(3.) Which is yet more particular, they ascribe unto him infallibility, as to all matters of faith; which is a peculiar attribute of the Deity, as such. "He cannot err," says one expressly concerning the pope; "he cannot be deceived. It must be conceived concerning him that he knows all things." Another expresses himself thus; "He has all things in the chest, the cabinet of his own breast. He is unto all the world a living law, that cannot err; and in which there is no obliquity:" and the like.

How very likely is it, that where this notion is prevailing, practice itself should go no higher than this notion! How likely is it that the faith of multitudes, on this account, must terminate on this supposed infallible creature! And so, what comes all that religion to, which hath, as to that part of it that consists in believing, only a man for its final object, and so is made purely a human thing?

Hereupon they resolve all the validity of the Scriptures themselves into the authority of the pope, or the church, which is much the same thing. One says, that from the church or bishop of Rome the whole book of sacred Scriptures draws all its strength. And another to the same purpose, that the sacred Scripture draws all its force from the authority of the bishop or church of Rome. Finally, another is so bold as to say very profanely, that the Scriptures have no more authority than Esop's fables, but as they derive it from the church. So that it is very plain they place Deity upon this same creature and idol of their own making, inasmuch as they ascribe to him infallibility in all things; which is one of the peculiar attributes of the supreme God.

(4.) They ascribe to this god, the power of forgiving sins. That none can forgive sins but God is an acknowledged principle. But this power they give to this god of theirs. One of themselves preferred to the pope such an application as this; "Thou lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on me! Thou lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, grant us thy peace!" This was actually said to, and received by, one of their popes. And it has been expressly taught of the papal power, with respect to this very matter; that whereas any ordinary bishop may remit temporal punishment, the pope has power to remít eternal; and that he has more power, as to this point, than Christ hath as man. "For (say they) Christ, as man, did only procure pardon; but the pope, as a god, does give it." Again,

(5.) They attribute unto him a power of dispensing with the very law of nature. I might instance in several things that belong to each table of the decalogue. For example, they place a power in their pope to dispense with the most solemn oaths. And one positively says, "He can make perjury righteousness, if it be for any valuable purpose; for the service of his, or the catholic cause." They say again; "that he can dispense with any of the books of the Old Testament, because he is greater than the penmen thereof." As if they had written in their own name, or as if he could not be greater than they, in any sense, but in his wealth and wickedness.

6. They ascribe to the pope, what indeed he has been wont to assume to himself, a power to alter or add to the Gospel. Not only to take off the obligations of the law of nature, but to mould too, as he pleases, the law of grace.

that particular case, he can give another sense to the Gospe. And another tells us in plain words, that he can not only interpret the Gospel, but add to it. And we find that really the popes have done so. For do not they damn to hell, against the sum and the main tenor of the Gospel, many good Christians, merely because they will not play the idolater, nor give religious homage to this great idol the pope; and do they not profess to give a title to heaven to many a vile wretch, as wicked as any can be supposed to be? And merely on this account, because they are subject to that usurped power? What is this but to make another Gospel? Christ says, "He that believes in me shall have eternal life." But they say, at least in their practice, “If you do not believe in the pope too, you shall not have eternal life." And whereas Christ says, "He that believeth not, shall never see the face of God;" they say, "Be he never so unholy, if he trusts in the pope, he shall be saved." And what does all this amount to, but the setting up a created thing, as the final object of religion? Is not this to dispense with all the fundamental laws of nature, and to invade the Gospel of Christ? Well may it be said that this vain mortal has set up himself above all that is called God, or worshipped as God, 2 Thess. ii. 4.

Now let men profess to know the true God as long as they will, yet if they will make another god, they take away the unity which is most essential to the Divine nature, and contrary to the first commandment, which runs thus; Thou shalt have no other god before me. Either they do this in speculation, or, which is in reality the same thing, in practice. Their faith and obedience terminate on this god. For all their professing to know God, who is the Most High and Supreme above all, they at least practically deny him.

And thus far I have thought proper to insist on sundry accounts, though I may not suppose any to hear me whom this does directly concern.

1st, That so we may all of us, who call ourselves protestants, have a deep sense on our hearts of the great mercy of God, in distinguishing our case. And,

2dly, That we may be duly sensible of his mercy in preserving us from such a church, as he has hitherto done: and from such men, whose principles not only allow, but oblige them to fill the world with slaughters and blood, if there be but the least dissension from their party and interest; or if people are not entirely devoted to their way.

3dly, That we may all of us understand, what a noble cause we have to struggle for against this party of men, in this difficult time in which we live; and may see what reason we have to "contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints," (Jude 3.) and as it was given to them. And finally, to add no more,

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

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

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

A heathen may possibly be guilty of perjury himself, but his conscience remonstrates against it, and on his own principles he is self-condemned. But when there shall be a principle which suggests to a man that it is lawful to sin, and not only so but that it is his duty to perjure himself, with how strong a stream must the current of wickedness run in the world!

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

SERMON VI.*

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

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

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

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

1. They may be truly said to deny God in their works, though they profess to know him, who have an habitual propension to habitual wickedness. There are indeed two expressions of the apostle, that are here alluded to; namely, abominable and disobedient: the former of which, as we have shown before, speaks the wickedness to which such are propense; and the latter, the obstinacy of that propension. Which is plainly signified by the word rendered disobedient; which we may render more emphatically untractableness, such as by no persuasions can be withdrawn from a wicked course.

I doubt not but there are many such persons, who because they are not of that sort which we have spoken of in the preceding discourse, but account themselves very good

Preached April 10th, 1681.

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

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

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

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

But perhaps some may be ready to say; "All this is very right; but we have more than the name of being protestants: we perform many duties that do belong to that religion." And perhaps one sort of protestants may glory and make their boast, that for their parts, they are diligent in their attendance on public worship, and devout in bearing a part in the solemnity thereof, but especially in the prayers of the church: they are very punctual in the observances of it; missing in no point of ceremony; keep exactly to all the modish and fashionable rites; have their

a See Page 630.

They deny his power, both as it signifies might and authority. As it signifies authority, they carry the matter as if he had no right to rule or direct them. As it signifies might, they behave as if he were not able to revenge himself on them. Moreover,

They deny his truth. He has declared that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven, (1 Cor. vi. 9, 10.) but they seem confident they shall.

There is also in their practice and conduct a manifest denial of his holiness. "Be ye holy (says the Almighty) for I am holy," 1 Pet. i. 16. But their behaviour implies as much as if they said both, that they will not be holy, and that God himself is not so; whilst they imagine to themselves, that he approves the unholy course they take. And, There is a denial of his justice, his vindictive justice. It is plainly saying, as it were, that he will not judge the world; that he will not distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, but will deal alike with all. Yea, and which is no paradox, though it seems one, their conduct implies also a denial,

Lastly, of his mercy and goodness too. But you will perhaps say, that seems strange; for it is Divine mercy on which these men do peculiarly rely. God will be merciful when all is done. But can they be said to trust in his mercy, when they do not truly rely on his word? That which they trust in is nothing but a mere phantom, an imagination of their own hearts; and so it is trusting to themselves, and not to God. They have no other trust but that of fools, that is, trusting to their own hearts; to what the fancy suggests, or the imagination can create. For if they did hope in the Divine mercy in reality, they who 'had such a hope would purify themselves as God is pure. That would break their hearts and mollify their temper, so as that they would have but little disposition to be stout against God.

Whilst, therefore, men thus deny these great attributes of the Divine nature, may they not be said to deny God himself. For pray what kind of notion should we have of God, if these were set aside? What a horrid idea would that be of an untrue, unholy, unwise, unjust Deity!

(2.) God is also denied by persons of this character, with respect to the great relations in which he stands to all his reasonable creatures. I do not mean those special relations which he bears to his own peculiar people; but those wherein he stands to all in common, who are universally the work of his hands, and as the Psalmist expresses it, the sheep of his pasture, Psalm c. 3. Which relations are principally these following, to wit, those which result from his creation of us; his propriety in us; his dominion over us; and his continual beneficence towards us. But,

Do they own him as their Creator, or themselves to be his offspring, who thus bend themselves against the great Parent of all?

Do they own him as their Proprietor, or themselves as his property? The ox indeed knows his owner, and the ass his master's crib, (Isa. i. 3.) but they know not theirs, saying; "We are our own; who is Lord over us ?" This is at least the sense and meaning of the conduct of these men. Further,

Do they own him to be their Ruler, or do they truly call themselves his subjects, when their life is a continued rebellion? Or, finally,

Do they own him for their Benefactor? But how can they be said to acknowledge, that it is he from whom all their good comes, when they live to themselves, and not to him? It is very plain therefore they deny God in all these relations as well as in his attributes.

Thus far then you see as to the first character, That they who are obstinate in a course of wickedness, whatsoever they profess, do most apparently in their works deny God. I shall touch but briefly on the

2. In which I propose to prove the same point, from their habitual aversion to that which is good; or a general disaffection to every good work; which is the next characteristic of this sort of persons,according to St. Paul's account. There are those in the world who are apt to think well of their own case, because they are not of this last mentioned sort. They for their parts practise no such impieties, as many others do; none can say they are murderers, adulterers, false-dealers, and the like; and therefore they reckon their case good just as if it should be thought impossible a man should die of any distemper but the plague. Or as if in a battle, a soldier should employ his whole care to protect his head, and not expect a stab or a bullet in his heart. So little is it considered what is so obvious to the common reason of a man!

Good comes only by the concurrence of all things which are requisite thereunto; and evil, by any failure of one of those things. It may therefore be said of such persons, "Ye are not, it may be, guilty of such and such evils, but what good do you do? from what temper of mind? from what principle? or with what disposition do you do it?" To such I address myself, and suppose, that many have this to say for themselves, that they pray; they hear God's word; they give alms; and the like. "Do you so? It is well. But with what disposition do you engage in all these duties? Is it not with an averse disinclined heart? or is if not from some corrupt root and principle or other?" The case is very forlorn indeed when men do make their boasts of the fruits, and cannot so much as show the tree! As there cannot be a good and holy principle without its connatural effects, so nor can there be right effects if they proceed not from their proper principle. There are none capable of good works, but those that are created in Christ Jesus thereunto; without this, men perform religious duties without heart or soul. To illustrate this matter let it be considered, how much the hearts of men are engaged in the work of some profitable calling or pleasing recreation; and on the other hand, how little their hearts are in prayer, in any duties in which they are to converse with God. And how can persons think to please God in those duties, in which they take no pleasure themselves? If you are not pleased with them, how do you think he should?

But it may here be said, "What! does every one deny God in his works, who feels an indisposition in himself to those which are good? Or who does good works, though many times it may be with an indisposed heart?" I answer; Is it not easy to understand the difference between the indisposition of the sick and lame, and that of the dead? Is there no difference between those, who have weak imperfect grace, and those who have none? I shall briefly point out to you some things to this purpose, which are very obvious.

(1.) The indispositions of one sort are only gradual, but of the other they are total. There is in one no taste or disposition for any thing that is good: in the other, though there be a great indisposition in the general, yet there is withal some desire after God; some inclination and tendency to that which is good. So as that they may be capable of saying, as the apostle St. Paul represents the case, "The good that I would do, I do not," Rom. vii. 19. İ have a mind to it, though the bent of my mind is not so strong as it should be.

position of a wicked unregenerate heart is continued, and at all times alike; but the indispositions of a soul, which is in the main pious and good, are only by intervals. They are not always alike indisposed. There is an alteration in this case, but none in the other, so long as that spiritual death remains upon them. In a word, all good persons experience, that they have sometimes a greater relish for their duty and the service of God, than they have at other times. Besides,

(3.) The indispositions of the carnal and vicious are un