K»*! >»*; ' ^ .• F*' ^ -, it ■ •' /; s ;'»' ' /rim : /fi/?au/o^ . 7 5 J t.3L. .-e to bri?ig me ■under greater Sufpicio?i of itj I fball^ My Lord^ on this^ a-nd with the Blef^ fwg of Cody on all other Occafions^ de- termine my jelf by the following Rule j That we are faithfully to confult our own Keajon and Confcience in what ever we do^ without reJpeSi to the' un- jusi Prejudices or Pajfions of other T/j/j Kuhy My Lord^ is the only true and gemmie Spring of Satis faSlton to us in the lower Circumfiances of Life ^ But it iSy if fo(pble^ of grea- ter Importance fill to Perfons in pub- lick and eminent Stations ^ to juch of them efpecially^ who ha^ve been intrufl- ed with the chief DireSiion of Affairs : As Dedication. v As the ReafonSy 7tpo?z which they fro- cced^ are Jiot only more unhiowiiy and remote from common Notice^ but ought on many obvious Accounts to be jo. And yet y My Lord^ tho"^ in Matters of State y there are a thotijand Inci- dents^ which render it diffcnlt for the ablcS Min/Jicrs to co?idnU themfelzfeSy how frequently do the wcahfl and mosi incompetent Judges of thofe Meafures they are obliged to take^ affumc a Right of animadi^er.ting upon it ? So that Po- liticks it may be faid^ are become the ordinary Topicks of D/jcourfe in a man- gier to all Men^ but Politicians. Be pleased ^ My Lord^ to pardon mc for halving mention d a Suhjeci fo fo- reign to my Province. It will be much more proper for me to acquaint Tout hordjhip with the Motives upon which I was induced to prefix Your 'Name to thefe Difcourfes. A ^ That vi Dedication. That' Tour Lordjhip is an able Judge in all the more elegant and ufeful Parts of Learning^ will he readily acknow^ ledgd : But it is the Happinejs of thofe^ who ha^je the Honottr of enjoy- ing Tour Lordjhip^s ntoU improz^ing^ and withal moH free and eafy Conifer- fation^ to obferve^ that Tour Abilities^ to judge of whatever comets' before Tou^ are not fuperior to Tour. Candour and Goodnejs in the Judgments Tou wake^ Tour Lor djhip^ s fa'vour able Opinion of the Two preceding Volumes is afig- n^l Inftance hereof-^ and for which I cannot here omit to pay my very hum- ble Acknowledgements. Tou were pleas d^ My Lord^ to place the many DefeSis that occurrd in them^ to the Account of thofe unhappy and difadvantageotis Circumftances^ under which they n^erc composed. But hoWy My Lord^ Jhall J account for it my felf that after fe- deral Noble In fiances of Toux Libera- lity Dedication. lit) towards retrieving my Foi-tHnes^ I ha've not been able to difco^uer more fenfeble and iporthy EffeSis of it^ in what I ha've now the Honour of pre- Renting Ton ? Tet I am not fo zfain^ My Lord^ oi to afcribe tbofe Fa'uours to my part i^ €idar Merit ^ which are owing to a ge^ nerul Inclination of Tour Lordjhip to ASis of Munificence^ and the Encou- ragamnt Ton are found on all Occaji- ms jo readily difpos'd to gi've^ towards the Ad'vancement of Knowledge in any Kindy that may be of any real ZJfe to the World, It is from this generom Principle ^ that after a long and cnrioJis Search^ and with unbounded Expence^ Your Lordjhip has amajs^d together^ one of the moSi 'valuable and choice CoUeBions fif Records^ and other learned Monu- ments of Antiquity ^ which this Nati- A 4 on. Vlll JJedication. on^ or the Age can produce : But wherC", of Tour Lordjhip is fo per feci a M.a- jier^ as if Ton had liiPd in the fez^e- ral Ages wherein they were pennd^ and con'vers'd with the jei^eral Authors of them. It ky My Lord^ real Matter of Sur-r pri^e^ that a Gentleman early habitua^ ted to Bufinefs and a ft a5liery remarkable a manner ^ a?td in the Dtttifid Returns whereof Tour Lordfhip has ever been as remarkably happy. But Ifl:all barely pre fume y My Lord^ to fay fomething more particularly con- cerning one great Quality^ wherein Tour Lordjliip has no Superior^ that has with Re a j on e'ver beefi efteenid among the higheB PerfeSiions of human Nature^ and which adds indeed a Dignity and huflve to all the reU, I intend^ My Lord^ thai Fortitude^ which difco'vers it fcif i?i enabling ns^ if I may ufe a popular^ but abnfi've way of Speakings to bear the Smiles and the Frowns of Fortune^ with equal temper, h Dedication, xi In both thefe RefpeBs Tour Lord- Pjip^s Faz>oiirite Maxim feems to he the fame with that of Tour Favourite Poct^ Laudo mancntcm^ 11 ccleres qiiatit Pennas^ refigno que dcdit^ 8c nica Virtute me involvo. In all the Incidents of Tour Lord- fhip^s Life^ the jame Steadinefs^ the fame Complacency of Temper has al- ways appear d. Ton ha've been^ My Lord^ no lefs eafy and condescending in the frji Fojis of Credit and Honour ^ than composed under Circumftances of greater Diffjculty or Danger. The At- tack %vhich rras made in fo violent a manner upon Tour Life^ and v/ijich rrill be men lion d in Hiflories^ of much lon- ger Duration^ than any thing I can pro- pofe to Pubi/jh^ IV as receizul by Tour Lord/hip y^'ith lejs Concern^ than it was rejcnted by the Noble Perfons about You. Xii D E D I C A T I P N, You. It rpoo a much more fenfible Wound yXphich Your Lordjhip felt upon the Death of that moU excellent and accomplijh^d Lady^ the late Marchio^ nefs of Caermarthan. But e'ven that was fuftaind with all the Kefignation to Fro'vidence^ which a Debt owing to Nature from the moSi tender and affli^- ed Father would allow. My Lord^ I do not fay thefe T^hings out of a falfe Complaijance to Tour Lordjhip. Nothing can be more oppofite to the Temper I haz^e mention d^ and where- in true Greatncfs of Mind confifls^ than the lit fie Artifices of Infittuationy by fuch a Method. What appears more bright and extraordinary in Ferfons of fuperonr Condition j ought notwithfland^ ing to be obfer^vd for the common Be-^ neft of Mankind • and as we may take occafion thereby of making mafiy impro- ■fvifjg and moral RejleSiio?is, Were De- dications Dedication, xiii dications always to be formd upon this Vietv^ they would no longer lye under the great Discredit ^ which they general- ly^ and indeed the moB part dejer^ed- ly do. My Lord^ I ha^e chiefly tnentiond fonte of thofe generous Qitalifications as entring into the DiftinSlion of Tour Chara^ier^ which are the proper Ornaments ofpri- *vate Life. It falls not within my Sphere to fay any thing with RefpeSl to the high Part Ton haz/e aSled^ in the jidminiftration of Public k Affairs • nei- ther fhall I take upon me to enumerate the feveral Honours done Tou by our late excellent So'vereign^ in regard to Tour perfonal Merit ^ and to a long Se- ries of Ancejiors of Tour own Name^ who ha've been dijiinguijh^d by the moft illuflriom Alliances in the King- dom, IfbaU Xiv D E D I C A T I O N. I fljall only J My Lord^ beg led^ve u add^ that befjdes the in^vincibte Mo-* tif, height- ned with Circumftances of a more folemn Im- piety. Tho' there is another Reafon, I take it, why the Charge of a Lye is generally thought fola- fupportable. The Character wherein iMen place their Glory is Courage, as that of Women is Chaftity. Now there is nothing which fo much betrays meanefs of Spirit, and want of Courage as a Lye^ for as Men naturally love Truth, they would always fpeak it, were they not rcftrain'd by an unmanly and degenerous fear of fuflering one Inconvenience or other, Ihould they faithfully declare their real Sentiments. But Cowardice is a Reproach, which of all others. Men, who have any regard either to their Honour or Interefts, are the leaft able to bear. For what Expedations can a Perfon have from the World in either refpedt, who is nei- ther fit to command nor to lerve, to advife or to execute ; and who is equally inconliderable, whether we confider him as an Enemy or a Friend. Sincerity does not only confift in fpeaking the Truth without Artifice or Difguife, but in be- ing faithful to the outward Profeffions of Kind- ncfs and Refped which we make to other Men ; and in fatisfying them, that our Words fpeak the S E R M O N L 17 the real Language of our Hearts. Under this Diftindtion we exprefs Sincerity ^ by Candor and Ingenuity, as under the former by Veraci- ty. But a Man of Candor by any outward Sig- nification of what he intends in favour of ano- ther, will no more miQead him into a falfe Ex* pcdation, than a Man of Veracity will impofe upon any Perfon, by a downright Falfhood. I mention nothing of the Injullice done by fromijfory Lyes, to thofe, who are fo credulous as to entertain Hopes from them ^ nor of the common Pretences ".vhich are made to excu{e them \ That they are necelTary to keep up the Dependencies of great Men ^ to give them a higher Air of Dignity and Power ^ and to pre- vent the World as much, and fo long, as they poflibly can, from entertaining any Prejudices againft them, for want of generoflty, or an In- clination at lead to oblige. But I am not here confidering the private Motives upon which Perfons in eminent Stations, may fonietimes be induced to act •, but what is incumbent upon all good Men, without Diftindion at all rimes. And tho' Candor and Ingenuity are not Terms exprefly found in Scripture ;, yet the Import of them is, both in the Precepts of it, and the Praftife of the Faithful recorded in it : To whom it was the great Matter of Joy and Triumph under their Sufferings. That with Simplicity and ^e Worlds 2 Cor. i. 12. And in the following Chap- ter, to fhcw that the Simplicity here mentioned, did not only refpect their manner of Life, but their Fidelity in whatever they faid, the Apoftle gives them this Charader. That they fpake as of VOL. IIL C 5z«- iS S E R M O N I. Sincerity^ as of God^ and in the Sight of God^ 2 Cor. i]. 17. than which there cannot be a morq powerful Confideration to thofe, who believe a God, to make them always {peak the real Senfe of their Minds. Yet I would not hereby infinuate, as if a Maa were oblig'd to be fo very open and communi- cative, as to let all Perfons, without referve, into all his Dellgns. The wifelt of Men, would appear toad in many Cafes very weakly, were ihey to form their Condud by fuch a Rule. And indeed it would be a great Reproach upon Chr|- ftianity to fuppofe Chriftian Prudence incon- fiftent with common Difcretion. Our Blefled Saviour, by qualifying the Simplicity of the Dove, with the VVifdom of the Serpent, has plainly inllruded us, that Candor is not only very reconcilable with Caution, but ought never to be feparated from it. Thirdly^ I am to confider what is requir'd of us, with refped to a Holy Converfation. Noll- mfs properly implies a Separation, whether of Things or Perfons, from common and prophane Ufes. Thus the Apoftlediredly oppoies Holy to Unclean, iCor.v'i]. 14. In another Place he makes it the great End of our EU^ion in Chrpft^ That we (hould be Holy, Efhef. i. 4, and Heb. vij. 16. He exprclles the Holinefs of ChHfh hini- felf, by his being Separate from Sinners. A holy Converfation therefore implies, That we iliould diftinguifh our felves on all Occalions, by expreffing a jufb and awful Regard to the great God, xohofe we Are^ and whom we Serve \ That we (hould never fpeak of him but with the profoundeil Veneration j That we Ihould make Religioa S E R M O N I. 19 Religion as much as poflible, and fo far as may confift with the Honour and Dignity of it, the Subjed of our Difcourfes : In a Word, That we fhould be careful on no Occafion whatever to offend againft the Rules of ftrift Piety, buG always appear to preferve at leaft, an habitual Senfe of it, at the fame time we are aShually talk- ing of common and indifferent Matters. But there are two Vices oppos'd to a Holy Converfation, which we ought in Particular to Guard againft, and thofe are Prophanenefs and Impurity. Prophanenefs, asitrefpeds common and cu- ftomary Swearing, is fo exploded a Vice in Con- verfation among all Perfons, who would be thought fit, I do not fay for Chriftian, but even for human Society, that there is no need of my ufing many Arguments to Caution you againft it ^ againft a Crime, I fay, from which, it is fo generally agreed, Reafons of common Decency ought to reftrain thofe very Perfons, who have no Regard to the Impiety of it. A ludricrous and prophane Abufe of Things Sacred, is no lefs Oppofite to the Holinefs of Chriftian Converfation. 1 do not know whe- ther this Vice is fo generally Difcountenanc'd, as the former : The Drefiing up of Things Sa- cred in a humorous and odd Difguife, as it ftrikes the Imagination, may poftibly be thought to have fomething in it of that bright and agree- able Quality, Wit •, and Men are very difficult- ly perfuaded, that it is a Crime in any Cafe to be Witty. Let us however fuppofe, that there may be Scope for an ingenious Conceit, in ap- plying what is moft Grave and Solemn to fome ordinary or trifling Affair •, yet this^ it will be G 2 allow'd. 20 S E R M O N I. allow'd, is but at the belt a very low kind of Wit, which any Man who has Indifcretion enough to fhew it, is almoft capable of : For in this way of being Facetious, what has the For- tune foitietimes not to give the Offence which ought to be taken, does not lie fo much in the Ingenuity of the Conceit, as in the impious Boldnefs and Temerity of it. A poor Pretence indeed to Wit, which in the very Defign of it, forfeits the Reputation of a Man's Wifdom ; which is the moft fcandalous Inftance of Prophane and vain Babblings and forms itfelf only upon an idle Turn of Words, for which a ftrid and fe- vere Account muft be given at the laft Day. We are further oblig'd to a Holy Converfa- tion, as it is oppos'd to all immodeft and im- pure Language. The Liberties of Converfation in this refpedt, will not always bear a ftridt Ex- amination, and are very Oppofite to the Spirit of our Holy Religion. If we enquire into the Original of a Crime fo unbecoming thofe, who profefs the Gofpel of Qhrift ^ it is fometimes owing, like that of Prophanenefs, to a Pre- tence, fuch as it is, of Humour or Wit ; but is the more Common, as it tends to excite thofe Ideas of fenfual Objedts, wherewith the Mind is too apt to be fliaken : So that it is no Wonder, if Men of corrupt Hearts and defil'd Imagina- tions, naturally run into impure Allulions ^ anc[ not only pleafe themfelves, but exped that others will not be altogether difpleas'd with them-, efpecially where they are diftant, and not introduc'd after too grofs and fhocking a Manner. This only difcovers to us the Corrup- tion that is in the World, through Lvfi-, and that there are Perfons who profefs Chriftianity, that do tS E R M O N I. 21 do not regulate their Converfjtion by the Laws of it. For 'tis the Character of Chriftians ia their regenerate State-, That, they have Cru" cify'd the Flejli, with the Affecilons and Lnjls. That, they have put ojf concerning the former Converfa- tion, the Old Man^ -which is Corrupt^ according to deceitful Lvfls^ and that they have put on the Nem Afan^ which is created in Righteoufnefs and true Holinefs. To engage us to maintain and Support this Charafter, it is given us in Charge, That we fhould let no corrupt Communication come ovt of our Mouthy hut that which is Good to the IJfe of Edifying^ Ephef. iv. 19. And the Reafon is ad- ded in the following Words \ becaufe hereby in a more fpecial Manner v^q grieve the Holy Spi- rit of God, the Spirit of Purity. In the next Chapter, v. 3. the Apoftle further commands. That Fornication^ and alt Vncleanefs or Covetevf- fiefs fTKiovi^iety jhould not be once narad among us AS hecometh Saints : Neither Filthinefs, nor foolifj Talking^ nor J e flings which are not cotjvcnicnt. I would only defire, by way of Coacluflon to obferve, that in exhorting you to fuch a Con- verfation, as becometh the Gofpel of Chrift, I have recommended nothing but v;hat is highly becoming, with refpeft to all the Duties and Ornaments of human Life. The Defign of Chd- ftianity is not to render Men lefs Agreeibie in Civil Converfation, but to give it all the Bright- nefs and Improvements it is capable of. What is required of us in our Intercourfe with one another as Chriftians, is the moft conducive to the Happinefs of Society, and the Decorum which ought to be obferv'd in it, if wc conlidev ourfelvesmerelv as Social Creatures* So that C 3 li aa SERMON I. if the Rules of Converfation, which have been prefcrib'd, were duly obferv'd ^ liGoodnefs^ Sin- cerity^ and Piety^ were the inviolable Principles, upon which Men would refolve to converfe to- gether, how lovely and defirable would all Af- femblies to this End be, in comparifon of what they frequently are? What Regret would it then give us, even to think of traducing the Inno- cent •, of having recourfe to the little Arts of Lying and Diffimulation ^ or of advancing any thing contrary to the Maxims of a ftrift Purity : Certainly Converfation would be then fo refin'd, fo refembling of Heaven, that no Vmlean Thing in any refpeft could be permitted to enter into it^ And indeed if we would ordet our Converfa- tion right, in all the foregoing refpedts, it is to Heaven, at laft, we muft raife up our Thoughts. I have been willing to give human Confidera- tions their due Weight, but Rill we {hall fail very much in our Duty, if we aft upon no higher a Principle than that of Decency or prefent Con- venience, we muft therefore Sanftify the Beau- ties of a Civil, by the Graces of a Chriftian Converfation •, and whatever we fpeak, after the holy Example beforementioned, let us fpeak it as of Sincerity^ as of God, and in the Sight of God.» Amen. S E R. SERMON 11. The Method of Preaching the Gofpcl^ when it was firft divulg'd^ One confiderable Proof of its Truth and Divinity • with the Influence w^hich this Confideration ought to have in feveral Refpefis upon us. M A T.^ 5. And the Poor have the Gofpel Preached unto them. THESE Words are part of our Saviour's Anfwer to the Two Difciples, who were fent by John Baptisl to inquire of him, Whether he was the Mcffiah. For their Satisfadion in fo important an Article, our Lord Appeals to the 'known and numerous Miracles, which had been done by him. Go, fays he, in the Words pre- ceding, and ^KW John again thofe things^ which ye do hear and fee ; the Blind receive their Sight, and the Lame walk *, the Lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear j the Dead are raised up, — -^ C J, Thcfs C14 S E R M O N II. Thefe were Proofs with a Witnefs, and the ftrongeft which could be given or demanded, that Jefm was the Chrifl-^ that he came from God, and that God was with him : What need then, may it be quellion'd, had our BlefTed Sa- viour of any further Witnefs ? Or why is this Circumftance added, as an Argument in the lafi Place, of his being the Meffiah, which feems notwithftanding to have nothing Miraculous or very Extraordinary in it ? That, The Poor had the Gofpel Preached unto them. That I may give the more clear and diftind Anfwer to a Queftion, which appears to have fome reafonable Foundation, and will afford Matter for very ufeful Reflexions, I fhall dif- courfe on the Words in the following Or- der. Hr/?, I Ihall inquire who are here mean'd by the Poor. Secondly^ What we are to underftand by their having the Gofpel Preach'd unto them. Thirdly^ How their having the Gofpel Preach'd nnto them-, was an Argument of our Saviour's Divine Mifilon and Authority. And, Fourthly^ I fhall draw fome pradical Improve- ments from what has been faid. Pirfi^ By the Poor, we are primarily to under- ftand Perfons of low Circumftances and Condi- tion in the World -^ Inconfiderable, with refpeft to their Birth, or Education ^ or who have been brouG,ht up to fome mean, and perhaps very fer- vile Employment^ one or more of thefe Cha- racters, and fometimes all of them, enter into our Motion of a poor Man. And if we conll- der S E R M O N II. 25 der what fort of Men they were that our Sa- viour firft caird to be his Difciples, and to whom the Gofpel was firfb Preach'd, we fhall difcover their Poverty in mofl:, or all the fore- mentioned Refpedls, They were a Company of illiterate Galileans^ and obfcure Fifhermen, al- together Strangers to Philofophy and the Scien- ces ^ and diftinguifli'd by nothing fo much as their great PUinefs and Simplicity ^ For, Secondly^ By the Poor, we are not only to nn- derftand Perfons labouring under hard or in- digent Circumftances of Life; but Men of aa honeft, meek, and humble Temper of Mind. There is a Poverty of Spirit, as there is of Con- dition, and which is common indeed to People of all Conditions: Yet, conlidering how high Men are apt to bear themlelves upon the Ad- vantages of this World, and to have their Heads turn'd by the Height of their Station in it; we may in general, morereafonably expert to find the Poor in Spirit, among the Poor in Condi- tion. Accordingly our Saviour, during the Courfe of his Triennial Miniftry, was chiefly converfant with Perfons of the lowefl Rank and Fortune in the World. Thefe he chofe to be his Auditors, his Companions and Friends, as being of a Temper which inclined them more readily to embrace the Gofpel •, and as having fewer Interefts in this Life to prejudice them againll it; or to occafion their Apoftacy from it. And therefore our Lord begins that excel- lent Sermon, at the firft opening of his Mini- ftry upon the Mount, with this Beatitude, Blef- fed are the Poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Hen'je-fi^ Mat. v. 3. Whereby he fignify'd to his Hearers, that a good and humble Temper of Mind, 2<5 S E R M O N IL Mind, was the befb Qiialification to prepare them for receiving the great Truths of Religi- on, and to make the Grace of God operate up- on their Hearts with its fnll force. And here 'tis obfervable, that the Word which in the Text is rendei'd Poor, in the 6ift of Ifalah-, Ver. i. The Place refer'd to by cur Saviour, is render'd Meek. The Spirit of the Lord^ fays the Prophet in his Name, is upon me j hecaufe the Lord hath anointed me ivetyyzhi'C^i^ctt •rJuKoii (the very Words here ufed) to preach the Gofpei to the Meeky and to bind vp the broken- hearted. The Young Man in the Gofpei, who feem'd in fo many Refpefts to be very well, and religi- onfly difpofed •, yet for want of this one Qua- lification, Poverty of Spirit, forfook the Blelled Jefus, and render'd all his other good Difpofi- tions of no effed towards his Converfion. And upon this occafion our Lord obfervcs, how hard or rather impojftble it was, without an extraor- dinary preventing Grace of God, to which all Things are pofTible, for a rich Man to enter inta the Kingdom of Heaven •, that is, fincerely to em- brace and profefs the Chriftian Religion : For fo the Kingdom of Heaven is here, and in fe- veral other Places, to be underftood. A Religi- eny which in its Principles was fo oppofite to the Maxims of that corrupt Age, and the Pro- feffion whereof expos'd Men to unavoidable Suf- ferings and Perfecutions, and frequently to fuch as were of all others molt terrible to human Apprehenfion, We are not then to wonder, if upon the firfi: IPreaching of the Gofpei, as the Apoftle obferves. Not many wife Men after the Flejh^ not many migh^ S E R M O N II. CS7 fy, not many noble were calVd% But the early Converts to Chriftianity, were rather diflin- guifh'd by a good and pious Difpofition of Mind, than by the Superiority of their Fortune or Circumftances in the World. Shall we fay, that the Poverty of their Condition render'd them proper Objefts of Divine Grace, and their Po- verty of Spirit more cfFedually difpos'd them to comply with and follow its Motions. Secondly, I am to enquire what we are to un- derftand by the Gofpel being preach'd to the Poor. For tho' the Words may feem to im- port no more, than that our Saviour by his Preaching acquainted the Poor with the Nature and Defign of Chriftianity •, and let them know upon what Terms they might enter into his Kingdom and be fav'd. Yet 'tis probable he may not only have refped here to the Matter, but alfo to the Manner of his Preaching unto them ^ and that was by condefcending to their Capacities, by a free eafy and familiar way of difcourfmg to them, and by bringing down the heavenly Dodrines he taught, as near as pofli- ble to their very Senfes. And to this End in particular he fo frequently made ufe of Parables ^ and after the fame manner ftill continues to Preach to the Poor, having caus'd thofe excel- lent Schemes of Inftrudtion to be deliver'd down for the Benefit of all fucceeding Ages in a fianding Writing. And what Method could have been contriv'd more fuitable to the ordinary Capacities of Men? Than that, which let them into the moft fublime and important Truths by fenfible Arguments, by eafy and familiar Re- prefentations taken from probable Occurrences of Human Life, which chalk'd out the Rules of V a8 S E R M O N II. of their Duty to them, as it were in vifible Lines •, fo that the weakefl are capable of feeing them, and the wifell cannot but admire the ex- cellent Order and Defign of them. As our Lord condefcended to the ordinary Ca- pacities of Men in his frequent ufe of Parables, {6 did he alfo, and continues to do, by the eafy and familiar fuhllme of his Stile. In his admi- rable Sermon upon the Mount, which contains the Sum of the Chriftian Religion, with re- fped to moral Duties, we obferve no rethorical Arts of Speech, or elaborate Periods ; fuch as we ordinarily meet with in Vlato, Tully^ and other Heathen Moralifts -^ which often indeed amufe and divert our Thoughts in an agreeable manner, but feldom fpeak to the Heart, and therefore feem rather to have been originally defign'd for the Pleafure than the Profit of their Readers : if perhaps as fuperior to both tbeie Regards, they did not confult their own Glo- ry or Applaule. In certain Schools of the ancient Philofophers, they had a fort of Cabala^ or fecret Tradition, which was communicated to them, if I may lb fpeak, under the Seal of Confeffion. None but thofe of their own Sed could, without a high Profanation, be let into the Myfteries of it. And for this reafon their Principles were conveigh'd down in remote and obfcure ExprefTions •, which they only, who had a Key to them, were capa- ble of unfolding. As to the Prophane Vulgar, for fo the proud Philofophers efteem'd them, they were look'd upon v/ith too great Contempt to have any due Care taken for their Inftruftion even in the fundamental and necelTary Points of Aforality. S E R M O N 11. 29 But it being the Will of God, that all Men who were to have the Means of Salvation ten- der'd to them, fhould be fav'd, and come to the Knowledge of the Truth^ our Saviour in the Dif- charge of his Prophetical Office adapted the Means to fo gracious an End, and confulted ra- ther what might be of moll obvious and gene- ral Ufe to Mankind, than what might tend to gratify the Inclination or Curiofity of particu- lar Perfons. And herein he adted conformably, not only to his own and his Father's Defire, that every Perfon to whom the Gofpel might be Preach'd, fhould be brought to the Acknowledgment of the Truth, but to an exprefs Prophecy in Scrip- ture concerning the Gofpel Difpenfation ; That All Men fhould then \mvo God, or have the Means of knowing him indifferently afforded them, from the leaf: to the great eft. But I pro- ceed. Thirdly^ To enquire how our Saviour's Preach- ing the Gofpel to the Poor, was an Argument of his Divine Mifllon and Authority. To which Enquiry, the Explication already given of the Words, if we refled a little upon it, will ena- ble us to give a full and fatisfadory Anfwer. For, i/. If by the Poor we underftand Perfons of a low and mean Condition in the World, our Saviour's addreffing himfelf principally to fuch Perfons, and his chufing them to be his Com- panions and Difciples made, it evidently appear, that the Religion he came to plant in the World, wanted nothing to recommend and fupport it, but the native Truth and Excellency of it, and the Confirmation which the feveral Miracles work'd 30 S E R M O N II. work'd by him, had given to it. Had he come as a Deceiver of the People^ and with a Defign of gaining Profelites among them, under the Pre- tence of fetting lip a new Religion, it is natural to fuppofe, if the Suppofition it felfmay be al- io w'd, that in order to credit and promote fuch a Delign, he would have fought the Favour of the Great, or theConverfationof the Learned: Efpecially at a time when there was fo general an E\'peftation among all forts of People of the Mejfiah\ coming. Inftead of this Chrift firft difcovers himfelf, and Preaches the Gofpel to a company of obfcure illiterate Perfons ft-om whom he could have no Expeftations of Fa- vour or Intereft •, and which is ft ill more, he chufes Twelve of them to be the firfl; Minifters in his Church, and empowers them to Preach the fame Gofpel to others. By this Means, I fay, our Lord obviated one of the molt fpecious Objedions that could have been raifed againft the Truth and Divinity of his Holy Religion. Had he chofe his Apoftles from among the Learned Rabbles of the Jews^ or cut of the celebrated Schools of Athens •, who by their Authority or fophiftical Arts of Per- fuafion might have impos'd upon the Credulity of more ignorant Perfons ♦, Or had he made ufe of the famous Orators and Poets, which at that time flourifh'd in Rome^ who might have charm'd the Minds of Men, with moving Ex- prefllons, or tuneful Numbers. Why, then it might have been with more fhew of Reafon pretended, that Chriftianity was nothing but a cunningly devis'd Fable, that the Growth of it, which Unbelievers would ftill pretend, was owing to mere Human Artifice, or the Craft of S E R M O N II. 3t of thofe who had fome liitereft or Vanity to ferve in deceiving others. Again •, Had the firfl: Difciples of our Lord been Perfons confiderable for their Quality or Fortune, their Power or Alliances in the World, it might then have been prefurn'd, that the Reafon why Chriftianity obtaia'd fo fait, and fpread it felf fo wide, was not to be afcrib'd to the force of Truth, or the Evidence of Mira- cles, whereby it is faid to have been confirm'd ; but as other Religions in the World owe their Origin and Progrefs to mere Human Caufes, or a well-improv'd Concurrence of Force and Po- licy. To obviate any Prejudices of this Kind againfl: his Holy Religion, our Saviour v^ifely made choice of fuch Perfons to Preach it, who had no perfonal Advantages to recommend them to fo great an Undertaking \ who had neither Learn- ing whereby they might be fuppos'd to per- vert •, nor Power to over-awe, nor Inter eft to bribe the Judgment of thofe they Preach'd to. And indeed that Twelve fuch inconllderable Perfons on all thefe Accounts, were yec able in fo little a compafs of Time to convert great Numbers, both of Jews and Idolatrous Heathens to the Chriftian Faith, againit the fettled Laws and Powers of the World •, againft all the Op- polition their Dodrine every where met with \ and againft the corrupt Principles and Paflions of Men, which it was defign'd to correft : This, I fay, tho' the Truth of Chriftianity was fuffici- ently eftablilh'dby the other miraculous Works our Saviour here mentions, yet feems to have been the grcatelt Miracle of aU. What 32 SERMON II. What could a Combination of fuch Men have done towards the eftablifhing a New and Holy Religion in the World, under fo many Difad- vantages \ or rather how can we fuppofe it had been poflible for them to have engaged in a De- fign, to which they were altogether unequal, If God had not been with them. . One would as foon have thought, that a iin- gle and unarm'd Man might have conquer'd the Roman Legions, as that the Chriflian Religion could have been planted in the World by the Miniftry of fuch inconfiderable Perfons. A Re- ligion every where evil fpoken of, and evil in- treated, as a dangerous Innovation, both upon the Jewiflo and Gentile Worfliip. So that we may infer, if the Dodtrine, which Chrift came to Preach had been of Men, but efpecially of fuch Men as were neither recommended by their Learning, their Intereft, or any fecular Advan- tage, it would certainly have come to nought : But feeing after all the Oppofition and Difcou- ragements the firft Difciples of our Lord met with, great Numbers of Profelites were flill added to the Faith by their Preaching and La- bours •, this feems a very convincing Argument, that the Doftrine which they taught tp^ o/Co^. For to what can we impute an Effed, to which the Means that were employ'd to produce it, were fo wholly Difproportionate ? To what, but that Divine Power which can equally operate any Event with Means, or without Means ^ and to which thofe Things are poflible, that with Men are impoflible. 2^/y, If we confider the firft Difciples of Chrift in the other Senfe, as poor in Spirit :, as Perfons of an honeft, meek and humble Tem- per SERMON II. 35 per of Mind. This is flill a further Argument, that fefus was the Chrifl:, and of the Truth ot' that JEioly Religion which he came to Preach to them. If they had been only Poor, with re- fpeft to their outward Condition of Life ♦, it might have been objeded to them, that they embrac'd the Chriftian Religion, and however unqualified, yet engag'd in the Defign of pro- moting it, upon the Profped of fome extraordi- nary Interelt or Advantage -^ for Men who are aded by any fuch Views, will fet all the Springs of Motion at work^ defpife Difficulties and Dan- gers ; and exert themfelves in attempting things which are to Appearance above their Reach or Abilities. Thus the firft Difciples of Chrift, being fuppofed Perfons of a low and mean Con- dition in the World, but, as it fometimes hap- pens with Men of like Circumltances, being of a high and afpiring Temper of Mind, they might in hopes of making themfelves confidera- ble, and advancing their Fortune, have been induc'd to profefs theChriftian Religion, and to have undertaken theBufinefs of Preaching it to others ; and being once engag'd in the Un- dertaking, their Zeal and Diligence, animated by their Ambition, might have carry'd them thro' very many and great Difficulties. This, I prefume, is what the Enemies of our Holy Religion might think of objefting tons, when we fliould urge to them the Succefs of it under the Condud and Miniftry of a few poor and illiterate Men, as an Argument of its Truth and Divinity. And indeed there would be fonie reafonable Pretence for the Objecflion, if the firfi; Converts to Chriftianity had been invited or drawn in to VOL. III. D embrace 34 SERMON II. embrace it upon any worldly Motives, or Con- fiderations. It is evident on the oclier hand, that one great Defign of the firit Sermon our Lord Preach'd, was to encourage his Difciples againfl: Sufferings and Perfecutions, and what ambitious Minds are the leaft capable of fub- iiiittingto, againft Calumny and Difgrace. And when he CommifTion'd a feled Number of them to Preach the Gofpel, they were told, Mat. x. 1 5. That he fent them forth as Sheep in the midfi of Wolves. Naked and Unarm'd againft mali- cious and powerful Enemies on every fide. That they fljould he delivered vp to the Councils^ and Scourged in the Synagogues^ V. 17. and that even their own Kindred jljould betray and caufe them to be put to deaths V. 27. This was but poor Confola- tion to Men, who had nothing further in Pro- fped, than their Temporal Eafe or Advantage^ or rather indeed, what could have tended more diredly to oppofe or contradid the Defigns of fuch Men ? Upon the whole Matter, feeing the firll t)i- fciples of our Saviour did not embrace Chri- ftianity upon any worldly Expedations, but on Conditions wholly incompatible with the Inte*. lefts of this Life ^ what greater Argument could fuch innocent and undeligning Men give, that they were not influenc'd by any worldly Mo- tives, but boldly aflerted and preach'd the Truth, from a full and fuicere Convidlion of it. But further. Thirdly^ The very manner of our Saviour^s Preaching the Gofpel, is no inconfiderable Ar- gument of its Truth. For he not only Preach'd fuch Dodrines, as moft eftedually tend to pro- mote the great End of all Religion, HeUnefsy but S E R M O N II. 35 but he deliver'd them with that Plainefs and PeiTpicuity, that there is no Man who employs the ordinary Means of Inilrudion, can have any jufl: Pretence for his Ignorance of them. It might perhaps have been more agreeable to the Genius of fome Men, if our Saviour had de- liver'd himfelf in a more rhetorical and pomp- ous Stile, or entertain'd his Hearers with cu- rious and philofophical Difquifitions. And 'tis probable indeed, had he not been a Teacher fenc from God, he would, agreeably to the Defign of mofl human Authors, have gratify'd the Curiofity of thofe, to whom he addrefs'd his Difcourfes, by condefcending to the popular and human Arts of Perfuafion. But 'tis below Per^ fons in Authority, to befpeak the. Favour of thofe who are to receive the Laws from them ; or to ufe any mean Infmuations to perfuade, what they have a Right, a Right fiipported by the clearefl; Reafon, to command. And therefore in the conclufion of our Sa- viour's excellent Sermon on the ?4ount, it is afllgn'd as the Caufe, why the Peoi^e were afto- nilh'd at his Doftrine, that he fpamms one having yiuthority^ and not as the Scribes. That is, He de- liver'd his Dodrine to the Jexvs as a Law-giver, who was able to Save and to Dcjiroy^ and not after the manner of thofe popular Teachers, who were to make good what they faid, by fpe-- cioUs Sophiltry, or a. vain Shew of humart Learning. Having confider'd in thefe feveral Refpcfl*;, why our Saviour, after he had appeal'd to the Miracles Jiie had done, mentions his Preaching theGofpelto the Poor, as a further Argument of his being the Melfiah, I am D 2 Fourthly^ 3^ SERMON II. Fourthly., And in the laft Place, todrawfome pradical Improvement from what has been faid. And, I. I would lay it down as a ufeful Inference, That all Men, whatever hard or mean Circum- ftances of Life the Providence of God has put them under, have great^ Reafon patiently to fubmit to his Will. For 'tis neceflary, in order to the Support and common Good of Society, that Men Ihould be diftinguifh'd from one an- other , by their outward Condition in 'this World. Upon a fuppos'd equality in their Fortunes, nothing but Confufion and Diforder would follow^ a ftop would foon be put to all Labour and Induftry, and the Improvement of ufefu-I Arts and Sciences. And therefore the wife Governor of the World has fo order'd it :, that there Ihould be in this Life, different Ranks and Degrees of Men i High and Low, Rich and Poor, one with with another. But thef^gpiftindions arifing from the Na- ture and NeceiTity of our prefent State, we can- not judge with any Certainty from them, con- cerning God's Love or Hatred to Men. And therefore as 'tis the Duty of a Brother of low. Degree to rejoice in that he is Exalted^ it is alfb matter of joy to the Rich^ that he is made Low^ James i. 9. Poverty and Riches being Things of no further Confideration, than they are more or lefs fubfervient towards promating the one thing, in comparifon, necelTary j the Happinefs of our.SouIs to all Eternity. Indeed, S E R M O N II. 37 Indeed, tho' neither a State of Poverty or Wealth, is in itfelf confider'd an Argument of the Divine Favour, or Difpleafure ^ yet of the two, there feems to be more advantageous Things fpoken in Scripture concerning a State of Poverty. It was to the Poor, as we have heard, that the Gofpel was firfl Preach 'd : They were the Perfons, whom our Lord on all occa- iions exprefs'd fo great Tendernefs and Com- panion for : They, while he was here upon Earth, were his chofen Difciples, his Compa- nions, and, which includes all other Teftimo- nies of Refpedt, his Friends. I fhall only add, that it is in favour of them the Apoftle St. J,^:mes puts the Queftion with a vifible Exultation, chap, ij. 5' Hath not God chofen the Poor of this World^ rich in Faith^ and Heirs of the Kingdom^ which he hath promised to them that love hi?/!. I do not hereby intend that a State of Poverty is in itfelf defirable. it is every Man's Duty to render himfelf as ufeful as he can, in Society : To which end, whether he be confidered u\ a Civil or Religious Capacity, a plentiful Con- dition in the World is certainly very fubfer- vient ; and is indeed fuppos'd fo by thofe Pro- mifes in Scripture, concerning Temporal Blef^ Ungs, whereby God has been pleas'd to encou- rage the Piety and Obedience of Men. It was not therefore from any-reafonable Principle, that fome of the Philofophers, and efpecially the Cynicks., endeavoured to cry down Riches and bring them into Contempt- bun from an Ambition of being thought above the World ^ or perhaps in order to revenge them- felves upon Fortune, becaufe fhe had not been piore liberal of her Favours to them. As to D 3 thofe o 8 SERMON II. thofe, who were poflefs'd of any confiderable Riches, but delir'd to diftinguifh themfelves by a voluntary Poverty, their affeding to he like the Gods^ who wanted nothing, foothM their Vanity and Arrogance to fuch a degree, as made them prefer Mifery to the greateft Bleffings and Con- veniencies of Life : So great is the force of hu- man Pride, and fo difficult to account for the Conduft of thefe Philofophical Sages, upoii any other Principle. But tho' we are not to defpife the Advantages of this World, both Reafon and Religion teach us to be perfedly refign'd to God's Will, in the want of them. And in particular, the Words of my Text afford unfpeakable Matter of Confolation to thofe, who areexpos'd to the greateft Miferies and Hardfhips, that attend an indigent Condition *, for they are hereby aflur'd, that God has regard to their great and fupreme Interefl: ^ that he Wills their Salvation \ and that in difpenfing the Means of it, they are entitled to a Mark of Diftindion in his Favour. And certainly if they at laft enter into the Kingdom of God, tho' with much Tribulation^ they will liave no Reafon for Diflatisfadtion or Com- plaint. 2. From what has been faid, Perfons of Su- perior Condition may learn the Duties of Re- fpect and Charity to the Poor. It is too ordina- ry for Men to treat thofe who are much below them, with Indifference, not to fay a fecret Con- tempt. This, does not only proceed from their Pride, but their Ignorance of what is owing to the Dignity of human Nature-, which being in all Perfons Originally the fame, fimfle F.jleem is equaUy due to all Mankind , and if we are oblig'd to S E R M O N II. 39 to give Marks of a higher Deference to fome Men than to others, in our external Behaviour towards them •, yet this is not a Homage fo much due to their Perfons abftradedly confider'd, as to their Qiiality, their Relation to us, their Au- thority, or other accidental and civil Confidera- tions. An unanfwerable Argument may be drawn from the Words of Solomon^ why we fliould treat People of the loweft Rank, after a refpeftful and condefcending manner. 'The Rlchj fays he, and the Poor meet together \ the Lord is the Maker of them both. The pooreft Man that lives is the Creature of God, and created after his Image. This one Confideration gives him a Right, an inalienable Right to our Refped ^ and interpretatively renders every Contempt done to him, a Difhonour done to God. Tho' what I would principally recommend to your Con- fideration is, that the Poor ought to fhare the Duties of common Efteem , as they have a common Right to all the Bleffings and glorious Priviledges of the Gofpel^ we cannot think our felves excufable in defpifing or ufing thofe Perfons ill, whofe State of Life our Lord and his Apoftles have done fo much Honour to ; and to which fo fpecial a Regard was had, in the firll opening of the Gofpel Difpenfation. We may hence alfo learn the Duty of Cha- rity to the Poor. If our Lord were fo much concern'd for their Intereft and Advantage, then, befides all other Obligations to this Du- ty, we ought, in Imitation of his Example^ to contribute what we feverally can, to their Comfort and Relief. Efpecially liace he is D 4 pleas'd 40 SERMON II. pleas'd to take the good Offices, we do to them, as a Debt upon himfelf. Let us there- fore, in order to excite us to the Performance of a Sacrifice fo acceptable to him, remember, that we have the Poor always with us ^ that he has made this one Motive of our Charity to them *, and that inafmuch as we do an Aft of Beneficence to any of them, we do it unto him. 3. The Duty which I fhall take occafion, in- the laft Place to recommend, as of univer- fal Obligation to all Orders and Degrees of Men, is that of Humility, or Poverty of Spi- rit, fo neceflary, to qualify us for receiving the Truths of Religion, and to make us fub- mit, without refer ve, to them : And indeed, without this Qiialification, were our SaWour to defcend again from Heaven to Preach the Gofpel to Unbelievers^ his Divine Inftruftions would, humanly fpeaking, have no more effeft upon them, than they bad upon the perverfe and obftinate Jev:>s : Even thofe who do in general believe the Articles of the Chriftian Faith, have reafon to Pray io\' this humble and obedient Temper of Mind, to ftrengthen their Belief^ or if they have imbib'd any Error, efpecially any publick or dangerous Error, to difpofe them to a more ready and open ac- knowledgment of the Truth: For what has been the Original Ground of the rnofl dange- rous Schifms, and damnable Herefies in the Church of Chrilt, but the Pride, and in Con- fequence of it, the Obftinacy of Men: Who not thinking thgrnfeives fufficiently diftinguifh'd by profeiling ihe plain -and coicmonly receiv'd Prill- SERMON II. 41 Principles, have endcavour'd to fubvert them •, and upon a View of rendring themfelves more confiderable, to fuperftrnd their own Schemes or Theories upon the Ruins of them. And ha- ving once , tho' without due Examination, communicated their Difcoveries to the World, the next thing to be confider'd, is not whe- ther they fhall ingenuoufly own or retraft their Miftakes, but when they find any oppofition, how they fhall bcft palliate or refine upon them. So that a Retreat is no where more difficultly made, or thought, tho' very uniuflly, more difhonourable, than when Learned Men engage in Defence of Principles, they have once publickly efpous'd. The Effefts of Pride do not only appear in betraying particular Per Tons into Error, and rendring them obftinate to all the Means of Conviftion •, But whole Churches, wherein, notwithftanding there are Men of admirable Parts and Learning, fometimes maintain Do- drines as Articles of Faith, which have no rea- fonable or fcriptural Foundation. Other Cau- fes may be aflign'd for fo general a Prejudice, but that I have mention'd is for the molt part of great Force, both in the Origin and Support of it. To prevent our falling into fingular Notions contrary to the Rule of Faith -^ or our being carry'd away by any dangerous Errors how po- pular or prevailing foevcr •, I cannot advife a better Prefervative, than that humble and obe- dient Temper which has been exprefs'd by Po- verty of Spirit ; and is no other Virtue, but what iscontain'd in thofe Scriptures, which re- quire, 42 SERMON II. quire, that we fhould not think of ow [elves mors highly^ than we ought to think, but foberly^ Rom. xij. 3. That we pjould learn, not think above what is written^ i Cor. iv. 6. That with Meeknefs we pould receive the ingrafted Word^ which is able to fave our Souls. And to conclude all, That nothing pould be done through Strife or Kain-glory^ but in lowlinefsof Mind, Phil. ij. 3. Amen, S E R- 45 SERMON III. Watchfulncfs one great Prcfervative againft Temptation ^ and in what Refpefls. Matth. xxvi. 41. Watch and Praj, that you enter not into Temp- tation, THESE Words were fpoken by our Lord, to Three of his Difciples, when he was '"upder a very fenfiblc Apprehenllon himfelf, of his being betray'd into the Hands of Sinners -, upon this, he exhorts them to Watch and Pray^ leaft they fhould be tempted, out of any Mo- tive of Self-love, or Fear of Danger to Apofta- tize with Jud^ from him. IVatch and Pray^ that yealfo, and in particular Pfftr (ver. 35.) who is fo very confident of his own Strength, enter nop into Temptation. This 44 SERMON III. We have here the particular occafion of our Lord's fpeaking thefe \X^ords, but the Reafon of them extends to all Chriftians, at all times. This appears from the -other general Texts of Scrip- ture, where Watching and Prayer are joyn'd together, as if they were Duties infeperable, and which mutually confpire to animate and fupport each other. Thus our Saviour having before difcours'd of the Certainty of a future judgment, and the uncertain Time of it, ex- horts all Chriftians, Matth. xxiij. 33. to watch and fray J becaufe they know not when the Time is: To the fame effed is that Command, Lttke xxi. 35. Watch ye therefore^ and fray always. And to mention at prefent no more Texts of this kind ^ we are charg'd Efhef. vij. 18. to pray al- ways, and to watch thereunto with all Perfe- -Iterance. y I (hall therefore confider the Words, not with refpcd to the particular Perfons to whom they were given in charge, but as a {landing and ge- ^aeral Rule to all Chriftians. There being no Ghriftianin any State or Condition of Life ex- empt from Temptation ^ nor confequently from the Reafon, upon which the Duties of Watch- fulnefs and Prayer are here enjoyn'd. Watch therefore and fray, that You enter not into Temp" z at ion. The Words evidently contain this Do(!lrine or Propolition ^ that Watchfulnefs and Prayer are proper and powerful Prefervatives againft: Temptation. But I ftiall particularly at this timeconfiae myfelf to recommend to you the Duty of Watchfulnefs, and to ftiow the Effica- cy of it in order to preferve us from Tempta- tion, in thefe Tliree Refpe(ftSo I/. As SERMON III. 45 ly?, As it implies a State of Sobriety and Self- denial. idly^ A cautious and confiderate Temper of Mind. ^dlyy A due Regard to the Strength or Arti- fices of the Enemy, we have to deal with. And I/?, This Duty of Watchfulnefs is a pro- per Prefervative againft Temptation, as it im.- plies a State of Sobriety and Self-denial. Sobriety is always a Virtue, and there is no Difpenfation in the Chriftian Religion, for ex- cefs upon any Account, or in any kind. Nay the great Ends of Eating and Drinking being to prelerve Life and Health, natural Religion it felf teaches us, that whatever is contrary ta thefe Ends, as all Afts of Intemperance are, is alfo Criminal, and contrary to Order. Intemperance is irregular and vitious in itfelf ; It ought however, in every Kind and Degree of it, to be avoided, and by all Chriftians efpecial- ly, that would preferve their Innocence •, as it is a great and vifible occafion of much Impiety and Diforder -^ as it tends to feed and ftreng- then natural Concupifcence ^ to inflame the Paf- fions; to dimn the Light, and dull the Powers of Reafon ; and to defile the Imagination with grofs and impure Ideas. Particularly therefore at a time, when we would feriouriy apply to the Bufinefs of Reli- gion, and give our felves up more intirely to the Praifiife of Piety, and Devotion \ we ought to forbear all manner of Irregularity and Excefs ^ To reftrain our fenfual Appetites from all Indulgence to fiich Gratifications, which are 46 SERMON III. are apt to render the. Mind dull and heavy^" and unfit for the Spiritual Exercifes, and noblet Operations of Reafon. Accordingly the Apoftle, i Pet. iv. 7. joins Sobriety with Watchfulnefs, as neceffary Qiia- lifications to Spiritualize our Affections, and render our Devotions acceptable to God. Be ye therefore^ fays he, fober and watch mito Trayer. And our Lord, the more to enforce that Charge to his Difciple, Luke xxi. 35. to watch and pray always^ particularly caution'd them at the 34th Verfe againft all criminal Excefs in Eating or Drinking. Take heed^ to your [elves ^ leafi at any time your Hearts he overcharged with Surfeiting and Drunkennefs. But to keep within the Bounds of Sobriety, and not to exceed, in gratifying our irregulaf Inclinations of any kind, is but a low degree of Chriflian Virtue j 'Tis further requir'd, that we fhould on many Occafions reftrain our natu- ral Liberty, and forbear the Ufe of Things, even in themfelves lawful and innocent; and therefore I added Self-denial, as another Ad- junft of that Watchfulnefs, which is requir'd in all truly pious and devout Chriftians. To this end are the Command's in Scripture of not ufing our Liberty for an Occafion of the Flejh ^ of crucifying the Fleflj with the Affe^ions and Lufis ^ and Colojf.u], 5. of mortifying our Members which are upon the Earth. Our Saviour has recommended this Duty of Self denial to us by his own Example ; the beffc of Men in all Ages have praftifed it \ and all thofe, who have prefcrib'd the Rules of Holy Livings have (tvidtly enjgin'd it. St. TauI SERMON III. 47 St. Paul in particular did not only lay many voluntary and fevere Reftraints upon himfelf, but has given us an uHanfwerable Reafon why all Chriftians, that would regulate their Piety by the Laws of Prudence, ihould imitate his Con- dud. All things^ fays he, are lawful for me^ but all things are not expedient' All things are lawful for me, but I will not come under the Fewer of any^ i. e. all things which tend to gratify our natu- ral and reafonable Appetites, are, confider'd in themfelves, lawful and innocent ^ but becaufe they many times accidentally prove an occafion of betraying us into certain Diforders, or of indifpofing us to our Duty ^ therefore we ought in all fuch Cafes, to forbear the Ufe of them, and not endanger our Chriflian Innocence, by indulging our natural Freedom. In the State of Innocence, Man had an abfo- lute Power over himfelf •, he could flop the Mo- tions of his natural Appetites when hepleafed; the Soul then gave Laws with a foveraign Au- thority to the Body ^ or rather perhaps, the • Organs of the Body w^re fo exaftly tun'd, that the Appetites of it were a Law unto them- felves : But this original and admirable Har- mony betwixt thefe two Subltances, being bro- . ken, the Body now fpeaks in a more haughty and imperious Tone , and pretends to give Laws to the Soul. The Apollle in his Epiftle to the Romansy (hows the impotent and deprav'd State, into which Human Nature, with refpecl even to the more noble and excellent Powers of it, is funk fince the Fall ; and had not he told us of 3, Law in our Members, waring againft the Law of oar Mind, 'tis no uiore than what every Man's 48 SERMON III. Man's Experience convinces him every Day of. This being the Condition we are fallen into by Sin, in order to reinftate Reafon in its Throne, it is not enough, that we do not in- dulge our bodily Appetites in any criminal Ex- cefles, but we mull alfo keep them under-, we iriuft endeavour to kill the Old Man^ by employ- ing all the Means of Mortification and Self- denial, which tend to procure his Death *, It is not lawful for us to procure the Diflblution of our Soul and Body, but we may, nay we ought to (^^^ unto the World, and do what we can to difarm Concupifcence of its Strength, in order to preferve the Life of Grace in our Souls. Not but that Temptations are incident to Perfons that Pra^life the greateft Aufterities v our Lord himfelf was tempted, during the Time of his Falling and Retirement in the VVilder- nefs •, and perhaps the Tempter is never more Defigning, pr Adive in his Endeavours to fe- duce Men, than when they deny themfelves the innocent Comforts, and Freedoms of Life, the better to attend the Duties of Piety, without Diftraction of Mind. But what I intend is, That a State of Self- Denial, tho' it do not deliver us from the At- tacks of Temptation, yet it mightily condu- ces to weaken the Force of them^ by keep- ing the Mind in an even Calm, and fedate Temper ^ and the Body in a more regular Sub- jeiiion to it ^ but above all, by recommending us to the Favour of Almighty God ^ who has declared Himfelf, on fo many Occasions, well pitafed with fuch voluntary Sacrifices. Among S E R M O N III. 4p Among other Ads of Self-Denial, Fafling has always been accounted a principal One. As to the proper Seafons of it, Men will beft deter- mine themfelves from the particular Circum- ftancesof Temptation, they may be under •, but certainly 'tis incumbent upon all good and pious Chriftians, to obferve thofe Times of it efpe- cially which the Church, in the Communion of which they live, has fet apart for it. The great End, for which God has appoint- ed Spiritual Guides and Governors over us, being to promote Piety •, whatever conduces to this End (and proper Seafons of Falling and Humiliation, if duly obferved, evidently do) have, in effeft, the Force of a Divine Command to us. In this Cafe, to be fure, the Precept is Obligatory, that we jiwuld obey them^ which have the Rule over usy as they that watch for our Souls, The molt folemn, and the molt general Sea- fon in the Churches of God for this Duty, is the Time of Lent-, in Imitation of our Lord's Forty Days of Falling in the Wildernefs : 'Tis true, His Fall. was Miraculous-, and this has been urged as an Argument againft the Obfer- vation of Lem^ as 'tis commonly Solemnized : But certainly where we cannot imitate Chrilt in the Miracle, 'tis Pious, at leall, to foJlow Him at a Diftance, in the Reafons of it j efpe- cially where all the Reafons of Abftinence and Self-Denial are fo much ftronger to us, than they could be fuppofed to be, in the Innocent, the Holy, the Divine Perfon of Jefus Chrill. 1 do not hereby fuppofe that all Perfons, during this Seafon of Lent^ are indifpenfably obliged to abltain from particular Kinds of Meat ^ this being only a Circumllance of Fafl- VOL. III. E ing, 50 SERMON III. ing, and no ways Eflential to it, where Reafons of Health or NecelTity require, it may be dif* penfed with ^ but yet where Men do not find themfelves acquitted by thefe or other impor- tant Confiderations, I think, with all Submilr lion, the Orders and conftant Pradice of the Church do oblige the Confcience^ that they ought however to be look'd upon ty all modeft Chriftians, as Rules of Piety and Prudence, if not of ftrid Neceffity : But, 2^/y, The Duty I am recommending, implies a cautious and confiderate Temper of Mind. Every Man may confult his own Experience, _ how often he has committed Sin •, not from the Force of Temptation, but through Inadver- tency, or Surprize. There are fome Sins in particular, which out of Refped to the com- mon Senfe and Reafon of Mankind, we ought not to fuppofe, they could be Guilty of, would they take the leafl; Time to confider the Nature, and flaming Guilt of them. Of this Kind is idle and prophane Swearing •, fo Difhonourable to God and Religion ^ and fo Af- fronting to all good Men ^ fo Inconfiftent with all the Rules of Decency and Manners *, efpe- cially in Perfons of Diftindion, and in a polite Age. But what fhall we think then of thofe horrid and dreadful Imprecations, whereby Men defy the living God, whom yet they profefs t» ferve, in fo open and audacious a manner. It may be queftioned, whether this Kind of Impiety- was ever carried to fo high a Pitch, in any Age or Nation of the Heathen World, or even in Hell it felf : 'Tis probable, the Devils, who al- ready feel the EfFeds of God's Wrath, do not iiiipre- SERMON III. 51 imprecate upon themfelves frefh and further Degrees of it. What an abominable and abfurd Thing then is it, for Chriftians, who pretend to believe the Terrors of the Lord, to call down> in Terms, which cannot be mentioned without Horror, that Vengeance upon their own Heads which they have juftly incurr'd, and which God, perhaps, ftands ready to infiid, without fuch provoking Challenges. An awful Fear of offending the Jufl; and A11- Powerful God, is a natural, or rather neceflary EfFed of Confideration ^ Therefore, lays Holy Job, Am J troubled at his Trefence ', when /confider, / am afraid of hiin, Jobxxiii. 15. How can we then imagine that Men, who are Guilty of thefe crying Sins, and whereby in effed they deny God's Optnipreferjce, can have any Thought or Refledtion, during the Time of their com- mitting them ? Another common Sin of Inadvertency, is Evil Speaking. Do not we know, how apt Men are to Poilbn even the moft innocent and generous Aftions, with fly or unjuft Imputations, and that Scandal is one of the common and ordinary Entertainments of Converfation ? I do not fpeak of it as it proceeds from Malice, or a Motive of Interefl: •, but from a certain latent Malignity of Temper, where we have no Rea- fons of Prejudice, nor fo much as pretend any, againit the Perfons we traduce or defame. Now to fay nothing of the Obligations of Chriftian Charity, the great Tefl; of our Holy Religion ; if we would but confider thofe of common Juftice and Ingenuity, when we fpeak of the Defigns or Adiohs of other Men, 'twould be a molt efFedual Prefer vative t© us, unlefs E 2 W'C 52 SERMON III. we are altogether infenfible to the Impreffions of Confcience, againft this fpreading and com- mon Contagion. Let us therefore upon all Provocations, upon all Temptations of Vanity, or AfFedation of Wit •, or a fecret Depravity of Temper, that may incline us to fpeak Evil of other Men, take heed to our own Ways. Let us recoUeft our lelves, and confider the many ill, and perhaps irreparable, Eff^ds of Detradion, that we offend not with the Tongue : Let US Pray with the Holy Pfalmift in another Place, that God would on all fuch Occafions, fet a Watch before our Mouth, and keep the Door of our Lips. I might further obferve, how often we are betrayed into Sin through Inadvertency, or want of Attention, with refped to our Aftions, as well as Words. How often fliould we pre- ferve our felvcs from being caught, if, before we enter upon any Aftion, we would but take Time to confult Reafon, and examine the Fit- nefs, the Decency, the Lawfnlnefs of it. And indeed without fuch Examination we are not fo properly Rational, as Blind and Mechanical Agents. To prevent thofe Difbrders we are apt, thro* Inadvertency, to fall into, the Scriptures com- mand us, to keef our Hearts with all Diligence^ Prov. iv. 23. To fiand in Awe^ and Commune with our own Hearts^ Pfal. iv. 4. and to take heed iPfal. cxix. 9.) to the unerring Rule of God's Word ; wherein Holy David was fo Conver- fant, that he prevented the Night Watches. Watch therefore 'j that is, before you fpeak or aft, deliberate well upon the fubjeft Matter of your Words and Anions j be cautious in every Thing SERMON III. ^5 Thing you fay, or do; that you offend not againft the Rules of Piety or Prudence, of Jnftice or Charity. Solomon makes it the Charafter of a Wife Man, to forefee an Evil, and hide him- felf. But no Man fure can long preferve the Charader of a good Man, who does not pre- pare and forearm hirafelf againft the Surprize of Temptation. It is with great Realbn there- fore the Prophet makes Forefight the happy Prefervative of Innocence. Blejfed is the Man •who obferveth his Hand^ or keeps a. watchful Eye upon his own Adions, leafi he do any Evil^ Ifa. Ivi. 2. But I proceed to my Third and laft Particu- lar, to confider this Duty of Watchfulnefs, as it implies a due Regard to the Strength or Ar- tifices of the Enemy we have to deal with. We have on every Hand a great many pow- erful and fubtle Enemies ; our own vitious In- clinations are continually prompting us from within-, the Body never moves, but for the Gratification of the Senfes ^ the Imagination is fill'd with the Impreffions it takes from fenfible Objeds 5 and the more lively and delicate it is, the more bright are the Colours wherein ic drefles up Vice, and the more it provokes and fortifies the Paflions. This may be one reafon why your great Wits prove many times the greateft Libertines, and give themfelves up to the moft extravagant Follies. They cannot en- dure the Labour of Attention ; they are pufh'd on with the pleafing Force of a ready and live- ly Apprehenfion, without waiting for the Or- ders of Reafon, or perhaps fo much as enqui- ring what Reafon has to remonftrate. So that in Matters of Religion, and very often too in E 3 the ^4 SERMON III, the common Affairs of Life, which require Thought and Judgment, none are more dark and ignorant than your Men of Wit. But above all, long and permanent Habits of Sin enflave us to our PalTions-, and at once render us Impotent, and Indifpos'd to free our felves from that grateful Captivity, wherein they hold us. It is hard to break a Habit of any kind ^ but where we fight againll the Bent of a vitioHi habitual Inclination, that has got the Do- minion over our Hearts^ where our very Defires to overcome, are at firft Painful and Uneafy ; the Vidory mult ftill be more doubtful, and obtain'd with much greater Difficulty. And therefore it more efpecially concerns thofc, who have liv'd for any time in a courfe of Sin, to watch narrowly over the Motions of their own Hearts, and to Arm themfelves with a very ftrong, and fteddy Refolution againfl thofe Bo- fom Enemies, which are fo apt at once to Dif- courage •, and to Betray them. We are likewife expos'd to a great many Ene- mies from without, in our Converfation and Commerce with the World. Ill and publick Ex- ample, is very Contagious : We are naturally difpos'd, and as it were mechanically form'd, for Imitation. And there are certain Vices, which it is not eafy for Men to give an Account of their committing, but from the ImprclTions they take of them, from other People. How often does a falfe Shame, or Apprehen- lion of not appearing Agreeable, betray even good Men into Compliances, which are not to be nicely Exarain'd ? How often does an Incli- nation to oblige our Friends or Patrons, tempt us go along with them, beyond the founds and Meafiires of ftrid Duty ? What SERMON III. 55 What a mighty Force has the Manner of Per- fons of Quality over their Inferiors, efpecially their Creatures, and Dependents ? How apt are thole, who follow them, to think it not only lawful, but commendable, blindly to efpoufe their Interefts, and to give in to their criminal Defigns and Meafures ? How many Temptations again, are Men expos'd to in their way of Com- merce, and Dealing in the World ? What Inju- ries, and diiingenuous Treatment muft they ex- peft to meet with at one time or other, to exer- cife their Patience and Charity ? And how hard is it, when we are very ill us'd, to prafliife thefe Duties in their full Compafs and Extent, or to ftifle the very Motions of Revenge ? How diffi- cult is it alfo, under any great Difappointments, not to Envy the Succefs of other Perfons, efpeci- ally of thofe who have flood in our Way, or oppos'd our Defigns. All the Paths of Life are full of Snares •, no Man can walk furely in them, but he that re- folves to walk very Vprightly •, he that obferves every Step he takes, and regulates all the Mo- tions of his Heart, and all the Adions of his Life, by the Laws of God, and the Regards of another World. To this end, are thofe Com- mands in Scripture, that we fhould f7ot be con- form d to this World \ that we fhould have ottr Converfation in Heaven ; and Ephef v. 1 5. that we jlwuld walk CircumfpeBly^ not as Fools^ but Wife'^ redeeming the Time^ beeaufe the Days are Evil. Thefe two Confiderations of the deprav'd State of our Nature, and the Snares of a cor- rupt World, were fufficient, one would think, to awaken our Care and Diligenccj and keep us E 4 always e,6 SERMON III. always upon our Guard, that we may not enter into Tetnpation. But there is (till, S^/y, A very dangerous and powerful Enemy behind, who has been long vers'd in the Arts of Seducing Mankind. The Apoftle, upon this Confideration, particularly charges us, to keep our Thoughts compos'd, and awake, i Vet. v. 8. 9. Be Sober, be Vigilant, becaufe your Adver- fary^ the Devil walketh about j feeking whom he may devour. 'Tis difficult to perfuade feme Perfons, that Evil Spirits have direftly or indireQ:ly any In- fluence over the Minds of Men ^ and therefore by the Devil and the Tempter, fo often men- tioned in Scripture, they would underfland no- thing more than the Corruption of our own Hearts, and the natural Motions of Concupi- fcence arifing from it. But to all Perfons, that believe the Scriptures, the very Text I have mentioned, and which can- not, with any Propriety, be explain'd in a Senfe figurative or metaphorical wholly, is a fufficient Confutation of this Error ; to which End there- fore, I fhall add but one Text more, and 'tis a very full and unanfwerable one ; wherein the Temptations of the Devil, and his Agents, are directly oppos'd to thofe of the Flefii, Efhef, vj. II. Put on the whole Armour of God, that you may be able to fland againft the Wiles of the De- vil ; for we wrejlle not againft Flejh and Blood f not againll them only) but agalnfi Principalities, a- gainsi Power Sy again (l the Rulers of the Darknefs of this World^ againfi Spiritual Wickednefs^ or as it is in the Marginal Note of our Bibles, wicked Spi- rits in high Places. !Tis SERMON III. 57 'Tis no Objedtion againfl the Authority of Scripture in this Point, that we do not per- ceive, how thefe wicked Spirits can ad upon our Minds ^ we, I fay, who know fb little of the Modification of our own Souls, or how they Operate upon our Bodies. The Soul Wills the Motion of the Arm, and the Arm moves ^ the Hand is wounded, and the Soul feels •, the Eye takes in the Rays of Light, and the Soul fees: But what the Tye or Connexion is, which unites thefe two Subftances, fo wholly diftinft in their Nature and Properties, and caufes them to aft reciprocally upon one another, can ne- ver be accounted for upon any natural, or phy- iicial Grounds •, much lefs is it any Argument againlt a reveal'd Truth, that we do n6t know the manner , how Spiritual Subftances , Svb- fiances of the fame kind, Operate upon one an- other. Neither i^/y. Is it any Objedion againft the Devil's having a Power of Tempting us, that we do not diftinftly perceive his Workings, from the Motions of our own Will and Afte- ftions. In all the Sins we commit, we feem to ad freely, and follow our proper Inclinations \ we are not fenfible of any acceflary Force, or Impulfe, that is made upon our Minds. But there is no Weight in what is here Ob- jeded, if we confider, that it feems very agreea- ble to Reafon, and the Order of Things, that more noble and fuperior Beings, fhould have fome kind of Power at leaft over Subftances inferior to them *, that the Devil being ftiled the Prince of this Worlds and the Prince of the Powers of the Air^ can, fo far as the Reafons of Grace and Providence may permit, in fome meafure 58 SERMON III. meafure dire(ft or determin the Motions of Bo- dies-, and that therefore, 'tis probable he does not immediately, at kail: not at all times, aSt upon the Soul, but only upon the Temperament of the Body, and the Scene of Imagination 5 which, as every Man perceives in himfelf, has £0 great an Influence to defile the. Hearty and cor- rupt both Underftanding and Will. • One Reafon, why the Temper is fo careful to conceal his ading upon us, fo that we cannot diftinguifb it from our own proper volitions, is, that were we fenfible of his Adion, we fhould immediately ftart back and be fill'd with Horror at the Thoughts of it j or if notwith- ftanding we fhould ftill comply with his Temp- tations, our Compliance would in effeft be a giving up our felves to him by a folemn and exprefs Compatft : Upon this Suppofition, no good Man could, and we can fcarce imagine, that even the moft wicked and profligate Sin- ners, would, hearken to his Suggeftions. And therefore to render his Temptations more effedual, this great Deceiver carries them on- in fuch a manner, that while wc arepiifh'd forward by his Motions, we feem intirely to follow our own. The better to cover his De- ceit, he obferves our complexional Vices, and ftrikes in with thofe Paffions, which are moft predominant in us. Thus probably obferving in David^ a prevailing Temper of Ambition, J Cor. xxi. T. he is exprefly faid to have flood up againfl; Ifrael^ and to have provok'd that Prince to number the People : Thus Covetouf- nefs, being the governing Temper of Jndas^ he is faid, >^« xiij. 2. to have put it into the Heart of that Apofl:le to betray fcis Lord j in all SERMON 111. 59 all Probability, by reprefentin^ and amplifying to him the Advantages of the promifsM Re- ward. There is fomething of this Artifice of the Devil, very obfervable in the Temptation of our BlefTed Lord himfelf^ He had the fame natural Appetites with other Men, and after he had fafted Forty Days and Forty Nights, might well be fuppos'd to have had a ftrong Inclina- tion to Eat •, upon this Prefumption, the Temp- ter moves him to declare himfelf to be the Sou of God, in fuch a m.anner, as might at the fame time gratify his Hunger. If thou be the Son of Cody command^ that thefe Stones be made Bread. It is generally fuppos'd by Divines, the De- vil did not know, that the Divine Nature was perfonally united to the Human, in Jefus Chrilt. He knew however from the Circumftances of his Birth, that he was an extraordinary Perfon -, and probably, that he was defign'd for the Of- fice of the Mejfiah. On the other Hand our Lord's Condition in the World appearing fo very Mean and unfuitable to the Dignity of his Perfon, the Tempter thought again, nothing probably would operate more effectually upon him, than the Profped of worldly Grandeur and Power, whereby he might be enabled to maintain his Port, and live up to the Eminency of his Character. To this End he fljews him all the Kingdoms of the Earth and the Glory of them. By the fame artful Infinuations, the Devil, with his Evil Angels, (till inceffantly attempts to feduce Mankind, and to deceive, if it were poffible, or if they have not a very watchful Eye upon his Defigns, even the Ek^. The 6o SERMON III. The Scriptures not only affure us of thefe Diabolical Powers and Arts, but they difcover themfelves in many Cafes, by their Effefts. 'Tis not to be conceived, that fo many Perfons ftould reach fuch a high pitch of Wickednefs and Im- piety, upon the mere Stock of natural Con'up- tion, if the Devil did not inoculate upon it ^ for notwithftanding the diforder'd State we are in, yet we ftill naturally retain fbme Love for Order, and are generally willing to fubmit to it, when it is not contrary to the Maxims of Self-love, to fome end of Pleafure or Interefb. Nay wicked Men themfelves are fometimes wil- ling to facrifice afmall Pleafure or Intereft to the Love and Beauty of Order. When therefore Men give themfelves up to Impieties to which there is no vifible Tempta- tion of Pleafure or Intereft, or when they com- mit thofeSins, which are contrary to the pow- erful and common Obligations of Humanity ^ fuch as barbarous Ads of Malice and Revenge ; of Violence and Oppreffion ; of Uncharitablenels to the Power, or bafe Returns of Ingratitude to their Friends and Benefactors -^ we ought even out of Refped to Human Nature in its depra- ved State to fuppofe, that Crimes of fo high a Charge, proceed from the fpecial Inftigations of that Evil Spirit, IVhich ftill works in the Chit' dren of Difohedience. But we are charitably to prefume, there are few that believe in the Son of God, who was made manifeft, that he might deftroy the Works of the Devil, in whom this Evil Spirit operates with his full Force when we fpeak of Chrifti- ans in general, we ought to hope better Things of them, and fuch as accompany Salvation. For thank S E R M O N m. 6i thank Gocl,thePowers of Darkners, with all their Artsoi DelufioH, cannot hurt or feduce us, but thro' our own Default or Negled \ the Grace of God, whatever Snares they lay in our way, is {till fufficient for us *, He that is in m^ is greater than he that is in the World^ i John iv. 4. I fhall beg leave to add a Word or two by way of Explication, and fo conclude. And, i/, What has been faid may be of Ufe and Inftruftion to the belt of Men ; to thofe, who have made the greateft Advances, in aCourfe- of Piety and Virtue *, for there is no State of Perfeftion in this Life : We are all upon Try- aJ, and expofed to Temptations, from the be- ginning, to the laft and concluding Scene of it. God indeed never with-holds his Grace from thofe that lead a godly Life^ but ftill we ought not to prefume upon our own Strength. Let him that ftandeth take heed leaft he fall. 'Tis very obfervable, that thefe Words of my Text, were particularly direfted to Peter. Our Lord knew. How confident this Difciple was of his own Fidelity, and we all know how IhamefiUlly he was baffled and defeated, when it came to the Tryal \ we are not, blefled be God, in a Chd- ftian State in danger of being expofed to the like Temptations, but the beft of us mult ejc- ped to meet with Temptations in one kind, or in one degree or other. Tho' we arc not then in a finful, but a holy, and religious State \ tho' we are not of the Night nor of Darknefs, yet let us not fleep as others, but let us watch md he fober. And yet I do not hereby intend as if the Life of a Chriftian were one continu'd State of Pe- nance afid rigorous Aufterities, no ; there is a time 62 SERMON III. time alfo for Rejoycing *, for unbending our Thoughts, and allowing our felves a greater Freedom in the innocent Delights and Enter- tainments of Human Life ^ provided ftill, that we keep within the Bounds of Temperance and Moderation •, and becaufe we do not know the exad Lines and Meafures, where Virtue ends, and Vice begins, it will be prudent for us at all times, left we exceed in our Liberties, to be ra- ther upon the Referve. 2^/y, This DifcouiTe may be of ufe tofhew wicked Men the Neceffity of haftening their Re- pentance and Converfion. If thofe that have made the greateft Proficiency in Religion, and whofe Faces are fet, as it were, towards Sion^ are ftill fenfible of a great many Frailties, and find the Seeds of Corruption will ever and anon be putting out afrelh ^ if it be fo difficult to fuch advanced Chriftians, to keep themfelves always upon their Guards againft the Attacks or Surprize of Temptation from a corrupt World, and the Powers of Darknefs ^ how much more does it concern thofe, who are engag'd in a wicked Courfe of Life, and the very Defigns of their Enemies, to watch all Opportunities of renewing themfelves again unto Repentance. This is certain, and every Man that obferves what palfes within him, experiences the Truth of it, that the longer we continue under the Power of any finful PalTion, the more Ground it gains upon us, and we are at once the lefs able and the lefs willing to refift the Motions of it. The fooner therefore we fet our felves to this Duty of Watchful fjefs, in all the Refpefts I have mention'd, fo much cafier will the Pradife of it, aad the Vidory over our Eaemies be. On the other SERMON III. 63 Other Hand, if thro' want of a virtuous Educa- tion, or from ill Examples and our own viti- ous Inclinations, we have been early drawn in- to finful Pradifes, and have ftiil continuM in them ^ If in the Spring and Vigour of^Age, we have (lept, and fuffer'd the Enemy to Sow his Tares, and choak the good Seed, and Princi- ples of Religion, then certainly we ought, nay we mufi^ if ever we hope to recover our felves, double our Diligence, in rooting of them out,and applying our felves immediately to fo necelTa- ry a Work without lofs of time, and whik it ii called to Day. For who knows how foon the Night may come on him, wherein he cannot Work-, and which is af, the belt an improper Seafon for Bufinefs, fufficient for the Night, when we are alarm'd by the Approaches of Death, will be the Evil thereof i good Men who have fpent their Days 'in the Service of God, will then have enough to_ do to bear the Diforders and tains of Sicknefs ; and to dye with a juftCom- pofure and Refignation of Mind. What Confufion, what Diftradion of Mind mult an old habitual Sinner then be in, when the Pains of Hell take hold upon him ? A Sin- ner, I fay, who for a long time has liv'd in a wicked impenitent State of Life, and ne\re»i thought of iVatching or Standing upon his Guard, till the Enemy is got within his Quarters, and ftands ready to feize him. In a word, feeing we are all of us furrounded with fo many Enemies -, feeing the Time of Adion is not only (hort, but very uncertain -, let us watch all Opportunities, and take all Ad- Vantages of Improvement in Chriltian Virtue and Piety J 6a, sermon hi. Piety \ let us make it our conftant Endeavour to adorn our felvcs with all the Graces and Beauties of our Holy Religion \ to have our Lamps burning, and ready trim'd, againft the coming of the Bridegroom, Ufi coming fuddenly^ he find ui Sleeping. Tho' in this Difcourfe I have principally ap- plyM my felf to explain and enforce the Duty . of Watchfulnefs, as a proper Means to preferve us from Temptation, yet I by no means inten- ded to exclude the Neceffity of Prayer to God for thefe Divine Afliftances, without which all our Care and Caution will be ineffedual to this End. I fhall therefore conclude with one of the Ex- cellent Colleds of our Church. O God, who, knowefl m to he fet in the midfi of fo many and great Dangers, that by reafon of the Frailty of our Na- tures, we cannot always ftand upright, grant to m fach Strength and ?roteBion, as may Jupport us in all Dangers, and carry us thro* all Temptations, thro\ Jefus Chrifi our Lord. Amen. S E R- 65 SERMON IV. The Duty of Truji in God^ with re- fpcft to publick Communities^ ex- plained and enforced : A Sermon Preachy on the Thankfgiving Day_, Decemh, 3. 1702. P s A Li cxviij. 8^ 9. It ii better to trufi in the Lord, than to pit confidence in Mini It is better to truft in the Lord^ than to fut confidence in Princes-, IT is readily ackndwledg'd that God go- verns the World, and interpofes in all the Affairs of it •, yet this Principle has not thofe pious and general Effe(^s that might be exped- ed ; how often do we promife our felves Succefs from Human Means and vifible Preparations ? Without taking a Divine Providence into the Account, or without attributing fo much to it, as to our own Prudence, Addrefs or Experi- ence. VOL. IIL F To 66 ' SERMON IV. To b«mble this Pride and Self-fufficiency in Man, God gave that Caution to the "^exos ; Be- w&re thai thou, forget not the Lord thy God.^ &C. Uajl when thou hajt eaten and art fuHf and hafl bitjLt gmdly Houfes and dwelt therein^ and when thy Herd,s and thy Hocks multiply^ and thy Silver and Gold is multifly''d^ and ail that thou hafi is multi^ly^d^ then thine Heart be Hfted up^ and thou forget the Lord thyGed^ &c. and thou fay in thine Hearty my Power y tmd the Might of mine Hand hath gotten me this Wealthy Dent. 8. V. 1 1, i z, 13, 14, 17. by which is intimated to us, that when all things go fmoothly on with us, and fucceed to our De- fares ', when we flow in Wealth and Plenty, and our Eyes are fili'd with the vifible Splendor and Advantages of our Condition, we are apt to bear our felves high upon it, and to leave out the principal Canfe to which we owe all we have, and the Capacity we are in of having it conti- niied to us. Yet, tho' we are confcioiis to our felves of tboie many Frailties and Efcapes, which are fufiident (if we duly reflect upon them) to take down the Wifcft and Beft of us ^ may we not more fafely repofe our Trufl; and Afliirance in the known Abilities of other Men ? efpecially of Men in Power and Authority, who have fig- naliz'd themfelves to the World by their great and iiluilrious Adions, and throughly eftablifh'd the Reputation of their Courage, their Condud, and Fidelity ^ of Men who Command numerous Armies and powerful Fleets, and are attended with Succefs in all their Defigns and Underta- kings. Holy David was aware how much we are influenc'd both by a Senfftof Gratitude and commoa Ingenuity m favour of fuch Perfons v and S E R M O K IV. 6y and therefore takes occafion to turn our Thoughts upon that fuperior invifible Power, who has all the Hearts of Men, and Springs of Adion in his Hand : It is better to trufi in the Lor d^ than to fui Confidence in Man. But Princes who are invelled with the Su- pream Authority, who are diltinguifhed in Scri- pture by the Name and Title of Gods^ and are more immediately poilefled of the vifible Means and Inftruments of Succefs : May we not with greater Confidence rely on their Condud, for a profperous and happy Event of Things "? efpe- cially when they come recommended to us by all thofe Qualifications which are proper to at- trad the Love and Efteem of their Subjeds, and to render them Confiderable abroad ; when they make the fame Ufe of their Power with him that gave it, and live up to their Charader by doing great, good and Godlike Adions ^ by refifting the Proud, and afl^rting the natural Rights and Liberties of Mankind, againfl: bold and arbitra- ry Invafions: In a word, when they have no fe- parate Interefts from their People, nor any higher Ambition than to make them happy ^ may we not, I fay, exped a glorious current of Succefs under the Adminiftration of fuch Prin-- ces? we have then indeed the belt ground for our Expedations ^ but yet we muft intirely fub- mit them to the Wifdom and Will of Heaven. Among the Gods there is none like zinto thee^ O Lord^ neither are there any Works like unto thy Works ', at Nations^ whom thou hafi made^ pall come and War- jl7ip before thee, and jlmll glorify thy Name ^ for thou. art Great^ and doft wondrous Works^ thou art God alone. Tho' God is pleas'd to dignify Princes nioie peculiarly with his own Name, as ading F 2, hr 6% S E R M O N IV. by a more ample and diffiis'd Authoffty, yet we are to look upon them only ds Inftruments in his Hand, which he can dired or reftrain, oir turn as he pleafes. So that the Confidence which holy David here tacitly Cautions us againft, is to be underftood, in oppofition to the over-ruling Providence and Sovereignty of God •, when we flatter our felves with thofe Expedations from fecular Princes which are due only to the Power they rc- prefent. And never perhaps was the Caution more feafonable than at this time, to moderate the Expreflions of our Love and Gratitude to the greatefl; Princefs upon Earth : Amidft all the happy and joyful Effeds of Her Adminiftration at home, and the glorious Succefs of Her Arms abroad, let us afcribe to God the Honour due unto his Name \ let us remember, that 'tis he who direfts her Counfels, and fights her Battels. We ought not to be fo far tranfported with the Honour of a Campaign, and Naval Expedition, which will give England a new Figure in foreign and future Hiftory, as to forget the advice of the Royal Prophet in my Text, who himfelf want- ed no perfonal Qualifications, or external Ad- vantages to fupport his Characfter^ nay, who poflefs'd them both in a very high anduncom- knon degree ; yet thought fit to remind himfelf and us, That it is better to trufi in the Lord^ than to put confidence in Frinees. In difcourfing upon the Words, I Ihall ob- ierve this Method, Firfi^ I ftiall explain wherein the religious Truft here recommended, does coii|ift. Secondly ^ S E R M O N IV. 5p Secondly^ I fhall ufe fome Motives and Argu- ments to enforce it, and under both thefe Heads Ihall have an Eye to the prefent Occafion. And Firft, The religious Truft here recom- mended, implies an humble Belief that al| Things, by God's Blefling, will fucceed well with us, in the ufe of human and lawful Means, and a due regard to the Laws of Religion in general. This diiinition, 1 think, takes in all thofe Particulars which are reqpifite to give us a right Notion of the Duty of my Text, and I ihall fpeak feverally to them. Kr/?, This Duty implies an humble Belief, that all Things, by God's Blefiing, will fucceed well with us^ by which, I do not mean, that every thing Ihould exadly correlpond to our Delires, or the probability of f^cond Caufes ^ but that upon the whole Matter, God wjl] ap- pear for us, and Intereft himfelf in our Favour. We iee but a little way upon the Chain of Pro- Tidence : Our Profpe^: is bounded by the firft Accident which may be fuppofed to intervene ; but God has at once aperfed Knowledge of all poflible Contingencies; of the entire Conne- O:ion and remotell Coniequences of Things \ and upon this View, he often efieds the Ends of his Providence by fuch Ways and Means as are tot to be examin'd by out narrow Conception of Things, and the Meafures of human Pradei^ce : 'Tis in this Senfe, thof^ Words of the ApoHle are to be explaiif d, the fooUJhncfs of God ii m'ftr than Men^ and the wcaknffs of Cod is fb^ongtr ^han, Men^ 1 Cor. 1.25. i.e. Thofe Methods, of Di- vine Providence, which appear to us Strange F 3 and ■29y SERMON IV. and Unaccountable, according to the Judgment we form of the general courfe and tendency of Things, are yet much better contriv'd, in order to attain their End, than all the Wit or Policy of Man could have thought of. For after all our Care and Precaution, a great part of the Good or Evil, which befalls us in this World, is owing to what we call Cafual Hits, and unfeen Accidents ^ this Solomon long linceobferv'd, and his Obfervation is confirm'd by the Experience of all Mankind, Tljat the Race is not to the Swift ^ nor the Battle to the Strong-, nor yet Bread to the Wlfe^ nor yet Riches to Men of Vn- derftanding., nor yet Favour to Men of Skill '^ what is fo likely to overcome in a Race^ as Swiftnefs ; or in a Battle^ as Strength j who are in a readier way to Wealthy than Men of Reach., and Difpatch in Bufinefs •, or to Preferment., than Perfons of an artful and infinuating jiddrefs ? and yet nothing is more evident, than that Things do not always fall out in thefe refpects, according to the molt proper and probable Caufes, but Time and Chance happen to all:, that is, there are now and then fome certain Seafons and favourable Junftures, which are more Inftrumental to the Succefs of our Defigns, than all human and vifible Means of eifeftingthem. Seeing therefore what we call accidental Events, fall only within the compafs of the Di- -vine Foreknowledge^ and that the Fortune, I do not fay of private Perfons or Families, but of whole Fleets, and Armies, and Empires, does fome- timesturn upon them: The wifeft Method we can take, in order to a happy Event of our Affairs, is entirely to repofe our Truft and Confidence iii the Wifdom of God j and even, if Things for S E R M O N IV: 71 for a time go crofs to our Hopes and Expeda^ tions, not to give our feives up to Impatience, and a Criminal Diftnift *, but to hope w€ll, that fome good Providence is ftill making towards us, tho' by fuch ways as we cannot perhaps, at prefent account for. There is fomething to this purpofe worth our Obfervation, on the occafion of our Meeting here : No doubt the late Defign againff: CadiZf, was form'd upon the niceft Meafures of human Wifdom and Policy, and we ivanted not thofe Probabilities of Succefs, that we began to talk of it with an Air of AfTurancc; but God was pleas'd to blafl; and defeat oor Hopes of that Expedition ^ and yet the fame Fleet, and Army that were employ'd in it, had not, many Days after, a favourable and unexpeded Opportunity of obtaining one of the mofl glorious and com- pleat Vidories, which Hiftory Records: A Vi- dtory which probably will redound more to our Advantage, and the Lois and Difgrace of the common Enemy, than if we had fucceeded in our firft Enterprize. Thus is God Almighty pleas'd to 3?)ate our Pride, and eftablifh in our Minds a more awful Senfe of his Providence; to bring to Bought our beft form'd Schemes and Defigns, and to Interefl: himfelf for us in a furprmng and I30- torious manner. Who Inoweth not in aii thfs the Hand of the Lord hath wrought thk \ in wh&fe Hassd is the Soul of every 'things and ihe Brtath sf a/i Mankind ; with him is Wifdora and Strensfth, he hath Counfel and Vnderflanditiv^ he potsreth Contempt vpon Princes-, and WeaJintth the Strength @f ihe Mighty \ he dijcorvereih deef Thin/s cut of Darknsjs.^ mid kringeth to Li^kt the Shadow »f De^h : 'Ht ia- F 4 trsafetk 72 S E R M O N IV. creafeth the Nations^ and defiroyeth them'^ he en' largeth the Nations^ and fireightneth them agawy Job 12, 9, lo, 13, 21, 22, 23. If then we cannot always folve the Difficulties which arife, from the Methods of Divine Pro- vidence towards us, or our Enemies^ yet let this be the conftant fupport of our Trull and Dependance on God, that he has wife and good Reafons, tho' unknown to us, for what he does •, and that they would appear fo to us, had we as full and comprehenfive a Knowledge of all Ac- cidents and Events, as he himfelf, Tho* his Paths are in the Waters^ and his Judgments as the great Deep^ yet we are alTured, his Righteoufnefs pand' eth fafi as the firong Mountains. idly^ In order'^to a well-grounded Trufl in God, human Means and Endeavours muft not be wanting : In the ordinary courfe of Things, God does not interpofe by an immediate mira- culous Power •, and therefore we are to make life of all thofe opportunities he has put into our Hands, of promoting the publick Happi- nefs and Tranquility : In Cafes indeed of Extre- STiity, when all human and ordinary Supports fail, God has been pleas'd in a more remarkable manner to make bare his Arm in favour of a K:3tion or People ^ particularly in all the Wars of Jprael with the Canaanites, he fo vifihly went forth with their Armies, that they could not but be fenlible, it was not their own Strength or Kumbers, iut his Right Hand that got them the Viftory, and gave them PofTelTion of the Promised Land. The Hopes of this fpecial Support and Protcdion of Heaven, put Jona" than upon that brave and heroick Refolution, I Sam. 14. 6. Come and let us go over vnto theCar^ rifon of the Vncircumcifed^ it may ^ that the Lord wiU S E R M O N IV. 73 will work for us^ for there is no rejlraint to the Lord tofave by many^ or by few. What a noble In- ftance is here of greatnefs of Spirit, and of the Power and Efficacy of Faith; two fingle Per- fbns form a Defign of forcing a whole Camp, and fucceed in the Attempt, notwithflanding the infuperable Difficulties and Dangers, which in all Appearance attended it. Innumerable In* ftances might be produced out of profane Writ, wherein God Almighty has turn'd the Advan- tage of a Battel, on the fide of very unequal Preparations, and difproportionate Numbers j and that either by ftriking an unaccountable Terror into the Hearts of the Enemy, or by fome extraordinary Accident upon the Death of a General, and even fometimes by a fudden and unexpected Change of the Seafon. Making the Wind and Storm to fulfil his Word. This is an Encouragement to thofe, whofc Trufl; in the Divine Goodnefs is well fupported, nottodefpond, tho' their Affairs feem to beat the lowcft Ebb, and they have no vifible Pro- fpeft of Deliverance ^ for tho' God makes ufe of natural Caufes to produce their proper, and probable Effeds, yet his Power and Providence are not confin'd to his ordinary ways of ading in the Worlds he that made all Things, caa either fufpend or reftrain their Influences ^ or give greater Force and Efficacy to them, as he fees fit : But on the other Hand, when he af- fords us the Inftruments of our own Security and Happinefs (as he has done particularly to this Nation in a more liberal Meafure, than per- haps to any other under Heaven,) he expeds we fhould make ufe of thefe Advantages, and not tempt him by a lazy and prefumptuous Re- liance 74 S E R M O N IV. iiance on fuch extraordinary Interpofitions of lis Providence^ and to this End, no doubt, the Example of tlie Pious Nehsmiah^ is Recorded, €.haf. 4. 9. Who at the fame time he pray'd to God, for Protedioa againfl: his Enemies difpo- ied the Jews under his Command in Military Dr- iver, and negleded not the ordinary Means of Defence, and Prefervation. But sdly^ In the Ufe of Human Means, we miin; take care not to have recourfe to fuch as are unlawful, we cannot ex ped the Providence of God flioutd give a Blelling to thofe Gounfels and Defigns, which are in effed a tacit denial ©fit", how can we reconcik it either with a Gomraon Senfe of Piety or Prudence, to acknow- ledge that all Things come to pafs by the Will ©f Heaven, and at the fame time knowingly, and deliberately to aft in Oppofition to it. Let us hear hov/ God himfelf expreifes his Reientments of fuch indireQ-, and fjnifter Me- thods, //"^. XXX. 1,23. Wo^ fays he, to the rff* ^ellims Children that take Cotmfel^ hut net of me^ <&:c< that walk to go down to ^gypt, and have not mJked at my Mouth to firengthen themf elves in the Sfrwff^ of Pharoah, and to trtiit in the Shadow of ffigypt, therefore Jhall the Strength of Pharoah hs yovtShanf.e^ and the truU in the Shadow of f£.gypt your Co'itfitfion : God here threatens, (and it ge- nerally proves fo) that thofe impious Counfels, wherein Men hope to find their Account, fhall turn to their own Ruin and Difgrace, and bring upon them thofe very Evils, they endeavoar'd to prevent by them. When Job puts the Que- ftion to his Friends, C/j^p. xiii. 7. will you fpeak mckediy for God^ arid talk deceitfully for him^ he does it by way of a more vehement Affirmation, S E R M O N IV. 75 that we ought to abhor the thoughts of defend- ing the Honour of Religion it felf, the greatelb and noblelt and dearefl: Intereft of all, by wicked and irreligious Means, much lefs may we do evil upon inferiour Motives, or that any other good in the World befides, may come of it. No, we can never hope God will ftand by us when we go further, than he has commidion'd us j he. has only promifs'd to give a Blefllng to our Counfeis and Endeavours, when we regu- late them by his Laws, and here his Promifes are very full, and particular. Trvft in the Lord^ and do good, fo jljall thou, dwell in the Land, Pfal. XXXvij. 9. The Salvation of the Righteous is of the Lord, he is their Strength in time of Trouble : And. Prov. xvi. 3. Commit thy Works unto the Lord, and thy Thoughts fliall be efiablijJjed. And again. Chap, xviij. 10. The Name of the Lord is a Jlrong Tower^ the Righteous runeth into it, and Is fa fe. The plain Meaning of all which is, that we have no Ground to hope God will inter pofe in our Behalf, while the Mcafures, we go upon, are not conforma- ble to his Will. So that I can never think thofe Words of our Saviour, Be ye wife as Serpents, and harmlefs as Doves ; were defign'd only for the firft Difciples of our Lord ^ for tho' they were fpoken on a particular Occafion to them, yet they indificr rently extend to all Diftindlions of Men prd- feffing Chriltianity, and efpecially to thofe in the higheft Polls of Trull and Honour •, as they ftand ia need of a more fpecial Providence and Protedion of Heaven : And as an honeft, con- fcientious Practice is neceflary to intitle them to it. While ■j6 S E R M O N IV. Whiie we do what is agreeaWe to the Laws of Heaven, we are fafe ; and God will either give Snccefs to our Defigns (if we want no other Qualification to recommend them to his Favour) or has wife Reafons, tho' he does not think fit to let us into them, why they fhoold not fuc- ceed •, but while we nfe any indired Means to prevent a Danger, which we apprehend making towards us, we take the moft ready Courfe to bring it, with a Vengeance, upon us j God uftr- ally turns our Counfels, as he did thofe oiAchi-' io^hel into Foolijlmefs^ and difappoints our Devi- ces, fo that we are not able to perform : Or if lor a Turn we bring our Defigns to bear, he nfually takes a Time to meet with us in the Courfe of his future Providence. For there is vo Wifdom^ nor Vnderflmding^ nor Cormfel againjt the Lord. That command to the Kings of Ifrael upon their Accefiion to the Crown, is very ob- * iervable to this Purpofe, Beut. xvif. iS, 19. And it jhallhewhen.heftteih vfon the "Throne of his Kingdom^ that hsjhaU write him a Copy of this Laxp in a Book-i &:c„ And he (Jjall Read therein all the Days of his Life^ that he mayferve the Lord his God^ to hep all the Words of this Larp, and thefe Statutes To do them^ that he turn not afde from the Command- ment, to the Right-hand nor to the Left : (Upon any vitious Motive, or Pretence whatever; to the end^ he may prolong his Days in his Kingdom.^ and his Children tn the midft of Ifrael. The mean- ing of which Precept, and of the fpecial Pro- mife annex'd to it, I take to be this % That the Laws of God are the beft Inftrument of Civil Government ^ and that Piety in the final llTue, and Event of Things, will prove the truefl Po- licy, and lay the moft firm and durable Foun- dation S E R M O N IV. 77 dation of the Princes Grandeur, and the Peo- ples Profperity. Yet I am fenfible fuch Religious Maxims as I have been inculcating, will not eafily (at kaft, Univerfally) be admitted by Politicians: The only fettled Principle of many of thofe, who go under that Name, is to have none at all, but to ftrike in with every favourable Jundure, to take their Meafures from Human Accidents, and Emergencies, without troubling their Heads with pedantick Niceties, and Dillinftions of Re- ligion. Not but that Princes Hand in need of all ima- ginable Precautions, and Men of the greateft Dexterity, and Penetration about them •, yet there is Scope enough for Miuifters of State to diftinguilh themfelves, and difcover their Abili- ties while they govern their Condud by the Law of Heaven. Notwithftanding this, if we look abroad into the World, we fhall find that Religion is not always thought a State-vertue ^ and that the Adions of thofe, who have prefided at the Helm of Government, are not to be examin'd nicely by the Rules of Morality ^ but we ought not to forbear them on that Account ; for tho' Politicks are not the Bufinefs of Church-men^ yet I am fure Religion and Morality are w the fuM Compafs of them '^ and what I have faid has been only in general to (hew, that Reafons of State do not alter the Nature of Things, or deftroy the fettled, and natural Diftindion of Right and Wrong, but ought always to be regulated bj the Law of God. And this is what Church-men ought to fland to, and maintain againll all Men living ■-, efpe- cially 78 S E R M O N IV. dally in an Age, where almoft every Man fets up for a Politician \ and almoil every Politician, takes Matchiavel for his Model : Who fhould appear for the Caiife of Religion and Morality, when they are fo generally attack'd, if thofe of our Character and Funftion do not ? 'Tis ex- pelled from us, that we fhould -, and I will make no Apology for it. But Orthly^ the main Foundation of our reli- gious Trull, upon which all the forementioned Qualifications of it are fupported, is a due re- gard to the Laws of God, and Religion in ge^ Jieral. 'Tis a great Felicity when thofe, who are concern'd in the publick Adminillration, aft at once upon prudential and pious Motives ^ and it may be own'd, to Her Majefty's Honour, that the Choice of Perfons to ferve Her, has been agreeable to the Refolutions She has taken, and that She has a nice regard to the known Integrity, as well as Abilities of thofe, (he employs. But after all, 'tis only the Righteoufnefs of a People confidered as a Nation, that can give them a fure and firm Anchor of Hope in the Divine Providence, and this will do it : For tho' God Almighty is fometimes pleas'd to take occaflon, from the notorious Sins and Impieties of a Prince, to punifh a wicked People ^ yet when he fpeaks of the fettled Order and Me- thods of his Providence, he diredts himfelf to publick Bodies and Communities of Men, Jer. 18, 7, 8, 9, 10. At what inflant^ I jliall f^eak concerning A Nation^ and concerning a Kingdom-, to pluck tip-, and to pull down^ and t» deflrcy it : If that Nation agairfi \v':o7n I have pronounc'^d-, twn from their Evil y I will repent of the Evil that 1 thought to do mto S E R M O N IV. 7^ ntito them *, and at iohat Inflant J fhall fpeak concerTi' ing a Nation^ and concerning a Kingdom^ to Build and to riant it % if it do Evil in my fighty that it obey not my Voice^ then I will recent of the Good^ fphereiVitJj J faid I voould Benefit them. And this Declaration of God, after what man- ner he would deal with a religious or v^icked People, explains to us the Nature and Import of the Prophet's Commiflion, chap. i. lo. I have thij Day fet tloce over the Nations^ and over the King- doms^ to root outy and to p^ll down^ and to deflmy and to throw down^ and to build and to Plant : Not as if the Prophet were defign'd to lead power- ful and numerous Armies, or to go upon any of thefe Expeditions in his own Perfon, but that he fhould lay down fuch excellent Rules and iMaxims as a Nation, by duly obferving, Ihould raile it felf to the higheft pitch of Grandeur and Glory ^ and on the other hand, by not at- tending to, fhould proportionably fink, and de- prefs itfeif; but this was more efpecially in the Prophet's Charge, with refpeft to the Jews. Thus chap. 6. 8. God calls upon them in parti- cular, to hearken in time to his wife Counfels and Admonitions •, he thou infl-ruBed^ O Jervfa- lem^ lefi my Sotil depart from thee, left I make thee defolate^ a Land not inhabited ^ in which Words, there are thefe tv^o Things obfervable : Firft, That the Sins of a Nation in general, are the proper and meritorious Caufe of God's punifli- ing it. Secondly, That Religion is a fure Means to recommend us to the Care and Favour of Hea- ven : Lefi my Soul depart from thec^ implies. That if now at lalt, when Things were brought to Extremjty, they would attend to the Pro- phet's Uiftriidions, God would Hill continue his Pro- 8o S E R M O N IV. Protedion to them, and fufpend the threatned Punifhment. I might make appear at large, from the JewiJIj Hiftory, that God, in the Methods of his Pu- nifhing or Profpering that People, had all along regard to their Sins or Repentance : 'Till after they had run on for many Years, in a continued Circle of Sinning and Repenting, of Repenting and Sinning, and the Patience of God would no longer bear with them ; he firft delivered the Ten Tribes into the Hands of the AJfyrians^ who carry'd them away Captive, and 'tis not known to this Day, what became of them : And Judah not being admonifh'd by fuch a remarkable Ex- ample of the Divine Vengeance on a finful Na- tion, but afterwards Revolting, prdvok'd God to inflia that fevere Threat, i Kings 23, 27. / "will remove Judah alfo out of my Sight, as I have done Ifrael ; and I will cafi ojf this City Jerufalem, which I have chofen, and the Houfe of which I faid my Name fliall be there. The fpecial and diftin- guifliing Favours of Heaven towards that Peo- ple, inftead of Protecting them from the Divine Juflice, are rather mention'd as an aggravation of their Crime and their Punifhment \ accord- ingly, after their fucceeding Kings were either Slain, or Depos'd, or taken Captive, and as it isexprefs'd iChron. 35, \6. God faw there was no Remedy or Hopes of reclaiming them, Jeru- falem is again befiegd, and delivered into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar : And King ZedechiaSy after having his Eyes put out, is carried in Chains unto Babylon, none of his People being fuffer'd to remain behind him but the very Dregs and Refufe of them : And after their return from the Sabylonifli Captivity, when at laft they had " fill'd S E R M O N IV. 8i fill'd up the Meafure of their Iniquity, by Re- jefting and Crucifying the Lord of Life •, their City and Temple were finally deftroy'd by the Romans^ and they were never able to form them- felves from that time, into any regular Govern- ment, tho' they after attempted it ^ but have liv'd fcatter'd up and down in all Places where they could find Protection, and are generally at this Day, the molt hafed and defpis'd People upon Earth. Thus was the forecited Prophecy fulfill'd in the mod literal SerKe, and remarkable manner upon them, and God made them a People defoUte^ a Land not inhabited. And the Juftice of God's proceeding herein,' does not only appear from Divine Revelation, but feems to be founded in. the common Senfe and Reafon of Mankind ^ who have generally had a Notion, when any publick Calamity be- fell them, that they had prcvok'd the Anger of their Gods, by fome notorious Crimes j for which reafon they had recourfe to fo many ways of Purgation and Atonement : And what I here obferv'd, concerning the general Apprehenfion? of Men, m this Matter, is confirm'd by that Commination of God himfelf to the People of Judah^ Jer. xxij. 8, 9. Many Nations JJjall pafs by this City^ and they jhall fay every Man to his Neighbour^ Wherefore hath the Lord done this, unto this great City f And they jhall anfwer, Becaufe they have for- faken the Covenant of the Lord their God, and wor- jhip^d other Gods, and ferved them -, implying, that the Juftice of Divine Providence, in this refped, is vifible and obvious to all Mankind •, and that the molt barbarous People, when God inflifts VOL. in. G his $2 S E R M O N IV. his publick Judgments upon a Nation, are able to afllgn the Reafons of them. I wifh the prevailing Sins and Impieties of this Nation, gave me no Ground for thefeRc- f^edions-, it cannot be diflembkd, that there is a general Corruption and Apoftacy of Manners among us : This is an infufterable Reproach td OS, when we confider our felves as Chriftians, and particularly as Chriftians Reformed : But to comfort us under thefe Apprehenfions, never was Religion better Explain'd, or Underftood ; never had we brighter Examples of a folid un- affected Piety •, never had we a greater numbef of truly religious Perfons to ftand in the Gap, to turn away the Divine Indignation from us : 'Tis to be hop'd, that the Authority, exemplary Zeal, and Encouragement of Her Majefty, for promoting a general Reformation, and Her fix'd Refolution to make Virtue and Merit the only Recommendations to Her Favour, will in time produce this happy and delirable Effed. There feems indeed, a general Concurrence of all Sorts and Diftindions of Men to fo good a Work ; and, by God's Blefllng, their Endeavours have not been hitherto without Succefs: This opens to us a new and more joyful profped of Things, and gives us better Grounds to hope, that our Iniquities, tho' God knows, too fpreading and notorious, yet are not ftill fuch as will fepa- rate betwixt him and us, and then we are fure nothing elfe can. Having thus confider'd, particularly and aC large, wherein the Nature of this Duty of truft- ing in God, as it relates to us in our publick Capacity J does confift \ I proceed, according to to ^ S E R M O N IV. 83 to the Method propos'd, to offer fome proper Motives and Arguments to enforce it. And that, Firft, Becaiife there is nothing but God where- in we can place an intire Truft and Confidence ^ this appears from what has been occafionally faid already, but we cannot be too often remind- ed of it, when we confider how forward we are, after all, to rely on our own Politicks, and the Power and Efficacy of Second Caufes. The good State of our Fleets and Armies, the Con- dud of our Generals, the Integrity and Abili- ties of our Minifters, the Number and Impor- tance of our Alliances, are ufually the firfl: Things that come into Confiderarion ^ and we were never under a greater Temptation to pre- sume of Succefs than now, in all thefe refpedts ; but yet if we leave God out of the Account, they all fignify nothing: We are fenfible that the wifell of Men may deceive us, and be deceived themfelves, and many times the greateft Power cannot help us ; but God perfecfily knows the propriety of Caufes to produce future Events, andean effeftually apply them: All things fall within the compafs of his Knowledge and Will, and of his alone. He is wife in Hearty and mighty in Strength^ Job ix. 4. He pierces through the whole Creation and Order of Things, at one Look, and has all the Powers of Motion intirely at his Command -^ He comprehends and does every thing. We take our Meafures from what fuits with our prefent Intereft, or Convenience * at belt, from the moft probable Appearances of Things, and upon this View we earneftly defire and purfue them •, but they often draw a Train of unhappy Confequences after them, which we G i did 8a S E R M O N IV. did not forefee, and cannot present ^ Forefigbt, and prevention of remote Contingencies, are the Prerogative of God, and therefore he alone ought to be the fupreme Objeft of our Truftt When WQ lean to our own Underftanding, of the Arm of Flefii, we fall upon thofe very things wecxpeft fhould fupport us : As 'tis our Duty, fo lis alfo the fafeft way for us to take God into all our DefTgns and Confultations, to refer the liliie of them wholly to hisWifdom, and to confide in his Power alone for Succefs. He doth accordim to his Will in the Armies of Hea.- ven^ and among the Inhabitants of the Earthy and none may Jlay his Uand^ or fay unto hiirty what dofi thou? A fecond Motive to this Duty (hall be taken from the Nature of it •, as it is the higheft and jiobleft ad of religious Honour, the moll fen- iible Acknowledgment of the eternal Power and Godhead. And for this reafon, fo many and particular Promifes are every where in Scripture annex'd to it ^ and God has as remarkable on all occallons made them good, Pf xxxvij. 40. holy David afcribes the deliverance of good Men to their Truft in God, as it were to a meritorious CzuCq, and the Lord fliall help them^ and deliver them from the wicked, and fljall fave them^ becaule they put their Trujl in him \ and 2 Chron.xu] 18. this is affign'd as the peculiar reafon of the Suc- cefj of Jtidah againft Ifrael, thus the Children »f J[ra.el were brought under at that time, and the Chil" d tn of Judah prevailed, becaufe they rely*d on the Jjord Gad of their Fathers: And indeed there is nothing lays a greater Obligation upon ingenu- ous Minds (or whereby they think themfelves more Jionour'd) than the repofing an intire Truft and S E R M O N IV, 85 and Confidence in them : All Mankind are of this Opinion, and God, when he condefcends to Perfbnate a Father, or a Friend, is pleas'd to accommodate himfelf to the natural Paflions and Apprehenfions of Men, arifing from thefe Relations^ fo that npon this Snppofition, that God governs the World, to place a generous and ftcdfafl: dependance on him, feems to be at once the mofl honorary and moft engaging d& of Religion : On the contrary, God expreffes him- felf againll thofe, who entertain unworthy and fiifpicious Thoughts of his Providence in fuch Terms, as are ns'd to difcover his higheft Ind;/g- nation, and the moft provoking Guilt, Jtr.K^ij, 5« ThM faith the Lord, Cur fed he the Mcin rvho truflcth in Mun^ and mahth Flefj his Jlrm^ and Tvhofe Heart depart eth from Gcd : A 5 if to repofe our Truft in any thing but God, were in elfed to deny, that he concerns himfelf with what is done in the World, or that his Concurrence is necellary, in order to the Succefs of oiii* Deligns. 1 Ihall but urge one Motive more to thf< Dn- ty, and that is, from our prefent Circumftan- ces. We are now engag'd in a War for rhe Defence of the common Liberties ot Ein-of^^ againft a very powerful Enemy \ an Enemv, as great in his Character of a Politician, as a Prince,^ And if we do believe, that God does at all in- tereft himfelf in the Affairs of the World, we niuft look upon thofe, who are engag'd \n a State of War, as the more fpecial and imme- diate Objed^s of his Providence \ and there are two very plain and obvious Reaibns for this. ¥ Kri?, U S E R M O N IV. Firft^ That the BlefTings or Evils of this Life, which are the principal Things the Providence of God is converfant and employed about, do more vifibly depend upon the Succefs and Event of War, than upon any thing befides. Second^ That War being as it were a referring thofe Controverfies to the Decifion of Heaven, which cannot otherwife be determined among b"ecular Princes, efpecially when their Ambition knows no Bounds, and they think themfelves Ro longer oblig'd by the moft folemn Treaties, than they can violate them with Safety and Im- punity • In thefe Cafes, I fay, God, for the vin- dication of his Honour and juftice, feems mor? peculiarly concerned to take the Matter into his Hand, and to determin himfelf in favour of the Injured, and juft Caufe : Kot that I think Suc- cefs, an Argument of a good Caufe, we know it very often attends a bad one -^ but the Reafon of this is not to be imputed to the Nature of the Caufe, but to other accidental Confidera- tions : A good Caufe may want thofe requifite Qualifications wherewith it ought to be fup- ported ^ and God may take occafion from the Sins and Impieties of a Nation, to punifh it by what Methods he pleafes^ and he often makes one wicked Nation the Inftrument of his Ven- geance upon another ; without any refped to the Juflice or TJnlawfulnefs of the War on ei- ther fide : This he plainly gives us to under-- Jland himfelf, in that Caution to the Jews, pent. ix. 4, 5, 5. T'W tkey ^jould not attribute their Succefs in the Land ef Canaan to their own Rightconf- ■sefs-, but to the Wickednefi of them that dwell therein. But S E R M O N IV. 87 Buttho' Succefs, confider'd in it felf, is a very bad Argument of a good Caufe •, yet a good Caufc is indifpenfibly requifite to ground our Hopes of Succefs upon. Our Sins and Provo- cations may render it unfuccefsful, yet we can- not Iiope forthe Bieffing of God without it. In fhort, whenever it appears neceflary that we fhouid enter into a War, we ought in the firfb Place to come to that pious Refolution of our Royal Prophet, In the name of the Lord we will fet 14^ our Banners^ Pf. XX. 5. But then be fides the juftice of our Caufe, if we would cffeftually re- commend it to the Favour and Protedion of Heaven, we muft take care not to offend God, by our wicked Lives •, when the Hofi goeth forth againfh the Enemy^ then^ that i§, particularly at that time, kee^ thy felf from every wicked things Deut. xxiij. 29. 'Tis only a righteous People can depend upon the Succefs of a righteous Caufe^ and they may depend upon it. And yet whatever hopes there may be of a general Reformation, as to the publick Immor- alities and Profanenefs of the Age, there is but little appearance of our reforming one wicked thing among us, which we have reafon to fear is highly difpleafing to God, and that is our want of Union. I fpeak not here of thofe Ci- vil Fadtions and Animofities, which we have fo often experienced the ill effefts of, never hud we Icfs reafon to lament them, than under the Reign of Queen A n n e •, it is Her peculiar Glo- ry, that we have now no State-Diftinctions among us, but feem all to have one Interefl, and one Heart, like Her own, Intirely Evglt\h ; even thofe whofe Unhappincfs it is, that they canuot conform to the prefejit Eftablilhrneni, G 4 ^vjU 88 SERMON IV. will own the Difficulties they are under to op- pofe their Principles to their Inclination •, but 'tis to be hop'd, their fecret Wifhes for the publick Good, will in time induce them to confider the unreafonablenefs of their private Doubts, and their known Honour and Venera- tion for Her Ma jelly's Perfon, makes way for the efledtual removal of their Prejudices againft Her Title ; and can we be happier than under fuch a Government,' where thofe that conform, are unanimouily its Friends, and thefe inconli- derable Few that do not, cannot be look'd upon as Enemies. Oh ! then that wc may never be reduc'd to that unhappy Temper of fomenting Parties, and calling Names ;, we know of what ill Con- sequence thefe publick Feuds and Clafnings have been to us ^ 'tis not long fince they fet the Na- tion almoft in a Flame. But fince we now un- derftand ourlntereft, and the Charafter of thofe worthy Patriots better, who were fo notori- oufly and malevolently traduc'd •, may thefe fcandalous Diforders never be mentioned more ; and I had not mentioned them now, but to (hew how Jntirely Her IViajefty is poflefs'd of the Hearts of Her Snbjefts : No fooner did She afcend the Throne, but that Spirit of Enmity and Difcord which was gone out into tlie Na- tion, feem'd all of a fudden to vanifh *, and the only Emulation among us was, which of us fhould give Her Majefly the greateft Aflurances of our Love and Loyalty, in our publick Ad- drefles. But what I had here principally an Eye to^ are our numerous Divifions with refpeft to Re- ligion j fo contrary to the Spirit and Defign of Chri- S E R M O N IV. 8p flianity, fo irreconcileable (whatever Men pre- tend) with a true Senfe of Piety, and hear- ty Defire of Peace ^ 1 know it is fcud, there may be Unity among Chriftians, according to the GofpcUTerms of it, without Communion of Faith or VVovfhip: This, in fome refpeft, is true ^ there may be (tho' this not very common neither) an unity of Love, and Charity among Perfons of different Perfuafions, but the Diffi- culty is not hereby remov'd ^ becaufe the Unity which the Gofpel fo frequently recommends, does not only import mutual Love and Charity, amon^ ChriRians, but Communion of Faith and Worfhip too: So that this Argument, were it well grounded, would be a greater Objedioa agaiaft the Chriftian Religion, than our Divi- lions therafelves -^ as it proceeds upon this Sup- pofition, that the Gofpel- Terms of Communion, and the Precepts of the Gofpel, are i neon fi (tent one with another, which is an Objedion I leave thofe to anfvver, who have given occafion for it. It muft be own'd then, that our many and publick Divifions, wherever the Fault lies, are juft and provoking Caufes of God's judgments upon us; 'tis not my Bufinefs to enter into Controverfy, and therefore I only exhibit a general Charge, againit all thofe who are in a State of Schifm^ and wilfh they would impar- tially examin how far they are concerned in fuch a Charge > and then 'tis to be hop'd, an end would fpeedily be put to our Controverfies, and we fhould be more perfedly join'd toge- ther in the fame Mind, and in the fame Judg- ment. Let us cfpecially, who are Members of the Church of EngUnd^ take care to conform our po S E R M O N IV. our Pradife to the Rules and Conftitutions of it, and be perfeftly united among our felves *, I mention this, becaufe there are fome, upon oc^ cafion among us, who are not of us ^ who com- municate with us, in order to qualify themfelves for Places of Truft or Profit, and then Rail at the Terms of our Communion when they have done-, who take the Teft of Conformity out of Intereft, and then pretend Confcience for not Conforming. Kow I dare appeal to the more fober and mo- derate Diflenters themfelves, whether in their Hearts they do not abhor fuch indited: and fcandalous Practices : For whoever conforms to our Church, upon any fuch Motive, mufl: either in effccl own himfelf an Atheifl^ or confefs that the Terms of Conformity are Lawful ^ and if they be Lawful j then, I think, as to the Point of Expediency, 'tis a clear Cafe, that mutual Peace and Charity will be much better prefer v'd by conforming to the Eftablifh'd Church, than by feparating from it : And I know nothing ii^ the Queftion of Expediency ^ which we ought to have a greater regard to, . than thefe Duties. But I fay no more to a Praftice fo dilhonoura* ble to Religion •, which our Governours in their great Wifdom, have taken into Confideration, and may they effe^ually prevent it for the fu- ture : Perhaps it were better, that communicat- ing with us, were not made a Condition to qua- lify Men for Civil Offices, than that fhey fhould be fuffer'd to proftitute Religion, after fuch an infamous manner, in order to qualify themfelves for them. And now that I have mention'd the Church of Englandy I canziot but Congratulate wit;U you S E R M O N IV. 91 you our Happinefs in a Queen, fo Religionfly in the Interelt of it •, Her Conftancy to it was too well fupported, to be (haken in the worft of Times : But fince Her happy Accefllon to the Crown^ She has been pleased to give us pub- lick Aflurances of that Zeal for it, which Her Heart was always full of ^ and yet Her Gracious ExprelTions towards us, are temper'd with fo much Moderation and Tendernefs for Her People in general, that they cannot offend thofe who diffent from us ^ and therefore we all ought to Unite in our Prayers for Her, that God would fend Her a long and happy Reign, an- fwerable to thefe aufpicious Beginnings ^ that he would give Succefs to our Armies, and Se- curity to our Trade, and Peace, and Plenty, and a good Underftanding among our felves -, and to Crown all our Defires, That he would blefs Her Ma jelly with an Heir, that may raife in us as great Expedations, as Plis. late Royal Highnefs the Duke of Gloucefler^ and live to an- fwer them. Here I am fenfible 1 have excited a PalTion unfuitable to the Occallon of the Day •, but to allay our Sorrows for the Death of that Ulu- ftrious Prince, let us, among the numerous Mercies we are met to commemorate, offer up our joyful Praifes to Heaven, for the Recovery of his Father j we cannot forget, with what a Confternation we werefeiz'd, upon Advice of the Danger his Royal Highnefs was in \ 'twas the fjrfl: time thevSubjeds of Queen Anne dif- cover'd their Fears ;, but withal gave them an Opportunity of fhewingthe great Senfe they had of his noble and heroic Qualifications, of his prudent and obliging Coiidud, of his great Tern- 5?2 S E R M O N IV. Temper and Moderation, which have render'd liim the belt lov'd Man in the World, and the litteft Perfon to be the Partner of Her Maje- fty's Cares and Counfels : This ought to remove the only feeming Occafion of. Complaint, that Ire does not go forth with our Fleets and Ar- mies ^ Her Majefty cannot think of his Abfence, nor of thofe Dangers his known Courage and Bravery might expole him to •, and he willing- ly Sacrifices the Opportunities of a Glory to HerPleafure. Long may they live, to be Ex- amples to Foreign Courts, and to all about them, ®f that inviolable conjugal Love and Affedion, which we have but few inftances of, among Perfons of their Charader, or of the firft Dl- ftiiKtion. Neither muft we omit to pay our Acknow- ledgments in general, to all thofe who are con- cernM intheprefent Adminiftration of Affairs, which have fucceeded fowell, and even beyond our Expediations. But particularly thofe who have been ho- Boured with Her Majefty's Commands abroad. Challenge the higheft returns of our Gratitude and Refpedl, The pablick Acknowledgments that have been made our great Captain General, the Earl of Marlborough, both by the Queen and Her Parliament, declared how fenfible they were of the numerous and fignal Services he iias done England^ and Her Allies, in one Cam- paign, againfl: the United Powers of the two Afpiring, Weflem Momtrchiet. isior has Her Majefty (for the Encouragernent of Merit) omitted to make honourable Mention in. Her Royal Proclamation of thofe other Wor- ihiss. who Goiiimanded our Forces La Uiat brave SERMON IV. 95 and gallant Adion before Vigo \ fo much for the Nations Honour, and their own. Long may Queen Anne be happy in fuch he- roick Generals, and in a wife, faithful, and able Miniftry: Long may (he live to receive the Congratulations of a loyal and loving People: And let us Trvfl in the Lord^ for 'tis Her own Wi(h, that we may have frequent Occafions of renewing them. S E R- 94 SERMON V. To what End it is a Duty incunv » bent on us to hear Sermpns>^ with the Means^ whereby this Duty may be rendred more Edifying and Be- neficial to us. James i. 22. JSatJpeye Doers of the Word^ and not Hearer i cnl^j deceiving your own j elves » rj^HE Deagn of all Inftruaion is, either to X enlighten the Mind, or to move the Will and AfTedlions, Men, whofe Hearts are very corrupt, do frequently tafte a Pleafure that Charms them, in complying with the former of thefe Defigns ; and even fometimes in con- templating thofe Truths, which moft of all op- pofe their Inclinations : As the Eye , when any vicious Humour .falls upoo it, yet can- not S E R M O N IV. 95 not eafily forbear opening it felf to the Light, which it loves , tho in lome meafure Painful and Offenfive to it. It is therefore no extraordinary thing to ob- ferve Men pretty forward in repairing to the Place of God's Worfhip, to hear a Sermon \ up- on whofe Lives Religion has, notwithftanding no vlfible Influence : The truth of it is, few Perfons being fo wicked as to think of living wholly without God in the World, or of lay- ing afide all care of Serving him \ they are eafi- ly perfuaded to offer him a Sacrifice, which has fbme Appearance at leaft of Piety in it, and at the fame time colts them nothing ^ but rather tends to gratifie a fecret Motion of Self-love, and that Natural Thirit of the Soul after Know- ledge, which the moft Stupid and Profligate Sin- ners, cannot wholly Supprcfs : If there be not per- haps fome Men, who defign little more hereby, than a Sacrifice to their own Pride or Arrogance; when they confider themfelves for fo long a time fitting upon the Preacher in the Capacity of Judges -^ and as having a Right to determin how he comes off! I would not hereby difcourage the greatelt Sinners from hearing of Sermons, but only di- rect them to perform this Duty, on better and more religious Motives-, tho' indeed upon what Motives foever we repair to perform it, if the good Seed of the Word do not fpring up in us to bear Fruit, we only A(ft a more folemn Part of Defembling before God , and chufing cur own Delufion : It is this very Conllderation wherewith St. James enforces what he had laid down in the former part of my Text, as a ge- neral Rule and Caution to all Chriftians. But, 9^ SERMON V. . But, be ye Doers of the Word , and not Hearers only, deceiving yom own felves. In Difcourfing upon which Words, 1 (hall ob- ferve this plain and eafy Method. ifi. I (hall confider it as a Duty incumbent on us to hear Sermons, in order to our Inftrufti- on •, for I wholly confine my felf at prefent to this Acceptation of our hearing the Word of God. idly. I (hall (hew, that one great End of our liearing Sermons j is to form and regulate our Pradife. Sdly. I (hall lay down fome Diredions, which may be ufeful to render our Performance of this Duty, of greater Benefit and Edification to us. ifi. The hearing of Sermons is a Duty in- cumbent on us, in order to our inRmction •, it is fo in the natural Reafon and Tendency of the Thing it felf ^ for fo the Apodle fuppofes in a Human way of Arguing, when he tells us, thtc Faithy the Faith which has for it's Objed ', the reveal'd Truths of Religion in general, cometh by Hearing-, and Hcar'wq^ by the Word of God^ Rom. X. 17. I do no"t hereby intend, that there is nothing more requir'd efiedually to con- vince Men of the Truths of Religion, than to propound them, after a clear and diftind Man- ner j we are afTiired from the Holy Scriptures, That it is one fpecial Oiiice of the Holy'Spirit, to open the Eyes of our Vnderfla?iditig., to put the Laws of God in ovr Ay thele or any other Human Coniiderations, there can be no reafonable Hopes, that the Word IreaxWd fhould have any lively or iafting Effeds TB'p©n OS. Far tho' God is fbmetimes pleas'd to pre- vent Men by his gracious Favour, and to be Ibund of them, who feek him not. Yet he or- dtinarily confers his Grace according to the Me- thods of Nature ^ and carries us on to good and virtuous Improvements from good Inelina- Hions and Defires. Only 1 would be here, and all along underftood, concerning the Operations ©f Divine Grace, not fo much with Refpeft to to the firft Converfion of Unbelievers, in which the Methods of it are more extraordinary, but to the Progrefs they make in the Chriftiaa jLifs afterwards. Tho' when the Apoftle tells ms, That in the Infancy of the Church, m many di. were ordained to eternal Life^ OT (as the Ori - ginal imports) were found in a good and or- dierly Difpofition for it, belleva^' : The Words feem to give us a juft Foundation for this Infe- rence, that even in order to their embracing the CiitilHan Faith, it is a great Felicity when Men m S E Pv M O N V. I in their Natural Temper are well and religi- oufly difpofed. They who are employ'd in the Converfiofl of Infidels abroad, confirm what is here faid/Vhen they obferve to us, how diffi- cultly, Perfons advanc'd in Years, and who havts been under the Power of any corrupt Habits, are brought to confefs the Faith of Chrilt *, and that the greateft Number of Converts arifc from the younger fort of People, in whom Nature is not yet wholly vitiated, or who have had the Advantages of a more ftrid and virtu- ous Education. 1 fliall on this Occafion cite a Paflage from Dr. Whitchcot in his feled Dil^ courfes. '' We may refolve, fays^he^ that the " Difficulty of Faith arifes from the Wicked '* State of the Subjed, rather than the Incredibi- *' lity of the Objed. It is hard to ad otherways, ** than the State from within doth difpo/e a *' Man. So that with refped both to fandifying, and illuminating Grace, a good and pious Difpofition of Mind is an excellent Preparative to make it operate upon us with greater Force and Facility. Quicqu'id recipitur^ recipltur ad modum recipkrttis^ is a Maxim which holds no lefs true in Moral, than in phyfical Subjeds. Thofe Truths which we are not difpos'd to entertain or fubmit to, will either be altogether unwelcome to us, or at the moft, entertain'd after a very cold and re- gardlefs manner. And therefore our Bleiled Saviour, whofeDefign it was in his Parables, to condefcend to the U/'eaknefs of his Hearers, and after a familiar Way, to let them into religi- ous and divine Truths, by fenfible Reprefenta- tions, tells them, The Seed which fprang up and bare Fruit a hundred Fold, was that, which no SERMON V, fell on good Ground'^ oil fuch Ground as was ei-» ther proper of it felf, or in fome convenient Meafure prepar'd to receive it, by th§ Care and Indnftry of die Owner. And by this Ground, as he afterwards explains the Parable, isdefign'd an hone(h and good Hearty Luke viij. i 5. By which he intends, that a Heart difpofed to yield Obe- dience to the Inftruftions, we hear, is the belt Qualification to render them really edifying and beneficial to us. By a good Difpofition therefore, I mean fome- thing more than a bare tranficnt Defire of ha-^ ving our Duty explain'd to us, or our being af- fected for the time, with what we hear, after a moving and fenfible manner. For tranlient De- lires and Affedions, in the Performance of reli- gious Duties, are ordinary in very wicked Men. At the fame time God commands the Prophet Jjlxiab to cry aloud, and ihevv the People of the Jervs their TranfgrefTions and Sins •, he gives them this Teflimony. Tet they feek me daily^ and delight to knorv my Ways ds a Nation that did Righ- tcoufn^efs, and forfook not the Ordinance of the it God^ they ask of me the Ordinances of Juflice^ they delight in approaching to God, Ifa. iviij. i., 2. And indeed one good Reafon in particulal*, t6 mention no other, may be given, vvhy the mofl wicked Chriftians are often obferv'd to have fomething in them of this Jewip Spirit, info- much, that they not only hear the Word of God gladly^ but are for the prefent fo forcibly mov'd and af!edled with it, that they refolve for the future, to govern themfclves by the Rules of it. And the Reafon is this, that during the time they hear their Duty reprefented to them in a clear rational, and lively manner, their Thoughts S E R M O N IV. Ill Thoughts are taken up with conlidering the Beauties and Excellency of Religion abftraded- I7, and without regard to the Criminal Plea- furesor Interefts of this World ^ Their Confct- ences and Attention being fo awaken'd, that their Inclinations are for fome time at leaft^quice drawn off from thefe Profpefts. And then, I fay, 'tis no wonder, that they are ftruck with the beautiful Reprefentations which are made to them of Religion, and even form to themfelves Defigns of putting in Pradife, what appears on all Accounts, fo very jult and reafonable. But when their Attention ceafes, or they come to execute, what they had fo well refolv'd, the Cafe is very different *, for then their finful Paf- iions, and the Cares of the World, or other Amufements returning upon them, and rendring a Ilncere confcientious Difcharge of their Duty more difficult than it appear'd before, they no longer confider Virtue as lovely and defirable in itfelf, but as an Enemy to their Interefts ; lay- ing very heavy, and, according to the different but falfe Light, wherein they now fee Things, moft tinreafonable Reltraints Upon them. It is not therefore any fudden Heats or Motions in Religion, wherewith the greateft Sinners fome- times find themfelves agitated, that I here in- tend ^ but a permanent and habitual Difpofition to do, whatever the Word of God may require to be done. idly^ Be careful how you entertain any per- fonal Diflrafte a gain ft the Teacher, under whom the Providence of God has plac'd you. It is too common an Error to think, that for the fake of better Edification, as they call it. Men may, when they fee occaflon, innoceijtiy withdraw them- 112 S E R M O N V. themfdves from the Miniftry of their proper Pa- ftor. And it isnot deny'd, that in certain Cafes, wherein the Cohfent of their proper Paftor may be reafbnably fuppos'd, or they do not give any )uft Caufe of Scandal or Offence, fiich a with- drawing of themfelves may be allowable. But where Men are defirous of heaping up to them' felves Teachers^ out of a vain and wanton Curi* ofity •, in contempt of him who is over them »» the Lord \ or perhaps from feme Prejudice they have taken againft him ^ this is both highly blameable in itfelf, and a diredt Breach of that Order, which is fo very defirable in all the Churches of God. We grant, God has not committed all Ta- lents to all Men •, and that there are Preachers much fuperior to others in a rational, clear and perfuafive Method of handling the Word of God, and fuch perfonal Advantages are highly valuable, and of good Ufe. in themfelves. But there is fomething ft ill in the Charader of a Teacher of much higher Confideration •, and that is, bis Teaching in the Name of God, and by an Authority deriv'd from him. ).et us but confider a Perfon of the meaneft Abilities, as invefted with this Charafter ; and nothing he can fay, provided he fay nothing but what he has Authority for, from the Word of God, will be thought Mean or Inconfiderable. Here then lies our great Error, that we are more apt to hold Mens Perfons, or their per- fonal Qiialities, in Admiration^ than their facred Powers ^ and have frequently greater Regard to their natural Abilities, wherewith we find our felves agreeably mov'd and affedted, than to :he Secret, but lefs fsnfible, Motions of Divine Grace ^ S E R M O N V; tit Grace \ which alone can effeftually enlighten the Mind, and convert the Heart • and which God, in the \J^Q of his Ordinances, is often pleafed to difpenfe, without the Embellilhments of Elo- quence, or other human Arts of Perfuafion; ta the Endy that our Faith Jhotdd not fiand in the Wlfdom df Men^ hut in the Power of God, I Cor. ij. I. And yet there is no Minifter of Chrilt, but who is capable, in one refpeft or other, of Preaching what is Ufeful and Inftruftive-, ot where he may be lefs capable, this oneConll- deration, that he is a Miniver of Chrifi^ is of more Weight, than all human ConliderationS whatever. 3^/y, Let us charge our Memories with what we hear, and ferioufly refled upon it. Tho' we are very attentive to the Preacher, and fully convinc'd both of the Importance of his Office, and of his Inftrudions •, yet amidft the conti- nual Amufements of this World, we are ftrange- ly apt, without Recollection, to forget even ma- ny Things that made a more than ordinary Im- prelTion on us. So that very often the brightelt Ideas, which have been rais'd in our Minds of Virtue or Religion, have immediately vanilh'd and come to nothing. For we are liot more apt to think of what we Ihould not, than to fufler thofe things to efcape our Memories, which ought to be treafur'd up molt faithfully in them. As St. James obferves in the Words immediate- ly following my Text j where he elegantly com- pares a forgetful Hearer, to a Mart, beholding his natural Face in a Glafs *, then going his way j and firaitway forgetting ^hat manner of Mari he was. VOL, Wh y The 112 S E R M O N V. The Curious have made it a Qiieftion, why a ■Man, who is fo frequently feeing his own Face, and fometimes examining, with Care, its feveral Features, yet does not retain fo ftrong and lively an Idea of it, as of the Face of another Perfon, whom perhaps he has but once feen, and at a great diftance of Time. But one would ftill think it more difficult, to affign the Moral than the Natural Reafons of a Man's forgetting his own Refemblance ^ the Care of the Soul, and of every thing that relates to it, being infinitely of more Concernment to us, than any thing that has relation to the Body, in any refped. But we fhould more efpecially call to mind and refied upon fuch Truths, wherewith, upon hearing the Word of God, our Confciences at any time have been more powerfully awaken'd t Almoft every Man, either from natural Tem- per, or by reafon of the Circumftances he h in, has Temptations of one kind or other more peculiarly incident to him ^ into a compliance with which, he is in greater danger of being drawn or betray'd. But befides the Sin, which more eafily befets us^ the Sin of our Inclination, there are many things wherein, after all our Caution, we all offend : And this renders it Matter of common and daily Obligation to us, to exhort one another , leafl any of tu he hardned^ thorough the Deceitfulnefs of Sin. But becaufe this js a Duty which requires much Prudence and Zeal, and on many occafions proves Ungrate- ful^ God has Inftituted a diftind Order ofMen, whofe fpecial Office it is to Reprove, to Rebuke, and Exhort, in his Name, and after a more Authoritative Manner. When therefore any Admoflitioa from them comes home to the SERMON V. Vf3 Confcience of a Sinner, and tells him, Tlou art the Adan^ as in general Admonitions, there will be always fomething or other proper to remind a Perfon of his Sins in particular ^ he fliould, I fay, upon fuch an Application, not only give the more earneft heed to the Things that are fpoken, but carefully lay them up in his Memo- ry, and often refledt upon theno, Uafi at any time he let them Jlip \ and fo heighten his Difobe- dience to the Commands of God, by the higheft Aggravation it is capable of, that of fetting ai Nought his Counfel, and Contemning his Re^^roofs^ Prov. i. 2^. Afthly^ We are to confider, that the Word Preach'd is one of thofe Talents, which God has given us to Profit withal, and whereof we muft render a ftrict Account : For fo our Lord himfelf imports in that Caution to his Difciples, Take heed therefore how you hear ^ and he inforces it with a very powerful Confideration •, for who- foever^ continues he, hathy or makes a good Im- provement of the Knowledge, whereunto he hath already attained, to him Jhall be given -^ and fphofoever hath not^ or is found to make no Im- prove of this Talent, /row* him fjall be tahn^ evert that^ which he feemeth to have. This Commination of our Saviour is notcon- fider'd, as it ought, by great numbers of Men v they are apt to look upon Preaching, as if ie were a Bufinefs of principal Concernment to the Preacher-, as a Duty to which, the Nature of his Office or Caftom has oblig'd him •, and where- in he has little or no Pains to take, but to plealc the Audience, either by his Elocution or Ad* drefs*, the Fluency of his Invention j the Pro^ priety of his Words and Thoughts •, the Strength I 2 of jii4 SERMON V. of his Memory , or other human Methods of gratifying the Ears of Men, and procuring a fa- vourable Attention. Whereas in Truth, the principal End of Preach- ings or rather, .the only End for which it was Inllituted, concerns the Hearers. And the Defign of it is to inftrud the Ignorant, to awaken the Obltinate, to encourage the Good, to comfort the Feeble-minded, and warn the Unruly •, or if there be any other Method of extirpating Vice, and promoting Piety, toprefs it with thegreatefl Zeal and Fervency upon the Confciences of Men. Are thefe Things of an indifferent Nature ? Or can we imagine, God has Inftituted a diftind Order of Men to teach what it imports us, above all other things to know and Pradtice, and yet that he has no Defign to examin what effed their Teaching has had, or what Account we .are able to give of our Proficiency under it? Has God any wife End in his Inftitutions ? If he have -^ we cannot certainly, after fuch an Acknowledgment, look upon our publick Af- fem.blies for hearing his Word, as little better than fo many popular jiuditories. But as Af- femblies, wherein we receive thofe Inftrudions in his Name, which are of the laft Importance arid Concernment to us ^ and which we cannot otherwife account for, than by keeping faith- fully to them ^ ancj fhewing our felves obedient in all things^ xchatfoever he Commands w,, 4 tionof it, concernitir; which I have endeavoured to give you fome /Account ^ fo that throughouS his Epiftles he mas-es it the puoner' Character and Denomination of Chriltians. Andbecaufe we never more efil:lually perfuade" Men, than when we addrefs f ir felves to them in the way of Benevolence and RefpeLt,. the Apollle fre- quently makes ufe of this tender and engaging Compellation to enforce what he fays, and par-* ticularly in the Words of my. -Tt5ct. / bcfiech you therefore Bvcthien.. ■ s. iMy^ By the Mercies of God^ rha' is from' the Confideration of thofe great Things our good and merciful God has done for us, and which in the foregoing Chapter I have been more par- ticularly recounting to you. And certainly up- on an ingenuous and good Teinper, there is nothing lays fo great an Obligation, as the Scnfe of Favours receiv'd. 'Tis upon this Account, that any Kindnefs done us, is in the common Language of the World, caii'd an Eopagement ; and that Ingratitude is lock'd upon as one of the molt odious and infamous Impr- itions we can faften upon any Perfoa. If the Motives of Gratitude to Men , who have in any lenfible manner obliged us, be fo ftrongand indifpenfible ; how much more ought every one of us to put the Qiiellion to himfelf, with Holy David. • What Ihall I render unto the Lord, for all the Benefti he hath done tinto me ^ to the Lord, from whom we have receiv'd infinite- ly greater Mercies and Favours, than Man could ^ouiito us, and from we have infinitely lefsde- ferv'd them : To the Lord \ from whom the very Capacity which other Perfous have of obliging US SERMON VI. 125 us is deriv'd ^ and who, befides the many tempo- ral Ble Rings, he gives us richly to enjoy ^ fo loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whofoever bclieveth in him, fhould not perifli, but have everlafling Life. It was upon this powerful and engaging Mo- tive from God's ineilimable Love, in the Re- demption of the World, by Jefus Chrift, his true and eternal Son, that the Apoftle exhorted the Romans^ and in them all fucceeding Chrilti- ans, to devote themfelves to the Service of God \ And in Return of fo great a Mercy, v/hich they were in all Refpeils fo unworthy of, to prelent their Bodies a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God. Has the Blefled Je-. fus done and fuffer'd fo much for us Men, and for our Salvation \ and required nothing of us, by way of Gratitude, for all the Benefits he has done unto us, but a new Obedience^ an Obedi- ence, which if he had not required it, is no- thing but our bounden Duty, and reafonghle Ser^ vice? And fhall we deny to pay it Hira ? Shall we refufe to exprefs our Thankfulnefs, for his manifold and great Mercies towards us, infuch Inflances of our Duty as are really at the fame time moft beneficial to our felves ? How it pof- fible ? If it be polfible that we (hould aft fo contrary to all the Principles of Reafon and Ingenuity : It concerns us to look to ©ur felves. God is merciful ^ he delights in fliewing Mercy ^ but nothing inflames Juftice to a greater Height than Mercy abus'd. Tou only^ fays God to the yewsy have I kpoxon of all the Nations of the Earth 9 therefore / xvlU ftwi(lj you^ for all your Inicjuities. VVhere the fpecial Favours of Heaven towards thst 126 SERMON VI. -tliat People are made an Argument of God's vi^ iiting their Sins in a more fevere and terrible Manner : Tiiis is highly agreeable to the com- jnon Sentiments of Mankind, who think it rea- fonable to proportion their Refentments accor- ding to the Meafure of their defpis'd or abus'd J^'avours. I hope, we are all of us fenfible of the great Mercy of God in calling us to a State of Salvati^ on, thro' Jefus Chrilt. But let us take Care, that provok'd Mercy, do not end in the feverer Vengeance. If the Goodnefs of God do not lead ITS to Repentance, our Impenitence, astheApo- ftle argues. /?o?«. ij.4, 5. will ferve only to .treafure up to us the greater Wrath againft the Day of Wrath and Revelation of the Righte- ous Judgment of God. God v/illeth not the Death of a Sinner, and therefore is mercifully inclined to pardon his Sins ^ but upon fuch Terms, as confift with the Reditude and Holi- nefs of his Nature. To expedt God will be mer- ciful to us, while we continue in our Sins, and do Defpight to his Grace and Mercy, is not Faith^ but a mod daring and infolent Prefump- tion, which will certainly fail us, when we ftand the moft need of a well-grounded Faith, at the Hour of Death, and in the Day of Judgment. And therefore to prevent any fuch Mifappli- cation or Abufe of the Mercies of God, I Ihall conclude this Particular with the Caution the Apollle gave to the Romans in the preceding Chapter, Ver. xxi. 22. If God feared not the na' tiiral Branches^ take heed alfo^ lefi he /pare not thee^ , behold therefore the Goodnefs and Severity of God 5 on them whkh fell Severity •, but on thee Good^, jiefs J if thou sominue in hk Goodnefs, otherways then SERMON VI. ia- politions, without making any Remarks p.pcii them. I. That God being the Creator and abfolute Governour of the World, has Power to iay what Reftraints upon Men he fees fit, not ex- ceeding the Benefits of their Creation. II. He has laid no Reftraints i^pon onr natit- val AppetiteSj but what generally tend to owx ■ K 3 OV.U 134 SERMON VI. own Good, and the perfection of our reafonahle Nature. III. We think it no Injuftice in Secular Po- tentates, to reftraiH Subjects in their natural Rights and Liberties, when fuch Liberties are found inconvenient to themfelves, or others, or to the Government iA general. IV. We often upon a Profped of a future and greater Good, are willing to deny our felve a prefent Pleafure or Satisfadion. No- thing is more common, or thought more rea- fonable: Why then fhould it be thought un- reafonable, that God fhould put us under fome prefent Refbraints, in order to the Advance- ment of our eternal, and in mofl: Cafes, of our temporal Intcrefhs? And therefore, V. The Reltraints which are complained of in the ChriiHan Religion, are no more than what fome of the Wifeft Moralifts and Teach- en of natural Religion, have laid upon them- felves, and prefcrib'd toothers. Now if God require nothing of us, but what he has a Right, as the Dread Sovereign of the World to command ", ivhat is really for our own, and the common Benefit and Happinefs of Mankind^ what in the like Cafes, we think it no Imputation upon the Juftice of a Secular Prince, a Parent or Mailer to impofe ^ and. n-hat we often voluntarily chufc to impofe up- on our felves \ And Ufily^ what the Wifeft of r4ea, who had no exprefs Command from God, concerning the Duties of Temperance, and Self- Denial, have praftis'd upon a pure Principle of, natural Reafon and Piety : If God, I fay, have requir'd nothing of us, but what is in all thefe Refpccts, SERMON VI. 135 Refpeds, reafonable to be done; why flwiiM we complain of the hard Terms or Uureaibna- blenefs of Religion ? Thefe Particulars, are I think^ fufficient to anfwer the Objection proposed, and to con- vince us, that the Doty, which the Apoflie is here exhorting iis to, is in all its Branches^ whatever Oppofition our carnal and correps; Nature may raife againfi: it, highly agreeable to the natural Light and Reafbn of our own Minds. I fhall now conclude with a ufefui Oblerva- tion or two upon what has been faid. And, Firfiy We may from hence learn our Defects^ and how little the Duties I have been coafi- dering are obferv'd or pradis'd in the World ; particularly that of Mortification and Self-De- nial. Indeed 'tis to be fear'd, that thefe are not only unpradis'd, but 'm a manner unknown Duties, to a great number of Chrtftians ; and yet there are no Duties, which the Spirit and Defign of Chriftianity, lead ns more to the Confideration and Praftice of. It is vifible notwithflanding, that indead of making the Body fublervient to the great and nobler Ends of the Sonl, the Order both of Nature and Grace is inverted > and the Thoughts of Men generally taken up with the Arts of regaling the Body, and making Pro- vifion for the Flelh to fulfil the Lulls theie- of. I do not here only Tax that common and epidemical Vice of Drinking to Exccfs^ that, (which fliows how corrupt Men are in their very Principles) is look'd upon a?; a mere Tri- fle. Bat 1 extend the ObfervatioH fui ther to K 4 thofc 13^ S E R M O N VI. thofe Sins which are more exprefly faid to de- file the Temple of God, and therefore above all others, mufl; be fuppos'd to render the Sa- crifice of Sinners an Abomination to him : And yet, who that confiders the Morals of the Age, would believe, that God Almighty has exprefs- ly declar'd by the Apoftle, i Ccr.vi.p, to. That neither Fornicators^ nor Adulterers^ nor Effeminate^ nor Abttfers of themfelves with Mankind, nor Drunkards, fhall inherit the Kindom of God ! Is it not ftrange, to fay nothing of the Rea- fon of the Thing, that after this folemn De- claration of God, Divines fhould be put, upon proving, that thefe and the like Diforders are really Sins. Secondly^ What has been faid may be ufeful to correct a very common, but dangerous Er- ror concerning Repentance. Men are apt to flatter themfelves in a Courfe of Sin and Impie- ty, with the Hopes, in their declining Age, or perhaps in their laft Moments of making up the former Breaches of their Duty, by turning to God and lamenting their former Impieties j that is, when they are paft the Pleafuresof Sin, or their Bodies are no longer able to follow the Motions of it. They will be content to offer them up a Sacrifice, fuch as it is to God, in order to reconcile themfelves to him, and efcape the imminent Danger, that threatens them. Guc certainly when the Apoftle exhorts us to prefent our Bodies a living Sacrifice to God, lie mufl: defign fomething more than a few Sighs and Groans of a fhatter'd decrepid Bo- dy, in the Extremities of Life: For this in- deed is not to prefent the Body a living, but a dy- SERMON VI. 137 a dying Sacrifice to God •, and how hv fuch a Sacrifice may be acceptable to him, he has no where exprefly told us -, and feveral pious and learned iMen are of Opinion, that he will not accept; it : But all Men of Senfe are agreed in this, that 'tis the height of Folly and Madnefs, for any Perfon to put his Salvation upon fo very doubtful and dangerous an Ifliie. Is it meet to fay to God? And yet this is the fecret Language of his Heart, when an old beaten Sinner comes to repent ^ '* Lord I have *' devoted the Beauty and Strength of this dy- " ing Body, to the Service of my Sins and '' Lulls ^ but finding I have now no Tafle or '' Relilh for them, and fearing thy Jufl and *' Almighty Vengeance, 1 defire thee to accept '^ thefe dry Bones^ the wretched Remains of my' '^ former Follies and Diforders, as the beft Sa- " orifice I can now offer thee, which yet I fhould " never have thought of offering at all, if my " former Strength and Appetites had not fail- " edme: What can be more intolerable ? And yet this, God knows, is the moft of what the Repentance of a great many dying Sinners, amounts to. May we not jullly apply to fuch Penitents the Words of the Prophet Malachi, Ch.i. 8. Ofcr It now to thy Governour^ vpill he be ^leafed with thec^ or accept thy Verfo'i ? What Prince upon Earth, would think himfelfconcern'd to accept, or reward the Tender of a Man's Service, iu the laft Moments of his Life, who had been for the greatefl: Part of it in aftual Rebellion againffc him, and obff:inate to all Overtures of Mercy and Pardon upon his Submiflion. That 138 S E R M O N VI. That we may all of us therefore, prefent our Bodies a living Sacrifice to God, throughout the whole Courfe of our Lives, while it may be acceptable to him, before the Evil Days come, and the Years draw nigh, wherein we fhall fay we have no Pkafure in th?m. The fame God of his infinite Mercy grant, through Je£iis Chriflour Lord. Ane^. S E R" »39 SERMON VIL The Necefllty of knowing Jefm Chri^^ more efpecially with re- fpefi to his Death and Sacri- fice. I Cor. ij. 2. For I determiri'dy not to know Any thing Among you J fave Jefefs Chrifi, and him Crucify"* d, IT feems to have been a popular Objedion among the Comzf/i/^^w/, againft St. Paul^ that he iis'd great Plainnefs, and Simplicity in his way of Preaching. He does not deny, but in- genuoufly owns the Charge, in feveral PafTages of the foregoing Chapter : Particularly v. 1 7. he tells them, he was fent to Preach _ the Gofpel^ not with Wifdom of Words ^ leaf} the Crofs of Chrifi flwuld be made of none EjfeB. That is, leafl the Progrefs of the Chriftian Religion in the World, iliould be imputed rather ro human Arts of Perfua- 140 SERMON VIL Perfuaflon, titan to the Evidence of its Truth,' confirm'd by the Death of Chrifi^ and in Con- iequence thereof, by his Refurreftion from the Dead. Accordingly, in the Verfe immediately pre- cecding my Text, the Apoftle tells the Corin- thiansy that he bad kept faithfally to his Com- miflion ;, that he came not to them^ with Excellen- cy of Speech^ or of Wifdom^ declaring unto them the "Tefilmony of God ; which is the more confidera- ble, becaufe there were few Perfbns, if any, in the Age he liv'd, better qualify'd to entertain their Auditors with fublime and learned Spe- culations, or in a finer Strain of human Elo- ^aence. But thefe were not the Things about which the Apoflle had it in Charge to employ his Thoughts. He was to inltrua: Men in the Do- cirine of a Crucify'd Saviour. This was a Do- Srlne which reqijirM no learned Artifices to enforce the Deilgn of it *, and which, if duly confider'd, it was of no Importance to Salva- tion, what Men knew, or were ignorant of be- fldes. And therefore the Apoftle determined, in the Words of my Text, not to know any Thing, or preach upon any other Subjed, among the Corinthians ^ fave Jefm Chrifi^ and him Crucify ^d» In which Words there are thefe two Things condderable : F/r/?, That our BlefTed Lord is here delcrib'd by his Name ^ / determined not to know any thing among you^ fave Jefm. ^ Secondly^ By his Title or Office, more efpe. cially that of his Priefthood j J denrmin^d not to kmT» S E R M O N VII. 141 hiow Arty thing among pu^ favt Jefiu Chrilt, and him Crncijyd, Firfi, Our Blefled Lord is here delcribM fay his Name, Jefm. Which Name was given him by the fpecial defignation of an Angel, before his Conception •, and afterwards at his Circum- cifion (according to the ufual manner of Cir- cumciflng, and Naming Children, at the lame time) publickly conferr'd on him by his Parents, Lukei. 31. There were feveral other Pcrfbns of this Name, befides our Blefled Saviour -^ bint in a ftrid and eminent Senfe, it was peculiar to him. The Deliverances which were wrought by Joflma^ who is exprefly call'd Jefm^ Heb. iv. 9. were only Temporary, and in favour of one parti- cular Nation. But the Benefits of that Salva- tion, which Jefefs purchafed for us, extend to all Men that fear God and work Righteoufnefs in every Nation, and for ever. And upon this account, his great Defign was to fave us from our worfl and greateft Enemies, our Sins, and the dreadful Effeds of them, in a State of ever- lafting and unfpeakble Mifery -, and alfo to re- ftore us to a capacity of that Happinefs, from which we were fallen. This is the Reafon which the Angel himfelf gives, why the Name Jeftu^ tho' in a lower Senfe, common to other Perfons ^ yet by way of Eminence^ is appropri- ated to our Blefled Lord. Thou Jha/l call his Name JeTus, for he jljaU fave his People from their Sins, Mat. i. 2 1 . It was indeed exprefly foretold by Ifaiah^ that the Mefflah, the Saviour of the World, fliould be called by another Name, that of Emanuelj or lA^i SERMON MI. or God with us, C vij. 14. and this is what the Evangelifl: obferves, Mat. i. 23. but it appear? from the Reafon of St. Mattheiv^s citing this Prophecy of Ifaiah^ that the Names Jefni and Emanuel^ both import the fame thing. For none could be a Saviour, or capable of freeing us from the Guilt and Punifhment of our Sins, but he that was himfelf without Sin •, and therefore inafmuch as all had Sin'd, and fall'n fhort of the Glory of God, no Man could undertake to expi- ate for his own Crimes, much lefs make an Ajfree- ment to God for his Brother : No : It would have coft more to redeem the Soul of one fingle Sin- ner, than all the Sinners in the World were able to difcharge. So that had there been no other way of redeeming Mankind, but by their <)wn Performances, the Work of our Redemp- tion muft have been Ut alone for ever. And there are but two other ways, whereby -Sinners could be fupposM capable of being re- Itor'd to the Grace and Favour of God, in the wav of Atonement ; and that is, either by the Union of an Angelical Nature to the Human, cr of a Nature fuperior to the Angelical, and altogether Divine. As to an Angel's taking upon him the Per- fon of Man \ admitting that he might, in a fuch a Conjunftion, have perform'd a finlefs Obe- dience : Yet his Obedience being no more than Matter of ftrid Duty, and the Payment of his own proper Debt, could by no means difcharge the Debts or Obligations of other Perfons, or cxcufe them from the Penalties to which they v/ere, upon failure of Payment, liable. So that could we fuppofe, I fay, an Angel united, as the Sdu of God was to a human Perfon, and by ver- tue SERMON VII. 145 tiie of that Union, walking in all the Com- mandments of God, perfectly Blamdefs: Yet his Obedience could no ways tend to fatisfy or atone for the Dlfibedience of the refl; of Man- kind *, fo that after he had done all that was commanded hlm^ his Services would ftill have been as unprofitable towards the general Re- demption of Sinners, as if he had done no- thing. The only way therefore of reconciling finful Man to God, rauft be by Vertue of the Union of a Nature altogether Divine, to the Human ; by an Emanuel ^ by one who may, in a fropr Senfe, be interpreted, God with m. No other Perfon was qualify'd to pafs between God and Man, in order to bring them, at fiich an infinite diftance, together ^ but He that was God, as well as Man : Man^ that he might in his own Perfon perform a human and reafonable Ser- vice •, and God^ that the Merit of his Service might extend to the Benefit of others •, or, if we confider him as making an Atonement for our Sins : Man^ -that he might Suffer \ and God^ that his Sufferings might be Satisfadory and Available. So that whether our Blefled Lord be called by the Name of Emanuel^ or Jefvti \ they are only- two different Words, to exprefs the fame Cha- rafter. They both import, that there is no other Name, under Heaven, but His, whereby we can be fav'd : Neither is there Salvation from any other, but from Him •, who by taking the Manhood into God, was qualify'd to be the on- ly Mediator between Man and God. So that through His Name alone, as all the Prophets wit- Jtefsj whofoever believeth in him^ pall receive Re- mijfion 144 SERMON VII. mijfion of Sifitj for God hath highly exalted him^ ^nd given him a Ncime^ which is above every Name ^ that at the Name of Jefus every Knee jlwuld Bow^ bath of Things in Heaven^ and Things in Earthy and Things under the Earth \ and that every ^ Tongue pould confefs that Jefus Chrift is Lord^ to the dory of God the Father, Phil. ij. 9, 10. For ever then, for ever Blefled be this Holy and Adorable Name •, vv^hich at once includes, in its Idea, all thofe BlefFings which the Son of of God, by his meritorious Death and Perfor- mances, has entitled us to ^ and withal, the tranfcendeat Glory he lias thereby merited for himfelf, mith the Father, above all Principa- lities and Powers, to a!l Eternity. It may not be here improper to take notice of what has been fo often, but fo very weakly ob- jcded, againlb our Excellent Church ; That the Members of it ufualjy Bow, in Token of their Reverence at this Sacred Name Jefpss. In anfwer to which, I Ihall confider :; Firfi^ The Senfe of the Apoftle, in the Words I have luft now mentioned from Phil. ij. 9. And Se- condly. What the Authority of our Church has determin'd in this Point. As to the Scnfe of the Apoftle, in thele Words, That at the Name of Jefus every Knee povld Bow: I will own, that bowing the Knee is not here a ftricl and proper, but a metapho- rical Ex'preffion ^ becaufe 'tis enjoin'd Spiritual and Inviliblc Beings in Heaven, and under the Earth, as well as Men : And therefore juftly fpeaking, it imports no more, than that all in- telligent Beings jljonld, in a manner, proper to them, exprefs their Reverence at the mention- ing of this great and glorious Name. But SERMON VII. t45 But Bowing, m Confejftr?^ with the TotJ£ue^ be- ing a proper and lignificative Expreflion of Reverence, and as ancient as the Times of jibra* ham. Gen. xviij. 2. before God had made any particular Revelation, concerning the Exterior of Religion, or manner of his Worftlip •, and therefore to be look'd upon as a Circiimftance of natural Religion : Bowing, I fay, being fo decent, fo natural, and common an Expreflion of Reverence, is very properly us'd in our re- ligious AddrelTes to God, efpecially when we mention that Sacred Name, through which all our Worfhip is Sanftify'd, and all our Prayers and Services Accepted. And therefore, tho' I will not fay that an Obligation to Bow at the Name of Jefus, does neceffarily arife from the literal Senfe of thefe Words ^ yet it follows, by a jufl Gonfequence* from the Reafon and Defign of the Apoftle in them : Which is to fliew, That Jefiis, upon the account of that Name which God has given him, above every Name, is to be honour'd by all pro*^ per ExprefTions of Reverence. Except then it can be fhewn, that Bowing is not a proper Adion to exprefs our Reverence, according to the Cuftom of the Place where we live , 1 might add, of moft, if not of all other Nations under Heaven ; then the Objedion againfl: Bowing at the Name of Jefits will ap- pear highly Trifling and Irrational •, and an Ar- gument, as in Truth moft of the other Obje- dions againft the Ceremonies of our Church are, that the Adverfaries of it, do not fo much find any juft occafion, as feek Pretences, to le- parate from us : It will appear, that I have the more reafon for this Refledion 3 if we confider VOL. III. L ia ^ %"■ ia6 sermon VII. > » in the next Place, what the Authority of our Church has determin'd in this Matter ^ and efpecially if we add, upon wliat Grounds ^ as to which, I fhall only cite to you the Words of the Eighteenth Canon •, which enjoins, That when the Holy Name Jefus is mentioned in Divine Ser- vice^ due and lowly Reverence (hall be done^ by aH Per fans prefent, ai hath been accvflomed ^ Tefiifylng by thefe oittward Ceremonies and Geflures^ their in- ward Humility, Chr'flian Refolution and due Ac' hioxoledgmint ^ that the Lord jefus Chrift, the true and eternal Son of God^ is the only Saviour of the World. And certainly, had there been no Authority to enforce fuch a Canon, yet the very Reafons, upon which it is founded, would have recom- mended the Obfervance of it, to all Tious and Reafonable Perfons. But idly. Our Blefled Saviour is here defcrib'd by his Title or Office, efpecially that of his ?rie(i- hood, I detertnind to know nothing amorg you^ fave Jefus Chrift, and him Ciucify'd. Chrift, in the proper and original Signification of the Word, is the fame with Anointed. And there were three conliderable Offices among the fews^ to which, when Perfons were admitted, the Ce- remony of Anointing was us'd. Thefe were the Prophetical, the Regal, and the Sacerdotal Offi- ces. So that to know 'Jefus Chrifi^ is to under- ftand, how Jeftis of Naz^areth was Anointed to be a Prophet, a King, and a Prieft ; and after what manner he executed the Powers, God had given him in thefe three fcveral refpeds ^ and I mi£;ht add, to v/hat Ends and Purpofes : But I confine my felf to coufider the two former Parti- SERMON VII. H7 Particulars. Firft, How our Saviour was Anointed to thefe three Offices : And Second- ly, How he exercis'd them. And there is the more occafion for the former of thefe Enqui- ries, becaufe we do not find, that Chrijl was in- augurated to any one of his three Offices, by an external and material VnBion ; but the Reafon of this will fufficiently appear, if we confider, that all the Ends, for which the Typical Oyl of Confecration was us'd among the Jem^ were perfedly and eminently anfwered, from the de- ilgnation of our Saviour to his refpeftive Offices, by the VnBlon of the Holy Ghoft. Thus, with refped to his Prophetical Office, the Spirit of the Lord^ according to the Prediction of Jfilah^ was upo?7 him^ b''caufe he had Anointed him to preach the Gofpel to the Poor^ ch. Ixj. I . Accordingly our Saviour exprefly applies this Prophecy, and fliews the Accompli{|inient of it in his own Perfon, Luke'w. 21. So likewife he was confecrated to his Priefthood, not after the Law of a Carnal Commandment^ but after the Power of an endlefs Life, Heh. vij. t^. He wa". Anointed to his regal Office, by the lame fpecial defignation of God : And therefore the Pfalmift defcribing the Beauty and Glory of his Kingdom, and his righteous Adminiftration of it, Addreffes him in the following Words ^ wherefore God^ even thy God, hath Anointed thee with the Oyl of Gladnefs^ above thy Fellows^ Pfalm Xlv. 8. Chrljl having then an inward and fpiritual Undion to his refpedive Offices, as the chief Reafons of ufing any material Oyl, ceas'd in refped to him, the Ufe of it alfo evidently ceas'd with them. I Ihall therefore proceed to ffiew, L 2 2. How 148 SERMON Vlt. 2. How, or in what manner Cbrifl: cx'ercis'd the Offices he was Anointed to. As to his Pro- phetical Office ', it conlifted, in making known the Will of God to Mankind \ in corredingthe Errors in Doftrine and Worlhip, which were crept into the Jewifli Church •, and in fetting the Truths of the moral and immutable Law be- fore Men, in a clear and convincing Light. This was the Defign of our Blefled Saviour m his ex- cellent Sermon upon the Mount, wherewith he open'd his Miniftry, and wherein he gives us the Sum and Subllance of natural Religion, taking occafion to fhew the Defeds of human and unaffifted Reafon, with refped to feveral Branches of Morality ^ and how much the Jews, by their falfe Glofles and Traditions, had cor- rupted even Tome of the moft important Prin- ciples of it, and thereby rendred them of none effeB. The Laws relating to the external Polity of the Jevvifh Church and Nation, being only Tem- porary, and of courfe to ceafe, when the Defire of all Nations fhould come : Our Saviour gave no particular Rules or Diredions to enforce the Observance of them, but made it his Bufinefs to inflruft Men in the weighty and fubftantial Duties of Religion, arifing from the eternal Reafon and Order of Things, in purfuance of that Covenant, which God had declared he would enter into with his People, in the lalt Days j but not according to the Covenant he had made with their Fathers, Jer. xxxi. 32. for the Te- nor of this new Covenant, as it follows in the next Verfe was, That God would put his Law in thfir inward Parts, and write it in their Heaits', that is, inftead of thofe numerous Rites SERMON VIL I4P Rites, and pofitive Commands, which CJod for- merly impofed upon the People of the Jews, and which had no intrinfick Goodnefs in them, he would now give them a Body of Laws fuit- able to their natural Notions of Things, and the inward Didates of their own Hearts and Confciences. Our Saviour, throughout the whole Courfeof his Miniftry, kept to the Terms of this Cove- nant, aud reduc'd the Law and the Prophets to thefe two general and natural Heads, The Love of God, and of our Neighbour j or to fuch particular Inflances of our Duty, as l^ow by a necelTary Confequence from thefe two main Springs. So that I may fuppofe yon have al- ready prevented me, in the Ufe I am going to make of what has been faid ; which is to fhew. That no external Performances, or profeffion of Religion, will recommend our Obedience to God, if we do not pradife the natural and ef- fential Duties of it •, if we do not do Jup.t£ and love Mercy ^ and walk humbly with cuir God. This is our Chriftian, our Reafm&hts SeiTice. But the Office of a Prophet was not only to inltruft Men in their Duty ^ but, as the Word primarily imports, to foretel Things to corae j our Saviour difcharg'd thispart too of the Pro- phetical Office, as occafions offer'd. He foretold. That he fhould be Bctray'd by Jadds^ Deny'd by Peter \ with the Circumfta; ccs of this Apo- ftle's Denial, and the manner of Ms Death. But to mention no other of his Prcdidions, what he faid concerning the Jews, is very- Solemn aad Particular *, but what was, in every r^fpey?, The Advantage of a {landing Record, or Hiftory of what Jefus Chrilt did, and fuffer'd for us Men, and for our Salvation, and of the Dodbines which he taught. Secondly^ The Obligation we are under, to inftrud our felves in the Knowledge of Jefus Chrifl:, with refped to all the Parts of his me- diatorial Office. 1/, Let us confidcr the Advantage of a ftand- ing Record or Hifl:ory, of what Jefus Chiifl did and fuffer'd for us Men and for our Sal- vation, and of the Doctrines which he taught. If i5i5 S E R M O N VII. If it be necefTary for us to know Jefm Chrifiy certainly, there could have been no way fouiid out, fo proper to convey the Knowledge of him, to all fncceeding Ages, as by committing a Report of his Difcourfes and Adlions, to an authentick Writing. To convince us of this, we need only confider, what actually happen'd to the People of the Jews^ before Mofes pub- lifh'd theHiftoryof the Creation, andofGod*s dealing with that People : For when He was commanded to go to the Children of Ifraet^ and acqaaint them with God's gracious Defign to deliver them out of the Hand of Fharaohy Gen. iij. 8. he is difcosrag'd at the Meflage, and looks upon it as impra^lcable : Behold^ fays he, w^en I came unto the Children of Ifrael^ and JhaS fay tmto them, the God of your Fathers hath fent me ■unto you, and they fhaS fay unto me, what is his Name ? Wh,it fhatl 1 fay unto them ? Whereby it appears, they were fb far funk in Slavery and Ignorance, that they had forgot the very Name^ whereby God made himfelf known to the Pa- triarchs, and the noble Works he had done ia their Days ; which could not poffibly have hap- pen'd, if any ftanding Memorials of the Fafts^ recorded in. Cenefis^ had been preferv'd among them. To prevent any fuch grofs Ignorance or Cor- ' niption concerning God and Religion for the future, Mofes compil'd the Five Books, that go under his Name, and writ the Law in Two Tables of Stone, by the fpecial Command of God. It was upon the fame Grounds the Evan- gellfis left us authentick Memoirs, of all that jefiis began to do, and Teach, until the Day, ia whkh he was take up. Jhe reft of the Ho- ly S E R M O N VII. 157 ly Scriptures were caus'd by God to be writ- ten for our Learning and Infttudtion ; that we fhould not be left to gather the facred Truths, contained in them, from the loofe and fcatter'd Accounts of Oral Tradition, which is fo apt to be corrupted, by the Ignorance or Dcfign, the Vanity or Negligence of Men ; and at the beft, is very Precarious and Uncertain; but that we fhould have one perfed and intire Colledion of all thofe Truths and Fads, which are of mofl: Importance to us to be known con- cerning Jefus Chrift, and him Crucifyd-^ and therefore 'tis obfervable, that of all the Parts of our Saviour's Mediatorial Office, none is fo fully and particularly defcrib'd in the New Te- flament, as his Sacrifice upon the Crofs, and the Methods of our Redemption by it. idlyy Let us confider the Obligation we are under, to inflrud our felves in the Knowledge of Jefus Chrift, with refped to all the Parts of his Mediatorial Office: When the A poftle de- termines to know nothing, or to Preach no- thing among the Corinthians^ but what relates to Jefus Chrift, he does not abfolutely condemn all other forts of Knowledge ; what he intends to fhow, is, that it is the Duty of Paftors to inftrud the People in all the NecefFary and fun- damental Points of Chriflianity ; aad that how knowing foever Men may be in other Refpeds, yet the Knowledge of Jefus Chrift alone is able to make them wife unto Salvation. The Au- thor of our Holy Religion underftood all My- Iteries, and all Knowledge : He covld have laid down the moft exad Plan of Civil Government, and given us a Syflem of the moft refin'd Politicks-, he could have prefcrib'd us the true Rules of Oratory, 158 SERMON Vir. Oratory, and of that noble Simplicity, where- in he deliver'd his Difcourfes and Parables j he could have correfted all the pafl: Errors in Hi- ftory and Chronology, and folv'd all the Pro- blems in Mathematicks and Natural Philofophy. He might, if he j:iad thought fit, have given us a perfed Diagram of the Motions of the Hea- vens and the Earth •, and told us, whether there were any more habitable Worlds, than this, and what fort of Inhabitants dwell in them ; Yet he did not make it his Bufinefs to inllruft Men in any Truths, but what related to the Knowledge of God, and the Means of Salvati- on, by himfclf. Let us therefore, whatever we are ignorant of befides, be careful to know the only true God, and Jefus Chrifl:, whom he has fent. The The Knowledge of other Things may be an Or- nament, or an agreeable Amufement to us; but this, and this alone, can make us happy, and bring us to Life Eternal : In the Judgm.ent of St. Paul, this is the one Thing neceflary for us to know, in order to Salvation. And feeing, the Knowledge of it, is only to be learn'd from the Holy Scriptures ^ let us have then frequent- ly in our ?Iands, and read them, with that pious Temper and DifpoHtion of Heart which may render the good Seed of the Word, in them fruitful^ that it may grow up to everlafting Life. When wc take any Book in Hand, the prin- cipal Things that recommend it to us, are cither the Importance of the Matters it may contain, or the Mmner wherein it treats of them. The Writings of the New Teflament, come recommended to us, above all ether Books ia y^ SERMON VII. i5p in the World upon both thefe Accounts •, they contain Matters of the higheft and laft Confe- quence ^ they acquaint us with the nature of ' our Duty, as deliver'd by Jefus Chrift, in his Capacity of a Prophet j they fhow us, what, as a Priefij he has done, and fuffer'd for our Sal- vation ^ and as a King^ upon what Terms, he afiually will fave us, when he comes in Glory with his Holy Angels, and all the Hoft of Hea- ven attendia^ him, to judge the World. That we may all of us, under thefe Advan- tages of Inftrudion, endeavour to know God, and Jefus Chrift, whom he has lent, from the leall to the greatelt, according to the Tenor of that ancient Prophecy, Jer> xxxi. 34. concern- ing the Times of the Gofpel-Difpenfation. God of his infinite Mercy grant, thro' the Merits of the fame Jefus Chrift, our Blelled l.ord and Sa- viour. Amen, S E R- III r. i6o SERMON VIII. "The Doftrinc of a fiiture Judgment confirm^ by the Refurreclion of Chrift ^ with the proper Ufes ari- iiiig from it. Acts xvij. 31. BecAufe he hath appointed a D/iy^ in the rvhich he will judge the World in Right eoufrefs^ by thdt AUn, whom he hath ordain d ; whereof •" he hath given Affurance unto all Men, in that he hath raijed him from the Dead^ ME K have been at all times fenfible, that in order to the Pardon of their Sins, it Wis neceflary they (hould repent of them. But the feveral Ways, they have chofen to exprefs their Repentance, have not been fo generally- agreed upon. Some have placed the Aferit of it, in coming before their Gods, with coftly Offer- ings SERMON VIIL i^i ings and Oblations ^ with the Blood of numer*; ous Bulls and Goats ^ othe>-s in giving their Firft- born for their TranfgrelTion, the Fruit of their Bodies, for the Sin of their Souls •, others again in celebrating certain Alyfieriesy or, as they termed them Sacred, but in truth moft impious Rites of Worfliip •, and which very often ftood in greater need of Repentance, than the very Crimes which they pretended by this Metho4„ to repent of. There were here and there, 'tis granted, ^ fome few Perfons, who addidecf themfelves to Philofophy and the Sciences, that had more re- fin'd Notions concerning the Duty of Penitents ; that talked of an \nv:kvd reafombU Service, and the NecefTity of ferving God with clean Hands, and a pure Heart. But as the Doctrine of thefe MorMlfts was neither plain nor general enough to influence the people, nor always conforma- ble to their own Practice, God, who makes gra- cious Allowances for the Defers of Men, ari- iing either from the want of Capacity, or the unhappy Circiimftances of their Education, de- clares by the Apoftle in the foregoing Verfe, That the Times of this Ignorance he winked at. But »oTP, now that he hath made a clear'and perfedt P^evelation of his Will to the World ♦, he will no longer bear with fuch horrid Impieties and Profanation, but commandeth all Men every where to Recent. And the Reafon of this Command does not only follow in the Words of my Text, but theyalfo imply the Islature of that Repen- tance which is hcreenjoyn'd, Becatife God hath appointed a Day, in which he will judge the World, in Righteoufnefs^ by that Man whom he hath ordaiu'd, whereof he VOL. III. M bath i62 SERMON VHL hath given Afiarance unto all Men^ in that he bath raifed him from the Dead. In which Words thefe Four Things offer themfelves to our Conlideration. I. An exprefs Declaration of God concerning a future and general Judgment. He has appoif2t' ed a Ddy\ wherein he will judge the World. W. The Juftice and Equity of his Proceedings at that Day. He has appointed a Day where- in he will judge the World, in Rlghteoufiiefs. III. The Defignation of the Perfon, who is to be our Judge. That Man^ whom he hath or- dain'd. IV. And Lafily^ Avery particular and extra- ordinary Circumftance to convince us of the Truth and Certainty of his coming to judge the World J and that is, by his Refurrcd^ion from the Dead. I. Thefirft thing confiderable is, an exprefs Declaration of God concerning a future and general Judgment. He hath appointed a Day, wherein he will judge the World : It muft be own'd, that the natural Proofs of a Judgment to come, had it not been made an Article of our Faith, are very flrong and cogent. The promifcuous Diftribution of the Bleffings and Evils of this Life to wicked and good Men : The Triumphs of Injuftice, and notorious Op- preffion of Right, and that not for a fhort time, but for a Courle of many Years, and fomctimes Ages, have been all along made an Argument, that the Judge of all the Earth will cne Day do Right, and jultify. the wife, tho'nn- fearchable Methods of his Providence in this World, SERMON VIII. 163 World, by rewarding the Innocent, and bring- ing the fuccefsful and prefumptuous Sinner to condign Punilhment. And indeed there is nothing more true or certaia in Fad, than what Salomon obferves, EccUf. viij. 14. There are jufi Men^ to whom it hippmcth according to theWork of the Wicked: Again ^ There are wicked Men^ to whom it happeneth ac-' . cording to the Work of the Righteous- And it lUil ren- ders tilis Obfervation of grea^ter Force to prove a future Jndgment, that Salomon not only founds.- it on the different Succefs or Fortune^; of pri- vate Men, but of Ferfons who are feated at the Helm of publick Affairs ^ for fo he complains, c. iij. i5. And moreover I faw tinder the Sun-, the Place of Judo-menty that Wickedaefs was there ^ and the Place of Right eoufnefs^ that Iniquity was there. And from hence he concludes in the fol- lowing Verle, That there is a Day coming, wherein, how unequally foever the Providence of God may feem to difpenfe the Rewards or Punifhments of this Life, Yet his Jufl-ice will moft remarkably Difcover and Vindicate itfelf^ by proportioning his Retributions, after a more diftind and confpicuous manner, to the Virtues and Sins of Men. I faid in my Hearty God JJutll Judge the Righteous and the Wicked^ for there is a Time there., or with him, for every Purpofe^ and for every Work, Now, tho' in general it: might be granted, no evident Proof of a future Account to be gi- ven of their Anions, that God Almighty now and then fuffers very wicked Men, who may have fome generous. and ufefnl Qualifications to profper^ and on the other Hand, fometimes permits very good Men, for certain private Sins H 2. or i64 SERMON VIII. or Follies they have been guilty of, or for other Reafons, to be expos'd to the greateft Hardfhips and Calamities of Life; yet it feems to bear fomewhat more hard upon the Goodnefs and juflice of God, that his Providence fhould dif- ])ofe the Order of Things after fuch a manner, as either to render the very Virtues of Men In- ftrumental to their Ruin or Difgrace, or their Wickednefs the vifibk Means of their Profperity and Power. If the fupream Governor of the World take any notice of what is done in it, furcly he can- not fee fnch open Vngodlinefs and Wrongs with any other Defign, biitlo requite with his Hand. So that \{w^ believe there isa Godj who Jiidgeth in the Earth, it fcems a necefiary Confequence to thofe, who have any Honour for the glo- rious Attributes and Perfcdions of his Nature,- That he v;ill one Day proceed with wicked and good Men upon other Mcafures, than according to the ordinary Events of his Providence here-, or in the Words of my Text^ That he htu ajy- pointed a Day^ wherein he will ^vdge the World in- ■^ighleoufnefs. But tho' this and feveral other Proofs, which' are drawn from natural Religion, of a Judg- ment to come, fliould be allow'd not only Highly probable, but very evident •, it mufl; be own'd* notwithftanding, a great Happinefs to Mankind in general, that God has been plcas'd to make this natural Principle an Article of our Chri- llian Faith. For, by this means, thofe who are not able to Reafon juftly on the Naturp of Things, or to carry on a long Train of Proofs, are convinc'd of the Truth of a future Judg- KKnt, upon the Authority of God, without be- ing SERMON Vm. 165 ing oblig'd to give any other Reafon for it *, while they, whoareable to fupport this Truth with proper Arguments, are freed from the ma- ny Doubts and Difficulties which are apt to occur to them, when they barely Reafon upon the Strength of their own Faculties, and after the manner of Men. A Divine Authority lays a firm and folid Foundation for the Mind to reft upon 1, and this one Revelation, that God has appointed a Day, wherein he will judge the World, ?is more forcible and convincing, than all human Proofs and Arguments in the World, concerning a future Judgment. And therefore, to fliew the Expediency of the Chriftian Revelation on this Article, the Apoftle allerts, Ihat O^rlfi broug^ht Life and Immortality to Light, thro* the Gof^el. That is. He haseftabliib'd this great fundamental Article of Religion up- on a clear and firm Foundation •, fo that how much foever it was obfcurd to thofe, whorea- Ibn'd only, from natural Principles, it is now fupported by a Divine and Infallible Autho- rity. 2. I am in the next Place to conGder, the Juftice and Equity wherewith God v;iil proceed in Judging the. World, He hath amlmed k Aty, wherein he will Judge the World in RightcoufnQ^^■. The Juftice of the Proceedings at that Day, will appear in this. That God, in Rewarding and Punilhing Men, will .make a^more uhble Diftin- ftion between the Wicked and the Good', than he ordinarily does in this Life, He will then r-cnder to every A'fan accordhhr to ha Works. To themy who by patient continiuncc in WsU'doing^, feck for Honour-^ and Glory^ and I.nmortalityy eternal i66 SERMON VIII. Life. But to them that are Contentious^ and ohey not the Truths but ohey Vnrighteovfnefs ^ Jndigna- tton and Wrath, 'Tribulation and j^ngttijh, vpon every Soul of Man that doth Evil^ Rom. ij. 6', 7, 8. ^ X Herein alfo lies the Juflice of the great and laft Court of Judicature, that no partial Regard fliall be had to any Perfons, on account of their fuperior Quality, Fortune, or other Advan- tages in this World : So that how necellary fo- ever the civil Diftindions of Life may be, to- wards preferving the good Order and Govern- ment of Mankind, all Men fhall then be indif- ferently judg'd, without DlflinBion : For as the Apoflle argues, at the eleventh Verfe, There is no Rcfpect of Perfons with God. He will Judge every Man, be who he will, not according to any Arbitrary Rules of Favour, at that Day, but according to what he hath done in the Body^ whether it be good or bad. To Ihew the impartial Execution of Juflice at that Day, v/e have a particular Enumera- tion of the Men of the Earth, who have abus'd their Power, their Authority or Wealth to fin- . ful Ends, and a very lively Image of the Horror and Defpairwhich will then feizethem, Rev. vj. ^S> I^? J 7- The Kings of the Earthy and the great Men^ and the rich Men^ and the chief Captains^ and the mighty Men^ and every Bondman^ and every Freeman hid themfelves in the Dens^ and in the Rocks of the Mountains^ and faid to the Mountains and Rocks ^ fall on w, and hide us from the Face of him that fit teth on theThrcne., and from the Wrath of the Lamb.^ for the great Day of his Wrath is comCj and rpho paJl be able to ft and* What S E R M ON Vm. 15/ What a wretched Account will al] the finful Gains and Acquifitions of this World then turn to? And how difmal a Scene will all the Pomp and Pleafures of a vicious Life terminate in ? Will any of thefe Things Profit in the Day of Wrath ? Will they be able to deliver one Soul, among the many Millions they have betray'd into everlalling and unfpeakabie Mifery ? No: Thefe gay and fplendid Trifles are for ever fone themfelves, and their Place is no v/here to e found : All that remains of them to the Sin- ner is, the Stinging, the ever Stinging Reflexion of his having once poflefs'd, and mif eniploy'd them. Yet the ftrid Demands of juftice at the laffc Day, will be temper'd with Equity. For if God Ihould proceed with us in Rigour, and be Ex-- treme to mark what has been doneamifs*, who would be able, fo much as to bear theThoeghts of ftanding before him •, we may therefore hope^ from the Goodnefs and Benignity of his Na- ture, that he will Confider whereof we are made, and grant all merciful Allowances that are poffibly confiftent with the Honour of his Laws, to human Frailty, and the impevfedioa of our Obedience. But the Confideration of the laft Judgment, with refpecfi to the Equity of it^^ in this Senfe, will fall very properly under my next, and 3^ Particular, concerning the deflgnation of the Perfon, who is to be our Judge, Tlyat Man whom he hath Ordain d. It might perhaps have been thought more fuitable to the awful Solem- nity of the lafb Day, and the Dignity and Glo- ry wherein Chrifl: will then appear •, if he had tz^w defcrib'd in the Charadier of our Judge, M 4 23 j(<8 SERMON Vm. as the Son of God^ the Brightnefs of his Glory, and the Exprefs Image of his Perfon •, or in thoft other magnificent Terms, wherein he is fo often fpoken of in the prophetical Writings. But ftill it is more fuitable to the State and Con- dition of Mankind, and his tender Compaflion towards them, that when he fpeaks of coming ,£o Judge the World, he fhould rather give us an Idea of his Human, than his Divine Na- ture. For indeed, when we confider the infinite Perfedions of the Divine Nature, and at what an infinite Diftance our Sins have feparated us from it, had the Eternal God himfelf, without the interpofal of a Mediator, thought fit to con- vene the World in Judgment before him : Alas ! The beft of Men would have been fo opprefs'd with the Thoughts of his Glory, and their own Demerits, that they muft of Necefllty, even under their beft grounded Hopes, have funk into great Defpondency of Mind : But on the other Hand, when we confider that our Judge has taken upon him our human Nature ^ that he will appear in it-, and knows the Infirmities of 3t : This is Matter of unfpeakable Confolation to Sinners, under the Apprehenfion of all the Sins they ftand Charg'd with-, and cannot fail pf giving them greater Boldnefs of Accefs to their Judge, by preventing every anxious Thought which might arife from a Senfe of their own Frailties, or from any fuppos'd Ri- gour in his Proceedings. He that has aflum'd our Nature, and done and fuffer'd fo much for OS in it, will certainly fhew all the Lenity and Tendernefs to it, which the Terms of Evange- lical Obedience will admit. For what the Apo- ftle SERMON VIII. \6^ ftle fpeaks of ^efm Chrif^^as our High Prien-, may with equal Propriety be apply'd to him, as exe- cuting this Office of his Judiciary and Regal Power. IVe have not a Judge, who cannot he touched with the feelinf of our Infirmities \ but was in all Points tempted like as we are^ yet without Sin : Let us therefore cojnc boldly unto the Throne of GrAce^ that we may obtain Mcrcy^ and find Grace and Help in Time of Need. How is it pofTible for the belt Man living, without Fear and Trembling to confider, That he mufl; one Day ftand in Judgment before a jult Omnifcient, and All-powerful God % in or- der to be Sentenc'd to an Eternity of Happinefs or Mifery, according to the Good or Evil he has done in this Life. But if any thing can al- lay the Terror of fuch a Conlideration, it muil be this, That our Judge is the Saviour of the World; the one Mediator between God and Man ; The Man Chrift Jefus. And therefore it is obfervable, that our Lord himfelf afligns his taking our human Nature, and the Infirmities of it, upon him, as the very Reafon why God hath conftkutcd him the Judge of the World. T)e Father^ fays he, hath given him Authority to execute Judgment alfo^ he- caufe he ii the Son of Man, fohn v. 27. and ac- cordingly in the Twenty-fifch Chapter of St.. ^^jf- thew\ Gofpel, where he more particularly de- icribes the folemn and awful Procefs of the laft Judgment, tho' he fpeaks of it in very high and lofty Terms, and reprefcnts himfelf fur- rounded with Myriads of Angels fitting upon the Throne of his Glory ^ yet to moderate that Dread and Aftonifhmcnt which would arifein the Minds of his moP: f.jithfiil ind true Difciples, 170 SERMON VIIL from 3 Senfe of his Diviae Prefence and Ma* jefty, he is pleas'd, even in the niidil of his Triumphs, and all the glorious Appearances wherein his Divinity will then (hine forth, to Stile himfelf the Son of Man, (v. 31.J it is for the fame Reafon that the Apoltle, m the Words of my Text, fpeaking by direftion of the Spirit of God, concerning the hfl; Judg- ment, tells us it will be executed by the M^n, whom God hath Ordain'd. 4thiy and Ufily^ We have here a very parti- cular and extraordinary Circumftance, to con- vince us of the Truth and Certainty of Chrift's "coming to Judge the World, and that is by his Refarredion from the Dead. The Miracles which were dene by our Sa- Tiour, throughout the whole courfe of his Mi- niftry, carry'dafufHcient Proof and Atteftation along with them of the Truths which he taught ; for no one could have done thofe Things which he did, in the raoft open and publick manner, without the affiftance of a Divine Power. Now this being one great Article of the Religion he came to Preach and Eftablifii, that God has appointed a Day, wherein he will Judge the World, it may be fliid, What need was there of any further Witnefs to confirm this Article ? Or why, when it was fufhciently confirm'd be- fore, was there fo great Strefs laid on the Re- furredion of Chrilt for the Proof of it ? Fof did not God give j^ffurmce to all Men, of the Truths which Cbrilt taught, by every Miracle he work'd, as well as by railing him from the Dead ? . We ^-aat in general, what is here fup- pos'd 3 SERMON Vm. 171 pos'd ; But ftill there was fomething peculiar in what related to the Refurredion of Chrift, which render'd it an Argument of the Truths of his Religion, more proper to perfuade the Generality of Men, and to convince Gainfayers, than xhe reft of his Miracles. For, I. He had himfelf appeal'd tothisTeflimony as one great Proof and Charadlcriftick of his di- vine Million and Authority. Deflroy this Temple^ fays he, arid in three Days I will raife it vp^ John ij. 19. And therefore, belides that his Refurre- ftion was a miraculous and extraordinary Event, exceeding the Powers of Nature, it was an Ar- gument of his being infpir'd with a Prophetick Spirit •, and that God, who alone appropriates to himfelf the Knowledge of future Events, was in this Refped alfo with him. Z. The Caution which the Jews us'd to pre- vent, if poflible, the Refurredion of Chrifl, gave the greater Force to the Arguments we draw in Proof of our Holy Religion from it. Whatever Pretence they might have made, as fome of them do this Day, of his ftealing a certain Magical Name out of the Temple, by Virtue of which, all his other Miracles were perform'd, yet when he had been dead for the Space of three Days in the Grave, and was no longer capable of employing, or pronouncing that pretended Charm, it could not be fuppos'd of any further Ufe or Operation to him. So that his very Enemies, who would fallen fo Chimerical an Imputation upon him, muft con- fefs at leaft, that his Refurreftion could not be effeded by it, but that he was raifed by a Pow- er truly Divine, 3. Again, 172 SERMON VIII. 3. Again, whereas it might have been ob^ jcfted, that his other Miracles were done be- fore People of obfcure and mean Circumftances, before a company of illiterate Galileans, and the credulous Multitude, upon whom it is no diffi- cult Matter for Men of Parts and Dexterity at any time to impofe •, tho' this Objedion is eall- I7 anfwer'd, from the publick manner of our 'Saviour's working his Miracles, and his pro- pounding them afterwards to the Examination "of his greatelt Enemies, the Vharifees •, yet ia his Refurredion, the very Ground of thefe Sur- mifes is quite remov'd. There could be no Ar- tifice ufed on fo remarkable and extraordinary an Occafion. His Difciples had withdrawn them- ielves, and could therefore be no Accomplices with him in it ^ His dead Body was watch'd by a Roman Guard, con lifting of Sixty Men, and they were ftriftly charg'd upon their Duty, in order to prevent any Attempt that might be made towards the recovering of it. It was pretended indeed, but there could not have been a more ridiculous or weak Pretence, that the Guard flept, and gave the Difciples of Chrifl an Opportunity of Stealing his Body away. What ! Not one Man among fo many awake, under fo ftrid a Charge, and after they had been forewarn'd of fuch an Attempt : This is altogether unaccountable. And yet fuppofing the Report of the Soldiers had been really true, and the Difciples of Chrifl: had undifcovcr'd ftolen his Body away, ftill as it was his dead Body, and had lien fo long in the Grave, the Jetps^ I fay, even upon this Conceflion, could not have objeded againft his being raifed from chfe Dead, by the Po)vcr of God, who alone has SERMON Vm. 173 has the Key of the Grave in his Hand. And therefore, 4. There is fomething in the very Nature of the Thing it felf, apt to perfuade Men from the RefurredioQ of Chrift, that the DotStriaes which he taught were true, and that he was the Mefliah, the Son of God. For tho' every Miracle is above the ordinary Courle and Powers of Nature, and fuppofes certain Changes of Bodies, which caiinot be ac- counted for, according to the landing and efla- biifti'd Order of Tilings j yet where all the bo- dily Powers of a Man are rendet'd incapable of afting, and all the Springs of Life are intirely broken, it ftill feems left conceivable, how he fhould either be able to work any Change upoa other Bodies, or to reftore his own Body again to Life. For thefe and many more Reafons, which triight be mention'd, I do not doubt it is, that tho' the Apoftles appeal to the other Miracles of our Saviour, for the Truth of his Religion j yet his Refurredion is not only attefted after a more circumllantial Manner, but fet, an it were^ at the Head of all his wondrous Works. It is upon this Account, that the Apoftles on all Occafions, and in*all their Writings, infifted £0 much on the Article of Chrift's Refurredion. And accordingly we are told. That voith great Porver they gave Witnefs of the Refurre^ion of the Lord Jefus^ Adsiv. 33. And Rom. i. 4. He was declared to he the Son of God, with Power, by his EefurreEiion from the Bead. As if the eternal Power and Godhead, on this Occafion, had beea exerted after a more eminent and furprifing Manner. ' 1 havft ■ 174 SERMON \^n. I have now gone'thro' the feveral Particulars I propos'd to fpeak to •, it remains, that we Ihould confider what Improvements may be made of what has been faid. And, \fi. If God has appointed a Day, Wherein he- win judge the World, let us have it often in our Thoughts, and carefully practice the Du- ties preparative to it. For it is upon the Ac- count v;e (hall then be able to give of our Con-^- dud in this probationary State, that our Hap- pinefs or Mifery to all Eternity will depend And if we do but now forecaft to fecure an Intereft againft that great and final Day of Re- tribution, it is of no great Importance to us, what becomes of all the little Interefts and De- ligns of this Life. It is acknowledg'd, that as the Advantages of this World may be render'd in many Refpedts fubfervient to the Ends of Re- ligion, and particularly of that great and im- portant Duty, Charity^ they are very defirable. This being the Duty, concerning which our Lord at the Day of Judgment more peculiarly reprefents himfelf calling us to Account. And tho' we cannot conclude from hence, that there is any thing of Merit, in doing even all the Good we poflTibly can to all Perfons -^ Yet fo much at lead we may conclude, that there is fomething highly pleafing to God, and the Son of God, in fuch Sacrifices ^ And that nothing will enable us to ftand with fo much Confidence and Afi'^rance before our Judge, as the Remem- brance of our good Works in this kind. How full of Confolation, infinitely beyond all the Confolations this deceitful World can afford, will the Benedidtion of Chrift then be to all thofe, who by duly employing the Bleflings of this SERMON VIIL r75 this Life, have been careful to entitle themfelves to it. Come ye Blejfed of my Father inherit the Klrfgdom prepared for you from the Fotmdatio?i rf the IVorld. For J was Hvnqry^ and yoxt gave me A'feat ^ Thirfly, and yon gave me Drink '^ Naked^ and yott Clothed me ^^ Mat. XXV. ^4, 3 5- There is no Duty whatever, which the Con- fideration of that dreadful Account we mull one Day make, is not proper to excite us to the Pradifc of, as on the other Hand there is no Sin, which it has not a direft and very power- ful Influence to reftrain us from •, But 1 have chofen more particularly to inftance in the great Duty of ChriiHan Beneficence, and to in-' finuate the Danger of negleding it •, becaufeour Saviour in defcribing the Lalt Judgment, repre- fents himlelf as making Inquiry into our paffc Adlions, only with Reference to thefe two Ar- ticles. So that when we draw any PraiTtical Ufes from this Dodrine of a Judgment to come, an Exhortation to Chriftians to ihew Mercy here, as they hope to find Mercy aj: the laft, feems neceflarily to arife from the 'Method, whei-ein the Judge of the World has declared he will then proceed. idly. If God has appointed a Day, wherein he will judge the World, in Rightcoufnefs \ then it highly concerns us, as we expedt to ftand in Judgment before him, to take care, that we live and dye in a holy and righteous State. For to judge the World in Righteoufaefs, is to judge, whether according to the immutable and eternal Diftin(^ions of Right and Wrongs we have chofen the better Part \ or when we fpeak to Chriftians, whether we have praftis'd the Pvules of Holy Living, as laid down by our Blefied Saviour i-j6 SERMON VIII. Saviour in there Gofpel. The is no other Notioii of Righteoufilefs, whereby we can judge of our Spiritual State or Condition here, or according to which we (hall have Judgment finally pafs'd upon us. So our Lord himfelf declares, ^ohn xij. 48. 'the Word that J have ffoken vntoyou^ the fcimefhall judge all Aden at the laft. If our Gonfcienees then give us this Teftimo- ny, that we have liv'd in fincere Obedience to the Word, that Chrift has fpoken^ fuch an Obe- dience^ 1 mean, as confifts with the invincible Frailties human Nature, and the Conditions of Repentance, then we may have Confidence to- wards God, and ftand ereft in that great and awful Day of Trial before him. But if the Righteous themfelves, when they refleft on their many Mifcarriages and Defefts, are fometimes apt to entertain mifgiving Apprehenfions, that they fhall fcarcely be fliv'd \ where will thofe who have given no Evidence of their Conver- flon, Where will the Sinner and Vngodly then ap- jear ? But, ^dly. Since our BlefTed Saviour, in fpeaking of the lafl: Judgment, is pleas'd more peculiar- ly to ftilc himfelf the Son of Man : This Confi- deration will mightily fortify all true Penitents, againft thofe black and defponding Thoughts, which are fometimes apt to arife in the Minds of very good Men. How great or numerous fo- ever our Sins have been, yet if we have hum- bled our felves before God, and truly repented of them, we know that the Blood of Jefus Chrift is fulHcient to expiate their Guilt: And he wholhed his Blood for us, we may, with all Deference to the Rediitude of his Laws, aflure our felves, will not lofe the faving Effedts of it, if SERMON VIII. \-n if there be a Poflibility of applying them, linc^ God has appointed, that wemuftal] of us ap- pear one Day in Judgment before him •, whaC ftronger Argument are we capable of conceivings that infinite Wifdom it felf could have propos'd in order to fupport us under the Apprehenfion of fo awful an Appearance, than that the Savi" our of Mankind fhall himfelf be their Judge, and vifibly judge them in the Perfon of Man ? But then it muft be confefs'd on the other Haad, that this very Confideration is not with- out T »7^ S E R M O N IX. What we are to underftand by a good Confcicnce , and how it may be attained • with the Blefllng of it. Acts xxiv. i6. A^d herein do I exercife my felf to have al- ways a Confcience void of Offence towards Godj and torvards Men, AConfcience is one of thofe Terms v;hich are common in the World, but of a ve- ry doubtful and uncertain, and fometimes of a dangerous Signification. Some Men underftand nothing by it, but a blind and heady Zeal for the Opinion they efpoufe, which perhaps they have been con- fi'rm'd in by the prejudice of Education, or N 2 ~ hav^ i8o S E R M O N IX. have taken up out of feme Motive of worldly Intereft or Vanity. Others mean nothin?, by it, but a Icru- pulons Tendernefs about Things of little or no Moment ^ Tlnngs, confider'd in themfelves, which are not ot the Subftance, but only to be confider'd as decent Circumftances of Religion : Which yet Confcience is many times more nice and tender about, than the molt weighty and important of religious Duties. Such is the Confcience of thofe Men, who make a Scruple of a Ceremony, and none of a Schifm ; who think they do God good Service, by breaking the Peace and Unity of his Church, andcaufing Differences and Divifions among Chriftians, up- on the Account of Things, which are confefled- ly in their own Nature, Indifferent. Thus we lee Confcience, according to the different Tempers, Paflions, and Prejudices of Men, is made to fignify very different Things : And whereas 'tis the Chara6:er of a good and well-inform'd Confcience, to bs void of Offence towards God and towards Men •, as fbme Per- fons underftand Confcience, nothing rs more injurious or ofRnfive, either to God or Men. That I may contribute, by God's affiftance, to redify thefe dangerous and miftaken No- tions of Confcience, and at the fame time per- fuade you, after the Example of our Apoftle here in the Text, to endeavour after a good and well-inform'd Confcience. I Ihall difcourfe - on the Words in the following Order. \ I. I ihall enquire what is meant by a Confciencs.^ void of Offence towards Gad and towards Men. S E Px. M O N IX. iSi II. I (hall lay down fome Rules and Dire- t^ions, in order to our obtaining fych a Con- fcience. III. and Laftly^ Shall ufe fome proper Mo- tives and Arguments to enforce thofe Di- reftions. I. As to the firft Enquiry, what is meant by a Confcience^ void of Ojfence towards God and fo- rwards Men. We may eafily come to a Refolu- tion, if we do butconfider what is the Rule of Confcience, or how we ought to proceed in re- gulating the Judgments we make of our own Actions ? For not only the Reafon of the Thing, but the very Word Confcience, in its proper Signification imports, that there ought to be fome Law or Rule, by which our Conduft is to be try'd, and the Error or Reditude of it de- termin'd. When we know that our Ad^ions have been conformable to fuch a Law or Rule, we have a good and well-informM, and inoffenfive Con- fcience -^ but if we depart from our Rule, how Specious foever our Pretences may be, of a good Intention or Zeal for God's Service, and the In- terefts of Religion, in order to palliate, or the better- to Set-off a Unful Aftion •, yet the Prin- ciple, upon which we Ad, cannot properly be call'd Confcience i for Confcicnce, in the pi*o- per Senfe of the Word, always fuppofes a Con- formity between the Rule and the Adion. It is therefore only private Judgment or Opinion up- on which we proceed in fuch Cafes -^ and ftridtly fpeaking, can no more be call'd Confcicnce, than I can be faid to comvr with another Per- IS3 3 fbfli i8a SERMON IX. fon in any Defign or Adion, wherein I diredily pppofe.him. Yet it mull be granted, That as Men are wil- ling to impofe upon themfelves by falfe Namef and Appearances, and to call that Confcience, wherein they Aft in direft Oppofition to their Rule j the Apollle, of my Text, is fometimes pleas'd to exprefs himfelf in Compliance v;ith this ordinary, but improper way of Speaking, Accordingly he reprefents thofe who perfift obftinately in their Errors and Delulions, as havhiq their Confciences Seared with a hot Iron^ I Tim. iv. 2. And he elfewhere makes it the Charader of Unbelievers, that even their Mnd rf», and are a him unto themfelves : Which J}}e]v the Work of the Law writ- K 4 tcfi 184 S E R M O N IX. ten in their Hearts^ their Confciences alfo hearing Witnefs^ and their Thoughts the mean while Ac* cufmg^ or elfe ExcuflKg one another^ Rom. ij. ^4■, 15- But bccaufe in this degenerate State of human Nature, the Faculties of our Souls are Difor- der'd and out of Tune •, fo that we do not al- ways fee the Truths of Religion in a clear Light, or Reafon juftly concerning them;, therefore God has been pleas'd to make a plain and ftand- ing Revelation of his Will to us in: the Holy Scriptures. The wifefl; of Men may deceive us, or be de- ceived themfelves, in their way of Reafoning upon the Principles and Duties of Religion; but the Holy Scriptures, which were di(5ated by the Wifdom and Reafon of God, cannot (if •^e follow the Light of them) millead us. We have now a fure Word of Prophecy to direft us, both what we are to believe and do, and whofe Diredions, if we follow, we are fecure from Error, and cannot do amifs. 'Tis our Happinefs, and which we cannot be too thankful to God for, that we can now ap- peal from our own fallible Speculations and Methods of Reafoning, to the Law, md to the Tejiimony : And if we ffeak not according to this Wordy it is hecavfe there is no Light in Hs^ Ifaiah viij. 20. So that upon the whole Matter, to have a Confcience void of Offence, is to ad conform- ably and knowingly^ according to that Law which God has prefcrib'd as the Rule of our Actions. If upon examining our Condud by this Law, we find there is a good Agreement and Cor- fefpondence between them j then we may fafely con- S E R M O N IX. 185 conclude we have done what we ought, and that our own Minds have no Offence to re- proach us for, either towards God or towards Men. But if we have done any thing, we had no Warrant or Authority for from the Word of God, or from the known Reafon of the Thing, where pofTibly we may have no exprefs and particular Rule in the Scriptures, in this Cafe, whatever Confcience we pretend ( if it Jriay in a large Senfe be call'd Confcience) yet it is in truth, and evil, and defiling, and will in the Event, when God pleases to open our Eyes, as he did thofe of our Apoftle, prove to us a condemning Confcience. This ought to be carefully confider'd by thole, who either out of Humour, or Prejudice, or Curiofity, or any other private and indired: Motive, take up an Opinion without examin- ing it by the Rule of God's Word, and thea pretend Confcience for perfifting in fuch an Opinion. If Men might be allowed fuch a Li- berty as this, the Diftinftion of Virtue and Vice would foon beconfunded^ Evil would be- come good, and Good evil. But the Errors of Men do not alter the Na- ture of Things, or Cancel the Obligation they are under to obey the Commands of God. And tho' I will not fay, that fuch a Confcience, ov more properly fpeaking. Opinion, does not 'oblige a Man, while he really believes himfelf in the Right, yet I cannot fay, that fuch a Con- fcience or Opinion, call it what you pleafe, is Void of Offence ; for 'tis certainly offenfive to God, and may poffibly too in fome Cafes, gives juft occafion of Scandal and Offence to Men. Aad i86 S E R M O N IX. And the Reafon why an erroneous Confej- ence will not ex'cufe Men before God, appears evident from hence j that a wrong Principle which leads to any finful or dangerous Pradife, mnft in fome Meafure at leaft proceed from a voluntary Ignorance, and in the fame Meafure and Proportion from a Man's own Fault or Neg-- lea. For either the Scriptures are plain and clear to dired the Pradtife of Men, or they are not \ if they are not, how fhall we acquit the Wifdora of God in them ? A Rule which is not fufficienc- ly plain and clear in order to the End it pro- pofes, is in effeft no Rule at all. But if the Holy Scriptures be (as moft certainly they are) ilifficiently plain and intelligible to all Chrifti- ans, both with refped to the Principles and Duties of jChriftianity, in the XJfe of the com- mon and ordinary Means of Inftrudion, which I all along fuppofe, then no Chriflian can err, efpecially rn any fundamental Point of Confci- ence, but from a culpable Negled of thofe Means, and confequently through his own De- fault. But why fhould the Clergy inveigh fo much againfl; Errors, or eriK)neous Pradifes, for which Men pretencl Confcience ? Are not all Men at liberty to be of what Opinion or Perfua- lion they pleafe, provided it be.fuch, as gives «o Umbrage to the State? Why then ihould good and peaceable Subjeds be refleded upon for following what appears to them the true light, and ferving God in what Place, and af- ter what Manner, they like beft ? So long as the Government has thought fit to grant a To- kration to tender an^i fcrupulous Cojifciences, why SERMON IX. 187 why may'nt they clahn the Benefit of it, and do that which feems iig,ht in their own Eyes ? To thefe Queries I {hall give a (hort, but fa- tisfaclory AnAver by the Proof of this one Pro- pofition (namely) '' That no Power on Earth, *' I might have faid in Heaven, can give Liber- " ty of Confcience to Men in the Senfe,. wliere- " in 'tis commonly, but very abufively taken ^ ** that is, a Liberty to Men to be of any Opi- " nion, to fct up wliat Forms of Worfhip, or '' join even themfclves to what Communion " they pleafe. I'm fenfible in whofe Prefence I fpeak^ yet am perfuaded, that the Perfection of the Di- vine Nature will not fuffer that glorious Being, in whofe Prefence we all are to grant Men liich a wretched Liberty. For God cannot deny himfelf, or authorize Men to ad: contrary to the eternal Rcafon and Order of Things, and the Rules founded upon them, which he has prefcribM in his reveal'd- Word for our Condudt. And therefore we ought to diflinguifh be- tween Toleration and Liberty of Confcience ^ Toleration in the moft natural and obvious Senfe of it implies a Forbearance of Perfons liable to Punifhment, and confequently fuppo- fes, that the Perfons fo tolerated are notwidi. Handing in one Degree or other Criminal. 'Tis true, hum.an Powers may fufpend, or for wife Reafons remit the Punifliment due to the greateft Offenders •, but this does not in the leall alter the Kature of the Offence ^ nor can any tolerable Rcafon be afliga'd, why it ihould. And i88 S E R M O N IX. ■ And this I humbly conceive is all that was intended by the Ad of Toleration ( namely ) *^ To free Men from thofe Penalties they were " formerly liable to, upon the Account of their " Separation from the Eftablifh'd Church, and •' which perhaps were fometimes executed with **■ too much Rigour. But to argue from heJKe^ that the Government hereby authorizes or ap- proves an uncontroul'd Liberty of Conicicnce^ is, asif 1 Ihould infer, 'tis lawful for a Man to be proud or ungrateful, becaufe there i' no Law of the Land, which diredly puniflies Pride or Ingratitude •, but as to thefe, and a great many other Vices, which do not immediately tend to difturb the publick Peace, leave every Man to be dipef^ed by the Law of God. And if any Man will duly and impartially examin his Con- fcienceby this Law, let him feparate from the Eftablifh'd Church, if he can. Thus 1 have confider'd in general what it is to have a Confcience void of Offence, without de- fcending to fliew the particular Obligations of Confcience, with refpeft to God and Man : But the Holy Scriptures (as I have made appear) be- ing the Rule by which our Judgment in Cafes of Confcience are to be dctermin'd, and by whofe Becifions we muft ftand or fall, 'twill be fufEci- ent to dired^ you to thefe Divine Oracles (where- in the whole Duty of Man is fo fully and par- ticularly explain'd) in order to try and exa- min your felves, how far you are come up to the exemplary and ftrid Piety of St. Paul in ex- ercifing your felves with him, to have always a Confcience void of Oficnce towards God and to- v/ards Man. And S E R M O N IX. i8^ And this brings me in, 2. The Second Place, to lay down feme Rules and Diredioas in order to our obtaining fuch a Confcience. I. And the firfl: thing I would recommend to this End, is a careful and diligent Read- ing of the Holy Scriptures. Our Obligation to this Duty does indeed naturally arife from what has been Hiid already. For if the Scriptures be the Pvule, by which our Judgments in Matters of Confcience were to be inform'd and direded, and from which we cannot depart, then the only way to have a Confcience void of Offence, is to confult and apply this Rule to our particular Cafes and Circumftances. But there is alfo this further Advantage in our being much converfant in the Holy Scriptures, that they are not only a Rule to inftrudt Men in their Duty^ but a powerful Means to perfuade them to a confcientious Difcharge of it. As the faving Truths and Principles of Reli- gion are only to be learn'd from them, fo they furnifh us with the moft ftrong and invincible Arguments to enforce the pra(fiical Duties we owe both to God and Man. The Stile and Manner of Expreffion in the Holy Scriptures have a fecret Force and Ener- gy in them, beyond what we meet with in the moft celebrated of human or prophane Authors: But the Matter o{ them, and the Motives where- by they fpeak to the Hearts and Confciences of Men are fuch as could never, in feveral Parti- culars, have enter'd into the Heart of any Man to conceive. And therefore Holy JDavld'm feveral Paifages attributes to the Holy Scriptures, not only a Power ipo S E R M O N IX. Power of enliglitning the Underflanding, but of moving and regulating the Will and Affedi- ons. The Law of the Lord is perfeB^ converting the Soul ', the Tejiimony of the Lord ii fure^ making wife the Simple. The Statutes of the Lord are right^ re- joycing the Hearty the Commandment of the Lord ii pure enlightning the Eyes^ Pfal. xix. 7, 8. And this Power of the Holy Scriptures to' open the Hearts, as well as the Underftanding of Men difcovers it felf in the good Efi^ds it often has, even upon thofe Perfons, who are the lea ft difpos'd to comply with it. Felix^ who by marrying Drtifilla^ another Man's Wife, and his committing much Cruelty and Injuftice in the Adminiftration of his Govern- ment, difcover'd that the Truths of Religion had very little Influence upon him, yet was fo' powerfully awaken'd by the Word of God preach'd to him by our Apoftle, that the fen- iible Convidion he felt in his own Mind, of his Sins, and which indeed vifibly difcover'd it felf to others, might, had he improv'd it as he ought, have been the happy Occafion of his exercifing a true and hearty Contrition for them. Who are ufually more violent in their Paf- fions, and luxuriant in their Picafures, than rafh and inconfiderate Youth ? And yet even fuch Perfons if they will but attentively read and confider the Law of God, cannot but find effe- clual and unanfwerable Arguments in it to make them turn to him, and reclaim them from walk- ing any longer in the Ways of their Hearts, ^iid in the Sight of tUdi; E.yes. And SERMON IX. i^r And therefore the Pfabmft having put the Qiieftion, wherewith fball 3 yoiing Man cleanfe his Way, or prefervc his Purity and Innocence? Immediately anfwers (and it is an Anfwer I wi(h all the young Perfons would conHder and apply ) even by taking heed thereto according ta God^s iVordj Pfal. cxix. 9. which therefore in the Nev7 Teftament is very fignificantly ftird by St. Paul^ the rawer of God vnto Salvation j Rom. i. 1 5. And indeed if fo many excellent Things were fpoken by the Royal Prophet concerning the Efficacy of the Law, in order to reform Sinners^ which was only a Shadow of good Things to come, and in comparifon of the Gofpel, but as the Dawning of the Day^ to the Brightnefs of the Meridian Sun, how much more effetflual to this End mufl: the Writings of the New Te- ftament be, wherein the Subltance is exhibited ? Wherein the Light of the glorious Gofpel of Chrift; Ihines, and the Cjrace of God is Ihed forrti upon us, fo much more abundantly. Well therefore might the Apoftle argue, that the Word of God worketh effedually in thofe that believe, i TheJJ.V). 13. and that it is the Sword of the Spirit, Ephef, vi. 17. But after what manner the Confciences of Sinners are fometimes penetrated by it, the Apoftle explains more particularly, and in a very fenfible man- ner, Heb. iv. 12. T'he Word of God is quick and porverfuly and fiiarper than any Two edged Srvord^ percing even to the dividing afunder the Soul and Spirit. When the Terrors of the Lord therefore are denounc'd againft Sin, that our Minds may have nothing to challenge or reproach us for •, and above ip^t SERMON IX. above al], that we may not be opprefs'd and confounded with the Weight of an evil Con- fcience, heightened by a long Habit of Sin, and falling upon us all at once. Let us have the Ho- ly Scriptures frequently in our Hands, and let us as frequently examin our Hearts by them, to fee if there be any v/ay of Wickednefs in them. And then I fay we cannot fail, if we do not fhnt our Eyes againfl: the Light, or wil- fiiUy rejeft the Motions of God's Grace, to have with St. Paul^ always a Con fcience void of Offence^ towards God^ and towards Men. Efpe- cially, 2. In the next Place, if we take care of the very firit Motions and Beginnings of Sin. For, in this corrupt State of human Nature our In- nocence is generally ^o weakly guarded, that it is for the molt part, much fafer and more ad- vifeable to prevent a Siege, than to run the Hazard of an Attack. Or if we happen to be attack'd, which is fometimes unavoidable, what we have to do is to pu(h and repel the Enemy, with all the Vigour we can. If we give way • in the leaft to him, we know not what further Advances he may make, in Proportion to the Ground he gains, to be fure we mull lofe : And therefore if we have ufed fo little Caution, as to give him any Advantage, our Care mufb be as foon as poffible to retrieve our Error. For thus it is with Sinners in all Cafes ; when they indulge to any criminal Paffion or Defign, they know not when, or where they will make a ftand. If a Man be running down a fteep Pre- cipice, he cannot ftop himfelf juft where he pleafes. The firlt Move we make in a linful Courfe cafts us forward upon the next, and fo on. SERMON IX. ip3 on, till we are hiirry'd beyond the Bounds we firft fet ourfelves, and further perhaps than we could have at firft imagin'd. I might more particularly obferve to you the gradual Advances and fpreading Malignity of Sin from the Examples of David SLud Peter. Of the former, who by a criminal and indifcreec Look, was betray'd to commit the two great Sins of Adultery and Murder, and of the later, who from denying Chrift. was drawn on to confirm his Denial, with bitter Onthsand Im- precations. But what I have fiid, without further En- largement upon it, is I hope fufficient to fhew us how flriclly careful we ought to be, if we would have a Confcience void of Offence, not to be guilty of any finful Compliances in any- kind ; which like a Whirl-pool are foapt, when once we come within their Verge, to wind us in more and more, till by Decrees w'e become utterly unable to recover our felves. 3^/y, I fhall but lay down one Diredion more in order to our having and preferving a Con- fcience void of Offence ; and it is this : TW we jhould frequently flate Accounts between God and our Confciences^ and inquire what Sins we have committed^ and what Duties we have done or ornit' ted to do. All thofe, who have prefcrib'd the Rules of holy Living, have laid this down as a funda- mental One, that we (hould conftantly fet apart fome proper time for calling our own Ways to Remembrance, and fearching the Ground of our Hearts, which are fo apt after our ftrideft Examination to deceive us. To this End is that Command of the Apoftle, 2 Or, xiij. 5. Ex.^- VOL. HI. O min r94 S E R M O N IX. minyour felves^ whether you be in the Faith : Trove your own [elves. He doubles the Charge, and to (hew the great Importance and Neceflity of the Duty, ufes two ExprefTions which lignify much the fame thing. So again, Gal. vi, 4. Let' every Man prove his own Worksy and then fimll he have Rejoycing in him- felf alone. And indeed without taking this Re- view of our felves, we fhall be very apt to for- get what the State and Condition of our Souls are-, what Improvements or Efcapes we have made, and what are the prefent Defects we la- bour under •, and fo can have no true Founda- tion for any inward Complacency or Satisfacti- on of Mind, tho' we may eafily delude our felves with a falfe Apprehenfion of our being in a State of Grace and Favour with God. And there- fore for want of calling themfelves to a llri(^ and fevere Account for their Adions, very wicked Men feem many times as fecure and eafy to themfelves, as if all Things were well with them, and they had nothing to account for. But this 1 fay is a falfe and delufory Peace of Mind, which will fail them when they ftand the molt need of it at the Hour of Death, and in the Day of Judgment. For as the Apoftle ar- gues, Gal. VI. 3. Jf a Man think himfelf fomethin^ when he is nothing ^ he deceiveth himfelf. 'Ecwtop qipivATAJA. He impofes upon his own Mind and Confcience, according to the Teftimony of which he ought to judge of himfelf here, but muft certainly be judg'd hereafter. If upon thefe Views Men would ferioufly and frequently take an Account of their own Adti- ons, it would be impoflible for them, except they be given up to a judicial Blindnefs of Mind or S E R M O N IX. ip5 or Hardnefs of Heart, to continue any long time in a State of Sin, efpecially in any dan- gerous finful Habit. Such an Examination could not fail of obliging them to quit their Evil Courfes, and bringing them Repentance. This was the Method holy David took ^ and the Eff^ft it had upon him wasanfvverable. I thought^ fays hq, on my IVays, and I turn d my Feet unto God's 'tejilmomes'^ and no doubt if we obferv'd the fame Rule, it would, by the Grace of God have the fame EfTed upon us too. 'Tis from a Senfe of the great fpiritUal Ad- vantages arifing from this Duty, that our Roy- al Prophet fo earneRIy prays God in anothef Place todiretit him in the Difcharge of it \ PfaL cxxxix. 22, 23. Try me^ O God^ and feek the Ground of my Hearty prove m?-, and examin my Thoughts.) look well if there be any way of Wicked- nefs in me^ and lead me in the way everlafting' ^ Having, according to the Method propos'd, laid down fome general Rules and Diredlions in order to our obtaining a Confcience void of Offence. I fhall in the Third and laft Place en- force them by fome proper Motives and Argu- ments. This I (hall do by confidering the great Blefllng and Advantage of having a Confcience void of Offence, both with refpeft this World, and the World to come. And, I. With refped to this World, there is no- thing can afford us any true, folid or lafting Satisfaction without a good Confcience. This the Wife Man, (who pronouncM all the other feeming Satisfactions of Life, Vanity and Vexa- tion of Spirit) tells us is a continual Feaft, Vrov, XV. 15. The Pleafures of Sin are always dnlh'd with one impure bitter Ingredient or other, O 2 befides ip6 S E R M O N IX. bekdes tkit they arc of a (hort Duration, and go off with an ungrateful Relifti : But the Plea- fures on the other Hand ari fin g from the Con- science of our having done what we ought, as they are pure and unmix'd, fo they laft as long as the Remembrance of thofe Adrons which occafion'd them. Wicked Men it is granted may put on an Air of Chearfislnefs, and appear very eafy to them- lelyes, as if they felt no Pain, or had none to fear ^ but then they only ad in Difguife, while they carry Guilt about them •, while they know- nothing of thofe folid and rational Delights, which oati^rally refult from the Confcience of ©f a well-fpes^t Life,and from it only. We ought ( whatever they pretend ) to look upon their Chearfdnefs and Gaiety of Temper, as mere Force and Confbraint : For that even in the midft of Laughter there is to fuch Perfons fadnefs of Heart : 'Twas the Obfervation of one, who by giving himieif uptoknow Madnefs and Folly, and having thegreatefi: Opportunities of know- ing them, was the heft able to judge in the Cafe, Ec'dcfvij. 3. Some fudden and melancholy Thoughts of what will follow, or the Awe of a Juft and Al- mighty God, in whofe Prefence wicked Men are (they know what I fay to be true) will now and then arife to difturb their feeming Happi- iiel« and Enjoyments. But a good Man ! A Man that has a Confci- ence void of Of^nce ! A Man that is at Peace with God, with himfelf, and as much as in him lies, with all the World ; what has he to fear, or what can interrupt the free and even Cur- rent of hig Enjoyments? Why! This Man is the SERMON IX. ic)7 tlic very Reverie of the other. In the midjl of Sadnefs ( if 1 may fo term any outward Misfor- tune or Calamity of Life which befalshim ) his Heart is chearful, and theTeftimony of a good Confcience, if it do not wholly remove the Senfeof them, will in a great Meafu re fweeten and alleviate all external Evils to him. 'Tis a Happfinefs indeed, would they make a right ufe of it (which God knows they do not always do) when Men enjoy the good Things as we call them of this Life;, and all Things go fmoothly on with them, and fucceed to their reafonable Defigns and Expedations. hxit after all, the true, folid and fubHantial Happinefs of a Man is not to be fought for from without, but within himfelf^ in that Eafeand Freedom and Complacency of Mind, which arife from the Reflexion of his having adcd as became him, and liv'd up to the Order and Perfection of his Nature. When his Confcience truly makes him this Report, what greater Happinefs on thi;> iids Heaven can we fuppofe him capal:)le of? What, I fay, are all the uncertain, imperfeft, trandent Enjoyments? What arc all the fading Glories of this deceitful World, to the pure and unmix'd Joys which continually fpring up in the Heart of fuch a Man ? 'Tvvas this TeHimony of a good Confcience which infpir'd St. Paul with fo much Courage and Refolution under all his Sufferings, and render'd them not only cafy, but even Matter of Joy and Triumph to him. Bo?jds a^id Ajjll' Bions^ fjys he, abide me \ but none of thef^ThJt/-rs move me '^ (6 that J might fifii^j tny Cow fe with Jay. That is with the joyful Report of a good Con- fcience, Acis XX. 23. And again, he tells the 15)8 SERMON IX. • Romans (Chap. v. 2,3.) that he and all good confcientious Chriftians, who have Peace with God, rejoyce in the Hope of the Glory of God, and not only fo, but that they Glory in Tribu- lation alfo. Had we with this Blefl^d ApoHle a Confci- pnce void of Offence, which by the Grace of God v\'e all may have, it would be sn unfpeakable Comfort to us under all the troiiblefom Acci- dents and Difappointments of this Life. What- ever our Condition were in it, we might then fay with him, zCor.'i. 12. Our rejoycing is this, even the Teflimony of a good Confcience, that with Simplicity and godly Sincerely we have had our Con" 'verfation in the World. And indeed if we can truly and fincerety fay this, we ought not to be much concern'd at what befals us in a Life, which is not defign'd for a perfed State of Hap- pinefs, but only to prepare and train us up for It •, and if God in his Wifdom fees fit, that thro' much Tribulation we fhould enter into his Kingdom \ I am fure we {hall at the laft have no Reafon to complain. 2. But this leads me to reprefent to you in the next Place the great Blefling and Advantage of a good Confcience v^'ith refpeft to another World, and that both as it is a Condition of our fu- ture Happinefs, and a ncceffary Qiialification for it. i/. As it is a Condition and an indifpenfible one too, of our future Happinefs. In the Day when God fhall judge the Secrets of Men by jefusChrift, We, and the whole World mufl be try'd before him for our Aftions done in the Body, whether Good or Evil, and be acquitted t; condcnift'd according as our Confciences bear ' Wit- SERMON IX. ' ipp Witnefs for or againfl: us, ^om. ij. 1 5, i5. And therefore our Blefled Saviour, after his familiar Method of intruding us, in the Procefs of the lafl; Judgment reprefents himfelfas a Shepherd ieparating the Sheep from the Goats ^ and ha- ving made this Diftribution of Mankind, lie fe- verally appeals to their own Confciences for the Reafbnablenefs and Equity of his Proceedings. He particularly takes Cognizance of the good Works they had done or omitted to do, in Afts of Mercy and Charity, and then proceeds to Sentence. '' Thefe, fays k, that is the Wicked, " whofe Confciences condemn them for their *' negled of thefe Duties, (hall go away into " everlafting Punifhment; but the Righteous *' who have the Anfwcr of a good Confcience *' upon thefe Articles of Enquiry, wto Life Eter- « ml. Not but that Inquilition will then be made concerning the Difcharge or Omiflion of our Duty in all other Refpeds. But our Lord is pleafed ta mention the Duties of Mercy and Charity in particular, becaufe his own Exam- ple throughout the whole Courfc of his Mini- ftry, The brighteft Ideas we have of the Di- vine Perfection, and the Genius of our Holy Religion confpire in fo eminent a manner, to difpofe us to all good and beneficent Acii- ens. But do we indeed, my Brethren, duly con- fider what thefe two different Sentences, which the Judge of the World will then pronounce feverally import? What it is to go away in. to everlafting Punidimcnt, and what into Lite Eternal? Oh! moft certainly fuch a Reflcifti- oa duly impiov'd would never fuH-er us to take O c^ any :>oo SERMON IX. any Eafe or Repofe in our own Mind, till we had with the Apoille exercifed our felvcs to have always a Confcience void of Offence to- wards God and towards Man. Efpecially, 2My. If we farther confider, that to have a Confcience void of Offence, is not only a Con- dition, but a neceffary Qualification for Hea- ven. Could we imagine, contrary to what we conclude from the Authority of the Holy Scriptures, that a Pcrfon whofe Mind and Confcience is dcfiCd^ could enter into the King- dom of .Heaven *, yet what will he propofe to do there? What Communion can there be, between Light and Darknefs ? What Fellow- ihip could fuch an unclean Wretch have with the infinitely perfeft God, with the Holy Je- fus, with the bright and glorious Angels, or even with the Spirits of jufl: Men made per- fed ? 'Tis not the Company we are in that makes us happy, but an eafy State of Mind, with an Agreeablenefs of Temper^ So that a Sinner till his Nature were fan^ify'd and renew'd, and his Confcience purg'd from dead Works, could we in Imagination place him there, yet would be miferable and unhappy even in Hea- ven it felf •, or rather he would carry a Hell to Heaven along with him. Alas! What Sarisfadion would it be to a Man in a violent Fit of the Gout or Stone to be laid upon a Bed of Rofes ? As little Satis- fadion would a Sinner take in the pure and fpiritual joys of Heaven, without a heavenly Temper and Difpofltion of Mind. That S E R M O N IX. loi That all thefe Confidentions may have their due Effed upon us, and efteduaily excite us to maintain a Confcienc? void of Offence towards God and towards Man, that fo we may have the Sentence, not of Death but of Life conti- r^nally in our felves, and at laft be thought Worthy to enter into the joy of our Lord. God of his infinite Mercy grant. Amen, S E R- 30:^ SERMON X The Defers of human Wifdom and Knowledge confider'd in feveral Inftances. Ecc L ES. i. i8. For in much Wtfdom is much Grief -^ and he^ thdt tncreajeth Kj^owledgCy increafeth Sor- ron\ IT may at firfl: View appear very furpiizing, that Solomon fliould here fpeak after fo dit advantageous, or rather fo difcouraging a man- ner, concerning Wifdom and Knowledge, which in other Places he fo earnellly recommends to us the Purfuit of, and from the molt powerful and engaging Motives. How for Inftance could he have reprefented by a more lively and beau- tiful Image the Advantages which attend Wif- dom, both with refpeft to the Life, which now is, and that which is to come, than in the Third Chapter of his Book of Proverbs. Happy is the Mm thiit fiudcth Wifdom ^ and the /Ifan that get' tctb S E R M O N X. 203 teth Vnderjlanding '^ for the Aferchandife of it is better^ than the Merchandife of Silver and. the Gam thereof than fine Gold. She is more ^reciom than Rubies ', and all the 1 hings thou can'ft: dcfire, are not to he compared unto her. Length of Days are in her Right Hand^ and in her heft Hand Riches and Honour. She is a Tree of Life to them that lay hold on her.y and happy is every one that reta'neth her* We have here an Enumeration of the greatefl: and molt valuable Enjoyments of this World, and which command indeed every thing ^Kq that is defireable in it ^ but they are all defcrib- ed as the proper Attendants of Wifdom-, and which are only to be found in her Retinue. The Terms Solomon employs in the foregoing Chapter, to reprefcnt the Advantages of Know- ledge, are alfo very forcible and perfuaiive. When Knowledge., fays he, is pleajant unto thy Soul or thou, once tafte a fenfible Delight in thePurfuic of it, Difcretion Jloall preferve thee^ Vndcrfiandin^ jljall keep thee. And then he proceeds to (hov/ in variety of Inftances, how Knowledge not only contributes to the Prefervation of Men from the greatefl: Evils of Life, but to the pro- moting of their true Happinefs and Tranqui- lity. There feems to be no other way of recon- ciling thefe and feveral other Pallages in the Writings of Solomon with the Words of my Text, but by fnppofing that he fpeaks in it of Wifdom and Knowledge,' not properly confl- defdas religious, but as human or civil Endow- ments; and that the Words are to be taken ia this Senfe feems direi^ly to follow from the Account which he gives of his pad Condudt in the former Ve lie. f ga-ve my Ueart.^ fays he, to knor9 204 SERMON X. Imow Wifdom avd to know Madnsfs and FoUy ; / ferceiv*d alfo that thii is f^exation of Spirit-, And ihen he immediately adds, For in much Wifdom is much Griefs and he that increafeth Knowtedge^ imreafcth Sorrow. I (hall make it may Bufinefs at prefent to con- firm the Truth of what Solomon here obferves, both with refpeft to Wifdom and Knowledge, according to his Notion of them in this Place. And, Firfi^ With refpeft to Wifdom, which admits of a very diftind Confideration from Know- ledge ; tho' thefe Terms are often promifcu- oiifly ufed in Scripture to fignify the fame thing. For Wifdom in the genuine Senfe of the Word is Knowledge reduc'd to Pradife, or if you will liave it fo, the Application of Knowledge to all the proper Ends and Ufes for which it is ac- quir'd. Now the moft confummate Wifdom under this Notion of it, as it rcfpeds the Re- gulation of our Condud or Defigns, can only give us probable Hopes of Succefs, or fuch as are at the bcft precarious -^ and that whether we confider our felves in a private or more publick Capacity.' In either State of Life the great Office of Wifdom is to moderate our Paffions, and to direct us how we may bell purfue the Ends we propofe to our felves by the moft juft, the moft likely and commendable Means. I do not know whether it may be proper to call Wifdom the Guide of Rcafon, becaufe that is the Sovereign Faculty of human Nature ^ yet it may be faid, that Reafon without Wifdom, or to fpeak more diftinftly without Prudence^ is of much lefs ufe to thofe, who arc in many Refpedts capable of rea- SERMON X. 205 reafoning after a dear and exad Manner. And therefore we may obferve, that not only very good, but very learned Men, and who are tho- roughly skill'd in all the Rules of Logick, yet are fometimes apt to fall into Indifcretions which are not to be examin'd too nicely, cvea by the Rules of common Life and Behaviour. But tho' Prudence cannot be allow'd in a ftrifl Senle, fuperior to Reafon, it may be juft- ly ftiled the prefident Virtue, which after Rea- fon has determin'd what ought to be done, di- red$ the beft and moft proper Methods of do- iflg it ; and indeed, without fuch Diredion, all the other Virtues, if they do not in fome Sort cea(e to be fo, yet lofe very much of that Grace and Decorum, which is neceflary to pre- lerve their Luflre and Dignity. If it do not fometimes happen, that for want of Prudence, there are good Qiialities which by Degrees, efpe- cially in weak Minds, degenerate into fuch Voices, as have at-the firftView fome external Appea- rance of the contrary Virtues: Forfo a liberal Difpofition, if not well regulated, eafily be- comes profufe \ Covetoufnefs aflumes the Name of Frugality, Revenge of Juftice, and Pride of Greatnefs of Mind. To fliew therefore how neceflary Prudence is to regulate our Conduct, to form all our De- flgns, and give Laws to all our Adions^ Solo^ tnori makes it the Charader of Wifdom, thut Wifdom wherein true Piety and Religion con- lifts ^ that Wifdom which renders us acceptable to God and approv''d of Men^ that it dwells with Prudence. Vrov. viij. 1 2. He tells us to the fame Purpofe, Chap.yiVi.%. — 15. That the Wifdom of the Prud(nt is to under Ji and bis Way^ and to look veell 20^ S E R M O N X. well to his going. There being innumerable Adii- ons good and innocent confider'd in themfelves, which yet under certain Circumllances become highly inexpedient, and fometimes really offen- five •, and even where we are oblig'd to aft, the Manner, the Place and Time of Adion contri- bute very much towards attaining the End we propofe. This is the proper Seafon therefore for Prudence to exert her felf, to ifiue out her Orders, and fee that they be faithfully and ex- adly obferv'd. Under thefe Advantages it might be expeded that a Man fhould be able to efleft whatever he defigns with much greater Facility. For where Providence does not immediately inter- pofein the Affairs of human Life, the ordinary Methods of Succefs, and which commonly fuc- ceed, are thofe which Prudence direds ^ and yet it is very ordinary for Men of great Dexterity,- Addrefs and Penetration •, and for thofe I may add, whofe Meafures are form'd upon long Ex- perience and Obfervation, to meet with very great Difficulties, and fometimes Difappoint-* ments, even when they come to execute fuch Projefts as appear'd to them the belt concer- ted. Indeed confidering the fluftuating State of Things in this World •, the Variety of unfore- feen Incidents which necelTarily arife from it^ the different Tempers, PajfTons and Inclinations of Men, and with P.efped to all which they are often obferv'd to differ from themfelves, it is not poflible that any fure and {landing Scheme of Succefs (hould be laid down by the moft art- ful or fubtle Men. To produce but one Inftance la Reference to what I have obferv'd ^ In our Applications to any Ferfou it is a Maxim of Human S E R M O N X. 207 Human Prudence that we fnould confider the Pafiion whereby he is govern'd, and endeavour to put it in a Motion, that pleafes him. It is obvious enough after what manner we are to addrefs our felves to the Covetous or the Proud ^ and yet at the Time of our applying to them, it is pofTible that their Covetoufnefs and Vanity may not b^ fo much excited, as at other times, or that thefe Paflions have been already retain'd by other Perfons •, or have themfelves given way to fome foreign and fudden Paffion ari- ling from any extraordinary Accident, or per- haps to mere Caprice and Humour, from which great Men are not always obferv'd to be per- feftly exempt. In a Word, whatever Human Prudence may defign in any Cafe, we are to confider, that God has referv'd the Difpofition of all Events to himfelf, and that if he had not in lb evident and vifible a manner eftablilh'd this his Prerogative, Men of loofe Principles would be under much ftronger Temptation to queftion whether there be a God \ at leaft, whe- ther there be a God that judgeth in the Earth. It mull be own'd Matter of fenfible Regret to Men when they conduft themfelves in the Purfuit of what they defire by all the Rules of Prudence •, yet to find their Defigns by one un- expeded Accident or other at laft baffled or de- feated. What for Example can be more af- fefting to Men of fuperiour Underftanding and Abilities in Human Affairs, than that after all the proper Expedients they can employ, they are not always able to procure to themfelves or their De- pendents J I do not fay the ordinary Comforts or Conveniences, but the common Supports of Life ? What again can be more mortifying to Me a 2o8 S E R M O N X. Men of the brightefl Talents, Inch as are proper to draw the Eyes of the World upon them, and procure them univerfal Love and Efteem, than to fee themfelves left in Ob£urity, and at a vaft Diftance, by thofe, who feem'd nei- ther born nor form'd by Education for fo une- qual a Superiority ? And yet the Obfervation of Solomon in his Age holds ftill ^od. That Bread is not always to the Wife^ nor Favour to Men of Skill. If any thing can add to the un- eafy Refle(5lions which are apt to arife in the Minds of Men from fuch Difappointments, it itiuft be this, that their mofl: juft and reafona- ble Dellgnsdo not only prove abortive, but they fometimes find themfelves condemn'd as impru- dent, for ading, and that with neceflary Re- . gard to the Circumftances they were under^-i upon the true Maxims of Prudence. With refpc^^ to Perfons in a more publick Capacity, that Wifdom will properly fall under our Notice, which is call'd political, and con- fifts in a Man's propofingthe common Good for his chief End, and his purfuing it by the molb proper and efre<51:ual Means. As this i 214 SERMON X. manner wherein it fees Truth, neceflarily ren* ders the Defire of it lefs ftrong and affeding. For the Mind can only love the Beauties it fees, and which it feels the Power of. And therefore it frequently happens, that when Men of more (Iqw and dull Capacities ob- ferve, there is fo great Labour requir'd in the Search after Knowledge, and fo fmall a Reward attending it, they eafily perfuade themfelves, that is better to give over fuch taflelefs and empty Lucubrations, and either to indulge to. an idle and indolent way of fpcnding their TimCji or to turn their Thoughts upon the Common, and as they apprehend them, more fubftantial Affairs of Life. Even Perfons of brighter Talents, efpecially after having fpent their firft Fire, not expe- riencing thofe Rewards that were expefted as due to the Toils and Difficulties they hav^ fu- ftain'd, grow by Degrees difpirited, and averfe to any further Attempts, and fo lofe to them- felves, and many times to the Publick, the Fruits of a Vidtory, which a little more Con- ftancy and Refolution would have acquir'd them. Upon the whole it may be faid, that" Men v;ho want Force or Extent of Mind, in their firft Applications to Study, are fooner repuls'd or difcourag'd •, but t ho fo of the moll fprightly and penetrating Genius often find Difficulties enough to perplex chem, and fuch as they are notalv/ays able to furmount. We ought notwirhftanding to make ufe of ■"he Light and Strength of our Minds, in what pcgree foever difpens'd to us, as much as we can. This is a Duty which Reafon and Order inquire of us^ but it ii> founded alfo in a parti- cular S E R M O N X. 215 cular Defignation of Providence flnce the Fait. To prevent the ill Effefts of Idlenefs, than which there is nothing tends more to feed Cor- ruption, it is the wife Appontment of God, that the Life of the Soul Ihould be maintain'd and fupported by the Labour of the Mind, as the animal Life is by that of the Body. Tho* it may beconfider'd too as a pw.z/ Effed of the lirft TranrgreiTion, that inftead of that open and clear View, wherewith the Soul of Man in a State, of Innocence would have purfued and contemplated Truth ; Briars and Thorns are now every where by the juft judgment of God fpread in her Way, fo that fhe cannot proceed without much Trouble and Difficulty, but is never able to get perfeftly clear of all Difficul- ties. But, 2. When we have taken the requifite Pains to acquaint our felves with the Principles and .Sentiments of a great many Authors, and there- by made fome competent Progrefs in the State of Learning, gaind more Strength of Mind, and a greater Facility of Attention \ yet we fhall ftill find that the Eyeof theUnderftand- ing is far from being fatisfied with feeing, and that it fees Things at the belt but very imper- fedly. But to confine my Reflexions to Books, notwithftanding we muft allow them capable of conveighing fome Light to the Mind, yet moft of them, and thofe in particular which are com- pos'd upon nice and curious Subjects, common- ly leave it very much 'in the Dark. This may arifc fomctimcs from.Uhe Nature of Things, which Authors propofe to treat of, and which will not admit of demonltrative Proofs \ fome- timcs from their manner of explaining them, P 4 which 2i<5 SERMON X. which is not always juft or regular. For in different Writers upon the fame Subjed we find very different Sentiments advanc'd, and fome- times very fpecious Probabilities and Appearan- ces of Truth on both fides, without any certaia or convincing Proof on either. This neceflari- ly leaves the Mind, efpecially to thofe who are not capable of reafoning after a more exaft Manner, than the Authors they read, in a State of Anxiety and Sufpenfe, and confequently ia a State of Pain and XJneafinefs. And now that I have mention'd the* Defers of Writers in their way of Argumentation, it is juft Matter of Concern to thofe who know any thing of Books, that it is difficult to find or aflign one even among thofe which teach the Rules of Reafoning, wherein there is nothing eroneous or irrational advanc'd. The Art of thinking, the Methods of cultivating human Un- derftanding, and the Rules which are to dired us in our Search after Truth, are noble Subjects for the Mind of Man to employ it felf upon. And yet the beft Books that have been written upon thefe Subjefts, do in fome Things want to be explain 'd or correded themfelves : Nay^ there are Errors in them of dangerous Confc quence both to Philofophy and Faith ^ tho' in- deed any one Error, if admitted and argued from by a jufb Deduction of Confequences is fufficient to overthrow all the Truths in the World. And if in thofe Books, v/hich arede- ifign'd to lay down the true Foundations of Rea- foning, Men either lay them falfe, or reafon faifly upon them •, we are the lefs to wonder, if In Books, which are not profefledly written in 3 Method fo ftridly Methodical and Exad, we not S E R M O N X. aiy not only find wrong Principles often advanc'd* but wrong Concluiions drawn even from fuck Principles as are true. It is a farther fenfible occaflon of Regret to us in reading of Books, when. we fee thai one of the moft excellent Means of communicating Knowledge to the World, is frequently em- ploy'd to little other Purpofe than to Ihew us, that Authors are Men of Parts *, that they have an uncommon fhare of Wit, Invention, or Elo- quence i that they are capable of faying what they pleafe upon their Subjeft, and, upon oc- cafion, of making Error fparkle fo much in her counterfeit jewels, that there Ihall be no way of diftinguifhing her from Truth. I do not here fpeak of the warm Controverfies in Religion or Politicks, wherein moft Authors propofe little more to themfelves than to main- tain the Principles they have efpous'd, or to argue upon them after fuch a manner as may tend moft effedtually to ferve the Interefts, or recommend them to the Favour of that Com- munion or Party, they have enter'd into. It is vifible, that in many Books of Divinity, and al- rioft in all State Trads, the Authors taking the feveral Opinions upon which they are form'd or granted, and as firft Principles, conclude they have nothing more to do, but without farther Examination to declaim and expatiate upon them, as well as they can •, or at moft to prove, what Confequences ought to follow from Prin- ciples, and fometimes from Fafts which they alledge, yet both which want to be prov'd them- felves. But I here fpeak concerning Books of Philo- fophy or human Literature, wherein the Intc- 2iS SERMON X. rells, and for that Reafon one would think the Palfions of Men are not fo ftrongly concern'd ; yet how many human or philofophical Writers, wha pretend the mofl ftrift and inviolable re- gard for Truth, feem rather to prefer to her Interefts the Honour of a Triumph to them- felves. It is a Miftake to think that learned Blen, even tho{e who appear moft mortify 'd to the World, always write out of a generous and pure Love of Truth, They fometimes take up with certain Opinions and Schemes, and then publilh them upon very flight Grounds. Vani- ty, Difcontent, a Spirit of Oppofition, a defire ©f being diftinguilh'd by new Theories or Dis- coveries, have often a great Ihare in the Mo- tives which induce them to write, and mull be very artfully difguis'd not to difcover themfelves in their Writings to other Men. But, 3. Let the two foregoing Confiderations go for nothing -, Let us fuppofe that the Methods of attaining our Knowledge were much more obvious and eafy •, that there were no good Foundation for the Cenfure, which has been palled in general upon Books ^ and that upon all Subjedts we have great Numbers of them writ- ten with fuch Clearnefs and Strength, that they cannot fail of diffiifing Light and Conviftion Into attentive Minds : In a word", that the moft celebrated Authors extant, are in their feveral Faculties perfedly free from Error, and nei- ther inconfiftent with one another, nor with themfelves. Admitting, I fay, as true in all thefe Refpec^s, what perhaps will fcarce be granted in any, it ftill remains to be conlider'd, if after Men have laid in as great a Stock of Knowledge, as could be expefted from all thefe Ad van- S E R M O N X. 219 Advantages, there are not certain accidental Confequences, which fometimes tend to impair their Satisfaction in it, and fill their Minds with one troublefome and uneafy Reflection or other. For, In the firft Place, Men of Letters are not commonly fpeaking the leafl: fenfible of what the World owes to them. They, more efpecially, whofe Converfation has been chiefly among Books, and who have had fewer Opportuni- ties of knowing the World, or have apply*d themfelves lefs to the Study of human Nature, are apt to think that Learning is the fliining and fuperior Qualification which ought to re- commend Men to Favour, and open to them an Accefs to the Hearts of thofe, in whofe Hands the Interefl;s of this World lie. And yet it is often the Misfortune of fuch Men ei- ther to be wholly neglefted, or long pofl:pond in their Expeftations :i which yet according as they have been more ftrong, lively, or rcafona- ble, mud: naturally occafion in them a ftronger and more fenfible Regret. It is true, when Knowledge is improv'd to any confiderable Degree, and a Man knows how to make a right Ufe of it, there is nothing more delightful and entertaining to the Mind : But Itill the Body cannot live upon it. Hun- ger and Thirfl; are not to be fatisfied with the mod curious and refin'd Speculations *, neither .will the firft Marks of Diftinftion in the Repub- lick of Letters, render a Man of any great Confideration in civil Life, if his exterior Man- ner and Appearance have any thing fingular or defpicable in them. When a Perfon then, who has taken great Pains to climb the Tree of Know- -20 S E R M O N X'. Knowledge, and is at length with theSweat of Ms Brow got to the Top of k, finds not the • l^ruit he look'd for upon it, and has little more to folac* himielf with, than the bare Refiedi- on of his having gain'd a more o^pen Profped, and his feeing fomething farther than he did before, this cannot but -fhake him very much amidft all the pleafing Thoughts of his Eleva- tion, and the fecret Difdain perhaps where- with he looks down upon thofe who are climb- ing after him. But to leave the Metaphor and come to the Thing •, under great Difappointments, and which are attended with a long Train of evil; and very unhappy Confequences, it is not all the Philofophical Knowledge in the World can fu- itain the Spirit of a Man with true Conftancy and Refolution. Nature on fuch Occafions will be too weak for a fine Thought, if not fup- ported both by the Principles of our Holy Re- ligion and the Power of God's Grace. It is to them we muftat lafl; havaRecourfe for a Re- medy of all our Troubles, and they can fupply it. They alone eaS-inrpire us with a perfed Refignation to the vyill of God, and teach us in whatever State we are^ therewith to he content. — Both how to be ahafed, and how to abound^ Phil, iV. II, 12. idly^ Knowledge is fometimes an occafion al- fo of expofing Men to Envy. It may under certain Circumftances be very inconvenient for , a Man to know, or to have the Reputation of knowing more than his Neighbours : For Know- ledge being one of thofe Talents wherein vain Man is apt to Pride himfclf, he grows impati- ent of being rival'd in his Pretenfions to it, and con- SERMON 5C. • lit confiders the Charafter of a Perfon more know- ing than himlelf as a Diminution at kaft, if not a defign'd Indignity ofFer'd to his own. Now, Envy is a Pafllon, as baft and ignobie • in its Progrefs as in its Principle. Malice and Detradion^-with every evil Work, that may tend to bring any Difgrace or Injury on the Paity cnvy'd, are the Natural, and I had almofl: faid, the neceflary Growth of it. It may be queftion'd, whether any of the Paffions occafion more En- mity and Divifion among Men, or put them up- on biting and devouring one another after a more violent and inhuman Manner: So that if learned Men had nothing more to propofe, than a little Credit or Applaufe, as the Reward of their Lucubrations, inftead of making farther Improvements in the Search after Knowledge, it would many times be both for their Advan- tage and Eafe, to be unknown themfelves. sMy, There is alfo Danger, that the Knov/- ledge which Men have for many Years been ac- quiring with much Labour and Difficulty, may by Degrees be impair'd, or perhaps altogether lolt. A. Fit of Sicknefs is fometimes fufficient to obliterate, at leaft to confound all the No- tion^ which a Man has for a long time been treafnring up in his Mind. But the Decays of Age are inevitable, and have a fenfible Effect on the Minds of all Men : And what gives the greater Force to this Reflexion is, that a con- fiderable part of our Age is gone, before our Knowledge is of any great Ufe or Extent, and feldom indeed comes to any Perfedion, till it advances very near the Point of its Decline. Thefe arc fome of the ordinary Conlequences of much Knowledge j and tho' I have principally mea- 222 S E R M O N X. inention'd them, in regard to that Knowledge which is deriv'd from Books, and with an Eye to what Solomon obferves, Chap.xi]. 12. Of ma' king many Booh^ there is no endy and much Study is a ToeaKinefs to the Flejh \ yet thefe general Refledi* ens may be indifferently apply'd to the remain- ing Particulars, I propos'd to conlidcr, bnt which mult be referv'd for the Subjeft of my next Difcourfe. SER- SERMON XL The fame SubjeS continivd. EccL Bs. i. 1 8. /z? much Wifdom is much Griefs and he th^ increafeth Kj^owledge incredjeth SorrvW:, I Am now to fbew, that thefe Words of SW Umon are alfo applicable. Secondly, With refpeft to the Knowledge of Mankind in general. No Body queftions the Ufefulnefs, or rather indeed the Neceflity of this kind of Knowledge t6 thofe, who would conduft themfelves in the World by the Rales of Prudence, or manage the Affairs of Life to any Advantage : Without a competent Mea- fui-e of it, Men are equally unqualify'd for Con- verfation and Bufinefs, and much lefs capable of doing Service either to their Friends, or themfelves. And therefore we may obferve, that Perfons of the firlt Diftindion and bright- eft 224 S E R M O N IX. eft Charafter in civil Life, arc ufually fuch as have had great Opportunities of knowing Man- kind, and made a good Improvement of it. This Knowledge in Truth is of fo great Ufe to thofe, who are Mailers of it, that it fup- plies in great Meafure, or however covers the Defefts of their Education in other Regards. And there are Men, who upon the bare Advan- tage of it, not only acquit themfelves in the moft eminent Stations, with Honour and Ap- plaufe, but have the Art of engaging other Per- ibns in their own, or the Intereft of their Friends with a wonderful Facility, and after a manner, which all the Philofophy in the World would never havedidated to more learned Men. This will be granted at leaft, that the Know- ledge of Mankind is more requiflte towards ren- dring Men of any Confideration in Society, of any Ufe to themfelves or others, than the Knowledge of all the Sciences without it. The want of it indeed ferves many times only to betray learned Men into greater Indif- cretions, and to give them, what never pleafes, an Air of Singularity or AfFedation. We may fay then, that the Knowledge of Mankind is that which refines and gives a better Luftre to all other Parts of Knowledge ^ which tho' in Conjunftion with it, they are generally necefia- ry towards forming a great or ufeful Man, yet feparately in all the Affairs of human Life it is of more Ufe and Credit to a Man to know hu- man Nature, than to be very knowing or learn- ed in other Refpefts. But fuppofing the Advantages of this Know- ledge as great as they have been reprefented ; is there nothing which brings Trouble with it, or that. S E R M O N XL 225 that may occafion any Pain or Uneafinefs of Mind ? To thofe who do not confider the Dig- nity of human Nature, or have no Regard to the Honour of it, perhaps there may not. But to Perfons of any Confideration or Ingenuiry ic cannot but occafion a fenfible Regret, when they obferve how generally that noble and reafona- ble Creature Man, either afts quite out of his Charadler, or finks very much below it. But to lay open all the Wounds of humam Nature would be too long and offenlivean Ope- ration i I ihall therefore, in confidering the ge- neral State of it, limit my felf to the two Heads of Infmcerity and Impiety. ly?, To know Mankind, primarily fignifies in- deed, and by general Confent, to know the fe- veral Arts Men ufe under feveral Difguifes, ia order to effedt their Defigns, and how we may beft prevent our being imposd upon by them. For Truth, Juftice and Honour, how corrupt foever the \A'^orld may grow, will ever be va- lued and efteem'd in it. But becaufe it fre- quently happens, that neither the Ends which Men propofe to themfelves, nor the Meads they ufe to accomplifh them, are to be examin'd too ftriftly upon thefe Heads, therefore to preferve fome degree of Efteem, which is necefiary to facilitate the Execution even of their worft Defigns, they would appear at leaft to a^l upon virtuous Principles, and as far as poflible avoid the Sufpicion of acting upon any other. This Conltraint which wicked Men put them- felves under, in order to conceal their true In- tentions, does indireBly do fome Honour, even to Virtue, and fhews, that notwithftanding fhe has not all the Power over them, fhe ought to VOL. Ill Q, have, ^i6 ^ -S'E-^R M O N XL- have* yet out of Regard to the common Senie and judgment of Mankind, they cannot but en- tertain a fecret Eftcem and Veneration for her ; So that were (he not really of herfelf fo very lovely and defirable, it muft however be ac- knowledg'd one Means of fupporting her Ho- nour and Interefts in the World, that flie is ^o univerfally allow'd to be Praife-wortby, and of good Report. But where, after all, is the Spirit of a Man, or any thing becoming the Dignity of his Nature, in a continu'd Courfe of Diflimulation and' Double-dealing •, in putting out at every Turn falfei Colours, by Favour of which he may better efcape unobferv'd \ or in putting on a Difguife, out of which he is perpetually afraid or afham'd to be {qqr} I do not here univerfally arraign. Mankind, and heartily wifh.^ that what I fay may not extend to the greater Part of them. When we fpeak of Chriftians efpecially, w'e might, one would think, hope better Things of them, and Things more fuitable to the Simplicity and godly Sincerity^ which are the proper Graces of their Chriftian Profefiion. But let us confi- der a little more particularly, if even great Numbers of them may not in one Degree or other be affedled with the Charge 1 am exhi- biting. The End of Speech is to keep np among Men a Communication of their Thoughts •, by this Means, Beings that are altogether invifible to one another are capable of converfing familiar- ly together, and maintaining an Intercourfe, the moft admirable both in its Kind, 'and the many noble Ufes that arife from it: But when thefe Wes are fruftrated by our fpeaking contrary to ■ the SERMON XI. 227 the real Senfe of our Minds, or by difTembiing them in fuch a Manner, that they are at the heft but very imperfectly known, and without any certain Confequences to be drawn from .them, then this Method fo wifely defign'd by God to lay the Foundation of mutual Truftand Confidence among Men, ferves only to intro- duce an infidious way of Commerce, equally in- jurious and difhonourable to them. And' yet how often does it happen, that if we would know the. real Sentiments of Men, we mufl: look for fome other Signs, whereby they may be interpreted than their Words •, and there are certain other Signs, which it is not necefTary to name, that if we narrowly obferve them, are much lefs apt to deceive us. I may add, that the Wit and Dexterity of cunning Men are feen in nothing more than in their ex- preding themfelves after fo equivocal, but fpe- cious and handfome a manner, that they (hall appear to fay a great many juft and fine Things, without meaning or defigning any thing. I would not willingly make Obfervations that may bring Difcredit on human Nature, but ra- ther defire t# entertain fuch Ideas as are moft advantageous and honorary to it. Yet it may perhaps, without Injuftice, be obferv'd, that one of -the greatell: Arts of Life, and the moft ge- nerally cultivated by Men, is to prefer ve the Appearances of Juliice and Ingenuity in Con- verfation, whether the Motives upon which they do it, be really Good and Ingenuous, or not. Of how little Importance for Inftance, in common Conftruftion, are ProTefTions of Kind- nefs and Refpedt ? How ordinary is it for Men to declare themfelves ready to do any Service Q.2 ia 228 S E R M O N XI. in their Power to thofe, whom they have no manner of Inclination to favour li nay,whore In- terefts perhaps they are at the very time fe- cretly oppofing ? Upon how flight an Occafi- on are many People abfolutely at the Command of thofe they never faw before, and may pro- bably never fee again, even tho' they have re- ceiv'd; no particular Obligations from them, nor have any to exped ? It will be faid, that thefe ceremonious Pro- fefllons of Benevolence and Efteem, have the lefs Danger of leading Perfons, to whom they are made, into any great Miftakes, as it feems generally agreed, that they fliould Hand for no more th:3n mere cuftomary Forms of Salutation. But admitting, that this might in fome Mea- fure excnfe Men in complying with fuch Forms, from the Charge of Infincerity ; yet it cannot but grieve any one, who has the leaft Concern for the Honour of his own Species, to think the original Defign and Ufe of Speech fhould be fo far perverted, that Men {hould afted to fpeak the Language not of Men, but of Birds •, and that certain Words continually repeated in all manner of Converfation, and which are moll plain in their Signification, fhould yet be inten» ded by common Confent to fignify nothing. Every Man is chargeable alfo with Infinceri- ty, who being in any publick Employment, does not acquit himfelf with Fidelity, and according to all the other Conditions, whether imply'd - or exprefs'd, upon which he receiv'd it , or who in his private Calling and Profeffion takes Advantage of the Ignorance or NecefFities of otiicr People, by putting into their Hands falfe Wares, SERMON XI. 029 Wares, or fetting too high and immoderate a Rate upon them. It will be impoflible to enumerate the feveral fundamental Praftifes of Men in their way of Commerce with the World. Let us but exa- jnin their Sincerity a little, in Relation to one of the grcatefl Blefllngs of civil Life, that of Friendfbip: And which if any thing will be allow'd to fnppofe a mutual Exchange of all good and generous Offices, without the leafl: Sufpicion of any falfe or indirect Arts in any kind. This Suppofitlon is agreeable to the Sen- timents which Mankind have ever had contern- ing Frienddiip \ and upon the Account of which all moral Writers have fpoken fo many excellent Things of it. Nay there are few of fliperior Rank among them, who have not particularly endeavour'd to diftingulfh themfelves, and fhine upon this Head ^ yet all their fine Sayings put together, are of no Confideration towards gi- ving a juft and lively Idea of Friend (hip, ia comparifon of that one Declaration, which our Lord made to his Difciples. John xv. i<^. Hence- forth J call you not Servants But I have called you Friends. And the Blelfed S-ffe^^s cf this Relation, as he afterwards explains himfelf, confifted in the free Difcovery he had made to them of all Things it concern'd them to know, and the ready Compliance they might expeft from him, in whatever they Ihould ask. In every Condition of Life the Bleflings of Friendfhip are very great and defireable-, yet it is too vifjble, that the Name of it is much more common than the Thing. For what in- deed is the Friencjfhip of a great many Men but Matter of TrafRck, vvhich as foon as the com- Q, 3 mutative o :i3o SERMON XI. mutative and beneficial Part of it is over, puts an End to their Correfpondence, and a mutual Exchange of their good O dices wholly ceafes, with that of their Interells. And now, if we cafl: a fliort Review upon what has been faid. Have we not juft Caufe to take up a Lamenta- tion ? And to conclude, that the Knowledge of Mankind, how Ufeful or Neceflary foever, on many Accounts ; yet, upon the whole Matter, is not fo Satisfactory as might be expefted from the great Advantages of it. For indeed, what true Satisfadion can there be in the highell Im- prove^iients of a Knowledge ^ one principal De- lign whereof is, to fill the Mind with continual Sufpicion and Diftruft ; to Teach us, That there is not fo much Integrity to be found in the World, as Pcrfons who do not know it, are apt to imagin \ That we are therefore to be Cautious, how we undcrftand the ordinary Lan- guage of Men, according to the mofl proper and natural Conftrudion of it -, or how we Treat with them, whatever we may hope from a Principle of Candour or Charity, after any other manner, than if we fuppos'd they may pof-- fibly at leafl be wanting in both themfelves. But the great Misfortune is. That thefe Rules are not only to be obfervM, in refpect to Perfons we converfe indifferently with, but in fome Meafuve to thofe who profefs themfelves our Friends. This however, will be granted. That in the Friendfhips which appear to be the belt founded and confirm'd, we never apprehend our felvcs in greater dangey of lofing our Friends, th.in.,when we have the greateft Qccalion to itjakeUfeof them» If G ^ E R M ON XL 231 If tli€ Infincerity of Men, to thofe who know the Word, give Occafion for fo many uneafy Reflexions, what (hall we think, zdly^ Of their Impiety. I would not, under this Head, reprefent the Corruption of Mankind, with Circumftances of Aggravation ^ which there is no occafion for. Yet, it may not be improper to make fome ge- neral Obfervations upon the vifible Decay of Piety in the World. And, I. In the firfl; Place, there are Men very Cor- rupt, even in their Principles •,' who yet, in fome refpeds, affed to be thought more Cor-, rnpt than really they are. Such are they, who pretend to believe there is no God ;, no natural or immutable DilHnftion of Govod and Evil -, no future Account to be given of their Adions ; nor any fuch Thing as Divine Revelation. For we are not to fuppofe, that Men, who attack Religion in thefe feveral Articles, or in any of them, do it from a full and fv-ttled Conviftion of their being in the Right. Ko : There are fo many Reafons of Vanity, Intereft:, or Refent- ment, to mention no more, which may induce Men to Speak or Write againll fuel? Truths as are generally, in their way of expreding it, vuU garly received : That it is not unreafonable to chink, they oftner engage in the Caufe of Arhe- ifm and hfidelity, from one or more of thefe Motives, than from any regard to the Truch of what they advance. But whatever the fccret Defigns of fuch Men miy be, it cannot be hop'd, chat they (hould Ql 4 contri- 232 S E R M O N XI. contribute much to the Advancement of true Piety. Their Difcoiarres and Writings have, on the other Hand, very ill Effeds upon ignorant and injudicious Perfons ^ whom indeed, they can only be intended to pervert. And in propor- tion, as the Belief of Men, in reference to the fundamental Articles 1 have mentioned, become lefs Strong or Confirm'd, they will naturally grow more Loofe and Jrregular in their Pra- ftife. I do not deny, tl''at Impiety often pro- ceeds from thofe finful Inclinations or Habits, whereby we are excited to refift the Light of our Minds: But Hill, what we believe has, ge- nerally fpeakin^, fome Influence on our Gon- dudt •, and we feldom obferve a very great and extraordinary Corruption in the Morals of Men, till they have been firft vitiated in their Principles. As to thofe who difown the Principles of 'Atheifm^ and only fetthemfelves todifprove the Truths of Divine Revelation ; I know 'tis pre- tended by them, that all the Reafons of Vertue and Piety, are fufficiently provided for, upon the mere Grounds of natural Religion : But it would be more to their Advantage if they could fhew us, that there is, or ever was, in Faft, a Foundation for fuch a Pretence; or whether their own Morals in particular, are of any Uft to fupport it. If notwithftanding all the Advan- tages of reveal'd Religion, and fo many power- ful, and, one would think, irrefiftible Motives fuperinduc'd in it, to perfuade Men to Holi- nefs, there is ftill fo much Corruption among Chriftians; it cannot be expeded but that Piety would decline yet more and more, in propor- tion, as thefe adventitious Argyraents to it Ihoiild S E R M O N XL 333 Should be impairM, or lofe the influence the/ ought to have, on the Minds of Men. But iliould Godj in his iuft judgment, withdraw the Light of theGofpel from any part of the Chri- ilian World, no Deifl-, 1 prefume, whatever Immoralities Chriftians may be charg'd with, would be capable of fuppofing, that Morality would receive any great Improvement in a State of Heathenifm, or if he pleafes to employ a fofter ExprefTion, of natural Religion. No Proof certainly, can be drawn in favour of fuch a Sup- pofition, from the State of any one of thofe Countries where the Chriftian Religion was firfl: Planted, but which is now become the Seat of Infidelity^ 2. There are others who, if they do not open- ly deny the main Articles of the Chriftian Faith, and induftrioufly contribute, by their Difcourfe or Writings, to the Growth of Infidelity, the principal Caufe, as we have feen of corrupting the Morals of Men ^ yet they do not always op- pofe the Methods which are us'd to propagate it, with the Zeal or Integrity that becomes them. Nay, in fome Points which do not ftrike di- redly at the Foundation of reveal'd Religion^ tho' of great Importance in themfelves, and contrary to the Form of found Dodrine once delivered to the Saints, they feem, ifrwt wholly to give into certain Prejudices, yet to favour thofe who do, in fuch a manner, as if they had really a warm Side towards them. • I do not fpeak this to difcourage Men from fhewing all the Tendernefs, Compalfion, and Forbearance, which the Gofpel requires towards thofe who are in Error, for thefe indeed are the proper 234 SE R M O N XI^ proper Means of bringing them into the way of Truth, and cannot be too earneftly recommend- ed by Chriftians, who know what manner of Spirit they are of; yet even thefe Duties are to be pradic'd with Moderation, and in a due Extent. And under a Pretence that the Times will not bear found Dodtrine, or regular Difci- pline. Men are to be very Cautious how they indulge to fuch Principles Dr Meafures, as may, have any vifible Tendency in the Event, to- wards exploding both Difcipline and Dodrine out of the World. 3. We obferve Men at other Times, very Or- thodox in their Principles, full of Zeal for promoting them , and making a vigorous Stand againft thofc, who oppofe Themfehes : In whole Condud notwithftanding, the Power of Godlinefs is not fo vifible as it ought to be. And tho' I fee no Reafon, why bad Men may not, oa proper Occafions, be allow'd to be zealoufly affected in a good Matter-^ yet certainly their Zeal would fhine much the brighter, and have a powerful Influence towards difabufing fuch as have Err'd, or are Deceiv'd ^ if it were in all refpefts regulated according to Knowledge, and they would always refolve, while they have the Light, to walk as Children of Light. The moll ignorant People are capable of form- ing thefe, or the like Arguments. If Men in good earnelt believe the great Truths of Reli- gion, and have, as they pretend, the Interefts of it really at Heart •, it is very reafonable to conclude, they would be more careful to dif- cover the Power of it in their Lives and Con- verfations. For Interelt is neyer fuppos'd to Lye S E R M O N XL 235 Lye or Diflemble. And yet we obferve, there are great Numbers of People, whofe Manners are, in feveral refpeds, very oppofitc to the Prin- ciples which they openly Efpoufe, and in De- fence whereof, they would, perhaps, upon Oc- cafion, be ready to fuffer many Things. This is no contemptible Objection in Preju- dice of Religion -, I fliall therefore endeavour to give a particular Anfwer to it, in few Words as poflible. And, 1. It muft be granted, that we are never kfs deceiv'd in the Judgment we make, concerning the real Sentiments of Men, than when it is founded upon what relates to their Intcrefi:. And it is certainly the Intereft of every Man, v;ho has any true regard for Religion, and de- fires it fhould flourifh in the World, to govern himfelf by the Maxims of it. But yet we are to diftinguifli between the Interefts of Men, iu reference to their general, and to their parti- cular or occafional Inclinations. It is the Con- cern of every Man, in his civil Capacity, that all Perfons, in their feveral Stations, fhould be faithful to the Truft repos'd in them. The Love indeed which Men naturally have for Or- der, requires this ^ and therefore makes People, to whofe Fortunes it is of no great Confequence, whether the-publick Aftairs be regularly cr juftly adminiftred, yet very defirous that they Ihould be fo-, and as warm in tiieir Invedives againft all rvlale-Adminiftration, or Sufpicion of it, as if they had as much to lofe as Perfons of the firit Rank or Diftinftion. And yet how- much fccvcr Men are indin'd to condemn or abhor Fraud and Injuftice, abllractcdly conli- der'd, 1^6 SERMON XI. der'd, and where they are under no particular Temptation to any indired Arts themfelves ; yet, where they have afair Opportunity, if wc may call it fo, of praftifing them, and their private Advantage by fuch a Pradice, will more than ballance the Lofs they fuftain in that of the Publick \ it may be queftion'd. Whether their Inclination in general, for preferving Order and Juftice, is not fometimes in danger, in parti- cular Cafes of being over-riil'd ? Thus it is with refpedt to Men, confider'd in their religious Capacity. It is for the common Good and Happinefs of Mankind, that the In- terefts of Religion fhould be carefully provided for and fecur'd. And when we fpeak of the Chriftian Religion in particular, no Rule of Life could have been contrived more conducing to the Welfare of Mankind, in every refped):, or in all the relations they bear to one another. Yet, as much as it is the Concernment of every Chriftian, to take care, in his proper Sphere, of the Inte- refts of Chriftianity, and to do what he can to promote them-, it is vifible.that this Duty fo confefledly incumbent on us in general, does too often give way to the corrupt Motions of Self-love, or the Power of fome particular Temptation. Thus again, if we defcend to confider the State of Religion in the beft confti- tuted Church in the World •, there are great Kumbers of Men in Communion with it, that, in their Judgment, really approve and think themfelves oblig'd to contribute what they can to preferve the Conftitution of it; who never- thelefs, are not always fo conformable in Pra- ctice as they fhould be, either to Her Doftrine or Worlhip. 'This gives great occafion of Scan- dal S E R M O N XI. 237 dal and Offence, and fometimes Prejudices weak People to fuch a degree, that they become an eafier Prey to thofe who lie in wait to Deceive, and are tempted to Separate from her. But this ought to be no more objected, ia Prejudice of fuch a Church, than the ill Lives and Manners of Chriftians in Prejudice of the Chriftian Religion in general. Tho' indeed we fhould take the befl: Method of fecuring the Ho- nour and Intereft of Religion, in both regards, if on one Hand we would be careful to have our Converfation as becometh the Gofpel of Chrift ^ and on the other, refolve to-be as Zea- lous in obferving the Rules, as in ftanding up for the Rights of that particular Church, we live in Communion with. 2. It may be further confider'd, That our Sa- viour himfelf foretold. That all thofe who might make Profeflion of his holy Religion, would not live in Obedience to his Laws ^ nay, that Jniijuity -would even abound among many of them. And what he foretold, is no more indeed, than what might have been very reafonably fuppos'd, from the State and Condition of human Nature. For how ftrong foever, as they mult be allow 'd to have very great Force in them, the Motives to PJety and Holinefs are, which the Scriptures afford, and which, above all, the Grace of God may infpire \ yet they do not deftroy the natu- ral Ufe and Freedom of our Faculties: And therefore, among fo great a number as were to make Profeflion of the Chriftian Religion, it was very likely there would be fome, who might make an ill Ufe of their Liberty, grieve the Holy Spirit, and r€;ider all the Motions of his Grace. 238 S E Pv M O N XL Grace, with all the moral Confiderations tht Gofpel fupplies towards promoting Holinefs, incffedual to their Converfion. It is however, a thing to be very much lament- ed by all thofe who have any Senfe of Piety, that there are fo many Chrillians who do not walk worthy of the Vocation whereunto they are cal- led, but by their wicked and unchriftian Lives, give occaiion for the Name of Truth to be evil fpoken of i and that in general, the State of the Chriftian World is very Corrupt, tho' per- haps Chriftianity was never, in any Age of it fince the Apoftolical, better explain 'd or un- derftood. But this is a Subjeft apt to fill the Minds of all pious and well-difpos'd Perfons with fo fenfible a Grief, that I Ihall not dwell any longer upon it, or proceed to fhew, that thofe who are moft versM in the Knowledge of Mankind, have fre- quent occafions of obferving, that a great part of them are not only, in many refpeds, vifibly Corrupt, but that even the Good they do, has a great mixture of Impurity in it, and is done upon very different Motives from thofe, by which they would appear to be infiuenc'd. 2. The laft particular I propos'd to confider is, The Knowledge of a Maris Self. And here one would think, the Mind might experience that Satisfadion which was not to be found in its for- mer Difquifitions. For to know a Man's Self, is to know the Dignity and Excellency of his own Nature^ and the Order and Rankhefuftainsin the Creation, which fs a little lower than that of Angels -, but in one refpedt may be faid fupe- rior to it. The Son of God having alfum'd our human SERMON XI. 239 hiimaa Nature into a perfonal Union with the Divine: And being now fet down at the right Hand of the Majefty on High^ where all Power being committed to him, and all Homage and Worfhip, both in Heaven and Earth, paid him: He has, I fay, in this refped, advanced the hu- man Nature, and given it a Preheminence, above that of the Angelical, or any other created Be- ing v/hatever. There is alfo this peculiar in the Nature of Man, and which opens to us a new Scene of Wonder-, That heifcompos'd of two Subftan- ces wholly different in their Elfence and Proper- ties. By his Soul, he is united to the Spiritual and invidble World, and is capable of having his ConverfatioQ in it. By his Body, he has re- lation to fenfible and corporeal Objefts, and maintains a continual Entercourfe v/ith them; for he alternately impellsand is impell'd, affeds and is afffded by them : But which is ftill more furprizing, tho' there can poflibly be no Con- taft between thefe two different Subftances -, yet, by the wonderful Laws of their Communication which God has eftablifh'd, and v;hich infinite Power and Wifdom alone could eilablifh, they act reciprocally upon one another, as if they were really Subftances of the fame kind. The Soul feels the Impreffions that are made upon the Body •, the Body follows the Motions, and obeys the Orders of the Soul with an obfcquiouf. ]|ffs, quick to appearance as Thought it feif : jFor the Soul no fooner Wills the Motion of the Hand, but the Hand moves \ and the Hand is no fooiier wounded, but the Diforder which the Wound occafions, gives Pdiij to the Soul. It 240 S E R M O N XL It is fo impoffible indeed to account for thefe Laws of Communication, upon any natural or explicit Grounds, that fome, and not without fpecious Appearances of Reafon, have deny'd, That there is any fuch thing as Matter, according to the common Idea Men have of it, in the World. And indeed, there would be fome more probable Foundation for what they ad- vance, were we to fet afide the Arguments from Senfe, which yet are 'not the moll certain or conclufive. For that our Senfes are not given us to judge of the Nature or internal Conftitution of Things, is, I think, very evident from hence. That there is no relying on their Teftimony, but in what relates to the Prefervation or Support of the fenfible Life: For this purpofe they are admi- rably form'd, difcharge their refpeftive Offices for the moil part very faithfully, and indeed feldom impofeuponus. We judge well enough by the Eye, of the Danger in coming too near a Precipice, or the Point of a Sword. Nay, the Sight generally makes a pretty good Report of what it may be fit for us to Eat or Drink •, or if it fhould herein happen to deceive us, the Tall, where 'tis not vitiated by fome extraordi- nary Accident, is always prepar'd to give us timely and better Information. I might obferve concerning the other Senfes, that their principal End and Employment is, to take care of the Body, and gratify the fen- iible Appetites-, for which reafon it would re very much to our Advantage, if on fome occa- iions we wanted, or would fufpend the Ufe of thein : But with refpect to Things that do not concern them, or have no direct tendence, to make SERMON XI. 241 iTTake Provifion for the Animal Life^ the Senfes are generally falfc, are at belt veiv fufpicious WitnelTes ^ and we ought to be very cautious how we triilt too much to them : For Inftance ^ it being of no Coafequence to the Good of the Body, or any ways NecefTary to the Nutriment or regular State of it, that the Eye fhould jadge exaftly at what diftance the Sun, Moon and Stars are from the Earth, there never was any Perfon who, by his Siglvt, was capable of ma- king an exad Calculation of that Diilance. I do not fpeak this to Vilify the Senfes which ferve to fo many admirable, but fometimes dan- gerous Purpofes: I would only obferve, that they are very incompetent Judges of the Ef- fencesof Things, or the Subflatum in particular, whatever that be, of what we call Matter ^ and ought not to be appeal'd to, in a Cafe above their Capacity, and out of their Province. All the Ends, for which they were appointed, being fufficiently anfwer'd,- without their taking upoa them to decide To arduous a Point, and the Health and Safety of the Body, their frc^ir Charge, no ways depending upon the decillon of it. This, in my humble Opinion, mufl: be grant- ed, at leaft, That the Proofs of a material Being, from the Report of the Senfes, are far from being fo ftrong or cogent, as thofe of an Immaterial, from Thought, Liberty, and Refie- ftion. But to return from this DigrefTion, befides the noble Powers and Faculties of the Mind of Man, his Body is, in all its Parts, and all the proper Ufesof tj-vem, of fo admirable a Structure, that we need feck no further for an evident and con- vincing Proof of a Deity. Such effects as we VOL. III. R hs:s 24^ S E il M O N XI. here obfei ve, could not proceed but from an in- finitely wife and powerful Caufe. This Galeriy who was not more credulous in Matters of Re- ligion, than other learned Men of his Profef. flon, was oblig'd, in a Treatife compos'd oa that Subject, to acknowledge. And holy David acknowledges it to God, in a Strain of Admi- ration \ which difcovers he was, at the fame time, ftruck with a very awful Senfe of his Wifdom and Power : I wifl praife thee^ for I am fearfully and wonderfully made : Marvellous are thy Worh^ Pr. cxxxix. 14. Upon all thefe Advantages of Body and Mind, and what is peculiar to him above all other created Beings, the wonderful Union of them, whereby they mutually impart their Motions and Defires, and generally fpeaking their Pains and Pleafures, it might be expeded that a Man fhould take great complacency in Confidering and Knowing himfelf, efpecially where there is fomething in this Knowledge that tends to gra- tify his Vanity •, a PafBon which cannot be fub- du'd, but with great Pains and Difficulty, if, after all, he may ever be able to obtain an en- tire Conquefl: of it. But does this fame Man, Vain as he is, really live up to the Order and Perfedion of his Na- ture, and aft fuitably to thofe Effects of the Divine Favour, whereby he is, in fo many re- fpefts, difliuguifli'd? Let him examine himfelf a little upon this Head, and we Ihall foon, I'm afraid, as to the Qiiellion before us, be oblig'd to change our Opinion of him. For does not his own Confcicnce tell him, (and what is more painful and grisvous than an evil Confcience) that he has been very far from fultain- S E R M O N XI. 1 49 faftaining his Charafter, in any refpecfV, as he ought ^ that he is continually debafino; that Na- ture, by his Sins and Impieties, which God has exalted to fo high Dignity and Glory, in the Perfon of his Son : And that as to all the great and fnperior Talents committed to him, he is able to render but a very lorry Account of the Ufesthey have been put to, or the Improvenc he has made of them. How often, inftead of enriching his Mind with a Stock of good or religious Notions, has he employ'd it, if perhaps he has not wholly given himfelf up to an idle and indolent way of fpending his Time, upon Things of no Ufe or Importance to be known, or which he might, with a better Confcience, have been ignorant of ? Or if by due application he has acquir'd greater Strength of Mind and Extent of Knowledge, how often have the Effefts of them not been ob- fervable in the regulation of his Will and Af- feftions ? With how many impure Ideas is his Im>agi- nationdefiTd? And how ftrange, ludicrous and chimerical Conceits, tho' we fhoiild not fuppofe them diredlly Sinful, is it continually forming, even when he guards with the greateft Caution, againft the reftlefs Inlinuations and Malignity of it ? How often does his Paffions, efpecially that of his predominant Temper, prove too ftrong for his ReaP)n •, and fometimes for his moft warm and vigorous Refolutions, tho' they have been very often and foiemnly repented ? And as to his Body, which in the natural Or- der of Things is fubfervient to the Soul, and oij^ht to yield a ready Compliance with all the R 2 reafon- Q44 S E R M O N XL reafonable Motions of it ^ how often does it prove Infolent and Mutinous, or remonftrate againfl: the hard Ufage put upon it, after a manner too Infnaring, or too Powerful to be op- pos'd ? Partic:ilarly with refped to the Duty of prefentinH; hif Body a living Sacrifice ^ holy accept- able to God; in the more folemn Worfhip of him, whether publick or private i^ what IndiC- pofition to the proper Afts of Piety and Devo- tion, has it not frequently caus'd? Or where it has not been wholly able to hinder him from- lerving God, on how many Occafions may he remember, but not be mention'd, in compari- fon of thofe he has forgotten, that it has ta- ken oiT his Attention from Divine Service, or fuggefted to hiin, in the Words of the Prophet Mdachi^ What a vpearinefs is it ? ch. i. 13. Thefe are Quellions, to fay nothing of what, as Chrillians, we are chargeable with, for our abufe of Divine Grace, or Impenitence under all the Means of it: Thefe are Queftions, L fay,, which every one who knows himfelf, knows with what Propriety and Juftice they have been oficrd : But the befl: Ufe we can make of them, lince they cannot but be attended with grievous and forrowful Reflexions, is to improve them towards begettijgig in us that goodly Sorrow^. which worketh a Repentance not to be re- pented of. But were it not then better for Men, upon the whole Matter, to give over their Purfuits both of VVifdom and Knowledge ? Or may it not fol- low as a very proper Direction, from what has been obferv'd. He that is foolifli or ignorant, let himbefoolifh and ignorant (till? For what cm diflourage Men more ia their Endeavours, in S E R M O N XI. ^45 in any kind, than that if they fncceed in them, they fhall have nothing but Grief and Sorrow for their Pains? In a Word, is it not more eli- gible to know Little or Nothing, and to :i^ without Dcfign, than to have a very comprc- henllve Knowledge, and be very wife in De- ligning to uo End, but the procuring our own Difquiet , and perhaps our Ruin , or Dif- grace ? In anfwer to this, I fhall conclude with ob- ferving, what I take to have been the real Dc- fjgn ofSolomon^ in the Words of my Text. I. The principal Argument of this Book is to fhew, That there is no j)crfedt Happinefs attainable here: To prove which, the Preacher dcfcends to confider thofe feveral Advantages that are fuppos'd to contribute molt towards making Men happy ^ and forae of which they purfue indeed with fo much Zeal and Afllduity, as if they were really capable of fupplying all their Wants, or gratifying all their Defires : But thePretenfions of Wifdom and Knowledge to this End, are very Confiderable •, both as they add to the Perfedtion of the Mind, and are of great \7fef in order to our attaining many other Enjoyments of Life, and of improving them, when attain'd, to thegreatcft Advantage: And yet they are fo far from making lis Happy, that heobferves Grief and Sorrow are the ordinary Attendants of them. But fhall we not tlicre- fore Endeavour after them ? This cannot be in- ferr'd : It fhould rather follow, that tho' they may he attended with fomc pre fen t inconve- niencieSj yet, as they are highly Siibfervient. K 3 a lie; -4^ SERMON XL and in fome degree KecelTary towards promot- ing our true and fnpreme Happinefs, we ought notwithftanding, to labour in our Purfuits after them. And this is what Solomon himfelf, in ma- ny Places, advifts •, and particularly in the fecond Chapter of Proverbs^ he adds fach a Reafon to enforce his Advice on this Head, as is fuffi- cient to compenfate for all the Pains we can take or fuffer, in following it. My Son Jf thou incline thins Ear unto Wifdom^ and apply thine Heart ia Vrderjianding j yea^ if thou criefi after Knowledge^ and Hjtefi up thy Voice for Vn- derflanding. If thou feekejh her as Silver^ and fearchefi for her as for hidden Treafure ^ then jhalt thou vndcrfiand the Fear of the Lord^ and find the JCnoTvledge of God. 2. It may be further confider'd. That fuch proverbial Sayings as this of my Text, are not to be taken in too rigid and ftrid a Senfe. The degrees of Pain or Trouble, which Wifdom or Knowledge occafion, are very different in dif- ferent Men: And the Advantages of them in all Men, if rightly improv'd, are more than fufficient to balance the Inconveniences they may fometimes expofe them to. It is grant- ed, that the wifeft Men often fail of the End they propofe, tho' they employ the moll pro- bable Means to effed it ; and that the moft knowing Men, do not always make a Merit by their Knowledge. What Ihould be the Confequence of this, but to make them apply the!r Thoughts more to fuch Things, as may make them Wife unto Salvation ; and prepare thejji for that happy, that perfe(ftly happy State, SERMON XL n? State, where they fhall knov^ every thing wor- thy to be known, not by the prefent labori- ous and fallible Methods of Ratiocination, but by immediate Intuition •, where they fhall Hun- ger no more, nor Thirft: no more after Know- ledge? And to conclude in the Prophetical Style ', where there fhall be neither Sorrow^ nei- there fhall there be any more Pain^ for the for- mer Things are done away. K 4 To 248 To the Reverend Bv. SHERLOCK, y ice-Chancel lor of Camhridge^ AND Mailer of the Temple. Reverend Sir, Have been induced to addrefs this Dih courfe to Tou^ from the Subjecf^Matter of it ; from a Defre of fljewifJg my felf Grateful^ -and from the grenteft ^erfond ^Jleem Ittm capable of entertaining^ The Subje^ ufon which I here frefmne to offer You my Thoughts, whether the De- fjgn of it in gemrd he confider^dy or the par- ttctiUr Occafion of applying it^ is very noble and important. But for that Reafon it m-ty he thought the more affuming in me, to pub- li(h a Dijcourfe, wherein there are fo many De- ft cis : and at the fame time to l>iv it before a ^ t) ■ rer^^ DEDICATION. 249 Perfon whofe D ijc our fes from the Pulpit have all of them, all the Beauty and Strength, that correct eaj) L-inguage^ and Jin B Reajon/ng can give them. There are, I hope, few Perfons capable of entertaining a S/jfpicion, as if the exprcjfing a due Regard to the Memory of the late Queen, had any fecret Defign in it injnriom to the Honour of Her Succeffor. Could there be any Foundation forfuch a, Surmife, it would very ill become one, ivho owes his Dependance to the Favour of the Government, to render himfdf obnoxious on that Account, Prejudices of this kind, if it be not Crimi- nal even to juppofe them, are, 1 conceive, of no real Service to the Publickr But I do not know, whether the Grounds of them are any where better, or ?nore effeBually removed, than in an Excellent Sermon before the Houfe of Commons, on the lafl Anmverj'ary o/' Queen ANNE'/ Acce/Jion : In which all the fide- lity and Honour owing to Her Majefly were indeed recommended after the mofl eloquent Manner, but withal the mojf jujf and hono- rary to the Succeflion. Sir, A further Defign of this Addrefs is to ac- knowledge the many Favours I have bad the Honour to receive from Tou, which tho* of themfelves very confiderable^ had fomething fo pirticuLirly (ng.^'^gj^g in tke manner cf them. 250 DEDICATION. as Will ever leave the Jlrongeji ImpreJJions of Gratitude u^on me, I reckon among Tour Favours the Advicej rvhich I have Jo frequently had occafton to re- quefiy and fometimes in Cafes of greater Diffl" €ultjiy that gave me an Opportunity of ohfer- ving with more Attention^ a Readinefs, a Force, and Extent of Thought, rvhich are not often to be found feparately, in equal Ferfeciion, Sir, It is no wonder if the Ejleem, which I had invincibly entertained upon the frjl Occafion cf my being known to Tou, and previoujly to jo many Obligations^ ffjould be fill heightened by the Reflexion of what I owe, and I ought to add, what my Family owes, upon a dijlinci Conf deration, to them. To fay what I am inclined, and with great Juftice jhould be allowed to Jay concerning Tour many excellent Qualities, would be ojfenfive to that in particular^ which byjhading them, gives a better Grace and Qcmlinefs to all the reft, Tou are placed in a Light, which difcovers Tou to the greatejl Advantage, and wherein none hut Perfons of the brighteft Character, and the greatejl Tdents ought to be plac'^d. To fay nothing of the Eminent and Honourable Fojl which Tou Jo defervedly fll, in one of the mojt celebrated Seats of Learning', I do not know any Chara^er in the Church, or mt of it, thatfeems to require afner or Jlron^^ ger DEDICATION. 251 gitr Capacity^ th.m thnt of Mafter of the Temple. How well you have fupported that Character^ is acknowledged by one of the mofi judJcious and, awful Auditories in the World i and which is composed of a great Number of PerfonSy not only Learned in their prope/ Profcffiony hut in all the more elegant and polite Farts of Leatn- tng, Ifjjall only add, that in this Stationy Tou have fucceeded with Applaufe one of the heft Preachers, and were it not that Compa- rifons are invidious ^ I might be allow'' d to fay y the Ha'ppiefl and moft moving practical Wri- ter, that the Jg€ he liv^d in, produced. One known and admirable Lvjlance of what I ob- ferve, is his Book upon Death ; and it may be affirm'' d, without (a) the Tefti- (a) Riation mony of an Apparition froin of an jippa- the Dead, to he the mofi fnfdi t^J^^^ that was ever feen, or perhaps Jioot ofDeatb ever mil be feen in its kind, I am, Sir, Your moft Obedient, moft Humble, and Oblig'd Servant, R I C. F I D D E Si 252 SERMON XII. Preach'd on the Death of Her late M A j e s x r Queen ANNE. Isaiah Ivij. ^. The Righteous periJJjeth, and no Mm Ujeth it to Heart, TH E Words s^re not to be taken in too ftrid and reltrain'd a Senfe ^ but accord- ing to a Latitude, necefTary towards explaining the Prophetical Writings, which abound with bold Figures, and frequently in the hyperboli- cal Strain. Thus in particular our Saviour com- plains, by the Prophet ( Cljap. 1. 2. ) that when he Ihould come and preach the Gofpel to the Jem^ none of them would receive him, or his Doftrinc. Wherefore^ whefi J carnt^ xvas there no Man. When I calCd^ was there none to anfvper. That is none in Comparifon of what might have been expected. But to as many oi receivd ' him,. SERMON XII. 253 him^ faith the Evangelift, to them gave he Power to become the Sons of Qod^ even to them that bc' lieve on his Name ^ John i. 12. What we are therefore to underftand by the Words of the Text, and all I would be thought to intend by them, is, that either Men in gc nerd do not confider as they ought the Rea- fbns of Providence, in the Death of righteous Perfons ; or if they do, are not however care- ful to improve this Confideration to the pro- per Ends and Ufes of it. The ExprefTion h\ the Text, oUaylng to Heart will jultify my in- lifting on both thefe Senfes \ I fhall therefore direftly proceed to {hew, that the Death of righteous Perfons, or of any Perfon eminently Righteous, affords us very proper and ufeful Matter, firfi^ Of pious Reflexions on the Providence of God. And, Secondly^ Of Humiliation for our Sins. ly?, Of pious Refiedions on the Providence of God. The Operations of that great and glorious Majefty, whofe Work is perfe^^ and all whole Ways are Judgment^ mull at once be the moft Noble, and the moft neceflary Subjed, about which our Thoughts can be employ'd : It is impoflible for us indeed to contemplate them . with Attention, and, for any time, but we ftiall find the Heart mov'd and penetrated, and our Pvadi^e in fome Meafure at leaft influenced thereby. All the Anions of God bear the Charader of his Attributes ; He can do no- thing 254 SERMON XII. thing that \% inconfderahle. But there is fome- thing in the Death of righteous Perfons, that deferves our fpecial Confideration, upon thcB Two Accounts. 1. As fuch Perfons are the more peculiar Charge of Providence. 2. As there is fomething peculiarly deflgn'd by Providence, in their Death, to convince us of the Vanity of the World, and the precarious St^te of all Things here below. I. Righteous Perfons being the more pecu- liar Charge of Providence, the providential Dif- penfations of God towards them, do apparent- ly, for that Reafon, deferve to be more efpc- cially confider'd. That God takes care of thofe, who are careful to pleafe him •, that he has a Favour unto them, and which comprehends all their IntcreHis in one Word , that he loves them, is confirm'd by many Declarations in Scripture, lut had we no Revelation to this End, that Maxim of Holy David (Pfal. cxlvi. 8.) The Lord Uveth the Right eouf j feems to flow with great Evidence from the Reafon of the Thing, and the eternal Reditudc of his own Na- ture. But above all, we are more particularly to obferve the Motions of Providence, when any Event, wherewith a righteous Perfon is affect- ed, has relation to the publick Interefts of Mankind^ whether conlider'd in a religious or a civil Capacity. It being the great End of Providence to Conduft, and diredf all Events towards the Good of Mankind in both thefe Refpeias, but efpecially the later of them j as the S E Pv M O N XII. 255 the principal Defign of God, the Defign nioft worthy of his eternal Power and Godhead^ is to advance the Kingdom of his Son Jefm Chrifi. A Kingdom which fhall lad for ever, and when all the Kingdoms of the Earth Ihall be de- ftroy'd. But what I would obferve is, that a good Man, whatever his Condition in the World maybe, is capable of rendring himfelf, in one Degree or other, fubfervient to both thefe Ends of Providence. Even in the lowefl; Sphere of Life, he may, by a good and pious Example, difpenfe a benign Influence. Society is com- posed of Particulars, and where 'tis well con- Itituted, always makes a regular Body, the Members whereof, tho' like thofe of a human Body, they are feverally appointed to more no- ble or lower Offices ^ yet have all of them their Ufe, and contribute in Proportion to the Support and Order, the Strength and Beau- ty of the whole. But when righteous Perfons are plac'd at the Head of this Body, whether, I (ay. Religious or Civilj they have ftill a wider Scope for the Influence both of their Example, and their Au- thority. Their Example indeed carries fo great Authority with it, that it is often found of more Force to perfuade, than their Laws^ or thofe of God himfelf, to oblige. For we ever love to flatter our Pride, and are naturally more averfe to put our felves in a State of Subjedion, than to follow our own Inclinati- ons, and embrace what we find fome Beauty ia that Charms us. Kow 2^6 SERMON XIL NowVhat is more lovely and attra(^ive, than Vimie, as it were, alive and in Motion ? She is beautiful in the Theory^ to thofe very Men who do not pretend to her Service^ nay thofe, who endeavour by their Pradife to bring a Reproach upon her, are yet willing to ];jay her the Duty of an inward and fimflc ERcem, and on many Occalions, where their private Pafllons and In» terefts are not concern'd, to. offer her fome flight Sacrifice. It may bequeftion'd, whether the Devils themfelves have not abftradedly con- iider'd, a fecret Value and Efteem for her. There mufl be fupposM fome kind of Order among among them, as among the moft aban- don'd of human Race, Thieves and Robbers. And Virtue is nothing but Order in Perfection, and in all the Meafures and Circumitances of it. But how lovely foever Virtue is in the Idea, ihe.is much more engaging, when exemplify'd in human Life and Converfation :. Efpccially when (he is feen, if I may fo fpeak. in her Afcendant, and fet off with all the Advantages of an External Luflre and Dignity. For this is a fenftble Argument of her Power and Ex- cellency, and in this imperfect State, where Men fo little accuftom themfelves to abftract Reafoning, and are fo feldom capable of it, no Arguments operate fo powerfully upon them, as thofe which come before the Senfcs. It has therefore been obferv'd, that the Ex'« ample of the Prince has ever had the greateft power towards corrupting or reforming the People. Some Prmces indeed have been fo fer- vilely imitated, that even their bodily Defor- mities have been drawn into Faihion ; And to affeft SERMON Xll. 257 afi^cl the Lofs of an Eye, or a wry Keck, has been thought at leaft very becoming the Com- placency of a Court. But as Men are generally more concern'd for what relates to the Advantages of the Body, than thofe of the Mind, the moral Defeds of Princes have been much more fpreading and contagious, than their Natural. As on the other Hand, where any Prince has beendiftin- guifh'd by an exemplary Virtue and Piety, the Example has feldom fail'd of difcovering very good and wholfome Effeds. When therefore Princes fuperior in all thole good Qualities, which are the proper Beauties and Ornaments of human Nature, are takea away from us, and whofe Example was of fo great and general Influence towards the Sup- preflion of Vice, and Encouragement of Vir- tue: This, I fay, is a proper Occafion of In- quiry, fo far as they are in any Meafure difco* verable to us, into the wife Reafons of Provi- dence '^ or where we are lefs capable of entring diftinctly upon them, of doing Honour to the fovereign Power and Dominion of God. Who doth according to his Will in the Army of the Hca- venSy and among the Inhabitants of the Earth.' Who giveth and taketh away ^ who hringeth down to the Grave^ and hringeth up. And who fealeth vp the Hand of every Af.w^ to the End, that all Men may know his Work, job XXX vij. 7. 2. There is fomethine, alfo peculiar in the Death of righteous Perfons, to convince us of the Vanity of the World, and the precarious State of all Things here below. Had God de- lign'd this World for the Scene of our Happi- jncfs, and were it TQiWv good for m to be here, VOL. III. S he 258 SERMON XII. he would have built thefe Tabernacles of our Body of more ftrong and lafting Materials, He would not fo fooii remove the peculiar Objects of his Favour and Love, from the Place of their Habitation, fometiraes in the Flower, at other times in the Strength or firft decline of Age, and that too, in the feveral Inftances, by fuddea Death. If a Death may be call'd fud- den, which there has been a ftrid and regular Care taken to prevent the Surprize of-, much lefs would God take away the Righteous, and at the fame time feem to withdraw the ufual Influences of his Love in the very Circumftan- ces of their Death *, as in thofe of our Blelled Saviour him'elf, by inflifting grievous and tor- menting Pains : ■ Pains which he alone can ftreng- then with Patience to undergo •, and which therefore, in Proportion as they are patiently fuftain'd, difcover the Effedis of his more im- mediate Prefenceand Support. Yet to Ihew us of how little Importance a longer Term of Life, or the eafy Circumftan- ces either of Life or Death are to our true Happinefs, the Providence of God, as to thele Things, makes no vifible Difcrimination betweea the Righteous and the Wicked, but they grow up like tke Wheat and the Tares^ promifcuoufly together, and are cut down after an undiftin- guilh'd Manner. Long Life, 'tis true, tho' in the natural Or- der of Things, the Priviledge of Virtue and Piety, yet has in Scripture the exprefs Sanfti- OR of a Promife ^ and this Promife is always made good, where wife and fuperior Reafons of Providence do not over-rule. But where th^ Ends of his Providence canaot otherways be SERMON Xll. ^5p be attain'd, God has referv'd to himfelf an ecjuitahle Right of difpenfing with the Letter of his Piomife. Tho' it niuft be granted we have! never more Reafon, than foraetinies on this very Occafion, to cy out with the Apoltle. O ! the Depth of the Riches, both of the Wifdom and Knowledge of God /* How vnfearchahle are his fudg" ments \ and his W^iys pafi finding out .<* For who hath hnoxon the Mind of the Lord j or who hath been his Counfellor ? Rom. xi. 33, 34. There is indeed one Place of Scripture which feems to imply, as if it were inconfiftenjc with the Juftice of God, tofubjedt the Good and tiie Wicked, to the fame common Strokfs of Mor- tality ; and to make no vifible Diftindtion m the Manner or Circumftances of their Death between them. For upon God's declaring to Abraham his Defign of deftroying Sodotn^ with all its Inhabitants ; the Patriarch thus expoftU- iates with him. That be far from thee^ to do af- ter this Manner^ to flay the Righteom with the Wick' ed : And that the Righteous flmuld be as the Wick" ed '^ that be ftr from thee *, fija/i not the Judge of all the Earth do right ? Gen. xviij. 25. As if he had argued j is not fuch a Method of Proceeding contrary to all the known Rules we have of diftributive Juftice? And does it not feem to flow from the Decrees of a Power wholly Arbitrary and Defpotick, without any regard to Right or Wrong ? And this indeed had been an invincible Argument, fuppofing any good Foundation for it, againft fuch a Proceed- ing ; for a Power that is not regulated by the: Meafures of what is Juft, cannot be the Power cither of a juft, or of a wife and good God. § 2 Intst- 26o S E Pk M O N XII. Interpreters have found fome Difficulty in accounting for this Paflage ^ and the more, be- caufe Abraham's Argument feems to lie againft known and acknowledg'd Fads. Job in Ad- miration of this ordinary EfTed of Providence, exprefles himfelf as if there were fomething notwithftanding very extraordinary and confider- able in it. T'iois is one thing, therefore I [aid it\ he deflroyeth the Perfe£i^ with the Wicked, Job ix. 22. Some therefore have thought, that in the Judgment of Abraham^ God could not with the Safety of his Juftice dellroy the Righteous, that were in Sodom •, becaufe they were the Promi- les of Temporal Bleflings, which at that time chiefly infiiienc'd the Piety and Religion of Men. But this is faid precarioufly, and with- out any certain Grounds. It does not follow, that becaufe under the Law fo many temporal Advantages were promis'd to good Men, there- fore good Men had a federal Right to them, before the Law was deliver'd. Others have thought the Force of AbrahnmH Argument lay here ^ that God could not juftly dcftroy the Righteous that were in Sodom, be- caufe this would have given too great and vi- fible .Difcouragement to the Piety of Men. But this Argument rather affeds the Wifdom and Holinefs of God, than his Juftice: Or if his Juftice may be fuppos'd indiredly p-ffeded with it ^ the Foundation however upon which it proceeds, is falfe; for it fuppofcs that this World is the proper State of Rewards and Punifhments to Men, and not only of Difcipline or Probation. But SERMON XII. 761 But I humbly take the Meaning of the Words to be, '* Shall not the Judge of all the Earth " do the common Office of a Judge (« noi»jin " Ket7iv) in making merciful Allowances to *' thofe, who are lefs Criminal, if not alto- *' gether Innocent. Now tho' Ads of Itrid Juftice may not be fuppos'd Arbitrary and Free, yet Ads of Goodnefs and Mercy al- ways are. And it was very pious and reafon- able in Abraham to expoftulate with God concerning thofe Attributes, whereby he chief- ly delights to diflinguilh himfelf. Abraham^ I- fay, might with great Reafon and Piety move a good and merciful Judge to fpare the Righ- teous that were in Sodom, and the Wicked them- lelves for the fake of the Righteous •, but he could not fuppofe that the Judge of all the Earth was obiig'd in ftrid Juftice to do ei- ther. But whether God may at any time out of his great Goodnefs and Mercy fpare the Wick- ed here for the fake of the Righteous; yet if this World were intended for a State of Re- ward or Happinefs to the Righteous, we may piouQy infer, he would grant them at lenft a much longer and happier Term of Life in it, both for their own Sake, and that of other righ- teous Perfons. .For one of the greateft Blefiings of human Life, lies in the Conveifation and Society of good Men : without this one BlefTing, how tafte- lefs and infipid would all other temporal En- joyments be? I do not know whether it be pof- lible to frame a Notion of Hell more horrid or frightful, than that of a U^orkl, wherein none S 3 but 5^2 SERMON XII. but wicked and unrighteous Men fhould be fuf^ fer'd to live. Notwithftanding the Endeavours of good Men to redaim Sinners by all proper Methods of Inflrudion, and the Power of their Example to foften vicious and perverfe Tempers : Yet how great Reafon have we to complain ? That Ini- quity does ft ill abound^ and the Love of many wax Cold. What a Spirit of Rancour and Malice, of evil Speaking and every evil Work, have we known abroad in the World ? To what ill Ufage are good Men fometimes expos'd, and for no other Reafon, but becaufe of their good Qiialities : Or when it is the Intereft or Incli- nation of a Party, that Perfons of the greateft Merit, even in a publick Capacity, fhould be ill thought of, or hunted down, how does com- mon Fame difguife and transform them in a Moment ? Thefe Diforders are too frequent in the Worlds tho' theraare, blefled be God, great Numbers of Men, who have both Religion and good Senfe i^ and are not wanting in the com- mon Offices of Humanity and good Nature. But yet in Proportion, as the Number of righ- teous Perfons is diminifh'd, the Corruptions that are in the World thro' Luft, gather Strength, and fpread fo much the wider. Thefe Reflexions naturally arife upon the peath of good Men, in every State and Condi- tion of Life ^ tho' they are ftill more affedting, when perfons of diftinguiih'd Piety move in a higher Sphere. But when righteous Princes, whp have had nothing fo much at Heart, as the true Interefts of Religion, and the State, VvLpii thofe who are call'd Gods, by reafon of th§ SERMON XII. 263 the Power and Authority they derive from the true and living God, are fcQii to. dye like Men ! When the great Luminaries of the moral World are extinguilh'd •, or to fpeak io the Propheti- cal Language, when the Stars of Heaven, and the Conftellations thereof ceafe to give their Light ! Such a dark and melancholy State of Things, is proper to remind us of the Vanity of the World in a more awakening Manner, and to fill the Mind with mournful and folemn Apprehenfions \ not as if fome great Funeral Apartment, but the whole World about us were hung were Sable But, Secondly, The Death of righteous Perfons is proper to teach us the Duty of Humiliation for our Sins. There is fomething very grave and folemn, and which cannot fail of humbling confiderare Perfons in the very Thoughts of Death. sTo Die, is to ad the laft Part towards that migh- ty Change, upon which an Eternity of Hapyi- nefs or Mifery depends. The proper Bufinefs of a dying Perfon is therefore to confider, that his Soul is now requir'd of him ^ and how ht fhall be able to render an Account of all hi< Thoughts, Words and Actions, at the Tribu- nal of that all-know ingi all-powerful and jnft God ^ before whom he is preparing immedi- ately to appear. And this indeed is a Confide- ration of fuch infinite Weight, that even the belt of Men, under the viiible Approach of Death, and whofe Hopes are full of Immon.dity^ yet in recommeading their Souls into tlic Hands S 4 ' of. 2^4 SERMON XII. of a merciful God, are fometimes obferv'd to rejoyce with Tretnbling. The Theory of Death naturally leads to thefe, or the like Reflexions •, and they are all very- proper to humble us in the Sight of God for our Sins, that when it is our time of prepa- ring to meet him i, which cannot be very far from any of us : The Teftimony of a good Confcience ipay give ns greater AITurance^^ and Boldnefi of Jccefs, in that Day, towards him. But thefe Gonfiderations are proper in par- ticular to humble the Pride of Life •, and take us down in our Thoughts of what we here call Power and Greatnels^ feeing the greateft G'W- ttefs^ in full Poflefiion of them, can receive from them, at that Exigence, no Relief or Protefti- on ^ nor indeed any Comfort, but what arifes from the Reflexion of having employed them to good, pious and ufeful Ends. But what 1 principally intend is, that the Death of any Perfon eminently Righteous, and in an eminent Station, is a proper Occafion of liumbling us, confider'd under the Notion of a Judgment. Good Princes, to purfue the main Scope of my Difcourfe, are the greateft Blef- fings to Mankind upon Earth. They are fo in "the natural Order and Effeds of their Ad- miniltration. As the Rights of publick Com- munities, and private Perfons are hereby fe- cur'd, Arts and Sciences encouraged ; and above all, thelntereftsof Religion taken Care of, and promoted. Of Religiob, which lays the furefl Foundation for the Stability of the Times^ as our Prophet evrprefles it, ( Chap, xxxiij. 5. ) and in kll Ref[cc\Sj for the Happinefs and Profperity of S E R. M O N XTI. 2^5 of any People •, So that had we no Revelation to confirm it to us, it feems to be a Maxim flowing from the vifibie and direft Tendency of Things, That Right eoufnefs exdteth a Na' tion. But good Princes are ftill greater Bleflings to a Nation on a Providential Account. As their Hearts are in the Hand of God, and he is with them in all their Defigns, Refolutions and Afti-. ons •, as he prefides in their Counfels, goes forth with their Fleets and Armies •, fights their Bat- tles ^ gives them the Viftory and the Spirit of Wifdom to improve it. Towards which great Ends, without his Superintendence and Dire- dion, all the Precaution and Schemes, all the Bravery and Strength, the Addrefs and Pene- tration of Men, would beofno Significancy. In a State of War particularly, Generals have always thought it ncceflary to podefs the Ar- mies they Commanded with a Belief, that the Difpofitions of Providence were favourable to them. And where there was no reafonable Foundation for fuch a Belief, have frequently made ufe of little Artifices, in order to per- fuade to it. Alexander the Great^ tho' no Prince affcded more to Conquer by Dint of Sword, yet did not difdain upon Occafion to employ a pious Fraud. In pafFing the River Granicm^ obferving his Men to be feiz'd with a fuperllitious Fear, from the Name of the Mouth, which was thought unfortunate to them, he privately gave Directions to Arifinndcr^ his Soothdiyer in Chiefs that he fhould write with a certain Liquor on the Liver of the Victim, T^e Gods have gra,ptcd Al!:xnnikY the PlJhyy^ This fii'd bis Men with a new 2<5^ SERMON XII. a new Ardor, and they were eafily perfuaded to pufli a Conqueft, which Heaven had already proclaim'd. Again, a little before the Battle of Arhela^ when an Ecclipfe of the Moon had put his Men into fo great Confternation, that they began out of mere Religion to Mutiny ; This Hero obferving, that there was no other way of recovering them out of the Diforder, but by driving one Superftition with another, he procur'd the Egyptian Aftrologers, in great Reputation at that time for expounding Omens, to give out j That the Greeks were under the Protedlion of the Sun, but the Perfiam of the Moon. And that an Ecclipfe of this Planet, always portended fome fignal Calamity or Dif- grace to the Perfiam. By this Artifice Alexan- der foon compos'd the Spirits of his Men, and reftor'd a new Face of Things in the Army. I only mention thele two Stories among ma- ny others, for the Moral of them •, which is to ihew of how great Force even the Belief of God's fpecial Favour and Proteftion is to any Islation or People *, But that good Princes, Pnw- cesjufi^ and ruling in the Fear of Gody give the People committed to their Charge, aufpicious and real Grounds for fuch a Belief. When therefore God deprives a Nation of fo great Bleffings, and upon whom their Hopes of Succefs were fo pioulJly founded ^ This is to be confider'd by them, as a publick and provi- dential Judgment j but from v/hich they have ftill much lefs to apprehend ; when righteous Princes are fucceeded by thofe, who have form'd 4 Refolution of purfuing the fame Paths of Righ. SERMON XII. i6j Righteoufliefs, and of inviolably maintaining the interefts both of Religion and the State. Now the End of God's vifiting the World with any publick Calamity, is to render Men more fenfible, that they have provok'd him by jtheirSins- but that he will wot alvoa.'js be pro- vok'd-, that this is the proper Sea fon therefore of their humbling themfelves before him • of furmvg unto h'nny that fmiteth them^ and fc eking the Lord of Hofla^ Ifa. ix. 12, 13. It is the greateft Argument at once of Stu- pidity of Mind and Obduracy of Heart, wheu God hath fmltten, and Men have not grieved ; it is adding to their Crimes the higheft Aggra- vation they are capable of, that of Contumacy. Efpecially after Sinners have long and publick- ly provok'd the Difpleafure of Almighty God, the laft Thing they feem capable of, in order to fill up the Mcafure of their Sins, is to de- fpife his Chajlnings. What therefore we in particular, of this Kingdom, have incumbent on us, under a Senie of our common and late Calamity, in the Death of a moft Excellent and Righteous Q_UEEN, is without delay, to break off our Sins by Ri^hte- oufnefs \ and as the Prophet Jfr^w/^/? exhorts, to return^ now, every one from his evil Way ^ and to make his Ways and his Doings good^ Chap. xviij. 1 1. Thefe are the moft proper Meafures we can pnter upon, in order long to avert the like Judgment of God from us^ and to prevent our incurring that fevere Commination by Solomon, Prov. xxviij. 2. For the Tra?jfgrcfion of a Land many are the Princes thereof. May we rathar by a general and (inccre Heformation intitle onr ll'lves 26^ SERMON XII. felves to the Blefling promis'd in the latter part of the Verfe, which we have, thank God, {b bright and happy a Profpeft of. That, by a Man of Vnderftanding and Knowledge^ Jball the State of a hand^ be prolonged. I have explain'd the Text, and recommended fome of the proper Duties both of Reflcdion and Humiliation, arifing from the Scope of it : And 1 doubt not but every one here prefent, has al- ready made particular Application of what has been faid, with refped to the Death of righteous Perfons, and righteous Princes in general. But on occafion of the Death of Queen JNNEy and for which Her late Interment, amidft all our joyful Expedations, has given us frefli Im- preffions of Sorrow •, I deiire, how unequal fo- ever to the Subjed, to fay fomething more par- ticularly, in a Ihort Eflliy upon Her Charader, as folely comprehending that of a righteous Prince. For to confider it at large, and in all the Lights of it, were I capable of fuch a Vkw^ would c^ny me far beyond my prefent Bounds. Righteoufnefs, comprehends under it, the three general Duties of Juftice, Piety, and Cha- rity. Our late Excellent Sovereign diftinguilh'd her felf eminently, and after a moft exemplary manner, in all thefe refpeds. T. It mufl; be acknowlcdg'd indeed, that Prin- ces have fometimes jufl: Reafons for their Con- dud, which it is impofiible for thofe, who do not know the fecret Springs of Adion, to make a true Judgment of ^ infinite Emergencies, upon occafion of what is tranfanded in foreign Courts or chcir Own, and which ought not, in many Cafes, SERMON XII. 2dp Cafes, to be made Publick, may juftify feveral Meafures, which the People in general cannot, upon Sight, fully account for. It is an Honour therefore, we owe to the Prince, where Evidence does not oblige us to the contrary, to acquiefce in his Condud, as proceeding upon Reafons both of Juflke and Wifdom \ otherwife we judge, which we (hould never do, in any Cafe whatever, without Light ; or rather, we do not follow the Light, which Ihould guide us, but put our felves before it. We (hould therefore confider the particular Motives of Juftice, upon which the Sovereign Power ads, among the Arcana Imperii, thole Se- crets of Government, which yet if we may be permitted, at a diftance, to enquire into, we Ihould exprefs a Caution and Reverence in our Inquiries, due to Things Sacred', which I take to be the Defign of that judicious Expoftulation of Elihu, Job xxxiv. I-]. Is it fit to fay to a King^ Thou art wicked ? or to Princes, Te are ungodly ? But there are other Reafons of Jufticc in the Condudt of Princes, which fall more under pri- vate Cognizance and Obfervation. And in all thefe the late Queen, of biefled Memory, was a very bright and illuftrious Precedent; She made the Laws agreeable to the Fruit repos'd in Her, the Rule and Meafure of Her Adminiftration. There was no one Inftance of Her exerting an Arbitrary Aft, throughout the whole Courfe of Her Reign, or of any thing like it. She confi- der'd Herfelf as God's Minifter, and as a Power Ordain'd of God : But fhe could not have Go- vern'd with more regard to the Good and Inte- reds of Her People, fuppofing Her Authority to have had no higher Foundation, than what forae HJO SERMON XII. fome People would refolve all Civil Authority into, the mere Ordinance of Ma?!. I (hall be ju- ftify'd in what I am going to add, That She ne- ver, knowingly, employ'd Her Prerogative, but to fuch Ends, which difcover'd wc (hould have had nothing to fear from the Exercife of Her Power, had" it really been Defpotick. She ratify'd a great many wholfora and good Laws *, but becaufe 'tis the Executive Power which puts Life into them, and makes therii operate, fhe omitted no proper Occafion of re- commending to Her fubordinate Minifters, and efpecially to thofe, who had a Hand in the Le- giflature, the ftrid and faithful Execution of them. But of all the Laws enafted in Her Reign, none were more Salutary than one of thofe She gave Her lafl; Sandion to, and fo near to Her laft Moments. As if God had deiign'd it a proper Preparative to Her entring into the Coramunlon of Saints above, that She fhould then give the finifhing Power to an Act fo necelTary to preferve the Unity of his Church, and to prevent thofe fcandalou? Diforders which vifibly tend, by confirming them in their Prejudices, to hinder Schifmarich from returning into the Bofom of it. In difpenfing of Rewards, She had always a regard to Merit, or what was reprefented to Her under that ISIotion. Where any Perfons had eminently ferv'd Her, their Country, or the Church, She was rather inclin'd to exceed i{\ Her Favours -, and even to confidcr what was m them. Matter of ftrid and indifpenfible Du- ty^ as laying a kind of honourable Debt j I had almoll faid, a Debt of Gratitude upon Her. She SERMON XII. 271 She was very cautious of mifleading thofe, who had the Honour of addrefTing any Requefl; to Her, into falfe Expeftations ^ and never made a Promife, but She confider'd it as an Obliga- tion. And herein She was fo nicely tender, that v/here there was a manifeft Failure in that Duty and Refpeft which, in the Reafon of the Thing, gave a Difpenfation from Her Promife, yet She could not, without great Difficulty, if at atl^ be perfuaded to difpenfe, in it, with Her Self. If there was any Afl: of diftributive Jpftice, to which She was Icfs pi-ompt or inclined, it related. to the Puniihment of Delinquents •, but proceeded from a Temper more agreeable to that of Heaven itielf ^ more peculiar to the Cle- mency of Her Family •, the Tendernefs of Her Sex, and the Spirit of that Church, whereof She had liv'd and dy'd fo great an Ornament 5 of that excellent Church, which She fo faith- fully Confefs'd and Adher'd to in the Day of Tryal, and for whofelnterefts She was willing to forget Her Fathers Houfe , and to Sacrifice one of the moft tender Paffions of human Na- ture; But to the ImprelTions whereof, an un- common Piety render'd Her ftill more fen- lible. If in any of the refpefts here mention'd, there inight polTibly have been any Error in Her Admi- nillration, and what Adminiftration is free from all Error ? This ought not to be plac'd to Her own Account, but to the unhappy Circumftan- ces which Princes, and almoft all great Men in Power, are under •, in being, after a man- ner, oblig'd, on many Occafions, to make wrong Judgments. For having no other way of Judg- a;^ SERMON XII. ing, but by the Reprefentations of thofe about them, which are not always the molt candid and fincere ; it is no wonder, if they fome- times be led into Miftakes, and particularly in conferring , or with- holding their Fa^ vours. 2. In all the Duties and Offices of Piety to- wards God, our late Excellent Sovereign, who is now with him, was no lefs Exemplary. The publick Monuments She has left us of Her Piety, and which are rifing every Day ftill higher and higher, may poftibly lafl till the World itfelf fhall be no more. But Her Zeal for God's Ho-, nour, did not terminate in a provident Care for the publick Places of his Worfhip ^ it ex- tended to thofe who Ihould Minifter in them : She contributed what She was able, to retrieve the Dignity of the Sacred Order, from that Po- verty, under which it fuffers fo much •, and which, indeed, is one of the greateft and moft common Imputations that wicked and pro- phane Men find themfelves capable of objefting to it. In Her Devotions She difcover'd a Fervor, which is proper to Perfons truly Pious ; And She was frequent in them, as the State of Her Health, or other juftifiable Avocations would admit. It was Her Delight to come before the Lord, to keep his Sabbaths, and reverence his Sanduary •, and She never omitted any part of religious Sacrifice, where She had not a Dif- penfation for Reafons of Mercy^ or fome other moral Virtue, wherein to obey, was better than Sacrifice. She SERMON XIL 273 She fcems to have form'd Her Condud, in relation to Her Domellicks, upon the fame noble and pious Refolution with that of Jo- Jljua, ch. xxiv. 15. As for me-, and my Hovfe^ we will ferve the Lord. Het Family was a Family of Devotion, fo far as Her Authority or Ex- ample, or a Diftinftion in conferring her Fa- vours, could contribute to make it fo. Her Behaviour in the Service of God, was Humble, but Awful and Solemn ; and fiich as teftify'd an inward Senfe of the Duty She was performing, and the Prefence She was in^ Th^ Prefence of that Great and All- glorious Being, who fills Heaven and £arth with his Majefty ^ and before whom, when we confider in the ieaft, where we are, all the Ideas of fenfible Pomp and Grandeur, mufl necellarily vanilh. Her Piety to add no more was fuch, that the xnoft Pious of thofe who Miniflred to Heir in Things pertaining to God , weie profited by it. 3. Her Alms afcended no lefs continually up, as a Memorial before God, than Her Prayers. She knew that thefe were the Sacrifices where- with God was pleas'd, and for that reafon^ as well as from a natural Benignity of Mind, took the greateft pleafure in them Her Self. For She was inclin'd to Ads of Beneficence, not meerly as a Duty of pofitive Command, or as the Apofl-.le fignificantly exprefies it, of Neceffi- ty\ but of Complacency and Chearfulnefs. She perfedly obey'd the Apollle's Charge, if She might be faid to be charg'd with what She fo freely made Her Choice, and was glad to Diflri- bute, xoUUng to Communicate, i fim.\]. 18. VOL, Ml T If 274 SERMON XII. If the publick Occafions or Her private Li- beralities, might polTibly, at any time, lay a Reftraint on Her bountiful Inclinations, She would difcover aCompalTion worthy of a Tem- per truly Chriftian •, and could not deny any thing, but after a manner more Obliging, than moft Perfons know how to confer a Favour. In a Word, She did not think the Dignity of a Crown exempted Her from the common Duties and Condefcention of a Chriftian, in confiderivg the Voor \ but rather, fuppos'd Her Self oblig'd, from the Height and Advantage of Her Station, to difperfe more liberally abroad, and lay up for Her Self a good Foundation againft the Time to come, that She might lay hold of Eternal Life. I have only confider'd, and in a very imperfeft manner, fome of the Moral Duties, or rather Chriftian Graces, wherein the late Queen was fb Eminent and Exemplary. I have faid nothing of the many glorious Events of Her Reign, thefe are already the Subjed of Volumes, and do not properly fall under the Notion of Moral Vir- tue : Except perhaps, in general, it ought to have been. put to the Account of Her Piety, That, throughout the whole Courfe of Her Reign, She was attended with fo furprizing Suc- cefs and Felicity ^ and, That we all along enjoy'd the Bleffings of Plenty ^ and even to appearance, thofe of Peace, during the Time of a moft Glo* riot*u Confuming War, which yet She was en- abled, at laft, to put a happy Period to ; the Happier in this refpect, that it vifibly made way for the more eafy and free Acceflion of our pre- fent Sovereign to the Throne. But SERMON XII. a75 But to conclude : Let .lis at length, lay aflde all thofe intemperate Heats and Animofities, which neither become us as Men, as Chriflian's^ or good Subjeds. Let us XTnite in all Brotherly Love and Charity one towards another, and ia all dutiful Subjedion to the King whom Provi- dence has fet over us, and who comes with the mod favourable Difpofitions to meet a People, the moft faithfully and unanimoufly difpos'd to receive him. BuE then let us Obey him out of a pure Principle of Religion, and for Confciencc" Jake. An Obedience which proceeds only from Private or Party-Regards, is not to be depended on : No Hold can be taken of Men, who adt upon no Principle : We know not where to have fuch Men \ and indeed they do not know them- felves, any further than for the prefent Emer- gency, what they are, or wherewith they will be fatisfy'd. It niuft be granted, that the Subjed of Govern- ment, in relation to the Meafures of Obedience, is very nice ; thofe who are for carrying them to the greatelt Height, do not do it, in favour of Tyranny, which they abhor \ but becaufe there mult be fomewhere, of neceffity, a laft Re- fort of Power, and they can have no Idea of a Contradiction, or of any Authority Superior to the Supreme. But take which fide of the Queftlon you pleafe, it will be agreed on all Hands, that Obedience to the Prince, mull be founded on fome Hand- ing and confcientious Principle. To with-hold or pay our Obedience, according as the State of Affairs may fuit with our Schemes or Inclina- tions, is not really to obey the Prince, but to pre- fcribe to him j and, in e&d, to place our felves above him. T a The a;^ SERMON XII. The bell Security therefore of our Obedience to the King, is to fear God and keep his Com- mandments ^ thofe Commandments in particu- lar, which require Subjedion to the higher Powers, as the Ordinance and Miniflers of God. This is a Principle of Obedience, which does not vary with the uncertain Caprice of Men given to Change, but ftands upon a firm unchangeable Foundation *, and obliges us to be Obedient to him, who is our fupremc Mafier, according to the Flepj, (It is the Apoftle's Expreflion) /» fingUnefs of Hearty as unto ChriH. — . — with good Will^ doing Service y as unto the Lord, and not wnto Men. Or in the Words of St. Peter^ wherewith I (hall con- clude, as Free, and not ujing our Liberty for a Cloak of Afalicioufnefsy but as the Servants of Cod^ 1 Pet. ij. i(J. S E R- ^-n SERMON XIII. That both Poverty and Riches are from God ^ and in what relpefts a moderate Fortune may be more eligible^ than an indigent or great One. P R o V. XXX. 8. Givs me neither Poverty nor Richest THcfe Words o^ Agur may very eafily be accounted for, Co far as they relate to Po- verty : That being a State of Life attended with fo many vifible and great Inconveniencies, that there is no Evil in the World, the Idea whereof ordinarily ftrikes the Mind with more terrible and (hocking Apprehenfions. Sin,which is a mo- ral Evil, and in that refpeft indeed more to be fearM, than the natural Evil of Poverty, or all the miferablc Eff^cis of it put together ^ yet is T 3 what 378 SERMON XIIL what Men chufe too often to commit, in order to avoid thofe EfFeds. It was very natural then, and indeed mofi: reafonable for Jgur to Pray, that his Condition of Life, if God fo pleas'd, might not be Poor or Neceiritous. But the reafonablenefs of his Prayer, in the other Branch of it, againft Riches^ does not apr pear altogether fo clear or evident. For Riches, contributing in fuch variety of Inftances to the Happinefs of human Life, and being alfo, on many Accounts, very fubfervient to the Ends of Piety and Religion, it may feem ftrange, that fo Pious and Prudent a Perfon, (hould here make it his Requeft to God, that he might not have the Command of a rich and plentiful Fortune. If there be any Difficulty in what is here ob- ferv'd, the Sequel of my Difcourfe upon the Words, will give a full Solution to it ; and herein 1 Ihall obferve the following Method. I. I {hall (hew. That it is to the Special and Over-ruling Providence of God, we are to afcribe both Poverty and Riches. II- That a middle State of Life is, to fome Perfons, and on certain Accounts, more eligible than either Poverty or Riches. III. I fhall conclude with fome Arguments, which may be proper to teach us an intire fub- miffion to the Will of God, whichfoever of thefe three States he may think fit to appoint us. 1. That it is to the fpecial and over-ruling Providence of God, we are to afcribe both Po- verty and Riches. This is a Truth, which all Men are very ready to acknowledge in general, but SERMON XIII. 27c? but which in Cafes of more near and immediate Concernment to them, they often appear to Qiieftion or Disbelieve. As to any imhappv Accidents or Difappointments which may reduce them to Poverty , here indeed they are more forward to charge the Occafion of it wholly up- on Providence, and to excufe themfelves from having had any Share in contributing towards it. All this is very agreeable to the natural Pride and Vanity of Man, whereby he is conti- nually excited to juRify himfelf in every thing % and where he cannot fuisfy his own Mind, yet would appear to others, as if there were no- thing, wherdwith it could jullly Charge or Re- proach him. The Cafe is different, when a Man fucceeds in the Methods he takes to enrich himfelf. For here, that very Pride which made him more willing to acknowledge the Provi- dence of God, in bringing any Misfortunes up- on him, does now incline him to exclude, or however to think more detraftingly of it j and ' rather to attribute his Succefs to his own Pru- dence, Induftry, or Merit. To fhew, how- apt Men are to bear themfelves high upon a fmooth and happy Run of their Alfiirs, we need no other Proofs, than the many Cautions which are in that Cafe made ufe of in Scripture, to correft and take them down. TheNecefllty of believing that it is God who maketh Poor^ and maketh Rich, appears farther from hence. That the different Circumftancesot Men, in thefe two refpedls, are often owing to what w^e call Chance or Accident. For there is no Man, but who, in the courfe of his Life, has had opportunities, more or lefs, of obferving. That fome favourable and unexpc-ftcd Emer- T 4 gencies^ aSo S E Pv M O N XIIL gencies, have been of greater Force, in order tq ^he Succefs of his Defigns, than all the vifible 'ind ordinary Means of efTeding them •, nay, there are Jnllances^ wherein the very Error? and Indifcretion of Men have turn'd, by fome liappy Cafualty or other, to their Advantage ^ As there have been Perfons on the other Hand, whofe very Prudence, in the Condu6; of their Affiirs, has fometimes accidentally occafion'd their Mifcarriages. What I would argue from hence is, That fee- ing the good or ill Fortune of Men, to fpeak the common Dialed, is fo much owing to Accidents ^ Except we fhould fuppofe God the Difpenfer of Poverty and Riches, we mufi: exempt Events of a contingent Nature from the Government, and Diredion of his Providence ^ and then we may not only acquire Wealth, or be reduc'd to an indigent Condition, without admitting his Providence, but moil of the other external Blef^ iings or Evils of Life, may alfo befal us exclu- iively of it *, there being indeed very few of them, in the Diftribution whereof, Chance has not, on one cccafion or other, a confiderable Share. Now, if we fuppofe that God do at all concern himfelf in the Government of Mankind, it will of Neceflity follow. That his Providence muft extend to thofe things, on which the Hap- pinefs or Mifery of Men fo ordinarily depend in this Life, and fometimes extraordinary and pub- Jick Revolutions. But if we caft our Eyes forward upon another Life, and confider our felves here more pecu- liarly as in a State of Probation for it, the Rea-- fons of acknowledging Qod, the difpenfer of lljches and Poverty, will llill appear more Strong SERMON XIII. 281 Strong and Convincing. For it is evident thefe two different States have both of them very dif- ferent Effeds upon ns, with regard to Reli- gion. Perhaps there is nothing in the World, that influences our Piety, or obftruds the Progrefs of it more, than the narrow or plentiful Circum- ftances of Fortune wherein we are plac'd : And the Reafon is, That both thefe Circumftances are attended with their peculiar Temptations, and on both fides fo Strong and Powerful, that moral Writers have found it difficult to deter- rain, by which of them our Innocence is moft endanger'd. And indeed the Refolution of this Point, does not fo much depend on our Conli- dering abftraftedly, and in general, what the Difadvantages of a poor or a profperous Con- dition are, as what in either Condition the par- ticular Tempers and Difpofitions of Men may be. Now, tho' we fhould allow, if there be no Impiety in the conceflion, that the Provi- dence of God does not fo immediately Interelt itfelf in direding thofe Events, which only re- late to the Affairs of this Life, that are in com- parifon of little Importance to Mankind : Yet as to thofe things, which tend to promote or hinder the Defign of God, in preparing Men for a State of endlefs and unfpeakable Happi- nefs : A Defign fuperior to all others in the Divine Oeconomy. Here, I fay, we mufl: neceflarily in- fer, that the Providence of God is concern'd in a more eminent Manner, to interpofe and exert itlelf. If God have any regard to the Good of Mankind, he will, without doubt, have all the Mcaas of promoting their eternal and fupreme Good 382 S EJl M O N XIII. Good more efpecially undar his Infpeftion and Government. All thefe Confiderations are of great Uie to ihew us. That in the feveral Changes of their Fortune here incident to Men, it is God wLa giveth and who taketh away. But they are noj from hence to argue, that it is therefore better to lay afide all Care of improving their For- tunes, or preventing the Ruin of them, and fo leave the Event wholly to Providence. For tho' God does determine and difpofe of ail Events, as in his wife and good Providence be fees fit j yet the moft probable and likely Means of Suc- cefs, inthecourfe of human Affairs, ordinarily fucceed. We are to follow the general Lr^ws of God, which are proper to give us gr-^ vc Ideas both of his Wifdom and Goodnefs ., and y vt it is as necefTary he fhould fometimes fruftraie the En- deavours and bell form'd Defigns of Men, to convince them more eff^dually, that he is God^f and to eflablifh in their Minds a more awful Senfe of his Power. But befides, that it is the Hand of the diligent^ which according to the ge- neral Order of Providence, maketh rich : Dili- gence is of itfelf fo necefTary to our prefent State, to the Prefervation, on many Accounts^ of our Innocence, and to the good Order and Government of the World ^ that tho' God with- out human Means and Endeavours can, if he thinks fit, do every thing for us ; yet except we employ them, we can have no pious or reafon- able Expedations from his Providence, of fuc- ceeding in any thing. Secondly., That a middle State of Life is, to fome Perfons, and on certain Accounts, more eligi- SERMON Xm. 283 eligible than either Poverty or Riches, Few Perfons will difpute this, in reference to Pover- ty, which is not only a very miferable Condi- lioa in its diredi and immediate EfFeds, biic what to all other incidental Miferies of Life, gives ftill a greater Force and Pungency. There are fome indeed, who from a miftaken Zeal for Religion, out of pure Choice, make Poverty their ProfefTion j and publickly affed to put oa the Face, and appear in the Habit of it. But befides, that this Zeal is not according to Know- ledge, and that Men cannot really be fervice- able to the great Ends of Piety and Religion, in an idle or monaftick, as in an active Life. It is to be confider'd, that fuch Perfons do not chiife Poverty, becaufe it is not an Evil, but for this very Reafon, becaufe it is an Evil ^ and to the End they may have a more fignal Occafioa of recommending themfelves to the Favour ot God, by fo heroick, and in their Opinion, merito- rious an Ad of Piety. But this is only an Opi- nion, without any true Grounds from Reafon, or Authority from the Scriptures to fupport it : It being indeed, both agreeable to the common Principles of Humanity, and thcDefignof tlie reveal'd Religion, that Men fhould render them- felves Ufeful and Beneficial, as they pofiibly can, in Society, no reafonable or pious Man can be fuppos'd to prefer a State of Life, in which, let his other Qiialifications be ever fo great, he will be much Icfs capable of exerting them to the common Good and Benefit of Mankind. That Command of our Saviour to the young Man in the Gofpel, fo often alledg'd in favour of a voluntary Poverty, was peculiar to him ; U ;84 SERMON XIII. he was very bold and fanguine in his. Preten* iions to Religion, and had already given fuch Proofs of it, as might appear in fome meafure to excufe his Confidence. But our Lord, who knew what was in Man, took the Occafion of putting him to the Trial, in an Inftance the moft affefting of it felf, and probably the molt oppofite to the young Man's particular Temper and Inclination. Go and fell all that thou hafi^ and give to the Poor. Now thefe Words may indeed, ferve for a general and excellent Caution to Men, againft Prefumpcion ^ and this, it may be, was our Lord's principal Defign in them : Yet the Com- mand itfelf is fo far from obliging Chriftians indifferently, that it ought not to be drawn in- to Example ^ and for this further Reafon, that no Man ought to put himfelf in a State of tempt- ing God ^ which yet every Man does who, by the diftribution of all he has for the Relief of other Perfons, is reduc'd to an immediate de- pendance upon fome extraordinary interpofals of Providence for his own Relief. Should this Command of our Saviour be re- peated to any one of us in particular, there could be no Qiicftion, whether he ought to pay a rea- dy and cheerful Obedience to it ? God has a Right, whenever lie pleafes, to refume what he has committed to our Trull; but it does not therefore follow, that we can do with it as we plea fe our felves, but only in fuch Ways and to fuch End's as are moft fit and reafonable, pur- fuant to theVVill and Intention of God. It muft be granted, there are feveral pafla- ges of Scripture, which fpeak very advantage- oufly of poor People ; the State of Chriftianity, v/hen it was Preach'd, reduc'd thofe who em- bracM SERMON XIII. 285 bracM it, in mpfl: Cafes, to an unavoidable Ne- certity of chufing a State of Poverty. The very Condition upon which they became the Difciples of Chrift was, That they fhould deny them- lelves and take up their Crofs ; and where there might be a Neceftity for it, that they fhould be ready to part with Houfes and Lands, and for- fakeall, to follow him. And fhould Chriftians, by any juft Judgment of God, or for the Trial of their Conflancy , be ever brought under a like Necedity either of facrificing the greatelt Intereft they have in this Life, or of denying the the Faith in any Article of it, it is a plain Cafe, on which Side they ought to determine them- lelves. Btit fince Chriflianity is now fettled in the World, and become the Religion of States and Kingdoms, as the Occafion upon which in its Infancy, Chriflians were fo generally reduc'd to prefer a State of Poverty is now ceas'd, the Reafons of fuch a Preference are manifeftly ceas'd with it. I do not fpeak this as if Men were in any great danger of following a Command, that does not oblige them, and which there would be the greateft difficulty in perfuading them to follow, if it really did: But only to fhew, that tho' wc are to account it Matter of Joy, when we fall into any Temptation, by reafon of a firm and refolute Adherence to our Duty, yet when we voluntarily expofe our felves to needlefs or dan- gerous Trials in any kind, we have nothing to fay in Excufe of our Temerity, or to hope from an extraordinary Grace of God towards the fupport of our Innocence. If there be no Grounds from Reafon or Scri- pture to render a State of Poverty eligible, the 286 SERMON XIH. the Authority of certain Philofophers, in this Point, will be of very little Weight. Some of them, 'tis granted, made it their Bufinefs to decry Riches, and argu'd as well as they could, riiofe Things are Contemptible, without which, even the greateft Merit will be very difficultly fecur'd from Contempt : Tho' what they faid on this Article, is not fo much to be attributed to their Judgment* as to the invincible PalTion they had in general for vain Glory. Men of haughty and afpiring Minds, defire a Name of Diftin- dion in the World •, bnt fome extraordinary Qualities or Adtions being, for the moft part, neceflary to ellablilh fuch a Name, and draw the Eyes of the Publick upon them, where they are confcious , that they cannot diltinguifli themfelves in the ufual and regular way, they have recourfe to fuch Artifices wherein there may appear at leaft to be fomething very Un- common and Surprizing. Now almoft all Mankind being fenfible of the Advantages of Riches, and for that reafon con- tinually purfuing after them *, thefe Philofophers thought there was fomething however, that had a great Shew of Refolution and Magnanimity, in their oppofing themfelves to fo general, and as they endeavour'd to reprefent it, very cor- rupt Judgment of Mankind. They had yet a farther occafion of gratifying their Pride, by the Methods they took to cry up Poverty, and vilify Riches : For hereby they gave the People to underftand, that they not only challeng'd a Regard fuperior to that, which Men, who were born to great Eftates, or had acquir'd them, could juftly expe(^, but they af- fedled in fome fort to be like the Gods, whofe So- yereiga SERMON XIII. 287 vereign Priviledge, according to the common Notions of Mankind, was to want nothing. In fhort, the Pride of Man is fo very Artful and Defigning, that where he is not pofTefs'd of any Qualities that are really valuable, it often fup- plies Arguments that appear to him very Spe- cious, why he ought to value himfelf even up- on the Want of them : And therefore it is not improbable that Setteca, if he had been reduc'd to the fame Straits with Diogenes^ and other poor Philofophers, would not only have faid a great many fine Things, in order to fupport Men under Circumftances of Poverty or Di- ftrefs, but have alfo been Bitter as any of them, in his Inveftives againit Riches : Yet herein he was oblig'd to be more Sparing and Referv'd, out of a decent regard to his own fplendid and vail Fortune. But it is unneceflary to infill further on the Reafonablenefs of ^gurs Prayer, with refped: to Poverty ^ the great Difficulty lies in account- ing for the Preference which he here gives a middle State of Life, to Riches : For rich Men have not only in their own Difpofitio'n, the Means of procuring fome of the moft valuable Enjoyments of Life, but either wholly of avert- ing, or in great meafure of alleviating fome of the greateft Calamities here incident to us : But above all Confidcrations, to render Riches ftill of more Importance, they are reprefented in Scri- pture as the Favours of Providence, and fet be- fore Men as proper Rewards to encourage their Obedience. It may then feem ftrange, that Jigur ihould Pray againft a Condition of Life which God, for thcfe Reafons, has render'd both a law- ful and defirable Objed of their Praysirs, I know a88 SERMON XIII. I know no other way of accounting for this Dif. ficulty, but by faying, That thefe Words are not to be underftood, which yet they ufiially are, as a general Precedent to Men, for what they (hould Wifh or Defire of God, in reference to their prefent Condition of Life, but as there was fomething which occafion'd them, peculiar to the Difpofition and Circumftances which Jlgur was in at that time : And therefore, what I principally defign'd to fhew is. That to fome Perfons, and on certain Accounts, a moderate Fortune is notwithftanding, better to be cho- fen than great Riches : And I conceive, for the feveral Reafons already mention'd, there is a Necefllty of explaining the Words with this limitation i I. The different Tempers of Men are to be confulted in whatever they defire, in this World, how juft or lawful foever the Thing defir'd may be in itfelf : And the Rcafon is, that external Objefts owe the great Power they have to cor- rupt us, to the Force of our Inclinations from within : And as there is fcarce any Perfon who has not his predominant Paffion, he ought more peculiarly to guard, where he knows himfelf moll Defencelefs and Expos'd. ^11 Things^ fays the wife Son of Syrach^ are not Profitable for all Men \ there being a thoufand Things which other Perfons may allow themfelves in with Safety, Innocence, and Reputation, from which, if we would not ruin our felves in all thefe refpeds, we ought to keep, as much as we are able, at a diftance. And therefore, it is our Duty on all Occafions, and we have the Authority of St. V^iul for what is fo obvious in the Reafon of the SERMON XIII. Q.%9 the Thing, not only to confidcr what may be limply and in general Lawful^ but what in our private Cafe is, -upon the whole Matter, really Expedient. When a Man, forlnllance, is under the Power of any particular violent Pallion, which Riches are the ready, and, it may be, the only Means he can propofe of gratifying ^ if he would not fall into a Temptation and a Snare, out of which he has no probable way of Efcaping, and wherein the Foundation of his eternal Mifery may be laid; he ought, nay, if he have the lead regard to his own Safety, in- Head of impatiently dcfiring to be Rich, he will pray with ^gur. That God in his good Provi- dence may not give him Riches : For if we fometimes find it fo difficult to ftifle or refifl: thofe criminal Inclinations, which we have not the Power or Opportunity to "indulge, what is likely to become of us, when the Means of In- dulging them are at Hand, and intireiy at our own Command ? 2. There are- alfo accidental Clrcumfl-ances which may render Riches much lefs, if at all, pro- per to be defir'd. In a State of Perfecudon, or where Men are in danger of being put to any fevere Trial of their AiTections between God and the World, the more they are difengag'd from thofe Things, on which the Pomp and Pleafures of Life depend, the happier Difpoiition they are in to choofe the better Pan^ and difcharge their Duty with a good Confcience. Upon the firft Plantation of the Gofpel, it was hard indeed for rich Men to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, or become Converts to the Chriitian Faith : Thofe that were fenfible to VOL. III. XJ the 2^0 SERMON Xm. the Advantages of the World, and lov^d it, could not relifli that fevere Condition, as it ap- peared to them, of forfaking all, to follow Chrifi. And while they continued in this Temper of Nind, it was, in a ftri(!t Senfe, as impoffible for them fincerely to profefs themfelves Chriftians, as for a Camel to go through the Eye of a Needle. And the fame Reafons which at that time hin- dred Men from profeffing Chriftianity, fome- times occafion'd afterwards their Defedtion wholly, or in part from it. And for this Rea- fon it may pofllbly be, that fome occafional Paf- fages in Scripture, which feem to bear hard on rich Men, and to reprefent their Condition as very dangerous, are to be explain'd with re- fpect to the State of Chriftianity at that time, and not to be extended indifferently to rich Men, in the fettled and fucceeding Ages of the Church. A Capacity of doing Good, being the great End for which Riches appear fo defirable, where a Man in any Station of Life, is more ufeful to the Publick, than there are moral AfTurances he would be by a removal out of it, or by a flow of Fortune, which might raife him above it : In this Cafe too, he has great reafon to be fatisfy'd with the decent and ordinary Conve- iiiencies of Life, without enlarging his Defires any further upon the World : For in civil Life, we are not fo much to confidcr what may be moft agreeable to our particular Interefts or Defigns, as what may render us of greater and more general Ufe to Mankind. And this Confideration fhould ftill have greater Weight with every Man, in proportion as he has fewer Engagements upon him, from the SERMON XIIL 2pi the Circumftances of his Family or Dependants. The Necefljty of providing for his own, is what Nature pleads very ftrongly to every Man j but with fome Men fhe now and then carries her Argument fo far, that it proves too much : For under a Pretence of difcharging this natural and receflary Duty, they become infenfible to the Mileries and Wants of other People ; and are either in great meafure diverted from perform- ing the common Offices of Humanity, or at the heft, perform them after a more flight, Iparing, and illiberal manner. But fiich Perfons are ftill more inexcu fable who are, in a manner, arbitrary in the Difpofi- tion of their Fortune, or are lefs prefs'd upon by Dependencies ; when inftead of doing Good, and rejoicing in what they already pofTefs, they are continually laying themfelves out in heaping up Riches, without knowing to what End, or who Ihall gather them. It is a very natural and live- ly Image which Solomon has drawn of a Perfon enflav'd with the Love of the World, and with- out the vifible and ordinary Rcafons pretended for it : There is^ fays he. One alone, and there is not a Second ; yea, he hath neither Child nor Bro" ther ', yet there is no End of all his Labour^ neither is his Eye fatisfy^d with Riches : Neither, faith hcy for whom do I labour, and bereave my Soul of Good. This is alfo Canity, yea it is a fore Travel^ Ecclef. iv. 8. But to fliew us that there is fomething ftrange- ly infatuating in the Love of Riches, it is ge- nerally obferv'd to be the moft ftrong and violent in the Decays of Age, and where, one would think, there fhould be the lealt Provoca- tion to it. There are, without doubt, very U 2 wife 2t^2 SERMON Xlil. wifcReafons of Providence for the feveralPaf- " fions, more peculiarly incident to us, in the fe- veral Pevicds of Life : And thus particularly, Vv'ith rcfpcd to Anucr, or a Temper more in- clining to Pecvininefs in old Men, if feems very wifi-ly dffign'd by Nature, to excite the Particles of the Blood, which are then grown more lan- guid, in order to make it circulate more briskly, and prevent the Ilagnation of it. But that old JNicn^ who have long experienc'd the Vanity of the World •, who are incapable of its Enjoy- ments were they really more Satisfadory, and upon thc.Point of leaving them for ever \ whofe Hopes, in a Word, ought to be full of Immorta-' A'fV, and direftcd upon a State, the Happinefs whereof admits of no Allay or Intermillion, of no r-,ii.\tureor Meafurc :, that Men, 1 fay, at fuch a Time, ihould entertain a Pafljon for Riches, fo very unfaitable in all thefe refpeds to the Cir- cumllances they are under, is what we cannot cafily refolve inter any wife or good Reafons whatever •, but fhould rather, indeed, account fuch a Paflion, if not diredly impious, yet at leaft very foolilh and prepolterous. And there is great probability that when y^gur does here deprecate Riches, he confider'd 'himfelf more particularly, with regard to thefe Cii'cuniftances : Ivoo Things^ lays he, in the fore- going Verfe, have / rccjur/d of thee 'j deny me them nor^ before I Die : .Ks it the nearer and fenfible Appi'oaches which Death was making towards him, had rendred it his more fpecial and fea- fonable Duty to take OxT his Thoughts from the Tilings oi this World, and turn them up^n that endlefs State, he was going fpeediiy to enter if])on. Upon S E Pv M O N XHI. 70- Upon thcfeor tlic like Condderation';, derate Fortune, which fnrp'lics the Convr cies of Life, may be rcal'.y more c'lgib'e m a good Man, than a great and fplendid Fortune. Eiit ■ this does not make Agvrh Prayer lyiarrcr of ftanding Oblieaiion, or in general-, rencicr it culpable for Men to defire Riches-, for the ^Ad- vantages of them are fo evident, that Men fee and feel, and tafte them every Moment ; fo that: in Truth, to decry Riches, is to arraign ,the common Scnfe of Mankind, and to caft: a tacic Reflcdlon upon thofclandable Arts and Endea- vours whereby they are fo incefiantly takeaup, in or-^er to better their Condition in Socicry, and v;ithout which, indeed, Society itfclf could not v/ell or long fubfiH:. It may therefore be qucdion'd, whether Di- vines, out of their great Zeal for promnting the Interefts of Religion, which, in Tiurh, if rightly condu6:ed, cannot be too ercat, yet do^ not fometimes remonftrate againfl: the IntercHs of this Life after a manner, v/hich is net alto- gether natural or jufb, For when thofevvho have taken great Paifls in their liwful Vocations to enrich thcmfelvcs, and rife fliil hi^^hcr iii the World, are after wards to] v'l. That the Things they' fo earneftly purfue, arc mere empty indgnifican't Trifles, which contribute very little or nothing; even to the Happinefs of Men m thlstLife •, and that thofe who poficfs them, arc in avei^' da.n- gerous, or perhaps dreadful Condition, with le • gard to a future Life: When Men, I Ov, hear thefe or the like Remonflranccs againfl Riches or rich Men-, it- will be very natural for them to draw one or more of thefe Concluflons from \vha:isfaid;> cither that it is in vain for them U ; to 2^4 S E R M O N XIII. to take fo much Pains for Things of fo very little Ufe, and fo very great Danger \ or that the Maxims of Religion are contrary to thofe of civil and common Prudence:; or elfe, that the Preacher is not fo well acquainted, as he ought to be, with the Maxims of either, what may be faid in favour of Poverty, or againfl; Riches, where Men contend merely for a Prize of Elo- quence, is another Cafe. For here the Bufinefs is not to inform the Judgment, but to ufe fuch fpecious Appearances of Reafon or Truth, as may be moft proper to Bribe and Corrupt it. But it is below the Dignity of Preachers to declaim ^ the Caufe of Religion is too weighty to admit any little rhetorical Arts, and the Merits of it too clear and evident to need them. Befides, that when Divines, out of an indifcreet, tho' well-meant Zeal, advance any thing that is not reafonable, in order to promote Religion, there is nothing more apt to confirm Men in the un- lieafonable Prejudices they may have already en- )crtain'd againfl: it. Divines ought indeed to fpeak of Poverty, tho' not as a State very defirable of itfelf, yet neither fo difcon folate, but that there arc a great many Reafons to comfort and fupport Men under the affliding Circumllances of it. They ought, on the other hand, to Caution rich Men againfl: the Temptations they are fo much expos'd.to,' and to remind them of the fl:rid Account they mufl: one Day make of the Talents committed to their Trufl:. Particularly they are to be charg'd to lay up a good Foundation for themfelves againfl: that Day, by being rich in good Works, and exercifing, on all proper Occafions, A<^s of Mercy and Charity to the Poor* SERMON XIII. ap5 Poor. But then to reprefent the Intcrefts of this Life as contemptible, or in fuch a manner as may bring them into DifH,race, efpecially when thofe that do iby may themfelves he obferv'd to have any indired Eye towards them i this is a ready Method to expofe Reli- gion to thederifionof Men, who do not altoge- ther want Reafon. Thirdly^ But this leads me to conclude, in the laft Place, with fome Arguments that may be proper, under thefe three different States of Life, to teach us an intire fubmiffion to the Will of God. I. There will be the greateft difficulty in perfuading People to this Duty, who labour un- der very hard or mean Circumfliances : Forbe- fides, that Poverty is continually diverting them from the Care of the Soul, by that of making neceflary Provifion for the Body ^ it is very apt to fink their Spirits, and render them more un- fit for the nobler Exercifts of Piety and Devo- tion. And this natural Tendency of it to make Men of a more abjeft and fervile Temper, is\ery much heighcned by the Indifference, net to fay Contempt, wherewith they find them- felves fo generally treated; and that not only by Perfons of vulgar Minds, who think there is ' no Homage due, except to the God of this Worid^ but by thofe who have better Notions of Things, and Ihould be much more fenfible of what they owe to human Nature, in its grcateff: Adverlity and Diflrefs. We may add to this, that Pover- ty, efpecially where Perfons have been expos'd from their Infancy to the Inconveniencies of ir^ iS generally the Mother of Ignorance. For tho' U 4 ail 2^6 SERMON XIII. all the Care is not always taken, that fhould be, to inftruft young People, who have a more generous Education, in the Principles of Mora- lity or Relig,ion, and we fometimes find Men much at a Lofs, when they coftie to explain therafelves upon thefe Heads, whofe Conver- fation notwithftanding is, in other refpects, very "Ufeful and Entertaining \ yet, generally fpeak- jng, I fay, we obferve the moll grofs and pro- found Ignorance, both as to the Principles and Duties of Religion, amoYig the poorer Sort. Now when thofe who have lefs clear and di- ftinft Notions of what they ought to believe, and do, are under more itrong and frequent Temptations to a criminal Diftruft of God, or to the Arts of relieving themfelves by finful and indireft Means, it muft: be granted, they will find fo much the greater Difficulty in cxercifing themfelves to have always a Confcience void of Offence towards God, and towards Man. And thi's indeed is what Agur fuppofes, from the particular Reafons he gives for his de- precating a State of Poverty, hfi^ fays he, / be fooTf and Steal^ and take the Name of my God in Vain : That is, left I be too violently tempt- ed, in a profane manner, to queftion the Good- nefs, or repine at the Providence of God, or to feek Refuge in any fraudulent and irregular Pradices, injurious to Men. For thefe Reafons, a State of Poverty, even upon a religious Ac- count, and without regard to the temporal Dif- advantages of it, cannot, in itfelf confider'd, appear very Happy or Defirable. But fhall People therefore, in low and poor Circumllances defpond, or look upon their Con- dition as altogether Hopelefs and Difconfolate ? Noi S E Pv M O N XIII. 2p7 Ko: This is a Confeqnence that fhoiild not b^ any means be admitted \ and which, 1 (liall par- ticulary endeavour to obviate. And, in the firft Place, if Poverty, by engaging Men in the necefHiry Methods of procuring a Live- lihood, take them off more frequently from the Duties of Piety, or occafion greater Di- ftra<^ions of Mind in the Performance of fuch Duties ; if it cafl: fuch a heavy Weight upon their Spirits, that they cannot always rai(e them to the higher Flights of Reafon and Contempla- tion \ yet, let not poor People, on thefe Ac- counts, be difcourag'd, or abandon themfelves to Defpnir : God, who knows whereof they are made, will make gracious Allowance for the Temptation> which more eafily befet them, or for fuch Failures to which they are more fub- jccl, and through an Infirmjity too, more com- mon to the State, w^herein his Providence has plac'd them. Befides, that there are Seafons wherein a poor and indigent Condition, inftead of being an Impediment to the Devotions of Men, may rather tend to inflame them to a greater height: For when all vifible Supports and human Means fail, where fliould we fly for Succour with fo great Ardor and Alacrity, as to him, who is able, whenever he pleafes, to fupply our Wants, and certainly v;ill do it, in fuch Meafure and Proportion as he fees moft convenient for us ? A nd I do not doubt but that the Soul, upon pouring forth her pious Com- plaints in the Day of DiRrefs, when fhedefires to take San(!hi3ry in the Divine Fulnefs, and panteth after the Fountain of all Good, na the Hart after the Water-Brooks : I do not doubt, I i'ly, but that the Soul, in fuch fervent and de- votional 298 SERMON XIII. votional Applications to God, even when a Per- £on may be under the moft difficult and afflid- ing Circumftances of Life^ yet is fometimcs tranfported with a Joy, infinitely beyond what all the fenlible Pomp and Pleafures of Life caa afford. . Again : Neither ought Men to be too much afiedted with the Contempt or ill Ufage, which Foverty fometimes expofes them to. For we are not to confider what is contemptible in th^ falie and corrupt Judgments of Men, but what is really fo in the Reafon and Nature of Things. That Poverty, confider'd in it felf, is not juft- ly attended with any Idea of Infamy or Re- proach, is evident from hence, That the befi: and greateft of Men, both in facred and pro- fene Hiftory, have, on certain Occafions, felt the Inconvencies of it. But becaufe Job, when diftrefs'd by it, complains that he was infulted, and holy David^ under the like Circumftances, that he was forfaken by his Friends-, Ihall we therefore conclude, that the Treatment they met with, was Juft and Reafonable ? As irra- tional would it be to objeft^ as the Jews did at the Time of our Lord's appearance, againft the Truth of the Chriftian Religion, That he ap- pear'd in Circumftances fo Mean, and, as they apprehended, unfuitable to the Dignity of his Charafter. Is not this^ fay they, the Carpen- ter^ the Son of Mary ^ the Brother 0 frames and Jofes^ and of Juda and Simon ; and are not his Sifiers here with m ? Mark vj. 3. We have here indeed, the Prejudices which Men are apt to entertain, con- cerning Things from private and perfonal Con- iiderations, very plainly reprefented. But how was the Truth of thofe extraordinary and mi- raculous SERMON XIII. 2p9 raculous Works which were done by our Sa- viour, in the leaft afFeded by his Working at a common and ordinary Trade ? If it be true as Tertullian relates, that he did Work at it ; or in what refpefts was his Doftrine lefs Heavenly or Divine, becaufe his Alliances upon Earth, were not obferv'd to be more Noble and Illu- ftrious ? As the Difciple is not above his Mafler, Chri- ftians reduc'd to an indigent Condition mult, in a corrupt World, fometimes exped to meet with undeferv'd Indignities. But this ought not to give them any great Pain, but rather afford them Matter of Joy and Confolation, fince they are in a State, fandtify'd by the Choice which the Son of God himfelf made of it ^ and which has fo many other excellent Precedents, not only to fecure it from Contempt, but even to do it Cre- dit and Honour. Again : Where it has been the misfortune of poor People (a Cafe that too frequently hap- pens) to have been negledled in their Educa- tion, and brought up in Ignorance ^ yet, they have this to fupport them under the Senfe of it, that provided, according to the Meafure of what . they know, they are careful to maintain good Works ^ a good God will be gracious and fa- vourable to them, and not expedt to Reap where he has not Sown, or require any Returns of them, greater in proportion than their Receipts. For my own part, I cannot but think a Perfon lefs Knowing, who yet ferves God in the fim- plicity of his Heart, and is truly penitent for his Sins, in a much happier State, than One who is able to talk very profoundly concerning the Nature and Attributes of God, but does not ferve goo SERMON XIIL ferve him as God; or v/ho'can define Repen- tance, and prefs the Duties of it after a moft: clear and judicious iManner, without finding in his own -Heart any true or lively 'Motions to- wards it. As to the two SirxS in particular, which A-,'■■■■■ W^ys SERMON X!V. 313 Ways are Afercy^ and 'Truth to fuch m keep his Co- venant, and his Tefiimonies. Thirdly^ For the farther Confirmation of our Faith, let us confider the Powei of God toeffeft whatever his Wifdom or Goodnefs may de%n ; in this World, our Friends, who have our In- terefts molt at Heart, and are very wife in contriving for our Advantage, and a£live \\\ purfuing it, yet many times meet with unex- pedted Accidents in the way, which they can- not furmount. 'Tis God alone that is able to do whatever he plealeth, and who is always a ready Help in time of need^ to thofe that pleafe him. All the Springs of Motion are in his Hand \ both in Heaven and in Earthy and in the S^a^ and in all deep Places, Pfal.cxxxvi. i. and therefore his Power i? reprcfented to us, not only by fuch Metaphors as are apt to create in us an awful Fear of offending him j whereby he is defcrib'd, with a Jlretched-out Arm^ Exod. vi. 6. and as a Man of War^ Exod. xv. 5. or as aconfuming Fire^ Heb. xi). 29. but he is alfo de- fcrib'd to us under fuch Allufions, as are pro- per to excite our entire Dependance on him for Relief and Support in the greateft Straits and Exigencies : As that he is a Reck of Salvation j X>n/f- xxxij. 15. and a firong hold in the Bay of irouhlc, Nahumi. 7. and Pfal. ix. 9. a Refuge for the Opprejfcd, a Refuge in time of Trouble. Ac- cordingly the Power of God is urg'd, as the ereat Motive to Faith and Confidence in him jn Times of Adverfity, and under the moft fen- iible Calamities. He healeth the broken in Heart, and btndeth up their Wounds j he telleth the num" l>er of the Stars, great is our Codj and of great Foxrcr^ l^fal, cxlvij. 2, 3. To 314 S E R M O N XIV. To convince us more effe(fliially that all Pow- er is deriv'd from God, and that we ought wholly to rely on him forSuccefsin all Gales: He often fruftrates the beft form'd Schemes and Undertakings of Men, fo that they are not ahle to ferform \ and at other times effefts great Ends, by very weak, and in all appearance, im- probable Means. So that as the Wife Man long ffnce obferv'd, The Race is mt always to the Swift y nor the Battel to the Strong. Thefe remarkable Interpofitions of Divine Providence, are fo ne- cefiary to humble the Pride and Vanity of Men, that did Succefs always anfwer to the Power and Probability of fecond Caufes, they would be apt to forget God, and bear themfelves high upon it, and to fay in their Hearts, the Power^ and the might of ovr Hands have gotten m this. At other times God to make his Power known, and the Effedts of it more Con fpicuou sand Me- morable, does not interpofe in the Deliverance of good Men, till they are brought to the laft Extremities-, and then, if in hisWifdom and Goodnefs, h^ thinks fit, he certainly will inter- pofe; and if he will do it, nothing can oppofe liis Adion ; it was this that fupported David in the greateft Dangers, and moft prelRng Ne- ceffities ; though 1 walk thro' the Valley of the Shut" dow of Deathy I will fear no Evil^ Pfal. xxiij. 4, 5. And again, /y^/. xxxiij. 18, 19. Behold the Eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him^ to deliver their Sortl from Death^ and to feed them in the Time of Famine. And this Confideration fhould teach all good Chriftians, even when all Human Supports fail, and there is no vifible Profped of Deliverance -^ not to faint when they are rebuked of him, but SERMON XIV. 315 flill to truft in the Name of the Lord, or as the Prophet very elegantly exprefles it, to ftay vpon their God. God therefore, tho' our own Reafon cannot by fearching find them out, may ftill have fe- cret Referves of a good Providence towards us, fome unthought-of Reward, treafur'd up for us, againft the Day of Neceflity ^ 'twas upon this Profpeft, I fay, when there was no other left, that the Prophet expreffed his Reliance on the Power and Goodnefs of God in fo noble and fublime a manner, y^ltho^ the Figtreejhall mt hlof" fom^ neither fijall Frvit be in the rines^ the Labour of the Olives fhall fail, and the Field fhall yield no Jncreafe^ yet J will re Joyce in the Lord^ I mil Joy in the God of my Salvation \ The Lord is my Strength^ Hab.iij. 17, 18, 19. I proceed in the Fourth and Lafl Place to confider God's juft Right and Dominion over us ^ and that both with refped to us as we are Men, and as we are Sinners. As we are Men^ God is the abfolute Proprie- tor of our Perfons, and of all that we have, and he may do with his own as he pleafes, what have we that we have not receivd from him ? Not by way of transferring his Right, but in Trufl, and with a referv'd Power to him of Refump- tion \ this made Holy Job to acquit the Juftice of God, in depriving him of his large and rich Foflefiions, the Lord gave, and the Lord hath ta- ken away, ble{fed be the Name of the Lord. God is the abfolute Sovereign of the World, iois Dominion rvleth over all ^ 'tis not our Bufi- nefs to difpute, but to obey his Orders •, he ap- points us our Stations, fhews us what Part we are to ad upon the Stage of Life, what we have ■ ^ to 3i6 SERMON XIV, to do, is to maintain our Charader, and behave our felves as fuitably to it, as we can. By vir- tue of this abfolute Authority, God killeth^ avd maketh alive, he bringeth down to the Grave, and hringeth up *, he maketh Poor and maketh Rich, he bringeth lew and lifteth up, l Sam. ij. 7, 8. God is the wife Sovereign of the World ; T'he lard is a God of Knowledge ', his Work is perfefir, and all his ways are Judgment, Deut. xxxij. 4. ^ As there is a Ncceflity, confidering the prefbnt State of Things in the World, for the diffe- rent Ranks and Conditions of Men, fo God has:' not only an inalienable Right to put them in what Circumftances he pleafes, but is the fit- teft Judge of their feveral Capacities for the Bufinefs they are to manage, in order to ferve the Ends of his Providence. We are here ia a State of Warfare^ 'tis not our Part to chufe our Polls, fays EpiUetm, under our great Comman- der, but to behave our felves well in them we cannot all be Generals or Officers •, there is a Neceffity that fome fliould v/ork in the Trenches., be upon the Watch, or do the other Duties of common Soldiers. And this Soveraignty of God over Mankind, the Scriptures exprcfly found in his Right of Creation. T'hou art the God ( fijys Hez.ehiah ) thou alone of all the Idngdoms of the Earth, thott haji made Heaven and Earth. And Pfal. xcvi. 45. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praifed^ to be feard above alt Gods ; and the Reafon of his Greatnefs and Dominion over Men, and over all other Gods, follows in the next W^oi ds •, For all the Gods of the Nations are Idols, but the Lord tnade the Heavens. And upon this Account the folc Power ofdirpQiing of Riches and Honour, of SERMON XiV. ^17 of Might and Strength is afcrib'd to him, I Chron. xxix. II, 12. Not that God by Right of his Creation inflidls Punifhments upon Men, exceeding the Benefits of it, or has decreed their eternal Damnation, without any refpeft to their Sins or Demerits. This is altogether inconfiftent with our Notions of his Goodnefsj and it had been good indeed for fuch Men, if they had never been born. But what the Scrip- tures defigd by thefe Expreflions is, that God may inflid fuch temporal Evils and Calamities upon Men, as may bed ferve the Ends of his Providence, in a way fuitable to his Defign of creating them, and to the Methods of his Ju- ftice : And therefore let us confider, 2^/7, God's juft Right and Authority over us, as voe are Sinners. The beft of Men when they narrowly fearch into their own Hearts, whate- ver their Sufferings be, will find Reafon to ac- quit the Juftice of God in them \ and not only fo, but to confefs, that he punifhes them lef^ than their Iniquities deferve, and in his Wrath thinks upon Mercy. This even a Senfe of na- tural Religion taught Tharodh\ and therefore he prays, that God would not, as in Juftice he might have done, continue the Judgment that was then upon him. / have finned^ fays he, the Lord is Righteopu^ and I and my People are Wickr ed. Intreat the Lord^ that there be no more mighty Thundrings and HaiL^ Exod. ix. 27, 28. But the Charadler that is given Holy Job of his being a perfeft and upright Man, one that feared God, and efchexved Evil, renders his Hu- miliation under the affliding Hand of God, ftill more ufefuJ and inftrudive. Howfwuld a Mariy fays he, Chuf. ix. 2, 3. be jufi with God \ if he will con- 3i8 SERMON XVl. contend with him, he cannot anfvoir him one pf a thoufand'j and ver.xx. If I jvfiify ^ny felf, mine vwn Mouth will condemn me. Now if this Holy ivian, tho' he could not be charg'd by others, or charge hirafelf with any great or heinous Crimes, acknowledg'd the Juftice of God's Pro- vidence in fo pious a manner, when it feem'd to vex him with all its Storms ^ how much more ought a Sinner, in Times of AfRidion, whofe Confcience perhaps challenges him with many great and crying Sins, humble himfelf under the mighty Hand of God j and fay with this holy Man in another Place*, / have Jinned, whatfhalt Ida vnto thee, 0 thou preferver of Men ? Job vi), 20. I have finned, and the Hand of God is upon ine, for my Sins, but ftill hepreferves me : Still there is a Profped for me, perhaps here, but certainly ( if I live in his true Faith and Fear) hereafter, of a happy Deliverance ; 1 complain of the Troubles and Miferies of Life, but what if the juft God, as he might have done, had cut me off in the Career of my Sins, and plung'd me into the Flames of Hell, with a frelh and flaming Guilt upon me ? Yet I ftill live, the Conditions of Grace and Mercy are ftill ten- der'd to me ; I am invited, I am importun'd to accept them, 1 am aflifted by the Spirit of God to perform them ; (What Jhall I do) unto thee, O thou preferver of Men? it is the Lord's Mercy I am not confumed \ why then fhould a living Man com- plain, a Man for the Punifhment of his Sins ? Lam. iij. 22, 39. The feveral Branches of this Difcourfe carry their own Ufe and Inftrudtion along with them ; and what has been faid, may, I hope, by the Bkfling of God, have the defiga'd EfFedt upon thofe^ SERMON XIV. 31^ thofe, who labour tinder any unhappy Circum- ftances of Life in any kind, by teaching them to make the All- wife, and good and powerful God the Objeft of their Faith and Trull ^ and alfo to believe he is Jiift and Righteous in all his Ways, and will lay upon Men no more than is right ^ Job xxxiv. 23.^ And if we live under a lively Senfe and Con- viaion of thefe Truths, tho' God in his Wif- dom fhould think fit ftill to continue our Af- flictions upon us, yet let not this weaken or difcourage our Faith •, if we at laft gain Heaven, and attain the End of our Faith, even the Sd- vAtion of our Soulsy I am fure we fha)l have no reafon to complain, whatever Difficulties or Tryals we are expos'd to by the way ^ till that blefled time come, let us animate and fupport our felves with the Hopes of it, and inftead of being weary and faint in our Minds, under the light Afflictions of this World, which are but for a moment : Let us rather rejoyce, that if we make a right Ule of them, they will work for us, a mor€ exceeding and eternal weight of Glory. S^R. 5^' SERMON XV. The Infatuation of Sin^ \ill it termi- nate at laft in the Obduracy of the Sinner. Heb. iij. 15. Left Any of jou be hardnedy through the Deceitfulnefs of Stn, O S T Men are apprehenfive of the Fol- j^Vl ly and Danger of Sin •, and while they conrtder it under rW Notion, think themfelves, in fbme Meafure at leaft, concern'd to a\"oid it;. In order therefore to ftifle thofe Imprefllons of Fear or Shame, to which their Minds arefo na- turally fenfible, when they are going to commit any finful Adion,they have ordinarily rccourfe to one or more of the following delufory Arts ; either rhey endeavour to reprefeiit the Sin they are S E R M O N XV. 321 are under the Temptation of, after fuch a fal- lacious manner, that it may not appear Sinful •, or to perfuade themfelves that the Circumftances which attend it, very much contribute to leflen its Guilt and Malignity •, or elfe that they are fuch, which a good and merciful God, who knows whereof they are made, will make very favourable Allowances to : Or laftly, if they can find no relief to their Minds in any of thefe flattering Inftnuations, then they take the only refuge left them in the deceitful Hopes of an after Repentance. Thefe are four of the great and moft general Artifices of Sin, whereby Men fuffer themfelves to be deceiv'd or betray 'd into a Compliance with it J till at length, perhaps, they grow obdu- rate, and Sin prefumptuoufly, or without re- morfe. My Bufinefs therefore, in difcourfing upon the \Vords Ihall be, Flrlt^ To confider and expofe the deceitful- nefs of Sin in the feveral refpeds here men- tion'd •, and Secondly, To caution you more particularly, againft thefe infnaring Artifices of it, from a confideration of the Danger, left at any time you fhould, in the Event, be hardned by it. fiViJ, When Men are tempted to commit any Sin, it is ordinary with them to drefs it up, as far as they are able, in fuch a Difguife, that it may not appear fwfut. And indeed, when we / confider how much, in other Cafes, our Incli- \ nation governs our Judgment and Belief, there is nothing extraordinary in what is here ob- ferv'd. How eafily, even in things of a more 523 S E R M O N XV. indifferent Nature, are we indiic'd to Credit, what we wifh to be True ^ and for no other Reafon, but becaufe we wi(h it. But in Cafes where our Pafiions or Interefts are more imme- diately concern'd, it is extremely difficult not to confult them j and that, with refpeft to our Opinion, both concerning Perfons and Things : How credulous, for inftance, are we upon the Subjeft of JSJews, or any fugitive Reports, where- in the Party we efpoufe may find their Advan- tage ? How aveffe, on the other Hand, to fub- mit to the mofl; evident Principles, or to ac- knowledge the Truth of the beft attefted Fa<^s, when they do not comport with our particular Schemes or Expe6:ations ? We may extend this Observation concerning the wrong Judgments Men are apt to make, on account of their different Views or Defires, fo far as to difcover, why Hiftories are generally fo very partial and corrupt ^ and that we are rather to feek in them the private Regards of great Men, in whofe favour, and by whofe di- redion they are compos'd, than their true Charader, or a faithful reprefentation of pub- lick Events. I fpeak here of modern Hiftories^ and not of thofc which treat of Matters very remote, and fuch as have little or no relation to the State of Affairs, at the Time of writing them •, and wherein we may therefore hope to find Things more juftly defer ib'd : For Men na- turally are not very much inclin'd to oppofe Truth, where they are not, in one refped or other, oppos'd by it. But as to Hiftories, of what denomination foever, which are compil'd with a particnlar View of ferving a Caufe, or any Sett of M^n that may have diftinguifh'd them- S E R M O N XV. 323 themfelves at the Head of it, deceitful as com- mon Fame and oral Tradition are, it were per- haps, mnch better to make a Judgment from the Reports of them, than from fuch Records, whether relating to Ecclefiaftical or Civil Af- fairs : For what Credit can be given to a Writer, whofe principal Defign is to fhew his Ingenuity in: ftifling, or where that is impradicable, 14 corrupting the Truth after fuch a manner, that it may even ferve to promote the Caufe of Er- ror? And who, on occafion, aflumes to himfelf a Power of creating or annihilating Fads, but is always careful to reprefent them in fuch a View, as may be moft agreeable to thofe whom he Writes at, or to whofe Party he Sacri- fices? I only mention this as an Illuflration of the Power which our AfJedions have over our Un- derftanding 5 and to fhew, that if in Things which only concern us at a diftance, and in common, we are fo apt to make wrong and partial Judgments, we Ihall ftill be in much greater Danger of making them, when any fin^ ful PafTion is violently excited in us, and efpe- cially if we have at hand the Means of grati^ fying it. For tho' the Paflions are delign'd for many excellent Ends, as they put the Soul in a more brisk Motion, and make it operate with greater Force j yet when they grow Heady and Tumul- tuous, they fill the Mind with fuch confus'd Ideas, that we find our felves at once much lefs capable of difcerning the pure Light of Truth, and of attending to it. In this diforder, I fay, the Soul not perceiving diftindtly, the Evidence of thofe Reafons which ought to determin her y 2 Choice; 324 S E R M O N XV. Choice, or being lefs willing to be determined / by them, fhe more eafily inclines to take part with the Paffions, and yield to them with Plea- iure, than to oppofe them any longer with Re- ludance and Pain. But to difcover to us how much the finful In- clinations of Men are apt to blind and infatuate their Underftanding, we need only confult the holy Scriptures. It being fo ufual in them to exprefs a State of Sin by the Metaphor of Blind- nefs, or that of Darknefs ; and reciprocally to attribute the Impiety of Sinners to their Igno- / ranee, and their Ignorance to their Impiety: X So that, feeing^ they fee, and do not perceive^ and 1 hearing they hear^ and cannot nnderjiand. But it may not be improper, for the better llluftratioQ of what I am obferving, to inftance in fome few Particulars, wherein the Paflions have fo great and vifible a Power towards cor- rupting the Underftanding, that they even over-rule it to give Judgment in favour of their Diforders. Thus the covetous Wretch endea- vours to cover his Inhumanity, his Violence and Rapine, with the fpecious Pretence of Fruga- lity, of aflerting his Right, and providing for a comfortable and decent Subfiftance in the Werld. And becaufe nothing pafles into his Mind, but what goes firft through his Hands, it is a very difficult thing to put a Thought into him, but what is conveyed that way \ or to convince him of his Error, by any Arguments that may be drawn either from Reafon or Scripture^ the God of this World having fo blinded his Eyes that he cannot, or corrupted his Heart to fuch a degree, that will not fee the Force and Pro- priety of them. ^ The S E R M O N XV. 3^5 The Extravagant, on the other hand, jufti- fies his ExcefTes by the plaufible Names of Li- berality, of greatnefs of Mind, or good Nature \ and if any Pretence could juftify an irregular Conduft, the appearance of thefe bright and generous Qualities, might be allow'd to put in the faireft Plea towards it. The ambitious Man again, thinks his Condu(3-, without examining too ftridly the Juftnefs of it, not only Innocent but Laudable j as he pro- pofes, or at leaft fancies himfelf to propofe, no other End by indulging to this Paffion, but that he may render himfelf more Confiderable, and by that means more Benificent and Ufeful in the World. I might obferve, concerning all the other paf^ iions, how artful they are in juftifying them- felves, either by afTuming the Name of thofe Vertues to which they have fome diftant Re- femblance \ or however, by deligning fome good, and, as they apprehend them, ufeful Ends, in their own Gratification. We are not prompted, by our vitious Incli- nations, to form thefe irregular Judgments, only in order to juftify our Behaviour to the World ; tho' 'tis certain, the Confideration of what the World will Think or Say of iis, is what the beft of us are very much influenc'd by ; but we have ftill this further View, in calling £t//7, Good^ and giving Vice the Appearance of Vertue. that we may more eafily ftifle the Rebukes of Con- fcience \ that we may Sin with greater Freedom and Security \ and, that the lefs Check or In- terruption may be given to our Criminal Plea- fures : For we naturally, we invincibly love Pleafure, and would be always pleas'd. Y 3 Bat 33(5 S;P-R-,M O N XV. But now 'tis impoffible, while we confider any A(^ion as abfolutely unlawful, that we Ihould take fo much Complacency or Satisfa- St'ion in it, as when we are able, by what Arti- fices foever, to perfuade our felvcs that we are at liberty to do it, without giving any great Scandal to the World, or Offence to Almigh- ty Cod. As our criminal Palfions therefore, always defign Pleafure, and Pleafure is what we always lovej the Mind towards juftifying the Difor- ders of them, and freeing itfelf from the pain- ful Reflexions of an evil Confcience, inftead of dear Evidence, concerning the lawfulnefs of Indulging them, which cannot be had \ the Mind, I fay, is willing to take up with fuch Appearances of it, as may prefent themfelves with any Colour of Probability. A Gift, fays Mofes, in. the Name of God, dofs blind the Eyes of the Wife^ and pervert the Wordi af th? Righteom, Deut. xvj. 18. But what Offer can be made more grateful to the Soul, or v/hich has a greater Power of Bribing it, than that which tends to gratify its predominant Paf- fion, the Pafilon wherewith it is continually and irrefiftibly poflefs'd, The Love of Pleafure t And Love, of all other Palfions, is moft apt to, blind the Underftanding, but has never more force towards perverting it, than when it ha§ prefent Delight and Satisfaction for its Ob- Jeft. It may not be improper to obferve here, that the deceitfulnefs of Sin, in putting out the falfe Colours and Appearances of Vertue, dif- covers it felf no where more, than among thofc, from whom, one would think, it fhould leaft S E R M O N XV. 327 be expefted j your Men of Wit. For tho' Wit is a Talent, in many refpefts, Advantageous and Ornamental, yet we may reafonably doubt, whether it be not dangerous in more. The greatelt Errors, and the molt curious refin'd Arts of Sinning, have ow'd their Origin and Improvement to it. It has been thought that the Stage, where this admir'd Quality is chiefly ambitious of difplaying itfelf, and which Ibme have taken for the Seat of its Empire, has, in a certain Chriftian Nation, contributed very much to corrupt the Morals of it, if not more, than any other vifible or known Caufe of Cor- ruption whatever. And tho' the juft Remon- ftrances which have, from time to time, been made againfl: the Diforders of the Stage, have, in fome meafure, tended to reform them ; yet it may be queftion'd, whether, in fome Points, a further Regulation be not neceflary ; and if Vice is not fometimes ftill fet off" with an undue Luftre, or made to Sparkle too bright in a counterfeit Imitation and Refcmblance of Vertue ? Whether, on the other hand, a ftrid and folid Vertue be not now and then repre- fented, as having fomething Singular, Affe(ied, and Vifionary in it ^ or after fuch a ludicrous manner, that they who want Force of Mind, and judge concerning Things, not from the intrin- flck Reafons, but thofe fiftitious Images of them, wherewith they are furpriz'd and pleas'd, are not in great danger of entertaining, in many Cafes, very flight and precarious Notions of Morality, or at leafl: of concluding, that in the Eye of the World, there is no great Neccffity of a nice and fcrupulous Conduit ? But, Y 4 Secovdly^ 3^8 S E R Ivl O N XV: Secondly^ When Men cannot difguife Vice, as in Offences of a more flagrant Nature, it isim- poffible for them to do, in fuch a manner, as to give it the Name and Appearance of Vertue, then thQ D^ceitfulNcfs af Shy appears, in excufing what they are not other wife able to juftify or approve. Every Man may be convinc'd of this by his own Experience> and in a thoufand In- ftances. But there is one Proof of it, wherein ive are very nearly concern'd, and that is frpni the original Offence of our fir ft Parents. The Woman, in particular, fcems to have fram'd Four of the beft Reafons, in Excufe of her Dif^ pbedience, that the moft ready and refin'd Wit could have invented ; For in the firft Place, the forbidden Fruit appear'd to her, good for Food 't, but nothing can be Good or Ufeful to any End, further than it may be fit or proper to be tu'd. It -woi- ^lenfant to the Eyes \ and why, as fhe pro- bably argu'd, are our Senfes given us but to in- form us what fenfiblc Objedis are agreeable or ungrateful to us, that we may determin our Choice or Refufal of them accordingly ? Or can it be fuppos'd, that a wife and good God fhould give us Appetites, with an Intention of derrying them the Pleafure of tafting their proper Ob- jefts ? But fhe ftill rifes higher in her Plea for eating of the forbidden Fruit, and from the Reafonablenefs of gratifying the fenfible Appe- tite, proceeds to that of Feafting the Intelle'- dluals : h wm a Tree to be defr^d^ to make one Wife. And what is more juftifiable, than to en- deavour after the Perfedion of our Nature ^ or what tends more to the Pcrfedion of it, thar^ yi/'ifdom ? Through thefe deceitful Arguments, tiUt too ingenioully contviv'd, in favour of her ' '^ ' ' ' crimi- S E R M O N XV. 329 criminal Defires, fhe found her felf at laft be- tray'd \ yet, left they fhould not be admitted by God, as any reafonable Defence of what flie had done, (he feeks further to excufe her Guilt, by charging the more immediate occafion of ic on the Tempter's Subtilty : Tlx? Serpent hegmUd me^ and J did eat- And confidering, indeed, it was very Surprizing and Extraordinary, that a 'ReftiUy naturally Mute, fhould fpeak to her ia a human and articulate Language ^ fhe feems to have been not altogether without Reafon, in laying the Blame of her Mifcarriage upon his moft deluding and fpecious Suggeftions. Never perhaps, were fo many Ex'cufes, on any Occa- fion, fo artfully laid together, or in i!o few Words-, except perhaps in thofe of jidam^ where- by he endeavours to extenuate his own Fault, by alcribing it to the Power which the Firft and moft Perfedl of her Kind, had over him : The Woman whom thou gavefi to be with me^ fhe gave me of the T'ree^ and 1 did eat. We are ftill very much inclin'd, in all our Offences againft God, after the Example of the firft Offenders, to make the m.oft favourable Pre- tences we can in mitigation of them. For fb great indeed is the Force of natural Confcience, that in order to ftifle, in fome meafure at leaft, the Rebukes of it, the moft wicked and profli- gate Sinners are compel'd to have recourfe to this Method. And that either by confidering the Sin they arc guilty of, as lefs offenfive and provoking in its own Nature, or as being at- tended with Circumftances that leffen the innate Guilt and Malignity of it. And yet it muft be granted, that there is a yery great difference between Sin and Sin. The Maxim 330 S E R M O N XV. Maxim of the Stoicks, that all Sins arc equal, is to be look'd upon as one of thofe extravagant and high-flying Principles, which they thought thcmfelves more concern'd to maintain, in or- der to keep up the Pomp and Vanity of their Sed, than from any firm or real Convidion of its Truth. But tho' all Sins are not equal, every Sin is an Ofience againft God, and contrary to Order j and which therefore no Conlideration, howe- ver it may be fuppos'd in comparifon to lelfen, can wholly or abfolutely acquit us from the Guile of: For he that effendeth in one Pointy as the Apoflle argues, is guilty of aU\ not that by com- mitting one Sin, he is equally and particularly chargeable with the Guilt of all other Sins *, this would be a very hard Saying : But the Meaning is, that he offends againit the Autho- rity which gave the fameSandion to thefeveral Parts of the Law -, and againft that immutable Order, which he is indifpenfibly cblig'd, and in every Article of it to follow. And yet there is reafon to fear, that even Perlbnsof a more ftrid and regular Life, when they are violently tempted to a Sin, wherein they apprehend lefs Guilt or Danger, are fome- times fecretly inclined to defire, that God would only pardon them in this "thing ; or to exprefs themfelves in relation to fuch a Sin, af- ter the manner of Lot^ when he came within View of the City of Zoar^ Behold novo it is near to flee unto-, and it is a little One *, Oh let me efcape thither ; is not a little One ? and my Soul jhali livt. It is farther granted, that Circumftances very much alter the Qiiality of om- Adions, and rhat there SERMON XV. 331 there are Crimes of a more heinous Nature, ab- ftraftedly confiderM, which, from the Motives upon which they are committed, or the Manner of committing them, may receive fewer or more heightning Aggravations : So that it Ihall be more tolerable^ at the Day of Judgment, for fome Offenders, than for others in the fame kind, according to the different degrees of Ig- norance or Malice, of Inadvertency or Pre- fumption, whereby they off*end. But this is a Confideration which Sinners, who profefs them- felves Difciples of Chrift, mult be particularly careful how they take Refuge in. Sinners, I fay, who are to be Judg'd by a Law, which exprefly requires them to abftain from all ap^ fearance of Evil^ to be Harmlejs^ and without Re- buke^ to have refpeft to all God's Command- ments, and to adorn the Dodrine of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift in all Things. Let us examin every Adtion of our Lives, by thefe Rules, and then let us fee how far any Circum- ftances whatever, may be able, I do not fay to juftify, but to alleviate orexcufe our finful Anions in any kind. _ Thirdly^ Where Men can, upon no Pretence, either juftify or excufe their own Condudt, then the deceitfulnefs of Sin puts them upon having recourfe, for relief of their guilty Minds, wholly to the Mercy of God. By which they do not underftand, that glorious Attribute of his Na- ture, which inclines hirn to pardon and fave penitent Sinners, and is regulated by infinite Wifdom, Juftice and Holinefs, and the regards due to his Sovereign Power •, but they mean aa eafy and compafllonate Temper of Mind in that all-glo^ 332 SERMON XV. all-glorions Being, without Reafon, and with- out Bounds. God forbid any thing fhould be faid in Di- minution to that Perferfion of his Nature, without which Sinners could take no Satisfa- ^ion in contemplating the other Perfedtions of it : But yet as it is neceflary for us to have right Notions concerning the Diviae Attri- butes, in order to form our own Principles and Condud, Men cannot be caution'd too much againft dangerous Errors concerning that of the Divine Mercy in particular •, there being BO Miftake of more dangerous Confequence to them, than in this Article, or wherein it is to be fear'd they are more generally mifta- ken. When we fay therefore God is merciful, we do not intend that he will indifferently fave all Mankind, or when he comes to judge the World, make no diflindion between wicked and good Men, in. the Sentence he will then pafs upon them. But by a merciful God, we wnderftand at the fame time, a holy, juft and wile God, in whom all his Attributes fhine eminenttyj and are intimately united without interfering with one another. We readily acknowledge, and with all Thank- fulnefs to God, that it is thro' his Mercy we are fav'd ; and that the Terms of Salvation are fo highly favourable and advantageous to us. And it is the Mercy of God in admitting Chri- ilians in general to the Benefit of thofe Terms which the Scriptures fo highly celebrate, but they no where promife Mercy to any particu- lar Pjerfons, who negleB fo great Salvation^ or refuie to comply with the Means of it. A Prince S E R M ON XV. 533 A Prince publifhes an Ad of Grace to bis rebellious Subjedls, in order to plead the Benefit whereof, their SubmifTion is requir'd to certain eafy and reafonable Terms. All this is very confiftent with the Character of a wife and good Prince. But (hould any Prince by a publick and authentick Inftrument declare, that he is ftill refolv'd to pardon his Subjects, tho' they fhould refufe to lay down their Arms and perfift in their Rebellion againft him •, what Idea could we have, either of his Wifdom, or indeed of his Goodnefs ? Seeing he has fo little Regard to the Honour of his Laws, or even to the real good of thofe very Perfons he connives at, and encourages in the Breach of them. We cannot think any temporal Potentate would be guilty of fo weak and unreafonable a Lenity : And yet this in effedt is what every Sinner, who hopes for the Pardon of his Sins, while he continues impenitent in them, fuppofes the great and eter- nal God capable of. Fourthly^ When a Sinner is neither able to fatif- fy his own Mind in that which he alloweth^ or the Circumstances of his Sin are fuch as will admit of no Alleviations ^ or in the next Place, when the NecelTity of Holinefs appears not only con- fiftent with a Difpenfation of Grace and Mercy, but abfolutely necelTary to entitle him to the Benefits of it ; then his laft Refort, to the End his guilty Confcience may in fome Meafure at Icafl: be kept in Peace, lies in the Hopes of his reconciling himfelf to God, and one Day clear- ing all ScovQihy zn After- Repentance. But thele Hopes are owing to the Deceitfulnefs of Sin, i^ot only in a very dangeious Inltance, but which 534 SERMON XV. tvhich has the grfeateft Appearance in the World of a Contradiction in it. For when a Man commits any Sin with ti Defign, or in Hopes of repenting of it, he de- figns at the very inftant to be heartily forry, that he has committed it, and tho' the fame' Circumftances of Temptation (hould again oc- cur, never to commit it again. But if fuch a Defign were really fincere and well founded, what imaginable Caufe can be affign'd, why the Reafon of it fhonld not as much reftrain him! from the prefent, as from a future Compliance with Sin? Islo one certainly, but a Perfon in- fatuated with the Deceitfulnefs of Sin to thei lafl: Degree can have any tolerable Conception, how he (hall hereafter, and upon Principles truly Religious, refolve to hate and abhor what the Force of his finful Inclinations, at the ve- ry time carries him away upon, contrary to all the Motions of Divine Grace, and the Conviifti- ons of his own Reafon. Is it not much more natural to fuppofe that every linful Compliance will Hill betray him in* to greater Diforders •, and that the farther he walks in the Sight of his Eyes^ and the Ways of his Heart ^ he will find it a Work of fo much more Difficulty and Difcouragement to enter upon the proper Methods of renewing himfelf again unto Repentance? He may, 1 grant, at the Time he is engag'd in a (inful CouiTe of Life, propofe, and that is all he fcems capable of pro- pofing, that he will afterwards perform fome external Ads of Humiliation for his Sins. This he may do, while he continues wholly under the Power, or in the open and avow'd Pradife of them. And in Truth this is no more, than whaE SERMON XV. 335 what the greateft Sinners are obferv'd to do every Day : They confefs over and again, that they have done thofe Things, which they ought not to have done ^ and their Confeflion is evca attended with fome vifible Signs of Sorrow and Regret : This is a Sacrifice they can pay to God with their Lips, while their Hearts are far from him, or which perhaps is become fo cufto- mary and habitual to them, that they have not fo much as any a^ual Intention or Defiga in it. But Repentance, where 'tis lincere, imports fomething more than a bare ConfelTion of Sin, or even a fenfible Concern under the Apprehen- fions of fuffering for it. Godly Sorrow, faith the Apoftle, that Sorrow which is founded on truly pious and good Principles, rvorketh Repentance un- to Salvation^ not to be relented of. Whoever there- fore in the Motion, which his Grief for the Sins he has committed, excites, does fincerely refolve to repent, muft refolve at the fame time to comply with all the Means of Salvation, and in particular to hate and deteft the Caufc of his former Mifcarriages. But we fiy, no Man can without an apparent Inconfiftency re- folve, that what is at prefent grateful and pleafant to him in the Adion, fhall at any time hereafter be odious and deteftable to him in the Reflection; efpecially, ifhefuppofe, which one who truly defigns to repent muft do, that the fame Circumftances of Temptation fhould again occur-, For there being fomething as he appre- hends, peculiar and extraordinary in the Temp- tation, which at prefent, all Things confider'd, jenders his Compliance with it more eligible.. iX'hat :^o,6 S E R M O N XV. WhatReafbn can begivenwhy the very fame Mo- tives, upon which he now determines his Choice, will not hereafter have the fame Force and Operation ? In fhort, if the Power of a prefent Temptation to any Sin be a reafonable Argu- ment for your yielding to it, it will hold as well, and we generally find it does fo, againft our grieving and afBiding our felves for having committed it. The Deceitfulnefs of Sin in putting us upon the Delay of Repentance appears farther from the Uncertainty of that Time, wherein we pro- jed to fet about the Work of it. For all fu- ture Time is in God's Difpofal ^ and the more we have hitherto neglefted the Opportunities of turning our felves to him, the lefs Reafon have we to expeft the Continuance of them. A thoufand Accidents by his jult Providence may hurry us fuddenly out of the World ^ no Man having more certain Security againft the Sur- prize, than Protection againft -the Power of Death. Neither Health, Youth, Strength, Riches or Honour, can give any of us an Exemption in either Refped *, thofe, who upon a miftaken Notion of Chriftian Faith (if the Notion be not altogether fingular) contend for fuch an Ex- emption, are only capable of excufing their Er- ror, upon this poor Pretence, that they cannot live to fee themfelves confuted. But whit if God, as by our former Abufe of that Goodnefs which ftiould have led us to Repentance, we may juftly provoke him to do \ what if, I fay, the juft God fhould cut us off in our Sins, and require our Souls at a Time when we areleaft prepar'd to appear in Judgment before him? How S E p. M O N XV. 337 How great Diftrefs and Confufion of Mind mult we neceflarily find our felves in upon fo fatal a Surprize? But yet this is nothing to the dreadful Confequences of it in a State of un- fpeakable Mifery, amidft all the Horrors of an endlefs, but fruitlefs Defpair. In a word, what will all the former Hopes of a Repentance in Revcrfion fignify to a Sinner, when he is paft Hopes of having his Life protraded a Moment longer ? Or when he has barely time to conli- der, that after a thoufand ineffeftual Defigns of repenting for his Sins, he has never once put them, heartily in Execution, but is now going out of the World in a finful impenitent State ? . And yet if we could be fecure, which no Man can be, of a future Space for Repentance, what AfTurance have we that our Hearts will then be in a better Difpofition for it ? Or that God, after we have fo often and fo long done Defpight to his holy Spirit, will give us more Grace, than at prefent, to infpire us with true Contrition of Heart, or to facilitate the much greater Diffi- culties which will then obltru^ it ? Let us but refled how many times we have heretofore deceiv'd our felves with the vain fu- gitive Defigns of repenting at a more con- 'venient Seafon ; and then let us anfvver it to our own Confciences, if wccan, why we fhould truft any longer to fuch Defigns, or ftill pro- ceed in fo notorious a manner to chufe our own Delujion ? Certainly it becomes us much rather to fear, left thro' the Deceitfulnefs of Sin, in fo very common and repeated an Inftanceof itj we Ihould at laft grow obdurate, and more in- fenfible to the Imprefilons both of natural Con- fcience and Divine Grace. But this leads me, VOL. IIL 2 Idly, k 338 S E R M O N XV. ^dly^ In the next Place, and in few Words as poffibie, to caution you againft the infnaring Artifices of Sin, from a Confideration of the Danger, left at any time you fhould in the Event be hardnedhy it. For Hardnefs of Heart IS the moft dangerous State which Sin can bring Men under, or provoke the Divine .Juftice to inflidt upon them, in this Worlds And there- fore it is us'd in Scripture as one of the high- eft ExprelTions concerning the prefent Judgment of God againft Sinners, and which removes them at the fartheft diftance from all Capacity of reftoring themfelves to his Favour. But to reprefent to us more effedually the Danger of fuch a State, let usconfider a little fome of the moft common and obvious Symp- toms with which it is attended. r. The firft Inftance, whereby Men ordina- rily difcover an Obduracy of Heart, is in their Sinning without any regard to Modefty, or a Senfe of Shame \ nov/ Shame is one of the moft powerful Reftraints in i&^ature to our Criminal Inclinations, and of the moft general Influence. In young or ignorant Perfons, who are not fo tvell capable of making ufe of their Reafon^ it often fuppliesthe Place, and does the Duty of it. Nay, 'tis a PafTion not only implanted deep in the Mind, but after a more vifible and ITg- nificant Manner in the very Frame of the Bo- dy : So that our Innocence, where Nature has not been much vitiated, is no fooner attack'd, but as a faithful Sentinel it reports the Dan- ger, and even difcovers to others, by the Air and Signatures of the Face, the Apprehenfions which we are under. The wifeft and beft of MS may poflibly recoiled, if we pleafe, that the Pre- S E Pi. M O N XV. 33P Prefervation of our Honour and Vertue has, on certain Occafions, been more owing to the Power of Shame, than to all other Confidera- tions whatever, civil or religious. Men will \ therefore naturally grow more bold and luxu- ■ riant in any Vice, as the Shame of it wears off^ ^ or they have been too familiar with it. But ; when they are wholly loft to all Senfe of Mo- defty, which is the ordinary Cafe of obdurate Sinners, their Innocency is irrecoverably lolt; with it. We may therefore obferve, that the \ Scriptures make it the Charadef of the mofl j profligate and notorious Sinners, that they re- fufe to be ajlmmcd \ and comryilt Abomination with-j outBlufhing, or any vilible figns of Confulionjl Jer. iij. 3 viij. i2. 2. The hardned Sinner is not only infenil- ble to the Motions of Shame, which are fo naturally excited upon the CommiflTion of Sin, but he feels no Regret of Confcience from ajiy other Principle whatever. He has no Re- gard to the Dillinftion of Good and Evil, of . Right and Wrongs ^"t confults only, how t^ gratify his Paffions, without examining whe- ther his Gondudl be jult and regular, or what Account he fhall be able to give to God, to himfelf, or to the World of it •, and when Men are once grown to fuch a pitch of Impiety, that they flight the Remonftrancesof their own Reafon, and Sin without either Fear or Re- morfe, what fhould with-hold them from run- ning into the mofl; vile and fcandalous Enor- mities ? The Force of Confcience is great, and which very bad Men, in many Cafes, are not wholly able to refjfl:. But when any one by a long Habit of Sin has contraded fach an In- Z 2 fenfibilitv 540 SERMON XV. fennhility of Heart, that it does not reproach him with his molt flagrant Impieties, there are no human and ordinary Means left for his Re- covery, or which may prevent him from fil- ling up the Meafure of his Iniquity. WhenWlf" dam crieSj and Vnderfiand'mg futs forth her Voiccy , he cannot hear. The molt powerful Reproofs i which he meets with in Books, in Converfati- '] on, or from hearing of Sermons, make no Im- • preflion on him, but are loft in the confus'd \ Noife of his ungovernable and rebellious Palfions. This fhort Reprefentation I have made con- cerning W^;^f^ Offenders, who have finn'd away the Regret of their own Minds, is very agree- able to the Manner wherein they are defcrib'd in Scripture. They are faid to be given over to a reprobate Mind, and the Spirit of Slumber *, to be palt feeling \ and to have their Confciences feared, as with a hot Jron^ Rom. i. 28. xi. 8". Ephef. iv. 19. I Tim. iv. 2. 3. Another fign of an obdurate Heart in Men,. is, that it renders even the feverelt judgments of God ufelefs towards their Recovery and Amende ment. And yet it is natural for very great Sinners, when the Hand of God is upon them, and prejjlth them fore^ to humble themfelves be- fore him, and to form at leaft fome good Re- folutions of entring upon a more Itrift and re- ligious Courfe of Life. But the hardned Sin- ners rejefts, with Difdain, the proper Admoni- tions of God's Providence to reclaim him ^ wilis j7one of his Reproof '^ and like a fullen Child, im- proves the Chaftifement which is intended to break him of his Faults, into an Occafion of difcovering a more refradory and obftinate Temper. But I Ihall only cite the Words of the S E R M O'N XV. 541 the ?ro])het Jeremiah to fhew, how highly pro- voking fuch a Temper is to God, and of what dangerous and terrible Confequence to Men ^ For thus he addrefles himfelf to that fupreme and righteous judge of all the Earth : O Lord, are not thine Eyes v^on the Truth ? Thou halt firkken them^ hut they have not grieved ', Thou ha fi confumed them^ hut they have refufed to receive Corredion ^ They have makde their Faces harder than a Rock ; They have refufed to return. There- fore I faid, furely thefe are fobr^ they are foolijl)^ for they know not the rvay of the Lord^ nor the Judg- ment of their God^ Jer. V. 3,4. 4. Bat the moft dreadful Confideration of all to a hardned Sinner, is, that he has provok'd God to withdraw the prefent Aids of his holy Spirit from him ^ and that after he has fo long refilled the ordinary Means of Grace, nothing but an extraordinary Degree of it, which he has no reafon to expeft, can poITjbly recover him. I do not deny but that God, by a fpecial Grace preventing an obftinate Sinner, does fometimcs put into his Heart good Defires, which may afterward be improv'd towards renewing him again unto Repentance, and working out his Salvation. But then, we fay, the Method of God's dealing with fuch a Sinner is rather to be confider'd as a Vrerogative AEb of Mercy, which he may poffibly indeed difpenfe, than a Privi- lege, to which the Sinner can lay a reafonable Claim, or flatter himfelf with any well-groun- ded Hopes of. And if this, as we have reprefcnted it, l>e really the State of obdurate Sinners, can Men be too earneflly caution'd againfl: the Danger 9i)id dreadful Confequences of it ? To thofe Z 3 indeed, 34^ SERMON XV. indeed, who think it not of any Impor- tance to them, whether they fhall be fav'd, or efcape eternal Damnation, any farther Cauti- on on this Head may appear altogether unne- ceilary. For without entring into the Quefti- on, whether God in Juftice do fometimes fo harden the Hearts of Sinners, that he finally withdraws his Gra,ce from them in this World, and render them for ever-after incapable of it ^ tho' he fhould ftill grant them a longer Term of Life : As to which Point Divines are not univerfally agreed •, but without coming, 1 fay, to any Argument upon this Queftion, the Cafe of harden'd Sinners mult be fuppos'd at lealt dangerous to the lail Degree, even by thofe, who do not look upon it as wholly defperate. And then, which of us for the whole World would be found, or even apprehend himfelf in fuch a Cafe ? And yet there is no Man who allows himfelf in the known habitual Pradife of any one Sin, that can certainly tell where he fhall make a ftand, or whether by Degrees he fhall not be drawn on to com- mit 11:111 greater Impieties, till in the Event they occafon his final Obduracy. The only good Security we can have, that we fhall not ran into all manner of Sin, is to avoid eve- ry Sin J and how artfully foev^r it come dif- guis'd, according to the Apoftle's Exhortation, wherewith I fhall conclude, to Ahfiain from all fipfcartunce of it. To To the Right Honourable William Bromley, Efq; One of Her M A J E S T Y 's Principal Secretaries of State. SIR, JT is expecied^ thxi Great Names jhotdd h? "^ prefix' d w Great Works^ and to them onlj, . But Good Men, ift eminent Stations^ are fometimes pleas'* d to difpence with the Common Forms of Greatnefs^ and to favour welUinten' dedy thd" lefs ample Occajions^ of addyejftng them, Thofe who would infer ^ from the great Num- ber of excellent Difcourfes already publ if j*d on the Anniverfary of our Royal Martyr, that there is no Necefflty of augmenting them, may do well to confider, that frejb and flagrant Of- fences in any kind^ &(T^ainft the State, call tor ■ more publick and repeated Jnimadverpons. While "^tis the conjlant Emphynient of fo ma- ny fervile Fens to traduce the hejl of Govern- . mentSy and Perfons of the greatejl Authority ^ ^ a,nd frfi Diftin^ion in it \ While thofe Prin- cipleSy upon which the Grand Rebellion was ori- ginally formed, and afterwards fomented, are induftrioufly propagated, and in the chief Places of Concourfe ; While til Defigns are Z 4 openly Epiftle Dedicatory. openly promoted, anci under the very Vm- hrage of an Jppeal to the Clergy I Certainly tis incumbent on every Clergyman^ to apply convenient Remedies, jo far as they a,re appli- cable iyt his Sphere, to fuch Diforders ; and to obviate the ill Confeqnences of them, by ajfert- ing the good Old Principles, upon which the Safety of Church and State has ever been beji fecur^d ; and, after all the Chicane of pre^ tending Empiricks in both, ever will befo. And we feem under a particular Engagement to employ all proper Methods, which the Na-" ture of our Office may fupply, againfi the Ef- forts of Faction, as they are thought, how dz^ ring foever, yet too defpicable to provoke the Iccular Arm, Thd* it may probably be from an Abufe of this Lenity, rvhich the Men of Mo- deration, when in Power, were always Stran^ gers to, that the Enemies offo excellent an Ad- miniflration have the Effrontery, not only to publifh their Scandals, but to do it after a Manner, and in Terms, wherein no Regard is had, I do not fay to the Rules of Chriflianity, hut to thofe of common Decency and Refpect^ in civil Life, But it is our peculiar Advantage, to live under a Government^ which no Charg^e can be brought againfl, but what Libertines, from the Obfervation of Solomon in my Text, have chared Providence itfelf with ! AN E X- CESS OF CLEMENCY. Hoiy Epiftle Dedicatory. Horv far the general Presepts of ChriJlUn^ Forbearance^ are to be extended in favour of fublic and notoriom Delinquents ? What Mea- fares (hould be obferv'^d by the Civil Foivers, with refpecf to that Rule of being kind to the Vn- thankful^ and to the Evil ? How long thofe who defpife Government^ who are prefumptu- ous and felf-will'd, and not afraid to Ipeak tvi\ of Dignities J may be tolerated wtth Impuni- ty ? Thefe^ Sir, are Quejl ions far above we^ and. much ftter to be refoiv'^d by a Perfon, equally 'vers'^d in the Laws of the Chriftian and Civd Injlitution, It has been indeed too common a Prejua/ce againjl our holy Religion, that ajlrict Reg^aril to the Rules of it, is not always obferv'^d to ac- company certain great Qualities, which ffarhle iii the Eye of the World, and are in themfelves high- ly Valuable, This Prejudice, it muji be owndy has ever had fome Foundation in Faci ; Andn-t- tural Reafons may be affignd, why Gentlemen of extraordinary Talents, and efpecially of a lively and luxuriant Imagination, are not in allPxe- fpeBs the mojl fiijceptible of religious Iwprejfi' ons. This ObjelHion may be other ways reply"* d to ; but we have fometimes the Happinefs of jeeing /-' confuted, and that is the mojl feniibie way oj confuting it, by living and illujhious Examples, I have here, Str^ a proper and very invitin-^ Occafion of confidertng Tou, in Tour Perfonal^ ?;^ Tour Dome flic, and more public Capacity. Wi.^h- out Imputation of Flattery, againfi which IjJjall always Epiftle Dedicatory. alrvays de fire to guard, with the utmof Caution^ it may be faid^ if You will pardon me for fay- ing ity that in all the relative Duties of Life ^ the World has feen few brighter Injlances of a regu- lar and uniform Conduct^ But I (hall not at-- temp a Character fo well known, apd to which I know ^ny felffo much inferior, I only beg leave tophfetve, that your growing Abilities early drew the Eyes of the learned Vnti- verfity of O^ifovd uponTou; and their repeated Choice of Tou to reprefent them, has been abun- dantly jufliff d by Tour reprefentingthem at all Times fo well and faithfully ^ that Tou were thought the fttefl Perfon to fill the Chair in the hefl Houfe of Commons j and toferve the befh of Queens, in one of the highefl and mofi impor- tant Places of Truft, It isy Sir, from Tour being a Reprefentative of th^t mofi famous and ancient Seat of Learn- ing, that I am at prefent more particularly am- bitious of Tour Patronage ; as it affords me an Opportunity, which may not he ]ud^ d altogether improper^ of paying my moft humble, and pub- lic Acknowledgments, for the Diploma, 1 late- ly had the Honour of receiving from thence^ and, after the mojt honorary Manner. I am, Sir, Your moft Obedient moft humble Servant, R. Fiddes. 347 SERMON XVI. On the Thirtieth of Jamiary^ being the Anniverfary of the Martyrdom of King CHAKLES the Firfr^ EccleS. vij. 15. There is a. jufi Man that fcrijheth in his Kigh- teoufnejs^ and there is a wicked Md/i Ik At frolongcth his Life m his Wichinejs, TH E Chara-fl-er Solomon here takes npon. himfelf is that of a Preacher^ and the principal Scope of his Difconife is to diredour Views forward upoa another VVovKI, from .1 Conlideration of the precarious and irregular State of Things in this. To which end cer- tainly he could not have made ufe of a more proper or penetrating Argument, than whnt is contained in the Words now recited. For rhcy mani- 348 SERMON XVI. manifeftly extend, what is fo often obferv'd, concerning the feeming Inequalities of Provi- dence to Mankind here, as far as this Obfer- vationcanbe carry 'd.* That wicked and good Men fiiould indiffe- rently Ihare many of the Bleflings and Evils of Life, has nothing furprizing in it, or which gives us any fenfible Pain. Indeed, confider^ng the different Views, Paflions, and Interefts of Men, it is impoffible, without a continued Series of Miracles, that Things fnould be otherwife order'd ^ But that God, after having long chafi- ned and correSied good Men, fhould at laft give them over unto Death ; that after an uninter- rupted and high flow of Profperity, he Ihould fometimes permit Sinners, impenitent Smntvs^ to go down ( in the Eye of the World ) to the Grave, in Peace •, may be thought of all his providential Difpenfations, to have the great- efb Appearance of Severity on the one Hand, and of Indulgence on the other. Becaufe the Jjfues of Life being of the laft Confideration and Importance, if any Argument of God's Love or Hatred to Men could be drawn from what be- fals them here, there is nothing we can better form fuch an Argument cpon than the Circum' fiances of their Death. If this Scripture be fo forcible of it felf to give us an Idea of the mix'd and uncertain Condition of Things Temporal •, the Idea muft ftill be more powerfully imprefs'd from the fad Solemnity of a Day, wherein the Words are fo remarkably fulfiird in our Ears, and fo very applicable, that I am perfuaded every one prefent has already prevented me in the Application. For SERMON XVI. 349 For we have not now under Confideration the Misfortunes incident to good Men, and the flou- rifhing State of wicked Men in common, or low Life ; but we are contemplating the different Turns and Revolutions of Fortune in the high- efl and moft eminent Stations. If on one fide of the Text, we fee a juft, but withal an excellent and fovereign Prince, for a long time expos'd to the greateft Indignities, Difficulties and Dangers, and at length betray'd into the Hands of wioked Men, and ferifnng in his Right eoufnefs -^ we fee, on the other fide. Fol- ly fet in great Dignity^ (Ch. x. 5.) and thofe very wicked Men, who had been his Betrayers and Murtherers, who had broke thro' all the Ties of Duty, Fidelity and Juflice, and, in the End, of common Humanity \ yet for a confiderable Pe- riod attended with a fmooth Run of Succefs, and reaping in Triumph the Spoils of their- Treafon ^ fome of them to the concluding Period of their Lives^ without any vifible Denunciation of God's Difpleafure againfl; them. I avoid, as much aspoflible, all Circumftances of Aggravation on cither fide of this difmal and inverted Scene of Things ; my Defign not being to irritate but to indrud ^ and to that End, do not know how to difcourfe upon the Words of my Text better, than in the following Order. I. Firfly 1 fliall endeavour to explain the Terms of it, and that with an Eye to the prefent Oc- cafion. II. Secondly^ 1 (hall confider with what Reftri- ftion it is to be underflood. III. Thirdly^ I fhall Ihew, that no Article of Impeachment, againfl the Divine Providence, can be drawn from it. IV. la 550 SERMON XVI. c IV. In the Fonrib and la ft Place, I fhall make fome ufeful and feafonable improvements of what has been faid. V - ^ 1. F/V/, I am to explain the i erms of my Text. Ihere is a jiiji: Man. Solomon does not here in- tend a Perfon abfolutely perfed, or one who is able to anfwerto the full and flrid Demands of Juftice, Ibr in that Senfe jliall no Man living he j'tiftified ^ but he intends one comparatively juft, with regard ( as Divines fpeak) to a Per fetation of State, not of Degrees^ one to whom, in the Difcharge of 'his Duty, equitable Allowances are to be made from the prefent frail State of hu- man Nature, and upon the Conditions of- Re- pentance. Tho' indeed, when we examin the Life of that excellent Prince, the crying and national • Guilt of whofe Death we are now met to de- precate; he appears to have gone much beyond the common and ordinary Characters of jufi Men. It m.ay be queftion'd, without defcen- ding to Particulars, whether in the relative Du- ties of Life, and all thelBranches of a ftrid! Morality, the Chriltian World had feen a more bright and perfed Example, or which was not impair'd with greater and more frequent Ef- capes ; yec he was not more exemplary in his , Morals, than in the feveral Offices of Pi- ety. As to the Devotional Part of it, the ad- mirable Book he has left us is a fufficient Proof, had we no other •, and it may be faid, there are as great and fublime Strains of Devotion in it, as ever enrer'd into the Heart of Man. Yet, uniform as he was in his Practice, in re- ference both to a moral and religious Life, he had SERMON XVL 351 had Paffions like other Men, and fome too that are faid to have been complexional. It was the more for his Honour, that they were aten- ded with fo very fev7, if any, irregular Confe- quences to himfelf or others. When the Let- ters, which had palfed between him and the Queen were by a Bafenefs and Difingenuity wc cannot think of without-Indignation, not only open'd, but expos'd in the moft publick man- ner •, tho' innocent Expreflions might very eafi- ly have been allow'd in them, capable of an indired Interpretation, yet we do not find that Malice itfelf could gather any Expreffion from them, in Prejudice to the Purity of his Senti- ments, and the exaft Decorum great Perfona- ges ought always to obferve, in whatever they fay, or commit to Writing. If we underftand Jufiice in a more ftrid Senle^ as it denotes in our Commerce with other Men a firm Adherence to the Rules of Fidelity and Honour, the Noble Hifiorian^ in his celebrated Charader of King Charles the Firlt, obferves, " he was fo great a Lover of Juftice, that no '' Temptation could ever difpofe him to a '' wrongful Aftion, except it came fo difguis'd *' to him, that he believ'd it to be jiifl. If I may farther apply the Diftindion St: Paul makes ufe of, between a righteous or juft and a ^ood Man, Rom. 5. 7. the Martyr of the Day was eminent in this fuperior Charadler. He was good to all about him, to all he em- ploy'd, or that came recommended, with any Advantage to him ^ indeed too good to many of them •, for his Goodnefs was fometimes abu- fed to his DilTervice. And we cannot, on a more proper Occafion, put up our Prayers to the 352 SERMON XVL tlie Throne of Grace, That a Princefs defccn- dcd from him, who h all Goodnefs, and whofe Reign God has fo much delighted to honour, may never have her Favours abufed by fafitious Perfons, if any fuch are permitted to enjoy them, to dangerous or difloyal Ends. But to turn our Thoughts from Apprchenfi- ons, which we are ib willing to tfiink unreafo- jiable ^ our Royal Martyr, that good Prince, for w^hom many of his faithful Subjects did not only facrifice all the Interefts of Life, but, as they were in Duty bound, even dar'd to die^ was by his rebellious Subjeds, after a long Se- ries of Trouble and Adverfities, hhnfelf put to Death, and thereby gave.the mofl fignal Con- firmation of what I am to explain in tlie next place. There is ajufi Man that perifioeth. By this EjC- prelTion we are not only led to confider the unhappy manner of a jult Man's Death, but the afRiding Circumftances of Life, which may tor any confiderable time precede it. Thus the. Words deriving from the fame Original, in the new Teftament, do not barely denote a fimple Ad of Diflblution, but a permanent State of Mifery. To perilh in the former Senfe, would indeed be very defirable to the damn'd j and fince they have brought themfelves to fuf- fer the Vengeance of eternal Fire^ they will have reafon to wifh they had never been born, or that, as in many refpeds they have liv'd, they had alfo dy'd like the Beafts that Verlfli. Poor Confolation to a Soul naturally immortal, and capable of immortal Happinefs, fo far to have abus'd its Reafon and Liberty, as to render An- nihilation it felf a reafonable Choice ! 'There S E R M O N XV. 353 There is a jufi Man-, that perijheth in his Righ- ieoufnefs \ that is, a jult Man is expos'd here to a long State of Suffering, Sometimes to Death, tho' he ftill perfevere in praftiung the ftrict Rules of Juftice, in the full and general Extent of the Word •, tho' he take up that noble and magnanimous Refolution of Job^ Ch. xxvii. 5. Till I die I will not remove my Integrity from me j my Right eoufnefs I hold fafl^ and will not let it go ; my Heart Jl^all not reproach me fo long as I live. But I fuppofe the Preacher rifes ftill higher in this compreheiinve Gradation, and deligns farther than the Righteoufnefs of a juft Man is fcmetimes the vifible and diredt caufe of his Suf- ferings j that is, he fufFers as a righteous Man and for the very fake of Righteoufnefs \ or, be- caufe he is fully determined to aft upon Prin- ciple, and to do his Duty, whatever Dangers or Inconvenienciesa faithful difcharge of it may betray him into. Here again, the Example of our Royal Mar- tyr appears with a bright and diftinguilhing Luftre ^ he did not only through the whole Courfe of his Sufferings hold faft his Integri- ty, and at laft die the Death of the Righteous, but he died in a juft and righteous Caufe, and for it : He aflerted, tho' that was the occafioa of all his Sufferings, the primitive conftitutioa of the Church, and juft Rights of the Crown, to and at his laft Moments •, and would not fuf- fer, fo far as he was able to oppofe it with the hazard of all that was dear to him in this World, a Breach to be made in the Fundamen- tals of either, as well forefeeing what after- wards happened, the Diforder and Confufion, with every evil Work that would enter in at luch a Breach. A a <4nd 3.54 SERMON XVI. Jtful ther€ is a wicked Man. I ftill confider the SiVords with refped to Persons in a fupe- rior Condition of Life, and therefore by a wick- ed Man we are here to underftand one in fome f iTiinent Pofl: of Profit or Power, enabled by an abufe of thefe Advantages, to flrengthen himfelf in his Wickednefs, and to run a greater length towards filling up the Meafure of it. The Application turns no lefs vifibly hereon thofe who were at the Head of the Grand Re- bellion. The Oppreffions, the Violence, the In- juflice, to fpeak in the fofteft Terms, which they run into, were not of an ordinary Pitch, tho' all executed in the Name of Liberty and Property^ as we have known feveral Things tending the fame way, under the fpecious, but no lefs equi- vocal. Name of Moderation^ tho' there appears indeed this Agreement between the Spirit of an- cient and modern Faftion, that Popery has ever been the common Cry when there was the leaft Danger of it, and the Church when really in the greateft Danger, reprefented molt Safe and Flou- ri filing. But why all thefe difmal Apprehenfions in Men for the Church, who aft upon the worft of Popifh and Jefuitical Principles, and mofl: deftruftive'to the Rights of it ? fuch as making the Prince, the Head of the Church, accountable to the People after as defpotic a manner as the Jefuits do the Pope. Levelling the Authority of Epifcopacy, rendring that of the Prieflhood of little ligni- ficancy, but of no necefllty ^ legitimating the Baptifm of Lay-Men and Women (the fame Reafons will legitimate their Adminftration of the other Sacrament) and promoting faftious and fchifmatical Principles in order, by dividing us, to Itrengthen the popilh Interelt j for Popery can L- - never SERMON XVI. 355 never come in among us, buti'atthe Breaches made by our Inteltine Divillons about Religion, and the Mcafilres of Civil Obedience. This is no new Character of Men, tho* fome- what perhaps refin'd upon, who yet profefs feme regard both for Monarchy and the Church j it was the Character originally of the Enemies to both, in the Reign of King Charles the Firft. But whofe Succefs arid Impunity for fo long a time, have given too great and evident a Confirmati- on to what I am to explain in the next place. There is a wicked Man that frolongeth his Lifel For it is not barely hereby intended, that wick- ed Men are fometimes, for wife and jull Reafons of Providence, fufFer'd to live long, but that, ia the Language of the Pfalmifi, they alCo fee good Bays and enjoy the BleflTings of Life in great Splendor and Plenty. Length of Days is an Ex- preflion in Scripture which at once denotes a pro- tradting the Period of Life, and all the Advanta- ges of Health, Eafe, and Freedom, from thofe Gates and Anxieties, which by a natural Cafua- lity, tend to impair or fhorten Life : Tho' the Words indeed, as render'd by the Septuagint, di- redly import no more than that a wicked Maa is fometimes feen perfevering, or continuing ia his Wickednefs, (j-ivcoi'h Ka.KiAcivri. But I confider the Text according to the com- mon Acceptation, and proceed to (hew, LafUy, What we are to underftand by a v/icked Man's prolonging his Life, in his Wickednefs. And the Words may either import, that a wicked Man is fometimes permitted to enjoy all the proper Aqcomodaiions of Life, while he proceeds in a wicked impenitent States or that he raifes his Fortunes diredly on the Ruins of his Confcience-, and finds his Account, as to the Profpcdts he may A a i have 356 S E II M O N XVI. have in this World, even from his afting upon wicked Principles. Inftances to this Purpofe, in all Revolutions founded on rebellious Principles have been fo common and notorious, 'tis unne- cellary to draw Parraliels from the Rebellion which occafion'd this Day's Humiliation. II. I am to conilder in the Secof7d Flace^ with what Rellridlion thefe Words of my Text are to be underftood. It has been an old Qiieftion, why the Blefllngs and Evils of Life are fo promifcu- oufly difpens'd to wicked and good Men ? If we look upon this as a Qucltion 0/ Fact^ it cannot be deny'd, and I fhall prefently fay fomething in anfwer to the Force of it. What I would ob- ferve by the way is, that Solomon is not here fpea- king of the ordinary and common Events of Life to wicked and good Men, but of what happens ta them in particular and uncommon Cafes. T'here is a jujl Man^ as if he had faid, there is here and there for good and wife Ends of Providence an Example of what I am going to obferve ; in the ordinary Courfe of Providence the very Reverfe of the Obfervation is more generally true-, there are jufl: Men, whofrolovg their Lives in their Righ- teoufnefs, and there are wicked Men, who perljh in their \A^ickednefs. A little Experience of the World may con- vince us of both thefe Truths ^ we fometimes fee Meo of ftri(ft and known Probity, enjoying the chief Advantages, and in the moft confiderable Stations of Life ^ and attended with a furpri- •zing Felicity in all their Defigns and Underta- kings. We fee others of the fame Charader, tho' for a while expo fed to many Difficulties and Difappointments, and to the worft kind of Treatment, that of Calvmhy and Reproach, yet improving what was dellgn'd to inifair their Cie= SERMON XVI. 357 Credit with the Prince or People, to an occalion of raifing it ftill hl^h^r and higher with both : So that inftead of the Difgrace contriv'd for them, they have receiv'd a more publick and honou- rary Atteftation of their good Services •, and in proportion, as they have been attak'd by the Vi- olence and Injuftice of their Enemies, have dif- cover'd how much they have really merited the Applaufe and Efteem of their Friends, and of all good Men. At other Times, the jufl: Man is, not only at- tacked in that which is, and ought to be, above all Things dear to him in this World, his good Name ^ but artful Schemes are laid, and fedu- loufly purfued forhis Ruin-, or if they fhould happen to miicarry, he is perhaps a (faulted with more open Outrage and Foice. Yet Providence ftill defends him from unfeen Machinations and vifible Dangers, and frequently makes thofe ve- ry Methods, which were intended to crufh and deltroy hini, the Occafion of his future Rife and Grandeur. Sacred Hiflory affords us a memorable Exam- ple of this, without mentioning any other, in the Perfon of Afordecal. This illuflrious Proted- or of the Jewifh Church and People, from a per- fonal Diftafte to him, and hecaufe he had too great a Soul to ftoop to any little or unjuft Con- defcenlions, v;as deftinM to fall a Sacrifice to a haughty and ambitious Favourite -^ but whofe Revenge indeed had this extraordinary in it, that he refolv'd to involve all the jews in one common Ruin with A4ordecai ;, and that too up- on a Pretence of publick Service, a flale Artifice of Men in Power to cover the InjuHice of their ^ivate Views. A a 3 Cut 558 SERMON XVI. But as near as Haman\ Defign was brought in all human Appearance to bear, the Event ihew'd that God can^ and does^ when he thinks fit, interpofe after a fpecial Manner towards the Deliverance of good Men, whom he intends to make the great hftruments of his Providence to any Church or Nation. What has been faid, both concerning the Ca- lumnies andDangers,Menof Probity in thecourfe of their Lives are often expofed to, is very agree- able to what Solomon in another Place obferves, that a juft Man falleth [even times and rifeth vp a^ain, Vrov.i^. j6. And I the rather mention this Text, becaufe it it is one, among fome others, which through Weaknefs or Defign has been brought out of the holy Scriptures to favour Corruption. Nay the more to excufe the Sins and Impieties People are guilty of. Additions are made to this Text, and it is faid, the jufl: Maa himfelf falleth feven times in a Day \ whereas the Words do not at all relate to a juft Man's fal- ling into Sin, but into feveral Misfortunes out of which notwithflanding God, in his due time, delivers him : This is evident both from the fore- going Verfe, and the Oppofition in the latter Part of this. But the wicked [hall fall into Mifchief, For there are alfo, what I would obferve in the next Place, wicked Men, that perifh in their Wickednefs. The Projects of ill Men in Power (for the Na- ture of my Subjed leads me all along to have a more fpecial Regard to publick Charafters) ve- ry often prove abortive, and finally terminate in their own Ruin or Difgrace ; at other times, fho* great and notorious Offenders are more fuc- cefsful, and have committed for a Revolution of fome Years the higheft Ads of Injuftice, not on- S E Pv M O N XVL 35^ ly with Impunity, but Applaufe, and under a Pretence of Jega-l Power and Right \ yet the Pro- vidence of God in the Event cuts then? iliort, and they are made to feel the juft Revenges of it, in a way, fo much the more confpicuons and ex- emplary, as they thought themfelvesby the Ad- vantages of their Power, their Wealth, or Alli- ances more fecure and tin account able. Thus the Heads of the grand Rebellion were permitted for fome Years to fucceed in their De- ligns of fubverting the Conftitution in Churcii and State, and until they had fubverted them intirely : But at laft that Vengeance they had fo much defpis'd and provok'd, overtook them, and at a time when they thought their nnjuffc Acquiiltions upon a fure Eftablifhraent, and were faying, in Imitation of the wife Ladies at- tending on Si fern's Mother, Have we not fped ? have we not divided the Prey? Yet even then, by a juft Retribution of Providence, their Deilrudi- on came upon them, and in the following Words of thefe Ladies, they found a Reward in:et^ in a proper Senfc, for r/;^ Necks ofthem^ that took the Spoil, Judg. 5. 30, Where God does not proceed to bring pow- erful and profperous OlTenders, who have Cm-- ned with a higher hand, to condign Punifhment, or to give them up to pcrifh in their Wicked- nefs, but ftiil is pleafed to prolong their Days, he often infli'.'^s on them fome temporary Punifli- mcnt or Difgrace. Thus again one of the/'r/;7(r//7/z/^ in the Rebellion againftoar Royal Martyr, and who, after his manner, has wrote Afemoirsotit^ found means upon the Reftoration to make his Efcape, and retire into a foreign Country i where he liv'd many Years, forming all the ill Deligns he was capabk ofagainit the Peace and A a 4. Inte- 55o SERMON XVI. Interefts of his Country ; in a voluntary Exile indeed, but ftill preferable to the due Execution of Juftice upon him at Home : 'Till at left ho- ping to find his Account in fome Overtures made to him by his Friends at the Revolution, he made an Attempt to come over, with a Tender of his Service, yet without being receiv'd, as he expect- ed, according to the Merit of his Principles. It were eafy, were it neceflary, to multiply In- ftances, in confirmation of what I have been af- ferting, that the Words of my Text ought to be underftood in a limited Senfe, and are far from being generally applicable either to wicked or good Men. But is there then no Difficulty, in accounting for thefe promifcuous Events of Good and Evil to Mankind, 'tho we fhould only reftrain them to particular and lefs ordinary Cafes? Is it fo very eafy to folve all the Objedtions, that may arife from what Solomon here obferves, both with ref- pedt to the Juflice and Wifdom of God, to fay nothing of the other divine Attributes, in his providential Difpcnfations ? The Anfwer to this will lie under my next Head, to which I now proceed, namely^ III. That no Article of Impeachment can be drawn from what Solomon here obferves againit a divine Providence. In the firft Place, as to what concerns the Sufferings of juft Men, fo far as the Juftice of Providence is confider'd in them, there is no manner of Difficulty. The belt of Men are con- fcious to themfelves, that under the fevereft Dif- penfations God puniffies them lefs than their Ini- quities deferve; they are Sinners, and for this Reafon may be punifh'd,and that too with Death, ^i^ Wages of Sin. But after what maflner, or to what SERMON XVI. 361 what degree God fhould punifh them in this World, feems rather indeed a Conlideration of Wifdom, than Juftice •, Hj that all the Difficulty, if there be any in what is objcded, will lie againit this Attribute. And it may appear at the firfl: View to beara little hard on the Wifdom of Providence, that God fhould not only expofe juft Men to the fe- verefl: Tryals and Adverfities, but that too upoa the very account of their being juft Men. Wif. dom confifts in employing proper Means towards attaining the propos'd End, One principal End of God's interpofing in the Government of the World is to make Men more obedient :, but there are no Means of making them fo more probable, .than by encouraging their Obedience, upon the Profped of fuitable and proper Rewards : And yet we obferve, juit Men, even from a Princi- ple of Juilice, are fometimes brought under a long continu'd Courfe of Sufferings \ and that their very End too, in a vulgar way of judging, is "Without Honour. In anfwer to this 'tis fufficient to fay. That God may have very wife Reafons for afflicting juft Men, tho' they do not particularly, and in a full View, appear to us. The more General and Com- prehenfive the Defigns of any Agent are, the more Difficulty there is in making a Judgment concerning the Reafons upon which he ought to proceed. Even in the Conduct of our private AfEiirs, we are on certain Occalions oblig'dj« Prudence to take thofe Meafures, which appear imprudent to others. But we need not have Recourfe to this gene- ral Anfwer for vindicating the Wifdom of Piovi* dence, with refpedl to the Sufferings of juH- Men; for wc are not fpeaking of Men fo perfedly Jufi: as 5^2 S E R M O N XVI. as to need no Repentance ^ but of fuch upon whoni their Sufferings may have a good Influence t6 bring them to Repentance, and at the fame time render them more fincerely Penitent. I need not proceed to fhew, that the Misfortunes incident to good Men are, both in their own Nature, and the Intention of God, medicinal^ and conducive to thefe Ends : But the Wifdora of Providence in them is further acquitted, as they arealfoof good Ufe and Inftruftion to others. When we fee a good Man of fuperior Quality and Diftinftion in the World, undergoing the grcateft Calamities of Life, or perhaps Death it felf, with a firm composed Relblution, and a Mind perfedly refign'd to God's Will ; this evi- dently difcovers, that Religion has in truth great Power over him ^ and at the fame time gives us a more confcious Senfe, and makes us really afham'd of our own Weaknefs. Bright and fla- ming Examples of Chrillian Fortitude, will na- turally animate us with a generous Ambition to go and do likewife -^ but cannot fail of impreffrng lively and awakening Apprehenfions of our Du- ty. Great Pcrfonages, in a State of Adverfity, like the Sun under an Eclipfce, have at once more numerous Beholders, and put them upon making more uncommon and ufeful Refleftions. Tho' to a Chriftian, who is infpir'd with any becoming Degree of Zeal, when he fees an illu- ftrous Perfon, or (to turn our Thoughts dired- ly on the Occafion) when he beholds a Sovereign Prince, beaqng for a long time innumerable Difficulties and Difappointments, with a Con- ftancy fuperiour to them, and at lafl:, after ha- ving fiiffer'd all the preparatory Indignities, to a publick Death, and fome of which we cannot even with Decency mention j yet fubmitting to the S E R M O N XVI. 363 the Stroke of it with a Dignity of Mind, truly Chriftian and Ucroick: This is an Example certainly of much greater Force t.o invigorate the Obedience of fuch aChriftian, than, astheOb- jeftion fappofes, to difconrage it. Who, after fo brave a Leader, would not be fir'd with a noble Ardour to fill any Vofl of Honour ? ^And fuch is a State of Adverfity to good Men here, which ic might pleafe the great Lord and Sovereign of rhe World to appoint him. ^''-^^ ■'-•'<'■ r' '}• ^ ' With refpeift to the Profptrffy orTmpunity of wicked Men, in any' eminent Station of Life, the Difficulties concerning the Juftice of Providence areaseadly folv'd. The natural Light of their ,own Minds fnrhidl'd Seneca and Plutarch^ yfho have both particularly confider'd this Point, with clear and obvious Solutions to it. And indeed, if fecular Princes may, upon; good Reafons, for a.time fufperid the Execution of JnHice on cer- tain notorious Delinquents, why fnonld wc de- ny this Power' to'' the Fountain of all Power } The World, in a Revolution of fo me Years,' would be in danger of having very few Inhabi- tants, if all wicked Men were to be punifhM ib foon as they might deferve Punilhment, and none but jufl: Men fufFer'd to live. But this leads me to confider the Objection,' from the powerful and profperous State of un- jurt: Men in this World, asfuppos'd to lie agaiall the Wifdom of Providence. For hereby it may be thought too great and vifible Encouragement is given to Sin, as on the ether fide, was ob- je^ed Difcouragement to Vertue. But this is further anfwer'd, upon the Belief of a future Sta^c, wherein both Rewards and Punifhments {hall be difpenfed after a more equal manner ; and wicked Men, who are more par- ticularly 5^4 S E R M O N XVI. ticularly under Gonfideration, call'd to a fe* verer Account, in proportion to their ufurp'd or abus'd Power and Greatnefs. Yet fetting afide the Regards of another Life, Plutarch makes ufe of two Arguments, more peculiarly refpeding the State of fuccefsful wicked Men in this World, which may deferve a Place here. One is, TlTat God does not immediately punifh wicked Men, becaufe he would give them time to amend ; wherein he fpeaks very agreeably to the Argument of the Apoftle, Rom. 2. 4. that theGoodnefs of God leadeth., or has a natural and direft Tendence to lead Mefj to Repentance. This Moralift inftances in Miltiades^ Cimon^ and The- miftocles^ and obferves, that if they had been cut off in the firfl; Diforders and Excurfions of Youth, their Country had been deprived both of the Liberty, they were the great Inftruments of preferving, and a large Acceflion of that Glory, they had the Happinefs of deriving to it. The other Reafon is, That wicked Men in Power and Profperity, are the proper Inftru- ments of punifhing other wicked Men. Thus he (Obferves, Phalaris became a Scourge to the j^gri- geminesy and that the Conquefts of Cafar, by en- abling him to over-awe the Senate, and opprefsj the Commonwealth, was a juft Punifhment on the modern Pride and Luxury of the Romans, He cites other Examples to this Purpofe •, and indeed, both facred and prophane Hiftory are full of them. 'Tis the Glory of God in all hu- man Revolutions, to bring Good out of Evil, and to make the very Wickednefs of Men employed 'in them, fubfcrvient to the great Ends of his Providence. Aftej- all, this Objedion, againft the VVifdom i>f Providence, both as it refpedts wicked and good SERMON XVI. 365 good Men, has the lefs Weight, as it does not proceed upon general Obfervation, but more E articular and uncommon Events, in human ife. Should God always give Profperity to good Men, and to tliem only ; (hould all Things go fmoothly on with them, and fucceed to their Defires ; the Qiieftion would not then be,whether we (hould be good and vertuous out of Choice, but we (hould be determin'd to be fo, out of necefTary and indifpenfable Regard to our tem- poral Interefts. Should it again be the conftant and unchange- able Order of Providence, to blalt the Deljgns of wicked Men, and caufe them to peri(h in their Wicked nefs, we fliould be more at a lofs to di(lingui(h, whether our Obedience to the Laws of God, might proceed from a filial Awe of offending him, or a more fervile Dread of fuffering for our Offence. He has therefore fo wifely temper'd the Difpenfations of his Provi- dence to wicked and good Men, that all Men may be induc'd to love and fear him upon the mod noble and generous Motives. IV. I am now, in the laft Place, to make fome ufeful and feafonable Improvements of what has been fa id. I. And firft I would infer, that we cannot make any certain Judgment in Favour, or to the Difadvantage of other Men, from their outward Condition of Life, or the Succefs, whether good or bad, that is obferv'd to attend them. But we are to confidcr their intrinfick CLualifications, and the Principles upon which they moft evi- dently appear to aft. Men of vulgar Spirits will always be attach'd to Fortune, and judge of per- fonal Merit from the external Splendor, where- by they fee People of Diftindion furrounded. The ^66 SERMON XVL The great Vulgar and the fmall are apt torunj Litothis corrupt way of Judging •, and it would on fome Occafions, where we are dazled with the brighter Ideas of Glory and Succefs, be thought very lingular and capricious, even in wife Men, to judge other wife. But let us, with- out regard to popular and confus'd Ideas, in eftimating the real worth of other Men, fet afide as much as we can, all exterior Diftindions, and never pafs a decifive Sentence upon them, till the highefl; Degree of moral Evidence obliges us to give it. I 2^/y, Tho' 'tis acknowledg'd that God, both for Reafons of Wifdom and Juftice, does forae- tijnies fuffer juft Men to perifh, and wicked Men to prolong their Days •, all Perfons in their fe- veral Stations, but above all thofe in the highelt, ought notwithflanding to encourage Vertue, and difcountenance Vice. We are not in our Com- merce with the World, to govern our felves by the Events of a Providence, the particular Views whereof arc many times unknown to us, but by the known Maxims of civil and political Pru- dence. For inftance, becaufe God does fome- times permit good Men in the faithful Difcharge of their Duty to be perfecuted or opprefs'd j we mull not therefore argue, that any Perfon for endeavouring faithfully to ferve the Publick,- ought to incur a publick Detriment or Difgrace. As Irrational would it be on the other Hand, for Perfons in Authority, to place their diftinguifh- ing Favours on thofc, who make it their Bufinefs to embarafs or traduce the Adminiflration. A Government will be very ill ferv'd upon Princi- ples, which naturally encourage Men to de- fpife it. SERMON XVI. 3^7 One of the wifeft Maxims laid down by a Diftinftion of Men among us, if Dillindion s may pofiibly be kept up under the Reign of fo excel- lent a Princefs, and who has t^ken the moft ef- fedual Care to remove all Occafions of them ; yet one of the wifeft Maxims, I fay, of thofe who affeft a Name of Diftindion, we ought not to envy them the Credit of, is firmly to fupport all thofe, who are in Friendlhip or Alliance with them, and to run down, as Enemies, all others who ftand in their way. Tho' this is a Rule too ignoble, and in truth unchriftian' to be recom- mended to Imitation-, yet I do not know whe- ther we may not in fome refpeds learn Wifdom from it • or whether on fome Occafions, when it ought to have obtain'd the moft, it has not been too little confider'd. ^dly. What I would in the laft Place leave an Impreffion of upon your Minds, is, the Advan- tage, as well as Duty, of ftridly purfuing the Paths of juftice. For tho' a juft Man may pe- rifh, yet God ordinarily prevents him with the Bleflings of Life, and in the Diftribution of his temporal Favours, fets a morevi(ible Mark of Diftindion upon him. And we are not to regu- late our Condud by particular Accidents, but by the moft general and ordinary Event of Things. Tho' that excellent Prince, whofe Martyrdom we are now met to commemorate, fuffer'd both as a Chrifti.in, for adhering to his Religion ^ and as a Prince for aflerting, to the laft, the juft Rights of the Crown, and Liberties of the Peo- ple ; which none, but Enemies to both, can think of dividing : Yet, in the ufual CoiuTe of Providence, good Princes may moft pioufly hope to fucceed ; and if we confult our own Hiftories in particular, have been moft happy and fuccefs- ful : 368 SERMON XVl. ful :, tho' it may be queftion'd whether we can exemplify this Obfervation to fo great Advan- tage, in tlie whole Line of our Kings, as by men- tioning two of our lUiiftrious Queens. The for- iner of which was not more inftrumental in per- feif!ing the Reformation of the Church, than the other has been in fupporting it. And if the Englif) Nation v/as confiderable in its Influence and Weight abroad, and in its domeftick Wealth and Splendor under the Reign of Queen Eliz./*- heth^ the Glory of it in thefe and other Refpefts, without derogating from the Memory of that excellent Priucefs, will be allow'd much fuperi- our under the Afcendant of Queen ANNE. Yet I do not hereby intend, but that an Obli- gation alfo lies upon all Orders and Degrees of Men, to pradife the Rules of flridi Jufl'ice ^ even from the natural Tendency of it, to their pre- fent Happinefs. And indeed it is evident from Solomon himfelf, that the Words of my Text are not to be confider'd as an Obfervation arifing from the common and ordinary Event of Things, but are rather an Exception to what he lays down as moft agreeable to the ufual Methods of Providence in the two foregoing Verfes j where- with I fhall therefore conclude. " Tho' a Sinner do evil an hundred times,' *' and hisDaysbeprolong'd, yet furely I know, " ingenerd^ it fhall be well with them that fear " God, and that fear before him. " But it fhall not be well with the Wicked, ** neither Ihall he pro/^^w*- his Days, which areas ** a Shadow, becaufe he feareth not before God. FINIS. s I X Pradical Difcourfes On Several SUBJECTS- By Richard FiDDES^ D. D, Re8:or of Holdernejs^ and Chaplain to the Right Honourable Robert Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer. BEING A Supplement to three Volumes ofDiscouK sEs, formerly Publifhed, and compleating a Courfe for the whole Year. LONDON: Printed for 'John iVyatt in St. Paul'^s Church- yardj Benjmnn Tooke in Fleetjlreet^ John Barber on Lambeth-hill, and H. Clements in St ?ml\ Church'jard^ MDCCXX. ■Al^MMMK. ./KT^an^l v T O T H E Right Honourable and Reverend, the Lord WiLLOUGHBY of Brooke^ Dea}^o£ WINDSOR. May it pleafe your Lordship, HA D not your Lordfhip given me a Per" mijjion to frejix your Name to thefe Dijcourfes ; yetj 1 jhould have thought an Ad- drefs of them to your Lordjbip more excufable^ on Occasion of your Advice^ which will ever have the Force of a Command to me^ that I fhould write an E(fay upon the Subject 0/ Sincerity. My Lord, One of thefe Difcourfes is up- on that Subje^ ; and I (hall be the more con^ cerned for any Failure in a Performance^ where I had an Ambition of faying fomethingy that: might not be altogether Vnworthy of your Lordjhip'^s Approbation ; and where I had One of the highefi Examples of that Vertue continu- ally in my Eye : If a jufi and uniform Condu6f^ an open and eafy Manner ^ a free and ingenuom Converfation^ be proper Evidences of Sincerity, I AMfenjible, My Lord, how particular- ly Cautious we ought to be, in avoiding all Ap- pearances of Ojfeme^ againft the very Nature A 2 and, Dedicatio n. and Rules of the Duty, which we are at the Time recommending* And therefore I am re^ folved^ tho* I could here jufilj mention many excellent Qualities^ yet to avoid, fo much as is foffible, the common Method and Stile of Dedi' cations, A Perfon indeed of a noble and gene- rous Mindy can no more accept the Incenfe which is fometimes offered in them than a Per- fon of a good Vnderflanding can think it either due, or really honorary to him. The principal Deftgn, indeed^ of this Ad- drefs to your Lordjhip is. That I may have a more publick Occafwn of acknowledging the areal Favours, which I have had the Honour of nceiving from your Lordjhip, and of de^ daring with how^ufi and true Regard, 1 am^ yiy L o R p, Your Lordfliip's moft humble and moft obedient Servant, Ri. F I D D E s. THE CONTENTS. SERMON I. THat it is the Duty of Chrijiiam to inr form themfelvesy as well concerning the DoBrind as the Practical Truths y ofChriJli- anitj : On fhil j. ip. Page t SERMON II. The Notion and proper Efficacy of Sincerity ^ in order to Salvation^ fiated ; certain Defers which may conjift rvith it, obferved^ and the J^uty of it recommended, Phil. j. lo. 36 SERMON III. The Keafons of that peculiar Difiincf ion which was put upon the Day of our Lord^s Refar- reciion^ and how the Memorial of it ought per- petually to be celebrated : On Pfal. cxviij. 24, 6x SER- Contents. sermon iv. The Truths the Renfons^ and Effects of our Sar viour*s Jfcenfion. That Effect in f articular of it J which conffted in his infiituting a, difiinB and fucceffive Order of Paflors^ in the Chrifiian Church : On Pfal Ixviij. 1 8. 8 1 S E R M O N V. That the Laws of Religion are perfeBly agree- able to the Jlanding Rules of Prudence and Equity: 0/? Ecclef. vij. i6. ii^ SERMON VI. That the FraBice of Religion is neceffarjy as well in reffe^ to our frefent^ as to our fu- t;ure hterejls : On Eccief. xljc 1 1. 145 SER. SERMON I. That it is the Duty of Chriftians to inform thcmfelves^ as well coiu cerning the DoSiinal^ as the Pra- fiicalj Truths of Chriftianity. P H I L. j. 10. That you may af prove things that are excellent. CH R I S T I A N S fhould ob- ierve it as an inviolable Rule of their Condu£l, not only, oq all Occafions, to do uhat is fimply and in general lawful, but what, all Cii- cumftances confidered, is really mofi: ex- pedient ; what has, in any refpeA, a vifible Tendency to promote the Honour of God, the Interefts of Religion, or their own Perfeclion. We are not to acquiefce niere- ly in a negative Holinefs, like that cf the B I'ljATifee, 4 SERMON I. Phdrifie^ whofe Confcience did not charge him with Extortion, Injuftice, or Adul- tery ; no, nor in foch a pofitive Holinefs, as that of the Lawyer who had kept to the Letter of the Commandments from his Youth up ; but we rnufi examine fur- ther how far, and in what refpeQs, the Eeafon and Spirit of all the Command- ments of God are defigned to oblige. We ouft afpire to the nobleft Attain- ments I exert our felves, where proper Occafions offer, in the mofl: generous and Iieroick A6ts of Obedience, condu£led by the mod llriO: and approved Rules of Prudence, fo far as we are able to dif- coi^er or apply them. This is what the Genius and Spirit of our fioly Religion ; what the Afliftances which it affords, and the Rewards which it promifes, to men- tion no other of the Motives proper to itj do more efpeciaily require of us: And the Wordsj by the Bleffing of God, might, in a very edifying Manner, be confidered In this Senfe, and improved, to fliew us in general our Duty, and even the veryBeft of us our Defers. But fmce the Text, both in the Origi- and as it is explained in the marginal Note of our Bibles, Try things that differ^ does import an Inftruftion to us, That be- fore we proceed to judge, we fliould du- ly S E R M O N I. 3 ly examin wherein the true and real Dif- ference between Things confifts ; I fhall difcourfe of the Words according to this Senfe, andconfider them rather as an Ex- hortation towards regulating our Judg- ment concerning the Nature of Things, whether true or falfe, good or evil, than as being direftly, or in a {lri£t Senfe, a Rule of Life. In profecuting which Defign, I fiiall obferve this Method. I. I fhall propofe to you feme of thofe important Reafons upon which this apofto- lical Precept, in order (as I have explain- ed it) to regulate our Judgments, does appear to be founded. II. I fhall inquire, why this Precept is not more ftriQly or generally obferved ; but Men, notwithrtanding, fo ordinarily imbibe, and even propagate Errors of dan- gerous Confequence both to Faith, and Morality. III. I fhall lay down fome proper Di- regions, in order to obviate the princi- pal Caufes of fuch Errors, and towards redifying our Judgments in general. B 2 IV. 4 S E R M O N I. IV. I fhall conclude with an ufefulOb- fervation or two from what fhall have beea faid. FirB^ I am to propofe to you fome of thofe important Reafons upon which this apoftolical Precept, concerning the Regu- lation of pur Judgnients, does appear ta be founded. ' This T fhall do, with refpeO: to the Na- ture of Things, according to the Diftin- Qion before laid down, whether true or felfe, whether good or evil. The former Branch of this Diilindion relates to fpe- tulativc Truths, the Latter to Pradical : And in the Opinion of fome modern Pre- tenders to Wit, and even to a more ftri£l Method of Reafoning, provided Men do but take care not to run into any dan- gerous Errors, refpe£ling Morality, and efpecially which affeft the Interefts of the State, it is Matter of little or no Confe- quence, whether, as to fpeculative No- tions, they make a regular or precipitate, a true or a wrong Judgment. They, to whom the Care of initru£iing others is committed, ought, fay thefe Advocates for the Innocency of fpeculative Errors, to be very cautious how they difturb Peo- ple in the quiet and confirmed Belief of them. It is better, they think, and more agreeable SERMON I. 5 agreeable to the natural Rights of Man- kind, that we fhould leave them to judge for themfelves, or fufFer them to continue under an agreeable Delufion, than to un- deceive them, or make them uneafy by reprefenting to them how far they are governed in the Judgments they make, or have formerly made, by Paffion or Inte- reft, by pretended Authority, or the Pre- judice of Education* This Notion, dangerous as it is, and ill grounded, has not only been efpoufed and contended for by Men of corrupt Minds and profligate Manners, but fome Perfons of Candor and Ingenuity, and who, in other refpeQs, do not appear to be far from the Kingdom of God, have found themfelves much inclined to give into it. And indeed it is rather from Inclination, than any good Evidence arifing from the Nature of the Thing, that this Error finds fo eafy a Reception among fuch Perfons. Charity, which is reprefented fo exten- five, 2LS to believe all things^to hofe Allthifjgs^ difpofcs them to think, That a great Pare of Chriflians being very ignorant, many of them, under ftrong Prejudices, and all of them fallible, it may be very agreeable to the Gooclnefs of God, that he fliould not fo ftridly, and under fuch fevere Pe- nalties, as Divines commonly pretend, re- B I quire 6 SERMON L quire them to believe the feveral Articles or fpeculative Truths of Chriftianity. But whatever Appearances of Charity this Error may be founded upon, I fhall endeavour to lliew under my firft Particu- lar, to which I now diredly proceed, That it cannot, either in Truth or Ju- ftice, or even in Charity, be admitted. 1. The firft Reafon I fhall propofe, why we fhould carefully endeavour to diftinguifh between Truth and Error, with refpe£l to the fpeculative Doftrines of the Gofpel (for thofe are properly, if not folely, here intended by the Apoftle) ILall be taken from the End and Defign which God had In revealing them; For we cannot fuppofe Jefm ChriH was fent into the World to make known themyflery of the gofpd^ to deliver any new Do£lrine to Mankind, or to propofe fuch in a clearef Light, as had been more obfcurely deliver- ed before, but with an Intention that Men Oiould be obliged to perceive and embrace all the Truths revealed by him. This Conclufion is necefTarily founded in the Regard which we owe both to the Wifdom and Goodnefs of God in the Chri- ftian Revelation. Yet I do not hereby intend, That an explicite Knowledge or Belief of all the Truths revealed m the Gofpel is of equal and SERMON L 7 and indifpenfable NecefFity to the Salva- tion of all Men. There may be occafio- nal Doctrines pfopofed to certain Per- fons, or perhaps to certain Churches^ with refpeft to the Circumftancesat that Time proper to them ; or certain Herefies may be propagated, in ConfuEation of which, many Truths may be accidentally inculcated, which Chriftians in general might, without any great Danger to the common Salvation, be ignorant of: There may be certain hiftorical Truths, which neither in the Nature, nor vifibk Ten- dency of them, having any direft loSu- ence, either with refpecl to Faith or Mo- rals, Chriftians may be fafe without know- ing them either wholly or in part. I ihall only add, what may appear a little out of Place, but whereof I hope to make a per- tinent Ufe, That there may be evangelical Truths even relating to the Subje^k of Mo- rality, of lefs Confequence to Salvation than other Truths of the fame Kind* This Affertion, I prefume, will be readily grant- ed ; and it may ferve, which is the Im- provement I would make of it, to fupply us with an Anfwer to that common Quellion, wherein the declared Enemies of all Creeds, and all compendious Sy- Items of Faith, feem to place their main Strength j " Where do your fjndamen- B 4 tal 8 .SERMON I. ^' tal Do£lrines end, and your non-fun- '' damental DoQrines begin ? We fay, The Anfwei- to this Queftion is much the fame with what themfelves would think reafonable, fhould we ask them, To what determinate Number they would reduce fuch particular Rules of holy Living, laid down in the Gofpel, the Praflice whereof is abfolutely neceflary to the Salvation of all Men, in their diffe- rent Relations and Capacities? I am a- fraid no fuch Specification of Chriftian Duties can be made. But will they, who make it their Bufinefs to decry all Creeds and all Creedmakers, fay therefore, That one who writes a Treatife of Mora- lity, ought not to make in it any parti- cular Collection of moral Precepts, any Diitindion between Duties of the Firft and thofe of a lower Order ; between fuch, the Pra6lice whereof is abfolutely neceiTary to recommend Men to the Favour of God, and fuch, the Negled or involuntary Tranfgreffion of which may poJibly confiit with, a State of Grace ? This Anfwer may indifferently ferve in both Cafes, That an AfTent to very Do- ctrine revealed by God, as to every Precept enjoined by him, is, when fuch Dodrme or Precept comes to be diifinftly known, of abfolute Neceffity to Salvation : But aa SERMON L p an explicit Aflent to all Truths, whe- ther Speculative or Pradical, is not e- qually or abfolutely necelTary to tjiis End, It will not, however, be denied, That the Knowledge of fome Truths, is of greater Importance than other Truths, in both refpetls, and Men ought, for that Reafon, to be more particularly in- ftruQed in them. Why then may not a proper Colledion of Truths be made in either refpeds, without our precifely de- termining, That fuch Truths and no other, no more or fewer, are, in the ftrideft Senfe, Fundamental? I do not here examin how far any Church has Authority to require an open Aflent to a certain Syftem of Do£lrines compiled by her ; or how far fhe may ex- clude any of her Members from certain Priviledges, on Account of iheir denying, and efpecially of their oppofing fuch Do- ftrines; I only argue here, in general, for the Reafonablenefs and Expediency of a common Symbol of Faith in all Churches, whereby the Ignorant may more readily know, and make confefRon of the com- mon Principles fum'd up in it, and others be more eflpeftually fut in remembrance of themy tho* they k»ow them, and are already ejlablifhed in the truth. But fetting a fide the Praftlce of all Churches, ancient and modern, as to this Point, lo S E R M O N I. Painty and the Reafon of the Thing ; no Man can fbew any Reafon why it is not as much his Duty to affent to the fpecu- htive Doctrines, which God has required hinfi in the Gofpel to believe, as to thofe practical Truths, which prefcribe the Rules of evangelical Obedience. If we argue from the Wifdom or Good- nefs of God, and the Neceffity of con- forming our felves to his Defign, in the Revelation which be has made ; our Du* ty is, on both Accounts, equally evident. But I fhall add further, to enforce what has been faid, That this Argument from natural Reafon, is alfo exprefsly confirm- ed by a fpecial divine Authority ; by thofe repeated Precepts in the revealed "Will of God, which require. That we fhould contend earmfy for the faith oncede-' itveredto the JAints\ That we fhould fjf- amin our felves whether rvt he in the faith ; That we fhould add to virtue knowledge "^ and, in the Words immediately preceed- ing my Text, That we fhould abound more and more in knowledge and in all judg- ment, Thefe Precepts, with many others, which might be cited to the fame Pur- pofe, are enforced by the fame Authority, and in as preffing authoritative a Manner as thofe Precepts which more immediately relate to the Duties of moral Life. 2. The S E R M O N I. II 2. The Reafon why Chriflians fhould be fo careful to diftinguifh between fpecu- lative Truths and Errors, as they are cal- led, will further appear evident, if we con- fider, That the evangelical Dodrineshave all of them, in one Degree or other , fonae fpecial Influence on our Conduct. But thofe Articles are vifibly ftill more in- fluential on it, and fuch are the Articles contained in Creeds^ which relate to the Paternity and Power of God, to the Per- fon or Oflices of Jefus Christ his Son our Mediator, or to any CharaQ:er proper to the Holy Ghoft, the Third Perfon in the ever blelTed and adorable Trinity. There is one Article indeed relating to our Saviour, which, in the cold jejune Man- ner according to which it has been com- monly explained of late, (and for that Reafon I mention it) does not appear to be dire£lly attended with thofe praftical Improvements which arife from the Senfe wherein it was anciently underflood, and it is highly probable, was originally de- iignM ; I mean the Article which fpeaks of Chrifi'*s defcent into Hell. If the Church only intended to fignify by it, That the Soul of our Saviour, during the Interval between his Death and Refurreftion, re- tired for fome Time into the Place, or con- tinued in the State of feparate Spirits, without any fpecial Confequences of his Appear- 12 S E R M O N L Appearance among them; the Reafons do not appear altogether fo evident for in- ierting this Article, as, in a fpccial Man- ner, fundamental ; and the Force of it to- wards reprefenting the glorious EffeQs of his Death, and imprinting a more power- ful Senfe of them upon our Minds, feems very much leiTened : But if we explain them by that famous PafTage of St. Peter^ I Ep. iij. 19. where he tells us. That the Spirit of Chri/^ went to preach to the Spirits that were in Prifon ; if we con- (ider the Relation wherein thefe Words ftand to the Context, and interpret them accordingly, and there appears to be no other Way of Interpreting them, but by fuch a forced Confl:ru8:ion, which, if ad- mitted, the Scriptures might, by the fame Rule, be explained in any Senfe ; If, I fay, we underfland by them that Chri/t went locally down into Hell, to declare in Perfon the Authority which he had re- ceived from God, to propofe certain Con- ditions of Pardon to the Spirits detained there, and to triumph over the Powers of Darknefs : This Interpretation repre- fents the Efficacy of his Death, and the Extent of that Satisfaction which he made by it, after a Manner that cannot fail at once of confirming our Hopes in the Me- rits of it, and affecting us with the deeped Senfe of Gratitude to God. But SERMON I. 13 But we need not inftance in particular Dot^rines, to fliew the Neceflity of an or- thodox Faith, in order to a more ftrift, cheerful, and uniform Obedience. We may obferve, in Fa8-, how much foever Men do recommend the Practice of a pure Morahty, or are capable of difcourfing in a lively and elegant Manner upon it ; yet there is fomething more required towards obliging them to conform to their own Rules, than the naked Truth or Reafon- ablenefs of them, in how advantagious a Light foever they may appear. Sinners, in whom the Light of Reafon is not to- tally, or in a very great Meafure, ex- tin8:, will readily acknowledge, That the law is hofyy and the commandment holy and jafi and good, Vertue^ in the naked Con- templation, is fo bright a Form, that they who do not devote themfelves to her Service, cannot but applaud, cannot but admire her, and pay her an inward and fecret Homage : But Admiration and fimple Efteem, have not always a Power effectually to move or determine the Will : There are other Springs of human Choice and A£lion which operate with greater Force. Such Confiderations, and fuch the Doftrines of the Gofpel are proper to fup- ply, as moft fenfibly afFe£l us, are taken from the Motives of Hope and Fear, of Love 14 SERMON I. Love and Gratitude, of Authority and Example. Did the Praftice of our Duty wholly depend on our having clear and diftinft Notions of moral Truths, ahnoft all Men would be equally vertuous ; efpecially 'with regard to the primary, or, if I may be allowed to call them fo, the fundamen- tal Prmciples of Morality ; the great Lines of them being drawn fo full, fo lively, and ftrong, that all Men, who have the common Ufe of Reafon, are eafily capable of difcovering them. You will object. Why then have Men fo commonly but very confufed and in- diftin£l Notions of their Duty, and even in Cafes where it principally concerns them to be acquainted with the Rules of it ? The Reafon, we fay, of their Blindnefs, does not proceed trom Want of Light, but either from Want of Atten- tion, which yet certain dodrinal Truths of Religion are, in the Nature of them, very apt to awaken ; or from fome ih'ong Prejudice, w^iich other Truths are no lefs apt to remove. To conclude this Particular : Moral Truths, how clear and amiable foever in themfelves, or though, when barely pre- fented to the Mind, they appear in the bell and ftrongeft Light, yet will have much greater Power over the Heart, when enforced S E R M O N I. ij enforced by a due and proper Application of the feveral Dodrines revealed in the GofpeL And therefore Faith in Jefm Chrift, and an explicit Knowledge of the Doiftrines revealed by him, or concerning him, are required not only as Conditions of our Duty, but proper Qualifications to- wards enabling us to difcharge it, after a more effeftual uniform and acceptable Manner : For which Reafon, our chrifti- an Obedience is called, The obedience of faith, Rom. V. i« and the right eoufmfs of faith, Rom. iv. ii. as that which is na- turally produced or effected by it: And we are exhorted to (hew our faith by our works \ or, by the proper, genuine, and falutary EffeQs of it. The fame Power of Influenceing our Pradice is attributed to Knowledge, for which Reafon our whole chriftian Duty is fometimes here- by exprefled. It is the knowledge of Jeftts Chrifi that gives m the fpirit of wijdom, or religious Prudence, Ephef, ]. 17. It is by virtue of it, that o^r love, or Charity, a- bounds more and more, Phi!, j. 9. that the image of God is renewed in us. Col. iij. 10. and, that hereby we are made not barren or unfruitful, 2 Pet. j. 8. and that Faith and Knowledge have not only ^efus Chrifi for their ObjeO:, confidered in general as the Mefliah the Son of God, but aifothe particular Doctrines revealed by him in the i6 SERMON L the Gofpel; is evident from hence, Thac Faith, in the former Senfe, is common to the greateft Hereticks, even to thofe who may be faid to have made fljipwrack of the faith : And that Knowledge too, does all along fuppofe, in the holy Scriptures, an explicit AfTent to the feveral Truths, fo fai^ as we are capable of knowing them, which are contained in it, appears farther from this Conlideration, that we are required to grow in grace^ and^ as that which lays the Foundation of all chriftian Vertues and Graces, in the knowledge- of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrifi. For if by Knowledge we fhould here underfland no more than the Knowledge of that one Propofition, 'Jeft4^ is the Chrifi ; fuch a Knowledge could not, with any Propriety, be faid to admit of Growth or Increafe, and muft therefore be underftood to have for hs proper Objed the Do8:rines of Chriftiarii- ty in general; fo that this Rule cannot: poilibly confift with the Innocency either of any involuntary Ignorance or Error concerning them in any Kind : But to fhew, at once, how neceflary both a par- ticular Faith and Knowledge are, in or- der to a more holy and perfe(^ State of Obedience, we need only cite that famous PafTage of the Apoftle, where we are told, That all fcripture, whether relating to fpe- culative or pradical Truths, is given hy infpi* S E R M O N I. 17 infpiration ofGod^ and is profitable for doc^riney for reproof for . j. i^. having nothing to do but to attend to ihe Truths which God has revealed or difcovered by the Light of Nature, and to embra':e them ; their Defire of con- forming in all Things to his Will by a na- tural Effect, gives them thefe two fpe-- cial Advantages, in order to the Difco- very of Truch, That they proceed in fearch of ic impartially,, and at the fame Time with the greater Zeal and Affiduity: For W ant of thefe Qualifications, Men of Learning S E R M O N L 27 Learning and Wit are often more cor- rupt in their Principles, than Perfons of more flow and dull Apprehenfions ; much Erudition fupplies them with variety of probable Arguments, and a lively Imagi- nation fortified by one irregular Paffion or other, propofes thofc Arguments info agreableand entertaining a Manner, that they grow in love with their own Fi6^ion, and by degrees are brought to believe, or perhaps rnay bring others to believe fo too, That there is really fomething confiderable and folid in it. Our Savi- our therefore was pleafed to argue, from the Reafon of the Thing, in that facred Aphorifm ; whea thine eye is ftngle^ or per- fect I y difpofed to receive the Light, thy whole body alfo is full of light ; but when thine eye is evil^ thy whole body alfo is full of durknejs^ Luke xj, 34. If we turn the Eye from any Objeft, we cannot fee it : If any Mote or vicious Humour fall in- to it, the Light becomes offenfive, and we fee at the Beft but very imperfedly. Thus it is with the Eye of human Un- derftanding, if we divert our Thoughts from attending to the Truth, the Know- ledge of it mult necelTarily efcape us. If we are under the Power of any ftrong PafTion or Prejudice, they will, in pro- portioa to the Strength of them, render our Atteniion more painful and uneafy, and -8 S E R M O N I. and in the fame degree, hinder us from perceiving it in a elear and diftinft Man- ner, But the natural Tendency which a pious Temper of Mind has, upon thefe Accounts, to promote the Difcovery of Truth, has this farther Advantage to that End, That God affifts it by fpecial A^s of Grace. All his paths are mercy and trtahy unto juch as keep his covenant and his te^imonjy PfaL xxv. lo. The Jecret of the Lord is with then^t that fear him^ and he mil fljew them his covenant ^Yqx:. 14. If any wsn will da his will, he jhall know of the DoBrine^ whether it be af Godj John vij* How God thus enlightens the Minds of innocent and weli-difpofed Terfons, it is not neceifary that I Ihould here particu- larly enquire ; that, in Fad, their Minds do receive certain Irradiations of divine Light, tho' after an infenfible Manner, is evident from thefe gracious Declarati- ons ; for they are not fruitlefs and empty • Overtures dtfigned to amufe, but really to comfort and encourage good Men in a Courfe of ftrid Piety I Ihall only ob- ferve, in aniwer to theQueilion above propofed. That it is not more difficult to conceive how Light ihould be communi- cated to the Mind, by the immediate Ad of God, than how it fliould be com- municated S E P^ M O N I. 29 municated to it by occafion ofthefefen- fible Means, whereby we impart our Thoughts to one another, there being no other pofHble Way of Conceiving how this Communication is made, but in Confequence and by Virtue, fecret as it is, of the Divine Will. 5. Tho' Humility is, in general, im- ply'd, under the former Article 5 yet, I would recommend it diftini51Iy, and in particular, as an excellent Qualification for the Difcovery of Truth. If we con- fider the Charaders of thofe, who, from Time to Time, have moft corrupted the Faith, and brought in the moft damnable Herefies into the Church, there were few of them in whom this Grace was very confpicuous ; they were rather Men of a bold, turbulent, and afpiring Temper ; obftinate to all Conviftion, but more fo to the Acknowledgment of it, when they were really convinced ; afFeding, by a pompous Shew of Zeal, and many folemn Profeflions of an unbyafs'd Integrity, to render themfelves popular, tho' fecretly a6led by Motives direftly oppofite to what they pretended. It mull be ac- knowledged, fome of the ancient Here- ticks were Perfons of excellent Capacities and Learning, wherewith when Pride is found in conjundion, it is ftill more ape 30 SERMON I. apt to blind the Underflandin;^, and per- vert the Judgment of Men. Buc the good Providence ot God has taken care, that fuch a Conjundlion fhould not always happen ; nay, it commonly happens that the Want of Learning and other compe- tent Abilities, difpoies fuch Men, pub- lickly to profefs and divulge their Er- rors, The Reafon of this does not lie very deep ; Men of this Chara6ler have an invincible Defire of diftinguifhing themfelves, which not being able to do in aQive Life, they attempt, as well as they can, and where they have any di- ftant Pretenfions that Way, to llgnalize themfelves in the Common-wealth of Learning: but it being extremely difficult for Men who are not very much indebted both to Nature and Art, to fucceed, with any great Applaufe in treating of old and eflabliflied Truths, the more eafy and ready Way for the falfely Learned, or fuch as are very illiterate, and which there- fore they take ; and it is the only Way fuch Men can take, to draw the Eyes of the World upon them ; is, to advance fome bold or furprizing Notions unheard of before, and for no other Reafon. From thofe EfFe£ts which Pride natu- rally has to corrupt the Mind, we may judge how neceffary Humility is to pre- ferve us from Error, and to captivate every thought S E R M O N I. 51 thought to the obedience of truth : And therefore, as the great Defign of our Lord was, by the Publication of his Gofpel, to guide us into the Way of Truth ; he has fo particularly recommended this Du- ty of Humility, as moft proper to pre- pare Men both for the Reception of ir, and afterwards to confirni them in it. I fLall now, from what has been fald, draw a ufeful Ohfervation or two, and fo conclude. And I. If the Knowledgeof what God has revealed, whether relating to Faith or Morals, be fo neceflary ; I would obferve, the Error of chofe Men, who would pre- fcribe it as a Rule to preaching. That they fhouldlay themfelves wholly out in preffing the Duties of moral Life, and not amufe their Auditors with doftrinal or theological Points. A ftrift Conlormity of the Clergy to this Rule, would, pro- bably, give lefs Offence to the Deifts and Scepticks of the Age, than the ordmary Method of Preaching at this Time, as having fome Tendency in it, to reduce us to a State of natural Religion ; for That all the moral Precepts ot the Gof- pel, improved as they are, will ultimate- ly refolve into. And I do not fee why fuch a Rule fhould be laid down, ex- cept ^2 S E R M O N I. cept it be to ferve, indireflly at leaf}, the Caufe'of Infidelity. It feems much more advifeabk, from the Nature and Defign of the Minifterial Office under the Gofpel, that they who preach 'Jefns Chrifif fhould preach thofe Dodrines as are proper to the Chriftian Religion, and diftinguifh it as fuch, not only as they tend to difcover the Excellency and ad- mirable Contrivance of it, bur as tliey have fo great an Aptitude to enforce all their moral Inftru8:ions. For I am far from intending hereby, That Preachers ought not to make it their great Endeavour to perfuade Men to the Pra8:ice of a pure and ilrid: Mo- rality ; to be inftant to this End, in Sea- fon and out ofSeafon, and upon the fame View, to reprove, rebuke, and exhort^ with an Authority : My Defign is to fhew, That this End cannot be fo effeQu- ally attained, nor in any competent Mea- sure promoted, as by inculcating the Do- Q:rines of Chriftianity, by fhewing Men the Influence, that, when properly apply-i ed, they have, or ought to have, on our Condud. The Wifdom and Goodnefsof God had been very confpicuous in his fending a Teacher into the World, to redify the great Miftakes which Men run into concerning the Principles of na- tural Religion, and to give us a perfe£t Syfteni S E R M O N L 33 Syftem of moral Truths. But had the Chriftian Revelation proceeded no fur- ther, it neceffarily had loft much of that Force, which it now has to perfuade ; and the Objections of Unbelievers againft the Expediency of any Revelation, would have appeared much ftronger. Now tor the fame Reafon upon which God in his Wifdom and Goodnefs was plea- fed to reveal the Dodrines of the Gofpel, Preachers, where fuch DoQrines had no- thing peculiar in them to the State of tlie Church, at the Time of their being de- livered, ought fuccefTively to affert and inculcate them, as the Occafions of thofe to whom they preach, may require, to the End of the World. 2. it appears from what has beenfaid, That Chrirtianity is far from laying any Reftraints on the free Ufe and Exercife of human Reafon ; or, That we have any Thing to fear from a ftridl: and impar- tial Examination of its Dodrines : The very Defign of my Text is, to improve the Strength and aifert the Liberty of our Minds in the Search after Truth. To the fame EfFed are thofe Paffages which require us to prove all things^ to try the fpirits whether they he of God, To be men in under {I An dingy and children in malice. The Adverfaries of the Chriftian Revelation, ^ after 34 SERMON I. after all their mighty Pretenfions to Rea- fon and Free-thinking, a£l the very Reverfe: Their whole Strength, and all the Dan- ger to be apprehended from them, lie in their Malice, while they are fo perfedly Children in Underftanding, that either they mean nothing by the very Terms whereby they affeO: to diftinguifli them- felves ; or if they do, contend for a Di- ftindion without a Difference. If they mean that Chriftians, in order to a rational Belief of the Doflrines con- tained in holy Scripture, ought not to make ufe of iheir Reafon ; they argue againft no Boily whom we of this Church are concerned to defend. If they think, the Generality of Chrifti- ans among us, do not fuppofe it their Du- ty to examine the Grounds of their Belief, they argue falfeiy and againft known Faa. If they mean, what feems, indeed, to be their true Senfe, That a Man is con- fined by no Rules in his Way of Think- ing or Ratiocination, but may believe, or arbitrarily fufpend his Belief, as human Faflion, Intereft, or Inclination leads him, and without being accountable to God or Man for the Judgments which he fhall make ; this, in a large Senfe indeed, may be called Free-thinking, as a Conduft without regard to the Laws of God, or Man, S E R M O N I. 55 Man, may be called Free-living : But whatever their fecret Defign may be, this Senfe is too fhocking to be openly main- tained by them. As to all that Liberty of Mind which ought to be allowed to rcafonable Beings, Chriflianity not only authorizes, but com- mands us to afTert and exercife it. If Men will contend for fuch a Freedom of Thought as is unreafonable, or under no Regulation, they muft argue by them- felves, no other Perfon is capable of rea- foning with them, tho' he could fpeak with the Tongue of Men and Angels, D 2 SER- 3^ S E R M O N II. The Notion and proper Efficacy of Sncerity^ in order to Salvation^ ftated ^ certain Defeats which may confift with it^ obferved, and the Duty of it recommended. P H I L. j. 10. ' That ye mAy be fmcere md without ojjence^ till the day ofChriJl. IN the former Part of the Verfe, which was the Subject of my laft Dif- courfe, the Apoftle dire£ls us how we are to proceed, in forming our Judg- ments according to the different Nature and Value of Things. In thefe Words he prefcribes two Rules of our Chri- ftian Obedience ; for they may be either underftood SERMON IT. 37 underftood in regard to the Duty which we owe to God, or to thofe Meafures of external Behaviour, which ought to be obferved by us towards other Men, 7re;5 T85 aj/GjJWTTDus* Theoph. in hoc. Sincerity folely refpedls the inward Temper and Difpofition of our Minds, whereof God alone is the proper Judge : An inoflPenfive Condudt refpeds our ex- terior Manner of Behaviour in civil Life, whereof Men are in many refpedts ca- pable of making a true Judgment. I have, on a former Occafion, treated in general concerning the Rules of our ex- terior Behaviour towards Men, and fliall therefore, at prefent, wholly confine my felf to a Subjed lately much controvert- ed, that is, Sincerity. In difcourfing upon the Words, I fhall take this Method. I. I fhall inquire wherein Sincerity properly confifts. II. Whether we are neither more or lefs in the Favour of God, than only as we are fincere. III. What Defe£ls in our Obedience may be confiftent with Sincerity. D 5 IV, 38 S E R M O N II. IV. I fhall enforce the Praclice of this Duty from the Confideration, here par- ticularly fpecify'd, of the laft Judgment ; that you may fae fincerc, &c. till the day of the Lord, ' Yirfl^ I am to inquire wherein Sincerity properly confifls. The original Word (JiM-tc^veis) heie rendered fincere, is a Metaphor taken from the Judgment Men make of fuch ObjeQs as are.prefented to them in a clear and full Light, and may therefore indifferently denote the Purity or the Integrity of our Hearts. The Pu- rity of them, as oppofed to all indirect and finiller Intentions ; the Integrity of them, as excluding all vincible or volun- tary Defects. A Man therefore is proper- ly faid to be fincere, when he intends That, in every ,refpe8:, which he ought to intend. Some have thought it is the Duty recommended by our Saviour, when he exhorts us to be Ifarmlefs as doves : But tho' Innocence is one necelTary Qualifi- cation of Sincerity, it does not perfedly come up to the Idea of it. Innocence properly denotes our Freedom from Guilt ;' Sincerity relates to the Pra8:ice of our Du- ty, or a Difpofition to practife it in every Part, and in the full Extent of it: And therefore St. Pat^l puts a Diilindion be- tween thefe two Qiialities, in the Tefti- mony SERMON II. 39 mony which he gives concerning himfelf and other Chriftians, That with Simpli- city and godly Sincerity they had their Converfation in the World, or in Purity of Mind, free from every irregular and corrupt Defign, jc^iBaepTJiTi S'lavoU? 5^ dSh- Ao'-TOTi* It is at other Times exprefled by Truth ; and may juftly be interpreted to fignify what David meant, when he faid, God requires truth in the inward parts ; and what St. 'John intends in declaring he has no greater joy^ than in hearing that his children walk in truth, ^ Ep. ver. ^. The A^ poflle puts both thefe Qualities together, as indifferently fignifying, or mutually illuftrating the fame Thing, when he re- commends to the Corinthians the unleavened bread of fincerity and truth, i Cor. v- S. In this Senfe Hez,ekiah is to be underftood, when he appeals to God in his Prayer, whether he hath not walked before him in truth, and with a perfe^ heart, Ifaiah xxxviij. 5. which may fervc to remind us of the other Acceptation I mentioned of Sincerity, as it denotes the Perfeftion or Integrity of our- good Difpofitions, it being, in the Reafon of the Thing, equally in^ confiftent with the Characler of a fmcere Perfon to fail in a pradicable Duty, as to perform it after an undue or hypocri- tical Manner ; as alfo in the Senfe of the Holy Scriptures, wheiein we are required, D 4. that: 40 SERMON II. that being fincere in Love ( fo the mar- ginal Note of the Bible renders it ) rve may grcrv up into Chrifi^ in all things. Thi? may be fufficient to fhew, what we are to underftand by Sincerity, both in refped to the Nature, and the Extent of it. Secondly, I am to enquire, in the next Place, Whether we are neither more or lefs in the Favour of God, than only as we are fincere. Before I proceed to re- folve which Queftjon, it may not be impro- per to obferve, We are agreed on both Sides, that Sincerity is abfolutely and indif- penfably neceffary towards rendring Men proper Objedls of the divine Favour. The Difficulty is thought to lie in determining, Whether Sincerity as fuch, or exclufive of all other Conditions, be alone fufficient to entitle us to the divine Favour, and to an equal Degree of it ; for our being neither more or lefsObjefts of it but only as we are fincere, evidently implies, That all fincere Perfons are equally and indifferent- ly Obje^s of it. According to this Notion, I find my felf obliged to anfwer the Quefl:ion in the Negative, for the feveral Reafons follow- ing. I. That there would other wife be no Piflindion, as to the Conditions of di- ving SERMON II. 41 v5ne Favour, between an Unbeliever, pro- vided he be not an Atheift, but worfhip God in the Sincerity of his Heart, and a fincere Chriftian : Of what Significancy then are the Oracles of God, the Promifes and the Covenant he is entred into with Mankind by Jefeis Chrifi ? If it be faid. That the Advantages of the Chriftian Difpenfation are very great, in order to perfuade us to a£l upon a true Principle of Sincerity ; this is what we very readily grant. But ftill, if a Heathen can, with- out thofe Advantages, ad upon a true Principle of Sincerity, which will not be denied by thofe who hold the Affirmative of the Queftion (or elfe, in effeO:, they affirm nothing,) then the Unbeliever and a Chriftian, provided they are equally fin- cere, are equally intitled to God's Favour, and confequently to all the Promifes made in the Gofpel ; for thefe are Exprellions of God's Favour, and they who are neither more or lefs in his Favour, may reafonably hope to fhare in common the feveral Ef- feds of it. 2. If this Principle be true. That Men are neither more or lefs in God's Favour, than as they are Sincere, there will be no Place for the Goodnefs of God toexercfe itfelf upon Mankind ; for if all Men are mfincere, they cannot poffibly, by this Rule, 42 SERMON 11. Rule, be the Obje8:s of God's Favour. If all Men are fincere, the Ad.-i of di- vine Goodnefs to them would not be of Grace, for that they cannot have ante- cedently a Title to, but ftri£lly of Debt : What Advantage then, hath the Jew over the Ge?itiley or the ChrifitAu over the Jew ? All Diftindions of Men, with re- fped to Salvation, are here put upon a Level ; and the Queftion is not, what Men are exprcfly required to believe and do, in order to qualify themfelves for the Favour of God ; but only, Whether they ad with a fincere Temper and Difpofition of Mind. And therefore, by this Rule, God can- not confer a greater Degree of Happi- refs or Reward, in a future State, upon a Chriftian, than upon a Heathen, on fup- pofition that they are equally fincere : I do not fay but it may poilibly confiit with the Jufticeof God, to reward them equally; neither do I pretend to determine what God will do, not knowing the Extent of Chnfl^s Death ; yet, confidering the Pro- mifes made to an explicit Faith in it, we have certainly very pious and good Grounds to hope what God may do in Favour of fincere Chriftians. But the Notion which I oppofe, limits the Po- wer and Prerogative of God in the mofl arbitrary Ad of them j - and obliges hia\ indif- SERMON II. 43 indifferently, and in equal meafure, to favour thofe who are in Covenant with him, and do explicitly believe in the Death of Chrifl ; and thofe who can only be in- titled to his Favour, by an uncovenanted Grace. For 3. It is not in Truth, Sincerity, as fuch, either in a Heathen or Chriiiian, that merits the Favour of God ; then indeed Men could not be more or lefs in his Fa- vour, than as they are fincere; but be- caufe God is pleafcd to accept Sincerity in Men, not as a meritorious, but a condi- tional Means of obtaining his Favour : And why then may not God make an explicit Belief in Chnfi^ or in any Dodrine revealed by him, a neceffary Condition to the fame End ? No Man, I think, will be fo prefumptuous as to fay, God could not have annexed fuch a Condition of his Favour, which yet it is impoffible, in the Nature of the Thing, he could have done, if Men are neither more nor lefs in his Favour, than only as they are fincere. 4. The Principle I am confuting, will lye even againll a Truth acknowledged by thofe who advance it. For it will not, I fuppofe, be denied, That God has promifed different Degrees of Glory or Happinefs to thofe, who have moft di- ftinguiflied 44 S E R M O N II. ftinguidied their Zeal for his Service here : Who have had and embraced the greateft Opportunities of doing Good, or of fuf- fering for the Caufe of Reh'gion. It is faid particularly of thofe who are perfe- cuted for Righteoufnefs fake, that great is their reward in heaven \ that their frefent affliciiom work for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory ; that the Apoftles fhall appear with our Lord himfelf, as AfleiTors in Judgment ; that the four and twenty Elders are placed before the Throne; that others follow the Lamb wherever he goeth for ever and ever. Thefe are de- figned as Marks of peculiar Favour to fuch Perfons ; at leaft there is no Repugnancy to any of the divine Attributes, in fup- pofing they are fo defigned ; which yet, they could not be, if all Men, or it may be laid more properly in this Place, if all Chriftians were upon equal Terms, as to the Favour of God, on fhe fole Account of their Sincerity : For a great Num- ber of fincere Chriftians may, without the Opportunities of diftinguifhing them- felvesin the like Manner, have had a fin^ cere and habitual Intention to do it. All that can be infer'd in favour of Un- believers or Hereticks, who aft upon a Principle of Sincerity, is, That God may poflibly, out of his great Goodnefs, ad- mit them to an equal Share in his Fa^^ vou^ S E R M O N IL 45 vour with fincere Chriftians; but there is a wide Difference between fuppofing what God may do, and determining what he will or ought to do ; between a foede- ral Condition of his Mercy, and a free uncovenanted AQ: of his Favour. I do not hereby intend, but that Sin- cerity may be fufficient to abfolve Men from aftual and pofitive Punifhment; That neither Heathens therefore, nor Chri- ftians, ihall be punifhed, in a ftrift Senfe, for the Confequences of fuch Errors , as were really invincible. God is juft, and will only render Men miferable for their voluntary Offences, or fuch as are the na- tural Effedls of fome preceeding crimi- nal Choice : But it is one Thing not to incur Punifhment, and another Thing to merit Favour. Should we allow no Difference between fmcere Heathens or Hcreticks, for Argument's fake, in the former refpeft ; yet in the latter, and what we principally contend for, the Diffe- rence is certainly very confiderable. I have here reprefented the Cafe as favour- able as it could pollibly be admitted, to Heathens and Hereticks ; a Conceffion, which in that Part of the Chriftian World where the Scene of this Controverfy lies, fhould perhaps be made with greater Cau- tion. For whatever charitable Thoughts we may entertain of fuch Heathens, to whom 46 S E R M O N II. whom the Gofpel has not been divulged, or propofed in a clear and diflin6l Man- ner; yet it feems difficult to conceive, where Chriftianity is the eftablifhed Re- ligion ; where the Proofs of it may be eaiily come at, and are fet by many ex- cellent Authors in fo juftand full a Light, that Men Inould have any Excufe for their Unbelief, upon a Pretence of Sin- cerity. For it is not fufficient, to denomi* nate a Man truly fincere towards God, that he aft for the prefent according to the Perfuafion of his own Mind, except he have ufed all the Means in his Po- wer, which might be proper to convince him of Unbelief, This Point is exprefsly determined by our bleffed Lord himfelf, where he tells his Difciples, That // he had not come and fpoken to the 'Jervs^ they had not had fm^ but now they have no Cloak for their fm^ Joh. XV. 22. The fame Reflexi- on may ferve to fliew. That we ought not to be too precipitate in the favour- able Judgment which we make concern- ing Hereticks. I do not deny that fin- cerely pious Men may be divided in their Opinion, as to certain Do£lrines of Chri- ftianity, occafionally delivered, or after a more obfcure Manner : But as to fuch Doftrines which relate to the primary Articles of the Chriftian Faith, Difcipline and Worihip, fuch as are neceflary to be known S E R M O N II. 47 known to all Chriftians, to fjppofe thefe fo intricate or unintelligible, that an ho- neft fincere Chriftian of an ordinary Ca- pacity, cannot fee the Evidence of them, does not appear perfe6^1y reconcileabie with that Honour, which we owe in gene- ral to the Chriftian Revelation. For ic having been the great Defign of God to reveal his Will, concerning fuch Points as are moft necefTary to the Edification, the Peace, and Unity of the Chriftian Church, How (liall we anfwer to the Ob- je61:ion of Unbelievers, That an all-wile and good God has not better adjufted the Means of executing his Defign, to the Greatnefs and Excellency of it ? If there be a Neceflity of quellioning the Sincerity of Men, or the Goodnefs and Wifdom of God, it is vifible on which Side we ought to determine, let: God be true^ And every mun a, lyar. Let us conclude, That the Beft of thofe Chrifi:ians who are under any dangerous Error or Delufion, how fincere foever they may be in the prefent ProfelTion of it, or in any Pra- ctice grounded upon it ; yet, where pro- per Means of Information could be had, have originally, in one Degree or other, neglefted to employ them. And tho' their Negle6l, as being lefs voluntary, may not exclude them from the Favour of a merciful God ; yet this can be no Reafon why SERMON IL why any Error, or confeqiiential PraQice occafioned by it , fhould recommend them to his Favour. To conclude this Point : If the Scrip- tures, as to the Truths revealed in them, whether relating to Faith or Morals, be unintelligible to good Men, efpecially as to Articles of the laft Concernment in both refpeQs to them, it muft proceed either from the Caufes already mention- ed, the Obfcurity of the Terms where- by fuch Truths are exprefTed, which would refled on the Wildom of God, as if the Means he had employed, were not fuffici- ent to attain his End ; or on his Goodnefs, as if he really defigned the End which he propofes, fhould not be attained : Or elfe it muft be faid, That the Scriptures , however originally clear as to all Things relating to Confcience and Salvation, yet have been, in procefs of Time, fo much corrupted, that good Men cannot now difcover or afcertain the true Senfe of them. But this Pretence would be no lefs injurious to the Providence of God, than the former to his Wifdom and Good- nefs ; the fame Reafons from both of thefe Attributes upon which he was firft pleafed to reveal the holy Scriptures, do require that they fliould, fo long as the Ufe of them is continued to Men, be free from all dangerous Corruptions. I atn SERMON II. 49 I am to confider, Thirdly, What DefeAs, in our Chriftlari Obedience, are confillent with Sincerity. We cannot pretend to abfolute Perfe- £lion in any Inftance of our Duty, much lefs in all the Inftances of it ; and there- fore, if God Oiould be extreme to mark \vhat is amift, who could abide it ? Up- on fuch a Teft, no Man living could be juftified in his Sight. It principally con- cerns us, at prefent, to inquire what Iih- perfe£lions, relating to bur Sincerity, they are, which God ma}^ be pleafed to pardori to us, whether in our Chriftian Profeflioii or Pratlice. In both of them( i.) an Ig- nor ante, if not wholly invincible, yet where it proceeds from early, laftirtg, Or cont- plexional Prejudices ; , from the Authori- ty of our Superiors; from Ciiftom^ long eftablifhed, or Examples generally fol- lowed ; from a more flow Apprehenfion^ or narrow Capacity, and in Cafes of their own Nature lefs cleir or obvious ; it is to be hopM an Ignorance, whether refpefting bur Belief or Practice ; tho' it cannot be reconciled with perfed Sincerity, as pre- vioufly fuppofing fome Negle6l of better Information, yet will not be fuch as Wholly to exclude Us from the Favour tif Godi Moft of thefe Circumftances cori- " " E cur'd 50 SERMON IL curM In the Cafe of Jhmelech, bn occafion of his taking Sarah into his Houfe : As to his Defign of committing Adultery he was perfediy innocent, not knowing, or in the lead fufpeding her to be Jhraham*s Wife : But he was culpable in this, That he knew her to be not his own Wife, and yet had a Defign to cohabit with her as fuch. What then, ye will ask, could be the Ground of that Teftimony given him by God, That he did it in the integrity of his heart ? The Anfwer to this will dif- cover to us, That all Ignorance does not wholly deftroy Sincerity : Concubinage had, at that Time, publick Cuftom and Example to authorize it : Ahimelech^ pro- bably, had early imbibed a Belief con- cerning the Lawfulnefs of it ; or had never, out of regard to common Praftice or Opinion, examined, whether it were lawful, fuppofing him qualified in any fuperior Degree for fuch an Examination. Tliefe were Circumfl:ances which miti- gated, tho' they could not wholly excufe his Crime ; but it does not appear, how- ever they might plead in his behalf for God's pardoning Grace, that they there- fore recommended him in that Inftance to his Favour. Indeed, if Sincerity alone recommended Men to the Favour of God, there could be no difi:inftion between the good and evil Aftioas of Men, but God would S E R M O N II. 51 would be equally pleafed with him who facrificeth, and with him who facrificeth not ; with him who perfecutes the Truth, and with him who lays down his Life for the Sake, or in Defence of it. 2. Inconfideratiotiy occafioned by a fud- den Surprize, when we are obliged, or are under fome powerful Motive to judge or a6l, before we can well examine the Nature of the Thing : Few Perfons are fo happy. as to difcover the feveral Re- lations of Things at once ; and therefore, when we are unexpedledly expofed to cer- tain Temptations ; or when they furprize us in fuch a Manner, that we cannot re- colled all the Powers of Reafon to op- pofe them; when they come upon us as an armed Man, while we are not upon our Guard, or before we have convenient Time to put our felves in a Pofture of Defence ; a merciful God, who knows whereof we are made, will not wholly charge them to our Want of Sincerity : Such as thofe Errors and Offences we are apt to be guilty of, in more free and open Conversation, when we make or give into rafh Judg- ments, both concerning Perfons and Things ; when we fpeak unadvifedly with our Lips, or are fo eafily betray'd into certain Levities of Behaviour, or Lan- guage, which, upon recolledion, we are E 2 unable 52 S E P^ M a N IL unable to juftify : We have a remarkable Example of this Sin of Surprize in Noah. It is recorded of this righteous Man, That he drank Wine to excefs. There is no Mention of the Confequences which this Sin of Noah had with refpe£t to God's Favour ; but that it did not deftroy his Sincerity, fo as to exclude him from his Favour, is generally and very reafon- ably pre fumed ; particularly from the GJrcumftances mentioned in the former Verfe, that he began to be an Husband- man, and planted a Vineyard : From whence, it is concluded, that was the firft Time of his tailing fo freely of this Juice, and which infenfibly tempted him to fuch an Excefs, before he knew the Power of it. This can be no Excufe to thofe to whom the Crime, and both the natural and moral Effeds of drinking to Excefs, are well known, and efpecially where they have been more frequently experi- enced. 3. Another Defedl in our Duty, which may confift, both as to Errors in Know- ledge and Praftice, with Sincerity, is fome- times occafioned by a great Indifpofition, or Difcompofure of Mind. We cannot always attend to the Truth with equal facility, or always fee the Reafons of our Duty in the fame Light. 1. We SERMON IT. 53 I. We are not always capable of attend- ing to the Truth. The Mind, by a long and earnefl: Application to any Affair wherewith it is much affefted, grows weary and difcouraged. The Spirits, which are tlie ordinary Inftruments of its Operation, by continual Exercife, lan- guifh and diflipate, by which Means the Force of the Mind is, in proportion, im- paired, and rendered incapable of A8:ion. This Fatigue of the Mind, is not only occafioned by too intenfe an Application of it, to fome one Obje£l or other ; but a cloudy Day, a Shower of Rain, or the leaft bodily Diibrder, does often contribute, after a fenfible Manner, towards it : Not that there is any more Commerce, by Way of mutual Action, between the Soul and Body, nor fo much perhaps, as be- tween the Pen which I write with, and one of the fixed Surs : But God, in his Wifdom, has thouglit fit, and by an effica- cious Will ordained. That the Soul ILall be differently affefted by different Moti- ons of the Body, or, according to certain Impreffions made upon it. But the Soul is never more obftrut^ed in its Aclion, or rendered lefs capable of Attention, than when any great Calami- ty or Afflidion oppreffes the Spirits, or turns the Courfc of them into another Channel than that which is proper to ren- E 3 der 54 S E R M O N II. der the Mind aflivc and lively. Under fuch Circumftances, as well as when Men are under the Power of any violent Paf- fion, they cannot hear the Arguments pro- pofed to them, orconfider, in any compe- tent Meafure, the Reafonablenefs of them : All the Powers of their Mind are em- ployed another Way, and they even ap- pear fometimes to take a Kind of Plea- fure, in an obftinate Grief, in rendring themfelves inconfolable, or in appearing fo to others. I mention this Paflion from rlie peculiar EtTed it has towards ren- dring the Mind averfe, efpecially when it is frefh and bleeding, to ail Arguments, that may be proper to moderate the Force of it. A Mother, for Inftance, fees her Child, the Delight of her Eyes, ex- piring in the Agonies of Death; befides the tender Motions^ (inexpreffibly ten- der, if not inconceivable to any other Per- fon) which, as a Mother, (he mull necef- fariiy feel on fo very moving an-Occafi- on; this Child, perhaps, is born to great Honours and Expectations, the only Heir of fonie ancient and noble Houfe, given perhaps by Providence to a more ad- vanced Age; or, when there is Profpe6l of another Heir to fucceed, who, if he ihould fucceed, may not poflTibly fo early difeover allthofe Graces which already began to open and unfold themfelves in the S E R M O N II. 55 the Infant, to all appearance now expi- ring. It is not to be imagined, That a Parent, how pious and prudent foever, Ihould, under fuch a violent Conflid, be able to attend to the Reafons proper to mxtderate excellive Grief, with that Free- dom of Mind, that is requifite to give them all the Force whereof they are ca- pable : Nature, for the prefent, will have its Courfe, and prove too ftrong for the moftiuftand fine Thoughts: Time alone, by diffipating the Spirits, which feed the reigning Pa {lion, or by diverting the Cur- rent of them, can prepare the Mind to hearken, as it ought, to the Voice and Di- ftates of Reafon. Thus it is with other Pa (lions, when the Capacity of the Mind, on any extraordinary Occafion, is taken up with them ; it is irapolTible we iliould confider or examine all the Motives to our Duty, or all the Reafons againlt tranfgreffing it, which we might do if the Mind were perfeQly free and com- pofed : And a merciful God, no doubt, will make favourable Allowances for fuch involuntary Crimes, or Omiflions of our Duty, as proceed in fuch Cafes from Want of a perfed Attention ; provided always, That the Paflion which has got the Do- minion over us, and whereby we are liow hurried away, was not the Effe£t of any preceeding deliberate Choice or Comrf- E 4 vance 56 SERMON 11. vance, but owes all its Force to fome un^ fbrefeen, accidental, and violent Circum|- ftances of Temptation; how much foever a inerciful God maybe inclined to par- don our involuntary Efcapes, we mufl: be very cautious how we endeav^/uirito irnpofe upon our felves, or elude his in- finite Knbwiedge by pretending a Sur- Erize, into which we were willing to be ^ etrayed, or which it was wholly in our Tower to prevent. 2. When the Mind Is more difengaged and free from Paflion or Anxiety, and fo difpofed to examine Things with greater Attention, yet it cannot always difcover, them in the fame, or in a true Light : This may proceed in general from the like Caufes to v/hichlhave afcriJDed our Want of Att: acion ; but there are alfo other Reafon? to ■ ^ .i^fr-^rj for it. The Cafe before us, and about which wt are to determine, may be very intricate : Some Ca' <: require a particular Caft of Thought : We may be lefs able to deter- mine other Cafes, from fome natural or accidental Defeft of Mind ; or bec^ufe we want certain proper Alliftances from Converfation or Books ; to which we may add, in the laft Place, tho' it is a Confidera- tibn which ought to have been firft pro^ pofed, That God being arbitrary in the Diftri- S E R M O N IL 57 Piftribution of his Favours, good Men are not always equally illuminated by his Grace ; that one Office of the Spirit of (God is to irradiate our Minds with the Knowledge of Truth, which the holy Scrip- tures exprefsly teach us ; but God divi- ding the Light of his Grace to Men fcve- rally as he will, to fome in a greater to iothers in a lefs Meafure, and in different !N^eafures to the fame Perfon at different Times, Truth does not appear on all Oc- cafions to the Underftanding of the moft attentive Minds with equal Evidence, or Perfpicuity. Now, in proportion to the Degrees of that Light which is afforded us, we are more or lefs culpable, whether on Account of our Ignorance, as to any religious Principle, or the Breach or Omifc (ion of any religious Duty ; and if a Fail- ure in either refpe£t, do not proceed from fome ill Difpofition or Inability in Con- fequence of our own Choice, but from one or more of the involuntary Caufes beforementioned ; we may ftill prove it is fuch a Failure as will not deftroya State of Grace, ^r the Notion of Sin- cerity, The Duty of which, I am to recom^ mend in the 4th 5? S E R M O N IL 4th and laft Place, from a Confidera- tion of the final Judgment, that ye may be fincere //// the day of Chrifi, And indeed, of all other Arguments to en- force this Duty of Sincerity, this appears at oftce the mofl: pertinent and perfuafive : Foi* at that Day, all the falfe Colours of Religion, whereby we are willing to be impofed upon our felves, or impofe upon others, will be perfedlly difcovered and taken off: We Oiallthen lee, Thatfome of our beft Actions, and the moft fhining ^rhaps in the Eyes of Men, proceeded from Motives whereof we {ball be a- fhamed ; and, That it will not be fuffici- ent to juftify us, that we have condu£led our ielves without Offence towards Men, except we have alfo endeavoured to walk in all good Confcience towards God. It is equally Matter of Surprize and Regret, That Men fo commonly lay a Sirefs upon an exterior Sandity, without regard to the inward Difpofition or Sin-? cerity of their Hearts ; and, That they fhould have a greater Awe upon them, from a Confideration of what other Men iliali fay or think, than from the all-com- prehenfive Knowledge and infinite Power of their Judge, who is able tofave and to dcftroy , and who will affuredly bring ever J S E R M O N II. 59 every work into judgment ^ vpith every fecret things whether it be good or had. It is not without Caufe, that the Scrip- tures reprefent Hypocrites as the great Objeds of the Divine Wrath and Ven- geance. For tho' Hypocrify does fo far, by accident, do Honour to Religion, as it fhews that wicked Men give it the Pre- ference at leaft in the publick Efteem ; yet, in this refpe£l, Hypocrites may ap- pear more culpable than the open Sinner, that they difcover themfelves to be lefs afraid of offending God than Men ; or implicitly deny his glorious Attribute of Omnifcience, by endeavouring to difguife their fecret Defigns, and thereby to eftiape his Judgments : Thefe are the Perfons againft whom that Denounciation of the Prophet lies : Wo unto them thdit feek deep , to hide their counfel from the Lordy And their works are in the darkf and they fay ^ who feethu'S^ and who knoweth us? If. xxix. 15. There is this further Aggravation of Hypocrify, That Religion, tho' fome Ho- nour appears to be defigned to it, yet the Honour of it is really facrificed upon the moft infamous Views, to the molt vile and irreligious Ends. So that Infincerity in Religion, is attended with much the fame Effe£ls as in Friendfhip. The Credit and Confidence which it gives us, if ^bufed, only ferve to enable us more ef- fedually, 6o S E R M O N IL fedually, and with greater facility, to be- tray our Trufl-. But were Infincerlty in Religrjn really attended with none of thofe Effeds ; of what Service can it poffibly berto any one, who really believes, That all Things are naked and open to him with whom he has to do ? and, That he fball be called to Account for all his AQions, in the Day, whin God fl^all judge the jeer ets of men hj Jefiis Chrift. What will it avail Sinners to efcape the Shame or Punifhment of their Crimes in this Life, to acquire the Applaufe of Men , or any other Emolument, by drefling themfclves up in a religious Dit guife, when God, to whom all Hearts are open, and who fees all the fecret Springs whereby we are moved, fhall judge us not according to Appearar, e, but with righteous Judgment. The Expoftulation ofjTo^ to thisPurpofe, is very fignificant ; What is the hope of the hypocrite^ though he hath gainedy when God taketh away hts fouly will God hear his cry when trouhle comet h upon him. 2. Let us learn then, as ever we expc£l to appear with Comfort in the Day of the Lord, whatever we do to do it as unto the Lordy and not unto men^ to do it as of Sincerity, as of God^ and in the fight of God. Amen. SER- 6i SERMON m. The Reafons of that peculiar Di- fiinftion which was put upon the Day of our Lord's Refurreflion^ and how the Memorial of it ought perpetually to be celebrated. P s A L. cxviij. 24. This is the day which the Lord hath made^ tpe will rejoyce and be glad in it. • THIS ?falm was in the literal Senfa of it, compofed to celebrate the Goodnefs of God, in reftoring David to the Kingdom, after the Defedion o^ Ab^ falom and his Adherents, wherein they fucceeded fo far, as for a Time, to de- throne him. But the Seafon determine^ me rather to explain, and apply them ia Che fecondary or prophetical Scnfe, as re- lating (5i SERMON III. lating to the more folemn Inveftiture of Chrisi- in his Kingdom, whereof God gave ib inconteftable an ajjurance unto allmen^ in that he raifed him from the dead, I fhall therefore wholly confine my felf to confider the Words, as referring to the?' Kingdom of Chrift, and efpecially to his Refurre£lion, whereby he demon- ftrated his Right to it, and a Power of exercifing it in a more eminent and vifible Manner. As this is the Anniverfary, wherein we commemorate fo glorious an A^ofChriJl\ Royal Authority ; as the Church appro- priates this Pfalm, in Her; Sacred Offices, for the more pious and edifying Comme- moration of it, I thought I could not chufe a more proper Subje6l on the Oc- cafionjOr which, were I equal to it, might be treated of to more Advantage. This is the day which the Lord hath made^ we will rejojce and be glad i» it. In my Difcourfe upon thefe Words, I fhall obferve the following Method. I. I fhall confider the Import of the Words, This is' the day whith the Lord hath made. IL S E R M ON IIL 6^ IL Upon what Reafgns, fo eminent and peculiar a Diftindion of this Day is oiade. ^ , III. .What are thofe proper AGs of Joy anJ Gladnefs, wherewith it ought to be celebrated. Firfly I am to confider ^!)e Import of the Words, Tfjts is the day mhich the Lord hath made^ I fliall only obferve by the "Way, That tho' the Church does more efpecially underftand this Day, as the Day. whereon God made his Power known,- af- ter fo extraordinary a Manner, by rai- ling Chrifi from the Dead : Yet the Words have been alfo applied, and are really, ac- cording to the Context, applicable, to fignify the publick Entrance which Chrifi made into Jerafalem, celebrated with the Hofanna's and Acclamations of the Peo- ple 5 to this the Verfes here cited> 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22. do vifibly refer: The Lord is my ftrerfgth and Song, and is become my fatvation. The voice Delive- rance out of Mgyft ; fince that Deliverance principally concerned them as a diftind Nation SERMON m. ($7 Nation or People, and as it was typical of the greater Deliverance to be effeQed for them by ChriH^ it was in both thefe Re- fpe£ls, by the Refurredion of ChriH^ to be vacated. When all Nations, in a reli- gious Capacity, were to become as One, it was reafonable that all religious Inftituti^ ons, founded in a national Diftinftion be- tween them, fhould, from that Time, ceafe* In refped to the Creation, indeed, Chri- jftians do, in common, participate the Be- nefits of it, and therefore ought, in com- mon, to blefs God for all the good and beneficial EfFedts of ir, as refpefling this Life: But they are not now the tempo- ral Bleffings of Life wherewith Chriftians, whether Jewlfh or Gentile Converts, are defigned, or ought to be principally influ- enced : As the Chriftian Faith is eftab- lifhed upon better Promtjes^ it became rea^ fbnable. That the Occafion whereby {o fignal a Confirmation was given to the Truth of thofe Promifes, fhould fuperfede an Eftablifhment of an inferior Kind, and which has now nothing peculiar in it, in refpeft to a People profefling Chriftianity. So that had we no divine Authority, or apoftolical PraQice for the Obferva- tion of the Chriftian Sabbath, thefe Rea- fons are fuflicient to (hew, why the Jervilh Sabbath ought to have been abolilhed, in order to introduce ir. V 2 This 6% S E P^ M O N m. This then, is the Day^ the Day ofChrijVs Refurre^tion, which the Lord has made : The Day which he has emhe^tly- mado, fo, and by Way of a peculiar Diftinftion. For as the wife Son of Syrach argues, in anfwer to the Quefiion, PVhy doth one Day excel another^ whereas all the Light of every Day in the Tear is of the Lord ? By the Kjiow ledge of the Lord they were diftinguifb- ed^ and he altered Seafora and Feafls; Jome of them hath he made high Days and hallowed them^ and feme of them hath he made ordi- nary Days. The Reafon of this Diftinftion particularly appears in the Appointment of the Lord^s Day, not only from the Ends of Chrifs Refurre£lion, but thofe fpecial and extraordinary A£ls of God's Power, whereby it was efFeQed : And in regard to which, indeed, it is here more immediately faid, This is the Day which the Lord hath made. I proceed to inquire more particularly m, II. The fecond Place, upon what Reafins, refpedling the Power of God, for to that I now confine my felf, fo eminent and pe- culiar a Dirtin£lion of this Day is made. The Refolution of this Inquiry will depend upon our fliewing. That the Po- wer of God was, in fome fpecial Man- ner, SERMON III. 69 ner, confpicuous in the Refurre^lion of ChriHy and upon what Accounts. The Miracles wrought to eftablifh the Truth of Chriltianity were fufficient, and, withrefpedl to the Number of them, more than fufficient to that End. It vifibly appeared throughout the whole Courfe of his Miniftry, That our Lord was mighty in word and deed^ and that »o one could have dofie thofe things which he didy if God had not been with him. There were alfo other Atteftations of our Lord's Divine Midion, the Truth whereof could not be conceited. Such were, an audible Voice from Heaven, the Cir- cumftances of his Birth, the Manner of his Life, and the Teftimony of "^ohn the Baptift ; to fay nothing concerning the in- ternal Proofs of his holy Religion, from the Divinity of his Doftrine, the Purity and Perfedion of his moral Precepts ; in botii which refpeQs, it mufl: be confeiTed, by the Adverfariesof Chriftianity them- felves, That never Man /poke as he fpoke. As to the Morality of his Gofpel in par- ticular : Had he, without a divine Au- thority, as Mahomet and other pretended Prophets have done, attempted to cftab- lifli a Religion merely upon a View of fome perfonal Advantage, or a vain Am- bition of being thought the Head and Foun- der of a numerous Se£l denominated from F 3 him J 7© SERMON III. him ; he would, with that Impojior, and the Reft of them, have prefcribed fuch Rules of Life, as had been moft agreeable to the corrupt Paflions and fecular Aims of Men, not fuch as to all Appearance would hinder the Progrefsof his Gofpel, and prejudice Mankind in general againft the Reception of it : Paticularly, he would not have made it a Condition to his Followers of becoming his Difciples, (I do not fay, to deny all VngoMinefs and tvorldly Lujis, but) to part with every Thing that was moft dear and valuable to them in this World; mth houfes, and Unds^ and rvifcj and children for his fake and the G of pels. Had he not come to propofe fuch Terms with a divine Commiflion, his Defign had been, of all others, the moft impraQicable and inconfiftent, that was ever undertaken by any Founder whatever of a new Religion. But notwithftanding there were many very evident Proofs of our Lord's being a Prophet fent from God, befides that of his RefurreQion, it muft be acknowledged, That this is a Proof infifted upon fo much, fo often, and with fuch other peculiar Marks of DiftinQion in Scripture, as if it gave feme fpecial Force and Confir- mation to all thofe other Proofs ; or there were fome peculiar Evidences in it of God's more fpecial and immediate Interpo- fition, SERMON IIL 71 fition. So the Apoftle argues, Rom, j. 5, 4. ThAt Jefe^ Chrifi our Lord^ tvho was made of the feed of David^ accordii9g to the fl^jhy rvas declared to be the f on of God rvtth Power, according to the fpirk of holinefs^ hj the Refurre£iion from the dead. For this Reafon, the Article of Chr'ips RefurreClion was particularly commanded to be preached, and the Truth of it re- ceived fo particular an Atteftation, by the very Guard which was fet upon bis dead Body, in order, if poflible, to prevent it ; and afterwards, by Five hundred Wit- nefles at once. So great Strefs, indeed, is laid upon this Article, in the New Tefiamem^ as giving the higheft Evidence and Confirmatioo to the Truth of Chriftianity^ that I do not know, whether it be not the heft Key to open that difficult PaiTage in the J 2th of St. Matthew^ Ver. 52. Whofoever fpeaketh a word agamfl the Son of man^ it fhall be forgiven him ; but whofoever fpeaketh againji the holy Ghofl, it Jhall not be for- given him^ neither in this ivorld^ neither i^ the world to come. As if our Lord had faid, Tho' the Mi- racles which X now work do fufficiently bear Witnefs of me, that I come from God ; Yet there is itil] Room, through the Mercy of God, for yo«r Repentance, in regard, to your prefent Miftakes or F 4 Pre- 72 SERMON III. Prejudices, if you fhould, notwithflanding, fufpend your Belief of my divine MifTiori, and even declare againft the Truth of it : But when ye fliall fee yet greater thhgs than thefe, as ye will do in the Effefls of that fpecial divine Power, whereby I (liall be raifed from the Dead ; when the Spirit of God fliall give fo incontefted an Evi- dence of my Miffion, which cannot, up- on any imaginable Grounds, be attributed to any other Power ; your Convi£lion will then be impradicable, by your refufing the higheft and mofl efFedual Proof that can be offered, in order to convince you ; and confequently the Guilt of your In- fidelity will be for ever rendered irremif- fible, both here and hereafter. There is the greater Reafon to fuppofe our Saviour did here refer to the Miracle of his Refune8;ion, fince in the forecited PaHageof St. Paul^ and in other Places it is in a fpecial Manner afcribed to the Po- wer of the Holy Ghoft: He was pat to death in the ficjh.^ hut quickmd by thefpirity I Pet. ii). 1 8. Or as it is exprelTed by St. Pauly 2 Cor. xiij. 4. Tho'' ' he was crttcified throt4gh iveaknejs, yet he liveth by the power of God. The Apoftle therefore ufes this as one of the mod convincing Arguments of his being the ChriHy the Meffiah ; That he jhewed himfeif alive after his ■^affiony by tfiany injallihU Proofs^ A6ls j. 5. There SERMON III. 73 There Is another Circumftance in this Chapter of St. Mattherv, which renders it highly probable that our Saviour does here refer to the Evidence concerning his Refurreftion : How^ fays he, ca^ one enter into a ftrong man^s houfe and fpoil his goods, except he Jirfi bind the flrong man^ and then he tvtll fpoil his houfe, Ver. 29. For tho' thefe Words are truly applicable, with refped to the Power which our Sa- viour difcovered in cafting out Devils by the Spirit of God, yet they are more emi- nently verified by his Refurredtion from the Dead ; when after his Defcent into Hell, and his entring the Houfe of the ftrong Man in Perfon (for the Words of the Apoftle, i Pet. iij. 19. cannot, with- out great Force and Diftortion be other- ways explained) he openly triumphed over him ; or, as another Apoftle expreffes ir, when, having fpoiled principalities and pott" ers, he made a jheiv of them openly, tri- umphing over them, in it ; or rather, as it is in the marginal Note of our Bibles, in himfelf', that is, by his own perfonal Ap- pearance. I grant, thefe Words concerning the irremiflible Guilt of the Sin againft the Holy Ghoft, are alfo to be underftood, in refpeO: to thofe many Signs and Wonders which were done by him, after the Re- furredlior^ of Qhrisfy and import, that to thofe 74 S E Pv M O N IIL thofe, who (hould refill: the plain and kn- fible Evidence of them, there could be no further Means offered for their Conviftion, and confequently, no further Excufe for their Unbelief. But ftill, as the Refurreftion of Chrisf was a previous Acl of the Ho- ly Spirit, and fo vifible a Demonliration of his Power, the Senfe which I have put up- on thefe Words of St. MattheWy ought cer- tainly, by no Means to be excluded, if it be not rather primarily intended. The Queftion therefore upon the whole Matter is, What there was in the Refur- redion of ChriB^ fo peculiarly evidential of a divine Power, and upon Account of which, it is faid in Strains of Admiration in the former Verfe, This is the Lord'^s do- ingy and. it is mxrvellGtis in our eyes ^ and here in the Words of my Text, This is the day which the Lord hath made? I muft re- duce what I have to fay in Anfwer to this Queftion, into as narrow a Compafs as poffible. And, I. The Refurre£lion ofC^w7, did evi- dence the divine Authority of our Saviour, ^s it could not, upon the Principles of the ^jews themfelves, have been effefted, but only by a divine Power : And therefore they did not fo much deny the proper Confequence, as endeavour to ftifle or dif- femble the Belief of it. Whatever Pow» er SERMON III. 75 er they might fuppofe the Devil could com- municate of cafting out Devils, or of do- ing other Miracles to a living Perfon ; or whatever magical Arts a living Perfon might employ, by Means of certain bo- dily Compounds or Simples, to produce Events, above the ordinary Courfe or known Power of natural Caufes ; yet, af- ter Death, when the Soul could have no Power of ailing upon Bodies, or by Means of them ; when it could not, fo far as we know, concerning the State of the Dead, have any Communication with this World, or any Part of it, without a divine Per- miflion ; here the Refur'reQion of the Dead to Life again, could only be the Ef- fedofa Power wholly fupernatural and divine. 2. But the Proof indeed of the divine Million of ChriH from his Refurrection, does not only affe(ft the Jews^ but all other Perfons indifferently : For granting a Pow- er to Man of doing very flrange and furprizing Things, fuch as cannot be di- ftinguiflied from true Miracles, or even, (for Argument's fake) of doing true Mira- cles > granting, I fay, this Power to Man by Means of the Union of his Soul and Body, according to the Laws of which, they here a£l upon one another, or upon Other Bodies j yet, when this Union isj dillolved ; jd S E Px M O N III. difToIved ; when all the Springs of Motion and Life in the Animal Oeconomy are de- jRroyed ; when the Soul, which we ftill fappofe to fubfirt, is incapable of ading either upon its own former Body, or any Body whatever ; how is it poflible to con- ceive, that it fhould be able to reftore thQ bodily Organs, which it before inform- ed, either to their proper Offices or Order again: This can only be the AQ: of God, who fPade m and fapjioud us ; by whom, as the Pfalmift celebrates his Wifdom and Fower, we are fa fearfully attd wonderfully made 5 in whofe hand is the foul of every It' *u{re9 thing ; ofwhom^ and through whom^ and tG whom are all things. Having accounted for the Reafons up- on which this Day is fo peculiarly diltin- guifhed. I proceed, Thirdly^ In the Third and Laft Place to fhew, What are thofe proper A6ls of Joy, wherewith it ought to be celebrated ; This is the day which the Lord hath made we willy If joice and be glad i» it, I. The firfl: and higheft Expreffion of our Joy, on Occafion of fo extraordinary an AEt of the divine Power and Good- nefs, ought to confilt in thufe inward and fpiricual Sentiments which the Soul of a good S E Pv M O N III. ^^y good Man naturally feels, when he refle£ls on any fpecial Mercy of God, or any fpi- ritual Good, which ic is the Means of con- veying to him ; efpecially in fo ample a Manner, that it is fruitful, and diffufive of many other fpiritual Goods. Such is the divine Mercy which we now com- memorate ; and therefore if we comme- morate it as we ought, we fhall inwardly rejoice in the Lord, according to thepj in harvejiy or as men rejoice when they divide the fpoil, on Occafion of fo great a Flow of divine BleiTings upon us all at once. It is natural, indeed, that our Joy fhould always arife in proportion to the Greatnefs of the Good for which we rejoice : And therefore, as the RefurreQ:ion of Chrisi gave fo fignal a Confirmation to the Truth of our holy Religion ; as our Jufti- fication is afcribed by the Apoftle to it; as it was prerequired to our Lord's Af- cenfion into Heaven, his Million of the Holy Ghoft, and the other fubfequent Ads of his Royal Office: What higher or ftronger Motives can we have to re- joice and be glad, than on the prefent glo- rious Occafion ? In a prophetick View whereof, the Pfalmilt perfonating the Mef- fiah, exprelTes himfelfin that high Strain of Piety : Therefore my heart is glad^ and my glory rejoyceth ; my fleflj alfo jhall reji in hof>e\ for why J thou jhalt nvt /eave my foul in he/Iy net I her 78 SERMON III. Ttetther fhdt thou fuffer thine holy one to fee corruption. Thou wilt {hew ?ne the fath of life. Pfal. xvj. 9, lo, ii. 2. This internal Joy ought alfo to be exprefTed by fome outward and proper Significations of it. I (hall only, at pre- fent, nfiention two : Afts of religious Praife and Thankfgiving to God ; and Afts of in- nocent Feftivity, in other external Re- fpeds. Ads of Praife, as they have for their Ob- je6l, fomething in the Nature of it ami- able and excellent, in the Effefts of it, fomething advantagious and defirable, in regard to our felves j do naturally import a joyful and futable Acknowledgment of them : And therefore, thefe two fenfible Expreflions of our inward Sentiments a- rifing from any good or beneficent Ad, are fo frequently joined together in the ho- ly Scriptures. The holy Pfalmift prefcrib- ing the Rules of a grateful Praife or Ac- knowledgment to God of his Favours • Let them^ fays he, facrifce the facrifce of thankfo^iving, and declare his works with re- jojcingy Pf. cvij. 22. And again, Pfal. xcv^ 2. Let us come before his prefence with th.tnkfgiving : Let us make a joyful Noife to him with Pfalms; A joyfcjl noife (as he is defcribed in the former V^erfe) ro the rock if our falzAtiorf. And we feem to be par- ticularly SERMON III. 79 tkularly direfted, in regard to the Reign of ChriHy which commenced, in a fpecial Manner, at his Refurreflion, to exprefs our Thankfulnefs according to thefe Rules, Let us be glad and rejojce, and give honour to him : for the murriAge oj the lamb is come^ And his wife hath made her felfready^^QV, xix. 6, 7. Afts alfo of innocent Feftivity, in other refpefts, are, in the Day of Rejoycing, very proper. The Lawfulnefs of Feafting, when we celebrate any extraordinary Mer- cy or Providence of God, cannot be dis- puted : It is evident from a Principle of natural Religion, and from the Pra8:ice of the wifeft and beft of Men in all Ages. Our Saviour authorized it on a more ordi- nary Occafion, by the firft Miracle which he wrought ; and by the Parable of the Marriage FeafI:. Bur, indeed, Afts of Fefti- vicy in this Kind, provided we regulate them by the Meafures of Prudence and Sobriety, are not only lawful, but Mat- ter, in certain Cafes, of a pious Expedi- ency ; in other Cafes, of ItriQ Duty. There are Occafions, efpecially when we commemorate any (Ignal fpiritual Mercy of God, wherein after the Example of St- Paulj rve ought to rejoyce, 2 Cor. ij. ^. I fhall conclude, with this pertinent Ad- monition, That in order to certify our Joy, 8o SERMON IIL Joy, and to fhew, that it proceeds from a fincere pious Motive *, we fhould on all Occafions, and particularly on the Prefent^ endeavour to make the Expreffions of it, in this Way, as diffufiveas we can, by difperfing more liberally abroad, and giv- ing to the Poor^ that they may in com- mon rejoice with thofe that rejoice, as they do in common partake of the Blef- fing and happy EfFe6ls of the Mercy which we now commemorate. It is necefTary,- to the Ends of Civil Life, That the Rich and the Poor fhould meet together ; but all Signs of this Dirtin£lion fhould, as much as poflible, ceafe, when we are con- fldering our felves ; when the folemn Oc- cafion of our meeting together, direfts us to confide r our felves as all one in ChriH Jefus ; and more efpecially, reminds us of the common SAlvation. Let us, then, as we acknowledge this to be the Day which the Lord hath made, not only rejoice and be glad in it our felves, but contribute fo far as we are able, to render it a Day of Joy and Glad- nefs to others, that fo Abundant a grace of Gody which theSeafon is appointed as the Memorial of, majy through the thankjgiving of mxnj^ redound to the glory of God, Amen, SER-- 8 1 SERMON IV. The Truths the Reafons^ and EfFefts of our Saviour's Aicenfion. That Effeft in particular of it^ which confided in his inftituting a di- ftind and fucceflive Order of PaftorSj in the Chriftian Church. Ps A L. Ixviij. 1 8. Thou ha/i afce??ded on high ; thou hnjl led captivitj captive ; thou ha/l received gifts for men ; yen^ for the rebellious alfb ; that the Lord God might drvell among them, INTERPRETERS are divided in their Opinion as to the particular Occafion upon which this Pfalm wascom- pofed. But they are all agreed, That the Defiga of the Plalmift is to celebrate fome fignal Victory obtained, by Ifrael over G their $2 S E R M O N IV. their Enemies, with the Manner of the Triumph confequent to it. Some refer the Words of my Text to Mofes, when he led the People of Ifrael up from the Bottom of the Red Sea, after they had been fo long Captive in Egypfy to Mount Swah, who, afterwards, de- livered to them what he had received from God ; the Law ; the Priefthood ; and the Ark of the Covenant, the Sym- bol of God's more fpecial and immediate Prefence among them. And it muft be acknowledged, here are feverai PaiTages which feem direQIy to favour this Interpretation. To which Purpofe I fiiall only cite the yth, the 8tb, and the i^jth Verfes: 0 Gcd^ when thou wentejl forth before thy people ; when thou didjl march through the wtldernefs : The earth fhook, the heavens aifo dropped at the prefence of God^ even Sinah it felf was moved at the prefence of God, the God of If- rael. Though ye have lien among the pots, yet Hiall ye be, as the wings of a dove cover- ed with [liver, and her feathers with yellow gold. To which latter Texts we have a Parallel, FJal Ixxxj. 5, 6. But the common and moft probable O- pinion 15, That this Pfalm was compofed by David upon his going up Mount Sion, in 1 riumph, with the Ark, after his Con- queft over the Fhtlijlines, 1 Sam. vi. on which SERMON IV. ^3 which Occafion he diftributed, in a liberal Meafure, Bread, Flefh, and Wine, to the People, Ver, 19. It is argued, therefore, That the Words referring to Mofesy are only mentioned by Way of Illuftrating the repeated Mer- cies of God tov/ards the Ifraelites ; and, That in this Senfe, we are to underftand the Words of the twenty fecond Verfe : The Lord fat d^ I will bring again from B^- jhun: I will bring my people again from the depth of the fe a. Or, as it is exprefTed af- ter a more diftin6l Manner, in the other Tranflation, 7 »v/7/^/-//7g my People again^ as I did from Bajban , mine own will I bring again^ as I did fometime from the depth of the fea. They further infer. That fome later fpecial Mercy is here celebrated, from the Words of the nineteenth Verfe, Bleffed be the Lord J who daily loadeth us with Benefit Sy even the God of our falvation. But whether this Pfalm was compofed on either of thefe Occafions, or on any other, it is certain, That in the ultimate End and Defign of ir, the Pfalmili refers to the glorious Alcenlion of our Lord in- to Heaven ; and to his Conqueft, by fo (ignal an Evidence of it, over the Powers of Darknefs ; for {ci \i is underftood and applied by the Apoftle Sr. ?auI^ Ephef, iv. 8. with this Difference, That Ckiil is G 2 there 84 S E R M O N IV. there reprefented as giving Gifts unto Men ; by the Pfalmift, as receiving Gifts for Men. But there is no great Diffi- culty in reconcihng thefe two Expreffi- ons, fince what Chrifi^ received, was in order to be given or diftributed by him. And efpecially fince the original Word in the Hebrew^ fignifies both to receive and to give : As the Word derived from re- ceivingi in the Greek [Xnfj.fj^^'] imports the fame with [^f^wepO that which properly fignifies a Gift. It principally concerns Chriftians, efpe- cially at this Seafon, toconfider the Words in the prophetical Senfe ; and the Afcenfi- on of CbriH being a fundamental Article of the Chriftian Faith, to the End I may difcourfe upon the Words after a more di- ftind and edifying Manner, I. I fiiall fhew, That, in FaQ, our Lord did afcend into Heaven. II. I fhall examine two or three princi- pal Objedions, which have beea thought to lie againft this Article. IIL I fliall obferve to you, fome of the more fpecial Reafons and Efled^s of his Alcenfion. And, IV. S E R M O N IV. 85 IV. Draw a proper Inference or two from what ihall have been faid. F/>//, I am to fhew, That our Lord, in Fad, did afcend into Heaven. For the Truth of this Article, we have as exprefs a Teftimony in Scripture, as for any other. Chrifi^ Forty Days af- ter his Refurredlion, during which Time he gave many infallible Proofs of it, after he had been difcourfing with his Apoiiles, and given them proper InftruQions, while they beheld himj was taken uf from them, and. received, by a cloudy out of their fight. Here their Senfe could not be deceived ; they were on Mount Olivet in the open Air ; ChriH did not difappear all at once, but his Body vifibly afcended ; and by a Motion, to their Sight, gradual ; till the Cloud receiving him, they could fee him no more. But leaft any Effeds of a fudden and extraordinary Surprife might here be pre- tended by the Incredulous, two Angels appeared ftandmg by them^ and in white ap^ parel^ who alfo Ipoke to them, and faid, ye men of Galilee^ why jl and ye gazing up into heaven ? This fame "Jefus which is taken up from you into heaven, [hall fo come in like manner, as ye have feen him go into heaven. If a fingle Perlon might poflibly have been deceived, in refpeS to all thefe Cir-? G I cumftai|- 85 SERMON IV. cumftances ; yet, there can be no Grounds for pretending that more Perfons than one, much lefs that all the Apoftles might be perfeftly under the fame lllufion, in fo great a Variety of Circumftances. But, indeed, this Article, being fo plain- ly revealed in the Scriptures, and there being nothing in it, as I fliall particularly fhew afterwards, repugnant to the natu- ral or common Idea's which we have of Things, there need no other Arguments in Proof of it, than any one of thofe Ar- guments whereby we prove, in general, the Truth and Divinity of the holy Scrip- tures. If any other Argument fliould be thought requihte or convenient to this End, one may betaken from the Teftimo- ny of St. Paul, which docs not appear in- confiderable. This Apoftle, tho' he was not an Eye- witnefs of our Lord's Afcenfion, yet fpeaks, in feveral Places of it, as a known uncon- troverted and necelTary Article of Faith: Whatever Unbelievers may objecl from the natural Simplicity of the other Apo- Ifies, or their Want of humane Litera- ture ; no Objection, of this Kind, can be prerended to lie againft the great Do£lor of the Ge-/itiles. He had not only a lirong, and withal, hne natural Capacity, where- in perhaps he was inferior to no Man ; but S E R M O N IV. 87 but had acquired, by a learned Education and a due Improvement of it, a great Ex- tent of Knowledge, both in the folid and ornamental Parts of it. To thefe Qualifi- cations was added a juft and ftri<5 Me- thod of Reafoning, whereof he difcovers himfelf, on innumerable Occafions, to have been the greateft Mafter ; tho' his bare AfTertion, as a Perfon divinely In- fpired, had been fufficient to eftabliih the Doctrine delivered by him. Something, at leaft, will be admitted, by the Incredulous themfelves, peculiar in the Character of fuch a Perfon ; and who feems, indeed, if we may judge from his whole Conduft, as well as from his great Abilities, to have been the leaft charge- able, of any Perfon that ever hved, with Credulity, as it imports too eafy a Belief of any Doctrine or Principle without a full and diliinft Examination. His very Oppofition to the Principles of Chriiliani- ty, tho' he was culpable in not examin- ing them as he ought to have done, yet ferves to difcover, that even after he em- braced it, he would be very cautious in alTerting or affenting to any Do6lrine which was not founded upon the mofl clear and unexceptionable Evidence. The Truth of our Lord's Afcenfion might be deduced from the Probity of the Apoitks in common, from their hav- G 4 ing SERMON IV. ing no Motive to propagate a Falfehood, and from their being competent Judges concerning a plain Matter of Fa£l ; it might alfo be proved, from thofe Effe£ls of it which Chrifi antecedently promifed to the Aportles : But as I am fpeaking to ChriiHans, whofe Faith, notwithftanding, ought to be fometimes confirmed, I fhall not here further profecute this Head, but proceed to my next, under which I am, Secondljy To examine two or three of the principal Objedions which have been thought to lie againft the Truth of our Lord's Afcenfion, 1. It is pretended, That the Apoftles, who had a particular Intereft in believing it, were the only WitnefTes of it. To this we anfwer : God cannot be, in Juftice, obliged to afford Men Means of Conviction, more than are fufficient , which had been already afforded to the 'Jews ; and it is probable, that they who refilled the other Evidences of our Lord's divine Miffion, particularly that of his rifing from the Dead, would not have been perfuaded, tho' they had been Eye- witneffesof his Afcenfion. It was rather an A8: of Goodnefs, that God did not give that obff inate People a further At- teftation to the Truth ' of Chrif^ianity, which S E R M O N IV. 8p which he forefaw would not have its pro- per Effeft upon them, but only ferve to heighten the Charge of their Infidelity. It was, however, highly agreeable both to the Wifdom and Goodnefs of God, that the Apoftles to whom our Saviour had declared he was to afcend, and who were principally to bear Teftimony to the Truth of his Afcenfion, iliould have the moft full and inconteftable Evidence of it that could be given. 2. There is alfo a philofophical Argu- ment againft the Credibility, or as fome Men may perhaps urge it, againft the Poflibilicy of our Lord's Afcenfion into Heaven within the Time, wherein, ac- cording to the evangelical Account of this Article, he muft necefTarily have af- cended, and according to the Tenor of which Argument, he cannot indeed be yet afcended. The. Miflion of the Holy Ghoft, the proper Effect of our Lord's Afcenfion, was Ten Days after he was taken up from the Apoftles. It is argued. That without de- termining precifely the Time of its be- ing perfeded, we are obliged to grant, upon our own Principles, that it was however perfeQed in that Time. But now, confidering the Diftance as calculated by the beft modern Aftronomers, from Earth 5?o S E R M O N IV. Earth to the vifible Heavens, it is faid, That the Courfe of Motion, which we affirm to have been finiflied at molt in Ten Days, could not be finiflied in Ten Thoufand Years, according to any Idea's which we can here have of the fwifteft Motion of Bodies ; efpecially as to Bo- dies confifting of a great Variety of Parts, and which have a Dimenfion equal to that of a humane Body. This is an Obje6lion which implies, there neither are, nor can be, any Laws of Motion, but what God has eftablifli- ed in this World ; and it is therefore founded, at the Beft, upon a precarious Suppofition, which nofolid Argument can be brought in Proof of, and againlf which we are able to produce more. Fads than one, divinely attefted. But what is the Reafon that one Body is of fwifter Motion than anocher, except, either from a greater moving Force, or a iefs Refiftance of the Medium through which ic is to pafs. The Power of God anfwers all ObjeQions in both refpeds ; and it is particularly faid of our Bodies at the Reiurredion, Tha they fia/l rife in Power, He that originally gave Motion to Bodies, and could only give it, can caufe them to move in what Meafure or Degree Ibever he pleafes. •lilO-fi But S E R M O N IV. pi But as God ordinarily aQs not accord- ing to the Extent of his Power, but by the mofl: fimple and general Laws, the Medium through which we fhall afcend, will be rarified to a Degree more proper for that Celerity of Motion which the Body is to receive, as the Body will be modified after a Manner more proper to receive it. When we confider the vaft Expanfe of Heaven, it is beyond the Power of Thought to conceive, with what Velo- city the feveral Parts which were to com- pofe the empyreal Heaven, muft have moved towards the feveral Places afligned to them. If there be any Force in what was objected before, with refped to our Lord's Afcenfion, Men might argue, it was fo far from being poffible, that the Formation of the World Ihould be perfect- ed in Six Days, that it could not have been perfected in Six Thoufand Years, or in a much greater Space of Time : And that the Scriptures therefore which reprefent God, (to fpeak in the Language of them,) as dif^ofmg the rvbole rvorld^ Job XKxiv. 13, in that Time; as meting out the heaven with a fpnn^ l{. xlviij. 18; as fpreading out the heavens^ Job ix. 18 ; as making the chambers of the fouth^ and jlr etch- ing out the north^ Job XXV j. 7 ; It may be ^rgued, I fay, from the contrary Princi- ple, yi SERMON IV. pie, That thefe fine and noble Images cannot be ftriQly, and in a philofophi- cal Senfe, true, or reconcileable to the Mofaick Account of the Creation. But. if the Celerity of the Motion de- pend principally on the moving Force, What fhould hinder infinite Power, and which nothing can refift, from giving any Motion to Bodies, which he thinks fit, tho' to a Degree beyond what it is poflible for our finite Capacities to conceive? And therefore, holy Job having obferved feve- rai furprizing EffeQs in the Formation of Things, particularly thofe of Motion, finds himfelf at laft obliged to refolve them, and that by a very bold but fignificant Meta- phor, into the immediate Action of God, yet inconceiveable as to the Manner of it : But the thur^der of his power who ectn frnderfiand? Chap. xxvj. 14. Now, Why fliould it be thought im- poffible, that God fliould give the fame iDegree of Power to a moving humane Body, as he has confeffedly done to the Parts of infenfate Matter ? To a Body informed by a living Soul and modified, as it will be at the Refuneclion, after a Man- ner which fhall render it perfedly obfe- quious to all the Motions of the Soul, and more proper for Motion in general. g. Aft SERMON IV. 9? 5. An Argument has been formed a- gainft the local Afcenfion of Chnft^ even by feme Perfons who believe the Scrip- tures, and out of regard, as they pretend, to the very Authority of them, but in Truth to ferve an Hypothefis, which has no Foundation either in Reafon or Scrip- ture, or in the Poflibility of the Thing. The Lutherans^ in order to fupport the Doftrine oiChrijfs Vbiquityy as to his cor- poreal Prefence, maintain. That by his Afcenfion into Heaven, we are not to underftand a Change of Place ; for he who is in every Place, cannot remove from one Place to another ; but we are only to un- derftand a Change of State or Condition. I fhall not here take upon me formally to confute a DoQrine upon which this Notion is intirely founded ; a DoQrine chargeableat leaft with as many Contra- di(fbions as the Doftrine of Tranfubftanti* ation it felf; particularly with that fla- grant One, which fuppofes the Penetration of Bodies ; or. That two Bodies may be in the fame numerical Place at the fame Time : Which is equally difficult to be conceived, as, That the fame numerical Body may be, at the fame Time, indif- ferent Places: But I fhall only obferve, That this Doclrine is dircQiy oppofite to the Teftimony of the Holy Scriptures, as to this Article of our Lord's Afcenfion ; par- 94 SERMON IV. particularly, to the Words of the Angels, Aits y II. 'This fame Je fits ^ which is taken' up from you into heaven^ fball fi) come in like manner^ as ye have fien hi?n go into heaven. Which Words, lb far as Words can have any determinate Signification, not only denote ChrifPs local Afcent into Heaven, but his future local Defcent from Heaven, in order to judge the World. St. Peter alfo exprefsly aflerts, That the heavens wuH receive him until the times of rejlitu- t ion of all things^ Acts iij. 21. I fliall not diilemble, That the original Words, oV<^« (fgja^ttf ves^vQv^ may be interpreted to fig- nify, if they ought not ftridly to be fo, That ChriFf^ upon his Afcenfion, fhould receive Heaven, or the Government of it, into his own Hands, till the great Day of Retribution. But this Senfe does not exclude, but rather fuppofe his local Refidence in Heaven, till that Day when he ihall vifibly, and by a local Defcent, re- turn from the Throne of his Glory in Heaven, attended with Myriads of Angels, to execute Judgment, and becaufe he is the Son of Man. Thirdly^ lam, in the next Place, to ob- ferve to you, fome of the more fpecial Reafons, and Effedls of our Lord's Afcen- fion. I. The SERMON IV. p5 1. The fpecial Reafon of our Lord's Afl cenfion, rei\)eding himfelF, was, That he might receive a Reward due to the Merit of his Sufferings and Obedience, to which no Reward upon Earth was equal. This Reafon is refer'd to by himfelf, Luhxxiv, 26. Ough( not Chrift to have fuffered thefe things y and fo to enter into his glory ? And by tile Apoftle VhiL ij. 8, 9. who in con- fequence of his being obedient to death ^ even the death of the crojs^ declares, That God had highly exalted him^ and given him d name that is above every name, 2. It was another Reafon of our Lord's Afcenfion, refpe£ling both himfelf and us, That he might give the ftronger Confir- mation to the Truth of his holy Religion, and particularly of his Chara8:er, as a Prophet fent from God : For it could not be fuppofed, that God would interpofe after fo fignal and miraculous a Manner, either to confirm the Do£lrine in general, or any particular Predidlion of a falfe Pro- phet. ^. Another Reafon refpe£ling himfelf and Mankind, was. That he might perfeO:- ly difcharge both his facerdotal and royal Office ; neither of which he could have exercifed in fo perfeQ or ample a Manner, if he had not afcended into Heaven. In his facerdotal Office, it was requifite. That ^6 SERMON IV. That he fliould there prefent himfelf and interceed for us in Perfon, with the Price of his Blood in his Hands, to the Father, as the High Fried entered Yearly, with the Blood of the Sacrifice into the Holy of Holies, the Type of Heaven, to make Interceflion for the People : So the Apoftle argues, HeK ix. 24. ChriH is not entered into the holy places made with hands^ which are the figures of the true^ but into heaven it felfy there to appear in the pre fence of God for us. And there his Interceflions are particularly reprefented by the fame A- poftle, as made in the Union of the two Natures, the Divine and Humane; for we have not an high priest which cannot he touched with the feeling of our infirmities^ hut was in all points tempted^ like a^ we are^ jet without fin. This, confidering the great Awe with which Sinners, with which the Beft of Men muft neceffarily prefent themfelves before the moft high God, as a Being in himfelf of infinite Power, Glo- ry, and Majefty, is Matter of unfpeak- able Confolation and Encouragement to them, in all their Prayers for a Supply of their Wants, for the Removal of any Evil which they fuffer, or the Prevention of any that may be incident to them. This is the very Inference which the Apoftle naturally draws from the foregoing Words: Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, S E R M O N IV. 97 gy^ce^ that rve may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.^ Heb. iv. 15, 16. 4. The regal Office oiChriBy rendered it nolefs requifitCj that he fliould afcend in- to Heaven : For as he was inverted with the moli extenfive andabfolute Authority,* as all Power in Heaven and Earth was committed to him, it was congruous in the Nature of the Thing, That the Seat of his Empire fliould be placed in the fupreme Heaven ; and, for the greater Glory of it, at the right Hand of God, before whom fo many Miniliers proper to do his Will and execute his Commands, do continu- ally ftand. Thefe feveral Reafons are im- plied in that one PafTage of St. Peter^ i Epiil. iij. 22» where he fays that our Lord is gone into heaven^ and is at the right hand of God^ angels and authorities andpoiv- ers being made fubjeif to him» 5. To which I Ifiall only add this further Reafon of our Lord's Afcenfion, in refped: to his royal Office, That by this Means he might exercife that fignal, and, to Man- kind, moft important Aft of it, the Mif- fion of the Holy Ghoft: He havinf; de- clared it fo exprefsly a requifite Conuttion of the Defcent of the Holy Ghoft from Heaven, that himft'f Ihould firlt afceud thither : NevertheUfsj I tell jou the truth^ it is expedient for you that I go arvay^ for if H jgo SERMON IV. / go not away the comforter mil not come uri-. to JQH \ i^ut if I depart^ I will fejud him unto jqu. The two principal Reafons adigned^ why this was made a previous Condition of his fendin<^ the Holy Ghofi:, are^ First^ fha.t the Effects of his Merit, and of the Power wherewith he was inverted, might appear more confpicuous: And, Secondly^ That God, in order to imprint in the Minds of iMena more awful regard to his Son, and more lively Senfe of Obedience to him, would hereby evidence, in the moil effedual Manner, that all the Ekifings ta be derived to Mankind, were, forhis Take, and through him alone : for rvhom^ as the Aspoftle argues, are all things^ and b^ whom are all things^ Heb. ij. lo, 6. A Reafon of our Lord^s Afceniion more peculiarly refpe£ling Men, was. That he m.ight give the itronger Confirmation of our Faith in thefe two important Ar- ticles of ir, That we fhall alfo afcend irr God's appointed Tiaie after him ; and, that he is go^e to prepare a ^Uce for us^ that rv.here he is there we may hs alfoy John xiv. 2, ?, 17, 24. : In confidering the more fpecial Effefls of our Lord's Afcenfion, I fhall confine my felf to thofe two which are fpecified in the Text. S E R M O N IV. 951 F/>//, His Triumph over his Enemies, exprefled by the Words, Thou haft led cap^ tivit) captive. Secondly y The Confequence proper to a Triumph, his diftributing Gifts unto Men ; wherein there was this pecuUar Circum- ftance. That even the Rebellious fhould fhare in the Diftribution, and were in- tercfrcd in the fame common End of it, that the Lord God might dwell among them. I. The Words, Thou haft led captivity captive^ whereby his Triumph is denoted, primarily ieems to import the Conqueft which he had obtained over the Powers bfDarknefs; this Conqueft did, in Part, commence, when he defcended into the infernal Regions, and there openly made his fuperior Power known, binding the ftrong Man in his own Houfe, and in the Sight of all his Hoft. But as the Releafe of Prifoners who have been taken or de- tained by an Enemy, is one ordinary Con- fequence of a Vidory, fo the Words may be applied to fignify th'. Deliverance ef- feQed by our Lord in favour of certain Perfons detained in thofe Regions, but who were more proper Objedts of his Fa- vour and Goodnefs ; or however the Words may import his acquainting them with thofe Conditigns, upon their Acceptance H 2 of lOo S E Pv M O N IV. of which, they would fometime be deli- vered. There appears nothing in this Irr* terpretation repugnant to the Juftice, the Holinefs, the Wifdom, and Goodnefs of God; and there are certain Padiges iit Scripture which appear dire£lly to fa- vour it, and cannot, without Violence, admit of any other Senfe, i Pe(. iij. 19. CoJ, ij. 15. ]f. Ixj. I. Zjch, ix. 1 1. But whether this Interpretation be ad- mitred or not, as Mankind in general wer« under the Power of Satan, and a great Part of the World led captive h) him af his pleafure, our Lord might very properly b« faid to have led Captivity Captive, in vir- tue of that Power which he obtained flill more eminently upon his Aftenfion into Heaven , to the End he might bring Men in general to the Acknowledgment of the Truth, that they might be faved v that he might captivate them to the Obedi- ence of Faith, and turn them from Dark- Kefs to Light', and from the power of Sat a/9 unto God. zlj. In Confequence of this Triumph, according to an ufual Culiom of Princes on the like Occafion, our Lord diftributed -Gifts ; Gifts which became the Captain of our Salvation to diftribute : Not the tem- poral Goods which perifli, but fuch as might endure to cveriafting Life : Such as S E R M O N IV. loi as might enable the Perfons to whom they were originally delivered, not only to lave themfeives, but thole that heard them. In this latter refped, the weak and in- fant Stare of the Church required, that ce'tain Gifts fliould be diftributed, not only in a more liberal Manner, but extra- ordinary as to their Kind : That the A- poitles, in particular, who were to be the firil: Inftruments of planting the Church, of enlargeing the Pale of it, and corTipelling Men to come in by no other Force but that of Reafon and Perfuafion, ihould not only be endowed with an un- common Mealure of Light and Grace, but with a Power of doing Miracles. This Power being in a more fpecial Man- ner necelTary to them towards propaga- ting the Faith, upon the firft Delcent of the Holy Ghoft upon them in a vilible Form, they were heard to fpeak ia Va- riety of Languages^ which they had never learned, and fome of which probably were altogether unknown to them before. Tiiis was a Power, as many others which they afterwards received, which it was impol- fible they could have exerciied, unlefs it had been given them from above; and which, at once, proved the Truth of our Lord's Afcenfion, and the Power where- H 5 with 104 SERMON IV. with himfelf was invefted by the Father, in Confequence of it. But as the Aflion of God is always con- duced by the Rules of infinite Wifdom ; and as "Wifdom requires, that where the moft fimple, natural, and ordinary Means of attaining any End, are fufficient, ex- traordinary Means Hiould not be employ- ed : The Truth oFChriftianity being once fufficiently eftabliflied by Miracles, and afcertained to all fucceeding Chriliians, upon fufficient Evidence that thofe Mira- cles w^re really done; there being no fur- ther OccaHon for a miraculous Power in the Churcli, it became highly reafonable that it Ihouid be withdrawn, and dif- continued. The common Graces of the Spirit, not- withitanjiiig, whether thofe of Light, or Sandification, being always neceflary to thecoh'^z'^^ori Salvatio'fi ; as the Reafons for which they were originally given, doftill fubfiR-, P.nd will for ever continue to do io ; we may pioufly depend upon the Continuance of them to the End of the "World, even tho' we had no exprefs Pro- mife upon which to ground fuch a De- pendance. Yet there is one Gift in particular to- wards the perpetual Edificaiion of the Church, which tho' it be not fpccified by the Prophet in the Text, there is great Reafon SERMON IV. 10^ Reafon to believe, was more efpecially intended by him; and that is, the Gift of a continued Succelfioa of Payors in the Church : For fo the Apoille, applying the Words to the Afcenfion of Chr/Ji^ and reprcfenting him giving Gifts unto Men, as a proper Effeft of it ; he immediately inftar.ces in, by Way of fpecial Diilin- (ilion, one of thofe Gifts : J'/id he gave jome yipOjfieSy and jome Prophets, and fome Evangeiifls, and fome Pafiors and Teacher Sy for the perft0hg of the Saints^ and for the work of the Mimfirjy the edifpng of the Body of Chrfft. It is granted, two of thefc Calces were extraordinary, calculated for the Necef- (fity of the Church at that Time, and were thereio'"e to ceafe with the Reafons upon which God was plealcd at firft to inftirute thcoi. But (^oes it therefore fol- low, that the Gift of God was to ceafe, with refpeO: to thofe Offices, which would be equally necclTary, and at all Times, to the Edification of the Church, if not more necelTary indeed in fucceeding Ages, when Chriftians fhould become more degenerate and corrupt ; when the pri- mitive Faith, in fome of the mod impor- tant Articles of it, might begin to fail, and the love of many to wax cold. Cer- tainly the Reafons both of Governmertt and Inftruclion, fhould rather, upon fucli H 4 a Pe- 104 SERMON IV. a Defeiflion, hold the Stronger, for the Continuance of this Gift of God, than be made an Argument either why it fliould be difcontinued, or transferred into the Hands of the People, who muft, in a pro- bable Way of Arguing, be fuppofed at leaft to have the greateft Occafion both to be governed and inftruded. But did not the common End, the Edi- fication of the Church in general, require this Expofition of the Words : What the Apoftle adds in the following Verfe, feems plainly to determine the Senfe of them, and appears to have been added, indeed, with a more particular Defign to fhew, That this Gift of God was not to be of temporary, but of perpetual Duration \^ the Church to all Ages : Till rve all am/e^ thefe are his Words, in the muty of the fatthy And, of the k,:jrledge of the fon oj God, unto a per feci' mcLn^ unto the meafure of the fiature of the fuhtfs of Chrift. Men might as jt:aforab!y argue, Thaf; upoii the Ceffdtion of certain niiiaculous Gifts of the holy Ghoft, his ordinary Graces were to be dilcontir ucd ; as tliey can argue. That becauie certain exua« ordinary Offices, necefla- y ui the iniant State of the Church, were, of a iimit>;d Duration ; therefore fuch Offices were to be Jimited to the fame Time, whi.h would SERMON IV. loj would be equally neceflary to the com- mon Salvation at all Times. And if an Order, a diftinft and fuc- ceflive Order of Paftors in the Church, be the Gift of God, as 1 think may very clearly be deduced from this one Text, had we no other Argument to evince this Dodrine ; of how profane and facrilegi- ous an A61 muft thofe Perfons necefTarily be guilty, who would take the Diftri- bution of this Gift out of God's Hands, and put it into the Hands of any Man, or any Number of Men whatever, whom God has not efpecially authorized to that End ? Do we really confider the Punifhment of thofe Men under the Law, who in con- tempt of God's Inftitution, and upon a Pretence that all the Congregation were holy^ invaded the facerdotal Office, and even afTumed an equal Right of exercifing it with thofe to whom God had appropri- ated that Office. It cannot be becaufe Men are lefs obnoxious to the Juftice or Difpleafure of God, under the Chriftian Difpcnfation, for the fame Crime, that they make fo little Confcience of it, or perhaps glory in it; but either becaufe God does not now fo vifibly interpofe in bis Judgements againft Sinners, as un- der the ^^em[h Oeconomy ; or from a la- tent Principle of Infidelity, that either he will io6 S E R M O N IV. will not judge them hereafrer, or only for certain grofs and atrocious Crimes relating to moral Life. God, notwithftanding the Lenity of the Chriftian Difpenfatiori, is flill jealous of his Honour, and an equal regard at lea ft is due to the evangelical as to the legal Inftitutions, whether he lliould think fit to puniili the Violation of them here, or in another World : And therefore, tho' it is podible that Rcafons of Vanity, of Intereft, of Prejudice againll: the Prieft- hood, on account of certain Rights, un- alterable Rights and Priviledges of it, may incline Tome Perfons to think, that all Chriftians, fuppofing their other Qua- lifications equal, have an equal Pretenfion to claim and exercife it under the Regu- lation of the Civil Magiftrate, and of him alone ; yet, it is reafonable to believe, fincethe Inftitutiori of the Chriftian Prieft- hood is fo evident, both from Scripture and Antiquity, that this Principle is ra- ther founded, at the Bottom, in Infideli- ty, than in the common Corruption of Chriftians. It muft be acknowledged, That they are not the open Enemies of Chriftiani- ty alone who have done us this Difhon- our ; fome Perfons of whom we might have hoped better Things, and who were themfeives invefted with chs facred Office, have SERMON IV. 107 have publickly given in to that pernici- ous Priiiciple, and fpoken of Ordination and other Rights of the Priefthood in Terms, which infidels themfelves, if not altogether unguarded in their ExprefTions, would not have employed, out of re- gard to the Rules of common Decency. It (till heignrens our Charge againfl: fucii Ferfons, that they formerly declared, in the moil folemn Manner, and by a formal Subfcription, their Aifent to thofe very Do8:rincs which they afterwards op- pofed, if they were not writing in diredt Oppofuion to them at the fame Time ; a Prevarication, in Excufe of which^ if any Thing can excule it, fomething ought to be faid, more reafonable and loiid, than any Thing that has been hitherto offered. It is pretended, when Men declare their AfTent to the Articles of the Church, (I confine my felf to them) it is only pre- fumed that they declare their Aflent to them, fo far as they are agreeable to the Word of God. If this Evafion might be allowed, no unlawful Oaths could be expreffed in fuch ftrong or fignificant Terms which Meii might not innocently take ; becaufe no Man can be prefumed to take them in a Senfe, or bring himfelf under an Obliga- tion, contrary to his Duty and the Word of God. In this Way of Arguing, and perhaps, I o8 SERMON IV. perhaps, that is the true Defign of it, an Expedient might eafily be found towards reconciling all the reformed Churches to the Church of Rome^ by making it a Con- dition of the Union, That they fhould declare their unfeigned A (Tent and Con- fent to all the Doctrines and Decifions of the Council of Trent : Which they might very innocently do, if they could be per- fuaded in the Reafon of the Thing, to intend no more hereby, than that they only declare their AlTent and Confent to fuch Doctrines or Decifions, fofar as they are agreeable to the V/ord of God. But to return to the Church of En- gland. Where could be the Reafon or Wifdom, of obliging Men to declare their AfTent to a Form of Words, which they, whofe Principles fliould be diredly con- trary to the Tenor and Defign of them, might innocently fubfcribe to ; and who fhould intend no more by fo doing, than that they believe the Articles of the Church to be agreeable to the Word of God, fo far as they are agreeable to the "Word of God ; which yet is all, accord- ing to the Argument of thole againft whom the prefent Charge lies, that the Church can be fuppofed to intend. But I (hall not examine a corrupt No- tion which was only mentioned inciden- tally, any further. What I am, m the next SERMON IV. locs^ next Place, to obfeive, is, That even the Rebellious fliared in the falutary EtFefls of our Lord's A Icenfion, The "Jews themfelves, yea, the moft In- veterate of his Enemies among them, with all the Red of Mankind, of the greateft Sinners, who would come in upon the gra- cious and eafy Terms of the Gofpel, fhould be entitled to the fame common Rights and Priviledges of it : But his Goodnefs ■was not limited to this general Condi- tion : He ftill continues to diftribute the Gifts of his Grace even to thofe who re- bel againfl: them, after they have formally fubmitted, and profelTed Obedience to him. He bears long with them ; he pati- ently awaits •, he invites their Return, and affords them the proper Means of it. He willeth not any one of them fliould pe- rifh, but that they all may be faved ; and that the Lord God, if ftill they will fub- mit to be governed by his Laws, may dwell among them. Some have infer'd a Proof from thefe Words, That the Holy Ghoft, is, in a true and proper Senfe, God. For he be- ing the Comforter promifed by our Sa- viour, and fent by him to difpenfe his fpirituai Gifts and Graces to the Church, and to the End that he might abide with it for ever; it is very agreeable to the Defign of the Apoftle in this Place, that we 110 S E R M O N IV. we fhould underftand him as here fpeak- ing concerning this divine Peiibn. But whether this Argument, which feems to have a very probable Foundation, will, upon Examination, hold ftriftly jult, be- caufe God may be properly faid to do what is done by the Holy Ghoft's Media- tion, or to dwell where that holy Spirit is faid to dwell ; yet this Dodlrine, a Do- £lrine of the higheft Confolation to Sin- ners, to the moft rebellion's Sinners, will unavoidably follovi^, from the Words ; That if they be not wholly obfHnate ; if they will, in any meafure, prepare for his Reception and open the Door to him, this divine Gueft will come in, and make his abode with them, I fhall contra'5l into a narrow Compafs, what I have further to offer. Fourthly and La/Ilj, T flaall draw a pra- £lical Inference or two from what has been faid. And, I. If our Lord be, as I hope we all of us firmly believe he is, in Fad afcended into Heaven ; If his Afcenfion be, what cannot be difputed by Chriftians, a cer- tain Earneft and Evidence of their own future Afcenfion ; let us frequently cail our Eyes forward upon that bleffed Place, where SERMON IV. ill where the Captain of our Salvation is, which is the prefent Scene of his Glory and Triumphs, and will be, one Day, of our own Felicity : For we are not only allured m general, that we (hall, if we do not by our Sins aiid Impenitence exclude our felves, be one Day admitted into the heavenly Places; but particularly that oui* Lord is gone before to prepare proper Man- fions for us in them, that ivhere he is there rve mnj he alfo, 2. If one of the principal Gifts of our- Lord to his Church, upon the Miflion of the Holy Ghoft, after he was afcended, the Gift particularly fpecitied by St . Paul in applying the Words of my Text, was, an Order, a fuccelTive Order of Men ta minilier in the Church in Things per- taining to God, and for the better Edifi- cation of it ; Let no Man, who has any regard to his Chara6ler as a Chriftian, ef- pecially if he be a Minifter of Cm/?, pre- tend to vilify or decry, much lefs to make any Attempts towards abolifliing this di- vine Inftitution, leaft he be found to figh^ agdinji God. Let all of us rather confider what Re- turns of Thankfulnefs and Obedience we owe to God, for making fo wife and ftanding a Provifion towards the common Good aad Inftru£tion of his Church. Let the ii- SERMON IV. the Laity confider what Reverence is due to the Gift of God^ in the Perfon of thofe who are fent by him to minifter to them ; and efpecially let thofe who are thus fent, confider what is due to fo facred a Chara- 6:er, and take care that they do nothing below the Dignity, nothing inconfiftent in any refped with the proper Duties of it. Let all of us, to conclude^ unite in offering up our Prayers to God, That " to thofe " who fhall be ordained to any holy Fun- '* 8:ion, he would give his Grace and hea- *' venly Beneditlion, that both by their " Life and Doftrine they may fet forth " his Glory, and fet forward the Salva^ *' tion of all Men, through Jefu6 Chn(i '^ our Lord. Amen. SER- ri 3 SERMON V. That the Laws of Religion are per- fectly agreeable to the ftanding Rules of Prudence and Equity. E c c L E s. vij. i6. Be not righteous overmuch, why fljould*Ji thou dejlroy thy f elf ? ME N do not only plead humane Frailty in excufe of their Sins, but fometimes the Authority of the holy Scriptures themfelves. And, among other Attempts to poyfon thefe faered Foun- tains, the Words of my Text in par- ticular have frequently been employed by wicked and profane Perfons. " Here, fty they, we have a Rule pre-. " fcribed, not only by the Wifeft of " Men, confide red in his perfonal Cha- \^ rader, but by a Writer divinely in- I fpired 114 SERMON V. *• fplred, which direfbs us not ta ftrairr " the Duties of Religion too high, but " to ule a reafonable Latitude, whether " in oyr Notions or PraOice of them. " ECpv-cially, when they tend to lay too '' great Reilraints upon us, or do inter- " fere with our temporal Interefts ; /(^r " jr/;;, as it here follows, (Jjouldeft thou " dejlroj thy jelf ? Moderation in all " Things does well ; and particularly if *' we may be determined by the Judg- *' ment of Solomon^ in the Bufinefs of Re- t' ligion: And therefore it is much bettej-, ^* ill refpe^l; to it, on all Occafions to pre- " ferve a Temper, and neither to be righ- ^ teoti'S over-much^ nor, as he cautions us in *' the following Verfe, overmuch nicked,^ '* than to carry Things, on either Hand, " to Extremity. Befides, as it is confef- <^ fedly the principal Defign of Reh'gionto " make Men happy, why fliould we, " where we can by any Means avoid " them, expofe our felves to Difficulties " arid Dangers, and it may be, in certain " Cafes, even to Death. Is it not more " advifeabieto difcover, if we can, fome *< proper Expedient to reconcile the Rules " of Religion with the common Max- ''. ims and Freedoms of humane Life, " than to affe£l a Sett of crabbed Noti- " ons, or a Singular, and, as it may ap- *' p2ar to other People, very capricious *' Beha- SERMON V. 115 *' Behaviour, oppofite at the fame Time *' to our Inclinations and prejudicial to *' our Interefts? , After this, or the like Manner, do Men of loofe Principles and Morals fome- times comment upon thefe Words. But, in obviating what thye would infer from them, I fhall wholly confine my felf to that Part of their Argument which re- fpe(El:s Morality : For there lies the great Difficulty, and the rnain Ground of their Prejudice againft Religion. With this View, I fhall proceed accord- ing to the following Method. . I. I fhall fhew, That Solomon could not intend the Senfe which has been here put Upon the Words. II. That they may be interpreted, without any forcible Confl:ru6lion, in fe- veral other Senfes, intirely confiftent with the Rules of a pure and ftrid Morality, as it implies the practical Duties of Reli- gion in general. Firft^ I am to fhew, in the firft Place, That Solojnori could not intend the Senle 'V^hich has been here put upon the Words. I 2 It 11(5 SERMON \^ It will not be difputed, that this ex- cellent Author was capable of Writing after a confiftent Manner : And his Cha- ra(fl:er of Wifdom, if we confidcr him merely as a humane Author, required, that he lliould write fo. Yet, if he here intend, as the Explication given of the Text fuppofes^ to advance any Thing in Favour or Excufe of Impiery in any Kind, a more flagrant Incontiifency cannot be found in the Writings of any Author whatever. The Defign of all his Writings is, to fliew the Excellency and Advantages of Religion, with the Wifdom and Reafon- ablencfs of pradifing it, from thofe two Confiderations. And he is all along par- ticularly careful to inform us, that Reli- gion confifls in fearing God, in keeping his Commandments, and departing from Evil : Thefe general Dutie«= are altogether irreconcileable with a State of Sin, or the deliberate, much more the habitual, Pra- ftice of any one known Sin whatever. They fuppofe, in the natural Reafon and Import of them, an intire, uniform, and permanent Courfe of Obedience. But left IVlen fliould negled to apply them, or fliould not ih'inli them neceifarily ap- plicable in particular Cafes, he frequently takes Occalion to fhew, That they are of univerllil Obligatjon and Extent. There SERMON \^ 117 There are certain excellent Pafll^ges to this Purpofe, feme of which I 0]all cite from the fourth Chapter of the Book of Proverbs. Hear^ fays he, je ch/ldrer7, the instruction. of a. father. Get ivijdom^ get undi-rftdnd- tng^ forget it not^ neither decline frorn the words of my mouth. I hdve taught thee in the way of wifdom, I have ted thee in right vaths. Take faft Ijold of inftruifion ; let her fWt go ; keep her^ for jhe is thy life. Enter not into the path of the wicked^ and go not in the way of tvil rnen, Avoid it^ pafs not hy it^ turn from ity and pajs away. But the path of the jufi is as the jhining light that jhineth more and more unto the pcrfeft day. My fon at- tend to my w-ords : let them not depart from thine eyes ; keep them in the midjt of thine heart. Kjep thy heart with all diligence^ for out of it are the ijfues of lifey Ver. i, 5, 11, i ^, 14, 15, 18,^ 20, 21, 23. What a Variety of ftrong ExpreiTions and beautiful Images are here, to repre- sent to Men the Necedity of a vertuous and innocent Conduct, fo far as it is on any Account practicable, and of their a- voiding Sin, in every Kind and Degree ? In both refpe<^s we are cautioned, nar- rowly to oblerve and regulate the Mo- tions of the Heart, as there we are to feek for the true and original Springs which fend forth bitter water and fweety I 5 from ii8 S E R M O N V. from whence both a corrupt and a virtu- ous Courfe of Life does derive. I fhall add but one Pallage more to difcover the Judgment of Solomon upon this Enquiry, and that is from the Con- clufion of this very Book, where, to fhew the Neceffity of Obedience as to every Part and pra£licable Degree of it, he tells us in Words, which need no Com- ment to thofe who are capable of any religious Impreffions, That God will bring evQi'Y jvork into judgment, rvith every Jecret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be, evil. But if we confider Solomon as writing by diredion of the Spirit of God ; as purfuing the fame grand Defign with the other Pen-men of the holy Scriptures, in laying down the Rules of a religious Life and Obedience to Men ; it is ftill more impious and irrational to fuppofe him ei- ther inconfiftent with himfelf in any Do- ctrine, or with that kcncial DeHgn ; and in regard to which all Scriptures were written, and are tlic'efore ^/ojitahle for doctrine, for refroof, Jor correBion, for tn- Jlru^ion in right toufntjs ; th~ the ma j of God may he perfeiil, thoroughly jurniftJtd un- to all good Works, 2 Tini. iij. i*^, 17. Some Expofitors apprehendihg chac thefe Words might be made an ill \.\^ ot by Men of corrupt Minds^or a proidne Con- veriation, SERMON V. 119 ^verfatlon, have fuppofecl, That Solomon- doQS not fpeak them in his own Perfon, hut here introduces an Unbeliever or profeffed Libertine, putting an Objection as well as he can againil the Reafonablenefs of Religion ; as St. Paul mud be acknow- ledged to do, when, without any formal Tranfition, he reprefents an Epcuredn m the midil of very grave and weighty Difcourfe, faying, Lei u^s eat and dri^kyfar to morrorv ipe die. We grant^ there are feveral interlocu- tory Difcourfes of this Kind in the holy Scriptures, tho' the- Perfons fpeaking are not alternately mentioned or referred to ; and particularly it has been thought, that this Book is wholly compofed by Way of Dialogue, on SolomorPs Fart, in Defence of Religion ; by fome Infidel or Perfon of very ioofe Morals, on the other Part, a- gainft Religion. The Grounds of this O- pinion are not altogether improbable : But as it admits of Difpute ; as there is no vifible Occafion for fuppofing it, in refpe£l to this particular Place, it appears more reafonable to leave Solomon in Polfeflion of it j efpecially, fi^ce I am to Hiew under my II. Second Head, That the Words may be interpreted without any Force put upon them, in feveral Senfes, confiftent I 4 with i-o SERMON V. with the Rules of a pure and ftrid Mo- rality, as it implies the Duties of Re- ligion in general. I. The Words, Be not righteom over- much, may very naturally be underftood as a Caution againft too great or nice Ex- aQnefs, in reference to the exterior Forms and Duties of Religion. And there is the greater Reafon for this Interpretation, as Righteoufnefs is in feve- ral Places of Scripture applied to fignify fuch exterior Fornis and Duties, exclufivp of a vital and true religious Principle. The Righteoufnefs of the l^harijees confift- ed very much in the Obfervation of them. They make up, it is to be feared, at this Day, a great Part of the pradical Chrifti- anity, to be found in the Communion of that Church, vi^hich appropriates to her felf the Title of Caihoiuk : Several vi^ho go under the Name of the Reformed^ want themfelves a Reformation in this refpe£l ; as they feem principally to make a Merit in diftinguifhing themfelves, to the Neg- le<5l of more important Duties, by a par- ticular Application and Zeal about fuch Things, wherein the Diftini^ion of their particular Sect or Communion is founded. I wiih all the Members of that excellent Church, where ^Chriftianity is profclTed and taught in its greateft Purity, could be ill- SERMON V. lai intirely acquitted from having any Share in this general Imputation. It was not therefore in this Kind of Zeal, our Lord required it as a Conditi- on of our entring into the Kingdom of Heaven, that our Righteoufnefs fhould exceed the Righteoufnefs of the Scribes and Pharifees ; for they feem, on many Ac- counts, tQ have exceeded in it themfelves: But we are to outdo them in the Duties of inward Sandity, of pure and undefiled Religion in all the Parts of it. So that not only this Caution, Be not rlghteom overmuch^ but the Reafon fubjoin- led to juftify and enforce it, iexH thou de- ftroy thy felf\ is here very applicable. For what can be faid in a more proper or ftrift Senfe to deftroy a Man, than a Righteoufnefs, but abufively fo called, or an Excefs of Zeal, which tends to ex- clude him for ever from the Kingdom of Heaven. When the Prophet IfAtah gives this Teftimony, in the Name of God, con- cerning the Jews in his Time, They feek me daily^ and delight to know my rvays^ as a nation that did righteoujnefs, and forfook not the or- dinames of God , they ask of me the ordi- nances of jujiice ; they take delight in aff roach- ing to God^ If. Iviij. 2. When he after- wards reprefvnts them as ajfli5iing their Jq«!s, as bomng down their heads like a hulL rufh 122 S E R M ON V. rujb^ dnd [^reading fackcloth and a/bes under them, Ver. 5. he does not intend to con- demn all proper external Signs of Hu^ miliation, but only reproves them, either for placing too much Merit in thefe in- ftrumental Duties, or becaufe they per- form'd them after a fuperftitious Manner, and beyond the Meafure which was re- quired : While they negleQed, and pro- bably for this very Reafon, the more im- portant Duties of {landing and perpetual Obligation ; the Duties of Juftice and Mercy towards all Men, and of Charity in particular to the Poor. Then^ fays the Prophet, or upon the Performance of thefe Duties, jjjall thy light break forth as the warn- ings and thine health [Ij all fpring forth fpeedily^ And thy righteoufnefs [hall go before thee ^ Ver. 8. But how little their exceeding, or, to keep to the Terms of my Text, their be- ing Righteous overmuch in performing thofe external Rites recommended them to the Favour of God, appears from other PalTages in this Chapter, particularly from the Charge given to the Prophet (Ver. I ) to jljerv them, in the moft authori- tative and awakening Manner, their tranf- grejjion and their fins. If by deftroying a Man's felf, Solomon has not here rcfped to any fpiritual or future Evils, but only to fuch as are tem- poral j then the Caution, h^ not righteom ever- SERMON V, 123 overmuch, is very applicable to thofe, wliQ either out of an Excefs of Zeal praftife Mortifications whereby they macerate their Bodies, and impau' their Health; or to thofe who voluntarily reduce themfelves to a poor, and perhaps mendicant State of Life. That it is unlawful for a Man to pre- judice the State of his Health, and much more fo to mutilate any Part or Member of his Body, is, if I mittake not, agreed on by all modern Cafujfts: And indeed the Reafon of their Agreement is vifible, from the natural Reafon of the Thing, and a ftanding Law of Nature, which re- cjuires. That all Beings fliould pi-eferve themfelves in their natural State, as well and fo long as they can. Animals which do notdiftindly know or confult this Law, may I not add, inanimate Creatures them- felves, fo far as they may be faid to a8:, always aft with their utmoft Force in conformity tQit. But rcafonable Beings are under a mo- ral Obligation to follow the Order of Na- ture ; and inftead of deftroying the Work of God by whom they are fo wonderfully made, they ought to contribute fo much as is poflible, to the better State, and greater Perfeftion of it. There is Scope enough for the Duties of Self-denial and Mortification, in laying fober 124 SERMON V. fober Reftraints upon our fclves, without aftefting ftich rigid, and, as fome Men haiVQ fradiikd them, ridiculous Aufteri- ties, which tend to impair the Health, the native Vigour, or Form of the Body : Nay, reafonable A£ls of Self-denial do rather conduce, on all thefe Accounts, to the more perfe61: State of it. But if Men will affe£l fuch as are unreafonable or prejudi- cial to it, however God may be difpofed to pardon the Efireds of a well-intended the' indifcreet Zeal, they will be in great Danger of doing a Prejudice to Religion it felf. Few Perfons will be apt to think very advantagioufly of an Inilitution, the Conditions whereof are reprefented, by thofe who ftriftly profefs it, not only as toofeverc, but as being in fome Sort un- natural, by obliging Men, even in the literal tho' a lower Senfe indeed, to dejiroj themfelves. As to the Cafe of voluntary Poverty, having fpoken to it on a former Occafion, I fliall not here refume that Subject : And there is the lefs Neceflity indeed, at any Time, to caution Men againftan undue Pradice, in a Part of the World which produces fo very few, if any, In- ilances oF it. 2. Thefe Words may be underftood as a Caution againft too much Rigour in ex- ercifing SERMON V. 125 ercifing A£l$ of Juftice, whether difirihu- th'e. or, according to the other common Diftinclion of it,, commtitfitive* Diliributive Juftice principally refpe^is the Civil Magiltrate, and in a Degree Perfons inverted with any Civil Authority over us, as Parents and Mafters ; and ic refpecis them only as it comes under the Notion of Punitive Juftice. But if we confider Juftice as fo denominated, when executed with too much Rigour, it is al- ways injurious to the Perfons who are punifhed, and frequently even to thofe who dopunifli. In the vifible Tendency of the Thing, indeed, a Man, by fuch a Rigour, rather takes a Method of deft:roy- ing others than himfelf : And therefore appears not to be concerned in this Ad- monition of Solomon^ as not being affefled with the Reafon which he adds to en- force it. But if it does not fo dire^ly afFe£i him, it may and often does aftedl him by a natural Confequence. How many Princes have laid the Grounds of their own De- ftruftion, tho^ by gradual Advances, fcarce fenfible, perhaps, at firft, in the Deftrudi- on of their Subje£^s ; or by being too ri* gorous, which is only another Mame for erud Executions upon them, ; tho' fuch, perhaps, againji which there wafpo-Uw? For there is iomething la Crudty fo odious and 4a6 Sermon v, and irritating to all Men, indifferently to bad and good Men, that the Appear- ances of it ought, as much as poffible, to be avoided, even in the only Cafe which may feem in fome raeafure to excufe it, That of punifhing the Cruelty of other Men. The Reafon againft too great Severity inadminirtring Juftice, will hold in pro- portion to all Perfons of inferior Condi- tion, who have any Authority to that. End, and who would lay the Grounds of fupporting that Authority, the true, the only firm and lafting Grounds, in a ge- nerous Love, not in a fervile Fear, or at forced Obedience. But Juftice may be alfo confidered, as* exercifed by Perfons of Authority, in the Defeat. And as Righteoufnefs in Scrip- ture is frequently applied to fignify Mer- cy, it is probable that Solomon might, in the Caution here given, have particularly an Eye to fuch DefeQ: : A Defeft which Men of the beft Difpofitions and the greateft Minds, are moft fubjed to. However, as it is a Defed ; as tod great Lenity in Princes has fometime^ been the Occafion of involving both them- felves and their People in great Calami- ties, and in a long and numerous Train of them ; as a Relaxation of Difcipline or Juftice, is, in proportioii, often attended witM S E Pv M ON V. 127 with ill Confequences in fubordina^te So- cieties: All Perfons without DiftinQion, who are veiled w^ith any. Authority, ought to avoid this Extreme, and regulate their Condu6l by thefe iMaxims of Prudence, which are always infeparabie from thofe of Religion, that may preferve them at an equal Diftance between both Extremes. It may not be improper to give an Example or two from the holy Scriptures^ of Perfons chargeable with being Righte- ous overmuch in this refped, and to ob- ferve, what Evils they, by this Means, in- curred. We have a memorable Inftance to this Purpofc in Sauly who by fparing Agag King of the Jmalekites, with the Spoils taken with him which he ought to have deftroyed, provoked God to declare, h re- peated him that he had fet up Saul to be king^ I Sam. XV. II. and afterwards, that he had rent the klngdo-m of IJraelfrcm him^ Ver. 28. and yet there were great Appearan- ces, both of a juft and reafonabie Clemency m his preferving the Life of AgAg^ and of Religion, in his preferving the Flocks and the Herds for Sacrifice. We have a like Inftance in. the Man, who, upon the Command of the Prophet, refufed to fmite him ; upon which, fo foon as the Man departed, he was flain by a Lyon, I Kjyjgi xxxv. ^6. I am 128 SERMON V. I am aware of the Obje6lion, That thefe Inftances do not diew the natural; but only the providential EffeQs of too great Lenity^ when exercifed in Oppofi- tion to fome pofitive Cortimand of God. But nothing hinders, why the Words of Solomon may not alfobe applicable to fuch Cafes. However, this moral Application which I principally intend of them holds good, That all defers in our Duty being contrary to the general Commands of God, they may be a Means of provoking him to forward the natural Tendency of them to our Unhappinefs and Deftru^lion, by the fecret Difpofitions ot his Providence. But there is one Cafe in the Writings of St. Faul to our Purpofe, which may be of ufe to difcover the dire8: and natural Ef- fefts of too great Indulgence towards Delinquents, in thofe who have Authority to inflift proper Ptinifliments upon them, I Cor, v. This Cafe, indeed, I mean the Cafe of the inceftuous Corinthian^ relates to the fpiritual Adminiftration; but the Inference I would draw from it, is equally applicable to the Civil Magiftrate, in his own Province. The Grounds upon which the Apoftle charges the Corinthians for their Neglect, in not proceeding againfl: that Offender with a reafonable Severity, were taken from <^ S E R M O N V. 129 from the Scandal and Influence of cor- rupc Example. Some Perfons have thought, indeed, that all Punifhriients are, or ought to be, in a ftricl Senfe, purely exemplary, and that, notwithftanding Perfons in Au- thority may juftly punifh ; yet, Juftice ab. ftraQ:edly confidered, and without regard to the Ends of Gdvernment, never obli- ges them to punifh ; nay, that it is un- lawful for them, in any Cafe, to punifh^ upon a pure Motive of Revenge. This Notion has been carried fo far, that Men have argued from it, that there is, in a ftri6l Senfe, no fuch Thing as vindi6live Punifhment m the fovereign Being him- felf. But all reafonable Men are agreed^ That for the Benefit of the Party punifh- ed, or for the Good of the Society in gene- ral whereof he is a Member, and which cannot otherwife be attained, wholfome and convenient Punifhments ought to be inflidcd, whether under a civil or reli- gious Adminiftration ; the Ends of Go- vernment, in both of them, equally re« quiring that Scandal and Corruption Ihould, as much as poflible, be prevented : So that they who argue for an unlimited Toleration to Men to aft as they pleafe in the fpiritual Society, without being li- able to any Cenfures or Punifhments '? o SE R M O N V- properly Spiritual to be infliflied by k^ may as reafonably argue for a Repeal at once of all Penal Laws in the Civil Socie- ty, if they will argue^and that is the only". Foundation in this Cafe upon which any Argument can be formed, from the pro- per and neceffary Ends of Government. But, 2. The Words may alfo be con fide red as a Caution to us in theExercife of com- niutative Juftice. Where other Perfons are under an Obligation to us, it may fometimes be the highefl: Ad of Cruelty, wherewith Juftice can never confift, to take all Advantages againft them, which yet the Laws may poffibly allow. Laws are made for the Good of Society in gene- ral, but it is impolTible that the Legifla- ture fhould forefee all the particular Cafes wherein they muft neceilarily prove in- commodious to particular Perfons, and contrary to the original and real Intenti- on of the LegiQature, could that be de- clared. Such Laws ought therefore to be tempered with Equity, and Courts of Ju- dicature and Equity are fometimes eftab- liihed for that very End : The Reafon of eftablilhing them fliould teach us, in our more private Capacities, to regulate the Power which poiTibly the Law may give S E R M O N V. 131 give us over other Men, by the fame Rules. Every Man's Confcience being a Court of Equity to him, he ought not, for In- ftance, to proceed againftany Perfon who is a Debtor to him, whom he knows, or might upon Enquiry have known to be really infolvent ; much lefs to deprive fuch a Perfon of his Liberty, and the Means of fupporting himfelf, or perhaps a numerous Family by his Induftry ; ex- cept he will fay, that every Thing which is legal, is therefore, in a moral Senfe^ juft, than which there is not a more falfe Propofition in the World ; nay, it is im- poflible in this particular Cafe, that it fhould be true : For no Man, morally fpeaking, can be obliged to an Impofli- bility, nor confequently to pay what he really has not to pay : Neither could the Law be prefumed, in that Cafe, to intend fuch an Obligation* So that here all con- fcientious and reafonable Perfons will, or rather necelTarily muft, diftinguifli be- tween the Letter, and the equitable Con- ftrudion of the Law* It may be faid, perhaps, that the Cre- ditor, in certain Cafes, does not proreed in this Method, ftridly as a Creditor, but as a Minilier of Juftice to execute Wrath, or to fee it executed. But fhould the Lc w really have authorized any private ftr- K 2 Ion 131 S E Pv M O N V. fon iri this Way to minJder to the Exe- cution of Juilice, it will concern- him , after all, to confider well, Whether it be in Truth the Love of Juftice, or fome fe- cret Defire of gratifying his Malice or Re- venge, whereby he is fnfluenced. And if thefe be, as it is too probable diey may be, the true Motives upon which he proceeds, how much foever he has been offended or provoked. How will he anfvv^er for the Effeds'of them to God ? To God, whom he offends daily, and in this very Inftance coni'wudlj^ and yet from whoril Ire hopes for Forgivenefs ? What Report will his Confcience make to him of that fevere Judgment recorded in the Gofpel, againft him who implored and found Mercy at the Hands of hi^ Mafber, but had no compajjion on his fellow fervant ? Or, can he avoid, under a Senfe of his Ob- duracy, the Application of that terrible Sentence denounced by Saint James^ ch. rj. i^. He /ball have judgment without merm cjy irho hath jheived no mercy. If we canfider our felves as under an Obligation by Way of Contrad or Pro- niife to other Perfons, we cannot eafily exceed, tho' it is poiTible, in fome Cafes, we may, in performing what is expefted from us : Particulary, in refped to free ard arbitrary Promifes , which would really prove prejudicial to the Perfons to whom SERMON y. 153 whom they were made, fliould we per- form them. Both Tully and Serjeca were of this Opinion : Tho', confidering how little regard is ordinarily had to promilTory Engagements, even by Perfons who affed the Character of Probity and Honour, and upon what flight and fometimes very vmjufl: Pretences, fuch Perfons will think themfelves difcharged from them : This is a Dodrine, after all, which, tho' true in the Main, ought to be explained with much Caution. The former of tliefe Authors lays, That Promifes inconvenient to thofe to whom they are made, ought not to ,be kept, (promijf.t inutiiia, non feyvand.^). The Per- formance of fuch Promifes is termed by Seneca^ S^fva Bomtas, in his Book of Bene- fits, y/here he exprefsly treats of this Subje^- J might have mentioned feveral other Cafes under the Diftinflion of commuta- tive Juftice, wherein this Rule of Solo- mon is applicable ; but thefe two which I have mentioned, m^y ferye in general, to give us an Idea of what it imports in Dtljier Cafes. And fo I proceed, y To a third Senfe, wherein thefe Words may be very naturally explained, and that is, by Way of Caution againft ^ vain and too high an Opinion of our K 3 oyi'n 134 S E R M O N V. own Conduct in religious Life. Be not righteous overmuch ; that is, Do not too much affecl to appear fo, or to be thought more righteous than you really are : Ac- cording to a common Way of Speaking, concerning other Perfons, or to them , when we fay they are wife, or ftrong, or handfome ; not that they are really fo, but becauie they imagine themfelves fo. We accomodate our felves, fometimes, to this Way of Speaking according to appear^ ame^ even when we talk of phyficai Sub- jects. But the moral World, tho' not Vholly , as fome modern Wits have taught, made up of Appearances, afford^ us much more frequent Occafions, for ex- prefTing our felves after this Manner : And We are fometimeS indeed fo much im- pofed upon by Appearances, and under fo artful a Difguife, that we are not able to difcover what Sort of Perfons they really are -with whom we converfe : Bnt there is no Way to efcape the Knowledge or Judgment of him to whofe Eyes all things Are n.iked and open, who knoweth all our wajs^ and confidereth all our works. So that there is fomething in a pre- ?:erided Sandity peculiarly inccnfiftent and unaccountable. Men may pi opofe tOuC- complifli their Ends in the Ufe of other hypocritical Arts, by deceiving thofe who are lefs capable of detedling them , or who S E R M O N V. 135 who do not perhaps entertain any Sufpi- cion of them .; but religious Hypocrily de- feats its own Defign : I mean as it is founded in fpiritual Pride, which in the Nature of it, fuppofes them who are pofTefTed with it m the Favour of God, whofe Attribute of Omnifcience^ the great Foundation of all Religion, they at the fame Time either tacitly deny, or elfe muft prefume upon fome Method of e- luding his other glorious Attribute of Fx))ver, The pecuh'ar aggravating Circumftan- ces of this Sin, occafioned fo many ter- rible Denunciations of the meek and holy "Jefus againft it^ Matt xxiij. For the fame Reafon the Apoftle decla,res, that they rvho have a form of godli/fefs, but deny the power thereof J are abominable^ 2 Tim. iij. 5. And holy Job expoftulates to the fame Effe6V, What is the hope of the hypocrite rvhen God taketh away his foul ? will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him ? Job yiy^vl], ■8, 9- I cite thefe PafTages to fhew, if Solomon really intended thefe Words as a Caution to the Hypocrite, how juftly he adds here, the Coniidcration to enforce it, leaft thou dejlroy thy felf, K 4 4. The 1^6 SERMON V. 4. The Rule may be confidered as a Caution againft religious Curiofity ; and this Senfe, indeed, feems very agreeable, both to the natural Import of it to the Words here inferted, as it were by Way of Explication, neither make thy felf over- wife^ and to the Scope of Solomon's Argu- ment in the Context. The Difficulty, as to the proper Import of the Text, lies, in accounting for the Reafon annexed, leaft thou defiroy thy [elf : For there does not appear, in the Nature of the Thing, any fpecial Caufe, why a religious Curiofity fhould terminate in a Man's Deftrudion. If any Curiofity be excufeable, one would rather conclude That to be fo, whereby we are excited to confider the Nature and Attributes of God, with the various Difpenfations of his Providence, and to account, as well as we are able for all the Difficulties concern- ing them. In anfwer to what is here offered, it may be obferved, that the original Word, according to the Septuagint^ rendered in the Text to defiroy^ properly fignifies to aftonifli or amaze, (jj^Troii ix.-jrhay^^y or, as it is in th^Latm, Ne ohfiupejcas. Now, tho' a modeft and fober Enquiry concerning thofe great Subjeds, the belt and nobled upon which we can employ Qur Thoughts, is j[iot only innocent but com- SERMON V. 137 commendable, and on certain Occafions, efpeci^lly to certain Perfons, Matter qf flrid Duty ; yet, where Men, on Account of any Difficulties which appear to them infuperable, are tempted to charge God fooUJhlyy and that upon a pretended Prin- ciple of Righteoufnefs, as if, in his own Nature, or in the feveral Difpofitions of Providence, he were notperfediy holjyjufiy and good ; here certainly the Advice is yery pertinent and juft, that they fhould be very cautious how they perplex and confound themfelves, by any fuch Specu- lations. And it is no lefs advifeable, that igno- rant and illiterate Perfons, efpecially where they have no guide to dired them, fliould not too boldly attempt fuch Heights, or exercife themfelves,' in the Language of the Pfalmift, in Things which are too high for them ; which Rule, had it been obferved conftantly, as it ought, would have prevented a great many Errors and Diforders in the Chriftian World, efpeci- ally in this Nation, owing originally to much Ignorance, and a ftrong Enthufiafm. I do not deny, that Men of Parts and Learning have fometimes, in the Courfe of their Lucubrations, fo confounded them- felves, in reference to certain divine My- fteries, that they have contributed great- ly to the Growth of Error and Herefy : • ' " Nay, ij8 S E R M O NT V. Nay, thefe liave been the Men princi- pally, who, by intruding into Things which they have not feen, nor are capable here of feeing, have brought in damnaUe Herefies, if the apoftolical Expreflion it- felfbe not too harfh for modern Ears, or for thofe Men, who, out of their great Zeal for Religion, affefttofpeak of every Thing, relating to the Honour and In- tereft of k^ in the fofteft Terms. Solomon appears more directly to have defigned the Claufe, neither make thy felf ofuer-wtfe^ for a Perfon concerned in this Charge ; efpecially when he affe£ls to be wife, or to be thought fo, above what is ivritten^ov in dire«^ Oppofition to it. When Dodrines, revealed in the holy Scriptures, and in the mofi: clear and exprefs Terms; Do6lrines, delivered in a Form of found Words originally to the Church , and thorough all Ages profeffed and taught by the Church, are yec rejeded on Account of fome pretended Inconfiftencies or Con- tradiclions' in them : I call them Fretend- e^, not only :heeaure the Charge could never be 'made good, but becaufe there are as great Appearances at leaft of Con- tradiclion, on. both Sides of the Queftion, concerning certain other Subjects, and par- -ticularly the Divifibility of Matter ; and yet the Truth muft, of Neceflity, and ^ does confeffedly, by our Adverfaries^ lie /ill on SERMON V, 139 on one Side of it Could they really prove any Co a radiftion in the Myfteries of Re- ligion, this, we grant, would foon and fully put an End to the Difpute : For we cannot have a clearer Evidence that any Do8:riiic is rcveakd by God, than that a Contradidion cannot be true. But fince this Proof, alter the fucceflive Attennipts of the molt learned and acute Men on the other Side, for fo many Ages, is yet to be fet in a clear Light ; fince, for the fame Space of Time, Men of equal Learn- ing and Penetration, and of equal Prof- bity, without giving them, what may be thought iuftly due, the Advantage in thefe refpeds, or in any of them : Since thefe Men, I fay, and much greater Numbers, cannot fee the Contradidions charged on the Myfteries of our holy Religion, tho' they have defired, out of their great Love of Truth, and had that been pollible, to •fee them, we have a very ftrong Pre- fumption to conclude. That none of them are really chargeable with Contradidion, and that it is the Will of God we fhould here fee certain divine Truths only in Part, and, as through a Glafs, darkly ; if, fafter all, there are not fome Things re- lating to infinite Perfedion, which we fliall never, by reafon of our finite Capa- cities, be able to fee fully, or in their whole Extent. lob^ 14© SERMON V. I obferved, in the laft Place, that this Senfe of the Words is highly agreeable to the Scope o^ Solomon's Argument in the Context , which is to obviate certain Difficulties, as they are commonly ap- prehended, in the Courfe of God's Pro- vidence ; particularly the feeming Inequa- lity of his Difpenfations to wicked and good Men, as he remarks in the Words immediately foregoing, There is a jufi mm that perijbeth in hts righteoufnefs ; md there is a. wicked Man that frolongeth his Days in hts xvickednefs. Now, tho' it is very reafonable that we flriould confider fuch Difficulties, and, fo far as we are able, account for them, as we may do, fatisfadorily, upop cer- tain general Gonliderations ; yet we mufi: neceffarily lofe and confound our felves, if we will pretend to affignthe particular Reafons of all Events, and what deterr minate Ends God has to ferve by them : Efpecially, if we will take upon us to cal- culate the proper Times and Seafons for the divine Interpofition, which God has kept in his own Power. Job therefore was not culpable in de- claring, Surely I would fpeak to the Almighty^ And I defire to reafon with God, Chap. >Liij. 5. But it fcems to have be;-n the great Error of himfelf and his Friends, in tlie nobleft and moft compleat Controverfy upon SERMON V: 141 upon the Subjeft of Providence, that is extant in the World, that they endea- voured to fpecify the diftinft Motives and Endsj upon which God interpore^4n fo re- markable a Manner, to chaftife him ; or, upon which he may be induced to pro- ceed in his Judgments againft other Men; The Prophet Jeremy was fenfible hoW far the natural Curiofity of Men does fometimes caufe them to ftretch them- felves beyond Meafure, in their Difqui- fitions upon divine SubjeQs; and how apt they are, on Occafion of any great Difficulty, to reply againft God, and to cenfure what they cannot perfe^ly com- prehend ; and therefore, before he pro- ceeds in his Enquiry concerning the Im- punity and profperous Condition of wicked Men in the World, he lays it down as a general, certain, and fundamental Truth, from which, no Appearances of Diffi- culty fhall oblige him in any Cafe or Meafure to depart; That all the Difpen- fationsof God are juft : Righteous art thou^ 0 Lordy when I plead with thee ; yet, let we talk with thee of thj judgments', where- fore doth the way of the wicked ^rofper ? why are all they happy^ who deal very treache* roujlyy Jer. xij. i. The feveral Senfes, according to which 1 have explained the Words, either di- redly 142 S E R M G N V; reQ:ly relating to Praftice, or evidently car- rying their own pradlical Ufe along with them, I ihall only conclude with an Im- provement of the laft, which is probably the trueSsnfe of them, by an Application of the Apoftle's Advice, Rom, xij. ^. in reference to Things as well as Perfons ; for the Original may be interpreted either Way ; That none of us Jhould think more highly than h^ ought to think \ but think fo^ berly^ according as God has dealt to every man the meafure of faith. SER- 43 SERMON VI. That the Pradtice of Religion is ne- ceffary^ as well in refpeft to our Prefent^ as to our future Interefts. EcC L E S. Xij. II. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter ; Fear God and keep his Lommandments^ for this is the ivhole duty of man, TH E Word Duty is not found in the Original. And though the Authori- ty of our Engliflj Bibles may be pleaded for it, yet it is written even there in a di- ftind Charafter, as not being of abfolutely neceflary, or determinate Ufe in the Place. And indeed if we confider this Book as, with refped to the Principal Defign of it, a Philofophical Search after Hap^ pinefs, it is highly reafonable to conclude, that Solomon does not heredireQly intend the Duty of Man, but that happy defire- able 144 S E R M O N VL able End, to which a faithful and regular Difcharge of his Duty will at laft conduS him. However, as the End is always infepa- rable from the Means prerrequired to the Attainment of it; as Religion, which confifts in fearing God and in keeping his Commandments, is anindifpenfable, and the only Means of rendring us happy; and as our greateft Happinefs confifts in a Courfe of Religious Obedience at pre- fent, there is no Impropriety, on Account of fo neceiTary and immediate a Connexi- on between them, in promifcuoufly ap- plying our Duty and our Happinefs to iignify the fame Thing. Tho' in my fol- lowing Difcourfe I fhall diredly cohfider Religion as the Meains of our Happinefs, in a proper and ftrid Senfe of the Word. And the Text, according to the Expli- cation which I defign of it, will run thus/ Let us hear the conclufwn of the whole mat- ter^ or of the whole Inquiry, which I have been purfuing with fo great Variety, of Arguments, concerning the Subje£l of Happinefs, and by an Induction of thofe feveral Particulars, which may be pre- tended to contribute moft towards Hap- pinefs 'f Fear God^ and keep his commandments^^ efFedually refolve to pradife Religion upon the ftrongeft Motives, in the full Ex- tjent, and in all the Parts of it ; For this is SERMON VI. 145 is the whole of Man ; this is the great End wherein all his reafonable Defines of being happy terminate , wherein his true and folid Happinefs, both here and hereafter, does and cm alone confift. . The Truth of this Conclufion, is, what I fhall now endeavour to make good, ia this natural and plain Mtthod, by (hew- ing, £irft^ The Tendency of Religion to our prefent, And, Secondly^ To our future Happinefs. F/>/, The Tendency of it, to our pre- fent Happinefs. In fpeaking to which Particular, it will be neceffary to inquire, what are the Prin- cipal Ingredients of human Happinefs ia this Life, and without which, it cannot, in any competent Meafure, be attained. The firft Thing I (liall name as neceffary to the prefent Happinefs of Man, 1. Is Freedom from Pain. 2. The Second, is a6lual and fenfible Pleafure, with the proper Inftruments of k. 3. The Third, is intelledualPleafurea L The 146 SERMON VI. '' The lowed: Notion of Happinefs, but wkh the Ep^cfirea;^s tFie higheft, confiftsin a Sta:re of Eafe and Indolency : We need no other Confutation of chat very unphi^ lofophical and weak Principle, than to ob- ferve, that Man is naturally formed and defigned for A61: ion ; that the Improve- ment of his Mind, and of all his natural Powers, Bodily or Mental, being neceifary to his Perfedion and confequently to his Happinefs, do neceffarily require Action ; and that he is ftill more happy, as the Powers of Life and Thought operate with more Force and Freedom in him. However, the very Idea of Pain im- prlying Unhappinefs, and a Degree of Un- happinefs, in proportion, as it is greater or lefs; it is a neceffary, though but a Ne- gative Condition ot his being happy, that he fl^ould be free from Pain. What I am therefore to demonftrate, is, the fpecial Influence or Subferviency of Religion towards the prefent Happi- nefs of Man, in this Refped. And as Pain may be confidered, either as aflecling the Body, to fpeak the common Diaieft, or the Mind, I fliall firft fhew vdiat In- fluence Religion has upon the State of the Body. And here, as it prefcribes, in the firfl: Pkce, the Rules of Temperance in Eating and Drinking, and ixi other fenfual Grati- fications; S E R M O N VI. 147 fications ; of Induftry in the feveral Cal- lings and ProfelHons of Men; and of a- Voiding Idlenefs to thofe, who are exempt- ed by the Advantage of their Condition from all fervile Labour : On all thefe Ac- counts, Religion, by a natural Efficiency, and confelTedly, tends to preferve the Body in a more healthy, more firm, more regular and lafting Frame , and confe- quently in a State more proper, not only to attain the Happinefs of the Animal Life, but, by reafon of the Dependance which the Operations of the Mind ordinarily have of the State of the Body, to ren- der the Soul capable of ading, at once, with greater Facility, and after a more powerful Manner ; and fo more capable of attaining the Perfedlion, or Happinefs proper to it. This is the lowed Senfe, but certainly- one Senfe, which the Author of my Text fpeaking of Religion in another Place in- tends, when he fays, Prov. iij, 18. She is a Tree of life^ both as it fignifies acting or vigorous Life, and Length of Days, verfe 1 6, to them that lay hold on her j and havvy is every one that retaineth her. But the Advantage of Religion is ftill more dire£lly and eminently difcovered, from the Power which it has to free us from mental Pain, from the unhappy Ef- feds of our ungoverned and violent PafH- L 2 ons, S E Pv M O N \ I. ons, whereby the Soul is fometimes affed- ed to a Degree that is fcarce fuppoita- ble. But what I principally here intend, by mental Pain, is, that Anguifli and Remorfeof Mind, which Sinners fo na- turally feel, and all of them, more or lefs, when they call their own Ways to re- membrance, and refled upon their Sins. Confcienceis a Monitor, whole Reproaches we cannot eafily efcape or elude : The iBofi: profligate of Men have their Inter- vals wherein it will take occafion to charge them, to iliew them their Tranjgrefflon^ and their Si'i'^s. If there be fome Sinners, as polTibly fome there may be, who, by living ha- bitually, and for a long Time in a State of Sin, or by an habitual Negled of the Means of Grace, have contraded an In- fen'fibility of Guilt; their Cafe, though they do not feel any Pain, is for that ve- ry Reafon fo much the more dangerous and deplorable, and renders all the Me- thods which can be taken, towards their Recovery, more ineffedual. And therefore the Scriptures very fignificantly reprefent the State of fuch Ferfons, by a Metaphor taken from the Art of a Chirurgion in applying Caufticks, as having their ccnfci" ence jeered with a hot iron, i Tim. iv. 2. But where Men are not altogether a- bandoned or corrupted m their Morals ; where SERMON VI. 149 where they are not wholly given up, either to a judicial Obduracy of iieart, or an Obduracy which is the natural Effe£l or a long and habitual Courfe of Sin, or Negle6l ot their Duty ; there they mull, on many Occadons, be certainly brought to Refle6lion, and feel tfie x^nguilli and Remorfe of Confcience , as it were the Word of God fecrctly fpeaking to them, quick ^nd powerful ; and Vv'hich fome- times penetrates with a Force, that they are neither able to refill, nor endure; Piercing even to the dividing ajunder of Soul und Spirit, and of the 'Joints and Mxrrow. Now Religion , and Religion only, prefcribes the Method of freeing us from thefe Pains, and from every Degree of them ; by preferving the Mind in an eafy, compofed, and chearful State, wliich, in- deed, may be confidered as a proper and natural Effe£t of a religious Lire, with- out any Regard to the Confequential Re- wards of it, or the Interell which it gives us in the Favour of Almighty God. For the Rules of Religion, and the Order of Nature, in what relates to moral Life, being only two djflPerent ExprelTions for the fame Thing ; and the Actions of Na- ture being always in themfelves eafy and agreeable, and defigned by the wife Au- thor pf it to be fo ; a religious Conduct L ^ muft 1^0 S E R M O N VL muft be naturally attended with an eafy and agreeable State of Mind. But this is not the Advantage of fol- lowing the Rules of Religion, which I here principally defign : The moft pow- erful Motive, and one would think it in- deed an irrefiftible Motive, to enforce the Pradlice of Religion as a Rule of Con- fcience, is taken from the Confideration, that if our hearts condemn us not^ then have we confidence toward God, For what lliould give a Man any fenfible Pain, or Diltur- bance of Mind, efpecially to a Degree that is not very fupportable, who can folace himfelf with this Reflexion, that the beft, the moft beneficent, the moft powerful, and in all Refpeds the moft perfedt Being, is his ProtCLtor, his Patron, his fure, and exceeding great Reward,^ and, which at once includes the Happinefs and Intereft of every other Relation, A/i Friend, If we fometimes fee very good and religious Men in a State of r.ffliO:ion, fubied to bodily Pains and Diforders, or to Trouble and Diftraftion of Mind , owing to certain unhappy Circumftances of Life ; we are not to charge this upon Religion, but to confider it either as an accidental EflPefl:, in the natural Courle of Things which God does not think tit, by a miraculous Jncerpofition, to prevent ; or SERMON VI. 1 5 1 or elfe as Medicinal ChaftiTements of his Providence, for the Benefit of the Perfons who are fo afflicted : In which laft Cafe certainly they have no Reafon to complain, but fliould rather be thcVfikful^ fince God proceeds with them according to thofe Meafures, which, had they been left to their own Choice, and had really con- fulted their own Inrerefts, would have been really moft eligible to them ; it being agreeable to a common and juft Maxim, whereby all prudent Perfons go- vern themfeives, voluntarily to fuffcr fome prefent Evil or Inconvenience , in order to procure fome great Good, or to avoid a much greater Evil. Where the Sufferings of good Men, are not direiJilly inflitied by a providential Ap- pointment, but proceed from the natural Order of Things, or perhaps, from cer- tain Errors or Indifcretions in their own Condu£i: ; a good Confcience, when they refle^l in general upon their pail Anions, is, notwithllanding, Matter of much in- ward Confolation to them ; and efpccially as their Sufferings on either Account, may ftill be improved to their greater ;Penefit and Edification. What the A- pollle obferves, is very applicable to all the Sons and Daughters of AffliQion, in both thefe Refpeds, if they make a pro- per Ufe or Advantage of them ; No chajle»^ L 4 ^>'g i5x SERMON VI. i^g for the frejent feems to he joyous^ huP grievous-^ neverthelefs^ afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of right eoufnefs to them who are exercifed thereby ^ Heb. xij. ii. For we do not intend, that Religion, when pra^lifed even in the greateft Ex- tent and Purity, is a Means ot preventing or removing all the Evils incident to Men in a State of Probation, and in a World where natural Caufes do ordinarily produce their natural Effe6ls ; but only, that fuch Evils, which Religion is not defigncd wholly to prevent or remove, it might contribute, and upon ieveral Con- fiderations, to alleviate. There is a very pertinent Obfervation of Cicero to this Argument. " We are not, fays he, only ^' to make a Judgment concerning the Happinefs of Men from the chearful, the gay, the plea fa nt, or facetious Tem- per, which they appear to be in : It often happens, that they who are in one Point or other uneafy or diibeffed, are yet happy in a Greatnefsand Conftancy f of Mind ; ( ^ed f^pe etiam trtjleSy '' prryiitate & Coriflantia^ ]unt heati^ Le tin, L 2.) of which Qiialitir.s, I add, Probity or a Powerful ocnfeof Religion, v,an ODiy lay the true or lolid Grounds; though a natural Courage, and Strength of Ke- folution, will, we acknowledge, fome- timcs. SERMON VI. 153 times, go a great Way io^d^vdiS confirming this Refolution, But ftill a juft Compofure, and AfTu- rance of Mind, whether in Cafes of great Diftrefsor o- Danger, can only be attain- ed or depended upon, in a fincere Pra- 6lice of Religion : And the Chriftian Re- ligion, in fuch Cafes, affords this pecu- liar Confideration, to thofe who profefs and fincerely pradife it , and concerning, which, all the Philofophers are perfeQly filent, That they fhall not only be fup- ported with the inward Powers of Di- vine Grace, but fhall experience the fen- fible Confolations and Delights of it, when it may pleafe God, as it frequently does, to touch the Heart with them ; which the Apoftle therefore very fignificantly expreffes; by the earneji of the Spirit^ 2 Cor. j. 22 ; and in another Place, (^J joy in the holy ghofi, 1 Theff. j. 6. I have hitherto wholly confidered Re- ligion, except in this incidental Remark, as a Means of freeing us from Pain, or where it has not Power fufficient to that End, of fupporting us under it. I am now to fhew how far Religion may be confidered, as a Means of our Happinefs, in refped Secondly, To aQual and fenfible Plea- fure, and to the proper Inftruments of it. -The i54 SERMON VI. The Idea's of Plea fu re and Happinefs are infeparable ; and the Goodnefs of God defigning the Happinefs of Man, when he created him, in all his natural Appetites and Adions ; none but Enthu- fiafls, or very indifcreet Perfons, will take upon them to condemn fenfible Pleafures, as fuch» They are not only lawful indeed for this Reafon, but it is highly requifite, that we fhould defire them, and, on certain occafions, be much affeQed with them, in order to accomplifh fome very good and wife Ends of Providence. Had God only intended, that Men, by gating and drinking, fhould preferve Life, ^nd had annexed no Pleafure to thefe Acti- ons ; though in general, this would cer- tainly have been an excellent, and effedu- al Means of making Men very Tempe- rate ; yet how (qw, in comparifon, would have had a juft and conftant Regard to the Defign of God, in an AQion to which they had no Appetite. Were the Prefcrvation of Life, indeed the only End for which Men eat and drink, fome Men might poflibly think it fear ce worth their while to Uve. The only Notion they have, of what is called by them good Living , confifting in thefe Things, But 4// Men would be more neg- ligent and remifs, both in the Ufe ofthofe Things, which are neceffary to preferve Life, SERMON VI. 155 Life, and in their Endeavours to procure them. There are other Adions very fubfer- vient to the great Ends of Providence, which, were it not for the Pleafure that accompanies them, Men would be very averfe to, if they could, by any Means, be reconciled to them. So that indiftinctiy to condemn feofible Pleafures, as in the Nature of them Cri- minal, is to advance an Argument, for which, if there were a good and reafon- able Foundation, an End would be put, in the Revolution of a few Years, to the whole Race of Mankind. Chriftianity is a reafonable Inftitutlon, and Men muft be perfwaded to profefs and pradife it upon reafonable Principles ; but when Notions are advanced, or Au- fterities prefcribed, contrary to the na- tural Order of Things, and perhaps, in fome Cafes, to Decency it (elf; this can never be a reafonable Method, either of gaining Profelytes to the Faith, or of con- firming Believers in it. Such a Method will do as little Service to revealed Reli- gion, as the Cjmcks, by affeding an in- fenfible Temper and certain extravagant Rigours, did formerly to the common Caufe of Morality, and natural Re- ligion. I would 1^6 ' S E "Pv M O N VL I would not here be thought to infi- nuate, as if Mortification, and Self-denial are not Chriftian, or in truth, natural Duties, but only intend, that the Exercife GF proper Afts of them, are to be re- gulated by the Meafures of Piety and l^rudence; as fenfible Pleafures efpecially ought to be from the more common dan- gerous Effects of a criminal Indulgence, or Excefs in them. Under this Regulation of fenfible Plea- fures, the Queftion is, Which Way Re- ligion does really contribute towards the Fruition, or a better Tafle of them. The Fruition of them not being always in our Power, but depending on many Occafions, and in great meafure upon the outward Circumftances of Life, this Ar^ tide will fall more properly under my next Inquiry, concerning the prober In- jiruments of jer?ftble Pleafure, But that our Tafte or Relifh of them is very much heightened by a ftrid Con- formity of Life and Manners to the Rules of Religion, will be very evident, if we defcend a little to fpecify fome of thofe Rules: The Rules in particular, which pre fcnbe Temperance in our way of Liv- ing, Moderation in our Paffions, Indulfry in our Callings, and whatever tends to preferve the animal Oeconomy in a more regular, andperfeQ State , for according to S E R M O N VI. 157 to that, our natural and true, which is certainly the bell: Tafte of Pleafure, is al- ways greater or lefs. And therefore, I do not doubt to affirm, that the religious Man, who ftridly conduds himfelf by thefe Rules, is, in I ruth, upon the whole Mat- ter, and other Circumltances being equal, the Man oj Fleajure^ though not in the com- mon and confufed Dialed^ of the World ; according to which, it very frequently happens, that neither Things, nor Pcr- fons, are called by their right Names. But fince, as we have obferved, there is a confiderable Dependance, as to the fenfiblc Pleafures of Life, upon the Cir- cumflances of Men in it, both in refpeO: to the Means of acquiring, and the more frequent Opportunities of enpying them ; I (hall perhaps be thought to have done very little Service to Religion, by what has been faid already, if 1 do not fhew further, that it is a proper Inftrument of procuring thofe Means. The firft of them which I fhall name, is Riches. Now though it is very certain, that the Charafter of a rich, and of a wicked Man, are not always infeparable; and that wicked and unjuft Arts are fome- times employed in procuring Riches, which are afterwards made ufe of to firengtben Men in their Wichdimfs ; though it is no lefs certain on the other Hand, that 158 S E R M O N VI. that good Men, Men truly fearing God; and who conlcientioufly endeavour to keep his Connmandments, are expofed to all the Diftrefs of Poverty and Want ; and fometimes for that very Reafon, be- caufe they a£l upon a confcientious Prin- ciple, and cannot do otheru^ays ; yet thefe are not the common and ordinary Events of Impiety, or Religion, in the (landing Courfe of Things, but accidental to particular Times, or Perfons. Generally fpeaking, and we are to make a Judgement concerning the natural Ten- dency of Things from what generally hap- pens, the Rules which Religion pre- fcribes of an affable and obliging Beha- viour, of Induftry and Frugality, of Temperance, Integrity and Juftice, are the Rules, to mention no other, whereby Men ordinarily advance their Fortunes, and fometimes raife themfelves to a Di- ftinftion in the World. However, though Riches may be the Occafional, they are not the certain Means of Temporal Enjoyments. For which Rea» fon, Solomon puts them in the left Hand of Wifdom, upon a Competition with Health, or Length of Days, with RefpeQ: to which, Riches ordinarily make no Di- flindion, except it be to the Hurs of the Owners thereof^ 2. A S E R M O N VI. 159 2. A Second Tnftrument of Senfible Pleafure, by which I underftand Tem- poral Enjoyments of whac Kind foever, is a good Reputation, or, what we call Honour ; this ordinarily gives Men a Power of ferving all their other Interefts and that of their Friends with greater Facility and Succefs. A Perfon who is well fpoken of, and efleemed in the World, where he has any Thing to negotiate, finds a more eafy and favourable Accefs, has a greater Con- fidence repofed in him, and is more truft- ed, even by Perfons who have no Ho- nour or Reputation themfelves : All which Advantages contribute much to the Happinefs of the Life which now is. So much indeed , that very wicked Men fometimes choofe to expofe themfelves to the greateft- Dangers, fometimes to im- minent Death, rather than to incur the Imputation of wanting thefe tw^o Chara- 6:ers, or either of them, fo far as they can be fuppofed to fubfift apart. Such a Condud, where the Laws of God or Man allow of ir, is not unreafon- able The Apoftle himfelf gives- us to underftand, what high and juft Sentiments he had of Honour^ and how ftrong they were in him, when he declares, i Cor, ix. 15. h rve'^e better for me to Me, than that any one fbould make my glorying void. Now i6o SERMON VI. Now I need produce no other Argu- ment, to (hew how much Rehgion does really contribute towards giving Men a Title to this CharaOrer^ and in order to preferve and brighten it ; than that the moft wicked Men always affeft to put on the Appearances of thofe Virtues, from ^vhich the Idea of true Honour is in- feparable. To thefe Confiderations, I might add that of Pomry as the more peculiar Cha- rader of Perfons in Authority, to which Probity, that implies fo great and efTen- tial a Part of Religion, is, or certainly ought to be the proper Qualification to recommend Men of great Abilities ; and will, indeed, ever be fo, in all wife and well regulated Governments. But it is time for me to proceed, in the 5. Third Place, to a Confideration of fuch Pleafures , refpeQ:ing the prefent Life, as are properly intellectual. How lawful or reafonable ibever Tem- poral Enjoyments may be, under due Regulation ; yet as Man is an intelligent Creature, as his principal Charafter and Diftindlion lies in his being fo, his prin- cipal Happinefs and Perfeftion muft con- fift, in his Ading as an intelligent Crea- turei S E R M O N VI. i6i ture ; and he ought certainly, to defign a Happinefs above what is common to him with other Creatures. Now his Two Principal Powers, un- der this Confideration, being Undcrftand- ing, and Will ; his Happinefs muli be more compleat, when his Underftanding is exercifed in the Contemplation or Dii- covery of fuch Things as are moft worthy to be known ; and his Will in his Choice of fuch Objefts, as are mofl: defireable and lovely. I might fhew diftinflly, how fubfer- vient Religion is to the Happinefs of Man, on all thefe Accounts, in the pre- fent Life ; particularly, with refpeft to his Underftanding, there is nothing fo en- tertaining or inftrudive, as the Truths, whether fpeculative or practical, of Re- ligion. Our Lord himfelf, in Admiration of certain Dodrines more peculiar to the Chriftian Difpenfation, fpeaks concerning the Knowledge of them, as if we were already enter'd into Life, and the eternal Regions of Truth : This, fays he ad- dreffing himfelf to the Father, // Life eter^ 93aI^ to know thee the only true Gody dnd Jefus Chrifi whom thou haji fent, I might further fhew, that God is even here the Supreme Obje£l of our Choice and Love i that our Defires, in Vertus of that general Law which he has im^ M prelTed i62 SERMON VI. prefTed on the Hearts of all Men, con- tinually carry us towards him, even in thofe particular Inftances wherein we turn to the Creatures from him, and feek to find that Happinefs, which we invincibly but blindly purfue in them, that can only be found in himfelf : Like a Man who has an habitual Intention to purfue his Journey, and imagines, per- haps, he is actually purfuing it ; when being benighted, or through Ignorance, he takes fome Way that leads him ftill further from his Journey's End. Religion is the only Means of corre£l:- ing thofe Errors and Illufions, whereby Men thusgrofsly impofe upon themfelves, in their Search after Happinefs ; as it difcovers to them at once, in a Light, if they will follow it, very clear and diftinfl, the true Objed of their Defires, with the Means of uniting themfelves to him, and, though after a more imperfect Man- ner, of enjoying him in this Life. Holy David, in following this Light, breaks out into that pious Exclamation to God, Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I defire beftdes thee, Ff. Ixxiij. 25. As in confulting the fame Rule, he declares Men, in ?c like Addrefs to God, bl£([ed who keep his TeHimonieSy and feek him with the whole hearty (Pf. cxix. 2.) which S E R M O N VI. 1^3 which are only different Expreflions of the Duties, here recommended in the Text, o^ fearing Gody 2in^ keeping his Com' rnandments. To thefe Confiderations, refpeding the prefent Happinefs of good Men, I might add feveral pertinent Refleftions, upon that happy State of Mind which arifes from a Confcioufnefs of their having acted as they ought, according to the Will of God, and to the Order and Dignity of their Nature. I confidered Confcience, before, only as a Negative Means of our Happinefs, in freeing us from that Pain, that Difor- der, and Remorfe of xVIind, which natu- rally accompanies all finful Adlions; efpe- cially in freeing us from the prefent Appre- henfionsof God's Difpleafure, and the Ter- rors of a future Vengeance. But I here confider Confcience diredly, as a Means of Happinefs to good Men in this Life, as it implies pofitive and aQual Pleafure; a Pleafure fo ftrong, fo fenfibly affecting, that Solomon fpeaks of it, as if aft the Temporal Ingredients of human Hap- pinefs, that have been mentioned, were really here of no Significancy ; when he tells us, that a good Mm Jha/i be fatisfied from himfelf I can barely merition thefe prefent Grounds of Happinefs to Men, who truly M 2 fear 1^4 SERMON VI. fear God, and keep his Commandments, Religion appears ftil] to more Advan- tage, and in its greateft Luftre and Gloiy, when we confider, under my Se* cond Head, 2. The Tendency^ which it has to pro- mote ouv future Happinefs; of which, we muft necelTarily difcourfe imperfedly , could we Ipeak with the Tongues of Men and of Angels. I (hall confider, and in as narrow a Compafs, as I can, F/r/, The Happinefs of a future Life (which I need not formally prove Re- ligion is the proper and only Means of) as to the State of the Body in it. Seco^d/jy As to the State of the Soul, in refpe£i to the two great Powers of it, Underftanding and Will. I. In fpeaking concerning the Happi- nefs of a future State, in refpe£l to the Body, I do not intend that the Body will, or, however Modify'd, can be in it felf direclly a Caufe of Pleafure ; but only, that by virtue of the Modification, which it will then receive, and of its U- nion with the Soul ; it may be an occa- fional Caufe, why the Soul may, not only have certain Senfations, much more ex- quifite and affeding as to the Degree, but wholly different from any Senfations which we feel, as to the Kind of them, at prefent. It will be granted, there is nothing, S E R M O N VL 165 nothing, in what is here fuppofed, im- poflible to the Power of God : And there is Reafon to believe, at leaft ploufly to hope, that in a moft perfe8: State of Happinefs , whatever the Goodnefs of God may inchne him to do, his Power will be employed to do : So that inftead of thofe five Senfes, which are now the Occafions of fo many Pleafures to us, it is impoflible to determine what additional Senfes may be made to them, or in what Number. It is no Argument againft the Poflibility of the Things that we can here form no manner of Idea of any Senfe , but of thofe Five which we now have : For neither has a Man born blind or dumb, and who continues fo, any Idea of Seeing, or Hearing, though in Fa£l, other Perfons have certain Evi- dence concerning the Truth, and experi- ence the Benefit of thefe Senfes : So that in refpei^ to the different Sen- fations whereof we (hall be capable in another Life, we may be here in as imperfeQ: a State, as Men who want thefe two Senfes at prefenr, or perhaps, in a State, upon the Comparifon, much more imperfetV. A fenfiblePieafure will alfo then arife from the admirable Form of the Body, from the greater Powers of Life, and Aftion in it. We here give the Name of M 5 Bright- 1 66 SERMON VL Brightnefs, to any Diftinflion or Appear- ance of Beauty ; but are more particularly affefled with that bright Coeleftial Flame, if any Thing here upon Earth or in this Place ought to be called CoeleftiaJj which irradiates the Eye, and fometimes penetrates us with a Force more quick and powerful than the Rays of the Sun. But how glorious muft the Appearance, how much ilronger muft the Impreffions of Beauty be, when this frail decaying Body, as is that very Organ w^herein the Empire of Beauty feems to be here feated, flial] be formed a new by the Pow- er of God, and the whole Form become one full and entire Globe of Light. This is no Hyperbolical Sentiment, but per- fedly agreeable to the Word of Truth, which affures us, that the righteous wiil then jbifie forth as the fun in the J^ng- dom of the Father, And though there will be a fenfible Difference in the Degrees of Luftre, in their refpedive Bodies, yet this Difference fliall be only as that of one fiar Mfferif^g from another far in glorj. 2. The Pleafures of Lighty in a fpiritual and higher Senfe, with refpe£l to that Faculty of the Soul, which we call Un* derftanding, will ftill be in a future State much greater, as will the Pleafures of LQvey With refpeQ to the WilK We SERMON VL 167 We here fee the nobleft Subjeds of Contemplation, but after an imperfed Manner. Hardly indeed^ do rpe guefs aright at the things upo» earthy and with labour do roe find the things that are before us. There is fome Pleafure however to contempla- tive Minds in their very Conjedures, and the Difficulties which they meet with, efpecially where they find themfelves in any Meafure capable of furmounting them, or purfuing Truth at laft to the Place of her Habitation. If we tafte, on many Occafions, fo fen- fible a Pleafure from the Difcoveries , which we here fometimes make, in our Search after Truth ; what powerful and tranfporting Impreffions iliall we feel, when fhe fhines upon us with a full, di- reft, and unintermitted Luftre 5 when we {hall fland at the very Fountain of Light, and fee all Things that we are ca- pable of feeing, not in a tedious Me- thod of what we here call Argumentation, but by immediate Intuition. When, to conclude, for that implies every Thing that can be faid, and more than can polfibly be imagined, we (ball fee God as he is. 2. But what fhall we fay then, or ima- gine, concerning the Pieajures of Love^ in that BleHed State ? When we Ihall be u- nited to God, after the moft intimate and perfeft Manner: When we fhali love M 4 him, i(J8 S E P^ M O N VI. him, and at once, in a clearer View, fee all the Reafons of loving him, with aU our hearts^ and all our mindsy and all our jirength ; when we fhall receive the moft glorious and delightful Communications of his Love and Goodnefs from him, and froni his Son Jefus Chrift, in the Union of the two Natures ? In a Word, for thefe are Glories too bright for us diftinQly or long to contem- plate, When all the Three Perfons in the ever bleffed Trinity, fhall feverally contri- bute to make us as happy, as infinite Power, Wifdom, and Love can make us?. After the Enjoyment of God in thefe Perfonal Relations of the Godhead, fo far as we may be fuppofed capable of any Additional, or other Enjoyments , the Scriptures reprefent them, in fuch Terms, and by fuch Images, as are moft apt to move the Hearts, to excite, and at the fame Time to fatisfy the moll ardent and ftrongDefiresof Men. But the Time will not permit me to enlarge on thefe feveral Confiderations, or on many of them. I fhall only proceed to make an ufeful Inference or Two, from what has been faid, and fo conclude. I. It appears from the whole Scope of my Difcourfe, that Men ought to pradlife Religion, to fear God and keep his Com- mandments ; not only that they may efcape Mifery, SERMON VI. \6^ Mifery, but from that natural, that ftrong and continual Defire, which all Men have, whether wicked or good Men to be happy. So that in effed, I have nothing here to do, but to exhort Men to follow their Inclinations, and to adt upon a Prin- ciple of Self-Love, An Exhortation one would think, when we confider how much Men are Lovers of themfelves, fhould find an eafy Reception, and very agree- able Entertainment with them* I have proved in general, that even as to thofe fenfible Pleafures, wherein wicked Men place their great, if not their only Felicity ; and beyond which , fomc of them, it is to be feared, have no ProfpeQs ; yet if they would follow thefe common Maximsof Reafonand Prudence, whereby they regulate their Choice or Condu(5fc in other Cafes, they are really obliged to live in a faithful and confcientious Praftice of Religion ;and even though the fenfible Pleafures of Life, could be only applied to fignify thofe of a mere Animal Life. But the Neceflity why Men fhould ad upon a Principle of Religion, and conform ftriftly to the Rules of it, is ftill more evident, in regard to thofe Pleafures which are at prefent more proper to them as Men, and to the Happinefs, the Endlefs and unfpeakable Happinefs of a future Life. What can be the Reafon, that even a great Number of Perfons, who appear in other 170 S E K M G N VL other Cafes to afl: confiftently, and with Prudence ; yet, in a Cafe of the laft Con^ cernment to thetn, fhould fo diretlly op- pofe their own Interefts, at leaft their own iecret and habitual Defires of Happinefs; Nothing certainly can he the Caufe of fo unaccountable a Behaviour, but thofe fin- full Inclinations h and Men ought therefore more carefully to check, or when they a- rife, to fupprefs them, which, at the Time of their corrupting the Heart, have fo great a Power towards infatuating the Mind. So t\i2itleeif?g they fee ^ and do not under fiand^ and hearing they hear, and do not perceive, 2. But iince nothing will be a more ef- fectual Prefervative againft fuch an Infa- tuation, than frequently to refledl upon a future State of Happinefs, and the Glory which (hall be revealed hereafter ; fince there alone, the true and perfe£l Happinefs of Man is to be found, and fince every one that feeketh^ upoa this View, as he ought to do, jh all find ^\tt usfrequently make Heaven the Subjed of our Meditations, and always the ultimate Objeftof our Defires. According to the Force of which we fhall naturally proportion the Strength and Fervour of our Religious Endeavours : So that neither death nor life, neither things prefent, nor things to come ; nor height, nor depth, nor any other crea- ture (hall be able to feparate us from the love of Gad, which is in QhriH Jefm our Lord, Amen. i I N IS. '^. vr^^t^OJ 6ct/ej//:(^'/e I. — /^Ji 71. -/»»:) . i - ^-^ AW . mr.) ' J* » ^- , .wtv \\ . li^. ' i-X > . Awri r. > .\ liVfl. .N\V X fiJ * » \.^ . 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