provement) shall be given: and in every nation, he that feareth God, and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him. Believing that God is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him, is better than nothing, and than mere sin.

ART. XIV. Voluntary works, besides, over and above God's Commandments, which they call works of supererogation, cannot be taught without arrogancy and iniquity.]

Expos. I suppose they meant not that voluntary canons, impositions, oaths, and church-offices are so bad.

ART. XVI. Expos. I suppose this article meaneth only the unpardoned sin against the Holy Ghost, and of a total departure from common grace, and some degree of habit and act from special grace; but determineth not the controversy, whether any totally and finally fall from such an unconfirmed grace as else would save.

ART. XVIII. They are to be had accursed that presume to say, that every man shall be saved by the law or sect which he professeth, so that he be diligent to frame his life according to that law and the light of nature. For holy Scripture doth set out to us only the name of Jesus Christ whereby men must be saved.]

Expos. Some sects contradict the light of nature: they worship devils, and offer their children in sacrifice to them, and murder the just: this will save none. But if the meaning be to curse all that hope that some are

saved, who never

heard of the name of Christ, and that his Spirit and grace go farther than the knowledge of his name, I will not curse such. All were not accursed that hoped well of Socrates, Antonine, Alexander Severus, Cicero, Epictetus, Plutarch, &c. There is no name; that is, no other Messiah to be saved by but Christ. But, 1. God judgeth men by no other law, but that which they were under: and the law of grace made to fallen mankind in Adam and Noah, was not repealed by the Jews' peculiarity. 2. God had more people than the Jews and Proselytes of old. 3. The old Jews knew less of Christ than his apostles before his resurrection. 4. The apostles then believed not his dying for our sins, his resurrection, ascension, heavenly intercession, &c. 5. It is no Christianity now that believeth not these. If I durst curse all the world who now believe no more than the old Jews and the apostles then did, yet durst I not curse all Christians that hope better of them.

ART. XXIII. Those we ought to judge lawfully called and sent, which be chosen and called to this work by men, who have public authority given them in the congregation, to call and send Ministers into the Lord's vineyard.]

Expos. Given them, that is, by Christ in his Scripture institution, and by those that Christ authoriseth under him. ART. XXV. Sacraments be certain sure witnesses and effectual signs of grace, and God's good will, &c.]

Expos. They signify what God offereth: they invest the true believing receiver in the right of pardon, adoption, and salvation. They are morally operative signs of exciting and increasing inherent grace in believers.

ART. XXVI. Nor is the effect of Christ's ordinances taken away by their (Ministers') wickedness.]

Expos. Sacraments are not void, because a bad man administered them; but prayer, and preaching, and example, are usually more effectual from able, godly men, than from the ignorant and wicked. The blind man could say, "God heareth not sinners; but if any be a worshipper of God, and do his will, him he heareth." (Psal. 1.) To the wicked saith God, "What hast thou to do to take my covenant into thy mouth," &c. It is a sin to prefer a bad man before a better. And it is dangerous to encourage men in daily sin, who usurp the sacred office of bishops or pastors, having neither the qualifications essentially necessary thereto, nor that which is essentially necessary to a call.

The excepted articles, and those that need no exposition, I pass by. If I have hit on the true meaning, I subscribe my assent: and I thank God that this National Church hath doctrine so sound, and pity them that write, preach, or practise contrary to the articles which they subscribe, and accuse them that refuse subscribing them; and take them for sinners, who take them not for their pastors, because that their wickedness nulleth not their sacramental administrations.

REASONS

FOR MINISTERS USING THE GREATEST PLAINNESS AND SERIOUSNESS POSSIBLE,

IN ALL THEIR

APPLICATIONS TO THEIR PEOPLE.

To shew the reasonableness that all Ministers should deal thus faithfully, and plainly with such as are under their Ministry, I will lay open somewhat of the case before you, and then judge reasonably of it as you are men. The eternal God delighting in the wonderful diversity of his creatures, hath made man of a middle nature, between brutes and angels, giving him vital power, reason and freewill. He hath placed him in this world, as for a race or warfare; resolving that as he behaveth himself it shall go with him in another world for ever: For though his body be dust, and must to dust return, his soul is from above, and liveth in blessedness or misery for ever. By sin we have all forfeited our right to heaven: but Eternal love hath given us a Redeemer, who is God and man, who as our surety became a sacrifice for our sins, and by his merits hath purchased a conditional grant of free forgiveness, and of renewing grace, and endless glory. And being ascended into heaven, possesseth it in our nature, and intercedeth for us, being now as Redeemer, Lord of all. He hath appointed the Ministerial office, that men might be his messengers to men, to acquaint them with his grace, and with the glory which he prepareth for them, that they may truly believe it, soberly think of it, duly value it, heartily choose it, and diligently seek it, and live and die in the joyful expectation of it. And as our souls converse not with our neighbours immediately, but in and by our bodies in which they work; so the Spirit of Christ doth not ordinarily work on men's souls without any means, but by his word and works which his Ministers must declare. Man is not now put upon satisfying God's justice, or purchasing his salvation by a price. Christ hath done these, and made a free gift of grace and glory to all that will but accept it. Under God's grace men's everlasting salvation now lieth on their own wills; no men or devils can damn or

undo any one soul, but by his own consent to the, cause of his damnation. No men or devils can keep our souls from the heavenly glory, but by tempting him to refuse it, undervalue and neglect it, and prefer the pleasures of sin before it, and by 'keeping him from loving, desiring and seeking it: for every one shall certainly have it who had rather be a holy Christian on earth, and live in perfect love and joy with God in heaven for ever, than for his filthy pleasure to enjoy the prosperity of this world. To acquaint men with this, is our ministerial office; we are charged to set before them the great salvation which Christ hath procured, and importunately to beseech them to mind it, believe it, and accept it, that it may be theirs for ever: we believe God, and therefore we speak to men as he hath commanded us : we entreat them in his name, to turn from sinful enmity and folly, and to be reconciled to God, and be wise for their salvation: we tell them. but what God's word sent from heaven, telleth us and them, that holiness is the love of God and goodness, and the hatred of sin; that the pure in heart are blessed, for they shall see God. But without holiness none can see him: We tell them from God, that heaven is won or lost on earth; and that none shall have it but such as hence learn to love holy and heavenly life; and that the dislike of holiness is the forfeiture of happiness, and the beginning, or forerunner of hell: We assure them, that God will never say, Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity, if they do not first by iniquity depart from God; and that God will not damn them, except they damn themselves, by the obstinate final refusing and resisting of his mercy. We entreat men therefore but to live as men should do that love them themselves, and that are not indifferent whether they live in heaven or hell for ever. We entreat them not to be worse to themselves, than the devil and all their enemies are, who cannot make them commit one sin against their wills: and yet after all this warning, entreaty, and importunity, there are thousands, and ten thousands that will not be persuaded, nor regard the warning given them from God; some will not believe but that a man dies like a dog; and what wonder if such live like dogs! And some will not believe but that they may be saved without regenerating grace and holiness, though Christ's own mouth hath protested the contrary, and told us verily that it cannot be. (John iii. 3. 15. 18, 19; Matt. xviii.

a

3; Heb. xii. 14; Rom. viii. 6-9. 13, &c.) Multitudes will not be brought to understand what we say; but when we talk of redemption, sanctification, and salvation, they hear us as if we spake Greek or Hebrew to them, and under teaching, grow old in sottish, grossest ignorance; multitudes are taken up with the love of prosperity, and the love of this deceiving world: multitudes are carried away with aspiring ambition and foolish pride; and more with the love of fleshly pleasures, and satisfying their appetites and lusts. Many poor people (who every where are the most) are so oppressedwith want, and wearied with their daily labour, and taken up with cares to pay their rents and debts, and maintain their families, that they think it excusable in them if they little mind the pleasing of God, and saving of their souls; supposing that they have no leisure for it, and God requireth it not at their hands. And the same most servants think, who have time little enough for their master's work. Multitudes have such dead and hardened hearts, that, when we tell them that they must shortly be in heaven or hell, as they are here prepared, we speak almost as to blocks, or men asleep: they feel not what we say, as if they did not hear us.

We are bid cry aloud, and tell them of their sin and danger, and yet we cannot get them to regard and feel; God saith, "Awake thou that sleepest, and Christ shall give thee light;" and yet we cannot get them to awake, nor hear us like men that have the use of reason, and love themselves. Alas, how many thousands are there whom we could never persuade to consider with deep and serious thoughts, what will become of their souls, when they are dead, nor seek to be resolved of it from the infallible Word of God!

Sirs, this, this is the case of multitudes of our neighbours; and what would you have a Minister to do in such a 3 case? Should we flatter and smooth them up in an unholy life, what thanks would they give us for this ere long, when they find themselves in hell?

Would you have us stand by in silence, and look on, while Satan thus leadeth thousands to perdition? Would you have us let them quietly go to hell, for fear of displeasing them or others, or seeming to be unmannerly or uncivil with them? Would you haye us whisper to men that must be awakened or undone for ever, whom thunder and lightning will not awake?