in Unrighteoufnefs. For Men love Darknefs rather than Light, because their Deeds are evil. For every one that doth evil hateth the Light, neither cometh to the Light, left bis Deeds fhould be reproved. But he that doth Truth cometh to the Light, that his Deeds may be made manifeft that they are wrought in God. 2 THE like Directions are needful to be obferv'd by fuch Hearers alfo as are al ready firmly perfuaded that the Chriftian Religion is a Divine Inftitution, and that the Books which we call the Scriptures are the Word of God himself. They ought to be willing to fubmit to Evidence, and to affent without Delay to whatsoever shall be proved to be agreeable to the Scriptures, the Divine Authority of which they confefs, tho' it be not agreeable to their Prejudices or Interefts, or Inclinations. It ought to be their fole Aim to difcover what is true. They should have the Indifferency of Travellers; not chufing those Paths which they themselves like beft, but honeftly endeavouring to find out the right. Way to SERM. II. to Salvation, and fteadfaftly refolving to SERM, walk in it, be it ever fo narrow and unII. pleasant. THEY ought to free themselves from the Dominion of all vicious Appetites and Affections; the Influence of which will cloud and darken their Underftandings, and lead them into fatal Errors. While their Lufts are predominant, they will greedily embrace Tenets which are favourable to them, and will give no Credence to a pure and holy Doctrine. They will believe that to be true, which they defire may be true, grounding their Opinions upon their Wishes, and not upon Reason, or the Authority of Divine. Teftimony. But they who have purg'd themselves from all inordinate Paffions and Defires, and are not fway'd by any undue Views to prefent Pleasure or Ad.. vantage, are for that reafon more capable of difcerning Truth; They will judge of Doctrines equally and impartially, and are under no Temptation to yield their Affent to any thing that is false, or to with-hold it from any thing that is true, because because they have no other Concern nor Intereft than to find out Truth. MOREOVER, they who would be profitable Hearers of the Word ought, to the utmost of their Power, to diveft themselves of all Prejudice and Ill-will against the Preachers of it. They ought to confider not the Perfon, but the Arguments of the Speaker, and not to refufe falutary Inftruction out of Difguft or Diftaft to him who offers it. If his Character be not altogether unblemish'd, or if he be an Enemy, they may be content to hear from him what may be for their Advantage, and to let him be an Inftrument of their everlasting Salvation. THEY ought not to be fo puffed up with their Attainments in Knowledge, as to imagine that nothing remains unknown to them; nor fo addicted to their own Opinions, as to be unwilling to hear what may be alledg'd against them; but difpos'd to alter their Judgments when there are good Reafons fo to do. They who are confident that they are already compleatly inftructed, and that E they SERM. II. SERM. II. they can never be in the Wrong, are not likely to be great Proficients, even with? the beft Helps and Means of Improve-> ment, and under the ableft and most skilful Mafters in the World. The proper Temper of Scholars is to be humble and modeft, meek and fubmiffive, fen fible of their own Defects and Liableness to mistake, willing to learn and to be better inform'd, to be convinc'd of their Errors, and upon Conviction to relinquish and correct them. This honeft and good Heart is that good Ground which yields Fruit, fome thirty Fold, fome fixty and fome an hundred. IT is to be confidered farther, That fuch is the Impotency and Corruption of our Faculties in our prefent State of De generacy, that in order to a faving Knowledge of the Gofpel, it is requifite that the external Preaching of it fhould be accompanied with the internal Operations and Affiftances of God's Holy Spirit. And Perfons of that Temper, which I have been now recommending, are most fufceptible of the Influences of Divine Grace, Grace, and do cafily yield to its Impreffions, and are forward to cherish and obey its Motions. Wherefore God is ever ready to difpenfe it liberally to them according to his Promife. For, what Man is he that feareth the Lord? Him fhall he teach in the Way that he fhall chufe. The Meek will he guide in Judgment, and the Meek will he teach his Way. The Secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will fhew them his Covenant. He, who refifteth the Proud, giveth Grace unto the Humble. Myfteries are revealed unto the Meek, faith the Son of Sirach; and he that keepeth the Law of the Lord, getteth the Understanding thereof. God will be found of them that tempt him not. But into a malicious Soul, Wisdom fhall not enter, nor dwell in the Body that is fubject unto Sin. For the Holy Spirit of Difcipline will flee Deceit, and remove from Thoughts that are without Understanding, and will not abide when Unrighteoufnefs cometh in. But God judiciously blinds thofe, who wilfully SERM. II. |