Theological Seminary, g C. 7. y . /' 71 ^-^.j/g. THE IMPERFECTION OF THE CREATURE, AND THE Excellency of the Divine COMMANDMENT; ILLUSTRATED In Nine Sermons on Pfal. cxix. 960 By John Barnard, A. M. Paftor of a Church in Marblehead. This I fray, that your Lo've may abound yet more and morc^ in Ktionvledge, and in all Judgment ^ that ye may appro^ce things that are excellent ; that ye may he Jincere, and 'Without Offence, 'till the Day of CHRIST. Phil. I. 9, 10. BOSTON, New-England, Printed and Sold by R og s r s and F o w l e in Queen ftreet, and by D. G o K I N in Marlborough Street, MDCCXLVII. ■Q'hi The CONTENTS. Page The Text. P/. 119. 96. i Doa. 1. 'np^HE Perfedion of the Creature is limited, and X finite 4 I . 'Tis limited in its Nature and Meafure $ 1 . View it abftradledly and by itfelf id. No Creature poffefied of all Excellencies 6 Nor any in the higheft Degree 7 GOD only abfolutely perfedl 8 A finite Mind may comprehend them id. 2. View it in it's Relation, to Man 9 Two Rules to try it's Perfedlion 10 I . The Creature can't perfeft our Nature id. Our Perfeftion lyes in moral Reftitude id. No Creature can cure our Diforder 1 2 Not by the Knowledge of it id. Not by the Enjoyment of it 16 Worldly PoiTefTions have powerful Temptations 18 Not by the beft Improvement of it 20 Unfanflifyed Nature improves all for felf 21 To redlify the Soul is a fupernatural Work 22 2, The Creature can't compleat our Happinefs 25 No Happinefs without Reftitude z6 Our Happinefs lieth not in ourfelves id. I. The Creature is not a proportionable Good ?S Objefls of Senfe are not fuited to Spirits 30 Happinefs founded in Likenefs Jl The Creature is not proportionable to our Wants id. Can't free the Soul from Subjeftion to Senfe 32 Nor from Guilt 33 Nor from Condemnation id. Nor furnilh the Soul with a proper Manfion 34 The Creature is not proportionable to our Cravings 3 5 GOD only a fatisfadlory Good 36 The Creature is not proportionable in Duration t^^id. The Soul is immortal '3.7- ?■. The Creature is not truly and fully enjoyed 38 Our prefent PoirelTion dependant 39 We are only Stewards ■ 40 No Happinefs without Union id, GOD can't make happy without Enjoyment 4 1 II. Creature Perfedion finite in Duration id. A 3 Tl^e The CONTENTS. The World come to an End of it's prefent Form 42 We can't tontinue in this World 43 Ufe I. What Reafon have we to mourn our Apoftacy 45 Sin has turned a Paradife into a Wildernefs 46 Sin has ftriped us of our PoffefTion 47 2. Should not be chiefly concerned about this World 50 But have our Eye upon our main Intereft 52 It levels us with Brutes to mind only this World 5 3 3. We ought not to trufl: in tlie Creature 55 Can't fupport us under outward Troubles id. Can't quiet the Confcience 56 Will not avail in the Day of Death 57 Will be infignificant at Day of Judgment 58 Will afford no Relief under divme Wrath 60 Ufe 2. This reproves fuch as feek Happinefs in the Creature 6i As the Covetous Worldling id, And the unrighteous Perfon 63 This reproves fuch as abufe the Creature 66 As fuch as nourifh their Pride G-j And Indulge their Intemperance 68 Ufe 3. Behave wifely refpefting the Creature 70 Don't raife your Expeftation too high 71 Be moderate in your Regards to the World 72 Be not impatient under Loffes id. Retrieve the Creature from its Imperfedion 73 Get it fanftify'd by the Word and Prayer id. Improve it to the beft Purpofes 74 PoB. 11. The Commandment of GOD is exceeding broad 78 By the Commandment underfland the whole Divine Reve- lation id. 1 . 'Tis exceeding broad if we confider its Rife 79 'Tis a Revelation from GOD id. Its Charaflers evidence its Divinity 81 The clear Teftimony of the Author of cur Religion 82 The Revelation handed downuncorrupt 85 All Creatures originate from the Will of GOD 84 The Commandment from the divine Nature 85 Moral Good founded in the Divine Nature 87 What GOD willeth is therefore morally good id. The eternal Law of Nature is the Law of GOD 88 2. 'Tis exceeding broad in its Nature id. Adapted to the Lav/giver 89 Suited to the Capacity of the Subjefl ia. Requireth nothii)g but what is reafonaUe 90 Provideth Strength to perform Duty ^ 9? JRequireth The CONTENTS. Requireth the whole of our Duty 53 As it refpefis our Creator id. What we are to believe concerning GOD 94 What the Homage we owe to GOD 97 Oar Duty to be performed in a fpiritual Manner 98 Our Duty exceedeth our Performance 99 Requireth our whole Duty to Man 100 3. The exceeding Breadth is feen in the Extent of its Objeft lOI Every individual Perfon 102 All of Man, Body and Soul 104 Obligatory upon Confcience id. Extends to Angels 106. 4. Exceeding broad in the End and Defign of it 1 09 1 . The End is to make us truly wife 1 10 Worldly Wifdom gained by it id. Defigneth to make us fpiritually wife 1 1 1 Affords the Knowledge of the beft Things 1 1 3 ImprefTes our Minds with them i 14 2. It's Defign is to make it really Good 1 16 The Commandment begetteth Faith id. Faith the Root of Goodnefs 1 17 No Abfurdity in believing Do£lrines that contain Myfleries ii3 The Commandment revealeth CHRIST 1 19 The Commandment converteth the Soul 121 Not only the Body but the Soul iuffersby the Fall 122 The Commandment convinceth of Sin and Mifery 1 23 Recovereth from Sin and Mifery 135 'Tis the Spirit maketh it efFefiual 126 The Commandment maketh us holy 127 The Command enjoins Holinefs 128 Setts holy Examples before us id. Produces Holinefs in us 129 3. Its Defign is to make us compleatly happy 133 Affords Comfort and Joy in this World 134 Yieldeth fupport under Afflidtions 136 Diredeth not to bring them upon us id. Shews where to fetch Comfort under them 1 3 7 Promifes adapted to us 138 Gives Comfort under Soul Trouble 139 Joy and Peace the Effeft of keeping them 140 TheComfortof the Holy Ghoft _ 143 The Commandment leads to compleat Happinefs in the World to come 144 The Commandment informs us of Happinefs 145 Sheweth The C O N T E N T S. Sheweth us how it is procured for us 146 Diredleth us the Way to it id. Qualifies us for it id. Confirms it to us 147 Ar.d this Happinefs is every Way fuitable to us i*; To our Nature id, To our Condition 148 'Tis a Happinefs full andfufficient 149 And fliall never have an End 150 5. Exceeding broad in it's Duration 152 Committed to writing 153 Thole Writings wonderfully preferved 154 The things contained in the Bible durable 155 The EfFeds on the Heart permanent 157 The Precepts everlafting 158 The Subjed, but not the Command changed 159 life I. Oflnftruftion. i. See theGoodnefs of GOD in giving his Commandment 161 Natural Light would not fhew us our Duty and Intereft 163 Keafon may ice the equity of what is revealed but not dif- cover it 164 The learned Heathen beholden to Revelation 165 >Jo Light of Nature could difcover a Saviour x66 God requiretli only a reafonable Service id. Goodneis to recover us from our Apoftacy 167 Strange that IVIen of Senie fhould forfake Revelation to ad- here to Reafon 168 Our Light clearer than that of the Jews 169 2. See our indifpenfable Obligations to keep the Command- ments of GOD 170 Ought to believe its Doflrines 171 Our Reafon a Judge of the Evidence but not the Truth of a Revelation _ 172 Myfteries in Religion to be believed 173 Obliged to obey Divine Precepts 175 The Commandment moil Excellent therefore to be obeyed 176 Its Defign infers Obedience 178 As it RefpeQs Societies id. As it refpedleth ourfelves 179 Obedience due to every Commandment i8i Tho' we cannot fee the Reafon of it 182 GOD not Arbitrary in his Commands 183 GOD knovveth v/hat is confiftent with himfelf 184 His VVill, not the Fitnefs of things, our Rule 185 Wc mud not be partial in our Obedience 187 We The CONTENTS. Wc muft be conftant in our Obedience i ^9 3. Hence Religion our trueft Wifdom n;z * The Obedient Soul does his Duty i93 Does nothing in his Obedience to be afhamed of 1 94 If he fhould at laft be miftaken yet he has afted wiiely ic)s 4. Hence 'tis a great Evil to flight the Commandment 197 To turn it into Jeft and Ridicule *9^' To form unfcriptural Modes of Worfhip 201 To Neglea to read the Word 202 To Neglea publick Worlhip 203 5. See how Short we come in our befl 204 No Man fmlefs 205 We fail in many Duties 206 'Tis hard to preferve ourfclves in Dangers 209 The leaft Defea a Sin 210 We can't yield perfea Obedience in this Life 2 1 1 Wondrous Mercy to accept our fervices z 1 2 No Juftification by the Law but by CHRIST 213 6. Hence the Office of the Gofpel Miniftry is very honoura- ble ^'9 But very difficult . ^^^ 7. Hence fee the mifery of the Difobedient ^ 227 They carry about with them great part of their Miiery 229 And will be miferable for ever 232 That Mifery exquifitely pungent 233 And everlafting . , , . r ^^'^ 8. Hence we fhould not content ourfelves with the bare Letter of the Commandment , 235 But fearch out the fpiritual Meaning and fubmit our Wilis and Confciences to it 236 U/e 2. Of Exhortation To pay a due Regard to the divine Commandment 237 Perfea Conformity to the Will of GOD the Work andHap- pinefs of Heaven 238 Our Obligations to Obedience very great 239 Our Crimes aggravated in our Difobedience 240 Treat, therefore, the Commandment with an honeft Heart 241 Highly prize the Commandment 242 Diligently ftudy the Commandment 245 Bring yourfelves and aaion to the Commandment 245 Live upon the divine Commandment 246 The Author's Abfence from the Prefs has occafioned fome Errors which need correfting, as well as. fome Neglefts ia pointing which may be born with. ERRATA. Page 19. Line 20. for has, read /.^a've. p. 29. /. 30. x. fidteS. p. 31. /. 21. dele, Affinity, p. 35./. 17. r. Maunors. I. 21. after Variety, add. and, p. 45. /. 30. r. fuited. p. 46. /. 29. r. fuited. p. 51, /. 19. after Earth, add, a Semicolon, p. 6']. I. ult. v.Jit- teth. p. 82./. 23./. Will. x.Wit. p. 86. /. 22. after Pow^r.add a Semicolon, p. 87. /. 19. after of, add, the. p. 105. /. 12, /. fnake,v. made. p. 1 16. /. Z"] . 2!tKS.x Apojlles , add, a Comma, p. 133. /. 3./. ^i*^, r. ^^^. p. 136. /. 4. f. into, r. /a. /. 27. r. fuited. p. 144. /. 25. at the Beginning, add, 2. /. 27. r. /(f«45r p. 155. /. 35. at the Beginning, add, 2. p. 156. /. 27. r. Fri- diBion. p. 175. /. 28. af. is. add, our. p. 183. /. 11. r. Rule p. 185. /. 8. f. /«^f. r. fafe. p. 209. /, 20. after in, add a Comma, p. 210. /. i. for and, x. to. p. 220./. 2. i. from, r. K/oK. p. 227./. 24. before ififWi?, add, 7. p. 235. /. 34. f. •what, X. that. p. 236. /. 4. f. may, r. ffi«^. In the Margin. P. 5. r. Gm. i. p. 7. r. 14. p. 13. r. 11. Ti'm. p. i6. r. EccL ii. p. 17. r. Jam.'ii. p. 37. /. 2, f. 42.r. 46. p. 58. r. 7 ')!^ THE Imperfection OF THE CREATURE. S E R M O N I. Psalm CXIX. 96. [ have feen an End of all Per-- feSiion ; but thy Commandme7tt is exceeding broad, THIS Pfalm gives us a fair, and beau- tiful, Idea of exalted Piety ; every Verfe of it breathes the deepeft Devd- tion, and exprefTes, in bright Charac- ters, the Pfalmiji's high Guft, and Relifh for the Divine Law. How deeply is ic engraven upon his Heart ? while his continual Meditation upon it is fweet, and his utmoft Care is to regulate himfelf, in his whole Condud, by it, as the perfect Rule of Life. How does it dwell upon his Tongue ? while he triumphs in B ths ti 71) e hnperfeBion Seriii. 1* the Praife of it, and recommends it to us, as rhofl worthy of our higheft Regards, by the mod al- luring Arguments, of its ov/n native Excellency^ and the bleffed Advantages that ever accompany a fincere and hearty Obiervation of it •, and as tranfcendently illuftrious,.when compared with the utmofl: Perfedion, and Dignity, the whole Creation can pretend unto. It is by Way of Com pari Ton, that, in the Words I have read, he.raifcs his own Value, and jEfteem of it -, and urges it upon us, as challeng- ing our moft prevailing Affeftionj and- vigorous Endeavours to conform our felves to the holy Rules of it : / have feen an End of all Perfe^ion 5 hut Thy Commandment is exceeding broad. In which Words, there is evidently a Comparifon made^ bet\veen the Perfe^ion of the Creatures^ or all the Excellency that is to be found upon the Things of this Worlds and the Excellency of the Divins Commandment •, and the holy Pfalmifl, who had a juft Acquaintance with all that is excellent in the Creature, as being King in Jefhurun^ and a large Experience of the Sweetneis of the Command- tnent of GOD, as being a Favourite of Heaven, and fo a proper Judge in the Cafe, (befides his being under the Influence of the Divine Sptration) plainly declaring in Favour of the Law of God, and afluring us, that, tho' there is an End to all the Per- feSlion that is to be found, upon the Creatures, yet the Commandment of God is exceeding broad •, the Excellency of it far furpalTes that of the Creatures, both in Extent, and Duration. / have feen an End of all PerfeSlion, or I have feen to the End of all the Perfedion the whole World can boaft of. When 1 examine the Beau- ties, and Excellencies, of the Creatures, I need not to travel far, in the Search, before 1 come to their iSerm. I. of the- Creature. 3 their utmoft Limits, and fee their culminating Point j they fall within the Compafs of my Un- derftanding, and, at moftj are to be meafured by finite Reafon and View. I have feen too^ by Ex- perience, that all created Perfeiflion is as finite in its Duration, as limited in its Nature ; and how- ever fair, and prom.ifing, it appeared to me^ while at a Diftance, yet, when it came within my Rcach^ and I was ready to flatter my felf with a long Se- ries of Happinefs in the Enjoyment of it, I was foon convinced of my wild Millake, for it winged it felf away from me. So the greateft Luftre here^ not only has its dark Spots, but performs its dated, and fliort. Revolutions, and then fets in Obfcurity. The Glory of this World is tranfient and fadings and the faireft Lilly will foon wither away. So have I feen an End of all Perfediion in the Crea- ture • all the Things of this World, which Men Value and efteem at fo high a Rate, their Wifddni and Knowledge, their Strength and Fortitude, their Beauty and Gaiety, their Wealth and Furni- ture, their fhowy Trapings and Marks of Honour^ their Greatnefs and Magnificence, the Excellency of it all is limited in its Meafure, and finite in its Duration. But^ Thy Comntandment is exceeding broad. The Excellency, and Perfedtion, of thy Commandment vainly tranfcends, both in Meafure, and Duration, all that is to be found upon the Creature. This is an un- meafurable Field ^ the further I travel in it, the more indeed I fee of its large Extent ; but yet, I am never the nearer to the End of it. Here lies the fuperior Excellency of thy Commandment, that, view ic which Way I will, I fee it all bright and illuflri- ous, without the leaft Spot to fhade its Glory ; and the more 1 examine the Beauties of it, the more I behold the Wonders out of thy Law, but B 2 yet 4 Th^ ImperfeElio7i Scrni. 1. yet there remains an infcriitable Depth behind* which I am not able to fathom. The higher 1 climb this fteep Afcent, I am the more railed a- hove the loftieft Pinnacle of created Perfcdion, but the Excellency of thy Commandment main- tains a continued Elevation, and is forever above my Reach, and View. So is it, too broad at Bot- tom^ and at Top too high, for the utmoft Stretch of finite Underftanding. Befides, 'tis forever fettled, and made faft in Heaven : that, when the Perfedion of the Creature fhall fail, and all it's Excellency perifh,in the Ruins of Time,theL.ufl:reof thy Law fhall forever fiourifh, norfliall the longefl: Duration be able to corrode it, or dull it's Glory. Thus I have feen an End of all Perfe5fion •, but thy Commandment is exceeding broad. Having given this general Difcant upDn the Words, I am now, more particularly, to difcourfe on the feveral Parts of them, under thefe two Doc- trines, which are evidently contained in them : viz. Doc. I. That the Perfciflion of the Creature is ftmited, and finite. . Doc. II. That the Com.mandment of God is- exceeding broad. I fliall begin with the firfl of thefe Dodrines. Doc. I. That the Perfection of the Creature is limited, and finite •, limited in it's Mcafure, and finite in it's Duration. In difcourfing on this Head, I fliall endeavour to evidence thefc two Things. I. That the Perfection of the Creature is limited in it's Nature and Mcafure. IL That the Perfedion of the Creature is finite m it's Duration. I. The Serm. I. of the Creature. 5 I. Thefirft Thing I have to do is, to fliew, that the Perfeflion of the Creature is limited in it's Nature and Meafure. And this will fufficiently appear, if we take a View of the Creature abftradl- ediy, and by it's fcif, or in it's Relation. I. Let us take a View of the Creatures, ab- flradedly, and by themfelves, and we fliall plainly lee an End of all Perfeftion. For there is nothing, within the Compafs of created Na- ture, fo exalted in its Form, and Endowments, as to Jay Claim unto the high and honourable Title of Perfedion. There is, indeed, a Sort of Perfedion belonging unto all the Creatures, namely, a Perfection of Being •, that is, that they are Creatures of that Rank, and Order, which the great and wife Creator defigned them for ; fo they are perfeft in their Kind, and want nothing to render them as compleat, in their Natures, as they were originally intended to be. And thertifore when the Infinite Mind farveyed the Works of His Hand, after He liad finiflied the Six Days Creation, He laid of them all, {a. ) they are very good : that is, prefect in their Kind ; and as they all were made vhat they were intended for ; fo they fl:iall all anfwer the ieveral wife Ends for which they were created, and all confpire to this ultimate End of their Being, the fhewing forth of their Maker's Praife. But though the Creatures can boaft of this Perfedion of Being, or Kind, which agrees to the meanefl: Infed -, as well as to the higheft Angel, yet this hinders not, but that we may fee to the End of all Perfedion upon the Creatures, as to the real Nature, Meafure, and De- gree thereof. For this Perfedion of Being is but improperly called Perfedion. Perfedion, properly fpeaking,comprehends in it all poflible Excelkncie?-^ («.) Goi. 3. 31. 8. 3:- SBil 6 The ImperfeBion Serm. I and in the utmoft pofTible Degree of thefe Excel- lencies. And there is no Man can imagine, buc that the great Creator could, if He had pleafed, have furnifhed any of His Creatures with fome Ex- cellencies which they are now deftitute of, or have endowed them, with thofe Excellencies they are poffefTed of in a higher Degree -, though yet it is no Argument that they are not perfedl in their Kind, that more, and greater. Excellencies are not conferred upon them, than their Nature required : and to find Fault that the Creatures have not that Perfedion which any of them might have had, is to complain of the Creator for His making fuch a Variety of Creatures, or, indeed, for His making any Creature at all, for the very beft does and cannot but fall fliort of Pcrfedion, becaufe it is a Creature. So that we may plainly fee an End of all Perfedlioa in the Creatures, in that, I. There are none of the Creatures that an pre- tend to be pofTefled of all poffible EMcellencies.. God has furnifned His feveral Creatures with a very great Variety of Excellencies fuited to their parti- cular Natures, to fome more^ and fomc lefs, buc there is none of them all can boaft, I have all, and can have no more added to me : But, to allude to the Jpoftle*s Exprefllon, {b) There are cekjiial Bodies, and Bodies terrefiial -, but the Glory cf the celejiial is one^ and the Glory of the terrefiial is another : There is one Glory of the Sun, and an- other Glory of the Moon, and another Glory of the Stars ; yea, and one Star differeth from another Star in Glory. So the alwife Creator hath diftri- buted to the feveral Creatures their various, and particular, Excellencies •, and while one prides himftdf in his Beauty, another triumphs in his Strength, and a third glorieih in his WifJom and (i) : Ccr. ;:v. jo, 4.1 . Underftanding ; Serm. I. of the Creature, j Underflanding % but none of them can fay, I am poflefTed of all Excellencies, and need no more to attain unto compleat Perfedion. The mod pe- netrating Eye cannot fay to the aftive Hand, I have no Need of thee \ nor the exalted Head tQ ?he deprefied Feet, I have no Need of you. There may be fome Excellencies, in the lower Order of Beings, which, perhaps, the higher are without i and there are other Excellencies which are altogether incompatible unto any mere Crea- ture, even the higheft \ fuch are the incommuni- cable Perfeftions of the fupream Deity, whofe Prerogative alone it is, to fay, / am that I am. (c) Befides, 2. There is no Excellency pofTefs'd by any of the Creatures in the utmoft poffible Degree of that Excellency. There are not only feveral Ex- cellencies, which are peculiar to this or that Crea- ture, which others are deftitute of, but even thofe, among the Creatures, which have the largeft Share in the Divine Bounty, yet are not Owners of any one Excellency, no not that which they moft glory in, in its proper Perfedion. For where there is; proper Perfection, there is an Infi- nity of that Excellency, and there cannot be any pofliblc higher Degrees of it. But if the parti- cular Excellency, any Creature is poficfiTed of, will admit any further, or higher. Degrees of the fame to be yet added to it, *tis then very evident, that that Excellency is not poflefTed in its utmoft Ful- nefs, and that therefore it wants of proper Per- feflion : And to fuppofe, that any one Creature, even the brighteft among ^all the Sons of the Morning, fhould be Owner of any one Excellency, in the utmoft polTible Degree thereof, is to fup- pofe that Creature to be ec|ual with GOD > thaa f' ) E.xod. iii, 24, B: 4. vyh';Qb 8 ^The ImperfeBion Serm. L V^hich what can imply a greater Contradiftion ? The Diftancc between Finite, and Infinite, is too great to admit of any Gradation, fo that there is no pafiing from the one to the other ; 'Tis ut- terly impofTible, that a Creature, which is, by the Law of bis make, of the lower Order of Being, Ihould ever rife to the higheft, as he muft do to be inverted with any one Excellency in a proper Infinitude •, becaufe it can never ceafe to be a Creature •, as it neceflarily muft do to be Infinite, "Where there is true Perfeflion, there is all ; all in Kind, and all in Degree, and This is no where to be found but in the great Creator, who is all Perfe£l^ to whom nothing«:an be added, nor from whom any Thing fubftradted, in whom is every real Excellency, and in the moft tranfcendent Mea- fure, and Degree, beyond all that we can fpeak, or think of. All the Excellencies of the Crea- tures are derived from GOD, theimmenfe Fountain of Perfedion, the Father of Lights from ivhom comes every good and prfeEi Gift •, and the Streams, which any of the Creatures partake of, necefiarily fall fhort of, and are, in Degree, below, that Ful- nefs which is in the Fountain, that conftantly fup- plies them, where all Excellencies centre, and are in their higheft Exaltation. Therefore GOD juft- ly challenges His People, in that Strain, of the Prophet Jfaiah^ (d) 'To whom will ye liken me^ and wake me equal -, and compare jne, that we may he like ? To which I might add, 3. That the higheft Degree of Perfection in the Creature may be fcanned, examined, and com- pafTed, by an intelligent finite Mind, Though we may not be able to underftand alJ the Excel- lencies that are in fome of the Creatures, yet this (d) IJa. xlvi. 5. Serm. I. of the Creature. g may be, not the Want of Capacity in us to com- prehend them, but, the Want of their lying open to our Search and Enquiry. There are Intelli- gences, of a higher Order than our felves, that excel in Wifdom and Knowledge, who may have a juft Underftanding of their own Excellencies, and of the Creatures below them. Yea, we our felves are able to conceive of much greater Ex- cellencies, greater Degrees of Perfedion, than are to be found upon any of the Creatures ; as the infinite Perfeftions of GOD. So that a finite and bounded Capacity may reach to the utmoft Extent of created Excellency j# which fhews that the Perfection of the CreatWe is limited as to its Na- ture, Meafure, and Degree, if we confider it ab- ftrafledly, and by it felf. And now, 2. Let us take a View of the Creature in its Relation, and we fhall plainly fee an End of all Perfedion. The Excellencies of the Creatures will fhine in their greateft Luftre, if we confider them, in their Relation to one another ; becaufe there is an exadl Symmetry, and Proportion, in the fe- veral Parts of the Creation, and the Excellency, each Part is endowed with, exaftly correfponds to that Symmetry, and is wonderfully adapted to fe- cure the Order, and promote the common Good, of the whole by a relative Serviceablenefs of one Thing unto another. So that we might well cry- out, with the Pfalmift, f O Lord, bow manifold are thy Works •, in Wifdom hafl thou made them all ! My Bufinefs here is not to Philofophife, and there- fore I fhall forbear fuch a Difcourfe upon the Re- lation, Dependance, and Ufefulnefs, of the feveral Parts of the Creation, to one another, as my Sub- jedl would naturally enough lead me to, and con- fine my Thoughts to the Afped which the f Pj'alm civ. 24. Creature lo The ImperfeEiio7t Serm. I. Creature has, in its Relation to Man, the moft noble of the vifible Creation ; and confequently, in its Relation to whom, its Excellencies will ihine with the brighteft Rays. Now, There are two Rules by which we may examine the Perfeftion of the Creature, in its Re- lation to us, which feem to me to be determina- tive in the Cafe, viz. as it is perfedlive of our Nature, or compleative of our Happinefs : And if, upon Examination, we find the Nature, Mea- fure, and Degree of Excellency in the Creature,^ fall Ihort of coming up to thefe Rules, it will be a plain Conviction to us, that there is an End cf all PerfeElion. ■•■ I. Firft then ; Let us examine whether the Creature is perfedlive of our Nature. And in Or- der to pafs a true Judgment, it will be neceflary, firft, to fay wherein the Perfe6lion of our Nature lies ; for if we are not determined in this, we fhall in vain enquire, how far the Creature is able to anfwer this End. Now I take it that the Pcrfedlion of our Na- ture confifts in its moral Re(ftitude, or the Har- mony of the Soul, in the Actings of all its Powers, in Subordination to right Reafon, and pure and undefiled Religion : Becaufe then only do we a6l like our felves, and preferve the Dignity, and End, of our Make, when right Reafon prefides, and has the full Government of us, in all the in- ward Operations of the Mind, as well as the out- ward A(5lions of the Body, fo as to preferve us from the Tumult of the PafTions, and Ufurpation of the Senfes, and to diredt all that we do to the ultimate End of ferving and glorifying our Maker, and fupream Lord. And however any, funk un- der the Power of a depraved Mind, and the Go- vernment of their Senfes, may be ready to imagine, cha% Serm. I. of the Creature, 1 1 that the Perfedlion of their Nature confifteth in the Health, and Strength, of their Bodies, and the full Enjoyment of their fenfual Gratifications, yet a little Obfervation will convince them, that there may be all of this, while they enjoy only the Perfection of the Brute, and not of the Man. For certainly, the Perfection of the humane Na- ture muft lie, in its Likenefs unto GOD, who is all perfed:. The moral Perfeftions of the Deity are the trueft Glory of the divine Nature. GOD is glorious in Holinefs. (e) The nearer we refem- ble GOD herein, the nearer we arrive unto true Perfection, being -perfect as our Father^ which is in Heaven, is perfect, (f ) Now we find, to our Sorrow, if we take a fe- rious View of ourfelves, that, as we come into this "World, and walk according to the Courfe of it, there is a perpetual Jarr and Difcord in our Souls^ the Actings of our Underftanding, and Will, often interfere, and our Paffions clafh among themfelves, ^nd the Senfcs ride in State, fo that there is no- thing but Irregularity and Diforder in us i and as the Heighth of this Mifchief upon us, to do Good we have no Knowledge, while to do Evil is prefent with us : (g) So true is what the infpired Prophet tells us, (h) The whole Head is fick, and the whoU lleart is faint -, from the Sole of the Foot, even unto the Head, there is no Soundnefs, but JVounds^ and Bruifes, and putrifying Sores. That is, the humane Nature is vitiated by Sin, fo that there is not a jujl Man upon Earth that doth Good and ftnneth not ; and if we fay we have no Sin, we de- ceive our felves, and the Truth is not in us ; as the facred Oracles teach us. Doubtlefs, this is the [Weaknefs, and ImperfeClion of our Nature ; not (e) Exod.xv. II. (f) Matth. V. 48. (g) Jfr.iv.2Z. Rom. vii. 21. (h^ Ifa. i. 5, 6. \?hat 12 The hnperfeBio72 ' Serm. 1. what we received from our Maker, but what we have contrafted to our felves, by our Apodacy from Him •, and therefore the Pcrfeflion of our Nature confiftcth, in having all thefe Maladies cured, thefe Wounds healed, thefe Diforders rec- tified, and in having the Soul brought into fuch a Conftitution, and Temper, as to be able to aft by the Rules of right Reafon, and live up to the Heighth of its noble Endowments, in a religious glorifying of its Maker, and ferving its Fellow- Creatures : That is to fay, in being renewed in the Spirit of our Mind, and having on the new Man, which, after GOD, is created in Righteoujnefs, and true Holinefs. (/) Now, if we confult the whole Circle of created Beings, and examine the higheft Advantages they are capable, of thcmft^lves, of affording us, upon this Account, in their neareft Relation to us, we fliall find, that they are nor, nor can they be, thus, perfedlive of our Nature. If it were in their Power to anfwer this great and noble End, \t would be either in the Knowledge of them, or the Enjoyment of them, or the Improvement of them ; but in all of thefe they are greatly defective, and leave us as they find us. Let us view over thefb Particulars. I. The Creatures are not perfedive of our Na- ture in the Knowledge of them. It is true, when we confider Man only as rational, or capable of underflanding, the more advanced any are in Knowledge, the truer Infight they may have into the Nature of Things, the better Acquaintance they gain with the Reafon of the Connexion, De- pendance, and Operation, of Caufes, and Kffcds, and the further Difcoveries they make into the Arcana of Nature, they are fo much the more (i) Ftb. iv. 23, 2^ r^ikd Serm. I. of the Creature, 1 3 raifed above the Level of thofe meaner Souls, who know, fcarce, nothing, but that they are. This enlarged Knowledge may brighten a Man, enoble his Mind, and fet him above his Neighbours, as being furnifhed with what is really a very great ^Excellency, too high for them to attain unto ; but yet all the Knowledge, in Nature, any Man can attain unto, will leave him at as great a Diflance from moral Reditude, as the Devils themfelves • are. The brightefl: Charader gf our perfected Na- ture is Religion ; and the Knowledge which is ferviceable to that End is, the Knowledge of the only true GOD, and JESUS CHRIST, whom He hath fent (k) ; that is a fpiritual Wifdom, and Underftanding, in the Myfteries of GOD, and our holy Religion, which is ever productive of a renewed Mind, and a vertuous and religious Con- verfation, and is therefore called a being wife unto Salvation. (I) Now if the bare Knowledge of the Creatures had this good Effed upon the Minds of Men, we might rationally expeft to find, that thofe who are of the acuteft Judgment, the cleareft Reafoning, the politeft Learning, and have the greateft Acquaintance with the Myfteries of Na- ture, and Art, fhould always be Men of the great- eft Religion, the deepeft Devotion, and the pureft Morals. Thefe certainly, if any, fhould be the Men, who are the moft God- like in their Temper, and Behaviour, who have the Divine Image ftamp- cd upon them, in whom old Things are done away, and all Things are become new : Thefe, of all Mankind, fhould be the Men of the great- eft Vertue, and Probity -, who have the beft Go- vernment of their Appetites and Paffions, and moft fteadily preferve a Decorum in all their Adions ; (k) Johnxvn. 3. (I) i 7'/>/, iii. 15. who t4 ^ke hnperfeEiion Sertn. J. who are leaft ofFenfive to their Maker, and inju- rious to their Neighbours ; who are mod conftant, and regular, in their Acknowledgments to the fu- pream Being, and their Beneficence to Man. Bur, alas ! we often fee the very Reverfe of all this ! Daily Experience convinces us, that the tnoft ad- vanced Knowledge in the hidden Things of Na- ture, and of Art, does not corredl the Excefles, * and inordinate Appetites, of a depraved Mind \ but the wifeft of Men, for worldly Wifdom, are often the greateft Fools, with Refped to that Wifdom that is from above, and are utter Stran- gers to a Life of true Religion. Thus the Apftk minds us, {vn) that not many wife Meti, after the Flejh^ are called. There have, indeed, through the fovereign Grace of GOD, been fome of the great, and wife, and learned. Men, of the Worlds effeftually called off from their Subjeftionj and Slavery, to vile Lufts, as well as from heathenifli Idolatry, to the Know- ledge, Love, and Service of the only true GOD, and His Son JESUS CHRIST •, but there have not been many fuch. The Men of the greateft Knowledge, and Learning, have generally been too haughty, and opinionated of themfelves, and fond of their own Parts, to fubmit their Under- ftandings to the Government of Divine Revelation, and credit thofe Dodrines which they looked upon as no better than Fooliflinefs, becaufe they could not underftand the Myfteries contained in them ; and too ftubborn to comply with thofe holy Rules ■which interfered with their gratifying their carnal Appetites, and purfuing their fecular Interefts. More generally, they have been Men of lower Parts, and Attainments, who have applied them- felves lefs to Speculations, and more to Pradice, (m) \ Cor. i. 26. ^ ^ that Serm. I. of the Creature, i^ that have received the Di6lates of Divine Wifdoirij and correfled the Diforders of their Nature, by a confcientious Regard to the holy Rules of the Gofpel. Our blefled Saviour therefore faid, {n) I thank thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven, and Earthy hecaufe thou hajl hid thefe Things from the wife, and prudent, and hafi revealed them unto Babes. The greateft Mafters of Reafon, in our Saviour's, and the Apoftle\ Days, as the Scribes, and Pharifees, among the Jews, and the learned Philofophers, among the Gentiles, were the greateft Enemies to this Perfection of our Nature, and the moft violent Oppofers of that Divine Philofophy, thofe hea- venly Dodlrines, which the Son of GOD came to inftruft the World in : And it were well if there were not too many fuch in our Days alfo. This is the Argument the royal Preacher purfues. He lays this down as the Sum of the Matter, {o) Fear GOD, and keep His Commandments, for this is the whole of Man : And having examined how far Wifdom, and Knowledge, that which is natural and humane^ would conduce to this high and no- ble End, he founds upon Trial, that it all fell vaftly fhort, and therefore infcribes Vanity iipoa it. / gave my felf, fays he, (p) to feek, and to fearch out, by fVifdom, concerning all Things that are done under Heaven ; — / have feen all the Works that are done under the Sun, and behold all is Vanity. So again, [q) I applied mine Heart to know and fearch, and to feek out, Wifdom, and the Reafon of Things \ — and lo, this only have I found, that GOD made Man upright, but they have fought out many Inventions. This Knowledge, and Wifdom, has been abufed by them, and inftead of purifying their Hearts, and redifying their Lives, and per- (n) Matth. xi. 25. (0) Ecc/.xW. 13. (^J EccL 1.13, 14. (q) CL Vii. 25, 29, ^ Fccting t6 T'he hjiperfeBion, Serm. L fecting their Natures, It has been mifimproved, by them, to the nourifhing of their Lufts, to Profane- nefs, and Contempt of GOD, and Religion, to infult, and opprefs their Fellow Creature ; and thus GOD h^s been the more difhonoured, and humane Society the greater Sufferers, by them. So that the Knowledge of the Creature is not perfective of our Nature : 2. Nor are the Creatures perfective of our Nature in the Enjoyment of them. This alfo Solomon^ (than whom no Man had greater Op- portunities to know,) affures us, from his own Experience, (r) / gathered me, fays he. Silver and Gold, and the peculiar Treasure of Kings, and of the Provinces -, / gat me Men Singers, and JVomen Singers, and the Delights of the Sons of Men, as mufical Inffruments, and that of all Sorts -, fo I was great, and increafed more than all that were before ine, in Jerufalem ; — and whatfoever miyie Eyes de- fired, I kept not back from them ; / withheld not my Heart from any Joy : for my Heart rejoiced in all my Labour ; — then I looked on all the IVorks that my Hands had wrought, and on the Labour that 1 had laboured, [that is, to fee what was the Produce of it all, what Influence it had upon my fearing GOD, and keeping of His Com- mandments,] <3Ki behold all was Vanity, and Vex- ation of Spirit, and there was no Profit under the Sun. That is, I plainly faw, it had no Ten- dency to rectify the Vitiofity of my depraved Nature. And, accordingly, we fee, that Men of the greateft worldly Poffeffions, furrounded with the Affluence of earthly good Things, who have more than Heart could wifh for, are not, or- dinarily, the meek, and humble, the temperate, (r) Eccl. xi. 8, n. and Serm. I. ef the Creature, 17 and fober, the truly vertuous and religious Per- fons. Did the Enjoyment of the Creature per- fect- our Nature, then the more a Man poffefledj the more regular would he be, in the Actings of his Mind, and in his outward Behaviour ; and none but the worldly Poor would be the Ser- vants of Lull and PafTions. Were Men to ex- cel 1 in Vertue, and Holinefs, proportionable to the Difference of their Temporal Accomodations, what mighty Heroes fhould we fee ? what an- gelic Creatures Hiould we converfe with ? Whereas, though the wealthy and great may af- fed, what is called a more genteei, and polite Carriage, and, in their general Condufb, be lefs rough, and boifterous, yet we may eafily obferve, that they are, many of them, never the lefs un- der the Dominion of various Lufts, and Paffions, and ordinarily give a greater Scope to them, though with more of Caution, than other mean Men. Hence the Apoftle James fays, (j) T>o not rich Men opprefs you^ and draw you before the Judgment Seat ? Do not they hlafpheme that wor- thy Name, by the which ye are called ? What is there more common, than to fee thofe that are increafed in Goods, living in Contempt, and De- fiance, of that GOD who beftoweth all upon them ; and grievoufly opprefling their poor Neighbour, with burdenfome, needlefs, and often unjuft Law Suits •, by hard Ufage, and cruel Grip- ings, in their Dealings with him •, by Delays of Payment, when they have it by thcm^ and making him to dance Attendance as much al- moft as his Debt is worth, and at laft putting him off with near a Third lefs than his Dues, by an exorbitant Demand upon their Goods be- yond what they could have been purchafed with (s) James xi. 6, 7. C his 1 8 "TX^ ImpcrfeElio?t. Serm. I. his Money ; and all this while the rich Man wipes his Mouth, and cries I am Innocent, and do no Harm, I muft live by my Bufinefs, and make the beft of my Wares : thus his Abundance but en- creafes his Third, blinds his Eyes, and deludes his Judgment, and leads him into fome of the moft enormous Crimes. Yea, J [aw under the Sun, the Place of Judgment, that IVickednefs was there ; and the Place of Righteoufnefs, that Iniquity ivas there, faid the Preacher *. Thus their worldly En- joyments do but make many to become devour- ing Wolves to their more innocent Neighbours, inftead of fubduing their -various Lulls and Pafll- ons : the Multiplicity of their PoflefTions increafes their Appetites, and, when thefe are uppermoft, no Wonder Reafon and Religion, are trampled on. Worldly Pcfieffions have no Tendency to make a Man truly vertuous, and give him the Matlery over himfclf : and, indeed, how fhould they ? When the Enjoyments of this W^orld are fo pe- culiarly adapted to the carna! and fenfual Part of the Man, and have no Affinity with a fpiritual and immortal Soul, and io can have no natural Influence to bring that unto Perfection, by recftify- ing it's Dilbrders, and pruducing in it the higheft Ads of Reafon, and Religion -, but rather the di- redtly contrary Tendency, to keep the Soul in it's impcrfed State, and under the Power of it's natural Depravity, by blinding the Eyes, biafing the Will, and pre engaging of the Affedions, with the Glitter of Riches, and Honour, Grandeur, and Magnificence, and the like. For, befides the prefent Union of the Soul to the Body, and confequently the Communication from the Senfes to the intelledual Powers, by which Means the Soul becomes affeded with what * Ec.l. iii. 1 6. affecls Serm. I. of the Creature, tg affefts the Bodyj that is to fay, is pleaded, or pained, as Things are agreeable, or difagreeable. Unto the Body, and fo is inclined to will, and em- brace, what is pleafurable, and rejedl, and fly frorrij what is painful to the Senfes ; I fay, bcfides this, the natural Depravity which the Soul labours un- der, has funk it fo much below its original Dig- Rity, that inflead of its being the Guide and Di- redlor of our Senfes, and wife Governor of our Appetites, it is fallen under the Power and Do- minion of them, and its Volition and Choice is nov/ governed, by the greedy Defires of Senfe, and her mean and low Joys arifes only from fenfual Gratifications : Thus the Mind is become carnal*, flefiJy, fubjecSl to fiejhly Lujis^ and minding the Things of the Flefh. And hence the Enjoymene of the Creature, which fo exadly correfponds with our vitiated Appetites, inftead of exalting the Soul, by freeing it from the fuperior Influence the Senfes has over it, and reftoring it to its primitive Re(5li- tude, and Dominion, does but fo much the more debafe it, ahd enflave it to the Delights of the animal Life: For thefe Enjoyments, affording fuch Delight and Pleafure to the animal Spirits, pleafe the vitiated Soul alfo, and hence urges her upon breaking through all the Boundaries of RealbOj and Religion, rather than go without them. A Seife of this made /Igur put up that Petition, (/) Give me neither Poverty^ nor Riches, left I he full, and deny thee, and fay, who is the LORD ? Or left I be poor, and fteal, ^nd take the Name of my GOD in vain. And hence 'tis, that the Apo- ftle fays, {u) They that will he rich, fall into Temp- tation, and a Snare, and many foolifh and hurtful Lufis, which drown Men in Dcftrucfion and Perdition. Thus much alfo our bleffed Saviour hath taught (t) Pro^j. XXX. 8, 9. (uj I Tim. vi. 9. C 2 lis. 20 Tide hnparfeEiicn Serm. I. us, when He faicl, (to) Verily^ a rich Man JJjall hardly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Which, at Jeaft, fuppofes thus much, that their Riches, and Abundance, is fo far from promoting their real Vertue, that they rather tend greatly to hinder it ; and fo render it the more difficult, for thofe that enjoy them, to withftand their Temptations, and get fafe to Heaven at laft. So that we fee, that neither the Knowledge, nor the Enjoyment of the Creature, is, of its felf, per- fedive of our Nature. 3. Nor will the higheft Improvement, we can, of our felves, make of the Creature, have this bleffed Effed upon us, the Perfeclion of our Na- ture. This is the laft Refult, and here we may lee the utmoft Advantage the Creatures can be unto us, in the Improvement which may be made of them. And now, if upon Examination, the Creatures are not found to be perfeflive of our Nature, by the higheft Improvement we can make of them, we may then juftly write upon them all, I have feen an End of all Perfeclion -, and yet, alas, here they all fail us ! For, fuppofe a Man to make the greateft Ad- vantage of the Creatures, that he pofTibly can ; 'tis evident, that his Eating, and Drinking, of the moft delicious, and in the greateft Abundance, his moft gorgeous Apparel, and fumptuous Build- ings, and the moft eager Purfuit of his Sports, and Paftimes, and the utmoft Indulgence of the Pleafures of Senfe, have not the leaft Look to- wards the refining, and perfeding of his Nature. Suppofe him then, to think foberly, and make Ufe of the Creatures as Topicks, and Heads of Argument, for the Confirmation of the Truth of ( u) Matth, xix. 23, our Serm. I. of the Creature. 2 1 our holy Religion, which I think is the higheft Improvement the Man, in the Exercife of his Reafon only, can make of them ; yet, will this change his Heart ? Will this bring him to a pro- per religious . Acknowledgment of GOD ? or flamp the Divine Image upon him ? Certainly, it will not. Even this noble Advantage the Crea- tures are improvable unto, has nothing of a truly religious Afpe6l, in the natural Man, but only tends to the Advancement of his fpeculative Know- ledge j and 'tis much, if, at the fame Time, it does not the more nourifh his Pride and Haugh- tinefs, which will but throw him at a greater Dif- tance from GOD, and Goodnefs. For, what Improvement can unfanditied Na- ture make of any Thing, but what is agreeable unto its felf, and ferves to promote its fenfual Gra- tifications ? And this is fo far from curing the Ir- regularities of the lapfed Soul, that, as I have al- ready (hewed, it does but fo much the more de- bafe, and pollute it. It will be but a Provifion for the FkfJj^ to fulfil the Lufts thereof. Hence the Apoflile gives this as a Reafon, why carnal Minds receive not the Things they pray for, (x) Te ajk, and receive noi, hecaufe ye ajk amifs., that ye may confume it upon your Lujis. The feeding, and nourifhing of his Lufts, are the great Ends, the carnal Man, who walks after the Flefli, aims at, in all that he does ; and therefore the promot- ing of thefe Ends is the utmoft Advantage he can improve any Thing for. Though a fandify'd Heart receives his Enjoy- ments, as the Bounty of his heavenly Father unto him, is thankful for them, and endeavours to im- prove them to the Honour of his gracious Bene- fador i yet, one under the Power of his original (x) Jam. iv. 3. C 3 Apoflacy 2 2 Tloe ImperfeEimi Serm. I. Apoflacy has no fuch vertuous, and holy Princi- ples in him, no fuch high and noble Ends to aim at •, and therefore, inftead of facrificing to the living JEHOVAH, we can expeft no other from him, than that he fhould take his C^rn, and IVine^ and Oil, and Silver, and Gold, and burn Incenje unto Baal therewith, as GOD complains His People of old did. (y) And the more his Enjoym.enrs are, we may reafonably fear a more exalted Degree of "Wickednefs, unlefs the common reftraining Grace of GOD prevent it •, becaufe he will now have the fairer Opportunity in his Hands, and the ilronger Enticements, to comply with his carna! Defires, and follow after his Lufts with Gree- dinefs. There is nothing in the Creature that has any natural Tendency to recover us from our lapfed Condition, and therefore it is not improvable by lis, from any Vertue in it felf, or any Power in us, to this glorious End. And though GOD, by His Almighty Power, and the Operation of His Di- vine Spirit, may make Ufe of any Creature, as Means, to recover us to a holy and religious Con- verfation, and improve His Embaffadors, as Inftru- ments, in the converting of a Sinner from the Er- ror of his Ways, and award unto them a propor- tionable Crown of Glory for their Serviceablenefs therein, yet the unconverted Soul has no Power and Ability, of himfelf, to make this good Im- provement even of them. In fhort ; it is a fupernatural Work of Grace, wrought in the Soul, by the Almighty Power of GOD Himfelf, that alone is fufficient to quicken us, who by Nature are dead in I'refpajfes and Sins, to re- cover the Soul from the Confufionsour Apoftacy has brought upon it, and rellore our vitiated Minds to {jj Ho/, ii. 8. their Serm. I. of the Creature, 23 their original Perfeftion ; and it is not in the Power of all created Nature, improved by finite Skill, and Strength, to the utmoft Advantage, to accomplifh this glorious Work, becaufe it is fu- pernatural. Nay, if we could converfe with An- gels, and had the fame Opportunity of making Advantages from them, that we have of good and holy Men, among whom we dwell, we fhould find that, though they have Vertue enough for them- felves, yet they have none to fpare to us, and therefore, in vain fliould we expeftany from them, nor could they be fo much as inftrumental to work this Change in us, without the Co-operation of GOD, whofe IVorkmanJIjtp we are^ created^ in CHRIST JESUS, unto good Works, (z) And if our belt Improvement of the pure and holy Spirits^ would not perfed our Nature, much lefs, 1 am fure, would any Thing in the vifible Creation, be able to reftore us to a Participation of the Divine Na- ture, and bring us to live the Divine Life, in our Conformity to the Holinefs and Purity, the Righ- teoufnefs, Mercy, and Truth of GOD •, becaufe this bcaudful and glorious Image, is not any Ways inherent in, or necefiarily conne6led to, any of them, as an efiential Property of their Nature, nor indeed is any Ways applicable to the mod of them ; and they cannot be fuppofed to produce an Effeft, fo infinitely more noble and glorious, than any Thing they have in themfelves. Thus we fee an End of all Perfe^ion, in the Creatures, in that they are not, nor can they be, of themfelves, perfeflive of our Nature, neither m the Knowledge, the Enjoyment, nor the Improve- ment of them. (~) Efh, ii. 10; C 4 SERMON 2 4 ^^ ImperfeEikn Serm. II. S E R M O N 11. Psalm CXIX. 96. J have feen an End of all Per- feElion ; but thy Command?nent I is exceeding broad. Have obferved thefe two doctrinal Truth?, as 'plainly contained in thole Words of the royal Pfalmift which I have read ; viz. "Doc. I. The Perfeflion of the Creature is limited and finite. Doc. II. The Commandment of GOD is ex- ceeding broad. I entered upon the Confideration of the firft: of thefe the laft Opportunity, namely. Doc. I. The Perfedion of the Creature is li- mited and finite. In difcourfing upon this Subjecfl, I propofed to evidence thefe two Things : I. The Perfeftion of the Creature is iimited in its Nature, and Meafure. And II. The Perfedion of the Creature is finite in its Duration. I have already offered fomething to the firft of thefe Heads, and fhewed you, that I. Upon Serm. II. of the Creature. 25 1. Upon a more abftradled View of the Crea- ture, we fhall evidently fee its Perfeftion limited ; forafmuch as there are none of the Creatures that can pretend to the Poflefllon of all poflible Excel- lencies, nor of any one Excellency in the utmoft poflible Degree thereof, but the higheft Degree of their Perfedion falls within the Compafs of a finite Mind. I have alfo entred upon the Cbyideration of the Creature, 2. In its Relation, more efpecially to Man : and to evidence the Imperfeftion of it, I propofed thefe two Arguments, as clear Proofs of" it, vi-z. That it cannot be perfedlive of our Nature j neither is it compleative of our Happinefs. I have fhewed, I. The Creature is not perfedive of our Nature : And that neither in the Knowledge of it, the En- joyment of it, nor in the bed Improvement we can make of it. I now proceed to confider the Force of the fecond Argument, viz. II. The Creature cannot be compleative of our Happinefs. Thefe are the two Rules, by which, I faid, we are to examine and try the Perfedion of the Creature, in its Relation to us, vi-z.. As it is perfedive of our Nature, and compleative of our Flappinefs ; for nothing can be truly and fully perfed, refpeding us, but what is able to anfwer both thefe great Ends. I have examined the Excellency of the Creature, by the firft of thefe Rules, and it is found wanting ; we plainly fee that it is too mean, and low, to reftore us to our primitive Integrity, Uprightnefs, and Perfedion ; and this affords us full Convidion, that, fo far, the Perfedion of the Creature is limited in its Nature and Meafure. I am now to examine the Excellencies of the Creature, by the fecond Rule, and fee whether it will 2"6 7^^ ImperfeEiion Scrm. II. will compleat our Happinefs ; and if it fail in this alfo, we may be fure that there is an End of all Perfection. Now, befides the Confideration that our Happi- nefs cannot be compleat, while as yet our Nature is not perfected ; becaufe there will be fomething, wanting, in our very Temper, and Difpofition, to give us the true Guft, and Relilh, of Happinefs ; and fomething, inwrought into our Temper, that would render us unhappy ; 1 fay, befides this, it muft be remembred, that our Happinefs lieth, in the true, and full Enjoyment of a Good, foreign to us, that is every Way exadlly proportionable to us. For the very Make, and State, of the humane Nature necefTitates it, that a Man look around him for fome foreign Aid, in the Enjoyment whereof he may be happy. If we examine the Make and Conftitution of the humane Nature, we fhall plain- ly fee, that, with Refpedl tp both its conftituent Parts, Soul, and Body, Man is a dependant Crea- ture, which derived his Being from another, and is beholden to fomething out of himfelf for his Powers, and Capacities, his Support, and Comfort ; and his Happinefs can no more arife from himfelf than his Being could : So that, feeing he is not felf fufficient, let his Felicity confift in what it will, it muft necefiarily originate from fome other Caufe than himfelf. This was the Cafe even of innocent Man, in Faradife, who, though his Powers were much more bright and healthy, than any of his natural Defcendents, yet, was a Creature that de- rived his Being from another, and was fubordinate to, and wholly dependent upon, that Caufe from whence he received his Being ; and confequently all the true Happinefs he could exped, or grafp, muft he derivative. But if we take a View of Man*s prefent Serm. II. of the Creature. 27 prefent State, fince the Fall, it will appear, in the cleared Light, that we are infufRcient tor our own Happinefs, and are beholden to another for it, if ever we attain thereto ; bccaufe our prefent State is evidently a State of very great WeaknefTes, and Deficiencies, and that both of Body, and Mind. So that nothing can be more evident, than, that a Man rhuft feek abroad, and look around him, for feme ObjedV, in the Pofieffion whereof, to delight him- felf, and be truly happy. It is the Prerogative of GOD alone to be felf-fufficient ; and 'till any Man can boaft of equal effential Excellencies, Per- fedions, and Glories, with thofe of the felf-exiftent, independent Deity, he will remain in a State of Dependance, Craving, and Want, and need fome- thing, out of himfelf, and foreign to him, to com- pleat his real Happinefs. Now, this foreign Good, which is fufficient to render a radonal, and immortal Creature happy, muft neceflarily be, every Way, proportioned to us J becaufe no Objeft can have any, the leaft. Tendency to advance our Happinefs, any farther than as it is agreeable to us, in one Refpefl, or other •, and that which pretends to render us com- pleatly happy, mud be every Way exadlly agrea- ble, without the lead Deficiency in its Correfpon- dency to us ; otherwife the Difagreement between Us, and That, will everladingly cramp all the Happinefs which elfe might arife therefrom, and give us a painful Uneafinefs. For what is Mi- fery ? but fomething.or other difagreeable to us ; and the Degrees of Mifery, are more, or lefs, pro- portionable to the Difagreement of the Objeft to us. But then, upon Suppofition of a Good pro- portionable to us, it mud be truly, and fully en- joyed by us, or there cannot poflibly be any Hap- pinefs derived from it, to us. For if the greateft Good 2 8 'The hnperfeSiio7i Serm. II. Good is not applied to us, how can we receive any Benefit from it ? The mod Miferable may know that there is fuch a Thing as compleat Hap- pinefs, and in what it confifteth, and yet, without a futable Application of it unto thcmfelves, that is, without their Enjoyment of it, be neverthelefs miferable •, yea, their Knowledge of it will be fo far from abating their Mifery, as that it will but fo much the more encreafe it upon them. Our blelTed Saviour therefore acquaints us, that it will be a very great Addition to the Mifery of the Wicked, that they (hall be able to difcern fome- thing of the Happinefs of the Righteous, which they themfelves fhall have no Part and Share in •, faying, (in Luke^s Gofpel,) There Jball be weeping, and gnajhing of Teeth, when ye jhall fee Abraham, and Ifaac, and Jacob, and all the Prophets, m the Kingdom of GOD, and you yourfehes thrufi out. -f If therefore the Creature fail in both, or- either, of thefe Refpefts, it can never compleat our Hap- pinefs. This then is what I have to do, to fhew, that the Creature is neither a proportionable Good, nor truly enjoyed by us, and therefore cannot com- pleat our Happinefs. I. The Creature is not a proportionable Good, and therefore cannot compleat cur Happinefs. In order to a Good's being proportionable to us, it mud exadly correfpond with our Nature, be fuited to our various Wants, and Defires, and be durable, or continue as long as we fhall have any Being, or Occafion for it ; for if it fail in any of thele Regards, if it fliould be jarring with our Nature, or unable to fatisfy us, or to condnue with us, it is very certain, that then it holds no Proportion with us, and therefore can be no fure Foundation for our Happinefs -, and y?t in all thefe Regards ■\ Luke xiii. 2 3. the Serm. II. of the Creature, 29 the Creature is dilproportionable to us. As, brieily to hint, I. The Creature is not proportionable to our Nature. For the humane Nature is not "entirely made up of Fkfh and Senfe, but has a fpiritual and immortal Part effentially belonging to it, which is more excellent than our Bodies, and greatly to be preferred before them. Our Thinking, our Rea- foning, and our Reflecfhion, befides our Capacity for complcat Happinefs, and our Defires after it, are evident Proofs, that our Nature confifts of, what we call Spirit, as v^ell as Body. For mere Matter, according to all its known Properties, and the Laws of Motion, will never be able to produce one Thought, fo that That Part of us, which thinketh, is very different from our Bo- dies, having none of the fame Properties belong- ing to it, and therefore is Immaterial, or Spirit. And accordingly we find the Apoftle Paul diftri- butes the Nature of Man into Sfirit^ Soul, and Body, (a) The Body is the grofs Subftance, made up of Flefb, and Blood, and Bones, and is the Ob- je6l of Senfe ; the Soul^ I take it, means the ani- mal Life, with its vegetative, nutritive, and pro- creative Powers ; and by the Spirit is intended the proper immaterial Subftance, the intelledtual Mind, that fpiritual and immortal Part, which we generally call the Soul. Now, though the Creature may be, in a very great Meafure, futed unto the Body, and to the Support, and Comfort, of the animal Life, yet, 'till the true intelleftual fpiritual Part in us, has its reclified, (not difordered,) Nature gratified, with a Good every Way anfwerable unto it, the Man can never be happy, let the Enjoyments adapted to the Body be what they will j becaufe the pure (a) I 'fhrf. V. 23. Spirit, 30 The Ij7iperfeEiio7i Serm. IL Spirit, being the more noble and exalted Part of the Man, will remain deftitute, and uneafy, what- ever be the Dreams of Happinefs, in the fulleft Gratifications of the lower Appetites, while this diftinguifhing Part of us is left unprovided of fu- table Entertainments. For fince that Part of us which we call Spirit, is fo very different in its Nature from our Botiies, as that none of the ef- fential Properties of the Latter are to be found in the Former, it follows, that fomething very dif- ferent in its Nature from that which is accommo- dated to our Bodies, (that is, fomething, more peculiarly adapted to the Nature of our Spirits than any of the Enjoyments of this World,) muft be found out, before we can fuppofe any Man to be happy in the exa6t Correfpondency of his Na- ture to the Thing objefled to him : Therefore the Preacher obferves, * Seeing there are many Things that increafe Vanity^ fhe means all the Things of this World, which are adapted to our Senfes, all of which tend to increafe our Vanity, and to dif- appoint us with their Vanity, j what is Man the better ? How will thefe things, which hold no Pro^ portion to his fpiritual Nature, add one Grain to his true and real Happinefs : For -what hath a Man of all his Labour, and of the Vexation of his Hearty wherein he hath laboured under the Sun ? t Should the Man enjoy all the Creatures, which yet he cannot, he would ftill want Something that fhould bear a Correfpondence with the Nature of his Spirit, which theObjedls of Senfe do not. The material World, and an immaterial Spirit, are fo widely different, in their Nature, that the former can never be a Foundation for the Happinefs of the latter. Nebuchadnezzar* s grazing among the Beads was a more exalted Degree of Happinefs, * Eccl. vj. II. f Eccl. ii. 2 2. to Serm. II. of the Creature, 31 to the Body, even of a mighty Monarch, than the fulleft Enjoyment of the brighteft of the Creatures, can poflibly afford to an inteJleftual Spirit. In fhort -, Happinefs ever arifes from a Likenefs, in the Nature of the Thing enjoyed, to the Nature of the Poffeffor. There mull be an Agreement in Sounds to produce an Harmony, and a Propor- tion in Parts to conftitute a Beauty ; and fo there muft be an Agreement in Nature, with the polTelTed Object, to create that Harmony and Beauty, in the Sou), which we call Happinefs. Even GOD Himfelf cannot render a reafonable Creature happy, until He has firfl formed him, in fome meafure, after His own Likenefs. Now, what we generally call the Soul being a pure Spirit, breathed into us by the Almighty, (for there is a Spirit in Man^ and the Infpiration of the Jlmighty hath given him UnderJlarJing (b)^ ) and the whole vifible Creation being formed of^ the Dull of the Ground, as may be feen in the infpired Account of the Creation {c)\ thefe Two have no Likenefs, Affinity, and therefore can have no fuch good Agreement between them, as is neCeffary, in Order to the En- joyment of the Creature's being capable of com- pleating the Happinefs of the Soul. 2. Nor is the Creature proportionable to the Wants of the Soul. The Soul mufl be pofTefTed of a Good, anfwerable to to it's prefent, and future Circumflances, as well as its Nature, or it can never be happy ; becaufe if the Spirit, or fuperiour Part in us, is not accommodated with what is every Way agreeable unto it's Circumflances, and fufficient to anfwer it's NecefTities, it will remain in a State of Want ; and no Man can fuppofe that Happinefs, and Indigences, can meet in the fame Beaft, at the fame Time. There may, indeed, be the want of a {b] Job. xxxii. 8. (c) Gen. Ch. i, LefTer 32 The ImpeffeSlion Serm. II. Lefler Good, while the Poflefrion of the Greater renders us truly comfortable and far from IMifery •, fo the Good Man has his Degrees of Happinefs, in the Favour of GOD, in the midft of all the Afflictions of the prcfent Life ; and if the Fig- *Tree JJjould not blofom^ neither Jhould Fruit he in the Vine ; if the Labour of the Olive fhouU fail^ and the Fields yeild no Meat ; // the Flocks fhould be cut off from the Fold^ and there fhould be no Herd in the Stall ; yet he can rejoice in the LOR.D, and joy in the GOD of his Salvation (d). But to compleat Happinefs, there is requifite fuch a full PoffefTion of every needful Good, as that there fliall remain no Want unfupplied. For if there be any one Ap- petite unfatisfied^ the Man will be in a State of In- dig-ncy, and this will necefTarily excite Uneafinefs, and interrupt his Fehcity. Hamany lurrounded with all the Honours and Glories of the Per/tan Court, was far from Happinefs, while his wicked Soul thirlled after the Blood of poor Mordecai, fo that he cryed out, * Jll this availeth fne nothing, fo long as I fee Mordecai fetting at the King's Gate. And how much more reftlefs and uneafy muft the Soul be, if it's regular Defires remain unfatif- fied. Now let us but confider what the known Wants of the Soul, or fupream Spirit in Man, are, and this will afford us a convincing Proof, how difpro- portionable all the Things of this World are to us. As now, The Soul, as finful and polluted, wants to be relieved from the vile Subjedion which it is in to ■Flefh and Senfe, and to be reinftated on the Throne of Liberty, and put into a Capacity of aifting freely for itfelf, and it's greateft Intereft ; and the Creature is fo far from lending an helping Hand [J] Hab.m. 17, 1 8. * Ef. v. 13. here, Seriii. It, of the Creature, 33 here, that it treacherouily affifts in putting the Chains on, and fo much the more fubjefls the Soul under the bafeft Tokens of Bondage and Slavery. Hence is that Caution of our Saviour, * ^ake Heed^ and beware of Covetoufnefs. The greedy Defires of the Things of this World en- flave the Soul to them -, and fo does the heed- Icfs and immoderate ufe of them : hence is that Caution, f Take Heed to your felves le§i at an^ time your Hearts be overcharged with Surfeiting^ ■&c. The Soul wants to be freed from that Guilt,' and Horror, fhe has' contraded, by her Fall, and her vicious and finful A6lions ; and the Blood of Bulls and of Goats^ Thoufands of Rams, and Ten Thoufand of Rivers of Oil, and the Fruit of the Body, added to them, will not be fufficienc to make Expiation for the Sin of the Soul {e) i but inftead thereof they are greatly inftrum.ental to multiply her Crimes, and increafc^ her Guilt : as the Love of the World, and the ill Improve- ment of it debafes the Soul, fo do they load the Soul with Remorfe, and Guilt, by withdrawing it from the Love of GOD, and Delight in his Commandments. The Soul wants to be delivered from the Sentence of eternal Condemnation, and refcued from ever- lafting Burnings, the juft Defert, and Wages, of her Crimes •, but fo precious is the Soul that the Redemption thereof ceafeth for ever, as to any Thing among the mere Creature being a fufficienc Ranfom therefor ; for we are not redeemed with cor- ruptible Things, as Silver, and Gold, — but with the precious Blood of CHRIST ( / ) : and the Crea- ture, by tempting, and drawing the Soul into Sin^ * Luke xH. 15. f Lukexxu 34. () Lu'^e \vi. 24. 2. Nor Serni. II. of the Creature, 35 |) 3. Nor is the Creature proportionable to the 'Defires and Cravings of the Soul. This necef- farily follows upon the former Head. For if the Creature is not anfwerable unto the Wants of the Soul, it cannot poffibly fulfil its Defires ; becai;fi it will neceiTarily crave to have its Wants fupplied. There is a Sort of Infinity, and Boundleffnefs, in the Appetites of an intelligent immortal Spirit, which finite Nature, alone, can never latisfy. We fee fomething of the un- wearied ReftlefiTnefs of the Mind of Man, in their perpetual Search and Inquiry into the hid- den Myderies of Nature, and Art, in the con- llant Labours of Men after the Profits, PleafureSj and Honours of this World j in their Thirft after perpetual Exiftence, and their Endeavours to out live the Grave, in their Name, Manners, nnd Otfspring -, and yet, after they have done all, they are as unfatisfied as ever. Who ever found their moft enlarged Stores, the greateft Variety, Degrees, of fenltial Gratifications, or the mofl: numerous and glittering Honours they were encircled withal, have been able to fet Bounds to their Appetites, that they had, no farther De- fires after them : This reftlefs State of the Mind of Man, the Preacher elegantly defcribeth, by a lively Metaphor fetched from the Sun ; (i) The Sun, (faith he,) aljo arifeth, and the Sun goeth down, and ha^eth to the Place where he arofe -, in his daily Motion from Eafi, to fFe§f, he com- eth to the fame Point again : So the Sun (for of this hecontinueth his Speech, the PFind not being in the Original, -f) goeth towards the South, (to the Southern Tropic,) and turned about to the North, (then returns to the Northern Tropic,) it whirleth about continual^, (in it's annual Motion,) [i] Eccl. i. 5, 6. t See Mr. Pool. D 2 and 56 Hje hnperfeclmi Serm. IL and returneth again according to the Circuits : it Cometh to the fame Point again, after all it's ^Revolutions. And as RtTtlefs is Man in eveiy Condition of Life, ever fccking to alter his pn- fent State, as he thinketh for the better -, yet, at ter all, he is juft where he wa?, as to any re.u Reft and Satisfaftion, to his Mind, he hath gaired by all his Changes. Therefore the Preacher oh - ferveth, (k) The Eye is not fatisfied with feeing^ nov the Ear filled with hearipg ; for, (as the Royal Inftrudor had, in the Ferje before, elegantly fX- preffcd the Unfatisfaclorinefs, of all Things here below, to the Soul,) Jll the Rivers run into the Sea, yet the Sea is not full. The Sea has already more in it felf than the Rivers can fupply it with, and its Capacity vaftly exceeds all that the Ri- vers can communicate, and therefore it can never be filled by all the Streams that run into it. Befides, thefe Things being different in their Nature from what the Soul thirfts after, can never ycild any true SatisfaClion, and fill her Appetites. 'Till thefe Temporal Things can change their Na- ture, and rife up to Spiritual, and lEternal, the Soul can call them all, unworthy of her Care, or lodge them in a narrow Corner, and never reft farisfied, until the infinite ALL, flie bears fome Likcnefs to in her Spirituality, and Immortality, and ftill has fome faint Reaches after, even in this her imperfect State, comes, and fills her, with everluQing Satif- fadion. 4. Finally \ The Creature is not proportionable to the Soul in Duration. That the Soul is im- mortal, or endlefs in Duration, may be fairly ar- gued from the general Sentiments of Mankind, and their natural Defires of Immortality, and from the Powers of Reafon, Judgment, and Refleflion (k) Ver. 8. &C. Scrm. II. of the Creature, 37 &c. which evidently belong to the humane Na- ture, and are as evidencLy different from all the known Propercies ot Matter, howfoever dirpofed and moved ; and from our Confciournefs of our own Anions, and the Judgment we pafs upon them, which flieweth that we are capable of ren- dering an Account to our fupream Ruler and Ju Igc : But after all, the facred Scripture affords us t\\t fulieil Evidences of the Soul's Immortality, hife and Immortalily being brought to Light by the GofpcL There we are told, (/) They, that kill th€ Body^ are not able to kill the Soul •, that, when the Body dies, the Spirit go eth to GOD who gave it {m) i and we may obferve that, throughout the Neiv- Tejlament efpecially, the Soul is treated ai an immoi'- tal Being, in the conftant Propofal of future eternal Rev/ards and Punifhments ; and the Affurance k gives us. That, at the Death of their Bodies, the Souls of good Men go to (n) Paradife^ to {o) Heaven^ to (p) eternal Life^ to {q) be ever with the LORD ; and that the Souls of wicked Men go to (r) Prifon, to (/) Hell, to the Place of Tor- ment, to (/) everlajling Punijhment : All of which clearly evinces^ the Immortality of the Soul, o:>, that it exitleth forever. Suppofe, now, that the Creature was ever fo well adjufted to the Nature of the Soul, being fpi- ritual as that is, and were moft admirably I'uited to its prefent Wants, and Cravings -, yet, if after all, it falls (hort of the Nature of the Soul in Du- ration, This, alone would render it utterly im^- poflible that it fhould ever compleat our Hap- pinefs. For, v/henever the Creature fliall run out the (/J Mutth. X. 28. (m) Eccl. xii. 7. (71) Luh-kxm. 43. (ojtuhe vi. 23. (p) Mat. x\v. 42. (yj i •J'hiJJ.'w. 17. {r] \ Per. iii. 19. (f) Luke xvi. 23. (tj 2 Thjf. i. 9. D 3 Lm§ 38 The ImperfeElion Scrm. II. Line of its Continuance, and come to its End, (as I fhall fhew under another Head, it certainly will) there will then be no Room left for the leaft Pre- tenfions to Happinefs in the Enjoyment of it -, becaufe it will then have no Exiftence. And, as, in the mean while, the Fears of lofing, what, we know, will anon ceafe to have any Being, would ib difircfb the Sou], in the Mid ft of her Enjoy- ments, as to leave her unhappy in the fullell: iPof- fcffions, fo the total ceafing of it, would render her Condition the more miferable, from a Reflec- tion upon her former comfortable State, while fhe was in Poifeffion of it. Thus v/e fee, that upon Suppofirion of a true Enjoyment of the Creature, it cannot compleat our Hep .inefs, becaufe of the vaft Difproportion there is between all the Objefls of Senfe, and a fpiritual and immortal Soul : For the Thing'; of this World are proportionable neither to the Na- ture, the Wants, the Defires, nor the Duration of the Sou]. I proceed now to fay, 2. We do not truly and fully enjoy the Creature, and therefore it cannot pofTibly compleat our Hap- pinefs. What I have faid under the former Head, of the Difproportion of the Creature to us, holds good upon Suppofition of our fulleft Enjoyment of it, and I now argue the InfufFicicncy of the Creature to compleat our Happinefs, were it other- wife ever fo proportionable to us, in that we have not the true, and full Enjoyment of it. For, after all our Pretentions to Enjoyment, and the pleafant Dreams of Happinefs we flatter and delude ourfelves with, in the Pofl^^fllon of it, if our Title be challenged, we fliall find that we have no true Right to it, and fo do not truly and fully enjoy it. For barely to have in our Hands, and keeping, Serm. 11. of the Creature, ^g keeping, this or the other defirable Good, is not properly, and fully, to enjoy that Good ; as the Keeper of the Crown is not properly faid to enjoy the Crown ; the Fee, and Right, mnfl- be in us, and in us folely, to conftitute a full Enjoyment, otherwife, our prefent Pofl'cfTion is dependant, and precarious. Now it is certain, that, whatever our Claim may be, we are not to look upon ourfelves as the Lord's Proprietors of what we have, but only Stewards at Will : 'the Earth is theLORB^s with the FuUnefs thereof^ the World, and they that dwell therein (k). GOD alone is the rightful Pro- prietor of all the Creatures -, and becaufe HE is the great Creator, therefore is HE alfo the moff high Pojpjfor of Heaven and Earth : and this His Right He has not alienated, nor will He devolve it upon another, ' Tis impolTible any One of the Creatures fliould enjoy all the reft •, and thofe that we have in our Hands cannot render us happy, becaufe we have no true Propriety in them. With Refpect unto Men, our Fellow-Creatures, we may be the folc Owners of this, or that, and they may be guilty of Injuftice, and Oppreflion, by their forcible or crafty invading our Right ; but our Title will not hold good fliould we attempt to conteft it with the Moft High. Yea, fo far are we from a full PofTefllon of any thing, as that we ourfelves are not our own, but belong to, and are dependant upon, that GOD, who hath made us, and form.ed us for Himfelf, and in whom v/e live, and move, and have our being -, fo that He has a Right to us, and all that we have. Nor will our prefent Poffeflion, fuch as it i.%or our holding any of the Creatures in our Hands, make good our Claim, and Propriety in them, againft the Demands of the Almighty j becaufe we hold al! (ij Pf. xxiv. I. D 4 wpoa 40 Hoe ImperfcElioJi Serm. 11. upon good Pleafure only : fo that we are but Stewards to our great Lord and Mailer, who has committed to our Truft, as plcafeth Him, to ibme two^ to others five^ and to others ten Tale^Us^ and commanded us to occupy until He come^ and to im- prove all in his Service, and to the Honour of His Name •, and to whom, e'er long, we muil account for our Stewardfhip, how we have traded, and what we have gained ; and receive our Rewards accord- ing to that we have done {I). Since we are but Stewards, therefore what is put into ourprefent Pof- feffion, is not alienated and made over, to us as our own, but our fovereign LORD referveth unto Him- felf an unqueftionable and full Right, as to the In- tereft, fo to the Principal, of all our Talents, and the Power to take from us what He has lent us, or depofited in our Plands, when it fhall feem good U:Uo Him. Hence it will follow, that the Creature is not, nor can it be, compleadve of our Happinefs, be- caufe we cannot properly call it our own. For, upon Suppofidon that it were in it's own Nature, ever fo perfefl in Kinds and Degrees of Excellency, and fo were capable of rendring us happy, yet fmce it is not our own, and we have no unalienable Right and Property in it, what will it fignify to us, how good and excellent it is in itfelf, or how agreeable it might be to us ? Unlefs there be a Conra<51:, or Union, between the Subject and the Objevff, there can no delightful Senfations be handed to the Soul : and this Union is founded in PofTcllion and Propriety. We may fte That in the PoflefT'iun of our Neighbour, which, if vye could call it our Own, might go a great Way towards the fatisfying of our preftnc Wants and Defires, and afford us (I) See Mat. XXV. fiom ver. 14 — 28. and Luke xlx. 12—2;. abundance Serm. II. of the Creature. 41 abundance of Delight and Pleafure, in the Agree- ablenefs of it to us •, but fince it is another's, and not ours, though we ought to rejoice in the Wel- fare of our Neighbour, yet, all the Satisfa6lion we might propofe to ourfelves, from the Enjoyment of it drops of Courfe. The all-perfed Deity af- fords no Happinefs to a rational Mind, 'till it can fay of this GOD, He is OUR OWN GOD ; but the Want of this is the Mifery of the damned who are fufficiently acquainted with the Perfediops of GOD, to know that there is enough in Him to compleat the Happinefs of any, or all, of His Creatures, but yet find them- felves miferable in their Separation from Him, or want of an Union to Him as their GOD, and Portion. Thus, becaufe we have no true Right, and Propriety, in the Creature, 'tis vain for us to expedl Happinefs from it -, and though we ought to be contented with the prefent Portion our bountiful Matter has afligned us, and be thank- ful to Him for it, becaufe the lead we have the Improvement of, is more than we deferve, yet, we cannot think feriouQy of the Weaknefs of our Title to it, and at how uncertain a Tenour we hold it, but it marrs all the fine Schemes of Happinefs a fenfual Mind may be apt to propofe to himfelf from it. So that we fee an End of all Perfedlion, in the Creature ; it's greateft Excellency is limited in it's Nature and Meafure, whether we confi- der it abftradledly by itfelf, or in it's Relation to us, I am now, 2. In the fecond Place, to fiiow, that the Per- feftion of the Creature is finite in it's Duration. There will be an End to all worldly Perfedion. 42 The IpiperfeBlm Serm. IL I hinted at this before, In (hewing that the Crea- ture is not proportionable to the Soul in Duration, and the daily Experience we have of this ren- ders it lefs neceffary to infift largely upon this Head : 1 ihall therefore but briefly run it over, and fhew, that if there were a Perfedlion of Number, and Degrees, of Excellencies in the Crea- ture, yet it would fall fhort of proper Perfedli- on, for Want of Duration. True Perfedion ad- mits of no Limits in Duration, any more than in Degrees ; for that which is finite in its Dura- tion, wants a very efiential Ingredient in Per- fedtion, namely Continuance, or conftant Exift- ence : though it have an Exiftence at prefcnt, yet if, by and by, it fhall have none, this fhews that there is wanting to it that v/hich is neceflfa- ry to it's very Being, and that which wanteth cannot be perfedl. And this is the Cafe with the Creature, with all the Things of this lower World, we converfe with, they are finite in their Duration. For, I. The Creature it felf will have an End, and then the Excellency of it ceafeth, and is no more. As this World had a Beginning, fo it will have an End, and fhall not continue always. Whe- ther Matter perifhes, or any, the leaft. Part thereof be utterly deftroyed, or no, is not at all material to us, becaufe the Form is all we are converfant about, in Objedts ofSenfe; Though I fee no Abfurdity in the abfolutc Corruptibility of Matter, which once had no Being. However, fince the Form gives Being to every Objecl of Senfe, and the Exiftence of Matter ftrip'd of all Form, (if fuch a Thing can bej Vv^ould be ut- terly imperceptible to us, therefore when ever the Creature puts oft' its prefent F^orm, with Re- fped unto us, it then comes to an End, Thus the Serm. IT. of the Creature, 43 the Apoftle tells us {m) the Fajhion of this WorU pajj'eth away -, by which he means fo to affe(5t us with the Confideration of the fading, perifh- ing. Nature of the Things of this World, as to drav/ us off from that over- fond Opinion we are fo prone to entertain of the Objefts of Senfe, that we may not have our Hearts too much fet upon them. And we may plainly fee, that all Things about us are haftening on to the Change of their prefent Pofture, and Relation, and the Time is coming, in the which the Heavens jhall pafs aiscay with a great Noife, the Elements Jhall melt with fervent Heat, and the Earth, with the Works that are therein, Jhall be burnt up : as the Apoftle Peter acquaints us(»). Decay is written, in indelible Charaflers, upon all the Beauty, and Ex- cellency, of this vifible World, and we fee it daily making Advances upon all Things about us. The very Heavens wax old as doth a Garment {o)^ and a little Tim^ often puts a Period to the biighteft Luftre of this World. What is be- come of the fiourifliing States, and Kingdoms, the magnificent Structures, and the applauded He- roes, which, fome few Ages ago ftruck the World with Wonder and Admiration ? They have all funk in the Ruins of Time. Where are our dear Friends, and valuable Relations, that, a little while ago, we took Comfort in ? alafs ; they are ^buried under the Clods of the Valley ! and their Excellency, which they once had, has perifhed with them. So does the Perfedlion of this World, like Riches, make to itfelf Wings, and Jiee away, as an Eagle towards Heaven, with a fwift, and almofl imperceptible Motion. But then, 2. We ourfelves fhall, e'er long, come to the (n:) I. Cor. vii. 31. {n)zFit. iii. ro. {0) PJal. cH. 26. End 44 ^^ ImperfeSlio?i Serm. 11. End of our Continuance in this World. For \vc cannot live here always ; 'tis but a little while we can remain in the delightful PolTcirion of our prefent worldly good Things •, our Houfes, and Lands, our Riches, and Honours, our Friends, and Acquaintance, we muft quickly take our fi- nal Leave of them all, and the Eye that hath {) Eccl. ix. 7. (c) Am. vi. c, 6. (d) huh xxi. 34' (.) Hof. ii. 8, 9. Fa i-:^^ *jo The ImperfeBlon Serm. III. take away wv Corn in the Time thereof, and my Wine in the Time thereof ^c. Such an intemperate Ufe of the Creature, is exceeding great Sin, and Folly, as it impairs, and debauches, the Reafon, vitiates the Blood, and wounds and diftempers the Body, and otten blafleth a Man*s Name, and lays his Re- putation in the Duft, and reduces him to Penury and Want \ and *tis a vile perverting of what the Bounty of GOD beftows upon Perfons, with Defign that they may honour the Lord with their Subftance, and do Good in their Generation, by A6ts of Piety and Charity, and not fquander them away upon the nourifhing and increafing their Lulls -, and it effedually fhuts out of Heaven at laft, for, no Drunkard fhall inherit the Kingdom of GOD (f). ' III. The third and laft Ufe of this Doftrkie may be for Exhortation, to prevail with us to be- have our felves wifely in our Regards to the Crea- ture. Need have we to aft a wife and prudent Part, and weigh Things in an even Balance, and think ferioufly and clofely, upon the Nature of fub- lunary Enjoyments, and the Confequence of our doting upon them, before we give a Loofe to our Appetites, and fuffer our felves to be run away with by them. For we are in exceeding great ©anger of being impofed upon, by the external Luftre of Things about us, their eafy Accefs to us, and the forcible Impreffion they make upon our Senfes, and tlie powerful Attraftive of the general Conduct of Mankind concerning them •, and if we fuffer our felves to be led away by the gay Cheat, our Difappointment will be to our unfpeakablc Damage, in the Lofs of all that would truly ren- der us happy, as well as of that which we vainly (/J I Gr. iv, 10. thought Serm. III. of the Creature. 71 thought would do fo -, and this will be no oth«-r than to leave us finally, and for ever mifera- bie. Let us then be perfwaded, feafonably, to corre*fl the Miftake, and fince we may fee an End of all Perfections in the Creature, be fo wife as to govern our felves in our Condu6l, with Refpe6l to the Things of this World, as thofe that are fully convinced, that they are not able, by any Excel- Jency in them, to perfeft our Nature, nor compleat our Happinefs, and, if they were ever fo perfeft in themfclves, cannot condnue long with us. And therefore, I. Let us be careful not to raife our Expecflati- ons too high, and look for more in the Creature than it can yield us. We are very apt to run into this great Miftake, to augment and magnify the Creature, while we view it at a Diftance, through falfe Glaffes •, and hence we are ready to flatter our felves with the Expe6laiion of great Things from it, and thence enlarge our Defires after it : but when we bring it near to us, like fome coarfe Paindngs, which are beaudful at their proper Dif- tance, all its Glory vanifhes, and we then fee it in all it's real Imperfedions. When once Eve had got a Conceit, that the Tree was good to make one wife, and flie (hould be as Gods, this greatly enflamed her Defire after it ; and there is but a Ihort Step between enflamed Defire and actual Tranfgrerfion : He that looks for that in the Crea- ture which it has not, may enlarge his Defire as Belts and not be fatisfied, and then rio Wonder if that rife fuddenly which fhall bite hirn^ and awake that fhall vex him. We mufl: therefore learn ta maintain a low Opinion of worldly Enjoyments, and always remember, that it is an imperfedt "World we converfe with % that we may not fix our Thoughts too much upon it, nor be hurried F 4 inta 72 The hnperfeSiton Serm, III. into too great an Eagernefs in our Purfuit after it» nor be thrown into Uneafinefs at the having of our Views and Defigns fruftrated by it. This was the ApoftJe's Advice, (g) Let them thai weep he, as though they wept not j and they that rejoice^ ds though they rejoiced not ; and they that htiy^ as though they pojfejfed not. 2. Let us be very moderate in our Regards to the Things of this World, Let it be our Care to bring our Appetites, and Defires, under a good Regulation, that we may not be carried away by the Vehemence of our own Cravings •, and let our Labours after the World be direfted by the Moderation of our Defires. We are to be dili- gent and indullrious in the Bufmefs of our par- ticular Calling, but yet we muft not be fo im- moderately eager, and laborious, as to negie6t the Concerns of another World, which, of all Things, are of the greateft Confequence unto us. Therefore, as the Jpojlle directs, (h) Let your Mo- deration be known unto all Men : That is,* \ti it evidently appear unto all Men, that you are not the Men of this World, who have their Portion in this Life, by your being moderate in your Affedions, in your Cares, and Labours, after Creature-Enjoyments. For the immoderate Cares of the World very much tend to eat out the Heart of Religion, and, like the abounding of ill Weeds, choak the good Seed that is fown in us. 3. Be not impatient under the Lofs of any Thing here below. The GOD from whom we receive our Being, and all that we have, is our Sovereign LORD, and has a Right to take from us whatfoever he has lent us. Our Impatience, and Murmuring, under LolTes and Difappoint- (^) I Cor. vii. 30. [k] Phil. iv. 5. ment5. Serm. HI. of the Creature » 73 ments, or that our Condition is no better, will be an Affront unto the Divine Supremacy, and Go- vernment, and argue that the World has got too ftrong Poffefllon of our Hearts, or we fhould not fo call in Queftion His Authority, His Wifdom, and Goodnefs. We Ihould not therefore be as Bullocks unaccuftomed unto the Yoke, but learn to behave as weaned Children to all Things here below, that we may be able to fupport our Minds, under our Bereavements, with a fteady Calmnefs and Compofure of Soul, and may take with Content- cdnefs, if not with Joy, the fpoiling of our Goods. Thus fays the Apojile, (i) Be content with fuch Things as ye have. For, why fhould our Souls be difquieted within us, when we are obliged to part with what we know to be an imperfedt Creature*? This Thought fhould teach us to inure ourfelves to Patience, that it may have its perfedt Work in us, though we fhould be croffed in our greateft worldly Interefts, or be fpoiled of our deareft En- joyments ; Thou O LORD haft done it. 4. Let us endeavour, as much as we can, to retrieve the Creature from its Imperfeflion. This would be the nobleft Improvement of it, both refpe6lfng the Creature, and our felves. And therefore, to hint ; I . Let us endeavour to get the Creature fane- tified. When the Curfe, which is brought upon the Creature, by our Sin, is removed, then will it be recovered from much of its' Imperfedlion ; it will then become a fanftify'd Creature, and truly profitable to us. For, nothing is unclean of itfelf, but every Creature of GOD is good, — for it is fanmfied by the Word of GOD, and Prayer, (k) Let this then be our conftant Care to get the (/) Hil>. xiii. 5. {k) I Tim. iv. 4, 5, Creature 74 'The ImperfeEiion Serm. III. Creature fanflified by the Word of GOD, that it may become a good Creature to us. Therefore attend the Rules prefcribed in the "Word of GOD, in all our Defires, and La- bours, after it, and in our Ufe, and Improvement of it ; that the Word of BlefTing may accompany it, and we may receive it, in the Promife, as Part of our Covenant- Portion, fuited to our outward Support in the Houfe of our Pilgrimage ; and receive CHRIST, the LORD, in and with it ; fo fhall we have a Propriety in it, and CHRIST leing ours, all will be ours alfo. (/) And get the Creature fanftified by Prayer ; by an earneft imploring the Divine Guidance, and Afliftance, in all our juft and laudable Defigns and Undertakings, and the BlefTing of GOD upon all that we enjoy. For, how can any expecfl that the Providence of GOD Ihould interpofe, to lead them in a right Way, to fucceed their Entcrprizes, and blefs what they have, and make it comfortable unto them, if they will not fo much as pray for it ? And then, thankfully acknowledge the Goodnefs of GOD to you, in bellowing fo much of the Comforts of this World upon you, when the lead is more than you deferve. So in every Things by Prayer and Supplication, with Thankfgiving, let your Eeque/l be made known unto GOD. (w) 2. Improve the Creature to the bell Ends and Purpofes. See GOD, in. the Creature, (hining ia His unfearchable Power, and Wifdom., and Good- nefs, and difplaying His Glory in all the Works of his Hands ; and be led by the View and En- joyment of fenfible Objedls, to jull Contemplations on the Divine Being and Perfeflions, and fuitable Acknowledgments unto the great GOD, the firll {/) I Cor. iii. 2 1, 22. [m) PbiL iv. 6. Caufe Serm. III. of the Creature, 75 Caufc of all Things. So you * find the Pfalmifi faying, (n) LORD, our LORD, How excellent is thy Name in all the Earth ! who haji fet thy Glory above the Heavens ! When I confider Thy Heavens, the Work of Thy Fingers, the Moon, and the Stars, which Thou haJi ordained ; what is Man, that Thou art mindful of him ? and the Son of Man, that Thou vifttefl him ? And improve the Creature to an univerfal Fruit- fulnefs in Good Works ; in Works of Piety, ferving the LORD with our Subftance, by fup- porting the Honour of His Name, and the Ordi- nances of his Houfe, and Worfhip. So we are commanded, and fo GOD has gracioufly promifed, {o) Honour the LORD, with thy Subflance, and with the firjl Fruits of thine Increafe ; fo fhall thy Barns he filled with Plenty, and thy Preffes (hall hurfi out with new Wine. And to the fame Pur- pofe fays the Prophet, (p) Bring ye all the Tythes into the Store-Houfe, that there may he Meat in my Houfe, and prove Me now herewith, faith the Lord of Hofls, if I will not open the Windows of Heaven, and pour you out a Blefftng, that there fhall not he Room enough to receive it. Improve the Creature alfo in Works of Charity, readily diftributing a Portion, as we are able, to the Relief of the Poor and Needy, doing Good unto all Men, efpecially unto the Houfhold of Faith, {q) Give Alms of fuch Things as ye have, and behold all Things are clean unto you. (r) And our Saviour hath affured us, (s) Whofoever fhall give to drink, unto one of thefe little Ones, a Cup of cold Water only, in the Name of a Difciple, verily, I fay unto you, he fhall in no wife lofe his Re- ward. l») P/. viii. I, 3, 4. {(,) Pracv, iii. 9, 10. (p) Mai. iii. lo." {q) GaL\i. 10. {r) Lukexu^i^.!. [s] Maukx. 42. Thus 76 The ImperfeSlmi &c. Serm. III. Thus \tt us make to our felves Friends with the Mammon of Unrighteoufnefs, that when the imperfedt Creature fhall fail us. They may receive ws into everlafting Habitations. This will be the Way for us to retrieve the Creature from very much of its Imperfeflion, and make it relatively ferviceable to us, in carrying on the Divine Work* manfhip in our Souls, in glorifying of GOD upon Earth, and laying up for our felves a good Foun- dation againft the Time to come j and then, when Time fhall be no more with us, and we fhall have no further Occafion for the Objeds of Senfe, wc fhall go to partake of the ineffable De- lights above, in the PofTefTion of which our Nature will be pcrfeded, and our Happinefs for ever conapleat. 'f^^Pw^^^^^li^w^&^^^'^^w^^-^^'^^''''' SERMON The Excellency of the Divine Commandment. SERMON IV. Psalm CXIX. 96. / have feen an End of all Per- feSiion ; but thy Commandment is exceeding broad. I Have named two Doflrines, as plainly con- tained in thefe Words, viz. I. That the Perfeftion of the Creature is limited and finite. II. That the Commandment of GOD is exceed- in fi: broad. 'O 1 have already difcourfed to you upon the FIrft of thefe, and fhewed you, that the Perfeftion of the Creature is limited in its Nature and Meafure, whether we confider it abftradledly, for fo there Is no mere Creature that is poffeffed of all Excel- lencies, nor, any of them, of any One Excellency in the highcft Degree ; or whether we confider the Creature in its Relation, efpecially unto our- felves, for fo it is neither perfedive of our Nature, nor yS The Excellency of the Serm. IV- nor our Happinefs •, and befides there will be an End of all worldly Perfedlion, either the Objeds of Senfe, we To much delight in, will be taken from us, or we from them : Which (hews the fad EfFeft of our Apoftacy, and the Folly of be- ing chiefly concerned about, or trufting in, the Creature, of looking for Happinefs in it, and,mak- ing a wrong Improvement of it ; and fhould pre- vail with us all to be very careful to behave our felves wifely in our Condudl refpecling the Things of this World, that we don't look for too much from them, nor be immoderate in our Defires and Labours after them, nor impatient under the Lofs of them, but endeavour to retrieve the Creature from its Imperfeflion, by getting it fanftified to us, and by improving of it to the beft Ends and Puspofes, in Works of Piety and Charity. I proceed now to the Second Dodrine, namely, "Doc, II. That the Commandment of GOD is exceeding broad. By the Commandment of GOD here, I under- lland, the whole Will of GOD, made known to us, relating to His rational Agents, efpecially re- fpefting Mankind, as including in it our whole Duty, both as to Knowledge and Practice ; or what ought to be our Apprehenfions and Concep- tions of the Divine Being ; and what the Ho- mage, and Obedience, are, which we owe unto Him •, and what fhould be our Government of our' felves, and Behaviour to our Fellow-Crea- tures ; and what GOD will do for us, in Cafe of Fidelity in our Allegiance to Him : All of which is comprehended in the Divine Command- ment. And Serm. IV. Divine Commandment, 79 And it is to be remembred, that the Pfalmifi is here making a Comparifon between the Command- ment of GOD, and the Creature, and the exceed- ing Breadth of the divine Commandment is oppo- fed to the Finitenefs of the Creature, or the limited Perfedion of all the Things of this World ; and he plainly declares, that the Commandment of GOD contains an Excellency and Perfedion in it, vaftly fuperior unto all that is to be found upon the Creature ; it tranfcends all other Things, which Men are apt to be fond of, and is of much greater Confequence to them, being able to make them holy and happy, in Time, and throughout Eternity, and therefore ought more to be regarded by us than all this World. What therefore I have to do under this Doc- trine, is to fet before you fomething of the fuperi- or Excellency of the Divine Commandment ; and this will fufficiently appear, if we confider the Commandment in its Rife and Original, the Sub- jeft-Matter of it, the Extent of it objedtively, the great End and Defign of it, and it's Duratien. I fhall offer fomething to each of thefe in their Order. I. The Commandment of GOD will appear exceeding broad, and very excellent, if we confider it in it's Rife and Original. It is the Command- ment of GOD : Thy Commandment, fays the Pfalm- ifi, And agreeably, all over the facred Pages, it is called the Word, Law, Statutes, Precepts and Commandment of GOD. Though Men have been the Inftruments of the Promulgation of it, in Part, and of tranfmitting of it, in Writing, to fuc- cecding Generations, yet it takes it's Original, not from Man, or any meer Creature, but from GOD only, who by his Spirit taught, influenced and di- redled the firft Publilhers, and Pen-Men, of the hoiy 8o The ExceMe7icy of the Serm. IV. holy Writings : For the Prophecy came not at old Time^ by the Will of Man \ bnt holy Men of GOD fpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoji (a). There are Tuch evident Teftifnonials of its being the Word of GOD, from the profound Myfteries contained in it, far furpafTing the utmofl Stretch of humane Underflanding ; from the Loftinefs and Majefty of it's Sentiments j from the Holinefs and Purity of its Documents ; befides the moft convincing Credentials, which thofe who delivered the divine Commandment to the World, brought with them, in the Miracles which they wrought, plainly declaring that they were fent from GOD ; as leave no Room for any reafonable Hefitancy, or Doubt, about it : and therefore we may re- ceive it as the Thejfalonians did, {b) not as the Word of Alan, but ( as it is in Truth ) the Word of GOD. For if the divine Commandment, or what we call the Word of GOD, contained in our Bibles, be not a Revelation from GOD, and fo truly his Commandment, then there is no Religion in the World that is a Revelation from GOD ; for no other but the Chriftian Religion, as contained in the holy Scriptures, can at this Day, make any Pretenfions to be the Religion which GOD re- quires of Man : and if there be no Revelation from GOD of his Mind and Will concerning us, and our Duty and Intereft, or in what Way we are to ferve GOD acceptably, and enjoy him as our Portion and Happinefs, then all Mankind muft unavoidably perifli in their Sin ; becaufe they know no poffible Way, by which they may paci- fy the Divine Anger, and obtain the Divine Fa- vour ; which is fuch a State of Unhappinefs as («) 2 Pet.'i. 21. ib) X Uejf/xi. 13. no Senii. IV. Divine CommajtdmenL 8 r no Man, in the Exerclfe of his Reafon, can wifh for, but muft wiih, and hope, that it might be otherwife. And, blefled be GOD, this is not the lamentable and helplefs Condition of the World, nor ever was ; but from the very Beginning there was a certain, though more obfcure, or rather par- tial Revelation, directing Man what he muft do to efcape the Punifhment of his Sin, and be happy forever, made more immediately by GOD Himfelf, at fir ft to Adam, and by him handed down to his Pofterity by oral Tradition •, 'till it pleafed GOD, in after Times, gradually to open the Counfels of His Will more clearly, by Mofes, and the Prophets^ and finally compleat the Revelation of His Will, in the fulleft Light, by His only begotten Son, whom He fent into the World, and by His infpired Jpoffles ; which Revelation has been committed to Writing, and handed down unto us, with all imagi- nable Strength of Evidence of its being a Revela- tion from GOD, and with the fulleft Afllirances of our Bible's containing that Revelation, without any material Error, or Miftake. If we confider the Divine Commandment, with Refpedl unto the feveral Laws, and Rules, of Life, and Manners, which it prefcribes unto us, we fhall plainly fee. That all moral Duties are wrought up to their Height, and moft compendioudy, and yet plainly, and diftindtly, contained in the Sacred Volumn ; and thereby we are more fully, and ef- fedually, taught the Knowledge of the Holy, and what that Love, and Reverence, is, which we owe to the fupream Being ; and are inftruded in the Government of ourfelves, and how to fubdue our Appetites, and PalTions, to the Dilates of Right Reafon •, and after what Manner to treat our Fellow- Creatures, fo as never to injure them, in Thought, JVord, or Deed, but, on the contrary, co do all the G Good 82 T'he Excellency of the Serm. IV. Good we can to all about us, fo as that we may be truly BlefTings in our feveral Relations ; and at the fame Time it requireth us to believe nothing that is Contradidory to our Reafon, though many Things that our Reafon cannot comprehend -, and enforces our Duty with the ftrongeft Encourag- ments, from the infinite Mercy of GOD, a glorious Mediator having appeared for us, and an almighty Spirit ready to help us •, and the mod powerful Motives, fetched from the everlafting Rewards or Punifliments of the other World ; and all of this much beyond what has ever been taught in the Schools of the ableft Philofophers -, fo that we may well efteem the Ploly Bible as containing the bell Body of Laws that ever were contrived, for the Honour of GOD, and the good Government of Mankind -, I fay, when v/e clofely confider thefe Things, we cannot but rationally conclude, that thefe are plain Signatures, and evident Charafters, of the Deity, upon that holy Book •, and that becaufe it is every Way fo conducive to the Happinefs of Mankind, and fo highly worthy of a GOD, excelling all that the utmoft Will of the greateft of Men have been able to reach, therefore it is truly a Revelation from GOD, and hot the Invention of Men. But then, when we add this further Confidera- tion. That the great Author of our holy Religion has given the mod clear pofitive Tellimony to the Truth of His Divine MifTion, by the many , Miracles which He wrought, in His healing the Sick, raifing the Dead, calling out Devils, ftilling the Violence of the Wind and Sea, and all by a Word's fpeaking •, and that His Miracles were wrought in fuch an open, and publick Manner, and before fo many Witnefies, (and owned by His-«iery Enemies,) as renders the Fa6ts certain, and Serm. IV. Divine Commandment 8;j and the Miracles unfufpefted •, and further, that His Miracles were numerous, and never confronted, much lefs controuled, by any fuperior Power : and moreover, that the Jpoffks of our Lord wrought many Miracles, in Confirmation of" their being divinely infpired in the Dodrine which they taught, and that they fealed the Truth of their Tellimony to the Fads which they relate, with their own Blood : upon thefe Confiderations, there ftemeth to me not fo much as the leafl Room left for any Man, reafonably, to call in Queflion the Truth of the Divine Commandment, but there is all the Evidence, of it's being a Revelation from GOD, that can poflibly be defired, or that the Nature of the Thing will admit of. And as the Jpofiles of our Lord were evidently under the Guidance of the Divine Spirit, in what they com- mitted to Writing, either with their own Hands, or by their Amanuenfes^ fo^ That their Writings have been handed down to us uncorrupt, and without any material Error, or Miftake, is apparent^ from the numerous Copies of their Writings, early tranilated into the feveral Languages, where the Gofpel prevailed, whereby an Opportunity was given to many Nations to have difcovered the Millakes of Tranfcribers, if there were any ; from the great Care the Primitive Church took in examining what they admitted to be the authentick V7ritings of the ApoJlles\ by the many Quotations, of all Sorts of Writers, in all Ages, of the more material PafTages, out of the Jpofiolick Books ; by the very Adver- fariesof Chriftianity, and undefignedly, giving their Teftiniony to the Truth of thefe Records in what they quote from them •, and by the general Colla- tion, and Comparing, of all Sorts of Copies, from the earlieft Ages until this Time : fo that the Writ- ings of the Apo files have been handed down to us, G 2 throogU, 84 The Excellency of the Serm. IV. through the feveral Ages fince, by the great Care of the Church, pure, and uncorrupt. And now, upon the whole, I may well -afRrm, That we have all the Reafon in the World to reft entirely fatisfied in it, as an indifputable Truth, That our holy Bible containeth in it the Divine Commandment, as being a fure and certain Revelation from GOD Himfelf. And bccaufe it is the Commandment of GOD, therefore it muft neceflirily be a moft perfeft Law, and partake of an Excellency adequate unto its Divine Author, and greatly tranfcend all the Excellency that is to be found upon the Creature. Were it the Commandment of the wifefl:, and beft of Men only, we could reafonably expeft no higher Degrees of Excellency in it, than are to be found in them, and therefore it would, doubtlefs, be, in many Things, defedive, and fliare in the Imperfections of its Author, and not be exceed- ing broad, or tranfcendently Excellent -, becaufe there is no mere Man fo wife, and good, but what, with all his Wifdom, and Probity, is falli- ble, and liable to many Miftakes. But becaufe it is the Commandm.ent of GOD, therefore we may juftly conclude that it partakes of the Divine Excellencies, and is perfect, like GOD Himfelf. Though it be true, that all the Creatures, as well as the Commandment, derive their Original from GOD, the Fountain of Being, who fpake and it was done^ who commanded and they were created^ yet they are vaftly different in their Rife, and as different in their Degrees of Excellency. For the Creatures originate folely from, and are purely dependent upon, the Will of GOD, for whofe Pkafure they are, and were created (c) ; (c) R.V, iv. u. wbOy Serm. IV. Divine Commandment. 85 who^ as the Apojlle informs us, (d) worketh all Things according to the Coun/el of His own JVtll j though His infinite Wifdom, and Goodnefs, as well as His Power, accompanied his Will in the Formation of them : But, upon Suppofition of a moral Agent, capable of Obedience, the Divine Commandment neceflarily refults from the Nature of GOD itfelf, confidered in all His adorable Per- feftions, and not from the Will of GOD only. GOD could have chofe whether He would have made a World of Creatures, or no \ there was nothing, out of Himfelf, to move Him there- unto ; it was the pure Ad of His Will •, and it was dependent upon his Will, of what Order and Kind of Beings, to make them, and what Capa- cities, Powers and Virtues, to furnifh them withal : But, when he had made a Number of rational Agents, it was not folely dependent upon His Will, and Pleafure, whether This, or That fhould be His Commandment, or no -, (I mean now» more efpecially, the Moral Precepts ;) becaufe, it naturally, and neceflarily, flows from the efTential Holinefs, Juftice, Truth, Goodnefs, &c. of the Divine Nature, that if there be a Creature capable of yielding a rational Homage and Service to the Supream Being, the Divine Commandment muft neceflarily be what it is. So that the Com- mandment necefTarily partakes of all the Di- vine moral Excellencies and Perfe6lions, and in the highefl: Degree, and is no other than the Divine Mind manifefted to us in His Word, or GOD Himfelf fubfifting in His Law. As the Commands of a Man, were he always true to himfelf, (which GOD ever is) would be the faireft Image of the intelledual Part of the Man, and let us fee his Excellencies and Titkd.^ (d) EpLu u, G 3 rauch 86 I'he Excellency of the Serm. IV, much more truly, and clearly, than any of the Operations of his Hands ; fo the Commandment of GOD is the higheft, unbegotten Image of the Divine Nature, becaufe the efiential Veracity cf GOD necefntates, that the Commandment give us a true Reprefentation of the Divine Mind, and be like GOD Himfclf, excellent as He is \ fo that the Charafters of the Deity are more deeply en- graven upon His Law, than upon all the Crea- tures. Hence it is that the Commandment is faid to he Holy, Jufi and Good, (e) as partaking of the Divine Holinefs, Juftice, Goodnefs -, (as well as requiring them of us) that is, as partaking of the Divine Nature. Though the invifible Thitigs of GOD are clearly feen from the Creation of the World, being underfiood by the Things that are inade, even His eternal Power, and Godhead •, (f) ^hat is, the Works of Creation plainly manifeft that there is fome Firft Caufe, who gave Being unto all Things, and therefore exiiled before all Things, and fo is eternal, and who is uncontroul- able in Power, though this Eternity, and Omni- potence of the Divine Being, clearly appears from the Things that are made, yet, in the Com- mandment of GOD, we have a clear and full Difcovery, not only of the Exigence of GOD, but of the Nature, Excellencies and Perfe61:ions, of this GOD, fo far as our finite Minds can make any Difcoveries of that which is Infinite : and by this 'tis that we plainly fee that He is an ALL- PERFECT ONE. Thus the Commandment, being the bright Image bf the fupream Intelleft, is it felf perfed like Hitn •, fo that here it is that, as in a Glafs, we all with open Face, or in the fulleft Light, behold the Glory of the Lord, as the Jpoflle cxprefTes it. (g) (f) RcM. vii. 12. (f) Rom, i, 20. (p) 2 Cor. iii. 18. Serin. IV. Divine Co m7nandme72t. Sj I am fenfible that there is what we call moraL Good and Evil, refuking, as we fay, from the Na- ture of Things, or rather from the Relation, and Dependance, of rational Creatures ; and that there is no PofTibility of altering, and changing, the moral Nature of them, but they are fo rtub- born and inflexible, as that. That which is morally Good, always was, and always will be. Good, and that which is morally Evil, ever was, and will be. Evil : But then I can by no Means fuppofe, that moral Good, and Evil, are any diftinft Things in- dependent on GOD, His Nature, and Will, and, as fuch, have an Influence upon the Divine Will, in determining this fhall, or fhall not, be a Law unto rational Creatures ; becaufe this would be to fuppofe fomething antecedent to, feparate from, and having the Supremacy over, the Divine Being. I conceive, rather, that moral Good, and Evil, are founded in the Purity of divine Nature, and, when confidered in the Creature, are no other than the Pa- rity, or Difpirity of the Adions of rational Agents, (fo and fo related) to the divine Nature, or their A- greement or Difagreement, to the Holinefs and Pu- rity of GOD -, which Agreement is what the holy GOD ever willeth concerning them. And there- fore when we confider moral Good and Evil, for the Diredlion of our A6lions, that we may fliun the one, and choofe the other, it will not be fo proper for us to fay, that This is morally Good, and there- fore GOD cannot but will it, as that GOD hath "willed This, therefore it is morally Good -, becaufe it is much eafier for us to look into the plain divine Commandment, and fee what agreeth with it, than to look into the unfearchable divine Nature, and compare all Things, that fall under cur Co^ule- ration, therewith, and fee how far they agree, or difagree, with it : fo that, to us, GOD's wiliii^g: G 4 a' 88 Tl^ Excellency of the Serm. IV. of a thing rendereth it morally Good, and His pro- hibiting of it, morally Evil. The intrinfick moral Goodnefs, or Evil, of Anions, is from the eternal Law of Nature -, as they exprefs it, who feem to aim at fetting up fomething, diflind from GOD Himfelf, to give Law to the Firft Caufe. But I would afk, what is this eternal Law of Nature ? What, after all our Search, but the Will of GOD, refulting from His Nature ? or, the Law of the GOD of Nature ? A Law flowing directly, and upon Suppofition of moral Agents, neceffarily, from the Nature, . and Perfedions, of the Deity i and therefore is the faireft Tranfcript, the cleared: Charadler, and brighteft Manifeftation of the Divine moral Perfe<5lions. Thus becaufe the Commandment has GOD for it's Author, and originates from Him, in another, and more excellent Manner, than the Creatures do, neceffarily flowing from the Perfedions of the Divine Nature, and not purely from the Will of GOD, therefore it partakes of His glorious Ex- cellencies ; and whilfl: the Perfection of the Crea- ture is limited and finite, the divine Command- ment is exceeding broad. II. The Commandment of GOD will appear exceeding broad, and very excellent, if we confi- der the Nature of it, the Subjedt- Matter of it, or what this Commandment is.' And there are fe- veral Things, refpediing the Nature, and Subjeft- Matter of the divine Commandment, which great- ly difcover to us the tranfcendent Excellency of it ; as, the Afpeft it has upon the Llonour of the Lawgiver, and the Welfare of the obedient Sub- jcd, the Suitablenefs of it to the Capacity of Man, and its comprehending the whole of our Duty in it. ^ J. It Serm. IV. Divine Commandment, 89 I. It- (hews the exceeding Breadth of the di- vine Commandment, that it is moft perfeftly ad- jufted both to the Lawgiver, and the obedient Subject, to advance the Honour of the One, and promote the Welfare of the other. Thus it is moft perfeftly calculated to advance the Honour of GOD, the fupream Lawgiver, to raife in our Minds the moft auguft and honourable Thoughts of Him, and lead us to the moft reverend, and profound SubmifTion, and Obedience, to Him ; that GOD, in all Things, may be glorified by us. In what fublime Majefty does He appear, when GOD faid. Let there be Light ;■ and there was Light ? (h) With what Awe and Reverence does it ftrike us, when He prefaces His Law, faying, (/■) / am the LORD thy GOD ? Can we hear Him faying, (k) Thus faith the LORD that cre- ated the Heavens^ GOD Himfelf that formed the Earthy and made it, / am the LORD, and there is none elfe ? or read His Name, The great, the mighty, and the terrible GOD (/;, and not be filled with admiring, and adoring Thoughts of Him ? This indeed is the great and ultimate End of all the divine Revelations to us, to im- prefs our Minds with the Awe of GOD, and ex- cite us to praife and honour, to obey and ferve Him : And, fubordinate hereunto, it confults the true Intereft of the humane Nature, and aims at our Welfare, confidered in publick Societies, and in our private Capacity, both in this World, and for ever in the next ; As we fhall fee afterward more fully under fome of the following Heads. Here humane Laws often fail, and a Licurgus^ or a Solon, have not been able to give fucha well (k) Gen. i. 3. (ij Exod. XX. 2. (i) Ifa. xly. iS. (I) Neh. IX. 32. digefted 90 The Excellency of the Serm. IV. digefted Body of Laws, as fully to anfwer all the Ends of Government •, but, after all their Care, there has been left feme wide Chafms, through which, the Sovereign's Honour, on the one Hand, or the Subjedls Good, on the other, have been ftruck at, and deeply wounded. Whereas the Commandment, confidered as the Law of GOD, is every Way perfeft and compleat, fo that it wants not the leaft Iota to render it an abfolutely perfedl Body of Laws, moil wifely adjufted to thofe great Ends of Government I have named, and the leaft Derivanon from it, or Addition to ir, would marr the Perfection of the whole. Hence 'tis, that, in the Conclufion of the facred Volumn, we arc told, {m) If any Man jhall add unto thefe things, GOD Jloall add unto him the Plagues that are '•jvritten in ibis Book ', and if any Man fhall take away from the Words of the Book of this Prophecy, ( which may well be underftood of the whole facred Revelation, as truly as of that by John,) GOD fhall take away bis Part out of the Book of Life. Becaufe this Svould be a Man's prefumptuous calling in Queftion the Perfedions of GOD, and an arrogating unto himfelf the Honour of being able to give a more perfed Body of Laws. 2. The Excellency of the divine Commandment appears, in it's being exaftly fuited to the Nature, and Capacity, of thofe who owe Obedience to it. Thus it treats the intelligent Creature in a Way fuitable to his rational Nature, and requires nothing of him but what his own Realbn and Underftand- ing, ynder a due Improvement, readily confents to, and approves of, as juft, and equitable •, and >vhat the Relation, which, as fuch a Creature, he ftands in unto, and the Dependance he has upon, GOD, the great Creator, necellarily demands of [m) Rev. .\xii. i8, I9. . him. Serin. Y^ .Divine Com7na72dment. 91 him. Hence we find the Almighty making His Appeal to the Reafon of Mankind, in all that He requires of them, («) Come now^ and let us reafon together^ faith the Lord •, ceafe to do Evil^ and learn to do well. And what can be more rational than that we fhould do no Evil, but learn to do well ? And this is the Sum of what all the divine Commandment requireth of us. Thus alfo GOD addreffed His People of old, to call them off from the Service of Idols, that they might cleave to Him alone, (0) Remember this, and Jhew your felves Men : as if He had faid, do but a6t the Part which becomes you, as rational Agents ; I require no more of you -, bring it again to Mind, think clofely, ye Tranfgrejfors : Is it reafonable you fliould rebel againft your Maker, and your Sove- reign ? And fo you find the Apoflle, Paul, ftiles the whole of our Duty to GOD but a reafonable Service, (p) I befeech you. Brethren, by the Mer- cies of GOD, that ye prefent your Bodies, a living Sacrifice, holy, and acceptable, which is your reafon- able Service. That is, a Service fitting and be- coming you as reafonable Creatures, and what, in the Exercife of your Reafon, you cannot refufe ; you muft aft contrary unto your very Nature, as rational Beings, to deny unto GOD that which is His Due : So admirably is His Commandment adjufted to your very Nature. So excellent is the divine Commandment, in this Regard, that if the whole Body of intelligent Creatures were to fit in Council, upon the framing fuch Laws as fhould be beft adapted to their Nature and Capacity, they would be able, under the utmoft Improve- ment of the mod redlified Underftanding, to give us but fome faint Sketches, (for it would be no more) of this well contrived, and thorowly di- (n) Ifa. i. 18. (0) Ifa. xlvi. S. (p) Rom. xii. i. gefted 92 The "Excellency of the Serm. IV. gefted Commandment, which GOD has given ua in its Perfeflion. Befides, the divine Commandment requires no more than what the reafonable Creature has a Suffi- ciency of Power to perform. While Man was in his State of Innocency, his Powers were every Way adequate and proportionable to the Service required of him, nor did his fovereign Lord expecl more from him than he was able to do -, and he might have maintained his Integrity, under all the Al- lurements of Senfe, and Suggeftions of the Devil, if he had not chofen rather to hearken to, and comply with, the Voice of the Tempter. And though it be granted. That, fince the original Apoftacy, and Lapfe of the humane Nature, there is no Man but what has his Powers fo very much weakened, as that, of himfelf, he is not able to perform his Duty to GOD ; (though his reafon- able Mind may ftill, in fome Meafurc, confent to the Law of GOD, that it is good, yet he finds not in the Might of his Hands to perform that which is good •,) and there is no Reafon that the Law fliould be changed, in Compliance with the Weaknefs of a Creature, who, by his own Default, has brought upon himfelf an Incapacity to keep it, in its prefent Form -, neverthelefs, the Grace of GOD, according to the grand Intention of refcu- ing the Creature from his Sin, and Mifery, by a glorious Mediator, has provided fufficient Strength for him, to enable him, in fome Meafure, to will, and to do, the Things that are holy, jull, and good. Therefore we are told, {q) It is GOD which worketh in you^ both to -will, and to do. And fince there is Provifion of fupernatural Strength for him, that, by the Grace of GOD, he may be enabled to keep the divine Comraand- mentj Serm. IV. Divine Cotmnand^neitt, 93 ment, and walk in the Path of Life, if, after all, he will not improve the Advantage he has, it will be intirely his own Fault -, and he can have no juft Caufe to complain, that there is any Iniquity in GOD, that his Ways are not equal, or that He is an hard Matter, who gathers where he has not ftrawed, and reaps where He has not fowed ; nor will he have Room to mutter, that he would have done his Duty, but was not able ; when GOD Himfelf ofFers to affift him by His Holy Spirit. So that ftill the divine Commandment is adapted to the Capacity of the obedient Subjedl, whether that Capacity be natural, or adventitious to him ; whether what GOD furnifhed him with at his firft Make, or what He offers to beftow upon him afterwards. And this is a neceffary Part of the Excellency of the divine Commandment, to be thus fuited to the Nature, and Capacity, of the Subjed:, fo as to be but a reafonable Service, and what he is fome Way or other able to perforin. But then, 3. Here lies very much of the exceeding Breadth of the divine Commandment, that it requires the whole of our Duty, and that both to GOD and Man, Were it defective in any Part of our Duty, either to our Creator, or our Fellow-Crea- tures, as all humane Laws are, in many Inftances, it would not be exceeding broad ; but fince He hath Jhewed thee, Man, what doth the Lord thy GOD require of thee, and there is no Part of thy Duty, but what is fully contained in the Com- mandment, therefore it is a moft excellent, and perfeft Law. Particularly, I. What can be more excellent, and perfed, than the divine Commandment is, as it includes the whole of our Duty refpeding GOD Himfelf ? This fhews us what we are to believe concerning GOD, 94 ?^^ Excellei2cy of the Serm. I\r. GOD, what is the Duty we owe to Him, and how this Duty is to be performed by us. Firft ; This fhew us what we are to believe concerning GOD. The divine Being was very much hid -and obfcured from the natural Reafon of Mankind, under the Power of the Apoftacy ; and therefore the Heathen World, what ever were their Sentiments of the Exiftence of a GOD, had little or no Knowledge of the One, True, fupream Deity \ their Ignorance of whom laid the Foun- dations of that Difpofition, which we ever find in them, to Idolatry ; and yet much lefs Acquaintance had they with the Nature, and Perfedions, of the true and living GOD. But the divine Command- ment hath revealed to the World, to the JeiJo[fb Nation firft, and then unto the Gentiles^ fo much of the Nature and Perfections of the One-True-GOD as was neceffary for them to know. Not that this Revelation hath made fuch full Difcoveries of the divine Nature to us, as are commenfurate to what GOD is in Himfelf, this Knowledge is too high and wonderful for us, neither have we any Pow- ers capable of receiving it ; for thus GOD dwelleth in Light which 7io Man can approach: unto, whom no Man hath feen^ or can fee ( r ), They are only the Back Parts of Himfelf, which GOD hath manifefted to us, which yet afford us fuch a true Reprefentation, and Refemblance, of his Nature and Glory, as is more equal to our Capacity, and fufficient to influence us to pay our Homage and Adoration to Him. And thus, by this moft excellent Commandment, GOD hath fhewed us fomething of the Glories, and the Wonders, of His Nature, the Perfections He is everlaftingly poffefTed of, and the myfterious Sub- fiftence of the Godhead in Three Divine Perfons, (r) I Tim. vi. 1 6. cr Serm. IV. Dhinc Co7mna72dme?tt, 95 or that this One GOD is, FATHER, SON, and HOLT GHOST -, the Second of which is GOD manifejl in FLESH, having affumed the Nature of Man into a perfonal Union with Himfelf. Hence it is that we are told, (j) There are T^hree that hear Record in Heaven, the Father^ and the Son, and the Holy Ghofi. Some tell us, that this Verfe is not to be found in a very ancient Copy. Be it fo. Certainly it is more reafonable to fuppofe that it was an Omif- fion in the Tranfcriber, than to imagine that it was interpolated by Tranfcribcrs in all other Co- pies •, as it is more reafonable to correft a fmgle Copy or two, by the general Run of Copies, than to correft all the Reft by a fingle One ; efpecial- ]y in an Inftance where the Generality of Copies agree in the fame Sentiments, fully exprefled in other Parts of the Writings ; which is the Cafe here. For if this Text were not to be found in any of our Bibles, yet there are fo many others that afferr, that there is but One GOD, and that this GOD is, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST, equally the Objeft of our religious Worfhip, equally poflefled of the divine incommunicable Perfections, and yet diftin6t in their Operations, that we may with a very good Warrant aflert a TRINITY in UNITY : nor know I of any Difadvantage, that can juftly be fuppofed to arife, from our calling the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoff, three diftind: Perfons, when, at the fame Time, we fo plainly declare againft a Plu- rality of EiTences, and affert the Unity of the Godhead : efpecially feeing we have no Word in our Language that will convey to our Minds the Diftindlion, that the facred Scriptures give us, between the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoff, fo (/] I Job. V. 7. well 96 7^^ Excellency of the Serrn. IV. well as the Word Perfon does •, though yet we do not conceive of it, when applied to a divine Perfon, in that Latitude in which we underftand it when it is ufed about an humane Perfon. But to go on i as the Word of GOD fets before us the one GOD, as Father, Son, and Holy Ghojl, fo it acquaints us with GOD the SON His condefcending to take upon Him our Nature, that He might accomplifli the great Work of a Mediator, which He had undertaken for us. Therefore we read, (t) The IVord was made Flejh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his Glory, the Glory as of the only begotten of the Father. Both the Excellencies of the divine Nature, and the Myfteries relating thereto, had forever lain beyond our View, if divine Revelation had not made them known unto us : fo that we may fay of them, (as CHRIST faid to Peter, when he made that glorious ConfefTion of him, ^hou art CHRIST, the SON of the living GOD,) («) FlefJo and Blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven. Thus by the divine Commandment, or Word, we are taught, that GOD is, and that He is a Rewarder of them that diligently feek Him, that He is Father, Son, and Holy Gho§f, infinite, eternal, unchangeable, in His Being, Wifdom, Power, Holinefs, Juftice, Good- nefs, and Truth. With Refpedt hereto GOD faid to His People of old, {w) Te are my Wit- neffes, faith the Lord, that ye may know, and helieve me, and underfland that 1 am He : Before me there was no GOD formed, neither fhall there be after me ; I, even I am the Lord, and beftde me there is no Saviour ; / have declared, -^andhave (t) Joh. i. 14. (a) Matth. xvi. 1 7. (vj) Ij'a. xliii. 10, II, 12. fhewedy Serm. IV. Divme Commandme?zt, 97 fhewed^ — therefore ye are my IVitneffes^ faith the Lordy that I am GOD. And thus lliid John the Divine, (x) Thefe Things are written that ye might believe that JESUS is the CHRlST, the SON of GOD. And 1 may add, that This leads us into the Faith, that GOD framed the PFortds by His tVord., fo that Things which are feen were not made of Things which do appear j and that this GOD upholds, and governs, the World of Creatures, which He has made, and direds, and influenced them, in all their Adlions •, and that, to Hirrii we, and all rational Creatures, mull be ac- countable, as to our Judge, and receive our final Rewards from Him. Secondly ; This fliews us what is the Duty we owfi to this GOD. The Commandrnent not only fhews us what ought to be our Conceptions of the diving Majefty, but what is the Homage, Service, and Al- legiance, which naturally refulcs from the Perfec- tions of the Deity, and His Threefold RelatidnSg as well as from the divine Will. I fay Rela- tions, not as refpe6ting us only, but as they are founded in the divine Nature, as the Fatheit relates to the Son^ and the Son unto the Fa- ther., &c. which neceffarily implies a Diftintfliori in thofe that ftand fo related, fo that the one is not the other, in the Senfe in the which they are related, and yet the Relation hinders not the Unity of the divine Eflfence. Here we learn that this GOD is to be loved by us fupreamly, and to be feared before all that are called Gods ; that He is to be acknowledged by us, as our GOD, by our daily fervent Supplications, and our hearty and thankful Praifes ; that His Law is to be ob- ferved by us as the Rule of our Life, and His governing Providence to be entirely and humbly {.v^ John XX. 31. H Hjbnnittrd 98 "The Excellency of the Serm. IV. fubmitted unto ; that we are to reverence His Name, and Word, and Ordinances, fandify His Day, and obferve His Inftitunons ; and that He, and He only, is to be religioufly worfhiped and acicfred by us. This teaches u?, that the Firft Perfon in the adorable Trinity, is to be acknowledged by us as the Father of all Things, the Author and Con- triver of the whole Method of our Salvation ; and as fuch our Offerings are to be brought unto His Altar, our Bodies and our Spirits are to be devoted to His Service, and His holy Name is forever to be praifed by us : that the Second glorious Sub- fiftence in the Deity, united to our Nature, and, in it, working out everlafting Righteoufnefs for us, is firmly to be believed in, as the promifed Mejfiah, the Son of GOD^ fincerely chofen by us as our Surety, and Days-Man, unfeignedly accepted of as our Saviour, heardly beloved by us as our great Reconciler, and humbly adored as the Purchafer of all our Happinefs : that the Tbird Perfon in GOD, even the Holy Gbq/i, is to be glorified by us, by our earnefb feeking to Him for His Gifts, and Graces, His Comforts and Joys, by fubmitting to His Teaching, and ConducV, and by our eherifliing all His holy Motions in our Souls, and to be worHiiped as making Application of eternal Redemption, and all the bleffed Benefits thereof, unto us. Thirdly ; The exceeding Breadth of the divine Commandment is feen, in the Manner of our Per- formance of our Duty and Homage unto GOD j in that it requires, that all our Worfhip, and Obe- dience, be performed in the higheft, fublimeft, and mofl: fpiritual Manner, that poffibly can be : that we not only offer unto GOD the Calves of our Lips, and ferve him with i^odi'y Esercife, which alone Serm. iV. Divine Commandment, 99 alone profiteth but little^ but that we offer to him our very Hearts, and Souls, which mud be ferioufly engaged in every religious Duty we attend upon. For CHRIST himfelf hath told us, {y) The true Worjhiprs jhall worjhip the Father, in Spirit, and in Truth ; for the Father feeketh fucb to worjhip Him : GOD is a Spirit, and they that worjhip Him muji worjhip Him in Spirit, and in Truth. Befides ; the Duty required of us forever ex- ceeds the utmoft Exidlnefs of our Performance. Though, through the perfedl Obedience of One Man many are made righteous^ and our fincere, but imperfecl, Service?, are acceptable unto GOD^ through JESUS CHRIST, yet we are not able to fee to the whole of our Duty, much lefs to perform it ; for we know but in Part, and therefore can do but in Part. We may, in Partj know what is our prefent Duty, but the more exa6t we are in our Obedience to the divine Com- mandment, we fhall but the more plainly fee, that there is ftill wanting a more perfeft Conformity to it, e'er we can fully anfwer it : So that it is ever an Heighth, which, when we have gradually af- cended as high as we can reach, in our prefent State of Imperfeftion, we fiiall ftill be vaftly below the Top of. Hence it is, that Chriftians are com- manded to grow in Grace [Z) for there is perpetually Room, and Occafion, for their Growth •, and no Man is fo Good, but he may, and ought to be Better. Thus after our greateft Progrefs towards Perfeftion, in the Duties of the Chriftian Life, we muft never come to a Stand, and think that we have already attained all that is required of us, but forgetting thofe things which are behind, we mu/t fiill reach forward, unto thofe things which are be- (>•) Jch, iv. 23, 24. {z.) z Pit, iii. !§. H a Jon J 00 The Excellency of the Serm. IV. fore^ prejfing toivards the Mark, for the Prize cf the high Callings which is of GOD, in Jefus Chrift^ eur Lord [a). 2. How exceeding bread is the divine Com- fnandment, as it includes the whole of our Duty refpecling Man ? For it requires all pofTible Duty from us, both refpedling ourlelves, and our Pillow- Creatures, in the private, and focial Life ; without omitting the leaft Inftance, wherein we could con- du6t ourfelves with greater Prudence^ and Advan- tage to our own Comfort, or with greater Decency, and Ufefulnefs, unto humane Society. The facred Volume is full of Rules, Laws, and Orders, for the Regimen and Government of ourfelves, our Appetites, and PafTions, and for our regular Be- haviour towards one another ; and requires of us, that we deny Ungodlinefs and worldly Lttjls, and live foberly, and righteoujly, as well as godly, in this prefent World (b) : that we mortify our Members which are upon the Earth, Fornication, Uncleamiefs^ inordinate Affe^ion, evil Concupifcence, and Covetouf- fiefs (c) : that no Man go beyond and defraud his Brother, in any Matter (d) : that we put away Lying, and fpeak the Truth every Man with his Neighbour ; that -k;;? be angry and fin not, nor let the Sun go down upon our Wrath •, that he that flole fieal no more \ that no corrupt Communication proceed out of our Mouth ; that all Bitternefs, and Wrath, and Ar.ger^ and Clamour, and Evil Speaking, be put away from us, with all Malice (e) : that we put on, as the E'eJl of GOD, Bozvels of Mercies, Kindnefs, Humblenefs of Mind, Meeknefs, Longfuffering •, for- bearing one another, and forgiving one another ; — that above all, we put on Charity, which is the Bond cf PerfeSlnefs (/) : that we recompenfe no Man ia) Phil. iii. 13, 14. [h) Tit. ii. 12. {c] Col. iii. 5. ( hath mw commanded all Men ev^ry where to repent (J) : (k) Rom.'w. 15. (I) Afl. xvii. 30, H 4- *^- 104 ^^ Excellency of the Serm. IV. and that while they have the Lights they jhouU believe in the Light (m) •, and that all Men Jlootdd honour the Son as they honour the Father (n). So that this is the Homage, and grateful Sacrifice, which Kings of the Earth, and all People, Princes, and all Judges of the Earth, Toung Men, and Maidens, Old Men, and Children (o), owe to their great Creator, and his Law alike extends to them all. 2. The divine Commandment extends to all of Man, to our whole Nature, and to all our Powers, ^nd Capacities. It reaches the Body»of Man, and aims at the Government of every Member, and every Power belonging to it •, that we do not yield eur Members Inflruments of Unrighteoufnefs unto Sin, but yield ourfelves unto GOD, and our Members as Inflruments of Righteoufnefs unto GOD (p). It ex- tends to all our fecular Interefts, Poircflions, Em- ployments, and Recreations, and direds us in our Purfuit, Enjoyment, and Improvement, of them. And it reaches to the very Soul, and requires the Obedience of the inner Man of the Heart, and means to direft, and influence, us, in all our fpiritual, and eternal Interefts, Thus it calls upon us, (q) glorify GOD, in your Body, and in your Spirit, which are GOD's. And here lies very much of the Excellency of the Commandment of GOD, that it is obligatory upon the Confcience, which no humane Laws can be, only as they evidently accord with the divine •,. and then, not becaufe they are eftablifhed by the Authority of Man, but, becaufe they derive their Authority from the fupream Lord of all. So that whatever Laws may be enafled by the civil Power, which, to our Reafon and (tn) Jcl.\ xil. 36. (m) Joh. v. 23. (0) Pf. cxlviii. 11, 12. (f) Rom.Vi. 13. [q) i Cor. vi. zc. Underftandinfr. Serm. IV. Divine Commandment, 105 Underflanding, improved and regulated, by an humble, modeft, diligent Search into the Word of GOD, appear to have fuch a Difagreement with the divine Law, as renders it finful, in our Apprehenfion, for us to comply with them, we may, by no Means, fo yield up our Confciences to the Wills of Men, as to fubmit our felves to them, but muft chufe, rather, to obey GOD, than Man, let the Event be what it will. Therefore when the holy Jpojiles were enjoined, by humane Authority, to do what clafhed with the divine Command, they boldly make a Stand, in the very Face of the Civil, as well as Ecclefiaftical Rulers, and made an Appeal to their own Confciences too, faying, (r) whether it be right in the Sight of GOD, to hearken unto you^ more than unto GOD, J^dge ye. And one would think, that there were no great Difficulty in determining, whether we ought to obey GOD, or Man. And, becaufe all acceptable religious Worfhip is appointed by GOD alone, who only knows what is grateful and pleafing to himfelf, therefore, any Modes, and Forms, of Worfhip, not direftly appointed by him, or not deducible, by plain and natural Confequence, from the general Rules he has prefcribed, I fay, all fuch Rites, and Modes, not founded upon the divine Commandment, ought to be rejefted by us, whatever be the humane Authoiity that enjoyns them, or the Pretenfions to Order, and Decency, in the obferving of them. Hence we may obferve, that the infpired JpoSik blames the Coloffians, for their Fondnefs for either Jewijh, or Pagan Traditions, after their Converfion to the Chriftian Faith : {s) If ye be dead with CHRIST, fays he,— ^ijy are ye fubje^ to Ordi- (r) Aa.\s. 19. (i) Col. ii. 20, 22. nancess^ io6 The Excellency of the Serm. IV^, nances^ — after the Commandment, and Do^Irines ef Men? For Man has not, nor can he have, any Power over the Confciences, what ever he may have over the Bodies, of Men : but God*s Commandments dire6t and govern the Confciences of all his rational Creatures. And though from the Dulnefs of our Underftandings, we may not be able, always, to fee the Reafon of what is commanded us, yet, it is fufficient for us, that we know it to be the Will of GOD concerning us •, here our Reafon ought to be faperceeded by our Faith ; and the Commandment, from a Confcioufnefs of the divine Supremacy, ought forever to be obeyed by us. I might add -, that the Command of GOD ex- tends to the perfefted Spirits above, and the glo- rious Angels bow down before it, even that Part of it which relates to us, fo far as it is fuited to their Nature ; they are his Angels^ that do his Commandment, hearkening to the Voice of his Word (/). The Excellency of the Commandment fhines forth in it's Luflre in it's being fo admirably adapted to the Natures of Men, and Angels, that while a poor infirm Worm of the Duft is capable, in fome Meafure, by divine AfTiftance, of yielding Obedience unto it, yet, it is fo fublime, and lofty, as to exercife the Obedience of the highell Angels in Heaven. (t) PJ, ciii. 20. SERMON Serm.V. Divine Commandment. 107 SERMON V. Psalm CXIX. 96. I have feen an End of all Per- feSlion ; but thy Commandment is exceeding broad, THERE have been two Doftrines pro- pofed CO be fpoken to from thefe Words, namely. Doc. I. The Perfedlion of the Creature is limited, and finite. Doc, II. The Commandment of GOD is ex- ceeding broad. The laft Opportunity I made fome Entrance upon the Second of thefe Doftrines ; and having obferved, that, by the Commandment, I under- ftand, the whole revealed Will of GOD, I pro- pofed to Ihcw the Excellency thereof, beyond any Thing jo8 I'he Excellency of the Serm.V. Thing that is to be found upon the Creature, by confidering, I. The Original of it. II. The Subjeft- Matter of it. III. The Extent of it obje6tively. IV.. The great End and Defign of it. And V. Its Duration. Under the firft of thefe, viz. I. The Original of the Commandment, I have confidered our Bible, as containing a fure Reve- lation of the 4VIind of GOD •, and this Mind of GOD, fo made known to us, does not refult, purely, from the divine Will and Pleafure, as the Exiftence of all Creatures does, but from the Per- feftions of the divine Nature, and therefore in this Regard, partakes of thofe divine Excellencies far above what is to be found upon any mere Crea- ture. Under the Second Head, viz. II. The Subjefl-Matter of the Commandment -, I have confidered the Excellency of it, as perfc6b- ]y adjufted to the Divine Lawgiver, and to the obedient Subjedl ; as being exaflly fuited to the Nature and Capacity of thofe that owe Obedience to it ; and as it requires the v/hole of our Duty, both to GOD, and Man. Under the Third, III. The Extent of the Commandment objec- tively, I have fliewed its Excellency in that it reaches to every individual Perfon without Ex- ception, and to our whole Nature, Body, and Spirit. And I proceed 'to the Ccnfideration of tho Fourth Head propofed, viz. IV. Serm. V. Dhim Com7nandmerit, 109 IV. The Commandment of GOD will appear exceeding broad, if we confider the great and glo- rious End and Defign of it •, what GOD intends it for, and what it is improvable unto. The great Excellency and Perfedion of all Laws, and Com- mandments, are to be feen, chiefly, in the End which they aim at, and the direct Tendency, In* fluence, and Power, which they have for the At* tainment of this End. Now, the divine Com- mandment aims at the highefl:, and noblefl: End, that pofllbly can be, namely, the Glory of GOD, and our belt Good, both in this World, and in that which is to come, in Time, and throughout Eternity : this is what GOD defigns it for, what it is improvable unto, and what it has a direct Tendency to promote. I jQiall not, here, enter into a diflinfl Confidera- tion of this great and noble End, the Glory of GOD, becaufe I have already fpoken fomething to it, under a former Head, and becaufe this is ever anfwered, in the Accomplifhment of the great Defign refpedling Man ; the Purity, and Happi- nefs of Mankind, being fo clofely connefled to the Glory of GOD, that in what Way foever the Firft is brought about, by the fame Means, and in the fame Method, the divine Glory is alfo dif- played, and made to fliine forth in it's greateil Luftre. I Ihall therefore confine myfelf unto fuch Thoughts, as fhew us the original Intention, and peculiar Adaptednefs, of the divine Commandment, to perfefl our Nature, and render us compleatly happy ; wherein it infinitely tranfcends all the Excellency that is to be found upon the Creatures, which every Way fall fhort of this End ; as I have already proved. And I fhall take a View of the excellent Defign of the diviae Command- ment, under thefe Three Heads, I, To iio"^ T^he Excellency of the Serm.V. 1. To make us truly Wife. 2. To make us really Good. 3. To make us compleatly Happy. I. One great End and Defign of the dipi'ine Commandment is, to make us truly wife. The Commandment has a very great Influence upoa the making of us wife for the Things of this World, and therefore may well be looked upon as excellent by us ; becaufe, as we value our- felves upon our Reafon, which raifes us above the Level of the Brute, fo our Wifdom is the higheft natural Exercife of our Reafon, and is that which gives any Man the Preference to his Neighbours. That the divine Commandment is of this Advan- tage to us, is apparent, in that it tends to brighten our Underflandings, and recover them from thofe Prejudices, with which our Lufts and Paflions very much cloud, and darken the Mind ; by which Means, it renders our Apprehenfions, and Con- ceptions, of Things more clear, and diftinft, that we may be enabled to fee them in a better Light, and difcern them more thorowly : Thus it eno- bics our rational Powers, and alTifts them to chufc out a right Way for us. For while the Word of GOD is, a Lamp unto our Feet, and a Light unto our Path, we fhall not only take the more Heed to our Ways, and walk with Caution and Circumfpedion, and fo be among the well-advifed, with whom is Wifdom, but we Iball have a more full and plain Difcernment of the Path of Underftanding, and clear Difcovery of the Way, in the which we fhould go ; and thus be alTifled to aft like rational, and prudent Crea- tures, who are not led blindfold, by PafTions, and Prejudices, but, govern themfelves by the Dictates of right Reafon. Hence, when Mofes had fet the Serm. V. Dk)i?ie Commandment, in the Law of GOD before the Children of Ifraet^ faid he, {ti) Keep, therefore, and do them ; for this is your Wifdorn, and Underflaftding, in the Sight of the Nations, which Jhall hear all thefe Statutes, and fay, fttrely this great Nation is a wife, and under- flanding People. This alfo made the PfalmiSi fay, {w) Thou, through thy Commandment, ha§i made me wifer than mine Enemies -, for they are ever with me : I have more Ufiderflanding than all my Teachers ■, for thy Teflimonies are my Meditation : / underftand more than the Ancients -, becaufe I keep thy Precepts. Thus a due Regard to the Com- mandment will influence us to walk wifely, and furely, and help us to Ihun many Inconveniencies, which we fhould be apt, otherwife, to run ourfelves into, through the Prevalency of our too eager Paffions, and unbridled fenfual Appetites. But however ; The great End of the divine Commandment is, to make us Spiritually wife, which is the trueft, and higheft, Wifdom, and which, when all is done, will be found to be mod ferviceable unto us. We are therefore told, (x) The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wifdom ; a good Underfianding have all they that do his Com- mandment. For no Man begins to be truly wife, until, by the Fear of GOD prevailing in his Heart, he is influenced unto a confcientious Regard to the divine Commandment, the Path-way whereof is pleafant, and the End Peace. If thou beefl wife^ thou Jhall be wife for thy felf, faid Solomon (y). This is true Wifdom, for a Man to be wife for himfelf, for his beft Intereft, and his latter End ; and all Pretenfions to Wifdom, fhort of this, is but afting for a wrong End, and to no good Purpofe, the Folly of which will appear, in the (u) Deut/w.e. [nv) Pf. cxix. 98, 99, lOO. {x) Pf. cxi. 10. (;• ) Pi-av. ix. 12. Difappointmenr, 112 The Excellency of ihe Serm. V. Difappointment, and Confufion, which will be the certain IfTue of it. For let a Man be ever fo wife, in . his Projeflions, and the Methods which he takes, to promote fome little Intereft, that has no Relation to him, he will be found, to be but a Fool, in the Conclufion, for his Negled of himfelf, and fufFering his main Intereft to run to Ruin, for want of his feafonable, and prudent. Care about it : or, let him provide, for his prefent Comfort, with the fineft Schemes, and moft diligent Application, yet, if he has been wholly negligent of Futurity, and muft remain, the latter Part of his Exiftence, utterly deftitute of every thing that would be coifi- fortable to him, he will find, at his End, that he has been a Fool. Now, the Defign of the divine Com- mandment is, to correal this Folly -, and it has a very powerful Influence to cure us hereof, by ac- quainting us, where our true Intereft lies, and what are the beft Methods to promote it •, by making us confiderate, and thoughtful, about our own State and Condition, and how it will fare with us in the End of Days ; and by exciting of us dilligently to improve the Means, that are necefTary to fecure what is of the greateft Confequencc to us, that it may not only be well with us for the prefent, but that our latter End may be Peace. The Commandment is therefore faid, to be pure, enlightening the Eyes, {z). That is, the Eyes of the Mind, which are naturally obfcured, and clouded, by the thick Mifts, which our Fondnefs for Luft, and the World, caft before them, fo that they have no dear, and diftinft. Perception of our ultimate End, and the Way to it. The Commandment is a Lamp, and the Law is Light, and Reproofs of In- fhuilion are the IVay of Life \ faid the wife Man {a) -, becaufe by thefe we are taught our {'z.) ?f. xix. 7. [a) Prov. vi. 23. Duty, Serm. V. Divine Commai'idmeiit. 113 Duty, and Intereft, and are led in the Path df Life. The divine Commandment affords us ' ths Knowledge of fpiritual and divine Things, which are the moft excellent in their Nature, and moft beneficial unto us. What is there fo full, fo lofty, fo glorious^ as the LORD our GOD is ? Whofe Nature infinitely tranfcends all the Objeds of Senfe, in true Excellency, and contains a Beauty, Reality, and Truth, in it, beyond all other Things that are knowable by us ; and therefore fo much the more enlarges our Minds, and elfevates out Conceptions, in the Knowledge of Him : and inafmuch as this GOD is the Fountain of all Good, therefore alfo the Mind in Clofing with him, by our pradical Knowledge of Him, enjoys unfpeakabJe Delight and Satisfadlion in Him, and becomes fecured of His Favour ; and thus reaps the higheft Benefit, from this moft excellent Ob- jedi that our Nature is capable of. For by this Means, v^e have taken all the Care of ourfelves that we can do, have eftablifihed our main Intereft Upon a fure Foundation, and are provided with all that is neceffary for our future Well-being, yea, throughout an endlefs Eternity : and this is true Wifdom, and Underftanding, fuch Wifdom as is not to be attained unto, by the Force of our own Powers, but by the divine Commandment. '^ ox the natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of GOD^ for they are Foolifhnefs unto hiin ; neither can hs know them, becaufe they are fpiritually difcerned ; how be it, we [peak Wifdom, yet not the Wifdom of this World •, but we fpeak the Wifdom of GOD in a My fiery : — but GOD hath revealed them unto Us hy his Spirit {b). They are the Things of GOD^ his glorious Perfedions, his deep CounfelSj his (I) I Cor. ii. 6, 7, 10, 14, I merciful 114 The Excellency of the Serm. V. merciful Defigns, with all the Wonders of redeem- ing Love, and Grace, which lie very much out of the Reach of our natural Powers, but the Spirit of GOD hath revealed them unto us •, and it is the Defign of the divine Commandment, to acquaint us with thofl^ glorious Truths, and give us a juft V:c!\v of the things of our Peace, and fo /// its with the Knoivkdi' of his Will, in all fpiritual JVifdom. r.nd Uv.dcrjlanding •, and it has an happy Tendency, and Aptitude, fo to imprefs our Minds with them, as that we may ourfelves receive the Benefit of them. Hence, it prcfents us with the m.elancholy Prol- pe6l of our own miferable State, and Condition, by Nature ; how enflaved we are unto diverfeLufts, and Paffions, captivated by Devils, included under Guilt, and liable unto Punifliment, in this World, and the next, great, and endlefs •, and fhews us, what abfolute Need there is of a Saviour, to ^deliver us from all of this Infelicity, and dire6ls us unto JESUS CHRIST, the only Hope of Ifrael, and the Saviour thereof. Hence, it opens unto us the whole Method of Salvation by CHRIST, unfolds the Myfteries of our holy Religion to us, tells us what we muft do to be faved, and offers divine AfTiflance to us, to enable us to walk in that Way which leadeth unto true Life and Happinefs. Hence, it fets before us, the ftrong and alluring Arguments, and mofl powerful Motives, fetched from the future, unfeen, and eternal World -, it prcfents us with the View of the Crown of unfading Glory, which awaits the humble and obedient Soul -, and gives us a diflant Sight of the Place of Torment, the inexpreffible Pain, Horror, and Anguifh, which is referved as the endlefs Portion of Serm. V. Divine Commandment . 115 of the impenitent, and difobedient •, and all to move us to a6l wifely, and walk fafely. Thus Life^ and Immortality^ is brought to Lights through the Go/pel (c) ; and by this Means we come to know the only true GOD^ and JESUS CHRIST^ whom he hath fent ; and fo are made wife unto Salvation (d). This is the great End and Defign of the divine Commandment, what GOD intends it for, and what, if it be not our own Fault, we may improve it to. This is the great Defign of preaching the Word of GOD unto the World ; as the Jipoble tells us it was the End of his Miniftry, and equally is of ours, {e) to open Men's Eyes^ and turn them from Barknefs to Light : and hence, when it was prophefied of CHRIST, (f) I the Lord have called Thee in Righteoufnefs^ and will give Thee for a Covenant of the People, for a Light of the Gentiles, it is particularly taken No- tice of, that one of the great Ends, and blefTed Benefits, of that Defignation, is to open the blind Eyes. And give me me Leave to add upon it, agreably to what our Saviour remarked, when he read the Lefibn, out of Ifaiah unto his Hearers^ Oh! that, by our wife Improvement of it, it may be faid of us, {g) This Day is this Scripture fulfilled among us. Thus, the Commandment "bf God appears to be exceeding broad, in this no- ble and glorious Defign of it, to make us truly wife ', to furnifli us with the Knowledge of the beft Things, and direft our Feet in the Path of Underftanding, to the fecuring of our Selves, and our great and lading Intereft *, which is fuch a Wifdom as highly becometh us, as rational Crea- tures, and compared with which, all the Wifdom of this World is but meer Foolifhnefs. (c) 2 Tim. I 10. fa' J 2 Tim. iii. 15. (ej J^.xxyi. i2. r/;/>.xlii.6,7. (g) Luke W. 21. I 2 I z 1 6 T'he Excelhicy of the Serm. V. I now proceed, to the Second Thing propofed, namely, 2. The glorious End and Defign of the divine Commandment is, to make us really Good. The infinitely wife GOD has given us his Command- ment, not only to inform our Judgment, and make us wife to know, but, to regulate our Pradice, that our Wifdonl may evidence itfelf, by the proper genuine Fruits of it, in our Hearts, and Lives. For all our Knowledge will be but to our Difadvantage, and render us fo much the more unhappy, if we are not careful to govern ourfelves, in our Pra6lice, according to it : and therefore the Commandment aims, at the rectifying of our Nature, and curing the Irregularities of our Be- haviour, and fo, to make us really good iVIen. "When Mankind had univerfally funk into Infide- lity, and Immorality, and were utterly deftitute of the divine Life, then it pleafed GOD to make a Revelation of hirnfelf, and his Mind and Will, unto the World, gradually opening the Myfteries of the Kingdom of GOD, from the calling of Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees^ until, in the Fulnefs of Time, the Light fhonc with the greateft Ciearnefs, by the Appearing of the SON of GOD in Flefh, to inftruft the World, per- fonally, and by his Apoftles that Mankind might be recovered, in the Exercife of their Faith and Vertue, to a God-like Temper and Difpofition ; which abundantly Ihews the fuperiour Excellency of the divine Commandment. Thus, particularly, it aims, at t!ie begetting in us Faith in GOD, and in his Son JESUS CHRIST, the converting of us from the Error of our Ways, and to fandtify, and make us holy. (i) The Defign of the divine Commandment is, to work true Faith in us ; that we may live a Life Serm. V. Divine Commandment. 117 Life of Faith in GOD, and in his Son JESUS CHRIST. Faith in GOD, as the Maker, Ruler, and Judge, of the World, and in his Son, JESUS CHRIST, as the only Redeemer of loft Mankind, and ours in particular, is the very Root and Prin- ciple, of all Evangelical Goodnefs ; without: which, we can neither ferve GOD, nor find Ac- ceptance with him. The Author of the Epiftle to the Hebrews therefore afTures us, {a) without Faith it is impcjfihle to pkafe GOD -, for he that. Cometh unto GOD, ( fo as to find Acceptance with him, ) muji believe that he is, and that he is a Re- warder of them that diligently feek him. And CHRIST faid to his Difciples, and fo to all that mean to receive any Benefit by him, {b) Ye believe in GOD, believe alfo in ME. For he that does not believe that there is a GOD, and that JESUS CHRIST is the Son of GOD, and Sa- viour of the World, cannot pofTibly live religi- ouOy -, becaufe all Religion turns upon the Belief of a GOD, and That Religion only, which is ac- ceptable and pleafing to GOD, is founded in the Belief of JESUS CHRIST his being the promif- ed MefpMh, the Son of GOD, and Saviour of the World -, this being the only Way in which GOD hath revealed Himfelf unto the Workl, and in "which he will be worfhiped, namely, by his Son^ JESUS CHRIST ; which occafioned the Apoflle's faying {c) Thefe Things are written, that ye might believe that JESUS is the CHRIST, the Son. of GOD. Whatever Difficulties any may imagine they find in believing JESUS CHRIST to be the Son of GOD, in fuch a proper Senfe of the Phrafe as imports his partaking of the fame Nature with the eternal Father, becaufe they cannot compre- (a) Heb. xi. 6. [b] Job. xiv. i. (r) Jch. XX. 31. \ 3 heM'. Ii8 The Excellency of the Serm. V. hend the Manner of the divine Filiation, it is juftly to be feared that the great Bar which lies in their "Way is, the Haughtinefs, and Pride, of the Hearts of Men, who cannot ftoop to refign up their Un- derftandings to the divine Mind, as they muft do, to credit a Report which contains Myfteries in it which they are not able to unriddle ; and that therefore it is they refufe to believe what they cannot fee through. For, after all, there is no fuch Abfurdity in believing Myfteries, or, believing fuch Dodrines as contain Myfteries in them, as fome Men would perfwade us ; becaufe we are even forced to do fo, in Nature, and in Arts, whether we will or no. And, truly, I know of no more Difficulty, in believing the Truth of a Propofidon, clearly, and diftindlly, exprefled, ( that is, in fuch plain Terms as I fully underftand, ) when it is handed to me by divine Revelation, ( which Propofition, neverthelefs, contains a Dodrine that couches Myfteries in it, which I do not underftand) than there is in believing a clear Propofition, con- cerning any Thing in Nature, handed to me by my Fellow Creature, when yet the Subject of that Propofition, or the Thing fpoken of, contains fuch Myfteries in it, as neither I, nor any Man living, are able to explain. As, for Inftance, all Bodies are endowed with a Power of Gravitation : or, if you defire a more familiar one, The Sun gives Light. Now, this is what the divine Commandment aims at, to produce this Faith in us, in GOD, and CHRIST, as the vital Principle of all fpiritual Life, and the Spring of all our acceptable Obedi- ence. Hence it declares to us the Being, Perfec- tions, Works, Dominion, and Will of GOD : Hence it fets JESUS CHRIST before us, in all his amiable Excellencies, and altogether lovely, in the Serm. V. Divine Commandment. 119 the high Concern he has exprefled for our Wel- fare, and the wonderful Methods he has taken to nianifeft his prevailing Love to us ; it fhews him to us, in all the Charms, and Endearments, of a GOD incarnate^ wounded for our Tranfgreffions, bruifed for our Iniquities, and as having freely laid down his Life for us miferable Sinners. Hence the Commandment fo often urges this upon us, as our indifpenfible Duty, that we be- lieve in JESUS CHRIST, {d) This is his Com- inandment^ that ye believe on the Name of his Son JESUS CHRIST. Hence it ufes the moft pow- erful Motives, the weightiefl Confiderations, to accomplilh a Work of Faith in us. It gives us the fulled Evidence, the moft inconteflible Tefti- mony, of the Truth of the whole Gofpel of CHRIST, and his own MifTion from the Father, as confirmed unto us by them that heard Him., (afTert his Miffion, and deliver his Dodtrines) GOD alfo bearing them PFitne/s, both with Signs, and Wonders^ with diverfe Miracles., and Gifts of the Holy Ghofi [e). So that there is no Room for us rea- fonably to doubt the Certainty of his Miflion from GOD, or, confequently, to fufpedl the Truth of the Dodlrines, and Precepts, which he has taught. It gives us full Proof of JESUS CHRIST his being the ancient promifcd Meffiah.^ the Son of GOD, the Prince of Peace, in the exad Agreement of all the Charafterifticks, fpoken of in the old Teftament, unto him, and him only •, as, the Time of his appearing in the World, the Circumftances of his Appearance, the Defcription of his Perfon, by the particular Events befalling him, the Contempt that fliould be poured upon him, the Death he fhould fubmit to, his Triumphs, over the Grave, the Extent, and Glory, of hii [d] ! Joh. iii. 23. (.) Hch. ii. 3, 4. I 4 Kingdonai I20 "The Excellency of the Serm, V, Kingdom ; thefe, with many other Predidions concerning him, having their exact Accomplifh- ipent in JESUS CHRIST, and in him only, are an unqueftionabJe Evidence of his being the true Meffiab. And if CHRIST be the true Mejfiah, and fent from GOD, we may be fure he has told us the Truth, however fublime, and exceeding our Comprehenfion, the Doftrines he has taught us may be. Becaufe GOD, who perfeflly knows all things, would fend none upon his Errand, and under the Character of HIS SON, efpecially, in fo important an Affair, wherein his own Glory, and the Happinefs of Mankind, are fo nearly con- cerned, but fuch an One as would keep cxatftly to his Inftruflions, and pubUfh the Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth. And all of this full, and clear Evidence, which the Word of GOD affords us, of the Meffiafhip, and MifTion, of CHRIST is, to prevail upon us to credit the Report of the Gofpel, and fubmit ourfelves unto the Government of it. In fhort ; without the Commandment, or re- vealed Will, of GOD, there can be nothing of this Faith, which is fo neceffary to the religious and Chriftian Life ; and confequently, the Life of Man, here, would be little better than that of the Brutes, and his Condition, hereafter, that of Devils : for, as the Jpojlle well argues, {f) how pall they helieve in him of whom they have not heard ? and how Jhall they hear without a Preacher ? — So then Faith Cometh by hearings and hearing by the Word of COD : which clearly evidences it to be the Defign of the Commandment, to beget Faith in us, that we may not remain in Infidelity, and Unbelief of GOD, and his Son JESUS CHRIST, and fo be deftitute of the firft moving Principle of all real {/J Rom. X. 14, 17. Goodnefs. Serm. V. Divine Commandment. 1 2 1 Goodnefs. Hence alfo, the fame /Ipofile elfewhere obferves, (g) if our Gofpel be hid, it ts hid unto them that are loft : becaule they arc defticute of the ordinary, and proper Means, appointed by COD, by which a true and faving Faitn is wrougnt in them. How far the Faith ot the one fupream GOD, refulting from the Woiks of his Hands, with a correfpondent Care to pleale him, according to a Man's natural Light, may avail to Acceptance with him, through the Mediation of his Son, we are not able pofitively to determine ; but we are Jed by Revelation to fufpend all Hope concerning fuch, as well as from the general View of the World •, the wife Man afTuring us, where there is no Vifion the People perijh *. (%.) The Defign of the Divine Commandment is to convert the Soul. The omnipotent, and wife Creator made all his Creatures Good, and therefore Man, a moral Agent, morally Good 5 for it was impofTible that his Creator fhould make him vicious, without being himfelf either weak, or depraved, both of which are Blafphemies of too high a Degree to be imputed to the infinitely Great, and Holy GOD. But though GOD, at firft, made Man morally good, and free from all irregular Appetites, and Paflions, yet he made him capable of being invaded by them, and brought into Subjection to them : And accord- ingly, we fee that humane Nature, which once had the beautiful Image of GOD fhining full upon it in Knowledge, Righteoufnefs, and Holinefs, now greatly ftained and polluted •, fo that it may be fald of all Men, whether Jew^ or Gentile, as the Apoftle fpeaks, \h) All have finned, and come Jhort of the Glory of GOB. The firft Sin, of the firft Man, was what we call the Fall, the Fall of the (g) 2 Cor. iv. 3. * Prov. xxix. i8. [h) Rom. i". 23. humane 122 The Excellency of the Scrm. V. humane Nature from its GOD, and Happinefs. I know there are fome who admit of the Fall of the firft Man, according to the Account we have thereof, in the Beginning of our Bibles, but ima- gine, and I think vainly, that all the Hurt done to the humane Nature thereby is, that the Body hath received fome Damage, is weakened, and become liable to Mortality. But I fhould look upon it as much more agreeable to Reafon, as well as Revelation, that the Soul, or Mind, the chief Agent in Sinning, fhould be the chief Suf- ferer, in the EfFefts of it ; and, as one A6b of Sin hath turned Angels 'into Devils, fo the Sin of the firft Man hath brought an univerfal Dif- order upon the v;hole humane Nature. By this Fall from GOD, the Man has fallen from* his Perfeftion, and greatly enfeebled, and debafed his Nature, and brought a Stain and Blemjfli upon it, by his Soul's being funk under the Power of cor- rupt, and vain Affe6tions, and Lufts ; by which Means, he has loft the Image of his Maker, which was at firft put upon him, and has contrafted the Likenefs of the impure, the falfe, the malicious, and revengeful Spirit •, and fo is become unfit, both, for the Service of the pure and holy GOD, and the Enjoyment of him, until there is a blefled Change wrought in him, tranjlating of him, out of the Kingdom of Satan, into the Kingdom of GOD*s dear Son. For, that Heart which is naturally full of Sin, and Enmity againft GOD, and wholly bent to tranfgrefs his holy Law, muft be firft altered, changed, renewed, by the VVorkmanfliip of the divine Spirit upon it, before it can pofTibly be in a State of Friendfhip with GOD, or take Delight in doing his Will j the Tree muft be made Good, that the Fruit may be Good ; And there- fare * Serm^V. Divine Commandment, 123 fore it is we are told, ^hey that are in the Fkjh, cannot pleafe GOD (h) •, and, Except ye he con- verted, ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, (i) Now the great End and Defign of the divine Commandment is, to accomplifh this beautiful, and glorious Change in the Soul of a Sinner, to recover him from the Empire of Sin, and Satan, over him, to free him from the Dominion of his fordid Lufts, and Paflions, and vindicate him into the Liberties of the Sons of GOD, that is, to make a new Creature of him, and reftore him to that Perfedlion, and Integrity, which he loft. The Pfalmijl therefore takes Notice of this, as the End of the Commandment, and what ftamps a pe- culiar Excellency upon it ; || 'The Law of the LORD is perfe^^ converting the Soul. This convinces the Sinner that he is fo, and fhews him the vile, and odious, Nature of Sin, and what a mean and defpicable Creature it renders him, prepofterous in his Views, irrati- onal in his Adions, a Slave to more than brutilh Appetites, ever adling below- himfelf, ever hurting and wounding himfelf, and bringing Reproach, and Shame, upon himfelf ; of all which, until he has a thorow Sight and Senfe, and feels fomething of the Smart and Pain, in the Uneafinefs of his Mind, at his Condition, he is never like to be a true Convert. The firft Thing in Converfion is, to bring the Sinner to a fuitable Convidion of his prefent wretched, miferable. Condition, by Reafon of Sin. For tht Whole need not a Phyftcian, but they that are ftck (k). While a Man thinketh himfelf to be whole, be he ever fo fick, he is not apprehenfive of his Danger, and (bj Rom. vlii. 8. fi) Matth. xviii. 3. I| PfaL xix. 7, {k) Matlb. ix. \ 2, therefore J 24 7^^ Excellency of the Serm. V. therefore is at no Pains to feek out for Help ; but when once he comes fo much to himfelf, as, to feel himfelf fick, then a Phyfician will be welcome to him, and he will be in earneft in feeking Help from him, and in following his Direcflions, in Hope of a Cure. So the Soul mufl: firft feel, perceive, and be thorowly fenfible, of its own fick, and dan- gerous. Condition \ that' is, it muft be thorowly convinced of its own Sinfulnefs, and the infinite Evil of Sin, that the Wrath of GOD cometh upon the Children of Bifobedience ; that is, it muft fee it felf dead^ and damned, in the Eye of the Law, by Reafon of Sin, before it will look to CHRIST for Help, or take any Pains to alter its prefent Temper and Courfe. And this Conviction 'tis the Defign of the divine Commandment to bring the Sinner to. Therefore you find the holy Apoftle Paul, from his own Experience, alTuring of us, {k) That he was alive without the Law once ; that is, in his own Apprehenfion, all was well with him, fo ftupidly ignorant was he of the Diforders of his own Heart, and infenfible of the Irregularity of his A6lions, and what all would end in, as that he knew nothing amifs in himfelf, and feared no Danger : But ( fays he ) when the Commandment came. Sin revived, and I died : That is, when the exceeding broad Commandment was brought home to him, and appeared in its true Light, and full Extent, then he law the Life and Power of Sin in him, and what a bafe and unreafonable Part he had been afting all his Life long, in tranf- greffing that holy and good Commandment ; and he faw what was the Fruit, and Wages, of Sin, that it expofed him to the Wrath and Curfa of Almighty GOD ; and this was a full Cpn- (ij Rem. vii. 9. vidion Serm. V. Divine Comma?7dme7tt, 125 vidtion to him, that he needed a Change both, in the Temper of his Mind, and in his State, otherwife he was a dead Man, dead in Tref- palTes and Sins, and under a Sentence of Con- demnation, as the juft Punifhment of all his Folly. Befides ; the Commandment means not only, to give ns a Sight of our Weaknefs, and Difor- der, but, effedlualiy to recover us from under the Power of them ; to convince us of our Sin, and fubdue it in us, to break us off" from our Love to, and Delight in. Vanity, and convert us from the Error of our Ways. Therefore it publiflies to us what is the pofitive Will and Pleafure of our high Sovereign, that we may know what our Lord and Matter requires of us ; that GOD hath com- manded all Men every where now to repent (I) ; cdjl away from you all your Tranfgre^wns, whereby ye have tranfgrejfed, and make you a new Hearty and a new Spirit (m) : And again, ^ajb ye^ make you clean, put away the Evil of your Doings, from before mine Eyes j ceafe to do evil, learn to do well, (n) Thus does the divine Commandment pofitively enjoin Repentance, and Renovation of Heart, and Life, upon us : And, that it might carry the greater Force with it, and work us into a Compliance with what it demands of us, it preffes our Duty upon us with the moft moving Confiderations, with the Hopes of Pardon, and Mercy, from a gracious GOD, if we fincerely re- pent, and turn, from our evil Ways ; {0) Let the Wicked forfake his Way, and the unrighteous Man his Thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have Mercy on him, and to our GOD, for be will abundantly pardon : And it threatens the (IJ Aas xvii. 30. (m) Ezei. xviii. 31. (n) J/a.i. 16, 17. (oj I/a. Iv. 7. moft 126- The Excellency of the Serm. V. mod terrible Punifhment, the moft amazing Mi- fery, in Cafe we refufe to hearken to the Demand, and chufe to go on in our Sins •, {p) That GOD will render Indignation, and Wrath, Tribulation,' and Anguijh, to every Soul of Man that doth Evil, of the Jew firfi, and alfo of the Gentile.. And that the Threatning might not lofe its Force, by our vainly imagining, that a good GOD will not be fo fevere upon us, but will be better to us than his Word, he has let us know what he has already done unto finning Angels, though a more noble Order of Beings than our fclves : That He hath referved them, in everlafiing Chains, under Dark- nefs, unto the Judgment of the grea^ Day. (?) Yea further -, Through the AfTiflance of the divine Spirit, the Commandment becomes effec- tual for the Converfion of the Sinner. Accord- ingly, the Apoflle fays, {r) The Weapons of our Warfare are not carnal, hut mighty, through GOD^ to the pulling down of Jlrong Holds, cajling down Imaginations, and every high Thing that exalteth it felf againfl the Knoivledge of GOD, and bringijjg into Captivity, every Thought, to the Obedience of Chrifi. And when GOD gives Men up to re- probate Minds, that the Word Ihall have no Power upon them to convert them, it is by moiiing their Hearts fat, and their Ears heavy, and by flout- iing their Eyes, lefl they fee with their Eyes, and hear with their Ears, and fhould underfiand with their Hearts, and fhould be converted, (s) And GOD has been pleafed to honour his own Commandment, by making ufe of the preaching of the Word, as the ordinary Means by which Sinners have been converted ; which made the '(p) Rem. ii. 6, 9. (q) Jude ver. 6. (r) 2 Cor. X. 4. (s) Ifa. vi. 10. ')ojtle Serm. V. Divine Coinjnandment, 127 Jpoftle fay, (t) I am not ajhamed of the Go/pel of CHRIST ; for it is the Power of GOD unto Sal- vation^ unto every one that believeth. Thus by the Preaching of Peter^ and the other ApofileSy at Pentecoft, ('^J ahut three Thoufand were pricked at the Heart, and faid, Men, and Brethren, what Jhall we do ? and they gladly received the Word, and were baptifed. Thus alfo, by the preaching of Paul, {w) the Lord opened the Heart of Lydia t that is, Ihe became a real Convert, whofe Heart received the Word, and fubmitted to it. And this is ever the gracious Defign of the Word, ■wherever it comes, to turn Men from Darknefs, to Light, and from the Power of Satan, unto GOD, that they may be made really good Men. Wherefore, (3.) The Defign of the divine Commandment is, to fandlify us, and make us holy ; to make us Partakers of the divine Nature, and influence us to live the divine Life. Whereby is given unto us exceeding great and precious Promifes, that by thefe you might be Partakers of the divine Nature (x). Holinefs is the Glory of the divine Nature *, (y ) GOD is glorious in Holinefs. Holinefs, in us, is our Conformity unto the Image of GOD, in Righ- teoufnefs, Mercy, and Truth &c, and in our Love to all that is good, and Hatred of all that is evil ; and this is to be perfe5f^ as our Father, which is in Heaven, is perfe^. This is that which the divine Commandment aims at, and what it has a direct Tendency to pro- duce in us. It does not mean to convert us from Sin, and leave us in a State of Indifferency, or to make us only negatively holy, but it's Defign is, to make us pofitively holy, in the Stamp, and (t) Rom. I. i6. (u) Aa. ii, 37, 41. (^) Aa. x\'i. 14. (x) z Pet. I. 4. {y) Exod, XV. II. Charafters it 2 8 I'he Excellency of the Serm. V; Charafters of the divine Likenefs, renewed upon t)ur Souls, and in our living in the Exercife of thofe Vertues, and Graces, which are required of us ; that is. That we improve the Grace conferred upon us in our firft Converfion, and make Pro- grefs in mortifying of our corrupt Part, and living more in Conformity unto the Will of GOD : and it is our own Fault, if we do not improve the Commandment fo as to anfwer the good End which GOD aims at, in giving it unto us. Hence it enjoyns Holinefs upon us, in the general •, (2) As he who hath called you is holy, fD be ye holy, in all Manner of Converfalion ; becaufe it is written, he ye holy, for I am holy. And it direfts us to the particular Vertues of which Ho- linefs confifts : That [a) whatfoever things are true, whatfoever Things are honeft, whatfoever Things are jujt, whatfoever Things are piire^ whatfoever Things are lovely, whatfoever Things are of good Report ; if there be any Virtue, if there be any Praife, think on thefe Things, (b) Add to your Faith, Vertue ; and to Vertue, Knowledge •, and to Knowledge, Temperance ; and to Temperance, Patience -, and to Patience, Godli- nefs ; and to Godlinefs, Brotherly-Kindnefs ; and to Brotherly-Kindnefs, Charity. Hence alfo, it fets before us, the excellent Ex- ample of the moft holy Life of the blefled JESUS, his Piety, Devotion, and Reverence, to GOD ; his Temperance, Patience, and Humility, in the Government of himfelf ; and his Righteoufnefs, Meeknefs, Benevolence, and Charity, in his Be- haviour towards Man ', and all to raife our Am- bition, that we may go and do likewife : And it entertains us with the Lives of the Prophets, and Apojtles, and other Men of GOD, who were fub- (zj I Pef.i, 15, 16. {a)P/;i/. iv. 8, {h) 2 Pet. i. 5, 6, 7. jea Serm. V. Divine Commandment, 129 je6t unto like Pafllons with our felves, that we may learn to fhun their Errors, and imitate their Excellencies, and fo be Followers of them, who throfigh Faith and Patience, inherit the Pro- mires. This is the natural Effe6l, and genuine Pro- duce, of that Law which is itfelf holy, and re- quires Holinefs of us ; which has an holy GOD, for its Author, and leads to a holy JESUS. The Commandment fhines full, and clear, with this beautiful Afped upon it. Even our San£fification, for this is the Will of GOD concerning us. (c) Ic tends to beget in us all the Graces of the Holy Spirit, Love^ Joy^ Peace, Long-fuffering, Gentlenefs^ Goodnefs, Faith, Meeknefs, Temperance. 'Tis the good Seed, which, fown in good Ground, fpring- eth up, in the Fruits of Holinefs, unto eter- nal Life. 'Tis the incorruptible and immortal Seed (d), by which we are begotten again, unto GOD, and have the Difpofition of our heavenly Father ruling in us, and his Image fhining upon us. The Apollle James therefore fays, (e) Of his own Will begat he us, by his Word of Truth : And the Apoftle Paul glories in his being inftru- mental, through GOD, by the preaching of the Gofpel, for the Sancflification of the Corinthians^ (e) Though you have ten Thoufand Inftru^ors in Chrift, yet have ye not many Fathers -, for, in Chrifi Jefus, I have begotten you through the Gofpel. And to add no more, hence our bleffed Saviour, in his devout Prayer for his Difciples, informs us, what is the End and Defign of the Commandment, in that Petition, (g) San5iify them through thy Truths thy Word is Truth. (c) I Tief.iv. 3. (^) I Pef. i. 23. [e] Jam. i. 18, (/) I Cor. iv. 15. {g) Job. x\ni. 17. K This 130 ^he Excellency of the Serm. VI. This fufficiently fiiews us, that the noble Defign of the divine Commandment is, the making of us good Men ; and that the Goodnefs which it aims at, and accomplifheth in all the People of GOD, far furpafTes all the Excellency and Good- nefs which the greateft mcer Moralift could boaft of. Though the Com.mandmentof GOD ftridly requires Morality, without which there can be no Likenefs to GOD, nor Acceptance with him ; yet this is not all that is expefted from us ; but there is fomething more in being a Chrijiian. An Heathen may glory in his Morality -, and, indeed, confidering the mighty Difadvantages he labours under, a moral Heathen is a very great Attain- ment ; but it is juftly required of the Chrijiian , who enjoys a clearer Light, ftronger Motives, and a" more powerful AfTiftance, that he be, and do, more than others (h), who are not favoured with the like excellent Means ; that he has more noble Principles to aft and govern him, that he walks by a more exaft Rule, and that he be pof* fcfTed of more excellent Virtues, than ever lodged in the Breaft of a meer Moralift : In fhort, that he has the Grace of GOD, a vital Principle of fpiritual and divine Life produced in him, by the quickening and enlivening Influences of the di- vine Word, and Commandment, accompanied with the prevailing Operations of the Holy Spirit of GOD ; and that is a more exalted and refined Vertue, and Goodnefs, than a Seneca, or a Plato, were ever Mafters of. Thus, under thefe two Heads, of making us wife, and good, I have endeavoured to Ihew you, that the divine Commandment is exceeding broad, and has fuch an Excellency and Perfedion in it, as is not to be found in all the Creatures j for (6) Matth. V. 47. thus Serm. V. Divine Commandment. i\x thus it becomes perfe£iive of our Nature^ renewing of us in Knowledge^ and Righteoufnefs, by regulat- ing of our Powers, and curing the Diforders of our Souls, by recovering of us to a God-like Temper, and Behaviour, and rendering of us uni- verfally Beneficent ; which blefled Privilege, un- der the firft Do6lrine, I lliew'd you, the Creature was not able to convey to us. K 2 SERMON 32 l*he Excellency of the Serm. VI. SERMON VI. Psalm CXIX. 96. I have feen an End of all Per- feBion ; but thy Commandfneiti is exceeding broad* I AM upon the Second Dodrine contained in thefe Words, viz. Doc. II. The Commandment of GOD is ex- ceeding broad. I propofed to evidence the Excellency of the Divine Commandment, by difcourfing on, I. The Original of it. II. The Subjed-Matter of it. III. The Extent of it objedlively. IV. The great End and Defign of it. And V. The Duration of it. AH of which will help to fhew us the Excellency of the divine Com- mandment, beyond what is to be feen upon the Creatures. Under Serm.VI. Divine Commandment 133 Under the Fourth of thefe Heads, namely, IV. The great End and Defign of thefe Com^ mandment of GOD, I propofed to take a View of its Excellency, as the manifeft Defign thereof, is to make us, 1. Truly Wife : 2. Really Good : And 3. Compleatly Happy. I have difcourfed on the firfi: of thefe, viz. 1. The Defign of the divine Commandment h to make us truly wife -, as it affords us the beft Means to be wife for the Things of this World, but much more as it tends to make us wife tp Salvation. I have alfo fbewed, 2. The great Defign of the divine Command- ment is to make us really Good. And this k apparent, in that it is admirably calculated, to be- get Faith in us, in GOD, his Being, and adorable Perfedions, and in JESUS CHRIST as our only Saviour ; as alfo to convert the Soul, by convinc- ing the Sinner of his Sinfulnefs, and Mifery, and turning him from the Error of his Ways j and to fandify and make us holy, and God-like, giving us the mofl holy Laws, and fetting before us the raofl holy Example j and by this Means to make us really Good. I proceed to fay, 3. The great End and Defign of the divine Commandment is, to make us compleatly Happy.' You fee I keep in my View thq two Rules, I K 3 fornierl]^ 134- 5^^ Excellency of the Serm. VL Formerly laid down, by which to make Trial of the Perfeflion of any Thing, as it relates to us ; and, when we examine the divine Commandment by them, we find there is an exacft Agreement between them, which is a full Proof of the e?c- ceeding Breadth, the tranfcendent Excellency of it. We have feen, under the foregoing Heads, that it is pcrfeftive of our Nature, and now if we take a View of the Afpedt it has upon our Hap- pinefs, we fhall fee, that the glorious DeGgn of the Commandment, what GOD intends by privi- leging of us with it, and what it has a diredl Ten- dency to, is, to bring us unto true, compleat, and cndlefs Happinefs : It means to afford us all the Happinefs, Joy, and Comfort, we are capable of here, and bring us to compleat and endlefs Hap- pinefs hereafter. I. The exceeding Breadth of the divine Com- mandment is feen, in that Comfort, and Joy, of Soul, which it aims at, in us, while we are here in the prefent World. We are very prone to be miftaken in our Notions of Comfort, Joy, and Pleafure, and think that they all are to be found, in the PoiTefTion of, what we call, a Fulnefs, and Sufficiency of earthly Delights, as Silver, and Gold, Houfes, and Lands, and Children, and Friends, and the like ; or in the Abundance of the Pleafures of Senfe, and that there is no Joy like the noify Mirth of Fools, reveling over their Cups, and fporting themfelves with Vanity, or in the gratifying of fome fleflily Appedtes : Where- as, if we do but confider Things a little clofely, we may eafily difcern the Truth of what our Sa- viour tells us, (/■) A Man's Life^ (much more the 'Comfort of it) does not conjijl in the Abundance of the 'things which he pojfejfeth. The fulleft Pof- (i) Luke xii. 15. fefTions Scrm,y J. Divine Commandment. 13^ fefllons are often the Companions of an uneafy, difturbed Mind, and the greateft noify Mirth and -Jollity is very confiftent with inward Perplexity -, for even in Laughter the Heart is forrowful, and the End of that Mirth is Heavinefs -, as the wife Man obferves {k). But there is a fpiritnal Solace, and Joy of Soul, which is peculiarly the Entertain- ment, and Satisfadlion, of the Saint : An heaven- ly Delight it is I Which even the holy Soul himfelf experiences, not always, hut only when he is under the Influence of the more vigorous and lively Ex- ercife of his Graces, and as it pleafes his heavenly Father fovereignly to difpenfe his fpecial Favours to his Children : And this is a Joy too bright, and pure, for the carnal Heart, in its dark, and polluted State, to have the lead Sight, or Tafte of. This is a Joy which a Stranger intermeddleth not with. Doubtlefs, the holy and good Man will have his uneafy Senfations, as well as othe^ Men, produced, by the Wounds that may be given to his Body, Name, Family, or Intereft, which he is liable unto, in comm.on with others, while he is in a World of Sin, and Sorrow : But yet, if, al the fame Time, he has that to comfort him, which is an Over-balance unto all his Pains, and is fufficient to afford him inward Peace and Joy, he may well be faid to be an happy Man, not- withftanding all the adverfe Circumftances that attend him. And this is the Cafe of every truly good Man, he not only has enough to keep him from finking under his prefent Difficulties, but to caufe him to rejoice in Tribulation. Now, this fpiritual Delight and Joy is all of it adminiftred unto the Soul, by the divine Com- mandment, as the great Inftrument the holy Spirit: {k] Prov.XiV. 13, (IJ 2 Cor. vii. 4. K 4 ' makes 136 The Excellency of the Serm. VI. makes Ufe of, to irradiate, and comfort, the re- newed Mind. 'Tis this makes us the capable Subjeds of this Joy ; this hands the Comfort out into the Soul ; this leads the Soul to the Foun- tain, to drink of the pure River of Pleafures, and take in of the Fulnefs of Joys. Hence our blefled Lord, in that heavenly Difcourfe he made to his Difciples, a little before his Death, fays to them, {ni) ^hefe things have I fpoken unto you^ that my Joy might remain in you, and that your Joy might be full. And fo the beloved Difciple of our Lord tells us, in his firft Epi^le, (n) That which was from the Beginning, which we have heard — of the Word of Life \ — thefe Things write we unto you, that your Joy might he full. Here I fhall take Notice of two Things in particular, I. The Commandment adminifters Support and Comfort to the holy Soul under all his prefent Affli(5lions. We know, that through much Tri- bulation we mufl enter into the Kingdom of GOD* and that many are the Jffii5fions of the Righteous \ j yet, neverthelefs, our heavenly Father, in his ten- der Compaffion to us, hath laid in a fufficient Stock of Comfort for us, in his holy Word, in the many Encouragements, and precious Promifes therein fet before us, futed to our prefent Condi- tion, be it what it will. Not only are we direfted thereby, fo to govern, and bejiave ourfelves, ^s that we do not, by our Sloth and Negligence, our Impatience and Pec- vifhnefs, our Raflmefs and Inconfideratenefs, our Intemperance and Wantonncfs, our Falfenefs and InJLirioufnefs, and many other foolifh Ways, bring Vipon ourfelves thofe many Diftrefles and Perplexi- (m) Job. XV. II. (n) I Job. i. \, 4. * Als xiv. 22. ties. Serm.VI. Divine Commandment, 13^ ties, which the ungodly World involve themfelves in ; but when our heavenly Father fees it meet, in His holy Sovereignty, to lay any kind of Afflic- tion and Sorrow upon us, He alfo, for our En- couragement and Support, gives us herein His gra- cious Promife to he with us (/), and never to leave us nor forfake us («), to uphold us from falling {w), and prevent our Burdens from being too heavy for us, and upon our earned and fiducial Calling upon Him, to deliver us out of them ^ [x) if he fi^.s it hefi ; and, in the mean while, that we may be enabled, patiently, and chearfully, to bear what He appointeth for us, He affureth us, in His Word, of His Fatherly Love, and Compaflion, to us, under all, and that He meaneth all for our real Benefit and Advantage -, that we may be more weaned from a vain and thorny World, by our too fond Regards to which we often hurt and wound ourfelves, and may be more at Liberty to mind, and fecure, our fpiritual and eternal Intereft ; to work upon our Corruptions, and purge away the Remainder of our Filth, that we may be more pure and Godlike •, to fearch at ,1 ry us, and dif- cover the Reality, and Strength, 01 our Faith and Vertue, to ourfelves, that we may rejoice in the Profpeft, and to others, that they ^ny be allured unto real Godlinefs ; and, finnliy, lo be the Means to promote and encreafe, our future Crown of Glory. And who can think 'ierioufly of tbele mighty Advantages from the divine Command- ment, or have any Perception of them, without feeing, that here is enough, not only to keep him from finking into Difpondency, in the Day of Afflidion, but, to enable him to count it all Joy when he falls into diverfe Temptations ? (/) Pf. xci. 15. (u) Heb. xiii. 5. (^) Ifai xli. 10.' {x) Job. V. 19, Thus; 138 Tide Excellency of the Serm. VI. Thuc, under all our outward, and worldly Sor- rows, we may repair to the divine Commandment, and find a Word peculiarly adapted to our Cir- cumftances, from which, by a due Improvment of it, we may fetch in fo much of Light and Joy, as fhall raife us above the Impreflions, which our Affli(Sions would, otherwife, make upon us. Thus, when we meet with any heavy Lofles, and Bereavements, and we find the perilhing Creature wings itfelf away from us, we have this to fup- port, and comfort us, under all, ( yet his Path- Way, when he retires within himfelf, and takes a Survey of himfelf, and his Adions, affords him true Peace, and Serenity of Mind. Hence we read, (J) of all Joy in believing : and, {m) of rejoicing with Joy unfpeakable, and full of Glory. For now the holy Soul can fay, " I " have an advocate with the Father, JESUS " CHRIST the righteous, who is a Propitiati- " on for my Sins : and if any thing can yield true Joy, and Peace, to the Soul, certainly a Senfe of GOD's being, in CHRIST, reconciled to us, and, for His Sake, overlooking our Infir- mities, and fully pardoning all our Iniquities, and delivering of us from the Curfe, and entituling of us to the promifed Blefling, will. Hence alfo we read, of the Comforts of the Holy Ghojl {n). For when that Holy Spirit brings home the Soul unto GOD, and enableth it to yield a hearty, fincere, and univerfal. Obedience to the Divine Commandment, He takes up his Refidence in that Soul, and Iheds abroad his holy and heavenly, Influences in it, by which it is that the Soul is made willing, and obedient ; and wherever He dwells, we may reafonably expeft that, there will be true folid Joy and Comfort ; {i) 2 Cor. 1, 12. {/) Rom: XV, 13. («) i P^t. l S. («) J^. ix, 31, becaufe 144 ^^ Excellency of the Serm. VL becaufe it is His proper Office, as the Divine Paraclete^ to adminifter Joy, as well as to fanc- tify ; and therefore is He ftiled {o) the Com- forter ; who zmtnejjeth "dvith our Spirits^ that we are the Children of GOD, and Heirs of Sal- vation. Thus, the natural Produce of the divine Com- mandment is, the bright Rays of divine Light, and Joy. This is the Joy of the Lord., {p) and the Peace of GOD which paffeth all Under- ftanding (q) I This Comfort, and Joy, is the Saints peculiar Friviledge, and is the higheft Degree of Happinefs he is capable of in this World -, and is to him the Earneil, and Foretalte of the Heavenly State. This the Wicked, who live in Difobedi- ence to the Commandment of GOD, and have no Delight in his Word, know nothing of : but the Wicked are like the troubled Sea, when it cannot reft, whofe Waters cajl tip Mire, and Dirt -, there is no Peace, faith ray GOD, unto the Wicked -f : Wafting, and DeJlruBion, are in their Paths, the Way of Peace they know not ; they have made them crooked Paths, whofoever goeth therein floall not know Peace *. The exceeding Breadth of the divine Com- mandrrient is feen, in that full, compleat, and endlefs Happinefs, which it lead to, in the World that is to come. That no Man is truly happy, until he arrives at his End, has been an old Ob- fervation. For, however it may fare with any Man at prefent, we know not what may befall him hereafter ; He that is now in the moft afflidled Condition, may, poflibly, anon, have fuch an happy Turn given to his Circumftances, as that he Ihail never more know any thing that would (o) John xiv. 26. (/> ) Phil. iv. 4. [q) Vsr. 7. f Ifai. Ivii. 20, 21. * Ifai. lix. 7, 8. be Serm. VI. Divine Comma72d77tenL 145 be burdenfome to him, but ever dwell at Reft, iii the quiet PofTelTion of all that is delightful and pleafant to him : or, however agreeable and fatis- fadtory a Man's prefent Circumftances niay be to him, we can't tell, but, that within a little while, he diay undergo llich a Change, in his Con- dition, as to be ftriped of all that was joyous to him, and, inftead thereof, to have a continued Succcflion of Pain, and Anguifli, tormenting of him. And no Man, that thinks calmly^ will fuppofe, that a prefent State of Affluence^ and Delight, will render that Perfon Happy, who mult by and by change the Scene, and pafs into a final State, and of longer in Duration, of the extreameft Want, and the moft exquifite Pain. No ; He is the truly happy Man, who ends happily j who, whatever be his prefent Circumftances, fhali anoii pofiefs all that is agreeable to him, without anj^ Mixture of Uneafinefs, or Fear of his evet altering his Condition for the worfe. Now, it is the blefled Defign of the divine Commandment, to lead us unto this happy Endj to render our final, and laft. State in which we Ihall exift longeft, and from which we Ihall know no Alteration, a State of true Pleafure, and endlefs Satisfaflions, to us. 'Tis this that informs us of a State of lijpream, and endlefs. Glory, and Happinefs, to be enjoyed in the future Worlds after a Period is put to the prefent Life -, without which Information we fhould have had no juft Conceptions about it. (r) Our Saviour JESUS CHRIST, who hath abolijhed Death, hath troughs Life, and Immortality, to Light, through the G of- pel. {s) The Hope which is laid up for you in Heaven, whereof ye heard before in the Word of the Truth of the GofpeL (r) 2. 7im. i. jo. (;) Col. i. 5, 146 'The Excellency of the Serm. VI. This fbew us how, and by what means, this happy State is procured for i]«;, namely, by JE- SUS CFiRI'^T, who, {t.joraf^nuch as the Chil- dren are i 'artakers cf FUJI} and Bloody Hwifelf alfo likewife *n.:k part of the fame, that, thro* Death, he might dejt) oy him tkot had the Power of Death, that is the Devil : b> vv '-;o;e Blood we have Boldnefs to enter into the llohejl («), hy a new, and living Way He ha h confecraledjcr us, thro' the Vail, that is to fay. His F'l^j : who, (w) as our Fore- Run- ner, is for us enured within the Vail, and (s) will come again, and receive us unto himfelf, that where He is, there we may be alfo. This Ihews u^ the Path Way leading unto Life, and acquaints us with thofe Terms, which GOt) hath prefcribed, to be comphed with by us, in Order to our fafe Arrival at this happy State ; that (^y) He that believeth, and is baptized^ fhall be faved ; and he that believeth not fhall be damned : that, (z) they that hear His Voice, and follow Him, He will give unto them eternal Life^ and they fhall never perifh ; that, {a) it is by pa^ tieitt Continuance in the IVay of IVell- doing that we are to feek for Glory, Honour, and Immortality, and fhall obtain Eternal Life. *Tis this alfo that qualifies us for the Enjoy- ment of the promifed Felicity, by pourtraying the Lineaments, and Charafters, of the Divine Image upon our Souls, and making of us like to GOD, and meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light -, thus 'tis the Word of Truth, the Gofpel of our Salvation {b) ; 'tis (c) the Light of the Glorious Gofpel of Christ, that Jhinetb {() Heb. \\. 14.. (u) Bel. X. 19, 20, [n^:) Heb. vi. zo* (x) Job. xiv. 3. (y.) Mar. xvi. 16. {z) Job. X. 27, 28. (a) Rom. ii. 7. {b) Eph. i. 13. {c) z Cor. iv. 4, 6. into Sefm. VI. Divine Commandment, 147 into our Hearts^ to give us the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of GOD in the Face of Jefus Chriff -, and (d) we are made Partakers of His Promife in Chrifl, by the Gofpel. And finally, it is this that affures, and con- firnls, this Happinefs to us, and according to which we Ihall receive our future Reward ; [e) This is the Promife He hath promifed us, even e- ternal Life ; (/) If ye know thefe things, happy are ye if ye do them : and, (g) GOD Jhall judge the Secrets of Men, by Jefus Chrifi, according to my Gofpel. The whole Gofpel is a clear De- monftration that this is the great End and De- fign of the Cornmandment, to bring us to the full Enjoyment of true and compleat Happinefs j and therefore is it faid, {h) to he a Word able to fave your Souls. Thus, the Commandment appears to be ex- ceeding broad, in that it leads to compleat Happi- nefs, in the World to come ; and its Perfefti- on will be more fully feen, by confidering the Suitablenefs, the Fulnefs, and the Durable nefs, of this Happinefs to us. I. The Suitablenefs of this Happinefs, 'Tis a Felicity every way adapted to Our Nature, and to our Condition. *Tis fuitable to our Natures, fpiritual as we are •, and this renders it an happy State, in- deed, becaufe therein is poflfeffed what is moft agreeable unto us •, fo that there is no Jar between our Nature, and the Objefls from whence our Happinefs refulteth. It confifteth in fpiritual En- joyments, GOD, and CHRIST, and holy An- gels, and the Spirits of juft Men made perfedl ; for we fliall then, come to the City of the living (d) Eph. iii. 6. [c] Joh, ii. 25. (/) Jok, xiii. 17. (y) Rom. ii. 16. [h) Jam. i. 2I. L 2 QOD 148 The Excellency of the Se r m . VI. GOD, to the heavenly Jerufalem, to the Spirits bf Juji Men made ferfe^, to the innumerable Compd- fry of Jngels, to the general JJfembly, and Church of the Firjl-horn, and to GOD the Judge of all, and to JESUS the Mediator {i). The Pleafure, Sa- tisfadion, and Joy, are all the moft fpiritual, as are, in fome Meafure, the lefTer Degrees of it, which the Saint experiences here : our Bodies themfelves will then be fpiritualifed, and be no more capable of the carnal Joys which now af- fed: them. The Services, and Employments, of Heaven are fpiritual alfo -, Hallelujahs, and Praife, and the higheft Devotion, being the Work of Saints, and Angels, throughout an end- lefs Eternity. 'Tis an Happinefs fuited to our Condition and Circumftances, and contains in it a perfect De- liverance from all Evil, both of Sin, and of Pu- nilhment. For, there entreth into the holy City above, nothing that defileth, or ivorketh Jbominati- on, or maketh a Lye (k). The holy Soul will carry no Remainders of Corruption with hirn there, to difcompofe, or pollute, his Mind, and marr the PJeafancy of his Society, and Converfe ; nor fhall any tempting Devil there invade him, but there is perfed Harmony, and perfed Purity. There no Sorrow fhall difturb us, but (/) GOD fhall ivipe away all Tears from our Eyes ; and there fhall be no mere Death, neither Sorrow, nor Crying, neither fhall there be any more Pain. V/e fliall then be fubjed to none of thofe afflidive Evils, which our Lives here are often imbittered with ; nor fhall the Second Death have any Power over us (m). (/■) Heh. xiJ. 21. 24. {k) R.'v. xxi. 17. (/) Rtv. xxi, 4. {m) Rtv. XX. 6. This Serm. VI. Divme Commandment, 1 49 This happy State confifteth in the Poffeflion of a fiiitable Good, what a rational, and im- mortal, Soul craves after, and is delighted in. Then GOD Ihall be all in all unto the Soul «, and the PofTeflion of him, who is the Perfeflion of Beauty, will be fuch an agreeable Happinefs, that the Soul can wifh for nothing in Heaven befides him. Then the dear Objeft of our Af- fedtion, who hath fo loved us as to give himfelf for us, to wafh away our Sins in his own Blood, will forever appear before us, not, as on Earth, with a Crown of Thorns, and his Vifage marr*d more than any Man's, but, in all the radiant Luftre of an enthroned Redeemer, furrounded with the glorious Retinue of the heavenly Hoft, fhouting their loud Hofannahs to the incarnate Son of GOD ; and the Sight, and Enjoyment of him, whom here we have not feen, but loved, will be the continual Satisfafbion, and Delight, of the holy Soul ; whofe devout Breathings now are, like that of the Pfalmijly {n) Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and there is nothing on Earth that I defire befides thee. 2. This Happinefs is moft full and fufficient, anfwerable to our Wants, and our moft enlarged Defires. 'Tis not only fuitable unto our Nature, but there is enough of it, and to fpare. There is fuch a Fulnefs, in the Happinefs of Heaven-, that the Soul cannot polTibly need any thing more, to render it poffefled of true and unfpeakable Felicity, and that far beyond what are it's prefent moft raifed Expeiflations, and earneft Cravings. For, (d) Eye hath not feen, nor Ear heard, neither- hath it entred into the Heart of Man to conceive^ how great things GOD hath laid up^ for them that love him. (nj Pf. Ixxiii. 25. (0) i Car. ii. 9. L 3 FulneSa. 150 The Excellency of the Serm. VI. Fulnefs, and Sufficiency, are very necelTary In- gredients in true Happinefs. For, let a Man's Poffeflions be what they will, yet, if they are rot, equal to his Defires, he is miferable, in the Mid ft of his greateft Abundance •, becaufe his Deftres^ of what he has not, and cannot have, will he a continual torment to him. But here, in the Happinefs of the future World, there is an im- menfe Fulnefs j not Streams only, but Rivers of Pleafure, not Abundance only, but Fulnefs of Joys, which are at GOD's Right Hand (p). 'Tis a Satisfying Fulnefs, which compleatly fills every Appetite of the Soul -, and more -, the holy Soul enters into the Joy of his Lord (q). He is fwal- lowed up with ineffable Delights and Satisfac- tions. In fhort •, There is enough in GOD, and CHRIST, and Heaven, to fatisfy all the Ap- petites of the innumerable Hofts of Heaven ; and, whilft each particular Believer fliall have a? much as he can contain, there remains an infinite Ocean of Delights behind, from whence all the glorified Angels derive their unutterable Joys, and yet, there is no more of an Abatement, and lowering, of the Fountain, than if there were none of thofe Miriads of Streams continually iffuing from it, which everlaftingly delight thofe happy Spirits. 3. Laftly ', to render this Happinefs truly com- pleat, it fhall never have an End. The Happi- nefs, which the divine Commandment leads us to, not only fucceeds to that mixed Condition which attends us while we are in this World, and is our lad Stage, after which we fhall know no other State, but it will abide, and continue, with us, throughout an endlefs Duration ; and this renders (/) Pf. xvi. II. ^'7j MaitL. XXV. 21. it Serm. VI. Divine Commandment. 151 it a State of Happinefs indeed. A fliort Fit of Eafe, following upon a much longer one of Pain, is exceeding pleafant j and how greatly would the Pleafure be enhanfed, could we befure the Pain would return no more upon us ? What then will the long, the uninterrupted, the endlefs Delights, and Pleafures, of Eternity be ? How Ravifhing ! how Tratifporting ! mult it be, for the Soul to feel itfelf in the full PoflefTion of perfeft Tranquility, encircled with all that is entertaining, and delightful to it, and co be able to look For- ward, and be affjred, that this State will continue forever and ever ? This is the Condition of the happy Spirits in the heavenly World. The Rivers of Pleafures at GOD's Right Hand con- tinue to flow, and will do fo forever and ever. Nothing fhall be able to dam up the flowing Stream ; no Duration will be fufficient to run it dry ; but, throughout an endlefs Eternity, the Happinefs will remain, and increafe, upon the obedient Soul ; and the more he receives, the more capable will the enlarged Mind be of ad- vanced Degrees of it, and be perpetually as filled, as it is extended, without ever being cloyed, or the leafl: Diminution of the Felicity. The great Author, and Objefl, of this Happi- nefs is, from everlajling to everlafting (r) -, and this Felicity can no more ceafe to flow from him, upon Suppofition of a Subjefl capable of receiv- ing it, than He can ceafe to have a Being. The joyful Partakers of this Happinefs are purified, immortal Spirits (i), and immortal Bo- dies (/) alfo, and confequently the Happineis it. felf muft needs be everlafting. (r) Pf. XC. 2. (s) Matth. X. 28. 0) B €cn. XV, 53, L4 HeaQQ. 1^2 7%e Excellency of the Serm. VL Hence the Seat of this Bleflednefs is ftiled, an everlafting Habitation (u), an Houfe, not made with HandSy eternal in the Heavens (w) ; and the blefled State is termed, eternal Life {x). Thus we fee that the Happinefs of the future World is perfedt and compleat, being fuitable, full, and endlefs ; and that it is the great, and noble End, and Defign, of the Divine Commandment, to bring us to all of this Happinefs, and fix us in it : hence faid our Saviour, (y) I have not fpoken of myfelf, but the Father which fent me^ He gave Me a Commandment ^ what I fhould fay^ and what Ijhould fpeak ; and I know that his Com- mandment is Life everlaffing. Thefe Things fhew us, that the Divine Com- mandment is exceeding broad, confidered as to its gracious End and Defign, which, we fee, is to perfeft our Nature, and compleat our Happi- nefs ; which none, nor all, of the Creatures are able to Effedl. There remaineth one Head more to be fpoken to, which I Ihall more briefly go over, and conclude the do6lrinal handling of thefe Words, viz. V. The Commandment of GOD will appear exceeding broad, if we confider its Duration, that it forever abideth. Duration addeth greatly to the Worth and Excellency of Things which are otherwife valuable. 'Tis This that renders Gold the mod precious of Metals, in the Eftimation of Mankind, that it is lefs Subjedl to Corruption, and Lofs, by Ruft, or to Deftrucftion, by the fe- vered Trial the Fire can make upon it, and fo is of a more durable Nature, than any other. And this ft?mps a peculiar Excellency, and Dig- nity, upon the Commandment, Law, or Word {u) luk. xvi. 9. [nv) 2 Csr. V. i. (.r) Rem. vi. zz. 0) Job. xii. 49, c,o. of # Serm. VI. Divine Com?nandment, 153 of GOD, that, when all the Objeas of Senfe are fading, and perifhing, in their Nature, yet That remaineth fixed, permanent, and abiding, and continueth ftedfaft forever : for, who fliall change what the infinitely great and wife GOD has determined ; or, alter the Thing that hath gone out of His Mouth ? {z) All Flejh is Grafs^ and the Goodlinefs thereof as the Flower of Grafs •,— the Grafs withereth, the Flower fad- eth, but the Word of our GOD fhallfiand forever. Particularly, I. It may not be improper to obferve, the permanent Duration of that excellent Book, which containeth the Commandment of GOD, and handeth to us the Revelation of the Divine Mind and Will unto the World. However the firft Ages of the World, under the Advantage of the Longevity of the Patriarchs, might hav€ the Knowledge of what GOD had revealed, handed down from Father to Son, in a traditionary Way, fufficiently certain, to guide them in their Conduft ; Yet as thofe Revelations multiplied, and the Life of Man was fhortened, the divine Wifdom faw it neceffary, to dired: to a Colledlion of thefe Revelations, ( as far as there was Oc- cafion, ) and committing them td Writing, by Men under the Infpiration and Guidance of the divine Spirit ; that there might be a more certain Conveyance of the various Truths, and Duties, neceffary to be believed, and praftifed, to fucceed- ing Generations, than the Brevity of Life, Defefls of Memory, and finifter Defigns of multiplied Nations of Men, would admit of ; and accord- ingly, all that GOD has feen meet to reveal, and thought proper to preferve, through the Series of the Old-Teftament, and the New, until the facred (z) Ifa. xl. 6, 8. Canon,' 154 ^^ Excellency of the Serm. VI. Canon, the Rule of our Faith, and Manners, was compleated, and there was no Occafion for any New Revelation, has been, at different Times, colledted, and put into Writing, and is contained in that Book we call THE BIBLE, the Book of Books. Now, it is a Matter well worthy of our Obfer- vation, for us to confider, after what a wonderful Manner, this holy Book, containing the Com- mandment, Law, and Word, of our GOD, has been preferved, and handed down to us, through fo many Generations ; notwithftanding all the Malice and Spite, the Rage and Fury, of the World againft it. "When Mofes beheld a Bufli burning with Fire, and yet not confumed, it filled him with Wonder •, and he faid upon it, [a) I will now turn aftde^ and fee this great Sight, why the Bujh is not burnt. That the Word of GOD has continued to this Day, after having endured fo many Ages fiery Trial ; and all the Flames, which the Lufts of Men, and Rage of Devils, have kindled againft it, have not been able to confume it, is little lefs wonderful and furprifing. For it is very certain, that there is no Book in the World fo direftly contrary to the Kingdom, and Intercft, of the Devil, as our Bible is -, no Book fo diametrically oppofite to the carnal Views, and fenfual Pleafures, of Mankind, that gives fuch a Check to their moft violent In- clinations, that fo pungently touches them in the moft tender Point, by thwarting and difturb- ing, of them, in their moft pleafing Gratificati- ons, as this Book does, by the ftridl Holinefs, and Purity of its Dodrines, and Laws •, and therefore it would be no ftrange Thing, but what might be cxpecfted, that Earth and Hell (n\ Exod. iii. •^o lliould Serm. VI. Divine Ccmmardmer.t. 155 fiiould combine together, in their utmoft Endea- vours, to deftroy tiiis holy Book frcm off the Face of the Earth, that there may be no more a Remembrance of it among Meii. And accord- ingly, the Enemy have made their : crce Affaults upon the Bible \ there have bee • ; jblick Orders, and vigorous Attempts, from i > uling Powers of the Earth, to call in, and burn, and deftroy, all the Copies of this Book of CjOD ; and yet it has outlived all the Spite, and Fury, of its perfecuting Adverfaries ; and has been tranflated into moft Languages, and fpread over many and "iriighty Nanons. While innumerable Wridngs, of merely humane Compofition, though greatly valued by the World, have been eaten out, and totally devoured by the Iron Teeth of Time, thefe facred W^ritings, though the firft born of Writings, have remained firm, and fecure, through all Ages, to this Day -, and no Attempts of He- reticks to corrupt them, have been able to pre- vail againft them, but the Impofture has foon been difcovered, and the canonical Books pre- ferved pure, and uncorrupt, in every material Article, to our Times: though probably there may be fome literal, and lefs material Errors, through the Miftakes of Tranfcribers, and Typo- graphers, eafily difcerned and correded. So the Word of GOD abideth forever, and Ihall do fo as long as the World laftetli. And it is no weak Argument of the divine Original of our Holy Bible, that fuch a peculiar Care of divine Providence has been fo evidently manifefted in the Prefervation of it, as has baffled all Endeavours to fupprefs, and deftroy it. If we take a View of the feveral Matters con- tained in our holy Bible, we fhall fee that they are permanent and durable, 1 do not mean now the 1^6 n^e lExcellency of the Serm. VI. the hiftorical Part of the Bible, (tho* even that, being once true, remaineth forever fo,) but I intend thofe Parts of the Bible which refer to our Duty, and our Happinefs ; and, leaving the moral Part to be confidered by itfelf, I fhall here only touch upon fome other Heads. Thus, if we confider the feveral Revelations coijtained in the facred Oracles, we fhall find, that, hov/ever they may, many of them, com- prife fuch deep and myfterious Do6lrines in them, as the greateft Search of the humane Under- ftanding is not able to comprehend, yet, they are fuch fure and certain Truths, as will remain forever immutably the fame : fo that we may lay upon them all, [h) Itb^ Word is true from the Beginnings and every one of thy righteous Judgments endureth forever. Or, if we confider the Predi6lions of the holy "Writings, they will all of them appear to be infallibly certain, and, as many of them have been already exadly fulfilled, fo, they all fhalj, in their due Time, without faiUng in the leaft Point, receive their full Accomplilhment -, and, when they are finally accompli flied, it will re- main an eternal Truth, that they were Predidti- ons of fuch, and fuch, future Events, and that the Event exaftly correfponded with the Produc- tion. Therefore the Prophet Ifaiah introduces GOD Himfelf faying {c) I am GOD, and there is none elfe ; / am GOD, a?td there is none like Me , declaring the End from the Beginning, {ind, from ancient l^imes, the things that are not yet done ; faying my Counfel fhall §fand, and I mill do all my Pleafure. Or, if we confider the Promifes contained in the Word of GOD, we fliall find, that they [I>) PJal. CSvix. 1 60. {r\ ///i:. xh'i. q, 10. are Serm.Vi. Divine CommandfnenL 157 are not Tea^ and Nay^ uncertain, and indeter- minate, Joofe, and changable, but they are all of them Tea^ and Amm^ fure, and infallible^ firmer than Mountains of Brafs, and Ihall all of them, without Exception, in due Time, and in the proper Manner, be fulfilled unto them who are intituled unto them ; being founded upon the immutable Nature of GOD, which admitteth of no Variation, or Shadow of turn- ing ; and when they are once fulfilled are made good forever. Hence the Pfalmift faid, {d) Forever, O Lord, Tby Word is fettled in Heaven ; Thy Word of Promife is ratifyed and confirmed in Heaven j ^hy Faithfulnefs is unto all Generations. So the Religion, taught us in the Word of GOD, abideth forever. Whatever have been the Alterations in the external Modes, Rites, and Ceremonies, of the true Religion, which came down from Heaven, yet, as to the Sub- ftance thereof, it has been, and ever will be, invariably the fame ; therefore it is called^ {e) the Way everlafiing^ and (/) an everla§iing Co- venant. For there never was, nor ever will be, any, from amongft the finful Children of Men, received into the Favour of GOD, but through a Mediator, making himfelf an Offering, and Sacrifice for Sin ; and by a fincere turning from all Wickednefs, and patient Continuance in the Way of Welldoing. The Terms of BlelTednefs are forever the fame. I may add, the BlefTed EfFed of the Word of GOD, upon the hearts of Men, is perma- nent and abiding. That divine Work wrought upon the Soul of a Sinner, whereby he is be- (^ Pfal. cxix. 89. [() Pjal. CXJWcix. 14. (/) I Chron. xvi. 17. gotten 158 The Excellency of the Serm. VI. gotten with the Word of Truth, and has the divine Imaje, and Likenefs, renewed upon him, in a real thorow Converfion to GOD, fhall ne- ver perifh and come to nothing, but be per- feded unto the Day of CHRIST -, He that hath begun the good Work, will take care of the Compleating of it ; and the divine Life, introduced into the Soul, here, by the Vehicu- lum Spiriius^ the Chariot of Salvation, fhall pafs over into eternal Glory. However frail the Be- liever may be in himfelf, and fubjedl to many Weakneffes, and Falls, yet, the divine Power which has taken PoiTeffion of him, will not be forced to lee go it's Hold, but, will uphold^ and preferve him ; and none fhall be able to pluck him out of the Redeemer's Hands. The Seeds of divine Grace, planted in the renewed Soul, are incorruptible, immortal, and fhall never die^ but flourifh forjver and ever. Hence we read (g) of, hing born again, not of corruptible Seed, but of incorruptible . by the Word of GOD, which livetb and abideth forever. 3. The preceptive Part of the divine Command- ment is of Everkfting Duration. I m.can the moral Part of GOD's Law. For, though pofitive Precepts, depending upon the Will of the Law- giver, and the variable Circumftances of the Subje6l, are alterable, at Pleafure, and as thofe Circumftances are changed, yet, the moral Pre- cepts, which flow from the immutable Nature of GOD, and the conftant Nature, and Relation, of Man, remain forever invariable. So the Divine Commandment was a Commandment unto Adam* a Law unto Ifrael, and is fo to us Gentiles, fince* through the tender Mercy of the moft High* the Light of Ifrael is rifen upon us. So that the (g) 1 P(t. 1.23. divine Serm.VI. Divine Commandment. 159 divine Commandment endureth throughout all Ages, as well as extendeth to all Perfons. Hence the Pfalmijl faid, (h) concerning thy Tefiimonies^ I have known of old, that thou haft founded them forever : they are defigned to endure forever, and are infinitely more unchangable than the Laws of the Medes and Perfians. Yea, the Divine Commandment is eternal Verity, founded upon the infinite Perfeftions of the Divine Nature, to which nothing can be added, from which nothing can be wanting, and therefore, like the divine Nature itfelf, fhall endure throughout all Generations, and to an endlefs Eternity. Hence faid our Saviour, (i) Till Heaven and Earth pafs away, one Jot^ or one Tittle, fhall in no wife pafs from the Law. " The moralLaw is unchangable,immutable-, fooner " fhall Heaven and Earth be abolifhed, than the " Authority, and Obligation, of the moral Law " be diffolved f. For though the Believer, when he fhall arrive at his happy Seat, may no long- er be a Subjeft capable of yielding Obedience to this, or that, Part of the Commandment ; ('which was adapted unto him, while he was on Earth,) yet, this argueth no Alteration in the Commandment itfelf, much lefs a nullifying of it ; the Commandment abideth flill, and forever, the fame •, becaufe the natural, and necefTary, Refult of thofe Perfedions which e- ternally centre in GOD ; fo that if there were, through an whole Eternity, a capable Subjeft, every Part of the Commandment, including Moral Duty, would forever remain in Force % but it only argueth a Change in the Subject, and that, becaufe of his, then, advanced State, and Condition, this, or that, Part of the {h) Pf. cxix. 152. (r) Maith.V. 1 8. ^ Mr. Bur kit. Com- i6o The Excellency of the Seriii. VL Commandment would have no Relation to him. To give an Inftance, in that Repentance, and Sorrow of Soul for Sin, which, here, is the great Duty of every Chriftian : Thefe are the na- tural Refult of the Perfeftions of GOD, confi- dered in Relation to a fmful Creature, as yet a Capable Sobjeft of Mercy •, and therefore they forever remain good, in themfelves, though, iri Heaven, there is no Sinner to yield Obedience to them, nor, in Hell, any that are the capable Subjects of Mercy. Though there may be an Alteration in the Capacity, and Relation, of thfe Subjefl, by which Means he is no longer held under Obligation to perform fuch, or fuch a Duty \ that is, is not under Obligations to obey a Law which was not made for him j yet there can be no Alte- ration, flriaiy fpcaking, in the Nature of the Di- vine Commandment -, which is unchangeable^ as GOD himfelf is. So that there is an eierna! Excellency in the Divine Commandment. Thus, I have fhewed you, the Command- ment of GOD is exceeding broad, confidered in the Excellency of its Original ; it's Nature \ and the Extent of it, to every Man, and to our whole Duty ; in it's great End and Defign, to perfect our Nature, and make us compleatly happy ; and in it's eternal Duration ; And, upon the Whole, we fee, with what good Rea- fon the Pfalmijl faid, / have feen an End of all Perfeclion, but thy' Commandment is exceeding broad. I muft now leave the Improvement of thefe things to a farther Opportunity, GOD willing ; Confider what you have now heard, (or read,) end the LORD give you Underjianding in all things., SERMON, Scvm.Yll. Dhlne Commandment, i6i SERMON VIL PSALAI CXIX. 96. / /jave feen an End of all Per- feEimi ; but thy Commandment is exceediftg- broad. THE laft Opportunity I had of difcourfing to you from thefe Words, I finifhed what 1 had to fay upon the Second DofVrine ; viz. That the Commandment of GOD is exceeding broad : under which I have fhewed the ex- ceeding Breadth, or very great Excellency, of the Divine Commandment, in its Original, the Subjefl-Matter of it, it's Extent, the noble End and Defign of it, and in its Duration : and I fhall now proceed to make fome fuitable Im- provement of what has been faid. Ufe I. And the firfl Ufe of this Doctrine may by Way of Information, to inftrud: and teacli us, and that in feveral things. As, I. This Dodiine may ferve to teach us, the wonderful Goodnefs, Mercy, and CompafTi- on, of GOD to a miferable World. The ex- ceeding Breadth of the Divine Commandmcnr, M w(j i62 7'he Excellency of the Serm. Vll. we have feen, lies very much in the gracious Ends and Defigns of it, which are to correal the Diforders of our Nature, and to make hap- py Creatures of us ; and fince thefe are the excellent Defigns of the Divine Commandment, what GOD aims at by it ; and .what it is admirably adapted unto, we have from hence a clear Conviftion of the abundant Mercy, Goodnefs, and Compaffion, of GOD, to fallen miferable Sinners, in fo highly favouring of us, as to make fuch a Revelation of his Mind and Will to us, as may happily recover us from our lapfed Condition, the Sinfulnefs, and the Mifery of it. GOD might, if He had fo pleafed, have left us in the Condition of fal- len Angels, to whom He has made no fuch new Dilcoveries of his Mind and Will, as af- fords any Diredlion, and Encouragement, unto them, to return to their Duty to Him, with the AfTurance, of their being forgiven their pail OiTtnces, and received into his fpecial Fa- vour, in Cafe they do fo : v.'hereas he has been pleafed to deal quite otherwife with us, and has given us His Word, his Command- ment, the Revelation of his Will concerning us, that hereby we might be diredled in the whole of our Duty, both as to Faith, and Man- ners, and that we might have all imaginable Encouragement, to return to him, and careful- ly attend our Duty, from the fullefl AfTurances, that, through the Mediation of his dear Son, He is moft ready to admit us into his Friend- fhip, and bellow upon us all the Happinefs we are capable of receiving. What Obligations could the divine Majefly be under to Creatures that had loft their Redlitude, and forfeited his Favour, by the A(fl of their own Will, to en- tertain Serm.VII. Divine Commandment, 163 tertain one kind Thought of recovering them from that Death, and Hell, which was their jnft Due, and to give Light and Inftrudion to them, to guide their Feet into the Way of Peace ? And what is there to move the in- finitely great GOD, who needs us not, neither can be benefited by us, thus to diftinguifli us with his kind Regards to us ? What, but the pure Goodnefs of his Nature, his free and rich Mercy, and Compaffion ? 'Tis becaufe he delighieth in Mercy (a), that he hath given us his Commandment, without which our Con- didon had been unavoidably miferable, nor could we have known any poflible Way of helping ourfelves. It is true, if v/e had been left wholly to the Light of Nature, v;ithout a divine Revelation, we might have fpelled out fo much of our Duty to GOD, and our Neighbours, as would have rendred us altogether inexcufable in the Negleft of it : for ihe JVork of the Law is written in the Hearts of them, who have not the written Law, fo that they are a Law unto themfelves, as the Apoflle difcourfes {b) \ and fo much of the invijible things of GOD is clear- ly feen, being underhood by the Things that are made, (c) as would have forever condemned us» if we fhould not have glorified him as GOD : yet this natural Light, alone, would never have been able to have anfwered the great Defigns, of perfeding our Nature, and compleating our Happinefs -, yea, I doubt not to fay, it would have left us far fliort of moral Rectitude, and altogether in the dark about the Way of Sal- vation. For, this inbred Law is fo dimmed, {a) Mic. vii. 18. (b) Rom. ii. 14, 15. (c) ch. i. 20. M 2 and 1 64 Tlje Excellency of the Serm. VII. and obfcured, by the Corruption, and Depravi- ty, which, we certainly find by fad Experience, attends our Nature, (howfoever we firft came by it,) that we fhould not have been able, by the Light of it, to have read the whole of our Duty, nor to have feen where our true Intereft lay ; as is very evident if we confider the Condition of that Part of the World, in any Age of it, which has been left wholly without a divine Revelation. We very much miftake the Force of natural Light, when we imagine, that all we find agreeable to the Sentiments of 6ur own Minds, now that we have the Ad- vantage of Revelation, might have been fuffi- ciently difcovered to us by the ordinary Im- provement of our rational Powers -, whereas this only teaches us, how highly reafonable the di- vine Revelation is ; that the Duty GOD there- in requires of us cannot be fet before us, in it's proper Light, but our Reafon immediate- ly fees the Equity of it, and acknowledges it to be good ; and not what we fliould have been able to have feen, by the Strength of our own Reafon, without Revelation. It no more infers the Capacity of our natural Reafon, to difcover the Duties revealed to us, becaufe, by the Help of fuch a Revelation, we can trace the Reafonablenefs, and Equity, of the Duty, than our plain beholding Jupiter' % Sa- telletes, or Saturn's Ring, by the Help of a ^elefcope^ or the Animalcula in a Drop of Wa- ter, by the Help of a Microfcope, ihfers the Capacity of our Eyes, by their natural Strength, and without thofe Afliftances, to behold them. The beft Evidence of the Power of Nature is to be fetched from thofe Nations, and People who never had any Thing but natural Light to guide Strm.Vll. Divine Commandment, 165 guide them ; and there we fee, not only a- mong the more barbarous Nations, but even the moft civilized, and greatly improved in hu- mane Learning, that the Generality of the Peo- ple were deftitute of the Knowledge of ma;^y moral Vertues, and their moft learned Men were Ignorant of fome, and that they were all ab- folute Strangers to true Happincfs ; they knew not the only true GOD, the Way of ferving of Him acceptably, nor how to enjoy his Far vour : And hence we find the greateft, and beft, of their Philofophers, as Socrates, and Plato, exprefiing their Senfe of the Want, and their Hope, of a future, divine Revelation. There are, indeed, fome moral Duties which do, as it were, lie uppermoft in the humane Mind ; Reafon eafily, and without much Search, dif- cerns them ; and there are fome others which, probably, our natural Light might find out, by clofe Attention, and diligent Application. But the Bulk of Mankind are not very capable of fo induftrious an Enquiry, nor have they Leifure for it, if they were capable of it : and after all, the great and wonderful Difcoveries which Jthens, and Rome, have made of moral Vertue, left us in the Writings of their moft learned Men, I am apt to think, that, upon a due Enquiry, it will be found, they owed it, not to the Force of their natural Powers, which fome of them greatly improved, but to the Light they received from the Jewifti Writings, with which they were undoubtedly converfant, •which contained a Revelation from GOD, of what Nature would never have taught them. Since fuch was the Condition of Mankind, that, of themfelves, they could not have com.e at the Knowledge of thofe things which, were? neceffary 1 66 The Excellency of the Serm.VII. for them to know, therefore GOD, in his great Goodnefs, and Compaffion, has condefcendcd to our Weaknefs, and Infirmity, in giving to us his written La^v, firllly made known by Revelation from himfeJf, wherein the whole of our Duty is fully, and clearly, fet before us, and the only Way to true and endlefs Happinefs is plainly difcovered to us. As the Cafe ftands with us, at prefent, we can neither be recovered from the Imperfedi- on of our Nature, nor our State, without a Mediator, a Redeemer, appearing on our be- half, becoming a Surety for us, obeying the Law, and undergoing the Penalty of it •, that is to fay, bearing the Curfe for us, that we might not fall under the Maledidlion of the Law, which we have broken. This natural Reafon would never have difcovered to us, but we fhould forever have wandered, as even the moft polite Parts of Athens^ and Rome, did, in Search after fome certain Method, by which to appeafe the Anger of the Deity, whom, natural Con- fcience, from a Senfe of our own manifold Mifcarriages, would have told us, we had of- fended : and fo we fhould have endlefly re- mained in the dark about the Way of Salva- tion, if GOD had not, in his great Compaf- fion to us, given us a full, and clear Revelation thereof, in his holy Word. Thus, we may fee the Goodnefs of GOD to us, both in adjufting his Commandment to our rational Nature, requiring of us only a reafona- ble Service, a Service which, when we view it in the true Beauty of it, we cannot but ac- knowledge to be juft, and equitable ; a Ser- vice which enobles our Minds, redlifies our Manners, fweetens our Relations, endears our Society, Serm. VII. Divine Commandment. 167. Society, and is every Way advantageous to us, and, at the fame Time, making known to us thereby the Way, the Truth, and the Life, or the true Way unto Life, and Happinefs. For he has told us, in his Word, that he has pro- vided a Redeemer for us, even the Lord JE- SUS CHRIST, his only begotten Son, the dearly Beloved of the Father, whom he hath fei forth for a Propitiation for our Sin, thro* Faith in his Blood (d) ; He has alTured us of the Fulnefs, and Sufficiency, of the Merits of his Obedience, and Suffering, by his RefurreSiion from the Dead, of which he has given Aflu- rance to all Men, where the Gofpel is preached 5 and he gracioufly invites the greateft Sinner of us all to come to the Blefied JESUS, and yield the Obedience of Faith to him, and live. Thus is GOD, in CHRIST, reconciling a guilty World unto himfelf, not imputing their Trefpajfes unto them {e). And if it had not pleafed GOD thus to reveal his Defigns of Grace and Favour to us, in his holy Word, we fhould, doubtlefs, have perifhed among thofe that are loft. Hence it is that his Commandment is called (f) the Word of his Grace : not only becaufe, by it, he work- eth Grace in our Souls, but in that it is an Ad: of free Grace, and rich Goodnefs, in GOD^ to priviledge us with a Divine Revelation. The divine Commandment aims at the Reco- very of us from all the fad Effefls of our A- poftacy, and to bring us unto GOD, and Hap- pinefs : and however natural Light v/as fuffici- ent unto innocent Man, while as yet there was nothing to blind his Mind, and bias his. Will^ and Affedions, fo that he might have fecn his fj] Rem. in. 25. (e) 2 Cor. v. 19. (fj Aa. XX- 32, M 4 P'afy 1 68 The Excellency of the ^trm.Wll, Duty clearly, and, poffibly, have performed it fuIJy, and fo have fecured the Favour of GOD, and his own uninterrupted and endlefs Happi- nefs ; yet Sin has fo obfcured the Underftand- ings of Men, and prejudiced the Powers of their Souls, in Favour of what is agreeable to the Senfes, and the lower Appetites, and againft what would any Ways abridge them of the Gra- tifications of Senfe, that under the Influence of natural Light, alone, we fhould never be able to difcover every Myftery of Iniquity, nor be fufficiently moved to part with our beloved Lufts ; and, of Confcquence, we fhould never be reco- vered from the fad Effefls of our Fall, to the Grace and Favour of our GOD. Hence the Apoflle fays, (g) The natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of GOD ; for they ari' Foolifhnefs unto him \ neither can he know them, hecaufe they are fpiritually difcerned. And our Saviour obferves, {h) if the Light that is in thee he Darknefs^ how great is .that Darknefs ? So that I cannot fufficiently wonder at it, that Men of Learning, and Thought, and fuch as fet themfelves up for a polite Way of thinking, and reafoning, Ihould be fo fond of their na- tural Light, as, for the Sake thereof, to difcard divine Revelation •, when it is apparent, not only, that they are beholden to Revelation for their Mafler Thoughts, but, without it, they would be deftitute of the cleared Light, and the ftrongefl Arguments, that can have any mo- ral Influence upon a rcafonable Creature, to a confl-ant and diligent attendance upon even mo- ral Duties : that is they would be deftitute of the beft Means, to live like GOD, and to en- joy his Favour forever. (g) I Cor. ii, 14. (b) Math, vi, 23. But, Serm. VII. Divine Commandment.!^^ But, bleffed be GOD ; we are advantaged with a divine Revelation : and as this was the peculiar Profit of the Jewijh Nation, above all People, that unto them were committed the Oracles of GOD {i) •, fo now is it our fpecial Advantage, fince, through the tender Mercy of the mod High, the Day-Star has rifen, and ihined, upon us Gentiles^ and CHRIST has been given for a Lights to lighten the Gentiles^ as well as to be the Glory of his People Ifrael. And as they did of old, fo ought we to fee, and own, the Goodnefs of GOD to us herein, and fing his Praife : {k) He hath fhewed his Word unto Jacobs his Statutes and Judgments un- to Ifrael \ He hath not dealt fo with any Nation, as for his Judgments they have not known them : Praife ye the LORD. And indeed our Obliga- tions to Gratitude, and Thankfulnefs, are fo much the greater, by how much the Light of the Gofpel hath fhined more full, and clear, upon us, in the more abundant Difcoveries of the Perfon, Nature, Offices, and Benefits, of the Meffiah, and in the more evident Teftimony, and AlTurances, of Life and Immortality, than it did upon them ; and GOD has been gra- cioufly pleafed to fpeak plainly unto us, whereas he fpake very much in Parables, Types, and Shadows unto them. O how great is his Goodnefs ! That thus the Blejfing of Abraham Jhould come upon us Gen- tiles, and unto us, now, pertaineth the Adoption, and the Glory, and the Covenant, and the giving the Law, and the Service of GOD, and the Pro- fnifes ; that now unto us is this Grace given, that, among us Gentiles, the unfearchable Riches of CHRIST are preached ; to the intent, that (/) Rom. in. i, 2, {k) Pf. cxiviii. 19, 20. lyo The Excellency of theS^vm, VII. now unto Principalilies^ and Powers, in heavenly Places^ might be known, by the Church, the ma- nifold Wifdom, and Goodnefs, of GOD : to ufe the Language of the infpired Jpofile (J). 2. Is the Commandment of GOD exceed- ing broad ? then we may, from hence, learn the indifpen fable Obligation we are under to keep it -, that we ought always to keep, and do, all that the Lord our GOD hath com- manded us : that we ought to be obedient, univerfally, and forever obedient. Particularly, (i.) From hence we learn our Obligation to keep the Commandments of GOD. The divine Original, the excellent Nature, and the blefled Defign of the Commandment plainly, and ftrongly, infers this. 1. Our Obligation to a due Refpe6i: to the divine Commandment is plainly inferrable from the divine Original of it. For, if the GOD that made us, and all the World, and to whom we muft finally be accountable, hath made known his Mind and Will to us, and fhewed us what He requires of us, it is very certain, that then we are under all poflible Tyes, and Engagements, to remember and do as he hath commanded us. Since it is the Commandment of GOD, and derives from the eternal Deity, we ought to give a fuitable Entertainment to it, and believe all that he has made known to us, as Articles of our Faith, and obey all that is required of us, as Matter of our Praftice. Thus, we learn, from the divine Original of the Commandment, that we ought! firmly to (■'/) Gn/. lit. 14. Row. ix. 4. £//;>. iii. 8, 10. believe Serm. VII. Divine Commandment, 171 believe it : becaufe every Word, which GOD hath fpoken, is a faithful Saying, and worthy of all Acceptation by us. For GOB is not a Man, that He fhould lie (m) ; yea, it is im- pjjihle for GOD to lie (n) , for the Lord is a GOD of Truth, Juji, and Right, is He (0). When therefore it can be faid to us, thus faith He that is holy. He that is true, there is no Room for us to hefitate whether we ought to believe what is fpoken, or no. Our own Reafon tells us, that infallible Truth ought to be believed ; and we cannot pofTibly withhold our AfTent from what we know to be infallibly true, with- out putting a Force upon ourfelves, and doing Violence to our own Underftanding. ' It is ' not to be wondered at, that they, who are * poflcffed with the firm Perfwafion of an in- ' fallible Chair, upon Earth, fhould fwallow the ' groffefl Abfurdities, when they are diftated ' from that Chair, by an implicit Faith ; but ' the greateft Wonder is, that any Men fhould ' have fo little Reafon, as to imagine, that In- * fallibility is to be found in a fallible Crea- ' ture. But that GOD is infallible, is mofl c- vident to our Reafon, becaufe he is infinite in Underflanding, and therefore cannot pofTibly be impofed upon ; and infinitely pure, and Good, and therefore cannot deceive any, by giving them a falfe Account of Perfons, or Things ; There are no natural, or moral, Imperfeflions in GOD, to render His Word fufpicious, pre- carious, and fallible •, and hence it plainly fol- lows, that whatever he makes known to us, is infallibly true, and therefore to be credited, by us, purely upon His Word, whether we are [in) Num. xxiii. 19. {») Heh. vi, 18. {0) Deut. xxxii. 4. able 172 The ExceUe7icy of the Serm.VII. able to underftand all that is contained in what He has fpoken, or no. For the Supream Being, who has furnifhed us with Underftand- ing, never meant to give us the Power to ar- raign his Veracity before the Barr of our Rea- fon, nor may we afilime it to ourfelves to fit in Judgment upon the Truth of what he has faid ; he has given us Reafon, indeed, to judge of the Clearnefs, and Strength, of the Evidences that are brought in Proof of a di- vine Revelation, or whether what is pretended to have been fpoken by GOD be really fo, or no : and thus we are not, prefently, to believe every Spirit, and bold Pretender that may come to us, as he fays, in the Name of GOD, but are commanded to try the Spirits whether they are of GOD; (p) to fearch and prove their Credentials, whether they bring with them plain and full Evidences of their being fent from GOD ; and, if, upon Examination, it be found that their Credentials are authentick and valid, and fufficient to determine our reafonable Minds, that GOD thereby fpeaks to us, it is not for us then to proceed to try and judge, whether what GOD has thereby fpoken be true, or no, before we will give credit to it -, no -, GOD demands it of us to believe what he has faid, upon the Truth of his Word, and not upon our Capacity of difcerning the Truth of it, or upon it's Agreement with fuch Maxims, and Principles, as we have taken up with, or fuch Ideas, and Conceptions of Things as we have formed in our Minds. All the Difficulty here will lie in the Evidence, and Aflurance, that what we are to believe is truly a divine Revelation j and if the Evidences of (I,.) I. yd. iv. I. a Serm. Vll. Divine Commandment. 173 a Thing's being a Revelation from GOD are full, and flrong, there ought then to be no Difficulty with us in our crediting of it -, becaufe Truth itfelf can never deceive. It is readily acknow- ledged, that there are Myfteries in Religion, though fome, I know, would perfwade us there are none. I do not mean that the Propofition, in which the divine Revelation is expreffed, is myflerious, for then, I fuppofe, we could not know the Terms of the Propofition, and fo, I think, could not pofTibly believe it ; becaufe it would contain juft Nothing at all in it, no- thing to us, whatever it might do to thofe that underftand the Terms of it ; but it would be, to us, as a fealed Book, which we could neither read, know, or believe, any thing contained in it. But I mean, that, though the Propofition be ever fo plain, and clear, and the Terms of it perfe6lly well underflood by us, and fo it hands to us, a certain Truth, fuf- ciently knowable, yet, it contains in it fuch Doflrines as are, in the Nature of them, my- flerious to us, and beyond our Underftanding how fuch Things can be. When a Propofition can be demonftrated to be true, ( as what is proved to be from GOD certainly is, ) it ought to be of no Weight with us, nor give us any Uneafineis, that it is ' impoffible for us to comprehend, or ' frame any adequate or compleat Ideas, of the ' . Manner how the Things fo demonftrated can ' be ; or that there are fuch perplexing DiiE- ' culties on the other fide, which merely for ' want of adequate Ideas of the Manner of the ' Exiftence of the Things demonftrated, are < not eafy to be cleared '*. And it is very * Vid, T>r. Sam. Clark, of the Behrg and Jt tributes SiC. p. 10. wron^ 174 ^^ Excellency of the Serm. VII. wrong to rejeft, and difown. That for a di- vine Revelation, ('and 'ds a falfe Way of ar- guing to conclude, that there can be no Evi- dences of it's being a divine Revelation, j be- caufe it contains fuch Doflrines in it as we are not able to comprehend : for this would be for us to make our own Reafon, and Know- ledge, and not the Truth of GOD, the Foun- dation of our Belief. And the Abfurdity, and Falfenefs, of this Way of Reafoning, however polite, and conclufive, fome Men may think it, will evidently appear, by applying it to the moft familiar Inftances in Nature. It is a very plain , Propofition, the Terms of which are fufficiently underftood by every Child of Ten Years old. That Fire hurneth. But can any Thing be more ridi- culous, and abfurd, than for any Man, (and much more any Man pretending to a fuperior Genius, greater Learning, and Philofophy, and a more mafterly Way of thinking,^ to deny the Truth of this Propofition ; meerly becaufe he knows not what Fire is, in the real Nature of it, nor how it burneth ? A Philofopher may jhew fome Smartnefs, indeed, and try his Bro- ther Philofopher's Powers, by difputing againft this Propofition, there is local Motion^ which however plain, yet has it's Difficulties ; but Ihould any one that fets up for a Philofopher, in fober Earnefl:, deny local Motion, and for this Reafon, becaufe he could not reconcile it to fome Difficulties that occurred to him, he would only render himfelf juftly ridiculous, and every unlettered Perfon could Ihew him his Folly, only by walking a few Steps. And is it not an equal Degree of Weaknefs, and Folly, for any Man to deny a divine Revelation, fuffici- ently confirmed, purely becaufe he cannot under- ftand Serm.VII. Divine Commandment, 175 Hand the Nature oF the Thing revealed, though the Terms of the Propofition are plain, and eafy. Certainly, whatever GOD makes known is true, whether we underftand the Nature of it, or no ; and becaufe GOD hath fpoken it, therefore we are obhged to believe it. So that the Divine Ori- ginal of the Commandment obliges us moft firmly to believe ail the Revelations, Doflrines, Promi- fes, and Threatnings, contained in it. And fo does it equally oblige us to obey the Precepts of it. For GOD is not only true in what he fays, but he is our Sovereign, and has an original, underived Right, by Virtue of his being GOD, to enjoyn us what Law he pleafes, and demand our Obedience to it. Therefore this is prefixed to the Epitome of the divine Command- ment, I am the Lord thy GOD (p) -, which fhews us the unqueflionable Right GOD has, as he is GOD, and our GOD, to command us, and the ftrong Obligation we are under to obey him ." even fuch an Obligation as it is not in the Power of GOD himfelf to difpence with, and free us from the Bonds of. The Lord is our Maker ; we are the Workmanfhip of his Hands, and be- caufe he hath made us, and not we ourfelves, therefore he is our rightful Sovereign, and can- not but be fo, unlefs we can ceafe to be his Creatures : He is Lawgiver^ our King^ and our Judge^ whofe Prerogative alone it is to be obeyed, in whatfoever he commands us •, for the Ex- cellencies of his Nature will not admit of any Injundion, but what is worthy of a GOD, and v/hat is bed for his Creatures ; and his Commands cannot pofTibly interfere with any prior, and fupe- riour. Obligation we are under, becaufe there is none prior, none fuperiour to him. Befides he is (p)^ Exod. XX. 2. our T76 T^he Excellency of the Serm. VIL our conftant Preferver, and bountiful Benefa<5l:or, from whom wc receive our All, and in whom all our Hopes are laid up •, So that Difobe- dience to any of his known Commands challen- ges his Right, and Authority, over us, denies him his peculiar Honour, and flurs the Luftre of all his Perfedlions, renounces our Dependance on him, and difowns his Kindnefs to us, and fo is at once the highell Rebellion, and the black- eft Ingratitude. But, fince he is GOD alone, he is jealous for the Honour of his Name, and will not fuffer any of his Glory to be ta- ken from him, efpecially this natural Homage, Obedience to his Commands. And th'mke§i thou this, O Man ! thou that liveft at Defiance with GOD, thy Maker, in thy known Difobedience, ' and Contempt of his Authority, by doing what he has forbidden to thee, or by neglecting to do what he has required of thee, thinkeft thou, that thou /halt efcape the righteous Judgments of GOD ? Verily, whatever the Sinner may ima- gine, -the Time will come, when GOD will caufe his Jealoufy to burn like Fire, and mani- feft his Indignation in flaming Rebukes, upon every wilfully Difobedient Soul, without a Pof- fibility of their efcaping. 2. The excellent Nature of the divine Com- mandment infers our Obedience. The more ex- cellent the Rule of our Condudl is the more it deferves our Regards : for we ought ever to afl as reafonable Creatures, and walk by the beft Rules. But what is there fo excellent, for the Rule of our Behaviour, as the Divine Law is ? How admirably is it adjufted to the Ho- nour of the Law- giver, and to ourfelves, our Nature, Capacity, and Intereft ? 'Tis the only perfe(ft Sernl.VII. Divine Command^nent, 177 perfeft Rule of Reflitude, and Purity. Thet IVords of the Lord are pure Words^ as Silver tried in the Furnace^ purified /even Times (q). That is, it is wrought up to the higheft De- grees of Excellency ; fo that there wants no- thing to connpleat it's Perfed:ion, and recom- mend it to our Acceptance : and needs muft it be fo, becaufe it is the Refult of infinite Wif- dom. Thus it is a moft perfect Rule to us, and we need never to fear our miftaking of our Way while we clofely obferve it. Beauty charms the Eye, and Harmony captivates the Ear, and we are not wont to afl-fo unreafonably as not to give the Preference to what we know to be moil excellent in its Kind. And what is there that can be more agreeable to the Sentiments of our rational Minds, than to govern ourfelves, in all our Conduft, by that Rule which is bed, which is true, certain, determinate, and fafeft for us ? which can never lead us out of the Way, and in our Conformity unto which, only, we a(5t wifely, in doing what is beft for us, and fafely, in doing what we ought to do, both in our perfonal, and relative Capacity, whether in The Family, State, or Church ? So that be- caufe the Divine Commandment is moft excel- lent in itfelf, it ought to be embraced by us, and obfcrved as the Rule of our Walk •, and we cannot, knowingly, a-it contrary thereto, with- out doing Violence to right Reafon, and expof- ing ourfelves to our own juft and fevere Re* proaches, by refufing to pradife v;har, we art; forced to own, is a moft excellent Law. But this Argument will appear more fully under thQ next Head. (a) Pf, xii. 6. N 3. The 178 The 'Excellency of the Serm. VI L 3. The End and Def^gn of the divine Com- mandment infers Obedience : whether we con- fider it, as it refpecls Society, or our Selves in particular. For, if we confider the divine Commandment as it refpeds our Society, and Relation, to one another, fo it is the juft Rule, and Meafure, of our Condu(5t, and Behaviour towards our Fellow- Creatures ; it fhews us how we may be truly fcrviceable in the World, and promote the pub- lick Good, and Welfare, by the Praftice of thcfe, and thofe Vertues, which will render us obliging, beneficent, and helpful, to all about us ; and by carefully avoiding fuch Vices, and Irregularities, in our Temper, and Behaviour, as would render us hurtful, and injuriouF, to one another. Thus it fweetens our Tempers, improves, and betters, our Manners, and lays it's Reftraints upon our unruly Lufts and Pafiions, and prevents the difmal Effecls of their unbrid- led Rage, and puts us upon the Exercife of u- niverfal Benevolence, and Goodnefs, and fo makes us profitable Members of the Body Politick, Or- naments in the Church, and Delights in the Family. Now, certainly, a Law, fo admirably calculated for the general Service of Mankind, ought ro be obeyed. For without fomething of this, there would be no quiet, and peaceable, jiving in the World -, but every Man would turn a Beaft of Prey upon his Neighbour, and the World would prefently wear the Face of the wildeft Anarchy, and Confufion. 'Tis the want of a due Regard to the divine Comimand- ment which renders the World fo bad as it is, at prefcnt : this introduces Tyranny, and Op- preffion, aiBong the higher Orders of Men ; Mutiny, Sedition, and Rebellion, among Inferi- ours i Serm.VII. Divine Com^nandment, 179 ours ; Injuft'ice, Rapine, Cruelty, Hatred, Strife, Revenge, and the like, among Equals. And whilft the great Props of the World, Righte- oufnefs, and Truth, fo much fail from among the Children of Men, it is no Wonder to hear Men complain of the Badnefs of the Times, and the Difficulty of living ; and, believe it, there is nothing, the Wit of Man can invent, that will ever correal, and mend, the Times^ without a more confcientious Obfervation of the divine Commandment : the Thought of which alone, one would be ready to fuppofe, fhould have it*s due Influence upon us all, to move us, to take more Heed to our Ways, and govern our felves according to the Word of GOD, tha: excellent Rule of all our Adions. But then, if we confider the divine Command- ment, as it more particularly relates to Ourfelves, we fhall fee how indifpenfibly we are obliged to obey it. For, as ever we would be freed from the do- mineering Power of thofe Lufts, and PafTions, of Concupifcence, Covetoufnefs, Pride, Anger, Wrath, Malice, Revenge, and fuch like, which fret, and difturb, our Minds, and give us the greateft Un- eafinefs ; as ever we would have our vicious, and unreafonable Prejudices, againft what is truly good, and profitable to us, removed, and have our Un- derftandings brightened, our manifold Difordera cured, and would poflefs ourfelves, with Calm.- nefs, and Serenity, certainly we are concerned to be very careful to keep the Command men ta of our GOD ; becaufe nothing, without this, will give us the Maftery over what i3 prejudicial to us, and afford us inward Satisfadion. And let but the covetous Worldling, the impure Sen- fualift, and the raging Mad-man, think a little N 2 fciioufi/ i8o The Excellency of the Serm.VlI. ferioufly, how much the Prevalency of thofe Lufts, and PafTions, over him, is truly a Burden to him, and Jays the Foundation of moft, if not all, the Sorrows he meets with, what unaccountable Fains, and DifFiculties, he is at to gratify them, what unknown Struggles to fcreen, and defend them, what perplexing, and fometimes inextricable. Broils they intangle him in, and, at the fame Time, how much it dcbafcs him below the Dignity of his Nature, hurries him into unmanly Aftions^ and not feldom brings very grievous Hurt, and Damage, upon his Perfon, and worldly Intereft ; I fay, let him but feriouQy confider thefe things, and he will plainly fee, that it is richly worth his while to endeavour to rid himfelf of fuch trou- blefome Companions, fuch baneful Inmates, by a clofe Adherence to the divine Command- ment, which will render him Mafter of him- felf, and pleafed with his own Adlions. Nay ; as ever we would entertain any well grounded Hope of eternal Happinefs, we are indifpenfibly obliged to Obedience. For, though our Obedience to the Divine Commandment is, by no Means, meritorious of future Happinefs, yet it is the fure Way to it ; the Way which the unerring Wifdom, and fpotlefs Purity, of the Divine Nature have marked out for us ; and a Man may as reafonably hope, to fupport, his animal Life, without Food, as think to ob- tain true Happinefs, which is the Life of the Soul, without Obedience ; Nay, more : for the Life of the Body is not fo neceffarily de- pendent upon Food, but that GOD can fup- port it without any ; but GOD Himfelf can- not make a Soul happy, without Holinefs ; becaufe this would imply a Contradidion to the Divine Nature, and to our own. Hither looks all Serm.VII. Divine Commandmeiit . 1 8 1 all the Grace of the Gofpel, as well as all the pofitivc Commands of the divine Oracles, and JESUS CHRIST is the Author of eternal Sal- vation unto thera^ and them only, that obey Him (r). And who, in his Wits, would not think an eternal State of compleat Happinefs worth his ftriving for ? That Man, muft lirfi: diveft himfelf of his very Nature, who has no Defires after Happinefs ; and he muft ceafe to think rationally, who can imagine he may be happy, without being obedient. Thus you fee, that, fmce the Divine Commandment is exceeding broad, it neceffarily infers our Obe- dience to it, and you fee alfo how ftrong our Obligations to Obedience are. (2.) As it infers Obedience, in the general, fo does it particularly, with Refped to each, and every one of the divine Commands : that our Obedience be univerfal, and without Ex- ception. For, they are all the fam.e, in the Dignity of their Original, the Excellency of their Nature, and the fame noble End and De- fign is purfued by them all. The fame Au- thority that enadled one Command, has enabl- ed all ; they all bear the evident Imprefs of the fupream Lord of all upon them ; and there- fore are all to be obeyed by us. If we urge upon you the Pradice of any Duty, which. GOD has not required of you, regard us not. Examine, with the noble Bereans (jj, whether the things we preach to you, for divine Com- mands, are agreabje to the Mind and Will of GOD, or no ; and if they are not^ rejed them ; but if we publifli to you nothing more than what GOD demands of you, then yoOs (r) Heb. V. 9. [s) A£l. xvii. ii, N 3 oughJi ^ 1 82 Hoe Excellency of the Serm. VII. ought to pay a due Regard thereunto, and do accordingly, and that, not becaufe we tell you. This is your Duty, but, becaufe the Lord your GOD requireth it at your Hands. It is very poffible, indeed, that we may not be able to fee into the Reafon of all the divine Commands, though we may of many of them ; yet this is no fufficient Objeftion againft our Obedience to them, when we know they are the Commands of GOD, any more than it is a fufficient Objedlion in a Servant, againft his complying with the Commands of his Mafter, that he knows not to what End and Purpofe his Mafter hath given him fuch a Command. A Mafter may, perhaps, command a thing, which yet may be very unworthy of himfelf, and unfitting for his Servant to comply with •, becaufe he is Jiable to Miftakes in his Judg- ment, or may be influenced by the Strength of his Paflions in what he commands j and then that Servant may very reafonably be allowed modeftly to expoftulate the Cafe with his Maf- ter, and finally refufe to obey his Mafter, in that thing which is contrary to the Commands of a fuperior Power, to whom he is under Obligati- on to obey. But the infinitely wife, and good GOD cannot pofTibly be guilty of any fuch Error, as to command any thing unworthy of .Himfelf, or unfitting for us to do, and has fuf- ficient, and good Reafons, for every one of his Commands, though we are not able to fee them : So that it is enough for us to know that it is the Command of GOD ; our Bu- finefs is to refiga our Wills intirely into the divine Will. For, though we know not why He hath commanded fuch a thing, yet we know why we ought to obey that Command, name- Serm. VII. Divine Commandment. 1 8.3 ly, becaufe God hath commanded it. (/) Hath not the Lord GOD of Ifrael commanded thee ? is fufficient to filence all Cavils, and put us upon the moft ready Obedience. Nor is this to make GOD an arbitrary Being, as fome Men count Arbitrarinefs. Though Arbitrari- nefs is of an ill Sound, when it is applied un- to Men, who are liable to Miftakes, and are accountable to a fuperior Power, and there- fore have no Right to fet up their Wills as the Rules of their own, much lefs of others Adlions ; yet, rightly underftood, when it is applied unto God, it is no other than his a6t- ing His own Pleafure (u), and His performing all things according to the Counfel of his own Will, (w) without being accountable unto us, or any of his Creatures, for the Reafon of his Adions, or Defigns : and this the Perfedion, and abfolute Supremacy of the divine Nature challenges as his indifputable, and unalienable Right : and thus GOD is arbitrary, and it is his peculiar Glory that He is fo ; that is^ it is the Greatnefs, and Glory, of the divine Being, and what none but GOD can challenge, that his Will alone, without Dependance on, or Accountablenefs to, any other Being, or any Thing out of Himfelf, gives Lav/ unto all Creatures : His Will, I fay, which, from the ' Perfedion of his Nature, is above all PofTibi- lity of being erroneous, or biaffed with Preju- dices, and ill AfFedions, and therefore cannot poflibly be fubjed to Caprice, and Humour, as the Will of a finite, and fallible Being may. And fure I am, that it is an Argument of the greateft Arrogancy, and of an Arbitrary Tem- per, in the worft Senfe, for any Man to ai- (t) Judg.iv. 6. (u) Jfa.yiWi, lo. ("m) Eph, i. n. N 4 fun; irr>,'% 184 I'he Excellency of the Serm.VII. iume to himfelf a Power that does not, in the lead, belong to him, and fet up his own Will in Oppofition to the divine, and determine with himfelf", to obey none of the divine Commands, until GOD is pleafed, firft, to be accountable unto him for the Reafonablenefs of them •, or if, forfooth, he is not able to difcern that there is good Reafon for the Command, that then he will have nothing to do with it. For what is this but to fet himfelf up in the Throne of GOD, and to bring the Almighty to his Bar. My Soul^ come not thou into their Secret, unto their JJfemMy^ mine Honour^ be not thou u- nited ! The infinitely Great GOD is the fole Difpofer of his own Aftions, and has an abfo- lute, uncontroulable. Sovereignty over all His Creatures, and therefore has a Right to be o- beyed by them, in whatfoever he commands them. For, I fuppofe, and, doubtlefs, it will be readily granted, that GOD, who is infinite in Power, and Wifdom, and Goodnefs, has a Right to do whatfoever is confifbent with him- felf ; and that GOD perfeflly knows what is confident with himfelf, tho* we do not -, and from hence, I conclude, he never will, or can, do, or order to be done, any thing but what is confiflent with himfelf : and from hence, it follows, that there is no Room for us to hefi- tate in our Obedience to any thing, we know to be the Command of GOD, tho' we fhould be perfe6lly ignorant of the Defign, or Reafon- ablenefs of the Command, until we can be guilty of the Vanity, and Blafphemy, to think ourfelves wifer than GOD, and that we know, what is confident with himfelf, better than he does himfelf. So that, whatever GOD has re- cjuired of us, it is our Duty to perform with- out Serm. VII. Divine Commandment. 185 out difputing the Legality, or Reafonablenefs of it ; His Will being the higheft Law and Rea- fon of all our Actions. For, though there, may be what is called the Fitnefs, or Unfitnefs, of Things, arifing from their Relation, Proportion, and Dependance, which are of excellent Ufe in Philofophy, without Revelation ; yet to us who enjoy a divine Revelation, thefe can be no falfe Rule for us to go by in our Condu6t, nor be the formal Obligation of our Obedience to the divine Law ; becaufe, as a great Man obferves, * What thefe eternal and unalterable^ Relations^ Refpeds, or Proportions of things^ with their confeqiient Agreements, or Difagreements, FitnefTes cr Unfitnefles, abfolutely and neceffarily are in thernfehes ; That alfo they appear to be, \o the Underftandings of all Intelligent Beings \ ex- cept ihofe only, who underhand 'Things to be what they are not, that is, whofe Underftandings are either very imperfect, or very much deprav- ed : Where, though doubtlefs that learned Perfon defigned to evidence that the Fitnefs, or Unfitnefs, of Things, is the formal Obliga- tion of our Obedience, and Rule of our Be- haviour, yet, I humbly conceive, that, by his Exception, he truly evinces the contrary : For, alas, the Exception, which he makes, is the very Cafe of all Mankind, fince the Fall, what- ever it be of Angels, namely, that their Under- fiandings are very imperfeB, and very much de- praved. That the Mind of Man, fince the Fall, is very imperfe5i is evident, from the little real Knowledge any attain unto after all their dili- gent Study and Search, and the much lefs Know- ledge the Bulk of Mankind can attain to, for want of Leifure, if not of Capacity ♦, and from * Dr. S. Clark, Dem. of the Being &c. p, 183. the 1 86 The Excelle72cy of the Serm.VIL the different SentimentSj which different Perfons, Cthough as far as we can judge, of equally clear Perception, and Underftanding,) have of one and the fame thing, in many Inflances ; and from the faid Author^ who afferts, || that " what ** is for the good of the whole Creation^ in very *' many Cafes, none but an infinite Underftand- ing can poflibly judge ; and from the facred Scripture, which affures us, that naturally Men have their Understandings darkened (x). So that, from the evident Imperfeflion of our Under- flandings, we are not able clearly to difcern, in many Cafes at leaft, the abfolute and neceifary Relation, and Fitnefs or Unfitnefs of things, in themfelves, and therefore can by no Means, with Safety, make it the Rule of our Conduft. And befides this ImperfeifVion, there is evident- ly a very confiderable Depravity upon our Un- derftandings, which is feen in their being biaffed and bribed, by Paffions, and Prejudices, fway- ing the Minds of thofe that feem to be mofl free from them ; and the fame Author acknowledges, f a great and general Corruption and Deprava- tion. Hence though we may be able to dif- cern the Fitnefs or Unfitnefs of Things, in many Inftances, yet, fince, from our ImferfeMion and Depravity, in many other we do not ; and in fome we cannot, therefore the Will of GOD, the fupream Lawgiver, which Will is always wife and good, is the only fure and certain Rule, to us, to regulate our Adlions by ; and con- fequently the Will of GOD, made known to u?, is the higheft Law and Reafon of our Con- duct, and not our own Conception of the Fit- nefs or Unfitnefs of Things. And our not be- ing able to difcern the Fitnefs, or Unfitnefs, of U p. 223. (a) Eph. \v. iS. t p. 254. Thingi Serm. VII. Divine Commandment, i^-j Things, can be no fufficient Reafon why any Man fhould refufe to obferve that Law, or believe that Truth, which GOD hath clearly revealed to ns. For " fince, faid that learned " Author, t the natural Attributes of GOD, his " infinite Knowledge, Wifdom aro Power, fets " him infinitely above all PofTibility of being " deceived by Error, or of being influenced by " wrong AffeUions ; *tis manifeft his divine " Will cannot but always and neceflarily deter- " mine itfelf to choofe to do what in the " whole is abfolutely Beft and Fitted to be " done ; therefore his divine Will which ne- celTarily orders what is moft fitting for us to do, is, to us, the beft Rule by which to Judge of the Fitnefs, or Unfitnefs, of Things, and the ftrongeft formal Obligation upon us to Obedi- ence i and confequently our Obedience muft be univerfal and extend to every Command, that has the Authority of GOD ftamped upoa it, whether we fee the Reafon of it, or no. We may not therefore think to excufe ourfelves with a partial Obedience, or in obeying fuch Commands only as are fuitable to our pardcular Temper, and Intereft in the World, or which we can fee the Reafon of ; nor may we hope to enjoy the Benefit of the exceeding broad Com- mandment, unlefs our Obedience extend to every particular Duty required of us : that is, unlefs we fmcerely endeavour after univerfal Obedience to every divine Command. The Commandment is all of a Piece, and therefore called, the Com- mandment, in the fingular Number. We muft fincerely endeavour after an Obedience as extenfive as the Commandment is, or it will be no true Obedience, in the Sight of GOD. Hence is that t P- 184. of 1 88 'The Excellency of the Serm.VlI. of the Apoftle James, (x) Whofoever Jhall keep the whole haw, and yet offend in one Point, is guilty of all. He is guilty of denying the Autho- rity of the fupream Lawgiver, and guilty of breaking the Unity of the Commandment ; and from the fame Principle, by which he allows himfelf in Difobedience to any Part of the Law, he would alfo tranfgrefs the whole, under equal Temptations, and Opportunities. It mud there- fore be our great Care, as ever we would be efteemed obedient Subje6ls, to comply with the juft Expectation of GOD, and his earned Defire, of an univerfal Obedience. O that there were fuch an Heart in them ! ( fays he, ) that they would fear me, and keep all my Commandments, always, that it might go zuell with them, and their Children, forever (y). Thus, we muft not content ourfelves with ' being Legalifts, by obferving only the moral Duties of the divine Commandment, without taking due Care to obey evangelical Precepts -, for the Young Man, in the Gofpel, could fay, (2) all thefe have I kept from my Touth up ; and yet our Lord faid to him, in the next Verfe, One Thing thou lackeji. And it will be but a vain Prefumption in us, Xo think that wc are truly obedient to the Pre- cepts of the Gofpel, and call ourfelves Chriftians, while the Duties of the moral Law are negleded by us. Wilt thou know, O vain Man, that Faith, without Works, is Dead (a). Moral, and Pofitive, Natural, and Evangelical, Precepts, muft all, in their proper Place, be duely regarded by us ; fh'fe ought ye to have done, and not to leave the ether undone {b) : they muft go Hand in Hand (x) Jam. ii. lo. {y) Deut. v. ^9. (^) Luke xviii. 21. [a] Jam. ii. 20, (/') Mattb. xxiji. 23. Serm. VII. Divifie Commandment, i^(^ with us, and our Obedience, in our fincere Aim, and Endeavours, muft univerfally extend to them all and to every Article included under them. I will only add, 3. Laftly ; Thus too it infers the Conftancyj and Perpetuity, as well as the Univerfality of our Obedience : that we perfevere in our Obedience as long as we live. For the divine Authority ever remaineth good, and GOD is our Sove- reign, in one Part of our Lives as v/ell as in ano- ther, yea, as long as we have any Being ; and the Commandment remains the fame ex- cellent Commandment, to Day, that it was Yefterday ; and as that is not more holy, jufl, and good, at one Time, than at an other, fo neither is it lefs Obfigatory upon us at any Time, but always abides in full Force, and Vir- tue, and therefore ought always to be obeyed by us i Every Day wc live, and all the Day long, and as long as we live in the World. So faid the devout Pfalmijl, {c) I have enclined my Heart to perform thy Statutes^ always^ even unto the End. We may not imagine, therefore, that there are any particular Seafons for Obedience, and others in which we may lawfully intermpt our Obedience ; for, though there may be fpe- cial Seafons for This, or That, particular Branch of our Duty, and fometimes LelTer Duties muft give place to Greater ones, according to that of our Saviour, {d) I will have Mercy, and not Sa- crifice, yet, with Refpefb unto the whole of the divine Commandment, there is no Part of Time can be called, a fpecial Seafon for Obedience, becaufe there is not, nor can there be, any Seafon for Difobcdience. GOD allows us no Part of (c) Pfal. cxix. 1 12. (d) Matth. ix, 13. our J 90 T^DB Excellency of the Serm. Vli. our Lives to Sin in, though he allows us, at pro- per Seafons, to call off our Minds, from thofe Duties which are more toilfome, and burdenfome, to us, unto thofe that are more eafy, and plea- fant ; but He demands of us a conflant, per- fevering, Courfe of Duty, throughout the whole of our State of Probation, and Trial, in this World ; that we ferve him in Righteoufnefs, and Holinefs^ all the Days of our Life (e) : that we patiently continue in the Way ef well doing ? (f) : that we hold faft the Profeffion of our Faith, without Wavering (g) : and that we be Jiedfafi, unmovable, always abounding in the Work of the Lord ; forafmuch as we know that our Labour fhall not be in vain in the Lord ih). If this were well remembred, it would have a mighty Influence upon us, to make us more exad, in our Obedience to the Commands of GOD, throughout the whole Courfe of our Lives \, and we fhould not fo eafily be prevailed upon, to allow fuch wide Gaps in our Duty, as arc often to be found among us. {e) Luk. i. 75. (/) Rom. ii. 7. (g) Heb. x. 23. {h) I Cor, XV, 58. SERMON Serm. VIII . Divine Com7na?idment . 191, SERMON VIII. Psalm CXIX. 96. / have Jmi an Rnd of all Per- feSiion ; but thy Commandment is exceeding broad, THE laft Opportunity of difcourfing upon this Subjed, I entred upon the Improve- ment of the fecond Doftrine from the Words, viz. The Commandment of GOD is ex- ceeding broad ; and I inferred from it, 1. The wonderful Goodnefs, Mercy and Com- paflion of GOD to a miferable World, in mak- ing a clear Revelation of his Mind and Will, in fuch important Affairs, wherein our own Reafon would not have been fufficient to have diredted us, and all with the bleffed Defign of recovering of us to Reflitude, and Happinefs ; which fpecial • Advantage demands of us our grateful Tribute of Thankfulnefs, and Praife. I have alfo inferred, 2. The indifpenfible Obligations we lie under to keep the Commandment of GOD -, that is, to believe all that GOD has told us, and per- form 192 Tloe Excellency of the Serm. VIIL form all that he requireth of us. 'Tis the Com- mandment of the GOD that made us, who is our fupream Ruler, and to whom we muft be accountable -, 'tis a moft excellent Command- ment in itfelf, and refpefting Society, and par- ticular Perfons ; and therefore as ever we would a6t reafonably, polTefs the Peace of our own Minds, and be happy in ^ the Favour of our GOD, we are indifpenfibly obliged to obey it, and that every Part thereof, as the Will of GOD concerning us, and be conftant and per- fevering in our Obedience to the End, without allowing any Interruptions therein. And I now fliall go on to a Third Inference From this Doflrine ; viz. 3. This Doftrine teaches us. That Religion is our truefl Wifdom. For what is Religion, but our keeping the Commandments of GOD ? Religion indeed includes in it, that we believe that there is a GOD, and that we believe the Commandment, as the Rule of our Duty, is from GOD, and that the Way, in which GOD hath fignified to us that he is willing to be reconciled unto us, and admit us to his Fa- vour, namely, in and by his Son JESUS CHRIST, is the only Way of our obtain- ing Mercy with him : but yet all our Faith in GOD, and in his Son JESUS CHRIST, all our Fear of GOD, and Love to him, all ter- minates in this, as the Sum of true Religion, and what includes all the Reft, that we readily obey this GOD, in whatfoever he commands us ; Therefore the Preacher faid, {i) Fear GODy and keep his Commandments -, for this is the whole of Man, His whole Duty is included in this, (;•; Ecd. xii. t*3v . i and Serm. VIIL Divine Commandment. 193 ind his whole Happinefs is laid up in it. Since therefore the Commandment of GOD is fo ex- ceeding broad, as to reach to us in all our Ca- pacities, and Relations, and Defigns to better us, as rational Creatures, to render our Lives comfortable to us here, and to make us com- jjleatly happy hereafter, then it mud needs be the trueft Wifdom in us, thus to be religious. And, indeed, what Wifdom is there equal to this ? (k) Unto Man^ he faid^ Behold^ the Fear of the Lord, that is Wijdom, and to de-part from Evil is Underjlanding. Let a Man be ever fo world- ly wife, though he fhould underftand all the Secrets of Nature, and of Art, and be deeply read in the moft refined Politicks, yet, without Religion, he has not the Wifdom, and Under- lianding, of a Man ; and his whole Life will be but an ill concerted Defign, which will come far fhort of his true End, and all his fine Schemes, his Labour^ and Toil, will be in vain, and to no good Purpofe : when a Storm gathers thick and dark about him, and the Waves of Adverfity beat heavy upon him, he will be deftitute of every thing that can afford him any folid Comfort •, and when the gloomy Profpedt of Death, and the Grave, ap- pears, with all its Terrors, before him, he will not be able to look, with Calmnefs, into the future World, and comfort his Heart with the refrefhing View of a State of compleat, and cndlefs, Happinefs referved for him. For his in- quifitive Search, and cleareft Difcoveries, his clo- feft Thought, and greateft Labour, have been about thofe things which are of the leaft, and moft temporary. Concernment to him, while he has contented himfelf to remain a Stranger to that {k) Job xxviii. 28. O 'Vfhich 194- ^h Excellmcy of the Serm. VIIL which is his main Interefl, and of everlafting Confequence unto him : the Folly of which is apparently much greater than that, of him, who fhouid fpend all his Thoughts, and Time, about catching of Butterflies, to the Negleft of the neceflary Pr/Dvifion for the Support of his Bbxiy. Whereas, he that is truly religious takes a prudent Courfe to fecure his main Intered, to enjoy the Favour of his GOD, and pofTefs everlafting Peace and Joy ; and let the World frown upon him, and all things about him be thrown into Confufion, and his whole Life, here, be filled up with various Afflictions, and Sor- rows, yet, in the midft of all, he can look within himfelf with Calmnefs and Pleafure, at the Thought of his having done his Duty ; and can look forward with a joyful Profpeft of an happy IfTue to all his Affliflions, fecurcd to him in the Promife of that GOD, who is faithful, and will do it : Nay, though he fhouid be forced for the Sake of this his main Intercft, to fuffer in JeiTer, and more trifling Matters ; yet, {o long as his greateft Concerns are fafe, he has evidently acted the Part of a Wife Mun, in making a lefler Interefl (loop, and give Place, to the greater. So, like the wife Merchant^ having found one Pearl of great Price, he readily fells all that he has^ parts with things of Jeffer Value, ar.d buys it (/). Befides, the Wifdom of Religion appears in this, that a Man does nothing herein that he will afterwards have any Reafon to be afliam- ed, and repent of ; whereas he that leads an irreligious Life, in Difobedience to ihz Divine Commandment, will certainly, as he has juft Caufe for it, be afhamed, and heartily forry (/) Math. xiii. 45, Serm. V III. Divine Commandment.!.^^ for his Folly, fooner, or later : If he ever fee his Error, while he has Opportunity to corredt it, his pafl: Folly will coft him many an uneafy Thought, and make him very reftlefs ; and his Repentance, though it be the beft thing he can pofiibly do, will be attended with inward Shame, and Regret, and he will bitterly refled upon himlelf, and mod fadly condemn himfelf, as a vile, v/retched, loathfome Creature, who by his Rebellions againft his Sovereign, and Ingra- titude 10 his beft Friend, has deferved Hell a Thoufand Times over. But if he fhould go f'n in his Irrcligion, until Death, and Judg- ment, overtake him, how feverely, then, will he reproach, and condemn himfelf ? What pointed Stings will pierce deep into his very Soul, at the Reflellion on his paft Folly f What inexprefTible Horror will take hold upon him, at the Thought of his former mad Courfe of Life ? How dreadfully will he become his own Tormentorj and that throughout an end- isls Eternity ? Whereas, he that lives religi- oufly, in Obedience to the divine Commands, is always doing what he ought to do, what becomes him as a rational Creature, what great- ly improves and betters him, and therefore what will forever fet eafy and comfortably about him, and what will . afford him unfpeakable Sa- tisfadion in the Review of it. Nay ; if the religious Man fhould have de- luded himfelf, with the pleafing Hopes, of liv- ing happily forever, in an other World, after he has aded his Part in this, and, inftead of his partaking of that Joy and Satisfaction^ he lived in fixpeftation of, fhould, at laft, 'die,' and perifh, like the Bead, yet has he a(5ted the wife Part : becaufe he has denied himfelf O 2 of T^6 TTjb Excellency of the Serm. Vlll. of nothing that was fitting for a wife Man to allow himfelf in, he has had the Pleafure, and Satisfadlion, as he went along, to carry himfelf regularly, and behave decently, and to do no- thing but what was worthy of hiim, as a Man ; and all this he did upon, at leaft, the probable, Hopes of a happy Eternity, as the full Reward of all : and^ if after all, he fliould mifs of what he hoped for, by ceafing to have any Being beyond the Grave, yet he will truly have Joft nothing, by his Religion, but what he could very well fpare, without any real Damage to himfelf, and he will then be in no Capacity to receive any Uneafinefs, at his Difappointment, or to feel any Degree of Mifery. But he that lives irreligioudy truly gains nothing, by his Ir- teligion, but what he had better be without» namely, an indecent, mifbecoming, and unmanly Condudl:, which expofes him to the Ccnfure, and Difefteem, of the thinking Part of Mankind, and uneafy Refledions within himfelf, which he cannot, at Times, be without -, and all the Liberty he has taken to gratify the Irregular Appetites of Fielli and ^t'^'i^^ befides it's reduc- ing him upon a Level with the Brute, has been with a View to feme probable Hope, (for ro Man is, or can be fure of it,j that he fhall have no Being in an other World ; which Hope if he fhould find himfelf, at lafb, mifta- ken in, he would be unavoidably miferable, and that forever. So that, upon Suppofition, that the future State is only probable, and that there were equal Reafon to conclude, that it will, or will not, be, the religious Man is, by far, the wrfer of the two ; becaufe he has provided for that which pofTibly may happen, and that with no real Difadvantage to himfelf in his pre- Scr^.yill' Divine Commandment, 197 fenc State, while the irreligious has made no real. Gain to himfcif, by a Life of Difobedi- cnce, and is utterly unprovided for the fatal Chance^, which, for ought he can poffibly k^now,' inay, at laft, happen to him. But then, whatever profane Men may think of it, there is no fuch Chance, whether we fhall have a Being in an other World ; no, my Brethren, it is an undoubted Certainty, founded upon folid Principles of Reafon, and evidenced by the clear Light of indifpatable Revelation, that we fliall exift after we leave this World, that Death does not make a final and fuIlEnd of us» but we pafs, from hence, into an other World, where we fhall have afTigned unto us a Por- tion anfvverahle to our Conducb in this : and then who will be found to be the wife Man ?• He that has aforehand been thoughtful about that State he is pafling into, and done all he can to render it a comfortable and happy State to him i or, he that has caft off all Thoughts of Futurity, and has been doing all he can to render it a State of endlefs Mifery, and infup- portable Torment to him ? Verily, when all things are duely confidered, it will certainly be found, that Religion is our truefl Wifdom. Well then might Solomen, the wifef^ of Men, fay, {m) IVhofo kespeth the Law is a wife Son ; and, (») He that geteth Wifdom loveth his own- Souly and he that keepsth. Underftcinding Jhall fini good, 4. "We may ftom hence infer the very great Evil of wilfully making light of, and contemn- ing, the divine Commandment. Is the Com- mandment, a Revelation from GOD, pattsking Im) Ptyu. xxviii. 7. (w^ ch. xix. 8. I gS T^ha Excellency of the Serm. VIII. of the Purity of his Nature, with the Stamp of his royal .Authority upon it ? Is it exceeding broad, as it reaches to every one of us, and every Part of us, includes our whole Duty, and confults our trueft Intereft, in this World, and the next ? What an high Crime, and mifde- meanor, muft it then be, for any to make Light of it, and pour their Contempt upon it, as though it were mean, and defpicable, and not worthy to be treated with Decency, and good Manners : What is this but to pour Con- tempt upon GOD himfelf, who fpeaks to us in his Word ? Surely the Oracles of the great GOD ought to be forever facred with us, and to be thought, and fpoken, of, with the great- eft Reverence. One would be ready to think, that the Purity of its Morals, the Sublimity, and Majefty, of its Sentiments, and the Noble- nefs, and Gravity, as well as Familiarity, and Plainnefs, of its Didion, befides the Remembrance that Life, or Death, turns upon our Regards to It, (hould fecure it our greateft Veneration, be- yond that of any other Writings whatever ; becaufe no other Writings, whatever, can pre- tend to come near the Sanftity, and Majefty, of the facred Scriptures ; nor fo nearly con- cern us, in our bed, and lafling Intereft. And yet, as if it were not enough to live, and act, contrary to the Documents of this facred Word, are there not a Generation, (O how lofty are they in their own Eyes !) who add to all their other Crimes the prodigious Guilt, of pleafing therrvfclves in breaking their fcurrilous Jefts upon the holy Writings, and fcruple not to turn the divine Oracles into Burlefque ? What can be more contrary to that Reverence and Efteem which is due to a Revelation from GOD, th^n for Serm. Ylll. Divine Commandment, i()() for Perfbns to atcount themfelvcs witty in their profane Drollery upon ic ? And yet, for oughc all thaC" the wittieft of them can fay, it may pofTibly be a Revelation from GOD, and no other than GOD himfelf fpeaking in that Word which they contemn. Nor is it any Argumen: ct the Meannefs of the facred Scriptures, or their want of a divine Original, that Perfons of but little real Wit, though of a great Deal of Profanenefs, and Malice, can pl.iy their fiJly Squibs, upon the Do6lrines, or Precepts, con- tained in them, any more than it is an Argu- ment of the Meannefs of a noble Man's Chs- radter, that a contemptible Buffoon wears the Title of my Lord : Though with feme, it may be thought a fufficient Confutation of the divine Original of the Scriptures, that they can ftrain a low Banter, or break a homely ]t& upon them. But, let fuch Men know, that Bantering, and Jefting, are not Reafoning ; and they muft give us other Proofs of their Tup- pofed mafterly Way of thinking, before v;e can yield up our Underftandings, and Confcitnccs, to their Direction : yea, they muft give us other Evidences, than they do, of their being Friends to Reafon, whatever Shape they ap- pear in, before they are fit to be hearkened to. A Man is never the lefs valuable for a Mon- key's ridiculous Reprefentation of him. What is there fo facred, and true, fo beneficent, and ferviceable, which a very low, but a very li- centious. Wit, may not turn into Ridicule ? But of all Wit this is the moft foolifh, and the moft dangerous : This is to fport, in the Dark, with edge Fools, and to a6t the Part of Solomonh mad Fool, {o) vvhg cajietb Fin- (o) Proi\ xxvi. i8. ^ Q4 ' irM?^ "^200 11h Excellency of the Serm.VIIL hrands^ Arrows^ and Beath^ and crieth, am I not in Sport ? becaufe it is to play the Fool in a Matter of the greateft Confequence that can be, in which, if a Man be miftaken in his Jeft, and for ought he knovys he may be mif- taken, he does himfelf the greateft pofTible In- jury, as well as to many about him : he runs on inconfiderately, with a broad Laugh, and hideous Grin, and hurries many unthinking Fools, with the empty Noifc, into everlafting Burning. Nor, know I any Sin, that, in our Day, may be fuppofed to come nearer to th( Sin again fl the Holy Ghojl, (if it be not the very fam ■,) zvhich jhall never he forgiven^ nei^ iher in this Worlds nor in that which is to comt^ than for a Man defignedly to rir'icule th$ Scriptures, and the Miracles recorded in it, as little Tricks of Juggling, and Legerdemain \ becaufe fuch a Man Evidently difcovcrs him- felf to be under the Power of Malice, and Rage, againft our holy Religion, and it's Au- thor, who can, for the Sake of his Enmity to them, become fo great an Enemy to Reafon ; hy which Means he Hands abfolutely Self-con- demned. And whatever the profane Droll may think of himfelf, and however he may gain thq Laugh, of the vain World on his Side, he will find, in the Conclufion, that he has been all the while fporting himfelf to his own undoing, by pafiing the Flout, and Jeer, upon his Ma^ ker, and his Judge, and has Jefted away his Soul, and his Happinefs forever. Of all Perfons, fuch fhould be had in the greateft Contempt^ and Abhorrence, by us, becaufe of their fcurri- lous fpitting in the Face of our heavenly Fa- ther, and their bold Attempt to undern^ine, hy the mofl unmanly, and fordid. Methods, the very Serm.VIII. Divine Commandmsnt 2ht very Foundations of cur moft holy Religion^ and bury the nobleft Strudure in the contempr tible Ruins. Thus alfo, it argues a Slight caft upon the divine Commandment, for any to form new No- tions, and Schemes of Religion, and Ways of Worfliip, not enjoyned, or warranted, by the Word of GOD. For, as GOD himfelf knows befr, what Worfhip, and religious Service, is moft agreeable to his Nature, and Perfedions, and con- fonant to his grand Defign of the Salvation of Sinners, through the Merits of his Son ; fo he has been pleafed to reveal to us, in his holy Word, what that Worfhip is, which is acceptable and pleafing to him ; and his Commands, therein, extend not only, to every one of us, but, to the whole of our Duty, relating to GOD, and his Worfhip, as well as to our whole Duty to our Fellow Creatures. It muft therefore be looked upon as no lefs than, a reproaching the exceeding broad Commandment with Im perfection, for us to' interpolate it with Inventions of our own ; and an Impeaching the Wifdom of GOD, for us to fet up Modes of Worfhip which he hath not en» joyned ; and an arrogating to ourfelves the Au- thority of GOD, and his Dominion in his own Houfe, for us to impofe our own Schemes upon Others, and make our new found Services the Terms of Communion in the Church of GOD 5 and, at the fame Time, fuch pernicious Principles do but give the Scope to vain conceited Minds, fyll of themfelyes, and contemning all befide, when once they have gotten fufficient Power on their Side, to impofe upon us what new Religioa they pleafCg when ever they Ihall think it fitting to do fp. If, therefore, we would approve ourfelves unto GOD, and not make light of his 2 o 2 l^he Excelle?icy of the Serm. VIII. his Commandment, we ought to be careful, in all Parts of our religious Worihip, to conform ourfelves, not to the Didlates of Men, but, to the Rules laid down in the Word of GOD. {p) ^0 the Law, and to the Tejiimony % if they /peak not according to this Word^ it is becaufe there is 710 Light in them. Furthermore ; It is a Slight and Contempt caft upon the Word of GOD, for Pcrfons to negledt to make that due Improvement of ir, which it is defigned for, to inftrud them in the Way of Righteoufnefs. The great Defign o-f GOD's holy Word is, to convert the Soul, to make wife the Jimple, to rejoice the Heart, and enlighten the Eyes, and to guide us in the Path of our Duty, and the Way to true and endlefs Felicity. Now, in order to have this blefied End promoted, 'tis neceffary that Perfons afl the rational Part, in a diligent Application of the Means to the End, by a due Improvement of the divine Command- ment, fo as that it may be a Lamp to their Feet, and a Light unto their Path. But if they refufe to make a wife Improvement of it, to this great and good End, *tis becaufe, either, they contemn the End, as not worth their regarding, or, flight the Means, as not well adapted to the End : either of which is to make light of the Word of GOD, by which only we have the great End, the Purity, and Happinefs of Man affertained, and the belt Way to attain this End pointed out to us. This therefore is their Sin, and Folly, who live without reading the Word of GOD, daily, with clofe Application of Mind to what they read ; for *tls plain they negleft, and flight, the beft Means to promote the higheft End j and it may (p) Ifa. viii. 20. be Serm. VIII. Divine Commandment, 203 be faid to them, in the Language of the wife Man, (q) wherefore is there a Price ^ in the Hand of a F0OI, to get Wifdom^ feeing he hath no Heart to it ? The greateft of Men, as well as the kafl-, owe this to the facred Bible, carefully to inform themfelves in the Nature, and Importance of it, what it difcovers to them, and what it requires of them ; this their own Intereft demandeth of them ; this the great GOD commands them, {r) When he ( the King ) fttteth upon the Throne of his Kingdom, he Jhall write ( have ) a Copy of this Law i — and it Jhall be with him, and he Jhall read therein all the Days of his Life •, that he may learn, to fear the LORD his GOD, to keep all the JVords of this Law, and thefe Statutes to do them. And how can any Man hope to fear GOD, and keep his Commandments ? who, fo defpifeth the divine Commandment, as to caft it behind his Back, and is the Fool that hateth Inftrudion. And fo, when Perfons refufe to come to the place of Publick Worfhip, that they may hear the Word of "GOD preached, his Commands explained, and enforced, 'tis evident they make light -Of this holy Word, becaufe they negle6t to improve it, as they ought to do. It has pleafed GOD in his great Wifdom, and Goodnefs, to make Ufe of the "Word of Reconciliation, by the Miniftry of Men, appointed for this End, to bring the Soul of the poor Sinner home to GOD in CHRIST, by a hearty Belief of all Gofpel Truths, and fmcere Pradice of all Gofpel Duties ; in this Way our blefTed LORD, and his Apoflles, after him, con- verted Sinners, and faved their Souls from Death. But now, when any wilfully abfent themfelves from the Publick Worfhip, and refufe to hear the Word preached, whatever Pretence they may have there-. (q) Prov. xvii. 16. (r) Dm. xvii. i8, 19. for. 204 ^^ Excellency of the Serm. VIIL for, from their Conceit of their own Knowledge, or low Efteerti of the Preacher, 'tis evident they defpife Prophefying, and contemn the Word of Life ; which, if they truly valued, they would embrace all proper Opportunities to receive their Portion of, as they do the returning Seafcns to en- tertain the Food of their Bodies. GOD there- fore charges it againft his rebellious People, of old, (s) That, they cafi away the Law of the LORD of Hojl, (they put it from them, and defined to have nothing to do with it,) and defpifed the Word of the Holy One of Ifrael. And verily, when Fools thus defpife Wifdom, and the Means leading to it, their Sin is greatly aggravated thereby, and their Condemnation will be fadly increafed ; becaufe they defpife GODj who fpeaketh to them in his Word, and de- fpife their own Souls, which the Word is the defigned Means to promote the Salvation of : and therefore, unto fuch Sinners, that awful Warning belongeth, (/) Behold^ ye Defpifers, and wonder J and perijlo. 5. From hence we learn, how Ihort we all come of the Rule in our Obedience, and what need the very beft of us all have, humbly and earneftly, to implore the pardoning Mercy of GOD, through the Merits of JESUS CHRIST, that we may find Acceptance with him. ^ Is the Commandment of GOD thus exceeding broad ? Doth it extend to every Duty, and require an exaft Obedience of us, in Heart, and Life, and that without any, the leaft, al- lowed and wilful Defeats ? Then, upon an, Examination of ourfelves, we cannot but fee, that, after all our Care to perform our Duty, (j) IJa. V. 24. {t) A61. xiii. 41. and Scrm.VIII. Divine Commandment . 205 and preferve ourfelves pure, and untainted with any Error, we have come greatly fliort of the Rule, and that even in the very beft of our Performances. Alas, for us \ we daily fin in Thought, in Word, and in Deed ; and though any of us fhould not have allowed our- felves in any of the greater, and more heinous, Tranfgreflions of the divine Law, as in Iwear- ing and Drunkennefs, Uncleannefs, Falfhood, Ma- fice, or the like atrocious Crimes, yet there is enough of Obliquity, cleaving to all we do, to juftify the holy and righteous GOD if He Ihould condemn us. For he that would hope to efcape the righteous Condemnation of the great Judge, upon the Account of his own Performances, muft be able to lay claim to a perfect finlefs Obedience of his own j becaufe, whatever the Grace of GOD, according to the Difpenfation of the Gofpel, might do, in abat- ing the utmofl; Exaftnefs of the Law, in it's De- mands upon us, for the Sake of a Mediator interpofing on our Behalf, yet, the Law itfelf, which is the Rule to us, allows of no Failure, in our Obedience, without our falling under the condemning Power of it ; nor will the Ho- nour of the Sovereign, feparate from the Grace of the Gofpel, admit of any Repugnancy in us to his rightful Authority, without his proper Animadverfions upon us for it. And where is the Man, ('the Man JESUS only excepted,) that can pretend to a perfeflly fmlefs Obedi^ ence to the divine Law ? For in Order to any Man's being perfedlly righteous before GOD, by Vertue of his own Obedience, it is abfo- lutely neceffary, that there be the moft exaffc Agreement between the divine Will, made known to him ; and his Obedience, without the leaft Failure ^o6 Tl^e Excellency of the Serm. VIII. Failure, or Defeflion from the right Line of his Duty : for if he fhould, in the lead Degree, go off from the Rule, his Obedience would not then be perfe?hich is our Duty, even in the very bcft that wc do •, and it is juft Matter of Humiliation to us, that we are fo very de- fective in al), that if GOD fhould enter into Judgment with u% and mark our Iniquity a- gainft us, we could not anfwer him for one of a Thoufand -, and it concerns us daily to renew our Repentance, becaufe we daily offend. What a Wonder of Mercy, then, is it, that the infinitely holy GOD will be pleafed to accept of any of our imperfedl Services ? Truly, we ferve the beft of Mafters •, whofe Mercy reaches us in our poor low infirm State, and pities us under all our WeaknefTes, helps us under all our Infirmities, and accepteth of our fincere Defires, and Endeavours, after perfedl Obedience, though there are innumerable Defedls in us, and our Ser- vices, when we have done our befl. We are beholden to a merciful GOD for every good Thing wrought in us, or done by us. * fVho makefh thee to differ from another Man ? and what ha§i thou which thou didji not receive ? Thy very Faith, and Repentance, and every Grace in thee, is the Gift of GOD to thee, without whom thou couldefl do nothing. GOD oweth thee Nothing, but Thou owefl: thy Self, and all that thou canfl do, to him : it is but thy due Debt (:) 2 Pit, iii. 1 8. * I Cor. \\\ 7. Serm. VW\. Divine Commandment. 2 1 J to ferve him, in the moft exafl, and fteady, un- interrupted. Obedience to his Commands ; a Debt which thou art to be always paying, and yet canft never fully pay \ a Debt which thou comeft fo Ihort in, that, when thou haft done all thou canft, thou wilt have no Room to boaft and glory, as if thou defcrvedft any Thing, but muft rely upon the infinite Mercy of GOD to accept thy poor Performances. We are all an unclean Things and all our Right eoufnejfes are but as filthy Rags ; faid the Prophet \. That after a Man has lived the moft holy circumfped Life, that ever any mere Man in the World did, after all his fervent Prayers, and Devotions, and penitent Tears and Humiliations, and exemplary Probity, Juftice, and Charity, if the great and holy GOD ftiould deal with him according to the ftrid Demands of his holy Law and Com- mandment, he would be fent down to Hell, as the juft Reward of the Iniquity of his holy Things. But by Grace ye are faved ; and the Grace of GOD is fuperabundant towards us, in accepting, and rewarding of our Obedience, which, after all, is fo very defedive. Certainly then. In vain do any expedb Jufti- fication by any Performances of their own ; for iy the Deeds of the haw no Flejh JJoall be jufiifi- ed in his Sight (k.) We are, after we have done our beft, not only unprofitable Servants, but, fo very defedive, that we ftiould not be able to Hand a Trial before our Judge, and hold up our Heads in the great Day of Account. This therefore Chews us what Reafon we have to re- pair to the pardoning Mercy of GOD, through the Merits of JESUS CHRIST, that our Sins jnay be forgiven, and we may be accepted into- f I/a. Ixiv. 6. {k) Rfv:. in. 25. ? 3 HJS 214 ^^ Excelhncy of the Serm.VIII. His Favour. If the Commandment be fo ex- ceeding broad, as we have feen, then we need a more perfeft Righteoufnefs than any we are able to procure by our own Obedience, to juf- tify us before GOD, and entitle us to the di- vine Acceptance. For, how can we imagine that GOD, who is of purer Eyes than to be- hold Iniquity, will accept our imperfe6l Services, as they are in thcmfelves, without any farther Confiderations } Verily, the Juftice, and Holi- nefs of GOD will not admit of it. The holy, and rigliteous, wife, and good GOD can look upo"! no Righteoufnefs, as fufficient to recom- mend any to his Favour, but what is every "Way adequate, and correfpondent to the De- mand of his Law •, the want of this is a Tref- pafs upon his Authority, and Dominion, which was the Cafe of Apoftate Angels, and fallen Man ; and therefore, fince, through the De- fedlivenefs of our Obedience, we are not Own- ers of fuch a perfeft Righteoufnefs of our own, 'tis neccfTary that we be provided of fuch a finlefs Righteoufnefs from an other, as our Surety, in the Vertue of which GOD may accept us, and our Services, and confer the BlefTing upon us. GOD fmelleth a fweet Sa- vour only in a perfed fpotlefs Sacrifice. All of which fhews us the NecefTity there is of our being found in the Righteoufnefs of JESUS CHRIST, our only Mediator, in the Merits of vvhofe Sufferings GOD will gracioudy pardon all our Sins, and in the Virtue of whofe perfe<5t Obedience he will accept of our fincere, though imperfeft Services, according to the Tenor of the Grace of the Gofpel j and confequently theNecefli- ty of our Faith in the Lord JESUS CHRIST, relying upon his infinite Merits alone for our Juf- tification Serm. Vlll. Divine Commandment, 215 tification before GOD, that being juftified by Faith, through the Imputatiqn ct the ^ighte- cufnefs of CHRIST unto us, we may have Peace with GOD, and be accepted to his ever- Jafting Mercy. For, bJefTed be GOD ; // any Man fin^ we have an Advocate with the Father^ JESUS CHRIST the righteous ; who is a Pro^ pitiation for our Sin ' (/). If there had been a Law given which would have given Life, verily Righteoujnefs fhould have been by the Law im) : But what the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the Flefh, GOD fending his own Son, in the Likenefs of finful Flefh, and for Sin condemned Sin in the Fleflj ; that the Righte- cufnefs of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the Flefh, but after the Spirit (n) : whom (JESUS CHRIST; GOD hath fet foitb to be a Propitiation, through Faith in his Bloody to declare his Right eoufnefs for the Remiffion of Sins that are p/ufi ; through the Forbearance of GOD y-that He might be juji, and the JuHifier &f him which believeth in JESUS () ]ie'V. I. 5. P 4 £ha& 2i5 He Excellency of the Serm. VIII. that we may obtain the Forgivenefs of all our Sins, and IHort Comings in Duty, and may ^e received unto that eternal Life, which CHRIST has purchafed, and GOD, that can- aoc lie, has promifcd before the World began w^ SERMON Serm. IX, Divine Commandment, 217 SERMON IX. Psalm CXIX. 96. I have feen an End of all Per- feElion ; but thy Commandment is exceeding broad. I Am yet upon the Improvement of the fe- cond Dodrine from thefe Words 5 ,and \ have inferred. J. The wonderful Goodnefs, Mercy, and Com- panion, of GOD to a miferable World, in making a clear Revelation of his Mind and Will to it. 2. The indifpenfible Obligations we all lie under to keep the Commandment of GOD, 3. That pure Religion is our trueft Wifdom ; becaufe it meaneth to better us in our Perfons, and all our Relations, and render us comfor- table here, and compleatly happy hereafter ; and it requires nothing unreafonable of us, or that we Ihall have Caufe to be afhamed or repent of ; and if at laft we Ihould be de- ceived in our Expeftations of future Happinefs,' C (which 2 1 8 Tloe Excellency of the Serm. IX. (which the truly religious Man fhall not be,) yet we (hall have afled the wifeft Part, in liv- ing as becometh our rational Nature, and guard- ing againft the greateft future Evil. 4. The very great Evil of Perfons making light oF, and contemning, the divine Commandment, by playing their prophane Jefts, and Banters upon it, turning it into Drollery and Ridicule ; or by forming new Notions, and Schemes of Religion, unwarranted by the divine Oracles % or by negledling to attend upon it. 5. How fhort we all come of the Rule in our Obedience, and what need the Beft have to be humble, and implore the pardoning Mercy of GOD, through the Merits of CHRIST, that we may find Acceptance. I fhall mention two or three other Inferences, and then conclude this Subjefl with a Ufe of Exhortation. 6a Hence we may infer, that the Office of the Gofpel Miniflry, is attended with very great Labour and Difficulty, as well as is truly ho- nourable. JESUS CHRIST hath appointed the facrcd Order of the Miniflry, not for a tempo- rary but a flanding Office, in his Church, to the End of the World 5 and therefore he faid to his firfl Miniflers, in the latter End of Matthew^ Gofpel, Zp, / am with you alway^ even unto the End of the World 1 and the great Work, and Bufinefs, of this Order of Men are, the PFork of the Mi- ^ffiO'y the converting of Sinners from the Error of their Ways, the perfe5iing of the Saints^ and fo the edifying of the Body of CHRIST ; to v;hich End the Word of Reconciliation it com- mitted Serm. IX. Divine Commandment. 219 mitted unto them, that they fhould preach the unfearchable Riches of CHRIST. Now, if the Commandment is exceeding broad, if there is a tranfcendent Excellency in it, as it is the Word of the Great GOD, the Law of the e- ternal King, and it's great Defign is to per- fed our Nature, and compleat our Happinefs ? then certainly, thofe whom GOD employs to difpence his Word to us, who explain to us, and enforce upon us, the Will of GODj whofe Bufinefs it is to condud us in the Paths of Righteoufnefs, and fliew to us the Way of Sal- vation, thefe furely are fixed in an high and honourable Station. Shall the Care of our worldly Intereft, the defending us from the In- juries and Oppreflions of the voracious, and the Recovery of our Rights, when they are unjuft- ly detained, or violently taken away from us, be thought to confer Honour upon him that pleads, or Umpires, our Caufe ? Or fhall the Care of our Bodies, and the fecuring them from the Maladies they are liable unto, and the reftoring them to Health and Vigour, when they are weakened and impaired, be thought to render him honourable that prudently adminifters to them ? And fhall not the Care of our Souls, the promodng their Plealth and Vigour, and ^the fecuring their prefent Comfort, and their e- ternal Interefl, confer as great an Honour upon thofe whofe peculiar Bufinefs it is to lay them- felves out in Study for us, and are conflantly, ai>d faithfully, fpending their Time, and Strength in warning, counfelling, and inflrufling of us ? Yea, fhall the Care of the external Affairs of Mankind, the Government of their outward Con- dud, and •Behaviour, to one another, by pro- per LawSa and the enforcing Obedience to thofe Laws 2 20 The Excelle?icy of the Serm. IX. Laws of the State, be thought to confer an high Honour from thofe that wear the Com- mifiion from an earthly Monarch • ? And are they, at the fame Time, in a low and defpica- bJe Poft, who are commiflioned from the great, the eternal. King, to take Care of the Govern- ment of Mankind, by inftilling the bed Prin- ciples into them, by teaching them the beft Manners, and have Power to enforce the Laws of the Kingdom of Heaven, upon it*s Subjeds, by an Authorativc Declaration of It's Promifes, and Denounciation of its Threatnings, and mini- Iterially to execute the facred Difcipline upon the bold and incorrigible Offender ? Is not the Welfare of our Souls greatly to be preferred to that of our Bodies ? Is not their eternal Happinefs beyond any temporal Fehcity the Body can enjoy ? And does not this argue, that their Office, whofe Bufinefs it is to promote their Welfare, their Reftitude and Happinefs, is of a far more noble and excellent a Nature, than any that relates to the Concerns of the Body, and the prcfent Life only, can be ? Or is their Office more honourable, and their Per- fons only more contemptible ? Now then we are Embajfadors for CHRIST, as though GOD did hefeech you by us^ we fray you, in CHRIST fiead, he ye reconciled unto GOD ; this is the. Language of the Apoftle concerning the Minif- ters of the Gofpel (q) : and how ftrongly does it argue the Honour that is due unto them ? Truly, 1 have often wondred at it, that any, who wear the Charader of Gentlemen, fhould a6t fo mean and low a Part, as to pour their Contempt upon the facred Order and Office, upon which even the Temporal Welfare of (f) Z Cor. V. 20. humane Serm. IX. Divine Commandment. 221 humane Society is fo much dependent, while at the fame Time, we fee them pay the high- eft Court to Offices of vaftly lefs Importance: But our bleffed Lord has faid, {r) My Kingdom is not of this World. Though, we magnify our Office, yet, wc do not mean, by this, that great fwelling Titles of Honour, and worldly Grandeur is to be heaped upon us ; no, thefe are contempti- ble, and mean, compared with our high Office ; nor mean we to lord it over GOD*s Heritage, no, we preach not ourfelves, but CHRIST JESUS the Lord, and ourfelves your Servants for JESUS Sake (s) ; but then give us leave to hope that you will fo far honour our Office, and our Per- fons, while we are faithful in it, as to preferve fuch an inward Refpcft, and Reverence, thereto, as may afford us the Opportunity to do you all the Good we wifh to do, and may beft an- iwer the great Ends of our Miniftry ; that you may hearken to our Inftru(5lion, receive our Counfel, and fubmic to our teaching and Go- vernment, and ejleem us highly^ in Love, for our Work^s Sake j for thus the Jpo^le of our Lord hath faid, (/) Obey them that have the Rule over you, and fubmit your felves ; for they watch for your Souls^ as they that muji give Account, that they may do it with Joy and not with Grief ; for that is unprofitable for you. The Minifters of the Lord come unto you in his Name, vefted with Authority from him, and declare what his Will and Pleafure concern- ing you is, and therefore it is your Part to re- gard them, as MelTengers of GOD % though if they fpeak not according to their Inftruftions, (r; Job. xviii. 36. (i) 2 Cor. iv, j. (t) Heh. xiii. 17. hear 2 22 The Excellejtcy off/jeScrm. IX. hear them not ; there will be no Danger in fuch Difobedience. The Keys of the Kingdom of GOD, and his MESSIAH, are committed to them, thofe they regularly bind on Earth, Ihall be bound in Heaven, thofe they regularly loofc on Earth Ihall be looled in Heaven •, the Sen- tence they pafs, according to the Law of GOD, will be ratified and confirmed by their great Mafter : and it is no Prefumption In them, in the Difcharge of their Office, to reprove the greateft, and haughtieft, Tranfgreffor, and warn him of the Evil of his Ways, and adminifter the holy Difcipline of the Kingdom of CHRIST upon him, and let fuch know, that their So- vereign Mafter will feverely punifh all that im- penitently go on in Difobedience to any of his known Commands : and whilft they keep within their proper Line, and faithfully do the Duties of their Office, they that affront, in- fult, and injure them, affront the King of Heaven himfelf, whofe Miniflers they are ; and hence wc may obferve our Saviour pub- Jilhing to all the World, how he will refent the Treatment of his Minifters, faying, (») He that heareth you^ heareth me, and he that defpif- eth you, defpifeth me -, and he that defpifeth me^ defpifeth him that fent me. But then, as it fhews the Dignity, and Authori- ty, of the Minifters of the Gofpel of CHRIST, fo does it alfo befpeak the very great Labour, and Difficulty, that attends their facred Office. They are, in a qualified Senfe, the Keepers of the divine Law, entrufted with that facred Depofitum^ and to explain and enforce the divine Command- ment upon their Fellow Creatures, and, in this Way, to train them up, and fit them, for the (u) Luk. X. 1 6. future Serm. IX. Divine Co?mnandment, 223 future Happinefs, the unutterable Rewards of the Kingdom of GOD. And though, one would be ready to think, that, it Ihould require no very great Labour, and Pains, to perfwade Men to be happy, becaufe every Man naturally thirfleth after Happinefs, yet, fo it is, that it is one of the moft operofe, and laborious Talks that can be i becaufe we have the WeaknelTes, and Mis- takes, and Prejudices, the Lulls and Pafllons of Men to encounter withal. 'Tis true. Men would be happy, if they might ; but it muft be in their own Way. If they might but get to Heaven^ and enjoy all the Happinefs they are capable of-, at laft, and yet indulge their feveral vicious Ap- petites, and walk in the Ways of their own Heart, for the prefent, and be obliged to no Adls of Self Denial, they might eafily be pre- fwaded to this ; becaufe this would fuit well with their corrupt Inclination, their depraved Tafte, and miftaken Notion of things : but to perfwade them to be happy, in GOD*s Way, the only Way in which they can be happy, this is an exceeding great Difficulty ; becaufe their Prejudices are levelled againft this as an uneafy and burdenfome thing to them, and their various Lulls draw them another Way, and their Maftakes perfwade them that they may be as truly happy in a Way of their own choofing. And hence there needs a great deal of Pains to convince Men, that they are miftaken in their Notions of Happinefs ; that, as fond as they arc of it, they are vainly feeking for \t where it is not to be found, and that they muft certainly take another Courfe, than they do, if ever they would be happy. Here we have the carnal Interefts of Men, which bias and warp their Minds, to conflift withal ; and it is no eafy Matter to draw them off from thofe Prejudices, and 2 24 ^^ Excellency of the Serm. IX. and convince them, that their true and main Intereft does not lie in this World, neither is their Happinefs to be enjoyed here ; that there is an End of all created Perfedion, and that they need fomething beyond the Riches, and Pleafures, and Honours, of this World, to make them truly happy. It is very hard to beat Men off from their ftrong Attachment to the Objeds of Senfc. Befides, we muft let Men know, that they muft be better Men, or they cannot be happy ; that they muft redtify the Diforders of their Minds, fubdue and mortify their irregular Appetites, and carefully avoid every thing that is mean and bafe, that is impious and unjuft, and conftantly pradlife all the Vertues of a fober, a righteous, and a godly Life, and Converfation : and this engages us in a Struggle with the Lufts and Paffions of Men, which arc no real Friends to Vertue; And becaufe thefe Lufts and Paffions are orc^marily very ftrong and adive, through a long Courfe of indulging them, therefore it is fo much the more Difficult for us to overcome them : fo that there needs a great Deal of Study and Thought, Caution and Guard, Prudence and Watchfulnefs, and a diligent Application, to be able to come * at the right Side of Men, and find out accep- * table Words, that may reach them, and yet ' pleafc them ; that may fuit their Cafe, and ' yet not be ofFenfive to them j that may ftrike * home upon their Confciences j and not ftir * their Wrath ; that in all we may be faithful to GOD, and faithful to the Souls of our Neigh- bours, and yet, if poffible, not provoke them to difrclifh our Miniftry. So that we muft be made all things to all Men, that we might by all Means fave fome (w). And after all our Study, and {iv) I Cor. ix. 22. Watchfulnefs, Serm. iX. Divine Commandment. 2 2 J Watch fulnefs, and Diligence, and Prudenc6 there is reqnifite our fervent and unwearied Prayers to the GOD of all Grace, for the Prefence and Affiftance of the divine Spirit to accompany our Miniilry, and fucceed our Labours ; without which, who is fufficient for thefe things {x) f If the holy and onnnipotent Spirit of GOD do not accompany our Miniftry, we may be heard,' but we fhall not be regarded ; we may be unto our Hearers, as Ezekiel was to his, as a very lovely Song, of one that hath a pleafant Voice, and can play well on an Injlrument, but our Word fhall not be obeyed •, the Sinner will ftill go on in his vicious Courfes, and, under the Influences of a vain Dream of Happinefs, pofl: down to eternal Mifery, in Spite of all that we can do to prevent it. And this produces an other Very great Diffi-' culty in our Work, namely, the Difcouragement we meet with, becaufe our Meffage is not re- garded, our Mailer is flighted, and all his gra- cious Offers are contemned, and Men are fuch Fools as to negled Heaven, and Happinefs, up- on the fairefl: Offers imaginable, and all for the Sake of a vain World, and fordid Lulls •, fo that we have often Caufe fadly to lament, with the Prophet, the Bellows are burnt, the Lead is confumed of the Fire, the Founder melteth in vain -, for the JVicked are not plucked away ; we labour in vain, and fpend. our Strength for nought ; and to cry out with the Apoflles, Lord, we have toiled all Night, and all Day too and have caught nothing. And what Uneafinefs mufl this "be to us ? How does it ftir all our Compaflion and Sorrow ? to fee thofe we live amongfl, and convcrfe with, whom we have {x) 2 Cor, ii. i6. Q^ contra^ed 2 26 Hn Excellency of the Serm. IX* contrafted a Friend fliip for, and are become dear to us, as cur peculiar Charge, Jiving in Defiance with our great Matter, trampling upon his holy Laws, and pulling down his amazing Vengeance upon them, and all we can do for ihem will not fave them from endlefs Ruin P pur Hearts mufl: be hard as the Nether Mil- Hone not to feel the very forcible ImprefTions of Pity and Companion, mixed with a killing Grief and Sorrow, at fuch a lamentable Sight as this. Nor are we without our DifKcultie?, arifing from ourfelves. We are of the fame Nature, and of like PafTions, with other Men, are equal- ly liable unto Temptations, and more fo : and it requires no lefs Care and Pains to furnifli tjurfelves for our Work, that we may he able Minifters of the New Te^ament^ rightly dividing she Word of Truths that we may have a tho- iow Knowledge of the divine Commandment, and may be able to teach others •, and when we have fpent our Time, in Study, and Prayer, how watchful muft wc be ? that v/e bring no unhal- lowed Fire to GOD's Altar, that wc ffeJ you •with the wholefome Food of the Word of GOD, that Bread of Life v/hich our Mafter ha^ ordered for his Family, and not put you off with Chaff, or teach for Do6lrine the Commandments of Men. It is no little Difficulty to approve ourfelves faithful Stewards in the Houfe of GOD ; and, conliderlng the Tempers and Humors o^ Man- kind, to overcome our Fears of offending thofe that look upon themfelves as great Men, or left we lofe the Favour and Friendfhip of tliofe from v/hom, it may be, a confiderable Part of our fcanty Allowance comes, for our being true to our Truft> and fitithful ia the Difcharge of our Office s Serin . IX. Dlvme Commandment, ^2f Office ; and yet we are under the ftrongeft Obli- gations, as we will anfwer it to our Lord and Mailer, to be faithful, in warning every Man^ and bearing our Teftimony againft every Vice, and when v^e fpie Danger, to lift up our Voice like a Trumpet, and cry aloud, and fhevV Out People their Iniquity, that, if pofllblej we may- keep ourfelves free from the Blood of all Men^ and fave cur own Souls, and the Souls of them that hear us. Thefe are fome of the Labours^ and Difficulties, of thofe who are employed in the Service of the Miniftry, whofe Bufinefs it is to teach the Law of theLord ; and we may be fure that the grand Adverfary, whofe Kingdom they oppofc, will not fail to give them Difturbance enough .- and we fee that the more honourable their Work is, fo much the more laborious, and ferviceable, it is alfo ; and Reafon there is for bur addreffing of you, in the Strain of the Apdftle^' Now .Ihefeech )'0i{. Brethren^ for the Lord JESUS CHRIST fake, and for the Love of the Spirit^ that ye ffrive together with me^ in your Prayers t9 GOD for me {:<:). Hence we learn, what is, and will be, the miferable Condition of all fuch as live, and die, in Difobedience to the divine Commandment. For if it is the Commandrhent of the great GOD^ and aims at our Comfort, and Happinefs, theri- thofe that live in Difobedience thereto muft of Confequence greatly provoke the divine Majefty, and deprive themfelves of their own Comfort and Happinefs 5 and this is to be truly miferabJe, For what is it to live in Difobedience to the Commands of GOD ? but to rife up in Rebellion againft him, to deny his rightful Authority over usj to joyn in Confederacy with his avowed (x) Rem. XV. 30. 0^2 Ad-; 2 28 The Excellency oflhe^txm» IX. Adverfary, and confpire the dethroning of him from his Dominion : To that a Life of Difobedi- ence is no other than a vile Infult upon his Gover- mcnt, and, as 7<7<^ exprcffes it, (y) a denying the GOD that is above : it is to fet up a mean and ]ow Pretender, a vile Ufurper, in his Stead, as Lord over us, and pay that Homage to Self, and Satan, which is due unto GOD only. And vhat can argue a meaner Thought of the all- perfe<5l, and infinitely glorious GOD, the Greatefl, and the Beft, of Beings, than thus to (tt up the vileft and word of Beings in Oppofition to him ? And what can give a higher Provocation to the divine Majefty, than not only to do all we can to ftrip him of his Authority, but, to give the Pre- ference to fuch as are moil deteftable ? Yet this prodigious Guilt and Folly is juftly chargeable upon all fuch as live in a continued Courfe of Difobedience to any of the known Laws of GOD ; who Jive in the Negled of the religious Worfhip of GOD, either focial, or folicary •, who take his Name in vain, and profane his holy Day •, who are ftubborn and rebellious in their Carriage to their Superiours, or infulting and tyrannical over their Inferiours, or malicious and revengful to their Equals ; who live in Falfhood and Unrighteouf- nefs, in Intemperance and Incontinency, and the like •, by fuch open, bold, and daring Tranf- greffions they pour the greatefl: Contempt upon their fovereign Lawgiver, and provoke him to his Face : which made the Apofl:le fay, (z) through breaking the Law dijhonourcft thou GOD. It is not only true of the Heathen World, that, though they know GOD, by his Works, yet they glorify him not as GOD, by living up. to the Didates of natural Confcience, which is the (^ ) Jol'. xxxi. 28. (z) Rom. ii. 2,^, Com- Serm. IX- Divine Commandfnent, 229 Commandment, or Law, written on their Hearts ; but it is to be feared, that there are many a- mong profelTed Chriftians, who, notwithftanding the Advantages they enjoy, in the clearer Rev€- Jation of xht divine VVilJ, and though they ap- pear openly to own that Revelation to be from GOD, and pretend to take it for the Rule of their Lives, yet, in their Pracftice, fay unto GOD, depart from us, we defire not the Know- ledge of thy Ways : what is the Almighty that we Jhould ferve him ? and what profit fhall we have, if we pray unto him (a) ? But is the Commandment exceeding broad, as we have feen, then certainly thofe who fo reproach their Maker, by a wilful Difobedience to his holy Laws, muft unavoidably be in a miferable State and Condition : and indeed they evidently carry about with them, daily, fo great a Part of their Mifery, as is fufficient, one would think, to make them cry out in the Strain of the Apo§ile, (b) O wretched Man that I am ; who fjall deliver me ? For it is very apparent, that they, who fo contemn the Authority of GOD, and go on in a Courfe of Difobedience to his holy Com- mandment, are under the Power of diverfe Lufts, and Paffions, being fold under Sin. For, what but a ftrong Prejudice upon the Mind, ( againft the Commandment of GOD, which is the Refult of the higheft Reafon, and Goodnefs, ) arifing from the powerful Influence of fome Luft or other, could prevail with a reafonab-le Creature to live in a dire<5t Contrariety to the Authority of his rightful Sovereign, and in Difobedience to thofe Commands which are every Way calculated to promote his real Benefit, both in this World, and the next ? For, the Man cannot but acknow- (a) Job. xxi. 14, 15- (b) Rom. vii. 24, ft.! ' ?edg^- 2 3^^ '5^^ 'Excellency of the. Serm. IX. ledgQ, if there be a GOD, (and this is the Language of all Nature about him, ) that then this GOD is his Sovereign Lord» and has a Right to be obeyed in whatever he commandeth, and that it muft needs be for his Intereft to reugn up his own Will entirely to the divine Will, ^nd govern himfelf, in all things, by the divine Law ; becaufe this his almighty Sovereign is able fully to reward all his Services, and feverely to punifh him for ' his Difobedience ; and that therefore it jnuft be an unrcafonable thing in him to obey and ferve fome Luft or other, rather than the jiving GOD. Nay do we not find the Generality cf profligate and vicious Livers, in their cool .Thoughts, acknowledging the Equity and Good- nefsof the Law it felf -, and yet they nft direftly contrary to it ? like him, who could fay, Video weliora frohcq; deteriora fequar : or, in the Apoftle's Stile, / confini unto the Law that it is good^ hut do that which I would not^ Evil being frefent with me (c). And whence is this but from the prevailing Power of Prejudice cndaving of them ? What can be a greater Infelicity, than, for an intelligent Mind, capable of dif- cerning right, to be in vile Subjection to fome bafe and fordid Lull or Pafnon, and ever be led wrong by them ? What can be worfe, than to be under the Power and lordly Dominion of Irregularity and Diforder ? to be ever erring from the Way of Truth, and Peace ? Is there any thing more unbecoming a rational Creature, than to be a Slave to Senfe ; or, than for an heaven- born Soul to be the Devil's Drudge ? Can there be a greater Unhappinefs, than for a rational Agent to be continually afling contrary to his Light and Knowledge, and be perpetually ex- (c) Rom. vii. i6-i8. pofing Serm. IX. Divine Comma7tdment, 23 f pofing himfelf to tlie Reproaches of his own Heart ? Does he need any other Torment, who carries that within him, which challenges his. Aftions, accufes him lor his Impiety, and lailies him for his extream Folly and Madnefs ? What is there can make fuch a Man eafy and comfor- table, while he feels the (linging Refledions of his own Mind ? *Tis true, indeed, that a Man may very much llifie and fupprefs the Remon- ilrances of his own Mind, by the Hurry, and Noife, and Diverfions, of the World •, but can he always command Silence in his own Breaft^. and (lop the juft Clam.ours of Confcience againfl himfelf ?* No verily ; fometimes it will cry aloud, and will be heard, in Spite of all that he can do to prevent it ; and when once the Heighih of his Noify Mirth is over, and the Heat of Wine and ftrong Drink hath fpent itfelf, and he begins to be a little cool, and retire within himfelf, and think fedately, what an Uproar is there raifed in his Soul ? what a Storm rages in his Breaft ? What Convulfions fcife him ? which, he cannot, for a while at lead, get rid of, nor knows he how to fupport himfelf under, (c) The Spirit of a Man "jjHI fujiain his Injirmities^ the or- dinary Calamities of Life, hut a wounded Spirit who can hear ? Who indeed 1 Certainly, this h the very Mifery of Devils themfelves ; to be un- able to adl up to the Dignity of their rational Na- ture, and to feel the Smart of their own Re- proaches for it. Yet fo miferable are all they who are under the Power of Lufl and Prejudice^ and turn their Backs upon the holy Command- ment, And though, through the Defilement^ and Stupidity, of their Confcienccs, they may nor, for the piefentj feel the Sung, an^ tjS fenfiblc o| (ej Prot}, ¥,viii. 14, 232 The Excellency of the Serm. IX. their unhappy Condition, yet the Time will come when their Sorrows fliall compafs them about, as with a Chain, and the pointed Arrows of the Ahnighty fliall drench up their Spirits within them. If ever fuch irreligious and difobedient Crea- tures fhould come to a ferious Temper, and wifely confider their prefent State, and their lat- ter End, before it is too late, they will then know what is meant by the Conviction of Sin and Guilt ; and the Senfe of their having made GOD to become their Enemy, and of having affronted their own Minds, by their atfc- ing contrary to the Dictates of right Reafon, in their Difobedience to the divine Commands, will give fuch a Wound and Sting to their Souls, as will not eafily be cured, and can hard- ly be endured. But if the poor thoughtlefs Creatures fhould go on in their Contempt of the divine Au- thority, and carry their rebellious Principles out of this World with them, they will forever re- gret their Madnefs, when they fhall find them- felves everlaftingly feparated from the. leaft Glimpfe of all that Happinefs, which the di- vine Commandment would have led them to ; and, in Lieu thereof, Ihall inherit the contrary Mifery, in having their awakened Apprehenfions, with exquifite Senfation, forever weltering under the heavy Impreflions of the divine Wrath and Indignation. For the Wrath of GOD is revealed from Heaven, again/I all Ungodlinefs, and Unrigh- teoufnefs of Men {d) : and GOD will render Indignation and Wrath, Tribulation and Anguifh^ •upon every Soul of Man that doth Evil, of the Jew rfi, and alfo of the Gentile (/.l. 17,21,22. 2 34 ^^ Excellency of the Serm. IX. will be the Time, and Place, of Retribution and Rewards, when every Man fhall receive ac- cording to what he hath done in the Body : and becaufe their Judge perfectly knows all the Crimes they have been guilty of, and wants neither Purity to refent them as they deferve, nor Power to punifh for them, and everhves to fee the threatened Sentence executed upon them, therefore the Condition of the obftinateiy difobedient Sinner will be miferable indeed. It will include the Heighth of Mifery in it, and be utterly unavoidable. It will include in it the iJtmofl: Degrees of Mifery the Sinner is capa- ble of enduring, becaufe it will be the EfFefk of the righteous Difpleafure, the heated Indig- nation, of an infinitely holy and powerful GOD, the Power of whofe Wrath as much exceeds our Fears, as the Riches of his Grace does our moft enlarged Hopes ; the Weight of whofe Arm will fall heavy, in the Day v/hen he iex- ecuteth Vengeance upon the bold Tranfgreffors of his Law. And v;ho then Ihall be able to endure it! And if that Mifery be inconceiveably great which refults from the fierce Wrath of an Almighty GOD, how amazing will it be, when we add the Confideration of it's eternal Duration to the Weight of it ! That they jhall be punijhed iviih everlajling Dejiru^ion, from the Pre fence tif the Lord, and the Glory of his Power, who know not GODy and obey not the Gofpel of our Lord JESUS CHRIST (g)! In a Word-, it will be beyond the Sinner's Reach to efcape this Mifery j becaufe GOD can find him out in his moft fecret lurking Places, and neither the Strength of his own Arm, nor the Wifdom of his Heart, can deliver him, nor v/iii any Creature avail him, to C^j z n:f. i. 8, 9. afford Serm.IX. Divine Commandmef^j. 235 afFord him Help againfl: the prodigious Deflriic- tion that will overtake him, in that Day of the Lord's Anger. Nothing but divine infinite Mercy could rcfcue the guilty obftinate Sinner from everlafting Burning, but this Mercy he utterly flights and abufes, by his continuing in Difobedi- ence to the divine Commandment, after all the Calls and gracious Invitations, made to him to turn and live ; and now, hoiv Jball he efcape^ feemg he negk5is fo great Salvation (h) ? I will juft add one Inference more, viz. 8. This teaches us, that we fliould not content ourfelves with the bare Letter of the Command- ment. The Commandment, or Revelation from GOD, is defigned to produce a fpiritual Life, and Power, in our Souls, and fo to make us truly and thorowly Good •, and therefore we iliould not fatisfy our felves, that we know the Letter of the Commandment, or that we pra6life according to the Letter of ir, in an Obfervation of the external Duties required of us •, but we fhould endeavour to feel the Force of it on our Hearts, that it may- quicken us, and infpire us with a new, and divine Principle, and influence us to fpiritual Devotion, and real HoUnefs, and fo make qs alive unto GOD. 'Tis not enough that we ftudy the Scriptures, as Men do other Sciences^ to inform our Minds, and furniHi us for Difcourfe, to enlarge our Speculations, and increafe our Ideas and Notions of Things, without having any Re*- gard to Pra6lice ; but the Word muft be in- grafted in us, that our Fruit may partake of its Virtue, and we muft endeavour to reduce our Knov/ledge to Praftice, and therefore know, what we may do ; othervvife we fliall but render the Scripture a dead Letter to us. Nor is it fufficient (h) ILL ii. 3. that 236 Hoe Excellency of the Serm. IX. that we fay our Prayers, go to Church, and ob- ierve the external Ordinances of the Gofpel, and that we wrong no Man in our Dealings, but the Commandment may fink deep into our Hearts, and enliven us with a divine Flame of Love to, and Delight in it, that with our Spirits, fervently engaged therein, we may ferve the Lord ; with- out which we fhall but have a 'Borm of Godlinefs^ v^hile we are dejiitute of the Power of it. And this accounts for what we fometimes have the me- lancholly Experience of, namely, of fome who feem, for a Time, to be walking in a Courfe of Religion, they appear openly for the Truth, hold the Profeflion of Faith, and vindicate it againft all Oppofers, and yet, after all, in a Time of Trial, they fall away from the Truth, and the holy Ways of GOD •, and that, ( to allude to the YN^'ords of the Jpojile^ (i) becaufe they did not ferve in the Newnefs of the Spirit^ hut in the Oldnefs of the Letter. They took no Care, as new-born Babes, to defire the pure Milk of the Word, that they might grow thereby, but contented themfelves with having the Bread at their Mouths, and therefore, though they had a Name to live, for a while, yet they were truly dead ; and not having their Nature perfefled by the divine Com- mandment, they finally came fliort of the Bleffed- jiefs it was defigned to lead them to. If there- fore we would partake of the compleat Happinefs the divine Commandment aim^s at, we muft not only inform our Minds, and xlireifl our outward Behaviour, by it ; but we muft endeavour to fearch out the fpiritual Meaning, and fubmit our Wills, and Confciences, entirely to t'at Govern- ment of it, that it may be in us a quickening Word i for, as the Jpoftle obferves, (k) the Letter (i) Rom, vii. 6. ('') 2 Cor. iii. 6. kilUlh^ Semi. IX. Divine Commandment. 237 killeih^ hut the Spirit givetb Life. Not only doeS the Letter, or the Law given by Mofes, bring un- der Condemnation, while the Spirit, or Grace of the Gofpel by JESUS CHRIST, maketh alive ; but the Knowledge of the bare Letter of the di- vine Commandment will but aggravate a Man's Condemnation, if he is deftitute of the ruling Power of it in hiS Heart, which truly conveys a nev/ and divine Life unto the Soul. Ufe II. The Second, and only remaining Ufc I fhall make of this Dodrine is by Way of Ex- hortation. Wherefore we hefeech you^ Brethren^ that you receive not this Grace of GOD in vain 5 but be ye all perfwaded now to make it your fin- cere Endeavour, fo to behave your felves in your pious Regards to the divine Commandment, as re- membring that it is exceeding broad. My Neigh- bours and Friends •, Do you believe it to be the Commandment of the ever-living GOD ? that it reaches to every one of you, and includes your whole Duty in it ? Is this the gracious End and Defign of it, to make you wife, good and happy ? and does it forever remain the perfe6b Rule of Righteoufnefs ? Then, I befeech you, let it find a due Entertainment with you, and pay all that Regard to it which the excellent Nature, and Ends, of fdch a divine Revelation demands of you. It is not for nothing that GOD hath written unto you the great Things of his Law, and Ihewed you the Line of your Duty, and made the Path of Life plain before you ; no, he hertby aims at the improving of you in Righteoufivefs, and true Holinefs, and the train- ing of you up in the Praftice of Vertue, that you may be fitted for the more fublime Services, and Entertainments of perfedled Spirits, and 238 Ul:e Excelle7icy of the Serm. IX, and for the everlafting Enjoyment of the divine Favour, in the heavenly- World. And fhall not the refrelhing Thoughts of ferving GOD perfedl- !y, with Delight and Pkafure, and without Inter- ruption or Impediment, and the Enjoyment of him as the fadsfying Pordon of your Souls, and your exceeding great Reward, be fufficient to in- fluence you unto an hearty Refpe6t to his holy Commandment, and prevail with you, to yield the ready Afient of your Minds unto all the Truths thereof, and the Submifiion of your Wills to the Condu6l of thofe holy Rules he has prefcribed ? If to be perfeftly holy, and perfectly happy ; if to have your Nature wrought up to the noble and exalted Temper and Difpofidon of Angels, and poflefs all that can be delightfdl and entertaining to your redlified Powers and Capacities, and that forever, can have any Weight with you ; then let not the Commandment of GOD be grievous unto you, but receive the Truth in the Love thereof, firmly credit the Reports of the facred Oracles, and univerfally conforrri to all the Pre- cepts of it, that you rnay be found among the Friends of GOD, and be the trUe Difciples of CHRIST, vvho hear his Voice, and follow him, and may be owned, and accepted, by him, another Day, to the Glory, and Joys of Hea* ven. What is the Work of Heaven ? but to o- bey GOD. There GOD fits enthroned in Glory, furrounded with his Myriads of holy Angels, who conftantly, diligently, chcarfully attend his Pleafure ; whofe great Happinefs it is, that there is an exad Agreement between the Will of GOD in Commanding, and their Will in Obeying ; who never have a Thought that any of the divine Commands are hard, nor fo much Serm.IX. Divme Commandment. 239 much as a fecret Inclination to ad: contrary to them ." There too it is the Felicity of the Saint, that his Will is intirely fwallowcd up in the divine, and he ferves GOD Day, and Night, (/), conftantly, uninterruptedly, and forever \ thus thofe holy Ones are arrived at their Cen- tre, and there they are at Reft, and have not the leaft Tendency to move from it. And do ■we hope to get to Heaven, and Share in the Happinefs, and join in the Services, of thofe perfeded Spirits ? Oh I how Ihould the Thoughts hereof quicken us all, now to endeavour after an Imitation of thofe holy and happy Ones ? that as our Lord hath taught us to pray, (m) ^hy Will be done in Earthy as it is in Heaven^ fo we may make it our daily Care to conform our Hearts, and Lives to the Will of GOD, while we are on Earth, as Saints and 'Angels do above. What mighty and powerful Obligations ar6 lying upon us to be obedient to the Lord our GOD ? All his Goodnefs to us, in his com- mon Providence, is to allure and draw us, xx^ draw out our Defires after him, and move us to a ready Compliance with his Will ; all his Corredlions are to excite and ftir up our Averfions againft what is ofFenfive to him, that we may fly from eVery provoking Evil, and be true to him, and his Intereft ; it is our own. But then what peculiar Advantages hath GOD favoured us with ? While the heathen World have only the Light of Nature to le^d and guide them, we are even lift up to Heaven, are brov^l^t to the very Borders of the Land of Promife, have the direft Way thither clear- ly pointed out to us, and have a full View of {I) R(v, vii. 15, (to) Mat^. yi. iq. the 24-0 The Excellency of the Serm. IX. the compleat, and endlefs, Happinefs of the glo- rious Inhabitants of that blifsful Place. Though, in the Times of grofs Ignorance, GOD feemed to wink at the Follies of Men, yet nois) he hath commanded all Men every where to repent^ and thus opens the Door of Hope to the guilty Creature, and letteth him know, that for the Sake of CHRIST, he will freely pardon all his pall Offences, if he will but now become fincerely Obedient, And what Obligations hath a merciful GOD laid upon us, to walk in all his Ordinances and Commandments blamelefs, by giving his own Son to die for us, to pur- chafe the Forgivennefs of our Sins, and pro- cure for us the Gift of the Holy Spirit*, to enable us, for the future, to live in Obedience to Him ? But if after all thefe Advantages, and Ob- ligations, any of you refolve to go on in your Difobedience to the divine Commandment ., whofe Crime will be fo aggravated ? whofe Punifhment, will be fo greatly increafed ? You may well fear the Doom of Capernaum^ to whom we find CHRIST faying, («) ^hou Ca- pernaum, which art exalted unto Heaven, JJjall he brought down to Hell. The Heathen will rife in the Judgment, and condemn the Men of this Generation, who profane the Name of GOD, and live without Prayer to Him, and indulge the various brutal Appetites, and PafTions ; and becaufe fuch fin againft the cleared Light, and the ftrongeft Bonds, and Engagements, therefore their Punifhment will be proportionable to their Crime, and an hotter, and more dreadful, Por- tlo;\ will be alTigned unto them, in the Place of Torment : for, as our Saviour faid to the (») Math. xi. 23. Capernal/es^ Serm. IX. Divine Commandment. 241 Capernaites, -f- // pall be more tolerable for th Land of Sodorn^ m the Day of Judgment^ than for thee. Oh that you would ferioudy think of thefe Things^ and every one of you be effedlually moved hereby to come to a fixed Refolution with yoLirfelves, no longer to turn a deaf Ear to the Counfels of GOD, and refufe to hearkeji to his Voice, but turn at his Reproof, and give fuch a due Entertainment unto the exceeding broad Commandment, as GOD reafonably ex- pefls from you, and aS you yourfelves may- reap the Benefit of. And therefore, to hint a few things. I. Treat the divine Commandment with ail upright honeft Heart. GOD, by his Prophet fays, {0) Do not m^ Words do good to hint that walketh uprightly ? Such as preferve an honeft Principle, an upriglit Intention, in what they do* efpecially, in their reading, and hearing the faCfed Wofd, will, moft likely, reap all the Benefit bjT it, which it is intended for ; while they that fuf* fer their Minds to be carried away v/ith unrea* fonable, and groundlefs Prejudices againft the di- vine Commandment, will be never the better for it, nor pay any futable Regard to it. The very Frame and Temper of their own Minds, while under evil Affedtions and corrupt Difpofitions, will render the Commandment contemptible, and unprofitable to them. Our Saviour, therefore, not only advifeth us, to take heed how we hear 5 (p) but informeth us, who they are that profit by the Commandment, even they that, in an honeft:, and good Heart, receive the fVord. (q) That 13 f M^ztth. xi. 24. (oj Mic. ii. 7. (p) LtiL viii. i8. (^) Lui, viii. 15. R one 242 The Excellency of the Serm. IX. one who Jayeth afide his Prejudices, and bringeth a Mind open, and free, to receive Convicftion. Let it be your Care, therefore, to get, and keep, luch an honeit upright Fleart, not biafTcd and warped by any particular Fondnefs for, or Aver- fion x.0^ any Thing, without good Reafon •, and be ready to give Entertainment to any Truth, you find revealed, though it fliould contradid ibme of your former beloved Notions ; and to praflife whatever is contained in the divine Com- mandment, though it go againfl: the Grain, and Bent of your carnal Inclinations, and fecular Views ; and to avoid whatever the Command- ment of GOD forbiddeth, though it may crofs your contraded vicious Habits." Thus, in this Refpedl, approve your felves to GOD, and your own Confciences ; and allow of no Difpofition, no known groundlefs Diflike, to the Command- ment, which your own Confciences, upon a fe- rious Refledlion, will condemn you for ; but, when you read, or hear, the divine Revelation, be willing to learn, and open to receive the In- flruftions of Wifdom. . 2. Highly Prize the divine Commandment. It is a moft excellent Law i and Ihall we not prize it } It every Way confults our Benefit and Advantage, in both Worlds ; and fliall we not value it } What is there that deferves your Efteem, and Veneration, equal to the Words of the great King ; thofe Words by which aifo you are made to live ? Is it not reafon- able that every Thing fliould be valued according to its excellent Nature, and real UfefuJnefs ? Job faid, (0) I ejleem the Word of his Mouth, more than my neceffary Food, His daily Bread was not (0) Job xxiii, 12. Serm.IX. Divine Commandme?tt, 243 fo necefTary to him, nor fo valued by him, as the Word of GOD, the Food of his Soul, upon which, its Life and Comfort, is dependent. And what is there in this World, which we are fo apt to dote upon, that is comparable to the divine Commandment ? Which is in it felf preferable to fine Gold, and more precious than Rubies, and which tends to make us the excellent in the Earth, and the Heirs of Heaven. And will you ^^ot then efteem it above all the Drofs of this World ? See how the devout Pfalmiji expreffes his Value for it, in the Pfalm where my Text is, O, how love I thy JLaw ! (fays he) The Law of thy Mouth is better to )ne than 'Thoufands of Silver and Gold ; — I love thy Commandment above Gold, yea, above fine Gold -, — / ejieem thy Precepts, concerning all Things, to be right, therefore I hate every falfe Way. Thus learn to work up yourfelves to fuch an high Efteem for the Commandment of GOD, as to prefer it to every thing elfe ; and this will be one effe6tual Means to prevent your being eafily drawn away to any fordid fenfual Gratifications, Look upon this as the bright Star that direfts you unto Vertue, and Happinefs, and rejoice therein, and prefer it to all the dark Shades of an imperfe(5l World. 3. Diligently ftudy the Commandment of GOD. He, that will not take the Pains to in- form himfelf, will not be likely to know much of the Mind and Will of GOD ; and how ftiall he, tKat knows it not, be abfe to do it, or take the Comfort of it ? If therefore you would have your Manners reformed, your Hearts bettered, and your Happinefs promoted j diligently fcarch for this Wifdom, as for hid Treaftire, and think no£ much to be at Pains with your felvesj to find ous 244 ^^ Excellency of the Serm. IX.- the Knowledge of the Holy, and tlie Way to an endlefs Life, Search the Fitld for the ^^earl of great Price. Tiius CHRIST dire^ed his Hear- ers, (p) ^^arch the Scriptures •, for in them ye think to have eternal Life ; and they are they which iefiify of me. You mufl: daily fit at the Ports of "Wifdom's Gates, embrace the proper Opportuni- ties of being inRiufled out of the Law of GOD, that you may know Wifdom and Underftanding, and the Fear of the Lord -, for how flmild you iinderjiand, except fome Man guide you ? The Prieji*s Lips (hall preferve Knowledge., and the Peo- ple fJjaU receive the Law at his Mouth. But then, feeing it is your great Advantage to have the Word of GOD in your own Hands, you fl^.ould diligently read therein, and that daily, that by comparing Scripture with Scripture, you may be able to fee with- your own Eye;^, and know what GOD requires you to believe, and do, in order to your Comfort here, and your eternal Well being hereafter. And 'to this add your frequent Medi- tation on the divine Law, that it may ever be with you, as the Man of yotir Counfel, to diredt your Pradice Day, and Night. And earncfliy beg it of GOD to open your K;;.es, diat you may underfland the W^onders cut of his Law, that he may give unto you the Spirit of Wifdom, and Revelation," in the Knowledge of him v;h6 hath railed you unto Glory, and Vertue. In a Word, If you would have CHRIST for yours, and walk in the Paths of Vertue, and obtain eternal Life through him, you mufl carefully attend the Me- thods he has diredcd you to, and diligently read, and iiear, and meditate, and pray •, and thus go to him to teach yoUj wlio is able to open your (t) 7^h. V. 59. blmd Serm. IX. Divine Commandpient, 245 blind Eyes, and give you Underftanding, that yoq may live. 4. Bring yourfelf, and all your Alliens to the Commandment. The Commandment is the Rule of Life ; and therefore you owe this to it, to eye it as your Rule, and examine, and prove, all your A6lions by it, as the certain Standard of Truth and Holinefs. This will be the Way for you fo to govern your whole Walk, as that it may bear fdme agreeable Proportion to the only Rule, and that you may be able to adorn the Do6lrine of GOD your Saviour in all things. The Pfalmift enquires, (q) Wherewithal Jhall a yo.ung Man cleanfe his Way ? and the anfwer to it is, by taking Heed thereto, according to Thy V/ord. This Word mud be a Lamp unto your Feet, and a Light unto your Path, as ever you would run the V7ay of the divine Command- ment. Without this you will be in great Dan- ger of running into Errors, in Opinion, and Pradice, and give Satan a great Advantage a~ gainft you, to draw you away from your Sted- faftnefs in your Chridian Courfe ; but while you diligently compare yourfelf, and Adions^ with the Word, and arm yourfelf with the Sword of the Spirit, it is written, you will be the better able to repel Temptations, and pre- ferve yourfelf pure from the great Tranfgreflion, Ee very careful therefore to put in Praftice all known Duties, of Piety, and Devotion, to GOD, and of Juftice, and Charity, to Man, and to a- void all known Sins of Profanenefs, Injuftice, Intemperance, and whatfoever elfe you find the Word of GOD warns you againft ; that your whole Lives may be a conftanr, fteady, uniform < f^J P/. cxix. 9. ' Obedience 2\(y The Excellency of the Serm. IX. Obedience to the divine Commandment: then fhall you not be afhamed, when you have refpefl unto all his Commandments : then will not your own Hearts reproach you; for a6ling con- trary to the Light of your Mind, and your Duty to GOD, but approve the Wifdom of your Conduft, and afford you good Hope of a happy Conclufion. 5. Finally ; Live upon the divine Command- ment. The Defign of the Commandment is to promote our Comfort in this World, and our compleat Happinefs in the next \ great and pre- cious are the Promifes by which this is made over, and fecured to us. Let the obedient Soul then take this as his proper Food and Nourifhmcnt, and live upon it -, live in the Exercife of a lively Faith in the Promifes of GOD, and in JESUS CHRIST, the great, and only Head, and * Me- diator, of the new Covenant, in whom ell the Fromifes are Tea, and Amen. Here, therefore, lee the obedient Soul repair, as to his Afylum^ his Place of Safety in the evil Day •, • and at what Time he is in Diftrefs and Trouble, of any Kind, regularly lay hold upon the Promifes, and all the Bleflings contained therein, and from thence fetch in feafonable, and fuffij:ient Support to his Mind under the AfRi6lions that befall him, and let in the Beams of divine Light, and Joy, in the darkeft, and moft melancholly Hours, that pafs over him. Thus you find the holy Pfalmijl deriving his Comfort fron? the di- vine Commandment in the midft of all the Afflictions he met withal, {r) This is my Comfort in my /iffliclion, (fays hej for thy Word hath quic- kened me, — Thy Statutes have been my Songs^ in ('■) Pf' «ix. 50, 54. thi Serm.IX. Divim Commandment, 24.7 the Houfe of my Pilgrimage, Let us then drav/ Water out of thefe Wells of Salvation, and drink in of the River of divine Pleafures, and feed upon the full Joys, which are thus provided for uS. Think not to find Relief from the Creature, and therefore go not to an imperfed World, alone, to fupply our Wants, or redrefs our Grievances ^ but go to the exceeding broad Commandment, where GOD, and CHRIST, and Earth, and Heaven, are made over to the believing, penitent, obedient Soul ; and in this Portion let us rejoice, though we lliould be poor, defpifed, and afflifted, in this World ; for this is a Portion infinitely- preferable to all that the whole Creation, alone, can yield us. While others, therefore, are faying, to all about them. Who will Jhew us any Good ? And have no farther Concern upon their* Minds, than how they may grow great, and grafp enough of this World in their Hands ; let us take in the Sweetnefs of the divine Promifes, and rejoice in the Lifting up of thfe Light of GOD's Countenance upon us, more than in the Increafe of Corn, and Wine, and Oil. So you fee the Pfalmift flighting a Por- tion in this Life, and living upon the Promife, faying {s) Deliver me from the Men of this fForld, who have their Portion in this Life ; — as for me^ Ifhall behold thy Face in Right eoufnefs^ I will be fatisfied when I awake with thy Likenefs. Let this be our conftant Temper, and Behavi- our, towards an imperfeft World, and towards the exceeding broad Commandment of GOD ; and then, when all the Springs of Nature fhall have run dry, and the final DifTolution of the prefent Frame of this Vifible World fhall have put an End to all the fair Promifes, and delufive (s) Pf. xvii. 14, 15. Flatteries, 24-8 ^^ Excellency of &c. Serm. IX., Flatteries, of created Objefts, as well as taken off all their Terror, we fhall have a larger Experi- ence of the Excellency of the divine Command- went, in jthe Fulnefs, and Perpetuity of its Hap- pinefs, and be everlaftingly entertained in the Dcfi^htful Enjoyment of GOD, the incxhaufti- ble Fountain of all Bleflednefs. I conclude all with the Advice of the Apoftle to the Romans^ (j) Be not conformed to this World, but be ye 'tranf- formed, by the renewing of your Minds, that- ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfeSi JViU of GOD. (t) Rom. xii. 2. F I N I S\ ##### %