LIX.

which is the great inftrument of our falvation? That SERM. book which was written on purpose to reveal and convey to men the knowledge of GOD, and of his will, and their duty? What fhould men be allowed to know; if not that which is the best and most effectual means, to direct and bring them to heaven, or turn them from fin, and to preferve them from eternal misery? When our SAVIOUR would reprefent the best and most effectual means of bringing men to happiness, and faving them from the eternal torments of hell, in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, he brings in Abraham, giving the best advice he could to the rich man who was in hell, concerning his brethren that were upon earth, how they might prevent their coming into that place of torment; and he directs them to the fcriptures, as the best and most effectual means to that purpofe: "They have (fays he) Mofes and the prophets let them hear them."

T

Now if in the church of GoD among the Jews, the fame course had been taken, that is now in the church of Rome; the rich man might, and in all reafon ought to have replied, "Nay, father Abra"ham; but they have not Mofes and the pro"phets, nor are they permitted to read them in a "language that they can understand; and there"fore this advice is of no ufe to them:" and then he might with reafon have prefs'd him, as he did, that "one might be fent to them from the dead, to "teftify unto them." But it appears that Abraham was very pofitive and peremptory in this advice; and that he prefers the knowledge of the fcriptures, to any other way or means, that could be thought of; and that if this had not its effect to persuade men to repentance, and to preserve them

from

LIX.

SERM. from hell, he did not know any thing elfe that was fo likely to do it: for he concludes, "If they hear "not Mofes and the prophets; neither will they "be perfuaded though one rofe from the dead." And this is the conclufion of the parable; which plainly fhews, what was the main scope and defign of our SAVIOUR in it; namely, to recommend to us the use of the holy fcriptures, as the best and most effectual means, which the wisdom of God hath provided for the falvation of mankind.

And now any man would be apt to think, that the declared judgment of our SAVIOUR in the cafe fhould go a great way; even with the moft infallible church in the world. However this we muft fay, that it is in truth a very hard cafe, to which the church of Rome hath reduced men; that it will neither allow them falvation out of their church, nor the best and most effectual means of falvation, when' they are in it. I might fay much more upon this' head; but this I hope may be fufficient.

The next inftance fhall be in the doctrine of trânsubstantiation,' which is contrary to the ferip tures, which after confecration fo frequently call the elements bread and wine; and which, without rea-' fon or neceffity, puts an abfurd and impoffible fenfe' upon those words of our SAVIOUR," This is my "body;" which do no more prove tranfubftantiation; than thofe words, "This cup is the new! "teftament," do prove that the material cup which was used in the facrament, was fubftantially changed into the new teftament; and no more, than those texts which affirm GOD to have eyes," and ears, and hands, do prove that he really hath fo. fides the contrariety of this doctrine to fcripture, nothing can be more repugnant to reafon.

But be

It is fo

big

LIX.

big with contradictions, and fo furfeited of impof- SERM. fibilities, that it would be endlefs to reckon them up. And befides all this, it plainly contradicts the clear and conftant evidence of four of our five fenfes ; which whoever contradicts, undermines the foundation of all certainty.

And then the communion in one kind is plainly contrary to our SAVIOUR'S inftitution of the facrament in both kinds; as they themselves acknowledge. And therefore the council of Conftance, being fenfible of this, was forced to decree it with an exprefs non obftante to the inftitution of CHRIST, and the practice of the apoftles and the primitive church. And their doctrine of concomitancy (as if the blood were in the flefh, and together with it) will not help the matter: because in the facrament CHRIST's body is reprefented as broken, and pierced, and exhaufted, and drained of its blood; and his blood is represented as fhed and poured out; fo that one kind can by no means contain and exhibit both.

The next inftance is, the repetition of CHRIST'S propitiatory facrifice in the mafs, fo often as that is celebrated against all reafon; becaufe the facrifice of CHRIST Once offered upon the crofs, was a full and perfect propitiation for the fins of the whole world; and therefore ought not, because it needs not, to be again repeated for that end, in any manner whatsoever. And it is directly contrary to the main scope of a great part of this epiftle to the Hebrews, which fhews the excellency of the gofpel above the law in this refpect, that the expiatory facrifice of the gofpel was offered once for all; whereas the facrifices of the law were perpetually repeated. VOL. V. Chap.

B

SERM. Chap. vii. 27. fpeaking of CHRIST; "who needs LIX. "not daily, as those high-priests, to offer up fa

"crifices; firft for his own fins, and then for the

66

people's for this he did once when he offered

up himself. Chap. ix. 26. "But once in the "end of the world hath he appeared, to take away "fin by the facrifice of himfelf: and as it is appointed for all men once to die, fo CHRIST "was once offered to bear the fins of many." And chap, x. 10. "By the which will we are fanctified, through the offering of the body of JESUS "CHRIST once for all:" and verfe the 12th, "But this man, after he had offered one facrifice "for fins, for ever fat down on the right hand of "GOD." And verfe the 14th, "For by one of"fering he hath perfected for ever them that are "fanctified." There cannot be plainer texts for any thing in the bible, than that this propitiatory facrifice was never to be repeated.

And whereas they fay, that the facrifice of the mafs is an unbloody facrifice: this, instead of bringing them off, doth but intangle the matter more. For if blood be offered in the facrifice of the mass, how is it an unbloody facrifice? What can be more bloody than blood? And if blood be not offered, how is it propitiatory? Since the apoftle lays it down for a certain rule, that "without shedding of blood,

there is no remiffion" of fins; i. e. there can be no propitiation for the fins of the living or the dead, which the church of Rome affirms there is.

I might have added one or two inftances more; and then should have proceeded to fhew, in the third place, that we are to "hold fast the profeffion of

our faith without wavering," against all the temp

rations

tations and terrors of the world; which is more efpecially and principally here intended by the apostle in this exhortation.

But I fhall proceed no farther at present.

SERMON

LX.

Of Conftancy in the Profeflion of the true Religion.

HE B. X. 23.

Let us bold faft the profeffion of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised.

IN

pro

SERM.

LX.

this text.

'N these words, I have told you, are contained First, an exhortation to "hold fast the "feffion of our faith, or hope, without wavering." The third Secondly, an argument or encouragement thereto; fermon on "because he is faithful that promifed." I am yet upon the first of these; the exhortation to Chriftians, to be constant and steady in the profeffion of their religion" let us hold faft the profeffion of "our faith without wavering." And that we might the better comprehend the true and full meaning of this exhortation, I thewed,

First, negatively, what is not meant and intended by it. And I mentioned these two particulars.

1. The apostle doth not hereby intend, that thofe who are capable of enquiring into, and examining

B 2

the