And looking into the bottom of Motives and Pretences, we fhall find a Truth well worth our Obferving. (viz.) That what Men at first call Reafon, and afterwards Confcience; is oftentimes no other than Affection and Prejudice and Wilfulness crept into the Chair. I have neither time nor need to infift any farther for the Proof of that thing I purpofed. From the Confiderations already offer'd, I think we may fafely conclude, That an humble and ready Faith (Casting down Imaginations, and every thing that exalts it felf against the Knowledge of Chrift) is the only Expedient both to make and to keep Men Wife, To the Author and Finisher of our Faith " ADVERTISEMENT. F Orafmuch as a Certain Author bath thought fit to print Remarks upon the two foregoing Sermons, the Reader will find a Cenfure of thofe Remarks at the end of this Volume. (89) A SERMON Concerning Nature and Grace. St. MATTH. XXVI. 35. Peter faid unto him, Though I fhould die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. T HE Words befpeak us to contemplate a Juft and Dutiful Refolution; made by a Man that had both as much Confcience to engage him in what was fit, and as much Cou rage to execute what he had engaged in, as any other of Mankind must ever pretend to. And yet this Refolution was not not kept, it failed very difgracefully : And my chief Purpofe at this time is to enquire into the Caufes, How it came fo to fail. In order to which, it will lie in my way to premise fomewhat more of the Character of the Perfon. Peter (we know) was a Man of Precedency, and Above the reft of the Dif ciples: And he was likewife one of fuch Vertues and Qualifications, as feem to have recommended him to that Prece dency, more than did the Advantage of his Years. He was a Man of real and tender Goodness: And this is fufficiendly evident from that Paffage at his fift Admiffion to our Saviour's Acquaintance (St. Luke 5.) when being awakened by the miraculous Draught of Fifhes, and knowing that the Author must neceffarily be from God, he fell down at his Feet, and broke out into this humble and pious Reflection, Depart from me, for I am a finful man, O Lord! The Cenfure indeed expreffes him a fin ful ful Man; but so to censure himself, implies more effectually than any thing else could, that he was a Good Man: And though the Words ... Depart from me carry in them the Face of Fear, yet he who heard them, and knew the Heart of the Speaker, found that they carried in them a greater measure of Defire; for Peter was not willing to be rid of his new Guest, but only longing to be inade more worthy of his Converfa tion. He was a Man of great Love to his Mafter, and of no less Zeal for his Religion: Of which, from among many, I fhall take one Inftance out of St. John 6. Where, upon the Desertion of leveral other Difciples, our Saviour puts the Question to the Twelve, Will ye alfo go away? Then (fays the Text) Peter anfwered him, Lord, whither fhall we go? Thou haft the words of eternal life. An Answer fo wife and faithful, fo evidencing his confirmed Choice of the Better Part, |