liable to attack, while it is either not worth his care, or is a vain labour to direct his aim against the unknown and nameless enemies that moleft him on every fide.

It may not be amifs here to remark, that the two great rocks on which fincere men are apt to be fhipwrecked by thefe deceitful pilots, are, first, those subjects which for ever must miflead, because, for fome of the reafons before affigned, they are beyond the reach of their ability; and secondly, on the other hand, fubtile and trifling particulars, fuch as those respecting ceremonies, wherein there is an equal danger of error in bestowing any ferious confideration, though for a different reafon. People here feek in vain to make a confcientious diftinction, where the nature of things has made none, or, at most, where any evil tendency of the practice they reafon againft, is unavoidable from the mere imperfection of the present state, and may farther be prevented by caution, or is counteracted by other things of a contrary efficacy. This may be confidered as fighting against unfubftantial and fcarcely perceptible fhadows, where there is no firm hold for the mind, which on every oppofition from without, or on every change itself undergoes, lofes the imaginary impreffion it had received, and fees the fantastic

forms

forms of truth it had framed, vanish into no

thing.

But ftill more dangerous to truth and virtue are thefe deceivers, when they engage the lufts of the Heart as well as the weakness and ignorance of the Understanding on the fide and party of error. When this is done, as too easily it may, the delufion is indeed firmly rooted, and its influence compleatly pernicious. This, as Religion with all its Establishments is irreconcileable to any vicious defires, and yet is of too fearful moment to flight or reject, is always effected by Misrepresentation of the doctrines maintained: and this again is easily accomplished by an abuse of names and words, or of texts of Scripture, and other books of credit. In the firft, as it has been fhewn, they may recommend under the fpecious appellation of virtues, as Zeal, Sincerity, and fuch like, habits and practices which are entirely different from fuch excellent qualities and in the fecond, they may produce fingle paffages detached from their context, and that true sense, which the character, circumstances, and scope of argument of the author are generally alone able to fix and determine. But it is indeed a more material calamity to deplore, that, too often, people may have already rendered themselves liable to fuffer the delufion which

which misleads them. They have perhaps prepared themselves to feek a fanction in Scripture for gratifying those inclinations, to which their temper or circumstances particularly fubject them; and therefore are too ready to join those teachers, who pretend to have found it against every thing that difcourages fuch indulgence. But farther, befide the allurements of Preeminence, Pleafure, or Intereft, the common infirmities of our nature afford an aim to the enemies of truth. The Defire of Novelty, Curiofity, the Expectation of Perfection under another form of establishment, and fuch other natural principles, not to detail alfo the peculiar infirmities of Individuals, are inftruments in the hands of those who feek to beguile; and, though after a fimilar manner as in other publick or private concerns of life, yet with greater advantage in Religion.

By thefe and means like to these therefore, which are worthy of our ferious reflection, has Prejudice, Moral Prejudice, been able to raise and support even the most violent ill founded oppofitions against the Church of Christ. In the Apoftolic times it led men to "the denial " of the Lord who bought them,"* to the adoption of Fables and Genealogies, to the Tim. i. 4. Tit. i. 14. impofition

2 Pet. ii. 1.

impofition of Jewish Ceremonies,* to a denial of the Resurrection, to the worship of Angels,‡ to the obligation of unnatural Restraints, § to oppofition against Dignities and Government civil and ecclefiaftical, || to Contests for partypre-eminence,** and to Heresy in general.++ And if then to the dangers which, it has been shewn, follow the promulgation of the most irrational and pernicious errors, when introduced by the impofing fubtleties of deceit, and made fubfervient to the interests of our paffions, be farther added the confideration, that Herefies must alway abound, as long as the nature of men and things continues to be the fame, it remains for us to be aware how much we are concerned in this representation. On this topic it is no part of my prefent defign to enter. I here leave the subject; which as often as it may be neceffary to pursue farther, as it requires freedom and refolution, so does it particularly exact candour, circumfpection, and charity. I shall only add, that we are more highly and immediately concerned to confider, what Motives and Means we are furnished with to fecure ourselves against the evils that furround us,

† 2 Tim. ii. 18. 1 Cor. xv. 12. § 1 Tim. iv. 1, &c. Tit. iii. 1, &c. 3 Joh. 9, &c. I Cor. iv. 19. I Cor. tt Gal. v. 19, 20,

**

SERMON VIII.

I THES. II. 15.

Therefore, Brethren, ftand faft, and bold the Traditions which ye have been taught.

IT is, I think, needless to spend any time in

op

proving that the Traditions here mentioned, were fimply the Doctrines of the Gospel in pofition to the delufion of those, "who believed "not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighte "ousness." It rather concerns us to obferve the reasoning pursued by the Apostle. Because on one hand the herefies thus described feduced unto eternal ruin, and on the other a fincere adherence to the truth led unto falvation, and the attainment of " the glory of our Lord Jefus "Christ," therefore his disciples ought to " stand "fast, and hold the Traditions which they had "been taught, whether by word or by epistle."

It