1718. his Doctrine for that Time, and finished his Divine Sayings, the People were fmitten with it, to Admiration, as well indeed they might.

Verfe 28. And it came to pass, when Jefus had ended thefe Sayings, that the People were astonished at bis Doctrine.

Verse 29. For be taught them as one baving Authority, and not as the Scribes.

And

They were aftonished at his Doctrine, and well they might, for it excelled even the Law, and went beyond it, as when he tells them, 'twas faid of old Time, or in the Law, Thou shalt not Kill: He taught that we must not be angry without Caufe. whereas the Law gives Liberty to hate our Enemies ; he charges us to love them, and pray for them, and do good to them; again the Law prohibits Adultery; Chrift prohibits Luft, both in the Eye, and in the Heart. And whereas the Law commanded to perform their Oaths to the Lord; Chrift commands not to fwear at all. Now thofe who are not angry, it is not likely they should kill; those who love their Enemies cannot hate or deftroy them; those who have not Luft in their Hearts or Eyes, cannot commit Adultery; and those who never fwear, cannot forfwear themselves: All which he with Divine Power and Authority from above taught. He was not dry and formal like the Scribes: So likewife his Minifters, and the Preachers of his Gofpel, fhould wait on him, to be endued with a Measure of his Divine Spirit and Holy Grace, that the Hearers might be edified, and the Father, Son, and Spirit, might have the Glory, who over all his worthy for ever.

POSTSCRIPT.

POSTSCRIPT

INCE I wrote the above (which was written at Sea, in my Voyage from Barbadoes to London) I have heard that a learned Man hath wrote upon this excellent Sermon of Chrift (which far exceeds what I have done) at which I rejoice; for the more Chrift is glorified, and his faithful Followers edified, the greater is our Caufe of Rejoicing and if it exceeds this, it is no wonder, this being done by one who doth not profess to understand Grammar, neither is a Master of Words, nor fcarely of good English. Peradventure through the Meannefs of the Inftrument, the Glory of God, and Praife of Chrift, may the more appear; as faid Chrift, Out of the Mouths of Babes thou hast ordained Praife, or Strength: And again, Thou haft revealed thefe Things to Babes and Sucklings. And the Jews marvelled that the Apoftles of Chrift fhould know the Things of God, being unlearned Men. But I had 'a Concern working a long Time on my Mind, and I could not be eafy nor fatisfied untill I had made fome little Effay towards this Work; and confidering my own Weakness, it kept me back a great While; but in giving up to the Work, I had Peace and inward Satisfaction therein: For I thought it my Duty to publifh and promote, as much as I well could, the Doctrine and Sermon of Chrift, my Lord and Mafter; fince the very Life and Marrow of true Chriftianity is therein to be found, in a very great Degree; and, without Controverfy, thofe who live up and according to the Doctrine here laid down by Chrift in this Sermon, will be bleffed in this World, and that to come, of whatfoever Denomination they may be.

T. C.

Some

1718.

1718

Some truly tender SCRUPLES of CONSCIENCE, about that Form of Prayer, called the

COMMON PRAYER,

I.

As used by the MEMBERS of the Church of ENGLAND.

A

S to the Reading the Holy Scriptures, either privately or openly, that I am not against, but would encourage it in all Chriftians and true Believers in Christ, and we ought to excite one another thereto, and more efpecially to put in Practice what we read to be our Duty, otherwife the holy Letter will kill (as faith the Apostle, 2 Cor. iii. 6.) which is to be understood, when we practice contrary to what we read therein. As for Example, where our Lord faith, Every idle Word that Man fhall Speak, they shall give Account thereof, in the Day of Judgment, Matt. xii. 36. Again, God will not bold bim guiltless, that taketh his Name in vain. Exod. xx. 7. That Servant that knew his Lord's Will, and did it not, fhall be beaten with many Stripes, Luke xii. 47. Thefe and many more Portions of Holy Scripture, are condemning and killing to those who live in Sin and Evil, which the Letter is abfolutely against, and without true Repentance, accompanied with Amendment of Life, though the Holy Bible be read every Day, it will but add to our Condemnation. But if People truly repent of the. Evil of their Ways, and awake to Righteoufnefs, and fin not, as the Holy Scriptures themfelves hold, and

Chrift taught, then unto fuch Souls they are a rich 1718. Treasure, and as a Cabinet full of precious Jewels, "able to make the Man of God wife to Salvation, through Faith" in Chrift (by the Influence of the Holy Ghoft or Spirit) It is not the Reading (divinely infpired Writings, or) the Bible, which is fcrupled ; but the formal Reading of formal compofed Prayers and Songs, at fet Times, inftituted by fuch whose Principle is, that there is now no Divine Revelation, and that we can't live without finning, while we are in this Life, according to the Tenour of the Common Prayer; holding, that we fin as long as we live, as if God's Power were not ftronger to preferve out of Sin, than the Devil is to keep us in Sin, contrary to the Work and Doctrine of the Holy Apoftles, who were sent of God to turn People from Satan's Power, to the Power of God; whofe Glorious, Eternal Power, is above the Power of Sin, Death and the Devil.

In the Common Prayer fome unfound Words, and also fome Scripture Expreffions, perverted to a wrong Ufe, I would a little open, or write a few Words concerning.

1st. As to that Expreffion in the Common Prayer, "that we are miserable Sinners."

2 dly, "And that we are full of Bruifes and putrifying Sores."

3dly, "And from the Crown of the Head to the Sole of the Foot, there is no Soundness in us."

4thly, "And that we have left undone the Things which we ought to do, and do thofe Things which we ought not to do; and this to be repeated for Life."

First, then, If People must be miferable Sinners all their Days, to what End did Chrift come into the World and preach the Gofpel, and fuffer Death, the painful Death of the Crofs? Did he not come to put an End to Sin, and to deftroy the Works of the Devil, whose Works are Sin? Did he not preach against Sin, both within, and without? Witnefs the 5th, 6th,

and

1718. and 7th Chapters of the Evangelift Matthew.

Yea, his Birth, Life, Preaching, Suffering, Death and Refurrection, and Afcenfion into Glory, were all against Sin, the Devil, Death and Darkness, and all the Works and Deeds thereof. Chrift died for our Sins, and we fhould die to them, and live to him: He came to fave us from the Act of Sin, as well as the Imputation of it; and takes away the Guilt of Sin, on Condition of true Repentance and Amendment of Life, as the Doctrine of Chrift and his Apoftles do largely and plainly demonftrate, as any who are come to the Years of Discretion, and who can but read the Holy Scriptures, may plainly discover.

The Apostle faith, Whatfoever Things are holy, whatfoever Things are pure, just, and of good Report, seek after thofe Things. And again, No unclean Thing can enter the Kingdom of Heaven; but certainly all Sin is unclean. Read over the Holy Scriptures, from the Beginning to the End, their Nature and Tendency is against all Sin; and as it is true, that we all have been Sinners, furely therefore all true Chriftians, and true Believers in Chrift, have Caufe reverently to bow, and to be truly and humbly thankful, that Chrift, our great Lord, by his offering himself for us, hath taken away that Imputation; fo that now through true Faith and Belief in Chrift, accompanied with true Repentance, and Amendment of Life, the Imputation of our former Sins is taken away; for which Caufe we praife God, and adore his Eternal Majefty for ever.

2dly. As to the Word miferable, a Chriftian may indeed be poor; but fince Chrift is come to make us happy and comfortable through the Hope of eternal Salvation, in his Name and Power (as we are not to think ourfelves better than we are) fo we cannot fay nor think we are miserable, unless we are without God and Chrift; and then we are miferable indeed; but no Mortal can be miserable, who hath Chrift; for be that

bath