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"contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints," (Jude 3.) and as it was given to them. And finally, to add no

more;

[4. That, if ever it should be our lot to suffer by such hands, we may understand, how glorious a cause we have to suffer in; and how much better it is to suffer by such men, than to be of them. Men! whose religion instructs them in all impiety and vice; and who are much worse by the influence thereof, than they would have been by mere nature. So that any impartial unconcerned person who shall consider the case, view it in every light, and take a survey of the scheme or model of their practical principles, cannot but say, "If this be Christianity, let me be an honest pagan!"

In a word: When their doctrines lead them to such things as cruel murders, injurious treacheries, and the most horrid perjuries; when their principles rase the foundations of all human society; or tend to make it dissolve, so as that no man knows how to trust another; when mankind must even disband on these terms, and live in cells or dens apart by themselves, (for there can be no commerce one with another, if these principles generally obtain in the world)—I say, if this be the case, it is surely better to suffer by such men, than to be of their party. Especially if we consider how these things must needs engage heaven against them, and that divine vengeance must fall at length upon them who have profaned such a name, and so horridly pretended to Christianity, on purpose as it were to make it odious to the heathen world. "If the Christian religion," may pagans say, "he such as these men represent it, what a strange God is their God, that will oblige them, who profess his religion, to be false, bloody, and cruel; and all for the serving a secular interest and end!"

It is easy to apprehend the mischievous tendency of such practical principles of theirs, and how much paganism is better than their religion. How much better indeed it were to have no religion; because, in this case, there is a coincidence of the most vicious inclinations with wicked principles. Now think what strength is added to a vicious inclination, when a principle falls in with it that shall justify it. Mere pagans do, many times it is true, transgress the law of nature; but as the apostle tells us, it is with their consciences accusing them, (Rom. 2. 15.) or with regret. But now, when the dictates of judgment and conscience concur with men's vicious inclinations, this is worse than it is with the heathens.

A heathen may possibly be guilty of perjury himself, but his conscience remonstrates against it, and on his own principles he is self-condemned. But when there shall be a princi

ple which suggests to a man that it is lawful to sin, and not only so but that it is his duty to perjure himself, with how strong a stream must the current of wickedness run in the world!

And certainly at such a time as ours is, and indeed in future ages, it is to be feared, there will be this reason why such a case should be represented to the world as it is; that we may know what we have to oppose, and what it is we have to stand by in such an opposition; whether in doing or suffering, or whether with success in this world, or no. Upon these accounts I have thought it proper to insist thus far on this sort of persons, who profess the Christian religion, but corrupt and falsify it; partly speculatively, partly practically; professing to know God, while, in another sense, and more effectually a great deal, they deny the God whom they profess to own, and acknowledge.

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SERMON VI*.

IN our former discourse we proposed to inquire, what sort of persons they are, who may be said to overthrow their profession; and to make it a mere nullity, or of no significance. Namely,

I. Such as profess the true religion, but so falsified and corrupted, as that the very object of their profession is strangely altered from itself. They profess what, originally, was the true religion; but, as they profess it, it is not true. These we have already considered.

II. I proceed now to consider the second sort of men, that were spoken of: namely, such as profess that which is most true, to wit the Christian religion in its purity; but do it most untruly, and are altogether insincere in that profession.

And, in order to this, I shall confine myself to these two heads that lie in the text, which I have doctrinally opened in a former discourse. That is, as I have already shewn, they may very truly be said to deny Him in works, whom they profess to know and acknowledge as the true God: who have, in the first place, an habitual propension to abominable wickedness; or in the next place, an habitual aversion to whatsoever is good.

1. They may be truly said to deny God in their works, though they profess to know him, who have an habitual proPreached April 10. 1681.

pension to habitual wickedness. There are indeed two expressions of the apostle, that are here alluded to; namely abominable and disobedient. The former of which, as we have shewn before, speaks the wickedness to which such are propence; and the latter, the obstinacy of that propension. Which is plainly signified by the word rendered disobedient; which we may render more emphatically untractableness, such as by no persuasions can be withdrawn from a wicked

course.

*

I doubt not but there are many such persons, who because they are not of that sort which we have spoken of in the preceding discourse, but account themselves very good protestants; and are resolved, for ought they know, to continue such as long as they live, therefore conclude they are on very good terms with God. Whether there are not many who go under this honourable name, unto whom this character too much agrees, of being obstinate in a course of wickedness, you yourselves, with too much clearness may judge. However I hope, that your acquaintance does not lie with such persons, so as to have much occasion to observe their way and course; I hope, I say, it is not generally so with you. But who is there, whom common fame and common cry can suffer to be ignorant of the wickedness that lurks, yea that rages, under the very name of protestantism? Unless a man would shut himself up in a den or a cell, he cannot help knowing that there is a great deal of wickedness amongst us, which ought to go under the title of abominable: wickedness! which even protestants obstinately persist in. The horrid oaths, exeerations, and blasphemies, which the tavern resound with, and of which the streets are not innocent ;the debaucheries of all sorts ;-who can keep himself from knowing there are such things done and practised among those, who are concerned to maintain the name and reputation of being protestants, and value themselves upon it?

And yet it must be said, that though such wickedness be abominable, yet it is too little abominated. Those who are not themselves, it may be, guilty of such vices, are drawn inte a participation of the guilt of others, in some measure, by not resenting, by not taking to heart, and by hot mourning over the wickedness of the times in which they live. A way of partaking with other men's sins that is but too real, and too little thought of!

And it is well, if some do not partake of the-guilt of others farther than this, that would not be thought to countenance or

*See Page 450.

approve their wicked practices; who yet, when they are in company with them, bear a part therein. Particularly to men-. tion one instance, in drinking confusion to such or such a party, and the like ; as if it were the pouring in of liquor, and not the pouring out of prayer, that is the way to engage the Almighty God to be on their side. And whither does all this tend?What seems to be the meaning and import of it but this? That men do, as it were, set themselves to tempt or defy the justice and vengeance of heaven! To try whether God can yet find a way to turn our houses into flaming beacons, and lay this city again in a ruinous waste! Or to try what further stores there are yet in the armoury of God; what furniture in his quiver, and whether he hath any more arrows to spend upon us or no! For, to go no further than this city, I would very fain know, who that has had the opportunity to observe and take notice, can say that London is so much better now, than it was before the fire, that we have no reason to fear a repetition of any such judgment as that, or the pestilence which immediately preceded it? Unless we will think that all things fall out by chance, or casually, or by the designs of men; or that a just and holy God has no hand in the government of the world, and the ordering and disposing of events, which fall out in it. That calamity which brought this glorious city into dust, did not spring out of it; neither does affliction come from thence, though it may bring us thither.

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And will men think, that the name of protestant will be a protection from such severities, and awful judgments hereafter? Why then was it not so before? Do we imagine that Almighty God is so taken with names; or that they are a matter of so high account with him? Can we suppose that he will less resent, or be more patient of, affronts and contempt from a protestant; than from a papist, or pagan ? Will not wickedness be the same thing in both?

But perhaps some may be ready to say; "All this is very right; but we have more than the name of being protestants: we perform many duties that do belong to that religion." And perhaps one sort of protestants may glory and make their boast that for their parts, they are diligent in their attendance on public worship; and devout in bearing a part in the solemnity thereof, but especially in the prayers of the church: they are very punctual in the observance of it; missing in no point of ceremony; keep exactly to all the modish and fashionable rites; have their responses at their fingers ends, and the like. Another sort, it may be, boast otherwise and on different grounds ; who, thinking that this is not so sure a way, choose rather another kind of worship, which they fancy to be purer: and with great

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