) are to be Profecuted 
 and follow'd with ZealzvA Fervour. 
 
 Next 
 
In Conjun&ion y &c. 
 
 21 I 
 
 Next to the Attend the 0%fl,which are fiffi 
 ficiently exprefs'J, we have their abfolute A r e- 
 cefjitj very figniticantly imply d. For f&/£ are 
 fee as the Condition, on which alone we arrive 
 at Blifs. it is for flfirffc to/^e Gd^ but the pure \ Mauh. 5 .8. 
 /« fo^rf . And therefore this is a cogent Rea- j 
 /"#, for the f a ftenir/g of the /4#on the Double; 
 0£/a3. For the Intenfivenefs of the 077?, and 
 the Extenfevenefs of the a/Aer. 
 
 § 16. But now becaufe it is impollible, that 
 
 men fliould eagerly purfue their Chriftian Du- 
 
 ties, whilft they believe them to be needlefs, or 
 
 gainlefs Things ; Things which rob them of their 
 
 happinefs in this prefent World , and without 
 
 i which they may be happy in That to come : We 
 
 , muft poflefs our felves more fully than we have 
 
 hitherto done , not onely with the Nature of 
 
 i Peace and Holinefs, but more efpecially (and 
 
 ■ in the firft place) with their abfolute Necejfity 
 
 1 to life eternal ; whereof unlefs we throughly 
 
 i convince our felves, we cannot hope ( with 
 
 j any reafon) to ingage our Refolutions to follow 
 
 j Both. 
 
 § 17. Firft, For the word Peace, it is that 
 that comprehends our whole Duty towards our 
 Neighbour, and as well to our Enemies, as to 
 our Friends. For how can we follow Peace 
 
 Dd 3 with 
 
212 
 
 Of Peace and Ho line ft 
 
 with All men in fa earmfl a manner as the word 
 StvKxri does import, unlefs we labour, by for- 
 givenefs, to overcome evil with good, (Rom.12. 
 ult. ) much more muft we render unto ever) 
 man his Due, Tribute to whom Tribute, Cuflom 
 towhomCufiom, Honour to whom Honour, Fear 
 to whom Fear, (Rom. 13.7.) and fo by analogy 
 of Proportion, Service to whom Service, Love 
 to whom Love, no injury to whom no injury 
 is due. ( For every Injury is breach ofVeaceJ) 
 We mud owe no man any thing, but to love one 
 another, Rom. 13.8. And therefore injure him 
 we muft not, no not fo much as in defire. This 
 is to follow Peace indeed, when we do not one- 
 ly not give a Caufe, but not fo much as an occa- 
 fion of juft offence. When we keep not onely 
 our Hands, but even our Heads and our Hearts 
 from picking and dealing. When we do not 
 commit Adultery, no not fo much as with our 
 Eyes. When we do no Murtber, no not fo much 
 as in our wijhes. When we dijhonour not our 
 Parents ( whether private or publick •, Eccle- 
 fiaflical, or Civil,*) not not fo much as in our 
 Wills. This is, as much as in us lies, to make 
 an eager Profecution of Peace with all men. Which 
 comprehends our whole Obedience to the Se- 
 cond Table of the Law. 
 
 §i8.Se- 
 
In Conjun&ion, &c. 
 
 213 
 
 Vid. Catech. 
 Card.Richl. 
 
 § 18. Secondly, As Peace does grafp the J 
 whole Duty of Man to Man, Co we may fay alio 
 oiHolinejl, that 'tis the whole immediate Duty 
 of Kan to God. Which more efpecially con- 
 fifteth in theie three Things : In preferving our 
 Loyalty, in exhibiting our Reverence, and Lift- 
 ly, in rendring our Aflive Service. The firft, 
 hath refped unto our Thoughts, the fecond, 
 unto our Words, the third, unto our Aftions. 
 Firft, for Loyalty, That (we know) isaver- 
 tue, by which a Servant does acknowledge no 
 Matter but his own, holds no Intelligence with 
 his Enemies, admits no Rival in his Affeftions, 
 but ever honours him, and owns him, and ad- 
 heres to him alone againft all Pretenders. And \ 
 This is that which is commanded in the two 
 firft Precepts of the Decalogue. Thou Jhalt 
 have no God but me. Thou Jhalt not make any 
 graven Images, to bow down to them, orworjbip 
 them. This is holinefs in Thought. Which 
 however 'tis Neceffary , is not enough ; And 
 therefore to this we muft add our Reverence. 
 That we know to be a verrue which is equally 
 compounded of Love and Fear, and by which 
 an Inferiour does fpeak with Awe, concerning 
 any one above him whom he does honour or ad- 
 mire. And this is chat which is commanded in 
 
 the 
 
2 14 
 
 Of Fence and Holinefs 
 
 the third Precept of the Decalogue. Thou fhalt 
 not lift up the name of thy God in vain. Thou 
 (hale not onely not u(e v.falfly^ but not fo much 
 as upon trivial and flight Occafions. This is 
 holinefs vaWotd. Which, however it is Ne- 
 cejfary, is not enough neither. And therefore 
 to this there muft be added our afiive Service. 
 That ( we know ) is an execution of what our 
 Mafler gives us in charge. And ( as an ac- 
 knowledgment oi' Supremacy, as well as of Main- 
 tenance^ and Frotettion, ) a fetting afide our 
 own bufinefs, that we may wholly attend upon 
 our Majler^s. And this is that which is com- 
 manded in the fourth Precept of the Decalogue, 
 Remember that you kfep holy the Sabbath Day. 
 Six days are allowed thee to do thine own buifi- 
 nefs ; but the feventh is let apart, in the fe- 
 venth thou (halt do no manner of Work. No 
 manner of work which is thine own, but all 
 manner of work, which is thy Matter's. Not 
 onely afts of 'Sacrifice, ( fuch as our Duties in 
 the Churchy) but works of Jufiice, and Mercy 
 too. For thefe indeed are the things, in which ' 
 efpecially confifteth the SanUifcation of a Sab- 
 bath, andarecaird by our Saviour tbewigh- 
 tier matters of the Law. This is holinefs in 
 aftion. And fo we fee the three things , where- 
 in 
 
In Conjun&ion, &c. | 2 1 5 
 
 in our holinefs is to confift ; which compre- 
 hends our whole obedience to the firfi lable of 
 the Law. 
 
 (5 19. I have the rather been thus plain in 
 fhewing the Latitude and the Nature of thefe 
 Grand Duties, that the exaftnefs of* our Know- 
 ledge may be our Directory to Praflice. It being 
 necefarji to know what it is necejfary to pra&ife, 
 Holineis towards God, and Peace w r ith all men. 
 For whilft we are told by our Apoftle, that 
 without tbefe two, there will be no feeing of God, 
 we are as good as affur'd by God himfel£ that 
 Tbefe precifely are the Terms on which Salvation 
 is to be had. Infomuch that if either of thefe 
 is wanting, there's no efcaping the Pains of Hell, 
 nor any attaining the Joys of Heaven. And 
 therefore afrer their Nature^ I am to fpeak of 
 their Necefftty , their abfolute Neceffity to Life 
 eternal. 
 
 § 20. And fir ft, Obferve how other Scrip, 
 turesdohold conformity with This. Without 
 thefe two, we cannot poflibly make our Calling 
 and Election fure. Not the fir ft, For we have 
 boldnefi to enter into the Holiefi by the Blood of 
 Jefws, that we may draw near with a pure Heart, 
 having our Hearts fprinHed from an evil Con- 
 fcience. (Heb. 10.19.22.) Nor yet the fecond, 
 
 Ee For 
 
2l6 
 
 Of Peace and Holinefs 
 
 I 
 
 For God hath chofen ua in his Son , that we 
 Jhouldbe Holy } and without Blame. (JLph. 1.4.) 
 Without tittle two, our Juflification yv$ be in 
 
 z/tf/ff. For G&/did therefore Reconcile u* when 
 we were Enemies in our Minds by wicked workj, 
 that he might prefent m Holy, and Vnblameable, 
 andVnreproveable in his fight. QColof. 1.22. ) 
 Without thefe two , we lofe the End, and lb 
 do fruftrate the Work.o£ our Redemption. For 
 our Lord Jefm Chrifigave himfelffor the Church, 
 that he might prefent it untohimfelfa Glorious 
 Church, that it Jhouldbe Holy, and without Ble- 
 mijh. (Eph. 5. 25.27.) Without thefe two, we 
 lofe the Benefit of the Rod, and do partake of 
 That as Bajiards, which is intended to us as 
 Sons. For as we are told by the Apoftle, that 
 if we are without chafiifemmt , then are we Ba- 
 jiards, and not Sons ; fo he prefently adds, that 
 God corretteth us for our profit, to make m Par- 
 takers oj hisHolinefi. (Heb m i2.io.) In a word, 
 Without an earns ft profecution of Peace and 
 Holinefs United, (for I have (hewed that the 
 one cannot fubfift without the other,) we lofe 
 the Benefit of Grace, and fo evacuate the Means 
 of our Glorification. For we all with open 
 face, behold at in a Glafs, the Glory of the Lord, 
 that we may be changed into the fame Image, from 
 G hrj \ 
 
In Conjunction, &c 
 
 2 i 
 
 Glory to Glory, even as by the Sprit of the Lord. 
 ( 2 Cor. 3.18.) 
 
 § 21. Nor have we onelyftore of Scripture, 
 but Keafon for it. For if Salvation were to be 
 had by appearing Righteous unto men, The grea- 
 teji Hypocrites would become the moft glorious 
 Saints. If by theftoutnefi of a Belief or by a 
 Hope without doubting, None would be happier 
 than the prefumptuows, and fuch as are carnally 
 fecure. If by the Latitude of 'a Knowledge, or 
 by the Reftitude of Opinions, it would be better 
 fure with none than the Lapfed Angels ; who are 
 as Knowing, and as Orthodox, as any meer man 
 can be thought to be. Heaven would Then be a 
 kind ofjayl, full of the guiltiefi Malefactors. 
 The Error of the Origenijis would prefently pafs 
 into a Truth, and the »w/2 of Devils receive the 
 Benefit of a Redemption. But no man's reafon 
 will yield to That. For whofoever does but be- 
 lieve there is a Heaven and a H?//, muft grant 
 that the one is for the Recomptnce of the Good, 
 and the otfor for the Punifhment of Evil Doers. 
 Which (hews the abfolute Neceffity of Peace and 
 Rolinrfi ; being as 'twere the *hw £;es, without 
 which it is impoffible to fee the Lord. 
 
 § 22. But here withall we are to take an 
 efpecial Care, that we do not divide the confi- 
 
 Ee 2 deration! 
 
21 
 
 8 
 
 Of Peace and Ho line fs 
 
 deration of their Nature from the confideration 
 of their Neceffity ; but (till confider what it is 
 wherein our holinefs is to confji, as well as what 
 it is which depends upon it. For through the 
 wane cf this Caution, the empty Pitture of Ho- 
 linefs is oft miftaken for the Life ; there are that 
 think them r elves Holy, when indeed they are 
 Hypocritical, and many hope to be favd for 
 their being Cheats. There were Profeffors a- 
 mongft the Jews, who were indeed very punc- 
 tual in the worfhip of God, and thence conclu- 
 ded they were The Godly ; but 'twas a wo: (hip 
 which confided in the outward wafhing of Cups 
 and flatters, in external Rites and legal Cere- 
 monies, C which were but fhadows of things to 
 come,') in ^reading forth their hands, and ma- 
 king Prayers for apretenfe, infafling often to ap- 
 pear Righteous unto men, in keeping Sablaths 
 and new Mavns, in building the Tombs of the 
 Prophets , and adorning the Sepulchers of the 
 righteous ; when all the while they neglefied 
 the weightier matters of the Law, Judgment , 
 Mercy, and Faith. They did fo pull the Motes 
 out of other mens Eyes, as not at all to fee the 
 Beams in their oxn. They did fo ftrain at 
 Gnats, as to fwallow Camtls; for they devou- 
 red even Orphans and Widows Uoufes , ( Camels 
 
 Thofb 
 
In Con)unUion y &c. 
 
 | 219 
 
 Thole wich a witnefs ) and were partakers with 
 thar Fathers in the blood of the Prophets, and 
 fo were far from being Followers of Peace and 
 Holinefs, unlefs as If or Ulings follow their Traf- 
 fick for filt by Lucre ; dealing as Huckjiers in 
 Religion, and Trading in Godlinefs, as 'tis an 
 Infirument onely of Gain. For they were call'd 
 by our Saviour, (even then when at the Top of 
 their painted holimfl^) not onely Serpents, and 
 Vipers, but Brands of Hell too, fuchas could not 
 efcape Damnation. ( Matt h. 23. 33. ) Nor are 
 there wanting amongft us Chriftians, who are 
 religioufly carefull to fprinkle themfelves with 
 holy-water, to fay a chapletfull of Ave Marks, 
 to v\fit the Sepulchers of the Saints, to crofs 
 their Foreheads and their Breajis, and tofaiute 
 ye every Morning in nomine Domini. Nay 
 fome there are amongft us ?rote/lants ( for 'tis 
 fie we fliould be jufl in our Obfervations,) who 
 place a great deal of vert ue in an exaft corning 
 to Church, in daily reading fo many Chapters, 
 \n lifting up to heaven both hands and eyes, in 
 walking foftly, and looking fodly, and hanging 
 down the head now and .then like a BulUrufh ; 
 and fo we may fay they have attain'd to an hand- 
 f,m Outfide of Religion, ^tliat they are well- 
 fafhiori d Christians , as addreffing themfelves 
 
 Ee 3 to 
 
 J 
 
220 
 
 Of Peace and Ho line fs 
 
 to God with a Civil Carriage, ( fuch as well 
 behav'd Enemies do feldom fail of,) But fo far 
 from being Followers of Peace and Holme]], that 
 they want the very Body* much more the Soul 
 ofChriftianity, whilft they will rather low the 
 Seeds of the moft execrable Rebellion, than com- 
 ply with Superiours in things Indifferent, 
 which cannot but be lawfull, becaufe Indiffe- 
 rent ; and not onely lawfull, but binding too, 
 as loon as the Signature of Authority hftamfd 
 upon Them. Do Thele men think there is 
 a God, or a Devil, a Corruption of the Body, 
 or Immortality of the Soul, an Hour of Death, 
 or a Day of Judgment, who will rather break 
 Peace with all their Governours, than fubmit to 
 the ufe ofa Publick.Liturgy, which is not onely 
 lawfull, but tranfeendently good, fo long as 
 eftablifh'd by Lawznd Canon ? 1 wiCh that all 
 forts of men who are immediately concerned 
 in what I fay, would but take this obvious 
 Truth into their ferious Confederation ; That 
 as there were Things under the Law, ( fuch as 
 the Rite ofCircumcifion, and Forbtaring Swines 
 F/i'/b,*) which ( however commanled by God 
 himfelff) were not commanded for being Good, 
 but were Therefore ojieiy good, becaufe com- 
 manded ; fo things Indifferent under the Gofpel, 
 
 ■ though 
 
/// Conjun&ion, &c. 
 
 221 
 
 * Rom, 14, 
 19. 
 
 though they are not commanded for being Ne- 
 cejfary, do yet become NeceiTary by being com- 
 mjnded; and are mediately commanded by God 
 himfelf, as far as commanded by That Authority, 
 which G<?</hath commanded us to obey. From 
 whence ic follows unavoidably, That what may 
 lawfully be done, before cbmmanded ; as foon 
 as commanded, cannot lawfully be omitted. For 
 Rebellion againft the Second Table, is as bad as 
 Rebellion againft the Firfl. And fo they can- 
 not be followers of Peace, or Holinefi, who in a 
 mccr pretenfe ofUolinefs do hinder Peace. An 
 hearty Follower of Peace, will *follow the Things 
 that make for Peace. He will not be fo much as 
 a Non-confoTmift ; but prefs with earneftnefs 
 after Unity, by Uniformity in the Church. And 
 if his Confcience hath any Scruples, arifing meer- 
 ly from the weaknefi, not from the wilfulnefi of 
 the man , he will infinitely rather forfake his 
 City, or his Country , than flay in either to its 
 Disturbance. 
 
 §23. Such was the pious Exhortation of 
 
 Clemens Romans to the Corinthians, which he 
 
 alfo made good by his own Example. Who 
 
 J ( fays he ) h there amongyou of tender Bowels, 
 
 and Qenerofity ? let himfacrifice ( if he h (itch ) 
 
 { his private Interefi to the publick And fay, 
 
 Tk vv cv u- 
 
 (j.h ^uvauos ', 
 71. iUtmhety- 
 yvof ; «77a7W, 
 
 El di ILC*<&L- 
 
 en(, *)%&<> fc 
 
 TO 7nlfJUtQV 
 
 iff ig&jv 
 
 Clem.Rom. 
 ad Corinth. 
 td.Jun.p-69. 
 
 ■? " a- ' - 1 • — * 
 
222 
 
 Of Peace and Holinefs 
 
 — twdii i- 
 
 Epiphan.rfa- 
 verf. Car- 
 
 pocr. /.i. 
 Tom. 2. 
 
 Hfy if**™- 
 
 Kai *%£' 
 
 7H> AVTU 
 
 rtsa'^a* cu- 
 
 77©", *X Hft) 
 y Ia¥ct Tt 
 
 ?*', & T2UJ- 
 jU$^ 5 KhV- 
 
 Q^c^ox.Fref- 
 byt. in VftX 
 Nazianz. 
 prope finem. 
 
 If I am either the Author or the Fautor of any 
 Difference, I divefl my felf of All the Wealth and 
 Honour which 1 injoy, and wflift upon my felf 
 a mofi gratefull Exile. Now that S. Clemens 
 made good his Exhortation by his Example, I 
 am induced to affirm from this particular Con- 
 (ideration, That 1 caft find no better way to re- 
 concile the feveral Authors who will h^ve Cle- 
 mens to be the Second and the Fourth Bifhop of 
 Rome, than by faying with Epiphaniut, (till 
 we can find a better reafon,) That Clemens laid 
 down his Bifhoprick during the Empire of 7if- 
 beriut , and took it up again in the Time of 
 Nero. The firft of which he did freely, and the 
 fecond by compulfion ; but Both in brder to the 
 Unity and Peace ofChriftians* Such was alfo 
 the pubiick Spirit of the renowned * Gregory 
 Nazianzen, who gladly threw the Archbifbop- 
 rickof Canfiantinople behind his Back, for the 
 compofing of the ftrife that arofe about it. God 
 forbid ( faid he at parting, to all the Prelates 
 there met in the General Council , ) that we 
 whofe Office 'tis to teach and to bring Peace 
 to others, (hould fcandaloufly break itamongft 
 ourfelves. Rather let Me forfake my Throne, 
 and be caft out of the City, than not contribute 
 all I can to the pubiick Peace. 9 AAutt&>$ ^ 
 
In Conjm&ion, &c. 
 
 223 
 
 ftp 
 
 7CU>7W vzsro- 
 qncxu <$ ctf- 
 
 %ji OTCJ 77*? 
 div ^KAo/e^g' 
 jUOW &KXA.H- 
 
 Chryfoft. in 
 
 cap.q.Epift. 
 
 mil. XI fab 
 finem. 
 
 : E7na7t07rH$ cJZfcxjLtou, /SaA^jc^g, s«r?£Tfs7s to ;^9' is^- 
 
 i&} vwo. * Like to this (pake S. Chryfoftom in 
 one of his Homilies to the People. That if 
 He were thought the C^g/i or the Occafion of 
 their Divifions, he would ra*ft/<? from his Arch- 
 Bifhoprick, and be gon whither they pleat' d ; 
 would fuffer any thing rather than Schifm, 
 which he protefted he thought a Sin as great 
 and damning even as Herefie ; and which rather 
 than adminifter occafion to, he would ftrip 
 himfelf of the Rich and Splendid Preferment 
 which he poflefs'd. A Charity like That of 
 the Prophet Jona6, who for the quieting of the 
 fempeft, chofc to be caft into the Sea: And to 
 preferve a whole Ship, was eafily content with a 
 private Ruin. Which Example of S. Chryfoftom 
 and other Fathers more Primitive, every honeft 
 man will follow in thefe our Days, if he is ear- 
 nestly a follower of Peace and Holinefs. And 
 this is one of the chiefeft Touchftones, where- 
 by to difference a weak from a wilfull Brother. 
 They who do not &***»*£ #«£&*/*$, purfue with 
 eager nefl the Things which do make for Peace, 
 do not ferve God folidly in the Duties of the 
 Firft and the Second Table, in Piety and Pro- 
 bity, in Godlinefs and Honejiy , in loving God 
 
 Ff with 
 
2 2A ( Of Peace and Holinefi 
 
 with all their Hearts, which is to ferve him in 
 Holinefi, and their Neighbour as themfelves, 
 which is to follow Peace with all men ; and Co 
 they want the two Hinges^ on which the Door 
 of Salvation does chiefly turn , and where- 
 upon does clearly hang All the Law and the 
 Prophets. 
 
 §24. I cannot follow Peace enough, in the 
 Difcourfe I am upon for the following of it, till 
 I obferve how the Projperity does moft efpecially 
 depend on the Veaceoi' Chriftians ; and alfo 
 fay by what means^ as well as by whofe Inftru- 
 mentality \ we may attain to fo much ?eace and 
 good Agreement amongft our felves, as may re- 
 deem fome of the Credit which we cannot but 
 have loft by our foul Diviftons. There being 
 no greater Stumbling-blocks either to Thofe 
 that are without, or within the Church, than the 
 Multitude of the SeRs which are ken amongft 
 us. For whilft 'tis taken by them for granted, 
 Q and alfo confeffed by our felves, ) that True 
 Religion can be but one ; 'tis natural for them 
 to infer, That wherefoever there is Truth, there 
 muft be Unity ; at lead in men of the fame Pro- 
 feflion. Whereupon whilft they obferve, how 
 theYrofejJbrs of Chrijiianity do ftand divided 
 amongft them/elves, and that in point of Opinion, 
 
 as 
 
I 
 
 In Conjun&ion, &c. 
 
 22 
 
 as well as ?raftice, they eafily Aide into a Jea- 
 1 oil lie, touching the Tenor and the Truth of the 
 9&J& Vrofeflion. Now the way to make Peace, 
 and remove the Scandal, is not to conquer them 
 into orthodoxy by dint of Argument alone ; 
 ( though 77>tff indeed is one of our fitted Wta- 
 pons;) as well becaufe the greater part have 
 not light enough to fee a victorious Truth, as 
 becaufe, if they have, they are not humble e- 
 noughto own they have liv'd in Errour. No, 
 the bopefulleft way left, ( for ought I am able 
 to apprehend,) is not to mention Thole Doc- 
 trines, wherein we find by Experience we al- 
 ways differ ; and to infift on thofe alone, where- 
 in we find by Experience we all agree. A thing 
 which cannot be brought about by all the Sub- 
 jefls put together, but perhaps with eafe enough 
 by the Kings of Chrijlendom ; as well becaufe 
 they are but/hr, and therefore the fitter to de- 
 termin , as becaufe they are Supreme , and of 
 Power to execute. 
 
 §» 25. For it happily falls out, through the 
 Evidence ot Truth, and the good Providence of; 
 God, That though wedifer in SuperftrutturesA 
 yet we agree in the Foundation, and Fundamen- \ 
 tals of Chriftianity. Which Fundamentals, as ! 
 they are *Few, and therefore eafie to be remem- \ 
 
 Ff2 fcrVJ 
 
 * Kerum ab- 
 folutt necef 
 fariarum ad 
 
 falutem^ non 
 magnum effe 
 numerum, 
 Re' Jacobus 
 arbitrator in 
 fua Refponf. 
 ad tertiam 
 Obferrat. 
 Perronii Car- 
 dinal. 
 
2l6 
 
 Of Peace andHolineft 
 
 * Etfcre ex 
 £qm cmnibw 
 probantur qui 
 fe Chrijlian9S 
 did pojfalant* 
 Id. ibid. 
 
 herd, fo are they alfo very * Vlain, and there- 
 fore eafily under flood ; and chat by all forts of 
 People, who are not flatly Fools, or Mad-men. 
 As the wittiefi or the moft learned cannot need 
 toknow more, io the mofifimple and illiterate 
 cannot eafily know lefl, than what it is to fear 
 God, and to keep his Commandments, which yet 
 does grafp the whole Duty of Man as Man. A- 
 gain, it is the whole Duty of Man as Chrifiijn, 
 to have a practical Knowledge of Jefa Chrifi , 
 and him Crucified* And as the wifeft man li- 
 ving needs not know any thing more, fo the moft 
 learned of the Apoftles would not know any 
 th'mgelfe. Another Summary of Religion, (as 
 to the pra&ical part of it, which is the main,) 
 we have exprefs'd in Three words, both from a 
 ?rophet, and an Apoflle. A Summary fofhort, 
 and yet fo copious, that as a man the moft un- 
 skjlfull cannot eafily know Ufs, fo the moft lear- 
 ned andfubtil Doftor is not bound to pra&ife 
 more, than to do Jujiice, and to love Mercy, and 
 towalkhumbly with hit God '; or to livefobtr/y, 
 righteoujly 1 and godly in this prefent World. 
 
 § 16. Now if 'tis granted and agreed by 
 every Sort of Re.-1 Christians, That the Creed 
 and the Commandments are comprehensive of the 
 All that is Fundamental, or of Neceffity in Re- 
 ligion, 
 
In Cor/jun&ion^&ic. 
 
 227 
 
 ligion, for Faith, and Practice ; and if All un- 
 der Authority will but allow ic to be che privi- 
 lege of fuch as are placed in Authority, to judge 
 of the Decency and the Order which S. Paul in 
 the general , and every Nation in particular 
 thinks ic a duty to obferve in the publicKWor- 
 fhip; (co wit, the Place, and the Time, and 
 che Manner of its performance, which being but 
 Accidents, or Adjunfts, or Externals of Reli- 
 gion , fhould not be differed about by Them 
 who fully agree in its Ejfentials^ Ic will be 
 difficult to imagin, how the Divifions and Se- 
 parations which are fo many, and fo wide as we 
 lee they are, can be able to efcape a moft hap- 
 py Clofure. A thing which the Preachers can 
 but prefi , and the bed of the People can but 
 pray for, but the Rulers of the Earth can eafily 
 bring into Effefl too, if their Endeavours (hall 
 be as hearty, as their Authority is divine, and 
 their Power cogent. Which how can they poffi- 
 bly imploy unto abetter end or ufe, than is 
 the binding up che Wounds of a bleeding Saviour, 
 who owns himfelf to be the Headed That mangl'd 
 Body, whereof the greateft men on Earth are 
 but lofcy Members ? Now the better to prevail 
 with men of a'l Ranks, both with Them who 
 are in Authority, and with Them who live un- 
 
 F f 3 der 
 
2 28 
 
 Of Peace and Holineft 
 
 * EccUfiA 
 Romana mul- 
 ta hodie ob- 
 fervat ceu 
 dTfrat necef. 
 faria y qu* ve- 
 na Ecclefia 
 vix titrate 
 certe non ita 
 ufurpabat , 
 tanquam pla- 
 nteffentNe- 
 ceffaria. If. 
 Cafaub. £- 
 pip. 7*0. 
 
 der it, 1 would prefenc but Two things to their 
 refpe&ive Confiderations ; Firit, That they 
 who are in Authority ought not to urge the Ac- 
 cidentals and Externals in Religion , with as 
 much vehemence as they do the Effmtials of it ; 
 nor * create too many Necefficies in the ule off 
 things Indifferent, where God himfelf has .crea- 
 ted none. Next, That the people under Autho- 
 rity ought not to leflen their Obedience to God 
 in Man , by ftili pretending their obligation 
 of obeying God rather than Man. An Axiom 
 True indeed at all Times, but yet ztthofe times 
 impertinent^ and urged quite out ofSeafon, when 
 God does choofe to be obey'd by our obedience 
 to his Vicegerents. Who , if they have any 
 right at all to make pofitive Laws, muft in* 
 evitably make them of Things Indifferent. 
 
 ■§ 27. I prefs the former confideration, with 
 due fubmillion to Authority, and in behalf, (not 
 of wilfully but) of truly-weak Brethren, be- 
 caufe I conceive the Laws of Men can reach no 
 farther than the Objefts of outward Senfe ; and 
 therefore cannot punifh Avarice, Pride, or 
 Malice, though they can and do Invafwn, Theft, 
 and Murther ; Nor wrong Opinions in Religion, 
 whilil: they quietly lye fleeping, or difturb no- 
 thing more than their Owner's Minds ; but 
 
 onely 
 
/// Conjunction, &c. 
 
 229 
 
 onely as breaking forth of their Mouths, and 
 at laft running out at their fingers ends. 1 
 know the Sword is apt to terrifie y but not in* 
 ftruft; tochangeaSe&ary's Cmfeffion, bwz not 
 his Creed ; and therefore the Maladies of the 
 Spirit are to be Spiritually dealt with, to work 
 their Cure. Not by the Gibbet, or the Jayl % but 
 by the force of found Do&rine, and argumen- 
 tative Converfation. A man who wanders out 
 of his way for want of light onely, and not So- 
 briety, (overtaken, not with Drink, but with 
 the Darknefs of the Night,) deferves a Lan- 
 tern for his Direction, a great deal rather than 
 a Rod. He would be thought a ftrange Orga- 
 nift who fhould not fcruple to break his Pipes 
 as oft as he finds them out of Tune. Nor could 
 our Magiftrates think kindly of God himfelf, 
 fliould he recall them with a Thunderbolt, as 
 fafr as he fees them going aftray. 
 
 § 28. And as for fuch reafbns as Thefe 1 
 prefs the Fir ft Confideration , fo I difcern as 
 great reafons, ( and fuch as make as much for 
 Peace) to refume the Second. For though Ce- 
 remonies znd Rites are onely Accidents in Reli- 
 gion , yet Obedience to Authority cannot but 
 pafs for an Effential. Becaufe whatever God 
 commands us by his Mofes and his Aaron, his 
 
 Zerub* 
 
2 3 
 
 Of Peace and Holinefs 
 
 Zerubbabel and his Jejhua, his anointed Lieu- 
 tenants, both King and Priefl, he does as reallj 
 and as trulj,and as authoritatively command us,j 
 as what he commands us by a Voice, or an H<W 
 from Heaven. And feeing the fame God that 
 faitn, Thou Jhalt not vporjhip a Graven Image, 
 does alfo fay at the fame time, as well as in the 
 fame Decalogue , Honour thy Father and thy 
 Mother, ( whether private or publick, Eccle- 
 fiaftical, or Civil,) It is by confequence as 
 Immediate a Sin againft God , to (hew a con- 
 tempt of That Authority which God hath com. 
 manded us to obey, as 'tis to worjhip a graven 
 Image, or to take God's Name in vain. 
 
 § 29. Now might I fpeak without Cenfure, 
 even by fpeaking with fubmiffion to all Supe- 
 riors, (as well as to others of more Refearch 
 and better Difcretion than my felf,) I would 
 adventure to affirm it as the Conclusion of the 
 whole matter, That when Peace cannot be had 
 by fuch a reciprocal Self-denial as 1 have now 
 pleaded for, in Them that are vefted with Au- 
 thority, and in Them that live under it ; by 
 Companion in the former, and by Compliance in 
 the later; by Condefcenfion in the one, and by 
 Submiffion in the other ; but each will have his 
 whole Will , and not admit of a Compofition; 
 
 nothing 
 
In Conjunction, &c. 
 
 23 
 
 nothing but Power Irrefifiibk can fuccour fuch 
 as make Laws, againft the Violence and In- 
 curfions of fuch as are ftouter than to Obey 
 chem. Nor will a wife man expeft to have pro- 
 teftion under the Laws and the Makers of them, 
 any longer than they Both (hall be fo pro- 
 tected. 
 
 § 30. But I return to that Point, from which 
 I have made a very pertinent, becaufe a profita- 
 ble Digreffion ; nor yet a Digreffion from my 
 Text , but from the Thread of my Difcourie 
 touching the Nature, and the Neceffity of Pe ace 
 and Holinefi. Which being both of fuch Im- 
 portance , as that our Happinefi does depend 
 upon the earneflnefi of our Purfuit, How can we 
 choofe but be perfwaded to do a thing which is 
 fo Natural^ as that a man would think it (hould 
 be hard not to do it ? For find we any thing 
 more Natural, than to be Lovers of our [elves, 
 and fo to covet thofe things which we believe 
 to be the moft for our own Advantage ? A little 
 Rhetorick (one would think) fhould be fuffi- 
 cient toperfwadeus to choofe our Inter eft, and 
 fo to follow even with earneflnefs the neceffary 
 means of our being Happy. Be we never fo *///- 
 terate, or be we never fo perverfe, yet through 
 the little which hath been fpoken of Peace and 
 
 G g Holu 
 
 7b e Appli- 
 cation. 
 
3°f 
 
 Of Peace and Holinefs 
 
 Holinefs, ( whether as feparate, or in conjun- 
 ction,) we cannot be ignorant of their Nature, 
 or unconvinc'd of their Nece/fitj. 
 
 § 31. If then in refpeft of their Common 
 Nature, They are as 'twere the two Armes, which 
 do imbrace the whole Decalogue or Ten Com- 
 mandments of the Law ; we mud never flatter 
 our felves chat we are Chridians good enough, 
 until we find our Obedience to be impartial-, 
 that is, as well to -the fir/las to the ftcond Table, 
 and no lefs to the fecond than to the ^ r/L Nor 
 may we ever give our felves Reft, until we See 
 we have attained to this Comparative perfection ; 
 1 mean a finglenefs of Heart, and a love of obe- 
 dience without referve. Our refyeSl (like that 
 of the Pfalmift) mud be to All God's Command- 
 ments, and we mud ftudy to live a peaceable 
 and quiet life in All Gjdlinefs and Honedy, 
 ( 1 Tim. 2. 2.) We mud not be kinder or more 
 indulgent to one Commandment than to another, 
 (whether byafid 'by Cuftom, or Education;) but 
 rather keep our felves in Awe by chewing on 
 That of the Apoille, Ifhofoever offends in one 
 point is guilty of AIL Jam. 2. 10. 
 
 Thus we mull argue from the Nature of Peace 
 and Holinefs. And, after a manner not unlike, 
 we ought to argue from their Necejfitj. 
 
 For 
 
In ConjunBion, &c. 
 
 T- 
 
 251 
 
 * Eernard fa 
 
 p. 113. 
 
 For if in refpeft of their Neceffity, they are I 
 as 'twere the two Hinges, upon which the very 
 Door of Salvation turns ; or (if you pleafe) 
 the Two Wings ( as S. ^Bernard calls them ) 
 wherewith the Soul of a Chriftian yew's up to\omi<me & 
 Heaven ; Lord ! how nearly does it concern us, | 
 to follow them both as is here required ? and tq \ 
 pafs the whole Time of our fojourning here in 
 fear ? What manner of men ought we to be in the ! 
 future Courfe of our Conversation ? To follow 
 Holinefs and Peace, concerns us as much as I 
 Salvation comes to; that is, as much as our 1 
 Souls are Worth. Fail of theft if we dare, un- j 
 lefs we are lb flout, that we dare be damrid. \ 
 But yet how many of our Fiduciaries do mifs of 
 heaven, meerly by thinking they cannot mifs 
 it? becaufe (forfooth) to the Regenerate 'tis 
 a Thing perfectly unavoidable ? And what num. 
 bers of Solrftdians do make it difficult to be 
 /zz/V, by making it eafier than God will have 
 it ? by thinking Salvation is to be had at a 
 cheaper Rate, than that of following Peace and 
 Holinefs? Now can there be any thing more 
 advifeable, than that other mens mifchiefs fhould 
 keep us fafe ? and we receive the whole benefit 
 without the leaf danger of their, unhappinefs ? 
 Mark well the re a/on which here is urg'd for 
 
 Gg 2 the 
 
234 
 
 Of Peace andtiolineft 
 
 the fixing of the AH on the double ObjeSt, Q 1 
 (hall bat paraphrafe the Text in a broader Eng- 
 li(h, ) Follow Peace and Holinefs, if for no 
 other reafon, at leaft for Thk, becaufe ye are 
 happj, if ye doe ; and damridfor ever, if y e do 
 not. 
 
 Lefs than This we muft not preach, and more 
 than this we need not learn. 
 
 But if This of it felf cannot find fufficient 
 Place in our Confideration, yet if we have any 
 the leaft refpeft to our Secular Interefl and 
 Advantage, as we defire to be free from the 
 Charge and Cofilinefs of Sin, and to thrive by 
 God's Bleiling upon All we fet our hearts and 
 our hands unto; or if we have any the leaft 
 refped to our own good Name, and Reputa- 
 tion, as we defire to leave behind us a fair Re- 
 port, and to be honourably mention M by them 
 that dwell round about us ; or if we have any 
 the leaft refpeft to our inward Quiet and Tran- 
 quillity, as we defire to have the Peace of a clean- 
 fed Confcience, which is in Solomon s Accompt 
 a Continual Feafi ; or if all thefe together can- 
 not ingageourRefolutions, yet if to thefe we 
 add That which before was hinted , If we have 
 any the leaft refpedt to the Righteous Judge of 
 all the World-, as we defire to efcape from the 
 
 Wrath 
 
In Conjun&ion, &c. 
 
 2 35 
 
 Wrath to come, and co enter with an &uge, in- 
 to the Joy of our Lord , Lee us tbinktf thefe 
 Things when the Sermon's ended. 
 
 And the God of Peace and Holinefe fan&ifie 
 us throughly; That the whole of every one of 
 us, both Body, Soul, and Spirit, may be kept 
 blamtlejl unto the Coming of our Lord Jcfut 
 Chri/i. 
 
 To Him be Glory for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 g 3 
 
 O F 
 
(255) 
 
 O F 
 
 ABSTAINING 
 
 FROM ALL 
 
 APP EARANGE 
 
 O F 
 
 EVIL. 
 
 iTHESS. 5. 22. 
 
 Abflainfrom all Abearance of evil 
 
 § 1. T T was the Fancy of a wife, and an ho- 
 J[ neft Heathen, that all a rational man's 
 Duty might be exprefs'd in two words, «^«> 
 W aVc^8, Bear? and Forbear ; the firji imply- 
 ing Patience under the evil of Afflittion, the fe- 
 cond Abjiinence from the ez/i/ ot'Sin. Now in 
 this Precept of our Apoftle, we have one of the 
 two Hinges^ on which does bang the whole Duty 
 
 of 
 
2 5 8 
 
 Of Abjlaining from 
 
 of man as man, For whatfoever is a man's 
 Duty may be referred to two He ads, His Ab flaw- 
 ing from evil? and his doing that which is Good. 
 Nay fbrafmuch as ^tis impoffible to abftain from 
 all evil and from all Appearance of it, without 
 the dbi//g of what is G W, and per fevering unto 
 the end loo ; ( becauie the »wrt ofPerfeverance 
 is Simply evil., and cannot ftand with that Ab- 
 jiinence which is from all the very face or ^- 
 pear an ce of it,) I (hall not fure be too profufe in 
 Speaking the pithinejs of my Text, if I (hall 
 fay 'tis comprehenfwe of the n^/e D#ty of a 
 Christian. For if we abftain from unbelief 
 and misbelief of Cbriffs Gofpel> and from all 
 dif obedience to ChriJVs commands , and from the 
 fcandalom Appearance both of the 0#e and of 
 thetfffor; we do but barely do ds /rcar^ as my 
 7a* requires, and the <W whom we ferve can 
 exaft no more. 
 
 § 2. In the Difcu/Tion of the Words, there 
 are Thefe things to be confiderM 
 
 Firft, The Nature of the Aft, which is very 
 Good; it is *-**x*d* 9 Abftain. Next, the Qua- 
 lity of the Objeft, and that is evil ; it is ^o ttzw- 
 ?»» Abftain from evil. Thirdly, the very great 
 extent both of the Aft and of the Objefl ; it is 
 dTntfdt ^nf yntPTu;, abftain from all evil. And 
 
 then! 
 
All Abearance of Evil. | 230 
 
 then becaufe che word &^& is of a double figni- 
 fication, imporciag equally the Species, and che 
 Appearance of any Objett, here is therefore re- 
 quired a */<?«i/e Abftinence; one from all che 
 kinds of evil, aid another from all the occa- 
 [ions of it. That is required as the End, and 
 Jh'ps as the Medium conducing to ir. We mud 
 abftain from the Occafions and Opportunities of 
 evil, that fo we may be die better able to abftain 
 from the Species and Prefence of it. 
 
 But firft of all to the end that our very Abfti- 
 nence may not be Evil, even then when it makes 
 the moft goodly yjbew ; we muft abftain from the 
 evil of Jeeming onely to be abftemious ; that is 
 to fay, from the evil , of being abflemiout in 
 Hjpocrifie. For the World is too full of thofe 
 Modern Pbarifees, who often violate the Text 
 by its Authority ; and fo infill: upon thle Letter, 
 in oppofitioi to the Scope, and the Tenor of it, 
 chat they rtbell againft the Trecept by their 
 obedience ; and offer violence to the Law in its 
 own defence. For (fay They within themfelves) 
 ic is not faid by the Apoftle, Abftain from all 
 Evil, but from all Appearance of it ; as if he 
 meant not fo much to forbid the Sin, as the 
 Scandalous manner of its commiffion. As if he 
 had thought with Them of Sparta, That the abo- 
 
 H h minable 
 
240 
 
 Of Abftaining from 
 
 ! 
 
 minabh Thing is not to Sieal^ but to be caught ; 
 not the Irregularity^ but Notoriety of the J: aft. 
 And as if 7/>*j were either the whole, or the prime 
 importance of the Text, you fhall have many 
 So abftain from all Appearance of evil, as 
 to fatisfie themfelves in the Injoyment of the 
 ttoil % becaufe they abftain from the bare Appea- 
 rance. 
 
 ^ 7. Thus the Adulter efs in the Proverbs 
 may be faid to have abftain'd from the Appea- 
 rance of evil, becaufe^ wiped her Mouthy and 
 look'd demurely, and faid that She had done no 
 mckednefs. ( Prov.^o. 20. ) What was want- 
 ing to her in chaftity. She endeavour'd to fup~ 
 ply by the care and caution wherewith She fin'd. 
 As if the Rule were to be taken in this Senfe alio, 
 De non apparentibws <s non exiflentibm eadem eft 
 ratio. I have done no wickednej], becaufe it 
 does not appear that I have done it. My way of 
 Sin has been as clofe, and as indifcernable 7 as 
 the way of an Eagle in the Air, or the way of a 
 Ship in the rnidft of the Sea. (v. 19.) And if 
 there is either noGodatall, or elfea God that 
 hath no omnifcience, or that doth not imploy it 
 on trivial objeds, I have abftained from all 
 evil.) becaufe from all Appearance of it. 
 
 Thus the Pharifees of old may be faid to have 
 
 abftain d 
 
All Abearance of Evil 
 
 241 
 
 abflain ] d from the Appearance ofevii, becaufe' 
 however they were guilcy of eating up Orphans 
 and Widows houfes, yet they did ic fo devoutly, 
 by their fajiing twice a week* and their long 
 Prayers for apreten/e, thatnotwithftanding they 
 were vile in the fight of God y our Saviour tells 
 us, they appeared Righteous unto men. And 
 how was that, but by abstaining from the Appea- 
 ranee at lead: of all unrighteou/ne(l ? They did 
 Nottern peccatit, isr Fraudibu* addereNubem; 
 that is, they Sinn'd out of fight as much as 
 might be ; They were circumffeft and wary in 
 all their wickednefs. If any covet oufneji or 
 cruelty of more than ordinary fize was to be 
 committed , they prefently covered it with a 
 Corban y and were Deceivers of men in the name 
 of God. 
 
 Thus the Samaritans heretofore may be faid 
 to have abflain d from the Appearance of evil ; 
 becaufe how finfullfoever they were Them/elves, 
 they did yet make a Con/cience of coming neai 
 unto a Sinner. Every Jew was thought lick of 
 a noli me tangere , and was accordingly kept 
 off with a Ne attingas. Stand by thy /elf come 
 not near to me, for lam holier than Thou, (Ifa.65. 
 
 2,3.50 
 
 And thus the rigideft * Profeflbrs of Grace 
 
 H h 2 and! 
 
 Matth. 23. 
 
 28. 
 
 [JIM IXOV OP )&- 
 *7). K $ TV 
 
 Ignar. in Ep. 
 ad Magnc- 
 fioi. 
 
 
242 
 
 Of Abflaining from 
 
 * M. Catonis 
 verbum eft, 
 ad evertcn- 
 dam Remjf. 
 
 fobrium ac~ 
 ce 0e. Sue- 
 1 on. 
 
 * Atrociits 
 fubfantti no- 
 minii Iroftf* 
 fione pecca- 
 l tur. Silv.de 
 Providen.c 7. 
 Magi* dam' 
 nabilueftma- 
 litia y quam 
 TttulM bori- 
 tatk accufat j 
 e> realm im- 
 pit eft piwn 
 Nomen. Id. 
 c. 11. 
 
 and Godlinefs here at home, have a Confidence 
 (b callous, as to fuffer them to rebell againft 
 their Governours ; but yet fo delicate, as not 
 co permit them to obey. A Conference To wide, 
 as to fivallow Camels ; but yet {ojlreight, as to! 
 Jlrein at Gnats. A Conference Co tough, as to] 
 bear a Schifm ; and yet fo tender, as to fcruple 
 at a Ceremony. They are not Sabbath-breakers, 
 or Swearers, (forthofeare Sins of no Profit,*) 
 nor are they ordinarily drunk, with excefil of 
 Wine ; ( for That is both a difigracefull and cofi- 
 ly fin ;) but they are Seriou* and Demure in all 
 their proje&s, andfeek the ruin of a Church in 
 as great Sobriety, * as 7^0* Cf/ir did that of 
 a Commonwealth ; Thus afteding to abfiain from 
 all Appearance of evil, when they have nothing 
 in them of GW, bit in Appearance. Infomuch 
 as I may fay, without breach of Charity, that 
 fince ihe* word Godlinefs was ufurfd to fup- 
 plant the Thing , a greater Improvement hath 
 been made in the Trade of Knavery and Deceipt, 
 than had been ever known before in any lefs pre- 
 tending Times. 
 
 § 4. This mud therefore be the Subjtft of 
 our firfi and chief care, that we abufe not our 
 floes, as well as others, by taking That to be 
 HoUnefi, which is Hypocrifie; That we abfiain 
 
 in 
 
All Appearance of Evil I 243 
 
 in fincerity from the Evil it fdf x and noc from 
 
 the Sole Appearance of it. 
 
 Our Second care mull be, that in the courfe 
 of our Abflinence, we be noc onely Sincere, but 
 Impartial coo. ' Hs noc enough chac we abftain 
 tromThi* or That jingle evil, to which perhaps 
 we are not carried by any natural Inclination, 
 or have contra&ed Avtrfenefi Co ; For ic follows 
 in the Text, £-**%*&* %xi ttuvto;, abftain from All 
 evil. 
 
 Our Third care muft be, chac in che manage- 
 ment of our Abftinence, we be wife and prudent, 
 as well as impartial and fincere. Which is noc 
 onely a very laudable, buc ( in one refpeft ac 
 leaft ) a very needfull Qualification. For we 
 know 'tis very needfull chat we be innocent as 
 Doves ; which we can very hardly b-, unlefs 
 we be wife alfo as Serpents. I mean fo wife as 
 toabfain from thole Indifferent fans of Good, 
 which are Incentives, andOccafwns, and Intro- 
 duttories Co evil. This we learn from the word 
 £3^, as here 'tis caken by our Tranflators in its 
 fecond lignificacion. Abftain noc onely from 
 all the Sorts, but ( over and above ) from all 
 the Appearances of evil. Noc onely from che 
 kinds^buc Occafionsoi ic.And thefe I intend (Tiall 
 be the Boundaries of my following Difcourfe. 
 
 Hh3 §. 5. To 
 
244 
 
 Of Abfiaining from 
 
 Sucton.J 2. 
 
 Vopifcfuvi- 
 th Tacit i lm- 
 
 per. p. 4*4- 
 Xcnophon in 
 itotcu. lib. 5. 
 
 p. 44«- 
 I Athenxus 
 
 L2c6.etiam 
 \ /.i.e. 8. 
 
 Valer.Max. 
 
 /.4.C.3. 
 
 Jer.3$. 14. 
 
 Hoc Santti 
 viri habetit 
 proprium. 
 quod at {em- 
 per ab illici- 
 tU long* fiat, 
 h fe plerum- 
 que etiam li- 
 cit a abfein- 
 dunt.Greg. 
 Mag. Vial. 
 I. 4. c. 11 
 
 § 5. To (hew the Gcodnefs and the Neceffity 
 of the firji particular of the Three, to wit, our 
 Abfiaining from what is evil, 1 cannot better 
 take my Rife then from this pertinent obferva- 
 tion ; That even Abfiinence in itfelf is a confi- 
 derable Vertue, alchough it beonely from Things 
 Indifferent , alchough it be but from Things, 
 whereof we are permitted a free Injoyment, Au- 
 gufim Cdifar in Suetonius, the Emperour Taci- 
 tut in Vopifcws, the Phliafii in Xenophon, and 
 the Abfiemii in Athen&ws , have been de!er- 
 vedly applauded for this one reafon. And 
 as the Rechabites were commended by God 
 Himfelf, for not departing from the Will of 
 their Father Jonadab ; fo was it Jonadab's 
 commendation , that he commanded his Sons 
 to obtain from Wine, not at all for being eviU 
 but rather dangeroufly good. Now that Kbfti- 
 nence is good, although it is not from things 
 which are fimply Evil, feems to be evident even 
 from This ( if from no other ) reafon, that it 
 enables and prepares us for the great Duty of 
 Self denial. It is a praffice of that Dominion 
 we ought to have over our [elves ; a prudent 
 Exercife of the Victory which both our Reafons 
 and our Wills ihould ft ill obtain over our Appe- 
 tites. For by denying unto our ielves fome 
 
 things 
 
 mm - — 
 
All Appearance of Evil. 
 
 245 
 
 things lavfull and allow d, we may attain ro a 
 facility of abftaining from the things that are 
 mod forbidden. 
 
 § 6. And this alone would be enough, in 
 cafe there were not (as there are) any othei 
 realbns, why The Church and State too pr<c 
 fcribethe Abfiinenas of Lent. For as the an- 
 nual obfervation of Lent it felf is (in the Judg- 
 ment of S. jferom) of Apodical Institution ; 
 fo are its Abjiinences from Flefb ( though a 
 thing Indifferent ) no lefs injoyned in a f(tfh 
 giou* than in a Civil Confideration , if toge 
 ther with the Quality and Condition of our Meals, 
 we have regard unto the Temper and Meafire of 
 them. Nay by the help of a Diftin&ion, our 
 fingle hbfiinence from the Quality may be in 
 both considerations. For what Authority does 
 command upon a ci vil Accompt onely, the Peo- 
 ple certainly mud: obey upon the Accompt of 
 their Religion, if they do regulate their Reli- 
 gion by the exprej] Word of God, which ftreight- 
 ly chargeth them to fubmit to every Ordinance 
 of Man. (Meaning the Ordinances of Man , 
 which are not oppofite or crofs to the Lavrs of 
 God. ) To abftraft our hbfiinence .from our ob- 
 ligednefs to obey, ( and from the other great End 
 which firft I mention 'd, ) is to abdraft at the 
 
 fame 
 
246 
 
 Of Abflaining from 
 
 1 Cor.8.8. 
 i lim.4.4. 
 
 Sunt de'mde 
 Media, qu& 
 quidem nee 
 bona effe nof 
 cuntur, nee 
 malajoffunt 
 tamen ind'tf- 
 ferenter & 
 bent father 
 & malh vel 
 probiberi^vel 
 juberi,fedma» 
 Ik mllatenw 
 in hit a Sub- 
 ditti obediri. 
 Pernard. in 
 Epift.7. ad 
 Adam Mo- 
 nad m. 
 f.1394. 
 Ex b'n funt, 
 )e)unare s vi- 
 gilare, lege- 
 re,&c. Idem 
 ibidem. 
 * 1 Cor 8.8. 
 a De Philo- 
 xeno Cythc 
 rio, Apicio, 
 aliifque^ con- 
 fute Athe- 
 naeum ; /.i. 
 c.6. 
 
 fame inftantthe merit ofvertue from our hbfti- 
 nence. For Meat cornmendeth nt not to God, 
 ( as faith S # Paul to the Corinthians ; €nd every 
 Creature ofG od is good, if received with Thanks- 
 giving t ( faith He to Timothy : ) And though 
 the preference of Fifh before the Meat of the 
 Shambles, is fo far innocent, and lawfully 
 as 'tis left to our Chrijiian Liberty ; yea fo 
 far neceffary, and binding, as 'tis commanded 
 by that Authority which God hath commanded 
 us to obey ; yet, abfiraUed from the Precept of 
 fuch Authority, it may be Wantonnefs in one, 
 and in another , Super fiition. For Meats are 
 all of fuch Indifference, if antecedently confi- 
 ded, and with the economy of the Gofpel, that 
 as, if we *eat Fle/h, we are not the better, fo if 
 weeatnene, we are not theworfe. Nay a man, 
 by eating Fiftj , may make provifwn for the 
 Fleftj; efpecially when he makes it to fwim in 
 Wine. He may by Both fofill his Belly, and fo 
 fulfill his Appetite, as that his Abfiinence froiri 
 Fief}) may but conduce to his fenfuality ; and 
 all his Lenten entertainment prove but zfacru, 
 fee to his Lz//2. The mod voluptuous M/w- 
 laufiicks, in the Accompt of Athen&w$ , be- 
 came infamous for nothing more , than their 
 palfionate Doatages upon Fi/#. Nor could the 
 
 very 
 
All Appearance of Evil. 
 
 247 
 
 very learned *Cooks> in the old Comedian, pro- 
 vide che Amorous young men a more ftrong In 
 centive. From whence it follows chat to keep 
 Lent, as 'tis a Time of Mortification, is not fo 
 carefully to abjiain from the Kind and Qjiality 
 of our Meals, as from che over-great Ricbnefs 
 and Fulnefs of them. So that- the due keeping 
 of Lent, in point of eating and drinking, con- 
 fifteth wholly or chiefiy in thefe two Things; 
 to wit, our Abjiinence from the kind, which is 
 forbid by Maris Law ; and our Abjiinence from 
 the mejfure, which is forbidden alfo by God's. 
 Each of Thefe is a Duty, however different they 
 are in degree of Merit ♦ For that the later is 
 che greatefi, and mod important, may appear 
 by the great Difference betwixt the reafons of 
 the goodnefs which lies in Both. For our Ab- 
 jiinence from Flejh, is onely good becaufe com- 
 manded ; whereas our Abjiinence from evil, is 
 onely commanded becaufe 'tis good. There the 
 goodnefs is accidental, but here 'tis natural. 
 There 'tis nothing but the Confequent, here the 
 Caufe of the Commandment, There 'tis ca- 
 pable of ceafing by Dijpenfations even from 
 Men ; whereas here the matter of it is indi ft en- 
 able even by God. 
 
 § 7. This muft therefore be our firft and 
 
 I i our 
 
 vlw 1%, # 
 
 TZUTfUXp i 
 TV7(f) TOft- 
 
 ^ $> 77*- 
 
 7fOUU)V )^v- 
 
 utya, An- 
 thippus Co- 
 in icus apud 
 Arhenxum, 
 L9. c. i$. 
 />. 404. 
 
2 4 8 
 
 Of Abflaining from 
 
 El 73,wfy> l" 
 c/b'0i7O,0C7a /£ 
 
 ■■&%}*, <*>v- 
 
 <zfeA$eU to 
 
 Grcgor.Nyf 
 fen. ie Pro- 
 feff.Chriff. 
 
 our greateft Care, that we abfiain from thole 
 things chat are [imply evil ; and this in a double 
 Oppofition to two forts of men , who divide a 
 great part of the world between them ; fuch as 
 are Hypocrites on the Right hand, and Antiky- 
 pocrites on the Left. 
 
 Touching the former of the two I (hall fay 
 the Iefs, the more I have fpoken of them before, 
 in my Introduction. Adding onely that They 
 abfiain from the Appearance of evil, as broken 
 Tradefmen from the femblance of per fedi Beg- 
 gary. The nearer they are to the State of Bank- 
 ruptsfhey have their Artifices and Tricks where- 
 by to feem fo much the Richer. Or as Ant'u 
 pater had his out fide all clad in Black, not be- 
 caufe ( as he pretended ) it was the old Mace- 
 donian habit, but to conceal his whole Infide, 
 as lirid with Purple. We muft not therefore 
 follow Them , who cry aloud againft the Sins 
 they imbrace in filence , and abfiain in fuch 
 wile from all Appearance of evil, as to abftain 
 from no evil but in Appearance. We muft not 
 [o apprehend or miftake the Text, as if 'twere 
 meant by S. ¥aul for an Exhortative to Hypo- 
 crifie ; not fo properly to abftain from the Evil 
 it [elf, as from thefbew, andfbadon>of\t. No, 
 the Text is to be held by a fafer Handle ; and 
 
 our 
 
All Abearance of Evil 
 
 249 
 
 our Argument is to run thus, a min^ri admaju*. 
 If 'tis our Duty to abftain from all Appearance of 
 Evil, how much more is it our Duty, to abftain 
 from all evil? The former Abftinence is a Ver- 
 tue, when foe ver this later does either attend, or 
 go before it ; whereas for want of this later, 
 the former Abftinence is a Sin. 
 
 §8. Yet not fo great a Sin as Theirs, who in 
 avoidance ofHypocrifie, do boldly rufh into the 
 greater, and aw/e extreme. Who being a- 
 fham'd of feeming pioujly and religioujh ad- 
 dicted, ( as a thing not becoming their Touth, 
 or Qyalitjr,) do therefore proclaim their Sin as 
 Sodom, and commit it (mthAbfolon) on the 
 Houfe Top. Not onely abfiaining from <*// that's 
 g<W, but from a// Appearance of it. As if to 
 be thought a godly man, were the greateft un- 
 happinefs in the World, and therefore to be 
 (hun'd with the greateft Care, I (hall exem 
 plify what I fay but in Three particulars. Firft, 
 how many may we obferve who eafiJy enter into 
 Duels, (and are afham'd not todofo) with 
 fuch as fpeak to the Difhonour of a mod defpi- 
 cable Miflrifl, and yet will ftand unconcerrid, 
 when more is done to the Reproach of their 
 Mafter Chrifl ? Men fo flout, that they dare be 
 damnd; and yet fo eminent for their cowar- 
 
 I i 2 di^e, 
 
 ifa.3.9. 
 
 2 Sam. 
 22. 
 
 16. 
 
250 
 
 Of Abfiaining from 
 
 Eubulus in 
 
 Amalrhsta 
 
 introducit 
 
 Hcrculcm 
 
 Delitiarum 
 
 vituperato- 
 
 rem v. If 
 
 Caufib. in 
 
 Athen./.a. 
 
 dizgi that they dare not be patient of putting up 
 the lead wrong. Men of fuch poor and luch 
 fordid Spirits , as to dread the very thoughts 
 and [he words of Men, however fenfeleft of the! 
 hatred and wrath of God. Men of fuch ftrange : 
 Pufillanimity , that they dare not indure the* 
 Contempt of this World, which God himfelfxs 
 contemn dby, and yet \sfilent. A downright 
 ffeculative Atheifi, who denies and derides the 
 God that made him, or a pralMcal AX heiji who 
 dares do &tfi> in his Converfation, may walk 
 the ftreets very fecurely without a weapon ; has 
 never a challenge fent to him for having affron- 
 ted the Lord of Glory ; who yet for any the leafi 
 affront which he fbould dare to have done to an 
 handfom Idol, had ftraight been fummorfd into 
 the Fields there to make fatisfa&ion in Tears 
 of Blood. Again, how many in our Pro- 
 tefiant Reformed World, do feem to take as great 
 a Pride, and make as open a Profeffion of being 
 emimnt Apolaujlicks , as that voluptuous fort 
 of Heathens, whom Eubulut the Greek Comce- 
 dian does expo ft upon the Stage for their learned 
 Surfeits ? who laugh at Abftmtnce as a Foolery ; 
 and look on all Self denials arrant Madnefl. 
 (A thing proceeding from nothing better than 
 the difemper'd Hjpochcndres. ) Who having 
 
 learn'd 
 
All Abearance of Evil. 
 
 251 
 
 learn 'd the deep Science of Eating well, and 
 being able to make a Treatment as becomes Ci i- 
 ticks in Senfuality, are ape to put a greater va- 
 lue both on Themftlves, and their Atchievement, 
 than if they had taken the Town of Troy. 
 
 * Tar sjj itytop ju&t^Gv y\ Jejixv sAw. 
 
 Laftly, how many Antihypocrites, although 
 Profejfors of Cbrifiianity, do vye with Ovid,znd 
 Mejfalina, theEmperourFro^/^5, and the reft 
 of that heathen World, (for the recording of 
 whole effronteries Cornelia Agri\>pa is to be 
 blam'd,) in that they do not onely difclofe the 
 fW Enormities which they have done, but alfo 
 boaft of more Debauches, than they ever had the 
 appetite, or poflibly the Jlrength to be guilty of? 
 Now he vthofo far hates hypocrifie, ( which is a 
 damnable abftaining from appearance onely all 
 of Evil J as to glory in his Impieties, and by 
 conference to abftain from the very appea- 
 rance alfo of good, (whereby he does not onely 
 difyleafe^ but deffife his Maker,) is as one fly- 
 ing from a Lion, when behold a Bear meets him ; 
 or as one leaning upon the Wall, and a Serpent 
 bites him. (Amos 5.19.) He is as one fallen, 
 out of a Feaver intozFire ; and to be reckoned, 
 of the two, the more horrid Devil. 
 
 § 9. In oppofition to the firft of the two Ex- 
 
 I i 3 tremes, 
 
 * Euripid. 
 in Androma- 
 cha Mcne- 
 laum intro- 
 duce fie lo- 
 qnentem. 
 
 Cornelius 
 Agrippa de 
 vanit.fcient. 
 
 cap.6$. 
 
252 
 
 Of Abftaining from 
 
 tremes, we muft make our firfi ftep to raife us 
 Thus unto a Second. If Abftinence is To noble 
 and fo neceffary a Duty, though from Thofe 
 very things which are but danger oufly Good, 
 what then is Abftinence from theobje&s which 
 are damnably Evil ? To keep our felves far e- 
 nough from Such, we muft carefully fet before 
 us King David's Method; when being to qua* 
 lifie himfelf for an Approach to God's Altar, 
 he did not fay he would wafh hi* Face, but his 
 Hands in Innocence. Befides it ought to be con- 
 ifider'd that all the Commandments, faving two, 
 'having been negatively propos'd, imply the 
 Bottom of all our Ducies to lie in our Abfti- 
 nence from evil. As being That, without which, 
 even all our good Deeds will be done in vain-, 
 yea and the heft of all our Works will be but 
 handfome Abominations. For the higheft and 
 the mod pofttive of all our Duties, are com- 
 prehended by S. Paul under thefe three Heads, 
 our living foberly, righteoufly, and godly in thk 
 prefent World, Tit. 2.12. But 'tis abfolutely 
 impoffible that we fhould ever live foberly, un- 
 iefs by abftaining from all Excefs; that we fhould 
 ever live righteoufly^ uniefs by abjlaining from 
 all Injufiice ; that we (hould ever live godly, 
 uniefs by abftaining from all Prophanenefs. It 
 
 is 
 
All Abearance of Evil. 
 
 253 
 
 is a vain thing for any, to chink of loving and 1 
 ferving God, who does not firft of all ceafe to 
 injure his Neighbour and Himftlf coo. Virtu* 
 eft, vitiumfugere ; The very firft of all Virtues 
 is a man's Abftintnce from F/Ve ; 6? fapientia pri- 
 ma eft, Stuhitia caruijfe.' ■ The fear of the 
 
 Lord, That is wifdo.n, and to depart from evil k 
 underftanding. Job.i%.2%. 
 
 §10, Buc however this is necefary, 'tis not 
 enough, fince we are far from being fure that 
 this our Abfiinence is fmcere, unlefs by its be- 
 ing impartial too. For fome of the worft of 
 mankind may ftill abftain from fome evils, al. 
 though it be buc by the means of fome occafional 
 Averfenefs, and poflibly too for want of a natu- 
 ral Inclination, 'tis very far from being enough, 
 that we have Tolerance in one kind, or Conti- 
 nence in another, which in Ariftotle's Judgment 
 are but a couple ofSemivertues, (and yet 'twere 
 well if" moftChriftians would now accain to fo 
 good a Pitch ; ) no, nor is it quite enough that 
 we have Temperance in them Both, however This 
 is a complete and a perfefl vertuc. For this is 
 onely to abftain from thole grojfer Evils, which 
 do afteft either the Touch or the Taft with Plea- 
 lure. That is to fay, with fuck Pleafure, as 
 is actually common to Men with Brutes. No, 
 
 when 
 
254 
 
 Of Abftaining from 
 
 when our Parents were firft commanded to ab- 
 fiain from That Tree, which was incloid by 
 God's Precept in the midft of the Garden, they- 
 were implicit Ij commanded to abftain from all 
 evil. In as much as all the Branches o{' Sin 
 and Wickednefs, which from that time to this 
 have defifd our Nature , do owe their curfed 
 Derivation to that one Stock- And by confe- 
 quence it concerns us to advance a ftep farther ; 
 to plead and pant after, and contend for fucb 
 an Abftinence , as is not onely from This or 
 That , ( for then the very word of us might 
 foon be Chriftians good enough,) but from All 
 forts of evil without exception ; and fo to com- 
 ply with our Apoftle in his important monofyl- 
 lable, by taking the objefl of our Abftinence 
 with its unlimited univerfality. For (that we 
 may pafs from the firft to the fecond Particular 
 in the Text ) it is 
 
 Abftain from All evil. 
 §11. I fay from All, for thefe obvious, but. 
 uftjull Reafons, which I (hall not onely pro-, 
 pofe, but humbly fubmit to confideration. Firft, 
 becaufe He who is indulgent to any one fort of 
 Evil, cannot fay thai" there is one from which he 
 does vertuoufly abjiain; nor is he certain what 
 
 duration 
 
All Abearance of Evil. 
 
 255 
 
 duration his partial Abflinence will be of. It 
 being lb eafie for him to tall from one nicked- 
 neft to another, that wherefoever the cunning 
 Serpent gets in his Head, he draws his whole 
 Body in with the greater Eafe. As if the con- 
 tagion zhitis in Vice wcit in proportion to the 
 Links in the Chain of Virtue, our Indulgency to 
 one is apt to draw the reft after. One rotten 
 A&ion does as gladly infeSi another, as one pu- 
 trid Grape does communicate its venom to all 
 the Clujler. And the reafon is very clear, why 
 He who gives himfelf the Liberty to feed intern- 
 perately on one Sin, is ipfo fafto become ob- 
 noxious unto the Surfeiting upon all; becaufe 
 he has not any Principle or Power within him, 
 by force of which he can be fure to abftain from 
 any. And the reafon of that reafon is juft as clear 
 too, For the fame want of fear to offend his 
 Maker, the fame delight offer'd to Grace, and 
 the fame Calloufneft of Confcience, which either 
 allows or betrays him to any one wiifull Sin, 
 leaves him deftitute and expos d to the Power 
 of All. So that if, by not committing, he 
 feems at any time to abjiain from this or that fort 
 ' of Vice, 'tis not his Virtue, but his Luck- And 
 if any thing is to be thank'd, ( befides the re- 
 training Mercy of God, who does often fct his 
 
 K k Hook 
 
 Vvaque con- 
 fpefth livo- 
 rem duett cib 
 
 uva. 
 
2^6 
 
 Of Abflaining from 
 
 //ca^inco the Wicked man's Noftrils,) he may 
 Clunk his Star $ for it ; at leaft his Company or 
 his Cuftorn, or the Laws of the Country wherein 
 he lives, or at leaft the good hap of his ConftU 
 tuthn, as not fujficirtg him for fume Sins, or not 
 inclining him to others ; and many times fo 
 ftrongly byajfd to darling obliquities on the 
 left hand, as to be carried by the fame Byafi 
 from other obliquities on the right. There 
 being fome forts of evil fo very oppofete unto each 
 other , ( and inconfiflent at the fame injlant, ) 
 that to abftain from one Extream, h not lauda- 
 ble in a Profeflbr who is indulgent unto the 
 other. Tis not thank-worthy in a Niggard, 
 not to be guilty of Prodigality. Nor is it the 
 Merit, but the neceffity of an extremely great 
 Coward, if he is not found guilty of too much 
 Raflmefs. It being a fad kind of Virtue which 
 a Man owes onely to Vice ; as when he abftains 
 from any one of two contrary evils, becaule 
 he cannot commit them Both. 
 
 § 12. Again •> d-A^di Xrf warro$, Abftain 
 from All evil, becanfe the wilfull Tranfgreffion 
 of any one of God's Commandments, makes Us 
 as liable to Judgment, ( though not to fo many 
 degrees of Torment ) as if we had broken every 
 one. For what elfe can be the meaning of that 
 
 faying 
 
i 
 
 All Abearance of Evil 
 
 2 57 
 
 faying in S. James, chat 7/0 man keep the whole 
 Law, and yet offend in one point, be is guilty of 
 all ? He ( for example ) who abstains not 
 from the Intemperance of the Tongue, (That 
 enormous flelhly luft which is lb regnant in 
 thefe our days,) may be faid to offend in one 
 fole Point of Chriftianity ; yet (like a little Col- 
 loquintida in a whole Pot of Broth ) That of- 
 fending in one Point (heds fuch an Influence 
 upon others, as to invalidate and evacuate his 
 whole Religion. Jam. 1 . 26. The reafon of which 
 is very evident, in that the fame God that faith, 
 Thou /bait not Jieal, or commit Adultery, does 
 alfo fay at the lame Time, in the fame Deca- 
 logue, and by the very fame Authority, Thou 
 fhalt not take the Name of thy God in vain, nor 
 bear falfeWitneft againft thy Neighbour. And 
 the Breach of thefe Precepts, when it is wilfull 
 or habitual, is as damnable in its nature as 
 the Tranfgreffion of the former, and all the reft. 
 For as the whole Nature of Treafon againft the 
 Majefty of the King, does lie as really in the com- 
 paring or contriving of 'his Death, as in all the 
 mod bloody and ouvert Affs that can be nam'd ; 
 and any one of thofe Treafons is as capital as a 
 Thoufand ; fo the whole Nature o\ Rebellion 
 againft the Majefty ot God, does lie as much in 
 
 Kk 2 the 
 
 Jam. 2. 10. 
 
258 
 
 Of Abflaining from 
 
 the mlfull Breach of any one of his Commands, 
 as in all together ; and Damnation is the wages, 
 as well of that one, as of all the reft. And as 
 when a man \shangd for committing Treafon, 
 it is cold comfort to him, that he is hang'd but 
 for one Crime, znd not for many ; fo 'twill but 
 little, [fatally leflen the mifery of the Damned, 
 t at they were damn'd onely for Drunkennef, 
 Schifn, or H&refie, or for another fuch habi- 
 tual and morrai (in, not for Murtker, or Adul- 
 tery, which were not laid unto their charge; 
 or rather for breaking the Fifth Commandment, 
 than for tranfgreffing the other Nine. And there- 
 fore fince Impenitence is indifpenfably defiruc- 
 fiztf,(though I know there is ^greater and a lejfer 
 Damnation,) be it but in one, or in many evils, 
 it muft concern us to abftain with impartiality 
 even from AIL 
 
 §13. Again i^yi^^T^ ttxv^ Abftain from 
 All Evil; as well from the leaf, as from the 
 great eft-, becaufeour very leaf Sins do gather 
 a Greatnefi to themfdves, from the greatneji of 
 the Object weSm againft, and from the Great- 
 nefs of the Mtans againft which we Sin. (1 
 mean our Prayers, and our Sacraments, and 
 the frequency of our Sermons, by which who- 
 ever is not mended, is accidentally made vforfe.y 
 
 And 
 
All Appearance of Evil. 
 
 259 
 
 And becaufe the leaft Sins are apt to lead inco 
 the greated. Betides, Siracides faid wifely 
 ( in this fcnfe aifo, ) He that deffi/eth fmall 
 things /ball peri/b by little and little. Ecclus. 
 19. f . The lea/t Sins therefore cannot po/Iibly 
 be {blight? as chat they may fafely be flighted 
 by us ; becaufe although what is venial can 
 never lofe its Uiltinftion from what is mortal > 
 yet 'tis worthily to be lear'd that a man may Sin 
 mortally,. by/>/^yz//g himfelf in his venial Sins ; 
 and by loving them more than the will of God. 
 Nor are we drown V with more comfort, by the 
 Seas fiealing in through little crevices into our 
 Ship, than by our Ship's beingfuddenly and at 
 onceczft into the Sea. Abflain we therefore 
 even from all, the moT: diminutive Peccadills, 
 (as men of Latitudes in Practice do love to call 
 them,) not from Evil onely in Deed, but in 
 Word, and Thought too. For if Pythagoras hud 
 rather a man (hould throw out a* Stone, than a 
 word or two ra'Mv and at a venture: yea, if 
 of every idle word Men /ball give an account in 
 the day of Judgment, how much more of every ^ t h t a h g I2# 
 evil one, when falfenefi and rancour are clea- 
 ving to ic? And we read that evil Thoughts 
 which proceed cut of the Heart are efpecially the 
 things that defile the Man. Match. 15.1 8,19,20-. 
 
 Kb 3 ATri/th 
 
 
 6. 
 
2 6 o OfAbjiaining from 
 
 A Truth difcernable, as by other , fo by f/ra 
 reafon alfo, That many cujlomary Sinners may 
 be forcibly reftrain'd from, their evil Alli- 
 ons, who yet can never bereftrain'dfrom their 
 evil Thoughts too. For as Crows from Carrion 
 are not forced to abftain by Satiety it felf, but 
 ftill abide upon the Place, as if they could ne- 
 ver fill their Eyes, though they have their Bel- 
 lies ; fo cujlomary Sinners, when Age or Sickr 
 nefi hath made them innocent as to their Alliens, 
 do love to think, over the Sins they have not vi- 
 gour enough to aH. They can no more ceafe 
 from Sin which Cufiom has riveted in their Souls, 
 than Flies inured to the Shambles are able to 
 abftain from the frnell of Meat. Now whether 
 the Evil of our Thoughts be ofWilfulnefs, or In- 
 firmity, we are to exercife our felves in abflain- 
 ing from it. For we muft aHually abftain from 
 all mlfull evil ; and w r e muft fiudioufly abftain 
 from all the evil of Infirmity, fo as to hate, and 
 to deplore, and to fir he againfi it. This I fay 
 for our Humiliation ; But I add for our Comfort 
 too, that fo long as we are firiving with the 
 utmoft of our Ablility againft the fir earn ofhu- 
 mm Frailties, we are not liable to Wrath, in 
 cafe the violence of the Torrent prevail againft 
 us. Prevail againfi us (I mean, ) fo as in 
 
 ffite 
 
All Appearance of Evil. 261 
 
 ffite of all our ftriving to have fome refiditice. 
 though not habitually to reign in our mortal 
 Bodies. For when vteftrive againft That from 
 which we cannot/0 abftain, as to be every way 
 finlefs, Then we are reckon'd to abftain, fo far 
 forth as to beftneere. And though a Sinlefnefs 
 is not, yet is a finglenefs or fincerity the in- 
 d/fpenfable Requifite of a Chriftian. And in 
 this fenfe at leaft we mud abftain from 0// 
 evil; as well from the leaft, as from the grea- 
 teft. 
 
 § 14. Laftly , d-ni^tSt *&ri TrnvTos, Abftain 
 from all evil, although it (hall not at all be fun- 
 ply, but accidentally fuch # Many hundreds of 
 things there are, however reducible unto four 
 or five Heads, which are not abfolutely Evil, but 
 yet are evil ex accidentia And what is evil but 
 accidentally, is /imply Good. And fo there are 
 feveral good things , which though abfolutely, 
 and fimply, and antecedently fuc'i , yet from 
 The fame , being confider'd in feme Relations 
 and Rtfpelis, ic is a Chriftian man's Duty very 
 carefully to abftain. And in confequence of 
 This, Abftain from every £00;/ thing, which 
 thy Conscience does condemn ; and f om every 
 gW thing, which thy Confcience doubts of ; and 
 from every gWthing, by which f/yj Brother is 
 
 made 
 
262 
 
 Of Abftaining from 
 
 \r\ide to fumble, and to fall headlong into Sin ; 
 and from every good chmg which is comparative- 
 /v evil, by being heedlefly preferred to what is 
 very much better ; and from every good Thing, 
 which ftronglyadmini Iters anOccafion, and a 
 Temptation unto evil. 1 fay abjlain from the 
 firft fore , becaufe though there is nothing un- 
 clean in it/elf, (of all thofe Meats which are food 
 for men,) yet to him that efteemeth any thing 
 to be unclean, to Him (in that Errour ) it p$ 
 unclean. Rom. 14. 14. And abjiain from the 
 fecond fort, becaufe he that doubteth is damtfd 
 if he eat, in that he eateth not of Faith, for what- 
 foever is not of Faith is Sin. Rom. 14.23. And 
 abjiain from the third fort, becaufe though 
 every kjnd of edable is (imply Pure, (and 
 fo may lawfully be eaten,) yet it is evil for 
 that man who eateth with offence. And there- 
 fore if thou hajl Faith^ and underftandeft thy 
 Christian Liberty, make a private ufe of it be- 
 twixt God and thy/elf For happy is He who con- 
 demneth not himfelfin that thing which he allow- 
 eth. Rom. 14.20,2 \,ii. Again, Abjiain from. 
 the fourth fort, becaufe God hath declared He 
 will have Mercy rather than Sacrifice, Mat.9.13. 
 And the faving of a Sheep on the Sabbath Djy^ 
 rather than the rejiing from bodily labour. 
 
 (Mat. 
 
All Abearance of Evil. 
 
 263 
 
 Mat. i2H.) and rather a being reconcile to 
 an injur 1 d Brother, than bringing a Gift unto 
 thr Altar, (Mzt.5. 23.24. Laft of all let us 
 abjlain from the fift h fort of Objects, which are 
 limply good enough, but accidentally evil, be- 
 caufe o? the Precept of our Apo'lle in the words 
 of my Text ; which , though it may feem to 
 be a rigorous, is yet a mercifull Command. For 
 "cis eafier , whilft we are innocent, to abjlain 
 from the guilt of any one a& of Sin, than having 
 yielded unto one, to forbear another. Abjli- 
 nence from evil is nothing elfe but an ASl of 
 Fajling. And certainly He who cannot fajl 
 from the Approaches of Impiety, will much left 
 fafi from the Prefence of ir. If we cannot well 
 abjlain from converging with the Occafions, how 
 much left from the ASl of a pleafant evil ? or 
 if not from the Afi, how much left from the Ha- 
 bit ? /Egriu* ejicitur,quam non admittitur Hofik. 
 Tis vei y much eaiier not to admit, than to drive 
 out an Enemy. Very much eafier to prevent, 
 than to cure a Leprofee. Which our Apoftle well 
 considering, was not onely of the Opinion, but 
 made it the Rule of his Praftice alfo, (in his 
 whole Ninth Chapter of the FirftEpiftle to the 
 Corinthians^ that to keep far enough off from 
 doing any thing unlawful!, he was to abjlain 
 
 L 1 from 
 
 -fof.6.6. 
 
264 
 
 Of Abflaining from 
 
 from many things which were I awfull too. Nor 
 dees he content himfelf here to fay , Abftain 
 from all Habits and- Aft* of Evil, but from all 
 Appearance of it. And fo I am fain upon the 
 means whereby our Abstinence may be completed, 
 the laji Particular in the Divifion. 
 
 Abftain from all Appearance of 'Evil. 
 
 § 1 5. And to the end that we may do fo, in 
 every fenfe and accept ion the word will bear, let 
 the Caveat be extended to thefe two Heads. 
 Firftofall to thofe things, which, though not 
 evil in them/elves, yet to others, or to us, do 
 appear to be fo ; Next to things, which, though 
 notfinfull, ( no not fo much as in appearance,^ 
 do put upon us a kind of Byafi, and Propenfity 
 to Sin. To the former I fhall refer, whatsoever 
 Things are lawfully but yet uncomly, or inexpe- 
 dient. 1 (hall refer unto the later, whatfoever 
 Things are lawfull,but of dangerous confequence; 
 not formally evil, but grofly evil in theefefl, 
 
 § 16. And firft abflain from thofe things, 
 which if not evil in themfdves, yet to others, or 
 to %y, &o appear to befo; and by conlequence 
 though they are lawfully confider'd fimply in 
 their Natures, yet in certain conjunctures they 
 cannot lawfully be done. As (for example) it 
 
 is 
 
/ 
 
 All Appearance of Evil 
 
 265 
 
 is* lawfull to eat of things, which eirher are or 
 have beea ofer'd in Sacrifice unto Idols ; which 
 yet we a cannot eat lawfully, if in the Prefience 
 of a Brother who htith either a condemning or 
 doubting Confcience. We muft beware that 
 thus our Liberty become not a Stumbling-block, to 
 them that are weak? And therefore He that 
 hadknovpledge (in the Times of the Apoftle,) 
 was not in reafon to fit at meat in the Idol's 
 Temple, for fear that he who had none fljould be 
 imboldned to eat of things offer' d unto Idols, even 
 againfi his over weak and erroneous Confidence. 
 So that although not to abfiain for another man's 
 fake, when we need not tor our own, cannot be 
 faid to be a Sin through any unlawfulneU in the 
 Objeft indulged to ; yet 'tis a Breach of that 
 Rule which was fet by S, Paul for all to walk 
 by, That no man put a Stumbling- block? or an 
 occafion to fall, in his brother's way. Rom. 14. 
 1 3. (Which Rule cannot extend to thofe things 
 Indifferent, which being fuch but antecedently, 
 a:e confequentially Neceffary, in as much as they 
 are under the Obligation of 'a Command, and a 
 Command from That Authority which God has 
 commanded us to obey. And this Parenthefis 
 being premis'd for the preventing of Miftakes, 
 I proceed to give an Inilance of the Cafe buc 
 
 LI 2 now 
 
 Cor. 8, 4, 
 
 a Ver. 9, 
 
 Per. 10. 
 
266 
 
 Of Abjiaining from 
 
 Cnptofih h&c 
 Karratio ha- 
 benda ell a- 
 pud Jofe- 
 phum, in 
 Libello cut 
 Titulw, <zfc} 
 
 now mention'd. For) Thus the Liberty co 
 /?>, for the efcaping of zfljamefull and painfull 
 Death, though very I aw full as to its nature, 
 may be unlawful!, as co its ufe ; m regard of 
 many Circumjiances wherewith the Cafe may 
 be appareL'd. For firft ( however it is law- 
 full^) it may be highly inexpedient, as to the 
 fcandal it may give to our weaker Brethren ; 
 (concerning which I have fpoken enough al- 
 ready;) And next, (however it is lawfully 
 it may be fcandaloujl) indecent, as to the Gra- 
 vity of a man s Age, and the Dignity of his Cal- 
 ling. In each of which cafes, That which is 
 lawfull'in itftlfy is notwithstanding not allow- 
 able in the Circumftances proposed; becaufe 
 inconfiftent with two main Virtues ; to wit, with 
 Charity in the firft Inftance, and with Pru- 
 dence in the fecond. An Example we have of 
 Both in the renowned Eleazer, ( 2 Mace. 6. ) 
 Who being fentenced to the Torments for refu- 
 fing to eat of unlawful! Meats, would not bafely 
 lave his life, no not by eating fuch Meat as was 
 lawfull for him. And for this his Refolution 
 he gave two reafons. Firft, he argued from the 
 Indecency, and again from the Danger of it. 
 T would be indecent to Himfelf, and as dan- 
 gerous to others ; who ftraight would follow 
 
 his 
 
All Appearance of Evil. 
 
 267 
 
 his Example, as well of Cowardice, as of Cou- 
 rage , by whichfoever of the two he fhould 
 chance co lead them. Firft, he would not 
 bring flejb of hit own Provifion, and mah& a* if 
 he did eat of what was commanded by the King, 
 ( as his old Friends at Court would fain have 
 had him, v. 21. ) becaufe he was told by his 
 Difcretion, that 'twas not futable to the honour 
 of his reverend Gray-head !; (v. 23.) and He 
 would (hew Kimfelffucb as his Age required, 
 (v. 27.) Again, He would not fave his Life by 
 fuch an appearance of Inapiecy, as the eating of 
 what was lawfull in lieu of what was unlawfully 
 becaufe he was prompted by his Charity, not to 
 indanger many young Perfons their being betrafd 
 by that Artifice, to tbinktbat old Eleazer, when 
 he was F our f core years and Ten, had at lift gone 
 away to a fir ange Religion, (v. 24,25. Where- 
 as 'twas very fit for Him, who was one of the 
 Principal of the Scribes, (v.i 8.) to leave a no- 
 table Example of Sincerity zx\<\ Courage, and of 
 Daringnefi to die for the Laws of God. ( v. 2 8. 
 and 31. Thus there are very many things, 
 which though lawfull to us as Chrifiians, are 
 yet unfeemly for us as Men ; and do difhonour 
 our Vocation, even then when they do not defile 
 our Confidence . For how many Trades are there, 
 
 L 1 3 very 
 
 2 Mace. 6. 
 h v. 18. ad 
 v, 31. 
 
268 
 
 Of Abjlaining from 
 
 Seifugitare 
 magitfmk- 
 lacra & pa- 
 bula Atmrit, 
 Atque alio 
 fluaeat am- 
 mi traducere 
 motw. Lu- 
 cret./.4« it 
 Remedh 
 Amori*. 
 Exod.20.17. 
 
 Mat.5.28. 
 2 Pet.2.14. 
 
 Num.id.a5. 
 
 Ecclui.13.1. 
 
 very lawfull inthemfelves, which yet by m of 
 the Clergy cannot lawfully be driven ? And 
 therefore Abfiinence from Thefe is to be reckoned 
 as a Duty? at lead to our Quality, and our Rank, 
 if not precifely to our Religion. Abftaia we 
 therefore ( as much as may be ) from all that 
 carries any appearance, otjhtw of Evil ; And 
 as from all that is Expedient, unlefs it appears 
 to be lawfull too ; fo from ali that is lawfull, 
 but not expedient. 
 
 §17. Again, Abftain from thofe things, 
 which though not evil in themfdves, are yet In- 
 centives, or Occafions, or Introduflories Co evil ; 
 and however not formally, yet effectively fuch. 
 For as it is not onely faid, Thou /halt not fieal, 
 but over and above Thoufhalt not covet ; lb the 
 way not to covet, js not to fee, not to taft, not 
 to touch fuch an Objeft, as is naturally apt to 
 inchant the Senfes. Our Saviour tells us of 
 Adultery in the Heart. And the Apoftle S. Pe- 
 ter, of Adultery in the Eye. And Mofes preffmg 
 his Congregation to an etfe&ual Abfiinence from 
 the Evil, which Corah and others had newly 
 done, faid, Depart from the Tents of thefe wicked 
 men, and Touch nothing of theirs. Depart from 
 all fufpe&ed Perfons, and Places too. For he 
 that toucheth Pitch fhall be defiled therewith. 
 
 And 
 
All Appearance of Evil. 
 
 269 
 
 And* he that loves danger /hall perift in it. 
 Wbatfoever is born of the t left is Fleft ; (Joh.3. 
 6. ) Nor does the Wax wich more Aprnefs take 
 an Impreffun from the Seal, than the Fleft from 
 the Bait of an ill Affefiion. Infomuch that fome 
 parts of the holy Scripture were ( in the Times 
 of Caffianut) not intruded to the Ears of the 
 younger Chriftians, * Ne noxid? Jitillationis Jii~ 
 mulws excitaretur. He that hopes to be Safe 
 whilft he converfeth with Incentives to any 
 Sin, is thought by Solomon as Irrational, as if 
 he Ihould walk on hot Coals, and hope his feet 
 will not be burnt ; or take fire into his Bofom, in 
 a confidence that it will not confume his cloths. 
 /Y0Z/.7. 27,28. Nay a S. Bernard was of opi. 
 nion, That to be converfant wich a Woman, and 
 yet be innocent in converfe , is a difficulter 
 work than to raife the Dead. And then the 
 Hebrew Wife men could not bs righteous over* 
 much, when they prohibited all difcourfe bet mxt 
 Man and Woman, ( excepting onely That of 
 mi Hwband with a Wife,) both in regard of the 
 Scandal, and Danger of it ; the poffible (can- 
 dal unto others, and aftual Danger unto Them- 
 [elves. 
 
 §18. How very nearly it does concern even 
 the gravefi, and the mojl fafe, to abflain from 
 
 ail 
 
 Cb.$ t v,26. 
 
 * Caflian. 
 
 lib.19. Col- 
 lax. §. 1 6. 
 
 a Cumfoemu 
 
 na femper 
 ejfe, &non 
 cognofcere 
 foeminam % 
 nonne pint 
 eft quam 
 mortuumfnf- 
 citare? Qyod 
 minus eft non 
 potes t & qued 
 majM eft v'h 
 credam tib't ? 
 D. Eernard. 
 Super Canti- 
 ca Serm.6$ t 
 p. 760. 
 
2JO 
 
 Of Abftaining from 
 
 allOccafions and Oppcrtunities of evil, may be 
 collected from the Examples both of* Andrea* 
 BiftopofFundo, and of the exemplary Marti-, 
 nian^ a famous Hzrmit* Whereof the former 
 was fain to banifh an holy Matron out of his 
 Houfe, becaufe he found he could not fafelj 
 injoy her fight, nor be prote&ed by her Inno- 
 cence, from the great Hazard of his own. The 
 a Later finding he could not otherwife be ex- 
 empted from the Occafions and Baits of Sin, 
 threw Himfelfy?r/2 into the Fire, for the refining 
 of his Defires ; and after That into the Water, 
 whereby to drown them. Nay as if the holy 
 Angels were not fit to be intruded with fuch 
 Temptations , not onely Philo and Jofephm, 
 but divers Fathers of the Church, (Jufiin Mar- 
 tyr , Tertullian , Clemens Alexandrine , and 
 Laclantiut, ) have underftood by the Sons of 
 God who could not innocently gaze upon the 
 Daughters of men, (Gen. 6. 2.) Not the Po- 
 tentates of the Earth, but even the Angels of 
 Heaven. Now though I think with Ibeodo- 
 ret, and mod of the ancient* Commentators, that 
 the Fathers were in an Errour who fo expounded; 
 
 * Nee res eft 
 iubha quam 
 narro : quia 
 pene tanti in 
 ea teftesfunt, 
 quanti e)*f. 
 dem loci Ha- 
 bitatores. 
 Quantum 
 Santtimonia- 
 lem fecum 
 permifit habi- 
 tare,cerw de 
 fua ejufq-yCon- 
 tinentia, An- 
 dreas Funda- 
 n£ Civitatk 
 Epifcopws. 
 Mox de fuo 
 habit aculo 
 nonfalum e- 
 andem Dei 
 Famulamjed 
 omnem quo- 
 que foeminam 
 illinc expulit. 
 Greg. Mag. 
 Dialog. /. 3. 
 C.7./0/.29. 
 I a Laur. Su- 
 liusT. 1. 
 Vie 1 $ Febr, 
 — Mi fit An- 
 gelos Dem 
 ad Tutelam 
 cttltumque 
 GenernHu- 
 mani — Iffos 
 cum hominim 
 bm comma- 
 r antes Drabo* 
 luspaulatim 
 ad vitia pel 
 
 lexit,& mulierum congrefjibusinquinavit. Turn in Caelum ob Peccata non recepti cecideruot in Ter~ 
 yam.Sic eos Diaboliu &v(ujova,zyA< ex Angelti Deifies fecit fatellitcs ac Miniftros,Li&.l.2.c.i$, 
 p, 65. "H^Vi ttj oLyyl\o\ W€', ctK&rTCif ^'ofJ^ot^ c77jSvjeJct <*A6y7K, ifyvo^w ftxjgf j(0,t«- 
 
 77%7f7w4tf17u.Clem.Alex Strom./. 3./). 4 50. Oi </V a.y}4*ot> -mt^Cetynf -rbA£\ r -nt^iv^yiwouiuip 
 (jLi&Giv »7 / ]«5fl<7a»',$j *7miJk<, 6T&w&>ffw,oi tlffip d Kiybyfyoi Acuftovu- Juft.Mar, Apol i.p 44. 
 
 yet 
 
All Abearance of Evil. 
 
 27 1 
 
 yec IC allures us of their Opinion, how much 
 Temptations are to be Jhurid, and how carefully 
 we fhould^y the Occafions of them. Igni cum 
 Fceno non bene convenit, faid Martinian to a 
 Beauty whom he had/W/V out of the Sea, but 
 would not tru/ih'imicU with when (he came to 
 Z,0/ft/. But more remarkable were the words 
 of the pious Presbyter *Vrf\nws, when i good 
 ! /Foman came to help him a* he wa6 giving up the 
 Ghoft, (one whomhe/flz/V tooasaiV/^r, but 
 yet avoided as an Enemy ,) Recede a me Mulier, 
 adhuc vivit Ignicul^ Paleam tolle. As if he 
 fear'd that That Stricture or Spark of life re- 
 maining in him, might have grown into a /e^/ttj* 
 at the fight of Chaff. 
 
 § 19. Now fince it cannot but be inferred 
 from the whole Tenor of my Difcourfe, That 
 the way to become able to abfiain fro n all evil, 
 is to abftain from all approach and appearance of 
 it, from all that does leadmd allure us to it, 
 from all that has a Tendency and By a ft towards 
 it ; Nothing remains but that we labour , in 
 every Inftance of Temptation and Ghoftly dan- 
 ger 7 (if we are willing to ufe the means whereby 
 our Abftinence may be completed,) to fru/tr ate 
 the Malice of the Devil, to baffle the Arguments 
 of the Flefb , and to tread under our feet an 
 
 M m infulting 
 
 * Extempore 
 Ordinations 
 accept£ Pref- 
 byteram fuam 
 ut fororem di- 
 ligent, fed 
 quafi Hoftem 
 cavens t adfe 
 propiut acce- 
 dere nunquam 
 
 finebat. 
 
 Etab efcfibi m 
 communionem 
 funditus Fa- 
 miliar it at it 
 abfciderat, 
 &c. Greg. 
 Mag. Dial. 
 /.4.C.11. 
 
 fa iv 
 
272 f OfAbfiaining from, &c. 
 
 1 
 
 intuiting World, even by carrying our felves 
 wifely in all our ways, and by keeping conllant 
 watch over all our Walkings ; and that we ne- 
 ver fuffer our felves, either by firatagem, or by 
 force, to be diverted or drawn afide from this 
 faving Method, until our well-meant Indeavours 
 (hall all expire into perfection ; our Contend- 
 ingswy'ti&theFIefh, into Triumphs over it; our 
 rigid Abjiintnces from Evil, into the ravifihing 
 Injoyments of all that's Good; our Temporary 
 Lent, into an Everlafting Jubih\ our fhort 
 Self denials , into the Pleafures of JEternity ; 
 our Days of Mourning and Mortification, into 
 endlefs Fruitions of B/i/? and G/orj. 
 
 Which thou, O God, of thy Mercy vouch- 
 fafe unto us, for the Glory of thy Name, and 
 for the Worthinefs of thy Son ; To whom, with 
 thee, O Father, in the Unity of the Spirit, be 
 all Honour and Glory both now and forever. 
 Amen. 
 
(273) 
 
 O F 
 
 ABSTAINING 
 
 I N 
 
 GENERAL 
 
 FROM 
 
 Fleflrfy Lufis. 
 
 i PET, 2. ii # 
 
 Dearly Beloved, Ibefeech you, as Strangers, and 
 Pilgrims, abftainfrompejbly Lujls, which war 
 againft your Soul. Havingyour converfation 
 honejl among the Gentiles, that whereas they 
 fpeak againjiyou as evil Doers, they may by 
 your good work} which they Jh all behold, glo- 
 rifie God in the day of Visitation. 
 
 § i.OAint Peter, as a good Builder, (aSpi- 
 
 i^ ritual Workman who needed not to be 
 
 ajham'd,*) having prudently laid the firft Foun- 
 
 Mm 2 d at ion 
 
274 
 
 OfAbflaining in general 
 
 daticnof hisDifcourfe in the former Chapter, 
 co wit, the Holy Spirit of God efficicioufly work- 
 ing by his word; And having erected thereupon 
 the three grand Pillars of Chrifiianity, Faith, 
 Hope, and Charity; does ftraight proceed in 
 this Chapter to fliperftruft on thofe Pillars by I 
 way of general Exhortation. Which though 
 particularly dire&ed unto the Chriflians of the 
 Vifperfion in feveral Provinces of Afia, yet 'twas 
 equally intended^ and is as applicable to Vs too, 
 on whom theznds of the Woridare come. Now 
 his general Exhortation is briefly This. Firft 
 of all, that we lay afide all kind of Malice, and 
 Hypocrifie ; and the malignity of the Tongue. 
 (v. I.) Secondly, That as Infants do luck 
 the nourithment of their Bodies from the fame 
 Mother's Breafi from whom they had newly re- 
 ceived their Being ; fo alfo We, being regenerate 
 by the good word of God, and thereby re- 
 puted as new-born Babes, fliould from the fame 
 word of God, fuck out a nourifhment for our 
 Souls, and thereby grow unto perfection. (v,2.) 
 This word as he calls by the name of milk, To he 
 commends it ro our Palais, zsfweet, and while- 
 fom, (v. 3.) After which he goes on with his 
 Exhortation, but fieps afide from his Metaphor, 
 and addrefieth himfeli" to a new fcherne oi Rhe- 
 
 iorick* 
 
from Flejhly Lufis. 
 
 275 
 
 torick* Calling Cbrifia Living-Stone, Qv.<\.) 
 and the Members ofChnfi a Spiritual Houfe, (v. 
 5.) and proving Both out of Efa, (v. 6.) Next 
 he (hews the oppofition betwixt the Obedient, and 
 the Rebellious ; reprefentrng /<?/«$. Chrifl as a 
 fupport unto the former, but to the /^^r a J/otfe 
 0/ /tumbling, and a £0^ 0/ fence. ( v. 7, 8. ) 
 Then, having faid how God had taken us from 
 out the men of this world, and made us a chofen 
 generation, a royal Priejlbood, an holy Nation, 
 a peculiar People, a People called out ofdarkpejl, 
 into his marvellous light, ( v.9,1 o. ) He here 
 proceeds to exhort us, with fomewhat a greater 
 degree of warmth , that we behave our felves 
 fuitably to our Vocation. 
 
 Dearly beloved, I befeech you, as Strangers, 
 and Pilgrims, abjlain, &c. 
 
 § 2. A very pertinent Exhortation to all the 
 Duties of the Lent; to Chriftian Purity, and 
 Stri&nefs, and to Abftinence from Enormities 
 of every kind. Abjlain from Flefhly Lufis , 
 that is, (as S. Paul does explain S. Peter,) from 
 Rioting and Drunkennefs, from Chambering 
 and Wantonnefs, from Strife and Envy, from 
 Malcontentednefs and Sedition, from Revenge - 
 fulnefs and Rebellion, from Schifm and HLerefie. 
 For that The(e are all equally the Lufis of the 
 
 Mm 3 FleJJj, 
 
2l6 
 
 Of Abjiaining in general 
 
 ira.33.14. 
 
 Flefb.or the Fleflrty Lujis,\ (hall neceflarily (hew 
 in the proper Places of my Difcourfe. The Ex- 
 hortation (taken in grofs) does confift of two 
 Parts. The material part of it is exprefs'd in 
 thefe words, [ Abftain from Flefhlj Lufis, and 
 have your Converfation honeft,'] The formal 
 part of it in thefe , \ Dearly beloved, I befeech 
 you. ] Thus we fee the Exhortation is uther'd 
 in with an Intreaty, and This with fuch a Com- 
 pilation , as (hews an Earneflnefl of Affeftion 
 in him tllfct fpeaks. His Exhortation is fo im- 
 portant, fo perfwafive his Intreaty, and fo mtl- 
 tingly obliging his Compellation, that hardly any 
 thing can be added to give an energy or weight 
 to S. Peter's Preaching. Though he defires no 
 more of them, than to have mercy upon them- 
 felves, yet he begs for it as heartily, as if he 
 were begging for his Life. Dearly beloved, 1 
 befeech you, I come unto you as a Petitioner, that 
 ye will not be fo tranfported out of your Inter eft 
 and your Wits, as madly to ruin your felves for 
 ever. I make it my humble Supplication, that 
 ye will rather live happy to all Eternity. If there 
 is any thing in the World with which you are 
 willing to oblige me, do not wilfully run upon 
 Swords and Halberts ; Seek not to dwell with 
 devouring Fire ; Be not lo foolifh as to catch at 
 
 ever- 
 
from Flcjhly Lufls. f 277 
 
 everlafiwg Burnings ; But be of an honeji Con- 
 vention, and abjiain from Flefhly Lufts which 
 war againft the SouL 
 
 Thus S. Peters Exhortation is very Affectio- 
 nate and Earneft. And taking our felves to be the 
 Perfons to whom the Exhortative does belong, 
 We have it infbrced upon our hearts by Five 
 ftrong Arguments or Motives. All the worthier 
 of our Attention, becaufe arifingout of the Text. 
 
 The Fir ft Argument is taken from the Condi- 
 tion of the Perfons, to whom the earnefi Exhor- 
 tation is here dire&ed. We are Citizens of 
 Heaven, and but Strangers upon Earth, and 
 therefore we mud live as becometb Strangers. 
 Nor are we Strangers onely, but Pilgrims. Not 
 onely **&**** out of our own Gountry , but 
 withall ^S7n<$ty^/, that is, Travellers in a 
 ftrange one. For this I take to be the diffe- 
 rence between thefe Two, m^ks* Strangers, 
 and 7mpvmMfitx; 9 pilgrims , That though they 
 are Both out of their Country, yet the former 
 have an Aboad, but the later none. Thofe have 
 fome kind of Reft, but Thefe are always in a 
 Journy. Thofe inhabit a foreign Country, 
 whilft Thefe are onely faffing through it. And 
 feeing this is our Condition, that we relate to 
 this World, not as Strangers onely, but Paffen- 
 
 gers, 
 
2JS 
 
 Of Abftaimng in general 
 
 gers? Men whofe Houfes are bur as Inns, and 
 whole Lift is but a Pilgrimage, it concerns us 
 to walk.** becometh Pilgrims ; that is> to ma- 
 nage our Converfadon with fo much waring 
 and fear, as not to lie open to jufi Reproof. 
 
 The Second Argument is taken from the Qua* 
 lity of the Things, in opposition to which our 
 Apoftle's Exhortation is here contriv'd. Thefe 
 are m&v&i %Jn$vfM*,i y gjch Fkfhly Lujls, as are 
 very pleafant Flatterers, but no true Friends. 
 For though they are fawning upon die Flefh, 
 yetxheyare not at all the left, but the greater 
 Enemies to the Spirit. And how defirabh foever 
 they may appear unto the Body, yet <?&ltAjqv2) 
 xara <£ 4°)fe* they are implacably , though in- 
 vifibly, ever warring againft the Soul. 
 
 The Third Argument is taken from the Con- 
 sideration of our Credit^ with the Enemies of 
 Chrifi amongft whom we live. Our Conver- 
 fation is to be honeft, & to* fSviaiv, j/z^^ jj&e 
 Gentiles. And that for this reafon, ""* ^ **™- 
 Aa?u2<n, That however they do malicioufly, they 
 may not defervedly fpeak againft us. Where-. 
 as in cafe we live difhonejily, and indulgently to 
 our Lufls, we (hall help them to excufe, if 
 not to jufiifie their Malignities againft our Per- 
 fons, and our Profeffion ; And they will have 
 
 zjuft 
 
from Flejhly Lujl. 
 
 \ 279 
 
 a jufi ground whereupon *to defame us as Evil- 
 Doers. 
 
 The Fourth Argument is taken from the Con- 
 sideration of our Enemies Welfare ; To wit, 
 their prefent Converfion, and future Safety. In 
 whofe fight if we converfe as becometh Cbrtffs 
 Servants, by our abftainingfrom Flefbfy Lufls, 
 and having an honefl Conversion , imxfdjma 
 faich the Text, They then will look upon u* with 
 reverence, and judge of our Principles by our' 
 good Works* We (hall not onely flop their 
 Mouths, but weaken the violence of their Hinds, 
 and help to mollifie their Hearts, and become 
 happily infirumental to the fahation of their 
 Souls. 
 
 The Fifth Argument is taken from the Glory 
 of Godand its great Advancement. We mutt 
 indeavour fo to live, as to adorn the Dottrine 
 ofjefm C hrift. Our Con verfation muft be fuch, 
 as becomes the Gofpel. Our way of Walking 
 muft be exemplary, and our Behaviour muft be 
 exaft) that Cbrifi's Religion being credited, his 
 Kingdom alio may be inlarged, whilft by the 
 Alleftive of our Example men will be bwz from 
 ffo/V corruptions, and fliew forth the Praifes of 
 our God, 1PJ&0 hath called m out of darkflejl into 
 h'ps marvellous light. And this, as 'cis the At/2, 
 
 Nn fo 
 
a8o 
 
 OfAhJiaining in general 
 
 fo 'tis the beji and chiefefi Argument for our 
 punctual abjtainwgfrom Flefhly Lufis, and ha. 
 ving an honefi Converfat'wn, **« SbgaL^w r 3r\ 
 That Me/i ( by feeing our good works ) may 
 not glorifie Vs, but ^fsW £ Sw, ^^ glorifie 
 God in the Day ofViJitation. 
 
 §3. Thefe are all S. Peer's Arguments. Nor 
 have i ftept either beyond or betide the Text for 
 the finding of them. And for the preiling of 
 the Duty He here injoyns , never were there 
 more or better Arguments in the world, by any 
 Pen-man concriv'd into fewer Words. Before 
 I infift upon any Argument whereby to inforce 
 the Exhortation, 1 muft firft of all explain the 
 Exhortation it [elf, Firfl: obferving the impor- 
 tance of FkflAyLufis, and then what is meant 
 by abjiaining from them. 
 
 In order to the Firft, two Things are to be 
 known. How w T e ought to underftand the mo- 
 ra! u& of the word tUfti, (eipecially as it is 
 taken in Several parts of the New TeftamentJ 
 and what is meant by the Lujiings of it. 
 
 By the word Flefh in the New Tellament is 
 very commonly meant the Appetite. This is 
 the ieat of our Affeftions, the lubjeS matter of 
 Vict and Virtue. Our Affettions are ever con- 1 
 verfant in purfuing , or {[chewing, in iripying, 
 
 or 
 
from Flefhly Lufls. 
 
 281 
 
 or in furring their feveral ObjeSs. Their Ob- 
 jefts in the general are GW, or Evil. And 
 both are confider'd in Themfelves, or in relation 
 to the Circumftances wherewith they happen to 
 be death' d. Good confider'd in it /elf is at 
 once both the Objett and Caufe of Love. But 
 in relation to its Ctnumfiances, it is produflive 
 of other Pa/ions. For, \f pre/ent, it caufeth 
 Joy ; and if tf6/e/2t, it breeds Defire. Again, 
 the Good which is Abfent is either attainable, or 
 it is not. If the former, it caufeth //^ ; and 
 if the later \ it breeds Dtffair. In like manner 
 j/z evilObjeQ is to be taken in its abfolute, or 
 in its relative Confideration. In the former 
 'tis productive of fimple Hatred ; but in the 
 later it produceth either Sorrow, or Averfation. 
 TheFirft, if it is prefent ; and if abfent, then 
 the Second. Again, the ez/i/ that \s abfent is 
 either avoidable, or it is /wf . If the former, k 
 caufeth Boldnefl : but if the /dtfer, it caufeth 
 F^r. Thus we briefly fee the Rivulets of all 
 our Pafftons, or Affeftions, together with the 
 Fountain from whence they jfom. Now fo 
 many of our Affeflions as are reducible to Uefire, 
 may be called not improperly our feveral Lufls. 
 Things fo necejfary, and natural, and indiffe- 
 rent \n themfelves, that being abftr actively, and 
 
 Nn 2 precifely, 
 
28 7 
 
 * See Deut. 
 14.26. com- 
 pared with 
 Deur.12.15, 
 
 20,21. 
 
 •1 Cor.6.ic. 
 
 OfAbflaining in general 
 
 precifely, and antecedently confider'd, they are 
 equally in an aptitude of becoming both the 
 matter oi' Vice, and Virtue. But when extra- 
 vagant, as to the Object, or exorbitant, as to the 
 Meafure; Then they are, and are juftly call'd, 
 either the Lufts of the FUJI) , or the Flefhly 
 Lufis. 
 
 §4. Now 'tis obfervable in the Scriptures 
 both of" the Old and New Teftament, that Luji 
 is many times Synonymous both with Avarice, 
 and Pefire, The Greek '6foSvfJwv 9 and the La- 
 tin concupfcere, does equally Signifie them all. 
 And thence it is that all Three have been*^n?- 
 mifcuoufly us'd in our Englijh Bibles. For there 
 we meet as well with lawfully as with unlaw full 
 Lufis ; and as well with a good, as an evil 
 Avarice \ (and with Both as they are taken in 
 the innocent fenfe of our Defires ; ) Nay, there 
 we meet with foch a Lufiing, as isnotonely 
 lawfully but alfo eminently good. We have an 
 Example of the/r/?, Deut. 12.15. Thou, mayejl 
 kill and eat Flefh in all thy Gates, whatfoever 
 thy Soul lufitth after-, that is, whatever it de- 
 fircth, or hath an Appetite unto. We have an 
 ■Inftance of the fecond^ in the Firft Epiftle to 
 the Corinthians', where though 'tis faid, that no 
 'Covetous fhall ever inherit the Kingdom of Ggd, 
 
 yet 
 
from Flejhly Lufls. 
 
 289 
 
 yet there are things which we mud Covet, and 
 Covet ear neflly, faith the Apoftle, 1C0r.12.31. 
 We have a Specimen of the Third too, GaL 5.17. 
 Whereas the F/eJJj lufieth again fl the Spirit, [0 
 doth the Spirit againjt the Flefh. And this does j 
 Ihew us what is meant by the Law in the Mem- 
 bers, and the Law in the Mind, which are faid 
 to be, warring, that is, to be Lufiing againt 
 each other, Rom.y.2^. the lad of which is as 
 good, as the fir ft is evil. 
 
 § 5. But here wemuftnpt impofe -that ob- 
 vious Fallacy on ourfelves, which is, a bene 
 divifis ad mall conjunfla. For though fSe 
 Flefl), and- the- Lufls, being in Senfu divifo , 
 have both their innocent Significations, yet in 
 Senfu compofito, they ever fignifie" what is [in- 
 full. Nor onely the Breaches, of any one, but 
 ofi fever al Precepts in die Decalogue. For in 
 theEpiftleto the Galatians, not Adultery one- 
 ly, but Murthers, not Fornication onely, but 
 Witchcraft, Idolatry, Seditions, Rerefies , are 
 reckon'd up by S. Paul amongft the workj of the 
 Flefh, and that in perted oppofition to the 
 Fruits of the Spirit. Nor is it onely laid (in 
 the laft Precept of the Decalogue,) Thou fbalt 
 n t covet thy Neighbour's Wife, But not his Hntfe, 
 not his Servant, noth'x Oxe, not his Afl, no nor 
 
 Nn 3 any 
 
 1 cor.14.39. 
 
284 
 
 Of Abflaining in general 
 
 any thing elfe that is thy Neighbours. So that 
 all evilCovetings are Fkjbly Lufis, in refpeft 
 of the Principle from which they come, though 
 not always of the Objett towards which they 
 tend. Though in regard unto the later, they 
 are not all Luftings after the Flelh, yet in re- 
 gard unto the former, they all are Luftings of 
 the Flefh , or owjmol ^3ty4w, Flejhly Lufis. 
 'Twas fucha Luft of Curofity, joyn'd with ano- 
 ther of Ambition, which made Eve eat of forbid- 
 den fruit. Twas fuch a Flefhly Luft of Envy, 
 which made Cain murther his Brother Abel. 
 'Twas fuch a Flefhly Luft of Avarice, which 
 made an Acban lay hold of the golden Wedge. 
 Nor was it lefs a Flefhly Lufi which moved Ab- 
 folon to compafs his Father's Kingdom , than 
 That by which he defiled his Fathers Corieu* 
 bines. 
 
 § 6. Now from all thefe Flefhly Lufis we are 
 exhorted to abflain, as may appear by their An- 
 titbefis to fuch a Chriftian Converfation, as is 
 not onely to be chafl , but univerfally honeft 
 among the Gentiles. And yet from thofe in 
 (pecial manner are we exhorted to abflain, 
 which are peculiarly compriz'd in the [event h 
 Precept of the Decalogue, and are expreffed 
 by the name of lafciviout Lufis , 1 Pet. 4. 3. 
 
 For 
 
from Flejhly Lujis. 
 
 2 8 5 
 
 For thofe were chiefly the Flefoly Lufts of the I 
 Gnojlickfi fr° m whofe unclean courfe oF life 
 the Jemjh Chrifiians of the Differ fion were herr 
 dehorted. And fo they fignifie with S.John^ 
 when he reduces ail the Army of our Spiritual 
 Warriers to Three Brigades, and makes an emi- 
 nent Diftin&ion of the Lufi of the Flefb, both 
 from the Luft of the Eye , and the P ride oj 
 Life. 
 
 § 7. But what kind of Abftimnce is here in- 
 tended ? not fuch a complete and total Abfti- 
 nence , as is from all kinds of Lufling with- 
 out exception. For This may feem as vain a 
 Task, as to Abfiain from being Men ; fince 'tis 
 evident from the Confejfions both of Saxony, and 
 Helvetia, as alfo from the 9th. of our 39 Ar- 
 ticles , That Concupifcence remains in the moft 
 regenerate. To which implicit Objection, I 
 anfwer Thus. That though the Precept for 
 abfiaining does refer both to the Objttt and Aft 
 of Lulling, yet it is with this Difference, that 
 we mull totally abftain from the things Lufied 
 after, and a* much cvs in ut lies from the Lufi 
 itfelf For if we cannot prevent a Luft from 
 ever enuring into the heart , yet we can and 
 mufi keep it from breaking forth into our Ac- 
 tions, and from the Prefence of the Tempt at iw 
 
 which 
 
 1 Joh 
 
 Gal.5. 
 
 2.16. 
 ■3- 
 
1 a86 
 
 Of Ab ft dining in general 
 
 Rom. 13.14. 
 Cal.5.16. 
 
 which leads to Both. Many pretend to Difabi- 
 lities to which they have not a real Title. It 
 clearly lies in our power, to make a Covenant 
 with ouf Eyes ; to fet a Watch over our Ears ; 
 to keep the Door of our Lips ; to thruft Impedi- 
 ments in the way betv/ixt Us and Danger ; and 
 by the help of God's Grace, (which is not 
 wanting unto any who are nou wanting unto It,) 
 it alfo lies in our Power to keep a Guard about 
 our Hearts ; to put a Bridle upon our Wills ; 
 and give a check to the Cariere of wild Affec- 
 tions. So that if I may paraphrafe S. Peter's 
 Exhortation, it will in the whole amount to 
 This : Dearly beloved, I befeech you, as ar- 
 rant Foreigners and Exoticks on this fide Hea- 
 ven, that ye religioufly abfiain from forbidden 
 Objefls in the general , and efpecially from 
 Thofe which wemoft Treacherous to the Flejb. 
 Give not any fatisfattion to carnal motions , 
 and be not any whit indulgent to loofe Defires. 
 Make no provision for the Flejh, to fulfill the 
 Lufis thereof. But keep it rather from Incen- 
 tives, and try toftarvek. As it wars againft, 
 you, fodo jew againft /*. Befiege it clofely on 
 every fide ; B lockup all its Avenues ; Intercept 
 its Provifions by Prayer and Fa fling. Reduce 
 the Flefi to fuch an Exigence for want of Vic- 
 tuals 
 
from Flejhly Luftf. 
 
 287 
 
 tuals znd Ammunition, as may effectually com- 
 pel it to make a Surrender unto the Spirit. Put 
 your felves with Reiblution into a moral Impofft- 
 bility of 'b?ing worfted. And in order there- 
 unto, Abftain not onely from the Food of your 
 Flelbly Lulls, but wit hall from the Borders and 
 Confines of it ; not onely from the y4// that may 
 caufe uncleannefs, but from all that may occa- 
 fion the things that caufe it. 
 
 <^ 8. For here 'tis worthy our observation, 
 ( in the management of our warfare againfl 
 thofe Enemies, which do often the more fuccefe* 
 fully, becaufe invifibly war againft us,) That 
 we are otherwife to encounter with the Tempta- 1 
 tionsofthe Irafcibk, than with the other more 
 infnaring ones of the concupifcible Faculty. The 
 onely way to quell the firjl, is indeed by Fight- 
 ing, but the way to beat thefecond, mud be by 
 Flight. The way to vanquish thofe Allure- 
 ments of Flejh and Blood, which are vulgarly 
 exprefs'd by the name of Beauties, is not bold- 
 ly to contend mth, but rather prudently to ab- 
 ftain fr om the Prefence of them. We commonly 
 reckon that a Garrifon is little lefs than half ta- 
 ken^ when it admits of any parley with its Be- 
 ficgers. To enter into a Treaty, is the Begin- 
 ning of a Surrender; and then with a greater 
 
 O o force 
 
288 
 
 Job 1.20. 
 
 OfAbfiaining in general 
 
 force of reafon. He chat approaches fo very 
 near , as to wreflle with the Temptations He 
 ought tofljj and entertains fo much commerce, 
 as to combat with themes like a very ftout Cham- 
 pion who falls to grapple with a man that is 
 arm J with Sickfiefi; I mean the Leprofie, or 
 the Plague, or other difeafes of Infection. Be- 
 caufe notwithftanding he throws the man far 
 enough, it will be hard to clear himfelf from 
 all contagion of his Difeafe. Many are led into 
 Captivity to the Law of Sin, by not diftinguifh- 
 ing as they ought, ( and as holy men of old 
 were wont to do, ) betwixt Temptations and 
 Temptations of feveral forts ; I mean the Tem- 
 ptations they ought to fight with, and the Tem- 
 ptations they ought to fly. To make it profita- 
 ble and plain, 1 wiil illuftrate what 1 fay, by 
 one or two Scriptural Examples. 
 
 §9. When nothing but the Patience of Job 
 was tempted, by the loft of his Eftate, and the 
 deflruttion of his Children, Tuncfurrexit, faith 
 the Text, Then Job arofe, rouz'd up himfelf 
 like a fturdy Lion ; and as it were girded him. 
 felfmthfirength. He was fo far from dr airing 
 back, from the face of Danger , that he aro/e, 
 and flood to it, and bravely baffled both the mt 
 and the Jirength of Satan. But when the fame 
 
 Job 
 
I 
 
 from Flefhly Lufis. 
 
 289 
 
 Job was tempted by the Allurements of the Flejfr, 
 Then he manifefted his valour , ( like Fabiu* 
 Maximal or the Parthians,) by taking the 
 Courage to ufe his Prudence. And he mani- 
 fefted his Prudence , by the timelinefi of his 
 Flight. He //W^ 4 Covenant with his Eyes, not 
 to look upon an O jjeft which might indanger him 
 by Delight. It was then his chief Wifedom, 
 when ( not his Conftancy, or his Patience, but) 
 his Chafiity was concern 'd, not to make trial of 
 his Mattery, in containing from a pleafant for- 
 bidden Objeft, but rather wholly to abftain from 
 the Prefence of it. The different way of incoun. 
 tring the different forts of Temptation, may be 
 colle&ed from the difference , wherewith the 
 Scripture doth dired: us to deal with the Devil, 
 and the Flejh. Refift the Devil,\s the Precept of 
 S. James ; but fly Fornication, is the Caveat of 
 S. Paul. For other Vices ( faith An/elm upon 
 that Caveat Co the Corinthians') are eafily con- 
 querable by Conflift, whereas This of Fornica- 
 cation is onely conquerable by Flight. Now 
 to fly Fornication, is not onely To be continent, 
 (which implies a kind of Combat, though 'tis 
 not folio w'd with confent ; a being fomewhar 
 affetted, although not drawn ; ) but 'tis totally 
 to abfiain from all commerce with the Tcmpta- 
 
 Oo 2 tion. 
 
 job.31.1. 
 
 Nunquam fu- 
 gatur, nifi 
 cum fugitur, 
 mquam mac- 
 tatur t nifi cum 
 maceratur, 
 &c, Efpen- 
 faeus de Con- 
 tin.Conjug. 
 /.6.C.11./J 
 p. 896. ad 
 
 Jam.4.7. 
 1 Cor.6.18. 
 Cum aliti vi- 
 twpoteftex. 
 pefiari con- 
 flitlw ; h<gc 
 ant em fug} en- 
 da eft, quia 
 aliter vinci 
 non poteft. 
 Anfclmus in 
 iCor.6.18. 
 — K«i ,wfy) 
 
 t*n Heft £5 
 
 }0V>lJ\' 01 OS 
 YlA\J{ tfMot 
 
 Ariftot.Eth. 
 /.7.CC. 
 
29 
 
 OfAbftaining in general 
 
 cioru Tis to defeat it in fuch a manner, as 
 King Edward the Sixth, and the moft excellent 
 Bifbop Wainflet are {aid by Bud Jen to have *&- 
 feated the Armed Rebells under /^ CW*, -vel 
 non pugnando ; by not fighting with them at all, 
 butonely by praying againft their Wickednefs. 
 The total abjiinence 1 fpeak of, is not onely from 
 the Objects of Flefhly Luft, but from the Vicini- 
 ties^znd the occafeons,yea from all the very memo- 
 ries and mentions, of them. For fo Aquino* and 
 Cajetan do expound S.FauVs Caveat, iCor.6. 1 8. 
 §io. It follows then that we are likelier 
 to be fecure from fuch dangers by timely flight, 
 than to beat them quite down by a flout Re- 
 finance. And though the later muft be imploy 'd 
 when we are a&ually ingag'd, yet to antici- 
 pate fuch ingagements, it will be our bed me- 
 thod to ufe the former. For how much fafer 
 'tis to fly, than to inccunter fuch Allurements, 
 (though incounter them we muft, when wz can- 
 not fiy them,) we may iliuftrate by the exam- 
 ples of Jofeph, and Sampfon, who were as ua- 
 riouA in their Behaviours , as they were diffe- 
 rent in their Sucafi. Jofeph fed from his Mifirifl 
 by whom he was eempted day by djy. He was 
 fofar from difecurfing about the matter in de- 
 
 cker* vttia 
 vincuntur re- 
 fiftendo, fad 
 Forntcath 
 
 fugiendo.ie* 
 
 totaliter it- 
 
 tan do togi- 
 
 taiicnes im- 
 
 mundiU, £r 
 
 quaflibet oc- 
 
 cajiones. 
 
 Aquinas in 
 
 i Cor.6.i8. 
 
 in eundem 
 
 [enf'Am Ca- 
 
 jeunus ibid, 
 
 v. CafTian. 
 
 Collat./.ip. 
 
 §. \6. 
 
 PuiU& vel 
 
 Chriflo refer- 
 
 vat£ atnore 
 
 captw eft, 
 
 &fauciatM 
 
 MagnM We 
 
 Cyprianus. 
 
 Vnde 7 . & 
 
 quomodo ? 
 
 tangunt ocu- 
 
 lorttm faces 
 
 etiam intan> 
 
 gibilia. Nee 
 
 folum captu* 
 
 eft,fed&fol- 
 
 licitavit — 
 
 Liberatida de 
 
 loeii pericn. 
 
 lofs $**&* 
 
 tie inter Sec- 
 
 pubs franga- 
 
 tur. Ernenda 
 
 velociter de 
 
 ituendioSar- 
 
 cina, prinf' 
 
 quam flam- 
 
 wk fnpervfr 
 
 nientibui con- 
 
 eremetur, Kemodiututut, Periculo Proximal. 
 
 Etyerifous liti fupra pag. 90c. 
 
 fign. 
 
from Flejhly Lufts. 
 
 291 
 
 fign, as that he would not be with her, but fprang 
 from her pretence, and got him out. Gen. 39. io. 
 j 2. Whereas Samp/on (on the contrary) was 
 no (boner come to Ga?^, than he [aw there an j 
 Harlot ; nor did heonely See but he went unto 
 her. (Judg.\6.\*) Again, nofooner was he 
 come to the Valley xifSorecki where he adven- 
 tur'd toconverfe with another Woman, ( v. 4.} 
 but one of the next Things we read of, is Hk 
 telling her all his heart, (v.17. ) And the 
 very next to That, is His fleeping upon her knees. 
 (v. 19) And the confequent of This, the lofi 
 of hi* Libaty, and his Eyes. ( v.2i.) It was 
 not then without reafon, That fo great and good 
 a Prophet as the Prophet Elijah, who had fo 
 bravely * withflood King Ahab , did quickly 
 after * fly away from the Face of Jezebel. And 
 chat Abimelech fhould have jW at the fight of 
 Sarah, is very evident even from hence, That 
 nofoonerh:dhe?j^her, than he was fain to 
 put her away. (Gra.ao.3.7.) Nor did he part 
 onelywith Her, but with a thoufand pieces of 
 Silver, (v.i6'.) And that in velamen Oculo- 
 rum, for a Covering of the Eyes. And that not 
 onely unto Her, but to all chat hereafter fhould 
 look, upon her , as Gerundenfis , and Hamerws 
 explain the Text. Qr ( in the Glojl of Tertul- 
 
 Oo 3 lian^ 
 
 * 1 King.18, 
 
 1 8. 
 
 a Chap. 19. 
 
 K Munfte- 
 rum in Lo- 
 cum & Cor- 
 nclinm a La 
 pidc. 
 
mjmM - l — -,m . ' ' ----- 
 
 292 | Of Abft aining in general 
 
 Hand for the buying of veils enough, wherewith 
 to cover both her own and her Maideris Beauty ; 
 and this to the end they might not eafily either 
 See, or be Seen by the other Sex. 
 
 § 11. But I have largely enough explained 
 the moral ufe of the word Flejb , and what is 
 meant by the Lufiings of "it, and what it is to 
 Abstain from all Thefe, as well according to 
 the Objeft as Aft ofLufting, and as well in a 
 divided 'as compound Senk. Befides that in ib 
 fpacious a Field of matter, and fo fruicfull of 
 meditation, as That I am entring now upon, 
 there will be need of fome Care that none be fur- 
 feited even with Abftinence. For though an 
 Abftinence ( not from Fleflh, but) fromFlefh- 
 ly Lufts, is both the Bejt, and the mod whole- 
 fom, and the mod fuitable to the Sea/on in its 
 primitive Vfe, and (where the Guefts are all 
 Chriftian ) the mod deferable Entertainment to 
 be imagined, yet a Satiety of the bejl things is 
 apt to become the worft Satiety in the world. 
 And therefore rather than exceed the Time 
 allow M for This Service, I will begin and end 
 too with That one Argument, or Motive, which 
 here is taken from the Nature, and perpetual 
 Employment of Flefhly Lufts ; which are not 
 onely no Friends, buc mod Implacable Enemies ; 
 
 nor 
 
from Flejhly Lufis. 
 
 293 
 
 nor onely Enemies to our temporal, buc eter- 
 nal Intereft. 
 
 §12. It is not onely here faid, ott ^Oj 
 that they fight, which may imply nothing more 
 than a Single Battle ; but $^*4/oi£), they war, 
 which imports a continued State of fighting. So 
 far from being capable of a firm and folid 
 Peace, that they allow us not a Truce, or time 
 to breath in. Nor do they terminate their ma- 
 lice upon the Body, ( for then we needed no 
 more to tear them than Armed Enemies from 
 without,*) but (which is nearer and dearer to 
 us ) e&x&tw?) * a7z * ^ 4v$h they ever war a- 
 gainji the Soul too, 
 
 § 13. Thus the life of a Chriftian, as 'tis a 
 Pilgrimage of the Bo^ from Earth to Earth, 
 ( for Dufi thou art, and unto Duflfialt thou re- 
 turn, faidGod to Adam,) and a Pilgrimage of 
 the 5W from Heaven to Heaven ; ( for the Spi- 
 rit Jball return to God that gave it, faith the 
 Royal Ecclefiafles ; ) io as truly is it a warfare 
 of Soul and Body in conjun&ion, whereof That 
 fights for Heaven, and This for Hell ; The for- 
 mer under God's Banner, and the later under 
 the Devil's. The Flefh, and the Spirit are fo 
 unequally match' d, that however nearly wedded, 
 they are inceflantly falling out. Each may 
 
 fay 
 
 Militia ejl 
 vita homink 
 fuper Ter> 
 ram.]ob'],i» 
 
Q94 
 
 Of Abjlaining in general 
 
 Rom.7.23. 
 
 *Gal.$.i7. 
 
 * a Sam. 3. 
 27. 
 
 fay unco the other, nee poffum vivere cum te, 
 nee fine te. For however unwilling they are to 
 part j they are feldorn or never at Agreement v 
 There is a Ltfjp z/z *Z?e members fo continually 
 warring againfi the Law of the mind, that the 
 F/e/Z> tt ill /a/toA againjl the Spirit, and tftg Spi- 
 rit againfi the Flefh. And thefe are * contrary 
 the one to the other. Now 'tis the nature ftill 
 of Contraries , very earneftly to indeavour a 
 mutual overthrow. And they muft Both be 
 well beaten, brought down, and refratted, ere! 
 they can peaceably cohabit under one and the 
 fame Roof. Which kind of Peace may be effec- 
 ted betwixt another fort of Contraries , ( for 
 Heat and Cold may agree together in a Lukt- 
 warmnefi, white and: blackmmixt Colours, Day 
 and Night in a Crepufculum, however Thefe two 
 Iaft are but privatively oppos'd ; ) but in this 
 moral Contrariety 'cwixt the Spirit and the 
 Flefb, it never can be ; the reafon is, becaufe 
 when the Spirt is mod indulgently at Peace with 
 the Flefb, the Flefh is then the moft danger om 
 and fatal Enemy to the Spirit. Exa&Iy fuch 
 an Enemy, as Joab was to Abner, when he took 
 him afide, and flew him ^peaceably. Or as the 
 very hmtjoab to Captain Amafa, when he fa- 
 luted him as a Brother, inquir'd after his health 
 
 as 
 
from Flefhly Lufl, 
 
 295 
 
 as a kind Phyficun, oier'd Co kjfi him as a Dear 
 Friend, that (b he might civilly ind fweetly 
 fmite him under the fifth Rib. Or as the two 
 Suns of Rimmon to Righteous IJhbofheth, when 
 making at if they would fetch fome Wheat, they 
 kiird him y/y//£ in hh own Houje, and quietly 
 refiing upon hi* Bed. Or as Judeth to Olofernes, 
 when Ihe^^sVhimintoDelhuaion, and ma- 
 licioufly made him in love with her Con verfa- 
 tion ; when (he ravifh'd him with her B c duty, 
 that (he might hjll him with the fruit of his 
 kindneil to her ; ftole his Heart whilft he was 
 waking, that whilft he/lept (he might take his 
 ffaf</ too. And exa&ly /#o& an Enemy is the 
 Flejb unto the Spirit, when the £/>/>/* gives no 
 difiurbance, but dwells in quittnefl with the 
 F/e/J. For then the Z,j*/2* of the Flejh do 
 give the Spirit fuch wounds as it f£ft/20t /ee/. 
 Wounds indued with fuch a numming, Nar co- 
 tick Quality, as hurts the Spirit without offenfe, 
 and by killing it very plea/ant ly, fends ic j^/z- 
 //£/y to Hell. Nor are any whit the left, but 
 the more certainly deftroy'd , for being laid 
 into a deep by an over-great Dofe of Opium. 
 Hence thofe ™>&pn 9 A6&mi 9 invifibleWars, and 
 indifcernablc Infurre&izns, from which the an- 
 tient Greek Liturgies were wont to pray for a 
 
 P p Ceffa- 
 
 2 Sam. 20. 
 9,10. 
 
 Chap,^,v.6, 
 II. 
 
 Judeth 12. 
 a.13.8. 
 
 
2$6 
 
 OfAbflaining in general 
 
 Mic.7.6. 
 
 Ceflation. For when the Soul is \o degemrate 
 as even to do at upon the£Wy, Then does the 
 Body with mod advantage wfenfihlj war againft 
 the Soul. The treacherous tufts of the ?/(/&, 
 (like the treacherous Affaflinates of Otofetnts 
 and IJhbcJhetby) aflauk the ijE^rii i« if* mn 
 Houfe r and ( which is the worft of all Supes- 
 cheric) as they find it faft i^frjp in the Bedci 
 Carnal Security. Nor is ic oaely not awak!dhy 
 the B/o»s they give it, but it rather Jleeps the 
 fajier for beingy?/7/c^> ( juft as if it were ftruck 
 by the Rod of Hermes.) That when at iaft it 
 (hall awake,, either in This, or another World, 
 it may not be to efcape, but to fee its Ruin. 
 
 § 14, So that the War I now fpeak o£ is 
 more than Ciztf/ or DomeJUeh For *fo/* we 
 war againft others^ but /?ere, againft our own 
 [elves, h Man* s Enemies (faith the Prophet) 
 are tbofe of hk awn Houfe. And indeed the 
 greatefi Enemies, excepting thofe of his own 
 Heart. This efpecially being the Fields where- 
 in the Lufls of the Flefb do ftWMncamp againft 
 the Spirit , and give it Battle ; and ftrive to 
 bring it into Captivity to the Law of Sin. And 
 becaufe the whole Man does confift of thefe two, 
 Flefb and Spirit , Eodj and Soul, matter and 
 form, as e(fential Parts of his Cornpofition, it 
 
 cannot 
 
from Flejhly Lufls, 
 
 97 
 
 cannot but follow that we our /elves arc incef- 
 fantly warring againft our/elves. To wic, our 
 felves, as we are Animals, againft our fdves, as 
 we are Men. Our felves, as we are Mm, againft: 
 our felves, as we are Chrifiiuns, Our felves, 
 as we are Carnal, againft our felves, as we are 
 Spiritual. Again it follows, that we our felves 
 are the greateji Enemies Co our felves, becaufe 
 we arm our vile Members againft our Mind. 
 ( For what our Englith Tranflation does call 
 the Infiruments, is in S. Paul's own language, 
 the Armour ofvnrightewfnefi. ) And by the 
 help of this Armour, we Arm our bafe Appe- 
 tins againft our Wills ; and our brutifh Affec- 
 tions againft our Reafons. We ufe our felves 
 as unmercifully, as Samfon's Enemies did Him. 
 We drive to pluck out our inward Eyes, and to 
 deliver our felves bound to Sin, and Satan, We 
 fide with the old mm againft the new ; Abet the 
 outward 'man in us againft the inward; are fuch 
 Enemies to our felves, as to defpoil our felves of 
 Grace, whereby (as much as in us lies, and 
 wichout Repentance,) we make our felves inca- 
 pable of blifi and Glory. 
 
 § 15. But when I fpeak of a War between the 
 Flefb and the Spirit, I do not mean onely the 
 vifible and gr ofi bodj of Flejb, which of it felf 
 
 Pp 2 is 
 
 *Oafc* 
 
 tf)/U3L<. 
 
 Rom.6, 
 
 c7). 
 15. 
 
298 
 
 Of Abstaining in gmtral 
 
 Jam. 1. 14. 
 
 is but pa/five , and cannot fight. No 'tis the 
 animated Flefh , the Flefh that is capable of 
 Lufting; It is a flefihlinefs of Spirit, and a car- 
 nality otReafn, which is arm'dmth a Wifedom 
 fetched up from Hell, and (lands in hoftile op- 
 pofition to that which cometh down from Hea- 
 ven, /^7z2 3. i4 ? i 5-> l6 - And accordingly when ■ 
 God had upbraided Ifrael, with their being a 
 foeliftj and fottifh People, andvoidofaU under- 
 ftanding, he gave the reafonofitin this, That 
 they wire wife to do evil. (7^-4-^ 2 -) Obferve 
 the pithy Brevity of That Expreffion, Becaufe 
 they were Wife, they were therefore Foolifb. 
 Their Wifedom did not onely confift with Folly, 
 but in That/>/t of Wifedom their Folly and Sot- 
 tifhnefs did confift. This is that Wifedom of the 
 Flefh, which cxalteth it felf againft the Know- 
 ledge of God. 2 Cor. 10.5. It, is an Earthy, 
 Senfual, Devilifh wifdom , as God Himfelf by 
 his Apoftle is pleas'd to call it. And 'tis with 
 very great reafon he calls it Devilifh ; becaufe 
 the £f//2 of the Fleft, which is its Wifedom, is a 
 direct Devil within ut ; as having a faculty to 
 intice ut, and to draw m quite away from fight- 
 ing under Chrift's Banner. Therefore 'tis that 
 Lufi and Satan have the very fame Chara&er in 
 holy Scripture. A man is tempted ( faith 
 
 S.James) 
 
from FJejhly Lufls. 
 
 99 
 
 \Rom.8.7« 
 
 S. fames ) when drawn away of hi* own Luft and 
 
 inticed. Mere than which cannot be Q id of "the 
 
 Devil bl-rfelf; who cannot drive us by force in- 
 
 toanySin, but onely draw us by Flattery, or 
 
 morally drive us by panick Fears. Now thfe 
 
 very fame Warrier, which fometimes is call'd 
 
 by the name of Fleff), is elfewhere termed the 
 
 carnal Mind \ which is as much as to fay, the 
 
 flefhly Spirit. The carnal Mind (faith S. Paul) 
 
 is enmity againfi God, for it is not fubjeft to his 
 
 Law, nor indeed can it be. It is (b naturally a 
 
 Rebel, that it can never be any other> fo long 
 
 as it remaineth a carnal Mind. A very natural 
 
 thing it is for the Son of the Bond-woman, even 
 
 in Abraham's own boufe, to hate and perfecutc 
 
 the Son of the free. And even in Abraham's 
 
 ownPerfon, it was as natural for the F lejh to 
 
 j war againft the Spirit. Efau kick'd againfi 
 
 j Jacob r whilft both were yet in their Mother's 
 
 ; Womb. And even Jacob bimfelf, although as 
 
 peaceable as he wasplain, had yet a Law in his 
 
 ■ Members, as ic were lifting up the heel againft 
 
 ', the Law in his Mind. The befi of Men are but 
 
 \Men, t and therefore at their befi will ftillbefub- 
 
 jjeft to Corruption. Some Canaanites will be 
 
 I lefc in the holiefi Land. S. Paul himfelf had 
 
 fears and fightings, as well within as without. 
 
 Pp 3 And 
 
3 
 
 oo 
 
 l 
 
 OfAbJiaimng in general 
 
 And notwithftanding his Abundance, as well 
 of Grace, as of Revel at ions, he had x a thorn in 
 the Flefh, which did exceedingly tfrrifie and 
 wound his Spirit . Nor was David more afflic- 
 ted by envious SW, than Jiis inward man was 
 ve*ed by the hoftilkies of the outward. When 
 our Spirits are mvfi mlkng to do die will of our 
 Lord, we are forced to complain thac our Flefh 
 is weak ; and in that very weaknefi does one of 
 its cUtftfifiungths lie. Even then when we can] 
 fay, Lord m believe, we have great reafon to! 
 add, help tbvu our unbelief . Let the F lefh (lifcej 
 the Thief, I mean the unconverted Thief on our 
 Saviour's Crofs, ) be bound up and Crucified, 
 yet (like the very fame Thief) it wiil continue 
 to refift, or revile the Spirit, As when the Tay- 
 lor in the Apologue had ftopt the mouth of his 
 fcolding Wife^ She was able ftill to rail with her 
 finger's ends. An Apologue not fo light, as the 
 moral of it is grave and fzriows. For the Spirit 
 and the Flefh are ( in Ariflotle's Comparison ) 
 as the * <Wf and the ™ &»>&> i. e. as the Husband 
 and the fT//e ; and fo the moral of die Apologue 
 may be affirmed to be This. Whilft Fleflbly 
 Luftshave a Being, are unmortified and alive, 
 let congruous Grace do what it can, ( fo long as 
 it is not irrefifiible,) there will be Hoftilkies 
 
 againft 
 
from Fkfilj Lttfis. 
 
 301 
 
 agamft che Spirit. For were ic poffible for the 
 fltjb no ceafe from warring againft the Spirit, 
 a Man might poflibly be innocent on this Side 
 Heaven. Which becaufe he cannot be, theCar- 
 nal mind by found Confequence muft needs be 
 at enmity with God. Hence it is that Rank 
 Atheifis are very commonly RankWits too, full 
 of Artifices and Tricks, very skjlfull to defiroy 
 Themfel ves and others. And *cis an Enmity fo 
 much the worfe, even becaufe it is Spiritual^ as 
 well as Carnal, or ( to ufe S. Pauh language) 
 a C arnalmind. For the Spirit of a man, which 
 by nature gpetb upwards, when like the* Spirit 
 of a beafly it iqiAq&l downwards, quite agamft 
 its own nature, and as it were clings unto che 
 Earth by being Carnal, it is not onely zjirong, 
 but afubtit Enemy. It wageth war agamft the 
 Soul, that is, itfelfc as well by firatagem, as by 
 force. It is a Treacherous, cohguing, *deceipt- 
 full Thing. And though it feems to be but one 
 of thofe three Brigades whereof the Devil's 
 whole Army is faid by S. John to becompos'd, 
 ( the Luft of the Fielh, the Luft of the Eye, and 
 the Pride of Life,) yet has it all the lower World 
 to ferv e for ics Armory or Magazin ; Profit, and 
 Pleafure, and Pomps, and Vanities, Beauty, and 
 Honour, and Strength, and Greatnefs, and ( to 
 
 exprefs 
 
 
 'HeUj*}. 
 
302 
 
 Of jibftaining in general 
 
 Anima, Vet 
 infignita I- 
 magine, de- 
 cor ataSimi 
 litudine f de- 
 fponfataFide. 
 dotata Spiri- 
 ts redempta 
 Sanguine, de 
 putata cum 
 Angelity ca- 
 pa:Beatitu- 
 dinu, hsres 
 BonitatkiRa- 
 tionkpaTti' 
 ceps,quidtibi 
 cum Carnt 
 unde ifta pa- 
 ter'u* Ber- 
 nard.^ Ani- 
 mH. c, 3. 
 >.io$i. 
 
 * Rom. 5. 3. 
 Philip. 1.17. 
 Roj].7«24. 
 
 exprefs it in a word ) All the Darts of the FUJb 
 which it dozsjhoot ( after themeafure chat the 
 Devil gives Aim 7 ) againft the Spirit, are com- 
 monly drawn out of that one Quiver , that is to 
 fay, the Carnal mind. 
 
 § 16. Since then our Enemies zrefuch, as 
 have been defcrib'd ; Cojirongly, fofubtilly, fo 
 incefantly warring againft the Soul , ( A Soul 
 adorn'd with God's Image, and indu'd with his 
 Spirit, and redeem'd with his Blood, and fuf- 
 tein'd with his Grace, and in .a capacity of his 
 Glory,*) our very Dangers may ferve for Orators, 
 to incourage and incite us in our Encounters. 
 And our Dangers are to be meafur'd by the pre- 
 cioufnefs of the Subjett, or Prizf we fight for. 
 And this is here exprefled to be the Soul. That's 
 the Helena ^tif^X^^ or W*® fe*i the Ball 
 or Apple of contention, thrown as 'twere between 
 U6, and our Flejhly Lufts ; We aflerting it to 
 God, and They to Satan ; We contending for 
 \ts Safety, and They contriving its Deftruftion. 
 Now fo infinite is the difference between the 
 values to be put upon Souls and Bodies, that 
 He who t rejoyced in thofe Afflitiions which did 
 but war againft the Body, did groan and tremble 
 under the Lufts,\vh\ch Hill did nar againft his 
 Soul. And in comparifon of the hurt, which 
 
 may 
 
from Flejhly Lnjir. 
 
 03 
 
 may happen unto the Soul, we are forbidden to 
 fear them that can kill the Body. For what is 
 the Body y in its original, but Duft and Afbes ? 
 what, at the befi of its Confidence, but a fair 
 Nurfery of Difeafes ? And what , when parted 
 from the Soul, but the food of Worms ? whereas 
 the Soul is That Spw/e, which God hath betro- 
 thed to himfelf, Hof.2. 19,20. Not a Citizen 
 onely of Heaven, but Heaven it felf; zsS.Gre- 
 gory and S. Bernard are pleas' d to call her. And 
 therefore if the (farriers or Flefily Lufts I now 
 ipeak of, do fight againft our immortal Souls, 
 it concerns us as much as our Souls are worth, 
 to war againft, by abftaining from Fle(bly Lufts ; 
 By which if ever we are conquered, we are un- 
 done. As being dead whilft we live , ( to ufe 
 S. Paul's Oxumoron) and (which is a great deal 
 fadder ) as being to live when we are dead too, 
 although it be onely to die for ever, or rather to 
 be for ever dying. Thefe are fome of thofe 
 foolifb and hurtfull Lufts, which drown the Soul 
 in mifery and perdition. They transform the 
 whole man into' a State of Brutality. They caft 
 us out of his prefence, in whofe prefence is life, 
 and at whofe right hand are pleafuresfor ever- 
 more. For when 'tis faid by the Apoftle, That 
 if we live after the Flefh, we /hall die ; his mean- 
 er q ing 
 
 Liquid* coU 
 ligcre debe- 
 mw t quia ft 
 Dew Sapiet* 
 tia, Anima 
 nutem Jujli 
 Sedes frpi- 
 emi* y dum 
 Caelum diet- 
 tur Sedes 
 Vet, Anima 
 Juftiergoejt 
 Ca?/j<m.Greg. 
 Mag. in E- 
 vang.Homi!, 
 %S.1.2.p. 
 
 Vide etiam 
 Bernard./^- 
 I perCanrica, 
 Serm.i'j, 
 p. 646. 
 
 1 Tim. 6.9. 
 
 Rom.8.13. 
 
9°4 
 
 OfAbftainwg in general 
 
 2 Tiin. 4. 
 *,7- 
 
 ing cannot but be This, That we Jhall certainly 
 be damrid. For They that live after the Spirit 
 muft die the fir ft Deatb,and Therefore This other 
 mud needs me meant of the Second. Thus our 
 Dangers do incourage us in our Encounrers. 
 
 § 17. Another lncouragement which we in- 
 joy whilft we are profecuting our War againft 
 F lejbljf Lufis, lies in the Qoodnefl, and the No- 
 blenej], and ( as the confequence of Both ) in 
 the fleafure of it. For what can be better in it 
 [elf, than to fide with the Spirit againft the Flejb? 
 with the Rational part in us againft the Brutal? 
 what more honourable, or noble, than to win a 
 Vifiory over our [elves ? Ic was not near lb great 
 a Glory to the Young man of Macedon to have 
 brought into Subjection all the Provinces of 
 4ji&, as it had been to have fubdued at once his 
 Avarice and his Ambition. For ? cis not the 
 greatnefl of the Conquefl, but the goodnej] of the 
 /(gitf, which yields an happinefl to the F/flor, 
 and (olid g/#ry to his fuccejL When Fd#/ was 
 ready to be offered, and at the Approach of his 
 Departure, his chiefeft Comfort and Honour ftood 
 both in /A/5, That he had fought the good fight, 
 that he hadfiniffnd his Courfe, and had kept the 
 Faith : that he had profperoufly ingaged againft 
 Flejhly Lufts, which, however they had warred, 
 
 had 
 
from Flefhly Lufis. 
 
 3°5 
 
 hid not prevailed againft his Soul. Many are' 
 worded in their Warfare, for want of diftin 
 guiflhing ( as they ought ) between the Afis 
 and the Efefls of their Self-denials. 'Tis true 
 the Att of Self denial will affeft the befi of us 
 with pain or trouble; but haw much more will 
 it delight us by our Injoyment of its Effefts ? 
 ( as the drawing of a Tooth is painfull and trou- 
 blelom for a moment, although in order do per- 
 fect eafe.) We know the Soul is the life, and 
 fothe buppinefl of the Body, as God himfelf is 
 b jth the bappinefs and the life of the Soul. And 
 as there is no greater pleafure, than that which 
 affeds the very Soa/ofa Pious man, ( for 'tis a 
 Proverbial Antimetabole , and in every man's 
 mouth, that the Pleafure of the Soul is the Soul 
 of Pleafure, ) fo the Pleafure of the Soul can 
 hardly be greater, or more refind, than in de/pi- 
 fmg and rqeSling the groflcr Pleafures of the 
 Body. Nor need we fear that fuch a Pleafure 
 is not attainable at all, becaufe it does not grow 
 up, Itkeaworthlefs Muftrom, in a night ; but 
 racher ( like the goodly Rofe ) requires a cer- 
 tain Trad of Time to give it Ripenefs. For a 
 Left-handed Confcience, like a Left-handed Man, 
 by abftaining long enough from the ufe of the 
 Left , and by continuing long enough the ufe 
 
 Qjq 2 and 
 
3 
 
 o6 
 
 Of Abflaining in general 
 
 and prattice of the Right, will perform the fame 
 Ad ions with eafe and pleafure, which at prefent 
 may be difficult, :.n J -painfull to him. Habitual 
 SickjtrffesofSoul being like to thole inveterate 
 difeafes of the Body, which cannot poilibly be 
 curM by p»g or taw 7d/fo ofa Noble Med'cin, but 
 muft fubmit to whole Methods and Courfes of 
 Many Sciences and ^r* s are extremely te 
 
 it. 
 
 ^//6>/^5 to fuch as are but new beginners and lear- 
 ners in them ; which yet will yield them the 
 greateft Comfort, Content, and Pleafure, as foon 
 as Vfe and Vnder/ianding hath bred a very good 
 Acquaintance and Friend/hip with them. Will 
 any Man who is not mad, break, off the finger of 
 his ^fc£ as an ufelefs Thing, becaufehe cannot 
 perceive it moving ? or leave off the practice ofa 
 generous a bfiinence from his Debauches, becaufe 
 his very firft Indeavours ot'Self-denialand Piou* 
 life are not fopleafant or (b eafie,as he expe&ed ? 
 let him have patience, and That Finger will mod 
 apparently, though infenfibly, make a progrefs 
 from this, to another hour. So let him ftay his 
 we time, and his practice of Reformation will 
 pafs from difficult to e^e?, from £tf//e to #/£/*/// 
 2nd familiar, from familiar to delightfull and 
 joyous alfo. Let a ^/tf#$ man get but the 
 ^c£. of Virtue, ( which without Cujlom he 
 
 cannot 
 
from Flejhly Lufts. 
 
 307 
 
 cannoc have,) and he will wonder how he could 
 once have been />/^'dwith Vice. But he who 
 (lays 'cill it is pleafant to leave his grofs plea- 
 fures, will never leave them ; becaufethe plea- 
 fure deleaving fuch, cannot begin 'till they are 
 left. From whence it follows, that He who 
 will not be perfwaded to per/ever e in abfiaining 
 from Flefhlj Luffs, until his Abflinence is eafie, 
 and pleafant to him, is like the natural Fool of 
 Greece, whom Hierocles in his «V«* does mer- 
 rily call his Athenian Scholar, who deiermin'd 
 within Himfelf never to go into the Water, until 
 (before hand) he might be fure that he could 
 Swim. Or like the overwary Meffenger ( of 
 whom we read in the Spanifh Story ) who ha- 
 ving been threaten'd under a Poenalty by him 
 that fent him^ not to return without an Anfwer, 
 would not part with his Letter to the Perfon to 
 whom 'twas tent, until he might firft have an 
 Anfwer to it. For a man not to abftain from 
 Flefhly Luft till he finds it pleafant, is juft as 
 fenflefs^ and as abfurd, as for a man to be im- 
 patient of ever learning the ufe ofBookj, fail 
 he can read and underfland them with eafe and 
 pleafure; or to grumble at the labour of taking 
 a Pencil into his hand, until he finds he can ufe 
 it like (bme Apelles. If there is any man that 
 
 CLq 3 hears 
 
3 
 
 o8 
 
 OfAbflaining in general 
 
 hears me, who is confcious to himfelf of fo great 
 a Folly, I have no more to beg of him than 
 barely This ; That he will not come with Pre- 
 judice to the Amendment of his Life, (as the 
 IfraeUtes didtothe Land of Promife, in fear of 
 Anakims and Lions to be incounter'd in the 
 way,) and that he will not diftruft: a vert nous 
 courfe'till he has fry V it. That he will weigh 
 Vice and Virtue in equal Scales, before he cleaves 
 unto the Firfi, or rejefts the Second. That he 
 will have fo much Jufiice both for G^and Him- 
 felf, as to make an effay, whether a Cujlomary 
 Abjiinencefrom Flejhly Lujls, will not yield him 
 more pleafure than all his Cujlomary Injojments 
 have ever done. That he will once have the 
 courage to make a Trial of new obedience, Q I 
 mean an incorrupt and impartial Trial.} And 
 that being once ingagd in the pra&ice of it, 
 he will not \>oov\y ftart backet itsfirft uncouth- 
 nefi ; ( for difficilia qu£ pulchra, the goodlieft ; 
 things in their Injoyment are ever difficult in 
 their acquift;) but that imitating the Bravery 
 of Caleb and Jofua , he will deferr to make a 
 Judgement or \ final JEfiimate of the Thing, 'rill 
 he has had a Sound proof and experience of it. 
 For if the Savour and the Tafi he flhall have 
 of Virtue, be but as much, and as long, as his 
 
 Taji 
 
from Flejhlj Lufts. 
 
 309 
 
 Taft ofVice, he will fooner f wallow the Sting* 
 and ihe Gall of Afps, than vouchfafe the/ic£/>zg 
 up of his naufeous Vomit. 
 
 § 1 8. But befides this Incouragement (which 
 of* in felfis very great) from the Fight it felf, 
 ( a fight for God againft Satan, and for the ln- 
 tereft of the Soul againft Fkjhly Lufis,) there is 
 a Third zrifmg to us from the confederation of 
 our fupport. For 'tis the powerfull Spirit of 
 God, which helpeth our Infirmities. Yea, when 
 our Infirmities are fo porent, as to difable us 
 even from praying, and from crying out for help, 
 the Spirit inter xeedeth for m with Groans which 
 cannot be uttered. And at the interceffion of 
 fuch a Spirit, our Spiritual Enemies will fly, as 
 the walls of Jericho did fall at the found of a 
 Trumpet. Twas by the help of This Spirit, 
 that though the Enemies of David were fill in 
 handtofwallowhimup, yet he was able ftill to 
 fay, He would not fear what Fkfh could do unto 
 him. Whilft the weapons of our warfare are njt 
 Cirnal, but Spiritual, They are mighty, through 
 God, to the pulling down of fir ong Holds ; cafting 
 down Imaginations, and every high thing that 
 exalteth it f elf a gain fi God, and bringing into 
 captivity every 1 bought to the obedience of thrift. 
 Our weapons indeed are mighty, but 'tis through 
 
 God^ 
 
 Rom.8,25. 
 
 Pfal.$6.*,4. 
 
3 
 
 io 
 
 ]oh.i6.uh. 
 
 Rom.7.24. 
 
 OfAbflaining in general 
 
 God, who does not oncly gu ft/four /*V^, but 
 alfo lifts up our Hands, and <4W?s our 5/<ws, 
 and often fir ikes for us Himfelf too. And yet 
 the Viflory which he pirn., his Goodnefs placerh 
 to our Accompt. His is the Glory of the Con- 
 queft, but Ours the Comfort. And This accor- 
 dingly was the Incouragement our Saviour gave 
 to his Apoftles, Be of good Comfort, I have over- 
 come the World. The Scing of Death, which is 
 Sin, He hath pluck'd out for us. The ftrength 
 of Sin, which is the Law, £fchath weakened in 
 our behalf He hath routed our common Ene- 
 my, and looks that We ihould follow the chafe. 
 Which the Apoftle well considering, did feem 
 (with one and the fame Breath,) to turn his 
 out-cry into an Eulogy , his complaint into a 
 Jubily , his Temptations of Deftair into Joy and 
 Triumph. For no foonerhadhe laid, wret- 
 ched man that lam / who Jhall deliver me from 
 the Body of this Death? But in the next words 
 he added, I thankGod through Jefws Chriji our 
 Lord. Nay farther yet ; He does not onely fay 
 in another place, Thanks he to God who hath 
 given U6 the Vi&ory through our Lord Jefws Chri/i; 
 But alfo invents a new Word, to (hew the great- 
 nefs ofourV'iQtory above that of others ; Through 
 Him that loved m, \&5pvM&iMv ( fays the Text ) 
 
 we 
 
from Flejhly Lufl. 
 
 3* l 
 
 we do not onely overcome, but are more than 
 Conquerors. Indeed without Him our ftrength 
 is weaknefs, our Wifedom Folly ; and accor- 
 dingly the Apoftle does very appolitely exhort 
 us, tobejirongin the Lord, and in the Power of 
 His might. Epb.6.io. And when 'tis laid by 
 S. John, Te are of God, little Children, and have 
 overcome them, he gives this Reafon, Becaufe 
 greater is He that is in Tou, than he that is in 
 the World. For whatfoever is born of God over- 
 cometh the World*, and this is the Vittory that 
 overcometb theWorld, even our Faith. \Joh.%.\. 
 This mufl therefore be our Prayer, That Chriji 
 may dwell in our Hearts by Faith. And this will 
 then be our Incouragement, That being ftrength- 
 ned with might in the Inward man, we (hall be 
 able tofiandinthe evil Day. 
 
 § 19. But we have yet another Incourage- 
 ment, to wrefile with and to fight againft Fle/hly 
 Lufis, from the exceeding great Ricbnefiof our 
 Reward. For when we can fay with the Apoftle, 
 we have fought the god fight, we may alfo fay 
 with him in the fame Alfurance, becaufe upon 
 the fame Ground , Henceforth is laid up for u* 
 a Crown ofRighteoufnefl. Betwixt which two 
 there is fo vaft a Difproportion that the Fight 
 is for a moment, and the Sufferings growing 
 ] R r from 
 
 Rom.8-37, 
 
 I Joh.2.14. 
 
 Eph.3.17. 
 Ver. 16. 
 
 2 Tim.4.8, 
 
g i 2 
 
 OfAbflaining in general 
 
 A Bold ex- 
 prdfion I 
 confef*,but 
 'tis S. Pauley 
 aCor.4.17. 
 
 Col.g-5. 
 Rom.8.13. 
 
 from it do quickly wither; whereas the Crown 
 is immarcefcible, fuch as cannoc but in joy an 
 eternal Spring. And therefore S.Paul was not 
 out in his Reckoning, when he reckoned that the 
 Sufferings (and amongft Them the Self denials ) 
 <?/f/;i$ prefent time, are not worthy to be compared 
 with the glory that (h all he revealed in u*. Rom.8. 
 1 8. Which kind of Sufferings and Self-denials 
 do not onely precede, but even work for us a 
 weight of Glory . 2 Cor.$. 1 7. And the reafon 
 of This ex pre/lion may be argued even from 
 hence, That to fight againji the Flefh, fo far 
 forth as to mortifie, and put it to Death, (which 
 are the literal importance of the Apoftles two 
 words, v&zSv, &c Sclv*<t£v, ) is to make our felves 
 Partakers of the fuferings of Chrift. Which 
 fufferings of thrift, do not onely occafion , but 
 clearly work for us a weight of Glory . And for 
 this very end do we partake of Chriji's fuferings, 
 (by Self-denials on his Accompt, ) That when 
 his G lory Jh all be revealed, we may alfo rejoyce 
 with exceeding Joy. 1 Pet.q.13. Yea the bare 
 confider aiwn of fuch an unfpeakable Reward, 
 did pur S, Paul upon Rejoycing, not onely after, 
 but in hi* Sufferings and Self-denials. Col. 1.24. 
 A Reward great enough to make a Coward turn 
 Fighter. For who would not fight even for 
 
 far, 
 
I 
 
 from Flejhly Lufls. 
 
 fear , that he (hall lofe fuch a Reward ? The 
 onely thing we have co fear, is our not fighting 
 enough to win the Prize we fight for. '<. Now 
 every Filter ( fays our Apoftle, and fo fay 
 all Agoniftick Writers,) is to keep a ftri.fl Diet. 
 S. Paul's words are, He muft be * temper ate in 
 all Things. Alluding plainly to the O/ympickj, 
 in which the Combatans were dieted toe forty 
 Dajs. Every Man had his Lent, whereby to 
 fit him for his Encounter ; and his Abstinence 
 was his Armour, whereby tog«,Whimfrom a 
 Defeat. And ..if They were fo Abfiemious, to 
 gain a corruptible Cromt, how much morefhould 
 we abftain, for the gaining of a Crown which is 
 not liable to corruption ? not onely an exceed- 
 ing, but an eternal weight of Glory ? Such was 
 the Logick wich which S. Paul argued, and fuch 
 was the Rule ofhis Ailing too. For (faith He) 
 I fo run, not as uncertainly ; So fight I, not as 
 one that beateth the Air. But I keep under my 
 Body, and bring it into fubjeilion. His own 
 Words are, •\Jarawia£a>, & ^aXary^ai. I fight as 
 a Pancratiafi, (that is,) as a Cujfer, and Wrefi- 
 kr too. I beat my Body black and blue? I 
 make an arrant Slave of it ; lay upon it both 
 the Toke and the Crofi of Chriji ; fubdue my 
 Flefh unto my Spirit ; deny my felf the ufe of 
 
 Rr a my 
 
 3'3 
 
 Cor.?. 2$, 
 
 Ver. 25,27, 
 
3*4 
 
 Of Abflaining in general 
 
 my Chriltian Liberty ; fujfer the left of many 
 things which I might lawfully in joy ; that by 
 any m~ans 1 may attain to the Reiurreftion of, 
 the Dead, that by any means poiTible 1 may ap. 
 prebend That, for which lam alfo apprehended 
 of Cbrifi Jefu*. All which I take to be impor- 
 ted by thole two words, i C^r.9.27. Where 
 by the way we may obferve of our Apoftle 
 S. Paul, He did not waragainft Another } s, but 
 againft hit own Body. For he knew hk own Body 
 was the worft Enemy to his Soul; and that to 
 fave himfelf from it, was to keep it under \ He 
 knew the Flejh Co be foflurdy, and fo implacable 
 a Rebel, that if he flhould fuflFer it to thrive, and 
 to get an Head, he would have reafon to be jea- 
 lous of 'its Aftirings; and to (land infomefear, 
 left whilfl he preached unto others , He Hmfelf 
 might become a Caftaway. 
 
 §> 20. Now wemuft go, anddolikewife. 
 For we expeft the fame Crown, and are befet 
 with the fame Enemies, by which if he was in- 
 danger 'd, much more are we. And therefore 
 if it was Hi* way, much more muft it be Ours,' 
 to abflain in good earned from Flejhly Lujls, 
 by abflaining from the things by which they are 
 nourifoed and upheld. Intemperance is the Mo- 
 ther of all the reft, or if not properly the Mo- 
 ther* 
 
from Flejhly Lnfl. 
 
 3*5 
 
 tber, yet at leaft the is the Nurft, as being ever- 
 more feeding, and making provijion for the 
 Flefti, and by confluence giving firength ro 
 its fevcral Lufts. And therefore Jlriving for the 
 Mattery, let us be temperate in all things. Let 
 us add Fafting unto our Fryers, and conftant 
 Watchfulmfi unto our Fafting, and perfevere in 
 all 7/>ra, till we have crucified the F/^& jp#£ 
 f£e Affeflions and Lufts. For fince our Z,#/?j 
 are fo reftlefi as never ceafing to rebell, we 
 muft be every whit as refllefi in reducing fuch 
 Rebels to their Allegiance. Nay it concerns 
 us to be reftlefs, though they fhould poflibly be 
 at reft. For as a Leopard, or a Lion, though 
 fometimes gentle, and debomire, are yet with 
 reafon kept do ft, in Chains, or Dungeons, be- 
 caufe they frill retain the nature of fa h age 
 Beafts ; fo Flefhly Lufts, though very much 
 tamer at one Seafon, than at another, do yet 
 retain the whole nature of Flefhly Lufts, and if 
 they are not lock'd up in Chains, or thruft down 
 into a Dungeon, we know not how foon they 
 may rage againft us. However thenour Flefh- 
 ly Lufts may Seem to be at peace with us, let 
 us never be at peace with our Fleftily Lufts. 
 And though the vilemfi of our Enemies, or the 
 mi/cries of a Defeat, the Honour and Gallantry 
 
 Rr 3 of 
 
1 6 Of Abjlaining in general, &c. 
 
 1Tim.tf.j2v 
 
 I of our Ingagement, or the Divinity of our Sup- 
 port, (by the Grace of God, and the Means of 
 Grace,) fhould not be able ofthemfelves to pre- 
 vail upon us, yet the additional confideration 
 of the Immenfity of our Reward, fhould ( one 
 would think ) beget within us the nobleft cou- 
 rage and refolution. We find them both in one 
 Text, and fpoken both with one Breath, and 
 the later is an Inference which cannot but fol- 
 low from the former, That whofoever will but 
 fight the good fight of Faiths will not fail fa lay 
 hold on Eternal life. 
 
 And this the God of all Mercy prepare us 
 for, both for the Glory of his Grace, and for 
 the Worthinefs of his Son, unto whom with the 
 Father in the unity of the Spirit, be all Obe- 
 dience and Thankfgiving for ever and ever. 
 Amen. 
 
 O F 
 
irn) 
 
 O F 
 
 ABSTAINING 
 
 In particular from 
 
 DISOBEDIENCE 
 
 AUTHORITY 
 
 In things Indifferent, 
 
 As from the worft and the moji fcandalous 
 
 of all FLESHLY LUSTS, in 
 
 S. Peter's Judgment. 
 
 i PET. 2. 13. 
 
 Submit your [elves to every Ordinance of 
 Man for the Lord's fa\e. 
 
 £ 1. Q* Aint Peter having exhorted us to ab- 
 
 \^ Jiain from Flejbly Lufis which war a- 
 
 gainft the Sou!> and infore'd his Exhortation 
 
 with Five ftrong Reafons, ( in the two next 
 
 Verfes 
 
8 
 
 OfAbfiaining in particulai 
 
 Verfcs before my Text,) ftraighc gives an In- 
 ftance in the mod fcandalom and the mod dam- 
 ning piece of Carnality, of all thofe forts in ge- 
 neral from which he exhorted us to abftain. For 
 what Connexion or Coherence can there be be- 
 twixt my prefent and former Text, (lying as 
 clofe by one another, as by S. Peter they could 
 belaid,) unlefs it be that Difobedience to hu- 
 man Governours and Laws, is of all Flefhly 
 Lufis the mod difgracefull to C hrifiianity, the 
 mod repugnant to the Gofpel of Jeftt* Chrift, 
 mod incompatible with the Profejfion and the 
 Salvation of a Chrijiian ? That this is the mean- 
 ing of S. Peter? feems to be clear from the word 
 &, very fignificant in the Original , however 
 omitted in the Tranflation. To ftop the Mouths 
 of thofe Enemies who /peak againfi you a* evil 
 Doers? (fays S.Peter to the Chriftians of the 
 Ajaasroe^, to whom he writes,) by your abfiain- 
 ingfrom Flefhly Lufis? and by your unb lame able 
 Converfation among the Gentiles, -^rnty^n^ be 
 ye fub jetted? and -J&v™yym h? be ye Therefore 
 fubjefted ; and **&$ dbm dv^iriv^ to every hu- 
 man Creature? that is to fay, to every Man who 
 ps a Magijirate? created by God ( not by the 
 People ) to be a Governour. But (till a Crea- 
 ture ? and a Man ? and ( Both together ) an 
 
 human 
 
from Difbedience to Authority ,&c. 
 
 9'9 
 
 hu nan Creature ? wholly mortal? aj to-hisfc/v. 
 fon ; chough wholly divine? as to his Office. 
 Therefore Co Himfubmit your /elves, &* £ wg/ov, 
 nor for the Magifirates or the People's? or your 
 own (likes oneiy , but firft and chiefly /or the ' 
 Lord's. Firft, becaufe of the Lord's Precept? 
 Mattb.22.21. Next, becaufe of the Lord's 
 Example? Mattb.1j.27. Thirdly, becaufe of 
 the Lord's Ordaining him, Rom. 13.1,2. Fourth- 
 ly, becaufe He bears the Lord's Image, and is 
 the Lord's Deputy? Lieutenant? or Vicegerent 
 upon Earth, the Lord' sMinifter? and Auenger? 
 Rom. 134. Laftly, becaufe ye muft love che 
 Lord, ( v. 5. ) and love the Lord ye cannot, 
 unlefs ye love the Lord's Surrogate, and your 
 love to Superiours is to be ken in your Obe- 
 dience. 
 
 Again , fubmit your felves without partia- 
 lity? ( 'ttwj^ is the Apoftle's word, ) to every 
 Ordinance of Man, or to All the Lord's Surro- 
 gates without exception. Not onely to the 
 Supreme? as ient by God's Providence, and 
 God's Commiffion; but to fubordinate Rulers 
 alfo, as fent by Commiffion from the Supreme. 
 Not to the Emptrour onely Hi nfe If? ("whether 
 Claudiut? or Nero? at the writing of this EpilHeJ 
 but to Proconfuls? and Procurators? both oi 
 
 Sf Afta, 
 
2 2o [ Of Abflaining in particular 
 
 Afia, andBithynia, zskntby C* far. Yet not 
 to Them, againfi Him ; not to turiut Camillas 
 Scribonianm, againft Claudius : not to the Par- 
 liament, againfi the King ; nor to the King, a- 
 gainft Himfelf; not at all to his Authority, a- 
 gainft his P erf on ; nor in his Right,to his Wrong ; 
 ( as fome Chriflians have plaid the Sophifters to 
 the reproach of ' Chriflianity ;) But to each in 
 his fijra^. To the King, as Supreme ; ( fo it 
 follows in the Text,) and Co Governours^ as fent 
 by Him. Where the word as is very emphati- 
 cal. As, and no otherwife , than as by Him 
 fent. As, and no other wife, than for His fake, 
 and on His accompt. And fo, a quatenus ad 
 omne optime valet argumentum. Submit your 
 felves to All, as fent by Him ; and fubmit your 
 felves to None, but fo far forth as He fends them. 
 S. Peter's Logiclc is very plain, and makes the 
 Cafe very clear upon every fide. 
 
 § 2. Of all the Arguments orReafons which 
 are producible for the inforcing S. Peter's Pre- 
 cept, here are two of concernment to Men in 
 general, and a Third tor Believers, orChriftian 
 People in particular. Of the two former, the 
 firft is taken from the Author and Affertor of All 
 Authorities, unto which Men as Men are here 
 commanded to fubmit. They muft do \t prop- 
 ter 
 
 , 
 
from Disobedience to Authority ^Szc. 021 
 
 ter Dominum , becaufe The Lord hath Autho- 
 rized human Authorities upon Earth, and The 
 Lord will defend or avenge them All. The fe- 
 cond is taken from the End of the divine Conjli- 
 tution of Haman Authorities in the World. To 
 wit, an equal Dijlribution both of Pumfbments, 
 and Rewards. Thofe to Evil-Doers, and Thefe 
 to 7#£/» *£tf* dfo a*//, (v. 14.) By which 
 Diftribution of which two things is procured 
 the Peace and Quiet , and by confequence the 
 llappinefi of human life. The Third and fa- 
 cial Argument , touching us meerly as we are 
 Chriflians , is taken from the Credit of Jefu* 
 Chrijl and Hk Go/pel, which Wis who are hri- 
 ftians are highly obliged to aflerc. And ailerr 
 it we cannot by any one Argument fo well, as 
 by Submitting our [elves impartially to every Or- 
 dinance of Man. By making it appear to the 
 Jews and Heathens^ that the Gofj?el or Law of 
 Chrijl obliges its Subjects to live a peaceable and 
 quiet life in all ^oJlinefi and honefly. That Chr'u 
 flianity is a Religion, either reviving or intro- 
 ducing love and loyalty and order and Tran- 
 quillity into the World, That Obedience to the 
 Authority of human Laws and Legiflators, is 
 one of the Prime Cbarafferiflicks whe/eby a 
 Chrifiian is to be known. That the 6e/2 Chri- 
 
 Sf 2 ftians 
 
22 
 
 Of Abstaining in particular 
 
 itians are ftill die loyal'fl. That the more we 
 love and fear the Lord Jtfws Chrift, the more we 
 fubmitfor the Lord's fake to every Ordinance of, 
 Man. And that They who do otherwife, are but 
 Titular Chriftians; not at <*// Chriftians, but in 
 Profeffion; none of Chrifi's Followers, but in 
 Repute. And therefore Chrifiianity mufr not 
 be efiimated by Them, who are Rebels to the 
 Goffeldijefws Chrift. Nor muft We who are 
 The Lord's, by fubmitting our felves for the 
 Lord's fake, be meafur'd by Them who are none 
 of Vs, but Difcrderly Walkers out of the High 
 way to Heaven , from whom S. Paul bids us 
 withdraw our felves ; and whom S. John bids us 
 not receive into our Houfes, nor bid them God 
 freed; and that for the Credit of the Go(fel,w\\\c\\ 
 ( but for this Prophyla&ick ) They would bring 
 into Difgrace. 
 
 § 3. This Third and laft and fpecial Argu- 
 ment of S. Peter, drawn from the Credit of 
 Chrifiianity^ for the inforcing of our Submiffion 
 to every Ordinance of Man, thereby meaning our 
 Obedience to human Laws and Legiflators, is of 
 fo great a value with him, and fo peculiar to us 
 as Chrrtians., that He urges This Twice in a little 
 room ; immediately before , and immediately 
 after my prefent Text. Firft, our Loyalty and 
 
 Obe- 
 
from Disobedience to Authority 5 &c. \ 5 25 
 
 Obedience, and all o:her honeft Converfation 
 mutl: be made known unco The Gentiles^ chac 
 they who ffeak. againfl ws at Evil-doers may by 
 gut good worhs which they flail bthold, glorifie 
 Godintheday ofVifitation. (v.12.) Nexr, it 
 ps the will of God, that with fuch our welUdoing 
 we may put to filence the ignorance of foolifh Men. 
 (v. 15.) This is an Argument which S # faui 
 does urge often, whereby to make men afraid 
 and a flam d of Vice. Through you ( fays He 
 unto the Chriftians who dvvelc at Rome) the 
 Name of God Is blafphemed among the Gentiles. 
 For the unbelieving Gentiles do judge by your 
 Pr alike of your Profeffion ; by the Blemifhes of 
 your lives who are called Chrifiians, they grow 
 averfe to C hrifiianity ; and have no good opi- 
 nion of Chrifl himfelf whom you worflhip, be- 
 caufe they guefs that your Religion has fo very 
 ill an influence upon your Lives. So again ar- 
 gues S # Paul to Timothy, Let at many Servants 
 at are under the Tokf ( either under Heathen 
 Mafters, or amongft Heathen Men ) count their 
 Mafters worthy of all honour, that the name of 
 God and hi* Doftrine be not blafphemed. For 
 when Servants are refractory, or Subjefts rebel- 
 lious, although they are fuch to Heathen Maflers 
 or Magiflrates , they draw difgrace upon the 
 
 S f 3 ' Goffd 
 
 Rom. 2 24. 
 
 I Tim.6.1, 
 
Of Ab flaming in particular 
 
 Ver. 2. 
 
 Tit.2.5. 
 
 Go/pel^ and tempt the Infidels to believe that men 
 are the worft for being Chriftians ; that the Doc- 
 trine of Cbriji is corruptive of Principles , as 
 well as Manners ; and Chrijiian Libert) but a 
 C/0^ for rebellious ?r alike. Now to antidote 
 this Venom, and to wipe off this Difparagement, 
 as well from the Dottrine, as from the Name of 
 Jefm Chrifl? S. Paul commands Timothy to be 
 earnefi and often in preaching Obedience and 
 Submifflon to all Super iours ; efteeming Thefe 
 the weightier things of the Chriftian Law # And | 
 therefore 7/>^/e t£j%gs Teach and Exhort, ( fays 
 He to Timothy with an Emphafis , ) as being 
 Things moft effential? not onely to the faving 
 ofQhriJiians Souls? but ejfential to the faving of 
 Qhrifiianity itfelf and to the faving of our Sa- 
 viour from being blafphemed among the Gen- 
 tiles. And for as much as no Obedience can be 
 more naturally or politically , or religioufly 
 due from one Mortal unto another, than from 
 Wives to their own Husbands, S.Paul does there- 
 fore prefs Titus to preach up This alfo for This 
 great End, that the Word of God be not blafphe* 
 med. That Qhrifiian Religion may not fuffer 
 by their Enemies taking notice of their un- 
 chrifiian diibbedience to thofe above them. 
 That/nrs or Gentiles may not fufpeft any ill 
 
 Ifues 
 
I~ 
 
 from Difobedience to Authority &c [325 
 
 I fins or Infufions oi Qhrifian Principles , as if 
 they were exclufive ot moral Virtue ; and cha 
 Inferiourseicher were, oc chat they might be the 
 worfe for their being Chriftians. Laftly, fince 
 Maflers are a kind of ' Domejlick. Magif rates, to 
 whom Obedience alfo is </*ity the fame divine 
 Rights ( and no fturdy Servant will ever make 
 a good Subjeft, ) Servants therefore muft be 
 urged to be Obedient to their own Mafers, and 
 to pleafe them well in all things, not anfwering 
 again, for This Great Reafon , that they may 
 adorn the Doflrine of God our Saviour in all 
 things ; and that he who is of the contrary part 
 may be aftamd, having no evil thing to fay of 
 them. 
 
 § 4. From All which ways of Argumentation 
 put together, I conceive my felf qualified to 
 make thefe profitable Concluftons. That Obe- 
 dience and Submiffion to every Ordinance of man 
 for the Lord's fake, whether Supreme, or Subor- 
 dinate by his Commiffion, does make the mofl 
 (of a II Duties) for the Ornament and Honour 
 ofChri[iianity. That Difobedience and Re fiftance 
 do make the moft for its Difgrace. That the 
 Do&rine of Obedience to publick Parents, both 
 Civil and Ecclefiafiical , is more authentica- 
 ted and taught by Jefa Chrifi and his Apoftles 
 
 through- 
 
 Ker.8,9,10. 
 
326 
 
 OfAbflaining in particular 
 
 throughout the Gofpeljhan by all other Syftems, 
 Codes, or Pandeds, by all other Bodies, Col- 
 leftions, or Conftitutions of Religion, or Phi- 
 lofophy, throughout the World. From all which 
 things it feems to follow, that they who call 
 themfelves Chrijlians , and yet are Authors or 
 Fomentersof Schii'msand Faftions, (fuch in- 
 dustrious Embroilers of Church and State, by 
 fowing the Seeds of difcontentment and of dif. 
 fatisfaftion in People's Minds, as if they long'd 
 to be fifhing in Troubl'd Waters and to be lick- 
 ing up again thofe publick Spoils and Reve- 
 nues, which they were forced to difgorge in the 
 Great Year oi'Reflitution,} They ( I fay ) who 
 thus aft, and yet do call themfelves Chrijiians, 
 are the greateft Antichripans, the greateft Ad- 
 verfaries of Chriji, and the greateft underminers 
 of Chriflianitj , which He can poifibly let on 
 Work who was aMurtherer from the Beginning. 
 Can any Man wonder at the fpreading of Irreli- 
 gion and Atheifm, more fince the Tear 41, than 
 ever before in our Memories, and perhaps in our 
 Readings too? (unlefs I may except the Days 
 ofHildebrand, when Hell is (aid to have broken 
 loofe?*) One accompt of it is plain and ob- 
 vious : The horridft Rebellion under Heaven 
 ( from after the Year 41 ) having been managed 
 
 by 
 
from DifobeJience to Authority foe. \ 3 2 7 
 
 by Chriflians, made the name odious ever fmce. 
 Infomuch chat fome Blafpberners have dar'd to 
 fay, ( not That o/</ and common word onely, yh 
 Anima mea cum Philofophh, but as the efted of 
 a greater hatred,) They would not indure going 
 to heaven, if they thought they JJjould meet with 
 fuch Chriflians There. Which, though the lan- 
 guage of the moft flupid and thick- beaded Sin- 
 ners, who can no better diftinguijb 'cwixt Words 
 and Things, or 'twixt the Pifture and the Life, 
 or 'cwixt the Vizard and the true Face, or 'twixt 
 the Attor and the Mnn 7 or 'cwixt the life and 
 the Abufe of the bed things that can be nam'd, 
 or laft of all, betwixt a Nominal and Real Chri- 
 ftian ; ftiould yet be fufficient to deter fuch as 
 are Chriflians at lead in Wifb, from giving occa- 
 sion for the future to fuch Averfions. If the £- 
 nemies ofChrifi would but read over our Gofpel, 
 and well confider it, they would be jufter and 
 more ingenuous, than to look upon Rebels and 
 Mutineers, in Chriftian Kingdoms and Com- 
 monwealths , as truly Qhriftians. But rather 
 would guefs that out of Malice they wear the Fro- 
 feffion of Chriflianity , to make it odiows ; on 
 purpofe to bring it into difgrace ; and ( as 
 much as in them lies) to make us all afham'd 
 of it. Though God be thanked we are fo far 
 
 T c from 
 
528 
 
 OfAbflaining in particular 
 
 jam.2.7. 
 
 * Aa.5.41. 
 
 rtRom.5.3, 
 
 Gai.tf.14. 
 
 from being afhanid of the Go/pel of Chrifl, or 
 ajhatrid of our Affliftion in the GofpeVs being 
 abm'd, and in The Adverfaries Blafphmivg 
 that worthy Name, by which 'tis our Happinels 
 and our Privilege to be called, that we*rejoyce 
 to be thought worthy to fuffer foarne for ChrijVs 
 fake* Yea 'tis our Koj^uu, Such Difgrace is 
 our Boafiing ; and we a glory in Tribulations. 
 Yea one ftep farther S. Paul advances ; we do 
 io glory in our disparagement which we fuffer 
 for our Submiffion to every Ordinance of man 
 upon Chrifl's accompt, or in Obedience to his 
 Do&rine, or for the Lord's faks, ( as S. Peter 
 fpeaks, ) that we glory in Nothing elfe. God 
 forbid that wejhould Glory ( fays S. Paul to the 
 Galatians ) fave in the Crofl of our Lord Jefws 
 Chrijl, by whom the World h crucified unto U6, 
 and we unto the World. 
 
 §> 5. But what I fpeak laft is but Occafional, 
 and may be reckoned as a Parenthefis, (hewing 
 All are not ftagger'd or wavering in the Faith, 
 though many are. And indeed they arefo many 
 , whom the Schifms and Rebellions of men pro- 
 feffing Chrifiianity have made to waver, if there 
 are not many more whom they have made to fall 
 off-, There are j6 many who do fufpefi the Chriftian 
 Name in them that wear it as a cloak.of Mali- 
 
 cioufnefl, 
 
from D if obedience to Authority, &c. [929 
 
 ci-jufnefi (which S. Peter provides againft in 
 the 1 6 th - Verfe of this Chapter,} and fo many 
 who do detcft it for being fo worn ; that if ever 
 there can be any, This is certainly the Time, 
 wherein the People are to be prefs'd to obey 
 their Governours. God 1 mean in the firft place, 
 and human Authority in the fecond. And This 
 as really in the fecond, as that other in the fir i?, 
 becaufe our Obedience to the firji does clearly 
 depend ( for its Completion ) upon our Obe- 
 dience to the fecond. Men (hould be made to 
 underftand, by pcrfpicuous and frequent and 
 cogent reafonings, how the whole of our Reli- 
 gion may be eafily wound up intothefe two Bot- 
 toms ; our adequate Obedience to God and Man. 
 To the Royal Law ofChriii, and to the Laws of 
 the Nation wherein we live ; whether thofe Laws 
 are Ecclefeaflical, or Civil. Thefe two are the 
 Meafures we may warrantably take of our/elves, 
 and others. Thefe two are the TouchSlones by 
 which we all are to be tryd. Not the one 
 without the other. There is no fearing God, 
 without honouring the King, nor vice versa. 
 Oar Obedience to God is a thing impoffible, with- 
 out a fui table Obedience to his Vicegerents ; whe- 
 ther the King as Supreme, or other Governours 
 Subordinate. Thefe commiflioned by Him, as 
 
 Tt 2 He 
 
55° 
 
 Of Abfldining in yarticuldi 
 
 Pro v. 2 4 2 ? 
 
 He by God. Not onely Scripture, and Keafun, 
 but long Experience, and Observation, have made 
 me look on Thefe two as things which are never 
 to be parted, either in Praftice, or in Difcourfe. 
 Without Thefe two, all the reft are worth no- 
 thing. And neither of Thefe alone can be fin- 
 cere without the other. My Son (fays Solomon) 
 fear the Lord and the King, and meddle not with 
 Them that are given to change. Either fear them 
 Both, or Neither ; though each in his Order-, 
 The Lord tor his own fake, and therefore Firft ; 
 The King for the Lord's fake, and therefore Se- 
 cond. But meddle not with Them, whofe evil 
 communication may corrupt thy good manners ;. 
 and therefore meddle not with Them that are 
 given to change, who do neither fear God, /wr 
 honour the King ; and accordingly are weighed 
 in the oppofite Scale of the Wife man's Ballance. 
 The People muft not onely be told now and then 
 upon the By, but muft purpofely be taught, no: 
 muft they ceafe from being taught until con- 
 vinced of this union, [ The fear of God and of the 
 King, Obedience to Divine and to human Laws,'] 
 as ejfmtial to our Pre frit and Future Safety. 
 
 § 6. When 1 inquire into the Reafons, 
 why amongft a JfVW of Chrifiians there is 
 (b little of Chrifiianity ; and why the iVa- 
 
 fe/2a/tfs J 
 
from Disobedience to Authority 5 &c. I 3 ? 
 
 tefiants tbemfelves divide as much from one 
 another , as they #// do from the Church of 
 Rome, which is as much as from the Jews or 
 the Turks themfelves, (for they will no more 
 communicate with the one than with the other, 
 although in mod Fundamentals they All agree,) 
 7 hit, amongft feveral 0/Z^rreafons, appears to 
 me to be the chief, that there is one thing Ejfen- 
 tial to the Chriftian Religion , and by confe- 
 quence to the Salvation of all men's Souls , 
 which, however a Fundamental, is not yet fo 
 well hjtown, or not fo heartily believd, or not 
 fo ferioufly confiderd, and laid to heart, norfo 
 duly preached up, as it ought to be. For W it 
 were, there could not be fo many Schifms and 
 Separations here in England, as now there are. 
 There could not be by any means fuch Inclina* 
 tions to Rebellion, fuch Oppofitions of Authority, 
 and fuch Contempt of human Laws, (whether 
 Civil or Ecclefiaftical,) as now we fee there are 
 daily ; and are rather in a likflihood to grow 
 worfe and worfe, than in any prefent Hope of a 
 found Amendment. Now the Truth which is 
 Effentiaho our Cbriftian Religion, and to rho 
 faving of our Souls, (which 1 conceive to be 
 fo feldom either known , or believd, or fuffi- 
 eiently Confider 7 d,or Taught as fuch,) is plainly 
 
 Tt 2 This: 
 
33 
 
 Oj Abjiaining in particular 
 
 Hcb.i3»i7« 
 
 This : [ That the Duties of the Firft Table, can. 
 not poffibly fubfifl: without the Duties of the 
 Second. That Obedience to God, does ever 
 include and carry with it a drift Obedience un- 
 to our Governours. That human Laws (where 
 e're the matter of them is lawful! ) are the Laws 
 of God too. And that for this cogent irre- 
 fiftible reafon^ ( which I have feveral times ur- 
 ged, and think I can never urge it enough,) 
 becaufe commanded by that Authority which 
 God has commanded us to obey.] 
 
 § 7. Shall I exemplifie and illujlrate what I 
 fay by plain Scripture on either fide ? God for- 
 bids us by Mofes to worfhip Idols. And He bids 
 us, by S. Peter, fubmit our felves to every Ordi- 
 nance of man. Again, He bids.us, by S, Paul, 
 Obey them that have the Rule over U6. Now is 
 not God's Law as binding in what he bids, as in 
 what he forbids his peculiar People? I know 
 the former binds Semper, and the later ad Sem- 
 per. But when they Both bind , they cannot 
 buc bind with an /Equality. Oris not his per- 
 emptory Command as obliging under the Gofpel, 
 as it was under the Law ? Is not the Mejfage of 
 God as good, when difpatch'd to us Chrijtians 
 by S. Peter \ andS. Paul, and by Chrifl himflf, 
 as when lent unto the Jews by a fingle Mofes ? 
 
 Is 
 
from Difcbeclience to Au.hority^c. | 3°3 
 
 Is not Gorftheizme Jehova to Them and Vs? 
 and his Word as authentic^ in thefe /j// Time. 
 as in the Fir/i ? Why then do not Chriftians 
 make it a matter of as much Conjcience, to 
 obey the Laws of Mtn whom God has commanded 
 them to 0^, as iwf to worjl/ip a graven Image. 
 which God has commanded them not to worjhip? 
 That £dd> is equally God's Command, was w- 
 ver deny "d by any Chriftian, nor ever an be 
 And is not His Command that we do a Good 
 thing, as valid as his Command that we abftain 
 from what is evil? Yea/tis as much a Chriftian's 
 Duty, to obey hi* laxvfull Governours, and by 
 confequence their Laws Ecclefiajiical and Civil*, 
 as it is, not to worship a graven Image. The 
 fir/i is as conducible to our Salvation as thefe- 
 cond. And Damnation is as much threatened to 
 the Breach of the one, as the other Precept. 
 
 § 8. Now irr my flender judgement, (and 
 fuchasitis, 'tis the bed: I have,) there can be 
 no likelier way, whereby to win over our weak 
 and diffinting Brethren from the ways of Sepa- 
 ration they have efpous'd, than that of labour- 
 ing to convince them by all good means, from 
 the Pulpit, and from the Pew, and in the pri- 
 vacy of the Clofet, by publick Preaching, and 
 Catechizing, and private Conferences efpeciaL 
 
334 
 
 OfAbflaining in particular 
 
 ly (which we (hall find to be ever the mod ef- 
 l!fe&ual ? ) that (faving the Dignity and Priority 
 M the firji and great Commandment, as the 
 'Ground and Foundation of all the reft,) our 
 Obedience to our Qovernours; and human Laws 
 in force amongft us, is as really an effintial or 
 Fundamental of Xbrifiianity, and of as abfolute 
 Neceffity to our Salvation, as the Belief of one 
 God, or any other that can be nam'd. It being 
 as rigidly commanded by God in Scripture , 
 under the very fame Promifes g£ Reward if we 
 obeji and under the very fame Threats of end- 
 kfi Punifhment if we rebel. Tis not enough 
 that This Do&rine be like the Homily of the 
 Church againji Rebellion^ which is commanded 
 by Law and Canon to be read once a year in 
 every Parifh ; nor is it enough that it be preach- 
 ed up of courfe upon the Thirtieth of January, 
 and the Fifth of November ; But 'tis of abfolute 
 neceffity to be riveted and ingrain'd, firft of all 
 into the Heads, and after That, into the Hearts 
 of People committed to our charge, that they 
 muft needs be Subjeft, ( that is, Obedient ) to 
 human Magiftrates and Laws , not onely for 
 fear of the Magiftrates Wrath, or for hope of 
 worldly Profit, no nor onely for fear ol'Hell, or 
 for hope of Heaven, but (as S. Paul goes on to 
 
 tell 
 
I 
 
 from Difobeditnce to Authority &c 
 
 tell us) for Confcicnce fake. I fay, fjr Con- 
 fcience towards God, and for Conference towards 
 our felves, becaufe 'tis part of the Law of Na- 
 ture, and (imply Goodin it felf: notconfequen- 
 tially, ( as every pofitive Law is ) but antece- 
 dently obliging^ and without any the lead re- 
 lation to God's particular written Law, ( fo 
 often repeated in the Scriptures,) though this 
 does make our Difibedience to be the more unex- 
 cufable, and the Perfon difobeying fit for the 
 greater Condemnation. I know the Qujiorn of 
 Difobedience, and the great Numbers of the 
 Refrattary, and their Impunity thereupon, and the 
 feemingly-good morals of fome Diffenters , and 
 their giving out themfelves for the Godly Party, 
 ( Thefe five Fallacies put together) have bred 
 an opinion in many weak^nd unwary Chriftians, 
 that they need not be fubjett to the Higher Pow- 
 ers upon Earth, though S. Paul fays they Need, 
 Rom. 13.5. That the Powers fpoken of are not 
 the Ordinance of God, though S. Paul fays they 
 are. (v. 1,2.) That they may not fubmit to every 
 Ordinance of Man, though S. Peter fays they 
 mufi. ( 1 Pet. 2.1 3.) And fo they imagin that 
 it confifts with a Godly life, to flight the Autho- 
 rity of their G over nours, and fcorn their Laws, 
 unlefs when their Governours and their Laws 
 
 Vv 
 
 are 
 
 595 
 
 Match. 23. 
 14. 
 
s 
 
 Of Abjlaining in particular 
 
 are to proteti Them and Theirs, both in their 
 Livelihoods and their Lives , from fraud and 
 violence. ( in which one cafe, they will readily 
 fubmit to every Ordinance of man, though noc 
 for the Lord's fake, as S.Peter would have it, 
 yet for their own.) In a word, they think it 
 lawfully to live in Schifn, if not in Sacrilege ; 
 (dill in Sacrilege where they are able; ) and fo 
 to tear in pieces, not the Seamlefi Coat onely, 
 but the Body of Chrifi crucified inamyftical 
 fenfe. 
 
 §9. To frame an Amulet in proportion to 
 the Contagion of th\s Difeafe, wherewith a world 
 of eafie Souls of catching Complexions have, 
 been infefted, I humbly conceive it may be 
 made of thefe Six Ingredients. 
 
 Firft, that no Form of 'Godlinefl can be other 
 than Pharifaical, which is not attended with 
 common Honejiji. 
 
 Next, that none can be truly honefi, who do 
 not render to All their Dues. Tribute to whom 
 Tribute is due, Cuftom to whom Cuftom, Fear 
 to whom Fear, Honour to whom Honour. (Rom. 
 
 Thirdly, that nothing can be more due from 
 any one to any other, than from the Subjett to 
 the Sovnaign, and all in Authority under Him. 
 
 To 
 
from Difobe Hence to Authority ,&c. | 3 3 7 
 
 To wit, the fribute of Obedience , as well as 
 Mi/fty ; the attive Cuflorn of Conformity, as well 
 as paffive Subjeftion to Laws hi force ; and as 
 well to Thofe Laws which tend to the pubfick 
 Peace and Safety, as thofe others which main- 
 tain us in the private injoyment of our Eftates ; 
 The Fear of offending , as well as of fuffering 
 for our fences ; laftly, the Honour of inward 
 Reverence, as well as of outward Complaifance. 
 Not as Men-pleafers , but as the Servants of 
 Cbrifl. 
 
 Fourthly, that a Difhoneft man is ipfo faflo 
 and efl ipfo an ungodly man ; and Difobedience 
 to the F*)W Precept, as bad as Rebellion againft 
 the feventh or the eighth, or rather jwr/e ; And 
 fo 4 Common Nonconformifl to Laws eftablifh'd, 
 is C to fpeak within compafs ) as Scandalous 
 in his life as a Common Drunkard. 
 
 Fifthly, that fuch a Subjeft as will no longer 
 allow the Laws, than the Zdws allow Him in his 
 being lawlefi, or no longer than they are ufefull 
 zndpleafant to him, ( as when they avenge him 
 upon his Enemies, proteft him in his Liberty, 
 and aflert him in his Eftate,) deferves not thofe 
 Benefits of Propriety and fafety the Laws afford 
 him. 
 
 Sixthly, that as many as do avow themfelves 
 
 Vv 2 Pro- 
 
3* 
 
 8 
 
 Of Abjiaining in particular 
 
 Protefiants, and yet divide from the Church of 
 England, do contribute a great deal more to- 
 wards the bringing in of Poperj, than All the 
 Emifaries of i?<?/zze could have done without 
 them. 
 
 § 10. If we earneftly defire (at leaft as 
 much as in us lies ) to put an end to all Schifms 
 and Separations ; to procure or promote the 
 publick Yeace of this Nation, and (in That ) 
 the publick Safety by procuring and promo- 
 ting Vniformitj in Religion, and a general Con- 
 formity to the Laws we live under ; we muft be 
 reftlcis in convincing all the People we can con- 
 verfe with ofthefeS/x things. Not onely by 
 making them unable to deny , but by making 
 them able to a/Jert the Truth of them, and there- 
 by to be Converters of other men. We muft 
 never be at reft, nor let Them be fo, until they 
 are perfeft in thefe Particulars. Or if not in 
 all, yet efpecially in the chief. As, that though 
 the Laws of God cannot poffibly depend on the 
 Laws of Men, (but vice versa,^ yet our Obe- 
 dience to God's own Laws does depend on our 
 Obedience to Thofepf Men. They onely differ 
 by the Diftinftion of mediate and immediate. 
 And fo they are Termini Qonvertibiles ; for the 
 immediate Laws of Men aie the mediate Laws of 
 
 God. 
 
from Difobedience to Authority &c \ 350 
 
 Go J. And chat by force of This Text Q never 
 enough to be repeated, and chew'd upon,) Sub* 
 mit your /elves to every Ordinance of Man for the 
 Lord'sfakg. And why for the Lord's fake^ if 
 not becaufe the Lord hath/? appointed ? What 
 God does mediately command by his feveral 
 Deputies, his Mofes, and his Aaron, his Zerub- 
 babel 7 and his Jofhua, and all his fucceeding Le- 
 gi/lators in Church and State, He does as really*, 
 and as truly , and as bindingly command, as 
 what He immediately commands by a Voice from 
 Heaven. In fo much that the Diflinflion of me- 
 diate and immediate does no ways alter the Ob- 
 ligation 7 or make God's Law either more or lefs 
 His. Now though the Dofirine of Obedience 
 unto the mediate Commands of God, is very 
 learnedly, and pioufly, and frequently preach'd 
 in many Places, yet it has not univerfally its 
 wifh'd effed, becaufe not preach'd as a Fun- 
 damental, as efential to our Religion, and as of 
 abfolute Necejftty to the Salvation of the Soul. 
 The Do&rine cannot be prefs'd enough, until 
 'tis prefs'd in Thi* Notion. For Liberty is fo 
 faeet , and Obligation fo diflafifull to mod 
 mens Palates, that they will never make Con- 
 fcience of being punctually Ohedient to hu- 
 man Ordinances and Laws , whilft they are 
 
 Vv 3 flatter'd 
 
34° 
 
 OfAbJlaining in particular 
 
 flatter'd that their Souls may be favd with* 
 out it. 
 
 § il # Touching the feveral Ways and Means 
 whereby This Work is to be done, I am plainly j 
 of This opinion. That though it maybe well) 
 done from out the Pulpit , in fuch profitable 
 Difcourfes as we commonly call Sermons ; yet j 
 very much better it may be done out of the Pew 
 in the more primitive way of Preaching, and the 
 more profitable^ 1 think, which is Catechising. 
 But beft of all by private Conference^ wherein 
 we deal with our Dijfenters one by one ; and give 
 chemthe reafonable Advantage (which in the 
 publick they cannot have ) of alledging all j 
 they can for their Separation, and of objefting j 
 all they can againft our Church from which 
 they feparate, and by confequence againft the 
 33 A&s of Parliament by which our Liturgy 
 and Church do remain eftablifh'd. For This 
 Advantage given to Them by a Private Con- 
 ference, gives VszKo the Advantage of giving 
 clear and [full Anfwers to their Objeftions.Which 
 if we do to their Sathfaftion, we (hall gain them 
 back to God, and to His Spoufe ( our Dear Mo- 
 ther ) The Church of England. This we cer- 
 tainly (hall do, if their Error is but of Wtak+ 
 nefl, and foconfiftent with an honeft well mean- 
 ing 
 
— — — — - —• " ... I ■ ' I I I - - , I I 
 
 from Difobedience to Authority ^q. I 34 
 
 ing Spirit, whereas \t ofWilfulnefi, Pride, and 
 Stomach, Then indeed they are poflHVd with 
 fuch a Deaf and Dumb Spirit, as of which 
 ( without a Miracle ) we are not able to difpojfefi 
 them. And fo we may lawfully give them over 
 as incurable Patients on whom All Remedies 
 are cafi away. ( As we may lawfully ceafe to 
 caft that which is holy unto Dogs.) For in good 
 Earned, of the two, I do efteem it a lejfer Mi- 
 racle^ to make the Blind man to fee, or the Deaf 
 to hear, than either the Wilfull to believe, or 
 the Objiinate to fubmit to the clear eft Reafon. 
 The onely Charity left for Such , *5 *<? ^e/i- 
 z/er tie/H tfp to Satan ; I will not fay for the 
 Deftru&ion , but Humiliation of the Fleflh ; 
 that fo ( if by any means poffible ) their 
 Sprits may be faved in the Day of the Lord 
 Jefu6. 
 
 § 1 2. If what I have faid is not fufficient to 
 reach the end I aim at, I will try what fuccefs 
 I may happen to obtain by a fhorter Method ; 
 The Method of Marcus JEmilw Scaurus, a ve- 
 ry Noble Roman of known Integrity. Who 
 being accufed before the People in a very long 
 Oration by Varies Sucronenfis an enviou* Knave, ; 
 defended himfelf in a very fljort one ; or (to fay | 
 truly) In None at all. For difdaining to con- 
 
 t end j 
 
34 
 
 Of Abftaining in particular 
 
 tend with his bafe Enemy in words , He onely 
 ask'd the Roman People this Queftion. Which 
 of the Two Cje men of Rome J think ye the wor- 
 thier of your Belief? Varim Sucronenfis, who 
 does confidently affirm flLmilim Scaurws to 
 be Guilty ? or JEmilius Scauru* rather , who 
 does proteft that he is Innocent ? Upon which 
 words alone the Perfon accufed was acquit* 
 ted; and the Envious Accufer feverely cen- 
 fufd. 
 
 In a manner not unlike I (hall onely fay 
 Here. The great Apoftle S. Peter, as the Holy 
 Ghoft's Penman, bids us ail fubmit our /elves 
 to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's fake. 
 Whether to the King, ct* Supreme ; or unto Go- 
 vernors, asfent by Him. But certain men of 
 thefe Times, crept in unawares, who defpife Do- 
 minion, and fpeak evil of Dignities, who chink 
 themfelves of more knowledge and greater 
 Authority than S. Peter, do as abfolutely for- 
 bid, as S. Peter bids us. They will not have 
 us fubmit to any Ordinance of Man, either 
 Subordinate, or Supreme. But they will have 
 us (for the Lord's fake ) to recalcitrate ra- 
 ther, and kjck* at every Ordinance of Man, as 
 incrcaching too much on our Chrifiian Li- 
 berty. Now if I ask which of the Two, (S. Pe- 
 
 ter, 
 
 =»*■ 
 
/ 
 
 from Disobedience to Autbority^c. [ 243 
 
 ter, or His Enemies,) we ought to follow, 
 or obey ; very confident I am, ye will fay 
 S. Peter. 
 
 Thefe ( I think ) are words enough to have 
 been us'd at This Time, upon the grounds I 
 have to hope that No mare are needfull. 
 
 Xx 
 

 
(345) 
 
 CAVEAT 
 
 Touching the Danger of 
 
 REFUSING 
 
 THOSE 
 
 CAVE AT S 
 
 Our LORD hath given us in His 
 
 GOSPEL. 
 
 HE B. 12. 25. 
 
 See that ye Refufe not Him that fpeaketh. For 
 1 if They efcaped not who refufed Him that 
 [pake on Earth , much more fhall not We 
 efcape^ if we turn away from Him that fpeak- 
 eth [rem Heaven. 
 
 £ I, A S it hath frequently been faid of 
 
 jr\, the Laws of England \ They are fo 
 
 many , and fo goody that there needs but one 
 
 X x 2 rnor^ 
 
34 6 
 
 The Danger of Refufing 
 
 Luk.2.34* 
 
 Mat.2j.14. 
 
 Mar.12.40. 
 
 more, for the putting of the reft into Execution ; 
 fol may fay with like reaibn of Sermons too ; 
 They are lb every where enough, in cafe they 
 are enough heeded , that there needs but one 
 more, for the procuring to the reft a kind and 
 bofpitable Reception. For without fuch a Re- 
 ception, 'twere better for us that our Sermons 
 were not fewer onely, but wcrfe too. My reafon 
 is, becaufe the more, and the more powerfull 
 our Teaching is, by fo much the more our Non- 
 Proficiency mud needs be render'd Inexcufable. 
 Regular Preaching was ever reckon'd amongft 
 the means of Salvation. And by the means of 
 Salvation whofoever is not better 9 d, muft needs 
 be worfe. Not to go forwards, is to go back- 
 wards, in the School 'of Chrift ; And when the 
 Go/pel is not admitted but to our outward Ears 
 onely, it cannot be but as a Milftone about our 
 Neckj too. For as 'twas faid by old Simeon 
 of Chrift Bimfelf, That he is certainly for the 
 Fall, where he is not for the Rifing of many in 
 Ifrael ; fo the Preaching of Chrift, if we profit 
 nctby it, will accidentally be impioy'd unto 
 our greater Damnation. 
 
 § 2. Now confklering this duly, with one 
 thing more, That as Creeds have multiplied, 
 True Believers have dtcreas'd; That as Chriftian 
 
 Vrofejfors 
 
All Timely Caveats, &c. 
 
 347 
 
 | Vrofejfirs do grow more numerous, Lhri/tiamv. 
 it /elf doth feem to lefftn ; And that the Multi- 
 tude of Religions hath been in fome Danger tc 
 thrujt Religion out of the World, (the Spirit o 
 God being of Unity, and not of Divifion, where- 
 as the Pet/i/s name is Legion, for they are many,) 
 1 fay confidering all This, both in the Caufts 
 and the Efftfts, and that the Time is longlince 
 come, wherein Profeflbrs of Chriftianity will 
 not indure found Dottrine^ but having proud 
 and Itching Ears do heap up Teachers to them- 
 felves, fuch as make for their Palate, and hit 
 their Fancy, (which very Teachers cmnotpleafe 
 them one minute longer, than whilft they /peak 
 pleafant Things, and only prophecy DeceiptJ and 
 that of all our Epidemical or National Sins , 
 none is likelier to provoke or pull down Natio* 
 nal Calamities , than a general flighting and 
 contempt of the Meffages of God in the Mouths 
 of Men ; I think it will not be impertinent to 
 prefs that Caveat upon our felves, which God's 
 inffir^d Amanuenfis did inculcate fomewhat of- 
 ten on his Difciples, (a Caveat which deferves 
 and be/peaks an Audience, and which does not 
 onely invite, but alfo threaten us into Atten- 
 tion,^) See that ye refufe not Him that fpeak^th. 
 For if they efcaped not who rcfufed him that fpakj' 
 
 X x 3 on 
 
 Eph.4.9,4. 
 Mar.5.9. 
 
 2 Tim, 4,$. 
 
34« 
 
 *Hcb.$.$. 
 
 The Danger ofRefufing 
 
 on Earth, much more fh all not we efcape, ij 
 we turn away from Him that f^eaketh from Hea- 
 
 ven. 
 
 § 3. The Text confidetM in the grofs, is 
 a rowing Warning, or Alarm. And being ta- 
 ken in the retail, it hath Three general parts. 
 Firft, the matter of the Warning, which though 
 but negatively txprefTd by a bare [ not refufing 
 him that fpeak.etb,'] yet fure it cannot but be 
 implfd, that we muft give a great Attention 
 to the excellent Things that are fpoken by him. 
 Secondly, the Perfons , who (above all other 
 Perfons) are mofi concern* d ; and Thefe are im- 
 ply 'd in the Pronoun Te. Ye that are Cbrifiians 
 of the Hebrews 1 as having heard and imbraced 
 the Faith ofChrifl, @*i™m ^ ^ fr*8* See that 
 Te do not refufe. See that Te be not debauch'd 
 by whatfoever follicitations of Jews or Gnofiickj. 
 Thirdly, the Argument, or Ground, by which 
 the Warning is inforced and urged on ; and This 
 again is twofold. Firft the Experience of grea- 
 ter Mercies than had been (hewn unto the Jews ; 
 Next, the Sequel of greater Judgments, in cafe 
 thofe Mercies (hall be abufd. The greater 
 Mercies are very evident from the comparifon in 
 the Text. They were fpoken to by Mofes, but 
 ffeby Chrifi. * Mofes was faithfull in all his 
 
 houfe 
 
All Timely Caveats, &c. 
 
 houfe as a Servant, but Chrijl as a Son. Mofes 
 fpake to Them on Earth, but Qbrifi does fpeak 
 to Vs from Heaven. And that the Judgments 
 mud be greater in cafe the Mercies fhall be 
 abufd, is juft as evident from the Reafon on 
 which the Text is here fef#T. For Ingratitude 
 is a S/>z the mod provoking to be imagind. And 
 This receiving its aggravation from the number 
 and #e/g/fo of foregoing Favours, infers our 
 Judge fo much the /erar in being revenged 
 upon our Sins, the more indearing obligations 
 we Sin agalnft. For if they efcaped not who 
 rdfufed Him that fpake on Earth, much more 
 fhall not we\ if we turn away from Him that 
 I peaked* from Heaven. 
 
 Having thus viewed the Text in its feveral 
 parts, let us obferve the Proportions which are 
 deducible from the whole. 
 
 Firft, as Men (in the general) above all 
 other Creatures, ibChriftians (in particular) 
 above ail other Men, are not onely not to refufe, 
 but to imbr ace, and adore Him that fpeaketh to 
 them from Heaven. We mud not onely be 
 contemplative , but practical Hearers of the 
 Word. 
 
 Secondly, Chriftians are not excufable for 
 their Apoftacies or Neglefts , by the greate/i 
 
 Tempt a- 
 
 349 
 
35° I The Danger of Refufing 
 
 i Tim.4.7« 
 
 Temptations to be imagin'd. But the greater 
 Temptations they meet withall, the greater ufe 
 they are to make of their Ghoftly ftrength, and 
 the more to illuftrate their Chrifiian Courage. 
 For 
 
 Thirdly, the more we do injoy the glorious 
 Fr/Weg^ofChriftians, the more obnoxious we 
 are to confuming Fire y ( in the laft Verfe of this 
 Chapter,) on a fuppofal that we be found to 
 be dry, and fruit left, and fo combujlible matter 
 for it. 
 
 Laftly, not to give Attention to the Word of 
 Godfpeaking, not to love and entertain it with 
 Faith and F % ear \ does pafs mthHim for a flat 
 Refufal. For Tm&iT&v is to rejeft with an Aver- 
 fation ; it is the word S. Paul ufeth, when he 
 exhorts his Son Timothy to refufe Prophane and 
 old Wives Fables. And the oppofitc Thing to it 
 is -wie/«OT*f«s 'ar^* 6 *'* to give an earnefi heed 
 unto the words which we have heard.(ffc£.2. i.) 
 Betwixt which two becaufe we fee not any me- 
 dium, /Sa^thts tfrfjuZfoop, See the rather f2wt}>£ 
 ri/w/£ not him thatfpeaketh. 
 
 The t&£r</of chefe Propofitions is an Infarct 
 ment of the firfi, and mud be therefore treated 
 of in conjimftion with it. But yet fince it is 
 not the fole Infor cement, (nor indeed fliould be 
 
 the 
 
All Timely Caveat^ &c. 
 
 35' 
 
 the tHtfi were we men of more ingenuous and 
 generous Natures,) it will be fie to introduce ic 
 wichfomefew others, andfuch as areapte;! ro 
 prevail with mznofthsnobleft Difpofitiom. 
 
 Now there are four things efpecially, (all 
 ari ing out of the Text,) by which this Warning 
 may be inforced. To wit,- the Quality of the 
 Speak?, the Nature of what \yfpokgn % the Con- 
 dition of the Perfons to whom he [peaks , and 
 the Inevitable Deftruftion to fuch as are guilty 
 of a Rtfufal. 
 
 § 4. Fifft confider who it is that fpeaks 
 unto us in the Gofpel. ? Tis He that fitteth be- 
 tween the Cherubims, and cover eth him[el[ with 
 Light, as with a Garment. He that inhabiteth 
 Eternity, and dwelleth in that Light which no 
 mortal Eye can approach unto. He of whom 'tis 
 therefore faid by the royal Pfalmift, that Clouds 
 andDarkpe[s are round about him^ though righ- 
 teou[ne[l and judgment are the Habitation of bit 
 Seat. He that [iretcheth out the Heavens , and 
 layeth the Foundations of the earth, and [or 'met h 
 the Spirit o[man within him, He that guards us 
 with his Angels, and that guides us by his Spi- 
 rit. He that protefts us by his Providence, and 
 diretls us by his Grace, and that orders all he 
 does to crown us finally with his Glory. In a 
 
 Y y word, 
 
1%1 
 
 The Danger of Refufing 
 
 Heb.1.3. 
 
 _ 
 
 word, 'tis God the Father ', that fpeaks uaro us 
 in the Gofpel by God the Son. And therefore 
 forthi*, if for no ether reafon, fo that ye refufe 
 not Him that fpeaketh, becaufe hefpeafatb m 
 the language ofunfpeakable Love, and unfpeakr 
 able Humility. For when as yet we lay we It ring 
 and polluted in our Bloud, how did he fave us 
 as fo many Brands plucked out of the Burning ? 
 how very gladly did he defcend from out the 
 Bofom of the Father, to bid us Live? Twas 
 He that defcended to be born, to make himfelf 
 capable of dying. 'Twas He chat died for our 
 fins, to become capable of rifmg for our Juflifi- 
 cation. 'Twas He that rofe % and afcended, and 
 Yfat him down on the right hand of the Throne of 
 Majefly on high, That there he might make In- 
 terceffion for us ; That by the Gifts of his Apoftks 
 whom he infpir'd for thztend, he might caufe 
 his holy Gofpel to be ftill Echoing in our Ears ; 
 and that by fending his Holy Spirit at once to 
 fanffifieandinftrufl; us, he might place it as a 
 Signet upon our Hearts too. From whence it 
 follows unavoidably, That if we tnifl of thofe 
 things which have thus been prepared and pur- 
 chased for us, and (hall finally comefoort of the 
 glory of God, we cannot fay unto God, that He 
 hath withheld his good things from us ; but 
 
 God 
 
All Timely Caveats \ &c. 
 
 555 
 
 Godvcixy ratnerlay to ut, as heretofore Co his 
 People Ifraely Tour Iniquities have turned away 
 thtft things, and jour Sins have withholden gwd 
 things from )ou. 'Tis onely the hardnejt of 
 our Hearts, and the Spirit within, which har- 
 dens every thing elfe that is without us. *Tis 
 That that many times makes the Heavens Bra/] 
 over our heads, and the Earth Iron under our 
 feet. 'Tis very certain that on God's part, no- 
 thing has been wanting -to make us happy. He 
 came to this end, that we might receive him. He 
 fpakz to this end, that we might hear him. Was 
 lifted 'up to this end, that he might draw u* up 
 after him. And draws u* up to this end, that 
 he may feat us with himfelf at the right hand 
 of God. And if our hearts are now fuch heavy, 
 fuch unweildy pieces of Iron, or have a mixture 
 of fo much Lead in their compofition, as not to 
 be lifted above the Earth by fo ftrong a Load- 
 fione, it does not argue a want on Chrift's part, 
 of enough Magnetick Virtue whereby to draw 
 us, but onely a wilfulnefi on ours, whereby we 
 gain an Incapacity of being drawn. 
 
 Now for the better overcoming this brutifh 
 flefhlinej] of our Spirits, let us repeat and rein, 
 force the Confederation we are upon. God the 
 FatherCpczks to us^ by God the Son, what is 
 
 Yy 2 written 
 
 Jer.525, 
 
 Deut.28.23. 
 
354 
 
 Joli. i.i 7. 
 
 a Job, 1 4 10. 
 
 Eoh.14.10. 
 oh.20.21. 
 
 The Danger of Kefufing 
 
 mitten by the Suggefiicn of God the Holy Ghofl. 
 There is nothing of Human in all the Gofpel, be- 
 fides the //zfowr of the Evangeli/is, in commit- 
 ting it to Pofterity with Ink and Parchment , 
 which yet was done by the Cohduft of God him* 
 [elf. 'Tis true the Z<w was of God too, but 
 7^0f came by *Mofes ; whereas the G^e/ came 
 from him by Jefa Chrifl. Chrifl was fent and 
 a commiffiond by God the Father, as the Apoflles 
 were commiffiond and $rrt by G6/7/?. For fo 
 he told them at that Inftant when he gave them 
 their Miffion and their Commijfion, (?oh.2o.2i0 
 As my Father fent Me, fo fe?id I Tou. From 
 whence he is called by S. Paul, not onely the 
 high Priefi, but the Apofile of our Profeffion, 
 Heb.%.1. K\\t\\e Twelve were but Apoflles of 
 this one great Apofile , as well to offer us the 
 Terms of Peace and Pardon, as to intreat and 
 implore our Acceptance of it. Now when God 
 fends Himfe/fm a Meffage to us ; when the Hea- 
 vens are bowed down to imbrace the Earth ; 
 when even Eappinef] it felf is brought to ^i/z* 
 us at our Houfes , ( which at prefent are but 
 floating in a Ftf//^ of Tears ; ) and brought by 
 Him who is the Author ofBlifi and G/<?ry ; whofe 
 Dwelling is not onely in, but above the Hea- 
 vens; to whom the Sun in his Zenith is but a 
 
 Shadow, 
 
All Timely Caveat, &c. 
 
 3 55 
 
 ' Shadow, and the whole Globe ol Earth but an 
 ! humble FootSiool; fure the leaftvte can do, i 
 to bid him welcome, to give him an hospitable 
 Reception, and to open the Door of the Houfe 
 : within us, at which he is pleas'd to fiand knock' 
 j ing, and fue for Entrance, with a Behold I Jiand 
 at the Door and knocks ifwj m&n hear my voice, 
 and open the Door? I will come in to him, and [up 
 with him, and he with me, ( Rev.3.20.) And 
 therefore if ye can afford him no better cheer, 
 yet at leaft entertain him without Contempt, ne- 
 ver treat him at his coming with a dishonour- 
 able Averfenefi, /SMitm /** 7m&.i-riiwdt 9 See that 
 ye refuse not him that fpeaketh, 
 
 1 How many Miles did men go, in the heathen 
 World, to hear but a Socrates, or a Pythagoras, 
 a Plato, or a Tlotima ? How many Miles went a 
 Queen, to hear the Apophthegms of Solomon? 
 what pains were taken by the Jews, to hear the j 
 reading of the Law? what by Naaman the Sy- 
 rian, tohezr the Co unfel of Eli/ha, afingle/Vfl- 
 phet ? And (hall not God obtain a hearing, when 
 he fpeaks to us by h'xsSon ? and by fuch a Son 
 too, as is Godhimftlf? Certainly for the hearing 
 of fuch a Speaker, 'twere worth our labour to 
 go to Him, although it fhould coll: us a longer 
 Journy than from Sheba to Jerusalem ; much 
 
 Yy 3 left 
 
35 6 
 
 The Danger of Refufing 
 
 *Rev.3.2©. 
 
 hfi {hould we refufe him, when He ( in preven- 
 tion,) is come to u* ; when God, to make u* 
 his adopted Sons, does freely cxpofe his cw/y 
 begotten ; and appoints him the Speaker, who 
 is the Word too ; I mean the hypofiatical eternal 
 Word. Who yet does */2d72;/ at cur Door, in a 
 pofture of painfulnefl and humility 3 whilft we 
 are /ci/wg in his #<?*//?, snd perhaps fitting at 
 his 7tf£/e. How that the Dignity of the Speaker 
 (hould become an Incitement to our Attention, 
 and 0>£tf* attention we ought to give to ffiw 
 xhzt fpeaketh in the Go/^/, we may infer from 
 that which Mofes did once exadl under the Law. 
 What Attention th&t was, and how he evinced 
 thegreatnefi of it from the great Dignity of the 
 Speaker, will beft be feen by comparing three 
 paflages of Scripture. Deut.$. 32,33. Deut.6. 
 6,7,8,9. and Dtitf.i 1.18,19,20. In the firft 
 of which three, Mofes magnifies the Privilege 
 allow 'd by God to the People Ifrael, To hear 
 the voice of God fpeakjng from out the midfl of 
 the Fire. Did ever People hear the like ? in 
 any Time? or at any Place? Firft, for Time, 
 Ask the days that are pafi, fmcetbeday wherein 
 God created Man upon the earth. Secondly, 
 for Place, Ask from the one fide of heaven unto 
 the other, whether there hath been any fuch thing 
 
 06 
 
All Ttm ly Caveats, &c. 
 
 35 
 
 06 fb^, or bath been ever hear J Hkf it* In the 
 cwo next pa'Tiges , Mofes fti i£Hy injoyns the 
 People, to addifi chemfelves wholy to che words 
 of God's Law ; to be converfant with them both 
 Day and A/ig£/ ; to have them always upon 
 their Hands , and in their Mouthes , between 
 cheir £yes, and in their Hearts. Whereupon 
 we are to argue a minori ad maju6. If fuch at- 
 tention was to be given to what was fpoken one- 
 ly by Mofes to all the People, how much more 
 to what is fpoken by Jefu* Chrifl ? for Chriji 
 was counted worthy of more glory than Mofes, in 
 as much ct6 He that built the Houfe, hath more 
 honour than the Houfe, (Heb.^.^ 9 ) And by 
 how much a Son is above a Servant. ( v. 5,6. ) 
 And therefore if the Words which God had fpo- 
 ken by his Servant, much more are the Words 
 which He hath fpoken by h\sSon, very fit to be 
 written upon our Gates , and our Voor-pofls , 
 to be fixt as Frontlets between our Eyes, to be fcr 
 as a Seal upon our Hands, and as a Signet upon 
 our Hearts. We ought to teach them unto our 
 Children, and to be ruminating on them on all 
 Occafions, infeafon, out of feafon, when we fit 
 in our Houfes , and when we walk by the way , 
 when we lie down, and when we rife up. And 
 thus we have the firfi of the four Inforcements, 
 
 by 
 
>5> 
 
 i Danger tf Refufing 
 
 Si ! 
 
 C-t* ;: : 
 
 by which the lining of our Apof;L may be /cf j 
 upon pur 5 ^/i. 
 
 § 5. Secondly, Le: us confider, ( at:er the 
 ; Quat t) off ic Sf w&rj che Naturt otthe/Z? 
 j :ha: xefyokgn by him. They are nor ar. 
 barJ wd in/kpporta U layings, as once v 
 heard from Mount Ebal, Cur fid i< be that c n- 
 tinuetbnot in all things which are written in - 
 I k.ofthc Law to d: thcoKZ no nor iuch as were 
 fpoken long before a: 3eerbeba, and to be puc 
 in Execution on Mount Moriak, Take now thy 
 £00, thine one!) Son whom thculovej% and offer \ 
 him for a Burnt-oaring, upon one tf the Moun- 
 tains which Ifloall teii thee of No, fee does not 
 require of u* any iuch Terrible Expreffions of] 
 our Obedience. He commands us to kill a-:.: 
 flay, notour Children, but our Si/?*. And yet 
 our Sins are our Children too, the fruit of our 
 Bodies very often , and fiill the fruit of our 
 Souls. Nay, many times theie ugly Qhildren, 
 ( I mean our Sins J are dearer to us than Sons 
 or Daughters. ( Agamemnon found it ealier 
 co kill a Daughter, than a Lufi.) But they are 
 viper zu6 Darlings we fo much doa: on ; fuch 
 mifcreant Children as will kill their own Pa. 
 rents, if not prevented by being hjlVd. And 
 thefe alone are the Qhildren, which God requires 
 
 us 
 
All Timely Caveats, &c. 
 
 us Co facrifice to his Difpleafure. Not our /- 
 faacs, but our Ijhmaels, ( I mean our wild, and 
 furious, illegitimate Off-firing ) are to btflain. 
 We muft facrifice our Difionefty, by doing Ju- 
 fiice ; we muft facrifice our Avarice, by /hew- 
 ing Mercy ; and we muft facrifice our Pride, by 
 walking humbly with our God. Mic.6. 8. Well, 
 ye have heard what it is not ; will ye now know 
 what it is, which God in Chrifi doth fpeak to 
 us? he fpeaks the&/2 and the happie/i Tidings, 
 that any wounded or broken Spirit can hope or 
 pray for. So God loved the world, that he gave 
 hi* onely begotten Son, that whofoever believeth 
 in Him, fiouldnotperifr, but have life ever I ajl- 
 ing. Joh.3.16. God/ent not hk Son into the 
 world, to condemn the world, but that the world 
 through him might befav'd. v.i 7. If any man 
 thirfi, let him come unto me and drink* Joh.7.37. 
 He 'that believeth in me, there fh all flow out of hi* 
 Belly, Rivers of living water, v. 38. If a man 
 keep my faying, he fh all never fee Death .]o\\.%.$ 1. 
 Come unto me all ye that travel and are heavy la- 
 den, and I will give you refi. Mat. 11.28. And 
 if ye ask any thing in my name, I will do it.] oh 14, 
 14, Thus we tind God the Father fpeafei. g r o 
 us by his Son. Now obierve how God the Son 
 is fpeaking to us by his Servants. If any man 
 
 Zz fin, 
 
 359 
 
 Gtn.i5.i2. 
 
^6o 
 
 The Danger ofRefufing 
 
 a King.$.io, 
 11,19,13. 
 
 [in, we have an Advocate with the Father^ Jtfm 
 Chrijl the righteous, who is the propitiation for all 
 our fins. 1 job. 2. 1 . He that [fared not his own 
 Son, but delivered him up for m all, how [hall he 
 nt with him, aifo freely give ua all things ? Rom. 
 8.32. And here I cannot bur call to mind 
 what was faid unto Naaman the churl ifh Syrian. 
 Who coming to Elijka to be cured of his Lepro- 
 fie, was prefcribed by the Prophet no harder 
 Medicine than to waff) f even times in the River 
 Jordan. When He, being Angry, in ftead of 
 Thankfully ask'd if Abana and Fharpar, Rivers 
 ofDamafcut^ were not better than all the Waters 
 oflfrael. An Ingratitude fo exceilitft* that his ; 
 own Servants took him up, 1 know not whether 
 with a more melting or a more cutting kind of 
 Rebuke, faying to him, My Father, if the Pro- 
 phet had bid thee do fome great thing, wouldft 
 thou not have done it ? how much rather when he 
 faith to thee, wafh and be clean? After the very 
 fame manner may I fiy here. If God had fent 
 us a Meflage by his Arch- Angel Michael, who \ 
 is faid by the Rabbins to be the Meffenger of his? 
 Jujiice, and fo to bring news of the [addefi na- 
 ture; thould we not have entertain'd him as a 
 Meffenger from Heaven, with Fear and Reve- 
 rence? And then, ( with a greater force of rea- 
 
 ion,) I 
 
All Timely Caveats, &c. 
 
 361 
 
 ion J when a Mellenger fo glorious , and one 
 withall To obliging is lent unto us, as God rna- 
 nifejl in the blef}) ; and fent unto us in fuch a 
 Melfage, as is not onely the word of God, but 
 the word of Reconciliation ; fure the leafi we can 
 render for fo much Mercy, is not one!y very 
 willingly, but very thankfully to receive it. And 
 therefore as for the former , fo for this reafon 
 alfo, jSAfwm^wB^iwfaJ^ SVe that ye refufe 
 not him that ffea\eth. 
 
 §6* Thirdly, let us confider, (after the 
 Quality of the Speaker, and the Nature of what 
 is fpokenj the Condition ot the Perfons to whom 
 he /peaks . Even to us who were Gentiles^ that 
 had long Jfi^ ;a Darkntfl , tf/z<^ *£e foadow of 
 Death. To #4 who were fo difeafed and y/c4 
 of fin, as that we could not be cufd but by the 
 Death of our Phyfician^ this Sun of Righteoufnefi 
 did arife, with healing in his Wings, and tran- 
 flattdu* out ofDarknejlinto his marvellous light. 
 We had nothing but Sin and Mifery to make us 
 capable of his companion; and nothing more 
 than his own compaffton to make us capable of 
 his Love. For had he not lovd us whilft we 
 wereloathfome, and in a ftate of Depravation , 
 hehadnotg/z/e/z himfelffor us to make us love- 
 ly, that is, to redeem m from all Iniquity. And 
 
 £z 2 fince 
 
 2 Cor.< .9. 
 
 Mal.4.2. 
 
 Tir.2.14. 
 
362 
 
 The Danger of Refufwg 
 
 fince the hardneji of our Hearts was able enough 
 to break His, (I mean, to break ic) into compaf 
 fionjmdpity towards us ; (hall not the tendernef 
 of his Heart be able enough to melt ours, (I mean, 
 to melt them) into Tears of" fincere Repentance ? 
 At leaji it (hould melt us into fo much good Na- 
 ture, as to afford him willing Ears when he 
 fpeaks unto us. You know 'tis uncivil for any 
 /Equal to look, afide when another freaks. But 
 Wsfawcinefi in a Cottager, to flight the freech of 
 his noble Landlord. ? Tis more than Infolence 
 in a Subjefl, noC Co attend unto the jpWs' of 
 gracious Soveraign. Hjw great a Crime is it 
 ( by confequence,) as well as a clownery in Re- 
 ligion, either to laugh, or /^ *//</e, or any 
 other ways to exprefs an haughty Carelefnejl^ or 
 NegleSi, when God him/elfin his Gc^e/ is fpeak- 
 ing to us by his Son ? The Men oflfrael and of 
 Judah were more cbnoxiom to Judgment than 
 Thofe of Nineve, both for flighting His preach- 
 ing who was greater than Jonah, and becaufe 
 they were a People much more obliged. For as 
 the better he is tint freaks* the worfe it is, 00* to 
 attend him ; or as the more the Things froken 
 have been obliging, the contempt of fuch things 
 is the more enormom ; fo the more favours they 
 have received to' whom the wordoi God is cf- 
 
 fer% 
 
All Timely Caveat?, &c. I 3 6? 
 
 fer'd, the more unpardonable they are on luppo- 
 ficion of their RefufaL Indeed the Jews, and 
 the Mahometans, or the Salvages of America, 
 may ref ife the Lord Jefa with fome colour o\ 
 Excufe. But we are capable of none, if we neg- 
 lelifo great Salvation, when brought unto us 
 by a Saviour with whom from our Birth we have 
 been acquainted, and of whom we know This, 
 ( by the inftru&ion of S # Peter,) that /& 0/0/w 
 /?#*/? ti&e words of Eternal Life. And therefore 
 whatever is done by others, who are but /4//£/7s 
 and Strangers to Chriftianity ; yet in remern^ 
 brance of the Privilege and the Dignity of your 
 Vocation, your having been wajhed in the laver 
 of B apt if m, your having had a Tafte of the hea- Hcb.$. 4 ,5, 
 venlygift, and of the Powers of the world to come, 
 your being a chofen generation, a royal Priefi- 
 hood, an holy Nation, a peculiar People, which 
 in time pajl were not a People, but are now the 
 People of God, which had not once obtained Mer- 
 cy, but have now obtained Mercy, fal-ven //JiTrm 
 &M**ti See that ye refufe not him tbat/peafath. 
 
 §7. Laftofall, let us confider, (after the 
 
 Quality of the Speaker, the excellent Nature of 
 
 what \sfpoken, and the Condition of the Perfons 
 
 ' to whom. heJpeaksO the greater Degrees of Con- 
 
 ; demnation to fuch as are guilty of a Refufal. For 
 
 1 Z z 3 as 
 
364 I The Danger of Refufing 
 
 *Mat.i3.n. 
 
 a Joh.13.17. 
 iLuk.12.47. 
 
 as the Dignity of our Calling is above that of 
 others, fo we find our (elves obliged to greater 
 Duty. And the more we are rewardable for our 
 Difcbarge of fuch Duty, by fo much the greater 
 is our Danger , if we negldi it. For the Gofpel 
 will condemn us to greater mifery than the Law, 
 upon that Suppofal. An injured Saviour will 
 become a moft angry Judge. And our contempt 
 of richer Favours than had been fhewn in Times 
 paft, will but excite our Benefactor to greater 
 Fury. Mark ( I pray ) what it is , which 1 
 am now to demonftrate, and prefs you with , 
 ( for what you can never enough remember, I 
 cannot mind you of too often, ) That as the 
 greater Dignities are allowed us, the fir tfter Du- 
 ties we are injoyn^d ; fo by how much the fir iff er 
 our Duties are, we muft needs be obnoxious to 
 greater Dangers. To *m it is given to know 
 the Will of our Mafter, and the Myfieries of the 
 Kingdom of Heaven. Here lies our Dignity. But 
 if we know his Will, we muft a do it too. There 
 lies our Duty. For if we know it, but do it not, 
 b we fball be beaten with many firipes. Therein 
 confifts our greateft Danger. 'Tis not the 
 knowledge of our Duties, but the living up to our 
 knowledge, which will ftand us inftead in the 
 Day of Wrath. Nay, All we gain by our Know* 
 
 ledge. 
 
All Timely Caveats, Sec. 
 
 ledge, whilft it is definite ol [Practice, is to be 
 laden with greater mifery than they that know 
 nothing at all. God who fpake in times pafi to 
 out Forefathers by the Prophets, hach in thefe 
 laft days fpoken to us by his Son. There lies 
 our Dignity. But the *//m 0/ their Ignorance 
 God winked at, ( faith the Apoftle) who now 
 commandeth all men every where to repent. There 
 lies our Duty, and Danger too. For if his be- 
 fpeakjngm by his £00 exaftsto be anfwer'd by 
 our Repentance, by fo much the greater muft be 
 our Mifery if we continue in our Impenitence. 
 And then what Ground is it of Comfort, that 
 Gft/inthefe laydays hath/k^/r to us by his 
 Son, (thereby filling us with the knowledge of 
 all the Myfteries of the Gofpel, ) in cafe our 
 Knowledge is become barren, and doth not bring 
 forth the Fruits of Evangelical Integrity ? to 
 wit, impartial Obedience to the whole Law oi 
 ChriftP-To what purpofe is our Knowledge of 
 all good things , without the fedulous execu- 
 tion of what we hjiow, when God who hathj^fl- 
 ken by his Son, hath fpoken 7hh in effedt a- 
 mongil other things, That our prefent Guilt 
 will be the more, and our future Stripes the more 
 \numerou6? It had been better for us, by confe- 
 ' quence, He had not fpoken to us at all, much 
 
 lels 
 
 365 
 
 Heb.i.i.2. 
 
3 
 
 66 
 
 The Danger of Refufing 
 
 ]0h.I$.22. 
 
 Ids by his Son, if we (hall now flop our Ears a- 
 gain ft the Voice of thvs Charmer, or onely open 
 our Ears to him, but not our Hearts. For 
 what faid our Lord of the ftubborn Jews, upon 
 whom he had beftow'd the firfl-fruits of his | 
 Preaching, and to whom he had offer 'd the firfl 
 Refufaloi' his Favours ? If I had not come and 
 ftoken unto them, they had not had Sin ; but now 
 ( that I am come, and have fpoken, and both in 
 vain J they have no excufe or colour for Sin. 
 
 After the very fame manner, had not God 
 fpoken to us at all, or had he fpoken to us ob- 
 fcurely, ( as he fpake to the Gentiles before the 
 Law, by the great Book of the Creation, the two- 
 fold Volume of heaven and earth, ) or had he 
 fpoken to us onely by Dreams, and Vifions, by 
 Vrim, zn&Thummim, by Types, and Figures, 
 by Angels, and Men, by whom he fpake unto 
 the Jews under the Fdtdagogie otMofes; we might 
 have alledged in our excufe, ( how ineffectually 
 foever) that we either wholly wanted the means 
 of knowledge, or that the means were much lefl 
 than they might have been. But now fince af- 
 ter all other Methods, by which he fpake to u6, 
 and others, ( and which are written for our In- 
 (Iru&ionJ he hath left to us in writing what he 
 fpake to us by his Son, thereby enlightning our 
 
 Heads 
 
All Timely Caveats, &c. 
 
 1 6 7 
 
 Heads with an abundant meaiureof'his/T/z;*. 
 kdgt, and alio hach given us of his Spirit, 
 whereby to warm our Hearts too with a compe 
 cent meafure of his Grace; what Apologie or 
 Pretenfe are we able to mike for our I nputies ? 
 We cannot alledge at his Tribunal, That we were 
 ignorant of his Glory, and unacquainted with 
 his Works ; for *the heavens declare the Glory of 
 God ', and the Firmament flieweth his handy 
 work- (Pfal.19.1.) We cannot fay in that 
 hour, that we were deftitute of the Law ; for He 
 hath * 'written it in our Hearts. Nor that we wan- 
 ted his Go/pel ; for He hath put it into our Ears. 
 Nor that we w r ere ftrangers unto his Name ; for 
 we daily take it into our Lips. Nor can we plead 
 that He exacted," more than 'twas poffible for lis 
 to do; for (we know) *we can do all things 
 through Him that jirengthens -ws. And he ac- 
 cepteth according to what we have (although 
 it be but a willing mind^) where nothing more 
 can be perfbrm'd. 2Cor.S.i2. Heacceptsthe 
 leaji Things, where the leajl are the greatejl that 
 wecangiz/e. Sincere we can be, although not 
 fmlefi. Let us but be what we can^ and be 
 perfectly willing to be what we can not ; that is, 
 let us be perfect as it is poffible for us to be, and 
 perfe&ly willing to be perfett *as our Father 
 
 A a a in 
 
 * QukquiJ. 
 humano af- 
 perftui fxb'ji' 
 citur, fern- 
 plum ejw 1/0- 
 cavit qui f-)ld 
 mente corfpi- 
 citur t utqui 
 hjee venera- 
 tur iff Tern- 
 pla, cultum 
 tatnen maxi- 
 mum debeat 
 Conditori \ 
 ftiatque qui/, 
 quit in ufurn 
 Templi bujw 
 indncitur y ri- 
 tafibi vrven- 
 dum Saccr- 
 dotti. Macro- 
 bius. 
 
 * Kom.10.6, 
 7,8. 
 rfPhiJip.3.13. 
 
 *Mattli.$. 
 48. 
 
3 
 
 68 
 
 The Danger of Kefufing 
 
 in Heaven ; and then we have that willing 
 mind, which S. Paul doth allure us will be ac- 
 cepted. 
 
 But here I would not be fo mifaktn, (by fuch 
 as love to be rnifled into pleafant Errors^) as if 
 I had hinted that the Will is ftill as good as the 
 Deed ; or that if we are defirous to do our Du- 
 ties, and do them not, it will certainly ferve our 
 turn, a9 well as // we had done them. The A- 
 pofile does not/0 fpeak, and I onely fpeak with 
 the Apojile ; whofe words to the Corinthians are 
 plainly Thefe. If there befirfl a willing mind, 
 God accepteth according to that a man hath, and 
 not according to that he hath not. Which is as if 
 hefhould havefaid, God will not punifti any 
 man living who does as much as he is able, for 
 the not doing of That, which 'tis impoffible for 
 him to do. From whence 'tis obvious to infer^f 
 that any man may prefume upon God's accep- 
 tance of his Will, or his woulding rather, with- 
 out the performance of "his Duty, when he is able 
 toperform as well as will it ; ( for this were to 
 )uft\f\e our wilful/eft, which are our very worfi 
 fins ; ) but that when we have in earneft done 
 the greatefi good we can, God accepts of our 
 mllingnefi to do the good we can not. Being 
 ct6 good as we are able, he will not be angry we 
 
 are 
 
All Timely Caveats, &c. 
 
 369 
 
 wenobetter. When he finds us fincere in all 
 our Services, he will not condemn us for njt 
 being Jink;!. But notwithftanding all This, 
 which is indeed for our Cmfort, It is every whit 
 as true, and for our Humiliation, chat w r e fhall 
 be utterly unexcufable at the laft great Audit, 
 ( in the day when God fhall judge the Secrets of 
 men by J v/#$ Cbri/iJ in cafe we fb far refufe Him 
 that (peak* to vAJrom Heaven, as live no more 
 ftriftly with all the Advantages of the Gofpel, 
 than the Jews and the Gentiles who liv'd without 
 them. 
 
 Firft, from the Gentiles, 'tis argued Thus 
 by S. PauL If They were left without excufe , 
 who had no other Scripture than the great Book. 
 of % Hieroglyphic^ \ the double Syftem of the Crea- 
 tures in Heaven and Earth ; and had no other 
 Light, than that of Reafon whereby to read it ; 
 and had no Law to go by, but That of Nature ; 
 and had no where elfe to fee it, but in the Ta- 
 bles of their Hearts ; and where 'twas writcen in 
 no Characters, but what were Inviftble to their 
 Eyes ; then what excufe can We hope for, whom 
 God hath fpoken to by his Son ? (and who, be- 
 Mes the Light of Nature, have All the Injlru- 
 ments of Grace too,) xi'lVe fhall fin againft the 
 light of fo clear a Knowledge? 'Tis very plain 
 
 Aaa 2 that 
 
 Rom. 1. 19, 
 
 20,21. 
 
2 jo [ The Danger of Refufing 
 
 that we Christians may be left excufable than the 
 Gentiles, who ( many of them ) never heard of 
 the A^/77£ oiXhrifl, and yet for all that were un- 
 excufable. 
 
 Secondly v from the Jews, we find our Au- 
 thor to the Hebrews difputing thus, Heb.10.2S, 
 29. ]f/?e /^f deffified Mofes Law died without 
 mercy, under two or three Witneffes ; ^^^'^©o 
 77ua>e/a$, Of howmuch forer Punifpment ffjall he 
 be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot 
 the Son of God "? And He is reckon'd to be the 
 Man that hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, 
 whoever he is that finneth wilfully, after he hath 
 received the knowledge of the Truth, (v. 26,) For 
 if then we fin wilfully, there remainetb no more 
 Sacrifice or expiation fir fins ; but a certain fear- 
 full looking for of Judgment, and fiery indigna- 
 tion, which Jh all devour theAdvtrfiaries. (v.27.) 
 The confirmation of this we have Heb.6.4,5,6. 
 where 'tis affirmed to be impoffible for them that 
 once have been inlightned, and have tafited of the 
 good word oj God, if They fall away, to be renewed 
 unto Repentance. And the reafon there is, be- 
 caufie ( in God's interpretation ) they crucifie 
 to themfilves the Son of God, and put him to an 
 openjbame. This again is confirm'd by 2 Pet. 
 2.20,21. where the End of relapfedChriflians 
 
 k 
 
All Timely Caveats, &c. 37 1 
 
 ps faid to be worfe than the Beginning. And 
 thence 'tis inferred to be better, never to have 
 known the way of Truth, than after they have 
 known it to turn, isrc. Thus you fee how the 
 Jews might be lefl excufable than the Gentiles, 
 and yet how We who are Chrifiians may be lefs 
 excufable than the Jews. And therefore let us 
 look to it, that we refufe not him that ffeaketh, 
 but rather that we make him lbme proportionable 
 Anfwer ; fpeaking back to him better, than by 
 our SiASy to wit, by Repentance, and change oj 
 Life. For if They efcaped not who refufed Him 
 that /pake on earth, much lejlfhallwe, if we turn 
 away from Him that fpeakfth from heaven. 
 
 §> 8. I do infift fo much the rather upon 
 this fourth and lafi Topick , from which the 
 Caveat or Warning is now inforc'd, becaufe the 
 hope of Reward in a world to come, is lefl avaiL 
 able with men than the fear of Punlf})ment ; and 
 becaufe the Holy Ghofi does feem to prefer this 
 way of arguing, not onely in my Text, but in 
 diverfe other places ofthisEpiftle. In the fe- 
 cond Chapter more efpecially^ (at the fir ft, fe- 
 cond, third, and fourth Verfesf) we find the Ar- 
 gument and the Inference to be much the fame 
 that they are here . Firft of all obferve the Ar- 
 gument^ and efpecially the Topick from which 
 
 Aaa 3 'tis 
 
97^ 
 
 The Danger of Kefufing 
 
 | '[is drawn. If the word fpoken by Angels was 
 fiedfaft, and every Tranfgreffion and Difobedience\ 
 received a jufl recommence of reward , b*3* i/idfe 
 ifAsZ&fjutSsh Howfhall we then efcape, if we neg- 
 leUt fo great Salvation, which at the fir fi began 
 to be fpoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto 
 us by them that heard him, Godalfo bearing them 
 witnefl both with Signs and Wonders, and di- 
 ver fe Miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghoft, ac- 
 cording to.hvs own will? which is as much as to 
 fay, That becaufe Chrifl was fuperiour both to 
 Mofes and to the Angels, by the miniftery of 
 whom the Law was fpoken unto the Jews, there* 
 fore we who are Cbrijiians are bound to yield 
 the greater reverence to That which God in the 
 Gofpel hath fpoken to us by his Son. For if 
 the Israelites were plagu'd for their contempt 
 of the Law, much more (hall we Chriflians for 
 our Negleft. of the Gofpel. 
 
 §r 9. What now is the Vfe we are to make of 
 this Dofirine, or what the Inference to be drawn 
 from this Argument ? Is it onely in the nega- 
 tive, That we refufe not him that fpeaketh? or 
 that we have not any Averfenefi to his Per/on 
 or his Words ? no, a man may be indifferent^ 
 without averfenefl ; he may be cold and unat- 
 tentive to what is fpoken, without an abfolute 
 
 Con- 
 
All Timely Caveats, &c. 
 
 373 
 
 Contempt, or Refufal of it. And therefore the J 
 inference is fo plainly and fo pofitivelj 'exprefs'd, 
 as to be utterly exclufive of all Indifference. Tis 
 
 <h* r\ud; -7Fi0/.yn7i*v; <8rzpoi%w 9 We OUght to give the 
 
 more earnefl heed unto the things that we have 
 beard; and that for this reafon, left at any time 
 we let them flip. The Apoftle's word is, im-mm 
 7mc2.fa'ZfMv, a Metaphor taken from the falling 
 away of Water, when being not kept within its 
 Bounds it rum wafifully about, and fo is fpilt 
 upon the ground, as Tbavorinm and Hejychius 
 do both expound it. A Metaphor the fitter, 
 and the more worthy to be confidef d, becaufe 
 the word of God in Scripture tf compar'd and 
 refembled to thofe three Liquids , Wine, Milk^ 
 and Water. To the fir ft , by Ifaia6 ; to the 
 fecond, by S. Peter ; and by S. John unto the 
 third. We mult be therefore very careful!, as 
 well to retain, as to receive the Wine and Milk 
 of the word, and as it were to bottle up the Wa- 
 ter of Life, (as David prays God to do his 
 Tears,) left at any time we Jhed it, or let ic 
 fall. For there is no Cordial Water, which we 
 are not carefull to preferve ; ( be it but Cinna- 
 mon, or Surfet Water.) Nor is there any whole- 
 fom Milk-) which we think not too good to be 
 caft away ; (be it but a Cow's, or an Affe's Milk.) 
 
 Nor 
 
 Heb.2.T. 
 
 i Per.2.2. 
 
 R'CV, 2 2.1 ,17. 
 
374 
 
 The Danger of Refnjing 
 
 icor.10.4. 
 
 Rev.7.17. 
 
 21.6. 
 
 2 cor.4.7. 
 
 Nor is there any want of heed Co keep our Wine 
 from being loft, although it be made of a com- 
 mon Grape. But fince the Wine I now fpeak of 
 is that that flowed from hi* Mouth, who call'd 
 Wimlhlfthe True Vine-, And fince the Milk is 
 none other, than thefencere Milkof the word; 
 And fince the Water is no lefs pretiout, than the 
 Water of Life, a Water flowing out from Him 
 whom S. Paul calls a Rock, from whence there 
 gulhes out a Fountain of living Water ; fure 
 we ought to htftudiom and carefull of it, more 
 than of any thing in the world which is commit- 
 ted to be kept in our earthen Vejfels. && &&<*- 
 £&«/ TCe^OTT^as, we ought ro give the more abun- 
 bant and earneft heed to the word of God which 
 we have heard, (that Wine^ that Milk) that 
 Water of Life, which we have drankouz of the 
 Gofpel, and have imbib'd into our Ears,) 
 whereby our Souls may be nourifhed to Life E- 
 ternal. 
 
 Yet there are multitudes in the world, I mean 
 in our Chriftian Reformed world, (upon whom 
 what 1 have (aid muft needs reflect very fevere- 
 ly,} who are fo cold, and fo carelefl in reading 
 or hearing the word of God, that there is hardly 
 any thing elfe to which they are not much more 
 attentive. If a Mountebank in the Street (hall 
 
 fpeak 
 
Ml Timely Caveats, &c. ( 37^ 
 
 fpeak to the People from a Scaffold, they will 
 prefently^foc^tohim, and give him Audience. 
 If any Revels are to be kept, or a new Comcedy 
 to beaded, the Souls of men will be running 
 out at their Eyes and Ears, through the great 
 zndearneji heed which they will give unto the 
 things that are [aid or done. If a Tertullus or 
 an Herod thill make an eloquent Oration, his 
 Auditors will be apt to cry aloud with thofe Pa- 
 rafices, ( Aft. 12.22.) it is the voice of a God, 
 and not of a Man. Whereas when one ofCbri/i s 
 Sermons is recked out of the Go/pel, the hearers 
 are commonly as indifferent, and as feemingly 
 unconcern d, as if they faid inwardly in their 
 hearts, ( the flat Reverfe of what was faid of the 
 Speech of Herod J it it the word of a Man, and 
 not of a God, Do They give heed to what they 
 hear, who if they are not quite afleep, are yet fo 
 yawningly attentive, as to forget in an Inftant, 
 what they hear in an hour ? No, did they heed 
 the word of God , as they often do the aftions 
 and words of Men, (if not in real admiration, 
 at leaft in flattery,} they would carry what they 
 learn from this Tear unto the next ; not in u- 
 tramque aurem dormire, or at leaft in duarum 
 alteram, letting out at the right Ear what they 
 receive into the left ; as if they purpofed to con- 
 
 B b b fute 
 
37 
 
 i6 
 
 The Danger of Refufing 
 
 Heb.4.12, 
 
 Room. 16. 
 
 fute this Epiflle to the Hebrews, when it faith in 
 another place, that the word of God k quick., 
 and power full, and /harper than any two edged 
 [word, piercing even to the dividing of Soul and 
 Spirit', or had a mind to enervate that faying 
 ofS. Paul, as to their Particulars, That the 
 G off el of Qhrifi vs the Power of God unto Sal- 
 vation. 
 
 § 10. What may probably be the reafon , 
 why men will fleep at a Sermon, a greac deal 
 fooner than at a Flay ? is it not becaufe they are 
 left attentive, and by confequence lefs deligh- 
 ted tobe in the Qhurch than in the Theater, and 
 by confequence more in love with what is meant 
 onely to pleafe, than with what is meant topro-' 
 fit them to Life Eternal ? Or fuppofe them mod 
 delighted in Church-Affemblies. What then 
 may be the reafon, why they are much more at- 
 tentive to the words of Men out of the Pulpit, 
 than to the word of God out of the Pew? Is it 
 not that they prefer the gratification of the Ear 
 to the Rectification of the Heart ? And why 
 (houldthat be, if not for want of true Belief,'. 
 or elfe of due Confederation, that the Old and 
 Ntw Teflament are God's own word? and that 
 theGofpel in particular is the word which God 
 the Father hath fpoken to us by GodtheSon? 
 
 And 
 
All Timely Caveats, &c. 
 
 377 
 
 And why fhould this be fo little heeded, ( if 'tis 
 really believed) unlefs becaufe it is to cheaply, 
 and fo commonly to be had ? were the Sun to be 
 ken but once or twice in the Year, he would be 
 much more confider'd than now he is; it being 
 thecommonneftot his Shining which makes him 
 pafs over our heads fo unregarded. And as it 
 is with the Worhj, fo is it too with the Word 
 ofGod. For in the Infancy of the Church, be- 
 fore printing was invented, what care and cofi 
 were men at, to write out Copies of the Go/pel f 
 and in what honour was it had, when but newly 
 to be had in the Vulgar Tongues ? whereas now 
 that it is grown both cheap, and common^ it is 
 commonly as Pearl caft out to Swine. Many 
 fit not at cafij whilft the Prieft is in the reading 
 ofPfalms and Chapters ; and many loyter with- 
 out the Church , until they are very well aflur'd 
 the Preacher is going into the Putyit ; not at all 
 laying to heart, ( what yet they cannot but af- 
 fent to, if ever it enters into their Heads whilft 
 their Heads are Chriftian,) that the chiefeft part 
 of God's Service hath been performed in the 
 Pew. For the mod powerfull words of Men 
 can but edifie at the beft, whereas the pure word 
 of God is apt tofanftifie and *cleanfe us, Job. 1 7. 
 17. and as S. Peter once faid to the Jewijh Sa- 
 
 Bbb 2 nedrim. 
 
 *Joh.x$.$. 
 
378 
 
 The Danger of Re fifing 
 
 A&.5 29. 
 
 Hottinger. de 
 Sec? Bit. Re- 
 form* p. 21, 
 22. 
 
 nedrim, wrought to obey God rather than Man. 
 So in this Cafe alfo, we ought to hear God ra- 
 ther than Men. Now the Leffon which is read 
 out of the Law and the Prophets is the very 
 word of God which he hath fpoken by his Ser- 
 vants. And fo the Leffon out of the Go/pel is 
 the very word of God which he hath fpoken by 
 his Son. Whereas the cuftomary Difcourjt which 
 we call a Sermon, though it is profitable, and 
 fwu6 , and therefore worthy of all acceptance ; 
 yet 'tis of human Contrivance and Compofition, 
 if it is not all taken, word for word, out of the 
 Scripture ; and if it is, it is no more, than fo 
 much Scripture as fills an hour. And how far 
 it is from That, our own experience may in- 
 form us from feveral Pulpits ; wherein we are 
 often entertained with accurate Ejfays, and Ha~ 
 rangues, with florid Difcourfes, and Declama- 
 tions, which have a veryftrong favour of Art , 
 and Diligence , and are defervedly applauded 
 tor Wit, and Learning; but are fo far from be- 
 ing drawn from the Well of Life, fo far from 
 being wholly made + or moftly deduced out of 
 Scripture, as to have hardly any Tinfture or 
 Rellifh of it. As if their Authors were afraid, 
 with Cardinal Bembut and Q[hcr Romanifis, 
 ( who are complained of and accus'd by Domi- 
 nica* 
 
All Timely Caveats, &c. 
 
 379 
 
 nku6 Nanus Mirabellittt,) to fully and flatten 
 their Elocution with the Oracles of God. As il 
 they had the fame opinion touching the Lan- 
 guage of the Pulpit, with the Prophane Car- 
 dinalUofim touching the wellfare of the Churchy 
 when he faid it bad been better if no Gofpel had 
 been mitten. As if the Scripture had feem'd 
 to Them, what once it did to S*Auflin before 
 he was abfolutely converted, very unworthy to be 
 compared with Cicero's Elegance of Expreffton. 
 I wi(h wemightnotcomplamof/wz^ who are 
 caird to be Preachers of the Go/pel, as Lauren- 
 tim Valla was faid to do of Cardinal Sadolet, 
 and Politian, and other Orators of their Age, 
 Gentilern illos Sermonem rnagk, quail Ecclefiafli- 
 cum deamajfe, That they have rather lov'd an 
 Ethnical, than Ecclefiafiical way of fpeaking. 
 And yet if in a zealous Enmity to fuch afFe&ed 
 Idoli^ers of human Eloquence , the Preacher 
 frames his whole Sermon, word for word, out 
 of the Scripture ; what is This but the Recital of 
 fo much Scripture as fills an Hour ? And then 
 'tis certainly as regardable , when barely read 
 out of the Few, as when with Emphafis and ge~ 
 fiure it is rehear fed out of the Pulpit. 
 
 §11.. Refufe. «ot therefore him that fpeaketh, 
 upon anyJ^retenfe to be imagin'd. Net for 
 
 Bbb 3 the 
 
 * Ciim atten- 
 di ad illam 
 Scripturam, 
 vifa eft mihi 
 indigna quam 
 Tullian* 
 Dignitati 
 compararem- 
 Tumor emm 
 meus Yefugie- 
 bat modum. 
 ejiiSt&c, 
 Auguftin. 
 Cortfejf.Li. 
 
5 8o 
 
 *See Afr.Ro- 
 bcrt Boyle 
 hi* thhd Edi- 
 tion of Con- 
 fidcrations 
 touching the 
 ftile of the 
 Holy Scrip- 
 tures. M« 
 
 The Danger of Refufing 
 
 the meannefioi 'the Per/on by whom he fpeaks. 
 Not for the Plainnefi of the language in which 
 he fpeaks. Not for the Uardnefl or myfteriouf- 
 nefs of the things that are fpoken by him. Not 
 for the cheapnefl or the commonnefl of what he 
 fpeaks. Nor yet for any other Obje&ions, 
 which fome who are wittily profane are wont to 
 urge againft the Scriptures. For I fuppofe it 
 to be true, becaufe I find it in the writings of an 
 honourable Author, That*fomeofthofe who do 
 acknowledge both the Truth, and the Authority, 
 do find 1 know not how many faults with the Jiile 
 of Scripture ; As that it is too obfeure, and irnme- 
 thodical, and contradi fling to itfelf; incohe- 
 rent, and unadornd, fiat, and una ffe fling ; a- 
 bounding with things that are either trivial, or 
 impertinent, and alfo with ufelejl Repetitions. 
 Monfters more prodigious than any Africa can 
 afford us, who acknowledging the Authority 
 and Truth of Scripture., can fo blafphemoufly 
 detrafl from the Credit of it. 
 
 § 12. But /SAiTTETfe fM9 Tm&uTHM&i, See that ye 
 refufe not him that fpeaketh, for ail the fcanda- 
 lous Afperfions, that either the Wit or the Ma- 
 lice oft Men or Devils fliall at any time contrive 
 to be caft upon him in his Word. And Firft, 
 refufe not him that fpeaketh, for the meannefl 
 
 of 
 
All Timely Caveats, &c. 
 
 of the Per [on by whom he fpeaks. The word of 
 God being is [acred when pronounced by the 
 Mouth of the lowed Prieft, as when by That of 
 the profoundeft and greateft Prelate in the 
 Church. Nay his word being at pure out of a 
 vitious man's Lips, as the Beams of the Sun, 
 when daily reflefledfvom a Dunghill ; or as the 
 mofl uncorrupted and limpid Water, when it is 
 running through a [or did and earthy Channel. 
 As the Bleffwg of God to Ffraelwas not the wor[e 
 or the lejl welcome, for proceeding from the 
 Lips of a curfed Balaam ; fo his Rebuke fent Co 
 Balaam was not the lefs to be attended, for be- 
 ing fpoken by the Mouth of an arrant Aft. Be 
 not therefore as impatient of being fpoken to by 
 a Priefi of the pooreft Talent and Degree, as 
 Nabal was of being fpoken to by a perfecuted, 
 and defiitute, but royal Prophet ; nor fo impa- 
 tient of a Reproof from any the meaneft of God's 
 Embafiadours, as Abner from Iftbofljeth^ or as 
 £fe/W from John the Baptift, or as Ahab from 
 Micaiah, who for fpeaking an unpleafant, but 
 whol[ome Truth, wasprefently clapt up in Pri- 
 fon, and fed with the Bread of Affliftion too. 
 Entertain not the vi/tffl of all Cbriffs Mefjengers, 
 as the Vharifees and the 7?a/^r$ did C£r//2 #/7/z- 
 felf, when they did sfy^fc?ii©fl£*> deride and 
 
 3 8. 
 
 1 Sam, 25.5, 
 10,17. 
 
 a Sam.3.7,8. 
 
 KJng.22. 
 
 Vh 
 
 Luk.16 14. 
 
 1$. 
 
382 
 
 The Danger of Kefnfing 
 
 Intendi ani- 
 mum in Scri- 
 pturatfanftat 
 ut viderem 
 quales ejfent. 
 Et ecce video 
 Rem mn com- 
 pertamfuper- 
 bti) neque nu» 
 datam Pue- 
 rii f fed incejfu 
 bumilem,fuc- 
 cejfu excel- 
 Jam^ & vela- 
 tarn myflerik, 
 & mn exam 
 ego tali* ut 
 intrare poj-^ 
 fem,aut incti- 
 nare Cervi- 
 cem ad e)ut 
 grejjM. Au- 
 guftir. in 
 ConfeffJ.S. 
 c.$. p.6o. 
 
 feoff at him for the defpicablt Garb of his Ap- 
 pearance* But be as civil to him at lead, as ye 
 would chat your Equals (hould be to Tou ; and 
 even becaufe ye are unwilling to hive jour Mef- 
 fages refa'd, for being fent by the bafefi of all 
 your Servants, therefore See that ye refufe not 
 him thatffeakexh, for the meanneft of the Per/on 
 by whom he fpeaks. 
 
 § 13. Secondly do not refufe him, for the 
 plainnefi of the Language in which he fpeaks. 
 For what is Vlainnefs, but Verfficuity ? and of 
 ail thofe Virtues which are required in an Ora- 
 tor , Perfpicuity and Pertinence are worthily 
 reckon 'd amongft the chief So far forth as the 
 Scriptures contein a Covenant, and a Law, the 
 one of Works, and the other of Faith, ( That 
 delivered by Mofes, and This by Chrijl,) there 
 is nothing more becomes the State and Majefiy 
 of its Author, than to communicate with his 
 People in greateft Vlainnefs. Or is the Go/pel 
 very deftitute of what the world calls Wit and 
 Eloquence? call to mind that God the Father 
 hath fent it to us, by God the Son-, and pay an 
 humble Veneration to what is fpoken, for the 
 honour you bear unto Him that fpeafa. And 
 fince his words are the words of Eternal Life, 
 \ ( that is, the words ofDirefiion by our Confor- 
 mity 
 
All Timely Caveats, &c. 
 
 mity to which we (hall live for ever^) of what 
 a barbarous ingratitude (hall we be judged to be 
 guilty, if we (hall quarrel at his Care to have 
 their meaning under food? Befides, it ought to 
 be remembred, that there are Parables in the 
 Scripture,as well as Flainneffes of Speech ; Places 
 fo Jeep, that an Elephant may fwirnrn, as well 
 as Places fa/hallow, that a Lamb may wade 
 through them. There are fome fuch * S^wW, 
 things fo difficult and hard to be under flood, as 
 that the Ignorant and unfl able (who are 0/7-0- 
 gtftff, aad proud , as well as empty J do many 
 times n?/*e/2 ffo/7z to ffoir Damnation. And 
 therefore whatfoever elfe may be the colour for 
 yourRefufal, See that yerefufenot an heavenly 
 Speaker, for the Plainnefs of the Dialeff in which 
 he (peaks ; becaufe,of all his Condefcenfions ex- 
 preffed to us in his word D this muft certainly be 
 one of the moft Obliging. And yet 
 
 § 14. Thirdly, do not refufe him, for the 
 myfierioufnefs of the things that are fpoken by 
 him. For what were this but to find fault with 
 the [ublimity of the matter ? and implicitly to 
 complain, that there is flrotig meat for men of 
 the ripefi Age, as well as Milk for thole Babes 
 who are unskilfull in the word of righteoufnefs ? 
 It were to quarrel with the Scripture for having 
 
 Ccc 
 
 any 
 
 3h 
 
 2Pet.3.i5. 
 
 Kcb.$. 13,14, 
 
i 584 I The Danger of Kefufmg 
 
 *iCor.4-i. 
 
 Luk.u.$2. 
 Mal.2.7. 
 
 anything in it whereby to exercife our uiligence^ 
 and crown our Search-* to make us fenfible of 
 our weaknefs, and to excite our Admiration. Be- 
 sides, it ought to be (T-mlider'd, that as there 
 are Myfteries in the Scripture , fo there are 
 * stewards of thofe myfteries. As things locked 
 up from low and vulgar Apprehensions, To there 
 are alfo fpecial men co whom is committed the 
 Key of Knowledge. The ?riefi' f s Lips are to pre- 
 ferve it , and the People are to feek it flowing 
 out in expofirions from hi* Orthodox mouth. 
 7 T\s fit the Scripture fhould he plain, zndmjfte- 
 riout too ; 1 mean in fever al parts of it, for fe- 
 ver alpurpofes and ends. For if nothing in it 
 were plain, we fhould but grope after heaven, 
 and mifs the way too. And yet if nothing were 
 myfter iout ,its over great Familiarity would make 
 it liable to contempt. Whereas the due confide- 
 ration of both together will difcover to us the 
 Vfe and the End of Sermons. For though it is 
 not perhaps the pie afaxfft, yet it may feem to be 
 the beft, becaufe the profitably Preaching in 
 all the World, onely toread^ and expound, aaii 
 apply the Scripture ; to fhew thefenfe^here it is 
 difficult find the ufe, when it is eafee. And there- 
 fore See that ye refufe not him that fpeaketh, for 
 the hardnefs of the things that are fpoksn by him. 
 
 §15. Fourth- 
 
All Timely Caveats, &c. 
 
 985 
 
 § 15. Fourthly, do not refufe him, for the 
 cheapnefl or the commonnejl of what he fpeaks, 
 Fovtbri were jufl as extravagant, as if a man 
 Ihould difefteem and depretiate the worth of the 
 New Jerusalem , becaufe the very Foundations 
 of the wall of the City were adorn d with all man- 
 ner of pretiows Stones ; and fo common a thing 
 was Pearl, that the Gates of the City confified 
 of it ; and fo cheap was pure Gold, that the 
 fireet of the City was nothing elfe. To flight 
 the means of Salvation for being commonly to be 
 bad, is juft as if a Nice perfon flhould die with 
 Thirft, rather than quench it with common Wa- 
 ter. Or as if a ^r^i perfon fhould [corn his 
 /i/e, for depending upon fo chtap and fo com- 
 mon an Element as the Air. There is nothing 
 more defruUrive and dijhonourable to men, than 
 their Itching after things that are rare and na- 
 vel. This was one of thofe Crimes wherewith 
 God upbraided his People Ifrael, That for faking 
 him the old and the living Fountain, they had 
 hewn unto themfelves fuch broken Cijierns^ as 
 had nothing but newnefl to recommend them. 
 And therefore fuch Men and Women are very 
 fharply to be rebuked, ( as S. Paul char 'geth Ti- 
 mothy in the very fame Cafe,) who w* enduring 
 found DoRrinc, for being a/*/, do turn afide unto 
 
 Ccc 2 Fables, 
 
 Rev. 
 21. 
 
 21.19, 
 
 2 Pet. 4.5, 4- 
 
386 
 
 The Danger of Refufing 
 
 Ifa. 5 $.i 
 
 Fables, for being new ; and ftill are heaping up 
 Teachers, not to work upon their Hearts, but 
 ro gratifie their delicate and prurient Ears. 
 Choofing rather to quench their Ihirft out of 
 every new Ditch, than to fatisfie themielves with 
 the Antient Springs. And therefore if ye do 
 not think, that the Antient of days is the left to 
 be valued for being antient, to wit, the Lamb 
 /lain from the Foundations of the world ; or that 
 the Waters of Life eternal do lole their Virtue 
 with their credit by being cheap, by being eafily 
 to be had, without Money, and without Price ; 
 See that ye refufe not him that fpeaketh, for the 
 commonnefl of the things that are fpoken by him. 
 § 1 6. Laft of all do not refufe him in cafe 
 his words (hall fometimes feem to be incoherent, 
 immethodical, contradicting to themfelves, un- 
 affefting, or impertinent, or clog'd with ufelefs 
 Repetitions. For firft atmofl they can but feem 
 to be fuch and fuch, as the Sun does onely feem 
 to be deform d in an Eclipfe, and no bigger than 
 a Bufbel in his Meridian ; Next, they cannot 
 fo much as feem Co to labour with Defefrs, un- 
 lefs it be through our Defttis of Under '/landing, 
 or of Humility, of competent Indufiry, or Art, 
 fufficient Time to converfe with, or Patience to 
 confides the things we read. 
 
 § 17. In 
 
All Timely Caveats, &c. 
 
 387 
 
 § 17. In a word, as we defire that we may 
 never be refufed by God Almighty, when at any 
 time we (hall (peak? or cry to Him in our Diftrefi. 
 whether by Prayers, or Tears, from a Gallows. 
 or from a Rack-, perhaps out of a Prifon, per- 
 haps out of a Pejl-houfe, out of the Belly of a 
 Leviathan, or (which at JeaH: is as terrible J) 
 out of the Bowels of a finking and dying Ship, 
 ( for we know not what endmiy await us all ; ) 
 I fay, as ever we hope to be heard our fehes, 
 when in any kind of Exigence we /peak to God, 
 let us ac lead give God the hearing, when in any 
 kind of Dialed he freaks to Vs. Be it by his 
 Son, or by his Servants, be it by Precept, or 
 by Example, by Life, or Doftrine , by Exhor- 
 tations, or Admonitions, by Promifes, or Threats, 
 by his Prophet, or by his fiW, by Words, or 
 B/<nw. And be ic by whatfoever Injirument 
 the B/0JP5 of God are laid on ; by War,PeJiilence, 
 Fire, or Famine. The j5r/2 of which is now 
 consuming our valiant Country-men abroad '; 
 The fecond (you know) hath been devouring 
 far and wide here at iw/ze ; The t/forv/hath late- 
 ly laid wafte the goodlieft Empory in the world, 
 by having us'd our Great City, as once the Ci- 
 iies of the Plain : And unlefs our Repentance or 
 change of Life, fhall cry a* loud in God's Ears 
 
 Ccc 3 as 
 
 *0; YJi Zriotf 
 
 hV69 OJJTd> 
 
 Homcr.Il.c*. 
 
588 I The Danger ofRefufing, &c. 
 
 as our Sins have done, we know not how foon 
 we may feel the Fourth. Left than which 1 
 cannot fay to the moji confidering Congrega- 
 tion; and if thi* little belaid to heart, 1 think 
 I need not fay more. 
 
 Committing therefore what I have faid to 
 due and ferious Consideration , I (hut up all 
 with That Prayer which is the fitted to compleat 
 and conclude the Sermon : 
 
 That what we have heard at this time with 
 our outward Ears, may bj the powerfull Grace 
 of God, be Jo grafted inwardly in our Hearts, as 
 to bring forth in m the fruit of good Living ; to 
 the Honour and Praife of his Name, through ]e- 
 fws Chriji our Lord. To whom, with the Father, 
 in the unity of the Spirit, be Glory, and Thanks- 
 giving both now and for ever. Amen. 
 
 THE 
 
(389) : 
 
 THE 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 §. i. /^\Ur fteddy Adherence or Aflent to 
 \^f the Two lafi Articles of the Creed, 
 ( and indeed to the other Ten?) cannot poilibly 
 fub!ift without our Aflent unto the Fir ft. We 
 cannot certainly believe that we /ball rife from 
 the Dead, unlets ic be by believing that Chrifi 
 is rlfm. And as little can we believe that Chrifi 
 ps rifen, unlefs it be by believing firft, that God 
 was in Chrifi reconciling the world unto Himfelf 
 This implies and prefuppofes the Firfl Article 
 of our Creed, which is as well the Foundation 
 as the Support of all the Reft. But fince the 
 breaking loofe of Hell in This laft Age of a 
 loathfome World, we have met with fuch Ene- 
 mies ( not onely to ours, but ) to All Religion, 
 as from their wifhing and moulding there were no 
 God, (no Refurre&ion of the Body, no life af- 
 ter Death, no Day of Judgment,) have pro- 
 ceeded lb far, as to fay, and teach, There is no 
 God ; nor any one of thofe Things which have 
 been regularly built upon This Foundation. 
 
 And 
 
 O 
 
39- 
 
 The Appendix, 
 
 2 Tim.2.12. 
 
 And if we fuffer This Foundation to be either 
 undermin'd, or but Jhaken in us, All the Fa- 
 brick of our Faith will fall to nothing in an 
 Inftant. An Error here is like one in the firfi 
 Conco&ion , which cannot be mended in the 
 fecond. If we do not believe in God, [ the firfi 
 Article of our Creed,] we cannot choofe but be 
 Infidels in All that follow. Nor are we onely 
 to believe him, as Belief \$ oppofed unto a com- 
 prehenfive knowledge ; But we muft knowingly 
 believe him, as Belief is confident with know- 
 ledge meerly Apprehenfive. And fo as to fay 
 with as much Truth , as S. Paul to Timothy , 
 ( every man for himfelf, in whatfoever Tempta- 
 tions and Times of Trial,) 
 
 For I kjiow whom I have believed. 
 
 § q. A Text which ferves well for a double 
 purpofe; to afcertain our Knowledge , and to 
 eftablifih our Belief as well as to (hew the juft 
 meafure, and ufe of Both in our Religion. A 
 Text accordingly to be confider'd , not one- 
 ly in its Relative, but in its Abfolute impor- 
 tance. 
 
 Firft, the words in their Relation to Thofe 
 that follow and go before them, willbemoft ea- 
 fily underftood by being paraphrafed Thus. 1 
 am a Preacher , and an Apofile , and therefore 
 
 now 
 
The Appendix. 
 
 39 l 
 
 now a M Prifoner offefu* Ghrift. Even for this 
 verycaufe of my being fent forth by *tbe Will of 
 God, and made a b Teacher of the Gentiles, I 
 fuffer thefe Bonds and Perfections of the Jews. 
 But I am not a/bam d of my Bonds, or Office; 
 I am not forry for my Preaching, though 'tis the 
 Caufeofmy Imprifonment. For He on whom 
 I have depended will never forfake me, I am 
 fure. In His hands I can with chearfulnefs re- 
 pole my Life, by whom my Death will be a 
 Door to my Refurreftion.For I have not believ'd 
 I know not whom. Nor do 1 nakedly believe, 
 whom 1 love, and adore, and rely upon ; but 
 I perfectly Know whom I have believed ; and 
 have ^ plenitude of Perfwafwn, that He for whom 
 I now fuffer will never fail me, on Him my Cares 
 are allcafl, who caretbfor me. With Him I have 
 intruded the whole Depofitum of my Labours 
 in the preaching of the Gofpel , and the De- 
 pofitum of my Sufferings for having preich'd it. 
 And whatfoever 1 have intruded, or full in- 
 truft to His keeping, be it my Body, or my Soul, 
 my Body in Peace, or my Soul in Patience, I 
 am affur'd he is Able, and am perfvaded he is 
 Willing, to lay it up for me againfi That Day . 
 A Day expreifed to us in Scripture by fuch Pe- 
 riphrales as Thefe. The Day wherein the Lord 
 
 Ddd Jefus 
 
 *v.B. 
 
 a v. i, 
 
 b v. ii. 
 
 ..— 
 
39 2 
 
 The Appendix. 
 
 * Mal.3 
 17- 
 
 i5, 
 
 Jefm /ball be revealed from Heaven with his 
 mighty Angels inflaming Fire. The Day where- 
 in God ftall judge the Secrets of men byjefm 
 Cbrift. The Day when all that are in the 
 Grave fhall hear hk Voice, and come forth. The 
 Day of Difcrimination when He will make up his 
 * Jewels, and a Book of Remembrance ft all lie be- 
 fore him , for them that feared the Lcrd^ and 
 that thought upon his Name. All my Concerns 
 are left with Him who will keep them in fafety 
 againft That Day. Thus lies the Text in its re- 
 lation to the Context. 
 
 § 3. But being confider'd in itfelf and with- 
 out fiich Relation, 'twill be as eafily underftood 
 by this other Paraphrafe. I know Him perfect- 
 ly, as to his Being, whom 1 believe as to his £/- 
 fence : or whom, as to his Effence, I know in 
 part onely. I can demonflrate his Exifience , 
 although I can but molt firmly believe his Word. 
 For at one and the fame time, asalfo in one and 
 the lame refped, I cannot know, and believe 
 him too ; becaufe what 1 know, I do more than 
 believe, or am pafi believing : And what I do 
 but believe, I have not yet attained the know- 
 ledge of. Knowledge and Belief do move in 
 two diftinQ: Spheres, and That of Knowledge is 
 lb much higher, than This of Faith, that 'tis 
 
 the 
 
The Affiendix. 
 
 393 
 
 the PerftfiionoH man's Faith, wholly toperifb, 
 and expire; to be drown d, and [wallow" *d up 
 into perfect Knowledge. St. /^/expretfeth his 
 Believing by lvs knowing in part. And the Top 
 of his comfort does ftand in This, that when 
 that which is perfect is come, then that which ps 
 inpartffiall be done away. H-re we can but fee 
 darkly a* through aglafl ; but the time is now 
 coming when we jh all fee face to face. Here we 
 onely can Believe the Three Subfiflences of the 
 Godhead in but one and the fame Subfiance ; 
 whereas in That Day of Revelation and Refti- 
 tution, we (hall Knowthh great Myftery even 
 as alfo we are Known. Here we can but Believe 
 the RefurreSion of our Bodies ; but ( in the 
 great Day of Recompence ) our Fruition and 
 Experience will make us Known. We do not 
 know more exa&Jy that Five and Five do make 
 Ten, or that a part of any Dimenfion is unequal 
 to the whole, than we do Know and can demon- 
 fir ate (againft the Enemies of a Deity ) the 
 uncontroulable exigence of the Deity we adore. 
 But This 1 fay onely of God's Exiftence^ and of 
 his Ejfence onely in part. For in our deepeft 
 Contemplation of certain Myjleries in our Reli- 
 gion, fuch as a Trinity of the Perfons in the Vni 
 ty of the Godhead; the Generation of the Se- 
 
 Ddd 2 cond, 
 
 i Com $.$>• 
 
 10. 
 
 12, 
 
394 I 
 
 The Appendix. 
 
 cond, the Vroceffion of die Third, and yet the 
 Coefentiality of Bodi-together with the firji; 
 i fay, in Ibis contemplation our Childifb under- 
 /landings become fo froward , they cannot be 
 quieted but by Faith. Our firm Belief of God 's 
 Word can alone rock. them \ntoz Jleep. In the 
 mean time 'tis matter to us of unfpeakable Com- 
 fort, tint by our abfolute Knowledge of His Ve- 
 rity^ and byourftedfaft Belief of His Veracity, 
 we can eafily acknowledge the higheft Myfteries 
 in the Godhead, which in propriety of Speech 
 we cannot yet pretend to a Knowledge of. All we 
 can do is to believe, that God was in thrift re- 
 conciling the World unto Himftlf; but that a 
 God of Heaven there it, and that a God there 
 mufl be, and that God is a Spirit, and that God 
 being a Spirit mufl: needs be infinite, indivifible, 
 from everlafting to ever Lifting, and fe If fubfi fl- 
 ing : Thefe are things we do clearly Know. Thefe 
 are things we can prove by fuch cogent Reafon- 
 ings, asevery SkepticK^^ fabmitto, and Ma- 
 lice it felf "cannot refifi. And fo 'tis no Contra- 
 diction ( whateVe it feems at firft hearing ) to 
 fay, We Know whom we have Believed. 
 
 §> 4. Now out of this twofold Expofition 
 of the Text, as well confider'd in its abfo- 
 lute , as in irs relative importance , a three- 
 fold 
 
The Appendix. [ 395 
 
 fold Qu&re does arife, and offer it felf to be 
 refolvd. 
 
 The firft Quaere is, How and Why we are faid 
 to know God, by knowledge properly fo calVd ; 
 to wit, as perfettly^ and as plainly? as we can 
 know any thing elfe ; or as fully, and as clearly, 
 as any thing kjiowable can be known. 
 
 The fecond is, How and Why our bare Belie- 
 ving the hidden Things of our God , ( as the 
 Scripture calls them) is much more proper, and 
 more required, and more rewardable in RelL 
 gion, than our clear and full Knowledge of God's 
 Exifience. Nor onely of his Exifience, but of 
 his Efence alfo inpart. 
 
 The third Quaere is, What are the Powers and 
 the kffetts, and the great Benefits of Believing, 
 (as well as of knowing whom we believe,) clear- 
 ly implied in the Text by the Caufal For , as 
 That imports S. Paul's Reafon, for bk not being 
 ajhanCdoftht things hefufferd. 
 
 A Refolutionofthe Firft, will have an apti- 
 tude tofiarne or convince the Atheifl. 
 
 A Refolution of the Second, will have a Ten- 
 dency to the Converfion, or the Confufion of the 
 Infidel. 
 
 A Refolution of the Third, will die the 
 Mouthes of thofe Scoffers, who leek to fet up 
 
 Udd 3 meer 
 
39 6 
 
 The Appendix. 
 
 meer Science, (and Science fal/ly fo calVd,') 
 not onely above, but agrinfl Religion. Nor will 
 it be an ill Office, to make the Sciolifts afliam'd 
 of their Profanations. 
 
 ^ 5. Touching the Firji of thefe Subjefts I 
 fpeak the rather,(though 'tis pity 'tis not imper- 
 tinent in any Auditory of Christians,) becaufe 
 I have met with an Objeflion, which fome have 
 pretended to have had from feveral eminent 
 men's Writings; to wit, that the Being of a 
 Deity cannot poffibly be proved by Demonflra- 
 fiw^whereby to be the Objeft of real Knowledge ; 
 but onely by ?robable Argumentations, which 
 cannot poffibly beeffe&iveofany thing greater 
 than our Belief. And Humane Belief may be 
 erroneous, though Knowledge cannot. Now whiift 
 I confider that fuch Belief is but a ftronger fort 
 of Opinion, and that a Radical Fear at leaft (in 
 Books of Logick and Philofophy) is affirm 'd 
 to be to Both an ejjential thing ; and that the 
 Objeft of Opinion when 'tis but humane, is faid 
 to be under a poffibility of Falfbood, however 
 ftrong enough to exclude a poffibility of Doubt- 
 ting ; I fay, confidering thefe chings, it feemeth 
 firft a Difparagement to the God whom we ferve, 
 to be aflerted by his Votaries, as a Thing Cre- 
 dible rather than Known. Next, a Difparage- 
 ment 
 
The Appendix. 
 
 I 397 
 
 ment to Theology, not ro be as Scientifical of its 
 obje&'s Exiftence, as fome inferiour Things are ; 
 but to content it (elf to argue from Tcfickj Pro- 
 bable onely by nature, however zsftrong, and 
 asperfwafive, as the*matter will bear which it 
 feeks to prove. A Difparagement in the lad 
 place it cannot but be to our Religion, if we 
 cannot be at certain of the Deity we adore, as 
 of other Things; and if we are not as able to 
 prove His Being, as any vulgar Geometrician 
 to prove a Theorem in Euclid. Such cold and 
 frigid ways of Reafoning, as do pretend but to 
 perfwaJe, not at all to compel, or confirain the 
 Atheift, may feem^ Tantoto excufe, and fo to 
 gratifie his Impifcty , by thus extenuating the 
 Evidence which God has given us of Himfelf; 
 and by making That left, than indeed it is. To 
 fpeakof the Deity's Credibility, may chance to 
 harden fome Atheids, who [corn all Preaching ; 
 though it may chance to foften others, who are 
 but lightly drawn in, and of better Natures. 
 But 'tis worthily to be fear'd, it may occafion 
 ComcShptUkSy who yet are none. For fome 
 we know have been fo dagger 'd by Topical ar- 
 guments for a Deity, and the Beginning of the 
 World, as to have made it matter ot'Queftion, 
 whether the Godhead and the Creation are in- 
 deed 
 
 CJm 7S7sV 
 AKeidi 0771- 
 
 IP OJVp « T8 
 
ong I The Appendix. 
 
 deed any other than Slrongly Credible. And 
 whether chat Opinion we have been taught to 
 I have of them , is really any o:her than highly 
 ' Probable. And whether (by confequence un- 
 avoidable ) we are not void of All Knowledge 
 concerning God , however confident we have 
 been, that a God there is. 
 
 § 6. To this Obje&ion I anfwer by Thefe 
 Degrees. Firft , I fay , that the Objeftors do 
 either very much miftafa fome very learned 
 men's Words, or that the learned men's Words 
 I are not exprejfive of their meaning. For how 
 unfortunately foever fome of excellent Erudi- 
 tion may have managed fome Parts of their mod 
 excellent Defign, by an ill choice of fome Simi- 
 litudes^ and by the wording of their Intentions ; 
 fure I am that their Judgements are found and 
 orthodox as to the Deity, and withall as to the 
 Evidence it carries with it. They do not any 
 where deny that the Godhead it demonjirable ; 
 but fay it is not a proper Subject of Mathema- 
 tical Demonftration. Nor fay they any where 
 precifely, The Godhead cannot beprov dby fenfe ; 
 but onely that it cannot be fo immediately. And 
 in fuch fayings as Thefe, there is no Harm. 
 For 
 
 § 7. Not to infift (at this Time) on That 
 
 Divine 
 
The Appendix. 
 
 Divine Demon ftration,which is cali'd by S, Paul, 
 The Demonflration of the Spirit, partly made by 
 Signs and Miracles from without, partly by im- 
 mediate and fupernatural Revelations, to all the 
 Prophets of the Old Teftament, and alt the A- 
 poftles in the New. We have ways ofDernonftra- 
 ta?/z,which,though they are not Mathematical^? 
 yet as dear,or rather clearer,and more compulfive 
 of our Affent. And God 'may be proved even by 
 Senfe, mediantibu* Creaturts, as S. Paul ftrongly 
 argues in his firft Chapter to the Romans. Where 
 the Invifible things of God from the Creation of the 
 World ( He faith without a Contradiction ) are 
 clearly feen,being under 'flood by the things that are 
 made,even his eternal Fewer andGodhead.So that 
 they (who do deny him) are without all Excufe, 
 whether they know him,or know him not. But that 
 They who wereAtheifls in point ofPraflice,v?eve 
 none at all in point of Speculation, the fame A- 
 poftle implies by faying, They held the Truth in 
 unrighteoufnefi.(y.i%^ And That which may be 
 known of God it manifefi in them, for God hath 
 fbew'd it unto them. (v. 19. ) And again , 
 They did not like to retain God in their Know- 
 ledge, (v. 28.) So very hard a thing it is (in 
 the Judgement of our Apoftle) to be a ffe- 
 culative Atheift , even for one who deiires 
 
 E ee to 
 
 I 399 
 
 1 Cor. 2.4. 
 
400 
 
 The Appendix. 
 
 to befo ; and is unwilling to acknowledge what 
 he cannot but Know. 
 
 § 8. But not to put the leaft ftrefs upon the 
 Authority of S. Paul , which Antifcrij>turifls 
 will not allow, (and 'tis for Their fakes efpe- 
 cially that I am fain on This Subjeft,) I (hall 
 Secondly prove by Reafon, touching the Being 
 \ofa Deity, not onely that we are furnifh'd with 
 as much Evidenced its Truth, asfucb a thing 
 is capable of; but that 'tis capable of as much 
 Evidence, as the light we fee, and fee by, or 
 rather more. For as a mental Demonftration 
 is more cogently convincing to any Skeptick, 
 than an Ocular ; fo That which (hews the God- 
 bead to us, is oi mental Demonftrations the 
 mo ft convincing. For the mofi cogent Demon- 
 ftration which can be madefy a Logician, is 
 chat which argues from the Caufeto the Efeft, 
 and is call'd with good reafon Demonfiratio Po- 
 tijfima. But God Almighty being the Fountain 
 of All things knowable in the World, and fo 
 die Qaufeoi All Qaufes which are the Grounds 
 of Demonfiratio n , (the efteQ; of which is true 
 knowledge, whole Ratio formalh, formal Rea- 
 fon is Affurance , ) 'Tis plain his Being muft 
 carry with ic fo clear an Evidence of it felf* that 
 ifwe were not fure of 'That •, we could be fure of 
 
 nothing 
 
The Appendix. 
 
 401 
 
 nothing elfe. We are much furer of it, than of 
 any thing we can fee, by how much the inward 
 light we have is more infallible than our out- 
 ward. For This may eafily deceive us, and in- 
 deed fo often does, that much Experience has 
 taught us to diftruji our own Eyes in feveral 
 Cafes, and in fome to disbelieve them. Whereas 
 a man's Vndtrfianding ( of Obje&s adequate 
 to it felf ) can never either fail him, or bzfuf- 
 pefled ; becaufe 'tis an Eye whofe Sight is Know- 
 ledge. And Knowledge (properly fo callM) 
 is fo infallible in its nature, that without infalli- 
 bility it cannot poffibly be Knowledge, but muft 
 needs be fomewhat elfe ; a fhrewd Conjefture, 
 or ftrong Belief, an obftinate Confidence, or 
 Prefumption ; each of which is true or falfe, as 
 it is well or ill grounded. Whereas to Know- 
 ledge as it is Knowledge, Infallibility is effin- 
 tial. Shall I make the Cafe clear, and unde- 
 niable by an Example ? We know a man ha- 
 ving been blind from his very Birth, may have 
 as abfolute a knowledge that 5 and 5 do make 
 10, asthebeft Ey'd Lynceu*. And a man the 
 mod illiterate is as far from being able to be 
 deceivd'm this point, as one of the greateft 
 Erudition, or deepeft Reach. Which ftrongly 
 vindicates our Apoltle from the poflible Re- 
 
 Eee 2 proachj 
 
4Q-2 
 
 The Apfendix. 
 
 Rom. i. to. 
 Hcb.11.27. 
 
 * Sunt qui 
 negant Spiri- 
 turn ejje ul- 
 lum, autom- 
 nino quic* 
 quam prater 
 ca qu* fenfu 
 percipimM. 
 Maffeius 
 Eijt. Ind. 
 p. 431. 
 
 proach of a Contradi&ion , when he fays, 
 Things invifibh are clearly feen ; and chat Mo- 
 fes faw him who is invifibh. For God's Ex- 
 ifience, though invifibh to the Eye of the Body, 
 is yet to That of the Soul mod clearly feen ; even 
 as clearly as the Affertion that 5 and 5 do make 
 1 o is afcertaind to a man without Eyes or Lear- 
 ning. Not at all feen by the light without, but 
 fo much the more by the light within him. The 
 Learned and the Illiterate, the Blind and the 
 Quick-fighted, are very equally undeceivable 
 in thefe Particulars. And therefore when 'tis 
 laid by the pert and dull Scoffer, (as pert and 
 dull as the Japonians of the Jenxuan Hcerefie, ) 
 * that He is too foolijh who thinks he knows any 
 thing he cannot fee ; and He too credulous, who 
 is able to believe what he cannot reach ; He may 
 be prefently made afhamd of his Under {land- 
 ing, by an argument ad hominem, that He is 
 void of all Reafon, and can have no Soul with- 
 in him, (much lefs a rational^) becaufe he nei- 
 ther can fee it, nor can it poffibly be feen. So 
 'tis an Argument to the Scoffer beyond all An- 
 fwer, that nothing by nature can be more ex- 
 cellent than a Beafi, becaufe a BeaSl cannot 
 reach it, or comprehend 'how it fhould be. There 
 have been fome in all Ages, whofe ftiamefuH 
 
 Ambition 
 
The Appendix. 
 
 ( 
 
 4°3 
 
 Ambition it has b^en to make their Ignorance 
 Monumental. Hercules by his Pillars, wkh a 
 Nihil pU* ultra infcrib'd upon thern, and 
 Mr. Hobs by his Hypothefis , that there is nc 
 Spirit at all , ( nor any thing elfe above the 
 Sphere of his low Capacity,) have but built 
 obelisks to the Memory of their mod eminent 
 Imperfe&ions, their Incomparable Pride, and 
 their Incurable Stupidity. The man is fitter to 
 be defyisd, tharfto be fadly diluted with, who 
 takes his narrow Under Jianding to be comment 
 fur ate with the Vniverfe, and the adequate Stan- 
 dard of all Exiftence ; who will have All to be 
 but Fifiion, which is to Him Incomprehenfible ; 
 and nothing really to exift, which is above or 
 beyond Wis Soul's Horizon. He is worthier of 
 our pity, whofe perfeft ignorance in Aftrono- 
 my makes him ready almofl: to fwear, the Sun 
 is no bigger than a bonfire ; becaufe the Difiance 
 of the Object, and the Deceiptfulnefi of the Or- 
 gan, do confpireBoth at once to give it a Liu 
 tlenefi of Appearance. 'Tis hard to fay which 
 is greater, our uncertainty oi'fome things which 
 we do every day fee; or the Certainty of other 
 things which cannot poffibly be feen. 
 
 ^ 9. Now amongft the many ways of pro- 
 ving a God by Demonstration, ( feme of which 
 
 Eee 3 cannot 
 
a ± | } The Appendix. 
 
 cannot be made but to good Logicians , and 
 ] very hardly if at all, in the Engliih Tongue,)* 
 ' Two efpecially are the fitted for the Capaci- 
 ties of the Vulgar, whilft unaffifted by Erudi- 
 tion. Ihefirfi of which will be the ea fior, though > 
 the fecond will be more cogent, and more im- \ 
 per alive of our Affent. 
 
 The fir ft) and the mod obvious, is a Pofte- 
 riori, as proving the Caufe by its Effefls. Which 
 is as true a Demonftration, tnd as prevailing, 
 as any the Mathematicks pretend to ; and ma. 
 ny times more proportionable to Capacities un- 
 improved, than Demonftration a Priori, which 
 proves an effeft by its Caufe or Caufes. As 'tis 
 many times eafier to prove the Tree by its Fruit 
 than the Fruit by its Original , the Tree that 
 bears it. Yea there are things, as the four Ele- 
 ments, whofe inward Forms are unknown, and 
 therefore they cannot be demonftrated to be 
 what they Are, but h pofteriori : fuch as Fire 
 by its properties of beat, and light, and 
 lightnefi , and the like ; which yet do beget 
 as great a Certainty of its Exijltnce and Difpo- 
 fition, as could be had if we could know the 
 whole Effence of it. And thus our common 
 Mafters ofMufick do know the forces and the 
 effefls of all the Mufical proportions of Sound 
 
 and 
 
The Appendix. ( 1 405 
 
 and Number, (perhaps to much better purpofe 
 than either Frofchim , or G afford, or Bottiws 
 himfelQ whilft yet the Reafon of effefts is a 
 Stranger to them. Now that God is demonjira- 
 ble a Fofteriori, ( I mean as to his Being, and 
 his Nature in Part, which is mod eafily appre- 
 hended, not as to his whole Nature, which is 
 indeed incomprebenfible ; and the moft that we 
 know of what it it,, comes by our knowing what 
 it is not ; ) is very well (hewn , as by other 
 Writers, fo efpecially by Cicero De Natura De- 
 orurn, whom 'tis fitter to refer to, than to Tran- 
 flate, on Epitomise. But whofoever fhall have 
 the Patience ( if I may not fay the ?leafure ) fo 
 to read, as to underfland him, will confefs the 
 whole World to be a Volume ib exprefftve of its 
 Creator, as not to ftand in any need of thaf his 
 leferBook, The Bible, to help it out. For if 
 a man who (hall but look on a goodly Palace , 
 will rather argue that 'twas built by fome skil- 
 ful I Architect, than that the Stones by meer 
 Chance (with all the reft of the Materials) did 
 fall into that order wherein he fees them ; much 
 more, when we look on the Sun and Moon, and 
 all the Harmon) of Things in Heaven and Earth, 
 I fhall we conclude them rather the Work of fome 
 \lnvifible Contriver, than that they are the Blind 
 
 oft-fpring 
 
406 
 
 The Appendix. 
 
 off-fpring of Hap or Chance. God is much 
 better known by fuch Foot-fteps of his Divinity , 
 than either an Hercules by his Foot, or a Lion by 
 his Yaw, or an Apelles by his Pencil. And as 
 my Knowledge that the Houfe wherein I am, had 
 a Builder, cannot be leflened by my Ignorance 
 of the Architect or Artijl by whom 'twas built ; 
 fo my Knowledge and Affurance of the whole 
 World's having a Maker, ( and every way fu- 
 table to fuch a FabrickO cannot poffibly be di- 
 minifh'd, much lefs diffolv V, <x done away, by 
 its Maker's being Invifible to Carnal Eyes. For 
 how much cxraAjr Demonftrations give place 
 to mental, I fhew'd before. And its Truth is 
 yet farther confirmed from hence ; that Mv.Hobs 
 his Dtmonflration of the Quadrature of the Circle 
 ( for which he will fooner dye a Martyr, than 
 for any thing in Religion,) is by a skjlfuller Ma- 
 thematician plainly demonfirated to be Falfe. 
 But 7#« Principle in the Metaphyficks, [that 
 of the two Parts of a QontradiRion, the one mujl 
 evermore be True, and the other Falfe, ] which 
 is the firft and chief Ground of all our Mental 
 Demon fir ations, ( mod: efpecially of the God- 
 head) and every Mental Demonflration which 
 is duly rais'd from it, or Necellitates an Atheift 
 either to grant there is a God, or to affirm Both 
 
 Parts 
 
 ■ * ■■ . — "«. ■■ 
 
The Appendix. 
 
 I 
 
 I 4' 
 
 Pares of a Contradiction, is lb clear, and felt- 
 evident ( widiout the help of our outward Cen- 
 fes) that it is cogent even to all, of all* Per- 
 fwaftons, and has every where the Suffrage, as 
 well of 7tftfg/tf, as of Untaught Reafon. In- 
 fomuch as it cannoc be quire fo evident, that 
 every Watch has a Spring, and every Spring a 
 Spring-Maker, as that there is a a Primm Motor 
 of every Mobile in the World, and a Principle 
 of Being to All that is. The Proof of what I 
 have hitherto but ^re/p /Si*/ will be ffiort, and 
 eafie. And the Way to it may thus be made. 
 
 That fome Things there are which began Co 
 b&f Experience tells us. And that Nothing can 
 be the Caufe of its own Being and Beginning, is 
 juft as Plain. For that which is not in being, 
 cannot do or aft any thing ; and as little is it 
 poffible that it fhould be before it it. From 
 whence it follows of nece/Iity, that whatfoever 
 began to be , had its Being and Beginning from 
 fomewhat elfe. As the Third from the Second, 
 and the Second from the Fir ft. And becaufe 
 there could be nothing which could begin before 
 the Fir ft, 'tis plain the Fir ft had its Beginning 
 from That which never did begin. And that 
 which never began at all, yet is the Author of 
 Beginning to All that ever did begin , is That 
 
 F f f which 
 
 * Rom.a 14, 
 T 5. 
 
 a Ariftor. 7 
 Ftyfc.u& 
 
 & 12. Meta- 
 phyf c. 29. 
 PI^o 10. <fc 
 
 Confer Eer- 
 nard.<& Cm- 
 fid. I. 5. c.5. 
 
4 o8 
 
 The Appendix. 
 
 which in Englijh we do commonly call God. 
 God the (horteft and the fitted of any Appel- 
 lative we can ufe in our Englijb Tongue. Not 
 chat This or any Name can ever exprefs his 
 whole Nature ; (for fome of the Greekj ex^ 
 prefs'd him fitly by to ^h^^mw^ The Vncx- 
 prejfible, and Mofes more fitly by I Am That I 
 Am, or that ftupendous Tetragrammaton y the 
 Lord Jehovah,) but as fafer and lefs improper, 
 than Anima Mundi, Mens Divina, Natura Na- 
 turans, and the like, by which the Peripateticfe? 
 and ?latonifts, and from Thefe the Roficrucians, 
 have laid a Stumbling-block in the Way of 
 Themfelves and others. • 
 
 Now becaufe it does imply the firft and worft 
 of Contradictions, for That Being not to be, or 
 Not to have been without Beginning, which gave 
 a Being and Beginning to That which firft began 
 to be ; therefore for any one to affirm, There it 
 no God, or no Eternal Caufe of Being to All 
 that ever began to be , is to affirm Both Parts 
 of a Contradiction. Although, in fpite of Him- 
 felf, and his own Perverfenefs , (if he is but 
 an Animal indued with Reafon, and not a pro- 
 digious fort of Monfier in the meer likencfi of a 
 Man,) he mud confels the one is True, and 
 che other Falfe. This is a mental and meta- 
 physeal 
 
The Appendix. 
 
 409 
 
 phyfical Demonftration, more compulsively con- 
 vincing than any Ocular. It being Impoflible 
 Co be True, that any thing is in Beings and Not 
 in Being at the fame Injlant ; as 'tis Impoffible 
 to be Falfe, that every thing ( at the Tame In- 
 ftant ) ps either in Being, or Not in Being. 
 
 Thefe are things of fuch [elf-evidence , and 
 fo comfulfive of ' Ajfent , that (aslfaida little 
 before ) they have every where the fuffrage as 
 well of taught as of untaught Reafon. And 
 This I take to be fuch a ?roof or Vemonflration 
 of The Deity, as it is fufficient to convert even 
 an Acataleptick) who holds that nothing vs to be 
 known, but that a man does know nothing. Nor 
 does it nakedly perfwade, but irrefiftably com- 
 pel, and confirain the Atheift. I do not fpeak 
 onely with Confidence, but do Know what 1 fay 
 but an old Experience. 
 
 § io. Again, we know whom we have be- 
 liev'd, by fome of the meanefi Creatures a&ing 
 above the Sphere of their A&ivity. For all 
 things a&ing above them/elves, and with more 
 force or vertue than other things of their Le- 
 vel are of themfelves able to do, muft needs de- 
 rive fuch power and virtue from fomewhat elfe 
 which is above them. As when Balaam's Afl 
 fhafaflnd rebuked her Rider, 9 twAs fo commanding a 
 
 Fffa De- 
 
4 1 o [ The Affiendix. 
 
 Demonf ration of an Agent fupernatural, work- 
 ing in % and upon, and above the Afs, that He who 
 will not grant the later, muft ( in fpite of him- 
 felf ) deny the former. Which becaufe an An- 
 tifcripturijl may gladly do, we are to inftance 
 in other Things, whereof (not his Eeading,buz) 
 his downright Experience will bell: convince 
 him. The Cafe may be ufefully reprefented 
 in the vaft difference which we obferve between 
 a Marble, and a Loadjione. We find the Marble 
 has nothing in it above the Nature of a Stone. 
 It is as dull? as it is heavy ; and as unaRive, as 
 it is lifelefi. Whereas the Loadjione a&s clearly 
 above the nature ofaStone,or a Thing Inanimate, 
 in drawing Iron as it does, an heavier Body 
 than ltfelf, and that without a Touch or Contact, 
 ( fo little need has it of Hands and Arms, ) and 
 This by way of Difcret ion too, with a discrimi- 
 nating Love to That Courfe Metal above All 
 others. This, and the other Confideration , 
 that a Needle touch 'd with it has a particular 
 Inclination to (land full Northward, in which 
 Point onely it is at reft, and ever reft left in any 
 other, moved Thales Mil fim, (the Wifeft man 
 in all Greece ) to believe it Animate. And in- 
 deed he might have thought it, not onely Ani- 
 mate, but Senfible, nor onely Senfible, but Ra- 
 tional* 
 
The Appendix. 
 
 411 
 
 tional, had not his Knowledge of a Deity ((hew- 
 ing his Wifedom'm the molt Jiupid, as well as 
 his Power irrefijiible in the weakeji and the moji 
 paffive of ah his Creatures ,) fuperfeded the ne- 
 ceffity of that Conjecture. To which I add, 
 that nothing fpeah a God lowder, or more di. 
 ftin&ly, than fuch a fteechlefi fort of Creatures 
 as Birds and Bees, whofe unlearned Y\nd ot Sci- 
 ence and skill in ^Architecture or Tafticks, the 
 learnedft Artift in the World can onely imitate, 
 never equal, and would certainly admire, if 
 not adore too, ( as not a few of the Heathens 
 were wont to do,)did not the Wifedom of a Crea- 
 tor unty the Knot, and make All eafy to fuch 
 as own him. Not to ask <w of all the Quires 
 we find in Job, (which yet are all argumenta- 
 tive, and plead cheCaufe I have in hand,) who 
 but God can teach the Emmet, either to treafure 
 up ftore of Corn for a Provifion in the Winter, 
 or ( which is very much ftranger ) to gnaw off 
 each I ittleprclifick. particle of the Grain, where- 
 by it may keep without growing , in the mod 
 pregnant and fertil Earth ? Shall we fay fuch 
 Thaumaturgickj, as the Loadflone, and the Bee, 
 the Emmet, and the Silkworm, are all <xvt*&u*Im, 
 cr Self-Inftrufiers, in the exercife of the Arts 
 and Qur iofi tics they exert? If not lb, it mutt 
 
 Fff 2 be 
 
 Job 38. 39, 
 
 40,41. 
 
412 
 
 The Appendix. 
 
 be Thus ; that acting All, as they do, above the 
 Sphere of their Activity, and beyond the low 
 Rank they are placed in, they are clearly, 0w- 
 tihtKloi, All taught of God. For where there is 
 Art without Knowledge, eminent Skill without 
 Learning, unerring Sight without Eyes or Vifwn, 
 incomparable Providence without all Forecaft, 
 wonderfull Wifedom and Contrivance without 
 the inherence and ufe of Reafon, ( as in the Bee, 
 the Loadfione, the Emmet, and the Silkworm, ) 
 There we have a Demonjlration of a Superiour, 
 Invifible, Supernatural Agent, working in, 
 and upon, and above the Creatures, as 'twere 
 on purpofe to convince us, that he is God. And 
 truly till we are able to give a tolerable reafon, 
 (from Art, or Nature,) why fome dull and 
 dead Specifickj do work with Discretion, and 
 out of Choice, upon a determinate Part or Hu- 
 mor in the Body of man, and lets the reft all 
 alone, ( as 'twere by a wilfull Pretention^) as 
 why Rhubard purges C holer, Hellebore Melan- 
 choly, Senna Flegm, Hermodaftyls Vifcofity ; or 
 why Cant bar ides are offenfive in particular to 
 \t\\t Kidneys, Mercury to the Throat, Strammo- 
 neum to the Brain,Ofmm to the Nerves through- 
 out the whole Body ; I fay, till we are able to 
 give Another Caufe or Reafon of Thefeaftonifh- 
 
 ing 
 
The Appendix, 
 
 4*3 
 
 ing Effe&s, 1 (hall conclude that Thefe Things 
 have Thefe Difcretions onely from God\ and 
 chat the Phyficians were Enthufiajls> to whom 
 Thefe Secrets were firftreveafd. 
 
 §u. To fumm up all in a word, (and to 
 difmifs the firft Method of demonftrating the 
 Qaufe of all other Caufes by his Effetts ; ) from 
 chat virtue in the Hen which is derived to the 
 Egge, and is the Principle of Effence to the yet 
 unform" d 'Chicken, wh'ilft it is not a Spirit, and 
 yet Invifible, our excellent Harvey ftrongly ar- 
 gues the ftrid Neceffity of a God, for whom 
 alone it is not difficult to create out of Nothing 
 the Things that Are. And in the fame Book 
 de Generatione, (to the reading of which 'twill 
 be fufficient to referr our modern Doaters upon 
 Experiment,} hefay$,Generatio Demonjlrat Spi- 
 ritum, eumqut Deum. He means a logical De- 
 monftration apofleriori ; fuch as is That of an 
 Artificer from afiy Artifice he exerts. Which 
 does carry along with it fo clear an Evidence of 
 its Author, that a Watchmaker is faid to move 
 the Watch which he has made, at the greateft di- 
 fiance: in as much as with his Hands and other 
 Injiruments of working, (as truly informed 'by 
 Wis Hands, as his Hands by his Head, and his 
 Head by his Intelligence, and his Intelligence 
 
 b y 
 
4 ! 4 
 
 The Appendix. 
 
 *]uftin. in 
 Refp. ad 
 Qutft. I. 
 Damafcc 
 nus i. fid. 
 Orth. c. i. 
 
 Cic. 0rdf. 
 f>ro Mi lone. 
 
 by the Fountain of its Exiflence^) he gave his 
 Watch as well the Laws, as the 'Ntceflity of its 
 Motion. 
 
 § 12. The Second general Method of De+ 
 monfirating the Objeft and Ground of Worlhip, I 
 whereby we Know whom we believe, ( as to his 
 Entity or Exiftence, and as to part of his Nature ! 
 too,) is like to That which God made to demon- [ 
 (Irate the Being of the Sun. For as the Sun is | 
 beft (hen by the light k gives us, and even ob+ 
 trudes upon our Senfes , without the leaft aid 
 from either the Mathematicks, or Logick, or 
 from the Metaphyficks, or Phyficks ; fo God 
 him/elf, as to his Beings ( though, not as to all 
 his Myfieriou* Ejfence,^ is moft clearly appre- 
 hended ^ and unavoidably under flood, ( without 
 any affiftance either from Art, or Education,) 
 by the ^ordinary Light and Law of Nature. 
 Man's knowledge of a Godhead has been ever 
 juft as natural, as his knowledge that he has 
 Eyes, ( without the help of a Reflexion from 
 any Looking-glafs whatfoever,) though he 
 cannot either /e^ them, or make them able to fee 
 themfelves, unlefs it be by Reflexion , which yet 
 does not make, butonely illufirate and prove 
 his knowledge. Hence it is that All Nations, in 
 All Times and Places, whether Salvage, or 
 
 Civilized, 
 
The appendix. 
 
 415 
 
 Civilized , however tempted by the Devil to 
 love and cberifi Difentions, and efpecially to 
 affeft a Singularity in Opinions, Though they 
 haveevermore differ d in mo^r things elfe, and 
 even in the choice of the Gods they Worfhipd ; 
 yet that a Deity there is, They have not been able 
 but to agree. Xh*.$*» «£)> folu* eft Sermo uni- 
 versalis. That there is above Nature a Divine 
 Object of Worfliip and Adoration, is the one 
 language of all the World : The onely Vnu 
 verfalCharafter, ftamp'd in every man's Heart 
 and Head, who is perfectly a Man , and not a 
 Motifler; as He rauft needs be a Monfler, who 
 has no Reafon \ and much more He, who has no 
 Religion. Thus is one [ingle Error the Confu- 
 tation of Another. The Sin and Error of Ido- 
 latry does refell the Worfe Error and Sin of dl 
 theifm. It's obfervable of the Athenians, (in 
 the Times of S.Paul J that knowing nothing of 
 the True God \ but that a True God there is; 
 and Knowing withall they kjiew him not , as to 
 the Perfections of his Nature ; ere&ed. an Altar 
 with This Infer iption, fifikfr o*£, To the Vn- 
 kjiovpnGod. Two things I here mark to my 
 prefent purpofe. Firft , that the God whom 
 they knew not, and yet adord, was indeed the 
 True God, even the fame that S. Paul had de- 
 
 G g g clued 
 
 Nulla Gens 
 tarn barbara, 
 qute non fa- 
 te at ur effe a. 
 liquem De» 
 urn Cic. 1. 
 lufcttl. j2«. 
 
 Ariftoc.i.i* 
 Coelot. 2t. 
 V. Jambli. 
 cum in pr. 
 i* Mjft. 
 &gypt. fy 
 Julianum 
 apud Cyrill. 
 
 1.2. 
 
 Aft.l7.SJ. 
 
416 
 
 The Affendix. 
 
 $t©-, e/itf- 
 
 hv-fi'j Ik # 
 yjv» 7*hetV~ 
 
 TVV i7rtK.flf>V- 
 
 £av. Diodor. 
 Sic. /.1 3. 
 
 dared to them. Next that the God whom 
 they knew not, and could not know, as to his 
 E fence , They had a True knowledge oJ\ and 
 could not but know, as to his Being. Which is 
 evinced and prefuppofed and inferred even 
 from hence, that they did ferioufly, and zea- 
 loufly, though blindly vporjhip him. All which 
 as an Hifiorian , ( rather than as a Prea- 
 cher, ) and as a matter of Fatt our Apoftle 
 told them. 
 
 § 13. From hence it follows that Thofe A- 
 thenians who were the Anceftors of Tbefe, did 
 (hew themfelves to be a wife and religion* Peo- 
 ple, in that they offer 'd by Proclamation a 
 Talent of Silver for a Reward, to any Perfon 
 whoftiouldbefo happy and fuch a Lover of 
 Religion, as to kill the foul Monfter, Diagora* 
 the Atheift^ newly fled out of Attica for fear of 
 Juftice. Nor had they onely fuch an hatred of 
 a pofitive Athtifl, whofe profeffion of Atheifm 
 gave him Atheos^ for h\s Name; but they were 
 as much admired for their Piety and Prudence, 
 in that they banijhed Protagoras , and burned 
 his Booh-* and this for no other reafon than 
 that he clanculary worfhipM, and writ but 
 doubtfully of a Deity ; as if it were a moot 
 point, whether there were any fuch thing, or no. 
 
 For 
 
The Appendix. 
 
 417 
 
 For to be doubtfullof a Deicy, ( and noc to /ay 
 I know whom I have believ'd,) 1 do fuppofe to 
 be the utmoft that the Affefters of Atheifn have 
 been able to arrive at by all their Arts ; whether 
 tending to extinguifh the natural light of the 
 Undertone! ing, or to the making of the Con- 
 ference Co tough and callous by vicious habits of 
 Debauch, as to juftifie and commend S.Paul's 
 expretliou of the Thing , when he faith , that 
 fome Confciences are cauterized ; they are fo 
 fear" d with an hot Iron, as to become quite in* 
 fenfate, zn&p aft all feeling. I fay, the thing 
 we call Atheifn I conceive to be no more than a 
 meer Doubting of a Deity ; not at all a preem- 
 ption that 'tis inpojfible for it to be. For Pro- 
 tagoras Himfelf and the Magicians who had de- 
 bauch'd him, (brought by Xerxes into Greece,*) 
 did privately offer Sacrifice to certain Gods 
 whom they ador'd, however they were in pub- 
 licit too brave to own it, becaufe they fcorn'd 
 to have it thought by their dull Admirers, that 
 any Deity did a/fift them in whatfoever they 
 could do above other rrien. Now this Doubt- 
 ing of a Deity, implying a Deity to be Poffible, 
 ( and that for any thing they know, it either 
 may^ or may nor be,) does accidentally demon- 
 fir ate that a Deity there /5, and that it cannot 
 
 G g g 2 but 
 
i3 
 
 The Affiendix. 
 
 but be. tor ieeingco doubt it, is to acknow- 
 ledge that it is Poffible for it to be, ( though 
 not chat it is auiial,) and feeing the Senfe of 
 chewort/ De ; cy is a Neceffary Being, altogether 
 independent and antecedent to all Cauiiitky-, 
 (which an Atheift will grant It muft be, if 
 'tis at all,} it does imply a contradiction, to 
 grant ilnt it is Poffible, and yet to dm) that ic 
 is Aflual; becaufetobe Poffible, but yet not 
 Actual, is to be perfe&Iy contingent ; which tor 
 x Deity to be, and yet be a Neceffary Being, is a 
 moft grofs Cantradiftion in Adjefio. And a 
 grofs Contradiction being the onely way of pro* 
 ving any abfolute Impojfibility , is therefore one 
 way of proving the Afiual Being of a God, 
 upon a naked confeffion that 'tis but Poffible 
 for it to be. Which confeffion any Atheift will 
 much rather make, than undertake the harder 
 Task, of proving a Godhead to be impofftble. 
 And yet 'tis That he mufl do, or elfe be con- 
 vinced there is a God, by his previous Con* 
 viftion that one there may be, 
 
 ^14. The AtheiiVs SanRuary and Refuge, 
 to which he makes his laft tiight from the Ne- 
 ceffity of a Godhead, (as the Fountain of Ex- 
 ifltnce to all gccd things which began to be J 
 is an eternal Succeffion of Individuals. Which, 
 
 how- 
 
The Appendix. 
 
 419 
 
 however he cannot prove, or perform any thing 
 like ir, he is refolv'd to take for granted, to 
 fuperiede (ifk were poffible) the firift Ne- 
 ceifity of a Creator. But This obje&ion has 
 been io bailTd , and put io quite out of all 
 Countenance, by Paulas Vtmtm, dnd * others, 
 whole Argument leads it clearly to This Abfur- 
 dity which it incurs, that a Partmufiofneajfity 
 be equal to the whole upon that Hypothecs ; that 
 I thall fay no more of it than brieiiy This. That 
 on the fuppofal of an eternal Suca([ion of Days, 
 there mull be a M.dium Mttaphjficum between 
 the Two Eviternities, the one btfore \ the other 
 after every Noon ; becaufc the Noon of this day, 
 (or oi yeflerd^y , or of the morrow, *) cannot 
 be more or kfi diftant f 0111 that which never did 
 b gin, than from That which (hall never end. 
 Which inters an /Equidiflance ( in a negative 
 way of Speaking) 'twixt two Durations <xvi- 
 ternal, though not ( in a pofitive) 'twixc two 
 Extremes. 
 
 But 1 add, that the Objefiien confutes it felf; 
 
 in that the Succefjion of Individuals, by the way 
 
 I of Generation in which we find it, affords a 
 
 jcontrouling Demonflration of its /Eternity's 
 
 being Impoffihle ; and does not need any fuch 
 
 fubtilty , as is required in the management of 
 
 G g g 3 the 
 
 * Anr.ong(J 
 and above 
 other?, I 
 mean the 
 rrofc acure 
 and the 
 moft lear- 
 ned Dr.Gxn- 
 »/»?£, now my 
 Lord Biftiop 
 of Ely, Pan- 
 In* Venetw 
 andothei5, 
 Mr. Latham 
 in his Ser- 
 mon upon 
 Rom. 1. 20» 
 
2o The Appendix. 
 
 the Argument foregoing. For, (to inftance 
 in theSucceflion of the Hen and the Egg,) we 
 cannot fay that the Hen did lay the Egg, and 
 that the Egg was hatched into the Hen, and fo 
 backwards to all /Eternity ; becaufe the Hen (as 
 a Parent ) is by nature before the Egg ; the for- 
 mer being the Caufe, whereof the later istheiE/- 
 feft. From whence 'tis evident, that there was 
 a Firfi Hen ; which being abfolutely impojfible 
 to have been by Generation, it cannot but be, 
 that it was created. And That which did create 
 it, muft needs be God. 
 
 § 15. Having thus far proceeded in folving 
 t\iefir$l of the three Quaeres, How y and Why we 
 are f aid to Know God, even at perfeftly and at 
 plainly at any thing Knowable can be Known ; I 
 cannot chooie but charge the Atheifi with arrant 
 Dulmfi and Stupidity, ( however he may pafs 
 for a Man of great Wit, with fuch as having 
 none at all are unfit to judge of it, ) for be- 
 ing able to make a Doubt in fo clear a Cafe. 
 Whereby he may feem to have too much, and 
 too little Subtilty ; becaufe if he had left , he 
 would not ftart any Obje&ions againft his Ma- 
 ker ; and if he had more, he would be able to 
 refute them. But becaufe, though we do Know 
 whom we have believed , we do alio Believe 
 
 whom 
 
The Appendix. 
 
 421 
 
 whom me truly Know, it remains chic I proceed 
 to che Second Quaere which I proposed ; How 
 and Why our bare Believing che hidden things 
 of our God ( however in che Scripcures re- 
 vealed to us) is much more proper, and more 
 required, and more revpardable in Religion , 
 chan our clear and full Knowledge of his Ex* 
 iftence. 
 
 § 16. In order co che refolving of This Se- 
 cond Quaere, I mud diftinguijh more fully chan 
 in my Anfver Co the Firft, betwixt the Myfie- 
 ries in Religion, or its Subject inHypotheft, 
 and whac in Theft is che Ground and the Ob'jett 
 of it. There are macters in Religion, as well 
 as Nature, which are mod worchy of our Beliefs 
 chough much above che flight of our Comprehen- 
 [ion. And though evidently credible, are not 
 evidently True, how True foever in Them/elves. 
 They have evidence enough Co require our Faith, 
 chough noc enough to beget our Knowledge. 
 Thus the Trinity in Vnity is as evident in it felf, 
 as the Godhead is ; but not fo evident unto #5. 
 And humane Faith may be fo firong , as to 
 exclude from che Agent all kind of doubting ; 
 chough noc from All Objefts a Pofftbility that 
 chey are falfe. For noching can exclude This, 
 but Knowledge properly fo calfd, to which a Cer- 
 tainty, 
 
422 
 
 The Appendix. 
 
 tainty is as etfenrial, as Credibility is to Faith. 
 Andtheabfolute inpojfibility that the Myfleries 
 of God fhould admit offal/hood, arifeth one- 
 iy from the Verity and Veracity of the Godhead, 
 nor from the fteadinefi, or theftrengtb, much 
 lefs from the Nature of ouv Belief. Bur there 
 are other things in Pveligion, which , though 
 they are not more True than the Trinity in 
 Unity, are yet for all that more Truly Known. 
 Thus the Evidence I have of God's Exijlence, 
 is {b much greater thanmy Evidence of his be- 
 ing Three in one, or the Scriptures being his 
 Word\ that 1 am certain of the former, becaufe 
 I know it; and I doubt not of the later , be- 
 caufe I fiedfajily believe it. My Ajfurance of 
 the one makes me infallible in my affent, which 
 I cannot fay I am through my Confidence of the 
 other, unlefs I have it by a miraculous and im- 
 mediate Illumination, as fully as the Apoftles 
 their Gift of Tongues. Thus the Ground of the 
 Difference of the things fpoken of in our Reli- 
 gion, is the Difference of the Ground upon 
 which they ftand ; to wit, a greater, or le/fer 
 Evidence to our fhort lighted Souls ; not a 
 greater or leffer Truth,znd Reality of their Beings. 
 For neither our Knowledge nov our Belief have 
 any influence on the Things we Believe or Know. 
 
 § 17. This 
 
The A^endix. 
 
 429 
 
 § 17. This Diltinftion being premis'd, 1 
 proceed thus to argue , and thereby to anfwer 
 the Quaere made. Every man's VnJerfianding 
 is too too fawcy with his Will) in pretending it 
 is its Priviledge to give a judgement univerfally 
 of Truth and Faljbood, an Error not the lefs 
 grievous for its having been occafion'd by a 
 very great Truth. For though 'cis the office 
 of the Intellect, in the Intellect's ownQourt, to 
 pafs a verdift upon Things within its Cogni- 
 sance ; yet in fuch Tranfcendentals as are very 
 much without and above its verge, or by a natu- 
 ral Right and Title beyond all humane Compre- 
 henfion, a good understanding will confefs, It 
 muft not determine , but obey. For to know 
 things exa&ly does onely denominate us Lear- 
 ned y but not Religious : good Philofophers in- 
 deed, but not good Men. The word [Religion] 
 and the Thing, being well confider'd, ( as 'tis 
 by few, andbutfeldom,) Its ratio formali* mil 
 be found, not to ftand in proud Knowledge, but 
 meek Obedience. And in Obedience of the 
 whole Man ; as well of the Soul, as of the Body. 
 And in the Soul too, we owe an absolute Obe- 
 dience of all our Faculties to God, of our Ap- 
 petites, our If ills, our Vnderjiandings. Sci- 
 ence and Religion do herein dirier more efpe- 
 
 Hhh cially, 
 
4 2 4 
 
 The Appendix. 
 
 i Tim. 3. 1 6, 
 
 cially, that in the firfi our Underftandings du 
 nft the Will; but in the fecond they concur 
 in fubmijfion with it : in That our Reafon may 
 command, as a proud Diflatrix; but in Thk 
 (he muft e&j, as a mod Teachable Difcipk. 
 And for This there is very great reafon. For 
 'tis fo natural to Religion, to have its Myfieries ; 
 or Obje&s peculiar to F<zit£ 0/0/7^ ; that nei- 
 ther the Greeks nor the Barbarians could ever 
 indureto be without them. And if there are 
 few MechanicK Arts which have not their Myfte- 
 ries and Secrets, unknown to All who are not 
 Artijis ; what an unnatural thing were it , if 
 Che My fiery of Godlinefi, God manifefi in the 
 Flefh, or the Religion of the True God who is 
 Incomprehenfible , fhould have nothing con- 
 teined in it beyond the fathom or flight of a 
 finite reafon ? What man knows the things of a 
 man, fave the Spirit of man which is in him ? 
 evenfo the things of God knowetb no man, but 
 the Spirit of God. 1 Cor. 2.1 1. And truly if it 
 were ottarwife, where were the Merit, or the 
 My fiery, or the Nectffity ol ? Believing, on which 
 fo great a ftrefs in Scripture is every where laid 
 by our Lord H!mfelf? We find in our Gofpel 
 thefe two rational Expreffions, The Obedience 
 of Faith, (Rom. 1.6.26,*) and the Law ofFait^. 
 
 (Rom. 
 
The Appendix. 
 
 U 
 
 5 
 
 (Rom.3.2j.) Tis the Obedience of our Faith 
 which is fo pleafing unto God, as that without 
 This ic is impojfiblefor u* topleafe him.(Heb. \ i m 
 6.) If Faith it feif were not Obedience unto 
 That which is called the Law of Fait h, and to 
 the Lawgiver himfelf who hath commanded us 
 to Believe, It would not be fo meritorious, or 
 fo rewardable in its Nature, as now it is. For 
 herein chieriy does coniift the excellent Nature 
 of Religion , and of all religious Ifor/bifa ( and 
 withall the rationability of the immenfity of our 
 Reward,) that 'tis attended with Self-denial, 
 and a Refignednejl of the All that is mod ex- 
 cellent in our Souls, unto the Will of that Ob- 
 jeftwe thus adore. Whereas if we abfolutely 
 Knew whatfoever by our Religion we are obliged 
 to Acknowledge, or were we obliged to acknow- 
 ledge what we fee or feeloncly ; there could not 
 be poflibly fuch a Thing as real Virtue in our 
 Afent, when 'twould be impoffible not to affent 
 to what we fhould diftin&ly Know, and as im- 
 poffible not to acknowledge what with our brutilli 
 and common Senfes we fee, or feel. Neceffity 
 and Vertue are incompatible in All, but in God 
 Himfelf. And even in Him (fpeaking «r3?<aww- 
 waSft ) they difer too. O jr Knowledge indeed 
 may be calPd a Phyfical, but not a religious, or 
 
 H h h 2 moral 
 
4^6 
 
 The Appendix. 
 
 moral Virtue. There are Virtues indeed which 
 do lead to Knowledge; and Knowledge (truly 
 fo call'd) does dijpofe to Virtues. But naked 
 Science is a meer Intellellual Habits ( wherein 
 the Devils themfelves excel,) and was never yet 
 reckon 'dan Ethick Virtue. The reafon of all 
 which is plain, and obvious. For the OijeS 
 of a Man's Knowledge does compel his aflent ; 
 whereas the Objeft of his Faith does but invite 
 it. To matters of Faith our Ajfent is due; 
 but to matters of Knowledge 'tis unavoidable. 
 Our Knowledge (hews onely we are intelligent 
 in our nature; but our Faith (hews in us alfo 
 the Grace oFMeek&fei That indeed infers the 
 Conjpicuitj of the Ob'jett ; but This ( which is 
 more) the Flexibility of the Will. ( To fum up 
 the difference in a word,) by light of knowledge 
 it appears that we are a reafoning fort of Crea- 
 tures ; but by the Obedience of our Faith ^ that 
 we are Religious ones. 
 
 §18. From thefePremifes I infer, we ought 
 not to trouble our felves at all, that we cannot 
 fully Know, fo far forth as we can Relieve. For 
 God has given us Knowledge enough ( if we live 
 not up to it) togreaten our future Condemna- 
 tion ; and the knowledge which He denies us is 
 not necejfary at all to our future fafety. And 
 
 feeing 
 
The Appendix. 
 
 427 
 
 feeing 'tis one of God's Attributes, to be by Na- 1 
 cure Incomprehenfible , (who were he not fo, 
 could not be God,) 'Tis fit the learnedfi of his 
 Creatures flhould be contentedly in the Dark* as 
 to many things ; the firm Belief o£ which things 
 they (lick not to teflifie with their Blood. If 
 we believe the Will of" God to be revealed in 
 his Word, and therein the Three Subfiftences in 
 but one and the fume Sub fiance, we may not be 
 vext with the Experience, of our being yet un- 
 qualify* d to comprehend how it fhould be. For 
 whatfoever things they are we are commanded 
 but to Believe, it cannot poffibly be a Sin, not 
 to be able to know txa&ly. But 'tis a *Sin to be 
 disquieted, that the fublime/i Things of God do 
 exceed ouv Reach ; and that whilft we are finite, 
 Infinite Things will be above us. To comprehend 
 what is finite, a finite Intellect is fufficient ; and 
 as fufficient alfo it is, to Apprehend what is In- 
 finite, though not at all to comprehend it ; (fo 
 great and wide the difference is between an Ap- 
 prehenfive and a Comprehenfive knowledge ; but 
 an Adequate knowledge of God, is onely com- 
 petent to God. As for Certainty and Knowledge, 
 God has wifely dealt to us fuch fit Proportions, 
 that we have Ground enough given us in God's 
 own Word, to want with comfort what we have 
 
 H h h 3 not : 
 
 temperant, 
 quin eoufque 
 impudentia 
 provehantur, 
 ut Natttram 
 oderint quod 
 infra Deum 
 fimM. ScnJe 
 BeneU.3.29. 
 
28 
 
 7 be Appendix. 
 
 * ibid. 
 
 not ; and to injoy what we have, with Modera- 
 tion. Tis there we are allured of a threefold 
 Ane^poe/kj or Full ajfurance. A fa// affurance 
 of Faiths (Htb. \o.22.) A Fa// ajfurance of 
 Hop?, QHeb.6.11.*) A Fa// ajfurance ofVn- 
 derflanding, (Col.2.2.) The laft imports a 
 full Knowledge of wnat is Knowable in God, and 
 fit or gW for us to Know ; which leads us on 
 to an * Acknowledgement of the Myfteries of God, 
 in whom art hid all the Treafures of Wifedom and 
 Knowledge. And this does prompt metoob- 
 ferve S. Paul's Diflintlion, between w^ 
 and TO^iDJc^px 7* ©sS, ffo Things of God which 
 may beknown^Rom.i.iyJznd the other Things 
 of God which are Hidden from us. QCol. 2.3.) A^5 
 for God's Exiftence from everlafiing to ever laft- 
 ing, his omniprefence, his omnipotence, his 0//- 
 fufficience, and his omnifcience, his 7>*tf£, and 
 Juftice, his Z,c?z/e, and Goodnefi, and the like ; 
 in refpefl: of all Thefe, we perfectly Know whom 
 we Believe. We have ( literally fpeaking ) a 
 Fa// affurance of Vnderftanding. But for the 
 Trinity of Perfons, the Incarnation of God the 
 Son^ KxsCircumcifion, his Crucifixion, his S0- 
 titfaflionfor all our Sins, the Refurreftion of our 
 bodies , and Immortality of our Souls ; in refpedt 
 of all Thefe, we rather Believe whom we have 
 
 known. 
 
The Appendix. 
 
 429 
 
 known. We have in Thefe a Full afjurance of 
 Faith, andHjpe onely. And the perfection of 
 our knowing the things of God which may be 
 known, is Ground enough for our Relieving the 
 things of God which are Hidden from us. 
 
 § 19. Of what has hicherto been faid, Two 
 , good Vfes may here be made. The one of Con- 
 filiation, the other of Comfort, That belongs 
 to Thofe men who are atfeftedly Unbelievers; 
 This will redound unto our /elves, when in meer 
 hum ane frailty we fometimes waver. And Both 
 together mil be an Anfwer to the Third Qu^re 
 which I propos'd, touching the Powers, and the 
 Effefts, and the great Benefits of Believing, (as 
 well as of knowing whom we believe,) clearly 
 implied in the Text by the Caufal For, as That 
 imports S. Paul's Reafon, why he was not a- 
 flharrf d of the things he fuffer'd. For this 
 Caufe (fays He to Timothy,^ Ifuffer thefe things. 
 But lam not aftjamd. ^ y*>& For I know whom 
 1 have believed. 
 
 § io. Firft, to the Wilful I Unbeliever who 
 does afftQ being Incredulous , and cafts about 
 for ail Colours to nourijl) the humour in him- 
 felf, I ihall argue Thus. That He who is fo 
 thick-headed as to alledge he is not fare there 
 ife afcer Death, and a Day of Judgement, 
 
 mult 
 
 is a 
 
 0* cmrdbnt 
 
 Clem. Alex. 
 Strom Jib. 2. 
 
430 | ' %$* Appendix. 
 
 muft needs confefs himfelffo Dull too, as not 
 to be furer that there is None. And 'tis fuffi- 
 cient to oblige a prudent Perfon Co li ve exa&ly, 
 (upon the account of Prudence onely,) that a 
 7i/g a/iter Death, and fo a Judgment, if he does 
 not yet fully ^700? it, may happen to him for 
 ought he Knows. And that /Eternity of Punijh- 
 rnents (as well as ol [Rewards*) is barely Pojfible. 
 And that the Negative is not Demonflrable, any 
 more than the Affirmative. Yea, that the 2\fe- 
 gative cannot be po/Tibly, becaufe a Negative ; 
 bm^ Affirmative (zs\t is fuck) hzsz paffive 
 power at leaft ( which the Negative has not) 
 of being the fubjeft of * Demonstration. For thus 
 the Exiftence of a De/fy may be demonstrated by 
 a Perfon who is of greater fafpicuity than the 
 man who Doubts of it, though not by Him who 
 is foftupid, ( and in a manner founman'd,) as 
 to be able to make a Awif in fo clear a Cafe. 
 Whereas the Negative to This, £ that a Deity 
 does not exfift,'] can be demonftrated by None, 
 how acute (bever ; nor was ever yet pretended 
 to be Demonjirable by ^/y. The moft //z///?/V 
 of Fools is able to /y, [there is no God ; J and 
 it can be but [aid by the wittieft Atheilh But 
 ( to return to That Inltance which was of an 
 Article of our Faith? and of Faith alone, to 
 
 wit, 
 
The Appendix. 
 
 43 1 
 
 wit, a Punifhment /Eternal , or a Life after 
 Deaths or a Day of Judgment ; ) I fay, an Evil 
 which is uncertain, and by confequence fo c tz- 
 tingent, as chat icz/z^, or may 00* be, muftbe 
 provided againft in Polity if noc in Confidence, 
 or Religion, by one who would not be a Fool, 
 as well as an Epicure, or an Atheiji. A Lazar^ 
 may be fent out of Abrahams Bofom, (chough 
 </e /&#0 none is,) and a Wws out of the Deep 
 Coo , Co cercifie the Truth of an Heaven and 
 /&//, upon a fuppofal chac fuch there are. Bur 
 on a fuppofal chac chere are not, nor an Ex- 
 igence after Death, Tis plain ihit None can be 
 fent Co us with a Certificate chat there is None. 
 From whence > cis evident that the Believer must 
 needs be much on the fafeji fide ; becaufe the 
 Objeft of his belief : is under an evident Poffibi- 
 /i^ofDemonftracion ; whereas the Qontrary to 
 This is flatly Impojjible to be prov'd. Befides 
 chere is This great Difference too, that if the 
 believer isdeceiv'd, he does but lole the fhort 
 pleafures of vicious living; but if the Incredu- 
 lous is deceived, He incurs the long Torments, 
 ( or rather enclltfi, and fo not long,) which will 
 be one day the Wages of it. 
 
 §21. But ia dealing, as I now do, with 
 the obftinate Sksptick* or the affefted Unbeliever, 
 
 I i i I onely 
 
43 
 
 The Affiendix. 
 
 Hcb.n.l, 
 
 I onely argue from his own Principles of car- 
 nal Reafon, and common Senfe. And have fpo. 
 ken onely of Faich as the Child of Fear, which 
 is of the Flefh. Not a word of That Faith 
 which is the Fruit of Spirit ; and is not ac- 
 quired, but infu*d\ nor the produft of Art, 
 but a work of Grace. The Faith imported in 
 my Text is of a far more fublime and tranfcen- 
 dent Nature ; and fuch as carried up S. faul 
 above the low fenfe of all his Sufferings. 'Tis 
 no lefs than the Viftory which overcometh the 
 World. No lefs than the Evidence of Things 
 not feen ; no lefs than the Subfiance ( that is, 
 the confident Expectation*) of things, hoped for. 
 It refreiheth our drooping Spirits wich unfpeak- 
 able Comforts in the black and gloomy day of 
 our greateft Trial, when all the Comforters up- 
 on Earth are utterly unable to yield us comfort. 
 It fills us inwardly with Joy in the Holy Ghofi, 
 Conveys unto us a full affurance that our Par- 
 don is feal'd, our Peace ratified, that God is 
 our Father, and we His Children. Gives us lome 
 Glimmerings and Fore-tafts of the Glory to be 
 reveaFd. It prefentiates things future ; and 
 prepoffefetb us with thelnjoyment of things in- 
 vifible. Reveals unto us , by the fecret and 
 powerfull Whifpers of God's Spirit, the Bea- 
 
 tifick 
 
The Appendix. 
 
 435 
 
 cirick and glorious Manfions prepared ibr us in 
 His Htufe. Hereupon it does fo place us above 
 the Level of Temptations, as to exempt us from 
 che fear of whatfoever Men or Devils can do un- 
 to us. Infomuch that what is intended by the 
 Enemies of our Faith to make us forry, by This 
 is wonderfully made to increafe our Joy. By 
 This we are enabled to trufi in God ( as Holy 
 Job did) although he kills U6. So that lifting 
 up our heads , and looking up unto Jefm the 
 Author and Finijher of our Faith, we learn to 
 love and to hjfi his Rod ; and are fo far from re- 
 pining at his fevereft Difpenfations , that in 
 regard unto the Joy that is Jet before ut, we can 
 injoy the very Torments, and fcorn the flame of 
 a Crucifixion. In a word, fhould I exemplifie 
 all 1 have faid concerning Faith, by making a 
 Narrative of Particulars, as far as from Abel to 
 Charles the Firfi, ( which were to prove by 
 the Argument they call Induction the wonder- 
 full Powers and Effe&s and glorious Benefits of 
 Believing, as well as of Knowing whom we be- 
 lieve, ) 1 mult have taken for my Text the 
 whole Eleventh Cbapttr of the Epijile to the 
 Hebrews. 
 
 § 2 2. But becaufe This would prove an 
 Enterprize too long and tedious, though not 
 
 I i i 2 too 
 
434 
 
 The Appendix. 
 
 i. 
 
 Mar.924. 
 
 coo difficult to be perfbrm'd ; I (hall conclude 
 with ibme Dire&ions for the fecuring of our 
 Faith (if at lead we have any ) from dipping 
 from us ; and for the enabling us to (ay, with 
 our Apoftle in my Text, w3ty*w> <S, we know 
 whom we have trufied ; we Know whom we have 
 Believed ; and are perfwaded that He ps able to 
 keep that which we have committed unto Him 
 igainSl That Day. 
 
 § 23. If we find our felves wavering in die 
 Belief of thofe Things whereof we have not a 
 /* r/e<9 \nowledgt , ( however a />«/<?# £//(?#>- 
 /e^€ of 77?tff, which is the Ground of the Things 
 Believed, and we have reafon to fuperflru ft the 
 rtrongeft Belief to be imagined, upon fo firm 
 a Foundation as ^er/k<3 Knowledge,) we may 
 comfort our felves, and re-inforce our Sick 
 Faith , by obferving thefe following Rules. 
 Firft, by reflecting on the importance of thofe 
 known Words , Lord I believe , help Thou my 
 unbelief. Implying an unbelief in one, does 
 confift mt\\belief\n another meafure. Juft as 
 contrary Qualities often meet in oneSubjed, in 
 gradibu6 remiffis, although in gradibws intenfis 
 they never can. Next, by making that Ccn- 
 feffion and Prayer our own. Lord, we believe 
 in a degree ; but with fears now and then, and 
 
 fome 
 
The Appendix. 
 
 435 
 
 fome dilhononrable Faintings. Nor of our 
 (elves can we do more; bur That and more by 
 thy Help. Help us therefore to believe, without 
 the lealt degree of doubting, or diftruft, or diffi- 
 dence. Whatever is wanting in our Beliefs we 
 pray thee pardon, and repair, and replenijb in 
 us. We cannot acquire it by /4r* 7 or Induftry : 
 but we c.in humbly nre/ile with thee (as /jo^ 
 did) for this Bleffing, by Prayer and Fading. 
 And through the Grace which Thou haft given 
 us, We mil never let thee go, till thou haft bleJVd 
 us with a fieady unfbaken Faith. Thirdly , by 
 confidering, that to be tempted (however ftrong- 
 ly) is no Tranfgreffion. But rather the more a 
 man is tempted, and to the ftaggering of his 
 Faith, the more vi&oriom is his Faith when he 
 dots not yield. Held we do not, whilft we dif 
 fent from our Waverings ; and hate the unflea- 
 dinejl of our Aflent ; and are heartily grierfd 
 at its Hasfitations ; and are pioufly carefull to 
 make it (ready ; and refolute in our Furpofes to 
 holdfa/l our Faith, even in fpite of thofe Doubt- 
 ings we grapple with ; and ftrive to make it fo 
 much the ftronger, (the more our Tempter at- 
 tempts its overthrow,) by the Antiperiftafis of 
 Temptations. We do not yield , though we 
 are buffeted^ (both by Satan, and the Flejh, and 
 
 1 i i 3 the 
 
 3- 
 
43 6 
 
 The Appendix. 
 
 * MortuM eft 
 Dei Film, 
 
 prorfut ere- 
 , Mile eft , 
 quia ineptum. 
 Sepultu* re- 
 furrexit,cer- 
 turn eft y quia 
 Impojfibile. 
 Tcn.de Car- 
 tie Chrift'u 
 
 the World we live in,) whilft we are obftinate in 
 our purpofe to ferve the God whom we own 
 with our Self denials ; to ferve him with the De- 
 nial of all the Rivals of his Religion ; (our Wit, 
 our Reafon , our Erudition, our Profit, Plea- 
 fure, or Reputation;) and to honour him with 
 the obedience ot every Faculty within us ; not 
 onely with our Wills , but our Under Jlandings, 
 whilft we make them Jioop down, when they can- 
 not rife fo high as to things above us; and the 
 * rather to believe them, (if I may ufe TertuU 
 Uaris S4(^0 becau fe Impofftble. For what is 
 impoffible to ut? to God is eafee. What to m is 
 miraculous? to #//tz is natural. And therefore 
 the Myfleries of our Religion, (to wit, the 
 Trinity ? Incarnation? RefurreRion? and the like,) 
 which to the rnijiy Eye of Reafon our Tempter 
 would make to Teem impoffible? do to the clearer 
 Eye of Faith appear to be True fo much the ra- 
 ther. I fay , the rather in two refpefts ; in 
 refpeft of our Tempter? whofeends wefrujlrate 
 by our Belief ; and in refpeft of the Things 
 Themfelves? which do the better become Religion 
 for being above the fliort Reach of owr jlunted 
 Knowledge ; and which we are Therefore to be- 
 lieve? becaufe unable to comprehend them. For 
 were we able to comprehend them (as we do 
 
 many 
 
— 
 
 The Appendix. 
 
 43 7 
 
 many things below us, ) This grols Abfurdity 
 would follow, that what is now our Religion, 
 would be our Science. Wherein out finite Vn- 
 derSlandings would noc humbly fubmit , bur 
 proudly Triumph. And it would be an hard 
 thing to be Irreligious. The Pelagians of old, 
 and our late Socinians, do feem to forget the 
 vaft Difiance, and Difproportion, betwixt the 
 Faculties of Man, and A/V^a Myfieries ofGod, 
 when they contend for a Sufficience in natural 
 reafon to* receive the *deep t£i/7gs 0fifo 5^fr/f 
 0/ Gc>;/. For as G&/ being a Spirit muft ( for 
 that very reafon) ^> e worjbipped in Spirit, fo 
 the fair itual things of God muft be Jpirituallj 
 difcerned. There muft be a Similitude and Pro- 
 portion 'twixt ARs and Objefls. Laftly, 'tis 
 matter of comfort to us, and one of the means of 
 reinforcing our wavering Faith, that what does 
 often feem to fail us in one regard, may yet m 
 another be ever with us for our fupport. We 
 may with the Father of the Faithfull, the Faith- 
 full Abraham, ^believe in Rope againfl Hope. 
 For as He could not hope for a great Pofterity, 
 in regard of His Age, and Sarah's Barrtnnefi, 
 which yet he could not Z>//f hope for 7 in regard 
 of God's Promife, which could not fail', fo, 
 what we cannot believe exaftly, in regard of its 
 
 being 
 
 * 1 Cor.io. 
 14. 
 
 a 1 Joh. $.2. 
 
 HI9HI.4.18. 
 
43 8 
 
 The Appendix. 
 
 2 Cor, 4.8,9. 
 
 being above the Reach of our Reafon, and com- 
 mon Vfages of Nature ; we cannot chufe but 
 believe, in regard that God fays it who can- 
 not lie. The Worthinefl of our Faith does 
 ftand in This chiefly , that though 'tis many 
 times Wavering, like the tremulous Needle in 
 the Mariner's Compafs , yet being touctid by 
 God's Grace, as That Needle by the Load- 
 fione, its prevalent motion is towards its 
 Pole ; and from That its Trepidations can 
 never wreft it. Infomuch that we may fay , 
 ( as once S. Paul in another cafe, ) we are 
 troubled on every fide, yet not inDiflrefi; per- 
 plex' J we are often, but not in Defpair ; Per- 
 secuted by Satan , but by God not forfaken ; 
 cafi down indeed , but not defirofd. Trem- 
 ble we may , ( like Ariflippu* in a (hip- 
 wrack, ) but ( like Him ) we are not guilty 
 of yielding up our 2vyx<zTd*»m<;, ( as 'tis wor- 
 ded by Aulm Gelliut.) We do not bafely 
 confent to our Perturbations , which arife not 
 from our Spirits , but from our Flejh. The 
 Law in our Members (do what we can ) will 
 ftill be warring ; but the Law in our Minds 
 does ever worjl it. We dill believe with 
 Wills ; Lord , help the Unbelief of our 
 
 our 
 
 Vndtrfiandings. Our Hearts are fteady ; Lord, 
 
 fix 
 
The Appendix. 
 
 439 
 
 fix our Heads too. In fpite of our very Vn- 
 be'ief ( ia point of doubt , or hdtfitation, or 
 now and then a dark interval,) We will 
 believe , Co as to love the Incarnate Ddty 
 whom we admire; and fo love, as to 0^ 
 him; and obey him to fuch a point, as to A*v 
 down our lives for the love we bear him. 'And 
 Co will prove by all three, that we do real- 
 ly Btlieve what we cannot fathom, [God rna- 
 nifeft in the Flefh, J becaufe without our Be- 
 heving, we can do neither. Neither Love, 
 nor Obey , nor lay down our Lives in obe- 
 dience to him. Let our Doubt ings or Dis- 
 believing* ( in fome Degree , and by Fits, ) 
 be what they can ; or let them feem to be 
 what they mil ; yet we are certain of our 
 Faith, whilft we are certain of our Fear 
 to offend our Maker ; and of our Love Co his 
 Goodnefi , and of our Obedience to his Com- 
 mands. Without this laft ( 'tis very true ) 
 we cannot fpeak Peace to our fclves , or 0- 
 thers. For as S. John fays exprefly , Bj 
 This we know that we know him , // we k^p 
 his Commandments ; fo 'tis the keeping of his 
 Commandments, by which wefefl^chaCwe/iiw, 
 and obey him truly. 
 
 § 24. Now having arrived at a full kjww- 
 
 K k k led^e 
 
44° 
 
 The Appendix. 
 
 Eft non fcri- 
 pta fed n*t* 
 le\\quamnon 
 didicimw, 
 accepimusJe- 
 gimus, verum 
 ex NaturHip- 
 sk arripui- 
 mus, haufi- 
 mus, exprefjt- 
 mus'^ad quam 
 non dvtt't^fed 
 falii i non 
 hjtittttijfed 
 imbkti Ju- 
 nius, &c. 
 Cic. Orat. 
 pro Milonc. 
 
 Hcb. 1 1.6. 
 
 Rom. 1. 19. 
 
 * Ecclus.3. 
 21,22. 
 
 Rom, 1 1. 33. 
 
 ledge of Gods txiftence, and his good-plea- 
 jure, (expreiled to us in his Precepts,) or 
 of his Verity and his Will , ( revealed to u* 
 in his Word , and alio ingraven in our own 
 Nature, as a Law written in our Hearts ;) 
 and farrher yet having attained unto a know- 
 ledge alfo in part of his Glorious Effence ; (as 
 that he is a Spirit , Exifting of Himfelf from 
 all Etcrnhy, an omniprefent and an omni- 
 fcient , and a neceffary Being, from whom, 
 and by whom, it every Good Thing that vs\ 
 and that he is a Rtwarder of Them that dili- 
 gently feek him ; &c. ) Having I fay the fa- 
 tisfa&ion of knowing That which our Apoftle 
 does call *8 ywrfc tS 0*2, Jh at which may be 
 known of God, which is as much as is need- 
 full, and as much as is enough ; we mud not 
 difquiet our Minds in vain , by *fetkjng out 
 things which are too hard for ut,ov by jearch- 
 ing after Secrets above our flrength ; or by 
 being over-curiou* in unncceffary matters ; ns 
 the excellent Son of Sirach has very judi- 
 cioufly forewarn'd us. The Trinity of Perfons 
 in the 1)nity of the Godhead is the chiefeft 
 of Thofe Infearchables , which are indeed 
 av^i^/a^, p aft finding out, more impoffible to 
 be traced than all his moft inyfrenous ways, 
 
 which 
 
The Appendix. 
 
 44* 
 
 which OJi Apotle thought worthy of Thit 
 Expreffion. Such a myllery it is, as the mod 
 pious , aud the mod learned y and mo't a- 
 cute of all Wri:ers were never well able to 
 give account of. Themoft profound Divine 
 Here is in the condition of Simonides , when 
 demanded by Hiero , a definition of the Dei- 
 ry. The more he looks into This Myftery, 
 by fo much the obfcurer it feems to be. The 
 longer he considers, the lefl he is able to ap- 
 prehend it. S. John fays exprefly , ( and I 
 believe him, ) There are Three that bear re~ 
 cor J in Heaven, the Father, the Word, the 
 Holy Qhoft y and Thefe Three are One. ( i Joh. 
 5.7.) The Antient Fathers and Councils, 
 to ftop the Mouths of feveral Hereticks , of 
 Two efpecially , Aria* firll, and then Sabd- 
 Hut, and to preferve the Christian Church 
 from the Plague oiSchifm, found it neceffa- 
 ry to add This Form of Words , ( though 
 not in apofithe, but in an exclufive fenfe,) 
 A Trinity of Perfons in an unity of the God- 
 head. But if 'tis * asked what is meant by a 
 Trinity of Perfons , S. Auftin fays we wane 
 words to exprefs it by. Vi&um eft tamer? 
 Tres Perfons , non ut illud diceretur , fed m 
 taceretur quomodo Tres fint , (sc. For who 
 
 Kkk 2 can 
 
 * Ciim qu£ 
 ritur> ~urd 
 Tres ? magna 1 
 prorfus inopia 
 humanum la- 
 borat eloqm- 
 urn Augulh 
 it jrin l.%. 
 cap, 1 9. 
 
442 
 
 The Appendix. 
 
 * Mornay de 
 la Veriti de 
 la Religion 
 thrift ienne. 
 c.$./oi 41. b. 
 
 * Sic eftfum- 
 ma effentia 
 fitpra & ex - 
 tra omnem 
 aliam Satu- 
 ram, ut fi 
 quando de il- 
 ia dicitur a- 
 liquid verbii 
 qua Commn- 
 nia funt aliti 
 Naturfr fin. 
 fm nullatenw 
 fit Comtmnn. 
 Anfel. Mono- 
 log, e. 6 2. 
 
 Vbi fupra 
 c.8d. 
 
 Boetius lib. 
 
 de triturate 
 
 (j Vnitate 
 
 Vei. 
 
 D. Bern, de 
 
 Confid.l.$, 
 
 C.7.B.897, 
 
 878. 
 
 Martialis in 
 Epift. ad 
 Lurdega!. 
 c.3. 
 
 can fpeak fitly of what is Infinite, and whilft 
 he makes ufe of Terms, belonging onely to 
 finite Things ? yet This mud be done, if we 
 fpeak at all. a // en fault parler en lan- 
 guage humain, puifque le divin nous eft incog- 
 neu. Onely let us not forget the wife Ad- 
 vertifement of Anfelm, (whenfoeVe we fo 
 fpeak,) * that if we fpeak concerning God 
 in Words which are Common to other Natures, 
 our fcnfe and meaning muft not be Qommon, 
 but peculiar to God alone. 
 
 §25. Nor is This All. For we want 
 under fianding to apprehend the Blefled Trini- 
 ty , as well as words to exprefl it by. An- 
 [elm's excellent Underftanding was utterly lofi 
 in This Labyrinth. The Underftanding of 
 Boetiu* was alfo drown d in This Ocean. Good 
 S. Bernard's Underftanding was fwalloved up 
 in This Abyfi. From whence I eafily con- 
 clude, (becaufe I do it with humility and 
 due fubmiflion , ) that the Trinity in Unity 
 onely can be fathomed by it felf And that to 
 fpeak of Three Perfons, in any acception of 
 the word Perfcns which is in ufe amongft 
 Men, (when at any time they fpeak of crea- 
 ted Beings,) were to commit a groder Hcerefie, 
 than that of the Antitrinitarians. 
 
 $ 26. This 
 
The Afflendix. 
 
 (44? 
 
 § 26. This does prompt me to go out of 
 this long Difcourfe , at the very lame Door 
 at which I enter'd. A Door of Hope and 
 Confolation , which feems to hang on Thefe 
 three Hinges. 
 
 Firft, that I kjiow whom I have believed, 
 by Knowledge properly Co call'd. 
 
 Next, that I believe what I cannot know , 
 as far as Vis affirmed in God's own word. 
 
 Laftly , that I contradict not what 'tis moji 
 difficult to believe , (becaufe not written in 
 God's own word.) as far as 1 find it is agreed 
 on by All my Teachers, (efpecially met toge- 
 ther in General Councils, ) as an AH of Vni- 
 forrnity, or as an Article of Peace. 
 
 For however 1 may err , it (hall not be as 
 an Htrdick, and as a Schifrnatick. much left. 
 It being the Glory of a Man's Faith , to bow 
 down his Reafon to his Religion ; and the 
 Dignity of his Religion, to ftudy Charity, and 
 Mttkjiefl , and Obedience to his Superiours, 
 above fome Truths. I fay therefore with 
 a Leo, If I cannot explain what the Trinity is, 
 I will not prefume to fay there is not a Trini- 
 ty. And with Radulphm Flaviacenfis^ b If I 
 cannot apprehend how One is Three in the 
 propriety of their Perfons, and how the feme 
 
 K k k 3 Three 
 
 a Leo de paf- 
 fione Domini 
 Ser m . 12. 
 b Rad. Flav. 
 in Levi 1. 1. 10. 
 c 2 . 
 
444 
 
 J be Affiendix. 
 
 c Dionyf. 
 dreop. de 
 divin* No- 
 min. c. I. 
 J>. 447-' 
 
 Three are One in the Communion of their Sub- 
 ftance , 1 will not dcfpile , or gainfay , buc 
 obey the Church, 1 do not mean onely the 
 Englijh , much lefs the Roman , but I mean 
 the Holy CatholicK and Apofiolick Church , in 
 which to believe, is the Ninth Article of my 
 Creed. If this myftery of the Triune is as 
 Ineffable , as Infer ut able by Duft and Alhes , 
 (which we are) I will content my felf (with 
 Damafcius ) to facrijice to him my Soul in ii- 
 lence ; and adore him wich Vionyfiu* , ( whe- 
 ther he is the Areopagite, or not,) c ut No- 
 mine vacantem, as being faid to be without, 
 becaufe above every Name. Neicher Jeho- 
 vah , in the fwgular , nor Elobim , in the 
 plural, nor Both together conjoyn'd can fuf- 
 hcicntly illuftrate This ftupendous ^t^jk^H 
 (as Divines love to call it,) This Recipro- 
 cal Inhabitation of Three Subfijiences in one 
 another, whereby Tne Vnity of the Godhead (is 
 rather perfefled, than defirofd, and) remains 
 Intire. 
 
 §27. *Tis plain the word Perfons is to 
 be taken , ( not fo much in a Pofitive, as) in 
 a Negative fenfe. For that the Words of 
 S. John [Ihefe Three are One^ might be no 
 longer mifunderfiood and mifreported \ mif 
 
 txpQun- 
 
The Appendix. 
 
 445 
 
 expounded and mi f apj>lyd, as they were by 
 feveral Hjereticks before the Fir ft Nicene Ge- 
 neral Council, And that Christians every where 
 might fpealr as 'cwere with one Mouth , ( in 
 cale they could not be ( every where ) of one 
 mind,} It Teemed good to d That Council, 
 to ordain that the Word Perfons fhould be ap- 
 ply'd in Difcourfe to the Three Witneffes in 
 Heaven , which are but One God. Thereby 
 intending, not fo properly, to give us a real 
 knowledge of the Myftery , as to defend us 
 from Error in it. And above all other Er- 
 rors, from thofe of H<zrefie, and Schifm. Not 
 fo really to inform us what the Three in One 
 are, as to preferve us from Imagining that 
 They are what they are Not. Not three pares 
 in one whole, either Integral, or Eflential. 
 Not three Qualities in one fubjed. Not three 
 Modes , Not three Formalities , Not three 
 Names of one Thing. In which Aft o/Vni- 
 formity, (as before I once call'd it,) and efpe- 
 ciaily in reconciling the whole Greek. Church 
 unto The Latine, Athanaftm and Hofim were 
 the moil eminently Inftrumental. Now in the 
 Bufinefs of Religion, ( though not in That of 
 meer Philofophy ) weare in all reafon to yield 
 affent to fome High Things above our reafon. 
 
 tile 
 
 d Ntfl. Con. 
 cil. Nicsni 
 ex Edit. Bin. 
 Tom i. p. $2 2. 
 & Alfonf. 
 Pif./ 2 p *8$. 
 & inferiis 
 p. 6o$. 
 Vide ettam 
 Baron ad 
 Ann. 362. 
 
The appendix. 
 
 Elfe Religion were not Religion ; and God 
 i himfelf would not be God , or Man at lead 
 would not be Man , and Myftery would nor 
 be Myftery, if God's knowledge of Himfelf , 
 as a Trinity in Unity, could poflibly be com- 
 mon to Man with God. It is therefore, with 
 Me, a prevalent Argument of His Verity, that 
 His Nature is fo vaftly above the Sphere of 
 my Comprehenfion. Apprebenfive of his Na- 
 ture indeed 1 am ; but comprebenfive of it I 
 cannot be. For whatfoever I can fathom , 1 
 cannot abfolutely Adore ; as feeing there 
 are ftp of my fellow Creatures, whofe Na- 
 tures I can fay I do fully kflom If I make 
 a Man of Wax, or a Statue of Marble, I 
 cannot fo truly tranfeend my Creature, as 
 my Creator does Me ; becaufe between Me and 
 That, there \s fome proportion; but between 
 my God and Me, there is none at all. And 
 if my Creature for want of Reafon cannot 
 apprehend Me, much lefs for want of an 
 Omnifcience, can I comprehend Him. Thus 
 chough I cannot difcern the Reafon, why in 
 the Vnity of the Subjtance there is a Trinity 
 of Subfiflences which 1 admire, yet why I can- 
 not difcern the Reafon , I can difcern rea- 
 fon enough ; and ( which is every whit as 
 
 well 
 
The Appendix. 
 
 I 447 
 
 well for a finite ReaibnJ 1 find it molt rea- 
 fonabk that To it fhould be. For exa&ly to 
 know, why we cannot know exa&ly the things 
 above us, is every whit as iufficient in or- 
 der to our Faith, as any kind of Demonftra- 
 tion can be in order unto our knowledge. So 
 far is any thing from reaching what is infi- 
 nitely above or beyond it (elf, that no Being 
 ( but the Divine ) exaftly knows its own Na- 
 ture. And even This our very Ignorance of 
 God's entire Ejfence may lead us to the know- 
 ledge of his Exijience. For as my outward 
 Eye fees , but cannot See that it fees , ( This 
 later being the Work of a nobler Faculty 
 within me^) or as a Brute does apprehend irs 
 proper objech f but cannot apprehend at all 
 How or Why it apprehends , ( for want of a 
 power to refieft on its Apprehenfion , ) fo a 
 Man indued with reafon , although he knows 
 many things throughly , and alfo knows how 
 he knows them, yet How, or Why, or by What 
 means he comes to kjiow , that he kriows Ho 
 he knows , he can never tell ; unlefs it be 
 by inferring, that it comes to him from a 
 Super icur and Invifible Power, which Power is I 
 God's. 
 
 §28. By (lacing thus the whole Subje5 
 
 LI1 of! 
 
44 8 
 
 The Appendix. 
 
 e Bern, de 
 Confidera- 
 tionel.$.c.B. 
 
 of the Godhead in general, and of the Trinity 
 in particular-, ( which I have fingled cut as 
 one of the higheft Myfteries in our Religion, 
 the lead underftood, and the molt (tumbled 
 at, by fuch as fet up meer Science againft 
 Religion, and depretiate ail Faith in refpeft 
 of Knowledge, ) I pay my Duty both to the 
 Word, and the Church of God, To each of 
 thefe as a Chrijiian ; And as a Man, to the 
 Law of Nature. 1 fully fatisfie my Reafon , 
 by weighing the Nature of Religion : and fo 
 1 make a ftrift Agreement between my Rea* 
 [on and my Faith. Nor can I better Con- 
 clude and difmifs the whole Subjeft, than in 
 the fenfe of the devout and acute S.Bernard. 
 e To inquire into This Myfiery, (he fpeaks of 
 a Critical Inquiry,) is a peevifh Curiofity .\ 
 ( and as perilous as it is peevilh. ) To Be- 
 lieve it in humility , as it is Worded by the 
 Church, (which is the Pillar and Ground of 
 Truth , ) is a Tiom Belief, and a Safe Fro- 
 feffion* But to See it at it k , and to know 
 it at we are known, is the final Qonfurnmation 
 ofBlifl and Glory. 
 
 Which God the Father of his Mercy difpofe 
 us for, for the Merits of God the Son^ and 
 
 through 
 
The Appendix. 
 
 through the powerfull Operation of God the 
 Holy Gboft. 
 
 To whom be Honour and Adoration for 
 evermore. 
 
 I 449 ' 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 Neither will thefuppofed, C<* n d I fc<* r tru fy 
 fuppofedj greater Number ofAtheifts^ than ei- 
 ther Fapifis or Settaries y be any hinder ance to 
 thePapifls, for finally prevailing. See Dr. San- 
 derfons long Preface Co his Sermons infol.§,23. 
 
 Lll 2 
 
The TABLE of particulars. 
 
 ABftinence/ww the Kinds \and the 
 appearances of evil. p. 2 3 8,2 3 9. 
 to p. 27 2. from Flefhly Lujls in ge- 
 neral, p. 273, C^c. /0 p. 515* /n*>» 
 Difobidience to Authority in parti- 
 cular. 317. to 343. 
 
 Antinomians /row whence. 150. 
 
 Atheifm expreffed in the Venial of 
 Spirits. 3A>& C - h Rebellion againji 
 Governours. 82,83. by Impudence 
 in Sin. 251. confuted.^6^pj,&c. 
 to +21. an effett of great Vulnefs 
 in witty men. 450, 43 l,&c. 
 
 Authority, though humane^ is of Di- 
 vine Right '-, and as well the Subor- 
 dinate as the Supream. 3 Ip,3 20 ^&c. 
 See Humane Laws. Obedient. In- 
 different Ihings. 
 
 CAIviniftical Voftrines. I48,I4P, 
 170,171,^. 
 Charity inconfijient with Schifm. 63, 
 
 d 4 . 
 Circumfpe&ion in theft. 7p,8o,e^. 
 
 in bypothefi. W} i ll6 :> &c. 
 Commandments how to be found in 
 Peace and Holinefs. 2 1 2,2 1 3 5 &c. 
 how the mofl rigorous are indeed the 
 mo$ mercifnU. 263. 
 Confcience what y and how a Rule to 
 live by. Io3.io4.f0 108, W 151, 
 
 152. 
 Church of England , how far from 
 ?opi(h. ^8^,142,143,^. 
 
 Chrift, how a ftumblin^-block^to titu- 
 lar Chrijiisns^as much M to the Jews 
 and Gentiles. ^6^^66j&c. 
 
 Chrirtianity a Warfare. 25)3,294.^. 
 but full of pleafure. 2 06, 2 07 *&c. 
 brought into credit by obedience to 
 humane Laws. 321,322 ,&c. 
 
 Credulity antidoted. 2^,30,3 ij&c. 
 
 D. 
 
 DAmnation, to whom 'tis due by 
 way of eminence. 33,34. 
 Dangers incompafing every Chrifiian. 
 
 i8p,rpo. 
 Deceivers of old more plaufible than 
 
 of late. 26)2j,&c. 
 Demonstration Metaphyfical more com- 
 pulfwe of Affent^than Mathematical. 
 404,405,406^ 4ip v 42o > #w 
 Difcretion, of what moment in Reli- 
 gion. 108,1 op ,e^c. 
 Diftruft, a Duty. 124,125,^. 
 Drollery how dangerous. 1 3 8, 1 3 p. 
 Duellers how Impious. 2 4p,2 5 o. 
 
 E. 
 
 ELed, why they cannot fall finally^ 
 though many Regenerate may 
 and do. 180,1 8 i,e^. 
 Enemies, how to be obliged. 204,27^. 
 Enthufiaftical Pretenders their moft 
 falfe Rule of 'trial. p,i o. 
 
 FAith effentialto Religion^and more 
 rewardable than knowledge. 422, 
 423,424,^. Vivine defer ibed as 
 L 1 1 3 differing 
 
The: TABLE of particulars. 
 
 differing from humane. 43 2 ,43 3 .&c 
 Bow to be fecuredfromfailing.^^ 
 
 43 5 -> &c - 
 Fallacies in Religion and VraUtce pro- 
 vided again]*. 1 03 ,&c.i 40,1 42 >#■<:. 
 
 283,^. 
 
 Falfe Pro/Atf* and FalfeChrifts in the 
 
 Primitive times. I l6,l 17,1 l8,d*:. 
 
 Falfe Teachers, Vevils. 1 33 J 34 A c - 
 Fear w»#x »/*& ^*« fortitude. 123, 
 
 1 2 4. Necejfary to Faith a 6 1 ,eN. 
 Flattery /**<*/. 294,2*5^. 
 Flefli, its frailty in the $ejl. 270,271, 
 
 2^,300,^. 
 Fornication, fc<?»>*0 be prevented. 289, 
 
 G. 
 
 GOD, His Glory the left motive to 
 a good life. 278,279. Hb» fc* 
 fights for us. 309,310. Hi/ B««g 
 demonftrated by Mental and Meta- 
 physeal; more clearly than other 
 things by Mathematical Vemonjira- 
 tion.299>&c.Wtfo \20.the things 
 of God which may be kpown. 428, 
 
 42c?. 
 Gofpel, brought into Vifgrace by the 
 Scbifms,and Seditions, and V/fobe- 
 dience of its ?r of effort. 3 2 1,3 2 2,&c. 
 In what degree to be heeded by us. 
 363,364,^. 
 ■Gxtcefufficicnt not flit effctiual. i6y, 
 
 l6S y &c. 
 
 H. 
 
 iErefie what , and how differing 
 fromSchifm. 45,^. 
 
 H 
 
 Happinefs not in this life. 162,163. 
 Hobs how monftrous. 3,10,11,12. 
 Holinefs how important. 1 98, 1 9 p,&c. 
 Humane Laws afferted. 146,147^. 
 
 227,228,^. 317,318,^343'. 
 Humility a chief mar\of Go£ s Spirit. 
 
 Hypocrifie in its Height. 31,32^. 
 207, 208, 2 18, 2 19, 239, 240,^. 
 
 248. 
 I. 
 
 JEaloufie dangerous to Souls^as well 
 as too much want of it )p 5,96,142. 
 
 Jefuites why Anticbriftian. 22,23,19, 
 20,129,130. 
 
 Impudence in finning worfe than hy- 
 pocrite. 249,250,^. 
 
 Indifferent things become Necejfary by 
 humane Laws.jl,j2 i &c. 22o,22I, 
 317,318,^. 
 
 Infallibility ofRomefalfified. 153^. 
 
 Juftke, how a YIav^itqy. Ip%,Ipp. 
 
 K. 
 
 Kings alone can procure the Teace 
 and Vnity ofCbriftendom, and 
 they can do it if they will. 227,228, 
 &c. 'their Supremacy ajferted, 318, 
 
 3 lp,&c. 
 Knowledge damning without Obe- 
 dience. 1 96,2 64,3 6 5, &c. how in- 
 content with Belief. 392,393. how 
 lefs worthy, and why lefs required. 
 ^23,^2^,&c. as fuch, infallible. ^01. 
 
 Aws. See Humane, and Indiffe- 
 rent. 
 
 Lawfull 
 
The T ABLE of j> articular r, 
 
 Lawfull things to be avoided. 262,&c\ 
 Lent, why its Abjlinences prefcribed. 
 
 245,2^6. how to be kept. 247,275. 
 Liberty truly Cbrijtidn , wherein it 
 
 ftands. l±6,l\7,&c. 
 Life, when to be defpifed. 265, 267. 
 Lulls of the Fl"Jh. 275.276,^. 
 Luxury in its height. 250,251. 
 
 M. 
 
 MA N to Man a God or a Devil. 
 125,127,128^. the Bed not 
 to be follow d in all cafes and ecca- 
 fionj, 155,156. 
 
 o. 
 
 OBedience to Government a Fun* 
 d.imental to Chri\\ianity. ip,2 0, 
 48,4^,74,75. muji be impartial. 
 230,253, &c. to 26o. to humane 
 Laws due by the Laws divine. 318, 
 
 Sip^&c. 
 Occafions of Sin to be avoided, no, 
 1 1 1,1 1 2,253,254^.2^0,2^1. 
 
 P. 
 
 PEace of what value. 75,77, i£ 4, 
 
 Pleafures in Self-denial, 305,305,^. 
 Popery, why laid to the charge of Pro- 
 
 tenants, and by whom. 68, 5^,142, 
 
 1 43, &c. confutes it fe If. 153,154. 
 Preaching condemns whom it does not 
 
 convert. 345,347,^. 355,355,^. 
 
 IbeBeft. 3S4. 
 Pride, in its Height is fecn in Schifma- 
 
 Profperity no covjiant mark^ cf God's 
 favour. 50,51. 
 
 Prudence conf.fts of three parts. 84. 
 59, &c. tyberein cf mo\\ ufe. 163. 
 
 Pub lick good to be prefer* d before Pri- 
 vate. 221,222, &c. 
 
 R. 
 
 REbellion the conftant effect of 
 Schifm. 66,61,6%. the moft 
 damning piece of Carnality, n8, 
 
 llp,&c. 
 Regenerate may finally fall from Grace. 
 
 *7 frl74><fo 
 
 Religion lies in a little room. Ip4,ip5. 
 
 Hgw it differs from Science, and u 
 more excellent than It. ^2 1,422,423, 
 &c. How evacuated by the Tongue. 
 
 2 57- 
 
 SAlvation on what terms to be had. 
 217,218,231,232,0^. 
 
 Schifrn worfe than tferefie. 45,46,47, 
 &c. 54,5 5. why more damning than 
 other Crimes. 55,57,58,$^. an A- 
 mulet againjl it. 3 3 5,3 $TJ&c. 
 
 Scripture wrejied by the Heathens. 135, 
 135. to be attended^ how much and 
 why.% 5 1 ,3 5 2,e^c»3 72 ,3 73 ,&c. why 
 more than the Vijcourfes which are 
 commonly call'd Sermons. 375.377, 
 378,3 J p. how defpifed by Jome great 
 PapiJis.^yS^Jp. and by others. 380, 
 &c. an Apology for it. 3 8 1 . 3 8 2 ,&c. 
 
 Security moji treacherous. p8,oc,£>c. 
 
 Self- deceiving the worfl. 126. 
 
 Self-denial for publicly Peace. 22 1 ,2 2 2 . 
 howpleafant. 5 05, 3 05,$^. 3 \2^&c. 
 
 Senfe, the outward not fo infallible as 
 the inward. 401,402,6^. 
 
 Separa- 
 
The TABLE of particulars. 
 
 Separates in England why the worft. 
 
 Sermons how to be heeded, and why, and 
 
 with what difference. 3 4.5.3 4<5,6*c. 
 
 to the end. 
 Sincerity how to be proved, 253, 254, 
 
 255,^:. 
 Sins the worfe the more fpiritual. 33, 
 
 3 4. the leajl how damning. 255 >&c. 
 
 to 261. 
 Soul of man of what value. 302, 
 
 3 03 ,«:!>*•. 
 Spirits to be try'd^ and by what loucb- 
 
 ftone.6,j)&c. 18,1^,20^. 
 
 TEmptations, how carefully to be 
 Jhurfd by the beft and Jirongeft. 
 iio,ni,e^c. 270,271,$^. how du 
 verjlytobe encountred.2%']^2%%. ) &c. 
 Thoughts why damning. 260. 
 Touch (rone, howtobetryed before aL 
 lowed as a Rule of trial. $,p^&c, 
 
 Tongue, how great an Evil. 257,25^. 
 Trinity of Perfons in unity^ &c. the 
 
 chief 'of ' Infe arch able s .440,441 J&c. 
 
 why called Perfons ^ and whenfirfv. 
 
 U. 
 
 UNity among Chriftians of what 
 confequence to be kfpt, and by 
 what means. 222,223,224,^. 
 340, 3 4 1, eK 
 
 w. 
 
 WA R lawfull under the Law 
 as well ofCh'rift as ofMofes. 
 204,205. 
 Wifedom of the Elefh why "Devillifh. 
 
 2<?8,2pp. 
 
 Women why not to be converfed with 
 
 ufually. 26%,269)2jo&c. 
 Word s, how damning. 1 3 8 , 1 3 p y &c. 
 
 2 57, 2 5P- 
 Word of God. See Scripture. 
 
 ERRATA/f corrige. 
 
 P A I: 
 
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