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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62634	Several discourses viz. Proving Jesus to be the Messias. The prejudices against Jesus and his religion consider'd. Jesus the Son of God, proved by his Resurrection. The danger of apostacy from Christianity. Christ the author: obedience the condition of salvation. The possibility and necessity of gospel obedience, and its consistence with free grace. The authority of Jesus Christ, with the commission and promise which he gave to his apostles. The difficulties of a Christian life consider'd. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Children of this world wiser than the children of light. By the most reverend Dr. John Tillotson, late Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury. Being the fifth volume; published from the originals, by Ralph Barker, D.D. chaplain to his Grace.	Tillotson, John, 1630-1694.; Barker, Ralph, 1648-1708,	1698 (1698)	Wing T1262A; ESTC R222204	187,258	485

The most R●verend Dr. IOHN TILLOTSON late Arch-Bishop of Canterbury R. White sculp Several Discourses Viz. Proving Jesus to be the Messias The Prejudices against Jesus and his Religion consider'd Jesus the Son of God proved by his Resurrection The Danger of Apostacy from Christianity Christ the Author Obedience the Condition of Salvation The Possibility and Necessity of Gospel Obedience and its consistence with free Grace The Authority of Jesus Christ with the Commission and Promise which he gave to his Apostles The Difficulties of a Christian Life consider'd The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus Children of this World wiser than the Children of Light By the Most Reverend Dr. JOHN TILLOTSON Late Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Being The FIFTH VOLUME Published from the Originals By Ralph Barker D. D. Chaplain to his Grace LONDON Printed for Ri. Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Churchyard 1698. THE CONTENTS Of the Fifth Volume SERM. I. Proving Jesus to be the Messias MATTH XI 2 3 4 5 6. NOW when John had heard in Prison the works of Christ he sent two of his Disciples and said unto him Art thou he that should come or do we look for another Jesus answered and said unto them go and shew John again these things which ye do hear and see The Blind receive their sight and the Lame walk the Lepers are cleansed and the Deaf hear the Dead are raised up and the Poor have the Gospel preached unto them And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me Page I. SERM. II III. The Prejudices against Christianity consider'd MATTH XI 6. And blessed is he whosover shall not be offended in me p. 47 91. SERM. IV. Jesus the Son of God prov'd by his Resurrection ROM I. 4. And declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection from the dead p. 127. SERM. V. The danger of Apostacy from Christianity HEB. VI. 4 5 6. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the holy-Ghost and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come If they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance seing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God af●●sh and put him to an open shame p. 155. SERM. VI. Christ the Author and Obedience the Condition of Salvation HEB. V. 9. And being made perfect he became the Auth●● of eternal salvation unto all them tha● obey him p. 197. SERM. VII The Possibility and Necessity of Gospel Obedience and its consistence with free Grace HEB. V. 9. And being made perfect he became the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him p. 231. SERM. VIII The Authority of Jesus Christ with the Commission and Promise which he gave to his Apostles MAT. XXVIII 18 19 20. And Jesus came and spake unto them saying All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you And lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the World p. 265. SERM. IX The Difficulties of a Christian Life consider'd LUKE XIII 24. Strive to enter in at the strait Gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able p. 301. SERM. X XI The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus LUKE XVI 19 20. There was a certain Rich Man which was cloathed in Purple and fine Linen and fared sumptuously every day And there was a certain Beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his Gate full of Sores p. 343 379. SERM. XII The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus LUKE XVI 31. If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded tho' one rose from the dead p. 417. SERM. XIII The Children of this World wiser than the Children of Light LUKE XVI 8. For the Children of this World are in their Generation wiser than the Children of Light p. 447. SERMON I. Vol. V. Proving Jesus to be the Messias MATTH XI 2 3 4 5 6. Now when John had heard in Prison the works of Christ he sent two of his Disciples and said unto him Art thou he that should come or do we look for another Jesus answered and said unto them go and shew John again these things which ye do hear and see The Blind receive their sight and the Lame walk the Lepers are cleansed and the Deaf hear the Dead are raised up and the Poor have the Gospel preached unto them And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me ABOUT the time of our Saviour's appearing in the World there was a general expectation of a Great Prince that should come out of Judea and govern all Nations This the Gentiles had from the Prophecies of the Sybils which spake of a great King that was to appear in the World about that time So Virgil tells us that the time of Augustus was the utmost date of that Prophecy Vltima Cumaei venit jam carminis aetas And Suetonius tells us that all over the Eastern Countries there was an ancient and constant Tradition that such a Prince should spring out of Judea And for this Reason it is that our Saviour is call'd by the Prophet the Expectation of the Nations But more especially among the Jews there was at that time a more lively and particular expectation grounded upon the Predictions of their Prophets of a Prince whom they call'd the Messias or the Anointed and those who were more devout among them did at that time wait for his appearance as it is said of Simeon that he waited for the consolation of Israel Hence it was that when John the Baptist appeared in the quality of an extraordinary Prophet they sent from Jerusalem to enquire whether he were the Messias John 1. 19. The Jews sent Priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him who art thou And he confessed and denied not but confessed I am not the Christ The Sanhedrim to whom it belonged to judge who were true Prophets sent to know whether he was the Messias or not He would not take this honour to himself but told them the Messias was just at hand and the next day when Jesus came to be baptized of him he bare record that he was the Son of God and that he saw the Spirit descending and abiding upon him So that it is plain that he knew him and bare witness of him which makes it the more strange that here in the Text he should send two of his Disciples to enquire whether he were the Messias or not Art thou he that should come or do we look for another That is art thou the Messias or not for so he is call'd in the ancient Prophecies of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉

we are unprofitable Servants and have done nothing but what was our duty yet God is pleased to accept what we can do because it is sincere and to forgive the defects and imperfections of our Obedience for his sake who fulfilled all righteousness And besides all this we have the encouragement of a great and everlasting Reward infinitely beyond all proportion of any service and Obedience that we can perform And if God be ready to assist and strengthen us in the doing of our duty and be willing so graciously to accept and to reward at such a rate the Sincerity of our endeavours to please him notwithstanding all the failings and imperfections of our best service and Obedience what can we possibly desire more for our encouragement to patient continuance in well-doing and to be stedfast and unmoveable and abundant in the work of the Lord. Fourthly and lastly The consideration of what hath been said upon this Argument may serve severely to rebuke the groundless Presumption of those who rely with so much confidence upon Christ for eternal Salvation without any conscience or care to keep his Commandments as if Salvation lay upon his Hands and he knew not how to dispose of it and were glad of any one that would come and take it off upon any terms No he came to save us from our Sins to redeem us from all iniquity and to purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good Works So that the Salvation which he hath purchased for us doth necessarily imply our forsaking of our Sins and returning to God and our Duty and his Death and Sufferings are not more an argument of his great Love to Mankind than they are a demonstration of his perfect hatred of Sin So that if we continue in the Love and Practice of Sin we defeat the whole design of his coming into the World and of all that he hath done and suffered for us and the Redemption which Christ hath wrought for us will not avail us in the least Salvation is far from the wicked says David Psal 119. 155. If we have been workers of Iniquity the Saviour of the World when he comes to judge it will bid us to depart from him From all that hath been said it is evident that it is the greatest Presumption in the World for any Man to hope to obtain eternal Salvation by any device whatsoever or in the Communion of any Church whatsoever without Obedience and a holy Life For tho' our Obedience cannot merit yet it is necessary to qualifie and dispose us for it tho' it does not make us strictly worthy yet it makes us meet to be made partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light SERMON VIII The Authority of Jesus Christ with the Commission and Promise which he gave to his Apostles MAT. XXVIII 18 19 20. And Jesus came and spake unto them saying All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you And lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the World THESE Words are the last that our Blessed Saviour spake to his Apostles immediately before his Ascension into Heaven and there are these Three things contained in them I. A Declaration of his own Authority All power is given unto me both in heaven and in earth II. A Commission to his Disciples grounded upon that Authority Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you III. A Promise to encourage them in this work And lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world I. Here 's our Saviour's Declaration of his own Authority All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth Here 's an unlimited Power and Authority given him over all Creatures in Heaven and Earth This the Scripture tells us was conferred upon him as a Reward of his Sufferings Phil. 2. 8 9 10. He humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every name that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth that is that all Creatures Angels and Men and Devils should do Homage and acknowledge Subjection to him II. Here is the Commission he gave to his Apostles by virtue of this Authority Go ye therefore and teach all Nations The Commission which he here gives is founded in the Authority he had before received Having all Power committed to him he constitutes and appoints the Apostles and their Successors to manage the Affairs of this his spiritual Kingdom upon Earth And this seems to be the same Commission which St. John mentions in other words John 20. 21. As my Father hath sent me even so send I you that is as my Father commission'd me before so now having received full Authority from him I commission you Now in this Commission which our Saviour gave to his Disciples I shall take notice First Of the general Import and Design of it Secondly A more particular Declaration how they were to manage this Design First The general Import and Design of this Commission Go ye and teach all Nations The word which we translate teach is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disciple all Nations endeavour to make all the World Christians One would think here was a Power plainly enough given them to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews Which will more fully appear if we compare this passage in St. Matthew with the other Evangelists St. Mark ch 16. 15. hath it Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature From which Text I suppose St. Francis thought himself bound to preach to Beasts and Birds and accordingly did it very often and with wonderful success as they tell us in the Legend of his Life But to extend our Saviour's Commission so far is want of common sense in which St. Francis tho' they tell us he had other Gifts and Graces to an eminent degree was plainly defective But to proceed St. Luke ch 24. 47. tells us our Saviour commanded that Repentance and remission of Sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem So that their Commission did plainly extend to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews only they were to begin with the Jews and to preach the Gospel first to them and when they had gone over Judea and Samaria then to pass to other Nations as St. Luke doth most expresly declare Acts 1. 8. Ye shall receive power after that the holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses

laid the main stress as being a thing that would condemn him by their Law They charged him with this in his life-time as appears by those Words of our Saviour John 10. 36. Say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the World Thou blasphemest because I said I am the Son of God And when he was arraigned before the Chief Priests they accused him of this and he owning this Charge that he call'd himself the Son of God upon this they judge him guilty of Death Matth. 26. 65 66. Then the High-Priest rent his Cloaths and said He hath spoken Blasphemy what further need have we of witness Behold now ye have heard his Blasphemy What think ye They answered He is guilty of Death And when Pilate told them that he found no Fault in him they still instance in this as his Crime John 19. 7. We have a Law and by our Law he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God Now this being the Crime which was charged upon him and for which he was crucified and put to Death God by raising him up from the dead and taking him up into Heaven gave Testimony to him that he was no Impostor and that he did not vainly arrogate to himself to be the Messias and the Son of God God by raising him from the dead by the Power of the Holy Ghost gave a mighty Demonstration to him that he was the Son of God For which Reason he is said by the Apostle 1 Tim. 3. 16. to be justified by the Spirit The Spirit gave Testimony to him at his Baptism and by the mighty Works that appeared in him in his Life time but he was most eminently and remarkably justified by the Holy Ghost by his Resurrection from the Dead God hereby bearing him Witness that he was unjustly condemned and that he assumed nothing to himself but what of right did belong to him when he said he was the Messias and the Son of God For how could a Man that was condemned to die for calling himself the Son of God be more remarkably vindicated and more clearly proved to be so than by being raised from the dead by the Power of God And 2dly God did consequently hereby give Testimony to the Truth and Divinity of our Saviour's Doctrine Being proved by his Resurrection to be the Son of God this proved him to be a Teacher sent by him and that what he declared to the World was the Mind and Will of God For this none was more likely to know and to report truly to Mankind than the Son of God who came from the Bosom of his Father And because the Resurrection of Christ is so great a Testimony to the Truth of his Doctrine hence it is that St. Paul tells us that the belief of this one Article of Christ's Resurrection is sufficient to a Man's Salvation Rom. 10. 9. If thou shalt confess with thy Mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thy Heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved The Reason is plain because the Resurrection of Christ confirmed the Truth and Divinity of his Doctrine so that the belief of our Saviour's Resurrection does by necessary Consequence infer the belief of his whole Doctrine That God raised him from the dead after he was condemned and put to Death for calling himself the Son of God is a demonstration that he really was the Son of God and if he was the Son of God the Doctrine which he taught was true and from God And thus I have shewn you how the Resurrection of Christ from the dead is a powerful Demonstration that he was the Son of God All that remains is briefly to draw some practical Inferences from the Consideration of our Saviour's Resurrection 1st To confirm and establish our Minds in the belief of the Christian Religion of which the Resurrection of Christ from the Dead is so great a Confirmation And therefore I told you that this one Article is mentioned by St. Paul as the Sum and Abridgment of the Christian Faith If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the Dead thou shalt be saved The belief of our Saviour's Resurrection doth by necessary consequence infer the belief of his whole Doctrine for he who believes that God raised him from the Dead after he was put to death for calling himself the Son of God cannot but believe him to be the Son of God and consequently that the Doctrine which he delivered was from God 2dly The Resurrection of Christ from the Dead assures us of a future Judgment and of the Recompences and Rewards of another World That Christ was raised from the Dead is a demonstration of another Life after this and no man that believes the immortality of our Souls and another Life after this ever doubted of a future Judgment so that by the Resurrection of Christ from the Dead God hath given assurance unto all men of a future Judgment and consequently of the Recompences and Rewards of another World The consideration whereof ought to have a mighty influence upon us more especially to these three purposes 1st To raise our minds above the present Enjoyments of this Life Were but men convinced of this great and obvious Truth that there is an infinite difference between Time and Eternity between a few days and everlasting Ages would we but sometimes represent to our selves what thoughts and apprehensions dying Men have of this World how vain and empty a thing it appears to them how like a Pageant and Shadow it looks as it passeth away from them methinks none of these things could be a sufficient temptation to any Man to forget God and his Soul but notwithstanding all the present delights and allurements of Sense we should be strongly intent upon the concernments of another World and almost wholly taken up with the thoughts of the vast Eternity which we are ready to enter into For what is there in this World this vast and howling Wilderness this rude and barbarous Country which we are but to pass through which should detain and entangle our Affections and take off our Thoughts from our Everlasting Habitation from that better and that heavenly Country where we hope to live and to be happy for ever 2dly The Consideration of the Rewards of another World should comfort and support us under the troubles and afflictions of this World The hopes of a blessed Resurrection are a very proper Consideration to bear us up under the evils and pressures of this Life If we hope for so great a Happiness hereafter we may be contented to bear some Afflictions in this World because the Blessedness which we expect will so abundantly recompence and outweigh our present Sufferings So the Apostle assures us Rom. 8. 18. We know that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that

seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom As corporal Acts are attributed to God in Scripture so likewise to separated Souls In Hell he lift up his Eyes being in Torments Intimating to us that this sensual and voluptuous Man had stupidly past away his Life without any serious Thoughts and Consideration but now at last he was awakned when it was too late and began to consider In Hell he lift up his Eyes being in Torments O the Stupidity of Sinners who run on blindly in their Course and never open their Eyes 'till they are fallen into the Pit who cannot be brought to consider 'till Consideration will do them no good 'till it serve to no other purpose but to enrage their Consciences and to multiply the Stings of them Thus it was with this Rich Man he lift up his Eyes being in Torments and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom Our Saviour represents him as seeing that which would then most probably come to his Mind Feeling his own Misery he began to consider the happy Condition of the poor Man whom he had so cruelly neglected And indeed one great part of the Torment of Hell consists in those Reflections which Men shall make upon the Happiness which they have wilfully lost and neglected and the Sins whereby they have plunged themselves into that miserable State Ver. 24. And he cried and said Father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his Finger in Water and cool my Tongue for I am tormented in this Flame See how the Scene is changed now he is fain to beg Relief of the Beggar who had sued to him in vain Send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his Finger in Water and cool my Tongue Here is another very decent Circumstance the Rich Man is represented as not having the Face to beg any great Relief from Lazarus towards whom he had been so hard-hearted To dip the tip of his Finger in Water to cool his Tongue had been a very great Favour from Lazarus to whom the Rich Man had denyed even the Crumbs which fell from his Table For I am tormented in this Flame The Scripture loves to make use of sensible Representations to set forth to us the Happiness and Misery of the next Life partly by way of Condescention to our Understandings and partly to work more powerfully upon our Affections For whilst we are in the Body and immerst in Sense we are most apt to be moved by such Descriptions of things as are sensible and therefore the Torments of wicked Men in Hell are usually in Scripture described to us by one of the quickest and sharpest Pains that Human Nature is ordinarily acquainted withal namely by the pain of Burning Fire being the most active thing in Nature and therefore capable of causing the sharpest Pains But we cannot from these and the like Expressions of Scripture certainly determine that this is the true and proper Pain of Hell All that we can infer from these Descriptions is this that the Sufferings of wicked Men in the other World shall be very terrible and as great and probably greater than can possibly be described to us by any thing that we are now acquainted withal for who knows the Power of God's Anger and the utmost of what Omnipotent Justice can do to Sinners For as the Glory of Heaven and the Joys of God's Presence are now inconceivable so likewise are the Torments of Hell and the Miseries of the Damned Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the Heart of Man those dreadful things which God prepares for them that hate him Who can imagine the utmost significancy of those Phrases which the Scripture uses to set forth this to us of God's being a consuming Fire of being tormented in Flames of God's Wrath and Jealousie smoaking against Sinners and all the Curses that are written in his Book falling upon them Who can conceive the Horror of those Expressions of the Worm that dies not and the Fire that is not quenched of God's pouring out the Vials of his Wrath of being deliver'd over to the Tormentor of being cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone These forms of Speech seem to be borrowed from those things which among Men are most dreadful and affrighting and to be calculated and accommodated to our Capacities and not so much intended to express to us the proper and real Torments of Hell as to convey to us in a more sensible and affecting manner the sense of what the Scripture says in general that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Ver. 25. But Abraham said Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented Abraham said Son remember It is very observable how our Saviour chuses to represent to us the discourse between Abraham and the Rich Man tho' there was the greatest difference between them imaginable the one was in Heaven and the other in Hell yet they treated one another civily Abraham is brought in giving the common terms of Civility to this wretched wicked Man and calling him Son Son remember It was indeed a very severe thing which he said to him he put him in mind of his former Prosperity and of his Fault in his unmerciful Usage of Lazarus Remember Son that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and Lazarus c. But yet whilst he speaks such sharp things to him he ' bates bad Language A Man may say very severe things where a just Occasion requires it but he must use no reviling rem ipsam dic mitte malè loqui say the thing but use no bad Language And this as one says is the true art of Chiding the proper Stile wherein we must use to reprove If we do it with Malice and Anger and Contempt it is misbecoming even tho' we despair of doing good but if we hope for any good Effect we are like to miss of it this way for as the Apostle says excellently the wrath of Man worketh not the righteousness of God Some think that Abraham gives the Rich Man the Title of Son ironically and by way of Jeer but without all reason For surely there is not so much bad Nature in Heaven as to scoff at those who are in Misery Besides that we find our Saviour observing this Decorum of good Language in other of his Parables as particularly in that of the King who invited Guests to the Marriage of his Son Matth. 22. 11. When the King saw there the Man that came without his wedding Garment tho' he past a very severe Sentence upon him yet he gives him the common terms of Civility Friend how camest thou hither This should teach us Christians how we ought to demean our selves towards those who are at the greatest distance from us and how we ought to behave

Men is a Work not to be done without the assistance of God's Grace and there is little reason to expect that God will afford his Grace to those who reject and despise the Counsels of his Word The Doctrine of Salvation contained in the Holy Scriptures and the Promises and Threatnings of God's Word are the ordinary Means which God hath appointed for the Conversion of Men and to bring them to Repentance and if we sincerely use these means we may confidently expect the concurrence of God's grace to make them effectual but if we neglect and resist these means in confidence that God should attempt our Recovery by some extraordinary ways tho' he should gratifie our presumptuous and unreasonable Curiosity so far as to send one from the dead to testifie unto us yet we have no reason to expect the assistance of his Grace to make such a Conviction effectual to our Repentance when we have so long despised his Word and resisted his Spirit which are the power of God unto Salvation Without his Grace and Assistance the most probable means will prove ineffectual to alter and change our corrupt Natures by Grace we are saved and that not of our selves it is the Gift of God This Grace is revealed to us in the Gospel and the Assistances of it are conveyed to us by the Gospel and it is great presumption to promise to our selves the assistance of God's Grace in any other way than he hath been pleased to promise it to us And thus I have shewn you as briefly and plainly as I could how unlikely it is that those who obstinately reject a clear and publick Revelation of God should be effectually convinced and brought to Repentance by any Apparitions from the dead I shall only make two or three Inferences from this Discourse which I have made and so conclude 1st Since the Scriptures are the publick and standing Revelation of God's Will to Men and the ordinary Means of Salvation we may hence conclude That People ought to have them in such a Language as they can understand This our Saviour plainly supposeth in the Discourse which he represents between Abraham and the Rich Man desiring that Lazarus might be sent from the dead to his Brethren to testifie unto them to which Request Abraham would not have given this Answer and Advice they have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them had he supposed that the Scriptures then were or for the future ought to be lockt up from the People in an unknown Tongue for the Rich Man might very well have replied nay Father Abraham but they are not permitted to have Moses and the Prophets in such a Language as they can understand and therefore there is more need why one should be sent from the Dead to testifie unto them Nor would Abraham have said again if they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded For how should Men hear what they cannot understand so as to be perswaded by it It is evident then that our Saviour according to the Reasoning of this Parable takes it for granted that the Holy Scriptures are the standing and ordinary means of bringing Men to Faith and Repentance and that the People are to have the free use of them But since our Saviour's time the Church of Rome hath found a mighty inconvenience in this and therefore hath taken the Scriptures out of the Hands of the People They will not now let them have Moses and the Prophets the Gospel of our blessed Saviour and the Writings of his Apostles because they are really afraid they should hear them and by hearing of them be convinced and perswaded of the Errours and Corruptions of their Church but instead of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament they have put into their Hands a Legend of famous Apparitions of Men from the dead testifying unto them concerning Purgatory and Transubstantiation and the Worship of the Blessed Virgin and the Saints and the great benefit and refreshment which Souls in Purgatory have by the Indulgences of the Pope and the Prayers of the living put up to Saints and Angels on their behalf so that in the Church of Rome quite contrary to our Saviour's method Men are perswaded of their Religion of their New Articles of Faith and Ways of Worship not by Moses and the Prophets not by the Doctirne of the Holy Scriptures for they every where testifie against them but by absurd Romances and ill-contriv'd Fictions of Apparitions from the Dead I will dismiss this matter with this one Observation that however interested and confident Men may set a bold face upon any thing yet it cannot to considerate Men but seem a very hard case that there should be no Salvation to be had out of the Church of Rome and yet the ordinary and in our Saviour's Judgment the most effectual Means of Salvatioin are not to be had in it But I pass from this to that which does more immediately concern our Practice 2dly Let us hear and obey that publick Revelation of God's Will which in so much Mercy to Mankind he hath been pleased to afford to us This is an inestimable Privilege and Advantage which the World in many Ages was destitute of having no other Guide to conduct them to eternal Happiness but the Light of Nature and some particular Revelations which now and then God was pleased to make of his Will to Men But now God hath set up a great and standing Light in the World the Doctrine of the holy Scriptures and by the Gospel of his blessed Son hath given the knowledge of Salvation to all Men for the remission of their Sins through the tender Mercies of God whereby the day spring from on high hath visited us to give light to them that sat in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the way of peace to convince us of the Error of our ways and to direct us in our Duty We upon whom the ends of the world are come do enjoy all the Advantages of divine Revelation which the World ever had and as great as the World ever shall have God in these last days hath spoken unto us by his Son and if we will not hear him God will imploy no other extraordinary Prophet and Messenger to us If the wrath of God so clearly revealed from Heaven by the Gospel of our blesled Saviour against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of Men if the Terror of the great day and the fear of eternal Torment if the dreadful Sufferings of the Son of God for our Sins and the merciful offers of Pardon and Reconciliation in his Blood and the glorious hopes of eternal Life and Happiness will not prevail with us to leave our Sins and to amend our Lives we have no reason to expect that God should use any farther means to reclaim us that he should ever make any more Attempts for our Recovery And therefore 3dly and lastly Those who