v^y^ ''"^^SJH ^iaEJ» J^ ::3»»,:Sfc:;.i; :^s^?>^aaipfc >222B3i» ^c- ^ AO cs v*JVMXtii.<^ uW^aJL. \) *^AAA^^^\A^i.4^ 1 LIBRARY OF THE Theological Seminary,. PRINCETON, N. J. Cnse r> • ' uivision ^^^^ Section , _ ^ooh, No. ffr Things, add hy. confifts confift. Remorfe, Regret. Paflage, Chapter. after Shame, add, Hebr. xii. 2. this very, anotlier. 23. after Lord, add, Matth. xxv. 21, 23. 224. lb. 12. 226. / 8. 301. 8. 329- IZ. 331- 346. 9- 14. 373- lb. 20 23- 392. lb. 19. 23. ION.. 1 S E R M O N L Preached before the King, March 2 3 , 1717-18. Acts xvii. 22. 4- loen VauX flood in the midfi of Mars-htll, and^ /aid. Ye Men of Athens^ I perceive that in » all things Te are too SuperJUtious. I UPPOSING the Word Stiperfitious to Is e r m. anfwer exadtly to the Word in the Origi- i. nal', yet, it does not feem rightly tranf- p^VNj lated here by the Expreffion too fuperjlitious : \ becaufe this carries along with it an Implica- tion that there is a Degree of Siiperjiition, not at ail biameable 5 and that St. Paid in this Paf- fage allows it j contrary to the conftant Ufe of I that Word amongft Us, in a bad Senfe. The } Greek Word for that Temper of Mind, re- j lating to Religion, from which the Athenians\ are in our T^ranflation denon:iinated Superjitti'\ ctis, fignifies a Dread of fome Superior Be- ings ov Beings-, and commonly, 2inUnreafGnaMe,\ Blind, and Gloom)' , Dread of fuch Beings, lead- i B ingi 1 i I. OfliLL E R S T I T I O N. sfiRM.ing to great and various Abfurdities, about the (( cc cc Methods of pleafingThem. And as the Word, ^■^^'j' ufed by St. Pauly implies in it a Comparifon of Xht Athenians with Others-, and therefore ought to have been tranflated, mere Superjiitious than ordinary j or the hke : I think, thtApoJile may- be truly reprefented as fpeaking thus to 'Thcfe around Him, — " Ye Men o^ Athens, I perceive that you are more thoroughly pofTefTed with the Fear of Inviiible Beings Superior to Us, than I have found any Others to be. And this I conclude, from what I have obferved of the public Marks of your WorJlAp appear- ing in the City. For, befides your Altars to numberlefs Deities with Names to them, in which you agree with Others, all around you J I found an Altar infcribed to the Un- known God: which uncommon Appearance muft be owing to a very extraordinary De- gree of a dark, and uncomfortable Dread of fome Superior Being, though you know not what : Whom you fear you may otherwife be thought to have negled:ed," &c. But, as it is my prefent Defign to take Oc- cafion from the Words of the 'T'ext, as they ftand in Our T^ranjlation, to fpeak in fuch a 'manner upon the Subject uperjlltion of Chj'iJlianSy confidered as Chrijiians^ the Fol- lowers of 'Jefus Chrijl^ as a Teacher fent of God, muft confift in en^ery 'Particular^ which any Perfons, called Chriftians^ have added, or may add, to the plain and exprefs Declarations of their Z/W'^ and Mailer himfelfj under the No- tion of fomething neceflary to our pleafing and ferving God : v/hether it refped; the ObjcB of our Faith ; the ObjeB or Manner of our Worjlnp j or the CondiiB and Practice of our Lives. The Difference, in this cafe, with regard to Heatbetis and Chrijiians^ you will fee, to be very fmall, in the End : becaufe it was the Great Deiign of our "Lord's appearing in the World, utterly to deflroy the whole Fabric of Superjiilicn 'j to reftore the Dictates of Uncor- ruptcd Reafon to their Force and Authority -, and, by calling the World to believe in Him, as fent by God^ to replace the only Method of pleafing Him, upon that I'rue Foundation, upon which it ought to have been placed, whether He had appeared amongft Men, or not. So that the Difference between l^rue Reli- gion, and Superjlition, feems to be this 3 thai the Former is the Argument of the Judgment and B 3 Under- SE R M. OfS UPERSTITION. Underftanding, colledling, from the juft No- !• rtions of a God, enforced upon Chrijiians by I/'VnJ the plained Declarations of their Mafter^ the only poffibie Method of pleaiing Him : and the hatter is the Refult of ungoverned Paf- fion; either the Hope of pleafing God with j fomething entirely diftindl from, and contrary j to, thofe Notions ; or the uneafy Fear that He will not be pleafed, without the Addition of ! fomething which has no Relation to them. I We may therefore, as we pafs, obferve I that Superftitionj in fom^e Refpe6:s, is That to Religion^ which, in common Life, the Flat- tery of a falfe Tongue is, to the Sincerity of Converfation and FriendJJjip. Flattery takes the Place, and often the very Aire and Mien, of fincere Profeffion. It puts itfelf inflead of Friendship', and hopes to be taken for it. It is made up of pleafing Sounds, and Expreffions : and the Appearance is of fomething good. But then, it is founded upon a Bafenefs of Soul ; ho^ ping to pleafe, or fearing to difpleafe, without any thing 'Z£;/V/&/«anfweringto thofe Profeffion s. And, in the End, the Evil is. That, when the Mafque is, by fome Accident, taken off; the Re- proaches which are due only to the Falfenefs of fuch PretenfeSj are caft, by fuch as are not able well to diftinguifh, upon the fmcere Profeffions of Friendship itfelf, which it only imitated. Andj of b'UPERSTITION. And, in the fame manner, Superjliticn hathsERM. thruft itfelf into the Place oi Religion-, and is i. become an Idol, to which the greater Part of v^VNJ the World hath long continued to bow down : And, having ufurped, not only the Place, but the Garb and Language, of Religio?2 ; no great wonder that, in all Ages, both in the Hea~ then and Chrijlian World, the Scandals, occa- iioned by the Former only, have been put to the Account of the hatter ; and the Kvih v/hich the Madnefs of Superjlition alone hath produced, have been all, in general, charged upon Religion, which in its true Nature tends to prevent them : nay, that the very Word Religion hath come to fland for that Syjie?n of Superjiitions, whatfoever it be, which has pre- vailed in any Country, or Society. But to return, The principal thing to be regarded, under this Jirji Head, is, That every Particular, em- braced as fomething neceflary to the pleafing of God, which is not plainly declared to be fo, either by the Voice of Reafon, or the Words of the Gofpel, is the Siiperjlition of Men, and of Chrijlians ; whether it relate to Faith, Wor" fiipy or PraSlice, But the next great Point is, II. To point out the true Remedy of this immenfe and deplorable Evil : an Evil, fo " much the more difficult to be cured, as it is B 4 founded Of Su PERSTITION. founded upon the Paflions of Men j and flatters thofe Inclinations, Vvhich Cuftom and Educa- tion have made ftrong. This, it is plain, muft be a Remedy J fuitable to the Nature, and firft Prin- ciple, of the Evil. And, the Evil confining in departing from one certain fieady Rule j the proper Remedy muft confill; in the reducing Men to that Rule, from which they ought not to have departed. I (hall now, therefore, propofe what the Gofpely as it is reprefented by Chriji and his Apojllcs, profelTes and defigns to do, in order to this. And then we fhall judge "whether any thing can be more reafonable in itfelf, more beneficial to Mankind, or, confe- quently, more honourable to the Gofpel itfelf. You may eafily fee what this is, even by St. Pauts Conduct in this Chapter. At the 12 2^ verfe, he takes Notice of the Great Super- ftition of the Atheiiians-, and, at the 23*^ and jfoUowing verfes, he propofeth to them, as ithe only Cure for it, firjl^ the Knowledge of |that One God, whom alone they ought to wor- dLip : '^hen^ the Nature of that lVorJ}:ip^\\\Qk\. IS due to fuch a Being, not confined to, or de- jpendent upon, particular Places, or Circum- jftances; but fuitable to the Nature of a Beings {always and every where prefent with us : T^heriy the NeceiTity of Repenta72ce, that is, of alter- ing whatfoever was bad in the Condud; of their w b U P E R S T I T I O N. their Lives; for which he urgeth this Argu- J e IR ment, that the God, whom he preaches to i. Them, as known by his Works, is the fame God, who v^xW. judge the World, by Jefus Chrift^ whom he raifed from the Dead, as a fenlible Alfarance of this Truth. Here then St. Paul reprefents to them Religion, inftead of their former Superjiition, under the Notion olknow- ingy and worjldiping. One God, the Maker, the Governour, the Judge, of the World ; and of pradifing all that is good and praife- worthy. You fee, therefore, t\\2lTi'rue Religion, which is, in the Nature of Things, (and I wifh I could fay, in l'i?/ie, a great deal) more antient than the Corruption of it, is, Virtue in all its Extent, regularly pradiifed and purfued, under the Senfe of the fupreme Being, the Creator, Governour, and Judge, of the World. And this is That to which St. Paul, and his Fel- low-Labourers, were conftantly calling back the World of Unbelie'-cers -, and preffing upon Believers alfo. And all this is perfedly agreeable to what our Saviour himfelf, in plain Words, propofed uponmany Occafions, through his Life, with refpedt to Faith, to Worjljip, and to Praciice. With regard to Faith; He declares, in one of his Prayers to God, his Father, that it was the Knowledge of Him, the only true God, which He lO SE R M. J. Of S~uTe rstition. He was endeavouring to bring the World to^ py calling them to believe in Himfelf, fent by ^■^"^^"^ithat "true God. With Refpea to WorJlAp, He had an Occafion offered, in his Converfation with the Woman of Samaria^ to declare, that fthis Worjlnp was not to be confined to any fuch Circumftances, as particular Places, or the like ; but muft be agreeable to the Nature of the I Being worfliiped ; that tliQ Father, (for he fpeaks all along of Him) was then feeking 'fuch WorJJ:iperSy as would not worfhip what they knew nothing of; or, would not worfhip Hijn any otherwife, than /;/ Spirit and Truth. And then, as to the Conduct of Life, and PraBice y his, Declarations, in general, are all referred to the iV^/^^/r^, zn6. Attributes, of the Supreme Father of all Things 3 to the doing his Will ; to the imitating his Perfedions ; j and to the pra6tifing every thing recommend- ed by that Law of Reafon, which He fent our j Lord to revive and enforce. I For, in this lail Particular of PraBice, it : is evident, that neither our hord, nor his im- mediate Difciples, have framed any exaB Syf- tem of Morality, explicitly mentioning every particular Duty, or Siii ; but have thought it better to appeal, in moft Inftances, to the Great and Uni'verfal Law o£ Reafon, which they fend every Chrijlia?i to confult, with Sincerity and t~ 0/S UPERSTITION. II and Uprightnefs of Heart, as he will anfwer f erm. it at the Great Day of Accounts. i. I But in the Cafe of V/orJJjip, in which the '^■^''VNJ ; Inventions and Follies of Men had fhewn! ithemfelves wantonly and infinitely various, to all the Degrees of Superjiition \ Fie took oc- cafion to be a little more particular. In that Prayer which he taught his Difciples, He leads his Followers to the ObjcSi ojf their Wcrjhip, God, under the mofl eafy, and the mofl: intelligible, Notion of a Father : including every thing relating both to Au- thorify and Goodjjefs ; and reprefenting Him to us as our Great Maker ^ Governour, and Benefadior, He then goes on to the Matter of our Prayers^ in a Manner fo plain, and in Exprellions fo far removed from every Word, that either fuppofes any Pajjion within, or can be dengned to raife one, that it is well worth while for Us all to confider, and imi- tate it, by fpeaking to God, agreeably to his Nature, and our Relation to Him ; and expreff- ing our Sentiments before Him, more with our Under jlanding^ than with our Pajpons. And certainly, whatever is the Refult of the Ufider- jianding is likely to laft, and to have an Effe(5t upon our Minds and Lives : But PaJJion, raifed for a prefent Occafion, and then naturally ceaf- ing, can hardly be thought to leave the Mind more 12 SERM I . Of Superstition. .more guarded, and better armed, for the Con- duct of our Pra^ice^ than it was before. And this I mention, and prefs, in a very particular Manner, becaufe I think it of the utmofl Im- portance, that the Duty of Prayer, which is the Worihip of the Great God, (liould not, by; the Operation of Siiperjlitiofj, become, in the Opinion and Practice of any Chrijlians, the Art of raifing a prefent Paflion, upon a prefent Oc- cafion; inftead of the mofl HIvely Method of forming the lafting Habit of a Difpolition to all that is Good ; and the Expreffion of Thofe Sentiments, which alone ought to be expreffed before God. But, to return. As WorJlAp^ and Pra&ice, mufl depend upon Faith, and K?iO'^JDledge ; and, as the Super ' Jiitton' of Worfiip and PraBice muft depend upon the Superjiition of Faith ; fo the Cure of this muft begin at the Foundation. And ac- cordingly, the Deiign of the Go/pel is to re- claim Men from the Superjiition of Worjhip and PraBice, by recalling them to the Belief oi the One Supreme God, whofe Nature fhews both how He is to be ivorjhiped, and how He is to htjerved. But, as I have obferved, with regard to Practice in general, that the Go/pel doth not draw up a Formal Syjlem of the Bounds and Nature of every Virtue and Vice ; but fends all Men to the original Univer- fal M U P E R S T 1 T I O N. 11. fal Law J and refers them to the Imitation oFserm. God: fo, it may be remarked, that in thole i. Cafes of PraBice itfelf, in which Imagination and Fajjion might be fuppofed to have mod Scope, the greatefl Care hath been taken to ffuard aeainft the iilEfFed of them. For In- llance, the Love of God, and the Love of our Neighbour, which are fpoken of, in the New Teffament, as Duties to which all Men, of all Tempers and Difpofitions, are equally ob- liged; are fo plainly defcribed, that every | Chrililan may fee, that Whofoever keepi the\ Commandments of God, (which ahvays fup-j pofes the Belief and Knowledge of his amia- able Perfedlions,) will be eftecmed by his Judpe to lo'-oe God truly; and that He who imrketh no Evil to his Neighbour, but all the Good in his Power, is truly poiTeffed of that Love of his Neighbour which is the fulfilling the Law, as far as Social Life is concerned : and may from hence make himfelf eafy, if he cannot boaft of thofe extraordinary Emotions, or Pradices, which fome Others fpeak of; but which, at leaft, cannot be faid to be made the Duty of All, by their great Law-giver. This feems to have been defigned againft the Superftition of Pra5lice ; as it was ta- kine the Workinp-s of the heated Imaginations , of Men, as much as poffible, out of the Reli- I eion JLSU o[3jl PERSTITION. SB R M j gion of their Lives. It was removing, out of the £3> Account, every Thing, which might create fin So?ney xhtfuperftitious Hope of plealing God I with fomething, which He has never iniifted iupon; and in Other s^ \S\q fiiperjliiioiis Fear of idifpleafing him, for want of it: And found-! ing Keligion upon fomething which All Men can find their Part in ; and not upon Any Point, which the differing T'empers and Dif- vjitions of Men make impoffible to All^ in a Matter made equally the Duty of All. No- thing, indeed, in the Dijpenfation of Chriji, re- lating to PraBice, appears to be defigned, or iframed, to excite in the Soul, within, any Thought leading to Pradical SuperJiitio?ij but Icvery Part of it confpires to form a regular jCondud: of Life, without. You fee, then, how rational a Remedy the Gofpely in its Purity, propofeth, to cure the "World o^ SuperJiitio?t'y by calling All Men to a Worjhip, and to a FraSlice, worthy of God, and worthy of Man : and to rid the Minds of Men of unconceivable Uneaiineffes, by placing the Service of God upon Principles agreeable to the "Judgment and Confcience, upon which alone inward Peace depends. I know of nothing fet up, in Oppofition to this, but Atheifm, or a total Infidelity. And this, if it be thoroughly imbibed, which is hardly Of S U P E R S T 1 T 1 N^ __ li 3 ERM, I. hardly poffible to fuppofe, will indeed, rid the Mind of any Stcperjlifiotis relating to the pleaiing that Great Being, which it baniflics '^-'^VX^ out of the World. But then, there are two or three Confiderations, which I have not time to enlarge upon, but which will be of great Force, at the bare Mention of them : 'uiz. that Atheifm is itfelf founded upon a ContradiSiion to all the Principles of Scie7ice^ in the World : That, though it may rid the Mind of Jhme Superjlitmis^ yet, it gives no Support in the room of them : That it is, it- felf, where it is pretended to be, often feen to be accompanied with very odd and unaccount- able SuperJiiticnSy of another fort ; and fome of them very uneafy ones : and, laftly, what is very material, That, in moji Nations of the World, They, who feem to have Recourfe to it for themfeheSj have fo little Love to the Happinefs of their Fellow-creatures^ that they think Them fit for nothing: but to be g-overnec o to by the Tyranny of Superjiition-j and that, wherever it lies within their Reach, They are fo far from any Willingnefs to enter into any Meafures of abating ih^ 'Terrors and Dreads ol' it, that they rather are induced the more tc continue, and improve, the Force of thofc fuperftitious Terrors upon Others, by their own Atheifm and Infidelity. Thij i6 Supers TiTio N. SERM, The Gofpel, with a more generous and no- j, ble Spirit, labours with the Lowe/i as well as U^'VNjI the Higheji^ the Meanejl as well as the Brtght- ejl, Underftandings, to bring Mankind, by a few plain, eafy, general Principles, common to all, from the Oppreffion and Unhappinefs oi Superjlition ; both to know truly, and to practice conftantly, what is necelTary to their plealing God. This is a Point, which it is evident, from the Experience of all Ages, and from the vafl Variety of Inventions of Men upon this Head, of infinite Importance to the Eafe and Quiet of their Lives here, as well as to their Happinefs hereafter. And therefore, it was a Matter, worthy of the Son of Go/j Ap- pearing in the World : and it is what He hath performed in a Manner agreeable to the Nature of God, and to the Frame of the Mind of Man, And now, as I propofed in the laft Place, III. I come to the Application of what has been faid, to Chrijlians^ and the prefent State of Chrifuanity . And this is too plain, and ob- vious, to need many Words. It is an eafy Matter for Men to fee, and com- plain of, Superftitio7i in Others. It is eafy for the Church of Rome y loaded with the Foppery o£ Ceremo?2ies without Number j diftrad:ed with the Variety of Obje&s of WorJJjip{ full of new- Of Supers tition. 17. new-vwented Methods of plealiiig God, by I !s e r m." know not what Bodily Aufterities, inftead of i. the one Aufterity of Virtue 3 and guarded round *v^Wi about with all the Allurements of this World's | Pomp and Dignity, on one Side, and all its terrors, on the other : It is an eafy Matter, | I fay, for a Churchy fo at eafe within its ov/n I Fences, to fit and make great Outcries againfl the Superjlition of the Pagajis; and to fend out their Mijjionaries^ to difturb and moleft Them, only to engage them to exchange One fet of Superjlitions, for Another ^ I greatly fear, as v/icked and as deftrudive. It is eafy, again, forThofe who have reform- ed from that Church, to fpend their Time and Breath, in Invedives againfl Romifi Superjii- tions ; or, amongft Themfelves, in complain- in 2; of one another. But the true Poi7it of Thought, in which every Chrifiian, and every diflind: Body of Chrijliam^ fnould fix, is, what is their own Cafe ? and what is their own Condu<5l, with refpedto the T^hree great Points of Faith ^ Worfjip^ and PraBice F If they fet up any Beings, as OhjeBs of the fame Faith, but That propofed by Chrifi \ himfelf. The One only fupreme God ; They do by this lay the Ground-work oi Superjlitiony in themfelves, and others. If they pay the fame JVorJJ:ip to any Being, diflind from that fame C One 1-8 0/* Su p ERST ition, S£ R jyj. One Supreme Being j or, if they multiply the I. j invifible ObjeBs of any Uegret of Religicus Ref- t/VN;^^^^ beyond the Authority of what is written ; leading Men to fpend the Vigour of their Souls, due to the VVorihip of the One Supreme God, upon a Number of ObjeBs, inferior to Him: This is the Siipcrjiition of IForJhip, from v/hich their Mailer called the World. Or, if they confine the Acceptablenefs of the WorJIAp of God, to any particular Places, or CeremonieSy or Words, or Forms ; This is alfo a Superjiition, contrary to the Nature of that Worfiip, the Accept ahlenejs of which our Lord Himfelf placed upon Spirit and T^riith, And again, if They take upon them to make the Ifavctir cf God to depend upon any thing, befides what our Lord declared it to depend up- on ; reprefenting God to be delighted with Trifles, or reconciled by Follies ; encouraging Men to hope for his Favour, upon their Per- formance of fomething diflindl from the keep- ing his Commandments j or leading Men to fear his Difpleafure, for not having added an exacft Obfervation of what Men have inftituted in Religion, to what He himfelf hath der clared to be fufficient to Salvation: This is the Guilt of Super flition, with regard to praBice ; to be charged upon All, who liaye any hand. in it. It: Pf^l^ PERS TITIQ N. It is apparent from the Nature of this Evil, i; e r m. That no Cure for it can be hoped for, till the Kingdo?n of Chriji fhall be eftabliflied amongfl Chrijliam -, and his own Subjeds acknowledge Him^ by their Practice, to be their King. And, When Chrifis Authority is once fuifered to fettle the Faith and Worfiip of Chrijlians ; when Obedience to Hii Commands, under the Condudl of that Faith, is fuffered to pafs for "Religion \ when the Rule of every Chrijlian Man's Condudl is univerfally allowed to be his fincere Attention to the Directions of Chriji -^ and Chrijlians are fo upright as to take That for their Religion, which they find recom- mended by their Lord, and his immediate Fol- lowers : l^hen, and T^hen only, the Faiths and WorJJoip, and PraSfice, of Chrijlians, will juftly be faid to be all reftored, and redeemed from the Follies of Superjtition. But till this happy Time comes, How great and deplorable an Un- happinefs mufh it be thought, that the very Believing in Jefus Chrijly which was propofed to put a ftop to all the Siiperftition in the \¥orld, fhould, by the crafty Defigns of fome, and the Weaknefs of others, be itfelf made the Inlet and Occafion to t\\2Xfa?ne Evil, amongil A?2y that are called by that Holy Name ; and to io fhameful a Degree, as We fee it lo be, in many Nations round about us. C 2 Nothincr I. ^^ - - 0/ SU PERSTIT ION. silRM. Nothing, I am perfuaded, is wanting, but I. ...to. uncover the Face of our moft Holy Religion: O^VV>|and then, there can be httle Doubt, but that It's moft dangerous i?/W/, and powerful Enemy, ;mufl fly before it j and that Chrijlianity will -. at length get the better of the Superftition of Chrijiiam, as it did at firft of the Superjlition ^&f Heathens. Of =? Of cojitending for the Faith. SERMON 11. si; Preached before the King, March 13, 1719-20. Epiflle of J u D E, Verfe 3 . latter Part. It was needful for Me to write unto Tou^ and exhort ToUy that Te jloould earnefly contend for the Faith ^ which was once delivered unto the i Saint Si IN order to find out the Nature of what is very ftrongly recommended to Chrijlians in thefe Words, I propofe, I. To explain the Words themfelves. II. To obferve from thence by what Me- thods we can moft eftedually anfwer the real iirft Defign of them. And, III. From the Whole, to draw fuch Ob- C 3 fervations. SE RM. II. ZMZ Of contending for theVki tHj; SER M. lervations, as' 'may convince Us of the"Iniqui- II. ty, and Folly, of pretending to anfwer their ^./V^^J Defign by other and contrary Methods. I I. The Words ought to be explained. And j this Explanation ought to be taken from the j plain Purport of the whole fhort Epijile, in I which they are; from the I'ime when it was j written ; and from tire Circumftances of Chrijiia- \ nity, and o^CbriJlianSy at that Time. The Duty, ! here recommended to Chrifaaiis^ is to contend earnejlly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints -J that is, in the Language of the u^pof- \tles, to all whoprofefled themfelves Chrijlians: j the Title of Saijits not being, at that Time, ap- propriated to particular PerfonSi but, in com- ' mon, /given to All ChriftianSy to put them in mirfd of their ProfeJJiony and what Obligations toHolinefs it carried along with it. This Faithy I here to be contended for, was the Faith taught I and delivered, before this Epijlle was written ; being fpoken of here, as already known and fettled. The Expreiiion of contending earneji- fyy EyrayMvi^icB-aiy is taken from the Conteftsy Ga?nes, and Races, then in Ufe in the Heathen World : in which the Contenders for imaeinarv Glory ilrove, with all their Might, againft their Adverfiries. But, as amongfl thefe Con- tenders, there were certain Rules and CrdcrSy by Of contending for the Faith. 23 ERM, II. by wiitch^hey were^all to be governed in s their Contefts ; upon pain of forfeiting all Pre- tenfe to Vidory or Reward, if they tranfgref- Cj/VNJ. fed one of thofe Rules, which were the Jixed Laws of thofe Contefts: So, the earneji Conten-- tion of Chrijiians, for the Faith once deli- -oered, muft be governed by thofe Rules ^ and kept within thofe Bounds, and directed by thofe Laws, which their Great Mafter, the Judge of the Contejl, has declared and eftablifhed. If any one, who entered into the Contefts^ or Games, then common in the Heathen World, pretended to get the better, /. e. to overcome, hurt, or deftroy, his Adverfary, by any Method, contrary to the Laws fixed by the Governours or 'Judges of thofe Con" tefts ; He was not adjudged to have the Glory of Conqueji, but the Shaine of Injuftice. And fo, in the Chripan Conteji, if ChriJUan Me- tbods are not uniformly and conftantly made ufe of ; the Earnejlnefs of the Contention is only a fo much greater Deviation from the Duty of a ChriJUan. One Chriftian may cruih or opprefs the Perfon of Another, r- gainft v^hom He contends, on Account ofj fome Differences in Religion: But he cannot | contend for the Faith ofi.ce delivered, fo as to reap any Fruit of fuch Contefl, without con- j C 4 tending 2+ Of contending for the F j A I T H. SE R ivl tending in the ilft'/v^Wj prcfcribed hy Chriji II. himfeli'. This is in general, U^VNI But, m particular^ If we confider this ear- nejl Conteji for the Faith, here recommended by St. yude^ in conjundion with the Circuin- Jlances with which Cbriftians were then fur- rounded J the Methods of Contejl could be none but fuch as were fuitable to thofe Circum- ftances. They had not then in their hands the Weapons of this World, to lance at .one ano- ther : And therefore, the Weapons of their Warfare could be theii no other ihinfpirituaL They were all furrounded with perfecuting Unbelievers : and probably, one Part of this earnejl Contentioii for their Faith, here recom- mended to them, (if not the main Part,) v/as the entering into that Contejl, and Strife, of Suffering for this Faith, which Others, in this Epijile are defcribed as willing to decline. This, J fay, was Ofie Inftance of the earnefl Contejl here propofed j the enduring Difficul- ties, the running that Kace of Sufferings, mentioned in the EpiJlle to the Hebrews (and ftyled there Aycov) the Su£ering on Account of this Faith, and by the powerful Afiiil:- I ance of it: Not the Fury o^ Zeal, in bringing I Others to Corporal Sufferings, for the Sake of what They believed; but the Conflancy of Patience in fuffering themfelves for what They knew Of contending Joj^ t he Fa ith. knew to have been delivered to them hy their serm. Mafter and Saviour. And this Senfe will not n. be at all dil agreeable to the Word in the Origi- l^-^^'NJ nal-y or i\\Q Circumflances oi CJ3riJiia?is at that Time J or to the reft of the Epijile : in which fome Men amongft Chrijiians are defcribed as Wicked Perverters of the Gofpel ; and ready to deny the Faith They profelTed. But, if we take the Word as implying mere- ly a Conteft for the Faith againft thefe Frimt- five AdverfarieSy here mentioned, as crept in amongft Chrijlians ; We cannot help obferving how they are defcribed all through this fhort EpiJlle: Not, as honeft Enquire?^s after Truth, but as wicked Perverters of the whole Defign of Chrijfianity : Not, as Perfons willing to re- ceive that Faithy which had been delivered to the Saint s-y but, as wilful Oppofers of what they might have known to have been fo de- livered : Not, as Perfons ready to lay down their Lives, or fufifer all worldly Inconveni- ences, for what, after their beft Inquiries, ap- peared to them to have been the true Faith of Chrijlians -, but, as Perfons ready to renounce what they would otherwife pretend to profcfs, for fear of Worldly Sufferings. This Circumftance will likewife teach Chri- flians the Meafure^ the 'Temper ^ and the Bounds, of their Cofjtejls about their mutual Difier- I cnces u- 26 SERM. II. Of contending for the Faith. ences in Ibme Points of Beliefs at this great" Diftance from the original Delivery of the Chrijlian Faith: For, in what Men foever ithe Marks of unfeigned Sincerity are found, jthough but equal to Thofe which we may jfuppofe in Others ; and efpecially, if there be good ground to believe a Readinefs and Refo- 4ntion to fuffer for what They apprehend to be TTruth ; and but as great a Probability of their fuffering under the Perfecution of Vtibelieijers^ if any fuch fhould be, as there can be that any Others will have Conftancy enough to do it: And, much more flill, if they give Proof by the whole Tenor of their Lives, of their rsal Faith in Jefus Chri/i -, and adually re- nounce, upon any juft Occafion, many of the Comforts and Supports of this World, for the Sake of what they think to be His Will: 1 fay, upon thefe Suppofitions, the Charaders and Defcriptions in this EpiJIle are not adapted nor defigned for fuch Menj nor are thefe the Per- fons againft whom Chrijiians are allarmed and forewarned in the "Text. But, granting that all fuch profeficd Chri^ ftians are here comprehended, as do truly, or are fuppofed to, err in Points of Faith j what is the Remedy, or the Method propofed to Chrijiians^ in this Cafe? It is a plain one, and was very eafy in thofe early Days : No other . than, Of contending for the^ Air H. Ifiinrm'airHieFConteits abouFluch Matters, 27 PERM. II. to keep themfelves ftriaiy to the Riitb, which bad been, before this, delivered to the Saints. ■^'VNJ This leads us to the II. Second Enquiry I propofed, inz. by what Methods we can mod effedually anfwer the real original Defign of thefe Words. Thtjirjl Obfervation which here naturally offers itfelf, is, That, in order to contend ear- nejily for the ¥aith delivered to Chrijiians, before this Epiftle was written, we muft find out what that Faith was, which was then adually and I compleatly delivered. And this will necefTa- ! rily engage us to afk, where JVe fliall feck for I it, who live fo many Ages from that Time ? } And what can we anfwer to this, but that we I muil feek for it in thofe Books, in which alone I it is to be found ; which were either wait he- [fore this Epiftle ; or by Perfons of that Age, I empowered to deliver this F^/V^j not to be I fufpeded of Error in their Delivery of it, and I enabled to prove their Commiffion to the ! World: who, therefore, muft be allowed to de- I liver the fame Faith, without any Variation or I Contradidion. To this plain, and only fatif- faclory Method, I am fenfible there are many Adverjaries, and many Ohje5fio?isv2^\(cd. There are fome Chrijlians, (and a very nu- merous 28 Of conu ndb'ig^for the F a ITH. merous Body of Men they are,) who know no other Guides, but the Uving Guides of the prefent Church ; and acknowledge no other Faitb^ for the Faith once delivered to the Saints, about Seventeen 'H.undredXQ2iX% ago, but that wdiich is now deUvered to them by their prefent Rulers, as fuch. One Part of Thefe, and much the greater, take a very fhort Me- thod of efiabiilliing this Point; and That is, by firft laying down the Infallibility of the Pre- fe72t Church, and of every Manofthepaft Ages, through whofe Mouth, or by whofe Hands, the prefent traditions of Faitb have all def- cended to them. And this, indeed, would be a very good Method, if that fingle Point oi Lfallibility could be proved. But this is a Point fo grofs, and fo utterly void of all Proof, that a great Body of the Chriftian World have broke loofe from the Power of this Monfter. And, in order to This, they had no other way but to declare for the New T'efiament itfelf, as the only Guide, or Kule of Faith \ the only Deliverer of this Faith to TJs of later Ages. And This is the very Rule, I have now laid down. But, when This comes to be put in Practice j too many of the fame Perfons who have fet it up as the Only Guide, turn round on a fudden, and let us knovv^ that They mean by it, not < thofe Of confe?idmo; for the F a ITH. 2^ thofe Sacred Original Writings themfclves, but ie r m. the Interpretations^ or ^enfe^ put upon them iii by Our Spiritual Superiors^ to v/hich We are |>'^V^^ fometimes faid to be obliged, and bound in Duty to fubmit ^ and fometimes are allowed a Liberty oi Examination : but in effed, put un- der an Obligation to find That to be Truth which istau2;ht bv thefe Leaders; Upon this Head, there is again as great a \ Variety of Judgment, as there is amongft Others about the Seat of Infallibility. Some- times, we are afked, whether we ought not to pay a regard to Thofe whofe Bufinefs, and probably fincere Study, it is, to find out the Truth J and to difpenfe it to Us ? Yes, un- doubtedly J the Regard of ferious Attention, and the Refpedl of a due Examination of what They affirm : but not the Stibmijfon due only to hifallibility. Shall we not fubmit our low Underftandings to the higher Underfland- ings of Others ? or fhall we pretend to oppofe Our Judgments to Thofe of our Superiors, in Matters of this Kind ? Let thefe, and the like, Queftions be afked concerning the Chrijlian Laity^ in ^//the Pcpifi^ and many of the Pro- teftant^ Countries : and Thofe oiour Church will unanimoufly anfwer, No : The Rule is quite otherwife. Nay, with regard to the Kef or- matioU) it has been long ago, with one confent, faid. S2. Of co?it eliding for the Faith. SERM. II. fald, that it was a glorious thing not to fubmit to the Voice of Any Men : but to relerve that Regard, for God^ and for Chrifi^ in Matters of Fciith once delivered to the Saints. And, again, It is alked by others, Is there not a furer way of knowing what was deliver- ed about Seventeen hundred Tears ago, than by going Ourfelves to thofe Books which are ac- knowledged by All to have been then v*^ritten ? Shall we not take that Original Faith more fecurely from the Councils of Grave and Good Men, met together, perhaps Hundredsy of Years afterwards, for the fettling that Faith ; or from the Writings of particular an- cient DoBors ? To which it mail: be anfwer- ed, That thejudgment of Thefe ought to have its due Weight with All who can come to find out what that Judgment was : that but its due Weight is only fuch as it ought to have, after it fhall be comoared with the Declarations of xhtjirjl Writings^ to which it ahiioft always profelTes to conform ; and into which, at laft, 1 the Weight mufl be refolved : That the Wifefl and Greatefl of thefe Men, fuppofmg them uncapable of deceiving Others, yet were very capable of being deceived Them- felves : That they very often differ from one another, and fometimes from themfelves -, and that They cannot give fo good an Account of 4 the Of contending for the Fait h. 2L the Faith contained in the Original Books^ as s e r m. the Books I'hejufelves which contain it. ii. The ^ejiion now before Us may be foon|l/V\i and effe6tuaily refolved by afking, Which is the bed and fecureft Way of knowing exactly what the Dodrine of miy particular Church, fuppofe the Church of 'England^ deUvered at the Time of the Refortnation? Whether by con- fulting the Writings of particular Divines, ma- ny Years after that Period 5 or Any AfTembly of them at this Diftance ; or from the Authen- tic ABs^ and Declarations, and Sermons^ made and recorded at the very Time We are enquiring after ; and explained by all the Helps from Miftory and contemporary Writi?igSy which we can procure ? For this Jnjlance is very proper to clear up what I have been faying, as it will prove to Us, beyond all Contradid:ion, That the Dodtrine, even of a particular Church ; and a Docftrine recorded and fet down in as accurate a Manner, as vv^as thought necellary for the avoiding Diverfity of Opinions i T^hat even fuch a Doiflrine may, in Fifty Tears time, come to undergo fome Alterations ; and, in a fewYears more, to be entirely changed, in the Wri- tings and Difcourfes of mofi: of the Mem- bers of the fame Church. I mean particu- larly the Points of Dod:rine, called the Five PointSi relating to Jujlijicationj and God's DecreeSj 32 Of contend-mg for the Faith. s^RM. jDtTr^-f^, and the like: which were at firfl: IT efleemed as Fundament aL and even Elfcntialy Vy^Y^s^l to the Church of Chrij% as any others can be ; And yet have been at length much changed by gradual Alterations. For, as the Writers and Explainers were Many\ This Number natu- rally, in a very few Years, produced a very remarkable Variation from what was once fettled ; Every one who writes unavoidably ufmg his own Style, and Manner of Expreffion, which often alone begins the Change -, and perhaps, in fome Cafes, his own Scheme of Philofophy which, introduced into Religion y very much aftcds the Scheme of DcBrine to be explained ; and his own Judgment in interpreting and commenting upon the Wo7'ds already fixed ; which carries forward the fame jChange. — And if This be applied to the Firfl Chriftian V/ricers, after the ApoJIles w^ere de- parted ; it will prove that, as their Language, and Philofophy y were various ; and, as they were naturally led by thefe to differ from one ano- ther, in what they profeffed to explain and fet- tle ; great Variatiom from the Original Doc- trine, might eafily, by degrees, creep into the DoBrines deli'uered by Them 5 and therefore, that nothing remains to Us, firm and ftable m Points of Faith, but what is recorded in the Firji Original Books themfelves, as the Faith Of contendi7tg for the F AITH. 33 Faith once delivered by Chriji^ and his j4pof- I e r M. ties. I II. The Froteflant Rule, therefore, remains ^y^sT^ true and righteous, notwithflanding the Attempts of many to weaken and confound it. To find out what that Faith was, which was once delivered to the Saints^ as necefTary for all Chrijiiansj there is no other Method for a Chrijiian, at this Diftance, to take, but to fearch i thofe Books in which it was at iirfl delivered. And the Rule for his Direction in that Enquiry is, That every thing necelTary to be believed by Him, confidered as a Chrijiian^ is in thofe : Books not left to be gathered by Confequences, or Implications ; but declared exprefly to be iieceflary to his obtaining the Favour of God promifed to Chrijiians. Thefe are the Points he is to attend to, whilft he is fearching after : what is the Faith abfolutely necefTary to Himj as a Chrijiian. For no one can pofiibiy think, that every thing abfolutely necejjary is not, in the Go/pel Revelation, exprefly proclaimed to befo: The Suppofition of which will make it a very ufelefs, or, at leafl, a very imperfe(a Rule; or, rather, 7io Rule at all. The Goodnefs and Wifdom of God will be manifefl from this Rule ; becaufe the Foints, expre/Iy declared, m exprefs Words, to be necejfary, will be found to be few, and not D fur- t H'V- <[ 4 Of conten dm^ for /^^ F a i t M. 1SE R Tv^.farrounded with that Confufwn and Darkfiefl which Human Explications and Additions C/^'>>^have brought in by way of Lighf. For, as the Wijdom of Men is FooliJImefs with God ; fo is the Light of Men^ who would be wife, in Matters of Revelation alone, above what is written, Darknefs with God. To proceed, As the Senfe, or Meaning of the Declara- tions of this kind, in the New Tejiament, is to be the Matter of Chriftian Faith ; the only Hide is, That in order to find out the Faith once delivered^ we muft all endeavour, to the utmofl of our Power, to find out the true Senfe of thofe PafTages, in which any thing is declared neceflary to be believed, in order to our Salvation ; and to this Purpofe, mufl make ufe of our own Underftandings, and form the beft Judgment we ourfelves can. 1 know of no other Rule^ but this, given by Almighty God, for the DirecStion both of the Learnedy and of the Unlearned. And if Ht has left no other Guide, no other ought to be impofed upon the World, by way of Emenda-. tion to the Ride of Heaven. As to the Lear?ied it is generally allowed, that This may be i good Rule for Them. But with relation tc the Unlearned^ great Outcries are made upor. their Frailty ^ their Ignorance, their frequen : Error s 't 2iXid the like. Whereas^ if Frailtie. I anc _ Of co?ttendmg for the ¥ ait a. 35 and Errors be real ObjeBions; they lye as iliuch againft its being a Rule for the Learned themfeh'es; who have, in all Ages of the Church, been the chief Fountains, both of real and reputed Schif?ns and Herejies. It mud, therefore, flili be the Rule^ not only for the Learned, but even for the Unlearned. And, if it be found true, that the Points, declared neceffary to Salvation, are, at leafl, as well and plainly exprefled in the Words of the New l^efiament, as any Man, or Colledion of Men, can now exprefs them 5 and that, in thefe Points, exprejly declared to be Necejfary^ all Uranjlations agree j and that, in the Scripture Words, expreffing them, all LearnedlS/ltn, of all Parties, agree j Thefe mull: amount to a moral Certainty to ad: upon, in fuch a Cafe ; efpecially when it is added. That it has not pleafed God to fettle any other Rule for their Guidance. When St. Peter complained that the Unlearned, and Unjlabk, in thofe early Days, wrefted the other Scriptures^ as well as fome Words of St. Paiil^ to their own Dejiruc- tion y this could not be meant of the Unlearn- ed, in our modern Senfe of that Word j but probably pointed out Thofe Bad Cbrijiia?is, who, not having learnt the true Nature of their Religion, neglected the plain neceflary Points delivered, and diftorted fome ohfcure D 2 PafTages 9ERM, II. 36 Of contending for the Faith. S^ R MiiPaffages to wicked Purpofes, in their Pradlice. II* |But whatever He meantj He himfelf propofed ^'^'^^^^^ |no Method of Cure for this £1;//, but the War mng He gives of it, and the Care which He teaches all to take, againft being feduced by fuch Errors of the Wicked; and the Ad- vice he adds to increafe in the Knowledge of Jejus Chriji, 2 Pet. iii. 16, 17, 18. We may, therefore, go on to obferve, that, as it is abfurd to fuppofe that any Man can be faved by the Faith of Another ; or by any Be- liefs but what is truly his own ; fo, there is no pofTible Method of having a Faith of his own, properly fo called, without building it entire- ly upon what appears right to his own Judg- mentj fuch as it is, after his befl Endeavours for Information; and his fincereft Care to find out what God requires in the Gofpel. If he refls his Flopes of Heaven upon his pro- feffing to believe^ as another Man, or Body of Men, profefs to believe ; in the jirji place. He does not know whether They themfelves believe^ or only pretend to believe, what they lay upon Others to profefs-, and in the next place, it is certain, He really, in this Method, believes nothing by any Faith of his own ; but only thinks He believes, becaufe he is pleafed to take certain Points upon Trull ; and to be fure that fomething is right, of which He himfelf Of c ontend ing for the_ F a jlt g._ ,3JL.7u. L/'-WJ himfelf knows nothing, becaufe Another, s e r m. whom he deputes to think for him, tells j u. him that it is fo ; or rather, that it ought to be fo profeiTed. How great a Delujion is this, for any Man to imagine that he can be made acceptable to God by a Faith which is not his own, hut the ftippofed Faith of Others} Let the Shame of fuch an Abfurdity be left to 'That Church alone, which is forced to add Abfurdity to Abfurdity^ in order to make the Heap confijient j and which alone may, with any Decency, teach that C/6r^z^«j are faved on- ly by Believing (that is, thinking they believe) as the Church believes. For, after having! taught, that Men may be faved by the Good\ Works of Others^ tho' they have none of their own ; It may confidently add to this, another comfortable Point, that Men may be faved by the Faith of Others, though they have . none of their own : Efpecially having, in its Syjlem of Faith, fo many Articles of Supereroga^ tion; as well as, in its Saints, fo tniny Works of Supererogation. But let not ProteJIants fol- low them, tho' at never fo great a Diftance, in this DeJtru5fion of Chrijlianity. No one can have a Faith of his own, who makes not ufe of his own Judgment , in fixing in his Mind what God calls upon him to believe, as necef- fary to a Chriftian. And This is the Reafor D 3 wh) .38 , Of contending, for the Fa I T H. why he is to make ufe oihis own Judgment j not becaufe it is better than the Judgment of Others ; nor becaufe he himfelf imagines, or thinks, it to be better : but becaufe it is his own. It is the beji God has been pleafed to give him ; and, being his own, it is therefore, his Guide in this Matter, v/ithout which he can have no Faith oihis own j and confequent- ly, without the Exercife of which, He cannot pleafe God. So far is this from being the Arrogance^ or Pride, of fetting up His own Judgment againfl: his Superiors, in a bad Senfe 5 or vaunting it as better xhzviT^ heirs-, that it is his Duty, his abfokite Duty, to make ufe of it, in the Cafe of the Faith once delivered to the Sai?its. Let what will be the Confcquence of this, it is the only Rule God has left him to walk by. Without this, he will be fo far from contending for the Faith once delivered to the Saints, that he cannot know fo much as what it is ; nor have any Faith at all, to contend for. Add to this, what muft always be remarked, that Almighty God can guard againft all the fuppofed bad Confequences of his own Rule, better than all the Wifdom of this World put together : Which, we fee in the prefent Cafe, never fails, in attempting to cure the Evils of fuch a reafonable Rule, to kill and dellroy that real Of contending for the Faith. 391 real Faith, which this Method alone can procure. And not only this j bat He, who is alfo the great Judge of the World, can and will make all thofe Allowanced for the Errors of his imperfed: Creatures, in their fincere following of his own Rule ; which He will not be at all obliged to make, for the miferable and wicked Confequences of letting up a Rule of their own, in Contradidion to His. But I come now, III. To conclude with a few OhfervationSy naturally arifing from what has been faid. And I. I fhall only jufl: obferve, as I pafs, if this T'ext fhould be found, at lafl, to refer to the Contejis of CbriJIia?js, fuffering Them- felves for what They themfelves believe 3 how greatly, and how fatally, are They mif- taken, who apply it to the making Others fufFer, in any In fiance, fmall or great, for what thofe Others do not believe ? Thus trans- ferring, according to the vicious Self-love of Human Nature, the irkfome Duty of under- going the fiery T'rial, or Conteft, themfelves, for what They themfelves believe ; to Others^ whom They often bring to Diftrefs and Suffer- ing, for the fake of not believing exactly the fame? But fuppofing the Words to relate to D 4 the 5 E R M< II. Of contending for the V kirn. 40 SERMrthe Contejls of profeffed ChriJiianSi in Matters II. ! of Faith one againft another, ^>^"^<^ 2. It is evident, that the Laws of the Chrif-^ tian Conteft muft be the Laws of the Chrijiian Religion ; and that whoever tranfgrefTes one of thefe Laws, in this Combat, forfeits all Right to the Revv'ard of a Conqueror. And this at once cuts off all Pretence from Chrifiians^ un- der Colour of fecuring or fettling the Faith, of contending for it, or any fuppofed Part of jit, by the Wrath of Man j or, even the Anger- and Paffion of Words 5 much more, by the I terror of Corporal Punijhr/ients : In a word, I by any Method, but what is prefcribed in the 1 Gofpel itfelf. I 3. Since we have, by God's Providence, \iS\o(Q 'Antient Books, in which our Lord him- felf, his Apofiles, and their Companions, have^ j compleatly laid down what is of neceflity to be believed ; how injurious is it to reprefent Thofe as Innovators, whofe whole. Defign is to bring Chrijiians to fearch out their Faith in thofe Books ? The Faith, which is there re- corded, muft be the moft: antlent Faith : And, therefore, cannot pofiibiy lye under the Im- jputation of No-veliy. The Additions to it of I After-ages, let them be as near as pofli- . ble to thofe Firfi Writings, yet ftill are tru- ly Innovations and Novelties, vnih refpe<5t to what Of contending forjhe Faith. | 41 what was fettled before them. Neither can perm. any Length of Time, or any Number of Ages, i H* give them the true Antiquity of Chrift's Re- j^^^"^*^^ ligion, or ever make them any other than No- veltieSj and Innovatio?is. And whoever refer Cbrijlians to any Writings, or Tranfad:ions, of Ages later than the Apojiolical ; unlefs it be as they may refer them to any Writings of the prefent Age, by way of Helps and Affiftances, to find out the Meaning of what was before delivered ; Thefe are properly the Introducers and Encouragers of Innovations in the Chrijii- an Religion. But, 4. I cannot but obferve, that, in order to preferve this Faith, delivered in thofe Antient Books, entire > the moft fecure, as well as the mofl Chriftian way, is to preferve the OldJVords, and the Old La?2guage, of thofe Books, as un- varied and unchanged, as poflible. The Rea- fon is plain, becaufe They are the Words in which it pleafed God it fliould at iirft be deli- vered. And therefore, tho' many Perfons may miftake in their different Apprehenlions con- cerning the Senfe of thefe Words j yet, we may be fure, whilft we retain thefe Words, that we retain what God himfelf has feen fit fhould be delivered and tranfmitted to us, as the beft Con- veyance, all things confidered, of the Faith re- quired of Us, This I mean particularly with regard 42 Of co7i,ten ding for the V ait h. s E R M regard to thofe Articles of Beliefs which are II. properly Ci:}ri/Iia?2 ; becaufe T/6f/^ could not be i/VN fo much as known to ChriJJians at all, but by the Declarations of the very Author and Finifier oiiheir Faith. It may be otherwife in the Point of Worjlnp ; and in the Moral Rules of Prac^- tife-j in which Reafon, or Natural Religion, may be necefTarily applied, to fettle the true Meaning and Extent of what is faid. But as to Points of Faith.y peculiar to Chrijiians^ I do not fee how any Rule can be better than what I am now laying down : Nor any thing more reafonable, than that All fliould be accounted Chrijiians^ who profefs the Points^ properly called the Points of Chrijlian Faith, in the Words in which They were delivered, and now are exprefled, in the New T'ejiament itfelf. I am fenfible, it is faid, that Herefies arofe, i. e. that (ome Men differed from Others^ in their Notions founded upon thefe Words : And therefore, it was thought neceflary to change' the Language, in which this Faith was delivered to us. But did not Almighty God forefee this great Evil, of Difference of Opinion, in the Points in which Men have lince differed ? He did : And yet He left our Faith delivered in thofe Words, which are faid to have been the Foundation of thofe Differences. Or, are We wifer than God, in chufing more effedual Words Of co?2t en ding for t he F aj[_t_h^ Words to this Purpofe, than thofe in which :;erm. the Perfons commiflioned by Him delivered His Will ? Who will fay this ? Or did He ap- point that, in After- ages, xS\^ Anticnt Language fliould be totally changed, for a New Syfiem of Words ; and that theFaitb of Chrijlians fliould be delivered over again in Novel Expreffions ? If he did, let a plain Text be produced; and not fuch a confequential Argument, of the Ufefulnefs or Fitnefs of it, as may be urged, even for the PopiJJo Infallibility itfelf. But when New Language has, by the Help of fuch an Argument, been introduced ; what has been the Efted ? Good and Honefl: Men alone have been the Sufferers. T^hefe have been cramped and difturbed, and, perhaps, deprived of all worldly Privileges, by it. The Difhoneft, and Unthinking, andSlavifli, Minds have always rejoiced in fuch an t^x^kAv F ecidium^ as this Me- thod fecures to them. And, if we confult Ex- perience, the New JVords invented for the Secu- rity of the Faith y with regard both to Learned and Unlearned^ have been generally, fuch as have increafed, and not diminifhed, Herefies and Schijms: Hard Terms, metaphyiical and abftrufe Expreffions, ambiguous themfelves, tho' intro- duced under Pretenfe of avoiding Ambiguity ; utterly unintelligible by the Unlearned, who yet gre to be faved by Faith as well as others ; and eternally 44 Ofcmtending_Jor_the Faith. S E, R M. eternally debated amongft the Learned, And II- jthus it will always be, when Men become wifer, ^y^^^^ in their own Conceit^ to prevent Evils, than God himfelf. They firft go out of the Road which He has chalked out : and then they find, at the End, that they caufe a great deal of Evil, without preventing any : And only invent In- fliuments to dijirefsy but not to convince^ any Man of his real, or fuppofed. Errors. Lajily^ By contending for the Faith, as it was once delivered to the Saints in the New ^ejiament, we (hall only prefs upon Men the receiving what it is has pleafed God to deliver; but fliall avoid that Great Evil of enforcing upon Them the Confequences, which We ourfelves fee, or think we fee, to follow from the Doc- trines firffc delivered. It derogates from the Wifdom and Goodnefs of God to think that He has not provided, that all Points ivw\y fundamen- tal, fhould be delivered in exprefs Terms, and, in fo many Words, declared to be fundamental. And this muft ever be a great Prejudice againft any Point enforced by Men^ as fundamental -, to find them obliged to deduce it by a Cojife- quential Arguing from their own Senfe of the Words of Scripture. The juft Confequences from any 'Truths are,, certainly, equally true with that l^ruth, from, which they follow. And it is as certain, that to Of conte?tding for the F a IT H. 45 to Him who fees them to follow, or thinks he $ e r m« fees them, they are as Truths', and may juftly ' ii. be maintained as fuch. But they are not fo toO- ^i^^VNJ thers, who fee them not in the fame Light. Nor can they be made neceffary to be believed by Others, 'till thefe Others themfelves dlfcover I their Relation to the Primitive T'ruths of Reli- j gion : And then they will, of Courfe, and Ne- I ceffity, believe them. But to make the Con- fequences, fuppofed or real, oi fundamental DoSirines, to h^ fundamental to All CbriJiianSj and neceffary to be explicitly believed, is iirfl to create a new Rule of Faith ; and then it is to fuppofe, as a Truth, what is the greateft Falfhood in Fad:, that all Men's Capacities and Underftandings are equally fitted to fee the fame DeduSiions^ and the fame ConfequenceSy which Some may fee. And this is a great Objedlion againfl: all Iniiovatiom of Language in fundamental Points; That almofl all thofe ]>iew Words and Phrafes, upon which the greateft Strefs has been laid, are feen to be framed from Confequen^ tial Arguings : not to be merely other Words for the Old Words, but to be framed upon a particular Interpretation of thoie Old H^ords^ and by a Train of Confequences d awn from the antient Expreffions, explained in a | a:ti- cular Manner. In Of contending for the Fa ITH. In fine, the Faith to be contended for, was compleatly delivered, before it was to be con- tended for. The DireBion of Other JsAqvi^^ Faith is not, our Capacity of feeing Confe- quences, or our Skill in Interpreting ; but the plain Declarations of Chriji^ and his Apojll^ To contend for it, in the very Form in which it was at firfl once deli'vered^ is a Glory to a. Chrijiian. It is to follow God, by contending" for it in a Method furrounded with thofe In- conveniencies only, with which it has pleafed Him to leave it furrounded, for the Trial of the Sincerity of his Servants. To contend for the Faithy as it has been over and over again delivered by Men^ has, at leaft, this Evil in it, that it is a forfaking the Method chojen by Al- mighty God, as infufRcient ; and chuling Ano- ther ^ which, by being effediually purfued, has been already feen to be the Inlet of All Super- jUtion, all Abfurdiiyy and all Ferfecution^ into the Church of Chrijl : from the Reproach, and Guilt, and Burthen, of which, may it pleafe God at length to deliver it, through his Son Jefus Chri/i, our Lord ! Of "Judging One Ai^other, SERMON Iir. Preached before the King, Febr. 1 8, 1721-2. Romans xiv. 4. Who art T!hou that judgejl another Alans Ser- vant ? To his own Mafter he ftandeth^ orfal- leth. WE find, in this Chapter, the Apofile^ with his ufual Zeal, oppoling that Spirit of Cenfuriiig and Judging One Another, which very early fliewed itfelf in the Chrijllan Churchy and, at the fame time, difplaying before the Eyes of all Chrif-- tians^ in his own Example, the greateft Inftance of Temper and good Condud: in this refpedt. He knew the Genius of the Chrijiian Religion perfedily well. Ke was acquainted where the Truth lay, in thofe Differences which raifed this Spirit of Cenfure in his Time. He is free to declare his own Judgment, on ojie fide of the Queftion. But tho' He had all the Ligl and S E R M. III. 48 Of yudging One Another. and Authority of an jipojtle, to enforce an A" greemetit with Himfelf j yet, He chofe rather to plead, even with Warmth, forCondefcenfion, and Love, and Regard, to Thofe who were not of his Mind ; and whom He knew to be in an Error. The things which gave ground for this ill Behaviour of Chrijiiam to one another, were of the fmalleft Moment j Some thinking to pleaie their common Mafler, amongft other greater Matters, with obferving feveral Jeivi/h and trivial Rules with refpecSl to Eating, and Holydays, and the like j Others, thinking this a Weaknefs, and that Chrijlians were freed from fuch like Burthens : But neither contented with enjoying their own Judgments; but One Sort cenfuring and judging the Other, for the Obfervation, or Negled:, of fuch Mat- ters, ju ft according as They themfelves thought fit either to obferve, or negledt, them. Here it was fit, therefore, for the Apojile to inter- pofe ; and ihew the Nature and Temper of Chrijiianity, with refped: to the Cafe be- fore Him. But, alas ! This evil Spirit of Cenjure^ and 'Judging, was not then lay'd, even by the Authority of an Apojile : nor by the Argument taken from that Day cf the Lord, which He placed in their view, and from that Judgment -feat of Chrijl, their com- 4 men Of fudging One Another, Aa. mon Mafter, to which He direded their j e r m. Minds; that they might not dare to raife iii. 'Judgment -feats of their own, in order to try ^^''V'V^ and condemn One Another. Too much of this Spirit was flill feen in the earheft Ages of the Churchy and too much re- mains to this Day : to which there is no other Remedy to be applied, but the fame Remedy prefcribed in the Go/pel; the fame Rules laid down by St. Paul; and the fame Argument, which he thought fit to make ufe of. For, Chrijtianity was reveled from Heaven, not only to lead Men into all neceffary "Truth -y but into the Paths of Humanity tovv^ards Thofe who are really in Error ^ or fuppofed to be fo : to conquer the Tempers and Paffions of Men ; to teach them not to make their own Notions the Meafure of other Men's Condud:; to ha- bituate them to fuch a forbearing, complying, yielding, and tender Difpofition, as may be a moving Argum.ent to their great and fupreme Judge, at laft, to forgive and acknowledge Them. There being, therefore, fo much of the contrary Spirit to this, ftill reigning amongft Chrijllans, tho' not one Grain of it in Chrijti- anity itfelf, it muft be yery proper to confider the Argument, here made ufe of by St. Faul; and fee, if it will not help to cure that Dif- E temper ^ Of Judpfig One Another, ,SERM. temper of Mind, by which many Chriftiani III. .ftill rave againft Others, with all the Marks t-^'^VN' and Expreffions of Enmity and Reproach j and often fhut the Gates of the Church, and of Heaven itfelf, againft them 3 declare them unacceptable to God -, and condemn them, with as much Authority and Solemnity, as if They were appointed by God to be their final judges. Who art 'T'hou, fays the Apoftle, that judgeji the Servant cf Ajiother ? 'To his own Majier he Jiandethy or Jalleth. From which Words, the folloiiiing Particulars may properly be recommended to ChriJtianSy as Arguments againft this Spirit of Ce?ifure and Judging, I., That we are not qualified thus to fit in Judgment upon One Another. II. That it is not the Province of Us, who are hut fel/cw Servants to the fame Majier. III. That it is a Province peculiarly referved to Himjclf^ by that common Mafter whom We all ferve. To which let us add, what is implied to the fame Purpofe, ver. 10. of this Chapter, IV. That it is our Bufinefs to prepare for the final Judgment of Ourfelves, and not to be found judging Others. For lie fiall qlljland before the Judgment feat cf Chriji : And, vcr. 12. 4 ETcr^Y Of 'fudging One Another, SI ^wry One of Us fiall give an Account c/'Him- felf to God. I. We are not at all qualified thus tb fit iii judgment upon t)ne Another. For, Who art Thou that judgeft Another^ but a weak, preju- diced, fallible Man thyfelf j and, confequent- ly, not at all qualified for fuch an Office? This is, indeed, a ftrong Confideration, againfl our afluming to Ourfeives the Office of Judging Others, That We are void of all thofe Qualifi- cations, which are requifite to our judging aright about Them; and particularly, with regard to their Religious Condudl ; in which we are mofl: apt to exercife this Dominion over them. For, being Ourfeives weak and fallible^ and often paffionate Men, We are fo eafily impofed upon and mifled; fo infen- fibly and even undefignedly prejudiced; fo little acquainted with the firft Springs of Ac- tion in Others ; fo wholly Strangers to the in- ward Thoughts and Defigns of their Hearts ; fo unable to know all the feveral Circumftan- ces that ought to be thrown into the Balance; (their Education ; the unavoidable Bias put iipon their Minds, before They were able to think for Themfelves; their natural Tempers ; their Inductments and Motives ;) and fo un- willing to make all thofe neceflary and due E 2 AlloW- B E R M. III. SI «ERM. III. Of fu dging One Another, Allowances, which We always expe6l in our own Cafe : That, on ail thefe, and many more I Accounts, who would venture fo far out of his Depth, as to declare, or infinuate, any thing concerning not only the evil Defigns of Others, but their Unacceptablenefs to God; who have no other apparent and vifible Mark of wilful Evil upon Them, but their differing, in fome Opinions, or circumflantial Prad:ifes, from Ourfelves ? And there is one great Proof of our being unqualified, either by the Defed:s of our Wills, or our Underftandings, to fet up Ourfelves for 'Judges over Others ; that it is our conftant Way, in this unreafonable Procedure, to judge Others by our own Notions, and our own Opinions, /. e. by our own Powers and Capa- cities: Whereas God Almighty, the great Searcher of all Hearts, will not judge one Man by the Notions of Another, but by the Man's own Notions, and his own Capacity. And He is infallible in his Decifwns, and unerring in his Knowledge, of what is Truth. We con- demn Others, not becaufethey are not confift- ent with Themfelves ; not becaufe they fpeak, or ad, in Religion, againfl; their own Confci- ences; but becaufe they agree not with \Js^ or contradidl our Opinions. A Procedure, which all Men (o conftantly judge to be un- juftifiable. ■Oj Judging One Another.-. - jaftinable, when It comes to their own Turn to be fo ufed, that They think Nothing more unreafonable ; or more unjuft. Did we truly value and regard that Simplicity, and Integri- ty of Mind, without which T^riitb itfelf is but an accidental Thing, and of no Value to the Poireflbr; or had We a true Chriilian Love of our Neighbour ; We fliould take a Delight in every Mark of apparent Honejly, which We meet with, even where We meet with the greateft Difference of Opinion at the fame Time: and our great Concern would be then expreffed, when We find fo much of what Others perhaps think, or call, T'riith^ taken up v/ithout Examination; repofited in ill- tempered Minds ; void of all other Recom- mendation, but an accidental Agreement with Ourfelves. But whilft our Pafiions are as flrong, as our Underftandings are weak ; and whilft We are as unwilling to treat any thing well, but what is agreeable to our own Noti- ons, as We are unable to fee and knov^^ what is requifite to our making a due Judgment of Others ; We ought to acknowledge Ourfelves unfit for the Office ; and to keep at as great a Diftance from it, aspofilble. But, II. As We are not at all qualified for the Work of judging Others ; fo it is wholly E 3 out 55- SE KM. III. S4 T?/ ^ judging One Another. SERM. III. out of our Province, who are Ourfelves but felloiso Servajits with Thofe whom We thu§ treat as if We were their Lords and Majiers, Who art T'hou that judgeji the Servant of Ano~ ther f One in the fame Rank and Order with Thyfelf ? His being of another Mind, or dif- fering in Judgment, about fome Things re- lating to his Mafter's Service, in which honeft Men may differ; is no real Injury to Us j it imports no Calamity j threatens Us with no Ruine: and therefore. We have not the Pre- tepfe of Self-Defenfe, or Self-Prefervationj to take upon Us the Province. If theje have any thing to do in this Matter, it muft be to induce Us to a6t a quite contrary Part. For Nothing will fo reconcile Others to Us; Nothing will fo meliorate and foften their Difpofitions to- wards Ourfelves ; Nothing will fo defend Us froiii thofe Cenfures and Judgments, which arefo uncafy to Us, when they cometo be our own Lot ; as qur not cenfuring and judging Them. For T'hey have as much Right to do it to, L/Jr, as V/e have to Them. We differ as much from Them^ as They do from Vs. They are as tenacious of what they believe, as We are of our own Faith : and think it as facred, and as important, as We can think our own : and, as far as Wc can know, are as fully perfuad- cd, that it has all the Marks oi Truth upon it. We Of "Judging One Another. 55 We fee, therefore, Our great Bufinefs is, with Honefty and Integrity, to ferve our own Mafter. If we fhould think it too much for our Fellow Servants, to interrupt and moleil; £7j, in what We are perfuaded is for his Ser- vice, or the Propagation of what He approves ; and efteem them much out of their Province in fuch a Behaviour j let Us learn that We are equally out of our Province, when We, in the fame Manner, diilurb and vex our Fellow ServantSy with our fevere Cenft{res, and Judg- ments, III. It is to be particularly confidered, that this is the Province referved to Himjt(fy by that common Mafter whom We ail ferve. PFho art T'hou that judgeji another's Servant ? To his own Ma/ler he flandethy orfallethi th^X Mailer whom he ferveth, whofe Difciple he is, who is to be his Judge j and whofe peculiar Office it is to determine concerning the Behaviour of his Servants, from Multitudes of Circumftan- ces, which He alone can and does know. To Him the. laft Appeal is jufily made. He is qualified for the Office, being perfedlly know- ing, wife, and good j perfedly free from all Bias and Prejudice j fully acquainted with every Particular neceffary to" the forming a right Judgment ; and fully difpofcd to make all E 4 fitting 5 E R M. III. 5k Of 'Judgmg Om Another. SE R U in. . fitting and reafonable Allowances, for his Creatures and Servants \ and none, but fuch as C/'VN' are fo. And this Office peculiarly belongs to Him, as he Himfelf has declared j He being the Mailer, who will call every individual Servant to give up his own Account ^ to be judged according to his own Capacity, his own Ta- lents j his own Opportunities -, and not accord- ing to thcfe of other Men, or according to the Humours and Paffions of Others of his Fel- low Servants. And this being declared to be the Province of God himfelf, in order to de- ter Us from meddling with it j how Ihould it affedl Us to confider, that whatever rafli, hafty, ungrounded, prejudiced, uncandid, yudgment^ We pafs upon our Neighbour, for what perhaps, he, in the Simplicity of his Heart, believes to be Service to God, and to Chriji: We invade the Province of God; ufurp his Dominion; ere6t Ourfelves into Gods over our Brethren ; and, like the Man of Sin, exalt Ourfelves to a Dignity and Office which is the facred Prerogative of God himfelf, who alone knoweth the Hearts of Men. ■ IV. I obferved that the Apojile (in the loth Verfe of this Chapter) puts Chrijiiam in Mind, in order to remove their Thoughts from judg- ing Of_^dging_One^ Another, \^ ing One Another, that We fiall all Jland ^^- is e r m. fore the judgment-feat of Chrijl^ and, in the m. 1 2 th Verfe, that We fiall every One ghe an \y^V^ Account of himjelf to God: plainly recom- mending it to our Thoughts, that We have enough to do to prepare for our own Judgment^ at that great and folemn Day ; without trou- bling Ourfelves with the cenfuring and judg- ing Others. And, indeed, what greater Ar- gument can there be? For, Who, that confi- ders that there is a Day coming, when he jfhall himfelf appear before an All-knowing Judge, to be condemned or acquitted, as his own A6tions have been agreeable or difagreea- ble to the Law of his Mailer; Who, that confiders tha: he has fuch a Concern upon his Hands, fuch a Trial to expedt, fuch a Judg- ment to meet, will eafily find Time to employ upon the Behaviour of a Fellow -fervant^ whofe Mafter he is not, and for whom he is not to anfwer ? Nay, Who that thinks of that folemn Day, does not hope for, and ftand in need of, the Mercy of God to himfelf, or, in other Words, the Favour and Candour of his Judge ? And who that confiders the Matter* in this Light, canfuffer in himfelf a Severity towards Others ; whilft he himfelf expedls all reafonable Al- lowances at the Hands of his great Judge? ■ si 111. Of yudglno^ O ne Another, IfT^hou, Lord^fiouldji be extreme, to mark what is done amifs j O Lord, who may abide it ? And, lince it is this Extremity of Rigour in our great Judge, that We have fo much Reafon to dread for Ourfelves -, how can We expert any other, if We be, not only extreme to mark what is really a?nifs, but to judge and cenfure in our Brethren, what, for ought We know, may be founded upon the ftridteft Honefty and Integrity J the mofl lovely Qualities in the Eyes of God ? Who art ^hou, therefore, O Man, who iudgeji the Servant of Another ? T'o his own Mi^fter hejlandiih or falleth. Nay, We JJmll all Jland before the 'judgment -fat of Chrifi*^ and every G7ie cfUs Jhali give Account o/'him- felf, and 7U't of Others, to God. Thefe are Words which, as We have feen, contain the moft powerful Argument againfl: all unreafonable CefifurCy and Judging, of our Brethren ; fuch Arguments as human Minds, rightly inform- ed, and rightly difpofed, cannot withfland. But what is it, then, it may be faid, that Chrijiianity TiWow^ in this Cafe? Doth it not permit Us to take any Notice of the Errors and Mijiakes, in the important Matters of Religion, in which We imagine Others to be ? Have We no Part to a<5l with refpe(5l to I'hem? And are they wholly to be overlooked by Us ? I anfwer, by no Means. - The Gofpel rather Vf JuTging One Another. 59 rather obliges Us to take Notice of them, than fe e r ivf. the contrary. But this, in a Way very different m. from that in which generally Chrijiians have l/VNJ done it. Two Particulars I (hall mention in ^.nfvver to this Inquiry. I ft. We are not at all forbidden, but en- couraged, to endeavour to remove all Preju- dices, and Errors, out of the Minds of our fellow Chrijiians ; and to recommend to them, with all Demonftration both of good Argu- ment and Chriftian Temper, the Way of I'ruthj which We are perfuaded is right. Thus, in this very Chapter., St. Paul doth not fcruple to declare his own Judgment, in Fa- vour of that Notion, that there was no Sort of Meat but what it was lawful to partake of; and this, to be fure, with Delign to lead in- fenfibly thofe Chrijiiatts^ who were troubled with the contrary Scruple, into a true Notion of this Matter -, that they might be rid of a falfe Notion in their Judgments, and a great Burthen in their Practice. And, without doubt. He would not have fcrupled to have argued the Point more largely with any who were of ano- ther Mind, upon any juft Occafion. Nor is there the leaft Reafon to be given from Chrijii^ aitity, or the Pracftlce of the Apo/ile^ why it fhould not be allowable, and commendable, for any Chrijiians to endeavour to perfuade - Others •6o Of fudging One Another, .^_^^.^^^, Others of their Errors, even tho* they be not of the firft Order, or of the moft maliijnant Confequence. But then, 2dly, After this is done in the mofl in- offenfive Way, all the reft muft be left to Chrtjli an Charity J which never lliines brighter, never difplays its Glory more, than when it fhews its Power amongil thofe of different Minds, and different Perfuafions. St. Faul^ in this Chapter, layeth down his own Judg- ment. And, tho' he was an Apojiky and had as juft a Claim as poilible, to be followed in ih^it yiidgment 'j yet He doth not immediately exped:, that all thole ChriJlianSy prejudiced and biaifed the other Way, fliould at once .eave.off their Pradifes, or correct their wrone Judgments^ in a Matter which concerned not the Vitals of Religion -, but thinks it mofl for :he Honour of God, that Charity fliould fhew its Part in thefe Differences : and rather chu- 'es, that Humility and brotherly Kindnefs liould conquer Paflion and perfonal Prejudice, :han that they all fhould prefently be obhged :o have, or profefs, the fame Notions ; or to :onform themfelves to the Judgment of One Another. To love, and bear with, Thofe who :igree with Us in all Things, is but a low Pitch of Good-Nature and Virtue: I had almoft :aid, it is but facriiicing to our own Pride j 1 and Of Judging One Another, f- 6i and little better than loving Ourfehes over^ERM, again in Others. But to bear with, and to be m, kind in our Opinions of, Thofe who differ Jl/'V^ from Us, is to facrifice our Pride and Self- Complacence at the Altar o^ Charity: It is tru- ly to love Others, who are fo much the farther from being Ourfehes^ as They are removed i irom Us in Judgment and Opinion about fome Points. This is a Pitch of Virtue wor- thy of a Chrifiian, That he judges not the in-, vifible Ground of the Behaviour of Others 5 1 that, as God, for ChrijVs Sake, has forgiven < him, and is ready to make all reafonablc Al- } lowances for him^ fo is he ready to be candid in interpreting the Adions of Others ; and to bear with all that Variety of Judgment which can pofiibly be accounted for, from that Variety of Tempers, Education, and Converfation, which is unavoidable in this State. If any one now enquires after the ill Ef-^ feds of the contrary Temper -, it is enough to fay, that it is the Beginning of all Ferfecution : which is as diredly oppofite to the Spirit of the Go/pel, as any Error can be to T'ruth j and is, indeed, a much worfe Evil than all the Errors put together, which, in all Ages of the Churchy have been ever pretended, or de- figned, to be cured by it. V^e may fee, in the earlieft Days of the Church j what Evils fprang from 6^ Of yud^in^ One Another. s E R M from fuch fmall Beginnings, as fome may ac- III. count this mutual Cenfure and "Judging to be % ^^^/-^^ and how one Degree of Iniquity brought on another. In the Apofiles Days, and even un- der their Eyes, the Scene began with mu- tual Cenfure and Condemnation in Words only. Thfe Interpofition of St. Paul with the Chrijlia?2s at Ro}77e., We may hope, kept this Evil a while from breaking out into greater Violence. But fome Years after the Apof- tles Death, it {hewed itfelf again, and particu- larly at Rome J the very Place to which He had wiit his Advice ; and in a Mannerj enough to give all ChrijHans Warning at what a Diftance they fliould ever keen themfelves from this Temper. I mean that very remark- able Inftance of Violence, fliewn by the Bi/liop of this very City of Rome, againft j4?iother Bifhop, on no more important Occafion than That of his celebrating a FeJU'vah on a Da^ different from That on which it was obferved at Rome : and this ViGie72ce carried as far as Renouncing All Communion with his Brother- BiJJjop ; and with a great Number of Other Churches which joined with Him. This was before the Powers of this World were become Chrijlian, As fcon as That was the Cafe, This fiery Spirit brought the Secular Arm into its Aid : and by degrees, the Pu- niiliments Of 'Judging One Another* 6i„. nifhments properly belonging to T^emporal Af- s e r Ma fairs, were made the Inftruments of the Rage m. of Chrijilans againfl one another. For human l/VNJ Paffion feiuom knows where to flop, w^hen once the Mind is taken off from that mild,, and gentle, and forbearing, Temper, which is! fo great a Part of the Laiio of God. \ Happy had it been for the After-ages, if all ChriJIians had learnt, from fuch Examples, not to depart from this moft reafonable Branch of his Law. But, however it has been hitherto 5 fo many hundred Years Experience may, by this time, one would hope, teach the Chrif- ttan World, and the Frotejlant World efpeci- ally, to recoiled: itfelf. Invain has the Gof- pel reached our Ears: Invain doth T^bat at- tempt to root out Barbarity, Inhumanity, Vi- olence, Perfecution, unlefs the Beginning be laid in our Tempers ; unlefs we learn to be inwardly well-difpofed, and candid to one ano- ther. For indeed the Contrary^ even in 'Thought, is no better than a mental Perfecution of our Neighbour, which, firft exprefs'd in hard and angry Words only, feldom fails to end in open and avowed Acts of external Perfecution ^ when- ever Opportunity adds Fewer to the JVilh of Thofe who indulge Themfelves in fo unchrif- tian a Difpofition, Upon 64 s;brm. III. Of yudgin ^ One An other. Upon the wholes If the tender Compaffion of God to Us be any thing more than Sound','* if We be fcnfible what We are Ourfelves, and what our Neighbours are to Us ; if We have any Regard to that great common Majier whom we all fervej if we ever think of that great tribunal at which We mufl: all appear : Let • Us be induced by all thefe, to caft out of our Thoughts, and Words, all that Cenfure and Judging of Others, which will only help to condemn Ourfelves : and let Us cultivate in our Breads that happy and god-like Temper of Forbearance and Candour ^ which will con- tribute fo much to our inward Peace now, and to our final Forgivenefs^ and Happinefs^ hereafter. Of Of the tpie Ufe of this World. SERMON Preached before the King, Fehr. 21, 1724-5- I Corinthians vii. 31 And T^'hcy that ufe this World y as net ahujing it : For the FaJJoion of this World pajjeth^away. ER M. IV. F T E R St. Paul had, in the former s Part of this Chapter, given the Corin- thians fuch prudential Rules, relating y^Y^ to their Behaviour in the World, as the Cir- cumftances o^ Chrijlians at that Time required. He comes to fum up what He chiefly intended by all that He had been faying. This He doth in the 29^^, 30^^, and 3 ift Verfes. Verfe 29. But this I fay. Brethren, the T!ime isfiort. It remaineth that both they that toave Wives, he as though they had yione : So our T^ranjlation ex- preffeth it. But it feems more agreeable to the Origijial, to conneft the Parts of that Sen- tence, after this Manner. But, Brethren, F this 66 t— IV. Of the true Ufa of this W^orld. S'E Rrv[. thisis what I am faying, and inculcating upon you, (becaufe, as to whatremaineth, the Time, or Opportunity, that will be afforded Us in this World, is very fhort) This is, I fay, what I am preffing upon you, that they that have Wives: They that have Families to concern themfelves for, lliouid thus far be as though they had none, that They fliould not fuffer themfelves to be overwhelmed with worldly Cares, fo as to forget the State they are in, as They are Chrijiians : Ver. 30. that They that weep^ or are under any Affli(ftion, fliould be as thd they wept nof-^ fhould behave themfelves under it, as Perfons who in a (liort Time fliall be releafed from it : that They that rejoice ^JJjould be as'tho they rejoiced not 5 They that enjoy the moft profperous Condition of Life, fliould behave themfelves with Moderation, as Per- fons under a Senfe of the Shortnefs of that Time which I am fpeaking of: and l^hey that biiy^ fliould be as tho' They poffeffcd not ; fliould behave themfelves only as Tenants for a very fhort Space, not as lafling Fcfftffors of what They purchafe. • At the 3 i^ Verfe, He fums up, in a very compreheniiveExpreflion, the Whole of what He means to prefs upon Chrijiians at tliat Time, with regard to all the Goods of this World: viz, that all ivto zfe this World, (liould behave Of the true Ufe of this World. 67 - behave them felves, z^ not abiifing it; either, as not ufing it with too great an Intenfenefs of Affedion towards it ; or, much more, as not ufing it, or any Portion of it, in any Manner, or for any Purpofe, contrary to the Original Defign of the Creator of all Things. Then the Apoftle adds this Reafon for what He faith, for the FaJJ?io?i, or Figure y of this V/orld fajfeth away : That is, either the World ifef-y or the prefcnt State and Condition of Things in the World. This is all, according to the Apoftle ^ to pafs away ; or to be fo entirely altered, as that the fame Things, and Circumftances of Things, can have no Place after that Altera- tion. In this Paffage, indeed, the Apoftle may be fuppofed to have had a principal View to that Scene of Perfecutions which was then coming upon true Chriftians ; and which fliould alter, to them, the State of the World entirely : and likewife to that total Difjolution of the prefent Fabrick and Face of Things, which in thofe firft Days was certainly underftood, and often Ipoken of, as a Matter jufl then coming, and very near at hand. But, without any critical Examination of the precife Meaning of the Words, as They fland in this particular Place: and conlidering them in that more jreneral Senfe which the SERM. IV. F 2 firft 68 Of the true life of this World, ^E R aI firfl Sound of them may be fuppofed to ralfe IV. in Us, as allowing an Vje of the World, law- ^i"''''^^'^' fill and necefiaryj as condemning the Abiife of it ; and as urging a Reafon againft abufmg it, from the uncertain Condition of this World j it will be proper for Us to confider, I. What is meant by the PForldy and what is comprehended under this Word. II. When it is that We ufe it, as it is our Praife and Duty to do. And, III. What it is to abufe it. And then to make a lliort Reflexion upon the Argument here made ufe of, by the Apojile, And all, I with Reference to Ourfelves, and the State of the World at prefent. j I. The jirfi thing is to confider what is meant by the World \ and what is compre- i hended under this Word. And here it is mofi; j evident that by the World, we are to under- hand, whatever this World contains in it ; whatever it can boall of as on any Account defirable j and particularly, whatever there is in It, that Men are feen to think it moll: worth their while to purfue after, and to obtain. All this may be reduced to thefe three. Riches^ Honour, and Pkafure -, the three great Mailers of the Affeclions, and Adions, of Thofe who think moft of this World. I Riches T^f the true UJe of this Wo7Hd, -^ Riches may well be mentioned in the firfl Place, becaufe they lead the way to worldly Honour^ and worldly Pleafure. They have it in their Power moft commonly to procure whatever a Man may propofe, or fancy to himfelf, as necefTary to his Happinefs in this World: and, too often, to procure what ought to be the Reward of Merit, and Virtue alone. But then, as they feem frequently to be defired, and fought after, even for their own Sakes j I mean by the Covetous, who defpife what is called Honour, and know no other Pleafure, but that of having much of them in their Poffeffion : They may well claim a dif- tin(5t Place by themfelves, as they are {qqi\ to fland for themfelves, and all other good Things too ; to be not only Riches j but Honour, and Pleafure, in the Opinion of Thofe who fet their Hearts upon them. But, as there are Others who are as fond of worldly Honour and Grandeur, as the mofl Covetous Man can be of his Mony ; and Others, as tranfported with the Love of Pleafure, as either of thefe can be with their Idols j and, as Both thefe latter can make Riches fubfervient to the OhjeBs of their particular Defires: They may juftly claim, every One of them, to be diflindly fpoken of, on this Occafion. F 3 Nor SERM* IV. '^ --70 St RM. IV. Of the true life of this Woi'ld, Nor is the Nature of this World, or of Man, {o framed, as that We muft fuppofe that Riches^ Honour^ or Pleafiire, are not good 'Things ; or, that all Defire of them, or Enjoy- ment of them, is finful. Far from it. 'This World is our Habitation at prefent. It is our Iloiife of Entertainmerd, in our Pajpige to ano- ther. The three great Entertainments that it fets before Us, are Riches^ Honour, and Tleafure. - They cannot but be accounted Goods (till they are wilfully made £w7j) by all who carry human Na- ture about them, and live infuch a State as this is. This being then the Nature of the World; and thefe being the /?r/;^<://'<^/ GWi it pretends to ; and of fo great Confequence, as to be ever -chiefly comprehended 'in the Name World', it is plain, that the Ufe of thefe, is the Ufe of the World j and the Abufe of thefe, thcAbafe of the World : that, when We ufe Rich- es, Honour, and Pleajure, as we ought, then We ufe the World without abujing it ; and that then We abuje the World, when We abufe the Pich- eSj Honours, or Pleafures, of it. Let Us then, II. In the Second Place, enquire, as I pro- pofed, when it is that We ufe the World, that is the Riches, Honours, or Plcafures of it, as We ought ; as it is our Praife, and Duty to do. I'he^r// Step of all is to ufe them /w:t?- iently, fo as net to be induced, by the Love of them. ".1 Of the trueU[e_ of this World, 71 E R M. IV. them, to the Violation of ajiy One Law of s God; ov oi Reafo?2, which h His Gift. The fecond is to life them fo as to make them the/"^'^**'^^ • Inftruments of much good, and of lafting, Happinefs, to Ourfelves and Others. ^\\q for- mer is fomethino^ : but it is the lowefl Degree of Virtue and Praife. It leads naturally to the latter : and without it, it can hardly be fup- pofed ; and, I believe, never is found. For He that doth not tife the good Things of this World, fo as to make them the Inftruments of Good to himfelf, and of Happinejs tq Others, is, I fear, always feen to make them the Means of Evil to Himfelf, and of Unhappinefs to Others : as, He that is feen tp receive no Harm from them himfelf, and to be untouched by the Evil that comes from them too naturally, will likewifebe feen to make them the Occafions, and Inftruments, of Good, and Happinefs to Others. Their Nature is fuch, that, if they produce not Good to Our- felves and Others, they can hardly avoid pro- ducing a great deal of Evil and Mifchief. The true ufe of Riches is fir ft to be confider- ed. And in Vs'hat is it that They differ from the other common Dirt of this Earth, if they be not ufed fo as to adminifter the Convenienr- ces and Neceflaries of this Life to Ourfelves.; and after that, to all about Us, to whom Oiir F 4 He?p yr Of the true life of tEis World, S E R M^ IV. Help can reach r When a Man is {^t^:, out of a Sort of Madnefs of CGvetcufnefs, to deny Himfelf the common Conveniences of Life, rather than break in upon his facred Store ; He cannot be faid to ufe Riches, becaufe they lie untouched and unufed, unlefs they are fometimes handled and told over, with an unaccountable Satisfaction . But this is fo very rare a Sort of Covetoiifnefs, that it raifeth the Aftoniihment of all, v/henever it appears. There are Few, who will not make ufe of the Riches of this Vv^orld, for their .own Eafe, and Convenience ; but Many, who flop here, when they fliould go much farther. The next Thing is to confider the Abun- dance that We enjoy ; and how much of it can fafely and fecurely be fpared, 'without breaking in upon our own Conveniences and Accommodations, or our own nearer Relati- ons: and of this Abundance to impart to Thofe who have it not in their Power to pro- cure for themfelves the common NecefTaries of Life without our Affifcance. This is a no- ble Ufe of Riches in Truth ; but not more noble, than it is reafonable, and fitting. For what can We better, or more becomingly, do with thofe Superfluities which furround Us ? v/hat Method can We take, to make them more efFed:ually fubfervlent to our own Happinefs, Of the true Ufe of this IVorkL 73 Happinefs, than to uje them thus? WhatfeERM. more manly Pleafure, than to look upon every i v. Thin? human to be of Concern to Ourfelves ? ^-/VX? and every Thing that can happen to any other Men, to touch Ui nearly, as Men alfo ? What more rational Satisfadion, than to think of Multitudes made happy by Us ? It is a Sort of approaching to Divinity j and a being, in the bed Senfe poilible to Us, Partakers of the Divine Nature ; to make Ourfelves, under the fupreme God, Affillants, Supporters, Bene- factors, Prefervers, to all within our Reach. They that feel it, know that there cannot be a greater Pleafure to a well-difpofed Mind, than this of adding to the Happinefs, or di- miniiliing the Miferies, of our Fellow-Crea- tures around Us. Nor can the Praife due to fuch a beneficent U/e of Riches, be detained from it. Every One applauds it, tho' every One will not imitate it. It conftrains and com- mands the Voice of Mankind in it's Favour. And if it fhould at any Time, by fome ftrange Accident, go without that \ yet, it always re- commends to the great Judge of the World. It makes XJs rich towards Him ; and makes Him condefcend to be Our Debtor^ on Ac- count of Others, to whom our Riches are dif- penfed. Itl ^Jj^^JL^iIl[tpljMiW.9i:^4j^ It is God., the Great Difpofer of all Things, who makes One Man differ from Another. It is his Providence that gives or allows Succefs to attend upon his Defigns ; that fills his Cof- fers, and makes his Abundance to overflow. What can this be for ? Not merely for his own Happinefs, confidered by hlmfelf, as feparat- led from the reft of the World: for God fees, jwhat We do not always fee, that the Happinefs jof a Man, the prefent " Happinefs, is fo far jfrom being certainly promoted by the Abun- dance of what He poffeJIeth^ that it is too com- monly utterly deftroyed, and confounded, by jit. The plain Intent of this Favour is, that jthis Abundance fhould be difpenfed abroad, by the Rich j whom he makes his Stewards, when He makes them Rich^ f:)r the Support of the Poor and Diftreffed under them. This is the life, the only UJc, that Al- mighty God can defign fliail be made of the Abundance and Superfluities of rich Men : and when they ufe their Riches after this Manner,' then do they truly ufe the World, as far as the' Riches of it arc concerned, not only as not ahu- fing it ; but as God, and Reafon, and the End of Fluman Society, require. The next Thing is the true \}{^ of the IJo- nctirs of this World. Now, the whole End; propofcd in them, by the very Nature of thei Thing' Of the true Ufe^ this World. 75 Thing, being only to preferve and keep up fe e r m' fuch Diftind:ions of Order amongft the Mem- iv. bers of the fame Body, as feems necefTary for ^./V^^ the better carrying forward the Ends of Hu- man Society J it is certain that, when they are ufed, by the PofTelTors of them, with re- gard only to that Diftindion, they are then ufed, as the Nature and End of them require. When HumiUty and Affabihty accompany them ; when the 'Power that is generally join- ed with them, iliews itfelf in Bejtefi,:ence and Charity j when the Mind of the. roiTciror views them with that Lowlinefs^ and Mode- ration., which are the conftant Companions of a great Spirit ; and aduates the whole Be- haviour fo, that all that is decent and reeu- lar feems the Effedt of that Greatnefs, and to be dictated by that Diftindion, which they give a Man j engaging him to excel in Vir- tue^ as v/ell as the outw^ard Appearances of Honour; then. We may truly fay, that He ■iifeth this World, as far as the Honours of this World are concerned, as He ought to do ; as the Nature of them, or, as Reafon, and God, require. The third of thofe Good T'hings which tl World principally boafts of, is Pkafure: fatal Evil, in the End, to Many ! but what may be ufed fo as to bring no Guilt along vs^ith it. IIS 76 Of the true U/e of this World. SERiv^:. it. For Fleafure^ in the Defign of Ahnighty IV. God, being that Satisfadion, which necellarily arifes from Our Senfes, and the Objecfts about Usi and from the indiflblvible Relation of thefe two^ to one another ; and our Senfes and thefe Objects in this mutual Relation be- ing the Work of God himfelf : the Pleafiire which refults thence, muft be in itfelf good, and fitting. The Fleafures of this World confequently are ufed^ as they ought to be, when they are looked upon as the grateful Circumflances of our well-being in this World ; when they are purfued with T'empe^ ranee and Moderation^ fo as to preferve, and not deftroy Life and Health j fo, as the Laws and Dictates of found Reafon dire(5t \ fo, as not to break in either upon our own Duty and Innocence J or upon the Property and Peace of Others about Us. T'hus nfing them, we take care, that what is not Eml in itfelf, doth not become evil, and pernicious, but beneficial, and good to Us, as long as we are in this State. I have thus endeavoured to give you the beft Account I can, when it is that we life this Worlds as not ahufingit-, by fhewing You, when we may be faid to ufe the principal good Things it boafls of. Riches, Honour, and Plea^ JfurCy as we ought: viz, as the Nature o^ Things, Of th e true life of t his World , 12. SERM, IV. Things, the Nature of Ourfelves, the Nature of Human Society, and the eternal Laws of God, dired:, and require. And from this i'^'"'''^'^'^ Account will eafily appear, what I propofed, III. In the third Place, M'heji it is that We life the World, in the Apoflle's Phrafe, as abu- fmg if. And this Abufe of the World, to be fure, is the very contrary to the right life of it. When the Lo'^je of Mony becomes in Us the Root of ^//, or of any, Evil : When we are fo under the Power of it, as to be barbarous even to Gurfehes; When i\\Q Riches oi i\ns World are made the Occafions, or the Inftru- ments, either of Unmercifulnefs and Hard- heartednefs; or of Fraud, Rapine, and Injuf- iice^ 10 Others-, or, of Intemperance and Mad- nefs of Pleafure, to Ourfelves : Whenever any thing of this Sort appears. Riches are then grofly abufe J with the higheil Ingratitude to God who beflowed them j and the greatefl: Inhumanity to Society, which ought to feel the Benefit, and good Influence, of them. Again, When the Honours of this World dazle a Man's Eyes, and turn his Head giddy; fo that Right no longer feems Right -, nor Wrong, Wrong -, but Good is put for Evil, and Evil for Good\ Bitter for Sweet, and Sweet for Bitter: when Pride, and Haughtinefs, and difcourteous Behaviour, are the EfFed: of that Dif- 21 IV. i Of the true life of this W gj^IcL sE RM. DIflin(5lion which they give to one Man from another : v^^hen the Pajjions of the Heart are railed and boiled up into the Head, by themj and the Man can come to think himfelf above the Rules of Ordinary Virtue, and that He is privileged to be a Shiner, as well as a Ma?7, of jDiftindtion 3 then, the true Ule of J/c/^o^/r is jforgotien ; and the j4/jufe of it is grofs, and ipalpable, thro' the whole Behaviour of fuch a Perlon. Or, if all his Aim be to be high in the View of Men, and exalted in Place and Power shove the common Level; Ambitiofi then is his God ; and the Laws of Ambition are the Maxims of his Conduct: and then, tho' the Lavv'sof thetrue God, and the Rights of all Man- kind, iland in the Way, they are but of little Force to hinder the Effed of fuch a Majler. Again, When the Pleafures of Senfe, admi- niflered by this World, are made the Meafures of all Good, and a Man comes to place fupreme Happinefs in them; when they are purfued beyond the Bounds of lav.'ful and right j fo as to break in upon his own Health, and Life; or upon the Rules of Decency and Modefty > or upon the Quiet and Properly g^ Others j fo, as to hinder him from doino; God or Man that Service He might otherwife do : When In- temperance, and Luxury, and Negled of all that is great and good, is the EfFccTt of a Man's Attach- Of the t rue Ufe of this World, Attachment to Fleajure^ and his Love of world- ly Delights ; I need not fay, the Plcafures an- nexed by God Almighty to Stnfe and feniible Objeds, are then grofly and perfectly abufed. The Man himfelf will come to find it, if He lives long enough to feel the pernicious EfFctfts of fuch a Behaviour, which it will certainly, at length, have, upon his Mind, his Health, his Eftate, his Reputation j upon every Thing which he values, even in this World, fuppo- fing him to have cail off all Regard to another to come. In a word, when the World, the Riches, or Honours, or Plcafures, of the World, are fo regarded, or fo ufed, as to be the Occa- fions, or Infrruments, of finning againfl God,! our Neighbour, or our own true Interefb; then^ the World i'^ ufed, fo as to be ahufed. From this Account, therefore, of the Vfc, and Abufc^ of the Riches, Honours, and Plca- fures of this State, it appears that there are two Ways of Behaviour, with refped; to thefe Things. The One is fuch a Behaviour, as renders Us, and denominates Us truly the Maflers of what we pofiefs here ; the Other ^ fuch a Behaviour as makes and denominates Us their SLroes: the One makes thefe good Things, our Servants j the Other renders them our Lords. For when we are perfed:ly under the Dominica of Riches, Ho?iour, ox Pkafurc, 4 £o S E R M. IV. 8o SE R M. IV. Of the triVe Ufe of this World. fo bewitched and captivated with the Love of any of them, as to be influenced in our Acti- ons by them j fo, as when they fay Co?ne^ to come 5 when they fay Go, to go j and when they fay Do this, to do it : when the Cafe is thus, I fay, it is plain, That they polTefs TJs, and not We, them ; that They are our Mafters, not we theirs ; that they ufe Us, as their Slaves, not We, them, as our Servants : For they com- mand, and we obey. But then only are We their Majlers, vv^hen our Love to them is in perfect SubjecStion to the Love of God, which is the Law of Eternal Reafon ; when we make them fubfervient to the End of our enjoying them, and the true Happinefs of Ourfelves 5 not gaided or impelled by the unrefifted Vio- lence of Paffion ; but governed and tempered by the wife Influences of Reafon. And now, that we may thus 2^fe the World, as not abufmg it. We mud, in the laft Place, as I propo- IV. Confider the Argwment here made ufe of by ^l. Paul ', only, accommodating it to the ordinary and more general Condition of this World. For the FafJ:icn, or Figure, of this World paffeth away. The prefent Scene of Things is perpetually changing : and Ano- ther, of a very different Nature, haflning to open upon Us: Both which make up the • Apoflles Of the true life of this World, Apojtles Reafoning. There is Force enough in thefe two Coniiderations, to deftroy that Devotion to th.is World, which is the Caufe of all the Abiife of it ; and to temper our Con- cern about it, fo as to engage Us to tife it as we ought. • For confider, I pray you, when you have amalTed together an Heap of Riches^ what is it you have got ? An Heap of good Things^ if you pleafe ; but good Things, liable to a thoufand Accidents : uncertain in their PoiTeffion ; often following the great Revolutions of this lower World ; and changing their Maflers^ with all the Viciffitudes of Human Affairs. It is enough to fay of them, that they belong to a Scene of Things, which is always in Motion, and ever ready to change. A great Lofs, com- mon to all worldly Bufinefs; a great Miftake, to which the beft Heads are liable; a Fire^ an Inundation^ a Perfdioufnefs in Thofe who are truiled ; a popular Rage -, Many more Things, to which this State is liable, have of- ten changed the Scene of Pletity, and Riches, and furprized thofe with Diflrefs and Calamity, who have perhaps tliought themfelves too fe- cure, and far out of the Reach of any fuch Evils. And then, the PoliefTors themfelves are fure of being removed, either fooner or later, fram thefe Foffeffions ; and this is ano- G ther 8i E RM, IV. ' 8-2 : Of t he true Ufe of this World i ^ ^ ^ ^■* ther Change made in our Scene. We are ta- ^^' ken away from the World : and fo, with Refpe(5t to Us, the FaJJjion of this World truly fojfeth a'way^ when we Ourfelves pafs away. For it is all one, in efFed:, whether T^hat paff- eth from lis, or We pais from that ; whether We are removed from our Riches, or our Rich- es, from Us. This latter may he, by Multi- tudes of unforefeen Accidents: but the Former muji certainly be, one Time or other, by the un* moveable Decree of our Maker. The fame may be faid with Refped to worldly Honours, and Pleafures. They mufl: be as uncertain, as this State itfelf is, to which they belohg: and We mufl as certainly be torn from them by Death, as we now enjoy them in Life. And the little Time we live in this World, how often do we fee the Scene of worldly Hoftour changed ; and the Wheel, that is ever turn- ing, carrying up one, and bringing down a?20- ther? The Fafliion of this World palTeth away, when the Scene o^ Honour is changed: and that Scene is as often turned upfide down, as Favour, and Opinion, and a thoufand un- forefeen Accide?2ts, work. And, as to Plea- fur e ; Men die to that -, even before they die to Nature. It becomes infipid to them, even whilft they are alive. The Scene of that changes, whilft they look on : and they grow in fen- Of the true life of this IVorM. ^ infeniible, whether they will or no, and un- moved by what ufed to give them the greateil Satisfadion. Bat then, as this Sce?2e changeth eontinu* ally, and at laft is quite removed, there is Ano- ther to fucceed, fo unlike it, fo oppofite to it, that the lame Riches are no Riches -j the fame Honours no Honours \ the fame Pleafures no Pleaftires, when that appears. Your Mony, if you could carry it with You, is not current in that other State : Your Honours are there^ as faded Garlands, dead and gone. Your Flea- Jiires will there have no Attradion or Influ- ence ; becaufe They will have no beine. What little Reafon, therefore, have We to abufe them in this State, by overvaluing them, or by employing them to ill Purpofes ; when the Scene that is to fucceed is of fuch a Nature that they will be all ufelefs in it ; and the very Memory of them infipid : and cfpecially, when the only Mention to be made of them at the opening of that New State of Things, will be, upon Occafion of a flrid and tremendous En- quiry, how We have ufed them in this ? The Charity^ the Humanity^ the Genero^ty^ that have accompanied Riches, will then be the only Advantage and Gain of the Rich Man : the Modefty, xhQ Humility, the Merknefs, that have attended the Ho?iours of this World, will G 2 be s E R m; IV. 84 Of the true XJfe~bf th is TVorW S t R M. IV. be the only Glory of the Honourable : anci the temperance, and Moderation, that have been ufed in the Purfuit and Enjoyment of Pleafure, will then be the only Ilappinefs of fuch as have had the Pleafures of this World at their Command. The Sum of what hath been faid, is this. l!j3e FaJIoion of this World pajjeth away. But the Fafiion of Another World, which pajfeth not away, fucceeds to it. And therefore, let Us life this World, as not abufing it-, and let our Hearts, and our Treafure, be in that other future, never ending, State j in which we are all infinitely concerned. Of p '. ,-. . . ■ - ^ .-' ' - Of tie Love of Pleas vke. ■■ SERMON V. Preached before the K i n g, March i o, 1727-8. 2 Timothy ill. 4. 'Lovers of Pleafures more than Lovers of God, " j i X" N an Age of Gaiety and Luxury, which, |. if we had a mind to diillngulfli it from other Ages, we might juftly call the Age of Pleafiire ; and in a Country^ where the Tafte and Purfuit of Pkaftire have been carried to as high a Pitch of Elegance and Extravagance, as Invention and Wealth can well firetch theio; and in an Afembly^ in which many of Thofe prefect have all the iVdvantages which Power and Riches can put into their Hands for the full Enjoyment of P/£'^y«rf ; it cannot be impro- per ; Nay, it muft be agreeable to the peculiar Endoi Preaching ; to fpend fomeTime in lead- ing Men to jull and reafonable Thoughts upon a G3 -Subj£<^t ;erm V. ' 86 Of the Love g/" Pleasure. SE RM V. Subje<5l in which their Happinefs, even in their own Opinion, is fo deeply concerned. ^^'^^^''^ Let not what I have now propofed give you, any Fears that I am fo abfurd, as to attempt to rob you of fo great and dailing a Good^ as Pleafiire -, or to perfuade you into fuch a State o^ Infen/ibiliiyy or Painj as neither Huf/ian Na- ture can admit of, nor Reafon, or God, re- quire. My'Defign is cjuite the Contrary. I am going to be an Advocate for Pleafure; and j to fliew you, as well as I can, how you may I enjoy it more effedually, by enjoying it more j iincere, and lefs mixed with TJjihappijjefs, as I well as for a longer Duration, even in this Life, than you can poffibly hope to do in any other Method. This is all the Mortiji-- cation you fliall hear of, from Me, in this \ Seafon (fo called) of Mortification: A Morti- \jication ! which will, I am confident, mortify and kill only the PainSy and Uncafneffes of I Life; but enliven and prolong the Pleafurcs of j it 5 and fuch an One, as is perfectly agreeable to the Chrifian Religion itfelf, which came from Heaven not to difTolve any of the Laws of Nature, or t - iieltroy the natural Connexion of any one thing to another ; but to add the Motives of the World to come, to thofe Dic- tates of i?^^;z, which are ftill left as the unal- terable Rule of our Conduct, in fuch Cafes as Of the Love ^Pleasure. 57 as this now before Us. And, in anfwering s the End I have propofed, I {liall I. Shew what I mean by the Pkafures I am going to fpeak of: And, II. Make fome Ohfcj^vafioiis, chiefly upon the l^wo different, or contrary, Methods of purfuing thefe Pkafures. And from thefe you will eafily judge, III. On which Side the Advantage mani- feftly lyes, in the Point of Pleafure itfclf. I.' Under ihejifji of thefe, I will not be fo unfair as to mean One Thing, whilft, I know, Thofe, who are mod concerned, mean Ano- ther. The Word Pleafure^ is now, by long Cuilom in common Difcourfe, come to be appropriated to the Gratifications of our SenfeSy properly fo called. And when we fpeak of a Man of Pleafure, we are always underilood to mean, One who is, in a peculiar Manner, a Follower of the Pkafures of Senfe. The Co- vetous Man has, without doubt, his Pkafures, adapted to his own Narrownefs of Soul, and inordinate Appetite after Mony ; even that Abundance of it which is quite ufelcfs to Him- felf. The A?nbiticus has likewife Pkafures, in the Elevation of Ilimfelf above Others, and in the flattering Hope of a ftill greater Heighth, G 4 abftracted E R M. V. 88 Of the hove g/ Pleasure. .abftradied from other Gratifications. The Man of Virtue^ that is, of true Honour, has Pkafures, infinitely fuperior to both, imme- diately and diredly refulting from the inward RtBitiide of his Mind. But Thefe are not the Pleajhres we mean when we ufe the Word by itfelf, in Difcourfe: but ih^ Idea which always goes along with it, is That of the Pleajures, or Gratijications, of ^enfe, pro- perly fo called. And it is with regard to T^hefa peculiarly that I now fpeak. After I have faid this, the II. Next Step is to oiTer, as I propofed, fuch Obfewatiom upon this Subje<5l as will lead us to J:hat true Judgment upon the Whole, without which all Boafls of Fleafiire are but vain Words; and by which alone we can juftly pretend to fettle any Title to that Good^ which, )Wirh fo much Paffion, we are feeking after. And this, I think, cannot be done better than by confidering the Circumjiances, nd Confcquences^ of the different Condud: of Men, in their Purfuit, and Enjoyment, of this Good : neither aggravating the Ufihappineffes of One Sort ; nor exalting, more than is unde- niably juft, the Happinejfes of the Other. I . In tlie firji Place, with regard to 'Thofe who have entered, without Reafon or Mode- I ration. Of the Love of P l e a s_u r e . ration, into this Field of Plecifure; No one ofsE themfelves can deny, what too many know by confcious and fenfibls Experience, that there is a Purfuit of Fleafiire, (of That I mean which muft be allowed to be Pkafurey) which, by natural Confequence, introduces a Scene of Pai?2 and Bodily Vneafinefs j as really Pain, (and much more lading,) as the P/f<2- fure itfelf was Pleafure^ which was the fole Caufe of it. Nor can it be denied that, in fome Cafes, the Pu.Tuit of Pleafure^ made eager by the prefent un governed Paffions of the Piirjuer^ is feen, in a little Time, to lay wafte the very Support of Pleajure itfelf; and, by the Excefs of Extravagance, to bring on fuch temporal Inconveniences, as change the Scefie entirely from a Jloort Scene of Kioting in ^oy, to a long one of feniible Grief and Sor^ row, when He finds Himfelf deprived of the very Poffibility of going on in the fame Courfe. For this muft be the Cafe of Pleafure, where- ever Pajjlon will know no Bounds ; confidering that the Riches of the Purfuer, tho' great as you pleafe, upon this Suppofition, muft be foon wafted to Nothing. But if fuch immediate Evils are, by a cau- tious Prudence, avoided by Some, it may ftill be faid, that there is often feen, in their Ex- amples go SE R M, y, Of the L ove of Vh-^ a s u re . amples, a Purfult of Tleafure^ founded upoa a Scheme of Diflionour ; and this is always accompanied by uninterrupted Cares ; carried on with numberlefs Anxieties ; fuccefsful per- haps for a Length of Time ; but, when an .End is put to it by any unlucky Eijent, natu- rally followed by Uneafmejfes, which outweigh all the RemembrancCj and efface every Image, ;of what was once thought Pleafure. For, before Men have quite put off Humanity, the 'Reflexion of a 'wounded Spirit y and the Regret jof a fenfible Heart, are, in fome Events, 'fuch Effedts of this Purfnit^ as change the fweetefl Honey into the bittereft Gall; even in 'the Minds of Thofe who think of this Lifs ' only/ This is indeed, a Furfidt of Plcafurey (o unworthy of human Nature, and fo diflionour-r able, in the Eftimation of the Generality of Mankind -, that, as Shame for ever follows it, fo mufl: the Fear of Difcovery always attend it. And this is a Companion, alone fufficient to deflroy the very EJ[c?ice of Plea/we itfelf, in any Mind -not totally lofl to all Generous Sen- timents within. You may obferve that I have not, in thefe Inftances, fo much as mentioned any Rcmcrfe of Mind, but that caufed by the prejcnt Evils of a too eager Purjuit of Pleafure ; nor Of the Love ofV leas ure. 91 nor any Miferies but thofe of the freferJ State, introduced by it. But, as Confciejice is Reafon itfelf, firft guiding Us, and then cenfuring Us ; as Reafofi is the Gift of God to all Men, for their Government ; and Fleafurt is his gracious Law^ for the Good, and not for the Ruine, of his Creatures; it is impoffible that there fliould not be a Remorfe of Another Sort, and an inward Diftrefs, in all well formed Souls, following upon fuch Piirjuits of Pleafure mentioned before, as evidently are Contradidions to the Will of that God who made Us w^hat we are, and placed Us in this State, furrounded with fenfible Objedsj In- Aances of the higheft higj'atitude to Him, who formed us capable of Pleafure ; Injuries to our Neighbours, who have a Title to our good Offices 5 and, in fome Cafes, grofs Vic- latiom of the Laws of Society, for which our great Creator made Us. 2. Secondly, I will now go on to obferve the oppofite Maxims of purfuing, and enjoy- ing, the fame Good : and thefe are fuch as"' make the Purfuit of Pleafure, entirely different, in every Circumflance, and Confe- quence, from the former. For this Purfuit and Enjoyment of Pleafure, under the Con- du<5t of Reafon and Moderation, is undeniably fuch a Purfuit of it, as does not bring on a State 4' °ft SER W. v. .22 SE RM V. __0£jhe_ Lm)e c f Vh^ a sure. . of Bodily Tain and Indifpofitlon, as its natu- ral or probable Confequence. It is fuch a Purfuit of Fleafure, as is free from that long Train of Fears and Anxieties, which ne- ver fail to attend upon the contrary Purfuit; unacquainted with any Difappointments but what the common Condition of human Life makes unavoidable ; and untroubled with any Remorfe of Evils procured to Others, by the Man's paffionate Regard to his own Pleafure only. It is fuch a Purfuit , of Pleajiire^ as does not wafte or deilroy that Fortune which is neceifary for the Purpofes of the rnofl inno- cent Enjoyments of Life themfc4ves ; and fuch a Purfuit, as carries no Shame along Vvith it, in the Judgment of the World about Us. In a word, it is fuch a Purfuit, as is a Mark of Gratitude to the Giver of ail our Faculties of Pleafure Themfelves, and of all the Plea- fures about which they can at any Time be converfant. And, being no Violation of any one of his Laws ; no Breach into the univerfal Syftem of Good and Right ; carrying with it no Evil to the Members of human Society, or to the Publick ; It cannot be the Parent of any inward Diftrefs or Anguifh of Mind j nor confequently end either in Repentance here, or Punishment hereafter. Thus ftands, in general, the Difference of the tijoo Purfuit s. And now^, III. On t Q£the, heme o/'Ple asure. ^X III. On which Side, the Adva77tage lies, jserm. even in the Point of Fleafure itfelf, is next to , v. be conlidered. k/VXJ Now, in the ftating of This, we muft Imi- tate the Men of worldly Bufinefs, in the Method of ilating their Profit or Lofsy which They follow fo as not to impofe either upon Others . or Themfelves. If never fo many of the par- ticular Articles in their Account are real Pro- Jit J but yet have themfelves been the Occafions of Lofs or Difadvantage, more than proporti- onable to it ; the Sum of fuch an Account can- not be Profit : and if the Balance at the End be Lofs ; it is fmall Comfort to them, and lit- tle Matter of Boafting, that there are in it par- ticular Articles of GaiUy and thofe, perhaps, very confiderable. It is from the T'otal Amount ^ that they judge : as That alone, by which their Condition in Bufinefs muft be deter- mined. And thus it muft be in the Cafe of Pleafure, Put down, if you pleafe, all the Gratifications of Senfe, you can think of. Let them be magnified and fwelled to as high a Pitch as an Imagination devoted to them can do it. But be juft in not deceiving yourfelves. Put down, before you pretend to judge of the Whole ^ all the Pain of Body and Mind ; the Difeafes, the Calamities, which were the Refult of them : the 3± OfjicLcveof F L E A SU RE. SERM, the Fears, and Anxieties, and DifappointmentSj V. which attended them: the Ruine, in fome Cafes, of Fortune and Eftate ; in fome, oi Repu- tation a.nd Ho?70ur; in others, the lafting ^o/^;z^ of Remorfe, in the Reflexion upon what, it may be, has produced Miferies fomewhere or other, never to be retrieved, and never to be alleviat- ed ; and in All, the inward Uneafinefs natu- ral to a reafonable Being, in every Step of Life, which Reafon does not approve of. Put into the Account every known evil Confe- quence under the Notion of Pain, the oppoiite of Pleafure ; and then it muft come out thus. It the total A^mount of fuch a Furfiiit of Pleafure, be really found, as it mud be, to be Pain, of the feveral forts before mentioned, naturally produced by it j and this more than fufficient to counter-balance every Article of Pleafure in it : the Man Gi Pleafure himfelf, to whom the Name is now appropriated, the Pvlan who pretends to ftudy and follow after Pleafure as his great Good, muft be found, at laft, not to underftand what it is truly to enjoy Pleafure itfelf ; nay, frequently to de- flroy his own Purpofes, by Ihortening and ruining his own Pleafures. On the contrary, the Man of Virtue, who is alfo the Man of true Honour j who enjoys the Pleafures of Senfe under thofe Rules which Of the Love o/" Pleasure. M. which make them fit perfedly eafy upon his Mind^ his Body^ his EJiate, his Reputation', muft be acknowledged, in the Whole, by the natural Operation of Virtue, and by the Wifdom of God, in eftablifhing the Nature and Relation of Man, and all things around him, far to exceed the Other at the Clofe of the Account ; and to triumph juft as much over Him, in Pkafure itfelf, as he does in Virtue, Innocence, and Hofiour. I fay, in the 'Whole; becaufe, as I am free to acknow- ledge, on the one hand, that there are Plea^ Jures, in the Senfe in which We now ufe the Word, to the Man of Pleafure, which to the Man of Virtue are wholly unknown j yet, it is certainly true, that Judgment mull: be made from the Whole, and not from a Part ; and that, upon the foot of thts Whole, it is undeni- able that the Man of Virtue enjoys Pleafure, movQjincere, i. e. more free from the Mixture of any of thofe Pains and Emails which are its natural Confequcnces to others; and with much more Security of ctDntinuing fo to do; than the Man of Pleafure can pretend to do. To which We may add this difagreeable Cir- cumftance, that the Courfe of Pleafure which the Voluptuary runs fo precipitately, is frfi in Time ; and that the Courfe of Evils which are' its Produce, fucceeds ; and lafls often long after E R M* • V. -M. Ofthe Loveof_V_i.3_As u re. SE R Ml after the whole Scene of Tleafiive is vanifhed. V. And certainly, it is lefs tolerable to human ^^"V"^ Nature, to pafs from Pkafure to a State of Pam, than to pafs thro' a Courfe of Pain to a fettled State of Pkafure. To which We may add, That, as thefe two enhance one another, the Pkafure pafi muft give the Man a doubk Senfe of that Pam, which not only fuc- ceeds it, but is really owing to it. , ^ The great DoBcr of Pkafure in the Hea- then W odd, who had, with -equal Stupidity and Impiety, banifhed Providence out of the World, and took into his Account ibis Life only, faw plainly the Importance of Virtue, in order to the Enjoyment of Pkafure itfelf. And tho' his Do6trine, by unhappily placing the Chief Good of Man in Pkafure, not flrid:ly explained, led his rafli Followers into the moft intemperate Purfuits of their own U?ihappinefs under that Notion; yet his Pxawpk-, and the Temperance and Command of Paffion, by which Ke enjoyed and prolonged his own Pkafures, were, indeed, a Reproach to 'T^hem, who would not interpret his Maxim by his own PraBice, I only juft mention this, to Hiew tliat even He, who ftudied Pkafure only, put the Virtue of 'Tefnperance, or the Command of prefent Appetite, into the very Compofition of Pkajure itfelf. To return. The • Of the Love ofV l'e. a^v re. •97 The great Miftake in this Matter, amongd i e r m the Men of Pleafure, feems to lye in this, tliat v. they dio not make Pkafure /s.nd Happinefs, two y^Y\i diflind Coniiderations: or rather, that they never inquire after Happijiefs^ but are only for ever feeking after particular Infi:ances oi fenfihle Pleafiire, and ready to fail in with every Invita- tion to them. Whereas Pleafure and Happi^ nefs ftajjiii, even in common Difcourfe, for two fo different Things, that no One, by a Ma}2 of Pleafure under (lands you to mean a Happy Man ; but rather, a Man who difregards Happinefs for the Sake of particular Inflances of Pleafure. For Happinefs being a State of Mind, of a better and more fixt Nature than the fudden Starts and Pafjions of Mankind j it muft follow, that, if the paflionate Purfuits of any real or imagined Pleafure, break in upon that Happinefs^ which is the true Happinefs of an Animal endowed with Reafon to diredt the Condud of his Life j then, the Man, mean- ly and ignobly, enjoys Pleafure^ without being in a State of Happinefs. And from hence a moft importantTrz//^ flows: *uiz. That, if the total Amount of the Purfuit of fenfible Pleafures be not a fettled State of Inward Happiitefs, but the contrary ; the Pur- fuit has been irregular and unworthy of a Crea- ture to whom God has given the Capacity, and H Occa^ L-.^ SE RM V. C f the Loue of P l e a s u h e. OccafwjiSj of fuch Pleafure ; and that thefe un- reafonable Purfuers of this attra(fling Appear- 0 prevented the utter Ruine of his Happinefs^ by confining his Pleafures within the Bounds of Jtiji 2Lnd Rights than In the Thought of hav- ing left them to be \.ot2i\\y Jiopped . and deftroyed, by the natural Confequences only of his own unreftrained Fa[fion\ let Hlmfelf judge. But, if We v^'ill be fo juft to Ourfelves, as not to flop here ; but to go, as We ought, into a Courfe of Thoughts much more worthy of fuch Creatures as We are j If We would look farther into Ourfelves, and confider our own Frames j and alfo the main Defign of our great Mailer, Chrift himfelf, in coming into the World; We could not but find ftlll plainer Demonftrations, that Reajon was given Us to govern the Love of Pleajure, For Wq fliould very clearly fee, That, as We have Faculties adapted to fenfible Objeds in this fhort Life; fo We have Others, of an higher Nature, to govern them, which look forward, towards a better State to come : That We are made with fuch Capacities, and fuch Powers, of Reafon- ing, Reflexion, and Judgment upon our own Conduit, as will force Us to acknowledge our- felves capable of being called to a ftrid; Account, and framed exadly asWe (houldhave been, up- H 3 on I-02 Of the Love of Fleas u re. s E R MJon the Suppofition that fo it will be : That, as V. it is perfedly agreeable to the Reafon of Man- (./o/Nj|kind to expedt it, fo our BleiTed Lord, by a plain Declaration, fufficiently attefted by his Re- furredlion from the Dead, has affured the World that fuch a folemn Day of Account will come, in which the Triumph will belong to Thofe, who have here below kept the Love of Plea- fure in Subjedion to the Love of Virtue, and iXMQ, Happinejs-j and Shame and Diftrefs to Thofe, who have been Levers of Fleajure^ more than Lovers of God^ their Neighbours^ or , -^hemj elves. And Thefe will be inch Argu^ mentSj as will fet us above every AUurerjient ; and engage us to live the prefent Life by that Religious Wijdom, whofe Ways are Ways of Fie a- fantnefsy and all whofe Paths are Peace : and will certainly condudl us fafe, thro' a flioft de- lufive Scejie of the fleeting Images of Pleafure only, to the real and lading Pleafures of a State oi Happinefs, never more to be interrupted, ei- ther by our own PaJJiG7iSj or any other JEnemy. St. St, Paul's Difcourfe to Felix. SERMON VL — i =4= Preached before the Kin g, Febr, 1 5, 1729-30. Acts xx iv. part of 24*^ and 25'^ Verfes, He fent for Paul, and heard Him concerimig the Fai'Jj m Chrirt : And as He reajoncd of Right eoufnefs, 'Temperance, and judgment to conie^ Felix trembled. NHEPerfons here fpokta of are, St, ^erm. Faul a faithful Preacher of the Gofpel \ of "fefin Chriji j and Felix, the Cover- Y"^^^^ nour of fiulta : St Paul, now a Prifoner, un- | der the Apprehenfion of all the Evils which j the Malice and Importunity of the Wliole Bo- dy of the y^i£;j might extort from their Gover-- | nour, now his Judge: and a Governour, whofe j perfonal CharaBer, it appears from a Roman j Hijlorian, as well as from what is faid of 1 lim j in this Chapter, might well have increafed the j H 4 JpoftWi] 104 SE'RM. VT. Si\ P A u l's Difcourfe to Felix. Apojiles Appreheniions of the moil unjuft and fevere Sentence which Power, in the Hands of fuch a Man, could threaten 3 and, what is ilill more, a Governor accompanied, at this very Time, by One who had a Share in his Guilt, and an Influence over his Paffions. And yet, in the Midft of ail thefe Circumfiances, we find a very uncommon Appearance ; the Pr/fo^ier, undaunted and unconcerned at his own Dan- ger ; the Goveriwiir, terrified and tremblings as if YxisPriJoner had been his Judge; and were now pronouncing a Sentence of Condemnation upon him. What was the Reafon of this furprizing Event? Innocence, and the Teflimony of an upright Htart, on the One Sidej Guilt, and the Reproaches of an awakened Confcience, on the Other. The Former created in St. Paul a Eoldnefs to adapt his Difcourfe to the Cafe of the great Man he fpoke to, whofe Charader, it is evident, he well knew : the Latter en- feebled the Heart of Felix, and forced Him to betray that Fear of future Punifhment, from a fuperior Power, which all the Amufements and Pleafures of this World can hardly ever totally remove from Guilt and Sin. As my prefent Defign is to make this Ac- count of St. Paul's Difcourfe to Fehx the Occafion of fuch Obfervations as are of univer- fal Importance to all ChrifJans: the Three Points Sl Paul's Difcourfe to Felix.' lo^ Points which immediately offer themfelves to j my Thoughts are Thefe : I. The Notion St. Paul had of preaching yefus Chrift, and his Faith. II. The Agreeablenefs of This to the whole 'Tc?jor of the New Tejtament. And III. The great Ufe, towards the main End of the Gofpely of the Argument drawn from a ^Judgment to come, to fuch Creatures as We are. And if I apply this particularly to Thofe in the Higher Stations of human Life, it is be- caufe I think it the greatefl Inflance of Duty, and the beft Good-Office, which any One, who fpeaks from This Place, can poffibly per- form. I. We cannot but obferve from this Paflage, what St. Paids Notion muft have been of Preaching the Faith of Chrijiy fo as to anfwer the main End of it. It is expreily told us, that Felix fent for Paid, in order to hear Him concerning the Fai:h in Chriji ; concerning that Religion, for the Sake of which he was now in Bonds. There can be no Doubt but that St. Paul placed in the beft Light, all the Evidences for be- lieving in 'J ejus Chrijiy and particularly his erm; VI. SERM lo6 St, V AXJhS Difcotirfe to'P elix. "RefurreBion from the Dead; which was to VI. j him inftead of All, and to which it was his ^•"v^Cuftom always to appeal. But, it is as plaia khat, in defcribing to Felix the Complexion and Genius of the Chrijiian Faiths and the great End of Chriji's coming into the World, He reprefented it as enforcing all thofe Points of Virtue and Morality^ to which Men are obliged as the reafonable Creatures of an Ho- ly and Juft God; fitted and defigned by Him for the mutual Offices of Society. For the only Part of the Apoftles Difcourfe about Faith in Chriji^ or the Religion of Chrijl^ which the facred HJ/iorian has thought fit to leave ir relates folely to T'hefe, and to the Great Monve to pracflife Them. The Words are very rema'kable. In this private Sermoti about Chrijl, and Faith in Him, upon which alone St. Paul was defired by Felix, to fpeak, He reafons (as the Word is well rendered) or ar-^ gu^^s, in his Difcourfe. He fliews him the Na- ture of the Faith in Chrift, by ihewing him the unalterable Obligations to Right eoufnefsy v/hich includes all Juftice and Equity; to T^efnperancCy or, a Command over our Appe- tites; and then, by difplaying before Him the Judgme?jt to come, as the great and awful Motive urged by the Gofpel of Chrift, to ■ fecure and reflore the Pradice of thefe, and all St. P A u LsDt fcourfe toF^t i x. 107 VI. all other Branches of Morality. It is by fhis ^ e r M. Method that He did honour to his Mafter, and to that FaUh he had embraced ; and by thisy that he endeavoured to reprefent the coming of Chri/l into the World as worthy of God who fent him. If St. Paul, therefore, reafoncd upon thefe Duties ; and, in fetting forth the Excellencies of the Chrijiian Faith, defcribed and inculcat- ed Morality, as the great End of it; and thought he could do nothing more for its Ho- nour, than to reprefent it as joined in the fame Caufe with Reafon and uncorrupted Na- ture ; as enforcing the fame Pradice of all the moral and focial Duties ; and reveling the Wrath of God againfl: all Immorality : this is Evidence enough of the Apoftle's Notion of the Nature and End of the Chrijiian Religion; and will be the Juilification of All Thofe who follow him in this way of Preaching Chrifl^ and his Faith. But I will go a Step farther, and obferve, II. That the Reprefentatlons made through- out the New Tejlament, of the great £?zJ both of Preaching and Receiving the Faith of Chrijly and particularly, the Accounts given of that 'Judgment to come, which is mentioned in the T^ext, do all exadly and uniformly an- fwer to this Notion. Thd io8 SE R'M VI. St. P A u l's Difcottrfe to F e l i x. "The" Pore-runner of our Lord opened the Scene by giving Notice to ail Sinners around Him, of the Nature of that Kingdom of God which was then begiuning to fhew itfelf : That it did not confift in imaginary, or Real, Privi- leges of Qfte Sort of Men, or of One Nation, above Another -, but that All v/ho would flee from Mifery, or enjoy the Bleffings of fuch a Difpenjation^ mufl repejtt, fo as to bring forth Fruits meet for "Repentance, When our EieiTed herd himfelf bes;an to teach the Nature and End of his own coming ; it was by preaching Repentance^ that is, Amend- ment : and, as foon as ever He difcovered any falfe Imagination in his iirfl: Followers, as if he was' come to flatter their Pride, or to in- dulge their bad Inclinations ; He took the firfl Opportunity immediately to make them fenfible of their Mifl:ake. To this Purpofe are thefe folemn Declarations ; That it is not their taking Hiyn for their Majier^ or the callijig Him their Lord^ that would entide them to the Happinefs He promifed j but the doing the Will of His Father^ the Maker and Governour of ail Things : That, in order to be the Chil- dren of Gody and to have the Privileges of fuch, They mufl conftantly obey, and imi- tate, (as far as Humanity will permit) all the Moral Perfedions of their Heavenly Father. And Sl P a u l's Difcourfe ^(9 F e l i x. 109 And to the fame purpofe is every other Expref- 5 e r m. iion of his, in which he profeffedly dellne- vi. ated to them the main Strokes of his Religioti, \y~V^sj or taught Them the End of his Appearance. His Apoftles and immediate Difciples follow- ed Him clofe in this main Point, after They themfelves were inftrudted in it. St. Peter, m his firft Preaching, declared to the Jews, that God fen t his Son to blefs us, by turnmg us from our Iniquities j or, as the Words rather import, to blefs us, as far as we turn, or in our turning, or being turned, from our Ini- quities, to the Pradice of all Virtue. And, in his iirll: Epiille, He reprefents One great End of Chriji's Sufiering to be, that We may follow the 'Example of his Patience-, and declares that He bare our Sins upon the Crofs, to this Intent, that We, being dead unto Sin, fould live unto Right eoufnefs. And in This they all un- animoufly agree, even whilft they fpeak of his Death, under the Notion of a Sacrifice, or a Propitiation, for our Sins ; exprelly taking Care to make this itfelf a LelTon of Morality ^ by declaring no Sins to have any Title to any Benefit from it, but fuch as are forfaken ; and all Immorality to receive a frefh Aggravation^ inftead of any Indidgence, from it. The Life, therefore, of our Saviour was defigned for our Pattern in all Morality. His T>o^irins no u SERM VI. St. Paul's Difcourfe to Felix. DoBrijie was to lead us to the Imitation of Go J^ and to the Practice of the Law of uncorrupted Reafon, which He always fuppofedj and to which he always appealed: and this is Mora^- lity. His Death was to engage Us to himfelf, i. e. to ilie ftridter Obfervation of his Laws, which are the Laws of Morality. The DoC' trine of Forgivenefs of Sins, openly promulged by Hiim, is ever confined to Sins that are for- faken. Prayer to the Supreme God, (that great Duty) is an Liftance of Morality, and is the Didiate of Reafon and Nature, as well as the Command of Revelation ; and leads us, in its End, and natural Operation upon ourfelves, to a greater Senfe of all our whole moral Duty. And, if We go from hence to the two Pojiti'ue Inflitiitions mentioned in the New 'Tefiament j We fliall find their Defign to be the fame In- tereft of Morality, The Jirji of them, Baptifm, or the Cereraofiy of Immerfion in Water, ufed in receiving Per- fons converted to the Faith of Chrijl, is con- flantly declared to be thus intended. It is ne- ver defcribcd as a Charm, or a mere Privilege, On the contrary, the Thing fignified by it is magnified by St. Peter, in Oppoiition to the Ceremony Itfelf ; the Anfwer of a good Confci" e7ice, to the WaJJjing of the Out fide. And St. Paulj in a moft remarkable Manner [Rom. vi.) declares Sl P a u l' s Difcourfe to Felix. Ill declares the whole Ceremony to reprefent tosERM, Chrijlians their Death unto Sin 5 and their Life vi. imto Righteoiifnefs : ih^ former, by their being i/VNJ covered wiih the fVater j and the latter, by their rifing out of the Water again. And, in the Nature of the Thing, it is plainly the Ce- remony of admitting Men into a Religion which revives all the Obligations of Morality upon them, and enforces them more ftrongly than any other in the World. The other Inftitution is, the Remembrance of fefus Chriji, in the Lord's Supper ; that is, in plain Words, a Re^ memhrance of that Majler who taught us the abfoiute Necefiity of Morality^ or Virtue^ to our Happinefs : and particularly, the Remem- brance of his Death, which was the greateil Example of many Virtues to be pradtifed by us in this imperfect and afflided State ; and which is fufficiently declared to be no Advantage to his Followers, but as it moves Ally who name the Name ofChriJl, to depart fro?n Iniquity. And if we fpeak of T'hem, in the more modern Phrafe, as T'he Means of Grace ; the very Ex- prefTion denotes their End to be fomething higher than the Ceremonies themfelves ; and fignifies either that Chri/iia?i Virtue, by fome called Grace, is the End to which they are fubfervient ; or that they are Mea?is to pro- cure the Divine AJfiftance^ another Signiiica- 4 tion 112 Si. P A u l's Difcourfe to Felix. s E R M. tlon of the Word Grace : which AJjiJlance is VI. allowed to have that higher Rnd in view, of 4/V>-^ our Improvement in all Morality, Thus the Believing in Chrijl j and the coming into His Religion, and the Remem- brance of Him when we are in it ; are all • adapted, and in their Natures fubfervient, to I One and the fame great End j the engaging jus to abhor ail Immorality, and to proceed Ito the highefl: Perfedion we can, in every In- Iftance of Morality. Take away this one great Point ; and, I fear, it will be impoflible to convince any rea- fonable Man that ycjiis Chriji was fent into the World by God. One of the noblefl Arguments, I am fure, drawn from this Defign of the Gojpcl, worthy of God and Man, will be for ever removed from Chrijiianity : and where, without This, the Advocates for it can find any Others, truly fufficient, I know not. Nay, if either Reafoji^ or the Gofpelj tell us Truth about the Difpofitions either of God, the Father of all Things ; or of the Son of God, towards Mankind ; it is not fuppofeable that Jefus Chriji would have been fent into this World, and have lived here, to preach to Men, but in Order to their Perfedion in Virtue ; and much lefs, that He would have died for Men, but exprelly in order to their Living, as becomes Meti. Thus, Sl P a u l's Difcourfe to F elix. 113 Thus, We fee, the ReUgio^i founded onSERM. Faith, or Belief] m Jefits Chrijh h preached-, '\^^' and Chriji himfelf is preached ; when the ftri^ft M^^ Obligations to all Rightcoufnejs are preach- ed and inculcated, agreeably to the End of his coming into the W'orid. To this Purpofe alone is the Declaration which St. Taid made to Titm, in order to give him a comprehenlive View of the Nature of Chrijtianity ; and this fo full an one, diat it may well deferve a Place here, i^ix. That the Grace^ or Mercy ^ of God, briiiging Salvation unto all Me?2, hath appeared, in the Gofpel, teaching lis (as the only way in which it brings Salvation) that^ denying Ungod- linefs and ivojUIIv Lulls y We flx>idd live Soberly, Right cou fly, and Godly in this World ; waiting for the Appearance of 'J ejus Chriji ^ njuho gave Himflffor Us, (for this very £;zt/, here pointed out,) viz. T'hat he might redeem us from all hii- quity, and purify unto Himfelf a peculiar People zealous oj Good Works. To all this agrees, alfo, every Account w^e have in the New l^ejhuhenty both of the Pro- ceedings at the Solemn Day of fudgment, men- tioned in the T^ext j and of the Reivards and Punifl:mejits to be difpcnfed to Men, in Con- fequence of that judgment. In all of them Nothing but Immorality is declared to be pu- iiiilied \ nothing but Morality and Virtue^ to i be 114 S ERM VI. St» P aul's D ifcoiirfe tg YY.\. \yi. ^ ^ be rewarded. The Pretenders to the Favor o^ their Mailer, at that Day, who are declared to be rejeded by our Lord, in his own Ac- count, are introduced by Him as pleading a certain Title to his Favor from their Zeal, and Faith, by vs^hich they have prophefied in his Name, and in his Name even worked Miracles. But they are to depart from Him into Punifliment, with all their Pretenfes about them, merely becaufe they were Work- ers of Iniquity. But the Good^ and Beneficent, are entertained with Praife, and invited into the Kingdom prepared for them. No mention is made of Any condem.ned, who can plead that they have fincerely endea- voured to find out the Will of God, and have preferred it before all other Conliderations. No Sentence pronounced againft fuch for Errors in Judgment, through the unavoidable Weak- nefs of human Nature : but the Integrity and Morality of All accepted and applauded. One cannot help, as we pafs, being led, by our Saviour's own Account, to think how many Pretenfes will the more modern Ages cj Chrifti^ anity furnifh out at that Day ? Have we not tranfgreffed all the moral Laws of God and Nature, to fhew our Zeal for what we call Religion ? will many fay: And how greatly furprized will they be, to find That all their InquifitionSy ^15 A?/. Paulas Difcourfe to Felix. Inqiiijittons^ and Racks^ and 'Tortures, and Hard- s e R m. Jhips, and Opprejjlons, and even the Merit of vi. overturning all the Boundaries of Good and ^/VNJ Evil, for the Faith of Chrifiy blafphemoufly fo called ; for the Honour of His Mother ; or the extending the Bounds of his Church ; will be cfteemed by their Lord himfelf as Inftances of their Guilt ; and the higheft Injuries to Him- felf? And how much more furprized, to find the Excommunicatedj and the Perfecuted, and ^hofe to whom they would not allow the Name of Chrifiian, or the Ufage due to a Marty now called forth into Glory, and honoured in the Sight of Men and Angels, as the true ChiU dren of God ; as having lincerely loved him, and pradlifed all his moral Laws ? Infidelity itfelf (I hope it may be faid with- out Offence) will then be puniflied no other- I wife than as it is Immorality, proceeding from a wilful and refolute Neglect of Evidence, or an immoral Contradidion to it. And Faith it- felf will then be rewarded, no otherwife than as Morality in an intelligent Agent ; the Refult of the honeft Enquiry of a well-difpofed Mind. Or rather, the Immorality of the Will^ leading at any Time to Infidelity, and the Immorality of PraBice proceeding from it ; are the Things only to be punifhed : .and the Moral good Dtf- pofition leading to Faith, and the Moral Prac^ I 2 tice Jl6 SERM. VI. St. Paul's Difcourfe to Felix. tice following from it, to be the only proper 0\S]c^s of Reward ', agreeably to all that is '•^^'^'^ faid in the New 'Tejiament, For in T^hat^ We may obferve, there is not any Faith celebrated, but either as the Word is taken for the Go/pel- Difpenfation^ in Oppoiition to Mofess Law ; ' or, as it is exprefsly declared to produce adual Obedience to God, and all Morality ^ as the End of it. And this, again, is perfectly agreea- ble to all that we know of the Nature of God, either from Reafon or Revelation ; Both which reprefent Him as juH, and a Punijfher of dif- honeft Men, let their Faith be never fo right ; but never as a Funifier of the honeji and iip^ right, , St. Faul^ in a very particular Manner, I {FDm. ii.) declares that future "Rewards and I Funifiments will be adjudged to the Morality and Immorality only, of Fhofe^ who are with- out a" Re'velaiioriy as well as of 'Thofe who en- j joy One. | This does not at all depreciate the high Va- j lue of Faith in Chriji ; or of Any of his own Injlitiitions. On the contrary. Nothing can be more for their Honour, than to find that the moft noble End, and the moft worthy of God, is the very End of that Faith, and of thole Inftitutions, And, I fear, whoever de- preciates Morality, and would reprefent to the World any other End of Chrijlianity, as high- er ' Sf, Fau l's Djfcourfe to Felix. " j i^T cf than TJjisV znd'not fubfervient to it; or,'JERMi whoever would magnify Any inward Accom- vi. plifliment, or Outward Chriftian Injiitutiony /V^ before this, and as an End fuperior to it, will : be, upon Examination, found to rob that Divine Religion of One of it's brighteft Orna- ments ; and of One of the nobleft Arguments it can boaft : and an Argument, without which, not Miracles themfelves can, perhaps, be found fufficient to recommend it, with Sue-, cefs, to any Perfons of Virtue, and good Senfe. Nay, thefe Ads of the Mind, and Outward Performances, receive their Value from the good Difpofition, or Morality, of the Mind', and are, properly fpeaking, fub- fervient to Morality in PraBice, through the Man's Life: but Morality can in no Senfe bej faid to be fubfervient to "them, as a fuperior End; becaufe it would have been the fame unalterable good Thing, whether 'they had ever been required, or not. In a word ; when We fpeak of the End, We mean the higheji End of the Gofpcl. And that is the higheft End of the Whole, to the procuring or Improvement of which, every inward Ad of| the Mind, and every outward Inftitution, be- longing to it, are made and declared to be fub- fervient. And This, to the Glory of the Gofpel be it faid, is the Pra^icc of all Morality. I 3 But ii8 SEUM VI. A?/. P A u l's Dtfco urfe to F e l i x. But to proceed ; Since this folemn Judg^ ] 7n€fit to come is fo exprefly declared by our ^'^''^^'^n Saviour, and preacl:ied by his Apofiles, as the great Motive to Right eoufnefs, T^etnperance^ and every other Virtue-, Let us now obferve III. Of how great Ufe the Confideration of This, may and ought to be, to fuch Creatures as We are, placed in fuch a World as this. St. Patifs Difcourfe to Felix, about the un- alterable Obligations to Morality, might have been entertained as a good and reafonable Lec- ture: But it was the Addition of this other 1'opic, of a Day coming, in which All Men were to be called to Account ; and to be re- warded, or puniflied, by the fupreme Judge ; which made the Impreffion upon Him, here mentioned j and forced him to betray the //?- ward Apprehenfions of a Guilty Coiifcience, We find, indeed, that it went no farther, than his prefect Concern and Uneafinefs. He put off the Difcourfe', and, without doubt, the I'houghts of it too. The World had taken "fuch hold of Him, that his Attention prefent- ly returned to the Profits and Pleafures of it j and would not fuffer Him to give this Subje(5t fuch a Place in his Thoughts, as the Import- ance of the Matter required. But let not Us follow fuch an Example, I . . This "St. Paul's Difcourfe /g> Felix/ is not, I own, much worthy of our Regard, unlets the Expedation of the Thing itfelf be a reafonable and manly Expedation. But let not any one put the Thoughts of it far from Him, as if This were the Cafe. Let Him look into his own Mind, and it will fhew Him, in the ftrongeft Light, That a Being made capable of giving an Account, niay juftly be called to do it : That a Beuig framed fo as to fee Butj, and Honour, in one Method 5 and Sin and Difl:)onour, in another; and plainly defigned for Duty to a God above Him, and a World of Fellow-Creatures around Him s has the greateft Reafon to ex- pea to have that Account of his Behaviour, demanded of Him, in Another Place, which is never demanded of him, in "This. Thefe are | the Thoughts of a Man, as a reafonable and focial Creature; and it is agreeable to the Dig- nity of a Man, and of the higheft of Men, to entertain Hlmfelf with the Reflexions becom- ing his Nature, and refulting from the peculiar Excellencies of it. And to thefe great and unexdnguifl^.able Evidences of it, furnifhed j from within the Circle of every Man's own j Breaft, the Gofpel has added the V/eight of that AfTurance which Chrijl has given Us of fuch a "Judgment to come, I 4 Neither ii9_ E R M. VI. 1 2<> /SV. P A u l's Difcotirfe to Felix. •Sb Rr\[. Neither let any fly from this Employment,' VI. as from a Scene of Melancholy ajid Dijlrefs^ producing only Terror and Uneafinefs. The End of this great and awful Motroe, propofed by natural Rehgion, and heightened by Reve-, led^ is not, to make Men tremble, but to make Men better -^ not to fill their Souls with Horror , but to lead them to the very contrary, by guarding them moft effecflually again ft thofe PraBices which rob them of their Innocence and their Peace. And could Men be prevail- ed upon to think of it, as becomes them, I am perfuaded, it would make even all tlje Goods of this World more agreeable to them. It would not deflroy any Profit , Pleafure, or Honour^ which a reafonable Creature would not wi(h to have deflroyed. To all others it would add a Luftre and a Value. To Riches it would give the true and proper Ufe ; which is their only Advantage. The Honours of this World it would adorn, by fetting them off with all thofe Virtues^ which alone can render them amiable in the Eyes of Beholders 3 and without which they are, at bcft, but gaudy Pageantry. And the Plcajures oi Senfe them- felves would be rendered more fincere, un- mixed, and lafling, by being reflrained from hurting either the Health, or Reputation, or Interejlj or Honour^ of the Purfjer 3 and by being a5V. P AU l's Difcourje to Feli x, being deprived of that Sting of Guilt, which otherwiie will for ever attend upon them. In fuch a World as ours is ; with fuch al Nature as Man muft be content with; fur- rounded with the T^emptatio7is of Trofperity\ and the I'rials of Adverfity ; Who would not willi to be under the Influence of a Motive^ which may preferve the Dignity of his Na- ture, at the fame Time that it guards and increafes his Virtue. In every Age of our ra- tional Life, and every Circumftance of it. We more and more, as We pafs, want the friendly Ailillance of fuch a Motive. The Innocence of Childhood quickly vanKhes, and is fucceeded by the Voluptuoujhefs of Tcuth : and in 'This, a Torrent of ungoverned Pajions often threatens to carry all that is good before it. In the more advanced Years of Life, the Purfuits of Ambition or Luji of Poiver and Advancement^ take place j not without Danger of the Man's changing Truth, Sincerity, and Honefty, for Art, Diflimulation, and Deceit. And in Old Age, the Power of Avarice often fhews it- felf in too abfurd a Manner to be defcribed. This is the general State of Man. And therefore, Every Man may juflly be faid to ave fo much need of fuch a Motive to for- ify Him, that he will, too probably, fail with- ut it. But I R M. VI. ^__„. St» Pa u l's Difcourfe to Felix. 122, se^m] But They who are, by their Situation m VI. Life, furrounded with more T^emptations^ and ^^■'^^^^^^Opportunities than Others, have, of all Men, I the greateft Neceffity for fuch a Guard and iDefenfe: Or, in other Words, They who ;j have moft Temptations \.o forget the great Day ■j of Accounts, have, of all others, the flrongeft iReafons not to do it. Thofe who fee httle 1 around them, beiides the Hoards of Wealth, ! or the Gaieties of Power and Profperity ; whofe Stations raife them above the common Level, and put them out of the way of many of the moral Advantages Others may meet with ; whofe Riches and Power invite the Smooth^ nefs ol Flattery, but check the Freedoms of true Friendjlnp j and whofe exalted Degree of Life removes them from the lefler Fears or Motives which fometimes weigh with others: What remains for T^loefe, who lye moft open to the ftrongefl T^rials of this Life, thofe of Profperity, and Pleafure j of Profit, or Superiority ; but to be allarmed into a Behaviour quite different from that of Felix, now before Us? Not to content themfelves with hearing Thefe Truths, and feeling a little prefent Commo- tion of Soul upon them ; not to throw off the Confideration from the prefent certain Time, to an uncertain Futurity; but to enter feri- \ cully into their own Breafts ; to think in ear- nefl St, Paul's Difcourfe to Feli.x, 123 neft of a Being fuperior to Themfelves as! erm. much in Power, as in all other Perfedions: vi. and particularly to reprefent to themfelves ^^'""'^'^^ that Solemn yW^/;?^'?^/ to come, in which They have an equal Concern with the Meanefl of all their Fellow-Creatures ; and in which they mufl appear as free from all Diftindion of Superiority, as the loweft of Mankind. The Strength, or Multitude, of the Temptations which have here furrounded Them, will then increafe the Glory and Crown of their Virtue ; but not take away the Guilt of the Contrary^ in the Eyes oiUim, who will judge all Men according to their Works. In a word 5 If the Men in high Stations of every Sort ; and the moft involved in the Affairs or Pleafures of Life, would but, now and then, find or force an Interval ; wearied, as they muft fometimes be, with the Hurry of Bufinefs, or tired with the Circle of A- mufements ; if They would, I fay, now and then retire from all thefe ; and think ferioully of the Dignity and End of their Beings, and of their appearing in Judgment before that God whom They can neither deceive nor refift; This would teach Ihein to defpife every Inftance of Power, Frofit, or Tleafure, inconliftent with Duty and Mora- lity. This would give eternal Peace to their ^ own 124 St, Pa u l*s 'Difcourfe to Fe l i x,' SE rmI own Minds; and make their Example a tigHt7 u. VI. and an Incitement, to All below j who are ;jC'''VV* ever looking up to 'them , and forming., their Manners on the Model of Thofe above them. And thus might Virtue, by degrees, fpread • itfelf through the Inferior World-, and the IsTumber be increafed of Such as may be Hiip^^ py both here and hereafter. Of • I j 1 .__ . _ i i ! i Of Consistency in all our A r- G U M E N T S about R E H G I O N. 1 SERMON VII. Preached before the K i n g, March 5, 1731-2. Galatians li. ver. 18. For if 1 build again the Things which 1 defiroy ed, I make myfelf a l^ranfgrejfor. I N the Verfcs going before this, we have a very remarkable Inftance of St. Pccers Mifcondud, in contradlding, by Doc- trine as well as Pradice, what He himfelf had taught to be the Defgn of the Go/pel j to the great Prejudice of it amongft the Gen- tiles i and this, out of Fear of fome Zeiots amongft the Jews : as appears evidently from St. Paul's Reproof, when He faid to hiniy be- fore ally (ver. 14.) If 'Thou^ being a Jew, li'uejl after th Manner of the Gentiles, and not 5ERM. VII. 26 SE R M VII. Of Co N s I ST E isi CY in all our not as do the Jews, [/. e. without a Regard to the ceremonial Parts of the yf-ze^//?; Law] niDhy, compellefi 'Thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews ? or, Why do you teach and lead Them to the Obferva?ice of what you do not ohjerve yourfelf ? A Behaviour ! which one would be almoft tempted to think to have been, by the Defign of Providence, recorded, that it might fl:and as a perpetual Warning and Monument againfl founding any Pretenfes to Infallibility upon a Succeffion to this Apojlle in particular. St. fauU who records it, after fliewing the Incon/ijlency of this Condu6l with the Rule by which St. Peter had walked before, and by which the Gofpel had been propagated, goes on farther' to fliew the Chriftian People, ver. 15, 16, 17. that the Gofpel is not to be cenfured, as a deficient Difpenfation, not able to put us, out of the State of Sinners, into a State of Fa- vour with God ; but They only, who either teach, or receive, fuch Dodlrines, as are incon^ fijlent with thofe Principles, upon which They themfelves firll received the Gofpel. He then, in the Text, lays down this gene- ral Rule, by a common Figure putting Him- felf for any other Perfon, For if I build again the Things 1 have defroyed, I make myjelf a Tranfgrefor : that is. For whofoever doth, by his Dodirincy contradid thofe Firji Principles upon ' i"! A;_L2iL¥ E NTS ab0Ut_ p. ELJ G J O N_. upon which his Religim h founded j and, to get rid of a prefent Difficulty, again maintains or receives thofe Do^irines, upon the renounc- ing of which his Title to the Privileges of his Rehgion depends j 7)i{:kes Hi?nfelf a I'raiifgref- for ; that is, puts Hmfelf back into the Con- dition of an Ufil^elie-ier, and Sin?ier^ not entit- led to God's Favoir offered by his Rehgion ; and fo hurts the Religion He profefles, by a Be- haviour abfolutel/ inconuftent with it. And what the Apojih affirms here of Thofe who build again whet they haiie/once dejlroyedj may, with an exadiAgreeabldfriefs to St. Paul's In- tention, be afirmed of Thofe alfo, who dejtroy^ or pull to pieces, that which they had before built up, asneceflary to the Support of their Religion : Decaufe there is exavflly the fame Reafon fo,' it; and becaufe what may be cal- led buildhg up, with refped: to Falfe Princi- ples, m.y be as juftly exprelTed by the dcfiroy- ing, or pulling down, thofe Good ones which are coitrary to them. Tnis being: the Gejieral Reafoninsr made ufe of by St. Paid^ in the earlieft Days, to q>pofe the Mifchiefs done to the Gojpel, by 'he inccnfiftent Behaviour of firft fupporting it, and inviting the Gentiles into it, by parti- :ular Principles, and then, as feeming Diffi- "^ulties prefied, declaring againft thofe v^ry Principles-, 127 ER M, VII. 5^8' ^f C o N^jg T E N c Y in alljur ^'E'BLMi Principles; and the reafoning being at firfl vii. unanfwerable, and in all Ages the fame ; it l/VN-l will be natural to apoly it to our own Ufe, by obferving, That the i^r_g-Zifw^;z/^j which alone can fuccefsfully defend, or recommend, Chrif- tianityy muft be confifieity and uniformly maintained : That whofotver builds up, or iriaintains again, thofe {a.mt Primip^fs by the Deftrudion, or Confutation, of which alone Chrijlianity itfelf was at firfl:, and ever muft be, defended againft itsOppd'ers; and that Whofoever dc/iro\s, ' and throws 3fF thofe \Pr/;z- \ ciples, upon which alcine Chriftimity could be firft built, and fupported; maks Himfelf a ^ranjgrejfor -, greatly hurts the Caife oiChrif- tianity, and furnifhes the Advei^aries of it with the moil Popular, and, according to the Genius of the World, the moft fuccdsful, Pre- tenfes againft it. And as St. PW thought it of great Impor- tance to addrefs His Difcourfe, and hs Cau- tions, againft fuch Jnconfijiencies, to thtChrif" tian People, not without fome hurt to St.P^'- ter's Charader, for fear Thev fhould eitrer receive fuch Inconfijlencies as would vitiae their own Title to the Privileges, of true Chrif* tians, or come to rejed the Gofpcl itfelf, fof the Sake of them : fo, I hope, I Ihall be excui^ cd, if I follow fo great an Example, and lay 3 before A R G U iM E N T S ahout R E L I G I O N. 129 before a Congregation of ChriJiianSj the fame s er m. General Rule, and the fame Cautions, equally VI. neceflary now, as in His Days, to preferve Them from being nominal Believers invain 3 or from rejed:ing Chrijlianity entirely. You fee plainly, by this Time, that my Aim is, To bring that fame Rule, g^ Cojifift- cncy, into, the Service of Chrijiiaftity in this Age, whic^ the Apoflle made ufe of, in the Jirft Age of the Go/pel ; and to fhew the great 1 Difad vantage arifing to Chrijiianity^, from fwervin^ at any Time from it. The Bebates which have long been, and ftill are, fublifling, both in the Popijh, and Proteftanty World, give us Occaiion enough for this LefTon. If a judgment were to be made from the Tenor of fome of them, one would be apt to imagine an open War de- clared between Reafon^ and ReveIatio7i ; an ir- reconcileable Enmity between the Religio?2 of Nature, and the Religion of Grace, or Favour^ propofed in the Gofpel. I hope, for the Sake of Chrijlianity itfelf, that this neither is now, nor ever will be, the Cafe. For if fuch a real ConiradiSiion fhould once be granted ; it is very evident, Which of the two mufl fufFer. But, to come to what I chiefly defign, I. Thtjirjl Obfervation I fl^.all make, is. That when Chrijlia?uty is recommended to any Unbe- K lievers^ >v>J La2. S E RM VII. 0/"C ON S I S T E N C Y in all our lievers, either as It lies In the Gospel it(t\f, or as it is modified in any particular CburcbofChri/iy the Arguments are, and muft be, all built up- on the Right J and Duty, of all Men to enter into an impartial Examination of their former Opinions. The Appeal is made to their com- mon Reafon. They are called upon to try, by the Rules of That alone, what is propof- ed to them, as from God, before they judge or determine about it. This very Appeal fuppofes the Law oi Reafon ^ that is, the Religion of Nature, to fubfifl: before-hand, as the Mea- fure of their trying whatever is offered to Them, as a Revelation from Heaven. It fup- pofes the invifible 'J kings of God j not only his Being, but his Attributes and PerfeSlions, to be already feen, from the l^lmigs that are made; and from their Relations to one another ; and particularly, from the moral Capacities and Powers of Man, evidently made account- able to His great Creator. And there can be no other Method than This. For how can I poffibly judge, whe- ther any Fropofition, or lnjun5iion, be worthy of God, unlefs I firfl: know the Nature and Perfcdions of that God, about whofe Difpen- fations 1 am called upon to judge? And how can I poffibly judge whether the Pro/'o/^/ offer- ed be agreeable to his Original Law, the Re- ^ ligion Arguments about R e l i G i o N. Uglon of Nature^ by which I am called upon to judge ; unlefs there be fuch a Law exifting, either actually known to me, or within the Reach of my Capacity, before I form my Judgment about what is propofed to me ? This being fo, it is evident that when Men are firft invited into Chriftianity ^ it is not by the way of ImpofitiGn upon their FacultieSy or Senfes j nor' by depreciating, or throwing Contempt upon, their Reafoning Capacity j but by acknowledging the Ufefulnefs of Reafon, and the Excellence of the Religioti of Nature, They are then told, that it is their Duty to judge of the Demands made upon them, in the Name of God i and that they can and ought to do this, by applying Themfelves to their natural Light, with an honeft Heart ; and by comparing what is now propofed with that Light, which the fam.e God has already given them, before they can be affured that Nothing is now required of them, but what is agreeable to their former Law : and All, We fee, is to be built at firft, not upon the Ruines, but upon the Evidence and Support, of Rea- fan. If any Unhelieiier, in fuch a Situation, fliould anfwer to this Propofal, when firft made to f lim, that he dared not truft Himfelf in fo important a Cafe : That the reafoning Ca- K-.2__ pacity 13i ERM. j vii. 132 'Of Co N s I s T E N c y m all our J sERMJpacity in Man was too weak, to judge of VII. the Ways of the great God j that the Light (•"V^ He had to fee by, in this Cafe, was fo dim, that He could not prefume, without forfeit- ing all Title to Humility, to determine a Mat- ter of fuch infinite Importance by it ; and therefore, thought it more becoming Him to reft Himfelf where Providence had once lodg- ed Him, rather than to enter into Searches, out of which his poor, weak Reafon, would hardly bring Him found and whole : If any One, I fay, upon the firft Propofal of CLriJlianity to Him, fhould anfwer in this Manner ; I doubt not, he would be told that this was only the Refuge of a lazy, , unadive, or wicked Mind -, that the eternal Law of Reafon and of God, was not fo obfcure, or remote, as Vice and Indolence would fain reprefent it to be j that his reafoning Capacity^ let it be what it will, was the only Meafure of his judging for which He can be accountable; that God has a Right to call upon Him to make ufe of it, as the Ride of his Judgment, concerning all Pretenfions of this Kind. Thus evidently does it appear that Men are not, and could not be, invited into Chrijiidiiityy but by a profelTed Homage paid firft to the Reli- gion o^ Nature y as to a Superior Judge, of God's Appointment, by whofe Sentence the Religio?2 of -Ar<5-um-e^t s ubout '^y. llg I ok. i^S3 of Grace (or Favour) is to ftand or fall : and ; er m. that the whole Weight of the Latter, lies up- vii. on the acknowledged Strength of the Former, >V>J The Agents of the Church of Ro7ne themfelves, who compafs Sea and Land to gain a Profelyte, even T^hey are forced to fpeak to Men, at their firft Application to Them, in this fame Man- ner ; and to make fome Complements to the Reafon of Mankind, as to the proper Judge of the Flrji Step neceffary to their Succefs. Thus much for thtjirjl Obfervation I had to offer. II. The fecond will relate to the Procedure which too often is feen to follow this Be- ginning y but is quite inconfijlent with it j and therefore, hurtful to the Caufe of Chrifiiariity itfelf. I will give only an Inflance, or T^wo, of what I mean : but thefe fufhcient to fhew of what Importance it is, to be perfedly con- Jiflent in what We fay upon fo interefling a Subjeft, as Religion. 1 . If any of Thofe Perfons, to whom the Chriftian Religion is, in the Manner beforefaid, recommended, (hould take Occafion, from the Excellency of Reafon, and of the Religion of Nature, thus appealed to, as the Rule of Judgment, to argue againft the Probability, or even the PoJJibility, of the Chriftian Revelation, upon this Ground, that, there being al- ready fo good a Laiso open to Men, there K 3 can! ^34- SE RM VII. 0/" C O N S I S T E N c Y in all our .can be no Necejjity for fuch a Revelation. Sup- pofing this, I fay, (which has been the Cafe) C/*A''%i can it poifibly be confiJIerJ with what was pro- pofed to thefe Perfons before; nay, mufl it not hurt the Caufe, defigned to be ferved, for Them immediately to be told, as They fome- times are, that Human Reafon is very weak, at beft J that the Law of Nature, or the Reli- gion of Nature, is imperfed and infuffici- ent; or obf cure, and not v/ithin the Reach of our Underftandings ; and therefore, a Revela^ tion was ahfilutely necejfary to the Diredion and Salvation of Mankind ? For, Hov/ quick and natural will the Reply to this be? Why then bave you appealed to this fame Reafon^ and this fame Religion of Nature -, and de- manded of Us to judge from T^hefe, whether Chrifiianity be worthy of God ? Human Reafon, or the Capacity of a Man, be it what you pleafe, is all the Light that Man has to judge by, concerning the Na- ture and Attributes of the Great God. By this Reafon, weak as it is; weak as it can be painted out even fmce the Fall, We are re- quired by You to judge of the Go/pel k(c\^, by comparing it with the prime Law of our Crea- tor, and with His known Attributes. But if j we are too weak either to find out T^hat Law ; or if That Law, when found out, is no Law for Arguments ahout Religion. 135 for Us to judge by ; but either a dim, or a s|e R M. deceitful Lights either not fufficient to Ihew vii. Us Good, or leading Us (as fome Lights do \r^r\} 'Travellers,) out of our Way: If this be the Cafe ; We are brought back again, where we fet out J and, if This be the State of Hu- man Reafon, with regard to That Original . Law, and the Attributes of God, from which it muil be deduced -, We have Nothing to judge by, with refpedl either to the Truths or Expediency, of the Gofpel-Revelation. And how fuch a Reply can be well anfwered, I do not plainly fee. This is enough to fliew, that the Caufe of Chrijlianity itfelf may be unwarily hurt by our thus pulling down what We once built up ; or building up what we once pulled down -, in our Arguments relating to it. If any afk after another Anfrver to this Difficulty, and one quite conJiJie?it with the Appeal macle to Reafon^ or natural Religion, as to a previous Laiv, perfedl enough to be the Touch-Jlone of all Revelation j I hope, fuch an One may be eafily pointed out. For, fuppo- fmg the Perfe^ion of this Primary Law of GoDi and granting the Plainnefs and Clear- -nefs of it to all attentive and well-difpofed Minds i and alfo. That a Revelation is not ^h- folutely necelTary i I think it maybe, with ' K 4 the 13 :6 Of Consistency in all ctir SE R MJ. the ftridefl: Truth and Confijlency, anfwered, VII. ■ That, agreeably to all the Notions of Almigh- LXV^' ty God, taught by Reafon and natural Religi- on, it is in all refped;s worthy of that fupreme Governour, to do for the Happinefs of fuch Creatures as He has made us, not only all that is dbfolutely neceffary^ but what may be excellently ujefiil to that End : That He may, with Glory to Himfelf, difplay his paternal Regard for Us, by doing much 7mre than what \sjiri£fly tieceffary for our Eternal Good : That it is Love^ and not the Rigour of Obli- gation, which is reprefented in the Gofpel, as the Moving Principle of his fending Chriji in- to the World ; and that this Lcve is a Pri??- ciple, \Vhich leads to greater and more Inilances of Bene^ce?7ce towards his Creatures, than what can be thought in 'Jiijiice due, on his Part. This may be illuftrated by obferving, That a Father amongft Men, would be accounted but a very indifferent Friend to his Cbild, who, becaufe his Son might pofTibly find out the Ways of Prudence and Safety, by a conftant Attendance to the Light, he Himfelf could itrike out, iliould, upon this Account, refjfe to advife him, from his own Experience ; or fo much as to, awaken him to a Senfe of any Danger, in his Entrance into the World : That, as it would not be eileemed an ufelefs or Arguments ahoiit Religion. ^Zl or weak Thing for a Father to do more than-ERM. can be CdWcA i^ecejjary ; but, on the contrary, vii. a Mark of Indolence y or Ill-nature ^ not to do L/VNJ it in many Cafes ; fo it cannot be thought in Almighty God a CondiiB^ either fruitlefsor un~ reafonable, but accompanied with the greatefl Propriety and Glory^ to do more for his Crea- tures than He is ftridily obhged to do, in order to put Them into the True Way to all Good. Thus may it be proved to be worthy of the 6*2/- /r^;;?^Governour, to confult their Happinefs, by calling upon them, in an extraordinary Man- ner, to forfake that Vice and Idolatry^ which they might, without fuch an Interpofition, fee to be contrary to Reafon ; and to pradife that whole Syftem o^ Morality, the Obligation of which, it is granted, They might pojjibly, with- out this, find out to be their Duty. Nay, It may be added, that, confidering the Importance of the Religion of Nature^ and the willful A^^^- ligence and Corruption of the Bulk of Mankind, It V72isvtxy probable, a priori, that a GW God would once at leaft, interpofe to awaken his reafonable Creatures, by fomc extraordinary Method, to the Study and Pradice of That Religion. And furely, it muft be acknow- ledged that the Go/pel, if We confider it feri- oudy, propofes what is at leaft moft iifefiil to Mankind, by making this very Religion of Nature „L3l SE RM VII. Of Con s I ST e ^S^y jn jlU our , "Nature z. main Part of what it requires; and by revealing plainly the Motive of a Judg- t/'VN^ ment to come, in order to fecure all Obedience to it. This, I think, muft be allowed to be a fa- tlsfadory Way of treating the Difficulty before- mentioned J and particularly on this Account, that it is a Way perfectly t^wT/^^w^ with all our y^- peah to natural Religion, and all that can juflly be faid of the Excellency of it j and therefore, a Way which prefer ves to Reafon all its Weight, and to Revelation all the Dignity it claims. 2. I will now mention a fecond Inftance of a very inconjijlent Conduct with regard to the Chrifiian Revelation. When an honeft Man, moved to the Enquiry into it, by the ^- ^^^/made to the fufficient .S/r^*;?^//?, not to the JVeabiefs of Human Reafon ; called to it by the 'Tridji repofed in Him by God, of looking after his own Soul, and his own Happinefs ; encouraged to it, by his acknowledged Capa- city to find out and judge of the Attributes of the Great God, and his Right to rejedt all DoSirines about them, but what are agreeable to the Dictates of natural Religion : When^ thus invited and encouraged, a Man with an honefl Mind, compares the Contents of the Gofpelj as preached by Chriji himfelf, and Thofe immediate Difciples whom He called to Arguments about Religion. ito do it, with the immutable haw o^ Nature ^ ^e rm. land the invifible Things of God ; and is juil- vii. ly come to this Conclufion^ that the Gofpel is ^xVNi 'worthy of God, and accompanied v^^ith fuffi- cient Evidence : When^ after He is come thus far, to his Satisfaftion, He thinks himfclf flill to have the fame Right to conlider, and judge of, the Meaning and Extent of the Propoji- tiojis and Precept s^ recommended in the New ^ejlament^ or taught by Thofe who profefs to preach nothing elfe, by the fame Rule of Reafon, and God's firil: Law : how furprizing muft it fce to Him, to be flopt, and told, that, having come to this good Refolution, and entered Himfelf into the Churchy or Society of ChriJIi- anSy it is now Time to acquaint Him, that, af- ter his embracing the Chriftian Religion, there yill be very Httle need of his troubling him- felf in that Manner : That He has been called upon, indeed, as a Perfon cntrufted with the Care of his own Soul ; but that Pie is now to be eafed of that Trouble, and to devolve it up- bn Others : that He has been treated as a Per- fon endowed with Underflanding, and requir- ed to embrace Chrijiianity, as far only as |iis own Underftanding fhould perceive and find every thing in it worthy of God tranfadl- Ing with Man: but that now he mufl lay afide thi§ Character of an Vnderjlandii^g Being, •J and -I 140 Of Cons 1 s j e,n.cx-/^ jalL our. SERM.and mud not think it hard to embrace what is VII. didated by Others, though quite unintelligible 0^'V\ to Himfelf ; or, which is worfe, abfolutely in- confiftent with all his own well-founded Notions of God, and of his Duty ? How furprizing, I fay, muft this be ? And yet, as furprizmg as This is, it is the open avowed Language of the whole Church oX Rofiie-, and, I fear, the un- avoidable CoJTJeque7ice of what So77iej who have departed far from that Churchy unwarily teach and inculcate. But is not This again, deftroying what we have built up ; and, in another View, building up again what we have dejiroyed f And, what is moft to be lamented, with Men who have not Strength of Mind enough to get out of thefe Difficulties, and yet Underflanding enough to fee them ; the Damage falls upon the Gofpel itlelf. With all others the Cafe is plain, and the A?2fwer eafy. If We are fit to be trufted with our own Souls, and we are juftly called upon, as a Duty owing to thcm^ to judge of what is propofed to Us, as from God ; We are as fit ftiil to judge of the Nature and Extent of ;Our Duty, as we are ftill as much obliged to take Care of Ourfelves, and of our own Happinefs. If We had no Capacity to underfland any Pro- fofitiom exprefiTed in Words ; we could never be palled upon by a Righteous God to judge of them Arguments about Religion. them in order to receive them. If the iiLhole were unintelligible to Us j it would be of no more Concern to us, than if the Form of Words j pretending to convey it to Us, were only a Crowd of inarticulate Sounds j and V/e, no more interefted in it, than if we were of the Herd of ^;;/;;;j/y, uncapable of Reafon. And, by the fame jufl Rule, if any Part of v/hat is propofed to Us, be utterly unintelligible to Us, that Part is juft as much out of our Sphere, and equally of no Concern or Influ- ence, with Regard to Us : and We ought not, if this be the Cafe, to be called upon to judge at all in fo important a Matter. As therefore, in all other SdenceSy truly fo called, amidft all the moft intricate Difficulties and Differences, it is expeded that the Words, on each Side, fhould have a Meaning to them, and be un- derflood, without which, no Ufe could be made of them : So, much more, in Religion^ which is a Science of infinite Ufe to our Prac- tice, nothing can have Influence, that is not known ; and nothing can be made known to Us, that is not exprefled in Words, which are intelligible to Ourfelves j and therefore, to be judged of by Ourfelves. And if we go from Speculations, and Prin- ciples, to Precepts^ no one can deny but that the true Meaning, the exa^fl Bounds, the Na- ture lAl Of C onsi sten cy Jn all our, , ^=:= SERM.ture and Extent, of the Figurative , or Gene^\ VII. ral Expreffions, in which almoft all Duties ! c/-^rs-|are laid down in the New Tejiamejit, cannot poiTibly be fixed, but by the Attributes of God, and the Law of Reafon and Society j which is the Religion of Nature. And this Religion ^ neither our Saviour, nor His Apojlles, ever profelTed completely and explicitly to delineate, in all its Parts and Meafures ; but They conftantly appealed to it, and invited the World to regard and pradlife it. On the contrary j if this be io^ that, in embracing the Chrijlian Religion^ we muft dilcard that Reafon, by which alone we were led to em- brace it ; and if that Underjlandingy which we were told was fufficient to judge of the Rela- tion between the Attributes and Firft Law of God, and the Revelation of the Go/pel, is now in fome Parts of Religion, to ad no more the Part of a Direcror to Us : May it not be faid, too juilly, that this Procedure is no better than leading Us by the Brightncfs of Light, into the Blacknefs of Darbiefs ; and a Method of making our UnderJIanding itfelf the Inftrument of guiding Us to a State of no Under jfandiiig f Nay, Will it not from hence be urged farther, by Some, that They have been impofed upon in the whole Proceeding j and ought to go back to that Point, at v/hich They began, when They A R J^UJVI E NTS alo ut R E L I G I O N> 1 ^ lERM, VII. They were fii ft invited, and (if I may ufe the s Expreffion) enticed, into Chrifiia?iity, by the Complements then paid to the Religion oi Nature, L^~V\i as the Original Light conflituted by God for us to judge by, of all poffible Schemes of Rehgion. I have not Time to name more Injlances of the fame Sort. But thefe T-vdo are fufficient to fliew the juft Ground I had to obferve that Chrijiianity itfelf muft fuffer by the Inmififten- cies of Thofe, v/ho, in their Arguings about it, do thus build up again what they had dejlroyed, cr deflroy what They had bidlt up. I will now conclude with 2if^w Remarks, which plainly follow from what I have faid. I . They who inadvertently treat Reafon, and the Religion of Nature, in the Manner I have now defcribed, if We go on to fpeak in St. FcuVs Figure of a Building, feem to have totally forgot the Beginning and Progrefs of the^cr^, in this whole Fabrick of Religion. They treat the Law of Reafon, as if it were only the Scaffold- ing of the Biiildi7ig ; and, like the ScaffoWmg of Other Buildings, to be taken away with the Rubbifi, at the End of the Work, Whereas, it is the very and only Foundation, upon which They them (elves arc forced, and glad, to raife the Building at firft. And, like ether Foundatiofis, fo abfolutely neccfTary to the (land- ing, as well as to the firft: ereding, of it, that if 144 Of Consistency m all our SE R Mj if you take this away, the Building itfelf muft VII. fall. It may fefm to 1'heinJ'ehes^ indeed, to ^^^VNJ remain ; and They may pleafe themfelves with the Thoughts of living ftill in the upper Rooms: But it is from that Moment a FiBion only ; the FiBion of Fancy ^ and a mere Cajiie in the Air. The Rain need not defcend, nor the Floods come, nor the Winds blow and beat up- on this, to weaken and deflroy it, like the fooliJJj Mans Houfe in the Gofpel^ built upon the Sajid: for, upon taking away the Foun- dation, This mull: of itfelf immediately fall j not having fo much as Sand to fupport it. 2. As the Laiv of Reafon, even in fallen finful Man, is God's original Laiv^ to the Teft of which Revelation is, of Neceffity, fubmitted : Methinks, there ought to be, in all Perfons concerned, the great eft Fear of of- fending God, by depreciating Ty6/i, which may moft juftly be called His Primary Revelation of his Will, under the Fretenfe of a more than ordinary Zeal for any Secondary Law of liis, which cannot be received, or fo much as known, without T^his. And this Fear muft be the more reafonable in a Chrijlian, if it be con- fidered. That whoever attempts, (let his Defign be never fo honefl: and pious,) to ex- tinguiOi, or diminifli, the Splendor of God's Original Light , if He could fucceed, may be Arg uments about Religi on. 14J \ be fure of darkening the Second Light, which s e r m* ' He thinks to fct up on high, and make bright- \ vii. er : becaufe the hight of Nature is the (j^VNJ Light of the Gofpel alfo, as it fhews Men the Way to it ; and as it throws its Beams upon every Page of it. And I will here add, what feems too often to be forgot, that the Religion of Nature is not the Opinion, or Whimfy, of this or that Philofopher-, no, nor what any, or all of them put together, have aBually faid, or may fay: but it is truly that Law of God, which may juftly be colleded, by His reafonable Crea- tures, from the immutable Keafons, and Kela" tions of Things j and is the fame Law, as one of the Heathen Writers well obferves, at Rome and at Athens j that is, in other Words, at all Places, from o?2e End of the World to the other. 3. Though it appears from what has been faid, that the bad Confequence of fuch inconjif- tent Methods, is, or may probably be, the turning away of Many from the Faith of Chriji ; yet, it is fit that fuch Perfons fhould know, that This Fault in Others, will not wholly excufe 'The?n ; becaufe They may fee, if They pleafe, that This cannot be charged upon the Gofpel itfelf, but only upon the Weaknefs, or Wick- ednefs, of Frail Men. On the other hand, how great the Guilt is of Thofe who lay any Stumbling- Blocks in the Way of ChriJ]ia?iity i I 1^61 Of C ojJ s I s T E N QH in all our « E rm; let our Saviour him felf teach us. Wo unto the \ii, \Worldy iHxaiife oj Offenfes. For it muji needs ^'^^"^^'^ be that Offenfes come : that is, The Nature of .j Man is fach, that Stujjibhng-Blocks will be ,j laid in the Way of the Gojpel, But Wo unto ■ i that Man, by whom They come. And this Wo I is more particularly defcribed by our Lord, in a Manner, pathetic enough to awaken all Perfons concerned, to put a ilrong Guard upon their own Z^^/, or their own Paffions; left They fliould, even under the Influence of a well- meaning Heart, at any Time fall into this Con- demnation. 4. As the Religion of Nature is fuppofed to be a fufficient Rule, and in a fufficient Meafure within our Reach, when we are called upon, as a Duty, to examine into Chrijiianity by it j it evidently follows, that V/hofoever takes moft Pains, and moft fuccefsfully, to delineate the Religion of Nature, in all it's Branches, and all it's Extent, is fo far from being an Enemy to the Gofpel, in the Event ; that He really is the Man, who does what the Gojpel came to awaken the TVorld to doj and what is necefla- ry towards the explaining and fettling the moral Duties mentioned in it : and furniflies out a Syftem, which, if it be founded upon Truth and Reafon, becomes immediately a Part, an eflen-. tial, certain, and indifputable Part, of the GoJ.. - pel SERM. VII. !l/''Vnj Arguments ahout Religion. 147 pel itfelfj being l^hat Part^ upon wTiicH~tRe great Account to come is fo often there repre- fented chiefly to turn. There can be no greater Service done to Chrifi tianity itfelf, than what arifes from fuch La hours of Wife and Serious Men. And it is witK a View to the fame Service, that I have, at this Time, ufed my befl Endeavours that the i^f/Z-j gion oi F avoiir and Mercy may not fufFer by any Difgraces unwarily put upon the Religionoi ISIature. In a wordj if We have a real Regard and Concern for Chrifilanity ^ let us fhew it by the Value we fet upon that Religion of Na* -turey by which alone we could be rightly con- dudled to it ; and without v/hich We cannot in- terpret, or underftand, any of it's Doctrines and Precepts, when We have received if, : Nay, which is now incorporated into it, and itfelf , made the Law of Chrijl. Let us not encour,ige, or receive. Any one inconjijlent Method of i' eat- ing the Chrijiian Religion : For fuch Inconji en- cy is, in Truth, the great Strength of /??/f^/f///)r, on one hand j and, in fome Cafes, of Popery^ on the other. But, let us a(fl that confident Part which alone can make Chrifiianity lit eafy upon a thinking Mind ; or recommend it to the World of Unbelievers. If we confcientioufly do this ; neither build- ing again any Part of that Syftem of Darknels L 2 wh ich- I !■! H « ■ i ■ — ■-»■■■ 1.48 j, _O^Cq Ns IS T-EC Y m all^ Scc,_ s E R mJ which We in efFed dejlroyed, when We, upon VII. ] our own Convi(5tion, embraced Chriftianity •, nor L^^N^ dejlroying the lead Part of that Syflem of Rea- \fon and Light ^ which We may be faid then to have built iip^ as the Strength and Support of iu 'And if We add to this that beautiful Confijlencyl in the PraBice of All that is good, which is the \r,Dnfy and Ornament of a Chrijiian ; We fhall, by this whole Condud, do the greateft Honour I and Service to the Go/pel-, and fecure to ourfelves iht Happinefs attending fuch a Behaviour in this J_.ife, and the Reward promifcd.io it,..in.Xha^ which is to come. No contlnumg City here^ &c. SERMON VIIL Hebrews xiii. 14, T— ' " ' ■ i I I I II I f I. ■ I r I I II V * For here have We no continuing City -, but We feek one to come, ' j »i — — — ■ t TH E Life of Man, in this World, \z often reprefented, by the Author of thid ! Epijile, and other facred Writers^ jur j the Life of a Traveller, a Stranger, or Sas Ijourner here below: and this World itfelf, as J ! the Road to another. And, in Truth, this is a^, j very proper Reprefentation of the Cafe. Hcj-| ; ven, that Seat of eftablifhed Happinefs above, is ' \om- Home -J and ought to be fo accounted by j Us. Thither all our Steps ought to be tending : j and through this World mufl we go, as through j a Road, before we come to it. In our Jour- I L 3 ney r No continuing City here^ Sec. '\±Jiio__ s E R m|. ney. We have all the Unhappineffes of Travellers. \ VIII, I We meet v^ith an inconvenient Lodging, and: ^^^"V^^ ordinary EntertainR:ient, for fome Time. And \ if it be otlierwife, yet wemuft certainly leave: it J and no more think of fettling ourfelves in j it, than a Traveller does of fixing his Habita- \ , tioJi upon the moft beautiful Spot of Earth he : i meets with in his Way ; or in the bed accom- ; j .modated Houfe upon his Road. The little Reft , f we nave, if we have any, is, as in a ftrange \ Place, difliirbed and interrupted with much; Noifd, and Hurry, andDiforderj and, like that ; of Travellers, to be left, perhaps, with the next ; Morning's Light ; and ourfelves to be called ; Home'to a more fixt and durabb State. For\^ here have We no continuing City : but We Jeek\^ *)j2e to come. \ Fi jm this Allufion to the Life of a Traveller ^\ ' / which the UneafmefTes of our Lije in this' NoMy are ilkiftrated ; and from the Words of the Text, particularly fetting forth the Uncer-; tain, and Unfettled, Condition of Man here be-; low ; it is my Defign to take Occafion, with-j I out any critical Examination into their Con-: nexion with the Words before and after them,; to confider, more at large, L The unhappy Condition of Man in this; uncertain State, where he has no continuing City ; fuppofing No continuing City here^ &c. fuppofing Him to be without the Hopeof a bet- ter and happier State to come. II. The Grounds we have firmly to exped, and feek, fuch a State of Happinefs, in a conti' nu'mg City to come : And, III. Laftly, the Importance, and true Ufe, of the foregoing Obfervations. I. The unhappy Condition of Man in this uncertain State, in which He has no continiii?ig City\ fuppofing Him to be without the Hope of a better and happier State to come. I. To be brought into the World (by the Will of afuperior Being) weak and helplefsj to pafs ourfirft Years in a State of abfolute Dependence upon the imperfed Wifdom, or ftrong Paflions, of Others ; to be nourifhed, through Infancy and Childhood^ with much Care and Trouble to Thofe about us, and much Uneafinefs and, Pain toourielves; to be educated, throL'gh our' Touthy and through all the Hazards and Storms of that impetuous Seafcn, according to the goodj or bad, the jufl or miftaken. Notions of Thofe who claim the Right of conduding us to the; i Gate J at which we are to chufe our own Path,; and at the Entrance of which our own Life^YO^\ perly begins —To enter upon this Life, now to; be led under our own Condud:, perhaps big with. the Thoughts of Nothing but the Enjoyment; L4 of; ERM.I VIII. "1521' TTocontmmng^GttyJBere^ &c^ Se rm|, of uninterrupted Good\ and to find ourfelves foon y III. furrounded by a Crowd of Evih : To go on, and V/''V^» ftill be hoping for fomething fatisfadory, and ftill difappointed ; Unhappy, by miffing the Aim in View; or more curfed^ by obtaining it ; either not finding what we fought, or finding what ap- pfdred Happinefi at a Diftance to beEmptinefs, or perhaps, Bitternejs itfelf : — To inherit the Pains^ and D/feafeSj of our Forefathers -, ortofuf- fer under new ones of our own : To bend under -^//^/w2j properly belonging to Ourfelves ; or to partake fenfibly in thofe of Others, in whofe Hap- pinefsourowniswraptup; or at leaft, to fympa- thize with our Fellow-creatures, in the many Scenes of Dijirefs^ forcing themfelves into our View, on which Side foever we caft our Eyes: And, afrer naffing fuch an uncertain and tempef- tuous Sea, in which one Wave is continually preffing upon another; and one Danger attend- ing to take the Place of another: /. e. after paffing a 77;cr/^ Life of Fo//v and Vanity^ oi ExpeSla- tio?! ^nd Dtfappoi7itment\ of imperfed: Health, and uneafy Pain: After all this, I fay to fink ir- to Nothing J to fall into a State of utter Infenfi- bility: — The Experience of the O'ne^ and the ProfpcSl of the Other, feem too great a Burthen j for a rational Creature to bear. 2. Nor are theUnhappinelTes and Uncertainties :df human Life confined to any particular C//- piates No^qn tinuing Cityl^ey^ S:Cv ir . i J >/ VIII. matei of the Earth, or Degrees of Men. Go to : i e R m. thofe Parts, which are fometimes called Happy ; where the Sun fhines w^arm, and the Earth is always ready to pour forth its Abundance: and you will find, in the Moral World, little but Violence y and Iniquity^ triumphant -, in the Fo- litical, the OppreJJlon of the Powerful, laying wafte the Rights, and living upon the Spoils, of Thofe below them ; and in tSxt Natural^ Dif- trefs and Want fpread over the mofl: dehghtful Countries, through the ^loth and Eifcminacy of their Inhabitants; or the Violence of Tempefls and Earthquakes frequently fcattering Terror and Ruine all around then:j. And if You return to thofe Parts where Pov»^er is made ufeful and lovely by Juftice and Law: How often will you find them torn to pieces by inteftine Quarrels ; al- ways diflurbing, and, fometimes, totally def- troying, the Peace and Security of private Life ? 3. If we let our. Thoughts go up to the more elevated Stations of Lifej 2SzThey more fecurely fenced about from Evilsy by Providence ; or more defended from Uncertainty and Unhap- pinefs than Others ? Is the Sleep of Thofe who pofTefs them, fvvceter, or lefs interrupted by anxi- ous Cares and Fears, than That of their Inferi- ors ? Or, are Dlfcafes and Death kept farther and longer from Them, than from the Mean- ^fl ? Far otherwife. The Outfide, indeed, is f^ 1^0 contintd7tg City here^ Sec. j-^ 154 SERM. is all dazzling and pompons: But within^ are VIII. the Cares, and Perplexities, and Unhappineffes, ^-^^VNJ naturally attending fuch Stations, either through the Imperfedlions infeparable from human Na- ture ; or from the Envy and Difatisfadion of Others. And were their Eftate a thoufand Times more eligible ; I might fay, lefs pitia- ble, than it is — Nay, were Power nothing but Happinefs unmixed ; were Government^ Pleafure without Pain ; and the fincere Cares of it always i repaid with Duty and Gratitude :Were Riches the ; Inftruments of Good, untainted by any Marks of • Mifery, were Grandeur as gay within, as it is ; gaudy without : yet, have the Pofleffors no Se- curity from Evils of another Sort, and no conti- \ nuing City here. The Difeafes and common i Calamitiesof Life are fufficient, often, to make ' the whole Sce7te of all thefe united, Jnfipidy or ' Nattfeotis : and whether They do, or not ; the ! lafi Enemy mufl come ; and to his Force, by ' the Appointment of God, the bell built Fabrick : of human Happinefs mufl yield. If This, therefore, be really the unhappy and \ uncertain Condition of Man in this World j and, ' from the higheft to the lowed, no One exempt; from it } what does it become Us to do ? Shall ; We flop here in this Diftrefs, and place our on- ; ly Happinefs in Defpair of Any ? Or fhall we ! fpend the Vigour of our Minds in unmanly; Com- No continuing City here, &c. »S5 Complaints of our unhappy Portion; "and loIelsERM. Sight of all Happinefs, becaufe it will not at- viii. tend Us, upon this tottering and uneven Stage? If '-'^"VNi we are wife, or know what it is to be made rea- fonable Cieatures, in our Degree; Let us rather; try, what waspropofed in the next Place, II. Whether this Unhappinefs itfelf, in thh\ State, will not guide oar Thoughts to Happinefs hereafter ; and the Experience of having no con- tinuing City here^ lead us to the reafonable Ex- ped:ation of One to come ? I. The Jirjl thought ^ upon this Head, will arife from our being brought into Life, and placed in this World, by a Superior Agent ^ a God of all poflible Perfections. If this Supreme Director be a Being, not only of all Power, but of all Wifdom and Goodnefs ; not acting by arbitrary Will, but by the Maxims of unclouded Reafon: Whate- ver DarknefTes there may be, in our finite Un- derstandings, with regard to the Defign of every Part of the Creation ; yet, This muft be certain if any thing in the whole Comprehenfion of Na- ture be certain, that Such a Beins; could not { poffibly command us into Exiftence, with fuch i Faculties as We pofTefs, with any Defign fepa- I rated from That Godlike One, of condud-l ing Us finally to Happinefs; whatever State of Trials and Vneafinefes^ He may firfl appoint Us ^ 5E R M. VIII. il^g con tinuing City here^ Sec. ' _^ Us to" pafs through. It is unworthy of fuch an Agent y whofe Goodnefs muil give Counfel to his Power^ to fuppofe that He could have had any Glory of his own in view, but what was per- fectly confiftent with a juft Regard to the Hap^ pinefs of fuch Beings, when He refolved to fend Them into this World. The contrary Notion of the Glory of G^^.is the Foundation of the word Errors about his Dealings with his reafonable Creatures ; and cloaths Him with Power, only to make Him their terror, and not their De- light. If God, therefore, who ^/6^;z brought us j'^r/? into Bdngywbeji w : Jirji tafted of Life, and were free from all Poffibility of wilful Offence on our 'Part, could be fuooofed to throw us into this State, in which fo few have any Tade of Good, and fomany arealmoft devoted to Pain and Mi- fery; and, at the fame Time, to open to our Thoughts no other Scene but This : might it not juftjy be faid, that fuch a Proceeding as this, is no better than to force many kinds of Evil, and many Degrees of Mifery, upon Creatures j_void of all Offenfe, without the leaft Hope or Pretenfe of fo much as any Recom pence for ' them ? But if the Greatejl Being \x\ the Univerfe *be the Beji 3 as He certainly is ; let us be afraid ]of impaling fuch a Condud: to Him ; and, un^ ^der that Fear, let us do Juftice to his Attributes J 4 ill :-T!i- } il-^ i gl ! ■ ■ ■ ■ JVo continuing City, her By, &c.._ |i r ^ in this Inftance ; and, with Affurance, conclude s(e e that He would never have created intelligent Beings, only to fport a little, and fufFer much, in fuch a World as T'y^/j: and, confequently, had in his View Another and better State after This, ; when he firft commanded us hither. 2. Let us go one Step farther, and, if we may I be allowed to do it, let us fuppofe a Being crea- ,ted with fufficicnt Degrees of Intelligence; • and immediately placed, by his Creator, in fuch a Point of View^ as to be able to fee i through all the Mazes of human Life, and fur- vey all the Imperfedions, and Miferies, and Uncertainties, here below j and to judge of them juft as well as Experie?2ce enables the mod unpre- judiced amongfl Men, to do. Let us fuppofe, after fuch a full View, it were left to his own Option, whether He would be content to pafs , through the fame feveral Periods of Life which ;' I the Inhabitants of this World do, and to take the common Lot of Mankind here below, as his whole Portion 5 whether He would chufe this certain Confllsfl with Evihy and fmall Chance for any Good; and, ^fter the ConfiKft, be reduc- ed to a State of Injhijibiiify ; or to be thrown back now immediately into his former State of ; the fime Infenftbility. Were this the Cafe, I hard- ly think that the bare Name oi Life^ which is but an empty Sound when feparated from all Hope of igS:. _ _No_continuing City her e^ 8cc. SERMl of fettled Happinefs ; and much worfe, when VIII. conneded with a great deal of Mifery ; that the l/^V> mere Name of X//>, I fay, could poiiibly tempt I him to chufe a Part in fuch a State, and then to ; ceaje to be 3 rather than to accept of the fame I Sentence, without going through the JSwA of i I this State, before it. ! I But then, put the Cafe that a Scene of EJla- i I hit fie d Happinefs fhould be opened to the View j ! of this Being, to fucceed the Vanities and JJuhap- \\pnejjho{ theprefent; and this Happinefs de- ; ! clared to be referved for fuch as fhall pafs through I the Other with Virtue and Honour : This would 1 alter the State of the Queftion 5 and would be a ■ I fufficient Inducement to any fuch Underflanding j j Being, to undertake the Confiid \ and to be con- ! j tent to tread the uneafy and uncertain Path of i I human Life here below ; when he found it to \ I lead to the Certainty, and Duration, of GW, I and Happinefs hereafter. This way olDifcourfe is not founded on a mere Curiofity of prying into the Secrets of unfathoma-- ble Wifdorn; but a fober Attempt to juftify the: Ways of Gud to Man : And thefe He himfelf, iii' all PointSy in which moral Juflicey 'Equity ^ and' Goodnefs are concerned, muft be fuppofed to have fubmitted to the Judgment of his intelli- gent Creatures, when He made Them jjiorat Agents, and obliged Them to govern themfelves by: jNojontinuing City here., Sec. UQ— VIII. by the fame Rules oi^ujlice^ Equity^ and Good-,^' e r m. «{/}, which He himfelf obferved. My Meaning, therefore, is not to pretend to judgeof all the Views of infinite Wifdom, which; would be Arrogance-, but to draw an Argu- ment from the Moral Attributes of God great- ly conducing to his Honour : 'viz. That the Beji of Beings, being unalterably happy in Himfelf, cannot be juftly fuppofed to have commanded into Being a Number of intelligent Creatures, void of all Offenfe towards Him, upon any fuch unhappy Terms, as no One of them could have confented to, had it been poffible for him to have judged of it : And, therefore, that fuch a Be- ing ought not to be fuppofed to have forced Us into the poor Habitation of this World, with- out defigning us for Another, and a Better, 3. I will go on, in the next Place, to argue from our peculiar Capacities, diredled to the finding out the Exigence and Nature of the Supreme Being J and fitted for the Worfhip of Him, and the Imitation of his moral Excellencies. For how 'uain^ or worfe than vain, are all thefe C^- pacities, if they be not defigned by Him, who gave us them, to lead to his Favour in a future State ? The low Concerns of Animal Life, and even of Social too, might have pafTed on, in a way worthy enough of this prefent Life, without our being made capable of the exulted Notions of i6o No continui ng City here^ Sec. SE R'M a God, and of That true Religion^ which cannot VIII. properly fubfift, without the Expedation of a Ky^n^ future State. If there be fomething real to an- fwer to what We can difcover by the Powers given Us ; then are our Capacities worthy of God who is their Author. If the contrary be fup- poled J how greatan Abfurdity is by this fixt upon Him, who endov/ed Us with thefe Capacities ? Much the fame may be faid of thofe reafona- ble and refllefs Defires of ahnoft All Menj longing to continue in Life ; and travelling per- petually towards greater and greater Degrees of Happinefs, and made capable of them by their good Creator. Thefe muft all be accounted the fm\i\ti^ Efforts of vain Capacities-, unlefs Life be Happinefs J and defigned to be our la fling Good. If we add to Thefe, the common and well- known Complaint of all Ages, that the Affairs of this J¥orld are conduded, under the Infpedi- on of Proi:idence, in fuch a Manner, that the Bed of Men, even in the ordinary Courfe of Things, are often feen to groan under the Weight of the fame common. Calamities of this Life which Other feel j and be fides thefe, in fome extraor- dinary and unnatural Cafes, to luffer all the Evils that the Malice of VvMcked Men can bring upon them, for the Sake of a oood Confcience : If o We add, I fay, fuch Confiderations -, The Ar- gu ment No contmicin^ City her 2^ &c. i6i gument from hence will be This, That the Berf ser m. and moft Equitable of all Beings mud defigni viii. and a(fl:, confiltendy with that amiable Charadler \ O'v^O That He cannot do this, without putting asgreai: a Diftindion between the Beft and tlie Worji o" his reafonable Creatures, in Happinefs, as therein in Behaviour : and therefore, there being no fuel: fettled diflindion in fMs State, but much Mi- fery left for the Virtuous and Upright often to ftruggle with ; there muft be, in the great De-i fign of the C^tiiov, another State, in which Virtue' and Happinefi fhall be feen infeparably united. Without this, there can be no Appearance of Proportion, in the "whole moral Syfiein: and v/ith it, all the juft Relations and Flabltudes of Things are exadly preferved. Upon whichl Account we may jullly conclude it to be io defio-ned. Thefe Confi derations are not thin Specula^ tions, fpun out of the Cobwebs of the Schools^ or built upon the Subtleties oi Mdaphyfics % but Arguments, founded upon the Nature of God, 'and the Nature of Man, and the fenfible Experience of our prefent State : and particu- larly, upon thofe Notions of the Supreme Be- in^, which it is our Duty to embrace, and conduct ourfelves by : and therefore, ought not to be entertained as the Dreams, or WiOies, of good Men wearied out with the Evils of M this iSz No ccnti77ulng City here^ Sec. ' s E R ^:. this Life ; but as Conduf.om drawn from the viir. plairiell and moll rational Principles. (•^^X/ To thcie We Chriftians ought to add the Affurances given by Jefus Chrift^ of a Future State of Rewards and Punifhments, without which his great Delign had been all Vain and Fruitlefs: and thefe JJfurances confirmed, be- vond all realbnable Doubt, as the Voice of God himfelf, by tliat Series of Wonderful Works, and that RcJurreBion from the Deady \vhich were the Demonftraticns of his being fent by God, into the W^orld, to fhew Man- kind the true and only Read to their eternal Happiaefsy in a continuivg City to ccfne» HI. The Vfcy to be made by us, of what has been laid, is the only remaining Point : and the Point, indeed, in which we are moft concerned. V\'e have feen the CoiiditionSy upon which we live in this World : how certainly Pain, I Affiiclion, and Adverlity, in all their various- I Forms of Mifery, are our Portion here j and j how fmali a Part of our Time any Thing that has the Appearance of Happi?icfs takes up. We are, at beft, rather Amufcdy than Happy y in this Life : rather diverted from the continual Scnfe, or Dread, of £^v7, than filled and fatis- fied with any Good. There are, indeed, Images of Ng conthmmz City here^ Sec. 163 of Pleakire, like Phantoms, dancing before M^m. our Eyes J and, like Phantoms, foon difap-| viii. pearing. But, even with regard to Thele, we WXI are rather taken up with the Purfuit of what we have not, than iatisfied with what we 'iEve. And, fuppafing ourfelves poffefled, ai vve falfly call it, of all the Goods of this World i in the midft of Life, wc are in Death, In thefe Circumftances of Diftrefs, what Beings, made capable of higher Things, as We are, can forbear to wifli for a more fet- tled State of Good? And if we wifli for it, our greateft Intereft will incline Us to attend feriouily to the Arguments, which prove itj and to yield up Ourielves to the Force of that Evidence they carry with them : And if we be convinced of the Reality of fuch a State, we cannot be fo infenfible as not to defire a Place in it ; and, if we really defire it, we cannot but be follicitous to take the true Method of obtaining it : that only Method of fitting our- felves for it, pointed out to Us by the Reli- gion of Nature, and of Chrifl : I mean the uniform Pradlce of all Virtue, which is the Imitation of God, the Bcfi, and moft per- fed, of all Beings. This is the true and only JJfe of what has been faid, that can poffibly be made, M 2 with i 64-! No co7itmmng City here^ &c. s E R M. with any Appearance of Reafon, by any Crea- \ vi\i.ture, brought into Being by the Supreme Fa- t/^Nlther of all Things, and endowed with all the Qualities neceffary to the conftituting of a ; moral Agent. \ The Thoughts which I have now laid before You, are of infinite Moment to every reafcnable Being, condemned at prefent to this> World, in which He has no continuing City ; » but framed fo as iofeek One to come. • The Lcivcji, and the mofi Unhappy, of all the Sons of Adam^ may receive Support and Comfort, from this Leflbn, which ought to be ever in his Mind, That the Evils of his ! wretched Condition, his Pains, and SicknefTes, and Poverty, and all the Diftrefs attending it, cannot lail longer than his fliort Life ; and that, after a Period put to his Life and his Miferies together, He has as good a Title to plead to a durable State of unmixed Happinefs in a never- ending State, or a continuing City to come^ from his patient and blamelefs Behaviour here below^ as the moft elevated, Profperous, Rich and Pow- erfull, of all that tread on this Earth ; and that his Voice will then be as well heard, and as much regarded, as the Voice of Any of Thofe, who perhaps thought too much of tlieir Eiipe^ rior Exaltation above Him, in this State. Thofe in the middle State of Life, will feel the great Advan-.. - No- coirttnm n^ Ckyhere ^ Sec. Advantage of the "Thoughts I have propofed, throughout their whole Condua:, in all their Bu- fmefs, and every Stage of Life, But what is mofl proper to be faid of Them, l in this Place, is, that They are Thoughts of j equal Importance to the higheft Prmce, andj the meanell SubjeB : to Thofe who are diftin-, guiihed by the Honours of this World, and; Thofe in the common Order of Life. For what, can, indeed, be more awful and moving, and, therefore, what more ufeful, to Thofe in exalt- ed Stations, than to confider ferioufly, that, at the opening of that Future never-ending State, All the mofl dazling Diftinaions of this World fhall ceafe ; and none remain, but that ejpjitial One between the Good and the Bad-, the Vir- tuous and Vicious: That no Rank fliall then be regarded, but the Rank of Moral Excel- lence ; no Guards fliall attend the Great, but their Lmocence, or true Repentance ; and no Praifes be heard from the Mouths of Flatterers, but from the Voice of their good Adions only j That in this continuing City, their Station fliaU be allotted, not according to their exalted PfJ*^- er, or Grandeur, or Riches, but according to their Uie of them, here below j and that their Godlike Behaviour in this World, fhall be the ■ only Title to their I'hrones of Glory, in the World to ccm.e ? M 3 And i66 No con th2uing City here^ Sec, s E R mJ And let me add, that I would not permit My- VIII. felf to recommend fuch Thoughts as Thefe, in (/V^ ' this Audience, If I were not fully perfuadcd jthat they are 7'hoiights, which will blunt and Ifoften the Thorns and Cares of Ptie'rr ^ will throw Comfort into the Retirements of the Great &nd High ', and fcatter Innocence and Honour through the whole Syfiem of their AOi- ons: Which will mofl fafely conduct ihxm through the Troubles, and Allurements, ot their prefent Situations ; will animate them to be like God himlelf, in the exerting all their Capacities for the Happi7ujs of the- 7F£?r/^ around them J and give them an Am- bition to excel in every thing praife- worthy, here, in order to their obtaining a Seat in that State oi future Blijs^ which is reprefented in the New 'Tejlajjicjit, as a Kivgdom iinjlmken in the Heavens, far out of the Reach of all fuch Commotions and Diforders, as are feen in the Kijigdoms of this World j and as a continuing City, the Seat of Eftabliflied Happinefs for ever. U?rifl's Chrijl's Yoke, Eajy ; a7jd Burthen, Light. SERMON IX. Preached before the King, Febr, 27, Matt h e w xi. 30. For my Yoke isEafy, and my Burthen is Light. IT is not improbable that our Blejfed Lord, ^erm. when he fpake thefe and the foregoing | j^^ Words, was looking upon Crowds ofil/^/^j 'Travellers, coming up to yenifalcm, upon fome great Feaji-Day j many of them loaded with Burthens, and all tired and weary with their Journey : and that, according to his ufu- al Cuftom in other Cafes, He took Occafion from hence to fpeak to Them, who now want- ed i?^ of Body, concerning another Sort of Reji, of far greater Confequence j the truj M4 Refi w ChriJFs Yoke ILafy\ SERM. Reji and Happinefs of reafonable Creatures : calling their Minds from the low Concerns of their Bcdies, to the higher ones of their immor- tal Souls ; and from the Buftle and Hurry of this World, to the Calm and Quiet of true Religion. But, whatever the immediate Occafion of j this Difcourfe might be ; the Intent of it is fo important, and fo general, that every Man, in every Age, is equally concerned in it, who feels in his Breaf): any Degree of Reafon and Reflexion. For it is very evident thnt, in this and the two foregoing Verfes, our Lord is inviting Men to take upon them this Religion^ land ^ to imit^tQ his Exampky as the happieft Courfe they can chufe. At the 28'^Verfe; \C0n2e unto Me, all ye that Labour, and are hea- j-uy laden, and I ivill give you Rejl. Come unto pie all ye who are wifhing for Happinefs and [Kf/?, but are flill in a. State of Uneafinefs and JDifquiet, by purfuing it in wrong Methods ; and I will fhew you the only way to that Reft, kvhich is worthy of your Searches. Verfe the 9'^'; 1 ake my Toke upon you , and learn of Me \ "or I am meek and lowly in Heart : and ye fall nd Reft unto your Souls. Enter upon the Prac- ice oi my Moral Rides ; or, in other Vv^ords, mitate my Example, in the .Prad:ice of every (i^'irtue, and particularly of Meeknefs and Hu- jnility. and Burthen Li^ht . 169 mtUty\ which are in their nature Rejl and ^def ^ e R m.; themfelves ; and you will quickly find your-! ix. 1 lelves in that State of Happinefs you are feek- i/V^^ ing. Then follow the Words of the Text,, verfe 3 o ; For my Toke is Eafy^ and my Burthen is Light. For that Syjlem of moral Duties and Obligations, which I am come to inforce and lay upon you, is of fuch a Nature, as to be much more agreeable, and eafy, to fuch a Creature as Man is ; and much more condu- cive to the Quiet and Happinefs of fuch a Be- ing J than a Freedom from it, or an En- gagement in any Courfe of a contrary Nature, can be. Thus far thefe Words of our BlefTed Lord may, juftly and naturally, be extended. For He plainly appears to fpeak to Such as are in a reftlejs and unquiet Condition wanting and wifliing ^or Happinefs ', from his offering to fliew them the only way to it. He plainly intends what He fays oi his Toke^ to be under- ftood of the M?r^/ Rules and Obligations of his Religion, becaufe He himfelf inftances in two of them ; njiz. Meeknefs^ and Humility, He plainly appears to comprehend, in what He fays, his whole Syjiem of Virtue^ from his calling it by the Name o^ his Toke and his Biir- then ; which mud mean his Whole Moral Law, And He certainly intends what he fays of the Eajinefs 170 SE RM. IX. Chf^iJPs Yoke Eajy'y Eaji-fiejl ^liis Yoke, and the Light7tefs of his Burthen, to be underftood in Comparifon of any other, fet in Oppoiition to it 5 becaufe he ilill calls it a Toke and a Burthen: Words, which fuppofe it not to be void of all prefent Difficulty, and Uneafinefs. And the Whole is plainly meant, in Comparifon of the Toke and Burthen of Sin, or htimorality ; becaufe He in- ftances, exprefsly, in the Pra5lice of the moral iViitues mentioned, as the Way to Happinefs. I may, therefore, very reafonably, take Occalion from thefe Words, to confider how truly and juftly it is faid, that the Toke Yiqxq fpoken of fits eafier, upon fuch a Creature as Man J and the Burthen of pra(Stical Religion lighter^ than any of a contrary Sort : or, in other Words, to iliew that the PraBice, im- plied in'This, is a much furer way to his Hap- pinefs, than That of Fice and Immorality, In order to this, I. The Jir/1 neceflary Step Is, to confider what a Sort of Being Man truly is. II. The fecond will be, to enquire what Circumftances are neceflarily required to the making any Courfe of Adlton eafy and happy to fuch a Creature. III. And the third will be, To fliew that an uniform Courfe oi Virtue, or pradical Religi- i on. and Burthen Li^ht. 171 on, hasa Title to all thefe Rcquilites j which the , e r m. Courfe of Life, oppofite to it, cannot pretend to. 1 i x. I. As to th^Jirft of thefe j it is but Folly to ^^-Vn; fpend our Time in vain Complaints of the Im- perfections of our Nature : That we are not made, on one hand, with Abilities to practice all Virtue^ in every Circumflance of Life, without any Inclination, or Temptation, to the contrary ; or, on the other hand, capable ; of enjoying unbounded Pleafure, wherever it .oilers itfelf, without any Reftraints from ; within, or any ill Confequences from with- out. Our Bufinefs is to conlider ourfelves as we truly are ; and not as we could wKh our- felves to be : as Creatures, related to the infe- rior Part of the Creation, in our Bodies, and bodily Appetites j but greatly diftinguiflied from it, by a Faculty within us, which enables Us to find out the Exiflcnce of a God above Us; the Excellency of his Nature ; the true Glory, and Duty, of a rational Being ; and the Ex- pedience, and Becomingnefs, of One Sort of Conducl above another. For to confider Man, either as a Creature merely AnimaU without any Diredion in his Nature but to the Animal 'Pleafuresy or as a Creature mtxdy rati ojtal, : without any Bias from Flefli and Blood, or \{iny Temptation from the prefent Scene of Things J is a very partial and unequal Confi- deration , 111. Chrtj fs Yoke R ajy ; SERM. deration 5 and likely to carry us but a little IX. way in the Enquiry now before us. C/^V^ 2. After this,, the Second Step is toconfider what Circumftances are requifitc to the making any Courfe of Life eafy, and agreeable, to fuch a Creature as Man, certainly, is. And here, there are Uvo Things, which feem to me to have a juft Claim to This, 'ui^. That this Courfe of ABion fliould be agree- able to the beft and governing Part of his Frame : And, That it (liould either have no Difficulties, and Diflrefles, of any Sort, in it j or that thofe Difficulties, and Diftrefles, ffiould be, at leaft, fufficiently compenfated by Ad- vantages, either prefent, or future, or both. I. To make any Courfe of Adlion, eafy and happy, to Man^ it muft certainly be agreeable to that r^/'/o/zj/ Principle within Him, which, He is fenfible, has a Right to guide and diredl Him in his Actions. The Liberty of a reafonable Being is his Happinefs : and the true Liberty of fuch a Be- ing, cannot confifl in an unbounded Freedom from the Obligation of all Laws ; but in the ready and fettled Habit of following that Prin- ciple, or that Authcrity, which is, evidently, entitled to the Rule and Government of Flim. For by this means it is, that a Perfon, or intel- ligent Agent, comes to do v/hat Himfelf ap- proves and Burthen Light, ^72 proves of ; what Himfelf recommends to hIssERM. own Pradice, before Aftion, and delights in ix. and applauds, after it. On the contrary, ^^''"^'^*^ it is the Slanjery of moral ConduB^ which is moll of all to be dreaded by fach a Being : And the mofl hard and intolerable Toke,, and the moft grievous and oppreflive Burthen,, to Him, m.uft be a Life^ in which He is hurried, by the Command of an Inferior Principle, got loofe from the Influence of the Superior^ into fuch a Schejne of Actions, as Himfelf can never feriouily approve, before Execution -, and can- not but wifn undone, after it. It is with A/w^/ Liberty, as it is with Political Liberty, in its Perfection ; which is greatly miftaken, and ill-treated, when it is fuppofed to be Li- \ centioufnefi abfolutely free from Rulej v/hilft its very Elfence confifts in a ready and uniform Submillion to fuch Principles,, or Perfc?is, as hi.ve a right to govern us ; and govern us by fuch Laws as Reafon, (confulting the Good of the whole Society) declares it to be befl for us to obey. If we afcend hioher in our Thoughts to That Being who holds all Perfedion in Him- felf, it is no Prefumption to fay, what He ac- counts his own Glory j That it is the Liberty of Almighty God himfelf, to be conftantly, and without any Deviation, governed by the 4 eternal 'LUc ChriJTs Y oke Eafy\ .eternal and immutable haws of Good and Right, Jufl and Equal. From whence we may juftly argue, that no Being capable, in any Degree, of knowing any Part of thofe Laws, can have any other Moral Liberty than l^his J or defu'e any other, upon any reafona- ble or honourable Terms. Confcquently, on the other hand, it muft be the EfTence of Moral Slavery to Man, to be arbitrarily governed by fuch Towers^ as He knows to have no Right to any Con^mand over Him ; or hurried into Aclion, by fuch Laws and Commands, as He himfelf cannot think of in any other Light than as Contradiftions to the Did:ates of the Superior Principle, and in- confiftent with his own Peace, and all Order within Him. Neither does the prefent tran- fient Pleafure of obeying them, in any Inftance, at all alter or affed: this Truth : unlefs Pleajhre^ againft Reafon, can change Evil into Good j and alter the Nature of Things, fo as to turn Bitter into Siveet , the bitter Reproaches and Pvcfentments of an offended Mind, into the fweet Approbations of its rnli?2g Principle. It may, therefore, be juftly inferred, from what I have already faid, that it is impoffiblc that any Coiirfe of ASiion can be an eafy Toke^ or a hgbt Burthen^ to Man, in which He is ever contradiding the Superior Principle within, and the and Burthen Light, the only one He has to confult, and to be in- fluenced by; and is guided by the impetuous "Rule oi Another y which was made to obey : becaufe, fuch a Courfe, nuUl neceiiarily be- get Self-Condemnation, and the worft Sort of* inward Diftrefsj and make the Man his own. Enemy, and his own Punidier. But, ' 2. To the making any Courfe o-f Life eafy^ and happy, to fuch a Creature as Ma?2, I will be free to own it not to be quite enough, that it be perfectly agreeable to his beji and govern-, ing Part ; but neceffary alfo, that it fliould ei- ther have no greater Difficulties, and Difad- vantages, in it, than what are certainly found in That oppofite to it: or that Thefe Difficul- ties, and Difadvantages, fhould be fufficiently and fully compenfated by Advantages, prejent^ 0": future, or both. ' This needs no Sort of Proof, or Tllujlration ; tliat, if any Courfe of ABion has Difficulties m it, next to infuperablej or UncafmeJJes, next to intolerable j there can be but little Hope of Conjtancy enough, in fuch a Creature as Alaiiy to keep Him fteddy in it ; But that if the Diffi- culties in it are not worthy to be named with the Adnjantages and Encouragefneiits attending it} this will render it an agreeable Tafk to every well-informed Mind. If the prcfc7it Advantages of it be hut Jmall -, yet, if the fu- 2 ture. SE RM. IX. j^6 SREM, IX. V Yoke £, a, ture ones be vail: and durable, tho' they be fuppofed only probable, This will weigh great- ly againft the prefent Difficulties of it. But if it fliould be found to have a more fure and pro- bable Title than the contrary, to all prefent Advantages, worth the feeking after ; and the fureft allowed Title to all Jiiture ones ; only fuppofing us to be Creatures accountable to that God who made us : Thefe Confiderations, joined to what I have faid, under the former Plead, will be more than fufficient to place it far above any Courfe of Life that can be oppof- ed to it J and recommend it to the Choice of Men, as the moft eafy Toke, and Ughtejl Bur- then ;- or as the Courfe of Life, much more free than any other from all the Evils that are moft to be avoided by fuch a Being. III. Let us now proceed to the third Propo- fition I laid down; i:iz. That a fettled Courfe o^ pra5lical Religion, or Virtue, has a much furer Title to all thefe Rcquifites before- men- tioned, than that of F/V^ and hmncrality. And here, I believe, it is an uncontefled Truth, that the habitual Pradice of Virtue, is the Pradicc fully approved and applauded by our bej} and (uperior Faculty j by that Princi- ple vv'ithin Us, which, we are fcnfible, was given to rule and govern our Aitions. And this finglc Truth will make a vail Difference bctv.'tcn ^;^<^ Burthen Light. 1177 between the Practice of ^/r///^, and thatofsERM. Vice-, That, to the Former a Man is conftant- ix. ly dired:ed by ferious Conlideration, and by a (i/'V^ willing Choice, which is the Refult of it 5 that in it, He is accompanied with his own Ap- plaufes, and the fecret Approbations of his Confcience ; that after it, He is entertained with the Pleafure of a fweet Reflexion, and the Praifes of unpolluted Reafon : That, on the contrary, to the Latter He is never, in any one Inftance, led by the ferious Confide- rations and Arguments formed by Reafon and Judgment^ that the more he confiders, and refledis, and reafons, the more he is diffuaded from it; that he is hurried into it by quite the contrary Principle ; that he is accompanied in it by frequent Reproaches of his own Reafon ; that he is often purfued after it by the Laflies of a guilty Confcience, and by the flinging Thought, that he has done what he can never juftify at the Tribunal of his own Heart, or the more impartial one of Him who made him what he is. Of this one mi2;ht make the wickedeft of Men, not void of all common Senfe, Judges themfelves : whether it was ferious Confidera- tion and Reflexion that made them Sinners; whether it was the lafl: Refult of their Judg- metit zndi Reafon, that the Path they tread N would 178' Chrifl's Yoke Eafy ; SER M IX. would lead them to their greateft Ilapphiefs j or, whether the Courfe of Pice be the Courfe agreeable to their fuperior and governing Prin- ciple. On the contrary, let the lov/eft Order of good and virtuous Men witnefs, whether their Virtue ever gave them any Uneafinefs, upon the Review of it; whether the Senti- ment of forrowful Repentance was ever ftirred up in their Minds, by the Thought that they had been juH:, or temperate, or humble, or charitable 3 or, whether They ever felt any Remorfes within, upon looking back upon the virtuous and righteous Part of their Lives. They will give Tellimony, every one of them, that if they ever have felt any Uneafinefs of that kind in their loweft and mod; defponxling Moments 3 this has been owing to the Sufpi- cion, that They have not done enough in the Caufe of Virtue : not that they have been fo good, as they have been ; but that they have been no better. On the other hand, if any Eafe of Mind, in a religious Senfe, has been ex- perienced by any habitual Sinners; it is undeni- able that it has never arifen from any Pleafure reuilting from the Review of a vicious Courfe : but from their deep Sorrow, on account of i their paft Condud ; and from the fecret Hope they fometimes entertain, that God will ac- cept fuch Sorrow inAead cf that Virtue and '__ Uolmefs^ and Burthen Ltght, \ A H I IX. Molinefsj which they luourii llie want-of^ which puts it beyond Doubt, that a fteddy Courfe oi Virtue, is tho Courfe, entitled to the '-/VNJ conftant Approbation of our beft Part, and to the Favour of that Principle within, which was given to rule and direct us : and that the Coiirfey contrary to this, is accompanied with all its Diflike, and Difpleafure. 2. If v/e now proceed to the Seco?ido^T\io(Q Requifites before-mentioned, " That to make any Courfe of Life, agreeable to fuch a Crea- ture as Man, it fliould either have no Diji- cidties, or Dijirejfes, in it -, or, that they fliould be fufficiently compenfated by Advantages^ prefenty or future y or Both ; We fhall, I hope, find it alfo true, that a Life of Virtue has manifeftly the Preference, in this View, that xhQ u?matural Difcourageme?:tSj it mav, in fome extraordinary Cafes, meet with, are more than compenfated by the Advantages attending it j and that the general Rule, in the natural Courfe of Things, is greatly in its Favor. To this Purpofe, let it be confidered. That the prefcnt Advantages of it are as certain, as Any of the moft certain Pleafnres, or Profits, of Sin ; and of much more Importance to fuch a Creature as Man is. It conftantly, and with- out Variation, brings along with it a Peace, and Serenity, and Joy of Mind j never known N 2 or t8o 6ER 4. ix.i C hriji.s Y o x e B ^afy ; or felt without it. It tends, naturally, to the Health of that Body itfelf, upon which fome place the highefl Value-, to as good and cre- ditable a Situation in Life, as ought to be wifh- ed 5 to fuch a Reputcdion^ as a Man would chufe upon the bell: Confiderations : And, in the En- joyment of the Good^ peculiar to this World, being bounded only by Reafon itfelf, it is al- ways free from thofe many EmbarralTments, Difappointments, Uneafinefles,. Anxieties, Per- plexities, and prefent Miferies, to which the unbounded Enjoyment of the fame Goods is every Day feen to expofe Men. On the other hand, the Pradice contrary to this, if it has any Effect upon the Mind, (as it mufl have, as long as the Mind exifts) it is to difquiet and difcompofe it, by fuch vftW- grounded Unetifinejfes J as are themfelves /^r^;?^ Unhcippi?2efs. The Effe(ft of it upon the Body is, in many Cafes, to bring on Ruijte, and 'DiJTolution, before it's Time 3 to fill it with more Diftempers, and invite more Calamities into it, than would, otherwife, be experienced. The Effed of it upon the Name and Reputa- tion, is no better ; if the bejl Reputation be the Efleem of the Good and Wife. And upon Men's EJlates, the Influence oifome Vices is as bad, in lefiening them, and bringing them to Nothings and oi Others ^ in making them ufelefs g^^BuRTHEN Light. i8i ufelefs to the PoflcfTors themfeives. And ifsERM this be plainly the Cafe, that, excepting inj ix. fome very unnatural and extraordinary Cir-jCxw' cuniftances of Affairs, the Caufe oi Vice has nothing to boaft of, even in this prej'ent State; and that the Cou7'fe of Virtue has, in itfelf, a conftant Fountain of inivard Eafe, and a natu- ral Tendency to all the outward de/irable Happinejfes of Life ; here, at this Point, all the Boafiis and Pretenfions of Vice ceafe at once. It is Virtue^ alone, that can look forward, with any Courage and Satisfadion, into a^w- ture State of Things. Vice is no Rival there: nor does it fo much as prefume to think of any Claim to future Rewards j but, as long as Thought remains, is often allarmed with the Fear, or Sufpicion, that, as Punifiment is due to it, PuniJJjme?it will hereafter overtake it. I fay, it is a State of Virtue^ alone, that can make Us feel a Pleafure in hoping and thinking. That, as furely as there is a God, who made Us reafonable Creatures capable of the Guidance of Moral Rules 5 as furely, as He has made us with all the Tokens of Creatures accountable for our Adions ; and as furely as there is a ^tate after this poor Life : fo furely will the Favour of God, and all the proper Marks of it, be fliewn to the truly Virtuous ; and the Rewards of another and better Life, N 3 more- l82 S E R M. IX. Chriffs Y-OKE Eafy-y more than make up for ail that was grievous in this^ to the moft unfortunat-e and oppreffed of all the Lovers and Followers of it. And We ChriJiiamk.wo\N that it was the gvtdX Defign of our Blejjed Lord, to bring Life and Immortality y in a future State, to greater Lights than they were viewed in, before j in order to make his Tcke ftill the more eafy^ and his Burthen the more lights to All who fliould take his Re- ligion upon them. I have thus endeavoured to, induce you to chufe the Yoke and Burthen fpoken of, in the Text ; that is, the Obligations of praBical Religion, or Virtue^ before the Slavery oi Vice-, the only Rival which (lands in Competition with it. I have compared their feveral Pre- tenfions: And I am not fenfible that, in this Comparilbn, I have given one Grain of Weight to the Scale of Virtue, which does not, unde- niably, belong to it ; or taken from the con- trary Scale any one Advantage which it could pohibly claim. And now, if I may conclude with a Word more peculiarly proper to this AJfemblyy and this Place, in which I now fpeak j I will add. That, if what I have been laying before you be the Truth of God, of fuch Importance as to be worthy of your Attention; it cannot but be the immediate Conclufion from the Whole, in . A - the and Burthen Ltg^ht, — - — ia_ 183 the Breaft of every Perfon of High Rank^ here ;; e r m. prefent, that a fettled Courfe of Virtue mufl ; ix. be the only Courfe of Honcur^ to fuch a Be- '-^^/^ j ing as Man is 5 and that the more eftabhfhed any Man is, in this Courfe, the greater Title ; he has to be called a Man of Honour. The ' Word Honour flill remains amongft us, appli- • ed to the Behaviour of Men j and, if the Ide^ \ as, annexed to Words, be not yet entirely con- i founded, it can mean Nothing diftindl from,- much lefs contrary to. Virtue. Nor are the Differences of Things vet fo loft, but that the Wordh if ill deligncd, in all the Inftances of Condud: and Adion in which it is ufed, to fig-; nify a Degree of Virtue even exalted above the ; common Pitch 5 and exercifed in Cafes, to which human Laws, and human Eyes, often cannot reach; but the Right and Reafon of the Thing do : as in thofe of Gratitude to Be- nefadiors known only to Ourfelves \ 'Truth to the moft fecret Promlfes ; Jujlice and Equity, as fuch, where 7io Court, and no Man's Judg- ment, can enforce it. Thefe, and many other Inftances, fticw an Acknowledgment, in Thofe who ufe the PVord, of the ftrict Obligation to Virtue, as the Didate of the rational Faculty j and of the utter Difagreeablencfs of the con- trary to that fecret Principle in Them, the N 4 Power , 184 Chrili^s Yoke Eafy \ SERM IX. Power of v.^hlch, in fome fuch Inftances, they cannot forbear to feel, and follow. This is, in Effecfl, to acknowledge, what is a moil certain Confequence, that a Man of Virtue^ and a Man of Honour^ through the whole Syftem o^ Morality ^ are only two Expref- lions for one and the fame Thing : and that it is a ContradiSiio?! to the Nature of Things, as well as the greateft Abiife of Language^ to put afunder what God and P^eafon have joined to- gether. And, indeed, what can be the Honour of Man^ but that PraBict\ which is unvariably agreeable to his fuperior and ruling Principle ? Let . hjm not claim any other, for fear He fhould be found to claim the Honour of lower jAnimah, inflead of his own ; and to boaft of *That^ in whicli many of the irrational Kind, could They ad: in our World, would greatly excell him. For, in Men themfelves, it re- quires but a very low Capacity, and little more than Inclination free from the Reftraints of Rea- fon and Reflexion, to be diJJoonourably wicked. This is no wandering from the Wordsy and T>oBriney of the T^ext, For I mean to in- fer from what I have been now faying, that Virtue mufl be the Eafiejl Tcke, and the moft Ligbt Burthen, to a Mind fenfible of the Rules of the flrideft Honour ; becaufe this, we fee, I \% and Bv R T HEN Light. i8i_. ■ is ever acknowledged of feme particular 7;2-serm. jlmices of it j and therefore, cannot be denied of ix. I any other Branches of that God-like SyftefUy U^VNJ .which relies, in every Part of it equally, upon 'the fame eternal and immutable Laws of Ri^hf^ ^ndiT^ruth: and, on the other hand, that a Courfe ofFice, and Immoralify, muft be the mod galling Tokcy and the mod hea'vy Burthen^ to fuch a Mind J becaufe it is a moft uneafy Con- tradidion to thofe iame Rules of Honour, by which the Man acknowledges himfelf, of Right, to be governed, and preferved from Moral Evil, in fome Cafes ; which Rules ex- tend equally to every Branch of the whole Syf- tem oi hiiquity. And here, let me repeat. That no imagined Pleafure, ov Projit, can alter this Truth : be- caufe Nothing of that Kind can turn Unreafon- able into Reafo?2able ; nor, confequently, the Z)//7ji5;zw/rof an intelligent Being into lis Honour. Nor can all the Enfigns and Trappings of out- ward Greatnefs (in another Senfe, fometimes, called Honour,) make it otherwife. They will always render Vice more deformed, and more difagreeable, in the Eyes of all who think rightly; becaufe it is truly more out oi Cha- racier, in fuch a Garb, than in the Coarfer Drefs of the Lower World : but They can ne- ver give to it the peculiar Privilege oi Virtue-, which, i86 Chrijl's Yoke Eajy \ &c. S E R M IX. which, alone, ever was, and fliU remains, thgJfu^ Honour of all the Great and Noble of this World, as well as their Duty and Hap~ pinefs. I liave thus, in the befl Manner I could, ex^ plained and enforced a very important Decla- ration' o'f onv Blejcd Lor'd^ concerning ffre Pradlice of all the Moral Duties of His holy Religion : and, -I- hope, -in doin-g this, I have-. l]£en_preaching.C6r//?i and. \'\hDoBrine._ It is the Glory of His Go/pel^ that the great Defign of ks Founder was to dired: his Followers to the whole Syjlcm of Natural Religion, or Mo- rality. His DoBri'ne^ upon which He refts their Happinefs, is Virtue. K; ; Life was an unfpolted ^xampie J3i-J3i)irKzi tm., _ His Ekath-r is the greateft Argument for Virtue. And his Sufferings are blafphemed, when they are repre- ^ fented as defigned for the Advantage of any | Sinners^ but fuch as have forfaken their Sins, i and are returned into the Paths of Virtue. Let Every One, therefore, who profeffes to follow Chriff as his Mafier^ learn of Him ; and take his Toke^ and his Burthen^ upon Him : And he will find Refi to his Soul, in a Condud agrea- ble to his owm Mind, in every Part, and every Relation, of Life, here, and unfpeakable Hap- pinefs, hcreajtcr. Of SCXL Of Persecution on Account of Religion. SERMON X. .^as Rom. xiv. 4. Who art T'hou that Judgeji Another Mans Ser- vant? To his own Majier^ He Jlandeth^ or falleth. IN a former ^ Dlfcourfe upon thefe Words, I obferved, that the Foundation of all outward Ferfeciition, for any fort of Differ- ences about Religion, was laid in the Mind within ; that the firft Step was the Inward h.^ of Cenjiiring and 'Judging our Neighbours, on Account of what They efteem, as any Part of the Worfliip or Service of God : But that the Evil feidom topped there, but was generally obferved, when Opportunity offered, « AW, This was the Second Sermon upon this Textt See the F'lrfl in p. 47. of this Volume. to ERM. X. i88 Of Persecution on SERMi to break out into open Violence to Men's X. Bodies or EJiateSj for the Sake of their Con- ^■-'^VNJl fciences. This being the Cafe, the firft Step I chofe to take, was to attempt the Cure of that wicked Diftemper of Mind within ; or, to fliew the inexcuiable Iniquity of the Inward Aciy be- fore it can proceed to Outward Evils, This I endeavoured to do, by obferving, 1. That we are not quahfied thus to fit in judgment upon One Another. 2. That it is not the Province of t/}, who are but Fellow-Servants to the fame Majler. 3. That it is a Province, which our Great and Common Mafter hadi peculiarly refer ved to Himfelf. And, 4. That it is our great Bufinefs to prepare or xh^ final 'Judgment of OurfelveSy and not to e found judging Others. But, as Men have been, in all Places almofl:, land in all Times, obferved to proceed from Inward CenfureSj to the Application of Out- f)ard Force, and Worldly Evils, in Matters urely Spiritual, and belonging to Confidence 'y ]| fliall now purfue this Subjedl farther 3 and ndeavour, in the plained Manner poffible, to ew the great and unpardonable Iniquity of all ^utward Perfecution, on Religious Accounts: And this, by fuch Confiderations, as will at Account of Religion. 189 at once determine T^hat^ and anfwer tlie chief s e r Mj Pretences alledged by Any Men for it. x. Now, this Great Evil of Perfeciition is, by U^V^J All fuch Fatrons of it as fpeak ferioufly of ber lieving the Gojpely and regarding the Salvation of Mankind, always avowed, to be built upoa the Great Importance to All Men, that They iliould be Believers of the One only true Re- ligion, and found Members of the One only true Church of Chriji, in order to theiri "Eternal Sahation : And upon the Dufy of bringing Men to their own Happinefs, by Force of Outward Evils, when other Pv4ethods fail. I know, there is Another Reafon, or Excufe, for it, fometimes mentioned ; taken from the Peace and Qmet of Society, and of the Chriftian World about Us, which is pre- tended to require fuch an Agreement, as this Outward Force is defigned to produce and eflablifh. But this, (not to mention that it is built upon a great Miftake, diredly contrary to Truth and Experience) being merely of a poli- tical Nature ; and plainly founded upon the Wicked Maxim, that it is of no Importance what is T^rue, or Falfe ; what is pleafing to Almighty God, or not; and throwing Religion quite out of the Qiiefi:ion -, I fhall not now enter at all into the Merits of fo weak and worldly a Pretenfe ; but fhall only confider the Former, : ^^^ which. IQO Of Persecution on SE R M. X. I which, being the moft honourable Pretenfe |for PerfecutioUy is always the moft avowed : iFew caring to own that they mean nothing but this World, and their own Power , or private Intereji, in it. This then being plainly put upon the Importance of right Sentiments about Religion, and the true Chiircb of Chrijiy out of which there can be no Salvation, I. Thc^r/i Confideration which offers itfelf, is this ; that fuppofing, the Importajjce of J'ruth would juflify Usj yet, without the Cer- tainty of our being Infallible^ in v/hat we our- felves hold to be Truth in B.elifiiojj. it would be jmoft unreafonable, and inexcufable, to ad: againft our Fellow -Creatures^ by the Application of Outward Force. Perfecution, you may know from all Hiftory, takes a great Compafs, and is feen to exert itfelf, not only with Regard to the Fundamental Truths of all Religion ; but, (We may fay, chiefly and moft common- ly,) for the Support of Thofe 7?ia7iy inferior, or leffer Points, in which the Thoughts of ferious and foher Men ever were, and ever are likely to be, different. And if, in Thefe, or any of Thefe, We make a wrong Judgment ; then, Every Step we take is not only out of the Paths of Charity, but of that Truth like wife, the Name Account of Religion. 191 Name of which we make ufe of to cover our s Uncharitablenefs. This is fo plain, in the Cafe before us, that the Romanifis^ who generally take Care to make their Scheme of Abfiirdities confiftent with it {'d^.jirji affume to themfelves an InfaU lible unerring 'judgment^ befdre They ven- ture to affirm to You, that You fliall believe, and profcfs, what They think fit. For They well know that, if They (liould own Tiiem- felves, to be liable to Errors, and to h^ fallible Men, in all contefled Points of Religion, They could not claim the Submiffion due only to Infallibility^ in Matters of Faith and WorJJjip : and fo, They chufe rather to lay their Founda- tion in Impudence^ than to lofe the Benefit of ^jDorldly 'Terrors, for the inlarging the Bounds of their Church. But fuch an Outrage upon the common Senfe of Mankind, cannot be carried by mere Dint of Jljfurance. For it comes to no more than This, *' We affirm that We are infalli- ble: and therefore, you are bound to obey Us, as fuch : neither can They themfelves, who utter this Oracle, tell Us, . in what Flace^ and Perfon, or Ferfons, We fliall certainly find tli i s JnfaUibility . This therefore, is a Foicc, little becoming fuch a Creature, as Man is, even the mofl elevated Of Perse cution on (•vxJ 192 SERM, elevated of all fo called : who every Day finds j within himfelf the Experiences of a Creature, capable of being deceived ; and (landing in need of all favourable Allowances, both from God, and his Fellow-Creatures. But, II. Suppofmg that We could be, not only morally certain, but infallibly fecure, that All the Points which We ourfelves embrace as Parts of Religion, were really True, and Irre- prehenfible; the next thing to be confidered is, That it is naturally impoffible, by outward Evils, to force the Imvard Ajfent of Others ; or to make their real Sentiments about thofe Points conformable to our own. For the Ajfent of the Mind to any thing as Truth, mufl be upon fuch Evidence, as makes it appear to be Truth. Now nothing External can make any Propofition appear True to a Man's Under- flanding. Whatever doth that, muft be of a kind, congenial to the Mind within : To which outward Force bears no Similitude, nor Rela- tion. It is Reafon and Argument , either real, or fuppofed, that works ivithin 5 and which alone muft do fo, till the Nature of Man, and of Truth, be totally altered. If a Blind Man were put upon the Rack, day after day ; and intenfe Torments applied to Him, for the great Crime of not feeing the beautiful fee. c Accou nt of "^ E L I G ION. beautiful Colours, which his Neighbours This might extort from himaProteftation, that He doth fee them j nay, it might create in Him fuch an Inclination to fee them, that He might fancy. He did fo : But it is plainly true, that it would not make Him really fee any thing hke them. He would ftill be the fa.mt BImd Man ', uncapable of feeing, and un- acquainted with Co/i5?.'rj, till All Defedis fliould be redified, and All Things requifite to the Purpofe ci Sight, fhould be rightly difpofed. Thus it is, in the greater Cafe before Us. All Men are pleafed to fuppofe, that They them- felves fee and perceive I'ruth, and that Others are blind, and fiiupid, juft fo far as They differ from Them. Beit fo. Let Zh be wife and know- ing j and let the Herd around us be all Blindnefs, ?nd Ignorance. Muft it follow, therefore, that the Application of 0/^^icw^£-u//i will work that Perfuafion in Others, which will make Them, altogether fuch as we are, in the Inward Senti- ment? No. It may create a Wicked Prevari- cation, a falfe Proteftation, an impious Hypo- crify; all ending in Irreligion and Atheifm, which We muft in great Meafure anfwer i for : Or, It may go fo far, as to make Crea- < tures, diflraded with the Intenfenefs of Pain, \ fancy at laft that They fee what Others fee, and believe what Others believe. But this can O be 193 ERM. X. Of Persecution on ■ rr i T i -r-.- tI i. t i^^. be no more than Imagination, or Fancy ; be- caule it is plain that the Medium made Uie of, is not the proper Mean, or Inflrument, to convey a real Perfuafion. Force is not Evidence , 1'ormetit is not Argument. And therefore, whatever it may work, tho' bearing never fo much Refemblance to Perfuafton ; yet it cannot be T^hat it felf in Pvcality, becaiiie That can no more be the Efl'ecl of any thing merely ex- ternal, than the Sight of a Blind Man can be redored by tormenting him in an improper Place, and Manner. This is fo plain, that Thofe who profefs to argue for any fort of oiiHvard Penalties, or Inconveniences, upon Accounts merely Reli- gious, if They ever touch this Argument, only alledge, that thofe outward Things duly ap- plied, may make Perfons the m>ore VN^illingly attend to Argument and Reafon : For fo Every thing is cailed by Men, which Then^.felves hold, or would appear to hold. And from this very Concejjlon it is plain, that, it i-s the Evidence and Argument^ v.'hich is the Mean of this fuppofed Convidion"; and that even by Themfelvcs no- thing but this is fuppofed, or can be fuppoied, to work a real Change, in the Perfuafion, and inward Sentiments of any Man. And this being the only Glofs that can be put upon this Proceeding, III. It Account of R E L I G I N. III. It is to be confidered that, fuppofiing This were poffible ; it is neither the Bufinefs, nor the Interefl: of Trutbj to be received, by fuch Methods, or in fuch a Manner, It is much l?etter, and more pleafing, ir^ the Eyes oj Almighty God j if We can judge at ail, either of his Nature, or of his Revelatiof2 by Jcfus Chrijl; That any Man, in the Uprightnefs and Sincerity of his Heart, iliould remain ia an Error, than that He fliould embrace the Truth, fo induced, and fo perfuaded to it. It is the srreat Intereil; of Truth, to be received! upon fuch Motives, and Frinciples, as are manly and honeft j fuch as lay the Foundation, ^^Q:\^ within, and are dire(5tly oppofite and con- tradidory toThofe by which alone FalJJjood is, or can be, fupported. But when a Man is worked upon, by Tor- ments, or any fort of outward Inconveniences only, to wi(h, or incline, to fee a Point to be True ; and the Inclination carries Him to af- fent, as He thinks, to the fuppofed Arguments for it 5 lie is hot at all fare that He hath not parted with his Integrity, for a Speculation ; that He hath not made Ship-wreck of his Co?i- fcience, for the fake of a fuppofed Faith : or, that He is not worthy of that Imputation of hold- ing the Truth, in U?irightcoufnefs, It is plain- O 2 ly 21^. E R M.: i X. 31 (y Pe RSE C U T ION c?/T y9in-AeeiiIc/7falthmg to Him^ if He^TOuld, by this Method, be brought to a Right Opi- nion in any thing. It is wrought by fuch Me- thods, as would as certainly have turned him from ^rutb to Error ^ as from Error to T'ruth. He doth not, therefore, reap the Honour of a fincere and hearty Lover of T^ruth-, and per- haps lofes entirely the Reward of all his for- mer Uprightnefs and Integrity. Almighty God gains no Servant, no faithful T>ependent^ in Him : nor doth the Man fecure to Himfelf any Share in the Favour and Love of God j as far as We know, eitlier by Nature, or the Gofpely the Will of our Heavenly Father. And, as it Is not at all the Intereft of 'Truthy to be accidentally received, juft in the fame man- ner, as Error it felf might j fo, is it the great- efl Indignity and Diflionour that can poflibly be offered to that fame T'rtith, for whofe Ser- vice, as it is pretended, this great Concern is fliewn. For what hath ^riith to boafl againft it's Enemy, and it's Oppolite, but that the One flands in need of nothing but Light and Evi- dence^ to recommend it to Men's Minds j and that t]:ie Other cannot be fupported without the Paffions and TVrath of Maul This Boafting is entirely deftroyed, wdien the Methods of pro- pagating and fupporting 'Truth and Fa'JImdy arc made the fame. This puts them upon an equal Account ^/"Religion. 197 X. equal Foot, and makes their Glory the fame: For, whatever becomes of ivz^.w^, this Method extinguiflies all the Beauty and Glory of Truth, <[/^VN> by conveying it to the Minds of INlen, in a Method unworthy of any thing, but the grojfeji Falfioods. This, therefore, is certain to All who know the Value of Integrity and Honefly in the Eyes of Ahnighty God-, that, fuppofing the Application of Outward Evils could create a real Change of the Ferfuafion within, and that for the better, as to the mere Truth of any Propofitio?i ; ytt. Error it felf, joined with Uprightn-fs and Sincerity of Soul, can- not but be more valuable in the Account of our Great Judge, th m 'Truth, either accidentally em- braced, or infuled into the Mind by the Work- ings of Force, and the Confiderations of this World. But it cannot be fuppofed, that fuch a Ferfuafion within can really be the Effedt of Outward Evils. Nor indeed do They who make ufe of them, at all trouble tliemfelves about the T?'ue Sentiments of Thofe whom They ufe in a fuch manner. All that They think of, is to draw the fame Words, or Sounds, that is, the fame outward Prcfe/Jiofis, from All. This leads us, in the next Place, to ^bferve, O 3 IV. That ^xgS Of P ERSE e If T I Q N 0^1 SER M X. I IV. That to force the Prcfejfwns of Men 'contrary to the Dictates of their Ccnfciences^ in pVIatters of Religion^ and Divine PFcrfiip, is jdiredly contributing to the Worft of Sins ; and acting a Part the mod inexcufablej and funreafonable. Any Inftances of 'Torment or 'Mifery^ applied ta this Purpofe, even if it jWere in Favour of the plaineft Propofition in 'Mathematics, would, in the natural Tendency t)f Things, be fo far from inclining, either a ge- inerous or a pcrverfe Mind, to the real Belief ;of it, that They would rather create an 'Averfenefs to, and Hatred of, a Po/?z/, which Hands in need of fach Methods of Support. {And, 'fuppoling that Wearincfs under Evils, 'at Lengtn fliall make Men profefs fuch Points !to be true, which They cannot believe to be jfo : this is, in Thofe who make ufe of fuch ; Methods to this Purpofe, the Great Crime of lenfnaring their Fellow- Creatures into Hypocrify, I and in the End, perhaps into Atkeifm itfelf j ■ into a Contempt of every Thing truly good, . and a Difregard of what is True, and what is . Falfe. So that I (liould not doubt to fay, that ;A11 the Inward Irfdelity and Atheifm, that is ;in the Hearts or fo many Men, in thofe 'Countries, whtr^ P erf e cut ion is openly avow- ed, is in great Meafure owing to that Perjecii" tio^y Account of Religion. 199 vERM. X. :tion, \Vhich pretends to root it out; and will .'be charged upon the Fcrfecutors themfelves, by \ the Great Judge of the World, when He (liall >V>J ! come, to bring to Light the hidden Thi?7gs of i Darknefs, and to make manijejl the CGWjfeh of I the Heart. Let us go on now to obferve, V. That, as it is jud, and holds good, in the jCaleof all2>iif^/j, that it ought to be received, by ♦every Man, in the jLcwof it, and not in ih^Fear jof.any of this World's Evils: fo, is it plain, that the more Imporiant the Truth is, and the * 'more it relates to another State, and his own Eternal Salvation; the more Aill is it certain, that it ought not to be forced, but to be left to the Man's own Confcience, and to that Thought and Reflexion, which were given to Man for the balancing and receiving it; and which alone entitle Him to Reward, or Riiniflment, for his Condud: relating to it. The Reafon is plain ; becaufe the Import- ance of any Truth to the Service of God, or the Happinefs of Man, makes it more requi- fite, that the Man fliould purfue the Enqunj after it, with Sincerity; and hold it fall with Conftancy: neither of which He can do, if He is overpowered by the Motives of this World; and by the fame Arguments, v.'hich equally .recommend. 7/7/.'/? and Fal/locd; and O 4. which + 200 SERM, X. 0/P ERSECUTION OH which therefore, would have had the fame Ef- fed upon his Mind and Tongue, were any cer- w••^r>v|i tahi Error ^ by th-e Hke Pain and Diftrefs, re- commended to Flim. Nay, upon this Account it is not unreafonable to affirm, That it would be more juftifiable of the two, to eredt a Court of Inquifitmi^ and to apply the Extre?nity of Bodily T'onnents^ for the Convicflion of r^U who will not own that a Fart is greater than the Whole ^ or that Tien are more than Twmty; than to make ufe of the fame Terrors, in Matters purely Religious, that touch the Worjhtp and Service of Go J, according to Men's own Confciences. The former is monftrous, and a1)rurdj and an Injury to Human Society. The Lifter is as monftrous andabfurdj and befides, is a profane Invafion of Almighty God's Province; a Judging his Servants before the Time; an Infult upon Confcience, which is to be the Rule, and Mea- fure, of a Man's Duty here, and of^his Happi- vefs hereafter. Since therefore, to force the Mind and Con- fcience within, is impoffible ; and fince to force the Words snd Profc:ffions of Men, againft their Inward Perfuafion, is impious and wicked ; and fince this is much more fo, where God's Preron;ative, and Man's Greateft Interefl:, are concerned, in the moft peculiar manner : it remains gs-.--.-J- Account (j/* Re L I G I o N. 20I remains that the only Method in this Cafe, allowed by Juftice, or Equity, is, the Ufe of Reafon and Argument to convince Men in- wardly of any Errors ; and that All the reft muft be left to Charity, and mutual Forbear- ance. There are T^wo Arguments, to prove This, and to inforce it upon all Men, and Chrijiiaiis. The One is taken from the Sen- timents of all Men, when they make it, or rather feel it, to be their own Cafe : and the other is, what ought to be conftantly regarded by All who bear the Name of Cbrifl, the Me- thod in which Chriftianity was propagated through the World. I. As to ihtfirft of thefe ; there is no Rule allowed to be more equitable, or more humane and fitting, than this, that what one Man hath reafon to expect from another. He is obliged in Reafon to perform to that other, in like Circumflances. If we cannot think it juft in Others, in their Height of Power, to demand an Agreement in every Thing relating to Re- ligion, of Us, fuppofing us under their Power ; no m^ore can we think it juft in Us, to exaft, with worldly Penalties, that fame Agreement, whenever Superiority, and Strength, give leave: Becaufe Force is not Right , nor can any Thing be done lawfully by one Man, which may not as lawfully be done by Another, in the fame 2P2' I Of P E R S EC U T I O N (?;7 s-E RM.jfame Circumftances. ^o that Men perpetual- X. jly pronounce, in this Cafe, their own Sentence t^'^W; of Condemnation, by alTerting and pronouncing iThat to be the Height of Injuftice and VVick- jednefs towards thenifeives; which yet They jwill' venture too often to praftice towards jOrhers, upon every the leaft Opportunity. It jis not only a Law of the Chrillian Religion, jbut of eternal Truth, WhatJocDer ye ivcidd (whntfoever You have reafon to fK^tCt)-tbat MenjJjDuld do unto you^ T^hat do unto them ;• and never the contrary. ; -^ 2. But then, as I obferved, there is forrtething fo peculiar to Chrifdans, in the Propagation of their own Religion, in its firfl and pure State, that it deferves to be duly confidered. The great Debate, We fee, lies, between tv>^c Ways of promoting and fupporting, what is called \Rdigion J or extending the Bounds of a Church. Thefe are, either Force, or Ferfiiafion : either the Argument of i?^'^/^?/, or oi outward Evil. Here then, we {hall find, which was moft agreeable • to the Wifdom of God. It was, with refpedt to his Power, equal to Him which Method to make ufe of. Had He feen j fit to have illuminated and converted the Prin- I ces and Magiftrates of this World, (as He did St. Paul) this, according to fome, would have ' done the Work effectually. The Authority of fuch AcCOMlt of K^ LI G I ON. fuch Men, befides the Influence of their Ex- j e 203- X. amples, which there is a natural Inclination in Mankind to imitate, would immediately have ^^''VNJ drawn into the Church, the numerous Throng that is always feen to follow Power and Great- nefs. Nay, Multitudes of Lives might probably have been faved this way j becaufe no Perfecu- tion of this new Religicn could have been fet on Foot, when all Power was with it ; but would have been applied, on the fide of it, if a few (which is not credible,) Ihould have been fo unmannerly, or fo ilubborn, as not to follow Great Examples. But then, the whole End of the Gofpel had been well nigh fiuftrat- ed ; which was not, a bare Profeffion of it; | 1 but a receivinc'^ it as the T!riith, in the Love of T^ruih, and the not holding it in JJnrighteoiif- nefs. Where would then have been the Trial of Men's Hearts and Souls ? Where would have been the Proofs of Sincerity and Integri- ty in it's Profeffors ? Where v/ould Jiave been Virtue and Honour, in following what was their great and lading Profit ? Almighty God, therefore, who fees the Springs and Ground of all praife- worthy Adi- ons, chofe a Meth.od the dired: contrary, for | the Honour of the Gofpel, and of the firft Pro- felTors of it. He not only did not cloath it at f\\:{[, in the Garir.ents of tliis World's Glory ; 4. not ^04 0/ Persecution 07i SER M. not only did not arm it with any of the Force X. and Might of this State; but He left it to the l/W Power of thofe Evidences that accompanied it : And, that Sincerity might have it's perfedi Worky He opened it, when all the World was difpofed to arm againft it ; not only not to cherilTi or befriend it, but to perfecute and opprefs it. So that here is the Difference be- :ween the Sentiments of Man, and of Almigh- ty God. Weak Man never feems to think sven the Religioit of God's own Infiitution fafe, "inlefs it have Perfecution, and worldly Power, :,n it's Friendfhip and Alliance. And the Ali- ivife God judges fo differently from this, that, n the. Settlement and Eftablifhment of the eligion of Chnft^ he chufeth to have the ver of this World againft it, rather than or it. The Reafon is, that this World may .lave as little to do with Men's Determinations iibout Religion^ as poflible ; that the Upright- Jiefs of the Heart m.ay lay the Foundation; and that Virtue may have it's Effed: here, and \ t's Reward hereafter. This, methinks, fliould convince all Chrijli- imsy that Perfecution^ in any Degree, is the . nvention and Inflrument of God's grcateft . 2nemy : and that, as Chriji difdained to make life of outward Force, in planting the Bejl Reli- l\ion in the World ; fo it is UnchriAian and Impious Account ^Religion. 205 Impious to change his Method, in fupporting < e R M. It ; and for this Purpofe, to chufe Thofe very i x. Weapons, which his Enejiiies ufed at firft againji |./^V\i Him, and his Kingdom : and which, his Father, in his infinite Wifdom, rejeded, as improper for the good End, He then had in view. We may now, at theConclufion of this Dif- courfe, veryjuftlyaik. If all this be true, ac- cording to the Law of Nature, and the Gof- \ pel of Jefiis Chriji', how great, how inex- preffibly great, is the Guilt of the Leaders of that Church, which places the whole Strength of Religion in the Strength of Power, and the Arm of Flefii; v^^hich turns the Motives of all that is good, from inward to outward-, which hath no Care or Concern about Ho?ieJiy and In- tegrity, but cnforceth an Unity of Voices, by Fires, Banifliments, Racks, and fuch like Methods ; which forfakes the Paths of Meek- nefs plainly pointed out by God and Chriji, and purfues thofe of Defolation, and Deftruc- tion ? And then, Let us confider, how much it behoves All who have profeiTed to feparate from that Church, to feparate effedlually from the mofl IJjichrifiian and Diabolical Thino- in it ', and to keep themfelves at a Diftance from J every Tendency to the fame Evil : to fludy the ' Go/pel, and to put on that Spirit of Charity, { of —— ^ r S-ER-M X. 2c6| Of PERSECUTION) ScC, . of Peace, and of Forbearance, which breathes through Every Page of it. AndJThisjvill.ef- k^^^^y fedtua'ly diipole them, not to judge, or ceniure .; much more, not to condemn and injure, op- prefs and torment, the Servants of Ancthef Majhr-: bn4: to- leave their Fellow- ServSrffSJ in all Matters of Religious Concern, to iland or fall, by the Judgment of their one common -Xord and >viaiier,T -to whom alone Theyrfmft ail give an Account for Thenifelves. Of Of Zeal 7iQt accoramg to K N o w- 1 LEDGE. SERMON XI. «ii 1 .1 . , - . — , , , . . .11. -- - Rom. x. 2. f I bear them record, that they have a TjfA of God, hut not according /o Knowledge. EAL, (in the ufual Acceptation, of the Word, and as it may be underftood in moft Places of Scripture,) is a great and Sincere Concern of the Mind for any Thing. And a Zeal of God, is a fervent Concern of the Mind, founded upon a Religious Principle ; a Concern for fomething which a Man thinks of Importance to the Honour, or Worfiiip, of God. But the true Notion of Religion^ and of the Honour of God, has been fo little known in the World ; and Superftitious and fond Opinions about his Will, and his Worfliip, have taken fuch Root in the Hearts of Man- kind, 3ER M. XI. 2o8 Of IL'i.k'L not acco rding SERMjkind, and been propagated fo from Age to XI. Age j that the Z^(2/ commonly obferved in the World, has been of more Prejudice to true Religion^ and the Honour oi God ^ than the great- eft Indifference and Coldnefs could have been. So ready human Nature has always been to miftake, in fuch weighty Matters ; and to turn the Virtues and Duties of Religion into Vices, by their Mifund^^rftandings, and the un- due Management of their Paflions. A Zeal of God is, in itfelf, a reafonable and Icommendable Thing. But when Men miftake in the firft Principles, and great Fundamentals of Religion ; and fix upon the Deity whom they worfhip Such Attributes and Qualities as are agreeable to their ov/n Fancies or Inclinati- ons J all that they ad is cut of the right Way : and their Zeal degenerates into a fuperftitious Fury, and a mere Madnefsj being not guided by Reafon, nor built upon a true Underftandingof the Nature of Religion. Thus St. Paul ob- ferves, in the Text, that the Jews, even whilft they rejected and perfecuted Chrijlianity, and adhered to Juftification by their own Law, had a Reli2:ioas Zeal: but He obferves, alio, that it was not according to Knowledge ; not accompa- nied with Underftanding, or built upon a right Apprehenfion of Matters, And / ance, or Maik, of Zeal for his Name. That religious Zeal, v/hich alone Pie can • look upon with Dehght, muflbe founded upon an inward Senfe of the Importance of Religion. But if there be all the Outfide and Pomp of Zeal imaginable; and this be founded upon mere worldly Confiderations, and be exprelTed only to carry forward fome temporal End 3 it is abfurd to think, that God can approve of it ; or to Knowled ge7 215 or that this is luch a Religious Zeal, as it be- ^erm. comes an underftanding Creature to have. Adions materially good and pralfe- worthy, (^'''VN; are rendered vicious and evil by the Motives that give the firfl Spring to them. From whence it follows, that, though a Zeal for Go^andKe- ligion, be, in itfelf, worthy of Commendation and Reward; yet, when it is built upon Conli- derations taken from this World only, and not up- j on a due Senfe of Religion heartily embraced with- in, it becomes a vicious Zeal^ a Zeal unacceptable to God ; as it is not only not according to Know- ledge^ but abfolutely inconfiftent with it. Thus have lende.i^^oured to fhew, when it is, that a Reli- gious Zeal m:^y be faid to be not according to Know* ' ledge : which was the Firji Thing I propofed. j But, before I proceed any farther, I defire to | put in a Caution^ That I would not be under- 1 ftood, by any Thing I have faid, under this firfl; Head, to intimate That a great Regard was | not due to Thofe Performances appointed by our Lord, in his Religion, which, compared with ! Some Others, may juftly be efteemed of lefs\ Importance. For I know Who has faid, 'Tbefe \ Te ought to do, and not to leave the Others j undone. But what I have ofFeied on this Sub- | jed, I intended to this Purpofe, that We fliould; not fix our Zeal upon thefe lefjer Mat- | ters, more than upon Thofe which God liim-'| P4 iclf:! T '2i6 Of 7.E AL not accordi7ig "«"£ R w. ielf ha?"vvTtH"a greater Concern recommended to XI. us; and that Vv^e fhould, much lefs, difcover a greater Zeal about the Ditterences in Opinion and Woriliip, amongfi; Chriftians^ not plainly deter- mined in the Gofpel^ than for the more im.por- tant Duties exprefsly commanded in it : for this is, certainly, a Zeal not according to Knowledge, When the Duty of Sacrifice, under the Law, came in Competition with the Duty of Charity and Mercy, our Lord himfelf obferved, out of one of the Prophets, that God required Mercy, and not Sacrijice. And {o, when any Moral Duty comes in Competition u'ith an in- flituted Rite, we know, by this Rule, (con- firmed by our bleffed Lord,) which is to give Place. 'This Preference fhews that the One i?, cf itfelf, of greater Value j and therefore, Rea- fon will diredt us to have mere Zeal for it. So likewife, it is certainly lawful for Us to be concerned for any Practice, Opinion, or Notion, relating to Religion, v\^hich we ourfelves think True, and of Importance ; and to fliew this Concern by all Chrifcian Methods -, nay, to en- deavour to convince Others of the Reafonable- nefs of complying with it. But it is a wretched Abfurdity to make the Obligation to this Com- pliance, of equallmportance to Mankind, with their Obligation to Righteoufnefs and Holinefs ; and much more So, to fliew a greater Heat and Concern JoKN-OJI L.E D G E. Concern, in order to make Men all of on7 Mind, and one Opinion, than in order to make Them holy, and juH, and charitable. Having juft mentioned this Caution^ I now proceed to the next Thing I propofed j which was, II. To lay down the bed Rule I can, for regu- lating; our Relhious Zeal. This is certain, that it is our Duty to have a Zeal for God, and for Religio?i. But it is our Duty alfo, as certainly, to take efFedual Care that it be a Zeal according to Knowledge-, left otherwife it (hould flame out, to the Preju- dice and Difhonour of Religion itfelf, and of that God in whofe Service it pretends to burn. The Beft and only Rule, I can think of, is, that we mult take all poiTible Care to fix in our Minds juft and true Notions of the Nature of OoD, and of the great Defign of Chrijiianity. For, as the fundamental Error of Men, in this important Matter, has been the forming to Themfelves the falfed Notions of the Nature of Almighty God, and of the End of the Gofpel itfelfi and, as this Error has given the fad Oc- cafion to all their Madnefs, under the Covert of a godly Zeal : So, the Rule I have mentioned mufl be the moft proper to prevent, or cure, this great £"j//. When Men have been fo foolifli, as io ima- gine that God is pleafed, and ferved, and wor- ^ . ^ iliiped. ai7— ) E R M. XI. 2l8 XI. s E R M .; : h iped , as He ' trifling Of Zeal ;/^/ according^ to be, by little nay, ought ai id -t:-:-: Ceremonies; nay, by abfurd Rites, ^^y^\r^ and ridiculous Offices of Devotion ; (as many have brought themfelves to think,) Theynatu- ; rally lay out all their Strength, and employ all : the Sent of their Minds, to eftablifh and propagate I thefe ; and flick not, at lalf, to deftroy All that lifland in the Way of their Fancies. Indeed, the chief Agents of this Sort, in the World, are, I believe, too wife to be perfuaded themfelves of the Truth of what they pretend to Others. But \ T[\zx\y^ who ferve under them, in the Profecu- tion of their Ends, think that all they are doing, let it be never fo bad, is neceffiry for the Ho- nour and Service of Almighty God, and his true Religion ; and therefore, lawful. But if we would not Ourfelves be of the Number of Thofe whofe Zeal is a Dillionour to God ; v^^e muft take Care to know what that God is, whom we ferve; what his Nature and Attributes are ; what his Will and Pleafure is; and what the End of his making Mankind capable of regarding it, and living according to it. Nothing can be of more Service to us, in the Matter now before Us, than This, which I am now recommending to you. Suppofing, what iscertain, that We fliall find, upon Inquiry, that God, the great Lord whofe Servants we are, is ' a God of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity ; ^ that j^nr- '^■- "* to Kn.QW-XBPG^' 2IQ that He is merciful, juft, and holy, to an in-'tERM. finite Degree i that he cannot hate any of his xi. Creatures i that he widies, and defigns their ixVNJ Happinefs ; that he made them to know, and| worship, and ferve Him, in the Pradice of all- Virtue ; that he reveled his Will to them, by hisi Son, in order to teach them more efFeclaally to live foberly, righteoufly and godly, in this pre- fent World; and by This to bring them to all Happinefs in another, and better State : Suppo- fing, I fay, a ferious Perfon made truly fenfible of this ; Is it poffible for him to think of honour-' ing God any otherwife, than by the Pradlice of" what he knows to be pleafing to him ? Or, to pur- fue any thing in the whole World, with a Zeal comparable to That, with which he preffes after i what He knows to be the Will of that God ? ,' Can fuch a Man ever fuffer himfeif to tranfgrefs ! the plain Laws of God, in order to promote his.' Honour? to be cruel and barbarous, in order to^ carry forward the Glory of his merciful Fa- ther^, to be unju (land uncharitable, to (hew his; Zeal for the God of all Right, and the Father: of all Mercies? Or, to be ill-natured to all the, World about him, in order to propagate the mofl peaceable and befc-natured Inftitution in. the World? I hope, as far as the Nature of the Thing it-; felfcan go, I may be jaftified in anfwering. That iio Of Zeal not accordm o Is E RM 'That fiich a Conduit is next to impoflibre. H^j XI. who fincerely inquires into the Attributes of Al- \iy\^Sn. mighty God, cannot eafily fuffer himfelf to ad: any thing contrary to that Nature and thofe Attributes. He, who ferioufly looks into the Chriftian Religion, will not eafily think that any Thing, which contradicts the very Defign of that Religion, can be acceptable to Him who inflltuted it. He^ who fees how great a Strefs is laid in the Gojpel, upon Holinefs, and Mer- cy, and Peace, can never be induced, under Pretenfe of the Flonour of Ckriji, or his Church, to difregard the Pradlice of thefe, even for one Day. Nor can He, Who ever once thought in earned: about Religion, be brought to ima- gine it to be a praifeworthy Pradice to fervethe Caufe of it by vicious and immoral Adions. There is nothing therefore, more likely to fix our Zeal upon its true Objed; and to fix it in the greateft Degree upon what moll deferves it ; to keep it from difcovering itfeif in all Methods difapproved and condemned by Religion ; and to redify the Principles and Motives which give Life to it ; than the Study of the Nature of God, and the Defign of CJoriJiiaiiity. I hope, upon the whole, 1 may conclude. That, if Men would fludy the Book of Renfoji, and the Gof- pelof Chrijiy ferioufly. They could not pofiibly entertain, or fliew forth, any Religious Zeal, but what -I-- Jt -i /(? Kno.w.ledg.e,. what is according to KfiowleJge. proceed, I fliall now 211 III. To offer fome Motives, in order to our avoiding fuch a Religious Zeal^ as is ?iot accordijzg to Knowledge, And to excite us to the well- regulatingour Religious Zeal ^ it will be very pro- per to confider, I. The Reafonablenefs, and excellent Ufeful- nefs, of Religious Zeal^ when it is duely regu- lated. It is not left to our Choice, whether we will have a Zeal for God, and Religion^ or not ; but it is our Duty to form and nourifh it in our- felves : and fuch a Duty as we cannot but prac- tice, and effedually compafs, if we heartily fet about it. To have a Zeal for God, is to have a warm and affediionate concern for a Being to whom we have innumerable Obligations ; who is the proper Objedt of all our Hopes, and De- lires, and Expectations ; and who has all poffible Claims to our whole Service. And to have a Zeal for the Subftantials of Religion^ is to have a great Regard for what defer ves it more than all other Things in the World ; for v/hat is truly pleafing to our Lord and Mafter, andean never beotherwife; for what is effenti- ally neceffary to the Happinefs of human So- ciety here below, and to our own eternal Re- ward hereafter. It SERM. XI. 222 ER M XI. Of Zeal not according It is juft and becoming, therefore, to have a Zeal^ and hearty Concern, for this great and important Bufinefs of Religion, And, to have this Zeal fo dire<5i:ed, as to purfue its End by none but proper and Religious Methods ; by Nothing but what Reafon and God himfelf recommend ; is, to confult the true Honour of Religion, and the Service of that God who requires it of Us. No Scandal is brought, by fuch a Conduct, upon our Profeffion : but eve- ry Mouth blelTes it. And then, to have this Zeal founded on the Motives of eternal Mo- ment, the Rewards of Heaven, and the Im- portance of Religion, and the Favour of God and Chrijij is to improve the Beauty and Lovelinefs of it yet more. There can be no Argument in the World, nor the leaft Sha- dow of an Objedion made, againft a Zeal, which has God, and the Prad:ice of Religion, for its Objeds j which regards ^hefe more than any Thing of leiTer Conlideration ; which difcovers itfelf only in the Ways and Methods recommended in the Gofpel ; and which works upon no other Principles but v^^hat the Gofpel approves of. But, on the contrary, 2. Let usconfider the Unreafonablenefs, and the pernicious Confcquences, of a Religious Zealy not well-regulated ; or, in the Apojlle's Words, not according to Knowledge, And to Knowledge. And here it is too obvious to Every Man's Obfervation, that Nothing has done more Mifchief, or produced more lamentable Ef- fed:s in the World, than this Sort of Zeal. It was this Zeal for the ceremonial Part of their Law, that kept the 'Jew^ from acknowledg- ing our Saviour ; nay, which induced Them to reject and crucify him. It was this Zeal for Mat- ters of ielTer Conlideration, which, in very ear- ly Days, difunited the Churches of Chriji from One Another ; and in thefe later Ages, keeps up, v/ith a fatal Heat, the Differences between the feveral Sorts of Dlfciples of Chriji^ in the World J and leads Chrijlians^ by degrees, to ad: againft their Fellow-Chriftians, with a Spirit of Fury^ and wicked Perfecution. It is this Zeal without Knowledge^ and theDifcovery of it in an undue and unchriftian Manner, which has pre- judiced many againft the very Name of Chrift -, and made the giad Tidings of Salvation a Scandal to Unbelievers. But though it appears (as we have feen it to be, in the firft Part of this Difcourfe,) fo unreafonable, in itfelf ; and has proved fo per- nicious to the Caufe of true Religion in the World ; Yet, it has always had a Multitude of Votaries^ who have loved and entertained it I'hefnfehes-y and who have abufed and perfecu- ted OtherSy who have not fliewn their Zeal in the 23 S E R M. ; ^^- \ 1 __22j^! _0f Zeal. 7tot acm^din^ SE R mJ the famefevere, and inhuman Methods. Nothing XI . I could be of worfeConfequence to the '^Jews^ than ^■''^""'^''^ this MW-Z'^i?/ for their Ceremonial Law : and yet Nothing was in more Repute amongft them. And They who had it not; They, who believed that Sacrifice was of lefi Value than Merc\\ or moral Duties of greater Moment than Ceremo- nies ; or the Salvation of the whole World of g;reater Concern than their Rites and Forms of Religion ; were accounted falfe and perfidious 5 treated with Contempt, expofed and affi-onted, excommunicated, and baniflied from Society. And They have been followed, in this Path of Uncharitablenefs, ever fince, in all Ages and Countries, by Such as have followed them in their Zeal not ■ according to Knowledge. But, One of the Worfi Confequences of this, I muft not omit ; becaufe it is to be found where- ver this blind Zeal is, even in the lowed De- gree ; That it naturally brings in, wherever it is univerfaily embraced, an univerfal Neg- lect of the great and fubftantial Parts of Vrac- tical Religion. For when Men's Thoughts and Hearts are taken up with the Shadows of Things, and all their Heat and Vigour fpent upon thefe; They have no Time, or Zeal, left for the greater Matters of the Go/pel. Nay, it is often feen, that, when They are mofl pofleffed with a Zeal for loX NOWLEDG E. ,^^^„ ^i? 5 •for the lelTer Matters and Appendages of Rell-lsE r m. gion, They are mod of all apt to forget the fa- ' xi. cred Laws of Pradlce, and to tranfgrefs the ^^'V^J Rules laid down in that very Religion which, they think They are propagating. There cannot be any Co?2fideration of more V/eight with Chrijiiamy in the prefent Cafe, than This, That liDhere the greateft Heat and Concern are exprelTed about the infigni- ficant Circumftances of Religion, there the ejfential Parts of it are feen moft to be negleded, in the Lives, and whole Behaviour, of the ProfeiTors of it. What Chrijlia?i will not be moved to difcourage, and put what Check He can, to a Fire, which may, too probably, burn to the Deftrudion of all that is valuable in that Religion itfeif, in whofe Caufe alone it pretends to burn? It is, I confefsj a melancholy Conlideration, that fome of the befl: ^lalities and Jjffcdfiom of the Mind, fo eafily degenerate into accurfed and wicked Paffions ; and tend, in their Corruption, to the Ruine of the befl: and moft imoortant Things in the World. But this fhould e.xcite our moft ferious Confideration ; and induce us to make the great Strokes of Tradlical Religion xhQ c\nti ObjeSfs oi oViV Zeal', and to refolve to fliew this Zeal by Thofe Methods only, Q^ which 226 SeR M. xr. Of Zeal not accord i7ig^ 8cc. which the Gofpel recommends to Us, as much as it doth this Zeal itfelf. And then, We may be fecure from failing under the Cenfure of the Apoftle, in the Text, o^ having a TieaXnof according to Knowledge j and not only of This, but of pleafing Almighty God, by placing our Zeal where it ought to be placed ; by regulat- ing it agreeably to his Nature and Perfedions : And fo, at laft, may inherit the Reward of •that Faith and Obedience, which we have not defiled by a falfe, ra(h, and wicked, Zeal-, or by pretending to carry forward the Flonour of God, by fuch Methods as He himfelf abhors. T!he ..-JU 'TJoe Impojftbility of fe7'vt7tg God a7id Mammon. ^ SERMON XII. Luke xvi. 13. iVb Servant can ferve iivo Majiers: for either He will hate the one^ and love the other j or elfe He will hold to the one, and defpife the other. Te cannot ferve God and M a m- M ON. IN thefe Words our Blejfed Lord fuppofes, ^ e R m. and reprefents, all A'Icti who have it in xii. their Power to come to the Knowledge jU'^VN^ of the Supreme God, as tied and bound to Him, in the Relation of Servants. This being the Suppofition J in order to convince his Follow- ers of the great Unreafonablenefs of pretending to be the Servajits of God, and yet to be the Servants, together with Him, of an oppofite Q^ 2 Mafler, 22^ lUclnipoJfihiUty of Se RM. Mafterj Slaves to the Riches, or Grandeur, of XI I- //Vi World j Our Lord ufeth an Illuflratioii ^•'^^'^ taken from common Life. No Servant amongil Men ca72 pcffihly ferve Hvo Majlers, that is, tijoo Majien, with different and oppofite Wills j *t>f contrary Ternpers, and contrary Refolutions. For it will be either thus, that the Servant will have a much greater inward Affection, and Kindnefs,foro;?t'of them than for the other : Or, fuppofing that He can inwardly love them both equally ; yet the Nature of their Com- mands, and feparate Interefts, is fuch, that He muft often, whiift He is obeying the one, or holding to the one, as the Text expreffeth it, defpife^ that is, neglcB the Commands of the Other. The jirfi Affirmation is, that He can- not be fuppofed to love them both equally, fo as to be attached to their Interefts equally in his inward Affedion, and Inclination : the fe^ cond Affirmation is, that, fuppofing him to love them both equally, yet, in the Execution of their contrary Com.mands, He muft una- voidably negkB, or defpife^ the one, whilfl: He holds to^ or obeys, the other. From this Inflance.of 2i' Servant amongfi: Men, pretending invain to ferve two Majiers, oppofite in their Interefts, and their Wills, Our Lord argues, and affures his Followers, That it is fo, with efpedl to God, and Riches ^ here reprefented as a Pcrfcn^ Jervi7ig G o D a7td Mammon. 229 a Perfon, or falfe God, fet up as a MaJIer, in s er?/i, Oppofition to the true God. Ye cannot ferve xii. the true God, and Mammon ; that Is, RicheSy or ^y\r\i the imaginary God of Wealth. If you would now fee the Force of our ■"Lord's Argument, extended, as it ought to be, to other Points, as well as Riches -, it may be ! comprehended in thefe three Propolitions. '* You are ail obliged by the ftrongellTies, and the 'rnoft unanfwerable Reafons, to be faithful and iincere Servartts of the true God, to whom You owe Yourfeives, and all you have, and all You can hope for." Now, as it is impoffi- ble, amongft Men, for a Servant to ferve two\ oppofite Mafters, either affediunately, or faith- 1 fully J fo, it is impoffible for 7^oii to be the 6"^^-! vantso^ the fidiitious God of this World, and to ' ferve the true Gc<^ faithfully, at the fame Time. I ** Therefore, you are obliged, if you would ferve God, as you ought, to renounce to the I Service of every other Majier, oppofite to I him, in Interefl, and in Will." From the Text, thus explained, I Oiall take occaiion to dif- courfe of feveral Particulars, not foreign to the plain Defign of the Words j nor ufelefs to Chrijtians of thefe later Ages. I. I fliall oblerve that many Perfons, who Ijave naturally good Dlfpofitions, and, frequent- ly holy and warm Refolutions, pleafe themfelves 0^3 with 233 'The Impojjlbility of SERiv^.with dividing their Services between God, XII. and Something oppolite to Him ; and enter- ^VN^tain a foolilli Opinion that this Condud: is a fe- cure way to his Favour. II. I fhall obferve to you how unreafonable, and how ufelefs, this Divifion of their Ser- vice is ; and how ill-grounded and vain, all their Hopes are, which are founded upon fuch a Service. III. I fhall endeavour to diiTuade you from all fuch Service to Any thing in this World, as will make it impoffible for you to perform the Service that is indifpenfably due to God. And, . IV. I fhall conclude with a proper Applica- tion, concerning the Reafonablenefs, the Ho- nour, the Advantage, and true Glory, of that Service which we owe to Almighty God. 1. 1 fhall obferve, that many Perfons, who have good Difpoiitions, and frequently holy and warm Refolutions, often pleafe Themfelves with di- viding their Services between God^ and fome- thing oppofite to Him ; and entertain a foolifh Opinion that, by thus halving their Behavi- our, They are in a fecure Way, and truly his Servants. For it being fo, that Religion hath been taught them, and the plain Doc- trines Jervlng God and Mammon. 231 trines of it inculcated upon them from their Chirdhood j and That, notwithftanding all the Allurements, or Terrors, of the World, Virtue hath ftill its peculiar Attractions, and Advantages ; and that the Profpedl, or even Sufpicion, of God's Anger and future Punifh- ment, is very terrible, and to fome Minds in- tolerable: Thefe Things, I fay, being fo; many Perfons find it impoffible to root out of their Minds all Regard to Keligion. They ex- perience a Reluctance in their Confciences, when they attempt itj and this Relu(5tance gives them fo much Uneafinefs, as rather de- termines them to fet about fome Fart of the Work of Religion^ than to negle(5t the Whole, They cannot bear the Thoughts of being to- tally caft off by Almighty God ; and of for- feiting all poffible Title to Heaven and Hap- pinefs ; and of incurring certainly his Wrath and Difpleafure. Thefe Things they cannot think of with any Eafe ; nor can they bring their Confciences to fit down quiet under the Apprehenfion of them. But then, on the other hand, perhaps their natural Inclination leads them flrongly to fome particular Vice, or other : Perhaps Cuftom has improved this Inclination, before they were enough aware of it : Perhaps, it brings them in a great deal of prefent Profit^ and Achajitage ; 0^4 or SER M. XII. 232 ER M. XII. 7%g Impoljlbility of or it procures them a great deal oiFleafure j or Honour, and Pomp, may attend upon it. ^-/^^^ Thefe Things are fo entertaining, and be- witching, to fome particular Minds, and Tem- pers, that Men are not able to bear the Thought of parting, effeaually and entirely, v/ith what procures them fo much prefent SatisfacTtion. When their Minds are employed upon the Ex- cellency and Beauty of Religion, and the good Confequcnces of ferving God truly j and are a little at Leifure from the clofe^ Attacks of any thing of this World j then perhaps, they may come to a Refolution of forfakin? all for God, and a good Ccnfcience ; and be vain enough to think that Nothing fl^.all move them from fuch Refolutions. But w^hen the Seafon of T^rial comes again ; and the Temptation pre- fents itfelf to Them, in all its Force : They begin to think more favourably of the Matter 5 and to imagine it no mortal Crime, to be in- fluenced by it ; and to give Proofs, by their Weaknefs, that they are Men. This being their Cafe, between the Motions of Confcience, and God's Commands, on one hand, and theTemptations of Profit, or Pleafure, or Honour, on the other ; They at lafl: are feen to come, with Calmnefs and a Sort of Serenity of Mind, to divide themfelves between thh World and the other : between the true God, and the I Idol fervincr God and Mammon. Idol God of this State; and to procure themfelves a Sort of Eafe, by performing Part of that Service which they owe to Almighty God, (and This, to be fare, will be the Part that They them- felves happen to like befl) v/hiUt at the fame Time they never lofe the View of what they propofe to themfelves in this vain World. All indeed do not give up themfelves to the fame Maflers. Some you may fee purfuing Pleafure to an immoderate Degree ; others, am- bitious beyond all Bounds; others, bufying themfelves in amaffing Heaps of ufelefs Wealth : and very many of thefe, in their Intervals, ap- pearing before God, in publick Worfhip ; calling themfelves his Servants, and perhaps really thinking that they are fo. But II. I come now to obferve to you how un- reafonable, and how ufelefs, this Divijioti of their Service is : and how ill-grounded, and vain, all their Hopes are, which are founded up- on fuch a Service. And this will appear moft evidendy by con- fidering, what the true Service of God is; and how much of our Hearts and Time it muft unavoidably require. The great Miftake of Men feems to lye in their not knowing, or not attending to, the true Notion of God's Ser- vice. Were it fo indeed, that to ferve God were 234 TT^e Impojfibility of serm| were nothing but to fay our Prayers, to call XII. i him Mafter, to attend upon his Ordinances, l-^'V^ to bow before him, to Hft up our Hands and Eyes, to confefs our Sins, to beg his Bleffing, and to give him Thanks : were T/j/j, or the like, all that is implied in ferving God, then it is very certain that we might divide Our- felves, and give the World our Strength, and our Heart, and our Pradtlce, whilfl we ferve God (as fome call it) with our Lips, and our Bodies. We might then certainly go, from our Intemperance and our Luxury, to our Pray- ers and Praifes 5 we might come frefli from cheating our Neighbours, and fall low before the Fpotftool of our Mafter; we might come from our Hoards of ill-gotten Pofleffions, and be as loud, as the beft of our Neighbours, in calling God our Father, in profeffing our Faith in him, and laying Ourfelves before the Throne of his Mercy. But this Notion mufl be rooted out of Men's Minds. This is what God complained of, under' the y^'Z£;//Z? Difpenfation. I'his People draweth nigh to Me with their LipSj but their Heart is far from Me, You fee, the Worji amongft that wicked and corrupted Generation of Men, in which our Saviour appeared, put on the greateft Shew of Zeal for God and his Service, Who fuch Zealots as l^hey, to pay tithes 3 ferving God a7^d Mam mon. 235 I'ithes'y to fajl \ to pray ; and to do ma?2y other Things which belonged to their Religion f But what was this ? or to what Purpofe ? Their Pra(flice, their Hearts (which are difcovered by Prad:ice) were all another Way. Mam- 7non was their true Mafter ; becaufe lHoey were his true Servants, The Service they did to Sin was vilible. The World about them felt the EfFedts of it : whilfl: they called that Form oi Religion^ the Service of God, which He afTur- ed them He abhorred and deteftcd, when it was feparated from that practical Service which He indifpenfably required. For what is it, in which the Service of any Mafter upon Earth confifts ? Is it in the calling Hiniy our Majler -^ or Our/elves ^ his Servant s"^ Is it in a formal Attendance upon him, to re- ceive his Commands, or merely to know his Pieafure ? Is it a bare confeffing of Ourfelves guilty of tranfgreffing his Will, and in a daily returning to afk his Pardon ? Will any Majier upon Earth acknowledge this to be Service f' or, will any Majier value, or regard a Man who be- haves himfelf thus, as his Servant^ Offer it now to any Man, and fee if He vsrill accept of fuch Mock-Service, as this. If I be a Maf- ter , faith God, by his Prophet, where is my Ser- .vice? i. e. If I ht your Mafter, as you pretend to call me, pay me the Service due to a Maf- ter : E R M, XII. "ihe ImpoJJibility of ■.236 SE R ^: ./^r ; Behave yourfelves as that Relation, which :ii. you pretend to be between us, enjoins and de- ^--'"W mands. It is the Part of a Servant to regard the In- terefl of his Mailer, as his ovv^n Intereft 3 to confult the Honour of his Mafter, as his own Honour 5 and principally, which is the only Thing to judge by, to look upon his Mailer's Will, as far as a Mailer's Authority reacheth, as the Guide and Rule of his Adions. Now, if We apply this to Almighty God, and that Relation we iland in to Him, as Servants ; we fhall prefently fee how far the Service we owe him reacheth ; how much of our Time, and how much of our Hearts, it muil of neceility take up. The Inter eji of our great Majier muil be eileemed by Us, as our own Intereil:. Now, the Intereil of our Majier can be No- thing, but the Encreafe of all that He approves of 5 and the Addition of as many Perfons as poiHble, to his true Service. Our great Maf- ters Ho?20uris what we are obliged, as Servants, to confult and regard. And this lies likewife, in the Likenefs of all underilanding Natures to his moral Perfedions ; and in the advancing, as much as poiTible, the State of trije Virtue in the World. And, what comprehends all, our great Majier' s Will muil be made the Rule of all our Adions : for They are but indiiferent fervlng Go d and Ma m m o n» indifferent Servants indeed, who do not pay a conflant and ftrid: regard to the Will of their Majiers. Now, the Will of God is every Com- mand that he hath made known to Us, whe- ther by the Law of Nature, which is his Voice; or by the Law of Revelation, which is an open Confirmation of that firfl Law. From hence, therefore, it appears that, un- der the Service of God, is comprehended the whole Sy/Iem of moral Virtues, as well as all the external Ad:s of Devotion and Worfliip. A Part of that Service, which we owe to him, is indeed, external Adoration ; the Prayers, and Praifes, of our Lips ; and all the Expreffions of Dependence upon H/w, and univerfal Love I to Others, which become fuch Creatures as we are. But this is but one Part of his Service ; however it may have come to be called, in ge- neral, by that Name. Nay, if it do not proceed from the Heart and Soul ; if the Mind and Thoughts do not lincerely accompany it, and diredt it all, with due AfFcdions and Sentiments, to Him j it is indeed no Part of his Service ; but only fo many Words pronounced, without Meaning ; and fo many Sounds, muttered over for Forms Sake, without any Effedt either upon Him, or Ourfelves. Nay, and fuppofing the Heart and Soul to go along with Us in thefe outward Exercifes of our T^e-//]^/;?;/ ;. fuppofing Us E R M. XII. 237 238 S ERM XII. li^he Impoffibil hy of Us to be fincere in this Part of God's Service', and to confefs, and pray, and praife, and in- tercede, with all the prefent Afredlion that becomes the Attendance of fuch Servaitts. upon fuch a Majler : yet, when this is done, This is but a Fart of his Service. There remains behind a large Field of Vir- tue. ^e7?7perance, and a Command of Our- felves, and all our Appetites ; Charity ^ or an unbounded Love to all the intelligent Creation ; yujlicej or a ftrid Regard to the Dues and Rights of all Mankind about us ; Forgivenefs of the greateft, and moft provoking Injuries, that can be offered us -, Fatience^ under all the Evils of Pain, Sicknefs, Lofs, Difappoint- ment, that come upon us by the Providence of our Mafter ; and Contentment in every Sta- tion, to which he is pleafed to confine Us ; in a word, fuch a Behaviour and Conduct, in that Pofl in which our great Majier placeth us, as becomes us, as Servants, and as is required by the Nature of it, whatever it be. All may be comprehended in the two great Command- ments, of lovi?tg the Lord our God with all our Heart, and all our Mind, and all our Soid, and all our Strength : and of loving our Neighbours as Ourf elves : or may be fummed up in St. Paul's comprehenfive Expreffion of living foberly with Refped: to ourfelves -, j-ighteoujly, with Refped: to fervmgGoT) and Mammon. 239 to our Neighbour j and godlily^ with Refpedl 5 e r m. to Almighty God, in this World. xir. This being then the Talk of God's Servants ',ly^V^^ this being the Work which every one hath to do, that hath given up his Name to Him ; I tell me now. Is there any room for other Maf- i ters, oppofite or contrary to Him ? Can any j Man love God with all his Heart, and yet love any Enemy to God vv^ith the leaft Degree of his Affedion ; or the leafl Part of his Heart ? Can any Man, who hath fuch a Talk marked out for him j fo many Virtues to excel in ; fo many good Habits to implant in himfelf j fo many good Actions to fill up every Moment of his Time j fo ftrid: a Regard to pay to the Ho- nour of his great Mafter, and the Commands of fuch a Lord : Can any Man, I fay, in thefe Circumftances, find any Opportunity, or the leaft Interval of Time, for the Service of other C072trary Mafter s ; fuch, I mean, as direct Him to any Inftances of that Sin, which is as op- pofite to the Will of God, as Darknefs is to Light ? It is evident indeed, from the Nature of the Thing itfelf, that, in whatfoever Point we decline from his Service, we ceafe to ferve him ; and that, as foon as we are drawn to Si?j, we are .10 longer the Servants of God, but of his E?2emy. For knew ye not, faith the Apoftle, that to who??! Te yield your f elves Ser- vants 1_M24 "The Impoffthiliiy of V* se R mI 'oants to cbey, his Sefuants ye are, to ivhom Yc j XII. obey. And confequently, If You obey the ^'^'V^^ Commands of God, You are the Servants of God : But if You obey Thofe of Sij2j You are the Servants of Sin j and have departedj from the Service of God. And the Service of God being the Pradice of all Right eoufnefs, in every Inilance equally ; it is impoffible that You fhould at the fame Time be the Servants of God, and yet tranfgrefs Any of the Rules of that Righteoiifnefs. How vain therefore, and groundlefs, are the Hopes of Thofe, who pretend to divide them- felves, and their Services, between God, and this World j between Duty to this fupreme Maf- ter, and any Sort oi Vice -, They themfeives I may fee, by confidering ferioufly what the I Service of God is : Not a Prayer, or a Tear, or an Adi of Devotion ; but a continued ^enor of good Works ; a Progrefs and Improvement in all Virtue. This is a Service, which ad- mits of no Remiffion of Care and Diligence ; and which can brook no Rival. And there- fore, the Man, whenever this is negleded, or broken into, immediately ceafeth to be the Servant of that God, whocannot be truly ferved, unlefs He be ferved with the whole Heart. The Reafonablenefs of what hath been faid * under „. fervlng God and M a m m o n. this Head is fo manifeft, that k will make Way for what I next propofed 3 Which was III. To difTuade you from any fuch Service to Mammon, /'. e. Riches, or any other Thing, or Perfon, in the Univerfe, as will make it impoflible for you to perform that Service which is indifpenfably due to God. For, it having appeared plainly, that it is impoflible to ferve, or obey, any Two Contrary and Op- pofite Mailers ; and confequently, impoflible for the fame Man^ to be the Servant of Mam^ mon, and of God ; the only Queflilon is, Which of the two oppofite Majlers, who contend for his Service y He fliall chufe for his Lord and Diredor : whether the True God, or the falfe Gods of this World, Pleafure, Profit, or Ho~ nour^ that fet themfelves up againfl: his Right, and in Oppofition to his Will : for One or Other of thefe, He muft chufe. Now, there is this, at firfl: Thought, to be faid of the Service of God, that the greatefl: Part of Thofe who are truly the Servants of Mammon^ or fome other evil Principle, know not how to throw off all Regard to their right- ful Mafter -, but even, whilft they zxt ferving his 'Enemy truly, would gladly ever now and then, return to the Service of God, in fome Infl:ances, or other. By this They themfelves give a remarkable Teilimony that R Almighty ERM, XII. 241 242 The Imp o[jlbilit''f 6f^' SE R M.ii\lmighty God hath a lafcing, true, and cer- XII. tain, Title to their 6'^r^7V^; whilft They can- not be eafy in their Minds, without paying him Jome Sort of Ser'vice. On the other hand, all that the greatefl Votaries of this World can fay for that lincere Service they pay to their ether Mailers, is, that Inclination I ftrongly leads them to it j that they hope it is - j not fo bad as it feems to be ; and that they de- j fign ftill, one time or other, to have due Re- gard to the Ser'vice of God,, their true, and rightful Mafter. But how long will fuch Pretenfes fatisfy reafonable Creatures ? Only long enough, to ferve to make them mifera- ble, when they come to fee, too late, the Un- happinefs of that Service, in which they have engaged themfelves. For this is the Cafe. Almighty God hath fuch a right to your Services, that is, to your Obedience to all his Laws, that, in the midft of your ferving other Maflers, you are forced often to recurr to his Service, and to pretend to pay him fome Sort of Obedience. Now, you have feen that this interrupted Obedience, this Half-duty, which is only fo much as your other Lords, your Lufts and Paflions, your Co- vetoufnefs, or Luxury, will permit you to pay Him, is not truly his Service; and that you cannot pretend, by fuch a limited and broken Obedience, "— '- Jerv'm^- Ci o D m id M a m m o N. :_?43_ Obedience, to prove yourfelves his 6'^ri;j;z/J. js e R M, Would you, therefore, be his Servants, fo asj xii. to have that Reward which He hath promifed to his true and fliithful Se?'va?:ts f There is an abfolute Neceffity that you fliould immediate- ly come out of the Chains of other contrary Lords ; that you fliould break their Fetters ; and renounce every Decrree of that Service^ which Mammcpiy or any Sort of evil Principle, j requires of you. For God's Service cannot be j his true Service, unlels it be perfedly free from j all fuch Regard to any thing elfe in the World, ; as is inconfillent with your conftant Regard ! to all His Laws. His Service never can be j eafy to Yourfelves within, till You have thus got | rid of all the Influences of impetuous Inclina- tion to the Service of all contrary Majiers : nor can it be ever pleafing to Him, till it is that uniform, fmcere, unmixed, Obedience, which He hath a right to, by all pofTible Titles. On the other hand, confider what Title, what Right, any other Thing in the World, oppofite to Him, hath to our Regsrds. What do we owe to them ? Are they the firfl Cau- fes of our Beings ? Are they the primary Oc- cafions of our Happinefs ? Will they, at the End, ftand us in ftead, againfl: the Attacks of Adveriity here, or the Difpleafure of an offend- ed God hereafter ? Are they flable, unmovea- R 2 ble. 244 "The Impojjibilky of 3le, certain, nnHiaken, Goods? or, Are we bertain of always having them for our Com- forts and Supports ? or, Are they not rather, vain, imaginary, moveable, and tranlitory [Things; and we ourfelves, hafting away with never ceafing Pace ; till all Correfpondence ith them is entirely interrupted, never to be renewed again ? And are fuch Things as Thefe, t to be chofen for our Majlers ? or, Are we jof that Nature, as that it can become Us to imake ourfelves their Servants ? By no Means : {God, and Reafon reclaim Us from all Ap- jproaches to fuch a Service-, God, and Rea- jfon, which are to Us infinitely more than all the World befides. If therefore we would have God for our Friend^ we muft chufe him firft for our Maf- ter; and his Laws for the Rules of our Ser- vice, And if we would have our own Rea- fon, and Confcience, at Peace v/ith Us ; we mufl a(ft the Part to which they dired: : and that Part is ever the Service of that God, to whom we ov/e ourfelves. Whatever hinders us from a conftant Application of ourfelves to that Service ; whatever oppofeth us in it, or would draw us off from it, is to be difregard- ed, and caft from us with Courage and Con- flancy. And, it being certain that the Service of Sin, is utterly inconfiflent with the Service I of Tervih^ God and M a mm on. MI— oFGod^ it is certain, that if we would ferve serm," God, as we ought, in Duty and Intereft, to \ xii. do 5 We muft firft fhake off all Regard to his ^'^^^ Enemy J we muft, if we think of being his Servants^ unto all Righteoufnefs, fliake off that Toke of Servitude which other Majlcn would impofe upon us. And if we be truly willing to do this, there will remain Nothing to hinder us from giving up ourfelves to the true Service of God. IV. To this I fhall now endeavour to per- fuade you, and fo conclude. His Title, or Right, to this Service, is indifputable. He hath created us what we are. We owe to him all we have, and all we can ever enjoy ; and the very PolTibility of enjoying any thing. He hath bought us again into his PofTeffion, by the Life and Death of his Son. To him we owe this frefti, and greater, Opportunity of mak- ing ourfelves happy in his Service. And, how can we deny a Service due on fo many, and fo excellent. Accounts ? The Rules of his Ser- vice are his Laws., by which He governs us, and to vv'hich he requires our Obedience. And thefe are ReafoHy and Light ; the Tranfcripts of his own moral Ferfediiom, which conftitute his own Happinefs. They are the Dictates of eternal Truth y and every Step we take in the R 3 Paths 2.46 l^he hnpoJfibUhy of , T SERM^Paths of them, brings Peace and Joy along XII. [with it: in which they entirely differ from (•"V^i the Laws of every other firif id Principle, that would draw- us afide from them. The Rewards of this Service (for v^t ferve not God for nought) are unexpreffible. The frefent Reward is all that inward Satisfa(5lion which a well difpofed Mind can take, in the Confcioufnefs of a good and reafonable Condud ; and the Thought of having God's Approba- tion. T'^t future Reward, after the Service is over, is all the Happinefs of God's Prefence, or, of thofe more immediate Comimunications of his Love, and Favour, which he hath pro- mifed- to all his faithful Ser'vajits. In the Scrips tiire-Siyle^ by being his Servants^ they become his So72s ', and, by being his So72s^ they are adopt- ed into the Inheritance of the Saints in Glory. What is it now, I pray, that can come in Competition with this Reafonable Service? Can uncertain Riches^ or empty Honour^ or infatiable Luxury, pretend to any thing like this ? What Title can they fliew to the Ser- vices They claim ? or, what can they produce in Favour of their own Right? Can they fpeak Peace and Satisfadion to the Mind within ? Are their Laws the equitable Laws of Reafon^ and obeyed with the Approbation of our Con- fciences ? or, will they entitle to any, the leafl: Reward J ^erving God and Mammon, 247 Reward hereafter ? What are their Laws^ indeed, ; ; e R m. but the hard Commands of Tyrants, accom- xii. panied by Difquiet, here, and ending in Un- lj/V\J happinefs and eternal Death, hereafter j flat- tering with Images of Pleafure, but leading to certain Pains? Here then let us ftop, and acknowledge that it is Almighty God alone, who can juftly claim Us, as his Servants ; He alone, who hath the Reward of our Services, in his Hand ; and hath Power to execute what his Goodnefs hath promlfed us ; and He, alone, therefore, who de- mands, and deferves, our whole Service. We cannot. We fee plainly, ferve Hiniy whilft we ferve other contrary Mqjlers. To him, there- fore, without Delay, without Referve, with- out Hypocrify, let us give up ourfelves, as true ServaJits ; and fl:iew ourfelves fuch, by our fin- cere, conftant, and uniform Obedience to all his holy Laws : that fo we may, at laft, with the good and faithful Servant in the 'Parable, enter into the 'Joy of our Lord. R 4 T:h The Ambition (j/'Christ's Difci- pies reproved. SERMON XIII. M ATT HEW XX. 26, 2J. "But itjhall not befo among ft you: but whofoever ivill be Great amo7igfi you^ let him be your] Minifter : a?2d whojoever will be Chief among Ji you 3 let him be your Servant. TH E Occafion of this LefTon of our ^ e r m. Lord's is particularly related in the xiii. Verfes immediately before thefe Words. T^he Mother of Zebe dee's Children , (viz. James and John^) being very defirous of fhev^^ing the great AfFedion {he had for Them, and her Zeal to promote their Intereft, came vv^ith Them to our Bleffed Lord^ whofe Difciples they vi^ere, and, vs^ith the proper Marks of Refpedt, let him know that Ihe had a certain "Thing to alk of Him. Our blelTed Lord, always inclined to grant to all his Follow- ers T'he A M B I T I O N of \ ers every Thing truly good for them, prefently ' afked her what Favour it u^as flie defired ? It . appeared by what followed that She was not content with the ordinary Marks of his Kindnefs, difpenfed to her Sons, in common with his other Apoilles ; but hoped for fome ! very extraordinary and lignal Token of his ; Love to her two Children ; Something that' fhe efteemed the greatefl Gift and Honour , they were capable of receiving from him. ' And this was, That, he being the Mejji- ahy and his glorious Kingdom being now to be opened (agreeably to her Expectation, and that of all the "Jew^) with the greatefl earthrly Glory, her two So?is ; might have the two principal Places in this Kwgdom ; and might fit, the one on his Right Hand, and the other on his Left, as his two greatefl Favorites, and chief Ofiicers. This was her Notion of Good and Happinefs j and according to That, ^his was her Petition. Our Lordj with the greatefl Goodnefs, turned himfelf to the two Apojiks, in whofe Name, and with whofe Confent this Pe- tition was made, and faid, Te know not ischat ye ajk : that is, you are not yet fen- fible what a Scene of Difficulties They mufl go through, who defire to be Great in my Kingdom 5 and what it is that is requifite to the making __ Ch R 1 s t's Dlfciples reproved. 251 -- making you the higheft amongfl my Favo- rites : Are ye able to drink of the Cup that I Jljall drink oj\ and to be baptized with the Bap- tifm that I a?n baptized with? You muft not exped; to arrive at any Dignity in ?jiy Kingdom^ without following my Steps.' And are You able to do as I, your Mafter, muft do j and to undergo what I m.ufl undergo, before I arrive at my own Glory ? The two DifcipleSy not knowing well what He meant, and being polTefTed of the Opinion that, let thefe Diji- cidties and Diflrejfes be what They would, His Kingdom would difplay itfelf, after their (hort Continuance, in all worldly Pomp, and ViBo- ry over all the Enemies of his People ; and ftill inflamed with the fame Defire of Power^ and Preeminence, anfviTred him with a great deal of Confidence, that They were able to follow him, and to drink of the fame Cup that he fhould drink of, whatever it fhould be. . Our Lord, well knowing that, in the midft of all their Ignorance, They had a lincere Zeal for Hiin, and his Service, and that they would be great Inflruments of good in his Church, faid unto Them, Te flmll, indeed, drink of my Cup ; that is, (if we fpeak more plainly than our Lord zt this Time defigned to fpeak,) Ye fhall, indeed, be perfecuted and afflifted, according to the Example of your Majlcri s E R M, XTII. 25 SERM. XHI. Ihe A M B I T I ON of Ma/Ier-j and go through' a Scene of Tuch TiKe' Difficulties as I myfelf muftj and, by this b-^VVlMeans, make yourfelves fit to be glorified in my Kingdom. But, fuppofing you thus to fol- low my Steps in this uneafy Way to Glory j yet, I'd Jit on my Right Hand and on my Left^ is not mine to give \ but it jl:all be given to I'hem, for whom it is prepared of my Father -, that is, the chief Places of Dignity ^ m my heavenly Kingdom, are not now, to be difpofed of, according to my arbitrary V/ill and Pleafure ; or to be given away any otherwife than as my Father has feen fit, in his perfedl and unerring Wifdom, to decree and order them. WJien the other T'en Apoilles heard v^hathad pafied betwixt Jefus, and the Tkvo Brethren and j their Mother j what T'hey had follicited, and how great their Ambition was ; They, as little knowing the Nature of their Majlers King- xdorUy as the other 'T^wo^ and as much defiring jthe great Foils and Honours in it, were very angry at the Requeft of fames and fohn, and very uneafy at their afpiring Defigns. But fefus called them all to him, and took Occafi- on from the Petition of the two Brethren, and from the Pride of the other ^en, to inftrud: them a little farther in the Nature of his King- dom ; and to teach them, that though in the Nations of this World, Thofe were reputed the C H R I s t's Difciples reproved. 2 •jj the Greatejl who had the greateft outward s e r m. Dignities, and the higheft ^z//Zji?r//y ; yet, in xiii. his Kingdom, 'They fhould be accounted the i^'VNi Greatejl^ who had leaft Fride, and leaft Ani' bition ; and who were moll ready to floop to do all good Offices, and to minijier\ as Servants, to their Brethren. And this Injiriidiion he concludes with his own Kxample (ver. 28.) e'^oen as the Son of Man came not to be minijired un- tOy hut to minijiery aftd to give his Life a Ran- fomfor many : as if he had faid j As I myfelf, whom you will eafily acknowledge to be the Greatejl in jny own Kingdom, think it no Di- minution of that Greatnefs to condefcend to all Inftances of Love and Kindnefs to Mankind ; and now am come into the World to be a Ser- vant to Men, and, at laft to dye a fervile and ignominious Death for their Sakes, and to pro- cure their Happinefs. Having now related to you, and explained, as I went along, this Hiftory of the Ambition of the Two Brethren ; their Mother s Petition ; the Anfwer of our Lord -, the htdignation of the other Apofiles j and our Saviour s Inftruc- tion, occalioned by their miftaken Notions : it is my Defign to conlider, not the Words of the Text only j but what other particulars fhall offer themfelves, upon the Review of this whole Hijiory^ and the Circumjiances of it. And .254 SER M. XIII. Tloe Ambit ion of And the Obfervations I fhall make at prefent, are Thefe : I. This Story gives Us Occafion to obferve, how inclined Men are to miftake their own Happinefs ; and how apt Many Pareftts arc to overlook the real Good, and true Intereft, of their Children ; and to frame their Wifhes with regard to T'hemi rather with a View to the Riches and Grandeur of this World, than to their true and lafting Happinefs. II. This Hiftory gives Occafion to obferve the great Tendency, and Arong Bias, there is in human Nature, towards outward Dignity, and Superiority over Others. III. We may obferve from it, what Noti- ons the Jews had, at this Time, of. the King- dom of their Mejjiah, and the Nature of his Glory. IV. It concerns us principally to regard what our blefled Lord here delivers and inti- mates about the Nature of his own Kingdom ; and the Method of attaining to the greateft Dignities, and higheft Stations, in it. I. This Story givbs us Occafion to obferve, how inclined Peffons are to miftake their own Happinefs i and how apt too many Parents are to overlook the real' Good and true Intereft of C H R I s t's DifcipL's reprove d. ii lof their Children ; and to frame their Wiflies s e r m with regard to ^bem, rather with a View to xiii. the Riches and Grandeur of this \¥orld, than kVNi. to their true and lafting Happinefs. Here were Two of our Lor if s Difciples, who had been his Followers for fome Time, fo grofly ignorant in the Doctrine he had deuvered, as to think that they were not capable of greater Happineis than They {hould experi- ence, if they were placed in an eminent Poft of Honour and Dignity, above their Brethren, in that Kingdom of their Lord, which, accord- ing to their Notion of it, was very foon to be opened, full of earthly Glories and temporal Splendour. And here was their Mother, who thouo;ht (lie could not give a eireater Proof of her Love for her Children, than by join- ing with Them, in what was truly tbeir Peti- tion, and adding her Requeft to our Lord, in order to procure them this great Dignity which they aimed at. How much better had They confulted their true Happinefs, had they afked to be inftrudled in the certain Method of obtaining and improving All thofe Virtues and Graces, which are the eternal Ornaments i of a Chriilian Mind ? And how much greater , a Demonflration had their Mother given, of her True Love to them, if flie had checked their forward Ambition, and afpiring Thoughts 5 iii T'he A MBiTiONo/' Thoughts ; and petitioned our Lord for his favorable Diredlions, in order to make her Sons glorious in all that was lovely in his Eyes, and agreeable to his great Defign ? After our Lord's Refurredion, They were fufEciently convinced of the Folly of their former Addrefs to Him j and found, by Ex- perience, that His Kingdom was to be efta- bliflied by Perfecution and Hardfliips j and a Place of Dignity in it, to be obtained by the Practice of the loweft Humility. How happy had it been, if the Chrijliam of all fucceeding Ages, had been wife by their Example j and had learned, from their Weaknefs, and our Lord's Inftrudion occafioned by it, to check and conquer this fame Temper in Themfelves ? But it is too vifible, That, though the Na- ture of Chrift's heavenly Kingdom is fo plainly declared, and the Way to the Glories of it fo clearly pointed out, through the Path of Hu- mility^ in the Writings of his Apojiles, and his own Difcourfes ; yet, there are Few that can perfuade themfelves to think the Crowns of Heaven, upon the Terms of the Gofpel, wor- thy of fo warm a Contention, and fo eager a Purfuit as any temporal Superiority, or earthly Dignity, is. How much Time, and how much Attendance, and how much Importu- nity, can Men employ, in foUiciting fome worldly Chris t's Difciples reproved. wr-rldly Honour, or Pcft of Rank, above Others, who perhaps, grudge to beftovv a few Minutes of a Day upon the Thoughts of Religion, and the Purfuit after the good Things of another World ? How many iMen, who know the T'enor of the Gofpel, and pro- fefs to believe it, are feen to lay out the Strength and Eagernefs of their Defires, for ^hemfehesy upon the PoJJeJjioiis, or PleafureSy here below ; without mixing, perhaps, one hearty P raver for PoJjeJJions^ and Pleafures, of another Nature ? And no wonder, if luch Pcr- fons, as far as They concern Themfelves with the Happiftefs or Unhappinefs of their Children^ lliould chufe to fix their JVipes for Jhera, on the l'hi?2gs which are feca, as the Inftruments of all Good J rather than on the 'Things^ which are not feen. We may judge, without Uncharitablenefs, that the Motions of their Hearts all centre in this World, by the indefatigable Pains They will be at, to raife their Children to State and RicheSy here below j and the little Concern they exprefs, to make them Great by Good^ nefs ; by the Pradice of Charity and Humility y and all the other moral Virtues. There are but Few that can tajlc this Sort of Gseatnels and Glory, I'hemfeheSy and Few therefore, uiio will recommend it to Thofe, in whom They S aie 257 >ERM. XIII. -258 S E RM XIII. T'he Ambition of arc rnoft nearly concerned. Some/ J trufl and believe, there are, who are not alliamed of a ^^^V^fdifFerent and better Condud:. But the Num- ber is great of Thofe, who are fo blind and miftaken in their Notions of Happinefs, that they too often wiHi and procure, for Them- felves, and their Children, M//^ry inftead of it ; whilft They are labouring only after fuch Glories, Greatnefs, and Wealth, as, in the End, often prove the greatefl T)iJ}:onoiir , and the tru- ed: Poverty, to an intelligent Being. And, as this is the Cafe, Who can wonder, That, by the Many, He is not accounted fo good aFather, whofe chief Regards are expreffed in what tends to the real and lafling Happinefs of his Sg?2; as He, who leaves no Methods unat- tempted, to raife him to fuch a Highth of Greatnefsj or to overwhelm Him with fuch Hoards of Money ; as mufl: bring along with them the greatefl Danger to his Virtue and Ejternal Interefl:. II. The Hiflory now before us, gives us oc- cafion to obferve the great Tendency, and ftrong Bias, there is, in human Nature, to the Love of Superiority, in Power, and Place, over our Fellow-Creatures in the fame Society. The Twehe Apojlles were now, as it were, divided into two Parties y and both equally 4. tainted C H R I s t's Difcipks reprov ed. i ggf ERM. xiir. , tainted with the fame Sort of afpiring Thoughts, s \l'wo of them hoped to have prevented the I ^Attempts of the Others, and to have fecured V^'VNJ :to themfelves the Places of prime Dignity m their Mafter's Kingdom. The other Ten dif- dained to be thought inferior, or fubjedl, to \'Them ; and conceived a great Anger againft •them for their Defign. It may, indeed, raife ,fome Wonder, that fuch a Temper fliould at jail take place in the Breads of Thofe, who ;faw Nothing in their own Ma/ler, more re- j imarkable, than the greateft Inftances of the contrary Spirit, of Meeknefs and Humility. If any thing can be an Excufe for this, and iabate our Wonder, it is, that they All thus 'ftrove for Dignity, and worldly Glory, when they thought their Mafter's Kingdom, a King- dom only of this World. But who can for- bear to wonder more, as well as to lament, that Chrijlians, who cannot read a Page m the Gofpeh without reading their own indif- penfable Obligation to all the Offices of Hu- 'mllity, for the Good of Others, fhould be fo ;devoted to the Love of Superiority, as we every Day may obferve them to be ? What a Conten- ,tion does there often appear, in our World, for ^ Place and Precedence? what Paflion, and Re- Ivenge, for an Affront put upon the fuppofed i 1 Honour and Dignity of a Man ? What a Care ' ^ S 2 and 260? 77)e Ambition of. feERM.and Caution, about QVQiy Pmiofilio of Cere- XIII. mony, and Obfervance ? What a Noife, about ^i^'^VN' Family, and T'itles ; the Antiquity of a Name ; the Dignity of Predecejfors ; or, the like Sort of Excellencies ? Nay, what a prodigious Value is there often fet, even upon fo low a Matter, as Equipage and Attendance ? It would weary one to fpeak, or even to think, of the Vanities and Follies of weak Mortals, upon this Head ; the Uneafi- neiTes, Quarrels, Jealoulies, and Breaches, it occaiions j the inexcufable Mifpenfe of Time, and Negledtof all that is great and good, which this Temper introduces into the World ; and the great Mifchiefs which, in various Shapes, have proceeded from it, in every Age. And yet, Mankind feem not, in the leaft Degree, wifer for their Experience j or at all the more difpofed to fet only a jufl; Value upon thofe T)ifiin6iiom which the Nature of Society makes proper amongfl: Men ; or, to refift that Inclination (th-2it perverfe Inclination) there is, in human Nature, to the Sweets of Superiority, and Power over Others. It is one of the meanefl Charadfers we can draw, of any Men, to defcribe Them, as fcarching out Opportunities of depreffing and finking Others below them; and finding out continually fome new Diflindtions, if the old I Ones C H R I s t's Difciples reproved. 261 Ones are worn out, in order to place their serm. Brethren in a meaner and more contemptible! xiii. Rank than Themfelves ; and thinking the mofl:|^''^''VN^ empty Reafons fufficlent for this ignoble and unmanly Purpofe. And yet this is fo true, and fo univerfally obferved, that it is conftant- ly lamented by all good Men ; and conftantly ridiculed by All, who make Themfelves pub- lickly merry with the Follies of Mankind. Thus are the Minds of reafonable Creatures bulled about 'TriJleSy which divert them from Matters of infinitely greater Concern 5 and are founded upon fuch Maxims only, as appear to be unworthy of their Attention, either as Men, or as Members of human Society. Let us now proceed. III. The third Obfervation, I faid, we might make from this Hijiory, related to Thofe No- tions which were, at that Time, common amongft the Jews^ about the Nature of the Kingdom of their Mejjtah. We find, in this Fajfage of the Gofpel, not only James and John^ with their Mother ^ but alfo the other 'Ten Apoftles^ all agreeing in the fame Expedation of a Temporal Kingdom of Chriji ; and of Places of 'Eminence^ and 'worldly Authority, to be enjoyed under Him : as ap- pears from the L(J[on our Lord reads to them S 3 all 262 I'he A M B I T I O N g/ SERM.iall at laft, about the Way to Greatnefs In his xiii. iDirpenfation i and from many other Places of the New T^ejlament : from which we may ga- jther, that the Apofiles themfelves could not, ibefore They were better inftrudled, fo much as bear the Thought of their Mafters Stuff er- ivg Death ; or of his reigning in any other Kingdom., but One full of this World's Majefty and Glory. They did, indeed, cleave to Him, in his low and mean Eftate, convinced by the ; ijpowerful Works he fine wed forth : but They , were continually watching, and longing, till he • {hould open another Scene, and reveal him- \jelf to the Worldy by rejioring the Kingdom to ilfrael. ' Thus had thele well-meaning Men the fime low and groveling Expedations, ^ which were entertained by the Crowd around them. } For the Jews unlverfally neither looked' for, nor deiired, any Meff.ah., but One^ who fhould crown them with the Glories of this World J and clothe their temporal Enemies. with Shame : One, who fliould blejs them with Vidory, and Plenty, and Riches, and Power. Nor would the far greater Part of that People accept of any Salvation, or BleJJing, which coulcj ,be offered, but fuch a Sahation, and fuch a Bleffmg, as They had figured to Themfelves upon the Principles of this World only. The facing .-^ C H R I s t's Difciples reproved* 26^ faving Them from their Shis^ which was the Salvation of Jefus j and the Blejjing Them, by turning Them from their Iniquities^ which was the Blejjing of his Gofpel : Thefe were Kinds of Salvation^ and Blejjing^ which They thought too mean, and contemptible Offers, for their Mejjiah to make j or for Them to accept. They had no ReHfh for fuch Sort of Happinefs : and defired no Part in a Kingdom, which was not of this World. The ApoflleSj indeed, were fincere and ho- Inefl, whilft they were fo grofly miftaken. But the Bulk of that Nation were led to thefe No- tions through a Courfe of Wickednefs, and Hypocrify. No Wonder, therefore, thatthofe Perfons fliould go on to greater and greater Degrees of Hardnefs of Heart, and rejed: a piritual MeJJiah, who had before given tbem- Hves up to their own Lufls and Paflions j and lad (hewn, by their Manners, that there was, :n their Opinions, no greater Happinefs to Mankind, than the Enjoyments of Flefli and 31ood ; the Glories, Profits, and Pleafures, of 1 his World. This was their Principle. And ihe Argmnent from this Principle was very agreeable to it, viz. That, the B I (//ing of thdr Mtfiahy who was to make them happy ^ could confifl: in Nothing, but what They themfelves iiccounted their greateft ijr<5r^/'/;z^^ 5 and, No- S 4 thing SER M. xiri. .2^41 'The A M B I T I ON ^ SERM. thing being, by Them, accounted fo elTential XIII. to That ^ aS thcfQ ter/7j)oraI good Things: This .L/''V^v| Bkjmgj therefore, muft confift in granting, and iecuring, to Them, the unbounded Enjoy- ment of what They fo highly valued. But, IV. It concerns us chiefly to regard what our Lord delivers, upon this Occalion, con- cerning the Nature of his own Khtgdom j and the Method of attaining the greateil Honours in it. And, Firft, It is plainly Implied in his Anfwe'r to the Petition made to Him, in Behalf of the tv/o Brethren- Difciples, that his Kingdom was fo far from confifting in worldly Pomp and Glo- ry; that his true Servants v^-ere to expert to meet with Perfccution, and all evil Treat- ment, for their Mailer's Sake. And, Secondly^ The Inftrii5iion which He gives to all his twelve Apojlles at lafl, exprefly taught Them that the Way to be great and glorious in his Kingdom^ both here, and hereafter, is to be humble -, and truly difpofed to condef- cend to one another, and to floop to all good Offices, for the Service of their Brethren. Firji^ I fay, It is plainly implied in our Lord's Anfwerto the Petition of James and John, and their Mother^ that his Kingdom was fo far from confining in worldly Pomp and Magnificence, that, C H R I s t's Dijciples ^'^/^^^^f^lllll^.. tiiat7rnThdrWoi-ld, all his true Servants' s^RU. were to exped to meet with Perfecution, and xiii. great Hardfhips, for their Maiter's Sake. This Anfwer is in the 2 2d Verre: where, inftead! of feeding them with Hopes of enjoying greatj Power and worldly Grandeur, under Him, he mentions the Cup, He himfelf was to drink of; and the Baptifm, He himfelf was to be baptized with ; and propofes xhtfaine Cup, and they^;;.v Baptifm, to Them, for their Por- tion, before they could come to any Glory in his Kingdom. It is true, the ordinary Courfe of a Chriftian s Life, in thefe later Ages, is not expof- edto ^uQhPerfecutions, and to fuch fevere Trials, as the Lives of the ApoPcs were, at the Time whenThey were fent forth to be the firif Preach- ] ers oiChrijliamty. But yet, This is applicable j to all fincere Chriftiam, in fome Degree, That j They muft drink of their Lord's Cup, and be baptized with his Baptifm-, that They muft follow him through evil Pveport, and evil Treat- ment ; through Reproaches and Difgraces; and through many, not inconfiderable, Hard- fhips, though not perhaps fo far, as to a Crofs, or to a Stake, They may not be called to part with Life itfelf, for the Sake of their Faith, or their Integrity: But they will certainly have occafion to exercife a great deal of Tati" ence, and ter^^^, if they refolve, in all Cafes. to 266 I'he A AI B I T I o N of SERM.to approve themfelves his Difciples. For XIII. I there never yet was any Age of the World yy^sT^ known to be fo indulgent to Virtue ; and io kind to the Pra^ice of ail the Chrifiian Duties ; as not fometimes to caft many Difficulties, and many Grievances, in the Paths of the virtuous Chriftiany under fome Pretenfe, or other. But the principal Thing that we ought to remark, is, the JnfiruBion our Lord gives to his Difciples^ upon the Sight of their indecent Pride and Ambition^ in the Words of the Text: By which We are plainly taught, as I obferved jufl now, in the Second Place, That the Way to be great and glorious in his Kingdom^ both here and hereafter, is to be humble ; and difpofed to condefcend to all good Offices 5 and to make ourfelves the leaji amongfl: our Brethren, ra- ther than to contend for Superiority and Pre- eminence. This was our Lord's Inflrudtlon. But it was a Lejfon too hard for the Apojlles Themfelves, at the Time when it was iirft given Them ; and is daily feen to be too hard for the generality of Chrijlians, though it be fo in- difpenfably infifted upon, in the Gcfpel. Not that it is, or can be, feniibly hard, or pain- ful, to '^hofe, who will confider what They are originally 5 and how much Occafion, nnd Chr I s t's Difciples reproved. and how great Reafon, they have to be hmn- s ble and lowly : Not that it doth not carry its :own Reward along with it, when duly prac- tifed ; freeing the Soul from a^l thofe Uneafi- nelTes that attend upon Pride and Ambition ; and filling it with all the Quiet, and Peace, and Satisfadion, naturally flowing from the Contrary : Not that it is not reafonable and becoming all Men, in itfelf, ftanding in no Need of a pofitive Command to enforce it : but it is a hard LelTon, becaufe Men have been generally trained up in the Notions of Pride and Ambition ; and therefore, are feldom dif- pofed to regard what is truly reafonable, and fitting their Natures, fo much as what is agree- able to their prefent Inclinations, and the Pra6lice and Cuftoms of a corrupted World. Many are the Confiderations^ by which we might inforce upon Ourfelves, and our own Confciences, the Prad:ice of this TnfiruBion in the T^ext. But, becaufe our blefifed Lord ufes no Argument, in this Place, to in- force it upon his Difciples^ except his own Ex- ample; I {hall, therefore, confine myfelf, at prefent, to the fame Argumejit ; and endeavour briefly to fliew the Strength of it, with regard to Ourfelves J as well as His Apojlles. He is our Lord and Mafl;er, as He was •'theirs. And, therefore, we cannot think it! beneath ^6z_ ~2ES 7Ee~K M B I T I O N of s E R M- beneath Us, to behave Ourfelves, as He did. XIII. This he himfelf, upon feveral Occafions, judg- ^-"'''VX ed to be a good Argument to recommend any moral Duty, That He himfelf pradifed it. Learn of Me 3 for I am meek and lowly ^ is his own Dire-ftion ; in the Cafe of that Humility^ I am now fpeaking of. And, indeed, We mufl either throw off all Relatiun to Him, or ac- knowledge it to be a very forcible Confideration, He was far exalted above Us, before He def- cended to converfe with us here below ^ high above all Principalities and Powers j above the greateft and wealthieft and moft powerful of Us, the poor inconfiderable Inhabitants of this Earth. But, notwithilanding this infinite Dif- tance betwixt him and us, He pitied Us, and condefcendcd to be fubjectto our Infirmities 5 to I live a poor and defpicable Life in our wretched I World j and, at lafl to lay down his Life, at the Command and Decree of a Man. He knew perfedlly well what was becoming a reafon- able Being ; what Behaviour was beneath the Dignity of an underflanding Nature, and what was not fo. And his Notions of that Dig?jity appear from hence. That, during his Abode amongft Men, He diverted himfelf of all ap- pearance of Grandeur, and ftooped to minifter to the meanefi of his Servants, whofe Inter- eft He regarded, both in his Life, and in his Death. -- - Chr I st's Difciples reproved. Death. And it is very remarkable, and ought to be taken into this Argument, what St. Paul affirms, That for this very Humi- liation, and making himfelf of no Reputation, and defcending to wear the Form of a Ser- vant, God exahed Him, and crovi^ned him with Glory inexpreffible. From this, then, we cannot but thus rea- fon with OutTdves. If He, who was fo great, and io wife, did not think it beneath his Dignity, to condefcend to fcch Inflances of Humiliiy, as we are never called to j to live fuch a Life of Lowlinefs, and die fuch a Death, in order to minifter to the Neceffities of Man- kind ; We cannot think it beneath the Dig- nity of the Highefl: of Us, to imitate this great Example; and even make Ourfelves, by the loweft Inflances of Love, truly fubfervient to the good of our Brethren, in this World, and their true and eternal Intereft, in That to come. When we look upon this great Example ; and fee our Lord bending Himfelf to all Ads of Cha- rity, towards Thofe who were fo much below him ; how can we think it right to ftand upon little Niceties, and Pundiiios ; or becoming Us, to find out any trifling Excufes to exempt Ourfelves from doing the like good Offices to our Fellow-Creatures, in the fame lowly way ? Let not his Example, therefore, be ever out of our 269 SERM, XIII. ' 270 The Ambition of^ &C. SER M. our Minds, when any oecafion of Hiimilify XIII. prefents itfelf to us. Let us conlider howj t/VX; readily that hord^ whom we ferve, would^ have laid hold on fuch Opportunities : and we fliall be afliamed to avoid them Our- felves. Let us look upon thofe Glories whichzr He is faid to have acquired by his Humility-, and they will animate us to bear even the Ke- preach of Hmuility here below, if Reproach' can ever follow fo, lovely a Virtue. And, as- He i^fet dowti at the Right Hajid of God ; and has ^ Name given him above every Name, for- ' the Sake of his Lowli?iefs and Condefcenfio?2 ^ fo We, by the fame PraBice, may hope to fit down at his Right Hand, and to be crowned with Glory and Honour in the Prefence of God. The Different CharaEiers of John the, Baptiil, and '^diw^ Chrift. SERMON XIV. Luke vli. 33, 34. John the Baptift came neither eating Bread, nor drinking Wine, and ye fay^ he hath a Devil, ^he Son of Man is come, eating and drinking, and ye fay. Behold a gluttonous Man, and a Wine-bibber ^ a Friend of Bub- *" Ucaiis and Sinners. H I S is our bleffed Lord's own Ac- count both of the Manner of Life ufed by "john the Baptifl, his Fore- runner, 2indhy Himfelf ; and of the Perverfenefs of the Jews, in mifinterpreting and cenfuring the Condud of them Both. John the Baptift came neither eating Bread, 7ior drinking Wine ; /. e, he avoided all common Converfation with Men, and retired from the Noife of the Mul- titude J not fo much as allowing himfelf the Enjoyment E RM. XIV. ^2 'The Different CharaEiers of SERM. Enjoyment of human Society frequently; or XIV. j laying hold on any Opportunities of eatings \./''y^\and drinking^ with the reft of the World about Him. And the ^emos^ becaufe they were not difpofed to receive his Dodrine, (which was the fevere Dodtrine of Repentance, and Amend- Imentj) and his Teftimony concerning 'jefiii \ChriJly reprefented him as a Perfon difturbed in his Brain, poflefled by fome evil and melan- choly Spirit ; and led, by That, into the Re- tirement, and Solitude, and Aufterity, which he feemed to afFed:. Well then, one would have thought, by this, that if a Prophet fhould appear amongft them, with all the Signs of a divine Milli- on ; and converfe freely with Them ; not re- fufing to be prefent at their Entertainments, or to mix himfelf with them, upon alljufl Occafions 3 that This fhouid be quite accept- able to Them ; and all their Prejudices be re- moved. But it was far other wife. For the Son of Man y the Mejpah^ J^fa^ ChriJ}^ came eating a7id drinking ; /. e. converfing freely with Mankind ; partaking with them, upon all proper Occafions, of the ordinary Re- frefliments of Life, without Scruple; and laying hold on all Opportunities of a free So- ciety with the World around Him : and yet This alfo was fo far from pleafing, that They John //J^Baptift, ^;^<^ Jefus Chrift. 273 They only changed their Note of Diflike and serm. Cenfurei and faid, Behold a Man, addidted to xiv. his Appetite, a Lover of Wine, and a Friend '^-''^VNJ to the Worjl of Men. And, indeed. He was a Frie?2d of Pub- Ucans and Sinners^ in the trueft Senfe of the Word, Friendjhip: i.e. His great Defign was to do them real Service, and to lead them to Re~ pentance and Happinefs. But it was fo mani- feft a Piece of wicked Scandal and Injuflice,j that he was intemperate^ in thofe Oppdrtuni-| ties which only he could take of converfingj with the Men, whom he came to fave ; thatj no Perfon of common Senfe ; No One, whofe| Eyes were not blinded with the darkeft Pre- judice, could poffibly believe, much lefs, re- port, fuch a Thing. So far from it, that Nothing Vv'as more vifible, than the greateft and flrideit Abftinence from all Excefs, through his whole Life and Converfation : no Delight in the pampering of his Body, or the pleafing of his Senfes ; but a conftant Regard! to the Rules of Sobriety and Temperance.} But, waving this, I fliall return to my Defignj in choofi ng thefe W^ords, at this Time : and Tliat will appear in the Confideration of thefe following Particulars. I. The different Behaviour of St. John Bap- tift, and our blelled Saviour, with Refpe6t to T human I2i- T^he Different CharaElers of SERM. XIV. human Society ; and the Agreeablenefs of It to then- different Defigns. II. The grofs Mi/interpretation put by the Jcivs, upon this their different Condud; and the LeJjo72 v/q may learn from thence. After Iwhich I defign, I III. To fay fomething, with refpe(5l to thefe two different Methods of Life : That of lAuJIerity and Retirement -, and T!hat of a more free Enjoyment of human Society. I I. We fee plainly, in the very Words now before us, the different Behaviour and Condud: of our bleffed Saviour^ and Jclm the Baptiji^ with refpecfl to human Society : and {hall pre- fently obferve the j^grceahlenejs of it to their different Defgm. John the Baptiji chofe a Wildernefsy or Defert, for the Scene of his Appearance and Adion ; avoided the Places of Concourfe and Society ; and took upon him, in the bed Senfe, the Habit and Vow of Auf- terity, and the ffridefl Abftinence. I call it the Scene of his Appearance, and Adtion : for this Retirem.ent was not, as fome have been in later Ages, chofen by Him for an unadive and idle lAfco^ Contemplation ^ and u(dtk Specu- lation ; nor with the leaff Thoug-ht of withdraw- ing himfelf from the Eyes and Ears of a vain I and John the Baptlft, and Jefus Chrift. 275 and wicked World, by a voluntary and pleaf- serm, ing Reclulenels within Walls and Fences. But] xiv. it was embraced by Him, on quite contrary, ^'^''^ and very uieful Accounts. | He was to preach, and therefore to be ^ knov/n, to his Country-men. And accord- i: ingly, the Defert he chole, at his opening hisj: Miniftry, was very near to y^'r;^^/^/;^ ; where!' his Name could not but be foon heard of, andi whither He fometimes v/ent himfelf. And there i was fomething fo peculiar in his Manner of!' Life, and his Preaching, which prefently be-j; came the Subject of Difcourfej that it drew the |; Attention of all People towards him : and They!' were induced by his Fame, and the Curiofityl which That raifed in tiiem, to go out to Him, j' iand hear what He taught, and what He pre-j' tended to. Our bleffed Lord, on the contrary, j' when he difplayed himfelf, and opened his • ' MefTiige to Mankind, frequented the Places I of greateil Concourfe j and laid hold on i all fair and good Opportunities of con- \ I verfing with tl^e World of Sinners. He 1 i chofe even to eat and drifiJz with Them; and i ; took their ovv^n Times, and attended their!. j Leifure, and their Invitations ; and feemed re-;' ■ joiced at every Occalion of the more familiar I ; Intercourfe with them. And this different Condud^, We fliall nowj, I fee, was very fuitable and agreeable to their j * T 2 dijere?ii\ 276 The T>\SQXtn\.Chara8iers of SE RM XIV. different Dejigns. The Baptiji's great Bu- Unefs was to raife the Minds, and turn the Eyes, of the People of the ytie'j', towards the Mejjiahj who was now going to appear ; to prepare them, by the Baptifm and DoBrine of Repentance and Reformation, to underftand the true Nature of his Kingdom, and to re- ceive Him when he fliould fliew himfelf j to bear a Teflimony to the true Mejjiah 5 and, af- ter that was done. He himfelf was to decreafe, and the other ivas to increaje : as He exprefles his own Scnie of his Office. Now, there is fomething in that retired, and fevere, Man- ner of Life He chofe, which is apt to raife the Curiofity and Attention of Men very much } and to put them upon afking fuch ^.efiions^ as may lead to the Knowledge of the moft ufeful and important Truths. And We fee accordingly, that this Method of Living and Preaching, in which Jchn the Bap- tijl fhewed himfelf, had fuch an Influence upon the y^wj, that Many were in doubt whether he was not Flimfelf the Mejjiaby the promifed Saviour of that Nation. It was fo long, lince fo much Samflitv, and fo much Con- tempt of the World, had been fecn amongft them, that, in their good ?nd foher Moods, They were induced to think, from fuch Be- pinnin2;s, that This mii^ht poffiblv be lie: 4 though Jolm the Baptift, and Jefus Chrift. ill though they quickly came to rejedl Him,^ERM< when they found he fpake of Nothing fo much j xiv. as of Repentance y and bringing forth Fruits i- worthy of it. But, after They had thus re- ! je(fled Him, we find the moft Artful and j Defigning amongft Them were fo embarraiT- ed between their own Conduct towards the Baptiji^ and their Fear of the People^ that They | did not know how to anfwer the ^ejiion put j to them by our Lord, whether the Baptifm of! John were of divine Original, or Not ? For his > Manner of Life, and Holinefs of Converfation, j had gained him fuch an Authority amongft j the People, that it would have incenfed T^hem^ \ to have denied him to be a true Prophet \ and, j to have owned it, would have condemned | Themfelves, for not receiving Him. And as the Manner of his appearing. In i that outward Garb, and inward Reality, of j Severity and Aujlerityy forcibly Invited the Eyes and Attention of the Multitude to him ; and engaged even the vjoyf Part of the Jews to fend Meflengers to him, to afk him of the Charatfler he bore, and the Defign he came upon : So, like wife, It Is worth obferv- ing. That, his chief Defign being to bear Teftl- mony to a greater Prophet than himfelf; and not to Ineratiate himfelf fo much with the Peoole, as to gather Multitudes of Difciples to T 3 his 2jS\ Tjje Difterent CharaBers_oJ__ rm!. s E R Ai his own Perfon ; He could not have chofen a XIV. j more proper Method of purluing this, than t'^VNj'that retired and auftere Manner of Life. Had j he made it his Budnefs to have frequented all Places of Concourfe, and gathered to himfelf ! great Numbers oi Difciplcs, v/ho were often Followers of the FerJo?2^ more than of the DoBriney of their Mafter ; it might pofTibly I have had an unhappy Effed: with Relation to I the MeJJiah himfelf, who was to preach Sal- vation to, and make Difciples of, the whole Ndtio72y as far as They would permit Him. It muft indeed be owned that, the greater the Number of "Johns Difciples had been, the greater Influence it would have had upon the j Caufe of the Mcffiah, if i\ll of them had cor- dially received their Mafter's Teflimony con- cerning Him. But this, probably, would have been found too hard for PraBice ; as it carried v^'ith it unavoidably this Confe- quence, That Jefiis was a greater Prophet than their Mafter, John the Baptiji, For we fee, there was always a Conteft between the Difciples of feveral Majiers ; and a great Regret, and En- vy, raifed in every Sort, to fee their own Maf- ters funk and deprefled by the greater Glory of Others. And it is not improbable from the facred Story, that the few Difciples Johri had, were leavened with this Sort of Temper ; and that John//5^ Baptift, a/id Jtfns Chrift. that They could hardly have been perfuaded i e R M to beheve any prophet greater than their Mqf- xiv. ier J or, with their whole Heart, receive the M^Jjiah^ who was now going to appear as Such. Here therefore, was another Reafon for the Baptijrs Manner of Life j That his Bufinefs was, Not to confult his own perfonal Intereft, as a Mafter and a Prophet, fo as to gather Dif- cipksy and Followers, to himfelfi but to be a living PVitnefsio one Greater than Himfelf, and only to prepare Men's Hearts for the Recep- tion of Hi?n, and his Doctrine. And for this End, the Method which he chofe feems much more proper, than if He had mixed himfelf more with the World; and made it his Bufi- nefs to frequent the Places of popular Con- courfe, and to (hew Himfelf daily in the Com- merce and Crowds of a great City : which might have appeared a Defign of gaining Po- pularity, and Followers to Plimfelf ; rather than of ferving the Honour and Interefl: of that Prince of Prophets, the Mejjiah^ whofe Pore" runner only He was. But the Mr/jiah had another Part to ad His great Bufinefs was to gain Profelytes and Difciples to Himfelf, who could not ad here too clofe to him. He could not be toe popular, when once it was proper to open hi Preteniions, and reveal his true Character tr 279 T 4 the 28o SERM XIV. T'he Different CharaBers of the World. His great Defign was to engage Mankind to Himfelf by all proper Methods : and of Thefe, an eafy and familiar Conver- fation, and a Compliance with their innocent I Cuftoms, was one of the mofl likely to win up- on them. Another Confideration\%^ That it wasjuftly defigned by God, and expected by the Jews^ That the Divinity of Chriji's MiJJion (liould be proved by wonderful Works in public 5 never performed, after fuch a Manner, and in fuch Number, before that Time : which being not the Cafe of John the Baptiji, it was the lefs ne- cefTary for Him to affect the Society and Con- courfe'of Men. And as the ^riith of our Lord's Pretenfions was to be demonftrated, and the Mouth of his Adverfaries flopped, by a conflant Series of thefe aflonifhing and divine Works j upon this Account, a more public Scene was the proper Scene of his Adion: that He might not be faid to have chofen the darkefl Cor- ners, and Places void of WitnefTes, (which are thought proper Places to fliew Tricks in,) I and then to have weakly expeded the World 1 to believe in Ji/>/?, for the Sake of what They j never faw. The cleared: Day-Light, and the greatefl Multitudes, and even his Adverfaries themfelves, were to be the Spectators (though, to their own Shame, the envious and malici- ous John the Baptlft, mid Jefus Chrift. ous Specftators,) of the Proofs he had to give of his divine Authority. And therefore, it became him to purfue them, as it were, of his own Accord, with his wonderful Works ; to appeal, every Day, to the Eyes and Ears of Thoufands, and to call in all the WitnefTes ■ poflible to the Teftimony He had to give of Himfelf. For Truth, entirely void of all Fraud, doth not fear, but delire, Witneffes. Again, John the Baptijl^ though a Perfon of extra- ordinary Plolinefs of Life, without regard to that peculiar Character in which He appeared, was not defigned to be propofed to Mankind, as the great Example^ for their Imitation : But the MeJJiah was to be that perfed: Example^ which all fliould be obliged to copy after, with the Care and Attention of fincere Followers. It became Him, therefore, to choofe a Sphere of Adion, and a Manner of Life, agreeable to the Tem- pers, and Neceffities, and Buiinefs, of the Generality of Mankind ; not fuch a one, as fuits with the Tempers, and Purpofes, of a very fmall and inconfiderable Number. Our Sa- viour^ without Doubt, had as mean an Opini- on of that Generation of Men, in which He appeared, as it was poflible to have conceived from a perfed: Knowledge of their WeaknefTes, and Follies j their Paflions, and Vices. And, had he only had his own Inclination, without regard 2»I SE R M. xiy. .282 SERM, XIV. l^he Different CharaSlers of regard to the good of Others, to have confulteda no Perfon could have reliflied the Pleafures of Solitude fo well : becaufe no Perfon was fo fully fufficient to his own Entertainment and Happinefs; orfo little in wantof Anyof the Sup- ports of human Society. But how, then, fiiould he \vd.Y Q fulfilled all Right eoufnefsf Or, How could He have anfwered the End of his Appearing, to be made an Rxample to Ui, who muft con- verfe, and deal, with one another: who muft court and attend one another ; and cannot, without our mutual Affiflance, preferve the leaft order in the World ; or anfwer the bene- ficial Ends of Society^ in it ? Bujt I have faid enough on the fir/I Head, inz. the different Behaviour of our blelTed Lordy and Job?! the Baptiji, with Relation to human «S(?aV/y; and the Agreeablenefs of this their different Behaviour to their different Chara6ters and Defigns. And lliall only add this one Caution ; that what I have faid is not to be underftood as if, on the one hand, I thought that 'John the Baptijl would not have been perfedly ready to a greater Cor- refpondence with the World, had it been more for the Purpofe of his Appearance, all Things coniidered; or, as if, on the other hand, I was not fenfible that our Saviour had often fhewn his Love to Retirement, efpe- cially John the Baptift) and jefus Chrift. cially for Frayer to his Father : though it Is obfervable, this was generally his Entertain- ment, when there was no Opportunity of con- verfing with Mankind ; and of doing good to Any of Them by his divine Prefence and Dif- courfe. I come now, II. To obferve, what I propofed in the next Place, -VIZ. the grofs Ulfreprefentation put by the ^ews, upon this different Condud; of our Lord, and "John the Baptift, And that is plain in the "text. The One they cenfured, as a Glutton and a Wine-bibber, and a Friend of Sinners, becaufe he ate and drank, and enter- ed into Company, after the ufual Manner of Men, in order to a more free and more beneficial Converfation with Them : And the Other they cfteemed little better than a mad Man, becaufe he feemed to fiy from the reft of the World; and lived not after, the common Form, but affedted fomething very peculiar in his Garb, and in his Biet. So hard is it to pleafe Thofe who are refolvcd not to be pleafed. The LcjTon we may learn from hence is this, That Men are often very ready to entertain the mod unjuft Prejudices, rather than yield to the plainell Truths which con- trad id their beloved Notions or Pradices. Had the 'Jc'W^ entertained the fame Notions • of 284 TZ^ DifFerent Char aEiers of SER mL of the Me/liah, and of the Nature of his King- XIV. dom, that the Baptijl, and our Saviour^ both ^■/VNJ preached; They had fhewn no fuch Perverfe- nefs and Prejudice, as now appears ; and the 'Two Prophets had not met with fo unjuft and heavy Cenfures. Or, had the Baptiji and our blefTed Lord carefled them in their beloved Notions of worldly Greatnefs and Majefty, or i their favorite Vices ; and taught them Happi- I nefs after their own abfurd falfe Scheme ; One I may venture to fay. They had been extolled I to the Skies, and Both received with open Arms. To fuch a Pitch of Prejudice were the Jews come, that They could not bear to have their received Opinions^ or Pra^ices, condemned ; and would not accept of an Happinefs, not to be obtained without relinquifhing their old beloved Follies and Vices : When, in Truth, it ought to have been quite otherwife. For, if John the Baptift had preached any other Mcjjiah^ than one whofe Fan was in his Hand, and who required the ftritfleil Holinefs of Life ; Or, if our blelled Lord had preached any- other Go/pel^ than the Gojpel of Holinefs, and Humility, and Love : the Jews might, juflly, have charged the One, with the Madnefs of having a Commerce with evil Spirits 3 and the Other, with being a Friend to Publicans, and Sinners, in the worfl Senfe , a Lover of their Practices, John the Baptift, a7^d Jefus Chrift. 285 and an Encourager of theirs ERM; XIV. Pradices, Vices. It was this Dodrine of Repentance, and^^'"^'^^ Amendment of Life, that gave fuch a Stop to the Go/pel, amongft the Jews, at firfl. It is this that hinders the Increafe of it, and that bars its Entrance to fo many Ears, at this Day. The great Obftrudtion, I fay, to the Gof- pely is, that it will not reconcile Vice and Hap- pinefs, a wicked Life and the Hopes oiSaha- tion^ together. Could it do this, plainly and effedually, how many Votaries (hould we daily fee flock in, and how many Encomiums fliould We hear upon it ? Wh2X joyful T'idings would it be accounted, and how glorious a Salvation, to the Sons of Men, wearied and affrighted with the Profpedl of the "Piiniflmient^ but not with the PraBice, of their Tranfgrefli- ons ? How obliging and courteous a Thing, there- fore, is it, m xht Church o^ Rome, to endeavour to make up this great Defedl in the Gofpel j and, by the infliUible Spirit it afTumes, to fupply til is Want ; and remove the only infuperable Objecflion to wicked Minds againfl it ? When we confiJcr the Workings of human Nature, we fnall not much wonder that Profelytes are gained, by teaching Men how to compound with God for the Breach of his Laws : Or, by 286 T'he Different CharaBers of SE R Mj by the dextrous Management of fuch Machines, 5viv. 2i'i> Indulgenclcs^ "Sind, Abfilutions. But when we ^-^^^^^coniidcr the Reafon oi the Thing itfelf, it is moll: aftonilhina: that even the weakefl of Men can be feduced by fuch Pretenfes. For I truly think, That, of the T^ivo^ it is more eafy, and more pardonable, to believe T'ra^ifiihjlantiation itfelf, than to believe that Almighty God would enter into any fuch Covenant with Mankind, as fhould encou- rage them to continue in their Sins j or give them the Liberty of tranfgrefiing the leafl of thofe Laws of eternal Reafon, which are the Foundation of his own Glory, and of all the [ailing Happinefs there is in the World. Li jnoral Pbilofophy^ This is as great an Ab- furdity, as the other is in Natural j attended with as many Difficulties^ and with much more intolerable Confequences, relating to our Eter- nal Salvation. And, I am fure, it is more excufable to err in a Matter of Opinion j nay, though it miay draw after it great Evils in the Worf]:iip of God, than in a Matter, which deflroys the very ElTence and Obligation of all Morality j confounding Virtue v/ith Vice ; mak- ing Lights Darknefsy and Darknefsy Light : and which is, indeed, calculated for the promoting of the whole Syftem of Immo- rality in the World, as much, as if it had John the Baptifl:, a?2d Tef us Chrifi:, .i^j had beendefigned for Nothing elfe. Our bleffeds e r m. Lord had no fuch Gofpel to preach : and there- tiv. fore, found no Reception amongft Men ofw^/"\J corrupt and profligate Minds 3 conflant Pur- fuers of the Pleafures, or, unwearied Sol- hcitors of the Glories and Honours, of this World. Nay, could a Religion of fuch Indulgence be fuppofed agreeable to the Will of God, I fee no Need of a Prophet to be fent into the World, on Purpofe to teach, or inculcate, it. No fear, but that Mankind would learn this fail enough, by the Influence of their own bad Hearts^ and the Example of Others. From the Beginning of the World, great Multitudes had no other Gofpel, but This : and to the Knd of it, I doubt, preat Multitudes will embrace no other ; but live and dye in their Sins, expeding Mercy and Heaven, whilft they have no Foundation for it within, nor Prom ife of it, from without. For ourfelves ; Let us learn, from this per- verfe Temper of the 'Je'ws, how unbecoming it is, and how unreafonable, to rejedt, or to negle(ft, any thing, not becaufe it is not agree- able to our own bed Principles of Reafon, but, becaufe it is contrary to our wicked Inclinati- ons, and to our v,'orldly Deflgns. It is ma- nifeft from the Gcjpel^ and from the Accounts of 288 \rhe Different CharaEters of s E R M. of thofe Days, that the 'Jews fet Themfelves XIV. to afperfe both JobnthQ Baptift and our Savi- U^\r\Joury and, at laft^ rejedted Them, chiefly be- caufe They were Preachers of the ftridtefl Ho- li fiefs and Virtue. It was becaufe the Bap- tift was a (lifting in dejlroying the Works of the Devil, that thev faid he had a Devil. And it was becaufe our Saviour was ?iot a Friend to Sinners, who continue fuch, that they blaf- phemed hini as a Friend to Sinners, m the worft Senfe. But let it not be faid that any of his own Followers, who are called by his Name, ad:, as if They partook, in any Mea- fure, of the fame Temper ; and retained the fame wicked Principles. I come now, in the laft Place, III. To fay fomething, in fliort, concern- ing thofe two Methods of living, now feen in the ChriJIian World j That of Retirement and AuJIerity-j and That of a more free and gene- ral Converfarion : the One, fometimes pre- tended to be copied after that of yohn the Baptiji ; and the Other, really copied after that of our bltlTed Lord. It muft be acknowledged to be very be- coming the Charaditrr of a reafonable Creature, placed in this State, to have a due Scnfe of the John the Baptift, and Jefus Chrift. 289 the Uncertainty and Vanity of the Enjoyments of this Life. And who would not be glad to retire from a World of Noife and Imperti- nence, of Ignorance and Folly, and, what is worft of all, of Wickednefs and Impiety Who would not be glad, I fay, to do this, in the moft abfolute Senfe, that could fupport him- felf in Solitude ; were it not, that We have other Obligations to aniwer, and other Maxims to live by, than the following our own Inclinati- ons, or Humours ? The World is the Stage of ASiion^ to a Chriftian : and all the Members of that vaft Body are his Neighbours-, entitled to his Regard, as He is to Theirs. The Afflided, the Defolate, the Lame, the Blind, the Sick, the Weak, the Fatherlefs, the Widow, the Poor, the Needy, the Ignorant, and the Sinner, Thefe all. We know, called for our Lord's Affifl- tance : and He thought it unbecoming Him to retire, when Any of thefe could be met with to receive the Influences of his Goodnefs. And the fame Obligations belong to his Followers, by Right of Defcent. They are the Difciples of Him, who lived in the World to do good to All in it : and thefe diftreffed Objeds are left by Him to their Carej and They are made the Patrons and Guardians of them, in his Ab- fence. Whenever a retired Life hinders not the Care, and Relief, and Support, of Thefe ; U nor 290 ^he Different CharaBers of S E R/vI. nor breaks in upon any other moral Engage- ment J Or, any of the Duties ftrid:iy owing to Human Society ; it cannot be faid to be un- worthy of a Man, or a Chrijlian. And ac- cordingly, our Lordy we fee, freely mixed himfelf in Society^ in order to the Benefit of the World about Him, as long as the Light permitted Him : and v/hen Darkncfs came on, often laid hold on the Opportunities of what may be called a Religious Retirement from it. And generally fpeaking, ChrifiianSy in their due Meafure, can imitate him in both thefe Cafes. But They, who cannot follow him, in Both^ are flrictly obliged to take efpecial Care -not to negled: the Former. This was his peculiar Delight 5 to converfe, with Eafe and Humanity, amongft Men, becaufe, with- out This, no Inflance of Charity could reach Them : and This was what he peculiarly recommended to his FoIIcwerSy as the Du- ty They owed to their Fello'uo -Creatures. Every Man may find Opportunities of Retire- ment, fufficient to fecure the Bleffing of Hea- | ven, and the Favour of God, by Prayer : \ and everv good MaJi will make Ufe of them. \ And if He be always difpofed to lay hold on every Oceafion of doing Good in human Soci- ety, according to his Abilities ; He will by Thefe Two Inllances of Pradlice, fliew Him- felf Johti the Baptift, ^;^(^JefusChrift, felf the true Difciple of that Majier^ who went before Him, in Both. But to make Retirement ^ an Art^ or a Burthen j to build Houfes of Entertainment to entice Men into it j to frame arbitrary Rules of Seve- rity for it J to guard it with rigid Vows, too probably, drawing bitter Repentance and Sor~ row^ after them j and to clothe it with fuch Appearances of Something extraordinary, and above the common pitch of Devotion, as may en- fnare unguarded and unexperienced Minds in- to what may prove the great Unhappinefs of their whole Lives : Nay, to court it merely on our own Account, in order to lead an idle and ufelefs Life ; or to be at Leifure, perhaps, not for the Study of God's Will, as delivered to. Us by himfelf, but only for the Improve- ment of our own peculiar Whimfies : This is, undoubtedly, unworthy of the Grand Dejign'' of the Chrijiian Religion j and was not only never commanded, but never intimated, by the firil Preacher of it, and his immediate Succefibrs, as far as we have any Knowledge of them. That this is not copied after the Life of our bleffed Saviour, All will allow, wlio read the Hifturvofitj and find Him daily and hourly, converfing with All that came in his Way, in the Streets and U 2 Houfes 1^2. T 'he Different CharaSiers of , Houfes of yerufalem) and the neighbouring Towns. Nor can it be called the Life of John the Baptift j or the lead Imitation of it : becaufe it is moll: evident that He retired, not to pleafe his own Fhanjy ; but to anfwer the End of his Office j and dwelt in the Tie- ferty not in order to avoid the World entirely, but to entice and invite All within his Reach to hear his Dodrine of Repentance , and of the Kingdom of God^ then at hand. And, as far as We know the Nature of this Kingdom^ or Gofpely of Chrifj We may retire^ as much as T'te requires of us, in the Midft of the mod popidoiis City ; and without throwing off the leaft Part of our neceflary Bufinefs, or innocent Converfation : Nay, I may fay, We may do this much more agreeably to the Nature and End of that Gofpel^ than if we were fl:iut up, within Walls, from the Sight of Men, and employed our whole Time, in performing, by Night and by Day, the mofi regular Round of Offices^ under the fpecious Title of Devotion. In a worn, the Way of Life, with regard to human Society, in this World, recomniend-" ed to Us by our Mailer, is the Life of fuch Belief cence^ as fuppofes Us converfing, and ading a Part, in the Society around Us j and this cannot be, a Rechfe Life of Jnaclion^ but implies in it the very contrary, ^his is that Behaviour John the ijaptift, and Jefus Chrift. WJ Behaviour and Condudt of ourfelves in the < e R m. iScc/W World, according to the feveral Stati- xiv. ons affigned Us in it, which the Precepts of our K/^sT^ charitable Religion declare to be our Duty. This is what the Example of our great Majier direds Us to : And, this will be our Reward and our Crown to all Eternity. If we can per- fed; Ourfelves in this ; We may fecurely leave to Others the Happinefs, and the Glory, of any ufelefs and idle 'Retirement^ which They may pleafe to mifcall by the Name of Religion-, but which has not the leaft Tindure of the Religion of Chriji : And may well content our- felves with following, as near as we can, the Footfleps and Rides of our common Majlcr^ ra- ther than the iiily and fruitlefs Inventions of Thofe, who, under the Cover of his facred Name, have almoft extinguiflied the Know- ledge of the mam Endof his appearing amongfl: Men. And this Regard to our Lordhimfelf, above All other Directors, I hope. We fhall all refolve to fliew, in the whole Condud: of our Lives here below. U 3 The -i * ! H -j T ' ^ The Extremes (j/* Riches and Poverty. SERMON XV. Proverbs xxx. 8, 9. Gi'oe me neither Povert)^, nor Riches; feed me with Food convenieiit for me. Leji I be fuU^ and deny Thee, and fay ^ Who is the Lord F Or^ lefi I be poor and jleal, and take the Name of my God in vain. I Shall not enter into any Enquiry concernings the F erf on to whom the Words in this Chap- ter are alcribed. The only Qiieftion of Im- portance is, whether this be nota WiHi, or Pray- er, worthy ofa wile and confidering Man; found- ed upon Reafon, and a careful Obfervation of the Inconveniences, and Conveniences, attending thefeveral States of Life in this World. If it can be proved to be a reafonablcjand well-grounded Prayer ; we ought all to join in it, whoever were the firfi Author of it. And, on the U 4 other 2^. 7^g Extremes of S E R ^:. other band, if it fhall, after Examination, ap- XV. pear co be contrary to Rea/o?2, and judicious Ob- L/'V^'^iervationj it can be of no Importance, to find out, if we could, Who was the Perfon that made this Vv^ifh, here recorded. Now, in order to our judging rightly, in the Caw- before Us, it is proper to obferve that ;i'C Prayer in the Text is plainly founded upon This ; viz, that the Hazards, and Incon- veniences, attending the two Extremes oihound- hisRicbes, and the low Qii Poverty, are fo great, and fo generally fatal to thofe who experience either of thofe two States j that, if a wife Man were to choofe for himfelf, with regard totiue Happinefs, and the Intereft of Virtue and Religion, He would certainly choofe the middle Condition : Or, fuch a Competency^ and convenient Subfiftence, as fhould fet him above the Need of Relief from the Bounty of Others ; and enable him to provide tolerably for Thofe in whom He is moO: nearly conrerned. And as the Proof of the Parts of this Prcpofition will fufficiently vindicate, and eflabiifh, the Wifdom of this Prayer, which is built up- on it j I fcall, therefore, make the Propcfitkii now mentioned the Subjed: of my following pifcourfe. And here, as to the one Part of this Propo- rtion, and this Prayer, viz. That which re- lates Riches and Vo v e r t y. 297 lates to Poverty; there is fomething in this fo difagreeable, and fo diftafteful, to the Bent and Inclination of human Nature ; fomething fo contemptible and mean, in the outward Ap- pearance of it, which ftrikes more upon Men than the unfeen and hidden Part of any Condi- tion ; that there is not One in the World, per- haps, of Thofe who may be efteemed in their right Mind, who would voluntarily choofe the lowell and meanefi: Condition of human Life. There always was, and always v/ill be, a general Concurrence and Confent in this Part of the Prayer, Give me not Poverty : not, perhaps, for fear of iinning againft God, in that Condition, which is the Confideration alledged in the Text ; but for fear only of that Contempt and Ignominy, and thofe Neceilities, and worldly Inconveniences, which are annexed to that State. On the other Side, there is, and always was, and always will be, almoft as general a Confent againft the other Part of this Prayer, which relates to immenfe and exceflive Riches. There is fomething in the outward Appear- ance and Figure of that Greatnefs and Superi- ority which often attend upon vaft Riches; fomething in the uncommon Conveniences, and Pleafures, They are fuppofed to procure ; Something which captivates the Minds of ^ mod SERM XV. 298 j 7^^ Extremes^ SERM.imoft Men, to fuch a Degree, that They XV. can hardly know how to choofe the beji State, againfl their own worldly Interefc ^ or, not to wifli T'hemfehes in that diflinguifhed Conditio?i of Life, which They are fo apt to envy, and admire, in Others. And, generally fpeaking, He that fliould go about to perfuade any Man to befcech God earneftly Jiot to grant Him the Abundance ofRuibeSj would, I fear, be looked upon, in almoft the fame ridiculous Light, as He would be, who fliould teach Him to pray exprciily for the Extreme of Pcverty^ and Want. This being (o^ That Men are very ready to pray ardently againft Poverty^ and a low Fortune, upon mean and worldly Conlidera- tions J and as ardently to wiili for the greatefl Riches, without a due Regard to the natural Conf :quences of fuch a Wifli : It is, therefore, of Importance to endeavour to fhew, on one hand, that there are Confiderations^ of a bet- ter Sort, fufficient to make a "wife Man pray againft the loweft Condition of this Lifej that fo, our natural Abhorrence of extreme Poverty may be fettled upon a right Founda- tion, and improved into a Virtue: And, on the other hand, Hill more neceflary, and of greater Importance, to fhew that there are Reafons fufricient to remove the Bent of a wife Man's S E R Mi XV. ; ^1? HEs and Poverty. \?3^ Man's Thoughts from all anxious and impor- tunate Defires after the Abundance and Ex- tremity of Riches ; that fo, we may not fa- tally err, on that Part, on which there is moft Danger, from the apparent Tendency of hu- man Nature. Thus Ihali we be led to fix our Wiflies, with refped to this World, in their due Centre, on the middle Condition, rightly tempered between the two Extremes. In order, therefore, to (hew the Wifdom and Reafonablenels of this Prayer in the T^ext^ I propofe thefe following Particulars : I. To confider the fatal Inconveniences and evil Confequences, with refped to lafting Happinefs and Religion, naturally attending the Extreme of Wealth, and the Abundance of Riches J in this World. II. To confider, on the other hand, the Inconveniences, with refped to Virtue and Religion, generally feen to attend the loweft Condition of Life, and the Extreme of Po- verty. III. To inferr, from what I fliall have faid, the Reafonablenefs of defiring the middle Con- dition, called in the Text, Food convenient for Us J and the greater Likelihood of obtaining Happinefs, and fecuring and improving our Firtue and Religion, in this Eilate. This will be '300 The Extremes of be a fufficient Vindication of the Wijdom of the Prayer now before us. And, IV. After I have faid what may be proper upon thefe Heads, I fliali be led to anfwer fome ^/;^/i?;zi of Importance, which may offer them- felves upon this Subject. I. In order to ihew the Wifdom and Rea- fonablenefs of the Prayer in the Text, I fliall endeavour to reprefent to you the many fatal Inconveniences and evil Confequences, with refped: to Happrnefs and Religion^ which na- turally attend the Super- abundance of Riches in this World. And here, if I fliould attempt tofpeakof all the Sorts of Folly, and Madnejs, truly fo called ; and all the Vices, to which the Over- flowings of Riches incline, and naturally lead, frail weak Mortals ; of the Vanity, the Pride, the Haughtinefs, the Contempt of their Fellow- Creatures, which appear in Sorde ; the hard- hearted, felfifii, Sordidnefs, of Others; the Luxury, the Idlenefs, the Profuflon, the In- temperance, the immoderate Purfuit of world- ly Pleajuresy to which Many more, by the Guidance of Riches, have given themfelves up : the Time "wciildfpJl Me. Nor would this be merely a Declamation, or a Satire, founded on I C H E S a7td P O V E R T Y. 30i_ ERM. XV. on the Ill-nature and Envy of Thofe belov/ s , this Condition ; but a Matter of Fa<5t, too i much confirmed by the Obfervation, and Ex- v^'V^ perience, of many paft Ages : and feen, at this Day, to be ftill fo generally true^ that We feldom hear of an Exception. And this Evil is never more remarkable than in the Conduct of Thofe, who have fhewn a 2;ood and virtuous Condud: in a lower Sphere, but have not been able to withftand the Shock of a larger and more exalted For- tune J or, to be Pjoof againft the Attacks of a fudden and extraordinary Profperity. How ; often, upon fuch Occafions, may We juftly fay, has the Increafe of Riches been the Begin- Ining of all moral Folly, or the Increafe of all moral Evil ? How often has the Addition to the outward good Eft ate of a Man, proved a feniible Diminution of the inward good Eftate of his Soul ; and the Improvement of his Fortune J the Improvement of every evil Difpofition of his Mind ? Where Quiet and I Contentment have been known to dwell, in a very great Degree ; there, when Riches have entered, Difcontent, and Uneafmefs, have en- tered with them. Where Friendfhip, and mutual Confidence, have flouriflied : there Enmity, and mutual Animofities, have taken Place. Inftead of former Repofe and Tran- Quillitv, go^ SER M. XV. ^&^ X. T R E .M E S^ _.^ ,_ quilllty, Quarrels and Law-fuits, Care and Anxiety, have been feen. Inftead of Love and Amity, Difguft and Jealoufy j inftead of Serenity and Calmnefs, a wrinkled Brow and an uneafy Countenance j inftead of Affability and Courtefy, Haughtinefs and Contempt of Others, have taken Place. Thus Vice^ in feveral Forms, has often triumphed over the moft amiable Virtues, by the Help of Riches : and thus have the trueft E77JGyments^ in human Life, been totally ruined and laid wafte by Them. They are pretended fometimes to be fought alter, to fathfy Men's Defires, and to extingiajh Cove- toufnefs \ and They only encreafe thofe De- fires, and add Fuel to the Fire within. They are really defigned perhaps, by Some, to be made ufe of, for the Happinefs^of Others who want them : but they are feen to make Men more hard-hearted, than they were before, and lefs inclined to Beneficence and Good- nature. What numberlefs Temptations, of all Kinds, and thefe irrefiftible without the greateft Guard upon their Minds, doth the Ex- cefs of Riclics adminifter to Men ? All indeed do not fall by them : but all are in the ex- trenieft Danger. There are Exceptions : Other- wife, the World would be a Scene of wicked Conftifon between Ccvetcujhejsy and Prides And Riches dftd Po v e r t y. And happy T^hey, who make the Exceptions E RM. But, comparatively fpeaking, how Few arel xv. T^hofe^ who have Strength of Soul enough to v/'VNJ know the only reafonable and noble Ufe of that Diftindion from their Fellow- CreatureSy which Riches create ? Or, in the Words of j the I'ext, how Few , who are Jhll ; and do not, fome way or other, in their PraBice^ if not in Words, deny God, andy^^', Who is the Lord? So great is the Danger, that immenfe Riches may draw off the Mind from all due regard to Virtue and Religioji ; and expofe it to be fatally led away into fuch a State, as is inconfiftent with lafling Happinefs here, or hereafter ; and is, indeed, the Reverfe to ail that a Wife Man would vjidi for. It is impoiTible to fay all that might be properly urged upon this Subject. But, Who- ever feriouily thinks upon fuch Obfervations as have been now mentioned; and confults his own Knowledge, or Experience ; will find Reafon enough not to defire, or pray for, fuch a CoiiditiGn, as T^hat by which fo many have been ruined ; and in which He himfelf is fure of meeting with the moft hazardous Trials, and all thofe Temptations which are mo si likely to prove fatal to his own Greateft and Trueil Interefl. X II. Upon 3 04 SER M. XV. n.)e Extremes of ! II. Upon the next Head, viz. the Jnco7rveni' tnces generally feen to attend the loiveft Conditi- pn of Life, I need not fpend many Words : but inuft fay fomething^ That we may not avoid lit, or pray againft it, merely for worldly JReafons, becaufe it is a Condition of Life irk- jfome and difagrecable to Flefli and Blood; but jupon better and worthier Confiderations ; left !v/e fhould fall into Sin^ by the T^emptatiom j peculiar to it. For this is the Reafon in the 1 T^ext^ upon which the Part of the Prayer re- i latino: to PGvert\\ is founded, j But here it cannot be improper, before I I mention the Vices peculiar to this State, to I obferve, that, notwith (landing the v^^ide Dif- ! tance and Difference of the two Extremes^ \ there are great Sins common to Both : I mean that the Loweft of Men are feen to prac- iife Many of the fame ViceSy which their Su- periors fometimes do : as if They ftrove to re- femble the Richejl^ at leaft, in their Wicked- nefsy and to fliew Themfelves exadly like Them, in the Woril of their Features. The fame Profanenefs and Defiance of God ; the fame Leii'd?iefs and Debauchery ; the fame Oalhs and Execratio7is-y the fame Infempe- ranee and Drimkennefsy when Opportunity, or the Bounty of the Richy gives leave ; nay, the fame Infenfibility, and Difregard to the Hap- pinefs Riches and Poverty. 305 plnefs of the World about Them, are foundSERM, amongft the very pooreji of all Men : The • xv. Samey I fay, which are ktn fometimes toac-^''"'^'^'^ company the Riches of Others. 1 There is One only trifling Difference, That j the fame Vices are praclifed, by one Sort, in a coarfer and more fordid Manner, which are pradifed, hy xhc Other, (perhaps not always,) in a more refined and delicate Way. I'his methinks, ought to fhock Thofe of fuperior Rank 3 and, when They fee that Beggars themfelves can rife to the fame Pitch of Im^ morality, mufl move Them, even from the Pride of keeping up their fo much boafled Diflindion, to abhor thofe Vices, in which | the Pooreji can equal, if not excel, Them. But we muft now add, that there are Vices \ peculiar to this lowejl Condition. The I'ricks and Lies; the Forgeries, and Thefts; the falfe Tejiimonies, and Perjuries ; the Violences^ and even Murthers, which the Pooreji are, fore- ly and often, tempted to be guilty of, in order to fupport themfelves in Life, as they pretend, are hardly to be enumerated. Here, like- wife, there are Exceptions ; and Some may be found, who preferve a Senfe of God, and Re- ligion, amidftthe PrefTures of the narrowefland moft diftreffed Circumftances. But ftill the true X2 and ^ihe K X T R E M E S }jf SERM-land juft Reafons why a Chrijlian fhould pray XV. jagainft this State, are, Becaufe he knows not ^-'^'V^what the extremeft Neceffitv may reduce j jhim to i and how little Strength he may find j I himfclf to have, upon Trial, againft fuch Temp- tations, as extreme Poverty may cxpofe him to. If thefe Crimes y now charged upon the Poor-i- ejl of Men, were in fuch Senfe the Works of Darknefsy as not to be known, or feen, but only fufped;ed ; This Accufation might be deemed only an Addition of yJffiiBion to their | diflrefsful State. But, who does not know \ and lament this Scene of Wickednefs amon^ft ! j Them f And if more Notice were taken of it, it would be much happier both for i T'hemfehes^ and their Neighbours. They would .have lefs Encouragement to make fo deteftable a Figure in their low Eftate 5 and human So- ciety, lefs to fear from their evil Pradifes ; and .the better Sort of them more Supports for their Patience and Hunp.ility, under their Calami- ties. . .. ■■ -rV.i:^: ^ /^ / '^"Having thus fet before you the Incojiveni- enccs^ ivith refpedtoF/V/z/^and Religion, which are' tbo^ generally feen to attend upon the two Extreme Conditions of Life^ in this World ; what I have already faid will naturally lead 'our Thougli^'s^to- what I propofed, in the next -place, "j/^;. III. To RrcHEs andVx ^Y er t y. |:?<>7_ j III. To fliew the Happinefs of tlie »//VJ/^ i ^ j^ j^^ ' 1 Condition ; that State oi Life^ v/hich is remov- 1 j^y. j cd from the Triajs and Hazards, attending I/VNJ i the Superfluity of Riches ; or the Extremity of ! j Poverty : and blelTcdwith Conveniences enough | I to place the Man out of the Reach of thofe ; Eijiis, to which Excefs and Abundance, on i one hand, and Penury and Want, on the j other, are feen to expofe Men. We are \ \ all weak and imperfc(5t Creatures ; too eaflly ! 1 impofed upon, and mifled, by the fpecious I j Outiide of Things; or too eafily driven, by the j ; Senfe of Pain and Want, Into the Paths of Error ' ] and Sin. Therefore, the beft Condition is That j j which has moft Security in it. And tb^t has i i moft Security in it, which has feweft Tempta- i j tions to Vice, and leaft Difficulty tpfurmount. j ! And the Extremes of Fortune, in this State, j ! being; the moft hazardous to Virtue and Reli- 1 I gion J the middle Condition between the two ! I Extremes, muft, confequently, be what a Wife | Man would choofe, all Things confidered : un- I ! lefs he could know the certain Event of Things, which in their own Nature are uncer- j tain, and dppend upon the voluntary Choice) of free Agents. For it may be truly faid of this middle State, That it doth not, by its natural Tendency, fo much endanger Virtue, as ci- X 3 ther Ml- L.RXM.ELS_§£_ ~if- s E R Mj. ther of the Two Extremes, of Riches, or Po- \ XV. ! verty : not fo much, on one hand, inclining f ^y^^^/^ the Man to deijy God, and fay. Who is the Lord ? i or, on the other hand, to Jital and take the 1 Name of God in vain, as it is exprefled in the I I'ext. I It mud be granted, that many are the Vices I of that Multitude of Men, placed in this mid" \ die Condition : the more inexcufable is their ! Guilt and Folly, But what would the fame . Men liave been, in greater Abundance, or i greater Narrownefs, of Fortune ? Much worfe, I it is to be feared. If the lelTer Temptations I they meet with, are able to draw them into fo ' pernicious Cuurfes ; what would thofe greater, I which they njull: have experienced in other I States, have done? But I will riot multiply I Words. I hope, I have faid enough to lead I you to fee, and acknowledge, the Wifdom and Reafonablenefs of the Prayer, in the T'exf, Give me neither Poverty, nor Riches , feed me \ with Pood convenieiit for me, IV. The Time will now only permit me to conlider fome ^efiions that may arife up- on what 1 have been recommending to your Thoughts : which was the next Thing I pro- pofed to do. i.it K I c~H E s and P o v"e'r t y." {3^9 ' XV. ; in return to all that has been faid, whether Riches, even the Abundance of Them, are not a very ^^V^ great Advantage to Men in this State, in many Refpedts : and, therefore, whether, notwithftand- ing the evil Vfe that has been made of them by Many, and the evil PraSiices They naturally lead to, They may not be defired by H'ife and Good Men. The true Anfwer to fuch a ^eftion, I think, is this. That there can be no Reafons fufficient to move a confidering Perfon to make it the uneafy Care and Bulinefs of his Life to ob- tain any Riches beyond what are neceflary and convenient for his own well-being, and for the Support of thofe whom the Providence of God has nearly allied to himj becaufe it is far from being certain that He {hall not be tempted to make a bad Ufe of them, as fo many of his Fellow-Creatures have done before him. The Excefs of Riches lean be found an Advantage to no Man, 'till the ' final Event hasfnewn, that He has adually made a noble and Godlike Ufe of them, for the Be- nefit and Advantage of the World about him. We are apt to think, perhaps, that We fliould make fuch a Ufe of them: And it may be fo. But we cannot certainly promife this to Ourfelves. We may fall by the fame Snares that have entangled fo many before Us : and We know not the full Power of a temptation, 'till X 4 w» l^e Ext reme s of s E R ]Vr. we have tried it. And therefore, I cannot think xvJ that it would become us to make it the great l/V^ J Obje6t of our Wifhes, or our Labours, to be Rich above what the Necefiities and Conveni- ences, proper for our Stations, require. And if we walk by this Rule, it is moft likely, that what the Provideftce of God fends beyond this, may prove a BleJJing; and not a Curfe, as it often hath proved, when Men have folicited Heaven and Earth, as it were, for it, and fpent their Nights and Days in the Purfuit of it. The only Advantage that the Superfluity of Riches gives to any one is, that it opens a larger Field to his Generofity and Beneficence; that it makes his Charity confpicuous, and his Humility lovely; and adds a Beauty to all his Virtues. But who can tell that He fhall certainly be the happy Man, of 1 Virtue and Faith enough, to pojfefs this World, j ai though he fojfejfed it not ; and to itfe it, j as not abupng it ? V/e cannot indeeed, avoid j rejoicing in any of the Good Takings of this World, which are granted Us. But, if we j be ChrijiianSy we cannot rejoice in them any i farther, than as we are refolved to dedicate I them to the Glory of Him who gives them to Us; to the Purpofes He recommends to Us; and to the Flappinefs of the refl of our Fellow- Creatures. 2. Another Riches andPovEvi. t y. ILL 2. Another ^efiion may arife in the Minds se rm, of Some, concerning the other Extreme of Po- xv. verty ; whether it be not often reprefented, and O^'V^^' even in the Holy Scriptures^ as a Sort of a BlefTed State, and a Title, as it were, to the Favor of God j and the Rewards of Heaven ; and therefore, be not truly worthy of a wife Man's Choice? But this again can be judged of, only by the Event. If Perfons behave them- felves in that Condition, with a conftant Re- gard to Virtue and Religion ; with a noble Courage and Patience; and with a due Sub- miffion to the Providence of God ; there is no doubt, it opens a Door to much greater Degrees of Happinefs to come. But it is not the Part of a wife Man to venture eternal Happinefs upon what may pojfibly improve Him; but rather to wi(h for what is leaftj liable to Temptations, and lead hazardous toi his Virtue, in this State of Probation. When we are placed by our great Gover?iour in a dangerous Port; our Bufinefs .is to maintain' it nobly and courageoufly : but it is Pre- fumption^ and not Duty, to defire and court unnecefiliry Hazards. We feldom come off without the Lofs of Honour, from Dangers of our own choofing : and therefore, our Lord him- felf teaches us to pray. Lead us not into T^em- pat ion. So that, though the Extremes of human Life, n^. :3^2| T/je E X T RE M E S of SERMjLife, on both Hands, may prove honourable XV. land glorious to Thofe who can bear them v^ith ^-^*VX^due Temper, and refift all the Temptation's which They adminifter ; yet no one, who thinks what human Nature, at prefent, is, would either labour^ or pray, himfelf into a Condition, which Multitudes of Examples be- fore his Eyes may make him fear, He fhall not go through, without fome confiderable Lofs, or Wound, to his Virtue, and Religion. 3. If you now afk, what is that Prayer, m Relation to the Things of this World, which it becomes You to put up to thefupreme Gover- nour of all Things ; I anfwer, that the Wifdom of the Prayer in the Text is recommended to You, tho* not made an abfolute Duty. This will {hew You that You may, with blamelefs Hearts, and in exprefs Words, pray again ft the hazardous Extremes of fuperfluous Riches, and the lowefl Poverty : and that when you fo pray, out of regard to the greater Security of your jmoral Pradicq ; left the trials in thofe two \Extremes fhould be too powerful for You 5 You are fure. You ad: according to Duty, by making the Confiderations of Religion the Ground of your Prayer, If You would not be outdone, or put to Shame, even by the Heathens, let One of the wifeft that I 1 t • Riches «W Poverty. i? JJl that ever appeared amongft them, lead your serm. Thoughts to a Prayer, a Httle more general, but xv. near a-kin to that in the Text. You may{ ^^"VNJ learn it from One of his Scholars, who, in hi$ f Addrefb to God, requefted the fupreme Beingj to gra?2t Him whatever was truly Good for; Him, though He fhould be fo blind him-; felf, as ?2ot to afk it : and to detiy Him what-j ever was not really fo, but hurtful, though; He himfelf fhould be fo ill-inftrud:ed, or weak,i as to. beg it of Him earneflly and importu^i nately : or to this EfFecfl. But if You would ad in this Cafe, as ChrifA tiansy which your Duty requires of You j You mufl firi(5lly obferve that mod reafonabU Form of Prayer, which your great MaJleA didated to his Difciples. In this. He effe^VV rity, and imitate the Cruelty, of Thofe Perfons, I in the Story now before Us, who could fee a ; 1 1 Man upon the very brink of Death, deftitute ; ! j of all Comfort; and yet not be moved fo far j i j as to afford him the leail AfTiftance. ! i III. I proceed now to a T/jird Obfervation, ; i which, 1 faid, we might make from the fame I j Mijlory 3 njiz. That Men of an orthodox Faith \ I with refped; to God, and of a true Religion y \ I j may often learn the Pradice of a very great ■ I I and fubflantial Duty from Men of an unfound \ \ Faith, and falfe Religlou, 1 1 Our bleffed Lordy in his Difcourfe with I J the Samaritan Woman, [John \v^^) in ex- i I prefs Words, preferred the Jewip Religion far i j before the Samaritan. We know 'what we ; I worjhij) ; Te worJJjip Te know not what. They ' A oi Samaria had many Idolatries i:rtixed with j I that Worfliip of the true God, which they; ;j retained. The y£"t^•5 worfhiped God accord-; Ijingto the Law of Mc/^'i ; whofe Inftrudions^ They received as the Dictates of God himfelf :' And by thefe Inftrudions They were led to, the ftrideft Notions of the IJjiity of the Su-^\ -preme Being ; and of the PerfeBions of his' Nature. But, notwithflanding all this, Vv^ei find; ERM. XVI. _ 7?^ G OG D S A M A R I T A N, iBnd, in the Hijlory before Us, that our Saviour i did not fcruple to propofe to the Imitation of the Jcws^ in a moft important Point of prac- <^'VN> tical Religiofi, the Example of an idolatrous Samaritan^ in order to throw Shame upon their fordid and crampt Notions of Charity ; and to infpire them with a pious Emulation, and a Refolution, not to be outdone, in the mod God-hke Virtue, by Thofe, whom They fo much out-did in their Faith, and Worfliip. I know not how it comes to pafs, That the very Things which God defigns to make Some Men better than Others, often prove the Occafions, through the Perverfenefs of thefe Men themfelves, of making them Worfe, That pecuHar Relation which God appeared to have to the 'Jews -, that Love He fhewed to their Forefathers j the fighting their Battles; the eftablifhing Them in a good Country ; and, above all, the giving Them the Law from Heaven, and leading them into the Knowledge of himfelf : All thefe Favours, inflead of making them generous and be- neficent, ferved to fowr their Spirits ; to con- trad their Souls; and to ihrink their Afli^sc- tions into a narrower Compafs. So ungrateful a Return did They make to thefe Bleflings, that They were always refleding u'pon the worfe Condition of the Natio?2s around Them 3 how 2 littl( 330 'The Good S a m a r f t a n." . little other Mortals were efteemed and favour-" ed by God, in compariion with Themfelvesi and therefore, how fit to be defpifed and neg- leded. And how many Men may we meet with, or hear of, in our own Days, who value themfelves upon the mere outward Profeflion of This or That Religio?t ; who are often thanking God that They are Members of the beft^ or only, Church in the World ; whilft they {hamefuUy negled: many Inftances of Morality, which the very Heathens excell in ; and are boafting of their Faith, whilft They are inexcufably wicked in their PraBice f What Cruelties have been exercifed by fome called ChriJUajiSyM^onlnJidels, merely for world- ly Ends ; and thefe much the more to be ab- horred for being coloured over with the fpe- cious Name of Religion F Cruelties, which are faid to have created in thofe Jnjidels Themfelves I an irreconcileable Hatred to the very Name of I Chriji. To fpeak more plainly, what Methods j have been taken by Thofe of the Romijh Church, ! to plant what They call Chrijiianity, where j it was not ; or to maintain, and reform it ' to their own Minds, where it was ? Me^ ihcds, that would make the Ears of an ho- neft Heathen to tingle-, fo much beyond the common Bounds of Barbarity itfelf, that They can hardly be expreffed ; but will al- I ways. T The Good Sama r i t a n. ways, I fear, be rememBre3~to tTiieTnfamy ot the Chrijiian Name, by Thofe who know of no other Go/pel^ but what fuch Men have preached. And are there not, amongft Jhofe who utterly condemn this Condudl, Some to be found, fo intent upon the Goods of this World, as to forget thofe Duties in which the Vigour and Life of Rel?gio7i con- fiftsj Jujlice^ and Charity, and to retain little more, than fo much of tlje ProfeiTion of Re- ligion as may help on their worldly Defigns ? But though God certainly preferred the Worjldip of the "Jew, before That of the Sama- ritan ; yet, we need not doubt to fay that He was much better pleafed with the good and cha- ritable Samaritan^ than with the inhuman and unmerciful 'Jew, Nay, we may go farther, and take occafion from hence to affirm that a Good God will make all jail Allowances for the Errors of cveiy fuch charitable Man ; but None for the wilful Wickednefs of One who profefles a true and holy Religion, and tranfgreffes the plained Laws of Nature, and Reafon, and of all Religiom in the World. This admits of no Excufe : the Other may, in the Eyes of H/;;;, who fees the bott om of all Hearts, and knows the Spring from whence all the Errors in the World proceed. So alfo, though it be certain that a Chrtfii- ^;zofa Right Faith Is more acceptable to Him, than 331 E RM. XVI. *The Good Samaritan. ^ E R M| than One who is not fo, where there is no^ XVI. thing to make it otherwife; yet, We maybe as t/->/N^ certain, That an honeft Heathen is much mor6 acceptable to him, than a diflioneft and deceitful Chrijlian-j and that a charitable and good-natured Pagan has a better Title to his Favour, than a Cruel and barbarous Chrijiian-y let him be never fo orthodox in his Faith. Nay, for the fake of the Gofpel itfelf, whatever that Part o^ChriJiians do, who, in the heat of their Zeal for enlarging the Bounds of their Church, feem to think it a Duty to forget all the Softnefles of Human Nature, and to pradife the utmofl: Inhumanity j Let U>, (who pretend td be reformed from them) have no hand in caft- ing fuch an indeleble Blot upon our Holy Reli- gion : and, while our Mouths are making a good Confejjion of Faith^ let not our Lives be full of thofe Vices which the Gofpel came to extirpate. And, particularly. Let that extenfive Charity ^ and unbounded Love and Beneficence, adorn our Lives, which make fo great a Part of, and add fo great a Luftre to, that Divine Inliitution. To this End, IV. The principal Thing intended by ciir LiOrd, in the Story we are now confidering, being to recommend Goodnefs and Love to- wards all Men, let us turn our Thoughts to this great Duty of Univerfal Charity, and out ftri(5t Obligation to the conflant Pra&ice oVit.. On r Yhl Cjood Sam a r i t a n. 333 InorderTo fix the Nature of this, it is proper iERM. here again to call to mind, That this univerfal j xvi. Charity is not defigned to break in upon thofeZ)«- v'VNJ ties which we owe to Ourfehes, our Parents^ \ OniChildrerty our Friends, nay, and our Acquaint^ ance. It is not in the Power of Any Man to I affift every One in diftrefs : and Nature direds | Him to prefer Thefe before Strangers, when | they come in Competition, and are in the fame Degree of Want, or Diftrefs. Accord- ■itigly, our Saviour here choofes the Inftance jof One in the greateft Danger 3 at the very Point of Death 5 certainly perilling without prefent iHelp. And had the Cafe been thus, that the ■Prieji, and the Levite, were going to a Fa- rther, or a Child, or a Friend, in the fame! Neceffity ; and had it not in their Power to I aflift Both } We may venture to fay that our | Lord would not have blamed Them for nesr- letting a Stranger for One in a much nearer Relation to Them, and in the fame Condi- tion. And therefore, the Dodrine taught in this Hiftory, is rightly underftood to be this. That Whoever of the human Race flands in Eeed of our Affiftance ; whom we can relieve without Injury to Our/elves i or without neg- kt5ting Others, in the fame Condition, whom ivQ much more ought to relieve j has a Title to our Benevolence and Kindnefs : Or is cur Neio-hbotir, whom v>x- are to love as Our^ ; Jelves ; ■33'- — ■ Th Good Samaritan. § E R h\.felvcs J and whom we are willingly to corii- XVI.! fort, fupport, and aflift. And this We are plainly obliged to do, as we are Men, of the fame Clafs and Order of Beings ; as we are obliged to imitate Almighty God j and as we are Chrifii- anSy to be guided and judged by the Gofpel. I. As we are Men-^ and, as fuch, Partakers of the fame Nature; fubjecS to the fame Accidents ; placed in this World upon the fame Conditions, with Other Men. Look up to the common Cre- ator of all, and the common Father, from whom all had their original ; and there is no Differ- ence. The Rich, and the Poor ; the Happy, and the Miferable ; the Fortunate, and Unfortunate; are' of one Stock. God created the One and the Other : and placed them in the fame World ; where None of them, not the greateft, and richefi:, and moft Powerful of them all, can be fecure that he (hall not, one Day or other, come to be the leaft, the pooreil:, and moft diftrefled, of Men. How happy foever and flourifliing we are to day ; how profperoully foever Things fucceed with us ; not many Years may, perhaps, make a great Alteration. A An- gle Ad: of great Imprudence ; an unexpedled Lofs ; a very calamitous Accident; Envy and Ma- lice of Others : One, or more, of Thefcy may overturn All ; and deprive us of thofe good Things, a fmall Part of which We now think 77)e Good Samaritan. lil think it hard to afford our Brethren in their Ne- se k m, celTities. Let nor, therefore, the //^<7;2/j of your ^vi. Neighbour ^ nor your own i^/V/^'fj, make fuch a',y^VNJ Difference between You, in your own Eyes, as to recommend him to your Contempt. Negle6l not Him^ in his diftrefsfull State, whom God has created with the fame Fa- culties you poilefs, and placed in the fame World which you inhabit. Remember that a fmall Time may, pofUbly, alter the Face of Things, in fo uncertain a State as This : and You will always make their Cafe Your own. Call to Mind often that it is not for Men to live without mutual Help, and good OfHces: and that the Richeji of all do, in- deed, owe fo much to the Labour and In- duflry of the Poor^ that They may be glad to fupply the Wants of the Dijirejfedj when their own Induflry and Labour cannot. The more frequently You entertain yourfelves with fuch Thoughts, the greater and more conftant will be your Regard to your Fellow-Creatures around You. 2. We are obliged to pradiife this univerfal Charity, as we are obliged to imitate God him- felf. That great and all-perfedt Being wants not the Afliftance of any Men ; nor can ever poflib- ly want it : and yet He has not negledted, or def- pifed, their Neceffities. Thofe Bleffings, the Z Admi- IM Hoe Good Samarit a^t. S E RM^ Adminiftration of which he referves to him- ! XVI. ifelf, how common and univerfal are They?; '■^y'^^xHis SunJJnjies, and his Ram falls, indiiferentl)' ion All : and why then fliould not thofe Blejf- '\ \i72gs v/hich He has entrufted with the Rich jMen of this World, be freely and univerfally idillributed, as the Neceflities of />0(9r Men re- jquire ? What would the Richefi of them all do, were the Supreme Creator, and Governour, of all things, quite Regardlefs of T^hem, and oi their Well-being here below? They could not breath one Moment without his Concur- rence J and he affords it them. They could • not live, without his ^un, and his Air^ and jhis Rain\ and all thefe, by his Command, con- j tribute to their Support. And this is a mofl powerful Argument, That, when Others [want what they have in Abundance, and what they can fpare ; They ought, with all Readinefs to communicate it to their Fellow- Creatures. To refufe to do this, is indeed a mofl ungrateful Return to that God who fliews himfclf, every Day and Hour, fo good to I'hem. For to refule to imitate Him in this, is not to thank him. Nay, it may juilly be taken as an affront to HimTelf, that, when He has communicated to T'hcm of the FuUnels of his own Happinefs, They have fo little a Senfe of the Beauty of fuch Bene- volence .a, 1 337-r XVI. 77)e QjDOD S A_MARITANi ^^ volence, as not to think it worthy of theisER moil natural Regard of Imitation. But, ^^^^ 3. We are obliged to this Beneficence, asL''•^rvJ we are Chnjiia?is^ to be guided now, and} judged hereafter, by the Go/pel We pre- tend to embrace. In that We are plainly taught, That whatever Vv e have, over and above the Neceffities and Conveniences of Ourfelves, and thofe in whom we are moft nearly con-j cerned, is intruded to Us for the Ufe and Be-j nefit of Thofe who want it. To fee our BroA thcr ha^ue need, and to jlmt up our Bowels op Companion agamji him, is condemned by thej lame Gofpel, as a Sin : And if in Sins there be| Degrees, We may fay that I'l' is is One of the! mofl unpardonable of all. The Duty of lov-\ ing, that is, doing Good to, 2\\ ouv FellowA Creatures, when their DiJIreJfes call upon Us, I is fo often there repeated, and inculcated, that' it is needlefs to be more particular. The Ex- ample fet before Us, in 7 hat, is Chrijl 'Jefus, who was never wearv of exertin^y his Poia- er for the R.elief, and Comfort, and Sup- port, and Happinefs, of all the World around] him. The Account there given of the Day of Judgment, and the great and fo- lemn Audit to come, turns all upon Charity-, and reprefents the Cafe in this Manner. Have you ioA the Hungry, clothed the Naked, enter- Z 2 tained Tap' The G o o D. S'A- M A R-r^ a n. vifited and relieved the as SERM.talned the, Stranger j xvi.j Sick, fupplied the Wants of all Mankind ^^VN^ far as you were able? 1[ Tou have^ You- -.aire I Thofe happy Dilciples, to whom oar Lord will fay, Come J ye blejfed of my Father^ Merit the Kingdom prepared for you, from the Foundation of the World. If Ton have not ; the Other Sentence is declared to belong to you, Depart from me, ye curfedy into everlafting Fire, Whgjt can be a greater Demonfiration of how great Value, in the Eyes of God, this iiniverfal Charity is, and of what a heinous Nature the contrary Vice is ? And what can be a greater Argument to Us, to avoid the 07Z^,and pradlifc the Other ? Of the Duty ij' But, though this has been faid, in the Heat XVII. j and Paffion, if I may fay fo, of Good Men ; yet t/V^ it cannot, in any tolerable Senfe, be prov- ed that Wickednefs is any more a Security againft Troubles and AfHictions, in this State, than true Goodnefs and Holinefs. It may, indeed, often profper, fo far as to procure outw^ard Grandeur, and immenfe Riches : But what is that to the State of Mind within, which is the Seat of Happlnefs ? Hovv^ many ProjeSfs does the wicked Man often frame, that are not fulfilled, but generally brought to Nothing, when he attempts them ? How many Pleafures does he purfue, that end in Nothing but the Bitternefs of D if appoint me7it ; and often, in, what is much worfe, the Bitternefs of a wounded Confcience, which He always carries about with him, and from which he cannot fly. Providence has not yet fo forfak- en the prefent Condition of/-7/ //iff and Good?iefs, in this World, as to leave Wickednefs wholly triumphant j or to give it the Encouragement of iht good Tubings of this Life, without the com- mon Mixture of the Bad. Far other wife. We fee, the Wicked Man often fuffers, in this World : Nor can all his Cunning and Con- trivance, inyo;^^ Cafes, keep off from him the public Difgrace of Evils much above the or- dinary under h. f fliction s." 341.-^ dinary and common Evils, of which He alfo ^ e R M« has his Share, here below. xvii. It may indeed, be fufficient, to afk, upon '^^VNJ this Head, Of all the Men ordained to live in this world, Who is there ; Who has there ever been ; V/ho can there ever be, truly Self -fuffi- cient ? Who, fo htted fovHappi/iefs within him- felf, as to place no Part of it in any thing witb- out him; or, to feek for no Part of it any where but within his own Bread ? Who, fo perfedt, or, Who framed after fo peculiar a Manner, as not to find it unavoidable to delight in, or love, fome particular Good^ fo as to make the Uncertainty, or Lofs, of it, a great EviH One indeed, fixes upon one Thing 3 and Ano- ther, upon Another : One, upon the Riches of this World ; Another, upon the Honours and Pride of it ; Another, upon Reputation and Glory ; Another, upon his Family, and his i Children-, Another, upon the Pleafures of Friendfip, or Learning : But ftill every One, upon fomething, or other. All find it fo ne- cefiary, to feek Support, under the exped:ed Evils of this Life, from fome one, or other, of thefe, or the like, good Things, that They conftantly, and univerfally, do it. And though the Befi: of them do Nothing but what Nature leads Them to; and though They make the wifefl: Choice pofhble, in fixing 344 8ERM" XVII. Of the Duty (j/^Christi a n s fixing upon fomethlng the moft proper of all Thines behw^ for their Affiftance ; and though They purfue it with Innocence^ and a dueRegnrd to Religion; yet even ftill it mufb be ow^ned That there is Room enough left for \ try fever e and piercing AffiiBiom. There is one fingle Circumftance of human Life, which lis alone fufficient to render infipid every Thing Ithat can be called Enjoyment. I mean, the Habitual Want of Healthy which Many, we fee, labour under. And much more are the frequent Returns of the moft violent Pains and DifeafeSj which are the Portion of Other s^ able of Themfelves, ' to fcatter Mifery\ where yoy might otherwife reign; and to bring to Nought the Happinefs of Thofe who polTefs the greateft of all temporal Goods. Nor do I fee a Remedy in this Cafe. For we muft take our Natures, as Gcd has made them ; and the World, as we find it. We can- not pretend, by any Self-Siifficiency, to pro- cure for Our-felves, that little Happinefs which We, for a few Hours or Days, fome- times obtain in this State; and which we cannot help defiring, any more than we can help defiring to live. And yet it is true, That, whatever it is, here below, that our peculiar Conftitution of Mind direcfls us to purfue, in Aid of our Happinefs, muft have fo .^4= -mm l it n mi ider Afflictions. 1345 lo"much of the Nature of the other Good ^erm, things oi this State, that it cannot but be, jxvii. one Time or other, the Occafion of Uneafinefs [-'''"V^ and Afflidlicn. But I come now to the next Point I propofed, which was II. To {hew, after what Manner it is the Duty of reafonable Creatures, and Chrijlians^ to bear thofe AfflidiionSy which are fo unavoid- able in this State. And here, I think, we are to confider the different and various Tempers, Educations, and Difpofitions, of Mankind j by which it muft come to pafs that They cannot poffibly All fhew themfelves equally couragious, or equally patient, in the fame Circumftances. It is nothing to one Perfon to lofe a Sumni of Mony, who yet is funk by the Lofs of an exalted Statioji in Life. It is a fmall Matter to another to fuffer in this Point oi Honour ^ who cannot bear the leaft Difappointment in Trojity or Gain. And a third Perfon, perhaps, va- lues a FricJid, or a Relation, more than the moft covetous Man upon Earth docs his Bags 5 or the moft Ambitious, his high Ef- tate. And, again, the Paffions of Some may be flronger by Nature than thofe of Others ; and their perfonal Weaknefs greater: They may be of a fofter and more tender Nature, and . 3 4^ I Of the'D \j TX_g/\CH_Rj_g_TJ^N-S. .-. sERiv^.and fo capable of deeper Impreflions, and XVI i.i more diforderly Commotions of Mind, than 'their Neighbours: and the Notions They i have received in their Education, may have j ftill more diftinguiihed Them from Other Men. Allowances are to be made for all thefe Things : and Almighty God will cer- tainly make all reafonabie Allowances for fuch Variety of Circumftances, and Difpo- iitions. I It cannot be expeded, that One who Is I polTelTed with the Love of Mony, or Ho- j nour, can bear a Separation from T^hem^ with I as little Shew of Remorfe, as One who never j felt any ftrong Inclination towards them. And I fo likewife, in other Cafes. But, taking all I thefe Confiderations into the Account, the leaft j that can be our Duty, under the feverefl: Dif- penfations of God's Providence towards us, in I the Removal, or Diminution, of thofe good I Things, from which we have expedled any j Addition to our Happinefs in this World, is, To acknowledge God to be perfe(5lly wife, and pcrfedly good j much better able to judge jand to determine what is good for Us, than I we are, for ourfelves ; and to fubmit to Him, as to a Governour, to whom there is all the Rcafon in the World to commit Ourfelves, land all our Fortunes, I do tin 'der'Kv F L I c f I o N s. 347 -u;w^ I do not think, and therefore, I cannot jSe R M. teach. That this SubmiJJion to Almighty God,! •^^^^• which is equally the Duty of All, muft be 1^-^^'^ joined with a rejoicing in fuch fevere T>ifpenJa-\ tions. On the contrary, It feems to me to be: perfedly confident with a deep and forrowful! Senfe of the Lofs we have fuftained, and of j the Good removed from us. Otherwife in- 1 deed, it can hardly bear the Name of an Af- i JliBio?2. I I know, In the Cafe of Ferfeciition for the! Sake of the Gofpel, our blelled Lord fpeaks, i of rejoycing, and beitig exceeding glad ; and • his Apoftles, oi counting it all Joy to fuffer\ for his Sake. But thefe are to be looked | upon as Figurative Defcriptions of a State of Mind, reafonable, indeed, in itfelf ; but not commanded, as the ftrid Duty of every Chrijiian. It is, in itfelf, I fay, reafonable, if we iconfider only the Goodnefs of the Caufe, and the greater Rewards of another Life, which =our Sufferings procure us, even to exprefs a Joy, in the midft of All the Pains We can undergo, for the Sake of our Religion. Nor can it be denied That there have been Inftances of •Men, who have, in this Beft of Caufes, fhewa \ all the Marks of a real Joy in their Sufferings ioi it. I wifb, the like could not be faid of '■ Others^ 34^1 Of the Duty ofQ h_r i^ t i a n s _ \ SER M.jO/^^rj, in the very Worjl^ and moil unwor- XVII. I thy of fuch an Appearance. But, on the other C^'VNJiSide, confidering the Nature and Circumftan- |Ces of Man, in this World, it feems impoffi- Hble for All to arrive at fuch a Perfed:ion, as to she able literally to fulfil fuch Expreffions. I And therefore, This cannot be the T)iity of \AIL I am fure, the Apoflle, in the Text, j expreflly faith, that no Chajiening is, for the \prefenti joyous, but grievous -j and this, with I regard to our Suffering for the Sake of the ! Go/pel. Nay, our Lord himfelf not only ad- ivifes his firft DifcipleSy in fome of his iaft ! Hours, to watch and pray, that I'hey may not ■i enter into fuch T^emptations, or fevere 'Trials^ ] on account of their Relation to Hitn j but re- I commends to Them in other PafTages, the I Prudence of avoiding Them, as far as They {innocently and honourably could. And if We call to mind his own Pradiice, when His Sufferings preffed clofe upon Him, for the moft glorious Caufe, which He knew to be his Father's Will, and his own Undertaking ; We fhali fee that He did not think it unwor-* thy of his Charaderto fliew the fmcere Tokens of exceedi?2g Sorrow, mixed v*'ith his Submiffion and P erf ever a?2ce. So that, even In this ex- traordinary Cafe of Perfecution for His Sake, it may be juflly faid, That an honefl Chrijiian ' performs U7tder Afflict ions. performs that Duty which God requires of Him, when He patiently fubmits to Pain and Torment, as the A5i of Fromdence^ rather than deny his Mafter, or abjure his Religion » And upon all the foregoing Confiderations, with regard to the ujual Calamities attending human Life, I fhall not fcruple to fay, That j what the Great and Good Ruler of all Things I exped:s from his imperfe(5l Creatures, as a Du- ■ ty^ is, Not that they fliould wifh for, or defire. Calamities-, or rtiew a Stupidity^ or Joy^ under them: but that They Ihould have Recourfe to the Confiderations of Reli- gion ; and make a rational and patient Sub- miffion to Him, as to a wilb and good Gover- nour, in all the JiffiiBiom which They may experience in the Courfe of this World. And now, in order to this, III. I fliall point out the flrong Reafons there are, to induce them to bear thefe Af- jiiBiom with Patience, and a proper Sub- niiffion to Almighty God. N(5 one can deny that it is both juft and reafonable that God fliould fometimes try the Duty and Affedtions of his Creatures, i provided fuch Trials contain Nothing in them .beyond their own Strength, or That which he is pleafed to afford them. Nor can any 4 one >ER M. XVII. TiftFTty uty^Christians s E R iv^one deny it to be highly reafonable that Men, in fuch a State as this, fliould give fome plain ^^'V^ Evidence that they beheve there is a God, a Being of perfed: Goodnefs, and perfed: Wif- dom, who governs and difpofes all Things here below. Now, What greater Evidence cf This, is it poffible for Us to give, than pa- tiently to fubmit all our Affairs to his De- termination, and quietly to acquiefce in his Decrees ? This doth not at all forbid Us to make ufe of our own Prudence, in guarding, as much as we can, our Lives here below from all the F^vih of this ^tate : but teaches Us to do this under the Infpedlion of his Eye, and with a conftant Submiffion of our Wills to JH/'j. And the ferious Confideration of our own weak and imperfect Faculties, and of His infinite Perfedions, will foon convince Us, that fuch a Submijjion is, in our prefent Con- dition, our greateft Happinefs. If We confider ourfelves, and the Vow- ers that belong to us j We fhall find how nar- row and confined they are. How many ma- terial Things are there, that we muft be ig- norant of, even of great Concern to ourfelves, and our Happinefs here below ? By how many Paffions, and how many Fancies, are We often led out of the Paths of Right Judgment I about under Af flictions. :5Si about our own true Good? And this, to fuch sier m. a Degree, That other Men, weak and frail scvii. like Ourfelves, can often fee our real Intereft, U'^'VNJ better than v/e can, merely becaufe They are not Ourfelves, or biafled by any fooliili Self- love, when they judge in our Cafe? Experi- ence itfelf has frequently taught Us, how mif- taken we have been in our pa ft Determinati- ons; and how little able to judge what would be the Confequence, were all our own Defires fulfilled : And therefore, how miferably unfit to allott to Ourfelves our own Portion of Good 3i\d Evil in this World. Ifthefe Things be fo ; can there be a greater Happinefs than to be under the Governance of a Benevolent and all-wife Guide, who cannot be miftaken in our real Good; and who, in all his Dif- penfations towards us, is Himfelf directed by a conftant regard to our true and lading la- tere fi: ? In the poor Condition of human Life here below, What a Blefiing is it, to Chil- dren, and Pcrfons not come to the Ma- turity of their Judgment, to be under the Conduct and Management of wifcr Per- fons than themlelves ; more experienced in the Affairs of this World ; and better Judges of what is fit for them, and what not? Kow often might They ruine A a thcmfelves, ^^2 Of theDvrY £/^C_h_r is t i a n s \ SER Mi themfelves, under the Notion of Good and XVII. Pleafure, if they were not fo ? How of- WX ten would their Appetites, or their childifh Conceits, be the Inftruments of their Unhap- pinefs ? And what are the bell and wifefl of Us, when compared with Ahnighty God, but weak as Children, and as truly unfit to choofe for ourfelves, in many Cafes of fingular- I Importance to Our chief Concern ? And if it be an Happinefs to 'Them to be under the Guidance of Others, whofe Duty it is to keep them from; noxious and hurtful Things, and to grant them Nothing but what is truly good for them ; how much more is it happy for Us^ that there is One above us, to train and educate us to a more bleffed State, by the Difciplin6 of Affiidlions when he fees them neceflary : and thus to confult our true Intereft by de- nying us the Enjoyment of what is not fo good for us as we imagine ; and by not permitting us to ruine ourfelves ; as, probably, we ihould do, were our Deiires, in this World, mor^ frequently granted us. It is a Work of Difficulty, I coniefs, con^ tentedly to part with That, on which we have founded any of our Hopes of Happinefs in this State. But fee how eafy, even fo|' worldly Reaions, and without any oil thej U7ider Afflictions. 353 the Affiftances of Religion, many Men can b e r m. be, under great and confiderable Difappoint- xvir. mentSi and fee alfo how Time has per- L/'V^ formed thofe Cures upon the moft difturbed Minds, which They have not permitted Rea- fon and Confideration to do : And then judge. Whether it be not much more becoming Us, to have this Cure effected by wife and excel- lent Motives, or, in other Words, by the moft reafonable and moft unexceptionable Me- thods. And what can be of more proper In- fluence upon any ingenuous and well-difpofed Mind, than the Confideration of God's Proi- vidence; the Thought that it is agreeable to his Will we fhould fuffer all we fuffer^ that the Circumftances we are in, are what He has judged proper, for the beft and wifeft Reafons, to allott us : Or, at leaft, that our Portion is fo far his Determination, that, if He had feen it to be bad for us, all Things confidered, He would not fo much as have permitted it to be what it is ? And this is much the fame Satisfadion, as if He himfelf had af- fured us that it is what we ourfelves fliould choofe, did we know our own good, and could we fee all Things as they truly are. And this leads to another Confideration very well fitted to make us eaiy and refigned j That, let our Condition be what it will, at A a 2 prefent, 35-4 Of the Duty (^/'Christians s E R ^[. prefent, it is fuch as We ourfelves (hould choofe, xviij or patiently fubmit to, as the fittell: and heft, if all Things, proper to be confidered, could be prefent to our View. For the Reafon why We do not, at firft Thought, acquiefce in ail the Difpenfations of God Almighty, is becaufe We do not fee that Fitnefs and Pro- priety in them, which He always has before his Eyes. And this proceeds from the Imperfe(5lion of our Capacities and Un- derllandings : which Defed can be fupplied by Nothing but our Sabmiflion to a fuperior and perfeft Underftanding. It may be an innocent Speculation to think how great our Happinefs would be, if we were fo framed, as to fee perfcdly every Particular, and all pofTible Circumftances, re- lating 'to our Condition here, and hereafter ; what is truly our Good, and v.'hat is not: But this is not given to Us. We may feek after fuch Knowledge, as well as we canj but we muft be content with that Cloud of Darknefs in which it is at prefent wrapped up ; and give Repofe to our Soids in the reafonable AiTurance that there is a Being fu- perior to us, who made us, and who governs US; that tills Being fees all Things as they truly are, in their own Natures and Tenden- cies ; and orders Nothing for his Creatures, but under Afflictions. ILL ) ERM- XVII. but what they may be fatisfied is beH: and fit- eil: to be ordered. And did we but hear- tily beHeve this, and duely confider it, it could i/V\j not but be a mighty Relief to us in all our Ex- igencies: And we could not but feel the fatif- . fadion of a rational Faith fupplying the De- ! fedls and Imperfedions of our own Natures. But, in order to this Relief, V/e muft flridly guard againft that great, and, I had almoft | faid, blafphemous Error, which reprefcnts i God, as ading, in the Government of the World, and in the Difpofiticn of the For- tunes of his Creatures, afer an arbitrary and tyrannical manner, in order to fncw his Power and Greatnefs : and always think of Him, as a Being who delights in Nothing more than in doing Good j and edecms No- thing fo much his Glory, as to ad conflant- ly, and without Interruption, according to the eternal Rules of Juftice and Good- nefs. And if wc would often thus reprefent to Ourfelves Almighty God, as the Beft and Wifeftof All Beings, who could have no End in creating us, and can have none fince in go- verning us, feparated from our own Happinefs; This would be a folid Ground of inward Sa- tisfadion and Contentment, amidft all the UnhappineiTes and Pains, and Diftreffes, oi A a 3 this M 0/'//^g Duty 0/ Christians s E R Ml this World : efpecially, if we added to the XVII, Argument, That this fame God has alTured Us ^•^'VSj of Another future and unchangeable State, in which He will reward the Patience and Re- lignation we have exercifed in I'his-y and make us ample Amends for all the tempo- ral Evils we have here fuftained. This is what leads Me, as I propofed, IV. To fpeak of the great Advantages of JlffliBions to thofe who are exercifed therein ; and who bear them with a due Chriftian Patience, and Submiflion. To pafs through an uncertain miferable World well, has the greateft Encouragement, when it is known to be the Road to a certain and happy State ; a State, in which we fhall receive infinitely more Good than ever we have loft here ; if we prefs towards it with a manly and Chriftian Greatnefs of Mind. And this Encouragement We cannot be without, if We truly believe That there are Treafures in Heaven, fufficient to make the Want of allthe Gold of /Z'/i World tolerable ^ Flonours and Glo- ries, fufficient to make the Difgraces of this State fit eafy j and Happinefs in fuch Per- fection, as to make all the Mifcries experi- enced here below, appear of little Moment, when compared with what is to come* -.*-'*-- - - Hqw tinder A f f l i c t i o n's. 3J7 How then fhould this Thought contribute ; to the enduring any temporal Evils and Cala- mities with a decent Patience, That, in the other State, if we make ourfelves worthy of the Rewards of it. All will be exactly what: we could wifh j the Lofs, or Want, of the good Things of this World made up to us a thou- fand Fold, by large Communications of unmix- ed Happinefs ; Sicknefs^ and Pain, exchanged for Healthy and Vigour , of Body and Mind j In- firmities of every Sort, far removed from Us : and this happy Condition made more happy by the Certainty and Stability of It j free from the uneafy Sufpicion of any future Alteration, or any the lead Decay in the Favour of God towards Us. And, Is it not worth while to be Patient under the tranfient Evils of this World, which you muft fuffer whether you will, or no ; and which are made much more intolerable for want of a realbnable SubmiiTion ? Nay, to fliew a proper Degree of Contentment under them, when this will certainly procure you a higher Place in the Love of God, and a greater Porti- on of the Rewards of Heaven, than you could hope for without them ? It is indeed, for this Purpofe, that God layeth his affliding Hand Upon Somej not to crufli or opprefs them, A a 4 ' into ERM XVII. M 8 Of the Duty ^Christians .SERM. into a ftupid, unadive, and defpcnding Con- xyii. dition ; but to give them an Opportunity of V.^V>Jjdcmcnftrating their Faith in Him, and ofprac- tifing thole Precepts of Religion they have treafured up in their Minds. And that this does not proceed from any Want of Love, ond paternal Benevolence, to- vv^ards Them, the Final Iflue of thefe CorrediionSy when Patience f sail have had its pcrfeB Pforky jwill openly prove : waicn the great Ends, pro- jpofed by Plim, v^ill appear to have been, That |He might moreeffedually take their Thoughts joff from this wretched World ; and fix them more firmly upon another and better State, to v^^hich They are haflening apace : That They might do the more Service to true Religion, by their Exam.ples, here-, and deferve more of his Fa- vour, and receive a brighter Crown of Glory, hereafter : That He might make their Virtue" and their Faith to fiim more bright before Men, in this State ; and Themfelves more ?7- hijirious Inftances of his Love, before his Angels, in Heaven. And v/e may add to what I have iliid, I'hat thus it has pleafed the fame God to deal with Some of the rreateft o Examples of Virtue, (always amiable in his Eyes,) which have appeared in the Heathen, jcwi/k, and Chriftian, World : and 4 even under Afflictions. even with his own ^on^ in whom He declared:; er m. 359 XVII. Ilimfelf ijoell f leafed. The mention of this Diviue Perfc?jj who, L/^/>J when in our Form, was a Man cf Sorrows, I and acquai?ifed with Grief y and who is both I oar Mafler, and our great Original to copy [ after, leads Me to think, I can conclude with j Nothing better, than this fliort Exhortation. Let every one of us, with refped: to the Evil I things of this Life, have His Example al- ways in Our View. This will teach Us that, before any Affli6lion is acTtually come upon Us, We may becomingly fay, with Him, Father, remove this Cup fro7n jjie-, but it will teach Us alfo to add, in his Words, Neverthelefs^ not as I willy but as T'hcu willeji. And after the Time is come when we fee it to ht God's Will that we muflfuffer Afilidion, in fome Point or other ; let us learn, from the fame perfed; Pattern, to endure it after fuch a Manner, as that, being made like unto HifHy in Suffering, and in Patience, in this World, We may be made like unto him alfo, in the Glories of That which is to come. Tjc I'he Christian Race. SERMON XVIII. I C O R I N T H I A N S ix. 24, 2 5. Know ye not, that they which run in a Race, run ally but one receiveth the Prize ? Sa run, that ye may obtain. And every Man I that ftriveth for the Majlery is temperate in \ all Things. Now They do it to obtain a \ corruptible Crown, but We an incorruptible, j /•""I 1 H E S E Words are an Allufion to ^ e R m. I thofe public Races, which were ixviii. -»- much in Ufe amongfl the Heathens, in St. Pauls Days, and drew together a great Concourfe of People from all Parts. And as it was His Cuftom to draw Arguments for Care, and Diligence, and Patience, in- Chrijlians, from what pafled in the World about Him ; fo we find Him frequently refer- ing to all the Other ^^orts, and Contejls^ then in -Ufe: fuch as Fighting, TFreJlling, and JUi J^TChri sti an R~a ce. s E R K\~'^^^ like.Thus, fpeaking of the Chrijiian Con- XVJII ie/l He fays, TVe Vv^reftle Jiot^ Or, as it is in VY^ the Original^ Our wreftling is not, againft FleJId and Blood, hut againjl PrtJicipalities and Powers, &c. Eph. vi. 12. And, immediate- ly after the Text, fpeaking of Himfelf, He iays, So fight I, not as One that beateth the Air ', Or, more Hterally, as One ivho is not beating the Air, in a feigned Fight, merely to exerciie his Arms and Hands : But, Hke One in earneft, / keep under, or rather, beat my Bo- dy, and bring it into Subjedlion as an Adver- fary : which He expreffes by Words taken from the Bruijes and Marks of thofe fevere Blows given to Ad'vcrfaries in the public Fightings of his Days ; and the Infults over Them when conquered. And, in the tri- umphant Review of his own C(5ndu(fl, He particularly makes ufe of the Expreffions' peculiar to thefe Games, and Contefts, 2 'ry/;?.iv. 7. \.\\2.vh fought a good Fight -j. I have finiflied my Race : A Crown of Glory, is laid up for 7/ie. So alfo, in otlier Places of his Writings. In the Words of the Text, He entirely confines his View to the public Races, then ir.uch frequented : And They may be thus in- terpreted. " You know that They who pretend to 7~un in the Stadium, or Place in which the public T?*^ Ch R iSTiAN Race. 3^ public Races are performed, j4li indeed r////kERM» for the Prize propofedj but that One only xviii. obtains it ; He^ that outdoes the reft, in Adi- (-/"VXJ vity, and Swiftnefs. And the hke may be faid of the Cbnjhan Race. They who profefs Chrifti- anity\ or pretend to be aiming at the Re- wards promifed to Ckrifians, All pretend like- wife to run the Chriftian Courfe, or lead the Life of Chrifiiam. But it is one Sort only of T^hcfe, who obtain the Prize propofcd ; only They^ who come up to the Conditions required by their great Mafter and Judge. So rim that ye may obtain ; that is, Since there is but one Sort of ProfeiTed Cbrijlians, who can obtain the Crown of Life^ contended for, it ought to be your Endeavour Jo to run the Chriftian Race, that you may be of that Number. But in order to this, You muft confider That Every one whojlriveth, in thefe Races amongft the Heathens, undergoes a great deal of Pains, and exercifes the fevereft Inftances of Com- mand over his Appetites, in order to the pre- paring his Body, and going through the Fa- tio:ue of his Undertaking. Now They do all this to obtain a Garland of fading Leaves, and the Acclamations of Men periftung like them- felves : How much more lliould IVe Chriftians willingly undergo the like Care and La- bour, who expedl a far greater Reward ; an inc corruptible Crown of never-fading Glory, and 3^4 SERM. 7]^^ Chr I s T I A N Race. and eternal Honour, in the Prefence of XVIII. j God?" ^-^^V^"^! Thus wc fee what the Apoftle aims at, in ; jthis Allujton to the Preparation, Care, and La- ! hour, of Thofe who fcrove in the Sports and j I Games of the Heathen. And from thefe i Words, thus interpreted, I propofe, ' I. To confider the Nature of the Chriftlan "Race^ reprefented to us in this Allufion j and; I what is neceilary in order to Succefs in it : un- I jder which will appear the main Intention of • 'the Apoftle YS\ this PafTage. And, II. To take occafion from hence to en^ I large the Apojiles Argument, by adding an In- \jlance or Two, of that Care, and Labour; j and Pains, which the Men of the Worlds by I their own Choice, undergo, for the obtaining as I great a Portion as They can, of the good Things below-., in order to ftir up an Emu- lation and Zeal, in ChriJlianSy who profefs to feek after nobler Enjoyments above, to equal, if not excell. Them, in all the like Care, and Labour, and Patience. I. We are led to confider the Nature of the Chriftian Race, reprefented to us in this Allufi- CJty and what is requifite to our Succefs in it : not i|- 7^5^ Christian Race. 13^5 hot excluding what St. Paul often alludes to,lsER m, and argues, relating to the Other public (^^wt'jjxviii. and Co?2te/is for Glory, amongft the Men of O^/^NJ his Age, Let us fee, then, what was thought requi- fite, at that Time, towards finifliing thofe Races, to which the Apoflle alludes, fo fuc- cefsfully, as to obtain the Garland, or corrup- tible Crown, He here fpeaks of j and confidcr whether this will not lead us into fome proper Thoughts about the Nature of the Chrijlian Life ; and what is requifite towards the ob- taining the E?id propofed by all who are really Chrijlians. Now, I . In order to the flriving and contending fuccefsfully, in thefe Races, or other Exerci- fes, it was thought abfolutely neceflary for the Contenders to undergo a fevere Pre- paration, by which they were made fit for the Fatigues of their Contefis. And this is one Thing principally aimed at, by the Apoftlem the T^ext, when He fays, Every one that JlrivA eth for the Maftery, or that pretends to run and contend, for the Prize, is temperate in all "things; performs every Inftance oi ^elf- denial, and Command of all his Appetites, neceffary to fit him for the fuccefsful finifliing of his main Undertaking. And from hence the Apojlk 366 «ER M XVIII. 'The Christian Race. Apofde takes occafion to argue, Much more fhould Tcu Chriftians go through the DiJ'ci- pUne oi a due F reparation-^ as the Prize Tqu contend for, is infinitely more excellent : and then goes on, in the Words following the ^ext^ to let the Corinthians know that He him- felf found great Neceffity oifubduing his Body, left his Bodily Appetites fhould hinder Kim in that extraordinary Coiirfe^ which He, as an Apofile^ had io rim. And, certainly, what- ever any Chrijlians may find neceiTary, in order to the having a perfed Command over thole Bodily PafTions, and Appetites, which are the great Enemies They have to ftrive againft, ought to be ftridly performed, if They would run their Chriftian Race with Succefs. But This was not the only Preparation ^hey were to undergo, who of old contended for Vi(5lory in the public Races and Games. There was another Preparation alfo neceffary, without which they could not hope uiccefs- fully to finith their Courfe : A Preparation, by which they were inftrufted in the Nature of their Courjes ; the Rules of their own Conduct; the Stratagems of their Antago- nills ; and animated with a Deilre of the Glory of Conquerours. And as, without fuch a Pre- paration, it was invain for Than to enter upon their The Christian Race.' jail their Work : fo, likewife, it is invain for sIe r m. Chrijiians to enter the Lifts againft the Ene- xviii. mies of their Souls j and to undertake (o labo- y^V^J rious a Tafk as the Chrijiian Life, which is furrounded by Adverfaries on every Hand, and admits no Reft 'till They are come to the End of their Race ; it is invain, I fay, for Men to undertake this, without the hke Pre- paration^ of conlidering and knowing, what is neceffary for their great Undertaking. For inftance. They muft be inwardly con- vinced that "Jefiis Chrijl was fent by God, and reveled eternal Rewards and Puniftiments to Mankind : or elfe, They will be greatly in dan- ger from every Temptation that allures them ; and too apt to yield to the inviting Scenes of Pleafure, Profit, or Honour, always ready to be prefented to their View. They muft be forewarned of all the Dangers in their Way J all the Wiles and Stratagems of their 'Enemies^ fo often fpoken of in Scripture^ the Worldy the Flefi, and the 'Devil : otherwife. They may be apt to ht fur prized hy xhQ L/kz- geso£Good, which may be unexpeifledly placed in their View, to turn them aftde from their €ourfe. They muft alfo be perfedly inftruded in the Conditions required of them j and in all thofe RtdeSy that are neceflary for the running their Chriftian Race aright : otherwife, They B b may J^^ T7je Christian R A c e . sER?4«n^3y miflake fatally, in Matters efrehtlal tb XVII r, their Succefs ; and embrace Evil for Gco^j l/W ^ and Wrong for Right j and find themfelves, at lail, going backward rather than advancing forward. A Preparation of themfelves in thefe and the like Particulars, by confulting and confidering the Gofpel itfelf, and not the Fhanjics of Men, is what all Cbriftians mull undergo, before they can hope to linilh their Courfe with Glory. But 2. In the performing of the Races of Old, to which St. Paul here alludes, there was a Courfe of Labour, and Care, and Diligence, continued without the leaft Interruption of Idlenefs, or impertinent Trifling. And This leads us to conlider the Chrijlian Race likewife, ^s a jBufinefs of conilant Care, and Diligence, never to be interrupted, if we defire to arrive fiiccefsfully to the End of it. And indeed, TTo imagine that Chrijlianity can ever difpenfe with the greateft Degree of ferious Attention and Care, is to contradi6t the Defign of it, and to undervalue the Rewards it propofes. For the Chrijlian is never quite fecure on. this Side Heaven ; becaufe He is never in a State free from dangerous Enemies. He is nearly joined to His own deceitful and flattering Appetites, which are, upon all Occafions, endeavouring to fcduce Him ; He lives in a World which, cverv 'The Christian Race. 369 fevery Hour, furniflies him with new Scenes (serm; oi Trial, and with ObjeBs framed to terrify Him from Virtue^ and to allure him to Vice. f/VNj And has fuch a Perfon any Reafon to think of remitting his Diligc?ice, or loofening the Reins of Go^cernment over himfelf j when one fatal Miftake, or Slip, through an inadvertent Negligence only, may involve him in Cir- cumftances, from which He may never be able to extricate himfelf? Let the Chrijlian only remember That it is the Habit of Virtue which is the very Race He is obliged to run ; and then confider that this Habit is the con- tinual repeated PraBice of every particular J^ut'i, as often as Occalion offers j and he can have no doubt That the moil conftant and ferious Care is requiUte towards the keeping and preferving fuch an Habit^ as well as to- wards the obtaining it. The Importance, therefore, of the Matter ; and the Dangers that encompafs a ChriJJian, through every Portion of his T;;;/^, make his Race alfo, like Thofe of Old, a continued Courfe of watchful Labour and Care : But not of Labour, and Care, without even pre- fent Pleajure and SatisfaSiion mixed with it. For it is not poffible for us to con- ceive a greater inward Pleafure, than what Bb 2 the :_i£Z2: - ^he C H R I -s ^P-i - A N--^-A-G-e-, ,SE R M. the good Cb rifli an tn]oys, in the Teftlmony XVIII. his own Confcience gives to the Uprightnefs ^''''''*^^^^ and Reafonablenefs of his Condud;; or a X.rciti Satisf a5lio72 than He finds in the Thoughts of the Favour of his great Judge, and in the Profped; of the Rev^ards of Fleaven. 3. In order to the right Ferformance of thofe Kaces^ antiently fo much in ufe, there was a Neceffity of IcMng ajide every Weighty or Burthen^ in order to make the Body as adive, and light, and unmolefted, as poffi- ble. So, hkewife, in order to the fuccefsful running of the Chrifiian Race^ every Burthen^ or Impediment^ which may make us the lefs fit for our Courfe, is to be laid afide, ^ and thrown from us. 1 Thus St Paul^ in the twelfth Chapter of | his Epijlle to the Hehreisjs^ alluding to; the fame Games, fays. Let us lay aJide every ' Weighty in order to run iviih Patience the Race ^ that is fei before lis : And this very properly,; becaufe the more free Men are from Weights^ ; the more likely to perform their Race fuc-~; cefsfuUy. What the Apojile particularly meant 1 by every Weight, He explains by adding im-j mediately, and the Sin ivbich does fo eafily be- fetUs: or rather, every Weight, even Sin^ which is always clofe to Us; and is certainly,-; the heavieft JVeight, and ilrongefl Impediment y\ - . - _ to' fix Gbr I STI AN-R A'C e.- 3?f- to 'Si Chriflianm \\\%Race '^ hv\^ "Sl Weight we -r therefore, which He muft of neceffity lay xviji. ajide^ if He has one Thought, in earneft, of runnings jo as to obtain the Prize, 4. Oui" Lord himfelf, in fpeaking of the; Chrijiia?! Life^ and what is neceffary in order ; to it, goes ftill farther ; and often mentions • the removing out of the Way, every thing | which may offend^ or, which may be the ; Occafion of our ^tuinhUng in our Chrijiian \ Couj'fe \ and fo, o^ lojing the Prize^ by falHng ' before We come to the End. And this, let ; it be of v/hat Nature it will ; never fo neceill^ry ' to our Comfort and Happinefs in this World -, ' never fo dear, or ufeful to us ; never fo pain- ■ ful in the Removal of it ; though it be our ; right Ha?2dj or our right Eye, if we cannot ■ keep it without ^;z?z/;z^, We are to cut if off, or pull it outy and caft it from Us. Otlierwife, ' we canot overcome in the Chriftian Con- ' tefl. How ridiculous a Thing would it hav^e ; been for any Perfon, in the Races of Old, to ' have pretended fo much as to enter upon his ! Courfe, without having firft removed from him- ; lelf all that might hinder him in it? And how- much more unaccountable is it,in any Chriftian^ to think of arriving, with Glory, at the End , of his Race yoxoi being vidorious in his fpiritual . B b 3 Conteil?, ; 372 715^ Chr I s T I A N Race. SE RM, XVIII. Contefts, whilft he is refolved againft parting with any thing grateful at prefent to his Senfes; though never fo prejudicial to his Virtue, and of never fo fatal Confequence to his Fretenfions. And yet, T'hh is what we fee every Day amongft profefled Chrijiians, That Men can hope and exped to be faved by Jefus Chriji ; and feem to aim at that incorruptible Crown which He has promifed ; and yet are moft unwilling to part with Thofe beloved Vices^ which They themfelves know to be incon- fiftent with all Hope of it : as if They were determined to arrive at Hca've?2y in their owa Way, or not at all ; and thought to take it by Storm, without thinking once in earnefl, of the Conditiom required of them. But T^hefe are Ghrijlians who little deferve that Name ; nor feem at all to live under the Influence cHnoh 2iVi Injiitiition 'j who have undertaken the Race of Chrijiians, and yet are difpofed to multiply upon Themfelves, more and more of thofe Hijidrmices which They find agreeable at prefent, rather than to part with Every, or Any, Weight that is likely to prefs Them down 5 or to remove out of their Way, E'very^ or Any, Stiimhling-block, that may hinder the Siiccefs of their Courfe. Again, 5- I! 7?^ Christian Race. 5, It was thought neceiTary for the fuccefs- -ful Performance of thofe Races and Cofitejh of Old, that They who ran and flrove in thena fliould be inflamed and animated with the Profped: of ViSiory, and the Glory confequent upon it; that They fliould ever have the €row?2 of Leaves (fading as it was) before their Eyes, and the Shouts and AccIamation$ of the Spe5fat07's, [vain as They were) in their Ears. And from hence We ChriJIians may be taught. That, in order to our fuccefsful run- ning the Race that is fet before us in the Gof- pely and contending for another Kind of Vic~ tory\ it is highly neceffary thaX We fliouU always have in our Thoughts the juft Expeda- tion of that incorruptible Crown of Glory here- j after, which is to be the Reward of our ^'^/V- tory here. This our blelTed Lord himfelf judged worthy of his own Character. To whom St. Faul therefore, diredls our View, in the Faf- fage juft now cited, looking tinto JeftiSy ivho^for \ the Joy that was fet before him, endured the i Crofsy defpifmg the ShaJ?ie. This all the I Apojiles of our Lord thought highly requifite, I in the extraordinary Courfe They had under- taken to run, and the Fight They had to fight J to confider the Rewards They were at laft to inherit J and that all their Conflia:s, in B b 4 this SE R M; XVIII.j 373 374 ER M. iVIII. Ihe Christian R ktt. this World, were not ivorthy to he conipared ivitb the Glory that fiall be reveled. And They owned that This it was which kept Them firm and faithful to their great Mailer, in the difficult Office he had called them to. It may well, therefore, become Us, who Hand in need of all Supports, and all moving Confiderations, to enlarge our Profped: beyond this Scene of Things, and to take into our View the Glories ofthe Other, which is to open after this is broken to pieces j and thence to draw Arguments for refiAing all the Tempta- tions here below, which are but for a Mo- ment ; and for preffing forward, without any Intermiffion, towards the Mark of the Prize of our high callt77g. When We conlider this incomprehenfible Reward; according to our Faithy fo will our Endeavours, and our Coti- diiEi be, in our CbrifJan Race: And, if we truly believe that there is a Crown referved for Thofe who bear up againft all Oppofition, in a conftant Courfe of Righteoufnefs, We (liall think no Enemies here below infupera- ble. There is another Conlideration peculiar to the Chrifiian Contejl, and not belonging to thofe Others which we have been fpeaking of J and it is this. That, as the Chrijlian who mm his Ccurfe vvith all Care, and Diligence, and The Christian Race. .315 ER M.' and good Condiidt, is fecure of a glorious s Reward : fo, the Cbrijlian who, through his kviii, own wilful CareleiTnefs, and Negled:, fails li/'W and links in his Chrlftian Courfe, not only lofes that Reward which the Other obtains, but inherits unfpeakable Punifhment, propor- tionable to the ^wicked Folly of One, who pro- feifes to have the mod glorious Reward in his Eye, and yet of his own Choice negledls to ob- tain it ; and is fhamefuUy contented to fall lliort of it. This is a Confideration which mufl: work upon the meaner Souls, as the other attracts the more ingenuous and bell; difpofed Minds. 6. I (liall mention one Injiance more of what was thought requifite to the glorious Performance of the Contejis and Races^ to which the Apojlle in the Text alludes y and that is, a Perj'everance to the End. Many may be apt to think, that it was a glorious Thing to begin, and to proceed hap- pily a good Way, after the bed Manner : and fo it was, confidercd as it tended to a happy Concluiion. But if the Contenders of Old flopt or failed, in the Middle, or even within view of the Bound to which they were to come ; All was nothing, and They failed likewife, of their Glor)\ and of their Crown. And fo it is in the Chriftian Life. It is a happy Thing to begin ^ The^ C I^ R I S T I A N .,R_ A_CE. gJSR M.hegi?2 Vv^ell ; and happier flill to make a confi- XVIII. derable Progrefs in the Paths of the GcfpeL. t./'VN^But if the Chrijlian does not. perfevere fteddily' to the End', if, when he comes within View of the Crown of Glory in the other World, he relapfes into the Life q{ Infidels^ and Sinner s^' He flains all his former hujire with a bafe and ignominious Dye ; He forfeits all his Tide to| the Heaven and Happinefs o^ Chrijlian s -^ Nay,i he renders himfelf much more inexcufable, than if he had never moved one Step in the Paths of Righteoiifnefs ; by fuffering Himfelf to be' conquered by thofe very Enemies which he had before found he could fubdue ; and by falling voluntarily from a State of the moft defirable Freedom, into an inglorious Sla'very: to Sin-, and thus bringing Contempt and; ; I Shame upon the Religion of Chriji itfelf. ' Thus have I confidered theParallei between the public Contejis and Races, fo much cele-; brated and frequented in St. Paul's Timej^ j and the Chrijlian Race : and from hence have! endeavoured to fliew the Nature of the Latter-, and what is neceflary for the happy Suc-j cefs of it. I mufl juft obferve, as We pafs,! That the whole Intention of the Apojile may be plainly expreiTed thus, agreeably to what has been faid. "If thefe Men, of whom 2 I fpeakaj ■>-.-; rrr hT" Z5^ Christian Race. XLL Ifpeak, can come, by Patience and Self-de-£ er m. nial, CO conquer their Bodies^ and their flongefl kviii. Appetites -y and enftate themfclves in a perfed: W^^ Command over themfelves; and endure fo j much, and perfevere fo long, for the Sake of I a contemptible Prize, a Garland of fading I Leaves j Much more ought T'oic to be wil- ling to labour, and Jirive, and exercife the greateft Government over Yourfelves, who aim at a much nobler Prize, an incorruptible Crown of eternal Glory." I come now, II. To take occafion from hence to enlarge the Apofiles Argument, by adding an In/lance or Two, of that follicitous Care, and incefTant Labour, with which Men purfue after the Things of this Life ; in order to fliame Our- felves (if we have any Shame left,) into a greater Concern for the Rewards of another never-ending State. I. Look on the Man that follows the Alarms of War, and fee what He can undergo, for the diftant View of future uncertain Ho- nours, or Riches : to what Dangers He wil- lingly expofes his Life j in what Fears, and Cares, and perpetual Tumult, his Bread isexer- cifed; his M/;?^ continually upon the Rack, ever projeding Evil to his Enemies, and guarding Himfelf againft All their Dcfgm -, and filled with .._M ■ S E R M. XVIII. He Christian Race'. with all the Uneafinefs of various Pafjidris; and his Body worn out by all the Extremities of Heat and Cold, and more Hardfliips than we can number. What would Men fay, were all this required of Them, in order to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven ? And how hard a Tafk-mafler would they reprefent Al- mighty God to be ? And yet all this Men often voluntarily choofe, for what brings along with it Nothing of lafting Good and Hap- pinefs ; and chearfuUy undergo it, for the Sake of thofe worldly Advantages, which they often do not obtain ; and which, if obtained, are never truly fatisfadory, and, at beft, but of a very fliort Continuance. For fiich Re- wards, Men are often feen to bear vv^hat one would tliink intolerable to human Nature : and yet T^'hefc are but the Sha- dows of Good^ which often betray Men into Excefs and Mifery, and can never afford a conftant and lafting Satisfadion. On the con- trary j the Rewards of Heaven, though of an infinite Duration, carry very weak Charms along with them -, and few think it worth their while to labour^ and contend^ for them. If they will fall to their Lot, VN^ithcut the Pain of feeking after them j v/ell and good: They are contented to be made happy, if it may be with- out — K Chr I S T I A N TT ACE. 379 out any Expenfe of their own : But they have^E r m. little Zeal or Heart to take much Pains for ixviii. it. So abfurdly do many profefled Chrijii- Lo/^NJ ans behave themfelves, and fo unequally, with refpedl to the corruptible Crown below, and 1 the incorruptible Crown above. And, 2. Once more, Behold the Man that fol- lows the Arts of Gain and Advantage, after a more fedate and lefs tumultuous Manner. The Man, I mean, that has propofed to himfelf, as his chief End, the T'reafures of this World, by the more peaceful Methods. What Care and Labour, in his more filent way, will he refufe to undergo, for the Sake of the wretched End He has in view ; though He is uncertain of obtaining it, at leaft before he comes to be almoft incapable of enjoying it ? He will rife up early, and late take Reft, and eat the Bread of Carefulnefs, and run all Ha- zards, and watch all Opportunities, and catch at every handle, and ule all Tricks, and think no Pains ill employed, that He may pofTefs himfelf of what he can never be fure of keeping; and of what, he knows, he muft cer- tainly, in a very fiiort Time, leave behind him. And iliall not the Thought of this kindle an Emulation in the Breafts of Thofe who feek after other Ttreafures^ and other Riches-, l^rcafures 38g Hoe Christian Ra CE SERM.Tr^^r^j that cannot deceive thofe whofe xviii.i Hearts are truly fet upon themj and Richer iiQxxi i/o/N| which Nothing can ever feparate the Man who ! is once pofTeffed of them. They are perfectly j fatisfadory to a reafonable Creature ; they are of eternal Duration; out of the Reach of I all Accidents; guarded by Almighty Power; I and difpenfed by infinite Gcodjiefs, And is not the Motive of fuch Riches able to infpire us with another Sort of Covetoufnefs than is (t^n here below ? a Covetoufnefs, not the Root of all Evil, but the Frincipk of all Good ; not a fordid Delire of what cannot profit, but a glorious Thirfl after true and everlaiiing Hap- pinefs ? How can we hope to anfwer for our I Want of Zeal and Induftry, in this Purfuit, at I the laft Day, when our own Zeal and Care, about the Concerns of this Life, ih-xW perhaps j witnefs againft us 3 and the LabciiJ-s and 'Toils jof Others, the Children of this Worlds fliall \certai?2ly ferve to confound and abaili us, for jour Inadlivity and Negligence in a much nobkr land more glorious Caufc. This Argument is fo reafonable that I Ifliall leave it to your own Determination : and ireturn to the Co??ipa?-ilon ufed in the l^ext ; and fo conclude. We have a Race of Labour and Care, iortmy that is, a L?fe of ilridt Virtue to li've. We have Hhe Christian Rac E. 381 a "Prize in view, to contend for, inellimable, Is e r~m7 and worthy of all our Pains and Induftry ; ixviii. that is^ eternal Glory and Happinefs. We have a Day fet, in which we mufl: finifh this Courfe J the prefent Life j and, after this fliort Day, the Night of Death cometh, in which no Man can run. We have a 'Judge^ infi- nitely knowing and righteous, to determine our Condition according to our Endeanjoiirs in this Race, viz. the great God, who is not to be impofed upon, and cannot be biafled: and, after Judgment given, there is an Eter- nal State for us to live in, either of Reward or Runifiment. And thefe are not light Matters ; | but fuch as deferve many of our Thoughts, and j much of our T^ime. Let us behave ourfelves like I Men under the Influence of fuch momentous j Truths i and then, We fliall jG run our Chriftian | Race-, that we Ihall obtain that incorruptible \ Crown^ which is the Prize we are contending for. T" ► « ■i "The Beji Christians, Servants. unprofitable SERMON \ ^ XIX. — ^ 1 . LuK 6 xvii. ver. i6. So likewife ye, when ye JJmll have done all thofe things which are commanded you, fay^ fVe are Unprofitable Servants, We have dons that which was our Duty to do. A I ^ H E R E are two Extremes Men have s e RM. I run into, in the Matter of Good xix. Works, and in their rating; the ! j Cc and' -"i — -\ — 2^ 77}e Bejl Christians sermI and have brought down the Price oi Good XIX. Works fo low, and made them to bear fo '-O/^ inconfiderable a Part, in the great Affair of Salvation^ as almofl inevitably to lead in- cautious Men of bad Inclinations to think them hardly worth the Care, or to deferve any of the Regard, of a Chrijiian, The Church of Kome teaches the Merit of Good ''.Works, in our Claim to the Rewards of Chrif- iia?is: And Others, in oppofition to I'haf, teach us, in effedl, that Good Works fignify fo little to our Juflification, that we are not fo much as to bring Them into the Account ; nay. That We mufl cafl them from Us, when we would plead our Title to Heaven. The Truth apparently lies betwixt thefc 'Tivo^ and may be thus exprelTed j That, :ji though our good Adions do, by no means, ydeferve the exceeding Happinefs promifed in the Go/pel ; and come greatly fhort of fuch a Reward, as is fet before Us in I'hat : yet^ They are not fo inconfiderable, or of fo Uttle account, but that our Title to the Heaven of the Gofpel, cannot be pleaded without them j jior our Station in it be affigned Us, without the jConfideration of them. The Merits of Chriji, [indeed, that is. His Obedience, and Life and Death here below, are faid to purchafe this 'Reward for us j and, if He had not humbled himfelf ■JL^ liimfelf for nnprofitahk Servants* Good IVorks s 38J our Benefit, our ^ooa yyords s e r Mr could have given us no Expedatlon of fuch xix. Rewards, as He propofes. Yi^fuffered, that ^/YNi We might be exceedingly happy, upon the ^enns of his Covenant with Mankind; and that Covenant is, That We fhould abound in Good JVorkSy Or, in all the Inftances of Vir- tue and Righteoufnefs. Nay, whatever it be, that He has merited for Us -, it is all fufli- ciently declared to be of no Importance to Us, but on Condition that we (hew forth in our Lives fuch Good Works as He has com- manded. And therefore, though We are faid to arrive at Heaven for the Sake of Hi??!, who came to reftore Us to the Favor of GoD; yet^ we muft arrive at it, through fuch a Life of Good Works, as He himfelf has made indifpenfably neceffary to the obtaining of it j and no otherwife, as far as He has reveled his Father's Will to Us. Which of the ^ivo Errors I have men- tioned, is of the worft Account before God, may be judged of, by confidering which of them leads to the moft pernicious Corfeqiiences. It is a foolifh and groundlefs Boaft, to fay that all the beft Works, of Any Man, coUeded together, can poffibly merit, at the Hands of God, thofe eternal Reioards promifed to Chripa?iSy which bear too great a Proportion to the poor Services of our ^^_^^^___ __ — Q ^ ^ — wliolc ■■A~'i^ ■ > - -77)^ Befi Ckr i-sTi-km ^- whole Lives, to be comprehended by us. Bue then it is worfc than joolijh and groundlefs^ to make fo iittle Account of thofe Good Works which the Go/pel infifts upon, in every Page, as tends to render Men carelefs and un- concerned whether they perform any, or no. All that We can do is not worthy indeed, ta be compared with the Glory that fiall be re^ njeled: But, the very End of Chrift's Ap- pearance being to teach Men to deny JJngodli" nefs and worldly Lujis, a?id to live fiber ly^ righ" teonjly^ and godly ^ in this Worlds and exprefly fo declared, To fpeak meanly of thofe Good Works, which are in fuch manner command- ed, feems to oppofe the declared Purpofe of the Son of God's appearing in the Fle(h j and may unhappily lead Men into a State, firll of Carclefjiejsy and then, of Sin. Fur, as the Do6trine is fometimes explained, the Ob- ligation to Virtue is almoft imperceptible to common Capacities ; and requires fuj.erior Faculties, and fome Subtleties:, to find it out : And if it does not diredly encourage many to negledt what is declared to be of the utmoft Importance, by the plain Words of the Go/pel ; yet, at beft, it never can be thought to excite Men to the Good Works required in it. Both tmprofitabte S E R v A N'Tf S. ■3«7 > — - Both thefe Errors- are carefully to be avoid- ed: and, in order to our avoiding them, the Confideration of the Words I have now read to you will, I think, be of feme Service, So lihwife ye^ when ye fiall have done all thofe things which are commanded you^ fay. We are tinprojitabk Servants, we have done that which was our Duty to do. They are an Inftru, whe?t ye flmll have done all thoje T'hingi 'which are commanded y on \ in which there is flrongly implied an indlfpenfable Obligation to the Performance of all the Commands of the Gofpely in order to our future Happi- nefs promifed in it. The Meaning of this, is not, That there are no Hopes oi Salvation to a Man, if He fliall ever fail in any Point of Evangelical Obedi- ence J or that God will be fo rigorous as ne- ver to forgive any Negleds, or Tranfgrefiions, of the moft fincere, and honefl, of his Ser- vants : But that there is fuch an Obligation C c 4 upoa SERM. XIX. M Ferm, upon Chnjlians^ Thatrif'lliey 'wilIFulIy andi XIX. \ habitually negledt the Duties of the Gofpel, C^i^'Nf and allow themfelves in any known Sinj that, I if they do, even under Pretenfe of magnifying I the Mercy of God, continue in Sin j nay, i That, if they do not, in a regular and fettled Courfe, follow after Righteoifnefs -, They can- not hope to fecure themfelves an Intereft in the Favour of God, or the Rewards of ano- 1 ther Life. i They are all the Creatures of an Almighty \ Creator, and the higheft Obligation to do his \JVill refults from thaty^r/?, andclofe Relation. I They are all the Subjects of a mofl: powerful ' and merciful King j and therefore, obliged to ■obey, both out ofLove, and out of a juft Fear. • They are all tied to his Interefl: by the moft jcndearjng Inftances of Mercy and Kindnefs; sand therefore, are bound in Gratitude to re- ;tprn hirq all tjie Diry He can exped: from them. They owe nil They have, and all They can hope for, to Him, and his Favor ; and therefore. They cannot pay him back too much Regard and Obedience. They are all ; to be confidered, as under his Authority, and ^f, as their great Lord and Mafler : and from j hence refults all poffible Service to fuch a \ Mafter. By thefe, and many more, T^ies are \ They moil firidly obliged to Iqvp, honour, and ferve tmprofitabh Servants. _ _ [391 ferve, Almighty Godj whether He had called serm; upon them in an extraordinary Manner to dO' xix. it, or not. But He has thought fit to ffeak O^Ts; unto them by his Son. And by this his beloveiy . Son^ and his ApoJileSy it has been declared, conftantly, in a multitude of the llrongeftj Expreflions often repeated, That without ourj Pradice of all Virtue, and Obedience to allj his holy Commandments, here belo%Vy Wej fhali never arrive at the Place of Reward,] and Glory, above. This is, indeed, fo plainly the uniform Voice of the New T^efia^ I ment, that it alone may juftly be thought al I iufficient proof that the Vnprojitablenefs oi ox\z\ I Services, affirmed in the Text, cannot be" j intended to fink the Value of Moral Good\ I Works y fo as to make them appear ofi I little Importance in the Affair of Chriftian! Salvation. This therefore, being certain,; in the Difpenfation of the Go/pel, That a /«-| I cere Obedience to all God's Commajids, is ab-j j folutely necefTary to our Salvation-, I fhallj \ now proceed to what I next propofed from' i the Words of the Text, viz. } II. That the Beji Chrijlians, when They j have done all that is commanded them, or, their j I whole Duty, in the Service of God; and have j fincerely pradifcd all Virtue and Righteouf- i ■ 4 ■ ' j^e^sj J9^ Tk?-J^^ ^^Kiiy\^^^ s E R M?' "^^s i ought, after this happy Conduct, to XIX. :' confefs Themfelves to be Unprofitable Servants-, and to acknowledge that They cannot claim fuch Rewards, as the Go/pel propofes, as of Right due to their utmoft Endeavours. So ye, when ye have done all that is commanded you, fay. We are unprofitable Servants, In which Words We muft not imagine that our Lord declares, or infinuates, that the befl Chrifiians, and fuch as have exercifed themfelves in all the Good Works of his Holy Religion, ought to acknowledge Them- felves to have done Nothing in what is called the Service of God, or for the Good of Mankind j or of any Significancy to their own Salvation ; or That any thing like this is the Meaning of the Words unprofitable Servants. Far be fuch Thoughts from Us, concerning Himy who, in this very Parable, reprefents Himfelf, or his Father, as fpeak- ing to Every Chriftian of this Sort, Well done, good a?2d faithful Servant -, enter into the Joy of thy Lord, And from this PalTage it may juftly be inferred. That a Man may be a good and faithful Servant, in the Senfe of the Gofpel; and yet be an unprofitable Ojie, as the Word is intended in the 'Text. For the Name, unprofitable Servant, here ufed, is fo far from being op- pofed to One who has faithfully performed all due T unprojitahle Servants. f 393 diie Obedience and Service to his Mafter, thatiERM. it is actually given to Thofe vi^ho are fuppofed Ixix. to have done all thofe I'hings which are com- i/VNJ manded the?n. Nor can the Unprojitahle Servant^ m the T'ext, be the fame with the Unpro- fitable Servant, Matth, xxv. 30. For the Unprofitable Servant, in the '^ext, is exprefly defcribed as One who has ferved God fincerely, and adtually done what it was his Duty to do : and the U'lprofitable Servant, in the other Place, is as exprefly declared to have, know- ingly and willfully, negleded his Duty ; and called, by his hord, a wicked and fiothfiul Servant', and by his Appointment, ordered to be caft into outer Darknefs, where there is weeping, and gnajhifjg of T'eeth. But the Meaning of the Words of the T^ext mufl be, that, as that Servant, of whom Our Lord had been fpeaking, in a Far able be- fore, though he had been ferving his Lord well in the Field, either plowing, or feeding hii Cattle, could not at his Return home, claim, as his Right, any extraordinary Favor from his Mafier; could not, for inftancc, demand, or expedt, to be invited by his Maflcr to fit down to Supper before He himfelf had fupped, as it is exprefled in the Parable ; or to be treated otherwife than as a Servant who had done 394 The Beji C H R i s f i a"n s 7e"r M.fione what it was his Bufinefs to do : So, the ' XIX. i heft Chriflians, Thofe who have ferved God U^/S- i^<^ft faithfully, in all the Duties of their feve- j ral Stations, cannot claim, as their juft Due, I the extraordinary and unconceivable Joys and I Happinefs of Heaven j but muft acknowledge j that They are unprofitable Servants j and that the i Duty They have performed bears no Propor- j tion to Thofe incomprehenfible Rewards They are to enjoy. I come now, as I propof- ed, III. To confider on what Accounts the Beft o^Chrifiiajis may be juflly faid to be U;//'r^- table Servants-, And to have little Reafon to overvalue their Services. I. They may be fa id to be Unprofitable Ser- i;vere ftridly obliged to the Duty of Charity to their Bjrthren in want : and yet, it is alfo plain that This particular Behnvicnr of Thofe "who voluntarily and honcflly performed this j I Service, in fo extraordinary a Manner, was more than was commanded Them by their great Majlcr. Nay, it is declared, by St. Feter, ABs v. 4. that it was not their y?r/^ Duty, but a Matter left to their own Choice. From whence it appears, that, in this. They did mere than it was their ilrid: Duty to do. 2. From what has been faid may appear the abfurd Vanity, to fay no v/orfe, of the 'iLcrAiJh Doctrine of the Merits of the Befl Works tmprofitahk S e r v a^ t s. 40 j Worlcs bf~aT57 Chnftians, Nay, the Words s e R id. j themfelves of the T^ext^ without any Coww^;?^ xix. are fufficient to fliew it. For, in them We '^/W are fuppofed to have adtually done all that :s com?nanded Us, and, in another ExpreHion, All that it is our Duty to do j which is the moft favorable Suppofition poflible concern- ing the Beft of Men: and, after all this, with fuch a Jreafure of Good Works accompany- ing Us, We are taught and diredled to fay to our Judge, with our own Mouths, " We are unprofitable Servants:' And how our utmoft Services, imperfea: and wiprofitabk as They are, can merit the immenfe Happinefs offered Us, in the Gofpel, it is impoffible for the Wit of Man to prove. 3. From what has been faid. We may far- ther learn, not only the Vanity, but the Wickednefs, of another uw/^ Dodfrinc of the fame Church, which, (for fear, one would think, that Men fliould not be carelefs enough in the great Aftair of their own Salva- tion,) encourages Them in all Negligence, by pretending to traiisfer the Supcrfiuous Merits of Saints (fo called) to the Account of the greateft Simters ; that is, to give, or per- haps fell, the Kingdom of Heaven itfelf to the Worji of Men, void of all Good Works of their oivn, for the Benefit of procuring Them a Quantity of fuch Good Works D d 4 as 4- 4o6 XIX. The- Beft Christians SERM. ascan be fparcd from the Stock of OtberSy according to this Invention, You will, I hope, recoiled. That the Injlan^ ces I mentioned, from Scripture, of Good Men Vv'ho have done more than their ftrid: Duty, related to the Circiij7ijia?ices only of fome Reli- gious Duties J and not at all to what was ejfential to the Duties themfeives ; or to any Branches of Chrijii an Morality : and obferve from thence. That no Man, amongft the moft Perfed:, was ever thought to have too many of fuch Good Works ; or, for Inftance, was ever faid to be more Charitable^ more I'emperate, more Pure^ more Peaceable, or more Humble^ than the Didates of Reafon, and the Co?}i- mands oi God, rightly underftood, made it his T)iity to be. No Works of Supereroga- tion, therefore, are to be found in thefe, or any of the Moral Virtues. And thefe being the only Good Works, of any Account, at the Great Day; No Chrifii an, who is defli- tute of them, Himfelf, can poffibly be fup- plied by Othersj becaufe, o^ thefe truly and neceffary Good Works, the Beji Man in the World, has 72one to fpare ; but rather jujflly fears he has not enough for Hi wfe if, and for the Secu- rity of his own eternal Intereft. And as to any Miftakes o£ Jg?wrance, or Enthif/afm; fuch as the Roma?7tic Excejes of Some, in the Rigors tm nprGjitc Servants. 407 L/'VNJ Rigors of AbJIiiience^ or the Se'uerilies of serm. Pena72ccsy and the hke j They may, by a| xix. good God, be pardoned to well-meaning Men ; but can never be acceptable or pleafing to Him. Confequently, fuch as thefe, though, in truth, Works of Supererogation ^ yet can- not be thought, by any Man in his Senfes, to be the Good Works of the Gcfpel. They may indeed be granted, or fold, to Thofe upon whom the Managers of fuch Merchandife can impofe. But it is impoffible They fliould do any real Service to Thofe deluded Men who depend upon Them, becaufe They are not the Good Works required of Cbrijiians^ as neceifary to Salvation. 4. Laftly, if, from what has been faid, Wc are truly convinced of the NeceJJity of Good Works, as the indifpenfable Condition of our fu- ture Happinefs ; though not of their Merits as the adequate Foundation of our Claim to it ; Let this induce us not to be fo incenfed againft the DoBrine of the Merit of Good Works, as to avoid Them, for fear of being tainted by it; and not to dwell fo much upon the Me- rits of Chriji, as to forget the Conditions which he abfolutely requires at our Han is. For it may, I think, juftly, be faid. That we had much better believe the Merit of Good Works, than have None at all to produce for 40 & ______^%^.^£/? J^ H_RJ_S TJ J^ sERM.for Ourfclves at the lafl Day: And that It^ XIX. j will be found amQr.c pardonable Error, at that L-^/XJ-Time, not to have confidered lb much as Wc i ought; the Merits of Chrift, than ta have jriegledled that Obedience to all his Commands, ! which He fo flridly requires ^f_^'_J"J^^ \pcfpel. .—-.-ir..^. I May We all be fenfible, both of what we awe to God, and to his Son Jejus Chrijt : an^ i alfo of the great Work We ourfelves have to do j ! that fo We may do it, and be blellcd_in, _oar I' Deed I _::^..>— -^^ 77j *3e ^ The Nature ^ C h r i s t's Biejfmo-, — SERMON XX. Acts iil. ver. 26. God having raifed up his So?i Jefus, fent Him to blefs Tou, in turning every one of you from his Tin qui ties. ' I ^ H E Dodrlne plainly delivered by St. I Peter, in thefe Words, is this,That the Blejing, with which Jefus Chriji was fent by his Father to blefs the World, confifts in t tailing Men from their Iniquities. This I defign to make the Subjed: of my following Difcourfe. And, in order to give all the Light and Evidence I am able to this great and important Truth, I fliall confider it un- der thefe following Fropofitions\ which will, I hope, form a flrong Argument in Support of I. That S E R M.' XX. T 4IO T^he Naiure g/' C h r i s t's Bkjfing, s'ermJ !• That the ^^xomxit^' Mcjjiah was to be the XX. grcateft Inftance poffible of the Love of God to (•"VVJ the World ; and the Defign of his coming, to blefs Mankind with the moft perfed: Bleffing which God could beflow on Man, or Man receive from God. II. That the greateft BkJJing Men are ca- pable of, confifts, either, in never tranfgrelT- ing the Laws of Virtue ; or, if they have un- happily tranfgrefled, in their being turned from their Iniquities^ to the Pradiice of ail Virtue again. III. That therefore, if fejus be the Mejji^ ch, as we believe Him to be, upon the ftrongeft Grounds j the great Defign of his coming mufl be, to turn the World from their Iniquities \ to reftore Reafon and Religion to their rightful Authority over Mankind ; and to make all Virtue, and true Goodnefs, flo- rifli in the Earth. I. That the promifed MeJJiah was to be the greateft Inftance of the Love of God to the World j and the Defign of his coming, to blefs Mankind with the moft perfed: Blef- fing, which God could beftovv on Man^ or Man receive from God. I This "The ly attire of Chk i s 'r's"E7eJm£^ 411 ERM,> XX. This isTo unlverfally acknowledged by all, s who either believe that the MeJJiah is already come, or have any Expedation of the Ap- WNJ pearance of fuch a Perfon ; that it may juftly be taken for granted, without any Injury to the prefent Argument. The Defcriptions of this great Ferfon^ from the Beginning of the World to the Appear- ance of Our BleJJed Lord^ were fo framed, as firft, to raife, and then, to ftrengthen, this Notion in the Minds of Men. The Marks and Chara6lers, by which He is defcribed through the Books of thtOld T'e/iament ; the Names, and Titles, and Attributes, beftowed upon Him by the Mouths of the antient Pro- phets ; iht Accounts given, in the {ame facred i JVritmgSy of t\\2.t grand Revolution \^\\\Q\\vf2i% to attend upon his Appearance in the World : y^//thefe confpire to lead 72v;;nvho receive thofc Books, to look on the promifed Mejiah, as the moft confummate Blefling God could be- flow, or Man receive*, and this, whether They believe Jefus to be that MeJJiah, or not. Accordingly, the U?Mieving Jews them- felves conftantly maintained, and never could forfake, this certain and undouhied Pri7icif)!e, though they drew a falfe and fatal Conclufwn from 41 2 T^e Nature o/'CriUJtsT's BleJJlngf s E R mI from it 5 and fo argued themfelves into Infide- . XX. I lity and Ruine. This they were fure of, thatj W/'VN,^ whatever it was, in which the chief Happi- nefs of Man confifled, T^hat they might, and ought to, exped: from their MeJJiah. But then, the great Evil was, that the whole Body jof That which alone They efteemed their \ Religion, was of fo low and earthly a Nature 5 their Notions of higher Matters fo totally cor- rupted ; and their Mi?jds and Morals fo uni- yerfally debauched j That, at the Time when our blefled Lord lived. They did not, or would not, know any greater Happinefs jthan what arifes from Riches, Honour s^ Pomp, and Luxury; Jf^^'Ui?;^^^ upon their tem- poral E?iemies, and l^riumphs over the Advcr- faries , of their worldly Greatnefs. And the Confeguence was this, That, iince our bleiTed Lord appeared in a lov7 and mean Condition, and was fo far from flattering their Pride, or Revenge, or Se?iJuaJity, that all he did, andfaid, manifeflly oppofed and condemned their moft beloved Notions j I'loey refolved to rejedhim, and fhut their Eyes againft all the Evidence he brought along with Him. One of the Principles They went upon, could not be de-* nied, viz. Tliat the Defign of God, in fend^ ing the Mejfiah to his chofen People, was ^i^ blefs T^hem with the frreateil: Bleffin^r Thev were Tlje Nature of Ciikis t's Bleffing, 41, were capable of i which was the firft Thing ;e rm I propolcd. But the Other is mofl certainly xx. falfe, viz. That the chief Happinefs of" Man conlifts in the Gratification of his Appetites^ his Pride^ or his Rcveuge : As will, I hope, be very evident from the fecond PropoJJlioii I laid down, which was This, . ; II. That the greatefl: Bkjfing of which Men are capable, confifls, either, m never tranf- greffing the Laivsoi Virtue; or, if they have unhappily tranfgrefTed Them, in their being turned from their Iniquities, to the Pradllce ofl Virtue a2;aln. For the making ourfelves fenfible of thisj We are to con fid er, 1. That Man^ as a reafonable Creature, has a Principle In him, interwoven with his Very Nature, which Is plainly defigned to dl- red; and advife his Pradice before Adion ; ^nd to judge Him after it j which calls him back, when he is going aftray j and reproves and reproaches Him when He has aded un- reafonably. And this Is what we call Rea~ fon-, or, which is the fame Thing, CoJifci- ence. 2. The nt^t Step is, That the proper Bcippinefs of fuch a Being as Man mufl: con- fift in ading agreeably to this Reafon, or Con- fcience. T^his follows from the Former. For if . if the Author of his Nature has made him fo, that He finds within his own Bread a conftant Monitor zs\6. DireBor^ pointing out to Him his Duty-y then certainlyjthisZ)^/()' muflbe his Hap- pinefs ; and the acting contrary to it, his Mifery. The fame Reafon which tells him ihtjirjij has Power enough to make him very fenfible of the Laji. For, as it is a Guide and Diredor before^ fo it is a feverejudge after Adion : Re- Jlexiofiy upon what a Man has done being the infeparable Companion of his Reafcn. What I would fay, is almoft felf-evident. A reafonable Beings not afting reafonably, mufl be miferable at prefent, before his Reafon be quite laid afleep j becaufe it is his profefTed Enemy, and a very powerful one : and He mull be miferable ^^ric^r^j, becaufe his^^^- fon can never dye, and whenever it wakes (as it moft certainly will) muft be a very uneafy Companion to Him. The Happinefs of Men^ therefore, or of underftanding Beings capable of moral Agency y mufl neceflarily depend upon their ading according to the Rules of Reafon : and the lafting Satisfaction of Creatures, en- dowed with Reflexion and Co?2fciencey mufl confifl in the behaving themfelves fo, that Refiexion and Confcience may not be armed againfl them. It is not Riches y or Honour Sy or any thing without^ that can give a lafting Eafe The Nature g/' C h r i s t's Bleffin g, E^L^c o£ Mind, which is Happinefs, to fuchiERM* Beings 3 but I'hat muft always be founded I xx. upon fomething withifi their own Breads. ^''V^ i If they have not their own Reafo?jy their Bofom Friend, they cannot be happy ; and this They cannot have, without acting reafona- bly : And if They have their own Reafon^, which is always prefent with them, their internal Enemy, They mall be 7niferable% and this They cannot but have, if they adl unreafonably. I proceed to obferve, 3. That what the Gofpel calls Sin, and Iniquity, is, in every particular Inflance of it, the Tranfgrefiion of the Laws of Reafon ; and that what is there called Righteotifnefs and Holinefs, is always, truly fpeaking, reiifona^ ble, and becoming. For, if that Reafon, which diflinguifhes us from Beads, aflures of any one thing, it alTures us of this ; That the Imitation of God, who is the mod perfedt underdanding Nature, in all his moral Per- fedions, is v/hat we ought to dudy. And this is what our Blejjed Lord came to teach Men J to become the Children rf God, by being (according to their Capacity) pcrfeSt as he is perfeB, and holy as he is holy, and mercifid as he is merciful ; and in their whole moral Behaviour, as like to Him as poflible. E e What '41 6 ? 7%g Nature ^Christ's Blejftng. XX. '4 What I mean is, that every Particular of thofe Moral Duties which our Saviour and ^/'VN.' ^^s ^o/?/^j lay fo great a flreis upon, has the Voice of Reafon on its fidcj and this^ not now and then, but conftantly. There never was, nor ever can be, a Time fuppof- ed, when uncorrupted Reafon does not determine that Jujiice, Piety, 'Te?nperancey Chajiity, Humility, Beneficence, Placability, and the like, are what we ought to ftudy and practice ; and that Injujlice, Oppre/Jion, In- temperance, Impurity, Pride, XJnmercifulnefs, Revenge, and the like, are what we ought to abhor, and fly from. And, what very much confirms the Truth of this, He who molt at- tends to, cultivates, and improves, his Reafon, is always moft ftrongly perfuaded of this : and None are found to be of the contrary Opinion, but Such as had firft facrificed their Reafon to their Appetites ; Such as make their own Lufts and worldly ylffc^lions the Meafure of their ABions, and aHv their Pajfions what is reafonable. And thus, if we confult our own Breafts, we fliall find the Matter to he, That this inward Companion never fails to applaud us every Step we take in the Paths oi Virtue: and, on the other hand, 'till we have made ourfelves infenfible, never fails, not only to warn and recall us, when we are going into the 'The Nature of C h r i s t's Bleffim. 4^2. the Paths of Vice ; but, after we have tranf- s e R M. greiTed the Laws of Virtue, to give us all! xx. the Uneafinefs the Reflexion upon the greateftj ^^OTNJ A(5t of Imprudence can give an underftanding Being. And, even fuppofing it flridly poljible that confidering Perfons might have learnt their Duty and their Happinefs, competently well, from this Book of Reafon duly ftudled ; yet, with regard to the whole Body of Mankind, the Befl not excepted, We ought always to efteem it, as a moft divine Part of the De- fign of our Blejfed Lord's appearing in the World, to call upon Men in an extraordinary Manner, the more effedluallyto awaken Them to a due Senfe of what Prejudice, Education, and the I'emptations ofa wicked World, might, otherwife, too probably hide from their View. And now, 4. The plain and natural Confequence from , what has been faid is this. That Sin and Ini- quity are the proper Unhappincfs of Man ; and Virtue and Goodnefs his only I ailing and fub- flantial Happinefs. For, fince Man is a Creature endowed with Reafon, which di- retfls and judges i acquits, or condemns Him j and therefore, cannot be Happy without the Approbation^ and mull be mifrable under the Condemnation, of it: And fince what the Cofpel calls Zin and Iniquity is the Tranf- E e 2 greliioa 41 8 SERM ' XX, 21lJ^^P ^^^ <^ C H ti t s t's "Rlaffm^. grefiion of the Laws of Reafon^ and flands condemned, and Righteoufncfs approv- ed, in our own Breaftsj it follows that Iniquity muft lay the Foundation of Mi' fery in Man, becaufe it arms his Reafon againft him ; and that the Pradlice of Vir- tue mud be his only proper, or true, Sa^ tidaBion. becaufe it is what his own Mind, that isy He himfelf, never fails to recom- mend and applaud. I come now to the Con- cliifion of the Argument, which is the Laji of the Propofnions I laid down at the Be- ginning of this Difcourfe : i^tz, III. That, therefore, if '^Jefm be the Mefiab, as We juftly believe, the great Dejign of his coming muji be to turn Us from our Iniquities ; to reftore Reafon and Religion to their right- ful Authority over Mankind ; and to make all Virtue and true Goodnefs flourifh in the Earth. For, fuppoiing the Nature of Man to be fuch as is before defcribed ; and his Reafon, or Confciencey to be the Judge of his Happi- nefs ; and fuppofing Him to be working out Mifcry for Himfelf, by tranfgreffing the plain and exprefsLaws of his Reafon, (which is too true ;) 'This is the grcatefl: Happinefs he is ca^ pable ofi abfolutely necefiary to his inward Peace i and the only proper Method crf Btihdiion Tide Natwe ^ C h r i s t's Bkjfmg. 419 Sahation to be wiilied for by fuch a Bei?ig. s e r m» If there be any Force in all that has been .\x faid, To tur?i him from his Iniquity, is to U^''^ turn him from his Mifery j To fave him from his SinSy is, to fave him from his greateft E?iemy; To diredl him to the Paths of Virtue, is to put him into a cer- tain Method of being at Peace \vith his own Mind, which is Himfef: And to lay the Foundation of his Happinefs upon this Rock, is to deal with Maji, as Alan ; as a reafonable ami thinking Creature, who lives a few Hours in a World where every thing is uncertain but what he pofTcfies ivithi?i liimfelf J and is haftening to Another never- ending State, in which the good Temper of his own Soul mufl be the Meafure of all the Happinefs He can hope for. We may, then, very fafely conclude, That no Defign but T'his could have been fo much for the Happinefs of Man 5 or fo certain a Demonflration of the Love of God to Him ; or fo worthy of the great Undertaking of the Mefjiah, and of the Charader hewas to bear, of being the greatcjl Blejjing God could beftow, or Man receive. Nay, if We may have leave to make a Suppofition fo unbecoming, and yet fo s ^re- able to Jcwifi Prejudices j If our Lcrd had E e 3 coiue, —1 -- ■ _____ I, 420 1 l^e Nature ^Ch r i s t's Blefftng, $ E R mI come, on any other Errand ; and appeared . XX. ! with all that Pomp of Majeily the 'Je'ivi\ expedled : If He had confirmed 'ihem^ \ in all temporal Profperity ; led captive ! "Nations in Triumph through their Streets ; \ and made Them drunk with the Blood of | their 'Enemies : If fuch as thefe, I fay, had ; been his Defigns ; the yews of that Age (if ■ they had argued aright) might have found j ftrong and reafonable Prejudices again ft Him 5 1 and rejected him without that Guilt which They then brought themfelves under. For, | truly fpeaking, what a poor Attempt would *i[his have been, and how fmall an Advance to j their true Happinefs ? What a mighty Bleil- ing would it have been to fuch a Creature a Man, ^ to be put in Poffeffion of all the Earth- ly Honour and Grandeur imaginable, to have lived a few Days in Fomp and ^tate, and then gone off the Stage, not only with the more Unwillingnefs, but with a Mind quite unprepared for the Good things g^ Another' State, in which no fuch vain Appearances can' have any Place ? Or, to have been encompaf- fed with all the Riches the greateft Luxury could defire, in a World from which He him.- felf was foon to be feparated ? Or, what great Satisfaction could it be, to Him, to fee all his 'Temporal Enemies conquered 3 if He himfelf Blefftng, The Nature ^Christ s i^iej/wg. '^421 is fubdued by ivorfe Enemies ; and is tRat s e r m. miferable Slave, who is every Day doing ' xx. thofe things which He cannot but condemn yO/^NJ himfelf for doing; and which arm his own Confcience againft Him ? Thus far, then, we have proceeded ; and the Argument ftands thus. The Mejjiab was to be the Author of the Great eft Blejjing Men are capable of. The Greatejl Blejftng human Nature is capable of, confifts in the FraBice of all that is good and virtuous. Therefore the great Defign of the coming of 'J ejus Chrifty into the World, muft be to turn every one of Us from cur LiiquitieSy as St. Peter in the I'ext affirms. I {hall now make fome ObfcrvationSj and draw fome Inferences^ which feem naturally to offer themfelves from v/hat has already been faid. I . Thtfrft is, That our Blejjcd Lord him- felf, and his immediate Followers, give an Account of the Nature of his BleJJingy exadly agreeable to what has been already argued, from the Frame of Man, and the Voice of Reafon. As for Uimfcf'y He profelTed himfelf in- deed, a King, by profeffing himfelf the Mejjiab, But then, He took all Occafions to E e 4 avoid 42^1 'The Nature ofCnRi5r\ Blejftng. S ER]NLavoid"wFatever might look as if He tTiougHtj XX. of erecting an 'Earthly Kmgdom -, and veryi l/'V^Jfeverely to rebuke his Difcipks for their grofsj Notions of the Nature of his Defign ; and to aflure them, before hand, that, inftead of earthly Glory and Grandeur, He himfelf was to meet with Scorn, and Contempt, and Re- proaches, and Death ; and that 'Theymu^i not think to efcape better than their MaJIer, Agreeably to this, when he was accufed before Pilate, He acknowledged, indeed, that He was that very King the Jews were taught to expedl; but at the fame time, He folemnly profeiTed that His Kifigdom was not of this JVorld, (John xviii. 36.) And his whole Lifey and DoBrine, fpake the fame thing, j And his Apcjlles, who were to preach I the Gcfpel of His Kingdom to all Nations j how carnal foever in their Apprehenfions of things They were, at iirfl \ as foon as He had opened their Eyes, and taught them the- Truth, and poured forth his spirit upon Them, we find Them fo far from expeding worldly Pomp and Glory, as his Difcipks , that They looked for nothing but Ferfcciition, Bonds y Lnprifonrnenty and even Death itfelf. And their Notions of their Majler's Kingdom were fo altered, that their con0.ant Declarati- ons^ after his KcfurrcBionj were, That the great I'he Nature (j/* C h r i s t*s Blejfmg* 45 3 great Defign of the appearing of the Son oflsERM^ God was, to defiroy the Works of the JD^-i xx. wV, the great Adverfary to all Virtue 5 That r-''^^^^^ the great End of the Life, and Death, and RefurreBion, oi Chriji, was to teach all Men to deny Ungodliiiefs and worldly Lujls, and to live fiber h^ right coujly, and godly in this pre^ fent Worlds as an abfolutely necelTary Condi- tion of their future Happinefs. Thefe, and the like Declarations, fcattered through every Fo.ge of the New T^eftavtent, evi- dently 'i'i\tv^^ that neither our hordy nor his jlpojlles, knew of any greater Blefjing He was to beftow upon Men, than the turning them from their hiiquities 3 and that I'his was really the Bleffing, with which He was fent by God to blefs the World. 2. From what has been faid, it appears, that the fews, who reje(5led our Lord, had but a vtiyfeiider and weak Excufe to make for this, from the Manner in which the Prophets fpake of this great Perfon. It cannot indeed, be denied that their An- tient Prophets fet forth the MeJJiah fometimes in a mofl: lofty and exalted Style 3 and repre- sent Him, as a Ki?2g^ the Extent of v/hofe Kingdom, fliould be the whole Earth j and as a Prince, fitting upon the I'hrone o( David, with a Scep.tre, and all the Enfigns of Royal Authority ; 424 S E RMJ XX. IIdb Nature i?/' C h r i s t's Blejftng, Aufliorily ; vefted with fufficlerit Power to deftroy the Enemies of his People ; and the l^VM iike. But it is true alfo, that, in the fame 1 Prophets, there are fo many Pajfages al- lowed to belong to the fame Perfon, which cither defcribe his Kingdom as of quite ano- ther Nature than the Kingdoms of this World ; or Himfelf^ as a Ma7i in a low and buffering Condition , that Many of the 'Jews themfelves were reduced to the NeceJJity of inventing Two MeJJiahs^ to anfwer to thefe dif- ferent Z)(y^r;'/j//o7zj j when, by a due Coniidera- I tion, They might reafonably have applied all to One and the fame Perfon. And this They would naturally have done, if They had not been too much debauched in all their Fri72cipleSj and PraBice, to be difpofed to confider either the Nature of God; or the Frame of Man, and the Didates of the com- mon Voice of their own Reafon, in Mat- ters of fuch a Kind.' For Proof of this, it may be obferved, That it would not have been very hard for ferious Perfons to have accounted for all fuch lofty and figurative Defcriptions of their Prophets^ af- ter fuch a Manner as this. There isz Spij^itual Kingdom^ as well as a Temporal one : And He I who reigns in the Hearts of his Subje(5ts is a King and L'jrd, as much as the greateft Po- teiitate -t t -- 735^ Nature (j/" C h r i s t's Blejfmg. 42s ten fate on EsiVth: There zve Enemies to {HcVe R mJ Spiritual and Eternal Happinefs of Man, as xx. well as to his frefenfE2i(el2.nd Profperity : And ^^^V^ Thefe are the fame, with regard to the true and proper Happinefs of Man^ that earthly Tyrants are, to his worldly Peace and Qui- et : and He^ who fubdues thefe, and deli- vers us from them, is the fame, with refpedl to our real and fubftantial Happinefs, as a good Prince^ who refcues us from the Tyrants of this World, is, with refpedl to all our tem- poral Enjoyments. And therefore, if their antient ProphefSy in reprefenting the fpiritual Kingdom of the Mejjiah, make ufe of Words which fignify the greateft Blejjingy and Glory, I'd fenfible y\2X\.ex^ 'y if He be faid to have his 'Throne and his Sceptre ; if the Enemies he is to fubdue, are fpoken of by the Prophets m the fame 'T'enns by which Temporal Enemies are defcribed ; if his redeeming us from their Power is reprefented by fuch Words, as Con- quefts, ViBories, and Triumphs ; this is jufti- fied by the Ufe of very high Figurative Expreflions, upon many Occafions, in all, but efpecially the Eajlern, Languages 5 with- out the Thought that fuch Expreffions would be taken literally ; or that Thofe, who were mofl concerned in them, would iiot make ufe of their Common Se?ife, in A the I j^ I ' 426 V^e Nature j/" C h r i s t's Blejfmg, s E R M.the Interpretation of Them. XX. The Jews in- deed knew this Figurative Style to be ahnofl ( always the Prophetic Style ; and not to be in- jterpreted, in other Cafes, according to the \ Letter : and therefore, might have learn- jed another, and a true, Dodrine from fuch \ Figures oi Speech. And this they were ftill ■more directed to do, in the prefent Cafe, by \m2iv\y plain ExpreJlio7is in feveral Pallages of • the Prophet Sy mixed with the Lofty and Me- taphorical ones, and neceifarily interpreting them : Such, I mean, as reprefented the Difpenfation of their Mcjjiah to have been de- figned to make an E?id of Sin ^ and bring in everlajiing Righteoufnefs -, and fuch as give ^his peculiar CharaSler of it^ that under it God would write his Laws in the Hearts of his People 'y and reinember their Sins no more-, and Others of the hke Sort. All which is fully fufficient to fhew the Guilt of that Infi- delity of the JewSy which was owing to their total and wilful Negled: of fuch Confiderati- ons, as ought to have directed their Thoughts, and influenced their Condu6l, upon this Oc- cafion. 3. It will not be improper to obferve. That what has been faid may lead Us to the true Senfe of thofe Figurati've Expreffions in the New 'tejlamcnt, relating to this f.une Bkjpng of T%e Na ture ^Chri st's Ble£tng,^____. [.27 o( the MeJ/iabj which have cau fed great Va-SERM. riety of Sentiments and Debates. I mean par- ticularly fach feemingly hard Phrafcs as, being Y"'^'^'"'^ horn again 3 being created again to good Works ; renewed in our Minds ; putti?7g oj the old Man, or the whole Body of Sin j and putting on the new Mant in all liolinejs and Rigbteoufnefs -, being dead v/ith Chri/l unto Sin^ and arijing again with Him to a new Life : and other ex- traordinary Forms of Speech to the fame Pur- pofe. . All thefe are juftly and truly explained , by the plain Phrafes of ceafing from Sin^ and Learning to do Righteotfnefs , and, in the Words before Us, by being turnedyro/?; our Iniquities to all Virtue j by leading a new Life of habitual Ilolinefs : and fct forth no other j Do6lrine than that the Blefing of the Meffiah \ confifted in calling the World from their for- mer cuftomary Sins, to the Fraclice of all the Duties of moral Rigbteoufnefs. 4. From what has been faid may juftly be concluded the Frfumption and Iniquity^ of that Church, which alTumes to itfelf the Privi- lege of biefing Chriftians in a way abfolutely contradidory to what is laid down in the T'exty and other Places of the New Teila- ment. What I mean is This. Our Lord and his Jpoftles declare his Blejf.Jig to confift in the making Us happy, by turning Us from all 4.2q The Nature g/* C h r t s t's Bleffin^. s E R M. all our Iniquities, A Body of Men, calling XX. themfelves his Difciples^ and even his only t/'V>J DifcipkSi ftand forth, and openly undertake and promife to Sinners, That They will blefs and fave them, without their being turned from their Iniquities j without one Mark of their Converjion through their pafl Lives j or one Mark of It, in their laft Hours, unlefs it be a Declaration of their Sorrow. And this, which has no Relation to their Converfion from their Iniquities to a Courfe of Kighteouf- ncfs. They profefs to make Equivalent to a pad good Life j and, by fome Methods in- vented by themfelves, warrant the Arrival of their Difciples at Happincfs, as efPeftually as if they had fpent many Years in Obedience to the Laws of God. This, and the like Doc- trines of Indulgences, and Fardons, for the Encouragement of Sinners in not being turned from their Iniquities, are fuch manifeft and di- red: Contradidions to the whole Tenor of our Lord's own Declarations, that there cannot be the leaft Need of one Word to recommend fuch Blafphemy to the Abhorrence of all Chrijlians, befides the bare Mention of them. 5. Others, who have feparated from fo polluted a Church, may learn not to imitate, in the leafl Degree, One of the worft Pradi- ces in that Communion which they have forfaken. _???. j^^/^^_£/^ C H R I s t's Bk^', i_2a forfaken. And how near to this Trefumption ofs er m. the Church o^ Rome They come, who take \ xx. upon them to admlnifter the Comforts o£ yv\J God's Mercy in Chriji, under the Terrors of Death, to Thofe who have willfully flood out againfi: all the moft powerful Motives to Amendment through their whole paft Lives, let themfelves judge : but let Them fijft con- fider how fatal to Ltvifjg Siniicrs it may prove, to fee fuch Encouragement given to the Hopes oi Dying Ones -^ and how naturally This muft lead Thofe who are WitnelTes to it, to think aifuredly of Salvation and Mercy at lail:, without being turned from their Ini^ quities in any Part of their former Life. Who muft anfwer for This great Injury to the Gof- pel, and to the Me?! themfelves chiefly con- cerned, but 'Theyy who are at any Time guilty of proftituting the DoBrine of Saha- tion from Sin^ to the Service of Sin itfelf; and fubftitute a Repentance, which is only a Sorrow i and Dread of Funijhment, into the Place of that Repentance, which is Amend- ment of Life j and which alone their Lord and Mafter declares'to be acceptable ? 6. Laftly. Let this pradical Argument be ever in our Minds. If this turning of Us from cur Iniquities be the Blcffing which Reafon it- felf teaches us to expert from Himy who was 43 o T'ie Nature ^Z* C h r i s t's Blefftng. t E R m; was to be the greatefl: Inflance of God's Mer- XX. icy to Sinners 'y if This be what the Jews V/VN; themfelves had Reafon to look for, from their Mejpah; if This be the ferious and con- ftant Declaration of our Lord himfelf, and the fettled Dodrine of his Apojlles ; it follows moil certainly, That We are not to hope for any Blejing from our Saviour yefus, the Chrift, or Mejjiahy but as we are turned from our Iniquities to the Pradlice of all Virtue -, That, without this indifpenfable Condition, we have no Title to the Rewards promifed by Him ; nay. That againft thofe profeiTed Chrijlians who flill keep their Iniquities, the Mejjiah himfelf will pronounce the Wrath of j God ; 'Depart from Me^ ye Workers of Iniquity, The Conclufon of the whole, and the Sum I of all that nnofl nearly concerns Us, We muft always remember to be This, If 'we know thefe Things j happy are We only, if^we do them. FINIS. IjjV^ ' -T* •♦•.n s^> ■J». '^-^ i:;ai^^ ^m. ^y. ;;3B^: ^!i^S>S» »s*^^- J5>,^:» ;ife)^i;"::3 ■.>K» >,