where they are above them, even for that reafon they will take leave to reject them; nor think it enough to pafs by them, but they muft alfo caft their fcoffs at them, and blunder on ftill, even as much as that ruler of the Jews did, John iii: concerning regeneration, and the other doctrines of faith thereon dependent.

But what Chriftians, indeed, can they be this while, that were never born of the spirit of Chrift, nor by that Spirit and faith conjoined to the glorious headof Chriftians? Yea, what part are they like to have in regeneration, or in Chrift himfelf, that feem neither to know nor to care, whether there be any Holy Ghoft, by whom alone they can be fo renewed and united? and instead of seeking to partake of him, are readier to do defpite to him? And how can we ever believe them to be led by that Spirit, which they have the foreheads to mock and blafpheme? Let them pretend to be never fo good, I cannot admire the goodness of those men, that are for tearing up the very roots, upon which all true goodnefs fhould grow. Rather do I admire their confidence,` to pretend either to goodnefs, or to the Chriftian name, who fet fo light by that bleffed Spirit, which makes all the true Chriftians that are in the world.

How allowable foever it might be for heathens, who knew no better, to fet up natural light above all; yet when fuch as have the bleffed gofpel, cannot for. bear to burlesque and expound it even all away, they may look for the heavier fentence from him, with whom they make fo bold. When one of his great indictments now against the world, is of 'fin, because they believe not on him,' John xvi. 19. Though this they may not think fit to reckon among their

fins,

fins, yet is it, indeed, the great leading fin, that threatens them with a dreadful doom, if they do not mend their creed, as well as their morals, and make better friends with the Son of God, and acknowledge his deity, and beg his mercy, and look to be pardoned and faved by his merits. But O how far are they from this, whofe confidence of their own opinion rifes fo high, as even to give defiance to all that dare but make any question of it, whether they may not be de<ceived?

It is true they had a noble mafter here in England for one of their founders, whofe writings we know ; and fome of his dying words to his children, (I have heard,) were to the fame tune, faying, "They talk "of trusting in Chrift 'for falvation; but I would "have you to be virtuous, and truft to your virtue "to make you happy." Yet after the little brokers and well-willers here to the caufe, have been fetching from their factors beyond feas, and alfo drawing from the flock of this learned deift at home; `notwithstanding all the, helps they have, and all the pains they take, never are they like to find a quiet trade, and good fuccefs, as long as the gofpel lies but open, and fo clear against them; unless we fhould put fuch an unreafonable value on their reafonings, as to hearken to them, more than to our Lord himfelf, and all his own infpired meffengers.

Such as fet up their new fangles, instead of the faith once delivered to the faints; and not only vilify, but nullify the grace of faith, and while they make fuch a fcorn of others fyftems, and pretend to give us a pande&t of the Chriftian doctrine; either quite leave out faith, as an ingredient of little or no ufe, or if they cannot, for fhame, omit the mention of

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that,

that, which the gofpel all along fo much inculcates, yet fpeak of it fo fparingly or triflingly, as if it were needlefs to infilt upon it; and we might even do as well without it; or call that the juftifying faith, and a faith as much as is needful for any to make them Chriftians, which is indeed a believing no more than the devils do; no more than any hypocrites, unregenerate perfons, and impenitent finners may believe, that Jefus of Nazareth is the Meffiah: (A flingy, hide-bound faith, by which they fhall not be obliged to believe either his incarnation or fatisfaction; ncr fo to degrade themfelves, as to put all their truft in him, and to look for their whole falvation from him.) And when they taken upon them to enumerate all the benefits we have by our bleffed Saviour, fpeak not a word of his merit, or redemption through his blood: no, but rather deny his death to be in the room and ftead of finners; and depend not on the blood of God, to make their peace, and reconcile all things to himself; and while they are fuch bufy men, to ruin their own, and others comfort and falvation, would be thought yet the only Chriftians: our church. (Hom. of Salv.) will not allow them to be fo much as Chriftians at all, when it tells us, "that this "faith, in the merits of Chrifi's precious blood, is

the true caufe of juflification, the holy feripture "teacheth us: this is the ftrong rock and foundation "of the Chriftian religion. This doctrine advances "and fats forth the true glory of Chrift, and beats

down the vain glory of man. And this whoever "denies it, is not to be accounted a Chriftian man Therefore what a late writer would intimate, that the remonftrant party is fuppofed to be the greatest part of the church of England, and a Semi pelagianifm

gianifin now the common mode, I will fuppofe to be a great flander; becaufe I cannot think the main body of our clergy to be guilty of fuch prevarication and mere flame, to fubfcribe and fignify their confent to articles and homilies, as found and wholefome doctrine, which they believe in their heart to be falfe and rotten.

Yet am I fenfible, that fome things which I here plead for, against the common enemies, offenfive to cur church, will alfo grind upon other perfons within it; whofe learning and worth in themfelves, aз well as their flation and the dignity of their places, I cannot but honour. And this fignification of my diffent from them, is fo far from gratifying any humour of contradiction in me, that I find it really pain and grief to me. But where we fce fo darkly!. and know but in part, miflakes are no more than what may be expected on either fide. And whether they en the contrary part, or I be in the right, all readers will take their liberty to judge, as fall appear beft to themfelves. However I believe, and therefore have I fpoken, the very fenfe of my foul; and not haftily, upon first thinking of the matter but as the refult of long fearch, and deep confideration, and much trouble and diligence to compare and weigh what is faid on both parts. And now I fee my obligation in fo good a caufe, wherein I have had so near and great a concern, to teflify the gospel of the grace of God, as the Apoftle fpeaks, Acts xx. 24. and to break filence with the Pfalmift Pfal. lxxi. 15, 16. My mouth fall flew forth thy righteoufnefs, and thy falvation all the day; for I know not the num 'bers thereof. I will go in the ftrength of the Lord' God; I will make mention of thy righteoufnels,. even of thine only.'.

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I must confefs, that when firft I fet out for a preacher, I did appear (after the then mode of a prevailing party) a ftickler for Pelagius: and what I wanted in ikill, I made up in bitter zeal, agáinft all that afferted and advanced the faith, which then I was for running down and that not only as empty of of truth, but full of abfurdity. And though I faw fcriptures, and articles, and homilies, all flanding in my way; yet, being newly come from the fountain of learning, and obferving which way the ftream ran there, and under what extreme odium was every thing that appeared Calvinistical, (though never fo much the exprefs doctrine of the church of England ;), and knowing what great names. I had then to credit and firengthen my caufe; and proud also of some arguments, wherewith I thought myfelf able to defend it thus I drove on for a while, in my new province, till it pleafed the gracious God, (who knew what need I had to be humbled,) in the midst of perfect health, and all the favour of men, and profperity of the world, to throw me down under great and fore troubles of mind, and doubtings of my ftate, and dread of his wrath: where for a long while I lay, réfufing to be comforted; yet all that time, not intermitting the work of my place, but was rather more con.. cerned and fedulous in it, and (I-thought) more affifted and fitted for it, than ever before. And in that school of fharp difcipline, did I learn of my heavenly Teacher, the doctrine of faith, which ever fince I have made confcience to maintain with all my ftrength. And as I dare not (upon any temptation whatfoever) offer to oppofe it myself; fo it touches me in the moft fenfible part, to hear any contempt fignified against it by others; for there I take the old.

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