Sern. CXLV. as a Guide to the1ípoffles. the Holy Ghoít, whom I will fend in my name, shall take a more convenient time 'to inftru& you in. And our Saviour fpeaks much to the fame purpofe, John 14. 25,'26. Theft things haveI fpoken untoyou, beingyet prefent withyou: but the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghofl, whom the Father willfend inmy naine, he will teachyou all things; that is, He Ihall make up and fupply what is wanting, and initru& you in thofe things which ye are not now fo capable of receiving. I (hall now in the second place make fome Inferences from the words thus ex- plained. As Firfl, That it is not neceffary at all times to preach all Truths, which are of im- portance to be *known. For thefe were great truths which our Saviour, forbore* vsi,e e f for force time to reveal to his Difciples, and were of great importance to the plan-á1i7=" ting and propagatingof the Gofpel i and yet he thought it better at prefent to for-rum, prop bear the preftng of them, than by an unfeafonable declaration of them to do noZ. rncapa. cer good, but only ftir up prejudice against himfelf, and thofe Other neceffary TruthsAug. rer- which he had inftruded them in. fev. i. z Secondly, That there ought to be due regard had to what People can bear ; and i6 where Men are poffefs'd with a violent prejudice against force Truths, we ought, in imitation of our Saviour'sExample, patiently to expert and endeavour the re- moval of that Prejudice ; and firft to apply all fitting means for the conquering and fubduing of it, before we expofe Truth to be reje&ed by thofe who have taken up a violent prejudiceagainst it. And this Rule holds univerfally, where we have to deal with Perforas who are tra&able and willing to learn, but do at prefent lye under force prejudice of Education, or force falfe Principles which they entertained unawares, which by time and patience, and a gradual progrefs of Truth may be removed, but are not to be conquer'd and born down at once. There are force prejudices which cannot be pluckt out of the minds of Men at once; but yet may be loofend fo by degrees, that they will fall off of themfeiwes : as there are many Knots unty'd with patience and leifure, which by a violent pulling are fix'd fo much the faftert And this courfe we find the Apoftles took, in imitationofour Saviour. z Con 2. 1 havefedyou, faith St.Paul there, with milk andnot with meat : for hitherto yewere not able to bear it. Hewas contented to infra Truth into them by degrees, and as they were capable of it. The minds of moft Men are fttait and narrow, and cannot receive that at once, which maybe inftill'd by degrees ; like narrow mouth'd Velfels, into which Liquor may be poured by degrees; but if we ftrive to put it in fatter than they can receive it, it runs by and is loft. . But where Men are not ofa teachable difpofìtion, but the Prejudiceagainft Truth is wilful and affe&ed, there we are bound to propofe great and important Truths to Men, notwithftanding their Prejudice againft them, and to urge upon them thofe things which are neceffary and fit for them to know, whether theywill hear, or whether they willforbear. And if in that cafe theywill refift Truth fairly and with full evidence propofed to them, they do it at their peril. God is not obliged to do more; than to offer Men fufficient means of convifion; and if they will be obftinate and pertinacious, God is not bound in that cafe to provide any farther remedy. III. Another Inference, and which I principally intended from this Text is this, That from the Explication which I have given of this Promife of our Saviour's, offending his Spirit to lead his Difciples into all Truth, it very plainly appears, that there is no ground or colour ofground from this Text, for the pretended In- fallibility ofthe Romifh Church : Andyet this is one of thofe Texts, which their great Matters ofControvertedo urge us withal, for theproof oftheir Infallibility; a fign that they are much at a lofs for good Arguments to prove it by, otherwife theywould never fummon a Text fo very remote from their purpofe. And how far this Text is from proving their Church to be infallible, will very clearly ap- pear, if we confider thefefive things. z. That the plain and obvious fenfe of this Promife (as I have already fhewn) is this, that becaufe there were rot= Truths fit for the Apoftles to know, which they 295
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