Serm. CLXXIX. in Oppofltion to Error. 52I, a far letter Good or Evil which is prefent and nearer at hand. And of this we fee many Inftances in the Temporal Concerns of Men. A Prudent Man will fore. go his prefent Eat and Pleafure, and part with a prefent Advantage, lay down ready Money, upon the certain profpeét of a far greater benefit that will come to him Tome years hence ; and will undergo prefent Pain and Trouble, to prevent a far greater Mifchief and Inconvenience; and upon 'this Principle of the belief of future Good and Evil, all the great Affairs of the World are managed. Upon this PrincipleMen plow and fow, and venture their Eftates in Traffick to Foreign. Parrs. and truft out their prefent Stock, and purchafe Reverfions, and take Phyfick, and cut off a Limb, and run all thofe hazards of Eftate and Life, which we fee Men every day do ; and all this for the fecuringof flame great Advantage, or the preventing of fome great Mifchief, which tho' it be future and at a diftance, yet they probably or certainly forefee will happen to them. And this Principle is fo much the ftronger, and of greater Force and Efficacy, in matters of greater Moment and Importance, where the Good hoped for, or the Evil feared, is infinitely great, and concerns us for ever. If we firmly believe the reality and certainty of it, no Temporal Advantage or Affi&ion can come in competition with them, in the calculation and account of a wife Man ; becaufe there is no proportion between Finite and Infinite, between the Goods and Evils which are Temporal, and thofe which are Eternal ; tho' the one be feen, and the other not feen; ihn' the one be prefent and near to us, and the other future and at a great difiance. Upon this Principle the firft Çhrifäans continued firm and fledfaft in the belief and Obedience of the Gofpel, and were bold andopen in the Profeffion of it, not- withftanding all the cruel affaults of Perfecution, tho' they hazarded the lofs of all that was dear to them in this World, and expofed themfelves to the fuffering of whatever is grievous and terrible to Flefh and Blood. They gloried in tribulation; and did nor only patiently fubmit to the greateft Sufferings, but heartily praifed God, who accounted them worthy to Puffer for his name ; they took Joyfully the 'poll- ing of their Goods, knowing that in Heaven they had a better and more enduring Sa- lience ; they were Tortnr d, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better reJurreflion ; and when they were harraffed with all the Evils and Calamities of human Life, yet they faintednot, knowing that their light afiflion which was but for a moment, would workfor them afar more exceeding and'eternal weight ofGlory,. having their Minds fix'd, not upon the thingswhich are feen, but the things whicharé not feen; the things which are feenking but Temporal, but the things which are not feen king Eternal. Thus they overcame the World, not by the Force and Power of this World, but by the beliefof another World, and of the mighty Rewards and Punithments of it. And this Faith purified their hearts, and reformed their Lives, and made them fledfafi and immoveable in their holy Profeffion, and railed their Minds above all the Temptations and Terrors-of prefent and fenfible things. Let us now fee on the contrary what kind of Motives and Arguments falle Teachers ufc to feduce Men to their pernicious ways. They fpeak from the World, and commonly make ufe of bale and low and temporal Confiderations, of little Tricksand Devices, and all deceiveablenefs of unrighteoufnefs (as the Scripture calls it) to make Difciples, and gain Profelytes. They terrifie them with temporal Dangers and Inconveniencies, and reprefent to them Suffering and Perfecution and Death, in all their frightful shapes, to deter them from Proteflion of the true Re- ligion : they Pet before them all manner of Worldly Baits and Allurements, Eafe, and Wealth; and Preferment ; they promife them Liberty from the ftri&nefs of thofe Laws and Rules which Religionties them up to. By thefe Arts and Argu- ments theGnofiicks of old ufed to tempt Men from Chriftianiry, and to (hake their conftancy in the Profeffion ofit : and the fame ways are Iä11 put in prafl:ice by Se- ducers at this Day. They. tell Men of a glorious Church that hath great Power and Intereft in the World; they amufe them with a great deal of outward Pomp and Ceremony; they promife them Preferment and great Worldly. Advantages by coming over to them ; they threaten them with Fire and Faggot, with Perle- X x x cotions
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