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to Points of meer Philofophy; it may de- SER M. " ferve not only Indulgence, but sometimes "even Praife. But the Misfortune is, that "the fame Vanity attends Men in Enquiries

of Religion, where all that is true is old, "and has been from the Beginning, and confequently no new Conclufion can be ad"mitted. But even here, too, in the Doc"trines of Religion, it appears dull and un

diftinguishing to tread on in the com

mon Road, and to think and believe as o"ther Men do. This will not fufficiently "recommend to publick Notice; it won't ¢ enough engage the Attention of the World:

Something new and furprizing must be "fought for, fomething that will argue a "deeper Penetration than other Men's, and "intitle us to the venerable Character of "Mafters, and which whofoever will learn, "must acknowledge himself to receive from σε us, and be lifted in the Train of our Disciples. "And if we observe how deeply this Paffion " is rooted in our Nature; and how difficult "it is even for good Men to restrain it with" in due and proper Bounds, and how na"turally, whenever it is indulged in Religion, it must lead Men into Herefies; we may from this fingle Confideration con"clude

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SERM. «clude that the Church of God can never "be wholly fecure from thefe Evils. And "if we further reflect that Envy, Resentment, and almost every other Paffion, may "accidentally concur in producing them; that (whenever it happens (and often it " must be expected to happen) that the Pow"érs of the World give Encouragement to "these Divifions) Avarice and secular Am"bition must be added to the Causes of them; "and lastly, that the Malice of all the "Church's Enemies from without, will be

always vigilant to cultivate every Seed of "Divifion, to take Advantage of every Paf "fion, and to improve every Incident that

may distract or disturb her: If all this, I "fay, be duly confidered, we must confess "that these Evils are, humanly speaking, "neceffary and unavoidable; Events to be "looked for in the natural and ordinary "Course of Things."

But I have obferved not only that Herefies will arife from the Tempers and Difpofitions of Men corrupt; but also that it is fit they should arife for the Trial and Manifeftation of the found and uncorrupt: Which properly makes way for my

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II. SECOND Head, to which I fhall pro- SER M. ceed, and having fhewn how unreasonable it is to expect any otherwife than that Herefies or Oppofitions to our Faith fhould arife; I fhall now fhew that when they do arise they are always of Ufe and Benefit to the Church. Of what Use and Benefit the Apostle plainly declares in my Text: There muft alfo (faith he) be Herefies amongft you, that they which are approved may be made manifeft among you. In which Words he plainly intimates that Men of unstable and irreligious Principles are permitted to broach and propagate their Herefies, to the End that those who are approved, ì. e. those who are truly found and fincere, may have an Opportunity of fhewing their Stedfaftness in the Faith. For did all Men profess the true Faith, and were there none to difpute the Sense of it's Articles; how should we know whether this or that Man yielded his Affent to it, out of pure Conviction of Mind, or meerly from the Force of Education? It is poffible indeed that fome of us might look into the Reafons of our Religion, and fo make Profeffion of it from a Perfuafion of its Truth: But yet the reft of the World would know no otherwife than that we be

XII.

SER M. lieve it (as they do) because our Fathers taught it us, and that we make Profeffion of it because every-body elfe does fo. For were the Cafe to be as I reprefent it, i. e. were there to be but one Religion univerfally established, and no Oppofition ever made to it; the Agreement of Men's Faith would, generally speaking, not be owing to the right understanding of the Religion they profess, but to their being ignorant of any other Opinion: There would be no Objection made to their Religion, and therefore they would have no Scruples about it; there would be no other Party or Divifion of Men, and for that Reason they must neceffarily keep within the Pales of the Church. But fuch an Uniformity of Faith would be no Teft that they were found and orthodox; but only an Argument of a blind Obedience, For by Orthodoxy we are to understand (as the Word itfelf implies) a fincere and ftedfaft Profeffion of the right Faith, in Oppofition to all the falfe Doctrines and Notions urged by Hereticks against it. So that whilst there is no Objection made to our Religion, we cannot properly be faid to be orthodox, because we believe it. Our Faith therefore must be tried before it be approved and for that Rea

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fon it is that God fuffers Herefies to arife. SER M. For when they are advanced and made known to the World; when Sects and Divifions are daily encreased, and any one may take up, without Control, with what Principles or Opinions please him beft; if Men then continue ftedfast in what they already profefs, and are not drawn afide from the Unity of the Church, either by an Affection of Novelty, or the Gloss of fpecious Arguments; they give a convincing Proof that the Reason why they hold, and perfevere in, the Truth, is not because they received it from their Forefathers; but because they are well instructed in it's Grounds and Principles. And this Method has God always taken to manifeft the Adherence of his chofen Servants; graciously giving us Warning beforehand that we must expect fuch Trials of our Faith. If there arife among you (faith he to his ancient People the Jews) a Prophet, or a Dreamer of Dreams, and giveth thee a Sign or a Wonder; and the Sign or Wonder come to pals, whereof he fpake unto thee, faying, Let us go after frange Gods (which thou haft not known) and -ferve them; Thou shalt not hearken to the Words of that Prophet, or that Dreamer of Dreams; For the Lord your God PROVETH you,