p. 91. l. 17. r. to p. 111. l. 10. r. eternally p. 119. l. 1. dele the. p. 129. l. 17. r. have p. 133. l. 15. r. affected ib antip r. their p. 141. l. 3. r. then p. 142. l. 7. dele us 144. l. 20. r. if 162. l. 7. r. own p. 171. l. 8. dele and. p. 185. l. 20. dele and. p. 186. l. 23. r. us as 202. l. 10. r. slighted p. 223. l. 3. r. were p. 227. l. 13. r. his 228. l. 28. r. breaking p. 234. l. 12. r. struck so p 239. l. 6. r. behaviour p. 241. l. 16. dele such ib. l. 17. r. which 245. l. 17. r. that p. 252. l. 12 r. Mankind p. 257. l. 29. r. general 266. l. 12. r. Relief p. 284. l. 14. r. of p. 289. l. 23. r. from p. 328. l. 13. r. Indignus ibid. l. 15. r. Charae p. 329. l. 6. r. accordingly p. 332. l. 3. r. sleep p. 333. l. 6. r. unspeakably p. 335. l. 12. r. we p. 342. l. 28. r. Dewes p. 355. l. 29. dele Publick p. 361. l. 25. r. your p. 374. l. 18 19. for they r. he p. 378. l 10. r. she p. 380. l. 10. r. those ibid. l. 29. r. Passions p. 382. dele Crysippi porticus grex ibid. r. prava p. 392. l. 4. for Saviour r. Father 404. l. 3. r. in the Favour 405. l. 27. r. makes p. 415. l. 27. r. could not p. 416. l. 26. r. irreconcileable p. 430. l. 2. r. numbed p. 441. l. 25 r. encourager p. 457. l. 23. r. Favour p. 470. l. 25. r. bitter p. 475 l. 29. r. depreciate PARABLE I. Of the Sower that went forth to sow his Seed Matth. xiii 3 4 5 6 7 8. Behold a Sower went forth to sow And when he sowed some Seeds fell by the Way-side and the Fouls came and devoured them up Some fell upon sttony Places where they had not much Earth and forthwith they sprung up because they had no Deepness of Earth And when the Sun was up they were scorched and because they had not Root they withered away And some fell among Thorns and the Thorns sprung up and choaked them But other fell into good Ground and brought forth Fruit some an Hundred-Fold some Sixty-Fold some Thirty-Fold THIS Parable is very fitly placed first as giving Account of the Causes of Mens Fruitfulness or Unfruitfulness in Christianity and consequently shews what is to be avoided and directs to what is to be done in order to Men's being better'd by the Sermons of the Gospel Which is a thing first of all to be taken notice of by such as would be Christians endeed Our Lord's Interpretation of this Parable Matth. 13.19 Mark 4.14 Luk. 8.11 from a Collation of the Three Evangelists that record it is this The Seed is the Word of God or the Word of the Kingdom that is the Gospel the Religion that Christ Jesus came to teach the World When any one heareth this Word and understandeth it not then cometh the wicked one or Satan immediately and catcheth away that which was sown in his Heart lest he should believe and be sav'd this is he who receiv'd Seed by the Way-side But he that receiv'd the Seed into rocky or Stony Places is he that heareth the Word and presently with Joy receiveth it yet hath not Root in himself and so endures or believes but for a while for when Tribulation or Persecution ariseth because of the Word he is soon offended or discouraged and falls away in Time of Temptation He also that receiv'd Seed among the Thorns is he that heareth the Word and goeth forth and the Cares of this World and the Deceitfulness of Riches and the Lusts and Pleasures of this Life entring in choak the Word and it becometh Unfruitful or at best bringeth no Fruit to Perfection But He that received Seed into the good Ground is he that having heard the Word Understandeth or considereth it and receiveth and keepeth it in an honest and good Heart and bringeth forth Fruit with Patience according to his Ability whether Thirty Sixty or an Hundred-Fold From the Parable thus interpreted by its Divine Author it appears as was said that the Design of it is to shew what are the Causes of Men's improving or not improving under the preaching of the Gospel that so we may know what to avoid and what to embrace and endeavour after in order to our being fruitful under those Means of Instruction we enjoy We shall now consider each Part of this Parable with its Interpretation The First is Behold a Sower went forth to sow And when he sowed some Seeds fell by the Wayes-side and were trodden down and the Fowls of the Air came and devour'd them up The Interpretation is that the Seed which is sown is the Word of God and when any one heareth this Word and understandeth it not then cometh the Devil or the wicked one immediately and catcheth away that which was sown in his Heart lest he should believe and be saved This is he that receiv'd Seed by the Way-side or this is that Seed which fell by the Way-side The Word of God is compared to Seed because of its fructifying growing and encreasing Nature because it hath in it an Active Principle and will when sown unless kill'd and made unfruitful by Accidental Injuries spring up into excellent Fruits and in great Abundance to the Glory of God and the nourishing strengthening nav the immortalizing of Men for of this Divine Seed consists that Heavenly Bread which whoso eateth of shall live for ever 'T is this Seed that bringeth forth those Graces of Christianity which keep up the Divine Life in the Soul 't is this that makes it grow in Grace and in the Knowledg and Love of the best and noblest of Objects our Lord Jesus 't is this that is its Preparation for Heaven and an Earnest of that Immortal and Glorious Inheritance For wheresoever that Seed is sown Rom. 6.22 and springs up and brings forth Fruit unto Holiness the End most certainly will be Everlasting Life And this Word of God is not only for these Reasons compared to Seed but to Seed sown 'T is not only potentially fruitful but the Powers of it are now call'd forth into Act 't is actually sown the Gospel is preach'd and made known to the World its excellent Precepts are openly declar'd and planted in Men's Hearts by the Proposal of infinite Rewards and Punishments to such as do or do not obey and practise them And this Seed thus sown is water'd with the Dews of Heaven with the Distillations of the Divine Grace and Blessing which are in sufficient Plenty afforded to every Man so that God the great Husbandman is not wanting in any thing that is necessary to the Flourishing and Encrease of that Seed which he hath thus committed to their Hearts And therefore he expects and 't is but reasonable he should to see it grow and bring forth Fruit where'ere 't
more and more to soften their Hearts and make them pliable to the Impressions of the Word of Life that it may sink deep into their Souls and be fix'd there beyond the Danger of yeilding to every Temptation and withering when Adversity shall come They must not boggle at any thing that appears to be their Duty but be diligent and industrious in ridding their Minds of their former Evil Habits and Inclinations and inure themselves to the Obedience of Christ not pretending Hardship or Impossibility when He commands not endeavouring to lessen the Obligation of any of his Precepts or shifting it from themselves nor expecting Heaven upon easier Terms But knowing their Lord's Will endeavour to do it in Sincerity upon such Obedience only through the Merits of Christ hoping for the Promises And this Course like good Tillage and Manuring of our Ground will soon mollify the Heart and make it not only superficially but intirely Plyable to the Word of God receptive of its Impressions to the very Bottom so that it shall dwell in us richly and bring forth Fruit not only in Times of Security and Peace but even then when Tribulation shall arise because of the Word and take still deeper Root and bring forth greater Abundance notwithstanding all the Storms and Scorchings of Persecution or even a fiery Tryal Thirdly in order to the Fruitfulness of the Word we must be very careful that it be not like Seed that falleth among Thorns lest the Thorns spring up and choak it so that it yield no Fruit. That is that after the hearing of the Word we go not forth and suffer the Cares of this World and the Deceitfulness of Riches and the Lusts and Pleasures of this Life to enter in and choak the Word and it become utterly unfruitful or at least bring no Fruit to Perfection 'T is by a lamentable Experience too true that the Love of this World very much hinders our Provision for the next and 't is as true that this is the greatest Folly and Madness in Nature because the World to come is upon all Accounts so infinitely to be preferr'd before the present that there cannot be the least Competition between them For how can a World of Cares and Vexations of Misery and Affliction of all Sorts of Hazards and Uncertainties of Sickness Pain and Death as this is compare with a World of eternal unmix'd and uninterrupted Happiness as is the other And therefore one would think Men should be so wise and so much their own Friends as to bestow their greatest Endeavours in Pursuit of their main Interest and not on the contrary such egregious Fools as for the Gain of an empty Bubble to forfeit an happy Eternity So far as is consistent with the Care of the Soul 't is very allowable to mind the Affairs of this Life Nay 't is a Duty of our Holy Religion for every man to be industrious in his Calling and to enjoy with Thanksgiving the Portion that God hath given him here below But to invert God's Order and place that First in our Esteem which should be Last when he says seek ye First the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and then all needful things of this World shall be added unto you to run quite counter and First provide for Abundance here and then and that but very coldly God knows think a little of the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness this is such a preposterous Course as can never end in any thing but Shame and Confusion If it be true that the Gain of even the whole World would be a very unprofitable Exchange when compared with the Loss of the Soul and if it be true that the Loss of the Soul will follow upon the Unfruitfulness of the Word of God for Faith alone will not save but must bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit And finally if it be true that a too great Love and eager Prosecution of the things of this World will choak the Word of God and make it unfruitful as our Lord in this Part of the Parable affirms it will If all this be true I see not how it can be avoided but that such as have a Desire that the Word of God should be fruitful in their Souls in order to the eternal Salvation of them must love the World less and their Souls more must be careful in the First place to grow in Grace and be rich towards God and clear their Minds of these worldly Thorns and Briars lest the Divine Life be stifled and that Seed choak'd which alone can fructify to a happy Immortality We must use this World yet so as not to abuse it but certainly he abuses it and all the Blessings that God affords him in it who so immoderately Doats upon it as to prefer it before the Service of his great Benefactor and spends most of his Thoughts and Endeavours about the encreasing Wealth and the Enjoyment of these sublunary Pleasures and can spare but very little if any of his Time and Pains to prepare himself for the Enjoyment of God in Glory And yet as plain as this is Men are generally so little affected with it as not only to neglect Religion as much as ever and love the World still more and more but even to plead the Cares of the World as an Excuse for their Coolness in Religion and the Unfruitfulness of the Word of God in their Souls We would be oftner at the Sacrament and more constant in at the Prayers of the Church and in reading and meditating upon the Holy Scriptures but that the Cares of the World and the Hurry of Business takes up most of our Time and Thoughts But for God's Sake let such consider is that an Excuse which is it self as great a Fault as any Will God accept such an Excuse at the Day of Judgment Has he not plainly forewarn'd us of the Danger of too much worldly Mindedness Has not St. John said plainly 1 Joh. 2.15 love not the World nor the things of the World for whoso loveth the World the Love of the Father is not in him And our Lord as plainly ye cannot serve God and Mammon How strange a Plea then is it for the Neglect of Religion to say we are deeply engag'd in the Persuit of this World 's Good If we believe we have Souls to be saved methinks we should take care of them in the First place and as for this World a moderate Industry such as does by no means intrench upon Religion is all that can be justifyed And what our Lord said to the Scribes and Pharisees about their taking care of lesser Matters and neglecting the weighty things of the Law should be our Rule in providing for our Families and providing for our Souls These things ought ye to have done and not to have left the other undone He that provides not for his own House according to the Measures of Necessity and Moderation is worse than an Infidel
't is true but he that provides not for his own Soul is still more unnaturaly cruel These are the things that our Blessed Lord says make this Heavenly Seed the Word of God unfruitful and therefore those should with the greatest Care and Application possible be provided against nothing being of so great Importance to us as the Flourishing and Encrease of the Word of God I come now to consider the last Part of this Parable viz. what it is that will make this holy Seed to thrive and bring forth plentifully the Fruits of Righteousness and which Course consequently it highly concerns us all to take that we may not be barren under the Means of Instruction that we enjoy Our Lord expresseth it thus But other Seed fell into good Ground and brought forth Fruit some an Hundred-Fold some Sixty and some Thirty That is he that receiv'd Seed into the good Ground is he that having heard the Word understandeth it and receives and keeps it in an honest and good Heart and brings forth Fruit with Patience according to his Ability whether Thirty Sixty or an Hundred-Fold In this Part of the Parable there are Five things to be consider'd First That the good Ground in which the Seed of the Word will take deep Rooting and bring forth Plentifully is an honest and good Heart Secondly That that which infixes the Seed of the Word in this good Ground is Consideration translated understanding the Word Thirdly That the Seed so planted in this good Ground must be diligently kept and preserved in it Fourthly That we must expect the Encrease of it with Patience and take care that the Fruits come to Perfection and Lastly That this Increase must be proportionable to the Quantity of the Seed that is sown and to the Strength and Power of the Soil in which it is sown that is to every Man's Ability and the Opportunities he has had of Improvement whether Thirty Sixty or an Hundred-Fold First The good Ground in which the Seed of the Word will take deep Rooting and bring forth plentifully is an honest and good Heart that is a Heart sincerely desirous to be inform'd in its Duty and that cordially proposes to perform it and is truly humble and of a modest teachable Temper St. 1 Cor. 3.5 6. Paul tell us that though he plants and Apollos water yet 't is God alone that giveth the Increase Now can any Man imagin that God will make that effectual to our Good which we despise and value not and force those Favours upon us which we neither now desire nor if we had them should do other than neglect The Graces of Religion are too precious to be bestow'd upon such brutish Natures and none but those that have Hearts earnestly desirous of his Divine Assistance that they may be purifyed and renewed by his blessed Spirit and instructed in his holy Will that they may know how to pay a more acceptable Service to him none but those that have such honest and good Hearts can expect the Word should flourish and grow fruitful and they only that thus hunger and thirst after Righteousness shall be filled And this those would do well to consider who frequent our religious Assemblies in complyance to Custom only and because their Neighbours do or to learn new Modes and Dresses or to shew their own or to while away the Time that lies useless upon their Hands or to meet a Friend or please their Ears with some new Notion or to gratify their Curiosity or the like Let not such Persons be deceiv'd God is not mock'd let not such think they shall receive any thing of God but the Fierceness of his Displeasure for their prophaning to such vile Purposes what he intends as a Means to their Salvation Those only shall receive Advantage by God's Word that sincerely and earnestly desire its Nourishment that they may grow thereby This honest and good Heart is likewise Modest and Teachable and indeed this Disposition is very necessary in order to the Fruitfulness of the Word For Pride and Conceitedness are naturally the greatest Hinderers of Improvement in all Sorts of Acquirements whatever but in Religion they do the most Mischief of all and are the great Destroyers of whatever is religious and good For besides that a high Opinion of ones own present Endowments cuts off all Endeavours of growing better and renders all spiritual Advice barren to him that thinks he hath no need of it Besides that Reproof frets and inrages one that thinks Commendations rather belong to him and Instruction in Cases of Difficulty is thrown away upon a Man that thinks himself Wiser than his Teachers Besides these and several other Natural Ill Consequences of an over-weening Opinion of ones self which might be mentioned there is this yet above all that it utterly bars and shuts out God's holy Spirit it deprives the Soul of his gracious Influences and diverts the Streams of his Grace and Benediction from watering our Hearts Prov. 16.5 For Pride is an Abomination unto the Lord a thing that he hates and detests above all things And St. James tells us that instead of assisting God resists the Proud Jam. 4.7 is his profess'd Enemy And no wonder if that Soul be barren which is thus cursed of God and denyed those refreshing Dews of his Favour which alone can make it fruitful Let us therefore lay our Foundation low in Modesty Sincerity and Humility and God will build us up to Life everlasting We shall then be like Trees planted and deep rooted by the Rivers of Water that bring forth their Fruit in their Season our Leaf shall not wither and whatsoever we do it shall prosper Psal 1.3 Secondly that which infixes the Seed of the Word in the good Ground of an honest and good Heart is Consideration and Meditation render'd in our Translation understanding the Word The Word in the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Original signifies weighing pondering and considering And St. James says agreeably whoso looketh into the perfect Law of Liberty and continueth therein that is as the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Words in the Greek signify has look'd close and dwelt upon it by serious Meditation he being not a forgetful Hearer but a Doer of the Work this Man shall be blessed in his doing Jam. 1.25 He therefore that desires the Word should encrease and multiply must not only receive it in an honest and good Heart but infix it there by serious Consideration and be not like those compar'd to thorny Ground in the Parable who having heard the Word go sorth and think no more of it but suffer the Cares and Pleasures and Riches of the World to enter immediately into their Minds and choak the Word so that it becomes unfruitful But by after Meditation and Recollection of Thought make it sink still deeper into their Souls and strike a Root to the very Bottom of their Hearts And indeed without such Consideration there can
deceiving his own Soul From him shall be taken away even that which he hath he shall be deprived of it to inrich his industrious Brother and add to his Abundance What Grace he had before shall be withdrawn and he naked and defenseless left to the Fury of his Spiritual Enemies the Dews of Heaven shall no longer drop upon his barren Soul but parch'd and sapless it shall be reserv'd to eternal Burnings Consider this all ye that forget God and are unfruitful under all his Care and fatherly Nurture and Admonition lest at length he pluck you away and there be none to deliver you And remember the Words of Solomon Prov. 29.1 He that being often reprov'd still hardeneth his Neck shall suddainly be destroyed and that without Remedy And thus have I done with the first of our Saviours Parables in which is set before us a Blessing and a Curse a Blessing if when the good Seed is sown and we have heard the Word we receive it into honest and good Hearts and according to our several Abilities bring forth Fruit to Perfection that is obey and Practise it with Constancy and Perseverance And a Curse if we remain still barren and unfruitful not Doers of the Word but Hearers only deceiving our selves into eternal Perdition It becomes us all therefore to take heed how we hear and not be like the High-way-side suffering our Thoughts to wander from the Instructions we have heard and leaving the good Seed unregarded to the Mercy of the great Enemy of Souls and exposing our Minds as a common Tract to vain and wicked Fancies and Imaginations and diabolical Suggestions nor like the stony Ground impenetrable to any deep and lasting Impressions of the Word of Life nor like that over-run with Thorns and Briars and noxious Weeds such as are the Cares and deceitful Riches and Pleasures of this Life which will choak the Word and render it unfruitful But that we treasure up this Divine Word in our Memories ponder and consider it and set our Love and Affections upon it So shall it grow and prosper and bring forth Fruit in some Thirty in some Sixty in some an Hundred-Fold to the Honour and Glory of God and the eternal Salvation of our immortal Souls Which God of his infinite Mercy grant for Jesus Christ his Sake Now 2 Cor. 9.10 He that ministreth Seed to the Sower both give us this Heavenly Bread for our Food and multiply the Seed that is sown and encrease the Fruits of our Righteousness that being inrich'd in every good thing to all Bountifulness there may be given through us Thanksgiving unto God Amen Amen The PRAYER I. MOST Holy Jesus thou blessed Author of the best Religion who hast in great Plenty sown among us the Seed of a happy Immortality even thy holy Word and watered it with the Dew of thy heavenly Grace and art wanting in nothing on thy Part to cause it to flourish and bring forth abundantly the Fruits of Righteousness I thy unworthy Servant unfeignedly bless this thy infinite Goodness and tender Care for the Children of Men but must with Shame confess that hitherto thy Care has been in too great Measure defeated by my Inconsiderateness and Obstinacy my Soul still remains barren as the High-way-side impenetrable to the Sermons of the Gospel or at best flitting and unconstant in religious Purposes which have been short-liv'd as the Grass that grows upon the Top of the Rocks or else choak'd with the Briars of worldly Cares and Distractions with covetous and sensual Desires Thus have I courted Death in the Error of my Life But now being awaken'd by thy Mercy and become sensible of the Danger I am in and the sad Consequence if my Barrenness continues I humbly beg and earnestly at the Throne of Grace that Thou from whom is all our Sufficiency wouldst aid me with thy blessed Spirit and help my Infirmities and strengthen me mightily in the inner Man that thy Word may ever hereafter take so deep a Rooting in my Soul as to produce the genuine Fruits of Christianity II. I am sadly sensible O Lord that the Heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it Do thou therefore who art the Searcher of our Spirits purge my Soul of all lurking Hypocrisy and Pride and Self-conceit and every thing that will hinder the Growth and Increase of this heavenly Seed and make me apt to receive and cherish it by creating in me an honest and good Heart and renewing a sincere and right Spirit within me Grant that I may so seriously attend to and consider the great Truths thy Goodness hath revealed to us in the Gospel as intirely to assent to them and heartily endeavour to conform my Practice to my Belief and may I always heedfully preserve those divine Instructions and moving Arguments to a persevering Piety which I have learned from thy Word lest the infernal Bird of Prey deprive me of the good Seed and in its room plant devillish Affections And O that Patience and Hope and an humble Dependance upon thee for Direction and Defence may be my Support in this my Pilgrimage That so chearfully running the Race that is set before me and thankfully acknowledging the early Influences of thy blessed Spirit in my tender Years and waiting for the later Distillations of thy Grace which will bring my Fruit to Perfection and always endeavouring o proportion my Increase to the Means and Opportunities of it thy Goodness hath vouchsafed me I may at last escape the Intolerable Punishment of Unfruitfulness and having my Fruit unto Holiness the End may be everlasting Life through thy Merits and Mercies O blessed Saviour Jesus Amen PARABLE II. Of the Tares Matth. xiii 24 25 26 27 28 29 30. Another Parable put Jesus forth unto them saying The Kingdom of Heaven is likned unto a Man that sowed good Seed in his Field But while Men slept his Enemy came and sowed Tares among the Wheat and went his way But when the Blade was sprung up and brought forth Fruit then appeared the Tares also So the Servants of the Housholder came and said unto him Sir didst not thou sow good Seed in thy Field From whence then hath it Tares He said unto them an Enemy hath done this The Servants said unto him wilt thou then that we go and gather them up But he said nay lest while ye gather up the Tares ye root up also the Wheat with them Let both grow together until the Harvest and in the time of Harvest I will say to the Reapers gather ye together first the Tares and bind them in Bundles to burn them But gather the Wheat into my Barn THE Interpretation of this Parable is thus set down Vers 37. of this Chapter He that soweth the good Seed is the Son of Man the Field is the World the good Seeds are the Children of the Kingdom but the Tares are the Children of the wicked one the Enemy that sowed them
will unhallow and make ineffecutal one Duty of Christianity I can't see why it should not do the like to all the rest And if a Separation were admitted upon such Accounts as as these there would be no such thing as an external Communion of Saints because such is the State of the Gospel in this World that the bad will be intermix'd with the Good as Tares are in a Field of Wheat And as to the Practice of particular Ministers I charitably hope none do admit of notorious Offenders to the Communion without receiving satisfactory Marks of their Repentance or at least by previous Discourse or writing When they know of their Intention to communicate let 'em know the great Danger of receiving unworthily and urge them to an immediate sincere Repentance or else forbid 'em at their Peril to approach the holy Table And if after all this they will come we are to suppose in Charity that they have repented except we are sure to the contrary And if a Minister sees one at the Table whose Life has in many Instances to his Knowledg been very faulty unless the Crimes have been very great and very notorious to reject such an one I think with Submission would be arrogant and uncharitable and might exasperate the Man to so high a Degree as to make him throw off all Regard to Religion for the future and in such a Case the Exhortation appointed to be read at the Time of celebrating those Holy Mysteries should one would think be Warning sufficient for such an one if unrepentant to withdraw and if he stays Charity would incline one to believe that he was penitent And if a Person kneeling by who perhaps knows much more of the Man's Course of Life than the Minister shall be offended at his communicating one that receives so unworthily and speak hard things of him and abstain from that blessed Ordinance upon this Account for the future as prophan'd by such mix'd Company at it this is highly unreasonable uncharitable and unnatural 'T is unreasonable with Relation to their hard Thoughts and Censures of the Minister because Charity obliges him to think well of such as present themselves at the holy Table unless there be great and undeniable Evidence of their obstinate and continu'd Wickedness and in such a Case I dare say no pious Minister would prostitute those holy Symbols to such Swine And where there is not such Evidence Ministers can search Mens Hearts no more than other Men and therefore must hope the best and judge according to the outward Appearance and should they communicate some that receive unworthily by this Means as 't is to be fear'd they too often do why should they be blam'd for that which 't is impossible for 'em to help and aspers'd and all further Communion with them deserted for suffering that ignorantly which God though the Searcher of all Hearts permits in his Church without any open Discrimination namely the bad to join in all holy Offices with the good And this Practice is as uncharitable as 't is unreasonable because 't is judging and condemning those as Reprobates obstinate unrepenting Sinners whose Hearts we cannot see and who though formerly egregiously wicked yet now through the mighty Efficacy of God's converting Grace may for ought we know to the contrary be better than our selves And 't is an unnatural Practice too because 't is the depriving our selves of the Comforts that attend the Reception of that holy Sacrament and those of Vnion and brotherly Love meerly upon a groundless Nicety Let us all rather learn not to judge others before the Time but leave every Man to stand or fall by the unerring Judgment of our great Master at the last Day lest by judging others we condemn our selves who do the same things and it may be worse And instead of abstaining from the Sacrament because some come and are admitted to it whom we think and it may be not without Reason are not so well prepar'd as they should be endeavour to make our selves still more and more fit for so holy an Ordinance by a dayly Amendment of Life and then our Fleece like that of Gideon shall be moistned tho' other Men's be dry The Apostles were never the less dear to our Saviour for Judas his being amongst 'em but the more so rather and though through the Wickedness that was in his Heart Satan enter'd into him after he had receiv'd the Sop our Lord gave him at the Celebration of the Passover and in all Probability did partake of what he consecrated in Memory of his succeeding Death and Sufferings yet the rest receiv'd miraculous Assistances of the holy Ghost and were faithful to the Death and for certain have receiv'd the Crown of Life And I hope this will satissy for the future such as upon this Account have abstain'd from the blessed Sacrament and censur'd the Ministers of our Church and though without all Reason our Church it self And as what has been said upon this Matter has been no impertinent Digression so I hope it may be a beneficial one Let us now proceed to the second thing this Parable informs us of namely The Time when God's and our great Enemy the Devil sowes his Tares among the Wheat and that is while Men sleep For so the Parable while Men slept the Enemy came and sow'd Tares among the Wheat and went his Way Then is the Time of his injecting his wicked Insinuations into Men's Hearts whereby to make 'em become like empty Tares Christians in Name and Appearance only but devoid of the substantial Graces and Vertues of that holy Profession By Men's sleeping is here meant a careless Inadvertency and Neglect of the things of Religion a stupid Security in a thoughtless Way of Life And this is a Metaphor which the sacred Writers have often made use of to this Purpose and 't is so expressive of what they would represent by it that 't will be worth our while briefly to consider wherein the Likeness of such thoughtless Inadvertency in religious Matters to sleep does consist It is like it in the first Place in its Cause For as Toil and Labour and any thing that brings Weariness and consumes the Spirits disposes the Body to Sleep and makes it desire Rest and Ease that it may have a Recruit so this moral Drowsiness or Hebetude of the Soul generally begins to creep upon Men when they find difficulty in Religion a little striving soon puts 'em out of Heart their Hands fall their Knees grow feeble their Soul faints within 'em all Hope of Victory is then laid aside and they sit them down as Men quite spent and then steals that deep Sleep upon them which too often ends in Death Thus we often see Men set very briskly upon the Practice of Religion at First and seem wondrously pleas'd with their new Choice and admire at their Stupidity that they did not sooner discover the transcendent Beauties of Holiness and are resolv'd
either wholly deprives the Soul of or turns it into Poison and instead of disarming a Misfortune by humble Submission to the infinitely wise and just and good Disposals of the great Governour of all things adds a thousand sharper things to it and makes that become intolerable which Religion would have made to sit light and easy Again Content is destroyed by Irreligion because it perswades Men that their whole Interest lies here below either by making them believe there is no such thing as another World or else by engaging them so fast to this as to hinder their attending to any thing beyond this Life And the Effect of this is great eagerness in acquiring these lower Goods impatient Desires of still more and more of the World as that in which is concentred their whole Happiness And what else can be the Consequence of this amidst the great uncertainties that attend these sublunary things but a World of Trouble and Discontent answerable to those numerous cross Accidents and Disappointments which every Condition is full of from the highest to the lowest Every unlucky Hit to such Men is like a Dagger stabbing to the very Heart for that which a Man looks upon as his chief Good he can by no means endure to have lessened and impaired And the World being so full of such vexatious Mishaps how full of Wounds must be the Spirit of an ungodly Worldling And as Content so Satisfaction of Mind which is much more than a submissive Acquiescence in our present Condition and supposes a Happiness that is compleat and full This is a Blessing which nothing but sincere Religion can ever make the Soul experience And he only that has learned to make God the chief Object of his Affections and Desires can indeed know what Satisfaction is For every thing besides God is unsatisfying because flitting and momentary and very imperfect and empty of that infinite Good which is the only adequate Object of that infinite Desire of Happiness which is in the Soul of Man This is the Reason that Men are so constantly disappointed in their Expectation of Happiness from the Enjoyment of this World 's Good let them continually have what they desire which yet is too much to be rationally supposed of any Man and enjoy it fully and without Controul yet still there will be something wanting to compleat their Happiness something that they desire still further and so the Soul is continually baulk'd of her Expectation and still at a Loss for Happiness and continual Longings and Desires and as continual Disappointments are her Portion in this World And what 's more uneasie and vexatious than such a Condition as this What more deplorable than even by Fruition it self to be made unhappy What other Refuge has the miserable Soul in this Case than to take off her Affections from these empty Nothings here below and as Religion directs fix them upon him who is the supreme Good and will abide the Test of an eternal Fruition In the Enjoyment of him must needs be infinite Satisfaction because there is no real Good that we can possibly desire but is in the divine Nature in the highest Degree of Excellency and Perfection and that not only for a Time but to all Eternity All the Capacities of the Soul must needs be fill'd with an infinite Good and intirely rest in it as in the very Center of Happiness Thirdly Religion is of very great Value with Respect to this World because 't is so greatly conducive to a long and healthy Life in it Long Life and Health is that which all People naturally covet and is indeed a very great Blessing and that not only because the longer Men live and the more vigorous they are the longer and more fully they enjoy or at least hope to enjoy the good things of this World which yet with too many is the main Consideration but likewise and chiefly because they have more Time and greater Opportunities to provide for the Happiness of the eternal Life to come and heap up still greater Treasures of Glory in the Kingdom of Heaven Now this great Blessing nothing is more likely to help a Man to than Religion For First it engages Men to live regularly and temperately moderates the Appetites of eating and drinking and curbs the exorbitant Desires of the flesh and by allowing no more than is necessary to the Comfortable Support of Nature makes no Provision for those many destructive Diseases which are always the Attendants of Excess How many of the meaner Sort by Labour and course Fare protract their Days than of the Rich who live in Ease and Luxury And the Reason is plain because the poor Man's scanty Fortune will not allow him to exceed but keeps him within the Bounds of Moderation and Temperance and forces him to be content with a little whereas the rich have many and great Temptations to Luxury and Excess and seldom are so religious as to resist them and so too frequently feel the sad Effects of Intemperance and live out but half their Days But now Religion is a kind of voluntary Poverty and helps Men to all the Blessings of a mean Condition though rich and out of Danger of the Sting of it and by introducing Temperance and Moderation into the Families of the wealthy brings with it Health and long Life which otherwise would seldom be found but in the Cottages of the Poor Again Religion is greatly conducive to a long and healthy Life because it regulates the Passions keeps the Soul quiet and in a Calm which has no little Influence upon the Health and Welfare of the Body That the Passions of the Mind do very much affect the Body is undeniable and when they are excessive nothing more shakes and discomposes the whole Man Even Joy which one would think should be innocent enough has sometimes been so violent as to overcharge Persons and leave them dead and Grief has been often fatal and Envy is the worst Sort of Consumption and leaves visible Tokens of it upon the Countenance and Love has had many Martyrs and Anger is a great Impoverisher of the Animal Spirits and oftentimes makes a Man his own Executioner and engages in such Scuffles and hot Inconsiderate Actions as not seldom end in Wounds and Death Every Excess of Passion of what kind soever is naturally a great Impairer of Health at least and the often Repetitions of it the ready Way to destroy it Nature not being able to bear such violent Concussions long without being much weaken'd and shatter'd by them Like the Walls of a Castle which how strong soever will receive Damage by every furious Battery and unless reliev'd must at length fall before the Cannons Irresistible Force But now Religion prevents all this Mischief and by regulating and reducing to Moderation these Passions of the Soul makes the Mind calm and quiet and keeps the Spirits in an Aequipoise and the Body consequently is undisturb'd feels no Violence nor
is hurried on to dangerous and destructive Actions but Nature goes on evenly in making Provision for its Health and Support and it enjoys its Strength and Beauty as in the Times of Quietness and Peace In the last Place a comfortable Expectation of a much better and endless Life in the Regions of Glory can spring from nothing but sincere Religion and therefore Religion is of very great Value with Respect to this world For what can be of greater value and more to be desired in this Valley of Tears this World of Sin and Sorrow and Ignorance Vexation and Disappointment than to have a well grounded Hope that 't will not be always so with us That there will be a Time when all Tears shall be wip'd from our Eyes and Sin and Misery be at an End for ever That we shall one Day be disentangled from the Clog of Flesh the Prison Doors set open and our captiv'd Souls set free and with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory return to the great Father of Spirits and with the full Vigour of all their Faculties contemplate and enjoy the only satisfying Good That instead of Floods of Years there shall then be Rivers of Pleasures flowing in upon us to all Eternity Halleluia's instead of Groans and mournfull Accents the triumphant Rejoycings of eternal beatified Spirits instead of the bitter Complaints of miserable Mortals and in a word Love in its Perfection instead of Quarrels and Discontents Envy and Hatred and Malice and Revenge and all the dire Attendants of them That instead of spiritual Blindness and Ignorance of the most concerning Truths for here we know but in Part and see through a Glass darkly we shall e're long be admitted to contemplate Truth it self and know as we are known and shall see God as he is and in him all things For God is Light What can be more valuable than such a chearing Expectation as this How will it sweeten all the Troubles of this Mortal Life and be a sensible Foretaste of the Glory that shall hereafter be revealed But now nothing can create such a Hope as this but sincere Religion for God is infinitely pure and holy and into his Presence no unclean thing can enter And 't is expresly said in the Revelations of his Will That without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord. A wicked Mans Breast that is not seared can be full of nothing but the dire Reflections of an enrag'd Conscience and dreadful forebodings of the Wrath to come The Miseries he feels in this World are but as the Beginnings of his eternal Sorrows and while he continues in his Rebellion against God he can expect nothing but new Expresses of his Indignation here and to be doom'd to the Portion of the Devil and his Angels at the Day of Judgment He only that has liv'd piously in this World can with any Comfort think upon a future State But to him that has led this First Life by the Rule of Religion and serv'd his Maker in Sincerity of Heart no Joy comparable to that which he experiences when he thinks of being dissolv'd and conducted to the Embraces of his Saviour in the Kingdom of Heaven where he shall be for ever with him and unspeakably happy in the Joy of his dear Lord. And thus much for the Value of Religion with Relation to this World It is the Parent of the most perfect Peace and Quietness Content and Satisfaction of Mind of a long and healthy Life here and of a comfortable Expectation of a glorious Immortality in the Regions of Blessedness And were this all that could be said of it I question not but to any considering Man it would appear to be a Jewel of inestimable Price that nothing the whole World can afford is comparable to it and that he is the wisest Man who with the Merchant in the Parable immediately parts with all that stands in Competition with Religion and would hinder him in the Performance of the Duties of it But this is far from all Godliness has not only a Promise of the Life that now is but also and chiefly of that which is to come And if it appears to be so inestimable a Treasure when we look no further than this Life what shall we think of it when we contemplate that exceeding Weight of Glory which shall be its Reward in Heaven The Happiness that will crown Religion in the other World springing from the same Fountain from whence do flow the Felicities of God himself i. e. it consisting in an intimate View and full Enjoyment of the Beauties and Perfections of the Divine Nature for so St. John 1 Joh. 3.2 We shall see God as he is It must needs be inexpressible Nay the very Contemplation of it is too bright for Minds darkned with Flesh the Splendors of it flash too strongly upon our feeble Sense now we are in the Body and too long and closely gaz'd on will rather dazle than enlighten our Understandings No Mortal Man can see God's Face and live and therefore most true is that of the Apostle Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard 1 Cor. 2.9 neither can it enter into the Heart of Man to conceive the things that God hath reserv'd for those that love him Indeed this includes all that can possibly be imagin'd of Excellence and much more than we poor ignorant benighted Creatures can imagin For God is the Fountain of Being and consequently of Perfection All that is charming and truly desirable in Nature to our Senses or to our Understandings in the visible or invisible Creation is but a Stream from this divine Fountain and is in him ininfinitely greater Excellency For he is Beauty and Goodness and Harmony it self And therefore since Religion will bring us to such a Happiness as the Vision and Enjoyment of this chief Good what can compare with it for Value The Depth says 't is not in me and the Sea says 't is not with me Man knoweth not the Price thereof neither is it found in the Land of the Living It cannot be valued with the Gold of Ophir with the precious Onyx or the Saphire no mention shall be made of Coral or Pearls for the Price of Wisdom is above Rubies Job 28.13 c. Such then being the Excellency of Religion that it is above all things conducive to the Happiness of Man in this World and will bring him to the Enjoyment of God himself to eternal Ages when this short Life is ended and the whole that the World can afford amounting to no more by the Confession of one that enjoy'd it all to the Full than Emptiness and Disappointment Vanity and Vexation of Spirit here and if the Word of God be true an eternal Banishment from the supreme Good shall at last be their Punishment who love this worthless World more than Religion and their Maker These things being duly weighed and considered let any Man in his Wits say which is of greatest Value Religion or
the Gospel What else should be the Reason of that strange Unconcernedness in the Worldly-minded though press'd never so home with the Necessity of minding Religion more and the World less of endeavouring before all Things to be rich towards God and to give of their Abundance to the Relief of the Poor and not to trust in uncertain Riches and the like They give us the Hearing perhaps and that 's All and go on still in their own Course as earnestly as ever and if they offer any thing in their Defence 't is so strangely weak that a Man can't but admire at it Sometimes we shall hear them say they don't know what Streights they may be reduc'd to yet before they dye and therefore they think it but Prudence to provide for the worst forgetting all the while that our Lord expresly forbids all such anxious Solicitude for the Morrow and commands an humble Trust in the Providence of God who never forsakes those that are moderately industrious and depend upon him for a Blessing and never reflecting upon the miserable Streight they will be in at the Day of Judgment if destitute of good Works and not able to give a sincere Account of their Stewardship Sometimes these Men will quote Scripture and tell us the Apostle says He that provides not for his own House is worse than an Infidel forgetting in the mean time the Words of the same Apostle in another Place that the Love of Money is the root of all Evil and those of our Saviour immediately before this Parable Take heed beware of Covetousness for a mans Life consisteth not in the Abundance of the Things which he possesseth And in Matt. 6.32 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these Things shall be added unto you for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things 1 Cor. 6.10 Eph. 5.5 and that the Covetous are in the number of those that shall never see the Kingdom of Heaven Of all Vices that we reprove and warn Men against Covetousness and Worldly-mindedness we find to be most stubborn and irreclaimable and 't is very seldom indeed that we can stop a Man that is in a hot pursuit of Wealth so strangely bewitching is this Love of Money and more than ordinary destructive of a true Sense of Religion in the Soul And accordingly says our Lord How hard is it for a rich man one that makes a God of Riches and confides and trusts in them to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven 't is easier for a Camel to pass through the Eye of a Needle 'T is next door to an Impossibility and nothing but the Almighty Power of God changing his Heart can make him capable of that Happiness And St. Paul agreeably Not many rich not many mighty are call'd and the God of this World hath blinded the Eyes of those that believe not And the Pythagoreans by the meer Light of Nature were sensible of this and taught their Scholars a Separation from the Affairs of the World if they would Philosophize well and find out pure Truth and the Secrets of Wisdom Wherefore we see it highly concerns us to take no such Thought for the Morrow but endeavour to lay up a Treasure in Heaven because Where our Treasure is there will our Hearts be also Another very sad Consequence of an Immoderate Love of Riches is that it exposes a Man more than any Thing besides to Apostacy or falling from the Truth St. Paul 1 Tim. 6.9 says They that will be rich fall into Temptation and a Snare and more expresly in the next Verse The Love of Money is the root of all Evil which while some have coveted after they have erred from the Faith and the Event has often prov'd this true and the Hopes of gaining and the Fear of losing Riches has prevail'd with Thousands to turn Apostates to the Truth For the sake of a little Money 't was that Judas betray'd his Master and Saviour and to tempt with Money is a way of proceedure so very successful an Engine so almost irresistable that 't is made use of by all sorts that would gain Proselites to a Party and the great Tempter with much Confidence after his other Stratagems fail'd him made Offer of Riches to our Lord Himself as his best Reserve when he would perswade him to Fall down and Worship him And so unreasonable a Love have Worldly-minded Men for Wealth as to be and do any Thing at the Frowns or Promises of him who has Power to give or take away Riches This has been the Experience of all former Ages and too much of our own too and will still be so till Men grow so wise as to know how to be content with Food and Raiment and believe our Lord's Words that a mans Life consisteth not in the Abundance of the Things which he possesseth and that Godliness with Contentment is the greatest gain And therefore as much as it concerns Men to be constant in the Profession of the Truth of God that is as much as their Salvation is worth so much it concerns them to take heed and beware of Covetousness For 't is very true in more Senses than one that it is Idolatry Colos 3.5 Having thus shewn the great Folly and Vileness of an Immoderate Desire of Riches and of expecting the Happiness even of this Life from Abundance of Wealth and mention'd two very ill Consequences of this Covetousness I proceed now to the Third Thing I intended to do which is to Answer the Rich Fool 's Question that he proposed to himself upon the great Increase he had What shall I do because I have no room where to lay my fruits And shew how many good Ways there are of Disposing of Abundance Of all the Ways of bestowing what was more than his Barns would hold by which I suppose is express'd his having more than was needful to his own comfortable Subsistance Covetousness would let this Rich Man think of none but of Building New Barns wherein to lay up his Abundance and then to take his Ease and eat and drink and be merry He looked no farther than Himself and the more God's Blessings increas'd upon him the more he purpos'd to live in Luxury and Excess and Epicurize away that which God gave him to a quite different and much better Purpose Quod superat non est melius quo insumere possis Cur eget indignis quisquam te divite quare Templa Ruunt Antiqua Deum cur improbe chara Non aliquid Patriae tanto emetiris Acervo Horat. Serm. Lib. II. Sat. 2. For every Man whom God has blessed with Abundance is God's Steward of that Abundance and must bestow it according to the Will of his great Lord for so St. Peter in his first Epistle chap. 4. ver 10. As every man has receiv'd the Gift even so minister one to another as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God Now the
'T is Fruit then God expects from Christians not Leaves not the Form of Godliness but the Power of it not to be call'd Lord Lord but to have his Commands Obeyed But since God is infinitely full already and can receive no Addition to his Inexhaustible Store since our Goodness extendeth not to him neither is it any Profit to him that we make our Way perfect It will not be amiss to enquire upon what Accounts God so strictly and indispensibly requires that we should be Fruitful And 't is upon our own Account that we might be happy in this World and made capable of enjoying the Glories and Felicities of the Kingdom of Heaven First God expects the Fruits of Righteousness from all that name the Name of Jesus and are planted in his Vineyard that they may be happy in this World 'T is the great Design of our good God to make his Creatures happy and because we are plac'd in this World to fit and prepare our selves for Heaven and are to spend a Life here below he has given us a Rule which if we walk by we shall be happy here as well as in the world above and which if we disregard and deviate from a double Misery will be our Portion And in this God deals with us as a wise and good Parent with his Children he keeps them close to what will conduce to their Happiness though he himself receives no other Benefit by it than the Hope of seeing his Off spring happy 'T is for this Reason that our Saviour the great Dresser of God's Vineyard and his Servants the Apostles so often press the Observance of such Rules as have chiefly Relation to the Comfortable Living in this World as with Relation to others Mercifulness Charity Meekness Forbearance and Forgiveness of Injuries Peaceableness Compassion and Pity together with exact Justice and Honesty without which there would be be no Comfort of Society and Men would be like so many Wild Beasts preying upon and devouring one another And with Relation to our selves we are taught Temperance and Sobriety and Chastity and Moderation in all things Contentment of Mind Patience and the like without which neither a Man's Mind or Body would be at Ease nor taste any Comfort and Happiness in Life Indeed God has been pleas'd to annex the Rewards of Heaven to the sincere and constant Practice of these Virtues as a further Encouragement to Men chearfully and diligently to set about them but 't is the Happiness of this World that they have a direct Influence upon and are therefore commanded and therefore encourag'd that much Sin and Misery might be prevented and Men might be happy in this lower World For as for the contrary Vices as Cruelty and Unmercifulness Rage and Intemperate Anger Uncharitableness and Revenge Strife and Envy Injustice and Oppression and the like these would make a Hell upon Earth and quite destroy Society and all the Comforts of it and make the World like a Desert and force Men to the Shelter of Rocks and Mountains and Dens and Caves of the Earth And where-ever they should go if Intemperance and ungovern'd Lust and Inordinate Desire and Use of the Gratifications of Sense Discontent and Anxiety of Mind Impatience and the like should follow them their Misery would be endless and Happiness an utter Stranger to them And therefore as much as the Happiness of Life is to be valu'd so much are we bound to praise and adore the Infinite and Disinteressed Goodness of God who hath given us such Rules of Living as if observ'd will procure that Happiness and who besides that we may not fail to observe them has over and above propos'd to us ineffably Glorious Rewards in Heaven if we do and threatned as great a Misery in Hell if we do not That is he has done all that is possible to be done to make a free Agent happy in the World that now is as well as that which is to come and therefore 't is highly reasonable that we give all possible Praise and Thanksgiving to that his Infinite Goodness and use all possible Diligence to co-operate with his Gracious Intentions for our Good for 't is our Happiness that will be promoted by it not his And this is the first Reason why God so indispensibly requires of us the Fruits of Righteousness because 't is impossible we should be happy even in this World without them A second Reason of this is because otherwise 't is impossible we should be happy in the next Life The Happiness of the next Life we are well assur'd consists in an intimate Vision and Enjoyment of God who is the Fountain of Excellency and Perfection and consequently of Bliss and God being an infinitely Pure and Holy Being and it being necessary to Enjoyment that there should be a Correspondence and Agreeableness between the Object and the Faculty no Soul but what is Pure and Holy is capable of enjoying a Pure and Holy God The Soul therefore of every Man being since the Fall of Adam stain'd and polluted full of vile Affections and Lusts such as render it uncapable of so pure and Divine a Happiness 't is necessary that it should be refined and purified and have Heavenly Affections and Desires planted in the Room of those Vile and Brutish ones and recover the Divine Likeness which has been so shamefully defac'd that so at length by the Actual Excercise of the Divine Life here we may become in some Measure capable of enjoying the Celestial Happiness that flows from the Contemplation and Love of the Supreme Good Or in the Words of St. John that being like him in this State of Probation we may be prepar'd to see see him as he is in the Regions of Glory And this an Observance of the Precepts of our Holy Religion will effect and they were therefore given that they might effect it We are exhorted to be poor in Spirit humble and resign'd to the Will of God that so we may be conducted safely to the Kingdom of Heaven to hunger and thirst after Righteousness that we may be fill'd with Grace here and Glory hereafter to mourn for our former Vileness and Degeneracy and Estrangement from God and flee from all Wickedness and sincerely endeavour a Reformation that so we may be comforted in the Day of Retribution and as good and faithful Servants be receiv'd into the Joy of our Lord. We are urg'd to Purity of Heart that we may see God to be holy as he is holy perfect as he is perfect pure as he is pure because he hates Iniquity and into his Presence no unclean thing can enter and without Holiness no Man can see the Lord. So that the Reason why God requires that we should bring forth Fruit unto Holiness is that the end may be everlasting Life These are the Reasons why God so strictly and indispensibly requires that we should be fruitful of good Works after he has planted us in his Vineyard and
Thou hast done all O blessed God that can be done to secure the Happiness of Rational and Free Agents I therefore beg with all the Earnestness of an awaken'd Soul that thy Goodness Long-suffering and Forbearance may soften my Spirit and lead me to Repentance and melt me into Shame and Tears of Penitential Sorrow for having so long abused the tender Kindness of so good a God O let not thy Lenity ever extinguish the Dread of thy Vengeance which though slow is sure and may I seriously consider that if this thy Mercy is not effectual to my Reformation 't will but add weight to the Eternal Ruine I deserve May these Considerations most gracious God never depart from my Mind till Fruit be added to my Leaves and I experience the Power of True Godliness which Thing if thou wilt grant me then will I praise thee without ceasing and magnifie thy Goodness for ever and ever Amen Amen PARABLE XI Of the Prodigal Son Luke xv 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24. And Jesus said a certain Man had two Sons And the younger of them said to his Father Father give me the portion of Goods that falleth to me And he divided unto them his Living And not many days after the younger Son gather'd all together and took his Journey into a far Country and there wasted his Substance in riotous living And when he had spent all there arose a mighty Famine in that Land and he began to be in want And he went and joyned himself to a Citizen of that Country and he sent him into his Fields to feed Swine And he would fain have filled his Belly with the Husks that the Swine did eat and no man gave unto him And when he came to himself he said How many hired Servants of my Fathers have Bread enough and to spare and I perish with Hunger I will arise and go to my Father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee And am no more worthy to be called thy Son make me as one of thy hired Servants And he arose and came to his Father But when he was yet a great way off his Father saw him and had Compassion and ran and fell on his Neck and kissed him And the Son said unto him Father I have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy Son But the Father said to his Servants bring forth the best Robe and put it on him and put a Ring on his Hand and Shooes on his Feet And bring hither the fatted Calf and kill it and let us eat and be merry For this my Son was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found THIS whole Chapter from the Third Verse to the End is intended to represent the great Tenderness and Compassion of God towards Sinners his great Desire that they should Repent and turn from their wicked Courses and how highly pleasing to him it is when they sincerely do so And this is express'd in Three Parables The First of a Man's seeking diligently a Sheep that he had lost and leaving the rest of his Flock till he had found it and then rejoycing greatly and telling his Neighbours the good News and inviting them to partake of his Joy The Second is of a Woman's having lost a Piece of Silver and seeking very carefully till she had found it and then in like manner rejoycing with her Friends for her good Success And the Third Parable is that of the Prodigal Son And because they are All to the same purpose 't will be sufficient to discourse of One of them only and the Last being the most full and comprehensive I shall consider That The Occasion of Our Lord 's speaking these Parables was The Scribes and Pharisees finding fault with him for Instructing and Conversing with Publicans and Sinners for they look'd upon it as very scandalous and a kind of Pollution to have any Familiarity with those worst of Men as they thought them and murmur'd against our Saviour saying This Man receiveth Sinners and eateth with them ver 2. To this Objection of theirs against him he answers in the Parables before mention'd and shews how unreasonably uncharitable they were to think much of his Teaching and Conversing with those who because the vilest of Men had therefore the most Need of his holy Instructions and excellent Example that they might be Reform'd and Reclaim'd from their wicked Practices For as he said elsewhere the Whole have no need of a Physician but those that are Sick and therefore he came to Seek and to Save those that were lost and Not to call the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance Nay more he tells them in the 7th and 10th Verses of this Chapter that There shall be more Joy in Heaven in the Presence of the Angels of God over One Sinner that Repenteth than over Ninety and Nine Just Persons that need no Repentance or such a total Change of Mind as is in a Sinner that breaks off his vile Courses by Repentance And farther to explain and enforce this great and most comfortable Truth and represent it more lively to their Apprehensions he spake the Parable of the Prodigal Son and therein very naturally and movingly expresses these Four Things First The great Extravagancy of Wicked Men when they give themselves up to the Conduct of their own Wills and Affections and are weary of the Government of God their Heavenly Father Secondly The sad Condition such Men quickly reduce themselves to by that their Extravagancy and loose self-will'd Course of Life or in other Words the miserable Consequences of Debauchery and Riot Thirdly The sharp Remorse of Conscience that attends such Courses the Shame and Sorrow for them and the Resolutions of an awaken'd Sinner to return again to his Obedience to God And Fourthly The great Tenderness and Compassion of the Father of Spirits to such as Repent in earnest and keep their Resolutions His Readiness to receive them again to his Favour and great Joy for their Return Because they were dead but are alive again were lost but are found Which last Particular is the Reason of the greater Joy that is in Heaven over one Sinner that Repenteth than over Ninety and Nine Just persons that need no Repentance and is a very satisfactory Account of our Lord 's so often Conversing with and Instructing Publicans and Sinners For they had the most need of that great Physician of Souls and consequently their Salvation would cause the greatest Joy in Heaven and therefore our Compassionate Saviour so industriously endeavour'd their Conversion And had the Pharisees had any of that Goodness in them they so much pretended to they would have rejoyced at our Lord's Charity and admir'd and lov'd him for it rather than have murmur'd at it as they did and used it as an Objection against him The first Thing express'd in this Parable is the great Extravagancy
securing our main Interest the Happiness of Eternity and when Time shall be at an End that is to every particular Person when Death shall put a Period to this Life then comes that Night in which no Man can work then the Opportunity shall be for ever at an End and according as Men have improv'd or wasted their Time in this World so shall their Eternity be happy or miserable in the next And therefore he is indeed very foolishly prodigal who without any Thought of hereafter wastes this precious Treasure this only Opportunity of making himself for ever happy in Vanity and Folly in pleasing and humouring his Body and neglects the Improvement of his Soul and instead of working out his Salvation with Fear and trembling secures to himself Eternal Misery And this does every wilful Sinner when with the Prodigal in the Parable he wastes this his Substance in Luxurious and Riotous Living and studies nothing but how to gratifie the lower Life looking no further than this present World for Happiness 'till his Opportunity be quite lost and he is surpriz'd into an unchangeably Miserable Condition because when 't was put into his Hand to make himself happy if he would he neglected it and chose the Track to Ruine Thirdly The Glorious Reversion of our Heavenly Inheritance is a Treasure likewise that can never be sufficiently valu'd for Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither can it enter into the Heart of Man to conceive the Felicities and Glories of it Now this we are assur'd by him that cannot lie and whose it is to bestow shall be the Reward of Vertue and sincere Religion all this is laid up for them that love God and keep his Commandments And therefore for a Man that knows all this to be so prodigally to throw away all Expectation of and Title to such a Reversion as this upon such low and profligate Accounts as the wallowing in the filthy Pleasures of a Goat or a Swine or the heaping up Treasures of Gold and Silver which are as unsatisfying as they are uncertain and perishing or for the Sake of a little empty Honour or the like This is the very Highth of profligate Extravagancy and such as one would think no sensible Man should ever be guilty of Upon these and many other nay indeed all Accounts 't is very true that a wicked Man is the greatest Prodigal in the World for he wastes and throws away what is of highest Value to a Man and that for what is no better than Vanity and Vexation of Spirit And thus much for the first thing expressed in this Parable viz. the great Extravagancy of ungodly Men when they give themselves up to the Guidance of their own Wills and Affections and grow weary of the Government of God their Heavenly Father Like the Prodigal Son they waste their most precious Substance in riotous and profligate living The second thing express'd in this Parable is the sad Condition such Men soon reduce themselves to by that their Extravagancy and loose self-will'd Course of Life or in other Words the Miserable Consequences of Debauchery and Riot and of following so Blind a Guide as Mens unruly Passions and Lusts For so in the Parable when the prodigal Young Man had spent all there arose a mighty Famine in that Land and he began to be in Want and went and joyn'd himself to a Citizen of that Country who sent him into his Fields to feed Swine And he would fain have fill'd his Belly with the Husks that the Swine did eat but no Man gave unto him The first ill Consequence then of this Prodigality or Lawless Extravagant Living is Spiritual Want or a Scarcity and Famine of the Divine Grace in the Soul which is by so much more to be dreaded than a Famine of Provisions for the Body as Eternal Misery and Death is more terrible than Temporal The Grace of God is questionless the Nourishment of the Divine Life and which if once withdrawn will leave the Soul dead in Trespasses and Sins Now an obstinate Course of Disobedience to the Divine Will drives out that Life-giving Power and makes the Soul uncapable of Vital Union with so pure a Spirit and as a Humane Soul is forc'd to leave a Body rotten and wasted and unapt any longer to entertain it so this Divine Spirit is thrust out from a corrupted sinful Soul And consequently there must be a famine in that Soul of that Heavenly Bread which is absolutely necessary to eternal Life and the Consequence of that is Eternal Death And certainly no Man that considers what a Dismal Condition that Soul is in which is reduced to such Extremity of Spiritual Want as this how full of Horrour and Despair as doom'd to endless Misery and seal'd up to Destruction which he sees dayly nearer and nearer approaching and no way to escape but like a Wretch immur'd between two Walls there to be starv'd to Death in continual Expectation of her sad End No Man that considers this with that Seriousness he ought but will be very careful not to waste what is so necessary to his Spiritual Subsistence i. e. by no means grieve or resist or quench that Life-giving Spirit by whom all true Religion lives and moves and hath its Being and which if neglected and oppos'd will be withdrawn and that perhaps for ever If like Esau we sell this inestimable Blessing for a Mess of Pottage forfeit the Food of our Souls that we may indulge our Sensual Appetites we may fear that a Spiritual Famine will be our Punishment and no Place left for Repentance no Blessing remaining for us though we seek it earnestly with Tears As the Prodigal in the Parable when after he had wasted his Substance in riotous Living and then wanted and was ready to perish with Hunger so that he would have been glad of the meanest and coarsest Fare would fain have sill'd his Belly with the Husks that the Swine did eat even that he could not obtain for no Man says the Parable gave unto him Another ill Consequence of this Spiritual Prodigality and loose wicked Course of Life and to name no more amongst a numerous Train of them is that it extreamly degrades and debases a Man and engages him in the vilest Drudgery imaginable the serving Bestial Lusts and Devilish Passions This is express'd in the Parable by the Prodigal's being sent into the Feilds to feed Swine a thing the most abject in it self and the most detestable to the Jews to whom our Lord spake the Parable who were taught by their Law to esteem that Creature among the most unclean And as low or lower than this does he debase his Nature who neglecting the Noble Precepts of Religion makes his Sensual Appetite the Rule and Measure of his Actions For what more Beastly and Detestable than ungovern'd Lust The wretch himself that is guilty of it is asham'd publickly to commit it and takes Advantage of Holes and Corners and
call the Bible to be genuine Well but though this may be true yet they object further that there is no Truth in the Matters of fact which these Men set down and particularly that the whole Story of our Saviour's Life and Death and Resurrection is a Falshood and that their Relations are contradictious But to this we may return That though this has been by some Men said yet it has never been prov'd nay on the contrary several Heathen Writers as Pliny Tacitus Lucian Suetonius and others of great Antiquity quoted by * De veritat Christ Rel. Lib. 2. Grotius and †Demomsta◠Evangel Propos 3. prope Initium Haetius have given in their Evidence as to the Matters of fact on the Christian Side and though they have made it their Business to vilifie the whole Story of our Lord's Life and Death yet they could say much less prove that there were no such Occurrences are as recorded by the Evangelists And truly the Evangelists are so punctual in all Circumstances of Time and Place so particular in naming of Persons concern'd and that were Eye-Witnesses of those Transactions and those too Enemies as well as Friends Jews and Heathens as well as Christians and those Transactions were so publick and in the Face of the World and the Account of them was written so soon after they were done that it would then have been a very easie Matter to have detected the Falshood of the Whole or of any Part of the Story if there had been any and both Jews and Heathens were very much concern'd to do it if they could and no doubt they endeavour'd it to the utmost of their Power But yet after all we find that neither then nor since any thing of this Nature has been fastned upon these Writings but rather the Truth of them has been approv'd by the Confession of the Enemies of Christianity than which no better Argument can be produc'd for the Truth of any Ancient History in the World And as for the Contradictions and Inconsistencies which they say are in the New Testament though to Men unlearn'd or else deeply prejudic'd some things may at first sight seem to clash a little yet upon a closer View of any competent and unprejudic'd Person they will be found to be far from being irreclaimable And these seeming Differences are likewise in things not material in the main there is an unquestionable Harmony Which considering that four several Men were the Writers and that they writ in different and distant Places is no mean Argument that what they so punctually and agreeably relate is true And indeed those little Differences that are taken Notice of are rather an Argument for the Truth of their Relation than any thing to the contrary for had it been a pack'd Business they would have been careful not to have differ'd in a Title As for their last Reserve that supposing the Matter of fact to be true which they relate yet those strange things that are recorded of Jesus might be performed by Art Magick and the Power of the Devil And that what he or his Apostles have deliver'd by Way of Precept and Doctrine was meerly the Product of their own Brains and no Inspiration of God To this we may return in this Manner 'T is certain that the coming of Jesus Christ into the World was to destroy the Works and Kingdom of the Devil as is evident from his casting so many evil Spirits out of possess'd Persons and from their trembling at his Presence and crying out for Dread and from his teaching so Holy and Heavenly a Religion than which nothing can more weaken his Infernal Kingdom And to attest the Truth of this his Doctrine and that he was sent by God to teach it to the World he wrought diverse and very amazing Miracles and those highly beneficial ones too such as giving Sight to Men that were born blind and curing long and desperate Diseases and raising to Life those that had been dead and one of them four Days buried and this only with a Word or with his Touch John 11◠15. which is Part of those Matters of fact set down by the Evangelists which we before prov'd to be true Now can any Man in his Senses think that the Devil were he able would so far assist one that come on purpose into the World to destroy his Kingdom 'T is our Lord's own Answer to the foolishly masicious Pharisees who when they saw him work a stupendious Miracle upon one possessed with a Devil both Blind and Dumb insomuch that the Blind and Dumb both spake and saw objected presently This Fellow casteth out Devils by Beelzebub the prince of the Devils And Jesus knew their Thoughts and said unto them every Kingdom divided against it self is brought to Desolation and if Satan cast out Satan he is divided against himself How then shall his Kingdom stand A Demonstration this that 't was not by the Power of the Devil that he wrought his Miracles but by the Power of God For though deluded Men may be so foolish as to frame such an Objection the Devil is too wise to put the thing in Practice As for the other Part of what is objected That what our Lord and the Writers of the New Testament the Evangelists and Apostles have deliver'd by Way of Precept and Doctrine was meerly the Product of their own Brains and not the Inspiration of God I might only appeal to the Precepts and Doctrines themselves which are of so Exalted and Heavenly a Nature and far above any thing that either before or since was ever written by Man that they themselves will prove their Original to be Divine But there is a farther Proof of this the many and great Miracles that were wrought both by Christ and his Apostles in Confirmation of the Doctrine they taught and of their being commission'd by God in an extraordinary Manner to declare it as the Rule of their Obedience to him and of their Conversation in the World For no reasonable Man can think that God would have so wondrously assisted those above all other Men had they not been his peculiar Messengers to make known his Will to Mankind And this in short may be sufficient to prove to any reasonable and unprejudic'd Man the Truth and Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures and consequently we have sufficient Assurance that there shall be another Life when this is ended wherein Men shall be for ever recompenc'd according to their Works For this is very plainly and expresly asserted in those Writings as every Man knows that has read them And therefore 't is as plain that 't is an unreasonable Obstinacy and too great Love of the sinful Enjoyments of this World that makes Men deny their Assent to so great a Truth and hinders them from being inclin'd by it to lead a more Innocent and Holy Life And the same Obstinacy and Infidel Hardness of Heart and Vileness of Manners would make them
still disbelieve that there is a suture State of Eternal Rewards and Punishments according as Men live well or ill here below and still keep them from being perswaded by it to Amendment though one came to them from the Dead to assure them of it For what an easie Matter would it be for them to say that the Apparition was but a melancholly Fancy or a Dream and regard it as if no more and laugh at all things of that Nature as too many now a-days are apt to do And he that will shut his Eyes aganst so much Reason and Evidence as there is for the Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures is Proof against any other Sort of Conviction whatever even that of a Messenger sent on purpose to him from the other World For so our Lord in the Parable If they believe not Moses and the Prophets we may add and our Saviour his Evangelists and Apostles neither will they be perswaded though one arose from the Dead Wherefore it becomes us all to be very careful lest the Spirit of Unbelief enter into us and we grow so blinded by the Deceitfulness of Sin as either not to believe or not duly to attend to this great and strongly confirm'd Truth of the Certainty of another Life after this and of the eternal Rewards and Punishments then to be awarded to every Man according to his religious or impious Behaviour here 'T is in vain to expect any further extraordinary Proof of what is already plainly declared by him that cannot lye in those Writings which we have all the Reason in the World to believe were written by his Divine Inspiration Let us rather so serioussy consider and attend to what is there reveal'd to us as by those Terrors of the Lord relating to a future Judgment to be perswaded to a sincere Revisal of our Ways and deep Repentance of what we shall find to have been amiss and immediate Endeavours to do no more wickedly Let us have a care how we are charm'd with the Pomps and Vanities of this World as if here were our Happiness and our Heaven and we look'd for no other Life when this is done and let us be chiefly employ'd in making Provision for that other endless Life which will succed this that then we may be happy when if we are miserable we shall be always so Remembring that the Rich Man in the Parable who in this Life receiv'd his good things and was wholly intent upon the Enjoyment of them and look'd no further made no Provision for what was to be hereafter in that other State aster he died was tormented in the Flames of Hell and wanted a Drop of Water to cool his Tongue While the poor despis'd and seemingly miserable Lazarus that begg'd for the Crumbs which fell from his Table and was taken little Notice of by any but the Rich Man's Dogs because his Poverty made him Religious and think of and provide for better things in an everlasting World was when he died conducted by Angels into Abraham's Bosom that Place of Eternal Happiness Rest and Peace which is prepar'd for the Righteous These things if we consider throughly and seriously there will be no need of one from the Dead either to convince us of the Truth of them or to perswade us to an immediate Repentance that we may escape that Place of Eternal Torment reserv'd for the obstinately wicked and be receiv'd into that happy State which shall for ever crown the pious Endeavours of the Good Wherefore for the future may we all so meditate upon these things and give our selves so intirely to them that through God's gracious Assistance our profiting may appear in all things The PRAYER O God infinitely wise and Good the Disposals of whose Providence here below though always for the best are yet often the Cause of Wonder to us Mortals especially in the Prosperity of the Wicked and the Afflictions of the Righteous Teach me the Wisdom I beseech thee to look beyond this World for Happiness and never to make vain Conclusions of thy Favour or displeasure to my self or others or concerning mine or their Condition in the other World from the Circumstances of this our present Life But rather in all things to acknowledg thy Providence to be good and just and be careful to secure my Duty in whatsoever Station thou shalt please to place me Grant that in Prosperity I may be Humble Thankful and Charitable in Adversity Contented and resign'd under thy Paternal Rod and may make that good Use of every Condition which thou designest I should and carefully avoid the Snares of each and make it my great Endeavour whilst I continue here below to secure a happy Eternity in the World of Spirits where my Condition whatever it then shall be will be unchangeable And may my Belief of future Eternal Rewards and Punishments be daily more and more strengthned and confirmed by a serious and unprejudic'd Attention to the plain Assurance thou hast given me of it in the Holy Scriptures so as not to be vainly desirous of any more extraordinary Evidence in this matter but believing these great Truths without wavering Grant that I may immediately endeavour to reform my Life before it be too late That so when I go hence I may be receiv'd into Abraham's Bosom the happy Portion of the Faithful and escape the Place of endless Torment prepar'd for the Devil and his Angels Grant this O Gracious God for Jesus Christ his Sake PARABLE XIII Of the Importunate Widow Luke xviii 1 2 3 4 5 And Jesus spake a Parable to this End that Men ought always to pray and not to faint Saying there was in a City a Judge which feared not God neither regarded Man And there was a Widow in that City and she came unto him saying Avenge me of mine Adversary And he would not for a while but afterwards he said within himself Though I fear not God neither regard Man Yet because this Widow troubleth me I will avenge her lest by her continual coming she weary me THE Force of this Parable in order to the perswading to a constant and importunate Devotion lies in this That if Importunity will prevail with a sinful Man that neither fears God nor has any Compassion for the Miseries of his Fellow-Creatures to grant Petitions offer'd to him How much more prevalent will it be with the infinitely good God to relieve the Necessities of such as devoutly and earnestly implore his Help And to the same Sense is another Parable Luke 11.16 Which of you shall have a Friend and shall go to him at Midnight and say unto him Friend lend me three Loaves for a Friend of mine in his Journey is come unto me and I have nothing to set before him and he from within shall answer and say Trouble me not the Door is now shut and my Children are with me in Bed I cannot rise and give thee I say unto you Though he will not
Ruin and the Wages of Sin this eternal Torment and Death we would be above all things careful to avoid this Place of everlasting Torments and make use of our Time and Opportunity while we have it in providing for a happy Eternity The End of every Man's Life is the Beginning of Eternity to him then Time shall be no more no more Space for Repentance and working out our Salvation and after the great Change that Death will make in our Condition no more Changes from thence forward for ever no intermediate Purgatory to cleanse our remaining Filthiness but as Death leaves a Soul so shall Judgment find it and an irreversible Sentence be pass'd upon it And this great Truth can never be too often call'd to Remembrance and there is so much of Terror in it to a wicked Liver that whoever thinks at all must needs be inclin'd by it to husband well this his only Opportunity of making himself for ever Happy and immediately endeavour to clear himself from that Guilt which if he dies in will make him for ever miserable and that without the least Alleviation The last thing this Parable informs us of is That every Man may be sufficiently assur'd of this great Truth that reads the Scriptures and powerfully enough inclin'd to avoid that future Misery and secure his eternal Happiness without any more extraordinary Ways of Conviction in this Matter or Perswasives to act accordingly And that those who are not satisfied with what has already been reveal'd of future Rewards and Punishments in all Probability will never be satisfied though one should come from the Dead to assure them of it This is express'd in the Parable by the Rich Man's desiring after he was sadly assur'd by Abraham that there was no Remedy for himself that he would send Lazarus to his Father's House for I have five Brethren says he that he may testifie unto them lest they also come into this Place of Torment To this Abraham answers They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them But this would not satisfie the miserable Rich Man and he said nay Father Abraham but if one went to them from the Dead they will repent To this Abraham gives this final Answer If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one arose from the Dead As if he had said There is all the Assurance given to Men by the Holy Writings of the Truth of these things that any reasonable Man can desire and the same Obstinate and Atheistick Infidelity and Debauchery of Manners that makes Men disbelieve what the Scriptures affirm of another Life would make them still disbelieve it though one arose from the Dead to assure them of it And if this was true before the Gospel when these things were but darkly reveal'd in comparison of what they are now and the Jews might then be sufficiently assur'd of them by attending to the Writings of Moses and the Prophets it is a much more confirm'd Truth to us Christians the Scriptures of the New Testament assuring us of it in the most plain and express Terms that can be According to what the Apostle says 2 Tim. 1.8 that our Lord has brought Life and Immortality to light by the Gospel And yet some are so unreasonable as when we discourse about Judgment to come and the Rewards and Punishments of another Life not to tremble at it as Foelix did but with perverse Infidelity question the Truth of the thing and ask us how we can be sure it is and shall be so and whether we have been told it by one that came from the other World and has experienc'd what we say to be true And that nothing less than such a Proof shall ever make them believe it And when they are urg'd with the Testimony of Moses and the Prophets and of the Son of God himself they have the Confidence to laugh at this as an Invention of Church-Men and no better than a Religious Cheat. They are not ignorant they say that the Writings which we affirm were divinely inspir'd do very plainly and expresly assert That there shall be a Judgment to come and that every Man shall be rais'd from the Dead and plac'd before the Almighty Judge and consign'd to eternal Happiness or Misery according to what they have done in this Life whether it be good or evil But they deny the Truth of those Writings and consequently the Reality of what they assert of this Nature Our Business therefore must be to prove the Truth and Divine Authority of those Holy Scriptures and then 't will follow that he that still disbelieves the Doctrine of future Rewards and Punishments and is not inclin'd to live accordingly will neither be convinc'd nor perswaded in this Instance though one rose from the Dead The Opposition Anti-scripturists make against the Holy Writings is in short this Either they will deny that those Books were written by the Men whose Names they bear or if they are forc'd to grant that they will deny the Truth of the Matters of fact which they set down and endeavour to pick out Inconsistencies and Contradictions in their Relation and if beaten from that Post they 'll deny that the Writers were Men divinely inspired and affirm that the Doctrine they wrote was meerly the Product of their own Brains and what strange Occurrences they record of their Master Jesus as of his Resurrection from the Dead as an Argument that there shall be another Life after this is ended and all Men then arise likewise and be call'd to give account of their Works that this and the like strange Passages they record of Jesus supposing them to be true were not done by a Divine Power but by Art Magick and the Power of the Devil And this could it be made good would be a shrewd Blow indeed and all reveal'd Religion soon sink into Ruine But in short for to inlarge here would far exceed the Bounds of a single Sermon a Christian's Defence of the Truth and divine Authority of the Holy Writings may be this First Though some have deny'd that the Books of the Old and New Testament were written by the Men whose Names they bear yet no Man ever yet could prove it nay on the contrary they have been receiv'd as Genuine for many Hundreds of Years and by Men of very different Religions and Perswasions and that were bitter Enemies to the Religion there taught and the Professors of it and would have been extreamly glad to have prov'd the Whole a Forgery if they could But since they did not when 't was so much for their Interest to have don 't 't is plain they could not and since they are to this Day approv'd by all Sorts of Religions as genuine 't is as much as can be said in the Case and as much as can be said for any other Book in the World And we must either throw aside all Books as spurious or believe this which we