Reverence and Veneration, as containing all Things neceffary [explicitly] to be believ'd in order to Salvation.

But because nothing was ever fo well contrived as to escape the Malice of Men, and the Corruption of Times; it may be neceffary to affert and vindicate the Sufficiency of this Antient Rule of Faith against two sorts of Adverfaries, The Romanift on one hand prefumptiously adding, the Socinian on the other facrilegiously taking from it.

1. The Romanifts pretend, that there are feveral Doctrines of equal Neceffity to Salvation, with those that are, which are not contained in the Creed: And therefore by virtue of that abundant Authority which that Church challenges to her felf in Matters of Faith, they have tack'd to the Old, a Catalogue of new Articles. Now by fuch Doctrines they must mean, either fuch as are Matters of Practice, or of Faith; if the firft, 'tis impertinent to the Queftion; for it is not affirmed that all the neceffary Precepts of a Chriftian Life, are contained in the Creed; though it be suppofed a fufficient Rule of Faith; yet no Man pretends that it contains the Measures of Practical Obedience; but for them all Men are referred to the Scriptures. If they speak of Matters of Faith [as they muft do, if they speak to purpose] neither is it affirmed, that all Things pioufly credible, are contained therein. Many Things there are very useful

to

to be known and believed, and yet not all Men under equal Penalty bound to know and believe them, because of the different Degrees of their Knowledge; the Manner of their Educations, Profeffions, Opportunities, and the like Circumftances. Thofe other may be the Duties of Obedience, they may be probable Opinions, they may be the private Conjectures of Learned Men; and yet not of equal Neceflity with thofe prime Verities, which make up the Foundation of Faith. In fine An explicit Belief of thefe is indifpenfably neceffary, and (together with a good Life) may be fufficient for Salvation; tho' a Man knows nothing of, nay, tho' he rejects the Additions made by Pope Pius the Fourth.

2. Befides thefe, we meet with another Sort of Adverfaries, who would curtail and fhorten our Creed, and fum up all the Articles of it in one; who oppofe the Incarnation and Trinity, and would bring us back to the Principles of Natural Religion; who account it a Difparagement to their Understandings, to be tied up to Modes and Forms, tho' never so antient, or never fo generally received. This Anti-Chriftian Spirit firft appeared in that Monfter of Pride and ill-Nature Arrius; and hath fince been revived and propagated by Socinus and the Fraternity of Poland, whofe filthy Vomit hath been lick'd up, and of late difgorged amongst us in brief Notes, and naked Gofpels. So dangerous is it, when Men, leaving

the

the antient and fafe Paths of the Church, give themselves up to the wanton Vagaries of Fancy, to their own Carnal and Licentious Reafonings.

'Tis true, Reafon is of excellent Use, even in Matters of Faith; provided it keep within its proper Sphere. Religion, as well as other Sciences, hath its Pracognita; fome Things to be known antecedently to Faith, and to these Reason and Difcourfe is proper, As, That the Scripture is the Word of God; that this, or that Propofition is exprefly contained in it, or by manifeft Confequence deducible from it: That it was fo received and understood by all Antiquity. Thefe, with the like, are Things to be known, and lie within the compass of Reafon; Reason when improv'd by Industry, Reading, and Meditation; when fanctify'd by Humility, Prayer, and the Grace of God. Yet after all, it ought to be confidered how few there are that come to these Attainments and in those that do, how often Prejudice, Education, Interest, Pride, Addiction to a Party, Admiration of Men's Perfons, do distort the Judgment, tincture and corrupt Reafon: And therefore methinks we ought to feek for fome better Security from the Church; where tho' (perhaps) we fhall not infallibly find the Truth, yet we may always reasonably prefume it; efpecially if it be confidered further, that an Error in the one Cafe is far more pardonable than in the other. Here I have Authority with me, and it is much fafer to err in Obe

C 3

dience

dience to the Authority which Chrift hath left

his Church, than to err in Oppofition to it. The firft is but a fimple Error at the moft, the other is an Error joined with Pride, Contumacy, and Difobedience to the Ordinance of God. Wherefore to conclude this Head.

Abfolutely neceffary it is, that we hold the Foundation of the Faith, pure and uncorrupt: That Form of found Doctrine we have received, without inclining to the right Hand, or to the Left: That we feed the Flock of Chrift committed to our refpective Charges, with the fincere Milk, i. e. with the plain and faving Truths of his Gofpel: That we preach Chrift Jefus, and him crucify'd: Be inftant with Men to Believe and Repent; and, as much as we can prefs upon them the neceffity of Christian Faith and Practice; this I am fure we have Authority to do: This Chrift hath exprefly put into our Commiffion; and this I take to be the trueft Peice of Service and Faithfulness to thofe Flocks, over which he hath made us Stewards: I proceed now to the 3d Thing implied in being Faithful. And that is.

3dly, A careful Attendance upon, and a confcientious Discharge of our Office. For though a good Stock of Learning and Knowledge, Diligence and Study, be exceedingly commendable and neceffary, in order to the due Difcharge of our Duty; yet that which God chiefly requires, and regards, is the Con

fancy

ftancy and Sincerity of our Endeavours. Indeed it is not within the Compass of every Man's Attainments, Opportunities, and Worldly Circumftances, to be a profound Divine, or an exquifite Orator; but it is much fo, to be Conscientious and Faithful. Tho' a Man be not a Demofthenes, or a Cicero, a Chryfoftome, or an Auftine, yet by his Prudence, and Carefulness, by the Integrity of his Heart, and the Unblamableness of his Life, he may be happily ferviceable to the faving of himself, and thofe that hear him. The Efficacy of the Word and Sacraments, does not fo much depend upon the Parts and Gifts of him that Minifters, as upon Divine Institution, and the Co-operation of the Holy Spirit. So the Apoftle to the Romans. Having then Gifts differ- Rom. Ch. ing according to the Grace that is given to us, 6.7. whether Prophecy, let us prophefie according to the Proportion of Faith, or Miniftry, let us wait on our Miniftring; or be that teacheth, on teaching: And again to Timothy: Watch thou in all Things, endure Afflictions, do the Work of an Evangelift, make full Proof of thy Miniftry. Now here are Two Things principally required. 1. Plainess and Sincerity.

2. Courage and Conftancy.

1. Plainefs and Sincerity. That we deliver the whole Will of God without fmoothing, or Defalcation; that we inforce thofe Duties which Men may be unwilling to hear of, and which they are averfe to practice: Even C+4 thefe

12. ver.