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SERM.go beyond these bounds, is presumptuous VI. and unwarrantable. Those things which

God has revealed to us, we may know, because God has discovered them to us; and we are bound with all diligence to search after the knowledge of them, because they are proposed to us as the rule of our life, and the condition of our happiness. More than God has made known to us of this kind, we cannot difcover; and to pretend to understand, and confidently impose upon each other what God has not thought fit clearly to reveal, is no less foolish and absurd, than it is unreasonable and finful. For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his Counsellour? Rom. xi. 34. Only in general this one thing we may depend upon as certain, that no secret Counsel or Purpose or Decree of God can be contrary to his Will revealed in his Word. Upon what conditions God has appointed that men should be happy or miferable, he has clearly and fully revealed to us in his Holy Scriptures ; and more than this, it is neither necessary nor possible for us to know.

3dly and lastly; An over earnest Defire SERM.

of knowing things fubtle and unnecessary
to be known, so as in the pursuit of the
knowledge of these things, to neglect the
Study of that which more nearly con-
cerns us; is also a fort of that fearch af-
ter knowledge which is forbidden in the
Scripture.
Whatever hath no relation to

the Honour and true Worship of God,
and promotes not righteousness and cha-
rity among Men: Whatever tends not fo
to inform our judgments, as to rectify
our practice and reform our lives, is use-
less and unprofitable. Let us then in the
first place endeavour to attain that Know-
ledge which may make us wife unto Sal-
vation; and always so regulate our inqui-
ries after other things, as not to neglect
the Study of that, which is our interest
and our life. I conclude with the words
of the wife Son of Sirach: Ecclus. iii.
21; Many are in high places and of re-
but mysteries are revealed to the
Seek not out the things that are
too hard for thee, nor search the things
that are above thy ftrength : But what is

nown;

meek.

commanded

VI.

SERM.commanded thee, think thereon with reverence; for it is not needful for thee to fee with thine Eyes the things that are in fi

VI.

cret.

SERMON

SERMON VII.

Of the Testimony of our SA-
VIOUR'S Doctrines.

[Preached on Trinity-Sunday.]

I JOH. v. 8.

And there are Three that bear Witness in Earth, the Spirit and the Water and the Blood; And these Three agree in

One.

T

HE Words of the foregoing SERM: Verse, which have no rela- VI. tion to the Argument the Apostle is here insisting upon, I shall not take into confideration at this time; for a Reason Now well-known to all who carefully study the

VII.

SERM. the Scriptures, and not needful to be men tioned in This place. But confining my Discourse to the words of the Text itself. I shall Ist endeavour to explain diftinctly, their connexion with the whole Thread of the Apostle's reasoning in this chapter; and 2dly, I shall confider, the Doctrine particularly contained in the words themfelves.

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I. In the first verse of This Chapter, St John lays down the General Doctrine, which is the Subject of this whole epistle : Whosoever (says he) believeth that Jesus is the Chrift, is born of God. To be born of God, fignifies, by an easy Figure of Speech, to be what the Scripture calls a Child of God, a regenerate perfon, one that loves God and keeps bis Commandments; living in the habitual Practice of universal Virtue and Righteousness. And fuch a person is every one, who believeth that Jefus is the Ckrift: Not every one who profeffès to believe, but who does believe: Not every one who pretends to be, but who really is, a fincere Christian. The reason why the Apostle expresses fincere Christianity by this particular phrase of believing

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