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❝tion of doctrines, and reformation of manners in the church." And, no doubt, all men do fee very plainly to what purpose this foundation is laid of fo large a rule of faith. And this being admitted, how easy is it for them to confirm and prove whatever doctrines and practices they have a mind to establish?

But if this be a new, and another foundation, than that which the great author and founder of our religion hath laid and built his church upon, viz. the foundation of the prophets and apoftles, it is no matter what they build upon it. And if they go about to prove any thing by the new parts of this rule, by the apocryphal books, which they have added to the ancient canon of the fcriptures, brought down to us by the general tradition of the Chriftian church, and by their pretended unwritten traditions; we do with reafon reject this kind of proof, and defire them first to prove their rule, before they pretend to prove any thing by it: for we protest against this rule, as never declared and owned by the Chriftian church, nor proceeded upon by the ancient fathers of the church, nor by any council whatsoever before the council of Trent.

In vain then doth the church of Rome vaunt itself of the antiquity of their faith and religion, when the very foundation and rule of it is but of yesterday; a new thing never before known or heard of in the Chriftian world: whereas the foundation and rule of our religion is the word of God, contained in the holy fcriptures; to which Chriftians in all ages have appealed, as the only rule of faith and life.

3. I proceed now to the third thing I proposed, viz. that we are to hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, against all the temptations and terrors of the world. And this feems more especially and principally to be here intended by the Apostle in this exhortation.

I fhall first speak of the temptations of the world. And they are chiefly these two; the temptation of fashion and example, and of worldly intereft and advantage.

ift, Of fashion and example. This, in truth and reality, is no ftrong argument; and yet, in experience and effect, it is often found to be very powerful. It is frequently feen, that this hath many times too great an influence upon weak and foolish minds. Men are apt

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to be carried down with the ftream, and to follow a multitude in that which is evil: but more efpecially men are prone to be fwayed by great examples, and to bend themselves to fuch an obfequioufnefs to their fuperiors and betters, that, in compliance with them, they are ready not only to change their affection to perfons and things, as they do, but even their judgment also; and that in the greatest and weightieft matters, even in matters of religion, and the great concernments of another world. But this furely is an argument of a poor and mean spirit, and of a weak understanding, which leans upon the judgment of another; and is in truth the lowest degree of servility that a reasonable creature can stoop to; and even beneath that of a flave, who, in the midst of his chains and fetters, doth ftill retain the freedom of his mind and judgment.

But I need not to urge this upon confiderate perfons, who know better how to value their duty and obligation to God, than to be tempted to do any thing contrary thereto, merely in compliance with fafhion and example. There are fome things in religion fo very plain, that a wife and good man would ftand alone in the belief and practice of them, and not be moved in the leaft by the contrary example of the whole world. It was a brave. refolution of Joshua, though all men should forfake the God of Ifracl, and run aside to other gods, yet he would not do it, Jofh. xxiv. 15. If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, chufe you this day whom ye will ferve: but as for me and my houfe, we will ferve the Lord. It was well refolved of Peter, if he had not been too confident of his own ftrength, when he faid to our Saviour, Though all men forfake thee, yet will not I.

2dly, Another fort of temptation, and which is commonly more powerful than example, is worldly intereft and advantage. This is a mighty bait to a great part of mankind, and apt to work very ftrongly upon the neceffities of fome, and upon the covetoufnefs and ambition of others. Some men are tempted by neceffity; which many times makes them do ugly and reproachful things, and, like Efau, for a morfel of meat, io fell their birth-right and bleffing. Covetoufnefs tempts others to be of that religion which gives them the profpect of the

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greateft earthly advantage, either for the increasing or fecuring of their estates. When they find, that they cannot ferve God and mammon, they will forfake the one, and cleave to the other. This was one of the great temptations to many in the primitive times, and a frequent caufe of apoftafy from the faith; an eager defire of riches, and too great a value for them; as St. Paul obferves, 1 Tim. vi. 9. 10. But they that will be rich, fall into temptation, and a fuare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in deftruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil which while fome coveted after, they have erred (or been feduced) from the faith, and pierced themfelves through with many forrows. This was the temptation which drew off Demas from his religion; as St. Paul tells us, 2 Tim. iv. 10. Demas bath forfaken me, having loved this prefent world.

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Ambition is likewife a great temptation to proud and afpiring minds, and makes many men falfe to their religion, when they find it a hinderance to their preferment and they are easily perfuaded, that that is the best religion which is attended with the greateft worldly advantages, and will raife them to the highest dignity. The devil understood very well the force of this temptation when he fet upon our Saviour, and therefore referved it for the laft affault. He fhewed him all the kingdoms of the earth, and the glory of them; and faid to him, All this will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. And when he faw this would not prevail, he gave him over in defpair, and left him. But though this be a very dazzling temptation; yet there are confiderations of that weight to be fet over-againft it, from the nature of religion, and the infinite concernment of it to our immortal fouls, as is fufficient to quench this fiery dart of the devil, and to put all the temptations of this world out of countenance, and to render all the riches and glory of it, in comparifon of the eternal happiness and mifery of the other world, but as the very small duft upon the balance. What temptation of this world can ftand against that argument of our Saviour, if it be ferioufly weighed and confidered, What is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lofe his own foul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his .foul? If we would confider things impartially, and weigh

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them in a juft and equal balance; the things which concern our bodies, and this prefent life, are of no confideration, in comparison of the great and vaft concernments of our immortal fouls, and the happy or miserable condition of our bodies and fouls to all eternity.

And religion is a matter of this valt concernment; and therefore not to be bargained away, and parted with by us, for the greatest things this world can offer. There is no greater fign of a fordid spirit, than to put a high value upon things of little worth; and no greater mark of folly, than to make an equal bargain, to part with things of greatest price, for a flender and trifling confi deration: as if a man of great fortune and eftate, should fell the inheritance of it for a picture, which, when he hath it, will not perhaps yield fo much as will maintain him for one year. The folly is fo much the greater in things of infinitely greater value; as for a man to quit God and religion, to fell the truth, and his foul, and to part with his everlasting inheritance, for a convenient fervice, for a good cuftomer, and fome prefent advantage in his trade and profeffion, or indeed for any condition which the foolish language of this world calls a high place, or a great preferment. The things which these men part with upon thefe cheap terms, God, and his truth, and religion, are, to thofe who underftand themfelves, and the juft value of their immortal fouls, things of incftimable worth, and not to be parted with by a confiderate man, for any price this world can bid. And those who are to be bought out of their religion upon fuch low terms, and fo eafily parted from it, it is much to be feared, that they have little or no religion to hold fast.

Secondly, As we are to hold fast the profeffion of our faith without wavering, against the temptations and allurements of this world; fo likewise against the terrors of it.

Fear is a paffion of great force; and, if men be not very refolute and conftant, will be apt to ftagger them, and to move them from their stedfaftnefs: and therefore, when the cafe of fuffering and perfecution for the truth happens, we had need to hold fast the profeffion of our faith. Our Saviour, in the parable of the fower, tells

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us, that there were many that heard the word, and with joy received it; but when perfecution and tribulation arofe because of the word, prefently they were offended.

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And though, bleffed be God, this be not now our cafe; yet there was a time when it was the general cafe of Chriftians, in the firft beginning of Chriftianity, and for feveral ages after, though with fome intermiffion and intervals of eafe. It was then a general rule, and the common expectation of Chriftians, That through many bulations they must enter into the kingdom of God; and that if any man will live godly in Chrift Jefus, he muft fuffer perfecution. And in feveral ages fince those primitive times, the fincere profeffors of religion have, in divers places, been expofed to moft grievous fufferings and perfecutions for the truth. And even, at this day, in feveral places, the faithful fervants of God are exercifed with the fharpeft and foreft trials that perhaps were ever heard of in any age; and for the fake of God, and the conftant profeffion of his true religion, are tormented and killed all the day long, and are accounted as sheep for the flaughter. It is their hard lot to be called to thefe cruel and bitter fufferings, and our happy opportunity to be called upon for their relief; thofe of them, I mean, that have efcaped that terrible storm and tempeft, and have taken refuge and fanctuary here among us, and, out of his Majefty's great humanity and goodness, are, by his publick letters, recommended to the charity of the whole nation, by the name of diftreffed Proteftants.

Let us confider, how much eafier our lot and our duty is, than theirs; as much as it is easier to compaffionate the fufferings, and to relieve the diftreffes of others, thàn to be fuch fufferers, and in fuch diftrefs ourselves. Let us make their cafe our own, and then we ourselves will be the best judges how it is fit for us to demean ourselves towards them, and to what degree we ought to extend our charity and compaffion to them. Let us put on their cafe and circumftances, and fuppofe that we were the fufferers, and had fled to them for refuge the fame pity and commiferation, the fame tender regard and confideration of our fad cafe, the fame liberal and effectual relief that we should defire and expect, and be glad to have fhewn and afforded to ourfelves, let us give to

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