foundation of Christianity; if you can make no alteration in them, without altering the very essence of this religion, and changing it into some other thing; wherein is the Creed to be blamed, because it declares them to be thus essential to the faith, and necessary to salvation? The Creed lays down a general proposition, that it is necessary to believe the Christian or catholic faith; a proposition which might easily be proved, if any Christian, who knows what he says, was hardy enough to deny it. It then gives a particular and circumstantial account of two great articles of this faith, relating to the Trinity and Incarnation. But if any man, merely for want of common good capacity, cannot understand this explication, the Creed condemns him not. It condemns no man's incapacity; it censures no man's ignorance, provided that ignorance be not wilful; and then it ought to be censured, because it is without excuse. For really these are points of too great consequence to be neglected. In short, as St. Paul says in another case, that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law; so in this case, what things soever the Creed saith, it saith to them whom it may concern; to them who may understand it if they will; who want neither the means of instruction, nor capacity to use and apply them; and whose ignorance or unbelief is owing to their own neglect or prejudices, that is, to their own fault. And if the Creed condemn such men as these, it may, I suppose, be supported in doing so, both by the reason of mankind and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Men are apt enough to be indifferent in matters

f Rom. iii. 19.

of religion. The better sort of them indeed will practise the common decencies of life, and perform the offices of humanity, justice, and common morality. They feel the good effects of such behaviour, in the value and esteem which it procures them; and the good order and well-being of the world could not be preserved without it. But one sometimes finds, even in persons of this sort, a wonderful inattention and a strange indifference with regard to the first and most fundamental doctrines of their religion. It might possibly be with some view to this kind of conduct, that the compiler of the Creed inserted what are called the damnatory clauses. He was desirous to excite their attention, and to rouse them from this unmeaning slumber; to convince them that something is to be believed as well as practised; and that in matters of this importance men should not trifle with God and their own consciences, and halt between two opinionss. To this purpose he declares, that the doctrines he endeavours to explain are necessary to salvation; because he thought this consideration most likely to make men serious about them, and engage their attention to them. But the censures, or damnatory clauses, are truly and properly no censures at all; but only general declarations of the importance of the doctrines or directions about them; and when explained, as general declarations must be, with proper allowances and exceptions, very consistent both with truth and charity. "He that will be saved," says the compiler," must thus think of the Trinity :" which, though it may sound harsh, and look like a censure, is in truth nothing more than good advice; g 1 Kings xviii. 21.

is no more in effect than if he had said, I have now explained the doctrine of the Trinity in a sound and orthodox sense, and I would advise every Christian, who would avoid all dangerous errors in this point, to think of it in this manner: he that is willing to be saved, and upon that account desirous to avoid all damnable heresies, ita de Trinitate sentiat, let him thus think of the Trinity.

This is his advice; and as I cannot conclude with better, it is mine: for though orthodoxy cannot cover, it may prevent, a multitude of sins. Let us therefore hold this mystery of the faith in a pure conscience; in sincerity of heart, and in righteousness of life not in hypocrisy, outwardly professing what we do not inwardly believe, for the sake of worldly interest; nor in unrighteousness, as if a right faith would atone for a wicked life. But let us add to our faith virtue1; so that we may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things; and that he who is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of usi.

h 2 Pet. i. 5.

i Titus ii. 8, 10.

SERMON XIX.

1 COR. xii. 31.

And yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

THERE being evidently a comparison in the text between the more excellent way and something before mentioned or intended, it is necessary to look back to see how the relation stands, and what the thing is, to which the more excellent way is compared and preferred. The whole chapter is upon the argument of spiritual gifts; where their author, their end, their diversities, and their value are all distinctly laid down. As they all came from the selfsame Spirit, who divideth to every man severally as he will; so the end and design of them was the profit and edification of the church. Their respective value therefore may be estimated from this consideration; each was better than other as it most promoted this end. As to their diversity, let it be sufficient to observe that it was very great; there was a subordination of them, as there is of the members in the human body. For to one was given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, the faith and doctrine of the gospel, which is the wisdom of God; or such a mouth and wisdom, in the defence and confirmation of it, as all their adversaries were not able to gainsay nor resist to another the word of knowledge, enabling him to understand and explain all the mysteries and all the knowledge of the

Old Testament: to another faith, so vigorous and active as to manifest itself in miraculous and supernatural effects. To another the gifts of healing all manner of diseases; to another the working of miracles, a power of performing operations still more miraculous, as casting out devils, and raising the dead to life to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits, highly necessary when many false and seducing spirits were gone out into the world: to another divers kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of them.

These were gifts and powers of a very extraordinary nature, and yet the excellent way, spoken of in the text, is preferred before them. What way that is appears from the next chapter, which is wholly taken up in the description and commendation of charity. In pursuance therefore of this subject I shall shew,

First, The nature and extent of charity at large. Secondly, Upon what accounts it is so highly commended: and to bring this matter nearer to the occasion of the present assembly, I shall shew,

In the last place, how justly such instances of charity as this before us are entitled to our approbation and encouragement.

Charity is one of those words which, through length of time, has suffered some alteration in its meaning. It often signifies now in common use no more than giving of alms; though that at best, and when it proceeds from a principle of charity, is but one effect of it; and when done, as it may be done, upon selfish motives, or out of mere simple good nature, is no effect or argument of it at all. If this will not help us to the true notion of charity, much