58 Vol. I. The Fifth Sermon on chi: Ter.t, SERMON VIII. Of Conftancy in the Profefíion of the True Religion. H E B. X. 2 3. Let us holdfall the Profeffion of our Faith without wavering ; for he is faithful that promifed. IHave already made a confiderable Progrefs in my Difcourfe upon thefe Words, in which I told you, there is an Exhortation to hold fall the Profe ion of our Faith without wavering : And an Argument or Encouragement thereto, be- caufe he isfaithful that promifed. I am yet upon the Firfl ofthefe, theExhortation to hold fall the Profeonofour Faith without wavering; by whichI told you the Apoftle dothnot intend, that thofe who are capable ofexamining the Grounds and Reafons of their Religion, fhould not have the Liberty to do it ; nor that, when upon due Enquiry they are, as they verily believe, eftablithed in the true Faith andReligion, they fhouldobstinately refufe to hear any Reafon that is fairly offered againft their prefent Perfwafion. And then I proceed to Phew pofitively, Fiji, What it is that we are here exhorted to hold (viz,) The Confef- on or Profeon ofour Faith; the ancientChriftfan Faith, ofwhoinevery Chriftian snakes Profeffion in his Baptifin. For it is of that the Apoftle here fpeaks, as appears plainly by the Context. Secondly, How we are to hold fall the ProfeJon of our Faith. And of this I gave account in thefe following Particulars. i. We should hold faß the Profdion of our Faith, againft the Confidence of Men, without Scripture or Reafon to fupport that Confidence. . 2. And much inure againft the Confidence of Men, contrary toplain Scrip- ture and Reafon, and the common Senfe of Mankind; of which I gave you parti- cular Inftances, g. Againft all the Temptations and Terrors of the World. 4. Againft all vain Promifes of being put into a fffer Condition, and ground- lefs Hopes ofgetting to Heaven upon eater Terms, in fonte other Church and Re- ligion. I am now upon the g. And Laß Particular I mentioned, namely, That we are to hold fall the Prof?Fan ofour Faith without wavering, againft all the cunning Arts and Infi- nuations of bufie and difputing Men, whofe Defign it is to unhinge Men from their Religion, and to make Profelytes to their Party and Faction. I have already mentioned fame of the Arts which they ufe, (I mean particularly them of the Church of Rome) in making Profelytes to their Religion ; and .I have fhewn the Abfurdity and Unreafonablenefs of them. As, Firfl, In allowing Men tobe very competent and fufñcient Judges for them- felves, in the Choice of their Religion; (i. e. which is the True Church and Religion in which alone Salvation is to be had; ) and yet telling them at the fame time, that they are utterly incapable of judging of particular boârines and Points of Faith. As for thefe, they mutt rely upon the Judgment of an In- fallible Church; and if they do not, they will certainly run into damnable Er- rors and Mittakes. Andthey mull of neceffity allow them the first, a fufficient Ability to judge for themfelves in the Choice of their Religion : Otherwife in vain do-they offer them Arguments to perfwade them to Theirs ; if they cannot judge of the Force
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