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of Scripture have arisen from a contrary management; from men's giving obscure texts a new and particular sense of their own first, and then growing fond of that invention afterwards, and resolving to bring all the plainest passages in Scripture, whether they will or no, to countenance and comply with it.

That we may carry ourselves after a quite different manner in our searches, it is fit for us to observe,

5thly and lastly, that the safest and securest way of looking into these durvónra of St. Paul, and the other holy writers, is, to postpone the consideration of them, till we have mastered what is sure and easy in Scripture, till we have rooted and grounded ourselves in those points of doctrine that lie obvious and open; and when we have done that, there will be no danger of looking into any thing else, let it be never so hard, and never so obscure. For either we shall hit upon the right interpretation of it; or if we do not, the wrong one shall not hurt us. A man that holds all that is plainly contained in Scripture, and all that is necessary to be held by him, may in that which is not plain, and not necessary, innocently abound in his own sense. For though he should in these matters mistake in his opinions, and mistake the sense of Scripture, upon which he grounds those opinions; yet those mistakes cannot be fatal, because not fundamental. He can never maintain any thing directly repugnant to the catholic faith, and evidently destructive of it; and while he does not, he may maintain what else he pleases; and so he does it with sobriety and modesty, and a due deference to the opinion of those, who have a right to be listened to in these things, his error (if it be one) shall never prove dangerous or be imputed to him. And this remark is what is plainly suggested to us by the words of the text, where St. Peter tells us, that those which wrested the hard places in St. Paul's writings, and the other Scriptures, were the unlearned and unstable that is (as I told you) those who, being not well grounded in the faith, were easy to be drawn aside into pernicious

opinions and destructive errors. From whence it follows, that the best way to secure ourselves from thus perverting what is obscure in Scripture is, first, to render ourselves learned and stable in what is plain; and fixing that as our centre, from whence we are not to be removed, we may extend our thoughts and opinions to what circumference we please. That faith which we keep pure and undefiled in fundamentals, shall either enable us to find out those truths of lesser moment, that perfectly agree with it, or shall excuse us before God, if we should miss of them. There will be a probability from hence of our understanding obscure texts rightly; or if we do not, yet there will be a certainty of our not incurring the guilt of" wresting Scripture to our own destruction."

Thus have I despatched the second general observation, which I raised from the text, viz., to consider from thence what temper and qualifications of mind, what precaution and degrees of knowledge are requisite, in order to make our inquiries into the obscure parts of Holy Writ innocent and useful to us.

I might observe also from hence, in the

3d place, that if perverting obscure passages of Scripture be a thing in itself damnable, as St. Peter assures us it is; how much more certainly damnable is it to pervert plain ones? And then infer,

4thly, and lastly also, that if such a sentence be pronounced upon those, who wrest Scripture; then surely a much higher degree of punishment is reserved for those who affront and ridicule it. But because the first of these points has been already in some measure intimated in the preceding discourse, and there occasionally explained; and because the second is of too extensive and concerning a nature to be now considered; I shall therefore at present insist upon neither of them. They may perhaps employ our reflections on some other opportunity.

A

SERMON

PREACHED AT HAMPTON-COURT, OCTOBER 15, 1710.

A DISCOURSE ON RELIGIOUS SINCERITY, WHEREIN THE TRUE MARKS AND TESTS OF IT ARE FULLY SET FORTH.

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Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.—2 ČORINTH. xiii. 5.

THERE are three several ranks and orders of men, into which those that name the name of Christ, 2 Tim. ii. 15, and profess his religion, may be divided. Some have nothing more than the mere name and profession of Christianity, for in their works they deny it; being alienated from the life of Christ, Ephes. iv. 18, and paying no manner of obedience to his laws; but living in the open and avowed practice of all kinds of pollution. Others there are who as manifestly adorn the doctrine they embrace, and live up to the rule which they profess so far as human infirmity will suffer them. They have by the grace of God concurring with their sincere endeavours, subdued the power of their corrupt lusts and affections, so that little or no disturbance doth from thence arise to them; but they go on in the paths of virtue, and the duties of piety, evenly and regularly; glorifying God, and benefiting men, and shining more and more unto a perfect day, Prov. iv. 18. And to each of these the state and condition of their own souls is known certainly and clearly. A strong conviction of guilt terrifies the one, without any offer of excuse, or hope of pardon; and the conscience of the other bears witness to their uprightness, without doubts, or misgivings. Between these there is a middle state of men, who are neither notori

ously evil, nor yet remarkably virtuous; neither entirely given over to work wickedness, nor yet thoroughly confirmed in goodness; but in a doubtful uncertain way of living, and thinking; sometimes standing firm in virtue, and sometimes failing; sometimes sinning, and sometimes repenting; sometimes hoping, and sometimes desponding.

To such as these the exhortation of the apostle in my text is directed: examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith: prove your own selves; that is, consider your condition impartially and thoroughly, try it by the rules of the Gospel; satisfy yourselves once for all, whether you be true sincere believers, such as God will accept. If you find that you are, resolve by his grace, to continue such to your lives' end; if you find you are not, resolve to make yourselves such, as soon as possible. For nothing can be of more moment to you, than this knowledge, and these resolutions. Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.

In order to assist you in this inquiry, it shall be the business of my present discourse to propose some few plain marks, or tests, by which every man, who entertains any doubts of this kind (as very good men sometimes do), may, if he pleases, try his own sincerity, and fully satisfy himself, whether he be an hearty believer, and a sound member of that body, of which Christ Jesus is the head whether, and how far he hath obtained the great christian perfection, which is to recommend all the rest, I mean that of sincerity.

I. And, first, the most obvious, and therefore the most satisfying mark of religious sincerity is, if a man, upon a review of his own thoughts, finds, that his resolutions of obedience are universal and unlimited; without a reserve for any favourite sin, without excepting any particular instance of duty, wherein he desires to be excused. Then (says the good psalmist) shall I not be ashamed, i. e., then may I safely confide in my own innocence and uprightness, when I have respect unto

all thy commandments; when I find myself equally determined to obey every divine precept, and resolved to allow myself in no practice whatsoever, which the law of God doth not allow of. And where this is not the case, there can be no true christian sincerity; which consists in a true bent and inclination of the will towards God; and the will is never truly, but when it is totally inclined towards him; when it is lost, and swallowed up in the divine will; implicitly likes or dislikes, chooses or refuses, what God hath before hand approved or disapproved by his holy precepts, or prohibitions. Is a man said to be sincere to his friend, who betrays him in any one important secret, committed to his trust, though he should be faithful in many others? Is a servant said to be sincere to his master, who hath any reserved cases, wherein he resolves not to consult his honour, or interest? No more can a man be reckoned sincere towards God, who sets up any single lust, inclination, or thought, against what he knows to be the divine will and pleasure. And this is evidently the reason of that determination in St. James whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For (as it there. follows) he that said do not commit adultery, said also, do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law; James ii. 10. 11., i. e., if thou neglectest to observe any one divine command, knowing it to be one, thou art in that instance as open, and declared a rebel to the authority enacting it, as if thou shookest off thy obedience

to all.

If then, upon a careful survey of ourselves, we find, that we are from the bottom of our souls, disposed, and resolved to comply with all the terms of duty [whether grateful, or ungrateful to flesh and blood] which the Gospel proposeth to us; that it is our fixed intent not to do, in any case, what God hath forbidden, nor to neglect what he hath enjoined; and that there is no appetite, desire, or design so dear to us, but we are ready to part with it, as soon as its opposition to a divine command

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