Entertain it not in the notion only but let it be so digested that you feel your sin and misery at your heart and dare not to continue a day longer without reconciling and pardoning mercy and renewing and sanctifying grace lest you perish that you despair of any creatures help and feel your selves eternally undone if the God of Heaven help not 3 Concerning Jesus Christ our Redeemer That the Lord Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God coessential and coeternal with his Father upon the appointment and designation of his Father voluntarily undertook the office of a Saviour and Redeemer to Mankinde being made Man took on him our sins and the curse of the Law and giving himself up a Sacrifice and an offering to God for us purchased by his death all things conducing to grace and glory and having by his own power arisen from the dead and ascended into heaven he is become an alsufficient Saviour and will effectually confer pardon grace and Salvation on all those who shal truly believe in him And that there is no other name under Heaven to be saved by but by the name of Jesus Christ This is a great and necessary Doctrine of Salvation so clearly held forth in Scripture that it 's beyond controversie 1 Tim. 3.16 Let this Catholick verity be received not in the Nation only but dwel in your hearts that you may see the infinite worth and excellency of Jesus Christ prize him as the only Savior close with him on all those glorious accounts and end she was sent upon by the Father and yield up your selves to be saved by him in his own way and upon his own Terms 4 Concerning the application of Redemption That our Redeemer the Lord Josus Christ having all power in Heaven Earth given to him hath made a new Law or Covenant of grace caused it to be proclaimed to the world wherein he promises pardon and Salvation to all that shal sincerely accept and own him for their Saviour and Lord Redeemer and tâ—uly repenting of their sins shall rest on his death and merits alone for life love him above all things and sincerely obey his Gospel Laws and Commundments shal persevere in these duties to the end And after he shal have sent his holy Spirit to work Faith and conversion in his Elect He will certainly come again from Heaven in the glory of his Father with his mighty Angels and by his mighty power shal raise the dead and convene all both Quick dead before his Judgment Seat and then such as did truly repent them of their sins and sincerely believed in his Name and obeyed his Gospel he will adjudge to Eternal glory and happinesse with himself and his Father and the holy Angels but unbelievers and impenitent persons to eternal torments in Hell with the Devil and his Angels This is an unquestionable Article of the Christian Faith expresly delivered in the holy Scriptures and imbraced by the Catholick Church Let this truth be received not notionally but heartily Let it influence your hearts and lives so as you sincerely obey the Gospel and live in the dayly expectation of the coming of the Lord and give deligence to be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse I shal add no other Doctrinal verities besides these fundamental Articles They are the very substance of the Christian Creed imbraced by the Church in all ages and places 2. For those Practical Duties in which all true Christians are agreed for as there are in points of Faith fundamental Articles so there are in the point of practice fundamental Duties Now these are either 1 Those Moral duties of the Law or Ten Commandements promulgated on Mount Sinai and written by the finger of God in two Tables of stone which Christians are obliged to observe as well as the Jews though the Ceremonial Law which was altogether typical and shadowed good things to come be abolished Yea wee are bound to keep it in a more strict and spiritual manner then the Jews did interpret it formerly as appears by Christs Sermon Mat 5. This contains all duties of piety toward God immediatly required in the first Table viz. to take and accept the God of Heaven that made us and gave us Life and breath and beeing for our God alone to know and acknowledge him to fear love and trust in him and seek his glory to give him that external worship he requires in his Word publick private and secret as invocation of his Holy Name by prayers and praises hearing and reading meditating and conferring on his Word receiving his Sacraments sanctifying his Sabbaths Doing all this in an Holy reverent manner so as Gods name may be sanctifyed by us in his ordinances as also in our ordinary communications and conversations It likewise contains all Duties of righteousness and charity towards Man required in the second Table viz. The preserving as well as not injuring of the honour and authority of the life and chastity of our neighbour in thought word and deed as also his estate good name c. And loving him even as we love our selves doing good unto all c. These are general Duties all Christians are agreed in Make Conscience to practise these 2 Those Evangelical Duties or Commandements of the Gospel For besides these Moral Duties of the Law which the Gospel doth inforce also by renewed and more indearing arguments there are peculiar duties required by the Gospel as True repentance for every sin and transgression of Gods righteous and holy commands for the Law gives no place to Repentance but threatens death for every offence Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for pardon through his blood and Salvation through his merits Fervent love to God and the Redeemer who loved us and gave himself for us who hath washed us in his blood made us Kings and Priests to God and his Father Sincere indeavours to promote his glory upon the new obligation of Redemption and living to him as his peculiar People being not our own but his bought with a price Love to all the Saints and Members of Christ and communion with them as we have opportunity on account of that near union in Christ which should make us bear with smaller differences that do not violat the bond of union whilst they hold of Christ the head and are of the same body c. These are confessed duties all Christians are agreed in Practise them Conscionably The Apostle gives us the sum of all these together Tit. 2.11 12. The grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world This then is the Counsel I would give to such as are resolved to be Christians but are stumbled at the variety of opinions and perswasions amongst the professors of Christianity that they know not what to believe or what to practis That they would believe
rejected The Christian Religion is evidenced to be the only true Religion Page 23. CHAP. 5. Further directions how to chuse the right and safe way amongst such diversities of Sects and Opinions as be amongst Christians A Discovery of the Fundamental Doctrines of Faith and practical duties of Godliness generally embraced by all Christians in all times and places with advice in reference unto them Page 30 CHAP. 6. Other directions in Points of a Secundary Nature that are not so clearly laid down in Scripture nor unanimously received by all Christians but are Problemaical and yet there is a necessity to be of the one or other Perswasion how to make a right choise in such a Case 4. Rules about this Page 41 CHAP. 7. A closer application of the foregoing discourse to the present State of the Church in England with particular advice in reference to the different Wayes and Professions found amongst us Pag. 50. CHAP. 8. Wherein the great controversie of Communion with or Separation from the Church of England is discussed A view of what is therein Praise-worthy and of what is disallowable in the Judgement of those that scruple Communion with her Directions suited thereunto Page 81 CHAP 9. Wherein are laid down some general Rules of Caution to preserve Christians from rash and unjust Separation The Conclusion of the Discourse Page 89. CHAP. 1. Religion the grand concernment of Man in this World great differences about the necessity of a wise and deliberate Chusing ones Religion The counsel of Joshua to the Israelites applyed to us A proposition laid down which is the Subject matter of the following Discourse THE business of Religion is the grand concernment that all of us are sent into the World to mind and therefore God hath in the very framing of mans nature laid so deep an impression thereof in us that there 's no Nation so barbarous and inhumane but doth place this amongst the greatest matters that they judge themselves to be interressed in insomuch as some observe Religion is more proper to man then reason All men and only men have a smatch of Religion whereas some shew of reason is found in many Beasts Lactant. de ira Dei Solus home sapientia instructus est ut Religionem solus intelligat hac est hominis atque bruterum vel pracipua vel sola distantia But as it is a thing all do profess themselves interessed in so there 's nothing in all the world men are at greater differences about some taking up one Religion and some another as pleases themselves best yea each Nation almost have chosen a peculiar Deity as we find in Scripture one serving Baal another Dagon others Moloch or Ashtaroth c Some worshipping the Sun others the Moon or Starrs and almost every Creature whence they received any benefite and some have not been wanting that have adored the Devil himself How greatly then doth it behove every one to make a wise choise of that God he intends to serve and of that Religion he means to profess in the World and to live and die in That he may first chuse the true Religion and true God and then cleave to him with full purpose of heart as Barnabas exhorts Acts 11.23 And the rather because of the great importance thereof Mans eternall happinesse or misery depends on the right knowing and acknowledging God and serving him or his mistake about it according to the witnesse of Christ himself Iohn 17.3 This is life eternall to know so as to acknowledge unto godliness Thee the only true God Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent We read in the story of the Israelites the vanity of mans nature in matters of Religion though no Nation under the whole Heavens had greater discoveries of the true God then they had both by his Word and Oracles instructing them from Heaven and giving them his Law on Mount Sinai and teaching them by his Prophets the infallible interpreters of that Law as also by his mighty works bringing them out of Egypt by his out-stretched Arm working signes and wonders dividing the Red-Sea giving them water out of the Rock and bread and Flesh from Heaven in a Wildernesse and guiding them by a Cloud of smoake and a Pillar of Fire yet how apt were they to turn away from God and to worship other Gods even of the Egyptians and Canaanites whom God cast out before them A pregnant instance whereof we have in the business of the Golden Calf though but forty dayes before they heard the Law proclaimed in the greatest solemnity that ever was even by the Ministry of Angels with Thunder Lightning and Earthquake which wrought such plyableness in their Spirit that they professed whatever the Lord should speak to them That that they would doe Deut. 5.27 Yet when Moses was but a while withdrawn from them upon the Mount they quickly turned and made them a Calf to worship after the manner of Egypt This being observed by Joshua his Successour he became jealous over them with a godly jealousie and being fearfull that when he was gone from them they should do the like He indeavours to establish them in the true Religion and to bind them to the Lord in the strongest bonds Josh 24. He bids them verse 15. Chuse deliberatly what God they would serve directing them by his own example and then when they had deliberately chosen Jehovah for their God he binds them unto him by a solemn covenant verse 25. And sets up a lasting remembrance of it These things are written for our instruction and do shew what a Spirit there is in us even an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God as well as in them formerly as the Apostle shews Heb. 3.12 Though we have as full discoveries of God as they had and greater means of knowledge by Gospel-light to know God and Jesus Christ Yet our hearts are equally fickle and ready to forsake God and the true Religion and as the Apostle taxeth the Galathians to turn to another Gospel and another Christ then we have received yea to another God the World our Lusts or Satan to serve them more then the true God Therefore this counsel of Joshua may be as seasonable to us now as to them formerly viz. To chuse deliberately and seriously what God we will serve and then to resolve to cleave unto him for ever or wisely to chuse that Religion we will professe in the World and venture our salvation upon and then to labour to be established and fixed therein so as by no storms of temptation we be removed The urging of this Counsel upon unsettled and wavering Souls being the intendment and design of this discourse suited to these fluctuating and shaking times It may be contracted into this insuing proposition which shall be more fully dilated on in the following Chapters viz That it is a great point of wisedom for a Man to make a right Choice of that Religion he means to take
afflictions and persecution and follow him in a way of holinesse purity in the straight way And then he will give him a Crown of life he shal have an hundred fold in this life with persecution that is the comfort of an hundred fold if he misse of such increase in the same kinde and eternall glory in the World to come Now we must sit down consider what we do as Luke 14.28.31 Christ teaches by the parable of him that builds a Tower and of the King that goes to warfare Now thus to chuse our Religion to espouse the Christian Faith for better for worse to take the sweat with the bitter the Cross with the Crown This is another Act wherein this choice stands 3. Act is a setled purpose and full resolution to live and dye therein to adhere and cleave thereto even to the end to be faithful to the Death to cleave to the Lord with full purpose of heart as we read Joshua his resolution I and my house will serve the Lord we are resolved who ever depart from Jehovah we will cleave unto him And as the Disciples John 6. when many forsook Christ and the Christian Religion their Lord saith unto them and will ye also go away Peter answers in the name of the rest whether shal we go for thou hast the words of Eternal life Alack if we draw back from the Lord his soul shall have no pleasure in us we draw back unto perdition but if we continue in the faith we shal then have the Crown of life Life and Death are before us herein as Moses told the Israelites if we serve the Lord and fear him and cleave unto him then life but if we turn from him and his truth and wayes then Death all a mans righteousnesse shal be forgotten he shal dye in his sins Thus in these three Acts stands the right chusing of a mans religion CHAP. III. Considerations evidencing it a principal point of wisdom for a man to make a right choice of that Religion he professes in the World and ventures his Eternal Salvation upon HAving shewed wherein this wise chusing ones Religion stands and what Acts must concur thereto We come next to demonstrate it to be such a principal point of wisedom for a man to make a right choice of his Religion he professes in the world and ventures his Salvation upon This may be evinced from the ensuing Considerations 1. The Necessity for a man to be of some Religion and if so wisedom should direct to make choyce of the best Now it 's necessary to be of some Religion We cannot live without God Acts 17.28 In him we live move and have our being And is it not fit then we should acknowledge God and worship him in the very framing of the nature of man there are such principles of Religion ingraven in him that cannot be razed out that have taught the very Heathens to worship a Deity so that we should be worse then Heathens yea become very beasts and below men if wee should not be of some Religion Besides it is the expresse command of God by his written Laws given to the Sonnes of Men that they adore worship and serve him he expects it as an homage from them and will not loose his glory Such Atheists are accursed by him as cast off all Religion live without God in the World And though some such Atheists have been found who in their prosperity forget God whilst they can better shift without him yet in their miseries and dangers they have been forced to acknowledge God and call upon him as the Mariners in the Ship with Jonah c. Now if it be so Is it not fit to chuse the true God and the true Religion 2. There are many false Religions in the World and we may soon be imposed on and deluded if we make not a wise choice of our Religion There be many Lords and many gods so called saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 8.5 though to us there is but one living and true God ther 's many wayes of Religion Heathenism Mahometanism Judaism and Christianity and amongst Christians how many different wayes this day scarce to be numbred and therefore we had need to make a good choice The greatest part of the World were deceived in former times of old the whole World almost followed false gods except Israel At this day some observe if the World be divided into thirty parts nineteen of them are Heathen Idolaters six be Mahometans some though inconsiderable Jews and only the other five parts of the thirty be Christians and how many different wayes be amongst them Protestants Papists Muscovites Greeks in Europe besides multitudes in other parts of the World And these admitting many subdivisions amongst themselves Therefore we had need to make a wise choice 3. It 's that whereupon our greatest interest depends on the right chusing ones Religion or our mistakes about it eternall happiness or misery life or death depend Deut. 32.46 47. in things of great importance men use much deliberation and make the wisest choice they can how necessary is it here That opinion or dream that every man may be saved by his own Religion if he be true to it is more becoming Turks then Christians They say there are three Banners whereby men are conducted to Heaven Moses's Christs and Mahomets but we Christians know no other way to Salvation but one viz. by faith in Jesus Christ for there 's no other name under Heaven to be saved by but by the name of Jesus Christ Acts 4.12 Indeed many lesser differences may be amongst them that hold that one Faith They may hold the head Christ and yet differ in smal things with safety to their Souls if they build on the foundation and corner-stone Jesus Christ heartily believing the principles of the Christian Faith and living according to them though they add thereto the Hay Stubble and wood of smaller errors they may be saved notwithstanding these 1 Cor. 3.15 Salvation may be had amongst several forts of Christians that all agree in the great Articles of the Christian Faith and live piously and charitably whether Lutherans Calvinists Arminians Anabaptists Episcopal Presbyterian Independent c. These are not different Religions but different forms of the same Religion wherein the children of the same Father are dressed up in different habits But where any differ in fundamentals and even turn to another Religion to another Gospel or Christ as the Apostle speaks to the Galatians as too many Sects amongst us are found to do viz Papists Socinians Quakers c. Those I mean who are throughly such not all that ignorantly adhere to them it would be foolish charity to flatter them with hopes of Salvation in such wayes if living and dying according to those corrupt principles because they are in the number of those Damnable Heresies the Scripture speaks of Now this being clear that Salvation dependeth upon espousing the right Religion What