5o OfConflancy in the Profe/fzon of the TrueReligion. Vol. I. is not worthy ofme : And if any Man be afhamed of me and ofmy Words., in this unfaithful Generation, of him will I be afhamed before my Father and the holy Angels. And therefore to matter and fubdue this Fear, our Saviour bath propounded great Objefts of Terror to us, and a Danger infinitely more to be dreaded, which every Man ruffs himfelf wilfully upon, who (hall quit the Profefion ofhis Re- ligion, to avoid Temporal Sufferings ; Luke 12. 4, g. Fear not them that can kill the Body, but after that have nothing that they can do : But I will tellyou whom you fhallfear. Fear him, who after he bathkilled, can defray both Body and Soul in Hell; yea, I fay unto you, fear him. And to this dreadful Hazard every Man expofeth himfelf, who, for the Fear of Men, ventures thus to offend God. Thefeare the Fearful and Unbelievers fpoken ofby St. john, who(hall have their Portion in the Lake which burnethwith Fire and Brimfone, which is the fecond Death. Thus you fee howwe are to hold fall the Profe/fion ofour Faith without wa- vering, againft all Temptations and Terrors of this World. I fhould now have proceeded to the next Particular ; namely, that we are to holdfait the Profeon of our Faith, againft all vain Promifes of being put into a fafer Condition, and groundlefs Hopes of getting to Heaven upon eafier Terms, in fome other Church and Religion. But this I fhall not now enter upon. The Fourth Sermonon this Text. S R M O N VII. Of Conifancy in the Profeffìon of the True Religion. H E B. X. 23. Let us hold fats the Profefon of our Faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promifed. IN thefe Words, I have told you are contained thefe two Parts : Fin i, An Exhortation to hold fhll the Profeon of our Faith without wavering. Secondly, An Argument or Encouragement thereto; becaufe he isfaithful that bathpromifed. I am yet upon the Firft of thefe, The Exhortation to Chriftians to be confront and Ready in the Profeffionof their Religion ; Let us hold fall the Profe{fion of our Faith without wavering. And that we might the better comprehend the true and full Meaningof this Exhortation, I (hewed, I. Negatively, What is not meant and intended by it ; and I mentioned thefe two Particulars : t. The Apoftle doch not hereby intend that thofe who are capable ofenquiring into, and examining the Grounds and Reafons of their Religion, fhould not have the liberty to do it. Nor, 2. That when upon due Enquiry and Examination, Men are fettled, as they think and verily believe, in the True Faith and Religion, they fhould obftinately refufe to hear any Reafon that can be offered againft their prefent Perfwafron For Reafon, when it is fairly offered, is always to be heard. I proceeded in the IIL Place,
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