Serm.. L.XXV. vifer thin the Childré i of Light. q6í with Vigor and Diligence in the úfe Of Means ; and the more refolved Mèd are upon the End, the more aêtive and induftrious, they will be in theufe ofMeans, for the End governs the Meads, and gives Law and Meafure to our Aétivity and Induftry in the ufe of thetíl, and fweetens and allays the Trouble and Difficulty of them. So that where the End is once firmly fix'd and refolved upon, there will not. be wanting fervour of Profecution ; but if we be wavering and unheady as to our End, this will weaken our Hands and quench the heat of our Endeavours; and abate the eagernefs of our Purfuit, and according to the degree of it, will derive a debility and inconftancy into all our Motions. The double minded Man (as St. fames lays) is unJlatle in all his ways. Now the Children of this World are commonly more fix'd and refolved upon their End, than the Childrenof Light. 'Tis rare to fee the whole Life and Aéttòns of a good Man, fo conftantly and uniformly confpiring to the furtherance of his great End, fo direly tending to the Salvation of his Soul, and the increafe of his Glory and Happinefs in another World ; as the Aâions of a Worldly Man, and the whole Courfe of his Life do, to the advancing of his Worldly Interefts. The covetous or ambitious Men fel- dom do any thing to the belt of their knowledge, that is impertinent to their End, much lets contrary to it ; through every thing that they do, one may plainly fee the End they aim at, and that they are always true to it : Whereas the belt Men do many thing's, which are plainly crofs and contrary to their End, and a great many more, which have no relation to it; and when they mind it, it is rather by fits and fl.arts, than in any even courfeand tenor of Adtions. And of this we have a famous Inftance in that Worldly and Secular Church, which now for feveral hundreds of Years bath more ftéadily purfu'd the End of fecular Greatnefs and Dominion, than any other Church háth done the Ends of true Religion, the Glory of God, and the Salvation of the Souls of Men, fin' that there is hardlyany Dodtrine òt Praéticë peculiar to that Church, and differ- ing from our common Chriftianity, but it hath a dire t and vifible tendency to the promoting.of foine Worldly Intereft or other. For inftance, Why do they deny the People the Holy Scriptures and the. Service of God, in a Language which they can underhand ; but that by keeping them in Ignorance, they may have them in more perfeEt Slavery and Subjection to them? Why do they forbid their Priefts to marry ; but that theymay have noIntereft diftinót from that of their Church, and leave all to it when they die ? Towhat end is Auricular Con- feffion ; but to keep People in awe, by the knowledge of their Secrets ? Why mutt the Laity only receive the Sacrament in one kind, but to draw a greater Reverence to the Prieft, whole Privilege it !hall be to receive in both,? And why is the Intention of the Prieft neceffary to' the efficacy of the Sacraments ; but to perfuade the People, that notwithftandingthe gracious Intention; of God toward Mankind, they cannot be Caved without the good will of the Prieft ? The Doi'rines of Purgatoryand Indulgences are a plain device to make their Markets of the Sins and Souls of Men. I might inftance in a' hundred things more in that Church, which are of the fame tendency. This St. john foretold fhouid be the Charader of the Spirit of Antichrift, that it fhould be. a Worldly Spirit, and the Doctrines of it thould ferve a Secular Intereh and Defign, a Sohn 4. $. They are of the World, andthey fpeak from the World, and the World hears them. What Church is there in the World, fo true throughout to the Intereft of Religion, as this Worldly Church bath been to its own Secular Power and Greatnefs ? idly. The Children of this World are wifer inthe choice of Means in order to their End ; and this is agreat part of Wifdom. For fome Means will bring about an End, with lefs pains, and difficulty, and expence of Time than others. And the Men of the World are very ingenious in difcerning the fitnefs and force of Means to their fèveral Ends. To what a certainty have Men reducedall theways and Arts of Gain, and growing rich, and of riling to Honour and Preferment ? What long Trains will Men lay to bring about their defired End ? What fubtil Methods have Men deviled, to infinuate themfelves into Court ; and when they are there, ro plant themfelves in the Eye of their Prince, and in the Sun-thine of Cccc his
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