FIFTEEN DISCOURSES Devotional and Pradlical, jSuited to the ufe of Families : with a proper Hymn annex'd to each. To which is added, by way of APPENDIX, An Historical Dissertation O N T H E Analogy between the Behaviour of G O D's people towards him,, in the feveral periods of the Jewijh and Chrifiian Church ; and his correfpondent Difpenfations toward them in thofe refpedive Periods. By J O H N M A S O N, A. M. LONDON: Printed for J. Noon, at the White Hart in Cheapfide ; J. BucKLAND, at the Buck in Pater-nofter-Row ; J. Waugh, at the Turk's Head in Lombard-Street ; and J. Johnson, at the Golden Anchor in Fenchurch^ Street. MDCCLVIIL THE PREFACE. I Have no Apology to make for put ting forth thefe Sermons to publick "View. By thofe w'ho think there is no need of any, none will be expeded; and by thofe who think there is, per haps none will be deem'd fufficient. The kind and candid reception which fome former Oifcourfes of this nature have already met with (far beyond the Author's Expeftation) muft be fup- pos'd to have it's weight among the Motives that induced the Publication of thefe. And if, by the Bleffing of GOD, they be in any degree llibler- vient to awaken a wife and rational concern about matters of the higheft A 2 moment the PREFACE. moment, dired: the Zeal of Chriftians into a right Chatinel, and promote the genuine fpirit and pradice of pure Chriftianityj unembarals'd by party attachments, J fhall have abundant caufe to be thankful. For, fure I am, mariy of thofe Prineiples on which our Zeal is apt to lie quite dead, are infi nitely more important than thofe up on which it is often too prbfufely la- vifh'd. The Hiftorical Diflertation at the end (which I flatter my felf will not be thought at this time unfeafonable) is publifh'd at the Defire of a Friendj to whole Judgment I pay a high re gard. And as the general Defign of it falls in with that of thefe Difcourfes, I judg'd it not amifs to let it ftand at the end of them By way of Appendix. THE CONTENTS. SERMON I. >v^\f' Our Ignorance of G O D.f P Job xxvi. i^.^How little d Portion is heard of him ? Pa:ge t SERMON II. -L.b- The Gofpel fuited to all our fpiritual Wants and Defires. pp ]qkn vi. ¦^^,ffAnd Jefus faid unto them, I ani the Bread of -Life : he that cometh io me fhall ' never hunger, and he that believeth on me JJjtill never thirfi. , - 31 SERMON liClVT'' The nature and diinger of An inordinate Love ofthe World. ; John 11^15. hove not the World,——' 61, 88 SERMON V. The great Danger of Ineonftancy in Religion;flp Hos. vi. -c^ O Ephraim, what Jhall I do unto t^ee^? 0 Judah, what Jhall I do unto thee .? for your The CONTENTS. your Goodnefs is as a Morning Cloud, and as the early Dew, it goeth away. 1 1 r SERMON VI. *Vh€ Danger of Profperity, and Benefit of Ad verfity. fp the fame text 137 SfeRMON VU. Divine Mfercy pleading with impenitent Sin- nfers; fP the fame text. i^f SERMON Vlll.jx-^ Our Lofs iri ^dam abundantly repair'd by Chrtjl. Rom. v. 15'j 16 r But not as the Offence, fo alfo is the free Gift : for if through the Offence of one many be dead, much more the Grace of GOD, and the Gift by Grace, which is by one man, Jefus Chrijl, hath abounded unto many. And hot as it was by one that finned, fo is the Gift : for the Judgment was by one to condemnatioh ; but the free Gift is of many Offences unto Jiiffif cation, 184 SER- The .CO NTE NTS, SERMON TX. ^^ The Chriftian's Rule of Life. PP ,' Acts xx. 24: But none of thefe things move me, neither count I my Lije dear unto myfelf, fo that I might fintfb my Courfe with Joy, and the Miniftry nsJhiph I have received of the Lord Jefus, to tejlify the Gofpel of the Grace of GOD. 210 SERMON X.f^ Chrift the perfect Image of the Invifible GOD. 2 Cor. iv. 6. For God who commanded the Light to fhine out of darknefs, hath Jhined in our Hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jefus Chrifi. 2-34 SERMON XI. The Danger of contrafting unallowable Habits. «• -, ^ RoM. xiv. xaf^- — Happy is he that condentneth not himfelf in that . thing which he alloweth. 257 SERMON xn. The Chriftian's Mark and Prize.fr Phil. iii. 13, li^PBrethren, 1 count not myfelf to have apprehended : hut this one thing Ido ', for- The CONTENTS, forgetting thofe things which are behind, and reaching forth utito thofe things which are be fore-; I prefs towards the Mark, for thb Prize of the high Calling of GOD in CbriJl Jefus. zZz SERMON xm. This World is not a State of Happinefs.w Micah. ii, lo.^Arife ye, and depart, for this is not your Reji. 309 SERMON XIV^ Our great Concern in this World, is to prepare to leave it. <^ the fame text, 335 SERMON XV. True Happinefs to be found not in the World, butinGOD. **» Jer. ii. i -^f^For my People have^-committed fwct Evils ; they have forfaken me the Fountain of living Waters ; and hewed them out Ciferns, broken Cifterns that can hold no Water. 36 3 The "APPENDIX. 389 errata. V Page 41. Line 1 8. ior fatal r. falfe. P. 212. 1. 43. ior cut tur r: cut out. P. 394. 1. 13. for 375 r. 575. P. 430. 1. 4. ioi Jehoiachim T. Jehoiachin. p. 458. 1. ult. r. orthodoxos. S E R M O N I. Our Ignorance of GOD. Job xxvi. 14. How little a Portion is heard of him f \ H E true Knowledge b£G O D Serm. is founded in a deep Senfe of I. our Ignorance of him. They ' — ' — ^' know him beft, who. are moft humble that they, know him, rioDetter. That great, tremendous Power, that eter nal Source of all Light arid Being (before whom all the Worlds he hath made, are but -^ as fo'm,any Atoms, ^ floating in a fingle Ray of Light emitted from hinafelf ) O ! who can lyy fefifching find him oiit ! Where is the ex- B alted Our Ignorance -of GOD. alted Creature that is able, with the utmoft ftretch of Thought, to form an Idea of Per^ feftion worthy of the Eternal Mind ! How riiuch do we diftionour the great GOD in our Words and Thoughts, and know hnotl And little think how often we t~ake his Name in vain, in our irreverent Talk of him, and unattentive Addrefifes to him ! Iri order- to awaken in mir Minds a more ferious and folemn Regard to our Maker, I have chofen thefe Words, not fo niuch with a View to treat of the Knowledge of G O D, as ofourWant of it; and to excite in us that humility of heart which is the beft Difpo fition to attain it, ' , In 4:his Chapter Job celebrates the Power and Wifdom of GOD, as manifeft in the Work's'of Creation: particularly in the for^ mation and prefervation of this terraqueous Globe which we inhabit, ver. 7-12. He then turns his Eyes to 'the Firmament over his Head, ver: J}- By hif Spirit he hath garnifhed the Heavens : his Hand hath formed thef crook ed Serpent, that is, thpfe various Conftella- tions which beipangle jhe Firmament; and of which this of the. Serpent appear'd -one of the chief, in the Hemifphere under which he Our Ignorance of GOT). liy'd. He then adds in the conclufion of all, Lo, thefe ar e P art soj his Ways, but how little a portion ts heard of Mim "^ Btit the thunder tf his Pqwer npho can underflandf th.at is, ' How * fmaH a part of all his glorious Works * have I here :^ecified ! How few are the ' EfFe(Ss of the Almighty's Power that have ' ever reach'd ,the Eyes and Ears of ;H^- ' man Creatures! A.nd thofe few -that have * — — O, ,how._ tremendous and incompre- *henfible!' But tho' the perfonal Pronoun J^Vw feems her6 more ftri<3:ly to refer to his Works, yet I :f)ropofe to take it "in a more general Senfe (in which the propofition implied in t^^e Textis no ,lefs true) as relative to his Being, ^e man ner of his Exiftence, . his Terfe^ions, Works, zn^ ^ays, and Word, And , , i. How little a Portion do we know of Him ? that is, of his Being ? And how unable are we to form any clear or fatisfy ing coricep- tion of thofe Attributes which we afcribe to Him? That there muft he fome intelligent, inde pendent, firft Caufe of all created Nature, is B 2 .> moft Our Ignorance ofGOt). moftcertain. Orelfehow came anything in^o being? Since no Being can create itfelf.— Nothing then could give Being to this firft Caufe. For that is a"' Contradidion j and fuppofes a Being before the firft. —This firft - Being theri, the Caufe of all others, iriuft of confequence fubfift neceffarily, orby a necefli-* ty of Nature. — ^But have we any Idea what that means ? Can we conceive of ari inde pendent, neceflary Exifterice .? And yet this we muft allow, Unlefs we affirm that GOD riiade himfelf; which is infinitely abfurd j and fuppofes him to adl before he was (^). Wefl, if he be neceflarily exifteiit he muft be eternal. Becaufe if there Was a Time Or Inftant in which he did riot exift, there were ' no Neceffity fbr his Exiftence : That is, he would not be a neceflfarily exiftent Being. And does not a Being fiibfifling of himfelf from {a) It h amazing that LaSlantius ftiould foprecipitately imbibe, and much more that he fliould fo ferioufly defend this notion, which offers the utmoft] violence to the human Underftanding. Alius nos tdidit ; alius infiruxit : Deus ipfe fe fecit. Laft. Op.l. I..C. 7. And the Reafon he gives for it is, becaufe he could form no Idea of an eternal, indepen dent, neceflary Ejriftence. Verum quia fieri nonpofeft, quin idf quod fet, aliquando ejfe caperit ; confequens eft, ut quando nihil an* te ilium fuit, ipfe ante omnia ex feiffo fit procreatus. Ih. Our Ignorance of GO D. 5 from all Eternity, furpafs the utmoft Stretch" S^jiM. of pur Imagination ? !•. , -Again, if GOD -be necefllarily exiftent, he muft be oinnipr.efent, or prefent in all places. .For if it be fuppofed poffible for him not to be prefent Jn one Place, 'tis poffible that he may not be prefent in an other Place, and confequently not in any Place : which is contrary to the Notion of' necefl'aiy Exiftence.-— And what Idea can we form of the divine Immenfity ! of a Be ing that pervades and fills all Space ! And yet Reafon itfelf forces our Aflent to this Doftriae, as well as many more which we cannot comprehend^ II. The Manner of G O D's Exiftence as much exceeds all our Comprehenfion as ' tjie neceflTary Properties of it. And indeed how can we fiippofe that it fliould not ? And if the facred Scriptures plainly intimate, but do not (which is impoffible) clearly explain to our Under-- ftanding, fuch a peculiar Mode or Man ner of his Exiftence, of which we have no Example in all created Nature ; or fuch a Diftinftion of Subfiftence in the Divine B 3 Efience Our Ignorance of G 0 D. Efl*ence which it is neceflary to fuppofe in order to reconcile Scriptiire with itfelf, and vindicate it from the Charge of Counte nancing Idolatry ? why fhould the Myfte ry bf it (fince as it lies in Scripture it in volves no Contradiftion) be a Stumbling- block to our Faith } efpecially when in the World of Nature we are furrounded with Myfteries which we readily beheve, tho' no lefs incomprehenfible ? What warm, weak, wild, confident and unchriftian Contentions have there been in theChufch for thefe fourteen hundreid Years, concerning this inexplicable Subjedt ! fome adopting one Scheme, and fome another; each of them diftinguifti'd, or rather ftig- matiz'd, by the oppofite Party with Appel lations taken from the Names of their re- fpedHve Leaders; cenfuring, condemning, excommunicating and hsreticifing one ano ther with great Malevolence : whilft the true chriftian Temper of Love, Meeknefs and Mercy, lies all this while bleeding at the Foot of the Altar on which thefe un- hallow'd Flames are kindled ! when at the fame time they all acknowledge it to be an jucpmpreheiifible Myftery, and .have no thing Our Ignorance of GO D. thing to do but to receiye it as la,i)d )down in the holy Scriptures, and, by their Light and Diredion otily, to prefer that Scheme which is attended with the few- eft Difficulties, which beft reconciles the feveral Parts of Scripture together, and is moft co-incident with the great and general Defign of the whole, which was, to guard us againft Idolatry, and in a peculiar way to lead us to the Knowledge and Enjaypient of the great Author of our Being. III. How little do we know, or how ' weak and faint are our Notions, of the Di vide PerfeSlions I Both his natural and moral Perfections leave our Thoughts la bouring in the Refearch infinitely behind. What thbfe Perfedlions are as fubfifting in a limited -degree in Creatures we know ; but what they, are as fubfifting without Limits, or to the utmoft extent in GOD, we know not. For inftance, what Power is we know, from it's Ads and Effedts ; but what the utmoft ext,ent of Power is, even in Creatures, we know not : much lefs can -We conceive of Omnipotence, or the infinite Power of the great Creator ; with whom all B 4 things Our Ignorance of GO D. thing are poffible that are the proper Ob jefts of Power : that is, who can do every thing that does not involve a Contradiftion, or imply an Imperfeftion. For inftance, he cannot make a thing to be and not to be at the fame time ; and he cannot falfify his Word ; but he can call Worlds into Being with a Word ; and can command Myriads of immortal Subftances inftantly out of no thing. For by the Word of the Lord, were the Heavens made, and all the Hojl of them by the. Breath of his Mouth (b). He breathed into eur Nojirils the Breath o J Life,' and we be came not only living Souls, but intelligent and immortal Spirits {f) ; for the Inipira- tion (or Breath) of th? Almighty hath given us Underfanding (d).' 7 ' Again, take one of his rnqral Attributes ; his .Goodnefs, for example : We know what Goodnefs, Benignity and Mercy mean, and how amiably they look in a limited Sub jeft ; but what infinite Goodnefs is in GOD, it far tranfcends all our Powers to conceive. Two Inftances he hath given of it, which greatly aftonifti our Imagination^ and which ¦ without [b) Pfalr ^xjtiij. 6. (c) Gen. ii. 7. (d) Jobx^xii.8. Our Ignorance of GO D. , without a Revelation from himfelf it had heen impoffible for us to have thought of. ;(i) That he hath made us out of nothing on purpofe to make us eternally happy in, hirnfelf. (2) That when we had loft the original Reftltude of our Nature, and con fequently the Happinefs for which we were defigned, GOD was pleas'd in great com paffion to us to fend -his own Son to redeem us, and to recover us, to a Capacity of enjoy ing the Happinefs from which - we were fallen : And the wonderous manner in which Chrift hath redeemed and recovered us, viz, by aflTuming our Nature, that he might be capable of dying, and , by his Death purchafe Salvation for us ; in fend ing his Spirit to prepare us for, and his Gofpel to guide us to it : this method, I fay, in which he hath redeemed us, the pious thinking Mind cannot contemplate without the higheft Gratitude and Aftonifh ment. Such Knowledge is too wonderful for us, it is high we cannot attain unto it (^ ),.i. e. we cannot attain to a juft and adequate conception of it. . The fame may be faid of all the other Attributes of the divine Nature, both natur- ral (j).lionspf them en- jpying their Exiftence in a; Drop of Wat^r, where they float and pla.y as in an O.cean ; proyided not only v{i^ Organs, Limbs, ^Ipod-veins, Veffels, Fluids (and the ilikp) prpper to the animal Syftem, but vvith In ftruments and Weapons to procure them Food, and catch and kill their Prey, much fmaller than themfelyes.— How mamf old are thy Works, O LORD, in Wifdom hafl thpu made them all I .?:... Let us turn our Eyes to the great World. — What amazing i^^ontrivance do we ob ferve in our pw:n Strufture ! We are fear fully and wonderfully tnade. How curioufly adjufted and exaftly finifhed the Mechajiifm ofour Body! Hpw capacious the ripening Powers Qur '^^norance of GOD. 15 ^owers..of our Mind I the Weaknefs and Serm. Decay qf which is only pwing to that of 5- an organized Body, it is fo clofely ujji- 'T'"''""^ ted to : but :syhich, whepi they are got free from this Incumbrance, will be for ever in- crea,ling. A.ii,d how aftonifliing that Union! that two fuch oppofite Subijances, as Flefh and Spirit fhould be fo intim^ately conjoin'dj No Unjon in Nature can be more inc&Qsi.^ prehenfible. — ^But the .h,ufn^n Soijl ! an im mortal Subftance, that muft fubfift for ever I know np Eu,d_ of it's Being ! but liv;e eter nally in fome unknown State of Exiflience, on which^it is juft aboutto enter ! — ^ Adored be the great Author of our Souls for this tranfporting Profpeft ! But alas ! yhat is Man in the Compafs of the Creator^s Works ! a mere Mite,, and A- tqm of Exiftence ; that bears no more pro portion to his other Works thanone of thpfe , invifible Infefts I before mentioned does. to a World. But why do I make fuch low Comparifons,? This whole Globe itfelf which we inhabit is but an Atom, when compared to the Whole^ of cre.ated Nature : which may ^comprehend, Tor- pughtowe r know, 1 6 Our Ignorance of GO D. know, as many fuch Worlds as there arfe fands on the Sea-fhore. For is there not Room enough in boundlefs Space tq contairi them all? And what Limits can our Ima gination fet to the Effefts of alniighty Pow er ! Almighty Powef eternally creative ! — Here let us paufe ~ — and aidore — How great and marvellous are th^ Works, O LORD GOD ALMIGHTY ! Hoio fmall a Portion is kiionjun of thee I But V. His Ways of Providence are as un fearchable as his Works of Power. And whilft his Thoughts and Views are not as ours, but infinitely rriore extended, 'tis nb wonder that there fhould appear to us in extricable Myfteries in the Courfe of his providential Conduft. That an all-povverful and all- wife Pro vidence prefides over the natural and mo ral World (fupporting the one, arid govern ing the other) is a Truth none can deny : otherwife how coiries it to pafs that there is any Order or Regularity preferv'd iri either? Why do not the Elements of Nature or Paffions of Men iriix, and jar, and rage, arid throw all things into Anarchy and Uproar ? as Our Ignorance of GO Di as' they certainly woUld, if not reftrained and direfted by an almighty invifible Hand. That a divine Providence governs the World is no lefs certain than that a divine Power created it. But we can no" more compre hend the one than we can the other. We meet with Myfteries in the divine Govern ment which no lefs confound our weak Un derftandings than thofe which occur to us in the Works of Nature. Indeed the Affurance of a future State of exaft Retribution pacifies the mind in part, and reconciles us to a great many of thefe Myfteries of Providence ; and to this the holy Scriptures refer us : and the confide ration that the Views of the divine Wifdoih do infinitely furpafs ours, will filence us under the reft. But ftill, when we loqk about us, and fee the wretched diforder 'd ftate qf things in the moral World (all un der the Government of a wife and good GOD) fo many things permitted by him which we can by no means reconcile to the efl'ential Perfeftions of his Nature — What can vfQ fay ? do we find our minds perfeft ly eafy ? Nay, the more we fcrutinize the ways of Providence (as well as the works C of Our Ignorance of GOD. of Nature) the more' Myfteries we meetj which confound and nonplus our poor con trafted Underftandings. All we can do is, to recur to firft Principles, and ftriftly ad here to them^ That the great GOD who made and governs the World is moft wife and good and righteous, is certain to de monftration ; though in the prefent ftate of things the Glory of thefe Perfeftions is very much eclipfed. Let us fit at the Brink, and adore the Depth of the Riches of the Wij- dotn and Knowledge of GOD : how unfearch able are his Judgments, and his Ways paji finding out (f ).' {Lafily) How low and defeftive is ouf Knowledge of the Word of GOD I — In confideration of the dark, diforder 'd ftate of our mental Powers (introduced by the Fall) and in Aid of our enfeebled Reafon, the great GOD has been pleas'd to give us a written Revelation, to guide us to the Knowledge and Enjoyment of himfelf. The great excellency of which Revelation is, that though it contains many great and fublime Truths whicl^ are not neceflTary to be (/) Rom. xi. 33. Our Ignorance of GO D. be known in order to our Salvation, yet, as this was the great Objeft of it, all that is neceffary to Salvation is plainly and clearly revealed herein, and brought down to the Level of the loweft Underftanding. A Prin ciple, which as it cannot be denied by any, fo if it were more clofely attended to by all, would go a good way to increafe our Mode ration, with regard to the abftrufeft points of Religion, and to enlarge our fentiments of Charity towards thofe whofe Opinions therein are diflFerent from our own. And in a Revelation that comes from GOD, it might reafonably be expefted, not only that there fhould be fome Truths of great Concern to us which could not be dif covered by the Light of nature (otherwife, i.e. if the Light of nature or of natural Re ligion were fufficiently full and clear with out it, what need were there of any fuch Revelation at all ? ) but that we fhould there meet with fome hidden Truths of fublime Doftrines, which furpafs the reach and elude the grafp of our low, contrafted Un derftandings. And thefe Doftrines, tiiough we cannot comprehend them, may never thelefs have many excellent Ufes, fubfervient C X to Our Ignorance of GO D, to the great Efid fot which fuch a Reve-^ latibn was fent : viz, to humble our minds, and make us modeft and cautious in oui* conclufions with refpeft to fuch unfearcha ble Myfteries; to give occafion for the exer cife of Our Charity towards thofe who differ from us in their fentiments concerning them ; to Excite our Adoratibfl of the divin6 Wifdorii, inflame our Defires after a ftate of more perfeft Li^ ind Knowledge ; and to ftand as th6 proper Charafterifticks of the divine Original of fuch a Revelation : for they are fo far from being a reafonable Objeftion to this, that without them I ap prehend We fhould have mUch mord rea fon to doubt it. And the'refote there are in our Revelation many fuch Myfteries, not pnly in the prophetic but didaftic or doc trinal Parts of Scripture, of which we can at prefent pronounce nothing certain ; but muft contentedly Wait for more Light frora the future events of Providence, or the en largement of our Powers, to have a cleaf and comprehenfive knowledge of. And as to the great GOD, (the Author" and Subjeft of this revelation) the Perfec tions of his nature, the Works of his power, and Our Ignorance of GOD. and the Ways of his providence, thefe (as }. have already fhewn) cannot but be to us incomprehenfible. The Infefts that crawl pn the outfide of a royal palace, may as foon comprehend the magnificence of the Strufture, the dignity of the Monarch, and the councels of State that are concerting \yithin, as a p.PPr worm .of Earth can the Works, the Wifdom, and Perfeftions of the moftliigh GOD: which will for ever be to us, under the higheft Improvement of .our powers, incomprehenfible. QOD alone can comprehend himfelf. Thefe confiderations may fjiffice tq con vince us, how little a pgrtion we fsave heard, OJ can knoiy of GOP. But before I pro ceed to the Application of this Subjeft, i,t may not be amifs juft to obferve, that ouf Knowledge oj GOD is comnjonly divided ijito fpeculative znd praBical : and that our pr apical Knowledge of GOP is (if poffi- jale) niore defeftiye than our fpepulative. By the praftical Knowledge of G O D, I mean the proper influence and effeft which a juft conception of him (fo f^r as yve can attain to it) ought to have upon our Pifpofitions and Deportmepts tow,ards him. Cj And Our Ignorance of GO D. And in this fenfe the Knowledge of GOD (when it is mentioned in Scripture as a fa ving Grace) is always taken : for without this, the moft juft and exalted fentiments of the divine Being, his Works and Ways and Word, will avail us nothing. In the former fenfe of the Word, the Angels themfelves, and the moft pure and glorified holy ones in Heaven partly fhare in our Defefts ; for who can by fearching find out GOD? What created Being can find, out the Almighty unto perfeSlion ? But there is no defeft in theif praftical Know ledge, that is peculiar to finful. Imperfect Beings like ourfelves. Their fuperior KrioW- ledge of G O D infpires them with the pro- foundeft Humility, the moft exalted Ado ration, the higheft Reverence, the warmeft Love, and moft extatic Joy : whilft we poof, low, vain Things, with our deprefs'd, de- prav'd and impoverifh'd powers, can think 'ofthe infinite Goodnefs Of G O D, and not Jove him ; contemplate his Almighty Power, and not fear him ; can meditate his Wif dom and Faithfulnefs, and yet not dare to truft him ; can believe the Glory of his Ma jefty and Holinefs, and yet upt revere him ; and Our Ignorance of G 0 D. and acknowledge his fovereign Authority over US', and yet not fubmit to it : can be proud of our knowledge, even when that knowledge is confounded in the contem plation of it's Object. Vain Man would be wife. And in nothing does he fliew his Vanity more than by aim ing at that knowledge which he can never attain, and neglecting to improve that which he hath. Where is the man, the moft pious man on earth, who can fay his habi tual Temper and Behaviour towards GOD is in any degree adequate to the concep tions he has ofthe Divine Perfeftions ? So that after all, whatever be our fpecula tive knbwledge of G O D, more or lefs, this is a maxim of inconteftible truth and im portance, that whofoever ferves and trufts and fears and loves his Maker moft, he is the Man that knows him beft. And in this our praftical Knowledge of GOD, (we muft know nothing if we do not know that) we are moft deplorably defeftive. I fhall now conclude with a few Reflex ions fuitable to the Subjeft. And C4 iThe Our Ignorance of GO D. I . The firft and moft natural reflexioij hereupon is, hpw humble fhould we be in this view of our Ignorance! Humility is the moft feemly, decent and creaturely difpofi tion we can difcover in all our tranfaftions with, and meditations upon the great Au thor of our Being. Some of the opinions we are moft attaplj'd to may, for aught we know, be only the offspring of prejudice; For Prejudice often ftgals iijtq, and gains an imperceptible ppflTeffion of the n>oft honefjt heart; and will b?fet us fo long as our weak minds are fubjeft to it. How diffident fhould we he pf our Un derftanding ; who, as mere; Ijifapts jn exift ence and fcience, are but of ye/ler day, and know nothing! Efpecially when we think and talk of GOD, bis Nature, his manner of Exift ence, his perfeftions, his Works, and Ways, and Word ! in all which we have obferv'd there are myfteries which no created mind can ever comprehend; And which it be comes us rather tq adore than feek to ex plain. , And let it be remember'd, that tp culti vate fuch a Meeknefs and Poverty pf fpirit is Our Ignorance of G 0 D. Is the beft means to improve in true and faving Knowledge; as it opens the Avenues of the mind for the reception of religious ^ruths; divefts it of thofe carnal and crimi:- .nai aflfeftiong which obftruft and oppofe their Entrance; jpnders the heart fufcepti- ble of thofe feriqus impreffions, which are the genuine effefts pf the true Knowledge X»f GOD rightly imprpvi^d; and finally, as it will proour^e the Divine grace and illu- .minations to guide us in the way of all truth-, according to the repeated promifes of th^ ¦Word of GOD to this effeft: For the Se cret of the LORD is with thern that fear Jiim, the Meek will he giiijde in judgment, the Meek will he teach his ways (^). 2. Frorn .\yhat hath been faid upon this Subjeft Iqt us learn to think and fpeak of the Great GOD with the profoundeft Re verence. Thereisawayof /<2/^/»^ the LORD's Name in veiin (befide that profane ul^ of it, in Jeft or Anger, fo univerfally condemn*- ed) that is not fufficiently attended to. What I mean is, when we fuffer that tremendous Name to pafs frequently over our tongues, ig) Pf XXV. 9. 14. Our Ignorance of GO D* in a way of controverfy or converfation, without fhewing the leaft reverence for it, or the leaft ferious regard to what we mean by it. A Habit vvhich (as fome have juftly complain'd) Students ofteh contraft in their academical Difputes, and are feldom able to get rid of afterwards. It was faid of Mr. Boyle (and I think, the fame was obferv'd in Lord Chief Juftice Hale) that when ever they had occafion to mention the word (GOD) it was always with a remarkable Paufe, or with an air fo ferious as teftified their reverence of that great and awful Being they fpake of (*). 3 . Tho' it be but a very fmall portion that we have heard or can know of GOD, yet let us be thankful for that little Know ledge of him we have. And this we ftiall fee (*) See the Preface to Derhani's Phyfico-theology. — Some ofthe Jeius, 'tis well known, carried this matter to a fuperftitious degree, in avoiding on certain occafions, to make ufe of the Letters that Compofed their letragrammatofi, and n (which were their numeral Letters for i o and 5 ) becaufe they were the two firft Letters of the word 'feho'vah; and therefore always exprcfs'd it by JJ and 1, which were their numeral Letters for g and 6. But if they have been too ftrift, it is to be fear'd that Chriftians in general have been too lax in this point. Ouf Ignm-ance of GOD. 27 fee great feafon to be if we cohfider, how Serm. many thoufands of our unhappy fpecies con- I- tinue all their Liveis in a total Ignorance of their Maker; and at length perijh for lack of Knowledge , O, blefled be OOD who hath given us his eVerlafting Gofpel, Where the riiitigated rays of his Glory fhine upon us in the Pferfon of his Soft; as tht Image oj ihe invifible GOD; the effulgetice bf his Glory, and the ifnfreffed Charaber of his Subflanti, So that by contemplating him we may at tain the trUe Knowledge of his Father.— The original Defign of the Gofpel was tb bring us firft to the Knowledge, then to the Likenefs, then to the Enjoyment of GOD. 4. Let us exprefs our thankfulnefs for the Knowledge we have of GOD by endea vouring to improve it, and increafe in it. Arid the beft way to ^ttain further Pegrees of the Knowledge of GOD is to praftife what we have. By this albne can we be fure that we have the right knowledge of him. Hefeiy (fays the Apoftle John) 'we do know that 'We, know him, if we keep his Commandment's (h). There feems to be wanting fbme interme diate Idea to make this Propofition plain: and {h) I JahttyU. 3. 28 Our Ignorance of GOD, SpRM. andthatis the ioi;^ o/" GO Z). Infert this* L and the connexion is clear. Thus, He that knows GOD aright, will love him; he tJiat loves him, will keep his Commandments : Hereby then dp yt&know that we know hini> becaufe vye keep his Commandments. Laftly, Let us beware of falfe knowledge; pr qf entertaining wrong, and unworthy fentimpnts of GOD. 1*1115 is often more prejudicial to the honour pf GOD, and the intereft of religion thaii Ignorance itfelf. . — It's infeparable companion is falfe Zeal, the offspring of Pride and Ignorance ; which tqo often confeffes it's Parents. — And to guard againft all falfe and unwortjiy con:r .peptions of GOD, I will leave with you thefe two plain Rules, and fo conclude. I. Immediately rejeft every Doftxine that injures and plainly contradifts any ofthe DIt -"Vine Perfeftions; particularly his Goodnef?^ Wifdom, and Righteoufnefs. For fince thefe are indu]bitably certain, whatever contrar difts thpm muft be falfe. a. Be more defirpus and diligent to culr jtivate the influefice of the plaineft Princir- ples of Scripture, than to dive into the deep ^d hidden Myfteries of it. For the praftical Influence Our ignorance of GOD, 29 Irifluence of a little true knowledge is infi- Serm. nitely preferable to the higheft attainments • ^* in that which is barren or unfruitful. Now may that GOD who comtnandeth light tojhine out of darknefs, Jhine into our hearts ; and give us the Light of the know ledge of his glory in the Perfon of Jefus Chrift bis Son; to whom be glory for ever and ever, Atnen, , The Hymn. I. I" ©RD we are blind, we Mortals blind. We can't behold thy bright Abode j O, 'tis beyond a Creature-mind, To glance a Thought half way to GOD ! IL infinite leagues beyond the Sky The Great Eternal reigns alone. Where neither Wings nor Souls can fly. Nor Angels climb the toplefs Throne. III. The. Lord of Glory builds his Seat Of Gems infufferably bright; And lays beneath his facred Feet Subftantial Beams of gloomy Night. IV. Yet 30 Serm. I. Our Ignorance of GOD. IV. Yet glorious Lord, thy gracious Eyes Look through and chear us from above ; Beyond our Praife thy Grandeur flies. Yet we adore, and yet we love. t U^ SERMON IL The Golpel fuited to all our fpi ritual Wants and Defires. John vi. 35. y4nd Jefus faid unto them, I am the Bread of Life: he that cometh to me Jhall never hunger., and he that believeth on me pall never thirjl. I HIS Text is full of metaphors: Serm. every one of which muft be care- ^^ fully explain'd before the true fenfe of it can be difcern'd, or die Inftruftion intended be clearly under ftood. Let it therefore be obferv'd, I. That by the Bread of Life our Lord not only intends himfelf, but principally his Gofpel, or the Doftrine he taught. And in confer- The Gofpel fuited to dll our conformity to this mode of Speech, fo often us'd by our Saviour,' hiis ApoAles frecjuent- ly fpeak of him perfonally when they chief ly defign his Gofpel. Thus fays the Apo>- ftle Paul to the Corinthians, I determine not to know any thing atriong you, fave Jefus Chrift, and him crucified (a). /. ^. I am determined to preach nothing among you but the Gofpel of Ghrift ; and efpecially that great Doftrine of it, the propitiation made for our Sins by his Death. Again, fays he, yed doubtlefs and I count all things but lofs^for the excel lency of the Knowledge of Jefus Gf^rift my Lord {h), i, e, I defpife all the Learning in the world, wheu coriipar'd with that moft excellent and important Knowledge which is contain'd in the Gofpel of Jefus Chrift. 2. Chrift calls hirafelf the Bread of Life, becaufe by his Grace and Gofpel our fouls are nourifh'd unto eternal Life. In which refpeft it is infinitely preferable to the Manna, {ver. 30.) which was only defign'd for the temporary fupport of the natural Life. 3 . To eat this Bread of Life, is to be lieve in Chrift and his Gofpel. Thus it is explain'd in the words of the Text; he that believ- {a) I Cor. xi. 2. (b) Phil. iii. 8. spiritual Wants and Defires. Selieveth on me fhall never third; and ver. 40. this is the Will of him that fent me, that every one that feeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlafting Life, And again, ver, 47. he that believeth on me hath everlafting Life, It muft therefore argue great Inattention ot Stupidity in the Jews, that after our Saviour had fo particu larly explain'd himfelf, they fliould miftake his meaning in fo grofs a manner as we ,find they did, ver. 52, faying, how can this Man give us his Flefij to eat ? 4. To come unto Chrift fignifies alfo to be lieve on him, fo it is explain'd in the Text; he that cometh unto me Jhall never hunger, and he that believeth on me Jhall never thirft. The Phrafe ftriftly fignifies to be his Profe- lite : and to be a Profelite fignifies to qUit one Party and to Come over to another : which, plainly fhews that itis not a dead or notional, but an aftive and converting Faith that is here intended. Laftly, By thofe expreffions he, Jhall never hunger and never thirft, is to be underftood that the moft craving appetites of his Soul fhall be fatisfied. The words indeed are highly figurative, but are only the continua- ' D tion 'The Gofpel fuited to all ouf tion of the fame Metaphor which runs through this whole Difcourfe. The mean ing is not that he fhall have no fpiritual Cravings and Defires (for it is the Proper ty bf the truly believing Soul that it hungers and thirft s after Righteoufnefs; longing and ' wifhing for higher attainments in Purity and Goodnefs) but that thofe Cravings fliall be fully fatisfied ; and in the mean time it fhall be intirely free from its reftlefs Cravings after finful and fenfual Gratifications. It is the Improvement of this laft Meta phor that is my principal Defign at prefent : upon which we may make the following Obfervations. I. That the Soul of Man hath It's Appe tites, Wants and Defires, which are as natu ral to it as thofe of Hunger and thirjl are to the Body. II. That till thefe are fatisfied, the Soul is uneafy, and in much the fame State as the Body is in when under the Pain of Hunger and Thirft. Ill, That Chrift alone can fatisfy thefe eager Cravings ofthe fenfible and pious Soul. Laftly, spiritual Wants tind Defires. Laftly, If we do In good 'Earneft defire this fpiritual Satisfaftlon, we muft corae to Chrift for it. He that cometh to me Jhall ne ver hunger, and he that believeth on me fioall never thirft. I. The Soul of Man hath it's Appetites, Wants and Defires, which are as natural to it as thofe of Hunger and thirft are to the Body. All Appetites and Defires indeed, in ftrift propriety of Speech, belong to the Soul only. Becaufe the Body, confider 'd as a material Subftance, and abftrafted from the Soul, is not" capable of any fenfations at all. How ever, by virtue of th'eir union, we commonly afcribe feveral affeftions to the material, which are proper to the fpiritual part of our Frame; and call thofe bodily Pains or bo dily Pleafures, which the Soul fuffers or enjoys through the inftrumentality of the Body. So that the defires and appetites of the Soul are of two forts, viz. thofe which are corporeal, or which it feels by vertue of it's union with the Body; and thofe which arife from itfelf independant of the Body : D X the The Gofpel fuited to all oiir the former are called Animal Appetites, the latter Spiritual Defires. But there is another and more important diftlnftion under which the defires ofthe Soul may be confider'd; and that is what re fers to it's different ftate or teiriper as de praved or renewed. The defires of the Soul in it's natural ftate of depravity are all ftrongly inclin'd to fenfual, carnal andwofldV ly Pleafures ; the bent of the renew' d Soul is towards GOD, and Heaven : and burns with the fame devout ardor as David ex- prefs'd when he faid, my Soul thirfteth for GOD, for the living GOD ; there be many / that fay, who will fhew us any good; LORD lift thou up the Light of thy Countettance upon us : thou haft put gladtiefs itito my Heart more than in the time when their Corn and Wine increafe (c). The difference between thefe two kind of appetites in the foul of man is very obfer vable. This World is the objeft pf the former, and Heaven of the latter : thefe are fatisfied in the Poffeffion of their Objeft, thofe never can. For here lies the vanity of all earthly Pleafures ; they difappoint the defires (c) ?fa. iv. 6, 7. spiritual JV^rits and Defires. defires they excite, and never give the Satis faftlon they promife. They create a falfe appetite, and the more they are indulged, the more they inflame : like Wine given to a man in drink which does but increafe his Thirft. And the ireafon is the fame ; they are both under an ill habit : and an exceffive indulgence to fe;ifual pleafures is as unna tural to die Soul in its right ftate, as in temperate draughts of ilfong liquors are to a healthy Body : and both e^u^lly intoxica ting. And whatever is not hatural (though it be pleafing fqr a while) can neyer .be du rable or fatisfying. The natural defires pf the Spul (I nxean ^hen it is reftor'd to a new nature) are to wards GOD : and he alone can fatisfy them. Now there are five things which the re- new'd foul hungers and thirfts after with infatiable defire : each of whicja I ihall difr jtinftly confider and apply as tjbe proper Teft of the true ftate aud temper pf our own. ( I ) A truly pious Soul ardently longs for more Light and Knowledge : more clear apd diftinft conceptions of divine Things; ^ore comprehenfive views of G O D, and a D 3 mora 7%^ Gofpel fuited to all our more fenfible apprehenfion of heavenly ob jects. Knowledge is the Food ofthe Soul ; and a defire of Knowledge as natural to it as an appetite for food is to the body. But the Eood which the pious Soul moft of all hungers for is heavenly Manna, the Bread of Life which corneth from GOD; that is, the knowledge of heavenly Things and Gofpdi Truths. It wants to know more of GOD and Chrift, and the happinefs of that ftate whefe it hopes to be for ever ; and to feel its Knowledge as fenfibly as it does its De fires of it. It wants to know more of it's Own frame and ftate, and powers and ca pacities of Blifs. and Aftion ; to difcern more difldnftly the whole will of GOD; and to fee the connexion between the Purity the Gofpel requires, and the Happinefs it pro mifes. This is the Knowledge that does the Sbul good ; arid, like a Cordial, at once revives and invigorates ; adminifters both Strength and Spirits. It is Angels Food ; the Manna which Chrift brought down from Heaven. And hence the Gofpel is to the true Chriftian what David declar'd the Word of spiritual Wants and Defires. of GOD was to hirn ; fweeter than Honey or the Honey -comb (d), (2) Another thing the true Chriftian ear neftly defires is more Love to GOD and Chrift, and more fenfible Evidence of its fincerity. It is fo low, defeftive and ineffi cacious, fo mix'd with felf-loye or creature- / love, and fo often obfcur'd, deprefs'd, or rival'dby them ; is fo weak in it's influences and fo uncertain in it's effefts, that 'tis a frequent matter of doubt with hirn whether, after all, he loves the LORD Jefus Chrifi in fincerity; whether his warmeft profeffions of Love to Chrift at the Lord's Table, and in his happieft feafons of devotion, have not been all mere Formality and vain Pretence. — ^There is at other times fo much coldnefs, fo much eftrangement, fo much languor and indifference in the heart with regard to GOD and Chrift and heavenly Things, that he is ready to call into queftion the fincerity of almoft all he hath ever done and pro- fefs'd. He declares that he earneftly de fires to love Chrift more, and longs for no thing raore than fome plain, indubitable, evidence that his Love to him is fincere and D 4 fupreme. {d) Pfal. xix. 10. "The Gofpel fuited to all our fupreme. " But alas ! (fays he) how do I " prove the fincerity of thefe Declarations " and Defires ? If they be fincere they are a " fign of fome Love : but their fincerity I " have too rauch caufe to doubt." But it's worth enquiring if that very Diffidence of our fincerity, when attended with a deep and cautious concern of fpirit, be not fom^ proof of it. ( 3 ) Another thing whjch a holy Chris tian earneftly defires is mqre Purity and Piety of heart : raore fpirituality and holi nefs ; a nearer affirailation to GOD, and more intiraate Coraraunion with hira. He wants to have his heart more abftrafted from earthly things, and form'd raore to the tera per ofthe Heavenly World. This he knows to be the raain, effential, vaft, iraportant point of Religion that requires all his zeal and care ; and in coraparifon of which he is almoft indifferent to every thing elfe. O J could he but once know that he was fit for Heaven, by difcerning in his Heart the pre- dominence of a holy and heavenly Difpo-- fition, his foul were then eftabliih'd and at reft. And therefore fuch continual improve ments in that fpirituality and holinefs, which alone raakes him like to GOD and fit for Heaven, spiritual Wants and Defires. Heaven, is the great Objeft of his Defire : for this he hungers and thirfts, and cannot be eafy till that Defire be fatisfied. (4) He wants a more confirmed Hbpe. Not that he is without his Hopes ; but they ^ are too fluftuating and variable. He has fome fair profpefts into Futurity, but they are often interrupted and foon beclouded ; and give place again to his fqrmer doubts and darknefs : fo that upon the whole he fcarce knows what to think of himfelf, his State or his Hopes. — Sorae tell hira that his Fears argue a Defeft of Faith. But he is afraid of fpiritual Delufions : he knows his Heart is very deceitful ; and that the Temp ter is very bufy, and very fubde in every fhape ;ai;id difguife ; and that there is fuch a thing as fatal Hope, which produces the moft fatal Effefts ; and therefore what of all things he wants, is to be affur'd that his Hopes are well founded ; and to have them more mature and conftant. {Lafily) He longs for more feufible ma- nifeftatiqns of the divine Prefence : more fpiritual Comfort ; a more fixt and devout heart in divine Worfliip ; and that heavenly elevation and ardour of foul which the Pfalmift The Gofpel fuited to all our Pfalmift exprefs'd in fome of his moft rap-p turous Soliloquies. Such are the craving appetites of a foul truly renewed. By thefe let us judge whe ther our own be fo. They all naturally arife from a holy Principle, confider'd as imperfeft ; and from one another in the or der in which I have riow plac'd them. For inftance, the firft thing the fenfible Soul feels it's want of, is more Light, more true Knowledge, and a more clear conception of fpiritual things : and the more it knows of GOD, the more it loves hira : and this in creafing love to GOD purifies the Soul, and inflames it's Defires to be more like / him : and this growing affirailation to GOD ftrengthens his Hope in him : and a con- firra'd Hope of an Intereft in him excites a facred paffion after a fuller Enjoyment of him. But II. The next obfervation I made from the Words was, that till the appetites and defires of the Soul are fatisfied, it is uneafy, or in much the fame fituation with a Body that feels the painful fenfations of Hunger and tbirfi. This ''•"T^ Spiritual Wants and Defires. 4 J This is true in regard to all the defires of SerM, the Soul, whether fenfual or fpiritual. The H' pain of unfatisfied Defires will always be in proportion to the ftrength bf thofe Defires : and as that pain can only be removed by the poffeffion or enjoyment pf the defir'd Ob jeft, the pleafure of that poffeffion or enjoy* ment will be proportion'd to the preceding Pain, and the dignity or true excellence of the objeft enjoy 'd. , To apply this now to fpiritual things. What is the teraper of our Souls with re fpeft to thefe ? How they ftand affeft ed tovyards earthly objefts we fcnov^ very well. We feel that we want and- dfefire thera ; and find ourfelves uneafy and dlf contented if thofe defires be not gratified. Andthe moderate and feafonable gratification of thera is doubtlefs very lawful. This ourhea venly Father allows us: otherwife he would not have planted thofe appetites in our nar ture, or plac'd us araongft thefe fenfible objefts fo well adapted to them. But then, our fouls being of an immortal make, (and confequently capable of higher and more perfeft fatisfaftions) have, or Ought to have, more noble and exalted Defires. And thefe Defifes ought to operate, at leaft, as ftrong- The Gofpel fuited to all otir ly as thofe which have mere earthly and tjpmporary pleafures for their Objefts. If they do not, (qr however if we find no Defires at all after heavenly apd divine things,) 'tis a plain evidence of this df;- plorable truth, that our fouls are not yet capable of their beft and higheft Enjoy ments ; not capable of relifhing thofe plea fures which were defign'd for their proper happinefs. A melanchqly confideration this ; but nothing more true : for moft cer tain it is, that if Ave find ho ardent Defires after fpiritual pleafures, we are not papable of enjoying them. For what pleafure can the moft delipious Meats a,nd Drinks giye to one who is neither a hungry nor a thirft .? or hath not the leaft defire or difpofition to them ? He lothes them, as not fuited to his Relifh. This in truth js the very cafe, Had the foul a relifli for fuch fpiritual and holy Entertainments, It would find a defire after thera ; and could not be eafy without them, no raore than the body without it's natural Food, which it feels it wants, and therefore defires, So that in fliort, to be infenfible to the pain qf this fpiritual Hungej- and Thirft, - ought spiritual Wants and Defifes. ought to giye the Soul the greateft of all Pain ; becaufe this demonftrates that at prefent it is incapable of the greateft of all pleafures ; not to fay (what is equally true) that it is expos' d at the fame time to the greateft of all miferies. But now on the other hand, do we find in our Soids thefe fpiritual Appetites, this Hunger and thirft after Righteoufnefs ? Dp they pant after more Knowledge, more Love, raore Holinefs, more Hope, more Joy in GOD ; and are we uneafy till thefe Defires are fatisfied ; do our Ignorance, our Coldnefs, our Doubts and Darknefs fit heavy on our Minds, and leave our Hearts difconfolate and joylefs t if this be the ftate of our fouls, for our comfort let us remem ber that (troublefome as it is at prefent) it is however a certain indication of thefe four things. ( I ) That our fpiritual and holy de fires are real and fincere : qtherwife we fhould feel no pain in their being unfatis fied. (2) That we have a true relifh for divine Enjoyraents : for (as I before obferv'd) we can have no defire after thofe things that are unfuitable to our tafte. (3) That thefe Defires fhall be fatisfied if we con tinue 7^^ Gofpel fuited to all our tinue to cherifh and preferve them '.for blef" fed are they that hunger and thirft after Righ- teoujnrfs, for they Jhall be filled {t). And {laftly) "That a Soul with fuch refin'd and holy defires witiiiri it, is in the way to Hea ven : and it's fitnefs for it may be meafur'd by the ftrength of thofe Defires; and the ftrength of thofe Defires, by the uneafinefs it feels whilft they are unfatisfied. But I proceed now to the next obferva tion I made upbn the words, viz. Ill That Chrift alone can fatisfy the Defires of the pure and holy Soul. I^ that cometh to me Jhall never hunger, and he that. believeth in me fioall never thirfi. Not that he fhall neyer feel thofe defires and cravings of the foul v^^hich are corre fpondent to thefe appetites ofthe Body ; but they fliall be fatisfied as foon as they arife : or at leaft, at fuch feafons and in fuch de grees as is moft conducive to the Health and Refrefhraent of the Soul. This rauft un doubtedly be the true iraport of the phrafe : for to have no fuch fpiritual appetites or defires at all (I have already fhewn you) is the (<•) Mat, V. 6. spiritual Wants and Defires. 4.7 the moft unhappy ftate it can be in ; and as Serm. dangerous a fymptom as that which appears II. in the body when it is fo far from defiring, that it lothes it's proper Food. The propofition then which I am now to difcufs is this ; that Jefus Chrift, in the, con ftltutlon of his Gofpel, hath provided for the fupply of all the fpiritual Wants, and for the fatisfaftion of all the reafonable De fires, that can arife In the fouls of men. Now here let us give our thoughts a little fcope. The proper notion under which we are to confider the Go^el or the chriftian difpenfation is that ofa remedial Confiitutim : I mean, a Religion adapted to the relief and re;covery of a depraved race of creatures. That we are fuch a fjiecies of depraved Be ings, no one can deny. And that it highly becomes the Wifdom and Goodnefs of GOD, when he is pleas'd to favour us with a divine Revelation, to adapt it to the cir cumftances and wants of our nature as frail, guilty, imperfeft creatures, is no lefs certain. And that the frame and conftitution of die Gofpel is thus adapted, Is equally evident to every one that Is acquainted with the na ture, tenor, and leading principles of it; and The Gofpelftiited to alt ouf and views therri' in all their genuine and im-* portant connexions. Were we a race of Angels or innocent creatures, the Revelation fent us from GOD would have been otherwife framed : but as we are a fpecies of apoftate, degenerate Be ings, we could not have a Revelation more fuited to our wants, or more adapted to our Help, and Comfort, than that which the Gofpel appears to be when rightly under ftood. And I have often thought that a general inattention to the grand Defign of the Gofpel Revelation, as accommoda ted to the ftate of fallen creatures, has been the primary fource of many of thofe miftakes which raen have irabibed with regard to forae of it's principal doc trines. And I ara fully perfwaded that were we to keep this grand Defign of it always in view, we fhould fee it tq be a more beauti-, ful and confiftent fcheme, and feveral of it's doftrines to ftand in a more fair and ftriking Light, than we otherwife can. And there fore when JeJus Chrift came to heal our diftemper'd Souls by his Grace, and to re cover them to health and happinefs by the prefcriptions of his Gofpel, he was pleafed to affume spiritual Wants and Defires. affuirie the Title and Charafter of our Phy fician {f). Mankind is a' race of reafonable, but de generate Creatures. The Gofpel Revelation applies to thera as fuch: as reafonable Crea tures, it addreffes to their Underftanding and Confcience, and the light of their own Minds; which, tho' much obfcur'd, is not extinguifh ed, by the Fall : arid as degenerate Creatures, 'tis accomrribdated to all their Fears and Frailties, Guilt and Miferies; and abounds with the Offers of Grace, Pardon and Mercy. — But to illuftrate this a little more parti cularly. (i) As apoftate guilty Creatures, if we, were truly fenfible ofour State and Danger, the firft thing we fhould be folicltous about wou'd be, how we may be reconciled to GOD and recover the happinefs of his fa vour. And therefore this is one ofthe firft and principal things'^ that the Gofpel Reve lation difcovers ; wherein it has open'd to us fuch an aftonifliing fcene of Divine Compaf fion, Benignity and Love, as is not to be pa- rallel'd perhaps by any of the Tranfaftions ofthe great GOD with his own Creatures, E in (/) Mat. ix. 12. V*-V"^ 50 The Gofpel fuited to all our Serm. in all the Records of Etefriity. And has af^ II- fur'd us (of what it were otherwife impoffi ble for any Created Mirtd to have conceiv'd) that in as much as GOD could not confift ently with the hofioUr of his Perfeftions and Governraent, pardqn fuch a race of Rebels without a fatisfaftion firft made to his inju red Law and Juftice, (and fince we could not make it ourfelves) he therefore fent his own eternal Son from Heaven to raake that Satisfaftlon for us ; who, by affuming our Nature, and fubftituting himfelf in our ftead, gave himfelf to Death as a Sacrifice of Pro pitiation for our Sins : And that In vertue hereof, if we break off our Sins by Repentance, and return to GOD by a true Faith in Chrift (that Faith which at once produces a ;fincere Obedience to, and a humble Depen dance upon him) we fhall be affuredly ac cepted, juftified and pardon'd : not Indeed for the fake of any thing we do fbr ourfelves, but on the account of the Merits and Right eoufnefs of Chrift, or of what he hath done and fufter'd for us. And that this Is now the only way whereby the Happinefs of the Divine Favour can be recover 'd, (2) Ano- spiritual Wants and Defires. (2 ) Another thing about which it rauft be fuppofed vv^e fhould be extremely concern'd, as degenerate Creatures rightly fenfible of our State, is, how to recover the reftltude of our Nature; get rid of our carnal Habits and finful Difpofitions, and be made meet for the Happinefs of the Heavenly World.— With regard to this now, Chrift hath made the moft effeftrual provifibn for us in the conftimtion of his Gofpel ; wherein he free ly oflers to us the Almighty Grace of his Spirit to fanftify and renew us ; and not only fo, but to inlighten, guide, comfort and con firm us in the ways of Holinefs; and to be our earneft of the Heavenly Inheritante. Could: ariy thing be fo gracious ! or fo fuit-- able to our Wants and Fears, and Weak- neffes ! Again (3) As We had corrupted our Na tures and contrafted an eftrangement fi-orii GOD by our Apoftacy, we fhould be glad to know how we may again dfav7 nigh unto him, and in what manner we raay accepta bly worfhip him.— Now in this particular the Gofpel Revelation is very explicit ; and hath affured us, that as a rebellious race of Creatures, the great GOD will not allow us E 2 to The Gofpel fuited io all our to approach unto hira in our own nariie, hut only in the Narae of his Son : and that our Worfhip, if it be offer'd In his Narae, and according to the particular direftions given in his Word, fliall be accepted on his Ac count ; and that whoever comes unto him in the Name of Chrift he will in no wife caft out (g). Thefe are raoft gracioUs and araple Pro vifions indeed : but ftill there feems to be one thing more wanting, and which the ftate of our Cafe, as frail, helplefs Creatures, ap pears to require : and that is, (4) As we have fo many Corruptions with in us, and fo many Dangefrs and Tempta tions without us, what reafonable hope cart we have that we fliall be ever able to perfe vere in this way to Salvation, fo as finally to attain it ?— For this alfo hath the Gofpel of Chrift abundantly provided. And to this purpofe (i) It plainly forewarns us of our Danger, in order to put us on our guard a- gainft it; gives us the anatomy ofour cor rupt Hearts ; a detail of thofe guilty propen- fions we have contrafted, arid muft continu-' ally oppofe ; it warns us of the devices of the (g) John\l. 37. spiritual Wants and Defires, 5 3 ,the Devil,; who not only ^ot-j about like a S^rm, roaring Lion feeking whom he may devour, IL but lies hid, like a fubtle Serpent, watching ' — '~~' whom he may deftroy : it tells us of the Snares and Temptations of tii^ World ; and fhews us at the fame tirae in what manner we are to avoid all thefe Dangers. And then (2) It affures us that whilft we keep lie^r tp GOD, in a way of duty and depend ance, we are under his Guard and Conduft ; that his Grace fhall always be fufficient for us ; and that none of our fpiritual Enemies fhall prevail againft us • for he will keep us by his mighty Power through Faith unto Salvation. And now can any thing contribute raore to our Confolation and Hope ? fo precifely is the Gofpel of Chrift accoraraodated to all pur Wants, Defires and piftreffes, as reafon able, but fallen and degenerate Creatures. Well may It be called a glorious Gofpel (h), the Grace of GOD (i), glad tidings of great Joy (k), the minifiration of Righteoufnefs (1), the Law of vital Spirit (ra), the Introduc tion of a better Hope (n), and worthy of all acceptation (o). E 3 {Lafily) (h) 2 Cor. iv. 4. (i) Ti>. ii. li. (k) Lukevxa. i. (1) 2 Cor. iii. 9. (m) Ram. viii. 2. (n) Heb. vii. 19, (o) I Tim. i. 15. The Gofpel fuited to all our {Lafily) The laft Obfervation I made upon the Words was, thatif we would have all our fpiritual Wants, or the Defires of our Souls fatisfied, we muft come unto Chrift for it. He that cometh unto me Jhall tiever hunger, and he that believeth in me Jhall never thirft. To come unto Chrift is to beli£ve In him, as 'tis here explain'd^ — But what is it to be lieve in Chrift ? — Let me refrefh your fenti ments on this fubjeft in a few words. We read of feveral kinds qf Faith. But the Faith here intended muft ,be anfvverable to the effeft it produces. It is here reprefent ed as a means of ponveying to the Soul a fa tisfaftion of all it's fpiritual Wants and De fires, This (I have already fhewn you) Chrift hath abundantly provided for in the frame and conftitution of his Gofpel. But 'tis the hand of Faith by which we muft re ceive and apply it. 'Tis this muft gather the fpiritual Manna, or in vain does it lie in fuch plenty round about our camp. — And can a mere hiftorical¥z\\h give this full fatisfaftion to the Soul ? or the moft tx2t.d: fentimentdl Faith ? or a bare ftrong confident Imagina tion ? qr a dead for mal Fzlth ? No, nor any thing II. spiritual Wants and Defires. 55 ihing elfe, (in whatever efteem it may be SfiRivt. Jield by raen) that falls fhort of a //^Vi^, ac tive, obedient, humble and dependent Faith. Take away thefe properties from Faith, and you kill it ; deprive it of all it's Life, Spirit ,and Vertue : and 'tis no raore Faith than a dead carcafs is a njan. This the apoftle James exprefsly tells us ; as the Body without the Spirit is dead, fo Faith without Works is dead alfo (p). The promife our Saviour makes in the Text is pretty much the fame with \yhat he gives us, Matth, xi. i8. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you reft. And what kind of Faith he here intended, he explains in the Words ira- piediately following, take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly, and ye fhall find reft unto your So^ls. We rnuft judge of our Faith in Chrift the fame way we judge of our knowledge of him ; that is, by its Effefts, or the Fruits it produces : for 'tis only by thefe that it's Pro<- perties are known. The cafe then is plainly this (and 'tis un doubtedly the inftruftion oiir Saviour intend- E 4 ed (p) Jam. xi.z6. The Gofpel fuited to allottf ed to convey to us in thefe words) that every true Profelyte of Chrift, or every real Difci ple pf hjs, will believe on him and his Gof pel with a lively, aftive, coraplying Faith : and that whoever thus believes In his Gof pel will find thp rnofb fuitable nQijriflirnent for his Soul; and foraething there accommo dated to the fatisfaftion of his fpiritual De fires, as a frail degenerate Creature, that wants to be recover'd to the favour of GOD, and made meet for eternal Life. Thus have I, in as few words, and as plain a mapn^r as poffible, open'd to you the true nature qf that Faith wJiich our Saviour requires in the Text. And that I may not obfcure ray meaning by a multiplicity of Expreffions, I fhall add no riiore ; but only juft obferve two plain marks and charafters of a true Faith in Chrift, which are intirna- ted in the Text, and by which we may judge qf qur own. (i) Tne firft is an earneft Defire after fpiritual Food and Refrefhments ; which oui: Lord in another place calls a hungering and thirfting after Righteoufnefs (q). This is a certain fign of fpiritual Life ; and confe- " ' ¦ ¦ ¦ ~ quently (q) Mat. V. 6. spiritual Wants and Defires. quently of that quickening Faith which Is me principle of it. Nay more, 'tis a fign qf fpiritual Health ; and that this vital Faith is in exercife. Fqr as there cannot be a better fign of bodily Health than a regular Appe tite after proper and wholfome Food, fo there cannot be a better fign qf fpiritual Health than for th? Soul to he fenfiblp of its fpiri tual Wants, and earneftly defirous to have them fatisfy 'd. (2) Do we fee a fuitablenefs In the Pro vifions of the Gofpel, and tafte a fatisfying Delight iu them ? He that believeth in me (faith Chrift) Jhall never thirft. That is, he fhall be plentifully refrefh'd with the waters of Life. Do our Souls find this fatisfaftion and r?frefliraent in the Ordinances and Gof pel of Chrift ? If fo, our Faith is true, and we are his Difciples indeed. This is a rauch better fign of a faving Faith than the rnoft qonfident affurance : becaufe in the former we cannot be miftaken ; in the latter we may : that muft arife from the genuine temper of the Soul ; this may poffibly arife only from the ftrength of a warn) inia- gination. " To T^ Gofpel fuited to all our To conclude, vvould we view Chrifiianity orthe Religion ofthe Gofpel in all it's har mony, beauty and confiftency, let us confider It as the Religion of Sinners ; or as a moft gracious and efficacious plan form'd by the . Wifdom and Goodnefs of GOD, to recover a race of fallen Creatures to himfelf and Happinefs : wherein he deals with us in- . deed as Men, but as weak and finful Men. This fets all the peculiar and diftinguifhing Doftrines of It In the moft fair and amiable Light; and makes us cry out upon the whole, 0 the depths of the riches both of the Knowledge and Wifdom, the Righteoufnefs and Mercy of GOD! That this gracious and moft fuitable re- piedy which the Gofpel hath provided for the relief of fallen Creatures was fo long de fer 'd, and is now no more diffus'd; and that it fhould have fo little of it's defign'd ef feft even where it is known, are Myfteries in the divine Government which we are not able at prefent to penetrate. And in ftead of inquifitively prying into the Rea fons of the divine Conduft (which we fhall never fully comprehend) let us be thankful that we are diftinguifh'd by fo in valuable w.^r«>ar Spiritual Wants and Defires. 59 valuable a Priviledge ; ^nd fhew our thank- Serm. fulnefs for it by our concern to improve it. H- Let us bq^^ our Souls to the authority of the JtPdeemer's Conftitutions, and take his Gofpel for Pur only guide thrp' this World of Danger, Deceit and Darknefs. May a vital Faith in him be the governing princi- jde of our Life, and it will be our great fup port in Death ; will conduft us to eternal Life; to be with him where he is to behold his Glory, and to live and reign with him for ever and ever I Amen. Tlje Hymn. I. TTOW free the fountain flows ¦*" Of endjefs Jife and joy ! That Spring which no confinement knows Whofe watejrs never cloy ! , n- How fweet the accents found From the Redeemer's tongue ! • Affemble all ye nations round f In one obedient throng. IIL 'Ho, 6o The Gofpel fuitecl iq all ^c, Serm. IL in- . * Ho, every thirfly foul ' Approach the facred fpring ; * Drink and your fainting fpirits chear, * Renew the draught, and fing. IV. ' Let all that will approach, * The water freely take, ^ Free from mine opening heart it flows, ' Your raging thirft to flake.' V. With thankful hearts we come To tafte the offer'd Grace ; And call on all that hear, to join The Trial, and the Praife. SER- 6i SERMON III. The nature and danger of an inor dinate Love of the World. ^m^m^M^^mMmmmMm^^ John ii. 15, Love not the Worldj— — HE connexion of thefe Wofd^ SERlkf. with thofe in the preceding verfe IIL is obfervable. We are there told to whorri the Caution in the Text is more immediately direfted; viz. to perfons advanc'd in years ; and to thofe who are yet in the ftrength and vigour of Life : as the former are ufually moft irt danger of being captivated by the Lufi of the Eyes, viz. the Profits of the World ; and the latter by the Luft of the Flefij, and the Pride of Life ; viz. the Pleafures and Pre- feri^ents of it. I have written unto you. Fathers, 62 The Nature and Danger of aH Fathers, becaufe pu have known hitn who was froni the Beginning), I have written unto you, young men, becaufe ye are Jirong, andthe word of GOD abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. LOVE NOt tHE WORLlJr, tteither the things that are in the World. If any man love the World, the Love of the Father is not in him. Which may ferve to fhew us, who are the perfons that are principally concern'd in the prefent Subjeft ; and to whom this admonition of the Apoftle is raore efpecially addreffed. not that perfons in yoUnger hfe' are altoge ther unconcerned herein ; for though their Inexperience and Ignorance of the world may, for the prefent, feieiure them from feime of it's moft dangerous Snares, yet the more they grow up in Life, the raore rteed will they have of this Caution, which can not be inculcatei or taken-too foon. In the profecution of this Subjeft I pro- pofe, X. To fhew you what we- are to under ftand by the World.s IL In inordinate Love of the World. 63 • SermE^ Ii. In what Latitude and with what III. Reftriftions the prcJaibition ia the Text ^^-'t-^ is to be taken. III. To lay before ypu the Grounds and Reafons of it ; or fhfew yott why we are fo exprefily caution'd againft an immoderate Love of the prefent World. I. I am to fhew you what we are to un derftand by the World. By the Werld we are without all doubt, to underftand the things ofthe World, (as it is explain'd in the words immediately fol lowing) and efpecially thofe which are moft apt to engage and captivate the Heart. There is not a greater variety in the Caft and Difpofition of human Mind& than th«re is in the fenfitive objefts of the prefent World ; which hath fomething to fuit every Tafte. and that which beft fuits our own^i which we moft delight in, are moft addift-^ ed to, and poffeffed by, is that which wc are in the greateft danger frora ; and againft which The Nature and Danger of dk which we are here particularly called to be upon' our ^ard.' A general Inventory of this. World's Goods is given us by the Apoftle at the very farae inftant that he enters this Caveat a- gainft ouf exceffive Love of them,' and is divided into three Lots. The firft contains all the Pledfures bf the World, called die Luft of the Flefh; be caufe they are proper to a corporeal nature, 6r fuch as the Soul now defires, only by reafon of it's union with the Body.; and which pure fpirits have no inclination to': die pleafures which we enjoy in comraon with the brutal part of the creation,' and w^hich are oppofed to pure, mental Enter- talrtmertts. 'To thefe carnal Delights forae perfons are carried by a raoft veheraent Ap petite ; efpecially Youth, whofe faculties are in full vigour to enjoy thera. The next Clafs under which the Apoftle comprehends many other of the good things of this World, is Riches; which he calls the Luft of the Eyes, becaufe the Eye takes a peculiar pleafure in gazing at thofe things which they iraraediately procure, viz, ele gant Attire, fplendid Equipage, magnificent Buildings, inordinate Love of the World. Buildings, coftly Furniture, fumptuous Gar dens, fuperb Struftures, and the like. Thefe things, the Produce of Wealth, are with the raore propriety called the Lift of the Eyes, becaufe they give greater pleafure 'to the Eye than fatisfaftion to the Heart. But they have this vanity belonging to thera, that they fade in the Eye they pleafe, and wither under the view : their Beauties, by being often feen, vanifh ; and convey their charms from the owner's Eye to that of every new Beholder. The pleafures I be^ fore mention'd are gone with a Touch, thefe with a Look. So perrfhing and un- fubftantial are the Goods contain'd in the two firft Lots of this World's Inventory. Let us now examine the third ; and fee if we can find any thing better or more folid there. This opens to us all the Ho nours, the high Stations^ the Power and Preferments of the World : and is an article in great efteerii with forae ; for which they bid high ; very high indeed ! no lefs than their own Souls, and all the iramortal Dig nities and Preferraents of the other World, This the Apoftle calls the pride of Life : becaufe it is the arabitious raan's great Ob- F jeft ; The Nature and Danger of an jeft; and at once attrafts, and foments the vanity of his Heart. But it never fatisfies the vanity which it excites. Ambition is infatiable as Avarice : and both, like the Horfe-leach, are continually crying, give, give. The greateft man would ftill be greater. Let him conquer the World, and he would (as is re^ovtcA. of Alexander) weep that he had no other World to conquer. But, alas ! what is the greateft and proud- eft of all the fons of raortality ; but a big Bubble blown up with popular breath ? and the farae breath that fwells it, burfts it ; and fhews it to have been but a gay, erapty vanity. the man that is in honour abideth not : that is, if he have only the honour that cometh from man, and feeketh not that which cometh frotn GOD. So that this laft Lot in the World's Inven tory is found, upon examination, to be of no more value or folidity than the other two. — But fuppofe we put them together ; and fee if we can make fomething fubftantially good out of them all three united. 'Tis done. — now put them on the Sea of Life ; and ob ferve hov/ this over-grown, compound Bub ble v.'^eathers the Tempefts of Mortality. — One inordinate Love of the World. One ofa fmaller fize often holds out longer,— It burfts : and Death at length demonftrates the truth of this fcripture reprefentation of the world, and the things of it ; and proves (what we are now fo loth to believe) that they are Vanity of Vanities. What a ftrange account is this which the Apoftle here gives us of the World ! And yet, fais he, this is all that there is in the World (b). It hath no better Goods to fhew. Thefe indeed fhine, and look out well. But 'tis all tinfel : nothing folid. For I be feech you, what is all this to a Soul ? a Hea ven born Spirit, confcious of it's own Digni ty, and native Immortality ! and what are all thefe to a man poffefs 'd of no greater Good, when he is going out of the World ; and knows he can find none of them in the other } i - The Pleafures, the Profits and Honours of the World (which fome call the worlding's trinity (c), are the things, againft our inordi nate Love of which the Apoftle enters this ex prefs caution in the Text. F z II. Our ^ {h) I John ii. l5. ((). Ambitiofus honos, et opes, et fsda voluptas, Hsc tria pro trino numine mundus habet. 68 The Nature and Danger of an Serm. II. Our next enquiry is concerning the Ex- ni. tent of this prohibition ; or with what re ftriftions it rauft neceffarily be taken. ( I ) This does not forbid us to profecute our worldly affairs with application and di ligence. For 'tis very plain on the one hand, that a man may be induftrious in the duties of his fecular calling, and yet keep his affeftions uncaptivated by earthly things : and it is as certain on the other, that a raan may love the World who does not love his Bufinefs. Nor (2) does it countenance, rauch lefs require, a total recefs or feparation frora the World. It is by no raeans irapoffi ble for a raan to live in the World and not love it. It is not neceffary for hira to be a Rechife that he may not be a Worlding. That expedient would fail : for 'tis no uncoraraon thing for the lufts of the world to find their way into a Convent. Nor ( 3 ) are we hereby forbid to enjoy the World, or to take any Delight in the good things of the prefent life. Saint Auftin in deed thought otherwife ; whofe natural au- fterity inclin'd him to the rigid way in all things. His raaxira was, we may ufe the Worid, inordinate Love of the World. World, but we ought not to enjoy it {d). This he gather'd from thofe words ofthe Apoftle (i Cor. vii. 31.) And they that ufe this World as not abiifing it. From which Text, before he rais'd that Doftrine, he ought to have prov'd, that to enjoy the World in any degree, was to abife it. Solomon thought otherwife : who tells us, // is good for a man to eat and drink, and make his Soul enjoy good in his Labour. And I know (faishe^ that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice and do good in his lije ; and alfo thaf a man fioould eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his Labour : it is the gift of GOD (e). And indeed it is as unnatural not to re joice in profperity, as not to raourn in adver fity. It looks like churfifh Ingratitude not to be chearful in the ufe of thofe good things which GOD hath given us for our corafort and refrefhraent. Whilft we tafte their fweetnefs, we may, we cannot but de light in them : and to ufe them with Delight, is to enjoy them. Moreover, F 3 (4) This ((/) Bonis mundanis utendup}, fed mn frtiendum eft. vid oper. tom. iii. p. 5. Boni quifpe ad hoc utuntur mundo, ut fruantur DEO ; mail autem contra, vt fruantur mundo, vti When Ii ,"/ r.:. (h) Luke xvi. 9. ,,- The Nature and Danger of an :;;(KS'J;iWhen we are tormented with an aiixioug^ Spikitude about the things of this Worldi 'tis an argument that we love thfem too rauch. For did we not over-4-ate them, there would he no reafon at all for all this Anxiety about thera : efpecially if we con fider them only as our inferibr Concerns, foreign' from our true Happinefs, - iarid in tirely at the difpofal of GOD's Provide^iae ; w-ho hath promifed that if we take care to fecure ftie better part, thefe things fhall be ^ifpens'd to us in fuch proportions as he knows them to be good for us. But if our Love for the World fupercede the confide ration j^ and defeat the Influence of thefe plain- important Principles, It muft for cer- tairi he exceffive and Culpable. (7) -It is a fign that our Hearts are too much attach'd to earthly things ifwe-can- not bear our earthly Lbffes and Difappoint- •ments v^ith tempei*! »- Indeed we cannot be altogether infenfible !'&' -thefe things; and to torment ourfelves with the apprehenfion of therii before Ihand (as in thciformer cafe) is raore unreafonable than to mourn and grieve under the weight of ifi&rdinatg Lofik of tha Whrld:^ of therii- vi^hen ithey come ; but iri either cafe att incaMifolable Sorrctw: aad.I3®j?ftitfja) of heart is uijbecaabiiiDg bothiifee Maa and) the Chriftian; and a certain pj3©af thsat th.4; plain ;Principfes:, cf , GhriS^aj^t^ have ^ot taken their pri^rhold of,,visi„tQ fi^bduelnf us a too great Love fo^ the prefent ,World. > , {Lafily). It. is an jbdica,t3cwtha.t we lov^ diegoadthin^sof this Life too: much whei^ we are 'riot t|i?fikfulfor theqi, and; forget tq make our AcknOwledgpi^eiits to Him at whofe band wf; hold them, ^ Bepa-i^fe thif difeovers fuclv a Bhridnefs an,4 ^^jgqopfidera-t tion of min^, fuCh a total ;Wgnt pli j-isi^ Thought) amd 'Rei'eftien .s^% ¦^^^^^g but a predflminance pf f^iifual a^d WQPJdly Affec tion^ could create., -<:^ f^;,., , , - So much may fuffice to fli??i!v the reftric-r tion and latitude with whiph the Prohibition^ iri the Text is to be taken, and, wh9n\we are juftly chargeable with the C^rime; th^ i? heare forbid, and when not. Jhe next thing I pr©pofed.w^s-T-to la* before you the Grounds of this prohibiitipn j -or to fhew you for what reafons w^ are thus exprefsly cautioned againft a^ immoderate Love pf this prefenft World. G 2 But ^4 The. Nature and Danger of an Serm. Biit this miift be referved for the SubSeft ^^^' ofthe enfuing Difcourfe. I fhall now con-, elude this with two or three ;particularsj of Improvement. And f . ¦ _ , ( i) Let it be remember'd that what iiath been deliver'd 6n this Subjeft Is of equal Concern to perfons of all conditions in Life ; whether iri' high, low or middle Rank. It is a Miftake- to think that they who, have moft of the World are the only peffons^ who are in dariger of a criminal- paflion fbr it. Every human Heart is acceffible ¦ to' it's de ceitful Charms : and the loweft are as lia ble to be captivated by thofe pleafujes and amufements which are fuited to their tafte and condition as the higheft: and confe quently in equal danger of loving the World too much, in fome fliape or other : which obfervation daily experience verifies. (2) Let us all. In our very next retir'd moments for felf-examinadbn, take this point in hand, and fearch it to the Bottom; Let us put this Queftion to our felves fe rioufly — do Hove this World too much? — and let us decide It Impartially, by a care^- ful application of the foremention'd partly culars ; which for the fake of your raeraory I ftiall inordinate Love of the World. I fliall briefly recapitulate. — Do I negleft fliy Soul arid my Intereft in another World, for the fa[ke. of any thing in this ? — f Do I grow pfbud and vain of what I have, and defpife others purely hecaufe they have 'it not ?.r-?-Do I truft to, or place my confidence in, ariy of the good things of this Life ? — Dare I make bold with Confciencej or vio late the obfigations pf Religipn for the fake of a woridly Advantage ?— Am I av^ffe to afts of Charity and Beneficence .? -r- Am I tormented with a reftlefs Solicitude about earthly things .^™ or irrccondleably fretful and peevifli when any worldly Calamity befalls me ? — Or am I unthankful for thofe Bleffings which GOD hath given to me, and denied to others ?. — Thefe are all fad fymptoms of that wbrft Diftemper pf the Soul, Wofldly-mindednefs. ~ \ , {Lafily) If upon exaraination v^e find juft the Reverfe of all this tb be our cafe, 'tis a happy evidence that the Love of GOD prevails in our Hearts above the Love of the World. If, when we are eraploy 'd in our fecular Affairs and are blefs'd with a comfortable portipn pf earthly Good, ftill G •; our The Nati^ fund Dang^ *^f'm our diief Concern is' about our Soulfe; If we are irieek, condefeending and :humhfe ^ diffident of our worldly Sii«»e, ^d dare npt Venture on any thirtg'Ufilawful or difhonour able to increafe it ; If We are charitable and beneficent, fetisfied and tonteht under the Difpofitidnis of Providence ; quiet and .eafy whatever GOD Is pleaS'd to take' frx)rii us, arid thankful for whatever he -is pleas'd to eoritiflUe to us ; we may juftly Csonckide then, that our heartis are free liroaaJi that iia- ful affeftibft for the Wprld Pur Text for- hids, and that the Lo¥e ef^iOD dbidetb in vs, '¦- '¦¦¦" Tfie My JAM. r . '^L WHY do we feek fehcity Where 'tis not to be fourid j And not, dear Lord, look up.to thee Where all delights abound i"', "IL ' \ ¦! Why do we feek for treafure' here, ""On this falfe barren land ; Where nought but empty fhells appear. And marks df flilpwreck ftand .? IIL O inordinate Love of the World. 8 7 "j Serm. IIT. III. OfA^qrld, h(>w little dcHhy joys • Cbncerri''afoUi that knows ~~ Herfelf riot made for fuch low toys, , ¦ As thy ppof- hand beftows 1-'- ~ IV. World, take away thy tinfel wares. That dazzle here our eyes : Let us go up above the ftars. Where ail par treafure lies. . V ,."''. ^^ .1 , '^ ¦ t-v\ ft. The Way Aye know, our^deareftLord'* Himfelf Is ebrie befoi:e ;. Artd hath engag d his faithful word -. To open u|jtie door, ,^^^ _ • VL '^^'\ , But, O my God, reach down thy hand. And • takej us up to thee, , , That we ^bout thy throne may ftand, , And, all thy glory fee. Q 4g , SERMON S E R M O N IV. The nature and danger of an inor dinate Love of the World. John ii. 15. Love not the Worlds Serm. ' | ^HAT we might more difHnftly JV. X comprehend the extent, grounds and '—V—' reafon of this Caution, , I propofed, I, To fliew wha!t we are to underftand by the World, which we are here forbid to love. II, In what latitude and with what re ftriftions this Prohibition Is to be under- - ftood. Thefe two Heads were the Subjeft ofthe- preceding Pifcourfe. — I now proceed, to the third ^ng I propofed^- wz, m. To The Nature and Danger^ &c. 89 •¦--.: -• ¦•¦ ' Serm. III. To lay before you the Grounds and ffff^ Reafons of dils counfel, or fhew you why we are thus particularly caution'd againft an exceffive LoVe of the World, , Now here I propofe, 1. To fuggeft to you a few general Con-- fiderations proper to guard us againft this finful Affeftion. And then, , z. More particularly to urge thofe two Motives by which the Apoftle himfelf en forces the Adylce in the Text. , I . I am to fuggeft a few general Con fiderations proper.to guard us againft an im moderate Love of the prefent Worl^. To this .end then let it be confider'd, , ( I ) How many dangerous Teriiptations ^t lays in the ;way of our Souls. How many Avocations to draw us off from the purfuit pf triie. Wifdom,? and how many Impedi ments to interrupt us in it! How many Diffipations to divert us from the vvay of Piety! and how many, AUuremertts to ener vate our beift Refolutions ! And hence itis repre-t go Tke Nature and Danger of an Serm; . reprefented as .one of the three great Ene- y^l . ^^ ^ our Souls, And it i^ fp : but the truth is, 'tis our own fault. that it often' proves fo dangerous a one. Did we kee^p k at a diftance it could not hurt us. .. The beft- way to overcome the World is to deal by it as Fabius did by Hannihef; keep it at May, and take care to give it no Advantage. At a dofe Encountef we fhall find pur ftrength unequal. ^rr. ', r- This is very apparent in one cafe, which I fhall here particularly mention. — We have often the pleafure of feeing ferious Im preffions form'd in' the Minds of YoUth, 'by the Influence of religious principles and the- Bleffing of GOD Upon .'a good and pious education; and in therri we flatter oUr ffelves we" behold the futifre' fuppbf ts ' arid ornaraents of Religion, But how often does' this fair and'jpromlfing Plpfpeft fail us! That goo4 Difpofition forrii^d iri 'the Mind w:hilft it was yet* untainted'-' with worldly Lufts, tbo ofteu decays in prbpbrtion as the' World attrafts It : and thofe ferious Irri-; preffions ' perhaps are never reviv'd to any good purpofe till age or affliftion call off the heart' from the Worid' again.'-' They -' then imrdinate Love ofthe World.' dien return } and with diem, a fad convic- tibft of the Danger to Hvhich their Folly hadv redtttied them. But if, whilft they are diuS'Wn^ri'ftg from GOD in purfuit of ttie Worldi ' 5^ey fhPuld meet Death in die Way-i—hidw dreadful would be die Cafe \ • 'Appftafcy frtim ^'Religipn is a frequent efffeft of aMtbo^gteat paffioh for the World; Bemas 'hdthfo?faken usfhavittg hved this p'eJiHtWhrM-^z). "¦ And- thy 'who^' wiil be richfiM intO"tempi-iitiyn and a Snare, '^nd into ^Atij' fioliflo -and fer^'w/^ tjufts-; 'pMch &f& ^ifik^iAtii -err fi^ciM the Faith andnhta ^rd*wnSek'in De^u^ikmd pjerditi)ok (Is). ft'ffrft lea^s- meri' to fmaller neglefts pf ^utyi Jheri to greater-; this diipofes them to venture firft on fome leflfcf firis, them • upon others wiiadfe are mope heinous. Uppn this they boldly pall into Queftion one Article pf 'OhrfiliSftity; then anodier; but anwiUing throughly tb i^i'amine the Truth of any : at length tbey take up with t3aat fcheme c^ ^eligibfe ('whatever it be) that is 4:iKioft &- vourable to theiT Vices, and- iits moft eafy on; their wbrlfily -mirids. For in general you will fiiid, diat none are more loofe and ';;. .;-- :::::: _ ., _, . '' J:. . j vaguc • '{d) a' Tim. iv. lo. {h\ i Tim. vi. 8—10. The Nature and-Danger jf an vague in their religious pririGlples than thofe who have fuffer'd the World and the Lufts* of It to get poffeffion of their Hearts. ,\ And' indeed according to the, nature of thing?; it cannot be ptherwjfe. . : And artiongft all our moderri Free-thinkers you will not eafily find one In \yhom (upon a careful view of their Difpofition) this does not plainly ap pear to have been the firft, Delufion ; or whofe fcepticifm may not be trac'd up to their. Vanity, Ambition, Avarice or^^Sen- fuality,,as it's original fource : and^^ho ali the while, countenanc'd by the Cpnverfation and Cbnfidence of thpfe whs think us freely. (I mean Sl^ fuperficial^) as themfelves, are not once aware of the Cheat, buf are guided by It and glpry In it, • "~?r (2) The more fond we are of the World the greater is our Danger from it. The more it , engages our Hearts the more power it has to captivate themi The further we venture into the Snares and Entanglements this Enemy hath laid for us, the lefs able fliall we be either, to -fight or retreat. When Craffus fhe Roman General enter'd upon the War againft the Parthians (allured by the Gold and Riches of their Country) he fuffer'd inordinate Lov-e off^e World. fijffer'd himfelf to be -inveigled by the Ene my, vyhp drew his Arniy which was chiefly compos'd of Foot, .iijto the rri}dftofavaft landy defart ; where,; when they were half dea4 with Fatigue and Thirft,. arid h^lf bi|iried i^ the Sand, the Parthian Horfe fud denly came upon them , arm'd with an in credible, number' of arfows, by which- the Roman Soldiers were cruelly gall'd .and wounded ; and astjiey were j^either able to come up with -the En emiy, nor fly. from them, they were pblig'd to ftand as a Butt to the Parthian arrows difcharg'd upon them at a diftance, whereby the whole army ^ rai-;- ferably perifhed. A, rnan deceived by th.e Lufts and entangled in the Snares of fh.^ World is very much in the fame fiti^atiori : only -with this difference, that he furnifhes his Enemy with weapons to,jV^oun,d him; whilft at the, fame , time he is .equally inca pable either of defence or flight. If we in* cautioufly plunge into all the 'Temptations and Snares of the World, we muft expeft to be entangled ; and not only fp, but in the end to have our ^ Soulf pierced through with many Sorrows {c). .. (cJ I Tim. vJ. la The Nature and Danger of an (3) An eiecffiye paffion for the Wcfl^ld defeats 'it's' bwn endi' The"'m<^e"iriord!i-i nately ¦^e love k, the fefs Capable we are of the true Enjoyrticnt of It. If this appt^a? a Paradox, a little refleftibh Will ^foon ibl^l-e it — In the Mifefs cafe 'tis plain enough! He loves his Money tba wdl to toUch'It. And being thus render 'd incapable of en joying what heftath fet hi? heart upon, He muft needs be (what he is fo often arid fo eminently called) the Mifer, 'or the mifefdbk man, — The Devotees of pleafiire zn&'hh- nour are much Irt the fame cafe ; who ofteti purfue their reQieftlve Objefts too eageriy lo attain them, or ufe them too freely to erii joy thera. If we fqueeze the World too hiard we Wririg out dregs.* In our Cup of Worldly Blifs the fweeteft lies at top: he who drinks tbo deep will find it naUfeous, A true Enjoyraent ofthe World maybe better had frbrti a Competency than Redunr dance. There is more incumbrance thaa fcbmfort In Superfluities. ¦¦'- i i " The truth is, in that violent purfuit after the World "to which men are prompted by ari exceffive paffion for It, they conrinPrtly over-run their moft' fubftantial Bleffings ; their 'inordim,te Love of the WofM^ their t Health," Timei 'Pedtte,' Friendflilp, Reputatiort, and the Joys of a good" Con-i fcience : A ifind at laft, perhaps, they nifever attairt what diey have all their Lives purfued at fb val^ art 'Expence : or if they doi It i^ not ^ the extent of their wifhes ; they are ftiU Pravirtgi-or if they have gain'd aH their Heai-t can #ifh,' it ttiAries tob' lastej when they baVe but llitle power, Or taftej or tirne;' left to enjoy if: ttt if this be not die cafe, yet tb enjoy it as 'Irianodefatfely as they defir'd arid purfued it. Is fo far froni recompencin'g the pains they took to obtain it, that it is the ready way tb make them fick of it,, artd deprive therafelves of any further relifh for it. What then isto be done ? why only to defire, purfue and en joy the good things of fliis Life with Mode ration, and under the reftriftions of Reafbn and Religion.' Thus only can we enjoy them to advarntage ; that is, take q!F the ¦Sweet, and leave all the Bitter behind. (4) Why fhould we love the Worid fo much, when diere is nothing in itdfarfiuts the Dignity or fatisfies the Defires of pur Souls ? Thei pleafure^ and amufements it offers aiiei\faptcdto the weakeft partof our nature, The Naturemd Danger of an nature, and fuited only to the Infapcy^of Puf Exiftence, TThere Is one phfervatipn which fb evi-' dently demonflrates; the emptinefs of all our earthly fatisfaftion? and amiffepaents, that I am furpriz'd it is notmore generally attend ed to. And that Is, that. through evieiry ftage of Life men fp conftantly out-grow the Tafte of them. The Joys that amufed us in our Infancy ceafe to do fo when we ar rive at the age of Youth : The Entertain- ments of youth 'no longer delight us when grown up to men : The pleafures of young men are defpifed by thofe of advanced age, who have pleafures (fuch as they are) pe culiar to themfelves ; for the dregs of life have much more bitter than fweet ; and our pleafures then (if we may call them fo) are all dry, feeble and wither'd, as the cold fhaking hand which ftill grafjis them. — Strange ! that our own Experience does not make ns wife ! that we do not fee the Emp tinefs of our worldly fatisfaftions till we have outgrown the Relifh of them ! but ftrartger ftill that we fhould not fee it then ! — How happy were it if, as we furvive the Tafte of fb mauy paft-e^v\h\y Delights, we could inordinate Lotse of the World. 97 could fUfVive the Folly of expeftlng too Serm. much from the future I for what reafon IV. have we tb believe that thefe will not foon ' — ""^ becoriie as infipid as the reft ? — But in the mea!n tirae, what are all thefe to a Soul ; a pure, Immortal Soul, wdiich out-hves them all ; which finds none of them in the other World, and to whofe nature, capacity and true tafte they are altogether foreign ! II. Let Us now particularly confider thofe two tnotives whereby the Apoftle himfelf enforces the Caution he gives in the Text. which are thefe : 1. An exceffive Love of the World is inconfiftent With a fincere Love of GOD. If any man love the World, the love of tke Father is not in him^ ,,, 2. The uncertain 'and tranfient nature of all earthly things', the World paffeth a- way, andthe Lufi thereof, ver. 17. I . An exceffive Love of the World is In confiftent with a fincere Love of GOD. If any man love the World, the Love of the Father is not in him. Thefe are things of fo oppofite a nature that they can never have place together in the fame Heart ; but (like fire and water) H one The Nature and Danger of an one will expel or extinguifh the other. To make this more apparent, let it be confider'd (i) That an imraoderate Love of the -World, or of any thing in it, is paying that Devotion and Homage of our Heart to the Creature which is due only to the Creator, Perhaps we may have often been furpris'd, in reading the Hiftory ofthe Ifraelites, to obferve how ftrangely addifted that people were to the Sin of Idolatry ; notwithftand ing the repeated Warnings given them tb ' avoid it, and the frequent Calamities they fuffer'd as the punifliment of it. We pity their Folly, and call thera ftupid and incor-^ rigible. But let us confider ; are we fure that we ourfelves do not aft a part equal ly abfurd and irapious .? for whatever we love raore thin GOD, that is the Idol we * have fet up in oppofition to him. And if we obferve but how eafily it obtains the Devotion of our Hearts, arid robs GOD of his due Honour, we raay fee reafon, I doubt, to turn rauch of that Cenfure upon ourfelves ; for Covetoufnefs is Idolatty (d). {if) What vile Ingratitude as well as Folly is here ! to love the good things we enjoy ,piore than the kind Friend at whofe Hand ^A-;/ :. we (i/) Col. iii. 5. ¦.inordmate Love of the World.- We .receive them ! He gave us .thefe Blef- fjngson purpofe ip attraft our Heart to &';«- y^^, and .not that it;fhpuld pentre iri them : and if we love his Gifts more than himfelf, we quite pervert [die Defign of theni. To prevent .this Abufe, he hath wifely n>ix'd with the Sweets of .Life many bitfer Ingre- di(^nts ; to. take pff that intoxicating Qua lity, of them which is apt to inake us infen- .fihle- to our fuperior .expeftajtions : fo, th^t .every earthly pleafure. hath it's pain, and, no ^vpridly Joy is ^.u^allay'd. And if after t^a we, ftill prefer it to the Favour and Love . of Q O D— what, bafe . Ingratitude ! r Befides, (3) To, love tjie World more thaa GOD is a plain indication of the A- poilacy of. the Heart from him. 'And, from ,t;his inward Apoftacy of the Heart, begins- the outward Apoftacy in Life, The World ^ is . .the. moft fuecefsful Engine whereby the great Enemy of .Mankind is drawing thera off from GOD and their true, Happinefs. He no fooner -fires their. Hearts with a pafli- on for the plea¬fures, the honours, or the prpfits of the,|Vorld, ,th^n immediately all ..true Sentiments pf GOD and .Religion are excluded ; and in the room thereof a ftrong H 2 dilaffec- The Ndtufe and Danger bf an difaiKftion thereunto excited. And the mort warmly their Hearts engagein thefe fenfual Purfuits, the farther ftill are they draWA from GOD. All this now is implied in that Immode rate Love of thfe World the Text forbids. And can fuch Idolatry, fuch Ingratitude, fuch Apoftacy frorii GOD confift With a fincere Love for hirri ? moft certainly they cannot. It Is demonftrable then, that if the Love of the Wbrld prevail in the Heart, it will banifh the Love of GOD from thence. And If this be gorie, we lofe the very prin ciple and capacity of Happinefs : for oUr Love to GOD is that which alone makes us capable of being happy In his Love ; fbr as he loves them that lo'oe him, fo he cannot love them whofe lleaf ts are averfe to him, and devoted to his Rival. An Immoderate Love of the World at once rertders a mart incapable of loving GOD, and of being belov'd by him. And this is what the A- poftle means by the Expreffion, the Love of the Father is not in him. And what a force and importance does this confideration of the Apoftle give to the Caution in the Text, lovg not the World ! But 2. Let inordinate L(yos of the World, loi 2. Let us now attend to the other cpnfi- Serm.'^ deration, whereby the Apoftle enforces the . ^^' caution he gives in the Text; "u/z, that the fafhion ofthe world paffeth away, that is, the prg^fent fcheme of things is changing, ajtjd we are changirtg with it: e'er lortg we fhall be taken from them, or the relifli and defire of then> fhall be takert from us: for not ortly the world paffeth away but the lufts thereof. The phrafe aptly denotes that the vvorld, and every thing in it, is rnutable and mor tal ; conftandy changing, and haftening ar pace to diffolutibn. ( I ) By this phrafe is denoted the mutabili ty of all earthly things. The bleffings we rejoipe in to day, we are not fecure of to morrow, for who knows what a day may bring forth ? every thing under the moon is (like that) continually fhifting appearances, and never keeps the fame face long. Time, like fire, is wafting, changing .and confuming every thing it preys upon : and like that too, when it has no more fuel to feed it, will be extinguifh'd itfelf; and time ftall be no more. — Every thing around us changes : the fea fons change, places change, perfons change, H 3 ourfelves 102 The Nature ahd Danger- of an Serm. ourfelves change; the ftature, ftrength and IV. form of our bodies change ; the tafte, tera per and fentiments of our fnind change : the former (the properties ofthe body) are, or foon will be, changing for the worfe ; our great care then fhould be that the latter (the properties of the mind) may be continually changing for the better: and then our Gain will far exceed our Lofs. — Nbw, when every thing around us appears fo change able, how can we imagine that bur worldly enjoyments are the only things that do not change ? if we do, let our own experience undeceive us. In a word, all things in the world change, except mankind's raad attachment to it; and that indeed will always be the fame till Wifdom open their eyes, and Reafon and Religion gain the government ofthe heart. Now, can things fo mutable and deficit. ent fuit or fatisfy a Soul \ a Soul that pants for fomething immortal as itfelf; and whofe Pefire after perfeft Happinefs (if it knew where to -find it) is perpetually the fame. And one would think that wheji it is not to be found in the creature, it were natural to feek ft fome where elfe ; and that our difr- appoint' inordinate Love of the World, appointments fliou'd lead us to GOD; ia whom alone we fliall find that perfeft peace the world can never give. — 0, let! us not open our hearts to the world ; fpr if it do not elude our embrace, it will certainly wither in our arms. Let us now briefly apply this Confidera tion to thofe things, whereby the world is jnoft apt to attraft us. Love not the Pleafures ofthe world : for they pafs aii'ay ; pall on the fenfe : they firft grow, infipid, theii diftafteful. The fnow which Tip^e throws on our head chills thera ; and they gre no longer able to warm the heart. Love not the Riches of the world: for fhty pafs away. One who had thp rnoft of them affures us of this. Riches (fais he) cer tainly make themfelves wings and flee a- nvay (e). The expreffion is rernarkable: they' flee away upon wings of their own making: fornetimes on the wings of prodi^ gality and profufion; foraetiraes on the wings of ambition; and fometimes the ufe of them flies away on the Very wings they make to fe cure and fupport them : I mean covetuouf- H 4 nefs^ (e) ?ro-v. xxiii, 5, I04 The Nature and Danger of a^ Serm. ncfs; which takes frorn a man the very IV- power to erijoy them. And this they certainly '"¦"^'"^ do (fais he) however contrary this fenti ment be to the general opinion of mankind. They often thus flee away upon their own wings: however, they are continually flee ing away on the rapid wings of Time, by which they will prefently be carried out of fight, as an eagle ihatfiieth towards Heaven. Love not the Honours pf the world : they are tranfitpry too. the man who is in ho nour abideth not (f). And how fliould he, when the very foundation of his honour is as unftable as he himfelf is mutable ? Love not your Friends — top much. I mean, that which is mortal and mutable in them ; for they alfp pafs away. Their Friend- ,fhip may poffibly terrainate in Life : many unforefeen events tnay concur to create indif^ ference ; and in ardent friendfhips indiffe rence is Death. However, our Friends are mortal. This we have the mortification to fee almoft every day, in the Difeafes of fome and the Death of others : for all Flefio is Grafs, and as the Flower off he Grafs itpaff^ eth away (g). Love (f) Tfa. xlix. 12. (g) Jam. i. lO. inordinate Love of the World f 105 Love not your Body top much, for this Serm, alfo paffeth away. It's beauty periflieth. It's IV- vigour weakens, it's fait' form Is decaying ; it is, like the clothes that cover it, the worfe for wearing ; and ere long will be quite worn out, and laid afide as ufelefsv Transfer then that exceffive loye you are apt to have for your Body to your Soul, which better deferves if: for this will never wear out, never decay; but will furvive all the devaftations which Time makes irt a mortal world. Thus (as the Apoftle fais) the faftion of the world paffeth away (h). that is, the fcheme, ftrufture, aud ftate of all earthly things are corttinually changing and tendirtg to diffolutiort. • But, what rnuft I do thert (you will ' fay) ? cart I love nothing fafely ? I cannot ? live without love,' — Yes, love GOD: him you cannot love tbo much; there's your centre, there's your reft ; there alone is your immutable objeft (/). But (2) This Phrafe, the world paffeth away, may denote the mortality as well as the mu tability of all earthly things; than y^^hich no fentiinent (h) 1 Cir. vii. 31,, (i) Omnia prteteremt , prater amare Deum. The Nature and Danger of an fentiment can be more proper to extinguifh an inordinate affeftion for them. The very Earth we inhabit is made of corruptible materials, and will Itfelf 'ere long be burnt up with all it's works : not only the form, but the very fubftance of it fhall be chartged. For this we have a Di vine Authority, which aflures us, that the Elements ftall mdt with fervent heat, the Earth alfo and the works that are therein ftall be burnt up (k). But this event, tho' infinitely tremendous and very proper to wean our hearts from fo perifhable a world, yet is confider'd by us as at fuch a diftance that It too often fails of it's effeft. I therefore add Eveiy earthly objeft of our love is mor tal; and to fet our hearts upon it, is to fufpend our Happinefs by a thread which is, every moraent in danger of breaking. Our poffeffions, our friendfhips, our relations are all dying coraforts. And if we have a friend in the world dearer to us than all our other joys, and who alone raakes up our chief Happinefs in it, O ! let us not forget that; that friend is mortal too. Lai. (k) 2 Vet. iii. lO. inor dinette Lo've ^ of the World. ¦ i of ¦ JL^^, We ourfelves are raortal; and are Serm. daily paffing but of di6 world to which we IV. are fo unreafonably attach'd. Why fliould we love this WPfld fo friUch, whofefweets we can enjoy but a litde while at lortgeft, and then muft leave thefrt for ever ? and the more we loVe it, the more loath fliall We be to leave It. And wheri we do, it will be under the additional horror of this Reflee-^ tion, that our ardent Paffion for this world hath render'd»us too reraifs in preparing for a better : and then too late fhall we reproach ourfelves for riot attending to the caution the Apoftle gives us In the Text ; and which the contrary praftice of raarikind, together with our owrt bad difpofition of heart, raade Us backward to believe to be of that Impor tance which we fhall then find it. What is faid of Truth may with equal propriety be faid of our ttue Happinefs ; we behold it, as we foinfetimes do the Sun, through a grofs and dufky raediura, which makes uS think it to be where it is not. But who would imagine that reafonable creatures fhoUld fo widely miftake it, as to fuppofe it to lie in this world, when it al! the while lies in another ? or who would imagine I o 8 Th^ Nature and Danger of an S^RM. imagine that neither Reafon nor Revelation; IV. nor Refleftion, nor Experience, fhould be "'' ^ able to convince men pf this fatal miftake ! which Death alone can reftify, O mart, whoever thou art, that Ipveft this world too much, know that thou muft diei— And how will things appear to thee on a dying hed! — would to GOD thou wouldf| but think now in the fanie njanner thou wilt theri I thou wouldft tremble at thy folly; thy defperate folly, Iu expofirtg tj^yfelf to eter-r nal ruirt, and makirtg that ruin urtavoidable^ for the fake of any thing this world„cart af ford, O, that I could but faftert upou thee any Conviftions like thofe w^ich will then penetrate thy foul !r~ Vain wifli ! — All j have faid, or pan fay, thou wilt hear ; per haps approve ; and die^i forget ! But Death will be more eloquent, — that will fpeak to thee \v\. Thunder; with a Force thou wilt feel, with a Terror thou canft not refift; dart the keeneft Refleftions, li|ce, pointed Arrows, into thine heart ; ftorm the weak Intrenchmertts the World hath vairtly throwrt up agairtft thera ; Invade thy fOul at once, and lay it all in Defolation and Ruins I — Why inordinate Love ofthe World. — Why wilt thou not prevent the Horrors of that Day! I will conclude with one Sentimertt that is worth reniembering.— We none of us judge aright of this World. And the reafon Is this. We judge of It as a man does ofa Fog with which he is furrounded: whilft he is in the midft of it, he does not thirtk it to be fo thick artd foul, and noxious as it is., To judge aright he muft get out of it ; vie^ it at a diftance; then It appears to him What it really is, and much worfe than it did be fore; and he pities thofe who breathe In fuch unwholefome Air. In like manner, let us rife above the World on the wings of Con.. templatlon and Faith, and behold it from that Eminence ; or let us recede a little from it, and take our Staud on the Confines of Death, and view it from thence; and we fhall then form a jufter notion, (and confe quently have a worfe opinion) of It, thari we can have whilft we are in the. hiidft of it's bufy Scertes; artd be more difpofed to heark en to the Apoftle's important Caution, Love mt the World. The j.io fhe Nature. and Danger Sec. j^ ...U.O,. The Hymn. - ¦" :L •¦^^TTH Y fhoUld this earth delist us fo v.?^ * -Why fhould we fix our eyes On thefe low- grounds where^fpfrows grow, ^nd every pleafure dies ? ' IL While time his fharpeft teeth, prepares Our comforts tp devour, ThereJs a land above the ftai:s,. ^, And, joys above his power. , u.:.i ¦¦- 'm.-"- ¦••-:•;¦ Nature fhall V4iffolv'd arid die, ^ " ' The fun muft end his race. The earth and fea forever' fly ' ' "Before my Saviour's face. ' IV. "When .will that gloriouSi morning rife ? Whert the laft trumpet fourtd, - And call the nations to the ikies .---From underneath the ground? > SER- SERMON V. The great Danger of Inconftaiicjr in Religion. Ho s. VI. 4. 0 Ephrmm, what fhall I do unto theef 0 yudah, what fijall I do unto thee f for your Goodnefs is as a Morning Cloudy and as the early Dew., it goeth away. TH E charafter of the Jews, is a Glafs held up to us in the facred Scriptures, in which we are call'd to behold our own. And if we careftilly review our paft, beha viour towards GOD, we fhall find it to bear but too juft a refemblance to that of his. an- tiertt People : and may obferve in our felves much the fame Ingratitude, Frowardnefs, Murriiuring, Stupidity, Idolatry, Worldli- nefs. '^e great Danger of riefs, and Pronefs to backflide and rebel, i,i we read and blame in them. They are fet up (the Apoflie tells Us) as our enfamples (or Sea-marks, to fhew us the Rocks ort which they fplit) that by them we may take warning to avoid their Sins, left we fhare their Fate. And there is rtothing wherein we are more apt to imitate that perverfe and unto ward Generation, than what they are charg ed with irt the Text: viz. the ficklenefs of their Tempers, and the Inconftancy of their good Difpofitions. This was peculiarly re markable irt them : in their Affliftion they fought the Lord; In their Profperity they re- bell'd againft hira : they hurabled therafelves urtder his chaftening Hand ; and no fooner was that reraoved but they returnd again to Folly, And thus was their Goodnefs as the morning Cloud, and as the early Dew, which goeth away. This Prophet Hofea (whofe narae figni fies, the farae as fhztCif Joftua, a Saviour) liv'd in the days of Uzziah, Jot ham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah (a). He was fent (a) Chap. i. I . So that he muft have prophefied at leaft feventy Years. He flourilh'd at the beginning ofthe two moft Inconflancy in Religion. 113 fent to prophefy both to Ifrael and Judah; Serm. but efpecially to the forraer: to forwanl V. them of the approaching Judgments of '-"v-« God ; to reprove thera for their Sins, and call thera to Repentance; and to give them: intimations of Divine, Mercy if they would be reclaim'd. The Prophets Ifaiah and Micah were fent to the houfe of Judah ; Amos and Ho fea, to the houfe of Ifrael : they were all four Coternporaries;. receiv'd the farae Cora- miflion, arid were fent on the farae Errand. But how little effeft thefe divine Admoni tions had on that incorrigible Race, the fe quel of their Hiftory abundantly fhe ws,^~ 'Thus did GOD hew them by his Prophets i but when after all thefe loppings, fliakings and prunings (like knotty and rotten trees) they remain'd ftill unfruitful, he at length fent the Affyrian and Babylonian Sword tb hew thera down, and entirely root thera" out. I ^ Let moft famous ^crcjof the world, -u/'k. the building ofRome,!LnS. the frft Olympiad: and liv'd to fee Samaria taken, and the ten Tribes of Ifrael carried captive by Salmanczer, king of .^ff^ria, A. M. 5220 J 1^6 Years before the captivity of Judah. f^oy^ 114 The great Danger of Serm. Let us now particularly attend to the pa-» V' thetick Expoftulation which (after many unfuccefsful Methods us'd to reclairii thern) GOD makes with them in the words of the Text. O Ephraim {i, e. the houfe of Ifrael, or the ten Tribes) what ftoall I do unto theef O Judah {i. e. the houfe of Judah, or the two Tribes) ivhat fhall I do unto thee '^ for your Goodnefs is as a morning Cloud, and as ihe early Dew, it goeth away. Thefe words confift of two parts, — I. A eharge which GOD brings againft his antient people the Jews. II, q^ comipaffioriate Remonftrance with them hereupon. I. Let Us confider the Charge which GOD here brings againft his antient People the Jews : in thofe wdrds,._yo«r goodnefs is as a morning Cloud, and as the early Dew, if goeth away. Upon thefe words we may make the fol^ lowing Obfervations ; each of which I pro-^ pofe difldnftly to handle, ' I. That the people of GOD are too apt to Idfe their beft frames, and to be inconftant and Inconfiancy in Religion. off \ 1 1 8 . The great Danger of Serm, off from the duties of Piety, or fteaJ V. Into our hearts, and render us formal and cold in the dlfcharge of them! Our Lord has warn'd us of this : you cannot ferve two Ma fters : two fuch oppofite Mafters, as GOD ^nd the World, Let us chufe then this day which we will ferve. — To direft our choice let us confider which will give us the beft Wages. The World indeed promifes forae prefent good, but 'tis more fhowy than folid ; jnore ftriking than fubftantial : 'tis neither a fuitable nor a permanent good ; and has lit tle raore to recortiraend it than that 'tis pre fent and pleafing to the fenfes.-*- But the Wages which GOD beftows upon his Ser-r vants are both in point of value and duration infinitely greater. In a word, he gives in hand all the beft this World has to give, as an earneft that he will foon beftow upoij them fomething incomparably better. And were Intereft only to influence our views we ought in all reafon to give the preference to fuch a Mafter, But let me here obferve, that there is noj |hing in the World that weakens our religi ous principles, or damps our pious, fervors ynore, than the influence of bad Company : , or Inconfiancy in Religion. 1 1^ i6r to have conftantly before our Eyes, the S-erm. example of thofe who have not the fear of V. GOD before theirs. This prefents Virtue ^"""'^ and Vice, Folly and Wifdom, Truth and Falfehood, Religion and the World, all In a wrong Light and under falfe Colours : and by that means gives us very wrong Impreffi-^ ons and Apprehenfions of things, and reprcr fents them as very different from what they ^ really are. And thefe Injpreffions are fome times fo ftrong, that when we come to read the word of GOD, and fee things there fet jn quite anotlier Light, the mind Is emba- rafs'd, bewilder'd, diftrefs'd; and we are tempted either not to believe the word of GOD to be a Di-^ne Revelation, or not tp regard it as fuch, fo as to form our Life and Temper by it, — This is a raoft dangerous artd fatal Srtare ; but none more comraon : againft which young people efpecially cannot be too much upon their guard, if they would not lofe the firft ferious Impreffions which Religion makes upon their minds, (^) Another thing that ra,akes our goodr -- pefs fo variable, is a negleft of, or an allow'4 formality in the duties of fecret Devotion. Thefe are defign'd to correft and coui^ter- I 4 " aft , i^<> The great Danger of Sj;rm. aft the bad influence which our daily con- -_L J '^^^^^^ with, and engagements in the World are apt to leave upon the mind ; and every Evening to rub off the ruft our Souls have gather'd in the Day ; andin the beginning of every Week to cleanfe thera frora fhe ftains and filth they have contrafted in the forraer. And if thefe facred Offices he neglefted, or flightly perform'd, our Souls will gather as much duft and defilement, as our Perfons, Clothes, or Houfes do when thus negleft ed. And is not the Soul the better part ? fhould we not then at leaft take as^ rauch care to keep thera pure and clean as we do to keep our. Bodies fo; or thofe things which only ferve the conveniencies of the Body ? a total negleft of our outer man is not fo offenfive to Men, as a total negleft ofour inner man is to GOD. 'Tis the Soul that he looks at; and continually obferves what care we take of it, or how much we negleft to adorn it with the graces of his Spirit, and it's proper ornaments Vertue and Piety. If the Impreffions of Religion are fo apt to vanifh, they ought to be the more fre quently renew'd : if the heart fo foon grows pold, it ought to be the often.er warm'd, and how Inconfiancy in Religion. 121 how is that to be done ? but by thefe ftated. Serm. pious Recolleftions, and the frequent en- V. gagemerit of the heart in the duties of De votion. - There was not much Spirituality in the Jewifh Religion ; at leaft it was greatly iur cumber'd with Ceremonies. It is no wonder -therefore that the hearts of that people grew fo cold and carnal. However, this was the beft part of their Religion ; and was always efteem'd fo by all good men. And hov^ much this inward Piety was Davids Delight and Study, his colleftion of Pfalms is a ftand ing Monument. But now, the Religion of die Gofpel is all inward, pure, pious and fpiritual : has to do with nothing but the heart. To keep this with diligence, to guard and govern our Spirits, to examine the ftatq of our Souls, to keep all right within, to pre ferve a proper teraper both toward GOD and Man, and to keep the raind habitually difpofed to every good Work, is all we have to do. But all this can never be done, if the ftated duties of Devotion are neglefted. Without frequent and fervent engagements of this kind, our Goodnefs will foon become like the morning Cloud, or the early Dew.(3) Next 122 The great Danger of 3erm. (3) Next to a negleft of, or an indulged V. formality in the Duties of Religion, rtothin^ enervates a pious principle more than an^ unguarded, diffolute and precipitate con-^ duft ; which betrays us iiito many Temp* tatiorts, and leaves us defertcelefs ur>der them, There is no fuch thing as maintaining peace of Confcience and the power of Re ligion, in fuch a world as we are In, with-? out much circurafpeftion artd vigilance. 4. man that lives at random and obeys the, beck of every vague humour and fancy, is in much the fame fituation as a veffel tli^t drives at the mercy of the Winds and Waves ; and is in great danger of making Shipwreck, both of Faith and a good Con- fciertce. If the prirtciples of Chriftianity do not govern the Life, they will foon ceafe to affeft the heart. If we make no fcruple to tranfgrefs the rules of Religion in our Conduft, we cannot expeft to feel the Power pf it in our Devotions. Praftical ReUgion ^nd fervent Piety mutually fubferve each other : they rife and fall together. And tp pretend to the latter without the former, or to aim at or make a fhew of uncoraraon fieigjits Inconfiancy i^ Religion. Heights of Piety, with ungovern'd PaffionSj, an unbridled Tongue, or immoral Life, is the very definitiort of Hypocrify. {Laftly) Another reafon that our regards to GOD and Duty arc fo inconftant is, be caufe we too rarely or too flightly Infpeft the ftate of our Souls, to fee whether, or in what degree, pur Graces or Corruptions pre vail. Unlefs we frequently and carefully look Into our Hearts, how can we think to be acquainted with them ? and if we be not acquainted with them, how can we keep them ? and If we do not keep them, how can we avoid being deceived by them ? It is pw^ng to the Deceitfulnefs of the heart that our pious frames are fo fleeting, and our re- 'ligious principles fo fluftuating. And hence we always .find that they who appear to Icnpw leaft of their own Hearts, and fhew the leaft Concern to attain that Knowledge, are always moft indifferent about inward praftical Religion : and if any awful or zfi- flifting Providence awaken their Confci- (fnces, aUjd ftrike fome ferious Impreffion^ into their Mjnds, thofe Impreffions are never permanent, but (for want of fome well efta- bljfh'd principle tp fix and retain them, are) - fopi^ 124 The great Danger of Serm. foon extingulffi'd: and all their Goodnefs, V. , like' the morning Cloud or early Dew, goeth " ' away. I fhall difraifs this firft obfervation from the Words with one praftical Inference, viz. If we defire to prevent thefe Religious De- / cays, or to berecover'd out of thera, we muft take care to reverfe thefe feveral things that appear to be the fatal caufes thereof, e. g. We muft endeavour in dependance on divine Grace to get ouf hearts more detach'd from the World : artd efpecially to avoid that Cottipany and thofe Occafions, which we have found to be moft dangerous and irt- fharing.—To be more punftual, ferious, and engag'd In the performance of Religious Duties; and efpecially thofe ofthe Clofet: from a negleft of which we may corarapnly date the firft fyraptoras of this Leannefs, and Poverty in our Souls,~To be circura- fpeftly watchful over oUr Temper and Con duft: refolving to purfue the diftates of Confcience and right Reafon (under the direftion of GOD's Word) as our only Guide, at all tiraes ; not orily when they fail in with, butvdien they oppofe thofe of Fancy Inconfiancy in Religion. 1 25 Fancy and Inclination. Without frequent SeriVx. inftances of fuch kind of Self-denial, the V. Chriftian Life can never be raaintain'd with '-"^'"-^ uniformity and vigour.~And laftly., we muft oftert recolleft and review our fpiritual ac counts. And thus by the Grace of GOD, we fliall foon regain our fpiritual vigour; and with it, our religious Hope and Peace and Comfort. II. The next obfervation 1. made upon the Words wa§, that fuch Inconftancy in Religion is not only a certain fign of a fpiri tual Decay, but the firft ftep towards Apof- '- '• \ tacy. it was from hence that all the Back flidings of the Jewifli people took their Rife. The charafter which GOD gave of them (and which every period of their Hiftory verifies) is this ; my people are bent to backftide from me (e). And hence the Apoftle calls thera an untoward Generation ( f ). Like per verfe and froward Children ; who no fooner forget the fraart of the Rod, but coramit again the very fame fault for which they were correfted. There ( e ) Hof. xi. 7, (/) Acl. ii. 40. j 176 Divine Mercy pleading Serm. (as if in real diftrefs) his Merey cries out, O VII. Ephraim what shall I do unto thee ? Let us apply this now to ourfelves.—^ Have not we put the Divine Patience to as fevere a proof as they ? and feen the farae Wonders of it exercis'd towards us ? With what Indulgence did he bear with all the Frowardnefs ofour infant z.tvdi youthful ye's.xs ! with what Patience did GOD fuffer our In gratitude andForgetfulnefs ofhira, in the vain and giddy part of Life ! The farae Lenity was extended to all ffie Pride and Perverfe nefs of our maturer age: and is not yet weary with waiting on thofe that are grown old and harden'd in ffieir Tranfgreffions. The worft circuraftance of all is, — that Sinners do riot confider, and are not fenfi ble how rauch they try the Patience of their Maker, whfle they continue thus unreclaira'd and irapenitent under all the Means he ufes to foften and reforra them. If they did, one wou'd think it impoffible they ffiould ftill perfift in fo provoking a Conduft to wards hira. Low as Huraanity Is funk, they could not hep the Thought of once ffiewing fuch unparallel'd Ingratitude to wards an earthly Friend : but towards $heir Maker with ifnpenitent Sinners. Maker ffiey repeat it without remorfe! — > This at once excites our Indignation and Grief. We pity, whilft we conderan, fuch infenfible Ingrates ; as a reproach to hu raan Nature, and unworthy the narae and charafter of reafonable Beings. — But now let every one of us lay his Hand upon his Heart, and fay, ' Ara not I the Man ?' — ' Yes, thou art the Man ; thou art that un- ' grateful Wretch thou haft juft condemn- ' ed. Out of thine own Mouth ffialt thou ' be judged. — Nay, ftarde not, — the charge ' is but too clear againft thee : and 'tis in ' vain to turn a deaf Ear to the Evidence.' — • Let us be open, ingenuous and faithful to ourfelves. We have foraething within us that wfll be fo hereafter : let us permit it to be fo now.-^~And 'tis to be fear'd that upon a ftrift and impartial review of our paft Con duft towards GOD, and our great abufe of his Patience, we ffiall all of us fee buf too much caufe of felf-reproach. But the perfons to whora I would now principally addrefs ray felf, are carelefs Sin ners ; who have liv'd alraoft all their Lives in negleft of Religion, or continue ftfll to pay, the raoft cold and formal regards to N GOD Divine Mercy pleading GOD and their Souls. — O Sinner 1 for once retire Into thyfelf. Think ferioufly and in good earrteft of thy Soul, for be affur'd, thou haft a Soul! — Forget the World a while ; call up all that is rational In thee, to catechize thy Confcience, and anfwer the following plain Iraportant Queftions. ' O ray Soul, how didft thou corae by ' thy Being, and thofe thinkirtg Faculties 'thou exerteft? — Itwas GOD that gave ' them me. — What did he give thera to thee ' fof ? — that I might know and ferve him, ' and be more happy than the Beafts that pe- <¦ rifio. — Then hafl ffiou anfwer'd the ertd ' of thy Being, and raade the fervice and ' honour of the Author of It ffie great Care ' and Bufinefs of thy Life ? — No ; — How ' fo ? Has he not ffiewn thee how thou art ' to ferve and honour him ? — Tes very plain- ' ly, by the Light of tny own Mind ; and by « the better Light of his Word. — Well, if ' thou haft not minded the very thing for ' which ffiy Being was given thee, what haft * thou been minding ? How doft thou era- '¦ ploy thy thoughts ? — About this World. — ' This World ! why, art thou to live here ' forever }m—No. — How long ? — Not many ' Years with impenitent Sinners. * Tears longer.-— And where art thou to go * ffien ? — Into an unfeen World of Spirits,— * And how long art thou to Continue there ? < — Forever ! — And how doft thou think it * will go with ffiee there "^.—According as I * have behavd here, that is, I expeSl to be * happy or miferable there according as I have * attended to, or negleSied {the great ends of ' my Being) the honour and fervice of GOD. ' — How doft thou know this .? — the holy ' Scriptures plainly tell me fo.— -And doft * ffiou believe thofe Scriptures to be ffie ' Word of GOD }—Tes, I do.— Then doft ' thou not apprehend thyfelf in danger of ' being forever raiferable ? — I do I — And do ' not thofe Fears alarra thee } — Tes ; for a ' while ; but thofe Impreffons foon wear off. <¦ — Do they never return ? — Tes ; under '¦fome deep AffliSiion, or upon hearing fome ^ferious and awakening Sermon ; but they ' never fix, — Perhaps thou art afraid that, ' after fo long a backfliding, the Mercy of ' GOD will not receive thee, — No ;for lam * affur'd by the Gofpel {and I believe it) that ' the Blood of Chrift cleanf eth from all Sin; ' and 'that for the fake of his atoning Merits * GOD is willing to fave the chief of Sinners, N z ^ -The^ Divine Mercy pleading ' — Then perhaps thou defpaireft of Divine ' Grace Or fufficiefit Help to raake thy Re- ' pentance effeftual, upon thy fincere en-' ' deavours to return to GOD. — No ; neither ' have Ithat to plead in my excufe : jor GOD ' has told me, he is willing to give his holy Spi- * rit to me if I afk him.— ^-And do you pray ' for it ? No ;^~No ! why art thou content ' then tobe everlaftingly raiferable }-'~-Ican^ ' not bear the thoughts of that ; and therefore ' / never think of it. — Now, O ray Soul, ' what a ftrange account haft thou given of ' ffiyfelf ! Was there ever fuch a poor, ftu- ' pid, heady, perverfe, thoughtlefs, wretch- ' ed Being in the whole Creation of GOD ! ' And doft thou after all this, pretend tO ' Reafon and Underftanding .? — If this in- ' deed be thy cafe, what reraains ? but that ' thou rauft unavoidably periffi through thy ' own raere obftinacy and Indolence ! Mercy ' ftands raelting over thee : weeping for a ' poor, periffiing, iraraortal creature, which ' ffie fain would but cannot fave !' And now. Sinner, if the Pifture here ex hibited be thine own (and perhaps the like nefs raay furprize thee) Is not thy perverfe nefs, by thipe own confeffion, far' greater than with impenitent Sinners, ffian that which thou blaraeft in the Jewiffi People .? To thee ffien are thofe expoftula ting words of the Text direfted, O — what ftall I do unto thee? ' What ffiall I do, to * give thee a juft fenfe of thy fin and dan- ' ger ? and perfwade thee to flee frora the ' wraffi to corae !' I ffiall conclude with affurlng ffiee, that (bad as thy cafe is) thou haft not out-finn'd ffie abounding Grace of the Gofpel. It is not yet too late (foon it raay~but as yet, 'tis not too late) to repent and feek for Mercy : to affure you of which I will leave with ypu two plain Scriptures that are exprefs to this purpofe ; the one in the Old and the other in the New Teftaraent, Ifai Iv, 6, 7, .Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near : let the wicked forfake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts ; and let him Return unto the LORD, atid he will have Mercy upon him, and to our GOD, for he will abundantly pardon. The other is Mat. xi. 28, compar'd with Joh. vi. 37. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you Refi, Him that cometh linto me I will in no wife caft out. N X The i83 Divine Mercy pleading Serm. VII. The Hymn. I. WHAT do I hear ?— Is this thy voice. Great GOD, to guflty men ! Intreating their apoftate race. To turrt to thee again ! II. Such gracious importunity As rauch concerrt declares, As if thy own fehcity Depended upon theirs. III. *^ Judah, what ffiall I do, he cries, ' To win you back to me ?* Juft ' fo, with pity In his Eyes, He fpeaks ray Soulj, to thee. IV. The force of fuch araazing Love Haft thou yet never felt ^ — Lord, let alraighty raercy raove And make this heart to melt. . V. And VII. with impenitent Sinners. 183 Serm. And left It ffiould again backflide And aggravate my guilt, I give It up to thee to guide And mould It as thou wilt, VI. O ! let ffiis flinty thing which all Thy threatenings could not move. Yield to the more refiftlefs call Of Lertity and Love, N 4 SER- SERMON VIII. Our Lofs in Adani abundantly re paired by Chrifi. R o M. v. 15, i6. ^ But not as the Offence, fo alfp is the free Gift : for if thro the offence of one many be dead, much more the Grace of GQ D, and the Gift by grace, which is by one man Je fus Chrifi, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was hy one that finned, fo is the Gift : for the Judgment was by one to condemna tion ; but the free Gift is of many offences unto Jufiif cation. Serm. ' I ^ H O' there are forae things in this VIII. JL chapter 'which (for want of attend- V-v~' ing to the connexion of the Apoftle's argu ment. Our Lofs in Adam, ^c. ment, and the peculiar fenfe and propriety of his expreffions) appear a little obfcure and perplext, yet there Is one Doftrine which he here lays down in general, that is ex ceeding plain ; which I ara furpriz'd is not raore attended to, becaufe there is no Doc trine In Religion that raore magnifies the Grace of ffie Gofpel, or gives us a raore exalted. Idea of ffie Chriflian Inftitution: and that Is, that fo effeftual is the reraedy which ffie Goodnefs and Wifdom of GOD have provided for the Recovery ofour fallen race, that we have upon the whole aftually gained raore by Chrift than we loft in Adam: or that the reraedial law of the Gofpel un der which we live is (all things confider'd) preferable to, and rauch raore fafe and bet ter for us than the ftate of Innocency In which our firft Parents were created, and frora which they fell. I do not fay (nor does the Apoftle raean) that a ftate of fin is fimply and in itfelf bet ter and more defireable than a ftate of In nocence and, Happinefs ; to be fure it is not; but that the Covenant of Grace is a better and fafer Difpenfation for fallen creatures, than the Covenant of Works was for inno cent Our Lofs in Adam cent nature. This is prov'd by two argu* ments In the words I have read to you ; and the Advantage of the former above the lat ter is pointed out in two particulars, which I intend diftinftly to confider, I. The firft argument the Apoflle ufes to prove ffiat we have not loft fo much in Adam as we have gain'd by Chrift Is this. That Irt ffie former we loft only an earthly, by the latter we have gain'd a heavenly Im^ mortality. This Is what he plainly means by thofe words, (ver. 1 5.) But not as the of fence, fo alfo is the free gift ; for if thro' the off'ence of one ptany be dead; much more the Grace of GOD, and the Gift by Grace, which is by one man Jefus Chrift, Joath abounded unta many. II. The other argument is, that were we to be replac'd In the farae circuraftances that Adam was in, orte tranfgreffion woyild prove fatal to us, as it did to hira ; but now as we are juftified not by Works but by Grace, we raay after raany tranfgreffions Cupon a fincere corapliance wiffi ffie mer ciful terras of the Gofpel) obtain Eterrtal Life.— abundantly repair d by Chrift. 187 Life.— This is contain'd in ffie verfe fpUow- Serm. ing, and not as it was by one that finned, fo is VIIL the Gift :for the Judgment was by one to con demnation ; but the free Gift is of many of fences unto Juftiftcation. I. The firft argument ffie Apoftle ufes to prove ffiat we haye not loft fo much in Adam as we have gain'd by Chrift is ffiis, That by ffie former we have loft only an earthly, by ffie latter we have gain'd a heavenly Iraraor tality. This is what he plainly means by thofe Words {yer, 15,) But not as the Of fence, fo alfo is the free Gift; for if thro the. Offence of one many be dead ; muclo more the Grace of GOD, andthe Gift by Grace, which is by one man Jefus Chrift, hath abounded unto many. By ffie Grace of GOD, and the Gift by Grace, ffie Apoftle himfelf tells us he raeans Eternal Life, ver. 21. where it Is called Grace ; that as Sin hath reigned unto Death, fo might Grace reign thro' righteoufnefs unto eternal Life thro Jefus Chrift our Lord: and chap. vi. 23. where 'tis call'd the Gift of GOD, the wages of Sin is Death, but the Gift of GOD is eternal Life, thro Jefus Chrift our 1 88 Our Lofs in Adam Serm. our Lord. And very properly Is Eternal Life VIII. ffius exprefs'd ; becaufe it is the greateft Gift that GOD could beftow upon fallen Crea tures ; and becaufe It Is raoft gracioufly and freely beftow'd. This is faid to corae by Jefus Chrift, be caufe his Blood haffi purchas'd It for us, his Grace fits us for it, and his Word reveals it and direfts us the way to it. But what are we to underftartd by the laft claufe of the verfe, where 'tis faid that this great Gift of GOD, Eternal Life, which carae by Jefus Chrift, hath abounded unto many ? — Now that with which the Apoftle here plainly corapares Eternal Life, (as it is the free Gift of GOD by Jefus Chrift) is that ftate of Imraortality which Adara was poffefs'd of before he fell : that was doubt lefs a very happy ftate; but this Is much more fo : that was great favour to him ; but this Is abundant mercy to us ; and will plain ly appear fo if we take thefe three different views of it. ( I ) Eternal Life In Heaven is in itfelf a much greater Happinefs' than Adam's Im.- mortality in an earthly Paradife. (2) The poffeffion of it is more certain. (3) At the farae abundantly repair d by Chrift. fame time we were much more unwor- ffiy of it, (i) Eternal Life irt Heavert is in itfelf a much greater Happinefs than Imraortality in an earthly Paradife : and therefore the forraer Is a rauch greater favour thau the latter. The paradlfaical happinefs of our firft Parents in their ftate of innocency confifted in the following particulars : the perfeftiort of all their natural and moral powers ; — an Intire freedora frora all pain, both of Body and Mind ; — a juft balance of their affeftions and appetites ; — a clear com prehenfive Knowledge of GOD and his Works ; — a felf-coraplacency and uninter rupted Joy from a confcious fenfe of his fa vour ; — a fafe aud full gratification of their fenfes, frora objefts fuited to the tafte and inclination of their innocent and perfeft na tures ; — a free friendly and farailiar con verfe with ffieir Maker • and perhaps with other happy and benevolent fpirits of a fu perior rank to theirs ; — and all this, with out fear of Death or Pairt or any Evil, Frora this happy and delightful ftate in which raan was originally created, he fell : this great favour of GOD he forfeited. But (fuch * 9<^ Our Lofs in Adam SfiRM. (fuch is the abundant Goodnefs of ouf Crea- J^JJ^ tor) In lieu of it he hath beftow'd upon us a greater ; even eternal Life thro' Jefus Chrift our Lord: a Gift full of raore abundartt Grace ; becaufe every thing that corapofed ffie paradlfaical Happinefs will be here vaft ly iraprov'd. Our natural and raoral powers will be ftill more perfeft and confirm'd ; — our Knowledge of GOD and his ways and works, raore extenfive and enlarg'd ; — our comraunion with him more free, intimate and delightful ; — and our acquaintance wiffi many glorious and happy Beings of a fupe rior rank to us, will be continually exalting our Ideas and experience of the Divine Wif dora and Goodnefs, — And befides all this, we ffiall not only be free frora every degree of moleftation and pain, but ffiall be cou- fcious of thofe noble conceptions and delec table fenfations which are too exquifite for frail nature to bear. — And fince our Souls by, long continuing in thefe earffily Taber nacles have contrafted (I know not which to call it a natural or an unrtatural) fondnefs for thera, and are apt to imagine that ffiey cannot be perfeftly happy without them, the Indulgent Parent of our nature haffi .-> therefore ' abundantly repair d by Chrift. ig i ffierefore been pleas'd to gratify this Defire; Sermi artd hath affur'd us that we ffiall each of us VIII; hereafter re-affUme his owu Body ; but free from ail ffiofe fiery ferments or flegraatick Ingredients, which fo much diforder and debafe that corruptible mafs of fleffi which We noW carry about us. And the gratifica tions fuited to ffiefe pure and fpiritual Bodies wfll be much more exqulfite than all that artlmal rtature was capable of eveu In it's priraitive paradlfaical perfeftion; — - So ffiat Eternal Life in Heaven affords a raore cora pleat and coraprehenfive Happinefs thart a Life of Imraortality on earth could do to Adani in his fiate of Innocency : and there fore it is a greater Gift, and the effeft of more abundant Grace. Befides, (a) When we are once poffefs'd of It we ffiall be raore fure of keeping it— It looks as If the Divine Being thought fit to put all his reafonable creatures (as Subjefts of mo^ ral Governraent) upon forae kind of tryal or other ; to give proof of their Allegiance and Fidelity to l^ra. — Upon fuch a Tryal were ffie Angels put. Sorae of which ftood, and others fell. — Upon fuch a Tryal were our firft Parents put. They likewife fell : and Our Lofs in Adam and falling deriv'd to us, their Defeendant3, a frail and raortal nature. — It was not fit therefore that we ffiould be try'd in the farae manner as they were. And confequently as our circumftances are different, we are plac'd on another foundation ; and by the conftitution of the Gofpel Covenant are put upon a raore eafy and raerciful Tryal ; fuit ed to the condition of our frail and raortal nature. What that is I ffiall have occafion briefly to explain to you by and by. All I ffiall obferve at prefent is, that if we retain our Integrity, and are found approv'd upon the terras and tenor of the Gofpel, we fhall receive a Crown of Life, which we ffiall never after be in danger of lofing ; becaufe we ffiall be terapted no raore : we have pafs'd our ftate of Tryal already, and been found faithful. Whereas had we been created in a ftate of Innocency, and plac'd in the farae circuraftances that Adam was, we had been liable to the farae teraptations and tryals as he was, and been in danger of fall ing frora our Happinefs as he did. But the Happinefs of Heaven is confirra'd, buflt on a foundation that cannot be ffiaken, and in- fur'd for ever : which ffiews it to be a greater Gift, abundantly repair d by Chrift. 193 Gift, and raore abundant Grace than that Serm, confer 'd upon Adam in Paradife. — And it VIII. appears the raore fo v— y-*-' Laftly, In as much as we were more un- worffiy of it, Adam indeed had done, and could do, nothing to deferve the Happinefs he was poffeffed of, in his ftate of Innocen cy ; but we have done every thing to forfeit that Eternal Life that is promis'd to us in the Gofpel. We rejeft it, but 'tis yet held out to our acceptance : we often refufe it, but 'tis offer'd ftill : We repeat Our Tranf greffions, but GOD multiplies his Pardons; for the free Gift is of many offevces unto Jif- tific ation : and therefore 'tis abundant Grace. All this, perhaps you will fay, is very true, and what you will readily grant ; but ftill it does not corae up to the point I pro pos'd to prove, viz. that the Covenant of Grace is to fallen creatures a raore happy difpenfation than even the Covenant of Works was to innocent nature ; or that we have aftually gain'd raore by Chrifi than we loft in Adam. ' For, alas ! we are raortal, * frail and fallible creatures ; who live every ' ' day not only in danger of Death, but in ' danger of Sin ; and confequently in danger O ' of Our Lofs in Adam ' of falling ffiort of that Eternal Life which ' the Gofpel proraifes : artd is this a more ' defireable ftate than that from which our ' firft Faffier fell ?' — But be pleas'd to have patience : I have as yet advanc'd but one ftep towards the Demonftration of my Sub jeft, The Objeftion you raake will be confider'd by and by. In the raean time I proceed, II, The next argument the Apoftle lays down to prove that we have aftually gain'd more by Chrift than we have loft in Adam is, that not only the Happinefs promis'd un der the Covenant of the Gofpel is greater than that which Adam enjoy'd under ffie Covenant of Works ; but (fo raercifully is the conftitution of the Gofpel adapted to our Infirraities that) the Helps and Mearts of attaining that happinefs, are fafer and bet ter to us than thofe which Adam had to fe cure hirafelf in his. This is ftrongly inti mated in the following verfe, as another in ftance of the abundant Grace of GOD to us : that whereas the Judgment (or fentence of Death) was for one Sin to condemnation, the free Gift is of many offences unto Juftification. that abundantly repair d by Chrift. 1 9 5 that is, ffio' Adam fell by one Tranfgreffion, Serm, yet after many Offences may we ffiU be jufti- VIII. fied and entided by Grace to eternal Life, Thefe words corttalrt an Intimation (which invites us to take a more general but fumraary View) of the raethod of Salvation, or the way to eternal Life conftituted in the Difpenfation of the Gofpel. This is in a way of Juftification. Let us then here brief ly confider the nature of Juftification ; — the Foundation of it ; — the Terras of it ; — . the neceffity of coraplying with thofe Terms; — and the effeftual affiftance we have pro vided for us to enable us fo to do, — A few Striftures or brief Refleftions on each of thefe heads (I apprehend) will give us as ample a View of this Subjeft as is neceffary to fet the proof of the propofition I am upon in It's proper light. ( I ) What are we to underftand by the term Juftification, as the only method of Salvation under the Gofpel .? This, you fee, in the text ftands in oppofition to Condem nation : and therefore, in a Law fenfe, figni fies Acquittal or Dlfcharge ; not from the Accufation itfelf as groundlefs, but frora the Penalty due to the Crirae of which a Per- O 2 fon Our Lofs in Adam fon is accufed ; by the interpofition of a fre^ and gracioUs Pardon. So that to pardon. and to jtftify, in the Scripture fenfe, figni fy rauch the fame thing. Therefore (2) When we enquire into the founda-^ tion of our Juftification, this is the fame as to enquire into the procuring caufe of our Pardon. And this, we are told ver^ 18. is the Righteoufnefs of Chrift ; by the righte oufnefs of one the free Gift came upon all men unto Juftification of Life ; that is, thro' the righteoufnefs of Chrift all raen that fincere ly comply with the terms of ffie Gofpel, are freely pardon'd and made Heirs of eternal Life. And hence Salvation or eternal Life Is called {ver. if.) the Gift of righteoufnefs ; that is, 'tis freely given us of G O D for the fake of the righteoufnefs of Chrift, or of his meritorious death and fufferings ; who laid down his Life as 2. propitiation for our fins, to purchafe eternal Life or everlafting Re^^ demption for us. But (3) Eternal Life thus purchas'd for us is offer'd to us on certain Terms : and thofe Terras are Faith, Repentance and fincere Obedience : all coraprehended fometimes in the fingle word Faith; as that fignifies a depend- abundantly repair d by Chrift. depending on Chrift for Salvation in a way of Hohnefs ; or In a ready fubjeftion to his authority as our Lord, and a fincere obe- ciience to his Gofpel as our Rule. Thefe Terms are univerfally and indifpenfibly re^ quir'd. (4) The neceffity of coraplying wlthi them appears frora hence, that they are the proper Qualifications for eternal Life ; and without thera we are not capable of enjoy ing the Happinefs of it. But this Grace will appear greater if we confider ( 5 ) The effeftual and extenfive Affift- artces offer'd us to inable us to coraply with ffiofe Terras. The Grace (that is, the affifts ing Grace) of GOD provided for us in die Gofpel, is fuited to the circuraftanees of our fallen nature. Our intelleftual Powers are greatly weakened ; efpecially with regard to GOD and Divine things : He hath there fore given us his Gofpel (the fulleft and plaineft and beft Revelation he ever raade to mankind) wherein he hath inftrufted us in ffie way to Salvation : ffiewn us how we carne into this unhappy condition, and how we are to be recover'd out of it. — Again, pur minds have contrafted a ftrange ftupi- O 3 dity, 1 9^ Our Lofs in Adam Serm. dity, indolence and inattention to fpiritual VIII. and eternal things ; and a prevailing fond nefs for ffiis World: GOD hath therefore appointed his Sabbaths and Ordinances to call our rainds off frora earthly objefts ; "to fix our Thoughts on the iraraortal Intereft of our Souls ; and by raany awakening pro vidences does he raake ferious and deep irapreffions thereof on our Hearts. And when thofe Irapreffiorts wear off (as ffiey too foon do) they are repeated ffie fame way. Again, by Adam's Fall we loft our ftrengffi : our fpiritual Powers are wofully weakened. We have contrafted an imbe^ cillity ffiat we cannot help ourfelves. But GOD affures us that his Spirit ffiall effec tually help our Infirmities; his Grace in all cafes ffiall be fuffcient for us, and his Strength be made perfeSi in our Weaknefs : or, that notwithftanding all our Weaknefs, we raay be perfeftly ftrong through the Grace that is in Chrid Jefus, and coraraunicated to us by his Spirit. — But, what is worft of all, our Wills are depraved : we have no Inclination to accept the offer'd Remedy. But even for this has the Gofpel made a jmoft gracious Provifion; for GOD makes us abundantly repair d by Chrift. 199 us a willing people in the day of his power : Serm, and (fo far as, and in a way that is con- VIII. fiftent with ffie Liberty of free Agents) works in us both to will and to do': only requiring us to ufe the little liberty and ftrength that is left us (for we are not totally bereft) in fuch a raanner as we ordinarily do in the profecution of our leffer Interefts; and he then concurs with his Alraighty Grace to raake our Salvation fure. This now is the tryal which we are put upon as moral Agents, fuited to the defefts and debility of our fallen natures. O ! how gracious !~how condefcendlng !~how raer ciful !— hoW fuitable !— how effeftual !— Well, In this way are we recover'd by the Gofpel; fanftified, juftified, accepted ; not raerely for the fake of our own righteoufnefs (which after all is very iraperfeft) but for the fake of what Chrifi hath done and fuffer'd for us. I will only add (what the Text takes particular notice of) that in this way we raay be juftified after many offences, after repeated Tranfgreffions ; if our repentance for thera be fincere, the free gijt is of matiy offences unto jufiification. O 4 Now Our Lofs in Adam Now, lay all thefe things carefully to gether, and I believe it will plainly appear to you, that the provifion which GOD hath been pleafed to make in the conftitution of the Gofpel, for recovering us to the happi nefs of eternal Life, is not only the moft fuitable to our fallen natures, but the moft effeftual that could be in our circumftances ; and that we have ftill (notwithftanding all 'the mifery and wickednefs of our degene rate ftate) a greater advantage for fecuring to ourfelves the Happinefs proraifed to us, than our firft parent had to fecure hirafelf in that Happinefs he was created in : and fince the happinefs of' Heaven (as I have ffiewn above) is rauch greater than that of an earthly Paradife, it follows, that (confi dering all the rich, araple and fuitable pro vifion of the Gofpel) we are ftill, In reali ty, in a raore defirable and better fituation than Adam himfelf was ; and that the Co venant of Grace to fallen creatures is a raore happy Difpenfation than the Covenant of Works was to innocent nature ; or, in one word, that , we have gain'd raore by Chrifi |han we have loft in Adam : which is the Doftrine the Apoftle advanceth in the Text, and abundantly repair d by Chrift. 201 and which I have been endeavouring to il- Serm. luftrate and eftabhffi. VIIL But, after all, I apprehend, there are two things which raay poflibly occur to our rainds as objeftions againft ffie Doftrine I have now been proving : ffiefe I ffiall briefly ob viate, and then Conclude with a few prafti cal Refleftions. Obj. I. It raay perhaps be furrais'd — ' How c^n it be thought that raankind are ' now under a Difpenfatiort preferable to ' that which Adam was under, when even ' ffiis reraedial Inftitution of the Gofpel has ' reach'd fo fraall a part of thera, and hath ' fo httle faving effeft on thofe who have ' received it V Anf As to the extent of the Gofpel Re medy ; that is another raatter : and what ray prefent arguraent has no concern in. The weight of the Objeftion lies in the fraall effeft it has, as a proper reraedy to cure the maladies ofthe mind, and make men fit for eternal Life ; even where it is embrac'd, ad mitted, and received as fuch. — But if men, after all, wjll not be prevail'd upon to ufe it as fuch, the fault is not in that but in them. 'Tis no difcredit to the beft. Remedy in the world Our Lofs in Adam world that It does no good to them who re fufe to apply it ; or who apply It in a wrong manner. — Befides, how do we know ffiat the number of them who ffiall be finally faved by it is fo very fmall as this objeftion feeras to fuppofe 1 1 doubt we are apt here to be too contrafted in our conceptions. I ara perfuaded the Grace of GOD Is much more extenfive thart the Charity of fome men.—Befides, how know we that the nura ber of thofe that wou'd have ftood when put upon the farae Tryal with Adam, and in the farae circuraftances, would have been greater than thofe who are now aftually faved under the Gofpel Difpenfation .? We have reafon to believe that by far the great eft nuraber of them would fall as he did ; and as many of the Angels, who were of a fuperior nature, did before him. And whether all of us, fome tirae or offier, ffiould not tranfgrefs upon a hke Tryal (and one tranf greffion would be fatal) is raore than we know. So that our prefent Eftabliffiraent on which we raay ftfll hope for juftification after many offences feems to be much more fafe and defirable. Ohj. abundantly repair d by Chrift. 203 Obj. X. ' How many (fay you) are the pains Serm. * and complaints of fallen Nature ! How VIIL * great ffie prejudices and darknefs that In- * volve us ! How uueafy our fufpicions ! ' How cruel our fears ! And then Death — ' ffie diffolution of our nature — when we * are torn from ourfelves ! and go from hertce ' we know not where, to be we know not * what I — How terrifying the thought !— * Can this be preferable to all the peace and * joys of Irtrtocertt Nature ; free from all * difturbirtg thoughts and anxious fears ? Anf. I don't fay It Is in itfelf, or fimply cortfider'd : I only fay, that boffi ftates (with ffieir refpeftive circuraftances) duly corapar'd togeffier, ours Is better to us as fallen crea tures than that of Adam was to hira in his ftate of Innocency. — Pains, Iraperfeftions and Death are ffie great difadvantages ofour prefent raortal conditiort. But confider, thefe are very tranfitory, and exceeding ffiort when corapar'd wiffi the duratiou ofour im mortal Exiftence: and even againft thefe the Gofpel has provided the moft fuitable and effeftual Help, Support aud Corafort. And would we not readily fubrait to thefe, wiffi the fair hopes of Eternal Life, raffier than, 204 Our Lofs in Adam Serm. ffian, (amidft all ffie Peace and Plenty pf VIII, Paradife) be continually liable (as Adam was) by one Offence to forfeit our Maker's Fa vour, and to be turn'd out of all our Hap- .^ pinefs forever ? I think I have now fufficiently prov'd and illuftrated the Doftrine which the Apoftle recommends to our confideration irt ffie Text, viz, that our Difpenfation under the Gofpel is to us more fafe and (all things confider'd) more happy, than even ffiat wherein our firft Parent was placed In his State of Innocency ; and therefore that we have, upon the whole, gain'd more by Chrift than we loft ip Adam. What remains now Is to make a few prac- tious Refleftions on this Subjeft. And ( I ) What a glorious and raoft araazing difplay does this give us of the Wifdora, Compaffion and Goodnefs ofthe great, kind ^ Author of our Being ! in bringing fo rauch Good, out of fo great an Evil ! How preci ous and ineftiraable are the Advantages we receive frora that which we are ready to look upon as the raoft dreadful Calaraity that could poffibly befall our Race ! O, the depths of the riches both of the Wifdom and Know ledge abundantly repair d by Chrift. 205 iedge of GOD! how imfearchable are his Serm. Judgments, and his ways pafi finding out! VIII. ( 2) Let us hence learn to enlarge our Views ' — ""^ of ffiings, and take a greater corapafs in our Conteraplatiorts of the divine Methods both of Grace and Providence. We are apt to contraft our conceptions too rauch; our Ideas are too liraited, our Reflexions too narrow, our Obfervations too rauch confin'd : were we to open our rainds, dilate our thoughts, and take a raore general and ex tended view of the Difpenfations of GOD, O, how rauch Harraony and Order,~how much Wifdom and Goodnefs,— how tnuch Beauty and Excellence, —how much Light and Love, ffiould we fee difplay 'd in thofe Scenes and Tranfaftions of his Govern ment, which now appear to be wrapt up in confufion and perplexity, diforder and dark nefs ! a rauch more extended profpeft we hope to have hereafter, which will quite diferabarrafs our Minds, and difpel all our Doubts and Difficulties : in the raean tirae, let us thankfully and carefully ufe the helps which the Chriftian Revelation hath given us, thus to extend our views and profpefts now; Our Lofs in Ada"m now ; which will better enable us to juftify the ways of GOD to Man. (3) How ffiould ffiis teach us to value the Gofpel of Chrift, and ffiat fcheme of Salva tion it contains! I have juft given you a fhort fketch of it. In tha!t Light in which it appears to me moft agreeable to Scripture, — moft honourable to GOD,— moft beue- ficial to Mart, — and moft fuited to our Circuraftances and Nature, as fallen — but reafonable Creatures. O, how much con- cerrt'd ffiou'd every oue of us be to fecure a part in this Salvation ! a greater than which could not be offer'd us ; nor in a more gra cious way. But (4) How cart they efcape who negleft itf there is no raore Sacrifice for Sin. If he who defpifed Mofes' s Law died without Mercy by two or three Witneffes, of how much for er pu- niftment, fuppofe ye, ftall he be thought wor thy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of GOD, and hath counted the Blood of the Co venant wherewith he was fanBifted an unholy thing, and bid defpite to the Spirit of Grace (a)? (5) What grateful Praife and Adoration Is due frora us to Chrift, the fecond Adam, through (-l) Eel). X. 28, 29. abundantly repair d by Chrift. through whom we have gain'd fo rauch more than we loft in the firft ! and who haffi put us Into a better State than that from which we fell 1 (Laftly) What hope and encouragement does this Doftrine afford to weak and doubt ful Chriftians! furvey the abundartt provi fions of ffie Gofpel, and ffie all-fufficiency of Grace ffiere offer'd, adequate and fuit able to all your Wants and Weakneffes, and fay ; what further could you defire to efta bliffi and re-affure your Hopes ? Did you ftand in your own ftrength, or on the foun dation of your own Righteoufnefs, you would indeed have caufe to fear : but whilft you are ftrengffien'd by Grace in Chrift Jefus, and depend upon him for Righteoufnefs and Sal vation, in a way of fincere and conftant obe dience to his Gofpel, you have no reafon at all to be anxioufly jealous about the future ftate of your Souls ; for, belieye it, you are in a fafer and better condition now, than Adam himfelf was before he fell : fince un der the Gofpel Difpenfation, the Grace of GOD by Jefus Chrift hath fo much a- BOUNDED, and the free Gift is of many Of fences unto Juftification. The y 2o8 Our Lofs in Adam Serm. VIIL The Hymn. w I. ITH flowing eyes, and bleeding hearts A blafted world furvey ! See the wide ruin Sin hath wrought In one unhappy day. IL Adam, in GOD's own image forra'd, Frora GOD and blifs eftrang'd. And all the joys of Paradife For guilt and horror chang'd ! III, O, fatal heritage bequeath 'd To all his helplefs race ? Thro' the thick raaze of Sin and Woe Thus to the Grave we pafs ! IV. But, O my Soul, wiffi rapture hear The fecond Adam's name ; And the celeftial Gifts, he brings To all his Seed, proclaim, V. What abundantly repair d by Chrift. V. What tho' in mortal life they mourn? What ffio' by Death they fall ? Jefus in one triuraphant day Tfartsforrrts and crowns thera all, VI. Praife to his rich rayfterious Grace I Ev'n by our Fall we rife : Artd gain, for earthly Eden loft, A heavenly Paradife^ SER- SERMON IX. The Chriftian's Rule of Life. Acts xx. 24. But none of thefe things move me, neither count I my Life dear unto myfelf, fo that I might finifi my Courfe with joy, and the Minijiry which I ha^e received of th& Lord fefus, to tefiify the Gofpel of the Grace of GOD. THE Apoftle Taul was now at Mile tus ; whither he fent for the Biffiops or Elders of Ephefus, in order to take his final leave of thera : having reafon to appre hend (as he told thera at parting) ffiat he fijould fee their face no more. This appre henfion was founded upon a certain prerao- hition The Chrifiian s Rtde of Life. nition, or fecret warning he had from the Spirit, of ffie extraordinary Dangers and Troubles he was to raeet with, in the feve ral places where Providence ffiould call him to teftify the Gofpel . of the Grace of GOD : and efpecially at Jerufalem, to which place he was now going. And no^iv behold (fays he) I go boimd iti the Spirit unto Jerufalem, not knowing the things that fioall befall me there : fave that the Holy Ghofi. witneffeth in c-very city, fayitig, that bonds and affatlions abide me. But tmie ojfheje things move me, neither count I my Life dear untv myfelf, fo that I might finijh my courfe with joy, and the Mtnifiry which I have receiv d of the ford Jefiq, to teftify the Gofpel oj the Grace of GOD, Frora thefe words we learn, what are the true Chriftian's great and governing Views under all the Dangers, Events and Changes that can poffibly. befall him ; viz. thefe two, (i) that he may faithfully difcharge the Duties of his ftation and charafter whflft he lives ; and ( \ ) enjoy folid peace and comfort when he coraes to die : to which purpofe he keeps his eye upon his End, and ferioufly confiders how things will appear then. Or P 1 in Tlse Chrifiian s Rule of Life. in the Apoftles words, that he may firft fi~ nift the Minifiry (or Service) which he hath receiv'd, and then his courfe with joy. I ffiall confider each of thefe diftinftly. I, The true Chriftian's firft great Care is, to be found always in^he way of his Duty ; or to fulfil the Obligations of his place and charafter. As the Providence of GOD hath allotted, to each of us our particular ftation in Life, fix'd the bounds ofour habitation, and appoint ed our proper fphere of aftion, fo he hath cut our our Work, and affign'd us our Ser vice, The circumftances of our place and charafter determine ffie particular points of Duty incumbent upon us : for tho' there be fome Duties that are coraraon to all Chrif tians in general, yet ffiere are offiers pecu liar to the ftation we fill up, or the charac ter we bear araong raen. And for a raan to aft out of charafter thro' an'^ffeftation of appearing to be what he is not, and what Providence never defign'd him, is a fure fign of vanity and weaknefs ; and will never fail to render hira ridiculous in the judg ment of wife and underftanding men. And efpecially The Chrifiian s Rule of Life. 213 efpecially if he affuraes more than belongs Serm. to him ; or raakes a forc'd fliow of forae IX. fancied excellence, which 'tis well known he does not poffefs. For to aft above our proper charafter will never be fo eafily ex cus'd as to aft below it. ¦ The latter (if it be not carried to a degree of extravagance) may be foraetiraes graceful under a fliew of huraility : ffie former is always eonterapti ble as a certain raark of vanity. Now (I fay) the firft concern ofa wife and good man, who defires to acquit him felf wdl in the Eyes of GOD and man, is to confider ferioufly what is the rank and ftation of Life which Providence has fix'd hira in ; and what are the Duties peculiar ly incurabent upon hira in that ftation : that he raay fulfil ffie obligations of his charac ter and aft as ufefully as he can in his pro per fphere : not fir etching hittifelf (as the Apoftle expreffes it) beyond his meafure (a). And as a raan's general conduft is to be deterrain'd by his general charafter, fo his particular conduft at certain tiraes rauft be direfted by the particular difpofitions of Pro vidence ; and vary according to the va- P 3 ri ation (a) I Cor. X. 14. 214 Toe Chrifiian s Rule of Life. S,erm. rlation of things and circuraftances. The TX, difpofal, direftion and iffue of all Events '""""'^ belong; to GOD, who perfeftly knows what is beft for us ; a right temper and behaviour under them, belong to us : and a conftant attention to this will prevent us frora being over anxious about the other. The Apoftle Paul very well underftood the Duties of his Charafter and Miffion, and the Work that was appointed hira, viz. to fulfil 2.ndfinifh the Minifiry which he had received of the Lord Jefus; ffie faithful pro fecution of which was always attended with no fmall labour and hazard ; but wherein at prefent he apprehended raore than ordi nary difficulty and danger. Well, how does he aft under this dark profpeft .? why, he ;,urns his eye frora future danger to prefent Duty: ftill intent on his Work; in which he was refolv'd to perfevere and truft GOD with the Event. And a view of that glorious Reward he hop'd for at the end of his Courfe and Miniftry, had fo fic'd his mind as to render hira infenfible to all the dan gers he might meet with in the way to it : }ione of thefe things move tne,fo I may butfinifio my The Chrifiian s Rule of Life. 215 my Courfe with joy, and the Miniftry which I Serm. have received. I^' So raay the Chriftian now fay, when ani raated with the farae Faith and Hope, in every publick Danger or private Diftrefs, ' none of thefe things greatly move rae, fo that ' I be found faithful to GOD, and enabled ' to aft as he expefts I ffiould under the ' prefent Difpenfation. It is frora Hira: with * hira therefore will I leave ffie iffue of it. * Let hira difpofe of rae and ray Coraforts ' as he pleafes : I corarait all to him. His ' Will be done.' — This now is a Teraper and Conduft very becoraing a Chriftian under every apprehenfion of Evil; and which we are direfted and encouraged to by ffie exaraple of the Apoftle Paul in our Text. And therefore under every extraordinary Providence, a Chriftian ffiould afk hirafelf thefe two Queftions. ( I ) What is a right, wife, and truly Chrif tian Behaviour in thefe Circuraftances } (i) What improvement am I to raake of the prefent Providence ? ( I ) What is a right, wife, and truly Chrif tian Behaviour in thefe Circuraftances ? Is P 4 it 2i'5 The Chrifiian s Rule of Life. it fome great affliftion that befalls you ? fay ffien to yourfelf—' This coraes frora GOD: ^ and was fent by hira for the tryal of that ' Faith and Truft in him I have fo often ' profefs'd ; and for the exercife of that Pa- '¦ tience and Refignation to hira which he ' hath fo long been training rae up to, by ' the dlfcipline of his wife Providence and ' the Doftrines of his holy Word. Now ' is the tirae I ara to fliew what I have • learn'd; what effeft ray Religion hath ' upon rae ; and now my Mafter is ffiewing ' to others, what proficiency I have made * irt his School. O, raay I acquit rayfelf as ' becoraes one who has long fat under his , '^ gracious Inftitutions ! and avoid ffie two ' extreraes of defpifing the chaftening of the ' Lord on ffie one hand, and of fainting ' when I am corrected by him on the other {b). ^ And now let heavenly Hope infpire ray ' Soul ; difperfe the clouds that hang about ^ my mind; or raife 'it far above thera. ' Lord bridle ray Paffions ; and keep my f Soul ferene, whilft I put my truft in thee. ' And let not this ffiock of Adverfity divert f nie from any known and prefent Duty.' Or (b) Heb. xii. 5. 7h€ Chrifiian s Rule of Life. Or is It a pleafing Providence, an uh- look'd for Succefs, that fills the heart with Triumph, and coraes big with raany a fu ture Bleffing ? why, let not this, no raore ffian the other, greatly move you ; and before you give a loofe to your Joy give your rea fon tirae to raake thefe feafonable Reflec tions : — ' Do not I live in a changeable • World, where the fcenes of Life are per- -* petually ffiifting ? this bright Siin, under * 'whofe warra bearas I ara now balking, * raay foon be coneeal'd behind a dark cloud; ' and be fucceeded by a black and dreadful ' terapeft. — raany changes I have feen, * many I raay forefee ; and fure I ara, the ' prefent ftate of things will not continue long ' the farae. How foon raay Sicknefs, Pain ' or Death, at once ftrip me of all thefe tran- ' fient Bleffings ! and 'ere ' this year con- ' eludes, ray Soul may be required of me. — • But after all, perhaps this is not fo great a ' happinefs as I iraagine : ray fancy may pof- ^ fibly raagnify it too much ; and a little e,x- ' perience may difcover ffie Delufion. Per- ^ haps it may be a Srtare. However, it coraes * frora GOD ; who raay at any time re- « fume his own Gifts. Whilft I hold it at '' ^ ¦ ¦ ' ' 'his ( c The Chrifiian s Rtde of Life. * his hand, let me improve It for his ho nour : and take eare not to fet my heart * too much upon it. — I have a new talent given me to improve ; and GOD expefts • frora rae now raore than he did before. * In what way then may I do moft good ' with it ? — Well, I will lay It up in the re- ' pofitory of a grateful heart, to be recount- * ed in the nuraber of the Divine Bleffings * and Favours, againft a future day of • Diftrefs and Sorrow ; when thefe with all * my other teraporal Mercies muft be re- * fign'd : and in the mean time apply my- * felf with diligence to prefent Duty.' Thus, like a traveller who has his heart at home, whether ffie Road be good or bad, ffie Weather fair or foul, he is ftill putting on and preffing forward : and none of thefe ffiings greatly move hira, fo he raay but at length fafely reach his Journey's End. How ever, it rauft be own'd that there is gene rally raoft danger of loitering in good Road and fair Weather : and a Chriftian feldom makes fo fpeedy a progrefs towards Heaven in a day of worldly profperity, as he does in a time of affliftion and diftrefs. (2) Upon The Chrifiian s Rule of Life. {%) Upon every extraordinary turn of affairs, ffie next Queftian a Chriffian wfll afk himfelf, (whofe heart is fet upon fulfil- ing the Duties of his ftation) is this, how am I to iraprove this Providence .? what am I to learn from it ? what Inftruftion was it defign'd to convey ? let me fearch out ffiis, and attend to it, that I may grow wifer and better by it: that I may turn it fome way to my true Intereft ; artd like a fkilful Mariner make my advantage of every wind, whether fi^ir and profperous, or adverfe and ftorray, to bring rae ftfll nearer to my deftin'd Haven. The Providences of GOD have forae tiraes a loud voice, and are very alarrairtg : but ffiey are always wifely defign'd and are full of Inftruftion, if we have but the heart to learn it. I fay the heart to learn it ; for ffie Leffons and Inftruftions of Providence are often fo plain and obvious, that it re quires only an attentive and well turn'd heart to receive ffiera. In general then thefe ebbs and flowings of our earthly coraforts ffiew us the muta bility and uncertainty of all things here be low ; which render ffiem unfit to be the objefts 2 20 The Chrifiian s Rule of Life. Serm. objefts of our confidertce ; and loudly call IX. upon us to maintain a becoraing indifference ^'^'^''^ towards thera. More particularly ; all af flifting Events are improveable to the follow ing purpofes. (i) To take off our hearts and hopes from earthly ffiings, and fix them raore upon GOD : whofe Loving Kindnefs is better than Life ; whofe Favour is unchangeable Felicity ; and the Light of whofe Countenance can turn ffie darkeft night into the brighteft day, (2) To in creafe our hatred of Sin, as the procuring caufe of all Evil. Renew'd Repentance is very proper under new affllftions. This will turn our forrow into a right channel ; and prevent the bad effefts of a mere worldly forrow, which foraetiraes worketh Death (c.) (3) For the exercife and Iraproveraent of ffiofe Graces, which are in a pecu- (liar raanner adapted to our corafort in a day of adverfity: fuch as, Faith, Huraifity, Patience, Heavenly-raindednefs, Refigna tion and Hope. (4) To put us upon a raore clofe and irapartial exaraination ofour felves, and the true ftate of our Souls : and what good ground we have to hope that we ffiall finifio (c) 2. Cor. vii. 10. The Chrifiian Rule of Life. 221 finifio our Courfe with joy, {Lafily) To keep Serm. us on our conftant guard while we are in fo IX- dangerous and changeable a world, and to ^""^"^ quicken our progrefs to a better. And the pleafing, and profperous Events of Providence ffiould be iraproved— to ex cite our Gratitude to GOD for his Good nefs : an hurable fenfe of our own unwor thinefs of it : a raore unffiaken Fidelity in ffie fervice of fo good a Mafter ; and a raore fteady zeal for his honour : Fruitfulnefs in eveiy good work, in proportion to our en larg'd abilities : and a readlnefs tp promote the Comfort, Eafe and Welfare of others, who enjoy not our advantages : to be care ful that we be not over fond of thera ; and to be ready to part with thera, when he who beftow'd, ffiall think fit to recall them. To fuch purpofes will the pious Chriftian endeavour to iraprove all the difpenfations of Divine providence, whether adverfe or profperous. But to proceed II. The next great and governing View of the real Chriftian is to finijh his courje with joy : to which purpofe he keeps his Eye con tinually The Chriflian s Rule of Life. tinually upon his End, and ferioufly con fiders how things will appear at laft, I have often thought. It would be of ex cellent ufe to direft us to a right conduft in every clrcuraftauce of our affairs, to place ourfelves iu our thoughts at the End of Life, and take a view of our aftions as paft ; and confider Irt what light they will appear to us, and what Judgment we ffiall form of thera then. And as the words of the Text have a reference hereunto, I ffiall take this opportunity a little to enlarge upon it. The World and our own Hearts are apt to deceive us ; to throw falfe colours upon ffiings, and a wrong biafs upon the Judg raent. The prevalence of cuftora concurs with the force of felf-flattery to irapofe upon our underftanding, and lead us to put a wrong conftruftion on raany parts ofour Conduft, But this Deception will not laft long : the near approach of Deaffi will re raove this raagick glafs frora before our Eyes ; and give us to fee things in a true light. We have another Glafs indeed that will not .deceive us ; and wherein we ffiould of ten furvey ourfelves. And that is the Glafs of The Chriftians Rule of Life. of GOD's Word: wiiich Infallibly ffiews us what manner of perfons we are ; and di refts us to form the fame fentiments of our felves and the things of human Life, as we ffiall do when we corae to die. But the unhappinefs is, raen care not to furvey ffiem- felves in this Glafs ; becaufe inftead of flat tering It mortifies their vanity ; and repre fents them to ffiemfelves juft as they are, wiffi all their Defefts and Deformities about them. They had therefore rather contem plate therafelves in a falfe Glafs, tho' they know it flatters ffiera : and that is the Glafe of their own Iraagination, and worldly Opi nions ; that is, they believe their own vain conceptions in oppofition to the ex prefs Teftiraony of GOD; and will gwe. ear to ffie good opinion which ignorant men may have of thera, though their own Con fcience pronounce it falfe. Inftead of this, I would now recoraraend the Glafs which our text holds up before our Eyes, as a RetrofpeBive. Let us fup pofe our felves at the very verge of Life, ftanding on the Brink of Eternity, into which the hand of Death is juft about to puffi us. From thence let us look back upon our The Chriflian s Rule of Lifei our paft Conduft, and confider how it will appear then. For then (O, belieye it, for te affur'd you will ffiortly find it true) then things wfll not appear to you as they do now. You will then judge better of thera ; becaufe you will fee thera in a true hght. The World will no . longer flatter you : Confcience will do it's Office, and faith fully tell you what you have been, what you are, and what you are to expeft. Death will reraove the delufive Scene; and you will be amazed to fee, by what wrong Views you have been govern'd all your days. — More particularly ( I ) Confider what you will then think of your favourite Sins ; ffie Vices which fo long captivated and fo often led you to aft a part unbecoming your Charafter. Will you then be inclin'd to put thofe fair and favourable Gloffes upon thera which you now do ? Will the excufes you now raake for the negleft of any duty, or the pleas you urge in 'extenuation of any Sin, be admitted an other day ? Will Confcience allow ffiem when you come to die ? If not, they are by no means' to be admitted now. (2) Con- The Chrifiian s Rule of Life. 225 (x) Confider what Thoughts you will Serm.. then have of your moft engaging Pleafures IX. and Amufements in life, which now fo much poffefs you. Do thofe gay Scenes when paft, Wear ffie fame delightful afpeft as when approaching ? or give you all the pleafure they promife ? Your own daily ex- ' perience tells you ffiey do not. And this, one would ffiiuk, weie fufficient to ffiew how much ffiey flatter and deceive you.— • But how will they appear when you are juft about to part with them ? Then you will find , ffiem to be (what Solomon fo eraphati cally calls ffiera) vanity of vanities ; and fee, too late, that you have been chafing a dancing Meteor, purfuing a gay Bubble, which as foon as feiz'd, burft and diffolved into nothing, (3) Let us further think how all this World itfelf will appear to us when we are going out of it. Alas, how little will all the Applaufes and Comraendations of vain, miftaken raen, fignify to us, who are juft going to anfwer for our Conduft before the Heart-fearching GOD ! whofe Judgment is ' according to truth ; and whofe unerring Sen tence will fix our ftate for ever ! — What Q^ then 2 26 The Chriftians Rule of Life. Serm. then ffiall we think of the Honours of ffie IX, world ? the hand of Death will blaft them '^ ^ all. — The Pleafures of the world ? they are vapid, wither'd and quite exhaufted, — The wealth of the world ? We can carry nothing with us. — The raan who hath enjoy'd all thefe to the higheft degree, what Is he the better for thera when he coraes to die ? How irrational and fooliffi then is It fo high ly to prize thofe things now, which 'ere long Death will teach us to look upon wiffi in difference and conterapt ! It is wife there fore to accuftora our felves to look upon thefe things now In the farae raanneri we ffiall then. (4) What judgment ffiall we ffien form of our paft Sorrows and AffliSiions ? Perhaps we may find our felves as much miftaken in thefe as we were in our pleafures : that as the one were not fo defireable as we ima gin'd, fo the other were not fo dreadful as we apprehended : that thofe tranfitory trials affefted us muth more than they ought: that however ffiarp ffiey were at firft, Time, infallibly wore away their pungency : ffiat they produc'd many valuable Effefts and Benefits to our Souls, which we had other- wife The Chrifiian s Rule of Life. Wife rtever receiv'd : that what we look'd upon as Evfl, GOD turn'd into Good : and If by ffiefe we learn'd to deteft and mortify any beloved Luft, or conquer any dangerous Temptation, to abftraft our hearts raore frora the World, and to take more care of our Souls and eternal things, ffiey were then happy Affllftions ; and ought to be recount ed among the raoft precious tokens of the Divine favour; However grievous they ap pear'd at firft, they ^xe joyous in the End, when ffiey produce ffiefe peaceable Fruits of Righteoufnefs ; and fit us for ^far more ex ceeding and eternal weight of Glory. Let us endeavour ffien to look upon the Affllftions of this raortal Life in the farae raanner we ffiall do, and Improve them wiffi as much care as we ffiall wiffi we had done, when we corae to die. Lafily, What ffiall we then think of Re^ ligion ? Is It poffible that we ffiould then think as lightly of it as We are foraetiraes terapted to do now ? or look upon a con fclentious care to direft our Lives by ffie facred rules of Scripture, as a weak and un reafonable preclfenefs ? or thofe afts of Piety and Devotion which tend to raake us more Q^ holy 2 2 8 The Chrifiian s Rule of Life. Serm. holy and heavenly In our Tempers, and give IX. us more clear and folid Hope of future Happinefs, as vain and unneceffary ? No ; we ffiall then be- affur'd, whatever we now thinki that we could not take to6 much care of our Souls : and ffiall wiffi with all our hearts that we had been more concern'd to fecure their imraortal Intereft : and that we had made it the raain Bufinefs of Life to fortify our minds againft the fears of Death. For when we are launching into Eternity, believe it, our Hopes cannot be too well eftabliffi'd. Sure I am, we ffiall think fo then : Why, O why, do we not think fo now ? To conclude. Death will ftrangely alter our Views and Notions of things ; and teach us to form a truer Judgraent of thera. And iffo, why ffiould we not begin to reftify our falfe notions before-hand ? Why ffiould we ' hold faft the Delufion, tfll that fatal Meffen ger wreft it frora us ? when, it is to be fear'd, Conviftion and a better Judgraent will come too late. It is really a miferable thing to view the general Infatuation of mankind: ' who (as * one obferves) fpend all their Lives In pre- * paring The Chrifiian s Rule of Life. 229 * paring to live ; and then, when Life draws Serm, ' to a Clofe, they wiffi to fpend it over again I^- * that they raay prepare to die.' Let us then continually keep our Eye upon our End ; live with a view to a peace ful Exit (for a frequent raeditation of Death is ffie beft way to teach us how to live) and ffiis will raake us raore ferious in our Tera pers, raore fenfible in our Opinions, more fpiritual in our Devotions, _raore circurafpeft In our Conduft,, raore even and teraperate in our Paffions, under the varying Scenes of profperity and adverfity; and In a word, give us a well eftabliffi'd Hope that we fliall at length finifio our courfe with Joy. I ffiall now conclude with a few brief Refleftions. (i) The Chriftian's Hope thathe ffiall finiffi his courfe with Joy, will be his great eft Corafort and Support under all the Dan gers and Tribulations he raay raeet with in the profecution of it. It was fo to the Apo ftle, He was going to encounter unknown dangers at Jerufalem, and was foretold that in every City, Bonds and AffiiBions awaited him, yet, fays he, none of thefe things move me ; neither count I tny Life dear unto my felf. , 0^3 " .fo 230 The Chriftians Rule of Life. Serm. fo that Imightfinift my courfe with Joy. How IX. little do all the Sorrows of Life appear, when compar'd with the Chriftian's fblld Joy at Death ! and how much lefs when alleviated by that bleffed Hope ! that which gives us Joy in Deaffi, cannot fail to admi nifter the raoft fovereign fupport under all the Evils of Life. (2) We hence fee how we are to provide for this ffie greateft of all earthly Coraforts, folid Joy in Death. This is doubtlefs what we all defire ; but how few take the proper method to fecure it ! How raany inftead of arming therafelves againft the fear of Death, are arraing that King of terrors againft them felves, by a continued courfe bf Vice and Folly ! for the Stitig of Death is Sin. But in vain does that man hope for Corafort in Death who does not raake the Service of GOD and the care of his Soul the Bufinefs of his Life. It is only the fincere and faith-: fill Chriftian that can reafonably hope to finifio his courfe with Joy. Mark the perfeB man and behold the upright ; the end of that man is Peace (d). ' ' (3) Frora [d) Pfa. xxxvii. 37, ' The Chriftians Rule of Life. (3) From what has been faid let us learn to be often looking forward : to turn our Eyes frora the prefent to the future appear ance of thirtgs. For be affur'd, they will not long continue in the farae ftate they now are in : the Scene will foon change : the prefent ftate of things will alter ; and with it, our notions of them. — I have now been prefenting to you that reflefting Glafs which Deaffi will foon hold up before your Eyes ; and endeavouring by that to give you a re trofpeftive View of the various Scenes of human Life. And will you turn it from you, becaufe it exhibits a different Repre fentation of them from that which the World does ? Believe it, the World is a falfe Glafs, and will certainly deceive you. — Let us raore ferioufly confider our latter End ; confider how things will look then : and endeavour to live and aft now as we ffiall ffiert raoft heartily wiffi we had. Lafily, We hence fee the beft way to -raeet , every Affliftion that raay befall us. that is, to be intent on prefent Duty, the Duty of the Day, the obligations of our charafter and ftatiou ; and fo leave the Iffue of things with GOD, and commit the keep- Q^ ing [t.nr-*i» 232 The Chriftians Rule of Life, Serm. ing of our Souls to him in well doing : and IX. fuffer no apprehenfion of future danger or difficulty to divert us from the way of well known Duty. And thus to hold on our courfe with circumfpeftion, faith and piety, is the beft way to meet every occurrence in it, and at length to fini ft it with Joy. The Hymn. I. LI F E is the time to ferve the Lord ; The tirae t'infure the great Reward j And whfle ffie larap holds out to burn The vileft finner rnay return. II. LORD, grant we raay our courfe purfvie, And keep the crown of life In view ; That crown which in one hour repays The labour of ten thoufand days, III, Should Bonds or Death obftruft our way, Unmov'd their Terrors we'll furvey ; And the laft hour iraprove for thee. The laft of Life' or Liberty. IV. Life The Chrifitans Rule of Life. 233 SERMf IV. IX. Life Is ffie hour ffiat GOD hath given ^"^ ^ To 'fcape frora hell artd fly to heaven ; The day of grace, and raortals may Secure ffie bleffings of the day. V- Then what my thoughts defign to do. My hands with all their rnight purfue ; Since no device or work is found, Nor faith, nor hope, beneath the ground. SER- SERMON X. Christ the perfed: Image of the Invifible GOD. 2 C o R. iv. 6. For God who commanded the Light to ¦ fiine out of Darknefs, hath fiined in our Hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jefus Chrifi. N the third and fourffi verfes of ffiis Chapter ffie Apoftle reprefents the de plorable conditiort of Irtfidels, who hardert their hearts agairtft the efficacy, and ffiut ffieir eyes againft the evidence of the Chrif tian Inftitution. If our Gofpel be hid (fays he) 'tis hid to them that are loft : in whom the God 'of this World hath blinded the minds of Chrift the perfeB Image, &c. 235 cfthem which believe not, lefi the light ofthe Serm. glorious Gofpel of Chrifi (who is the Image of X. God) ftould fioine unto them. The caufe of ^''^'~~' ffieir Infidelity here affign'd, is the fame wiffi ffiat which but too vifibly operates on ffiofe who are the profefs'd Adverfaries of Chriftianity In ffie prefent day : the World and ffie Devil {the God of this world) have gairt'd fuch au afcertdartt m their hearts, as blinds their eyes agalnft the clear eft Evidence of its divine Authority, the God of this world hath blinded their minds, THEREFORE (the Original particle here us'd, denoting the Effeft rather than the Caufe {a), therefore) the glorious Gofpel of Chrifi ftines (a) E(5 TO does not always fignify tq the intention that (de noting the Defign or End) but fometimes therefore or Jo that (referring only to the Event or Confequence.) Vid. Ham~ mond and Grotius in loc. Thus 'tis tender'd Heb. xi. 3. thro Faith 'we underftand that the Worlds, nuere framed by the Word of GOB (ei5 to fi»i &c.) so THAT the things nijhich are feen 'were not made of things that do (or did) appear, ei; to idem hic declarat atque are, ut et Syrus -vertit. Vid. Pol. Sy- nop. in loc. — It anfwers to the Hebrew word (WD'^) which is often put for j'aar^, -wherefore, e. g. Ex. xi. 9. Andthe LORD faid unto Mofes, Pharaoh -will noi hearken unto you, (WJ37) WHEREFORE my Wonders fhall le multiflied in the Land of Egypt. Pfal. xxxi. II, I 2. 1 hou haft turned forme my Mourning into Dancing, &c. (^j;q'^) wherefore- wy G/o?^ (i. e. my Tongue) fiall fing praije to thee, and not be fient. Chrift the perfeSi Image ftines not unto them ; or (as it is in our text) into their hearts. For how ffiould that Light ffiine into their hearts which they would not fuffer to ffiine before their Eyes .? However, this glorious Gofpel and the bleffed Author of It, (the Apoftle declares) had been and ffiould ftill be the great Ob jeft of his preaching. Whether men would believe or not he would not ceafe to Incul cate to them the only way to Salvation by Jefus Chrjft, ver. 5. for we preach not our felves but Chrift Jefus the Lord: and ourfelves your fervants for Jefus fake- And In what manner he becarae fo erainently qualified to difpenfe the divine Truths of the Gofpel Revelation to the World, he tells us in the next verfe, which Is the Text, For GOD who commanded Light to ftine out of Dark nefs, hath ftined in our Hearts to give the light of the knowledge ofthe Glory of GOD in the face of Jefus Chrift. 'That Light which, with regard to thofe he before raen- tion'd, ffione hke the Sun upon a dead Wall, with regard to hira ffione like ffie Sun through a Window ; enlightening all the inner Rooras of his heart. And the Light which he thus receiv'd from GOD ^ " he of the Invifible GOD. 237 he ffiought it his Duty to difpenfe to others. SerM. The Light which he here means he tells us X, is, fhe clear Knowledge of the glorious GOD ^""""''^ in the face of Jejus Chrift. The original expreffion may rather be render'd in the per fon of Jefus Chrift *, becaufe he Is call'd {ver. 4,) ffie Image of GOD. And nothing can give us a better Idea of a diftant unfeen Objeft than the perfeft Image of it exhibited to our View. The words theu plainly corttaln ffiis pro- pofitiort which I ffiall immediately proceed to flliiftrate artd improve ; vi%, * That Chrift is ffie perfeft Referablance ' of the unfeen GOD: or that the cleareft ' Knowledge of the glorious G O D is to be ' attairt'd by contemplating his Image In ' Jefus Chrift his Son.' No man (faith the Apoftle John) hath feen GOD at any time, the only begotten Son who is in the Bofom of the Father, he hath de clared him (a); that is, haffi not only re- veal'd him .in the Gofpel, but exhibited a vifible Image of him In his own Divine per fon and perfeftions : for there is not only fuch * EV TO 5rjo where he difclofes his Heart, and opens to us all the amazing fcenes of his Love : and where we have a better opportunity of knowing him -than even his firft .Difciples themfelves had, who enjoy'd his perfonal Prefence among thera. And there is one Inftitution, viiz. that of his Supper, that hath a peculiar view to this End, to increafe our Knowledge of and Love of the Invifible GOD. 255 Love to Chrift ; by a foleran recolleftion of Serm. what he hath done and fuffer'd to purchafe X. for us eternalLIfe, — And, O, what pleafure '^"^ ' Is there in the grateful reraerabrance of fo good a Friend ! — who lov'd our Souls raore ffian we do ourfelves ! — and raore than we feel we do our deareft Friend: — and who only defires to be reraeraber'd by us that we may know and love him more ! — and by hira be led to ffie Knowledge and Love of GOD ; — which is all the perfeftion and blifs of our immortal Spirits, in every poffible ftate of their exiftence ! The Hymn. i L THOU Lord of hght, by Angels feen. But to the fons of earth unknown. To manifeft thyfelf to men Haft fent thine Image in thy Son. II. In hira thy Wifdora all divine. Thy Power, thy Patience, and thy Love, With a reflefted Glory ffiine. Full bearaing from thy throne above. HI. (Juft Chrift the perfeB Image, &c. III. (Juft fo the Sun's meridian blaze Painfully ftrikes our feeble fight. But chears us with his fofter rays. Shining with mitigated light.) IV. His feeling heart confefs'd the pain. When Juftice feiz'd his enemies ; But when he heard his friends complain, Mercy fat melting in his eyes, V. In all that tendernefs, which he Both to his friends and foes exprefs'd. The Pity ofa GOD we fee. And all his Father ftands confefs'd. VL O thou, at whofe alraighty Word Priraaeval light frora darknefs ffione. Grant us the Knowledge of ffiy felf. And ffiine upon us in thy Son. SER- S E R M O N XI. The Danger of contrafting unal lowable Habits. 25? Rom. xiv. ^2. — Happy is he that condemneth not himfelf in that thing which he al loweth. THE four great principles ofhutriaa conduft are. Appetite, Paflion, Rea fon and Confcience, — By Confcience here I raean reafon enlighten'd and direfted by Re velation. — And the praftical or predomi^ tant influence which any one of thefe princi ples has upon a raan's Life and Teraper, is that which forras his proper Charafter : the two firfi that of a good, and ffie two laft ffiat ofa bad man. More precifely, he that is govern'd by Appetite, afts moft like a brute ; he that is govern'd by Paffion, afts S moft The Danger of contracting raoft hke a child ; he that Is govern'd by Reafon afts moft like a Man ; and he that is govern'd by Confcience, afts moft like a Chriftian. The prevalence of bad principles produ ces bad aftions ; and the frequent repetition of thofe aftions begets bad habits; which can only be conquer'd by repeated contrary afts arifing frora oppofite principles. Thefe Confiderations I ffiall raake a fur ther ufe of by and by : but it was proper to preraife thera here, by way of introduftion to a Difcourfe on thefe Words, which inti mate to us the Danger we are in (ffirough raffinefs and inattention) of allowing our felves in fuch a courfe of conduft, as Reafon and a well enlighten'd Confcience (upon fe rious reflexion) cannot but conderan - In this chapter the apoftle Is giving his Judgraent concerning forae raatters that were in their own nature indifferent, but had been the fource of rauch contention and a- niraofity among ffie Saints at Rome. The grand debate araong thera was, ' whether • it was lawful for Chriftians to eat in cora- * mon of thofe meats that had been offer'd * in facrifice to idols ?' Some thought it was ; and unaUmfable Habits. 259 and thereupon ^{j^zVi^ the unreafonable fcru- Serm. pulofity of thofe weak raen, who underftood X^- fo little of the chriftian liberty as to ffiink o- ffierwife, — Offices thought It was not : and hence condemn d thofe who were of a contra ry judgraent and praftice, as profane raen that countenanc'd Idolatry. Between ffiefe two, the Apoftle Paidffznds as Urnpire : and in that charafter afts with great candor, and exquifite judgraent. In his opinion he was plainly on the fide of the forraer : i. e. of thofe who afferted their chriftian liberty : but he does not give his judgraent abfolutely on eiffier ; but airas to meliorate and foften the tertipers of both ; and then concludes with this healing advice in ffie Text, Hafi thou Faith ? have it to thy felf before GOD". Happy is he that cotidetnn- eth not himfelf in that thing which he alloweth. It is moft evident that thefe words are not tobe taken abfolutely or without any reftric- tiort. For 'tis very poffible that forae raen raay (nay, 'tis very cercain ffiat raany raen do) allow themfelves in a very criraiUal courfe of conduft, for which however their confciences do not yet conderan them. But ffiey are fo far from being happy on this ac- S 2 count. The Danger of contracting count, that they are doubly miferable; (l) in beirtg ertflav'd to fuch guilty habits. And (x) In being fo Infenfible to ffie danger of them. Something is therefore here Implied ; and that is, ffie judgmeut ofa well Inform'd confcience, and the regular exercife of that judgment. Or the Happinefs here fpoken of is confin'd to that man, who, when his judgraent is unbiafs'd and his confcience righdy direfted, fees no juft reafon to condemn hirnfelf in the thing which he alloweth.-^ Many finful fallings and particular iraper feftions he fees, and daily raourns over. But thefe are not Habits, much lefs allow'd Habits ; are what he is continually ftriving and praying againft : and when thro' ffie furprize of temptation he is unwarily be tray 'd into Sin, he is afflifted, burden'd and inwardly diftrefs'd ; and has no peace in his own mind till he hath made his peace with GOD ffirough Jefus Chrifi, by a fincere and particular Repentance. — This Is the perfon whora our Text pronounces happy. , In the further profecution ofthe fubjeft it may be proper I. To unallowable Habits. 261 Serm. i. To confider ffie foundation on which XL the Caution in ffie Text is built. v.— v— JI. The way how this Happinefs may be attairt'd. III. Whereirt it confifts. {Lafily) I ffiall clofe all wiffi a few Re fleftions. ( I ) Let us briefly confider the founda- dort on which ffie Caution in the Text is buflt. Now that which is plainly implied in ffie Words as ffie foundation ofthe Caution here given is, ffiat we are all of us, more or lefs, in dartger of contrafting and indulging cer tain Habits of conduft, which, upon ferious recolleftion, fober reafon cannot but con demn. Now this raay be refer'd to two things ; (i) To fuch praftices as are in them felves Irtdifferent, artd become finful only by accident. Or (2) To thofe which are In themfelves .unlawful, S3 (i) There 262 The Danger of contracting Serm. (i) There are forae things which are in f XI, therafelves indifferent, but are 'finful by ac cident. Now indifferent things may becorae acci dentally finful three ways ; viz. when they are indulg'd exceffvely, unfeafonably , and un charitably. { I ) When they are indulg'd to excefs : that is, when we fpend too rauch tirae a- bout them ; or indulge thera to a degree that is injurious to the health of body or peace of i:cind. It Is in this raanner that moft of the common diverfions and recrea tions of life are abufed. And when thus a- bufed they become finful. (2) Indifferent things may become un lawful by being unfeafonable. There is no circumftance that affefts the expediency of our aftions fo rauch as this : few things are lawful (none equally right) at all tiraes. Not only the beauty, decency and fuccefs, but the very lav/fulnefs of an aftion often depends upon opportunity. This is too plain to need any proof. Therefore (3) Anoffier way whereby an indifterent aftion may become finful is, it's giving offence to others. By Offence here I do not mean a ground- unallowable Habits. a groundlefs Difguft. For I cannot fee how one raan's Caprice or unreafonable Huraour can raake another perfon's aftion that is in itfelf and irt it's circuraftances lawful, be come unlawful ; nor the obligation we are under at all times to coraply with thofe ca pricious tempers, which are often more un juftifiable than ffie aftions they cenfure. This is not the offence the Apoftle means when he cautions us in this Chapter not to offend our Brother. But by offending a Bro ther he means leading hira into Sin ; or by an iraprudent ufe of our liberty teraptirtg him to aft contrary to his confcience, and offend God. And in this circuraftance, it is certain, that the moft indifferent aftion may become unlawful. That Is, when, tho' it be In itfelf no Sin, yet becomes an oc cafion of Sin to another. And 'tis worth remembering that not only things indifterent but even Duties therafelves may becorae unlawful by the three ways I have juft raention'd : that Is, by their being exceffively prolong'd, unfeafonably tira'd, or offenfively perforra'd, (2) There are offier kirtd of Aftiorts which fome men inadvertently carry into coraraon S 4 prae- The I)..anger of contr aBing praftice, ffiat are not only circumftantially i)ut eflentially evfl, or finful in themfelves. And the great danger of contrafting any Habits of this kind lies here, th.at ffiey wear off a fenfe of the Evil of them. This is true both with „refpeft to Sins of Omiffion artd Commiffion,— With regard to the former, how often do we fee perfons living in the negleft ofthe raoft plain and iraportant dur- ]ties of Religion, till they corae at laft to iraagine there is no harra In that Negleft ! their paft conduft, fo long approv'd and fo fafely purfu'd, ffiey cannot find in their Hearts to condgran ; but plead it as a kind of prefcriptive right to juftify their prefent. This is die effeft of Indolence and Self- flattery ; too often vifible in raen of the beft underftanding ; who rather than atterapt to break through the force and fafcinatiort of fuch Habits, wfll injure their own good fenfe by arguing raoft unreafonably in defence of thera.— In like rnanner Sins of Coraraiffion, and even fuch as are conderan'd by all the plaineft principles both of natural and re-r veal'd Religion, thro' cuftora lofe their hor ror and appearance of guilt in the eyes of them that indulge them ; whilft to others they unallowable Habits. ^ey appear exceeding ffiocking and offen five. I need here only mention that curfed habit of profane Swearing ; the Indecency and Impiety of which all mankind fee and ' abhor, excepting thofe from whofe minds ffie horror of it is coneeal'd by the force of Cuftorn. Happy then is he who condemneth not himfelf in that thing which he alloweth. (II) Let us rtow confider in what raanner this happinefs is to be attain'd. And In order to this it will be neceffary to ffiew diftinftly, how bad habits are coraraon ly acquir'd; and how they are to be conquer'd. I . Let us fee In what raanrter bad Habits are originally contrafted. Now all Habits ari^ frora frequent Afts ; for frequent Afts becorae a Praftice, and a continued Praftice begets a Habit. But in what raanner are raen ufually betray'd into a courfe of bad Aftions ? I anfwer ( I ) Soraetiraes by Iraplicitly following the Exaraples of others ; efpecially their Supe^ riors ; and more efpecially if thefe have been in other refpefts diftinguiffi'd for ffieir wif- |dora and piety. Their Charafter does, as it were, fanftify their Conduft : and the re verence 26^ The Danger of contracting Serm. verence we have for their names, makes us XI. blind to ffieir very failings ; which In others we ffiould readily enough condemn. A con fideration which ffiould make perfons of any eminence of charafter extremely cau tious what exaraples they fet; which wfll be fo iraplicitly foUow'd by thofe below them. But if we confider this matter rightly, there will appear no more reafon that we ffiould imitate a good raan in a bad aftiort, ffian a bad man In the farae. The nature of the aftion Is the farae in both ; and 'tis this we are to attend to, and not the charac ter of the perfon who does It. If it be law ful to iraitate a good raan in a bad thing. It were unlawful (for the farae reafon) to imi tate a bad raan in a good thing ; which Is, I believe, what no one will take upon him to affirm. — Befides, the failings of a good man are no part of his good charafter. If he was really a good raan he was fenfible of thera, feeretly raouru'd over them, and dear ly repented of them : nor can we expeft to be pardon'd unlefs we do fo too. But to perfift in the praftice of arty known Sin, in hope that we ffiall hereafter repent of it, as others have done, and yet continually defer that V-^V*".* unalhwable Habits. 267 diat Repentance, is a moft difingenuous and Serm. dangerous way of trifling with GOD and XI. Confcience. (i) Anoffier thing ffiat often draws men unawares into a finful courfe of aftions Is Precipitancy or In attention to the nature and confequences of thera. Before we indulge to any kind of temper or conduft that Is like to become a habit, we fliould afk ourfelves thefe ffiree Queftions ; What is It ?— Where does It tend ?— and How will It end ?—- What Is it? is it in it's own nature good, bad, or indifferent ? Is it pleafing or dif pleafing in ffie Eye of GOD ?— Whither does It tend ." what are ffie effefts it is like to produce .^ will it blemiffi or adorn ray charafter ? what Influence will It have on ffie teraper of my mind, orthehealffi of my body ?— artd Where will it end ? how will It appear in the review ? and what will be the certain confequence if it fettle into a Habit .?— Were we thus cautioufly to pro ceed, and examine every part of our con duft, before we allow It (which a wife raan, who defires to live in all good confci ence toward GOD, will make it his daily care to do) I am perfuaded we ffiould a- , void The Danger of contr aBing Void moft of thofe bad habits by which man- kirtd are fo gerterally enflav'd. (3) Men are often betray'd Into an un^ lawful conduft by venturing boldly on the very Verge of Vice, or going to ffie utmoft Bounds of what is lawful. The preclfe U- mits of Virtue and Vice are indifcernable : or rather, the paffage from the one to the other is through fo eafy and gradual a ffiade, that raen oftentimes infertfibly flide out of the forraer Into the latter, and are got far into the regions of Vice, before they are a- ware. And the danger of ffiis appears ftill greater when we confider, the nearer approach we raake to a finful objeft, the ftrortger Is It's attraftiort, — The farae raay be faid concerning the bounds of Truth and Error, From every hurtful extreme then, both Irt fentiment and praftice 'tis always fafeft to keep at a due diftance. For as Truth cart rtever lie ort the very verge of Error, fo rtelther cart Virtue dwell on ffie very borders of Vice. Which makes me often wonder that fome good Chriffians ffiould place the precife points of Truth fo very near the moft dangerous and deftruc- tive Herefy : and count him the Joundeft Chriftian unallowable Habits. Chriftian that coraes the rteareft tb It. Can this be right ? (4) Another coramon fource of wrong Conduft, and what frequently betrays men into bad habits, Is the undue influence of Appetites and Paffions ; in oppofition to ffie diftates of Confcience and Reafon. Senfe and Appetite will always have a raain ftroke in the conduft of huraan Life ; and throw a very powerful bias on ffie mind whilft we live in bodies of fleffi. This we too well know by experience ; and often find very dangerous leanings to carnal Indulgences, efpecially when the animal appetites are freffi, and vigorous ; for the right government of which, Reafon and Religion had need have a ftrong poffeffion ofthe heart: which they rarely have at the age when ffie appetites and paffions are ufually moft violent. How raany thoufand young creatures have by diis fingle fnare been drawn into thofe per nicious habits, which have at lengffi prov'd their total ruin ! of the evil of which they would never be convinc'd, but by their own dear bought and too late experience. (5) Anodier thing that deceives forae un-> wary minds into a wrong courfe of conduft is. ^he Danger df contracting is, ffie falfe Naraes that are given to finful aftions, whereby the evfl of thera is coneeal'd and ffieir deforraity difguis'd. Take off that fair covering, and they iraraediately appear in all their native turpitude and horror, — Wrong naraes can never alter the nature of things ; yet they may, and often do, our opinion of thera. Every thing is capable of being mifreprefented and varniffi'd over : and by trufting to fuch falfe Colourings men are led to think rauch worfe of forae things, and much better of others than they ought; and to ffiurt what they ought to follow, aud avoid what they ought to purfue. But {Laftly) The moft comraon feafon ffiat raen fo generally condemn themfelves in the things which they allow is, becaufe they forget to forra their judgraent by the Prin ciples, and their lives by ffie Rules of Chrif tianity, GOD hath given thera his word (a Revelation frora Heaven, bearing the raoft authen tick proof of It's divine original) to guide thera in the ways of Truth and Holi nefs ; but tho' they acknowledge, yet they care not to ufe it as fuch. It is given them as their Chart, to ffiew them how they niay fefely fteer thro' the rocks and ffielves ffiat he unallowable Habits. 271 lie coneeal'd in ffie fea of Life : as their Map Serm to guide them ffiro' the dangers of the Wil- XL dernefs ; but they wfll not direft their courfe, ' nor guide ffieir way thereby. The Bible lies before them as a neglefted book; only fit for the young and aged, or weak or vul gar minds to regard. And whflft they walk without their Guide, 'tis.no wonder thatthey turn afide into dangerous paths; and upon fober refleftion condemn themfelves for many things which they allow. . Thefe are ffie ways whereby men com monly contraft ffiofe bad habits for which their confciences afterward condemn them. And if we would not in like manner be de ceiv'd ourfelves, we muft reverfe thera all. That is to fay, we rauft be more circura fpeft In our conduft — more attentive to the true nature and confequence of ffiings. — Let noexamples juftify our conduft, till Rea fon and Religion juftify thofe exaraples. — Let us avoid the appearance of evil, and ne ver venture on ffie Confines of vice, — Let us call things by ffieir right Names, and ffa-Ip them of thofe falfe colourings which wicked men invent to conceal the odium of a bad aftion.-"Let us make it our daily care ^The Danger of contr aBing care to fubjeft our appetites and paffions td the governraent df Reafon,— and refolve to take the word of GOD for the only rule and guide of our praftice ; in oppofition tq the tyranny of cuftora, and the falfe raaxiras of a vain and giddy world. And If we order our conduft with fuch circumfpeftion (which a wife man will always do) we ffiall be In no danger of contraftirig thofe guilty habits, for which the greateft part of mankind ftartd felf-conderan'd. But whenlhey are contrafted let us now fee x. How they are to be conquer'd. This is generally reckon'd a matter of great difficulty, aud it certainly is fo. But I apprehend all the difficulty lies In theftrft attempt, and the refolution neceffary to pur fue it. Could we but conquer thefe, the work would proceed with great facility and fuccefs. Let us confider each of them briefly. ( I ) The difficulty of the Attempt. The reafon ffiat men fo feldora fucceed in their attempt to break off a bad habit is, becaufe they do not fet about it In good earneft, or irt a right way. Artd the want of thefe two things nnallokvable Habits. things wfll raoft certainly defeat the fuccefs of any enterprize whatfoever. For what good can be expefted frora a few feeble ef forts towards attaining that which we fcarce know how td go about? Therefore If vve do indeed defire to conquer a bad habit, we rauft fet about it in good earneft. — And to excite our vigour in breaking off a finful Courfe of praftice; let us ferioufly con fider the abfolute neceffity df it ; and thd inevitable Danger and Deftruftion we incur by perfifting in it- Let us reraeraber the value of our Souls, and what is raeant by the lofs (/. e. ffie eternal ruin) of thera; and how infinitely fooliffi and abfurd It is to fof- felt the favour of GOD, and ei^erlafting^ Happinefs, for the tranfient gratification of a vain humour, or a finful luft. For one Sin wilfully indulg'd and continued in, ruins the Soul for ever. A ffiip that has only one hole in it neglefted, will as certainly fink, as if it were all over leaky. And no Difficul ty muft be urg'd in cafe of abfolute ne ceffity, , , And ' when we are once in good earneft for the work, we muft then take care to fet about it the right way : i. e. by T getting 274 The Danger of contracting Serm. getting all the knowledge we can to dlre^ ^L ^ us, and all the help we can to affift us In it. And here comes In the neceffity of frequent,; fervent Prayer for both. We muft fet about it, not In our owu ftrength but In depen dance on Divine Grace ; not leaning to our own underfianding, but trufting in the LORD with all out- might. Our Prayers and En deavours rauft always concur ; and inftead of abating fhould ftimulate and invigorate each offier : and in the ufe of both, let us be fure to adhere to the word of GOD, as our only fafe and perfeft Rule, in oppofition to all other. With this teraper and In this way, rauft we begin this iraportant work. And ffien (i) If we would fucceed \n it we muft often renew and re-inforce our refolutions to perfevere. Difficulties we ffiall doubtlefs meet with ; which will coft us no fraall pains and felf-denial to furraount; and many Temptations, which require much wifdora and refolution to conquer: but none of thefe rauft divert us frora the good way we have chofen ; if they do, our paft labour will be In vain, — I have not time to enlarge on this part of the Subjeft : I ffiall there- itnallcniiable Habiti. therefore difraifs It wiffi the raention of two br ffiree things proper for our direftion in this affair. ( I ) As all bad Habits are contrafted by a frequent repetition of bad Aftions, fo they are conquer'd by a frequent repetition of the oppofite good ones. {i) Temptations are more weaken'd by declining than oppofing ffiera. (3) To fuppr^s the firft raotions, and avoid ffie reraote occafiorts of Sin, is ffie fafeft and eafieft way to conquer it. Lafily, Let us efpecially beware of Indo lence, Self-confidence and Security in a tirae of Profperity. For when we are leaft ap prehenfive of Danger, 'tis then oftentiraes the neareft. — And if we proceed with this Caution, Prudence and Perfeverance, ear neftly pijaying for, and hurably depending upon the Grace of G O D to help us, we ffiall be refcu'd from this fnare of the De vil ; and be able to break the force, and in time conquer the ftrength of thofe finful Habits, which whilft we allow we fo often conderan. T 3 IIL Th© The Danger of contracting III. The laft thing I propos'd was to il luftrate ffie Truth of the propofition con- tairt'd in ffie Text, and ffiew you wherein ffie Happinefs here mention'd doth eonfift. This Happinefs raay refer boffi to the prefent and future World, With regard to the prefent World, the man who condemns not himfelf in the thing which he alloweth Is happy in two refpefts efpecially. Becaufe > ( I ) This gives him the beft Evidertce he cart have df his Sirtcerity. For if fuch a holy, humble, pious, watchful Walk, and daily Care td keep a Confcience void of offence both towards GOD and Man, be not a fure fign of art upright heart, it will be hard to fay what is. The raan that thus fteadily and uniformiy direfts his Life by the Precepts of the Gofpel, rauft have felt ffie power of it'g Divirte Principles. One who takes fo rauch care to pleafe GOD muft have the Fear of him before his Eyes, and the Love of him ' in his Heart. And, O what peace, fere nity and joy, what felf-fatisfaftion and fta- bflity of raind, will refult frora this undoubt ed evidence of our Integrity ! that we are i;ipright before him, and have an Intereft in him ! unallowable Habits. J!|im I that He is the center of our Souls, and we the objefts of his Love ! that all ffie Promifes of his Word belong to us, and all ffie Perfeftions of his nature fland engag'd to make us happy ! that no good thing woill he with-hold from us in this World ; and in the other, hath referved for us better things than we can conceive ! (i) This qonftant care to keep our heart and conduft conformable to the word of GOD, will Infpire us wiffi great Freedom artd Comfort of mind when we have accefs to hira irt prayer. We raay corae to him by Jefus Chrifi wiffi a holy boldrtefs, as to our reconciled GOD ; with an affur'd filial difpofition, as a dutiful child to an indul gent Parent ; who hears our Requefts with coraplacency, and ftands ready to give us all we want and afk for, if he knows it, to be good for us. This priviledge the Apoftle John takes particular notice of, ( i Joh, iii. 21.) Beloved, if our Heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards GOD. And that he raeans Confidence in Prayer, appears frora the following Words ; and wbatfitever we aft we receive of him, becaufe we keep his ^Commandments, and do thofe things that are^ T 3 pleafing The Danger of contracting pleafing in his fight. And what more com.? prehenfive Happinefs can we conceive than this ? which is the fource of all ffie fweeteft corafort In ffiis World, and a fecurity of much greater felicity in the other ! — which leads me to add — that The Happinefs mention'd in the text reaches beyond the Bounds of Time, and will attend us into the world of Spirits : where we ffiall be happy beyond all that Words can paint, or Thought conceive, or Heart can wiffi. The GOD whora we have fo faithfully ferv'd, and raade it ouf daily care to pleafe In this World, we ffiall for ever enjoy in the next : whofe Love will be the fountain of our eternal JBlifs ! In whofe prefence is fullnefs of Joy, and at whofe right hand are pleafures for ever more^ I ffiall conclude all with three praftical Refleftions upon the whole. ( I ) How well Is Chriftianity adapted to proraote the Happinefs of civfl Society! If it does not permit us, even in matters of Indif ference, to do any thing that would unne- jceffarlly grieve and'offend our neighbour, fo as to prove an occafion of his Sin, this plainly implies it ,tp be our Duty to culti- ¦ ' ' ' ¦ - vate unallowable Habits. -yate the greateft tenderrtefs and good-wHl towards hini. It argues great Ignorance of the Chriffian Inftitution, for any to charge It ?»viffi Defeft In point of Benevolence, fince the whole Scheme of it is founded upon, and the very Life and Spirit of It confifts In Love ; which Is ffie moft perfeft artd univer fal Benevolence : and which It fets forth in a plainer point of view, urges in a raore par ticular manner, and recomrnends In a more exalted degree, than the Light of nature ever did. (2) From what hatfi been faid we fee, that confidering ffie condition of our natures as frail Imperfeft Beings, and our connexion with creatures as frail and Imperfeft as our felves, we are under an Indifpenfible necef- ;fity of exercifing continual circumfpeftion and prudence, and frequent felf-denial and patience, in order to keep our confcience ,clear. How irapoffible is it ffien for a raan of a diffolute mind and dlffipated conduft, who confults nothing but his own Eafe and • Self-indulgence, to enjoy that greateft of all pleafures, the teftimony and appro bation of a gQod and well inlighten'd Con fcience ! In a word, our way to Happinefs T 4 ' " is The Danger of contracting Is fometimes ftrew'd with Thorns. TruP peace cannot be enjoy'd without forae pains. Lie that never denies himfelf, cap never en joy himfelf. Laftly, Let us take care then Vfhat Habit? we contraft, and dfligently exaraine thofe we have already contrafted. Let us more carefully guard and recolleft our daily Con duft, with a view to cultivate and ftrengffien every good, and correft and conquer every bad Habit ^e have acquir'd ; which Is a matter of greater Importance tothe peace of our Minds and the ftability of qur Hopes as Chriftians, than moft men are aware of. And happy is that man that neither allows liirafelf in the thing that he condemrteth, nor condemns himfelf in the thing which he alloweth. The H y M ]^. I, TH y piercing eye, O GOD, furveys. The various windings of pur ways ; Teach us their tendency to know. And judge the paths in which we go. II. How . unallowable Habits. 281 JSERMf n. XL How wfld, how crooked have ffiey been ! A maze of fopliffij^efs and fin ! Wiffi all ffie hght we vainly boaft. Leaving our guide, our felves are loft. III. Lord, fearch my foul, try every ffiought j Thp' my own heart accufe me not Of walking In a falfe difguife, I beg ffie trial qf ffiine eyes. IV. Doth fecret mifchief lurk wiffiin ? Do I indulge fome unknown fin ? O, turn my feet when e'er I ftray. And lead me in ffiy perfeft way. SER, SERMON XIL The Chriftian's Mark and Prize. r Phil. iii. 13, 14. Brethren, I count not myfelf to have apprehended : but this one thing I do ; forgetting -tkofe things which are behind, and reaching forth tinto thofe things which are before. I prefs towards the mark, for the Prize of the high calling of God in Chrifi Jefus. ^ERM. rr^HE fenfe of thefe Words will be Xll. X better illuftrated by attending to their ^"""^"^ connexion with the preceding Verfe : where the Apoftle tells us, that he had not already attained. -^ X The Chriftianos Mark and Prize. attained, neither was he already perfeB, I. e. wiffi all his extraordinary and apoftolical endowments, he had not yet arrived at a compleat meafure of Holinefs : he was ffill confcious to himfelf of many finful Imperfeftions : but (fays he) I follow after, if, that I may apprehend that for which alfo I am apprehended of Chrifi Jefus, The word apprehended or feized, is here very elegantly ufed, to denote ffie Efficacy of that prevent ing Grace ffiat ftopt and feized him, when he was in his full career the wrong way ; opened his Eyes, and changed his Heart, and made him a Patron and Preacher of that Caufe, which he had with fo much falfq zeal and fury perfecuted. And he is not affiamed to repeat it again, in the Verfes I have read. Brethren, I count not myfelf to have apprehended ; I, e, to have reached the Goal, or attained to ffiat per- ^ feftion of Holinefs to which the Grace of GOD hath called rae : but (fays he) I am continually endeavouring and earneftly ftri ving after it ; this one thing I do, forgetting thofe thittgs which are behind, and reaching. forth unto thofe things that are before, I prefs towards the Mark : like a Racer tending with 2 84 The Chrifiian s Mark and Prize. ^ERM. wiffi all his ftrength and fpeed towards ffie XII. Goal, he never ftood ftill to fee who was behind him, or what a lengffi he had run; but reaching and ftretching him- ^If forwards with all his might towards what was before, artd with the heavertly Prize, the immortal Crowrt, which GOD through Jefus Chrift had promifed hlna, and which the Gofpel (to the faith of which he was called) had fet before him ; with ffiis (I fay) full irt his Eye he corttirtually/ir^^ towards the mark, or the Goal he run to, ffiat he might feize the Prize he ran for. This is ffie plain fenfe of ffie Words j which afford us thefe three Obfervations. I. That ffiere Is no fuch thing as a ftate of perfeft Holinefs to be attained In this Life. The Apoftle, you fee, frankly declares again and again, that for his part he had not attain'd it; and If he affures us ffiat this was not among his Acquifitions, it rauft be great ignorance and prefuraption in any fince his time to pretend to It. II. Though The Chrifiian! s Mark and PrizL 585 Serm; ll. Though It was a Mark that he had ^•^^• not yet arrived at, yet he was continually cndeavourlrtg after, artd preffirtg towards it. — Hertce we learrt thert, that the Chrifi dan's Life Is; or ffiould be, a Conftant ten dency towards perfeft Holinefs. And III. To animate and encourage him in this ardent Purfuit, he ffiould (as ffie Apo ftle did) keep the heavculy Prize, the Crown of eternal Life, always in view; and f6 prefs towards the Mark: i. That there Is no fuch thing as a fiate of perfeft Holinefs to be attained in this Life. The Apoftle, you fee, frankly declares again and again, that for his part he had not attained it ; and if he affures us that this was not araong his Acquifitions, It rauft be great Ignorance and prefuraptlort In arty fince his tirae to pretend to It, — And yet we find there are forae that do, even in our owrt Tirae. And, what Is extraordinary, this finlefs Perfeftion Is pretended to by Per fons, among whom we ffiould leaft of all expeft ^S6 ^e Chriflian s Mark and Prize. Serm. expeft to find It : perfons of low, contraft- XII. ed, narrow niinds ; who difcover very litde 6f the genuine Spirit of the Gofpel, Hurhl- llty, Meeknefs and Charity ; and feem never once to fufpeft themfelves capable of any fuch thing as fpiritual Pride, falfe Zeal, and heart Delufion. But I ffiall not ftay to open the Source, and expofe the Weaknefs and Folly of thefe Vain pretences ; having fomething of more Importance in ray View to entertain you with. I ffiall only fay, that they are not only Incorapatible with the prefent Iraper feft ftate of our nature, and give a flat con tradiftion to Scripture, which fays there is no man thatfinneth not ; and that they who fay they have no fin deceive themfelves, and make God a Lyar (becaufe he affirras the di reft contrary, i John I; 8, lo. ) not only fo I fay — but thefe pretences carry in thera fo much Ignorartce, Raffinefs, Prefuraption and fecret Pride, that ffiey contradift thera felves ; and evidently demonftrate ffie falfe- hood pf what they affert : unlefs it can be proved that there Is nothing finful in thofe forementioned principles and difpofitions, from whence they evidently fpring. So that he The Chriftians Mark and Prize. 287 he who fays he has no fin, not only raakedi Serm. God but makeffi himfelf a Lyar. And ^^I- fuch a palpable extravagance as this (which ffie Apoftle fo abfolutely difclaims) rauft needs ffirov^ a great difcredit and a ftrong fufpicion upon arty Seft or Party of Chrif tians ffiat efpoufes it. But not to infift any longer Upori ffiis, I dbferve frora the Words IL That tho' a State of finlefs holinefs and perfeftiort is not to be attained or ex pefted in ffiis Life, yet It is ffie Mark at which every true Chriftian is contirtually airaing; who, like the Apoftle, forgetting the things that are behind, and reaching forth to thofe that are before, is continually preffing towards the mark; viz, that perfeftion which he had not yet attained. It raay not be amifs here to obferve (In order to a more clear and diftinft difcuflion of this Subjeft) that there are three forts of perfeftion, I , Abfolute Perfeftion : which is proper to GOD; or to which no created Being can ever attain. %, Relative The Now this may denote the Regularity, Re folution, and Conftancy, with which he pro- fecuted ffie chriftian Courfe. I. The Regularity of his PurfuitJ He makes up to the Mark, and tends towards ithe Heavenly Prize, the right way. Which the Apoftle, by an agoniftical Expreffion, calls ftriving lawfully^, 2 tim. ii. 8. So i Cbr. ix. 24. Know you noi that they who run in a Race run all, but one receives tpe Prize ? So run The Chrifiian s Mark and Prize. 297 run that you may obtain. It is of the great- Sern^. eft Importance, If we would reach the Mark, ^H- to keep in the right way to it. And it Is of ^¦'¦"''~* unfpeakable advantage to us Chriftians, ffiat we have the word of GOD for our infal lible Direftion ; to which if we faithfully adhere, we ffiall never miftake our way to the Mark we aim at. But if we negleft to run by this Rule, and fubftitute our own Imaglnatlorts, or ffie Injunftlons of Men in the roora of it, we ffiall mifs the Mark, and never obtain the Prize. (2) The expreffion here ufed denotes the Refolution with which the Apoftle purfued his Mark : conquerlrtg every Irapedlraertt, fiirmounting every Difficulty, and preffing through every Obftade that lay In his way between hira and his Mark. Perfecutions, Temptatiorts, Trials, Allureraents, Deceits, bad Report, good Report, the Applaufe or Cenfure of Men, he defpifed thera all ; none of thefe things moved him ; he trarapled thera under his Feet, while warraed with a hea venly Zeal he ftill preffed on towards the Mark, for the Prize of his high calling. And what he here declares of hirafelf we fee particularly exeraplified in the Hiftory cf his Life. Alas, The Chriflian s Mark and Prize, Alas, how far below or very different from ffiis, is ffie commort Zeal of Chriftians now I It is either ftiff and Hfelefs ; weak as ffieir Faiffi, and cold as their Charity ; or if aniraated and aftive, it is too often wrong direfted : thrown away and exhaufted upon forae abftrufe metaphyfical Points of fpecu lative Theology ; or laid out in eftabhffiing the Credit of certain Schemes, and Forras, and Phrafes, which have noffiirtg of Reli- giort Irt ffiera ; Inftead of cultivating ffie principles of Holinefs and a heavenly Tem per in their own hearts, and In ffie hearts cf others. This Is greatly to be lamented ; as it puts men upon a wrong SCent ; intro^ duces ertdlefs, vam cortterttiorts ; artd is ffie Source of much falfe Conduft and Self-de- lufiort. But 3. Preffing towards the mark denotes the Apoftle's Conftancy, and Perfeverance in his purfuit after Holinefs. As he did not ftand to fook back, nor turn afide out of the right way, fo he never gave out ; but under all his difficulties and difcouragements kept ftill preffing on, at ffie beft rate he could. So the chriftian, who Is fet out In ffie farae holy Race, if he does not make all the pro grefs The Chrifiian s Mark and Prize. 299 grefs he could wiffi, muft flfll make the beft Serm. he can : muft not be weary, nor faint in his XIL •way ; but, in a patient continuance in well ^""""^ doing, feek for Glory, Honour, and Immor tality, Which the Apoftle irt the Text calls preffing towards the mark. But let us proceed uow III. To cortfider what it was that excited our Apoftle to, aud heartened, fupported and encourag'd him under, all thefe eager agoniftical Efforts ; whilft he ffius earneftly reach'd forth and prefs'd towards the Mark of perfeft Holinefs. And that was, ffie hea venly Prize or Immortal Crown that hung full in his View, artd fired all his Soul with ffiis inextinguiffiable Ambition. Now, this Glory of Heaven, where he knew he fliould be making an eternal pro grefs In Holinefs and Happinefs (and the rapidity of his progrefs therein be for ever increafing) which inflaraed his Soul with all this raighty Ardour ; this Heavenly Glory, I fay, is in the Text particularly charafterized, as the Prize ofthe high calling of GO D in Chrifi Jefus, I. e. ' that Ira- ' mortal happinefs in Heaven, to the hope * and enjoyraent of which, irt confequence of ' our The Chriflian s Mark and Prize. ' our Chriftian profeffion, we are gracioufly ' called by God through Jefus Chrift.' But that we may more clearly take in ffib fullnefs of ffie Apoftle's feufe m ffiis Phrafe, let us particularly attertd to ffie Import of every word. I. Itis called a Prize, which is another agoniftical expreffion ; or a Term ufed in the Olympick Games, that denotes ffie Re ward of the conqueror ; which was ufually a Crown of Bay or Lawrel : which being ever green, was to denote that the Fame of him who wore It would be ever fair, and freffi, and flourlfhirtg. A natural but weak Emblem of that Immortal Crown of Glory, which the Gofpel haugs up to the Chrifi tian's View : which is Immarceffible, or a Crowrt that fadeth not nway. See this Em blem applied and improved by the Apoftle I Cor, XX, 1^. and every man that flrivethfor the Mafiery is temperate in all things ; now, be does it to obtain a corruptible Crown, but we an incorruptible, 2. It is called ffie Prize of the high calling. By the high calling he raeans the Chriffian Profeffiort, or Profeffiort of the Gofpel : be caufe it is of all others the moft high and honour- The Chriftianos Mark and Prize. 36 1 honourable Calling ; whereby we are called Serm to Glory, Hortour, Immortality, artd eterrtal XII Life. Artd therefore It Is elfewhere termed a heavenly Calling, Heb. Hi. i. where Chrif tians are faid to be Partakers ofthe heavenly calling. And In another place ffie Apoftle terms it a holy calling, 2 'Timoffiy i. 9. be** caufe ffie Gofpel calls us to Holinefs as well as Happinefs ; and calls us to Happinefs, or leads us to Heaven, only in the way of Hollrtefs. And hence we are exhorted to make our Galling and EleBionfure, 1 Pet. i. 1 1 . i. e. to make fure to ourfelves that Hap pinefs to which God, under the Chriftian Difpenfatiort, hath called artd chofen us, by walking In that way of Holinefs which it prefcribes. Therefore 3. It is faid to be the Prize of the high calling of God: becaufe it is that high Ho nour and Happirtefs to which GOD hath called us irt his Gofpel ; and where he hath made a free Promife of it to all his faithful Sei-vartts. Artd hertce It Is emmerttly called the Gift or the Gift of GOD ; as being the greateft Gift GOD can beftow upon raen: Rom. vl. 23. the Gift of GOD is eternal Life. Lafily, The Chriftians Mark and Prize. Laftly, It is faid to be the high Calling of GOD in Chrifi Jefus. Becaufe he Is boffi fhe Author and SubjeB of ffie Gofpel, where in we are called to the happinefs of eternal Life. I . He Is the Author of it. He was fent by his Father to publiffi the glad Tidings it contained to the world : to which he firft preached it himfelf, ratifying his Divine Mifiion by a long feries of ffie moft indubi table and beneficent Miracles : and then infpired his Apoftles to preach it In every Place after his death ; and to tranfmit it down in Writing to the lateft Generations of men. %. As he Is the Author, fo he Is SubjeB of the Gofpel, His Life Is ffiere recorded as our Pattern, and his deaffi as our Atone ment : and the whole purport and fubftance of it Is, that GOD Is now on Terms of Peace wiffi an apoftate World; and will, through the Merits and Mediation of Chrift, freely pardon and beftow eternal life upon every true Penitent ; that is, on every one who believes in Chrift, and returns to GOD,, in ffie way his Gofpel direfts. For through Jefus Chrift GOD Is reconciling the World unto The Chrifiian s Mark and Prize. unto himfelf, mt imputing their tratifgreffions unto them, I ffiall rtow cortclude wiffi a few Reflec tions upon ffiis Reprefentatiort which the Apoftle here gives of Heaven ; as the Prize of the high calling of GOD in Chrifi JeJus, And I . As It Is called a Prize, this denotes that we muft ftrlve for It. No Prize cart be ob- tairted wiffiout Pains. With what zeal and earneftrtefs the Apoftle corttertded for It, artd preffed ort towards it, we have juft been fee ing. And can we ever Imagine ffiat the fame laborious Efforts are not as rteceffary on our part as they were ou his ? who was fo rauch our Superior in all the Gifts artd Graces of ffie Spirit : which mftead of fuper- fedlng, did but ftiraulate the moft vigorous endeavours after more perfeft attainmertts. O, how rauch does this ffiarae, expofe aud cortderart a formal, indolent, and lukewarm fpirit In Rehgion ! And Is not ffie Prize of heavertly Glory worffi ftriving for t an Immortality of Blifs for ever growing ! — and not only fo, but In- creafirtg fafter and fafter to all Eternity! — Extatick The Chriflian s Mark and Prize. Extatick Thought ! — O, the ftupldlty of that Soul, which this Sentiment doth not fire with ffie moft ardent Ambition ; and excite to the inoft Indefatigable Aftlvity, in the purfuit of ffiis heaveuly Prize ! were we more ferioufly to thirtk^ what it is — ^we eould not be fo indifferent to It. 2. How ffiould this excite our Value for ffie Chriftian Gofpel, where this Imraortal Prize is fet before us, and the way to attain it fo diftinftly afcertain'd ! — I know not what particular advantage our raodern fcep-^ tical Phflofophers raay thirtk to gairt by their Irtfidelity ; but fure I am, there Is nothing fo much digrtifies Human nature : nothing fo much opens, enlarges, exalts; and charms the mind, as thofe Principles and Profpefts which the Chriftian Revelation fets before us. Nothing fo rauch reconciles us to 6ur- felves, to the Difpenfations of Providence, and the prefent ftate of things around us, as thofe principles when taken in their pro per light, latitude and connexion. Let eve ry Chriftian then that values his Peace, that longs for eftabliffied Hope, and Self-poffef fion, and bright Views beyond the Grave, bind The Chriftians Mark and Prize. 305 bind this Divine Gofpel to his Heart ; raake Serm. it ffie daily comfort, raeditationi and folace XII. of his . Soul J artd under the influence and ' — ' direftion of it, be contirtually endeavouring to walk more worffiy of ffiis high Vocation wherewith he is called; perfeBing Holinefs by the grace and in the fear of the Lord. 3 . How thankful ffiould We be that GOD haffi called us to this bleffed Hope ! that fuch a Prize is put into our hands ; fo fair an opportunity of obtaining this Imraarceffi- ble and Iraraortal Crown ! and the raore, when we confider how few, how very few, of the Bulk of Mankind in proportion have this Immortality of future Blifs fo plainly fet before them, and the way to it fo clearly pointed out to them, as we have in this en lightened Land. Let us fie that we refufe not him that fpeaketh, for if they efcaped not who rejufed him that fpake on earth, how much more fioall not we ejcape, if we tiirn away from him that fpeaketh from heaven (a). Laftly, How warrnly ffiould this excite all our raoft devout and grateful regards to the Lord Jefus Chrifi, ffirough whora GOD |iath fo gracioufly called us to this Immor- X tal («) Heb. xii. 25. The Chrifiian s Mark and Prize. tal Glory artd Honour ! who hath rtot only purchafed it for us, and fet it before us, but offered his raoft effeftuaj Grace to fit us for It ; and is at once, both the Author and the Finiffier of our Salvation, and of that Faith on which that Salvation is fufpended : who, as the Apofile and high Priefi of our Profeffion, was fent of GOD to conduft us to that heavenly Blifs he hath purchafed, and is gone before to prepare (and is at God's right hand continually making Interceffion) for us. We rejoice in the relation wherein we ftand to Chrift ; and glory in the Chriftian Narae and Profeffion : but do we well con fider what that raeans ^ or how we are to walk worthy of it .? — In one word, the Chriftian Profeffion is no more and no lefs than this; art earrteft, mdefatigable Tert- dency towards perfeft Holinefs and perfeft Happinefs, under the conduft of Chrift, his Grace, and Gofpel. What remains then, but that we lay up thefe things in our hearts ; keep this Idea of the Chriftian Life always in view ;. artd, forgetting thofe things that are behind, and reaching forth unto thofe things that are before, we prejs towards the mark, for the Prize of the The Chriftians Mark and Pri^e. 3^7 the high Calling of GOD in Chrifi Jefus. To Serm whom be Glory for ever and ever ; Amen ! XIL The H Y ^^ N. I. TRanfporting Thought --' Eternal Joys! * Artd ever-growing Blifs i * What have this World's poor tranfient Toys To crown my Hopes like this ? II. Thus crown'd fit all ffie Heavertly Hoft On adamantine Thrones ; And ffiis the Gem that fparkles moft In all ffieir ftarry Crowns. III. Jufi o'er the Mark at which I aim, An,d fnll before tny Eyes, To fire my Soul wiffi growing flame. Hangs ffiat immortal Prize, IV. - O World, what haft thou now to ffiow That can excite Defire .'' Dead Is that Heart to all below Which Heavenly Crowns infpire. X 2 V, With Serm. XII. The Chriftians Mark and Prize. V. With Feet, and Heart, and lifted Eyes, I run, artd pant, and pray, And reach, and prefs to feize the Prize Which fadeth not away. VL LORD, guide my Feet, direft my Ways, And animate my Soul To run with fpeed the chriftian Race, , And fafely reach ffie Goal. SEI^ S09 SERMON XIII. This World is not a State of Happines s. Micah xi. io. Arife ye, and depart, for this is not your Refi. THIS Prophet Micah was cotemporary Serm. wiffi Ifaiah ; whom he a good deal XIII. refembles both in ffie ftile and fubjeft of '-"¦^'¦*^ his Prophefy : and is moft remarkable for pointing out and exprefsly declaring the very place where the Meffiah ffiould be born, viz. at Bethlehem {2.), a vfllage in Judea. He X 3 pro- V (a) Mic. V. 2. — This was the place where Da'vid and his Anceftors were born (1 Sam. xx. 6. zg). Accoydingly Boaz ¦ (David's great Grandfather) calls it the City of Ms Peoplei^ Ruth. iii. 2. — It was antiently but a Village, tho' in later times it obtain'd the litle of a City ; being enlarg'd and for tified by Rahaboam, 2 Chron. xi. 6. Yet it continued to be a fmall place even after that reparation ; as may be gather'd from this Prophecy of Micah, quoted Mat. ii. 6. Which is the reafon that 'tis call'd a Village (ii«fi»i) lohn vii. 42. This World is not prdphecled at a tirae when ffie wickednefs of the Jewiffi nation was corae to a moft enorrnous height: for which they were foon after carried into captivity, which contirtued feventy years. In this chapter ffie Prophet is fetting fome of their moft comraon and crying Sins be fore their eyes, e. g. their Covetoufnefs and Oppreffion, ver. 1,3; their Extortion, Ra pine, and Injuflice ; ver. 8, 9. And then adds, In the words ofthe Text, arife ye, and depart, for this is not your reft, becaufe it is polluted; it ftoall deftroy you, even with a fore DefiruBioh, that is, for thefe and fuch like Sins ye ffiall foon be rooted out. The very laud you haye polluted wiffi thera, lothes you ; and therefore ffiall be the occafion df your total Deftruftion : as it's fertility artd plenty, whioh you have abufed to fo much jliot and Luxury, ffiall terapt your eneraies to come againft you, and entirely dilpoffefs you of it. This is the prope'r and primary raeaning ofthe words ; but there is anoffier more ge neral fenfe to which they are frequently, and fitly accommodated ; as alluding tp ffie pre fent a State of Happinefs. 311 fent world and our unfettled ftate and ffiort Serm, continuance In it. XIII. It is in this allufive fenfe (in which the words are fo generally applyed) that I in tend to Improve them at prefent : and then thofe expreffions, arife ye anti depart, are to be confider'd, not as a threatning, but as a precept or exhortation ; and the word reft (which fignifies here a refling place) muft imply a condition free from difquietude and change. And in this conftruftion the words exhibit to us this ufeful , fentiment, which we ought to raake very farafliar to our minds, viz, ' that this world Is not, and was ' never defign'd to be, the place of our Hap- ' pinefs or long Abode ; and ffiat it highly * concerns us, whilft we are in it, to raife * our hearts above it, and prepare to leave it.' This propofition confifts of two parts, frora the double conftruftion I put on the VJotdReft ; as fignifyii)g our place of Sz/- pinefs, and place of Abode ; and ffie inference drawn from it is adapted to both ; as ffiis world is not the fcene of our happinefs, our fouls ffiould rife above it ; and as it is not our ftate of abode, we fliould prepare to leave it, X 4 What This. World is not , What I propofe is to confider and apply each of thefe diftinftly. And. I. As this World is not our Reft, or the fcene pf our Happinefs, our fouls ffiould rife above It. , Here I ffiall i { 1 ) Prove the truth of this propofition. And (i) Urge the inference drawn from it. ( I ) I am to prove ffie truth of this pro pofition — ' That ffiis world is not our Reft; ' or never was defign'd to be our ftate of • Happinefs .' than which there is no propo fition more generally allow'd, or lefs regard ed. All men profefs to belieVe It ; and yet look into their purfuits, and views and cares, and you wou'd think they believ'd nothing lefs. But the truth is, they do believe it, but do not confider or attend to what they be lieve ; fo as to purfue It Into it's proper and praftical confequences. — But what- can be ffie reafon of this ? do they look upon it as a matter of no importance ; or what does pot require or deferve a ferious attention*? no, a 'State of Happinefs. no, this is not the cafe ; they acknowledge it to be of importance; but the > reafon they do not pay it the regard they know it der ferves, is ffiat (partly from the force of ex ample, and partiy from a .blind and ftrong attachment to ffiis world) they have con trafted a thoughtlefs Indifference with re fpeft to ffiis point (plain and importartt.' as it is) artd have heen fo long unaccuftom'd to all refleftions of this nature, that ffiey know not how to difpofe their minds to ert- tertain theni. And' this is the whole truth of :the matter: which ffiews the amazing force of habits (efpecially of had habits) how much they befool the mind, abufe its ratio nal powers, and lead a man, to aft direftly contrary fo the diftates, of his underftandirtg, irt affairs that -cortcern. his moft important intereft : aud at the faihe tinie blind .him fo ffiat he cannot fee the irapropriety of fuch a conduft. ' ; la.: The propofition however Is not the lefs certain for the inattention and difregard which fome mert pay to it, or for their prac tical contradiftion of It ; that this world is not, and never was defign'd to be, our ftate pf Refi or Happinefs. This appears ( I ) Froni This World is mt (i) Frora the Certajrt nature and proper ties of all our earffily enjoyments. Now ffie good ffiings of this life which fo much. attraft ffie hearts of men, and wherein the generality of martkind fo incortfiderately place ffieir blifs ; what are they ? what have they ? what Is ffie utraoft they can do for us ? — why, fuit ffie body, and gratify animal appetites. And if we were all body, and had noffiirtg but animal nature about us, ffiey are indeed very well adapted to make us happy .---But ffiey do more ; ffiey pleafe and erttertain ffie fancy, fooffie and amufe the imagination. But if ffiis be all, they are only imaginary pleafiires. The foul of man has powers rauch fuperior to ffiat of ffie Iraagination-: and 'ere it can be happy, thefe muft be agreeably entertain'd as well as that. A child that is only govern'd by fancy and ftruck with gay appearances, and in whom the better powers of ffie mind are weak and low, may ffiink itfelf happy widi thefe kind of amufements. But we are not all children.- r-- Well, can a worldly afflu ence do any thing elfe to pleafe us ? — Yes; it can flatter our Vanity, gratify our Ambi tion ; and fet us in our conceit and in the view a Stmte of Happinefs. 315 yifcw of others, far afe*3»ve moft that We fee Serm. around us.-^Were thefe honorary diftinc-:- XIIL tibns permanent, they would Indeed be more ^— ¦*~-' defireable; hut die mifet^ 'of it is, the hand of Deaffi foon fweeps them all away, the- than in honour akid&th n^ti. ¦ ^ ' ¦ ' i • And what has die world more to give ? Nothing. This is the whole Inventory of it's Goods. There was one raan that pdf-r fefs'd it all, and it had nearly befool'dhim, vfSfk all his Wifdora. But when he came to ' make a right eftlmate of the whole, he i^tes It ? Vanity qf Vanities. But (2) That ffiis world cannot be our ftate df Happinefs appeaf s from the nature and cir- eumftances df out conditiort in It : Which is jn tvery view a ftate of Imperfeftion and Trial. How "many Infii-mities of Body and Mind cleave to us and grow np wiffi us, and give very frequent and unexpefted in- terruptldrts to our Peace ! How raany hurt ful Prejudices and bad Habits befet us, which we are half our Lives in contrafting, and ffie other half irt cUring* ?— But why do I fay * What is every year ofa •wife matts life but a Cenfure or Cri tique, upon the pafi?. The boy defpifes the child; the man the boy; .the philofopher, both ; the ehriliian, all. PopB. 'Infan- 3-1^ This World is not Serm. fay fo? this is rarely the cafe. How often ^11' are men cut off in the fulnefs of their Folly! in ffie noort of Life; urtder the Power of all ffiofe bad Habits, corrupt Paffions and finful Prejudices, which ffiey ha^ contrafted and indulg'd in ffie morning of it. Or if ffiey are perraitted to lengffien ffieir Shades, they ftfll beat the fanie dull track of Imperti- nence^ Folly and Vice; which gather Strength wiffi Age, and by frequent Indulr? gertce fettle mto a Habit, attairt the force of Nature, bliud the Mmd, hardert the Heart, and by degrees gain fuch an irttire poffeffir- Ort of thera, that ffiey are fo far from en deavouring to correft their finful cuflomsi that they fee no harm in ffiem. They re tain, praftice and defend them to ffie laft; Nay the Delufiou does rtot leave them at Death- They go dois^n into the Grave, with ^ Lye in their right Hand; apd carry, with ffiem Irtto the other World all ffiofe vicious Difpofitiorts which made ffiem fo reftlefs and raiferable In this. — I pafs over the marty natural Evils to which a mortal Staite is fubjeft. Becaufe, without thefe, ffie pre fent Infantem puer, et puerum vir defpicit, ambos Philofophus, cunfios qui credit dogmata chrjfti. a State of Happinefs. fent ffiort view we have taken of it's mdral Evfls is fufficiertt to ffiew, ffiat this World is not our Reft. But (.3) Setting afide all the diftateful Ingre dients which ffie many raoral and natural Evils of Life throw irtto it's Cup of Pleafures, artd fuppofe ffiem ever fo pure aud conftant, yet they are by no mearts fuited. to a Soul ; art iraraortal Soul, confcious of Capacities, which fuch Delights can never fill, and of Cravings ffiey cart never gratify. Objefts of fenfe are 111 adapted to ffie wants of the Mlrid. As well may you fatisfy a dylug man wiffi the delicacies of a royal Banquet j or a hungry man with the raelody of Mu- iick. A Soul, a thinking Soul, can never be content wiffi fuch things as It knows It muft furvive, and live without forever. It wants foraething to fubfift upon, and rejoice irt, whert it ffiall lofe its reliffi for all ffiefe things, or be takert from them. But ' {Laftly) I heed ortly appeal to your expe- rlertce for a proof of ffie Propofitiort before us. 'Cortfult your owu Inward Feelings, and , fay if thefe things be not fo. Did you ever / -tafte a Pleafure on Earffi of which you could fay, ' my Soul is fatisfied ; it is this 'ffiat This World is not ' ffiat makes me happy ; and gives me all * my Heart could wiffi Y Don't your Souls firid they have raany Coraplaints, which this World cannot reraove ; many Wants it cannot fupply ; many Pains it cannot cure; and many Defires it cartrtot fatisfy ? or if thofe Wants, Complaints and Pains be re moved a whlle^ ffiey foort return again. but were every worldly Wiffi to be gratified to ffie utraoft, there Is ftill a vacuity in the Soul; and it wants fomeffiing ffiis Earth has not to give. Hertce ffiert it appears beyortd all difpute and doubt, that this World is not and (while thittgs remain as they are) cartnpt poffibly be our proper ftate of Reft and Happinefs,— Now the plaineft Inference from hence is this, that If this world is not our Reft it is notour Home: that there Is an after ftate of exiftertce where all thofe Defires of a good man's Soul ffiall be fully fatisfied, which -could not be fo here. Otherwife GOD would have given him ffiofe Defires In vaih. But (i) The prirtcipal Inference from this Truth which I ara now to purfue Is this— - ' If this World be not our Reft, ffien we ' ffiould a State of Happinefs. 319 * ffiould take eare not to be over fond of it, Serm. * but endeavour to live above it.' For what XIII. an. Inconfiftency Is It to fuffer our Hearts to be einaraour'd with ffiofe things In which we know our Happinefs doth not confift ! and which if we could poffefs. in all the abun- dartce we defire, we ffiou'd uot be raore, but perhaps rauch lefs, happy ffian we arenowi The Subjeft which I am here to difcufs ffiert Is this — ' How we are to live abov6 ' the Wdrld ? or to keep our raluds fuperior to ' the Influence (I raean the undue Influence) ' of earthly ffiings ?' For thefe ffiings, while they are prefent, and fo well fuited to our fenfitive nature, will In fome degree affeft and imprefs us. And there is no harra in ffiis, provided that thofe things which are iraraediately eortnefted with our rational and immortal nature, Imprefs and affeft us more. Now the only way to have our hearts ef feftually wean'd from the World, is to get them fix'd ort Heavert, For the more the ffiings of the offier World engage them, the lefs attachment will they find to this, — • But how are we to get our hearts habitually ffx'd in Heaven, araidft all the embaraff' ments and diffipations qf Earth ? for this two 320 This World is not Serm. two things are principally neceffary, Which XIII, I am now particularly to infift upon. ( I ) We muft be frequently conteraplatirtg fee heavenly arid eternal World, and by a lively Faith be prefentirtg and realizing the Happinefs of it to our minds, artd the Infinite duration of that Happinefs.' (2) tindei- the direftion and influence of Chriftian Principles we rauft be continually praying, airaing and endeavouring after a more heavenly Teraper, And thus by the Grace of GOD ffiall We foon attain that happy Con(jueft over the World, which will place us in a good raeafure above the reach of it's Temptations and Sorrows ; fo that we ffiall be in much lefs danger frora the one, and feel rauch lefs affliftion frora the other. (i) We rauft be frequently conterapla tirtg the heavenly and eternal World, and by a lively Faith be prefenting and realizing the Happinefs of it, and the infinite duration of that Happinefs to our minds. And ¦ a State of Happinefs. And really one of ffieftrangeft things we fee in ffiis world Is, that men ffiould fo ge nerally forget ffieir Connexions with the offier : ffiat nothing but the near approach of unavoidable Death cart turn their thoughts Irt good earneft, to ffiat which they ought to think of every day they live; and which one would wonder ffiould be ever long out of their rainds : that creatures confcious of Imraortality, ffiould fo feldom think of E- terrtlty ! Where cart we find a greater In ftance of ftupldlty in thinking Men ; in Men who in all other refpefts are wife and ffirewd and provident ? and for this World have a Reach, Penetration and compafs of Thought. and Kndwledge beyond many others ; but wiffi regard to their imraortal Intereft aft wiffiout ffie leaft degree of Prudence : feem totally unconcern'd about it ; purfue a courfe direftly oppofite to it ; which they know to be fo, and yet perfift therein ! — What Infa tuation fo unaccountable, or fo deplorable ! fo fatal, and yet fo coraraon ! and what can it be owing' to, but the force of Cuftora, the ftrong irapreflion of fenfible objefts on their deprav'd natures ; the influence of bad Ex- Y araples ; This World is not amples ; which beget a fixt averfion to ffiefe kind of Refleftions. Irt oppofitiort to all this thert let us exert ourfelves, ftir up our thluking faculties, look about us, enlarge our Thoughts, and ex tend our Views beyond the contrafted Li mits of a mortal Life : and awaken our felves (as the Macedonian Monarch's Page did his Mafter, every morrung, wiffi remem ber. Sir, you are a man ; fo let us awaken our felves, (I fay) eveiy Moruing artd Evert ing) with this Iraportant Memento, ' Remem- * ber O my Soul, thou art Immortal.' ( I ) Let us frequently recolleft and rea lize to our Minds ffie Happirtefs of the hea venly World; and accuftome our felves to look uport thofe future Sceues which are opert'd to us Irt ffie Word of GOD, to be as certairt and real as thefe which ffiis World now exhibits to our view. There muft be a degree of Doubt In the minds of worldly men, relating to their fu ture Exiftence In another State, or ffiey could never be fo urtconcern'd about it. For did ffiey but look upou ffiat, and the Iraportant Things that are told them of it, to be as cer tain and real as their prefent exiftence In this a State of Happinefs. this World, and ffie Things which they fee in it, ffiey could not be fo rauch attach'd to the one, and fo Indifferent to the other as we find ffiey are. For where two things are equally certain and real, and the con viftion of ffieir certainty and reality equally ftrong, the raind will be fway'd or influen ced by the greater degree of Importance It difcerns in thofe objefts ; as ffie only thing left to determine it's preference. And there fore, as the Things of the other World both in refpeft of ffieir nature and duration arc^ (without all doubt) of rauch greater Impor tance ffian the Things of this ; ifthe Mind conteraplates them as equally certain, it rauft give the preference to thera. But as we fee that raen irt gerteral give ffie prefer ence to ffiis World, this can proceed from nothing but forae fecret Doubt which they harbour in ffieir Minds concerning the rea lity ofthe offier. And let me add, as ffiis fecret Unbelief In it's power and prevalence, is the true fource of that intire Devotednefs to the World which we fee irt earthlyT-minded men, fo it is to be found more or lefs in the rainds of all men. Or however. If fome may be faid Y X to This World is not to make no Doubt at all of this Truth, they lofe its happy Influence and Effeft, for want ofa frequent recolleftion and ferious con templation of it: for tho' a Principle be ever fo certain and Iraportant In itfelf, it wfll fail of it's good Effeft, if it be not often con fider'd and reprefented as fuch to the raind. Let us then in our retir'd Seafons recol left this iraportant Confideration and urge it horae ; and fay to ourfelves — ' Remeraber, ' O ray Soul, that it is not raore certain that ' thou art now In this World, than It Is that ' thou wilt foon be In another ; irtcortceiva- ' bly different fpra this. Where raortal ' Objefts ffiall no raore ftrike ray Eyes, nor ' corporeal Pleafures charra the Senfe : but ' where I ffiall be capable of enjoying rauch ' greater Happinefs than I can here : tho' ' it be fuch a kind of Happinefs as I can at ' prefent forra but a very faint and low Idea ' of. But let me not think that 'tis ffierefore ' the lefs real. It is hid frora rae thro' the ' Wifdoni and Goodnefs of GOD, (not that ' I fliould continue unraindful of it, and ' never refreffi and entertain rayfelf with ' the hopes of it, but) that I might be wflling ' to wait for it, and not grow irapatient un- ' der a State of Happinefs. ^ der ffie Burdens and Sorrows of a mortal ' Life ?'~Enoughisreveard,and enough may be conceiv'd of it (by the help of a fixt and fteady Faith) to fupport us under the Tribu lations of Mortality; but not enough to make us think our felves raiferable in being a while detain'd frora it. O, what are all ffie Sufferings of this World to that Glory which is to be reveal! d f What, all the Glory of Earth ? all that ever raen call'd great or good, in coraparifon with thofe much greater and better Things which GOD hath referv'd in Heaven for them that love hira ! With ffie pleafing conteraplation of this delightful Subjeft let us frequently entertain our felves, till it be wrought into a Habit ; and the hap py effeft will be, that prefent and teraporal things will not raake that deep and undue irapreffion upon us which they are now too apt to do. But (i) Would we get our hearts above this world we ffiould not only prefent and realize to our rainds the happinefs of the other, but the infinite Duration of that happinefs. Think of a happinefs that wfll never have an end ; but be for ever growing : which hot only exceeds our higheft hopes, but Y 3 which. This World is not which, as foon as we are poffefs'd of it, we ffiall be free from the Fear of ever lofing. View the things of the prefent world now through this Glafs, and how little do they look ! they dwindle Into a point ; a mere nothing. Were the pleafures of this Life much more fubftantial thau we find them to be, yet as they are but for a Moraent, and rauft foon be gone for ever, this fpolls the Reliffi of them all ; and ffiews that they deferve no Regard or Attention when put in competition with thofe that never end. For, O, what is the utmoft Span of human Life to Eternity ! And is it in the fiight of threefcore years to puft Eternity from human thoughts. And bury Souls immortal in the dufi (c) .? It is ; we fee it is, and lament the Effeft. Our attachraent to prefent things and difregard to future are both ffie caufe and effeft of each other. Our fondnefs for ffiis World makes us forget the other ; and the rnore forgetful we are of Heaven, the more fond wc grow of Earth, If therefore we would (c) Young. a State of Happinefs. would rife above this world fo as to be lefs affefted wiffi ffie dark and lucid fcenes of it, we muft frequcrttly In our thoughts get out of it ; and imprefs our minds daily (and fure no impreffions can be more pleafing than ffiofe which are thus made) by contempla ting the happinefs of Heaven, and the eter nal Duratiort of that happirtefs. Artd methinks ffie quick fucceeding Troubles, Difappointraents, VexatiortS and Alarras we raeet with in this reftlefs and turaultuous World, ffiould drive us to ffiis delightful Duty for our Repofe and Re fuge, — ' Every day I live (fays the abftraft- * ed Soul) I have experience enough of this * plain Truth, that this World is not my reft. * What Reft can I expeft in fo ftorray a Sea, ' where one Billow fo quickly follows au- • other and keeps my poor ffiatter'd Bark In * a conftartt artd dangerous agitation ! But * there is a Reft that remaineth jor the people * of GOD : an eternal Reft; a fafe and ' quiet Harbour, where I fhall enjoy all the * fatisfaftion and repofe I can defire, "Keep * then that happy Land in Eye; fteer direft- ? ly to it In the full Sail of thy Affteftions ; ' often view it with the Perfpeftive of Faith : Y 4 ' when 328- This World is mt Serm. ' when a Storra arifes, lie by ; drop the ^^^•^ ' Anchor of Hope, that you do not fplit on ' ffie Rocks and Shelves of earthly cala- '¦ mities ; let Patience be your Ballaft, the ' Word of G O D your Corapafs, and Wif- ' dora and Piety keep clofe at the Helra ; ' and you will fafely weather the Sea pf ' Life, and foon gain the Haven of eternal ' Reft,' — But this Is not all. We rauft in deed be frequently realizing the heavenly and eternal World to our rainds, if we would ever get above the troubleforae ira preffions and dangerous attraftions of this : but there is another thing no lefs neceffary, and that is II. We rauft be continually endeavour ing after a Heavenly Difpofition, or to have our rainds habitually atteraper'd to that Bleffed World. And indeed the foreraen- tion'd frequent, fixt, realizing views of it is .one good means to attain this ; but it rauft always be attended with fincere and fervent Prayer for it, and conftant Endeavours after it. But what is this Heavenly Difpofition ? or wherein does the true Teraper of the Bleffed a State of Happinefs. Bleffed world properly confift ? — I anfwer briefly In two ffiings, Love and Purity, or an entire devotednefs of our hearts to G O D and Holinefs. This Is the Teraper of Hea ven; and ffie greater Iraproveraents our Souls raake in thefe heavenly Affeftions, the greater fuperiority they gain over this world, where there is fo little to be found of ei ther. ( I ) Then let us earneftly pray and en deavour that the Love of GOD raay have a more prevailing influence on our hearts. This Is of all things raoft oppofite to an in ordinate Love of the World : fo oppofite ffiat they can never dwell togeffier or pre- dorainate in the fame mind ; but (like fire and water) the one will fubdue or extin guiffi the other. So that 'ere the Love of GOD can get poffeffion of the heart (the Apoftle John tells us) the Love ofthe World rauft be rooted out of it. Love not the World nor the things of the World, for if any man love the World the Love ofthe Father is not in him (d). — In like raanner if we would get the Love of the World out of our Hearts, We rauft get the Love of G OD in it : for which [d) I John xi. 15. This World is not which ever takes poffefiion of ffie heart, will be fure to keep the offier out. The Soul ffiat hath once tafted ffiat ffie Lord is gra cious, and felt ffie Impreffions of Divine Love can no more be fatisfied with ffie good things of this Life, ffian ffie worldly man can be without them. The reafon is, be caufe the former haffi tafted better ffiings, ffie latter never has. Could ffie Prodigal Son, after he had been feafted wiffi ffie fat ted Calf, have any more reliffi for the Hufks and Traffi ofthe Swine-trough ? The Plea fures of the world are too fordid and dreggy to fuit the refined Reliffi of a Soul that hath tafted the Erttertainments of Divirte Love. Artd that which is the Quirtteffertce of this pleafure, the very joy of ffiis Joy Is, that this cortfcioufrtefs of our fuprerae aud ardertt Love to GOD gives us ffie raoft affured Hope of Heavert. Therefore, faith the Apo ftle, our Hope maketh not aftamed becaufe the Love of GOD isfted abroad (or diffus'd or pour'd out) in our Hearts (e). ffiat Is, fuch a fertfe of GOD's Love to us diffus'd Into our Souls as excites and begets a ftrong and ardertt Love to him. And what better Hope of («) Rom. V. 5. a State of Happinefs. 331 of Heaven, or brighter Evidence ofour fit- Serm.. nefs for it can we have, or defire to have, XIII. than this ? For where ffiall ffie Objeft of his Love hereafter be but wiffi himfelf? And what elfe do we want to make us happy for ever ?~Artd now, is it poffible for a Soul lu- fpir'd wiffi this Joy, artd elevated wiffi this exalted Hope, to be captivated by Earth ? No, it cartrtot ftoop fo low. This animating Joy fh"engffiens and ennobles It, and makes it look down with equal indifference on all ffie Frowrts and Srailes of a falfe and flatter- iirtg World. (i) The offier Branch of the heavenly Teraper is Purity, or the Holinefs of our natures, whereby we becorae like to GOD and are transforra'd into his raoral Iraage. This Divine Image or raoral likenefs to GOD, which confifts in righteoufnefs and true holinefs, does in a degree enter into ffie charafter of all real Chriffians now^ and irtdeed is that which forms their charafter as real Chriftiarts : but it will not be com pleat till they come to Heaven, where that which is in part ffiall be done away, every imperfeftion ceafe, and they made compleat irt Grace and Glory, And hence the glori fied 332 This World is not Serm. fied Saints are call'd the Spirits of juft men Xiii- made perfeB, But though ffiis perfeftion be not attainable on earth, yet we are requir'd to be continually tending to and aiming at it. Be ye perfeB even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfeB ( f ), In a word, the more fit we are for a bet ter World, the raore ffiall we be out of love with this. And the brighter Evidence we have of this fitnefs in the growing Holinefs of our hearts and lives, the lefs affefted ffiall we be with unexpefted Incidents, the fud den turn of things, the changing fcenes of Tirae, the vain Difputes of raen, the varia tion of our outward circuraftances, and with every thing ffiat has rtothing of GOD and Heaven In it. To conclude : this World is not our Refi: it is not, cannot, and never was defign'd to be a State of Happinefs for fuch creatures as we are. What follows then ? but that we daily think of and prepare for that bet ter World, where alone we ftiall raeet with ffiat full fatisfaftion we want, but cannot here enjoy, And nothing can fit us for that better World but what lifts the raind above the (/) Mat. V, 48. a State of Happinefs. ffie attraftions of ffiis. And what is that ? but a growing Love and Likenefs to the Bleffed GOD, ffie Source of Good, and Cen tre of all Excellence. For this, he gave us his Son to redeera us, his Spirit to fanftify us, and his Gofpel to guide and comfort us; In which we are told both what we are to raeet wiffi here, and what to expeft here after. This World then Is not a ftate of Hap pinefs ; and therefore we ffiould be con tinually endeavouring to raife our Views and Hopes and Hearts above It. Which was the firft Obfervation and Inference the Text offer'd td our Thoughts. The other was, ' that this World is not our abiding '¦place, and therefore we ffiould be every * day preparing to leave it.' Which will be the Subjeft of the following Difcourfe. The Hymn. MA N has a Soul of vaft defires, He burns within with reftlefs fires. Toft to artd fro his paffions fly Frora vanity to vanity. IL In T^is tP'ot-ld is not^ &cf^ IL In vain oft earth we hope to find Some folid good to fill the mind ; We try new pleafures, but we feel The irtward thirft artd torment ItilL m. So when a raging fever burns We ffilft from fide to fide by turns. And 'tis a poor relief we gain To change the place, hut keep ffie pain. IV. Great GOD, fubdue this vicious thirft. This love to vanity and duft ; Cure the vile fever of the miud Artd fill our Souls with joy refin'd. V. O, feed ffiem with fubftantial food, Thou art our all-fufficieut good ; In thee we fix our lafting choice. In ffiee let all our powers rejoice. VI. And now, no more accoft ray ear Vain world, your blifs is rauch too dear ; Your joys fantaftick afl, adieu, I cartrtot part with heaven for you. SER- SERMON XIV. Our great Concern in this WorlJ is to prepare to leave it. Mic. ii. lo. Arife ye, depart, for thi^ is not your Refl. FROM thefe Words, taken in that al- Serm. lufive fenfe in which they are fre- XIV. quently and fitly apphed, I made ffie fol lowing Obfervation, — ' That ffiis World is * not, artd rtever was defign'd to be ffie place * of our Happinefs or long Abode, artd * therefore it highly concerrts us, whilft vye * are in it, to raife our hearts above It, and * prepare to leave it,' The word Reft, you may obferve, I take in two fertfes, to figrtify either our ftate of Happinefs, or place of Abode. Upon this double Our great Concern in this World double fenfe ofthe word the foregoing pro pofition is formed : which raay be divided into thefe two. ( i ) That this World Is not our place of Happinefs ; and therefore we ffiould be continually endeavouring to get our Hearts above It. (2) That it is not our Horae, or ftate of Abode ; and therefore we ffiould be daily preparing to leave it, Arife ye, D'E'PA'R.T, for this is not your Reft. The firft of thefe propofitions I have con fider'd, explain'd and iraprov'd, in the fore going Difcourfe, I ara now to apply ray felf to the fecond ; viz, ' that this World is ' not, and was never defign'd to be our • Horae, or place of long Abode ; and there- * fore it highly concerns us to be daily pre- * paring to leave it,' I ffiall not enter Into a critical vindica tion of this fenfe of the original Word : It arifes plainly enough frora that before men tion'd, which is undoubtedly the prefer meaning of it. For If this World be not our ftate of Happinefs, it was certainly ne ver defign'd to be the place of our final Re fidence : for we can by no means reconcile it to the Wifdom or Goodnefs of G O D, to form our Souls with noble powers of aftion, and ' ;,^ is to prepare to leave it. and a vaft capacity of Bfifs, and then def- tine and confine thera tb a place where ffiey can neither exert the one, nor enjoy the other. Which is a raoral argurnent that a- mourtts even to Demonftration, that there muft be a ftate of future exiftence, where our Souls ffiall enjoy a Liberty of aftion, and a degree of Happinefs, which they are made capable of, but cannot erijoy in the ftate ffiey are now in. As univerfal Experience then ^affures us ffiat ¦ mankind are . not long for this world (for one generation goeth, and another cometh) fo this obfervation ffieweth that Death is not the extinftion of their exiftence ; but when they go out of this ftate they remove into another : and the general defcription which the facred Scriptures give us of that other World into which Death tranfmits us, is fq iraportant and ftriking, that, when duly attended to, nothing can poffibly more affeft ffie huraan heart, I ffiall not enter upon a forraal proof of the propofition itfelf, ' that the prefent World ' is not our Horae, or ftate bf long Abode :' this is univerfally known and acknowledocd. , But what is raoft furprifing Is, that it ffiould Z be. Our great Concern in this WoHd be fo h'^ttl^ confider'd ; or that the cortfide ratiort of it ffiould fo commonly fail of it's proper effeft on the minds of men. ~-I fhall therefore only make fome general Obfer^ yatlons upon it, and thert proceed to (what I chiefly defign, viz. to) Inforc6 ffie Infe- rertce I have drawrt from it. And ffie Obfervations I ffiall make dn this. Subjeft ffiall be With a view to correft cer tairt prejudices and liiiftakes which fome -have conceiv'd concerning it. For ffiere are few Subjefts on which men have got into a more wrong and unreafonable way of think ing than they have updrt ffiis. Obf, I. Our ffiort and uncertain cdntinu- ance In this World is fo far from being a juft fubjeft of complaint (as fome make It) that It Is rather a raatter of thankfulnefs .--- It was in raercy to raankind that GOD was pleas'd to abridge the terra of huraan Life after the Deluge. For as the nuraber of ffie wicked is always greater than that of the good in this degenerate world ; were the Life of raan to be protrafted to feven or eight hurtdred years, the natural confe quence Would be — (cdnfidering how much more is td prepare to leave ih mote extenfive the Aftions of wicked raeii, and the influence of their bad Exaraple Would be in that cafe) that the nuraber of ffie -Wicked Irt proportion to the Good, would be rauch greater ffian it is at prefent. Arid this longsBvIty of ffie Antedfluvlarts was one apparent caUfe of ffiat general fpread' of wickednefs amorig ffiem, which provok'd the Alniighty to fweep off that abandort'd Race df men by a univerfal De luge ; and to ffiorten the fucceeding gene rations, to prevent the like enormous Growth of wickednefs for the future. And how inuch mifchief and rhifery the long Life of one wicked tnan will occafiort to the World (efpecially if he have power) fhay be feen in the Inftance of a Xzte grand Monarch; whom Providence fo long preferv'd to be the Scourge of Europe i O^ how rauch devafta- tiort artd blood-ffied had been fpar'd if it had pleas'd GOD td have cut him off in the Prirae of Life^ as he did Alexander, and fome other illuftrious Tyrants, who rais'd their Glory on the Wafte they nlade pf ffieir own fpecies ! Befides, If Life be prolong'd, the Sor rows, Pains and Difappolntments, the Evils,, Z 2 Vanities Our great Concern in this World Vanities and Vexations of It are prolong'd with It; which coraraonly Irtcreafe Irt a greater proportiort thart our Years ; efpeci ally towards the Decline of Life, And is this fo defireable a circuraftance ? — It Is a great piiftake then to look upon long Life in it felf to be a Bleffing. It is not fo in any view but that of Ufefulnefs : or that we raay live to do raore Honour to GOD, more Service to Religion, and be a greater Blef fing and Corafort to others, — But you will fay, is it rtot prorais'd as a Bleffing in the fifth Coraraartdraent, and in other places of Scripture ? It is fo : but with the tacit Lirai tation or Provlfo I have juft mentiorted. Obf. II. They who moft complain of ffie ffiortnefs of tirae are comraonly inoft laviffi of it, and fquander It away as if ffiey thought they had raore than enough, — ' Their pre- * cious Sands are few, they fay; ' yet how do they let ,ffiofe precious Sands run to wafte ! ' Their Life but a Span ; ' and yet how do they abridge it ! ' Their tirae too ffiort ; ' and yet how rauch of it hangs upon their hands ! which they know not what to do with, and are oblig'd td have recourfe to the is to prepare to leave it, 341 the valneft amuferaents to get rid of; which Serm, would offierwife be infupportably burden- XIV- fome. They throw away their time, and then fay, they have not enough. And It's beft feafons ffiey negleft, or raake the worft ufe of. Our Time (ffiort as It is) Is long enough for all the ufeful and Iraportant purpofes of it : long enough to ¦- raake a wife raan fick of the World ; to convince us of the Vanity of human Life, and the Infufficiency of all dur earthly Enjoymertts : and long enough (by the Bleffing and Grace of GOD in the Ufe of ffiofe raeans he hath raercifully af?* forded us) to acquire thofe Habits of Virtue and Piety, which wfll be the principle and foundation of our Happinefs in a better World, But not long enough to gratify all the Arabition, Liift, and Avarice that are found in the heart of raan ; for which an Antediluvian age wOuld not fuffice, Obf.Wl, The like Incongruity is obfer vable in the Judgraent raen forra of the tranfient progrefs of their time,— ^ Though It is continually ftealing away with the fame equal, foft and filent pace, yet fome think Z3 it Our great Concern in this World it moves too faft, and offiers too flow. A.rtd the fame perfort forms a different fentiraent of ffiis raatter at different tiraes. Pleafur^ gives wings to tirae, whfle Pain loads his heels with Lead, HoW fhort and tranfient are. the feafons of Mirth and Feftivlty.to the Gay and Voluptuous man ! How long and tedious the Intervals of thofe Seafons ! -'Now ffie only way to correft ffiefe Miftakes is to fill up every paft of our tirae fucceffively With forae fit, proper and laudable Empldyr ment. And the more ufeful that employ ment is, the more delightful wfll Cuftpna piake it. And befides, we fliall ffien have fee. additional fatisfaftion to fee, that the great Bufinefs of J^ife keeps pace with our time ; and the nearer it draws to a period, the better hope ffiall we have of it!s happy Iffue. Whilft we are . intent iii the purfuit of fome great and good End, we ffiall never think our tirae moves too flow : let usfpeUd it in the ways of Wifdom, and it can never -fiy too faft, • /;' ' Obf. IV. iVnother abfurdity relating to ffiis Subjeft which exceedingly prevails a- mong manjcind is, ffiat.Death (Which with out is to prepare to leave it. 343 out all, doubt makes the raoft awful and Serm.^ important c|iange in the condition of their XIV. Exiftence) ffiould be fo feldora confider'd by them. — :That mortal creatures ffiould fo feldom ffiink of dying ! This is fuch a de gree of ftupldlty as perhaps nothing can exr ceed; vinlefs it be that fome of thefe poor, thoughtlefs creatures are fools enough to rr^ake a Jeft of dying : which argues a moft diffolute and defperate ftate of mind. Yes, fome are fo wofully harden'd by a long con tinued qourfe of Vice and Igporance, that the fight of certain Deaffi cannot rnake them trerable. — But the Terrors of the laft Day will. — Nothing but feeling can bring fome men to Reflexiort, They cannot, or will ndt, direft one Thought beyond the Grave : or If they do, it gives thera pain ; they know not what to raake of It,, and fo difraifs it. The raoft mifferable raen on earth are they 'Who are totally unpreparM for Death, very, near it, and yet dare not think of it. What this Is owing to is plain enough. They have contrafted, this Unhappy ayerfion to ferious fhought," by a long Difufe of it, and by giving therafelves up whofly to the Pur fuits and Pleafures of the prefent world. Z 4 And 344 Our gf-eat Concern in this World SERM. And of all the bad Habits and Cuftoms XIV. which men are enflav'd by, ffiere is hone that exercifes a more uncontrollable tyranny over the minds of men than this. , 4. Faft not to be deny'd, but never enough, to be lamented. Ohf.N , There is another Folly frequent aniong men, which appears equally abfurd and ftrange to thinking minds, viz. the confidence with which- they count and de- .pend on ffiat which is the raoft uncertain, and ojne of the raoft improbable things In the World ; I raean, . a long Life,— —And yet on this Foundation v^e fee thera build all their fchemes of worldly Grandeur, with as much affurance as jf thej built on a cer tain Leafe of threejcore years and ten ; -not confidering that they are' but Tenants at Will ; .and that before ffieir grand Edifice be half rais'd they raay be (as they fee rnar^y are) turn'd out of their Poffeffioris ; which they leave to others, no wifer than thera felves ; whd carry on the fame foolifh De fign, and meet with the^; farne fatal Difap pointment. — this alfo is' Vanity. Nay Oif is. fofrepare to leave it. O/J/! Vl. Suppofe this point gain'd, arid die man '(beyond all feafonable Hope'and Expeftation) has attain'd to advanc'd age, yet his 'Defire of, and Depehdahee upon a longer Life, ftill contiiiues,' -~ Let hira, be ever fo far advanc'd, if he have but 'a tole rable ffiare of eafe and health, he firft con cludes he may, and then' depends- upon it he ffiall, live fome Weeks or Months (if not fbme^ years)'- longer. We fee in faft,' it is not in old* Age td make forae raen think of dying: but (when this thoughtlefs difpofi tion Is giroWrt' into a Habit)- the hearer ap^ proaches they 'make to Death', th^ le^ coir-- cern ffiey take about it, ' ' , :.. ' 'Lafily; The laft praftical -Error I ffiall take -notice of relating to this Subjeft' is, the corriraon' Inattention of raen ' to the moft ' awakening Difpenfations of Provi dence. --^- Sdrrie men will take no Warn ings, hear nO" Adrhonitidh's, fee no Dan gers : but ffiut their Eyds- againft the plaineft Threatenings, and ftop their Ears againft the loudeft Callsof Providence, per fonal, private, arid' publick ; defpife the chaf- tf'nipg o/'^^^'Xc^r^, difregard divine Reproofs, tin Our great ^ Concern in this. World till fudden and inevitable .ruin overtakes them; and then -r--. Reflei^on cqmes too late ! _ . , , What now can we fay to thefe dungs ?-.-. It grieves one's Heart to deteft fo much fa-f tal folly and abfurdity in our own fpecies \ and more to behold: the dreadful effefts of it. But common fafts canrtot .he coneeal'd, and plain truffi muft not be. denied, — And whertce does aU thjs arife ? How comes it about that reafojiable men comrnonly aft fo unreafonable a part. In a piatter of fu$;h acknowledg'd Iraportance ? why, 'tis all re-r Iblvable into this :- They will not pernjit themfelves to think at all about another World ; or at leaft. If ffiey do, 'tis in a man ner very, different from what they ought. Having madp thefe general Obfervations on the Subjeft, I proceed now to enforce ffie Irtference I have drawn from it j viz:. ' that if ffiis World be not our abiding ' place, then our great Concern whilft we ' are in it is, to prepare to kave It.' Indeed were we to judge of ffiis matter by the common Cortduft of mankind, one ^would ffiink that this were the laft and leaft w to prepare ta Imve it. '^^ 347 l&aft thing. that. eonf^rn'-d ffiem : hut, whilft Serm. yfe live in fo degenerate p. WJorld, ffie Gonv= XIV. ipon praiftice of men is tlje very worft rule; of judgment we can go by; and by Impli-.. cidy following ffiis, men have been led into ffie moft fatal Mift:akes, -,[* h But let us take this r matter in a true, Light.— Suppofe now that we had certain. notice fent. us from our Prince, that within a few;; da^.evdry one of us ffiould he con-s vey'd into forne, diftant Unknown Lapd) and were order'd immediately to prepare and get evay dijng.in readlnefs for fuch a Jour ney, becaufe it was nhcertain when the Summons would be fent; and .were tpld what things to provide for our corafortable fubfiftence in ffiat flrange Land, and where to be fupply'd -mth ffiem ; and at ffie feipe time were 'afltuiied that our h.appy Abode ffiere (where we mtwftfpendthe Remainder of our Lives) would depend upon ffie Pror vifion We made for it;, ffiat if we carried with us thofe foitable provifions we were direfted to, wefffiouldliye upon them very happfly ffiete ; for .ffiey Wauld certainly pro cure for us aB the pleafure ffiat Country could Our great^Concern in this World cbiild afford, vmleh _^are very great and- maiiy ; brut if we Would rtot provide thefe prqpei: accommodations to carry With usi our abode there Would be extremely raife rable : and fuppofe j that irt tonfequence of this Meffage, we faw firft one and then an other of our acquaintance call'd away, and heard of fome every day that w:ere fent into that urtknowrt place, from whertce they rte ver return'd: If riow nOtwithftandirtg ffiis fair and frequent Warning, and this exprefs meffage (the truth of which we cannot doubt) we ffiould never think of, nor prepare for our Removal, but fpend all our time In purfuing ffie pleafures and amufements of the place out of which we are very foon to depart -^ What would mankind thirtk of us ? Would they, not iraraediately conclude ffiat we were deprived of our Underftand ing ? or that we did not believe. one word of what was told us. — ^Now, I befeech you tell rae ; what wifer part does, that raan aft, who lays out all his Care and Concern about this World, wIthoUt, ever preparing for his Reraoval out of it, by providing the proper Requifites for his Happinefs in the Other ? Were is to prepare to leave it. ;. Were men to think, they yi'ould not fail to feel ffie praftical influence of this plain truth, ' That It can never be of fo rauch * importance to fecure ffie conveniencies of * this World (out of which ffiey muft very * foon depart) as to provide for their well- * being in another World, where ffiey muft ' exift for ever.' 'TIS a matter then beyortd all doubt with every thinking rnan, ', ffiat our. great Bufi- ' nefs in ffiis World is to prepare to leave * it.' — But ffie grand Enquiry Is, wherein does ffiat preparation confift? — This is a moft Interefting Subjeft, wherein every one would be glad to come at the fulleft fatis faftion. I fhall difcufs it therefore with fome preclfion, but with all the Brevity confiftent with it's great Iraportance. This preparation for Death may be con fider'd under two Views ; as it is habitual, tr and aBualf the one abfolutely Indifpenfible, the other moft defireable ; the formei: ne ceffary to our Happinefs after Death, the latter to our Corafort in it. ( I ) Then let us confider what It is to be habitually prepar'd to leave, this World,— It gives one pain to think how generally raen Oiir £f eat Goncef'n iH this World ihen run into miftake in a matter fo plain and fo important ! a Miftake, than whifch none can be more dangerous ; becaufe it deludes the Soul fd long, till it is too late to reftify it. Moft certain then It iSj that ouf habitual preparation for Death does not cdrtfift In our being of this or ffiat Communion j or being join'd to arty particular Church ; or diftin- / guiffi'd by a popular profeflion ; or favoUr'd with forae peculiar Church Priviledges, or religious Connexions; or embracing the foundeft forms of Faith; or ertjdying the rtioft happy natural Temper and Difpofi tion ; nor in all thefe united. A man may be a Member of the beft conftituted Church in the World, be join'd to the pureft Com munion, be diftinguiffi'd by the greateft out-^ ward Priviledges and Advantages for Reli gion, have ffie moft juft and orthodox way of thinking, and be happy In the moft fweet, calm, even, peaceable Difpofition; and yet not be habitually prepar'd for his great Change. Many have been deceiv'd by thefe Views ; it highly concerns us to fee ffiat we are not, — All ffiefe falfe Props then muft is t^fi^epaH to have it. muft be rertiot'd, before we lay a Founda- tiort ffiat cart fafely he' depertded upon. But wherein ffien does our habitual fit nefs for Death moft certainly confift ? — I anfwer in one word ; no man can be habi tually fit for Deaffi, that is not habitually fit for Heaven* — ^ This is what uone can deny. Let us fee ffien what it is that ffie Wofd of GOD expreffly infifts uport as our neceffary qualificatiort for Heavert. And We ffiall fitid It to be ffiat whidh Is there 'figrtlfied by the new Birth, Or the reflora- tlort of 'ffie' Divine Image to the Soul, which confifts in righteoufiiefs. and true Holitiefs; and gives It a referablartce to GOD in mo ral Goodnefs: or in Other words, 'tis the formatidn of thofe hdly and divine difpo fitions in the Heart which draw forth the Defires of It td wards GOD, and give it fo feel a fupreme DeUght In him. But ifit.be ask'd, hoW does it appear to our reafon,"that this holy change ofthe Heart and it's Difpofitions is indifperifably ilecet- "fary to fit us for Heavert ? take the matter thus,— None will be adrilitted Into Heaven but ffiofe Whom 'GOD loves ; dOYi has a Vomplacential Love for none 'bfUt thofe who love Our great Cencerri in phis Iff orld Jove him; none can love hjni buttheythat are like him ; and noffiirtg/ makes us like to G.QD but this imprefs of his owu holy Image on our Hearts : and therefore this will,' and rtothing ffiort, of this ean, fit us for Heaven ; the Happinefs of which confifts In the full and. eternal enjoymerttof the Fa vour and Love of GOD. , From ffie Affair thus ftated then two things are very evidertt, ( I ) That it Is impoffible irt the pature of the thing for a wicked man under the power of his finful Lufts, and with a Heart dif- affefted to GOD, to go to Heaven when he dies; or, that he ffiould be happy there If he did. Every one after Death goes to that place he is raoft fit for, or to that corapany he is 'raoft like to, according to ffie habitual teraper or difpofition of his Soul at Death. And (i) It Is equally Irapoffible for a good man who loves GOD and delights In Holi nefs, and makes it his Bufinefs to pleafe him in the Praftice of It, (it is impofllble I fay for fuch a one) not to be happy after Death. Becaufe he carries the Ingredients of his Happinefs with him into the other Worid. xy to prepare to kam it. World. This is die man that Is fit for Deaffi, becaufe he Is fit for Heaven. This fj?irltual turn of mind (which the fa cred Scriptures call a new Creation) does not therefore confift merely in a change of Pro feffion, or of the condition and manner of Life, but In a change of Temper, and of ffie Defires and Difpofitions of ffie Heart ; effefted by ffie Grace and Operation ofthe Holy Spirit. And ffierefore fuch are faid to be born ofthe Spirit (a). It Is but rarely known perhaps when, or In what raanner ffiis happy change was firft effefted ; becaufe It is ufually wrought and carried on by flow. Imperceptible degrees, in the ftated ufe and iraproveraent of the means appointed for that purpofe. Afk the holy Convert how It came about that he now fees things in a different Light from what he once did ; and is affefted towards them in a different raanner from what he was, and perhaps he can give you no other anfwer but this; ' by the Grace of GOD lam ' what lam; when, and how this Change ' was made in me, I know not : one thing I A a ' know, (a) Jsifl iii, 5. Our. great Concern in this World ' know, that whereas I ivas blind, Inow fee.* And that Is enough, (2) Befide this habitual, there is an aBual J preparation for Death ; Which is exceedingly / defireable, and neceffary to our Comfort in it. For, O ! who would not wiffi, when he is going out of ffiis World, to have the firmeft Hope of his being happy in ffie other! — But let it be reraeraber'd, that tho' there raay be .an habitual preparation for Deatli without an aftual one, yet ffiere cannot be art aftual preparation for It without art habitual one. Vain then will all thofe methods be found which fome ufe to galu a fafe Pafsport to Heavert, if they be not habitually qualified for it Irt the manner I beforemention'd. For how can that man dye a friend to GOD, who has liv'd all his Days an enemy to hira ? An aftual preparation for Death ffien does not confift in receiving Abfolution at the hands of the Prieft, orthe Sacraraent at the hands ofthe Minifter, or in a foleran Prayer put up by one irt the facred Office ; rauch lefs in that tr2Lnf\entKy3.e\i\.z.f\on,Lord have Mercy upon me; or in bequeathing to afts of Piety and Charity the Money which the dying Sinner can no longer fpend in Sin and Lux ury; '.¦\~'v is to prepare to leave it. - ^'- Ury ; the- common Refources; to which forae men fly for Comfort in ffiat foleran Hour. And 'tis raiferable to think, what falfe hopes are often a,dminifter'd by fuch means td poor Ignorant, immortal Souls, launching .into Eternity. ,'' - ' ¦ , r: . ¦ ¦ Bnt zn aBual preparation for I^eath, or that which alone can give ffie fenfible Soul a right and ftedfaft hope in a dying Hour; is the lively exercife of thofe Graces whereby It was habitually prepar'd for it; Wz. an ardent Love to GOD, a ftrong and aftive Faith In Chrift^and his Gofpel, a real- l2ing.View of Heaven, an appropriating Be lief ;of the Piforaifes, an abfolute fubraiffioft to the Divine Will, arid an ardent Defire 'after perfeft Holinefs. For that which raoft of all reconciles a godd ttian to the Thoughts of Diffolution is, that he hopes he is going to that'place ;%here he ffiall offend bis' GOD no raore, but enjoy his Love forever, .rfi'p ¦ Such Faith, and Hope, and Loye,.andSub- ,. miffion, and Heavenly mindednefs (in the free exercife of which our aftyal preparation for' Death doth confift);. we fhojuld endea vour to cultivate every Day we .live, that vve may have them in readlnefs when we corae A a 2 to Our great Concern in this World to dye. And thefe, together with the extra- drdlnary Grace and Help of GOD (which ort fuch great Emergencies is neve? Wanting to his faithful Servants) Will foftify thfe Chriftian, againft the Fears of this his lafl Enemy, and give him folid Corafort irt his laft Hours. To provide for which, a Wife man will always raake his leading View in Life. For what In the Worid is there mdre worffi dur while to live and labour for than this ? Men niay thihk what ffiey will, and aft hoW they will, but moft cer tain it Is, if there be art eternal World to come, the moft important Bufinefs We have In Life Is to be thus habitually and aBUally prepar'd for Death. I fhali now conclude with a feW general Refleftions upon ffiis Subjeft. ( I ) It Is poffible that fome may be habi tually prepar'd for Death whilft they fear they are not. There have been Chriftians whofe Terapers Were fo tiraorous, and Spi rits fo feeble, that, tho' their humble and fteady Piety might reafonably afford them the faireft hopes of Heaven, have neverthe lefs almoft all their Life time through fear of Death is to prepare to leave it. Death been fubjed to Bondage. For ffie Re lief and Encourageraent of fuch now, the aboundii% Grace of the, Gofpel is provided and purpofely defign'd: and ffiey raay and ought to. have recourfe to thofe; ^reat Doc trines of it, ffie full prbpltiatloh; the perfeft righteoufnefs and prevailing interceffion df the Redeeraer ; whloh arefo peculiarly a- dapted for ffieir Contort, Ahd fixt ori this , Foundation, let them continue to watch and praj, ffiat GOD -Would raife their Faith a- bdve their Fears, that they raay not only be halntually but aftually prepar'd for their fi nal 'Summons; and ffius ffiey need not doubt (what ever fcruples now arife in their minds) but thTey ffiall have hope in Death, and a" peaceful Paffage into the unfeen World, ^ < But (2) There is gnother cafe much worfe than ffiis, (and, I fear, much more common) and that is, of thofe who ffiink 'tfiemfelves prepar'd for Death when they are not. The forraer fear'd when they ought not, thefe will not fear when they ought: and this cafe is riot only much raore deplorable than the other, but rnore difficult to be accounted for. When we confider what ia prodigiouf ly amazing alteration Deadi will make in A a 3 our .*-'y*-t' Our great Concern^ in ' this World Serm. our exiftence, one would be aftoniffi'd to XIV- think how raen, wlio are by no means ;pre-r" par'df^ritj could poffibly raife their minds above the Fear of It. Here again we meet the furprifing. force of finful Habits, ; as the only thing into which this ftrange Phcenor rnenon ea-n^ .he refolv'd. ....;;,.£ Arid hosV: ^unaccountable are ffie. ways by which rnen feek to get aboVe the fears of Death! — Sdrne endeavour to haiijffir' ffie Thoughtoflt intirely from them: and then indeed jt, is no wonder that they never fear what they will not think: of. A.nd thus they make ffiift to, evade the.yery laft Hold ffiat Vertue has on diffolute r niinds,— rOffiers^ who give it now and then a Thought;! look upon it af^a diftance. ¦ They view it as an evil Day, and therefor^: put it farfrofn them. And ¦ confidently count on many years of pleafure yet tocorae,' 'ere that D,ay'over7 take thera ; and not willing to tormmttJoem" felves before the time, ffiink that it will befooh enough to prepare for :Death when it, corries nearer. — Others grow infenfible to their piffolution from the exaraple of forae who pretend to defpife it; 'by affefting a Forti? |;udc ^nd Greatnefs of mind, fuperior to th^t of ' . " the ts to prepare to have it. ffie Vulgar. Whilft others againft the fears of Death take refuge in a mere moral con duft; and efpecially if they can truly fay, they have done nobody any harm. As if Fraud, Violence and Injuftice were the only Sir^s ffiat. deferv'd Hell; or a bare abftaining from thefe were a fufficient Paffport to Hea ven. — Laftly, others, huoy- up thernfelves wiffi fome confus'd, general, and extr^avagai^t Notions concerning , the gregt .Mercy of GOD,, reveal'd m the Gofpel to Sinners ffirough Jefys Cphrlfthls Son ; without con fidering on what terms that Mercy is there offer'dj and forgetting ffiat Juftice, Ilolineis 'artd Wifdom, areAttributes po lefs effential to the divine Natqre than Mercy.— -But how .vain a refuge any., or all of thefe things to- geffier'are againft the fears of Death, with out fomeffiing further, there is no one that reads his Bible with ever .fo little attention that can be Ignorant, (3) As it highly concerns .us all to have right Sentiraents of this Iraportant affair^ (our habitual and aftual preparation for Death). let us forra them from what we have noy^ been hearing. For can any thing be piore evident? If GOD tie^the Objeft .of A( a 4 . our 3^ Our great Concern in this World Serm. our fupreme Delight and Joy In this World, XIV. }ie yf^ i^e Q^j. Happinefs in the other'; and Death Vfll be our Friend : but, if we do not love and delight in GOD here, how is it poffible that we ffiould enjoy him here after ? and if we are not (in the temper, ftate and di^ofition ofour minds) fit to en joy GOD in Heaven, how are we fit to dye?-^ To conclude ; It equally concerns us all to carry this Cortviftiort Into 'Praftice; and to make It ffie great Bufinefs of every day to be better prepar'd for our laft : to be not only habitually, but aftually prepar'd-forthat great change in our Being, which ris awfirl and important beyond all we can conceive; and againft the fear of which (if -we have a right fenfe of things) all we can do will be little enough to fortify our Mind, Let us fee to it then, that we have ndt only Oyl in our Lamps, but thofe Lamps well trim'd and burning, that we may enter with the Bridegroom into the Marriage : and that we every day, wiffi great care and im partiality, examine -ffie ftate of our ?ouls, ffie ftrengffi of our Grace, and foundation ofour' Hopes; remembering that what we do is to prepare io leave it. '361 do is f(Mr Eternity. 'And happy is that man Sbrm. whom his Lc/td, 'wbe^ie'mmet-hj JhaUfit^'fit XJY*- doing I : .-:.. ,,...::. The Hymn. . . - r I. DEAD be my heart to all below. To raortal joys, and mortal cares. To fenfual blifs' ffiat charms us fo. Be dark ray Eyes,, and deaf my Ears. ,•: -'n ¦ IL ' ¦•. ¦¦- .. Here I renas-nce my carnal tafte Of the fair fruit, ffiat finners prize : Their Parjidide ffiall never wafte One ffiought^of mine, hat to /defpife: IIL All earffily joys are over weigh'd Wiffi Mountains of vexatious care ; Ahd where's ffie fweet that is not laid A bait to fome deftruftive fnare ? IV. Be gone forever, mortal things ! Thou mighty raole-hfll. Earth, farewell ! Angels afpire on lofty wings, J^nd leave the Globe for Ants to dwell. V. Come; ^62 Our great Concern in this World, &c. Serm. . , < v, • ¦ - - ¦ ^ XIV. , ¦¦¦¦^^¦' -' ^'-''^ : .' "\'"- Vw, "Come Heaven, and fill my vaft defii-es. My Soul purfues ffie fovereign good ; . She is all made of hea]i^ertly fires. Nor can ffie live on meaner food. ^' '"^:.Cli.i'i SER^ ,?;.¦..¦.'¦. '':iJL' T^se'r mUn xv: :. i^LvMe, Happinefs to be found not in « the World; but in GOD. ,;.¦¦ ..Sj l;;': i.: ' ' r ..,iy < i. .,¦ w To'I .::.rrrx;; zui ol 3i'.]. and is a Truth too obvious to want a formal Demonftratiort. We need only open our Eyes and look about us, and view the wrong purfuits of Mankirtd in general, to be con vinced ofthe great propriety ofthe Pfalmi/fs Refleftion, fure every man walketh in a vain ftoow ; not fin the Worlds hut in GOD. fhow ; furely they are difquieted in Vain. Pfa. xxxix 6. And the reafon they are fo wretchedly miftaken in their choice and purfuit of Hap pinefs is, they feek it blindfoldi Bad Pafli ons and vicious Appetites have hoodwinked their Underftanding, and put out the Eye of their Mind ; fo. that they grope in Dark- jiefs for that which they might have the cleareft Light to direft them in the purfuit of. And hence - they ' raiftake both their Happinefs and the way to it ; and take that for Felicity which foon proves their Mifery. , All Mankind pretend to be in purfuit of Hap pinefs ; but alas, how few underftand where in it lies ! how few of thera that do under ftand that, know the way to it! and how few that do know the true way to it, ever attain it! and all for want of making a proper ufe of the Light and Means GOD hath given thera, in order to obtain and fe cure it.- — To flluftrate thefe three things a little raote diffinftly. I , How many are there who quite miftake the Objeft of their Happinefs! and place it in thofe things which .are not, only foreign from, but oppofite to it! e,.g, Alk the B b Mifcr 37® True Happinefs to be found Serm. Mifer, wherein he thinks his Happinefs lles| XV. and he will rtot perhaps direftly fay. It cort- fifts in a large Eftate and affluent Fortune j but obferve his Conduft (the beft Index of his Heart) and you raay eafily fee he thinks fo ; and is firmly perfwaded inwardly, of what he does rtot care to declare opertly, — Afk the ambitious mart, what is Happinefs ? and whatever he fay, you may fee very plalu-^ ly that he places his irt Power, Influeuce, Digrtity and high Station ; for nothing can fatisfy him without thefe : and even thefe, irt the higheft degree, would uot. Irt like manner, the Epicure feeks his Happinefs frora Pleafures ; from ffie loweft Pleafures. For Happinefs does indeed confift in Plea fures ; but ffiey are Pleafures more refined and defecated, more fublime and rtoble, than arty earthly objefts or occafiorts cart admi nifter. Thus they, whofe Hearts are capti vated and blinded by the things and the God of this Wdrld, are continually mif taklng the Objefts of their Happinefs ; pla cing it in thofe things that are quite foreign from it, and even contrary to it, 1. Some are right irt their rtotiorts of Hap pinefs, but feek It the wrong way. That is, not in the Worlds hut in GOD. is, ffiey are fenfible that GOD is their chief Good, and his Favour their only Portion ; hut in ffie way wherein they feek to fecure an Intereft in hira and his Favour, they are ftrangely miftaken, Inftead of feeking it in the way of Righteoufnefs, through the Me diation of Chrift, by the Affiftance of his Spirit, they build their Hopes of it either on a Zeal for fpeculative Opinions, party No tions, forraal Services, modes of Worfliip, voluntary Mortifications, impulfes of Fancy, deep Knowledge, rigid. Faith, or unfcriptu ral Aufterities. And thus whfle they hope to fecure the Favour of GOD (in which they know all their Happinefs confifts) in a way he hath not coraraanded, they negleft to feek it the way thdt he hath : that is, in Right eoufiiefs and true Holinefs ; and the entire conforraity and fubjeftion of the Soul to his Wfll and. Authority. 3 . How raany are they who have not only right Notions of Happinefs but ofthe way to it, who yet fall ffiort of it through remifs- nefs, negleft, and Indolence ; and the fatal Influence which the World and the things of it have upon their Hearts! whereby they are render'd quite cold, lukewarm, and in fi b 2 different. Trite Happinefs to he found different, in the things which concern their eternal Salvation. And hence it Is, that fome who have made a eonfiderable Progrefs in the Ways of GOD and Religion, have drawn back unto Perdition ; and tho' they were notfar from the Kingdom of GOD, have at laft never entered there. Thefe arejuft but melancholy RefleftiortS : artd too plainly verified in the comraon Praftice, Paffions and Purfuits of Mankind. They ffiould however teach us two ffiings ; with the raention of which I ffiall conclude this Head. viz. (i) The neceffity of raaking the beft ufe of thofe Lights and Helps, which GOD has given us to direft us in the right way to Hap pinefs, and to affift and aniraate us In the profecution of it : And (2) To guard againft the Influence of thofe corrupt Paffions and Appetites, which are fo apt to raake us miftake our true Happinefs, the Objeft of it, or ffie way to It : and which enfeeble and obftruft the Soul in the profe cution of It. For to thefe two things it is owing, that fo raany are chargeable with ffie unaccountable and fatal Folly raention'd in the Text, of forfaking the Fountain of living mt in the World, but in GOD. 373 living Waters, and hewing out Cifterns, broken Serm. Cifterns, that can hold no Water. XV. III. The next Obfervation I raade upou ffie Words was, that Mankind are naturally difpofed to feek their Happinefs frora this World, where It is not to be found. For that Is the proper iraport and raeaning of one part of the heavy Charge here prefer'd a- gairtft GOD's antient People; of hewing out to themfelves broken Cifierns, that will hold no Water, i, e, feeking that frora the World which they ought to have fought from GOD, the Fountain of living Waters, And how juftly the fame Charge may be brought againft the general part of Mankind at this Day (for the depravity ofthe huraan heart is ftfll the fame) the leaft obfervation too plainly ffiews. But what I propofe under this Head is, briefly to open to you the great Folly and Abfurdity of feeking our Happinefs and Sa tisfaftlon frora Worldly pleafures, as repre fented by the ftrong and lively Metaphor made ufe of in the Text, The Soul of Man (as I have juft obferved) is athirft for Hap pinefs; like the hunted Hart panting for the B b 3 Water True Happinefs to be, found Water Brook. And how does he gp abo.ut to fatisfy that Thirft ? Wh/, by hewing out Cifterns, broken Cifierns, that can hold no Wa ter, Than which, fcarce any thing can be raore diminutively -ifpoken of Earthly Plea fures, which this Metaphor intends ; and at once reprefents them as fcartty and confined, Infipid and unfatisfying, uncertain and con tinually wafting; and,aj: the fame tirae, hard to corae at, I . The Pleafures pf this Life are very fcanty and confined. They are but Cifterns of Water; which can hold no very large quantity : not fufficient to anfwer all the oc cafions we raay have for it : at leaft not for any eonfiderable Time. And ffiis is ffie unalienable property of every earthly Good. It is a limited Good : not proportioned to the large De fires of an imraortal Soul, nor cora- menfurate with jts faculties. Not only the pleafures of Siri, but the moft innocent pleafures of the World, are but /or a Seafon, They cannot attend us in all the fcenes of Life. There are a ffioufand circumftances we may be in, wherein ffiey can afford us little pr no Relief. And raoft certain we are, that the Soul will furvive them ; that they will not in the World, but in GOD. 375 will fail us at Death ; can only be enjoyed Sejrm. in the prefent Life : which is a very Incon-- ^^' fiderable part of our Duration, compared wiffi ffiat eternal State in which we rauft exift for ever. So ffiort, fo limited, fo con fined, fo contrafted are all our earthly De lights at beft. But 2. They are not only very fcartty and li mited, but they are infipid and unfatisfying; like Water in a Clftern, ftagnated and ex pofed to ffie Sun ; whereby it not only lofes its quick tafte and freflinefs, but contrafts fcum and dirt and foulnefs ; artd which nor thing but ffie moft vitiated Tafte, or the moft raging Thirft will difpenfe with. So ffie gratifications of Senfe, Appetite, and Fancy, are not only very contrafted, but grofs and troubled- There are no unmixed pleafures to be enjoyed on Earffi : the fweet- < eft cup Is daffied with much Gall ; which is either mlugled with it, or however lies at the bottora of the cup, and is very fenfibly tafted after it. Refine thera to ffie very ut moft, let all poffible pains and art be ufed to exalt their Flavour and Improve their Reliffi, ftill they are dead, infipid ^rtd unfatisfying. There is a delicacy in the B b 4 Tafte True Happinefs to be found Tafte of an immortal' Soul, " which fiich dreggy Pleafures can never fuit. And this one would think were enough to give it a juft and lafting Contempt of them. But'this is not all ; for, • 3 , They are at the farae time uncertain, and continually wafting away, they are'con-- tained in BROKEN Cifierns : the veffel that holds thera is leaky. We have but a ffiort allowance of thera at beft ; and even that is diniiniffied by a conftant wafte : fo that but a very fmall part of this ffiort allowance can be enjoyed by us. The application of this part of the Me taphor is obvious. The Pleafures of Life will not only certainly leave us at Death, but they very rarely laft fo long : fnpy perift in the ufing : they pall the Senfe, and lofe their Reliffi, as ffie faculties to which they are adapted grow old and feeble : or by a thoufand accidents we raay be deprived of theni, even while the faculties continue in full Vigour to enjoy thera. However, Tirae js, continually withering apd dirainiffiing j:hera ; and infenfibly taking thera frora us one after another (as a broken Ciftern lets out its Water drop by drop) 'tfll they are . ¦ all mt in^the World, but in GOD. 377 ill gone ; arid then our too late Experience Serm, ffiews' us the Fdlly^ of trufting to thera, ^^ ¦ Moredver " Lafily, Thefe contrafted, Infipid, and un certain Pleafures are not to be had without much Pains, Even thefe broken Cifierns we are obliged tp hew out to ourfelves ; and be at great Labour to procure, O, what a world of mort;ificatIort and felf-denial will the voluptuous rairid forae tiraes fubrait to, for a little fenfual Pleafure ! much raore than fuch ffiort-llved Pleafures will recorapence, were they rauch raore fubftantial than they are. With half that Concern and Labour, rightly applied, raen might be fecured of the moft folid and du rable fatisfaftions ; of Pleafures conrtatural to their Souls, and commenfurate with ffieir Exiftence, Such ffiert Is the Folly and Infatuatlort of feeking a Happinefs frora this World, or any of its earthly Delights : which Is one of thofe two great Evils charged upon the Jews in the Text ; than which there Is no thing we fee more common under the Sun ; unlefs It be La^ True Happinefs to be found. Laftly, That which is joined with it in the Text (as it always is in praftice) viz. That menarenaturally backward and averfe to feek their Happiuefs from GO-D, where alone it is to be found, Whflft they bufy, ffiemfelves In hewing out broken Cifierns thaf twill hold no Water, they turn ffieir back uport the Fountain of living Waters, i, e. in literal Language, while they are folicitoufly feeking ffieir Happinefs from the World where It is not to be found, they negleft to feek it from GOD where alone it is. The amazing Folly of which Conduft will ap pear by confidering, - that, according to the reprefentation In the Text, the Pleafures of Piety, or thofe that refult from ffie Favour of GOD, liave properties juft ffie reverfe of ffiofe that belong to worldly pleafures : /. e. they are moft full, apd capacious ; moft exquifite, and fatisfying; moft dura-' ble, and unfadirtg ; and freely offered, and. eafy to be had. ^ I. They are moft full and capacious. Not contrafted and limited, not dirainiffied by fucceffive Draughts, as water in a Cif tern is ; but free, and full, and ever flow ing, as Water at the Fountain head. Here ffie not in the Wqrld, but irt GOD. 379. .the dfirfVy S.0iui',raay drinic it's fill widi,put Serm, fear of 5fltiety or .Surfeit : which cannot be XV. faid of the little low plea.fures of fenfe; a ' — '"^ free and full Draught of jvhich, alraoft ex haufts them. The pleafures ,bf Religion are fuited to ffie Soul ; large as it's Capacities, and w.ide as it's Wiffies: for they all flow from GOD, In whofe Prefence is plenitude of everlafting Blifs. 1. They are not only the moft extenfive, but the vnofi exquifite and fatisfying De lights ; fuch as ffie pure and limpid Stream at ffie Fountain . gives to the ffiirfty Soul. There are no rtaufeous Mixtures, no un- wholfome Dregs, no bitter Sediraent In this Cup. Thefe are unmingled Pleafures ; juft fuch as the Soul craves, and feeks, and wants, and wiflies for, but can find no where elfe, Afid yet, ( O deplorable Guilt and Folly ! ) though it knows it is to be found there, yet, rather than feek it there, will hunt, and roam? and labour for It every where elfe : will be hewing out Cifierns, to catch the coraraon, puddle, at the very foot of the living Fountain, It wants and feeks, and defires Pleafures ; and yet will take up wiffi the meaneft, ffie groffeft, and raoft fordid, 380 True Happinefs to he found Serm.i fordid, raffier than be prevail'd upon to tafte XV, the nobleft, the pureft, and moft fubftan- ^-"^"^ ' tial. It wants a Happinefs that will fill artd fatisfy It, and yet when ffiat is offered, re fufes it for the fake of that which, by a thoufand mortifying Difappolntments, it hath found never did ; and which It knows too never can — But that which enhances this Folly, Is 3. Thatthe pleafures of Piety and Reli gion are moft durable, and unperiffiirtg; whereas thofe that are prefer'd before It (as I have juft obferved) are dying and conti nually wafting away. The broken Cifiern and the living Fountain are Indeed both running, but with this very great difference, ffiat the one Is continually running out, the other continually running in, — Let us dwell upon ffiis Thought a little. The pleafures of the Divine Life are not only ever freffi and never fading, but always full and ever flowing : continually increa fing as thofe of fenfe are always dirainiffi ing. They are fo in this Life : the greater progrefs the Soul makes in the Love of GOD, and the Vertues and Duties of Re ligion, the greater pleafure it derives from hence : not in the World, but in GOD. 381 hence: it's Joys increafe with it's Grace,: Serm. ffie more it feels ffie Power of Religion, XV. the more It taftes the Sweetnefs of it. And * — ''^ fo It will he in the other World ; where it's Faculties will be continually expanding to take In larger portions of Heavertly fatisfkc- tions, renewed and augmented degrees of Felicity ; aud in one Word where it's plea fures will be not ortly ever flowlrtg, but ever growlrtg, artd irtcreafing to all Eternity. How joyful, how rapturous a Thought is ffiat] what art Idea does it give us of the capacity of the humau Soul, aud the bound- \efs. Goodnefs of G O D, in continually fill ing It with new and freffi Delights from himfelf! I wfll only add 4. That ffiefe Divine pleafures are eafy to be had : nay they are freely offered. They are not like broken fliflerns, which we are forced to hew out to ourfelves ; they are as a Fountain opened, and ready at hand ; and every one may take of thefe Waters of Life freely. . I would not be miftaken : the Soul's Tafte muft be correfted and exalted before it can reliffi thefe pure and perfeft Pleafures : and that is the Work of a fuperior Power and a ij Divine True Happinefs to be found Divine' Hand. And in order to it, and to get rid of it's vile aiid vicious Tafte,' there is a neceffity for feme falutary Mortifications and Sclf-Denlal. But there is all-fufficient Strength freely offered; by Whichy what ever difficulty there be in the cafe, it Wfll be gradually decreafed and fodn furmouut- ed. And I believe I may fafely fay, that with lefs thart half the pains which men are at to hew out to themfelves broken Cifierns that will hold no Water, they may,- hy Di vine Grace, attain a guft and relifh for the Fountain of living Waters, And then they wfll find one Drop of this td be preferable to a whole Ocean of that. I have riow gone through the four Ob fervations I raade uport the words. What reraains is, to apply the foregoing Thoughts to ourfelves, by a way of clofe and irapar tial felf-exaraination. Our Souls naturally long and pant after Happinefs : but whence do we feek it ? — The greateft part of raankind are certainly miftaken in their Choice of Happinefs ; either in the Objeft of it, or the way to it. Are we fure that we are not of that Num ber. Whence mt in the World, hut in G OD. Whence do we feek our Pleafures ? from the Fountain, or from ffie Ciftern? from Faith or Senfe ? from Religion or Appetite ? from GOD or ffie Worid ?— The vaft dif ference between thefe two kind of Pleafures haffi now been fet before you, diftinftly and "plainly ; and the amazing and fatal Folly of preferring ffie pleafures of Seufe to ffiofe of Piety. We can not in our Reafon and Judgment approve of this : the very Thought aftoniffies and ffiocks us. But after all, are We fure that we our felves are entirely clear of this great Evil ? We difclaim and abhor It, It is true ; and are apt to cry out — O what Ingratitude to GOD ! what bllndnefs to our Intereft ! what cruelty to our Souls, doth fuch a Wretched Choice iraply ! But lay thy hand upoh thy Heart, and appeal to Confcience : perhaps that will tell thee after all, thou art the Man. — If thou loveft any thing In fhe World better than GOD, thou art fo. Thou art that fooliffi; that ungrateful Creature thou haft been con demning. The very beft of us are too apt to fubfti tute fomething in the room of G O D ; and give it that place in our Hearts, which ought True Happinefs to be found ought to be facred to Him ; to have toof quick a reliffi for earthly and fenfibfe Good, and too low a tafte for fpiritual Entertain- mertts, To correft and cure this Irregular habit of the Mind, let us often revolve the Thoughts that have been fuggefted to us at this time ; and confider what poor broken Cifierns they are which we are apt to be fo fond of and dependant upon. The three great Pleafures of the world that are fo apt to captivate ffie human Heart, are thofe of Senfe, Imagination, and Friendftip. — Is It the former of thefe that have got poffeffion of us ? They are ffie groffeft and loweft our Natures are capable of : the moft feculent and unwhol- forae waters the Soul can drink at. And in every one of the foreraentioned refpefts will foon appear to be broken Cifterns ; not to fay, that nothing giveth the Soul a greater difreliffi for the Fountain of living waters. ' But thofe of the Imagination are more refined and clarified, and not fo apt to fink arid debafe the Soul : e. g. the pleafures that arife frora Speculation and Science, frora Farae, and Honour, and Intereft, and the refpeft of others, and a well-eftabliffied Re putation. not in the World, hut in GOD. putation. Why, thefe, to be fure, are not beneath a wife Man's wiffi, and purfuit. But, alas, thefe (defirable as they are) are far frora fatisfying ; very momentary and foon loft : and he that is too fond of thera is fubjeft to keener Mortifications than others are. Vain then is it to feek anibitioufly the praife of Men, if we negleft that which coraeth from GOD, But furely, you will fay, the pleafures of Friendlhip, — that Friendffiip which arifes frora union of Hearts, fimilitude of Tafte and Teraper, are folid Pleafures : pure, difinte refted, cordial, exalted and ardent Friend ffiip, founded on a juft and rational Efteem, rauft bid fair for Happinefs. And it is true, the pleafures which arife frora a vertuous, open, generous, hearty, and unaffefted Friendffiip, are, perhaps, the greateft we can enjoy in this World ; excepting thofe of Religion, to which they are near a-kirt. But yet even thefe are but broken Cifterns. For in the firft place ; how rare is fuch Friendffiip to be found ? What commonly paffes under that narae is fcraethino- very different from it. — But where it is found, what numberlefs Accidents may fully, or C c debafe, True Happinefs to be found debafe, or interrupt the Pleafures of it ? --¦= for our Friend raay be in Adverfity, beyond Our Power to help him : which greatly af-^ flifts the Soul. — 'Or he may mourn for our affllftions ; which raakes thera double to us. — Or our Friend raay aft a wrong part In Life ; which raay greatly concern and trouble us : for the beft earffily Friendffilps are founded on fallibility and frailty.— Or he raay be reraoved far frora us. — Or raay poffibly break with us ; or (which Is the farae thing in a refined and exalted Friend ffiip) may grow indifferent ; — or, if norte of thefe happen, our Friend may die. Then at length are we convinced, thai? this alfo is a broken Ciftern : and we did wrong to expeft ffiat fatisfaftion from It, which we ought to have fought at the Foun tain of living waters. To conclude, let us not venture to make any thing our dependartce but GOD, Let us remeraber that we hold every earthly Comfort, by the Teuure of his all-wife and Sovereign Will. Our Eftates, our Poffef fions, our Peace, our Health, our Pleafures, our Friends, are not ours, but His, It is ,his kind and beneficent Hand that holds forth not in the World, hut in GOD. 387 forth thefe Coraforts to us for a Seafon; Serm, as the overflowings of his Goodnefs ; and XV. why ? — Why, not that we fliould truft to them, depend upon them, and center our Souls In them, and fubftitute thera in his Roora ; but that ffiefe Strearas ffiould direft and lead us back to the Fountain Head : to Him who is the Source of fure andunexhauft- ed Content ; frora whom every Excellence flows, and in whora aU perfeftions center : whofe Love is the Spring of everlafting Joy, and whofe Favour is the fullnefs of our Fe licity. — O then, let us feek all we want and defire frora hira : let us devote all we have, and are, Unto hira : let us place all our de pendance upon hira, and delight ourfelves fupremely in him, and we ffiall dwell for ever with him ; with Him, in whofe Pf-efence is fullnefs of Joy, and at whofe right hand are pleafures jor evermore. The Hymn. I. Owhy do Souls of heavenly Birth _ Debafe their noble natures fo. As to confine them down to Earth, And let immortal Bleffings go ! Q, c % ' II. Souls True Happinefs to be found, Uq* II. Souls furniffi'd with casleftlal Wings, And burnlrtg with Etherial fires. Should fuffer nought but heavenly ffiings To warm and bouud their vaft Defires* III. But Mart, poor felf-deluded Man, Panting for Blifs, runs to and fro, Artd hurtts around the world in vain For what it has not to beftow. IV. To flake his raging ffilrft, he goes To broken Cifterns, void and dry ; Whilft at his foot the FoUrttairt flows With livlrtg Streams rteglefted by. V. ' O who wfll ffiew me Good, he cries, * Give rae fubftautlal Good to fee ? * But every Creature that he tries Proclairas aloud — 'tis not in me. VI. Then ceafe thy fruitlefs fearch, vain man. And what from this poor World you own You never found, and never cart, JExpeft to find irt GOD alone. AN THE APPENDIX: BEING AN Hiftorical DiflTertation O N T H E Analogy between the Behaviour of G O D's people towards him, in the feveral Periods of the Jewif) and Chrifiian Church; and his correfpondent Difpenfations to wards them in thofe relpeftive Periods. A N Hiftorical DiflTertation O N T H E Analogy between the Behaviour of G O D's people towards him, in the feveral Periods of the yewijh and Chriflian Church; and his correfpondent Difpenfations to wards them in thofe refpeftive Periods. TH E Hiftory of the Jewiffi people, Is not only the moft antient and cu rious, but the moft interefting and inftruc- tive Hiftory in the world. It is the Subjeft of a great part of the old Teftament Scrip tures : where it is carefully recorded, and handed down to all Generations of men ; becaufe the whole of it, from the beginning C c 4 to 392 The Appendix. to the end, was (as I conceive) intended as , a ftanding Warning to thofe who ffiould fucceed them as the peculiar y^eor^e of GOD, not to walk in their fteps ; and of what they xn-i.y juftly expeft from him if they do. The remarkable Difpenfations of provi dence towards a colleftive Body of men, are no lefs monitory than thofe which re late to Individuals ; and ought to be as fe rioufly confider'd, and as pioufly improv'd : and efpecially by us, who (through the fa vour of GOD) are receiv'd in ffie room of his antient people, and now enjoy the diftin guiffiing privileges which they had forfeit ed. And therefore the Admonition which this Hiftory affords in general to all, comes with a peculiar folemnity fo us ; viz. not to aft as they did, left we be finally caft off as they were. The Defign of this Differtatlon is to prove, ' that, however ready we may be to cenfure ' and condemn the Teraper and Behaviour ' of the antient pi%)le of GOD towards ' him, yet that of Chriftians has been much .' the fame, or very like it, in the fevera} ' Periods of the Chriftian Church : and tp ^ point out forae reraarkable inftances of ' Analogy The Appendix. 393 * Analogy or Referablance between his * Dealings towards them, and his Difpenfa- ' tions towards u^ ; in confequence of that ' Simflarity betWeen their Cortduft and ' ours.' This will oblige me to ftrike out a ffiort fketch of ffie Hiftory of that people, from the tirae ffiat Abraham (the Founder of their nation) was feparated and call'd out frora the World, as ffie Jiead of that chofen race, to ffie tirae they were finally 'caft off, and, totally exterrainated In ffie Reign of ffie Roraan Eraperor Vefipafian : contalrting a Period of about two thoufand yezrs. And that we raay have a raore diftinft view of the Subjeft, let us divide the fore-- mention'd Period {viz. the whole tirae that ffie Jews continued the peculiar people of GOD) into fix leffer Periods; and briefly review their Charafter, Circuraftances, and Behaviour in each ; that is, I. Frora the Call of^braham (in the year ofthe world xoiz) to their Departure out of Egypt (A. M. 245-2) ; containing the Ip^ceof 430 years. ' II. From 3-94 The Appendix. II. From their Departure out of Egypt (A. M. 145' 2), to the finiffiirtg Solomons. Temple (A, M, 2939) ; which contains the fpace of 487 years.' Ill, From the finiffiing of Solomon'?, Tem ple (A, M. 2939), to the Captivity of Ju dah (A, M. 3355) i being a Period of 416 years. IV. The time of their Captivity in Baby lon : 70 years. V. From their Return out of Captivity (A. M. 34x5), to the Birth of Chrifi (A, M. 4000) ; which is 375- years. VI, From the Birth of Chrift (A, M. 4000), to the final Deftruftion of their State and Nation (A. D. 73) : when the whole Jewiffi Oeconomy was totally aboliffi'd *. With * I here make ufe of Hel'vicus\ Tables ; which, how ever they may fall fliort of Chronological precifion, are fufficiently accurate for my purpofe : excepting that I make the Chriftian Mrd. coincident with A. M. 4000, according to Archbifliop UJher and others. The Appendix. 39^ With thefe I propofe to compare the cor refponding Periods of the Chriftian Church ; and point out to you feverd obvious in ftances of Referablance between the Cha rafter of ffie antiertt people of G O D, and of ffiofe who fucceed thera, in each of thofe refpeftive Periods, and as I proceed, I ffiall corapare boffi with ffie feveral Stages of hu man Life, from Infancy to Age. Which will ftrike out a ffiort Sketch of Church Hiftory, frora the Origin ofthe Jewiffi na tion to the prefent Day ; and giye us an ex tended Profpeft, and a very agreeable View of the different Difpenfations of G O D to wards his Church frora that time to this ; correfponding with the ufual raethods of his Grace and Providence towards private Chriftians in the feveral ftages of human Life : which, upon ffie whole, will exhibit to us a beautiful, furprifing and inftruftive A- NALOGY. T. Let us confider the Conduft and Cha rafter of the Jewiffi people in the firft Pe riod of their State ; /. e, from the Call of Abraham {K, M. 2012), to their Departure out 39^ The Appendix. out of Egypt (A. M. 2451) ; containing the :^ace of 430 years. About 366 years after the Deluge, when the World began again to be over-rurt with Wickednefs and Idolatry, the great Lord and Governour of it was pleas'd to take an extraordinary raethod for the prefervation of the honour of his Narae and Worffiip in it; by felefting a race of raen, defcended from one coraraon ftock, to be his peculiar peo ple ; to whora he would make frequent 'manifeftations of his Will. And that they might not be infefted with the Idolatry of the Gentile World, he deterrain'd to fepa rate thera frora it ; to hedge and fence them in by a Syftera of Laws and Ordirtances, both civil and facred, which would always keep ffiem a diftinft people from ffie reft of mankind ; and by ffiera to coramunicate the knowledge of himfelf and his Worffiip, to other nations of the world at different times. Well ; Abraham, the fon of terah,vAi.o liv'd at TJr, a city in Chaldea., was the per fon whom the Divine Wifdom fix'd upon to be the Head and Founder of this favou rite nation. Accordingly in f!ne feventy fifth year The Appendix. 397 year of his Age {a) (A. M. aoti), GOD appear'd to him, and coraraanded him to leave his Country, and his Kindred, and his Father's Houfe ; and prepare to go into a Land which GOD would ftew him ; at the fame time proraifing to raake hira a great Na tion, and to blefs him, and make his name great ; and raoreover, that In hira all the Families ofthe Earth ftoould be blefied (b). I. e. from him ffiould ffie Meffiah defcend. Abraham obeys ; Is condufted to Canaan, ffie Land promis'd to his Pofterity: and, having two Sons, Iftmael and Ifaac, GOD was pleas'd to limit the fucceffion of the prorais'd Seed to the latter. Ifaac alfo ha ving two Sons, {Efau and Jacob") that the chofen people raight not be too numerous, ffiey only were accounted fuch who de fcended from the lafi. However, the Ift- maelites and Edomites (by virtue of their col lateral Defcent from f!ne. Father cf the faith ful) retain'd forae fenf6 of the Honour and Worffiip due to the only true GOD. The Defcendants of "Jacob (whofe name. was chang'd for that of Ifrael) were by a, feries of reraarkable Providences condufted doyv'n («] Geji. .!«ii. 4. (^) Gen. xii. r — 3. 39 8 The Appendioi. down to, and fetded 'in Egypt. Where one part of the Promife made to Abraham {viz. that his Seed ffiould be as the Stars of Hea ven for multitude (c),) began to be accom- pliffi'd. For, in a ffiort tirae, they raulti- ply'd exceedingly, inforauch that the Egyp tians thought it neceffary (in order to pre vent any danger that raight arife to the State frora the prodigious Increafe of fo raany Foreigners araong thera) to deprefs and keep them under, by hard Ufage and the vileft Servitude : to whofe Labour the Egyp tians ow'd many of thofe fuperb raonuraents of their Wealth and Grandeur, which be came the Admiration of future Ages (x). Well, the chofen people of G O D were now a nation of Slaves. But he was not un mindful of them, or of his Promife to Abra ham : for when the wife purpofes of this humbling Difpenfation were anfwer'd, he magnified his name and power araong the Egyptians, by miraculoufly delivering his people from this barbarous Bondage, with a high hand and out ftretched arm. This was (A, M, 1451) 430 years after the Call of Abraham ; (c) Gen. xxii, 17. (*) Jofeph. Antiq. Judaic. 1. 2. c. 5. Ed. Au^el. i6n... The Appendix. 399 Abrahath; half of which ffie Ifraelites fpent in Egypt, During all this time the Church of GOD was In it's ftate of Infancy and Servitude. And in this ftate, and under fuch Difeiphne, ffie people of GOD difcover'd (as Infants and Children comraonly do) the moft humble and traft able difpofition. With this firft ftate of the Jewifio Church let us now compare the firft period of the Chriftian ; which reach'd frora the Birth of Chrifi, to his Refurreftion frora the dead. Wherein our Lord Jefus Chrifi, the Son of GOD, the faithful and true Witnefs, and Author of the Chrifiian Inftitution, raay be fitly reprefented by Abrahatp, the Friend of GOD, the Father of the faithful, and Foun der ofthe y(?TOZ/Z) Difpenfation, As the lat ter left his father's Houfe, his own Country andKIndred, and wander'd about frora place to place at the Call and Coraraand of GOD, a Stranger in the Land : fo Chrift quitted all the Honours and Happinefs of his Father's Houfe, defcended frora Heaven and fo- journ'd araong raen on earth ; which was to hira a ftrange inhofpitable Land, where he found no fettled dwelUng, but travell'd a- bout 400 The Appendixi bout from place to place, and had not where to lay his head. The twelve Patriarchs and their Defcen dants may prefigure the twelve Apoftles and their fpiritual Offspring, the firft Chriftian Converts ; who, in like raanner, left their^ Home, were feparated frora the world, and liv'd as fojourners in a ftrange Land : where they were defpis'd, perfecuted, ill treated and opprefs'd : till they were reduc'd to the litmoft Diftrefs, affliftion and Danger, by ffieir Mafter's being apprehended, try'd, conderan'd, and put to death as a Traitor and Irapoftor, Thus the Chrifiian Church feera'd deferted of the Care of Heaven, and in danger of being quaffi'd, in it's very In- fartcy. But from under this dark Cloud (juft as the Jewiffi Church did) it fuddenly and glorioufly eraerg'd, by a feries of Mira cles, all evidently attefting a Divine Power employ'd in favour of his people, and to the confufion of ffieir Eneraies. For by Chrifi'% Refurreftion frora the dead on the third day, and his vifible and publick afcenfion into Heaven, (when he led' captivity captive) GOD corapleated the Rederaption ofthe Chriftian Church, as illuftrloufly as he did that The Appendix. 4b I that of his chofen people of old, by deliver ing them frora the Egyptian Bondage, and drowning Pharaoh and his Hoft in the red Sea. The Ifraelites under their oppreflive Bon dage were fupported with the Hope and Promife of a Deliverance at hand, and a future fettleraertt in a Land of Liberty and Reft. So Chrifi frequently foretold his Dif ciples the certainty of his Refurreftion : that he was leading thera to another and a bet ter Country, which is an Heavenly ; and that In his Father's Houfe were many Manfions, where he was going to prepare a place for' them. Though It rauft be own'd, that the Faith both of the one and the other at this tirae was very yv^eak and low. If it be faid, that during dur Saviour's Life the Chrifiian Church was fcarcely forra'd, and that this Period was rather an Introduftion to it ; I reply, fo was the cor refponding Period of the Jewifio Church. And indeed the Jev^^s at this time could not fo properly be called the Church as the^P^-o- fle of GOD. They were not forra'd into a Church tfll the next Period ; when they were collefted together out of the World, D d diftin- 4Q2 The Appendix* diftinguiffi'd, circumfcrib'd, and govern'd by a Syftfera of Laws and Inftitutiorts, pro- .. per to theif condition -and circumftances, and anfwerahle to the wife purpofes of GOD ffierein. jNoW with ffiis ftate we may compare that of new-converted Chriftian's; whom ffie Apoftle calls Babes in Chrift: in whom (as well as in ffie firft State ofthe Jewiffi and Chriftian Church) we ffiall find all ffie Charafteriftics of Infant Age : viz, much Weaknefs and Ignorance, but little fenfe of either: a tender, teachable difpofition of mind, raixt with forae Irapatience, Confi dertce, and Perverfenefs of teraper ; which requir'd prudent and feafonable Dlfcipline to correft and cure. This firft ftate ffiere fore ofthe converted Chriffian is ufually the moft difficult, diftrefs'd and afflifted; to prepare him for ffie future Trials and Ser vices appointed hira. — And, like the Jews and Chriftians in the firft ftate of ffieir re fpeftive Difpenfations, the new Convert is often oblig'd to forfake his forraer Friends, Acquaintance, Corapanlons and Cuftoras ; and (as far as his Affairs will adrait) to fe-. parate from the World, that he may not be enfnar'd The Appendix. 403 enfnar'd by It, or cdrideraned with it : from Which alfo he frequently meets with much ill Treatraent and undeferv'd Abufe. But all this while' he; that hath begun the good Work Irt him Is carrying It on ; hath a tert- der regard for him, and will in due tirae 'de liver hira frora all his Doubts, Darknefsi, and Difficulties; Which will give hira a greater reliffi for future Mercies, and a great er fitnefs for future Service. Thus did the firft State both of the Jewift and Chriftian Church appear like to that of new convert ed Chriftians ; all bearing an exaft refera blance to the ufual teraper and difpofition of Children. Accordingly GOD dealt wiffi them juft in the fame manner as a wife and tender Parent does by his infant offspring ; whofe method of behaviour towards thera is often rhoft kind, when it appears raoft fevere.— I now proceed. II, The fecond period of the Jewiffi Church reach'd froni their departure out of Egypt (A, M. 2451) to the finiffiing of Solomons Teraple (A. M, 2,939) * which contains the fpace of 487 years. D d a This 4^4 The Appendix. This may be call'd it's ftate of Touth ; till it arrlv'd to it's maturity, and appear'd in it's greateft ftrength, beauty and perfeftion : as it did at the end of this Period; which is raore diverfified, and raore fruitful of various and extraordinary Events and. Revolutions, than any other part df ffieir Hiftory. Forty days after their rairaculous deliver ance from ffie Egyptian Bondage, GOD gave thera (by ffie hand of MoJes, on Mourtt Si- liai) a body of Laws, moral, ceremortial and civil; whereby they were td be govern'd, diftinguiffi'd, and circurafcrib'd iu the pro rais'd Land to. which they were going {d). And tho' they raight eafily have march'd frora Egypt to Canaan In one year, yet for their Ingratitude and Murrauring GOD caufed thera to wander about in the Wil dernefs that lay between, for no lefs- ffian 40 years ; till all that murrauring genera tion was fwept off frora the face of the Earth : and not a Soul that carae out of Egypt, frora twenty years old and upwards, was perraitted to enter into the Land of Ca naan, except Caleb the Son Jephunneh and Jofioua the Son of Nun {e). Mofes himfelf their (d) E.-<. XX. (e) "Num. xiv. 28, 35 The Appendix. 405 iheir Commander and Guide, at the age of 1 20, died on the very year they were to take pofleffion of ffie Land (f) : and Jofijua was appointed to conduft thenqi into and fettle diem in It (|-). In fix years he defeated, deftroy'd, and. drove out the greateft part ofthe Inha bitants of Canaan ; and divided their Land by lot among ffie Tribes of Ifrael {h). This^fe|., was by the exprefs Command of GOD, who "^ ', made ufe of the Ifraelites as his Scourge, to .chaftife the Inhabitants of Canaarf, for their aborainable Wickednefs ; which arofe to fuch a height at this tirae as raade them fully ripe for extirpation (/). For nothing is more comraon and obvi ous in the raethod of GOD's conduft to wards a people or nation than this;, vyhen ffieir Sins haye raade thera ripe for judg ment, top'uniffi thera by the Sword of their neighbours : and if they ftill remain incorri gible, to give them up a prey into the hands of their Enemies. Thus thefevery Ifrttelites who were made ufe of as inftruraents to pu- niffi ffie Canaanites for their aborainations, D d 3 were -- ¦¦ J i' ..• i _ (f) Deut. xxx\v. 7.__'_ (g) Jofh, I. 2. (h) Jof,. xviii. xix. (i) Leiiit. xviii, 2j. 4^6 The Appendix. were afterwards in ffieir turn, frequently puniffi'd for their Idolatry and Apoftacy by them; that Is, by thofe of them who re- raairt'd ftfll in the Borders of the Land; and who were preferv'd by Providertce frora the defolation of Jofioua^ Sword, for this very purpofe; at once to proye artd awe thera: to try thera if they wou'd preferve ffieir fidelity to the true (jOD, amidft fuch teniptatiorts tp Idolatry ; and to puniffi them If they did not. By ffiis raeans the rod was contirtually held over them %, But to return- — When the Ifraelites were fettled in the Land of Canaan, they were under a peculiar forni pf Governraertt call'd the theocracy : during yyhlch, GOD him felf was their Iraraediate King and Gover nor. They were ruled by Laws received direftly from him. The civfl and ecclefi aftical X A very ftriking confideration to us in theprefenf con- .junc^ure.' It looks as if our hoftile Neighbours (who have met with fuch unexpefted Succefs in the beginning of the "War) were Heaven's appointed Scourge to correft us ; arid thatthe very People who have been a means of introducing fo much Levity, Luxury, Effeminacy and Folly amongft us, are defign'd by the Almighty to be his Inftruments to punifli us for it. As the Inhabitants of Canaan were to pu- ni/h the Children of Ifrael, for thofe very Sins they were the means of leading th?m into. The Appendix. 407 aftical polity were interraix'd; or rather were the farae, fo that a deliberate aft of Rebellion againft the State, was Treafon a- gainft the King of Heaven, Under this Forra of Governraent they continued about 380 years; ffiat Is, from ffie time ffiey en ter'd Canaan under the conduft of Jofioua, to ffie time of Saul, their firft King : when 'tig generally fuppos'd the theocracy ceas'd. During this period they were no lefs than fix times brought under Servitude or Bondage by their heaffien Neighbours : out of which they were as often deliver'd by certain per fons whora GOD occafionally rais'd up for that purpofe, called Judges. As the Cana anites were the Inftruraents he raade ufe of to puniffi thera, fo, thefe Judges were the perfons he appointed to deliver them. And as they were call'd to the Adminiftration on fome extraordinary Exigence, fo when the End for which they were conftituted was effeft:ed, their Power expir'd. Like that of the Roraan DiBators, who, when the par ticular occafion for which ffiey were crea ted was over, return'd again to their forraer, and very often to a private manner of Life. Their Power in ffiort was hke that of a G^- D d 4 neral 4©§ The Appendix. neral of an Army, rather than the Governor of a Nation : but during their Regency they were abfolute and independant; invefted with an authority equal to that of Kings, but without the Royal State and Equipage. During this form of their Government. their firfi Servitude was under the King of Mefopotamifl ; out of which (when It had coniimi^d eight years) they yy ere deliver'd by Othniel {k). Their fecond Bondage was. under Egloti King of Moab; which lafted eighteetiy ezr^x Qut of y^hick they were, deliver'd hy. Ehud {X). Their third Bondage was under Jabin, King of Canaan ;. who afflifted thern tipenty years : out of which they were deliver'd by Barak ; and Sifera, the captain of ffie Cana- anitift Hoft, flying for his life was flain by a, wpman, whofe name was Jael{m). They were again brought into Servitude by the Midianites ; . which continued feven years ; and were at lengffi fav'd by Gideon, viho vSin(^i\['idthe Midianites, and flew of them a hundred, and twenty thoufand men that drew the fword (n). After ¦ (I^) Judg. iii. 8, 9- (I) Jud. iii. Ji, 29. (m) Jud. , iv. 18, 21. (n) Jud. Miu 10. Tke Appendix. 409 ^ After this they were grievoufly opprefs'd and en|lav'd by the Confederate Kings ofthe Philiftines and Ammonit^i-; from whora they were at lengffi i^feu'd hy Jephthah (o). And finally, not long aft^r this, they were again brought- under very grievous oppreffi on and Bondage by the fame Philifiines, and Were deliver'd by Samfon (p). From Jofioua the firft, ^ to Samuel the laft Judge of Ifrael were about 390 years ; after diis their Governraent was chang'd from z judicial to a regal Forra ; at which tirae their theocracy, properly fo called, was at an end. For when in conterapt of this theo- cratical Eftabliffiraent (partly frora the fin- gularity of It, and partly frora the many pu blick Calamities they fuffer'd under it) they clamoroufly deraanded a King, to judge them like all nations, GOD at length in dlfplea fure granted their requeft {q). The confe quence of which was, they Were fOon after divided Into two feparate and independent Kingdoras : which render'd thera a wea,k and. eonteraptible people; expoS'd them tothe Incurfions and Infults of tiieir neighbouring Enemies, and finally iffu'd in their total Ex tirpation (0) Jud. xi. 32, 33. (p) Jud. xvi. (q) i Sam. viii. 5, 7, 41 P The Appendix. t^rpation.— So apt are mert to be miftaken irt judging both of ffieir political and private, Intereft : artd fo dangerous is It to go court- terto the divine apppintmertts In prefump- tiort on their own Wifdora ! Their firft King was Saul: who after a weak artd troublefome Reign of ten years, was fucceeded by David, a Man after GOD's own Heart; by vyhom he was eminently ad vanc'd to the KIrtgdom. David, after he had reignedforty years, (during which tip^^ he made mauy Wars, and raet with many Troubles, both civil and domeftick) was fucceeded by his Son Solomon ; who irarae diately fet about the great Work that was left hira in charge by his pious Father, viz. bufldirtg a Teraple urtto the LORD. This was begurt In the year 480 from the .Cdrtilrtg of the Childrert of Ifrael out of Egypt; il) the 4th year of the Reign of King Solomon. It was corapleated iu the, eleventh year of his Relgrt, and ffie eighth month ; having heen feven years artd a half in bufldirtg (r). This was A.M. 2939; artd cort eludes the 2d period of the Jevvlffi Hiftory, from the Call of Abraham; the Jews (r) I Sing, vi, 38. Vfheri Annals, p. 39. The Appendix. ^f.i Jews having been rtow the chofert people of GOD, nine hundred andfeventeen years. The Jewiffi ftate was now irt it's Maturity; had attain'd it's furarait .qf Glory, Profperi ty and Power: and ffie Jewiffi People at 4iis tirne (for their Wealth a;jd Nurabers, ffieir nurticj-pus Conquefts iu the former Relgrt, and efpecially for the ^Vifdom of ffieir King in this) had render'd themfelves refpeftable to almoft all the nations of the earth. But frora this pitch of Grandeur they foon fell, as we ffiall fee in the fequel of their Story. Now with thi^ fecond period of the Jevylffi Church we raay corapare that of the Chrif. tiart which irttervert'd betweert the Refur- reftlort of Chrift and the Reign of Confian" tine, when the Roman Erapire becarae Chrif tian, At ffiis tirae the Chriftian Church was alfd iu it's greateft worldly profperity : from .which irt like manner it foon declln'd; it's temporal Emoluraents heing die fource of thofe fpiritual Enorraities which at ortce bleraiffi'dj weaken'd and expos'd it. During ffiis period, the Chriftian Church (like the fewift).^z^ grievoufly harrafs'd, perfecuted and opprefs'd by it's Eneraies : and 413 The Appendix^. and fuffer'd as iriuch under the ten Perfecu tions from ffie Roman Eraperors, as the Jews did under their feveral Servitudes and Op- preffions frora their heathen Neighbours, in ffie time ofthe Judges. Which w^ere per mitted too by Providence for ffie farae end, viz, to humble and try ffiem, to purify and reform ffiera, and to bring thera to a raore meek, teachable and traftable teraper. For Si the begirtrtlng of this fecond Period of the Chriftian Church there were the farae Leanings towards the Follies and Superfti tions of the Pagans, as there' were araong ffie Jews to ffie Idolatry of ffieir Heaffien Neighbours. In the fecond and third Centuries they began to depart apace frora the firaplicity and purity of the Gofpel Inftitution ; and like raw half-inftrufted Youth (an Age with which this Period of the Church raay very fitly be corapar'd) were rauch inclin'd to a vain, raffi, petulant, quarrelforae, con fident and conceited Huraour: and which, bad it not been reftain'd by ffie afflifted and deprefs'd State of the Church at that tirae, would have been carried to a great length ; and which in the following Ages (when their The Appendix. i^t% their Tempers were uncurb'd, their Peace reftor'd and ffieir Profperity eftabliffi'd) broke out wiffi amazing Force and Fury: wherein the true temper of Chriftianity (as a Religion of Love, Purity and Peace) was Intirely forgot, and it's true Intereft almoft totally lofti Thus far thert ffie two firft Periods of the Jewiffi and Chriftian Difpenfatidns (which may be call'd ffieir Infancy and Youth) the Behaviour' of GOD's people towards hira, and his Dealing with thera, bear a very manifeft and ftriklrtg Refemblance. Before I purfue the Analogy let us here paufe awhile 3 to give roora for a few feafon able and religious Refleftions; with refe rence to the prefent ftate and circumftan ces ofour own Nation, And in reviewing this fecond Period of the Jewiffi Church, one cannot help ob ferving. ( I ) The wonderful Change it produc'd irt ffie State and Circumftances of that People, From being all Bond-flaves in a foreign Land, in lefs than five hutidred yea.rs they became the raoft opulent, populous and re- ipeftable Nation en the face of the Earth : govern'd 4^4 The AppMdix. . govern'd by the wifeft King ffiat ever reigrf^ ed, and the beft La^s that were ever madd. Which could be owing to nothlrtg but the Divirte Proteftiort artd Bleffing ; and a con ftant feries of Providential Interpofitions in their favour. Offier Nations indeed have ffdm fraall beginnirtgs arrlv'd iri tirae to araazing heights of Power and Greatnefs i the Ro mans (for exaraple) whd, in lefs than eight hurtdred years, of a lawlefs vagabdnd Creyy, carae to be Mafters df the World. But they were a mihtary people, bred lip td Arras from their youffi : War was their Profeffiort and Conqueft their fole purfuit : and they were fuffer'd to take a full Range where- ever the impetuofity of Revenge, or a thirft of Glory carried them. But the Jews were a' feleft, diftinft, confin'd People; circura fcrib'd within narrow Bounds; feparated frora, and not perraitted to raix with the reft of Mankind. The tertor of their Laws, and the nature of their Conftitutiort, made them ffie moft unfit People in ffie World to raile and eftabliffi themfelves by Conqueft.-"' And all their Wars were merely defenfive j ' excepting thofe they made to drive out the ¦'¦^~-' Canaanites., The Appendix. 415 Canaanites, whofe Land GOD had given them for a Poffeffion ; and which they ert- gag'd in by ffie particular, repeated and ex prefs Command of GOD himfelf; So that noffiirtg but the peculiar hand of Heaven could preferve them from being fwallow'd up, or totally difpers'd by the raany potent Eneraies that furrounded ffiera. And yet in the tirae of Solomon, few Nations on Earffi could vye with them In Opulence and Gran deur, and none In Knowledge, Peace and Happinefs. Let us now look as far back and take a View of the State of our own Nation, and We ffiall find that the Alraighty hath not much lefs fignaliz'd his Power and Good nefs in our favour. Five hundred years paft, ffiis Nation was involved In worfe than Egyptian Darknefs and Bondage : buried under the groffeft Ignorartce, and inflav'd by the vileft Superftltion. The Papal Pride and Tyranny were then at their Height. And a Britiffi Monarch was made to bow his Head, and refign his Crown, to a Mejfen- ' , ger fent from the Biffiop of Rome. That Darknefs gradually difpers'd: the Reforma tion brought with it our Light and Liberty; which 4i6 The Appendix. which (where It's Principles have heeni fteadily and uniformly purfu'd) have, for thefe two hundred ye^lrs paft, been gradually increafing. Rational and reyealed Light are the great eft Friends to civil and religious Liberty i and always go hand In hand. We enjoy both at prefent (thro' the fingular Favour ofthe raoft High) 'to .a degree this natiort never did before, and ^o nation ever did befide, — In a word, we have been happy in every point but one, viz. a grateful fenfe of our Happinefs. (2) Another thing remarkable in that part of the Hiftory of the Jewiffi people I have been giving you an Epitotoe of Is, ffieir very uhgrateful Temper and rebellious Behaviour toward their almighty Guide and Guardian. ^ How obftlnate, backfliding, perverfe and refraftoiy ! all his paternal Tendernefs could not foften thera, nor all his feafonable Chaftiferaents reclaira thera, I need not point you out particulars. — And it grieves rae to fay, that the temper and behaviour of Britain to that GOD who hath done fuch great things for us, is but too plainly parallel wiffi that ofthe Jews in like The Appendix. 417 like circuraftances. How hive we abus'd bur Liberty to Licentioufnefs ! and our Light (by the Interpofition of prifmatick Pride and' Fancy) intd the wfld Glare of Infidelity, or the gawdy falfe Colours of En thufiafm I Whiift an exceffive fondnefs for worldly- Pfeafores, has been as rauch our Charafterlffick, as Idolatry was that of the Jewiffi nation. Like thera, we quarrel with ffie Divine inftjtutiorts ; fpurn at our Hap pinefs; defpife our Plenty, and raurraur with ffie Meat In our Mouths. WeU, we are exprefsly told ffiat they are dur Enfamples {onr Warnings) ; their Hif tory ¦ was written /or our Inftruftion : that we ffiould not lufi after evil things, as they lifted. But have we not done fo .? — That we be not Idolaters as fome of them were, who fat down ' to eat and drink, and rofe up ta play {s)\ But does uot the farae ftrong pro- penfion to Luxury, and the loweft Pleafures, diftingUiffi the prefent "t^afte of our na tion ?• — They terapted Chrift, and provoked* GOD by their raurmurihg : but could their Provocations and Ingratitude under the pe culiar Favours of Heaven exceed ours? — ¦ E e Our (s) 1 Cor. X. 6, f. 4 1 8 The Appendix. Our civil and religious Liberties have fof a long feries of years been preferv'd to us un interrupted, uninfring'd either by the Royal Prerogative or popular Riots : but we ftill remain Infenfible to our Happirtefs, artd un thankful for it ! — We are amaz'd, when we read the Hiftory of ffie Jewiffi ^people, to obferve ffieir querulous, dlfcontented, murmuring Temper ; and ffieir cortftartt pronertefs to Idolatry and Wickednefs, un der an Irtftltutiort fo well adapted to lead thera to the Kuowledge, the Love and Worffiip of the true GOD, But there is anoffier nation Irt the World (the pe culiar people of GOD, as the Jews were, aud diflirtguiffi'd like ffiem, if not with fo many miraculous yet with as many precious and peculiar Favours of Hea vert) who have trod juft iu ffieir fteps ; and are no lefs perfidious, perverfe, obfli- nate, ungrateful and backfliding than ffiey were ! — We need rtot go out of our owu to find It ; who are Indeed in this refpeft worfe ffiart they; as their Hiftory Is held up to our Eyes for our Warulrtg by G O D ' himfelf; but we have uot taken it : but re main Tl:ie Appendix. 419 hiain infenfible to the Cautions of his Word, and the Threatenings df his Providence. (3) The laft thing I ffiall obferve on this Period of ffie Jewiffi Hiftory Is, GOD's Behaviour towards ffiis perverfe and pro- ¦vokirtg people : which was exaftly that of a wife artd tertder Father towards a froward Child; — When they finrted, he purtlffi'd thera ; whert ffiey repented, he forgave thera : — when they rcrtew'd their Rebel lions, he repeated his Correftions ;— but they no fooner returu'd and hurabled therafelves, but he forgave thera again. — In a word, the Hiftory of ffiis Period, frora their coraing out of Egypt to the Tirae of Solomon, Is lit tle raore than a continued detail of their Rebellions, Sufferings and Deliverances; and the many fruitlefs raethods GOD raade ufe of to reclaira them, and keep them fted faft In ffieir Allegiance. Well, if we look back to a few years paft, we may obferve that the Conduft of GOD's .^ Providence towards us in this Land, has been precifely fimilar to ffiat which he ob ferv'd towards his andent chofen people ; - whofe Temper and Sins we have fo much "imitated, E e 1 No 420 The '^Appendix. No fooner did the natiort recover it's Tranquinity after the Diftraftion and Cort- fufion It was in about the middle ofthe laft century, but It ruffi'd intp every excefs of Levity,- Riot and Profanertefs In the fucceed ing Reign, For which, GOD feverely threaten'd and began to puniffi us, by fet ting a Popiffi Monarch over us. — We re pented, and hurabled ourfelves ; and by raeans not rauch lefs ffian rairaculous he' fent the Prince of Orange, (afterwards our moft gracious Sovereign) of bleffed raemory for our Deliverance. — ¦ But as we raoft urt- gratefully abus'd the Bleffings of the Revo^ lution, in little more ffiart twenty years we were threaten'd again. Our Fears and An- gulffi return'd upon us. We fought ffie Lord, and at the very Brink of Ruin were again deliver'd, by the happy fucceffion of the prefent proteftant Famfly to the Throne of thefe Realms : whieh prefently quaffi'd the Viper's Egg ffiat had been hatching at the Clofe of the preceding Reign, — For thirty years after this we enjoy'd uninter rupted peace, — but ftill retaining our old ungrateful raurrauring Teraper, our Llceu- tioufnefs and Impiety, fpurning at our Blef fings, The Appendix. 421 fings, and abufing the Hand ffiat brought thera, to us, we were ffireateu'd and puniffi'd again, Whflft a formidable Eneray was about to irtvade us, an array of popiffi Re bels penetrated into the very Heart of our Country, — We then mouru'd, and fafted, and fought ffie Lord ; and he heard us ; difpers'd oui" Fears, reftor'd our Peace, and at our raoft earneft and hurable Requeft try'd us once raore.-^-But contlrtulng for ten years after ffiis unreclaira'd, as ftupid and unreform'd as eve^ (boffi by the Judgraents that befell us, and the much greater that befell others for our Warning) he is now coming out againft us, in a more awful raan ner. The Terapeft threatens, and the Clouds blacken all around us. — Happy the man whefe humble, fervent, undiffembled Piety, gives hira art Intereft In the Al mighty's Favour, and a Refuge In the Se cret of his Pavilion ! I ffiall conclude this Dlgreffiou with orte Reraark of a very ferious and interefting nature, viz. that the raoft ufual raethods whereby the great GOD puniffies a finful nation are, raifing up Enemies againft thern, giving thofe Enemies unexpefted Succefs; E e 3 and 42 2 The Appendix, and at the fame time confoundirtg the Councels of foch a people, and leaving them to weaken artd harrafs themfelves, by their' owrt Inteftine Feuds and Animofities.— How far ffiis is, or raay be our cafe, I do not,— dare not, — canndt fay, Thirtgs look very dark ! May GOD be merciflil to our Coun try, and prepare us for the great unknown Event ! But It Is time I now return to my Subjefti III, The third Period of the Jewllh Church reach'd frora the finiffiing of Solo- mon's Teraple (A, M, 2939) to the Capti vity of j^W^i6 (A, M. 3355); contalrting a fpace of 4 1 6 years. During all which tirae they were under a Regal Governraent ; and continu'd a very ftiff-necked, provoking and rebellious peo ple. Indeed not fo fubjeft to murmuring, fretfulnefs and repinlrtg, as they were be fore their eftabliffiraent in the land of Ca-: naan ; which fins ffiey chang'd for thofe of rapine, fraud, and oppreffion; for which GOD often puniffi'd thera with Farairtej Peftflence and War : but ftill their national and charafteriftick vice was Idolatry; from which no Judgraents could reclaira them, The Appendix. 423 ffiem, till ffiey were all intirely rooted out, and carried captives by Idolaters into art Idolatrous Land : and that effeftually cur'd ffiem. Solomon was fucceeded by his Son Reho- boam : a weak, raffi, arrogant young Prince; furfeited with ffie Luxury, and foftert'd by ffie Effemirtacy, of his Father's court {a). The cortfequences of which were, the Reins of Governraertt were lax, his Councels weak, and his Arras ineffeftual. This foft Infeftiort foort fpread Itfelf (as It always will) ffirough ffie Body of ffie people; which made ffiem an eafy Prey to Shiftak King of Egypt ; who took their Capital, plunder'd ^ ffie Temple and the Royal Palace of all ffieir Treafure, and carried back imraenfe Spofls into his own Couutry {t). Ee4 But [a) He had eighteen Wives ai}d threefcore Concubines, 2 Ciroti. xi. ZI. Jof. jintiq. Jud. 1. viii. c. 3. Jofephus in deed fays he .had but thirty; which is a manifeft Miftakes either in him or his Copyifts. (/) 1 Kings xiv. 25. et feq. Jofeph. Antiq. Judaic. 1. viii. c. 4. We have here one plain inftance (out of many with which'all Hiftory abounds) of this certain uncontefted prin ciple, that ' Luxury, Eafe, and Effeminacy, are (accorS- » ing to the natural courfe. of things) the fure Prognoflics 'and ,424 The Appendix. But this was not the worft effeft of JJ^^o^ bocLTfi^ Weaknefs. For ffirough his unfea- fona,ble Severity and Haughtinefs he caus'd no lefs than ten of the twelve Trihes to re volt and ffirow off all Subjeftion to his Go vernment. The perfon they chofe fpr their King was Jeroboam, the Son ofN^bap: whp was lately return'd out of Egypt, whiffief he had fled to avoid the I?.efentment of KIrtg Solomon {w), Artd thus the twelve faraou§ Tribes of ffie Jews were fpht into two fepa rate and independant Kingdoms :. the, ten Tribes that revolted were call'd the King, dom of Ifrael; and ffie two; Tribes, ..{viz. thofe of Judah and Benjamin) whieh ftill adher'd to the Houfe of David, were call'd the Kingdora of Judah. And thus they continu'd a .divided people to ffie Captivity. In raeraory of jvhich raiferable Rent of ffieir nation the Jews afterwards kept a yearly , Faft on the 23d dgy of the Month call'd Sivan, yv^hich anfwers to our May (u). Of " and Fore-runners of national Calamity? : a confideration which cannot fail to excite in every thinking mind the jnoft melancholy apprehenfions for our owii Country in the prefent perilous Junfture. (w). I Kin. xi. 40. (a) U/Ber's Annals, p. 40. < The Appendix:. 425 Gf the Kings of Ifrael who reigned over the ten Tribes, 'tis nioft remarkable that the^e was not one good raan among them : ffia^ frov^ Jeroboam the firft, to Hofteah ffie laft King of Ifrael (when ^amaria was ta ken and the /^j^ Tribes w«re carried captive by Shalmanezer Kmg of^ Afiyria, and dif pers'd among his Provinces (x)) i, e. for the ^ace of two hindred andfift^ 'fix years, they were all to a man addifted to Idolatry and Impiety, But of the Kings of Judah feme were wicked, others pious. And what is remafk- able is, that fome of the beft of thefe Kings had the worft Spns ; and forae of the worft had the beft. lihus Solomon the w^feU, was fiicceeded by Rehoboam the weakeft King that ever reign! d^ His Succeffor Abiam was as weak and a? wicked as himfelf ; but was fucceeded by his Sort Afa, than whora few men were more erninent for Piety, Juftice, artd a right Zeal for GOD ( y). He broke dowrt the Idols, reftor'd the Worffiip of the true GOD, obtain'd a raeraorable Viftory oyer the Mthiopians ; and after a Reign of otie \x) 2 King. xvii. 6. (j?) « King. xv. ir. etfej. 426 The Appendix. one and forty years was fucceeded by his Son Jehoftdphat («). - Thiigood King, treadlrtgin the Steps of his pious Father, fent Prophets and XmV^j throughdut the Cities to teach ffie pedple, but was led Into a Snare by his Alliance with the Family of Ahfib ; for Jehoftaphat^' Sort Jehoram married Ahab'^ Daughter A- thaliah (a), "^hns Ahab was theu King of Ifrael; the moft fuperftitious aud Impious Idolater ffiat ever fiU'd ffiat Throne :' artd was as great a ffiare to the Father, as Atha- liah was to the Sort. Such are the fruits of matrimonial Contrafts made wiffiout the- Fear of G O D, and from mere views to the World. In virtue of ffiis connexion ffie two Kings enter'd into a cortfederacy, join'd ffieir Troops, made a Defcent on ifdnioth-Gilead^ and gave battle to the Syrians ; in which Ahab was klll'd, and Jehoftaphat narrowly efcap'd with his Life {b). After {z ) I King. xxii. 42. (a) 2 Chron. xviii. 2. 2 Kin. viii. 18. ver. 26. Athaliah is faid to be the Daughter of Omri, by which we are to un derftand his Grand-daughter ; for the Jews often ufe rela^ tive denominations with a latitude. See Pool on the place. (*) I King. xxii. 32~35. ? The Appendix. 427 AfteC a Reign of twenty five years he was fiicceeded by his Son Jehoram {c) : a moft wicked Son of a pious- Father. For he not only flew all his Brethren, but foflowing the counfel of his Wife Athaliah, fet up in Ju dah, and even in Jerufalem itfelf, the Idola trous Worffiip of Baal, after the manner of his Father-in-law Ahab, For which GOD firft caus'd the Edomites to revolt frora hira ; ffien itir'd up the Arabians and Philiflines agalnft him ; and firtally frtiote hira with art incurable Difeafe in his Bowels, under which having languiffi'd two whole years, he died; and was fucceeded by his Son Ahaziah {d) : who walking in the Steps of his wicked Father, and following the coun fel of his wicked Moffier, after a ffiort Reign was flain by Jehu {e). After his Death his Mother Athaliah ufurp'd the Throne, having firft raaffacreed all the Race of the houfe of Judah ; except ing Joafh, Ahaziah'% youngeft Son, an \n- fznt fieven years old ; who (by the care of his Aunt Jehofloebah, the Wife of Jehoiadah the High Prieft) was coneeal'd fix years in the {c) \ Kin. xxii. 42. 2 King. viii. i6. {d) 2 Chron. xxi. (*) '2 Chron. xxii. 3. 9. 428 The Appendix. ffie Temple; andby that means efcap'd the Butchery ffiat was made pf all the reft of the Blood Royal ( /). But Atthaliah's ufurr pation and cruelty did not go long un- purtlffi'd; for Jehoiadah the High Prieft brought forth ffie Royal lufartt, artointed and proclaim'd hira King, deftroy'd ffie Houfe artd Priefts of Baal, reftor'd ffie Wor ffiip of ffie true GOD, and order'd Atha liah to be flain {g). During thefe three laft Reigns, flouriffi'd thofe two faraous Lurainaries of the Jewiffi Church, the Prophets Elijah and Elifta; whom GOD rais'd up to ftem the Torrent of Wickednefs and Idolatry which fo gerte rally prevail'd irt thofe tiraes. The forraer of whora was takert up Irtto Heavert with out dying ; and the latter {Elifioa) was the moft eminently diffinguiffi'd, of any man fince the tirae of Mofes, for his rairaculous Powers. After whora the Gift of Miracles was a good deal dirainiffi'd irt the Jewiffi Church, and gave way to that of Prophecy. But to ffiorten ffie Hiftory of this Pe riod. — Joaft was fucceeded by Amaziah, He (f) 2 Chron. xxii. lo, ii, tz. z King. xi. J, 2, 3. , {g) 2 King, xi. 2 Chron. xxiii. 1 V The Appendix. ^2^ He hy Uzziah, aud He by Jotham ; four re ligious Princes irt Immediate Succeffion : in whofe Reigns liv'd ffie prophets Jonah, Ho- feahi Joel, Amos, Zechariah, Micah ; whofe Writings are ftfll extant In the CanOn ofthe t>ld Teftamertt. Thefe were raifed up prlu- Cipally to forewarrt the Jews of their ap- proachirtg Captivity • to denounce Judg ments agairtft the Wicked, and to call ffieni td repentartce ; and to make feme further prophetick Difcoveries of ffie Mejfiah and his glorious Reign, for the Suppdrt and Cora^ fort of the faiffiful. After Jotham rcign'd Ahaz, a very wlc-^ ked King ; who was focceeded by his fon Hezekiah, no lefs reraarkable for his Piety. Irt the Beginning of hisHeign {viz. A. M, 3215, which was 256 years after the Divi- fidn of the Kirtgdom) Samaria was befieg'd; artd after three years Was taken by Shalma- nefer ; and the ten Tribes of Ifrael, for their long corttinued and incorrigible Wickednefs and Idolatry, were carried away into per-' petual Bondage, to the land of AJfyria {h). This was a loud Warning to ffie people of Judah ; who, continuing ftill wicked and idolatrous {h) 2 King. xvii. Hclv, Theatr. p. 54. 43^) The Appendix'. idolatrous (neither taking Warnirtg" by theif bad Kirtgs, rtor followirtg the Example of ffieir good ortes) were (about 130 years after this {a), iu the Reign of Jehoiachim^ carried captive themfelves b^y^ Nebuchadnez zar. Irtto Babylon, to the number of ten thoii" fand eight hundred and thirty two (^) j after their City and Teraple had been plunder'd aud laid wafte by his Army (/). Ezekiel, Habakkuk; artd Nahum, were ffie ffiree laft prophets before ffie Captivity of Judah: which cortcludes the third faraous period of the Jewiffi Hiftory. With this now let us Cdrapare thfe cor refponding Period of the Chriftian Church : which reach'd from A. C. 306, (when the Roman Empire became Chriffian) to A. C. 756, when It firft became Antichrlftian * ; ivhich cdntalrt'd a fpace of four hundred and fifty years. The (a) Jofefhus i"ays it was preciiely 1 30 yeirs 6 months and 1 6 days. jof. Antiq. Jud. 1. x. c. 11. (h) Jof. Ant. Jud. 1. X. c. 9. (i) 2 King, xxiV. 1 2; * This is the lateft Date of the Commencement pf the Antichtiftian Reign : the papal See having then eftablifli.'d it's temporal Jurifdiftion by being invefted with the Exar chate ofRavenna. See iowwaw's Paraph, on the Rev. p. 142. The Appendix. 431 The chriftian Church In this, like ffiat of ffie Jews in ffie correfponding Period, was In it's full maturity : and the facred Canon was now fixt and eftabliffi'd \ by the Light and Power of which the Darkrtefs of Superftitiort and Paganifm was baniffi'd from the greateft part ofthe known World. In ffie Begirtrtlng of this period (during ffie Reign of Conftantine) ffie Chriftiart Church (Iflce ffiat of the Jews iu the Reign of Solomon) was In It's greateft outward Glory, And the Prolpo-Ity of both laid the foundatiort of ffieir fucceediug Calamities : for the Chriftiart Church (as well as that of the Jews) foou after becarae raiferably rent and divided, by a fehifraatical, faftious, un- relentlng, haughty fpirit ; ftiraulated by a violent and, unbounded Thirft of Domina tion and Power. This was. the Source of ffiofe flagrant Dlf orders which foon ertfu'd. For during ffie greateft part of this period ffie Chriftian World was all in flames by a falfe Zeal. Herefy prevail'd abundantly : to ftop the progrefs of. which, fhe feven general Coun cils (whichwere convert 'd for thar purpofe) were fo, far frora being an effeftual expe dient, 4 3'^ Th^ - Appendix'. dient, that they ferV'd rather to proniote and eftabliffi ffiem. Fdr by the three laft, Origen % Works were cohdemrt'd; Chrift was decreed td have two Wills, and the Venerat tion of Images was authoriz'd arid intrdduc'd Irttd the Church (a). During ffie Darkrtefs arid Dlftraftions of thefe tiraes Providertce irtdeed rais'd up, in differertt plates, feveral erainently wife and pious men (like Elijah and Elifioa uuder the divifiorts df the Jewiffi State) to guide ffiem in a better way ; but their holy Examples and Inftruftldns riot being fufficient to Cure^ or curb ffiat bad fpirit that fd urtlverfally prevafl'd, GOD fuffer'd the Mahoraetan Apoftacy to break out amougft thera (A, C. 622.) which fwept off Vaft raultitudes from the Chriftiart Church; whole Countries were left a Prey to that Impofture, and given over to ftrong Delufion to believe a Lye. — This may be compar'd to the firft^ Captivity, viz. ffiat of the ten Tribes, And as ffiis was foUow'd about a hundred and thirty years after with ffie entire Captivity of the whole natiort, fo this firft Defeftion of the Chriftian Church, about ffie f^rae number (d) ©W/cr's Hiftory of Perfecution, p. 144^-1^0. The Appendix. 4.33 number of years afterwards, was fol- low'd by it's total fubjeftion to the papal Yoke. Two or three ftriking inftances of Ana logy are veiy obvious in thefe two cor refponding periods ofthe Jewiffi and Chrif tian Church, which we have juft now been comparing. ( I ) In both we fee the bad effefts of long continued peace, profperity and power ; how foon they are abufed, and becorae pro duftive of Arabition, Luxury, Senfuality, Sloth, Efferalnacy, Pride, Petulance and Faftion : a fure Indication of a nation's Weaknefs, and the flow but certa!in fore runner of it's Ruin. (i) Tn both we fee how the reigning Vices of a nation. In procefs of tirae, vary. The Jewiffi State was now in it's full ftrength arid raaturity (which raay be call'd it's ftate of Manhood) ; they had therefore laid afide that childifio temper of fretfulnefs, murrauring and repining, which was fo coraraon araongft them before their fettle- ment in Canaan : but inftead thereof they ran direftly into thofe fins that are more incident to perfons of mature age, and in F f profperous 434 The Appendix. profperous circuraftances ; viz. rapinCj? fraud, deceit, worldlinefs, fenfuality, and' arabition ; which were the original Sources of all their publick Troubles, For 'tis no uncoramon thing for GOD, in the raethods of his providential Conduft, to caufe the very Vices of a People to be the Inftruraents of their Puniffiment. The farae Obfervation raay with equal juftice be raade concerning the Teraper of Chriftians, in that period of the Chriftian Church I have juft now been confidering. But ftfll the charafteriftick or national Sin of the Jews was Idolatry ; or a deviation frora the prefcrib'd Rules of Worffiip, and paying a greater regard to the Opinions of Men than to the Authority of GOD, And fo it was araong Chriftians. (3) GO.D foraetiraes feverely puniffies one part of a nation or people as a Warn ing to another, which he fpares longer: but if they fall into the farae Sins, the fame Puniffiment foon overtakes them. — This you have plainly feen exeraplify'd in the Hiftory of the laft raention'd periods both of the Jewifli and Chriftian Church, ' Lafily, The Appendix. 435 Lafily, God foraetiraes puniflies a fin ful nation or people by giving thera up at - length £0 thofe evil ways to which they have been fo incorrigibly inclin'd. Juft fo the Jewiffi nation, that had been fo long ad difted to Idol Worffiip (from which no thing could recall them) were at length tranfplanted into a land of Idols ; where they were forced into that Idolatry they had been fo long hankering after. And juft fo the Chriftian Church, for their departing from the holy Scriptures as the only Rule of Faith, and their fondnefs for new Doc trines, and arbitrary modes of V/or- ffiip, were at length given up to^ and to tally immers'd in, thofe Errors, Delufions and Superftitions,, to which they had fo long dikover'd the moft eager and prevalent In- ci.!na':ion.— To proceed IV. The next Period of the Jewifli Hif tory is during their_y^i;^7;/r years Captivity in Babylon : from A. M. 3355 to A. M. 3415. Though the people of Judah were not all carried captive at the fame time, nor did they all return at the fame time, yet the Continuance of the Captivity in general is Ffi always 43^ The Appendix. always reckon'd fieventy years : and thefe are the Dates that are ufually fixt for the Beginning and End of that Period : that Is, frora the time of Jehoiachins being car ried away captive, to their Returu home under the Comraand of Zerubbabel, in the firft year of Cyrus. The Hiftory of the Jews, during their feventy years Captivity in Babylon, is but ffiort ; and is chiefly contain'd in the Book of Daniel, They kept a foleran Faft twice a year to hurable therafelves before GOD (/). And that ffieir Bondage was, very grievous to thera, appears frora ffiat raournful Elegy which the Prophet Jere miah puts into their raouths in the Book of Lamentations. For they had Prophets and other good raert araong thera during the Captivity; for whofe fake GOD in due tirae reftor'd thera, and re-fettled thera in their native Land, Nebuchadnezzar, being return'd to Baby lon, after the end of the Jewiffi War, and the full fettleraent of his Affairs in Syria and Paleftine, out of the Spoils taken in that Expedition raade a Golden Iraage, in ho nour (I) Zach. vii. 5. Ufh. An. p. 91. The Appendix. 427 nour of his GOD Bel. This Iraage was of an iraraenfe ftature ; before which he abfo lutely commanded all his Subjefts without diffinftion to fall down and worffiip it. Three diffinguifli'd children of the Capti vity, who for their fingular Beauty were brought up at Court, viz. Hananiah, Mi- ftael and Azariah, (whom the Chaldeans nara'd Shadrach, Meftach and Abednego) pereraptorily refufing to comply with the royal Injunftion, were caft into a fiery fur nace ; in which they were miraculoufly pre- , ferv'd from periffiing {m). Soon after this, fhe Babylonifio Monarch had a prophetick Vifion of his own ap proaching Fate ; which was truly inter preted by Daniel, and fulfill'd a year after : viz. ' ffiat for his unfufferable Pride and ^ Arrogance, he ffiould be greatly humbled * by that GOD whofe people he had car- ' ried away captive from their own Land : ' ffiat his Underftanding, together with all * the raarks of Royalty and Humanity, ' ffiould be taken frora hira : that he ffiould ' live a wild and favage Life, araong the ' Beafts of the Field, for feven years ; after F f 3 ' which (m) Da.n. iii. 43 S The Appendix. ^ which his reafon ffiould be reftor'd unto ' him, and he ffiould adore the G O D of ' Heaven' {tt). All which came to pafs : and the year after his reafon was reftor'd to hira ( /. e. in the 3 7tli year of the captivity of Jehoiachin) he died a Worffiipper ofthe true GOD {a) : and was iucceeded by his Son Eval-merodack, who in the firft year of his Reign fet at Y^'herty Jehoiachin (or Jccot. niah, for they are the fame perfon) the cap tive King of Judah, zfter fix and thirty years Imprifonment ; and diftinguiffi'd him with many marks of Honour {b). He prov'd a very profligate and vicious Prince, and for that reafon was call'd Eval- merodach, that is, fooliffi Merodach ; for his proper name was only Merodach. After two years Reign in Babylon he was flain by his own (n) Dan. Iv. (a) This is cOncludecl from the deep and ferious Im- prelTions that were made on his mind, by his late extraor dinary transformation and recovery, Dan. iv. 37. and from what Abydetms relates of him, 'viz. that he foretold to his Subjefts the Coming ofthe Perfians to deftroy the Babylonifh Empire : wherein he teftified his faith in what the GOD of Heaven declar'd to him by the mouth of his Prophet Daniel. Eufeb. Prep. E'van. 1. ix. Vrid, Con. Vol I P i B, 2. ^b) % King. xxv. 27 — 30. The Appendix. 439 own Relations, and fucceeded by Neriglif- far, his Sifter's Hufoand : and he, four years after, by Nabonadius (call'd in Scripture Bel- fioazzar) the Son of Eval-merodach, and Grandfoii of Nebuchadnezzar {c). Who, like his Father, turn'd out a profane, v/eak, debauch'd Prince ; and in the midft pf his Riot and Drunkennefs became an eafy Prey to the Medes and Perfians : who took the Royal City by Stratagem, and put an end to the firft great Monarchy in the World, viz. the Afiyrian or Babylonian ; after it had con tinued, from it's firft foundation, two hun dred and nine years, {d). Cyrus, (the Son of Cambyfes the Perfian, and grandfon of Afty ages, the laft King ofthe Medes) of whom Ifaiah had prophefied by narae above a hundred and fixty years before he was born, (and which Propheey Jofephus tells us Cyrus himfelf had read) was the perfon Providence chofe out to be the In- ftruraent of this mighty Revolution {e). F f 4 Thf [c] Dan. V. Xenophon de Cyr. Inft. 1. 7. c. 23. Herod, lib. I. c. 191. (d) Prid. Conneft. V. I. P. i. B. 2. p. 115. (e) Ifai, XLiv. 28. XLV. 1. Jof. Antiq. Jud. 1. xi. c. 1. 440 The Appendix. The Deftruftion of the Affyrian Monar^ chy co-incided with that ofthe Jewift State ; the total deraohtion of which was the laft faraous aftion it atchiev'd. This was by the permlffion of Heaven for the puniffi ment of the Jews, But the Wickednefs of the Afiyrians making thera now ripe for ruin in their turn, they foon after ffiard the fame fate themfelves. Thus we often fee the very Inftruments which GOD raakes ufe of to correft his people, are foon after confura'd by the farae hand that eraploy'd thera : or (as it is forae tiraes exprefs'd) when he hath no further oc cafionfor the Rod, he throws it into the fire. After the Overthrow of the Afiyrian Era pire by Cyrus, Darius the Mede (call'd by the Greeks Cyaxares, the Son of Afiy ages, arid uncle of Cyrus, and Confederate with hira in the War) was raade Governor of Babylon ; or took upon hini the raanageraent of all affairs in that Kingdom during the abfence of Cyrus, who was gone into Perfia -^t;o fee his Father Cambyfes and his Mother ^'Mandana (f). At (f) Prideauxh Conneft. Vol, I. P. i. b. 2. Ujh. An. p. lOl. Dan. X. 37. T^e Appendix. 441 At this time Daniel, (fo renown'd for his prophetick fpirit) who through the favour of the forraer Reigns had attain'd to great eminence at court, was now advanc'd (as Jofeph had been for the farae reafon, mEgypt) to the fecond poft of power in the whole Kingdora. For this vaft extended Coun try was divided into three hundred and fixty Provinces, govern'd by a hundred and twenty Princes ; who were all fubjeft to three PrefiT dents (of whora Daniel was the chief) who were accountable only to ffie King (g). This extraordinary proraotion of a cap tive Foreigner could not fail to excite the Spleen and Envy of the Babyloniffi Nobility, who contriv'd the following ftratagera for his Deftruftion. Availing themfelves of Darius's Weaknefs, they obtain'd of hirn a Decree, ' that Whofoever ffiould alk a ' petition of any G O D or man for thirty *¦ days, except of the King hirafelf, ffiould ' be caft Into the Den of Lions (hf ; well knowing that Daniel's piety wou'd not fuffer hira to coraply with fo irapious an Injunc tion. And though 'tis probable he had In tereft (g) Dan. vi. i — 3, Whifionh Jofeph. Antiq. p. 523. (hJ Dan. vii. 7. 442 The Appendix. tereft enough wiffi the King to have obtain'd a Difpenfation in his favour, had he applied , for it, yet knowing their Defign he defpis'd it, trufted in his GOD, prayed to him a% ufual, was thrown to the Lions, and mlra-^ culoufly preferv'd: for GOD fent an Angel to ftut the Lions mouths, tb(it they hurt him not fi). Jofephus tells us that the Afiyrian Lords, feeing this ftrange Event, pretended (and indeed had the face to tell the King hirafelf^ ffiat, with a view to fave Daniel, the Lions had ffiat very day been fed to the full ; and this was the reafon ffiey did not feize updrt hira. At which ffie King being provok'd, coraraanded the dreadful Experiment to be made upon therafelves. And when ffie Lions had juft been fill'd with fleffi, by the King's Order, thefe Lords were thrown to them, and were inftantly deftroy'd by ffiem (k). A litde { /) Dan. vi. 22. (k) Dan. vi. 24. Jof. Antiq. Jud. 1. x. c. ult. How Jofephus came by this Anecdote is not certain. How ever, at firft view the account appears probable enough, and fuggefts a good reafon of the King's conduft towards Daniel's Accufers. The Appendix. 443 A little before this, Daniel had a Vifion of fhe four great Monarchies of the world ; viz. the Afiyrian, Perfian, Grecian, and Roman, reprefented by four wild Beafts ; the Lion, the Bear, the Leopard, and another ftrong horned Beaft, diverfe from them all (1). Which in like manner had been exhibited by ffie Image in Nebuchadnezzar % Dreara (m) . Such kind of prophetical Re prefentations were very proper to awaken the Attention, and confirm the Faith of GOD's people at this time, when the firft of thefe Monarchies was now diffolv'd, and the fecond juft erefting. This farae Daniel (who was by far the moft faraous of all the Jewiffi Captives, and to whofe Writings we owe alraoft all the authentick accounts we have of this Period^ deliver'd alfo a raoft raeraorable and cir cumftantial prophecy of the Meffiah ; and precifely fixt the tirae of his coming for the Rederaption of his people : which was the greateft Corafort the Church enjoy'd in Its prefent fervile and deprefs'd condition (n). And having flouriffi'd all the time of the Captivity (I) Dan. vii. (m) Dan. ii. (n) Dan. ix. 24. 444- The Appendix. Captivity with great erainertce artd reputa- tatiort, both as a Prirtce artd a Prophet, he died Irt a good old age, about the fourffi year of Cyrus (o) ; or. three years after ffie firft Decree was iffued out for the Jews to returrt to their owrt Lartd. For now GOD, being willing again to ffiew Mercy to his chofen People, put it into the heart of ffiat great Prince to publiffi a Decree, in the firft year of his Reign, where by the Jews were perraitted to return to their ownCourttry, and rebuild ffieir Teraple: to which end he reftor'd to ffiera all the Veffels artd Utertfils, which remain'd of what had been brought from Jerufalem to Babylon, irt the Relgrt of Nebuchadnezzar ; and gave them all the further Encourage ment ffiat ffieir Rulers could require (p).~r- And thus ended the yo?nc was the Whore of Babylon, and the Pope Antichrift. A.nd partly through the novelty of his Doftrine, the influence of his Example, and the credit of his name, he very foon had many Followers : who being chaced from Lyons fpread themfelves over Dauphine arid Provence ; from whence they were difpers'd into almoft all the Countries of Eui^ei and propagated fo faft, that in lefs than a hundred years after Waldo, in the fmall Biftioprick of Paffan only, there were above 80,000. We may judge of their numbers by the army of crufaders which Pope Innocent the Illd fent out againft thern :. which Fuller tells us confifted of 100,000 men. Others fay tliat this Crufade confifted of 500,000 men, who wore their croffes on their Breafts, in order to diftinguifh 44 8 The Appendix. Wicklifiites* , Hujfites^, and others; who, hke diftinguiih them from thofe that went to the holy Land, who wore them on their ftioulders. Rapin's Hift. Vol I. p. 280. Fa&A-'s Holy War. B. 3. ch. r8 — 21. X Thefe arofe in Germany about the Beginning of the fourteenth century ; fo call'd from their Leader Walter Lollard, who began to propagate his Opinions A. D. 1315. He rejefted the facrifice of the Mafs, extreme Unftion, and Penances for Sin • arguing that Chrift's Sufferings were fufficient : for which he was burnt alive 2&Cologne, in 1322.- Chambers'' Cyclopced. * So call'd from their Founder John WickUff, an Englifli- mari, Profeffor of Divinity, and Reftof of Liittertuorth in Leicefterjhire, in the Reign of £'4''uifl>-i(iiB(, 1'- xsTawo&JH**' at visa y(eii7fX»Tj>i, 51 x.aray.KviTBnvon T))» ¦ssot^tv, th? T))?