A Collection of cases and other discourses lately written to recover dissenters to the communion of the Church of England by some divines of the city of London ; in two volumes ; to each volume is prefix'd a catalogue of all the cases and discourses contained in this collection.

I.

And as for the former of these, I can scarce think that any Dissenter, when he seriously considers, will ex∣cept against our Sermons upon that account; they being taken out of the Holy Scriptures (which are the founda∣tion of our Religion) and with such care to find out their true sense and proper meaning, that perhaps they were never more clearly opened, and rightly applied, then they are now adays in our Churches. I am sure, All that hea∣venly Truth which was delivered to our first Parents, when they were about to be expelled out of Paradise; which God repeated in his Promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Ja∣cob; which he shadowed and confirmed in the Law of Moses; illustrated by the Oracles of the Prophets; and finally fulfilled in the Incarnation, Birth, Life, Death, Re∣surrection, and Ascension of the Son of God; and diffu∣sed by the Preaching of the Apostles and the Power of the Holy Ghost, all over the World; is there so fully and di∣stinctly taught, that we may safely say, the whole Coun∣sel

of Gods Will is at one time or other faithfully decla∣red among us.

And as that is declared compleatly, so little else is medled withal: matters of controversie being as rarely handled in our Pulpits, I believe, as in any place of the World: unless it be those which the present State of things, sometimes makes absolutely Necessary, to fortifie the People against Popery, and against Separation: yet even these are not so often treated of, as matters of gene∣ral concernment to all Parties of Christians whatsoever. For the great drift of our Preachers seems to be, to in∣struct the People in the Truth, and to make them good (particularly to give them right notions of God, which are the very bottom of all Religion) knowing that Er∣rors and Superstitions will fall of themselves, without a particular confutation. For they are supported by no∣thing but ignorance and naughty affections; which will uphold them against all the Arguments whereby they can be assaulted, unless mens minds be informed and possessed with such a right sense of things, as alters their Wills and Affections, and turns them to an unfeigned love of God and Goodness.

Which seems to me to be the aim and scope of the Sermons which are generally preached by our Ministers: and which is so well performed, that we need not fear to affirm, there is nothing necessary either to make men truly knowing in the things of God; or to work belief in them; or to confirm them in the Faith; or to direct them in their practice of what they know and believe; or to ex∣cite them to follow those directions, and to live accor∣ding to the Laws of the Gospel; or to satisfie material Scruples; to resolve doubts and cases of Conscience; to comfort disconsolate penitents, and awaken drowsie sin∣ners, or any thing of like Nature: but may be met with∣al

in our Churches, so fully, solidly, and judiciously handled, that men need go no whither else for Edifica∣tion; if that be the thing they truly desire, and sincerely seek and indeavour.

For what truth can they learn any where else, which is not to be learnt, if they will attend upon Gods service there, in our Churches? what Motives to believe, or what Arguments to convince men of their Duty, which are not there represented, and pressed? What Vice is there, which doth not there receive just Correction? What Virtue that is not there most strongly recommended? which of the promises are not there applied to the Hearts of the faithful? and where can men have better means of knowing the ter∣ror of the Lord, as the Apostle speaks, against all the im∣penitent and disobedient? And if men cannot profit where such things as these are constantly managed, to as much advantage, as the skill of the Preacher will inable him, I am sure the fault must lie somewhere else, than in the mat∣ter of the Sermons.