God as was shewn before had our Saviour intended that they should not continue it he would doubtless have repealed that Command by some Countermand which he was so far from doing that he not only every where allows of their reading the Scriptures but also expresly approves and commends it whereby he plainly establishes the Obligation of that ancient Command in Obedience to which they did read them 3. From the great Design and Intention of Writing the Scriptures it is also evident that the People are still obliged to Read them It is plain the great Design of Writing the Scripture was to instruct Men in the Knowledge and persuade them to the Practice of True Religion For thus of the Scriptures of the Old Testament St. Paul tells us That whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning Rom. 15.4 and for our admonition 1 Cor. 10.11 And as for the New Testament we are told That it was written that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing we might have life through his name Joh. 20.31 And St. Peter tells us That he wrote both his Epistles to stir up the pure Minds of Christians by way of remembrance and to put them in mind of the words which were spoken before by the Holy Prophets and of the Commandment of the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour 2 Pet. 3.1 And St. John gives us this account of his Writing his Epistles These things have I written to you that ye sin not 1 Joh. 2.1 And St. Jude this of his Beloved when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common Salvation it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints v. 3. These are the Ends for which the Scripture was written but how can the Writing of it contribute to these Ends if we are not permitted to Read what is written For the Scripture was written to the People as well as to the Clergy as I shall shew by and by but to what purpose should it be written to the People to instruct and admonish them if the People are not allowed to Read its Instructions and Admonitions What Influence could the Writing it have upon the People's Belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God if they had been debarr'd from acquainting themselves with what is written concerning him How could it stir up their Remembrance if they might not Read what it suggested to their Memory By what other way can it keep the People from Sinning but by Motives and Persuastions But how should its Motives and Persuasions affect their Minds if they are not allowed to consult and understand them Upon what Account can it move the People earnestly to contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints if they are not allowed to learn from it either what that Faith is or what those Reasons are which oblige them to contend for it So that to write to the People on purpose to instruct and reform them and at the same time to purpose to debar them from Reading it is either to suppose that the Writing will operate like a Charm or to purpose a downright Contradiction For how oddly would it have lookt if in the afore-cited Passages the Apostles had exprest themselves thus These thinge are written for your Learning and Admonition but 't is by no means fit you should learn from them what they teach and admonish you These Things are written that ye should believe that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God but they are not written that you should enquire of them whether Jesus be the Christ or the Son of God These Things are written to put you in Mind of what hath been spoken by the Prophets and Apostles but they were not written that you might acquaint your selves by them what the Prophets and Apostles spake These Things are written that you should not Sin but beware you do not read them lest the bad Examples recorded in them occasion you to Sin In short These Things were written to excite you earnestly to contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints but you are by no means allowed to enquire into them lest you should misunderstand them and and so instead of contending for the Faith you should contend for Heresie and False Doctrine Had the Apostles thus express'd themselves I appeal to any reasonable Man whether these Passages would not have startled his Understanding and tempted him to question whether the Authors of them were well in their Wits and yet this must have been their meaning supposing that they meant that the People should not read what they wrote 4. From the Direction of these Holy Writings to the People it is also evident that the People are still obliged to Read or acquaint themselves with them For so we find the Law of Moses was delivered by God to all the People as well as to him and Aaron and as was shewn before they were all of them commanded to search and enquire into it And so also were the Sermons of the Prophets which are usually prefaced with an Hear O Israel Hear O House of Judah Hear O House of Jacob and Hear all ye of Judah So also our Blessed Saviour Preach'd his Sermons and Parables not only to his Apostles and Seventy Disciples but also to the People and to the Multitudes And so also his Apostles direct their Epistles not only to the Saints to the faithful in Christ Jesus to the Beloved which in the Language of Scripture includes every Christian but also to all that are at Rome to all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord to all the Saints which are in Achaia to all the Saints which are at Philippi to the twelve Tribes which are scattered abroad to the Strangers scattered through Pontus Galatia c. and to them which have obtained like precious Faith with us that is to all the Jewish Christians dispersed over the World Seeing therefore the Scriptures were directed to all as well Laity as Clergy this not only gives a Right to all to Read them but also lays an Obligation upon all to acquaint themselves with them For the very directing such a Writing or Epistle to such or such Persons doth in the Sense of all the World imply that he who writes doth design and intend that they to whom he directs it should Read and Peruse it and therefore since the Scriptures were written to all that is a plain Intimation that it was the Intention of the Writers that all should Read them And for us not to Read what God hath written and directed to us is by implication of Fact a Prophane Neglect and Contempt of his Mercy and looks as if we either thought him such an Insignificant Being or our selves so little concerned in any thing that he can say or write to us as that it
IOHANNES SCOTT S. T. P. Printed for S. Manship at the Ship near the Royal Exchange THE Christian Life Wheren is shew'd I. The Worth and Excellency of the Soul II. The Divinity and Incarnation of our Saviour III. The Authority of the Holy Scripture IV. A Dissuasive from Apostacy VOL. V. and Last By JOHN SCOTT D. D. late Rector of St. Giles's in the Fields The Second Edition LONDON Printed for S. Manship and R. Wilkin and are to be Sold by W. Davis at the Black Bull in Cornhill and I. Bonwick at the Hat and Star in St. Paul's Church-yard 1700. To the Honourable SUSANNA NOEL Mother to the Right Honourable Baptist Earl of Gainsborough THis last Volume of the Works of my Dear Deceased Friend the Reverend Dr. Scott is humbly and gratefully Dedicated by Her Honours Most obliged and most Devoted Servant Humphrey Zouch The CONTENTS Discourse I. Of the Worth and Excellency of the Soul THe Connexion and Explication of the Text p. 1 2. The inestimable price and value of the Soul of Man in respect of its own natural Capacities represented under 4 Heads viz. Its Capacity of Vnderstanding p. 4 5. Of Moral Perfection p. 6 7. Of Pleasure and Delight p. 8 9 10. Of Immortality p. 11 to p. 15. Of what Esteem the Soul is in the Judgment of those who know the best worth of it viz. the whole world of Spirits p. 15. to p. 25. Four Inferences from hence p. 26. to p. 34. What is meant by losing ones Soul explain'd p. 34. The Soul liable to a sevenfold Damage in the other World p. 35. to p. 50. Seven Causes of the Danger we are in of incurring this Damage p. 51. to p. 69. Men may forsake Christ and thereby lose their Souls 4 ways By a total Apostacy p. 70 71. By renouncing the profession of his Doctrine p. 72. By obstinate Heresie p. 73. By a willful Course of Disobedience of which there are three degrees the first proceeds from a willful ignorance of Christs Laws the 2d from a willful Inconsideration of our Obligation to them the 3d. from an Obstinacy in Sin against Knowledge and Consideration p. 74. to 80. Four Reasons why our forsaking of Christ infers this fearful loss of our Souls p. 81. to p. 90. That God if he be so Determin'd may without any injury either to his Justice or Goodness detain lost Souls in the bondage of Hell for ever prov'd in 6 Propositions p. 91. to 101. That God is actually determin'd so to do demonstrated by 3 Arguments p. 102. to p. 108. A Comparison between the gain of the VVorld and the loss of a Mans Soul in 6 Particulars whereby it is shewn of which side the Advantage lies p. 109. to p. 128. Discourse II. Of the Divinity and Incarnation of our Saviour A General Explication of this Term The Word P. 130. A full account of it in 4 Propositions shewing that it was derived from the Theology of the Jews and Gentiles 131. to 135. That we ought to fetch the Sense of it from that ancient Theology p. 136 137. That in that Theology it signifies a vital and divine Subsistence p. 138 to 139. And that our Saviour to whom it is applied in the New Testament is that vital and divine Subsistence p. 140 141 142. To be the Word of God denotes 4 Things to be generated of the Mind of the Father To be the perfect Image of that Mind To be the Interpreter of the Fathers Mind and to be the Executor of it and in these is founded the Reason of our Saviours being call'd The Word p. 143. to 153. VVhat we are to understand by the Words being made Flesh p. 153 154. Five Inferences from this Doctrine p. 155 166. VVhat is meant by the Word 's dwelling among us explain'd p. 167. to 174. His dwelling among us full of Grace explain'd in five particulars p. 175. to 190. His dwelling among us full of Truth explained in general 191. to 198. Four Instances of his dwelling among us full of Truth in Contradistinction to that obscure typical way of his Tabernacling among the Jews p. 199. to p. 229. Four Inferences the first from his dwelling among us p. 229 to 234. The 2d from his dwelling among us full of Grace and that 1. in respect of his own Personal Disposition p. 235. to 238. 2. Of his Laws p. 238. 239. 3. Of the Gracious Pardon which he hath procured for us and promised to us p. 240 241. 4. Of the abundant assistance he is ready to vouchsafe us p. 242 243. And 5 Of the glorious Recompence he hath promised to and prepared for us p. 244 245 The 3d From his dwelling among us full of Truth p. 246. to 249. The 4th From all these laid together He dwelt among us full of Grace and Truth p. 250 to 256. The Glory of the Word which the Apostles beheld consisted in 4 Things 1. A visible splendor and brightness which encompass'd him at his Baptism and Transfiguration p. 258 259. 2. Those great and stupendous Miracles which he wrought p. 260 261 262. 3. The surpassing Excellency and Divinity of his Doctrine p. 263 264. 4. The incomparable Sanctity and Purity of his Life p. 265 266 267. This Expression The Glory as of the Only-begotten Son explain'd p. 268 269 That the Glory of Christ in the Tabernacle of our Natures was such as became the Only-Begotten Son of the Father prov'd in the several particulars wherein it consists P. 270. to 279. Four Inferences from this fourfold glory of the Word which the Apostles saw p. 280. to the end Dis III. Of the Authority of the Holy Scriptures THe fulness of the Scriptures as a Rule of Faith and Manners prov'd in 3 Propositions 1. That the Holy Spirit inspir'd the Writers of them with all that is necessary to eternal Life p. 301. 2 That they preach'd to the World all those necessaries which they were taught p. 302. 3. That all these necessary Truths which they preached are comprehended in the Scriptures p. 303. to p. 316. The clearness of the Scripture prov'd 1 From express Testimony of Scripture p. 317. to p. 321. 2. From the avowed design of writing it p. 322 323. 3. From the frequent Commands God lays upon us to read it p. 324 325. 4. From the Obligation that lies upon us under pain of Damnation to believe and receive all those necessaries to Salvation contained in it p. 326. Four Considerations in answer to those of the Church of Rome who tell us that though all things are not revealed clearly in the Scriptures yet we have sufficient reason to believe them since God has left us to the Conduct of an infallible Church p. 327. to the end Dis IV. Of the Obligation of the People to read the Scriptures THat the People are obliged to search and read the Scriptures prov'd 1. From the Obligation the Jews were under to read and search the Scriptures of the Old Test p. 343
344. 2. From our Saviour and his Apostles approbation of this practice of the Jews p 345 346. 3 From the great design and intention of writing the Scriptures p. 347 348. 4. From the Directions of these Holy Writings to the People p. 349. to 352. 5. From the great concernmènt the People have in the Matters contain'd in the Scripture p. 352. to 356. 6. from the universal Sense of the Primitive Church in this Matter p. 355. to 359. An Answer to that Objection of the Church of Rome That a general Permission of the Scriptures to the People must necessarily open a wide door to Errors and Heresies p. 360. to 366. Another Objection That it will prove an unavoidable Occasion of great Corruptions in Manners answered p. 367. to 371. Two Inferences from the whole p. 372. to the end Dis V. A Dissuasive from Apostacy AN Explication of the Words of the Text p. 385. to p. 388. The general Proposition p. 389. Six Instances of the mighty Tendencies there are in a vicious course of Life to Error and Apostacy from true Religion As 1. It corrupts Mens Reason and Understanding p. 390 391. 2. It renders the Principles of true Religion uneasy to their Minds p. 392 393 394. 3. It deprives Men of the greatest encouragements to constancy and steadiness in Religion p. 395. 4. It weakens the natural force of Men's Consciences p. 396. to p. 399. 5. It strengthens and enforces the Temptations to Apostacy p. 400. to 402. 6. It provokes God to give us up to the Power of Delusion p. 403. to p. 406. Two Inferences from the whole p. 406. to the end OF THE Christian Life PART IV. MATTH xvi 26. What is a Man profited if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Or what shall a Man give in Exchange for his Soul IN the 24th Verse our Saviour urges his Disciples to that necessary Duty of denying themselves that is of surrendering up their Wills to the conduct of his and renouncing all their Worldly Interest when it comes in Competition with their Duty and of taking up their Cross and following him that is of preparing themselves to endure Persecution for his sake and to persist couragiously in the Profession and Practice of his Religion whatsoever Oppositions they should meet with from the World And to press them hereunto he urges this Argument Ver. 25. For whosoever will save his Life shall lose it and whosoever will lose his Life shall find it Where the Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render Life may perhaps be better render'd Himself it being familiar both with Hebrews and Syrians to call a man's Life and Soul Himself so the Psalmist thou shalt not leave my Soul in Hell that is thou shalt not leave me Perishing in my Grave Psal 16.10 And Levit. 20.25 Ye shall not make your Souls abominable i. e. your selves And that it should be so render'd here is evident because St. Luke so expounds it What is a Man profited if he gain the whole World and lose himself or be cast away Luke 9.25 And indeed the Soul being the Principal Part of a Man and that which advances him into a Species of Being above that of a meer Animal may very well be called himself according to that of Hierecles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy Soul is Thee thy Body thine and thy outward Goods thy Bodies And if instead of Life we render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Himself the Words will be very plain and easy for whosoever will save himself by renouncing me and my Religion shall lose himself for ever and whosoever will be content to lose himself for my sake shall save himself for ever And this he farther inforces in the Text What is a Man profited if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul or what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul that is what will it avail a Man to gain the whole World if he for ever ruin himself by it and when he hath thus ruined himself what would he give if it were in his Power to save and recover himself again The Words thus explained I shall resolve the sense of them into these five Propositions I. That a Man or the Soul of a Man is a Thing of inestimable Price and Value for our Saviour here weighs it against the whole World that is against all the Pleasures Profits and Honours that this inferiour World can afford and declares that in the just Ballance of his Esteem it out-weighs them all And certainly that must needs be exceeding precious whose Worth the whole World cannot counter-poise II. That this precious Soul may be lost This our Saviour plainly supposes in these Words if he lose his own Soul III. That our renouncing of Christ and his Religion will most certainly infer this Loss For these Words as I have shewed you our Saviour urges as an Argument to dissuade Men from Apostacy but if without losing our Souls we might renounce him and apostatize from him there would be no Force in all this Argument to dissuade us from it IV. That when this Soul is lost 't is lost irrecoverably What shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul where the Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render Exchange is used in the same sense with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a price of Redemption denoting that if a Man should or could give never so much to buy his Soul from Perdition yet no Price of Redemption will be taken for it V. That this irrecoverable Loss of a Soul is of such a vast Moment that the Gain of the whole World is not sufficient to compensate it What is a Man profited that is he is not at all profited nay he is so far from that that he is a vast Loser I. That the Soul of a Man is a Thing of an inestimable Price and Value And for the Proof of this Proposition I shall endeavour these two Things First To represent to you of what vast Worth it is in Respect of its own natural Capacities Secondly To shew you of what vast Esteem it is in the Judgment of all those who as we must needs suppose do best understand the Worth of it 1. I shall endeavour to represent to you of what vast Worth it is in Respect of its own natural Capacities particularly in these four 1. In Respect of its Capacity of Vnderstanding 2. Of Moral Perfection 3. Of Pleasure and Delight 4. Of Immortality 1. The Soul of Man is of vast Worth in Respect of its Capacity of Vnderstanding For certainly to understand is the greatest and noblest Operation that a Being is capable of for it is this that gives Beauty and Excellence to all our other Operations whether they be natural or moral 'T is this that proposes the Ends and directs the Course and Prescribes the Measures of all our other Actions and tho we had never so much Force or
write them down in order that he might know the Certainty of those things wherein he had been instructed From whence I infer that supposing St. Luke performed what he promised his Gospel must contain a full Declaration of the Christian Religion For First by promising to give an Account of those Things which were surely believed among Christians he engaged himself to give an entire Account of Christianity unless we will suppose that there were some Parts of Christianity which the Christians of that Time did not surely believe Secondly In promising to give an Account of those Things of which he had a perfect Understanding from the first and in which his Theophilus had been instructed he also engages himself to give a compleat Account of the whole Religion unless we will suppose that there were some Parts of this Religion which St. Luke did not perfectly understand and in which Theophilus had not been before instructed Thus also St. John testifies of his Gospel Chap. 20. 31. These things are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have life through his name And if it be objected that by these Things the Apostle only means the Miracles of Christ which are the Motives of our Belief and not his Doctrines which are to be believed by us this is notoriously false since by these Things St. John means his Gospel in which not only the Miracles but the Doctrines of Christ are contained and therefore in his first Epistle chap. 5. 13. he saith These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe or continue to believe on the name of the Son of God Where by These Things it 's plain he means only that Christian Doctrine which he had been teaching throughout the whole Epistle From which two Places I argue that all Things necessary to eternal Life are written because he expresly tells us that These Things were written to this end that they might beget and nourish in us that Faith by which we may obtain eternal Life but if that Faith which these written Things was designed to beget in us be not sufficient to eternal Life then were these Things written in vain and the End of writing them which was that we might obtain eternal Life by believing them was wholly frustrated but if that Faith were sufficient to eternal Life then these written Things which begot that Faith and were the Object of it must contain in them all Things necessary to eternal Life for how can they beget in us a Faith that is sufficient to eternal Life unless they propose to our Faith all Things that are necessary thereunto And thus I have endeavoured to demonstrate from Scripture it self which all agree is the Word of God and consequently the most concluding Authority in the World that the Holy Scripture is in it self a sufficient Rule of Faith and Manners to direct Men to eternal Life And if this be so I would fain know by what Warrant or Authority any Man or Church can pretend to obtrude upon the Faith of Christians any unwritten Traditions or Doctrines of Faith and Rules of Worship not recorded in Scripture as of equal Authority with those recorded in Scripture and equally necessary to the eternal Happiness of Men. For that there have been such bold Imposers in the Christian World Irenaeus assures us in the 2d Chapter of his 2d Book against Heresies where he tells us of a sort of Hereticks who taught that the Truth could not be found in the Scriptures by those to whom Tradition was unknown for as much as it was not delivered by Writing but by Word of Mouth And these Hereticks 1 De Praescrip Haeret c. 25. as Tertullian observes confessed indeed that the Apostles were ignorant and that they did not at all differ among themselves in their Preaching but said they revealed not all Things unto all Men some Things they taught openly and to all some Things secretly and to a few which secret Things were the unwritten Traditions which they sought to impose upon the Faith of Christians And how far the Church of Rome it self doth in this matter tread in the Footsteps of these ancient Hereticks is but too notorious For thus in the Preface of their Catechism it is expresly affirmed by the Council of Trent that the whole Doctrine to be delivered to the Faithful is contained in the Word of God which Word of God is distributed into Scripture and Tradition And in the Councel it self they declare and define that the Books of Scripture and unwritten Traditions are to be received and honoured with equal pious Affection and Reverence In which Words they expresly own another Word of God besides the Scripture viz. Tradition which they equalize with the Scripture it self And this is almost verbatim the very Assertion which both Irenaeus and Tertullian condemn for Heresy and as they are the same so we find they are grounded on the same Authority For those very Texts of Scripture which those ancient Hereticks urged for their Tradition are urged by Bellarmin for the Tradition of his Church Thus for their Tradition as Irenaeus and Tertullian acquaints us they urged that of St. Paul We speak Wisdom among them that are perfect and also O Timothy keep that which is committed to thy trust and again That good Thing which is committed to thee keep All which Texts are urged by Bellarmin in his 4th and 5th Books de Verbo Dei in behalf of that Tradition which the Church of Rome contends for And 't is something hard that that which was damned for Heresy in the Primitive Church should be made an Article of Faith in the present Roman Not that we do disallow of Traditions universally received in all Churches and Ages for we frankly acknowledge that what is now contained in Scripture was Tradition before it was Scripture as being first delivered by Word of Mouth before it was collected into Writing and therefore whensoever it can be made evident to us that there are any unwritten Doctrines bearing the same Stamp of Divine Authority with those that are written we are ready to recive them with the same Veneration as we do the Scriptures themselves For it is not their being written that doth authorize them but their being from God and our Saviour and his Apostles and therefore when once it 's made appear to us that Christ or his Apostles taught so and so that is sufficient to command our Assent and Submission whether it be made appear from Scripture or Tradition So that the Reason why we embrace some Doctrines and reject others is not merely because the one are written and the other not but because to us who live at so great a distance from Christ and his Apostles it can never be made so evident that what is not written was taught by
them as what is What is written hath been delivered down to us by the unanimous Tradition and Testimony of the Church of Christ in all Ages which I am sure can never be justly pretended of any one of those unwritten Traditions which the Church of Rome now imposes upon the Faith of Christians Let them but produce the same unanimous Testimony that any one of those Twelve Articles which they have thought meet to superadd to the ancient Creeds was taught by Christ or his Apostles as we do that what is contained in Scripture was so and we will as readily embrace it as any Proposition in Scripture but if this Article be neither to be found in Scripture nor delivered down to us as taught by Christ or his Apostles by the unanimous Testimony of the Church of Christ through all Ages we must crave their pardon if we cannot receive it as Part of the Word of God But how impossible it is to prove by the unanimous Testimony of the Church that any unwritten Doctrine is Part of the Word of God necessary to be believed by all Christians is evident from hence because for several Ages after our Saviour the Church unanimously taught that whatsoever was necessary to be believed was contained in Scripture and for the same Church at the same time to testify that this or that unwritten Doctrine is a Part of God's Word necessary to be believed and yet that all Doctrines necessary to be believed are written is plainly to contradict it self And yet we find the Primitive Fathers unanimously attesting that the Scripture is the Rule from whence we draw all the Assertions of our Faith the last Will and Testimony of our Saviour by which all Controversies are to be decided the Boundaries of the Church out of which it is not to depart the Touchstone of Truth the Foundation and Pillar of our Faith for the Time to come and the only certain Principle of Christian Doctrine and Demonstration in Matters of Faith These are their own Expressions and abundance more than these we meet with to the same purpose and which is very observable they not only assert the Scripture to be a full and adequate Rule of Faith but severely declaim against all Additions to it Thus Eusebius Pamphilus in the Name of the Fathers of the Council of Nice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. those Things which are written believe those Things which are not witten neither think upon nor enquire after Thus also St. Austin Quicquid inde audieritisè Scriptura sacra hoc vobis bene sapiat quicquid extra est respuite ne erretis in nebula Whatsoever ye hear from the Holy Scriptures let it savour well with you whatsoever is without them refuse lest ye wander in a Cloud St. Bazil declares that it is a manifest falling from the Faith and an Argument of Arrogancy either to reject any point of those Things that are written or to bring in any of those which are not written and that it is the Property of a faithful Man to be fully perswaded of the Truth of those Things that are delivered in the Holy Scripture and not to dare either to reject or to add any thing thereunto Thus Tertullian advers Hermog Si enim non est scriptum timeat Vae illud adjicientibus aut detrahentibus destinatum If what he pretends be not written let him fear that Woe that is denounced against such as add or take away What Likelihood therefore is there that they who thus severely forbid adding any thing to the written Word of God did ever so much as dream of another Word of God consisting of unwritten Traditions And indeed methinks it is very strange if there had been any other Word of God besides what is written there should no notice be taken of it in that which is written especially considering that if it be as necessary to be believed as the Roman Church defines it it is as necessary that we should have Direction where to find it and how to know it when we have it but of this we have not the least Intimation in Scripture For as for those Words of St. Paul 2 Thess 2.15 Hold the Traditions which ye have been taught whether by Word or our Epistle all that can be justly inferred from them is only this that the Thessalonians at the Writing of this Epistle had only an Oral Tradition of a great Part of that Gospel which St. Paul had preached to them the Gospels being as yet either not collected into Writing or not dispersed abroad into the Churches so that then this and his former Epistle to them were perhaps the only written Part of the New Testament that was yet arrived to their hands and if so then this Command of holding the Traditions by word did oblige no longer than till they had received the written Gospel because then those Traditions by Word were all recorded in Scripture and being there recorded they were thenceforth obliged to hold them as Scripture and no longer as Traditions by Word But supposing there are still unwritten Traditions in the Church that are not in Scripture but yet were delivered by Christ or his Apostles and so are equally the Word of God with the Scripture I would fain know how we who live at so great a distance from Christ and his Apostles should either know where to find or be assured that they are such when we have them We know very well that even in the Primitive Ages there were sundry counterfeit Traditions which Hereticks pretended to derive from Christ and his Apostles and if it were so easy a matter to counterfeit Traditions then how much more easy is it now I confess Vincentius Lirinensis gives us a very good Rule how to distinguish counterfeit from true Traditions quod ubique quod semper quod ab omnibus creditum est hoc est vere proprieque Catholicum That which was every where and always and by all Christians believed that is truly and properly Catholick And by this Rule we are willing to abide if they can shew us any Article of Christianity not recorded in Scripture which hath been every where and always believed by all Christians we will readily admit it as an unwritten Word of God and with the same Respect and Reverence as we do that which is written But this we are fully assured they will never be able to perform seeing as was shewn before the Primitive Church doth with one Consent attest the Scripture to be an entire Rule of Faith in which all the Articles of Coristianity are contained But we are told that for these unwritten Traditions we must rely upon the present Church of every Age and receive as a divine Tradition whatsoever she defines to be so where by the present Church is meant the present Roman Church that is to say whatsoever this Church defines we must believe it because she defines it which we cannot but think is a hard Case First Because we
the simple wise or enlighten the Eyes of Men unless it be so plainly and clearly delivered as that the simple may be capable of apprehending and the Eyes of Men of discerning the Sense of it I know it is objected by Bellarmin that these Words do only imply that this Law indeed being understood doth enlighten Mens Eyes and direct their Practice but by no means that it is plain and easy to be understood But this is a meer Cavil for it 's plain that it is by understanding the Law that the simple are made wise and the Eyes of Men enlightned If therefore this Law be so obscure in its self as that it cannot make it self understood by all that sincerely enquire into it how is it possible that it should make them wise or enlighten the Eyes of their Minds But it 's plain that the Intent of those Passages of David was to excite and encourage Men to study and observe the Law But what though the Law makes the simple wise when they understand it what Encouragement is this for the simple to study it if it be so obscure that they cannot understand it And since they must understand it before they can observe it what Encouragement doth this Consideration give them to observe it that it will make them wise when they understand it if it be not plain enough for them to understand it But then that forecited Passage of Moses doth in express Words contradict this Cavil of Bellarmin for he tells the People that the Commandment he gave them was not hidden from them whereas if it had been so obscurely delivered to them by Moses that upon their sincere and diligent Enquiry they could not understand it it is certain that it had been still hidden from them how wise soever it might make them when they did understand it And to say that such a Proposition will make me wise when I do understand it is no Argument at all that it is not hidden from me if it be so obscurely expressed as that upon my sincere Enquiry I am not capable of understanding it But that the Old Testament at least in all necessary Matters was plain enough even to common Capacities is evident from the frequent Appeals our Saviour makes to it in his Contests with the Common People of the Jews Thus in the Text he bids them Search the Scriptures for they are they which testify of me and in other Places What saith the Scripture and doth not the Scripture say so and so Now how impertinent would it have been for our Saviour thus to appeal to it at the Tribunal of the People if he thought it so obscure that the People were not capable of understanding it How trifling would it be for a Man to appeal to Suarez's Metaphysicks in a Controversy with a Plow-man or to refer him to Euclid's Elements for the determining the Bounds and Measures of a Field And as from what hath been said 't is apparent that the Scriptures of the Old Testament were at least in all Necessaries plain and clear to the Jews so it is no less evident that the Scripture of the New Testament are so to Christians since it gives the same Testimony to it self of its own Clearness as the Old Testament doth For thus 2 Cor. 4.2 3 4. the Apostle tells us that they did not handle the Word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the Truth commending themselves to Mens Consciences in the sight of God But if our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this World hath blinded the Minds of them which believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them Supposing then that they wrote with the same Plainness and Clearness with which they speak which there is no shadow of Reason to doubt of then from these Words it is evident First That they did neither in their Preaching nor Writings affect to discourse dubiously or obscurely but that their great Design was so to manifest and make known the Truth as that by their Plainness and Simplicity they might recommend themselves to the Consciences of all that heard or read them Secondly That in Fact they had in their Sermons and Writings so clearly taught the Gospel that if after all it remained hidden or obscure to any it was only to such as were lost and irrecoverable Thirdly That that which render'd the Gospel which they had taught and written hidden or obscure to such was not the Obscurity either of the Matter which they taught or of their Manner of Teaching it but their own worldly Affections which blinded their Eyes and hindred them from seeing that which in its self was illustriously visible Which is an unanswerable Evidence of the Clearness and Plainness of the Scriptures of the New Testament in all necessary Things for if they are clear to all but such as wilfully shut their Eyes against them they are as clear as they need be to honest and teachable Minds for there is nothing can be clear enough to such as are not willing to understand And accordingly the Gospel which the Apostle calls the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation is said to have appeared or shone forth to all Men teaching us that denying Vngodliness and worldly Lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Tit. 2.11 Now if the Gospel did shine forth unto all Men it must be in the Sermons and Discourses of those that had preached it to the World and if they so preached it as that it shone forth to all Men they must necessarily have preached it very plainly and clearly Either therefore it was wrote as it was preached or it was not if it was not it was not wrote truly and sincerely if it was it was wrote very plainly so as to make it appear and shine forth to all that read it 'T is true there are some Things obscure both in the Old Scriptures and New but then these are such Things as are no Parts of the Necessaries and Essentials of Religion such Things as Men may be safely ignorant of or be mistaken about without any hazard of their eternal Life For all that the fore-cited Testimonies prove is only this that that true Religion by which God governs the Faith and Manners of Men is so far forth as it is necessary to be believed and practised plainly and clearly revealed to them in the Holy Scriptures But besides this all Men agree there are a great many other Things revealed in Holy Scripture which because they are not necessary for all Men to understand are many of them not so plainly revealed as that all Men may understand them But since the Scripture was written to teach and instruct Men to be sure it teaches them most plainly that which is most necessary for them to know and therefore since there are some Things plainly taught in Scripture as is
it seems the Scripture is plain enough for a well-disposed Child to know the Sense of it so far forth at least as it is necessary to be known and this is as much as we desire If therefore God requires us to read the Scripture as Timothy did the End that we may know and understand it as he did then either we may understand the Sense of it by reading it or else God requires us to read it in vain 4. And lastly From the Obligation we lie under upon pain of Damnation to believe and receive those Necessaries to Salvation contained in Scripture it is also evident that as to all those Necessaries it is plain and clear That we are obliged to believe under pain of Damnation all that the Scriture proposes as necessary to our Salvation is agreed on all hands but how can Men be justly obliged to believe such Things as are obscure and doubtful and uncertain and of which they can have no certain Knowledge Either the Necessaries to Salvation must be plainly and clearly express'd in Scripture or we have not sufficient Reason to believe them and to say God will damn us for not believing those Things which he hath not given us sufficient Reason to believe is to charge him with the most outragious Oppression and Injustice But we are told that though God hath not clearly revealed to us in Scripture those Things which he hath obliged us to believe upon Pain of Damnation yet he hath left us sufficient Reason to believe them for he hath left us to the Conduct of an Infallible Church that is to say of the present Church of Rome in all Ages whom he hath authorized to explain and define to us all Things that are necessary to be believed which we are to receive upon her Authority and not upon the Scriptures so that if we firmly believe what She defines and proposes to us we are sure to believe all Things that are necessary to be believed Now in Answer to this Objection which indeed is the great Foundation that the Faith of those of the present Church of Rome relies on I desire these Things may be seriously considered 1. That before we can reasonably rely upon the Authority of the present Church of Rome in defining and proposing to us the Articles of our Faith there are sundry Things that we must believe upon the Authority of Scripture 2. That these Things which we must believe from Scripture before we can rely upon the Authority of that Church are at least as obscurely revealed in Scripture as any other Article of our Christian Faith 3. That after all these Things upon our relying on that Church's Authority we are left to the same or greater Uncertainties than upon our relying upon the Authority of Scripture 4. That in relying upon the Authority of the Scripture we are left to no other Uncertainities than just what is necessary to render our Faith virtuous and rewardable whereas by relying upon the Authority of that Church supposing it to be a certain Ground as it is pretended our Faith would have little or nothing of Virtue in it 1. That before we can reasonably rely upon the Authority of that Church in defining and proposing to us the Articles of our Faith there are sundry Things that we must believe upon the Authority of Scripture As for Instance we must in the first Place believe that there is a Church or Society of Christians separated from the World or incorporated by a peculiar Divine Charter Now whether there be such a Church or no is a Question that must be resolved by the Scripture and not by the Church because to believe that there is a Church because the Church saith there is a Church is to take that for granted which is the Thing in Question Secondly We must believe that this Church hath Authority to define and propose to us the Articles of our Faith which must also for the same Reasons be believed on the Authority of the Scripture and not of the Church For to believe that there is a Church that hath Authority to propose to us the Articles of our Faith is to believe that there is a Church which we are obliged to believe and how can I believe this upon the Church's Authority unless I can believe it before I do believe it Thirdly Before we can rely upon this Church's Authority in defining and proposing to us the Articles of our Faith we must believe that this Church is infallible for if she be not Infallible how is it consistent with the Truth of God to oblige us to believe Her seeing in so doing he must oblige us whensoever She errs to believe her Errors but that she is infallible is not to be believed upon her own Authority for then her infallible Authority must be the Reason of our Belief that She is Infallible that is we must believe her infallible because we believe her infallible Seeing then we cannot believe it on her own Authority if we believe it at all it must be upon the Authority of Scripture Fourthly Before we can rely upon the Church of Rome's Authority to define to us the Articles of our Faith we must believe the Church of Rome to be this infallible Church But seeing this is no self-evident Principle we must have some other Evidence besides her self to induce us to believe it and what else can that be but Scripture We are told indeed by some of her greatest Divines that there are certain Marks and Notes of a true Church peculiar to the Church of Rome by which we are obliged to believe Her the true Church such as Antiquity Vniversality Holiness of Doctrine c. But seeing no Doctrine can be holy that is not true we must be satisfied that that Church is true before we can know that it is holy so that before we can reasonably submit to her Authority we must be very well assured that her Doctrine is true and this we cannot be assured of by her Authority because that as yet is the Matter in Question and therefore we can be no otherwise assured of it but only by the Authority of Scripture and when we are assured beforehand by the Authority of Scripture that her Doctrines are true her Authority comes too late to assure us Seeing therefore it is evident that there are some if not all the Articles of the Roman Faith that must be known and believe by us upon the Authority of Scripture before we can safely rely upon her Authority to define them to us how can we be obliged to settle our Faith upon her Authority when as before we can reasonably admit her Authority we must believe several of the Articles of our Faith upon the Authority of Scripture For I would fain know are these Articles of Faith or no That there is a Church that this Church hath Authority to define the Articles of our Faith and that in so defining this Church is infallible and that
this infallible Church is the Church of Rome If they be as they themselves own they are then there are some Articles it seems that must be believed without the Church's Authority upon the single Authority of Scripture and if some why not all why should not the Scripture be as sufficient to authorize us to believe the Rest as these since its Authority is as great in one Text as in another Especially considering 2. That these things which we must believe from Scripture before we can rely upon the Authority of the Church of Rome are at least as obscurely revealed in Scripture as any other Article of our Christian Faith The great Reason urged by the Romanists against our Relyance upon the Scripture for our Faith is the Obscurity of it and if this be a good Reason it proves a great deal more then they would have it viz. that we ought not to rely upon Scripture even for those Articles without believing of which we can have no sufficient Ground to rely upon the Authority of their Church For I would fain know is it clear and plain from Scripture that the present Catholick Church of every Age hath Authority to define the Articles of Faith and that in all its Definitions it is infallbile and that the present Church of Rome is this Catholick Church If so how come those Texts upon which those Articles are founded to be understood in a quite different Sense not only by us but by the greatest part of the Primitive Fathers as hath been abundantly proved by Protestant Writers Supposing that we should be so blinded by our Partiality to our own Tenets as to misapprehend plain and clear Expressions of Scripture it is very strange methinks that the Fathers who were never engaged in the Controversy and so could not be biass'd either one way or t'other should yet misapprehend them too What is this but to say that let Men be never so indifferent yet they may be easily mistaken in the Sense of very plain and clear Expressions and if so what signifies either Speaking or Writing But to proceed to some Instances will any modest Man in the World affirm that the Church of Rome's infallibility in defining Articles of Faith to all succeeding Generations is more plainly exprest in those Words of our Saviour Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church than the Divinity of our Saviour is in the Beginning of the first Chapter of St. John's Gospel where it is expresly affirmed that he is God whereas in the other there is not the least mention either of the Church of Rome or of Infallibility or defining Articles of Faith Why may we not then as well depend upon the one Text for the Article of our Saviour's Divinity as upon the other for that of the Church of Rome's Infallibility Again are there not innumerable Texts of Scripture wherein the Articles of Remission of Sin the Resurrection of the Dead the last Judgment and the World to come are at least as plainly exprest as the present Church fo Rome's Infallibility is in any of those Texts that are urged in the Defence of it and therefore if we believe the later upon the Authority of Scripture notwithstanding the pretended Obscurity of it why may we not as well upon the same Authority believe all the former since the former are at least as plainly exprest as the later Either therefore the Scripture is plain enough to be relyed upon as to this Article of the Church of Rome's Infallibility or it is not if it be not we have no Ground for our Dependance upon the Authority of her Definitions and Proposals if it be it 's plain enough to be relyed upon in all other necessary Articles of Faith since these are all as plainly at least express'd in Scripture as that For if we may not rely upon Scripture because it is not plain then where it is equally plain it is equally to be relyed on 3. That when we come to rely upon this Church's Authority we are exposed to far greater Uncertainties than while we relied upon the Authority of Scripture For in the first place we are of all sides agreed that the Scripture is Infallible and that such and such Writing are Parts of Scripture and therefore are absolutely secure that if we follow the true Sense of it it cannot mislead us But the much greater Part of Christians deny that the Church of Rome is Infallible even the Church of Rome it self owns the Authority we rely on to be infallible but all Christians all the World over besides those of her own Communion disallow hers to be so and to forsake our Dependence upon an Infallibility which all own to rely upon an Infallibility which but few in Comparison admit is certainly a very dangerous Venture And then Secondly As for the Infallibility of Scripture we are certain where to find it viz in every Text and in every Proposition therein contained which being all the World of God must be all infallbile But as for the Infallibility of the Roman Church as they have handled the Matter it is almost as difficult to find as to prove it some cry lo it is here and some lo it is there some place it in the Pope only others in the Pope and his College of Cardinals some in the Pope presiding in a General Council others in a General Council whether the Pope preside in it or no. So that in this Church it seems there is Infallibility somewhere but what are we the better for it if we know not where to find it If we go to the Pope for it there have been two or three Popes at once that have decreed against one another and therefore one or t'other of them to be sure were mistaken How then shall we know which is the true infallible one And when I have found the true Pope others tell me I am not yet arrived at the Seat of Infallibility until I have found him in his College of Cardinals and when I have found him here I am still to seek seeing I find the same Pope Eugenius the Fourth for Instance decreeing one Thing in his College of Cardinals and the quite contrary in a general Council and therefore I am sure he could not be infallible in both Therefore otehrs send me to the Pope in a General Council but when I come thither I find my self at a Loss again because I meet with several Instances of one Pope's defining one Thing in one General Council and another Pope the quite contrary in another and therefore in one or t'other Council I am sure the one or t'other Pope was mistaken And as for General Councils themselves there are sundry of them which are owned by some and rejected by others of the principal Doctors of the Roman Communion And even when Councils are legally assembled there are so many nice Disputes among them what it is that makes them General and when it is that they
then to be sure our Saviour here mentions it at least with Approbation and what he approves when done that to be sure he would have us do Whether therefore it be delivered in the Form of a Command or of a bare Assertion it is equivalent to a Command it being at least an Assertion of a Thing which he approves and consequently would have all Men to Practise But because there is a numerous Party in the Christian World which doth not only forbid the People to Search the Scriptures but represents it as a Practice of very dangerous Consequence it is hereby become necessary that we should not only assert but prove their Obligation to it which otherwise would be very needless there being nothing more plain and evident in it self Now to prove that the People are obliged to Search and Read the Scriptures I shall as briefly as I can argue the Point from these following Topicks 1. From the Obligations which the Jews were under-to Read and Search the Scriptures of the Old Testament 2. From our Saviour's and his Apostles Approbation of their Practice in pursuance of this their Obligation 3. From the great Design and Intention of Writing the Scriptures 4. From the Direction of these Holy Writings to the People 5. From the great Concernment of the People in the Matters contained in them 6. From the Vniversal Sense of the Primitive Church in this Matter 1. From the general Obligation which the Jews were under the Read and Search their Scriptures For so God requires them to keep the words which he commanded them in their Hearts and to teach them diligently to their Children and to talk of them as they sat in their Houses and as they walked in the way and when they lay down and when they rose up and to bind them as a sign upon their hands Deut. 6.6 7 8. And elsewhere This book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shatl meditate therein day and night speaking to the Children of Israel in general Jos 1.8 And again Ye shall lay lip these my words in your heart and in your soul that your days may be multiplied and the days of your Children in the Land which the Lord sware unto your Fathers to give them as the days of heaven upon the earth Deut. 11.18 21. And to meditate on God's Law day and night David makes a Part of the Character of the Blessed Man Psal 1.3 Now if they could not keep God's Laws in their Hearts as most certainly they could not if they could not teach them to their Children if they could not talk of them upon all just and proper Occasions and in a word if they could not meditate on them day and night without being very well acquainted with them by diligent Search and Reading them it is most certain that to Read and Search into them was their indispensible Duty Now if there be the same Reason why we should Read the Scriptures as there was why the Jews should then the Obligation of these Commands must extend to us as well as to them because the Reason of the Law is the Law but 't is evident even beyond Contradiction that there is no good Reason assignable for the one which is not of equal force for the other and whatsoever is objected by our Adversaries in this Point against our Reading the Scriptures is of equal validity against the Jews Reading them It is Objected That our Reading them through our Incapacity to understand them must occasion a great many Errors and Heresies in the Church And why should not their Reading them occasion the same since neither their Understandings were larger than ours nor their Scriptures clearer and more intelligible than ours It is farther objected that because of the many ill Examples recorded in Scripture it is dangerous for the People to read it because of their Aptness to be misled and corrupted by Example But I beseech you are there not more bad Examples in the Old Testament than in the New And were not the Jews as apt to be corrupted by them as we Christians And therefore since these Objections do press as much against their reading the Scriptures as ours it is certain they ought to keep both from it or neither Seeing therefore notwithstanding these Objections God obliged the Jews to read them it 's plain they are not of Force enough to disoblige us from doing the same 2. From our Saviour and his Apostles Approbation of this Practice of the Jews in Pursuance of their Obligation to it it is also evident that we are obliged to the same That the Common People of the Jews did ordinarily read the Scriptures in our Saviou's Time is evident not only from the Text Search the Scriptures which if you take them Indicatively are an express Declaration that they did read them and if you take them Imperatively necessarily imply that they themselves owned that they ought to read them but also from those Questions which our Saviour frequently ask'd them in his Conferences with them such as Have ye not read Have ye never read in the Scripture And hath not the Scripture said so and so Which Question would be very Impertinent if reading the Scripture were not then ordinarily practised by that People And that even their holy Women were then so well instructed in the Scriptures as to be able to instruct their Children Timothy is a signal Instance who though his Father were an Heathen had known the holy Scriptures from a Child 2 Tim. 3.15 which knowledge he must necessarily have derived from his Grand-Mother Lois and his Mother Eunice whose Faith St. Paul celebrates 2 Tim. 1.5 And this Practice of reading the Scriptures which was so common among that People in our Saviour's time is so far from being discontinued either by himself or his Apostles that it is always mentioned by them with Applause and Approbation Thus the Bereans are commended as a People of a nobler Strain than those of Thessalonica because they searched the Scriptures daily whether those Things which St. Paul had preached to them were so or no. And St. Paul is so far from reprehending Timothy for medling with the Scriptures whilst he was a Lay-man that he mentions it to his Honour that he had known the Scriptures from a Child And in all those Passages wherein our Saviour takes it for granted that the Common People of the Jews did read the Scripture we have not the least Intimation of his dislike of their Practice which we should certainly have had had he apprehended it to be either dangerous or unwarrantable Seeing therefore neither our Saviour nor his Apostles do in the least disallow of the Scriptures being read by the Common People but on the contrary do expresly commend it this is a plain Argument that it was their Intention to perpetuate the Practice of it to future Ages For seeing the Jews read the Scriptures in Obedience to an express Command of
Resemblance of a sincere Conversion for till his Interest struck in with them they signified nothing with him made not the least Impression on his Mind but being back'd with that all on a suddain they are wondrous cogent and persuasive from whence it is evident that they received their Strength and Force from his Interest without the Air of which they are not able to operate and consequently that the Change of his Faith is owing to the over-ruling Interest of his Covetousness and Ambition and not at all to the Prevalence of Reason and sincere Conviction For 't was that Interest that strongly inclined him to change before ever he knew any Reason for it and then 't was that Inclination that made his Reasons and created his Convictions and let him talk what he pleases of Reason Scripture and Authority if he was strongly inclined to change before he was moved to it by Reason and Evidence it is plain that the prevailing Motive of his Conversion was either the Fear of losing some good warm Place or the Hope of gaining some important Station or Preferment And if this be found the Truth of his Case when he comes to appear before the Tribunal of God it had been a thousand times better for him that he had never been born for then he will be found a base Deserter of his God a treacherous Judas to his Saviour and a perfidious Renegado from his Religion and according to the Quality of his Sin and Guilt receive his Portion of Damnation 4. Consider whether before you entertained any Intention to change you were fully resolved impartially to consult both sides of the Question I doubt there are too many among us that first resolve to change their Religion and then begin to enquire after Reasons and Arguments against it and that their Resolution to change is so far from being the Effect of sincere Conviction that their Conviction is the Effect of their Resolution First Some vile Affection or some temporal Interest recommends another Religion to them that either gives them leave to be wicked without Remorse or Disturbance or promises them Gain and Advancement upon which they resolve right or wrong to entertain and embrace it and then to excuse themselves to their own Consciences or to vindicate their Reputation to the World from the Scandal of being down-right Apostates they fall a hunting after Reasons and Arguments to convince themselves of the Truth of it or at least to make the World believe that it was not their Interest but their Conviction that turned them And when Men thus resolve first and enquire afterwards to be sure their Enquiry will be very partial for being fully resolved to change their Religion upon some vicious or secular Motive it is become their Interest to pick Holes in it and to reason or cavil themselves out of the Belief of it And this makes them shy of bringing the Matter under a fair and impartial Examination lest while they are seeking Reasons to overthrow their Faith they should find Reasons to establish and confirm it So that they begin their Enquiry with these secret Intentions We will listen only to one side of the Cause and leave the other to shift for it self and seek for as many Arguments as we can against our Religion but none for it We will read the Books and consult the Teachers of one side only viz. the opposite side to our present Belief and Persuasion and if among them we can but find Arguments enough to render the contrary Persuasion any way probable we will submit our Faith to it without any farther Enquiry and not trouble our selves to examine the Evidence on the other side for Fear we should be convinc'd in spight of our Teeth that the Truth lies there and then our Conscience will never let us be quiet but be perpetually clamouring against us for base and impious Apostates That this is the foul and hypocritical Intention of too many among us is notorious enough by their Practice they leap from Church to Church and from one Communion to another without any Pause or Consideration they are with us to Day and gone from us to Morrow and are such Mushroom extemporary Converts that before ever we hear they doubted of their own they are confirmed in a contrary Religion In short they steal out of their Religion so softly and with so little Noise that they are commonly gone before ever we hear they are going as if they were afraid we should stop and detain them by better Reasons and fuller Convictions Whereas had these Men any Conscience or Honesty in them they would consider that Religion is a Thing too sacred and serious to be thus dallied and trifled with and that to change ones Religion is a matter of such vast Importance as requires a long and through Consideration and a very clear and full Conviction of Mind that there is too much depends upon it to part with it upon slight Pretences and that it concerns them as much as an Eternity of Bliss amounts to not to desert it upon any other Inducement but that of a through well-weighed Persuasion of Conscience And if they had had any such honest Thoughts about them while they were under the Temptation to change they would never have admitted any Doubt of their Religion but upon great and palpable Evidence and then they would have doubted long before they would have concluded against it and not have precipiated their Judgment hand over head into a contrary Persuasion till they had first applied themselves for Resolution again and again to their old Guides and Pastors and with all due Deference to their Authority had strictly examined all their Reasons and Answers till they had throughly inspected their Arguments pro and con and equally heard both sides of the Cause till they had read advised and consulted on both sides and weighed the whole Matter over and over with the greatest Care and Exactness But when Men run away from their Religion in an Instant without ever observing this regular Process of sincere Enquiries it is a plain Case that their Wills were resolved before their Understandings and that they were converted before ever they were convinced and consequently that it was not Reason and Conviction that turned them but Lust or Interest For though when they are turned they may perhaps be very diligent to seek Conviction yet this is only an After-game which they are fain to play to save their Conscience or their Reputation 5. Consider before you entertain any Intention to change Whether it be your unfained Intention whatever shall happen to you to adhere to that side which shall appear most reasonable Perhaps you are not yet arrived to that Height of Impiety as to resolve right or wrong to change your Religion whether you find it true or false upon a just and fair Examination for this is such an horrible defiance of God such an express and absolute Renunciation of all that is