374 SERMONS upon Serm.q.z_. Chri(t. Prayer is the bell way to get Satisfaction ; and our Doubts are heft folved, by confulting with the Oracle. You can have no certain Light from Men without his Illu- mination. 2. Search, and prove all things. 1 Theff 5.21. Prove all things, hold fall that which is good. We ( hould Rand in the Ways and fee; Jer. 6. 16. Stand in the Ways and fee, and ask for the old Paths, Where is the good Way ? and waft therein, and ye ¡hall find refi for your Souls. We Ihould be able to render ),óyov, 1 Pet. 3. 15. A Reafon of the Hope that is in you with meeknefi and fear. And we have Rio çiexygoe, a fedfaJlnefs of our own, 2 Pet. 2. 16. We mull not only regard the Content of others, but our Judgments muti be ballanced with found and weighty Grounds, otherwife we (hall be carried about with every Wind of Doetrine, when the Pofture of Intereftt is changed, or a new Opinion is flatted. Non exploratis traditionum rationibss probabilem faeiem pòr- tant. Such Men have no Principles. But muti we not hold fait what we have received ? mutt we always be fearching; and keeping our felves in a wary refervation, and be never retied ? I Anfwer ; t. For Principles, and Fundamental Do&rines, we are not to doubt of them : Deut. 12. 30. Thou Pals not enquire after their Gods, flying, How did theft Nati- ons ferve their Gods ? even fowill l áo likewiJe. It is dangerous to loofen Foundation - Stones, tho with an intent to fettle them better. Here we Ihould be at a certainty. 2. For leffer Truths, when they are already cleared, and God bath taught them, it is good to hold fall what we have already received, and not to loofen the Affent, or keep the Soul fufpenfiVe,out ofa jealoufy or fuppofal that fomething may be raid againft what we now hold ; ever learning, and never coming, cis kMyva nv, to the knowledg of the Truth. But in cafe of a&ual Doubt, it is good to fearch. Doubts fmothered, make way for Atheifm, or hardnefs of Heart. Therefore in Cafes óf Anxiety, it is good to bring things to an iffue. Smoke maketh way for flame. 3. In your choice, be not fwayed with Interefts, nor vulgar Prejudices, nor vile Affe &ions.. 1. Not with Interefts. God puts us to trial, to fee if we can love an hated Truth. The World is a blinding thing 5 2 Cor. 4.4. The God of the World hath blinded thq minds of them which believe not. Why is Satan called the God of the World ? he throw - eth the Duft of the World in our Eyes, and then we cannot fee. We eafily believe what we readily delire, and are loth to fearch, when we have a mind to hate. Let the Weights be never fo equal, yet if the Ballantes be not equal, you can never judg of the weight of any thing. When the Mind is prepoffeffed and infected with Interefts, we are not capable of making a right Judgment; as the Water when it is muddied, doth not render and reprelent the Face. 2. Not with vulgar Prejudices ; as prepoffefftons of Cuftom, and long Tradition; the Opinions of Holy and Learned Men 5 general Confent ; Pretences of a ¡hider Way. Men would fain judg upon flight Grounds, without entring into the Merits of the Caffe, to fave the pains of Study and Prayer. This is but to put a Fallacy upon your (elves. Some are againft Novelty; and when the Ways of God are revived, they are hardned, they will not change ; as if there were no Obftinacy, as well as Conftancy ; Obihuacy in the bad Angels, as well as Conftancy in the good. Others are fwayed by the Opinions of godly learned Men, whore Perlons they have in admiration : there is no ipfe dixit in the Church but the Lord's. It is obferved, that the Corruptions of the Roman Synagogue, were occalroned by admiration of fome venerable Paftors of that Church. Pax/ with(tood Peter to the Face, Gal. 2.12. when his Credit and Example was like to do hurt. Others are fwayed by general Content ; but it is dangerous fol- lowing theMultitude ; the World hath been againR Chrif,when a few only have owned him. Others by Pretences of a ftri&er way. Col. 2.2 3. Which things have indeed a Phew of Wifdom in Wil -worjliip and Humility, and negletäing of the Body. This is to be wirer thanGod, and to judg the Law. 3. Not by vile Affe&ions ; Pride, Paffion, Bnvy. Pride, or an over - weening Opi- nion of our own Wit and Learning. John 9.4o. The Pharifees faid, Are we blind alfo ? Proud Perlons, as the great [tabbies, will not feem to be in an Error. Men chufe ra- ther to be Wicked, than to be accounted Weak. So Envy at others, when Men cannot be admitted into fuch Places as they affe&; and that puts them upon Error and Oppo- fition. 1 Cor. 3. 3. For whereas there is among you Envying, and Strife, and DiVifr011f, are ye not Carnal, and walk al Men ? So Paillon, Revenge, and Difcontent. The Devil worketh much upon Spleen and Anger, when Offence is taken, whether jui1y, or upon fuppofed OMNI
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=