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SER M. Doctrine of Jefus Chrift by Arbitrarinefs, II. Violence and Force. And the fame may be faid, in proportion, of all other Vices. Whofoever is engaged in Any vitious habit, he is thereby made blind, and walketh in Darkness. Our Saviour represents to us the fame thing, by another the like elegant fimilitude; comparing vitious men to persons that are deaf and cannot hear; St Joh. viii. 43. Why do ye not understand my Speech? even because ye cannot hear my Words; For Ye are of your Father the Devil, and the Lufts of your Father ye will do. The meaning of this difficult Text, by comparing it with that now cited from St John's First Epiftle, appears very evident. For here our Saviour in a very expreffive manner defcribes the unfitnefs of the malicious Pharifees to receive his Doctrine, by faying that they were deaf and could not hear his Words; just as St John in the other place reprefents the incapacity of uncharitable men to understand the Gofpel, by declaring that they are blind and walk in Darkness. And when This is the Cafe, (as 'tis too plainly the Cafe of most Wicked men,) 'tis no wonder if they run into unaccount

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able Extravagancies. Hence, among the SER M. Heathen, thofe who knew God, yet glo- II. rified him not as God, but changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to, birds and beafts and creeping things, Rom. i. 21. Hence the Jews in the Wilderness, though they knew God, not only by the Light of Nature, but by clear Revelation alfo, yet even They likewife fo far corrupted themselves, as to change their Glory, i, e. the True God, whom They alone of all Nations upon the Face of the Earth had the Privilege more immediately to ferve; even They changed this their Glory, into the fimilitude of a Calf that eateth Hay, Pf. cvi. 20. Hence the Jews in our Saviour's time, when they could not deny the Greatnefs of his Miracles, afcribed them to Beelzebub the Prince of Devils; and, after they had faid, Let him now come down from the Cross and we will believe him, yet, after his Resurrection, which was a much greater Miracle, they ftill continued to difbelieve. Thus thro Blindness it comes to pass, that none of the Wicked do understand.

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BUT further: A Wicked difpofition II. not only blinds men, and hinders them from confidering, prevents their examining things, and causes them to overlook. even the strongest Evidence; but it moreover prejudices them Against the Truth, and causes them even to hate it, and become profeffed Enemies to it. They hate to be reformed; and therefore caft God's. words behind them, Pf. I. xvii. Their carnal mind is even enmity against God; and therefore is not fubject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be, Rom. viii. 7. A perfon that gives them the best Advice in the World, may come to be looked upon as their Enemy, for that very reason because he tells them the Truth, Gal. iv. 16. They will knowingly chufe and love. Darkness rather than Light. because their deeds are evil, St Joh. iii. 19. and reject the Truth for no other caufe, but only because they have pleasure in unrighteoufnefs, 2 Theff. ii. 12. And This is an effectual Reafon indeed, why none of fuch wicked perfons can understand. But where This is not the cafe, yet at leaft by any Intervening worldly confideration, working upon their Ambition, Covetousness,

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or any other Paffion; they will certainly SER M. be hindred from apprehending the Truth.

To the Question propofed, St Joh. vii. 48. Have any of the Rulers or Pharifees believed on him? the Anfwer is given, ch. xii. ver. 43. They loved the praife of Men, more than the Praife of God; and ch. v. ver. 44. How can ye believe, which receive ·

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Honour one of another, and seek not the Ho-2 Cor. iii.

nour which cometh from God only? The 14

Jews, to this day, have the Veil remaining upon their Heart, principally through their expecting a temporal Meffiah, to exalt them in the fplendor and glory of this World: And 'tis too fad a Truth, that one of the principal Hindrances of the res Reformation of erroneous Doctrines and Practices among Chriftians; fuch as Tranfubftantiation, Purgatory, Indulgences, Prayers for the Dead, and the like; is their being profitable to, and tending to promote unreasonable and unjuft Power in thofe that maintain them. Where fuch Worldly Interefts and Paffions interpofe, 'tis no wonder that men understand not the Force even of the ftrongest reafoning: They are like the deaf Adder that Atoppeth her Ear ; which refufeth to bear

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SER M. the voice of the charmer, charm he never 11. fo wifely, Pf. Iviii. 4. There is One thing further, and not fo commonly taken notice of, by which an Evil Difpofition hinders right Understanding in matters of Religion; and That is, that it promotes contentious Disputes about needless Intricacies, for the fake of Pride, Vain-glory or Profit; and in order to impose upon other mens Belief uncertain Opinions, which confound and darken the plainest Tit. iii. 9 Truths. Thefe St Paul calls foolish queftions and contentious which are un2 Tim. ii. profitable and vain; friving about words 14. to no profit, but to the fubverting of the 2 Tim. vi Heaners profane and vain bablings, and oppofitions of Science falfely fo called, and which will increafe unto more ungodliness; profane and old-wives fables; Fables and 1 Tim iv. commandments of Men, that turn from the Zit Tit. i. 14. Truth; foolish and unlearned questions, that 2 Tim. ii gender Arifes; Fables and endless genealo gies, which minifter questions rather than godly edifying. And perfons who by Heat and Dogmaticalnefs, and by Zeal for uncertain Opinions without due inquiry and examination, caufe or promote fuch Contentions; he calls proud, knowing nothing,

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