Vol. II.thus? You'll fay, I fhall be fingular, I fhall difoblige, I fhall run the Gauntlet of Cenfures and Reproaches. Ah! Why fhouldst thou be afraid to ftand up for and openly own Religion and Virtue, when others are not afraid to stickle for Sin? Why shouldft thou be afham'd to act well and wifely, when others are confident enough not to blush at their Iniquity? Is it not an Argument of a poor daftardly Spirit, and an infatuated one too, to fear the Displeasure of ill Men, and the Scoffs of Fools, and at the fame time not to be afraid to break thy Baptifmal Vow, and incur the Wrath of God? I earnestly befeech fuch a one often to think upon the Advice of the Son of Ecclus. iv. Sirach, Accept no Perfon against thy Soul, Or thofe Words of St. James, The FriendJames iv.hip of the World is Enmity with God. Or thofe of our Lord, Whosoever shall be afbamed of me and of my Words in this adulterous and finful Generation, of him also sball the Son of Man be afbam'd when he cometh in the Glory of his Father with the holy Angels.

22.

4.

Mark viii.

38.

I fhould proceed to the Fourth Propofition, but this requires an entire Difcourse, and therefore I must break off here. There needs no practical Inferences, the whole has been but one di

rect

rect practical Application or Addrefs to Serm. Sinners; I pray God it may work effectu- VII, ally upon you, at leaft upon fome Soul or other, that I may have reafon to rejoyce in the Day of our Lord Jefus that I have not labour'd at this time in vain,

The End of the Seventh Sermon,

L 4

SER

ababakabab

SERMON VIII.

The Folly and Unreasonableness of that Infidelity which leads to Prefumption.

[The Second Sermon upon this Text.]

Let no Man deceive you with vain Words, for because of these things cometh the Wrath of God upon the Children of difobedience.

Have from these Words al

153

Vol. II.

ready prov❜d,

I

First, That Sin is a Cheat.

Secondly, That Men are

willing to be cheated.

Thirdly, That there are never wanting those who are very defirous to debauch and seduce others. And now I purpose to proceed to the

Fourth

Vol. II.

2 Pet. iii. 3.

Fourth Thing contain'd in my Text, namely, That the Talk of Men, by which they endeavour to corrupt others, is but vain Words.

And here it ought to be a very great Prejudice against the Opinions these Men labour to inftil, that the Abettors of 'em are Scoffers walking after their own Lufts; that while they pretend to Wit, they have not Sobriety nor Industry enough to confider Matters to the bottom; while they pretend to affert the Liberty of Mankind, they are themselves Slaves to their vileft Lufts; and while they fet themselves up for Masters of free and impartial Reason, they are wretchedly biafs'd to one Side, and do but defend that Wickedness which they are defperately engaged in; fo that I think any fober and impartial Man would fee reafon enough to reject whatever Fancies fuch as these may advance without confidering them. For as the Son of Sirach, and good Senfe tells every Man, as we muft not confult with a Coward in Matters Xxxvii. 11. of War, nor with the Slothful for any Work; fo upon the fame Ground neither are we to confult with a wicked Wretch concerning Religion.

Ecclus.

However,