Serm. XXIII. and Pattèrnr o f Chri f ianit y . 1 7 1 Weftern Parts of the World, and to impoverifh the Shrines of all other Saints, even ofthe BlefedVirgin her felf ; ) others, fuch Ideots, or hot-headed Finaticks, that he that reads their Lives, would take them to be Fools and Mad-men, rather than Saints, (as Francis, and Dominick, and Ignatius Loyola, and feveral others of the fame.ftainp; ) and many the very belt of them, fo difguifed by their Le- gends, that inftead of the fubftantial Virtues of a Good Life, their Story is made up of falfe and fantaftical Miracles, and ridiculous Freaks-of Superftition. All which confidered, there is great Reafon, why we fhould have recourfe to the Primitive Patterns of Faith and Holinefs, and be followers of them, whowe are furewere followers of Chr f. I proceed to the Second Thing I propofed, namely, wherein we fhould imitate thefe Patterns. And the Apoftle expreileth it in one word, in their Faith, Whofe Faith follow. And the word Faith is frequently in the New Teftament ufed fo largely, as to comprehend the whole Condition of the Gofpel ; a firmBelief of the Doctrine of it, and the Fruit and Effect of this Belief, in a good Converfation. And that Faith here in the Text, takes in a holy Life, is evident from what follows, Whofe faithfollow, confadering theend of their Converfation; from whence it is evident, that the Apoftle fpeaks of fuch a Faith, as thews forth it fell in a good Converfation. So that we may very well fuppofe the Apoftle here to recommend the Primitive Faith to our imitation, in thefe Four,refpeets. I. In regard of the Sincerity and Purity of it.. 2. In regard of the Firmnefs and Stability of it. 3. Of their Conflancy and Perfeverence in it. 4. Of the Efficacy and Fruitfulnefs of it, in a good Converfation. All thefe may be collected from the Exprefftons and Circumftances of the Text. t. We are to imitate thefe Primitive Patterns, in the Sincerity and Purity of their Faith ; I mean, that the Faith which we profefs, be the fincere Doctrine of Chriftianity, and the pure Word of God, freefrom all mixture.of Humane Addi- tions and Inventions, and not made up, as the Faith of the Pharifees was among the Jews, and theirs of the Church of Rome is at this day, of the Word of God, and the Doflrines and Traditions of Men; not like the Creedof Pope Pius the IV. (which is now the Standard of the Roman Faith) confifting of the 12 Old Arti- cles of the Chriftian Faith, delivered to us by Chrift and his Apoftles, and as many new ones, coined and ftampt by their later Councils. This is not to follow the Faith of the Apoftles, and firft Patterns of Chriftianity, the Faith once deli- veredto the Saints, as St. Jude calls' it. This is to have our FaithRand upon the Authority of Men, and not on the Word of God; whereas we are to follow the Faith of thefirfi Guides of the Chriftian Church, who fpake unto them the Word ofGod, as the Apoftle exprefly chargeth here in the Text. 2. We are to imitate them, in the Stability and Firmnef of our Faith, and not fuffer our felves to befhaken, and removed from it, by every wind of newDo- urine ; the Faith of Chrift being unchangeable, as Chrift hiinfelf; And that by following the Faith of.the Primitive Guides and Teachers of Chriftianity, the Apoftle here means, that we fhould be fedfaf and unmoveable in it, is plain from what follows immediately after the Text ; Whofe faith follow, confidering the End of their Converfation. Jefus Chrift, thefame yeterday, and to day, and for ever. Be not carried about with divers andfrange dot`trines : for it is a good thing, that the heart be eliablifbed withgrace, that is, in the Doctrineof the Gofpel, which is frequently called the grace of God. 3. We are to imitate them, in the' Confancy and Perfeverance of their Faith ; and that, notwithftanding all the Difcountenance and Oppofition, the Perfecution and Suffering which attend the Profefíion of this Faith ; which the Apoftle fuf- ficiently intimates in this Epiftle, to have been the Condition of thofe Chriftians, to whom he wrote; and therefore he propofeth fo many Examples to them, of confiant and patient Suffering for God and his Truth; and it is probable enough, that the "Apoftle here recommends the Example of thofe, who were the Primitive Marrs, as well as Teachers of Chriftianity. He had before ,propofed to them Z 2 the.
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