signified, and needs to have other signs. St. John and St. Paul took this way, for they were able to do it infallibly: this shown. And we also might do so as easily, if men would suffer Christian faith to rest in its own perfect simplicity, unmingled with arts, and opinions, and interests. When we choose our doctrine or our side, let us take that which is in the plain unexpounded words of Scripture. Next let us choose that which is most advantageous to a holy life, and to the proper graces of a Christian; in which St. Paul directs us: Let us be careful to maintain good works for necessary uses: for he that heartily pursues these proportions, cannot be a bad man, though he were accidentally, and in particular explications, deceived.

6. But, because this is an act of wisdom rather than prudence, and supposes science or knowlege rather than experience, therefore it concerns Christians to observe the practice and rules of practice, which their teachers and catechists use in their spiritual ministry; for although many signs are uncertain, yet some are infallible, and some highly probable.

7. Therefore those teachers that pretend to be guided by a private spirit, are certainly false. No Scripture is of private interpretation, saith St. Peter, that is, of private emission or declaration this explained. Such pretence of a single extraordinary spirit is nothing else but the spirit of pride, error, and delusion; a snare wherewith to catch easy, credulous souls, &c.

8. Those are to be suspected for evil guides, who, to get authority among the people, pretend great zeal, and use great liberty in reproving princes and governors, nobility and prelates, &c. Such homilies cannot be the effects of a holy religion, as undermine authority, make the people discontented, bold against their rulers, and immodest in their stations: this topic enlarged on.

9. The Apostles, in all prophecies concerning such men, have remarked lust to be the inseparable companion of these

rebellious prophets.

They are filthy dreamers, they defile the flesh, saith St. Jude. They walk after the flesh, in the lust of uncleanness, saith St. Peter, &c.: this topic enlarged on. 10. Those prophets and pastors, that pretend severity and live loosely, or are severe in small things and give liberty in greater, or who forbid some sins and yet practise or teach those that serve their interests or their sect, are to be suspected and avoided.

11. The substance of all is this; that we must not choose our doctrine by our guide, but our guide by the doctrine, &c.

12. Besides these premises, there are other lesser lights that may help to make our judgment clearer; but only when they are in conjunction with some of the preceding characters, which are drawn by the great lines of Scripture: such as, for example, when the teachers of sects stir up unprofitable questions; causelessly retire from the universal customs of Christendom ; cancel memorials of the greatest mysteries of our redemption; make their religion to consist in speculations, abstractions, raptures, or in outward ceremonies, &c. &c. Here indeed is the great necessity that we should have the prudence and discretion of serpents. But two or three cautions are to be inserted.

1. We cannot expect that by these, or any other signs, we shall be able to discover the characters of all men, whether they teach an error or not. It is enough that we decline those guides that would lead us to hell: we need not think that we are enticed to death by the weaknesses of every disagreeing brother.

2. In all discerning of sects, we must be careful to distinguish the faults of men from the evils of their doctrine: for some there are that speak very well, and do very ill; men of holy calling, but of unholy lives, &c.

3. Let us make one separation more, and then we may act according to the premises. If we espy a design or an evil mark

on one doctrine, let us divide it from the other that are not so spotted: this topic dilated on.

These are the general rules of Christian prudence here chosen to be insisted on: there are others indeed more particular, and well worthy of our observance; namely, that we be careful to decline a danger, watchful against a temptation, wise in choosing our company, reserved and wary in our friendships, communicative in our charity, &c.: this topic dilated on to the

end.

SERMON X.

OF CHRISTIAN PRUDENCE.

MATTHEW, CHAP. X.-Verse 16.

Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

PART I.

WHEN our blessed Saviour entailed a law and a condition of sufferings, and promised a state of persecution to his servants; and withal had charmed them with the bands and unactive chains of so many passive graces, that they should not be able to stir against the violence of tyrants, or abate the edge of axes by any instrument but their own blood; being ‘sent forth as sheep among wolves,' innocent and silent, harmless and defenceless, certainly exposed to sorrow, and uncertainly guarded in their persons; their condition seemed nothing else but a designation to slaughter: and when they were drawn into the folds of the church, they were betrayed into the hands of evil men, infinitely and unavoidably: and when an Apostle invited a proselyte to come to Christ, it was in effect a snare laid for his life; and he could neither conceal his religion, nor hide his person, nor avoid a captious question, nor deny his accusation, nor elude the bloody arts of orators and informers, nor break prisons, nor any thing but die. If the case stood just thus, it was well eternity stood at the outer days of our life, ready to receive such harmless people: but surely there could be no art in the design, no pitying of human weaknesses, no complying with the condition of man, no allowances made for customs

and prejudices of the world, no inviting men by the things of men, no turning nature into religion; but it was all the way a direct violence, and an open prostitution of our lives, and a throwing away our fortune into a sea of rashness and credulity. But, therefore, God ordered the affairs and necessities of religion in other ways, and to other purposes. Although God bound our hands behind us, yet he did not tie our understandings up: although we might not use our swords, yet we might use our reason: we were not suffered to be violent, but we might avoid violence by all the arts of prudence and innocence : if we did take heed of sin, we might also take heed of men. And because in all contentions between wit and violence, prudence and rudeness, learning and the sword, the strong hand took it first, and the strong head possessed it last; the strong man first governed, and the witty man succeeded him, and lasted longer; it came to pass, that the wisdom of the Father hath so ordered it, that all his disciples should overcome the power of the Roman legions by a wise religion; and prudence and innocence should become the mightiest guards; and the Christian, although exposed to persecution, yet it is so secured that he shall never need to die, but when the circumstances are so ordered, that his reason is convinced that then it is fit he should; fit, I say, in order to God's purposes and his own.

For he that is innocent, is safe against all the rods and the axes of all the consuls of the world, if they rule by justice; and he that is prudent, will also escape from many rudenesses and irregular violences that can come by injustice: and no wit of man, no government, no armies, can do more. For Cæsar pe

rished in the midst of all his legions and all his honors; and against chance and irregularities there is no provision less than infinite that can give security. And although prudence alone cannot do this, yet innocence gives the greatest title to that Providence which only can, if he pleases, and will, if it be fitting. Here, then, are the two arms defensive of a Christian : prudence against the evils of men, innocence against the evils of the devil and all that relates to his kingdom.

Prudence fences against persecution and the evil snares, against the opportunities and occasions of sin; it prevents surprises, it fortifies all its proper weaknesses, it improves our

TAY.

VOL. III.

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