and paffions he requireth us to deny, that SERM. we may be his disciples; not our reason, XI. for to that he teacheth nothing contrary. Certain it is, God doth not require us to believe a contradiction or abfurdity, or what appeareth to be fo to our own understanding upon an impartial inquiry, it being impoffible that we should really believe it; and to imagine that christianity containeth any fuch thing, is to reproach it and its bleffed author. If, for example, any one should impose, upon us, under the pretence of divine authority, fuch a principle as tranfubftantiation, which containeth a manifest abfurdity, and deftroyeth the very foundations of human knowledge, as we could not poffibly affent to it with understanding, we ought not to profefs it. It is the suggestions of corrupt appetite and paffions, the inclinations of the carnal mind, which is enmity against God, we ought to deny, in order to the obedience of faith, not the principles of reason, which are originally from God, and as truly as revelation is.

We ought, however, to make a difference between the teachers of divine truth; fuch as God hath fealed, and given them fufficient credentials of their miffion from him, fhould be fubmitted to, and their

doctrine

SERM, doctrine received without referve; but the XI. inftructions of all other teachers ought to

be examined and compared with the authentic declarations of a well-attefted revelation, and no farther received than as they are founded upon inquiry, by every one judging for himself, agreeable to them. And thus our Saviour, the author of our religion, hath taught us to diftinguish between him and others, Matt. xxiii. 8. He will not allow his profeffed followers to be called, or to call any man rabbi, master, and that because one is their teacher and mafter, even Christ. To allow men an equal authority with him, or which is in effect the fame, to regard them as infallible interpreters of his mind, is to deny him. An implicit faith in him, is what he requireth from his difciples, and is the very fpirit of christia nity; an implicit faith in men is the bane of it.

Laftly, Hearing wisdom importeth an abfolute unreferved obedience. A multitude of inftances might be produced to fhew that, according to the ftile of the facred writers, this is the fenfe of hearing God; and that for this good reafon, because obedience will be the certain effect of hearing, as it hath been already explained. If we hear with

attention

attention and reverence, impartially and SERM, without prejudice, our minds will then fay XI. to the Lord, speak, for thy fervant heareth; and as Saul did at his converfion, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Acts vii. 6. I am ready, without delay or conferring with flesh and blood, to follow thy direction, and no fooner fhall I be favoured with an intimation of thy will, than I fhall immediately prepare myfelf to do it. This refpect to Chrift our fupreme teacher, I take to be that wherein a truly chriftian difpofition doth confift, the very fum of our duty, at least that which God will accept, but nothing lefs, according to the grace of the gofpel. Defects there may be, no doubt there are, even in a heart thus difpofed, through remaining ignorance and infirmi ties; but when fuch is the habitual prevailing temper, the foul hath confidence to wards God, as being one who fincerely heareth his wifdom. Sincerity is to be determined by the prevalence of good affections against the contrary; that is, fincere love to God which prevaileth against the love of the world; and fo we then fincerely hear Christ, when it is the fixed governing purpose of our hearts to follow him, whatfoever may call or folicit us to the contrary.

If

SERM. If all men upon earth fhould prefs us to XI. what, upon the best inquiry we can make,

appeareth disagreeable to his will, we ought to forfake them and follow him; if our prefent intereft, and the most importunate inclinations of the flesh, fhould direct us one way, and he another, we must renounce them, and cleave to him. I come, in the

Third place, to confider the proper difpofitions of mind, and the manner of hearing and using all means, fignified by watching daily at the gutes of wisdom, and waiting at the posts of her doors. And, first, it importeth a sense of our conftant need of inftruction, that we may be ftill making farther progress in knowledge and in grace. It is not enough that we have once entered into the courts of wifdom, and are lifted among her votaries, that we have given a refpectful attention to her laws, and evenobeyed them; there is a neceffity of renewed continual application; and that, unfatisfied with the present measure of our attainments, we should daily endeavour to make farther proficiency. The wifest and beft men are most fenfible of their defects, and therefore, after the example of Mofes and David, they inceffantly pray that God would

3

would fhew them his glory, and teach them SERM. The apostle reprefenteth to us XI.

his way.

the genuine fpirit of a chriftian, in the account he giveth of himself, most worthy of our imitation, Phil. iii. 12, &c. Not as tho' I had already attained, or were already perfect; but I follow after, that I may apprebend that for which I am also apprehended of Chrift Jefus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Chrift Jefus. If this be the temper of our minds, it will incline us to a daily attendance at the gates of wisdom, that is, a daily use of the appointed means for our increase in knowledge and virtue. There is a rich treasure of important truth in the facred oracles, which, by fearching and a regular diligence in the use of appointed means, may be found out, and usefully applied for our advancing to perfection in religious virtue; and the divine Spirit, who prefideth over means, and gives them efficacy, interpofeth by his gracious influence, co-operating with the facred inftitutions, whereby they become effectual which being the earnest expectation and hope

of