argument they are not one without the other 1 John iv. 20. If a man fay I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar. In matters of philofophy there are different opinions Ariftotelians, and Platonifts. Copernicus for the earth's motion against the generality. Of late the new philofophy. Formerly, Scotifts, and Thomifts; in matters of divinity. In our Saviour's time Pharifees, Sadduces, and Effenes. Our Saviour was not severe, fave against the hypocrify of the Pharifees. There are no lefs different capacities of mind, than conftitutions of body and no lefs difference in men's outward circumftances, than in either of the former. I intend not by this the patronage of the refractory and prefumptuous; but an apology for thofe who are honeft in their way, but of weaker parts and flower apprehenfions; who are therefore of modeft and teachable fpirits; of whom it may. be verified, errare poffum, hæreticus effe nolo. I may be mistaken, but I will not be heretical. Two things a man may cafily perceive, whether he be an hypocrite, whether an heretick. Not the former, if he means well ; not the latter if he be not wilful, but patient to be informed. In all reason it may be fafeft for fuch as have little leifure to examine, or are lefs competent to judge, through want of edu cation, to give the more advantage to their guides. I therefore caution four things. 1. Great 1. Great reverence is to be given to fuperiors. Government is not to be disturbed upon pretence of private judgment: that is to be confined to the direction of the inferior man. 2. No difturbance must thence arife to the church of God. I Cor. xi. 16. If any feem to be contentious, we have no fuch custom, neither the churches of God. 3. Suppose the worst; 'tis fafer to err in an er ror that is common, than in an error that is perfonal. 4. It becomes the modesty of particular persons, where their fentiments are fingular, to bethink themselves better to ask themselves this fober queftion. How went the fpirit of God from the generality of his worshippers, and determined itself to me? which being done, these good things will find place; caution and warinefs: more diligence in enquiry expectation of being further informed. Thefe inftead of conceitedness, fondness of our own opinions, felf-confidence and peremptoriness. If we would do what becomes us, in sense of our liableness to be mistaken, if what is due to the difcerning of truth, we should not run away with an opinion, before we have fubmitted it to fevere and impartial examination by others, and persons moft competent; and have well weighed what o thers can fay not. till after we ourselves have thought it again and again, day after day. We fhould doubt and deliberate, before we refolve and determine. Nothing are we so fure of, as of that which we are fure of after doubting. Where this is not done, there are eafy perfwafions, credulity, lightnefs of faith whence it comes to pass, that men are greatly poffeffed, ftrangely perfuaded in matters. where there is very good affurance that things are otherwife. Let therefore the modefty always becoming a christian fpirit, accompany private judgments, and if you would give credit to it, let good life and unblameable converfation attend upon it: think that thou mayeft be mistaken, as well as others. I have by cautions, bound up private judgment in particular persons to its good behaviour; fo that it neither extend, nor enlarge itself, to the disturbance of government, or confufion of order, or other act of unrulinefs in God's family; which things are in the first place to be refolved on, and fecured: for rather a particular mifchief, than a general inconvenience. But I wish more were capable of the use of private judgment than there are. 'Tis a fundamental right belonging to intellectual natures: but to the exercife of it more is requifite than most men have to fhew preparation thereto, by education, confideration, and conference: for we are born only with powers and faculties; and fo with poffibilities of acts and habits: we are no-bodies where we have not thought. 'Tis the lamentable condition of lapfed mortals, that, of the generality of men it may be faid (through none-ufe, mifufe and abufe of themselves) what God faid of the great city of Nineveh, Jon. iv. II. wherein are more than an hundred and twenty thoufand perfons who cannot difcern between the right hand and the left I fay, who who, in matters of reason, religion, and conscience, have no judgment of right or wrong, true and false, good and evil. And man that hath no understanding may be compared with the beasts that perish, Pfal. xlix. 12. He hath not honour and preminence above beafts. Now, I fay, having fecured publick settlement and peace, thofe fuggeftions for accord, harmony, and charity notwithstanding difference of apprehenfions in certain matters, may take place but I have here no confideration of four forts of perfons: 1. Not of atheifts, whose sentiments are forced and unnatural. 2. Not of enthusiasts, who know not to day, what they shall think to morrow. 3. Not of felf-flatterers, who are fondly perfuaded concerning themselves; and will hardly admit that for evil in themselves, which paffes for fuch otherwhere. 4. Not of hypocrites, who do not mean what they pretend. Truth with them, is not an end, but a means. But all fair allowance for the humble, modeft, meek and ingenuous; with great abatement for their many difadvantages, weakneffes of parts, want of leifure, probable-ignorance, for all which, their honeft fimplicity and fincere meaning make compenfation. Some think, that if they agree not in all things about religion, they must stand at distance from one another; but this is a great mistake : the text faith, Whereunto we have already attained, let us walk by the fame rule. And I Cor. xiii. 7,8. Chari ty ty never faileth, doth not behave itself unfeemly; bear~ eth all things; endureth all things; hopeth all things. 1 Pet. iv. 8. Charity covereth a multitude of fins, both of the object, and of the fubject; of him we have to do with, and also of ourselves: for to the compaffionate, God fhews compaffion; and it fhall be measured to us according to our own measures, Matth. vii. 1, 2. DISCOURSE XXVII. The Frailty of HUMAN NATURE. GENESIS ii. 19. Duft thou art, and to dust thou shalt return, HE occafion of this meeting is to fhew our laft refpects to the memory of a deceased gentleman, Mr. Charles Bunock: a perfon taken away in his youth, and full ftrength :" and (being deeply fenfible of the frailty of this life) had this text of fcripture oft running in his thoughts. And for the advantage of thofe that fhould furvive him, he made it his requeft, that it might be preached upon at his funeral. And according to his defire, I fhall offer to your confideration fomething from thefe words, duft thou art, &c. Thefe words are part of that fentence which God paffed upon our first parents Adam and Eve, after their tranfgreffion; which was full of disloyal ty |