i^ at 5:23 o^ ^^^ i;:^. ^2- .AT PRINCETON, N. J. I* o rv --VT ¥ c> :v c» I.- SAMUEL AGNEW, OF PHILAPKLPHIA, PA. Q4^o I) 7>>o/.-, ,, (I I ci _^ Mo, ^A. 'SERMONS^ COMPOSED FOR COUNTRY CONGREGATIONS. BY THE REVEREND EDWARD NARES, A.M. RECTOR OF BIDDENDEN, ^«» THE COUNTY OF KENT, AND LATE FELLOW OF MERTON COLLEGE, OXFORB. TIUNTEb FOR F. ANO c. RIVINCTON, NO. 62; ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD. 1803. CliritianaRirkaViy, Printer, Pc:erbi.rou{;h-cuuri, FU.tt-S"'-"*^' TO THE QUEEN. MADAM, •. - ■ r J. FEEL a hope that the plainness and sim^ plicity of the following Discourses will not be thought to render them wholly un- worthy of Your Majesty's notice. They were written to instruct the ignorant, not to dazzle or inform the wise. It was a duty arising from my situation, constantly to study perspicuity more than ornament, and to endeavour to be intelligible rather than profound. But Your Majesty is not likely to turn away from them on this account. I believe firmly, that the most unenlightened of His Majesty's subjects are far IV far from being the least interesting objects of his paternal care and solicitude ; and what care of his bosom does not Your Majesty participate ? These considerations, Madam, and others like to these, encourage me to hope, that it may not appear altogether improper, to have endeavoured in this manner to unite the most distant objects, and to have soli- cited Your Majesty's permission to lay my ministerial labours for the Cottage at the foot of the Throne 1 It is with profound respect tliat I have the honour to be. Madam, Your Majesty's most dutiful and devoted servant, EDWARD NARES. SERMON I. ON THE FOLLY Of SLIGHTING ADVICE. GALATIANS iv. l6. Am I therefore become your enemy^ because I tell you the truth ?--.._ SERxMON II. ON THE GOOD EFFECTS OF RELIGION. ISAIAH xi. 9. Tfiey shall not hurt Jior destroy in all my holy mountain ; for the earth shall be full of the knoicledge of the Lord, as the nvaters cover the sea. - - ' . - . SERMON V. ON THE SABBATH. NEHEMIAH xiii. 17, Uen I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, what evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath-day ? 19 SERMON III. SIN WITHOUT EXCUSE. ROiMANS vii. 15. For that xvhich I do, I alloiv not : for what I toould, thai do J not; but ivhat I hate, that do I. - . 07 SERMON IV. ON THE SECURITY ARISING FROM A RELIGIOUS COURSE OF LIFE. 1 PETER iii. 13. Audviho is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of thai tvhich is good ? - _ . _ 55 71 SERMON vi CONTENTS. SERMON VI. ,^^ CATECHISM. PROVERBS xxii. 6. Train up a child in the \vay he should go^ and xtJicn he is old he nill not depart from it. • • 91 SERMON VII. ON EXAMPLE. Same text. - - - 107 SERMON VIII. ON EXAMPLE. JOHN iii. 1 1. Bcloved^follou} not that iihich is evil^ but that which is good. 1 23 SERMON IX. ON CONTENTMENT. 1 TIMOTHY vi, 6. But Qodlincss with coiUentmcnt is great gain. - 141 SERMON X. ON OLD AGE. PROVERBS xvi. 31. The honry head is a croiin of glory^ if it he found in (lie way of rig/ucousncss. - - - li^f SERMON XI. ON DOING WUAT WK WIl L WITH OUR OWN, MATTH. XX. 15. Js it not laiiful to do nhat I will iiith my mvn^ - 177 SERMON XII. A FUNERAL SER.MON. ' ECCLES. xxii. ti. Weep for the d< ad, for he hnih lost the lighi ; and xueep for tlie fool, for he iiaiUiih unJirstanding : make liitte '^cipin^Jor the CONTENTS. vli the dead, for he is at rest; but the life of the fool is loorse ^*^ than death, _ - - - - 199 SERMON XIII. ON THE NECESSITY OF GOOD WORKS. ECCLES. xxvii. 6. Jliefridi declareth if the tree have been dressed. - 217 SERMON XIV. ON GOOD WORKS. ROMANS vi. 22. 23. But noiu being ynade free from sin, and become servants of God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end ever- lasting life. For the ivages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through JeSus Christ our Lord. - - 237 SERMON XV. THE FOLLY OF MOCKING AT SIN. PROVERBS xiv. 9. Fools make a mock at sin. _ , . 25S SERMON. XVI. THE BEATITUDES. LUKE vi. 20. And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples and said, blessed be yepoor, for yours is the kingdom of God, - 2 269 SERMON XVII. THE GOOD SAMARITAN. MATTH. xiii. 13. Therefore speak I to thejn in parables. - - 2S7 SERMON XVIII. THE UNJUST STEWARD. LUKE xvi. 8. And the Lord commended the unjust stetiard, because he had done wisely; for the children of this icorld are in their ge- nerations it;is€r than the children of light. - 305 SERMON vJii CONTENTS. SERMON XIX. ,.,,. THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT. JOHN i. 23. Jnd he saidy I am the mice of one crying in' the wilderness ; viuke straight ihe nay of (fie Lord^ as said the Prophet Esaias. . . _ . 303 SERxNfON XX. FOR CHRISTMAS DAY. 1 TIM. iii. 16. And -jjithout cvurotersy, pjeat is the mystrn/ nfgodline*; God '^- as manifest in the Jit sh. - - - 3 iii SERMON XXI. COMMENCEMENT OF THE YEAR. PSALM xix. 2. 3. One day tellcth another, and one night certifitih annthrr. Ihcrc is neither speech nor language, but their voices are heard among them. .... 3^53 SERMON XXII. ON THE THANKSGIVING DAY. 2CHRON. -\.\. 27 — 30. Then tluy returned every man of Judah and Jerusaleniy arul Jchoshaphat in the fore front of them , to go again to Jeru- salem i::ilh Joy ; for the Lord li/hl nunl, thmi ut rejoice over tlteir atemies. And tluy came to Jerusalem with psaltcricsy and Iturps^ and trumpet Sy unto the house qfthc Lord. And thcfeitr qf God ivds on all the kingdoms of those coun- trieSf when they heard that the Lordj'ought agaimt the ene- mies of Israel. So the nnlm rf Jchoshaphat was quiet y for %is God gate him rest roundabout. .... 333 S E M M O M I. ON THE FOLLY OF SLIGHTING ADVICE. Galatians iv. 16. Am I therefore become your enemy ^ because I tell you the truth f IT is acknowledged, that there is nothing serm. more difficult than to procure a good re- J- ception for wholesome advice. It gene- rally fares with it as with a nauseous me- dicine for the diseases of the body ; those who need it most, set themselves most against it ; nor are they in general content only to reject the proffered remedy, but frequently those who would administer it get mocked and insulted, their right to prescribe is questioned, their knowledge of the case disputed, and all their good endeavours misconstrued into an officious- ness about other people's concerns, and a propensity to find fault. True it is, that B advice s On the Folly of slighting Advice. i)j-R.M. advice cannot be offered but at the risk of ^'^ alarming some of the fondest prejudices to which tlie liuman nature is liable. Men are so sensible of their own free will, that they can never help looking upon the ge- nerality of their actions, whether bad or good, as eminently their own ways ; and yet those who would try to change their manners, must do it in the sliape of an objection ; nor can they any liow manage so, if they are at all honest and sincere, as to conceal their disapprobation of those ways they wish to have amended or changed. Our pride, tlicrefore, and self- love, are very soon alarmed; perhaps, in- stead of listening to or adopting the ad- vice, to the amendment of our lives, a<; it was intended, tlie first measure we take (as if we wxrc sore affronted) is to find some occasion of retorting the accu- sation : we narrowly inspect the conduct of the adviser, and as all men are Innnan, and weak, and infirm by nature, it would be strange if something or other objec- tionable was not to be discovered; in con- sequence of wliich, the adviser is eagerly pro- On the Folly of slighting Advice, 3 pronounced to be peccable also, and his serm. precepts are all set at naught, with that J- common proverbial taunt of " Physician " heal thyself^." It is not upon all occa- sions that men are so proud and self-suffi- cient. If they would become instructed in some of the common arts and sciences, in the rules of trade and traffic,, they are content to acknowledge others to be wiser than themselves, and they submit them- selves to the directions of their instructors freely and willingly. But surely there is an art of life to be learnt, which the wise and experienced are likely to know more of than the young or thoughtless. It is a proof, how much men must be aware of their freedom of will, how sensible they are that a choice is left to them in regard to their actions, that they are so very jea- lous of having their moral course of life meddled with. The ignorance of com- mon arts is no disgrace to them, so long as they have been unable to be instructed in them ; but no man likes to be told, he * Luke iv. 23. B 2 does 4 On the Folly of slighting Advice. .sERM. docs not know how to live honestly and '• decently, soberly and piously, or to follow after such thinrs as are really and intrin- sically of *' good report." It was no doubt througli a foresight of these difficulties, that the Almighty God condescended, from the very first, to become a teacher liimself. Against such an adviser no ob- jections could arise ; for, how insignificant is human pride lifted up against the Lord of all ! How imperfect the best, how base the highest, of the sons of men, opposed to the perfections and the power of God! His laws, therefore, however con- trary they may be to our wills and de- sires, it is folly and madness to slight or despise. We cannot pretend to say, that lie who made us has no right to j)rescribe to us a particular course of actions ; we cannot muster up j)ride and arrogance enough to tliink, that we arc perfect enougli in tlie sight of an unerring Being, and need no restraint or correction. Let men then suspect as they please the inter- ference and remonstrances of their fellow creatures, they cannot surely object to be reminded On the Folly of slighting Advice. reminded of any deviations from the ex- press law of God. For, what is it we do when we infringe the laws of God? Let our actions upon such occasions be ever so detrimental to the good of our neiglibour, the injury we do to ourselves must needs be abundantly greater; we may be brought to make reparation to our neighbour by the common course of jullice ; but, per- haps, before we have made any reparation to God, for the breach of his holy laws, the stroke of death may come upon us', and we may be summoned to judgment in another world ! It cannot be doubted, therefore, but that he who reminds an- other of his transgressions of the laws of God, however his advice and interference may be received, is so far the true and real friend of the transgressor : nor can he, in such a case, be his enemy any how ; for, if we suppose that, even in the heat of anger, and the fury of revenge, he shall, with the utmost asperity of language, re- proach him for his faults, still it is fortu- jiate, at all events, to be in any manner cau- tioned against such self-destruction, as the wilful 6 On the Folly of slighting Advice. SERM. wilful breach of God's laws must iiccessa- ^- rily lead to. It is truly melancholy then to reflect, what fatal mistakes men are apt to make in this respect; how disposed they are to treat those as their most hate- ful and obnoxious enemies, who are in reality their truest and best friends: how prone they are even to take arms against those who would do them a real and last- ing service ; and to give way to lusts and passions, that are allthe while warring against their souls. But what then is to be done; is no advice to be given.'' Are those w!o can see, not to stretch out their liand to save tlio blind from falling into the ditch .? Are we to sulier our fellow- creatures to rush rudely on to their de- struction, and tell them notliing of the dreadful precipice iji their way ? Arc we to manifest our friendship by letting them perish untaught and unadvised.^ Are we to let them wander, and not turn aside to guide them into the paths of peace .^ No, this is not the part of a man , certainly not of a Christian ! Wo ought all of us, one with anotiier, like the blessed Saviour of the On the Folly of slighting Advice. 7 the world, to put ourselves forward, to be serm. eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame ! B:it ^^ the Lord of Heaven, who knoweth whereof we are made, has not really left this matter to the mere option and will of man. He has not only given u§ a law, but he has provided for our constant instruction in it. He has not only spoken the word, but ap- pointed a succession of stewards and mi- nisters to guard and preserve it, and to secure obedience to it. Now it must needs be admitted, that not only in this high' and important trust, but even in lesser matters, it is always " required in stewards " that a man he found faithful^ '," not tem- porising w^th those they have to deal with, but steadily and honestly adminis- tering the business of their trust, regard- ful only of the charge committed to their care. He, therefore, who is called to be an apostle of the Lord, should " judge it *' a small thing to he judged of man's judg- " ment,'' in the advice he may think it in- cumbent on him to give, or the reproofs he may feel it necessary to pronounce ; he * 1 Cor. Iv. 2. must ft On the Folly of slighting Advice. SERM. must boldly maintain the truth, and boldly '• make it known to the very worst of sinners if they come in his way, leaving it to his Lord and Mailer to vindicate him in ilic last day, when the time shall come for setting right the perverse opinions and prejudices of mankind, and for making manifest the hidden counsels of the hearts. What a glorious example did our blessed Lord set us, not only of boldness in doing the work of his Father that liad sent him, but of that calm ajul patient courage \vhich the minister of truth should always manifest; who, " zcben heivas reviled," (as trying a persecution perhaps as any we can be exposed to) " reviled nut iigiiin ;" Avhen even through the malice of his ene- mies " he suffered, be threatened not," but ** committed bunsclj to llini tbatjudgeth rigb- " teously.'* What an example did the Apos- tle St. Paul, whose words I am preaching from, set us, through the long and trying course of his ministry. Not only did lie despise some of the sorest calamities, and bitterest misfortunes of human life, in tra- velling about to propagate the truth, but ^ven where bis reputation stood liigh, and On the Folly of sUghling Advice. g his popularity was great, never would he sehm. pass over a fault to preserve any false fa ni-j. i • It is on this account that his Epistles in general have a peculiar elTect and interest; for they were most of them written in con- sequence of some notice he had received, in his absence from those he was address- ing, of their being in danger of failing into error, and of being seduced from the faith. In that particular Epistle, whence my text is taken, and in the words of my text them- selves, he proceeds upon this principle. It seems he had been the first to enlighten the Galatians, and draw them away from their idolatrous corruptions to the profes- sion of Christianity; in doing which, as it appears, they liad shewn themselves abundantly sensible of their obligations to him, and manifested a regard for him, bor- dering ahnost upon enthusiasm : " / bear " you record," says he, *' that if it bad been " possible, ye zi'ould have plucked out your ♦' eyes and have given them to tne." This was so great popularity, that surely if he had only coveted mere human glory, he would have rested contented, and meddled with lo On the Fully of slighting Adiice. SFKM. with them no more; at least not at any ^- risk. But St. Paul was not such a time- server ; he was always equally prepared to censure their misdoings, as though he had no fame to lose, and therefore, as soon as he had notice given him of their be- ing in a wavering state, and in danger from false teachers, he freely admonished them, reminding them of his former re- gard for them, and of their attachment to liim, and boldly demanding of them at once, whether he was to be considered as their ''cnemx" because for the purposes of wliolesome correction and advice, he had judged it riglit to *' tell them the truth." The regular ministers, of the present day, stand in the place of the Apostles of old. They have the same word to preach, the same sacraments to administer ; the same thrcatcnings against sin to denounce, the same promises of pardon and forgiveness, through the blood of Christ, to proclaim ; of tlicm, undoubtedly, is required the same vigilance to preserve those committed to their charge, from all errors cither of faith or practice; from the seduction of false tcaclicrs On the Folly of slighting Advice, ^ il teachers as well as from the seduction of serm, sin. It is their duty, their bounden duty, ^• to tell the truth, as it is revealed in the word of God ; and let ever so great per- sonal prejudices be raised against them, or stand in their way, nevertheless it can, in the nature of things, only be for the good of those they address, that in the se- veral administrations, above alluded to, they do " the ivill of God;'' for the will of God, in the Gospel of our blessed Lord, is express. It does not depend for its effi- cacy upon those who undertake to expound it, but, being there delivered in plain and explicit terms, it must have always the same weight and force whenever it is justly and properly administered. la merely expounding the word, there may be room for error, and therefore ground for objection ; and the only care that could be taken to guard against such evils as might ensue from the mistakes of in- competent expositors, was taken, at the first planting of the Gospel, by commit- ting it, pure and uncontaminated, to the keeping of a regular ministry, and pro- viding 12 On the Folly of slighting Advice. STRM. viding for a perpetual succession of them, ^J* to be set apart for ever for the peculiar study of the law of God. But a faithful and true steward of God's mysteries, need not run into long expositions to convince men of their errors ; if he will but be care- ful to lay before them the indispensable con- ditions of Christ's covenant with mankind, he will discharge liis duty; and he that hath ears to hear, should listen and be converted. This is the case at all events. Lel^ men judge as tlicy please : the minister's duty is clear and express ; but yet, let us not sup' pose it to be altogether so uninteresting a concern, as tiiat he who teaches, should liave no regard to the eflfect of his doctrines; whosoever has a just .sense of the high and great importance of the duties of C'liris- tianity, cannot view with indiflerencc any base neglect of them. Cold must be that Ijcart which, mindful only of its own con- cern.s, docs not sluiddcr at the thoughts of the sure perdition others may be Ijunying themselves into. Cold must be the heart of him who, wrapped up in his own righteous- ness, can behold the misdoings of others without On the Folly of slighting Advice. 13 without sorrow and compunction. Can serm. he, think ye, be your friend, who, know- i- ing on the word of truth, that without holiness no man shall see the Lord in the o'lorv of heaven, can forbear to tell you so, when he sees that your con- duct is daily leading 3^ou further and further from the great hope of your call- ing ? Shall he be thought your enemy, who, certified past all doubt and disputation, that neither ^'fornicators, idolators, or adul" *• terers, neither thieves, nor covetous, nor re- " vilers, ?wr drunkards, 7ior extortioners, shall *' inherit the kingdom of God," shall venture to remind you of such a truth, though from the application he may chance to wound your feelings! God forbid that such charges should be applicable to those I am address- ing ; but if it were so, it would not only equally be my duty, from this place, as an authorized minister of Christ's Gospel, boldly to preach among you the word of God, and enforce all his holy injunctions ; but if I had the common feelings of a man, I ought the more to be moved to it from a just consideration of the perils awaiting you. 14 ^'^ ^^^^ ^^^^6' ^if ^^i^J-ft^f^g Advice. -, SERM. you. When, therefore, you arc reminded ^- at any time by myself or othci's, so ap- pointed, of the great danger of sin and wickedness, Clo not suffer your feelings so to get the better of your reason, as to fancy us 3'our " enemies because zue tell you, the *' trulb." — The truths Avhich the ministers of Christ's Gospel have to promulgate, all relate to your eternal welfiire. None of us liave any power to denounce them as irre- vocable sentences. If we tell you, that " the sinful soul icill be cut off]" and that at the last day *' tbe Lord zvill not at all acquit ** tbe ivicked," we are not such inspectors and judges of the iicart as to be able to know to whom such heavy condemnation shall finally apj)ly ; we are instructed rather to hoj)e v>ell of all, not to deliver over to damnation the wicked soul, hut " to call sin- " //^r^to repentance," that they may in time, and before it is too late, " turn from tbeir ** wickedness and lire." Our's is, in its very nature, always a friendly call ; while we condemn and reprobate the sin, we strive all we can to redeem the sinner. Let us all then, as a main step towards the amend- 1 mcnt On the Folly of slighting Advice. 15 meiit of our lives, learn to think properly serm. of those who put themselves to the pains ^• of giving us advice and instruction ; but, above all, of those who seek to guide us by the light of God's word ; for, in this case, we may be sure that tlie seed is good, and that if it produces no fruit, the fault must be in the soil into which it falls ; that is, in short, in the perverse disposition of the hearers. For great is the efficacy of the word of God towards instructing and im- proving his creatures; if his creatures on • their part will but prepare themselves to receive it. *' The rain," and ''- the snow" that ^' descends from heaven to zvater the earth, ''- and make it bring forth and bud, that it may *' give seed to the solver^ and bread to the " eater" will produce no such effects on the sandy desart or barren rock ; so neither will the word of God bring forth in us the fruits of the spirit, unless we duly prepare our hearts to give it entrance and admis- sion. Then only will it " accomplish that " zvhich God pleases, and prosper in the thing " ivhereto He sends it" Never 1^ On the Polly of sVighling Advice. sr.RM. Never then be disposed to think that he< I. who administers amonj^ you the word of God, though lie should cliancc to touch upon some failings of which you know yourselves to be guilty, is therefore to be looked upt;n as an cnem}', or even as not so indulgent to human failings, as one frail being should be to another; for indulgence in this case is quite out of the question. The law of God is a law of ireneral and constant obligation, as binding upon tlic preacher, as upon him who is to be admo- nished. And, in fact, if instead of weigh- ini©(^ Isaiah xi. 9. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain ; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the zvaters cover the sea. Jl his is part of a prophecy which, in a serm. great degree, remains to be fulfilled. Those ii- who have applied themselves to the study of the prophetic parts of the Holy Scrip- tures, have been long agreed, that there is a future state of peace and happiness fore- told, which is to take place upon this very earth we inhabit, through the prevalence of the Christian religion. There is nothing mysterious in the prophecy, except inas- much as it must seem to require the parti- cular interposition of Providence ; so little at present are men agreed to give full ef- fect to the Gospel of our Saviour. There C 2 is 20 On the good Effects of Beligm. SERM. is no mystery in the consequences foretold, J^' if men would but embrace the Gospel as they should do ; for sure enough no true Chris- tian could hurt or destroy, or do any vio- lence to his neighbour, or in any way in- terrupt the peace and harmony of the world, so long as he held himself bound to be governed by the laws of his Redeemer. For the Gospel of Christ is peace and love — peace with our Maker, and peace with man. — By the Gospel of Christ alone we are to be reconciled to our heavenly Fatlicr ; and we are not to be entitled to the benefits of this most glorious covenant, but upoii the condition that we love our neighbour as ourselves. — True enough we must con- fess that this world has so long interfered with the concerns of religion, that perhaps there is no command in the whole Scrip- tures more generally infringed than this very one of loving our neighbour as our- selves. It is difficult to say how this great and grievous error first got to such a head as it has done, and perhaps it is more diffi- cult to say, how we are to apply a remedy. Now-a-days, a man is not willing to a6l by his On the good Effects of Religion. 2 1 his neighbour as he would by himself, be- seRxM. cause, perhaps, he too truly knows that it ^ ' • is the last thing his neighbour would do by him. His heart is hardened, because he thinks that in similar circumstances his neighbour's heartwould be hardened against him ; and this too often satisfies his con- science. — I say too often ; for Christianity does not even admit of this excuse. Chris- tianity does not lay laws upon us, which our passions are left to interpret. Her laws are meant to controul our own passions first, and not merely to coerce and restrain those of our neighbours. The laws of Christianity entirely regard the individual ; the conduct of others will be no defence, nor afford any palliation, except in the case of absolute violence. What we ought really and solely to think of, is not, how bad others are, but how we can prove ourselves to be good and faithful servants of the blessed Jesus. And when we considerwhat the con- sequences really would be of every man's acting up to this rule, it is truly melancholy to think that men cannot agree upoii a point so important. A Christian ought to do 22 On the good Effects of Religion. SERM. do good, though he should be only requited "• with ill; but if all men would resolve to be Christians in heart, then every man in particular would be a gainer. While I tried to serve my neighbour, my neighbour w^ould be trying to serve me. The same principle would govern both ; kindness would be repaid with kindness, friendship with friendship ; my honesty and integrity would be his security, and his honesty and integrity mine ; but if we will not govern ourselves by this principle, all is put out of order. When one man happens to act by another otherwise than a Christian should do, this second begins to waver also : one bad office is requited by another ; and the . first that goes astray, has the transgressions of both to answer for. Not that the latter is acquitted, but the first error is of so much more importance, as it operates to prevent and hinder the good intentions of others, and perhaps may be multiplied af- terwards to the ruin and destruction of thousands. The true Christian, however, is bound to consider, that the laws of God ar^ not to be set aside by the frowardness of On the good Effects of Religion. 23 of man. Perhaps it may seem to be a sort serm. of defence dictated by nature, that we ^^• should retaliate injuries, and avenge our- selves. It v^^ould seem as if the holy Apostle, St. Paul, almost acknowledged this to be, if not natural, at least difficult to be resisted, because he has, in so strong terms, incul- cated a different rule of conduct. He ad- vises us to leave other men's actions to be judged by God, and have an eye only to our own. *' Be not wise in your own con- *' ceits \" *' recompense to no man evil for evil ;" *' provide things holiest in the sight of all men ;" this is the surest ground to go upon ; " and " if it he possible y as much as lieth in you, live •' peaceably with all men." This is not spoken like a teacher who knew nothing of the world : he would seem from these very ex- pressions to have known it full well. He probably knew that such is the wantonness of human nature, that oftentimes the best and quietest men are not suffered to live peaceably with those around them, without submitting more, than as men, is to be ex- pected of them. He only exhorts us to do it II 24 On the good Effects of Beligion. SERM. it therefore, '' if it be possible, and as much " as lieth m us." But how few of us comply with this ! How suddenly impetuous many are, upon the slightest provocation ! How in a moment are we stirred up to retaliate an offence ! We give ourselves no time to weigh the circumstances ; perhaps he who has offended us, may have done it unin- tentionally; perhaps he has been deceived ; perhaps he has only done what we our- selves should have done in the like situation. These are points which a true Christian should weigh and consider before he con- demns or blames others ; and if he would do so, no doubt but the matter might be settled so as to endanger neither. Instead of this, we judge hastily, forgetful all the while that we ourselves are to be judged hereafter ; nor is it to be doubted, that many live thus at variance with those around them, who yet know that their own trespasses against their Maker will only be forgiven, in proportion as they forgive those who trespass against them. It is amazing to think how difficult it is to make men under- On the good Effects of Religion. 25 understand their own interest. Those who serm, seem to us to understand it best, perhaps ^^• understand it least of all. Religion, in fact, is the one thing needful ; and yet too gene- rally, instead of being thought needful, it is of all things most neglected, and post- poned for every description of worldly pur- suits. Those who do not wholly neglect it, trifle with it. They think it consists in a few ceremonies, a few prayers, and a few professions of belief ; whereas it ought to be the prime business of life. Though we - should have recourse to it, on particular and pressing occasions, to comfort us under sorrow, to support us under pain, to relieve us in any heavy distress of body or soul : yet this is but making it a remedy for evils that may be occasional and temporary ; but religion well understood holds out to us a prize for which we ever ought to be contending. And this prize is best suited to our wishes, be they what they may ; for all our wishes, however diversified, must centre in this, that we alike desire to be prosperous and happy. Religion will accomplish the point for every one of us, if we 26 On the good Effects of Religion. SERM. 'vve will but be ruled by the lessons she in- 11. culcates. True it is, she perhaps may put most of us out of our way. To one, she may say, you are wrong ; you are heaping up riches to no good end; you will be mis- taken at last, if you are not cautious, for not only moth and rust will soon be mak- ing depredations on your perishable cof- fers, but if you have not charity, all 3^our wealth shall avail you nothing ; but if you would be " the elect of God, holy and beloved, " put on bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness " of mind, meekness, long-suffering ; above all *' things put on charity, which is the bond of per- ''feclncss." To a second, perhaps, who she sees, striving hard to raise himself above his fellows, religion will cry out, to humble himself, if not in the sight of men, at least in the sight of God. There is a natural pride in the soul of man, which tempts him, when he com- pares himself with other men, to fancy himself not only equal, as a partaker of the same flesh and blood, but in some re- spect or other superior: thus the strong seek On the good Effects of Religion. 27 seek to overcome the weak ; the wise, the sExIm. foolish; the rich, the poor; and, since ^^• human nature is much alike, perhaps at the same time the weak are wishinp' to be strong, and the foolish wise, and the poor rich, to do just tlie same, and lord it over their fellows. NoW religion alone can teach us to be humble, and yet meet every man's wishes. Religion alone can raise and elevate us all ; but she will do it on her own terms, and not on our's : if we are wise, or strong, or mighty in our ov/n . conceits, instead of raising she will depress us ; he that by any overbearing insolence, or idle presumption, shall think to exalt himself, this man will effectually lose his aim, and in the end be put down and abased. Religion will tell the ambitious man, that God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation, he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him ; and again, that he resisteth the proud and giveth grace only to the humble : perhaps this may put the ambitious very much out of his way ; perhaps, for a time, it may mortify him greatly to take this course 28 On the good Effects of Religion. SERM. course of meekness and humility; yet it would be unwise not to stand corrected, for he that is far above, has pointed out the only road for the ambitious to take — « " Ihunhle yourselves under the mighty hand " of God, that he may exalt you in due time." There are others who are continually seek- ing after happiness, whom religion alone could put right, though not perhaps with- out likewise greatly thwarting their pre- sent inclinations ; these are the intempe- rate and voluptuous. If these men looked to any future happiness, they would not seek to compass it in the way they do ; but these men are all for present happiness ; a short-lived elevation of spirits, and free- dom from care. It is amazing what a friend religion would be to such persons, if they would but condescend to listen to her. These men are not only pursuing a phantom, but they are every day putting themselves more out of the way of happi- ness. They cannot gratify their appe- tites to excess, without transgressing many of the precepts of the Gospel ; nor let it b^ supposed that these precepts were Q meant On the good Effects of Religion. 29 meant to rob us of our pleasures; they are serm. meant exceedingly to increase them : for, ^^• besides that intemperance will soon end all earthly pleasures and enjoyments what- ever, the lusts of the flesh will have no objects in the world to come; great, there- fore, must be our torments, if the desires shall remain when they can never more be gratified ; and possibly this may be in a great measure the punishment of the wicked : having made no provision for the other world, they shall find themselves, when they get there, in a strange country, forlorn and helpless, and sighing after past pleasures, while the good and righteous^ those who shall have passed through this life as pilgrims, setting their affections on things above, shall in the other world have all their desires gratified, and live in the midst of pleasures for ever more. Fourthly, to apply to the words of my text, whatever we may think to gain by a froward beha- viour, by pursuing our own schemes, re- gardless of the feelings of our neighbour, by craft and cunning, by violence and wrong, we may be certain we should more surely II 3^ On the good Effects of Religion. SERM. surely gain our points by following the precepts of religion ; most especially of the Gospel of Christ. It cannot be any man's interest to have the world in gene- ral wicked and headstrong : a state of war- fare is always a state of risk and danger ; what we might gain ourselves by any evil art, we might soon lose in some other shape (if not perhaps ten-fold), by the bad example we set, and the licence we give to others to act the same by us — whereas, if " the earih zvere but full of the *' knowledge of the Lord, they shoidd not " hurt or destroy in all his holy mountain,'' All would do good in their stations, and none would do harm ; the strong would help the weak, the wise would instruct the simple, the rich would comfort tlie poor, and the poor would respect the rich. Let any man read the New Testament, and weigh well the lessons it teaches ; and he must have a poor judgment if he docs not admit that this would really be the case. Is it not liard then, that when we can agree together to carry into execution many worldly projects, we can come to no agree- ment 071 the good Effects of Religion. 31 ment to cultivate and propagate, to the serm. utmost, what would give peace and secu- ^'^• rity to us all ; when the great God of hea- ven has so loved us, and made our case his own, as to take our very nature upon him, to save and to redeem us, why cannot we ;nake his cause our's, and resolve, not only to cultivate his religion ourselves, but to encourage it in others ? Is there any Christian charity in being so selfish, as to be careful only for ourselves ? . Re- ligion is the only sure hope we have ; it is sure to benefit every individual who em- braces it, and it is sure to do good in so- ciety so far as it extends. Let us then re- member, that besides having regard to our own deportment, we shall do well to look to the deportment of others. If we have an influence over any who shew a disre- gard to religion, let us exert it to the ut- most to bring them into the way of truth. A high reward is promised to those who engage successfully in such a task ; *' They " that be wise,'* says the Prophet, '' shall ** shine as the brightness of the firmament; " and they that turn many to righteousness as " the 32 On the good Effects of Religion, SERM. *' the stars for ever and ever.'* Those who ^^- can do good in this way, are chargeable with any neglect in not doing it. As it is easy to know who frequents the temple of God, it is easy to know who they are that do not ; such should excite our suspicion ; not any base and uncharitable suspicions, but the suspicions of a Christian ; we should entertain an apprehension for them, lest here or hereafter they come to harm. In bringing them back to the paths of re- ligion, if they have been by chance or passion seduced to leave them, we shall be sure to consult their interest both here and hereafter; and our own, inasmuch as their reformation will redound to our praise ; and the interest of society at large, inas- much as a religious man is always the safest, and most trust-worthy, and best neighbour we can have ; in short, if we would but agree to be religious ourselves, and, as far as possible, teach and en- courage others to be so, this world might be rendered like to heaven, for " the " wicked zvould cease from troiiblingy" and then " the weary " might be " at rest ; " nation would 710 more lift tip the sword *' against On the good Effects of Religion. 33 *' against nation," nor, for our defence, serm. either at home or abroad, need we " learn '^* ^' war any more." I fear this is an event more to be wished than expected, but if perfection is out of our reach, let us yet endeavour to advance. Righteousness, we are told, exalteth a nation ; it will certainly also exalt individuals, so that every step we take, we shall gain something. But, after all, it does not depend on compact and agreement, and we should very much mistake the matter if we were to think it did. It is at all times the duty, the indispensable duty, of every man, both to worship his Maker and to keep his laws ; and the laws of our Maker are sufficiently promulgated. Surely we can- not be ignorant, that it is required of us to testify our faith in God, through Christ, by good works .^ The first and great commandment is known to us all ; Nature dictates it, and Revelation has con- firmed it : we all stand bound, by every consideration that can have weight with a rational being, to love, to honor, and to fear the Lord our God, with every faculty D of 34 ^^ ^^^ good Effects of Religion. of the heart, the soul, and the mind. And the second commandment is as generally acknowledged, though perhaps we are not aware how continually we violate it ; for the law it inculcates, is explained by an- other most plain and easy doctrine, which none can misunderstand, and which should for ever be our guide, namely, that in all cases whatsoever, we " do to others^ as we ** would they should do to us." What a scene of harmony, quiet, and tranquillity, would ensue, if each man would suffer himself to be governed by these two prin- ciples ; we should then need no compact or agreement, the consequences would flow from ourselves. If every man would be righteous, every man would be secure ; we should have no more jealousies or en- vyings, no more murmuring and complain- ing, no more strife and hatred, no more malice and revenge ; added to all which, we should each be so much forwarder in the way of salvation, so much nearer to the high prize of our calling, through the Savi- our and Redeemer of mankind. God exacts not your services for his own sake, it is all for 0)1 the good Effects of Religion, 35 for your's : for, ''how can a 7nan he profit a- serm. " bte unto God? or is it any gain to him if ^^• " thou mahest thy ways perfect? If thou be ** rin-hteous what divest thou him f or zvhat " receiveth he at thy hand?*' The truth of all I have advanced is manifest and clear; he that desires 'to be happy here, and blessed hereafter; he that is disposed to honor God, and live well with his neighbour ; he who hopes for salvation through Christ, and would. shew forth his faith accordingly, all such are called upon to do what they can to promote, in every way possible, the knowledge of the Lord, that " the earth may be full of righteousness " as the waters cover the sea/' D 3 SERMON S E M M O N III. SIN WITHOUT EXCUSE. Romans vii. 15. For that which I do, I allow not : for zvhat I would, that do I not ; but zvhat I hate, that do I. Whether the holy Apostle says this serm, of himself, as some have fancied, or only ni. by a figure of speech, as most others sup- pose, assumes the character he is repre- senting, to soften the reproof, it would, I fear, be vain to look for such perfection among the sons of men at present, as should render the terms of the accusation inapplicable, even to the generality of Christians; and, therefore, to ourselves among the rest. Though there might seem to be much merit in such a confes- sion, as arguing a just sense of one's own infirmities, yet no confession could more I strongly ^8 Sin zvithout Excuse, SERM. strongly set forth tlie alarming nature of ^^^' man's weakness. It is a confession, indeed, which so far from pleading any excuse for our transgressions, greatly aggravates our failures. In exposing our weakness, we acknowledge our strength ; we do not pre. tend to say we were compelled to submit, but that we have yielded unnecessarily, and even with great baseness and igno- miny thrown down our arms. And yet it is to be feared that no more suitable form of confession could be devised for any of us : we have none of us surely been so compelled to yield to temptations, as to be able to plead a perfect inability, to have done, or to have judged better ; as Chris- tians undoubtedly, if we would presume to call ourselves such, this never can have been the case ; for in addition to tlie law written in our hearts, and urged upon us by our conscience, and befides the written laws of God promulgated in the Holy Scripture, we have a promise of the aid and co-ope- ration of the spirit of God himself, to strengthen and uphold us, if we do but shew ourselves disposed to resist as we should Sin without Excuse. 39 should do. It is not then to be doubted serm. but that all oz/r sins and wickednesses carry ^^^' with them this heavy aggravation, that we are always sufficiently instructed not to approve them in our hearts. That what we do, in opposition to God's laws, we dare not pretend to justify ; w^e dare not pre- sume to say that even our freedom as moral beings, or our condition as rational crea- tures, allows of it; for while the flesh is rebellious, a will is nevertheless always present to us by the very laws of our na- ture, pointing to what is good ; so that even the Gentiles had a law, and an inter- nal monitor and witness in their own con- sciences, that tacitly served to accuse or ex- cuse all the motions of their hearts. But we Christians, as it has been already ob- served, have much more to depend on, and be governed by. We are fenced round and fortified by all that can give security against attack, or encouragement under resistance. We have no surprize to appre- hend ; for we are forewarned, and put suf- ficiently on our guard. The enemy is not hidden from our view ; we may see him at a dis- III.. 4,0 Sin zcitbout Excuse. SERM. a distance; snares and ambush will not avail him, unless we voluntarily become his prey. Even no advantage can be gained over us, by excess of strength or numbers; the faithful and steady Christian need not be afraid, though a host of enemies should encamp against him ; with " his loins girt " ziith truth, andhavi?ig on the breast-plate of " righteousjiess, and his feet shod with the pre- " paration of the gospel of peace;" with " his " shield of faith, and bis helmet of salvation ;" and, above all, " the sword of the spirit, " li'hich is the word of God;" he may stand fast in the darkest day of trial and temp- tation, and resist all the attacks of this wicked world, his own sinful flesh, and the wiles of the devil. Such is the security provided by the eternal God for the soul of man. The terms are figurative, but the fact is plain and intelligible ; if God be for us, who can be against us ? or what temp- tation or stratagem can prevail against us ? Yet with all these means of defence at command, we give way at the first sum- mons often, and go over to the enemy for the rest of our lives ; but God is not to be mocked. Sin without Excuse. 41 mocked. We presume to call ourselves serm. Christians, and u nless we abandon the very ^ ^ ^ • name and profession, we are, by our own consent, bound to obey the laws of the Gospel : and it is to be remarked, that these laws are so eminently consonant to the perfection of man's nature, and they tend to place us so very high in the esti- mation of our fellow creatures, that we are for the most part jealous enough of the service we have chosen, and itis not with- out offence that we submit to be told that we are not Christians. But what a mock- ery it is to pretend to be a Christian, with- out taking any pains to fulfil the terms of that everlasting covenant." In the ordinary concerns of life, we do nothing so prepos- terous : the soldier studies the art of war, knowing that the name alone will not stand him in any stead ; the husbandman does not look to reap, without the care and precaution of a previous sowing; in all cases, of this nature, the name is derived from the practice of the profession, and not made a substitute for the care and ap- plication incumbent on those who pretend to 4'^ Sill Zkiihout Excuse. SY.KM. to it. But what arc our exertions in the in. cause of Christianity? Do we think to compass Heaven by a vain and hypocri- tical cry, of '* Lord, Lord!" How shall we answer for ourselves when enquiry comes to be made, not into the services of our lips, but how we have applied ourselves to '' do the zvill of our Father zvhich is in *' Lleaven?" To prove ourselves Chris- tians, as well in deed as in name, we ought to have a long account to produce, of pas- sions subdued, and appetites restrained; of vice discountenanced, and virtue ap- proved ; of adversity patiently submitted to, prosperity gratefully acknowledged ; sins repented of, charities exercised, temp- tations resisted ; faith manifested, and the ignorance of foolish men. and the forward- ness of the wicked, put to silence and shame by our well-doing, and Christian steadi- ness. Greatly do we deceive ourselves, if we imagine we can be Christians on any other terms. Be consistent, and lay down the name and title when you act contrary to your profession. Add not hypocrisy to heighten all your transgressions. Confess your- Sin uithoiit Excuse* ^^^ yourselves to be rebels, and then commit serm. your sins ; tliis would be at least ingenu- i^'- ous, and deserve the praise of consistency and truth ; but you, that call yourselves Christians, do you without scruple fulfil the liLsts of the flesh ; do you, that pretend to walk in the spirit of Christ, indulge yourselves in " adulteries, fornication, tin- *' cleanness, lasciviousness?" Do you live in " hatred and variance, emulations, wrath, " and strife T' Do jyoz^ foment and encou- rage " seditions and heresies, envyings, mur- . " ders, drunkenness, reveUings, and such " like?" Above all, do you accustom your- selves to act without remorse, as the text expresses it, in open neglect of the good you pretend to approve, and committing the evils you are forced to condemn ? leav- ing undone what, as a Christian, you would and ought to do, and doing as an Infidel, what as a Christian you hate and abominate ? These are the things which, in the day of judgment, will be enquired into; and every day of our lives here, gives us occasion to add to, or to rectify, the errors in our account. Not that we are 4^, Si?i ivithoiit Excuse, SERM. are to suppose ourselves so ill off, as to ^^^' imagine that the name of Christian will be a snare to us. Sin and wickedness in- deed, it is most certain, arc more hateful, more heinous, and more inexcusable in a Christian, than in those who have not par- taken of the light of Christ's revelation ; but then it only is so, because the duty of a Christian is made so plain and intelligi- ble to him, his security is rendered so easy by faith and obedience, the promises of assistance are so abundant, the hope of pardon so lively, the rewards held out to him so transcendant, and his services put upon so easy and interesting a footing, that it is impossible he should err, but either througli the most obstinate wilful- ness, or the most gross neglect, that hu- man frailty can give birth to. If then we would be rash enougli to think of laying down the profession of Christianity, in order to obtain more liberty of action, let us remember, that besides the guilt of apostacy, which we must necessarily in- cur, we must be content to give up all the hopes and expectations of Christianity ; ve Sin without Excuse, 45 we must not expect to be allowed to plead serm. the merits of Christ to atone for our trans- J^h, gressions, nor to claim his promises of mercy and intercession. We must forego the prospects of becoming joint-heirs with him in the kingdom of God's glory, or of becoming one with the Father, in the vi- tal union which is clearly foretold to the true believer. It is not given us to know the distinctions that will take place in the world to come ; but we have unquestion- ably good ground to believe, that great distinctions will have place there. To every man God will render according to his deeds ; so that he that soweth sparingly £hall reap sparingly, and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Though, then, we would not exclude those from hope in Christ at the last day, who, n according to God's own eternal purposes have been kept from the light of the Gos- pel here below, yet it is no imputation either on his goodness or his justice, to suppose, that the true Christian may be allowed to indulge hopes of a higher state of glory, than those who have not been blessed 4^ Si7i without Excuse. SERM. blessed with the light of revelation. Those ^^^' who have not had this divine law to go- vern them will be judged without the law, and indulgence will be proportionably shewn to them; but the Christian has a law, and many duties to fulfil, his salva- tion will not be altogether a mere act of mercy, but will come to him in the shape at least, of a boon promised, and a reward offered, upon the condition of his having contributed to work out his own salvation. The hopes of glory then, attached to the profession of Christianity, are not rendered so transcendently great through an}^ blind preference or partiality, but because more is expected of the Christian, more is pro- mised to him. Others may be in a condition only to sow sparingly; if these reap spar- ingly they wiJl yet have the harvest that was their due; but if the Christian has Iiad so abundant talents given to him, that in the way of salvation, and true Chris- tian charity and goodness, he may be able to sow bountifully, he may reasonably ex- pect his just harvest too ; and have hopes of reaping as bountifully as he has sowed. Chris- Sin with out Excuse. 4,^ Christianity, therefore, is not to be laid serm. aside without certain loss; nor is it to be Ji^- retained to any effect, unless we faithfully "^ endeavour to live up to the terms of it. If, therefore, we have such a just sense of the glorious hopes of Christianity, and of the amiable character of its morality, that we would wish both to be, and to be thought Christians; and if, besides, we feel so sensi- ble of our manifold weaknesses and infirmi^ ties, as to be willing to confess, with the holy Apostle, that we continually both leave un- done those things which we ought to do, and do those things which we ought not to do, surely it greatly concerns us to carry our attention a little further,, and endeavour both to discover the cause of such gross transgressions, and to ascertain the re- medy. The holy Apostle has, in a great measure, done this for us, by discoursing at large of those two leading principles, as it were, of human action, which, though designed to harmonize together, had got so much out of order as to be perpetually in opposition to each other — '' The Jlesh/' says he, " lusteth against the Spirit, and the *' Spirit 4,8 Sin without Excuse. " Spirit against the jiesh." Our blessed Lord, indeed, had given the same account of human ^veakness, accompanying it with a caution to his wavering disciples, *' JVatcb and pray, that ye enter not into " temptation, the Spirit indeed is willing, hut ** the Jlesh is weak." But we need not go further, to have a full view of the matter, than to the very chapter whence my text is taken. And, first, St. Paul alledges, in some excuse of the errors acknow- ledged in my text, " Now then it is no more " / that do it, but Sin that dwelleth in me," in which observation, though he does not in fact extenuate his fault, yet he rightly esteems the true dis^nitv of our nature, as purified by Christianity, for the Christian ought to be so averse from sin, as to hold no fellowship at all with it ; as far as the C'hristian acts amiss, he sells himself into bondage, his actions are not his own, but the works of the devil. The holy Apostle, aware of this, disowns those principles within him which encourage sin, or rather, I should say, considers them as external foes, foreign to his nature as a Christian : - / dC' Sin zvithoiit Excuse. 49 " I delight in the lazv of God after the inner serm. *' man, but I see another law in my members, ^^^• " warring against the law of 7ny miiid, and *' bringing me into captivity to the law of sin," With a just sense of the disgrace and igno- miny of so base a subjection of his soul and spirit, he exclaims^ " O wretched man " that I am, zuho shall deliver tne from the " body of this Death f" There is something very emphatic in the word body, as here applied ; the body of this Death. Let us frame to ourselves what notions we will, of the soul and spirit, we need be at no loss to discover the entire nature, and full extent, of our bodily appetites and desires. These constitute that ■ sinful flesh that wars against the spirit, and which, unless subdued and mortified, and brought into subjection, before it is too late, will tend to the destruction both of soul and body: " For,'' as St. James expresses it, " when " Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth " Sin, and Sin, when it is finished, bring- " eth forth Death */' We need not then * James i. 1^. E bewilder III. 5^ Sin zvithout Excuse. SERM. bewilder ourselves, in any vain attempt tCy ascertain the nature, or the operations ot" the spirit, whether it be of our own spiri- tual part, the soul, or of the eternal Spirit of God, which is promised to us as an as- sistant to the exertions of the true believer. We may rest assured, that by the spirit we ought, as Christians, to be so united to God, as to be perpetually mindful of the state zve are to come to ; to remember, that while the body is compelled, from its na- ture, to seek its present good among the objects of sense and appetite here below, the spirit of man is capable of soaring aloft, and of contemplating the joys of Heaven, where fleshly appetites will no more pre- vail, and v/hither the body cannot ascend, till it has been so changed and purified as to be no longer earthy and terrestrial. The body, then, is always to be kept sub- ordinate to the soul, otherwise, not only our own spirit will soon be brought into captivity to the law of Sin, but the union that might subsist between the Spirit of God and our own souls, must necessarily be dissolved. ** We are not debtors to the '^fesbr Sm without Excuse. 51 ** flesh," (that mortal and perishable part serm. of us) " to live after the flesh. For if zve ^*^- " live after the f^esh,'' that is, if we are content to place our chief good in the short-lived gratifications of oiir fleshly ap- petites here, regardless of the eternal life promised us hereafter, then *' we shall die" or, in other words, we shall not be raised to a life of glory. But, *' if through the " spirit we mortify" and keep under " the " deeds of the body" if we use the body only as a terrestrial abode, to be thrown off when this mortal life ends, and not to be indulged beyond the bounds that reason and nature points out, then *' we shall live" our spirit shall survive the tumults, and troubles, and temptations of this state of trial, and be admitted to scenes more suited to its pure and perfect nature, the joys of Heaven, where Sin can no more solicit, nor false pleasures and delights mislead ; in the former case, the pampered body that confined our views to this lower state of things, that drew aside the soul from • the thoughts of Heaven, and brought it into bondage to Sin, shall carry it down. E 2 with 5^ Sin without Excuse. sERxM. with it into perdition, to be lost and swal- '^'- lowed up of Sin and Death. In the latter case, the firm aud steady spirit, that shall have duly governed and moderated the fleshly appetites and desires, that shall have exalted and raised the thoughts to the throne of God's Majesty, that shall have asserted and maintained its proper dignity, and kept itself, as far as possible, unspotted from the world, shall not only in the last day ascend itself to Heaven, but have efficacy also, through the co- operating influence of God's grace, to quicken again the mortal body, to raise it from the grave, and carry it upwards to the realms of light, purified and adorned by the mercies of the Redeemer. " 7>r- " restrial/' heretofore, suddenly shall it become *' celestial;^' " sown in corruption/* it shall ascend " i?i corruption ;" " sozvn " in dishonor,'* with all the contamina- tions of this wicked w^orld adhering to it, " it shall be raised in glory" and honor ; " sozvn in weakness, it shall be raised i?i *' paiver!^ Shall we then have such sordid notions of Christianity, as to think that it shall III. sin without Excuse. shall consist in a few prayers, and a few serm, bendings of the body, and not consider that the profession of a Christian is a per- petual state of warfare, in which rewards and honors are proposed to the faithful, active, and steady Christian, transcending our utmost conceptions ; that any over-care about the things of this world, is a ful- filling the lusts of the flesh, aiid leading to the perdition of the soul, whereas if we will but make the Gospel of Christ our first and incessant concern, doing every thing in such a manner as to redound to the glory of God, and keeping our thoughts constantly fixed on the condition we are to come to, we shall not only secure both body and soul from the pains of hell, but through the grave and gate of Death, which now have an aspect alarming enough even to the most resolute mind, we shall pass to a joyful resurrection. As you are Christians then, let me exhort you, as much as in you lies, to remember the laws, the pure and holy laws, of your Saviour and Redeemer, and to serve him with zeal and fidelity. What your consciences allow not, ' 3 54 "^^^^ without Excuse. SERM. not, be careful not to do ; but use your ^^^* diligence to prove yourselves Christians, in deed as well as in name ; and may God, of his special grace, not only at all times, and on all occasions, put into your minds good desires, but by his continual help and providence, bring the same to good effect; or, as the collect of the day ex- presses it, " that we may obtain that which " he doth promise," may he teach and make us to " love that only which he dotli *' command/' SERMON 'S E M M O N 1Y« ON THE SECURITY ARISING FROM A RELl- GJOUS COURSE OF LIFE. 1 Peter hi. 13. And who is be that zvill harm you, if ye he foUozvers of that zvhicbis good-^ xH EXT to the desire of happiness, or ra- serm, ther, connected with it as a co-incident iv. passion, is the fear of evil ; for to chance, and change, and temporary misfortunes, all men are in this life indiscriminately liable. Therefore it is, that all the plans we form, and exertions we make, to pro- mote our felicity, are accompanied gene- rally with measures of defence, and means of securing the benefits we seek to obtain. We know not whence the shock may comey how soon, or how late, that may disappoint our designs, and overthrow the fabric we are rearing : prudence, therefore, dictates to ^6 On the Security arising SERM. to US, to put ourselves on our guard in ^^' every way possible, and to arm ourselves against all fortuitous circumstances, by every method that may be in our power. But the misfortune is, tliat as many de- viate in their search after happiness, some pursuing it by crooked paths and by-ways, some seeking to compass it by sinister means, and some building their expecta- tions of it on treacherous ground ; so many err in the means of securit}^ they are disposed to adopt ; some rest on feeble and tottering supports, some rely on friends that fail them, some even mistake the very instruments of their destruction, for weapons of defence ! Thus, as the holy Psalmist remarked of the ages that are passed, and foretold of the ages to come, " There are some that put their trust in their ** goods, and boast themselves in the multitude *' of their riches'''." Some '■^ put their trust" in vainer things still, " /// chariots and " horses '\- \" some in the self-sufficiency of ** Fs, xlix. 6. + Ps. XX. 7. their from a religious Course of Life. 57 their wicked hearts impiously oppose them- serm!. selves to the Almighty himself. For ^' the ^^• *' ungodly is so proud that he careth not for " God ; neither is God in all his thoughts ; he *' says in his heart, I shall never be cast doivn ; " there shall no harm happen unto me"^." To enumerate but these feW of the many errors men run into on this score (but these, indeed, the most fotal and destruc^ tive), we may still trace in all, the in- fluence of the two prevailing principles above alluded to. For their desires of hap- piness these men think abundantly pro- vided for by false pleasures and vain de- lights, while their dread of evil is lulled to rest, and they repose in a temporary slumber of security, unaware, or not con- sidering, that their " riches'' may " 7nahe " to themselves wings, and flee away '," una- ware, that *' when they die they shall carry " nothing away zvith them, neither zvill their *' pomp follozv them ;" unaware, that " de^ " struction and unhappineS'S are before thejn/' that in the midst of their irrational and * Ps. X. 4. 6. impious ^8 On the Securily arising SERM. impicHis career, the Lord may arise to ^^' ** scalier his enemies^" disappoint their vain projects, and cast them down for ever ! If then there he, in the whole compass of religious or political maxims, any infal- lible method of security to be discovered, applicable to all our transactions, and ex- pedient in all our pursuits, as it would be madness in tlie extreme not to govern our- selves by it when understood, so would it be inhumanity in the extreme not to point it out to those who may be unhap- pily ignorant of it. Such a maxim, the words of my text seem indisputably to amount to ; for, " who is he that will harm " you, if ye be followers of that zvhich is good^" Of the several evils of life, these words in- deed seem principally to have regard to such as we have to fear from the rest of mankind ; from the malevolence of such as may be our enemies among our fellow creatures : and in this light it will be the purpose of this discourse, chiefly, to con- sider them. Yet it might be easily shewn, that '' to follow that which is good," would be from a religious Course of Life. 59 be a main preservative against even the serm, calamities that occur in the course of na- ^^'• ture ; for, besides that the good are always under the especial protection of God, the practice of virtue conduces eminently to the comfort of life, fortifying the body against physical evils by temperance and moderation, and securing our peace of mind by subduing all irregular passions, and directing our affections to objects de- serving of them. But these points depend entirely on man's own management ; and such is the wise order of Providence, that the evils commonly point out the remedies, though the perverseness of many lead them so lamentably to neglect the very means of their own cure. But, in guard- ing ourselves against the evils which the enmity of mankind may bring upon us, caution is to be taken, as well to counter- act the bad disposition of others, as to cor- rect our own. In many ways are we ex- posed to sore hurt and injury : we may be assaulted by the violent, deceived by the crafty, traduced by the slanderer, or borne down by the oppressor ; against these at- tacks. 6o On the Security arhi?tg SERM. tacks, all physical advantages may be vain ; ^^' our strength may fail us to combat the violent, and our wit and wisdom to baffle the deceiver. Where then shall we turn for security? The text informs us — ''follow *' that zcbicb is good;" for, as one of the wisest men that ever was, or will be, has also ob- served, *' He that zvalketh vprightly walketh " surely." That both these maxims bear with them an authority that will easily gain them credit in the assembly I am ad- dressing, I shall readily believe ; yet, as it is for ever pleasing to see how consonant to the reason of things, all the moral maxims of our holy religion arc, it may not be any waste of time to compare this divine aphorism, with the present situa- tion, the hopes, and expectations of human nature. The words of my text, as read to you, both at the head of this discourse, and in the epistle of the day*', run thus : " For " ivho is he that will barm you, if ye he fol^ *' lowers of that zubicb is good ?" That is, who is it that will have an inclination or * Fifth Sunday after Trinity. desire from a religious Course of Life. ' 6i desire to injure you, if your conduct be serm. inoffensive, and your manners unobjec- ^^• tionable? Now it is certain, that good- ness, of its own nature, in the wise dispen- sations of Providence, tends to the gaining mens' affections, and making them our friends. This, indeed, is tacitly acknow- ledged by the very practices of hypocrisy itself, for the hypocrite would not be at so much pains to put on the appearance of virtue, if he did not know it was the -most proper and effectual means of gaining the - love and esteem of mankind. But, besides this, virtue is known to challenge open respe(51 oftentimes, even from those who cannot bring themselves to obey its pre- cepts ; their reason and judgment yielding them, as it were, a passive service, while their active powers are clogged by distem- pered passions. Virtue, therefore, will not fail to convince their understandings, though it may not serve to work their reformation and amendment. How emi- nently was this exemplified, when the offi- cers, sent by the Pharisees to apprehend our Saviour, could not forbear, in admira- tion ^5 On the Security arising SERM. tion of his holy discourses, to declare* ^^^- '* that he spake as never man spake.'' How was it exemplified in the case of tlie Roman governor who condemned him r who could ]iot avoid asserting, at the moment he passed tlie sentence (though by so doing he convicted himself of the most horrid of all crimes), *' that he found no fault at all ** in him." But, as more pointedly appli- cable to ourselves, how is it exemplified every day in the common concerns of life and dealino^s among; men ? when the wicked themselves shew an unwillingness and objection (as they often do), to place any confidence, except in such as are of acknowledged credit and probity in the world. If to these circumstances we add the known qualities and dnft of virtue, that it tends to render a man, in every way, not only a worthy but a useful mem- ber of society, just and upright, and dili- gent in public life; humane, tender, and afiectionate in private ; never oppressing the weak, nor dealing hardly with those in his power, but willing to administer iielp to all that stand in need of it, we must from a religious Course of Life. 6g must naturally be induced to think it must serm. serve to conciliate friends, and gain us the ^^• esteem and love of mankind, and if so, that few will have inclination to oppose or injure such men : for, " fFbo is" the wretch that would " harm a foUoiver" or promoter '' of" so much " good ^" And thus much for the words of my text, as they stand in our translation. But their purport becomes widely extended when considered in another sense, and which they as fully admit of; for the ori- ginal may with equal justice be rendered, " And zvfjo is Jje that shall harm you, if ye *'' be followers of that zvhich is good^" By the first interpretation regard is liad to the dispositions of men ; that such is the necessary respect due to virtue, that it is likely always to have such an influence, as will deter the generality of men from all inclination to injure those that practise it. But, in this last interpretation, respect is had to the power and ability of man to hurt us (if we be but '' foUozvers of that " zvhich is good"), should he be ever so much 6^ On the Security arising stRM. much inclined, or ever so powerful. For ^^' it is undeniable, that, spite of every con- sideration, such is the corruption of human nature, that the good often do suffer here below, and, for the purposes of God's un- erring wisdom, the bad are for a time per- mitted to prevail. But lest these things sliould tend to sta2:i]:er the faith of the good, or raise doubts and apprehensions in the breasts of the religious, special re- wards are every where held out to those who suffer wrongfully ; promises too sacred to be mistrusted are perpetually made to such, of happiness to come, not in any common measure, but proportionable to the sufterings they endure. Thus, parti- cularly in tlie verses following my text, the Apostle adds, " /hid if ye suffer for *' righteousness sake, happy are ye, and be ** not afraid, neither be troubled." *' But " sanctfy the Lord God in your hearts ; for *' it is better, if the icill of God be so, that *' ye suffer for well-doing than for evil doing,'* Not better certainly, except through the will of God, who can compensate sucli un- worthy sufferings. There is jio circum- stance from a religious Course of Life. 65 stance that falls within the observation of serm. man, that tends more to confirm the pro- ^^• bability of a future flate, than the frequent prosperity of the wicked, and the tem- porary deprefTion of the good. The pro- mises of the Gospel are so consistent witii what we must be as much disposed to ex- pect, as to hope for, and are so indis- putably the promises of God himself, that the good man must naturally feel forti- fied against all present misfortunes, assured that, however wearied with the load of . this life, however heavy laden with cares and anxiety here below. Heaven will m time be opened to him, and he will ob- tain rest and comfort. Though then " an " hvst should encamp against him, his heart *' will not fear." He will ^^ Jight the good "■'•' fight, and be faithful unto death." He will, as far as in him lays, be in all things " a '•' follower of that which is good" assured that then not many will be inclined to do him harm ; but, and if some should, that none shall finally prevail ; for, in the day of judgment, where the finners and the F ungodly 66 On the Secuiiiy arising SERM. ungodly sliall not be able to stand, he ^JJJl^ knows that lie shall be doomed '• to dwell " in the tabernacle of the Lord, and to rest *' upon his holy hill." According to the royal Psalmist's more extended account of *' the foil ou-ers of that which is good \" which as it serves admirabl}^ to enforce the pre- cept of the text, and to guard against mistakes in its interpretation, 1 shall state more at large, '' Lord, who shall dwell in *' thy tabernacle, and icho shall rest upon thy *' holy hill?'" (Who is he, O blessed Lord, that after the struecflcs of this mortal life, shall be admitted to the glory of thy pre- sence, and the everlasting happiness of thy heavenly kingdom.) " Even he that *' leadeth an uncorrupt Ife, and doeth the *' thing which is right, andspeaketh the truth *' from his heart. lie that hath used no de- " ceit in his tongue, nor done evil to his neigh- *' bour, and hath not slandered his neighbour. " He that setteth not by himself but is lozcly ** in his own eyes ; and maketh much of them •* that fear the Lord. He that swearcth to " bis neighbour and disappoint eth him ?wt, " thoufyh o from a religions Course of Life, 6y " though it were to his ozvn hinderance. Whoso serm. " doeih these things shall never fall^,'* ^v. And thus are we assured, by the reason andiitnessof thiiigSjandbytheexhortations of Scripture, and upon the authority of holy men inspired by God, a\id above all on the promises of God himself, that to follow that which is good, is indusputably the most cer- tain and infallible means of guarding our- selves against the malevolence of our ene- mies here below ; and that if they should,, by the providence of God, be even suffered to prevail in this life, that then it is the only means in our power of finally triumph- ing hereafter. Nay, not only of triumph- ing, by being removed far from their reach, released from the violence of their animo- sity, and secured from the shafts of their malice and enmity, but, instead of having really harmed us here below, we shall find their hatred turn out to our advantage ; for if with patience, and true Christian forti- tude, and becoming submission to the will * Psalm XV. F 3 of ■ 6S 0?i the Security arising SERM. of God, we shall have borne without mur- '^- muring such unjust persecutions, we shall receive, at the hand of God, so much more abundant a weight of glory. This is also promised to us b}' God himself ! A promise equall}' consistent with what the nature of things would point out to our hopes and expectations. For, befides that it must be among the purposes of eternal goodness, and eternal justice, to prepare for those tJiat suffer unworthily lierc ample com- pensation in another world, it will surelv jiaturally operate to increase our happi- ness, and render it far more sensible to us, it being a release from all the trou- bles of this uncertain state : a release, not temporary, but final ; not precarious, or leaving us open to fresh attacks, but eter- nal and complete ; wliere every wound, received in this our warfare of mortal life, will be closed and licaled for ever ! Let us then but cast back our thoughts to the various afflictions we have hitherto under- gone ; to the pains of body, and anxieties of mind ; to the sorrows we have endured, and the struggles we have sustained ; and 1 let from a religious Course of Life. 6g let us contrast them with the comforts we serm, have felt, whenever the merciful hand of J^^ God has at any time relieved us from these sad and bitter strokes. Let us remember how sweet have been the moments of con- solation and comfort, after any heavy af- fliction ; the moments of ease, after tor- menting pain ; the sunshine of joy and cheerfulness, after the gloom of sorrow, and the tears of woe. If, after these re- flections, we sum up all the troubles of this short life, and then cast our views for- ward, to the endless ages before us of peace and comfort ; from these scenes of chance and change, to those eternal realms above, where affliction shall never enter, where there shall be neither sorrow, nor pain, nor death ; surely it must serve not only to reconcile us to all the transitory pains of this passing scene, but to convince our reason, that it is truly him " wbo?)i the «' Lord lovetb" that " he chasteneth." That afflictions are sent us not only to exercise us in those transcendent virtues, faith, hope, and resignation, but that they are by the merciful wisdom of Providence at ^ the 70 On the Security a rising y &c. SERM. the same tiinc so ordered, as eminently to ^^- heighten the good man's enjoyment oF the peace and serenity of the reahns above. By a life of piety and true holiness then, let us ever seek to abide under the shadow of tlie Almighty. Then need we never *^ fear what man can do unto us." If not delivered from our afflictions here below, we may rest assured they will be abun- dantly compensated in the life which is to come ; " all things being appointed finally to *' work together for good" to them, who trust in the mercies, the providence, j\ncl the goodness of God. SERMON S E B M O N V, ON THE SABBATH ■ TT ■3(t -sSa^^^i Nehemiah xjit. 17. Then I contended zv'ith the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, what evil thing is this that ye do, and profane- the sabbath- day f JL HE verses immediately preceding tliis serm, inform us more particularly of the ver}^ v. nature of the offences, committed in pro- fanation of the sabbath-day, in Judah and Jerusalem, which the nobles or magistracy encouraged or connived at: — " V. 15. In " those days saxp I in Judah some treading " zvine-presses on the sabbath, and brinsr/jifr " in sheaves, and lading asses ; as also zvine- " grapes, and figs, and all mmner of bur- ^' dens, which they brought into Jerusalem, "• on the sabbath-day : and I testfied against *' the?n in the day zvherein they sold victuals. * Preacli<:d at Brighthclmstonc. ^' There 72 On the Sabbath. SERM. " There dwelt men of Tyre also therein y ^ • " which brought Jish and all manner of ware, " and sold on the sabbath unto the children *' ^f J'^^d.ah and in Jerusalem." But it is not of so much moment, that we sholud ascertain exactly, how the sabbath w^s profaned, the crime itself, and the conse- quences, are what most concern ourselves. The crime was heinous and great, and ac- cording to the method of God's dispensa- tions in those days, drew down upon those that were guilty of it, great and almost immediate punishment. *' V. 18. Did not '^ our fathers thus, and did not our Gud bring '- all this evil upon us, and upon this city V The sabbath-day is a day we continue to distinguish from other days, but whether by hallowing it as we should do, or pro- faning it as they did in Judah and Jeru- salem, deserves some consideration. Let the original institution of the sabbath be referred to whatever cause it may, Reason must approve the two most conspicuous uses of it ; of rest from labour, and oppor- tunity for our devotions. It would be im- possible to prove, perhaps, that the exact quantity On the Sabbath. y^ quantity of rest, which the human frame serm, stands in need of, is such as is secured by '^• the appointment of the sabbath ; but, as , to the other point, we may be certain, that one day out of seven is not too much to devote to the especial service of our Crea- tor, " in whom we live, and move, and have " 07ir being/* Possibl}^ had God never instituted and appointed a particular day of rest, men would have found one for themselves ; but I doubt vvhether this would ever have been done with any sort of equity or impartiality ; each individual would have favoured himself. Those able to command an interval of rest, would have taken it ; but the man-servant and maid-servant, the cattle, and the stranger, probably would have been little attended to. Not so with the day of God's own appointment ; no individual is favoured by his decrees; in him, the very ox that treadeth out the corn findeth a friend ; much more all of the human race, who by his especial wnll and providence are placed at present in a state of relative depen- dence ; and, independent of all other tes- timony. ^4. ^^^ //'t' SMjth. SiRM. timouv, tliis sccins to me to anioinit to in- ^'* ternal evidence enough of the divine origin of tlie institution. The command is full of tliat general and comprehensive bene' licence, whicli ran alone be referred to the God and Father of us all. For too true it i?, that if we look around us but ever so lit- tle, we shall soon see, that even now that it is so clearly promulgated, fev/ men are capable of acting up to the true spirit of it. Did not the laws of the state interpose to enforce the observance of the command, however men miirht be inclined to take rest themselves, there is no saying liow little would be granted to those dependent on them ; and, as it is, how sadly, in very many instances, is its merciful desigji de- parted from ! In cases of extreme emer- gency, we have an excuse to plead ; we liave a right to argue, as our Lord himseli taught us, that *' ibe sabbath icas tnadc for ♦' niaji, and not man for the sabbath." hvxt let us beware how we judge of these emer-' gencics ; they will be found upon (hie consideration to be very fev/. It is lawful to do good on the sabbath-day, tQ almost any On the Sabbath. 75 any extent, but to do any thing less, at serm. the expence either of our own rest, or ^■ that of others, is grossly inexcusable. In our own case it is a neglect of God's com- mand, in the case of others it can be no- thing less, but heightened' indeed besides by the heavy aggravation of infringing a right which God himself had designed, by < especial interposition, to secure to all alike. What can we say then in defence of tliose, what can they say in defence of them- selves, who pay no regard, in this respect, to the Rest of those dependent on them? Let the laws of the state, or the customs of society, or even the voluntary obedience ,of those subservient to us, encourage us as they may to infringe the commandment upon common occasions, we have really • no right whatever to do it. We are en- joined to rest ourselves, not for the pur- poses of idle and dissipated relaxation, but for the purpose of our more free and un- disturbed devotions ; and for the same in- dispensable ends are we bound to afford to others the same opportunities : but of those that administer to our service, and 5. our 7^ On the Sabbath. SERM. our pleasure, if some are capable of a vo- ^* luntary surrender of their freedom, others are not so. In the case of our cattle it is unqualified compulsion, and we may well think it cannot be otherwise than pecu- liarly atrocious in the sight of God, for, because they have no faculty of remon- strating for themselves, God himself has condescended to be their advocate, and commanded its to grant, what they have no power to ask at our hands. It would he vain to attempt any distinct enumera- tion of such exigencies as may justify our unreserved employment of our servants and cattle on the sabbath-day; but of this we may be very sure, that all unnecessary interruption of the devotions of the one, as well as all unnecessary abridgment of the comforts of the other, must amount to a gross violation of the law ; but if, in addition to this, we so abuse them to an- swer any unholy purposes, we must needs tliink so aggravated an affront must call down upon us the just vengeance of an of- fended Deity. But though these are con- siderations that seem so obviously to arise from On the Sabbath. ^^ from a mere perusal of the commandment, serm. yet many there are who act as if they '^' never occurred to them. Not content with ""^"^^ the abuse of those immediately dependent on them, many, for instance, by wanton and unnecessary journeys in particular, in- vade most unfeelingly the rights of others, with whom they cannot possibly pretend to have any other connection, than what ac- cidentally arises out of the occasion, an oc- casion always of their own seeking. Duly considered, I scarcely think a more foul * profanation of the sabbath can be devised than this very one that I am alluding to, for such travelling itself is seldom conducted now without great abuses, and most gross violations, both of morality and humanity. And is the Lord's-day, as in too many in- stances undoubtedly it happens, to be par- ticularly selected for such purposes ? In- deed, those who so abuse it cannot be ac- quitted of a most aggravated offence against Almighty God, and, in addition to their own foul infi'ingement of his laws, must nQQds be responsible for the many heinous and great abuses consequent thereto. Much more 7S On the Sabbjih. 5tRM. niore might be said upon tlie subject of V. the sabbatical rest enjoined by the. fourth cominandment, but, havini^ made an allu- sion to one of the most c^laring abuses of it, I v.'ould now rather confine myself to the consideration of the other duty en- joined us, of *• keeping the sabbath holy." ** Ren:ember the sabbath- cijy, to keep it holy." If we could bring ourselves to conform to this part of tlie conmiandment, we need not be afraid of infringing the other. For, in this case, both our thouglus and actions would take a different direction : bv seeking rest and retirement for our own private devotions and meditations, we sliouid avoid all intrusion on the rest and retirement on others. And tiiis is surely what we ought to do, if we have any pro- per sense of our own infirmities. The Lord's-day should be {if I may use such an expression) a day of account between God and us. We should eagerly embrace the opportunity of examining into the state of our souls, that we may pray for the sup- port we want, and atone by contrition and repentance fur the sins we have committed. We . 0?i the Sabbath. jn We should, in ever}- possible wa}', endea- serm. voLir to do honor to the day of tho Lord, v- by acts of charity, as well as of piety and ^ '"^^ devotion. We should studiously refrain from evil in our own persons, and dis- countenance it, to the best o^, our pov/er, in others. We should punctually attend the appointed services in God's holy tem- ple ; as much, perhaps for an example to others, as for our ovrn private advanta^-e and edification; not to be *•' seen of men;' out of ostentation, but that others, " see^ • '' i?ig our good works;' may learn '* to glo- '' rify/' as they fliould do, their •' Faiher *' zchicb is in Heaven." It is to be feared, few keep the sabbath - day holy in the way I have thus described. Self-examination and self-abasement are exercises of the soul, very seldom attended to in these days. It is almost as much as we can expect, if a few hours shall be given up to the public Worship of God. The rest of the day is tl rough t to be our ov. 11 ; not for any p-rposes of meditatio;i and reflection, but for an nii reserved in- tercourse with the rest of the world ; un- reserved 8o On the Sabbath. SERM. reserved I call it, for it is too often wlth- V- out any distinction at all ; not in the so- ciety of our friends and relatives, but more probably among those least known to us ; where the gay and the profligate, the dissolute and abandoned, make their public resort. This is too notoriously the ' case, wherever opportunity offers; and so habituated is the generality of the world to this mode of flying from all sober thought and reflection, that these oppor- tunities have been purposely multiplied, till scarcely a private place is left for those of a retired disposition. In the mean while, the examples of dissipation in high life are imitated by the lower ranks, in scenes of riot and intemperance, lewdness and profaneness. Few do, in fact, give rest either to their souls or bodies; but much, if not most, of the day is spent in scenes of confusion and distraction, turbu- lence and noise. But it will be retorted, I knows with eagerness, — Is then the day of the Lord to be a day of gloo?n^ Is it to be a day of labour and sorrozvf I answer yeSy of ^7// if necessary, but of 7ione without jiecessity. On the Sabbath, 8i necessity. Of gloom, if our sins and iniqui- serm. ties preceding have been so enormous and ^• inexcusable, that we may justly fear to ""^^^'^ approach the presence of our Maker. Of labour, if we have made no efforts previ- ously, as we should have done, to work out our own salvation.- This must be done some time, and never suitably with- out " great fear and trembling;" arising from a due and proper sense of our own manifold infirmities, and God's supreme perfections. And a day of sorrow, too, ought it to be, as far as we have sins to be ashamed of, and the forfeited favor of our blessed Saviour to recover by repentance. But never need it be a day of gloom, or of much labour or sorrow, to the upright and religious man. Pleased to come into the presence of his God, he approaches his temple, with songs of praise, and hymns of joy. With true and sincere repentance, he makes confession of his sins, and glo- ries in being set free from the weight and burthen of them. The hours he devotes to retirement are not passed in any way gloomy to himself, however it may be , G thought 6 2 On the Sabbath. sEtiM. thought otherwise by the unfeeling and V. inconsiderate. For, to a mind of a sober and rational turn, meditation on the word of God, or contemplation of his works, are equally productive of the most glorious hopes and most exalted pleasures; hopes and pleasures, founded on a rock, which will not fade and perish, even when the globe which we inhabit shall be broken up and dissolved. These pursuits being thought gloomy by the gay and dissipated, does not make them so. To those who have more reason to be alarmed at the threats, than cnro'jraged by the hopes, of the Gospel, it may be gloomy to turn to the word of God. But the gloom is in their own minds: — ** For wickedness^ condemned by her own " witness, is very timorous; and, being *' pressed with conscience, always forecasteth '• grievous things*." It is to be feared, without speaking too harshly, that it is only their folly and want of consideration that can make them think themselves gay and bappy : for those capable of sober Wisdom xvii. 1 1. thought On the Sabbath, ^^ thought and retired meditation are the serm. truly happy; those whom the study of the '^• word of God has raised above the frivolous amusements and distracting cares of this mortal life. We may judge of the satis- faction accruing to an upright man from the study of God's word^ by the value put upon it by ihe wise King of Israel, if the Book of Wisdom may be any how referred to him. He knew the worth of worldly things also, for with them he particular!}^ compares the delight arising from reli- gious knowledge. " I preferred her before ' " sceptres and thrones, and esteemed riches " nothing in comparison of her : ?ieilher cojn- *' pared I unto her any precious stone; be- " cause all gold, in respect of her, is as a " little sand, and silver shall be counted as " clay before her. I loved her above health " and beauty, and chose to have her instead of " light. For the light that cometh from her " never goeth out. All good things together " came to me with her, and innumerable riches ** in her hands. And I rejoiced in them all, " because wisdom goeth before them, and I " kfiew not that she was the mother of them." G 2 He §4 On the Sabbath. SERM. He knew not till he tried; and tlie event ^* would be the same, if we could provoke others to the same trial. Religious medi- tation is not necessarily gloomy : how should it be so? Is it not true, what the Apostle asserts, that *' godliness is profit- " able unto all things, having pi'omise of the *' life that now is, and of that which is to " co7ne." Gaiety and dissipation have no such advantages. They can interest only for a very short portion of the life that now is; of that which is to come, they can give us no assurance. Yet one is but a vapour, so soon passcth it away, and it is gone; the other will endure for ever. The one has few pleasures unmixed with pain; the other may abound in pleasures for evermore, as free from sorrow as from death. I shall say nothing of the con- templation of God's works, another suit- able employment for the Lord's day; be- cause this must depend, in some degree, upon taste, and, in some degree, upon ca- pacity ; and those are as much to be pitied as censured, who are indisposed to study the mighty works of God. His word it is our On the Sabbath. 8^ our indispensable duty to search into, and serm meditate upon: his works, no further, un- ^• less particularly led thereto, than to know that they are his, and that in wisdom he has made them all. But the Lord's day may be properly hallowed and sanctified, thougli, much of it is given up to social inter- course. Provided our duty to God is not neglected, or postponed improperly, we cannot perhaps hallow the Lord's day more worthily, than by manifesting our love towards our neighbour, by indulging in all those charities of social life, which the several relations in which we stand to our fellow-creatures point out. But it is melancholy to think how times are aU tered in this respect : formerly, every man was best pleased to pass the sabbath in the bosom of his own family ; it was a day that peculiarly brought together those whom business had separated dur- ing the other six: now, pleasure com- monly separates us upon the sabbath, as much as business has done on the pre- ceding days. We try to spend our hours of relaxation in crowds and mixed assem- blies. Private society is thought dull and heavy ; 85 On the Sabbath. SERM. heavy; and we seem as much afraid of ^' beinjr confined to our own houses, or our families, as to our own private thoughts in solitude and retirement. This may afford amusement, hut certainly at the expence of much sohd comfort and rational de- light. The sabbath is grievously profaned when God is shut out from all our thoughts. It is the Lord's day; he hath sanctified it; he has commanded us to *' remeyyibei' to keep it holy," that is, the "iuhole day, not two hours of it only, two hours of, perhaps at the best, very imperfect devo- tions; confession of sins, with but small sorrow and contrition; prayers for help, with little of humility and less of implicit confidence in God ; praises, cold and care- less, quite destitute of that ardent grati- tude which v/e ought to feel for the smallest favors bestowed on us by God; an unprofitable hearing of his word, lead- ing to no repentance for past sins, or amendment of our lives in future. I fear this is but too just a picture of our public devotions. As to private, I apprehend they are almost quite laid aside; private prayer, and private meditation ; and, as to acts On the Sabbath. ^7 acts of charity and benevolence, which serm. ought to occupy all that is not given to J^ the worship of God, it is to be feared, there is but little of true benevolence to be found in large and promiscuous meet- ings; much more, it is to be appre- hended, of vanity, as to what regards ourselves, and of envy and malevolence towards others. Turn to the Apoftles' account of true Christian charity, such as ought ever to be the ruling principle of those who would be thought holy in the- sight of God, and ask yourselves, what share it is likely to have in the public as- semblies, either of the rich or poor. First, that charity is " kind/'' " eiivieth not," '' vaunteth not itself" " is not puffed up" *' doth not behave itself unseemly" " seeketh " not her ow?iy is not easily provoke dy thmketh " no evil," (a rare virtue indeed). Again, it *' rejoiceth 7iot" that is, has no pleasure *« in iniquity " but " rejoi'Ceth in the truth, " heareth all things, believeth all things, " hopeth all things, endureth all things." But it is time to come to a close : — noto- rious acts of profanation every nian can detect; 88 On the Sabbath. SERM. detect; though, it is to be feared, few re- ^- gard them with the horror and disgust they should do ; but besides these, there ought to be a spirit of holiness run through all our actions on that day, which of late seems to be entirely abandoned. If we think at all of God, we quite forget our- selves, and little regard the real good of our neighbours. Some of the day should be exclusively given up to God, in acts of fervent and sincere devotion ; some sliould be carefully appropriated to private medi- tation, self-examination, and, if it need be, mortification and repentance ; and the rest should be devoted to acts of real cha- rity and true genuine benevolence. This is not making the Lord's day a day of pain and gloominess, except to those who can- not relish the most exalted gratifications of which the heart is capable. Let them amend and correct their hearts; at pre- sent they are disgustingly degraded below their native dignity. Given up to mam- mon, the human heart is a sink of corrup- tion ; devoted to God, it is the source of every thing amiable and good ; and, if the V. On the Sabbath. 89 the heart cannot be corrected without serm. some pangs of repentance and stings of re- ^ morse ; yet, if it is not corrected in time, sorrow without end, and pain without mitigation, are before us. Be sober and considerate, before it is too late. If it appears unpleasant, it is at least wise: if, in short, we are told, " the hearts of the " wise' must sometimes be " in the- house " of moui-ning," it is only " the hearts of *' fools" that would always be " in the ** house of mirth^/' * Eccles. vli. 4. SERMON S E M M O N YI. "»"^ ^Bt CATECHISM. Proverbs xxii. 6. Train up a child in the way he should go, and when be is old he zvill not depart from it, JL HERE is something so strikingly com- serm, VI prehenslve in this beautiful adage, that it ^^.^-v-^^ would seem impossible but that the mind of man mufl: be forcibly impressed by it. It is not applicable to any one distinct branch of our moral cond-uct only, or to any particular period or season of our earthly existence ; but to the whole circle of our religious and social duties, and to the whole compass (from the dawn and morning to the evening and last close) of human life. " Train up a child," that in- nocent and interesting, but helpless being, just entering on the course of an uncertain journey, for which he is himself incapable of making a provision ; but which will be strewed with flowers, or beset with thorns, as 92 Catechism. SERM. as those on whose care he is to depend ^''- shall set him forward on his way. With- out all doubt, there is not wanting among lis sufficient knowledge and experience of the snares and temptations to which tlie ignorant and uninstructed are exposed, to do away all doubts relative to the ne- cessity of training up a child in the way he should go ; neither, I would hope, ge- nerally speaking, is there any deficiency of feeling or sentiment, with regard to this important call upon us, that should render the task of recommending it diffi- cult or ungrateful. The text certainly sets before us the strongest motive that can be suggested on the occasion : the care incumbent on us is not that of merely pro- viding for the day that is passing over, or of supplying aid while the helplessness of infancy or imbecility of childhood call for it ; but the future scenes of manhood and old age are concerned in the charge : it belongs to us (while their tender minds may be moulded and fashioned to any good principles whatsoever) to secure to them the bc:3t chance of becoming good inca Cdtechhm. P3 men hereafter; and of descending, with serm. respect and the veneration of their fellow- vi. creatures, and ftdl of good hope of ever- lasting life to come, to the grave of death at the last. " Train up a child in the way ** he should go," not merely because he is now feeble and tottering, and incapable of distinguishing the path of life; but be- cause on such care depends consequences the most remote and important, *' zvhen " he is old he zvill not depai't from it." The season being come, in which it is • the custom of this place* (founded on the canons of the church, and the laws of the land) publicly to catechise the children of the respective parishes, it may not be amiss, to bestow some consideration on that particular branch of religious instruction ; and I therefore purpose to make it the subject of my present discourse: in doing which, I shall avoid entering into any me- thodical explication of the several articles of our public form ; both because the time would not well admit of so large a dis- * Preached at St. Peter's, Oxford, 1796, cussioii g^ Catechism, SERM. cussion of the subject, and because ade- ^^' quate explanations are already spread abroad among us; and. by the bounty and benevolence of well-disposed Chris- tians, have been very recently put in a way of more general circulation than I be- lieve to have been the case in any former period: I am, on these accounts, there- fore, inclined to confine myself more im- mediately to some general observations, at once applicable, both to the custom of catechising children, and the form itself, which the wisdom of the church has pro- vided. If we look into the royal injunctions, by Avhich the ministry of the Church of Eng- land were first called to this office of ca- techising the children of their respective parishes; and, if we examine the canons and laws by which thev are still held to be governed in this respect, we may be led to suspect, that they are become re- miss in this great branch of their duty, and do not now sufficiently act up to the spirit of these laws, either in enforcing the attendance of the uninstructed, or in ex- Catechism. ' 95 expounding the Catechism ; but it should serm. be recollected, that, since the passing of vi. these acts, and the promulgation of these first injunctions, the change of circum- stances is considerable : books then were few, and literate persons fewer; almost all knowledge was confined to the clergy; and, without such opportunities of public instruction, the ignorance and darkness which Popery made its advantage of might have remained for ever; for, in private houses, there were few religious books written in our native tongue, and the number of those capable of reading them proportionably small; but, happily, now the case is otherwise : religious knowledge is amply laid open to all; children may l)e taught under the eyes of their parents ; and those few who continue incompetent, through ignorance or poverty, to bestow this inestimable boon of parental care on their offspring, may find a door opened to them, by the bounty and goodness of the better-endowed and better-informed. I would not be thought to be pleading the cause of the negligent among us, much less of discommending those who continue to g6 Catechism. SERM. to bestow such attention on this branch of ^^- their duly as these early laws seem to re- quire; but I thought it not altogether im- proper, to make these cursor}^ observations on the change of outward circumstances. I now proceed to such general observa- tions as I wish to make, on the utility of catechising children, and especially ac- cording to the public form provided by the church. There is one objection often made against our Church Catechism, U'hich it certainly is impossible entirely to do away, namely, that it contains many things above the comprehension of children. It must certainly be grant- ed that it does so; but this need not lessen its effect ultimately : the purpose is, to pre-occupy the mind with good principles, before bad ones can have any hold of them ; and they must be dealt with, therefore, even perhaps before the very moment is come in which they arc strictly capable of comprehending any truths whatsoever : when such important matters may be able to make any impres- sion at all, it may be morally impossible to J calculate Catechism. 97 calculate, but as the first opening of the serm. human mind exposes it to receive equally J^^ ideas of good or evil, it cannot be too early engaged on the side of Religion ; and the mere words that represent the ideas they are afterwards to come to an apprehension of, will be silently and secretly clearing the way for the comprehension of the great truths themselves. I am not taking refuge behind an argument, applicable only to religious instruction,, in which the church might be supposed to have its. hidden purposes, in speaking a language not universally to be understood, but I may fairly refer to another branch of know- ledge, in which a similar course is pursued* Those who have attained to the highest pitch of profane literature, will still ac- knowledge, that the earliest books of in- struction put into their hands, were least to be comprehended, and remain still the most difficult to be fully expounded, yet they cannot be brought to deny, but that their after-attainments were owing to these foundations; and, though they cannot analyse the impressions made, or fix the H date 9 8 Catechism. SERM. date of the first rays of light, that darted ^^' in on their minds, they must still confess, that the grammatical rudiments they were taught, did serve as sure steps to the at- tainment of tlieir after-knowledge, and did secretly and silently operate as means of wholesome instruction. It may be so with the more abstruse parts of the Church Catechism ; they are so founded on truth, as to be incapable of making had impres- sions, and they may silently operate to lead the mind up to higher and more im- portant matters. It is well too^ even thus to pre-engage the curiosity of children ; as their faculties expand, and their under- standings become enlightened, they will naturally seek to comprehend what they may heretofore have only uttered by rote; and then, what a fund of essential know- le<:lge is provided for them \ a perfect sum- mary of Christianity, of the laws of God, and the duties of man; with such intima- tion of the mysteries, and such explanation of tlie two sacraments, as may serve to render them becoming members of the church of Christ. But, in thus meeting the objection Catechism. gg objection thrown out against our Church serm. Catechism as being incomprehensible, I ^^v by no means yield to it so far as to grant that the Catechism is in general beyond the faculties of children. It contains very much, capable of impressing the human mind, at the very earhest dawn of sense and reflection, and of interesting and en- gaging it on the side of Virtue and Reli- gion. From the very beginning of the Catechism, a child may soon be brought to understand, that the earliest and chiefest care of its parents, were not confined to the provision of bodily conveniences, but to dedicate his person to God Almighty, and to pray that he might, hereafter, have grace and goodness enough *' to keep God's *' holy will and cofnma?idments, and walk in " the same all the days of his life.'' The commandments themselves that follow, from the twentieth chapter of the book of Exodus, are equally capable of making an early impression, and instead of being too profound for the mind ofachild,are in truth but a simplification of what would otherwise be unintelligible. It cannot be denied, but H 2 that 100 Catechism. SLRM. that the simplicity of the eighth command- ^^- ment, *' Thou shall not steal," is more ca- pable of impressing the mind of a child with the just principles of honest dealings, than any long discussion on the nature and distinctions of possession and property*. The Lord's Prayer, no doubt, very early indeed begins to make an impression : the * In the moiiili of Deccinber, 1799, ^^^ celebrated M. de Luc, reader to her Majest)', published at Berlin, in French, a series of letters upon the very subject before us, in which arc to be found many very able argument?, to fliew the exceeding great propriety and reasonableness of instructing infants in the first principles of religion. Some of which absolutely require to be taught as fact*;, being incapable of positive and direct proot; such, for instance, as the Being and attributes of God; the creation of the world, &c. — He is for making religion a concern of the heart rather than of the head; and in this he is un- doubtedly right : for, to apply the words of another ad- mirable writer, " The judgment and understanding have •' their proper method, which is by principles and de- " monstrations. The heart and afTections have a methoil " altogether diflTcrent. A man would expose himself '• very remarkably, who should go about to engage our " love, by laying down, in n philosophical order, the *' fprings and causes of that passion." rcfiiics de Pascal y xxxi. 31. child Catechism. loi child can soon distinguish, in some degree, serm. between his earthly parents and the Father ^ '• of All, " zvhich is in Heaven" whose name he is taught to hallow ; that Father, who is actually, and in reality, to give him his " daily bread," and send him (by the effects of his merciful providence) " all things " that be jieedfid both for his soul and body" But of all parts of the Catechism, capable of making an early impression on the minds of children, I think none can be more likely to do so, than the two admirable summaries of our duty to God, and our duty to our neighbour. I can scarcely conceive it pos~ sible for a child to mistake the meaning of the terms adopted in the former. It is, beyond all explanation, most full and com- prehensive, and yet simple to admiration : " My duty towards God" says the innocent and unoffending child, not yet corrupted by evil principles, " is to believe in him, to fear " hiin, and to love him, zvith all my heart, with '^ all my ?nind, and zvith all my soul, and zvith " all my strength — to worship him — to give " him thanks — to honour his holy name and his " zvord — and to serve him truly all the days 3 03 Catechism. SERM. " of my life." Is it possible to think this ^J;^ does not sink deep into the mind of a child ? Again, how soon must he be ca- pable of understanding, also, the chief points of his duty to his neighbour, as set forth under the several relations and dis- tinctions which civil society has given rise to; first, generally, he is *' to love all men " as hif?7sef and to do to all 711 en as be " zvould they should do to him," under any supposed or real exchange, that is, of cir- cumstances and situation. Then, for the several relations of civil life, *' his father " and mother" he is to " love, honour, and " succour ; the king, and all that are put i?i " authority under him (to execute the esta- blished laws of the land), he is to reverence " and obey" In order to profit by their care and services, he is to " submit himself " to all his governors, teachers, spiritual pas- " tors, and masters;" and because tJKere must ever be inequalities i?i the outward estates and conditions of men, for the peace and harmony of society, he should learn to '• order himself lowly and reverently *' to all his betters ; to hurt nobody in word Catechism. iq o '^ or deed; to be true and just in all his deaU serm. " 171 Qcs; to bear no malice nor hatred in his vi. " heart ; to keep his hands from picking and " stealing, and his tongue from evil speaking, *' lyi^^gi ^^^ slaiidering ; to keep his body in *^ temperance, soberness, and chastity ; not to *' covet or desire other mens' goods, but to *' learn and labour truly to get his own living, " and to do his duty in that state of life into *' zuhich it shall please God to call him." It may seem unnecessary to -have repeated these articles thus at length in this assem- bly, but I must be allowed to deem it otherwise, if, in setting them before you in a new point of view, as compositions of the most consummate simplicity, I obtain for it any additional regard and attention. I think we shall not bear, now, to hear it said our Church Catechism is ill-calculated for children, when it has provided such a fou^ation for every duty, religious and moral ; w^hen it stands forth thus, to pre- occupy and engage the tender minds of infants, before the evil lessons of the cor- rupt and abandoned shall have made their ^04 Catechism, SERM. their way to them ; to fortify, arm, and ^^' strengthen them, before the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, shall have been at liberty to begin their attacks. What a prospect does it unfold to us in the course and progress of the life of a feU low creature, when we have not only the scriptural encouragement of the text to stimulate us, but when the philosophy of the human mind steps in to enforce the observation, and tells us, it is an almost infallible consequence, that a child trained up in the path of Christian rectitude, will scarcely ever, in the natural course of events, be inclined or able, when he is old, to depart from it ? Habit is truly a second nature, not easily abandoned and set aside. If we have any doubt of it, in regard to a good disposition, and a good education, surely we must grant it in the case of a bad one. How incorrigible are the wicked; how just the inference of the Prophet, ''Can <* the Ethiopiafi change his skin^ or the leopard *' bis spots ? Then may ye also do good who «' arc accustomed to do evil." Good habits ought Catechism. 105 ought to be still stronger, as founded upon serm. principles so satisfactory to the mind of '^'• man. I shall conclude these general remarks on our Church Catechism, which I have . laid before you this day, as applicable to the season, with the eloquent but just en- comium of a very learned writer of our own times : " Morality has, by some writers, been ** investigated with metaphysical subtlety, '' and explained with logical precision. By *' others it has been decorated with all the " rich and glov/ing colours of eloquent de- " clamation, and poetical imagery. But, " (with an exception to those writings only, " which proceeded immediately from the ** Spirit of God) 1 have not seen the moral " relations of mankind, and the obliga- " tions resulting from them, stated with ** so much compression in the matter, so *' much order in the arrangement, or so " much luminousness and energy in the " style, as in the Catechism of our Church. " The io6 Catcchhm. SERM. « The account wliicli is tliere given of y^,^^ " our duty toward God and our neigh - *' hour, is adapted to all ranks, and to all *' ages. The philosopher, when he peruses " it, pauses with admiration, and the re- •* ligionist is enraptured with piety. The ** young should be encouraged to learn it " with the most serious attention, and *' happy is it for the man of hoary hairs, " if he continues to read it with growing *' conviction, growing delight, and grow- ** ing improvement." — Parr. SERMON 3 E K M O N YII, ON EXAMPLE, ■"s^^^i Proverbs xxii. 6. Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it, JLT is melancholy to think how old this serm, precept is, and yet how far the world is vii. from having benefited by it so much as it might. Had it been the general care of men, from the first ages of the world, to have set their children forward in the way they ought to go, then we might naturally have looked for something approaching to perfection, even among human creatures. But yet, not if this had been left to mere hazard, for though experience, perhaps, might have convinced them of their own errors, it might not have taught them a perfect rule of right ; so that, in order to breed loS On Example, SERM. breed up a rising generation, in such a ^^^' manner as to secure them entirely from the seductions of sin, and the delusions of folly and vanity, it must be necessary to have some standard to refer to, by which we may, without doubt or difficulty, en- tirely regulate their actions. But, in re- gard to us, this is the case ; ".ve liave, in the Gospel of Jcs'is Christ, confirmed by the inward suggestions of the conscience, a most infallible rule of right always to refer to, and by which, we are compelled, more perhaps than we are willing to confess, always to judge of our oxini proceedings. "We cannot deny, that we know always what is morally right and morally wrong, in the manners and dealings of mankind ; and though such knowledge may not avail so far as to amend our lives, yet that we and others do transgress and deviate from the paths of virtue, is sufficiently clear to us. Let us then consider, within ourselves, how exceedingly blameworthy we must be, if, both knowing that we are doing wrong, and knowing at the same time what would be right, we suffer the rising generation to On Example, lo^ to be misled b}^ our examples, and, for serm. want of advice and instruction, to wander vir. from the paths of virtue and holiness ? And yet, if we give way to any evil habits whatsoever, we cannot but render our- selves responsible for the efFe^cts they may have with regard to society at large. From the same words which I am now discoursing upon, I took occasion, last time I addressed you from hence, to enforce, as a matter of exceeding great propriety and importance, the duty of instructing the rising generation in the Public Catechism of the church ; but there is evidently an- other mode of instruction, fully as much incumbent on us, namely, that of exa?77ple; and upon this head, more particularly, I purpose to enlarge at present. There are none who live so entirely secluded, but that their manners and ways of living will attract some notice ; and it is one of the most common weaknesses of our nature, to think ourselves at liberty to do, what others have done before us. The wicked and sinful man, therefore, has very much more f^o On Example, SERM. more to answer for than tlie mere weight ^'^- of his own transgressions; his example is always dangerous to his fellow creatures; and, as a murderer is naturally expelled society, because no man's person is safe while he ranges at large, so one of sinful and wicked habits, should be much more shunned and avoided, for fear that he might contaminate the soul, that more noble part of man. But young persons and children are tliose who are always most in danger from the contagion of bad examples; nature having given them minds peculiarly susceptible of lasting impres- sions, they can scarcely ever resist the contagion of bad examples; and as they become thus, therefore, as it were, inno- cent victims, the guilt of their misdoings must rest with those whose evil courses have blinded and misguided them. Let us look around us then, and reflect seri- ously upon the importance of our actions ; how far our own welfare is aftected by them is but one thing, we ought also deeply to weigh in our minds how tiiey may affect the peace and happiness of others. On Exainple. iii others. In all societies, large or small, serm. there is ever a certain proportion of our ^^^* fellow creatures not yet arrived at the age of judgment and discretion : now these are, to those more advanced in life, blind and helpless beings, setting forth on a journey full of snares, and dangers, and difficulties, but which, by care, might be rendered safe, pleasant, and profitable to them ; if they miss their way, destruction is before them ; but, if they fall into the right track at first, the end and termina- tion of their journeying will be peace and joy. And shall we not stretch out a hand to help these unprotected and uninstructed . wanderers ? I know we shall be tempted to answer in the affirmative ; but let us beware lest we deceive ourselves in makins: any false professions. The common way of providing for children, now-a-days, is (besides that of giving them food and rai- ment), the procuring them to be instructed in reading and writing, the apprenticing them to some business, and so forth ; among the higher classes they are taught besides many things, which, in the eye of reason, and lis On Ex ample, and comparatively with the more essential duties of life, can only appear frivolous accomphshments. I have now set before 3^ou what is commonly done by v/ay of providing, as it is called, for the rising ge- neration. It will be well, therefore, to con- sider also what is too- usually left undone; and this may all be resolved, perhaps, into that one great neglect of not attending, as we ought to do, to the examples we set before them. The text tells us, that the surest way to make good men, is to train up children in the way they ought to go, nature having provided for the efficacy of this measure, by giving them a peculiar aptness to learn at that age, and to retain impressions; how much then shall we have to answer for, if, instead of so training them up in the right w'ay, we, by our dis- courses and our actions, lead them expressly into the paths of sin and wickedness ^ In the book of Deuteronomy, we have a very remarkable enumeration of particular curses denounced, by God, against several specific instances of great and extraordinary wick- edness : to each of which the people are enjoined * On Example, 313 enjoined to say, ''Amen," not as wishing serm. or desiring such curses may fall on their ^*^- fellow creatures, however sinful, but by way of acknowledging, that wickedness, so atrocious, must most reasonably be ex- pected to draw down on it the wrath and vengeance of God ; now, amons: these curses there is one to the following effect — ** Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wan^ " der out of the way ; and all the people shall " s^y amen." I have already shewn, that with respect to the future dangers and dif- ficulties of life, children are blind and helpless. I have shewn, that, from the constitution of their minds, they are in their tender years peculiarly apt to be led by examples. It is easy, therefore, to draw the inference, that if v/edo mislead young persons and children, by setting them bad examples, we, without any figure of speech, do unquestionably " make the blind to wan- ** der out of the way" and, for so bar- barous a conduct must deserve the wrath fend anger of God. In keeping such a check upon our conduct as may serve to lead the younger members of the society we i ■• I belong 114 On Example, « SERM. belong to, in the way they should go, our ^^^' several duties may be ranged under three heads ; namely, those that relate to reli- gion, to justice, and common honesty, and to temperance or the government of our passions ; on each of which heads, I shall have some short remarks to make. As to religion, if we neglect the public worsliip of God, or if, though we neglect it not, we live in private, contrary to what we profess in public, then children must learn from us to make a mockery of religion also, and immediately the door is opened for the en- trance and admission of all manner of sin and wickedness. But surely we must con- fess that we make a mockery of religion, when pretending to acknowledge God to be the Lord of all the world, we yet openly and wilfully transgress his laws, blas- pheme his name, and slight his authority. I shall mention three familiar instances of such mockery of God, for which no doubt we shall be called to strict account here- after. All his laws are comprehended under these two heads, that we love God with all our hearts, and minds, and souls, and On Example. 115 and our neighbour as ourselves. But when serm, our children see us so wrapped up in our vii. worldly possessions, as to postpone the du- ties of. religion for the most common con- cerns of life, and, instead of loving our neighbours as ourselves, seeking to com- pass our own good, by circumventing and defrauding all we may have to do with, how can they learn from this, to fLdfil either of those most comprehensive laws ? Again, howcan they learn to reverence God's name, if they hear those that are older, and more experienced tlian themselves, uttering the most horrid oaths and imprecations upon the most trifling and unworthy occasions? How can they learn to revere his majesty and authority, if they see those who have deliberately entered into covenant with their Maker, openly and shamefully flving from their vows ? By our baptismal vows, w^e are all bound to renounce the world, the flesh, and the devil ; not that, in regard to the two former, we are expected to re- nounce the world so far as to foi-ego the necessary labours and occupations of life, or the flesh so far as to give up the inno^ I 3 cent 11^ On Example. SERM. cent and moderate indulgence of our na- ^^^' tural appetites and desires, but we are never to suffer eitlier the affairs of the world, or the gratification of fleshly appe- tites, to draw us aside from the paths of virtue and sobriety. Besides our baptismal vows, there is another vow by which both sexes, according to the ordinances of all civilized states, and the laws of God be- sides, most deliberately bind themselves in covenant with their Maker; I speak of the marriage vow. By this tlie mighty God is called to witness the most solemn pro- mises of faith and fidelity that can be ut- tered by his creatures ; promises, of such a nature, so sanctified by his especial pre- sence, so fenced round with all that ho- nor, friendship, and common honesty can add of security, that it is horrible to reflect on such corruption and depravity, as can tempt any to violate them; the crime it- self is attended besides with such an ex- ample of abandoned principles, that the younger part of society arc ])eculiarly en- dangered by it; it is, in short, in all its consequcncQs, and certainly in its causes, of On Example, 117 of so foul and hateful a nature, that we serm. cannot wonder to find it made a test, as ^^^• it often is, to distinguish barbarous from civilized countries. In this point, then, those who set the example of such har- dened impiety, such bare-faced breach of honor and honesty, such base and aban- doned principles, do more hurt to the morals of the rising generation than words are capable of describihg, and the accumu- lated wickedness they will have to answer for hereafter, may v/ell make us shudder for their fate: for matrimony is holy, and sanctified by God the Father, by Christ and his Apostles, and among its moral uses, is especially meant to prevent that corruption and dissolation of manners, which are most notoriously repugnant to the laws of Christianity; which, suffered to prevail without check and restraint, cannot but unfit the soul for all higher en- joyments, and which, therefore, wherever reason and religion prevail as they should do, is justly discountenanced by the cen- sure, and marked disapprobation, of all the rational and enlightened part of the com- munity. 3 1 1 S On Example. iJKRM. munity. Another point, in wliicli we ought ^'^" to be very careful about the examples we set, is in regard to justice an'd honesty in all its branches. Injustice and dishonest3% fraud and falshood, no man will tolerate in another. Deceit and craft overthrow all the securities of society ; so that truth is sure to have this regard shewn it at least, that we are willing enough to cor- rect falshood in others wherever it appears. But how can we do this with any pro- priety, unless we are continually upon our guard to keep ourselves within the bounds of justice and sincerity .^ It is presumption in us to reproach others for a want of ho- nesty, while we make no scruple of trans- gressing in this point ourselves; and yet undoubtedly it often happens, that while we would rebuke a child for telling a lie, we breed him up to manage his worldly concerns with such a narrow prudence, and such rules of caution and suspicion, as border upon craft. This is a contradiction, which I fear we could find frequent in- stances of, insomuch that it would appear ps if a certain degree of artifice and cun- niiig On Example, iicj ning was absolutely requisite in the affairs serm. of life, a man being thought fair prey, that ^^^• is either so open, so ingenuous, or so un- ^'^^'^ suspicious, as to let his neighbour take advantage of him. How are young persons to learn to reverence truth and fair deal- ing, when they see a degree of merit at- tached to such worldly wisdom and cun- ning? The last point in which we ought to be very careful whai example we set, is in the government of our passions. Though our passions and desires were all implanted in us for wise and gracious purposes, yet w^e should always remember, that it is by them more than any thing else, that we are to be proved and tried ; they are ever to be kept under a restraint and check, for all excess is an abuse, and as they all have a respect to this life more than the one to come, to indulge them too far, is to prefer worldly pleasures and concerns to the joyful prospects of eternity. The laws of the second table afford us a general out- line of our duty in this respect. If we would have our children learn to honor us, we must remember there is an honor due 120 On Example. sERM. due to ourselves first, from ourselves; we ^^^* must not' expect to be really honored, if we only live to degrade ourselves in thd eyes of our family, by continual breaches of the laws of God, and frequent offences against the order and decorum of" civil society ; if we suffer them to see us daily gratifying our passions without restraint, and wantoning in riot and intemperance. All the other laws being positive injunc^ tions, demand of us equal care and circum- spection, if we would enforce them on our children ; for how can young people think lis sincere, in urging them upon them as the laws of God, if we, by our conduct, shew we are nevertheless not afraid ourselves to transgress them? To conclude; the im- portance of Example is most palpable and manifest: a bad example is of more dan- ger, and may truly and unquestionably work more real ill, than any offensive weapon in the hand of a murderer; the blind may be led astray by it, the innocent corrupted, the helpless deluded, the body contaminated, the soul destroyed ; but a good example will have all the merit of On Example. ^2^ the most active virtue ; for, besides that serm. our piety and good deeds will ascend up ^'^^• to Heaven before us, as memorials in our ' ' ' own behalf, those that strive to render themselves patterns of all good works, may be the instruments of blessings to numberless of their fellow creatures. There are some strong things relative to this duty of Example, in the second chap- ter of St. Paul to Titus, with which I shall take leave to conclude — " But speak thou " the things which become sound doctrine — ' " that the aged men he sober, grave, tem^ ** per ate, sound in faith, in charity, in pa~_ <' tience. The aged zvomen, likewise, that ** they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, *^ teachers of good things ; that they may teach " the young zvomen to be. sober, to love their " husbands, to love their children, to be dis- *' creet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obe- " dient to their own husbands, that the word *' of God be not blasphemed, Toung men, *' likewise, exhort to be sober-minded. In all ^' things shewing thyself a pattern. of good SERMON S E F^ M O N YIII, John hi, 1 1. ON EXAMPLE. Beloved, follozv not that which is evil, but that which is good. JL HESE words, in the Epistle itself, are serm. connected with a particular case. The viii. Apostle had just been speaking of one, who had, by his froward behaviour, impeded the progress of the Gospel ; from which, taking occasion to make it a subject of caution to Gaius, to whom he was writing, he subjoins, " Beloved, follozv not, (that is, imitate not,) that which is evil, but that zvhicb " is good;" and he inforces his injunction with this further observation, " For he that *' does good, is of God ; but he that does evil, *^ has not seen God/* One general lesson to be deduced from these words is obvious enough. i'24 ^'^ Example, tJERM. enough, namely, the wisdom and propriety ^^'^' of following after what is good, in pre- ference to following after evil, in any way whatever ; but the words seem capable of affording us a more particular piece of instruction, and that is, not to /y?2/7^/^ those who do evil. Perhaps of all the tempta- tions to do evil, there is none more dan- gerous than that of example. Standing entirely alone, the boldest may feel some compunction at the thought of transgress- ine: God's laws ; but when lie thinks he has associates, and that he is neither the worst, nor the only sinner, he acquires a false confidence, which, if it does not quiet, at least serves to sooth his unsettled conscience. Besides, as the judgment of God is reserved for a future state, and his providence does not interfere in the present scene of thin# law they will be judged hereafter. But, as I am addressing Christians, so I would be held to speak of Christian countries in particular, and therefore have ventured to assert, that in such, the instances of suicide (though at all events too frequent) are scarce so many, comparatively, as to form an exception to the general opinion, that N 2 our i8o On doing what zve nill zvitb our own. SERM. our own lives are not at our own disposal. ^^- But as I do not know that there is any abatement in the troubles and distresses to which human life is naturally liable, the question we proposed seems to be decided by a fact, namely, the concurrent testi- mony of by far the greater part of man- kind*. I would assert, therefore, that in Chris- tian countries life is generally, I might almost say universally, held not to be at our own disposal ; neither health, of course, on which life at present depends. But if this be so, do men take no unwarrantable * I do not know (hat any argument in defence of sui- cide has ever increased the nuniher of these desperatq acts. The antients could re;^ard suicide as ah act of greatness and magnaiiiiniiy. Thi'- might be some encou- ragement, and supersede all njed of argument; but I believe no modern has succeeded in his attempts io prove the lawfulness of it, 'J'he wit and eloquence of Humc^ I apprehend, have in no one instance whatsoever, removed a doubt that existed previous to the perusal of his works. They may have had, perhaps, the baneful and horrible effect ot confirming and encouraging a pre-disposition to such madness. liberties^ Oil doing what we zvill with oitr ozvn, 181 liberties, when they presume to act as they serm, will hy their lives and their health, en- ^^• dangering both unnecessarily, actually throwing them away, if not violently de- stroying them ? Life must depend on health, and who knows not that health is essentially injured by many acts of im- morality ? There is one deliberate act common among the higher classes of so- ciety, in which life itself is made the stake, aiKl wantonly and wilfully exposed to a chance the most precarious. It is offered, we. are told, as the price of honor I as that which, from its high value; can only be put in competition with it. Perhaps, men so proud of their honor, might be brought to their senses, if they could once be per- suaded of a very simple fact, that they have no such price to offer ; it is none of their own ; they pretend to riches which do not belong to them. Life is a trust ; it is not property ; it never was given ; it is only lent ; in the other world it will be a gift, when we shall be no longer liable to abuse it. Now, why will not these men, so jealous of their honor, consider a little of iSs On doing zvhat ive zvill with our own. SERM. of the consistency of their doings? To ■^^- shew tliat tliey are above all deceit and dishonesty, they first claim a power over what they have no right to, a property in what never was given to them ; they be- tray a trust, insult a Benefcictor, besides, perhaps, a hundred collateral injuries, which they do, in the ruin of families and distress of friends. The duellist may think lie is a man of honor, but no man is in- trinsically less so. Perhaps great good might arise, in this particular instance, from our learning to have just iiotions of the tenure by which we hold our lives; for if once life is put out of our power, as the price of honor, honor will be no longer redeemable when once lost, and therefore will never be exposed upon such frivolous occasions, as it now too often is ; it may also well deserve some consideration, how far those ma}^ be held to have any real re- gard to honor, who can look upon any thing as competent to redeem the forfeiture of it. It is a contradiction to pretend to prefer honor before life, while we make a parade of offering our lives as an adequate price for On doing what ive ivlll with our oztm. 18" for the redemption of our honor; for it serm. must be remembered, that in such cases ■^^• life is not surrendered to save our honor, but the latter being under suspicion, the ' mere exposure of our hves to a very un- certain chance, is thought sufficient to re- move all stain and imputation. This is, in reality, rating honor very low ; and he might reasonably be looked upon as the most honorable man who should so act, as if no price could redeem its loss, who, as long as his own conscience acquitted him, should hold himself above all suspicion ; for, disgrace can never affect the man, who is conscious that he does not deserve it. There may be some heroism in despising an undeserved reproach, but to submit one's honor to a decision which can liave no real effect in determining the merits of the case, is a fallacy and deception, which a truly honorable man should feel himself superior to. I have said this act of mad- ness is generally confined to the higher classes of society, but in a different shape we have seen it, I am sorry to sa}^, revived among 184 On doing what zee will with our own. SERM. among the lower classes also; and not- ^^' withstanding the vigilance of the magis- tracy, we hear continually of contests tak- ing place, similar in profligacy, and yet perhaps worse in their more immediate causes, and even less excusable. In the one case, it is a wounded honor, that is held to need vindication, and some al- lowance must be made, for irritated pas- sions, and offended innocence, but in the other case, honor (a most base honor in- deed) is the prize to be contended for, nay not all the prize, sordid gain of money has its share ; for these is life ex- posed. Life, which is not our own, is deliberately endangered to purchase the applause of the very lowest of mankind, to say nothing of other objects, too trivial to be spoken of in a place like this. Thus rashly do men deal with what is not their own, in the wilful and unneces- sary exposure of their lives ; and these things happen almost every day. But, though it may seem more remote, the li- berties we take with our livtb, through a wanton On doing what we zvill ivith our ozvn, iS^ wanton abuse of health, is not less irra- serm. tional, or more to be defended. There are ■^^• many excesses men run into, the certain effects of which are well known to be, the positive destruction of health, and a pre- mature bringing on of decay and decrepi- tude. Because it does not happen that life is apparently brought into immediate danger by ever}'' single act of intemper- ance, we are heedless of remote conse- quences. But since life is now known to be a state of trial, it should be considered as a post of duty we have to maintain, and which we have no right to abandon till we have a regular dismissal from him who placed us in it. If the fabric of our mortal bodies is so constructed as that by care and management they may reasonably be ex- pected to last " threescore years and ten," so much we may conceive to be the common term assigned for our trial and probation, and what right can we have to abridge it? But, if by intemperance and excesses we hasten the termination of life, undoubtedly we in effect do withdraw from our post, contrary to the original will and design of him l86 On doing what zve zvill witb our ozvn. sER^r. him who appointed the common limits of ^i* human life. It matters not when we de- stroy life, if we do but unnecessarily hasten its destruction. Besides, it is not allowable to think, that life is not always exposed to danger, in every act of excessive indul- gence ; surely many have been known to die in tlie midst of their pleasures ; nniny have been as suddenly hurried out of life by the intoxicating bowl, and other gross irregularities, as by the sword of the duel- list, or the murderous arm of the suicide. Great is the error then, and most danger- ous the mistake, of fancying our health and our lives to be our own ; of which, as we have no account to render here, we can have none to render elsewhere ; indeed of no two things, perhaps, shall we Iiave a more formidable account to render; since, as it has been shewn, the wanton abuse, and deliberate exposure of either, are con- nected with some of the foulest crimes, and most disgusting innnoralitics. 'lime is another thing which men are too apt to fancy to be their own : it is, in truth, 'On doing what we zvill with our own. 187 truth, but another name for life, and there- serm. fore needs not much of our consideration xi. here ; for time is only that by which life "^ is measured, nevertheless as we may not destroy life abruptly, so long as ever it lasts we are bound not to make an ill use of it. God has placed us in a scene of action, where much is to be daily done, both for our own advancement and the good of others. The employment of our time, therefore, is never a matter of indif- ference ; nor is it our ozvn ; we have no unlimited comm.and at all over it ; for every moment of it we are responsible: it should all be devoted to good actions ; only the interval naturally assigned to sleep should be suffered to pass without either some useful exertion of the body, or rational ex- ercise of the mind. But if this be so, and so of a truth it is, how many will have an account to render of which they little think at present. Here the poor are better off than the rich ; the value of time is better known to them ; their daily bread must be procured by daily labour, and labour occupies their time ; they are secure from th© i88 On du'mg -a-hat -ae Xiill uilh our ozvn. SERM. the reach of many temptations, because ^'- they have no time on their hands wliich thev can afford either to lose or to waste. Nevertheless, if the rich are more exposed to the danger of wasting and squandering, and misapplying their tim^e, in the case of the poor it may be attended with worse consequences here below ; above, both will be brought to the same bar; but, as the world is constituted at present, a rich man may be idle without much detriment to others ; if he does not employ his time ill, he becomes only insignificant, and not in- jurious. But an idle poor man cannot live, without having recourse to some practices disgraceful to himself, and hurtful to others ; he must starve, or steal, or live upon the precarious bounty of others; those who depend upon him, as they must needs lose the aid and support he ought to sup- ply, must either do the same, or sink into despondency, and perisli through want. Can it be supposed that time should have been allotted to a man, as a thing to be left entirely at his own disposal, when con- sequences so dreadful to others may flow from On doing what zve will zvith our own. 189 from his wanton abuse of it? And this serm. naturally enough leads to another consi- ^^' deration in regard to the general error of thinking things to be our own, when in strictness they are not so : a man's family and houshold are often thought to be so much his own, that the management and conduct of them are submitted entirely to his direction ; but even these are all trusts; they are talents, delivered, into our hands by our Maker, for the use or abuse of which we shall finally be called to answer. When it is as much a truth in nature, as by Re- velation, that if we are careful to train up a child in the way he should go, it is likely that, when he is old, he will not depart from that good course that has been taught him, must we not expect to be called to an account for the method in which we bring up our children ? When so much may depend on our neglect, can we imagine God would have put moral beings so much into a state of dependence one upon an- other, without interposing some check or control ? The mischief that befel the house of Eli, was, as God himself tells us, for ic/o Oil doing zuhat wc zcill with ourozvn. SERM. for this especial reason inflicted : because, ^^» " his sons made themselves vile, and he re- " sU' dine (I them not'^." If there is any thinj: for which we shall be responsible here- after, surely it will be for this. For, let us remember, that though those so sub- jected to us by the course of nature, are not so much our own as that we may at- tend to, or neglect them as we please, yet they are unquestionably, for wise ends, meant to be in a state of relative depen- dence; and, therefore, it becomes an ab- solute and positive duty, on our part, not to lead them astray, not to suffer them, for want of instruction, to fall through igno- rance, or from the influence of our bad examples, to wander from the riglit way. It was not Abraham's own riirhtcousness alone which recommended him to the espe- cial notice and choice of God, but the as- surance that he would direct and '' com- ** maud his children and his houshold after " him, to keep the way of the Lord, and to do ** judgment and justice." Indeed it may well 1 Sam. iii. 13. be On doing zvhat we zv'dl with our ozvju igi he questioned whether the apparent pro- serm. perty we may seem to have in our children, ^^ by the laws and course of nature, be not "^"^"^^ effectually forfeited by our neglect to breed them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord ; for, as it is a command of God, that children should honor their father and mother, this commandment must needs imply a previous conduct on the part of the parents to act by thepr children so as to deserve the name of parents in the sight of God: but how can those be thouoht to deserve honor and reverence, who by neglect, or ill example, or ill advice, shall have suffered their children to run into all manner of excesses to the loss and de- struction of both their souls and bodies? It is the same with other relations. The holy Apostle Paul exhorts servants to be obedient '^ to their masters in the flesh ;" but he takes care to shew what masters he considers deserving of this obedience :— . ** And ye masters do the sa?ne things unto " them, (that is, " with goodwill do the?n " service," and so forth, as the context ex- presses it ) '-' forbearing threatening" " knozv- " ingy" J92 On doing zvhat zve ivill icith our ozcn, SERM. " Jng," he adds, with singular propriety, ^■^^' *' tbat your ynaster also is in Heaven," or in y other words, knowing that if they should seem here to be absolutely dependent upon you, yet at least 3^ou yourselves are entirely as dependent upon, and quite as accounta- ble to, God. But, perhaps, in no instance, is the pretence of property more abused than in our usage of the dumb animals that come into our possession. These, having no power of remonstrance, no means at all of appeal, are in every instance what- soever treated just as the temper and dis- position of their proprietors happens to direct. Some, possibly, may fall into the hands of merciful and kind masters, and if they acquire no addition of comforts in reward of their services, may yet, perhaps, not be compelled to any unnecessary or unreasonable labour. If they contribute *' to tread out the ror//,'\ they have their share of it in the end, and ate not " muz- " zledy" that they may not eat; but, for one merciful, how many cruel masters are there to be met with } How many treat the brute creatures, subject to them, with-*- out On doing zvhat we zvill zvith our own, ^9S out the least possible regard to their feel- serm, ings. Can you imagine or suppose, those ^^* harmless, uncomplaining animals have no " friend to take their part ? Can you con- ceive that a erood and 2:racious God, who alike gave being to all things on the face of the earth, can behold such inhumanity and cruelty without displeasure ? Remem- ber, for no doubt it is true, that not even a sparrow falls to the grpund without his regard. God is the friend of those dumb animals, we are told so in holy writ; '' He " giveth them f odder,'' by the seasonable supply of grass and corn ; he feedeth the young ravens in their way; he feedeth all the fowls of the air, without their having the care and anxiety that we have, of sow- ing, or reaping, or gathering into barns. Depend upon it all that we see of their sufferings here by the hands of man, will one day or other be set to rights ; we know not how, but this at all events we may be sure of, God never suffers them to come into our possession to be wantonly abused and ill treated, but he requires mercy at our hands, and though we never may O form 3^4 O^i doing what we will with our own. 5ERM. form to ourselves any right idea of the ^^' compensation that may be in store for them, yet we may be sure that punishment will be in store for those who pay no re- gard to their pains and pleasures. *' The *' righteous maUy' says Solomon, and none are truly righteous that can do otherwise, •' regardeih the life of his beast." It mav be asked in the end, but are not our worldly goods our own ? No, not always to do as we will with them : worldly goods, liowever acquired, are but talents intrusted to our care; if wc do no good with them, we in effect hide them in a napkin, as is represented of the unprofitable servant in the parable ; treasures on earth so badly administered, will merit no treasures in lieu of them, in Heaven; they will be taken from us at our death, and in no shape restored to us in the world to come. If we misapply our worldly substance, if, like the heedless and incautious prodigal, wc waste it in riotous living, or other gross and immoral excesses, we must needs comprehend what the consequences will be. Our sumptuous fare and purple cloth- ing. On doing what zve will with our own, 195 ing", will be exchanged for weeping and serm"» gnashing of teeth. The poor, and the fru- ^^' gal, and the temperate, will exchange conditions with us in the last day ; then they " shall be comforted," and we " tor- " mented/' Prodigahty often involves the innocent in its cruel consequences ; for few are so destitute of relatives and depend- ents, as not to have others besides them- selves to provide for; a neglect, which St. Paul does not scruple to say, amounts to a denial of the Christian faith ; nay, is even worse than infidelity itself*. Upon this head of worldly possessions it must also be obvious, that what should be appropri- ated to the just payment of debts cannot be our's by any right whatever. It is impossible to conclude without one further application of the words of my text. Are you Christians ^ Do you believe or profess yourselves to be so ^ If you are, in no sense of the expression are you any longer your own. You are redeemed with * 1 Tim. V. 8, O 2 a price. igS Oil doing what u'e will with our own. SERM. a price, purchased with a ransom. Christ ^^J^ laid down his life for you, and you are his. Now you cannot be at a loss to know what obligations tjiis lays upon you. Every time you would act contrary to liis word and will, you, without any right, presume to follow only the devices and desires of your own hearts. Your ozcfi hearts then alone they may be called, for Christ can- not acknowledge them to be any longer devoted to him. Nevertheless, as to the right of thinking them your own, it can only be founded on a foul act of disloyalty and ingratitude; if you will not be of Christ, Christ will not dwell with you; it is but lit you should be delivered over then to your own hearts' lusts; but lot me be- seech of you to learn of St. Peter the con- sequences of such foul apostacy : " //," says he, " after ye have escaped the pol- " liUioiis of the world, through the know- " ledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus •' Christ, ye are again entangled therein, '• and overcome ; the latter end zvill be "worse zvith you than the beginning; for •' // had been better for you not to have " known Xi On doing zvhat we zvill with our own. 19 " known the way of righteousness, than after serm " ye have knozvn it, to turn from the holy " co?nmandment delivered unto you." To conclude; what I have said above is expressly the language of holy Scripture. Through the incarnation of Jesus Christ, and his precious death and burial, and his atonement for our sins made on the cross, we are become the children of God by adoption, as we were originally by crea- tion. Surely you cannot be ignorant of this : " fVljat !" says St. Paul, to the Christians of old, and it may well and with equal animation be asked of the pro- fessed Christians of this day, " knozv ye " not that your body is the tejnple of the Holy " Ghost, zvhich is in you, zvhich ye have of *' God, and ye are not your own ? for ye are *' bought with a price. I'herefore, glorify '' God in your body, and in your spirit, zvhich " are God's *r 1 Cor. VI. ig, 20. SERMON a E M M O N XIL A FUNERAL SERMON*. — 'TnP "T^ ffjBwT ECCLES XXII. 11. IFeep for the dead, for he hath lost the light ; and weep for the fool, for he zvanteth un- derstanding : make little zveeping for the dead, for he is at rest ; but the life of the fool is worse than death, JljLeRE are two directions, the one li- serm. miting the other. '' Weep for the dead:' ^ii- this is natural, and exceedingly con- sonant to our most common feelings. — '* Make little weeping for the dead;" this is a direction depending upon circumstances, and requiring some consideration to recon-^ cile us to it. However, the wise author of the book in which these two directions occur has not left us to seek for a reason for his precepts ; in both cases he has expressed the * Preached at the request and in the presence of the surviving widower and family. reason. \ 200 A Funeral Sermon. SERM. reason. '.' Weep for i be dead,"— Why ^ — ^'^- "fur," saith he, *' be bulb lost tbe light" *' Make little weeping for tbe dead," and why ? "for be is at rest." Tlie text con- tains more than tliis, which we shall con- sider hereafter ; at present, let us confine ourselves to the two injunctions already mentioned: first, that we " zceep for tbe '• dead ;" and, secondly, tliat we " make *• but little zceeping for tbe dead." And first, to " zveep for tbe dead" is very na- tural indeed, for we are of course left be- hind to bewail their loss. Whatever is become of them, of this we are certain, that henceforward we shall know no com- fort from their society, nor reap any ad- vantage from their aid and assistance. They are gone, and have left this trouble- some world; and, alas! have left us to struggle through the difficulties of it, un- friended and alone. Much, perhaps, may we have to look back upon, of afl^ection and endearment, which softened all the sorrows, and smoothed all the troubles of life ; much of care and kindness, flowing from friendship and long acquaintance, whicli A Funeral Serinon, 201 which no future commerce with the world serm. can renew or repay. We shall have to xii. look back upon scenes of happiness and tranquillity, which can never novv^ be re- stored to us but in the realms above, where we shall possibly again meet with those we have lost, to part no more ! He, there- fore, who gave us this direction, to " weep ** for the dead," knew much of the condi- tion and circumstances of human nature ; for, indeed, there can be no greater trial put in our way than that very one of sup- porting, as we should do, the loss of those whose friendship, and whose presence, were above all things in the world essential to - our happiness. But let us consider the rea- son of this injunction, " Weep Jor the dead, " for they have lost the light." This is, in fact, a consideration that perhaps affects us more than them. They have lost the light of this world, but then possibly they have gained the light of that which is above. However, as the wise man gives it as a reason '* for weeping for them,'' let us consider it as such . And first, they have certainly lost the light; their eyes are closed in 202 A Funeral Sermon. SERM. in darkness. The sun no more rises upon J^^ them ; they are " gone to the grave, and " shall come up no more." If, indeed, they have passed through this life becomingly and well, it is rather for ourselves that we should weep; but yet, at all events, we should feel an awe about their future con- dition, which should throw a solemnity over our sorrows. They are now, as it were, on the way to their judge. All op- portunity of setting aright what has been amiss, is past and gone ; and such as they have been here, such must they appear at the tribunal of Christ. Thus have they lost the light as to themselves ; as to us, they are taken away from our sight and our acquaintance ; we shall know no more about them till the great day of the Lord. The body we have with us, but the soul is with its Creator. If we have been befriend- ed by their kindness, soothed by their care, comforted by their help, or cheered by their society, surely gratitude will move us to weep for their loss, and to lament that such should be the condition of our mortal nature, that friends must separate, the dear- est A Funeral Sermon. 203 est connections be dissolved, the closest ties serm. broken, and that no hopes or wishes, no re- ^^^' quest or prayers, can arrest the hand of death. But if there is so much occasion, and so much reason for " iveeping for the " dead," surely the other injunction of my text is the more worth attending to ; for "weeping and grieving are very painful and distressing ; and as they bring no remedy in this case for the evil that is the subject ©f them, should be moderated in every w^ay possible. And therefore it is desirable that we should learn, that if it is ever reason- able to ^' weep for the dead," It is yet as reasonable to " make but little weeping for " them." Now the reason given for this precept is most important and most worthy of our consideration — " Make little weeping "for the dead, for he is at rest :" certainly, upon the dissolution of this earthly taber- nacle, tlie dead are immediately at rest, as to all the troubles and disquietudes of this, mortal life. But, generally speaking, wc have no right to conclude that the dead are indiscriminately at rest. Those that " die *' in the Lord" are so ; we know upon the wor(^ 204 ^ Funeral Sermo?i. sr.RM. word of God himself ; they rest from their ■'^"' labours here, and their good works follow them to the JLidgnient seat of Christ. Not so with the wicked ; and therefore this precept must be received with limitations, and perhaps the remainder of the text may admirably ocrve us to point out this dis- tinction ; but let us rather dwell now upon the hope of the righteous. They, when they die, are indeed at rest ; all their earthly cares and sorrows at an end for ever ; they are, to apply a figure of speech peculiar to the Scriptures, in " Abraham's " bosoviy" carried thither perhaps unseen to us, by tlie angels and ministers of God. \Vc do not know this from reason, but we know it from the word of God. Reason cannot in fact tell us more than we sec ; that the dissolution of tliis our earthly ta- bernacle eijds our existence here ; but through the Gospel of our blessed Saviour ]csus Christ, the immortality of the soul has been brought to light ; and we now are a.^sured, upon the promise of God him- self, exemplified in the resurrection of our blessed Lord, that at the {:n<\ of the world ♦' Ibe A Funeral Sermon. 205 **' the dead shall be raised incorruptible," and serm, all '^ they that have done good shall co?ne ^^'• '' forth" from the dark and dreary grave, to " the resurrection of life," — of life eter- nal; in the realms above, in the presence of God ; where ther^ shall be ''fulness of " joy, and pleasures for evermore." We oucrht in reason then to moderate our 5;rief for those that " die in the Lord," assured that, in regard to them, death has nesting, nor over them shall the grave obtain a vic- tory. We should not *' sorrozv, as those • *' zvithout hope," but rather rejoice that they are removed from this scene of care and anxiety, and have found rest to their souls. Having thus briefly treated of those two leading precepts of the text, that have re- spect to the sorrow we ought to express for those that are removed from us by death, I shall proceed to the remainder of . my text, which no doubt is pregnant with instruction. '' JVeep for the dead, for he '^ hath lost the light, and zveep for the fool, ^' for he zvanteth understanding." The dead is out of the way of all opportunity of re- pairing what is amiss ; the fool is so un- wise 2t>6 A Funeral Sermon. SERM. wise as not to avail himself of any, though -^^'- he is alive to do it. He *' wantetb under- " standing " though every thing is at hand to convince him of the lapse of time, and the frailty of all siibkniary things; yet cannot he get discernment enough to learn " so to munber his days^" as *' to apply his *' heart unto wisdom/' It is, generally speak- ing, therefore, more reasonable to weep for the fool that is living, than for the wise that are dead ; for as my text further ex- presses it, " the life of the fool is worse than " death." But what then is this folly that is worse than death ? Surely it is the folly of not providing, as we should do, against the stroke of death. And what can con- tribute more to the correction cf such folly, than such an awful and solemn sight as is now before us ? The fool in holy writ is he who trusteth too much to the things of this world. To riches or honor, power or fame. Now what becomes of these at the hour of death ^ Is not every thing brought to the same end ? Is not the scene before us applicable to all alive ? There is but one lesson to be learnt from it, namely, that 5 A Funeral Sernioji. ^oy that except virtue and true religion, no- serm. thing in this world is to be depended upon ■'^^^• as a security against the stroke of death. By death, strength is brought low ; beauty consumed ; power dissolved ; riches scat- tered ; wit silenced ; the prince can no more avoid it than the peasant ; the rich - than the poor ; nor yet to any certainty, the young more than the aged ; for the arrows of death are always flying abroad, and what can v/ard them off, or hide us from them ? Death overcomes us as easily in the fenced city, as in the open hamlet ; in the bosom of our friends, as in the midst of our enemies ; in the crowded street, as in the howling wjlderness ; on dry land as on the wide sea ; in the mo- ment of mirth and joy, as in the hour of darkness and dismay. Such a scene as that now before us, should make rather a stronger impression, or at least give greater warning to the young and gay and dissi- pated, than to the aged and infirm. The latter will probably have been wise enough to gather instruction from the gradual decay of nature, and to have put themselves into a course 2o8 A Funeral Sennon. SERM. a course of religious preparation for that ^''' awful hour, which, though it may not be nearer to them, than to many much younger around them, cannot in the course of things be very far from them. — To them iiuch scenes as these, if they have been so ■vvise as I have described, may rather raise than depress their spirits ; since the Gospel of Jesus Christ has opened to us a view of the future state prepared for us. They will regard the lifeless corpse, as a burthen laid aside, wliicli confined the soul to a scene unfit for it ; they will rather feel a longing desire themselves to put off their earthly tabernacle of clay, to be clothed upon with the celestial body prepared for them, and to be admitted to the presence of their Maker. They will contemplate such a scene, with a pious hope that their deceased friends arc only removed to a state of rest and happiness, a little before them ; that it is their turn to follow soon, and then they may again be united, in a state infinitely more desirable, abounding in all rational delight, and free from all corroding cares. But the young should regard A Funeral Sermon. 209 regard a scene like this with peculiar awe serm. and consideration ; it is seldom that death ^^*' appears so near to them, as in fact it always is ; they are too likely to pass from such sights with a careless confidence that their hour is remote, and that they may have many years to come of mirth and pleasure, before it becomes a duty to fit themselves for such an end ; but the folly of such in- considerate minds is " zvorse than death." We should rather weep for those liable to fall into such dangerous mistakes, as the text directs, than for those who have died in mature age, after having been brought to a sense of their weakness and infirmities. What a change is it for the young to be arrested in the midst of their vain delights, and with all their follies on their head to descend to the grave of death ! Yet the in- stances of this are many and frequent, and therefore it amounts to an unquestionable truth, that the apprehension of death should make a stronger impression on the young than on the old. The old may look to it, as a rest from their labours, but upon the young it may come as a thief in the night, P unawares 210 A Funeral Sermon. SERM. unawares and unexpected ; and if they ^^^' have neglected all improvement of their minds, and all preparation for eternity, may end all their pleasures here, not to be renewed or compensated in the life to come. Such occasions as the present, therefore, to have their full effect, should be consi- dered in different points of view. While every consolation that can be drawn from them should be laid before tlie afflicted, to cheer and comfort them under their heavy \veight of sorrow, every warning and instruction that they can afford to the in- considerate and thoughtless, should also be insisted on. It is of no account to num- ber the years of the friend departed ; we all stand on tlie same precipice. The youngest person among us may be the next subject of all these mournful rites, so pre- carious and uncertain is tliis mortal life. But to have proof of the precariousness of our present state, is but a small use to be derived from such scenes as these, because, however dull men may be in dis- cerning this great truth, there is nothing which is more notorious, or more obvious to A Funeral Sermon. Qil to common apprehension. But there is serm. another great use to be drawn from the ^^^' scene before us. Either we are now com- mitting to the dust the body of a miserable sinner, or of a fellow-creature who per- haps has set us an example, which, if we would wish to be partakers of God's hea- venly kingdom, we should do well to fol- low. It is not a thing becoming the place I am speaking from, to go a step beyond the truth ; but yet I think I see reason to speak with some confidence of the virtues of her whose loss we now deplore. There are those present to pay respect to her me- mory, whose very presence and lamen- . tations afford proof enough that in some of the first and highest duties of human life, she so acquitted herself as to merit the esteem, the love, and affection of such as were dependent upon her care and atten- tion, in those most essential points. If we have now to commit to the ground the re- mains of a faithful and affectionate wife, a fond and careful mother, and, above all. a sober and pious Christian, as appears ma- nifestly to be the case, we need enquire no P 2 further ; 212 A Funeral Sermon. SERM. further; these are virtues which will as- ^"' cend to heaven as memorials in her behalf, and we may feel already assured that she is in possession of a crown of righteous- ness, or so well certified tliat it is in store for her, that her soul is in peace, and full of hope and joy. In the book of Revelations, a mysterious book in general, yet abounding in such in- teresting displays of a future state, as that we might well receive it, on this account alone, as a book of divine au thority, there are such descriptions of the happiness prepared for the righteous, as may serve both to com- fort those who have to deplore the loss of friends, as to animate the most unconcerned toapplytheirmindstothe cultivation of such virtues as may enable them to become par- takers of the bliss so pictured forth for their encouragement. Among other de- scriptions, perhaps the following is as striking as any. — " There shall be no more " death, nor sorrow, 7ior crying, nor pain ; for ** the former things are passed away ; they " shall hunger no more, neither thirst any ** more. A Funeral Sermon. 213 " more. But the Lamb which is in the inidst serm. " of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead ^^'• " them unto living fountains of water, and " God shall wipe away all tears from their " eyes." Though here is no great display or parade of the glories of heaven, yet what can be more calculated to sooth and com- fort us under any afflictions of life, than to be assured of such a fact, that there is a state attainable by all of us, where sorrow, and pain, and care shall no more disturb us ? — that there is a merciful and compas- sionate Redeemer, always standing ready before the throne of God, to plead for the pardon and forgiveness of the humble and contrite sinner ; ready, by the application of his own exalted merits, to blot out all our iniquities, and wipe away all our tears, whether they be those of sorrow or re- pentance ? — To conclude — The scene before us is awful and solemn. It may seem as if some were more concerned in it than others, but it is not really so. We are all equally con- cerned in this evidence of the frailty of human 214 ^ Funeral Sermon. SERM. human life, the manifest dissolution of the ■^^'- body, the hopes and expectations awaiting the immortal soul. Let each of us apply to ourselves the instruction we stand in need of ; nor let so great and solemn an occasion pass away without its proper im- pression. While we weep for the dead because they have lost the light, let us be- wail the condition of the fool who, refusing to be admonished by the continual in- stances of mortality that occur, hath not understanding enough to turn away in time from the wickedness that he hath committed, to save his soul alive ; while we manifest a confidence in the gracious promises of our crucified Redeemer, by making but little weeping for the dead, in the hope that they are passed on to the rest that is prepared for the people of God, let us reflect, that the life of the fool, (that is, of the inconsiderate and irreligious man) is worse than death : that all the mournful and gloomy appendages of this solemn ser- vice for the dead, are nothing in compa- rison with the land of darkness, and sha- dow of death, to which the wicked man is hastening. A Funeral Sermon. 215 hastening. Let us remember what, though serm. it is the warning of an Apostle, is so ob- x^^- vious to reason, as scarcely to need so sa- cred an authority ; that " all that is in the " world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust " of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not « of the Father, but is of the world — and " the w^orld passeth away, and the lust " thereof ; but he that doeth the will of God, « ahideth for ever,'' — 1 Jdhn ii. 16, 17. SERMON S E M M O N XIII. ... ON THE NECESSITY OF GOOD WORKS. Tii»@iarii ECCLESIASTICUS XXVII. 6. The fruit declareth if the tree have been dressed, JL HE conclusion of the verse is, '^ so is serm. " the utterance of a conceit in the heart of a xiii. " man \" which, whether it is rightly ren- dered, or we have the original correct or not, admits surely, as it stands, of a very reasonable interpretation, and may pass as a just illustration of the foregoing figure. As the fruit declareth the condition of the tree, so conversation commonly discovers the intentions and disposition of the heart of man*. But the comparison may with great propriety be extended to every part of a man's conduct. All our actions flow * Compare Matt, xii, 34, 35, Luke vi. 45. from 2 1 8 On the Necessity of good Works. SERM. from principles within us, as the fruit has ■^^^^- its flavor from the juices of the tree. Our blessed Lord adopts the same figure ; (Matt. vii. 15, &c. Matt. xii. ^^^) though it may be doubtful how he meant ex- actly to apply it, in the case of the false prophets to whom he alludes in the first passage. Generally speaking, however, it is a beautiful and apt comparison, as ap- plied to the outward actions of man, and as it stands, in the words of my text, may reasonably be submitted to your more par- ticular consideration. We read in Scrip- ture of^ the fruits of the Spirit, and we have them distinctly enumerated by St. Paul : they are, '' love, joy, peace^ long sufferings " gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, tcni^ " perance* ;" or else summed up more con- cisely by the same Apostle in another place, " the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, and *' righteousness, and truth -^.'^ That is, (if there is any sense at all in these ex- pressions) such are the virtues naturally springing from a well-disciplined heart, * Galdtians, v. 22, 23, + Kcclcs. v. 9, co-operating On the Necessity of good fForks. 219 co-operating with the influence of God's serm. holy Spirit. Without entering at present ^^^^• too far into the controversy about faith and works, rendered intricate without ne- cessity through mens' perverse prejudices ; surely it must be admitted that the holy Apostle St. Paul, when he speaks of the different fruits of the flesh and the Spirit, in his several writings, meant to make some great distinction between good and bad men, whether they were nominally Christians or not. In writing, generally, to the Galatian converts, who had been already baptised into the faith, he would have wasted his time greatly in dwelling so much on the several virtues and vices he there enumerates, had the Christian convert stood in any situation which should render him indifferent to the distinction between good and evil. And the whole controversy, about the final efficacy of works, might, I should think, be laid to rest, if we could once be brought to agree that in some way or other they are essen- tial to the character of a true Christian. In the same chapter where St. Paul enu- 1 merates 220 On the Necessity of good JForks, SERM. merates the fruits of the Spirit, he also ^'^'' reckons up the several corrupt fruits of the flesh, and he subjoins the consequences of indulging in them ; " they zvhich do such " things shall not inherit the kingdom of " God." If this does not directly imply that they which do not do such things, 5/W/ inherit the kingdom of God, it does, at least, most expressly impl}', that they which do not do such things, stand a much better chance of inheritine: God's kino;- dom. And whence can this better chance arise, but that the mere abstaining from such foul iniquities has some meritorious effect or other ? But the opposition is not merely between those who do such works of unrighteousness, and those who do them not, ])ut between the workers of iniquity ' and tliosc who sedulously cultivate the fruits of the Spirit; merely to abstain from wickedness would seem to afford something of a better cliance, but to cultivate the fruits of the Spirit is put in direct opposi- tion to the fulHUing the lusts of the flesli; and, therefore, as tlie latter is expressly said to operate to our exclusion from the kingdom On the Necessity of good IForks. 221 kingdom of Heaven, surely the former serm. must be admitted to have some share in xiir. securing our admission ; and the share """^^^ they have in this might really be rendered as intelligible as possible if men would but be content not to run to extremes. If good works do something towards our salvation, is it necessary to insist that this can- not be, unless they do all^ So, if the grace of God is represented as indispensa- bly necessary, must this imply that man is quite excluded from any co-operation ? Let us recur for a moment to the compa- rison of my text, '^ The fruit dedarelh f the /' tree have been dressed." is it not certain that the fruits of the earth are improvable by the labour, care, and at- tention of the husbandman? Is it not cer- tain that what is placed in such circum- stances by the providence of God, as to be productive and profitable through care and good management, may, through misma- nagement and neglect, become wholly use- less and unproductive ? Shall we be so ab- surd as to say, that because the seed could not 222 On the Necessity of good JVorhs. not grow, nor the fruit come to maturity, without God had provided for such a cir- culation of juices and conversion of sub- stances as should conduce thereto, that therefore the care of the husbandman was wholly superseded, and of no account at all? If it pleased God, he could make the corn to grow as freely as the sterile weed, or he could make the sterile weed as ser- viceable and as precious as the corn ; but even in these things he has made a differ- ence, and seems of his especial grace and goodness not only to have permitted, but to have invited man to co-operate with him in his acts of Providence*: nevertheless the comparison we ought to make even in these subordinate concerns, should serve to re- press all improper arrogance, and all pre- tence of self-sufficiency. For what after all is the labour zve bestow, to the opera- tions of nature, ever fulfilling the designs of God ? We can dress the tree, and ma- nure the field, and reasonably look to some good effects to flow from such attentions ; but who but God can give any real effect to such operations? who but God could ordain On the Necessily oj good Works, 223 ordain that such cares sliould meliorate the serm, soiJ, or improve the fruit, by an introduc- ' ^^^i- tion of fresh juices? Here God may surely """"^ be said to do all in some sense, because, without his providential pre~disposition of circumstances, all we could do would avail nothing ; but yet man does something, because, without dressing the tree, or ma- nuring the field, though we can never op- pose the course of God's 'providence, or alter the plan and purpose of his laws ; yet we may put ourselves in the way of receiv- ing more abundant benefits therefrom. Though, as the Apostle argues, . 1 Cor. iii. when " PauV had '^ planted;' and " Apollos ■ " -watered;' God only could ''give the in- " crease" and therefore the planting and watering were really of no effect widiout the further influence of God's grace; yet the planting of Paul, and the watering of Apollos, might be the occasion, and par- ticular subject, of the divine interpositioii, and therefore necessary thereto as motives or conditions of God's own appointment. Can any thing be more express than the Apostle's own words ? ver. 7, '' Neither is *' he 2 24 On the Necessity of good Works, SERM. ^' he thatplantcth any thing, ?ior he that wa- ^3^ '' tereth; but God that giveth the increase;" but yet he adds, ver. 8, '* Every man shall " receive his ozvn reward according to his own " labour;" not because his labour is meri- torious independent of God's grace, but because, says lie, " zee are labourers toge- *' t/jer xviih God." The waters of Jordan were efficacious to the recovery of Naaman as a means sanctioned by God's especial appointment ; as such they had a virtue peculiar to them ; a positive virtue, how- ever dependent on the grace of God, else as Naaman himself would have reasoned, why should not those o'i Abana^iud Pharpar, in his own country of Damascus, h?ive done as well*? We are taught by the Holy Scrip- tures to look upon the labour to which man is doomed in the cultivation of his fields, to be a punishment for sin : it is strange then that any should regard such endeavours as we make to " zvork out our ozvn salvation," as ?i presiunption on our part, and hateful in the sight of God. The necessity of good ^ 2 Kings V. I'J. works I 225 On the Necessity of good JVorks. works might stand upon its proper ground, serm. if, instead of considering them as necessary xiii. to our salvation in the way of merit, we ^"^"^ should consider them as necessary, as a just acknowledgment of the corruption of our nature. And here also the analogy would hold good ; for though labour be a curse, the Almighty still makes a distinc- tion in the common course of his provi- dence. The field of the slothful will never yield such an abundant crop as that of the frugal and industrious ; and therefore let us rate the value of good works as low as we please ; yet that in the great business of our salvation, they may operate to our advantage, is consistent with what we daily see before our eyes, in the prosperous suc- cess of the diligent man, though labour was originally denounced as a curse. In short let us only avoid extremes, and I think it IS not possible to conceive that the Chris- tian can hope to reap the blessed fruits of Christ s Gospel, without the recommen- dation of a good moral life. And when^ ever we see the course of God's Providence so changed, as that the possessions of the Q negligent 226 On the Xeces-^ity of good JVorks, sicRM. negligent and .slothful, shall yield as much, •^'^^- and afford the same harvest as th.oseof the careful and industrious, then it will be worth while perliaps to enquire whether tlie saving effects of God's grace may not be as liberally awarded to the sinner as to tlie good and upright man. Much mischief has arisen in the discussion of this im- portant point (and scarcely, perhaps, so much upon any other question), from an injudicious selection of detached passages of Scripture, and, therefore, I would Jiot follow the example of selecting any de- tached passages to prove my own asser- tions, were there not some so strong and so worded, as to admit of no other sense : thus, how could the Apostle to the He- brews, speak of the reward of those who, " by patient continuance in zvell-doingf should " seek for glory and honour, ahdimtnortality,^' if a patient continuance in well-doing was not in some way or other a recommen- dation to those rewards ? How could the Apostle St. Paul, in writing to the Colos- sians, where he urges them to give thanks to the Father for having *' 7nade them meet •' to On the Necessity of good IVorks. 227 - to be partakers of the inheritance of the serm " saints in light;' tell them, he never ceased xiii. to pray for them that they " should he fruit- ""^^ « ful in every good work;' if they could be perfectly fit to be partakers of the inhe- ritance of heaven without ? Why again in his Epistle to the Philippians, whom he expressly acknowledges to be united with him in " the fellozv ship of the Gospel," ver. v. ch. 1, does he also profess to make daily prayers for their advancement in morJl righteousness, that they - may approve " things that are excellent, be sincere, and " without offence;" and that they '^ be filled " with the fruits of righteousness," if thes- ' virtues were not of some real and actual importance to their characters as Chris- tians ? But if good works can be of any importance, (as in the two latter cases) ' after God has - made us meet to be partakers " of the heavenly inheritance," by « traji^^ " lating us into the kingdom of his dear son," CoK 1. 12, 13 ; and after our being admit- ted « into the fellowship of Christ's Gospel - then I would contend that they are indil- pensably necessary, however little they Q 2 2^ay 228 On the Necessity of good JP^orks, SERM. may contribute towards our eternal salva- ^^ t'^^^i ; for if they are Jiot necessary, it would have been impertinent in the Apostle to have prayed for such graces in behalf of his converts of Colossc and Philippi, after acknowledging that they already stood in the situation of true servants of the blessed Jesus. Let tliem contribute ever so little to our salvation, I still maintain, that if they contribute any thing, they are of in- dispensable necessity. So small and insio-- nificant a thing as a carpenter's nail, may be of indispensable necessity to the safety of the largest and most capacious ship that sails, not because it is beyond the power of God to support the vessel on the waves of the sea, though that nail were absent, but because it has pleased God so to order mat- ters, that in the common course of thinp-s, the absence of tiiat one small nail might leave an opening for the admission of the waters, to the sinking of the ship. We have no more cause to glory in our good works indeed, or to depend solely upon them, than to glory in, or rely entirely upon, our bodily labours in the field — the latter On the Necessity of good Worh. 229 latter may be absolutely necessary to the serim. reapino" the harvest we desire, and stand in ^^^^" need of; but after all it is God that giveth the increase. To pretend to any exclusive merit on the score of good works, would be as absurd as for him who dressed the tree to pretend to be the fabricator of the very substance of the fruit it produces ; whereas he may reasonably approve his own care and prudence^ if he has so cor- rected the juices of an austere fruit, as to make it more fit to be gathered and pre- served, than to be severed from the stock, and cast into the fire. The commonest husbandman of us all would make no mis- takes in this particular, and yet in point of analogy, I can scarce discern a single difference or distinction in the two ques- tions before us. It matters nothing through what motive we are good and virtuous upon Christian principles. If only gratitude to- wards Christ is expected to incline us to practise good works, yet if they are ad- mitted to be a test of gratitude, gratitude towards Christ is surely indispensably be- coming, and good works of course equally so. 230 On the Necessity of good Works. SERM. so. It is truly very strange that it could x^Ji* ever have been made a question whether good works are necessary or not ; and I would almost venture to say, that from the whole tenor ot Scripture every man, gifted with common sense, would have judged them to be necessary, had not the contrary doctrine tended to set us more at liberty in regard to our actions, and to present to us much easier terms of salvation than the constant practice of virtue and righteous- ness, to many people proves. But 1 would wish to draw another argument from my text. It is not, I know, strictly an Evan- gelical text, nor yet even an inspired one, but yet it is of very respectable authority, and appears tome to be perfectly consonant to the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles. The comparison in my text expressly refers to the prudent care and management of the husbandman in regard to the product of his fields. *' The fruit dedareth if the " tree have been dressed;" it does not say, the fruit declareth whether it has received the benign influences of the sun, or has been watered by the rains from heaven ; but On tbe Necessity of good Works, 231 but whether it has been dressed, and re- serm. ceived any help from tlie care of the bus- ^■^'^'.• bandman. And this is so, I believe, in regard to all our moral actions. It will not be enquired whether God's grace lias supernaturally purified our hearts, or the application of Christ's merit operated un- conditionally to our entire justification, but whether, considering the gracious pro- mises made to us of the help and co- operation of God's holy spirit, and the glorious hopes afforded us of reconciliation through the blood of Christ, we have so far done our part, as that these transcend- ent benefits may be applied to us. In all ' cases it would seem to have pleased God so to order matters, that man should do some- thing to help himself; and those who are willing to set mankind free from the obli- gation of the works of righteousness, would act consistently if they were to endeavour to set them free also from manual labour. To pretend that to attach any merit at all to works of hohness is to derogate from the stupendous efficacy of Christ's atone- ment, is just as reasonable as to say, that to pretend 232 Oji the Necessity of good Works. SERM. pretend to cultivate the field is to derogate ■^^^'* from the power of God, who in so mar- vellous and inexplicable a manner has pre- pared the soil for the growth of plants, and appointed the kindly influences of the sun and air, to bring them to maturity : in either case it would be folly to confound the two questions, for only one is neces- sary. We need not enquire whether God could accomplish the same ends without our co-operation. No one but an atheist would think of denying su( h a truism ; but the question that alone concerns us is, whether it appears from Scripture that God meant to deal with us so unconditionally .'* Now I think it has been shewn, that in the visible order of things, it has pleased God to leave something for man to do, even to supply his bodily wants, and therefore surely we have good ground to conclude from analogy, that all his higher v/ants would not be supplied without some co- operation on tiie part of man. But the word of God is beyond all reasoning from analogy ; and if that does not inculcate the constant practice of every virtue, and dis- countenance xni. On the Necessity of good Works. 233 countenance and condemn every vicious serm. indulgence, there is no meaning in words. It is of no avail to lay sucli a stress, as some do, upon Christ's having shed his blood to save sinners ; for he that is most righteous in obedience to God's laws, is perhaps most of any sensible of his imperfect endeavours, and therefore most ready to confess himself a sinner, so that he is in the way of salva- tion at all events. To pretend that we may be saved merely by the intrinsic merit of good works, is entirely a superstition of the Church of Rome, and has been already so exposed as scarcely any longer to de- mand our notice : but to expect to be saved without good vvorks, or zvithout any hin- derance from our evil doings, is so to con- found matters that scarce a. single text of Scripture remains intelligible. To any that attempt to deceive us by such vain doctrines, St. James supplies us with an answer, which we should do well to adopt ; *' shew me thy faith without thy zvorks, aiid I *' will shew thee 7ny faith by my zvorks.*' Undoubtedly none can prove that the prac- tice of any virtue is discountenanced in Scripture, 234 On We Necessity of good Works. SERM. Scripture, or on tlic other hand that the ^V^ indulgence of any vice is approved ; there- lore we may conclude with the Apostle, that in the practice of virtue we are secure thus far, that " against such there is no law;'* whereas all impurity and immorality of every kind is particularly condemned in Scripture, and shewn to be in constant op- position to the spirit of God. Nor is it any where said that Christ will save sin- ners persisting in their sins, but that those sinners only shall '' save their souls alive,' who, repenting of their past disobedience, * shall " turn aicay from the wickedness" they have been in the habit of committing — . not those who expect to be saved upon such easy terms as the Sadduceesand Pharisees, who ran to partake of Johns baptism, but those who adopt his admonition, and are careful in the conduct of their lives, " tj " bring forth fruits ?neet for repentance ;" that is, to practise and cultivate such vir- tues as may manifest their sincere conver- sion, and their just abhorrence of all ini- quity, so hateful in the sight of God. And On the 'Necessity of good JVorh. sor And now to conclude—" May the God of serm. *' Peace that brought agahi from the dead our ^ ^ ' ^ • ** Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the *' sheep, through the blood of the everlasting *' covenant, make you perfect in every good " zvork, to do his will, working in you that '' which is well pleasing in his sight, through •'•' Jesus Christ : to who?n, with the Father and " the Holy Ghost, be ascribed as is most due ** all glory, might, majesty, and dominion, noz^* ^^ and ever," SERMON. S E jR M O M XIY. GN GOOD WORKS. -«SS€S>S^ ROMANS VI. 22, 23. jB//^ 7Zoz£; 6£?/«^ made free from sin, and be- come servants of God, ye have your fruit unto bolinesSy and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal Vfe, tJjroiigh Jesus Christ our Lord, XJy all the motives which should ac- serm, tuate the Christian to lead a good life, that x^^- which ought to be the most efficacious and prevailing, is commonly altogether over- looked and neglected, or else made too much of. To lead a good life, or to en- deavour to do so, through the mere hope of future reward, or dread of future pu- nishment, is acting from a low and merce- nary principle in comparison with the mo- tives that should operate upon the true Christian, 1 23S On good Works. SERM. Christian, and stimulate him to works of J^^ righteousness. Besides, Christianity does really not promise us any thing future as a r^zcwJ of virtue, strictly so called ; not as a recom pence for the worthiness of the ^vork, but as proceeding from God's mere bounty. To virtue in all its branches we were bound, long before Christianity pre- vailed among us. The law of the Lord written in our hearts would have laid us always under the obligation of strict obe- dience to it, independent of any promises which the Gospel holds forth. We never were, nor ever shall be, free from this obli- gation ; but how far we are to look for a rezvard for our obedience, it would well become us to consider. There is a short but very apt parable to this purpose to be found in the Gospel of St. Luke, which, though it may not perhaps strike you at tlie first hearing, yet I shall not despair of proving tojou that it is greatly connected with what I have been saying. " And the " Apostle said unto the Lord, increase our ''faith. And the Lord said. If ye hadjaith " as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say ^ *' unto On good Works, 230 " unto this sycamine tree, be thou plucked up serm. " by the root, and be thou planted in the sea ^^v. " and it should obey you. But zvhich of you ''"''^ " having a servant ploughing, or feeding cattle, *' zvill say unto him by and by, zvhen he is '' come from the field: go and sit down to " 7neat. And will not rather say unto him, " make ready zvherewith I may sup, and gird " thyself, and serve me till I have eaten a?id " drunken, and afterzvards thou shall eat and " drink ^ Doth he thank that servant because *' he did the things that were commanded him? " I trow not. So likewise ye, 'when ye shall " have done all those things which are com- ' " manded you, say, we are unprofitable ser- *' vants, zve have done that zvhich zvas oitr " duty to do." Now this parable sets the matter in the right light. Whatever we may suppose, we have no title to reward for obeying the commandments of God ; it is our bounden duty, let what will come of it. The parable indeed cannot set it in Its full light, because among ourselves there is always something due to a good and faithful servant ; and as he is our fellow- creature, we may owe him even thanks for his 240 On good Works, SER.vf. his care and fidelity, but between God and ^i^' us the case is difiercMit — God receives no- thing from all our services; " If thou be *' righteous," says Elihu to Job, *' ivhat *' givcst thou hi/u, or zahd! receiveth he at thy " hand^" Towliich we may add the remark of the holy Psalmist, " I'hy goodness reach- " eth not unto him." God is above all wants, and therefore in reality in need of no ser- vices ; but he is supreme above all things, and therefore he may promulgate his laws freely, and require strict obedience. But from what I have been saying, let it not be imagined I am depreciating good works — far from it. They are not the less amiable for being necessar}', but as the case stands with us Christians, we have a nobler hope, than what can arise from any prospect of recompence strictly due to our just deeds. And the text 1 have cliosen may serve to open your eyes to tlie truth of what I have been urging. In the text, two things are very prominent and noticeable: we arc there called the servants of God — death is said to be the wages of sin, but that the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our On good Works. 241 our Lord. Here it is plain, that eternal serm, life is not represented as the zvages of right- ^^^* eousness, as death is said to be the wages of sin, but it is a gift, a free gift of God through Jesus Christ. The servants of God, all men are by nature, as the dependent crea- tures of his hands, and amenable to his holy laws, so far as they are made known ; but we who have been baptised in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, are the servants of God, through JESUS CHRIST ; or rather, (for so are w^e enno- bled by his redemption of iis), even the heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. Here then we ought to find the spring and principle of all our good actions : with steady faith we must fix our eyes on our Redeemer, who has set us free from sin, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life. Our good works are a debt due to God under all circumstances whatsoever ; at all events, we are bound to fulfil his commandments; but under the operation of a true Christian faith, our good works become a badge of our profession ; signs of our loyalty to tl^e Saviour of the world; R. claiming 2^2 On good U^orks. sF.RM.'cIaimino: no reward on tlieir own account, ?^'^* but yet serving to recommend us to him w lio died for us, and so far putting us in the way of the gift of eternal life, which he has promised to all such as love him, and keep his commandments. Now though it is not to be supposed, but that, in the case of those who have not received the good tidings of Christ's covenant, good works will in some way or other operate to their advantage in the world to come independ- ent of any faith in Christ ; yet good works, springing from a love and confidence in our blessed Lord, may w ell be expected to stand liigher in his regard. Our blessed Lord laid down his life for 7/j, and called upon us to follow him. For his sake boldly to withstand temptations ; to resist the world, the flesh, and the devil ; to mortify our fleshly lusts that war against our souls ; and to glory in his cross and passion. Here is a hope afforded us far beyond the com- mon desert of good moral actions ; by this call of our blessed Lord we arc enlisted under his banners, and if we prove ourselves wor- thy of our high calling, wc shall inherit the promises. On good PForks. S43 promises. Good vyorks then, without any serm. regard to the merciful interposition of our ^^v- blessed Saviour, may possibly obtain for us the zvages due to them ; but good works, proceeding from a sound faith and confi- dence in Christ, may obtain for us some- thing far greater than the just measure of wages, for we shall be saved and advanced through grace ; and that not of ourselves, not as wages earned, but it will be the gift of God. And now possibly I was but right, when I said at the beginning of this discourse, that this great and noble prin- ciple w^as often overlooked and neglected. Do you regulate your actions by a just sense of all that your Saviour and Re- deemer has done for you ? Do your right- ' eous acts spring from a high and noble sense of gratitude to him who laid down his life for you, or do you only think to com- pass the joys of heaven as a just recompence of your good deeds.? Beware of such a mistake. The joys of heaven are trans- cendent, far exceeding any thing our ac- tions here below can merit. When we shall have done all we are commanded to do, we shall still be but " unprofitable ser^ R 3 '* rants'* 2 44- On good IVorks. SERM. *' vants" to the Lord who bought us. As ^^}^^ he cannot be benefited by our good deeds, he is under no obligation to reward us for them ; nevertheless, of his own free will, he has indeed promised us most great and glo- rious rewards, which, through faith in his name, faith working by love, and made perfect through obedience, we may finally attain to. But when I said that this great and efficacious motive, this operating sense of our Redeemer's goodness towards us, was often overlooked and neglected, I ob- served also that it was sometimes made too much of. This may sound strange. Can our sense of God's goodness to us through Jesus Christ, be ever made too much of .^ be ever carried too far '^ Yes, experience teaches us that it may be ; for some, too eager to put their whole trust in the me- rits and mediation of Christ, neglect all outward acts of righteousness. They think Jesus Christ has not only done much, but every thing for them : that by his right- eousness we shall be saved without any righteousness of our own. That his blood will wash away all sins, and that by mere faith in his name they shall be saved. This is On good Works, 245 is going very much too far. The merits of serm. Christ will be applied to those, not who ^'^V- only call upon his name, through faith in his name, but who in remembrance of his cross and passion shall be careful to do what is required of them, to the " working ** out of their own salvatioii with fear a?id " trembling" When he requires faith, he does not require that assured confidence, that shall set us above all danger of falling, but that faith which shall be proved by our works ; that faith that shall purify our hearts- from every evil thought ; that faith which is connected with charity, with the love of God and the love of our neighbour. For though we cannot indeed make too much or think too highly of the death of Christ, as an atonement and forfeit paid for our sins ; yet we shall sadly err, not considering the Scriptures, if we think that Christ came into the world to save sinners, continuing in their sins ; he came to pay a ransom for us, that we might be redeem- ed from the punishment due to sin in our own bodies, but he came also, as prepa- ratory to this future and final redemption, '' to 24^ On good ff'orh. SERM. " to purify us unto himself as a peculiar people J^^^ " zealous of good zvorks." " The grace of " God did appear unto all men bringing sal- " vation." This is true ; but how did it appear ? In the person of the blessed Jesus, teaching both by words and exampl-e, that •' denying ungodliness and zvorldly lusts^ zae ** should live soberly, righteously ^ and godly, in •* this present zvorld." But though this seems to be made as clear as possible by Scripture, that faith and works are to go hand in hand, that faith without works is not a living and efficacious, hut a dead and fruitless faith ; yet, as if men were resolved to run into mistakes, there are still many who seek to separate them, and so much so, as to cause no small divisions in the churcii. Thus \f^ zee preach to you of morality, re- commending as the Apostles themselves recommended to their Disciples, that ye *' eschew evil, and do good ;" that ye ^' dratu ** not nig!) to God, tvithout cleansing your ** bands, andpurifyiyig your hearts from sin ;'■' that ye *' lav apart all filtbiness and super-r " fiiiity of naughtinesSy and mortify your mem- '" ber$ which are upon t}je earth, fornifoiion, *' uncleanncsSj On good Works. 124,7 -' U7icleanness, inordinate affection, evil concu- serm. '^ piscence, and covetousness ;" there are ^^^• those who will tell you we do not preach the Gospel of Christ ; that Christ having died to redeem you from sin, you have no- thing more to do than to trust to him to save you, to call upon his name daily, and to place all your hope in his righteousness. Surely we do not transgress the bounds of charity, if we pronounce such doctrine to be in direct contradiction to our Saviour*s own words. Not every one, saith he, that " saith unto me. Lord, Lord, shall enter into " the kingd(jm of Heaven, but he that doeth " the will of my father which is in heaven." This is our duty here, to follow after right- eousness in hope of the gift laid up in store for those who prove their faith in the bles- sed Jesus, by keeping his commandments. It is through his mediation, intercession, and atonement, we shall be set free here- after from the punishment of sin ; but it is not less our duty, for his sake, to keep our- selves " unspotted frojyi the ivorld,'* till it please God to call us hence. The virtue to be opposed to both these errors is humi- lity ; 24,8 On good f Forks. SERM. lity ; the deepest and most profound sense •'^^^* of your own unworthiness and God's trans- cendent goodness. Do good and follow after holiness to the best of your abilities, otherwise neither will God the Father, or our blessed Redeemer, receive you as their servants. — This be sure of; but trust not to your bwn righteousness in any shape : it is your duty to be good, and obedient to God's commandments. But there are gifts of joy and happiness unbounded offered to you through Christ, if you will manfully fight under his banners, as you have bound yourselves by your baptismal vow, against the world, the flesh, and the devil. Your good works are here put upon a different footing — you are not labouring for zaages ; the service of God is perfect freedom ; you are testifying your love of Christ, and doing all for the glory of his holy name. This must be better than merely calling upon him ; this is testifying your grati- tude, your loyalty, your confidence in him. This is openly to shew, that if he could want your services, they would not be with- held ; whereas, in the other case, there is an 0?t good Works. 249 an indolence and carelessness apparent, serm. very inconsistent with the call of our xiv. blessed Saviour. To consider ourselves as set free from the power of sin in this life, by calling upon his name, is an easy way of getting rid of the enemies set in array against us. Christ inculcates no such con- fidence ; he does not tell us that he will put us out of the way of temptations, but that if, for his sake, we manfully oppose them, he will be present through his spirit to strengthen and support us. . What " the *' sprinkling of the blood of Jesus" has ob- tained for us, is not any present freedoir\ from the contagion of sip, but " an inhe- " ritance reserved in heaven" for the " obe-^ " dient, to be revealed at the- last day.'* The gift is not bestowed upon us yet, though \ the ransom is indeed paid — without the ransom having been paid, we could have no hope of salvation, but without good works we can have, after all, no assurance of reaping the benefits of that ransom. Call then for ever upon the name of the Lord ; he is your salvation ; and I by no meang wish to set you free from this high and 2^0 On good Works SERM. and important duty, but trubt not to any ^'^'- mere calling. Call upon him to help you in this your time of need — in this your anxious state of trial and probation. Call upon him to strengthen your faith, and animate 3^our endeavours after righteous- ness. Call upon him to lead you into the paths of life; '' Call upon him to accept you, *• inasmuch as xoufea?' him, and to the best oj ** your ahiliiies zvork righteousness." But, above all, be careful to think no more highly of yourselves than that, after all, Tou are unprofitable servants: without these services you could not be accepted, because they are especially required of vou ; 3^ou must not think to compass Iica- vcn by claim, but by confidence in the promises of Christ ; not in virtue of your good works, but by proving yourselves his faithful soldiers and servants unto your lives' (^ni\. But it is the lot of all people to be evil spoken of. Because we preach the necessity of good works as a proof of our obedience to Christ, we are said to put our Svhole trust in them, and to neglect the so great salvation oflTered to us through Jesus Christ. On good Works. 251 Christ. But this is really not so ; we rely serm. upon nothing but Christ's atonement to ^^^JY;^ save us at the last day, and we call upon him in all our prayers accordingly, to *« save and defend us,'' to " have mercy upon " us, and shew us his salvation \' but we do indeed urge and recommend good works to give efficacy to our prayers. All are sinners, and we among the rest, and Christ it is true has died for the redemption of sinners, but of what sinners ? of those that " repent," and " turn away from their wick'- " edness," not of those who persist in their sins, and yet expect to be saved. We es- timate sood works as low as those who de- pend solely on their belief ; for we acknow- ledge with humility that it is but our duty to do well, and so far from meriting re- w^ards at the hand of God, by any thing we can do, we are after all but unprofitable servants. Let us then endeavour to shake off all reproaches, and put to silence the ignorance of those who so misrepresent us, by a steady perseverance in '* well-doing.'* This is undoubtedly the advice of au in- spired Apostle, and we need not be afraid of 252 ^^^ good Works. 8ERM. of following it ; at the same time, let us ^^^» be careful not to give them ground to sup- pose we are less Christians than they are, or build our hopes of eternal life less on the free merits and mercies of our blessed Redeemer. In all that we do, let us do it to the glory of God. And though we should still at the last day be found unpro- fitable servants, as to any benefits we can have conferred on our blessed Lord, yet let us hope and pray that in consideration of our sincere endeavours, *' God will supply ** our need out of the abundance of his riches ** in glory, by Christ 'Jesus." Philipp. iv. 39. bERMOM • •^■^ S E M M O N XYa THE F0LtY OF MOCKING AT SIN". Proverbs xiv. 9. Fools ?nake a Mock at Sin, JL HIS remark of the wise king of Israel serm.' is not to be received as a. mere assertion of xv. a fact ; much vahiable instruction is to be gathered from it. It is one thing, simply to declare that fools make a mock at sin — it is another, to shew that making a mock at sin constitutes folly, or at least is a main branch of it. The folly of making a mock at sin must consist in the danger of doing so.; therefore, if there is no danger, there is 210 folly in the act. But if there is so manifest 254« The Folly of mocking at Sin. manifest danger in it, that no considerate man could ever be expected to run the risk of it, it is reasonable at once to pronounce it to be actual folly. The danp;er\ve run into bv making light of sin, must not be confounded with other dangers to which, in this mortal life, we may be exposed. Of some dangers, it may be a virtue to make small account ; to despise and defy them : dangers that stand in the way either of our duty to God, or our duty to man. It is not folly, but true rigbteous- ness, and true courage, to defy and make light of such dangers ; whereas, in making light of sin, as it would be easy to shew that it must be inconsistent with every principle of righteousness, so it would not be difficult to prove that there can be no true courage in it. And yet probably it can only be under a pretence of great cou- rage that men are ever induced to make a mock at sin : they must be sensible that the wise and considerate always act under a serious apprehension of the evil conse- quences of sin, which evil consequences they, on tlic contrary, affect to be above, and The Folly of mocking at Sin. '£55 and to despise, and generally not without seRxM. contempt of the ver}^ persons of those who ^^' act more soberly and discreetly, looking upon them as people of a timid constitution, ^ without the spirit or magnanimity w^hich the Lord of this lower creation should pos- sess. Man does not err much perhaps when he thus looks upon himself as the Lord of this lower creation. Such provisiozi is made forallhiswantsandamusementSjthat indeed he may well be proud of the distinction. The great and weighty mass of the globe itself he can, in some measure, manage as he pleases ; commit the seed to its bosom to be fostered by its warmth and juices till it grows up into corn for the food of man, or herb for the food of cattle; he can raise from it the stately oak, wherewith to build him an habitation to live in, or the more humble plant which, by various curious contrivances, he weaves into clothing for his body. Over the whole vegetable world, over all that springs out of the earth, he exercises uncontrouled dominion ; nor do the waters stop his progress ; over these in his bark of wood does he make his wav. keeping S^S ^be Folly of mocking at Sin. SERM. keeping up a communication with all the ^^' kingdoms of the earth. His command over the animal race is still more extraordinary. For among these many are rendered sub- ject to him by art and management, which are much his superiors in natural powers. IVot to dwell longer upon this however than is necessary, it must be admitted that man has whereof to be proud, inasmuch as he is certainly placed in a situation of great power as to all the things around him on this globe of earth ; but is his pride to know no bounds, because he can do as he pleases with the things rendered by the providence of God subordinate to him in this world ; is he to do as he pleases in re- gard to every thing in the universe? because he can see nothing below him in the scale of creation, over which he cannot exercise authority; is there therefore nothing to be discovered above him, to whose autho- rity he ought himself to submit ? The very power that he is able to exercise over the parts of the creation subject to him, should lead him to an immediate sense of the power that may be exercised over Iiimself. What I'ke Fully of tno eking at Sin. ^r^y What is the object of the power he excr- serm. cises over the different parts of the creation ^'^• subject to him ? Is it not in all instances ""^"^ to render them subservient to the use of n]an ? Is it not to make them harmonise with the general views and wants of soci- ety ? And is it likely that man himself should have been left .to act at random, when there is no being present in the world more able to do mischief, or thwart the chief ends of society? No, fortunately for us, man has a superior too ! We may see by the disposition of those who dare to make a mock at sin, what a world this would be, if all men were equally inclined to cast off restraint ! To prevent so fatal an event the Almighty has subjected us to his own righteous laws, which he has pro- mulgated among us, partly by the interven- tion of prophets and teachers, partly b}^ descending himself from heaven to instruct us, and partly by the natural notices of good and evil engraved on our hearts. Of these laws and precepts every transgression is sin ; those therefore who make a mock at sin, do in fact make a mock of that su- S preme $5^ J be folly of mocking at Sm. SLRM. preme legislator, by whose authorit}^ and ^^'* by whose laws, sin is prohibited and for- bidden. But what becomes of the pride of man when he puts himself into this situ- ation ? What becomes of this Lord of this lower creation, when he presumes to put himself into competition with the God of heaven and of earth ! What name shall we give to that barefaced and inconsiderate confidence with which the sinner slights God's laws ? Shall we call it courage ? No, there is no real courage in venturing to fly in the face of God ; there is a great deal of blustering and vain conceit, a great deal of insolence and rashness, and to recur to the words of my text, a great deal indeed of the worst sort of folly. And yet this folly is but too common in all ranks and conditions of life. It is to be found among the young, and too often among the aged ; if the poor are not exempt from it, neither are the rich. I do not mean to speak with- out discrimination ; I do not mean to say that all of any condition are subject to this folly. Some of the young are too discreet, many of the aged too considerate about 1 their The Folly of mock'm'g at Sin. 259 their latter end. Some of the rich set good serm . examples of virtue and of piety, and many ^'^• of the poor place all their hopes, as they should do, in the mercy and salvation of God. Nevertheless it is much too com- monly the case, that a mock is made at sin. Many commit sin for pleasure sake, many for profit sake.. Many for want of reflection, many even in spite of all reflec- tion. It may be worth our while to con- sider the most obvious consequences of this sort of behaviour, and I think it will be easy to shew, that a disposition to mock at sin leads to a breach of all God's com- mandments. And first, to make a mock at sin, that is to make light of it, and think it of no serious consequence, is certainly to throw off all submission and allegiance to God, who has denounced the heaviest pu- nishments against all sin and disobedience. To. be induced by any temptations to neg- lect the worship of God, and obedience to his commands, is to embrace some object i-n preference thereto ; either by seeking after a vain popularity among others as thoughtless and indiscreet as ourselves, or S 2 bv 26o J he FoUy of mocking at Sin. s>;r>.t. by cndcavcHirin^ to cnnipass the joys of ^^ this life, to the absolute forfeiture of all the joys of heaven. It is to fall down and wor- ship all the vain and transitory idols of this ^vorld, in absolute neglect of the duty we owe to our Father and Creator, which is in heaven. If this docs not strike us, as any immediate acknowledgment of other gods besides the only God of heaven, it must at least appear to the most inconsiderate, to be a great neglect of tlie one true God. ]jut perhaps there is no more common mode of mocking at sin, than the habit of swearing so peremptorily forbidden by the third commandment. To any body capa- ble of apprehending tjie real and absolute majesty of God, and comparing it with the weakness and insignificance of human be- ings, it must apj)ear honible to think how continually, not only upon the most ordi- nary, but sometimes upon the most base and wicked occasions, his holy name is profaned. His name ought to be a sanc- tuary for thoJie to fly to, who have no other possible means of attesting the truth, or proving their ov li innocence; instead of which The Folly of mocking at Sin. ^61 ^vhich it is chiefly the profligate, and those st.rm. who are entirely lost to ill! sense of reli- ^■^^_^ gion and decency, that appeal to it most : if indeed they do appeal, which I would hope they do not ; for this wor.ld be mockery past all bearing. However, it is a crying sin among us, and should be cor- rected ; instead of thtire being any hope that it should be so, I fear it is quite other- wise, for those who are of an age to be corrected, are not discouraged as they should be. It must be known to you, that *' out of the mouths of very babes and suck- ^' lings/' such things are rather tolerated than discountenanced. Go into our streets and highways, and mark but the progress and extent of this profanation of the name of God. This is a most gross mocking at sin, a proof of folly in those who practise it — a proof of folly in those who tolerate it, while they might suppress it. Sin is mocked at, or made light of, in the profa- nation of the Sabbath, in the profanation of God's holy temple, and the contempt with which religious duties and religious ceremonies are treated. The Sabbath of the 2^2 The Folly of mocking at Sin. SERM. the Lord ought to be kept holy; and ^^- tliosc \vho will not keep it holy, (onlv one day out of seven as it is), must needs put a great slight upon the Deity. What can people think of neglecting to pray to God ? Can it be imagined that they can prosper without God's help ? What are threescore years and ten, the probable allotment of human life, to the ages of eternity that may be before us ? Here we are left to ourselves in a certain degree ; we do not actually see God, but he sees z/.? nevertheless ; and in the other world we are to be admitted to his presence. Can we fancy that in that state we shall be permitted to make a mockery of his holy laws ? If not, why should we venture to do it here? It is a base and cowardly liberty to take ; — a li- berty however in which we grossly de- ceive ourselves ; for though we cannot see, with our bodily senses, that God is present, he is no less so in reality ; he is at hand ever, noting our evil ways, and contempt of his laws. A great mockery of him it i>, to neglect to sanctify his Sabbath by coming to his temple to offer up our praises and T1:>e Folly of mocking at Sm. 263 and thanksgivings, our supplications and serm. prayers. But it is a sad mockery too, to ^v- come to his temple for these purposes, and yet in any manner neglect those great and important ends of our coming : praises without gratitude, and prayers without hu- mility and submission, areintolerable mock- eries of God, for which we shall undoubt- edly have to answer in the great day of judgment ; but besides the neglect of these great duties, some come to the temple of God, even, it is to be feared, for the most idle and inexcusable ends — perhaps only to see and be seen ; to be in a crowd, and to put themselves in the way of greetings in the synagogue. Some come v/ith every disposition to levity and mirth, forgetful totally of the solemnity of the place, and the serious duties they are expected to dis- charge. This is a transgression to which, from their time of life, the young are natu- rally more prone than the aged. We must allow it to be pardonable while they are not taught better ; buflet this be reflected upon, that there are few so destitute and forlorn as to have no aged friend belonging to £(S4, Tloe FuHy of mocking at Slii. SKRM. to tlicm wlio should teach them better. ^^- Hie sin must rest ^vith these, if tliey take no pains to teach the young better ; and let this also be remembered, tliat in regard to those not vet taught the evil of their ways, the being once told of it is enough ; levity and mirth, in tlie house of God, are quite out of their proper place ; in every way unbecoming ; and if persisted in, must needs amount to a heinous sin in the sight of that Being who is of too pure eyes to look with any benignity on such foul ini- quit}'. In regard to those who might teacli them better, it must needs be required at tlieir hands; tlic wise man, who in the words of my text gave us that just cha- racter of fools, that they make a mock at sin, may be said to have given us a good account of his own laudable proficiency in wisdom, when he tells us, tliat his parents " taught him in the zvay of righteousness ^ and *♦ led him to the right paths." If those who make a mock at sin, are from this very dis- position so liable to infringe all the com- mandments of tiie fnst table ; if they are likely to fall into such very darigerous and alarming ^he Folly of mochng at Sin. ^^5 alarming errors, as the open denial of God, serm. a defiance of his authority, a contempt of Ji^ his laws, a [Profanation of his name, a neg- lect of his Sabbath, or an abuse of his holy temple, how shall we expect that the laws of the second table, those that relate only to man, will be more religiously observed ? If they should be, depend on it it is acci- dental ; for he who can insult his Maker, will not be over scrupulous of injuring his neighbour. He who \vill not regard the eternal welfare of his own soul, is little to be expected to shew much respect to the worldly concerns of his fellows-creatures. We must not look to tliem therefore fur any of the social virtues. Little are they likely to regard the comfort, the property, or even the lives of those around them ; if their desires tempt them to covet, their contempt of all that is good will as easily induce them to steal, to bear false witness, and to trample on every right by which man, as a member of society, is distin- guished. There is no end, in short, to the misdoings which those may be hurried into, who are unfortunately, by want of education. 266 The Folly of mockbig at Sin. SERM. education, or want of feelin^^, or want of J^^^ lienor and honesty, in a condition to make a mock at sin. Sin is of most serious and weight}^ importance. In the end it will inevitably make a mock of those wlio arc weak enough here to foster and indulge it. Its avenger stands ready to meet us at the utmost confines of this short and transitory life, armed with its scourges, more bitter and dreadful tlum it is in our power to de- scribe. To the righteous, that is, to the devout and repentant Christian, death has no sting, nor over them can the grave ob- tain a victory : net so with " the rn^ckers;" their " bands shall be made strong." The Lord of the whole earth sceth their vanity, and if thev will not learn in time to turn from the evil of their ways, " he that dzcell- *' eth in heaven, zcill laugh them to scorn; the *' Lordy the Almighty God, null have them *' in derision/* To conclude — The wise King who gave us this general character of fools, that they are disposed to make a mock at sin, luis accompanied his remark, in the chapter Vn hence Jhe Folly of knocking at -Sin. 267 whence my text is taken, with many other serm. proverbial precepts, which admirably tend ^^• to shew, how truly it may be called folly to mock at sin ; how justly it may be de- nominated wisdom, to follow after right- eousness. The propriety of the passages need not be discussed. They are obvious to all. " Fools,'' says he, ^' make a mock at " sin ; hut with the righteous there is favour " " The house of the wicked shall be overthrown, " but the tabernacle of the upright shall ^^ flourish. There is a way which seemeth *' right unto a man, but the end thereof are " the zvays of death. Even in laughter the ^' heart is sorrowful, and the. end of that mirth " is heaviness. A wise man feareth and de- *' partethfrotn evil, but the fool rageth and is ." confident. The evil l^shall^ bow before the *^ good, and the wicked at the gates of the *' righteous. Do they not err that devise " evil, hut mercy and truth s hall be to them *' that devise good. In the fear of the Lord " is [true) cojifidence, and his children shall ^* have a place of refuge. The wicked will ** be driven azvay in his wickedness, but the ** righteous hath hope in his death I'* SERMON SERMON XTI. THE BEATITUDES. 9^^i LUKE vr. 20. ,^nd be lifted up his eyes on his disciples and said. Blessed be ye poor, for your's is the kingdom of God, :1N the same strain, and in the verses im- serm, mediately following my text, our Saviour ^"^^• announces blessings to various other de- scriptions of persons ; " Blessed are ye that *' hunger, for ye shall be filled; blessed are *' ye that zveep 7iozi\ for ye shall laughy" and so on. There is nothing that has more constantly and generally engaged the at- tention of men of reflection, than to find out what they call man's chief good; I speak of those speculative reasoners who have nyo The Beatihidcs. SERM. have thought that the human nature might ■^^^' be brought to perfection, and man's per- manent happiness established, by some system of human laws, and someschemeof morality founded on the mere nature of things. We, as Christians, are able to cut tlic matter short, and without the aid of great acquirements in learning, to leave all these great reasoners behind. God has been pleased to reveal to us much of his ways, and the whole of his will in regard to mankind in general ; and we know to a certainty, without the labour of argument, and the doubts and difficulties of much study, that the " thief good" of man con- sists in viitueand reliirion. To " love the *' Lord our Gad xvilh all our hearts, and *' mind and soul," and to act towards our fellow creatures as we would they should act by us. Tliis will tend to render our lileliere below tranquil, quiet, and happy, and hereafter will certainly recommend us to our heavenly Father, purchase for us tile benefits of Christ's passion, and put us in possession of unfading glory and hap- piness, cither by continuing for ever and ever. The Beatitudes. 271 ever, and in a more exalted manner, all serm. the innocent and interesting pleasures of ^^*- our mortal state, should our life here have been more prosperous than otherwise ; or, if we shall have been doomed to misery and woe here, then by removing these far from us, wiping the tears of sorrow for ever from our eyes, and raising us from the grave of death to the kingdom of God, which is joy and peace. It is not to be wondered at that men have thus alwaj^s been found curious and inquisitive about the nature and attainment of happiness ; for let appearances be what they may, there is no man that has not this object always at heart. The most careless and thought- less to all outward appearances are perhaps •as anxiously and busily engaged in this pursuit, as the most studious philosopher that ever applied himself to such abstruse speculations. Let us regard for a moment the dissipated, the idle, the intemperate, and see what pains they take to compass this great end. Does not the prodigal ruin his fortune, his fame, his credit ^. Does he not sometimes sacrifice his family and his friend. 272 The BciUitudes. 5KR^f. friend, to possess himself of luxuries and ^^''- superfluities ^vhit•h for a time he thinks bring pleasure and happiness with them ? Does he not assume an air of gaiet}' and ease ? Docs he not seem to think it certain that he is really happier than his neigh- bours, when perhaps he is squandering ^vhat, in a very few years, nay less possibly, nioiUhs, he mav want to buy food for his famished children, raiment to cover his own nakedness, or to save him from the horrors and misery of a loathsome prison ? Does not this man take great pains to com- pass happiness ? Tin'n then to the idle. lie feels himself happy so often as he can get released from the labours and drudgery of life ; those w horn he sees earning their daily bread by the sweat of their brow, he pities and perhaps despises ; lie thinks it better to set inthesuubhineandsing; happy indeed if lie js ever half so imiocently oc- cupied. All this while let it be allowed his hours pass on smoothly ; he is free from care and fatigue, from hunger and thirst ; but when old age creeps upon him, or sick- ness befals him, when the vanities of life; begin The Beatitudes. 273 begin to lose their relish, and he cannot serm. stir abroad in search of them, where are ^^^' then the fruits of industry laid up in store for the evil day ? Where is the reflection on a life well spent to cheer his spirits and raise his hopes ; and who shall he expect to labour for him now ; who would not labour for himself when he had strength to do it ? At all events, where is his hap- piness, when he is become a dependent pensioner on his fellow creatures, instead of having to enjoy the fruits jof his own industry with credit and reputation ? Here then also is much sacrificed to purchase what is thought happiness. Lastly, view the intemperate man. He finds great pleasure in the gratification of his senses ; his belly is his God ; he is careful only to eat and to drink, and to wanton in all sorts of rioting and debaucheries. This man also is in search of happiness, and see where he finds it : behold him ni the hour of intoxication — his senses bewildered, his reason gone, his form and countenance distorted and swoln ; a disgrace to his fa- mily and friends, a nuisance and annoy- T ance 274 The Beatitudes. SERM. ancc to all his neighbours. This man . ^' finds his mistake ahiiost to a certainty : in the two other cases perhaps the evil may be repaired ; the prodigal, one time or other, may perhaps become frugal ; the idle, industrious ; but let the drunkard be- come ever so sober and regular, the evil is done ; his health is impaired past recovery, and his days shortened to a span, or, if not shortened, an old age awaits him of pains and disease intolcrabl}' distressing. In this case vice is a bodily poison, and yet even this is recurred to by some as a cure and antidote to care, as conferring actual pleasure and happiness. We know indeed that all these several modes of life are held to abound with both, by those who adopt them. If happiness then is really mens' pursuit, and the first object of their de- sires, and if we see besides, not only that the wise and studious have difl'cred about the means of attaining to it, but that daily and hourly men go astray in search of it. to the loss of health, and fame, and for- tune, how ought we to reverence and adore the blessed author of our religion, who has, 1 in The Beatitudes. 275 in all points, provided for the wants and serm. even wishes of mankind, in reg-ard to this ■^^^• most miportant and nidispensable object! Jesus Christ, in opening to us the gates of everlasting life, has shewn us where true happiness alone is to be found. The king- dom of God is actual joy and peace. In dying for us, he has satisfied the justice of our Creator, and rendered us capable of at- taining to the joys of heaven. By his doc- trine of repentance and faith, and charity, he has taught us the true means of obtain- ing tiie object we are all in search of--, real and solid happiness : and by the many most inimitable lessons of morality he has left us in his holy Gospel, he has put it past a doubt, what mode of life is best suited to our nature. Recollecting then the errors which v/e must witness conti- nually, in the wild and infatuated conduct of many around us, let us apply ourselves to examine what was our blessed Lord's opinion in this matter. When he is about to pomt out to the notice of mankind thosr^ of the sons of men, most happy and at ease, he does not say, blessed are the idle and 'T ^ dissipated, 2y6 The Beatitudes. SERM. dissipated, the wealthy and the vain, the ^^^' high-fed glutton, or the pampered prince ; but blessed are the poor and meek, the hungry and thirsty, the sorrowful and af- flicted, the lowly and humble. The fact is, eternal Providence seeth all things ; not only the beginning of things, but the end and consequences ; whereas short-sighted man takes but small account of remote events; and those most wrapped up in the present, extend their views the least of all. The pleasure of a moment is not to be ba- lanced agaijist the pain of an hour ; the pleasure of an hour against the pain of a day ; or the pleasure of a day against the pain of a year : this our own reason, if we would but listen to it, is quite competent to point out to us ; upon this ground Chris- tianity proceeds, and so far from doing vio- lence to our natures, does in fact totally ' and entirely coincide with it ; it is we tliat tlo a violence to nature, and contradict its clearest suggestions, when we, with our eyes open, purcliase small and transitory pleasures at tiie price of long and durable pain. Our blessed Saviour knew what was the The Beatitudes, 277 the real importance of all our actions here ; serm, he knew not only what they were in them- ^ vi. selves, but what they would inevitably lead to ; he therefore, viewing the errors of mankind in all their consequences, could to a certainty pronounce that, contrary to our estimation of things, those most abje6l and destitute here, were in fact most happy ; for they were laying up for them- selves a store of durable pleasures here- after, treasures in heaven which could not fail : whereas those most gay and careless in our eyes, most abounding with luxuries, - and most free from worldly toil and hard- ships, were in fact not happy, for they, by their short and transitory vanities, were laying up for themselves a store of misery and woe, both here, by the natural effects of vice and intemperance, and hereafter, in the loss of heaven and its joys. But the point is very certain, even to most men, if they would but bring themselves coolly and deliberately to weigh the matter in their minds ; for virtue and vice are not so dif- ficult to distinguish ; but in truth th:)se who follow after virtue prefer virtue, and 5 their syS The Beatitudes. SERM. their actions agree with their reason ; ^^^* whereas those who follow vice prefer tlie present transitory pleasures of vice to the future durable rewards of virtue, and thus sin against their own reason, and the will of God, at the same time. Truly they are not to be called happy ; they are very wicked in the sight of God, and in no man- ner amiable in the sight of man ; and as to what they will be when their follies and vanities are over, they need not be told, for the sentence passed on them by reason and revelation both, is not so secret as to be unknown to any ; only they stop their ears against instruction, and so add to the perverseness of their ways. From wliat has been said we may certainly collect thus much, that we need no longer bewilder our- selves to find out what is man's chief good ; his chief good certainly is, to compass the joys of heaven by following the command- ments of God, which are all revealed to us in the holy Scriptures, together with the great scheme of Christian redemption, on which our eternal happiness finally de- pends. Our Bible, in short, will entirely point 'TJje Beatitudes. 279 point out to us both the object of our pur- serm. suits, and the only infallible means of at- ^^J- taining to it ; it will point out all we have to do, and what we are to leave undone. It will not lead us into a labyrinth of la- boured deductions, and refined specula- tions, but by an easy reference of every action of our lives, to those two great leading principles, the love of God and of our neighbour ; put us in complete posses- sion of such a rule of moral and religious conduct, as may for ever be our guide through all the chances and changes of this mortal life. And now to proceed to the further con- sideration of those conditions which our Saviour pronounces to be blessed, in the discourse whence my text is taken, with which I shall conclude. — First, however, this should be premised, that though each is distinctly and particularly said to be blessed, it does not follow, that any one virtue, or any one conditioji alone, will save us, or procure us the blessings of hea- ven, but only, that when all our actions, and 28o The Beatitudes. SERM. and the whole tenor of our lives are con- ^vi. sistent with the character there described, then we shall be held worthy of being ex- alted to the kingdom of God. .This is worthy of notice, because the error has prevailed in former times, and may perhaps, in some shape or other, be too often in- dulged now. The Jews particularly con- ceived that great attention to one law might excuse the breach of others ; the Church of Rome had many compositions for the transgression of the laws of God, founded upon the same ostensible principle. The real principle, it is to be feared, was extortion ; — charity was allowed to cover a multitude of the most flagrant sins, when exercised in the shape of some rich boon to the church. It is too likely that those who rest, or pretend to rest, all their hopes upon faith, exclusive of good works, make a se- paration which the word of God does not warrant, and so fall into the same error. — But to return : — the discourse begins with the text ; " Blessed be ye poor, fur yours is *' the kingdom of God;" then follows— *' blessed are ye that hunger nou^for ye shall *' be T^he Beatitudes. 28 1 " be filled', blessed are ye that zveep ?iozu,for serm. '^ ye shall laugh; blessed are ye zv hen men xvi. " shall hate you, and shall reproach you, and " cast out your name as evil for the son of *•' 7nans sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and *' leap for joy ; for behold your rezvard is ** great in heaven." Perha{>s the inter- pretation of these words, entirely depends on that one clause added to the fourth beatitude, Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, " for the son of 7nans sake.'* There is no doubt but that poverty, consi- dered singly and alone, can be entitled to no reward, either here or hereafter; neither yet the appetites of hunger and thirst, nor any other of the circumstances in which those are supposed to be who shall merit hereafter the blessings of God. We may be sure they must all have something fur- ther to recommend them, than is to be dis- cerned merely in the several states and conditions so described. The pooi% there- fore, who upon our Saviour's declaration are to be blessed, are those who, thouo-h poor in our eyes, and destitute of worldly advantages, are yet rich in good works, and 282 The Beatitudes. SER>f. and all those Christian virtues which bc- ^^^' come their situation, who, thoup;h in a state ot" penury as to earthly endowments, are yet enriched with the influence of God's grace, and have treasures laid up for tlicm in heaven. Those who hunger are not those who hunger after the bread that pe- rishcth, but after that bread which, through the Saviour of the world, God has given us from heaven ; — that bread and " meat which *' endureth to etei'ual life." They are those who, as our Saviour himself, on another ir.emorablc occasion, describes, as " hun- "' gering and thirsting after righteousness ;" that is, so far from being governed by any irregular appetites, or inordinate desires, do indeed earnestly long for that inherent rierties. It is incredible how the verv best of us are at times deceived in these matters, and how we suffer ourselves to be blinded in judging both of our own actions, and those of others : a thousand prejudices dazzle and bewilder us in the search after truth ; and though the object might be made as clear and palpable as the dayiight, yet we are content to see things " tbrcugb a glass dark!y" till chance or accident, and no care of cur own, shall re- move the impediments to our sight. For the natural or accidental imperfection of real vision, art has busied herself to provide various helps and remedies. Some of these are calculated to throw the object farther from us ; some brii:g it nearer ; some re- duce it to bring it all into sight at once ; some magnify it to bring forward particu- lar parts. Those who iiave applied them- selves ^he good Samaritan. 289 selves to remove the darkness of the human serm. mind, and enable it to see, without preju- J^J^ dice, the great line of moral duty, have dealt with it after a inanner nearly ana- logous, and proceeded in their supply of . aid and assistance, in a way very similar. Those who are not capable of forming to themselves any rule of life, by a regular deduction of consequences, have had the matter contracted for them, and brought into the compass of short, proverbial sen- tences, and concise maxims. Those dis- posed to be careless and inconsiderate, act- intr often without due discrimination and regard to consequences, judging hastily, and without stopping minutely to examine into matters, have been taught to look more narrowly to their ways, by an amplification of trivial events, and a magnifying, as it were, of familiar objects, in fables and pa- rables. Those who have judged wrongly of their own actions, because of their too near concern in tliem, have, by the same contrivance, had them set before them as the actions of others, and when thus car- ried further from them, they have judged U ' ricrhtlv 2^0 T^he good Samaritan. SERM. rightly and well, and seen the whole mat- ^^'^* tor in its proper point of view. Lastly, those whose judgment could enable them to pronounce well or ill of the actions of others, as removed from the influence of their own prejudices, but were incapable of applying the same scrutiny to their own conduct, have also by such means had the matter brought home to them, and the error of their own ways thus duly exposed. The parables of our blessed Saviour may all be considered as such moral helps to the mind of man. They are so laid before us as to touch, with no rude hand, any of our fond prejudices ; we are imperceptibly led to draw our own conclusions without any impediment from our own concerns ; and these conclusions therefore become just. In the Old Testament, we have some re- markable instances of the same mode of reproof and instruction. When we read of the righteous David wandering so far from the line of moral and religious duty, as to commit two of the foulest crimes without remorse or sorrow *, we are stag- * 2 Sam. ch. xi. gered The good Samaritan. 291 gered at the hardness of his heart, and can serm. scarce bring ourselves to beheve he had ^'^^^* ever a clear view of the chief duties of life; yet this v^as manifestly not the case, but passion and prejudice had blinded him. When Nathan brought these matters to his mind, by the fable of the poor man's lamb ^, he could discover clearly the line of moral duty once more, and could condemn a lesser crime in another, though he had unaccountably excused the greater sin in himself. When the Sechemites, as related in the book of Judges-^j-, madly chose for - their king the murderous Abimeleck, the very worst of all the sons of Jerubbaal, Jotham avoided all direct expostulation with them, knowing they were too blinded by their prejudices to see the folly and in- discretion of their conduct ; he pronounced the curse therefore that hung over them under the disguise of a fable ; represent- ing the trees of the forest as engaged in a like choice of a king to rule over and go- * 2 Sam. cb. xii. + ch. ix. U 2 vern &9^ The good Samaritan. SFRM. vern them ; foolishly passing hy the fruit- ^"^''^' fill olive, the iig-tree, and the vine, and fixing on the worthless bramble, from whose boughs they could expect neither shelter nor shade. In the first Epistle to the Corinthians, we find St. Paul having recourse to the same expedient, to suppress all murmuring and discontent in regard chiefly indeed to the diversities of spiritual gifts in the Church, but incidentally also, for it is equally applicable, in regard to the different ranks and conditions of men in this life — a subject upon which we are generally as much liable to mistake as upon any other whatsoever. This distinction he shews to be a necessary circumstance in society, and that without rich and poor, superiors and inferiors, no community could exist ; but he uses no learned argument to - prove it, knowing they might be indisposed to listen to such ; but he simply refers them to a consideration of their own bodies, compo.sed of many members, yet all so dependent, the one on the other, that '' the eye cannot say to the hand I have ?w '* need The good Samaritan. 2 no '' need of thee; nor yet the head to the joot slkm, ** / have no need of you */' x vii> In the second lesson of this morning's servicef , we have several parables ; — the sower and his seed ; the parable of the trees ; of the grain of mustard -seed ; the leaven ; the hidden treasure ; and of the net cast into the sea ; all of which are ad- mirably calculated to set forth the design, the importance, and the effects of the preaching of the Gospel. The time will not admit of my discussing these parables at length ; nor is it indeed at all necessary, for as it happens, the curiosity of our Lord's own disciples has anticipated our's, and se- cured to us a regular explanation of most of them from the mouth of our blessed Saviour himself, as may be seen by refer- ence to the chapter ; which from begin- ning to end is full of instruction and advice. But> in the Gospel of this day ];, we have a very beautiful specimen of this mode of in- struction, in which the parable is not ex- * I Cor. xii. 21. t Sept. 12, Matt. xiii. X ^3thS. after Trinity. plained 294 '^^-'^ S^^^ Samaritan. SERM. plained so at large, but left in a great mea- XVII. 5jjj.g ^Q Qyj. Q^vii interpretation. It seems, our Saviour had been addressed by a cer- tain lawyer or scribe to instruct him in the great duties of life. It was no honest or religious motive that led him to put this question to our blessed Lord, but he did it to tempt or try him ; to measure the extent of his knowledge in these matters ; of his own sufficiency he had great assurance. When therefore he had satisfied our Savi- our with respect to his reading, and had in- timated that he knew the two great com- mandments of the law, the love of God, and the love of our neighbour, he thought to ensnare our blessed master, by a further question — ** a7id who is my neighbour^" for the Jews, upon a corrupt tradition, had confined all neighbourly offices to those of their own tpibe and nation. Our Saviour, therefore, knowing his heart, and all the false prejudices that prevented his seeing, in its right light, the great duty of univer- sal benevolence, avoided any direct expla- nation or cxj'iostulation, judging truly that the seed oi divine truth was choaked by weeds The good Sainaritan. 295 weeds and tares in the breast of him whom serm. he was addressing ; and that no immediate xvii. remonstrance would have any weight or effect with him. Still, however, he knew that such was the irresistible beauty of this high virtue, when set in a proper light, and proposed without violence to any se- cret passions and prejudices, that, instead of reason and argument, he had recourse to a parable ; so that when the lawyer asked ** who is my 7ieighbour ^" Jesus made no direct reply, for that would have awakened his prejudices as a Jew ; but, in order to disengage his mind from their baneful in- fluence, he simply related to him, as an ac- cidental tale, (though founded possibly on fact*) the following short story. A certain man of our own nation went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and pass- ing through the wild deserts and danger- ous roads which are in those parts, he fell among thieves, who having not only plun- dered, stripped, and bound him, but also wounded him in a cruel and danererous a * See Grotius and others. manner. ^9^ ' The good Samaritan. SERM. manner, went their way, leaving him half •^^'^- dead. Now it happened that as he lay in this deplorable state, there came down a certain Priest that way, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side ; and likewise a Levite, who, though as well as the Priest he was his countryman, yet when he came to the place he also only looked on him, and passed by on the other side: andthus the distressed creature might have lain and perished, but for a certain I Samaritan, who happened, as hejourneyed, to come where he was. And seeing him in this sad condition, though he might ea- sily discover him to be a Jew, and therefore an enemy to his name and nation ; (for a bitter hatred subsisted between the Jews and the Samaritans) yet he had compassion on him, and going to him, bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and then set him on his beast, conveyed him to an inn, and took care of him ; and before he departed the next morning, carried his care and tenderness so far as to leave money with his host to secure his attention also, when he himself was gone, and promised more The good Samaritan. 297 more if the necessity of the case should re- serm. quire it. In this manner did our blessed ^'^"• Lord reply to the lawyer's question, which he knew he would now be able to answer for himself, for he had given him a case to judge of, detached from his own prejudices, and which he could draw but one general conclusion from. " Which nozv of these ^•' three thinkest thou was neighbour unto *' him that fell among thieves V The lawyer, forgetful perhaps how he must condemn himself by the reply, immediately an- swered, " He that shelved mercy on him.'* " Then," said Jesus, " go and do thou like^ " wise !" — Stand corrected and instructed by the story I have told you — no longer think to confine your compassion, your charity, and neighbourly offices to your own nation only, but consider the humane Samaritan, who, when he saw a Jew in distress, laid aside his animosity, treated him as a fellow-creature, bound up his wounds, and took care of him. Thus it is that we should endeavour to get a view of the duties we owe to one another; 2^8 The good Sarnaritan. srRx\r. another ; ^ve must all be aware how often ^Ji^ passion, prejudice, and partiality are liable to hide from us the open patli we should pursue. For some petty interest Or other, we may neglect to bind up the wounds of those we know to be in trouble. We think they fell by their own fault, and so should be left to abide by the consequence. We regard them perhaps with an eye of scorn rather than pity, and looking more to our own concerns, pass by on the other side. I do not mean to represent uncharitableness as a predominant vice ; in the common ac- ceptation of the term, I believe it is far from being the case ; but in considering every individual as our neighbour, we should seek always '^ to do unto others as ** we woidd they should do unto us." Now this great duty is not confined to the pour- ing in oil and wine into their bodily wounds, but should be held to extend to the saving them from every possible injury or injus- tice, not only that the hand might inflict, but that the heart might conceive, or the tongue utter. Every circumstance that disposes us to be more regardless of otiier people's ^he good Samaritan. 259 people's feelings than our own, should re- serm. mind us of the parable in the Gospel, xvii. Trusting in the sufficiency of our own vir- tue, we may be often too hard upon the failings of others. In this v/e are repre- sented by the narrow-minded Jew, who thought no indulgence was to be extended beyond the circle of his own tribe and country. Perhaps we know of many who have fallen into temptations, and are la- bouring under consciences sore wounded, who, with tender and considerate care, wholesome and good advice, might be brought back to the paths of virtue, and restored to peace of mind. If we go not put of our way at all to render assistance to these fallen fellow-creatures, we are re- presented by the cold-hearted and heed- less priest, who passed by on the other side to avoid the sight of a disgusting object, and the trouble of binding up his wounds. Perhaps instead of helping to raise those that are fallen, and to speak peace to the broken-hearted, through some disgrace- ful motive of envy, pride, malice, or re- venge, we propagate the slanderous tale, we 300 The good Samaritan. 5ERM. we triumph over tlieir disgrace, we drive ^^''^- them further and further from us, by scorn- ful and opprobrious speeches; we are then represented by the merciless Levite, who could turn aside to look at the poor wound- ed man, but withheld all help and assist- ance. But if, in our commerce with the world, we cast an indulgent eye on the rest of mankind ; and if we see a fellow- creature of any description whatsoever, poor or rich, godly or ungodly, old or young, countryman or stranger, fallen into trouble or distress of mind ; w orn down by misfortune, or oppressed with shame ; in want of money, or in want of friends; if, in our journey through life, we happen to come where such are, and administer to their several necessities, having indiscri- ininately compassion on all ; binding up their wounds, bodily or spiritual ; pouring in *' oil afidzi'ine/' or consolation and com- fort ; using every endeavour to raise them from their deplorable condition, and clieer- fully performing every beneficent and friendly office towards them ; then shall \vc stand represented by the Good Sama- rium, l^he good Samaritan. 3^^ ritan, and thus shall we recommend our- serm. selves to the favour of our heavenly Father, ^^^^^ our Saviour and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, who has promised to acknowledge us as his disciples, by that especial distinction, that '•' zee sbezv love to another." We shall likewise, by such charitable dealings, no less recommend ourselves to. the approba- tion and good will of the rest of tlie world. For though the course of things here be- low may not ever proceed so fairly, as to afford every good man the just reward of his benevolence ; yet, generally speaking, and even as the world is constituted, a hu- mane and upright man, one who makes it a matter of conscience how he either de- nies those services to another he would hope to receive himself, or does that pre- judice to another he would himself desire to avoid, does gain esteem and favour. He is commonly honoured and beloved ; every one places a confidence in him ; his own concerns in life proceed more smootiily and with fewer difficulties, and when these do happen, and, through ill chance and misfortune, the storms of life beat hard against 302 The good Samaritan. SERM. against him, others are always the more ^^^^ forward to render him that assistance which he in his prosperity generously held forth to them. To conclude. — Light enough in this matter is now come into the world. That mental darkness, that made it necessary to use care and management, and the artful insinuation of fables and parables, to en- lighten and instruct us, is at once provided for by that great commandment, " that we " should do unto others whatsoever we would ^' that they should do unto us" This tends to remove all difficulties in the way of our judgment ; for however our duty may be hidden from our view by passion and pre- judice, our feelings, our wishes, and desires are perfectly intelligible to us. In all cases whatsoever, therefore, where our neighbours may have need of our help, we have nothing to do, but in imagination to change conditions with him, and to con- ceive ourselves to be cold or naked, poor or famished, fallen into misfortunes, or into the hands of wicked men ; then let us ap- peal The good Samaritan. 303 peal to our own minds to determine the serm, relief that is requisite ; let us consider .^^^ within ourselves what we should require at the hands of others ; what comfort, aid, and assistance Jt/^ should be anxious to ob- tain. Whatever our minds suggest to us on every such occasion, will be a just con- clusion from the circumstances of the case, and whether they be injured or oppressed, wounded in body or in mind, whatever calamities they labour under, we shall be sure to be right in administering relief, if we do exactly to them, as we judge and feel that we should wish they should do unto lis, under a like pressure of trouble and af- fliction. Neither need we doubt that we fully discharge the duty of. a neighbour, when, like the good Samaritan in the pa- rable, we, to the utmost of our power and means, shew mercy and pity on them ! SERMON 5 E R 31 O N XTIII, THE UNJUST STEWARD, LUKE XVI. 8. And the Lord cotnmended the unjust stezcard because he had done zvisely : for the chil- dren of this zi'orld are in their generation -wiser than the children of light. JL HESE words occur in the parable re- serm, lated in the Gospel of the day. A certain ^^'m* steward, the parable states, having admi- nistered the concerns of his master ill, be- gan to be alarmed at the situation he had Brought himself into, and to bestir himself accordingly to provide the best he could against his approaching dismissal and de- gradation. If reduced to absolute want, he knev\^ that his own exertions would fail him; labour he had been unaccustomed to, and he could not stoop to solicit cha- rity, " Dig, he could not, and to beg he zvas X " ashamed.'^ 306 T^he unjust Steward. SERM- " ashamed." He, therefore, very uinvar- XVIII. i-^iitably called together his lord's debtors, and, having in his hands the several se- curities they had given, he gave each man a power of secretly lessening his debt, that by thus serving their interests, he might secure their friendship when he should be put out of liis stewardship. This inequi- table proceeding came to his lord's ears, and, as the text states, the ''Lord com?nended " the tinjust stezuard." When we consider the drift of all our Saviour's parables, much more w^hen we reflect on his own incom- parable purity and goodness, it must needs appear to us impossible, that the unjust dealings of this profligate steward should, as such, be ever represented as the objects of commendation and applause. And, in- deed, if we take the whole context toge- ther, we can scarce make such a mistake, for we shall then understand, that the un- just steward was not commended because he was unjust, but because he *' had acted " wisely:" that is, in fact, prudently ; with some degree of forecast and consideration. And yet neither was this, in his particular case. ^he unjust Stezvard, 307 case, the direct subject of commendation, serm. but, (as we may collect from the following ^'^^^i- words) it is only meant to be implied, that a similar prudence, under other circum- stances, would be commendable. In short, the lesson conveyed to us in the parable amounts to this, that in worldly concerns we find the most careless and dissipated possessed, in case of necessity, of prudence enough to make some provision for fu-- turity, whereas, oftentimes, those much better instructed in the real concerns of life, the ways of Providence, and the hopes of religion, betray a woeful neglect of these matters, to the hazard of losing the great gift of immortal happiness, promised them, in the world to come. This should .be carefully attended to, lest the mere words of the parable should in any way mislead us ; for how could any commenda- tion be due to the unjust steward, except for the ingenuity of his prudence and ma- nagement. Besides his previous negligence, could any thing surpass his treachery, and breach of confidence, in calling together all his lord's debtors, and urging them to join him in an act of notorious fraud and X 3 dishonesty ? 3o8 The unjust StewarJ. SERM. dishonesty ? His injustice ^vas not intended XVI II. ^^ ^Q passed over, or extenuated, ^vc may be sure, from the very title given him of the Unjust Steward. Thus far, however, I have thought it fit to clear the matter up, be- cause any mistaken division of the words of the text, might lead to a very different interpretation from what was designed. But let us proceed to apply the parable to ourselves. The great and mighty God has so placed us in this world, tliat be our outward condition what it may, we have all a stewardship to answer for. The most destitute of worldly goods has still the gifts of reason, and free will, to account for; these are very important talents, en- trusted to his care, his management, and discretion ; scarce any other can be mis- applied but through a direct abuse of these. However, in the course of the parable, we are particularly cautioned in regard to the *' mammon of unrighteousness." This is an expression which, though not actually fa- miliar in itself, is yet capable of a very plain and simple interpretation; it may justly be held to stand for all such worldly attainments The unjust Steward. 309 attainments or possessions, the abuse oFserm. which must necessarily involve us in dis- ^^m- tress and despair. " To whomsoever" saith the Scripture, " much is given, of him zvill " much be required;" and so it is, in the nature of things, that the more we are possessed of, the more we must be liable to commit some abuse or otHer. And yet it is hard to fix any bounds to what is in fact our stewardship ; for those who are in a state of want are as much in a state of trial as those who are blessed .with afflu- ence and abundance; and even the Mam- ■ mon of unrighteousness may, without much force, be brought to include every condition to which may be annexed a temptation to do wrong,- according to • ■the memorable request of Agur ; " Give ine^ " l^ord, neither poverty nor riches, lest" in the one case *' / he full and deny thee, " and say zvho is the Lord ?" or» /' lest I be " poor and steal, and take the name of my *' God in vain." Here riches and poverty might equally become the unrighteous mammon, by drawing us away from our duty to God. And thus, figuratively, any allot- ?nent may be converted into " a mammon of " unright^ 310 The unjust Steward, SERM. '' unrighteousness y" though, generally speak- XVI I r. jiig^ jt is usually held to stand for riches. We arc admonished, in the parable, to make to ourselves '■\friends of the vimnmoii " of unrighteousness," following herein, not by any means the fraudulent and corrupt doings of the unjust steward, but his pre- caution and foresight ; he is represented as making to himself friends of the mam- mon of unrighteousness, by so engaging his lord's debtors in a fraudulent conspi- racy against him, that, first, they should be so obliged to him as to receive him when put out of his stewardship; and, se- condly, by being made confederates with him, should be equally interested not to make a discovery. This, tlien, was a step to take as full of worldly wisdom and cun- ning as it well could be. Such prudence, therefore, may well be made an example to others, though here applied in so bad and unjustifiable a manner ; for, on this-very account, it carries a degree of reproach with it, if we can neglect concerns of in- finite more importance. What compa- rison, for instance, can there be, between the The imjust Steward, 3 1 1 the loss of a temporary office, such as this serm. stewardship in the parable was, and the ^^^^^' loss of our promised inheritance in Hea- ven, honor, and glory, and happiness eter- nal? What a shame must it be, to seethe children of this world, labouring without ceasing after worldly possessions ; not de- jected or discouraged by difficulties and dangers ; not turned aside by any impedi- ment or hinderance ; not baffled by any stratagem or artifice ; and all this to pos- sess themselves of frail, perishable, and transitory goods, and yet the children of light, with the hopes of Heaven, and the fears of Hell before them, using no dili- gence, but rather deterred by every triflino* circumstance, from pursuing the import- ant objects held forth to them ; it is almost incredible that men should be so infa- tuated, and yet the case is so common that we cease to wonder at it. Such a steward- ship as the prodigal in the parable held, might be continued to him, according as he himself should have care and manage- ment enough, either to fulfil the duties of it punctually, or to cover over and conceal any 3 ^ ^ ^ ^/^^ w;//«^/ Stezvard. SERM^. any misdoings by artifice and deception. • But the stewardsliip ice hold, in regard to the supreme God, is of no tenure that de- pends on our own discretion ; we may be called to account to-day, to-morrow, or any moment within the whole compass o-f our life, whether we shall have adminis- tered our trust faithfully, or wasted our talents neglectfully. If put out of our stewardship with disgrace and ignominy, that is, if we die without having repented of our sins, and having made light of the redemption purchased for us by Jesus Christ, there is no alternative left. There is no digging, no begging, that can repair our loss; we shall be cast out from tiie eternal habitations of heaven, and sent into utter darkness. And shall the children of this world be wiser in tlieir way, and pre- pare for all sorts of accidents, so that if one endeavour fail, another may succeed, and no provision be made against that great and irrevocable day of account, when every man is to receive his final doom, and be recompensed for ever accordino" to that which he hath done in the flesh. Re- present The unjust Steward. c i « present to yourselves the two states I have serm. thus brought into comparison. The situ- xviii. ation of the unjust steward was surely bad ^ ^^ enough ; he had wasted his Lord's goods, and no doubt therefore all his own : he was not fitted to struggle with hard for- tune ; to dig he had not learnt ; to beg he was ashamed ; and yet he' was in dano-er of being dismissed with heavy reproaches from his stewardship : but still there were many chances before him. If the virtuous and the good should shun him, yet there might be sinners enough like himself, who would supply him with common necessa- ries, and even receive him into their houses. Prudence therefore, and a little manage- ment only, might secure him many com- forts even after the forfeiture of his stew- ardship. But with m.ankind in general, the day of reckoning is in its consequences final and decisive. Of all the blessings bestowed upon us here below, whether natural, as reason, free-will, health, and offspring; or else worldly endowments, as riches, splendor, learning. 3 1 4- The unjust SieivarJ, SER.M. learning, or authority, we sliall be called to XVIII. giyg ^ strict and scrupulous account. It" \vc have made no provision, and conciliated no friends, before this awful day of retri- bution, we shall be shut out from the king- dom of heaven, and other habitations there \vill be none to receive us. God Almighty seeth all things, and has left nothing inter- mediate between heaven and hell ; so that Avhen once cast out from our stewardship by the eternal Father, no subterfuge will save us, no being whatsoever can have a place of refuge to open to us. Is it not shocking to think, that with such a risk and hazard before us, so much misery awaiting the negligent, and such exalted blessings held forth to the vigilant and careful, we can yet bring ourselves to be more watchful over our worldly concerns, than over such as must afl'ect our eternal happiness hereafter ! Yet so it is beyond all doubt. Sensible things make a sure impression, invisible things have not half the weight. We take thought daily what we shall eat and what w^e shall drink, and wherewithal we shall be clothed, for hun- ger The iinjtist Steward. 315 ger and thirst and nakedness are evils that serm. sensibly afflict us, but we, all the while, xviii. neglect to seek after the kingdom of God, where no such w^ants can ever beset us. The instruction which the parable is meant to convey, might almost be confined to what I have said above, and yet I cannot help thinking it admits of being extended very much further, and too much instruction we cannot derive from it. It does not sig- nify, in fact, whether we get at the exact interpretation of the mammon of unright- eousness, because, let it signify what it will, if other things bear to us a similar re- lation, it may as well stand as a general expression for all of the same complection. It is generally held to signify riches, which being frail and uncertain, liable to admi- nister to our worst desires, and seldom accu- mulated to any great amount v/ithout some injustice or other, may well deserve such a title of reproach. To make to ourselves friends therefore of the mammon of un- righteousness, taken in this sense, would seem of course to signify that we should use riches worthily and properly, in relieving the ^tS Tbe unjust Stezvard. SERM. the needy, comforting the sorrowful, feed- ^^ ^^^- ingthe hungry, or providing carefully and prudently for the future prosperity of our families : by so doing, riches may be ren- dered our best friend; for when we arc called from our stewardship by death, and summoned to our account, the blessings of the poor and needy we have relieved, of the sorrowful we have comforted, of the hun- gry we have fed, of the naked we have clothed, or the filial gratitude of a virtuous prospering offspring, will go up to heaven before us as evidences and jnemorials, to smooth our reception into the kingdom of God. And thus it is with other things; — poverty may be rendered a blessing, or else '•' a mammon of unrighteousness." We shall ^lake friends of it if we bear it patiently, without any slothful repining or angry murmuring. If we arc led to apply ourselves to the labours of honest industry to remove its weight, and lessen its diffi- culties ; if we receive it at the hand of God with humility and confidence, persuaded in our minds, and acting up to such a faith, tliat if wc do well our poverty will be our gain i The 7injust Sleward. giy gain ; God being able and willincr toirive serm. us as a recompence for our obedience a ^^^^^^ more abundant weight of riches in the "^ world to come ; but a sad mammon of un- righteousness will poverty be, if it tempts ■ us to dishonest actions; to defraud others of their possessions by force or theft, cun- ning or deceit ; to murmur at tlie decrees of heaven, and blaspheme the God that made us what we are. Every gift intrust- ed to us, and even every good withheld, may thus be rendered either friends to us at the day of account, to open the gates of everlasting life, or else bitter enemies here below, as well as evidences against us here- after to convict and condemn us. Even health, that fairest boon of heav^en, with- .out which no comfort is to be had, even this may be rendered a mammon of un- righteousness, and a dangerous enemy, unless we are very careful always to ren- der it our friend. See how carelessly and thoughtlessly many pass their time, on no other account but because health permits them. Their spirits are light, and their passions strong- sober thought, reflection, industry, 5 o 18 The unjust Steward. SERM. iiidustry, and application of all sorts are ^^^^^U^ (^li-ill and stupid to them ; riot and de- bauchery, intemperance and idleness, work in time their ruin ; but those who have been afRicted with sickness and disease, know better the value of health, the danger of intemperance, the delusions of vanity and idleness. Besides, they have seen the brink of the grave, and know by how many cross accidents they may be suddenly put out of their stewardship. When therefore sickness and sorrow are removed, their nerves braced, and their faculties strong and active, they waste no time in riotous living, they exhaust not their recovered strength, by intemperance and debauch- eries, but they apply themselves to honest labour and prudent management ; they set examples of sobriety, industry, and tem- perance, preserving their bodies strong, and their reason vigorous. When death calls these to account, they shudder not at the summons. They have made to them- selves friends, of the blessings others have abused to their loss and ruin : and now that mortal life f^iils them, and their trust is at The unjust Siezvard, 319 ail end, God and their Redeemer stand serm. ready to receive them into everlastinp- ha- xviir. bitations. It is thus that the children of light may render themselves wiser in their generations than the children of this world ; not by more care, but only by equal care, for the objects are transcendently greater. If it is folly to neglect our earthly concerns, it is madness in the extreme to give no thought to our concerns beyond the grave; so, if it is wise and praiseworthy to give heed to the affairs of this life, the truest and most perfect wisdom must consist in preparing for that which is to corne. The . one relates to an existence of endless du^ ration, the other to a moment only in com- parison, " so soon passeth it azvay, and it is " gone." There is another consideration still behind, and with that I shall conclude, — The unjust steward had no means of making friends of his Lord's debtors, but by inducing them to conspire with him against the interest of his master; thus transferring at once his services from his lawful Lord, to his unjust and fraudulent debtors. And this is too much the way of the S2c» The unjust Steward. sv.RM. tlie world in general. Naturally the things ■^'''- of this world stand in much opposition to the things of heaven, as darkness to light. Of a hundred that we should advise to make to themselves friends of the transi- tory possessions of this life, ninety-nine probably would think it consisted in be- stowing all their attention on them, to make them yield the most pleasure, and administer the most vain delight they were capable of; yet in fact the only way to make them real friends, is to bestow no more care on them tlian they strictly de- serve : as far as they may help us to pay our great debt of duty and gratitude to the author of our being, so far it is right to at- tend to them ; but wlien the pursuit or enjoyment of them is in any way incompa- tible with the duty we owe to God, if they draw us aside from the paths of virtue and religion, that instant they become our enemies ; the most insidious and base ene- mies, withdrawing us from our allegiance to the most gracious and best of beings ; in short, we cannot serve God and mam- mon both : the latter must be Jiiade sub- servient The unjust Steward. 32 1 servient to the former, for the love of both serm. consists not together. All the faculties ^Z^^ v^e possess, therefore, let us exert and em- ploy to the glory of God ; and even if we are possessed and endowed with all the external goods of fortune, let us bring them over to the service of our heavenly Father also, and never encourage by our own in- fidelity the too general opposition between God and mammon. The innocent enjoy- ment of the pleasures of life, and even wealth acquired honestly and applied wor- thily, are neither forbidden or denied to us ; they need only become the mammon of unrighteousness to us, if we abuse them ungratefully, or suffer ourselves to become enslaved by them ; they may be made our Jriends by care and prudence, even so as to be a recommendation to us hereafter, and passports for us to the joys of heaven. SERMON S E M M O N XIX. THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT. John i. 23. Ajtd he said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness; make straight the way of the Lord, as said the Prophet Esaias, i\S the Church draws nearer and nearer serm. to her celebration of the nativity of our xix, blessed Lord, suitable portions of Scrip- ^"""^^^ ture are selected to usher in this great event. And now that he is, as it were, upon the very dawn of his appearance, we hear the voice of his forerunner preparing the way before him. It was a custom in the East, when their kings engaged in any expedition, or undertook any journey, which should carry them through desolate or uninhabited countries, to send their harbingers before them, to provide all - ' Y 2 things 324 'The fourth Sunday in Advent. SERM. things suitable to their accommodaton, and ^JX. pioneers to open the passes, level the ways, and remove all obstructions. It is pro- bably from this custom, that the Prophet referred to by St. John took his idea. There is something exceedingly grand and mag- nificent in it, if taken in its most literal acceptation ; but nothing can exceed its sublimity when applied to the forerunner of our blessed Saviour. He came indeed to *' inake straight the way of the Lord," by calling sinners to repentance ; by *' turn- *' ing the hearts of the disobedient to the wis- *' dom of the just ;" but not to anticipate the Evangelical interpretation of the text at present, let us first consider some of the passages of the Old Testament, wherein the peculiar presence of Jehovah is figu- ratively set forth. It is to the 40th chapter of Isaiah that the Evangelist refers in the words of ray text ; a chapter which is sup- posed to have had at least a two- fold, ac- cording to some interpreters, a three-fold meaning. It has been held to refer both to the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, and to the deliverance of the Jews from their The fourth Sunday in Advent. 325 their captivity in Babylon. But no com- serm. iTientators have denied its direct allusion ^^^• to the advent of the Messiah, in regard to which the most figurative expressions in it are highly appropriate, and the boldest flights of poetry no exaggeration. The forerunner of the blessed Saviour of the world had more to do than to make the rough places smooth, and the crooked straight ; and yet these terms are strictly applicable to his commission. If, in con- templation of the deliverance of the Jews from Babylon, the Prophet could cry out, *' Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people, saith *' your God ; speak ye comfortably to Jerii- " salon, and cry unto her, that her warfare " is accomplished, that the expiation of her ini- " quityis accepted," what is this to the pur- port of Christ's mission, who came to de- liver the whole world, Jew and Gentile, bond and free, from the dominion and bondage of sin f Whenever the peculiar interposition of Jehovah is to be described by the Prophets, their language becomes highly animated, and the whole creation is brought to dp homage to its author. " When " Israel 3^6 The fourth Sunday in Advent. SERM. " Israel came out of Egypt," says the Psalm- ^'^* ist, " arid the bouse of 'Jacob from among " strange people, Juda was bis sanctuary^ ** and Israel bis dofninion. The sea saw tbat " and fled; Jordan was driven hack. — Trenu " hie, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, " at the presence of the God of Jacoh !" And in the 68th Psahn, alluding to the same event, " O God, when thou zventestf&rth be- ** fore thy people ; when thou wentest through *' the wilderness, the earth shook, and the *' heavens dropped at the presence of God." In these passages, it is true, there is as much of fact as poetry. " The sea" really *'fled" at the command of God, and " Jor- " dan was driven back :' " the earth" did " shake" when the Law was given from Mount Sinai, and " the heavens dropped" manna to feed the people of God : how- ever, in both these instances, and many others that might be referred to, we al- ways find the presence of God described as operating the most stupendous effects, and occasioning the greatest revolutions. When the forerunner of the blessed Jesus appeared, a revolution was to be effected, the The fourth Sunday in Advent. 3^7 the most important and stupendous that serm. could be thought of ; not the subversion ^^^ of lofty hills, but the conversion of mens' hearts ; not the levelling of mountains, or raising of vallies, but the bringing low the proud thoughts of man, and comforting the meek and humble. He came to preach re- pentance, and to foretel the remissi^on of sins, through Christ. ' His office was pre- paratory to the actual appearance of the Redeemer, and his doctrines were all ap- plied to procure him that reception, which, in the gracious purposes and designs of his divine will, he most desired. No pomp or pageantry was necessary ; the kingdom of heaven indeed was at hand, but then it was a spiritual kingdom ; its ensigns of royalty were peace and pardon ; it required not the homage of shouts and acclamations, but that all men would prepare to receive it, by submitting to the baptism of repent- ance. This was the mark by which they were to be distinguished, when he that was mightier than John should come. The holy Baptist had many strong prejudices to combat peculiar to the times; the Jews had 3^8 ^e fourth Sunday m Advent. SERM. had a very erroneous notion of the coming ^^^ of the Messiah, and even in their attention to the Law, they had fallen into many cor- ruptions, the most opposite to the true spi- rit of Christianity that can well be con- ceived. So that in '' preparing the way of *' tbe Lord," and *' making ready the people" for the reception of the Gospel, he had more to do of a spiritual tendency, than the most rapturous flights of prophetic lan- guage could adequately describe. But it is a hard task, at all times, to " turn tbe " hearts of tbe disobedient to tbe zvisdom of tbe *ijust." And it is to be doubted, whether we, who are obviously free from the pre- judices of the Jews, and have long been taught to worship God in spirit and in truth, (not relying on any mere ritual ser- vices), are better disposed to receive our Saviour as we should do, than the multi- tudes who flocked in crowds to the bap- tism of John. The cases are parallel, and the comparison is exceedingly worth your attending to. Christ is at hand, to fulfil all that John foretold. And though in- deed he had much of mercy and loving kindness The fourth Sunday in Advent. 329 kindness to proclaim ; though he had to tell the world in general, that upon certain conditions " their warfare zvas about to be ** accomplished, and their iniquities pardoned,'* yet it will be but wise in us to look to the other parts of his predi6lion, which repre- sent the Messiah in his judicial capacity. Anions: the numbers that came out to him, ''from Jerusalefn, and Judea, and all *' the region round about Jordan," [^Mark i. 5.] there were many of the two Jewish se6ls of the Pharisees and Sadducees ; the former of whom contented tliemselves en- tirely with the form of godliness, with- out the power thereof, being noted for their vain pretences of religion and hy- pocritical devotions ; the latter denied two of the most fundamental articles of all religion — the doftrine of a future state of rewards and punishments, and the ex- istence of spirits. To such as these John had nothing comfortable to proclaim, ex- cept they also should not only be svilling to receive his baptism of repentance, but be ready to bring forth fruits correspond- ing. He reminded them, therefore, that the kingdom of God was at hand, in terms most 53^ The fourth Sunday in Advent. SERM. most awful and alarming. Now, says ■^^■^- he, you must no lon;^er think of trusting to your own vain and hypocritical pre- tences ; you must no longer depend upon an empty shew of religion, or upon any false persuasions of there being no future state of retribution; you must no longer think to compass the joys of heaven, or avoid the pains of hell, upon any easier terms than that of an exa6l and thorough reformation of your hearts ; for he who is coming, " his *' fan in his hand, and he will thoroughly *' P^^'g^ his foory but the chaff he will bum " zvith fire unquenchable /' " and now also " the axe is laid unto the root 'of the trees ; " therefore, every tree which bringeth 7iot " forth fruit, is hezvn down and cast into the " fire." In such terms did the holy Bap-* tist, who otherwise was the harbinger of peace and pardon, address those who were not duly prepared for the Advent of our Lord ; and we cannot in the least doubt but that the warning is of the same impor- tance at all times and seasons. The first appearance of our Lord was close at hand undoubtedly when John preached ; but can any cxf us tell whether his second coming may The fourth Sunday in Advent. 331 may not now be as near ? For his second serm. coming we should all prepare ; for though ^^^* it may not fall out while we are a6Uially alive, yet, in its effe6ls, it can never be further from us than the natural limits of our mortal life ; and we shall be sure to be called forth from our graves when he does appear, to give art accoant of all we shall have " done in the body, zvhelher it be good, " or whether it be evil." But as men are always apt to be dull of apprehension as to remote consequences, and very backward in fleeing from the wrath "to come by timely repentance and amendment, it is with "peculiar propriety that the Church varies her services so, as to recal to our re- membrance, in the most striking manner, the principal, events and circumstances of the gospel dispensation ; and nothing can be more full of wholesome admonition than the several services in particular ap- propriated to the Advent of our Lord. In the Collect of the first Sunday, we are di- re6ted to pray to God " to give us grace, *' {^now in. the time of this fnortal life, in " which Jesus Chrijl came to visit us in great *' hiunility) 332 The fourth Sunday in Advent. SERM. ** humility) to cast away the works of dark^ ^^^* " ness, and put upon us the armour of light." And why ? F'or the most exalted ends pos- sible, namely, " that in the last day, when " Christ shall come again, in his glorious ma^ " ^V^^y, to judge both the quick and dead, we " may rise to the life immortal I" In the se- cond Collect, we are reminded of the great importance of the written word, the word of life ; *' pi'ofitable unto all things, haviiig " promise of the life that nozv is, and of that " which is to come'* And to prepare our souls properly for the future appearance of our Lord, we beg that we may have grace, " in such zvise" to receive these holy Scrip- tures, *' to hear them, read, mark, learn, ** and inwardly digest them, that by patience " and comfort of God's holy word, we may *' embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope ** of everlasting life, which he hath given us " in our Saviour Jesus Christ," In the third Colle6l, a very apt similitude is pointed out, between the Baptist and the existing Ministers of God's word — a simi- litude that could not be more concisely stated, or yet put into terms more for- cible The fourth Sunday in Advent, f^^^ cible and strong, pregnant with instruc- serm. tion both to pastors and their flocks ; ad- ^^^• monishing the former to consider of the very high importance of their calling, and reminding the latter of the propriety of attending to the doctrine taught them. " O Lord Jesus Christy who at thy first " coming didst send thy messenger to prepare ^' thy way before thee ; grant that the mini^ ^* sters atid stezuards of thy mysteries may ** likewise so prepare afid make ready thy ^' way, by turnifig the hearts of the disobe^ <' dient to the wisdom of the just, that, at thy " second coming to judge the ivorld, we may " be found an acceptable people in thy sight, ♦• who livest and reignest with the Father and '* the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world zvith- '* out end." The fourth Collect, appro- priate to this very day, so ne^r to the ce- lebration of Christ's nativity, is aptly put into the form of an invocation, expressive of our spiritual wants of succour and as- sistance. In this we acknowledge our- selves ready to receive him, and prepared to rejoice in his presence. " O Lord, " raise 2ip, we pray thee, thy power, and " come among us, and with great might « succour 33 4« The fourth Sim day in Advent, SERM. «•' succour lis, that whereas through our XIX. t( ^^-^^^ ^jj^ zvickedness, ice are sore let and ** hindered in running the race that is set he^ ♦* Jore us, thy bountiful grace and mercy may ** speedily help and deliver us through the *' satisfaction of thy Son, our Lord." Now, I cannot think it possible that the hopes and expectations which Christianity opens to our view, the weaknesses and infirmities incident to human nature, the precious benefits of Christ's mission, and the duties incumbent on the sincere professor of the Christian faith, could ever have been brought into a smaller compass, or yet more fully set forth, than in these four beautiful prayers. They leave us at no loss, as to the preparation necessary for the coming of our Lord and Saviour; they point out the only means whereby we may be made partakers of his holy kingdom ; they fully express the importance of his incarnation, and fully instruct us how to apply to ourselves the benefits of it. But these prayers are not now for the first time to be oficrcd up ; they have been offered up before ; we have prayed for these graces and this assistance already. It will be- come The fourth Sunday in Advent, ^35 come us then to consider what we have done oa our part to give effect to them. Have we turned away from any one deed of darkness, or cultivated any one virtue the more, by way of preparation for the coming of our Lord ? P^or this was Christ manifested, «' that he should destroy the " works of the devd;* and shall we pretend to hail his coming, and yet continue, through our sins and wickedness, in open opposition to him, and confederate with the very enemy he came to destroy ? Shall we pretend to be anxious that we should be found worthy, at his second coming, ** to rise to life immortal,^' and yet continue to " walk in the counsel of the ungodly" whose condemnation is, to be driven from before his face, " like the chaff which the " wind scattereth azvay from the face of the " earth ^" Have we made his holy word our study and delight ? have we turned to it with eagerness to learn our duty, and be taught of God ? have we listened with at- tention to his appointed ministers, when they have, in their respective administra- tions, read or expounded his word ? have . 1 V we 33^ T^f^^ fourth Sunday in Advent. SERM. we opened our cars to receive divine in- ^'X. struction, and our liearts to give it en- trance, to the amendment of our lives ? Have we been so foolish and presumptuous as to cry out upon Christ, in our prayers, to succour and to save us, without any new endeavour on our part to do the will of him that sent him ? Those who will not put such questions to themselves, must be con- tent to have them put to them by others ; and even if they should still be so confident as to turn a deaf car to every remon- strance that is made to them here, yet surely they must know, that when our Lord himself comes, *• in bis glorious ?na- • *• jesty," they will not be able to evade one enquiry then, or stand mute at the bar of his tribunal. I fear it is still too true, that those who would preach repentance to a degenerate world, are like the voice of one crying in the wilderness. The Lord's people in general are but indifferently prepared to receive him ; some unfruitful in all good works, and relying on a barren and unprofitable faith. There are many rough places to be made plain, many 3 proud ^he fourth Sunday in Advent. S37 proud thoughts to be brought low, before serm» we shall be fit to meet our Saviour and J^i^ Redeemer — many obstru6tions of all kinds to be removed, before his saving grace can find its way to our hearts. When John appeared, both Jews and Gentiles were far gone in the ways of darkness ; the former misled by their vain traditions, the latter abandoned to all the errors of idolatry, and the mistakes of a vain and abstruse philosophy. The Jews were unfit to re- ceive their King, and the Gentiles their Saviour, without a great and serious re- formation of their ways and their prin- ciples. But it is well worthy our consi- deration, that neither the prejudices of the Jew, nor the infatuation of the Gentile, were so unreasonable or- so unpardonable as our transgressions. If the Jew was mistaken in many points, it was partly through a misinterpretation of prophecies unfulfilled, or an unreasonable reliance on traditions, which the majority at least were taught to think sacred. If the Gen- tile was gross and absurd, and without any settled principle, it was because hu- Z man Z$^ Tbe fourth Sundiiy in Advent. SKRM. man reason, unenlightened by revelation, ^^' could not I. it upon any settled principle, to \vhich all m. n might trust ; and if they adopted wild, and even impious rites in their worship, still this arose from their having lost the knowledge of the true God ; so that as their gods were of their own invention, their ritual was suitable and correspondent. But zve have no need to be blinded by prejudice, or to go astray for want of light and guidance; we de- pend on nothing that is obscure, nothing that is doubtful ; we have a sure and in- fallible principle to ^t\ upon, enforced by such saiK^tions, and so satisfac^iory to our reason, that while there are no means of evasion, so there are no grounds to dispute about it. John had to preach repentance to those who knew not in reality what re- pentance meant ; he had to proclaim re- mission of sins upon repentance, to those who had hitiierto imagined that the blood of bulls and of goats could take away sins. They had trusted to external rites and ceremonies to save them, without any regard to the conditions he came to pro- pose. The fourth Sunday hi Advent, 339 pose, namely, that of inward purity, and serm. a sincere reformation of their lives : but ■^^^• you know the meaning of repentance — you knozv that it is essential to your salvation — you know that repentance, without a pur- pose of amendment in future, is vain and inefFe61'ual ; and that such purposes are equally vain, if not followed up by a sin- cere endeavour to corre6l what is amiss. If you will not be forwarned, then surely your condemnation will be just. But let me entreat you to remember the great and glorious events we are now about to com- memorate. The blessed Saviour and Re- deemer of the world is again set before you, as entering on the theatre of mortal life : ** Coinfort ye, comfort ye, my people ^ " saith the Lord." Christianity cries out to you in a voice powerful as that of the holy Baptist, " Make straight the way of the " Lord!" Turn away from your evil deeds, and repent, ere ye presume to meet him face to face, to greet him on his nativity. " JVash you, make you dean, •' put away the evil of your doings," that they offend him not when he appeareth. Z 2 " Cease 34° The fourth Sunday in Advent, SERNf. *' Cease to 'do evil, learn to do good, seek XIX. ** judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the '"^^'"*^ " fatherless, plead for the li'uLw !" then will the day of the Lord rise upon you \vith joy and consolation ; then will you be prepared to meet him at his altar, where, commemorating, as it were, by anticipation, what you all know he came into the world to suffer for your sakes, you may receive remission of your sins. Though they should be *' now as scarlet, *' they shall become white as snozc ; though •* they be red like crimson, they shall be as *' wool." There is always some danger of superstition in the use of external cere- monies, and therefore our Church did well when she abolished many, whicii, in com- mon with the Church of Rome, she once admitted into her services. But if no such danger was to be apprehended, of substituting the outward form for the in- ward and spiritual design, it might be made a question whether we had not so far laid them aside as to stand in some need now of such symbols, to awaken our atten- tion more immediately to the particular The fourth Sunday in Advent. 34,1 o"bje6ls of our several services, as they oc- sfrm. cur in succession. I should be the last to ^^^ recommend the re-admission of such cus- toms as the wisdom of our reformers de- termined them to relinquish, (for indeed some of the forms and customs of the Church of Rome have been known to lead to the saddest corruptions of Christi- anity) ; but by w^ay of impressing your minds more strongly with a sense of the preparation requisite for the fit commemo- ration of the birth of Christ, I shall just notice, that in the Church of Rome, the season of Advent was always observed with a mixture of joy and sorrow — joy that the season of redemption was at hand, and sor- row for the cause and necessity of it. Hymns of glory, suited to the higher festi- vals, were at this time omitted ; the more magnificent ornaments of their churches and ministers laid aside, and in some places a stri6l fast observed. But the fourth Sunday in Advent (the day we now commemorate) was kept with great joy and festivity, the accomplishment of the prophecies being so near at end. Here, then, we see the pre- paration 342 The fourth Sunday in Advent. SERM. paration for Christ's coming was at least ^''^- rightly undcTStood. Sorrow and repen- tance for past sins, were held to be neces- sary to fit men for a worthy reception of their Redeemer. The customs were not amiss in themselves, had they been allow- ed to take their proper efledl: ; but it is to be feared that, in too many instances, like the vain pretences of the Pharisees, the outward ceremony was all that was attend- ed to. Let us, however, not be in haste to judge others; let us rather consider our own condition. I would hope that zve may not have passed through the former part of this holy season, without such se- rious meditation and refledion, such efforts of amendment, and such testimonies of sincere repentance, as may entitle us now to put off our robes of sorrow and contri- tion, and prepare to meet our Lord with uninterrupted joy and gladness ; that, with the blessed Mary, when the day cometh on which the Lord of Life condescended to take our 'nature upon him, our souls may be fit to " magnify the Lgrd," and " our «* spirits to rejoice in God our Saviour !" SLKMOX SERMON XX. FOR CHRISTMAS DAY. ] TIM. III. 16. And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness : God was manifest in the jiesh. v-^ -ERE we are not only told by the serm. Apostle St. Paul, that " God was manifest in xx. " the flesh,'* but it is acknowledged to be, by the same Apostle himself, " a great " mystery ;" that is, a most stupendous event far exceeding our present powers of comprehension. God was manifest in the flesh, in the person of our Saviour Jesus Christ. By that extraordinary method of taking our nature upon him, he came into the world to save sinners ; he came to set right, and to redeem, what in the person of our great progenitor, Adam, had, through the 344' Fo7' Christmas Day. SERM. the enticements of Satan, been forfeited ^^" and lost. Great is the mystery, no doubt, because our senses will inform us of no- thing beyond the confines of this world ; and it is by reason only that we can appre- hend it to be possible that the Ahnighty God should, in person, visit this earth of cur's. But yet, surely, great as the mys- tery may be, (for what act of God's Pro- vidence is not mysterious to our finite and imperfe6l faculties ?) our reason may with ease, and without any cxtraordinar}' effort whatever, be brought to assent to the possibility of such an event. We do not see God — we see nothing beyond the stars in tiie firmament ; but does nothing, therefore, exist beyond the stars in the firmament P We have no sensible inter- course with our Creator, but may not our Creator, nevertheless, be present to all we dor We are in a state of probation — we are left to our own discretion for a time ; and much is promised to those who shall, through faith in God, act witli the same uprightness and integrity, not seeing him, as though they did see him, taking account of For Christmas Day. g^^ of all their ways. Was God's presence serm. , noticeable by our senses, we should scarce ^^• be in a state of probation ; we should be over-awed by his watcliful Providence, and be no longer free agents in any sense of the word. Therefore, that God should veil the glory of his majesty at present, and not interfere openly with the concerns of this world, is what we might most rea- sonably expe6l ; but that God cannot, therefore, interpose when he pleases, or be present with us on extraordinary occasions, even by assuming not only the form, but the very nature of man, it would be folly to deny ; to doubt of such an event, be- cause no such ever happened in our own times, would be as reasonable as for a person who never saw a comet to doubt of the possibility of such a heavenly appearance, though those who had seen one had borne every testimony to such an event that the nature of the case admitted. A comet comes from regions quite remote from the sphere of our ordinary vision ; it appears for a time and retires — we know not whence it came-^we know not whither it 34^ For Christmas Day. SERM. it goes upon its departure; wc can only ^^- know, some from tradition, and some from ocular proof, that mysterious and uncom- mon as such an appearance may he, it does sometimes happen. God forbid 1 should compare the stupendous mystery of the jn- carration of the Son of God with any tri- vial event ; but it may not be amiss to shew, that above us, even in the visible operations of nature, many things seem to be passing, quite inexplicable and inscru- table to us in the present state of our fa- culties, and that therefore, though the mystery be great, that God should ever be manifest in the flesh ; much greater would the mystery be if God, who made all flesh, could not, for any ends of his Pro- vidence, assume our nature, and appear among us. And upon wliat occasion is it that we Christians are taught to believe that God was manifest in the flesh ^ Let a Prophet answer; for where shall we find words more appropriate .'* *' To bear our ** griefs, and carry our sorrows ; to be wound- ** edfor our transgressions, to be bruised fur *' our iniquities ; to take upon bini the chas- *• tisement For Christmas Djy. 34,^ " tisement of our peace," that throuo-li «< Jfis slrm. " stripes we might be healed." You must ^^• all be acquainted with this interesting de- scription of our Saviour's mission. But let us examine it a little more minutely. The griefs and sorrows, wounds and stripes, above enumerated, have a two-fold mean- ing : First, a literal and true one ; for our Lord, as you all know, did endure much affliction in the great work of our redemp- tion. Merciful and beneficent as his coming was, yet how ungratefully was he received ! " He ca?ne to bis own, and his own received *' him not \" he came to bring nothing but " good tidings of great joy," and 3^et he was condemned as a malefactor, and ignomi- niously nailed to the cross. But tliere was a further end in these bitter mockinc;s and cruel scGurgings ; he came, we are told, to " make expiation for the sins of the whole " world ;" to reconcile fallen man to his merciful and gracious Maker ; to avert the anger of an oll'ended Deity, from those un- able, through the weakness of their nature, to abide its force, and to take it upon himself; even to " die for our sins" and *•' give 3i^ For Christmas Day, atnyj. '* give biwstlf a ransom fjr all." It was, ^^' tlierefore, the wages due to sin that he came to receive on our account, and he re- ceived them to the full. Besides the cruel and disgraceful termination of his precious life, '* never was any sorroiv like to his sor- •* roiv, Tvherewith the Lord affiled him in ** bis jierce anger." The account of his arrest, trial, condemnation, and cruci- fixion, as it stands in the writings of the Evangelists, is such a history of unprovoked insult, cruel malice, and unjust judgment, as never before or since appeared upon re- cord. But in all this, nevertheless, God's mercy was prominent and conspicuous ; through the gate and grave of deatji, terri- ble as it w^as rendered by the malice of his persecutors, he was all the while opening to us the gates of everlasting life. By his stripes we were healed ; for though, in- deed, he descended to the grave under the \veight of every insult and oppression th.it could be laid upon him, yet he " rose ** again" afterwards '■' Jor our just ip cation " ascended into heaven, and now sittelh on the right hand of God, our advocate and mediator ! For Christmas Day. 349 mediator ! Now was not this an occasion serm. on which, if ever, we might naturally xx. expea, from the acknowledged goodness and loving kindness of God, tli-at he might condescend to become manifest in the ^ flesh ? It matters not so much what we are here, as what we may become in a higher state of existence. Here the very best of us are poor and w^eak, and, in every sense of the term, miserable sinners. If we were naturally incapable of ever being exalted to a higher state, then indeed God might possibly leave us to take our chance with the beasts that perish ; but reason and revelation both concur to give us far dif-' ferent hopes. We are taught to believe tliat, one time or other, we shall be trans- lated to another world, where w^e shall be admitted, as the Apostle to the Hebrews expresses it, not only to the company of *' innumerable angels," and of " the spirits " of just men made perfect," but to the very presence of " Jesus ^ the mediator of the new *' Covenant,'* and of " God the judge of " all." Now, if such are the hopes we mav reasonably indulge, then we wQed no longer XX. S50 For Christmas Day. SERM. longer wonder at any method God sliould please to adopt to bring us to himself, as to the mere possibility of the thing. As sinners, great indeed seems the mystery that God should condescend so far as to take our vile nature upon him, but as capable of redemption, of being justified through Christ, of being made heirs with liim, " according to. the hope of eternal life," then the case is altered, and we know not how far it may have been consistent with the attributes of Almighty God to have condescended, in order to accomplish our rescue and redemption. Tiiough humility is a grace whicli no true Christian would ever seek to lay aside, yet pcrliaps it may sometimes be allowable to take such a view of our nature as the above, and, without forgetting whereof we are made, to con- template the great hope of our calling, with such exultation as is just and reason- able ; for thus, perhaps, may we be the easier brought to comprehend somewhat of that great and stupendous mystery, " God manifest in the fiesb." That he should come to save sinners is a mystery of mere For Christmas Day. 5^1 mere mercy, and ever must be so; but that he serm. should come to call sinners to repentance, ^^' that through him they might have entrance into heaven, and be exalted to everlasting life; here is an occasion at least suitable to the goodness and beneficence of God; and the incarnation of his Son is no more a mystery as to the possibility of it, than many other most manifest acts of his gra- cious providence. Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be " the propitiation for our ** sins, and not for onr's only, but also for the •' sins of the zuhole world." This is St. John's account of the mission of our Lord. And St. Peter, we kpiow, afhrmed before the rulers of the Jews, Acts iv. 12, " thai " there is salvation in none other except Jesus " of Nazareth ; for there is none other name ** given among men zvherehy ive must be saved." Nov/ it is often an enquiry made, how are those holy patriarchs and virtuous heathens, who lived before the coming: of our blessed Saviour, to receive the benefits of his re- demption ? There might be some reason in the enquiry, if Christ had been mere man. If he had come merely to set us an 5 example 352 For Christmas Day. SERM. example of a good moral life, or even to ^^' satisfy our doubts as to our future resur- rection by his own resurrection from the grave. For how could these benefits be reflected back upon those who had finished their course of life long before his appear- ance r But when we come to consider that Christ was in existence " before all luorldsy" that he was *' in the very beginning zi'ilb '* God," that '* by him all things zcere made, '■' and that luithout him ivas not any thing '' made that zcas made," which is the ac- count the Evangelist St. John further gives us of him, then we may easily conceive that, in fact, all the generations of men that have ever lived on the face of the whole earth, lived subsequently to the great scheme of Christian redemption. That long before Abraham was, Christ ex- isted in the glory of his Father, as he him- self intimated in his reply to the Jews, John viii. ^8. : — he existed before the tempter through whose seductions our first parents lell. This also, in no obscure terms, he intimates himself; *' / beheld *• Satan," says he, '' as lightning fall from J ** heaven,'* For Cbrist?nas Day, g^^ ** heaven,' Luke x. 18. He existed before serm. David, for David himself called him his ^^• Lord — (See Matth. xxii. 43. 414, 45.) He was before John the Baptist, if we may be- lieve the testimony of the Baptist himself; though, as to his earthly ministry, the lat- ter was emphatically denominated the forerunner of the Messiah ; and as to our Lord's a6hial coming in the flesh, he was not before the Baptist in this in- stance, nor yet in his character of a Pro- phet. Here then we get a glorious view of the method of God's dispensations. We know nothing of the bounds and extent of the creation. The globe we dwell upon inay perhaps be but one out of millions of millions, all inhabited, for what we know, by beings like ourselves. . We must not be too bold in our conjeftures ; but what a ' scene does it open to us, if we may but conceive that he who became manifest in the flesh here, may have been the Saviour and Redeemer of all these worlds * ! One mystery * This notion the author has treated of at large in a separate publication, which appeared in the year 1801, A a entitled, V 554 P^f Christmas Day. sERM. mystery is no greater than another. That ^_^_^ only is a mystery which we have not at present powers to penetrate and compre- hend ; but wlicn, with becojning humili- ty, we are tempted to cry out, " Lord, what *' is man, that thou should' st so regard him," as to send thy own Son into the world to re- deem us from sin and misery ? it is well at least to gather confidence from the dignity of him who condescended to take our na- ture upon him. The assumption of the flesh united the creature with its Creator; sin was vanquished, and death destroyed ; and if we may at all suppose that the ever- lasting Son of God has been the Redeemer of other worlds, the great scheme of re- demption will appear to have been inti- mately connected throughout with the creation of the universe. We know of a certainty, without any laboured or intri- cate discussion of the matter, that it has pleased God to create a race of beings, entiilcil, 1 x ©lo; r.r M irresistible supremacy, his over-ruling pro- ^ vjdence, his might, itiajesty, and power! / We are this day assembled tog^ether to commemorate a- sucGessian of event,s, which. It can be no exaggeration to say, ^.^^i,./ affect /all that caii be dear to us and va- t^ luable in life !' which, for the moment at least, may have diverted from this our native country, not danger only, but irre- trievable ruin ! for the bold and violent threats of our chief enemy are beyond ex- ample merciless. We all must acknow- ,> , . / ledge It is.no common tnumph they aim / f at ; but because they see us to be a great ^ . " nation, they are resolved to depress us ; ^ because they see us more happy and con- tent than themselves, they are bent upon/ / throwing us into a similar state of politi- C c cal 3^^^ On tb'e Thanksgiving Day. STRNT. cal confusion ; because we are willing to ^^^^^^ abide by tlie laws and institutions of our forefathers, they insult and deride us with their novel doctrines. I would not wish to alledjrc more ao^ainst tliem from this place than is entirely right and true; but I fear I may too justly add, that because they think us in the way to be wealthy and prosperous, they are, at the moment I am speaking, applying all their efforts to plunder and impoverish us; because we have not yet adopted their extravagant opijiions, or submitted to their exorbitant demands, they are mustering all theirforces to ovcnvhelm and destroy us ! . /? ^ A-^A If besides this we consider, that with regard to other pAiropean states, by the in- timidation of some, and the conquest of others, they are, as to power and command, in a confederacy witli all, ^ixn we do less than acknowledge the hand of God, in the timely dispersion and defeat of three pow- erful fleets ? Can we do less than ''praise "' the Lord for his goodness," in having Pii- thcrto so frustrated their unwarrantable dcbigns ? On the Thanksgiving Day. ^^y designs ? Can we do less than commemo- serm. rate with joy and thanksgiving " the won- ^x^^- " ders he has wrought," for the protection and defence of this our native land ? The portion of Scripture I have selected to stand at the head of this discourse, you will know to be taken from the history of the Jews; that peculiar nation, to which, as Christians, we stand related, and whose transactions have been transmitted to us by the care of holy and inspired writers, as St. Paul tells us, for our more especial '* example and admonition,'* If, however, I had only sought to refer to ancient history for a precedent to go by, in this religious commemoration of the suc- cesses of war, I might have been more in- different in my choice ; for there is scarce one historian, even among the heathens, to whom I might not have applied myself, to prove the reasonableness and propriety of such public thanksgivings. ^Even under the worst systems of religion, when, hav- ing discarded revelation, they could devise C c 3 no ^ 388 On the Thanksgiving Day. SEHM. no better than false Gods, and even such ^^''^* objects of worship, as are almost too gross to mention/ yet so rooted was the belief of supernatural assistance, so essential did they think the favour of Heaven, even de- based as it was by their carnal ideas, that we scarce meet with one record of a war or a victory, in which either some means were not taken to conciliate the Gods pre- viously, or, in case of success, in which sa- crifices were not offered up, or the tenth part of the spoil reserved for the altar. It is therefore not for want of a more general warrant for our proceedings, but ' through very particular choice, that I have •had recourse on this occasion to the history of the Jews in preference to any other his- tory. My reasons will appear as I pro- ceed. In the struggle that now so alarmingly agitates this portion of the globe, the enemy began their operations on the pretended principle of giving perfect freedom to the mind of man. I call it a pretended prin- . , . ciple. On the Thanksgiving Day. 389 ciple, not only because their subsequent serm. actions have been entirely in contradiction ^^^i- to it, but because, in fact, no principle, as the world at present stands, could be found more inimical to the real interests of hu- inan nature. For it is plain, that the first step to be taken in vindication of such a principle, is to discard all ancient opinions as j^rejudices;* every, form of government, however matured by age, is to be submitted afresh to the judgment and choice of the passing generation, and the Almighty to be worshipped (if at all) not according to the light vouchsafed to our forefathers, but as every short-lived inhabitant of the earth shall, in his wisdom, think proper and suf- * The Marquis de Bouille, in his Memoirs relating to the French Revohition, speaking of the first promulga- tion in France of the doctrine of " the Rights of Man," (1789) says, " This, by the manner in which it was ap- " plied by the people, and in which it was natural to " suppose they would apply it, dissolved every tie of «*' social order." I shall make no apology for adding the remark immediately following : " And with the same *' consequences will it be attended in every government, " where effectual means are not employed to counteract '• its baneful effects." P. 97. ficient. XXII, 59° On the Tha?ihgivuig Day. SFRM. ficient. Two consequences have already, therefore, ensued from this principle, namely, the entire overthrow of a very antient and long-established government, and the abrupt dissolution of a Christian church. A principle of such a nature must find abettors in all countries ; for what country on the face of the earth can be free from persons ready to support a prin- ciple, wliich, to say tlie least of it, is cal- culated to set at liberty, all who tlirough pride or vanity are jealous of superiors, or through evil inclinatioiis, uneasy under the just and holy laws of Christianity ? While we probably therefore have to contend not only against foreign enemies, but against many here at home, whom this licentious principle has armed against us, it is become an anxious, though I trust no fearful task, for a minister of tlie church to address you on such an occasion as the pre- sent. If he was to " speak with the tojigue ** of angels," there are those who would tell you, " // is but as sounding brass and ** tinkling cymbals :" nay worse, there are those On the Thanksgiving Bay. 39 ^ those ^vho would tell you, that all his efforts serm. are selfish ; that he is seeking not your J^ spiritual good, but his own worldly profit ; that by assuming so much as to tell you what it is " that the Lord requires of you;' he is above all things invading the pre- tended freedom of the human mind, and at best only linked in confederacy with those they are pleased to call the tyrants of the state, and equally bent upon deceiv- ing you with strong delusions. I will hope however that no such preju- dices have entered here.. If they had, I trust in God I should not be the less for- ward to preach his word openly and boldly ! But it is rather to obviate any such preju- dices in future, that I selected .for your consideration the words of my text. For, it must be allowed, that politics, in their confined sense, do 720^ belong to the minis- ter of Christ. " The kingdom of God" is " not of this world f nor is it becoming in us, to represent his cause as ultimately depending in any way on the will of man ; hw less as having to do with the ambitious and 392 On the Thanhgiving Day. SERM. and worldly views of such as are struggling ■^^'^' merely for power, or wealth, or fame. I know, as well as our enemies can tell you, that war, simply considered as the wild conflict of ferocious adversaries, we have still less to do with ; the religion of our blessed Saviour is indeed a religion of peace ! of universal good-will to man ! This even our worst opponents acknow- ledge, not only to the silencing the Chris- tian priesthood, but hy way of charge against the very revelation we glory in. Kot only denying every minister of the Gospel a right to interfere in worldly con- cerns, but even ridiculing us for pretend- ing to rest our Gospel of^ peace on the foun- dation of the Old Testament, in whicli, through the whole history of the Israelites, war and bloodshed are introduced as sup- ports to the cause of Heaven. It was with a view to embrace as well as I could, within tiie time allowed me here, all these several points, that I selected the text 1 have phiced at the head of this dis- course ; which if we now more closely ex- amine, ,^) On the Ihanhgiving Day. 3^3 amine, we shall find capable of affording serm. us much seasonable instruction. xxn. As long as those natural scourges, earth- quakes, tempests, plagues,and pestilence are known to be permitted to happen to the de- struction of mankind in particular regions, we cannot doubt but that the most dreadful calamities are sometimes made the instru- ments of God's inscrutable purposes, and that, to correct and alarm the frowardness of man, the mercy of the great God does sometimes appear to be withheld. When the calamities of war therefore befal us, we are- not-irrational -ill considering these also as under the direction of God. Their be- ing brought about by the agency of man, can never make them less natural with re- • gard to the great Author of all things, certainly not less within the power of an almighty and omnipresent Being. The \ great point is \o discover the heavenly purposes, " and^ 'these lead- .only ^^^^^b^ **"''^' studied in the C9nsequenees: NowJa my-'"^ -^xt we fed it Telated^ that when the na-<^- tions ^ h z^-' />i^'rU C-f- 354» On the 7banhgning Day. SERM. tions, that Jehoshapliat had subdued, *' had XXII. ii heard that the Lord fought against the " enejnies of Israel, the fear (f God zvas on *'' all the kingdoms of those countries." It was therefore plainly for the cause sake, that the gracious God appeared on the side of Israel. The subjects of Jehoshaphat worshipped the one supreme Ciod ; the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ; the God of Christianity ! Their enemies were idolators, worshippers of stocks and stones, the work of mens' hands. It must also be remarked (a thing too little attended to), that it was the custom of those countries to carry tlieir false gods at the head of their armies, more openly and more di- rectly to deride and defy those who trust- ed in the God of Israel. Here then we see the beneficent purposes of the divine Being. Under such circumstances, a thing so irresistible as a decisive victory, on the part of the Israelites, was immediately cal- culated to awaken the enemy to a sense of their own errors in trusting to false gods, and dispossess them of their faith in impi- ous On the ^nmhsgivmg Day. 295 ous and horrid sacrifices, for with such we serm. find they worshipped their vain idols. •^■'^■^^' Here then God might in his mercy employ the ravages of war : the enemy was obsti- nate, self-confident, headstrong, and per- verse, and in a thousand instances stifled even that inward revelation vouchsafed to all, the light of reason, and the voice of nature. Nothing short of the chastening hand of God, made bare and manifest for their correction, could set them right : the consequences were gradual, but such as God purposed. Idolatry was in time ex- terminated, and the repeated victories of. Israel, whensoever they fought under the protection of the living God, '* brought " them quiet, and gave them rest round ** about,'' as often as the enemy became convinced that Heaven was against them. Having thus seen then, that, through the perverseness of mankind, it becomes rea- sonable to suppose that the Almighty may, consistently with his mercy, *' go forth ** with the host to battle," as in the natu- ral world he is said, " to ride in the ** storm," for the intimidation and correc- " tion S9^ On the Thanksgiving Dav. SERM. tion of a wicked world ^"*^; and as the cir- ',^i^^ cuinstances of our chief enemy are not far from resembling the abominations of the heathen world, having cast off the living God, and fallen down to idols of tiicir own fancy (I allude to their absurd images and symbols of liberty-|-) ; having besides broken through the chief connections of civil society, and brought all antient esta- blishments and principles to one promis- * As there are many who still pretend not lo see how • the providence of God can be with decency Sdid to be affected by the corruptions of man, overlooking the va- rious analogous circumstances that have place in the na- tural world, I cannot torbear subjoining the following illustration of this matter, from the Pcre Bohours Thoughts of the Fathers. " This expression of Tcrtul- *' Han's, that God is good in his own account, And just *' in ours, leaves a great deal to the thougliis, and prc- " sents at first the idea of the sun, which ot itself gives " beneficent light, and only forms thunder, when the " earth supplies it with matter." + It was consistent with their modern idolatry, that one of their revolutionary' admirals (Latouche) should thus de- scribe his escape from the dangers oi a storm at sea* " Wc owe our existence to the iulefary genius which " watches over the destiny of the Trench republic, and *' the defenders of liberty and equality." CUOllS On the '^thanks giving Day. 397 CLlous ruin ';-«urely it is not far from the serm. office of a minister of Christ's Gospel to ^^jj^ take part in such scenes j to animate the wavering, to strengthen the weak, to pro- fess more openly and boldly than ever, his own confidence in Christianity, and to warn his fellow creatures against the wiles and fallacies of an enemy, who, under pretence of greater knowledge, and more independent principles, would willingly exclude both the wisdom and supremacy of God, from the transactions and events of this lower world. I would not lead you to any vain- glorious confidence in the protection that has been vouchsafed us. It is better, more Vv'ise, more humble, and far more becoming Christians, to consider it rather as ov/ing to the errors of our enemy, than to any righteousness of our own ; to cor- rect and convert them, rather than to re- ward us^. Yet as far as the cause we sup- port against them is concerned, it may be allowed us to take comfort, and to indulge * See Deut. ix. 4. 5. 6. a hope 39^ On the Thank^girn:g Day, SERM. a hope, that victoru^s so p^lorious and de- "^^^^^ cisivc, wlierein the Almiglity lias so visi- bly interposed in our behalf, may in time turn tlie hearts o^ our enemies, and that " all the kingdoms" and states " of those" deluded " countries/' like the Ammonites and Moabites of old, seeing that the Lord does thus fight against our enemies, may return to a just " fear of God." Neither let their successes in other quarters hinder this persuasion ; at cannot be denied but that in some countries their progress has been unchecked, and the hu- man mind perhaps is in no less danger of delusion on this account, than \vith regard to the principle spoken of above. The temporary successes of the ungodly stag- gered David. " My feety" says the royal Psalmist, ** zcere almost gone, my tread- " ings had well nigh slipt ; because I zcas " grieved at the wicked ; I da also see " the ungodly in such prosperity." He .afterwards certainly corrected his judg- ment of matters, and in the o^yth rsalni ' comes to a full conclusion on the point, which On the Thanksgiving Bay. S99 which he relates in words too expressive to serm. be passed over. " / 7nyse]f have seen the J^^)^ " ungodly in great power, and fioiirishing " like a green bay-tree ; I went by, and lo ^ " he was gone : I sought Mm, and his place " could no where be found. Keep innocency, " and take heed unto the thing that is right ; *' for that shall bring a man peace at the last, " As for the transgressors, they shall perish *' together : and the end of the ungodly is, *' they shall be rooted out at the last." It may be, the nations thdy have been permitted to subdue resembled thern in principle. It is recorded of the Jev/s, we know, both by inspired and uninspired his- torians, that whensoever they themselves inclined to idolatry, the course of the vic- tory was changed, and the arms of their ene- mies prospered, serving thus as instruments in the hand of God to correct and extirpate errors that resembled their own. Such suc- cesses, therefore, need not dishearten, but should rather animate us to a more steady perseverance. We alone have been essen- tially vi6lorious, and in this seem to have received 4^0 On the Thanksj^nvig t)jy. SERM. received a pledge from Heaven, that if XXII. ii zic endure to the end," ''keeping," sted- fastly to " the works oj Christ " amidst this sad " contradiction of sinners " \\c shall not ** onl\ he saved" but may turn the enemy from the error of their way. This is certainly one impression that the occasion of this day's solemnity should nnke upon us. A comparison of principles and opinions may often be fallacious, and it is better to be without such a self-con- fidence as would induce us to condemn our brethren without c:ood reason : but here the case scarce admits of any possible doubt. The scene they have exhibited ;;z/^i/ offend a gracious and good God ! A mild and in- offensive Sovereign slaughtered on the scaffold ; merely because, according to laws established ages ago, he was born to possess the throne of liis ancestors*. In- nocence * Ifiliis should appear, after ihc trial that took place, to be any exaggeration ot the matter, it should bercmeni- bcjed, that during the discussion relative to the trial in the National Assembly, one of the members (5t. Just) uctuallyr 5 Ofi the Thanksgiving Day, 4,01 nocence and age brought to the same ig- serm. nominious end ! not only without the cus- ^^i^- tomary offices of humanity, but under most wanton and shocking circumstances of barbarity ! actually proposed the putting his Majesty to death, " merely because he was a king." And though it may be objected, that this was only the opinion of one man, and not therefore to be attributed to the rest of the na- tion, yet it certainly will ever stand as a most horrid cir- cumstance in the history of man, that a proposal so san- guinary and ferocious as the above, as well as an avowal of private opinion so impious and absurd as a direct denial of God, should have been made in- an assemhly calling itself the Representative of Millions, not only without exciting indignation, but under circumstances even of applause. The Philosophical God, tliey afterwards set up, dis- possessed of all rule over the affairs of this world (Courier Universel, 29 Frimaire, 1793), is of a piece with the mock-trial by which they pretended to justify the execu- tion of their Sovereign, It might have been hoped, some time back, that the character of this nation stood too high, to be liable to any rifk of contagion with respect to suck principles ; but now*, it cannot be denied that in these kingdoms also, * This note accompanied the Sermon when first printed. Dd the 4.C2 On the Tlankagivhif:; Day. sFRNf. barbarity ! The redemption of our bles- >^xii. scd Lord rejected and despised ! his altai*s ^^^ broken, his temples polhited, his ministers banished ! some nations jprovoked to war Avith them, while others more weak and helpless have been entirely desolated, robbed of every comfort ! individuals de- spoiled of parents, children, property ! Surely the God of mercy, who, when he personally took account of the world, the same Philosophical God is become the idol of many coi rupt minds ; while the atrocious attack on the person of his Majesty in 1796, intended evidently against the King, not against the Man, too nearly resembles the base and unmanly principles of the French Legislator ! Let it, however, be our boast, that here they arc indeed but par- tfhl evils ! the country in general has still discernment enough left, rather to pride herself on the steady faith and conviction of mrh philosophers as Sir Isaac Neioion and Mr. Locke, than on the new light spread abroad by these self-sufficient Infidels; while, instead of claiming kindred with murderers, as the friends and protectors of their cotuury, in the case of his Majesty's danger, every other individual in the nation execrated the deed ; and tlie wisest and best among us only look it as a signal of alarm, to arm themselves the better against such assassins, as in- disputably the worst foes to the public weal. and On the Thanksgivhig Day. 403 and saw it divided, as it now is, into prin- serm. cipalities and governments of various de- x^^^- nominations, left it in command to us, " ta love one another ; to seek peace, and io " ensue it ; to abstain from jleshly lusts, -which " war against the soul ; to submit ourselves *' to every ordinance of man for his sake, ** whether it be to the King as supreme, or to " his appointed magistrates and officers ; to " honour all men, to love the brotherhood, to " fear God, and to reverence the King." — Surely, I say, it can be passing no unfair judgment on our adversaries, to think them mistaken, and that so gracious a God must be offended by their proceedings. Let us then turn from the consideration of their enormities, to, the contemplation of our own condition. God has interposea to save us in preference to other nations; and though we are all of us far from any meri' torious righteousness, yet we have a just ground iiqxv to think our cause is good ! We are far, very far from being slaves ; we have a good and gracious Sovereign at our' head, who, this day, like Jehoshaphat, is in the forefront of his people, praising and glorifying 4^4 On the Thanksgiving Day, SKRM. glorifying his God ! A thirty-seven years Y V T I . ' mild and beneficent reign has endeared him to lis all ! The laws he has to execute are mild, equal, and good ; and he exe- cutes them by his ministers with exemplary justice, in all cases whatsoever, tempered Avith mercy ! We profess still the Christian faith, and glory in the cross of our Savi- our. Some indeed would persuade you that this is a delusion. But I know not what motive the minister of Christ in this coun- try can have, to enslave or deceive you. I know^ that it is his especial office to set you free * ! not from the laws of God or man, but from the bondage of sin, and the fear of death ! Can it be to your undoing tliat I deceive you in fulfilling my duty this day, when I only recommend it to you, in all possible transactions of life, *' /o do justly, to love and cultivate mercy, *' and to walk humbly zcith your God;" tliat *' by zvell doing" rather than by the force of any other weapons, *' ye may put " to silence the ignorance" and malice of those who now oppose you ; to *' trust in * John viii. 32. " the On the ^hanhgiving Day, 405 " the Lord always," and to rely upon serm. Christ Jesus for redemption from sin and xxii. misery, and to bear up under afflictions tlirough faith in the promises of a future world prepared for the good, where there shall be no more " either sorrow or pain " or deaths" Listen not to those who would compel you to come in, by shutting heaven against all who do not believe in the same way, and to the same extent as ourselves. We say, and we do believe, that whoever is ultimately -aved, will be saved by the mediation of Jesus Christ. Those who have had no means of hearing- his word, may have their blindness over- looked through his intercession ; those who have heard and believed will be abundant- ly rewarded ; those who haive heard and re- jected his heavenly offers, God only can know what is to become of them ! Pity them we must ; humanity would incline us to instruct them better, and to try to recon- cile them to such blessed offers of pardon and peace ; our office admonishes us to ex- hort and to warn them, and to set before them 3 ^oG On the Tbanksgiving Day, SERM. them the woes denounced against them ; ^xii. still, however, their final condemnation rests with God. In this, however, we are all agreed. IVe say, what the Scriptures teach us, that Christ is not " the author of " salvation" but " to those" who in their lives " obey his laws ;" now his laws are admitted to be the most perfect system of morality extant, so congenial to the natu- ral sentiments of the human heart, as to have led some vainly to sujipose it required no new promulgation ; in the worst of times, the distinction of good and evil docs not appear to be so lost to the world, but that all men acknov/ledge the obligations springing from it, though some differ greatly about the motive. But why it should be greater slavery to serve and to obey a merciful Redeemer, who laid down his life for us, and gave us these invaluable laws, than to follow the accidental dictates of our own understandings, and to trust in nothing but our own righteousness, must be left to be decided by tliose who have less modesty or more subtlety than my- self. €n the Thanhgiving Day. 407 self. We must indeed admit that there is serm, more liberty in living according to the pri- '^^^^* vate suggestions of one's own fancy, than according to the written and express laws of God ; more liberty in judging one's self, than being subject to the judgment and inspection of an all-seeing and perfect Be- ing ! But who, that values his ov/n li- berty, and is capable of judging of conse- quences, would live with persons of this description*? Such opinions, however, are abroad ; and therefore, as it may well be expected of me as a minister of Christ's Gospel, as well as of all others who are so^ " now more particularly to " confess him he^ ''^ fore men," I shall not scruple here to declare, which I do most solemnly and confidently, that, without neglecting any arguments of our adversaries that I can find means to examine, yet ever})- day's re- * Though there may be something quaint in the foI~ lowing remark, what can be more reasonable? ** I do *' not rejoice to hear that men may do what they please^ *' unless I know what it pleases them to do J" — Burke on the French Revolution. flection 4o8 On the Thanksgiving Day. SERM. flection and consideration only serves to ^^'^* convince me more and more of the truth of Christie.' nity, and of the fatal deception those give way to, who are moved, hy any attacks so capable of refutation, to renounce ^nd abandon it I To conclude — Let us consider the vic- tories we are now commemorating, as a proof that, notwithstanding our manifold sins and wickednesses, the Almighty is on our side — that principles so ferocious and so repugnant to the established order of society, as those of our enemy ; that im- piety so monstrous as that of rejecting tho God of their salvation, will not be per- mitted to prevail against us ; so long as we fulfil all the religious and moral duties of Christianity, maintain the happy consti- tution we were born under, and waver nothing in our faith ; remembering al- ways, that whensoever tlie victorious Israelites did waver and incline to the principles of their enemies, as I have stated above, God then forsook them also, and delivcFcd On the Thanksgiving Day. 409 delivered them over to their foes. Let us seHm. hope that we are preserved to be hereafter x^i'- an example to the world, as professing those * principles which the God of heaven is pleased to sanction, and which in his own good time may put to silence those who now disturb the world. Let us daily pray to God, in the comprehensive words of our Litany, that he will continue " to " preserve us in battle arid from murder ; " from all sedition, privy conspiracy, and re^ " bellion ; from all false doctrine, heresy, " a7id schism ; from hardness of heart, and " contempt of his word and commandments. *' That it may please him to restore to all " Jtations unity, peace, and concord ; that he " will brifig back into the way of truth all " those who have erred and been deceived ; " and, finally, that he will forgive our enemies *' and persecutors, and turn their hearts !'* So that, contemplating the religion and laws we profess, they may discover, in the protection of God, the evil of their own ways, and be brought back to a sense of what is right. Let us pray the good God E e to 410 On the Thanksgiving Day, 5ERM. to be the defender of our gracious Sove-» XXII. j-eign against all open violence and secret conspiracy, that this his realm *' may he " quieV* once more, ^' God giving hnn rest " round about.'' FINIS, eruata. Page 51,1.15, for reason and nature jtowff out, rezd point. — — 52, 1. 20, — shall ascend in corruption, read in incorruptiorh • 72, 1. 5, — sholud, read should, 78, 1. 17, — on others, read o/" others. — — 1,03, 1. 9, — into, read unto, ib. 1. 17, ~ it, read them. I—— 147, 1. 9, — transcendanl, read transcended^. — — 184, last line, for liberties, read liberti/. f— 379, 1. 15, for mitapprfhenions, rjead misapprekensiont. 4