our hungring and thirsting after: This deferves our utmost Care and Diligence hrtain iond

Be it therefore our frequent Employ ment to contemplate upon that Holy Religion which we profefs. With cool and unprejudiced Minds examine we those convincing Arguments which establish its Gertainty and Reasonableness. With clofe Attention confider we, That Eternity of inconceivable Torment it denounceth against the Wicked; and the infinite Excellency of that everlafting Reward it promifeth to the Righteous. With hearty and conftant Prayer implore we the Grace of Almighty God, to co-operate with our Endeavours: And then, according to the Riches of bis Glory, He will grant us to be Arengthened with Might, by his Spirit in the inner Man He will give us the Shield of Faith, which will empower us to fland Readfast, and over. come in the Hour of Temptation,

Thirdly and Lastly, From the foregoing Difcourfe, we may obferve, That if Gop fhould permit the Enemies of our Religion to have Power to perfecute us for ir, and to tempt us to renounce or corrupt its Purity; it is our indifpenfable Duty to refift their Temptations with the

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utmost Abhorence; readily to furrender all Things, which this World counts dear; and die for the Sake of our most Holy Faith. Let us therefore put on the whale Armour of God, and fit ourselves for a fuffering Condition: Let us prepare to refift even unto Blood, striving against Sin; that fo We may be able to withstand in the evil Day, and having done all, to Stand It may not be long before we are brought to the Trial; for our Pure and Apoftolick Church, which hath of late been unjustly and maliciously infinuated to be in Danger; under the present King's Administration doth now appear to be brought into very great Danger indeed, even by Those who have all along pretended the moft burning Zeal for its Safety. It doth now plainly appear to all, whom obftinate Prejudice hath not blinded, That thofe Men, whofe Perfons have been had in high Admiration, upon Account of their fham Pretences in Favour of the Church of England, have been for a long while endeavouring, and are at this very Juncture endeavouring, to

This Sermon was preached before the University of Oxfora, in the Tine of the Rebellion, in the Year 4715. The Author is willing this Palige fhould remain as it was then delivered, as a Monument of his jut Affection for the best of Governments in the wort of Times.

bring her into Bondage to the Church of Rome, merely for the Advancement of their own worldly Interest; the only Thing which they had ever an bearty Concern for. If the abominable Defigns of thefe Men fhould fucceed, and Popery fhould again be rampant in this Nation, which God forbid, we know what Tribulation and Diftrefs, what Mifery and Torture, we must submit to; or that which is infinitely worse; I mean, the Renunciaation of our Religion, which is infeparably attended with the Lofs of a good Conscience.

It is high Time then, that we examine ourfelves, Whether we be in the Faith, and provide for the worst Accidents that may happen. God hath indeed frequently interpofed in Favour of this Church and Nation; He hath often refcued us, when we have been in the Jaws of Ruin, when we have been upon the very Brink of Deftruction: And by His detecting the treacherous hellifh Contrivances of our perjured, falje Brethren, we have Reason to hope, that He will now deliver us. But if not; Let us make it known to them, and all their Friends and Adherents, That we will neither pray to their Saints, nor worship the gilded Images which they would N 3

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Jet up, nor comply with any other of their unreasonable, ridiculous, and devilish Impofitions. Whatever Affliction we may meet with for Perfevering in our Faith; it will be but light, if put in the Ballance against that eternal Mifery which will be laid upon us for Rencuncing it: And if we bear that light Affiction which is but for a Moment, it will work for us a far more exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory. For Affliction, there will be Glo ry; for Light Affliction, a Weight of Glosy; for Light Affliction, which is but for a Moment, an exceeding, an Eternal Weight of Glory.

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To conclude therefore, Let us watch fland faft inthe Faith; Quit ourfelves like Men, like Chriftians; and be ftrong: Always remembring. That it is an infinitely lefs Evil to burn a few Minutes for a good Confcience, than for ever with a bad one. But that we may neither burn for the One, nor with the Other; GOD of his infinite Mercy grant, for JESUS CHRIST his Sake. Amen.

SER

SERMON viii.

John xiii. 17.

- If ye know these Things, happy are ye if

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do them.

HRISTIANITY is an Inftitution of fuch a generous Nature, fo nicely calculated for the Felicity and Advancement of Mankind, that it provides both for our temporal and eternal Interest: As by an hearty Obedience to its Commands, we are fure to be made Happy in the Life which is to come; fo it is certain, that the fame Obedience will make us Happy in the Life that now is...

Happiness is the grand Object of every one's Withes and Defires: 'Tis the goodly Pearl which all Men feek for; the Treafure which the whole Race of Adam endeavour to get Poffeffion of. And God Almighty, who knew what an ardent Longing for it was implanted in our Conflitutions, hath been graciously pleafed to inform us where it is to be had; and bow