Serra. I V. OfConftancy in theProfeffion ofthe f rueReligion. continue faithful and Heady to God, he will be faithful, to make good all the promifes which he hath made to us, In theWords thus explained, thereare two things which I fhall diflin&ly confider. Firf, The Exhortation ; Let us hold fall the profé /on ofour faith, without wavering : And . Secondly, The Argument or Encouragement ufed to enforce it ; He is faithful thatpromifed. I begin with the Fifl, TheExhortation, to be conft3nt and Heady in the Profeflion of the Chri- ftian Religion ; Let w holdfall. the profeon ofour faith without wavering: In the handling ofthis, and that we may the better undérftand the true Meaning of this Exhortation here in the Text, I than do thefe two things. I. I (hall {hew negatively, wherein this Conftancy and Steadinefs in the Pro- feffionof the True Religion does not conflit. And here I thalbremove one or two things which are thought by fome to be inconfiftent with Conftancy and Stedfaft- nefs in Religion. . II. I !hall thew pófitively, what is implied irr a coítftant and fteadÿ Profefion of the TrueReligion. I. Ì (tall thew negatively, what Conftancy andStedfaftnefs in the Profeffion of the True Religion does not imply. And there are two things which are thought by force to be imply'd, in holdingfall the profegion ofour faith without wavering. Firfl, That Men Ihould not takethe liberty to examine their Religion, and en- quire into the Grounds and Reafons ofit. Secondly, That Men fhould obstinately refufe to hear any Reafons that can be brought againít the True Religion as they think, which they have once entertained. Fiji,- That Men fìould not take the liberty to examine their Religion, and to enquire into the Grounds andReafons of it. This, I think, is fo far from being forbidden in this Exhortation, that, on the contrary, I doubt not to make it ap- pear, that a free and impartial Enquiry into the Grounds and Reafons of our Religion, and a thorough Trial and Examination of them, is one of the beft Means to confirm and eílablifh us in the Profefìon of it : I mean, that all Per- fons that are capable of it, fhould do it, and that they will find great Benefit and Advantage by it. For I do not think that this is a Duty equally and indifferently incumbent upon all; nor indeed fit and proper for all Perfons; becaufe allure not equally capable of doing, it. There are two forts of Perfons that are in a great meafure incapable of doing it. s. Children. 2. Such grown Perfons as are of a very mean and lowCapacity, and Improve- ment ofUnderftanding. . Children are not fit to examine, but only to learn and believe what is taught them by their Parents and Teachers. They are fit to have the Fear of God, and the Principles of the true Religion, intlilled into them ; but they are by no means fit to difcern between a true and falfe Religion, and to chufe for themfelves, and to make a change of their Religion ; as hath of late been allowed to them in a Nation not far from us, and by publick Edi& declared, that Children at. Seven Years old, are fit to chufe and to change their Religion t Which is the firft, Law I ever heard of that allows Children at that Age to do any A& for themfelves, that is of Confequence and Importance to them, for the remaining parts of their Lives, and which they !ball ítand obliged to perform and make good, They are indeed baptized, according to the Cuftoin and Ufage of the Chriftian Church, in their Infancy But they do not enter into this Obligation themfelves-; but their Sureties undertake for them, that when they come to Age, they fhall take this Pro- mife upon themfelves, and confirm and make it good. But furely, they can do no Ad forthemfelves, and in their own Name, at that Age, which can be obligatory. They can neither make any Contra&s that ,hall be valid, nor incur any Debt, nor oblige themfelves by any Proinife, nor chufe theinfelves aGuardian,.nor downy Ad that may bring them under an Inconvenience, when they !hall come at Age. And can we think them ofdifcretion fufficient at that time, to do a thing-of the greateft Moment 31
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=