f-z£ 3 THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY: Princeton, N. J. '""•'"'• Di.,s<'on..'^.CSI<..jj (0 ;S7/ 1' If i\ ' Section yt. * >r 1^. v^ ^ ^^ \ V> <. .■ A ^ .sV. SERMONS O N DIFFERENT SUBJECTS, BY THE LATE REVEREND JOHN J O R T I N, D. D. Archdeacon of London, Reflor of St. Dunstan in the Eaft, and Vicar of Ke ns i n g t o n. THE THIRD EDITION. VOLUME 11. DUBLIN: Printed for Meflrs. WHITESTONE, SLEATER, WILLIAMS, WILSON, HALLHEAD, FLIN, JENKIN, BEATTV, white; BURTOIJ, and PARKER. M DCC LXXVIII. CONTENTS. ».■ S E R M O N I. The Sower. M AT T H. xiii. 8. t But other pll into good ground y and brow^^ht forth fruity fome an hundred fold, fomefixty fold, fome thirty fold. • p. I SERMON II. The Rich Man and Lazarus. Luke xvi. 31. If they hear not Mofes and the Prophets, neither luill they be perjuadcd, though one rofe from the dead. p. 14 S E R M O N III. The intermediate State between Death and the Refur- rection. Matt h. xxli. 32. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. p. 26 SER. iv^ CONTENTS. SERMON IV. The Nature of bad Habits. Jeremiah xiii. 25. Can the Ethiopian change his JJiiriy or the leopard hisjpots s then may ye aljo do goody that are accujiomed to do evil, p. 39 SERMON V. Uprightnefs. P R O V. X. 9. tie that tvalketh uprightly, wclheth furely ; but he that perverteth his iJUiiys JJjull be known. V- S^ SERMON VI. The Difference of Di'ties, Matt. xxii. 35. Then one of thcJH'—'afitd him a (piejiion — faying, Mafter^ ivhich is the great commandment in the Laiv s' p. 64 S E R- CONTENTS. V SERMON VII; The Penitent Thief. Luke xxiii. 42, 43. And he /aid tinto Jefus ; Lord, remember me, when thou comejl into thy kingd'jm. And Jefus faid unto h'nn. Verily I fay unto theCy to-day fJmlt thou be with me in Paradife. SERMON VIIK Anger. C o L o s s. iii. 8. But now you aljo put off all thefe\ anger, vjrath^ malice. p. 89 SERMON IX. Honour. I Sam. ii. 30. Vor them that honour me, I will honour. p. 102 ,S E R- vi CONTENT S. SERMON X. Secret Things. t)EUTER. Xxix. 29. Thefecret things belong unto the Lord our God, but thofe things ifjhich are revealed belong unto us, and to out children for eijer, that we may do all the works of this law. P- 1 1 5 SERMON XI. Blafphemy againft the Holy Ghoft, M A T T H. xii. ^i. All manmf^offitt and blafphemy fk all be forgiven unto meiii but the blafphemy againfi the holy Ghoft Jhall not be for- given unto meii. P- '^7 S E R M O N XII. The LoVe of the World, I J o H N ii. 15. fjove not the world, neither the things that are in ^ the world, p. 140 SER- CONTENTS. vii SERMON XIII. Mortality. Psalm ciii. 15, 16. As foremen y his days are as grafs ; ar afiovjer ofthefieU^ fa he flonripjetk ; for the luind paffeth over it, and it is gone, and the place thereof Jball know it na more, P-I53 SERMON XIV. Meeknefs. M A T T H. V. 5. 'e£ed are the meek. p, 165 SERMON XV. Relig^ious Retirement. » M A T T H. xiv. 23. And when he hadfent away the multitudes , he iVent up into a mountain apart to pray, P« 178 S E R- via CONTENTS. SERMON XVI. Future State of the Good. M A T T H. xiii. 43. T^hen Jhall the righteous jhine forth as the fun in the king- "^ dom of their father. P- 19^ SERMON XVII. Charity. I Co R. xiii. 13, And now alideth faithy hope, charity, thefe three ; but the greatefl of thefe is charity. p. 204 SERMON XVIII. Living peaceably. R o M. xii. 18, If it be poffble, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. p. 2 1 8 SER- CONTENTS. IX SERMON XIX. A{fli6tIotts. Psalm cxix. 71. // IS gQodfor me that I have been affiifled. p, 23t SERMON XX, Envy. I C o R. xiii. 4. Charity envieth not.' p. 243 SERMON XXI. The Converfion of Cornelius. A c T,s X. 22. And they faid, Cynelius the centurion, a juJJ nian, and one that feareth God, and oj good report among all the nation of the "Jeivs, was warned from God by cm holy Angel to fend for thee into his houfe, and to hear words of thee, p. 256 ^" pbiitghtgit" -^.. SER- 31 CONTENTS. SERMON XXil. The Security of the Wicked without Foundation. Luke xii. 20. JSut God /aid unto ^im, Theufoaty this night thy foul jh all he demanded of thee, p. 269 SERMON XXIlr Agur's Requeft* P R o V. XXX. 7. Two things haiie I required of thee ; deny me them ntt he^ fore 1 die. Remove far from me 'Vanity and lies j give me neither poverty nor riches ^ feed me with food conve- nient for me : Icjl I be full, and deny thee, and fay. Who is the Lord ? or left I be poor and fleal, and take the name of my God in 'bain. p. 282 SERMON XXIV. Humility. 1 Peter v. 5. Be clothed with humility. p. 295 SER- CONTENTS. xi SERMON XXV. Refignation. M A T T H. xxvi. 39. O my Father, if it be pojpble, let this cup pafs from me ; ne-jerthelefsj not as I will, but as thou wilt. p. 308 SERMON XXVI. Future Judgment. Rom. ii. 6. IVho will render to every man according to his deeds. p. 321 SERMON XXVII. Keep thy Foot. E C C L E S. V. I. Keep thy foot tvhen thou goefl into the hoxfe of Cod, and be more ready to hear than to give the facrifice of foals ; fqr they confider not that they do evil. ' p. 334 SER- xH CONTENTS. SERMON XXVIII. Faith. . Acts xvii. ii, *■ T/iefe -were more noble than thoje in Theffahnka, in that they received the word voith all readinefs of mind, and fearchcd the Scriptures daily, ivhether thoje things werefo. p. 347 SERMON XXIX. Life and Immortality. 2 T 1 M. i. 10. >~—}Vho hath brought life and immortality to light through the Go/pel. p. 360 SERMON XXX. The Gifts of the Spirit. A c T s i. 8. Bvt ye fl^all receive po'vuer^ after that the holy Ghojl is come upon you. P* 37.> S E K- ; CONTENTS. xiU SERMON XXXI. Unlawfulnefs of Perfecution. Luke xiv. 23. And the Lord [aid unto the fei'vant ; Go out into the high- ways and hedges y and compel them to come in, that my hoiife may be filled. P • 3 8 5 SERMON XXXil. The Sign of Jonas. M A T T H. xii. 59. An evil and adulterous generation feekcth after a Si^n, and there jloall no Sign be given to it, but the Sign of the prophet Jonas. p. ^99 SERMON XXXIII. The Thorn in the Flefh. 2 Cor. xii. 7. LeJ} I JJjouId be exalted above mcafnre through t he abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flep, the meffenger of Satan to buffet me. p. 412 S E R- xlv CONTENTS, SERMON XXXIV. Evil-fpeaking. Titus iii. 2. To /peak evil of no man. p. 435 SERMON XXXV. Self-love. 2 Tim. iii. 2. Menjkall be lovers of their ovjnfelvet^ p. 437 SERMON ^^■^r^CR SERMON I. Matth. xiil. 8. But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, fame an hundred fold , fome fxty fold, fame thirty fold. I HE parable of the fower was defigned by our Savi- our to reprefent the different effefls which his doftrine then had upon different perfons, and which religion and the word of God hath and will have in all times and places. But, before we confider the feveral perfons defcribed in the parable, it is well worthy of our obfervation to confider how the diftinO: operations of divine afllftance, and of human liberty, may fairly and naturally be in- ferred from it. Revealed religion is here reprefented as good feed fown in the ground by the Hufbandman. God, or our Saviour Jefus Chrifl, is the Hufbandman. Revealed religion is the gift of God : of ourfelves we could never have difcovered it. It is a reftoration of natural religi- on to an ignorant and a wicked world, which had in a manner loft all due apprehenfions, all juft and praftical notions of God, of duty, of future rewards and punifh- ments: it is alfo an improvement of natural religion, containing new diffuafives from wickednefs, and new motives to amendment and righteoufnefs. In one fenfe, all that we have is derived from God, who gave us our fouls and our bodies, our natural quali- ties and affc£lions ; moft juftly therefore in this fenfe may we afcribe to our great Author all that we are. Vol. II. B and 2 SERMON I. and all that belongs to us, except oar fins. But amongfl other good gifts he imparted to us felt-motion, power^ aftivity, and liberty \ and He, who made us v/ithout ourfelves, cannot fave us without ourfelves, without our own concurrence and co-operation, and the free exertion of our natural powers. All this is implied plainly enough in the parable of the fower. Hu- man art and human induflry cannot make the feeds which are fown, or the ground into which they are caft ; thefe are created of God : but the foil muft be prepared and cultivated by human labour, or elfe no fruit will grow in it. So as to the fpiritual harveft, re- ligion is the gift of God, and the human underftanding is the gift of God: but the application of the heart and mind to the word and to the will of God is free and vo- luntary. ' , In this parable ©ur Saviour hath deferibed four forts of hearers of the word. The firft fort are thus deferibed : Some feeds fell by the way-fide, and they were trodden down, and th^ fowls came and devoured them up. That is, fays our Lord, when any one heareth the v>'ord of the kingdom, and underflandeth it not, that is to fay, regardefh it not, then cometh the Wicked One, the Devil, and catcheth away that which was fown in his heart, left he fhould believe, and be faved : this is he which received the feed by the way-fide. When any one heareth the word, and underftandeth it not. Our Saviour cannot here intend to fignify, that his word ever becomes unprofitable to any perfons, either through the natural weaknefs of their underftand- ing, which renders them unable to difcern his mindj or through the darknefs or obfcurity of the word preach- ed ; fince then the blame would fall, not upon the hearers, v/hofe ignorance would be unavoidable and in- vincible but upon the Preacher, who delivered it fo dark- ly, or who offered it to men incapable of receiving it. But the word which we tranflate, to underJiaiJ, means in SERMON I. 3 ih Ihls^ and in fome other places, to confider a thing, and lay it to heart, with an intention to make a right ufe of it. The Devil is here faid to fnatch the word away from fuch perfons, left they fhould profit by it. The entrance of evil into the world is afcribed to the Devil, as to the firft caufe of it, and he is called the Evil One^ by way of eminence^ as being the firft rebel againft God and goodnefs. When it is faid, that the Devil enters into the heart of a finner, it is an Hebrew way of fpeaking, which is not to be taken too rigoroufly, and prefied too far; for the Devil is faid to do whatfoever is executed and performed by the unruly lufts of men, which are accounted as his inftruments. The Gofpel accommo- dates itfelf in ftyle and phrafe to the Jewifh conceptions and forms of fpeech ; but then it takes care to afcribe no fuch power and prevalence to the Devil as fliall lay the tempted perfon under a neceflity of finning ; and it always fuppofes that the inducements and the afliftances to well-doing are far ftronger than the incentives and inftigations to evil, ifa man will a£t like a rational creature, and ufe his beft endeavours, and exert his own powers : fo that whether it be an evil fpirit, or whether it be only an evil difpofition in the man himfelf, which prompts him to iniquity, it is all one, fince he ought to repel and rejeft fuch aflaults and temptations, and fins entiq^y by his own choice and fault. When a man heareth the word, and regardeth it not, then Cometh the Evil one and taketh it away. The meaning feems to be no more than this; He who hath no confideration, no fober and ferious and fettled refpe6t for religion, when his duty is propounded to him, gives no attention to it ; it makes no impreffion upon him ; his own vicious habits, and the bad example, and the contagious fociety of wicked perfons, who are the chil- dren of the wicked One, are more prevalent than the word of God, and foon blot out the faint and floating 3 a remeittbrance 4 S E R M O N I. remembrance of it; the man goes on in his thoughtlefs iniquity, and fteddily purfues his evil courfes. This is he who received feed by the way-fide. Seed falling upon the hard highway cannot poflibly take root, and bring forth fruit. It lies expofed and unguarded, the fun burns it, the froft kills it, the wind difperfes it, the rain wafhes it away, the foot of the paf- fenger and of the beaft tramples and crufhes it, the birds of the air pick it up and eat it. Sad image and melancholy reprefentation of the worft fort of finners ! Thefe arc the perfons, who, as our Saviour fays, have eyes, and fee not, ears, and hear not, and whofe hearts are hardened like a rock; thefe are they to whom he would not explain his parables, becaufe they were un- worthy of it, and becaufe inftruftion would have been thrown away upon them ; thefe are they, who, whea John the Baptift made his appearance with auftere fe- verity, faid he was mad ; and when Chrift converfed, and taught with mild condefcenfion, faid he was a drunkard, a glutton, and a keeper of bad company. They difiiked the do^rines, and therefore they were refoh'cd to find fault with the teachers. Such are thofe who have entered betimes, and continued long in the fervice of the, Devil, who are (laves to vices and to bad habits, who have extinguifhed all reafon,refledion, and natural confcience, and whom no ordinary methods can reclaim. The word is preached to them ; and they trample it under foot, treat it with the utmoft (corn and contempt, and revile and ridicule thofe who offer them good advice. They lie out of the reach of perfuafton and inftruftion, and nothing lefs than fome grievous ca- lamity can awaken them. But from their deplorable condition others may take due warning, left, by depart- ing from their duty, and neglefting a timely reformation, they Ihould, through the deceitfulnefs of fin arrive to fuch a hardened ftate : and this feems to be the only life for which thefe incorrigible offenders ferve in this world : SERMON I. 5 world : they ftand forth, ' not as marks and friendly- lights to guide and dire6t the paflenger, but as exam- ples to be (hunned, and fignals of danger and death lo thofe who fliall approach them. The next fort of hearers, as they are lefs wicked, fo they are more frequent, and are fet forth to us in the parable under the image of (lony ground. Some feed fell upon ftony places, where they had not much earth, and forthwith they fprang up; but becaufe they had no deepnefs of earth, when the fun was up, they were icorched ; and becaufe they had not root they wither- ed away. Now he that received the feed into ftony places, the fame Is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it, and for a time believeth. Yet he hath not root in himfelf, but dureth for a while ; for when tribulation or perfecution arifeth becaufe of the word, by and by he is offended. Thefe are perfons who have confcience, reafon, and refle£tion ; who can difcern the amiable and the profi- table nature of religion, and the folly and danger of vice- who can fometimes give attention to the word of God approve it as right and fit, fpeak and think honourably of it, and of thofe who pra6life it, and even entertain pur- pofes of aSing fuitably to it : but they have no fteddi- nefs, refolution, and perfeverance, and fo are not proof againft trials and temptations. They are fuch as are elegantly defcribed in the prophet Exechiel : Son of man, fays God to the prophet, the children of thy peo- ple came qnto thee, and they fit before thee as my peo- ple, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they fliew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetoufnefs. And (a) lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely fong of one that hath a pieafant (i) Hard are the ways of truth, and rough to walk. Smooth on the tongue difcoursM, pleafing to th' ear. And tuneable as filvan pipe or fong. Milton, Par. Reg. I 478. 6 S E R M O N I. pleafant voice, and can play well on an inftrument ; for they hear thy words, but they do them not. Moral precepts and religious arguments appear fair and lovely in idea, but are found grievous in pra6lice and executi- on; and the paths of righteoufnefs, which make a fine landfkip in defcription, are rough, fteep, and tedious to ' afcend. Such is the ejfifeft of religion upon thofe who have fome tafte and natural difcernment, but no fteddy love of goodnefs. They are fuch as our Saviour repre- fents in another place under the image of the man who built his houfe upon the fand, and the rain and the wind beat upon it, and the ftorm blew it down, and the flood fwept it away. They are like the young man who came to Chrift offering to do any thing that fhould be required of him ; but when Chrift would have favour- ed and honoured him fo far as even to take him for a companion and difciple if he would relinquilh his poflef- fions, he went away forrowful. Our Saviour and his Apoftles had many fuch half-difciples and imperfeft converts, fii?cere perhaps at the firft, but weak and un- fleddy ; and he had fuch wavering perfons in view, when he fpake this parable of the fower. When the Gofpel was firft preached, rnany embraced it, and con- tinued in it for a time, whilft the courfe of things ran tolerably fmooth : but when perfecution was to be en- dured, they departed and fell away. In the morning, whilft the refrefhing dew was upon the earth, the divine feed fuffered no detriment, though lodged in ftony ground ; but when the heat increafed, and the burning fun fhoneupon it, it withered and died. We live not now in times of fuch kind ofdiftrefs, andfo are not put to the fame trial : but if we were in the very- fame condition, we may be morally certain that a great aportafy would enfue, and that many nominal Chrifti- ans would forfake their religion. To judge whe- ther a man would be faithful under great trials, it S E R M O N I. J it is tote cOnfidered, whether he be found faithful under Ihialler experiments of his integrity and refolution. There are, from without, two everJafting temptations in all times and places, namely, Jofs and gain, and by the behaviour of a per&n under trials of thefe kinds, a tolerable judgment may be formed of his difpofition. If he will part with nothing, and endure no inconveni- ence td do that wiiich he knows to be right, or if he will not fcruple to obtain worldly advantages by fordid, fraudulent, violent, and iniquitous methods, he can be no true difciple of Chrifl. TJie third fort of hearers mentioned in the parable, who are by far the moft numerous, are thofe gay, luxu- rious, diflipated, or worldly-minded perfons, who are fet forth to us under the' image of ground aver-run with weeds and thorns. Some feed fell among thorns, and the thorns fprang up and choaked them. He that received feed among the thorns is he that heareth the word ; and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulnefs of riches, and the pleafures of this life, and the Juils of other things, enter- ing in, choak the word, and he becometh unfruitfijl. To this clafs of people religion is prefented and pro- pounded, and they aflent to it, and receive it, and call ^hemfelves Chriftians ; but many things arife between them and their duty, many avocations and impediments, ■which prevent the word of God from having a due ef- fect upon their hearts, and they are here enumerated. Such are, in the firft place, the cares of this life, which, when they are admitted and nouriftied and en- couraged, feize ufK>n the whole man, and fo fill the head, and fo occupy the hours, that the attention is en- tirely fixed on worldly affuirs, and no leifure is allowed for concerns of the fpiritual kind ; and as no perfon can bear the toil and fatigue of being always contriving, projeding, labouring, and plodding, and fome amufe- meat muft intervene, the times for recreation are with fuch 8 SERMON I. fuch perfons the times when other Chriftlans are at- tending the pubHc worlhip of God, or meditating on things facred and ferious at home. And thus religious confiderations are totally banifhed, and not permitted to have even the fmalleft intervals , and then the man may be pronounced to be dead to God and to Chrift, and alive only to the world. The deceitfulnefs of riches is here reprefented as having the fame bad effefl. When the love of wealth is predominant and engrofles the affections, it produces an eagernefs to acquire it, a proud truft and confidence in it, a fettled refolution to preferve and increafe it by any methods, and in defiance of honefty and humanity, and an efteem or contempt of other perfons, according as they are rich or poor ; and then Mammon alone is worfhipped, and the love of God is expelled from the heart. The pleafures of life are another fource of evil, ano- ther caufe why the word of God can produce no good effe£l upon the minds and manners of men ; indeed they are the mofl common, the moil deceitful, the mod prevalent and the moft pernicious, of all temptations. They are thofe pleafures of life, which are called the works of the flefh, as intemperance, and debauchery of every kind, which deprefs and fink the foul in fenfuality, and entirely alienate it from God and goodnefs; they are alfo thofe pleafures which though they are not dirediy and eflentially vicious, yet are inlets and incentives' to vice, fuch as the conveniences of life, and the objefts agreeable to the fenfes, when they are too ftudioufly fought after and colleded, and too much indulged, a circle of perpetual amufements, and an immoderate purfuit of vain diverfions. Thefe are bad inftru(Efors, which teach men to banifh ferious thoughts, to negleft fheir duty to God and to their neighbour, and even their own calling, and their private concerns, and their temporal welfare, to live in perpetual difftpation, to conne6l themfelves with loofe and profligate perfons, and S E R M O N 1. 9 and to run into expences which they cannot afford ; and hence arife temptations to a fad variety of follies and vices, the portion of thofe who are lovers of pleafure more than lovers of God. To this our Saviour adds, the lufting after other things, namely, defires of magni- ficence and fplendor, of flattery and popular applaufe, of power and pre-eminence, and in a word immoderate afFeftions for any thing that is temporal and tranfitory. From this melancholy fcene prefented to us in the review of perfons deaf to the voice of Reafon and to the calls of the Gofpel, feeking their own deft;ru6lion, and walking in thoughtlefs unconcern, till darknefs over- whelms them, let us turn our confideration to the laft fort of hearers mentioned with applaufe by our Saviour, and defcribed under the fimilitude of good ground. Other feed fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, fome an hundred fold, fome fixty fold, fome thirty- fold. He that received feed into the good ground, is he that heareth the word, and underftandeth it, and receiv- eth it into a good and honefl heart, which alfo beareth iruit with patience, and bringeth forth, fome an huit- dred fold, fome thirty, fome fixty. In this parable there is a beautiful gradation, from the bad to the good (b). The feed which fell on the high- way comes not up at all j the feed upon flony ground comes (b) An old Commentator (Theophyla£l) expounding this parable fays. See how a fmall number there is of good men, and how few are faved, fince only a fourth part of the feed was preferved. His remark is not juft, but is foreign from the purpofe, as may eafily be fliewed. In this parable of the Sower, there are three clafles of bad men, and one of good: In the parable of the talents, there are two good fer- vants, and one bad ; and in the parable of the virgins, half are wife, and half foolilh. So, if we follow fuch methods of expounding, we muft conclude from the firft of thefe para- bles, there are three times more bad than good men ; from the fecond, that there are twice more good than bad : and from the third, that the good and bad are equal in number. I mention lo S E R xM O N I. comes up, but foon withereth away ; the feed fown «- mongft thorns fprings up and grows, and bears no fruit ; the feed fown in good ground brings forth fruit in its feafon, but yet in various degrees, and much more plen- tiful in fome foils than in others. Ground which difappointeth not the fower, and bringeth forth fruit in its feafon, is naturally good, and is improved by culture. The heart of every well-dif- ^fed perfon is fuch. God hath given to all of us abi- lities, and power to exert them ; he hath alfo to us Chriftians fuperadded his revealed will in the Gofpel, and what aid is neceflary, that he is ever ready to be- llow : but a man muft put forth his own ftrength, and feek out and work out his own falvation. The perfons therefore here defcribed »£l like rational creatures ; they have a love of knowledge and goodnefs, and a defire to make improvements in both. Thence they are difpofed to inquire into themfelves and their duty, and opportunities for this are never wanting ; morality and revealed religion lie within their reach, and they may read or hear what God requires from them. They hear the word, and underfland it, fays our Lord ; they hy it to heart, and call it to mind ; they meditate upon the benefits arifing from it, the danger of negle6t- ing it, the reafonable and amiable nature of it, the dan- gers, inconveniences and temptations which may arife and affault them, the proper methods of fhunning or refilling them, and the wifdom of preferring eternal life to all other confiderations. Such is the fair founda- tion laid for a regular courfe of life, and an honeft dif- charge of Chriftian duties. Some I mention this, chiefly for the fake of obferving to you, that, in the interpretation of parables, care fliould be taken not to overftrain them, but to diitinguifb thofe parts which are merely ornamental from thofe which are moral and inftru<^- S E R M O N I. IX Some 'difficulties will occur, fome trials will arife from within and without ; feme fpots and blemifhes, fome fauUs and defeds, will always accompany men in their religious progrefs : but they who have an honeft mind, and an habitual probity, if they fall, yet rife again, if they tranfgrefs, they repent, and in the main are obe- dient and dutiful, human weaknefles excepted. And this is patience and perfeverance, which are mentioned as the diftinguilhing marks of thofe who receive the word of God and keep it. Goodnefs and wickednefs feem not to confift in a fixed and determinate number of right or wrong ani- ons. Men are good or bad in an infinite variety of degrees; and therefore, according to the law of propor- tions, and the refiilt of caufes and effe6ts, their future condition muft needs be infinitely various, either as to gain or lofs, as to recompence or corredion. What is revealed to us concerning it, is only in grofs and in ge- neral, and it is impoflible for us in the prefent ftate to form a jufl; and complete notion of it. None but God, all-wife, all-powerful, and perfe6lly juft and good, is capable of difpenfing thefe retributions, and of allotting to each of his creatures his proper fituation, and his due meafure and proportion, of elevation or deprelhon, of joy or forrow, of reward or punifhment, according to his deeds and to the difpofitions which he has contracted in the days of his mortality. Therefore, in general, it behoves us above all things to be wife and cautious, in this our time of trial and probation, and to fecure to ourfelves a por- tion amongft thofe faithful fervants of Chrift, whofc good deeds fhall be found to preponderate, and to furpafs their tranfgreflions, and thus to qualify ourfelvesfor a ftate of peace and reft in fome of the happy manfions allot- ted to the righteous. Good perfons are here defcribed by our Saviour as being fo in various degrees, fome twice and fome thrice bettef 12 S E R M O N I. better than others, who yet may be called good alfo. This confiderable difference between righteous perfons arifes from two caufes. Firft it arifes from an inequa- lity between them to which they do not contribute, from a difference of natural abilities, and of opportuni- ties to receive improvement, and to exert themfelves by doing or fuffering. This diverfity of talents is the free gift of God, which he difpenfes according to his own pleafure ; yet there is no partiality in all this, fince it is fuitable to perfect wifdom and goodnefs to make a variety of beings of different ranks and capacities, and to place them accordingly higher or lower both in this world and in the next. But to every one who hath im- proved his talents, whether they were two, or whether they were ten, it will be faid ; Well done, good and faith- ful fervant, Enter thou mto the joy of thy Lord. He who enters into the joy of his Lord, will be rewarded to the full extent of his views and capacity; and that is fuffici- ent to juftify the goodnefs of the Lord, and to fecure the happinefs of the fervant. But, fecondly, the difference between two righteous perfons arifes more commonly and ufually, not from their natural abilities, or their fituation in life, but pure- ly from themfelves, and their own endeavours, from the care, caution, affiduity, zeal, and induftry, exerted more or lefs in things pertaining to morality and re- ligion : and in this cafe, a difference of retribution is highly reafonable. It is fit in the nature of things, that the event fhould be proportionable to the pains, that no good deed fhould go unnoticed and unrewarded, but yet that he who foweth fparingly fhould reap fparingly, and he who foweth plenteoufly fhould reap plenteoufly ; that fome fhould be faved, fcarcely and with difficulty, like a brand plucked out of the fire, and others fhould receive a far more exceeding and abundant weight of How can w^e better clofe our remarks on this fubjeQ, than with the ferious and folemn admonition with which S E R M O N I. 13 which our Saviour concludes : He that hath ears to hear, let him hear ! Which is, as if our Lord had faid ; What I have delivered to you, is not a difcourfe to amufe and enter- tain you, riot a point of curiofity and fpeculation, not an ordinary and indifferent affair, which will be of fmall confequence to you, whether you attend to it or difre- gard it, whether you recoUeft it or forget it. It is of unfpeakable importance, and nothing Icfs than your e- ternal happinefs or mifery depends upon it. As yoa make a good or a bad ufe of my exhortations and indruc- tions, you will be acquitted or condemned when I come to judgment. Therefore, Be wife,, and Remember. SERMON SERMON 11. Lu K E Xvi. 31. If they hear not Mofes and the Prophets ^ neither ivill they be perfuaded, thaugh one rofe from the dead. \J U R Lord tells us that there was a certain rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared fumptuoufly every day. He died, and went into a ftate of punilhment ; and feeing Abraham afar off, and Laxarus in his bofom, he intreated him to fend La- zarus, that he might dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool his tongue. Abraham replies, that this can- not be done. Remember, fon, fays he, that thou in thy life-time receivedfl: thy good things, and likewife Laza- rus evil things ; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. L There was a man, fays our Lord, who had great riches ; confequently he had leifure hours to fpend in the ftudy of religious truths, and of the duties incum- bent on a perfon of his rank ; he had prefling motives to gratitude towards God, who had beftowed fo many temporal bleflings upon him ; he had power and oppor- tunity of doing confiderable fervice to the public, of encouraging virtue by the authority and influence of his example, of ftiewing kindnefs to the unhappy, of being a father to the fatherlefs, a defence to the oppref- fed, a rewarder of induftry, a friend and patron to mo- deft merit. What ufe did he make of thefe advanta- ges ? S E R M O N 11. 15 ges ? Why, truly, the hiftoryof his life, briefly fummed up, was that he eat, and drank, and drefled htmfelf. A poor man, of his own nation^ reduced to the utmoft dif- trefs, lay at his door. Did he aflift him ? We may fup- pofe that he did not ; for it is not faid that he took any notice of him, but the contrary feems rather to be inti- mated through the whole parable. Thus he was one who lived to himfelf, and did no good to others , his heart was fet upon worldly objeQs, andjhe removed reli- gion far from his thoughts. II. The chara£ter here drawn of the rich man is not uncommon. What is faid of him in the Parable, is true in another fenfe ; He hath many brethren. They behave themfelves like him ; they kill not, perhaps, they defraud not, they ufe no fcandalous methods to increafe their wealth ; there are feveral crimes which they commit not, either becaufe they lie under no pro- vocations to commit them, or becaufe they fear the laws of their country, or becaufe they would avoid ig- nominy and (hame, or becaufe they are too indolent, or too bufy. But then they have no defire to excel in any virtue. The bufinefs of their lives is to divert them- felves, to gratify their fenfes, to feek out new pleafures and amufements, and thus to wafte their days, regard- lefs of God, and ufelefs to mankind. It was for a warning to all fuch, that our Lord fpake this parable. He fets before them the example of this man, who had received his good things, and who, tak- ing no care to employ them in a proper manner, goes into a ftate of punifhment. Hence they may learn that if God hath committed much to them, he hath much to require from them, and that when they come to give an account of themfelves to him, it will be noexcufe to be able to fay that they are free from this or that fault, that they have not been as wicked as many others, that they hjve not committed the evil which lav in their power. The i6 S E R M O N 11. The queftion will be. What good they have done, and what returns they have made to God for all the bleflings which he hath conferred upon them ? 111. Of the rich man it is faid exprefsly, that he fared fumptuoufly every day. This is the charafter of a glut- ton i and hence it may be fuppofed that as extreme ■want produced the difeafes which fent poor Laxarus «ut of the world ; fo what is called living well had the fame effeft upon the rich man, and helped to Ihorten his days. Here then it will not be improper to take occafion to recommend to you temperance and abftinence, abfti- nence exercifed with difcretion, and free from fuperfti- tious and injudicious aufterities. There is, as we may not improperly call it, a perpetual faft, to which we are obliged, as rational creatures and as Chnftians ; namely, a faft from all intemperate af- feQions, turbulent paflions, and irregular praQices. But there is alfo an abftinence at particular times from the lawful pleafures of life ; and the fitnefs of fuch a con- duSt might eafily be proved even upon the principles of human reafon, or common fenfe. I explain myfelf by a few inftances : your own thoughts may fuggeft more. A perfon in health and in good circumftances hath food of various kinds at command. But fuch is the in- ftability of human affairs, that he may be reduced to a morfel of bread. It is expedient therefore for him, at certain times, to take up with fuch fpare and plain diet asfufficethto remove pain, and to fatisfy the cravings of the body. He will be better able to ihift for himfelf upon any turn of fortune. I need not add that fuch ab- ftinence will conduce to preferve his health. No one, 1 prefume, will deny it. Such a perfon, it may be, hath various diverfionsand entertainments at command, and may repair to them as often as he thinks fit. But many accidents may de- prive him at a ftroke of all thefe beloved amuftments. Let S E R M O N II. 17 Let him learn then to live without them, by fhunning them more frequently whilft they are in his reach. Such a perfon may ufually have a variety of company abroad and at home. But various events may reduce him to folitude. Let him then learn before hand to bear folitude at certain times, toconverfe with facred and with ufeful books, with his Maker, and with his own foul : and think himfelf in good company whilft he is thus engaged. Whofbever praftifeth fuch abftlnence, upon the principles above-mentioned, may be faid to keep a mo- ral and philofophical faft : but if what he thus faves in his expences he gives to the needy and the deferving, then, and not till then, he converts his rational into a truly religious and Chriftian faft. IV. We may obferve that our Lord, both in this pa- rable, and in other difcourfes, mentions the great dan- gers which attend wealth and power, and worldly prof- perity ; and declares it to be difficult for thofe, who en- joy all thefc things, to acquire and to preferve tbe vir- tdes neceflary to their falvation. He obferves that the Gofpel would be preached in vain to fuch perfons, that either they would not receive it, or if they did, would not adl conformably to it. As when feed falls among thorns the thorns fpring up and choke it ; fo, fays Chrift, when the word of God is preached to the rich, the cares of this woild, and the deceitfulnefs of riches choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. When the young- man C4me to him, and feemed fincerely defirous of re- ceiving inftru£tion, and of performing any aftion that might recommend him to God's favour, the fudden. anfwer. If thou wilt be perfeft, fell that thou haft, and give it to the poor, and follow me, quite difconcerted him, becaufe he had great pofTefiions ; and he went away forrowful. Upon which our Lord obferved that it was next to impoflible for a rich man to be his difci- ple. So it is : The great and wealthy are expofed to va- rious temptations. Riches are often attended with Vol. II. C pride. i8 S E R M O N II. pride, Infolence, indifference for religion, cares about the prefent, and careleflnefs about the future ftate, vo- luptuoufnefs, intemperance, contempt and negle6tof the poor, and the fpirit of oppreflion, vices which lead to perdition. If this be true, riches, it may be faid, feem to be ra- ther a curfe than an advantage. How then fliall we reconcile this with thofe declarations in the Scriptures, that even wealth and worldly profperity are bleflings of God ? Very eafily, if we confider thefe two things. Firft, A wealthy flate is expofed to many temptati- ons ; but there is no ftate free from them. Whatfoe- ver our condition be, if we entertain good difpofitions, we want neither power nor opportunities to ferve God, and recommend ourfelves to his favour ^ and if we in- dulge evil inclinations, we Ihall never fail of obje£ls en- ticing us to fin. A ftate of worldly happinefs may be accounted dan- gerous for the reafons above-mentioned. Let us take a ftate of poverty, and fee whether that have not Its- temptations alfo. Poverty often makes a man envy his faperiors, and hate and flander them, raifes in bim reftlefs difcontent and refentment, and unbecoming thoughts of divine Providence, and leads him into bafe or violent pra6tices, to mend his condition. Let us even take a ftate between poverty and riches^ a ftate the leaft expofed to inconvenience and danger, and we fhall find, that as ill an ufe is often made of that as of any other. Many and many perfons there are, to whom this defircable lot is fallen, happy if they knew their own happinefs, who are fo ungrateful as to think that Providence hath not given them enough, who, look with repining uneafincfs at thofe above them, and confider not how many are beneath them, who, placed between indigence and fuperfluity, partake of the vicej to which each of thofe ftations incline us, who are re- gardiefs of religion and virtue, and of the improvement of S E R M O N II. 19 of their minds, but very induftrious and careful about the things of this life, about rifing, as they call it, in the ■world, as if they were born for nothing elfe, and as if God had not fet before them better objects to occupy their thoughts and their views. Thus if an exalted ftation be furrounded with tempta- tions, yet there is no ftation fecured from them, and therefore no blefllng which a perverfe mind may not a- bufe, and no affliftion which fhall be able to correft and amend it. The rich man might have been as poor as Lazarus, and not the more virtuous and religious. It muft indeed be confefled that plent} and profperity ex- pofe us to many dangers. Therefore let the advantages of fuch a ftcite be confidered, and fet againft the perils to which it lies open. To poflefs riches, and not to be enflaved to them ; to be juft when afts of iniquity may be committed with impunity, and would be excufed or even applauded by flattery ; to be humble and conde- fcending in the midfl: of invitations to pride and info- lence ; to be regular and temperate v^hen the oppofite vices might be indulged without reftraint; to love and ferve God, when the World offers many objefts to call off the affections from him; to have much power to do good, and to do good to the utmoft of that power ; this is virtue put to the trial, and obtaining a glorious con- queft. Peace of mind, refpe£t and reputation here, and eternal hapinefs hereafter, are the rewards of fuch a behaviour. This might have been the cafe of the rich man in the Parable, who is reprefented as fituated by divine Provi- dence in fuch a condition, that he might have been hap- py in both worlds. God gave him large poffeffions ; and if he had been an example of piety, as he was of profperity, if he had not meanly confined his good things to his own ufe, but endeavoured to make others alfo happy and virtuous, he might have paffed his days agreeably, and enjoyed with moderation, which is the only way of enjoying, the rational comforts of life, he C 2 had 20 S £ R M O N II. had died in peace, after he had lived in credit and ho* nour, and had gone to a happier place, and not to re- ceive the recompence due to his evil deeds. V. Our Ix)rd, that he might teach thofe who are in a low (late to be contented with it, and reconcile them to poverty, if poverty were their portion, and perfuade them to bear affliftions with patience, hath fet before them in the perfon of Lazarus a man extremely unhap- py in the eye of the world, and in as great diftrefs as hu- man nature can well undergo. Yet this very poor man was a good man, and in the favour of God, and was re- ceived after death into happy manfions. The ditFerence between him and the rich man was as wide as could be conceived. One laboured under vi Wretched variety of calamities, was affli6led with fick- nefs and pain, and had neither food nor houfe, nor friendo, nor any to take pity of him : the other was at eafe, and knew no forrovvs and difappointments. But how quickly did this difference ceafe ! And it came to pafs that the beggar died — the rich man alfo died and was buried. Both of them have foon run their appointed courfe ; their days are paffed as a fhadow, as a tale that is told. Thus the hours of our life, and the good and evil which they bring along with them, haflen away; the forrows andaffliftions of men, their joys and plea- fures are foon ended, and become as though they had never been. Thefe are truths, to which none of us are rtrangers ; they are well known, and little confidered. Serious re- flexions upon them would teach us to think and a6k like immortal beings, to extend our hopes and defires beyond the prefcnt fcene which will dilappear fo foon, and to prepare for the eternal ftate into which we are entering ; they would teach us to be patient and refign- ed under calamities which can be of no long continu- ance, and which may in the event prove tlie greateft blefilng that God could have hedowed upon us. In- flead of repining at our circuraf.ances, if tbcy be not fuch S E R M O N II. 21 fucfa as we fliould chufe for ourfelves, we ought to con- fiderthat if we have not fome advantages which we fancy we fhould find in a higher or happier ftate, we have not alfo its inconveniences and dangers; that all thefe differences are in a manner for a moment, and that we muft foon appear before Him, who will reward every one according to his works, who will beftow va- rious degrees of honour and felicity upon his fervants, amongft whom it is reafonable to fuppofe that they Ihall not be placed loweft, who, having received the fewefl: temporal bleflings from him, yet conftantly re- tained a fincere love towards him, and an unfhaken re- liance upon him, patiently expelling that all (hould be made up to them in a fut-ure flate. VI. By ihe example of the rich man our Lord fets iaefore us the fatal iflue of a wicked life. He who dwelt at his eafe, is delivered over to remorfe, forrow, and pain. The remembrance of his former happinefs makes liis prefent ftate more wretched, whrlft he confiders what he is, and what he was, and looks back to thofe days which are gone, and cannot return again. And to complete his mifery, this cruel refieSion muft arifein his mind, that by his own fault ]\e had brought iiimfelf it^to that fad ftate, that whilft he lived on the earth he might have been both happy and virtuous at the fame time, that he had by tiie greateft folly chofen rather to be ungrateful to God, and difobedient to his juft and reafonable laws, that he was fallen into evils from which he might once have eafily fecured himfelf, that he had rejetled the opportunities of working out his falvation which had fo frequently offered themfelves to him, and of breaking off his fins by a timely repentance. Thus it is that our Saviour, who knew what was in man, and what arguments were moft proper to work upon his rebellious heart, that he might deter us from Hn, fhews us its fad confequences ; and fets before us thofe fcenes of 4iQrror, to awaken thoug^hdefs and ftub- born 22 S E R M O N II. born offenders, to give them a fenfe of their danger, and, by raifing their fear, to compel them to thofe du- ties, which, if they a6ted like reafonable creatures, they ■would make their choice, and their chief delight. VII. Lazarus is here faid to be carried by the An- gels to a place of happinefs, called Abraham's bofom, that is to a great feaft, where he fits next to Abraham, he who, v/hen he lived below, lay upon the ground at the rich man*s door ; and through the whole Parable, file invifible flate after death is defcnbed by images bor- rowed from the prefent life and from the objects of our fenfcs, and fhould not be taken according to the letter. The generality of the Jews in our Saviour's time believed the foul's immortality, and rewards and pu- nlliuuents when this life was ended. They had col- lected their notions of thefe things, partly from an- cient tradition, partly from fome hS.s and intimations contained in the Old Teftament, partly from the light of reafcn, and partly from converfation with the Greeks, and from Pagan authors. Our Saviour here accom- modates himfelf to their common notions and received ways of fpeech, which anfwered his intention, namely, to confirm them flill more in the belief of a flate of retribution. The doftrine of future rewards and punifliments, in general and at large, is all that we can learn from this parable ; for we mud not think to draw any certain confequences from particular circumftances mentioned in it, which may be purely ornamental, for any thing that we can prove to the contrary. The parable inti- mates, that there is a ftate of happinefs or mifery af- ter death, and before the refurredion ; but there are other paffages of Scripture, which feem to be more conclufive for the happinefs of the good in the ftate of reparation from the body, than this popular image*, of Lazarus placed in Abraham's bofom j as for example, St. S E R M O N n. 23 St. Paul's wlfli to be abfent from the body, and pre- fent with the Lord. VIII, Laftly, Abraham declares, that there was no reafon for which Laxarus could be fent to the rich man's brethren, to convert them, becaufe they had Mofes and the Prophets, whom they might hear ; he adds alfo, that it would be to no purpofe ; for, fays he, if they hear not Mofes and the Prophets, neither will they be perfuaded, though one rofe from the dead. This is a point which deferves particular confidera- tion, for it feems to contain a very ftrange aflertion, which we hardly can believe. But much of the appa- rent difficulty will be removed, if we duly obferve thefe two things. Firft, the Parables of our Saviour are very often pro- phecies, and thefe words before us are a prophecy de- claring how the Jews would behave themfelves ; as the event fully fhewed. Secondly, To deter men from wickednefs, the Scrip- tures frequently ufe very ftrong, figurative, and lively £xpreflions concerning the dangerous nature of bad habits, reprefenting them as incurable, and defcribe the difficulties of amendment as mere impoffibilities ; in all which places, lefs is to be underftood than the words naturally and literally imply. I. The Jews had Mofes and the Prophets, but would not hear them, fo as to obferve their moral Precepts. This difobedience arofe not from an unbelief of revealed religion ; for they acknowledged the divine authority and the miracles of Mofes and the Prophets. Indeed, they had not feen thofe miracles ; they only knew them by the teftimony of former ages. Therefore it might be fuppofcd that miracles wrought before their eyes would have a more powerful etfeft upon them. This evidence was granted to them : Chrifl. gave. them daily proofs of his authority, by healing all man- ner 24 S E R M O N II. ner of dlfeafes, and by many other wonderful works ; yet it did not move them. But of all miracles the refurreftion of a dead perfon feems the mofl: ftriking, and the moft likely to prevail even upon a ftubborn mind. If Lazarus would return from the grave, and teftify unto them, they would furely repent. This aifo was done to convince them. Chrift: raifed a man to life, and a man whofe name was La- zarus. After this, Chrift himfelf arofe from the grave, and his Apofties reftored fome dead perfons to life ; and yet many of the Jews were not converted by thefe things, but perfeyered to the laft in unbelief. 2. Since the Scriptures often reprefent things diffi- cult as altogether impofllble, the aflertion that they who will not hear Mofes, would not hear a dead man returned to life, rnay be fuppofed to contain in it no more than this general do6trine, that they who have a revealed religion to guide them, and a«El againft the di6l:ates of their own reafon, and the teftimony of their own confcience, who know what is right, and perfift jn doing what is wrong, are in a condition extremely dangerous, and that there is little hope of their amend- ment. A finner of this kind often doth things which feem very ftrange, refifts the moft prefling motives, and z&s in a rnanner for v/hich we can account no other way than from the prodigious force of bad habits. He believes a God, a revelation, and a. future ftate, and in defiance of that belief he perverfely purfues his own ruin. He trufts to an uncertain repentance, and yet he knows that by being delayed it becomes more difficult to be accomplifhed, and that he may be fud- denly taken out of the world. Such is the tyranny of habit, -and the cuftom of fufpending and driving away from time to time all ferious thoughts of ftifling , the reproofs of confcience, and filencing the voice of reafon S E R M O N II. 25 reafon by the afliftance of the noife and follies, the hurry and bufinefs, of the world. He hath, it may be, the dreadful example of wicked companions cut off in the midft of their iniquity. This afFeds him, and he inftantly refolves to amend. Yet the refolution holds only for a fhort time 5 his vices re- turn, and not only recover their former dominion, but daily acquire new ftrength. At lafl he is himfelt furprifed by ficknefs or danger, and Death and Hell are before his eyes. His fears are raifed, his confcience is awakened, he mourns, he con- demns himfelf, he is determined to become a new man. The danger ceafes ; and he not only returns to his former ways, but grows worfe than he was before. So little hope there is, fo fmall a chance, fo (lender a probability, that fuch a perfon fliall repent and amend his ways, that in the ftyle of the Scriptures, and in the common way of fpeaking, it may be faid of him, that he is dead in trefpafles and fins, dead to all that is good, that it is impoffible to bring himto a right mind, that fooner may an ./Ethiopian change his fkin, and a leopard his fpots, than he become an example of viftue and piety, that one fent to him from the dead would not reclaim him^ and that if he had lived in the time of Chrill and of the Apofties, the miracles which they wrought would have had no other influence upon him, than they had upon the unbelieving Jcv/s ; all which ilrong and fevere expreflions amount in reality only to this, that the condition of fuch a perfon is very dan- gerous, and his recovery fcarcely to be expected. Thefe things were written for our inftru£tion, or, if they fail of producing that eflfeft, for our condemna- tion. He who can hear this parable of our Saviour, and not be the better for it, more cautious and vigilant, more dutiful to God, and ufeful to his neighbour, is in danger of becoming one of thofe upon whom even a jniracle would be thrown away. SERMON SERMON III. M A T T H. xxii. 32. God is not the Gcd of the dead, but of the living, T 3l H E S E words being fpoken by our Saviour with relation to the Patriarchs, Abraham;, Ifaac, and Jacob, after they were dead, and with a view to eflablifh the doftrines of the foul's immortality, a future flate, and a refurredion j I (hall take occafion from them to dif- cufs thefe tu'O important points ; I. That the foul of man fubfifts after death, and hath fomc place of abode allotted to it till the refur- redion : II. That this intermediate flate is, in all probability, not a flate of infenfibility to the fouls of the righteous ; but of thought and felf-confcioufnefs, and confequently of content tind of happinefs, in a certain degree. Thefe two propcfitions I intend to fupport, not by arguments taken from the light of reafon, and from the nature of the foul, confidered as an adive, fimple, un- compounded, immaterial fubftance ; not that I flight thofe arguments, on the contrary, I think they have much weight and force ; but, as they are rather of too refined a nature for common ufe, I fhall ai pre- fent confine myfelf to proofs taken from revelation, and to the teftimonies of holy Scripture. There have been Chriftians, and thofe ferious and good men, who, firmly believing that refurreftion, and that life to come which our Saviour hath promifed us, yet SERMON III. 27 yet denied the fubfiftence, or at leaft the fenfibllity of the foul after the death of the body. They fuppofed that when the body is diflblved, the foul is extinguifhcd along with it, or that all its operations are er Miely fufpended ; that it flecps a fleep without dreamr, and is to all intents and purpofes as though it were not, till the laft day fhall awaken the dead man, and reftore him to himfelf again. This is not a novel notion, and the.produftof our in- quifitive times. It was efpoufed of old by fome Chrif- tians, though rejeCted by a great majority, and con- demned as an heretical doflrine, and it hath in later times been revived, and recommended to us by per- fons of piety and of abilities. I am far from defigning to infult thefe men, or their notions. The intermediate ftate between death and the refurreQion is a fubje6l of enquiry, upon which the Scriptures have not faid fo much as perhaps one could wifh. The facred writers have not treated the point dire£tly and fully. Only fome things have been faid by them occafionally, of which a proper ufe may he made ; and thefe paffages are fo favourable to us, that I am perfuaded the probability lies on our fide of the queftion. I could produce fome paflagcs from the Old Tegu- ment, in fupport of our opinion ; but waving them, I fhall confider thofe v/hich are to be found in the New Teftament. Our Saviour thus admoniflieth his difciples ; Fear not them who kill the body, but are not able to kill the foul : but rather fear him, who is able to deflroy both foul and body in hell. If the foul hath fuch a neceflary dependence upon the body, that when this dies, that dies with it, then he who kills the body, would with the fame ftroke kill the foul alfo. But our Saviour tells us that this is im- poflible, becaufe the foul remains after the diffolution of the body, and is out of the reach of human or of created £8 SERMON III. created power. If it be faid that our Saviour only means the utter and eternal deftru6tion of the foul, which no one can efFecS, becaufe God hath promifed us a refurredion to a fecond life, this would be a mere fhift, to avoid the force of a plain text. For in this flat and far-feiched fenfe, our Lord might as well have de- nied that men can kill the body, becaufe at the refur- re£tion we ihall again confifl of foul and body, know- ing ourfelves to be the fame perfbns that we were be- iore. Our Saviour himfelf, at the point of death, faid ; Father, into thy hands I commend my fpirit. And leQ. we fhould think this a peculiar privilege belonging to the Son of God, St. Stephen, when dying, having a vifioH of Jefus Chrifl ftanding at God's right hand, ad- dreffeth himfelf to him, and fays; Lord Jsfus, receive my fpiiit. Again ; Our Saviour's words to the penitent thief are exprefs ; Verily I fay unto thee. To-day thou fhalt .be with me in Paradife. Here, I mufl inform you that, in order to elude the force of this text, the perfous of the contrary opinion alter the flopping, and read it fhus ; Verily I fay unto thee to-day. Thou fhalt be with me in Paradife ; that is, thou fhalt be with me ■hereafter, fome time or other, at the refurrcction. But of all fuch forced interpretations, this feems to be one of the lovveft ; and whiit makes Lt flill worfe is, that Paradife, as we fliall ihew, means not the kingdom of heaven, but the place of the good after death, and (before the refurredion. Farther ; In the New Teftament we read of fepa- rate fpirits. Of the fpirit of good perfons departed, the Author of the Epiiile to the Hebrews fpeaks, where he tells us that Chriftians are joined to the Church Caiholic; that is, not only to tiieir brethren upon earth, and to the hoft of holy angels, but to the invifible fociety of the fpirits of jull men jnade perfect ; who are SERMON III. 29 are made perfed, that is, who have finiflied their cGurfe, and accomplifhed their warfare. St. Paul alfo hath informed us that a man, that is, the foul of a man, may be feparated from the body, and yet live without it, when he fays ; We are confi- dent and willing rather to be abfent from the body, and to be prefent with the Lord, He alfo fpeaks of fome vifions and revelations which he had fcen and reeeived in Paradife, and in the third heaven ; but declares himfelf doubtful in what fitua- tion his foul was at that time j whether in the body, fays he, or whether out of the body, I know not ; God knoweth. Now if he had believed that the foul could not fubfift or could not a6l in a ftate of feparation, he might eafily have cleared up his own doubts, and have concluded that he was in the body. In our Saviour's time, the Sadducees and the Pha- rifees differed greatly concerning the nature of the foul, and its duration and deftination. The Sadducees held that the foul was material and mortal, or rather, that a man was nothing more than a living thinking body, who entirely periflied when he died. Upon this fyftem of theirs a refurrection was indeed an impofllbility, and mere contradiflion. It could only be a new creation of a new creature, which could have no relation to the man that was dead and gone. And in this the Sad- ducees were confident with themfelves, and drew a juft conclufiqn from falfe premiffes. The Pharifees held immaterial and immortal fubftances, angels good and evil, and human fpirits, or fouls fubfifling after death, and therefore capable of being reunited to an hu- man body. Our Saviour decides the queftion for the Pharifees and againH: the Sadducees, from this text of Mofes ; I am the God of Abraham, of Ifaac, and of Jacob, fpoken after thefe holy men were dead ; and he builds his argument upon this foundation, God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. If then the fouls of thefe holy men were living, the very founda- tion 3fy SERMON III. tion of the Sadducean doftrine was overturned, and the doftrine of a refurredion was cleared of the main diffi- cuhies, and nothing could be urged by them againft it, except one fmali objection, which our Saviour alfo condefcended to remove. Whofe wife, faid they, Ihall the woman be at the refurredion, who had been joined to feven hufbands upon earth ? In anfwer to this, he informs them that after the refurredlion to life eternal there fhall be no fuch connexions, but the righteous Ihall be in a more exalted condition, clothed with fpi- ritualized bodies, wanting no repairs, and liable to no decay. This feems to be a plain and true account of our Sa- viour's reafoning upon that famous text, I am the God of Abraham, 5fc. which fome Interpreters have mif- underftood, for want of attending to the principles of the Sadducees, againft whom he argues. For if his reafoning had been fo fubtle as they have made it, the common people who flood by would hardly have felt the force of it. But they perceived clearly from the text, as it was explained by him, that the holy Patri- archs, Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, were ftill alive after the diflblution of their bodies ; and they knew that this was an effeftual confutation of the Sadducean notion that there was no life befides the prefent, and that death put an end to the whole man. It hath been faid of our Lord's argument, that it proves rather the per- manency of the fame perfon, and the life of the foul, than the refurre£tion of a dead man, according to our common notion of that word. But, firft, his argnr- ment was fully fufficient to confute the Sadducees with whom he had to do ; and fecondly, another living ftate of the fame perfon, after this, and befides this prefent ftate, may juftly be called a refurrcflion, and is as much as the word "^ refurreclior.^ confidered in itfelf, ever implies. Thu3 * 'AvctVctcrj?. — They v/ho In the text above-mentioned look tor a proof of the rerurreftion of that identical body "irhlch died, are feeking v'hat they wiii r.ct find. SERMON III. 31 Thus the fubfiftence of the foul after the death of the body, appears to be the dodrine of Chi ift and of his Apoftles dcUvered in the New Teftament. To this it fhould be added, that the Fathers of the Church, who lived in or near the times of the Apoilles, were unanimous in this opinion, and perfuaded that the foul of every man, upon the diffolution of the body, died not, but had a proper place to go to ; and accordingly this doctrine is to be found in the moft ancient Chrif- tian Liturgies. This is an argument of weight ; for though we are not obliged to adopt all the notions or reafonings which are to be found in the Primitive Fathers ; yet a due re- gard is to be paid to their teftimony concerning doc- trines which they deliver as received by the Church in their days. The fame opinion was alfo by a tradition from the remoteft: antiquity, adopted by all the civilized heathen nations in Greece, and in the Eall: ; and indeed in thofe parts of the world which have been more lately difco- vered, in the vaft regions of America. II. Now I proceed to the fecond propofition, to fhew that this intermediate ftate is in all probability not a ilate of fleep, for the fouls of the righteous, but of fen- fibility, and confequently of content and of happinefs in a certain degree. Udder this head I obferve, that, as we find manv intimations in the Scriptures concerning this ftate of the good, and hardly any concerning the ftate of the bad, I ftiall confine my inquiries to the former : only taking notice of this, that a pofilive punilhment, inflided by a righteous God, cannot weil be fuppofed to be the lot of wicked fouls in their feparate ftate ; for the laft day being always defcribed to us as the time of trial, fen- tcnce, and condemnation to the wicked, this induceth us to think that fuch actual puniftiment will not be in- *fiic>ed upon them before that time. It feem.s therefore more probable, that their difquiet, if they feel any, will 32 SERMON III. will arife, not from punifhment, but from the expeQia- tion of it, which is the natural refult of a guihy confer- ence, and is indeed a moft difcon folate and miferable fituation. The fame thing in the New Teftament is intimated concerning evil Spirits, or Devils, namely, that they are referved, as St. Peter fays, to the day of judgment, to be puniftied ; and in St. Matthew, they intreat Chrift, not to torment them before the time. And for the fame reafon, it is likewife to be fuppofed that the fouls of the righteous receive not their proper and intended reward before that day, and that they reft: in the joyful expe<5tation of it. If it be afked how and in what manner the foul a6ls, whilft it is deprived of the body, whether by its own natural powers, or by more fubtile material organs and inftruments fitted to its feparate ftate ? we mufl: anfwer with St. Paul, We cannot tell ; God knoweth. Even now we are little known to ourfelves ; and the foul, which is the eye of the mind, is like the eye of the bo- dy i it fees other things, but it cannot fee itfelf, its own nature and natural powers. We cannot explain how we fee, or hear, or think, or imagine, or underfl:and, or dream, and leaft of all how we remember ; and yet we have a conftant experience of all thefe operations in ourfelves. No wonder then that we cannot conceive how our fouls can underftand and a£t, when out of the body, fince that is a ftate of which we have had no ex- perience. But the thing itfelf, that the foul in a ftate of feparation ftiali have life and perception, this is, as I have ftiewed, the moft obvious and probable fenfe of fome paflages in Scripture, and Scripture is our fureft guide in this inquiry, and without its help, our bert phi- lofophy would be precarious and defefliive. Let us therefore hear what the Scripture fuggefts to us in. this matter : and here moft of the texte which we have already produced to fupport the firft propofition will ferveto fupport the fecond. The SERMON III. 33 The Scriptures teach us that there are fplrits good and evil, who think and a£l, and yet either are united to no bodies, or have bodies of a quite different kind from ours. Why fhould not human fouls have the fame in- herent active principle? St. Paul, who had been taken up into the third hea- ven, and alfo into Paradife, declares himfelf unable to fay whether he was in the body, or out of the body ; thus manifeftly fuppofing that the foul feparated from the body may perceive and know things that are even beyond the apprehenfions of living men. For he fays, that being thus in Paradife, he heard unfpeakable words, which it was not lawful, or rathernot poflible, for man to utter. So then this paradife is not a place of dark- nefs, filence, and oblivion, where fpirits fleep, like fome creatures in their winter-quarters j but a place of glory, light, an#l joy. The fame Apoftle, whilft he was in the flefli, tells us that he was very defirous to depart, and to be with Je- fus Chrift, which is far better. Neverthclefs, fays he, to abide in the flefh is more needful for you. Now how could the Apoftle think it far better to depart from the body than to remain in it, if after that departure he fhould be deprived of ail fenfe and thought? Is it not better to have our reafoning faculty than to be without it? Is it not better to ferve God in a land of the living, than to fink into a flate wherein we can do nothing ? St. Paul furely doth not defire to die, merely to be free from the pcrfecutions and troubles that he underwent, which is the cold expofition of fome Commentators; but he wanted to depart, that he might go to that Paradife again, of which he had been favoured wiih a fight ; or, as he expreffes it, to go and be with Chrift. Now certainly a good man hath more communion with Chrift, whilft he is ferving him here in the flefh, than he would liavc in a ftate of infenfibiiity. Let us hear the fame Apoftle again. We know, fays he, that whilft we are at home, or rather, whilft we Vol. U. D dwell 34 SERMON III. dwell in the body, we are abfent from the Lord : we are therefore willing rather to be abfent from the body, and to be prefent, or converfant with the Lord. He fpeaks here of the ftate of the Faithful, which commenceth after death, and not of that only which follows the refurre^ion, fince he calls it an abfence from the body. He alfo fpeaks of other Chriflians a- long with himfelf, that we may not fancy it to be an Apoftolical privilege and recompence. There is no joining thefe declarations to a ftate of fleep and infen- fibility, without fome far-fetched reafoning, fome vio- lence offered to the more obvious fenfe. But let us hear our Lord himfelf. When he was dying, he faid to the penitent Thief, To-day thou fhalt be with me in Paradife. Here Chrift, as a liberal Prince, promifeth more to his humble petitioner, than the man prefumed to afk. The requeft: was. Lord, re- member me when thou comefl: into thy kingdom. The anfwer was to this effeft ; I will not put thee off tilt that day cometh ; but I will take thee under my pro- te6tion this very day. Die fecurely ; thou fhalt in- flantly go along with me to Paradife. To Paradife-: What place is that ? Our Saviour fpake thefe words to a Jew, and intended to be underfiood by him. From the Jews therefore we muft learn the meaning of the word. Paradife originally meant the Garden of Eden, where our firft parents dwelt in a ftate of innocence and Tiappinefs. Hence the Jews ufed this word to reprefent the place where the fouls of the righteous go, when they are feparated from the body. They diftinguifh Paradife from Heaven ; and fo doth St. Paul, when he fpeaks of his vifions and revelations. Again, Our Saviour reprefents Lazarus, as carried after death to Abraham's bofom. This was another name for that ftate of peace and comfort to which the fpirits ol the righteous were conveyed. This doftrine was, as we obferved before, conftantly received in the primitive Church. In SERMON III. ^$ In procefs of time, fome new notions and pradices Xi/ere introduced. Firft of all, prayers for the dead, which indeed is a pradice of no fmail antiquity. But thefe prayers originally were rather a fort of pious wifli- es, they were offered in general for all thofe who died in the faith, that they with thofe who were ftill living upon earth might partake together of a jojful and glo- rious refurredion at the laft day. To fay the truth, this feems to have been a kind of will-worH^ip, and 4, pradice not commanded in the New Teftament. Then came the dodrine of Purgatory, and the doc- trine of praying to departed Saints. The dodrine of Purgatory was founded upon a fup- pofition that the fouls of imperfed Chriftians go into a ftate of temporary punifhment, and may be relieved by the prayers and other pious ceremonies of the Church • and then that thofe prayers might be purchafed by pious legacies ; which proved an inexhauftible mine of filver and gold to the Romifh Clergy. Prayers to Saints were founded upon a notion that thofe holy perfons were in heaven, and would there in- tercede with God for us ; of which interceffion there is not a fhadow of a proof in the Scriptures. The only proof was the teftimony of lying miracles, and enthufi- aftic vifions. This dodrine, you may obferve, doth not agree with that of praying for the dead in general, fince fuch pray- ers for the dead did fuppofe that they were not admitted into heaven before the refurredion. Here let me add two or three paflTages more from the New Teftament, relating to the interval between death and the refurredion. The firft is the account of Chrift's transfiguration, at which time the Evangelifts inform us that Mofes and Elias came and converfed with Jefus, and were feen and heard by thofe difciples who were prefent. As to Elias he died not ; but, like Enoch before him, was tak n up into heaven. But of Mofes it is written that he died Da and 36 SERMON IH. and ^as buried. This account therefore is a fair inti- mation that good men continue to live and to aft after they are releafed from this mortal body. The other paflagc is that in the Revelation, which the Church ufeth in the burial fervice ; I heard a voice from heaven, faying unto me. Write, Blefled are the dead which die in the Lord, yea, faith the Spirit, that they may reft from their labours, and their works do fol- low them. There is nothing in a ftate of infenfibility that feems to deferve the title of bleflednefs or happi- nefs ; and if we (hould grant it to be a blefllng, the wicked would have it as much as the good during that interval of inactivity. But in the fame Book, the fouls of the righteous are defcribed as in a waking condition. I faw, fays St, John, under the altar the fouls of them that were (lain for the word of God ; and they cried. How long, O Lord holy and true, doft thou not judge and avenge our blood ? And h was faid to them, that they fhould ftill reft for a little feafon. This is a vifiona- ry fcene and tranfaftion ; and yet it intimates that ihefe holy Martyrs were in a living ftate (^). And (l) As to the condition of the wicked, in the interval of the feparare ilme, there is one pafTage in the New Tefta- jnent that fectiis to relare to it, and that is the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, where the former is faid, after death and before therefurreiSlion, to go into Hell, as we tranflate It ; but the word is not Gehenna, it is Hades, which means the intermediate ftate of the dead, and there to be in pain, whilft Lazarus was in Abraham's bofom. This is the only place in the New Teftament where Hades exprefsly denotes a ftate of piiniihment. But, as it is a Parable, and many things in it cannot well be taken according to the letter, the only conclufion that can be drawn from it with full certain- ty, is the general doftrine of a future ftate of retribution. The Apoftles, in the firft chapter of the A6ts, fay of Ju- das, that he was gone to his own place ; but whether that was a place of punifliment, or of darknefs and filence is not faid. Perhaps the matter might be compounded with thofe who contend for the fleep of the foul, by allowing that whilft the good enter into a ftate of peace and comfort, the wicked are probably condemned to an infenfible condition till the laft diy calls them forth. SERMON III. 37 And now I fliall make application of the foregoing ivho has read them> or heard them read and explained, muft know that they perpetu- ally reprefent to us the unreafonablenefs, the folly, the bafenefs, and the bad confequences of fin ; whence we fhould conclude, that if all fin in general and every ad of it is fo dangerous, repeated and habitual fins muft be beyond comparifon and beyond exprefllon more dangerous. "When tho Scriptures fpeak of evil habits, they make ufe of figures as ftrpng and bold as language can utter and the imagination conceive, to fet forth their perni- ous nature. Perfons in that condition are faid to be in- clofed in a fiiare, to be taken captives, to have fold themfelves to work wickednefs, to be in a ftate of flave- ry. He who is a flave to a bad mafter has no profpeft of liberty ; and wprfe mafters can no man ferve than the Devii, and his own vile and imperious Lufts. They are faid tq h^ve loft all their fenfes and faculties, to be desf, to be blind, and to walk in darknefs, to be harden- ed and paft feeling, to be fick beyond hopes of recovefy^ to be dead in trefpaffes and fins, To part v/ith a beloved vice is called to cut off one's own hand and to pull out one's own eye j.tp return f.'-om a long courfe of fin to rightepufnefs is a refurrec- tion from the dead and a new creation. Even thofe piifiages of Scripture which contain great encourage- ment and favourable promifes to repentance, inform us at the fame time of the difficulty of amending. Our Saviour gives a plain and familiar reprefentation of it. A ihcpherd, fays he, rejoices more over one flieep which was loft and is found, than over ninety and nine which went not aftray. Whyfo? For this, amongft I other S E R M O N IV. 45 other rcafons ; becaufe he could not reafonably expert fuch good fortune, and had little hopes of finding a crea- ture expofed to a thoufand dangers, and unable to fhift for itfelf. Thus the nature of fin, the ufual confequences of it, experience, and the word of God, all concur to eftablifli this melancholy truth, that a change from habitual vice to virtue is feldom made, and not without great diffi- culty : which do£trine fuggefts many refle^ S. E R M O N IV. almoft impofTible were once divided between good and evil, and purfued neither fteddily, and when they did amifs condemned themfelves for it, and approved thofe things which they had not the heart to pra^ife, and en- tertained a Ihanie and felt a remorfe for their offences, and propofed to amend their lives. Thus it was with them at the firft, till by degrees the deceitfulnefs of fin infatuated them, and left them in no difpofition to righteoufnefs. 3, Thefe fad examples (hould be a warning to thofe "whofe obedience is fo incomplete and fullied with fo many defefts, whofe love of virtue is not equal and uni- form, and whofe affedtions are placed fometimes on God and religion, and fometirncs on the follies and va- nities of the world. The -'tyranny of evil habits, and the eafy defcent from an unfteddy virtue to thofe habits, ftiould incite them to correft in themfelves every thing that their confeience condemns, to fet about it inftant- ly, to-day whilft it is called to-day, whilft they may- hope to have time and ftrength to complete the under- taking, whilfl piety appears amiable to them, whilft the paflage to it is fhort, and the impediments eafily remov- ed. Thefe confiderations are more particularly to be recommended to young perfons, who are entering into a ftaie of trial, to whofe choice Virtue and Vice pre- fent themfelves, and who have as yet no habits of up- rightnefs or of guilt, 4, There are Chriftians who abftain from known'and deliberate tranfgreffions, who ftrive to make a daily pro- grefs in goodnefs, and to perform an acceptable fervice to God. The difficulty of reforming vicious habits is a proper fabjeft to be fet before thefe alfo. Refieccions upon this fubject may warn them to be upon their guard, and after they have fet out well and proceeded well, they fail not at laft, nor lofe a reward near at hand. The beft perfons may. find benefit from all kind of motives to religion, even from thofe which feem only defigned for the profligate. \\ hilll they are ,here. S E R M O N IV. 49 here, they are liable to be feduced, and never quite out of the reach of danger till they have finifhed their courfe : they have juft caufe to hope that they fhall ne- ver forfake God, and they have reafon to work, out their falvation with pious fear, and to remember what is threatened, when the righteous man turneth away from his righteoufnefs. 5. They who have wifely and happily preferved themfelves from evil habits ought to be very thankful to God, by whofe bleffing they are free from that heavy bondage, and ftrangers to the fad train of evils which attend it. When they fee the deplorable condition of thofe who are accuftomed to do evil, and whofe amendment is fo neceflary, and yet fo difficult, they will pity the cafe of fuch perfons ; but to this compaflionate concern will (b) naturally be added a great fatisfaftion, when they look in upon the ftate of their own mind ; and confider what mifery they have avoided, and what advantages they have fecured. 6. Laftly, from the doQirine of the text we may find this Angular encouragement to well-doing, that by a perfeverance in our duty wc may make righteoufnefs habitual to us, and not lefs pleafant than profitable. God has not fo dealt with us, that whilft the paflage from vice to virtue is difficult, the paflage from virtue to vice fliould be eafy. There is, in this refped:, not much difference in habits; and if it be not altogether, h is almoft, as hard to turn from righteoufnefs to fm, as it is to turn from fin to righteoufnefs. The enemies of religion have fometimes reprefented it as confifting altogether in felf-denial and pain, and have fuid that piety is no piety, except it crofs our in- clinalions, that juftice and charity and purity and tem- perance, and every thing that is good, deferves no praife, when we a/e, as it were, unavoidably difpofed to VoL.il. E it, {1} oujve mari niagno. turbantibus xquora ventis, &c. 50 SERMON IV. it, when we take a pleafure in it, and could not a6l in 4 contrary manner without great uneafinefs. But this is a falie and a foolifli notion. Some cafes will happen to the beft of men, in which duty and defire will be at va- riance, and then obedience is felf-denial and mortifica- tion ; but in general he who is accuftomed to ferve God, will ferve him by choice and with eafe and fatif- faftion. To be good againft the bent of the heart and by violence continually offered to the paflions, is the condition of one who has contrafled vicious habits, and begins to get the better of them, and this laborious con- queft is greatly to be commended. To be good by temper and difpofition, is the confequence of a regular and conftant obedience, and is much more excellent : nor indeed is this temper to be acquired without diligent care and long application ; for as we are not born wicked, fo neither are we born good ; and we muft not expeft to delight in virtue, till we have made it habitual by a right ufe of reafon, and by a power over the affec- tions gradually obtained. Thus from the pernicious nature of finful habits every Chriftian may draw inferences fuited to his own ftate, may find motives to repentance and improvement, or encouragement to perfeverance, or a timely warning to fet out wifely, and chufe the good part which (hall not eafily be taken from him. S E R' SERMON V. Pr p V. X. 9. He that •walketh uprightly, walketh furely ; but he that perverteth his ways Jhall be known. H APPINESSis the favourite wlfh and the al- luring object which every living creature purfues ; but through the ignorance and the corruption which is fo prevalent in the world, it unfortunately comes to pafs that many perfons fall into miftakes in their notions both of happinefs itfelf, and of the beft and fureft me- thods to obtain it. In purfuing the end they are agreed, but in the ways of fecuring the end they dif- fer widely. The choice of thefe means fhews a man to be wife or foolilh, religious or wicked. Every one would be happy, but every one will not take the pro- per courfe to fecure that fhare of happinefs for which he was defigned, and which he is capable of obtain- ing. The cafe is this : Every one would be happy if he could, not only upon the whole, but in each inftant of his exigence ; he would enjoy perpetual pleafure and fatisfaftion without any pain, any lofs or difap- pointment, any uneafinefs of body or of mind. Thefe are natural defires, and they feem in fome meafure to be common to all living creatures. But man, befides this innate appetite, hath a fuperior principle in him, which is reafon ; and reafon will inform him that a happinefs of rfiis kind, all pleafure and no pain, all E 2 joy i 52 S E R M O N V. joy and no forrow, all good and no evil, is unattain- able and impofllble, and as much out of the courfe of things as all light and no fhade, all day and no night, all fpring and no winter ; and that, difcarding fuch foolilh hopes, he muft confider what method will fecure to him the moft fatisfaflion and the leaft difquiet upon the whole, during his pafTage through this world, and beyond that period, even through the endlefs ages of futurity. The only way to obtain this much defired and mod defireable blefling is, as Solomon fays, to walk upright- ly. Solomon ftands diftinguifhed for great abilities both natural and acquired, and for great experience of good and evil, and one might fafely take his word, and truft to his judgment. But in this point, we want not the fan£lion of his authority ; and every man may be as wife as Solomon, and fee the truth of the aflertion, if he will make a due ufe of his underftanding. He that walketh uprightly, walketh furely. It is proper to be mentioned, but not neceflTary to be proved, that ways and paths, in the language of the Scriptures, are the courfes and the manner of a£lion. Thefe expreffions are become familiar to us, and every one knows that to walk fignifies our ufual courfe of dealing, and our common praftice. So then, walking uprightly means goodneis, righteoufnefs, in- tegrity, piety, religion in general. He may be faid to walk uprightly, who hath good principles, and whofe thoughts, words, and a£lions, are conformable to thofe principles ; and fuch a perfon walketh furely, fafe from danger and certain of fuccefs upon the whole. Here then is the duty, and here is the encouragement and the reward. But, that we may fet this exhortation of the wife man in fuch a light as to make it of general ufe and application, we will endeavour, before we proceed any farther, to remove a difcouraging objedion v, hich may t3e made to it. For S E R M O N V. S3 For it may be faid that, although the pofition in the text fhould be allowed to be true, yet it contains a truth of very little ufe or comfort to us, and a pro^ mife which none of us can apply to his own perfon. If he who is in every refpeft righteous and religious may fairly prefume that he fhall enjoy a perfe£t fecu- rity upon the whole, what is that td Tinners ? And fm- ners we all are in various degrees. If Solomon's per- fectly good man is found at laft to be an imaginary man, an accomplished creature which no where exifts, it fignifies little to us what recompence fuch a behaviour may expefl and receive. Two obfervations I have to offer, which will take off the force of the objection. Firft, Although uprightnefs, in the ufual ftyle of the Scriptures and in the common acceptation of the word, means goodnefs in general, and an upright man is a perfect and a righteous man, yet this feems not to be the charafler which Solomon here intends to repre- fent. It feems rather that he takes uprightnefs in a more limited fenfe, and confiders it as a fecial virtue producing a good condu£l towards others. And then his meaning will be, that he who in all his dealings is honeft, fmcere, charitable, candid, and friendly, will in return receive good ufage, and efcape ill ufage. What induces me to fuppofe that this is the virtue which Solomon hath more particularly in view, is the centraft between the former and the latter part of the fentence. He that walketh uprightly, fays lie, walketh furely : but he that perverteth his ways fhall be known. Shall be known of whom ? why certainly, (hall be known of men. As to his being known of God, that is true, but is rather foreign from the purpofe. A wicked man is always known of God, from whom nothing is hidden, and who feeth the fecret purpofes of an evil heart, before they break out into adion. But when Solomon fays that he fiiall be known, it is as much as to fay, he fliall be difcovered and expofed, in 54 S E R M O N V. in fpite of all his difllmulation and caution, and then men will abhor him, and treat him as he deferves. Now confequently, if the upright man is the man who performs his duty to his neighbour, and behaves himfelf well in civil fociety, we muft fuppofe the pro- raifed reward of fafety to be alfo of the focial kind, ramely fecurity and peace, honour and reputation, ef- teem and favour, encouragement and afliftance, rather than the future rewards of righteoufnefs, which come not properly here into confideration. Admitting this interpretation, we have an encou- ragement to well-doing, which any perfon may apply to himfelf upon conditions which are by no means impra6licable, or even difficult, or uncommon, but which have been and are tolerably well perform.ed by many, and of which performance he may find exam- ples without going far to feek them. For if w^ confider the threefold duty of man, to God, to his neighbour, and to himfelf, we Ihall find, i think, upon a due enquiry, that men who are not reprobates, who have good-nature and honour, and 3 ienfe of religion and morality, do ufually perform their duty to their neighbour better upon the whole than their duty to God, and to themfelves. For, as to our duty to God, which is reprefented as nothing lefs than to love him with all our heart and foul^ even religious people muft condemn them- felves for many omifTions and comminions, for defi- ciences in that piety, zeal, and atlivity, gratitude, refignation, reliance, faith, and devotion, which are due to our great Creator and Benefa6tor. And as to our duty to ourfelves, which confifts iu fpending our time in the mofl rational and ufeful way, in improving our underftarding, in purity and temper- ance, in regulating all our thoughts, inclinations, de- fires, atfeftions, and paflions, even religious perfons muft be confcious how frequently they fall ihort of obfcrvin? S E R M O N V. 55 obferving the important and the difficult law of felf- government. But as to the civil and fecial behaviour, good per- fons approach nearer to regularity in this branch of duty, and ufually endeavour in a tolerable manner to do to others as they would be done by, to be juft, and to be charitable. This is the firft confi deration which I have to offer, to fliew that a man, though far from perfe6tion, may apply Solomon's promife of fafety to himfelf. Another remark tending to the fame pui'pofe is this, that though we fhould fuppofe the uprightnefs men* tioned in the text to mean goodnefs in general, and a goodnefs to which we cannot pretend, yet we may hope to make fome advances towards it, and confe- quently may hope to come in for ibme (hare of the reward, if he who walketh uprightly in all refpeds, walketh fureiy in aii r-efpefts, he who endeavours to do fo, and on feveral occafions doth walk upright- ly, will obtain fome degree of fafety and fecurity, pro- portionable to his moral improvements. Having thus (hewed that the reward propofed by Solomon rnay be confidered as attainable, more or lefs, by thofe who are not defpifers of their duty and void of good qualities, we will now take his words in their full latitude, though perhaps in a greater latitude than he intended, and fuppofe that uprightnefs means goodnefs in general, and that fafety means fecurity in every fenfe and in every refpe<9:. He that walketh uprightly, walketh fafely ; but he that perverteth his ways, (hall be known. The truth of thefe aflertions will appear from the following confiderations. I. In the language of the Scriptures, the ways of the righteous are called {a) plain, direfl, even ways, which may be found even by the ignorant, and where the (a) Barrow, Serm. on the Text. 56 SERMON V. the fimple paffenger fhall not err. Nothing is lefs difficult than to know our duty, and our intereft alfo, if there be a fincerity of intention and an integrity of heart. Our duty is graven in our minds and con- fciences, and wc may eafily read it there. It is alfo written in the holy Scriptures, and there fo plainly expreffed and fo frequently inculcated, that without wilful negligence or ftubborn perverfenefs we cannot fail to difcovcr it. The Scriptures were calculated for general ufc, they wereintended to make wife thefimple, to give the young man knowledge and difcretion, and to dire<5l inquirers of all ranks and conditions in their duty, and towards their happinefs. Such are both Chriftian faith and Chriftian pradice, plain and perfpicuous fo far as they are of univerfal importance, and of abfolute neceflity. If any teachers have delivered them in a dark and abftrufe, an incon- fiftent or incomprehenfible way, they are teachers who wanted to be taught themfelves, and who drew their notions, not from the fountain itfelf, but from muddy cifterns. The Scriptures indeed have their obfcurities and their difficulties ; but then they relate to the know- ledge of ancient languages, hiflories, prophecies, fa6ts, cuftoms, ceremonies, controverfies, errors, and here- fies •, i.nd fo they are properly the allotment of the lludious, of perfons who have learning and leifure, and a man may know very little of them, and yet be wife unto falvation. As the ways of the upright are plain and direSl, fo on the contrary, the ways of the unrighteous are re- prefented in the Scriptures as dark, crooked, rough, and flippery ways. Wicked proje6ls and unlawful me- thods of purfuing the objefls of our vain defires are various and uncertain, dangerous and deceitful. He who fets out with fuch bad profpects, and fuch perni- cious guides, often falls and periflies in the midfl: of his courfe, or, if he get to the end of it, and to the poflefljoq S E R M O N V. 57 pofleflion of the thing purfued, he finds himfelf difap- pointed at laft. He fought pleafure and peace, and he receives trouble and vexation, fiiame and remorfe. For take a furvey of an evil courfe of life, and it will appear that a finncr at his firft fetting out pro- pofes to himfelf either the enjoyment of criminal pleafures, or the attainment of virealth and of power by unjuftifiable methods. What is to be done, and what is to be paid before- hand, for the obtaining all this ? No lefs than labour and toil, cares and anxiety, fraud, rapine, extortion, violence, hypocrifv, lying, flattery, fubmiffion to the fantaftical humours, the unreafonable demands, and the intolerable infolence of great and powerful men, an intimacy with the wicked, danger, diftrefs, envy, malice, perpetual quarrels, and innumerable inconve- niences. And, as much is to be given, fo much is to be given up, namely, reputation, peace, quiet, and fe- curity. And what are the ufual confequences of fuch pro- ceedings ? A diftempered body, and adiftraftcd mind, and very often the lofs of temporal profperity, and of all that is valuable even in this world. And what are the hopes upon which fuch a perfon relies? They are the hopes, either that there is no God and no future ftate, or that God will not execute his threatenings, or that a late repentance may atone fpr all the irregularities of a vicious life. But he will find at laft that hopes are no certainties, and wiflies are no demonftrations. Such is the deplorable fituation of every one who lives in contradi£tion to Nature, and in defiance to Grace. 2. He that walketh uprightly ads upon good moral principles, which will ihnd the teft of the ftriaeft fcrutiny, and appear to the more advantage, the more clofely they are viewed, and which afford the firmed fecurity. 58 S E R M O N V. fccurity. Thiey £^re recommended to us by the holy Scriptures, they have often been vifibly rewarded by Providence, they are juftified by experience, choferi by the wife and- good, generaliy allowed to be agreea- ble to reafon, and profit ihle in the end, and they have the approbation not only of the good, but of the bad iikewife, who in their melancholy hours, in time of danger, trouble, or ficknefs, and at the clofe of life, ufually condemn themfelves, and bear teftimony to the prudence of a condu6k which they once ufed to blame or to deride. The belief of thefe principles is abfolutely necefTary even for upholding civil government and preferving hu- man fociety. No obligation upon the confciences of men, no faith and reliance between them, no friendfliip and peace, no common honefty, can fubfift v/ithoutit. Therefore Princes and Governors though they flipuld be void of morality and religion, ought at leaft to pre- tend to it, and to fave appearances, even for the fake of their own lives and fortunes, of their own prefent wel- fare ; they fhould, as far as they prudently can, difcoun- tenance and reprefs all attempts to recommend vice, to ridicule virtue, and to pverfet the belief of a God, a providence, and. a, future ftate. Differences of re- ligion are as unavoidable as differences of face and lliape ; and no man fhould be molefted for his fenfi- ments, when confcience can be fairly and honeftly pleaded : but Vice and Atheifm have no claims of this kind ; and where there is no confcience at all, there can be no plea of confcience. It is ridiculous and unpardonable for fuch perfpns to plead liberty of confcience, and fcruples of confcience ; it is adding jnfult to difobedience, and impudence to iniquity. All other fprings and motives of aclion, befides rea- fon and religion, are fickle and various. Humour, pafljon, intereO-; are perpetually changeable, and de- pend upon oppo.'tunities, cafualties, different ftates and difpofuions of body or of mind, and the ceafelefs viciflitudes SERMON V. 5^ viciflitudes of worldly things. Thence it comes to pafs, that he who is condu£led by fuch guides, and governed by fuch mailers, muft be unliable in all his ways, and fcarcely know whither he goes, and enjoy no fettled reft of mind. But an upright perfon in all cafes, and in all conditions is the fame perfon, and goes the fame way. By this he is fecured from diffidence and felf-diftruft, and diftraftion of mind, from leading an unequal and inconfiftent life, to his own dilfatisfaSion and uneafinefs, and to the difap- pointment and detriment of others. 3. He that walketh uprightly walketh furely, even as to the prefent time, becaufe he hath taken the pro- per way to attain all that a man can reafonably hope and defire in this world. " The things which he aims at here are honour and reputation, and the friendlhip of virtuous perfons, and temporal conveniences, fo far as they are confiftent with the more valuable blef- fings which God hath promifed to thofe v/hq love him. And this way to fuccefs in thefe views and under- takings is that which the Scriptures call the flrait and the plain way, namely, the way of diligence and be- nevolence, of honour, honefty, and integrity, which may feem to be flow, but is both fure and fpeedy alio ; whilft guile and fraud, extortion and opprelfion, over-;reaching and fupplanting others, are of all me- thods the moft precarious and dangerous, and termi- nate in every thing that is fcandalous, contemptible, and difaftrous. ** Therefore, as a good (b) Writer hath obferved, God feems in great wifdom to have hid from men of falfe and diflioneft minds the wonderful advantages of truth and integrity to the profperity even of our worldly affairs. Thefe men are fo blinded by their tovetoufnefs and ambition, that they cannot look be- yond a prefent advantage, nor forbear to feize upon it, (h) Tillotfon. 6o S E R M O N V. it, though by ways never Co indireQ ; they cannot lee fo far as to the remote confequences of a fteady inte- grity, and the vafl benefits and advantages which it will bring a man at laft. Were but this fort of men wife and clear-Hghted enough to difcern this, they would be honeft out of very knavery, not out of any love to honefly and virtue, but with a crafty defign to promote and advance more effeftually their own interefts ; and therefore the juftice cf the divine Pro- vidence hath hid this trueft point of wifdom from their eyes, that bad men might not be upon equal terms with the juft and upright, and ferve their own wicked defigns by honeft and lawful means." 4. He who defigns only what is juft and reafonable, and profecutes thofe defigns fairly and innocently, can run no great hazard, can fall into no extreme difafter, and cannot be utterly difappointed. In all probability he will not receive any great in- jury from intriguing men, or trouble from the vain and bufy world. The world has its occupations, and fo has he ; the world has its pleafures, and fo has he. But as he means well and deals inofFenfively, as he gives no juft provocation to others, fo he is in lefs dan- ger of meeting with obftruftions. He can fcarcely raife up adverfaries, at leaft fuch as are very for- midable. The way of the upright is pleafant; ferenlty, fatis- faftion, and a juft confidence, always attend upon him ; and in that fenfe alfo he walketh furely. He is confcious to himfelf that his intentions are honeft, and that he profecutes them by lawful and honour- able means. He is thoroughly fatisfied and pleafed with all that he undertakes, his judgment acquiefces in it, and approves of it as worthy of himfelf, agree- able to his reafon, and conformable to his duty. He is fecure of this, that the better he is known, the bet- ter he will be liked. It S E R M O N V. 6i It is obfervable that good (c) difpofitlons of the heart, like great abilities of the mind, are open, free, unfufpicious, courageous, and liberal ; they are of a tame and familiar nature ; the pofleiror of them is eafy of accefs, and fuffers himfelf to be approached, view- ed, and furveyed. If you {d) want his opinion, his advice, his dire£tion, and his alTiftance, you may have them for aflcing. But the defigning Knave and the afluming Hypocrite, who pretends to accomplish- ments and excellences vi^hich he hath not, is referved and formal folemn and important, and keeps you at a diftance, if not from his outward, yet from his inward man ; looks upon you as upon a cheat or a fpy, and is afraid left you Ihould difcern foraething or other which he wants to hide. The upright perfon is conftant and confiftent with himfelf; his heart and his face, his mind and his fpeech, his profeffions and his deeds agree together. He ufes no tricks to ferve a prefent turn, he draws no one into mifchief for the furtherance of his own ends ; he never hath recourfe to detra6lion, diffimu- lation, flattery, fawning and crouching : his wifdom is tempered with humanity, meeknefs, and charity ; he lies not under perpetual conftraint, engaged to keep a conftant guard upon himfelf, to watch his memory, to curb his tongue, to manage his very looks, left they fhould betray his intentions. Men do not fliun his commerce, but readily place a confidence in him. He therefore undifturbedly partakes of the benefits of fociety, and pafleth his days with fafety, quiet, and reputation. He (c) La faufTe grandeur eft farouche & inacceffible ; com- ine elle fent fon foible, elle fe cache, ou du moins ne fe niontre pas de front, & ne fe fait voir qu'autant qu'il faut pour iinpofer. — La veritable grandeur elt libre, douce, fa- miliere, populaire ; elle fe laifTe toucher & manier ; elle ne perd rien a etre vue de pres. Brnyere. {(f) "A(fhm Mscrwy Sn'faj. 62 S E R M O N V. He is fecure as to the final refult of affairs, the main end and the confiderable purpofes of human life. So that if profperity confifts in a fatisfaftion of mind up- on the whole, he cannot fail of being profperous. No good and wife perfon will purfue worldly and private intereft as an objeft which he hath a right to obtain, but will a{k and feek it under condition, and with this referve, if it feem good to the divine wifdom ; and then the pains which are employed on any honeft purpofe, and in an honeft way, are not mifernployed, if they terminate in acquiefcence and fubmiflion to God's will. When a man is able to meet temporal and tranfient difappointments with fuch a temper, his lofs is a gain to him, juft as on the contrary to one of evil difpofitions his fuccefs is his undoing. Events which are feemingly undefirable often produce fome- thing incomparably more excellent to the righteous than any worldly profit; as humility, patience, meek- nefs, moderation, contentednefs, and a hope of obtain- ing a place in God's kingdom,, a finall degree of which is worth all the wealth, all the power, and all the plea- fure, in the world. 5. To conclude: Either there is a future ftate, or there is not. Put the cafe that there is not, Reli-, gion theft is a fable, and the hopes of immortality are fond and flattering illufions. But what hath the up- right perfon loft by his error? Very little, if any thing. Upon the whole, he hath rather had the advantage over the ungodly. However that be, the wicked and he are at laft upon the level : they are gone together to the land where there will be none to infult or de- ride others, and none to be infulted or derided, for having made a wrong choice in the days of their ex- iftence. But if theye be a future ftate, as Nature, Reafon, Revelation, all moft pofitively affirm, then it is that the Righteous and the Wicked are diftinguiflied in- deed. It is this great event, this final and unch?.nge~ able S E R M O N V. 63 able iflue of things, that determines the wifdom or the folly of human a6^ions. I fhall only make one Ihort inference. If thefe things he fo, then they "who endeavour to do their duty, and to a£t a decent and an honeft part upon this ftage, fhould beware of a weaknefs to which they are too prone, that is, of grieving and repining at the feeming profperity of thofe wicked or worthlefs fons of Fortune, who obtain a greater affluence of worldly favours than many perfons far better than themfelves. Why fhould we envy thofe with whom we would not make an exchange, and accept of their condition to- gether with their heart and underftanding ? or why Ihould we fet fo high a value upon fuch poor advan- tages ? He who hath not God and his own Confcience for his friends, wherefover placed, or howfoever fur- nifhed with externals, is wretched and miferable, an obje6t not of emulation or envy, but to fpeak in a Phi- lofophical ftyle, of fcorn and contempt, or rather, to fpeak in a Chriftian ftyle, of pity and compaflion. SER- SERMON VI. Matt. xxii. 35. ^Hien one of them — afked him a qiiejiion — -faying, Mafier^ which is the great commandment in the Law ? I T is probable that the queftion which this Jewifh Do£lor put to our Saviour was a point contefted amongft the Jews ; but it is certain from our Saviour's anfwer, that it was a proper queilion, that there was fome commandment greater than the reft, that fome duties were more important than others, and that it concerns us to know which they are. If that had not been the cafe, our Lord would have told him fo ; and if it had been a matter of mere curiofity, he would have put it off without a direct reply ; for it was his conftant me- thod not to anfwer improper queftions, or, inftead of refolving them, to teach the inquirers fomething that might be of ufe to themfelves. When they afked him, with a wicked intent, whether they fliould pay tribute to Caefar, he gave them an oblique anfwer, intimat- ing that they ought to pay it, but not affirming it. Render unto Csefar, fays he, the things that are Caefar's ; the juftice of which fentence neither party could deny. When Peter aiked him concerning his fellow-difciple John, how it fhould fare with him ? Chrift anfwers. What is that to thee ? follow thou me. When the Difciples inquired, whether few fliould be faved, he fays. Strive to enter in, and take heed that yourfelves be of that number. When they in- quired S E R M O N VI. 65 quired who fliould be greatefl: in the kingdom of hea- ven ? he tells them, Unlefs ye be meek, and humble, ye fhali not enter there at all. A religion which hath God for its author, ought to be obferved entirely and without exception, becaufe God the Maker and Ruler of all hath an undoubted right to our whole obedience ; becaufe he who is moft wife and good, can command nothing which is not fit and reafonable ; becaufe it is our own profit to comply in all things with his will ; and becaufe a flubborn and contemptuous negle£t of any of his or- dinances muft receive its due punifhment, unlefs we prevent it by repentance and amendment. Yet when the precepts of religion are examined by religion, and compared together, fome will be found more excellent, more ufeful, and more important thant others ; and therefore a more particular regard muft be paid to them. The revelation which God made to the Jews, and their religion, as it is contained in the Law and the Prophets, may be divided into three parts, of which the firft is more important than the fecond, and the fccond is above the third. Under the firft and principal part we mud place whatfoever is of its own nature eternally and unalter- ably good, namely, morality, righteoufnefs, virtue. Under the fecond divifion may be ranged every action which hath a direfl: tendency to promote moral virtue, as prayer, and reading the Scriptures, and other good books, with a view to religious inflruftion. To the third and lowed part belong all rites and ceremonies which have no intrinfic goodnefs, but, when they are appointed of God, muft be fuppofed to be intend- ed for wife ends and purpofes. Thefe we com- monly call pofitive duties, in oppofition to moral duties. Of th« jewifh rites fome were plainly conducing to righteoufnefs, as the eating of the Paflbver in re- Vol. II. F membrance 66 S E R M O N Vr. nlembraiice of a fignal and miraculons deliverance y ior this was proper to remind them of God's power and goodnefs, and to excite faith and gratitude and obedience. Other rites there were, which had no fuch vifible connexion with righteoufnefs, as abfti- nence from particular meats, and were only fo far good, as they were a£ls of obedience to divine com- mands. An exad compliance with all thefe things was re- quired of the JeV^'s, and a wilful tranfgrefllon of the fmallefl: of them was to receive punifhment ; and God himfelf rtniraculouHy inflided it at different times, and on particular occafions. Many inftances of that kind are recorded in the Old Teftament, But though God required this entire and uniform refpefl to all his precepts, though he fometimes pan- ilhed offences againft the ceremonial law with more rigour than fome tranrgrefllons of the moral and ever- lifting law, yet the Prophets have carefully and con- flantly diftinguifhed the feveral duties of men in the fame manner and order which hath been mentioned. They fet morality above ceremonies, they prefer pray- er to facrifice, and righteoufnefs to both of them. And our Saviour hath done the fame. Ye tithe all manner of herbs, fays he, and pafs over judgment aftd the love of God, and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law, judgment, mercy, and faith ; thefe ought ye to have done, and not to leave the others undone. When he was afked, which was the great commandment ? he faid that it was the love of God and our neighbour. And when the Apoflles fpeak of the principal duties of Chriflianity, they mention fobriety, righteoufnefs, godlincfs, purity, charity, and faith working by love. 'There have been writers, who, notwithflanding all this, have fet pofitive duties upon the level with mo- ral actions, and in fome fenfe have even given them the S E R M O N VI. 67 the preference, as being a<5ls of greater compliance and fubmilllon. A ftiort anfwer, I think, will fuffice, and an exam- ple upon a fuppofed cafe may fet the matter in a true light. The Jews, we know, often neglected the duties of morality, whilft they adhered to the ritual law. Upon this, they ftand rebuked in the following manner : To what purpofe are your facrifices and your folemn fafts to me ? faith the lord. I delight not in them ; my foul hates them ; I am weary to bear them. Ceafc to do evil ; learn to do well ; and fo forth. Now let us fuppofe the contrary cafe to have hap- pened : that the Jews had neglefted the ceremonial, and obferved the moral part of the Law. It is impof- fible to imagine that they could have been rebuked in the following manner : To what purpofe is your piety to me? faith the Lord. I delight not in righ- teoufnefs. Bring me no more of your morality. Cha- rity is an abomination to me : your juft dealing I can- not away with : your mercy and your chaftity my foul hateth. Wafli your clothes, and make your outfide clean, and bring me your rams and your bullocks. If this be mofl: abfurd, it is the genuine confequence of equalling ceremonies to moral virtues. I fliall now lay before you the duties of man, and the feveral parts into which religion may be diflribut- cd, beginning with thofe which are m.oft important, and proceeding to thofe which are of an inferior nature, and placing them in their proper order ; after which I fhall confider the ufes which may be made of this diflin6lion of our duties, and of the inequality which is to be found in them. The things of the mod importance are undoubted- ly contained in thofe places of Scripture which have been juft now mentioned. The love of God is a grateful fenfe of his goodnefs, -J ilefiie to obtain and to fecure his favour, and' an F 2 endea- 6^ SERMON VI. endeavour to imitate his perfe6iions, and to obferve his will. The love of our neighbour is an endeavour to pro- mote the welfare of mankind, by which we fhall at the fame time promote our own. Sobriety, rightcoufnefs,, and godlinefs, are repre- fented by St. Paul, as the great duties which the Gof- pel requires of us. Sobriety contains our duty to our- felves, and confifts in the regulation of our appetites, pafllons, and defires, that our fouls and bodies may be fit for the cxercife of the functions for which they were intended. Righteoufnefs comprehends our duty to our neighbour, its two principal branches, juftice and charity, particular a<9:s of which- are veracity,, fmcerity, faithfulnefs,. integrity^ long-fuffering, pa- tience, forgiv'enefs of injuries, libepality, and difin- tereftednefs,. Godlinefs is that part of our duty whicb relates to God, and fliews itfelf in love and faithy reliance, rcfignation, gratitude, pious fear, and humility. To love God, to love our neighbour, to delight m doing good to others, to make a right ufe of our rea-> fon and underfl:anding, and of all the powers com- mitted to us, that we may fulfil the purpofes for which we v/ere created, thefe are the great duties and the chief commandments, thefe were difcoverable by the light of reafon^ thefe are required of ail intelligent creatures, of the highefl Angel, and of every man up- on earth ; thefe were the principal precepts of the Law,. thefe were more efpecially inculcated by the Prophets,. thefe are the moft important part of the Gofpel, and thefe (hall be the religion of Saints in heaven, when other duties and a<£ts of obedience lliall ceafe, as im^ pra6licable or unneceflary. The Chriftian revelation teacheth thefe moral vir- tues clearly, and affords the beft helps and encour- agements to the practice of them : for the Gofpel lays before us the following do6trine?, as conducing to our prefent and future welfare : That S E R M O N Vr. 69 That man is made to love God above all things, to ■love his neighbour as himfelf, and to love himfelf with a prudent and rational affeftion, and to remember that goodnefs is the only way to happinefs : That man is a weak and imperfect creature, who in many things offends ; but that God is merciful, and willing to accept repentance and careful endeavours to do well, inftead of unfinning righteoufnefs and unerring difcretion ; and ready alfo to afford aid to all who fin- cerely defire and humbly fetk it. So that men, whilfl they exert their own natural powers in the performance of their duty, fhould addrefs themfelves to God in pray- •er, acknowledging their offences, defiring forgivenefs, requefling his affiftance, and returning thanks for his t)enefits : That there ihall be a refurreftion of the dead, and a day of judgment, v/hen all fhall recei-ve according to their works, and rewards and pumfhments ftiall be dif- penfed with juflice and with mercy : That there is a perfon called the Word of God, and the Son of God, who before time and the world dwelt with the Father ; that God made all things by him, and afterwards fent him into the world, to teach thefe doctrines to men, and by his fuffering-s and death to re- or of the miracles hy which the Chriflian religion was confirmed, and who is ready to comfort fuccour and dircft thofe who are willing to •be guided by him. ' T-hefe are the principal parts of Chriflian faith and practice; and Chrifl required of all to whom the Gof- •pel fhould be preached, firfV, that they fhould obferve £hc moral duties; fccondly, that tbey fliould believe thofe 70 S E R M O N VI. thofe doflrines and truths which are proper Incitements and encouragements to virtue and piety ; and thirdly, that they fhould openly profefs this faith, and own them- felvcs his difciples, whatfoever fhould be the confe- quencc. As the Chriftian religion is a fyftem which plainly and neccffarily fuppofes and requires fociety, as it is contained in the Scriptures, hence arife two other con- fequentiai duties ; firfl, that we fhould, if we pofTibly can, join ourfelves to fome Chriflian fociety ; and fe- condly, that, according to our abilities and opportunities, we fiiouid ufe the proper means and helps to underfland the Scriptures, particularly the Gofpel, and the will of our Saviour declared in it. Laftly, upon an examination of the books of the New T*.^ftament, and of Chriflian antiquity, we find two and onl- two pofitive duties belonging to our reli- gion, Bapti-m and the Lord's Supper. Thefe may be called the ritual p'^rt of the Gofpel, the Ceremonial Law of Chriflianity. By the firfl we enter into the Chrifli- an covenant j by the Tecond we declare our defire and refolution to contirue in it. The firfl is performed once, and repeated no inore ; and the times of celebra- ting the fecond are left in a good meafure to our own convenience and difcretion. We cannot therefore ac- count it grievous to comply with inftitutions fo eafy, fo plain, fo fignificant, and fo well adapted to improve us in goodnefs ; and we ought not to flight and underva- lue them under a pretence that they are ritual and pofi- tive, and in nature and importance inferior to morality. Wilful tranfgreflions under the Law againft the ceremo- nial part of it, often brought down divine judgments upon the offenders : and under the Gofpel, we find that the Corinthian Chriflians, becaufe they behaved them- felves irreverently at the Lord's Supper, were chaflifed with ficknefs and death. But on the other hand we fhould take care not to place either of thefe inflitutions upon the level with the weightier parts of the Gofpel, with SERMON VI. 71 with the love of God ^nd the love of our neighbour, nor to think that the bare adion or fign is of itfelf of any efficacy without the things fignified, which are faith, and repentance, and obedience. I come now to confider the ufes which are to be made of this divifion of our duty into its feveral parts, accord- ing to their order and importance. Moral goodnefs, or virtue, or righteoufnefs, is the main of all, the principal part of religion ; the next to it is faith, or a belief of Chnftianity ; and thirdly, a right ufe of the means and helps which may flrengthen our faith in Chrill, and promote the pra6tice of righte- oufnefs, namely, repentance, prayer, an acquaintance with the Scriptures, pious meditation, an open profefllon of our religion, and a partaking of the Lord's Supper. By giving heed to this we may preferve ourfelves free from an illufion into which corrupt minds in all limes are always falling, and that is, a hope to make amends for deficiences in morality by things which are good in- deed, but of an inferior order to morality, or by a partial and incomplete obedience. Men, who aflent to the Gofpel, and yet will not pay a due obedience to the moral part of it, invent feveral expedients, by which they may quiet their confciences, and excufe themfelvcs. As firfl: a zeal for religion, or rather for certain con- troverted points and religious fpeculations. When this xeal is without knowledge, it cannot be good for much, but when it is without the moral virtues, it is good for nothing. A fecond method, by which men hope to compoiind for their faults, is to attend the public worfliip of God, to pray to him, and to receive the communion. But thefe adions are only then acceptable to God, wJien they ferve the purpofes for which they were appointed. Thefe actions are not virtue and righteoulnefs, but helps to produce virtue and righteoufnefs ; and when they produce no good efFe£ts, they arc of no value. How 72 S E R M O N VI. How good and commendable foever they may be, yet as they are means, they mufl: be inferior to the end ; ^nd therefore they are not named by our Lord and his difciples, where they briefly fum up the main parts of our duty. Another expedient, by which fome may hope to fupply their moral defeds, is the fludy of religious knowledge. Such occupations are indeed commenda- ble ; but if they do not improve a man's heart, they ■will be to him of no benefit. Many, fays our Saviour, will fay to me in the day of judgment, Lord, Lord, have we not prophefied in thy name ? and in thy name have caft out Devils ? and in thy name done many wonderful works ? And then I will profefs unto them, I never knew ye : depart from me, ye that work iniquity. And St. Paul obferves, that if it were poflible for a man to have the gift of fpeaking all languages, and the power of working miracles, and prophecy, and religious knowledge, and faith : yet without moral virtues it ■would be of no profit to him. Laftly, another expedient is, to pradife fome moral duties, fuch as juftice, temperance, patience, almfgiv- jng. Thefe things doubtlefs are good and praifeworthy ; but it is a dangerous illufion to expe£l that God will ac- cept a partial obedience, and the obfervance of certain virtues, from thofe who deliberately and conftantly of- fend againft fome known duty. Another ufe, which arifeth from right notions of the moft important parts of religion, is that we fhall be ena- bled to judge truly of faults and errors, as being more or lefs dangerous and mifchievous, according as they are more or lefs hurtful to virtue and morality. This will teach us to be flrift upon fome occafions in which ^ve are too rcmifs and carelefs ; and to be candid and favourable in fome cafes in which we are inclined to be too fevcre and uncharitable. For S E R M O N VI. 7^ For example ; Every thing that is lewd, vicious, im- moral, profane ; every thing that makes us flight virtue, and account vice to be genteel, polite, fafe, or not very dangerous ; every thing that renders us thoughtlefs a- bout our future condition, flaves to bad cuftoms and evil inclinations, cold to religion, and immoderately fond of the vanities of this prefent world ; every thing of this kind, and attended with thefe efFedls, fhould be detefled by us. In fhunning thefe things more care and caution, more labour and refolution, is requifite than we ufually imagine, and are willing to exert. We fhould beware that the love of riches, honours, and pleafures poflefs not the beft place, in our hearts, we Ihou'd not wafle our time in folly and idlenefs, we Ihould avoid the fami- liarity of wicked perfons,"of all thofe who make a mock of fin, and fpeak irreverently of God and of religion ; v/e fhould fhun them, unlefs abfolute neceflity requires us to converfe with them, or charity and a reafonable hope of reclaiming them : nor fhould we converfe with thofe books which are incentives to loofenefs and im- morality ; nor fhould we give ourfelves up to amufe- ments and diverfions, which, though perhaps harmlefs in themfelves, and harmlefs to fome other perfons, yet are not fo to us, but lead us into temptation^ and weak- en our good refolutions. Thefe are faults which we cannot too much difap- prove and difcourage on all occafions. On thefe points our zeal cannot be too a6live. Our love cannot be too ftrong and fincere for the things on which all that is va- luable depends, nor our averfion too violent from the things which would feparate us from God, and from future happinefs. And yet here we are difpofed to make unreafonable allowances to perfons and to vices, to ourfelves and to pthers, and to referve our indignation and zeal for oc- cafions where compaflion and charity and forbearance would better become us. The 74 S ?E R MO N VI. Thip :ChrIftian religion hath fpread itfelf over the ■world ; many nations have received it j many ages are elapfed fipce the days of the Apoftles, fome of which 3Vere ages of ;the greatefl: depravity and the groffeft ig- irtorance; many difficulties attend the interpretation of the Scriptures in fpeculative and controverted points ; ina,ny erroneous and falfe do^rines have in all times found approvers and abettors ; nor doth there feem any probability that errors of this kind will ever be baniflied from the Chriftian world, unlefs the Divine Providence ihould interpofe once again in a vifible and miraculous fnanner. {a) There have been [b) perfons, who endeavoured to procure a reconcilement of all Churches, and an uni- on in one common faith. Their honeft intentions, and their learned and pious labours, deferved commendati- pn ; but the attempt proved vain, as men of lefTer abi- lities than they might eafily -have forefeen. Of many impediments which make the thing impra£ticable, I ihall only mention one ; The Church of Rome will ne- ver hold communion with other Chriftian focietics, ex- cept upon her own terms, that is, upon a total fubmiihcn on their fide. She claims infaliibiiity, and fo ftands bound in haughty ignorance, and for fear of felf-contra- diSion, to give up nothing, to reform nothing, to main- tain all the pld abufes which flie hath confecrated and fanflified by the unerring decrees of Popes and Coun- cils. In this cafe, the condition of learned men in that Communion is really hard ; for they are obliged to toil and drudge and exert all their powers in palliating and defending all the abfurdities, which in darker ages were invented by crafty, or wild enthufiafts. An union between Proteftants, and efpecially between Proteftants inhabiting the fame country, as it may leem more pra8:icable, fo it would be much more defireable. But to this alfo there are many impediments, which arife. (a) See Jer. Taylor, Serin. VI. p. loi, {b) Of whom Grotius was one. SERMON VI. 7^ arife perhaps from faults on all fides, and vvliich wife and good men would gladly remove, if they were able. Fourteen hundred years ago, the firfl: Chriftian Em- peror earneftly endeavoured to compofe the unhappy differences between Chriftians ; but with all his interefl, and with all his authority, he could not accomplifh it. The only thing that we can do, in the prefent general fituation of Chriftianity, is to be united in charity, though not in opinion, with our fellow-Chriftians, and not to pafs a ra(h and a hard fentence on thofe errors, which have not a manifeft conne£lion with immorality, and no plain tendency to make a man difhoneft and profane, cruel and imperious, turbulent and feditious. Of all religious errors, thofe are by far the worft, which encourage inhumanity, rebellion, perjury, and perfecu- tion. As to other fpeculative miftakes, we ought care- fully to fhun and reje6t them ; but we may hope that God will forgive them, and that at the great day, when truth (hall be made manifeft, not only they who found it and knew it, but they who loved and fought it, Ihall be accepted; the falfe opinion fhall burn, and the man himfelf fhall efcape. Thus fhould we endeavour to entertain fentiments of moderation, and to form candid judgments concerning perfons or focieties profefTing the religion of Jefus Chrift ; which temper and behaviour may be very con- fiftent with a fuperior love and efteem, and a preference given to the Church of which we declare ourfelves members. SERMON SERMON VII. Luke xxiil. 42, 43. And he faid unto Jefus ; Lord^ remember me, when thou comejl into thy kingdom. And J ef us faid unto him, Verily J fay unto thee, to-day palt thou be vjith me in Paradife. T JL H E hiftory of the penitent thief, recorded by St. Luke, is very remarkable, fingular and ajffe6ling ; and there are two religious and pra<£lical inferences to be made from it. The firft is the encouragement which it affords, even after great mifdemeanors, to repenting finners, who if they will fmcerely perform all that is ifi their power, ought by no means to think it a bfl labour, and to give themfelves up to defpair, but to entertain honourable fentiments and humble hopes of God's pla- cability and mercy. The fecond ufe of the text, which ought always to be joined with the firft, is to dififuade men from habitual vices and a delay of reformation, by (hewing them how little reafon fuch offenders have to expe6i that they fhall ever fo qualify themfelves, as to become ht to obtain the favour which was extended to this man. 1. The example of the penitent thief is adapted to excite even in great offenders a reliance on the goodnefs and compaiTion of God, if they will return to him and to their duty. It was prophcfied of our Saviour, that he Ihould not break the bruifed reed, nor quench the fmoaking flax ; that he fiiould be a comforter of the mourners, and a preacher SERMON VII. 77 preacher of glad tidings to the penitent ; that he {hould not afflict the afflided, nor deal harfhly with thofe who condemned themfelves, and had a due fenfe of their faults ; that, on the contrary, where he (hould find any difpofitions to amendment, he would cherifh them with the utmoft tendernefs, and not caft a damp on the fmallefl: fpark of fpiritual life. Accordingly, it was his conftant declaration, that he came to call finners to repentance. He fuffered fuch to have a free accefs to his facred perfon ; he never reproached them with that which was paft, but only commanded them to do fo no more. In his difcourfes and parables he gave fuch kind encouragement to the penitent, and took fo much care to fecure them from defpondency, and to quiet and compofe their troubled minds, that he feemed almoil to reprefent them as bet- ter than thofe whofe conduct had been more regular, and lefs blameable. He obferved, that they to whom he had forgiven moft, would in all probability love him moft. On account of his affability and condefcenfion to fuch perfons, he was called by his enemies. The friend and companion of fmners: but he difdained nei- ther the name nor the office ; he owned, that he came for that kind and compaflionate purpofe, to feek and to fave that which was loft. If he (hewed any rigour and feverity, it was towards thofe who were full of fpiritual pride, and conceited of their own righteoufnefs, and who, inflead of corre<5^ing their own faults, were ever cenfuring and exaggerating thofe of others. Of fuch arrogant hypocrites he fpeaks with fo much indignation, that he feems to have had no hopes of their amendment. He chofe for hisdifciples and followers, fays an [a) old Chriflian writer, men who were finners above all finners. The expreffion furely is too flrong, and not true without great amend- ments. But thus far it feems probable, that few of his difciples (a) Who goes under the name of Barnabas. 78 SERMON VII. difciples had been eminent in goodnefs before he called them. And indeed, after he had called them, they were guilty of feveral follies, indifcretions, and weak- nefles ; they all forfook him, and one of them bafely denied him ; and we know that the Apoftle who was the mod a£tive and fuccefsful in his fcrvice, had been before his converfion a perfecutor of the Church. Such perfons he chofe, who, being confcious of their own former defefits, and fully fenfible of God's fignal mercy towards them, might be the more difpofed to fupport the weak, and bear with the infirm, and deal gently with the penitent, and encourage the defponding. Therefore Chrift, forewarning Peter of his fall, faid to him, When thou art converted, ftrengthen thy breth- ren. And St, Paul tells the Galatians ; Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye who are fpiritual, re- flore fuch an one in the fpirit of meeknefs ; left thou alfo be tempted. This mild behaviour in our Saviour appeared the more remarkable, as it might have been expe6ted that he, who was himfelf without fin, would be more fevere and lefs affable towards Tinners. Amongft men, they who, by a good difpofition, and a good education, and by being happily fituated out of the reach of violent temp- tations and prefhng opportunities, have avoided evil habits, and kept themfelves free from groffer offences, are too often inclined rather to rigour than to clemency towards repenting tranfgreffors. In the earlier ages of Chriftianity, when in time of perfecution fome had fallen from the faith through fear of fuffering, and af- terwards repented, and begged to be re-admitted, there were feveral who declared that they ought never to be received; and this produced much contention, and a pernicious fchifm in the Church. Bat the majority were more moderate, and determined that fuch rig-id proceedings were unlawful, and that the examples of Chrift and his Apoftles recommended more lenity to thofe SERMON VII. 79K thofe unhappy perfons, who, all things Confickred^ ha4' been more weak than wicked. Such was the clemency of our Lord during thecourfe of his miniftry ; and as he began, fo he ended it, and had a fignal opportunity of exercifing his charity at the clofe of his life. For his impenitent murderers, he offered up prayers to his Father ; and, to fliew what the peni- tent might hope from him, it was fo ordered by divine providence, that a malefa6lor ifhould- fafier along with him, whofe change for the better made him' a proper objeQ:of mercy. . From the crofs he fealed. this crimi- nal's pardon, and gave .him a place in the kingdom of heaven. ... , Here is a man who had committed 'a- crime for SX'hic^ by his own confeflion he .deferved to die. He had no. opportunity of leading a new life, and of proving his a- mendment by a regular courfe of virtuous actions. His faith, and the manner in which he fhewed it, weredoubt- lefs very commendable ; and yet th^y feem to have been rather too ■ highly extolled by fome writers, and fomewhat beyond meafure. The behaviour of Chrifl under his fufferings, and the wonderful dircumflances attending his crucifixion, might eafily induce an unpre- judiced man to think that he could be no ordinary per- Ibn, much lefs a malefador ; and thefe things, joined to the knowledge which this man, being of the Jewifh nation, might have had before of Ghrift and of his minif- try, might well induce him to acknowledge him for the Meflias. He did fo ; he rebuked his companion for his hardened impiety, and he proclaimed the innocence and holinefs of Jcfus, when the Jews were reviling him, and the Dlfciples had in a manner deferted him. But then it is likewife to be confidered that he ran no rifque, as to his worldly concerns, in fo doing : the world could notufehim worfe ; and his miferies had placed him be- yond earthly fear and hope, beyond the reach of ma- lice and cruelty. To his repentance then is to be afcribed the gracious reception which he found : his re- pentvince 8o SERMON VII. pentance was fincere, and God was pleafed to accepf the wilJ for the deed. Therefore, by way of inference, Why fliould not any finner, whofinccrely repents, hope that God will have mercy on him likewife? For fince God is no refpe6ter ofperfons, wiicre the fame difpofitions are found, the favour will be extended. The confequence thus far feems to be juft. As repentance is the duty of all who have offended, fo it is a duty which can at no time be unfit and unprofitable ; as it is an aft of religion reafon- able in itfelf, and agreeable to God, it muft needs, like other good actions, produce fome beneficial effefts. Whatfoever tends to diminifli the guilt, muft tend to diminifti the punilhment of guilt, to fay the leaft of it. And this is a fufficient ground and motive to exhort all forts of perfons at all times to repentance, to encourage it whenfoever it appears, to think and fpeak honourably of the divine mercy, to cherifh and favour the firft figns of amendment, and to defend it from that defpondence which is very apt to attend it in guilty and melancholy minds. But then, left any fhould make perverfe inferences from thefe premifes, and fatally delude themfelves upon s often given to thofe who were engaged in infurrefti- ©ns. Secondly, at that time there had been feditions in Judosa ; and Barabbas had been aSive in one, whofe pardon the Jews had obtained of the Governor. Third}y, His punifhment was crucifixion, a punifh- ment not in ufe amongfl: the Jews, but often infli£l^^ed by the Romans upon flaves, and foreigners, who had rebelled againfl them, Laflly, Chrift himfelf fuffered under the unjuft impu- tation of rebeUion, and was condemned for it by the Roman Magiftrate, elfe he could not have been crucifi- ed ; and it is probable that the two who were crucified with him, fuffered for rebellion. The man then may be fuppofed to have been guilty of fedition againft the Roman government. This was a crime ; and yet it was a crime into which a perfon might have fallen, who bad his good qualities, and who had led a regular life. The Jews were defigned by divine Providence to con- llnue for a confiderable time a feparate and inde- pendent people, and to be governed by their own laws. SERMON VII. 85 laws, and by Magiftrates or Kings of their own nation. As long as they had power and jurifdiftion, they were eYprefsIy forbidden to take a foreigner for their King, One from among thy brethren, fays Mofes, fhah thou fet king over thee thou mayeft not fet a ftranger over thee, who is not thy brother. Upon their iranfgrefllons, God had from time to time given them up into the hands of their adverfaries, and had fufFered other nations and other Lords to rule over them. At this feafon God's peculiar providence was in a great meafure withdrawn, and they were in fub- jeftion to the Romans. It is no wonder that they wifhed and fighed for their liberties again ; and though^ after they had fubmitted, they were obliged in genera! to obedience, and obliged in mere prudence, as they had not ftrength enough to refift ; yet how far this obligation extended itfelf, and how far they were to bear ill ufage, was not altogether fo (clear a cafe, in which an honeft man might not miftake. The Roman Governors were ufually bad rulers of the provinces. Their principal care and occupation was to beggar the people, and to enf ich themfelves and their creatures ; and if they were contented with extorting and pillaging, and did not add to it cruelty and murders, and maffa- cres, they might pafs, as the world then went, for tole- rable Magiftrates, As to Pontius Pilate, he is delivered down to us by Hiftory as a cruel, ftubborn, infolent ty- rant, and a Ihedder of blood. So that the innocence of Jefus Chrlft, and his amiable and venerable chara6ter, muft have been extremely manifeft to all honeft perfons, fmce even this man, bad as he was, made repeated at^* tempts to fave him from his malicious enemies, and gave him up with great relu6lance. Now who knows what provocations this penitent Thief might have received, in fuch times and from fuch Governors ? Oppreifion will make a wife man mad. So fays Solomon, who was a wife man, and a king too. Or he might have been influenced by his relations and friends. S6 SERMON VII. friends, and over-perfuaded, and drawn in unawares ; or he might have had little hand in the fedition. He had committed a fault; and in fych a cafe, what f^ys even ftrift Juilice ? No more than this, that punifh- ment fhould enfue. It he trefpaffed, he p^id dearly for it; and if he was only guilty of i-obbery, he was punifli- ed more feverely thari the law of Mofes permitted. It feems to have been a prevailing opinion, not only a- mongft the Jews, bqt every where elfe, that offences might in fome meafure be expiated, might obtain the divine pardon by ternporal fufferings, if the offender fubmitted to them patiently, and fprrowfqlly owned hi§ guilt : and St. Paul reprefents the chaflifemcpts, which tranfgrefiing Chriftians fometimes underwent in the world, as merciful corrections, and means to avoid worfe. He delivered over a notorious offender to Satan, for the deflriifition of the flefli ; that is, he delivered him up to forrow of mind and pain of body, to mortify his irregular afleftions, that the fpirit, fays he, might be laved in the day of the Lord. And he tells the Corin- thians, that, by behaving themfelves indecently at the Lord's table, they had eaten and drunk their own dam- nation or condemnation. And what was the condem- nation ? It was, that difeafes and untimely deaths hac^ cnfued. For this caufe niany are weak and fickly fimongfl you, and many (leep. But, fays he, when ye are thus judged, ye are challened of the Lord, that ye; ihould net be condemned with the world ; Chriil cor-^ reels you now, that he may not rejeft you hereafter. We read in the A6ts of the Apollles that Ananias and Sapphira were guilty of a deliberate fraud, an at- tempt to impofe upon the Church of Chrifl:, and the Apoftles, by giving a falfe account of the money which they had paid into the common {lock. It was an attempt to deceive not only men, but the fpirit of God which was in the Apoftles, and it is called. Lying unto God ; atjd for this crime, they were punifhed with fudden death. Sudden death after fuch an offence, left no room SERMON VII. 67 room for religious forrow and repentance ; and looked iike an eternal condemnation. And yet fome of the ■ancient (f) Fathers were inclined to the charitable hope that thofe perfons received their corre£lion in this world, and were fpared in the next. Confider then the cafe of the man on whom we are ■difcourfing. As foon as he was taken, he knew tha.t the mofl cruel death v/ould enfue, and under this fad profpefit he continued till his crucifix ion 4 fo that his fufferings were as great as can eafily be conceived, and nothing worfe can befall a man here below. If he had efcaped this calamity, he would probably have joined himfelf to the firfl Chriflians, and been as ready to da and to fuffer for the fa4ie of the Gofpel as any of the difciples. When he -came to